PROJECT 2025’s ‘WAR ON PORN’
Proposed ban threatens sex workers, LGBTQ community, PAGE 10
Harris picks Gov. Walz as running mate, PAGE 12
ADDRESS PO Box 53352
Washington DC 20009
PHONE
202-747-2077
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
D.C. offers array of resources for LGBTQ children, parents
SMYAL, Rainbow Families among orgs assisting local residents
By OMARI FOOTE
As a new school year approaches, the Washington Blade has compiled a list of resources for family of LGBTQ children in the D.C. area.
Rainbow Families DC
Rainbow Families has offered support to LGBTQ families since the 1970s with an expansive list of events and initiatives for parents and children. On Aug. 31 they will host a family camp weekend in Worton, Md.. Each year, they also host a Family Conference in D.C.; stay connected with their social media for updates on next year’s conference.
PFLAG Metro DC
PFLAG is a national organization with with local DMV chapters in Montgomery County, Northern Virginia, and Northwest D.C. PFLAG chapter members can join community groups that meet monthly, virtually or in-person. Members will also be able to advocate on behalf of LGBTQ children in panels and public hearings with policy makers.
La Clínica Del Pueblo
La Clínica Del Pueblo provides medical care and education for D.C.’s Latinx community. Its LGBTQ programming, “Empoderate” includes health workshops, STI testing, mental health services and more. Plus, sporting events, movies, retreats, and more.
DC Public Schools LGBTQ+ Program
DCPS’ LGBTQ+ programming offers an extensive resource list for LGBTQ children and their parents to feel safe inside and outside of the classroom. They host an annual “Leading with Pride” conference for Gay Straight Alliance members and have a liaison program of accessible allies available to both DCPS students and faculty.
SMYAL
SMYAL is one of D.C.’s oldest LGBTQ advocacy organizations. It offers free activities for queer children, including an LGBTQ+ Library and after school programming. In addition,
SMYAL facilitates trainings for adults about cultural competency, supporting LGBTQ+ youth in elementary schools, and more.
Capital Pride official announces candidacy for Dupont Circle ANC
Anthony Musa, a member of the board of directors of the Capital Pride Alliance, the group that organizes most of D.C.’s annual LGBTQ Pride events, has announced he is running for the Dupont Circle Advisory Neighborhood Commission seat 2B01 in the city’s Nov. 5 election.
The ANC 2B01 seat is currently held by incumbent Meg Roggensack, who announced she is not running for re-election. As of early this week, no other candidate had come forward to run against Musa. The deadline for candidate filing is Aug. 7.
“I’ve lived in Dupont for seven years and I really like my neighborhood,” Musa told the Washington Blade. “And I wanted to volunteer for this position and help my neighbors
out, and keep the streets clean,” he said, adding that looking at Connecticut Avenue, a section of which is in his ANC district, is also on his agenda.
Musa said while not a current member of his ANC, he served on its Land Use Committee and was appointed by D.C. Council member Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2) to serve on a committee to make recommendations for the redistricting of Ward 2 ANC districts based on the 2020 U.S. Census findings of population changes.
He said he has also been appointed by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to serve on the city’s Latino Community Development Commission and the Concealed Weapon Licensing Review Board.
In mentioning volunteering, Musa was referring to the fact that under the city’s Home Rule Act, Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners are unpaid, volunteer positions that city officials recognize entail a lot of volunteer time and work. Under the city’s Home Rule Act, ANCs are nonpartisan, elected bodies that have no decision-making authority on public policy issues, but government officials are required to give “great
weight” to their recommendations.
Musa said he has served on the Capital Pride board for seven years and has served as the board’s vice president for five years. Aside from his volunteer work, Musa said he works as an economist at the U.S. State Department with a focus on economic related issues pertaining to central Asian countries.
The D.C. Board of Elections candidate list as of Aug. 5 showed that as of that time, all nine of the ANC 2B candidates were running unopposed, including gay commissioner Vincent Slatt of 2B03, who serves as chair of the LGBTQ ANC Rainbow Caucus.
Slatt said the other ANC 2B incumbents running for re-election who are gay in addition to Musa include Jeffrey Rueckgauer of 2B02, Matt Johnson of 2B06, Zachary Adams of 2B08, and Christopher Davis of 2B09.
Shortly after the Aug. 7 Board of Elections deadline for candidate filing, the Washington Blade will report on the total number of known LGBTQ ANC candidates running in districts throughout the city.
LOU CHIBBARO JR.
Fired Baltimore health commissioner under criminal investigation
Mayor Brandon Scott fired Health Commissioner Dr. Ihuoma Emenuga on Monday evening after learning she is under criminal investigation. Her abrupt departure, just months into the job, leaves the Health Department once again without a leader as Baltimore struggles with rampant overdose deaths at a rate not seen before in a major American city.
The Baltimore Office of the Inspector General opened a probe into Emenuga’s work at a private health clinic while she was also serving as health commissioner, according to multiple people familiar with the matter but who were not authorized to speak publicly. The inspector general’s office made a criminal referral to the Office of the Maryland State Prosecutor, which is now investigating.
Emenuga’s clinical work was done at Chase Brexton, a nonprofit health care center founded in 1978 as a volunteer-run gay health clinic in the Mount Vernon neighborhood. Today the clinic has locations throughout Maryland and sees about 40,000 patients a year with a focus on providing services to poor and underserved populations. A spokesperson for Chase Brexton did not immediately return a request for com-
ment Tuesday evening.
Emenuga could not be reached for comment. Scott’s office declined to comment about the investigation. The inspector general and state prosecutor’s offices do not confirm or deny the existence of investigations.
Emenuga has an active certification with the Maryland Board of Physicians, issued in 2014 and set to expire in September of this year. The board’s website notes that Emenuga has a primary practice at Park West Health System in Northwest Baltimore, where a Health Department bio notes that she has served as chief health officer. She began her career as a primary care physician in Côte d’Ivoire and holds numerous degrees, including a medical degree from the University of Nigeria, a master’s of science in public health from the University of London, and a master’s of business administration from the University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business.
Most recently, Emenuga was a managing partner at the health care consulting firm Vie Health. She had previously served with the Baltimore Health Department’s Youth Wellness and Community Health Division, where she oversaw
clinical services in schools and also worked as medical director at Chase Brexton Health Care.
While the nature of Emenuga’s work at Chase Brexton during her tenure in the Health Department is unclear, it’s not uncommon for city health commissioners to maintain involvement in an outside practice. Dr. Leana Wen, a former city health commissioner, recounts in her memoir “Lifelines: A Doctor’s Journey in the Fight for Public Health,” that she volunteered once a month at a local health center for underinsured patients, because she felt it was important to maintain that community tie while serving as the city’s top doctor.
A financial disclosure Emenuga filed before the city Board of Ethics did not disclose any outside sources of income, though it did report that she holds a 100% stake in Vie Health, the consultancy where she worked before joining the Health Department.
The mayor’s unexpected search for a new public health leader comes when the city is struggling acutely with responding to opioids on city streets.
BALTIMORE BANNER
Youth at the SMYAL center. (Photo courtesy of SMYAL)
ANTHONY MUSA
D.C. trans woman files bias lawsuit against Whole Foods, Amazon
Co-workers
accused of ‘threats to do bodily injury,’ ‘lewd, obscene acts’
By LOU CHIBBARO JR.
A lawsuit filed by a D.C. transgender woman in July 2022 accuses the Whole Foods supermarket company and its parent company Amazon.com, Inc. with failing to stop as many as 20 Whole Foods employees in six D.C.-area Whole Foods stores from allegedly subjecting the trans woman who worked in those stores with sexual harassment and assault, threats of assault, anti-trans name-calling, and lewd and obscene gestures.
Court records show two separate complaints, one against Whole Foods and the other against Amazon, were initially filed July 11, 2022, in D.C. Superior Court by Vanessa Navarrete, who later changed her name to Ximena Navarrete, after the case was transferred in August 2022 to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
The records show Navarrete’s initial filing in U.S. District Court called for $1 million in damages from Whole Foods, with a second filing two months later in the same federal court calling for $1.5 million in damages from Amazon.
An initial answer to the complaint filed Nov. 3, 2022, by attorneys representing Amazon states, “Amazon denies that it engaged in any wrongful conduct with respect to Plaintiff,” among other reasons, on grounds that Amazon “was not Plaintiff’s employer.”
But a 57-page amended complaint filed as part of the lawsuit on Jan. 5, 2023, names as defendants in the lawsuit Amazon.com, Inc.; Prime Now LLC, the Amazon-owned company that operates the Whole Foods supermarket chain; and D.C.-area Whole Foods employees listed as “John Doe 1-10” and “Jane Doe 11-20.”
In subsequent court filings, Amazon attorneys repeatedly assert that the defendant in the case is Prime Now LLC “improperly identified as Amazon.”
The complaint describes in graphic terms the allegations made by Navarrete in her lawsuit.
“During the course of Plaintiff’s employment, Plaintiff was subjected to a pattern of discrimination, harassment, threats to do bodily injury, lewd, indecent, and/or obscene acts, indecent exposure, offensive language, offensive and unwanted physical contact, due to Plaintiff’s sex, perceived sex, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, race, national origin, age and disability,” the complaint states.
“During the course of Plaintiff’s employment, Defendant Amazon and members of management were indifferent to the discrimination, harassment, threats to do bodily injury, lewd, indecent and/or obscene acts, indecent exposure, offensive and unwanted physical contact to which Plaintiff was subjected,” according to the complaint.
