The Voice of New York, a Trans Woman, Narrates Mamdani’s Inauguration
Leading Off: The new mayor pledges to defend trans people. HRC challenges Trump’s animus-soaked denial of coverage. A sobering defeat in North Carolina. The top story lines.
by Assigned Media
Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as New York City mayor last week after a campaign in which he outspokenly and unapologetically embraced trans people and our rights. As a way of further illustrating that support, Mamdani’s inauguration was narrated by a trans woman, Bernie Wagenblast, the beloved voice of the NYC subway system.
Wagenblast, whose subway announcements (“Stand clear of the closing doors please” is one) are memorable to millions of riders, has been the voice of the subway system for nearly half a century and has narrated numerous other historic NYC events. She called the opportunity to be the voice of the inauguration a “high note” to start the year.
Mamdani himself embodies New York City: Born in Uganda to Indian parents, he and his family migrated to the United States when he was a child. He is the city’s first Muslim mayor, and at 34 its youngest in more than a century. He defeated Andrew Cuomo, the ex-governor who lived primarily in suburban Westchester County and left office in disgrace amid charges of predation of women.
The Human Rights Campaign filed a legal complaint against the Trump regime late last week on behalf of a group of trans federal employees over the removal of gender affirming care from health insurance programs covering federal workers and their families.
The HRC said the removal was “not about cost or care — it is about driving transgender people and people with transgender spouses, children, and dependents out of the federal workforce.” That stance is evident in the vast, animus-driven policies and statements of Trump and his administration.
While this is just one angle of attack against transgender Americans by the regime, all instances of legal fights on our behalf are a welcome sight.
On the first of the year, North Carolina became the latest state to legally recognize only two genders. The bill, HB 805, initially started as an attempt to protect women and minors from sexual exploitation and was met with bipartisan support upon its introduction. However, across multiple edits, the bill was expanded to also include legal definitions of gender, restrictions on federal funding for gender affirming care, and an extended 10-year statute of limitations for malpractice suits against providers of gender affirming care. (The usual limit on malpractice cases in NC is three years.)
Gov. Josh Stein, a Democrat, vetoed the bill, explaining he was disheartened by the direction it ultimately took, calling it “divisive.” Unfortunately, the veto was overridden, with the deciding vote in the House being cast by Democratic Rep. Nasif Majeed who crossed party lines, the only lawmaker on either side to do so in both the House and Senate.
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