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Pose star and activist Angelica Ross calls upon President Joe Biden and his administration to do more to protect America’s LGBT+ community.
Teaming up with Logo TV for its annual “ LGBTQ State of the Union address earlier this week, Ross urged President Joe Biden to take concrete steps to protect transgender youth.
“We are all living through a moment of unprecedented loss, financial hardship, and sociopolitical discord,” the “Pose” star said hours before Biden’s first State of the Union address. “We know these issues disproportionately impact the most marginalized among us, so we need our leaders to be doing more to protect our LGBTQ+ community — but most particularly our Black trans sisters and siblings.”
In addition, she urged Americans to hold their lawmakers accountable for failing to protect LGBTQ people from violence ― and suggested that the Biden administration step up its game in that regard, too.
“I’m not going to stand here and lavish the current administration with praise for doing the bare minimum,” she continued. “President Biden, many of our Black trans sisters and siblings gave you our vote because you told us you could reach across the political aisle and dance with the devil in the pale moonlight. You say trans youth are brave and claim to have their backs, yet your administration has not done enough to sufficiently protect them. Talk is cheap. We need you to act.”
Towards the end of her speech, the activist spoke directly to transgender and nonbinary youths reminding them of the “rich history of trans and gender-nonconforming people who came before you,” adding that “each of us must lift up the banner of liberation together so that the generations that come after us will be even freer.”
During the Presidential State of the Union address, President Biden reiterated his vow to pass legislation to better protect LGBTQ people, noting that he is keeping his promise to “have their backs” while in office.
“As I said last year, especially to our younger transgender Americans, I’ll always have your back as your president, so you can be yourself and reach your God-given potential,” he said.
Check out Angelica Ross’s full statement below.
