Local
Top 10 local news stories of 2009
Among last year’s biggest stories locally were tales of great victories and heartbreaking losses.
ten
Ziegfeld’s/Secrets reopens: Ziegfeld’s/Secrets, the popular gay nightclub that offers drag entertainment and nude male dancers, reopened in March in a warehouse building in the city’s Buzzard’s Point section at 1824 Half St., S.W. It became the first of two of the eight LGBT clubs displaced by the Washington Nationals baseball stadium to reopen. The Glorious Health Club, which bills itself as a men’s spa and art gallery, reopened in the summer at 2120 West Virginia Ave., N.E. Gay activists have complained that city zoning laws and restrictions against nude dance entertainment in most parts of the city have made it difficult for the other gay adult-oriented clubs displaced by the stadium to find a new location. Most of the clubs had been located on the unit block of O St., S.E., which operated as an adult gay entertainment enclave for more than 25 years.
nine
Evidence challenged in Robert Wone case: Aug. 2 marked the third anniversary of the murder of prominent Washington attorney Robert Wone, who was stabbed to death in the Dupont Circle home of three gay friends. The friends — attorney Joseph Price, public relations executive Victor Zaborsky and massage therapist Dylan Ward — have been charged with obstruction of justice, conspiracy to obstruct justice and evidence tampering in connection with Wone’s murder. But authorities have yet to charge anyone with the murder itself. The case continued to capture the attention of local gays as prosecutors and defense attorneys sparred over evidence expected to be presented at trial, which is scheduled to begin May 10.
eight
Cleveland beats D.C. in bid to host Gay Games: Leaders of the Gay Games, the world’s largest international LGBT sporting event, voted in September to select Cleveland over D.C. and Boston as the host city for the 2014 Gay Games. The quadrennial event draws 12,000 athletes and about 80,000 spectators for more than a week of Olympic style athletic competition, bringing millions of dollars in revenue to the host city. Stunned officials with Metropolitan Washington Gaymes, Inc. and Team D.C., the two groups that spent nearly six years promoting D.C. as a candidate to host the 2014 games, were present in Cologne, Germany, when the Federation of Gay Games announced its decision. A Gay Games official told the Washington Blade that Cleveland won because Ohio and surrounding states are less advanced in LGBT rights than D.C. and Boston, and holding the Gay Games there would provide a boost to efforts in the region to promote LGBT equality through the universal appeal of sporting events.
seven
LGBT groups lose D.C. Council earmark grants: The City Council in July eliminated $1 million in city grants for four LGBT organizations, forcing the organizations to cut their budgets and, in some cases, lay off staff members. Council Chair Vincent Gray (D-At Large) said the elimination of the grants was part of a decision to end all earmarked, or non-competitive, grants for more than 100 non-profit organizations in the city. The four LGBT groups that lost the grants included the D.C. Center, which was set to receive a $500,000 grant to help it purchase a building; the Center’s Crystal Meth Project, which expected to receive a $150,000 earmarked grant; the Mautner Project for lesbian health, which expected to receive separate grants of $150,000 and $60,000; and Transgender Health Empowerment, which was slated to receive a grant of $150,000.
six
Trans woman’s stabbing death alarms activists: An unidentified man fatally stabbed a transgender woman as she and a friend were walking to a transgender services center near Second and Q streets, N.W., on Aug. 26. D.C. police investigated the murder as a possible hate crime targeting Tyli’a ‘NaNa Boo’ Mack, 21, because she was transgender. The incident prompted transgender activists associated with the D.C. group Transgender Health Empowerment to organize a rally at the site of Mack’s murder to raise the visibility of what they called a growing number of local hate crimes targeting transgender people. Police said the assailant stabbed another transgender woman who was walking with Mack at the time of the incident. The second victim suffered non-life-threatening wounds, police said.
