Local

Del. lawmakers prep civil unions bill

Published

14 years ago

February 21, 2011

REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. — More than 150 people gathered in this beach town on a windy Saturday to hear about the effort to introduce a civil unions bill in the Delaware Legislature.

Equality Delaware, chaired by Wilmington attorney Lisa Goodman, is behind the effort and has already drafted the bill and found sponsors to introduce it. Steve Elkins, executive director of CAMP Rehoboth, the area’s LGBT community center, welcomed attendees and then turned the meeting over to Equality Delaware.

Goodman, along with others from Equality Delaware, answered questions and listened to comments from those in attendance. It was announced that the sponsors of the bill will be state Rep. Melanie George (D-Bear) and state Sen. David Sokola (D-Newark).

Lawmakers plan to introduce the measure next month. It is anticipated that if the bill passes that civil unions in Delaware would be available only to gay and lesbian couples. Full marriage rights would remain limited to opposite-sex couples.

Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf, the House Majority Leader, whose district includes Rehoboth Beach, attended the meeting. Schwartzkopf is a longtime supporter of the LGBT community and has played a key role in moving LGBT legislation in the past. He said he believes that this legislation can pass the Senate and that if it does it will sail through the House. He urged the audience to contact their lawmakers and to get their friends and allies to do so as well.

The bill will address the Delaware Defense of Marriage Act law and, in essence, repeal the current criminal penalties under Delaware law that prohibit Delawareans from marrying a same-sex spouse in another jurisdiction and would recognize such marriages as civil unions in Delaware. Current law in Delaware provides for a $100 fine and up to 30 days imprisonment for holding oneself out as a married same-sex couple.

Rehoboth Beach is in Sussex County — the only county that voted for Christine O’Donnell for Senate in the last election. It was reported at the meeting that O’Donnell has come out in support of civil unions, but that could not be immediately confirmed.

In response to a question, organizers said Equality Delaware made the decision to move forward with civil unions rather than marriage equality at this time because they strongly believe that the bill can pass the legislature.

Under the bill, couples in a civil union would be accorded all the rights of marriage in Delaware unless prohibited by federal law. Civil unions would be performed and resolved in the same manner as marriages. Religious institutions and members of the clergy would not be required to perform civil unions. However, Clerks of the Peace (state officials who perform civil marriage ceremonies) would be required to perform civil union ceremonies if asked. Organizers estimated that about 700 couples in Delaware would quickly take advantage of a civil union option if passed.

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Photos

PHOTOS: WorldPride Street Festival and Closing Concert

Doechii, Khalid among performers

Published

6 hours ago

June 11, 2025

Michael Key

Doechii performs at the WorldPride Closing Concert on Sunday, June 8. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

WorldPride 2025 concluded with the WorldPride Street Festival and Closing Concert held along Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. on Sunday, June 8. Performers on the main stage included Doechii, Khalid, Courtney Act, Parker Matthews, 2AM Ricky, Suzie Toot, MkX and Brooke Eden.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

Baltimore

Baltimore Trans Pride to take place Saturday

Baltimore Safe Haven hosts annual event

Published

8 hours ago

June 11, 2025

Daniela White

Baltimore Trans Pride in 2022. Baltimore Safe Haven's annual event will take place on Saturday. (Washington Blade photo by Linus Berggren)

Celebrating the transgender community, Baltimore Safe Haven, an organization committed to empowering LGBTQ individuals in Baltimore City, plans to host their fourth annual Baltimore Trans Pride on Saturday.

Instead of the usual parade and march, this year’s Trans Pride will be a block party on Charles Street and between 21st and 22nd Streets. The event will start at 1 p.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and last until 10 p.m.

Community members can go on guided tours, enjoy refreshments by local vendors, listen to presenters, and watch performances by special guests.

Sukihana, the event’s headliner, plans to take to the stage to entertain the crowd, along with a variety of local performers, according to Melissa Deveraux, Baltimore Safe Haven’s executive assistant to Executive Director Iya Dammons.

“Some (are) prominently known, some (are) just making a name for themselves,” Deveraux said. Iya is always making sure that community talent is showcased at all of our functions.”

In company with Pride on Saturday, Baltimore Safe Haven will be opening its new building on Friday from 1-4 p.m.

“That is sort of going to be the prelude to pride,” Lau said. “Thanks to Sen. Mary Washington and the Weinberg Foundation, we were able to purchase the building outright, and it’s going to be a community hub of administrative buildings and 12-bedroom apartments.”

Renee Lau, administrative assistant for special projects coordinator for Baltimore Safe Haven, said the planning process for Baltimore Trans Pride began in January, and putting it all together was a collaboration of multiple city agencies and organizations.

“Safe Haven is an LGBT community organization, but we service the entire community, and that’s the message we try to spread,” Lau said. “We’re not just here for the LGBT community. We’re here to spread goodwill and offer harm reduction and housing to the entire community.”

Lau said the organization’s biggest goal for the event is to gain exposure.

“(We want) to let and let people know who we are and what our community is about,” she said. “Right now, because of what’s happening in DC, there’s a lot of bad untruths going on, and the total thing is bringing out the truth.”

Deveraux said having a place of inclusivity, acceptance, and togetherness is important in today’s political climate and the current administration.

“This event will have people seeing the strength and resilience of the transgender community, showing that no matter what we are going through, we still show up,” Deveraux said. “We are here, we will not be erased.”