President Joe Biden’s secretary of State Antony Blinken had during confirmation hearing earlier promised that he would appoint an envoy for LGBTQ+ rights and let the U.S. embassies display the LGBTQ+ Pride flag without restrictions.
Recall that Donald Trump’s administration had left the envoy position vacant — it had been established by President Barack Obama — and did not allow embassies to fly the Pride flag on official flagpoles without special permission, although they could display it inside or on exterior walls.
However, the US government under Joe Biden has communicated to its embassies all over the world to fly the Gay Pride flag on the same flagpole as the U.S. flag in support for LGBTQ rights with a clause which says that the authorization is not a must and chiefs of mission who run each embassy or consulate can choose whether to fly the Pride flag or showcase other symbols connoting support for LGBTQ rights based on what is “appropriate in light of local conditions.”
