THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

"Trans kids are kids and should be able to play with their friends. For the last two years, transgender young people have been the target of discrimination for having the audacity to play a game that they love," said Joni Madison, Human Rights Campaign Interim President. "We are proud to announce this powerful campaign in collaboration with WarnerMedia to bring the stories of transgender youth to the forefront to call for their inclusion in sports and remind us why so many Americans play sports in the first place. We hope that as people see this video, they will see themselves and the children in their lives reflected in the humanity of these kids."

The video is released as transgender youth are under attack in statehouses across the country and trans athletes face significant barriers to participation. The video has a 30 second and 60 second versions.

Full text of the video can be found below:

I play to be with my friends.

To make new friends.

To have fun.

Because I love it.

I play to try something new.

To push myself.

To be part of a team.

I play to belong.

I play to have fun.

Transgender kids wanna play, too.

Let us play.

The campaign, which will air on all WarnerMedia-owned platforms, highlights the social, physical and cognitive benefits of playing school sports for all children — especially those who might be denied because of who they are and how they identify. The video features kids playing soccer and basketball while listing the reasons they play. From making new friends to having fun, the stories of these children send a powerful message about inclusion during a time of craven attacks on transgender youth across the country. Alongside this campaign, HRC is releasing a new chatbot feature to help LGBTQ+ people and allies have conversations with friends, family and acquaintances about supporting trans and non-binary youth and opposing discrimination against trans youth.

Through their various brands, WarnerMedia has been a long-time supporter of the Human Rights Campaign and an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community overall. WarnerMedia is one of 227 companies that has signed the Business Statement Opposing Anti-LGBTQ State Legislation stating its clear opposition to harmful legislation aimed at restricting the access of LGBTQ people in society. WarnerMedia also signed onto an amicus brief for the Title VII cases heard by the U.S. Supreme Court, including Bostock v. Clayton County, arguing that sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination should be prohibited under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. WarnerMedia's parent company AT&T has had a 100 percent score on HRC's Corporate Equality Index (CEI) since 2005, earning it the distinction of being one of the "Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality."

To learn more about the Human Rights Campaign's work on transgender equality, visit hrc.org/campaigns/count-me-in. HRC offers a guide to reporters on how to cover transgender-related stories, which can be found here: www.hrc.org/resources/reporting-about-transgender-people-read-this .

The Human Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ+ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

WarnerMedia is a leading media and entertainment company that creates and distributes premium and popular content from a diverse array of talented storytellers and journalists to global audiences through its consumer brands, including HBO, HBO Max, Warner Bros., TNT, TBS, truTV, CNN, DC, New Line, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies, and others.

WarnerMedia is part of AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T).