News
Praise, criticism as HRC heads into new era
Some laud Solmonese for state focus, others say marriage crowding out other priorities
HRC President Joe Solmonese will step down at the end of March.(Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)
The Human Rights Campaign’s search for a new president began in full force on Nov. 22 when an executive recruiting firm retained by the HRC board issued an eight-page job announcement describing the qualifications and experience sought for the next leader of the nation’s largest LGBT advocacy group.
The release of the job announcement, which is posted on the HRC website, followed an Oct. 3 announcement by HRC that its board had retained Russell Reynolds Associates, a nationally known executive recruitment firm, to assist the board in its search for the replacement of Joe Solmonese.
Solmonese has held the post of president and CEO of HRC and the HRC Foundation since 2005. He announced in August that he would step down from his position when his current contract expires on March 30, 2012.
“The entire HRC board understands the importance of this search to our community, to our continued progress as a movement and to our organization,” said HRC Board Co-Chair Rebecca Tillet.
“That’s why we will run a process that is inclusive and respects the importance of diversity in the candidate pool,” said Andy Linsky, co-chair of the board of the HRC Foundation, HRC’s research and educational arm.
Since Solmonese announced he was stepping down, LGBT activists have been debating HRC’s role in the movement its effectiveness during Solmonese’s tenure.
In an informal survey of LGBT activists in Washington and across the country over the past week, the Blade has found that most believe HRC has done a good job of advocating for LGBT equality on the federal and state level. Leaders of at least seven state and local LGBT organizations said HRC worked cooperatively with their respective groups on joint projects.
Others, including two nationally recognized transgender rights advocates, expressed concern that HRC – as well as other national LGBT organizations – have devoted too much of their time and resources to same-sex marriage efforts at the expense of pushing for non-discrimination laws on the federal, state and local levels. Those expressing this position say non-discrimination laws would have a beneficial impact on far more LGBT people than laws seeking to legalize same-sex marriage.
While they don’t object to spending resources on marriage equality, those expressing this view say HRC and other national LGBT groups are devoting far too little attention to non-discrimination measures, including the Employment Non-Discrimination Act or ENDA, a bill pending in Congress that would ban employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
“I hope the HRC board of directors thinks about this,” said Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality. “They do some very great things. But they are moving in the direction of marriage being their primary focus,” she said.
Keisling’s view was echoed by Maryland transgender advocate Dana Beyer, a former HRC board member, who said HRC appears to be evolving into a “marriage all the time” organization.
HRC officials have said it is devoting its resources to a wide range of programs and projects in addition to marriage equality. They say many of the projects are aimed at changing the minds of voters and lawmakers in an effort to line up the small number of additional votes in the U.S. House and Senate needed to pass ENDA.
Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), the gay lawmaker and lead sponsor of ENDA in the House, has said the bill has no chance of passing until Democrats regain control of the House. Frank says Republican House leaders won’t allow the bill to come up for a vote, even though a sizable number of House Republicans are expected to vote for ENDA.
HRC supporters acknowledge that many in the LGBT community have questioned HRC’s capabilities and effectiveness, often fueled by HRC critics who say the group hasn’t been able to secure passage of ENDA. Some critics say HRC should have done more 2009 and 2010, when Democrats controlled the House and Senate with a Democratic president in the White House.
Arlington, Va., gay activist Bob Mialovich, an HRC member and contributor who retired recently as a federal government official, called such criticism unfair.
“I can understand peoples’ frustration, but the reality is we don’t have a majority of support in Congress to pass the bills we need to pass,” he said. “If you are not directly involved, you may not be aware of what HRC is doing. What I know is they are doing a lot.”
HRC spokesperson Fred Sainz has said HRC played a key role, along with other gay advocacy groups, in lobbying for passage of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which authorizes the federal government to prosecute hate crimes targeting LGBT people. Sainz also points to the success HRC and its partner groups have had in lobbying for repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
He said HRC worked closely with other groups to facilitate the Obama administration’s issuance of a large number of regulatory changes and federal agency rules that ban discrimination against LGBT people in healthcare, housing and other areas.
