This is transamerica. Hello, everyone, and happy pride month. I am joe fryer. Over the next hour, well focus on the reasons for Hope And Concern for those who are transgender. Well have indepth conversations about politics, Mental Health, safety, faith, Pop Culture, and more. But lets begin with a look at where we are right now. Whos with me . It was the groundbreaking Tv Series with a short title and lasting legacy. This Month Pose came to a bittersweet end, but not before setting a new bar for transgender representation. Representation is key. We havent shattered that Glass Ceiling yet. Its just a bit cracked. Visibility thats reflected in hollywood and beyond. I, dr. Rachel levine. In the political World Dr. Rachel levine became the first openly transgender official nominated by the senate. I think it demonstrates how important Equality And Fairness is and that anything is possible. She now serves as assistant Health Secretary for a democratic president when California Caitlyn Jenner hopes to become a Republican Governor. Now i enter a different kind of race, arguably, my most important one yet, to save california. Oscarnominated actor Elliott Paige recently came out as transgender, opening up to oprah about the moments that have brought happiness. Its its being able to touch my chest and, um feel comfortable in my body for probably the first time. Paige recently appeared on the front of time magazine declaring, im fully who i am. Seven years earlier, this actress also graced times cover with the headline, the transgender tipping point, americas next civil rights frontier. Today that battle is still playing out, a Culture War fought in State Legislatures across the country. This year alone more than A Hundred antitrans bills have been introduced in other 30 states, forcing parents to testify in defense of their transgender children. Let them have their childhoods, let them be who they are. My daughter deserves to have access to the Genderaffirming Care she wants and needs. Much of the legislation is focused on banning genderaffirming medical treatment or stopping Trans Youth from playing on sports teams that match their identity. I can tell you this, in florida girls are going to play girls sports and boys are going to playboys sports. Florida governor Ron Desantis signed one such bill into law, while President Biden is using his pen to protect the lgbtq community, including an end to the transgender military ban. Just this week the Department Of Education extended Title Ix protections to trans students. All transgender americans watching at home, especially young people, youre so brave. I want you to know your president has your back. One of the most controversial bills this year was passed by lawmakers in arkansas, which became the first state to restrict Genderaffirming Care like Puberty Blockers in hormones for transgender minors. Arkansass Republican Governor vetoed the bill, calling it a vast government overreach. But State Lawmakers overrode that veto. Now the law could take effect in late july. But it does face a legal challenge, the aclu filed a lawsuit on behalf of four arkansas families and two doctors. Were now joined by all four of those families, 15yearold Dillant Brant and his mother joanna. Amanda and shane, parents of 9yearold brooke dennis. 15yearold sabrina and her Mom Lacy and her dad aaron. And donny, father of 16yearold parker saxton. I want to thank you all for joining us. Dylan, i want to start by asking you. I know youve been on testosterone for a little less than a year now. If this law in arkansas goes into effect, how is that going to impact you . It could impact me in so many different ways. Since starting on my Genderaffirming Care, my Confidence And Happiness and overall Mental Health, wellbeing is just shot up and im doing so much better. It could impact that a lot. Mom, how worried are you about this . Im worried. Im trying really hard to be cautiously optimistic, but im worried that all of the progress that he has made could come to a halt, and that the happy, welladjusted kid that i know now could be impacted in a negative way if this were to take effect. Amanda, your Daughter Brooke is 9 years old. I know youve already been meeting with medical providers to discuss brookes care down the road in the future. What worries you right now . I mean, its unconscionable to me that a law would make my child go through something that she just doesnt want to go through. And our doctors agree that it could put her Health And Safety at risk. And Today Brooke is thriving because shes able to be who she is. But this law would interfere in that. And were scared what will happen if she cant get access to Genderaffirming Care in the future. Sabrina, i know you started receiving Genderaffirming Care last year. What has it meant to you, and how has it changed your life . Um, its allowed me to become more confident with myself and more happy with life in general. Its certainly boosted by, i guess, mood and morale. Its given me an outlook on life that, yeah, its worth it, i can be who i want to be and not have to, you know, have to hide anymore. It allows me to feel truly like how i want to feel. And what happens, do you fear, if you lose that care . I mean, it would take me back to a time before i really came out. It was really