OUTVERTISING’S TRANS+ SOLIDARITY STATEMENT

As members and allies of the LGBTQIA+ community, we are compelled to speak out in unwavering solidarity with the Trans, Nonbinary and Intersex (Trans+) community.

The recent supreme court ruling and EHRC’s interim update both carry deep personal consequences for many whose lives are already lived under persistent scrutiny, marginalisation, and erasure.

The court’s decision is a stark reminder that Trans+ people are still denied full recognition and dignity under systems that too often uphold the status quo at the expense of human rights and lived realities. 

It sends a painful message: that Trans+ people are not yet seen as equals in the eyes of the state.

This is unacceptable.

We affirm that Trans+ rights are human rights. 

The right to live authentically, to be safe, and to be seen is not conditional. We must resist narratives that suggest Trans+ existence is a bureaucratic inconvenience or an ideological debate. It is neither. 

As Trans+ History Week (5th-11th May) so powerfully demonstrates, Trans+ people have always existed.

Trans+ identities are real, are valid, and worthy of legal and social affirmation.

We know that legal recognition matters – it impacts access to healthcare, housing, employment, and freedom of movement. But even beyond the material implications, recognition is a statement of respect. It tells Trans+ people that their lives, their names, and their identities are worthy of protection and dignity. To deny that recognition is to contribute to the abuse and violence that Trans+ people face every day. 

This ruling does not exist in a vacuum. It comes amid a broader climate of increasing hostility towards the Trans+ and wider LGBTQIA+ community in the UK and beyond. From inflammatory media rhetoric to policy rollbacks, Trans+ people are being pushed to the margins at a time when they need support, affirmation, and justice more than ever.

To our Trans+ siblings: we see you, we hear you, and we stand with you. You are not alone. Your struggle for recognition and rights is urgent and necessary. Your lives matter – not only in courtrooms and legislation but in every space you occupy. 

As active allies of the Trans+ community, we commit to:

  • Amplifying your voices by sharing content created by Trans+ people and organisations

  • Challenging transphobic comments and behaviours wherever they appear 

  • Advocating for inclusive, affirming policy and cultural change

Taking the lead from the Outvertising Advocacy Playbook, as advertising and marketing professionals we commit to: 

  • Advocating for Trans+ inclusive workplace policies, practices and values 

  • Pushing for accurate and respectful representation of Trans+ people in marketing communications

  • Actively working towards responsible media strategies, reducing or eliminating investment in media that platform transphobic or homophobic rhetoric 

We urge all organisations in our industry to provide clarity on their Trans+ inclusiveness and consult with their Trans+ colleagues on their needs and wellbeing, and provide the necessary support and equitable access to facilities. 

Now is not the time for sitting on fences. To not state that you are Trans+ inclusive now excludes the Trans+ community by default. 

We remain committed to building a world where all people can live openly, safely, and with dignity.

We invite you to stand with us. By adding your name below, you are showing that you stand for the recognition, dignity and wellbeing of Trans+ people. Trans+ rights are human rights. Now and always.

Add your name and make your voice count.