U.S. President Joe Biden is being accused of abandoning transgender individuals in the days leading up to the conclusion of his time in office.
Why It Matters
During his 2021 State of the Union, Biden spoke directly to transgender people in America saying “your president has your back,” and made similar comments throughout his time in office.
With President-elect Donald Trump set to take office after a campaign marked by attacks on transgender individuals, concerns have grown that President Biden’s efforts may not have been sufficient to protect them from the challenges that lie ahead.
What To Know
Biden and Democrats face mounting challenges over their stance on transgender rights, as Republicans leveraged Democratic support for the trans community to reclaim the White House and Congress. Vice President Kamala Harris, who largely avoided discussing transgender issues during her campaign, became a focal point for Trump’s campaign. Republicans repeatedly cited her past comments to argue she prioritized trans rights over economic concerns, aiming to sway swing voters.
Biden Abandons Protections for Transgender Student-Athletes
In his final full month in office, Biden abandoned plans to implement protections for transgender student-athletes. Additionally, he signed legislation that included provisions eliminating coverage for transgender medical treatments for the children of military service members.
Biden’s actions align with a common tactic used by outgoing administrations to finalize policies or abandon pending regulations, limiting the incoming president’s ability to reshape them in favor of their own agenda. However, some in the transgender community have questioned why Biden allowed measures that could have offered stronger protections against Trump’s policies to languish unfinished.
Biden’s Past Support for Transgender Rights
Biden appointed transgender individuals to key roles within his administration, reversed a Trump-era ban on transgender military service, and introduced the option for U.S. citizens to choose “X” as a gender marker on their passports, signaling a shift toward greater inclusivity.
Under Biden, the Justice Department took a stand against state laws in Tennessee and Alabama that restricted gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth. The department also filed statements of interest in related legal challenges across the country.
Some LGBTQ+ advocates have criticized President Joe Biden for what they see as a failure to stand by the transgender community. Their concerns stem from his decision to sign the annual defense bill into law, despite his stated opposition to a provision barring the military’s health program from covering specific medical treatments for transgender children in military families.
What People Are Saying
Imara Jones, a transgender woman who created “The Anti-Trans Hate Machine said, “In some ways, the Biden administration has lived up to promises to support trans people, but not nearly to the degree that they could have, nor to what is equal to the current anti-trans onslaught.”
“But major gaps were both opened and remain,” Jones said. “The administration failed to follow through on Title IX, failed to defend trans health care and failed to adequately address anti-trans violence. The list goes on. Even now, the administration could be putting in place measures to help safeguard the trans community, at least temporarily.”
White House spokesperson Kelly Scully said “Under President Biden’s leadership, we have remedied historical injustices and advanced equality for the community, but there is more work to do, and we hope that work continues after he leaves office.”
The nation’s largest organization representing LGBTQ+ service members and veterans criticized Biden’s decision to sign the defense bill, saying it’s “in direct opposition to claims that his administration is the most pro-LGBTQ+ in American history.”
What’s Next
Trump has announced plans to make it U.S. government policy to recognize only two genders—male and female—and has vowed to sign a series of executive orders aimed at the transgender community shortly after taking office.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press
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