depressing, and things just didnt seem worth it anymore. Donny, your son is 16 now, came out to you at the age of 13. To the lawmakers who say parkers too young to make this decision and should wait until being an adult, what do you say . These young people have grown up really fast. Theyve weighed every scenario in their mind, the whatifs and all of that, to the point that they know more about life than most of us adults do, to be honest with you. I have a question for all of you. Show of hands, who would consider moving out of arkansas if this law does go into effect . So, all the families, all the families would consider moving out . Dylan, joanna, ill ask you first. What are your options, where would you go to . What would you do . Um, honestly, im not sure. After the bill was initially passed, i spent a good deal of time googling. I was terrified. And so i did spend a lot of time looking into our options of where we could live. But, to be quite honest, its going to be, or it would be if this happens, a big financial burden on my family if we had to pull up stakes and go somewhere else, not only because ive got a Business And Weve got a home and the kids have friends and family here, but where are we going to go that this couldnt then happen there . So, its scary. I will do what i need to do for my family and my son, but why should we have to leave when everything that we need is right here . Were getting great medical Care Right here. We shouldnt have to go anywhere. Sabrina, what would moving mean to you . Im guessing you have friends and things that youre involved with there. How hard would it be for you to move . I mean, you know, its one of those things where im able to keep in touch with online, and im just already considering options, especially since college is just around the door, im highly considering just not doing anything in state whatsoever because its a toxic environment for me, and i dont appreciate that. And, donnie, let me ask you, what would be your options for moving . Well, im not sure really. I just know that this is shelter. Our community is pretty much, its a small community, so theyre basically transitioning with us. And the thought of having to leave shelter for the unknown is pretty scary. Dylan, Tell Me, in the last year, what has brought you joy . My care, honestly. In the last year, i have met some amazing people. I have started this incredible care. And so those two things have really helped me. I have an amazing Support System through all of this. I have friends who will randomly text me and Tell Me that they love me and that theyre proud of me and all of this. And that has really helped me through all of this, especially everything going on with the lawsuit and everything. I know that people have my back, and thats one of the best feelings in the whole world. So, it opens the door to a whole world of opportunities and possibilities when youre not hiding within yourself. Thank you to all four families for joining us to talk about this case. We really appreciate your time. Thank you. So we just focused on one law in one state. Lets zoom out now and take a look at the bigger picture when it comes to this wave of legislation. Msnbc Anchor Kendis Gibson breaks down where these have become bills. Eight states have passed lgbtq laws. Several others are also considering bills that will impact the community. And an overwhelming majority of those Laws Target transgender americans. Lets start with genderaffirming healthcare for transgender youth. These laws could limit or Ban Hormone therapies or Gender Confirmation surgeries. Arkansass State Senate notably overrode the Governors Veto to pass the law in april. House bill 1570 would put the state as the definitive oracle of medical care overriding parents, patients, and healthcare experts. Two states have seen bills introduced that restrict trans people from using bathrooms or Locker Rooms that match their gender identity. Tennessees Governor Signing that bill into law in may. When it comes to transgender kids in sports, the number of bills is skyrocketing. At least 28 State Legislatures have introduced bills banning transgender kids from playing on teams that match their gender identity. Alabama, arkansas, montana, tennessee, and West Virginia have all passed these types of laws. And here in florida some are calling the governor a bigot, following a couple of moves hes made this june alone, Including A Ban On Trans Athletes that he signed into law on the very first day of pride. While an increasing number of these bills are being signed into law, some lawmakers backing the bills have struggled to cite examples in their own states. Can you name one example of a transgender child trying to gain an unfair competitive advantage at a school there in West Virginia . Well, stephanie, i dont have that experience exactly to myself right now. But i will not yourself, your state. Sir, can you give me one example of a transgender child trying to get an unfair advantage, just one in your state . You signed a bill about it. No. I cant really tell you one. Montana is the only state to have considered and passed a law for changing Sex Designations on birth certificates. The law states that Sex Markers can only be changed after a court gets proof of genderconfirmation surgery. Other states