Transcend Legal

Vision

A world in which all people—transgender and cisgender—are equally recognized, respected and celebrated.

Purpose

Transcend Legal cultivates equitable social, medical and legal recognition of transgender people by offering culturally competent, transgender-led legal representation, public policy advocacy, community education & organizing, and public education.

Approach

• Help transgender individuals achieve equality by providing streamlined, competent and affordable legal support. Engaging in direct representation roots our advocacy in the needs of transgender individuals.
• Create a national network of attorneys trained to work with trans clients, both through collaboration with Transcend Legal and by providing CLE courses, cultural competency trainings, technical assistance, and sample materials to facilitate work. 
• Educate the public on the needs of transgender individuals through training, public policy advocacy, and community education. Visibility is integral to achieving freedom for transgender people.
• Foster equitable and just lived realities for all transgender people by using an intersectional approach to address racial, social and economic justice issues.
• Have fun and encourage self-care to create a long-term sustainable and productive work environment.

Current Priorities

• All transgender people in the U.S. can access the health care that they need.
• All transgender people in New York can have their name & gender legally recognized.

Theory of Change

Transcend Legal was founded in October 2016 to address the ongoing need transgender people have for individual legal services. Other national transgender legal organizations focus on legislation, policy advocacy, and test-case litigation. Transcend Legal works to implement and enforce the rights gained through new laws, policy changes, and court victories. While we serve individuals without regard to whether their case will set precedent, many cases benefit others in the community. Robust enforcement of transgender rights prevents future violations and creates institutional change.