Mayor Adams Signs Executive Order Protecting Access to Gender-Affirming Health Care in New York City

June 12, 2023

As LGBTQ+ Rights Remain Under Attack Nationwide, EO Prevents Use of City Resources to Detain Individuals for Providing or Receiving Gender-Affirming Health Care Services

Executive Order Denies Use of NYC Resources to Cooperate with Prosecution or Investigation from Other State of Individuals for Providing or Receiving Gender-Affirming Care

Reaffirms NYC as National Leader and Supporter of LGBTQ+ Rights During Pride Month

NEW YORK – In another effort to strongly support the LGBTQ+ community, New York City Mayor Eric Adams today signed Executive Order 32 to protect access to gender-affirming health care in New York City. The executive order prevents the use of city resources to detain any individual who is providing or receiving gender-affirming health care services in New York City. Additionally, the executive order denies the use of resources by the City of New York to cooperate with any prosecution or investigation by another state of an individual for providing or receiving gender-affirming care. As LGBTQ+ rights continue to be threatened across the country, Executive Order 32 reaffirms New York City’s historic place as a national leader and supporter for all seeking the health care and medical attention needed, especially for transgender and nonbinary people.

“As states across the nation continue their onslaught of attacks on our LGBTQ+ neighbors, New York City is doing what we have always done — standing up for justice and against discrimination,” said Mayor Adams. “This executive order reaffirms the fact that hate has no place in our city and that all people deserve the right to gender-affirming care and protection against prosecution for being who they are. To LGBTQ+ people across the nation feeling hurt, isolated, or threatened, we have a clear message for you: New York City has and will always be a welcoming home for you.”

Gender-affirming care is essential to the health and wellness of many transgender and non-binary people. Major medical organizations, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, which collectively represent 1.3 million doctors, have recognized the medical necessity of age-appropriate gender-affirming care for transgender and non-binary people.

Nationwide, at least 20 states have passed repressive new laws that restrict the ability for minors to receive gender affirming care, and 34 states have introduced legislation to restrict or prohibit access to gender-affirming care for individuals 18 and older. In some states, if a health care provider violates these laws, that state could request New York City detain them if they are in the city. But, under Executive Order 32 signed by Mayor Adams today, these individuals will now be granted the protection and privacy in New York City to either receive or provide care that is medically needed. If a health care provider in a restricted state works with NYC Health + Hospitals, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, or another city agency to provide gender-affirming services to support an individual, the City of New York will not cooperate with that state’s investigation of the provider.

“As LGBTQ+ people nationwide find themselves under attack for receiving the care they need, New York City is leading the nation to show what must be done,” said First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright. “I applaud this administration for using the power of government to stand up and do what’s right by protecting rights that are under attack. Our city’s history is rooted in the Stonewall Inn and the founding of the modern LGBTQ+ movement. With today’s announcement, we are telling the nation that we have not forgotten our past and will continue to fight for the future.”

“From birthing the modern LGBTQ+ movement at the Stonewall Inn over 50 years ago to today hosting the nation’s largest Pride celebration, New York City remains the home of a vibrant and vital LGBTQ+ community — and we intend to keep it that way,” said Chief of Staff Camille Joseph Varlack. “That’s why today’s executive order is paramount to reaffirming our commitment to protecting the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals. This announcement makes it clear that New York City will continue to honor its legacy as a safe haven for all people.”

“From day one, this administration pledged to stand up for those under attack, facing oppression, and being denied their basic rights,” Chief Advisor Ingrid Lewis Martin. “Today’s announcement is a reaffirmation of that pledge by using the power of government to support all of our neighbors in need. I am proud to work alongside colleagues who are stepping up to meet this moment and be a model for our nation.” 

“Across the country, the rights of transgender individuals are under attack from a small and cynical group who are stoking fear and hatred to enact punishing legislation,” said City Hall Chief Counsel Brendan McGuire. “Today’s executive order signed by Mayor Adams sends a powerful message that New York City will remain a safe haven for the entire LGBTQ+ community, and particularly for transgender individuals seeking to live their best and safest lives.”   

