Joe Biden slams Republicans for turning transgender rights into 'political football'The former president gave a speech expressing support for LGBTQ+ rights at an LGBTQ+ leaders conference on Friday
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/dec/06/joe-biden-transgender-rights-republicans 🔗The Guardian - Adam Gabbatt
Sat 6 Dec 2025 10.23 EST
Joe Biden has criticized Republicans for turning transgender rights into a "political football" in a speech that the former US president delivered at an LGBTQ+ event.
Speaking at the International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference in Washington on Friday, Biden urged LGBTQ+ people to "get up and fight back" against Donald Trump's second presidential administration.
"Folks, Donald Trump and his Republicans are trying to derail and distort our fight for equality," Biden said, as the Democrat accepted a lifetime achievement award for his contributions to the community. "They're trying to turn it into something scary, something sinister.
"There is nothing more American than the notion of equality. Nothing, nothing, nothing."
In his speech, Biden said: "There are young people sitting alone as I speak, scrolling through social media, wondering whether they will ever truly be accepted for who they are.
"You are heard, and you belong," he added.----------------------------------
