LGBTQ workers cite discrimination and ‘bro-y’ culture in a letter to Bill Barr as why they are leaving the DOJ

On Thursday, LGBTQ workers at the Department of Justice wrote a letter to Attorney General Bill Barr detailing the discrimination they have experienced at work.

The letter was written by the group DOJ Pride. According to the letter, the group "represent the thousands of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer [LGBTQ] employees and contractors, as well as their allies, who serve the Department each day with professionalism and distinction."

The letter notes that the FBI academy discriminated against “many gay agents attending [the FBI academy] are dismissed because they are not ‘bro-y’ or masculine enough,'” reported BuzzFeed.

The 4-page letter cites multiple incidents of discrimination such as:

• “The DOJ is no longer the welcoming, inclusive environment for LGBTQ employees that it once was.”
•  “It’s harder for gay men and trans people to work in the BOP. The BOP definitely does not attract or very often retain gay men and trans people.”
•  “Agents attend[ing] the FBI Academy that are gay and/or Latino are definitely discriminated against and in many cases evaluated more harshly than other new agents and dismissed from the academy.”

“I understand that elections have consequences and that I work at an institution that at times takes positions with which I personally disagree,” an employee said.

Adding, “That’s nothing new. But, as the administration’s positions on LGBTQ issues emerged, it would have been a sound management practice for DOJ leadership to take conciliatory actions with LGBTQ employees.”

Justice Department officials did not immediately respond to a request to comment from BuzzFeed.