President Joe Biden marks March 31st, 2021, as the International Transgender Day of Visibility.
The president issues the first ever presidential proclamation of its kind, hoping to celebrate the achievements or transgender rights activists and to increase awareness about the challenges these individuals face against society.
He has been open about this topic as of last year, tweeting: “Let’s be clear: Transgender equality is the civil rights issue of our time. There is no room for compromise when it comes to basic human rights.”
As more and more people are realizing their true gender (or even pulling themselves away from the restrictions of gender,) there comes a problem of other people respecting these individuals as they are. As stated in the Constitution, people have basic human rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Biden tries by standing in solidarity with those who identify as transgender or those who are non-conforming to gender, stating in the proclamation: “Today, we honor and celebrate the achievements and resiliency of transgender individuals and communities.
Transgender Day of Visibility recognizes the generations of struggle, activism, and courage that have brought our country closer to full equality for transgender and gender non-binary people in the United States and around the world.”
The president addresses that those who are under the umbrella face violence, harassment, and discrimination no matter what age they are. Amongst other issues, he takes action and calls on the Senate to pass the Equality Act.
President Joe Biden is the first U.S. president to acknowledge and send out this proclamation, observing the day on March 31st. By doing so, this move provides the “ultimate” mark of legitimacy to the day, which started back in 2009.
Executive director of Transgender Michigan comments, “It’s a huge step and it’s a huge, huge statement.”
Preside Biden has shown commitment towards being an activist as well, furthering transgender equality in the United States. He has made a decision to rever Trump’s era ban on transgender Americans joining the military, as well as implementing a Supreme Court decision that prohibits sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination in the workplace.