The lawsuit says Navarrete, 46, worked at the D.C. Whole Foods stores at the 1400 block of P Street, N.W. and in D.C.’s Tenleytown and Friendship Heights neighborhoods as well as the stores in Silver Spring, Md. and Arlington and Springfield in Virginia from Sept. 20, 2020, to Oct. 6, 2021, as a “Prime Now – Whole Foods Shopper,” a position in which she fulfilled food orders placed by customers online.
Supporting documents filed with the lawsuit say the alleged mistreatment of Navarrete began on her first day at work at one of the Whole Foods stores when a manager required her to wear a name badge with her birth name. Court documents show that she disclosed her birth name
at the time she applied for the job and openly identified as transgender and requested, with Whole Foods managers initially agreeing, that she be identified and addressed as a female with her female name.
Her wearing a name tag with the male dead name played a key role in prompting co-workers to begin harassing her, court documents show.
Court records also show she identified herself as “Victor Navarrete (Vanessa)” in the first, handwritten version of her lawsuit filed in D.C. Superior Court, which she filed herself without an attorney. Her first amended complaint filed in the U.S. District Court identifies her as “Victor Navarrete a/k/a Vanessa Navarrete.” However, the lawsuit repeatedly states that she made it clear to managers and officials with Whole Foods Human Resources Department that she identifies as a female and wants to be addressed and listed in work-related documents by her female name.
According to the lawsuit, her employment with Whole Foods was terminated in October 2021 due to discrimination based, among other things, on her status as a Latina transgender woman and “for seeking redress from the discrimination and/or harassment.”
The Jan. 5, 2023, amended complaint charges Amazon and Whole Foods with violating the U.S. Civil Rights Act of 1964, the D.C. Human Rights Act, and the D.C. Bias Related Crimes Act for their “wrongful employment practices against Plaintiff.”
The Washington Blade reached out by phone and email to the two lead attorneys representing Amazon in the lawsuit – Michael A. Chichester Jr. and Brandon Robert Mita of the D.C. law firm Littler Mendelson PC for comment on the case on behalf of Amazon and Whole Foods. Neither responded to the request for comment.
The Blade similarly reached out by email to spokespersons for Amazon and Whole Foods seeking comment on the lawsuit. As of Aug. 1, neither had replied.
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation, a national LGBTQ advocacy organization, has awarded Amazon, Inc. its highest score of 100% in its 2023-2024 Corporate Equality Index rating that evaluates LGBTQ supportive policies for employees.
The HRC Corporate Equality Index did not have a rating for Prime Now LLC or Whole Foods.
Court records show that Navarrete also filed a discrimination complaint against Amazon regarding her employment at Whole Foods with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on April 5, 2021, and another discrimination complaint against Amazon for the same alleged improper treatment with the D.C. Office of Human Rights on that same day.
The court records show that the EEOC on Jan. 4, 2023, issued a “right to sue” letter clearing the way for Navarrete to file her lawsuit in federal court under court rules that require people alleging employment discrimination to seek an “administrative” remedy before going to court.
The most recent court records show that U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson, who is presiding over the lawsuit case, in April of this year denied a motion by Navarette’s attorneys to file another amended complaint with new allegations against Whole Foods employees. Among the new allegations, court records show, is that a Whole Foods male employee allegedly “groped” Navarrete’s buttocks and breasts, another employee allegedly exposed his genitals to her, and another allegedly sent her “explicit text messages and photographs of male genitals.”
Yet another new allegation, the record shows, is a security guard working for Whole Foods allegedly visited Navarette at her home and raped her after asking her for sex in exchange for helping her resolve her problems at work.
The Blade couldn’t immediately find in the court records a reason given by the judge for denying the motion to file the new amended complaint. But a motion filed by Amazon’s attorneys opposing the request by Navarette to amend the complaint argues that the new allegations are significantly different from the allegations in her original complaint and would be legally “untimely” in violation of court rules.
In reference to its call for monetary damages and compensation, the lawsuit states that because of Amazon’s “unlawful conduct,” Navarrete “has suffered, and continues to suffer, mental anguish and emotional distress, including but not limited to, humiliation, embarrassment, stress and anxiety, loss of self-esteem and confidence, and emotional pain and suffering, as well as physical injury, for which she is entitled to an award of compensatory damages and other relief.”
As of Aug. 1, the court records show that no trial date has been set for the case. The records do show that as required by court rules, the two sides entered mediation last year in an effort to reach a resolution to settle the case, but the mediation ended with no agreement being reached.
Erica Bilkis, one of two attorneys with the D.C. law firm Alan Lescht & Associates representing Ximena Navarrete, pointed out that 55 years after the Stonewall Rebellion started the modern LGBTTQ rights movement, “trans women of color are still being persecuted and fighting for equal treatment in their personal and professional lives.” Bilkis added, “We are hopeful that we will not only bring justice on behalf of Ms. Navarrete, but also encourage others to bravely speak out against this systemic issue.”
XIMENA NAVARRETE
Project 2025’s ‘War on Porn’ threatens sex workers, LGBTQ community
Far-right plan for second Trump administration includes 32 anti-LGBTQ provisions
By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com
Civil liberties and LGBTQ rights advocates have expressed alarm that a proposal to criminalize pornography in a 920-page far-right blueprint for the first 180 days of a second Trump administration known as Project 2025 would have a far-reaching impact that threatens the rights of sex workers and the LGBTQ community, especially the transgender community.
Project 2025 was created by a coalition of several dozen conservative and religious-right organizations led by the D.C.-based Heritage Foundation, with most of them having opposed LGBTQ rights for many years and several having been designated as anti-LGBTQ hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
LGBTQ rights organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ rights group, and the LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD, point out that Project 2025 includes at least 32 specific provisions that call for rolling back LGBTQ rights, including marriage equality and LGBTQ nondiscrimination protections in federal government agencies.
“Project 2025 demonstrates what four years of a Trump-Vance administration would look like,” HRC said in a statement. “It is a wrecking ball aimed at the very foundations of civil rights, LGBTQ+ rights, health care access, voting rights, and environmental protections,” the statement says.
GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement that Project 2025 “would create an America where the freedoms that are a hallmark to our Democracy are replaced with authoritarianism and the progress we have made for LGBTQ people, people of color, women, and other marginalized communities is stripped away.”
Former President Donald Trump, who won the Republican presidential nomination last month at the GOP convention in Milwaukee, has disavowed Project 2025, saying he played no role in creating it and he does not agree with many of its provisions. But political observers point out that former Trump administration officials and many longtime Trump supporters played a lead role in developing Project 2025. Democratic Party leaders are predicting much of Project 2025’s content, including its anti-LGBTQ provisions, would likely be backed by a Trump administration.
With that as a backdrop, civil liberties advocates and representatives of the adult entertainment industry, including sex worker advocacy groups, are saying criminalization of pornography as proposed by Project 2025 would have far reaching negative consequences, including a negative impact on the LGBTQ community.
“The impact would be vast, and censorship of ‘pornography’ is central to this project,” according to a statement released by the Free Speech Coalition, which describes itself as a nonpartisan trade association for the adult entertainment industry. “The mandate calls for banning ‘pornography’ – broadly defined to include LGBTQ+ content – and imprisoning those who distribute it,” the statement says.
The Free Speech Coalition and other groups and activists opposing a ban on pornography
point out that the text of Project 2025’s provision calling for a ban on porn seeks to create a link between what it calls harmful pornography and the transgender and LGBTQ communities.
Here is the full text of the Project 2025 provision for criminalizing pornography:
“Pornography, manifested today in the omnipresent propagation of transgender ideology and sexualization of children, for instance, is not a political Gordian knot inextricably binding up disparate claims about free speech, property rights, sexual liberation, and child welfare. It has no claim to First Amendment protection. Its purveyors are child predators and misogynistic exploiters of women. Their product is as addictive as any illicit drug and as psychologically destructive as any crime. Pornography should be outlawed. The people who produce and distribute it should be imprisoned. Educators and public librarians who purvey it should be classed as registered sex offenders. And telecommunications and technology firms that facilitate its spread should be shuttered.”
According to the Free Speech Coalition, “With new laws calling for the imprisonment of those who produce or distribute adult content, Project 2025 advocates for the arrest of millions of adult content creators – a War on Porn that might mimic the War on Drugs.”
The group adds in its statement, “This risk to anyone working in the sex industry is enormous but given the project’s twin concerns about LGBTQ+ content, would likely fall most heavily on LGBTQ+ sex workers, pushing them further into the margins, and increasing risk of violence and exploitation.”
Among those who share that concern is Cyndee Clay, executive director of the D.C.-based sex worker advocacy group HIPS. “Calls to outlaw pornography are problematic enough, but they also take one more legal option for sex work away from people who do sex work,” Clay told the Washington Blade. “What’s more concerning is this push from Project 2025 seems to be less about pornography itself and more about attacking trans rights and trans voices,” Clay said.
The Blade’s attempt to reach some of the largest online porn sites like Pornhub and the popular gay dating and sex meet-up site Grindr were unsuccessful. The ACLU, which has championed rights of sexual freedom for many years, didn’t respond to the Blade’s request for comment on Project 2025. But in a brief statement on its website, the ACLU criticizes Project 2025 as a plan to “dismantle policies put in place to protect our civil rights and liberties and establish a more authoritarian rule of law.”
The statement adds, “Along with our network of affiliates and coalition partners in all 50 states, we are armed with tools and tactics to protect against executive action that would take away our rights.”
