OUT ON THE HILL is the official blog of the Victory Congressional Interns. Views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of LGBTQ+ Victory Institute. Learn more about the internship at victoryinstitute.org/vci.
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Growing up in Missouri, I felt like I had to be straight to succeed, so I avoided talking about my sexuality outside of spaces I knew were safe and confidential. Don’t get me wrong — I was never ashamed of being gay. In fact, I started diverting from a traditional masculine style in high school and proudly defended my belief that clothing has no gender. I wanted to resist the norm, but I felt tethered to the heteronormativity of my environment, failing to see a world where I achieve my professional goals as an out gay man.
College helped me be more confident in my identity, but the Victory Congressional Internship (VCI) has opened my eyes to what it means to be out and proud in professional spaces. With the support of my peers, coworkers, and mentors, I have come to embrace my queerness not as a challenge to success, but as a professional asset.
During the second week of VCI, we had a Q&A with Former U.S. Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina Eric Nelson. When I asked how his sexuality had been a challenge to his career, his answer astonished me. He said that being gay in the foreign service was not a liability, but an asset. The LGBTQ+ community, according to him, possesses a unique ability to bridge cultural, geographic, and linguistic barriers, allowing him to relate to people more easily and uplift the queer communities wherever he was stationed. His hypothesis about queerness as an asset to diplomacy became a reality when he facilitated the first pride parade in Sarajevo in 2019.
Leaders like Ambassador Nelson have taught me how being out in my professional life helps me connect with people and expands my impact. By applying for VCI, I had already stepped out of my comfort zone and acknowledged my sexuality as a strength. Queerness is not just an identity, but a community that exists in every corner of the world. I have witnessed the value of my community marching in World Pride, networking with queer staffers on the Hill, and simply wearing my LGBTQ+ Victory pin to work. I know that I will not receive the same support everywhere I go, but VCI has given me the confidence to be bold in my sexuality from the rainbow-painted streets of DC to my small college town in Missouri.
