President Biden has long promised that he would be an advocate for the LGBTQ community if he were elected president. Now, just hours after his presidential term, the Biden White House website allows users to choose their pronouns, a change that has drawn swift praise from supporters.
As part of the redesign of the website that takes place during presidential transitions, the White House has changed its contact form. The form now allows individuals to select from the following list: she / he, he / he, they, another, or prefer not to share. Those who select another one also have the option of writing the pronouns they use.
People can also choose the prefix they use: Mr., Mrs., Mrs., Dr., Mx., Other or none.
Other changes to the site include an updated White House priorities page that now lists COVID-19, climate, racial equality, economics, health, immigration and restoring America’s global position. The entire website can now also be translated into Spanish by clicking on the blue “Español” button at the bottom of each page, and the website has also been designed to be more accessible with high contrast and large font size options in accordance with the Guidelines of Web Content Accessibility.
The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation drew attention to the movement on twitter, leading many individuals to share how it affects the LGBTQ community.
“Last year, I was regretting that I reported my gender incorrectly in the 2020 census,” wrote one user. “Today, I can select the title ‘Mx’. and pronouns on the White House contact page. I know it’s not much, but it’s a start. ”
“After three hours of starting the new admin, you can choose their pronouns when contacting the White House. That’s such a small thing, but at the same time, I’m so happy,” wrote another user.
The changes to the site come amid pressure from Biden for more inclusion in the White House.
In December, Mr. Biden appointed former Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg to head the Department of Transportation. If confirmed, Buttigieg he will be the first openly gay individual to play a Senate-approved role.
On Tuesday, Mr. Biden appointed Dr. Rachel Levine to serve as assistant secretary of health in the United States Department of Health and Human Services. If confirmed, Levine will be the first openly transgender federal employee in a Senate-confirmed role. Mr. Biden also promised that in his first 100 days in office, he will push for more protections for LGBTQ individuals through the Equality Act.