Advocates for Trans Equality Endorses Vice President Kamala Harris for President

Washington, DC - Today, Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE) announced its endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency. This endorsement comes after President Biden announced on Sunday afternoon that he would end his reelection campaign. A4TE Executive Director Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen released the following statement: 

“Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE) is proud to announce our endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidency. Since taking office as our nation’s first woman of color Vice President, Harris has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to advancing the well-being of the transgender community.  
 
“Throughout her vice presidency, Kamala Harris has collaborated with President Biden to lay a foundation for strong support of transgender Americans. The Biden-Harris administration has been the most pro-equality in our nation’s history, implementing significant measures since their inauguration.               

Together, the Biden-Harris administration initiated a series of historic measures, such as: 

- Reinforcing federal protections for transgender youth against discrimination. 
 
- Enabling U.S. citizens to choose the gender marker “X” on their passports, expanding access to accurate and affirming identification documents for transgender and non-binary Americans. 

- Providing resources for transgender youth and their families through mental health support, training for educators to support transgender and nonbinary students and affirming the positive impact of access to transition-related healthcare for young individuals. 

- Enhancing the availability of federal services for transgender people by establishing pathways to retirement savings, streamlining the process for lodging employment discrimination complaints, removing obstacles to obtaining federal student aid, and modernizing the White House Office Visitor Entry System. 

- Promoting accuracy and inclusivity in federal data by allocating $10 million in the 2023 Fiscal Year budget for critical research aimed at effectively incorporating inquiries about gender identity and sexual orientation into the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. This data will empower the federal government to more effectively support LGBTQI+ Americans by providing valuable insights into aspects such as employment, education, homeownership, and beyond. 

“Vice President Kamala Harris has been a formidable ally for LGBTQI+ equality. Her efforts span decades, beginning with her leadership in San Francisco against hate crimes to her work aiming to abolish the so-called gay and transgender ‘panic defense’ in California. Harris has consistently supported marriage equality and continued her advocacy as Vice President, demonstrating her support for the LGBTQI+ community. 
 
“A Harris Administration would not only uphold but also expand upon the protections for transgender Americans established by the Biden Administration. Her leadership promises to fortify and enhance the efforts to address and meet the needs of transgender people, ensuring continued progress in our nation's history of civil rights. 

“We thank President Biden for his legacy and dedication to our community, as well as his decision to pass the torch to the next generation of leadership. Vice President Harris can build upon the achievements of the Biden-Harris Administration, creating a solid framework for a future where trans people are no less than equal, and that is both more inclusive and filled with hope.” 

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Contact: Ash Orr (he/they) Press Relations Manager for A4TE – [email protected]  
 
Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE) is an organization that fights for the legal and political rights of transgender people in the United States.