As the national debate about LGBT equality focuses on “bathroom bills,” which discriminate against transgender people and others, the Hattaway team helped the Trans United Fund begin driving a new narrative by showing families from different backgrounds supporting their transgender children. The response shows that strategic storytelling can change hearts and minds on this issue.

Meet My Child got nearly 1.5 million views via Facebook in its first two days. Comments flooded in from people who were moved by the stories of three moms and their transgender children, including some viewers who said the video changed their minds on the “bathroom issue.”

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The video, featuring African-American, Latina and Caucasian families, was produced on a shoestring by a multi-racial team of Trans leaders from the Trans United Fund, including Hayden Mora, Andrea Jenkins and Jacob Tobia. (Please visit their web site if you are interested in Trans United or Trans issues.)

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A family-oriented approach to re-framing the debate was informed by the fight for marriage equality. The Hattaway team and our partners produced one of the early TV ads on the topic during the battle for marriage in Massachusetts, the first state to allow same-sex marriages. That ad featured a young man talking about his two moms and the meaning of their marriage. Focus group research showed that people from many different backgrounds could relate to the family’s story.

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The “focus on family” strategy turns the tables on politicians who are demonizing transgender people and stirring up fears about predators in public restrooms. The moms in our video send a powerful message to the politicians and an invitation to all: Meet my child. Hear my family’s story. Learn about this issue.

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The response to the video shows that many people are interested in learning more. YouTube data showed that an astonishing 76 percent of those viewing the video were also reading a post about it or looking up information on another website while watching it. Clearly, many people are looking to learn more.

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In an article about Meet My Child, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) cites research showing fewer than 20 percent of Americans know someone who is transgender. An Equality Federation spokesperson says, “Humanizing (transgender people) is critical. It reduces that fear factor.”

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The Hattaway team has been working on this issue with several clients and partners. A Media Map analysis we conducted last year found that opponents of LGBT equality were on the offensive in multiple states, using “bathroom bills” to re-frame the public conversation about LGBT issues in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision that made marriage equality the law of the land. Voices for equality were visible in the state-level conversation, but they did not deliver clear or consistent messages.

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Much work remains to be done to counter the fear-mongering. Communications research demonstrates the power of framing the conversation around families and can shed light on other approaches that can help drive a new narrative about transgender equality.

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If you’d like to learn more about this issue, strategic storytelling or communications research, please contact info@hattaway.com.