President Joe Biden has appointed a special envoy to promote and protect gay rights abroad as he and the White House mark Pride Month.
Jessica Stern will be Biden’s special envoy to advance the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons. In that role, she will work within the State Department to encourage equity through diplomacy and foreign aid, according to the White House.
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“At a time when the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons are increasingly threatened in all regions of the world, the special envoy will bring together like-minded governments, civil society organizations, corporations, and international organizations to uphold dignity and equality for all,” the White House said Friday.
Stern is executive director of OutRight Action International and a Columbia University adjunct associate professor. At OutRight, she helped legally register gay rights organizations globally and secure the mandate of the United Nations Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, elevating related issues within the body.
Biden’s announcement on Friday coincides with plans for him to sign into law a bill establishing the National Pulse Memorial. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will then join him for an event in the White House’s East Room commemorating Pride Month.
June 12 was the fifth anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida. Almost 50 people were killed by a lone gunman in the attack.
In a statement released at the time, Biden called on the Senate to clear three House-passed measures strengthening background checks legislation and the Equality Act, describing Pulse nightclub as “hallowed ground.”
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“Within minutes, the Pulse nightclub that had long been a place of acceptance and joy turned into a place of unspeakable pain and loss,” he said. “In the memory of all of those lost at the Pulse nightclub five years ago, let us continue the work to be a nation at our best — one that recognizes and protects the dignity and safety of every American.”
