Local
Md. Senate begins final debate on marriage bill; hostile amendments defeated
Amendments on age of consent; “Mother’s Day” and “Fathers Day” rejected in lopsided votes
Senators voted down hostile amendments to the bill, Thursday, during the second reading.
The Maryland Senate resumed debate late Thursday afternoon on amendments to a bill calling for legalizing same-sex marriage, with a final vote on the legislation expected later in the evening.
In a Thursday morning session, the Senate voted down six hostile amendments aimed at weakening or killing the marriage equality bill, indicating supporters have the votes to pass the bill.
The six amendments were introduced by three senators, each of whom oppose the bill and introduced the amendments with the intent to derail the bill, according to senators backing the Civil Marriage Protection Act.
“It’s time for us to move on with this bill,” said Sen. Jamie Raskin (D-Montgomery County), one of the bill’s lead sponsors who served as floor leader on behalf of the bill.
Raskin said the amendments were unnecessary and called on his Senate colleagues to vote against them. Each lost by a lopsided vote.
One amendment introduced by Sen. Bryan Simonaire (R-Anne Arundel County) called for allowing parents to withdraw their children from any public school classes or instruction “that addresses same-sex relationships on written request by the parent or guardian.” The amendment lost by a vote of 30-17.
Simonaire cited claims that school children in Massachusetts were required to read literature about same-sex couples marrying. He read aloud a passage from a book called King and King, which he said was among the materials touching on same-sex marriage that elementary school children have been taught in Massachusetts.
An amendment offered by Sen. C. Anthony Muse (D-Prince George’s County) called for changing the name of the bill from the Civil Marriage Protection Act to the Marriage Redefinition Act. The amendment lost by a similar vote of 30-17.
Sen. Edward Reilly (R-Anne Arundel County) introduced separate amendments calling for barring same-sex couples from marrying if one of the partners is under the age of 18 and allowing religious institutions and organizations to refuse to rent or sell housing units to same-sex couples.
Another amendment offered by Simonaire called for the Maryland State Department of Education to “continue the annual and separate acknowledgement of Mother’s Day and Father’s Day in public elementary and secondary schools in the state independent of any provisions of this act.”
Simonaire said he understood that some D.C. public schools changed the name of Mother’s Day and Father’s Day to “Family Day” so that same-sex couples could be included in the recognition.
Raskin said he was unaware of and did not believe D.C. had undertaken such a change.
“Obviously, nothing in this bill would repeal Mother’s Day or Father’s Day,” he said. “Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are perfectly safe in Maryland.”
The amendment lost by a vote of 34-11.
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Congratulations to Yadiel Meléndez, on their new role as Community Associate, with the Wanda Alston Foundation. Meléndez is piloting a new role as a Community Associate at the Wanda Alston Foundation, where they support queer and trans young people in finding their footing, building independence, and experiencing a housing community where they are seen, valued, and affirmed. They are coming into this role with more than a decade of experience as a community organizer and operations specialist, supporting diverse communities through service, advocacy, and program coordination.
Previously they worked for Right Proper Brewing Shaw as a server and bartender and at Sephora, Washington, DC, and at FreshFarm, DC, in bilingual food access. They also worked freelance to build foundational structures for local queer BIPOC performance art coalitions, producing variety shows to curate space for marginalized performance artists in the community. They were a production manager for Haus of Hart Productions, a BIPOC centric performance art production. They also worked as field staff with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in Stafford, Va.
Meléndez is bilingual, Spanish and English. Their work is guided by a commitment to dignity, safety, and trauma-informed engagement, particularly within LGBTQ and BIPOC communities.
Congratulations also to Ben Rosen LICSW, on his new role as program director, with the Wanda Alston Foundation. Rosen previously worked with Fountain House’s OnRamps program, helping to build a new, innovative outreach program for individuals considered chronically homeless, and living with serious mental illness, in the Times Square area of New York. Rosen is a Psychotherapist, having worked with SG Psychotherapy, and as the psychotherapist with the Nest Community Health Center (URAM).
Rosen has a B.F.A. in Theatre Arts: Musical Theatre, Minor in Psychology (Cum Laude) from Malloy University Conservatory; and his M.S.W. in Clinical Practice with Individuals, Families, and Groups, from The Silberman School of Social Work, Hunter College, N.Y. He is independently licensed in New York and Washington, D.C.
Rehoboth Beach
BLUF leather social set for April 10 in Rehoboth
Attendees encouraged to wear appropriate gear
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.
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.).
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