President Joe Biden proclaimed the month of June as “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Pride Month” in an official White House statement Tuesday, reaffirming his administration’s “commitment to do more to support LGBTQI+ rights at home and abroad.”
“Today, the rights of LGBTQI+ Americans are under relentless attack,” Biden said in the White House statement. “Members of the LGBTQI+ community — especially people of color and trans people — continue to face discrimination and cruel, persistent efforts to undermine their human rights.”
The president then referenced the boom in GOP legislation that bans transgender surgeries for minors and bans biological males from women’s sports. Democrats and media claim that such legislation attacks or targets transgender people.
“An onslaught of dangerous anti-LGBTQI+ legislation has been introduced and passed in States across the country, targeting transgender children and their parents and interfering with their access to health care,” Biden continued. “These unconscionable attacks have left countless LGBTQI+ families in fear and pain. All of this compounded has been especially difficult on LGBTQI+ youth, 45 percent of whom seriously considered attempting suicide in the last year — a devastating reality that our Nation must work urgently to address.”
Biden called for Americans to remind the LGBTQI+ community “that they are loved and cherished” during the month of June.
“My Administration sees you for who you are — deserving of dignity, respect, and support,” he said, before referencing controversial State of the Union remarks he made to “younger transgender Americans,” saying, “I will always have your back as your President so that you can be yourself and reach your God-given potential.”
“Today and every day, my Administration stands with every LGBTQI+ American in the ongoing struggle against intolerance, discrimination, and injustice,” he said. “We condemn the dangerous State laws and bills that target LGBTQI+ youth. And we remain steadfast in our commitment to helping LGBTQI+ people in America and around the world live free from violence.”
The president also called for Congress to pass the radical Equality Act and thereby “enshrine long overdue” protections for LGBTQ people.
“This month, we honor the resilience of LGBTQI+ people, who are fighting to live authentically and freely,” he said. “We reaffirm our belief that LGBTQI+ rights are human rights. And we recommit to delivering protections, safety, and equality to LGBTQI+ families so that everyone can realize the full promise of America.”
In late March, the Biden administration went so far as to say that “early” transgender surgeries, hormone treatment, and affirmations are “crucial” for the health of kids and teens who identify as transgender and nonbinary.
Gender-affirming care is a phrase used by transgender activists and media to mask the more grisly sounding transgender top and bottom surgeries, including removing a biological woman’s breasts, removing a biological man’s genitals, sculpting a fake penis on a biological woman, facial feminization or facial masculinization, and more.
Social affirmation, puberty blockers, and hormones also fall under the “gender-affirming care” umbrella.
“For transgender and nonbinary children and adolescents, early gender-affirming care is crucial to overall health and well-being as it allows the child or adolescent to focus on social transitions and can increase their confidence while navigating the healthcare system,” the White House messaging said.
Transgender surgeries, hormones, and affirmations are important, the White House claimed, because these procedures have been “shown to increase positive outcomes for transgender and nonbinary children and adolescents”
Commentators, lawmakers, people who identify as transgender, and people who formerly attempted transitions have expressed grave concerns about encouraging children or young people to explore transitions of any kind.