President Joe Biden on Monday recognized National Coming Out Day (NCOD).

The annual LGBT awareness day is observed on October 11. The first National Coming Out Day was celebrated in the United States in 1988.

“Today, we celebrate National Coming Out Day and the courage of LGBTQ+ people who live their lives with pride, create community with open arms and hearts, and showcase the strength of being your authentic self,” Biden said in a statement released by the White House.

“Today and every day, I want every member of the LGBTQ+ community to know that you are loved and accepted just the way you are – regardless of whether or not you’ve come out,” he said.

Biden went on to list his administration's achievements on LGBT policy, including an executive order signed on his first day in office ordering federal agencies to implement the Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock, which found that existing federal laws prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

“Despite the extraordinary progress our nation has made, our work to ensure the full promise of equality is not yet done,” Biden continued. “Anti-LGBTQ+ bills still proliferate in state legislatures. Bullying and harassment – particularly of young transgender Americans and LGBTQ+ people of color – still abounds, diminishing our national character.”

“We must continue to stand together against these acts of hate, and stand up to protect the rights, opportunities, physical safety, and mental health of LGBTQ+ people everywhere.”

Biden reiterated his support for the Equality Act, an LGBT protections bill which cleared the House but stalled in the Senate, and added that his administration “will always have your back.”