In addition to lobbying Congress, the White House and state and local governments on LGBT supportive bills and policies, and its election-related work on behalf of LGBT supportive candidates, HRC supporters point to a wide range of projects carried out by the HRC Foundation. Among them is the HRC Corporate Equality Index, which rates the nation’s Fortune 500 companies on whether their internal personnel policies ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
In its latest criteria for companies to obtain HRC’s highest rating in the Corporate Equality Index, the group raised the bar by calling for companies to include gender reassignment surgery for transgender employees in the companies’ health insurance plans. A large number of them have agreed to do so.
Other projects include a Healthcare Equality Index, which rates hospitals and other healthcare facilities on their treatment of LGBT people; a Welcoming Schools Program, that pushes for anti-bullying and other LGBT-supportive school policies; an All Children-All Families project that trains and sensitizes adoption agencies on LGBT families; and a Religion and Faith Program, which encourages LGBT-supportive clergy to speak out on LGBT issues, including same-sex marriage efforts.
Another program trains LGBT students enrolled in the nation’s historically black colleges to become student leaders in an effort to advance LGBT equality on their campuses.
HRC supporters also point to the group’s aggressive press and communications operation, which responds quickly and on a 24-hour basis to breaking developments by providing the media with statements and information on a wide range of issues, including responses to anti-LGBT groups or public officials.
The group’s 990 IRS finance report for 2010, the most recent one filed, shows that HRC and the HRC Foundation had a combined income of $39.8 million for the fiscal year running from April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011.
With a staff of 150 full-time employees, the group’s revenue of close to $40 million makes HRC the largest national LGBT advocacy group. The group also owns its own office building in downtown Washington, an investment HRC officials and supporters have said helps the group advance its mission.
The building, among other things, houses a community event space that HRC calls the Equality Center, which often is used by local D.C. area LGBT organizations. The building includes a multimedia production facility. HRC says the building also generates income through the renting of surplus office space to outside groups and firms. The D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue has assessed the value of the building for 2012 at $16.6 million, an increase from its 2011 assessed value of $14.4 million.
‘Surplus of ill will’
Despite its income and broad range of programs, some critics say HRC has worked at cross purposes with other national and state LGBT organizations. In a development that created a stir among some activists, veteran gay rights advocate Matt Foreman, the former executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and former head of New York’s statewide LGBT group Empire State Pride Agenda, wrote a strongly worded critique of HRC that was published last month in two widely read LGBT blogs.
“The reality is that we are two separate movements: the Human Rights Campaign and everyone else,” Foreman wrote. He said that while HRC and its leaders and staff have accomplished many important things, “the cause of LGBT equality has suffered because of a deficit of trust and a surplus of ill will between HRC and the rest of the movement.”
Foreman did not respond to a call from the Blade seeking to discuss further his criticism of HRC.
Leaders of statewide LGBT advocacy groups contacted by the Blade in California, Illinois, Texas, Georgia, Florida, Pennsylvania and D.C. each said they have an amicable working relationship with HRC. Although they declined to comment directly on Foreman’s views about HRC, the officials said it was not uncommon for LGBT advocates to disagree over strategy and tactics but that the groups they work with – including HRC – have always worked through the disagreements.
Rebecca Isaacs, the recently named executive director of the Equality Federation, a national group that represents LGBT advocacy organizations in the states, has been involved in LGBT movement groups on the national level since the 1980s, including her role as political director for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.
“HRC is part of the world of people with expertise on a lot of things,” Isaacs said, adding that Equality Federation is working with HRC on a number important issues occurring in the states. “We are dealing with 50 states, each with different people doing different things. My question is who wants to help? I’m not in any camp.”
Bil Browning, publisher of the Bilerico Project, an LGBT blog that published Foreman’s commentary criticizing HRC, said he was among HRC’s strongest critics in past years. But he said he has seen what he considers a major change for the better by HRC under Solmonese’s leadership.
Among other things, Browning said Solmonese greatly improved HRC’s relations with state LGBT organizations and significantly boosted HRC support for state and local initiatives. He said he saw this first hand as one of the leaders of the state LGBT group in Indiana, where Browning lived before moving to D.C.
