At some point during the Republican National Convention, the following advertisement is scheduled to appear (actually it will appear the night of the acceptance speech, I hear).

You can learn more at Fairness USA.

This groundbreaking new ad depicts the challenges faced by transgender people in accessing public restrooms—and highlights the lack of state and federal nondiscrimination protections for transgender people. The ad will have its national TV debut on FOX News Channel next Thursday, July 21, during the final night of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio. It will air nationwide again on MSNBC during the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia one week later.

Newly released survey data from NCTE shows that 59 percent of transgender people have avoided bathrooms in the last year because they were afraid of problems like being confronted by others. A shocking one in 10 (12 percent of) transgender people report they have been harassed, attacked, or sexually assaulted in a bathroom in the last year, and one-third of transgender people have avoided drinking or eating so that they did not need to use the restroom. In the majority of states, restaurant and store managers can legally stop transgender people from using bathrooms that match the gender they live as every day – or kick them out of their restaurant or store just for being transgender.

Transgender people are deserving of the same rights and protections that every other American citizen enjoys and, frankly, thinks little about. At a time when the world can seem both dangerous and uncertain, and after the tragedy that took place during Latin Night at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, where LGBT patrons were heartlessly gunned down, it’s time to focus more on our shared values and less on our perceived differences.

So many people, LGBT or not, have experienced some level of discrimination at some point or another, and no one goes back looking for more. We dismantle the hate with unity and compassion, but we also need protections under the law whether that’s in employment, accommodations or, yes, being able to use the bathroom that matches who we are.

--Mara Keisling>

The ad is funded by the Movement Advancement Project, Freedom for All Americans, Education Fund, the National Center for Transgender Equality and the Equality Ohio Education Fund. The ad was created by the Movement Advancement Project and stars Alaina Kupec.