According to high-ranking officials, Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke made multiple disparaging comments including: “I don’t care about diversity.”

NEW YORK – GLAAD, the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization, today denounced Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke for reportedly saying that he does not believe that diversity is of value in the U.S. Department of the Interior. This is not the first time that members of the Trump Administration have attacked the vital principles of diversity and inclusion. Last December it was reported that multiple Health and Human Service agencies were directed to censor up to seven words including “transgender” and “diversity” from all their budget documents.

“Every day we seem to have yet another horrific example of the Trump administration’s disdain for all forms of diversity, and the anti-LGBTQ worldview harbored by President Trump and members of his cabinet,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, President and CEO of GLAAD. “The fact that Secretary Zinke not only believes that diversity and inclusion do not matter, but that he feels emboldened to repeat it multiple times to his staff, further displays the toxic environment created within the Trump White House.”

Secretary Zinke himself is no stranger to targeting the LGBTQ community. During his time in the Trump Administration, Zinke’s Department of Interior withdrew federal sponsorship of New York City’s first permanent pride flag, located outside of the historic Stonewall Inn, and worked to ensure that the rainbow flag was not technically flying on federal land. Before taking office he openly opposed adoption by LGBTQ couples, falsely implied that being LGBTQ is a choice, and insisted marriage equality somehow “undermines religious freedom.”