Rep. Ros-Lehtinen Promotes Transgender Equality In New Ad
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Family is everything.
That's the message U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, her husband Dexter and her son Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, who is transgender, express in a new public service ad that centers around transgender equality.
The ad, produced by SAVE, will run in Spanish in the South Florida market.
The Lehtinen family was at Miami Dade College to roll out new ad aimed at increasing transgender understanding in the Hispanic community.
"By sharing our family story we hope to help families who don't know where to turn," Ros-Lehtinen said.
Dexter Lehtinen is a former U.S. attorney and Vietnam veteran wounded in combat.
"Gender identity and changes in gender don't change the person their character, integrity and work ethic," Dexter Lehtinen said.
When it comes to acceptance of a transgender family member, Ros-Lehtinen and her husband are part of a minority. They've accepted their son who was born Amanda but made the decision in college to begin living a life as a man.
Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen and her son made history in 2014 by appearing together in a televised interview with Jim DeFede on CBS4 in Miami. The family discussed their experience in raising a transgender child, as well as the value of respect and dignity for LGBTQ Americans.
In 2015, SAVE honored Heng-Lehtinen as a Champion of Equality for his role in furthering LGBTQ equality in Miami-Dade County and across the country.
Ros-Lehtinen has been a vocal advocate for transgender equality ever since her son revealed his new gender identity.
"Family is everything," says Ros-Lehtinen in the opening of the ad.
"Every transgender person is part of someone's family and should be treated with compassion and protected from discrimination," she says while flanked by her husband and son.
It's estimated that 60 percent of transgender people are rejected by their families, facing a difficult life transition alone without the support of loved ones.
It's a challenge this family has been able to face together.
Ros-Lehtinen said she stands with President Obama on his controversial decision to let students use school facilities that match the sex they identify with.
The ad comes at a time when legislators in states like North Carolina and Mississippi have passed discriminatory anti-LGBTQ legislation, which criminalizes bathroom use by transgender people.
