National
Perkins advises parents not to ‘condone and enable’ homosexuality
Anti-gay leader compares homosexuality to drug use
Family Research Council Tony Perkins speaks before a National Press Club luncheon (Blade photo by Michael Key)
A prominent social conservative leader compared homosexuality to drug use on Wednesday while urging parents not to “condone and enable” a child being gay.
Tony Perkins, president of the anti-gay Family Research Council, made the remarks while speaking at the National Press Club luncheon after being asked if he would disown one of his children if they came out as gay.
Perkins, the father of five children, replied that he wouldn’t “disown my children for anything,” but advised parents they should express disapproval if their children make such an announcement.
“And if we really love them, we’ll be willing to tell them the truth that the choices that they have made, continuing what they’re doing, are both destructive to them personally and society as a whole,” Perkins said. “And so while I would disagree with my child getting involved in that lifestyle, I would not in any way — nor would I ever encourage a parent — to disown a child because of something like that that occurs. Love them compassionately, pray for them, but don’t condone and enable that behavior, whatever it might be.”
Perkins said as a parent he has “a responsibility for the environment in which I raise my children,” suggesting that sexual orientation is determined by parenting — a notion disputed by major psychiatric groups. Later in his comments, Perkins compared homosexuality to drug use.
“I believe as a parent we have the ability to protect them from a lot of unfortunate experiences that have shaping influences upon their lives,” Perkins said. “That’s not to say that those whose children may have ended up in homosexuality were not good parents. We can’t guarantee that. We can do our very best job as a parent and still something may happen, whether they end up in drugs or whether they end up in some other lifestyle that they end up.”
At the beginning of his response, Perkins said similar inquiries has been posed to him previously on national TV as what he called a “gotcha” question. The inquiry on Wednesday came from National Press Club President Theresa Werner, who was reading questions submitted in advance by reporters and attendees at the event.
Michael Cole-Schwartz, an HRC spokesperson, responded by saying Perkins is spreading lies about LGBT people and that parents should provide “unconditional support” to children who come out.
“Tony Perkins continues to spread lies and misinformation and his comments are offensive to the millions of LGBT people and those who love and respect us,” Cole-Schwartz said. “LGBT young people need unconditional support, not leaders or parents who will compare their inherent identities to things like substance abuse. It’s time Tony Perkins disavows that junk science and learns what the experts have to say about sexual orientation and gender identity.”
In response to another question submitted by the Washington Blade, Perkins said he thinks the Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney is getting better about talking about views of marriage and gay rights favorable to social conservatives. Perkins gave general praise to Romney, despite grumblings throughout his campaign from social conservatives who’ve said they suspect the candidate doesn’t share their views.
“I think Mitt Romney is doing a good job in becoming more comfortable in talking about the issues of faith, talking about the social issues of marriage, and life in particular,” Perkins said. “There is no question that we have theological differences when it comes to our religions, but we have a shared concern over where this country is headed today. And we have a shared value system that we believe can put American on the right way. I believe that Gov. Romney is doing a good job in reaching out and bringing in all concerns within the conservative movement, including those of social conservatives.”
A substantial portion of Perkins’ prepared remarks was devoted to following up on a shooting at the Family Research Council’s D.C. headquarters in which a guard, Leo Johnson, was wounded and the accused assailant was a volunteer for the D.C. Center for the LGBT Community. In addition to ammunition and guns, the assailant was carrying a backpack filled with sandwiches from Chick-fil-A, which had been under scrutiny for the anti-gay views of its owners.
In the wake of the shooting, Perkins said the mission of his organization to advocate social conservative values remains unchanged.
“As I said here today, I pledge to redouble our efforts to persuade our fellow citizens on these issues and to move the electorate to embrace the core principles a majority of this nation have long espoused,” Perkins said. “But I also pledge to redouble our efforts to advocate these ideas with civility and compassion. … Our aim is to speak the truth in love, and if we fail to do so, we will acknowledge it, and we will set the record straight, and that includes what we say regarding homosexuality. And I would hope the other side would make a similar commitment.”
Perkins accused organizations like the Southern Poverty Law Center, which has labeled the Family Research Council a hate group, of fostering “an environment of hostility” that encourage incidents like the shooting to take place. Perkins said he’s renewing the call on Southern Poverty Law Center and the Human Rights Campaign to stop its characterization of the Family Research Council as a hate group.
“It is time for the vindictiveness to end, and I say with confidence to SPLC and HRC, it’s time to dial down the demonization of those who differ with you,” Perkins said. “It’s time to start hurling labels of hate and have a legitimate debate about policies that govern our nation.”
Cole-Schwartz responded to the accusations against HRC by saying his organization want civil discussion, but criticized the Family Research Council for its statements about LGBT people.
“HRC welcomes reasoned debate over public policy but that must be predicated on truth, not wholesale denigration of LGBT people and our families,” Cole-Schwartz said. “When the FRC is ready to give up on their hateful lies, we’ll be ready to stop calling them out for it.”
