President Biden makes his way to the White House residence on the South Lawn on March 9, 2023. (Demetrius Freeman/for The Washington Post)
President Joe Biden on Thursday unveiled several new initiatives aimed at bolstering LGBTQ+ individuals ahead of hosting what aides are billing as "the largest Pride celebration in White House history." The actions come at a time when the community's rights are being rolled back by state legislatures and targeted by some Republican presidential candidates.
The actions came ahead of a planned Thursday night event on the South Lawn of the White House featuring singer Betty Who. The event, however, was postponed to Saturday because of the hazardous air quality in the region.
Earlier Thursday, the White House announced executive actions aimed at protecting rights of LGBTQ+ individuals, addressing mental health and homelessness issues prevalent in the community and countering book bans at state and local levels.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Wednesday that Biden wants to "lift up a community," including transgender youth, at a time when it is under attack in statehouses around the country.
"We believe that not only does this community need to be celebrated and continue to be celebrated … but we also need to make sure that we let the community know that the president has their back," said Jean-Pierre, the first openly gay White House press secretary. "I think that is important to be able to bring a couple of thousand Americans here to the White House to let them know that this president is going to continue to fight for them. And that's the message that we want to make sure that gets out there."
On Tuesday, the Human Rights Campaign, which bills itself as the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer civil rights organization, declared a "state of emergency" for LGBTQ+ individuals living in the United States. A report from the organization detailed more than 525 pieces of state legislation introduced this year that it considers hostile to the LGBTQ+ community, with nearly half the bills targeting transgender people. More than 75 such bills have been signed into law this year, a record, the HRC said.
Several Republican presidential candidates have also expressed support for such actions.
Appearing in Iowa on Wednesday, former vice president Mike Pence said he would support a national ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors. Nineteen Republican-led states, including Iowa, have adopted laws to prevent transgender people under 18 from accessing medical care such as hormone blockers or gender-affirming surgeries.
Meanwhile, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) last month signed several bills restricting LGBTQ+ rights, including a measure that bars transgender people from using the public facilities that align with their gender identities. Another bill added provisions to legislation passed last year that limits classroom discussion on sexual orientation and gender identity. Critics have dubbed it the "Don't Say Gay" bill.
In a proclamation designating June as Pride Month, Biden derided what he called the "hateful laws" targeting the LGBTQ+ community.
"Books about LGBTQI+ people are being banned from libraries," he said. "Transgender youth in over a dozen States have had their medically necessary health care banned. Homophobic and transphobic vitriol spewed online has spilled over into real life, as armed hate groups intimidate people at Pride marches and drag performances, and threaten doctors' offices and children's hospitals that offer care to the LGBTQI+ community."
The initiatives announced Thursday by the White House include the appointment of a new coordinator in the Department of Education to "address the growing threat that book bans pose for the civil rights of students." An April report from PEN America, a pro-free speech organization, found local book bans rose during the first half of this school year, many stemming from new state laws.
Biden also announced a new partnership among several federal agencies, including the Justice Department, to address hate-fueled crimes against LGBTQ+ individuals.
The White House said the Department of Housing and Urban Development is launching a new initiative targeting homelessness among LGBTQ+ youth. And the department will also issue regulations designed to prevent discrimination in human services programs that support children and families.
"We know that there's more work to do, but these meaningful steps will help protect our communities, they will help protect Americans, and they demonstrate our commitment to standing proudly with the LGBT community in the enduring struggle for freedom, justice and equality," White House Domestic Policy Adviser Neera Tanden told reporters Wednesday.