The Lambda Rising bookstore will close this month after a 35-year run. (DC Agenda photo by Aram Vartian)
five
Panic defense duped prosecutors, activists say: Police and prosecutors’ handling of the September 2008 beating death of gay bar patron Tony Randolph Hunter became a rallying cry for LGBT activists in July 2009, when a grand jury lowered charges against an 18-year-old man arrested in the case from manslaughter to misdemeanor assault. Activists accused D.C. police and prosecutors of being unduly influenced by defendant Robert Hannah’s claim that he punched Hunter several times in self-defense after Hunter allegedly grabbed Hannah’s crotch and butt in a sexually suggestive way. Hunter fell onto the street as a result of the assault and sustained a fatal brain injury when his head hit the pavement. The activists called Hannah’s crotch-grabbing claim an attempt to use the so-called “gay panic defense” as an alibi for anti-gay violence. A friend of Hunter’s, who was present during the assault near a Northwest D.C. gay bar, said Hunter never touched Hannah and that the assault was unprovoked. But prosecutors have said the friend gave conflicting accounts of what happened and was an unreliable witness. To the dismay of activists, a D.C. Superior Court grand jury lowered charges against Hannah from a single count of felony manslaughter to a misdemeanor assault, to which he pleaded guilty. A judge sentenced him to the maximum penalty of 180 days in jail, a sentence that some activists called a miscarriage of justice in an incident that led to a gay man’s death.
four
Parson leaves GLLU, police chief faces criticism: Gay D.C. Police Sgt. Brett Parson, who served as commander of the department’s Gay & Lesbian Liaison Unit, transferred to a new position in October as a supervisory patrol officer in the Sixth Police District. Parson’s departure from the GLLU came at a time when LGBT activists charged that Police Chief Cathy Lanier was dismantling the unit. Lanier said she is enacting a plan to decentralize and expand the GLLU and other special police units by recruiting more officers to become affiliated with the units while continuing to work as regular patrol officers in one of the seven police districts. But LGBT organizations, including Gays & Lesbians Opposing Violence and the D.C. Trans Coalition, have said Lanier effectively dismantled the GLLU before launching her decentralization plan.
three
Local HIV/AIDS cases rise 22 percent: A report released in March by the city’s HIV/AIDS administration showed the number of reported HIV or AIDS cases in the city increased 22 percent between 2006 and 2007. Similar to previous reports on HIV prevalence in the city, the report found that men who have sex with men account for the largest number of people living with the disease: 36.9 percent. People who contracted HIV/AIDS through heterosexual contact comprised 28.1 percent of the living HIV/AIDS cases, the report found. The report found that about 3 percent of the city’s population over age 12 had HIV or AIDS as of Dec. 31, 2007, making the District’s AIDS numbers the highest in the nation based on the number of cases per 100,000 people. HIV/AIDS Administration Director Dr. Shannon Hader said the figures placed the city alongside African countries like Uganda in terms of HIV/AIDS prevalence.
two
Washington Blade, Lambda Rising close: Just weeks after celebrating the paper’s 40th anniversary, the Washington Blade was shuttered by parent company Window Media on Nov. 16 following a Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing. Former Blade employees regrouped and founded the DC Agenda, publishing the first issue four days after the Blade’s closure. A month later, the owners of Lambda Rising bookstore announced in December that the store would close its doors for good in January, ending more than 35 years of service as the city’s preeminent LGBT bookstore. The store’s co-owner and founder, Deacon Maccubbin, 66, said he plans to retire and that he and his domestic partner of 32 years, Jim Bennett, decided they’d rather close the store than sell it to a new owner who might change its focus and mission. Maccubbin said he and Bennett were also closing the Lambda Rising store in Rehoboth Beach, Del.
one
D.C. Council, mayor approve same-sex marriage: D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty on Dec. 18 signed a bill allowing same-sex marriages to be performed in the nation’s capital in an action hailed by activists as an historic milestone in the city’s LGBT rights movement. The bill signing came three days after the City Council voted 11-2 to give its final approval of the legislation, the Religious Freedom & Civil Marriage Equality Amendment Act of 2009. Most political observers believe the Democratic-controlled Congress will allow the measure to become law following a required congressional review of 30 legislative days, which is expected to be completed in March. Noting that Congress has authority to overturn D.C. laws at any time, not just during the 30 legislative day review, same-sex marriage opponents have vowed to continue urging Congress to kill the law. They also have vowed to continue to seek to overturn the law through a D.C. voter initiative or referendum. The opponents have challenged an election board ruling that an initiative or referendum cannot be held on the marriage bill because it would violate the D.C. Human Rights Act.
District of Columbia
D.C. Black Pride 2025: Events, parties, and empowerment
Annual Black LGBTQ culture, community, and resilience celebration starts Wednesday
Beginning on Wednesday, Washington will host a weekend-long celebration of melanated LGBTQ talent, power, and resilience with the return of D.C. Black Pride. From glamorous balls and dance parties to drag performances and more, the weekend offers something for everyone looking to celebrate Black queer existence.
