Local

Bin Laden’s death triggers celebrations

Thousands wave flags, cheer outside White House

Published

15 years ago

May 2, 2011

Chris Johnson

Locals celebrate bin Laden death at White House (Blade photo by Michael Key)

Local gays joined in the celebration before the White House late Sunday after news broke that the U.S. military had killed long-pursued terrorist leader Osama bin Laden and taken his body into custody.

On Sunday, President Obama announced that after a firefight in Abbottabad, Pakistan, U.S. forces had killed bin Laden, founder of the international terrorist group al-Qaeda, which was responsible for the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and other terrorist attacks on the United States and allies.

“For over two decades, bin Laden has been al Qaeda’s leader and symbol, and has continued to plot attacks against our country and our friends and allies,” Obama said. “The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation’s effort to defeat al Qaeda.”

Even before Obama’s announcement concluded, an estimated 2,500 people started gathering before the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue — many waiving American flags and draping them over the shoulders as others chanted “U-S-A! U-S-A!” — to commemorate the U.S. victory in the war on terrorism.

Greg Taylor, 25 and a gay D.C. resident, said he came to the White House because was “super excited” to learn bin Laden was killed after U.S. officials had been searching for him for more than 10 years.

“We wanted to celebrate with our fellow Americans and show our patriotism,” Taylor said. “We were really pumped. We were kind of getting tired and ready to go to bed, but then we got so excited, and now we’re awake and we just want to sing the National Anthem.”

David Grant, 23 and a gay D.C. resident, said the death of bin Laden at the hands of U.S. forces inspired a sense of unity that has been lacking for some time.

“We can finally unite around something after having been opposed to each other these few years,” Grant said. “I wanted to celebrate with our president. It feels great because I feel we’ve been united for the first time in a very long time.”

Smoke filled the night air as some people who attended the celebration waived sparklers. One person who took part held up a sign reading, “Osama bin Later: Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue.”

Other participants climbed into the trees before the White House and in Lafayette Park where they shouted cheers and waived flags. A shirtless male participant climbed onto a streetlight before the White House and performed a set of chin-ups as the crowd cheered.

Alex Nicholson, executive director of Servicemembers United, said he wanted to join the celebration to express the sense of great joy that he felt now that a major chapter in the war on terrorism had concluded.

“I think there’s a lot of symbolic significance in this for a lot of people, and so there’s a lot of relief and jubilation that I personally felt and I think a lot of people were sharing,” Nicholson said.

Upon arrival at the gathering, Nicholson distributed an armful of the American flags that Servicemembers United had deposited in November 2007 along the National Mall to honor the then-12,000 service members who had been discharged under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

“We just started passing them out to complete strangers out there who were celebrating and grabbing anything with American flag colors or stars and stripes that they could find,” Nicholson said. “We literally saw tons of them on TV being waived in front of the White House.”

Nicholson said he doesn’t think the feelings of gay service members following the death of bin Laden differ much from those of straight service members because both had been working for the terrorist leader’s demise.

“Everybody’s shedding their identifying characteristics — like being gay — and just showing solidarity with some common American identity,” Nicholson said.

Political observers are already predicting that bin Laden’s death will bolster the Obama’s chances for re-election in 2012 — and perhaps cement his chances for electoral victory.

Lane Hudson, a gay D.C. Democratic activist, said Obama’s victory will likely enable him to win re-election as well as pursue other items on his agenda.

“Attaining the elusive goal of killing bin Laden changes the game and empowers the president in an entirely new way,” Hudson said. “He is almost assured of re-election and now we will find out how he will use his newfound political capital.”

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Rehoboth Beach

BLUF leather social set for April 10 in Rehoboth

Attendees encouraged to wear appropriate gear

Published

22 hours ago

April 10, 2026

Tinashe Chingarande

Diego’s in Rehoboth Beach will host a BLUF leather social on Friday, April 10 at 5 p.m. (Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Diego’s in Rehoboth Beach hosts a monthly leather happy hour. April’s edition is scheduled for Friday, April 10, 5-7 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to wear appropriate gear. The event is billed as an official event of BLUF, the free community group for men interested in leather. After happy hour, the attendees are encouraged to reconvene at Local Bootlegging Company for dinner, which allows cigar smoking. There’s no cover charge for either event.

District of Columbia

Celebrations of life planned for Sean Bartel

Two memorial events scheduled in D.C.

