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Congregation shows support for Long

Atlanta pastor sued by 4 men who claim they were forced into sex

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ATLANTA ā€” The mood at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church Sunday morning was one of cheer and elation as thousands of parishioners gathered to show their devoted support to their bishop, Eddie Long.

Long, embroiled in scandal after four young men filed lawsuits against him last week alleging he used his power as their spiritual leader to coerce them into sexual relationships, told the some 8,000 gathered for the 8 a.m. service that he was like David fighting Goliath.

“I feel like David against Goliath, but I got five rocks and I havenā€™t thrown one yet,ā€ he said after a brief sermon and then walked off the dais. Congregants cheered and stood and applauded Long.

A press conference was held after the service at about 10 a.m. It was believed Long would take questions at the press conference, but his attorney said before Long addressed reporters no questions would be allowed.

“As advice from counsel Iā€™m not going to address the allegations and the attacks,ā€ he said. He said he didnā€™t want his case tried in the court of public opinion but rather in the court of justice.

“I will say I will fight, fight very vigorously these charges. Iā€™ve been at this church 23 years and this is the first time Iā€™m realizing how important we are to get this much attention.ā€

He then said he and the church would continue its missionary work in countries such as Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa.

He said heā€™s always worked with youth as well and will continue to do so and his church will continue to do what it has been doing.

Long was flanked by his wife and other supporters, including a young man wearing a T-shirt that read, ā€œI Support Bishop Long.ā€

When he finished speaking, several reporters shouted questions, including, ā€œAre you innocent?ā€ but Long ignored them and he and his entourage just walked off the stage.

People began arriving at the church before 6 a.m. and stood outside the front doors of the church waiting to enter at about 7 a.m. A small prayer circle of about 10 people formed to pray for Long. One woman in the circle said they should pray for Long, his family, his grandchildren and even those who have brought the allegations against him.

Numerous ushers wearing white gloves and black suits with the New Birth emblem guided people to seats once the doors were opened. For more than an hour, more than 100 of mostly men gathered in a group at the front of the church praying and applauding loudly.

When Long finally came out at 9 a.m. with his wife, he was greeted by a thunderous standing ovation of thousands.

He took in the applause for several minutes and when he finally spoke he tried to make light of the situation by greeting members as well as the ā€œrestā€ of the people who were in attendance. And because the service was televised, he also said he wanted to ā€œgreet the world.ā€

Long said his first responsibility was to his family during the most difficult time in his life. His next responsibility was to his other family of New Birth.

ā€œYou donā€™t have to tell us anything,ā€ one person shouted, bringing a grin to Longā€™s face.

After the service, several church members refused interviews with the media.

One young man, Joshua Buggs, 25, was filling up his car with gas at the Citgo down the street from the megachurch.

He said heā€™s attended New Birth on and off since he was 17 but specifically avoided attending todayā€™s services because of the crowd.

ā€œThis is not a regular Sunday at New Birth, this is more so like a New Year Sunday,ā€ he said as traffic trickled past the gas station.

He said he does not believe the allegations against his bishop because one of the accusers, Maurice Robinson, was arrested in June for robbing Longā€™s office and charged with stealing the pastorā€™s iPad and jewelry and other items.

PHOTO: Eddie Long

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State Department

Protesters demand US fully restore PEPFAR funding

Activists blocked intersection outside State Department on Thursday

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HIV/AIDS activists block an intersection outside the State Department on Feb. 6, 2025. They were demanding the Trump-Vance administration to fully restore PEPFAR funding. (Photo courtesy of Housing Works)

Dozens of HIV/AIDS activists on Thursday protested outside the State Department and demanded U.S. officials fully restore President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief funding.

The activists ā€” members of Housing Works, Health GAP, and the Treatment Action Group ā€” blocked an intersection for an hour. Health GAP Executive Director Asia Russell told the Washington Blade that police did not make any arrests.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Jan. 24 directed State Department personnel to stop nearly all U.S. foreign aid spending for 90 days in response to an executive order that President Donald Trump signed after his inauguration. Rubio later issued a waiver that allows PEPFAR and other ā€œlife-saving humanitarian assistanceā€ programs to continue to operate during the freeze.

The Blade on Wednesday reported PEPFAR-funded programs in Kenya and other African countries have been forced to suspend services and even shut down because of a lack of U.S. funding.

ā€œPEPFAR is a program that has saved 26 million lives and changed the trajectory of the global HIV/AIDS epidemic,” said Housing Works CEO Charles King in a press release. “The recent freeze on its funding is not just a bureaucratic decision; it is a death sentence for millions who rely on these life-saving treatments. We cannot allow decades of progress to be undone. The U.S. must immediately reaffirm its commitment to global health and human dignity by restoring PEPFAR funding.” 