The Washington Blade sat down with Keyna Hutton, president and CEO of the Center for Black Equity and organizer of D.C. Black Pride, to discuss the event’s current significance and the programming they are most excited about.
While the weekend may appear to be all about parties and celebration, Hutton emphasized that the heart of D.C. Black Pride lies in the connections it fosters.
“I always try to remind people that Black Pride is a safe space for communities, for people that don’t have these kinds of safe spaces where they live,” Hutton said. “People that live in some rural parts of the country, some very conservative spaces, they don’t have a space to be Black and queer. Many don’t have a space that they are able to be their full authentic selves. So Black Pride is that space. D.C. Black Pride creates that space for folks to be able to come to and just be free and live at all your intersections, to be glorified and be appreciated for who you are, as diverse as you are.”
They continued, pointing to the importance of this year’s theme — freedom — especially amid a political climate that remains hostile toward marginalized groups, particularly the transgender community.
“The real root of D.C. Black Pride is about creating a safe space and supporting community,” Hutton said. “If you think about what’s going on right now politically, it is even more important for us to maintain these spaces.”
Despite the external pressures facing the Black LGBTQ community, Hutton made clear that the weekend is also about celebration, especially for those traveling from near and far to be part of it.
“I am very excited for the Mr. & Miss D.C. Black Pride Pageant,” she said. “We have Ts Madison, Monroe Alise, Kerri Colby, Ben Garson, Anthony Oakes, Heather Mahogany, Apple Brown Betty. We have so many Black queer folks and queer allied people that are going to be here taking up space with us, loving up on us, entertaining us, all for free!”
For the first time this year, a free shuttle will run between the Capitol Hilton and official D.C. Black Pride events all weekend long, making it easier than ever to join in the celebration.
D.C. Black Pride party roundup
Weekend-long parties
Supreme Fantasy Weekend Party
All weekend long, the D.C. Black Pride party Supreme Fantasy will be in full swing beginning on May 22. With 12 events across five days, there’s something for everyone! From drinking and dancing to drag and so much more, this five-day celebration will keep the D.C. Black Pride party pumping through May 26. Tickets and additional information for this 21+ event are available at xavierpartydc.com.
Bliss Party Lineup
Celebrate being a Black LGBTQ woman with the Bliss party lineup! From brunches to dance parties to panels, Bliss has something for everyone. For tickets and additional information for this 21+ party series, visit eventbee.com.
Wednesday, May 21
Cocktails & Conversations
Join hundreds of Black queer women as they kick off D.C. Black Pride with a cocktail reception. Grab a drink and settle in at one of Washington’s swankiest cocktail bars, ZOOZ (636 Maine Ave. S.W.), at 7 p.m., and mingle before the weekend gets going. This is a 21+ event. For tickets and more information, visit BlissPride.com.
Thursday, May 22
Welcome to D.C. Happy Hour
Celebrate the beginning of D.C. Black Pride with drinks in the heart of the Dupont gayborhood! From 5-10 p.m. on the rooftop of Decades (1219 Connecticut Ave. N.W.), take in the spring weather and mix with other Black queer folks. For tickets and more information about this 21+ event, visit BlissPride.com.
Mr. & Miss D.C. Black Pride Pageant
Get ready for the ultimate showcase of Black excellence and pride with the Mr. & Miss D.C. Black Pride Pageant! The competition begins at 6 p.m. at the Capital Hilton (1001 16th St. N.W.), celebrating the history, beauty, and diversity of the DMV’s Black drag and entertainment scene. For tickets, visit Eventbrite.
D.C. Black Pride Unity Free Ball
Join the Capitol Ballroom Council for their 9th annual Unity Free Ball at the Capital Hilton (1001 16th St. N.W.). From 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., show off how you embody this year’s theme of “Freedom.” With over 50 categories, there’s something for everyone. Hosts Icon East Coast Father Duante’ Balenciaga, Legendary East Coast Mother Daijah West, Legendary Domo Alpha Omega, and Empress Angel Rose Garcon will ensure the night is unforgettable. For categories, prizes, and free tickets, visit dcblackpride.org.
The Pre-Pregame Act I
Pregame D.C. Black Pride with Daryl Wilson at The Ugly Mug (723 8th St. S.E.). Expect food, drinks, hookah, and more starting at 10 p.m. For tickets, visit dcblackpride.org.
