In an interview with a trans activist, Biden condemned states that ban the reassignment of children

“I feel very, very strongly that you should have every single right, including using your gender identity but public toilets,” he added.

Afterward, Mulvaney said he felt Republicans were “blah[ed] the fall of society” on transgender people.

“How can Democratic leaders be more effective in advocating for us trans people in our families, in our lives and in our opportunities?” Mulvaney asked the president.

Biden responded: “I’m not being funny when I say this, but I’m seen with people like you. No, I mean… people fear what they don’t know,” he said.

The White House did not respond to CNA’s request for comment.

Europe abolishes care for children’s gender

The president’s remarks come as several European countries continue to restrict access to gender-affirming treatments and surgeries to minors.

Last week, England’s National Hospital System (NHS) produced new guidance, which it says will issue stricter oversight of the provision of “gender-affirming” care for children with gender dysphoria.

According to Reuters, which has obtained a draft of the guidelines, the guidelines call for “local authorities to be alerted in some cases where young people have received puberty blockers and hormone therapies on the private market”.

The guidelines include various safety protocols to ensure the “safety and well-being” of children who want access to puberty blockers and hormone treatments.

The news comes in response to criticism from “practitioners who said it forced people to take drugs,” Reuters reported.

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It follows the closure of the world’s largest transition clinic for minors, Britain’s Tavistock Clinic, which was closed this year after an independent review and complaints from patients’ families.

England is not the only country to update its treatment protocols for children with gender dysphoria. Finland and Sweden have changed their guidelines on gender-equality care, with Sweden’s National Board of Health and Welfare (NBHW) stating in July that “the risks of puberty-suppressing treatment [with] gender-affirming hormone treatment currently outweighs the possible benefits.”