ā€œWe demand Secretary Rubio immediately reverse his deadly, illegal stop-work order, which has already disrupted life-saving HIV services worldwide,” added Russell. “Any waiver process is too little, too late.”

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The White House

Trump bars trans women and girls from sports

The administration reversed course on the Biden-Harris policy on Title IX

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President Donald Trump (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued another executive order taking aim at the transgender community, this time focusing on eligibility for sports participation.

In a signing ceremony for ā€œKeeping Men Out of Womenā€™s Sports” in the East Room of the White House, the president proclaimed “With this executive order, the war on womenā€™s sports is over.”

Despite the insistence by Trump and Republicans that trans women and girls have a biological advantage in sports over cisgender women and girls, the research has been inconclusive, at best.

A study in the peer reviewed Sports Medicine journal found ā€œno direct or consistent researchā€ pointing to this conclusion. A different review in 2023 found that post-pubertal differences are ā€œreduced, if not erased, over time by gender affirming hormone therapy.ā€

Other critics of efforts to exclude trans student athletes have pointed to the small number of people who are impacted. Charlie Baker, president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, testified last year that fewer than 10 of the NCAA’s 522,000+ student athletes identify as trans.

The Trump-Vance administration has reversed course from the Biden-Harris administration’s policy on Title IX rules barring sex-based discrimination.

ā€œIf youā€™re going to have womenā€™s sports, if youā€™re going to provide opportunities for women, then they have to be equally safe, equally fair, and equally private opportunities, and so that means that youā€™re going to preserve womenā€™s sports for women,” a White House official said prior to the issuance of the order.

Former President Joe Biden’s Title IX rules, which went into effect last year, clarified that pursuant to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County (2020), sex-based discrimination includes that which is based on the victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

The White House official indicated that the administration will consider additional guidance, regulations, and interpretations of Title IX, as well as exploring options to handle noncompliance by threatening federal funding for schools and education programs.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Trump ā€œdoes expect the Olympic Committee and the NCAA to no longer allow men to compete in womenā€™s sports.ā€

One of the first legislative moves by the new Congress last month was House Republicans’ passage of the “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act,” which would ban trans women and girls from participating in competitive athletics.

The bill is now before the U.S. Senate, where Republicans have a three-seat majority but would need 60 votes to overcome the filibuster.

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California

Los Angeles Blade names new publisher

Alexander Rodriguez brings deep media, business experience to outlet

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Alexander Rodriguez (Photo courtesy of Alexander Rodriguez)

The Los Angeles Blade, Southern Californiaā€™s leading LGBTQ news outlet, today announced the appointment of a new publisher, Alexander Rodriguez. 

Rodriguez has a long background in queer media, business development, and a deep commitment to the Los Angeles community. He has worked as a lead writer and podcast host for Metrosource Magazine and for GED Magazine; content director for FleshBot Gay; and as host and producer for the ā€œOn the Rocksā€ podcast. On the business side, Rodriguez spent years working in business development in the banking industry throughout Los Angeles. He also has an extensive background in event planning and management and has served on the boards of many LGBTQ non-profits. As a TV and radio personality, he has served as emcee for LGBTQ events around the nation. 

ā€œIā€™m excited to bring my diverse media and business experience to the Los Angeles Blade,ā€ Rodriguez said. ā€œWe will continue the Bladeā€™s mission of serving as our communityā€™s news outlet of record during these challenging times and work toward building bridges within our community and beyond.ā€

 Rodriguez starts in his new role on Monday, Feb. 3.

ā€œWe are thrilled to welcome Alexander to the Blade team,ā€ said Kevin Naff, one of the owners of the Los Angeles Blade. ā€œHis multimedia and business side experience will help us grow the Blade in L.A. and continue our commitment to best-in-class journalism serving the LGBTQ community in Southern California.ā€

Rodriguez becomes the Los Angeles Bladeā€™s second publisher following the unexpected death of founding publisher Troy Masters in December. Masters served in the role for nearly eight years. The community will come together for a celebration of Mastersā€™s life on Monday, Feb. 10, 7-9 p.m. at the Abbey. 

ā€œTroyā€™s legacy is in good hands with Alexander at the helm alongside our new local news editor, Gisselle Palomera,ā€ Naff added.

The Los Angeles Blade, launched in 2017, celebrates its eighth anniversary in March. It is the sister publication of the Washington Blade, founded in 1969, which offers unmatched coverage of queer political news and is the only LGBTQ outlet in the White House press pool and the White House Correspondentsā€™ Association, and the only LGBTQ outlet with a dedicated seat in the White House briefing room.

Alexander Rodriguez can be reached at [email protected].

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