![]() I really love my trans family on the show. Willow: It was honestly just so comforting and lovely. The experience of filming the race is insanely stressful on its own, but we were able to be there for each other in a very specific way. I think we have a very special sisterhood. “Visibility is key to marginalized communities and something like these billboards can inspire someone to persevere another day.What was it like to be amongst so many fellow history-makers on this season of Drag Race?īosco: “History-makers” seems so heavy for the situation, because for us it was just a bunch of girls being girls (and thems). “ At the base, we hope that they brighten someone’s day and beyond that we hope that they are something that makes a lasting impression and potentially even saves someone’s life knowing that they are loved and seen,” he said. Kayiatos hopes that people recognize that “these billboards go beyond just a marketing campaign” and that they make a lasting impact on the communities in which they have been placed. We hope that trans people see these billboards and feel seen, loved and understand that their lives matter.” ![]() “We want everyone to understand the value of trans lives and provide visibility for the community. “With each of our billboards, we want the message to be heard, felt and integrated into people’s daily lives,” Kayiatos said. Not only does FOLX hope to guide members of the LGBTQ community toward affirming and understanding healthcare, but it also hopes to spread the message that trans youth matter with these billboards. “It is important for organizations to share this message over and over to ensure that everyone understands that trans youth are youth and deserve our protection.”įOLX Health hopes to use these billboards as more than simple advertisements, seeking a reach and an impact that goes far beyond selling the products it provides. “Trans people, especially trans kids, need to see and hear that their lives are valuable,” Kayiatos said. And on top of the virtual space claimed by participants and their stories, the billboards take up literal space, prominently displaying a message intended to provide support for the trans community. It includes a short film as well as a hashtag for various members of the LGBTQ community to use on social media. The “Taking Up Space” campaign as a whole certainly meets some of these goals. “I think about the interconnectedness of the queer and trans legacy of space-makers and want to make sure I follow in their footsteps, creating more light to shine on the path we are all carving together.” “As a man of trans experience – one that has straight and cis passing privilege – I often think about how I occupy space, how can I be a better ally, how can I create more space for others who came before me to create the space that I occupy with more ease,” he said. To Kayiatos, creating space for others is paramount. “The traditional healthcare system consists of disjointed providers who don’t understand the LGBTQIA+’s community health needs and contains endless government hurdles, leaving millions of people to defend their bodies, sexual choices, families, and goals for themselves.” “FOLX Health is the first and only LGBTQIA+ digitally native health platform created by and for the Trans and Queer community, providing a new and accessible resource for healthcare,” Kayiatos said. Georgia Voice spoke to Rocco Kayiatos, the company’s VP of Marketing, about the billboard campaign and the brand’s mission at large. The company is also running similar billboards in Little Rock, Arkansas and Austin, Texas, two other states where trans rights are being threatened by lawmakers.įOLX Health is a telehealth startup that focuses on queer and trans healthcare, providing services such as HRT and PrEP in 31 states across the US. FOLX Health is running the billboard as part of its “Taking Up Space” campaign during a time in which trans rights are being debated in legislatures across the country. Atlantans might see a large billboard reading, “Protect Trans Youth” in town this summer.
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