Joe Biden to receive prestigious honour at global LGBTQ+ leadership conference

Former U.S. President Joe Biden is set to be honoured with the Chris Abele Impact Award at the 41st International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference, taking place in Washington, D.C., this week. The award, presented by the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute, recognises Biden’s decades-long advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights and his role in shaping what many consider the most inclusive administration in US history. 

The three-day conference, which begins today, will gather more than 700 elected officials, human rights advocates, and global leaders, making it the largest LGBTQ+ political convening in the world. Biden will receive the award on Friday and deliver a rare post-presidency address to attendees.

Victory Institute President and CEO Evan Low praised Biden’s “unwavering commitment to ensuring LGBTQ+ people can participate fully and openly in our democracy,” citing landmark achievements during his presidency. These include reinstating and expanding federal anti-discrimination protections, restoring transgender military service, and appointing a record number of LGBTQ+ officials to senior roles - among them Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Admiral Rachel Levine, Ambassador Chantale Wong and White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. 

The honour comes at a time of heightened political tension for LGBTQ+ communities in the United States, with advocates warning of “laser-focused” legislative efforts to roll back rights. Yet, according to Low, the current climate reflects a paradox of “urgency and hope,” as LGBTQ+ leaders continue to gain visibility and influence across all levels of government.

Other notable speakers at the conference include Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, Maine Governor Janet Mills and authors Mary Trump and Stuart Milk.