The Foreign Service Journal, January 2013

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JANUARY 2012 43 AFSA NEWS 3 WOMEN IN SECURITY AND DEVELOPMENT FOCUS AFSA NEWS CALENDAR 1/9/2013 12:00 - 2:00 PM AFSA Governing Board Meeting 1/16 - 1/17/2013 FSI Mid-Career Retirement Planning Seminar (RV105) 1/21/2013 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM MLK/Inauguration Day: AFSA Offices Closed 2/6/2013 12:00 - 2:00 PM AFSA Governing Board Meeting 2/6/2013 Deadline for Art and Academic Merit Awards Applications 2/10/2013 4:30 PM - 5:00PM AFSA Road Scholar Program 2/11 - 2/13/2013 8th Annual Conflict Prevention, Peacekeeping & Stability Conference 2/18/2013 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Presidents Day: AFSA Offices Closed 2/20/2013 12:00PM - 1:00PM Luncheon: 170th A-100 Class 2/28/2013 Deadline for AFSA Dissent and Performance Award Nominations THE OFFICIAL R CORD OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton Joins in Celebrating GLIFAA’s 20th Anniversary On Nov. 28, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton addressed a large crowd seated in the Benjamin Franklin Diplomatic Recep- tion Room to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies, the State Depart- ment’s officially recognized employee affinity group for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees. Under the leadership of Secretary Clinton, LGBT employees and their families have a level of benefits and recognition never before seen in foreign affairs agen- cies of the U.S. government. Today, thanks to Secretary Clinton, same-sex domestic partners of Foreign Service members serving overseas receive the full range of legally available benefits and allowances. She also insti- tuted the 2010 revision of the Department’s equal employ- ment opportunity policy to prohibit discriminatory treat- ment of employees and job applicants based on gender identity.  Advocating for employ- ees of the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Peace Corps, the Foreign Agricultural Service, the Foreign Commercial Service, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and all foreign affairs units of the U.S. gov- ernment, GLIFAA continues to work to ensure full parity for LGBT personnel and their families in U.S. foreign affairs agencies serving both domestically and abroad.  GLIFAA began in 1992 to challenge a security clear- ance process that at the time discriminated against LGBT employees. GLIFAA has grown since that time to include hundreds of mem- bers and associates and become the officially recog- nized voice of LGBT person- nel in the U.S. foreign affairs agencies.  Members of the GLIFAA Board meet regularly with the management of the State Department, USAID and other agencies to discuss ideas and solutions to address the continued concerns of LGBT personnel and their families. The issuance of a non- discriminatory policy by then-Secretary of State Warren Christopher in 1994 was an early success. In the summer of 2009, GLIFAA was instrumental in encour- aging the department to grant Eligible Family Member status to domestic partners of employees and to their children. This action resulted in a number of foreign affairs agencies following suit.  GLIFAA, Continued on page 50 Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton relates some of the difficulties, challenges and prejudices endured by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees in foreign affairs agencies before changes were introduced by the department and credits GLIFAA’s advocacy. DONNAAYERST