Blair Hopkins, executive director of the Sex Worker Outreach Project Behind Bars, known as SWOP, said she believes the large adult industry companies like Pornhub, and others will be working behind the scenes to oppose Project 2025. Hopkins said the criminalization of porn would have a dramatic impact on the multi-million adult entertainment industry, which through its online sites and employment of sex workers as actors and support workers is an important segment of the nation’s economy.
According to its website, Pornhub alone has more than 100 million daily visits to its adult website and 36 billion visits per year. It says it has 20 million registered Pornhub users.
Hopkins said Pornhub has provided financial support for SWOP and other organizations that support sex workers.
“It’s been said that sex workers are the canary in the coal mine when it comes to any kind of civil rights,” Hopkins told the Blade. “And that is proven to be true over and over again,” she said. “So, what I think they’re talking about is not only will pornography be banned and criminalized, but also that anything can be categorized as pornography. And that is directly targeting the LGBTQ community.”
Todd Evans, executive director of the National LGBT Media Association, which represents LGBTQ news publications across the country, said a ban on pornography like what is being proposed by Project 2025 could have a negative impact on LGBTQ media outlets.
“Just think about it,” he said. “Who is defining pornography? What does that mean? Is Michelangelo’s ‘David’ pornography?”
Evans added, “It definitely has an effect on LGBT media because it goes back to what that definition of pornography is. And does it depend on who is delivering it? Like if it’s an LGBT publication, is that definition harsher than maybe a mainstream publication?”
Adult entertainment advocates have also pointed out that access to porn has already effectively been “banned” in several states that have passed laws calling for the adult sites to require anyone visiting the site to provide an identification document such as a driver’s license to show they are an adult. This has prompted some porn sites, including Pornhub, to discontinue operating in those states.
GOP presidential nominee DONALD TRUMP claims he’s unfamiliar with Project 2025, but observers fear he would embrace its far-right agenda as president. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
Harris chooses Walz and LGBTQ advocates celebrate
Minn. governor has strong pro-LGBTQ
By CHRISTOPHER KANE | ckane@washblade.com
record
Vice President Kamala Harris selected Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to be her running mate on Tuesday.
The vice president and her campaign had a short runway to make the decision leading into the Democratic National Convention in mid-August. Harris emerged as the frontrunner shortly after President Joe Biden announced his decision to step aside on July 21.
Walz, who is serving in his second term and chairs the Democratic Governors Association, represented a red-leaning district in the U.S. House of Representatives for 12 years. The governor was introduced to many Americans when he surfaced as a top vice presidential candidate in recent weeks.
In public appearances, Walz made headlines for his plainspoken progressive appeal to voters, attracting even more attention for his line of attack against Republican opponents, former President Donald Trump and U.S. Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), who he called “weird dudes.”
The Hill’s Brooke Migdon wrote last week that Walz “helped make Minnesota an LGBTQ ‘refuge,’” shielding access to gender affirming care and abortion, banning socalled conversion therapy, and prohibiting book bans targeting titles with LGBTQ characters and themes.
In 1999, Walz advised Mankato West High School’s first gay-straight alliance (GSA) club, Migdon notes. The social studies teacher would then oust anti-LGBTQ longtime Republican U.S. Rep. Gil Gutknecht in 2006, running on a platform supporting same-sex marriage, which Minnesota had banned in 1997.
Once elected, Walz, who had served for 24 years in the Army National Guard, fought for the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the policy prohibiting LGBTQ members of the U.S. Armed Forces from serving openly, and played a major role in passage of the landmark Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.
Kat Rohn, executive director of OutFront Minnesota, the state’s largest LGBTQ advocacy group, told the Washington Blade by email that “Tim Walz has been a longstanding ally to the LGBTQ+ community — from the classroom to elected office.”
“Here in Minnesota we have seen that first hand through how he has engaged on our issues and through policy that has advanced under his leadership — including signing into law bills that ban conversion ‘therapy,’ end the LGBTQ+ panic defense, and establish MN as a trans refuge state,” Rohn said. “At a time when LGBTQ+ communities are under attack, Gov. Walz has made it clear that welcome and inclusion are Minnesotan values, and we’re excited to see how that continues onto the national stage.”
“There’s no doubt — Kamala Harris has electrified the nation and breathed new hope into the race,” said Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson. “Her pick of governor Walz sends a message that a Harris-Walz administration will be committed to advancing equality and justice for all.”
“That is the choice we are faced with in America,” Robinson said. “A Trump-Vance Administration that would demonize LGBTQ+ people, terrorize our families, send our rights and freedoms back to ‘The Land Before Time’ and install Project 2025. Or a Harris-Walz Administration that will fight for our freedoms, defend our families, and make America a place where people don’t just get by — but can get ahead.”
GLAAD President Sarah Kate Ellis said, “Vice President Harris’ choice of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz underscores a longstanding commitment to the equality, prosperity, and safety of all Americans, including and especially for LGBTQ people. Gov. Walz has a proven record of including and protecting LGBTQ people and the fundamental freedoms all Americans treasure.”
“In this consequential election, we need all voices to speak up for the rights of LGBTQ people to be welcome as we are, live free from discrimination and harm, and pursue our own success and happiness,” Ellis said. “Voters can review the records of the Harris-Walz ticket to inform their own choices this fall, to reflect the country they want to live in, and to envision a future where all of us are more safe and free.”
LGBTQ+ Victory Fund President Annise Parker said, “Governor Tim Walz is a strong ally for our community and a staunch supporter of LGBTQ+ equality. As governor, Walz worked with LGBTQ+ legislators to transform Minnesota into a refuge for LGBTQ+ families, a state where equality is the law of the land.”
“A Harris-Walz ticket will certainly push the movement for equality forward, and we expect a Harris-Walz administration will continue the historic levels of LGBTQ+ representation among presidential appointments,” Parker said. “We are confident that our work to elect pro-equality, pro-choice LGBTQ+ candidates will have a major impact up-ticket and that our candidates will win in November and make our government more reflective of our country’s highest values. ”
National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund Vice President Sayre E. Reece said: “The Na-
tional LGBTQ Action Fund expected a strategic and bold choice as a strong addition to the ticket as a vice presidential candidate. In Governor Walz we have gotten both. We applaud Vice President Harris’ decision and fully support the Harris/Walz ticket – in fact, you could call this a ‘Golden ticket.’
“Governor Walz has been a steadfast ally and advocate for the LGBTQ community, including support for trans affirming care, bodily autonomy and reproductive freedom and gun control. As governor, Walz signed a ban on so-called ‘conversion therapy’ into law, ending the harmful and cruel practice that has cost LGBTQ people their dignity and their lives. Under Walz’s leadership, Minnesota is both a ‘trans sanctuary’ and immigration sanctuary state.”
Shortly after Harris selected Walz as her running mate on Tuesday, Republicans seemed to coalesce around an attack message.
First came efforts to characterize Walz as a liberal extremist. Then, in short order, conservative critics lashed out at the governor’s stridently pro-LGBTQ record.
“As a woman, I think there is no greater threat to our health than leaders who support gender transition surgeries for young minors, who support putting tampons in men’s bathrooms in public schools,” Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for former President Donald Trump’s campaign, said during an interview with Fox News.
Walz last year issued an executive order protecting access to medically necessary gender- affirming healthcare treatments, which include surgical interventions for minors only in extremely rare circumstances. He also signed a bill in 2023 to provide menstrual products in schools for all students “in restrooms regularly used by students in grades 4 through 12.”
A Democratic Minnesota legislator who authored the bill told the New York Times she received emails from trans students, “parents, teachers, librarians, custodians from across the country, talking about how they were — or that they knew — trans students who faced these barriers and needed these products, and how much it meant to them that they would have that access, and also that we were standing up for them.”
Walz’s pro-trans record nevertheless became fodder for conservative activists and pundits, such as Chaya Raichik, creator of Libs of TikTok, who the Southern Poverty Law Center considers an anti-LGBTQ extremist.
She and other right-wing Trump supporters began calling the governor “tampon Tim” online.
“I can’t imagine too many parents are OK with the government helping their children permanently mutilate their bodies without parental consent, while also revoke and custody if they don’t go along with the insanity!” Donald Trump, Jr., wrote on X.
In reality, the executive order to which the former president’s eldest son was referring directs state agencies to “coordinate to protect people or entities who are providing, assisting, seeking, or obtaining gender-affirming health care services,” per a press release from Walz’s office.
Minnesota Gov. TIM WALZ (Photo public domain)
Gay baseball trailblazer Billy Bean dies at 60
He achieved his lifelong dream of becoming a major league baseball player at 23, but Billy Bean gave it all up at 31 because he fell in love with another man. Bean, MLB’s senior vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion, died at home in New York on Tuesday after an 11-month-long battle with acute myeloid leukemia. Major League Baseball announced his death. Bean was 60, and leaves a husband, Greg Baker.
Bean did not come out publicly until he left the game, in 1999, following an article in the Miami Herald that outed him. That led to even bigger stories in the New York Times and television interviews about being a clos-
eted athlete. He wrote a book, “Going the Other Way.”
For decades, Bean was the only living former baseball player to have come out as gay, following Glenn Burke.
Four years ago, Bean recorded an emotional video about coming out and how baseball has changed, titled “Dear Glenn Burke: A Letter from Billy Bean.”
However, the biggest impact Bean had on the game and on all professional sports came in 2014, when he was hired by former Commissioner Bud Selig to be MLB’s first ambassador for inclusion. He spent more than 10 years working for MLB, eventually being promoted to senior vice president.
