Washington Blade, Volume 55, Issue 27, July 05, 2024 by Washington Blade

Costs* *with use of preferred Lender and Title **not valid on previous contracts and must se le on or before 07/31/24.

ADDRESS PO Box 53352

Washington DC 20009

PHONE

202-747-2077

E-MAIL

news@washblade.com

INTERNET washingtonblade.com

PUBLISHED BY Brown Naff Pitts Omnimedia, Inc.

PUBLISHER

LYNNE J. BROWN

lbrown@washblade.com ext. 8075

EDITORIAL

EDITOR

KEVIN NAFF

knaff@washblade.com ext. 8088

SR. NEWS REPORTER

LOU CHIBBARO JR. lchibbaro@washblade.com ext. 8079 WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT CHRIS KANE

ckane@washblade.com extg 8083

INTERNATIONAL NEWS EDITOR

MICHAEL K. LAVERS mlavers@washblade.com ext. 8093

POP CULTURE REPORTER

JOHN PAUL KING

PHOTO EDITOR

MICHAEL KEY mkey@washblade.com ext 8084

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

DANIEL ITAI, EDICIÓN CIENTONCE, QUORUM, WDG, STEPHANIE MONDRAGÓN, ISAAC AMEND , TINASHE CHINGARANDE, DUNIA ORELLANA, REPORTAR SIN MIEDO, PETER ROSENSTEIN, MARK LEE, LATEEFAH WILLIAMS, KATE CLINTON, KATHI WOLFE, ERNESTO VALLE, YARIEL VALDÉS GONZÁLEZ, PHILIP VAN SLOOTEN, KATLEGO K. KOLANYANEKESUPILE, KAELA ROEDER, TREMENDA NOTA, ALBERTO J. VALENTÍN, MAYKEL GONZÁLEZ VIVERO, ORGULLO LGBT. CO, ESTEBAN GUZMAN, ANDRÉS I. JOVÉ RODRÍGUEZ

CREATIVE DESIGN/PRODUCTION

AZERCREATIVE.COM

SALES & ADMINISTRATION

DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING

STEPHEN RUTGERS srutgers@washblade.com ext. 8077

SR. ACCT. EXECUTIVE

BRIAN PITTS

bpitts@washblade.com ext. 8089

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING/ADMINISTRATION

PHILLIP G. ROCKSTROH prockstroh@washblade.com ext. 8092

NATIONAL ADVERTISING

RIVENDELL MEDIA

212-242-6863; sales@rivendellmedia.com

For distribution, contact Lynne

D.C. man fatally stabbed by partner was convicted twice for domestic violence

ed nthony Brown faces second-degree murder charge

By LOU CHIBBARO JR.

rosecutors with the fﬁce of the .S. ttorney for D.C. disclosed in court ﬁlings that ommy udson, , the gay man who was stabbed to death by his domestic partner on ay , had a criminal record of eight arrests and convictions between and , including two domestic violence assault convictions in which the partner charged with killing him was the victim.

ed nthony Brown, , who court records show had a longtime romantic relationship with udson, was charged on ay with second-degree murder while armed for allegedly fatally stabbing udson inside Brown s apartment at arvard St., .W., following an argument e is being held in ail without bond while awaiting trial.

Charging documents ﬁled in D.C. Superior Court show that at the time of his arrest, Brown waived his iranda rights to remain silent and confessed to having stabbed udson, saying he did so after udson punched him in the face while the two were arguing.

Brown reported that he and the decedent have been involved in a romantic relationship for a significant period and that he was very ealous of the decedent s possible infidelities, an affidavit by police in support of his arrest states. Suspect Brown reported to detectives that he believed the decedent punching him to the face did not ustify Suspect stabbing the decedent, which ultimately killed him, the affidavit says.

Court records show that prosecutors with the fﬁce of the .S. ttorney on ay sent a letter to Brown s defense attorney, odd Baldwin, disclosing udson s prior arrests and convictions as part of a re uired discovery process in which prosecutors must disclose information relevant to a criminal case to the defense, even if the information may be harmful to the prosecutors case at

Comings oings

eronica ugin takes new role at kta Solutions

By PETER ROSENSTEIN

he Comings oings column is about sharing the professional successes of our community. We want to recogni e those landing new obs, new clients for their business, oining boards of organi ations and other achievements. lease share your successes with us at comingsandgoings@washblade.com

Congratulations to Veronica Pugin on her new position as, anager, Strategic rograms, at kta Solutions. pon accepting the position she said, I am e cited to strengthen identity and cybersecurity solutions that protect our economy, government, and society, from cyber-attacks, so we can all safely use digital tools. y roles at the White ouse CD and SB highlighted for me the importance of digital safety and cybersecurity to protect our small

businesses, transportation systems, schools, hospitals, and individual rights therefore, I look forward to continuing to further this domain.

rior to this ugin served as Senior olicy dviser at the White ouse ffice of ational Cyber Director CD in the Biden administration. In that role, she e panded workforce solutions to strengthen .S. cyber readiness for national security, economic, and technological purposes. he office promoted labor and workforce development efforts to identify labor force needs and promote workforce development solutions in e panding access to good-paying obs in cyber, particularly in light of the impacts of artificial intelligence I . She has also served the Biden dministration in other roles including as Senior olicy dviser at the .S.

trial.

he prosecutors letter, sent by ssistant .S. ttorney auren alloway, says udson s prior convictions include a charge of violating a emporary rotection rder re uiring he stay away from someone he was accused of threatening with domestic violence a charge of domestic violence related simple assault against his partner Brown and a domestic violence related simple assault and unlawful entry charge also involving Brown. he letter says udson was also convicted of a charge of Bail eform ct violation a charge of possession of cocaine a charge of cruelty to an animal a charge of felony escape a charge of second-degree theft a charge of violation of the Bail eform ct and a charge of criminal contempt.

Court records, meanwhile, show that on une D.C. Superior Court udge nthony Epstein approved a motion by the defense calling for defendant Brown to undergo a mental health competency screening to determine whether he is competent to stand trial. rosecutors did not oppose the motion. he udge scheduled a ental bservation hearing for Brown on uly to review and assess the ﬁndings of the competency screening. Court records also show that prosecutors agreed to keep a plea bargain offer they made earlier open until the ﬁndings of the mental health e am become known.

Small Business dministration fﬁce of Capital ccess and in the ispanic edia area as Senior olicy dviser. ugin earned her bachelor s degree in Economics International elations, Claremont c enna College, Claremont Calif. and master s of business administration from Stanford niversity.

Baltimore street named in honor of trans activist

Baltimore city ofﬁcials and B activists participated in a ceremony on une ofﬁcially dedicating the renaming of a street in honor of transgender woman Iya Dammons, who founded and serves as e ecutive director of the B services organi ation aryland Safe aven.

section of Baltimore s st Street at the intersection of orth Charles Street, where the aryland Safe aven ofﬁces are located, has been renamed Iya Dammons Way.

he ceremony took place si years after Dammons founded aryland Safe aven in and one year after she launched a Safe aven operation in D.C.in located at St., .E.

statement on its website says Safe aven provides a wide range of supportive services for B people in need, with a special outreach to Black trans women navigating survival mode living.

hrough compassionate harm reduction and upward mobility services, advocacy support, and community engagement, we foster a respectful, non- udgmental environment that empowers individual agency, the statement says. ur programs encompass community outreach, a drop-in center providing I testing, harm reduction, rE , medical linkage, case management, and assistance in accessing housing services, it says.

mong those participating in the street renaming ceremony were Baltimore City Council member eke Cohen, interim director of Baltimore ayor Brandon Scott s ffice of B ffairs le is Blackmon, and Domini ue organ, an official with the national foundation Borealis hilanthropy, which provides financial support for transgender supportive nonprofit organi ations, including Safe aven. his is a significant achievement and historic moment for our city, a statement by aryland Safe aven announcing the ceremony says. Iya Dammons has been a tireless advocate for transgender rights and has worked tirelessly to provide safe spaces and resources for transgender individuals in our city, it says. his honor is well-deserved, and we are thrilled to see her contributions recogni ed in such a meaningful way.

LOU CHIBBARO JR.

D.C. police said Tommy Hudson, 58, was found unconscious on the front steps of this house at 517 Harvard St., N.W. on May 26 shortly after he was fatally stabbed inside the house by his partner. (Blade photo by Lou Chibbaro, Jr.)

VERONICA PUGIN

IYA DAMMONS was honored last week in Baltimore. (Photo courtesy Dammons)

House Republicans propose steep cuts in federal AIDS budget

Advocacy groups say move would eliminate ‘Ending HIV Epidemic’ initiative

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

The Republican-controlled U.S. House Subcommittee on Labor, Health, and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies approved a spending bill on June 26 that calls for cutting at least $419 million from federal AIDS programs that AIDS activists say would have a devastating impact on efforts to greatly reduce the number of new HIV infections by 2030.

The subcommittee’s proposed bill, which includes billions of dollars in cuts in a wide range of other federal health, education, and human services related programs, is scheduled to be considered by the full House Appropriations Committee on uly . fﬁcials with IDS advo-

cacy groups say they are hopeful that the full committee, like last year, will refuse to approve the proposed cuts in the AIDS budget.

The proposed GOP cuts would eliminate $214 million from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s HIV prevention programs, $190 million from the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, and $15 million from the Department of Health and Human Services Secretary’s Minority HIV/AIDS Program.

Activists say the impact of those cuts would kill the federal government’s Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative, which among other things, calls for reducing the number of new HIV infections in the U.S. by 75 percent by 2025 and by 90 percent by 2030. The activists point out that ironically the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative was launched during the administration of President Donald Trump.

“Instead of providing new investments in ending HIV by increasing funding for testing, prevention programs, such as PrEP, and life-saving care and treatment, House Republicans are again choosing to go through a worthless exercise of cutting programs that the American people depend on and will never pass,” said Carl Schmid, executive director of the HIV + Hepatitis Policy Institute.

While we vigorously ﬁght these cuts, we look forward to working with the entire Congress in a bipartisan fashion on spending bills that can actually become law,” Schmid said in a statement.

Schmid noted that the bill also includes provisions known as “policy riders” that would take away rights and

protections from women, such as access to birth control and abortion, and for minorities, including LGBTQ people.

ccording to a statement released by the ofﬁce of ep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), who is the ranking minority member of the House Appropriations Committee, one of the policy riders would “block the Biden administration’s policies to ensure nondiscrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation.’ The statement says another policy rider would “prevent policies or programs intended to promote diversity, equality, or inclusion.”

