The Foreign Service Journal, October 2020

48 OCTOBER 2020 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL The Christian church is diverse in itself, encompassing people of all backgrounds who help each other grow in their faith and understanding. We are grateful for the support of State’s Office of Civil Rights and the affinity group community in combating all forms of racism at the department, and we look forward to working together in this effort. GRACE consistently engages with senior leadership, hosts discussions among department employees and invites outside speakers to help address the challenges of diversity and inclu- sion. At GRACE, we seek to partner with the department and the church to grow in this area, and we welcome our colleagues of all religious and nonreligious backgrounds to engage with us as we progress on this journey together. If you’d like to learn more about GRACE and be part of our ongoing conversation, please email the Steering Committee at GRACE-SteeringCommittee@state.gov. The GRACE Steering Committee is led by President Al Murphy and Vice Presidents Al Gombis and Logan Krusac. Al Murphy is a foreign affairs officer in the Office of Policy, Planning and Resources for the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. Al Gombis is an FSO and currently director of the Office of Global Criminal Justice. Logan Krusac is an FSO and currently special assistant in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. glifaa: Promoting LGBT+ Issues at State By Steven Alan Honley E ver since its March 8, 1992, founding as Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies, glifaa has been a strong advo- cate for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT+) employees at State and other foreign affairs agencies. (The plus at the end of the abbreviation encompasses various other subsets of the community: asexual, intersex, queer and questioning.) Overall, gains achieved over the previous quarter century of advocacy, particularly in terms of protection from discrimi- nation, remain largely intact today at the State Department. Fortifying that trend, in June the Supreme Court issued a land- mark decision, Bostock v. Clayton County , declaring that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects all employees against discrimination because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Glifaa President Jeff Anderson hails the organization’s prog- ress, but notes: “There’s much still more to be done for LGBT+ equality.” For example, LGBT+ employees still can’t serve in many countries around the world with diplomatic privileges and immunities for their same-sex spouses or partners. As Anderson points out, “This closes the door on a number of career opportunities, which can, in turn, have a direct effect on promotions and career trajectories.” In addition, transgender employees and their family members face a complex set of regulations, policies and procedures that affect everything from medical and security clearances to passports. Overseas, glifaa’s post representatives spearhead a small grants program that directs funding to assist local organizations in foreign countries on specific projects. For example, at the initiative of Mission China, glifaa donated $500 to a community organization in Wuhan to purchase masks to use when deliver- ing medication to HIV-positive patients. In addition, glifaa recently partnered with the National Museum for American Diplomacy to tell the organization’s story in a digital exhibit: “Serving with Pride: The History of LGBT+ Pride in Foreign Affairs Agencies.” Asked about glifaa access to State Department management, Anderson says: “We have a very productive relationship with many senior department leaders, and continue our work at the highest levels to advance the issues important to our 1,000-per- son network.” The group is actively working with State’s leader- ship to develop more equitable policies and guidelines on issues affecting family members. Mindful that the number of countries that accredit same-sex spouses has plateaued, glifaa also uses its meetings with State officials to urge them to make foreign accreditation of spouses of American LGBT+ employees a priority. It empha- sizes that posts shouldn’t wait until someone with a same-sex spouse has been assigned to press the issue with host governments. Similarly, State should use its full range of tools, includ- ing reciprocity, to encourage countries to accredit our family members. Anderson notes that Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun spoke recently at a virtual event organized by glifaa and the Atlantic Council on U.S. government engagement on LGBT+ issues globally. Deputy Secretary Biegun’s predeces- sor, Ambassador John J. Sullivan, has been a great advocate for