For Transgender Day Of Visibility, the Biden-Harris Administration has announced actions it’ll be taking to support transgender children’s mental health, remove barriers that trans folks face in accessing government servicies, and improve the documentation of trans folks in the country’s data.

“Nobody should have to be brave just to be themselves,” the press release states.

The administration’s fact sheet starts by condemning the record-breaking number of legislative attacks against transgender people, with 238 anti-trans bills that have been introduced, passed and signed across the country.

“The evidence is clear that these types of bills stigmatize and worsen the well-being and mental health of transgender kids, and they put loving and supportive families across the country at risk of discrimination and harassment,” the press release states.

Here’s what the administration plans to focus on, in their attempts to remove anti-trans barriers:

1. Addressing the barriers to traveling safely:

- From April 11, 2022, passports will be updated with the gender marker X option to better reflect a citizen’s gender.

- TSA will attempt to update its security screening services to reduce false alarms, unnecessary pat downs and harassment.

- Partnering with airlines, so that their systems are updated to better reflect gender marker X

- Removing gender considerations when validating a passenger’s identity

- Updating TSA PreCheck and CBP Trusted Traveler Programs to better reflect gender marker X

2. Increasing access to resources for trans youth and their families:

- With multiple states having removed critical information about mental health resources for LGBTQI+ youth, the Department of Health and Human Services has released a new website with resources for transgender youth, their parents and providers, to affirm children’s identities and reduce the risk of suicide.

- The Office of Safe and Supportive Schools in the Department of Education will start new training programs for schools to raise awareness about the barriers faced by trans and nonbinary students, and ways to support tgnc youth.

- Confirming and providing resources on how gender-affirming care is lifesaving, and that it is evidenced-based and trauma-informed

Continued…