Most political observers believe the Democratic-controlled U.S. Senate would also kill the GOP proposed policy riders and cuts in the AIDS budget if the full Republican-controlled House were to approve the budget bill passed by the appropriations subcommittee.

Rep, Tom Cole (R-Okla.), who serves as chair of the full House Appropriations Committee, released a statement on June 27 defending the subcommittee’s bill and its proposed spending cuts. “The bill provides appropriate and ﬁscally responsible funding to ensure these departments can continue to perform their core missions while also acknowledging the ﬁscal realities facing our nation, he said.

“Importantly, the bill pushes back on the Biden administration’s out-of-touch progressive policy agenda, preventing this White ouse from ﬁnali ing or implementing controversial rules or executive orders,” Cole said in his statement. “It also preserves long standing bipartisan policy provisions protecting the right to life.”

LGBTQ issues absent from Trump-Biden debate

At their televised debate in Atlanta on June 27, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump traded barbs on issues from abortion and election integrity to immigration and foreign policy. The 81 and 78-year-old candidates even argued over who is a better golfer.

Absent from the discussion, however, were matters of LGBTQ rights that have animated national politics in this election cycle with the presumptive Republican nominee promising to weaponi e the federal government against queer and trans Americans as the president pledges to build on his record of expanding their freedoms and protections.

CNN hosted Thursday’s debate, with the network’s anchors Dana Bash and Jake Tapper moderating. ABC News will run the second debate scheduled for Sept. 10. he president s performance was widely critici ed as halting and shaky, with White House reporter Peter Baker of The New York Times writing that Democratic Party leaders are calling for him to be replaced at the top of the ticket.

Also setting the tone early into the program was Trump’s repetition of the lie that Democrats are so “radical” on matters of abortion that they “will take the life of a child in the eighth month, the ninth month, and even after birth.”

Biden, meanwhile, laid the blame at his opponent’s feet for appointing three U.S. Supreme Court justices during his term in ofﬁce who overturned oe v. Wade s 51-year-old constitutional protections for abortion.

He also referenced the fallout from that ruling and the extreme restrictions passed by conservative legislators

in its wake, arguing that Trump would not veto a federal abortion ban if Republican majorities in Congress were to pass one.

Trump also repeated falsehoods about the 2020 presidential election.

“Will you pledge tonight that once all legal challenges have been exhausted, that you will accept the results of this election,” Bash asked him, “regardless of who wins, and you will say right now that political violence in any form is unacceptable?”

he epublican frontrunner ﬁrst responded by denying he was responsible for his supporters’ violent ransacking of the U.S. Capitol Building on Jan. 6 2021.

After the CNN anchor pressed him twice to answer the ﬁrst part of her uestion, rump said, if it s a fair and legal and good election, absolutely” but “the fraud and everything else was ridiculous.”

“You appealed and appealed to courts all across the country,” Biden responded. “Not one single court in America said any of your claims had any merit, state or local, none. But you continue to provoke this lie about somehow, there’s all this misrepresentation, all this stealing — there is no evidence of that at all.”

The president continued, “And I tell you what, I doubt whether you’ll accept it, because you’re such a whiner.”

Leading up to the debate, advocacy groups urged the candidates to defend their records on and policy proposals concerning LGBTQ rights, with some arguing the discussion would advantage President Joe Biden’s campaign, as reported by The Hill’s Brooke Migdon.

As the community celebrated Pride last month, the Biden- arris team made signiﬁcant investments in paid media and the ut for Biden national organi ing effort to court LGBTQ voters, who are expected to comprise a larger share of the electorate than ever before.

“This will be an enormous slight to our community if LGBTQ questions are not asked during this debate,” GLAAD President Sarah Kate Ellis said. “Our community is deeply affected by where these candidates stand.”

“The safety and freedom of LGBTQ people depends on your engagement with the candidates and ability to inform voters about their records and proposals,” she said.

CHRISTOPHER KANE

The Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative was launched during the administration of President DONALD TRUMP (Blade photo by Michael Key)

Former President DONALD TRUMP and PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN debate on CNN on Jun 27. (Screen captures via CNN)

Every MLB team except this one

celebrated Pride

Right-wingers

By DAWN ENNIS

react

to ‘backlash’ against Rangers: ‘Bullying is unacceptable’

Once again, the Texas Rangers opted not to celebrate Pride last month with a dedicated day or night on its 2024 promotion schedule. And once again, the American League West team is the only Major League operation to do so.

This repeated omission by the reigning World Series champs has sparked what one conservative news site calls a “ridiculous backlash.” As the Washington Examiner’s Kimberly Ross wrote this week:

“There is no getting away from these ubiquitous celebrations. Instead of ‘to each his own,’ major league teams are nearly required to give in and perform in an effort to placate the loudest crowds. It’s not good enough to include everyone at all times. You must kowtow or else. This kind of bullying is unacceptable, and it’s worth pushing back against whether you’re a regular citizen or the 2023 World Series champion Texas Rangers.”

But the only evidence of the “backlash” was a balanced report by Schuyler Dixon of the Associated Press that appeared on the website of KSAT-TV in San Antonio, detailing the frustrations of local LGBTQ advocates and fans. His report was posted by the AP under the headline: “Why are the Texas Rangers the only MLB team without a Pride Night?” The virulently anti-trans British tabloid, the Daily Mail rehashed that same AP piece but added that LGBTQ groups were “FURIOUS” without substantiating that claim with a single quote.

At most, DeeJay Johannessen, chief executive of the HELP Center, an LGBTQ organization based in Tarrant County, where the Rangers play, told the AP he felt “kind of embarrassed.” The Daily Mail headline writer was apparently “kind of” clickbaiting.

“It’s kind of an embarrassment to the city of Arlington that their team is the only one that doesn’t have a Pride night,” Johannessen said. Local advocate Rafael McDonnell said, “It pains me that this remains an issue [after] all these years.”

How painful? McDonnell told the AP he considered not attending the championship parade with his boyfriend when the angers celebrated their ﬁrst World Series championship last fall. Ultimately, he decided to go. So much for “FURIOUS.”

McDonnell is the communications and advocacy man-

ager for the Resource Center, which is an organization that grew out of the AIDS crisis in the 1980s. He added that his group has worked with the Rangers, at their invitation, to help them develop a policy of inclusion, starting about ﬁve years ago.

The team has sent employees to volunteer for programs supporting its efforts in advocating for marriage equality and transgender rights.

Although McDonnell said members of the Rangers staff keep in contact with him, he told the AP he can’t recall any conversations with the team since its ﬁve-game victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks in last year’s World Series.

“For a long time, I’ve thought that it might be somebody very high up in the organization who is opposed to this for some reason that is not clearly articulated,” McDonnell said. “To say that the Rangers aren’t doing anything for the community, well, they have. But the hill that they are choosing to stake themselves out on is no Pride night.”

a positive impact across our entire community.”

“I think it’s a private organization,” said Rangers fan Will Davis. “And if they don’t want to have it, I don’t think they should be forced to have it.” Davis is from Marble Falls, about 200 miles southwest of the stadium in Central Texas and attended a recent game with his son’s youth baseball team.

“I think if it were something where MLB said, ‘We’re not participating in this,’ but the MLB does participate in it. And the Rangers have chosen not to,” said Rangers fan Misty Lockhart, who lives near told the ballpark. Lockhart told the AP she attends almost three dozen games every season. “I think that’s where I take the bigger issue, is they have actively chosen not to participate in it.”

The Rangers did celebrate Mexican heritage during a game last month, and also host nights throughout the season dedicated to other groups as well as the Boy Scouts, the irl Scouts, ﬁrst responders, teachers, and the military. The team also recognizes universities from around the Dallas-Fort Worth area and other parts of the Lone Star State. But not Pride.

Why? The Rangers issued a statement, very similar to one from 2023. It lists various organizations the team has sponsored and steps it has taken internally to “create a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive environment for fans and employees.”

“Our longstanding commitment remains the same: To make everyone feel welcome and included in Rangers baseball — in our ballpark, at every game, and in all we do — for both our fans and our employees,” the team said. “We deliver on that promise across our many programs to have

While Lockhart says she doesn’t see Pride night as a political issue, she suggested there would be more pressure on the Rangers if their stadium was downtown, in the heart of Dallas County, where the ma ority of elected ofﬁcials are Democrats. Tarrant County, home to Arlington, Fort Worth and Global Life Stadium, is generally more conservative, just like the governor, lieutenant governor, legislature, and fans like Will Davis.

“In something like this, this is a way for people to go as a state,” Davis told the AP. “We don’t want the political stuff shoved down our throats one way or the other, left or right. We’re coming out here to have a good time with friends or family and let it be.”

Unfortunately, some Rangers fans decided they could not “let it be” the one time the team welcomed local LGBTQ groups to a game as part of a fundraising event, as it does for other groups. This was in September 2003, two years after the Chicago Cubs hosted what is considered the ﬁrst-ever Pride game. At that time, Rangers fans raged about the invitation on a website, and showed up to protest outside the stadium before that game.

The Rangers never extended that invitation again.

Jill and Ashley Biden headline White House Pride celebration

irst lady ill Biden and the president and ﬁrst lady s daughter, Ashley Biden, headlined the White House Pride celebration on the South Lawn on Wednesday, followed by a performance by singer and actress Deborah Cox.

“My dad has built the most pro-equality administration” in history, Ashley Biden said, crediting the work of LGBTQ people of color like arsha . ohnson, a prominent ﬁgure in the Stonewall uprising of 1969, as well as “so many of you who have continued to lead their fearless ﬁghting against against injustice here and around the world.”

She introduced her mother as “the woman who taught me to be myself up showed me in so many ways how I can make a difference” and who “works every single day, tirelessly, to ensure that all people have the opportunities and freedoms that they deserve.”

“I hope that all of you feel that freedom and love on the South Lawn today,” Jill Biden said. er remarks were brie y interrupted by a protester s chants of “no Pride in genocide,” which was drowned out by chants of “four more years.” he ﬁrst lady noted how many of the attendees came

“here from states that are passing laws targeting LGBTQ Americans.”

