U.S. State Department
State Department releases annual human rights report
Anti-LGBTQ persecution, violence remains commonplace around the world
![](https://www.losangelesblade.com/content/files/2022/04/Antony_Blinken_insert_c_Washington_Blade_by_Michael_K_Lavers.jpg)
WASHINGTON ā The State Department’s annual human rights report that was released on Tuesday notes anti-LGBTQ+ persecution and violence remains commonplace in many countries around the world.
The report notes consensual same-sex sexual relations remain criminalized in Jamaica and dozens of other countries. Iran and Afghanistan are two of the handful of nations in which homosexuality is punishable by death.
The report specifically cites the case of Alireza Fazeli Monfared, an Iranian man whose relatives killed in in May 2021 after they discovered he was gay and non-binary. The report also notes the Taliban regaining control of Afghanistan in August 2021 “increased fears of repression and violence among LGBTQI+ persons, with many individuals going into hiding to avoid being captured by the Taliban.”
“Many fled the country after the takeover,” reads the report. “After the takeover, LGBTQI+ persons faced increased threats, attacks, sexual assaults, and discrimination from Taliban members, strangers, neighbors and family members.”
The report includes statistics from AssociaĆ§Ć£o Nacional de Travestis e Transexuais, a Brazilian Transgender rights group, that indicate 80 trans people ā most of whom were Brazilians of African descent who were younger than 35 ā were reported killed in the first six months of 2021. The report also cites Cattrachas, a lesbian feminist human rights group in Honduras that noted 17 “violent deaths of LGBTQI+ persons” in the country between January and August 2021.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken pointed out to reporters there are more than 1 million political prisoners in 65 countries. These include Yoav de la Cruz, a gay Cuban man who was sentenced to six years in prison last month after he livestreamed the first anti-government protest that took place on the island on July 11, 2021.
The report notes Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor OrbĆ”n’s continued efforts to rollback LGBTQ+ rights, which include a decree his government issued on Aug. 6, 2021, that restricted the sale of children’s books with LGBTQ-specific themes. The report also includes incidents of anti-LGBTQ+ violence, discrimination and hate speech in Poland.
This report focuses on 2021, and does not include details of human rights abuses that Russian forces have carried out against Ukrainian civilians during the ongoing war in their country. Blinken nevertheless criticized Russia throughout his remarks.
“In many years running, we have seen an alarming recession in democracy, in rule of law, respect for human rights in many parts of the world,” said Blinken. “In the time since releasing our previous report, that backsliding has, unfortunately, continued. In few places have the human consequences of this decline have been as stark as they are in the Russian government’s brutal war on Ukraine.”
Blinken also described human rights as “universal.”
“People of every nationality, race, gender, disability and age are entitled to these rights, no matter what they believe, who they love, or any other characteristics,” he said. “This is especially important as a number of governments continue to claim, falsely, that human rights need to be applied based on global context. It’s no coincidence that many of the same governments are among the worst abusers of human rights.”
The report also notes LGBTQ+ rights advances around the world.
The Botswana Court of Appeals in November 2021 upheld a previous ruling that decriminalized homosexuality in the country. The report also notes the European Commission sanctioned Hungary over its efforts to curtail LGBTQ+ rights and Poland in response to so-called “LGBT-free zones.”
‘We do not claim a moral high ground’
President Biden in 2021 released a memorandum that committed the U.S. to promoting LGBTQ rights abroad.
The White House last June named then-OutRight Action International Executive Director Jessica Stern as the next special U.S. envoy for the promotion of LGBTQ+ rights abroad. The State Department on Monday began to issue passports with “X” gender markers.
The State Department released its report less than a month after Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law his state’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Lawmakers in dozens of other states across the U.S. have introduced similar measures and others that specifically target transgender children.
“We’re not trying to pretend that these are not issues that we are grappling with here in the United States,” said Acting Assistant Secretary of the State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Lisa Peterson in response to the Washington Blade’s question about the release of the report against the backdrop of anti-LGBTQ+ measures in the U.S. “This report, because it is very clearly focused on the rest of the world, we do dig in on other countries. We do not have a mandate to do a report on our own circumstances.”
“The universal nature of human rights also means that we have to hold ourselves accountable to the same standards,” said Blinken. “Even as this report looks outward at countries around the world, we’ve acknowledged from day one of this administration that we have challenges here in the United States.”
“We take seriously our responsibility to address these shortcomings and we know that the way we do it matters; together with citizens and communities, out in the open, transparent, not trying to pretend problems don’t exist, or sweeping them under a rug,” he added.
Peterson echoed Blinken before she took reporters’ questions.
“We can’t be credible advocates for human rights abroad if we don’t live up to the same principles at home,” said Peterson. “We do not claim a moral high ground, but we do, in the words of our Constitution, resolve to form a more perfect union, which means that we must continue to address the many human rights challenges in our own country.”
U.S. State Department
State Department travel advisory warns of potential anti-LGBTQ+ violence
FBI issued similar warning this week
![](https://www.losangelesblade.com/content/files/2021/05/Harry-S-Truman-State-Department-building-Library-of-Congress-e1626279258893.jpg)
WASHINGTON āĀ The State Department on Friday issued a worldwide travel advisory that warns of potential violence against LGBTQ+ people and LGBTQ+-specific events.
“Due to the potential for terrorist attacks, demonstrations, or violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests, the Department of State advises U.S. citizens overseas to exercise increased caution,” reads the advisory. “The Department of State is aware of the increased potential for foreign terrorist organization-inspired violence against LGBTQI+ persons and events and advises U.S. citizens overseas to exercise increased caution.”
The advisory further urges U.S. citizens to:
- Stay alert in locations frequented by tourists, including Pride celebrations and venues frequented by LGBTQI+ persons.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive information and alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency overseas.
- Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Homeland Security Investigations earlier this week issued a similar advisory.
The advisory notes June 12 will mark eight years since the massacre at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla.
U.S. State Department
Former State Department spokesperson named UN ambassador’s deputy
Ned Price is gay
![](https://www.losangelesblade.com/content/files/2022/12/20221203_Ned-Price_at_Victory_Institute_Internation_LGBTQ_Leaders_Conference_c_Washington_Blade_by_Michael_K_Lavers.jpg)
WASHINGTON āĀ U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield has announced former State Department spokesperson Ned Price will manage her D.C. office.
Thomas-Greenfield in a statement to Politico on Feb. 16 said Price’s “judgment and expertise will be a tremendous asset to me and the entire USUN team.” Price, who is gay, in a post to his personal X account acknowledged his appointment.
“I am grateful to (U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield), (Secretary of State Antony Blinken) and my colleagues across the administration for the opportunity to help promote America’s interests and values in the U.N. and broader multilateral system together with our allies and partners,” wrote Price.
Iām grateful to ā¦@USAmbUNā©, ā¦@SecBlinkenā©, and my colleagues across the Administration for the opportunity to help promote Americaās interests and values in the UN and broader multilateral system together with our allies and partners. https://t.co/W5KmdezAlF
— Ned Price (@nedprice) February 16, 2024
Price on Jan. 20, 2021, became the first openly gay State Department spokesperson. He stepped down in March 2023 in order to become a senior advisor to Blinken.
Price was previously a senior communications official for the National Security Council and worked at the Central Intelligence Agency.
U.S. State Department
Antony Blinken visits Nigeria
State Department has not said whether LGBTQ+ rights specifically raised
![](https://www.losangelesblade.com/content/files/2024/01/20240123_Antony_Blinken_and_Bola_Ahmed_Tinubu_insert_via_X.jpg)
WASHINGTON ā The State Department has not said whether Secretary of State Antony Blinken specifically raised LGBTQ+ rights during his trip to Nigeria last week.Ā
Blinken was in the country between Jan. 23-24. He also visited Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire and Angola while in Africa.
A State Department spokesperson on Jan. 26 told the Washington Blade that Blinken while in Africa “had private conversations with public sector representatives engaged in the health field and with civil society representatives involved in human rights, democracy, education and food security work.”
AĀ Jan. 24 post on Blinken’s X accountĀ includes a picture of him meeting with representatives of Nigerian civil society organizations. The post does not indicate whether any of those with whom Blinken met represent LGBTQ+ advocacy groups and/or identify as LGBTQ+.
“Nigerian civil society organizations are critical to strengthening institutions and protecting human rights,” said Blinken. “I sat down with a few leaders to discuss the U.S.-Nigeria partnership to work on shared challenges and deliver on the fundamental aspirations of our peoples.”
Blinken also visited the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research in Lagos, the country’s largest city.
“The work that the U.S. and Nigeria are doing together goes back to the start of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the extraordinary PEPFAR (Presidentās Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) program,” said Blinken on a Jan. 24 X post. “I had the opportunity to tour the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research and see firsthand the work they are doing to improve public health.”
Blinken on Jan. 23 met with President Bola Tinubu in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, and later held a joint press conference with Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar.
“As I told the president and the foreign minister, the United States will support Nigeria as it works to bring about a more secure, a more peaceful and a more prosperous future for its people,” said Blinken.
“Fundamentally, this outcome is an investment in the foundations of an inclusive, democratic society ā a focus on equal opportunity for all regardless of ethnicity, religion or any other group distinction,” he added. “That helps build the social cohesion. That also deters banditry, deters terrorism, deters violent extremism.”
Blinken during the press conference also highlighted PEPFAR and its work in Nigeria.
“Over the last 20 years, weāve invested $8.3 billion in HIV and tuberculosis prevention, care, and treatment and in strengthening the public health system, reaching millions of Nigerians,” he said. “That effort will continue.”
President Joe Biden in 2021 signed a memo that commits the U.S. to the promotion of LGBTQ+ and intersex rights abroad as part of his administration’s overall foreign policy.Ā
Vice President Kamala Harris last March spoke about LGBTQ+ rights during a press conference with Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo in Accra, the country’s capital.
Ghana and Nigeria are among the countries in which consensual same-sex sexual relations remain criminalized. Homosexuality remains punishable by death in areas of Nigeria that are under Sharia law.
Then-Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan in 2014 signed the Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act that, among other things,Ā punishes those who enter into a same-sex marriage in his country with up to 14 years in prison and bans membership in an LGBTQ+ advocacy group.
Authorities in Gombe state last October arrested 76 people who were “celebrating homosexual birthdays” and planning to “hold a same-sex marriage.”
Police in Delta state last August took into custody more than 200 people who were attending a same-sex wedding at a hotel. Authorities later paraded some of those who were arrested in front of journalists.
“In our own programming and diplomatic engagements, we work with international partners in bilateral and multilateral forums to encourage strong and sustained support for democratic governance, respect for the human rights of all, labor rights, media freedom, a strong civil society and government transparency and accountability,” said the State Department spokesperson with whom the Blade spoke on Jan 26.
The spokesperson earlier in the week noted the promotion of “democracy, good governance and respect for human rights of all persons is at the center of our foreign policy, including in our relationships with our African partners.”āÆ
U.S. State Department
State Department urges Ugandan government to investigate stabbing of prominent activist
Steven Kabuye attacked outside home on Wednesday
![](https://www.losangelesblade.com/content/files/2024/01/Steven_Kabuye_insert_via_X.jpg)
WASHINGTON ā A State Department spokesperson on Thursday urged the Ugandan government to investigate the stabbing of prominent activist Steven Kabuye and prosecute those who committed it.
“We call on the government of Uganda to investigate this assault, as it would every other violent assault, and to prosecute those responsible to the full extent of the law,” the spokesperson told the Washington Blade in a statement.
Kabuye is the co-executive director of Coloured Voice Truth to LGBTQ Uganda.
A video he posted to his X account on Wednesday shows him on the ground writhing in pain with a deep laceration on his right forearm and a knife embedded in his stomach.
