Council Member Hanif Discusses the Affirm Act for Gender-Affirming Care

Recognizing Councilmember Honey, followed by Vernakoff, then Mealy.

Thank you.

Today we are voting on my bill intro 1201, the Affirm Act.

I'd like to thank Brooklyn Borough President Reynoso and Council members Botcher, Rivera Ose, Wrestler Hudson, and Delarosa for introducing this bill with me.

Women and gender equity chair Lewis for moving it through the committee, and Speaker Adams for including it on today's agenda.

I'm proud that this council is stepping up to fight Donald Trump's trans-erasure agenda.

The Protect Trans Futures Package is a bold suite of legislation that makes it loud and clear that trans and gender non-conforming people have rights here, no matter who is in the White House.

As other jurisdictions pass anti-trans legislation, the Affirm Act creates safe harbor protections for those who access gender-affirming care here in the five boroughs.

These patients will be shielded from lawsuits from anti-trans governments or entities that are filed on the basis of gender-affirming care that is provided in New York City.

If a suit is filed, it shall constitute interference, and the aggrieved patient will have the personal ability to counter sue for damages and other costs under city law.

This bill protects gender affirming care and affirms our city's values as a bastion for TGNC rights.

I urge my colleagues to vote yes.

I'd like to thank Alex Liao, Moose Lamia, Nisha Djodhri, and Matt Maloy from my team, Jahari Frazier, Julia Goldsmith Pinkham, and Sahar Mozami from the legislative division, and the incredible coalition of issue experts who got the Affirm Act to this point.

I'll close by saying that as important as the suite of legislation is, there is still much the city needs to do to further trans rights, including allocating and baselining the following funds in the FY26 budget.

10 million for the trans equity initiative, 15 million for gender affirming care, and 10 million for LGBTQ youth housing.

Thank you.