According to Browning, HRC provided him with important support when he coordinated a successful effort to pass a non-discrimination ordinance in Indianapolis that includes protections for LGBT people.
“And as Indiana was fighting its marriage amendment battle, who was one of the first groups to stand up and say do you need cash, do you need polling, what do you need? It was HRC,” Browning said.
“I have to admit that for all my quibbles with HRC and some of the various stuff that they’ve done over the years, LGBT rights wouldn’t be as far as it is in Indiana without them,” he said.
Veteran gay Democratic activist Peter Rosenstein of D.C. was among some activists who viewed Foreman’s criticism as reflecting disagreements within the LGBT movement over tactics and strategy.
“While I agree with some of what Matt Foreman writes I think he needs to take some personal responsibility for the movement not being in sync,” said Rosenstein. “As he says, he had the opportunity to lead a national organization and it sounds like he still wants all things his way. I have often criticized HRC and I agree they should be more open and work more closely with the larger LGBT community. My hope is that they first do a truly open and wide ranging search for a replacement for Joe Solmonese.”
Longtime D.C. gay and Ward 8 community activist Phil Pannell, who has advocated for LGBT support within the city’s African-American community, said he’s been an HRC member for many years and thinks HRC does good work on the local and national level.
“I have seen HRC reach out the black community,” he said.
Rick Rosendall, vice president of the Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance of Washington, D.C., said he is troubled over what he called “internecine sniping” over HRC in the LGBT movement.
“The reality is that all LGBT activists and donors do not share the same goals, priorities and approaches.” He said GLAA and HRC “haven’t always seen eye to eye, but we have had a mutually respectful and productive relationship for many years.”
He added, “HRC does a lot of useful things, but if someone doesn’t like them, there are plenty of other groups to support…. HRC has a large and loyal donor base, and its headquarters is not going to crumble because of one more harsh op-ed. Any movement as diverse as ours is inherently messy. Deal with it, folks.”
District of Columbia
Trans activists gather on National Mall for Transgender Day of Visibility
Around 200 members, supporters of the trans community, gathered on the Mall amid the increasingly hostile political environment.
The National Mall was covered in kites on Saturday as transgender activists from around the country gathered to support the second annual Transgender Day of Visibility. The event, put on by the Christopher Street Project — whose mission to protect and support trans Americans on the ballot and in streets — brought together around 200 supporters and organizations to honor trans homicide victims and rally for the future of human rights.
Created 17 years ago by psychotherapist and trans activist Rachel Crandall-Crocker, the day was born out of a need to celebrate one of the most marginalized groups in American politics, she told The 19th in 2021.
Since then, the nation has slowly caught up. This year marked the second time the observance has expanded into a multi-day movement, with events ranging from panels and congressional lobbying to organizing efforts, culminating in a rally on the “nation’s front door” — the National Mall.
A recent survey conducted by SRSS, a national research and marketing firm, and commissioned by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, found that 41 percent of American adults say they personally know someone who is trans. That figure is up from previous estimates of around 30 percent. The study also shows that 27 percent say they have had a regular conversation with a transgender person in the last year. For HRC, this data is confirmation that visibility efforts are working.
“Transgender people are not strangers. They are our neighbors, coworkers, family members, and friends. And this new data shows that as people get to know them, they are more likely to stand by them as allies,” said Kelley Robinson, president of HRC said in a statement. “Defending trans rights is part of defending democracy itself. The more we show up for each other, the stronger our communities and our democracy become.”
Despite this progress and growing positive sentiment, more than 80 anti-trans bills are currently pending in state legislatures across the country, according to HRC, while similar issues are being debated at the national level. Many of the bills seek to restrict trans youth from participating in sports aligned with their gender identity and limit access to gender-affirming medical care.
Tyler Hack, founder and executive director of the Christopher Street Project, who is trans and nonbinary, spoke with the Washington Blade on March 28 about the growing importance of the day.
