Press Release
UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, 2021 AT 10AM ET/7AM PT
Contact: Mathew Lasky Director of Communications, GLAAD [email protected]
OVER 190 FEMINIST LEADERS SIGN OPEN LETTER STANDING IN SOLIDARITY WITH TRANSGENDER WOMEN AND GIRLS IN HONOR OF WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH AND TRANSGENDER DAY OF VISIBILITY
SIGNATORIES INCLUDE: GLORIA STEINEM, REGINA KING, SELENA GOMEZ, CHELSEA CLINTON, HALLE BERRY, GABRIELLE UNION, BELLA HADID, JANELLE MONÁE, PATRICIA ARQUETTE, LAVERNE COX, CYNTHIA ERIVO, SEN. SARAH MCBRIDE, ALICIA GARZA, LENA WAITHE, ALYSSA MILANO, LILLY SINGH, ILANA GLAZER, AMERICA FERRERA, MISS MAJOR, GEENA ROCERO, PEPPERMINT, TEGAN & SARA, MELISSA ETHERIDGE, LENA DUNHAM, TATIANA MASLANY, SARAH KATE ELLIS, TIME’S UP, ME TOO MOVEMENT, WOMEN’S MARCH, PLANNED PARENTHOOD, THREE PERCENT MOVEMENT, NATIONAL CENTER FOR LESBIAN RIGHTS, AND MANY OTHERS
The letter, organized by GLAAD & Raquel Willis, comes in response to the hateful and discriminatory rhetoric and attacks facing trans people, especially trans women, and represents a clear and loud statement of solidarity between cisgender women, trans women, and feminist allies
The letter reads, in part: “We all must fight against the unnecessary and unethical barriers placed on trans women and girls by lawmakers and those who co-opt the feminist label in the name of division and hatred. Our feminism must be unapologetically expansive so that we can leave the door open for future generations”
New York, NY - Wednesday, March 31, 2021 - GLAAD, the world's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, today released an open letter signed by over 190 feminist leaders in advocacy, business, entertainment, media, politics, and social justice standing in solidarity with transgender women and girls in honor of Women’s History Month and Transgender Day of Visibility, which takes place today. The letter, organized by GLAAD and Raquel Willis, comes in response to the ongoing hateful and discriminatory rhetoric and attacks facing trans people, especially trans women, and represents a clear and loud statement of solidarity between cisgender women, trans women, and feminist allies.
To read the full letter and an updating list of signatories, click here. The list of signatories as of March 31, 2021 can also be found below. GLAAD is welcoming other women to support the letter by signing on here [LINK TK]. Notable signatories of the letter include Gloria Steinem, Regina King, Selena Gomez, Chelsea Clinton, Halle Berry, Gabrielle Union, Bella Hadid, Janelle Monáe, Patricia Arquette, Laverne Cox, Cynthia Erivo, Senator Sarah McBride, Alicia Garza, Lena Waithe, Alyssa Milano, Lilly Singh, Ilana Glazer, America Ferrera, Miss Major Griffin-Gracy, Geena Rocero, Peppermint, Barbara Smith, Melissa Etheridge, Lena Dunham, Tatiana Maslany, Ariadne Getty, Sarah Kate Ellis, Jennifer Finney Boylan, Lindsay Peoples-Wagner, Andrea Jenkins, Alana Mayo, Charlotte Clymer, and many others. Leaders from national women’s organizations including Time’s Up, Me Too Movement, Women's March, Planned Parenthood, Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls, Ms. Foundation, 3% Movement, National Women's Law Center, and others are among signatories. Leaders from national LGBTQ organizations including GLAAD, The Trevor Project, LGBTQ Task Force, GLSEN, Athlete Ally, National Center for Lesbian Rights, Lesbians Who Tech, and others are also among signatories.
Signatories of the letter are speaking up as, with, and for transgender and nonbinary people to raise awareness about the ongoing anti-transgender violence, legislation, misinformation, and rhetoric targeting trans women and girls. The letter reads, in part: “It is time for the long history of assaults (legislative, physical, social, and verbal) against trans women and girls to end. For far too long, lawmakers have worked to strip trans women of their civil liberties—in 2021, once again, we’ve seen a wave of bigoted governmental policies and legislation. Many of these laws target the rights of girls to play school sports or criminalize doctors for treating trans youth and their families. The women's movement has seen doctors targeted before for providing us with necessary medical care and services, and we refuse to let youth endure that now.”
The letter continues: “We all must fight against the unnecessary and unethical barriers placed on trans women and girls by lawmakers and those who co-opt the feminist label in the name of division and hatred. Our feminism must be unapologetically expansive so that we can leave the door open for future generations.”
So far in 2021, state and federal lawmakers have introduced dozens of state bills to restrict the rights of trans women, people, and youth, most notably in terms of education, healthcare, and sports. Further, at least eleven murders of mostly Black and Latinx transgender people have been reported in these first months of 2021, continuing a trend of violence that made last year the deadliest on record.
