President Biden on Thursday chastised “hysterical” people for passing state laws that tighten rules on gender-changing medical procedures for children and/or pull or restrict books from schools and libraries.
Mr. Biden outlined his bona fides as a champion for the LGBTQ community during a press conference with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and two days before a massive Pride Month celebration at the White House.
From the East Room podium, Mr. Biden offered a defense of the gay and transgender community after a reporter described a family that is scared and considering a move out of the U.S.
“I will call them, let them know that the president in this administration has their back,” Mr. Biden said.
“We have some hysterical, and I would argue prejudiced, people who are engaged in what you see going on around the country,” he said. “It’s an appeal to fear, and it’s an appeal that is unjustified and ugly. These are our kids, these are our neighbors. It’s cruel and it is callous.”
Conservatives in states that have pushed for restrictions on gender-transition surgery, puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for minors say people must wait until they are adults to make changes to their bodies.
Republican leaders also say they are empowering parents who have discovered obscene or age-inappropriate books on school-library shelves.
The White House says the measures go too far and can be chaotic, clamping down on classic literature and harmless poetry in the process.
Mr. Biden outlined a series of steps he’s taking to bolster the LGBTQ community, including a reversal of the ban on transgender persons in the military and the appointment of a Department of Education coordinator to push back on book restrictions.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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