Recent News Articles
ORAM Marks World Refugee Day
LGBTI-focused asylum and migration organization holds D.C. discussion
Outside, it was a seasonally sunny day in D.C., with spring giving way to summer. Inside, in a meeting room of the Open Society Institute, on Pennsylvania Avenue a stone's throw from the White House, there were tears and turbulence, as well as bright spots. The June 17 occasion was ''Pathways to Protection: The unseen struggles of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex refugees and asylum seekers,'' a panel discussion presented by the San Francisco-based Organization for Refuge, Asylum & ...[Read]
Montgomery Co. Committee Holds Hate-Crime Discussion
Community members focus on tracking crimes and LGBT cultural-sensitivity training
The Montgomery County Committee on Hate/Violence, part of the county's Office of Human Rights, convened a meeting at the Rockville Memorial Library Town Center Wednesday to discuss how to best respond to violence or other acts against members of the county's LGBT community. The committee, appointed by the Montgomery County executive and tasked with educating the public about hate and violence and recommending policies or legislation to reduce the incidence of hate crimes, asked community members to engage in an ...[Read]
Coverboy A.J. Williams, 26, Killed in Car Accident
Friends raising funds to assist family with funeral expenses
Matt Bamford will always remember his friend Aaron Jerel ''A.J.'' Williams smiling. ''There was just something about his smile,'' Bamford recalls. ''A.J. wasn't the type of guy you'd notice at first, but when you did, you were drawn to him. He was so genuinely full of life. He was very enthusiastic about life, and happy.'' That same zest for life was apparent when Williams, when appearing as a Metro Weekly Coverboy in February, chose to share his life philosophy, telling ...[Read]
14th Street Assault Case Moves Forward
Judge finds probable cause in case of two men accused of robbing, beating gay man in April
A D.C. Superior Court judge today found probable cause in the case of two men accused of beating and robbing a man in the 1300 block of 14th Street NW while yelling homophobic slurs, allowing government prosecutors to move forward with their case in the hope of obtaining an indictment that would allow them to go to trial. Judge Frederick Sullivan determined there was probable cause to believe that Gustavo Velasquez, 24, and Ciriaco Oxlaj, 26, could be tried for ...[Read]
Council Committee Passes Two Pro-LGBT Bills
Legislation allowing District residents to obtain new gender-specific birth certificates held up as 'model bill'
The D.C. Council's Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety passed two bills intended to benefit members of the LGBTI community Thursday, allowing District residents to amend the gender on their birth certificates to align with their gender identity, and expanding the ability for people to be authorized as a marriage officiant for specific weddings. The committee, led by Councilmember Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6), unanimously approved an amended version of the JaParker Deoni Jones Birth Certificate Equality Amendment Act of ...[Read]
Coming-Out Contest
Local developer debuts effort to coax someone out of the closet
How much does the truth cost? That's the question Drew Frederick is asking – and he's offering $1,000 to find out. Frederick, a straight real-estate developer in Arlington, is the sponsor of a coming-out contest to encourage Washington-area people to liberate themselves from a secret they've been hiding. Inspired by Navy SEAL Chris Beck's coming out as transgender, Frederick's contest will award $1,000 to the winner's charity of choice. {Drew Frederick (Photo courtesy of Drew Frederick)} ''The goal is simply ...[Read]
IHOP Shooting Trial Postponed
LaShawn Carson to be tried in September on seven counts related to Columbia Heights anti-gay incident
The trial of a Washington woman accused of shooting a gay man at an IHOP restaurant in March 2012 has been postponed to September, a year-and-a-half since she was officially charged. LaShawn Carson, 28, faces seven charges related to the shooting: one count of aggravated assault while knowingly armed; one count of assault with a dangerous weapon; two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence; a count of unlawful possession of ammunition; one count of unlawful ...[Read]
Latino Pride Split
Casa Ruby and others break from LHP to offer alternative pride events
