President Joe Biden praised people who identify as LGBTQ in a new interview, suggesting that they are inherently braver than others.
Biden has courted LGBTQ support throughout his time in the White House. The 81-year-old ended his bid for reelection on July 21 and has 125 days left in his term.
The Democrat sat down with The Washington Blade’s Christopher Kane in the Oval Office on Sept. 12. The outlet celebrated the meeting as the first time a United States president has given an exclusive interview with an LGBTQ newspaper.
“Most of the openly gay people that have worked with me, that I’ve worked with, the one advantage they have is they tend to have more courage than most people have,” Biden told the outlet.
Biden cited the 1969 Stonewall Riots in New York as the genesis of the modern gay rights movement.
“I was really impressed when I went to Stonewall,” the president said, reflecting on his 2016 visit to the site. He also spoke at the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center’s opening ceremony in June.
He continued, “I was really impressed talking to the guys who stood up at the time. I think the thing that gets underestimated is the physical and moral courage of the community, the people who broke through, who said ‘enough, enough,’ and they risked their lives.”
Biden suggested that he prioritized having “an administration that looked like America” while hiring staffers. The Biden-Harris administration holds the current record for the greatest number of LGBTQ people who hold appointed positions.
In June of 2022, Biden signed an LGBTQ equality-themed executive order.
“President Biden believes that no one should face discrimination because of who they are or whom they love,” the White House said in a press release. “Since President Biden took office, he has championed the rights of LGBTQI+ Americans and people around the world, accelerating the march towards full equality.”
To mark Pride Month, the White House flew the LGBTQ flag and Biden endorsed the Equality Act. The bill prohibits discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation and gender identity in areas of public accommodation. This includes federal funding, education, housing, credit, and the jury system. The policy would have granted the Department of Justice the authority to take action to ensure equal protection on account of sexual orientation and gender identity. It also prohibits the denial of access to restrooms, locker rooms and dressing rooms based on gender identity. The bill was passed by the House of Representatives, but not the Senate.
The Bidens have also hosted multiple Pride Month celebrations at the White House and attended events hosted by LGBTQ interest groups.
In February, the Biden-Harris administration allotted $5.1 million to aid LGBTQ-identifying young people and families. The grants were overseen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
The Human Rights Commission has praised the Biden-Harris Administration for expanding Title IX to require accommodations based on gender identity and sexual orientation, for incorporating protections for LGBTQ people in the Affordable Care Act, and for declaring Monkey Pox a public emergency.
GLAAD, which advocates for “a world with 100% LGBTQ acceptance,” reports that in 1336 days Biden’s administration has made 347 moves that affect LGBTQ people and their rights. Moves included executive orders, legislative support, speeches and nominations.