The open letter released today notes that women athletes at both the professional and college levels have previously spoken out in support of trans inclusion in sports. Earlier this month, GLAAD and Athlete Ally, in partnership with runners Aliya Schenck and Alana Boja from Washington University in St. Louis, released a letter from over 545 NCAA student athletes calling for the NCAA to uphold its nondiscrimination policy and publicly refuse to host championships in states with bans against trans athletes.
A full list of signatories of the open letter as of March 31, 2021 can be found below:
The 3% Movement Alice Wong America Ferrera Adrienne Hayes Allana Giesbrecht American Association of Ai-jen Poo Alana Mayo University Women (AAUW) Akilah Hughes Alexis McGill-Johnson Aminatou Sow Alana Mayo Alma Har’el Amoretta Morris Alexandra Cotutiu Alyssa Milano Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls Alexis McGill Johnson Amanda Lindell Andrea Jenkins Alicia Garza Amber Tamblyn Angela Kayleigh Annise Parker Free The Work March On Ariadne Getty Gabrielle Union Mariah Moore Aria Sa’id GALECA: The Society of Marin Ireland Ariel Wengroff LGBTQ Entertainment Critics Mary Filar Ashlee Marie Preston Geena Rocero Mary Emily O’Hara Ashley Belanger Gianna Porcaro Maxine Wolfe Ashley Holland Gillian Branstetter Maya Wiley Ashley Romans GLAAD Melanie Willngham-Jaggers Athlete Ally GLITS, Inc. Melissa Etheridge Barbara Simon Gloria Steinem Melissa Harris-Perry Barbara Smith GO Magazine! Meredith Walker Bella Hadid Grace Bonney The Meteor Black and Pink, Inc. Halle Berry MeToo Mvmt Black AIDS Institute House of GG Monica Simpson Black Feminist Future Ianne Fields Stewart Morgan Gwenwald Black Futures Lab Ilana Glazer Morgana Kelly Black Trans Woman, Inc. Imani Rupert-Gordon Munroe Bergdorf Blair Imani Jamilah Lemieux Ms. Foundation Borealis Philanthropy Janelle Monáe Nagma Shrestha Brittany Packnett Jenna Wortham Natalie Pratt Cunningham Jennifer Barnes-Balenciaga National Center for Lesbian Cathy Renna Jennifer Finney Boylan Rights Cecile Richards Jennifer Morris National Domestic Workers Ceyenne Doroshow Jessica Hartley Alliance Chani Nicolas Jessica Tillyer National LGBTQ Task Force Charlotte Clymer JJ Mejasic National Women’s Law Charlene Carruthers Joanna Hoffman Center Chelsea Clinton Joey Soloway Nicole Eisenberg Christel Miller Kat Gordon Noor Tagouri Christian Nunes Kelly Bush Novak The Okra Project Cindi Lieve Koa Beck Outsports Cleo Wade Lauren Conk Paola Mendoza Colleen Psomas Lauren Hamilton Paris Hatcher Cynthia Erivo Laverne Cox Planned Parenthood Dawn Ennis Leanne Pittsford Federation of America Dayna Troisi Lena Dunham Rep. Park Cannon Deborah Edel Lena Waithe Patrisse Cullors Denise Beek Lesbians Who Tech and Miss Peppermint Diamond Stylz Allies Planned Parenthood Diana Bang Leslie Mac PrideLive Diane Anderson-Minshall Liat Olenick Ramp Your Voice! Dominique Morgan Lilly Singh Range Media Partners Eileen Cadena Lindsay Peoples Wagner Raniyah Copeland Elena Vera Lisa Turner Rachel Cargle Eliza Clark Liz Jenkins Rachel Carmona Elliot Fletcher The Loveland Foundation Raquel Willis Emily Fuller Madison Hinton Rebecca Bass Emily Tisch Sussman Maggie Chieffo Rebecca Cokley Erin Wruk Miss Major Griffin-Gracy Rebecca Macias Reductress Sonya Taylor Transgender Law Center Regina King SuperMajority Trans Lifeline Re-inc Tatiana Maslany The Trevor Project Renee Bracey Sherman Tegan and Sara Trish Bendix Sarah Kate Ellis Teresa C. Younger WeTestify Sarah McBride Tess Holliday Whembley Sewell Sarah Pappalardo Theresa McClellan Women’s March Sarah Sophie Flicker The Trevor Project Selena Gomez Tiffany R. Warren Serena Sonoma TIME’S UP Foundation Shar Jossell Topple
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About GLAAD:
GLAAD rewrites the script for LGBTQ acceptance. As a dynamic media force, GLAAD tackles tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change. GLAAD protects all that has been accomplished and creates a world where everyone can live the life they love. For more information, please visit www.glaad.org or connect with GLAAD on Facebook and Twitter.