Trans flag. Photo by Vuk Valcic/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images.
The Department of Health and Human Services will fly a trans pride flag in honor of Transgender Day of Visibility, becoming the first federal agency to do so, the White House announced Thursday.
The big picture: President Biden on Wednesday declared March 31 as the Transgender Day of Visibility to "recognize the resilience, strength, and joy of transgender, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming people."
Why it matters: Multiple states have introduced and passed anti-trans legislation, with dozens of bills targeting transgender youth.
- 2021 was also the deadliest year on record for trans people in America.
State of play: The White House will also play host to a slew of events honoring transgender Americans.
- Second gentleman Doug Emhoff will meet with "Jeopardy!" champion Amy Schneider, who had the second-longest winning streak in show history and was the first openly transgender winner.
- Emhoff will also moderate a conversation with transgender kids and their parents as well as advocates to discuss the impact of anti-trans laws.
Meanwhile, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona will meet with LGBTQI+ students in Orlando, Florida, to discuss the controversial Parental Rights in Education Bill.
Zoom in: The legislation, which critics call the "Don't Say Gay" bill, bans classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity from kindergarten through third grade.
- The bill requires "age appropriate" instruction on these topics in the rest of the grades.
- Cardona and the students will discuss the impacts of the bill, their experiences at school and support for LGBTQI+ students' mental health.