Globally, violence against the trans community is at an all-time high. The community struggles to voice its challenges as they are silenced by social norms, or discriminatory regulations. Unlike other parts of the world, China doesn’t have comprehensive sex education about transgender identities, many people are misinformed largely due to conservative values and ideologies espoused by the state.

It was critical to give voice to the trans community in China – normalizing the trans narrative in mainstream media and show support for positive change.

A traditional ad campaign couldn’t have achieved this in the highly regulated media and social environment. A Day Of Trans was born: a cinematic release giving a voice to those unheard, advancing understanding and breaking society’s silence - created by LGBTQIA+ rights advocate filmmaker Yennefer Fang. Highlighting multi-generational stories, it exposed societal injustice, disownment, healthcare system navigation – creating a conversation around a different future.

Globally, headlines are filled with trans violence – with discrimination louder than the voices of the community themselves. In China, individuals must be over 20, need their parents' permission, and in some cases must first secure a "certificate of mental illness" from the state to change their gender.

In China, public discourse and portrayal around LGBTQ+ identities are stigmatizing and stereotype-based, while online platforms and the entertainment industry restrict ‘effeminate’ aesthetics and gender ideals. Broadcasters resist ‘abnormal’ aesthetics, calling for more masculine representations in programming.

In this context we knew that we needed to drive mainstream acceptance of the trans narrative by delivering an idea that worked at three levels:

1) The Trans Community: Giving voice to the trans community

2) Mainstream Media: Fuelling positive coverage in Chinese state run mainstream media for the first time ever

3) Chinese Society: Igniting a positive debate around the need for societal change

The idea: A Day Of Trans.

Rather than a regular marketing campaign, we created a cinematic release.

To give voice to the trans community, break stereotypes and convey the collective diversity in Chinese society, we collaborated with filmmaker Yennefer Fang to fuel a nationwide conversation around the launch of A Day of Trans.

By launching a film rather than a more conventional advertising campaign we were able to fuel the conversation at each of the three levels.

In the trans community the filmic release fuelled allyship and gave voice to the untold and unheard stories of Chinese trans.

In mainstream media, the cinematic release would be publicly reviewed, creating open coverage of the subject for the first time. Something a ‘regular’ ad campaign could never have done.

In Chinese society, the film would be used to engage with opinion elites and NGOs who were committed to driving positive societal change.

Countering the silence by being loud enough for all to hear, we launched the film and targeted the international LGBTQIA+ community and global media to promote the documentary, and seek affirmation in media to normalize the trans narrative.

We deployed an integrated communications strategy around the campaign, to target individuals in China as well as from the international community who are interested in social issues, or LGBTQIA+ advocacy. This included organizing local, regional, and international media interviews for the filmmaker, coordinating the documentary's premiere event in Beijing, and submitting the documentary to leading independent film festivals worldwide focusing on LGBTQIA+ narratives. The goal was to harness the opinion elite and seek affirmation from the Chinese state media to normalise the trans narrative amongst the wider population.

Finally, we empowered advocacy for societal change amongst NGOs – targeting policymakers and NGO workers who have the ability to drive progress.

A premiere screening was followed by an integrated PR campaign throughout Spring/Summer 2022 to normalize trans narratives in China.

In the trans community: Launching the film and giving the community a voice.

The cinema opening gave stakeholders from NGOs, businesses, media and non-profits insight into China’s transgender community. Audience Q&A encouraged dialogue around gender ideology, economic disparity and marginalization between guests, cast and crew.

In mainstream media: Driving a national conversation around generational trans acceptance for the first time.

Developed and distributed the story to Chinese and international media; coordinating interviews for Fang, who emphasized that trans activism is not just about equality, but also the right to bodily autonomy and class struggle.

In Chinese society: Thought leadership bringing new perspectives.

Used film to partner with NGOs to champion societal change – specifically for every citizen to be able to use their own voice to decide their gender.

In the trans community: Igniting conversations on “transgender” to the highest ever level in Chinese culture.

+ 41% daily average search increase for ‘transgender’.

+ 30% daily increase across Weibo and WeChat.

In mainstream media: Gaining national coverage.

For the first time ever, China’s national newspaper discussed generational trans inclusion in a feature. A once in a generation step forward for the trans community, Day Of Trans made headlines in 170+ stories internationally and across China, with 100% positive sentiment.

In society: Helping to publicly support the movement to give every Chinese citizen the right to choose their own gender.

As conversations grew, in April 2022 the Chinese National Health Commission lowered the age for gender affirmation surgery from 20 to 18, with the law changed to enable every citizen in China to choose their gender without the need to first secure a "certificate of mental illness" from the state.

China's media landscape is largely state-run. There are strict guidelines about portrayal of LGBTQIA+ identities that restrict any online platforms and the entertainment industry to showcase ‘effeminate’ aesthetics and gender ideals. Broadcasters resist ‘abnormal’ aesthetics, calling for more masculine representations in programming, hence perpetuating the harmful stereotypes and stigma. Our key objective was to secure a pivotal earned story in a top-tier state-run publication to initiate real change in the public discourse.

The ground-breaking feature that we secured in the Global Times (owned by the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party), which highlighted the perspectives of our incredible individuals and rarely heard viewpoints is a milestone in the history of Chinse mainstream media. This feature was not just about words on a page; it shaped the conversation and helped initiate societal change.