like New York require a letter signed by a Mental Health professional or Social Worker to certify an official gender change. Lets take a closer look at this legislation with our panel. Sarah mcbride made history in 2020, becoming the first openly transgender State Senator in u. S. History. She serves in delaware. Raquel willis is a transgender activist and writer. State representative Brian Sims was the first openly gay men elected in that states history. And we have Associate Editor at nbc. Theyve been extensively covering this legislation over the past several months. Raquel, i want to talk about these Sports Bans at first that have been passed now in several states. The lawmakers pushing this legislation, they argue its about fairness, saying that transgender girls have an unfair advantage. But weve reached out to all the governors who signed these bills to ask if they could name any examples in their state, one example of someone with an unfair advantage. No one has provided us with any of these examples. So, in your mind, whats going on here . Yes. Well, i think its clear that they are trying to make a problem out of no problem, as we saw a few years ago, the fight that they tried to start really didnt go anywhere. I think now they are trying to find a new Testing Ground to see how they can come after our community. So we have to continue to raise up the fact that none of this is based on facts, and its all about bigotry. Senator mcbride, why do you think all this is happening right now . I think this is happening right now because these politicians realize that the clock is ticking on their bigotry, that this is essentially the last opportunity for them to push forward antitrans policies. And theyre targeting Trans Youth for several reasons. But more than any other reason they understand that the Trans Youth today are the trans advocates and the activists and the changemakers of today and tomorrow. And they are trying to make life so difficult for these Trans Youth that they never grow up to be trans adults. If we remove the pliltitions from this and maybe just look at the public and public opinion, i saw one poll that said twothirds of americans oppose these Sports Bans. I saw one that says twothirds supports them. Its hard to gauge what the country thinks. But i think there are people out there even within the lgbtq who maybe think that it does seem on the surface that transgender girls would have an unfair advantage. What would be your message to those americans who may have questions about this issue . The data and the science doesnt demonstrate for that. But more than that this is about kids being kids. This is about allowing our young people to fully and equally participate in public life, including all school programs. High school athletics, high school programs, they allow kids to learn teamwork and to pursue a passion. This is about letting kids be kids. And i think when people understand at The End of the day that this is simply about kids being able to have the same access to the same opportunities and school as everyone else, i think they come to the side of fairness and equality. And i think, more broadly, while people may have questions, what we have seen time and time again on these issues is that every single time antitransgender politicians put forward these policies, there may be questions from the public at the start. There may even be questions from the community at the start. But we end up having a conversation with our community and our country that serves to open hearts, change minds, and in The End sows the seeds of the destruction the politics seem to implement. Representative sims, youre in pennsylvania where the republicans control the house and senate. And some lawmakers there have expressed interest pushing bills. But you also have a democratic governor who said im going to veto that. And more of these bills will likely be passed. So, in your mind, what does need to happen next . We see these types of bills that are really trying to separate the Trans Community from the larger lgbt communities in a way that will slow down the progress towards nondiscrimination. I think that one of the ways to combat them, as you heard from Senator Mcbride, is information. The truth of the matter is advocates of these types of legislation have picked two areas, trans people in bathrooms and trans people in sports where there is virtually no Science Or Medicine or data to back up their position. I think thats really critically important for All Of Us to remember and to speak out about. Now, joe, in the past Weve Seen Corporations and Sports Organizations apply pressure. About five years ago North Carolina passed a socalled bathroom bill. In response the ncaa said it would no longer hold championship events there. And North Carolina did repeal the bill. Is anything like that happening this year . What are we hearing from the ncaa . Yeah. So dozens of corporations have already spoken out against these bills, including google, facebook, at t, and the ncaa has also spoken out. In april when four states, it was just three this year, had passed Trans Athlete bans, the ncaa said it would only hold Championship Tournaments in places that are, quote, free from discrimination. But then about a month later in may the ncaa announced that schools