Friday, May 23
Shoot Your Shot & Drink
Date. Dance. Collaborate! Join Lamont White and Tyrice Johnson for a special in-person LGBTQ+ dating experience at North Gate Grill (1001 16th St. N.W.). Tickets available at dcblackpride.org.
D.C. Black Pride Opening Reception
Kick off the 34th annual D.C. Black Pride with award-winning comedian Anthony Oakes as he hosts an evening of music, drag, and more. Queer icons including Ts Madison, Kerri Colby, and Monroe Alise will be in attendance. Festivities begin at 5 p.m. at the Capital Hilton (1001 16th St. N.W.). Free tickets are available at dcblackpride.org.
Host Hotel Welcome Reception
Start the weekend with a party hosted by Daryl Wilson Events at the Capital Hilton, the official host hotel. Beginning at 3 p.m., guests can pick up VIP passes, connect with other attendees, and get into the Pride spirit. More info at dcblackpride.org.
The Pastel Party
Celebrate Black queer womanhood at the Pastel Party at STRAND Nightclub (1400 I St. N.W.). Beginning at 10 p.m., this event offers a vibrant, affirming space. For tickets to this 21+ event, visit BlissPride.com.
Saturday, May 24
D.C. Black Pride Writers Forum
Join Black LGBTQ writers from across the country for a discussion on storytelling, publishing, and politics. Special guests, including Volo Akili (Dear Universe), will be featured. The event begins at 1 p.m. at the Capital Hilton. More info at dcblackpride.org.
Mary Bowman Poetry Slam
Celebrate Black queer voices at the Mary Bowman Poetry Slam at the Capital Hilton. Open mic registration starts at 5:30 p.m., with the show beginning at 6 p.m. Cash prizes will be awarded. More info at dcblackpride.org.
PURE BLISS – The Main Event
Dance the night away with other Black queer women at PURE BLISS, starting at 10 p.m. at Next Level (15 K St. N.E.). Enjoy music, drinks, and community. Tickets are $25 at BlissPride.com.
D.C. Black Pride White Party
Put on your best white outfit and party with the Black queer community at the iconic White Party. Rapper KHIA performs live at Echostage (2135 Queens Chapel Road N.E.), starting at 10 p.m. Tickets available at dcblackpride.org.
Meatloaf Saturday
Join over 5,000 Black queer men across three dance floors with four DJs, go-go dancers, and live performances. Meatloaf Saturday kicks off at 10 p.m. at Public Nightclub (1214 18th St. N.W.). Tickets at dcblackpride.org.
Sunday, May 25
Euphoria: D.C. Black Pride 2025 Closeout – The Finale
Close out Pride weekend with one last rooftop party at Twelve After Twelve (1212 18th St. N.W.) from 4-10 p.m. Celebrate with drinks, dancing, and community in Dupont Circle. Tickets are $15 at dcblackpride.org.
Wet Dreamz Mega Day Party
Join hundreds of Black LGBTQ people at one of the biggest events of the weekend — Wet Dreamz Mega Day Party — at The Bullpen @ Nats Stadium (1201 Half St. N.E.), starting at 5 p.m. Hosted by Daryl Wilson Events. Tickets available at dcblackpride.org.
Sunday Night Super Party
Four floors. Multiple DJs. One unforgettable night. Daryl Wilson’s Sunday Super Party at The Park (920 14th St. N.W.) begins at 10 p.m. and keeps going late. This 21+ event is free to attend. Details at dcblackpride.org.
Tuesday, May 27
WorldPride Black Queer Film Festival
Celebrate the art and impact of Black queer filmmakers with D.C. Black Pride and WorldPride at the three-day Black Queer Film Festival, kicking off at 6 p.m. at Howard University’s Blackburn Digital Auditorium (2397 6th St. N.W.). Free tickets available at dcblackpride.org.
In addition to these events, Thurst Lounge (2214 14th St. N.W.) — D.C.’s only Black-owned LGBTQ lounge — will host nightly celebrations of Black queer excellence. The weeklong celebration, Thurstnik Reloaded, runs from Wednesday through Memorial Day Monday. No cover charge, but a 21+ ID is required.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore on Tuesday signed a bill that decriminalizes HIV in the state.
State Dels. Kris Fair (D-Frederick County) and Luke Clippinger (D-Baltimore City) are among the lawmakers who sponsored House Bill 39 or the Carlton R. Smith Act, which is named after the long-time activist known as the “mayor” of Baltimore’s Mount Vernon neighborhood who died in May 2024.
