Difference between revisions of "LGBTQ Ambassadors"
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* [[Daniel Baer]], U.S. Ambassador to the OECD | * [[Daniel Baer]], U.S. Ambassador to the OECD | ||
* [[John Berry]], U.S. Ambassador to Australia | * [[John Berry]], U.S. Ambassador to Australia | ||
| + | * [[Jerome Bonnafont]], French Ambassador to Spain, India | ||
* [[Stephen Brady]], Australian Ambassador to France | * [[Stephen Brady]], Australian Ambassador to France | ||
* [[James Brewster]], U.S. Ambassador to Dominican Republic | * [[James Brewster]], U.S. Ambassador to Dominican Republic | ||
Revision as of 18:58, 1 November 2014
With the recent appointment of Ted Osius as the new U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, it is revealing to look at the list of LGBTQ Ambassadors around the world.
Not surprising, perhaps, is that there are not very many of them. As political representatives in other countries, a certain sensitivity to that country's culture and opinion is required. Too many countries are still accommodating, or completely intolerant of, LGBTQ individuals around the world. However, President Obama challenged that notion in the appointment of James Brewster as Ambassador to Dominican Republic, which outraged that country's Catholics.
President Bill Clinton of the U.S. showed his mettle in appointing that country's first gay ambassador, James Hormel, in 1999. Later, the country's move to greater acceptance of LGBTQ individuals in the State Department received a significant boost from his wife and Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. She implemented new policies toward LGBTQ members of her department and recognition of their spouses. Prior to that, as the Washington Post points out in the article referenced below, discretion was a key word, and it is doubtful an LGBTQ individual would obtain the necessary security clearance.
Great Britain lifted a ban on homosexuals in the Foreign Office only in 1991 under Prime Minister John Major.
Even more disappointing, perhaps, is the complete absence of lesbians in the Ambassador list. Why is this so? Perhaps more of an issue should be made of this fact.
Other countries with LGBTQ Ambassadors are limited to Great Britain, Israel, Spain, Australia and France. The advancement on this issue rests principally with the U.S.
- Daniel Baer, U.S. Ambassador to the OECD
- John Berry, U.S. Ambassador to Australia
- Jerome Bonnafont, French Ambassador to Spain, India
- Stephen Brady, Australian Ambassador to France
- James Brewster, U.S. Ambassador to Dominican Republic
- James Buchanan, U.S. Ambassador to Great Britain
- James Clark, Great Britain Ambassador to Luxembourg
- Mark R. Dybul, U.S. Ambassador and Global AIDS Coordinator
- James Costos, U.S. Ambassador to Spain and Andorra
- Rufus Gifford, U.S. Ambassador to Denmark
- Michael Guest, U.S. Ambassador to Romania
- Richard Hoagland, U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan
- James Hormel, U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg
- David Huebner, U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa
- Roger Karoutchi, French Ambassador to the OECD
- Damien Miller, Australian Ambassador to Denmark, Iceland, and Norway
- Ted Osius, U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam
- Ion de la Riva, Spanish Ambassador to India, UNESCO
- Isi Yanouka, Israel Ambassador to Cote d'Ivoire
Further Reading/Research
- http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-have-there-been-so-few-openly-gay-ambassadors/2013/07/26/5e7a4694-e8c5-11e2-8f22-de4bd2a2bd39_story.html
- http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/in-the-loop/wp/2014/04/17/career-diplomat-discusses-gay-rights-in-foreign-service/
- http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/no-gay-diplomats-us-and-british-promotion-lgbt-rights-abroad-sparks-backlash
- http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/inside-file-gay-diplomats-are-safer-in-the-closet-1429599.html
