For Western Christians, this last Sunday was Easter, the celebration of the supposed resurrection of the crucified Jesus.
Easter is, of course, one of those annoying holidays whose date varies. (I also find it annoying for other reasons, but let’s put those aside for now.) The holiday takes place on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox, which this year fell on 31 March. Meanwhile, the International Transgender Day of Visibility, which has been marked on the same fixed date since its inception in 2009, also falls on 31 March.
Because swathes of the United States are filled with culture-warring Christians whose virulent anti-trans bigotry has been wreaking large scale havoc on transgender Americans and our loved ones for the better part of the last decade, this mundane coincidence became the subject of tantrums from prominent religious leaders, commentators, politicians, and Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. Never mind that there are trans Christians who celebrate Easter, or that Joe Biden’s presidential administration has recognised the Trans Day of Visibility with a pro forma proclamation on 31 March in every year of his tenure. America’s right-wingers screeched and whined about Biden’s “attack” on Easter and Christians and his promotion of “sin”.
