President Joe Biden gave his State of the Union address March 7, talking about the state of affairs in the United States and touching on the status of LGBTQ+ rights in the country.
“I know the American story,” he said. “I’ve seen the contest between competing forces in the battle for the soul of our nation, between those who want to pull America back to the past and those who want to move America into the future.
“I want to protect other fundamental rights, pass the Equality Act,” he said. “And my message to transgender Americans: I have your back.”
Some trans and queer Americans feel that Democrats and, more specifically, the Biden-Harris Administration, haven’t done enough for LGBTQ+ rights since Biden was elected to the White House in 2020. However, as the country gears up for a general election with a rematch between Biden and former President Donald Trump, it’s important to recognize what the Biden-Harris ticket has done for LGBTQ+ equality.
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) released a timeline of actions Biden has done in favor of expanding LGBTQ+ rights and the progress that has happened over the span of his first term. Here are some of those actions taken by the White House to further equality for LGBTQ+ Americans.
January 25, 2021 – Repeal of the Ban on Transgender Military Service
President Biden followed through on his promise to repeal the ban on transgender people serving openly in the military in his first week in office. According to HRC data, an estimated 15,000 service members were impacted by the policy enacted under Trump’s administration.
February 2, 2021 – Pete Buttigieg Confirmed as Transportation Secretary
Former presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg was confirmed by the Senate with a bipartisan vote of 86-13 to become the next Secretary for the Dept. of Transportation. He became the first-ever openly LGBTQ+ federal cabinet member confirmed by the full Senate.
March 24, 2021 – Dr. Rachel Levine Confirmed as Assistant Secretary for Health at the Department of Health & Human Services
The first-ever openly trans-identifying person was confirmed by the Senate under the Biden Administration. Dr. Rachel Levine serves as the Assistant Secretary for Health in the Dept. of Health and Human Services. She was one of many historic appointments under the direction of Biden.
June 16, 2021 – Department of Education Says Title IX Protections Apply to LGBTQ students
Under the direction of the Biden Administration, the Dept. of Education stated LGBTQ+ students were protected under Title IX, a stark contrast from the Trump administration’s stance. The Dept. of Education cited the Supreme Court’s Bostock ruling, which stated federal civil rights laws prohibiting discrimination based on sex includes protections for queer people.
March 31, 2022 – Biden-Harris Administration Announces Major Policy Reform on Transgender Day of Visibility
The Biden-Harris Administration announced on Transgender Day of Visibility that it would work on establishing policies to support trans, nonbinary and gender-nonconforming people. Some of these included issuing passports with “X” gender markers, which will make verification during traveling easier for trans Americans, as well as providing more resources for trans kids and their families.
December 13, 2022 – Biden Signs the Respect For Marriage Act
The Respect for Marriage Act was signed into law at the end of 2022, marking the largest legislative action in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights. This guaranteed federal rights, benefits and obligations of marriage on the federal level for same-sex couples. This also reversed the Defense of Marriage Act, which legally stated marriage was only between one man and one woman.
February 7, 2023 – President Biden Calls on Supporting Trans Youth in State of the Union
During his 2023 State of the Union speech, Biden encouraged Congress to pass the Equality Act to “ensure LGBTQ Americans, especially transgender young people, can live with safety and dignity.” He also specifically addressed the increased wave of violence and legislative attacks against trans and nonbinary youth.
January 9, 2024 – In a Major Victory for Equality, HHS Finalizes Rule Reversing Trump-Era “License to Discriminate” Regulation
The Biden-Harris Administration reversed a Trump-era policy that took away protections of same-sex beneficiaries of federally-funded healthcare programs. The new law fully restored protections and requirements for same-sex couples to receive federal health care benefits.
Thank you for writing this article to remind people of all the ways that President Biden, the Biden Administration and the Democratic Party have demonstrated support and delivered on promises with actions to protect our LGBTQIA+ community. It’s also important to point out why more hasn’t been done. The fact is that it is the Republican Party and Republican elected officials at the national and state levels who are against us and they are the ones attacking our community by either standing in the way of passing federal legislation like the Equality Act or by passing anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation at the state level. We MUST ALL exercise our constitutional right and responsibility as citizens and members of “We the People” and VOTE! I submit to you to Vote for Democrats up and down the ballot! Why…to save ourselves, our democracy and our freedom to be who we are with guaranteed access to quality healthcare and to love who we love without fear of retribution!