“We saw that there was a lack of political power for the trans community. We saw that there was a lack of political power for the trans community,” Hack said. “We decided to step up and implement the demand leadership and have galvanized people all across this country for Trans Day of Visibility and our gatherings these last few days we’ve had people come from as far as Hawaii to come celebrate with us, advocate for our rights on the hill, and learn about what it means to fight for all of us.”
Fighting for “all of us,” Hack noted, means showing up where political power is concentrated — in the nation’s capital. The National Mall, a hub for both protest and tourism, draws a wide range of visitors, from political activists brandishing MAGA hats or “You did it, Joe” t-shirts to everyday sightseers.
“I literally just saw a guy in a Trump shirt [at the rally], but we’re not going anywhere,” they said. “Visablity is really important, alongside needing to be an active parts of society, being having public life, and we need to demonstrate that we’re not going anywhere. I mean, we had people from the hill, Congress members come who weren’t even planning to come and did … We are now learning about what it means to fight for and stand up for our rights.”
Hack then looked toward the Capitol after being asked why they believe there are so many negative — and false — statements coming from congressional legislators about trans people. After a pause, they emphasized that the fight for trans rights is often deliberately mischaracterized by Republican opponents try to turn Americans against the community. That, they pointed out, is not what is happening outside the halls of the Hill.
“We are fighting for an America that works for all of us, and we know that,” Hack said. “We know that fighting for all of us is not unpopular. What’s unpopular is genital inspections in schools for girls as young as four years old — who some of our leaders want to transvestigate for not looking feminine enough. What’s unpopular are subpoenas of hospitals so the government can go through your records and decide what they like and don’t like. It is about power.”
That framing — that trans people simply want to live freely and equally under the law — has become central to the movement’s messaging, even as conservative media organizations and political leaders continue to shape public perception in opposing ways.
“We can’t cede any ground because we don’t need to. We are not fighting for a cause that’s inherently unpopular. People know that we shouldn’t throw anyone under the bus, and that’s what we’re here to say to our leaders: we’re paying attention.”
This year’s TDoV was noticeably larger in production than last year’s event, with a bigger stage, more high-profile speakers, increased security, and expanded programming across multiple days.
“We also planned three days of programming. We had dozen panels and workshops on Thursday, and we had over 75 Hill meetings on Friday,” they said. “Now we have this rally, and our capacity hasn’t grown that much — a lot of this was done by two people, but I think it just has come to fruition in a way. I’m happy with it, but I would love to see people with crazy budgets and includes expanded capacity, also we can continue to step out and do the work.”
One moment that stood out to Hack was seeing a parent advocate for her trans child — highlighting what they described as the deeply human nature of these stories.
“The first person to come up to me today was a mom of a trans kid and a nonbinary kid who said she came to our whole convening, going to the Hill to advocate yesterday — for the first time, because we inspired her to act, and that she was too scared to be a part of something,” they said. “She knew that her kids’ lives had been criminalized and that she needed to act and –that really hit me. I also know most of the people who educated our lawmakers, were people who have never been to the Hill before. These people who were also telling their stories, were also fighting for reproductive freedom for all. I mean, we had people from Hawaii, Washington State, California, people who some of them hadn’t been to D.C. Those are the people that we are here to mobilize because they haven’t been galvanized by any project before. I’m just grateful we gave them something that they’re willing to get behind.”
Speakers throughout the rally echoed similar themes of urgency, visibility, and collective action.
Rayceen Pendarvis, a local D.C. trans activist, spoke at the event, emphasizing the history behind the current fight — especially the exclusion of trans people from broader LGBTQ movements — and the need to push back against current political attacks on the most marginalized.
“Trans people in D.C. had to fight for their seat at the table. Trans people were either an afterthought — or left out completely. Now, trans people have become the scapegoat. Ignorance about trans people has been weaponized.”
The lifelong Washingtonian, who had a popular show that ran for 10 seasons with a range of programming covering local and national LGBTQ topics from 2012–2021, continued on the need to stay aware and vocal during the increasingly difficult Trump-Vance administration.
“We have to push back — be as relentless as they are. If your vote was not important, they wouldn’t spend so much time trying to stop you from using it. Voting is not enough — we all must get involved. Let us make our ancestors proud by unifying, organizing, and fighting back.”
