Local
Trans bill hits snag in Md. Senate
Surprise move could mean end of the line this year
Less than a week after being approved in the Maryland House of Delegates by a vote of 86-52, a transgender non-discrimination bill is facing an unexpected roadblock in the State Senate.
In a development that has baffled many supporters of the bill, Senate President Thomas Mike Miller (D-Prince George’s and Calvert Counties) bypassed normal procedures by sending the bill to the Senate Rules Committee, which is known as a “graveyard” for controversial legislation.
“This is not a good sign,” said transgender activist Dana Beyer, who is closely following the bill.
The Gender Identity Non-Discrimination Act calls for banning discrimination against transgender Marylanders in areas of employment, housing, and credit.
Its approval in the House of Delegates by such a large margin gave advocates hope that the legislation would clear the Senate before April 11, when the Maryland Legislature adjourns for the year.
Beyer and officials with Equality Maryland, the statewide LGBT group leading the lobbying effort for the bill, have said they believe they have the votes to pass the bill if it reaches the Senate floor.
But they have long expressed concern over getting the bill out of committee. The gender identity measure has died in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee for the past four years. This year, following its strong showing in the House, supporters and others familiar with the Senate were hopeful that the Judicial Proceedings Committee would approve the measure.
Miller’s decision to send the bill to the Rules Committee rather than directly to Judicial Proceedings is being viewed as an ominous sign that Miller or Judicial Proceedings Committee Chair Sen. Brian Frosh (D-Montgomery County) are seeking to kill the bill this year by preventing it from reaching the Senate floor.
Neither Miller nor a spokesperson for his office returned a call seeking comment as of late Tuesday.
Frosh denied reports by some Annapolis insiders that he asked Miller to divert the bill from his committee because he didn’t want to deal with it.
“I don’t make bill assignments, so it’s not me,” he told the Blade. “The president makes those determinations, and it’s not up to a committee chairman. When he sends me the bill, I’ve got it. But until he does, I don’t.”
Should it reach his committee, Frosh said he isn’t certain whether the bill has enough votes to clear the panel.
“I have four new members on the committee, none of whom has ever heard the issue before,” he said. “I have no idea where they are on the bill.”
In yet another development likely to trouble the bill’s supporters, Frosh said his office was “inundated” on Monday by calls from transgender activists opposed to the bill because it has been stripped of a provision banning discrimination against transgender persons in the area of public accommodations.
The bill’s lead sponsor in the House of Delegates, Del. Joseline Pena-Melnyk (D-Prince George’s and Calvert Counties), said she reluctantly removed the public accommodations provision as the only way to ensure approval of the bill this year in the House.
“They are livid that that was taken out and oppose the bill,” Frosh said of Trans Maryland members. “So there’s a division within the transgender community apparently about whether or not it’s a good idea. I have no idea how that will affect the four people who have never heard the bill, let alone the other folks on the committee.”
Most transgender activists, including officials with the National Center for Transgender Equality and the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force’s transgender rights project, are supporting the bill with the objective of adding the public accommodations provision next year.
Frosh, who also serves as vice chair of the Rules Committee, said the chair of that panel, Sen. Katherine Klausmeier (D-Baltimore County), along with Senate President Miller, who is a member of the committee, would make the decision on whether to quickly send the bill to Judicial Proceedings.
With less than two weeks before the legislature’s adjournment for the year, the Rules Committee would have to debate and vote on whether to release the bill to the Judicial Proceedings Committee this week in order to allow time for Judicial Proceedings to hold a hearing on the bill before voting to send it to the Senate floor.
Seven members of the 11-member Rules Committee voted against the same-sex marriage bill that the Senate passed in February. Committee Chair Klausmeier and Frosh voted for the marriage measure, but four other Democrats on the committee voted against it, including Miller.
Although the marriage bill may not be a precise predictor of how senators will vote on the transgender bill, some Annapolis observers say at least some of the conservative Democrats in the Senate who oppose marriage equality might also be opposed to a transgender bill.
“This is another hurdle to advancing job and housing protections in Maryland this year,” said Equality Maryland’s executive director, Morgan Meneses-Sheets, in commenting on Miller’s decision to send the transgender bill to the Rules Committee.
“We are already working with allies to keep this important bill moving,” she said. “It is challenging, but this bill literally would save lives and is worth fight for.”
In a statement, Equality Maryland said it will “keep working until the final hours of the session” to secure passage of the Gender Identity Non-Discrimination Act.
Although the bill has died in Frosh’s Judicial Proceedings committee for the past four years, he told the Blade Tuesday he would vote for it if it reaches his committee. He said he’s being unfairly blamed for derailing the bill.
