The appointment last month of Abby Stein, a transgender rabbi and activist, to New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s transition committee on health issues is significant for LGBTQ representation. Mamdani, who made history as the city’s first Muslim mayor-elect, cemented his campaign’s commitment to LGBTQ+ rights by including Stein to ensure trans voices shape the administration’s policy agenda. Stein’s journey is highlighted, from leaving the Hasidic community to becoming a visible progressive rabbi and author. Her appointment immediately triggered predictable outrage from conservative critics, who attacked her identity and progressive political views.
Conversely, LGBTQ+ advocates celebrated her inclusion as a crucial step toward structural change and greater representation. For New Yorkers, especially the trans community, Stein’s presence is vital. It offers a voice rooted in lived experience to influence health policy and provides a powerful counter-narrative that demonstrates trans leadership and authentic identity are compatible with civic participation.
Her role signals a shift in municipal politics, prioritizing marginalized perspectives in governance. Some Zionists, even queer Zionists, are more reserved with their adulation, fearing that Stein isn’t a strong enough supporter of the nation of Israel, while others wonder if her international views are relevant to municipal work. Still, the Queer God Squad is excited to see a world where a cis-straight Muslim man and a trans Jewish woman can work side by side for the good of the nation’s most populous city.
