An official in the nuclear security section of the Biden-Harris Department of Energy argued that “queer theory” should be an essential feature of U.S. national security and called for the drastic reduction of America’s nuclear stockpile.
Sneha Nair, who was appointed by the Biden-Harris administration in February as special assistant at the National Nuclear Security Administration, claimed “white supremacy” dominates the nuclear field and that “queering nuclear weapons” as part of the DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) push “is essential for creating effective nuclear policy.”
“Finally, queer theory informs the struggle for nuclear justice and disarmament,” she wrote in April 2023. “Queer theory helps to shift the perception of nuclear weapons as instruments for security by telling the hidden stories of displacement, illness, and trauma caused by their production and testing.”
Nair also stressed that “DEI principles and advancement must be considered crucial assets for strengthening nuclear security implementation,” adding they would prevent “insider threats.”
“By understanding DEI as a set of values critical to security, and therefore as an element of an effective nuclear security culture, stakeholders can explore how DEI can contribute to stronger security at nuclear facilities,” she said.
Hellbound and Down 