Promising a smooth transition on behalf of the State Department, an emotional Rice went on to say she's "exceptionally proud" of Obama's place as our nation's first black President.

One of the great things about representing this country is that it continues to surprise. It continues to renew itself. It continues to beat all odds and expectations.
…
As an African-American, I'm especially proud, because this is a country that's been through a long journey, in terms of overcoming wounds… That work is not done, but yesterday was obviously an extraordinary step forward.

This election must be exceptionally astounding for Condi, who grew up in then-segregated Birmingham, Alabama.

It could be argued that women have played a larger role in this election than any other previous presidential tally in American history.

Hillary Clinton made sure of that, drawing 18 million of the votes and breaking down barriers for countless ladies across the country. When Clinton lost the Democratic party's nomination and it became clear nominee Barack Obama would not ask her to run for him, the Republican National Committee became more determined than ever to bring a woman onto their ticket, according to an RNC source close to the selection process.

This source tells Ian Halperin, an investigative reporter who previously exposed Scientology's homophobic history, that the RNC's estrogen-heavy short list included Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. The hawkish, familiar and capable Rice seemed like be a good pick. Although she wouldn't draw as many women as Clinton, nor as many blacks as Obama, her placement could have skewed the numbers a little.

The only problem? All those lesbian rumors about Rice and gal pal Randy Bean, with whom Rice shares home ownership and a bank account.

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There's a girl fight brewing in Washington! Lesbianic Representative Tammy Baldwin joined a handful of colleagues - Democratic Reps. Howard Berman and Gary Ackerman, as well as Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinen - in deriding the State Department's gay inequality.

They wrote:

We have followed with great interest and concern the media coverage of the workplace inequities facing gays and lesbians in the U.S. Department of State. As in the case of Former Ambassador to Romania Michael Guest, the inequitable treatment of gay and lesbian Foreign Service Officers (FSOs) and their partners should not be allowed to lead highly qualified employees to leave the State Department at a time when their service is needed more than ever. Many of these inequities could clearly be remedied through your leadership as Secretary, without legislative changes. We write to highlight basic and common-sense policy changes that beg your prompt attention and ask that you act to make eliminating inequities facing gays and lesbians at the State Department a priority.

Good for you, Tammy, but don't be surprised if Condi and company break your heart.

Here's the PDF of the entire letter.

Oregon-born Aaron Jensen has dedicated the past seven years of his life to the Department of State. Despite his dedication, our government still refuses to grant Jensen and other gay employees the same benefits offered to straight officials. The unspoken discrimination made big headlines last year when former Romanian Ambassador Michael Guest blasted Condoleezza Rice and others for their inaction on gay equality.

Jensen hopes that he won't have to do the same. That's why he heads up the 400-strong Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies, which strives to revamp the Department's employment policies. Our editor recently sat down with Jensen to talk shop. The results are intriguing, particularly because Jensen - who spoke in fairly calm, nearly monotonous tones - attempts to toe the line while also advocating for gay rights. It's an odd combination, to be sure, but not surprising considering the circumstances.

Andrew Belonsky: First, what exactly is your role - what's your job?

Aaron Jensen: My job job?

AB: Yeah.

AJ: I'm a desk officer for the State Department, but I'm not going to focus or really talk about my professional job.

AB: Okay… So you work for the State Department. Why did you decide to work there?

AJ: It's what I always wanted to do - since about college. It sounded really great - a diplomatic corp that goes around representing the United States' interests to various countries in the world. You really get to know what it's like to live and work in a foreign country.

AB: And where have you traveled?

AJ: Guanjo, China, Madrid, Spain and Kabul, Afghanistan.

AB: How many languages do you speak?

AJ: Really just Spanish and Chinese.

AB: Afghanistan must have been a struggle, must have been a challenge.

AJ: Yeah, it was a challenge. I didn't speak the local language, so I relied on translators when I dealt with Afghans who didn't speak English. The main challenge, I would say, was social. The work was super exciting - you worked long hours, but people work long hours here.

AB: What do you mean "social challenges"? Because you were working all the time?

AJ: No. For security reasons your social group is primarily the people you live and work with.

AB: Tell me about your work with Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies.

AJ: I'm the president of the organization presently - until March.

AB: How long are your terms?

AJ: One year. I have an opportunity to go abroad - I thought I would stay another couple years, but I'm going to go abroad. But [GLIFAA is] a department recognized employee affinity group, [whose] main responsibility is advocating for gay and lesbian issues in the State Department. Our priority is trying to get equality in benefits for gay and lesbian employees and equality in benefits for families of gay and lesbian employees.

