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Support GLBT members of the Military
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Save the Date: The Service Members Legal Defense Network will be holding their annual dinner on March 8, 2008. Visit www.sldn.org to get involved!
The Human Rights Campaign will be holding a number of events the first weekend of December to honor GLBT service members (including raising 12,000 flags to represent the 12,000 military members who were sent home for being gay or lesbian.)
Visit the HRC Website.
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Greetings!
GLIFAA had an exciting October! We have really appreciated high attendance and participation at our events. We welcome your input - as well as your assistance as we try to implement new programs and participate in influencing fair legislation.
We are pleased to announce that we have nominated John Wiecking to be our interim Treasurer. However, we are looking for yet another Board member so please let us know if you can get involved!
Also we want you to know that the GLIFAA Board is cognizant of the recent commentary within our agencies about Iraq assignments. We are aware that many of our members have served in Iraq, Afghanistan and other critical needs posts. In addition, we believe the shortage of employees offers an opportunity for our agencies to correct the discrepancy in benefits for gay and lesbian employees when compared with straight employees serving in these locations. Gay and lesbian families do not receive equal support whether in lodging, counseling or allowances. GLIFAA will be sending a letter to Secretary Rice to voice these concerns and offer solutions.
Thanks,
The GLIFAA Board
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Upcoming Events
Joint GLIFAA - SAIS Pride Happy Hour
at Circle Bistro (Washington Circle)
Expand Your Network!
Join GLIFAA and the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies GLBT Group for drinks and appetizers at this classy venue.
Circle Bistro
One Washington Circle (Foggy Bottom Metro)
Washington, DC
Wednesday, November 14
6pm - 8pm
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Community Laison Office Conference Call for Employees, Family Members and Members of Household Working At Unaccompanied Posts
November 14, 2007
The Family Liaison Office (FLO) will conduct an
interactive "Orientation Session" by simultaneous
conference call and webcast on Wednesday, November 14,
2007 from 6:00 to 7:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. Please
note the early hour to accommodate those in the Far East.
This program is designed for USG direct-hire employees on
long-term TDY and permanent change of station assignments
to unaccompanied posts and their family members (Eligible
Family Members and Members of Household). Community
Liaison Office Coordinators (CLOs) are also encouraged to
participate and to invite families preparing for an UT as
well as those 'left-behind' to attend.
To participate in the Orientation Session,
dial 1-800-531-3250 on a US based phone line and enter
9690198 for the Conference Code when prompted. This is a
toll free number within the US or over a US based line or
cell phone. To see the Web cast, go to www.raindance.com and click on "join conference," then scroll down (down) to
"Reservationless Conference Call" and enter your name,
email address, and the Conference Code: 9690198. Click
"participate via phone."
Please direct questions to FLO's Unaccompanied Tours
Support Officer, Nan Leininger, at 202-647-3179 or 1-800-
440-0397 or email FLOAskUT@state.gov.
Employees are requested to please share this
information with their family members.
See also State 153287
State Internal Link - FLO Member of Household policies(click the left hand link to Support Services, then on MOHs) |
| Did you serve in Iraq or Afghanistan??
GLIFAA would like to compile a list of GLBT members who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan. Even if you feel that you do not want to provide your name, please let us know so you can be counted. This type of information will help show our leadership the committment that gay members have to our work - as well as show a real need to provide equal treatment. Please email glifaa@yahoo.com
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Are You Being Involuntarily Assigned to Iraq?
 Please let us know ASAP of your intent to file an exemption or if you have specific issues because of the lack of Member of Household benefits.
See this from the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA):
The DG's cable today (Oct 29) signifies that directed assignments are imminent.
Those identified as 'prime candidates' are officially on short lists for
specific Iraq positions, and they now have 14 days to respond. At this
point, those employees can choose to volunteer for the position, or they can
submit a statement explaining their particular circumstances which they
believe should exempt them from being directed to that particular
assignment. Based on this information, an assignment panel will decide which
individual among the 'prime candidates' will receive a directed assignment to
the position, assuming no volunteer has come forward. There is an appeal
procedure, which is spelled out in the DG's cable.
For more information visit www.afsa.org
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Networking Chair Needed
Keep a good thing going!!!
We want to thank Ben Kong and Steve Wilger for their dedicated service to GLIFAA. However they have both moved abroad! So we need to nominate just one more board member who would be willing to volunteer a few hours a week to keep GLIFAA afloat!
The Networking Chair keeps us hanging together with monthly social events - and of course planning our yearly Holiday Party! Please contatct glifaa@yahoo.com if you are interested.
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GLIFAA Goes to the Hill!
GLIFAA President Aaron Jensen and Ajit Joshi Offer Input for Legislation
 The Human
Rights Campaign brought together an alliance of gay and straight groups in a
coalition to help advance Domestic Partner Benefits legislation. Senator Lieberman and Senator Smith are currently
finalizing their draft bill to provide domestic partnership benefits to federal
civilian employees and their same-sex partners on the same basis as spousal
benefits. So far there are twelve
co-sponsors of this draft bill. GLIFAA
and AFSA met with a staffer from Senator Lieberman's office and advocated that
any bill that is proposed on partnership benefits includes the realities of the
Foreign Service. Unfortunately, the bill
appears to be focused only on statutory benefits; those benefits are derived
from the Foreign Service Act or policy at State/USAID may be unaffected. We urged consideration of these issues. We provided context for why the FS must be
included in any legislation, given that we are working at the front lines in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other places, at
great sacrifice to our families, and for our country. While the likelihood is very limited that the
legislation would be enacted in the near future, our participation was critical
to ensure that the FS is kept front and center in any discussion on federal
employee benefits. For those interested
in following other resolutions that are of great interest to the FS, please
check out HR 3202, HR 3203 and HR 2828. Use Thomas to search for these items.
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GLIFAA Leadership Forum Summary
Paula Ettelbrick, Executive Director IGLHRC
On Thursday, October 25th GLIFAA launched the Leadership Forum, a quarterly series
featuring GLBT Leaders in the foreign affairs community. Paula Ettelbrick,
Executive Director of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission
(IGLHRC) covered gay human rights issues, regional human rights norms
and practices, and changes in the international human rights regime in the
context of country and region specific examples. GLIFAA members learned about the status of gay rights in all regions of the world, including arrests in
Iran in May, Latin America's leadership in regional human rights (with their
focus on workplace discrimination through trade unions), the importance of
quiet diplomacy and personal interactions that have allowed NGOs to voice
concerns at the African Human Rights Commission through the Zambian
commissioner, and Indian groups' continued efforts to overturn sodomy
laws.
Paula appreciated State's human
rights reports and wants to continue to build on the collaborative relationship
that allows for GLBT issues to be mentioned in the reports. She appreciated State Department's leadership
in speaking out on Nigeria and Egypt
on some recent GLBT cases that received press attention. Visit www.iglhrc.org to get involved.
-Ajit Joshi, GLIFAA Policy Director
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