Thousands of children and their families will come together on the White House South Lawn for the annual Egg Roll, an Easter tradition that has been celebrated since the nineteenth century.
This year’s celebrations have been overshadowed by the false accusations made by Republican politicians and commentators, who claim that President Joe Biden’s administration has banned religious themes and symbols from the art contest. However, it is important to note that this policy has been in place for almost 50 years, during every administration.
The backlash started when Fox News published a headline that read, “Religious-themed designs banned from White House Easter egg art contest.” The article referenced a poster for the event which stated that religious symbols and themes were not allowed in submissions. President Trump shared the article on his social media platform, Truth Social, without providing any comment.
The rule, however, was initiated in 1978 by former president Jimmy Carter and has been in effect ever since, even during Donald Trump’s administration.
Elizabeth Alexander, Communications Director for First Lady Jill Biden, responded to the Fox News article and the ensuing reaction. She explained that the rule regarding the Easter egg roll had actually been in place for 45 years. In addition, the American Egg Board, an organization involved in organizing the event, issued their own statement to clarify that the rule had been enforced by past presidents.
The American Egg Board has been a proud sponsor of the White House Easter Egg Roll for more than 45 years. They have consistently adhered to the guideline language referred to in recent news reports since their establishment, regardless of the administration. The organization expressed their commitment to this long-standing tradition.
Representative Elise Stefanik, Chair of the House Republican Conference and a longtime ally of Mr. Trump, took to X to share a screenshot of the article.
“Ms. Stefanik expressed her disapproval, calling it disgraceful. She firmly stated that Easter will always remain a sacred celebration of Jesus Christ’s resurrection.”
Ms. Stefanik and other GOP members also voiced their criticism of the Biden administration’s decision to designate March 31 as Transgender Visibility Day.
“On Transgender Day of Visibility, we pay tribute to the remarkable bravery and invaluable contributions of transgender Americans. We also reaffirm our nation’s unwavering dedication to building a more inclusive society, where every individual is regarded as equal and receives fair treatment throughout their lifetime,” expressed Mr. Biden in a recent statement.
The International Transgender Day of Visibility, created by transgender activist Rachel Crandall-Crocker in 2009, has been celebrated on 31 March. It is important to note that President Biden did not specifically choose this date. On the other hand, Easter Sunday is determined based on lunar cycles, which is why it coincidentally falls on the same day this year.
However, the religious right still expressed anger and opposition towards the announcement.
Donald Trump Jr., the son of the former president, expressed his strong opposition to the Democrats, emphasizing the urgent need to halt their actions. To illustrate his point, he shared an image of Mr. Biden’s declaration.
Karoline Leavitt, spokesperson for Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, expressed her dismay over the president’s declaration, describing it as “appalling,” according to a report by The Independent. Republican Senator JD Vance also criticized the statement, calling it “disgraceful” to Christians. Both Leavitt and Vance called for an apology in response to the controversial remarks.
Transgender Visibility Day celebrations are happening across the US this weekend, but unfortunately, there is also an alarming increase in anti-transgender and anti-LGBTQ+ policies throughout the country.
According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), state legislatures have introduced over 479 bills targeting the LGBTQ+ community during the ongoing 2024 legislative session. This is a decrease from the 510 anti-LGBTQ+ bills tracked by the ACLU during the 2023 legislative session.
In Oklahoma, a state that has witnessed the introduction of 35 anti-LGBTQ+ bills this legislative year, the tragic death of transgender teenager Nex Benedict serves as a stark reminder of the deadly consequences of such policies and attitudes. Despite the likelihood that not all of these bills will be enacted into law, the fact remains that the LGBTQ+ community continues to face significant challenges and discrimination.
Benedict’s death, ruled as a suicide, has already sparked a movement for LGBTQ rights. As trans and queer youth continue to face assaults, Benedict’s tragic end has become a powerful rallying cry for change.