Bean worked with pro baseball players and their clubs to, in his words, “advance equality for all players, coaches, managers, umpires, employees, and stakeholders throughout baseball to ensure an equitable, inclusive, and supportive workplace for everyone.”
The California native’s athletic career started as a twotime All-American outfielder at Loyola Marymount, then Bean played six seasons of pro ball. He was drafted by the New York Yankees in 1985, but returned to Loyola for his senior year, leading the team to the NCAA Men’s College World Series.
The Detroit Tigers drafted him the following year, and Bean made his debut in 1987 with a four-hit performance that tied a record for a player in his first game. Bean went on to play for the Los Angeles Dodgers, the San Diego Padres, in Japan as well as in the minor leagues.
But he hung up his mitt in 1995, when the lefty outfielder — who at that time was married to a woman — lost his first partner, Sam. He died of HIV-related causes in
Bean’s final season. They had fallen in love on a road trip in Miami.
That 1999 Miami Herald article that outed him was a review of the restaurant he co-owned with his partner at that time. He had already told his parents in 1996, but Bean once told the LGBTQ sports site Outsports he still regretted ending his career in the closet.
“If I had only told my parents, I probably would have played two or three more years and understood that I could come out a step at a time, not have to do it in front of a microphone. And I was completely misguided. I had no mentor. I think that’s where the responsibility comes in for people who have lived that experience, and we take for granted that everybody’s adjusted and gets it. I had no one to confide in and that was the biggest mistake of my professional life was to think that if one person knew, everybody knew.
Just having some kind of ally at that time, I think I would have changed and I think I would have played so much better. You can appreciate the degree of despair when you’re hiding something and you’re on the bubble as it is. It just was a really frustrating time for me.”
At MLB, Bean led the charge for baseball teams to hold Pride nights, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The beginning of Pride month alongside fans returning to our MLB ballparks is tremendously exciting,” Bean told the Los Angeles Blade in June 2021. “The past year has been difficult for everyone, and I am so appreciative that our clubs are able to reach out and support the LGBTQ community in such a positive way.”
DAWN ENNIS
Latino LGBTQ activists lobby Congress for federal protections
On July 9, after most members of Congress had left the Capitol, a small group began setting up a celebration. The halls were nearly silent, aside from the occasional tap of heels on the marble floor, as people slowly streamed into Emancipation Hall and down a corridor. Closer to Senate Meeting Room 212, the intertwining murmur of voices in Spanish and English began to grow.
Then one man stepped to the front of the room and a hush overcame the crowd.
“Today was a great opportunity to meet different members in the House and the Senate,” Frankie Miranda said. “It was an eye-opening experience in many different opportunities, seeing how our message was being welcomed. And in other cases, really not resonating at all, with some of them.”
Miranda, who is the president of the Hispanic Federation, a nonprofit membership and advocacy organization with a mission to “empower and advance the Hispanic community” with a particular focus to low-income, marginalized, and immigrant Latinos, assured that the advocacy for expanding protections for LGBTQ people would not end on Capitol Hill.
“We are going to continue our push to make sure that the intersectionality in our communities — that our LGBTQ Latinx and that female voices are heard,” Miranda continued, conviction clear in his voice. “We’re going to continue pushing because we know that after pride, the work continues. We cannot just allow ourselves to just be recognized just one month out of the year.”
Miranda, who became the Hispanic Federation’s first gay president in 2019, has vowed to use his platform to
help uplift Latino LGBTQ voices. The organization is doing so by giving money to organizations that help with grants and training that focus on LGBTQ Latinos’ experiences — especially those dealing with immigration, race, culture, and language access.
“In 2022, the Federation decided to invest a million dollars in funding to support Latinx LGBTQ organizations,” Miranda said. “Those grantees around this room are part of this incredible initiative that has done incredible work.”
According to the group’s website, 27 organizations have received up to $50,000 each to help serve the Latino LGBTQ community. In addition to providing funds, the Hispanic Federation also created meetings for these organizations to discuss their needs for the continued support of their communities.
Discussions with Latino LGBTQ organizations have informed the Hispanic Federation about overlooked issues within these communities, eventually leading to the creation of the Advance Change Together (ACT) initiative. The ACT initiative includes grantees who are LGBTQ and Latino from various parts of the country, representing diverse segments of the LGBTQ community.
The ACT initiative is then able to promote specific pro-LGBTQ federal legislation through lobbying.
“We came together as grassroots orgs to really talk about the current political climate, especially against LGBT rhetoric,” said grantee Kevin Al Perez, president of Somos Familia Valle. “Specifically, the rise of trans bills with youth, lots of anti-trans legislation that is thrown against the LGBT community. It also brings together the
intersections of the Latine experience when it comes to immigration, when it comes to status, when it comes to all the intersections that all of our organizations meet.”
Somos Familia Valle is the leading local Latino LGBTQ organization in California’s San Fernando Valley that “supports, empowers, and mobilizes families, and allies for racial, gender, and economic justice” through community dialogue, advocacy, and civic engagement.
Perez was able to take his successful dialogue techniques to the federal level, highlighting common challenges that California’s Latino LGBTQ community has endured.
“I was able to meet with Sen. Alex Padilla, which was very amazing,” Perez explained after his day lobbying on the Hill. “We had our drag story hour protested, we had our local elementary school protested for having a rainbow assembly for children, which is just a book celebrating diverse families … I was able to really let him know that this even happens in his own community in Los Angeles and San Fernando Valley.”
He continued, explaining that the significant work done on the Hill is the first of its kind and will hopefully lead to change.
“I think this is us coming together very historical in a way — that there hasn’t been specifically a Latine LGBT representation, especially here in the Capitol, especially a group, right?” Perez said. “We see a lot of LGBT movement work being led by white boards and I think our perspective really gives an opportunity for our communities to be heard.”
JOE REBERKENNY
BILLY BEAN threw out the first pitch at the Night Out at the Orioles in Baltimore on June 12, 2019. (Blade file photo by Kevin Majoros)
ZEKE STOKES
is former Vice President and Chief Programs Officer at GLAAD and an executive producer of the award-winning documentary ‘TransMilitary.’
NY Times report on GLAAD riddled with bad reporting, innuendo, lies
GLAAD, Ellis should stay the course — the world needs you now more than ever
Let me say up front that no one from GLAAD asked me to write this, and I did not run its content by them or coordinate in any way. These are my independent observations based on my experience as Vice President and Chief Programs Offi cer under the leadership of Sarah Kate Ellis for fi ve years. I was there for much of what is detailed in the recent New York Timesstory, and I feel compelled to provide a counterpoint to the imbalanced — and perhaps libelous — story put forward by the Times.
Before I get into the content of the piece, it’s incredibly relevant to point out that the writer of this piece, Emily Steel, signed an open letter last year criticizing GLAAD and more than 100 other organizations and leaders who spoke out against The New York Times’ coverage of transgender people. That alone should have disqualifi ed her from investigating and writing this story. I won’t speculate about her motives or those of her editors, but the fact that she had taken a public position against GLAAD’s work speaks volumes.
Beyond that, the piece is riddled with bad reporting, innuendo, lies, mistruths, facts out of context, and misinformation. I know because I was there — but no one at the New York Times bothered to call any of us (and there are many) who could have instantly debunked this nonsense.
So let’s get into it — facts fi rst.
Sarah Kate Ellis’s salary is not $1 million per year. It’s not even close. It’s easily searchable and publicly available on GLAAD’s IRS 990 forms, which are fi led annually. The most recent documents indicate a salary of roughly $575,000 and a bonus of about $27,000 — a lot of money, yes, but a far cry from $1 million and very much in line with the leadership of nonprofi t organizations with similar budgets.
Much has been made of GLAAD’s work at Davos, so let me offer some context there as well. The World Economic Forum meets in Davos each year and is composed of leaders from government, business and international organizations, civil society, academia, and media to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges. Until GLAAD entered the frame in 2017, LGBTQ issues were not on the agenda. Today, they are a centerpiece.
While I did not attend any of GLAAD’s trips to Davos, I was privy to the strategy, logistics, and other details related to those activations. Here’s the truth. Those trips are funded by a donor who specifi cally designated those funds for that purpose in order to provide GLAAD an opportunity to have a seat at the table with world leaders, Fortune 100 CEOs, and global infl uencers in order to make progress on criminalization of LGBTQ identities, HIV medication access, and reform in the Catholic Church. You don’t do that with events and meetings at the local Hampton Inn. If you want to have a seat at the table
with world leaders, you go where they are.
GLAAD is not a direct services organization — it is an agent of culture change, and culture change is a long and expensive game. When you show up to Davos, Cannes Lions, the Emmys, Sundance, and other places of elite infl uence, you must show up as their equal in order to earn a place in the conversation and be trusted to co-create the change we are advocating for. And what is the change that has happened, exactly, from GLAAD’s presence in Davos?
A simple Google search will produce a laundry list of impact for the LGBTQ community from GLAAD’s work there, especially critical at a time when DEI and other inclusive programs are under attack in the corporate world. It’s also worth noting that GLAAD’s fi ngerprints are all over many things that never are acknowledged publicly because to do so would damage the work and the end goal.
Nonetheless, here are just a few headlines tell the tale: Washington Blade: GLAAD, HRC Presidents Attend World Economic Forum
Associated Press: Pope Approves Same-sex Blessings For Couples
Associated Press: Pope Says Homosexuality Not A Crime World Economic Forum: What Davos Taught Me About Supporting My Transgender Child Partnership for Global LGBTQIA+ Equality: Davos Promenade Lights Up Rainbow New York Times: Vatican Says Transgender People Can Be Baptized and Become Godparents Here’s the bottom line.
