A high-ranking officer in the U.S. Space Force used her speech at a Pentagon pride event last week to rail against what she called “anti-LGBTQ+ laws” introduced in state legislatures across the country.
Lt. Gen. DeAnna Burt, deputy chief of space operations, also claimed that such laws affect her hiring and promotion decisions, sometimes leading her to choose a “less qualified” candidate because of a preferred candidate’s “personal circumstances.”
“Transformational cultural change requires leadership from the top, and we do not have time to wait,” Burt told those attending the event. “Since January of this year, more than 400 anti-LGBTQ+ laws have been introduced at the state level. That number is rising and demonstrates a trend that could be dangerous for service members, their families, and the readiness of the force as a whole.”
“When I look at potential candidates, say, for squadron command, I strive to match the right person to the right job. I consider their job performance and relevant experience first. However, I also look at their personal circumstances, and their family is also an important factor,” she said.
“We have the top talent in the Nation, and we must enable them to perform their missions by ensuring they are not worried about the health and safety of their families,” the official said. “The Department of the Air Force recognizes that various laws and legislation are being proposed and passed in states across America that may affect LGBTQ Airmen, Guardians, and/or their LGBTQ dependents in different ways.”
Lt. Gen. DeAnna Burt railed against state “anti-LGBTQ+” laws during a Pentagon pride event on June 7, 2023. (Department of Defense)
“We have worked to inform and educate our members on the assignment, medical, legal and other resources available to support Airmen, Guardians and their families,” they added.
The Pentagon on May 10, 2023. (Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images)
Last month, two Navy officials dismissed critics of its promotion of LGBTQ+ Pride as “bigots” and “a–holes,” according to emails obtained by Fox News Digital.
The officials specifically expressed disgust with negative public response to its social media posts for LGBTQ+ Pride Month last year, the emails, obtained in a Freedom of Information Act request from the Functional Government Initiative, said. The two officials schemed on how to best post its “rainbow wingtip graphic” for LGBTQ+ Pride Month, which they complained would be flooded with “feedback from trolls and ugliness.”
