On behalf of President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Secretary Blinken, and every one of my colleagues at the Department of State worldwide, welcome. (Applause.)ĭEPUTY SECRETARY SHERMAN: Good afternoon, everybody. And especially a big thanks to department leaders for their commitment to building a more inclusive and diverse State Department.Īnd with that, I would like to turn over – turn the podium over to someone who has been instrumental to those efforts, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman. Thank you again for being here today, and especially to all those who helped make today possible, including my good friend and fellow glifaa board member Shalom Constantino, who is somewhere out here.
It helps LGBTQI people around the globe know they are not alone even if they live under regimes that hunt, arrest, torture, and kill them. Today we also fly the flag for David, for Michelle, for Robin, for Bob, for Jeremy and the countless other LGBTQI employees and allies who have fought from inside those walls to change policy and unlock those doors so that people like me and thousands of others can serve the country we love with pride, with dignity, and with respect.Īnd lastly, we also can’t forget when our beloved red, white, and blue flies above that rainbow of colors it sends an important message to the world that the United States is a country that values diversity, values equity, and values inclusion. And if we discover homosexuals in the department, we discharge them.” In fact, on a summer day in 1965, some of those fired employees protested just right here where we’re standing, while inside the building then Secretary of State Dean Rusk told a bunch of laughing journalists, quote, “The policy of the department is that we do not employ homosexuals knowingly. We also fly the flag today for Jan Krc and the thousands of other employees who, despite their commitment to public service and despite their commitment to defending our nation, were fired simply because they were gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. Today we fly the flag for Andrew Ference and the numerous other colleagues who decades ago took their own lives when State Department investigators confronted them, harassed them, and intimidated them to disclose their sexual orientation and even out their friends and co-workers. Today we are flying this Progress flag for many people, and in doing so we are remembering and honoring those who serve and have served our country with honor and dignity, and we are inspiring a new generation of public servants to enter those doors no matter their gender identity or sexual orientation. MR ANDERSON: Madam Deputy Secretary, Madam Ambassador, fellow glifaa members, colleagues and friends, thank you all for being here today on this historic occasion.
Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration.Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations.Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights.Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights.Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation.
Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security.Arms Control and International Security.Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization.Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources.Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy.Security Coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority Special Representative for Syria Engagement.Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation.Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs.Global AIDS Coordinator and Global Health Diplomacy Office of the Coordinator for Cyber Issues.