Before President Biden was inaugurated as the nation’s 46th president, he and his administration put its staunch support of transgender issues at the forefront of its policies. 

In the waning days of the Biden administration, Fox News Digital revisited the Biden administration’s support of transgender issues, including a handful of controversies that elicited backlash from conservatives. 

"The president’s belief is that trans rights are human rights," former White House press secretary Jen Psaki said within the administration's first month in office during a press conference. 

One day before Biden was inaugurated, he announced the nomination of a person who would become the first known transgender woman to hold an office that required Senate confirmation: Assistant Secretary for Health Rachel Levine. The announcement was soon followed by Biden, in his official capacity as president, rolling back Trump-era trans policies, celebrating holidays championing the trans and LGBTQ communities at large, and pledging support to transgender individuals during each of his State of the Union addresses. 

BIDEN OFFICIAL RACHEL LEVINE SAYS EARLY MEMORIES WERE OF TRANSGENDERISM, QUESTIONING BIOLOGICAL SEX

Following Biden’s successful nomination of Levine to the Department of Health and Human Services, a job Levine still holds, Biden again underscored his administration’s explicitly pro-trans stance when he rolled back the first Trump administration’s ban on trans members of the military. 

Under the Trump administration in 2018, the 45th president officially authorized the Pentagon to ban transgender individuals from joining the military, with limited exceptions, after making the pledge to do so in 2017.

Biden bucked the policy on his fifth day in office through an executive order, saying it was "the right thing to do" and in the "national interest" of the country. 

"President Biden believes that gender identity should not be a bar to military service, and that America’s strength is found in its diversity," the White House said in January 2021. "This question of how to enable all qualified Americans to serve in the military is easily answered by recognizing our core values."

The White House said at the time that America "is stronger, at home and around the world, when it is inclusive," adding that "the military is no exception."

3 MONTHS AND 28 DAYS: LGBTQ EVENTS CLOG CALENDAR AS WHITE HOUSE FACES BACKLASH OVER EASTER ANNOUNCEMENT

The Biden administration has also elevated trans and LGBTQ holidays across the last four years, including issuing messages of support of "Transgender Day of Visibility" each year.  

"Transgender rights are human rights – and I’m calling on every American to join me in uplifting the worth and dignity of transgender Americans. Together, we can stamp out discrimination and deliver on our nation’s promise of freedom and equality for all," he posted to his X account in March 2021. 

International Transgender Day of Visibility was created by activists more than 10 years ago and is celebrated each year on March 31. The holiday came under fierce fire earlier this year, however, as it fell on the same day as Easter Sunday – t​​he most holy holiday for Christians. Conservatives, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., ripped the White House’s decision to recognize Transgender Day of Visibility on Easter, calling it an attack on Christianity.

"We call on Joe Biden’s failing campaign and White House to issue an apology to the millions of Catholics and Christians across America who believe tomorrow is for one celebration only – the resurrection of Jesus Christ," Karoline Leavitt, who served as the Trump campaign’s press secretary before being named as Trump’s White House press secretary, said at the time. 

White House spokesperson Andrew Bates told Fox News Digital at the time that Biden, as a Christian, was working to bring "people together" with the event.

"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. 

BIDEN SAYS HE 'DIDN'T DO THAT' WHEN ASKED ABOUT EASTER BEING 'TRANS VISIBILITY DAY,' DESPITE PROCLAMATION

Fox News Digital previously reported that the White House has celebrated or commemorated seven other holidays focused on LGBT issues, including National Coming Out Day in October; Lesbian Day of Visibility in April; International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia in May; Pride Month in June; Spirit Day in October; Intersex Awareness Day in October; and Transgender Day of Remembrance in November. 

The Biden administration came under fire in 2022 when one of the U.S. government’s first "non-binary" officials was accused of stealing airport luggage on multiple occasions. Non-binary is understood as an individual who does not exclusively identify as male or female. 

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Sam Brinton, a biological male, worked as the Department of Energy deputy assistant secretary, but made national headlines in 2022 when accused of stealing luggage at airports. Brinton was charged with stealing a woman’s suitcase at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport in September and another at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas in July. The DOE said, amid outrage over the case, that Brinton was no longer employed by the department. 

