Fact-Check Supports President Biden’s Claim on LGBTQ Discrimination
President Joe Biden’s recent statement during the White House “Pride Month 2023” event, where he mentioned that gay people can be married in the morning and thrown out of a restaurant in the afternoon, has been rated as “mostly true” by the fact-checking site PolitiFact.
During his speech, Biden expressed his support for the LGBTQ community and highlighted the issue of discrimination based on sexual orientation. His comment about restaurants refusing service to gay people drew criticism but was deemed mostly true by PolitiFact. The fact-check pointed out that 22 states in the US do not have anti-discrimination laws specifically protecting sexual orientation.
While same-sex marriage is federally protected, the fact-check noted that dining with a same-sex spouse does not have the same level of legal protection. In many states, it is legal for businesses to refuse service based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Although some local areas have anti-discrimination ordinances, the level of protection varies.
The fact-check acknowledged that it is unclear how frequently such incidents occur, but it recognized that there have been reports of same-sex couples being refused service. However, experts suggest that these instances are decreasing over time. Although data on LGBTQ+ discrimination in public places is limited, Biden’s statement accurately reflects the legal reality in nearly half of the states.
PolitiFact concluded that while clarification is needed regarding the frequency of discrimination, Biden’s comments align with the existing legal landscape. The president initially made this claim following the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act, which received bipartisan support in Congress.
In addition to addressing discrimination, Biden praised the LGBTQ community as courageous and inspiring during his Pride event speech. He expressed gratitude for their positive influence and recognized their role as examples not only for the nation but also for the world.