βPride Month is an occasion for all of us at the Agency to pay tribute to the rich history, community, and mission contributions of our LGBTQ+ officers,β the agency tweeted.
CIA's 2023 theme for #Pride Month is WELCO-ME!
— CIA (@CIA) June 8, 2023
Wellness
Equity
LGBTQ+
Community
Openness
ME!
Pride Month is an occasion for all of us at the Agency to pay tribute to the rich history, community, and mission contributions of our LGBTQ+ officers.#Pride2023 pic.twitter.com/aEEZplX13s
The CIA joins a series of governmental agencies that have publicly used social media accounts to celebrate Pride Month.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin released aΒ statementΒ to βhonor the service, commitment, and sacrifice of the LGBTQ+ Service members and personnel who volunteer to defend our country.β
He wrote: “I believe that the story of America should be one of widening freedom, not deepening discrimination. In 2021, I was honored to implement President Bidenβs directive to ensure that transgender Americans who wish to serve and meet Department standards are able to do so β openly and free from discrimination.“
Secretary of State Anthony Blinken wrote aΒ statement, which promised his department would, βpromote and protect the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons around the world.β Also, “Who you love and how you identify has nothing to do with how bravely you can fight for your country.Β “
The U.S. NavyΒ postedΒ photos toΒ commemorateΒ Pride Month on Instagram, but removed them shortly after, causing some to suspect they capitulated to backlash.
In 2021, the CIAΒ releasedΒ a much-criticized campaign called βHumans of CIA,β in which a female CIA agent confidently introduced herself as a βfirst generation Latina,β a βcisgender millennial,β and βintersectional.β