Asked whether during the question-and-answer portion if the suspected shooter should be charged with a hate crime, a kind of law that the Family Research Council opposes, Perkins said he’d leave that decision to law enforcement, but noted the FBI is investigating it as an act of domestic terrorism. Perkins added on the day of shooting, employees at his organization prayed for the alleged perpetrator as well as other involved.
“We pray for him, we pray for his spiritual well-being, but I will echo, once again, we will not allow these types of threats or acts of violence in any way to deter us from standing for the things that we represent here in Washington,” Perkins said.
State ballot measures related to marriage also came up during the event. During his prepared remarks, Perkins noted that 7 of the 9 states identified as swing states in the presidential election have approved constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage. He also predicted anti-gay forces would have a favorable outcome in the four states where marriage is coming up on the ballot: Minnesota, Maryland, Washington State and Maine.
Perkins spoke before attendees at the National Press Club prior the 2012 Values Voter Summit, a three-day national event held that will be this week in D.C. for social conservatives. Among the high-profile speakers scheduled at the event are Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum. LGBT groups including the Human Rights Campaign and other organizations sent a joint letter to public these officials asking them not to participate in the event, although none have cancelled their participation as a result.
Among Perkins’ guests alongside him at the table near the podium were Bishop Harry Jackson of Hope Christian Church, a leader in the fight against Maryland’s same-sex marriage law, and anti-gay Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas.)
National
BREAKING NEWS: Shots fired at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner
Shooter reportedly opened fire inside hotel
Four loud bangs were heard in the International Ballroom of the Washington Hilton during the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday.
According to the Associated Press, a shooter opened fire inside the hotel outside the ballroom.
Attendees could hear four loud bangs as people started to duck and take cover. During the chaos sounds of salad and glasses were dropped as hotel employees, and guests ducked for cover.
The head table — which included President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, first lady Melania Trump, and White House Correspondents Association President Weijia Jiang — were rushed off stage.
“The U.S. Secret Service, in coordination with the Metropolitan Police Department, is investigating a shooting incident near the main magnetometer screening area at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner,” the U.S. Secret Service said in a statement. “The president and the First Lady are safe along all protects. One individual is in custody. The condition of those involved is not yet known, and law enforcement is actively assessing the situation.”
Trump held a press conference at the White House after he left the hotel.
“A man charged a security checkpoint armed with multiple weapons and he was taken down by some very brave members of Secret Service,” said Trump.
Trump said the shooter is from California. He also said an officer was shot, but said his bullet proof vest “saved” him.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, interim D.C. police chief Jeffrey Carroll, U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro, and other officials held their own press conference at the hotel.
Carroll said the gunman was armed with a shotgun, handgun, and “multiple” knives when he charged a Secret Service checkpoint in a hotel lobby. Carroll also told reporters that law enforcement “exchanged gunfire with that individual.”
Both he and Bowser said the gunman appeared to act alone.
“We are so very thankful to members of law enforcement who did their jobs tonight and made sure all guests were safe,” said Bowser. “Nobody else was involved.”
The Washington Blade will update this story as details become more available.
State Department
State Department implements anti-trans bathroom policy
Memo notes directive corresponds with White House executive order
The State Department on April 20 announced employees cannot use bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity.
The Daily Signal, a conservative news website, reported the State Department announced the new policy in a memo titled “Updates Regarding Biological Sex and Intimate Spaces, Including Restrooms.”
The State Department has not responded to the Washington Blade’s request for comment on the directive.
“The administration affirms that there are two sexes — male and female — and that federal facilities should operate on this objective and longstanding basis to ensure consistency, privacy, and safety in shared spaces,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggot told the Daily Signal. “In line with President Trump’s executive order this provides clear, uniform guidance to the department by grounding policy in biological sex as determined at birth.”
President Donald Trump shortly after he took office in January 2025 issued an executive order that directed the federal government to only recognize two genders: male and female. The sweeping directive also ordered federal government agencies to “effectuate this policy by taking appropriate action to ensure that intimate spaces designated for women, girls, or females (or for men, boys, or males) are designated by sex and not identity.”
The Daily Signal notes the new State Department policy “does not prohibit single-occupancy restrooms.”
National
I’m telling the scared little girl I once was it’s okay to feel free
This week is Lesbian Visibility Week
Uncloseted Media published this article on April 23.
By SOPHIE HOLLAND | At 13 years old, I remember looking in the mirror in my Toronto bathroom and thinking, “Yeah, I’m a lesbian.” At the time, I thought it was a dirty word. Thinking back, it could be because the first time I heard it was when a family member said, “I don’t know what a lesbian is, they are like aliens.”
And although I walked around in camouflage Crocs with a rainbow My Little Pony charm, plaid knee-length shorts and a shark tooth necklace (yes, these are all, in my opinion, stereotypically lesbian apparel!), I didn’t feel like I fit the mold. The longer I thought about it, the worse I felt, so I buried my feelings deep inside.
