Local
Nearly 850 sign petition to remove Chick-fil-A from University of Maryland
Kyle Milligan of Severna Park, Md., posted the petition on Change.org
Photo courtesy of Change.org
Nearly 850 people have signed a petition that urges the University of Maryland to remove a Chick-fil-A restaurant from the College Park campus.
Kyle Milligan of Severna Park, Md., told the Blade that he posted it onto Change.org after he and his friends discussed Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy’s controversial comments against marriage rights for same-sex couples. He also noted “contributions to hate groups” that he said the company has made “in the past several years” as another factor that prompted him to launch the petition to remove the fast food eatery from the Adele H. Stamp Student Union’s food court.
“The SSU’s mission statement (from their website) is ‘to provide a safe and inviting campus center where all UM students, alumni, faculty, staff, and community members cultivate lifelong relationships founded on engagement, learning, multiculturalism, and citizenship,’” said Milligan. “We decided that having a Chick-Fil-A restaurant in the SSU ran counter to this mission statement, and I decided to act by starting this petition.”
Milligan said university officials have not formally responded to his petition, although Stamp Student Union Director Marsha Guenzler Stevens told FOX 5 on Aug. 17 that it cannot remove Chick-fil-A from the food court until at least the end of the year when its contract expires. Milligan said reaction among his classmates remains mixed.
“A lot of people who say they oppose the petition do so because they see it as the wrong way to approach the issue. There hasn’t been a lot of vocal opposition that I’ve seen, at least not in opposition to the end goal of the petition,” he said. “Some people have questioned our approach, though. I’ve gotten a lot of people who say ‘just vote with your wallet and don’t eat there,’ but I think that sort of avoids the problem. Chick-Fil-A’s CEO is free to say what he wants, but as long as a percentage of corporate profits are used to fund organizations like the Family Research Council, which has spent thousands of dollars lobbying Congress not to condemn Uganda’s “Kill the Gays” legislation, it is totally inappropriate to house the restaurant on University of Maryland property, let alone eat there.”
Milligan launched his petition only days after Floyd Lee Corkins, II, reportedly had 15 Chick-fil-A sandwiches in his backpack when he allegedly shot a security guard in the lobby of the Family Research Council’s downtown Washington headquarters. A Frederick Chick-fil-A was vandalized with pro-gay rights stickers and other items earlier this month, while roughly a dozen people gathered outside the chain’s downtown Silver Spring location on Aug. 3 to protest Cathy’s comments.
Chick-fil-A did not return the Blade’s request for comment about Milligan’s petition.
District of Columbia
Blade welcomes fall intern
Alexis McLean is student at University of North Florida
The Washington Blade this week welcomed Alexis McLean as its fall intern.
Alexis is studying political science at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Fla. She is interning with the Blade as part of a continued partnership with the Washington Center.
“I am looking forward to spending my time in the fall with the Washington Blade, as this is a new experience for me,” said Alexis. “I have not experienced any journalist jobs in the past so this would be my first time, and I am excited to better my writing and communications skills with this internship.”
Alexis’s internship with the Blade ends in early December.
Rehoboth Beach
SUNFESTIVAL takes center stage as Rehoboth Beach closes out summer
Labor Day Weekend bustling with events, including David Archuleta performance
Labor Day Weekend marks the unofficial end of summer in Rehoboth Beach, but there will be no shortage of LGBTQ events, with CAMP Rehoboth’s annual SUNFESTIVAL taking over town this weekend.
Thursday (9/3)
Get your Labor Day Weekend started early Thursday night with happy hour from 5-7 p.m. at Diego’s Bar & Nightclub, followed by Naughtee Bingo hosted by Magnolia Applebottom at 8:30 p.m.
After bingo, the party continues with Dancing at Diego’s from 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.
Aqua Bar & Grill will also kick off its Labor Day Weekend festivities Thursday with a DJ spinning from 9 p.m.-1 a.m.
Friday (9/4)
The weekend ramps up Friday night at Aqua, where DJ Matt Bailer will keep the dance floor moving from 9 p.m.-1 a.m.
Over at Diego’s, DJ Steve Sidewalk will then take over Diego’s for Freedom Friday from 9 p.m.-1:30 a.m.
Saturday (9/5)
The main event of the weekend arrives Saturday with the opening night of CAMP Rehoboth’s SUNFESTIVAL.
Billed as the ultimate party to close out the summer, SUNFESTIVAL has become one of Rehoboth’s signature Labor Day Weekend events. The annual celebration sells out each year, with proceeds benefiting CAMP Rehoboth.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with refreshments available at the cash bar while attendees are invited to socialize and find their seats.
Saturday night will feature local singer Ashley Williams as the opening performer, followed by headliner David Archuleta. The event will also feature a live auction.
Back across town Saturday, Aqua will continue its Labor Day Weekend DJ lineup from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Diego’s will also have plenty happening, with ‘Splash Party’ hosted by Magnolia Applebottom at 5 p.m., followed by a Saturday Dance Party with Brett Oosterhaus from 9 p.m.- 1:30 a.m.
The Blue Moon hosts its popular Legends Show at 9 p.m. It’s an all-live singing show by the Blue Moon cast of celebrity impersonators.
Etienne Pilon has taken Rehoboth by storm this summer. Check out the talented singer/pianist at The Pines from 7-10 p.m.
Sunday (9/6)
Sunday’s SUNFESTIVAL event will shift the focus to the dance floor, with globally renowned DJs Robbie Leslie and James Anthony scheduled to perform. Doors open at 7 p.m., with dancing continuing until 1 a.m.
On Sunday, Aqua will throw its annual White Party, with DJs spinning from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Guests are encouraged to dress in white for the holiday weekend celebration.
Diego’s will host its Sunday High T-Dance with Pamala Stanley at 5 p.m. Later that evening, DJ Tannr will be spinning at 9 p.m.
John Flynn is on the piano from 6-8 p.m. at the Blue Moon.
Monday (9/7)
The final day of Labor Day Weekend brings one last chance to hit the dance floor before summer officially winds down.
Aqua will close out its five-day Labor Day Weekend celebration with DJ Biff from 3-7 p.m.
Maryland
Anne Arundel schools now need parent permission to call trans students by preferred names
Conservative groups challenged system’s policy
By JESSICA CALEFATI | Anne Arundel County Public Schools staff cannot use transgender students’ preferred names if their parents oppose it, according to an internal document reviewed by the Banner, a change that comes after conservative groups challenged the school system’s approach to gender identity.
Teachers union president Kristina Korona told members in an Aug. 20 email that the new guidance undermines district policy on acceptance and inclusivity and “will begin harming affected students immediately.”
Previously, the district didn’t require parental permission to use a high school student’s chosen name and pronouns corresponding to their gender identity, the internal document says. Now it does. The change comes as parents challenge the suburban school system’s gender identity policy and regulation in court and the Trump-Vance administration threatens the district’s funding.
The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
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