Biden, Jeopardy! Champ, and More Mark Trans Day of Visibility

President Joe Biden and members of his administration are observing Transgender Day of Visibility by offering support to young trans people, including remarks by Jeopardy! champion Amy Schneider in an appearance at the White House.

Biden released a video in which he condemned the spate of anti-transgender legislation around the nation and promised further steps to protect the rights of trans people. "The onslaught of anti-transgender state laws attacking you and your families is simply wrong," he said in the video. "This administration is standing up for you against all these hateful bills. And we're committed to advancing transgender equality in the classroom, on the playing field, at work, in our military, in our housing and health care systems, everywhere."

He called for moves to address the epidemic of violence against trans women of color and for passage of the long-delayed Equality Act, which would ban anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination nationwide. He also praised parents who support their trans children. "Affirming your child's identity is one of the most powerful things you can do to keep them safe and healthy," he said. He further told trans Americans, "You're so brave. You belong. And we have your back."

The U.S. State Department announced today that passports with the gender-neutral marker X would be available April 11. And the Transportation Security Administration announced it would implement gender-neutral screening procedures at airports. The Department of Health and Human Services became the first federal agency to fly the transgender pride flag.

Schneider, the most successful trans contestant and most successful woman in the history of Jeopardy!, met at the White House with Rachel Levine, assistant secretary for health at HHS and the highest-ranking trans federal official, and Doug Emhoff, husband of Vice President Kamala Harris. She then appeared in the White House briefing room, where she spoke out against anti-trans bills being considered or passed in many states.

"They're really scary, and some of them in particular that are denying medical services to trans youth, those are, those are lifesaving medical treatments," Schneider told reporters, according to the Associated Press. "These bills will cause the deaths of children, and that's really sad to me and it's really frightening."

Others standing up for trans rights Thursday included Beto O'Rourke, a former Democratic congressman now running for governor of Texas against anti-LGBTQ+ Republican Greg Abbott, and Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of State and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee.