Kerry apologizes for past LGBT discrimination at State Department

Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday released a statement apologizing for the State Department’s past discrimination toward employees and applicants based on sexual orientation.

“Throughout my career, including as Secretary of State, I have stood strongly in support of the LGBT community, recognizing that respect for human rights must include respect for all individuals,” Kerry said in the statement, referring to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex community.

“LGBTI employees serve as proud members of the State Department and valued colleagues dedicated to the service of our country.”

{mosads}Kerry said the State Department has for the past several years pushed for the families of LGBT officers to have the same protections overseas as do families of other officers.

“In 2015, to further promote LGBTI rights throughout the world, I appointed the first ever Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTI Persons,” he said.

But Kerry said that in the past, the State Department has discriminated against people because of their sexual orientation.

“In the past – as far back as the 1940s, but continuing for decades – the Department of State was among many public and private employers that discriminated against employees and job applicants on the basis of perceived sexual orientation, forcing some employees to resign or refusing to hire certain applicants in the first place,” he said.

He called those actions “wrong then, just as they would be wrong today.”

“On behalf of the Department, I apologize to those who were impacted by the practices of the past,” Kerry said.

“And reaffirm the Department’s steadfast commitment to diversity and inclusion for all our employees, including members of the LGBTI community.”