HOUSTON – The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and Houston-based Legacy Community Health have released a 1-minute digital ad in an attempt to mobilize Texans to stop Senate Bill 6.
The measure, which is backed by Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, would require people to use the restroom that coincides with the gender listed to their birth certificates. Patrick said the bill is largely about protecting women and children, as well as businesses.
The ad, released Monday, is titled "Taking a Seat, Making a Stand."
The 60-second video is packed with potty humor, with lines like "pee with LGBT" and "You've gotta spray it to say it."
The ACLU's aim is get Texans to contact their state legislators to show opposition to the Senate bill.
[WATCH: Taking a Seat, Making a Stand]
"There's nothing decent about a proposed law that would exclude transgender people from public spaces or bar them from participating in public life," said Terri Burke, executive director of the ACLU of Texas. "With this campaign we hope to raise awareness on the issue and ensure that Texas doesn't consign our transgender brothers and sisters to second-class status under the law."
"Our ad shows SB 6 does absolutely nothing to bolster privacy and safety in a restroom," said Katy Caldwell, CEO of Legacy Community Health. "The only thing the bill does do is discriminate against transgender Texans, including our patients."
The ad was directed by five-time Academy Award nominee Richard Linklater. GSD&M, an advertising agency with headquarters in Austin, created the ad.
“Passing that bill discriminates against family and friends...and me...and that guy,” said Lou Weaver.
Weaver is a transgender man from Houston who consulted on the video.
He said it was not about privacy. He said the bill discriminates against transgender Texans.
"It's so good to see all walks of life. All Texans. All people are represented in this. A trans man. A trans woman. A teacher. These people are navigating society every day just like we are," Weaver said.
But Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, who strongly opposed the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance in Houston, said the new statewide bill was about common sense and public safety.
"Eighty percent of Republicans and nearly 60 percent of Democrats do not want men in ladies rooms and they don't want boys and girls showering together in high school. Senate Bill 6 protects businesses and it protects women and it protects teenagers and children in school," Patrick said.