On January 20, 2021, Joseph R. Biden and Kamala D. Harris were sworn in as President and Vice President of the United States. GLMA President Scott Nass, MD, MPA, FAAFP, AAHIVS, and Executive Director Hector Vargas, JD, issued the following statement:

“GLMA congratulates President Joseph R. Biden and Vice President Kamala D. Harris on their inauguration, and celebrates the historic swearing in of Kamala Harris as the first woman, Black person, and South Asian American to hold the office of Vice President. 

“We welcome the new administration’s commitment to LGBTQ equality and racial equity, demonstrated by a series of important day-one Executive Orders. These include sweeping Executive Orders that direct federal agencies to interpret federal nondiscrimination laws that cover sex discrimination as inclusive of sexual orientation and gender identity, and establish that advancing equity for all, including by addressing systemic racism, is the government’s responsibility.

“We are also excited to work with the new team at the Department of Health and Human Services, including HHS Secretary nominee Xavier Becerra, JD, and Assistant Secretary for Health nominee Rachel Levine, MD. In partnership with these and other eminently qualified policymakers and experts who value both equity and science, we are ready to advance the health and well-being of LGBTQ people nationwide.

“While it is a new day of hope and relief for LGBTQ communities, our work is far from over. The new administration must use every tool it has to repair the harm caused by an era of attacks on the dignity and lives of people of color, especially Black and transgender Americans. We expect continued courageous action from the Biden-Harris administration and we at GLMA are full steam ahead as we prepare to partner with the administration in pursuit of real healthcare justice. It’s time to restore the agenda for LGBTQ health equity and foster healing in our communities.”

President Biden issued several Executive Orders on his first day, including on LGBTQ equality, racial equality, and the response to the pandemic. Read those executive orders here.