Biden also hosted what was billed as the White House’s largest Pride celebration in its history in 2023. During that event, a transgender model and activist, Rose Montoya, came under fire for going topless and cupping their bare breasts while standing on the South Lawn of the White House. The incident was slammed by conservatives as an "international embarrassment" and Montoya was subsequently banned from visiting the White House. 

"This behavior is inappropriate and disrespectful for any event at the White House. It is not reflective of the event we hosted to celebrate LGBTQI+ families or the other hundreds of guests who were in attendance," the White House said in response to the controversy. "Individuals in the video will not be invited to future events."

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The administration has also invited notable transgender individuals to the White House over the last few years, including hosting "Jeopardy!" champion Amy Schneider in 2022, and held a sit-down discussion with transgender internet influencer Dylan Mulvaney – who was embroiled in the Bud Light commercial controversy in 2023. The Biden admin also saw the elevation of transgender retired Navy officer and activist Shawn Skelly as assistant secretary of defense for readiness in 2021, a role Skelly still holds. 

The White House celebrated the progress of the trans community under Biden's administration in a comment to Fox Digital. 

"President Biden is proud to stand up for the dignity of every single American, and to have achieved historic progress for the following values that Fox Corporation shares and includes in their employee handbook: transgender Americans deserve an ‘environment free of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation, and without fear of consequences or transphobia for living openly," Bates said. 

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Biden has also supported the transgender community each year during his State of the Union addresses, vowing in his first year that the "president has your back." 

"To all transgender Americans watching at home, especially young people who are so brave, I want you to know your president has your back," Biden declared during his first State of the Union address in 2021.

In 2022, he said: "The onslaught of state laws targeting transgender Americans and their families is wrong. As I said last year, especially to our younger transgender Americans, I will always have your back as your president, so you can be yourself and reach your God-given potential."

"Let’s also pass the bipartisan Equality Act to ensure LGBTQ Americans, especially transgender young people, can live with safety and dignity. Our strength is not just the example of our power, but the power of our example. Let’s remember the world is watching," Biden said in his 2023 State of the Union address. 

The U.S. Embassy to the Holy See, which is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, also showed their support for the LGBT community under the Biden administration by flying the pride flag during June each year. 

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Trump’s second administration is expected to be a departure from Biden’s unequivocal support of promoting transgender issues. The president-elect vowed on the campaign trail that he will ban biological males from women’s sports, as well as vowing to remove "woke" ideology from the military – though no decision has been made if that policy will include removing trans individuals from the military. 

"On Day One, I will revoke Joe Biden’s cruel policies on so-called ‘gender affirming care’ – ridiculous – a process that includes giving kids puberty blockers, mutating their physical appearance, and ultimately performing surgery on minor children. Can you believe this?" Trump said in a campaign video last year of his plan to "protect children from left-wing gender insanity." 

"I will sign a new executive order instructing every federal agency to cease all programs that promote the concept of sex and gender transition at any age. I will then ask Congress to permanently stop federal taxpayer dollars from being used to promote or pay for these procedures, and pass a law prohibiting child sexual mutilation in all 50 states. It’ll go very quickly."

The first openly transgender politician elected to the U.S. House, Democratic Rep.-elect Sarah McBride, claimed Sunday that the GOP’s focus on transgender issues is an "attempt to distract" voters.

"I think we are all united that attempts to attack a vulnerable community are not only mean spirited, but really an attempt to misdirect. Because every single time we hear the incoming administration or Republicans in Congress talk about any vulnerable group in this country, we have to be clear that it is an attempt to distract," McBride, who was elected to represent Delaware earlier this month, said Sunday morning on CBS’ "Face the Nation." 

"It is an attempt to distract from what they are actually doing. Every single time, every single time we hear them say the word ‘trans,’ ​​look what they're doing with their right hand. Look at what they're doing to pick the pocket of American workers, to fleece seniors by privatizing Social Security and Medicare. Look what they're doing, undermining workers," McBride added. 

President-elect Trump, conservative voters and members of Congress have all raised concerns regarding transgender issues, including stretching back years, most notably in the context of barring biological men from competing in women’s and girls' sports, as well as banning men from women’s bathrooms and locker rooms. 