Published

22 hours ago

April 10, 2026

Tinashe Chingarande

(Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Two celebrations of life are planned for Sean Christopher Bartel, 48, who was found deceased on a hiking trail in Argentina on or around March 15. Bartel began his career as a television news reporter and news anchor at stations in Louisville, Ky., and Evansville, Ind., before serving as Senior Video Producer for the D.C.-based International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union from 2013 to 2024.

A memorial gathering is planned for Friday, April 10, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the IBEW International Office (900 7th St., N.W.), according to a statement by the DC Gay Flag Football League, where Bartel was a longtime member. A celebration of life is planned that same evening, 6-8 p.m. at Trade (1410 14th St., N.W.).

District of Columbia

D.C. Council member honored by LGBTQ homeless youth group

Doni Crawford receives inaugural Wanda Alston Legacy Award

Published

3 days ago

April 8, 2026

Lou Chibbaro Jr.

Wanda Alston Foundation Director Cesar Toledo presents the Wanda Alston Legacy Award to DC Councilmember Doni Crawford at an April 7 award event at Crush Bar. (Washington Blade photo by Lou Chibbaro, Jr.)

About 100 people turned out Tuesday evening, April 7, for a presentation by D.C.’s Wanda Alston Foundation of its inaugural Wanda Alston Legacy Award to D.C. Council member Doni Crawford (I-At-Large) for her support for the foundation’s mission to support homeless LGBTQ youth.

Among those who attended the event was Japer Bowles, director of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, who delivered an official proclamation issued by Bowser declaring April 7, 2026 “A Day of Remembrance for Wanda Alston.”

Alston, a beloved women’s and LGBTQ rights activist, served as the city’s first director of the then newly created Office of LGBTQ Affairs under then-Mayor Anthony Williams from 2004 until her death by murder on March 16, 2005.

To the shock and dismay of fellow LGBTQ rights advocates, police and court records reported Alston, 45, was stabbed to death inside her Northeast D.C. house by a man high on crack cocaine who lived nearby and who stole her credit cards and car. The perpetrator, William Martin Parrott, 38, was arrested by D.C. police the next day and later pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. He was sentenced in July 2005 to 24 years in prison.

Crawford was among those attending the award event who reflected on Alston’s legacy and outspoken advocacy for LGBTQ and feminist causes.

“I am deeply humbled and honored to receive this inaugural award,” Crawford told the Washington Blade at the conclusion of the event. “I think the world of Wanda Alston. She has set such a great foundation for me and other Council members to build on,” she said.

“Her focus on inclusivity and intersectionality is really important as we approach this work,” Crawford added. “And it’s going to guide my work at the Council every day.”

Crawford was appointed to the D.C. Council in January of this year to replace then Council member Kenyan McDuffie (I-At-Large), who resigned to run for D.C. mayor as a Democrat. She is being challenged by four other independent candidates in a June 16 special election for the Council seat.

Under the city’s Home Rule Charter written and approved by Congress, the seat is one of two D.C. Council at-large seats that cannot be held by a “majority party” candidate, meaning a Democrat.

A statement released by the Alston Foundation last month announcing Crawford’s selection for the Wanda Alston Legacy Award praised Crawford’s record of support for its work on behalf of LGBTQ youth.

“From behind the scenes to now serving as an At-Large Council member, she has fought fearlessly for affordable housing, LGBTQ+ funding priorities, and racial justice,” the statement says. “Council member Crawford’s leadership reflects the same courage and conviction that defined Wanda’s legacy.”

Organizers of the event noted that it was held on what would have been Wanda Alston’s 67th birthday.

“Today’s legacy reception was a smashing success,” said Cesar Toledo, the Alston Foundation’s executive director. “Not only did we come together to celebrate Wanda Alston on her birthday, but we also were able to raise over $10,000 for our homeless LGBTQ youth here in D.C.,” Toledo told the Blade.

“In addition to that, we celebrated and we acknowledged a rising star in our community,” he said. “And that is At-Large Council member Doni Crawford, who we named the inaugural Wanda Alston Legacy Award recipient.”

At the request of D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson (D-At-Large) the Council voted unanimously on Jan. 20, 2026, to appoint Crawford to the Council seat being vacated by McDuffie.

Council records show she joined McDuffie’s Council staff in 2022 as a policy adviser and later became his legislative director before McDuffie appointed her as staff director for the Council’s Committee on Business and Economic Development for which McDuffie served as chair.