President Joe Biden will host an LGBTQ Pride Month celebration in the East Room of the White House on Wednesday, focusing on LGBTQIA children and families, and will sign a “historic” executive order to protect them and the LGBTQIA community.
According to the White House, the President’s executive order will address “discriminatory legislative attacks against LGBTQI+ children and families,” will direct “key agencies to protect families and children, and ” prevent “so-called ‘conversion therapy’ with a historic initiative to protect children from the harmful practice.” It is also designed to safeguard “health care, and programs designed to prevent youth suicide.”
The White House says the order will also support “LGBTQI+ children and families by launching a new initiative to protect foster youth, prevent homelessness, and improve access to federal programs.”
The President’s executive order comes as Republican state lawmakers across the country have introduced over 300 bills targeting the LGBTQ community, especially, the White House notes, “transgender children and their parents.”
Wednesday afternoon, starting at 4 PM ET (video below) President Biden will join with First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and the Second Gentleman, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, and “hundreds of LGBTQI+ leaders,” the White House says.
“Most importantly, the President is bringing LGBTQI+ kids and families from across the country who have been personally impacted by these discriminatory bills to the White House — kids from Texas and Florida who have seen their rights under attack, who have had to stand up to their governors and their state lawmakers as they advance discriminatory legislation,” the White House adds.
That will include Javier Gomez, “an inspiring 18-year-old Floridian who just graduated from high school and helped to organize the statewide student walkouts over the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill that bans teachers from discussing LGBTQI+ people and families.”
Watch live: