A Biden-Harris Department of Energy official advocates for "nuclear weapons queering" as part of a radical diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) agenda.

A Department of Energy employee who works in the nuclear security wing has advocated for disarmament policies and believes that advancing "queer theory" is crucial to both the disarmament agenda and national security.

In February 2024, the Biden-Harris administration appointed Sneha Nair as special assistant at the National Nuclear Security Administration. Nair is committed to eliminating "White supremacy" in the nuclear field and "queering nuclear weapons" as part of a diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative aimed at safeguarding nuclear energy facilities in the U.S.

""Queer theory informs the struggle for nuclear justice and disarmament by shifting the perception of nuclear weapons as instruments for security through the hidden stories of displacement, illness, and trauma caused by their production and testing," she wrote last year."

Nair contends that DEI is crucial for developing effective nuclear policy.

She worked for the Stimson Institute before joining the administration, an organization that has received significant funding from Soros' Open Society Foundations and millions from "The Embassy of the State of Qatar," according to Planet Chronicle Digital's review of their funding sources.

DEI IN NUCLEAR ENERGY

Nair stated in an April 2023 article that the absence of a DEI agenda poses a risk to the workforce of a nuclear security facility becoming "insider threats."

Stakeholders can contribute to stronger security at nuclear facilities by understanding DEI as a set of values critical to security and as an element of an effective nuclear security culture.

Nair emphasizes that advancing DEI principles is vital for enhancing nuclear security implementation.

According to reports from the U.S. government, qualified applicants with foreign ties have been discouraged from applying to sensitive national security positions and faced barriers to obtaining a security clearance due to preconceived confirmation biases held by investigators about certain racial or ethnic groups.

"The article stated that while significant advancements have been made in promoting DEI in the nuclear field, the main challenge lies in educating nuclear security practitioners on how DEI can enhance nuclear security. It is crucial to concentrate more on the connections between nuclear security and DEI."

Nair argues that White staff at nuclear facilities are unable to accurately assess threats from individuals of the same racial background, particularly radical White supremacists, due to race bias.

"Expanding the perspectives in nuclear security decision-making can broaden the definition of who or what constitutes a 'threat' for nuclear security," she stated. "The concept of 'threat' and 'security' are shaped by the dominant culture, which inherently overlooks how marginalized groups perceive 'threats.'"

If a White-majority workforce does not perceive ideological leanings as indicators of a relevant nuclear security threat, some White supremacist groups may go undetected, she claimed.

‘QUEERING NUCLEAR WEAPONS'

Creating effective nuclear policy requires equity and inclusion, as stated in the article "Queering Nuclear Weapons" by Nair, published in June 2023.

Critical queer theory is a vital academic concept to tackle national security challenges, as she explained.

"Queer theory: illuminating the impact of nuclear weapons on gender and sexuality norms."

"The queer perspective prioritizes the rights and well-being of individuals over the abstract concept of national security, and challenges the conventional understanding of nuclear weapons—examining whether they actually prevent nuclear war, maintain geopolitical stability, and decrease the likelihood of conventional war. Queer theory inquires: Who developed these notions? How are they maintained? What interests are being served? And whose experiences are being overlooked?"

Nair argued that nuclear policy viewed through the lens of queer theory involves rejecting the belief that nuclear deterrence provides security and that disarmament increases vulnerability.