Local
Trans woman reports rape in D.C. shelter
19-year-old male resident of same group home arrested for assault
D.C. police on Nov. 26 arrested a 19-year-old male resident of a group home for abused and neglected youth for allegedly sexually assaulting a transgender woman of the same age who also lived in the home.
Records filed in D.C. Superior Court show that police charged James Cottom with first-degree sexual abuse against the transgender woman at the Saga Adventures group home at 2808 Pomeroy Rd., S.E.
A police arrest affidavit says the woman told police she was asleep in her bed in an upper floor bedroom when she was awakened by Cottom, who was “standing next to her bed looking at her and holding an orange condom wrapper and some lubricant.”
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The affidavit says the woman told him, “What are you doing in my room? Get out.” It says Cottom replied, “I want to fuck.”
According to the affidavit, the woman attempted to run out of the room but Cottom grabbed her, threw her onto the bed, and forced her to engage in receptive anal intercourse while she struggled to break free. It says Cottom, who wore a condom during the assault, fled the room after the woman managed to call another resident in the house for help on her phone.
The affidavit says the person whom the trans woman called for help called police a short time later. It says the woman “positively identified” Cottom as the person who assaulted her, and police arrested him on the scene.
Arnett Smith, administrator of the Saga Adventures house, confirmed that the incident occurred at the house. He said the D.C. Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA), which places children and youth at the house, transferred Cottom to another city-approved youth facility while he awaits trial.
The CFSA website says it serves as the city’s public child and youth welfare agency responsible for children and youth at risk of abuse and neglect in their homes. It says when the agency determines children and youth aren’t safe in their homes, it places them in foster care or facilities such as group homes.
D.C. transgender activist Earline Budd, an official with the local organization Transgender Health Empowerment, has expressed concern that transgender youth placed in city and private shelters and group homes have often encountered abuse and violence from other residents of the facilities.
Budd and other transgender activists have called on the city to take steps to protect transgender residents of shelters and group homes.
When asked if the group homes operated by Saga Adventures provide adequate security for LGBT residents, Smith said they do.
“You can rest assured that the people are safe there,” he said.
But when asked how his security arrangements enabled one resident of his group home to sexually assault another, he declined to comment, saying strict rules of confidentiality for the juvenile residents of the facility prevented him from discussing a specific case.
Rehoboth Beach
Rehoboth Summer Kickoff Party set for May 15 with Ashley Biden
The Washington Blade’s 19th annual Summer Kickoff Party is scheduled for Friday, May 15 in Rehoboth Beach, Del.
Ashley Biden, daughter of President Joe Biden, has joined the list of speakers, the Blade announced. She will accept an award on behalf of her brother Beau Biden for his LGBTQ advocacy work as Delaware attorney general. (Her appearance was rescheduled from last year.)
The event, to be held this year at Diego’s (37298 Rehoboth Ave. Ext.) from 5-7 p.m., is a fundraiser for the Blade Foundation’s Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which funds a summer position reporting on LGBTQ news in Delaware. This year’s recipient will be introduced at the event.
The event will also feature remarks from state Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall. New CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Dr. Robin Brennan and Blade editor Kevin Naff will also speak. The event is generously sponsored by Realtor Justin Noble, The Avenue Inn & Spa, and Diego’s.
A suggested donation of $25 is partially tax deductible and includes a drink ticket and light appetizers. Tickets are available in advance at bladefoundation.org/rehoboth or at the door.
District of Columbia
Curve magazine honors Washington Blade publisher
Lynne Brown named to 2026 Power List
Washington Blade Publisher Lynne Brown has been named to the 2026 Curve Power List celebrating LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary individuals in North America who are blazing trails in their chosen fields.
“From sports and entertainment icons to corporate leaders and lawmakers, these individuals are breaking barriers, challenging norms, and shaping the future,” Curve Foundation/Curve magazine said in announcing this year’s list, which includes ABC newscaster Robin Roberts, comedian/actress Hannah Einbinder, and singer/actress Renee Rapp, among others.
Brown has worked for the Washington Blade for nearly 40 years. She was named publisher in 2007 before becoming a co-owner in 2010.
“I am honored to be recognized by Curve magazine during Lesbian Visibility Week,” Brown said. “Receiving this Curve honor is twofold. I was an early subscriber to Curve. I enjoy the product and know its history. Its journalism, layout and humorous features have inspired me.
“As an owner/publisher, receiving recognition from a similar source acknowledges my work and efforts, with a sincerity I truly appreciate. Franco Stevens, the publisher of Curve, is a business person of duration, experience, and purpose. The fact that they are in the media business, and honoring me and my publication makes it a tiny bit sweeter.”
Nominations for the Curve Power List come from the community: peers, mentors, fans, and employers.
Curve explained the significance of the list in its announcement: “An annual, publicly nominated list of impactful LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary changemakers is crucial in current times to counter discrimination, legislative rollbacks, hostility, and the invisibility of queer women within mainstream and marginal spaces and endeavors. Such a list also fosters encouragement and solidarity, and elevates voices and achievements—from high-profile roles to under appreciated areas of life.”
Rehoboth Beach
Auction of Rehoboth’s Blue Moon canceled
Details on sale of iconic bar, restaurant not disclosed
The Blue Moon in Rehoboth Beach, Del., has been an iconic presence in the local LGBTQ community for four decades but its status remains murky after a sheriff’s auction of the property was abruptly called off on Tuesday.
The property was listed for sale in December. At that time, owner Tim Ragan told the Blade that he is committed to preserving its legacy as a gay-friendly space.
“We had no idea the interest this would create,” Ragan said in December. “I guess I was a little naive about that.”
Ragan explained that he and longtime partner Randy Haney were separating the real estate from the business. The two buildings associated with the sale were listed by Carrie Lingo at 35 Baltimore Ave., and include an apartment, the front restaurant (6,600 square feet with three floors and a basement), and a secondary building (roughly 1,800 square feet on two floors). They were listed for $4.5 million.
The bar and restaurant business is being sold separately; the price was not publicly disclosed.
But then, earlier this year, the Blue Moon real estate listing turned up on the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office auction site. The auction was slated for Tuesday, April 21 but hours before the sale, the listing changed to “active under contract” indicating that a buyer has been found but the sale is not yet final. As of Wednesday morning, the listing has been removed from the sheriff’s auction site.
Ragan didn’t respond to Blade inquiries about the auction. Back in December, he told the Blade, “It’s time to look for the next people who can continue the history of the Moon and cultivate the next chapter,” noting that he turns 70 this year. “We’re not panicked; we separated the building from the business. Some buyers can’t afford both.”
The identity of the buyer was not disclosed, nor was the sale price.
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