“Health care is a human right. This holds for the LGBTQ+ community and for every community across New York City,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. “The executive order Mayor Adams signed today will add to the city’s efforts to protect gender-affirming care and show, once again, that New York City stands up for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community.”

“Public health is public safety, and that includes access to health care for all,” said Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Philip Banks III. “New York City has always been a place that is safe and welcoming for everyone, and we are going to stay that way.”

“Human rights and public health go hand in hand,” said New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan. “Pride is a time to honor the legacy of the LGBTQ+ community’s fight for justice, and nowhere is this fight clearer than in access to lifesaving and life-affirming health care. It is also a time to advance the rights of the community and make even more history. This order does just that and ensures New York City is on the right side of this important history, continuing its commitment to providing high-quality, equitable health care to all.”

“Health care is a basic human right and no one should be punished for providing or seeking care that is essential to a person’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Our Pride Health Centers offer gender-affirming care in a setting that is welcoming, respectful, and empowers patients to make the best decisions for themselves and their loved ones,” said NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Mitchell Katz, MD. “I applaud Mayor Adams for continuing to make New York City a safe haven for the LGBTQ+ community and for allowing us to provide high-quality, comprehensive health care to anyone who walks through our doors.”

“New York City has zero tolerance for discrimination of any kind,” said New York City Corporation Counsel Sylvia O. Hinds-Radix. “Through this executive order, the city makes it clear that it will not aid the discriminatory efforts of other states seeking to restrict the right of individuals to access the health care they need. I commend Mayor Adams for providing these protections for members of the LGBTQ+ community, whose rights continue to be threatened.”  

“As states continue to pass measures stripping away LGBTQ+ rights, we need to fight on every front — from corporate boardrooms to Congress,” said New York City Department of Youth and Community Development Commissioner Keith Howard. “We must learn from history that health care is a right — not a privilege. The Department of Youth and Community Development joins Mayor Adams during Pride Month in taking this bold step and sending a defiant message: The birthplace of the LGBTQ+ rights movement will firmly stand against oppression and uplift communities that make New York City the greatest city in the world.”

“New York City has long been at the forefront of the movement for LGBTQ+ equality, and today’s announcement reaffirms our unwavering commitment to building a safe and inclusive city for all,” said Mayor’s Office of Equity Commissioner Sideya Sherman. “As the fundamental rights of the LGBTQ+ community come under increasing attack in states across the nation, we must uplift and affirm everyone’s right to access care with dignity and without fear.”

“The freedom to live as your authentic self will always be protected in New York City,” said New York City Commission on Human Rights Commissioner and Chair Annabel Palma. “As transgender and non-binary communities continue to be targeted across the nation, we are proud that New York City protects transgender and non-binary individuals from discrimination. We applaud Mayor Adams for continuing to support those who provide essential care to trans and non-binary people.”

“New York City continues to lead the nation in its support of LGBTQ+ communities,” said Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes Executive Director Hassan Naveed. “I am proud of Mayor Adams and this administration’s commitment in taking a stance against hate and discrimination and providing these protections to LGBTQ+ people.”

“As the home of Stonewall, New York City has long been at the epicenter of LGBTQ+ rights,” said New York City’s Unity Project Acting Executive Director Ronald Porcelli. “This announcement reinforces New York City’s staunch commitment to LGBTQ+ equity and equality. Today, as the LGBTQ+ community faces renewed, egregious hate and discrimination across our nation, New York City boldly remains a proud beacon of hope for our community.”

Today’s executive order is another step the Adams administration has taken to support the LGBTQ+ community. Last week, Mayor Adams, the New York City Police Department Community Affairs Bureau, the Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes, and the Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit announced a new process for New Yorkers to contact the NYPD to re-examine cases involving LGBTQ+ victims, including cold cases.

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