She ended her speech with advice to not only strategically spend time advocating, but also build relationships within and around the transgender community.
“Support each other, encourage each other, and help each other. Spend time with your trans elders while you can and learn from them. Give them their flowers, but also give the old dolls some money to pay their bills,” she said to cheers from the crowd. “Allies need to put their money where their mouth is!”
“RuPaul’s Drag Race” contestant, singer-songwriter, and trans activist Peppermint spoke about the mixed feelings the day brings, allowing her to recognize both pride and frustration with the slow-moving progress for the transgender community.
“I love being trans, and it’s inspiring to see more people feel comfortable expressing who they are,” Peppermint said to the crowd. “But I’m disappointed that we have to march for our rights. I’m disappointed that we have to convince people who we are, while we’ve been here supporting them all along. I’m disappointed that not enough people show up when the trans community is under attack.”
Last year, a record number of anti-trans policies passed through state and federal legislatures — many originating from Republican lawmakers who argue such measures are necessary for safety. Idaho voted to make it a criminal offense to use the bathroom aligned with one’s gender identity if it does not match sex assigned at birth, setting up a bounty-style enforcement system. Twenty-seven states have banned sports participation for transgender children, primarily targeting transgender girls, citing fairness and safety — claims that research has shown are not supported by evidence. Last month, Kansas’s state Senate voted to invalidate driver’s licenses and birth certificates of trans residents who had updated their gender markers, while also defining sex strictly as assigned at birth.
Peppermint highlighted the specific cruelty of these policies and echoed the rally’s broader message.
“People are being asked to make an agreement to throw us under the bus. You’re watching our civil rights be stripped away like it’s entertainment. When you empower a government to take rights from some, you empower it to take rights from everyone,” the Broadway performer added. “That’s the reality we’re facing.”
She finished by affirming those present and pointing toward the future of the fight for equal treatment under the law.
“Trans people are women, men, nonbinary, immigrants, disabled — every kind of person. We are here, and we are inevitable. I’m disappointed — but I’m hopeful. I’m grateful — and you should be too,” Peppermint said. “I love you, I’m in awe of you, and I am grateful for you. I’m proud to stand with this diverse trans community. We have always shown up for others, year after year. And we’re still here.”
Rabbi Abby Stein framed the moment through a spiritual and historical lens, offering an alternative to narratives often pushed by conservative lawmakers and commentators.
“They’ve moved past trying to erase us — they’re using us. We have become the rock they’re using to hit the people they want to oppress,” Stein said. “We are visible, but we’ve been forced into a narrow place. That’s the reality of this moment.”
She continued, explaining that, despite what some have said, her trans identity reaffirms her religion and strengthens her Jewish faith.
“For generations, we’ve told stories about leaving narrow places. Those narrow places exist today — in closets, in systems, in the ways people try to restrict us. But we have always found a way out. That is our history and our power.”
“Coming out and being who you are isn’t just okay — it’s a spiritual obligation. It is powerful, and it is necessary. If you try to take away our visibility, our rights, and our joy, you will fail. We are going to win because we will keep fighting together.”
Other activists that spoke included military members who had been forced out of their jobs and benefits following the Trump-Vance administration’s return to banning transgender military members, including SPARTA Pride Executive Director and US Army Major Kara Corcoran and Air Force Master Sgt. Logan Ireland, both focusing their time on stage on sharing how they gave their country their lives, yet the president couldn’t accept their gender identity.
Others who spoke/performed included the queer cheerleading group Cheer DC, local trans DJ and organizer Samson, and Chastity Bowick, Executive Director of Marsha P. Johnson Institute also spoke.
Hack closed with a message centered on their belief in collective action to create a better world for everyone and the resilience of the community.
“We’ve been fighting in the halls of power, and I’m proud of how far we’ve come. This week is about educating, advocating, and rallying. There isn’t one strategy to take back our country. It takes all of us … This is not just about trans people — this is about whether the government gets to decide who is acceptable. When one group is targeted, it never stops there. That’s what history shows us. That’s why this moment matters.”