Coloured Voice Truth to LGBTQ Uganda Advocacy Officer Hans Senfuma on X wrote two āunknown individuals who were on a motorcycleā stabbed Kabuye at around 8 a.m. near his home as he was going to work. Kabuye remains in the hospital, but a source told the Blade the knife used to stab him in the stomach did not damage any organs.
“He’s expected to heal soon,” said the source.
The stabbing took place less than seven months after Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni signed his countryās Anti-Homosexuality Act, which contains a death penalty provision for āaggravated homosexuality.ā
The State Department a few weeks after the Anti-Homosexuality Act took effect announced visa restrictions against unnamed Ugandan officials. The World Bank Group later announced the suspension of new loans to Uganda.
The Biden-Harris administration has removed Uganda from a program that allows sub-Saharan African countries to trade duty-free with the U.S. and has issued a business advisory for the country over the Anti-Homosexuality Act. Secretary of State Antony Blinken last monthĀ announcedĀ sanctions against current and former Ugandan officials who committed human rights abuses against LGBTQ+ people and other groups.
Ugandaās Constitutional Court on Dec. 18 heard arguments in a lawsuit that challenges the Anti-Homosexuality Act.
Republican Michigan Congressman Tim Walberg on Oct. 8 defended the Anti-Homosexuality Act in a speech he gave at Uganda’s National Prayer Breakfast. The Young Turks reported Museveni is among those who attended the event.
Kabuye duringĀ an interview with the Associated PressĀ on Thursday said “politiciansĀ who are using the LGBTQ+ community as a scapegoat to move people away from what is really happening in the country.” Kabuye further attributed the attack against him to the growing intolerance against LGBTQ+ Ugandans these officials have fueled.
“We urge respect for the human rights of all Ugandans, including LGBTQI+ persons,” the State Department spokesperson told the Blade on Thursday. “We call on the government of Uganda to respect and protect those who advocate for the safety and freedom of all Ugandans.”
It is not immediately clear whether Ugandan police have made any arrests in connection with the stabbing.
U.S. State Department
Negotiations to release Griner stalled for now diplomat says
“We have made a serious proposal to free American prisoners.Ā We did not see a serious response from the Russian side to our proposal”
![](https://www.losangelesblade.com/content/files/2022/11/Elizabeth-Rood-the-U.S.jpg)
MOSCOW – In remarks published Monday, Elizabeth Rood, the U.S. chargĆ©e dāaffaires in Moscow, told Russiaās state-owned RIA news agency that talks to free jailed Americans Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan were continuing through the “designated channel.”
During the long ranging interview covering a variety of subjects, Rood was asked if she intended to visit the imprisoned WNBA star who is serving time in a Mordovian prison.
āOf course, we are going to do this as soon as the Russian authorities give us permission to visit Brittney Griner in the new colony where she was recently transferred,” the American diplomat responded and in answer to a follow-up question regarding Griner’s status Rood answered; āAs far as we understood from talking to her, she is healthy and doing as well as can be expected in her difficult circumstances.”
RIA then focused on the negotiations asking for some of the details including the possibility of convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout being included in the “exchange list” in the potential prisoner swap deal between the Russian and American authorities.
“I can say that the United States continues to discuss with the Russian authorities through special channels the issue of the release of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan. As we have already said, the United States has submitted a serious proposal for consideration. We finalized this proposal and offered alternatives. Unfortunately, the Russian Federation has so far received no serious response to these proposals, ” the U.S. chargĆ©e dāaffaires answered.
“However, I would like to emphasize that the main concern and the first priority of the US Embassy is to ensure the well-being of the American citizens who are here.Ā And the situation is not limited to the names of those who are mentioned in the media headlines – a number of American citizens are kept in Russian prisons.Ā We are extremely concerned about the condition of each of them, and we continue to follow their affairs very closely and support them in every possible way,” she added.
RIA then asked: “What did you mean by “serious response” from Russia? Moscow has repeatedly stressed that the negotiations are being conducted through professional channels… What does the American side mean by “serious response”?
Rood answered telling RIA; āI mean, we have made a serious proposal that reflects our intention to take action to free American prisoners. We did not see a serious response from the Russian side to our proposal.
