As in Israel, in the US too, tradition, holidays and the LGBT community sometimes become a battleground between the liberal and conservative camps – and in an election year, sometimes the fight gets particularly ugly. Several Republican leaders today (Sunday) attacked the White House’s decision to celebrate Transgender Day of Visibility in a special message from the White House, during Easter Sunday.
Donald Trump’s campaign released a statement that read: “It is appalling and insulting that the Joe Biden White House has officially declared Easter Sunday as Trans Day of Visibility.” The words were written even though the White House did not connect the events. Visibility Day of the Trance has occurred every year on March 31 since 2009, while Easter Sunday is the first Sunday after the 40 days of Lent, and occurs each year on a different date in the calendar.
The Biden White House has betrayed the central tenet of Easter — which is the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Banning sacred truth and tradition—while at the same time proclaiming Easter Sunday as “Transgender Day”—is outrageous and abhorrent. The American people are taking note. pic.twitter.com/ZCExyVkAVS
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) March 30, 2024
The chairman of the House of Representatives, Republican congressman Mike Johnson, reacted to the things in a slightly more ambiguous way, writing on the X network: “The Biden administration betrayed the central principle of Easter. The American people write this before them.”
The White House responded to the criticism in a statement delivered by the White House spokesman, Andrew Bates, and fundamentally rejected the claims against the president: “As a Christian who celebrates Easter, President Biden stands behind bringing hearts together and preserving the values of freedom and dignity for every American.
“Unfortunately, it is no surprise that politicians seek to divide and weaken our country with brutal, hateful and dishonest rhetoric. President Biden would never exploit his faith for political purposes or political gain,” Bates said.
In recent years, the discourse surrounding the transgender community in the US has become a constant point of contention between conservatives and liberals in the country. Last year, Republican lawmakers called for a series of legislative measures in a variety of areas, such as schools, public services and sports, with the aim of limiting the recognition of those who have undergone a gender adjustment process. Trump even stated during his election campaign that he would work to “prevent men from participating in women’s sports.”
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