President Biden’s recognition of the International Transgender Day of Visibility elicits right-wing criticism
Lead Plaintiff in Obergefell v. Hodges, historic SCOTUS ruling establishing a right to same-sex marriage, celebrates 2015 San Francisco Pride Parade (Flickr)
International Transgender Day of Visibility, founded in 2009, takes place annually on March 31, acting as a celebration of transgender and non-binary communities, as well as educating people outside of these groups so they can better provide support as allies. On March 29, 2024, President Biden issued a proclamation declaring March 31, 2024 Transgender Day of Visibility in the United States, which coincided with the celebration of Easter Sunday. In each prior year of his presidency (2021, 2022, 2023), Biden has made similar proclamations, affirming the identity of transgender Americans and indicating his administration’s desire for people in the trans community to “enjoy the freedom and equality that are promised to everyone in America.”
Biden’s affirmation of the transgender community has elicited criticism from right-wing politicians. “The Biden White House has betrayed the central tenet of Easter – which is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Banning sacred truth and tradition–while at the same time proclaiming Easter Sunday as “Transgender Day” –is outrageous and abhorrent,” declared Speaker Mike Johnson on X, formerly known as Twitter. However, Biden also issued a statement regarding the celebration of Easter Sunday: “Jill and I send our warmest wishes to Christians around the world celebrating Easter Sunday…As we gather with loved ones, we remember Jesus’ sacrifice…” Johnson’s rhetoric is representative of a larger trend within the U.S. – the use of religion as a justification for denying rights to the transgender community.
Despite Biden’s vocal support, the transgender community in the U.S. remains incredibly vulnerable. In fact, this expanding attention may put the community at greater risk of discrimination. In 2024 alone, 479 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced by state legislatures, according to the American Civil Liberties Union; since 2019, physical violence against transgender people has been declared an epidemic by the American Medical Association. As non-binary journalist Prishita Maheshwari-Aplin notes, “Without action – and true systemic change that supports the needs of the trans community – visibility can easily create further instability.”
Compared to its international counterparts, particularly in the west, the United States reflects complex views in its support for the trans community. For instance, “most favor protecting trans people from discrimination, even as growing share say gender is determined by sex at birth” (60% in May 2022) and “among western countries, the United States is most likely to believe that transgender people have a mental illness (32%).” Of course, transgender equality has a long way to come in every country, but the United States is doing a worse job than most at encouraging a positive view of its trans citizens.
The 2024 presidential election will certainly have implications for the transgender community, but even if the Democratic Party remains in office, more action will be necessary to counteract the attacks on millions of Americans’ identities.