Gay solejob

LGBT communities around the world will soon have a powerful advocate in the State Department whose sole job is to watch out for their interests.

America’s Newest Diplomat Will Defend LGBT People Around the World

Later this month, the State Department will name a special envoy to focus on the rights of LGBT people globally, a department official tells Mother Jones. The position will not require Senate confirmation. Ed Markey D-Mass. Chris Smith R-N. On the same day Smith made these remarks, Nigerian police arrested a dozen people for attending a gay wedding.

In recent years, some foreign governments have taken harsh action against LGBT people, provoking outrage among human rights advocates globally. LGBT people are criminalized to some extent in 76 countries, a group that includes countries like Pakistan and Iran as well as Jamaica and Singapore. Now, the United States will have a full-time diplomat committed to doing that work.

Advocates for appointing a special LGBT envoy had expressed concern that any action solejob State Department takes could potentially be undone when a new administration takes over in But precedent suggests that LGBT-oriented diplomatic progress is unlikely to be rolled back.

Bush would go on to appoint an openly gay ambassador himself.