Robyn Alice McCutcheon
Robyn alice mccutcheon: The Highs and Lows of Trans at State
I contribute this as a transgender American who served her country as a commissioned foreign service officer (FSO) at the U.S. Department of State. For over 15 years I lived and worked in Washington, DC; Moscow; Bucharest; and throughout Central Asia. At the time I retired as an FS-02 mid-level FSO in 2019, I held the diplomatic title of first secretary, roughly the equivalent of a lieutenant colonel in the military.
"Foreign Service?” you ask.
The Foreign Service staffs our embassies, consulates, and other diplomatic missions, and is sometimes referred to as “America’s other army.” Foreign Service Officers are America’s diplomats.
To the transgender Americans who want to serve our country I say: Military service is not the only option, and as ambassador Bill Burns wrote, “Diplomacy is America’s foreign policy tool of first resort.” Interests in languages, cultures, and international relations are prerequisites, but being transgender is no obstacle, and the Foreign Service may be one of the most welcoming branches of the U.S. government.
