Taylor Brown leads the new LGBTQ+ Affairs Bureau in New York. She is the first openly transgender person leading a city bureau.

Brown is a lawyer appointed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Her work faces pressure from federal attacks on transgender people.

"The transgender community nationwide is being attacked," Brown told local radio. "We must watch this closely."

Her office has two main tasks. First, Brown wants to respond quickly to political attacks. Second, she wants to address old inequalities.

These inequalities affect work, housing, and education especially. Transgender and coloured LGBTQ+ people feel these problems most strongly.

Brown sees gender-affirming care as a top priority. "This is lifesaving care for transgender people," Brown said. "This is essential and urgent."

New York has a long history with LGBTQ+ rights. The modern movement started here in the nineteen sixties. Transgender women played an important role then.

"I am very proud to do this work," Brown said. "It is an honour to continue this history."