The White House announced a series of new measures to protect young members of the LGBTQ community from political attacks from Republicans across the country, including appointing a new coordinator to combat the nationwide spike in textbook bans and providing a $1 $.7 million for youth mental health services.
The joint announcement by Biden and Harris comes at a time when Republican-backed anti-LGBTQ legislation has overtaken the nation. In 2023 alone almost 500 such bills have been introduced in various states – such as Louisiana, Florida And Montana. Many of the bills aim to restrict gender-based tutoring, the participation of transgender youth athletes, drag shows, and discussions about gender and sexuality in schools.
As part of the announcement, the Biden administration said the Department of Education would appoint a new coordinator to look into the issue More and more schools are banning books that focus on LGBTQ and civil rights issues.
The government announced the interagency action ahead of the official White House Pride Month event, which was originally scheduled for Thursday but was not to take place delay Postponed to Saturday due to poor air quality due to wildfires in Canada.
“We have some hysterical and, I would argue, biased people who are committed to whatever you see across the country,” President Joe Biden said called during a press conference on Thursday. “It’s an appeal to fear, and it’s an appeal that is totally, totally unjustified and ugly.”
The Notice Includes news that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), along with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), will establish the LGBTQI+ Community Safety Partnership to empower community organizations with safety education and health protection to support caregivers and to report and combat hate crimes.
The administration is also committed to supporting the mental health of youth in the LGBTQ community by providing plans for federal funding for LGBTQ youth mental health services. HHS will provide that as well Grant to support LGBTQI+ families $1.7 million to support LGBTQ youth mental health.
In addition, the administration says it will tackle homelessness among LGBTQ youth with the help of a new initiative by the Department of Housing and Urban Development called the LGBTQI+ Youth Homelessness Initiative.
The statement also said state child welfare agencies will be required to provide LGBTQ youth in foster care with resources that they “validate.”
“These are our children. These are our neighbors. It’s cruel. It’s callous. Not someone else’s children. They are all our children,” Biden continued.
The rise of anti-LGBTQ bills has been compared to that Jim Crow era and described as a loss of decades of progress in protecting civil rights for the LGBTQ community. As a direct result of the upturn, Human Rights Campaign, an organization that aims to end anti-LGBTQ legislation, said On Tuesday, she declared a “state of emergency” for the LGBTQ community, citing “an unprecedented climate of fear, hostility and discrimination.”
The HRC’s statement acknowledged that LGBTQ youth have been hit hard by the legislation.
About a third of LGBTQ youth attribute mental health problems to the rise in transphobic and homophobic laws. The Guardian reported citing a survey by the Trevor Project.
At Thursday’s press conference, Biden said had a message for LGBTQ youth: “You are loved, you are heard, and this government has your back.” I mean it.”
“We don’t budge for a second to make sure they’re protected,” he added.