Just one day after Joe Biden became the 46th President of the United States, he’s already enacting numerous executive orders to help heal our nation. Yesterday, Biden signed America back onto the Paris Climate Agreement and put an end to the Keystone Pipeline. Today, Biden is focusing his energy on civil rights.
First on his list was demanding the enforcement of the Supreme Court’s historic Bostock v. Clayton County ruling. While the verdict was handed down during the summer of 2020, the Trump administration never enforced it. Now, all federal agencies must protect LGBTQ people’s rights. There are also hopes that Congress will finally pass the highly anticipated Equality Act, which further protects LGBTQ people throughout the nation. Biden also reversed Trump’s “Muslim ban” and de-funded Trump’s ridiculous border wall. He’s also expected to sign policies that allow trans people to serve openly in the US military in the coming days.
Political leaders and activists around the world have praised Biden’s inauguration and his commitment to making America a better place. European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen said, “Once again, after four long years, Europe has a friend in the White House.”
With regards to Biden’s new inclusive policies, Allison Scott, from the Campaign for Southern Equality, stated,
Today, I feel hope. Seeing President Biden move so swiftly to express strong support for LGBTQ people like me is a first step in addressing the damage and pain of these past four years. The fact that some of his first actions in the White House will include dismantling racist policies and restoring dignity to transgender service members show the new administration’s readiness to match rhetoric with tangible action.
It’s a new day. A new year. And a new America. We look forward with open minds to see where this administration will lead us. But what has been made clear in just his first two days as president, is that Biden seems poised to be the forward-thinking leader America has been desperately needing.