Sarah Kate Ellis has taken the organization from literal bankruptcy to the stages at Davos, the Emmys, Cannes Lions, the Super Bowl, and countless other places to represent our community and make change. She has made GLAAD a juggernaut with a place at the table at the world’s most infl uential cultural moments and among the globe’s leading decision makers and culture shapers. That’s why Time magazine named her one of the 100 most infl uential people in the world in 2023 and why she commands the respect of the team she leads at GLAAD, the board of directors who hired her, and the leaders of the industries in which she is making change every day. On a personal level, she is one of the most honorable, visionary, judicious, and impactful leaders I have ever worked with.
It’s a shame to see the New York Times stoop to petty vindictiveness and shoddy reporting for clicks and revenge. It’s not just an attack on Sarah Kate Ellis — it’s an attack on all of us who have been a part of turning GLAAD around and making it a leading global voice for equality and acceptance. My only demand of GLAAD’s leadership would be to go even bigger, even louder, even harder, and even faster. Stay the course. The world needs you now more than ever.
PETER ROSENSTEIN
is a longtime LGBTQ rights and Democratic Party activist. He writes regularly for the Blade.
Kamala Harris is right: Supreme Court must change Term limits, ethics code, and more are needed
Based on the recent outrageous ruling by the Supreme Court, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris called for a constitutional amendment on the issue of presidential immunity. I think the public would agree if it were clearly explained.
Then they call for legislation that would set an 18-year term limit. (I recently suggested 24.) If Harris wins and Democrats keep control of the Senate, and Congress were to approve it, 18-year terms would change the court to a majority of Democratic appointed judges. Then they called for a binding, enforceable, ethics code. That is clearly past due. But as the Washington Post in a column said, all this is aspirational, since it will take more Democrats in Congress to pass the legislative part of it, and getting a constitutional amendment passed is a long slog, if it ever happens. Despite all this, I am glad Harris will run on this proposal.
The renewed interest in reforming the Supreme Court comes from the outrageous decisions the conservative-six on the court have handed down in the last couple of years. In Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, 597 U.S. 215 (2022), a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, the court held that the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion. The decision overruled both Roe v. Wade (1973) and Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992), and returned to individual states the power to regulate any aspect of abortion not protected by federal statutory law. Roe v. Wade was a landmark legal decision issued on Jan. 22, 1973, in which the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a Texas statute banning abortion, effectively legalizing the procedure across the United States. The court held that a woman’s right to an abortion was implicit in the right to privacy protected by the 14th Amendment. Then the current court overturned the Chevron doctrine which is a rule about court review of agency actions that many scholars consider central to modern administrative law. That doctrine calls for judges to accept reasonable interpretations of a statute by an administrative agency, even if the judges might have favored a different interpretation themselves. The final straw, as I mentioned, was the decision to give overwhelming immunity to a President for any action taken while he is in office. In essence, setting a President up to be a king. Each of these decisions appears counter to what most of the people in the nation want, and believe in. They seem to be based solely on the political persuasion of the Justices.
Then there are the clear ethics lapses of Justices Thomas and Alito, and even the questionable actions of Justice Jackson who reportedly took free concert tickets, and artwork for her office. The justices clearly receive a decent salary, $274,200 annually, while they don’t have to work for 12 months. They get a retirement plan guaranteeing them that amount for life. They have many additional perks, including cars and drivers, and staff beyond just their clerks. They can write books, which many have, and make big money, and they can be paid for speeches.
There is a legitimate fear of what comes next from the cabal of justices put on the bench by Trump. They were all vetted and recommended, by the right-wing Heritage Foundation. They appear to make decisions not based on the Constitution, but rather on their own political perspective. The Heritage Foundation is the same group now developing, and promoting, Project 2025, the blueprint for the right-wing to remake government if Trump wins. All very frightening.
It is important we talk about these issues, even if they won’t change at this time. If Congress were to pass a term limit for justices, the Constitution is vague on their terms, the current members of the court would likely rule it unconstitutional. Article III of the Constitution says justices can hold their office during ‘good behavior’ and that has been interpreted meaning for life, unless they are impeached. Only one justice has ever been impeached, Samuel Chase, in 1804. The House voted eight articles of impeachment, and then the Senate acquitted him. So, for the immediate future, we are stuck where we are.
To avoid further erosion of the judicial branch, it is crucial we elect Kamala Harris president, and keep the Senate democratic. That way we will be able to see responsible federal judges appointed, all appointed for life. Recent Presidents, including Biden, have each appointed hundreds of them. Trump, if given the chance, would appoint more like Aileen Cannon, the moron MAGA loving Judge, who dismissed his classified documents case.
VINCENT SLATT volunteers as the director of archiving at the Rainbow History Project.
WALKER DALTON is a member of RHP. See www.rainbowhistory.org to get involved.
The Third World Conference Marches on Washington
Notable speakers included Audre Lorde
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.” This is the fourth in the series of 10 articles about the project. In this article, we discuss the activism and significant political organizing in the Black Lesbian and Gay community during the 1970s.
During the mid-20th century, private Black male social clubs provided the foundation for social and political organizing. During the 1970s, many gay Black activists such as ABilly S. Jones-Henin, Carlene Cheatam, and Phil Pannell were growing politically active in the District. In 1978, ABilly S. Jones co-founded with Darlene Garner the first openly known political and advocacy organization to represent the African-American community — the National Coalition of Black Gays (NCBG). Speaking about Black organizing in 1979, Jones-Henin said in a 2001 Rainbow History Project panel discussion that “[1979] ... was the beginning of a Black, lesbian, gay, political movement with a structure.”
Discussions to hold a march on Washington for gay rights began in 1973, however plans were not solidified until after the assassination of Harvey Milk. An organizing conference was held in Philadelphia from Feb. 23-25, 1979. Organized by a diverse coalition, including leaders from the Black lesbian and gay community, the march demanded equal rights, including comprehensive legislation, repeal of anti-LGBTQ laws, and fair custody rights for LGBTQ parents.
“The need for lesbian and gay involvement in the political process of the United States is an imperative that we cannot ignore,” wrote activist Brandy Moore in the souvenir program for the event. “The March on Washington will provide an opportunity which will give us that involvement and allow for an education of our supporters and friends on Capitol Hill and in the White House.”
As part of the programming, the NCBG organized the first-ever National Conference of Third World Lesbians and Gays. Held at Howard University’s Harambee Hall, from Oct. 12-15, the Third World Conference convened gay BIPOC activists in a safe space to discuss their unique experiences with multiple types of discrimination. Not just homophobia in society, but also racism, misogyny, xenophobia, capitalism, and other ills both outside and inside in the LGBTQ community, the conference highlighted the crucial role of intersectionality and diverse voices in the ongoing struggle for equality, according to the flyer advertising the conference and the March.
Notable speakers included Audre Lorde, who said “the search for acceptance must not blind us to believe in genuine social change.”
“We must always ask ourselves constantly, what kind of a world is it we really want to become a part of? As lesbians and gays, we have been the most despised, the most oppressed … and we have survived,” she said, speaking to a crowd of roughly 500 conference participants.
After the conference finished, the participants marched down Georgia Avenue to join other activists assembled on the National Mall for the National March on Washington. The National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, held on October 14, 1979, was a landmark event in the LGBTQ+ rights movement, attracting 75,000 to 125,000 participants. Carrying a massive banner with the conference theme “When will the ignorance end?” the intersectional activists formed an impressive gay Black contingent. Although Gay Pride Day did not include a march nor parade until the early 1980s, this gay Black march is DC’s first Gay Pride Parade.
ABilly S. Jones-Henin talked about the role of Black gay and lesbian activists in this era in a 2001 Rainbow History Project panel:
“It is important to remember that individual Blacks had been a part of every lesbian and gay political movement before that, whether that was ONE society, Mattachine Society, the Stonewall Rebellion, we were there -- we were part of it, consciously, intentionally, unintentionally, we were there.”
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 Pride and other movements for equal rights and liberation. But we need your help to do that: we are looking for images and input, so take a look around your attic and get involved.
As summer winds down and back-to-school season approaches, families are gearing up for the annual shopping spree that brings fresh notebooks and sharpened pencils. However, this excitement can be overshadowed by realities of our current economy, including rising costs and inflation, impacting budgets that make essential items more difficult to afford.
According to the National Retail Federation, families with children in elementary through high school plan to spend an average of $874.68 on clothing, shoes, school supplies and electronics, the second-highest amount in the survey’s history. For Washington D.C. families, specifically, tighter budgets and cuts among school systems may equate to fewer school-supplied tools and further add to the back-to-school shopping list, putting a significant strain on family budgets.
Here are some tips to help families manage back-toschool costs effectively:
Create a budget and stick to it. Whether your child is headed to elementary or high school, having a plan and prioritizing the essential items is a crucial first step in the backto-school process. Determine how much you have to spend and then categorize the items on your list. For instance, focus on the necessary academic supplies such as notebooks, pens, pencils and backpacks, then consider secondary items like clothes, shoes and technology. If there is excess money, you can add fun items like stickers, fancy colored pens, or the latest and greatest electronics. For high school students, look into the school’s laptop or technology program. Working with a financial adviser can help you create a comprehensive budget that covers not only back-to-school necessities but also supports effective financial planning throughout the year. They can provide insights on cost-cutting, how to make the most of your resources and identify areas where you can save, leading to a more efficient and stress-free shopping experience. It’s important to create strategies that last all year
Start
the
Smart strategies for managing back-to-school costs
Be strategic and budget conscious when shopping
By NIKKI MACDONALD
long, as there are always going to be surprises out of our control, including rising prices.
