Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will fight for LGBTQ+ equality

The Joe Biden-Kamala Harris ticket marks our nation’s most pro-equality presidential ticket in history. Former Vice President Biden’s selection of Sen. Harris as his running mate reflects the deep values that both candidates share regarding equality for all, including LGBTQ+ people.

So it is with great pride and hopefulness that Silver State Equality, Nevada’s leading LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, stands in support of Joe Biden and Kamala  Harris for president and vice president of the United States.

As Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s running mate, Harris is the first Black woman and first South Asian woman on a major party ticket for national office. As we celebrate this historic moment, we must also remember this is a time to act. While many polls show Biden currently leading Donald Trump, we must not relax our efforts to get out the vote ⸻ even for a moment ⸻  especially amongst marginalized and disenfranchised communities. Because EVERY vote counts. Make no mistake, Trump will do whatever it takes to retain power including voter suppression, apparently in any form, even as we recognize this month that women won the right to vote 100 years ago.

For the LGBTQ+ community, the consequences of a continuation of the Trump/Pence agenda are dire.

With Biden and Harris at the helm, the potential for the pursuit of equality and social justice for all has never been greater in our lifetimes.

Throughout Joe Biden’s career, he has been a voice for those whose voices were not heard and whose struggles were ignored. Joe Biden understands that LGBTQ+ people are members of every community. He knows we face diverse challenges that are far beyond the need for just basic civil rights protections. Together, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have a progressive plan to achieve full, lived equality for all LGBTQ+ people.

Likewise, Kamala Harris is a fighter for equality and justice for all. As California District Attorney, she established an LGBTQ+ hate crimes unit and refused to defend California’s Proposition 8, which defined marriage as between a man and a woman. As senator, Harris introduced a bill to ban the use of the gay/trans panic defense and fought for LGBTQ+ Americans to be counted in the census. Her record speaks loud and clear for her support of the LGBTQ+ community.

The Biden-Harris ticket has pledged to make enactment of the Equality Act a legislative priority during the administration’s first 100 days and vows to overturn Trump’s anti-LGBTQ+ executive actions, including the ban on transgender military service. Biden also has committed to nominating pro-equality cabinet members and a pro-equality justice to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Biden-Harris comprehensive strategy to end the HIV epidemic by 2025 includes an aggressive plan to expand access to life-saving HIV prevention and treatment medications. Their plan to build on the Affordable Care Act and expand access to high-quality, affordable health care will help millions of LGBTQ+ people receive the care they need, free of discrimination.

As a Nevada native, I am proud of our state’s leadership role in ensuring equal rights under the law for LGBTQ+people.

But nothing is guaranteed. Now, more than ever, LGBTQ+ Nevadans need a president and vice president we can trust to stand with us. It’s a clear choice. The future of our nation depends on electing Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.

André C. Wade is the state director of Silver State Equality