Six-Figure ACLU Ad Buy Urges President Biden to Issue Executive Order Providing Transgender and Non-Binary People With Accurate Federal IDs
WASHINGTON – The American Civil Liberties Union sent a letter to President Biden today calling on him to issue an executive order providing transgender, intersex, and non-binary people with accurate federal IDs. With the letter, the ACLU launched a six-figure advertising buy to urge the swift signing of the executive order. This is the ACLU’s largest ad-buy on trans justice and largest targeting the White House or federal government on any LGBTQ issue.
“Many transgender and non-binary people are unable to obtain identification that accurately reflects their gender, putting them at risk of harassment, discrimination, and even violence. President Biden must affirm that we have a right to accurate IDs to travel, apply for jobs and enter public places,” said LaLa Zannell, ACLU’s Trans Justice Campaign Manager. “We are grateful the president ended the transgender service ban and signed an executive order protecting LGBTQ people from workplace and school discrimination. Now, it’s time to go further than undoing the wrongs of the prior administration. Transgender and non-binary people need IDs that reflect who we are without having to access costly and intrusive medical documentation.”
The six-figure buy will highlight trans, intersex, and non-binary people discussing the importance of accurate IDs. Additionally, the ACLU will submit a petition to the White House on Trans Day of Visibility, March 31, that urges the White House to take action on this issue. The Biden administration has indicated support for the policy change but has not yet shared any details or timelines.
“The public supports this much-needed directive. More than 42,000 people have signed our petition calling on the Biden administration to issue this executive order,” said Arli Christian, campaign strategist with the ACLU’s National Political Advocacy Department. “Our campaign urges the president to fulfill his promise to transgender, intersex, and non-binary people. With a single stroke of the pen, President Biden can provide much-needed clarity across government agencies and send a message to transgender, intersex, and non-binary people across the country: We see you and we recognize you for who you are.”
With gender marker policies varying widely from agency to agency, a clear directive from the president is needed to ensure all policies and procedures are consistent across the federal government, the ACLU says.
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