New Hillary Clinton Emails Detail Her State Department Battle for Gay Rights

Jackie Kucinich

Clinton may not have ‘evolved’ on marriage until 2013, but as secretary of state, she fought to make LGBT people part of her department’s mission, according to newly released emails.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton did not openly support gay marriage in 2009, but according to a new set of emails released by the State Department, she was dedicated to expanding gay rights both domestically and abroad from the beginning of her term.

From March to December 2009, Clinton received several emails from her staff on the issue detailing Clinton’s own successes expanding gay rights inside the State Department, as well as her concerns about the treatment of LGBT individuals abroad.

The 2009 emails offer a look at how Clinton and her staff began to make LGBT individuals part of their mission—culminating in her 2011 United Nations speech declaring, “Gay rights are human rights, and human rights are gay rights.”

The changes within the State Department started in May 2009, when Clinton was able to extend benefits to the same-sex partners of diplomats.

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http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/07/02/new-hillary-clinton-emails-detail-her-state-department-battle-for-gay-rights.html