Former Vice President Joe Biden on
Sunday tweeted his support for National Coming Out Day.
“I want every member of the LGBTQ+
community to know you are loved and accepted just as you are –
whether you've come out or not,” Biden said. “I'll fight every
day in the White House to create a country where you can live open,
proud, and free – without fear. #NationalComingOutDay.”
National Coming Out Day (October 11) is
celebrated on the anniversary of the 1987 National March on
Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. It emphasizes the importance
of coming out to create greater visibility for the LGBT community.
(Related: In
National Coming Out Day PSA, NFL says it's ready for gay players.)
The Biden campaign added that the
administration of President Donald Trump had “rolled back critical
protections for the LGBTQ+ community.”
“Joe Biden believes that every human
being should be treated with respect and dignity and be able to live
without fear no matter who they are or who they love,” the campaign
said. “During the Obama-Biden Administration, the United States
made historic strides toward LGBTQ+ equality – from the repeal of
'Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell' to Biden’s historic declaration in
support of marriage equality in 2012 to the unprecedented advancement
of protections for LGBTQ+ Americans at the federal level.”
“But this fight’s not over. Donald
Trump and Mike Pence have given hate against LGBTQ+ individuals safe
harbor and rolled back critical protections for the LGBTQ+ community.
Hate and discrimination against LGBTQ+ people started long before
Trump and Pence took office. Defeating them will not solve the
problem, but it is an essential first step in order to resume our
march toward equality,” the campaign said.
Biden in 2012 declared his support for
same-sex marriage on national television before Obama had. Within
days, Obama offered his support for marriage equality during an
interview with ABC News' Robin Roberts.