ABOVE: Out for Biden, photo via the Joe Biden’s Facebook page.
Joe Biden’s presidential campaign launched Out for Biden June 8, an initiative aimed at mobilizing LGBTQ voters nationwide to elect the former vice president in November.
“Across America, there are 11 million LGBTQ+ voters who could cast a ballot in the upcoming presidential election,” the campaign shared in a press release. “They represent communities and voters of all racial and economic backgrounds and are a core component of Vice President Biden’s winning coalition.”
The initiative seeks to leverage relationships with nationwide partners to educate and energize equality-focused voters. Out for Biden’s steering committee includes leaders, activists and elected officials like the campaign’s LGBTQ+ Vote Director Reggie Greer and Florida State Rep. Shevrin Jones, who discussed Biden’s commitment to equality in a call with Floridians last month.
“Our campaign’s decision to launch Out for Biden in the shadow of historic protest elevates the power of the moment and encourages deep — and sometimes difficult — dialogue within our LGBTQ+ community as Pride month begins,” Greer said in the press release.
“LGBTQ+ people of color are central to the fabric of our communities,” he continued. “We must elect a government that will center their voices and celebrate the contributions of LGBTQ+ people everywhere.”
To strengthen its coalition, the campaign says Out for Biden will collaborate across intersectional lines, honing communications for a cohesive movement while providing access to LGBTQ leaders across the country.
“Out for Biden will be both an initiative of close listening and collective action,” they explained, “ensuring LGBTQ+ and pro-equality voters have the necessary tools to be engaged this election cycle and ultimately defeat hate with love at the ballot box on November 3rd.” Its full steering committee can be seen below:
Reggie Greer, LGBTQ+ Vote Director, Biden for President
OH State Senator Nickie Antonio
Senator Tammy Baldwin
NC State Rep. Deb Butler
RI Congressman David Cicilline MN Congresswoman Angie Craig
Alphonso David, President, Human Rights Campaign
KS Congresswoman Sharice Davids
VA State Senator Adam Ebbin
AZ State Rep. Daniel Hernandez
CO State Rep. Leslie Herod
MN Councilmember Andrea Jenkins
FL State Rep. Shevrin Jones
Mara Keisling, Executive Director, National Center for Trasgender Equality Action Fund
PA State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta
Daniel Lander, former Warren for President Director of LGBTQ+ Engagement and Youth Vote Director
NY Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney
MI State Rep. Jeremy Moss
NH Congressman Chris Pappas
GA State Rep. Sam Park
Former Houston Mayor Annise Parker
VA State Del. Danica Roem
Bamby Salcedo, CEO and President, TransLatin@ Coalition
PA State Rep. Brian Sims
NV State Senator Pat Spearman
Kasey Suffredini, CEO and National Campaign Director, Freedom for All Americans
CA Congressman Mark Takano
AZ State Rep. Arlando Teller
Andre Wade, State Director, Silver State Equality
Evan Wolfson, Founder and President of Freedom to Marry
WI Common Council Alderwoman JoCasta Zamarripa
Rick Zbur, Executive Director, Equality California
“We’ve made incredible progress on LGBTQ+ equality, but we still have further to go,” Biden also shared via social media. “We can’t rest until everyone is treated with dignity and respect under the law—regardless of who they are or whom they love.”
The announcement follows Biden’s reflection on the 50th anniversary of LGBTQ Pride Month, which went unrecognized by Donald Trump. The vice president utilized the opportunity to reiterate his support for the Equality Act while advising he would take “swift action to reverse” the Trump administration’s anti-LGBTQ policies, including his transgender military ban.
You can read Biden’s full plan for LGBTQ equality by visiting JoeBiden.com/LGBTQ. His campaign’s responses to Watermark’s 2020 candidate Q&A can also be found here.
