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Chrissy Polis arrested on disorderly conduct charge

Trans woman’s April beating at McDonald’s in Baltimore made national news

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A 23-year-old transgender woman who became the subject of international news in April when she was attacked and beaten in a hate crime at a McDonald’s restaurant outside Baltimore was arrested at her nearby apartment on Dec. 3 in an unrelated incident on a charge of disorderly conduct.

According to a report by the Baltimore Sun, police said Chrissy Lee Polis became disorderly and shouted obscenities at a police officer who arrived at her apartment after she called police to report she had been robbed of her cell phone, purse, and $800 in cash by an unidentified male suspect.

“She told police the man hit her in the head with an unknown object and stole her purse,” the Sun reported in a Dec. 7 story. “But the officer taking the report said Polis ‘gave several different variations’” of what happened and “’became very agitated.’”

Mark Scurti, an attorney representing Polis for a possible lawsuit against McDonald’s related to the April beating incident, said he would be meeting with Polis next week and his law firm would likely represent her in the disorderly conduct case, which is scheduled to go to trial in February.

“I’ve reviewed the facts of what happened and the state doesn’t have much of a case,” Scurti said. “But we’re expected to meet with her and at that time we’ll be retained to represent her in the matter…They’re ridiculous charges.”

Scurti declined to provide further details other than to say Polis feels the officer who responded to the scene after she was robbed treated her “very disrespectfully.”

He confirmed an account by the Sun that Polis was released on $7,500 bail but said he didn’t know who posted the $750 bond that secured her release.

The Sun reports that the arresting officer refers to Polis in his police report as “he” and uses Polis’s legal name Christopher Lee Polis.

“The officer wrote in charging documents that Polis screamed profanities and disrupted the neighborhood,” the Sun reported. “The officer said Polis let him into her apartment, which he described as having a mattress but no furniture.”

According to the Sun, the arresting officer said in a police charging document that Polis became highly agitated and “was causing a major disturbance in the neighborhood and would not lower his voice even though I was continually advising him to do so.’”

Polis continued to scream, “’You don’t know who I am. I will have you fired,’” the Sun quoted the officer as saying in his report.

Scurti told the Blade in September that Polis had been hospitalized twice after seeking treatment for post traumatic stress disorder that she suffered as a result of the beating at the McDonald’s.

Two teenage women were charged in the McDonald’s incident. Nineteen-year-old Teonna Brown pled guilty in August to first-degree assault and a hate crime in connection with the case. She was later sentenced to five years in prison. A 14-year old girl, whom authorities haven’t identified, was found “delinquent” in the case and committed to a secure juvenile facility, according to the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s office.

A video of the beating made by a McDonald’s employee with his cell phone created a national sensation when it went viral on the Internet. It showed the two young women punching and kicking Polis while she lay on the floor screaming for help. One of the girls was shown in the video dragging Polis across the floor by her hair.

Transgender activists in Maryland said the widespread reports of the incident and the graphic showing of the beating in the video led to a greater commitment by members of the Maryland Legislature and Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley to push for passage of a transgender non-discrimination bill in 2012.

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World Pride 2025

Episcopal bishop to speak at WorldPride human rights conference

Trump demanded apology from Mariann Edgar Budde over post-Inauguration sermon

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(Screenshot courtesy of WorldPride's website)

The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde is among those who are scheduled to speak at the WorldPride 2025 Human Rights Conference that will take place from June 4-6.

Budde, who is the bishop of the Diocese of Washington, in January urged President Donald Trump “to have mercy” on LGBTQ people, immigrants, and others “who are scared right now” during a post-Inauguration service that he and Vice President JD Vance attended at the Washington National Cathedral. Trump criticized Budde’s comments and demanded an apology.

The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde speaks at the Washington National Cathedral on Jan. 21, 2025. (PBS NewsHour clip)

A press release the Washington Blade received notes Icelandic Industries Minister Hanna Katrín Friðriksson, UK Black Pride founder Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, and Bob the Drag Queen are among those who are also expected to participate in the conference.

The conference will take place at the JW Marriott (1331 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.) and registration is open here.

