An ad depicting the challenges faced by transgender people in accessing public restrooms is generating attention across the country in advance of its television debut on FOX News Channel on the final day of the Republican National Convention next Thursday, July 21. It will also air nationwide again on MSNBC during the Democratic National Convention one week later.
In total, the 60-second ad has already received over half a million views. It can be seen above.
The ad features a transgender woman from North Carolina, where HB2 passed earlier this year. HB2 makes it illegal for transgender people to use restrooms in public buildings that match the gender they live every day, making them susceptible to even higher levels of harassment and violence.
The campaign comes as Republicans move toward adopting a national platform that includes archaic language and proposed planks that single out the transgender community for discrimination. Republicans are divided on the issue of LGBT rights. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump, has offered varying opinions on the issue of transgender rights, but stated that HB2 has caused “a lot of problems” and that transgender people should “use the bathroom they feel is appropriate,” adding that this policy has worked well for years. Delegates will vote on the platform next week.
The ad was created by the Movement Advancement Project and funded by Fairness USA, a partnership led by Freedom for All Americans Education Fund, the Movement Advancement Project, the National Center for Transgender Equality, and the Equality Ohio Education Fund, with support from the Equality Federation Institute, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights.
Thus far, leading voices in support of anti-transgender policies have stayed silent about the ad, which puts a human face on the devastating impact of these policies.