Smith was a member of the Coalition to Decriminalize HIV in Maryland that advocated for the bill. FreeState Justice, a statewide LGBTQ rights group, was also part of the coalition.
“At FreeState Justice, we are proud to stand with advocates, health experts, and lawmakers who worked diligently to advance this bill. The bipartisan support for the Carlton R. Smith Act is a testament to the power of education, research, and courageous leadership,” said FreeState Justice Executive Director Phillip Westry in a statement. “It sends a clear message: Maryland is committed to evidence-based policymaking and to ending the criminalization of people living with HIV. We honor the memory of Carlton R. Smith by continuing the work of building a more just, inclusive, and informed society.”
Maryland is the fifth state to decriminalize HIV.
North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong, a Republican, in March signed a bill that decriminalized HIV in his state.
Delaware
Delaware considers enshrining same-sex marriage into state Constitution
Senate Executive Committee will hear testimony on Wednesday
Delaware is considering amending its state Constitution to codify same-sex marriage. The bill, SB 100, will be heard in committee on Wednesday.
SB 100 was introduced in April 2025 by Democratic Sen. Russ Huxtable of the sixth district of Delaware and is the first leg of an amendment to the Delaware Constitution. The act would “establish the right to marry as a fundamental right and that Delaware and its political subdivisions shall recognize marriages and issue marriage licenses to couples regardless of gender.”
“[SB 100] really came from the community that I represent and so that was the inspiration behind it, addressing concerns that my constituents have,” Huxtable told the Washington Blade.
CAMP Rehoboth, an LGBTQ community center and advocacy organization based in Rehoboth Beach, sent a letter to members of the Senate Executive Committee in support of SB 100.
“We applaud this proactive approach because it ensures that even if federal protections are weakened, same-sex couples in Delaware will retain their rights under Delaware law,” the letter reads. “We believe that doing so NOW is crucial for several reasons, particularly in the context of evolving legal landscapes and the erosion of civil rights long recognized in Federal law.”
CAMP Rehoboth Board President Leslie Ledogar is scheduled to testify at the Wednesday hearing on behalf of CAMP Rehoboth. She hopes to convey how personal this bill is for the organization.
Ledogar said CAMP Rehoboth has an almost 35-year history of advocating on behalf of LGBTQ people in the state of Delaware. Past Board President Chris Beagle and his husband were among the first couples to be married in Sussex County after same-sex marriage was legalized in the state in 2013, with CAMP Rehoboth hosting the ceremony.
The letter cited concerns with the possibility of Obergefell v. Hodges being overturned in the future, the landmark 2015 Supreme Court case that guaranteed the right to marry for same-sex couples.
“We really feel that this is a proactive and protective measure that ensures long-term security for LGBTQ+ couples,” Ledogar said. “While we do have that [protection] now, it could be just that temporary and just that fleeting, and everything we’ve worked for and built could fall apart, not by our own initiative but because of the stroke of a pen.”
The letter details the positive impact that the bill would have on Delaware’s LGBTQ community, such as affirming equality and human dignity, preventing legal backsliding and creating legal certainty and reflecting public support.
“[SB 100] would align the law with the values of a majority of Delawareans, ensuring that legal frameworks reflect contemporary societal norms and standards,” Ledogar said.
In 2024, the Public Religion Research Institution found that 61% of Delawareans favor allowing same-sex couples to marry.
Some critics of the bill cite religious concerns, though SB 100 explicitly protects clergy refusal, saying that “the right to marry regardless of gender does not infringe upon the right to freedom of religion because religious organizations and members of the clergy have the right to refuse to solemnize a marriage.”
The bill requires a vote of two-thirds of the members elected to each house of the General Assembly to pass. If passed, the next General Assembly after the next general election also has to pass it. Delaware is the only state in the country that can amend its state Constitution without a vote of the people. Constituents can register to watch the hearing virtually here.
Other states such as California, Colorado, and Hawaii have introduced and passed similar bills to protect the right of all people of all genders to marry under state law.
Huxtable said he hopes Delaware can send a message to other states that they can do the same thing and “don’t need to feel the threat from extremists.”
“I think it’s showing that the General Assembly in Delaware in particular are advocating for good policy celebrating the individual … We’re governing by our values and not our fears.”
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