Hochul defends gender-neutral bathroom policies, Blakeman turns to transphobia in gubernatorial debate

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, the Republican nominee for governor, attacked transgender athletes and inclusive bathroom policies during an Oct. 13 gubernatorial debate against incumbent Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul in New York City. Blakeman, who sparked widespread outrage two years ago when he banned trans athletes from his county's sports facilities, deliberately misgendered transgender individuals by using offensive terminology to refer to trans people during a "lightning round" portion of the debate that was intended to yield short answers from candidates. The topic arose when Spectrum News' Susan Arbetter first asked Hochul if the State of New York "should label at least one bathroom in the Capitol complex as gender neutral." After a brief pause, Hochul said "yes," before Blakeman was asked the same question. "Well first of all, I don't believe that biological males should use women's bathrooms and locker rooms, and I believe that biological males should not be competing in women's sports," Blakeman said. "We have to protect the integrity of women's sports and the safety of women's sports." The question related to a bill in the State Legislature that would require state-owned buildings to designate a multiple-occupancy bathroom if no single-occupancy bathroom is available. The bill has passed the Assembly, but not yet the Senate. Equality New York, a statewide LGBTQ organization, offered additional context to the question in an Instagram post on Oct. 13. "Under the current public buildings law in New York State, each state agency must ensure that all single-occupancy restrooms under its jurisdiction be designated as gender-neutral in state-owned buildings and, where practicable, in state-leased buildings," Equality New York stated. "However, in the State Capitol, there are no single-occupancy publicly available restrooms — and, therefore, no gender-neutral restrooms available to the hundreds of New Yorkers who visit every day during the legislative session." Earlier in the month, Blakeman told the New York Post that he would, if elected governor, seek to ban trans girls and women from girls' bathrooms and locker rooms. He would also look to bar trans girls and women from rooming with girls on overnight trips, according to the New York Post, which noted that Blakeman was motivated to take that position after the state Education Department rejected similar policies at some local schools in Long Island. Blakeman is close allies with President Donald Trump, who has escalated his aggressive campaign against trans rights during his second term in office. Blakeman and Trump held a rally on Oct. 9 in Syracuse, where Hochul was attacked for her support of transgender rights. [caption id="attachment_65379" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Republican candidate for New York governor Bruce Blakeman and US President Donald Trump interact at a campaign rally at The Oncenter in Syracuse, New York, US, October 9, 2026.REUTERS/Nathan Howard[/caption] "Kathy Hochul supports transgender mutilization of your children," Trump said. "She supports men in women's sports and a bill that would change the terms of mother and father to gestating and non-gestating parents. You can no longer say mother. 'Hi, mom.' It's 'Hi, gestating. Hi, gestating. I love you so much, gestating mom.' New York needs to throw out these radical left lunatics and elect Bruce Blakeman and get yourself back into shape." Trump appeared to be referring to a state law that called to replace the terms mother and father to gender-neutral language in New York's policies. The bill was approved by both houses of the State Legislature, but it was never signed by the governor. Late last year, Hochul signed legislation known as "Shield Law 2.0" that expanded a state law protecting gender-affirming care from out-of-state legal proceedings. That legislation came two years after Hochul first signed a "safe haven" bill intended to protect trans youth and doctors facing persecution in other states. The Oct. 13 debate, the only one scheduled between Hochul and Blakeman, came less than a month before the two candidates square off in the general election on Nov. 3. Early voting begins Oct. 24.