Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies

Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies (GLIFAA) is the officially recognized organization representing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) personnel and their families in the United States Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Foreign Commercial Service, Foreign Agricultural Service, and other agencies and entities working in foreign affairs in the U.S. Government. GLIFAA was founded in 1992 by fewer than a dozen employees who faced official harassment and potential loss of their jobs simply because of their sexual orientation. The organization grew to hundreds of Foreign Service, Civil Service, and contract personnel and their families serving in Washington, throughout the U.S., and at U.S. embassies and missions around the world.

Among other accomplishments, GLIFAA succeeded in pressing for the issuance of a non-discrimination policy by Secretary of State Warren Christopher in 1993, and worked with the U.S. Administration, the management of government agencies, and other employee associations to eliminate barriers for obtaining security clearances and create and implement non-discrimination policies with regard to entry and employment in the U.S. Foreign Service and Civil Service. In addition, the organization worked to improve the situation for the partners of LGBT U.S. Foreign Service personnel serving overseas. GLIFAA met with Secretaries of State Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, and Hillary Clinton.