National Black Justice Coalition Applauds Formation of White House Group on Safety, Inclusion, & Opportunity for Trans Americans
CONTACT: Anna Zuccaro | anna@unbendablemedia.com
WASHINGTON, DC — Yesterday, the White House Domestic Policy Council and Gender Policy Council announced the formation of an Interagency Working Group within the White House that will coordinate policies to advance the safety, economic opportunity, and inclusion of transgender Americans.
The group’s participants include the Departments of Justice, Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, Education, Homeland Security, Labor, Interior, Veterans Affairs, and Defense.
In response, David J. Johns, executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition, issued the following statement:
“The White House’s new interagency group dedicated specifically to serving trans people is a significant response to the often-overlooked needs of the LGBTQ+/SGL community. The formation of this group is a core policy recommendation that NBJC has been working to advance over the past several months.
“While our demands that the epidemic of violence against trans women of color be treated as the urgent crisis it is, state governments are continuing to propose and pass bills targeting trans school children. Still, yesterday’s announcement from the White House sends a strong, clear message that the United States federal government is going to do all it can to end this epidemic while ensuring trans people have access to the support and opportunities they need.
“Across the nation, trans people, especially Black trans women and girls, face unprecedented levels of violence, discrimination, and stigma. We hope this new interagency group will help identify and change the policies that have perpetuated this violence, discrimination, and stigma while mitigating the disproportionately harmful impacts on Black trans lives.
“The administration also announced that passports will now reflect chosen names and appropriate gender identities, including nonbinary, with a new focus on trans inclusion abroad and in federal government jobs.
“We applaud the Biden-Harris administration for taking trans issues seriously, not only for those lives stolen too soon but for those who are living and deserve to thrive. We look forward to continuing our work with members of the White House and with this new interagency toward advancing the rights of all trans people in the United States.
To help inform the priorities of the Working Group, in the coming weeks the White House will host listening sessions with transgender women of color and transgender advocates to hear their policy recommendations for advancing safety, opportunity, and inclusion.