Over the last year, attacks on LGBTQ people around the globe have been particularly acute, with an anti-LGBTQ “purge” in Chechnya, which included reports of torture and even extrajudicial killings, as well as massive arrests in Egypt, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, and elsewhere. The State Department had historically played a leadership role in combating human rights abuses, but former Secretary Tillerson remained shamefully silent on LGBTQ human rights throughout his tenure, addressing none of these human rights violations publicly, and refusing to appoint a Special Envoy for LGBTI Human Rights.

For his part, Pompeo's attacks on LGBTQ equality are long and well-documented: he opposes marriage equality, and, as a member of Congress, co-sponsored legislation to allow states to not recognize same-sex marriage and to allow businesses and organizations using taxpayer dollars a license to discriminate against LGBTQ people. Equally as troubling, his political career has been funded by anti-LGBTQ hate groups, including the Family Research Council.

The Human Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work, and in every community.

###