Although Joe Biden has only been in office for a little over a year, he has already made history several times. Not only did Kamala Harris become the first female to hold the post of vice president, but she also broke boundaries by being both Black and Indian American. Biden also holds the distinction of having the first openly gay cabinet member in office – Pete Buttigieg – who subsequently sparked controversy after selecting Sam Brinton as the deputy assistant secretary of spent fuel and waste disposal to work in DOE’s department of nuclear energy.
Some individuals in the United States are shocked that Brinton was chosen for the position because he or she is the first openly gender-fluid person to head up a federal government department. In addition to being gender fluid, Brinton also performs as a drag queen on their free time away from work.
When he accepted the position of CEO, Brinton shared his understanding that it would not be simple to be the first gender-fluid person in such a prominent role, as much on Microsoft’s professional networking site LinkedIn.
“Yes, I know it won’t be easy. Yes, I realize this is an enormous challenge. Yes, I am ready to take it on,” they said.
Brinton holds a master’s degree in nuclear engineering and technology and policy programming from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Since graduating, Brinton has spent years working on nuclear waste management, climate change, youth mentorship, and LGBTQ activism. They’ve worked on projects for Global Zero, the Trevor Project, as well as Deep Isolation.
Despite Brinton’s numerous qualifications, right-leaning media have attempted to besmirch their reputation due to their vocal LGBTQ activism and desire for life on the margins. Some conservatives argue that Brinton’s appointment as a government official is an indication of America’s “moral decay.”
The American Principles Project is a conservative organization that lobbies against the LGBTQ community. Schilling referred to Brinton as a “complete sexual degenerate.”
Jon Miller tweeted, “If this is what’s in charge of nuclear waste issues in the Biden Administration, it should start with itself.”
Brinton is not the first drag queen to enter national politics. Jose Sarria, a part-time drag queen, was the first openly gay person to run for public office in the United States when he ran for Congress in 1961. This was a decade and a half before Harvey Milk was elected to office. Maebe A. Girl, another Los Angeles-based drag queen, became the first known drag queen to be elected into public office as a member of the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council in 2019.
Believes that Brinton’s appointment indicates a new level of honesty in the United States.
“I was elected [while I was] being openly and authentically myself,” Girl tells Yahoo Life. “I think that has really guided me in my work. I don’t feel like I have to hide anything. I don’t feel like I have to pretend to be something that I’m not.”
