Gina Ortiz Jones Nominated for Air Force Under Secretary

Gina Ortiz Jones has been nominated by President Biden for the Under Secretary of the Air Force in the Department of Defense. Jones, a lesbian and a Filipino-American, would be the second, out, LGBTQ, Under Secretary of the Air Force and the first woman of color to hold the position. 

Jones deployed to Iraq in 2003 as an intelligence officer. She served under the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, in which closeted LGBTQ members of the military were tolerated, but those who wished to be openly LGBTQ were barred from service. She returned to the United States in 2006, continuing her work as an intelligence analyst until 2016, when she worked under the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative during Obama’s presidency. She resigned from this position in 2017, citing a moral inability to work for the Trump Administration. 

Gina Ortiz Jones’ nomination has been celebrated by many Democrats who hoped Jones would join Congress in 2020. Having grown up in San Antonio, Jones ran for the House of Representatives in 2018 and 2020, aiming to represent Texas’ 23rd district. She lost by a narrow margin in both elections. 

If Jones is confirmed by the Senate, it will be a win for the LGBTQ community and a glimmer of hope for what’s to come in politics. “The Biden Administration continues to prioritize qualified out voices—and @GinaOrtizJones’ record of dedicated public service speaks for itself. We’re with you, Gina!” The LGBTQ Victory Institute tweeted of the nomination. The Human Rights Campaign also celebrated the nomination and commended President Biden for his pro-LGBTQ work during the first part of his presidency. 

“We are incredibly proud of the work the Biden Administration has done to protect and advance the rights of LGBTQ people here in the United States and across the world during his first 100 days in office,” Alphonso David, the president of the HRC, said in a statement. 

In Biden’s recent joint address to Congress, he continued to stand up for LGBTQ Americans. “To all the transgender Americans watching at home, especially the young people who are so brave, I want you to know that your president has your back,” he said. He also urged the Senate to pass the Equality Act, which would protect LGBTQ individuals from discrimination at the federal level.

Image courtesy of Gina Ortiz Jones’ Facebook Page.