A schism among organizers of D.C.'s Latino Pride celebration has resulted in two different sets of events in the days leading up to Capital Pride's LGBT celebration. A disagreement between the Latino GLBT History Project (LHP), the chief presenter of DC Latino Pride, and 11 other groups such as Casa Ruby, Foundation Angie, and Project Stripes, arose when some felt they had been left out of LHP's planning process, according to Ruby Corado, a local transgender activist and the executive ...[Read]
NCAVP Report Cites D.C. Efforts
Report praises local actions, government initiatives as models to combat anti-LGBT violence, discrimination
A report released today by the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) holds up several initiatives led by local organizations and District agencies as models that can replicated in the effort to address and the incidence of anti-LGBT violence. Although the report is national in scope, its authors cite several D.C. stakeholders, such as NCAVP affiliates Gays and Lesbians Opposing Violence (GLOV), a program of The DC Center; the DC Trans Coalition (DCTC); and the Rainbow Response Coalition. Particularly, the ...[Read]
D.C. Names Director of Bullying-Prevention Program
Suzanne Greenfield to help implement policies approved by city's anti-bullying task force
The D.C. Office of Human Rights (OHR) today announced the appointment of Suzanne Greenfield, formerly of Advocates for Justice and Education (AJE), as the first citywide Bullying Prevention Program director. In this role, Greenfield will help District agencies, educational institutions, recreational centers and grantees implement model anti-bullying policies, as required in the 2012 bill approved by the D.C. Council and signed into law by Mayor Vincent Gray (D). Greenfield's new position is permanent and falls under the auspices of OHR, ...[Read]
Mautner Joining with Whitman-Walker Health
Lesbian health organization announces WWH collaboration, executive director departure
Mautner Project: The National Lesbian Health Organization announced today that is has begun partnering with Whitman-Walker Health, the nonprofit community health center specializing in LGBT-sensitive health care and HIV/AIDS treatment, as part of a new collaboration aimed at expanding Mautner's client base and providing it greater access funding. ''We are very excited that we'll be working with Whitman-Walker Health,'' Leslie Calman, the executive director of Mautner Project, said in a release announcing the partnership. ''It has a long, prestigious history ...[Read]
Virginia Supermajority Oppose Discrimination
Poll shows 4 out of 5 Virginians think employers should not be able to discriminate based on sexual orientation
A supermajority of Virginians believe employers should not be able to discriminate against people based on their sexual orientation, according to poll data released May 30 by the North Carolina-based Public Policy Polling (PPP). According to PPP, 80 percent of Virginians believe employers should not be allowed to discriminate, while 12 percent believe they should have that right, and 8 percent are unsure. Among Democratic respondents, 94 percent said employers should not be able to discriminate on the basis of ...[Read]
Delays in Anti-Gay Robbery Case
Status hearing for defendants accused in 14th Street assault again postponed
The status hearing for two men accused of attacking and robbing a man while yelling homophobic slurs at him has been postponed for the second time this month. The men, Gustavo Velasquez, 24, and Ciriaco Oxlaj, 26, each face one count of robbery for allegedly assaulting the victim and stealing his iPad in the 1300 block of 14th Street NW, just before 1 a.m. on April 25. Velasquez and Oxlaj appeared in court yesterday for a scheduled status hearing, but ...[Read]
Promoting Pride
Chris Obermeyer hopes Woodrow Wilson High School's Pride celebration becomes the model
In just a few days, Chris Obermeyer's weeks of planning will come to fruition with Woodrow Wilson Senior High School becoming the first D.C. public high school to host its own version of Pride – in the school's atrium during lunch on Wednesday, June 5. Obermeyer, a biology and environmental science teacher and co-coach of the school's ultimate Frisbee team, says he thought of the idea after attending Youth Pride in late April. {Chris Obermeyer (Photo by Julian Vankim)} ''I'd ...[Read]
Celebrating Community
LGBT religious groups mark the 30th anniversary of the annual Pride Week Interfaith Service
