Joe Biden vows to secure passage of LGBTQ rights legislation in 'first 100 days'

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has promised to prioritise the enactment of LGBTQ rights legislation within 100 days of taking the office. The former vice-president, who was vocal about the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community during Barack Obama’s presidency, pledged to make equality a centrepiece of US diplomacy.

"I will make enactment of the Equality Act a top legislative priority during my first 100 days - a priority that Donald Trump opposes," Biden told Philadelphia Gay News.

Biden campaign had earlier announced the plan to secure the passage of the Equality Act to ensure that no President can ever again single-handedly roll back civil rights protections for LGBTQ individuals. According to Biden’s plan for the LGBTQ community, he will immediately reverse the “discriminatory actions” of the Trump-Pence Administration and take further steps to end discrimination.

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Discrimination in military service

In 2016, the Obama-Biden Administration overturned the ban on transgender individuals serving openly in the military, without hiding their gender identity. Trump reversed the policy in 2017, barring transgenders from serving openly, as the US President argued that the previous administration “failed to identify a sufficient basis” to conclude that terminating the longstanding policy and practise would not hinder military effectiveness and lethality.

“This is discriminatory and detrimental to our national security. Every American who is qualified to serve in our military should be able to do so - regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity and without having to hide who they are,” said Biden campaign.

The former vice-president has pledged to reinstate the Obama-Biden guidance, revoked by the Trump-Pence Administration, to restore transgender students’ access to sports, bathrooms, and locker rooms in accordance with their gender identity. If Biden wins November elections, he will direct the Department of Education to vigorously enforce and investigate violations of transgender students’ civil rights.

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