The Biden White House also reversed an order issued by Trump’s then-secretary of state Mike Pompeo on flying the pride flag at some US embassies, including in India and Australia, highlighting their support for LGBTQ people. Biden also reversed a ban on transgender people openly enlisting and serving in the military. On his first day in office, Biden signed an executive order directing federal agencies to protect LGBTQ people under all federal laws that prohibit discrimination based on sex. embassies around the world from flying the rainbow banners or Black Lives Matter flags. Three GOP lawmakers reportedly signed on to a Congressional bill that would prohibit U.S.
“We are proud of them.”Ī 2015 RAND study found that 5.8 % of service members identified as either lesbian, gay or bisexual. On the first day of Pride month, Republicans pushed to force embassies to return to the Trump-era ban on LGBTQ+ Pride flags. “This in no way reflects any lack of respect or admiration for people that (are from) the LGBTQ+ community, the personnel in and out of uniform who serve in this department,” Kirby added. He said that the decision was made because it could open the door for other challenges to the rule set in place in July. “There won’t be an exception made this month for the pride flag,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.
