Biden’s First 100 Days: What it Means for Trans & Non-Binary Communities

Much has changed dramatically for trans and non-binary rights since President Biden took office, including who’s representing our interests and how they’re discussed. Please join FORGE for conversation about what has changed in the first 100 days (and what’s stayed the same). We’ll review the administration’s commitments, explore roadblocks and what remains to be done, and hold space for discussion about how we as community members can contribute to making change.

Clicking on timestamps will redirect you to the corresponding video section on YouTube.

Introduction 0:00
Where we are starting from 2:59
President Biden addressing congress 3:32
Presentation outline 4:02
Biden’s first day in office 4:43

Executive orders 6:03
COVID-19 developments 6:34
Health care 7:36
Housing 8:53
Education 10:50
Identifying disparities 11:36

Insurance 12:02
Military 12:59
Personnel 14:29
Foreign affairs 16:52
Diversity training 18:04
Incarceration 18:59

Law enforcement 19:59
The Equality Act 21:01
Federal data collection 21:52
Trans diversity recognition 23:33
Transgender Day of Visibility 24:43

Shelley’s introduction 26:17
Revisiting the Equality Act 28:18
Protections under the Equality Act 30:28
Protections for youth 33:35
Prohibiting conversion therapy 40:47

Identity documents 43:22
Other priorities 47:49
Advocacy opportunities 57:40

Q&A 1:06:26
Are executive orders reworked from the Obama administration? 1:07:03
Documentation changes for intersex people? 1:07:51
What issues does the trans community face? 1:13:08
Can FORGE do training on communicating in communities? 1:19:51

Closing thoughts 1:20:18

Presenters: Shelley Gregory & Loree Cook-Daniels

Shelley Gregory (they/them or any pronouns).
Shelley is a trans human, activist, and advocate, and the Strategic Project Coordinator for FORGE. Shelley has worked actively in the LGBTQI+ community for over 25 years and began to focus their work on advocacy for transgender and non-binary folx nearly two decades ago. Their background is as a civil rights lawyer. Shelley continually aims to contribute to improving quality of life for trans and non-binary individuals and increasing our inclusion in society. Shelley presently assists survivors of violence through individual advocacy and peer support, as well as policy development and public education.

Loree Cook-Daniels.
Loree Cook-Daniels is the Policy and Program Director for FORGE, a Milwaukee-based national transgender and SOFFA (Significant Others, Friends, Family and Allies) organization. Cook-Daniels has been a policy analyst and advocate for LGBT issues for more than 40 years, and began working on anti-violence issues in the 1980s. With degrees in Women’s Studies and Conflict Management and a Certificate in Trauma Counseling, Cook-Daniels provides training, technical assistance, and/or services to transgender sexual violence survivors and the professionals who serve them under grants from the U.S. Office of Violence Against Women.

Recorded on May 11th, 2021.