“I’ve gotten calls saying I’m responsible for killing it, I’m responsible for sending it to Rules,” he said. “I’ve gotten calls saying make sure the bill dies and you got to do something to make sure it passes. I wish I had as much power as people ascribe to me.”
District of Columbia
Hundreds of thousands expected to attend D.C. Pride events
Parade to take place on June 20
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend Pride events in D.C. this month.
The Capital Pride Alliance is marking its 51st year with a full slate of events, including a parade, festival, concert, parties, and community events across the city. This year’s theme is “EXIST. RESIST. Have the Audacity!”
“Our audacity is our collective strength. Against the forces that try to diminish us, we must remain bold, courageous, visible and heard, in a world that questions our humanity and challenges our rights. Together, let’s have the audacity to live, thrive, be joyful, and proud!” Capital Pride Alliance said in a statement.
Capital Pride’s signature weekend events will center on the June 20 parade and June 21 festival and concert.
The parade and concert will not take place on the second weekend of June, as they have in the past, to avoid conflicts with America’s 250th anniversary celebration.
The parade route is expected to begin at 14th and T Streets, N.W., and end at Pennsylvania Avenue and 9th Street, N.W. Free viewing areas will be available, though reservations are required for seating at designated locations across the route.
Leading up to the parade, a family event will be hosted from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Stead Park in Dupont Circle. Activities will include crafts, glitter tattoos, hair tinsel, photo ops, and an inflatable obstacle course. The event is free, but a prior reservation is required.
Crack of Noon Parade Brunch, a 21+ event featuring an all-you-can-eat buffet, will also take place earlier on June 20 at the Viceroy Washington at 1430 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.
The 17th Street Block Party, presented by Absolut, will also take place from noon to 10 p.m. on 17th Street in Dupont Circle. It will feature local food, an adult beverage garden, and other events.
On June 21, the Capital Pride Festival will run from noon to 10 p.m. on Pennsylvania Avenue The festival includes the Capital Pride Concert at Capitol Stage. The lineup of artists for the festival concert includes Maren Morris, queer rapper Leikeli47, Lisa Lisa, “Heated Rivalry” DJ Harrison, Tracy Young, and Myki Meeks.
“In a moment when LGBTQ+ people are being challenged across the country, the Capital Pride Concert is a space where our community is fully seen and heard,” said Capital Pride Alliance President Ryan Bos in a news release regarding the concert lineup.
Tickets to the concert are free, with exclusive pit and VIP experiences available for purchase.
The night will end with a “Capitol” Sunset Dance Party from 8-10 p.m., directly following the concert. It is available to all ages.
Other stages for concerts include the Monument and Dupont Dance Stage, with the artist lineup yet to be announced.
Three main parties will be available leading up to and during the parade: Riot!: The Official Pride Opening Party on June 19, featuring Bob the Drag Queen with a DJ set and headliner Myki Meeks. ELIX-Her on June 20 is a women-centered event at Decades and is 21+. On the same night, KINETIC: Toyland will feature headliner Alaska, “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 2” winner.
Before the parade and festival weekend, community events, and celebrations will take place throughout the city.
The Washington Blade will host Pride on the Pier on June 13 from 4-9 p.m. at The Wharf. The free event will feature Pride365 Radio, a drag show with Venetian, DJ Chord, and dancing.
Capital Pride will have Night of Expression on June 10 at 7 p.m. at Busboys and Pearls. The event will feature an open mic and other performances.
Capital Pride Honors
Beyond its public celebrations, the Capital Pride Alliance will also recognize community leaders through its annual Capital Pride Honors program. This year’s honorees were selected based on how their work reflected the 2026 theme of Pride.
The winners were awarded at the Audacity Brunch: In Full Fuchsia, which is part of a fundraiser with Pride365, on Sunday.
Honorees included D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, who received the Paving the Way Award; D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, who received the Key to Capital Pride Award; and the Heroes Award recipients Benjamin Coy, Charity Blackwell, Darryl Hamilton, Thea Kano, Kendall Martinez-Wright, and Lee Levingston Perine.
Dylan Drobish and Tyler Hack received the SaVanna Wanzer Visibility Award, while Patrick Magee and Judy Schloss were honored with the Bill Miles Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service.
Darrell Wood and Tyler Cargill received the Breaking Barriers: Community Impact Award, and Dai Nguyen received the Bernie Delia Award.
Maryland
‘Girlfriends’ wanted for murder in Silver Spring, Md.
Montgomery County police say two charged with killing mother of one of them
The Montgomery County, Md., Department of Police announced on June 4 that it is seeking the public’s help in locating two women, who they identify as a couple, who are charged with first-degree murder for allegedly killing the mother of one of them.
In a statement police identified the two women as Vanessa Tjongarero-Henderson of Clarksburg, Md., and her girlfriend Samantha Raebel of Phoenix, Ariz. The statement says the two are charged with the murder of Hilde Henderson, 67, the mother of Vanessa.
