President Joe Biden has become the friendliest presidential ally to the LGBT community.
A woman waves a Joe Biden flag as people celebrate on Black Lives Matter Plaza across from the White House on Nov. 7 after Biden was declared the winner of the presidential election.
Alex Edelman / AFP – Getty Images file
Trans people can now sign up to join the military (not that I ever would). All federal agencies and contractors can’t discriminate against us. Refugees fleeing because of their orientation or gender identity can come here safely.
Here’s the thing. Those only apply to anything dealing with the federal government. Twenty states are still actively trying to pass laws that discriminate against the transgender community, requiring them to actively undergo a sex change in order to legally consider themselves members of the opposite sex. (Is that really such a bad thing?) In most states, those in same-sex relationships can still face discrimination in jobs, housing, state benefits. ENDA has never passed, which if it ever did would totally ban discrimination based on gender expression and sexual orientation. A presidential executive order does **NOT** guarantee someone their rights; it can easily be dismissed by a future president who’s against our community. It can be much more easily challenged in court, overridden by Congress. A law by Congress clarifying our freedoms will be harder to challenge, even with our current Supreme Court lineup.
We should be able to live our lives without fear of ostracization, rejection, or persecution. Until that day comes, it’s better to move somewhere where you will be safe.
