Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, and Athlete Ally, a national nonprofit working to elevate and advocate for LGBTQI+ athletes, announced the release of a new video from Cut.com, “Kids Meet a Trans Athlete!” The video features kids getting to know Chris Mosier, a triathlete, duathlete, race walker and six-time member of Team USA, who was the first out transgender man to compete in a men’s Olympic Trials and first openly transgender person to qualify for an Olympic Trials in their affirmed gender. Mosier is also the founder of transathlete.com, the leading resource for trans-inclusive policies in sports at various levels of play and information on transgender people in sport.

The video’s release coincides with the start of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, which includes more out LGBTQ athletes than any previous Summer Olympics. For the first time, openly trans athletes will compete at the Olympics, including New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard, Canada soccer player Quinn and U.S. BMX Freestyle rider Chelsea Wolfe. Even as these trans athletes pursue their dreams at the Olympics, trans youth who are trying to play sports in their home states are under attack from their own legislators. More than 70 bills have been introduced this year that would prohibit trans youth from participating in school sports consistent with their gender identity. These attacks, which are rooted in transphobia as well racism and sexism, have a compounded effect on trans youth of color, especially Black trans youth. Of the many of the anti-trans sports bills in these states, eight state laws have been passed this year that restrict transgender girls from participating on girls’ athletic teams.

The new video from Cut.com, “Kids Meet a Trans Athlete!”, is part of Cut’s series “Kids Meet.” It features kids meeting openly trans athlete Chris Mosier. They discuss what it means to be transgender, Mosier’s participation in the World Championships and Olympic Trials, trans inclusion in sports and anti-trans sports bans in U.S. states. The Human Rights Campaign Foundation has previously worked with Cut.com on a series of videos that interview transgender women and non-binary people of color about some of the most pressing issues facing the community.

The Human Rights Campaign has also launched the “Count Me In” campaign to encourage everyone, LGBTQ people and allies, to get loud, get visible and spread awareness on behalf of transgender and non-binary people. The more people who show they care, including allies and trans and non-binary people who speak up for the most marginalized in our community, the more hearts and minds will change. Learn more and take action at hrc.org/CountMeIn. For more information about HRC’s transgender justice work, visit hrc.org/transgender. In the pursuit of greater accuracy and respect, the HRC Foundation offers guidelines for journalists and others who report on transgender people.

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people. Through its programs, the HRC Foundation seeks to make transformational change in the everyday lives of LGBTQ people, shedding light on inequity and deepening the public’s understanding of LGBTQ issues, with a clear focus on advancing transgender and racial justice. Its work has transformed the landscape for more than 15 million workers, 11 million students, 600,000 clients in the adoption and foster care system and so much more. The HRC Foundation provides direct consultation and technical assistance to institutions and communities, driving the advancement of inclusive policies and practices; it builds the capacity of future leaders and allies through fellowship and training programs; and, with the firm belief that we are stronger working together, it forges partnerships with advocates in the U.S. and around the globe to increase our impact and shape the future of our work.

Athlete Ally believes sport will change the world when it welcomes and empowers all people. As a leading national nonprofit working at the intersection of sport and LGBTQI+ equality, Athlete Ally works to end the structural and systemic oppression that isolates, excludes and endangers LGBTQI+ people in sport. We educate individuals and institutions to understand obstacles to inclusion for LGBTQI+ people and how they can build an inclusive culture within their athletic communities. We work to ensure sport governing bodies, teams and leagues adopt policies that reflect the diversity of their constituents. We incubate athlete activism to advance LGBTQI+ equality in and through sport. For more information, visit www.athleteally.org or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Transathlete.com is the leading resource for trans-inclusive policies in sports at various levels of play and information on transgender people in sport. Founded by trailblazing transgender athlete Chris Mosier, the site has become a go-to resource for tracking and taking action against the anti-trans sports bills across the United States. For more information, visit www.transathlete.com or follow @TheChrisMosier on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

The Human Rights Campaign reports on news, events and resources of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation that are of interest to the general public and further our common mission to support the LGBTQ community.