Kids are already heading back to school and with inflation still an issue, costs for families can be steep.
Include your children in the planning. It’s never too early to discuss finances with your children. Involving them in the budgeting process can be a valuable, educational experience, as it not only teaches them about financial planning but also helps them understand the value of money. This is also a great opportunity to discuss needs versus wants and encourage them to prioritize their needs and to understand the concept of tradeoffs. For example, they might have to choose between getting a new backpack or lunchbox and reuse the one they already have from last year. These small decisions can add up and have a big impact on the overall family budget.
Take an inventory check. Before heading to the store, take stock of what you already have. Go through last year’s supplies to see what can be reused – any leftover pencils, folders, etc. Items like backpacks, binders and even clothing may still be in good condition. This simple step can significantly reduce the number of new items you need to purchase, saving money and reducing waste.
Shop strategically. Look for discounts and sales that can help stretch your budget further, such as:
Cast a broad net when you’re seeking discounts. Utilize websites, apps and browser extensions that offer coupons or cash back.
Take advantage of back-to-school sales. Plan your shopping around these dates to maximize your budget. Waiting until the last minute typically means you pay full price. Look for generic or less expensive brands of supplies. Buy school supplies in bulk with items used frequently like notebooks and pens.
Search for local community organizations and libraries for back-to-school supply drives.
Prepare for unexpected expenses. It’s crucial to plan for unexpected expenses that can arise throughout the school year. These might include costs for school trips, extracurricular activities or last-minute supplies, such as project materials or replacement items. Setting aside a small emergency fund dedicated to these unforeseen expenses can go a long way and teaches your children a valuable lesson in financial preparedness.
Thinking Beyond the School Year: Allocating Funds for Future Education
Saving money allows you to ultimately invest that money into your future objectives or long-term strategies. While the goal here is to manage costs of supplies that will last the duration of your student’s calendar school year, by employing strategies to save money on that shopping, you can allocate more funds toward long-term education savings plans, such as a 529 account. These savings can significantly impact your child’s future educational opportunities. Working with a financial adviser can help you create and manage these savings plans effectively.
(Nikki Macdonald, CFP, is a financial adviser at Northwestern Mutual.)
school year strong and prevent illness in children
Help your kids be their best — physically, mentally, and emotionally
By StatePoint Media
(StatePoint) — The excitement of a new school year unfolds each year when families flood the superstore aisles to buy classroom supplies, tape after-school schedules on the fridge and organize carpools with friends.
Common to each family is a desire for children to remain healthy, active, and ready to learn.
To prepare children and teens to be at their best – physically, mentally, socially and emotionally – the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends regular visits with the pediatrician, as well as immunizations that help keep all family members healthy. Recent outbreaks of measles, a highly contagious disease, have shown how quickly some infectious diseases can spread within a community.
“The best way to strengthen a child’s immune system and keep them healthy is by getting them vaccinated,” said pediatrician, Dr. David M. Higgins. “An illness like measles can keep children home and away from school and activities for days. Immunizations allow children to enjoy learning, playing and getting together with friends and family.”
As of June 13, 2024, a total of 151 U.S. measles cases were reported this year-todate in 21 different states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These recent measles outbreaks have affected unvaccinated people. Choosing to not
vaccinate your children not only leaves them susceptible to measles, but also exposes other children to this potentially serious disease. This includes infants who are too young to be vaccinated and those who are unable to be vaccinated due to other health conditions.
“Everyone in our community deserves to be healthy, and part of being healthy means getting immunized for all illnesses, including influenza and COVID-19 and, if eligible, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). It benefits all of us if every child in our community is vaccinated, because it means that all of us are more likely to be healthy,” says Dr. Higgins.
Families can also stop the spread of infection by encouraging hand washing with children throughout the day. Help or remind them to wash their hands:
• Before eating (including snacks)
• After a trip to the bathroom
• Whenever they come in from playing outdoors
• After touching an animal, like a family pet
• After sneezing or coughing if they cover their mouth
• When someone in the household is ill
The AAP calls for the immunization of all children and adolescents according to its policy, Recommended Immunization Schedules for Children and Adolescents Aged 18 Years or Younger, United States. More information can be found at healthychildren.org.
“Your pediatrician can answer any questions about recommended vaccines and when your child needs them,” Dr. Higgins said. “There is a schedule for their recommended timing because that is when research has shown they are most effective during a child’s development.”
Wednesday, Sep 18 & Oct 2
Admission Tour
Lower School: 9 - 10:15a
Middle & Upper School: 11a - 12:15p
Saturday, Oct 19
Fall Admission Program
Lower School: 9 - 10:15a
Middle & Upper School: 11a - 12:15p
Following the program, stay for our annual Fall Festival, 1-4p! Fun for the whole family!
At Barrie School, every student feels a great sense of belonging. Join us for an upcoming admission event to see for yourself!
Ask about our Millennium Scholarship & Fall Expeditions for Grades 6-12
CALENDAR |
Friday, August 09
“Center Aging Friday Tea Time” will be at 2 p.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email adam@thedccenter.org.
Women in their Twenties and Thirties will be at 8 p.m. on Zoom.This is a social discussion group for queer women in the Washington, D.C. area and a great way to make new friends and meet other queer women in a fun and friendly setting. For more details, join WiTT’s closed Facebook group.
GoGayDC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Social in the City” at 7 p.m. at Hotel Zena. 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, August 10
GoGay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community 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, August 11
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.
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, August 12
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 p.m. on Zoom. This is a support group for people who identify outside of the gender binary whether you’re bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know that you’re not 100% cis. For more details, visit www.genderqueerdc.org or Facebook.
Tuesday, August 13
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.
Trans Support Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This support group is intended to provide emotionally and
By TINASHE CHINGARANDE
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.
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.
Wednesday, August 14
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, 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, August 15
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email supportdesk@thedccenter.org or call 202682-2245.
Virtual Yoga with Sarah M. will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a free weekly class focusing on yoga, breathwork, and meditation. For more details, visit the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s website.
OUT & ABOUT
DC Center to host book club for seniors
The DC Center for the LGBT community will host “Lit Lovers: Book Club for Seniors” at 2 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community.
This group meets in-person at The DC LGBTQ+ Community Center, and will include some light refreshments. The book selection for this month is “The Swimming-Pool Library” by Alan Hollinghurst. If you do not have a copy of your own, we encourage you to reserve a copy with the District of Columbia Public Library. DCPL can transport available copies to your local library upon request.
For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Region celebrates James Baldwin’s centennial
Iconic civil rights and gay activist was a novelist, poet, playwright
By PATRICK FOLLIARD
This year marks the centennial of James Baldwin and it’s not going unnoticed. Born in New York City on Aug. 2, 1924, Baldwin was a 20th century literary titan. Not only was he tremendously prolifi c and talented, the novelist/poet/playwright/ and essayist par excellence, fearlessly wrote works exploring core identity topics including masculinity, race, class, and sexuality.
Baldwin was also Black, openly gay (long before Stonewall) and an activist. With the ubiquitous cigarette in hand, a quick mind and courageous heart, he was a regular on popular talk shows, and a leading voice in the civil rights movement, unreservedly addressing social inequities and Black oppression.
In recognition of his greatness, Baldwin centennial celebrations have been popping up all over. In North Bethesda, the Strathmore has already embarked on two months of commemorative programming, including live musical and theatrical events celebrating the late writer’s genius.
On Saturday, Sept. 7, at The Mansion at Strathmore, Howard University’s Department of Theatre Arts students will perform select scenes from Baldwin’s dramatic works: “The Amen Corner” (1955) and “Blues for Mister” Charlie (1964). Directed by Dr. Khalid Y. Long, the presentation will also include a scholarly overview of Bald-
win’s contributions to African American Theatre.
And on Saturday, Oct. 5, The Music Center at Strathmore presents queer singer/ songwriter Meshell Ndegeocello doing “No More Water/ The Gospel of James Baldwin.” Inspired by the way Baldwin empowered others through the written word, the Grammy-winning artist uses music as her vehicle to engage others in the challenge and promise of Baldwin’s work.
A famously versatile performer, Ndegeocello enjoys a devoted fan base who follow her on “sojourns into soul, spoken word, R&B, jazz, hip-hop, and rock, all bound by a lyrical, spiritual search for love, justice, respect, resolution, and happiness.”
Since Baldwin’s death from cancer at 63 in 1987, his reputation hasn’t dimmed. In fact, it’s grown in some ways. E. Ethelbert Miller, the D.C.-based literary activist, memoirist and poet, credits Baldwin’s ongoing relevance in part to queer studies and a fl urry of fi lms including Raoul Peck’s 2017 Oscar nominated documentary “I Am Not Your Negro.”
Miller adds, “Baldwin is an is important writer who speaks to his time. He explains what it means to be an American. He speaks to things outside of sexuality. Personally, I read Baldwin to understand what the Civil Rights movement was about.”
And while he doesn’t claim to be a Baldwin expert, Miller has delved deeply into the legendary author’s life and work, describing Baldwin as a sort of prophet: “He comes out of the Black church. There’s no Baldwin without the Black church. He was a child minister. It’s not surprising that within his work [his semi-autobiographical fi rst novel ‘Go Tell It on the Mountain,’ the gay-themed ‘Giovanni’s Room,’ etc.] he struggles with sin and the devil.”