Now I am 25, and I have been out since I was 22. Three years ago, I never could have imagined that I’d be working for a queer news publication and celebrating Lesbian Visibility Week, an annual event meant to honor and uplift lesbian perspectives and highlight the hardships our community faces. To me, LVW is so important because, frankly, it has been an absolute shit show getting here, to a place where I feel love and joy most days.
I think back to the frustration of constantly being asked, “Do you have a boyfriend?” Of watching princess movies and seeing a broken girl only find herself when her prince charming arrives. I remember listening to music that was always about heterosexual relationships. I remember feeling left out in high school when, one by one, my friends got boyfriends.
I tried the boyfriend, and I tried really hard for it to work at a large detriment to my wellbeing. I brainwashed myself into thinking I was probably bisexual, which I told my closest friends around 16 and unsuccessfully told my parents at the same age. I was probably subconsciously using this as a litmus test of their acceptance and to soothe the anxiety I felt around my sexuality.
Learning to love who I am did not only come from me unraveling my internalized lesbophobia and dissecting the oppressive societal messages of heteronormativity. It came from meeting an awesome community of lesbians and queers. I found people who understood my worldview and who showed me the ropes. I no longer had to stutter over concepts like lesbian loneliness or my frustration with misogynistic straight men.
They all just got it.
Without this community, I am not sure if I could be as warm and confident in myself as I am today.
And while I still experience homophobia, like being spat on while walking with an ex in downtown Toronto or having a stranger yell in my face “Are you fucking lesbians?” in Kensington Market, the joy and love still outweighs the nasty.
So, as the sentimental dyke that I have become, I decided to ask a set of lesbians in my orbit — including my friends as well as Uncloseted staffers, board members and followers — if they would share a little bit about what makes them love being a lesbian. And now, I can share it with all of you. Here they are. Happy LVW!
Timi Sotire
Falling in love with her was a reset. I felt like a kid again, hopeful about the future. We’ve had to overcome many obstacles to be together, but I’d choose her in every lifetime. I was sick with a long-term health condition when we met, and hanging out with Sophia really helped me with my recovery after my surgery.
Bella Sayegh
Being a lesbian is one of the most beautiful things in the world. To be authentically yourself in resistance and joy is so special within the lesbian community.
Parker Wales
When I met Liv, I finally understood why almost every song is about love.
Gillian Kilgour
There is no connection quite as perfect as between lesbians, no one sees me like my lesbians do.
Chyna Price
There’s many things I love about being a lesbian. But here are my top three:
- There’s just a deeper understanding when it comes to being loved by another woman.
- The next one would be the sense of community, especially being a POC masculine-presenting lesbian. I don’t feel like I’m cosplaying as someone else like I felt like I was doing before I came out.
- There’s so much history going back to the 1800s on how we found and fought for our love. That fight makes me proud because it shows me … that we’ve [found] ways to express our love even when it was misunderstood, illegal and deemed as madness.
Hope Pisoni
Before I knew I was a lesbian, romantic relationships seemed suffocating — it felt like everyone would expect me to act my part in the meticulous performance that is heterosexuality. But meeting my spouse and discovering our identities together showed me just how freeing it could be to love without a script to follow.
Leital Molad
It was the joy of watching the New York Sirens defeat the Toronto Sceptres at our first professional women’s hockey game — surrounded by hundreds (maybe thousands?) of cheering lesbians.
Angela Earl
I spent years building a life that looked right. But I never felt settled, and eventually I started asking what would actually make me happy. Coming out was about more than who I love, it was letting go of everything I was told to be. The last few years have felt like coming home to a life that had been waiting for me.
Tali Bray
What I love about being a lesbian is what I love about being in love … the wonder and joy of “oh, this is what it’s supposed to feel like.” I love moving through the world with women.
Izzy Stokes
I didn’t fall in love until I realized that queerness was an option. My queer friends have helped me see so much more than I grew up seeing. I’m so proud of us, and I’m so grateful for my lesbian community.
Nandika Chatterjee
When I met my fiancée is when I started to feel most like myself. That meant loving myself for who I am and embracing my identity as a lesbian. I felt free in a way I have never before. That’s the long and short of it.
Liz Lucking
The love and joy of being a lesbian is getting to live the life I dreamed of but never thought I would get to have!
Reflections
As I read these beautiful entries, it’s not lost on me that we’re still living in a world where lesbians are more likely to struggle with maternity problems, fetishization, and compulsory heterosexuality — not to mention the intersectional pressures of racism from both inside and outside the queer community. That’s part of why, according to a 2024 survey, 22 percent of LGBTQ women have attempted suicide, and 66 percent have sought treatment for trauma.
So if you are a lesbian who isn’t out or doesn’t feel safe, I hope you read this and can glean some hope from these messages. So when you look in the mirror, you know that it’s okay to release the weight — which can feel so heavy — of a heteronormative world.
We still have a long fight until all lesbians can feel safe to be themselves, but this is a community that does not back away from the tough, from the joy, from being loud and from all the other things that it takes to start a small revolution.
Hell yeah, lesbians! Here’s to you.
*I am signing off with my cat on my lap and a pride flag over my head <3.
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