“There are those who see our communities and our families and wish to tear them down,” she said, “those

who can’t see that the world is so much bigger and [more] beautiful than they know — but when our homes are threatened, when they strip away our rights, and deny our basic humanity, we say, ‘not on our watch.’”

“Pride is a celebration, but it is also a declaration,” the ﬁrst lady said, highlighting the .S. Supreme Court s ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges nine years ago, which established marriage equality as the law of the land.

She then credited the accomplishments of the Biden-Harris administration on matters of LGBTQ rights, including the repeal of the previous administration’s ban on military service by transgender servicemembers and the FDA’s loosening of restrictions on blood donation by gay and bisexual men.

he ﬁrst lady also celebrated the president s announcement earlier on Wednesday that he will pardon LGBTQ veterans who were discharged and court martialed because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

We will never stop ﬁghting for this community, she said.

CHRISTOPHER KANE

First lady JILL BIDEN speaks at the White House Pride event on June 26. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Toronto Pride cancelled after pro-Palestinian protest

Toronto Pride parade organizers on Sunday cancelled the annual event after a group of pro-Palestinian protesters disrupted it.

Media reports indicate more than two dozen protesters blocked the parade near the intersection of Yonge and Wellesley Streets, and chanted “from the river to the sea” and “Pride was a riot.”

The Toronto Star reported the protesters disrupted the parade at around 5:30 p.m., more than three hours after it began. Toronto Pride around 45 minutes later announced the parade’s cancellation.

“Today, we made the decision to cancel the remainder of the Pride Parade out of our commitment to ensuring public safety,” they said in a statement. “While we deeply respect and uphold everyone’s right to peacefully protest, our foremost priority is the well-being of all participants and spectators.”

“We recognize the Pride parade as a highly anticipated event that many organizations and individuals eagerly prepare for,” it added. “We empathize with those who were

looking forward to participating and regret any inconvenience caused by this decision.”

The Coalition Against Pinkwashing organized the protest. This year’s Pride Month took place eight months after Hamas launched its surprise attack against southern Israel.

The Israeli government says Hamas militants killed roughly 1,200 people on Oct. 7, 2023, including at least 260 partygoers and others at the Nova Music Festival. The Israeli government says upwards of 80 people who were taken hostage on Oct. 7 remain alive in the Gaza Strip.

The Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry says more than 35,000 people have died in the enclave since the war began. The National LGBTQ Task Force and Outright International are among the groups that have called for a ceaseﬁre.

The New York Daily News reported the New York Police Department on Sunday arrested 10 pro-Palestinian protesters who disrupted the city’s annual Pride parade near the Stonewall Inn. The newspaper said those who the NYPD took into custody, among other things, threw red paint onto a pickup truck inside police barricades.

The Telegraph on Saturday reported London police arrested more than 30 pro-Palestinian activists to prevent them from disrupting the city’s annual Pride parade that took place on the same day.

A Wider Bridge, a group that “advocates for justice, counters B phobia, and ﬁghts antisemitism and other forms of hatred,” last month called upon Pride organizers to ensure Jewish can safely participate in their events.

MICHAEL K. LAVERS

Lesbian South African MP named to Cabinet

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday appointed lesbian MP Steve Letsike to his Cabinet.

Letsike, founder of Access Chapter 2, a South African advocacy group who is a member of the African National Congress that Ramaphosa leads, will be the country’s deputy minister of women, youth, and people with disabilities.

Letsike won a seat in the South African National Assembly in national and provincial elections that took place on May 29.

The ANC lost its parliamentary majority that it had had since Nelson Mandela in 1994 won the South African presidency in the country s ﬁrst post-apartheid elections. Ramaphosa on Sunday announced Letsike and other new Cabinet members after the ANC and nine other parties agreed to form a National Unity Government.

The Washington Blade has reached out to Letsike for comment.

MICHAEL K.

LAVERS

Fewer Indian MPs are ‘vocal’ on LGBTQ issues

The Indian LGBTQ community is gradually gaining momentum in their ﬁght for rights bolstered by increasing support from courts, the public, NGOs, and even some politicians.

According to Pinklist India’s 2024 report, which archives politicians supporting LGBTQ rights, only 108 MPs have been vocal on LGBTQ issues, a notable decline from the 161 MPs in the previous parliament. In this context, “vocal” means that politicians have made public statements on LGBTQ issues, whether positive, negative, or controversial.

As India prepared for the 2024 general election, various political parties included LGBTQ concerns in their platforms.

The Indian National Congress, for example, has promised to introduce a bill that would recognize civil unions for LGBTQ couples after wide consultation. Similarly, the Communist Party of India has pledged several commitments, including amending the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2019 to address community concerns and ensure legal recognition and protection for same-sex couples similar to marriage.

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party and its coalition partners, meanwhile, had promised in their campaign platform to include the transgender community in the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, a national health insurance program for low-income citizens. The BJP also pledged to incorporate the trans community into the Garima Greh program, which provides shelter, food, medical care, and recreational facilities for destitute and abandoned trans people.

o ofﬁcial records e ist on the B population in In-

dia, but the 2012 Census estimated it at 2.5 million. Population data on LGBTQ people is scarce, with the government only tracking those who identify as “third gender” or “transgender” and are registered.

Only a few LGBTQ candidates ran in this year’s general election, with the majority of them withdrawing. Of the three candidates who ran, none secured a sixth of the total valid votes, resulting in all of them losing their deposits.

Election Commission of India (ECI) data indicates there are 48,000 registered trans voters. Only 20 percent of them participated in the general election.

Pinklist India data in 2020 revealed that only 27.8 percent of 543 MPs had addressed LGBTQ issues in their political careers. The highest number of these MPs belonged to the Nationalist Congress Party, the Indian National Congress, and the Communist Party of India. Pinklist India also created interactive tiles on India’s map, titled “State of QUnion,” recording statements on LGBTQ issues made by each MP.

Data from 2020 offers deeper insights into how politicians’ stances on LGBTQ issues evolve after joining a particular party.

Jothimani Sennimalai, an Indian National Congress MP from Karur, Tamil Nadu, for example, has consistently supported queer issues both before and after entering politics. Conversely, Bengaluru South BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, who previously supported marriage equality, has remained silent on the issue since his election. The Washington Blade reached out to Surya multiple times for an interview, but received no response.

Interestingly, previous data revealed a curious trend among many MPs.

Although they were vocal about trans issues outside parliament, they never engaged in debates on trans laws within it. Their silence in parliamentary chambers contrasted sharply with their public statements, painting a complex picture of political advocacy.

The Blade uncovered a striking disparity: Despite political parties pledging inclusion of the LGBTQ community in their election platforms, no major politicians addressed LGBTQ concerns during their campaign rallies. It was as if these promises, vibrant on paper, vanished into thin air when it came time to speak on the campaign trail.

The Blade reached out to Meera Parida, a trans politician from Odisha’s Biju Janata Dal, for her thoughts on the issue.

“It is very sad that it has happened,” she said with a mix of disappointment and resolve.

Parida lamented that during the passage of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act in 2019, only regional parties stood in support of the bill, highlighting a gap in broader political commitment.

“Unfortunately, we have to meet and sensitize new parliamentarians about the issue,” said Parida. “It is very sad that those leaders and members of Parliament are doing this who are supposed to raise voices for everyone including LGBTQ people of the country. We say that India is the world’s biggest democracy, we talk about equality, we talk about Sabka Sath Sabka Vikash (inclusion and development for all, a slogan Modi used during the election campaign), so does LGBTQ people not come under ‘all’? If parliamentarians behave like this, what will be the impact on the society?”

ANKUSH KUMAR

The 2024 Toronto Pride parade on June 30, 2024. (Screen capture via Johnny Strides/YouTube)

STEVE LETSIKE (Photo courtesy of Steve Letsike)

State Dept. hosts meeting on LGBTQ rights, foreign policy

Secretary of State Antony Blinken last week hosted a group of LGBTQ activists and politicians from around the world at the State Department.

The event — described as a “Convening on U.S. Foreign Policy: National Security, Inclusive Development, and the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons” — took place before the State Department’s annual Pride Month reception.

President Joe Biden in 2021 signed a memo that committed the U.S. to promoting LGBTQ and intersex rights abroad as part of his administration’s overall foreign policy.

“LGBTQI+ rights are human rights,” said Blinken. “Our government has a responsibility to defend them, to promote them — here and everywhere.”

Blinken noted consensual same-sex sexual relations remain criminalized in 64 countries, with the death penalty in 11 of them.

e speciﬁcally highlighted ganda s nti- omoseuality Act and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government’s “smearing scapegoating, stigmatizing LGBTQI+ persons — vilifying them with degrading labels, denying them equal rights, normalizing violence against them.” (Gay U.S. Ambassador to Hungary David Pressman this month marched in the annual Budapest Pride parade.)

Blinken noted Iraqi MPs earlier this year “passed legislation that punishes same-sex relations with up to 15 years in prison.” He also pointed out that Indonesian lawmakers approved a new criminal code banning extramarital sex.

“In a nation where same-sex couples cannot marry, these laws effectively make all same-sex conduct illegal and they undermine privacy for all Indonesians,” said Blinken.

“We’re defending and promoting LGBTQI+ rights around the world,” he said.

Blinken noted seven countries — Barbados, St. Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Namibia, Singapore, the Cook Islands — have decriminalized consensual same-sex sexual relations over the last two years. He also highlighted Greece, Liechtenstein, and

Thailand this year extended marriage rights to samesex couples, and other countries are banning so-called “conversion therapy.”

“ These achievements are possible because of incredibly courageous human rights defenders and government partners on the ground, but I believe America’s support is indispensable,” said Blinken. “ When we engage — sometimes publicly, sometimes privately, sometimes both — when we share our own knowledge and experience, we can and we do achieve change.”

Blinken also announced the U.S. now considers sexual orientation and gender identity are part of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that took effect in 1976.

“ This is one of the key treaties committing nations to upholding universal rights,” he said.

“In our regular reporting to the council on human rights, we will continue to include incidents of discrimination or abuse committed against LGBTQI+ persons, now with the clear framework of this well-supported interpretation,” added Blinken. “ That will further empower our efforts.”

Blinken reiterated this point and the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to the promotion of LGBTQ and intersex rights abroad when he spoke at the State Department’s Pride Month event.

