PSA Features Testimonials with Cast Members Including Jeffrey Tambor and Judith Light, Urging Americans to #StandWithGavin
The cast of the multi-Emmy and Golden Globe-Award winning Amazon Original series “Transparent” today released a Public Service Announcement (PSA) urging support for Gavin Grimm, a transgender high school student whose lawsuit against his school board over their refusal to allow him to use the boys’ restroom helped bring the fight for transgender rights and basic human dignity to the national stage.
Although the case was sent back to the federal appeals court earlier this week, the case has helped build awareness and illustrate the widespread support for transgender people.
The PSA continues to illuminate how important Gavin’s case has become as a rallying point for Americans everywhere, and features the testimony and heartfelt reflections of “Transparent” cast members including Jeffrey Tambor, Judith Light, Jay Duplass, Gaby Hoffmann, Trace Lysette and Alexandra Billings, as well as creator Jill Soloway.
“The cast and crew of “Transparent” are deeply connected to the trans civil rights movement,” said Zackary Drucker, director of the PSA and producer of “Transparent”. “While in the thick of Season 4 production, our entire team made it a priority to rally around Gavin and express solidarity with trans youth everywhere; it was incredibly inspiring.”
The idea for the PSA emerged from conversations between Zackary Drucker, (“Transparent”) and Chase Strangio (ACLU) discussing ways to amplify Grimm’s case. Several “Transparent” trans and gender non-conforming crew members spearheaded production, including Drucker (director) Rain Valdez (producer) and Mel Mel Sukekawa-Mooring (editor).
“Through this labor of love, the “Transparent” team continues illustrating the breadth of incredible support that exists virtually everywhere for Gavin and the transgender community,” said James Esseks, director of ACLU’s LGBT Project. “We are continuing this fight through the court system and in the streets, fueled by the support and work of people in every corner of this nation to ensure the rights and dignity of trans people are respected.”
“On ‘Transparent’ we come to work with a feeling of gratitude, and we are united by our duty to serve the LGBT community,” continued Drucker. “We seek ways of being supportive and actionable, and since so many of us were trans youth not long ago, we feel an acute responsibility to protect both future generations and the hurt children within us.”
The PSA adds to the growing number of voices from across the country that has come out in support of Gavin. Last week, individuals and institutions from across the country representing a diverse and extraordinary cross-section of interests, perspectives, and concerns rallied behind Gavin by filing friend-of-court briefs with the Supreme Court, just days before the court sent the case back to the federal court of appeals.
In recent weeks, Gavin’s case has been highlighted by a number of leading figures in the entertainment world, including Laverne Cox’s mention of Gavin on stage at the Grammys as well as his story being featured on a number of national television programs including “The Daily Show,” “The Ellen Show,” “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” “The View,” and many others.
More information about Grimm’s case, as well as stories and personal accounts of people from across the country who are standing with Gavin, are here:
Stand With Gavin: Medium Page
https://medium.com/stand-with-gavin
Gavin Grimm Facebook
https://Facebook.com/GavinGrimmVA
Gavin Grimm Twitter
@GavinGrimmVA
Collection of Amicus Briefs (hosted by ACLU):
https://www.aclu.org/cases/gg-v-gloucester-county-school-board
