Kentucky for Kentucky raising money to help trans Kentuckians

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - For more than a month, Kentucky for Kentucky has been selling t-shirts aimed at protecting the rights of trans people in the Commonwealth.

So far, they’ve sold more than $11,000 worth.

Staff members at Kentucky for Kentucky say ever since they put these shirts on the shelves, hundreds of them have been sold and they say for many who are buying them, it’s an emotional experience.

“I think everyone feels really proud, really proud, to offer something like this and really proud to be working towards the kind of Kentucky that we want to see and be a part of,” said Anne Livengood, director of sales & marketing at Kentucky for Kentucky.

Livengood says the idea for the shirt came from someone right inside the store’s walls.

“One of our own trans staff members came to us and was like, ‘We have to do something. Here’s what I want to do.’ So, we put it into action,” said Livengood.

The shirts are on one of the first tables you see when you walk in the door. They’re $28 and come in blue and black. On it, the words ‘Protect Trans Kentuckians.’

“It is a message that we just felt like was necessary,” Livengood said.

Livengood says trans people are being targeted in their everyday life and at the state level. At the end of this year’s legislative session, we saw Senate Bill 150 become law.

It’s what many consider to be anti-trans legislation. It bans gender-affirming care for kids and doesn’t allow the mandated use of pronouns, among other things.

“As all of the legislation has unfolded, we’re definitely trying to keep that conversation going and really trying to keep the sales going on that shirt to really extend our reach and impact,” said Livengood.

Livengood says supporting the LGBTQ community is a huge part of their brand.

“Everyone who touches this shirt, all the way from the creative process, to the person printing the shirt, to the people tagging the shirt are actually trans and queer folks,” said Livengood.

She says 100% of the proceeds from the shirt go to the Kentucky Health Justice Network’s trans health advocacy program. A fund that helps trans Kentuckians access the healthcare they need.

“I’m really happy to say that it has been successful so far, but I think we have a long way to go,” said Livengood.

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