SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Today, Joseph R. Biden was inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States after campaigning on a platform that advocated for the strongest protections for LGBTQ individuals in the history of the nation. As one of his first official acts in office, President Biden signed a series of executive orders that show his commitment to advancing civil and human rights in his administration.
One of the executive orders signed by President Biden today directs federal agencies to enforce the Supreme Court’s June 2020 ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County to protect LGBTQ people under all federal sex discrimination laws.
According to the White House website, today he signed an “Executive Order that builds on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Bostock v. Clayton County (2020) and ensures that the federal government interprets Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as prohibiting workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. This Order will also direct agencies to take all lawful steps to make sure that federal anti-discrimination statutes that cover sex discrimination prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, protecting the rights of LGBTQ+ persons.”
“By signing this executive order on his first day of office, President Biden is boldly demonstrating that his administration will prioritize the civil rights of all Americans,” said Imani Rupert-Gordon, NCLR Executive Director. “However, we recognize that there is still much work to be done in order to end the systematic discrimination that plagues LGBTQ people, communities of color, and people that hold multiple underrepresented identities in this country, and NCLR looks forward to working with this administration to help support and protect all of us.”
“The Supreme Court’s decision in Bostock is the law of the land,” said Shannon Minter, NCLR Legal Director. “It is a welcome relief to have a president who respects that law and supports the right of LGBTQ individuals to be treated equally and fairly. We are grateful to President Biden for sending such a clear and powerful message of support for LGBTQ equality on this historic day.”
President Biden also signed a number of executive orders that covered COVID-19 response, financial relief, the environment, human rights, racial equity, immigration, regulations, and ethics.
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The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) is a national legal organization committed to advancing the human and civil rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education. Since its founding, NCLR has maintained a longstanding commitment to racial and economic justice and the LGBTQ community’s most vulnerable. https://www.nclrights.org
