In a significant move, two prominent transgender rights organizations, the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) and the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF), are merging to form Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE). Despite securing significant wins for trans rights, the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) faced heightened conservative backlash. It also confronted internal challenges in 2019, with staff resignations over union and racism issues. When Executive Director Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen took over, he addressed concerns, revamped policies, and enhanced transparency within the organization. With the merger, Heng-Lehtinen aims to counter conservative efforts against trans rights, especially amid a surge of over 500 bills targeting LGBTQ+ people last year. Focused on federal policy reform and legal advocacy respectively, NCTE and TLDEF will unite by summer. The merger, not driven by financial motives, aims to strengthen the movement, with both organizations experiencing growth and maintaining all staff positions. Andrea Hong Marra, set to assume the role of CEO at Advocates for Trans Equality, emphasized the substantial growth of TLDEF during her tenure as executive director since 2018. The organization expanded from a staff of four to 27, and its budget increased from approximately $830,000 to $4.5 million. Despite these achievements and securing significant legal victories for the transgender community, Marra expressed a lingering concern that troubles her: "It's not enough." She emphasizes the merger as a values-driven effort to empower trans activists and drive progress towards equality. The unions of both organizations express excitement about the merger and state the need for commitment from NCTE and TLDEF to work collaboratively in shaping the new organization.
Two Of America’s Largest Trans Rights Organizations Will Merge
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