JJ Cleo Mizrahi describes trans fear, discrimination, and class barriers to care

Hi, good afternoon.

My name is Jajay Cleo Mizrahi, and I'm a longtime New Yorker, and I use they or they.

Every time I come here to City Hall, when we are talking about measures that are affecting the most marginalized, it's usually in the end after corporate interests.

I really appreciate everyone who's still here, but we know that it's a challenge to wait when not all of the City Hall, especially those who are trans allies that really need to hear the testimony of those of us who are struggling.

I'm going to do my best to go through, and I also sent a written testimony as well, as I wasn't feeling well.

We know that trans people are being dehumanized and stigmatized across America and across the world as punching bags.

And that even as a trans adult, I know that for my inner child and for trans youth that I am protecting, it is crippling my mental health.

Living with hysteria and fear of thinking, even today, if I take my hormones, am I going to be targeted?

Am I going to be mocked?

Am I going to be harassed again on the subway and the train?

Am I going to be mocked and denied care while in the hospital?

And so on.

We know that gender care is more than just surgeries or HRT, right?

It's support groups.

It's counseling.

It's social services.

These are all the elements that people are forgetting that encompasses.

gender-affirming care.

And I'm only here because of trans ancestors who paved the way, but we know that we're still struggling here in New York City.

When I was working at the New York Public Library during COVID, not only was I discriminated on the basis of gender and my disabilities, but DC 37, the largest union

for the city, did not even have any trans-affirming care that I had to pay out of pocket during the pandemic and was not even trans-competent, and I had to keep re-explaining myself to my union member.

I come from a tradition that says if you save a life, you save the world, and that you're able to break any rule in the Torah as long as you save a life.

And that is part of what's bringing me here today.

We know that trans people are facing, even in New York City, systematic barriers for jobs.

So thinking about accounting, about how much it is, to think, how much am I going to pay for food today, or my hormones, and having to check.

We know that three out of five LGBT adults are without food, and that is proven from HRA.

When I was detained and denied certain care in a psych ward for just walking while trans in one of your city hospitals, I had a relapse because I was not given certain medication and just like my hormonal treatment.

Let me just continue to go through my story.

We know that it's hard enough to communicate our needs when both in city council and in state, we still do not have

One.

One TGNCI elected official.

And I hope that I'll be part of a generation that will break that glass ceiling.

We know that with FBI, the hate crimes of trans women of color at 79%, more than any other marginalized demographic.

We have went yesterday to even rally against Mount Sinai and NYU, and they are debating, do we care more about our values or do we care more about our money to cave into Trumpism?

I could go on and on and on, but I even just wanted to just be able to think about those who are most vulnerable, again, that were here for youth.

If you even spend an evening at Black Trans Liberation Kitchen, on average, they have 200 trans youth.

Most are malnourished.

Most are forced into sex work here in New York City and are not always getting HRT by approved medical care.

And we know from our elders who are not even here, what does it mean when we do not have medical care that is proper?

I'm going to be here around afterwards, but I just wanted to be able to remind you that, again, even for those of us who are able to get some aspects of our gender care approving, that still gender care, some aspects are really class-based.

There's, just for even a letter for FFS, I had to wait over five years.

Certain operations and care, like vocal feminization, is for those with certain types of insurances.

So I really wanted to put into a factor that this is affecting trans people.

people across generations, and thank you so much for being here.

Thank you.

And we'll be sure to read the full of your written testimony you submitted.

Thank you.