Vice President Biden backs letting transgender people serve openly in U.S. military

Vice President Biden threw his support Saturday night behind letting transgender people serve openly in the U.S. military, as the White House reviews a change in policy to lift the longstanding ban.

“No longer is there any question transgender people are able to serve in the United States military,'' the nation’s No. 2 told a crowd of 3,000 gay rights activists at the Human Rights Campaign's annual star-studded dinner.

“It's simple,'' he said. “All Americans are qualified to serve, should be able to serve.''

Biden, who is considering running for president, declared transgender rights to be “the civil rights issue of our time'' as he delivered the keynote speech, just hours after 2016 Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton — his top rival if he enters the race — herself gave a rousing address elevating LGBT rights as a main pillar of own presidential bid.

Biden said gays and lesbians shouldn't fear “those shrill voices'' trying to undo gay marriage and other advances because Americans “have moved so far beyond them and their appeals to prejudice and fear and homophobia.”

“There's homophobes still left. Most of them are running for president,'' Biden added in a cutting jab at the slate of Republican presidential candidates."

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/biden-backs-transgender-people-serving-openly-military-article-1.2384737