Washington Blade - October 10, 2006
Lou Chibbaro Jr.

In a ceremony held at the State Department's historic Benjamin Franklin Room, Dybul placed his hand on a bible held by his domestic partner, Jason Claire. Dybul's parents and Claire's mother stood nearby as Dybul became the nation's third openly gay ambassador.

"I am truly honored and delighted to have the opportunity to swear in Mark Dybul as our next Global AIDS Coordinator," Rice said. "I am pleased to do that in the presence of Mark's parents, Claire and Richard, his partner, Jason, and his mother-in-law, Marilyn," she said.

"You have a wonderful family to support you, Mark, and I know that's always important to us. Welcome," Rice said.

In remarks following the searing-in, Laura Bush noted that Dybul will oversee President Bush's $15 billion Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, a widely acclaimed program backed by AIDS activists and approved by Congress as part of an aggressive U.S. effort to fight AIDS in developing countries.

"I know you'll bring great skill and enthusiasm to the fight against AIDS," Laura Bush said. "Congratulations, ambassador."

President Bush nominated Dybul for the global AIDS post earlier this year. The Senate voted unanimously to confirm the appointment on Aug. 3.

Dybul, a nationally recognized expert on AIDS care and prevention, had been serving as acting Global AIDS Coordinator since January, when Bush appointed his predecessor, pharmaceutical industry executive Randall Tobias, as head of the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Rice's public recognition of Jason Claire as Dybul's domestic partner and her reference to Claire's mother as Dybul's "mother-in-law" is certain to delight gay activists while raising the eyebrows of conservative Christian leaders.

Some conservative Christian groups raised objections when former Secretary of State Colin Powell held a similar swearing-in ceremony in 2001 for Michael Guest, a gay foreign service officer whom Bush appointed as U.S. ambassador to Romania. Like Rice, Powell recognized Guest's domestic partner, who also held a bible as Powell administered the oath of office.

President Clinton appointed San Francisco gay businessman and philanthropist James Hormel as U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg, marking the first time any U.S. president appointed an open gay to an ambassadorial post.

Among those attending Dybul's swearing-in ceremony was Dr. Anthony Faucci, director of the National Institutes of Health's AIDS program division and one of the nation's leading AIDS researchers. Tobias also attended the event.

"The fight to eradicate AIDS is really one of the great moral callings of our time," Rice said. "Mark is the right person to carry on this great program and this great cause," she said.

"He brings of course a deep commitment to the role from his years in public service and in public health," Rice said. "He studied AIDS as a researcher and as a doctor and he's gained a full understanding of the virus."

Laura Bush praised Dybul for his "creativity" and "innovation" in government AIDS programs. Dybul worked at the NIH's AIDS division under Faucci before joining the staff at the Office of Global AIDS Coordinator.

"Mark has already made a huge difference as acting, deputy, and assistant Global AIDS Coordinator," she said.

"I've seen the results of his work as I've visited PEPFAR projects around the world - from a program in Russia that helps HIV-positive children lead healthy lives, to South Africa's Mothers to Mothers-to-Be program, which helps HIV-positive pregnant women deliver babies free of HIV," Bush said.

A State Department spokesperson, Kristen Pugh, said the swearing-in ceremony took place this week - two months after the Senate confirmed Dybul û because scheduling conflicts prevented Secretary Rice and Mrs. Bush from being available for the event sooner.

Coming on the heels of the Capitol Hill sex scandal swirling around disgraced former Congressman Mark Foley of Florida, it is unclear whether the Dybul appointment will stir up criticism of the administration from anti-gay groups. Some of the groups have threatened to "out" closeted gays working for Republican members of Congress.

Gay Republican activist Carl Schmid said the Dybul appointment would bolster the administration's support among moderate voters and others, including gays.

"It demonstrates a number of things-the Bush administration's deep commitment to battling the global HIV/AIDS epidemic and the administration's commitment to putting the best people in the job, no matter what their sexual orientation," Schmid said.

"It was a great moment to witness such an historical event," said Schmid, who attended the Dybul swearing-in.

"Everybody was being honest and open, as it should be," he said.

061010
WB061006

Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2006. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.

AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.

Copyright ©1980, 2006. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .