Local
Choi sees trial as ‘badge of honor’
Gay Army officers face judge next week after White House arrests
U.S. Army Lt. Dan Choi, who was arrested after handcuffing himself to the White House fence in protest of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ will go to trial July 14. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)
A gay Army officer facing trial next week after chaining himself to the White House fence in protest of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” said his court appearance offers a fresh opportunity to call attention to the military’s gay ban.
On July 14, the D.C. Superior Court will try Lt. Dan Choi and Capt. Jim Pietrangelo II, two gay Army officers who were arrested March 18 and April 20 after they handcuffed themselves to the White House gates.
Choi and Pietrangelo face a non-jury trial for the misdemeanor charge of two counts of failure to obey a lawful order stemming from their protest actions. If convicted, they could face a $1,000 fine, but jail time is unlikely.
In an interview with the Blade, Choi said he hopes the trial will draw attention to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and the fact that openly LGBT service members continue to face discharge under the law.
“With regard to ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ and the military, obviously, we’ve made it very clear that people are still going to get discharged — and that’s the bottom line for anybody who is involved in the fight,” Choi said.
Congress took action on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” on May 27 when the House and the Senate Armed Services Committee independently attached language to each chamber’s version of major defense budget legislation that would repeal the law.
But Choi said many “who are not in the know” erroneously believe the ban on open service ended as a result of the May votes, and that his trial can help educate people about the situation and “continue to build pressure.”
Besides highlighting the military’s gay ban, Choi said he hopes his trial will call attention to what he called a kind of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” within the LGBT community that prevents people from taking action.
“To me, they’re one and the same,” he said. “The ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ in the military enforces shame and hiding and an inability to even discuss certain topics or bring up certain methods of how we’re going to be full and equal dignified people — and the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ in our movement is enforced by people upon themselves, upon ourselves.”
Choi said his activities and words may come across as “self-aggrandizement or arrogance,” but he believes he’s working toward a greater good, calling his actions “a matter of service” and “a matter of speaking out for other people.”
He said he isn’t concerned about the criminal penalties he faces if found guilty and that his lawyers informed him he most likely wouldn’t face any jail time.
“To be able to stand up and get punished and to continue to sacrifice in a visible way is a badge of honor on behalf of those people who have not yet been able to do the bare minimum of their steps toward gaining dignity — and that is coming out,” he said.
If activists get their way, the upcoming trial could feature a star witness, although it’s highly unlikely he would appear in court. Lawyers with GetEqual, an activist group responsible for organizing protests keyed to certain LGBT issues, served President Obama a subpoena last week at the White House.
They contend that Choi and Pietrangelo were following orders from their commander-in-chief, who has repeatedly said LGBT people should keep the pressure on him to follow through with his campaign promises for LGBT rights.
One such example of Obama asking LGBT people to keep the pressure on him came last year during a keynote speech at the Human Rights Campaign national dinner.
“And that’s why it’s so important that you continue to speak out, that you continue to set an example, that you continue to pressure leaders — including me — and to make the case all across America,” Obama said at the time.
A White House spokesperson declined to comment on Obama’s receipt of the subpoena or whether the president would appear at the trial.
Choi said protests outside the White House were “truly in keeping with what the president [said] needed to happen.”
“Obviously, it wasn’t a direct order,” Choi said. “But it was an indirect order. I was in uniform at the HRC dinner. I was serving on active duty many times when he said those things.”
Choi said service members like he and Pietrangelo have an “instinct to make sure you do everything you can” when the president or a military commander “even hints that this is the direction that needs to happen.”
While acknowledging Obama’s appearance during the trial would be highly unlikely, Choi said Obama has already been subpoenaed under the “penalty of morality” to live up to the promises he’s made — particularly regarding the LGBT community.
“He has to be able to stand up and be accountable to all of the things that he did — or didn’t — do as a commander particularly,” Choi said.
Robin McGehee, co-founder of GetEqual, the organization that helped organize Choi and Pietrangelo’s protest at the White House, said GetEqual plans to stand “shoulder-to-shoulder” with Choi and Pietrangelo during their trial next week.
“We take our obligation of protecting the activists that work with us very seriously,” she said. “We have been in constant communication with their defense team and offered our support, but ultimately they are in control of the case’s legal strategy and we certainly respect and support their expertise.”
McGehee said the trial will not only draw attention to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” but “serve as a beacon of hope for many in our community that we can be in charge of our own equality.”
“We don’t have to sit idly by and let someone else decide for us,” she said. “Dan and Jim have exemplified what it means to stand up and find your own voice.”
Choi noted he hasn’t received help from national LGBT groups regarding his actions.
“I’ve been in contact, of course, with GetEqual and the leaders of the grassroots groups, but the national groups — that are lobby groups now — I have not [heard from] and [have had] no offers of help or support,” Choi said.
Alex Nicholson, executive director of Servicemembers United, said his organization isn’t involved with the case. He noted, however, that Choi’s trial would help bring attention to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
“This case helps continue the pressure on the White House by spotlighting the fact that many are still looking to the president for active, not passive, leadership on this issue,” Nicholson said.
Among the national legal groups that Choi cited as offering no support is the American Civil Liberties Union. Choi said he received a response from the National Center for Lesbian Rights, but that it “was on a personal platform and not representing the group.”
“I am certainly waiting for those very smart people and adept people in those national groups to come around and show their support. I would love to see them at the trial,” Choi said.
The ACLU didn’t immediately respond to the Blade’s request for comment on the matter.
Choi’s trial will occur close to the one-year anniversary of when discharge proceedings against him for violating “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” began. On June 30, 2009, a panel of New York National Guard officers recommended Choi be expelled from the U.S. military for publicly saying he’s gay.
Although his discharge proceedings have started, Choi said he remains in service and last week returned from drill duty. He noted that his fellow service members have supported his efforts and talk about topics ranging from same-sex marriage to transgender people to gay sex.
“[One] soldier asked me am I a top or a bottom,” Choi said. “And you know? That is when you know you made it as far as unit cohesion goes because people can joke [about] these things. I said, ‘Well, I don’t believe in those titles. In fact, I believe in full equality.’”
Maryland
FreeState Justice launches 501(c)(4) group
FreeState Equality will focus on policy and advocacy
FreeState Justice, an LGBTQ organization that provides legal services, community programs, and public education in Maryland, announced the launch of FreeState Equality on Wednesday.
The new, independent organization intends to pursue advocacy and policy work beyond the legal capability of FreeState Justice, a 501(c)(3) non-profit. FreeState Equality functions as a 501(c)(4) organization, meaning it can partake in political activity.
“We are committed to transparency throughout this process and look forward to continuing our work together in service of LGBTQ+ Marylanders,” said FreeState Justice Executive Director Phillip Westry.
FreeState Equality will take on policy, advocacy, and civic engagement initiatives while FreeState Justice will pursue legal and direct-service work, according to Westry.
While both organizations adhere to similar values, they will feature separate leadership, operations and compliance.
FreeState Equality is hosting its first launch fundraiser on Dec. 10 at the Brass Tap in Baltimore. The event, held from 5-7 p.m., will feature insight from FreeState Equality staff about how Maryland policy can support the state’s LGBTQ community.
Attendees can purchase fundraiser tickets on Zeffy for $25 general admission, which includes a free first drink. The organization also welcomes additional donations.
By LEE O. SANDERLIN, PAMELA WOOD and BRENDA WINTRODE | Maryland House of Delegates Speaker Adrienne A. Jones, the first woman and first person of color to hold her position, stepped down from her leadership post Thursday, effective immediately.
Jones, 71, has been a member of the legislature since 1997 and ascended to the top role in 2019 following the death of longtime House Speaker Michael E. Busch.
Jones held a meeting with top House Democratic leaders Thursday afternoon, sources said, at which she informed them of her decision. In a statement, Jones described the changes of life’s seasons and said she was ready to focus on what lies ahead.
The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
District of Columbia
Activists praise Mayor Bowser’s impact on city, LGBTQ community
‘She made sure LGBTQ residents knew they were seen, valued, loved’
Members of D.C.’s LGBTQ community offered their thoughts on the impact Mayor Muriel Bowser has had on them, the city, and LGBTQ people in statements and interviews with the Washington Blade in the week following Bowser’s announcement that she will not run for re-election in 2026.
