New York City Launches Nation's First Government-Led Citywide Transgender Bathroom Ad Campaign
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- New York City launched Monday the nation's first government-led citywide ad campaign affirming every transgender person's right to use the bathroom consistent with their gender identity.
Mayor Bill de Blasio teamed with the New York City Commission on Human Rights to launch the ad campaign.
"No one deserves to be denied access to bathrooms or discriminated against for being who they are. Every New Yorker has the legal right to use the bathroom consistent with their gender identity, no questions asked – and these powerful ads affirm this right," de Blasio said.
The mayor also took a swipe at North Carolina for denying transgender people to use public bathrooms that are consistent with their gender identity.
"While other cities and states are legislating intolerance and taking away individuals' right to use bathrooms consistent with their gender identity, we are proudly standing with our transgender and gender non-conforming New Yorkers," de Blasio said.
The ads and videos feature transgender New Yorkers and asks readers to "look past pink and blue" and to "use the restroom consistent with who you are."
"We're seeing real New Yorkers from New York City who represent different transgender experiences," Carmelyn Malalis, chair of the New York City Commission on Human Rights, told 1010 WINS. "We wanted the ads to be such as that they're basically showing that transgender people are like any other New Yorkers."
The ads will appear across the city in subway cars, bus shelters, phone booths, community newspapers, and ads in digital publications and social media in English and Spanish.
