Daily Mail senior U.S. political reporter Rob Crilly pressed White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre during Wednesday’s press briefing on President Joe Biden’s dedication toward the LGBTQ community when intending to visit Saudi Arabia.
President Joe Biden is expected to visit Saudi Arabia in mid-July to discuss issues on expanding regional economic and security cooperation, human rights and ensuring global energy and food security with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Crilly pressed Jean-Pierre on Biden’s dedication to supporting the LGBTQ community while planning to assist a country that is allegedly cracking down on the LGBTQ community. Saudi Arabian officials have seized rainbow colored toys and clothing saying they encourage and promote homosexuality, BBC reported.
“We know that Saudi officials have been seizing rainbow colored toys and clothing as part of an apparent crackdown on homosexuality in the country, that’s according to state-run media,” he began. “I’m wondering what the White House’s response is to that given that the president is about to set up his pride credentials in the next event.”
“I have not seen that reporting, but what I can say globally, we work around the globe to protect LGBTQI+ persons from violence and abuse, criminalization, discrimination and stigma and empower local LGBTQI+ movements and persons,” Jean-Pierre said. “We do this through bilateral and multilateral channels, raising officials concerns with governments, both principle and privately, coordinating our efforts with like-minded countries and offering emergency assistance to LGBTQI+ persons at risk through our foreign assistance program.”
She further noted the White House provides “tools and resources” to protect and help mitigate “violence, discrimination and stigma” against LGBTQ people. (RELATED: Top Biden Health Official: All Pediatricians Agree With Castrating Gender-Confused Children)
“We see human rights as being universal,” she concluded.
Saudi Arabia criminalizes homosexuality and any form of gender expression outside of the strict dress codes imposed by Sharia law, according to Human Dignity Trust. Authorities have arrested and even executed members of the LGBTQ community.
The president issued an executive order Wednesday directing the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to expand sex reassignment surgeries, cross-sex hormone therapies and puberty blockers, including for children. The order dubbed hormone therapies and sex change operations for children as “gender-affirming care.”
“The president’s order charges HHS to work with states to promote expanded access to gender-affirming care,” the White House said in a fact sheet. “The Department of Justice has intervened and filed statements of interest in lawsuits across the country challenging state laws that seek to ban transgender children from accessing gender-affirming health care and participating in school activities as unconstitutional.”
The new order intends to strengthen the department’s effort to ban conversion therapy and target Republican-led legislation such as Florida’s “Parental Rights in Education” bill. The legislation prohibits discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in K-3 classrooms and requires school districts to notify parents of changes to their child’s physical, mental or emotional health.
“Hateful, discriminatory laws that target children are out of line with where the American people are. And President Biden is going to use his executive authority to protect kids and families,” senior administration officials said, according to Axios.
