State Dept. to Appoint LGBT Rights Envoy

[William769]

Source: The Advocate

Rights advocates are praising the State Department’s decision to create a senior-level position for a special envoy who will oversee the U.S. government’s global efforts for LGBT equality.

“This is a welcome development and historic moment in the U.S. government’s progress in promoting the dignity and equality of LGBT people around the world,” said Jessica Stern, executive director of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, in a statement released after Secretary of State John Kerry’s announcement of the position last week.

“The creation of the special envoy position is a significant advance in the increasing institutionalization of LGBT rights in U.S. foreign policy,” she continued. “With opponents in both houses of Congress and in countries around the world, the potential of this position to heighten credibility and increase resources for LGBT issues in international development and cooperation comes just in time.”

“While there is currently strong momentum in the United States toward equality, there are many places in the world where the LGBT community is at risk, sometimes even for their lives,” added Human Rights Campaign president Chad Griffin in a press release. “This is an important way for the United States to facilitate diplomatic conversations with countries where we see ongoing violence, harassment and discrimination of LGBT people.”

Read more: http://www.advocate.com/world/2015/02/09/state-dept-appoint-lgbt-rights-envoy

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Thank you Obama Administration!

[forest444]

1. You can be sure that someone, somewhere in Republican fantasyland

is working on a conspiracy theory to show that said envoy is or at some point was.....

Obama's lovah!

Qué sera.

[William769]

4. That would make me love President Obama even more!

[forest444]

5. I can just picture the GOP kangaroo impeachment proceedings:

Lindsay Graham would head the Senate Subcommittee; and the House Subcommittee, Aaron Schock.

[greatauntoftriplets]

2. ...

[RKP5637]

3. This is wonderful!

[blm]

6. This was one of Kerry's goals when he was on Foreign Affairs Committee

He has been making giant leaps as SoS.

http://purpleunions.com/blog/2013/08/usa-kerry-says-married-binational-same-sex-couples-officially-eligible-for-visas.html

[freshwest]

9. Thanks for the link! K&Ring this thread!

[blm]

11. Corpmedia has been ignoring the positive leadership Kerry has taken at State.

They are too busy looking into anything that they can misconstrue and distort to keep their Republican masters satisfied.

[sheshe2]

7. Dayum!

More great news. It's a movin' forward William.

~and

The new envoy will be appointed later this month. The State Department is “in the final stages of selecting an openly gay Foreign Service officer as the United States’ first-ever diplomat to focus on LGBT issues,” Mother Jones notes. Kerry specifically wanted “a career Foreign Service officer from inside the institution, someone who is part of the fabric of the institution, a diplomat by training,” a State Department official told The Boston Globe. Senate confirmation is not required.

Sen. Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, has introduced legislation to establish such an envoy.His bill died in the last session of Congress, but he reintroduced it recently, with Rep. Alan Lowenthal of California introducing a companion bill in the House of Representatives. Markey praised Kerry’s move, telling the Globe the envoy “will be a global model for defending LGBT rights around the world.”

Thanks Obama~

[stevenleser]

8. K&R nt

[6000eliot]

10. Excellent news!