As a congressman, Mike Pompeo, Donald Trump's new pick to lead the Department of State, vehemently opposed same-sex marriage, repeal of the military's gay ban and the dismantling of the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act. But when Pompeo was trying to win Senate confirmation last year to become director of the CIA, he promised California Sen. Kamala Harris that was all a thing of the past.
Pompeo assured Harris that he’d treat every CIA employee “in a way that is appropriate and equal” and not work to undermine the benefits same-sex married couples have gained.
“You have my full commitment on that,” he said.
Yet in his first year as CIA director, Pompeo abruptly shut down a pro-LGBTQ diversity event at the agency that pro-gay activist Judy Shepard had been scheduled to speak at. Foreign Policy magazine writes:
The Shepards had been invited to the CIA to talk about diversity and LGBTQ rights, joining a long line of guest speakers at the covert overseas spy agency including lawmakers, former officials, authors, and celebrities.
The schedule was set, and the details arranged, but in the 11th hour, the senior leadership shut down the event. The seventh floor, where the director’s office sits, had the Shepards’ speech canceled, questioning what value it would bring to the CIA mission.
And when CIA employees requested greater access to spiritual guidance, Pompeo consulted with one of the nation's chief homophobes.
As part of an effort to expand chaplain services to CIA employees — which Trapani said was in response to requests from the agency workforce — Pompeo has consulted with Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, an organization that the Southern Poverty Law Center has labeled an anti-gay hate group.
This is the guy who will now be leading the charge at the State Department in representing America's commitment to human rights around the world. So when another "kill the gays" bill pops up in Africa, who's Pompeo going to consult—Perkins?
Pompeo will also be in charge of making the agency an equitable workplace for all its LGBTQ employees, many of whom are scattered around the world as foreign service officers. If it sounds like a no-brainer, it isn't. Until Hillary Clinton led the organization, same-sex spouses weren't taken into consideration for any basic benefits like expense allowances, housing, emergency evacuations and passport and employment assistance, among others.
Remember when Clinton first declared in a Foggy Bottom speech in 2010 that "human rights are gay rights, and gay rights are human rights, once and for all!" and then again declared it on the world stage in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2011. Yeah, well, now comes Pompeo.