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Biden reflects on trans hero Aimee Stephens, calls conversion therapy ‘sick’
Former VP says he supposed to call late trailblazer before her passing
Vice President Joseph Biden reflected on the death of Aimee Stephens and renewed his commitment to LGBTQ rights in a virtual fundraiser this week, according to a pool report of the event.
Biden made the remarks Wednesday during a Zoom fundraiser, which was co-hosted by Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), in response to a question by Seattle-based filmmaker Vlada Knowlton.
Knowlton, the mother of three children, one of whom is transgender, asked Biden what he would do to protect transgender people from “unjust attacks” and discrimination.
In response, Biden mentioned the death of Stephens, the Michigan funeral home director fired for being transgender in 2013 and the center of a major case pending before the U.S. Supreme Court on transgender rights.
Biden said he was supposed to call Stephens this week, but got the news from an aide she had passed away before having the chance to call.
“I was supposed to call her. I had her picture and her bio on my desk, I was supposed to call her. I’m looking over at Annie, I guess it was yesterday at 2:00 and Annie came in me in with tears in her eyes and said they passed away, passed away,” Biden said, referring to Annie Tomasini, his traveling chief of staff.
The decision in the Stephens case, which could come any day, will determine whether anti-trans discrimination is sex discrimination, therefore illegal under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Biden also recommitted himself to transgender rights, saying as president he’d end the practice of conversion therapy, which he called “sick,” pass the Equality Act to ban anti-LGBTQ discrimination through Congress and undo President Trump’s transgender military ban.
In addition, Biden said individuals on IDs should be able to select a third-gender option when they register to vote.
“You ought to be able to just put X on sex, and be able to — you don’t have to explain a damn thing,” Biden said. “If you’re a registered person in that place, you should be able to vote.”
Knowlton told the Washington Blade on Friday via Twitter message she was “satisfied with his answer.”
“He was clearly passionate about the topic of protecting transgender people’s human and civil rights and he was upset over the passing of Aimee Stephens,” Knowlton said. “I thought he was very genuine when he promised to help pass and to sign the Equality Act as well as to do everything in his power to bring back anti-discrimination protections and prosecute hate crimes.”
According to the Biden campaign, 115 people attended the virtual event via Zoom, which was billed as a “Northwest Virtual Reception” and included guests mostly from the northwest region of the country. In addition to Booker, Joe Schocken, president of Broadmark Capital, and his wife Judy Schocken, were event co-hosts.
WorldPride 2025 concluded with the WorldPride Street Festival and Closing Concert held along Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. on Sunday, June 8. Performers on the main stage included Doechii, Khalid, Courtney Act, Parker Matthews, 2AM Ricky, Suzie Toot, MkX and Brooke Eden.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Celebrating the transgender community, Baltimore Safe Haven, an organization committed to empowering LGBTQ individuals in Baltimore City, plans to host their fourth annual Baltimore Trans Pride on Saturday.
Instead of the usual parade and march, this year’s Trans Pride will be a block party on Charles Street and between 21st and 22nd Streets. The event will start at 1 p.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and last until 10 p.m.
Community members can go on guided tours, enjoy refreshments by local vendors, listen to presenters, and watch performances by special guests.
Sukihana, the event’s headliner, plans to take to the stage to entertain the crowd, along with a variety of local performers, according to Melissa Deveraux, Baltimore Safe Haven’s executive assistant to Executive Director Iya Dammons.
“Some (are) prominently known, some (are) just making a name for themselves,” Deveraux said. Iya is always making sure that community talent is showcased at all of our functions.”
In company with Pride on Saturday, Baltimore Safe Haven will be opening its new building on Friday from 1-4 p.m.
“That is sort of going to be the prelude to pride,” Lau said. “Thanks to Sen. Mary Washington and the Weinberg Foundation, we were able to purchase the building outright, and it’s going to be a community hub of administrative buildings and 12-bedroom apartments.”
Renee Lau, administrative assistant for special projects coordinator for Baltimore Safe Haven, said the planning process for Baltimore Trans Pride began in January, and putting it all together was a collaboration of multiple city agencies and organizations.
“Safe Haven is an LGBT community organization, but we service the entire community, and that’s the message we try to spread,” Lau said. “We’re not just here for the LGBT community. We’re here to spread goodwill and offer harm reduction and housing to the entire community.”
Lau said the organization’s biggest goal for the event is to gain exposure.
“(We want) to let and let people know who we are and what our community is about,” she said. “Right now, because of what’s happening in DC, there’s a lot of bad untruths going on, and the total thing is bringing out the truth.”
Deveraux said having a place of inclusivity, acceptance, and togetherness is important in today’s political climate and the current administration.
“This event will have people seeing the strength and resilience of the transgender community, showing that no matter what we are going through, we still show up,” Deveraux said. “We are here, we will not be erased.”
The 2025 WorldPride Parade was held in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, June 7. Laverne Cox and Renée Rapp were the grand marshals.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key and Robert Rapanut)
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