WASHINGTON — Some republicans and religious conservatives are upset with President Biden for a proclamation that he issued on Friday.
The president asked Americans to come together to lift up the lives and voices of transgender people in honor of the 15th Transgender Visibility Day, which falls on Sunday, aka Easter Sunday.
Some are up in arms since the March 31 designation overlaps with the religious holiday in 2024.
Former President Trump's campaign accused Biden of being insensitive to religion especially considering he identifies as a Roman Catholic himself.
"We call on Joe Biden’s failing campaign and White House to issue an apology to the millions of Catholics and Christians across America who believe tomorrow is for one celebration only — the resurrection of Jesus Christ," said Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign's press secretary.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said on social media that the “Biden White House has betrayed the central tenet of Easter," calling the decision “outrageous and abhorrent.”
According to a 2022 study from the Williams Institute, more than 1.6 million people in the U.S. identify as transgender.
The day of awareness comes as transgender people's rights have become increasingly restricted across the U.S. in recent years. Several states have passed bills restricting or banning gender-affirming care for trans youth, and there's also been a wave of legislation against trans athletes and drag queen performers.
As part of his proclamation on Friday, Biden said: "Transgender Americans are part of the fabric of our Nation. Whether serving their communities or in the military, raising families or running businesses, they help America thrive. They deserve, and are entitled to, the same rights and freedoms as every other American, including the most fundamental freedom to be their true selves."
Adding, "But extremists are proposing hundreds of hateful laws that target and terrify transgender kids and their families — silencing teachers; banning books; and even threatening parents, doctors, and nurses with prison for helping parents get care for their children. "\
According to the Human Rights Campaign, trans people experience violence at rates far greater than the average person. They are also twice as likely to live in extreme poverty.
To read Biden's full proclamation, click here.
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