Taylor Brown has been appointed head of New York's new LGBTQ+ Affairs Bureau. She is the first openly transgender person to lead a city agency.

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

"The transgender community across the country is under attack," Brown told a local radio station. "We must pay close attention to this."

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

Those inequalities affect employment, housing, and education especially. Transgender and LGBTQ+ people of colour 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."