Biden administration means change for LGBTIQ policies

Sure, we’re a European project. However, today we take a look beyond the European continent, because there is good news from across the Atlantic Ocean. It seems the LGBTIQ community has found a strong ally in the newly elected US President Biden. The beginning of a US rainbow agenda is not only symbolically represented by the honorable guests at the inauguration ceremony; serious actions have been taken by the new administration.

On his very first day in office, Biden has signed what Human Rights Campaign has called “the most substantive, wide-ranging LGBTIQ executive order in US history”. Generally speaking, this executive order is about preventing and fighting discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation. Links to Attitude magazine article, and White House website.

Only a few days later, Biden reversed former president Trump’s ban on trans people serving in the US military. This is to underline that gender identity should not be a bar to military service, and that even in the military diversity is seen as an important factor. Link to Attitude magazine’s website.

Last but not least: President Biden’s cabinet is the most diverse in US history. Among the president’s nominees are the first openly gay secretary (Pete Buttigieg, for the Department of Transportation) and the first openly transgender assistant secretary (Dr. Rachel Levine, for the Department of Health).

All these are encouraging steps, which at first sight don’t change anything for the LGBTIQ community in Europe, but sometimes it can be quite a thing to see that others share the same values as you. That’s why we feel strong support coming from the transatlantic alliance now that the USA is back on track regarding LGBTIQ issues. 

This post contributed by the German team of Corinna and Philipp — Danke, Team!