CIA
In 1996, the CIA enacted Executive Order 12968, Access to Classified Information, which removed the ban on homosexuals holding high-level security clearances, including classified and top secret. Now for nearly thirty years, the CIA has evolved into a more diverse organization. The Agency fosters a thriving LGBTQ+ employee resource group and regularly recruits LGBTQ individuals for administrative and clandestine roles.
In order to publish this story, the author requested and received clearance from the CIA’s Publisher Review Board (PRB). Although the civ-5 character, Trey Carter, and the author share similar history and experience, Demaris: Protocol is a work of fiction. People, places and other references have been created, altered, and/or amplified to protect individual privacy.