John,
Both Gina Ortiz Jones and Shawn Skelly have their confirmation hearings before the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee today at 10am ET! Watch the hearings here!
When confirmed, both nominees will shatter a lavender ceiling! Gina, nominated for Under Secretary of the Air Force, will be the first out lesbian to serve as under secretary of a military branch. Shawn, nominated for Assistant Secretary of Defense for Readiness, will be the highest-ranking out transgender defense official in U.S. history.
Gina and Shawn have already served their country with distinction, joining the armed forces when “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was still the law of the land. Their elevation to key leadership positions symbolizes not only a new era in LGBTQ acceptance, but a rejection of those who once claimed that LGBTQ people would harm military readiness or troop morale. And while some of those detractors currently sit on the Armed Services Committee, we're confident their voices will be lost in this historic moment.
Victory Institute’s Presidential Appointments Initiative has been working with the administration to recommend and advocate for qualified LGBTQ leaders ready to serve in the administration – including Jones and Skelly. And our hard work is paying off: once confirmed, Gina and Shawn will join more than 200 other out LGBTQ appointees currently serving in the Biden administration. And we're working to add over 200 more - donate today to power our work!
Thanks so much for your support!
Elliot Imse
Pronouns: he|him|his
Vice President of Communications, LGBTQ Victory Fund
