KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In celebration of Pride Month, President Biden announced new actions to protect LGBTQI+ communities.
The President says over a dozen states have enacted anti-LGBTQI+ laws that he says violate our most basic values and freedoms as Americans, and are cruel and callous to our kids, neighbors and those in our community.
He said he stands with the LGBTQI+ community and has their backs in the face of these attacks.
So today, federal agencies are announcing new actions to:
Launch a new LGBTQI+ Community Safety Partnership. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with support from the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), will work hand-in-hand with community organizations to provide safety resources to ensure the organizations can remain safe spaces for the community. The Partnership will also work to build trust between LGBTQI+ organizations and federal law enforcement organizations.
•Provide safety trainings for LGBTQI+ community organizations and increase federal threat briefings for LGBTQI+ organizations to help them prevent and respond to threats.
•Protect health care providers who serve the LGBTQI+ community.
•Support LGBTQI+ communities to report hate crimes and build cross-community partnerships to address hate-fueled violence.
Support LTGBQI+ kids to thrive.
•HHS will issue a Behavorial Health Care Advisory on Transgender and Gender Diverse Youth to provide evidence-based practices for mental health providers.
•The LGBTQI+ Family Support Grant will provide $1.7 million in federal funding for programs that prevent health and behavorial health risks for LGBTQI+ youth including suicide and homelessness.
•Protect LGTBQI+ youth in foster care.
•Shield LGTBQI+ kids and families from discrimination.
•Address LGBTQI+ youth homelessness.
Address Book Bans
•2022 saw the highest number of book bans in 20 years. The Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights will appoint a new coordinator to work to provide new trainings for schools nationwide on how book bans that target specific communities create a hostile school environment and may violate federal civil rights laws.
