Washington D.C., Jan 22, 2021 / 14:45 pm
President Joe Biden's nominee for Secretary of State pledged to appoint an LGBTI envoy at the agency, and says he will permit embassies to fly the "Pride" flag if confirmed.
Antony Blinken, Biden's nominee to lead the U.S. State Department, was asked about filing the LGBTI Special Envoy position at the agency during his confirmation hearing before members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday, Jan. 19.
Filling the position is "a matter, I think, of some real urgency," said Blinken, who served as deputy secretary of state during the Obama administration.
The administration created the special envoy position in 2015 to help counter violence against persons identifying as LGBTI around the world, as well as helping overturn laws criminalizing same-sex conduct.