Kerry’s Apology For Decades Of State Dept Anti-LGBT Policies A Huge Step Forward (VIDEO)

Secretary of State John Kerry has issued a formal apology for the State Department’s treatment of the LGBT community. He points out that LGBT people have been discriminated against for decades.

He said, in part:

“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. These actions were wrong then, just as they would be wrong today.”

The mass purging of LGBT staff during the 1950s and 1960s was known as the “Lavender Scare.” It happened at the same time as the “Red Scare,” when McCarthyism was rampant, and the country already afraid of Communists.

Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, asked for Kerry’s apology back in November 2016. He called the historical discrimination “un-American and unacceptable.” Even as recently as the 1990s, many gay staffers were purged from the department.

Cardin said:

“Of course, the measures we take today cannot bring back years of anguish or erase decades of institutionalized homophobia, but we can ensure that such injustices levied against the LGBT community are never repeated again.”

Unfortunately, the President-elect Donald Trump and the Vice President-Elect Mike Pence may try to undo these decades of progress. The hate and discrimination could go even further than the State Department considering we have an incoming Republican president and a Republican majority in Congress.

Mike Pence is an alleged proponent of gay conversion therapy and against same-sex marriage. In Congress, Pence said that he wants to support programs for people “wanting to change their sexual behavior.” This is code often used for conversion therapy.

Donald Trump has flip-flopped on his views. Back in February, he said he was against same-sex marriage. Congressmen have claimed that Trump gave them “assurances” that pro-LGBT legislation would be repealed under his administration.

Kerry apologizing is great, but all of this progress may be undone by the incoming administration. The LGBT community is going to have to fight to keep the rights they have gained and to make progress.

Featured image via YouTube screenshot.

Hi, I'm from Huntsville, AL. I'm a Liberal living in the Bible Belt, which can be quite challenging at times. I'm passionate about many issues including mental health, women's rights, gay rights, and many others. Check out my blog weneedtotalkaboutmentalhealth.com