[En Español: No, Biden no reemplazó la celebración de Pascua por Día de la Visibilidad Transexual]
The claim: Biden replaced Easter Sunday with Transgender Day of Visibility
An April 1 Instagram post (direct link, archive link) shows an image of President Joe Biden in front of the Easter Bunny and a Transgender Pride Flag.
“Outrageous: Biden replaces Easter Sunday with ‘Transgender Day of Visibility’ because ‘they are the image of God,’” reads the post’s caption in Spanish.
The post received more than 400 likes in two days.
Our rating: False
Biden did not replace Easter Sunday with the Transgender Day of Visibility. Both days fell on March 31 this year by coincidence, but Biden still released a message commemorating Easter.
Both celebrations happened to fall on the same day this year
The International Transgender Day of Visibility has been celebrated on March 31 since 2010, according to GLADD, an LGBTQ advocacy group. The commemoration aims to recognize the contributions made by transgender people and the adversity they face.
Easter, however, falls on a different date from year to year. The holiday is celebrated on the first Sunday after the full moon following the spring equinox. This year it fell on March 31.
On March 29, Biden proclaimed March 31 as Transgender Day of Visibility. This is not the first time he has done so. On March 31, 2021, Biden issued the first-ever presidential proclamation of the day.
But Biden did not replace Easter with the commemoration as the post states. The president issued a statement about Easter on the holiday, extending “warmest wishes” to Christians celebrating around the world.
“Easter reminds us of the power of hope and the promise of Christ’s resurrection,” the statement reads. “As we gather with loved ones, we remember Jesus’ sacrifice. We pray for one another and cherish the blessing of the dawn of new possibilities.”
The following day, he and first lady Jill Biden hosted about 40,000 people for the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, a tradition since 1978.
The post also references Biden saying trans people being the “image of God.” This year, Biden did not mention the word God in his proclamation. However, he did use those words in a statement on March 31, 2023:
“I want every member of the trans community to know that we see you,” the 2023 statement said. “You’re each made in the image of God and deserve love, dignity and respect. You make America stronger and we’re with you.”
USA TODAY reached out to the user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Our fact-check sources:
- White House, March 31, Statement from President Joe Biden on Easter
- White House, March 29, A Proclamation on Transgender Day of Visibility, 2024
- White House, March 31, 2023, Statement from President Joe Biden on Transgender Day of Visibility
- GLADD, accessed April 2, Transgender Day of Visibility
- Census, Oct. 8, 2021, Easter Dates from 1600 to 2099
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