US President Joe Biden has told the American LGBTQ community that “you are loved and accepted just the way you are” as America marked the National Coming Out day on Monday.
“Today and every day, I want every member of the LGBTQ+ community to know that you are loved and accepted just the way you are, regardless of whether or not you’ve come out,” President Biden said in a statement.
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“Bullying and harassment — particularly of young transgender Americans and LGBTQ+ people of color — still abounds, diminishing our national character. We must continue to stand together against these acts of hate, and stand up to protect the rights, opportunities, physical safety, and mental health of LGBTQ+ people everywhere.”
“From defeating discriminatory bills to passing the Equality Act, we have more work to do to ensure that every American can live free of fear, harassment, and discrimination because of who they are or whom they love,” Biden said.
The Equality Act is expected to amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act to precisely entrench gender identity and sexual orientation as protected classes. The House of Representatives is said to have assented to it, leaving the last stile on the US Senate.
In May, the Human Rights Campaign described 2021 as a horrendous year for anti-LGBTQ legislation, as a record number of bills targeted at beating down the rights of transgender Americans have been mooted in state legislatures across the country.
It is understood that a majority of those bills are aimed at transgender youth.
President Biden, during his campaign, had promised to prioritize issues facing LGBTQ youth; and, since assumption of office has issued several executive actions geared towards advancing LGBTQ rights.
On his first day in office, Biden signed an executive order forcing agencies to implement a recent Supreme Court decision that disallows sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination in places of work. The court decision aims at eradicating discrimination on the basis of sex.
President Biden also signed an executive order that reversed a ban imposed by the Trump administration which disallowed transgender Americans from joining the military.
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In further solidarity with the LGBTQ community, he issued the first-ever federal proclamation of its kind for this year’s International Transgender Day of Visibility.
“To LGBTQ+ people across the country, and especially those who are contemplating coming out: know that you are loved for who you are, you are admired for your courage, and you will have a community — and a nation — to welcome you. My Administration will always have your back, and we will continue fighting for the full measure of equality, dignity, and respect you deserve,” Biden said.
The post National Coming Out Day: Biden Highballs US LGBTQ Community appeared first on SurgeZirc UK.