“Defending, promoting LGBTQI+ rights globally is the right thing to do, but beyond that, it’s the smart and necessary thing to do for our country, for our national security, for our well-being,” he said.

MICHAEL K. LAVERS

Concern over marriage equality grows: study

wo decades after assachusetts became the ﬁrst state to legalize same-sex marriage, a new study reveals both signiﬁcant progress and ongoing challenges for married LGBTQ couples in the U.S., with a growing sense of insecurity about the future of their rights.

The Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law surveyed 484 married same-sex couples from all 50 states and D.C. The study, released Monday, marks the 20th anniversary of legal same-sex marriage in the U.S.

Researchers found that 93 percent of respondents cited love as a primary reason for marrying, with 75 percent also mentioning legal protections. Over 83 percent reported positive changes in their sense of security, and 74.6 percent noted improved life satisfaction since marrying.

However, the study also highlighted persistent discrimination and growing concerns about the future. About 11 percent of couples who had a wedding reported facing prejudice during the planning process.

Alarmingly, nearly 80 percent of respondents expressed concern about the potential overturning of the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision, which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. This anxiety has been exacerbated by initiatives like Project 2025, a conser-

vative policy blueprint that some fear could roll back LGBTQ rights if implemented.

The possibility of a former President Donald Trump victory in the upcoming election has further intensiﬁed these concerns. Many respondents cited Trump’s previous U.S. Supreme Court appointments and his statements on LGBTQ issues as reasons for their apprehension. One participant stated, “The thought of another Trump presidency keeps me up at night. We’ve come so far, but it feels like our rights could be stripped away at any moment.”

The current political climate has 29 percent of respondents considering moving to another state, with 52.9 percent citing socio-political concerns as a primary reason. his re ects a growing sense of insecurity among LGBTQ couples about their rights and freedoms.

Brad Sears, founding executive director of the Williams Institute, noted, “The data clearly show that marriage equality has had a profound positive impact on same-sex couples and their families. However, it also reveals ongoing challenges and serious concerns about the future of these rights in light of current political trends and the upcoming election.”

Christy Mallory, legal director at the Williams Institute and lead author of the study, added, “This research provides crucial insights into the lived experiences of same-sex couples two decades after marriage equality began in the U.S. The high level of concern about potential loss of rights underscores the continued importance of legal protections and public support for LGBTQ+ equality.”

The study found that 30 percent of surveyed couples have children, with 58.1 percent of those parents reporting that marriage provided more stability for their families. However, many of these families now worry about the security of their legal status in the face of potential policy changes and shifting political landscapes. s the nation re ects on two decades of marriage equality, the study underscores both the transformative power of legal recognition and the ongoing need for vigilance in protecting B rights. he ﬁndings highlight the complex reality faced by same-sex couples in America today: Celebrating hard-won progress while grappling with uncertainty about the future, particularly in light of upcoming political events and potential shifts in leadership.

TROY MASTERS

Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN speaks at the State Department Pride Month event on June 27. (Screen capture via Forbes Breaking News YouTube)

WINNER! OUTSTANDING MUSICAL

VINCENT SLATT

volunteers as the director of archiving at the Rainbow History Project. Visit www. rainbowhistory.org to get involved.

Picking our battles and reminding the nation Rainbow History Project creating exhibit on evolution of Pride

In conjunction with WorldPride 2025 the Rainbow History Project is creating an exhibit on the evolution of Pride: “Pickets, Protests, and Parades: The History of Gay Pride in Washington.”

his is the ﬁrst in a series of articles that will share the research themes and invite public participation. In icking our Battles and eminding the ation, we discuss the period between 1965-1970 and how the Mattachine Society of Washington created an agenda for homosexual rights and freedoms before the Stonewall Riots of 1969.

n pril , , the attachine Society of Washington SW held the nation s ﬁrst organi ed gay rights picket at the White ouse. ed by Dr. rank ameny and Dr. illi incen , the picketers demanded action on SW s four ma or issues the e clusion of homose uals from federal employment the punitive policies of the .S. ilitary blanket denial of security clearances to homose uals and government refusal to meet with the B community.

SW staged several pickets through summer and countless other pickets during the late s. In anuary , activist and picketer Eva reund wrote in he omose ual Citi en that these groups include d housewives, clergymen, business e ecutives, and laborers. She also wrote that the public had mi ed feelings of disbelief and confusion about the pickets. he casual observer was hard-pressed to distinguish the heterose ual from the homose ual picketer, she wrote, adding that these conversations included I don t understand how can homose uals be learned and intelligent and I always thought you could spot a deviant now I wonder how many of my friends are homose uals. he uly , picket outside Independence all in hiladelphia recogni ed constitutional rights on the anniversary of the country s creation. hirty-nine people asserted an inalienable right the pursuit of happiness for homose uals too, according to the signs. It was this picket that would become a yearly event called the nnual eminder. incen , who died in , ﬁlmed the nnual eminder. She said that ameny emphasi ed respectability and normality through their professional dress code and demeanors.

In a 2001 oral history interview with Rainbow History she said: “I felt this had to be recorded, this had to be taped We did the first film, mm, , called Second argest inority seven and a half minutes, black and white, which shows the picket line in front of Independence all an interview with rank ameny. very well-dressed picket line. he fifth nnual eminder took place ust days after the Stonewall iots, in which, fed up with police brutality, the patrons of the Stonewall Inn fought back during a raid of the establishment.

fter a week of riots, do ens of additional picketers showed up to the demonstration, adding their faces and voices to SW s demands. By ctober of , B activists from Washington and their partners across the East Coast decided to hold the nnual eminder not on Independence Day in hiladelphia, but, rather, in ew ork City on the anniversary of the Stonewall iots. he Christopher Street iberation Day arch took place on une , . he CS D arch differed greatly from the demonstration policies of the nnual eminders, according to both incen and ameny. But there was no doubt in ameny s mind that the eminders laid the groundwork for the Christopher Street iberation Day marches.

ost of our actual warm bodies for those ourth of uly demonstrations in hiladelphia came down from ew ork, ameny said in a oral history interview with rchives. “And the whole idea of gays demonstrating became a much more run-of-the-mill sort of thing.”

y feeling is that there s a good likelihood that Stonewall wouldn t have occurred, certainly not when it did, how it did, and the way it did, if we hadn t been demonstrating here, starting in 65.”

Our WorldPride 2025 exhibit, “Pickets, Protests, and Parades: The History of Gay Pride in Washington,” centers the voices of the event organizers and includes the critics of Pride and the intersection of ride and other movements for e ual rights and liberation. But we need your help to do that we are looking for images and input, so look around your attic and get involved!

Dave Quinn people

Could SCOTUS Ruling Empower Biden Instead?

NicholasF. Benton

FALLSCHURCH NEWS-PRESS

The Su pr em e Court’smajority ruled thisweek in favor of at least partial immunity in thecaseof the actionsof the president of the United States, beinglimited to whatcanbeconstrued (with a ton of legalactions comingonthat)

The 6-3 rulingthatcamedown Monday hasbeenaptlydescribed as “animperialcourt defending an imperial presidency.”

Inreality,as onelegalexpert hasintoned, SCOTUS(Supreme Court of the United States) “has madea messof the government,” herassessmentbasedonhaving practiced federaladministrative law for30 years. “Executiveorders are presidential orders,” she notes. “Withaking’s immunity they are powerfulanddangerous.”

So,inthehandsofTrump,they wouldbe lethal to our democracy. Butwait,Trump is notthe president. Bidenis.So those“king’s immunity” powers are now his, infact, are theynot? How much use of themcanBidenmake to advance a democraticagenda in the more than sixmonths, at a minimum,hewill beintheWhite House?

How muchcan he now do, thanks tothe SCOTUS ruling this week, to cancel studentdebt,lock upTrump,raise theminimum wage,ensureLGBTQ+ equality, protectthe reproductive rightsof women, and (ithas been suggested) give generousgrants toqualifyingnewspapers inthe effortto preserve our democracy?

As commentatorDavid Flum hasnotedon X,withthisweek’s SCOTUSruling, “Today’s U.S.A offers theweirdspectacle of lawyers whoclaimtohonor‘original intent’whiledisdainingtheactual historyoforiginand intention When James II triedtoself-pardon, theEnglishof1688gotrid of him.That’s how constitutions are preserved, then and now.” For the restofus, thelessons ofthe lastweekmakeitabun-

dantly clear: our courseof action mustfocus on what we havethe powerto doattheballotbox in November.

Allthehubbubover last week’sdebate has beguntoabate, toanextentatleast,inthecontext of theoverridingrealitiesof Trump’spredictable stream of outrageous lies,racisttropes and threats, andthenow-highlydiscredited SCOTUS duplicityinits brazenlypartisanpoliticaldecisions. The Biden supportbaseis comingaround torealizethat it must putits best footforwardin this campaign,andthat anysuggestion to open the convention to unmitigated disaster.

As formertwo-termpresident Obamahasreminded us, hehadbate stage,too. Itis not on a phonydebate stagethat apresidential hopefuldemonstrateshisor her capacitytolead,but in day-to-day on matters of policy.

Weak-kneederstwhileBiden supporters needto growa pair, andlearn, if nothingelse, from theirfavorite “Karate Kid”movie or theequivalent,thattakingit on theendof the match. Theenemy is desperatetogetyoutogiveup assoonas thathappens, andthe challenge, on theother hand, is to suckit up and jump rightback intothe ringtoeventuallypunish your adversary.

Wetrulyareinacriticalmatch for history. If Democratswereto switchcandidates at thisstage, it wouldonly demonstratethatthey are onthe run,and theTrump forceswouldleapallover that to railroad a victory atop apathetic opposition put on the defensive.

ForwhateverreasonBiden was nothistrue self inthe openingmomentsof thedebatelast week,he rebounded duringthe exchanges and puthisrecordin theWhite Houseagainst what Trumphad which was onlylies, racism aboutimmigrants, hisdisastrousfour years in thepresidency, andhispromisesof draconianmeasuresif hegets to go back,in whichcase the Supreme Court’sruling thisweek will makelife more thanmiserable for each one of us

Our job is to showAmerica thatanything is better than Trump, andinBiden we have a man with a proven record of success

is a longtime LGBTQ rights and Democratic Party activist. He writes regularly for the Blade. PETER ROSENSTEIN

Vote Democratic or July 4, 2025 will look very different Biden’s debate performance was bad but the sky is not falling

As we celebrate the founding of our country, we must recognize the election on Nov. 5 could dramatically change how our country looks in the future. We can debate whether Joe Biden is the best candidate for Democrats on the ticket, but reality is, whoever the Democratic candidate is, they must defeat Donald Trump. Trump is a racist, sexist, misogynistic, homophobic pig who was found liable for sexual assault and convicted of 34 felonies. A man who spouts lies every time he opens his mouth. A man who uses itler s words, and said he will be a dictator on his ﬁrst day in ofﬁce. man who said he will seek retribution on any opponent, using the Department of Justice and IRS to do his dirty work.

