{"id":207175,"date":"2025-05-16T11:19:21","date_gmt":"2025-05-16T15:19:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aclu.org\/?post_type=campaign&p=207175"},"modified":"2025-05-17T10:41:42","modified_gmt":"2025-05-17T14:41:42","slug":"freedom-to-be","status":"publish","type":"campaign","link":"https:\/\/www.aclu.org\/campaigns-initiatives\/freedom-to-be","title":{"rendered":"Freedom To Be: Joy, Family, & Transgender Rights"},"menu_order":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-207175","campaign","type-campaign","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":{"page_type":"campaign","color_scheme":"light","hide_on_campaigns_landing_page":false,"hero_image":188363,"mobile_hero_image":188364,"hero_video":208227,"hide_mute_button":["true"],"description_header":"Freedom To Be Monument","description_text":"The Freedom To Be Monument is a powerful, living testament to trans resilience, community, and joy. Explore the monument, witness these powerful stories, and join us in the fight to defend trans freedom.\r\n\r\nThis installation took over the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on May 17 as a bold act of resistance to transphobia, trans erasure, and anti-trans legislation. It stands as a declaration that trans people deserve the freedom to be\u2014loved, safe, and in control of our own health care decisions.\r\n\r\nInspired by the legacy of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, this installation combats erasure and ensures that trans voices, stories, and existence are seen and honored. It directly challenges those who seek to strip away trans rights, boldly affirming that trans lives are here to stay.\r\n\r\nSpelling out the words \u201cFreedom To Be,\u201d the monument consists of 250 panels\u2014each 6 feet by 6 feet\u2014created by hundreds of trans folks and allies across the country. Every panel is a response to the question: What does freedom to be mean to me? Over the past year, in partnership with the ACLU, trans storytellers and allies have poured their hopes, fears, and dreams into this collective work of art.","cta_type":"custom_cta","email_cta_header":"","email_cta_text":"","custom_cta_header":"Defend Trans Freedom","custom_cta_text":"We're calling on the Supreme Court to uphold constitutional guarantees for everyone - including trans people","cta_button_text":"Support our Petition","cta_button_link":"https:\/\/action.aclu.org\/petition\/defend-trans-freedom","secondary_cta_text":"","secondary_cta_link":"","fast_facts_title":"Fast Facts","fast_facts":[{"fact_icon":"","fact_header":"1,000","fact_text":"Artists and activists contributed artwork to the installation"},{"fact_icon":"","fact_header":"250","fact_text":"Panels designed by artists and activists"},{"fact_icon":"","fact_header":"35","fact_text":"Participating states across the country + DC"}],"components":[{"acf_fc_layout":"image-video-collection","image-video-collection":{"":null,"title":"What Does Freedom Mean to You?","description":"The \u201cFreedom To Be\u201d campaign shows transgender people and their families from across the country finding joy and community, grounded in the basic principle that we all deserve the freedom to control our own families, bodies, and lives.","images-videos":[{"title":"Freedom To Be: Dr. Russell Toomey (he\/him)","media-type":"youtube","image":null,"video":null,"oembed-url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=fwh85tz_ffo","cover-image":207909,"credit":"","caption":"","description":"For Russ, the freedom to be means feeling the power of belonging and fighting to make that accessible for others.","link-url":"","lightbox":true,"social-share-text":"","social-share-link":""},{"title":"Freedom To Be: Jari Jones (she\/her)","media-type":"youtube","image":null,"video":null,"oembed-url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=hlXO3hth7OQ","cover-image":207914,"credit":"","caption":"","description":"For Jari, the freedom to be means being loved and supported, and always offering the same to others\u2014whether as a caretaker or a changemaker.","link-url":"","lightbox":true,"social-share-text":"","social-share-link":""},{"title":"Freedom To Be: Hobbes Chukumba (he\/him)","media-type":"youtube","image":null,"video":null,"oembed-url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=6QHeariKcps","cover-image":207915,"credit":"","caption":"","description":"For Hobbes, the freedom to be means not only writing his own story but also helping make history. 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