Some US embassies sport a rainbow flag despite requests denied by trump administrator

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Several US embassies and diplomatic missions around the world hold up rainbow flags in honor of the month of pride, despite a series of refusals from the Trump administration to ask to fly the flag.

The Washington Post reported Saturday that diplomatic missions in Seoul and Chennai, India, had issued a press release and a video advertising the flag hanging outside their respective buildings, while the United States United States of America embassy in New Delhi updated his Twitter cover picture showing a rainbow projected on it.

The embassy in Santiago de Chile shows a video of a diplomat sporting a rainbow flag last month on the occasion of the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Human Rights. biphobies. The website of the Vienna embassy features a photo of the same flag.

Several ambassadors and diplomats were also seen participating in the pride festivities, going to parades or parties in front of their embassies.

The sightings occurred after the State Department reportedly rejected requests from several embassies to wear the Rainbow Pride flag on flagpoles this month. Embassies are supposed to get Washington's permission to fly the flag, according to state department policy.

The State Department and the White House did not immediately respond to The Hill's requests for comment.

"It's a category one insurgency," said a diplomat at the Post, speaking anonymously for fear of being sacked.

According to the Post, the practice of wearing pride flags was regularly approved for most of the decade. The state department under the Obama administration has stipulated that the rainbow flags should be smaller and placed under US flags. In 2016, Swiss Post notes that approvals have been left to ambassadors or heads of mission.

But now, such requests require high-level approval from the State Department. NBC News reported for the first time this week that all requests for this type of flag have been rejected this year. An information cable was released last year, forcing all missions to get clearance from the state department, but all applications were approved in 2018, said two diplomats at The Post.

NBC noted that the State Department had rejected the request of the US embassy in Berlin to fly the flag. The embassy is led by US Ambassador Richard Grenell, the highest openly gay person in the Trump administration.

"The recognition by the President of the Month of Pride and his tweet encouraging our decriminalization campaign give me even more pride to once again participate in the Berlin Pride Parade, to suspend a huge banner on the side of the world. Embassy acknowledging our pride the flag of gay pride, "said Grenell in a statement at the exit.

According to The Post, several foreign service officers complained about the cable on a private Facebook page, and several missions attempted to avoid embarrassing the administration by posting President TrumpDonald John TrumpO's Rourke hammers Trump on the rates: the damage has already been caused & # 39; O & # 39; Rourke hammers Trump on the rates: the damage & # 39; have already been caused & # 39; Schumer mocks: "I'm sure we will not hear any more about illegal immigration MOREPast statement affirming LGBT rights.

secretary of state Mike PompeoMichael (Mike) Richard PompeoTrump removes Mexico's tariff threat after the agreement on migrants Trump removes Mexico's tariff threat after agreeing on Pompeo migrants: "many ways" to fight climate change did not make a statement for Pride Month, as he did last year, and did not attend the State Department's annual Pride Day during his tenure.

"Day after day, a death by a thousand denominations, our American LGBT + rights are being eroded by the removal of a guide here, the rewrite of a policy out there or just the silent demise of". a website, "Robyn McCutcheon, a transgender woman who has held several diplomatic posts wrote in her blog" Transgender in State ". "It should not be surprising that this erosion also occurs in the US Department of State."

The administration has appointed many gay ambassadors and Trump became the first Republican president to issue a statement on the occasion of the month of pride.

The White House, however, would have upset LGBTQ officials by trying to ban transgender service members from working in the military, which has led some to avoid talking publicly about issues that affect their community, according to the Post Office.

"We are flying below the radar," said an employee at The Post. "We survive because they do not realize we are here."

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