(NEW YORK, NY - June 18, 2020) At the beginning of this year, the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF) launched the Trans Health Project to eliminate transgender health insurance exclusions and to ensure that health advocates can successfully appeal denials of care coverage. Over the past few months, the critical importance of having a health care system that is accessible to the most marginalized among us has become impossible to ignore. Even in the absence of a crisis, health equity saves lives and makes us all better off.

Access to a health care provider means a transgender person is one step closer to being able to live authentically. It can also mean the difference between life or death. Many of the disparities experienced by transgender people are rooted in lack of access to health care. Transgender people experience higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidality when they cannot access medically necessary care, and are also more likely to experience social stigma and discrimination in education, housing, and employment, leading to systemic poverty and reliance on “survival economics.”

This Pride Month, TLDEF will be participating in Give OUT, the only national giving campaign for the LGBTQ community. Our goal is to raise $25,000, but we also have the chance to earn thousands in additional prize money if we have the most individual donors.

As a committed supporter, you can raise awareness and vital funds to resource TLDEF’s Trans Health Project. Join us in the fight to ensure everyone has access to health care no matter their gender identity.

Three Ways You Can Show Your Pride:

Create a Facebook Fundraiser and reach out to your entire network, the potential for raising more money increases dramatically! To get started it takes only a couple minutes. If you have any questions, we are happy to help.

Watch this message from Andy Marra, TLDEF’s Executive Director, about the importance of coming together for transgender health care equity.

Use #TransHealthProject on social media to share your story and your support.

Together, we can make health equity a reality!