US President Joe Biden has been criticsed for formally recognising Transgender Day of Visibility.
President Biden issued a formal proclamation recognising the day which has always occurred on 31st March since it was first established in 2009. This year the date falls in the middle of Easter celebrations, leading to some to demand the day be ignored.
In his proclamation President Biden said it was important to “honor the extraordinary courage and contributions of transgender Americans and reaffirm our Nation’s commitment to forming a more perfect Union — where all people are created equal and treated equally throughout their lives.
Voicing his support for transgender people the President went on to say transgender people deserved the same rights as everyone else.
“Transgender Americans are part of the fabric of our Nation. Whether serving their communities or in the military, raising families or running businesses, they help America thrive. They deserve, and are entitled to, the same rights and freedoms as every other American, including the most fundamental freedom to be their true selves.”
The President spoke out against a wave of state-based laws being introduced to ban books, limit people’s rights and deny access to healthcare.
The support for transgender people brought a swift rebuke from the Trump Presidential campaign.
“We call on Joe Biden’s failing campaign and White House to issue an apology to the millions of Catholics and Christians across America who believe tomorrow is for one celebration only—the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” said Trump’s national press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Leavitt said no other days should be celebrated during the Christian Easter celebrations. A succession of conservative politician voiced their support for Trump’s stance.
Caitlyn Jenner says as a Catholic, President Biden should have shunned Trans Day of Visibility
High profile transgender woman Caitlyn Jenner joined the chorus of disapproval arguing that as a devout Catholic President Biden should not have recognised Transgender Day of Visibility.
“I am absolutely disgusted that Joe Biden has declared the most Holy of Holy days – a self-proclaimed devout Catholic – as Transgender Day of Visibility. The only thing you should be declaring on this day is ‘HE is Risen'” Jenner posted to X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter.
Sky News host Rita Panahi says there is no need for Transgender Day of Visibility
The US President’s support for transgender people triggered Australian TV host Rita Panahi to declare there was no need for the day recognising transgender people.
“Do we really need a Trans Day of Visibility?” Panahi asked her viewers on Outsiders on Sky News. “Is this disproportionately powerful lobby not sufficiently visible the other 364 days? Is there some period throughout the year where this movement is suppressed in the west?”
Panahi then went on to question if it was accurate for New Zealand police to describe the recent vandalism of a rainbow crossing in New Zealand as a hate crime, making jokes about her previous claims that rainbow crossings upset horses.
“They are calling this incident a hate crime and have vowed to bring the three offenders to justice. Of course we do not condone any sort of vandalism, but I do wonder if the men there are just equine enthusiasts?” Panahi said.
Last year the ABC’s Media Watch program criticised reports from Panahi and colleague Cory Bernardi when they used a two-year-old clip of police horses in London reacting to a rainbow crossing.
Replaying the old clip Panahi said it might explain the vandalism in New Zealand.
At the end of her presentation Panahi dismissed her own comments as just being “a joke”.
OIP Staff
