News
ENDA latest non-marriage target for NOM
Email blast another sign anti-gay group expanding focus beyond marriage
NOM President Brian Brown is calling ENDA a “trojan horse” bill (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key).
The anti-gay National Organization for Marriage is urging its supporters to stop passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in the group’s latest involvement in an issue outside of marriage.
In an email blast sent to supporters Friday morning, Brian Brown, NOM’s president, calls for the defeat of ENDA, saying the legislation’s prohibition on anti-LGBT job bias is a “trojan horse” that would “attack the foundational institution of marriage between a man and a woman.”
“In the wake of Justice Kennedy’s misguided opinion in the DOMA case (Windsor v. U.S.) it is certain that this federal ENDA bill will become a fulcrum used by same-sex ‘marriage’ activists to try to foist a marriage redefinition regime on the entire country,” Brown writes.
Brown insists that with ENDA in place, courts will have rationale to “easy rationale” to overturn bans on same-sex marriages when confronted with legal challenges for these laws.
Michael Cole-Schwartz, a spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign, said the latest efforts by NOM against ENDA demonstrate its true focus isn’t marriage, but something broader.
“NOM’s opposition to ENDA is yet further proof that their mantra of ‘protecting marriage’ is nothing more than anti-LGBT animus,” Cole-Schwartz said. “They oppose any level of protections for our community and represent a small and shrinking minority of people.”
Brown contends in the email individuals who oppose same-sex marriage would be subject to lawsuits under the proposed legislation by expressing their view in the workplace.
“Under the law, individuals holding the common-sense belief that marriage is about giving kids a mom and a dad would be subject to punishment,” Brown writes. “Expressions of support for true marriage in the workplace would no longer be a fundamental right, but discriminatory, bigoted and an actionable offense!”
Tico Almeida, president of Freedom to Work, insisted the argument that opponents of same-sex marriage would be punished under ENDA isn’t true.
“NOM’s argument is absurd and shows they know they’re losing this debate on the actual issues addressed in this legislation,” Almeida said. “After ENDA, employers like Chick-fil-A’s Dan Cathy will retain the right to say or tweet anything he wants about marriage and to donate all he wants to anti-gay organizations that oppose marriage equality. ENDA’s protections against workplace harassment will adopt Title VII’s high standard for a ‘hostile work environment’ requiring abusive comments and epithets that are frequent and severe before an employee can bring a valid claim.”
Listed within the email blast are the numbers of eight Republican senators that NOM identified as potential swing votes on ENDA: Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Kelly Ayotte (R-N.J.), Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), Dean Heller (R-Nev.), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.). Brown urges supporters to call the office of these “to make sure these senators know where the majority of Americans stand on this dangerous bill.”
The mailing is the latest involvement from NOM in an issue that is relevant to the LGBT community, has not overtly related to marriage. The organization previously joined efforts to overturn the California transgender student law, which enables transgender students in California to participate in programs and athletics consistent with their gender identity. According to Right Wing Watch, Brown has also travelled to Russia to urge passage of a law in the country prohibiting same-sex couples in other countries from adopting Russian children.
Virginia
Black transgender woman murdered in Va.
Shyyell Diamond Sanchez-McCray killed in Petersburg on March 13
A Black transgender woman was murdered in Petersburg, Va., on March 13.
Shyyell Diamond Sanchez-McCray, who was also known as Mable, was a drag queen who won the Miss Mayflower EOY pageant in 2015. Reports also indicate she was a well-known community activist in Virginia and in North Carolina.
Local media reports indicate police officers found Sanchez-McCray, 42, shot to death inside a home in Petersburg. These initial media reports also misgendered her.
“My heart is shattered and heavy with grief at the news of Shyyell Diamond Sanchez-McCray’s murder — the first trans life stolen from us this year,” said Victoria Kirby York, director of public policy and programs for the National Black Justice Coalition, in a statement.
Kirby York in her statement also criticized the media coverage of Sanchez-McCray’s murder.
“The early reports of Shyyell’s death stripped her of her identity by misgendering her, a deeply damaging and persistent failure by law enforcement and media that haunts these cases again and again,” she said. “Misgendering doesn’t just erase a person’s truth — it can derail justice entirely, or worse, bury a case in silence as investigators chase the wrong identity, the wrong face, the wrong name.”
