Yes, Easter and Transgender Day of Visibility coincided on the same day, March 31 of this year. The holiday, celebrating the rights of transgendered people was initiated in 2010 but this is apparently lost on Republican politicians and a few right-wing media figures who are falsely accusing President Joe Biden of somehow trying to destroy Easter and replace it with TDOV, according to The Advocate.

All I can say here is go figure. International TDOV was created in 2010 by trans advocate Rachel Crandall. As the head of Transgender Michigan, she wanted to respond to the constant media stories that focused on violence aimed at transgender people. Crandall wanted to create a day where people could celebrate the lives of trans people, while still acknowledging that because discrimination was still rampant, not every trans person felt safe in coming forward.

In other words, Joe Biden had nothing to do with the launching of this holiday, which occurs on March 31st of every year. It’s a mere coincidence that it happened to land on Easter this time, but conservatives don’t see it this way.

But Biden is, by now, used to such ridiculous attacks and a spokesperson for the White House said the attacks were “unsurprising” from certain politicians.

These attacks are ridiculous, Easter’s date varies from year to year, falling on the first Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or after the spring equinox. It’s a pagan holiday that was adopted by Christians to fit their own beliefs. TDOV is a fixed holiday regardless of which day of the week it falls on. Biden issued a proclamation on Friday acknowledging the day just as he has done in previous years. But this year conservatives went bazinga.

The first Republican hyena (sorry hyenas, I know you are hard-working creatures that serve an actual purpose in the world) is Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, an uber-religious nutball from Louisiana, who vented his spleen on X, writing in a fiery post that “the Biden White House has betrayed the central tenet of Easter — which is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Banning sacred truth and tradition — while at the same time proclaiming Easter Sunday as ‘Transgender Day’ — is outrageous and abhorrent. The American people are taking note.”

Others in this merry band of delusional fools include Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt and Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves, who are, of course, Republicans, who echoed similar sentiments. Stitt opined, “The White House is trying to erase Easter. It should be a day to celebrate Jesus’s resurrection. To replace it with a politically charged awareness day is disappointing.” For his part, Reeves said, “President Biden has declared Easter Sunday is now Transgender. This is an attempt to insult and mock Christians across America. Shocking — but not surprising.”

Karoline Leavitt, former President Donald Trump’s national press secretary also went that extra mile, going all fire and brimstone by declaring Biden’s proclamation as “appalling and insulting” in a Truth Social post, also claiming it was an “assault on the Christian faith.” She’s calling for an “apology to the millions of Catholics and Christians across America who believe tomorrow is for one celebration only…”

As The Advocate notes Catholics are Christians and Biden is a devout Catholic.

Welp, I’m going to go there and remind some of these nutters that Easter really is derived from a pagan celebration that symbolizes the rebirth of spring.

As The Guardian’s Heather McDougall writes, Easter, really is a pagan festival. It’s not about Jesus. As it stands right now, secular culture celebrates the spring equinox. while religious culture celebrates the resurrection.

“however, early christianity made a pragmatic acceptance of ancient pagan practises, most of which we enjoy today at easter. the generaly symbolic story of the death of the son (sun) on a cross (the constellation of the southern cross) and his rebirth, overcoming the powers of darkness, was a well worn story in the ancient world. there were plenty of parallel rival resurrected saviours too.”

I do not care if Christians like this or not. It happens to be true.

And fortunately, Human Rights Campaign president Kelley Robinson mocked the ridiculous outrage on X. Because trans people need our support, not our derision and cruelty,

“thank you @potus, for shining a light on trans day of visibility! And to the clueless critics who can’t grasp the concept of calendars, let me help you out. TDOV is celebrated every year on march 31st,” she wrote.

Of course, Donald Trump is the biggest hypocrite of them all, and prior to the TDOV insanity, he announced his over-priced God Bless the USA Bibles, priced at $59.99. He has been blasted for screwing over his religious supporters by fleecing money from them to fund his legal and financial challenges. This man is about as religious as a toad is a bird.

 

And White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates has fired back in a statement to the Advocate that highlights Biden’s faith and the administration’s dedication to inclusivity.

“As A Christian who celebrates Easter with family, president biden stands for bringing people together and upholding the dignity and freedoms of every american,” bates said. “sadly, it’s unsurprising politicians are seeking to divide and weaken our country with cruel, hateful, and dishonest rhetoric. president Biden will never abuse his faith for political purposes or for profit.”

He later recalled a tweet by Fox News, promoting a story about criticism aimed at Biden for acknowledging TDOV.

“We’re glad to see that fox agrees with @potus on this,” he said, quoting a previous tweet from fox television celebrating tdov.

I’m going to conclude this by wishing all my trans friends and those of us who celebrate Eostre a beautiful day and evening. May it be peaceful and full of kindness.
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6 COMMENTS

  2. “what the Church has done to Jesus is what the governor of California,(Reagan), wants to do with the redwoods…take a wild and wonderful thing and turn it into den furniture”. Daniel Berrigan, a radical priest and antiwar activist.

    8

  3. Why is trans visibility counter to Christianity? People are people, Christ accepted all people, trans people are not in violation of Christ’s teaching. this is amazing to me. It hurts my heart that this is the issue it is.

    7

  4. A fair chunk of the practices of Christian churches and the hagiography stems from the cults of Isis and Mithras

    Not to overlook that Easter eggs (and even the name) stems from the cult of Eostre

    But then, very few even jellies bother with what Jesus actually said or did – they prefer the fire and brimstone of the Old Testament

    4

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