that would host championships for softball, three of them were in states that have passed Trans Athlete bans, alabama, arkansas, and tennessee. And after criticism from Lgbtq Advocacy organizations, they issued another statement that said theyre willing to monitor the effective dates of the bans which advocates have said implies to them that the ncaa is willing to hold championship games in these states that have passed bans, but only if the bans havent taken effect yet. Raquel, are you satisfied with what the ncaa and corporations are doing . Is it enough . Do you want to see more . Oh, i definitely want to see more. I think we need more and more companies, corporations speaking out. And, of course, we need institutions like the ncaa to actually hold strong and fast to what their commitments have been. And so that means not trying to add all of these extra stipulations around supporting Trans Youth. You have to actually be there. You have to actually live into your commitment for Trans Athletes especially in this time. I definitely want to see more, and i also want to see more lawmakers speaking out. Imagine this year how different it would be if we had seen upwards of 100 pieces of legislation to protect trans people and our rights versus the opposite side. So i think we definitely need more action on the side of the people who support our community. All right. I want to thank all of you for joining us for this important panel, delving into the politics and legal response to all of this. Thank you so much. Hey jumped the median. There was nothing i could do. Daughter Daddy Dad vo shes safe because of our first outback. And our new ones even safer. vo the subaru outback, an iihs top Safety Pick . The highest level of safety you can earn. Nobody builds 5g like verizon builds 5g because were the engineers who built the most reliable network in america. Thousands of smarter towers, with the 5g Coverage you need. Broader spectrum for faster 5g speeds. Nextgeneration servers with superior network reliability. Because the more you do with 5g, the more your network matters. Its us. Pushing us. Its verizon. Vs verizon. And who wins . You. These arent just state issues. At the federal level the Equality Act is before congress. The bill would make it illegal to discriminate against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people in most settings. The act already passed in the house, but in the senate it would need the support of ten republican senators to get around the filibuster. Earlier this year a 16yearold from Washington State made history when she expressed her support for the Equality Act, becoming the first transgender teenager to testify in front of the senate. She hopes her testimony, which went viral, by the way, is just the beginning of a long and successful political career. Hi. Im stella, and im transgender. Im here before you today representing the hundred of thousands of kids just like me who are supported and loved by their family, friends, and communities across the country. I realize it was over zoom, it wasnt in person, but, still, what was that moment like for you in that moment . I barely slept the night before, and then i finally logged on and everything. When i had logged on, just a calm just kind of came over me. And i kind of realized after feeling that home and like after that, i think i felt that way and just so confident and calm because i had a sense of purpose, and it was really incredible feeling because i could also just feel all the love that people were sending to me and all the support that i was getting from people. It was really amazing. You were testifying about the Equality Act, which is a piece of legislation that would give lgbtq people federal protection from discrimination when it comes to housing, healthcare, education, employment, and more. Its passed the house. It has an Uphill Battle in the senate. Why is this act so important to you . Well, you know, im a sophomore, and pretty soon im going to be a junior next year. Im going to start looking at colleges. And i want to make sure that i go to the college thats right for me and that i do the best learning. Its scary to think about the fact that i might be able to find the perfect college for me, but i wont be safe there. What the Equality Act means for me is that i will be able to get the education that i want and that i need. I just want to live my life. I just want to be treated as a normal kid because im not that different. I just have one small little detail about me thats slightly different than the majority of other teens. And thats just that im transgender. Youre involved with something called the gender cool project. What is that . Tell us about it. It tells the stories of who we are as transgender people, not what we are. Now our goal is to create positive experiences meeting transgender and nonbinary youth who are thriving. And because so often people will create opinions about us without ever getting to know us. So our goal is to try and say, well, wait, one, we actually are really happy and thriving, and were also just like your kids, were not that different. I know youre only 16, but do you have an idea of what you want to do when youre older, any desires to be a politician or run for office . Very much so. I hope that i hope to go