Local
Rehoboth restaurant guilty of anti-gay bias
Summer House Saloon and Restaurant must pay a civil penalty of $5,000
Dan Truitt and Mark Queen brought the suit against Summer House Saloon to the Delaware Human Rights Commission. (photo courtesy Mark Queen)
A three-member panel of the Delaware Human Relations Commission on Dec. 2 issued a unanimous decision that the Summer House Saloon and Restaurant in Rehoboth Beach, Del., engaged in illegal discrimination against two gay men last March based on their sexual orientation.
The ruling followed a Sept. 13 hearing in which the commission listened to testimony from witnesses who said an employee of Summer House refused service to Daniel Truitt and Mark Queen, the two men who filed a discrimination complaint against Summer House.
The 27-page decision cites testimony from a Rehoboth police officer that the employee, Nick Hutu, shoved Queen while Queen was dancing on the Summer House dance floor. The decision says the police officer also testified that Hutu reportedly said to people who were with Queen, “Why don’t you go to the gay bar Cloud 9,” which is located near the Summer House.
“The Panel finds that based on the evidence presented at the hearing, Mr. Truitt and Mr. Queen proved by a preponderance of the evidence that Summer House discriminated against them based on their sexual orientation and that the reason offered by Summer House was a mere pretext,” the decision says.
“The Panel finds for complainants Daniel Truitt and Mark Queen and against respondent Summer House based on respondent’s violations of the Delaware Equal Accommodations Law,” it says.
The decision orders Summer House to pay a civil penalty of $5,000, provide evidence within 30 days that it has provided training to all current employees about the state’s Equal Accommodations Law, and that all new employees receive such training.
Summer House must also post a written non-discrimination policy in English and Spanish in a location where all employees see it where they sign in or clock in for their shifts, the decision says.
WorldPride 2025 concluded with the WorldPride Street Festival and Closing Concert held along Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. on Sunday, June 8. Performers on the main stage included Doechii, Khalid, Courtney Act, Parker Matthews, 2AM Ricky, Suzie Toot, MkX and Brooke Eden.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Celebrating the transgender community, Baltimore Safe Haven, an organization committed to empowering LGBTQ individuals in Baltimore City, plans to host their fourth annual Baltimore Trans Pride on Saturday.
Instead of the usual parade and march, this year’s Trans Pride will be a block party on Charles Street and between 21st and 22nd Streets. The event will start at 1 p.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and last until 10 p.m.
Community members can go on guided tours, enjoy refreshments by local vendors, listen to presenters, and watch performances by special guests.
Sukihana, the event’s headliner, plans to take to the stage to entertain the crowd, along with a variety of local performers, according to Melissa Deveraux, Baltimore Safe Haven’s executive assistant to Executive Director Iya Dammons.
“Some (are) prominently known, some (are) just making a name for themselves,” Deveraux said. Iya is always making sure that community talent is showcased at all of our functions.”
In company with Pride on Saturday, Baltimore Safe Haven will be opening its new building on Friday from 1-4 p.m.
“That is sort of going to be the prelude to pride,” Lau said. “Thanks to Sen. Mary Washington and the Weinberg Foundation, we were able to purchase the building outright, and it’s going to be a community hub of administrative buildings and 12-bedroom apartments.”
Renee Lau, administrative assistant for special projects coordinator for Baltimore Safe Haven, said the planning process for Baltimore Trans Pride began in January, and putting it all together was a collaboration of multiple city agencies and organizations.
“Safe Haven is an LGBT community organization, but we service the entire community, and that’s the message we try to spread,” Lau said. “We’re not just here for the LGBT community. We’re here to spread goodwill and offer harm reduction and housing to the entire community.”
Lau said the organization’s biggest goal for the event is to gain exposure.
“(We want) to let and let people know who we are and what our community is about,” she said. “Right now, because of what’s happening in DC, there’s a lot of bad untruths going on, and the total thing is bringing out the truth.”
Deveraux said having a place of inclusivity, acceptance, and togetherness is important in today’s political climate and the current administration.
“This event will have people seeing the strength and resilience of the transgender community, showing that no matter what we are going through, we still show up,” Deveraux said. “We are here, we will not be erased.”
The 2025 WorldPride Parade was held in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, June 7. Laverne Cox and Renée Rapp were the grand marshals.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key and Robert Rapanut)
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