President Joe Biden has made promises to protect transgender Americans against Republican policies that have targeted them. He assured the trans community of his support in his first State of the Union address in 2021. However, concerns have been raised about whether Biden has done enough to shield them from potential threats.
President-elect Donald Trump has stated that the U.S. government will officially recognize only two genders, male and female, and plans to sign executive orders targeting transgender individuals early in his presidency.
The Democratic Party is facing challenges in handling transgender politics, with Vice President Kamala Harris being criticized for not addressing transgender issues during her campaign. Trump's campaign used this to sway swing voters against her.
In his final month in office, Biden canceled plans to protect transgender student-athletes and signed a bill that removed coverage for transgender medical treatments for the children of service members.
While Biden appointed transgender individuals to key positions and overturned a ban on transgender people serving in the military, some critics argue that his administration has not done enough to protect the community.
The Justice Department under Biden has challenged state laws banning gender-affirming medical care for trans youth in Tennessee and Alabama. However, gaps remain in addressing anti-trans violence and defending trans health care.
Some LGBTQ+ advocates have accused Biden of abandoning the transgender community after signing a defense bill that restricts military health program coverage for certain medical treatments for transgender children in military families.
The Human Rights Campaign criticized Biden's decision, stating that it contradicts claims of being pro-LGBTQ+. The restriction on transgender medical care comes as several states have passed laws limiting such treatments for minors.
Biden's proposal to prevent outright bans on transgender student-athletes was met with dissatisfaction by trans rights advocates, who felt it left room for schools to prevent some athletes from competing based on their gender identity.
The delays in finalizing the sports proposal were seen as a political move amid Republican outcry over trans athletes in girls' sports. The broader rule extending civil rights protections to LGBTQ+ students under Title IX has faced legal challenges in multiple states.