Bowser’s Nov. 25 announcement came during the third year of her third four-year term in office as mayor and after she served as a member of the D.C. Council representing Ward 4 from 2007 to Jan. 2, 2015, when she took office as mayor.
The LGBTQ activists and mayoral staffers who spoke to the Blade agreed that Bowser has been an outspoken and dedicated supporter on a wide range of LGBTQ-related issues starting from her time as a Council member and throughout her years as mayor.
Among them is one of the mayor’s numerous openly LGBTQ staff members, Jim Slattery, who has served in the Cabinet-level position as the Mayor’s Correspondence Officer since Bowser first became mayor.
“As Mayor Muriel Bowser’s longest serving LGBTQIA+ staffer – dating back to her first term as the Ward 4 Council member – and a proud member of her Cabinet since day one of her administration, I have had the opportunity to witness her at work for the people she serves and leads,” Slattery said in a statement. “Noteworthy is that throughout the entirety of my 27 years in District government, I have always been able to do so as an out and proud gay man,” he stated.
Slattery added that he has witnessed first-hand Bowser’s “absolute belief” in supporting the LGBTQ community.
“She has led on HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, on shelter for vulnerable members of our community, housing for older members of the community, and has been a reliable and constant presence at events to LGBTQIA+ residents,” Slattery said. Among those events, he said, have been World AIDS Day, the D.C. Pride Parade, the 17th Street LGBTQ High Heel Race, and WorldPride 2025, which D.C. hosted with strong support from the mayor’s office.
Ryan Bos, CEO & president of Capital Pride Alliance, the D.C. group that organizes the city’s annual LGBTQ Pride events and served as lead organizer of WorldPride 2025, praised Bowser for being a longtime supporter of that organization.
“She played a very supportive role in helping us as an organization grow and to be able to bring WorldPride to Washington, D.C.,” Bos told the Blade. “And we commend her years of service, And our hope is that she helps us to continue to advocate for the support from the D.C. government of the LGBTQ+ community, especially during these times,” Bos said.
Bos, who was referring to the Trump administration’s hostility toward LGBTQ issues and sharp cutbacks in federal funds for nonprofit organizations, including LGBTQ organizations, said Capital Pride Alliance appreciated Bowser’s efforts to provide city funding for events like WorldPride.
“She provided support through the event process of WorldPride and ultimately along with the D.C. Council provided necessary funding to ensure WorldPride was a success,” Bos said. “And we are proud that we are able to show that Capital Pride and WorldPride had such a large economic impact for D.C. and the D.C. government,” he added.
Marvin Bowser, Mayor Bowser’s gay brother who operates a local photography business and has been active in the D.C. LGBTQ community for many years, said he has also witnessed first-hand his sister’s support for the LGBTQ community and all D.C. residents since the time she became a Council member and even before that.
Among his vivid memories, he said, was his sister’s strong support for the marriage equality law legalizing same-sex marriage in D.C. that the Council approved in 2009 under then-Mayor Adrian Fenty.
“I remember the first time she was standing up and giving clear and unequivocal support to the community when that law passed,” Marvin Bowser told the Blade. “And she was front and center in speaking very strongly in support of marriage equality,” he said.
Marvin Bowser also credits his sister with expanding and strengthening the then-Mayor’s Office of GLBT Affairs, among other things, by appointing advocate Sheila Alexander Reid as the office’s director in 2015.
Reid, who for many years prior to becoming director of the GLBT Affairs office was founder and publisher of the national lesbian publication Women In The Life, had the reputation of a “rock star,” according to Marvin Bowser.
He recalls that Mayor Bowser also played a lead role in D.C.’s bid to host to the quadrennial international LGBTQ sports competition Gay Games for 2022.
D.C lost its bid for the 2022 Gay Games after the Federation of Gay Games selected Hong Kong to host the event in an action that Marvin Bowser says was unfair and based on the effort to hold the Gay Games for the first time in Asia even though D.C. had a stronger bid for carrying out the event.
