THE CULTURAL ROADMAP FOR CITY GIRLS EVERYWHERE

THE CULTURAL ROADMAP FOR CITY GIRLS EVERYWHERE

Trans Icon Cecilia Gentili Officially Recognized By New York City

February 4, 2025

Cecilia Gentili

New York’s City Council has officially named January 31 “Cecilia Gentili Day” in honor of the late trans activist’s birthday.

It’s been nearly a year since the sudden passing of Cecilia Gentili, the trans activist and New York icon who, among other accomplishments, helped to repeal the state’s “Walking While Trans” law. Now, thanks to a resolution spearheaded by City Councilwoman Tiffany Cabán, the City has officially recognized January 31—Gentili’s birthday—as Cecilia Gentili Day.  

The honor is well-earned. In her lifetime, Argentinian-born Gentili was known as a uniting, nurturing force in New York’s trans community, one whose tireless advocacy for trans causes made the city a safer place for sex workers. A performer by trade, Gentili played a key role in lobbying for trans rights at the state level. Her activism helped to bring us the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA), which established gender identity as a protected category under New York State’s Civil Rights Act. Through her advocacy group Decrim NY, Gentili was instrumental in the bid to overturn New York’s “Walking While Trans” law, an anti-sex work statute that activists say disproportionately targeted trans women. 

Gentili was also pivotal in making—and keeping—gender-affirming healthcare accessible to trans young people across the city. In 2021, she established the COIN Clinic at the Callen-Lorde healthcare center to ensure trans sex workers had access to free healthcare, and she helped to expand the reach of Apicha Community Health Center, bringing almost 500 trans people through its doors. 

Cecilia Gentili’s storied legacy means she’s remembered fondly not just by her many chosen children—including the artist Rio Sofía, who spoke to City Council about her mother’s contributions to the city—but by thousands of queer and trans New Yorkers. 

This year, Cecilia’s children were joined by loved ones and strangers alike for a celebration of her life at La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club, where those who knew Cecila honored her through speeches and performance tributes. The celebration was reminiscent of Gentili’s February 2024 memorial service, a raucous, fashion-forward affair at St. Patrick’s Cathedral that brought together more than 1,400 people from across New York’s LGBTQ+ communities, including artists, writers, and activists like Billy Porter, Sara Ramirez, and Indya Moore. 

Honoring Gentili feels more important now than ever, as trans and immigrant New Yorkers are once again fighting to hold onto their hard-won rights. As the Trump Administration attempts to eradicate trans healthcare, roll back legal protections for the LGBTQ+ community, and antagonize immigrant communities through deportations and fearmongering, we’re reminded of the strength of Gentili’s enduring commitment to making the city a safe haven for trans people of all ages and backgrounds. 

Speaking to the City Council about her mother’s legacy, Río Sofía said, “I want us to remember every January 31st that what Cecilia was fighting for was not about recognition. It was about trans liberation, liberation for immigrants, for sex workers, and I want us to carry forth that legacy.”

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