White House Addresses Inclusive Trans Policies

On the last day of Pride Month, the White House revealed the formation of a comprehensive working group to focus on trans policies. It addresses inclusion for transgender and gender-nonconforming Americans, their safety, and economic opportunities. It’s the first federal resource implemented that is devoted toward advancing the rights of trans and intersex individuals. This historic advancement for trans and nonbinary people aims to give discrimination the boot at the intersection of race, gender identity, and sexual orientation. 

The Interagency Working Group will unify representatives from across the federal government, including the Departments of Justice, Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, Education, Homeland Security, Labor, Interior, Veterans Affairs, and Defense. It will focus on the safety, inclusion, and opportunity of transgender and nonbinary Americans.

The Biden Administration has taken vital strides to advance the rights and strive toward equality for transgender and gender-nonconforming people by reversing Trump-era policies. This includes expanding nondiscrimination protections for transgender Americans in education, credit and lending, housing, and healthcare; reversing the discriminatory ban on transgender service members; and for the first time, recognizing Transgender Day of Visibility at the White House.

President Biden also has taken steps to ensure the Federal Government is a model employer for gender nonconforming and transgender employees by signing an Executive Order. The Executive Order warrants the Federal Government will create an inclusive culture for employees by:

• Expanding the availability of gender-neutral facilities in Federal buildings;
• Ensuring that employee services support transgender employees who wish to legally, medically or socially transition;
• Advancing the use of nonbinary gender markers and pronouns in Federal employment processes;
• Strengthening Federal health insurance benefits so that they provide comprehensive gender-affirming care;
• Ensuring that Federal employee benefits, like paid leave programs, respect diverse family structures; and
• Mitigating barriers that transgender employees can face in the background investigation process.

Soon, the State Department will be updating their policies to remove burdensome medical documentation requirements for nonbinary, transgender, and intersex Americans who wish to update their legal identification documents such as passports or identification cards to “Gender X.” These are all historic strides for marginalized Americans Nationwide. 

Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, deputy executive director for the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE), says, “Ending this violence and protecting trans lives requires a system-wide approach that takes on the interlocking forces of racism and transphobia. President Biden’s initiative is a major step forward in the systemic reform that’s necessary for transgender Americans to live openly and safely.”