State Looks to Allow Non-Binary Party Candidates
Lawmakers, advocates collaborate on bill to erase gender barriers
BY MATT TRACY
State lawmakers have proposed
new legislation that
would allow non-binary
candidates to run for
party positions in New York State
and eliminate gender-based barriers
requiring folks to run only as a
female or male.
The legislation, named the Gender
Inclusive Ballot Act, would encompass
positions for State Committee,
Assembly District Leader,
and County Committee. The measure
would maintain existing rules
intended to establish gender diversity,
as it stipulates that the offi ces
should have leaders of different genders
rather than opposite sexes.
Assemblymember Jessica
González-Rojas of Queens and State
Senator Zellnor Myrie of Brooklyn
proposed the bill — and it was coauthored
by Émilia Decaudin, an
Democratic District Leader Émilia Decaudin, seen here at the 2020 Gay City News Impact Awards, coauthored
state legislation to remove barriers for non-binary candidates seeking party offi ces.
out trans Democratic district leader
in Queens’ 37th Assembly District,
as well as attorney David Siffert.
The legislation follows a drawnout
battle to allow non-binary individuals
to run for county committee
seats in Brooklyn and comes two
years after Decaudin spearheaded
a similar effort in the State Democratic
Committee to remove barriers
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for non-binary candidates.
Unsurprisingly, the bill already
has strong support from LGBTQ
political groups and community
organizations serving queer individuals,
including Advocacy &
Services for LGBT Elders (SAGE),
the Ali Forney Center, GAPIMNY —
Empowering Queer & Trans Asian
Pacifi c Islanders, Housing Works,
POLITICS
the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic
Club, Lambda Independent Democrats
of Brooklyn, Princess Janae
Place, and SAGE, as well as the
Stonewall Democratic Club of New
York City and the Pride Center of
Staten Island.
In a written statement, González-
Rojas said her legislation would
address a “gender justice issue.”
“Before serving as a legislator, I
ran to be and represented my community
as a state committee member...
I believe that it is time that we
do away with a binary gendered way
of engaging New Yorkers,” González-
Rojas said.
Decaudin expressed her appreciation
to González-Rojas and Myrie
for proposing the legislation.
“The inability of non-binary people
to run for most political party
offi ces is a glaring defect in our election
law that must be corrected for
the sake of justice,” Decaudin said.
NYC H+H Unveils Trans Health Resource Guide
Patients, providers can navigate gender-affi rming services at different locations
BY MATT TRACY
Marking Transgender
Awareness Week,
New York City Health
+ Hospitals unveiled
a new Transgender Healthcare Resource
Guide intended to help patients
and providers navigate the
system’s gender-affi rming health
services.
The guide provides a breakdown
of the offerings available at the six
different Health + Hospitals Pride
Health Centers — Bellevue, Jacobi,
Gouverneur, Judson, Metropolitan,
and Woodhull — as well as at
other Health + Hospitals locations
providing a range of services. The
Pride Health Centers provide gender
affi rming health services; HIV/
STD prevention, screening, and
treatment; adolescent care; social
work and behavioral services; and
Bellevue Hospital has one of Health Hospitals’ six Pride Health Centers, which provide gender-affi rming
services.
primary care, according to Health
+ Hospitals. The guide also notes
where folks can fi nd voice therapy
and modifi cation services, substance
use assistance, and youth
services.
In an effort to help direct folks
to services in their local communities,
the guide organizes a list of
Health + Hospitals facilities that
REUTERS/ANDREW KELLY
have been designated as a “Leader
in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality”
— and those locations include additional
hospitals beyond the Pride
Health Centers, such as Health +
Hospitals/Coney Island and Health
+ Hospitals/Elmhurst.
Many of the points outlined
in the guide are intended to help
patients, but it also includes information
for healthcare centers
and providers on how to create an
LGBTQ-affi rming clinic.
“Every person who seeks health
care deserves to be affi rmed, respected
and understood,” Health
+ Hospitals chief diversity and inclusion
offi cer Matilde Roman said
in a written statement. “These resources
will help providers offer
access to gender-affi rming and
transgender-inclusive services to
meet the needs of transgender and
gender non-conforming people in
need of care.”
Health + Hospitals has opened
up multiple Pride Health Center
this year, including the Jacobi
Pride Health Center, which opened
in October at 1400 Pelham Parkway
in the South Bronx. Another
Health + Hospitals LGBTQ health
center opened at Lincoln Hospital
in June.
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