President Barack Obama is being urged to appoint a special envoy for LGBT Human Rights within the State Department who would serve as the principal advisor on LGBT issues to the secretary of State.
In a letter to Obama dated Oct. 10, 25 members of the U.S. Senate called on the president to make the appointment before the end of the year, apparently fearing a future president may be less committed to LGBT rights.
“Time is of the essence,” the letter states. “It is crucial that this position be established as soon as possible to ensure that it is carried over into the next administration. By appointing this senior official before the end of this calendar year, your administration can ensure that the position is embedded into the culture of the State Department before the end of your term in office, thereby making it more likely that our recent efforts to fight for equality are not worn away by a future administration.”
With anti-LGBT animus abroad on the rise, the senators argue such an appointment would help coordinate efforts across the federal government to resist discriminatory laws in other countries. As the letter notes, nearly 80 countries criminalize homosexuality, prohibit public support for the LGBT community or promote homophobia. Moreover, same-sex relations are punishable by death in seven countries. This past year, Uganda and Nigeria both passed laws criminalizing homosexuality, drawing criticism from the Obama administration and international community.
“Your administration has taken admirable steps to combat this recent tide of discrimination,” the letter continues. “Yet, we believe the time has come to take the next step. To adequately address the challenges posed by these new discriminatory laws, there needs to be coordination of action across the federal government.”
No Republicans signed the letter. The appointment mirrors a position proposed in the International Human Rights Defense Act, which was introduced by Markey in June.
“As many nations condone discrimination and hatred against LGBT people, the United States must stand with the LGBT community in the struggle for equality around the globe,” stated Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), one of the senators to sign the letter. “Appointing a Special Envoy for LGBT rights at the Department of State will help our foreign policy leaders meet the challenges before us as they work to ensure equality for all people around the globe.”
UPDATE, Oct. 15 at 4:30 p.m.: White House spokesperson Shin Inouye told Metro Weekly, “The White House appreciates the letter and the Obama Administration remains committed to protecting the rights of LGBT people both here and abroad. We have no specific announcements to make, but look forward to working with Congress as we promote the human rights of all people.”
Human rights groups, including LGBTQ advocates, accuse the U.S. State Department of politicizing its annual report on global abuses by erasing references to anti-LGBTQ discrimination. According to Al Jazeera, the 2024 Human Rights Report was released months late after Trump appointees rewrote an earlier draft to align with the administration's "America First" agenda.
The revised report, released last Tuesday, adds new categories like "Life," "Liberty," and "Security of the Person." The State Department called the report "streamlined" and said it was designed to stay "aligned to the administration's executive orders."
"I was really into politics at a very young age," says Tim Miller, host of The Bulwark Podcast and an MSNBC political analyst. "I can't remember what they were called, but you'd get those kid magazines about politics that would come to your school, and I remember always really being drawn to them, and reading them and wanting to know more. I always knew lots of weird facts about politics and geography as a little middle school nerd."
Raised in St. Louis until fourth grade, when his family relocated to Littleton, Colorado, Miller became enmeshed in conservative politics at a young age, taking various campaign jobs throughout his career as a former Republican strategist. He jokes that his success at handicapping political races dates back to the 1992 election, when he won a $1 wager after betting his grandmother that then-Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton would unseat sitting president George H.W. Bush.
"Government should either be about making your life better or leaving you the fuck alone," says Malcolm Kenyatta, vice chair of the Democratic National Committee. "That's why I keep talking about making life better, because it keeps what should be our main message at the forefront of our work."
Last month, the openly gay Pennsylvania state representative was re-elected as vice chair with near-unanimous support during a "re-vote" imposed by Democratic leaders. They claimed that his initial election to the position -- along with David Hogg, a nationally known survivor of the 2018 mass shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida -- was influenced by factors that unfairly disadvantaged female candidates.
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