Washington, D.C. — This week marks the 100th day of President Joe Biden’s administration. Traditionally the first notable benchmark for any new administration, this year’s anniversary serves as an opportunity to reflect on the sheer number of stated goals this White House has already taken action to meet.
Among them are a litany of executive orders and federal policy changes specifically implemented to impact and support the LGBTQ community in virtually every aspect of daily life. In a new column from the Center for American Progress, Caroline Medina and Theo Santos highlight the steps this administration has taken so far, the immediate impacts many of them have had, and the fights that still lie ahead for the next 100 days and beyond.
These accomplishments began mere hours after taking office, when President Biden signed an executive order on January 20 directing all federal agencies to expand the interpretation of all federal laws banning discrimination on the basis of sex to include discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Enforcement of this expanded definition was precipitated by the Supreme Court’s decision in Bostock v. Clayton County last year, but the prior administration neglected to act.
President Biden’s pandemic relief plan—on the whole, perhaps the most successful package of legislation, executive action, and targeted response to a crisis since the New Deal—also made sure to implement a data-driven and equity-centered approach to the pandemic, ensuring that the LGBTQ community, which was disproportionately affected by the pandemic, did not get overlooked in the recovery.
“Over the past 100 days, the Biden administration has taken meaningful action to strengthen the rights of LGBTQ people across the country, signaling the federal government’s commitment to realizing an LGBTQ-inclusive approach to policymaking,” said Caroline Medina, a policy analyst for the LGBTQ Research and Communications Project at CAP and a co-author of the column. “These historic actions will have a meaningful impact on the daily lives of LGBTQ people in the realms of housing, health, education, and beyond. While these are laudable first steps, much work remains to be done over the next four years, and we look forward to reviewing the agency plans outlining comprehensive actions to support LGBTQ communities.”
Other executive actions and federal policy changes include:
- Enabling All Qualified Americans to Serve Their Country in Uniform
- Establishment of the White House Gender Policy Council
- HHS proposes rule to restore access to family planning services
- Presidential proclamation on Transgender Day of Visibility
- HUD reaffirms its commitment to nondiscrimination and equal access to housing, shelters, and other services for transgender and gender-nonconforming people
- Department of Justice issues memorandum clarifying protections for LGBTQ students
- Department of Education issues letter to address needs of LGBTQ students experiencing harassment, discrimination, and violence
Read the full column: “A Timeline of the Biden Administration’s Efforts To Support LGBTQ Equality in the First 100 Days” by Caroline Medina and Theo Santos
For more information on the Biden administration’s actions to support the LGBTQ community or to speak with an expert, please contact Adam Peck at [email protected].