BEN GREENE is a trans man, transgender advocate, and educator who has spoken internationally on topics surrounding transgender inclusion. After coming out at 15 in small-town Connecticut and giving a popular TEDx talk at Brandeis University, Ben has devoted his career to spreading empathy, education, and storytelling around the trans experience. He has spoken for companies, hospitals, schools, religious organizations, and government entities sharing what it means to be transgender and how to show up as an ally.
He is a fierce advocate for transgender youth, regularly speaking in their defense at the Missouri State Capitol, and when he is not speaking during working hours, he is delivering free presentations to parent support groups around the country and spending hours one-on-one with families of newly out transgender loved ones. He is passionate about educating others from a place of compassion—no matter where they’re starting from, and lives by the catchphrase “the only question I won’t answer is the question you don’t ask”.
In 2016, North Carolina’s HB2 prompted businesses, musicians and even the NBA to boycott the state. Today, at least 12 states have similar laws on the books. What changed?
Support groups have been a lifeline for many in the transgender community, who may face isolation and discrimination in other circles.
Transgender: What does it mean? How does it feel? And what does it have to do with sitting in chairs? Explore these questions and more along with a series of anecdotes and laughs with Ben in his TEDx talk.
According to Greene, bathroom bans send a very clear and harmful message to trans people. “The message is very much, ‘I don’t want you here. I don’t want you to exist.’ And it does make it really hard to go to public places,” Greene says, adding that it can deter trans people from using public restrooms at all, forcing them to avoid or delay eating and drinking. “Every trans person I know is just scared out of their minds to go into a bathroom because we’re very likely to be assaulted,” Greene continues.