President Joe Biden faced significant criticism from conservatives over his recognition of Trans Day of Visibility—which happened to overlap this year with Easter Sunday.
The day, founded in 2009 by psychotherapist Rachel Crandall-Crocker, is recognized on the last day of March every year. The date of Easter Sunday, on the other hand, changes based on the first full moon after the spring equinox.
Since its inception, Easter Sunday and Trans Day of Visibility have overlapped once, in 2013.
The source of the backlash was a White House proclamation issued on Friday to honor “the extraordinary courage and contributions of transgender Americans and reaffirm our Nation’s commitment to forming a more perfect Union—where all people are created equal and treated equally throughout their lives.”
“Transgender Americans are part of the fabric of our Nation,” Biden said, before denouncing “hateful laws that target and terrify transgender kids and their families” including book bans and prohibitions on gender-affirming healthcare for children.
“These bills attack our most basic American values: the freedom to be yourself, the freedom to make your own health care decisions, and even the right to raise your own child,” Biden said.
The statement drew outrage among conservatives and swift backlash from former President Donald Trump’s campaign, whose press secretary Karoline Leavitt decried the Biden administration’s “years-long assault on the Christian faith.”
“We call on Joe Biden’s failing campaign and White House to issue an apology to the millions of Catholics and Christians across America who believe tomorrow is for one celebration only—the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” Leavitt said.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) echoed that criticism, accusing the Biden administration of “betray[ing] the central tenet of Easter” in a post on X.
“Banning sacred truth and tradition—while at the same time proclaiming Easter Sunday as ‘Transgender Day’—is outrageous and abhorrent,” Johnson said, referencing the White House’s decision to ban religious imagery from its Easter celebration (though that has been the American Egg Board’s policy for more than 45 years).
Biden has acknowledged Trans Day of Visibility every year since taking office, but critics’ responses online this year were different due to its overlap with Easter.
“You misspelled Easter,” one person wrote in response to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre’s post about the “contributions of transgender Americans.”
“Stop trying to cancel Christianity,” replied someone else. “Christians make up 63% of the U.S. population. Sunday is EASTER. The wokeism of the Biden administration is ridiculous.”
“Trans people are so oppressed they get to replace the most holy day in the Christian calendar- Easter,” wrote another prominent right-wing X account. “WOW. Says it all. Such an oppressed minority.”
“Transgenders and the entire LGBTQ community get an entire month, yet you all choose to do it on Easter,” wrote Students for Trump co-founder Ryan Fournier. “Goodbye.”
Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga.) replied with a video clip from True Detective saying “I just want you to stop saying odd shit,” while others such as Charlie Kirk echoed that yesterday was Easter and nothing else.
Others joked about how insincere the criticism was, given that most Christians know Easter is a rolling holiday, and the overlap with Trans Day of Visibility is nothing more than an insignificant coincidence.
“I am fascinated at the sheer number of right wing nut job, so-called Christians who are unaware that Easter is a floating holiday. It’s on a different day every year,” wrote one poster.
Another trolled Donald Trump Jr. by noting that next year Easter will be on the popular weed-smoking holiday, April 20.
March 31 was also Cesar Chavez Day, International Taco Day, National Crayon Day, and National Clams on the Half Shell Day as well. Posters online noted that lack of outrage over those moments as well.
In the wake of the right-wing backlash, White House spokesperson Andrew Bates hit back at the criticism in a statement to ABC News.
“As a Christian who celebrates Easter with family, President Biden stands for bringing people together and upholding the dignity and freedoms of every American,” Bates said. “Sadly, it’s unsurprising politicians are seeking to divide and weaken our country with cruel, hateful, and dishonest rhetoric. President Biden will never abuse his faith for political purposes or for profit.”
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