to Law School for my undergrad. And i want to be a civil Rights Attorney to amplify voices that need it. I know youre a Big Fan Of State Senator Sarah Mcbride who weve talked to for this special. How much does Senator Mcbride inspire you . So much so. Ah, i love sarah so much. Im excited to say that shes also a dear friend. But sarah means just so much to me. I was so excited when she was, you know, when she won her election. Because she is paving the way for me to be the first transgender president of the united states. You know, thats what sarah means to me. Shes just a powerful force of good that makes me so happy to think about. And, yeah. Still ahead, victims of antitrans violence. The sobering statistics and their stories in their own words. Ir own words. One two three four five 72,807 72,808. Dollars. 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Which is why i brought them. Two 5amonths right here. Hey. Hey. Plus the players of my squad. Hey. Whats up . Then finally my whole livestream. Boom 12 months of 5 wireless. Visible, as little as 25 a month or 5 a month when you bring a friend. Powered by verizon. Wireless that gets better with friends. Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name and theyre always glad you came welcome back, america. It sure is good to see you. They are partners, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, all people who were loved and, sadly, living an authentic life may have led to their death. As of this month at least 28 Transgender Or Gendernonconforming people had been murdered in 2021. Most are black or latinx. At this pace it will be another Record Year for violence. We have a closer look. These are the faces of the fallen, just some of the Transgender And Gender nonconforming Men And Women whose lives were cut short. The first five months of 2021 saw 27 trans or nonbinary people shot to death or killed by other violent means. Among them, tiana alexander, a 28yearold black Trans Woman from chicago who was shot to death on january 6th. Just a month later 16yearold Trans Boy jj bright and his 22yearold nonbinary sibling were shot and killed. Their mother is in jail charged with their murders. We may never have a true grasp of just how many murders and assaults on trans people there really there. A national survey finds 32 of Transgender Or Gender nonconforming people reported polices attitudes towards them were hostile. What we do know is there is a surge in violence against Transgender And Gender nonconforming people. Its up 266 from this point last year. And it may only get worse from here. A March 2021 study from the Ucla School Of Law Williams Institute finds trans people are over four times more likely to experience violent crime, including sexual assault. Overcoming the violence starts with people overcoming the stigma surrounding trans and nonbinary people. Lets bring in tatiana williams, a transgender Woman And Executive director of the trans inclusive group. A transgender man and Executive Director of the knights and orchid society. And a black transgender woman, model, actress, and activist. Thank you all for joining us for this incredibly important topic. Tatiana, i do want to start with you. I know youve experienced this surge in violence against Trans Woman firsthand. Can you tell us a little more about what happened to your daughter . Um, of course ive experienced a surge in violence against transgender individuals, myself being a victim of intimate partner violence, experiencing a lot of things just in my lifetime as a transgender woman. What i would say, what happened with my daughter is she was brutally murdered in her home in north miami. And she was stabbed to death. Till this day we have not found who did this. We do not have a suspect. And trying to work with Law Enforcement has definitely been difficult. However, its important that we bring awareness to this. But, yes, she was brutally murdered in her home. Im so sorry to hear about your loss, losing your daughter to such senseless violence. And youre worried about violence yourself as well. Can you tell us a little more about your worries . Just navigating as a woman of Trans Experience and being Black In America in itself, every time i walk out of the door im afraid if i will make it back alive. When you think about the age limit when it comes to black Trans Woman or trans women of color, our Age Expectancy is 35 yearsyearold. When you think about that and all the things that i have experienced just in my life and my friends have experienced, yes, im always afraid, and i dont feel protected by our government. I dont feel protected by Law Enforcement. So definitely im always afraid, hoping that i make it back home safe. Quentin, at this rate it will be another Record Year for murders against Transgender And Gender nonconforming people. I know its complex, but can you tell us what are some of the main reasons behind the violence that we see . People dont see us as human beings. People dont believe that our lives have value, and they often times will portray us in the media thats not consistent with us thriving, not consistent with us having higher life expectations. The violence is senseless. Senseless violence is often times because of ignorance, lack of knowledge about trans people, a lot of times particularly