His early life in Harlem wasn’t easy. Baldwin’s stepfather, a stern storefront minister, was severe and unkind. In search of himself, Baldwin headed downtown to Greenwich Village where he found a formative lover/mentor in Beauford Delaney, the great modernist painter who, by example, taught his protégé how to be Black, gay, and an artist.
Before turning 30, Baldwin was already a famous author brimming with energy in terms of youth, vision, and hope.
And though he lived and fl ourished in France and Turkey for a time, Baldwin found it diffi cult to comment on what was happening in America from afar: Miller says, “He couldn’t. Because he comes out of the church, he has to be a witness. He needs to testify. So, he joins the civil rights movement in the South.”
In later years, Baldwin settled in the French town of Saint-Paul-de-Vence where he continued to write until his death.
For Miller’s money, Baldwin’s most exciting works are his essays. He wholeheartedly recommends ‘Price of a Ticket,’ a compendium of nearly 50 years of Baldwin’s powerful nonfi ction writing, mostly focusing on the experience of race and identity in the United States.
On Thursday, Sept. 26, Miller is slated to join the party with a lecture titled “James Baldwin at the Crossroads” at Eaton House, a co-working space at 1203 K St., N.W., where, from a 2024 perspective, he’ll reexamine Baldwin’s 1976 book about fi lm, “The Devil Finds Work.”
JAMES BALDWIN in 1965 drinking tea from a samovar in Istanbul. (Photo by Sedat Pakay)
We do everything mortgage! From mortgages to home equity, we’ve got you covered with great rates and terms!
MORTGAGES & REFINANCING * anywhere in the United States. Fixed rates on amounts up to $1,500,000. We’ll find an option for you and give you a personalized rate quote.
HOME EQUITY fixed rate loans and low-rate lines of credit with ZERO closing costs*. Borrow up to $350,000. Get the funds you need for less, with your home’s equity.
‘Ganymede’ transcends camp to achieve genuine queer horror An
astute piece of social commentary
By JOHN PAUL KING
In Greek mythology, a young mortal named Ganymede possessed such beauty that Zeus himself chose to abduct the boy to Mount Olympus – which wasn’t such a bad deal, considering Ganymede was granted not just immortality to go along with his new job as cup-bearer to the gods, but eternal youth and beauty as well.
That’s not, however, how the story gets told – or rather, twisted – in the new movie “Ganymede,” the latest queer indie gem to debut on VOD platforms this summer, which uses the myth as the launchpad for a horror story that manages to be both campy and creepy at once. Directed by partners Colby Holt and Sam Probst (from Holt’s original screenplay) and set in a small town in the modern-day Bible Belt, it centers on high school wrestling star Lee (Jordan Doww), the only son of a deeply religious local politician (Joe Chrest) who runs his household with an iron fist. When gay classmate Kyle (Pablo Castelblanco) makes an effort to befriend him, he quickly develops feelings that put him at odds with his conservative upbringing; small-town gossip, as well as a dark family secret surrounding his mother (Robyn Lively, in a deliciously hysterical performance), soon have him under the controlling eye of his church’s fanatical pastor (David Koechner). Even more terrifying, his mind is being invaded by a ghostly, sinister presence that seems determined to drive him toward madness and self-destruction – unless Kyle can get to him first.
Like many of these queer-centric genre pictures, “Ganymede” emerged from the festival circuit, securing acclaim and awards throughout its run. With its unconcealed LGBTQ focus and religious homophobia at the core of its horror, it’s plain to see why it would strike a chord with queer audiences, especially in a time when conservative pushback against queer acceptance dominates the public conversation.
For “mainstream” horror fans, however, whose appreciation of the genre is generally focused on fright and gore rather than on the subtextual nuances of its tropes, Holt’s movie might not be the terrifying experience it aims to be — largely because he and Probst do not hide their LGBTQ perspective between the lines. It’s clear from early on that the gay love story upon which the plot hinges is exactly what it appears to be, and further, that it’s where our sympathies belong.
More than that, “Ganymede” inverts the supposed moral order of traditional, old-school horror narratives by framing the forces of religion – or at least, a weaponized form of it – as the source of the story’s true evil. Despite the “haunting” that plagues the film’s young protagonist from almost the very beginning, the supernatural elements of the story (spoiler alert) remain localized within his own mind, only manifesting in the real world – with one important but ambiguous exception – through his reactions to them, and it doesn’t take a film scholar to figure out that they are not the real threat to his well-being. For Holt and Probst, the evil doesn’t come from outside the real world, but from within the darkest corners of a stunted human imagination that projects its own pre-programmed ideas onto that world and treats anything that conflicts with them as an existential threat. In truth, it’s the same message one can find in horror classics from “Bride of Frankenstein” to “The Wicker Man” to the notoriously gay “Nightmare on Elm Street 2” – but in this case, it is delivered not by implication but by direct and obvious assertion.
It’s this point that might keep Holt’s film from satisfying the conventions of traditional horror filmmaking, but it’s worth observing that it’s also this point that makes it stand out. By refusing to conform to generic expectations, it represents a powerful cultural shift, in which the queerness of its premise no is no longer a transgressive statement of countercultural themes, but in fact becomes the “normal order” that is being threatened by perverse powers that seek to tear it down –and those perverse powers are the very “norms” that have so long cast all “otherness” in a monstrous light.
The bottom line for most film audiences, of course, be they queer or not, is whether the movie succeeds in scaring them – and if we’re being honest, it does so only in the sense that it confronts us with the horrific bigotry and abuse that is heaped upon LGBTQ existence from right-wing religious hate. That means, even for queer audiences, it’s not so much a horror movie as it is a disturbing allegory about the torment of being forced to suppress one’s true self in order to feign the safe conformity required for self-preservation. Frankly, that should be scary enough for everyone, regardless of whether the movie adheres to accepted genre form, to keep them trembling in their shoes over the prospect of a world dominated by such a deranged mentality; after all, it’s not just queer people who stand to be subjugated, suppressed, and worse in a world controlled by a strict and deeply biased interpretation of outdated beliefs - it’s anybody who would dare to suggest that those beliefs might deserve an extinction as final as the one experienced by the dinosaurs.
Going a long way toward making the whole thing work – besides the sureness of Holt’s direction, that is, which fully embraces the traditions of the genre (hence the afore-
mentioned campiness) while treating the story as a realistic thriller with genuinely high stakes – is a cast that delivers performances several cuts above what we are use to seeing in such movies. Doww is a compelling and convincing lead, who never devolves into over-the-top histrionics, while Castelblanco triumphs in embodying the determined heroism required of his position in the plot while still maintaining an unashamedly femme-ish queer persona; we never doubt his ability to turn the tide, nor the natural and unforced chemistry the two actors find together. They find stellar support from the aforementioned Lively, as well as from Chrest – a domineering patriarch who would be the most terrifying figure in the film if it weren’t for Koechner’s chillingly authentic pastor, whose buried self-loathing is nevertheless painfully clear as he bullies and tortures the young Lee in the name of “conversion.”
Which brings us back to the significance of the title, and its roots in Greek mythology, where it was born as a tale of transcendence; in the warped minds of the film’s religious leaders, it becomes the opposite, a story of deliberate corruption perpetrated against so-called “decent” men by monsters who tempt them with “unnatural” desires. More than anything, perhaps, it’s that flourish of the screenplay that makes “Ganymede” an astute piece of social commentary, whether or not it succeeds as a horror film; in warping the understanding of that ancient tale into a justification for cruelty and repression, it underscores the toxic effects of clinging to a dogma that pretends to be truth while casting other viewpoints as the products of malevolent influence. That’s a delusion that has reached crisis levels in American society – and it’s why “Ganymede” is a must-see whether it’s a true horror film or not.
JORDON DOWW and PABLO CASTELBLANCO in ‘Ganymede.’ (Image courtesy of VMI Releasing)
By TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER
Sometimes you just need to step back a minute.
You need time to regroup, to think things through, and a scenery change is the place to do it. Get past your current position, and situations can become clearer somehow. Thoughts can be reorganized. Problems pivot. As in the new novel “Blessings” by Chukwuebuka Ibeh, you’ll have a different perspective.
Obiefuna didn’t say much on the road to the seminary.
What was there to say? His father had caught him in a too-cozy situation with a young man who’d been taken in as an apprentice and for that, Obiefuna was being sent away. Away from his mother, his younger brother, Ekene, and from the young man that 15-year-old Obiefuna was in love with.
Life in seminary was bad – Obiefuna was always on alert for Seniors, who were said to be abusive because abuse was allowed, even encouraged – but things weren’t as bad as he thought they might be. He made friends and good grades but he missed his mother. Did she suspect he was gay? Obiefuna wanted to tell her, but he hid who
he was.
Mostly, he kept to himself until he caught the eye of Senior Papilo, who was said to be the cruelest of the cruel. Amazingly, though, Senior Papilo became Obiefuna’s protector, letting Obiefuna stay in his bed, paying for Obi’s first experience with a woman, making sure Obiefuna had better food. Maybe Obiefuna loved Senior Papilo but Senior had other boys, which made Obi work twice as hard to be his favorite. Still, he hid.
And then Senior Papilo passed his final exams and moved on.
So, eventually, did Obiefuna. Sure, there were other boys – one who almost got him expelled, a chaplain who begged forgiveness, and there was even a girl once – but Obi grew up and fully embraced his truth: All he wanted was to be accepted for himself, to be loved.
As Nigeria moved toward making same-sex marriage illegal, though, neither one looked likely.