“We’re being scapegoated and forced out of public life. There are efforts to legislate us out of existence. Our freedoms are intertwined — we can’t leave anyone out. They think we’re small, but they’re wrong.”
“The days of respectability politics are over,” Hack said, with rainbow kites lying overhead, signaling a welcome and powerful reflection of the day’s movement — one that echoed the sentiments of those gathered. “Our movement has never needed permission to exist — and we’re not asking for it now. There is something inevitable about a people who refuse to disappear. It is inevitable that we win.”
Senegal
Senegalese president signs bill that further criminalizes homosexuality
Measure passed in National Assembly with near unanimous support
Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye on Tuesday signed into law a bill that further criminalizes consensual same-sex sexual relations in the country.
Lawmakers in the African country on March 11 nearly unanimously passed the measure that increases the penalty for anyone convicted of engaging in consensual same-sex sexual relations from one to five years in prison to five to 10 years. The bill that Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko introduced also prohibits the “promotion” or “financing” of homosexuality in Senegal.
Reuters on March 16 reported MassResistance, an anti-LGBTQ group based in the U.S., worked with Senegalese groups that support the bill. Volker Türk, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, is among those who urged Faye not to sign it.
The Senegalese National Assembly in 2021 rejected a bill that would have further criminalized homosexuality in the country.
Police in February arrested a dozen men and charged them with committing “unnatural acts.”
Maryland’s legislative caucuses outlined their legislative priorities heading into the final weeks of the 2026 General Assembly during a joint press conference on March 24.
The press conference was titled “We are Maryland,” where a representative for each of the legislative caucuses outlined priorities.
State Del. Kris Fair (D-Frederick County) of the LGBTQ+ Caucus opened the press conference with a statement on the unity of Maryland’s caucus.
“Together we can show our state and our community a different world, one where we mutually support one another and through that support uplift every Marylander,” he said.
In a press conference on March 5, the LGBTQ+ Caucus outlined its top legislative priorities. Fair highlighted two of those bills again during the “We are Maryland” press conference.
The first of the two highlighted pieces of legislation was Senate Bill 626 and House Bill 1589.
The bills would simplify the process of updating an individual’s birth certificate and align the Department of Health and DMV systems to reflect those changes. The bill is being led by state Sen. Clarence Lam (D-Anne Arundel and Howard Counties) and state Del. Ashanti Martinez (D-Prince George’s County).
The second piece of legislation is Senate Bill 950 and House Bill 1209, which would update and modernize laws and regulations around so-called conversion therapy. The bills have failed to pass either chamber thus far. They are being led by state Sen. Cheryl Kagan (D-Montgomery County) and state Del. Bonnie Cullison (D-Montgomery County).
(The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled against a Colorado law that bans so-called conversion therapy for minors. Maryland is among the U.S. jurisdictions that prohibit the widely discredited practice for anyone under 18.)
Martinez and Lam have introduced bills in their respective chambers that would expand PrEP access in Maryland. Martinez did not attend the press conference, and Fair did not mention it when he spoke.
State Del. N. Scott Phillips (D-Baltimore County) represented the Black Caucus during the press conference. State Del. Dana Jones (D-Anne Arundel County) spoke on behalf of the Women’s Caucus, State Del. Teresa Woorman (D-Montgomery County) represented the Latino Caucus, and State Del. Lily Qi (D-Montgomery County) represented the Asian-American and Pacific Islander Caucus. State Del. Jared Solomon (D-Montgomery County) represented the Jewish Caucus, and state Del. Sean Stinnett (D-Baltimore County) represented the Muslim Caucus during the press conference.
Solomon ended the press conference by explaining the importance of all the caucuses coming out together.
“We are stronger when we’re together, and many of these issues that we have talked about, again, impact all of us,” said Solomon.
Trans activists gather on National Mall for Transgender Day of Visibility
The cost of speaking one’s mind
Senegalese president signs bill that further criminalizes homosexuality
Md. lawmakers reaffirm legislative priorities
Supreme Court rules against Colo. law banning conversion therapy for minors
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