President Biden signs two executive orders for gender equality

President Biden celebrates his first International Women’s Day in office by signing two executive orders to promote gender equality around the world. President Biden signed orders to establish a Gender Policy Council in the White House and reversing a controversial rule regarding sexual assault within the Department of Education.

Today, @POTUS takes two huge steps to promote gender equity: creating the Gender Policy Council and ordering a review of Title IX changes under the previous administration to ensure our students have access to education free from sexual violence. #IWD https://t.co/tGfIzKnwFX

— Susan Rice (@AmbRice46) March 8, 2021

The first executive order will establish a Gender Policy Council in the White House that was established during Biden’s vice presidency during the Obama administration. The Trump administration disbanded Obama’s White House Council on Women and Girls but the Biden administration will be reforming the council that is inclusive in the definition of gender.

The Gender Policy Council co-chair, Jennifer Klein, has worked on women’s issues since the Clinton administration disclosed the new council will address the fight and discrimination for the equal right of all people. The Council will also have a diverse staff including an assistant to the president on policies to advance equality for Latina, Black, and indigenous women and girls of color.

The Council will be working towards increasing opportunity and economic security by addressing barriers in women’s participation in the labor force including wealth gaps and decreasing wages. The Biden administration will also focus on gender equality within the Department of Education.

On this #InternationalWomensDay, I signed two executive orders to establish the White House Gender Policy Council and ensure education free from sexual violence. As president, I’m committed to uplifting the rights of women and girls in the U.S. and around the world. pic.twitter.com/60lYI8qhR8

— President Biden (@POTUS) March 9, 2021

The second executive order addressing the Department of Education will be working towards reversing a controversial rule for on-campus sexual harassment and assault issued during the Trump administration. The controversial rule developed by former Trump administration education secretary, Betsy DeVos, developed a new regulation granting more rights and protections for people accused of sexual harassment or assault.

DeVos cited Title IX (the federal civil rights law banning sexual discrimination in education) in passing the new regulation that the Biden administration will be working to reverse. The executive order calls for the Department of Education to review all existing regulations to guarantee an educational environment that is free of discrimination on the basis of sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation including the form of sexual harassment and violence.

These executive orders will be the framework for the effort of the Biden administration to reform the White House to promote gender inclusivity and equal rights for the future of the US. The Biden administration is already making history with the first woman Vice President Kamala Harris and is dedicated to fighting towards equality.