Biden Issues 'Transgender Day of Visibility' Proclamation 3 Days After Nashville
President Joe Biden put out a statement on Thursday touting a “Transgender Day of Visibility” mere days after a deadly rampage by a woman who identified as male at a Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee — and utterly failed to mention the horrific massacre in the process.
“Transgender Day of Visibility celebrates the joy, strength, and absolute courage of some of the bravest people I know — people who have too often had to put their jobs, relationships, and lives on the line just to be their true selves,” the proclamation, penned by Biden, said. “Today, we show millions of transgender and nonbinary Americans that we see them, they belong, and they should be treated with dignity and respect.”
According to the Pew Research Center in 2022, approximately 1.6 percent of U.S. adults are recognized as transgender or nonbinary.
“Transgender Americans shape our Nation’s soul — proudly serving in the military, curing deadly diseases, holding elected office, running thriving businesses, fighting for justice, raising families, and much more,” Biden continued. “As kids, they deserve what every child deserves: the chance to learn in safe and supportive schools, to develop meaningful friendships, and to live openly and honestly.”
Any other time of the year, this sort of proclamation would’ve been rather rote and unremarkable.
But just days after a transgender shooter killed six people, including three children, at The Covenant School in Nashville? That last bit about kids deserving a “chance to learn in safe and supportive schools” feels particularly misplaced given the week’s tragedy.
Twitter users found the optics of the proclamation poor and responded accordingly:
…confirming the fact he’s mentally unfit.
— Mike Mason (@MikeMason830) March 30, 2023
For gods sake 🤦♂️
— Josh “Common Sense” Barnett-former AZ-01 Candidate (@BarnettforAZ) March 30, 2023
Sorry Joe but it’s just wrong to proclaim sexual perversion defines us. You are out of touch with the heart and soul of America!
— David Cates 💎 (@so_many_lives) March 30, 2023
Just stop this nonsense. Trans people are not even comfortable with who they were/are, this is not the soul of our Nation. The men who gave everything, the farmer who feeds us, those that help keep the lights on, those that pay taxes, who vote, and cherish their freedoms. They…
— Juno Who (@Junowhotoo) March 30, 2023
Biden’s description of the transgender community as shaping America’s soul appears to have struck a particular chord with social media users, with many users referencing the aforementioned Pew data.
“But today, too many transgender Americans are still denied those rights and freedoms. A wave of discriminatory State laws is targeting transgender youth, terrifying families and hurting kids who are not hurting anyone. An epidemic of violence against transgender women and girls, in particular women and girls of color, has taken lives far too soon,” Biden added, before referencing the only act of violence throughout the entire proclamation.
“Last year’s Club Q shooting in Colorado was another painful example of this kind of violence — a stain on the conscience of our Nation.”
It’s worth noting that the Club Q shooter allegedly identified as nonbinary.
The rest of the proclamation is about what you would expect from this sort of release, outlining the various bills and actions that the Biden administration was working on behalf of the transgender community for.
“Together, we also have to keep challenging the hundreds of hateful State laws that have been introduced across the country, making sure every child knows that they are made in the image of God, that they are loved, and that we are standing up for them,” Biden added.
“NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 31, 2023, as Transgender Day of Visibility,” Biden said. “I call upon all Americans to join us in lifting up the lives and voices of transgender people throughout our Nation and to work toward eliminating violence and discrimination against all transgender, gender nonconforming, and nonbinary people.”
The Covenant School shooting, in which a trio of sexagenarians and a trio of 9-year-olds were killed, took place on Monday, just three days before this proclamation.
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