On March 29, 2024, President Joe Biden issued a proclamation recognizing March 31, 2024 as Transgender Day of Visibility. He called on Americans “to join us in lifting up the lives and voices of transgender people throughout our Nation and to work toward eliminating violence and discrimination based on gender identity.”
The Trump campaign and Republican members of Congress criticized the Biden administration for observing Transgender Day of Visibility on the same day as Easter. Many VERIFY readers asked us about Transgender Day of Visibility and whether Biden intentionally linked it to Easter Sunday.
One reader asked if Biden wanted people to celebrate Transgender Day of Visibility instead of Easter.
THE QUESTION
Did Biden declare that Easter is now Transgender Day of Visibility?
THE SOURCES
- The White House
- U.S. Census Bureau
- American Presidency Project
- PFLAG, an organization dedicated to supporting and advocating for LGBTQ+ people
- A 2009 article about Transgender Day of Visibility in Between the Lines, a weekly LGBTQ+ newspaper in Michigan
THE ANSWER
No, Biden did not declare Easter is now Transgender Day of Visibility. While the White House did officially recognize Transgender Day of Visibility on March 31, it was coincidental that Easter was the same day this year.
WHAT WE FOUND
International Transgender Day of Visibility is a day dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments and victories of transgender people. It has been celebrated annually on March 31 worldwide for the past 15 years.
Since Easter's date changes every year, it has actually only coincided with Transgender Day of Visibility twice since 2009. One of those times happened to be this year.
The Biden administration proclaimed March 31 Transgender Day of Visibility in 2021, 2022 and 2023. The Federal Register says the president “communicates information on holidays, commemorations, special observances, trade, and policy through proclamations.”
Transgender activist Rachel Crandall, a licensed psychotherapist and the executive director of Transgender Michigan, created Transgender Day of Visibility in 2009 and is celebrated around the world annually on March 31, according to PFLAG, an organization dedicated to supporting and advocating for LGBTQ+ people.
An article from March 26, 2009 in Between the Lines, a weekly LGBTQ+ newspaper in Michigan, said that Transgender Day of Visibility was “slated to take place for the first time in history on March 31.”
A 2014 post by the Human Rights Campaign and a 2022 article from Harvard Women in Technology + Allies said Transgender Day of Visibility is celebrated on March 31 every year.
While Transgender Day of Visibility is always on March 31, Easter’s date moves every year. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Easter has fallen on March 31 twice since 2009: in 2013 and in 2024.
Easter won’t be celebrated on March 31 again until 2086.
Biden also issued a statement on March 31, 2024 wishing people a happy Easter.
The American Presidency Project’s archive shows that Biden is the first president to issue proclamations for Transgender Day of Visibility.
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