By “serious answer” do you mean consent? RIA asked in a follow-up question.
āI mean an answer that would help us come to an agreement,” she answered.
U.S. State Department
Kimberly Zieselman named advisor to special U.S. envoy for LGBTQ+, intersex rights
Intersex activist describes appointment as ‘milestone’
![](https://www.losangelesblade.com/content/files/2022/10/Kimberly_Zieselman_insert_courtesy_Kimberly_Zieselman.jpg)
WASHINGTON ā The State Department has named a prominent intersex activist as an advisor to the special U.S. envoy for the promotion of LGBTQ+ and intersex rights abroad.
Kimberly Zieselman on Oct. 16 announced on her Twitter page that she will work with Jessica Stern.
Thrilled to finally announce my new role as a Senior Advisor to the Special Envoy for LGBTQI+ Human Rights @StateDept @StateDRL #Intersex #LGBTQ #XOXY (Pinch me! šš) pic.twitter.com/iie7tz6yrO
ā Kimberly Mascott Zieselman (@XOXYKZ) October 16, 2022
Zieselman is the former executive director of interACT: Advocates for IntersexYouth and author of “XOXY: A Memoir.”
āAs an intersex woman, itās not only an incredible honor to serve this administration and work with Special Envoy Stern, but my appointment isalso a milestone for the intersex community which has been historically marginalized, if not entirely erased across the globe,ā Zieselman told the Washington Blade this week in a statement.
President Joe Biden in 2021 signed a memo that committed the U.S. to promoting LGBTQ+ and intersex rights abroad as part of his administrationās overall foreign policy. The State Department earlier this year began to issue passports with an “X” gender marker.
āThe Department of State is committed to promoting and protecting the human rights of all individuals, including intersex persons, who often face discrimination, harmful medical practices, violence, and social stigma solely based on their sex characteristics,ā a State Department spokesperson told the Blade in response to Zieselman’s appointment.
U.S. State Department
Blinken, Lavrov speak about Brittney Griner
Call took place after public acknowledgment of deal to secure U.S. citizens release
![](https://www.losangelesblade.com/content/files/2022/04/Antony_Blinken_insert_c_Washington_Blade_by_Michael_K_Lavers.jpg)
WASHINGTON ā Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday spoke with his Russian counterpart about efforts to secure the release of WNBA star Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan.
The Associated Press reported Blinken urged Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to accept a deal to obtain the release of Griner and Whelan, an American citizen who is serving a 16-year prison sentence after his conviction for spying. American officials have reportedly expressed a willingness to release Viktor Bout, a Russian arms dealer who is serving a 25-year prison sentence in the U.S., as part of a prisoner swap.
Blinken, according to the AP, described the call with Lavrov as a “frank and direct conversation.”
“I urged Foreign Minister Lavrov to move forward with that proposal,” said Blinken. “I can’t give you an assessment of whether that is any more or less likely.”
Officials at Moscowās Sheremetyevo Airport in February detained Griner ā a Phoenix Mercury center and two-time Olympic gold medalist who is a lesbian and married to her wife, Cherelle Griner, ā after customs inspectors allegedly found hashish oil in her luggage. The State Department has determined that Russia āwrongfully detainedā her.
Brittney Griner’s trial began in Moscow on July 1.
It continues to take place, even though she had pleaded guilty to charges that she smuggled drugs in Russia. Brittney Griner faces up to 10 years in prison if she is convicted.
Friday’s call took place two days after Blinken for the first time publicly acknowledged the U.S. has offered Russia a deal to secure the release of Brittney Griner and Whelan.
āWe are determined to bring her home along with Paul (Whelan) and for that matter, any and every American who is being unjustly detained anywhere in the world,ā said Blinken on June 15 during a roundtable with LGBTQ+ and intersex journalists in which the Washington Blade participated. āItās something that I am personally focused on, and I want to leave it at that because it is obviously an ongoing issue. But just know that this is a matter of intense focus for us.ā
U.S. State Department
U.S. demands regular access to Brittney Griner in Russia
Out WNBA star detained in Moscow in February.