in the south religion plays a big part in that. Intersection of factors, people just dont have the knowledge. People say that they dont interact with trans people. They say that were not visible, but its hard to be visible when you dont feel safe. Its hard to be visible when youre worried about getting home, when youre worried about eating, when youre worried about having shelter and clothing. Theres a lot of disparities that contribute to the violence. But education goes a long way. Empathy goes a long way. You talked about some of the disparities. We know transgender people are more likely to be discriminated against in employment and in housing, which means theyre more likely to experience homelessness or to lose a job. That can just open the door to sometimes dangerous unstable situations, right . Absolutely. When you live in a society where the average income, according to the 2016 survey, is less than 24,000 a year, i know trans people who are trying to survive off of 12,000 a year, off of 8,000 a year. I know trans people, i got my second eviction by making sure that my community of trans folks had a place to live, making sure what we call couch surfing, making sure that people who only came through with a Trash Bag full of belongings had a place to lay down, they had a hot meal that they could get because we didnt have anywhere else to go. So housing is a major issue. Gia, we know this violence disproportionately impacts trans women of color. I want to try to talk about solutions here. I mean, in your mind, what needs to change . I think that change comes from breaking down the binary and allowing people to just live our lives. You know, we can rely on like the government, but the government is not doing what needs to be done. Grassroots organizations and trans organizations underground are really stepping up and supporting the community. And people who support trans people are giving funding to trans black organizations that are providing direct assistance to the community. So until we get rid of and eradicate binary politics and really address the social determinants of health within our own community, we will continue to be on The March Of Disproportion of race. Weve seen the number of murders go up. But is there anything youre seeing that really is working . Yeah. I think that the mobilization of the community is definitely in the right direction. And i want the community to continue the fight that we are doing. We have been vigilant, we have been staying on course to fight against the egregious violence that we are facing. I want to thank you all for joining us for this important conversation. And now lets take a moment to reflect and remember the trans lives weve lost so far this year. It can prevent a migraine as well. Nurtec is the first and only option proven to treat and prevent migraines with one medication. Onederful. One quick dissolve tablet can start fast and last. Dont take if allergic to nurtec. The most common Side Effects were nausea, stomach pain, and indigestion. With nurtec, i treat migraine my way. Whats your way . Ask your doctor about nurtec to find out welcome to allstate. You already pay for Car Insurance, why not take your home along for the ride . Allstate. Here, better protection costs a whole lot less. 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Your case is often worth more than insuran call the Barnes Firm to find out i couldve made. What your case could be worth. We will help get you the best result possible. The Barnes Firm, Injury Attorneys call one eight hundred,est resul Eight Million experts say that transgender Youth Face higher rates of depression and anxiety. In this Years Survey by the Trevor Project found more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth have seriously considered attempting suicide in just the last year. If you or anyone you know is struggling, you can call the national Suicide Prevention Life line at 8002738255 or Text Talk to 741741. Lets bring in dr. Jack turbine with the Stanford University school of medicine and dallas, founding ceo of trans health northampton. Thank you both for joining us. Doctor, first i just want to ask, when we see all of this legislation in more than 30 states right now targeting transgender youth, the headlines, the political rhetoric, all of it, what kind of Mental Health impact does that have on trans kids . Yeah, its really difficult to watch right now. And i think on the one hand we think a lot about the impact of the bills themselves. So its dangerous for these kids to be potentially losing medical care. Its dangerous for them to be kicked out of sports and losing the physical and Mental Health benefits of sports. But really i think the biggest danger is something outside of the direct impact of the bills. And the real danger is that these kids are seeing powerful people like politicians going on national television and basically telling them that theyre confused about their identity, that theyre a risk to their friends in sports, that they cant be in bathrooms because theyre a risk to other people. And, over time, if you hear that over and over again, kids start to believe it and they start to internalize it. Dallas, i was struck by what a doctor in arkansas said this year while testifying before lawmakers. She said there