AB: You're "department recognized". What is your relationship with the State Department. Is it just that they respect you? That's the "recognition"?

AJ: There are - let's see - we are considered to be the equivalent to Blacks in Government or the State… We don't get a budget from the department, but it's recognized that we can meet occassionally with state officials, if they so choose.

AB: Do you guys have regular meetings with officials or is it case-by-case?

AJ: It had been case-by-case, but the director general, the head of human resources, basically - he's going to meet quarterly with all affinity groups. We also have members from the US Agency for International Development, the Foreign Agricultural Service and the Foreign Commercial Service…

AB: Do you get involved in international advocacy?

AJ: Never.

AB: You're primarily concerned with employee equality, but are there other issues with which you engage, make statements?

AJ: Almost never. Never. Never, ever, ever do we advocate on U.S. foreign policy. No. That's not our purview. Just advocacy for State employees.

AB: And that's an internal decision?

AJ: Yes. We do have speakers from various international GLBT organizations, but we ourselves do not speak out publicly on any foreign policy issues.

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A few days ago we passed on a story about former Romanian ambassador Michael Guest's harangue against The State Department and Condoleezza Rice's queer inactivity. Well, the Washington Post published Guest's entire speech. Here's a snippet:

…I want to make clear that this is not about gay rights. Rather, it's about the safety and effectiveness of our communities abroad, of the people who represent America. It's about equal treatment of all employees, all of whom have the same service requirements, the same contractual requirements.
…
Wherever I go, and whatever I do, I'll carry this flag with me. It will remind me of what our country should stand for.

Read the rest of Guest's wise words, after the jump…

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The State Department came under not-so-friendly fire at former Romanian ambassador Michael Guest's retirement dinner.

The openly gay man didn't offer a cordial handshake to the Department, nor its supreme leader, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Rather, Guest - a dean at the Foreign Service Institute - took the time to remind friends, colleagues and the press that the State Department continues to discriminate against gay officers' long-term partners. Said Guest to his guests:

Most departing ambassadors use these events to talk about their successes…But I want to talk about my signal failure, the failure that in fact is causing me to leave the career that I love.
…
For the past three years, I’ve urged the Secretary and her senior management team to redress policies that discriminate against gay and lesbian employees. Absolutely nothing has resulted from this. And so I’ve felt compelled to choose between obligations to my partner — who is my family — and service to my country. That anyone should have to make that choice is a stain on the Secretary’s leadership and a shame for this institution and our country.

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While we're on the subject of gay rumors and politicians, Condoleezza Rice's alleged lesbianism made the front page of the National Enquirer. The Secretary of State's head floats amidst the headline, "Who's Gay and Who's Not?".

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Pakistan's President General Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency over the weekend. As part of his constitution suspension and power grab, Musharraf has ordered his soldiers to round up political opposition. An estimated 500 people have been detained thus far, including gay rights activist Asma Jahangir.

Gay rights advocate Asma Jahangir, former United Nations special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions and now special rapporteur on religious intolerance, is among the many who have been arrested in Pakistan this afternoon following the suspension of the country’s constitution and the imposition of emergency rule by President Pervez Musharraf.

Asma Jahangir “is an incredible activist and together with her sister, Hina Jilani, has been one of the strongest forces pushing LGBT issues in the [United Nations] system,” Scott Long of Human Rights Watch in New York said by email.

Ms. Jahangir has been detained along with other members of the Pakistan Human Rights Commission.

The United States government's in a bit of bind right now: we've been supporting Musharraf's government for its alleged help in the protracted, impossible war on terror. Though Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says she'll "review aid" to the nation, she and her colleagues have made no promises to turn the screw on Pakistan's democracy.

Tongues were wagging last month when we biographer Glenn Kessler revealed Condoleezza Rice and "best-friend" Randy Bean own a mutual home. Now that the dust's settled, Bean's come out of the straight closet.

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Condoleezza Rice's life's being laid out in Glenn Kessler's The Confidante: Condoleezza Rice and the Creation of the Bush Legacy.

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Out keeps asking tough questions.

In light of Young Republican leader and nocturnal cocksucker Glenn Murphy's resignation, the rag's asking readers which Republican they fear waking up beside. As you can see, the majority of the fag rag's online readers find Dick Cheney to be the most repulsive of the Republicunts. We definitely agree.

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