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On Capitol Hill, South Carolina Republican Rep. Nancy Mace introduced a resolution last week that moves to prohibit members, officers and employees of the House from using "single-sex facilities other than those corresponding to their biological sex." 

Mace, a rape survivor, also introduced another bill that would "ban biological men from using women’s private, protected facilities – such as bathrooms and locker rooms – on all federal property" across the nation. 

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Democrats, including McBride, slammed Mace as a "far-right" extremist for the legislation. 

"This is a blatant attempt from far right-wing extremists to distract from the fact that they have no real solutions to what Americans are facing. We should be focused on bringing down the cost of housing, health care, and child care, not manufacturing culture wars," McBride posted to X. 

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said later in the week that single-sex facilities on Capitol Hill, including bathrooms, will be used by individuals with the corresponding biological sex. 

NANCY MACE’S EFFORT TO BAN TRANSGENDER DELAWARE DEMOCRAT FROM CAPITOL WOMEN'S RESTROOMS GAINS SUPPORT

"All single-sex facilities in the Capitol and House Office Buildings – such as restrooms, changing rooms, and locker rooms – are reserved for individuals of that biological sex," Johnson said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital. "It is important to note that each Member office has its own private restroom, and unisex restrooms are available throughout the Capitol." 

"Women deserve women’s only spaces," he added. 

"Like all policies, it is enforceable," Johnson later told reporters. "But we have single-sex facilities for a reason, and women deserve women's only spaces. And we're not anti anyone. We're pro-women, and I think it's an important policy for us to continue. It's always been the, I guess, an unwritten policy, but now it's in writing." 

MACE FACES BACKLASH OVER EFFORT TO BAN NEW TRANSGENDER MEMBER OF CONGRESS FROM WOMEN'S BATHROOMS

McBride continued during her Sunday interview that the GOP’s focus on trans issues distracts Congress from policy issues such as lowering the cost of living. 

"Here's also what we have to be clear about, because I think the last week has been a prime example of this. Every bit of time and energy that is used to divert the attention of the federal government to go after trans people is time and energy that is not focused on addressing the cost of living for our constituents. And we have to be clear that there is a real cost for the American worker every time they focus on this," McBride said. 

Mace joined "Fox & Friends Weekend" on Sunday, where she pushed back on Democrats criticizing her for introducing the legislation, notably New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

"It's sad and surprising that in 2024 I have to go on TV and on social media to explain to the radical left that men shouldn't be allowed in women's restrooms, that women shouldn't be forced to undress in front of men."

Fox News Digital's Elizabeth Elkind and Charles Creitz contributed to this report. 

Republicans are gearing up for a trifecta of control in Congress next year with a heightened focus on legislation against transgender medical procedures on minors. 

During a Senate panel on Wednesday afternoon, lawmakers discussed the future of legislative action in Congress, such as bans on biological males competing in women's sports, restrictions on gender-related surgery on minors and cessation of taxpayer funding of these types of procedures for children, and expanding parental consent requirements.

The discussion was hosted by Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., and was led by Terry Schilling, president of the American Principles Project (APP). Schilling interviewed Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill., and Paula Scanlan, a swimmer who shared her experience of competing alongside Lia Thomas, a transgender athlete on the women’s team at the University of Pennsylvania.

"This movement from the beginning has been about saving America, but mostly about protecting our children," Schilling said in his opening remarks.

SPEAKER JOHNSON ANNOUNCES NEW CAPITOL BATHROOM POLICY IN RESPONSE TO CONTROVERSY OVER TRANS HOUSE MEMBER

Marshall, a former medical doctor, discussed his efforts to "shut down the gender industrial complex."

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"Here, today, we're protecting young ladies and men from genital mutilation, 'cause this is what this is," Marshall told the panel. "It's hard for me to believe we're doing irreversible damage to these young children."

Tuberville, who introduced the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2023, said that "we've gotten no help from the Democratic side," but that Republicans are going to continue working on the issue in the next Congress when Senate Republicans will likely have a majority.

"I can't believe we're even having to do this," Tuberville added. "It is pure insanity and has caused irreversible damage on children. This isn't about politics folks, this is about good and evil."

"Title IX is the best thing to come out of this building in 50 years," Tuberville, a former coach, said. "Biological men playing in women's sports is not a right."

