HRC Calls For Out Cabinet Member

The Human Rights Campaign says this week's avalanche of elected LGBT officials underscores the need for an openly gay member of Obama's cabinet. Chris Geidner reports at Buzzfeed on his conversation with HRC head Chad Griffin:

On the appointment of an out LGBT cabinet member, Griffin was equally forceful. "We made historic progress with president Obama in terms of our openly LGBT appointments across the board," he said. "We now have the opportunity, and I hope this president and this White House will seize the opportunity to have the first openly LGBT Cabinet secretary, the first openly LGBT G-8 ambassador, and across the board with administrative appointments and judges as well." Groups like HRC, the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund and others, as well as LGBT activists more broadly, have long been pushing for an out LGBT cabinet member, and the urging is likely to continue in earnest as Obama's makes changes for his second-term cabinet. Among those out gay people whose names are raised most often by advocates for possible appointments are John Berry, the head of the Office of Personnel Management; Fred Hochberg, the head of the Export-Import Bank; and Mary Kay Henry, the head of the Service Employees International Union.

HRC is also calling for Obama to issue an executive order that contractors doing business with federal government not discriminate against LGBT employees.