Brynn Tannehill,
writing for the Huffington Post argued that it wasn’t astroturf, but a genuine movement. Tannehill is the co-chair for ‘Trans United Families For Equality’ and sits on its board. Trans United, a national organization, has put money into local school board races, likely to push bathroom-related policy. It partners with a variety of organizations, all with slick logos and profiles. Despite being both a 501(c)(3) and a 501(c)(4), I was unable to find an IRS 990 form on its website (I am not an expert, but I do not think that is legal.) Charity Navigator informs me that it is both headquartered in Washington DC and was granted a charity ruling in 2009.
A glowing article in Time does describe its first advertising venture, an ad called
‘Meet My Child’, featuring transgender children and their parents.
But another glowing Time article on the forming of the group describes an organization formed for the 2016 election in April 2016, by a slew of professional activists and campaign veterans. It is a nationally-based lobby organization that does not disclose any form of donor. It is astroturf. Brynn Tannehill argues that they are not astroturf and have never participated in astroturf, while holding membership in an astroturf organization.