Right now, across our country trans youth continue to face scrutiny, restriction, and hostility at a level that no young person should be forced to endure. Laws are being proposed and passed that not only limit their access to healthcare but also question their very identity. Pressure is being applied across the board, and the community needs all the help, and love, we can give.

When we were dropped by our hospital network, Callen-Lorde stepped up. Our daughter Sidney has continued to have access to necessary gender-affirming care because of Callen-Lorde. It hasn’t been easy. When our government threatened to pull funding, Callen-Lorde responded by finding a way to continue to service this incredibly vulnerable group. As you can imagine, this is proving to be a huge financial undertaking as even more teens are left with fewer and fewer options to seek treatment and care. The truth is private donations are needed to fill critical gaps created by the current environment. Private donors, more than ever, offer a literal lifeline. We’ve all heard calls for donation saying “every dollar counts,” but never has it been more accurate. Every private dollar goes to paying for care, because right now the dollars are coming from nowhere else.

Please help me help Callen-Lorde continue their life saving work of providing gender-affirming care. Let’s choose to stand together. Let’s choose empathy over fear, understanding over bigotry, and action over silence. Every child deserves a future where they are valued.

Sidney is fortunate to have a community and family, but the reality is that this is not the norm for many trans youth. Healthcare is a luxury. Trans people have always existed. We have the ability to help, to truly make a difference. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for attending and for donating to this amazing organization that is continuing to protect trans youth. So much love.

XO, Jen 💛

*Note - There is no registration fee or cost affiliated with your participation in this Ride. 100% of all donations made will directly support the life-saving work of Callen-Lorde!

ABOUT CALLEN-LORDE

Callen-Lorde is the global leader in LGBTQ+ healthcare. Since the days of Stonewall, we have been transforming lives in LGBTQ+ communities through excellent comprehensive care, provided free of judgment and regardless of ability to pay. In addition, we are continuously pioneering research, advocacy and education to drive positive change around the world, because we believe healthcare is a human right.

Callen-Lorde’s grassroots heritage dates back over 50 years to the St. Marks Clinic and the Gay Men’s Health Project – two volunteer-based clinics that provided safe and confidential sexual health and primary care regardless of ability to pay. These clinics merged in 1983 to form Community Health Project, a mostly volunteer-staffed, episodic care program housing the nation’s first community-based HIV clinic. Read our full history here.

Charity Spin Ride for Callen-Lorde

Ride, Raise Money, Support LGBTQ+ Health