Yes, President Joe Biden had a disastrous debate, and many pundits are calling for him to step down as the candidate. hey are having a ﬁeld day doing so, because none of them are involved in the process that would follow. None of them mention the two times in recent history, Democratic presidents chose to not run for a second term, Lyndon Johnson and Harry Truman, a Republican won. This time the Republican alternative is the disgusting, evil, Donald Trump. Even the New York Times editorial board, when calling for Biden to step aside as a candidate, wrote, “If the race comes down to a choice between Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden, the sitting president would be this board’s unequivocal pick. That is how much of a danger Mr. Trump poses.”

The simple truth is Biden feels he can win, and won’t step aside. The only person who could convince him to do so, is his wife, Jill Biden, and she has shown she will not do that. She reminds me a little of Nancy Reagan, who protected her husband when he had issues with cognition.

What all Americans need to understand, is no American president makes decisions on their own, without massive consultation with advisers. They don’t meet foreign dignitaries alone, but with advisers. And President Biden has shown he has the most incredible group of advisers around him, maybe with the exception of those who prepared him for this debate.

I have loads of questions for them. If President Biden had a cold as claimed, why didn t they tell him to begin his ﬁrst statement of the debate with an apology to the audience. Something like, “I want to take a moment to apologize to the TV audience on how my voice is today, and how it will sound to you. I have a severe cold and will sound raspier, and slower, but of course feeling a little ill would not keep me from being here today.” It could have changed the tenor of the debate. It would not have excused his poor performance, but may have given people a few thoughts in his favor. Then there was the closing two minutes. How is it possible the president wasn’t coached on ending the debate with the issues he has said he believes will win for Democrats: abortion, climate change, and saving democracy? The debate prep team kept him cloistered for a week; seems they could be sued for malpractice.

Again, it was a disastrous debate for President Biden. But then rather than what the pundits are saying, grassroots Democrats are responding with money. The Biden campaign reported Saturday that it raised $27 million on Thursday and Friday. The hour after the debate ended was its best grassroots fundraising hour since Biden kicked off his reelection campaign, per the Hill

So contrary to the all the pundits, the sky is not falling. Yes, there is a lot more work to do than before the debate. But the focus for all Democrats, and all decent people, must be to ensure we don’t reelect Trump, because of what he would do to our country. How his election would change us. How if he did what he says, and tries to return all decisions on just about everything, to the states, it is not only women who must be scared. It is Blacks, the LGBTQ+ community, every minority; and young people who will live longest with the results of doing nothing to ameliorate climate change. They should all be very scared.

So happy 4th and here’s to hoping Americans are smart enough to vote correctly, and ensure July 4, 2025 will be just as happy.

Two buildings, one romance, and 25 years later, the Purple Parrot is busy as ever.

If the tropical purple paint covering the outside with rainbow ags and walls covered with love notes, afﬁrmations, and drunk wishes scribbled on dollar bills don’t indicate it already, the Purple Parrot is an institution in ehoboth. he gay-owned and operated ﬁ ture is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

The Blade sat down with owners Hugh Fuller and Troy Roberts of the Rehoboth establishment to discuss the past 25 years and plans for the future.

uller and oberts, both gay, have been working together since before the Parrot was even an idea. Fuller was a co-owner of the Iguana, another restaurant and bar in the town.

I was in the Iguana ﬁrst with another business partner,” Fuller said. “I was going to get out and move up to Pennsylvania with him [Roberts]. He decided that he was going to come down and said, ‘Well, what if I go in with you at the Iguana and we do it together?’ And I was like, ‘Alright,’ so we did, and it just snowballed from there. We were always in the restaurant business together from the beginning.”

eah, that was really luck, too, oberts began. Because-

Because rindr wasn t around then uller inter ected, laughing as Roberts began to roll his eyes and smile.

“I had a small place up in York,” Roberts continued. Selling that kind of gave us some money to buy the other guy out. We just had friends supporting us and helping us along the way and it just kind of worked.”

“Kind of worked” would be an understatement. The pair moved on from the Iguana and opened the Parrot. hen, after opening the arrot, they decided to shift locations to a larger location down the street to accommodate the growing demand. hen in , the arrot e panded again, adding the land behind the ehoboth venue location, which provided an additional 950 square feet as well as giving patrons access to Wilmington Avenue.

The bar and restaurant, which serves American cuisine with a beach air, has always focused on being a welcoming space to all regardless of se uality, gender, race, nationality, or identity. his, the duo e plains, is one of the reasons why the restaurant has had such a lasting impact on the Rehoboth restaurant and gay communities.

Back in the s when we ﬁrst opened up, the amount of straight crossdressers that would come were like, ‘Oh, are we allowed to come in? Are we welcomed into a place like that?’ And we were like ‘Everybody that walks on this planet is welcome here!’” Fuller said. “Those are the kinds of things, you know, where people ust felt comfortable. They would get stared at out on the street, but inside they would walk around and feel like they were in their own skin. It was just really cool to see.”

The feeling of acceptance has been a crucial part of the Parrot’s success.

“I got an email a couple of days ago — probably two weeks ago about a woman bringing her daughter down,” Roberts said. “She’s 16 and was bullied through school — hard times, depression, tried to harm herself a couple of times. It was just really sweet that she reached out and she’s like, ‘My daughter was a completely different person when I brought her into your bar. Everybody treated her nice — the bartenders, the waitstaff, I mean, everybody

Rehoboth’s Purple Parrot still soaring after 25 years

wners ugh uller and roy oberts re ect on keys to their success

By JOE REBERKENNY

was friendly. She ust doesn t e perience that often being an out -year-old lesbian. We ust can t even thank you enough.’ It’s those kinds of things that we get often.”

“[The mother] mainly wrote it because we put the Pride ag on the arrot s acebook wall, uller added.

The colorful lights, disco balls, and staggering number of dollar bills stapled to the walls highlight that the ehoboth community has embraced the arrot. It s not uncommon to see a group of gay patrons sitting at the bar in bathing suits sipping on orange crushes and talking about their day at oodle Beach while a bachelorette party belts out ady aga on karaoke night in the room ne t door. That is the vibe Fuller and Roberts have curated — a fun and friendly tropical oasis in the middle of Rehoboth Avenue.

A crucial element of this curated vibe, the pair point out, is treating employees and guests with respect. When asked what they have learned that helped them be so successful over the past 25 years, Fuller and Roberts said the same thing.

atience, organi ation, and treating people well, oberts said.” I think that’s probably one of the bigger of the three — you treat them well and they treat you well. I think it’s just a mutual respect.”

“It took me about 30 years to learn that it’s not just all about work,” Fuller said. “I used to bust my butt in there all the time and the focus was [on] the restaurant. I know oberts said patience, I would say mine was being patient too because I learned going in that it’s easier to deal with your employees without shouting at them. It took me a little while to get through that.”

He added that compensating staff fairly was also one of their keys to success.

“Before we take a nickel out of our business, we put $1 back into our employees’ pockets,” Fuller said. We want the business to survive and it has been incredible.”

Fuller added that this sentiment, of having patience and treating everyone with respect, goes both ways — it applies to the Parrot’s patrons as well.

“If you leave the Parrot angry, it’s your own decision,” uller e plained. If we don t make you happy there, it s because you’re choosing not to be happy. We will go out of our way to correct anything and everything that we can.

So if you leave [unhappy], it’s not because we couldn’t do it. It’s because you didn’t want us to.”

The two discussed their history together — anyone who has them interact can see their spirited energy and appreciation for each other.

roy and I used to be a couple when we ﬁrst opened, and we were together for about 10 years,” Fuller said. “And then we kind of went our separate ways, but the restaurant kept us in very close contact. Sometimes I think we’re probably closer than most couples are because of the way that the restaurant has us tied together.”

Even during the worst of it, we never stopped communicating on a daily basis,” Roberts added. “Obviously, you can tell by his personality why that all went south,” he said laughing.

“Well, you can tell by the way that he looks why it went south.” Fuller jabbed back, also laughing.

“Hey!” Roberts replied.

“I wasn’t gonna continue dating my grandfather!” Fuller joked.

Despite the end of their romantic relationship, there was still clear evidence of perpetual good energy between the business partners. The two then started to reminisce about the past 25 years and the struggles and successes they overcame to reach this milestone.

The pair mentioned the two biggest struggles they have faced in the past uarter century. ne was when ehoboth venue was dug up for the Streetscape improvement project, and the second was the 2008 recession. We were reﬁnancing our houses several times to keep it a oat there for a little while, uller said.

“But hey, we got nice sidewalks now!” Roberts added. “So that’s good.”

It’s not just the customers who grew up with the Parrot; so did the staff.

“I mean one of the kids who bussed for us is now our dentist,” Fuller said.

“One of the busboys from the Iguana days, he’s our dentist now, oberts e plained. hey actually started dating in high school while working together at the Iguana. ne of them followed us to the arrot and her daughter just worked for us two summers ago as a host. He’s our dentist, and they’re still local. We just sold him a house over in Lewes, because we’re both Realtors on the side. When you look back at that, you’re like, ‘Oh, my God, you were ust a kid. nd now you have a kid graduating college!’ It goes fast.”

It seems that many of the staff have a soft spot for the Parrot, and for good reason. An important aspect of keeping their employees happy is supporting them. At ﬁrst, it was trips to Disney World with some of the servers and renting out the local waterpark to give kids time to enjoy the summer. Then it became Christmas bonuses, which are not common in the food service industry.

The Parrot helped raise more than $10,000 for one of their employees dealing with fallout from the war in Ukraine.

“One of our bartenders being from Ukraine, when all that went down, amazingly, how he was able to bring a lot of his family over,” Roberts said. “And until they actually got grounded, he had places for them to stay all lined up.”

