- Joined
- Apr 14, 2011
- Messages
- 17,012
- Points
- 113
New Biden Dept. of Energy hire is a nonbinary drag queen — 'an asset,' say queer activists
David ArtaviaWed, 16 February 2022, 10:53 PMSam Brinton may be the first openly gender-fluid person hired into federal government leadership. (Jerod Harris/Getty Images for The Trevor Project)
It seems President Joe Biden made history last month: That's when Sam Brintonannounced the administration had hired them as deputy assistant secretary of spent fuel and waste disposition in the office of nuclear energy for the Department of Energy.
Brinton, like many of the people quoted in this article, uses the pronouns they and them, and may be the first openly gender-fluid person in federal government leadership — as they noted on LinkedIn upon accepting the role.
"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 wrote at the time.
The Department of Energy did not respond to Yahoo Life's request for comment.
Brinton’s years-long career in nuclear waste management, climate change, LGBTQ activism and youth mentorship — including stints at Global Zero, the Trevor Project and Deep Isolation, a company of researchers and scientists advancing safer methods for nuclear waste disposal — is well documented, as is their activism in kink subculture.
A graduate of MIT with dual masters degrees in nuclear engineering and technology and policy programming, Brinton has been unapologetic about their activism, as well as their life as a drag performer and as one of the loudest voices fighting to end conversion therapy as the founder of the 50 Bills 50 Statescampaign.
Despite Brinton's qualifications, conservative outlets have attempted to smear their reputation through a series of campaigns targeting Brinton's personal life — as have some on social media, where the appointment has been called a sign of "moral decay."
Terry Schilling, president of the American Principles Project, a conservative lobby group, called Brinton a "complete sexual degenerate." Another tweeted: "If this is what's in charge of nuclear waste issues in the Biden Administration, it should start with itself."
But in the face of homophobia and transphobia, queer activists and politicians are attempting to shift the message from one of hate to one of pride.
