GLAAD’s Sarah Kate Ellis weighs in on Biden administration

On the heels of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’ inauguration, GLAAD’s CEO and President, Sarah Kate Ellis sat down with RADIO.COM’s CHANNEL Q on Let’s Go There with Shira Lazar and Ryan Mitchell to share within the pleasure that this new administration has introduced on. Ellis additionally delves into what new Biden period insurance policies will imply for the LGBTQ+ neighborhood within the coming years.

Take heed to all LGBTQ+ information and popular culture now on RADIO.COM.

“I took a very massive breath at 12:01 right now, fairly actually,” begins Ellis as she begins to unfold what the brand new presidency means to her. She continues, “I don’t even know if we perceive how deep the PTSD is from these previous 4 years, whereas our neighborhood has been underneath direct assault from this final administration.”

Whereas Sarah acknowledges the large quantity of labor forward of us she says, “I really feel like we will breathe now.” The GLAAD president feels that there isn’t simply lots of “restore” to do but additionally lots of “constructing” of recent equalities for the LGBTQ+ neighborhood. Ellis requires momentum and urges to not let complacency set in. “I feel these previous 4 years have proven us, in clear view, how fragile our rights are and what number of rights we nonetheless don’t have as a neighborhood, and that’s throughout our neighborhood for discrimination. That’s for individuals of shade inside our neighborhood, the trans neighborhood, individuals with disabilities, it’s our complete neighborhood.”

In an try to discover a silver lining prior to now 4 years Ellis says that she has discovered that the LGBTQ+ neighborhood has actually tried to seek out and perceive the intersectionality of the neighborhood.

WATCH MORE: Biden-Harris: An inauguration for the historical past books

The CEO plans to proceed this driving vitality, the place individuals are extra politically engaged and centered on LGBTQ+ intersectionality. GLAAD continues to tell the neighborhood and act as a prime useful resource to make sure that LGBTQ+ tales and information are being heard. “We’re continuously letting the neighborhood know what’s happening and what’s taking place,” explains Ellis.

Alongside President Biden and Vice President Harris’ first 100 days in workplace, GLAAD additionally has a 100-day plan that coincides with the administration’s agenda. “We’ve got a giant audacious plan for the subsequent 4 years, and we want individuals in our neighborhood and our allies supporting that plan,” Ellis elaborates.

“4 years in the past… I do know that the LGBTQ neighborhood was wiped off of whitehouse.gov as a result of we found that at GLAAD as we have been, you recognize, conserving observe of every thing that was happening… right now while you go on whitehouse.gov and also you’re on the lookout for data they ask you your pronouns, so I feel we’re going to see rather a lot occur. I don’t suppose the Equality Act goes to be pushed apart in any respect,” Sarah underscores.

Earlier than taking workplace, President Biden nominated the primary brazenly LGBTQ+ individuals to be members of his cupboard. Selecting, Pete Buttigieg for Transportation Secretary, and Dr. Rachel Levine for Assistant Secretary of Well being would make these two nominees the primary brazenly homosexual and transgender individuals to serve in a presidential cupboard. Moreover, on Inauguration Day President Biden signed essentially the most vastly important and wide-ranging LGBTQ+ anti-discrimination govt order in United States historical past.

Ellis beams when requested how she feels concerning the appointment of Dr. Levine and says she is “on prime of the world.” She continues, “here’s a lady who is very extremely certified, and for me, it goes even deeper particularly as a result of she’s trans. The trans neighborhood has been refused well being care, has been tortured about who they’re and the way they seem on this world, and so now to have that distinguished of an individual, who occurs to be trans ready of well being, we ‘re placing ‘human’ again in ‘well being and human companies.’”

Ellis reminds us, “there are various, many issues that must occur for the LGBTQ neighborhood and the primary is simply our visibility.”

Because the COVID-19 pandemic persists, the LGBTQ+ neighborhood has been significantly fraught with points preventing the virus. The neighborhood has been extensively vulnerable to an infection, whereas many icons and distinguished members throughout the neighborhood have been partaking in unsafe pandemic taboos, like taking tropical holidays and breaking social distancing tips.

Ellis responds to the “GaysOverCovid” Instagram account and says that we’ve got to hold on although we’re all so bored with feeling like “fish out of water” with change not coming quick sufficient.

Sarah shares methods by which we will proceed to induce the neighborhood to remain protected and tells us, “we’ve got lived by an epidemic, many people within the LGBTQ neighborhood, and that lasted for years and years as a result of it didn’t get any consideration… we perceive being a susceptible neighborhood…. there’s a mild on the finish of the tunnel, and it got here right now at midday, as a result of we’ve got someone who is definitely directing COVID.” She provides, “we do have to carry on as a result of usually instances in our neighborhood as a result of we’re disproportionately affected by lack of well being care, unemployment, we’re extra vulnerable to sickness and illness. And so I actually hope that our neighborhood takes this critically, and we will get by this…. our neighborhood is essentially the most resilient neighborhood that I do know.”

Finally with a brand new daybreak and a brand new administration upon us Ellis has a lot hope for the LGBTQ+ neighborhood and for brand spanking new voices “to have a seat on the desk.” On day one the Biden-Harris administration has gone leaps and bounds past the earlier administration, which solely leads us to consider that there’s extra hope on the horizon.

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