Local
Fast Five Fix: March 8
Maine marriage polls look promising but give pause, incredible HIV med news, North Carolina on the verge, and more

A majority of Maine voters support same-sex marriage, but polling shows the exact ballot language confuses people. To help you understand, here's an infographic that took 2 hours to make and crashed our computers twice. (Washington Blade graphic by Phil Reese)
Good morning! As the java sinks in — along with word from ThinkProgress that DC just made it a whole lot easier for out of state gays to have messy, expensive split-ups (that’s the sound of lawyers cheering!) — here’s the gay news that’s got us jabbering today:
- JoeMyGod tips us off to several pieces of HIV treatment and prevention news: FIRST, Gilead is preparing to release a four-in-one med called “Quad” (creative!) that will rival Atripla’s safety and effectiveness, without the neurological side effects, and with higher achievement of target levels of HIV (but more nausea); ALSO, are we on the verge of having an effective monthly injection HIV prevention regiment?
- As seen above, ThinkProgress alerts us to a new PPP poll that says Maine voters are cool with extending marriage rights to same-sex couples… but aren’t really sure about the ballot language that’s been chosen to do so. That’s why its very important that the gays in Maine start making commercials that just say “Yes!”
- Over 100,000 have signed a Change.org petition asking President Obama to deliver an executive order barring LGBT employment discrimination with Federal contractors. And growing.
- AMERICAblog Gay thinks the far right is getting desperate in North Carolina: might we actually beat back an anti-gay ballot measure in the south?
- UN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon has called for member states to stop LGBT discrimination during a historic human rights council hearing, according to ThinkProgress.
Finally, this video that Towleroad shared with us is really hard to watch. A nightclub bouncer at a gay bar in West Hollywood drops some homophobic slurs on a decidedly drunk and unruly gay patron, and appears to punch him several times while telling him to “stop struggling.” Is this gay-on-gay crime, or have some gay bars slipped and hired some unenlightened straight homophobes to handle their security?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAozn3Qt3hk
The transcript courtesy Towleroad:
“Look at my face man,” the victim says, “-they f**ked me up.”
One of two men holding him down says: “F**k your face. I don’t give a shit about your face.”
Victim: “Trust me please I didn’t start the sh*t. I was with my boyfriend. I’m a gay boy.”
Face down on the ground, he tries to look up at his captors. One of them says:
“Yeah well your a f**kin’ [unintelligible] … Stop f**kin’ struggling motherfucker. ”
“Stop resisting,” one of the men says. “Stay still motherf**ker.”
Then one of the captors unleashes this: “Stop fuckin’ moving you c*cks**ker.”
Just then a security guard with a badge walks up, and one of the captors says, “Hey can we get some cuffs please.”
“Stay where you are motherf**ker,” the victim is told. “Shut up.”
Virginia
VIDEO: LGBTQ groups march in Va. inaugural parade
Abigail Spanberger took office on Saturday
The inaugural ceremonies for Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger were held in Richmond, Va. on Saturday. Among the groups marching in the parade were Diversity Richmond and the Virginia Pride project of Diversity Richmond.
View on Threads

Virginia
Va. Senate approves referendum to repeal marriage amendment
Outgoing state Sen. Adam Ebbin introduced SJ3
The Virginia Senate on Friday by a 26-13 vote margin approved a resolution that seeks to repeal a state constitutional amendment that defines marriage as between a man and a woman.
Outgoing state Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria) introduced SJ3. The Senate Privileges and Elections Committee on Wednesday approved it by a 10-4 vote margin.
Same-sex couples have been able to legally marry in Virginia since 2014. Outgoing Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin in 2024 signed a bill that codified marriage equality in state law.
A resolution that seeks to repeal the Marshall-Newman Amendment passed in the General Assembly in 2021. The resolution passed again in 2025.
Two successive legislatures must approve the resolution before it can go to the ballot. Democrats in the Virginia House of Delegates have said the resolution’s passage is among their 2026 legislative priorities.
“It’s time for Virginia’s Constitution to reflect the law of the land and the values of today,” said Ebbin after Friday’s vote. “This amendment, if approved by voters, would affirm the dignity of all committed couples and protects marriage equality for future generations.”
Maryland
Layoffs and confusion at Pride Center of Maryland after federal grants cut, reinstated
Trump administration move panicked addiction and mental health programs
By ALISSA ZHU | After learning it had abruptly lost $2 million in federal funding, the Pride Center of Maryland moved to lay off a dozen employees, or about a third of its workforce, the Baltimore nonprofit’s leader said Thursday.
The group is one of thousands nationwide that reportedly received letters late Tuesday from the Trump administration. Their mental health and addiction grants had been terminated, effective immediately, the letters said.
By Wednesday night, federal officials moved to reverse the funding cuts by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, estimated to total $2 billion, according to national media reports. But the Pride Center of Maryland’s CEO Cleo Manago said as of Thursday morning he had not heard anything from the federal government confirming those reports.
The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
-
U.S. Supreme Court4 days agoSupreme Court hears arguments in two critical cases on trans sports bans
-
Virginia5 days agoWoman arrested for anti-gay assault at Alexandria supermarket
-
Commentary5 days agoHonoring 50 queer, trans women with inaugural ‘Carrying Change’ awards
-
District of Columbia4 days agoRuby Corado sentenced to 33 months in prison