CONTINUES ON PAGE 30

Longtime Purple Parrot employee CHRIS CHANDLER (Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

CALENDAR |

By TINASHE CHINGARANDE

Friday, July 05

GoGayDC will host “First Friday LGBTQ+ Social” at 7 p.m. at The Commentary.This event is ideal for making new friends, professional networking, idea-sharing, and community building. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Saturday, July 06

GoGay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Sunday, June July 07

GoGay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Dinner ” at 6:30 p.m. at Federico Ristorante Italiano Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. Guests are encouraged to come enjoy an evening of Italian-style dining and conversation with other LGBTQ folk. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

GoGay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Funday Social and Games” at 3 p.m. at Moxy. This event is ideal for making meaningful new connections and informal community building, or just to unwind and enjoy the group happy hour. Fabulous people from all over the world are expected. There will be monopoly, chess, checkers, jenga and many other games. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

AfroCode DC will be at 4 p.m. at Decades DC. This event will be an experience of non-

stop music, dancing, and good vibes and a crossover of genres and a fusion of cultures. Tickets cost $40 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

Monday, July 08

Center Aging: Monday Coffee & Conversation will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of their choice. For more details, email justin@thedccenter.org.

Genderqueer DC will be at 7:00p.m. in person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a support group for people who identify outside of the gender binary, whether you’re bi ender a ender ender uid or ust now that ou’re not 100% cis. For more details, visit www.genderqueerdc.org or Facebook.

Tuesday, July 09

Pride on the Patio Events will host “LGBTQ Social Mixer ” at 5:30 p.m. at Showroom. Dress is casual, fancy, or comfortable. Guests are encouraged to bring their most authentic self to chat, laugh, and get a little crazy. Admission is free and more details are on Eventbrite.

“Coming Out Discussion Group” will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a peer-facilitated discussion group and a safe space to share experiences about coming out and discuss topics as it relates to doing so. For more details, visit the group’s Facebook page.

Trans Support Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This space is intended to provide emotionally and physically safe space for trans* people and those who may be questioning their gender identity/expression to join together in community and learn from one another. For more details, email supportdesk@thedccenter.org.

Wednesday, July 10

Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and see ers includin the lon term unemplo ed improve self confdence motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email centercareers@thedccenter.org or visit www.thedccenter.org/careers.

Thursday, July 11

Virtual Yoga with Charles M. will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a free weekly class focusing on yoga, breath work, and meditation. For more details, visit the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s website.

South Asian LGBTQ Support Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. The peer support roup is an outlet for outh sian identifed individuals to come and tal about anything affecting them.For more details, email board.khushdc@gmail.com.

OUT & ABOUT

It’s time to address homophobia in the family

Gay Moms Club will host “Quick Chats: Addressing Homophobia Within the Family” on Tuesday, July 9 at 2 p.m. in Arlington, Va.

This event is a 30-minute session where LGBTQ moms openly discuss how to handle homophobia from extended family members. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Looking for the love of your life in D.C.?

MyCheekyGayDate will host “Gay Men Speed Dating” on Tuesday, July 9 at 7 p.m. at AC Lounge.

his event is a fresh alternative to speed datin and matchma in he hosts don t fnd anything romantic about whistles, name-tags or over-the-top party trimmings typically found at singles events so they have done away with them. At this event, gay singles can mix and mingle in an atmosphere that is at once casual and comfortable, “cheeky-chic.” Tickets start at $32.95 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

GoGay DC will host ‘LGBTQ+ Brunch’ at 11 a.m. Saturday at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. (Blade Staff photo)

An

For their new uniquely titled play, “Tornado Tastes Like Aluminum Sting,” Harmon Dot Aut draws heavily from life. Like the playwright, the new work’s central character Chantal Buñuel, called CB for short, is an autistic, nonbinary creative with synethesia, a condition that causes some people to experience more than one sense simultaneously (like tasting words for instance).

But how much of Harmon’s three hander, currently making its world premiere at the annual Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) at Shepherd University in historic, queer-friendly Shepherdstown, W.Va. (just a 90-minute drive from is specifcall autobio raphical

Parts are imagined but location and circumstances are pretty exact, they explain via phone during a rehearsal break. The story unfolds in rural Kansas surrounded by relative poverty; the family doesn’t have much, but they’re loving.

“Often when I see people depicted from rural areas who don’t have a lot of money, we’re invited to make fun of them. I wanted to make sure I created people who were smart, who fought hard, who loved hard. Who loved their child and had some grace.”

Throughout the 90-minute Oliver Butler-directed production, teenage CB (played by Jean Christian Barry) speaks to the audience in the intimate Studio 112, one of CATF’s smaller spaces, inviting theatergoers into their world, to experience their brain from the inside.

“It’s not really structured like other plays,” says Harmon, “Chantal is a character you’ve never seen represented on

By PATRICK FOLLIARD

stage before, a story artfully revealed through projections, lights, and live feed.

“I wanted to give them a sense of self that’s very strong, non-wavering. An asset in less tolerant, rural Kansas. Chantal, who becomes a flmma er sees a lot of life throu h a camera lens. They’re a character who’s autistic and nonbinary but who also has agency, a spark and need to go forward. I call it ‘the fuck you’ spark. No matter what happens you move forward.”

he udson alle based pla wri ht wrote their frst iter ation of “Tornado Tastes Like Aluminum Sting” in 2008. Harmon says “It took a while for folks to get on board, to use the word neurodivergent. That was its genesis. I kept working on it. And now I’m here having it produced, which is fabulous.”

For the young, undiagnosed Harmon, playwriting came instinctively. As a kid they’d record music off the radio and things they’d made up on their Playskool recorder. Then they’d take the tape out and cut and splice and make their own recordings.

“I was making plays but didn’t know it, trying to understand a world that was incomprehensible to me.”

Harmon studied acting at a small college in Kansas. After graduating, they bravely jumped on a bus and traveled the country. “That was my true education. I was constantly writing, and I did standup.”

A recipient of a Visionary Playwright Award, and founding member of the notorious gay sketch comedy troupe, Hot Dish! they’re enjoying their time in charming Shepherdstown, an accepting enclave where Confederate banners give way

to a sea of rainbows.

Other CATF offerings include Mark St. Germain’s “The Happiest Man On Earth,” the true story of Holocaust survivor Eddie Jaku.

Out playwright Donja R. Love’s “What Will Happen To All hat eaut is described as an epic wor about lac peo ple living with HIV/AIDS exploring “questions of legacy, family, and healing against the haunting landscape of the AIDS crisis of the 80s and its enduring impact.”

Paloma Nozicka’s “Enough To Let The Light In” is a smart, spooky play about “girlfriends Marc and Cynthia who spend an night celebrating a milestone, but over the course of the evening, their lives are irrevocably changed as buried secrets begin to emerge.”

Nozicka, an ardent queer ally based in L.A, says “For a while d wanted to write wor re ective of ueer friends who don t get to play queer characters. And when they do, they feel it’s tokenism, and that the characters are less than nuanced,”

She adds “Friends who’ve acted in the play tell me it’s the frst time the ve ever pla ed a lesbian on sta e and the ve been acting twenty years.

“I feel there should be more opportunities for people to be playing who are they are.”

Contemporary American Theater Festival Through July 28 Shepherdstown, W.Va. | Catf.org

LGBTQ critics announce Dorian Award nominations for best of TV

onorees re ect widel diverse ran e of cultural e perience

By JOHN PAUL KING

They might not be as coveted or as prestigious as some of the other awards out there, but the Dorians — presented annually by GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment ritics at separate ceremonies throu hout the ear for e cellence in flm television and theater – nevertheless represent an important and much-needed perspective that “reminds society that the world values the informed Q+ eye on everything entertainment.” Fittingly enough, the 500+ member media journalists’ association, now in its 15th year, chose the 55th anniversary of the Stonewall rebellion to announce the group’s 2024 nominations for the best in television and streaming across 24 categories, and the competition as one mi ht e pect s ews a little bit on the ueer side even if the nominations re ect a widel diverse ran e of cultural e perience

“A lot of our nominated shows are focused on outcasts trying to punch through norms, and their own fears and aws to fnd peace – a not-easy road, but one our members obviously loved following,” says GALECA founder and Executive irector ohn riffths t s fttin we re a in these stories on the same day that, years ago, the brave souls of tonewall too to the streets of Greenwich Village to protest abuse and oppression and hate at the hands of bigots and bullies i e those protesters the writers of these Dorian Award-nominated shows remind us that you can’t just pout and clutch pearls if you want a better e istence

Leading the nomination tally among dramas are three very disparate series based on period novels with nne ice s nterview with the Vampire” (AMC) snagging si nods while h un ulu and ellow ravelers howtime Paramount each earned fve n the comed feld critical darlin s he ear ulu and ac s a alon side et i s shoc in if dar l amusin ab eindeer all rabbed si nominations

This year, GALECA has included a couple of new categories. One of those is Best Written Show, where nominees include the aforementioned he ear ac s eindeer and ellow ravelers alon side s bbott Elementary,” a show that has been a past favorite with the group and scored additional nods across several categories; the other is for Best Genre TV Show, where the deepl ueer ampire competes with et i s hauntin he all of the ouse of sher Amazon Prime’s future-trippy “Fallout” and comedic horror offerings “What We Do in the hadows and huc

as mma tone odie oster n ela assett an oslin hristine arans i e ar Burton, Carol Burnett and Meryl Streep join those races alongside relative newcomers li e ali eis cuti atwa oe a oshi ama au essica unnin enn afdie mma rc and ulio orres

Then there’s GALECA’s most irreverent Dorian Award, for the year’s Campiest TV Show, where honors could o to doll one wild tale huc etli s chee post modernist period romance rid erton Peacoc s opportunist realit competition hit he raitors,” the 1970s Manhattan society “true gossip” dishfest “Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans” ulu and the aforementioned Palm o ale which s ewers hi h societ in Palm each circa throu h the stor of an avera e woman nominee ii see in acceptance at a posh private resort while discovering there is more to life than the superfcial trappin s of lamor and ostentatious prosperity for which her fellow vacationers seem to hunger.

nder the cate or of nice surprises beloved alumnus risten ii landed a nod for est omed Performance for her wor on the f pple hit Palm Royale,” joining fellow SNL vets Maya Rudolph (for “Loot”) and Martin Short (“Only Murders in the uildin alon side risin stars li e ever acobs of eservation o s he latter show about an underdo cadre of ndi enous merican friends in lahoma is up for both est nsun how a uni ue to the orians cate or and est Comedy.

