The previous administration had banned embassies flying rainbow flags during Pride Month.
US Secretary of State nominee Antony Blinken has unveiled a shortlist of pro-LGBTQ+ commitments that the new Biden administration is pledging, in order to promote attitudes toward equality across the globe.
One of the chief pledges is a reversal on the ban on embassies flying rainbow flags during Pride Month. These had been banned by the previous administration, with former Secretary of Defence, Mark Esper, comparing them to Confederate flags, which are used to promote white supremacy.
Blinken also promised to appoint a new Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTI Persons. The position was originally created in 2015 by Barack Obama, but was left unfilled after Randy Barry left the role in the early days of the Tr*mp presidency.
Blinken said that appointing the envoy was a “real urgency” after levels of LGBTQ+ violence against queer people across the globe have increased, and a record 44 trans women were murdered last year in the United States.
“We’ve seen violence directed against LGBTQI people around the world increase,” he said at a confirmation hearing. “We’ve seen, I believe, the highest number of murders of transgender people, particularly women of colour, that we’ve seen ever.
“And so I think the United States playing the role that it should be playing in standing up for and defending the rights of LGBTQI people is something that the Department is going to take on and take on immediately.”
The post US embassies will be allowed to fly rainbow flags again during Pride Month appeared first on GAY TIMES.
US embassies will be allowed to fly rainbow flags again during Pride Month
The previous administration had banned embassies flying rainbow flags during Pride Month.
US Secretary of State nominee Antony Blinken has unveiled a shortlist of pro-LGBTQ+ commitments that the new Biden administration is pledging, in order to promote attitudes toward equality across the globe.
One of the chief pledges is a reversal on the ban on embassies flying rainbow flags during Pride Month. These had been banned by the previous administration, with former Secretary of Defence, Mark Esper, comparing them to Confederate flags, which are used to promote white supremacy.
Blinken also promised to appoint a new Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTI Persons. The position was originally created in 2015 by Barack Obama, but was left unfilled after Randy Barry left the role in the early days of the Tr*mp presidency.
Blinken said that appointing the envoy was a “real urgency” after levels of LGBTQ+ violence against queer people across the globe have increased, and a record 44 trans women were murdered last year in the United States.
“We’ve seen violence directed against LGBTQI people around the world increase,” he said at a confirmation hearing. “We’ve seen, I believe, the highest number of murders of transgender people, particularly women of colour, that we’ve seen ever.
“And so I think the United States playing the role that it should be playing in standing up for and defending the rights of LGBTQI people is something that the Department is going to take on and take on immediately.”
The post US embassies will be allowed to fly rainbow flags again during Pride Month appeared first on GAY TIMES.
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