NEW YORK—The Woodhull Freedom Foundation and Equality New York have submitted their comments to the Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, Graeme Reid of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
Their input, filed on Jan. 15, will inform Mr. Reid’s report at the 62nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in June 2026. Informed by decades of experience fighting for the rights of LGBTQIA+, queer, and transgender people, EQNY and Woodhull submitted a compelling record of the unique challenges this community faces daily.
The human rights of the LGBTQIA+ community have been increasingly under threat during the second Trump administration.
These two organizations have been tirelessly fighting for LGBTQIA+ people and communities for decades and are looking forward to having their expertise considered by the UN Human Rights Council this Spring.
Ricci Levy, president and chief executive officer of the Woodhull Freedom Foundation, said, “Violence against [LGBTQIA+] women is rooted in the policing of bodies, identities, and sexual autonomy, and it demands an intersectional human rights response.
"We are proud to collaborate with Equality NY on this submission, bringing together our shared commitment to centering lived experience and community expertise," she adds. "By grounding this work in sexual freedom as a fundamental human right, we are amplifying voices that are too often erased from policy conversations."
Levy said, "This report is a vital opportunity to turn truth into meaningful protection and accountability.”
Amanda Babine, executive director of Equality New York, added, “Lesbian, bisexual, and queer women, along with transgender women, have long been an afterthought when it comes to prioritization within the LGBTQ+ community."
"The impacts of violence and discrimination are compounded not just by their sexual orientation but also by their gender identity as a woman," Babine shared.
"This intersection creates a level of oppression that we believe should be explored. Equality New York strongly believes that the United Nations Human Rights Council should utilize the input from our statement, in partnership with Woodhull Foundation, to prioritize programming and policy to ensure the safety of our community.”
