President-elect Joe Biden’s nominee to be America’s secretary of state, Antony Blinken, vowed on Tuesday to swiftly appoint an LGBTI envoy, allow embassies to fly the pride flag and formally repudiate the findings of the controversial “Commission on Unalienable Rights,” among other steps that would reverse policies enacted by outgoing Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
While the position of special envoy for the human rights of LGBTI persons was left vacant under the Trump administration, Blinken said Tuesday that appointing someone to the role is “a matter, I think, of some real urgency.” “We’ve seen violence directed against LGBTQI people around the world increase.