Today, Domestic Policy Advisor Susan Rice, Senior Advisor and Director of the Office of Public Engagement Cedric Richmond, and Executive Director of the Gender Policy Council Jen Klein hosted a roundtable in the Roosevelt Room with LGBTQ+ leaders who are coordinating the national movement to pass the Equality Act. Advocates shared their perspectives on the urgency and importance of Congress extending long overdue civil rights protections to LGBTQ+ Americans by passing the Equality Act and shared the efforts their organizations are undertaking to get the bill to the President’s desk.
During the meeting, LGBTQ+ advocates and leaders also briefed senior White House officials on the alarming increase in anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in state legislatures across the country, in particular legislation that targets transgender children. They discussed the detrimental impacts these bills are having on the health, safety, and well-being of children and families across the United States.
Senior White House officials expressed their gratitude for the participants’ leadership and impactful advocacy. They reiterated the President’s strong commitment to achieving full equality for every LGBTQ+ American and his calls for the Senate to quickly pass the Equality Act. Finally, they underscored that the President has the backs of LGBTQ+ Americans, especially transgender youth.
Participants in today’s roundtable included:
- Alphonso David, President, Human Rights Campaign
- Fatima Goss Graves, President and CEO, National Women’s Law Center
- Fran Hutchins, Executive Director, Equality Federation
- Mara Keisling, Executive Director, National Center for Transgender Equality
- Kasey Suffredini, CEO and National Campaign Director, Freedom for All Americans
###
