WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Kerry noted that discrimination based on sexual orientation at the State Department stretches back to the 1940s.
"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 [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and inter-sex] community," Kerry stated in the release.
Kerry concluded that during his tenure, he stood strongly by the LGBTI community, recognizing and respecting their human rights.
The State Department has emphasized in the past several years that families of LGBTI employees have the same protections overseas as families of other officers, the release pointed out.
In 2015, Kerry appointed the first Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTI Persons, the release added.