have been multiple kids in the Emergency Room for attempted suicide since the bill was introduced. I guarantee if this bill passes, children will die, and she added, i will call you every single time. Now, sadly, this is not being overly dramatic, this is a reality. As a Trans Woman i can tell you that its not overly dramatic. Genderaffirming care is life saving. We know this. Denying people Genderaffirming Care will result in deaths. We see this every day. The most concern of limiting access is the risk of suicide. Let me be clear. The passing of these bills will harm trans lives. Just like dallas is saying, we see over and over again in research studies that when kids have access to genderaffirming medical care, they have better Mental Health. So we published a study last year in the journal pediatrics. And those who accessed the Puberty Blockers had a lower odds of considering suicide in their lifetime. Thats just one of many studies that over and over again are showing that for some kids these interventions really can save their lives. Dr. Turban, who are the parents for these kids, they might be anxious, they might be worried. Whats your message to them . To keep in mind that your kids are hearing these powerful politicians, again, saying things that are really damaging to kids Mental Health. Theyre telling your child that theyre dangerous, that they cant be in bathrooms, that theyre confused and shouldnt receive medical interventions. What you can do is sit down with your child and say, you know, this politician doesnt know you, they dont really know what theyre talking about. Like, i know you, i love you, and youre an amazing child who is great to your friends, youre compassionate, youre not confused. And just give the kids that messaging that counteract some of this negative messaging. Dallas, weve talked about a lot of challenges, maybe some negatives. But i want to ask you, just doing the work you do, why is it so important for you to be doing this right now . Well, it is so important because we know that an estimated 65 of lgbtq folks have preexisting health conditions, and trans folks experience higher rates of health conditions, unemployment, more likely to not be seen by a primary Care Provider or a Mental Health provider. And, so, we really need to be expanding Genderaffirming Care. For me as a Trans Woman, this is really, really impactful work. I transitioned in the rural south where i often times was in fear for my life. And i didnt have access to the care that i desperately needed, lifesaving care that i needed. Dallas, dr. Jack, we are so grateful for everything you are taking and for taking a few minutes to speak to us about this important issue. Thank you both so very much. When we come back, breaking barriers. One on one with Mj Rodriguez and how she says Pop Culture is putting a crack in a Glass Ceiling. G. Resh move, move, move, Move Aaaaand still fresh. Degree. Ultimate freshness activated when you move. Agerelated Macular Degeneration may lead to severe vision loss. So the national Eye Institute did 20 years of clinical studies on a formula only found in preservision. If it were my vision, id ask my doctor about preservision. Its the most studied eye vitamin brand. If it were my vision, Id Look into preservision. Only Preservision Areds2 contains the exact Nutrient Formula recommended by the nei to help reduce the risk of moderate to advanced amd progression. I have amd. It is my vision so my plan includes preservision. Today, stronger immunity and Better Nutrition are more important than ever. Thats why egglands best gives you and your family more. And thats healthy news, for everyone. Only egglands best. Better taste. 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But ive got no illusions about the outside world having my back. Outside world . You know, my community and the outside world and all those things. I know, blanca. You dont have to pretend with me. So youve been with a girl like me before . No. Its not like that. Youre a beautiful, funny, soulful woman. Thats all that matters to me. Thats Mj Rodriguez, star of the awardwinning Tv Series pose, which came to an end this month after three historic and successful seasons. The show was groundbreaking because most of the actors and characters were transgender, including rodriguez, whos now embarking on a musical career under the name makayla jay. The new song called something to say. I spoke with rodriguez about the future and about the legacy of pose. Pose came to an end this month. How are you feeling about that . Im feeling great, but im also feeling extremely emotional. What a show to be a part of. What a great way to tie all of the knots, cross the ts, Dot The is. Ive been a ball of tears in my own little private moments. And pose just changed so many peoples lives around the world. And now we can say this is a show thats going to go down in history. Its going to stay. And people will be able to refer back to this whenever they need some kind of guidance and they need some kind of love. Even after pose, glad says that right now 21 transgender characters remain on tv. How important is representation . Representation is key. We havent shattered that Glass Ceiling yet. Its just a bit cracked. And, um, theres great things in knowing that, and theres also sad