So here’s the puzzle: the story inside “Blessings” is interesting. Obiefuna is a great character who takes what happens with quiet compliance, as if he long ago relinquished hope that he could ever control his own life. Instead, he passively lets those who surround him take the reins and though reasons for this are not clearly stated and it’s uncomfortable, it’s easy to grasp and accept why. This goes, too, for the Seniors whose actions readers will tacitly understand.
What’s not easy to accept is that author Chukwuebuka Ibeh’s story often slows to a glacial pace, with great chunks of the book’s multi-year timeline crunched into basically only highlights. You’ll be left loving this story but hating its stride.
The best advice is to embrace this moving novel’s message and accept the slowness, love the excellent characters, but don’t be surprised if you find yourself checking to see how many pages you have left to crawl through. Yes, you’ll enjoy the soul-touching cast in “Blessings” but if speed in a plot supersedes good characters, then step back.
NJB+ Pageant
Seventh annual pageant celebrates queer Jewish experience
The NJB+ Pageant, formerly known as the Nice Jewish Boy Pageant, was held at Sixth & I on Sunday, Aug. 4. Four competitors vied for the title and the drag artist Vagenesis served as the emcee. Proceeds were slated to benefit the DC Center. Noah Van Gilder was crowned the winner.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Preparing your home and family for new school year
A guide for LGBTQ parents
By JEFF HAMMERBERG
As the summer draws to a close, the excitement and anticipation of a new school year begin to set in. For LGBTQ parents, this time can be both thrilling and challenging as you prepare your home and family for the new school year. Ensuring that your children are ready academically, emotionally, and socially is key, as is creating a supportive home environment. Here are some tips to help you navigate this transition smoothly and set your family up for a successful school year.
1. Create a Structured Routine
A structured routine can provide stability and predictability for children, which is especially important during transitions. Start by setting a consistent schedule for waking up, meals, homework, and bedtime. Gradually introduce this routine a few weeks before school starts to help your children adjust. Consistency is crucial, as it helps reduce anxiety and makes the transition back to school smoother.
2. Set Up a Dedicated Study Area
Having a dedicated study space can significantly enhance your child’s ability to focus and succeed academically. Choose a quiet, well-lit area in your home where your child can do their homework and study. Equip this space with essential supplies such as pens, pencils, paper, and a computer. Personalize the area with items that your child loves to make it inviting and comfortable.
3. Foster Open Communication
Open communication is vital in supporting your children’s emotional well-being. Encourage your children to share their thoughts and feelings about the upcoming school year. Address any concerns they may have, whether it’s about making new friends, dealing with bullying, or keeping up with schoolwork. Let them know that it’s OK to talk about their experiences and that you are there to support them.
4. Promote Inclusivity and Diversity
As LGBTQ parents, fostering an environment of inclusivity and diversity is likely a core value in your household. Use the start of the school year as an opportunity to discuss these values with your children. Teach them about the importance of acceptance and respect for all people, regardless of their background or identity. This can help your children navigate social situations at school more confidently and with greater empathy.
5. Connect with the School
Building a relationship with your child’s school is essential. Attend orientation sessions, meet the teachers, and introduce yourself to school administrators. Share any specific needs or concerns you have regarding your child’s well-being. Many schools have resources and support systems for LGBTQ families, so don’t hesitate to inquire about them.
6. Encourage Healthy Habits
A healthy lifestyle is crucial for your child’s overall well-being. Encourage your children to eat nutritious meals, engage in regular physical activity, and get enough sleep. Healthy habits can improve concentration, mood, and energy levels, all of
which contribute to academic success. Make these habits a family affair by incorporating healthy meals and activities into your daily routine.
7. Plan for Extracurricular Activities
Extracurricular activities are an excellent way for children to explore their interests, build skills, and make friends. Discuss with your children the activities they are interested in and help them sign up for clubs, sports, or other programs. Ensure that these activities are balanced with their academic responsibilities to prevent burnout.
8. Support Mental Health
Mental health is just as important as physical health. Keep an eye out for signs of stress, anxiety, or depression in your children, especially during the back-to-school transition. Encourage open discussions about their mental health and provide reassurance. If necessary, seek the help of a counselor or mental health professional to provide additional support.
9.
Be a Role Model
As parents, your behavior and attitudes significantly influence your children. Be a role model by demonstrating resilience, empathy, and a positive attitude towards learning and growth. Show them how to handle challenges with grace and perseverance. Your children are more likely to adopt these behaviors when they see them modeled at home.
10. Celebrate Achievements
Finally, celebrate your children’s achievements, both big and small. Acknowledge their efforts and successes to boost their confidence and motivation. Celebrating milestones together as a family reinforces a sense of accomplishment and encourages a positive attitude towards school and learning.
Preparing your home and family for the new school year involves more than just buying school supplies. It’s about creating a supportive and nurturing environment where your children can thrive academically, emotionally, and socially. By implementing these tips, LGBTQ parents can ensure their children are well-prepared for the challenges and opportunities that the new school year brings. Here’s to a successful and rewarding school year for your family!
(At GayRealEstate.com, we understand that creating a supportive and nurturing environment for your family is crucial, especially during significant transitions like the start of a new school year. As a dedicated resource for the LGBTQ community, we are committed to helping you find the perfect home in neighborhoods that are inclusive and supportive of diverse families. Our network of experienced and knowledgeable real estate professionals is here to assist you in navigating the housing market, ensuring that your home provides a safe and welcoming space for you and your children. Trust GayRealEstate.com to be your partner in fostering a positive and inclusive home environment, setting the stage for a successful school year and beyond.)
JEFF HAMMERBERG
is founding CEO of Hammerberg & Associates, Inc. Reach him at 303-378-5526 or jeffhammerberg@gmail.com.
The new school year is just around the corner.
Ultra-equipped, finely appointed, meticulously kept apartment homes available now in Lanham, Maryland’s new Harkins District.
+ Studio, one- and two-bedroom apartment homes, featuring open floor plans
+ Gourmet kitchens, including quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances
+ Hardwood-inspired flooring and spa-inspired baths
+ Washer and dryer in each apartment
+ TWO Resort-style saltwater pools with cabanas
+ TWO Rooftop bars with lounge seating
+ TWO Clubrooms with billiards
+ TWO Conference and co-working spaces
+ TWO Fitness centers
+ Pet-friendly and pet-free living options
+ Garage parking available for all residents
+ 1.5 blocks to New Carrollton Metro and Amtrak
+ Monthly social resident events
LEGAL NOTICE
SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
PROBATE DIVISION 2024 FEP 47
Date of Death: December 6, 2022
Inge J. Caldwell aka Inge Johanne Caldwell Notice of Appointment of Foreign Personal Representative and Notice to Creditors
Steven E. Caldwell whose address is 16016 Bonniebank Ter, Darnestown, Md, 20874 was appointed personal representative of the estate of Inge J. Caldwell aka Inge Johanne Caldwell, deceased by the Register of Wills Court for Montgomery County, State of Maryland, on May 22, 2023.
Service of process may be made upon John Dahill, 530 N St, SW #S705, Washington, DC 20024 whose designation as District of Columbia agent has been filed with the Register of Wills, D.C.
The decedent owned the following District of Columbia real property: 3601 Wisconsin Ave, NW #710, Washington DC 20016.
The decedent owned District of Columbia personal property. Claims against the decedent may be presented to the undersigned and filed with the Register of Wills for the District of Columbia, Building A, 515 5th Street, NW, #3rd Floor, Washington, DC 20001 within the 6 months from the date of first publication of this notice.
Date of first publication 08/02/2024, /s/Nicole Stevens, Register of Wills, /s/Steven E. Caldwell, 301-801-6302 True Test Copy
Name of newspaper &/or periodical: Washington Blade & Daily Washington Law Reporter.
MASSAGE MASSAGE FOR ACTIVE MEN
Low key private spot near Rosslyn. Fri-Mon, 12-9. text 301-704-1158 or visit www.mymassagebygary.com
BUY / SELL
LABYRINTH’S ANNUAL USED GAME SALE
Is Almost Here!
Add amazing, gently used board games to your game collection for bargain prices. Our Saturday auctions include many out-of-print, deluxe, & hard-to-get games. Our Sunday rummage sale prices drop to $0 at the end of the day.
Saturday, Sept. 7, is Auction Day! Sunday, Sept 8, is our all-day Rummage Sale: Prices drop throughout the day! Come to: Labyrinth, 645 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20003, to participate in this charity event! Learn More: labyrinthdc.com/ugs Proceeds support community initiatives like the Labyrinth Teacher Fund & free community game nights. Thank you for your support! Labyrinth is a safe inclusive space for all.
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
you need assistance, please email the text & image to:
eds@washblade.com or call 202-747-2077 x 8092 leave a message!
COUNSELING
IMAGINING QUEER
FUTURES: AN LGBTQ+ PROCESS GROUP
This weekly queer-led therapy group, approached from an interpersonal process perspective, aims to create a warm, welcoming, & supportive space in which to foster resilience with other members of the LGBTQ+ community. Members will support each other & learn ways to develop deep, authentic relationships with other queer-identified folks both in & outside of the group space. $10 per session. 202-994-4937
https://psyd.columbian. gwu.edu/clinic
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
LEGAL SERVICES
ADOPTION, DONOR, SURROGACY
legal services. Catelyn represents LGBTQ clients in DC, MD & VA interested in adoption or ART matters.
MODERN FAMILY FORMATION Law Offices, Slattery Law, LLC. 240-245-7765
Catelyn@ModernFamilyFormation.com
LIMOUSINES
