The White House has announced the launch of a new national crisis hotline for LGBTQI+ kids. The hotline is designed to provide support to children who are feeling overwhelmed by what the White House calls "legislative bullying" from GOP-led states. The states have been enacting laws restricting access to transgender treatment services and preventing transgender athletes from competing in sex-specific sports. The White House has described the situation as a difficult time for transgender youth.
During a press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre criticized the recent laws passed in Kansas, Indiana and Idaho. In Kansas, the state legislature banned transgender athletes from competing in sex-specific sports that do not align with their biological gender. In Indiana and Idaho, laws were passed to prevent minors from obtaining transgender treatment services, like gender change surgeries, cross-sex hormones and puberty blockers.
Jean-Pierre stated that the Biden administration's new Title IX proposal would forbid K-12 schools and colleges from imposing such outright bans. However, she insisted that the situation is still grim. She pointed to a litany of other GOP-led states that have either restricted or are attempting to restrict minors from obtaining "gender-affirming care," or that have been pushing for transgender athletes to be banned from participating on sex-specific sports teams that do not align with their biological genders.
Despite this, Jean-Pierre stressed that the Biden administration has the backs of LGBTQI+ kids. She also commended kids who have organized school walkouts and other protests "to tell the politicians in their states to stop this legislative bullying." The White House Press Secretary acknowledged that these political attacks can really take a toll on people's mental health. She directly addressed LGBTQI+ kids, saying "you are loved just as you are, just the way you are." She added that LGBTQI+ kids are resilient, they are fierce, they fight back, they're not going anywhere, and the administration has their back.