MOSCOW ā U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan on Tuesday said Russian officials have denied consular visits to detained WNBA star Brittney Griner three times this month.
“For the third time in a month, Russian authorities have denied an embassy visit to detained U.S. citizen Brittney Griner,” said Sullivan in a statement the U.S. Embassy in Moscow posted to its Twitter account. “This is unacceptable. We call on @mfa_russia (Russia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry) to provide timely consular access, in line with Russia’s international and bilateral obligations.”
#AMBSullivan: āÆFor the third time in a month, Russian authorities have denied an Embassy visit to detained U.S. citizen Brittney Griner. This is unacceptable. We call on @mfa_russia to provide timely consular access, in line with Russiaās intl & bilateral obligations.
ā ŠŠ¾ŃŠ¾Š»ŃŃŃŠ²Š¾ Š”ŠØŠ Š² Š Š¤/ U.S. Embassy Russia (@USEmbRu) May 17, 2022
Griner ā a center for the Phoenix Mercury and a two-time Olympic gold medalist who is a lesbian and married to her wife ā was taken into custody at Moscowās Sheremetyevo Airport in February. Russian officials said customs inspectors found hashish oil in her luggage.
The State Department earlier this month determined Russia āwrongfully detainedā Griner.
A Russian court on May 13 extended her detention for another month. The Women’s National Basketball Players Association, a union that represents WNBA players, has endorsed a Change.org petition that urges the Biden administration to “prioritize” Griner’s release.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price on Tuesday told reporters during his daily press briefing that a consular official “was able to speak with” Griner “on the margins of her court proceedings” on May 13.
“That consular official came away with the impression that Brittney Griner is doing as well as might be expected under conditions that can only be described as exceedingly difficult,” said Price.
“But sporadic contact is not satisfactory,” he added. “It also may not be consistent with the Vienna Convention, to which Russia has subscribed. That is why we continue to urge the Russian government to allow consistent, timely consular access to all U.S. citizens detained in Russia, in line with those very legal obligations, and to allow us to provide consular services for U.S. citizens detained in Russia.”
Price on Tuesday also said Secretary of State Antony Blinken “had an opportunity in recent days to speak with” Griner’s wife.
Blinken spoke with her on May 14.
“He conveyed once again the priority we attach to seeing the release of all Americans around the world, including Brittney Griner in the case of Russia, Paul Whelan in the case of Russia ā those are Americans who we consider to be wrongfully detained,” said Price.
U.S. State Department
State Department: Russia ‘wrongfully detained’ Brittney Griner
WNBA star to appear in Moscow court on May 19
![](https://www.losangelesblade.com/content/files/2022/03/Griner-mugshot-e1647551023399.jpg)
WASHINGTON ā The State Department has determined Russia “wrongfully detained” WNBA star Brittney Griner earlier this year.
Russian authorities in February took Griner ā a center for the Phoenix Mercury and a two-time Olympic gold medalist who is a lesbian and married to her wife ā into custody at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport. Officials said customs inspectors found hashish oil in her luggage.
Griner is among the WNBA players who play in Russia during the league’s off-season.
“The Department of State has determined that the Russian Federation has wrongfully detained U.S. citizen Brittney Griner,” a State Department spokesperson told the Washington Blade on Tuesday. “The U.S. government will continue to provide appropriate consular support to Ms. Griner.”
The spokesperson said Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens “will lead the interagency team for securing Brittney Griner’s release.”
Russia announced Griner’s detention shortly after it invaded Ukraine.
Trevor Reed, a former U.S. Marine who had been in a Russian custody since 2019, returned to the U.S. last week after the Kremlin released him in exchange for Konstantin Yaroshenko, a Russian citizen who had been in an American prison on drug trafficking charges. Griner is scheduled to appear in a Moscow court on May 19.
“Brittney’s status change is an important moment in the movement to bring her home safely and swiftly,” said National Black Justice Coalition Deputy Executive Director Victoria Kirby York in a statement. “It means there is now a two pronged approach focused on both legal and political strategies.”