“Everything she’s done for the community has been very visible and from the heart,” he said of Muriel Bowser. “And in my personal relationship with her, she has also been nothing but absolutely supportive of me and my partner over the years,” he said.
“And we were just at her house helping her put up Christmas decorations,” he added. “And so, it’s been wonderful having her as a sister.”
Veteran D.C. LGBTQ advocate Japer Bowles, who serves as the current director of the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, discussed the mayor’s record on LGBTQ issues in his own statement to the Blade.
“Mayor Muriel Bowser has been an unwavering champion for D.C.’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual community and movement,” he said. “Her more than 20 years of leadership brought consistent and historic investments for our LGBTQIA+ youth, seniors, veterans, and residents experiencing homelessness as well as impactful violence-prevention initiatives,” he added.
“Under her leadership, the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs grew into a national leader, delivering more than $10 million in community grants for LGBTQIA+ programs and managing 110 Housing Choice vouchers,” Bowles said in his statement.
“Because of her work, we are stronger, safer, more visible, and, proudly, ‘the gayest city in the world,’” he said in quoting Bowser’s often stated comment at LGBTQ events about D.C. being the world’s gayest city.
In a statement that might surprise some in the LGBTQ community, gay D.C. small business owner Salah Czapary, who served from 2022 to 2024 as director of the Mayor’s Office of Nightlife and Culture as a Bowser appointee, criticized some of the city’s non-LGBTQ related polices under the Bowser administration as being harmful to small businesses.
Bowser appointed Czapary, a former D.C. police officer, to the nightlife office position shortly after he lost his race as an openly gay candidate for the Ward 1 D.C. Council seat held by incumbent Brianne Nadeau.
“Mayor Bowser led D.C. through turbulent years and major growth, and we can all be proud of her leadership on many fronts,” Czapary said in a statement to the Blade. “She is also setting an example that more leaders should follow by stepping aside to allow a new generation to lead,” he said. “But as we turn the page, we must be honest about what the next mayor should deliver,” he says in his statement.
Without mentioning Bowser by name, he went on to list at least four things the next mayor should do that implied that Bowser did not do or did wrong. Among them were treating the D.C. Council as a “true governing partner,” not letting residents and small businesses “feel the weight of outdated, slow, and unresponsive systems,” and the need for leadership that “values competence over loyalty.”
He added that a “reversal” by the city of the city’s streetery program that was put in place during the COVID pandemic to allow restaurants to install outdoor seating into street parking lanes, was a “roll it back” on progress for small businesses.
He concluded by stating, “LGBTQ rights and inclusion are among the many fronts on which we can be very proud of the mayor’s leadership.”
The mayor’s office did not immediately respond to an offer by the Blade to give the office an opportunity to respond to Czapary’s statement.
A significantly different perspective was given by Sheila Alexander Reid, who said she was proud to serve as director of the Mayor’s LGBTQ Affairs Office during the first six-and-a-half years of Bowser’s tenure as mayor.
“I watched her evolve from a newly elected mayor finding her footing into a confident, seasoned leader who met every challenge head-on and time after time slayed the competition,” Alexander Reid said in a statement to the Blade.
“With each year in office, her voice grew stronger, more grounded, and more fearless,” her statement continues. “And she needed that strength, because being a Black woman mayor is not for the faint of heart, But Mayor Bowser never backed down. Instead, she showed the city what courageous, compassionate leadership truly looks like.”
Alexander Reid added that Bowser funded a new LGBTQ Community Center facility, expanded a workforce development program for the transgender community, and “made D.C. the first jurisdiction in the nation to require LGBTQ+ cultural competency training for healthcare providers.”
She also pointed to the mayor’s LGBTQ “safety nets” through low-barrier shelters and housing vouchers and her support for LGBTQ celebrations like the 17th Street High Heel Race.
“But what inspired me most was this,” Alexander Reid stated. “At a time when some elected officials across the country were retreating from LGBTQ support, Mayor Bowser was doing the opposite. She leaned in, she doubled down. She made sure LGBTQ residents knew they were seen, valued, protected, and loved by their city.”
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