Authorities have not made any arrests.
The Petersburg Bureau of Police has asked anyone with information about Sanchez-McCray’s murder to call Petersburg-Dinwiddie Crime Solvers at 804-861-1212.
District of Columbia
Trans Day of Visibility events planned
Rally on the National Mall scheduled for Saturday
The Christopher Street Project has a number of events planned for the 2026 Trans Day of Visibility, including a rally on the Mall and an “Empowerment Ball” at the Eaton Hotel. Plenaries, panel discussions and meetings with members of Congress are scheduled in the three days of programming.
Announced speakers include N.H. state Rep. Alice Wade; Commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago Precious Brady-Davis; activist and performer Miss Peppermint (“RuPaul’s Drag Race”); Lexington, Ky. Councilwoman Emma Curtis; Rabbi Abby Stein; D.C. activist and host Rayceen Pendarvis; Air Force Master Sgt. Logan Ireland; among other leaders, advocates and performers.
Conference programming on Thursday and Friday includes an educational forum and a Capitol Hill policy education day. Registration for the two-day conference has closed.
The “Trans Day of Visibility PAC Reception” is scheduled for Thursday, March 26 from 7:30-9 p.m. at As You Are (500 8th St., S.E.). Special guests include Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nevada) and Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.). Tickets are available at christopherstreetproject.org starting at $25.
The National Council of Jewish Women and the Christopher Street Project host a “Trans Day of Visibility Shabbat” on Friday, March 27 from 7-8 p.m. at Sixth & I (600 I St., N.W.). The service is to be led by Rabbi Jenna Shaw and Rabbi Abby Stein.
The “Now You See Me: Trans Empowerment Social & Ball” is scheduled for Friday, March 27 from 6-11 p.m. at the Eaton Hotel (1201 K. St., N.W.). The trans-themed drag ball is hosted by the Marsha P. Johnson Institute with support from the D.C. Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ+ Affairs, the Capital Ballroom Council, the Christopher Street Project, the Center for Black Equity, Generation for Common Good, and Parenting is Political. RSVP online at christopherstreetproject.org.
The National Transgender Day of Visibility Rally is scheduled for Saturday, March 28 on the National Mall at 11 a.m. The rally will include speakers and performances. Following the rally, attendees are encouraged to participate in the “No Kings” rally being held at Anacostia Park.
Virginia
Virginia General Assembly’s 2026 legislative session ends
Voters in November will consider repealing marriage amendment
The Virginia General Assembly’s 2026 legislative session ended on March 14.
Lawmakers have yet to approve a budget, but they did pass a resolution that paves the way for a referendum on whether to repeal the state’s constitutional amendment that defines marriage as between a man and a woman. Lawmakers also advanced House Bill 60, which would protect PrEP users from insurance discrimination.
Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger has until April 13 to decide to pass, amend, or veto legislation before it goes back to the House of Delegates on April 22.
Spanberger on Feb. 6 signed the bill that sets the stage for the marriage amendment referendum. Voters will consider whether to “remove the ban on same-sex marriage; (ii) affirm that two adults may marry regardless of sex, gender, or race; and (iii) require all legally valid marriages to be treated equally under the law?”
Equality Virginia has been working during this legislative cycle to urge lawmakers to allocate funding towards LGBTQ rights. The budget would expand funding for schools, competency training for the 988 suicide hotline, and funding to provide gender affirming care to LGBTQ youth.
“As the budget moves through conference and the Reconvene Session approaches on April 22, Equality Virginia remains focused on ensuring our victories this session translate into durable protections,” Equality Virginia Executive Director Narissa Rahaman told the Washington Blade in a statement. “Progress on marriage equality, nondiscrimination protections, and HIV care funding was essential, but Virginia must do more.”
Black transgender woman murdered in Va.
Trans Day of Visibility events planned
Virginia General Assembly’s 2026 legislative session ends
Polish court rules country must recognize same-sex marriages from EU states
Capital Stonewall Democrats 50th anniversary gala draws sold out crowd
Protesters say SAVE Act targets voters, transgender youth
Housewives take Capitol Hill by storm
Queer American in Israel discusses Iran war’s impact
‘How We Survived’ panel set for March 25