āIt has become clear that Brittney’s legal team has acted in good faith to clear her name through Russia’s legal system, and that the Russian government has been actively trying to leverage Brittney’s detainment for political purposes tied to their war on Ukraine,” added York. “This is unfortunate, especially because Grinerās status as a Black, lesbian, woman leaves her vulnerable to increased discrimination and abuse at the hands of the racist and homophobic Russian government. We urge the U.S. government to do all it can to bring her home before she is no longer able to maintain her safety in a nation at war.”
U.S. State Department
Report details U.S. efforts to promote LGBTQ+ rights abroad
White House policy memo issued in 2021
![](https://www.losangelesblade.com/content/files/2021/06/State_Department_Pride_flag_2021_insert_c_Washington_Blade_by_Michael_K_Lavers.jpg)
WASHINGTON ā The State Department on Thursday released a report on the implementation of President Biden’s memo that committed the U.S. to the promotion of LGBTQ+ rights abroad.
The report notes last June’s appointment of Jessica Stern as the special U.S. envoy for the promotion of LGBTQ+ rights abroad and the issuance of passports with “X” gender markers that began on April 11.
Stern on Thursday told reporters during a conference call the State Department has created the Global LGBTQI+ Inclusive Democracy and Empowerment Initiative “that seeks to ensure democracies are inclusive of LGBTQI+ persons, representative of their communities and families and responsive to their needs and concerns.” Stern also noted roughly 60 percent of Peace Corp posts have implemented “specific LGBTQI+ equity practices within their operations.”
Stern highlighted the U.S. supported the inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity in a resolution in support of “democratization and enhancing periodic and genuine elections” the U.N. General Assembly adopted last November. Stern also noted the U.S. Agency for International Development again tracks how its foreign assistance programs promote LGBTQ+ rights.
Chantale Wong, the U.S. director of the Asian Development Bank who is the first openly lesbian American ambassador, on Wednesday told the Washington Blade during an exclusive interview that she expects the U.S. government will endorse a proposed LGBTQ-specific safeguard for the ADB. Stern on Thursday noted the Department of Homeland Security has issued guidance to recognize informal same-sex marriages for the purposes of obtaining refugee or asylee status, even if they are not officially recognized by officials in countries of origin.”
The report also highlights how the Commerce, Defense, Justice, Labor, Treasury and Health and Human Services have implemented the memo that Biden issued in February 2021.
“This memorandum makes clear that promoting and protecting the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons is a U.S. foreign policy priority,” said Stern. “The report outlines how U.S. government agencies engaged abroad are working to become LGBTQI+ inclusive. It shows that many individual actions across the U.S. government taken as a whole create institutional change and improves the daily lives of LGBTQI+ persons.”
Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement echoed Stern.
“It remains vitally important that we address the violence and discrimination faced by LGBTQI+ persons while acknowledging the effects of the intersections of race and ethnicity, gender, disability, religion and national origin, to name a few,” said Blinken.
“As the report demonstrates, the U.S. government advances these priorities by supporting efforts to end the criminalization of LGBTQI+ status and conduct, seeking to protect vulnerable LGBTQI+ refugees and asylum seekers, providing foreign assistance to protect the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons and advancing non-discrimination protections, responding to human rights abuses of LGBTQI+ persons abroad, building coalitions of like-minded nations, and engaging international organizations in the fight against LGBTQI+ discrimination,” added Blinken. “Our collective efforts drive toward the goal of ending violence and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and sex characteristics. Equality and equity build stronger societies for all.”
USAID Administrator Samantha Power on Thursday said the memo “was a call to action based on a simple premise: That all human beings should be treated with respect and dignity and should be able to live without fear, no matter who they are or whom they love.”
“Over the past year, as todayās report demonstrates, USAID has made important progress toward achieving these ambitions through a commitment to LGBTQI+ inclusive development in our policies and programs that reach millions of people around the world,” said Power.
The full report can be read here.
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