FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, November 13, 2023
CONTACT
Jennifer Bing, NCLR, 415.845.9406, jbing@nclrights.org
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – To kick off Transgender Awareness Week 2023, the National Center for Lesbian Rights announced today the launch of the Healthcare is Caring campaign to show that transgender healthcare, just like any other form of essential care, can save lives and enable people to thrive.
The campaign, which spotlights the integral role of supportive parents in the journeys of their transgender children, was inspired by recent data showing that 74% of people believe parents want what’s best for their children when it comes to medical care.* However, parents often face an uphill battle in getting their kids the care that they need.
Transgender healthcare is recognized as the standard of care by every major medical association, including the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. This care has been provided to transgender adolescents for decades. The treatments are safe and effective, and the same treatments have long been prescribed for other related medical conditions for non-transgender youth. Yet nearly 2.5 million young transgender and non-binary people currently face the real possibility of losing access to this vital care.**
Through the voices of transgender youth in the form of thank you letters to their parents, the Healthcare is Caring campaign dispels inaccurate and harmful myths, and showcases the positive impact of ensuring this safe, longstanding, and necessary care remains available to parents seeking to provide a healthy and fulfilling life for their transgender children.
The integrated campaign was developed and created by Edelman and driven by Out Front, its team of 80 LGBTQ+ people across North America and the UK, built to provide an interdisciplinary and intersectional approach to engaging with the community. The film was brought to life by Windy Films production agency and directed by Emmy-nominated creator Zen Pace (they/them): “This film is special to me because not only does it touch my community, but it helps put forward a much more accurate story of these families that simply doesn’t exist out there,” said Pace. “It gives space to these parents; it’s a gift from their children.”
“This campaign is proof of two things: the magic that happens when you bring people of every discipline together to drive meaningful change, and that having access to trans healthcare isn’t just critical to helping youth survive, but to thrive as well,” said Jordan Atlas, Edelman’s U.S. Chief Creative Officer.
Meet the Families
Cameron and his mother Myriam
Texas
“Mom, when you took me to my first appointment to get hormone blockers, you made sure it was what I wanted and supported me through everything. I know it was a big change for you, but you call me by my name and love me with all your heart. And I am happy with who you’ve raised.” – Cameron
Allie and her father Sean
New York
“Dad, your support has given me the confidence to be unapologetically myself. It’s allowed us to cultivate a bond stronger than any other. Your support of my medical transition has allowed me to realize myself physically and be the girl I want to see in the mirror. It also very likely saved my life.” – Allie
Luke and his mother Jen
Illinois
“Mom, I remember when you weren’t sure if it was just a phase. But no matter what, you supported me. It was the cutting of my hair and getting rid of my pink and purple clothes. It was telling people that my name was Luke, and I was a boy. It was fighting to make sure that I had access to healthcare. It was the many times you reassured me that everything was going to be okay. It was these things that I remember.” – Luke
The Healthcare is Caring campaign aims to show the true stories of what happens when parents are able to support their transgender children.
“The families in our campaign, like so many other families with transgender children, are proof that helping transgender youth get medically needed care can enable them to lead happy and successful lives,” said NCLR Legal Director Shannon Minter. “Still, many legislators continue to push harmful policies that prevent these young people from getting the healthcare they need and deserve. We’re working to take action against these bills and show the politicians behind them that transgender youth and their families are not alone.”
NCLR has successfully challenged harmful state bans on medical care for transgender adolescents in Alabama, Florida, and Kentucky. On November 3, 2023, NCLR filed a petition asking the US Supreme Court to review the Sixth Circuit’s decision in Doe v. Commonwealth of Kentucky reversing the victory in the Kentucky challenge. If the Supreme Court takes the case, it will be the first case involving transgender youth ever heard by the high court.
Get Involved
- Share the Film on Social: Share the film on your social channels (you can simply re-post NCLR’s IG post @NCLRights with #HealthcareIsCaring to help us amplify this urgent message). If you like, in the caption, you can share your own note of gratitude to the folks who support transgender kids in getting the care they need to become happier, healthier adults.
- Sign Our Open Letter: Go to HealthcareIsCaring.org and sign our open letter to share your support for healthcare for transgender youth, which will be leveraged in NCLR’s legal and policy work, on the federal and local levels.
- Support Our Work: Donate to NCLR’s efforts in advancing the human and civil rights of the transgender community through litigation, public policy advocacy and public education.
Sources
* Research was conducted by Edelman Data and Intelligence between September 12th-October 4th 2022 through an online survey in the United States among 2,000 general population adults in the United States, 500 parents of children aged 4-17, and 500 individuals who identify as moderate/centrist
** https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/news-polls/ipsos-lgbt-pride-2021-global-survey
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About The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR)
NCLR is a national legal organization committed to advancing the human and civil rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education. Since its founding, NCLR has maintained a longstanding commitment to racial and economic justice and the LGBTQ community’s most vulnerable. www.nclrights.org
About Edelman
Edelman is a global communications firm that partners with businesses and organizations to evolve, promote and protect their brands and reputations. Our 6,000 people in more than 60 offices deliver communications strategies that give our clients the confidence to lead and act with certainty, earning the trust of their stakeholders. Our honors include PRovoke’s Global Agency of the Year (2022); PRWeek’s Global Agency of the Year (2022); Cannes Lions Grand Prix awards for PR (2016) and the Entertainment Lions for Sport (2021); a Gold Lion in the Sustainable Development Goals category (2022); Cannes Lions Independent Agency of the Year for the Entertainment Track (2021); Cannes Lions Co-Independent Agency of the Year for the Good Track (2022); and Advertising Age’s 2019 A-List. Since our founding in 1952, we have remained an independent, family-run business. Edelman owns specialty companies Edelman Data x Intelligence (research, data), Edelman Smithfield (financial communications), Edelman Global Advisory (advisory), and United Entertainment Group (entertainment, sports, lifestyle).
From 2022 – 2023, Edelman committed pro bono support to NCLR to support transgender healthcare advocacy and combat the harmful, dominant narratives about gender-affirming care. “The Healthcare is Caring” campaign is the culmination of Edelman and NCLR’s partnership and dedication to driving awareness and action around healthcare access for the transgender community.
About Windy Films
Windy is a full service creative agency dedicated to delivering thoughtful, relevant storytelling for some of the world’s largest and most impactful companies based on the simple idea that brand isn’t what you sell — it’s what you share. We combine award-winning creative talent with a fully integrated production and post production approach to relentlessly pursue stories that matter.