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.

Who says foreign policy can't be fun?!

An intrepid reporter this week asked State Department Deputy Spokesman Tom Casey on the very pressing matter of Boy George's visa holdup.

Mr. George planned on coming to the States for a tour this summer, but the current investigation into his alleged kidnapping of a Norwegian hooker gave American officials pause.

And the world wants answers!

QUESTION: And what does the U.S. Government have against Boy George – (laughter) – You denied him a visa.

MR. CASEY: Sorry, I should have swallowed before you said that. (Laughter.) Let’s see if I spit the water over any place else. (Laughter.) I’ve seen the report that’s out there. Obviously, visa records are confidential. But I’d simply note that there often are difficulties for individuals who either are currently subject to criminal charges or otherwise may have criminal records. So I think you might want to look toward some of those reasons as why he might be having some difficulties here.

QUESTION: It’s tragic really.

MR. CASEY: Do you really want to hurt him? (Laughter.)

The State Department will reportedly decide George's fate this evening. The world as we know it will never be the same.

You can watch the live action video here.

Michael Guest stepped into the spotlight again this week. The former Romanian ambassador, who resigned last year to protest the State Department's gay inequality, held a press conference to highlight the Department's documentation of anti-gay human rights abuses.

Despite the Department's look at these abuses, that report, says Guest and his friends at the LGBT Foreign Policy Project, does nothing to address the stark, often violent reality of gay living abroad.

Our editor sat down with Guest yesterday to discuss the report, as well as the State Department's queer inaction, how to approach anti-gay nations and why even a flawed democracy matters.

Check it out, after the jump.

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Massachusetts may recognize gay marriage, but that means absolutely nothing to the State Department:

As an AIDS counselor, Jason Hair-Wynn wants to bring his expertise to Africa, a continent that has been ravaged by the disease.

But when the Attleboro resident recently applied for a new passport so he could go to Africa, he learned the U.S. State Department would not recognize his new hyphenated name because he is a gay man married to another man.

He said the State Department said it was prohibited from recognizing his new name by the Defense of Marriage Act.

"We are unable to comply with your request for a name change based on the documentation you sent because of the Defense of Marriage Act …," the letter states.

The missive goes on to remind Hair-Wynn that federal agencies define marriage as between "one man and one woman". God, isn't federalism wonderful?

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.

Former ambassador Michael Guest graces The Advocate's next issue. Guest retired last month over what he called the State Department's discriminatory policies. Guest wrote:

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.

The forthcoming Advocate - which hits stands on January 15th - also features an interview with Diane Lane, the reality of living with HIV and a profile on Carson Kressley, whom journo Tricia Romano deems "America's gay boyfriend." We'd rather be single.

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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