n fact each of the orians actin performance and tribute cate ories which are all non-gendered (hello, other Awards bodies, time to catch up with the times) – are peppered with beloved names, both big and up-and-coming. Such revered performers

Of course, the biggest interest for most ueer fans lies in nowin which of their fan favorites made the cut for recognition at the Dorians. n the rama cate or alonside “Travelers” and “Vampire” (our personal pic for the most thrillin and trans ressivel ueer show of the year, hands down), contenders include fellow genre-labeled series “Fallout,” Broadway-star-slumfest “The Gilded Age,” and the feel-good romance eartstopper n the comed side ueer inclusive critical darlings “Abbot Elementar and ac s are oined b the under appreciated gem “Reservation o s and the literar rema e h un with irreverent fan favorite “What We Do in the Shadows” and ulu s he ear roundin out the race. n the race for est show, “Fellow Travelers” (which also received nods in the Lead and Supporting Performance categories, for Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey, respectivel and ampire li ewise for series star and “Game of Thrones” veteran Jacob Anderson) are oined b eartstopper ac s and ab eindeer while the est nsun how cate or which also includes ampire spotli hts less hi h profle shows li e huc eservation o s Peacoc s e re ad Parts and a s now canceled ueer pirate dram com ur la eans eath ot to be i nored iple et i s st lish blac and white adaptation of iconic ueer novelist Patricia i hsmith s novel “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” scored noms for Best TV Movie or miniseries, Best Drama Performance ndrew cott and ost isuall tri in how another cate or uni ue to the Dorians.

The Dorian Awards, presented by GALECA, the Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics are chosen democraticall b the full membership and are presented to flm and roadwa ff roadwa winners at different times of the ear embers wor or freelance for a variety of mainstream and niche media outlets, including the Washington and os n eles lade nonproft or ani ation also advocates for better pa access and respect for entertainment journalists, especially the underrepresented. Winners of the 2024 Dorian TV Awards will be announced Aug. 12. The full list of nominees is available on the Blade website.

SAM REID and JACOB ANDERSON from ‘Interview with the Vampire.’

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22

Rehoboth’s Purple Parrot still soaring after 25 years

“The reason that he was able to get them over is because we did a fundraiser at the restaurant and our customers raised over $10,000 to help sponsor his family and one of our other employees’ families,” Fuller said. “They brought them all the way up through Mexico and into the country and now they’re here with citizenship cards and working for us. We got them houses and apartments too.”

“We don’t care what they are, whether they’re straight, Black, Chinese, Mexican. It’s like the Benetton of Rehoboth in here,” Fuller added. “It’s the United Nations. We support everybody and we’re not afraid to show our support for everybody.”

In addition to reminiscing about some of the good things the restaurant has done for its employees, they both talked about notable guests of the Parrot.

“My mind went right to the guys from Manhattan, who would always come down,” Roberts said when asked if any guests have stuck out to him over the past 25 years. he ust happened to fnd us he had never been to ehoboth before he wal ed into the original Parrot and had every single year after that until two of them passed away. It just became like a yearly week, then it turned into two weeks, and then it turned into two times a year. And it was all just because they came to one bar, and had so much fun. They would sit there all day, all night, go home take a nap, and come back for dinner. And it was just their place.”

They have faced some objections from those who were not as receptive to their tolerance of different people.

“We get the same hate that everybody else does — the same hate that the city got when the put the rainbow crossin s in and the a up uller said was ust tellin Troy about a conversation I had yesterday with a guy. The front of our business for Pride month has a s on it and sa s app Pride nd he said was oin to come in here but see ou re supportin the a communit with our rainbow a s nd said es nd he oes ell don t see wh ou don t have a s for veterans nd said ell as a veteran, I can tell you that we don’t serve to be recognized, we serve to protect and to give you guys your freedom. It’s not something that we want recognition for. But there is a a the merican a that ies over the top of our business ever da to represent the veterans of this country.’”

Despite the opinions of some who are less than welcoming of the LGBTQ communit the Purple Parrot will alwa s be a safe space to celebrate the two affrmed nd celebrate they will.

The Parrot already hosted one party to celebrate the milestone of the bar early in the summer, but will throw an even bigger bash at the end of the season to commemorate the histor and hard wor that has one into ma in the Parrot n a ffth we had a bi part uller said e ll have another one at the end of the

summer in September. We did one at the beginning and then we’re going to do a really bi one at the end of the summer he frst celebration that wee end turned out to be a little rainy, and misty so it wasn’t as big as it could have been. It was packed inside but it wasn’t packed outside like it normally is. We usually do a full cookout barbecue, all that stuff and we’ll do that again at the end of the summer. We’ll have another one of those with DJs. I am not sure about a drag show, but we’ll probably have something because the girls are trying to get something together. We don’t want to spoil anything but there will be a surprise.”

hen as ed to ive their fnal thou hts on ownin and runnin one of ehoboth s most successful businesses as gay men, the two made it clear that it has to be a safe and welcoming space for all for it to succeed.

“I think you have to be all-inclusive,” Roberts said. “I don’t think in today’s world you can ust reall limit it to the a communit ou have to be a friendl and acceptin as well. And I think that helps because it gets non-gays in there and everybody just starts to get along. It becomes more accepted and then becomes the norm.”

Fuller agreed but emphasized being true to one’s character in collaboration with being inclusive is the key to their success.

ein a isn t who we are ou now it s what we are uller said ou can t be afraid to be you. … If you’re going to open up a business, you want to make sure you lean on the community, because the community is going to be your biggest support. nd that s how we defnitel lean on the a communit

The Purple Parrot is located at 134 Rehoboth Ave. in Rehoboth Beach and is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. and is open from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Sundays. For more information, visit their website at ppgrill.com.

(Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

‘The Other Olympians’ explores the making of modern sports

New book highlights Fascism and queerness

By TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

He’s going to win.

It’s apparent: much as you’re trying, hard as you’re running, as much as your lungs burn, he’s ahead by two paces. You had a good start but he’s the better athlete. You know this now. He’s going to win this competition and you’re going to lose. But, as in the new book “The Other Olympians” by Michael Waters, there may be another outcome.

Young Zdnek Koubek avoided sports as much as possible.

Born nearly seven years before the creation of the Czechoslovakian state, he always understood that he was “different”: in school, he had a ferce reputation for f htin but he couldn’t relate to rough-and-tumble male classmates or their ames he world of irls was also baf in to him even though, “To the world, he was a girl.”

t ei ht ears old oube participated in his frst or anized sporting event, a sprint he lost by “a second” that he never forgot. Seething with years-long anger, “his contempt for sports only grew” as he matured but in the fall of 1927, he had a change of heart: he’d landed a ticket to a track and

DINING

feld sportin event at which he noted how “free” it must feel to run.

“In the following months,” says Waters, “Koubek couldn’t get enough of track and feld e be an competin in and winnin women s events unaware that he wasn t alone” in his differences.

In the early 1930s, in fact, several worldclass athletes were quietly questioning their own gender; meanwhile, coaches and second and third place fnishers cried foul over losses to “manly” women. Some athletes, assigned as female at birth, “could not evade the gender anxieties of the era.” Others lost their chance to be an Olympic competitor due to politics, and some just quit.

For other athletes with Olympic dreams, the 1936 games loomed large as they rose to celebrity status. They did so, even though Adolph Hitler and his followers had “launched a campaign to crush Germany’s queer community.”

If a book starts out with a long list of acronyms, pay attention. Take that as a sign that you may be in for a deep look and some confusion.

Indeed, author Michael Waters seems to leave no pebble unturned in this story, which tends to drag sometimes. Readers of “The Other Olympians,” for example, may wonder why long pages are sometimes devoted to people who are never mentioned again in the narrative. Were those individuals imperative to the history here? You may never know.

And yet, there’s that depth.

Waters takes his audience back to a time when heterosexuality was the absolute norm and LGBTQ people were considered to be anomalous and intriguing. The turn-around from that perception doesn’t end well, and its causation feels particularl familiar here in more wa s than one

This is probably not anyone’s true idea of a beach read; instead it s timel relevant serious and interestin but only if you study it fully. Don’t, and you’ll be lost. With patience, though, “The Other Olympians” is a win-win kind of read.

‘The

Other Olympians: Fascism, Queerness, and the Making of Modern Sports’

By Michael Waters

c.2024, Farrar, Straus and Giroux | $30 | 368 pages

RAMMYs honors restaurant industry professionals

A busy summer for D.C.’s dining scene

By EVAN CAPLAN

Representing the ever-growing, increasingly recognized restaurant industry in Washington, D.C., the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) held its frst ever s onors vent on une in the lower level of the Watergate Hotel. Restaurant and hospitality industry professionals, leaders, and community members gathered to celebrate RAMMY special distinctions.

The event took place as an extension of the traditional RAMMY Awards Gala, which honors “the exceptional ability and accomplishments” of the region’s restaurants and foodservice community. The 42nd Annual RAMMY Awards ala will ta e place on unda ul 2 at the alter Washington Convention Center.

The RAMMYs Honors event kicked off with a cocktail hour, and was hosted by author, seasoned democratic strategist, and co-host of MSNBC’s The Weekend, Symone Sanders Townsend.

While there were several awards presented, this inaugural event only held onto one announcement until the event itself the oan isao a llied ember of the Year Winner, presented to an associate member who best e emplifes commitment to and support of This year, the Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School won, a school supporting adult immigrants that includes a culinary arts program.

Other honors that evening included the Duke Zeibert Capital Achievement Award Winner, which was given to reater ashin ton Partnership ath ollin er “for her excellence and community leadership, increasing the profle and success of the metropolitan ashin ton foodservice community.” Prior to joining the Partnership, ollin er was president and of ollin er sat for a wide-ranging interview on stage with Sanders Townsend, who is married to Shawn Townsend current president and of the

Finally, the 2024 Honorary Milestone RAMMY Award recipients were also honored celebratin a si nifcant number of years serving locals and visitors in Metropolitan Washington: The Dubliner (50 years), Black’s Bar & Kitchen 2 ears uino on th 2 ears ushi istro 2 years), Marcel’s (25 years), and Passage to India (25 years).

s the restaurant industr rows in the cit for the frst time, the RAMMYS Honors event allowed for a unique opportunity to highlight a range of special distinctions

determined by RAMW’s executive committee. Instead of being public-facing, the Honors were dedicated to industry professionals, to give extra attention and the spotlight to those that often get overlooked at the main RAMMYs Gala. These awards were chosen by RAMW’s executive committee whereas the other awards, given at The RAMMYS, are chosen by both the public and an anonymous panel of judges.

