Emails obtained by the Washington Free Beacon expose a concerted effort by the Biden administration to weave gay and transgender issues into the fabric of its foreign policy. The correspondence centres on Jessica Stern, the special envoy for LGBTQI+ Persons, who has been tasked with promoting LGBTQI+ rights across diplomatic channels since her appointment in June 2021.
Ambassador for gender diversity
Stern, described in the emails as a gender activist with no prior government experience, has championed the introduction of a third gender marker on passports. The marker would allow individuals to be recorded as intersex, non‑binary or gender‑non‑conforming. Her outreach has extended to governments such as Taiwan and Germany, where she has urged the adoption of similar documentation.
During a 2022 briefing with Taiwanese officials, Stern told the audience that "trans women are women, trans men are men" and encouraged the island nation to permit a third gender option on legal identity documents.
To shield her work from what the emails label “anti‑gender movements”, Stern’s office has sought to keep remarks and activities out of the public eye. One example cited is a private workshop held at Columbia University’s School of International & Public Affairs.
Diplomatic trips and symbolic receptions
Taxpayer‑funded travel has taken Stern to a range of locations, from remote nations hosting pride celebrations to high‑profile receptions in Europe. In June 2024 she described a “wonderful” Nordic gathering honouring LGBTQI+ rights, where she and Icelandic diplomat Ragnhildur Erna Arnórsdóttir wore crowns for a photo‑op. She has also attended a lunch with American diplomats at the U.S. embassy to the Vatican, a posting whose policies on gender and sexuality often clash with those of the Biden administration.
Criticism from within and outside government
James Fitzpatrick, director of the Center to Advance Security in America (CASA), warned that Germany and other states do not require American assistance to promote gay and trans issues. He argued that the administration’s focus on LGBTQI+ matters has been “paramount” and has resulted in diplomatic moves that have “fractured longstanding relationships around the world”.
The State Department itself has faced internal challenges. In May 2023 an internal email system mistakenly assigned random gender pronouns to staff, prompting the department to offer counselling to anyone who felt “hurt or upset”.
State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott, defending the approach of the previous administration, cited former Secretary of State Mike Rubio’s test for policy decisions: "does it make America safer, stronger, or more prosperous?" He added that the Trump‑era State Department barred passport applicants from selecting a gender other than male or female, a rule now being contested in court by the ACLU.
The role of the special envoy
The position of special envoy for LGBTQI+ Persons was created under the Obama administration within the State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. Its remit is to coordinate efforts to advance LGBTQI+ rights and combat discrimination worldwide.
The Biden administration argues that promoting these rights is integral to broader human‑rights and democratic objectives. Nevertheless, the emails reveal resistance from countries with conservative or traditional views on gender and sexuality, fueling a debate over whether the United States is exporting its values or supporting universal human rights.
Implications for transatlantic partners
For the United States, the controversy raises questions about the balance between advocacy and diplomatic pragmatism. Critics fear that an overt focus on LGBTQI+ issues could alienate allies and undermine other foreign‑policy goals.
Canada, long positioned as a global champion of LGBTQI+ rights, may also feel the ripple effects. Canadian foreign‑policy programmes that align with U.S. initiatives could encounter push‑back from nations wary of perceived cultural imperialism.
Stern, who now holds affiliations with programmes at Harvard and Columbia, did not respond to requests for comment at the time of publication.