Biden administration announces equality measures for transgender people

Washington DC – On the last day of Pride Month, the Biden Administration announced a slew of measures to advance equality, inclusion, and opportunity for transgender Americans.

Biden announced new measures to protect transgender Americans on the last day of Pride Month.
Biden announced new measures to protect transgender Americans on the last day of Pride Month.  © IMAGO / MediaPunch

It includes the creation of a new White House-led Inter-agency Working Group that will coordinate policies to advance safety, economic opportunity, and inclusion for transgender Americans.

To help inform the priorities of the Working Group in the coming weeks, the White House will host listening sessions with transgender women of color and transgender advocates to hear their policy recommendations for this cause.

The State Department is updating agency procedures to remove burdensome medical documentation requirements for transgender Americans who wish to update their gender markers on their passports and other citizenship or identity documents.

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A third gender marker for gender non-conforming, non-binary, and intersex Americans is in the works, and the State Department will work closely with inter-agency partners to ensure smooth travel experiences for all passport holders.

Biden signs an executive order promoting inclusivity

The State Department is beginning the process to add a third gender marker to ID documents.
The State Department is beginning the process to add a third gender marker to ID documents.  © 123RF/nito500

President Joe Biden signed an Executive Order to ensure the Federal government is a model employer for transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary employees.

The order charges agencies with building inclusive cultures for transgender employees. The Department of Veterans Affairs is beginning the regulatory process to remove outdated restrictions that prevent transgender veterans from accessing comprehensive gender-affirming care through the VA medical system.

The White House released a new toolkit with best practices that highlights steps that agencies across the Federal government are taking to combat discrimination on the basis of gender identity.

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These announcements build on critical steps that the Biden Administration has taken to advance equality for transgender Americans, including reversing the discriminatory ban on transgender service members imposed by former President Donald Trump.

Transgender people, especially transgender women and girls of color, face epidemic levels of violence, discrimination, and stigma in the United States, according to the White House.

Cover photo: Collage: 123RF/nito500, IMAGO / MediaPunch

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