Joe Biden knows there are ‘at least three’ genders – and how to shut down anti-trans trolls
Joe Biden speaks to Iowa voters on the Soapbox stage at the Iowa State Fair in August 2019 (Getty/Salwan Georges for The Washington Post)
A clip has resurfaced of incoming president Joe Biden seeing right through a right-wing agitator attempting to rile him on transgender issues.
A member of Trump fanaticist group Turning Point USA had accosted Biden at the Iowa State Fair in August 2019, demanding he explain how many genders there are.
Biden calmly responded: “There are at least three.”
When the activist attempted to press him into elaborating further, Biden shut down the bad-faith discussion immediately, telling her: “Don’t play games with me, kid.”
Referring to his pioneering stance on LGBT+ issues in the Obama White House, he added: “By the way, the first one who came out for marriage was me.”
The incident was initially publicised as part of a Turning Point USA propaganda video, with the group attempting to remove some of the egg from its face with a spurious suggestion that Biden had “forcefully grabbed one of our young field staffers” over the question.
My team just forwarded this video to me
Watch former Vice President Biden forcefully grab one of our young field staffers at yesterday’s Iowa State Fair after she asked him how many genders there are pic.twitter.com/1qmpJxJlzO
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) August 9, 2019
While it was a peripheral incident involving one of several Democratic presidential candidates at the time, the exchange has floated back into the public consciousness as Biden is now set to become president in just a few days’ time.
Joe Biden praised for measured response to bad-faith question.
As the clip resurfaced on Twitter, one user reflected: “Biden says dumb things a lot but in his heart he’s trying to be nice and accepting. Big grandpa vibes tbh.”
I don't even think it was that dumb! I don't expect Joe Biden to explain the nuances of gender identity to a far right troll, but this was funny and sweet while technically true. If one of my parents gave me that answer if I asked them about gender identity I'd be ecstatic.— Michael Vera (@MushroomsOnMarz) January 12, 2021
Another added: “I don’t even think it was that dumb! I don’t expect Joe Biden to explain the nuances of gender identity to a far right troll, but this was funny and sweet while technically true. If one of my parents gave me that answer if I asked them about gender identity I’d be ecstatic.”
Others praised the way he saw through the bad-faith questioning rather than attempt to pander, with a tweet adding: “The best part is him shutting her down for asking him to clarify. He doesn’t have time for her s**t.”
President-elect to take office next week, while Turning Point USA sinks lower.
While Biden has gone up in the world since the moment, the same can’t be said for Turning Point USA.
Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk recently removed a tweet boasting about sending “80+ buses full of patriots to DC to fight for this president” on the day that pro-Trump protesters stormed the US Capitol.
The group’s campaign arm Turning Point Action offered bus rides and complimentary hotel rooms to protesters ahead of the coup attempt, it has been alleged.
Kirk has since sought to downplay the attack, suggesting it was “not wise” to storm the Capitol but “just because you do something that is regrettable does not mean that you are planning an armed insurrection against the United States government.”