According to the statement, officers with the department’s 3rd District found Hilde Henderson deceased on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at her home at the Charter House apartments in the 1300 block of Fenwick Lane in Silver Spring after being called to check on the resident’s welfare.
“Henderson was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, where an autopsy was conducted,” the statement says. “The cause of death was ruled a homicide.”
It adds, “Through the course of the investigation, detectives identified Henderson’s daughter, Vanessa Tjongarero-Henderson and Vanessa’s girlfriend, Raeble, as the suspects.” It says detectives obtained an arrest warrant against the two women, charging both with first-degree murder.
“Anyone with information regarding the location of these suspects or this crime is asked to call 911 or to visit the Crime Solvers of Montgomery County, Md. website at crimesolversmcmd.org,” the statement says, or to call the tip line at 1-866-411-8477.
“Tips with information leading to an arrest may be eligible for a reward from $250 up to $10,000,” it says, adding that tips may remain anonymous.
A spokesperson for Montgomery County police didn’t immediately respond to a request from the Washington Blade for information not disclosed in the police statement, including the physical-medical cause of death for Hilde Henderson and whether detectives have determined a motive for the murder.
District of Columbia
D.C. Latinx Pride celebrates culture and heritage
Your guide to events throughout June
Organizers with the Latinx History Project have planned a host of events this Pride season with parties, poetry, drag and more.
The festivities begin with the DC Latinx Pride 2026 Kickoff at Crush Dance Bar (2007 14th Street, N.W.) on Friday, June 12 from 6-10 p.m. The party will include a coronation ceremony for the 2026 Royal Court: Ms. DC Latinx Pride Vida Rangel and Mx. DC Latinx Pride Steph Niaupari. RSVP at latinxhistoryproject.org. The event is free, though donations are accepted.
An outdoor event is planned for Sunday, June 14 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at Anacostia River Park (1500 Anacostia Dr., S.E.). Cultivating Queer Outdoor Joy is a “peaceful outdoor community event focused on grounding, connection, and queer joy in nature.” The event is free.
A panel discussion is planned for The Festival Center (1640 Columbia Rd., N.W., 2nd floor) on Monday, June 15 from 6-8 p.m. La Plática: The Future of 2 Spirits and Trans Natives will focus upon the “stories, leadership and vision of Two-Spirit, Indigiqueer and Trans Native people.” RSVP to the free event at latinxhistoryproject.org.
A sex-positive poetry workshop, “Hoetry: Writing Erotic Poetry,” is planned for Wednesday, June 17 from 6-8 p.m. at The Festival Center (1640 Columbia Road, N.W.). The event is free.
The workshop So You Wanna Do Drag? is planned for Thursday, June 18 from 5:30-8 p.m. at The Festival Center (1640 Columbia Road, N.W.). Featured guests Ricky Rose and Mari Con Carne will hold a style showcase to discuss the basics of developing a drag persona. RSVP to the free event at latinxhistoryproject.org.
The Latinx History Project is collaborating with Rumba Queer DC to produce an official Latinx Pride Party: Sin Vergüenza. The event is at the multi-level venue, Transmission (1353 H Street, N.E.) on Thursday, June 18 from 7 p.m.-1 a.m. There are dance lessons, vendors and three different music experiences in the sprawling venue. There will also be a drag showcase from 10-11 p.m. The event is 21+ and tickets are available at shotgun.live/en/events/sin-verguenza. Tickets are $15 for entry into the party. Tickets to participate in the dance lesson are $29.98. Participants may choose between a bachata lesson or a salsa lesson from 7-8 p.m.
La Fiesta: Official DC Latinx Pride Party is planned for Friday, June 19 from 10 p.m. – 2 a.m. at Bunker (2001 14th Street, N.W.). Serena Morena from “Drag Race México” and “Drag Race UK vs The World” is slated to headline the 21+ event. Early tickets are available for $15 (plus $0.38 service fee) until June 16. The door cover charge without early tickets is $20. Attendees can also purchase a meet and greet experience with Serena Morena for $30. Tickets are available at latinxhistoryproject.org.
The Latinx History Project plans to march in the Capital Pride Parade on Saturday, June 20 and to have a table at the Capital Pride Festival on Sunday, June 21. Visit latinxhistoryproject.org to register to march alongside LGP in the parade or to staff the table at the festival.
The DC Latinx Pride 2026 Closing Event is scheduled for Friday, June 26 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Mexican Cultural Institute (2829 16th Street, N.W.). The free event is a panel discussion “centering the experiences of immigrants who have lived in Latin America and now call the United States home.”
Visit latinxhistoryproject.org for more information.
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