Brian Snyder/Reuters
Secretary of State John Kerry released an exit memo on Monday apologizing for past mistreatment of LGBT employees of the U.S. Department of State, reaching as far back as the 1940s. “Throughout my career, including as Secretary of State, I have stood strongly in support of the LGBTI community, recognizing that respect for human rights must include respect for all individuals,” he wrote. “LGBTI exployees serve as proud members of the State Department and valued colleagues dedicated to the service of our country. For the past several years, the Department has pressed for the families of LGBTI rights throughout the world, I appointed the first ever Special Enjoy for the Human Rights of LGBTI Persons.” The departing secretary said that the department was just one of many areas of the government that discriminated on the basis of sexual orientation. He said, “These actions were wrong then, just as they would be wrong today. 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.”