White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre used Lesbian Visibility Week to highlight her achievements as an openly queer person in America during a recent press briefing at the White House.
Standing in front of the cast of the television series The L Word and L Word: Generation Q, Jean-Pierre spoke about the importance of visibility and representation for the LGBTQ community.
"As the first openly queer person to hold the position of press secretary for the President of the United States, I see every day how important visibility and representation are," Jean-Pierre said in her speech.
During the press conference, Jean-Pierre and the cast of The L Word praised President Biden for being the "most pro-LGBTQ president in history" while also criticizing "MAGA extremists."
Jean-Pierre also spoke about the impact of the television series The L Word on the LGBTQ community, saying, "Being able to see diverse narratives that reflect our lives is incredibly important. It is important that young people see characters on television and in the books who they can relate to, and whose life stories and identities inspire them to reach their highest potential."
Jean-Pierre also took the opportunity to criticize Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis and his "Don't Say Gay" laws and "relentless attacks from some Republicans across the country."
"MAGA extremists want to roll back the visibility and progress we fought so hard to achieve," Jean-Pierre added.
Ilene Chaiken, an actress on the show, spoke after Jean-Pierre, saying, "We're honored to be here today standing beside the first out lesbian press secretary in our history, who serves the most pro-LGBTQI president in our history."
Chaiken also highlighted the ongoing struggles faced by the LGBTQ community, including online harassment, legislative acts of violence, and physical violence.
"They may try to erase our stories from classrooms and libraries, but we're here. We're here today at the White House and we won't be erased," Chaiken added.
Jean-Pierre, who replaced former Biden administration press secretary Jen Psaki in May 2022, is the first black queer woman to hold the press secretary position for the White House.
Lesbian Visibility Week is a global campaign that aims to raise awareness of lesbian visibility and celebrate the achievements of the lesbian community. The week takes place annually, from April 25th to May 1st.
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