Transgender sci-fi film directors Lilly and Lana Wachowski are auctioning off their personal memorabilia to help at-risk trans youth children through pop-singer Ariana Grande’s Protect & Defend Trans Youth Fund.
Over the weekend, Lilly Wachowski wrote via Twitter, “hi youse! So me and Lana have been doing some spring cleaning at our Raiders of the Lost Ark warehouse and have happily decided to pass on some of the best treasures we’ve been collecting over the years!! No Ark of the Covenants but some pretty major and magical artifacts!”
Related: Second Wachowski twin comes out as transgender
The items, titled “Enter the Matrix: The Wachowski Collection”, include art, props, posters, and production materials from their past films and series including Cloud Atlas, Jupiter Ascending, The Matrix, Sense8, and Speed Racer. The items include costumes, futuristic-looking firearms, eye-catching statuettes and also trophies the directors have received for their work.
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hi youse! so me and Lana have been doing some spring cleaning at our Raiders of the Lost Ark warehouse and have happily decided to pass on some of the best treasures we've been collecting over the years!! no ark of the covenants but some pretty major and magical artifacts!
— Lilly Wachowski (@lilly_wachowski) April 23, 2022
As of April 26, the bidding for most of the items runs from several hundred to several thousand. Online bids will be accepted until May 12. All the proceeds will go to the Protect & Defend Trans Youth Fund.
The fund will distribute the proceeds among 18 organizations in 12 different states, including the Black Trans Advocacy Coalition, Equality Florida, One Iowa, as well as groups in Louisiana, Arkansas, Kansas, South Carolina, Arizona, Alabama and other states targeting trans youth with transphobic legislation. Some of the groups focus on legislation and queer homelessness while others work on helping trans people access employment and gender-affirming healthcare.
Even better, Grande has pledged to match up to $1.5 million of proceeds going to her organization.
“Right now, there are hundreds of bills pending in state legislatures across the United States that target trans youth and aim to curb their rights,” Grande wrote on her organization’s fundraising page, “The impact of fighting these anti-trans bills and policies is felt all year by trans people, their families and loved ones.”
“Donating to this fundraiser… will provide critical funds to organizations providing direct services to trans youth and advocating for the rights of trans youth,” she added.
Lilly Wachowski was more succinct. She wrote, “buy some cool sh*t and stand the f*ck up for trans lives!”
