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Gay couple spearheading marriage efforts in Md.

Gerry Fisher, a Life Coach and his husband David Kimble, have taken steps to help ensure marriage equality becomes law effective Jan. 1

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13 years ago

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Gerry Fisher, David Kimble, gay news, Washington Blade

Gerry Fisher and David Kimble are working to preserve Maryland’s marriage equality law. (Photo by Steve Charing)

While efforts are underway by Marylanders for Marriage Equality to fight the November referendum attempt by opponents of same-sex marriage, some LGBT people and allies are anxious to get into the fray on their own. Gerry Fisher, a Life Coach and his husband David Kimble, have taken steps to help ensure marriage equality becomes law effective Jan. 1.

One of the early initiatives was the establishment of a Facebook page called “Marriage Equality Information Exchange-Maryland.” Currently there are about 700 members. Fisher and Mike Bernard are administrators of the page.

On this page, like-minded individuals can discuss a variety of grassroots techniques to gain support for the movement. It is a “closed” group, meaning that other Facebook users can see the existence of the group and members but not the contents. The page is intended “to build community, share strategies for marriage-equality signature gathering and other events, post documents and pictures, and to inspire one another.”

Members post related articles and announce events including signature-gathering activities at farmers markets, rallies, festivals, such as Hon Fest, Orioles games and other venues around the state where crowds typically form. The signatures are part of the strategy by MfME to obtain as many “pledges” as they can for compiling a database, which will be used as a means of communicating with voters, fundraising, recruitment of volunteers and get-out-the-vote drives.

“It was our goal to set up an online presence similar to the ones we saw in the Gov. Deval Patrick (D-MA) campaign and with MassEquality. Something that connected local activists so that they could organize locally more efficiently,” explains Fisher. “We also hoped that some areas of the state could share ideas and information with other areas of the state, so there’d be a cross-pollination of ideas, across geography and across subgroups.”

Shortly after the creation of the Facebook page, Fisher and Bernard were contacted by MfME. “We quickly agreed on a few concepts: the Facebook page does not speak for the campaign and that we’d emphasize positive messaging about love, commitment, and family. Based on that agreement, we began a partnership with the campaign.”

Fisher adds, “Mike and I are team leaders for MfME; we’re in every-other-day contact with the MfME director for Baltimore. We collect signatures for the campaign, and we encourage our membership to participate in MfME volunteer efforts and events.”

However, Gerry Fisher and husband David Kimble are going beyond social media to attract activists. They are working to hand out stickers, amass signatures and chat with supporters at the Waverly Farmers Market every Saturday from 8 a.m. until noon. They are seeking leaders to work the downtown and Canton farmers markets as well.

In addition, until the election, the couple will be hosting an open house in their Charles Village residence at 2721 Guilford Ave., Baltimore every Friday night.

“The purpose of the ongoing open house is to provide a space for people to meet, get support, have a laugh and vent some steam, get information, talk informally, brainstorm ideas, strategize, announce events, pick up supplies (pledge sheets, stickers), connect across a diverse set of subgroups within the community, and begin the process of ‘having conversations’ that we’ll take with us back out into our daily lives,” explains Fisher.

For those who cannot make it to Baltimore, the couple can be contacted through Skype. Refreshments, such as soda, lemonade and light snacks will be available. BYOB. For more info, contact Gerry at [email protected] or 410-949-7888.

Working with MfME is imperative. “This effort is helping the grassroots to find its voice and use it, to get on its feet and move, that will provide the campaign with the foundation from which to organize,” says Fisher.

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Virginia

Walkinshaw wins Democratic primary in Va. 11th Congressional District

Special election winner will succeed Gerry Connolly

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5 hours ago

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July 1, 2025

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James Walkinshaw(Photo public domain)

On Saturday, Fairfax County Supervisor James Walkinshaw won the Democratic primary for the special election that will determine who will represent Virginia’s 11th Congressional District.

The special election is being held following the death of the late Congressman Gerry Connolly, who represented the district from 2008 until 2024, when he announced his retirement, and subsequently passed away from cancer in May.

Walkinshaw is not unknown to Virginia’s 11th District — he has served on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors since 2020 and had served as Connolly’s chief of staff from 2009 to 2019. Before he passed away, Connolly had endorsed Walkinshaw to take his place, claiming that choosing Walkinshaw to be his chief of staff was “one of the best decisions I ever made.”

The Democratic nominee has run his campaign on mitigating Trump’s “dangerous” agenda of dismantling the federal bureaucracy, which in the district is a major issue as many of the district’s residents are federal employees and contractors.

