President Biden welcomed hundreds to the White House on Saturday for a postponed Pride Month celebration designed to show LGBTQ+ people his administration stands behind them at a time when advocates warn of a spike in discriminatory legislation, particularly targeting the transgender community , provided by state houses.

The event, which the government described as the largest Pride event held at the White House, was originally scheduled for Thursday but was postponed due to poor air quality from dangerous air pouring in from Canadian wildfires. But the haze that covered a huge swathe of the East Coast over the past week had cleared over the nation’s capital, allowing the president and First Lady Jill Biden to have their South Lawn party.

So today I want to send a message to the entire community, especially transgender children: You are loved. You are heard. You belong, Biden said.

Pride Month is being celebrated this year as state lawmakers have introduced at least 525 bills and passed 78 bills that take away LGBTQ+ rights, according to the Human Rights Campaign, a group that advocates for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender people and queer.

That count includes a recent flurry of bills

that affect

transgender people, including legislation recently passed by Republican governors vying for the 2024 presidential nomination.

In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis recently signed a bill

law

which prohibits gender-affirming medical care such as puberty blockers or hormone therapy for transgender youth. Earlier this week, a federal judge temporarily blocked parts of a law DeSantis signed into law shortly before announcing he was running for president.

In North Dakota, Governor Doug Burgum signed a bill last month that would prohibit public schools and government agencies from requiring teachers and employees to refer to transgender people by the pronouns they use. Burgum, who like DeSantis has made culture issues a central part of his tenure as governor, entered the White House primary field.

Josh Helfgott, a New York City-based LGBTQ+ activist and social media influencer, said marking Pride Month at the White House felt like one of the most important moments in his life. But he said the tide of legislation has added another layer to this year’s celebrations.

Pride is so important this year because we cannot remain silent when faced with hatred and bigotry, Helfgott said

.

The other side is so loud, incredibly loud.

San Francisco’s Anjali Rimi attended the White House event with her mother, who recently passed away

immigrated emigrated

from India.

Rimi came to the United States more than 20 years ago because, she said, she was shunned as transgender by her family and society.

Times were also tough in the United States, she said. She was pushed out of her job after coming out, was homeless for a time, and applied for asylum in Canada for about ten years before returning to the United States.

It’s a moment we will cherish for a lifetime, said Rimi, an activist in San Francisco’s LGBTQ+ community. “This is a joyful moment, but it also reminds us that we have so much work to do.