LGBT advocacy and political lobbying group the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has created a “Blueprint for Positive Change” to guide its anticipated Biden administration through 85 policy recommendations that it says will undo the “damage” done by President Donald Trump.
HRC states in its “blueprint” that Biden could enact some of its policy recommendations fairly quickly through executive orders that would simply cancel Trump’s actions:
Since taking office, the Trump administration has consistently targeted far reaching regulatory changes that undermine the rights of vulnerable communities, including those who are LGBTQ. The administration consistently mischaracterizes the law in federal regulations, legal memorandums, and litigation actions. These coordinated attacks on civil rights exploit the public’s traditionally limited engagement with federal legal actions and administrative developments, violating the public trust.
Among its 85 policy recommendations for a Biden administration, HRC is urging:
- HIV-positive individuals to be allowed into the military
- the release of transgender illegal immigrants
- pervasive implementation of the Supreme Court’s decision in June in Bostock v. Clayton, which prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, and transgender status
- ending the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance program that bars overseas organizations that provide abortions from receiving taxpayer funds
- establish a special “interagency working group to protect and support LGBTQ rights globally”
- appointment of openly-LGBT Supreme Court justices, judges, and officials
- ensure coverage for transgender hormone treatments for dependents of military personnel
- ensure LGBT demands for pronoun use and access to bathroom and restroom facilities consistent with gender identity is not undermined by religious exemptions
- urge passage of federal law controlling what therapists say to LGBT clients
- require faith-based colleges and universities to publicly post religious exemptions
- ensure the government does not discriminate against LGBT individuals on the basis of religion
- eliminate federal conscience protection regulations for healthcare providers
“We urge the administration to end taxpayer-funded discrimination once and for all and to rescind Trump-backed policies that invite discrimination against LGBTQ people by federally funded grantees and contractors,” HRC urges.
“Stigma and violence against our community—especially transgender women of color—must be systematically addressed,” the group states.