“I’m honored and humbled to have earned the Democratic nomination for the district I’ve spent my career serving,” Walkinshaw said on X. “This victory was powered by neighbors, volunteers, and supporters who believe in protecting our democracy, defending our freedoms, and delivering for working families.”

In addition to protecting federal workers, Walkinshaw has a long list of progressive priorities — some of which include creating affordable housing, reducing gun violence, expanding immigrant protections, and “advancing equality for all” by adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the Fair Housing Act.

Various democratic PACs contributed more than $2 million to Walkinshaw’s ad campaigns, much of which touted his connection to Connolly.

Walkinshaw will face Republican Stewart Whitson in the special election in September, where he is the likely favorite to win.

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Maryland

LGBTQ suicide prevention hotline option is going away. Here’s where else to go in Md.

Changes will take effect July 17

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10 hours ago

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July 1, 2025

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(Bigstock photo by Mihailo K)

By ANNA RUBENSTEIN | The national suicide prevention hotline will no longer offer specialized support to LGBTQ people, starting July 17, the Trump administration announced last week.

Dialing the hotline at 988 will still be available for crisis support. But callers will no longer be able to reach specific LGBTQ services by pressing Option 3. The change worries advocates because their data shows the LGBTQ community has a disproportionally high suicide rate.

Even after the option ends, here’s how to receive tailored support if you’re in Maryland.

The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.

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Maryland

Silver Spring holds annual Pride In The Plaza

‘Today means inclusion. It means to build resilience’

Published

1 day ago

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June 30, 2025

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A scene from Pride in the Plaza in Silver Spring, Md. on Sunday. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Silver Spring’s annual Pride in the Plaza event took place on Sunday to celebrate the LGBTQ community and emphasize inclusion and resilience.

“Today means inclusion. It means to build resilience, love,” Robyn Woods, program and outreach director for Live In Your Truth, which organized the event, said. “I mean, just being surrounded by the community and so many great entrepreneurs, business owners, and just being a part of this whole rainbow coalition that we call the LGBTQIA to be about.”

With the event being her first time organizing for Live In Your Truth, Woods said she felt emotional to see the support and love at the event.

“Some people (are) bringing out their children, their babies, their grandparents,” Woods said. “It’s a lot more allies here than anything else. That type of support to me means so much more than just support from my community; just outside support, inside support, so much support around it, so much love. Everyone’s smiling outside, helping each other.” 

Attendees of the event were able to head over to the Family Fun Zone, an air-conditioned Pride Cool Down Lounge, or watch live drag performances in the main stage area. 

Along with entertainment and a shaved-ice stand, rows of information tables stood along the plaza, including FreeState Justice, the Washington Spirit, Trans Maryland, Moco Pride Center, and the Heartwood Program, an organization that offers support, therapy, education, and resources to the LGBTQ community. 

“I want people to know about our services, and I love what we have to offer,” Jessica Simon, psychotherapist for Heartwood Program’s Gender Wellness Clinic, said. “I (also) want to be part of a celebration with the community, and so it feels good to be here with other people who have something they want to give to the community.”

She added that within today’s political climate, to which she called an “antidote to shame,” it’s important to be celebrating Pride. 

“There’s a lot of demonization of LGBTQI people,” Siena Iacuvazzi, facilitator for Maryland Trans Unity, said. “(Pride) is part of the healing process.” 

Iacuvazzi said she was taught to be ashamed of who she was growing up, but being a part of a community helped her flourish in the future. 

“I was taught how to hate myself. I was taught that I was an abomination to God,” she said. “But being a community is like understanding that there are people who have experienced the same thing, and they’re flourishing. They’re flourishing because they’re willing to stand up for themselves as human beings and discover themselves and understand what’s true for themselves.”

She added that Pride allows for a mutual understanding to take place. 

“It’s more of a sense of belonging … and just taking that home and understanding you’re not alone,” Iacuvazzi said. “We’re each taking our own journey — we’re not putting that on each other. It’s just walking away with a sense of belonging and humanity.”

Similar to Iacuvazzi, Woods said she hopes attendees’ biggest takeaways would be family, fun, resilience, and pride. 

“Being proud of yourself, being happy for who you are, and representation and how much it matters,” she continued. “And I think all these young people that are walking around here get to see versions of themselves, but older. They get to see so many different lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual people that are successful, that are showing love, that care, and it’s not how we’re portrayed in the media. It’s lovely to see it out here. (It’s) like we’re one big old, happy family.”

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