The Celebration of the Spirit Coalition (COTSC) will host the annual Pride Week Interfaith Service on Tuesday, June 4, marking the 30th anniversary of the event. The service brings together more than 20 different faith communities in the run-up to Capital Pride, says the coalition's Allan Armus. {Harry Knox (Photo by courtesy Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice)} ''The whole principle of the service is that people of faith and LGBT people are not different,'' says Armus. ''We want to show ...[Read]
DC Front Runners Launch Pride Event
Set in Congressional Cemetery, LGBT running group sets June 7 for inaugural 5K Pride Run
After a couple of false starts, things are finally running smoothly for the DC Front Runners, D.C.'S LGBT running club, as it prepares to host its inaugural Pride Run on Friday, June 7. ''We've never done this before,'' says Brian Beary, co-director of the Pride Run. ''It's the first time we've done anything like this in the club's history.'' Beary notes that other cities' running clubs have had festivities to kick off Pride season, but the Front Runners initially had ...[Read]
Capital Pride Names 2013 Heroes
May 29 event set for Georgetown awards gala and silent auction
Capital Pride will honor five individuals as ''Pride Heroes,'' as well as recognize a number of other community members for their various efforts on behalf of the LGBT community, at its annual Heroes Gala and Silent Auction, Wednesday, May 29. Capital Pride's 2013 Heroes are Ed Bailey, entrepreneur and philanthropist, an owner of Town Dancboutique and Number Nine lounge; Barbara Lewis, a doctor at Whitman-Walker Health specializing in the treatment of HIV/AIDS and culturally competent LGBT care; Darren Phelps, senior ...[Read]
Ebbin and Others Denounce Virginia GOP Ticket
Senator joined by Equality Virginia's Parrish and Del. Herring in decrying nominees' records
Two Democratic legislators and the head of a nonprofit organization advocating for LGBT rights in Virginia held a press call Tuesday to condemn the anti-LGBT records and rhetoric used by the GOP's statewide candidates, specifically Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, candidate for governor, and lieutenant governor nominee E.W. Jackson. Virginia's only out member of the General Assembly, Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax Co.); Del. Charniele Herring (D-Alexandria), chair of the state Democratic Party; and James Parrish, executive director of LGBT-rights ...[Read]
Virginia GOP Chooses Cuccinelli-Jackson-Obenshain Ticket
Republican picks for statewide office have notorious records of anti-LGBT animus
Nearly 8,000 Virginia Republican officeholders and activists gathered Saturday at the Greater Richmond Convention Center to select the party's candidates for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general. The result is one of the most conservative candidate slates in recent memory. The Republicans at Saturday's closed party convention – rather than a statewide primary, which likely would have diluted some of the right-leaning participation – selected Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, a tea party supporter and conservative firebrand who has been the ...[Read]
LGBT Groups Slam Gov. McDonnell on ''Virginia Adopts''
New campaign for placement of children labeled hypocritical in light of McDonnell signing ''conscience clause'' law
LGBT groups are crying foul after Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) launched a campaign Friday aimed at finding homes for a thousand of the nearly 4,000 children in Virginia's foster care system. The Family Equality Council and Equality Virginia are pointing out that McDonnell has previously restricted adoption and foster-care options by signing into law a so-called ''conscience clause'' bill that allows state-licensed agencies to discriminate against prospective parents on sexual orientation and a variety of other factors. A component of ...[Read]
Today's Most Popular Articles
- West Virginia Sen. Jay Rockefeller becomes 52nd co-sponsor of ENDA (Poliglot)
- Warming Trend (Feature Story)
- Icona Pride (Feature Story)
- Lisa Murkowski third Senate Republican to support same-sex marriage (Poliglot)
- ORAM Marks World Refugee Day (News)
- Council Committee Passes Two Pro-LGBT Bills (News)
- Poolside View (Feature Story)
- Coverboy A.J. Williams, 26, Killed in Car Accident (News)
- Transgender Breakthrough (News)
- Statutory Sunshine State (Opinion)