Summer, traditionally a slower time for the restaurant industry, means that RAMW is pulling out the stops for diners to try out new and favorite spots across the area. irst fnalists for estaurant ssociation etropolitan Washington’s 2024 Wine Program of the Year will take part in promotions planned for the second wee of ul rom onda ul throu h unda ul 4 the re ion s top wine programs will showcase their outstanding varietals and pours. The 2024 Wine Program of the Year Finalists include pero upont ircle ra t anier rre ardless (H Street), Lulu’s Wine Garden (Shaw), and St. Anselm nion ar et ach will have discounts tastin parties special blends i hts and other wa s to savor the area s top wines.

Finally, the season also sees the return of Summer Restaurant Week, celebrating the region’s restaurant industr from onda u 2 throu h unda u Participating restaurants will offer multi-course brunch and lunch menus with updated tiered pricing for $25 or $35 per person, and multi-course dinner menus for $40, $55, or $65 per person for on-premises dining. Many restaurants will also offer cocktail, wine, and non-alcoholic pairings.

D.C.’s Summer Restaurant Week runs from Monday, Aug. 12, through Sunday, Aug. 18.

Bad Hair Day?, AVEDA Lifestyle Salon, Barber, and Spa in beautiful downtown Rehoboth Beach, DE, has available stations on Saturdays and Mondays, and Guests wanting appointments! We are booked solid, and we HATE saying no! WE NEED YOU, to HELP US accommodate these requests!

Keep your existing positions / clientele at home and come join us part-time on Saturdays and / or Mondays, Tuesdays.

Or move to the beach and join us full-time at our Sweetbriar location, just outside Lewes, DE.

Seasonal and year-round positions available at both Bad Hair Day? locations!

JOIN US, do great hair and have fun at the Beach!

Email: team@badhairday.biz All inquiries conﬁdential.

Real Estate in 1776 revolutionar transformation of

land ownership laws be an centuries a o

By VALERIE M. BLAKE

I have been interested in real estate most of my life. Even at age eight, during family vacations when we drove to Nana’s house via old, country roads, I would point to any wood frame house in disrepair and tal about f in it up

It got to be a joke in our family. My father would join in, pointing to every dilapidated barn we passed and sa in ere s one ou could f up ittle did he now that m childhood interest in real estate would make up a big part of my future.

That’s but a small part of my real estate history, but since I was born on Independence Day, I thought I’d relay a few facts about the real estate world of nearly 250 years ago. Turns out, it’s remarkably similar to today.

In 1776, the United States was on the brink of a revolutionary transformation (as we may also be in 2024), not only politically but also in terms of land ownership and real estate. This era was characterized by a blend of colonial practices, evolving legal frameworks, and a growing sense of independence, having separated ourselves from British rule.

and ownership then as now was a primar source of wealth and status ts distribution was highly uneven. Most of the land in the Thirteen Colonies was controlled by a small elite class, including wealthy merchants, planters, and colonial governors.

These large landowners acquired vast tracts of land through royal grants, purchases, and inheritance. Small farmers, artisans, and laborers either owned modest parcels of land, paid to work on rented property, or became indentured servants as immigrants.

The legal framework governing real estate in 1776 was a combination of English common law, colonial statutes, and local customs. Property rights were well-established, with deeds, surveys, and title records playing crucial roles in documenting and securing land ownership. Colonial courts adjudicated land disputes, often referencing English legal precedents. The doctrine of primogeniture mandated that a family’s land holdings be passed down to the eldest male heir. This practice ensured the preservation of large estates but also contributed to social stratifcation and limited opportunities for oun er sons and women owever the revolutionary ideas of liberty and equality began to challenge such entrenched norms, leading to gradual reforms in inheritance laws.

The late 18th century saw a surge in land speculation, driven by the promise of new opportunities in the vast western territories. Wealthy individuals and companies acquired large swaths of land with the intent of sellin them to settlers and investors at a proft his specula tive fervor was fueled b the belief that westward e pansion would continue unabated open ing new frontiers for agriculture, trade, and settlement.

and speculation however was frau ht with ris s and controversies much as it remains to da on icts with ative merican tribes who ri htfull resisted the encroachment on their ancestral lands were a constant threat dditionall disputes over land claims and titles were common, as overlapping grants and fraudulent transactions complicated the already murky legal landscape.

While rural land dominated the real estate market, urban properties in burgeoning colonial cities li e oston ew or and Philadelphia also held si nifcant value hese cities were centers of commerce, trade, and political activity, with thriving ports and markets. Real estate in urban areas included residential houses, commercial buildings, warehouses, and wharves. he desi n and architecture of colonial urban real estate re ected both practical needs and social aspirations. Wealthy merchants and professionals built grand townhouses, often in the

Georgian style, while more modest homes and tenements housed artisans, laborers, and the urban poor. The value of urban properties was closely tied to their location, with prime spots near markets, docks, and government buildings commanding higher prices. (Sound familiar?) he evolutionar ar mar ed a pivotal point in merican histor and had profound impli cations for real estate. The war disrupted traditional land ownership patterns, as loyalists who sided with the ritish rown often had their properties confscated and redistributed his period also saw the rise of the new concept of individual ri hts which in uenced land policies In the aftermath, the new nation faced the challenge of creating a fair and equitable system of land distribution. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787, for instance, established a standardized system for surveying and selling western lands, promoting orderly settlement and e pansion s the nited tates embar ed on its ourne toward independence and nationhood the evolving concepts of property rights and land distribution would continue to shape its development for years to come. Generational wealth for the masses, however, still has a long way to go.

VALERIE M. BLAKE

is a licensed Associate Broker in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia with RLAH Real Estate / @properties. Call or text her at 202-246-8602, email her via DCHomeQuest.com, or follow her on Facebook at TheRealst8ofAffairs.

In 1776, the United States was on the brink of a revolutionary transformation in terms of land ownership.

New York City Pride Parade

Annual LGBTQ march held in Manhattan (Washington Blade photos by

The 2024 New York City Pride Parade wound through the streets of Manhattan and past the historic Stonewall Inn on Sunday, June 30.

Daniel Truitt)

MASSAGE MASSAGE FOR ACTIVE MEN

Low key private spot near Rosslyn. Fri-Mon, 12-9. text 301-704-1158 or visit www.mymassagebygary.com

CLEANING

FERNANDO’S CLEANING

Residential & Commercial Cleaning, Reasonable Rates, Free Estimates, Routine, 1-Time, Move-In/Move-Out 202-234-7050 or 202-486-6183

COUNSELING

MENTAL HEALTH CARE

Seeking mental healthcare for conditions like ADHD, depression, PTSD, anxiety, insomnia, bipolar, schizophrenia, or counseling? We offer virtual and in-person treatment, medication management, and electronic prescriptions. New patients are welcome, and we accept most government and private insurance. Visit us at 8115 Fenton St. Suite 203 Silver Spring MD 20910. YOUR HEALTH IS OUR PRIORITY www.dredenhealthcare.com

Dr. Eden Taye, dredenhealthcare@gmail. com, (301) 328-2995

EMPLOYMENT

DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS, NEWS IS OUT

Play a pivotal role in driving revenue growth through strategic partnerships, philanthropic support, sponsorships, and branded content initiatives. You will be responsible for packaging together branded content initiatives and telling the story of our impact to potential funders. This role is a unique opportunity to make a signiﬁcant impact on both our ﬁnancial success and our mission of promoting diverse and inclusive storytelling. To read more about this opportunity and requirements or to apply for this position, https://bit.ly/3VZSA2S

HANDYMAN

BRITISH REMODELING

Local licensed company with over 25 years of experience. Specializing in bathrooms, kitchens & all interior/exterior repairs. Drywall, paint, electrical, wallpaper, rooﬁng siding. Trevor 703-303-8699

LIMOUSINES

KASPER’S LIVERY SERVICE Since 1987. Gay & Veteran Owner/ LincolnOperator.Nautilus! Proper DC License & Livery Insured. www.KasperLivery.com 202-554-2471

MOVERS

AROUND TOWN

MOVERS & STORAGE

Local | Long Distance Residential | Commercial Licensed & Insured Packing | Moving | Unpacking Ask about the Blade discount! Call Today 202.734.3080 www. ro nd ownMo ers.com

PUBLISHES

LEGAL NOTICES

MEN FOR MEN

GWM, HANDSOME, Well educated, HIV+, ISO friends, dates & more. Open to all races. 420 friendly. Serious replies only. Email classiﬁeds@washblade.com

ISO TALL, ALL AMERICAN 6’3”, 200 lbs, white male w/9”, horny, affectionate, ISO tall, All American, muscular, white male with good size meat, loving & affedtionate who is ready for ahot hungry mouth to work on them. Sincere replies ONLY call or text after 9 pm 240-457-1292.

TG / NB SEEKING

29YO, B, TG/NB. Looking to make the most of DC this summer with someone cute, kind, and adventurous. Open to all races/genders. Contact: ri er oro @ mail.com

BODYWORK

THE MAGIC TOUCH Swedish, Massage or Deep Tissue. Appts. Low Rates, 24/7, In-Calls. 202-486-6183

Catelyn represents LGBTQ clients in DC, MD & VA interested in adoption or ART matters.

including probate, small estates and foreign estates. Public notices are required to be published in newspapers of general circulation because these venues (now both print and online) reach the largest number of people in the community, while offering an easily archivable and veriﬁable outlet to make sure the notice was published when and how it was intended. Further, newspapers display notices in the context of other news and information that people in the community read. Newspapers and their associated websites are the appropriate forums for notices that affect citizens and the general public. Ask the court to publish yours in the Blade. Another way to support your LGBTQ newspaper!

Wishing everyone a safe and happy Fourth of July from BMW Of Fairfax.

Living in the DC area, there’s certainly no shortage of wonderful displays to enjoy on the evening of the Fourth. We invite you to our showroom in the month of July to enjoy yet another beautiful display.