Scanlan told the panel about her experience competing for the University of Pennsylvania's swim team alongside a biological male, saying that she had to change in the locker room with Thomas "18 times per week."

Marshall revealed that Congress will be introducing the Safeguarding the Overall Protection of Minors Act (STOP), which will aim to "punish people who perform surgery or mediation on minors."

According to an APP report recently covered by Fox News Digital, total revenues for transgender drugs and surgeries in 2023 are estimated to surpass $4.4 billion. That number, according to the study, could exceed $7.8 billion by 2030.

Delaware set off a firestorm this month after it elected the first transgender woman to Congress, leading some Republicans to demand the new lawmaker be barred from women’s bathrooms.

Rep.-elect Sarah McBride, currently a Democrat state senator for President Biden’s hometown of Claymont, Delaware, defeated retired Delaware State Trooper John Whalen III, 58%-42%. McBride succeeds Rep. Lisa Blunt-Rochester, D-Del., who won the retiring Tom Carper’s open U.S. Senate seat.

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., led the charge against allowing McBride from using the women’s restrooms on Capitol Hill. McBride is a biological male who identifies and presents as a woman. Mace said Tuesday she is now receiving death threats, adding that she is the one being "unfairly targeted."

Mace drafted resolution H.R. 1579 on Monday which would prohibit members, officers and employees of the House from using facilities other than those corresponding to their biological sex.

MACE FACES BACKLASH OVER EFFORT TO BAN TRANSGENDER MEMBER OF CONGRESS FROM WOMEN'S BATHROOMS

As of Tuesday afternoon, it had been referred to the House Administration Committee currently chaired by Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wis., but did not appear to have come to a vote yet.

The bill would direct House Sergeant-at-Arms William McFarland to enforce the new provision.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., told reporters she supports Mace’s resolution and called McBride "mentally ill."

"Sarah McBride, as he calls himself, formerly Tim McBride, is a biological man, and he should not be using any of our restrooms in the Capitol and those in our office buildings," Greene said.

"Nancy Mace's resolution doesn't go far enough. Her resolution is just a statement by Congress saying that Congress disagrees with something. We need something more binding."

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R–La., a noted social conservative, said he’s "not going to get into this."

"We welcome all new members with open arms who are duly elected representatives of the people. I believe it's a command that we treat all persons with dignity and respect, that we will. And I'm not going to engage in silly debates about this."

Johnson added that the issue of gender identity in locker rooms and bathrooms is not something Congress has had to address before and thus deserves honest deliberation and "member consensus."

"And we will accommodate the needs of every single person," the speaker added.

Greene said the situation reminds her of how student-athletes were forced to compete against biological males who are physiologically stronger as a baseline.

"There is a volleyball player that has brain damage today because of a biological male spiking a ball into her head."

In that regard, former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines, who was forced to compete against a transgender University of Pennsylvania swimmer, slammed McBride’s pointed response to criticisms.

"And even after his temper tantrum, he's still a man," she wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Gaines is an OutKick.com contributor and the host of the "Gaines for Girls" podcast.

In a 2015 story in American’s college magazine, McBride said, "My father said to me that he was not losing a son but gaining a daughter. That was one of the most profound moments in my transition. It was a major relief when it was clear that both my parents saw me as who I am."

In earlier comments about her resolution, Mace said she is a rape survivor and still has PTSD from her abuse at the hands of a man.

Later Tuesday, Mace said the issue is protecting women and girls and making sure Congress acts in accordance.

"[McBride] doesn't get a say. This is about real women and women's rights and the far-left radical left. They want to erase women and women's rights, and I'm not going to let them," she said. 

"Here's the deal: Biological men shouldn't be in women's private spaces, period, end of story," she said.

Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., defended McBride on Tuesday, telling reporters he was "sick to his stomach" by Mace’s resolution.

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In a statement, McBride called the situation "a blatant attempt from far right-wing extremists to distract from the fact that they have no real solutions to what Americans are facing."

"Delawareans sent me here to make the American dream more affordable and accessible and that’s what I’m focused on."

Fox News Digital reached out to McBride's campaign and Dover office for additional comment on the new criticisms and was provided with an initial statement.

Fox News’ Daniel Scully, Tyler Olson and Ryan Schmelz contributed to this report.