Vermont-based Ben & Jerry’s announced recently that the company is placing billboards in Georgia to combat what it calls ‘anti-trans legislation’ in the Peach State.
Georgia is among four states in which the billboards will appear, the other three including Florida, Texas, and Virginia.
“In the wake of a recent spate of hateful, anti-trans legislation in states across the nation, Ben & Jerry’s has launched a billboard campaign to stand in solidarity with trans youth and their families who have been targeted by the latest wave of attempted new laws,” the company said in a news release.
The company did not reference specific legislation proposed in Georgia, however, the company noted that ’31 other states have seen legislative activity that seeks to marginalize the transgender community, most specifically designed to affect trans youth.’ It’s likely that the legislation Ben & Jerry’s opposes in Georgia deals with sports team participation for girls.
The release continued:
“At a time when many politicians are criminalizing access to health care for trans youth — in addition to other efforts to marginalize them — we felt it important to make a public stand in support for them and their friends and families. We see them, we hear them, we stand with them,” said Maroni Minter, US Activism Manager for Ben & Jerry’s. “After years and years of progress in the LGBTQ+ and trans community, this wave of regressive legislation is trying to take us backwards not forward. In the face of this reality, it is more important than ever that we not remain silent.”
“Through no fault of their own, transgender youth are under attack by some of the most powerful people in the states where they live,” said Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, Executive Director of the NCTE. “Transgender kids deserve to be seen, to be loved, and to be treated with respect. These laws will cause tremendous pain to many families, and even worse, they give permission to other people to harass and discriminate against transgender people. There will be lasting consequences on young people and their families, who are all just trying to live their lives. These laws are mean, hateful, and aimed directly at kids. We are grateful to Ben & Jerry’s for standing with transgender young people and their families, and for reminding us all that we are not alone.”