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World Pride 2025

Pabllo Vittar to perform at WorldPride

Brazilian drag queen, singer, joined Madonna on stage in 2024 Rio concert

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Pabllo Vittar (Screen capture via Pabllo Vittar/YouTube)

A Brazilian drag queen and singer who performed with Madonna at her 2024 concert on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach will perform at WorldPride.

The Capital Pride Alliance on Thursday announced Pabllo Vittar will perform on the Main Stage of the main party that will take place on June 7 at DCBX (1235 W St., N.E.) in Northeast D.C.

Vittar and Anitta, a Brazilian pop star who is bisexual, on May 4, 2024, joined Madonna on stage at her free concert, which was the last one of her Celebration Tour. Authorities estimated 1.6 million people attended.

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District of Columbia

$3.7 billion RFK stadium proposal draws support from Team DC

Washington Commanders ‘proud’ to champion LGBTQ community

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The long-suffering RFK Stadium will be razed to make way for a new domed facility that could one day host the Super Bowl. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Miguel Ayala, president of the D.C. LGBTQ sports organization Team D.C., has expressed support for the $3.7 billion deal reached between Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Washington Commanders football team to bring the team back to D.C. in a redeveloped site on the grounds of the city’s long shuttered RFK stadium.

With the deal calling for the city to provide $1 billion in taxpayer funds for infrastructure related costs for the massive redevelopment project — and with the Commanders to provide the remaining $2.7 billion — as of this week the deal did not have majority support on the D.C. Council, which must vote to approve it.

Ayala’s support for the project on behalf of Team D.C. raises the question of whether members of the city’s influential LGBTQ community might play some role in urging the D.C. Council to approve the project.

The proposal comes at a time when the Washington Commanders team includes a message of support for the LGBTQ community on its website. The message follows its hosting last October of its 4th annual LGBTQ Pride Night Out at the Commanders game against the Cleveland Browns.

“The Washington Commanders are proud to champion the LGBTQ+ community and its allies,” the team states on its website. “Through the unifying power of sports, we aim to create a culture where all feel welcome and celebrated.”

In a statement released to the Washington Blade, Ayala points out that the Commanders are among every D.C.-based professional sports team that hosts a Pride Night Out event, which Team DC helps to organize.

“Each year, our events have grown stronger, with vibrant tailgates, on-field celebrations, and powerful moments that shine a spotlight on our community,” Ayala said. “We can’t wait to kick off our first Night Out at the Commanders Stadium in 2030.”

He was referring to plans by the Commanders organization and the D.C. mayor’s office to have the stadium deal approved by the D.C. Council in July, with construction of the new stadium to begin then, and with a planned completion in time for the 2030 professional football season.

Ayala also points out that the RFK stadium grounds currently serve as home to LGBTQ-related sports activity, including the D.C. Gay Flag Football League and the D.C. Front Runners group. He added that the RFK grounds will serve as the playing fields for this year’s WorldPride Capital Cup sports competition, where LGBTQ rugby and soccer teams from around the world will compete.

“This new stadium will be more than just a field – it will be a powerful new addition to the vibrant, diverse, and proud communities we champion every day,” he said in his statement.

At an April 28 news conference, Bowser, Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris and other city officials provided details of the stadium project, noting that it includes a massive development of the new stadium and the surrounding 180 acres of land.

In addition to the 65,000-seat domed stadium, officials said the project would include 5,000 to 6,000 residential housing units, with 30 percent designated as “affordable” for low- and moderate-income residents. They said the project would also include parks and recreation areas, hotels, restaurants, retail, and neighborhood amenities.

“As we focus on the growth of our economy, we’re not only bringing our team home, but we’re also bringing new jobs and new revenue to our city and to Ward 7,” Bowser said in a statement

Opponents of the project, including D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson (D-At-Large), have said they don’t believe the city should use its own funds for a stadium and the related development. 

So far, just four Council members have expressed support for the project. Mendelson and two other Council members have expressed opposition, and the remaining five have not yet said whether they would vote for or against it. The project needs seven of the current 12-member Council for it to be approved.

Council member Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5), the Council’s only gay member, who initially had not taken a position on the proposal, this week said he was looking at the project more favorably, according to news media reports. 

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