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Donald Trump and other Republican politicians and pundits don't seem to quite understand how a calendar works.
Republican politicians and right-wing media figures have falsely accused President Joe Biden of attempting to replace the Christian celebration of Easter with Transgender Day of Visibility. This year, TDOV, observed annually on March 31 since its inception in 2009, coincided with Easter Sunday, sparking a wave of misleading accusations against the Biden administration amid demonstrations of what many pointed out was conservatives’ hypocrisy.
In response, a spokesperson for the White House called the strange attacks "unsurprising" coming from certain politicians.
Easter's date varies each year, falling on the first Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or after the spring equinox, while Transgender Day of Visibility is fixed, regardless of the day of the week it falls on. On Friday, Biden issued a proclamation acknowledging the day as he has done in previous years. However, this year, outrage followed and reached a fever pitch in the run-up to Sunday’s observances.
On Saturday, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, the ultrareligious and ultraconservative lawmaker from Louisiana, expressed his dismay on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “The Biden White House has betrayed the central tenet of Easter — which is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Banning sacred truth and tradition — while at the same time proclaiming Easter Sunday as ‘Transgender Day’ — is outrageous and abhorrent. The American people are taking note.”
The Biden White House has betrayed the central tenet of Easter \u2014 which is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. \n\nBanning sacred truth and tradition\u2014while at the same time proclaiming Easter Sunday as \u201cTransgender Day\u201d\u2014is outrageous and abhorrent. The American people are taking note.— (@)
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt and Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, both Republicans, echoed similar sentiments. Stitt remarked, “The White House is trying to erase Easter. It should be a day to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. To replace it with a politically charged awareness day is disappointing.” Reeves added, “President Biden has declared that Easter Sunday is now Transgender Day. This is an intentional attempt to insult and mock Christians across America. Shocking — but not surprising.”
Former President Donald Trump’s national press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, described Biden’s proclamation as “appalling and insulting” in a Truth Social post, viewing it as an “assault on the Christian faith.” She called for “an apology to the millions of Catholics and Christians across America who believe tomorrow is for one celebration only.”
Catholics are Christians, and Biden is famously devoutly Catholic.
Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson mocked the faux outrage on X.
“Thank you @POTUS, for shining a light on Trans Day of Visibility! And to the clueless critics who can’t grasp the concept of calendars, let me help you out. TDOV is celebrated every year on March 31,” she wrote.
GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis also remarked on the manufactured controversy in a statement to The Advocate.
“The date of Easter moves each year based on cycles of the moon, while Trans Day of Visibility is always recognized on March 31, but this year right-wing politicians and talking heads are using the coincidental timing to overshadow the hope and joy that Easter represents with politicized lies about transgender Americans and the White House," Ellis said. “People who believe both in religion and in treating others with basic respect can celebrate the transformational Resurrection of Jesus and also acknowledge the visibility of trans people.”
She continued, "For the many LGBTQ Christians and allies who celebrate Easter and also recognize TDOV each year, the harmful lies are an excuse to hijack the Easter holiday with politics and distract from issues that really matter."
The attacks on TDOV have surfaced alongside a false narrative propagated by the New York Post and other right-wing sources, claiming the Biden administration banned religious-themed Easter eggs from the annual White House Easter egg art contest. Emily Metz, president and CEO of the American Egg Board, clarified to The Advocate that the nondiscrimination policy that limits certain content regarding the art contest’s themes is long-standing.
“Since being established in 1976, the American Egg Board, like all commodity Checkoff Programs, has always been required to operate within federal guidelines for all of its activities,” Metz wrote in a statement, noting that these boards are prohibited from discriminating based on religion, political beliefs, and other categories. “The American Egg Board has been a supporter of the White House Easter Egg Roll for over 45 years and the guideline language referenced in recent news reports has consistently applied to the board since its founding, across administrations.”
On Monday, the White House Easter Egg Roll, themed "EGGucation" by First Lady Jill Biden, will transform the South Lawn into a hub of learning and activity, emphasizing education through STEAM subjects and welcoming around 40,000 attendees, including military and veteran families, for a day of traditional fun and educational enrichment.
Before the uproar over TDOV, Trump announced last week a new venture into selling "God Bless the USA" Bibles, priced at $59.99. The former president was widely mocked for taking advantage of his religious supporters to fleece money from them to fund his legal and financial challenges.
One commenter on X remarked, “It’s beyond ridiculous for the man who sold self-branded bibles & unironically shares memes about how his presidency is God ordained, to be accusing others of blasphemy.”
In response to the conservative outrage, White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates provided The Advocate with a statement emphasizing Biden’s faith and the administration’s commitment to inclusivity.
“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.”
Bates later reacted to a tweet by Fox News, promoting a story about criticism toward Biden for acknowledging TDOV.
“We're glad to see that FOX agrees with @POTUS on this,” Bates said, quoting a previous tweet from Fox Television celebrating TDOV.
“@FOXTV in 2021: "Trans Day of Visibility is dedicated to celebrating transgender people...To all the transgender men, women and non-binary folx, we see you and stand with you,” the tweet read.
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