Today PFLAG, representing hundreds of thousands of parents, families, allies, and LGBTQ+ people, celebrates the inauguration of Joseph R. Biden, Jr. as the 46th President of the United States and Kamala D. Harris as the 49th Vice President of the United States.
Statement by Brian K. Bond, Executive Director of PFLAG National:
“Across the country, PFLAG families and allies celebrate the inauguration of Joseph R. Biden, Jr. as President of the United States and Kamala D. Harris, a child of immigrants and the first woman and first Black and South Asian person in history to serve as Vice President of the United States. President Biden and Vice President Harris have each demonstrated a strong commitment to public service in the interest of marginalized people, inclusive of LGBTQ+ people, throughout their careers. This work promises to continue through the leadership of the new administration’s Cabinet, whose nominees would make it among the most racially, ethnically, and gender diverse in our nation’s history.
“For PFLAGers and LGBTQ+ people around the country, the nomination of the first openly gay member of the Cabinet, Pete Buttigieg as Sec. of Transportation represents an historic milestone. More importantly, public servants like Buttigieg come prepared with the skills and plans to help our cities, suburbs, and rural communities build back better as the nation turns to address the crises of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Following four years of administrative assaults that targeted LGBTQ+ people, and transgender people in particular, PFLAG is working with the Biden-Harris Administration and our elected leaders in Congress to prioritize fixing the effects of these harmful policies. We are heartened that executive actions in the short term include undoing Trump’s final actions before leaving office to eliminate LGBTQ+ discrimination protections; reversing the the transgender military ban and the Muslim ban; curbing ICE and working to reunite families separated at our borders; enforcing protections for LGBTQ+ people from workplace discrimination; and ensuring a fair and complete Census in which everybody counts.
“Together with the White House and Congress, PFLAG supports passing HR5, the federal Equality Act, to extend equal protection from discrimination to include LGBTQ+ people; passing HR1, the For the People Act of 2021, which will expand Americans’ access to the ballot box; and supporting the historic confirmations of Pete Buttigieg as Secretary of Transportation and Dr. Rachel Levine, who is openly transgender, as Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services.
“There is much work that lies ahead of us, and PFLAG National looks forward to uniting with the Biden-Harris Administration to do our part and achieve equality and justice for LGBTQ+ people and their families.”
