Tom Gallagher’s Diplomatic Passport

United States 2007

Tom Gallagher joined the Foreign Service in 1965. Ten years later, he came out as openly gay while speaking at a conference on gays in the federal government in Washington, DC. It is believed that he is the first FSO to do so. Before the next periodic renewal of his security clearance, during which he knew he would be grilled about his sexual orientation and ultimately lose his security clearance—and therefore his job— like many of his colleagues had, he resigned. He moved to California and started a new career as a social worker. In 1994, President Bill Clinton prohibited personnel and security policies that were hostile toward homosexuals in the Foreign Service. Gallagher decided to return to his beloved career as a Foreign Service Officer. After retiring from the Foreign Service in 2005, Gallagher continued to serve short temporary tours for the State Department including assignments at 17 embassies and consulates on five continents. This Diplomatic Passport is from this era of his service.

  • Source/Credit: Gift of Amin Dulkumoni
  • Catalog Number: 2019.0013.01
  • Created: 2007
  • Acquired: 2019
Tom Gallagher's Passport
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(2007). Tom Gallagher's Diplomatic Passport [Object]. National Museum of American Diplomacy, Washington, D.C., United States. https://diplomacy.state.gov/items/tom-gallaghers-diplomatic-passport

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