John Kerry Issues Historic Apology to Ex-State Department Personnel Fired During Decades of Anti-LGBT ‘Lavender Scare’

‘I Apologize to Those Who Were Impacted by the Practices of the Past’

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, in one of his final official acts, has just issued a formal apology to the more than 1000 former State Dept. employees fired or otherwise forced out in the past because they were or perceived to be LGBT. 

“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,” Secretary Kerry said in his formal statement.

“On behalf of the Department, I apologize to those who were impacted by the practices of the past and reaffirm the Department’s steadfast commitment to diversity and inclusion for all our employees, including members of the LGBTI community.”

Washington Blade international news editor Michael Lavers, first to report on Secretary Kerry’s historic apology, also notes that “U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) noted in a letter he sent to Kerry on Nov. 29 that ‘at least 1,000 people were dismissed from’ the State Department ‘for alleged homosexuality’ during the 1950s and 1960s.”

The Maryland Democrat cited the State Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security that says employees “were forced out . . . on the ostensible grounds that their sexual orientation rendered them vulnerable to blackmail, prone to getting caught in ‘honey traps’ and made them security risks.”

Cardin wrote the State Department also had a screening process to “prevent those who ‘seemed like they might be gay or lesbian’ from being hired.”

The Lavender Scare, which reached its highest levels during the 1950’s, was similar to 1950’s McCarthyism. People believed to be LGBT were often falsely believed to be communist sympathizers, untrustworthy, security risks, and easily blackmailed by America’s enemies. 

The U.S. Senate is expected to confirm Donald Trump’s nominee, former ExxonMobil Chairman and CEO Rex Tillerson, to replace Secretary Kerry. It is unknown if he or the Trump administration will continue Secretary Kerry’s support for equality.

You can respond directly to Secretary Kerry by sending your comments to him on Twitter: @JohnKerry. You can also contact the U.S. Dept. of State on its website.
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Image by U.S. Department of State via Flickr