Presidential nominees Gina Ortiz Jones and Shawn Skelly have testified at confirmation hearings before the Senate Armed Services Committee and both will make LGBTQ history if confirmed by the full U.S. Senate.
If confirmed, Jones, nominated for Under Secretary of the Air Force, will be the first out lesbian to serve as under secretary of a military branch. If confirmed, Skelly, nominated for Assistant Secretary of Defense for Readiness, will be the highest-ranking out transgender defense official in U.S. history.
During her opening statement, after thanking her partner for her support, Jones spoke directly to a history of discrimination in the military – including her Filipino uncle. She drew parallels between her uncle's experience to her service under “Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and said: “That experience cemented my resolve to ensure anyone ready and able to serve can do so to their full potential and accordingly our country's fullest potential."
Jones is an Air Force and Iraq War veteran and former candidate for U.S. Congress. She was an intelligence analyst for U.S. Africa Command and a senior strategic planner and then special advisor to the Deputy Director for the Defense Intelligence Agency. Skelly is a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Navy and retired with the rank of Commander. She was Special Assistant to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics at the U.S. Department of Defense and a commissioner to the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service.
Jones and Skelly are two of more than 200 LGBTQ political appointees to the Biden administration, including at least 12 currently serving in the Department of Defense. Also nominated and awaiting a confirmation hearing is Sue Fulton, a retired U.S. Army Captain, who is nominated to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manpower and Reserve Affairs.
Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Institute, said: “These two trailblazing nominees demonstrated their deep military expertise and qualifications before the committee and we know their experiences as LGBTQ people will shape their leadership in these critical positions. Their performance was a powerful testament to the progress our military and nation has made – just one decade after the repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' – and is an important moment for LGBTQ servicemembers who served or continue to serve in silence.
Their confirmation will transform perceptions of LGBTQ people within the ranks of the U.S. military, but also among the leaders of militaries we work with around the world.
Mayor Annise Parker
Victory Institute's Presidential Appointments Initiative works with the administration to recommend and advocate for qualified LGBTQ leaders ready to serve in the administration – including Jones and Skelly. Victory Institute aims to help the Biden administration become the most LGBTQ-inclusive in U.S. history.