things in knowing that it hasnt fallen to the ground just yet. Its unfortunate that we have to worry about other things can u. S. That Glass Hasnt shattered yet. But its cracked. So that means there is some work being done. On the Flip Side of tv, i think glad found in 2019 there wasnt a single transgender character in any movie produced by the eight biggest studios. When you hear that, what do you think . It just makes me sad that know that there werent any. And it goes to show that, you know, there are still people who have ideals of where we should be and how we should be placed in the world. When you were a kid, what do you think a show like Pose Wouldve meant to you . What a show like pose possibly happening in my time . It wouldve changed my whole life. Im so glad that a show like this where i can say i wish i would have had it, now its happening. Youve got a new song out. How does that feel . It feels great. So, i went to school for music. That was my first love, my first passion, still is. Its been a dream of mine. Its been a passion of mine. And i have a song called something to say. What a way to release a song on pride. What a way to have something to say. I feel like it all came into place like how it needed to come into place. And it just feels song. The song is called something to say. What can you say about something to say . That we have more in common than we actually realize. That goes for people who are people of color it. Goes for people who are lgbtqai. It comes to all communities. If we come together through love, then we can really really push the needle forward and getting people up and moving their bodies. Because youve got to make sure people are moving. We were talking about representation on screen. What does representation look like in the Music World right now . I just want to be on that forefront. I love making sure i knock down the walls. I like knocking on the door saying, can i come in . Oh, im just going to open this real quick and say hello. Im okay, i come in peace. E. T. Phone home. No, [ laughter ] as you embark on this next chapter of your career, whats your biggest wish . What would be the biggest goal . The biggest goal for me would be able to go on tour and to travel and see so many lovely faces that ive never seen before around the world who have invested themselves in me. I feel good. I feel so welcome in this space. And, yeah, just yes, yes, and yes with an exclamation point. From mj to aj, for nearly 30 years Aj Mclean has been larger than life. His onefifth of the mega Boy Band the back street boys. Now hes using his powerful platform to celebrate the Trans Community. He released a solo single called Love Song love. He says the goal of this song is to promote Discussion And Awareness of the fight for equality with the message, love no matter what. Da Da Da why not both . Visibly diminish wrinkled skin in. Crepe corrector lotion. Only from gold bond. Nobody builds 5g like verizon builds 5g. Thousands of engineers taking business to a whole new level. Employees are empowered. Customers are engaged. Near real time data for fast decision making. This is business at the speed of 5g. Because the more businesses do with 5g, the more your network matters. Its us pushing us. Its verizon vs verizon. Limu emu. And doug. So then i said to him, you oughta customize your Car Insurance with liberty mutual, so you only pay for what you need. Oh um, doug can we talk about something other than work, its the weekend. Yeah, yeah. [ squawk ] hot dog or. Chicken . [ squawk ] only pay for what you need. Liberty. Liberty. Liberty. Liberty. Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name and theyre always glad you came welcome back, america. It sure is good to see you. Things you start when youre 45. Welcome back, america. Coaching. New workouts. And screening for Colon Cancer. Yep. The american Cancer Society recommends screening starting at age 45, instead of 50, since Colon Cancer is increasing in younger adults. Im cologuard®. Im convenient and find 92 of Colon Cancers. Even in early stages. Im for people 45 plus at average risk for Colon Cancer, not high risk. False positive and negative results may occur. Ask your provider if cologuard is right for you. Over the past Hour Youve heard from kids, parents, lawmakers and advocates who dedicated their lives to the transgender community. And i hope during that time you were able to simply sit back and listen to what they had to say. Listen to the teenager who dreams of becoming americas first transgender president. Listen to Quentin Bell who told us that empathy, that getting to know people can go a long way. Listen to the mother who says her 16yearold son has evolved out of the cocoon into a beautiful butterfly. We Cant Think of a better image to leave you with. Im joe fryer. And from All Of Us here im craig melvin. And im natalie morales. And this is dateline. Shes a married mother of two. There is nothing about her life that would raise any red flags. She amazed them all. Her whole group of girlfriends at the gym. She was totally dedicated. I said heather, turn around. Youve gone smaller. A stunning, 200 Pound Weight Loss and a whole new life came with it. You could see that transformation. You could see the confidence in her. Then she was gone. Missing at school