Local
Minister describes gays as ‘predators’ during marriage rally
Tony Perkins, Bishop Harry Jackson among those who spoke at Baltimore church


Maryland Marriage Alliance held a ‘Marriage Protection Rally’ at New Harvest Ministries, Inc., in Baltimore on Sunday. (Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)
BALTIMORE — A California pastor referred to gays as “predators” during an event against same-sex marriage at a local black church on Sunday.
“You know if we’re willing to stand up and do what we need to do in order to be able to understand that they’re after our children, they’re predators,” said Phillip Goudeaux of the Calvary Christian Center in Sacramento, Calif., during what organizers described as a Marriage Protection Rally at New Harvest Ministries, Inc., in Baltimore. Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, Bishop Harry Jackson of Hope Christian Church in Beltsville and Maryland Marriage Alliance President Derek McCoy were among the roughly 100 people who attended the event. “They’re preying on them, trying to redefine the thing they rarely notice. I mean you ain’t going to change, but they can go after our children. They can’t reproduce so they’ve got to indoctrinate. And they’re indoctrinating our children and they’re not indoctrinating our society.”
Goudeaux, who was among the most vocal proponents of California’s voter-approved Proposition 8 that overturned the state’s same-sex marriage law in 2008, repeated previous claims that gays are trying to indoctrinate children.
“I guess you guys might make a decision if you’re going to allow them — excuse me if this offends you, those perverted spirits to come over here because it’s a spirit of perversion,” he said. “I’m trying to cross my attitude because I get I’m really challenging a lot of areas because I didn’t get to choose to be black. I was born this way. Sexual preference is a choice. You can choose what kind of sexual preference you want, I guess. To me I don’t understand how two men would want to be together anyway. That’s nasty. That’s nasty. Maybe you don’t like the way I’m saying it, but it’s nasty. I like what God did. God made a man, but then he handcrafted him a woman because he wanted that woman to take our total attention. So there’s got to be something the matter when a man sees another man or wants a man more than he wants a woman … That’s sick. That’s sick.”
Goudeaux and others spoke at the church near Johns Hopkins Hospital slightly more than two weeks before Maryland voters will vote on Question 6.
A Washington Post poll published on Oct. 18 found 52 percent of Maryland voters support the same-sex marriage law that Gov. Martin O’Malley signed in March, compared to 42 percent who said they oppose it. A Gonzales Research poll last month indicated 44 percent of black Marylanders back marriage rights for same-sex couples, compared to 52 percent who oppose them.
A Public Policy Polling survey in May found 55 percent of the state’s black voters support nuptials for gays and lesbians. A Hart Research Associates poll conducted in late July noted 44 percent of black Marylanders would support Question 6, compared to 45 percent who would vote against it.
Revs. Donté Hickman of Southern Baptist Church in Baltimore, Delman Coates of Mount Ennon Baptist Church in Prince George’s County and Al Sharpton and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People are among the prominent black clergy and civil rights organizations that have endorsed Question 6. Both Hickman and Coates and NAACP Chair Emeritus Julian Bond have appeared in Marylanders for Marriage Equality television ads that continue to air in the Baltimore and D.C. media markets.
Jackson mocked those religious leaders in Maryland, D.C. and elsewhere who have backed marriage rights for same-sex couples. McCoy showed his group’s latest television ad that features Angela McCaskill, the Gallaudet University administrator placed on administrative leave earlier this month for signing the petition that prompted the Nov. 6 referendum on the state’s same-sex marriage law.
“Now I know you hear a lot of stuff that says, well the pastor’s not going to have to preach this thing. We can co-exist together. We can do all of this,” said McCoy. “That’s totally disingenuous. And I wish I had more time, but I’m going to tell you that’s a lie. It’s not true. Yeah, he might not be forced tomorrow to marry somebody, but they basically said in that law that I’m going to give you the right you already have in the First Amendment of the Constitution, thank you very much. I never understood that: I’m going to give you a right that you already have.”
Perkins showed a FRC video during his speech that features a Massachusetts man who claims he was arrested in 2005 because he demanded his son’s school administrators not expose him to what court documents describe as “any further discussions of homosexuality” after he brought home a book that includes families with same-sex couples. A local newspaper reported police arrested David Parker for criminal trespass after he refused to leave his son Jacob’s school.
“Your vote can make a difference in this election,” said Perkins. “And I know you’ve seen unfolding here in just the last several days in Maryland the fact that same-sex marriage is not about what happens at the altar of marriage, but rather it’s about altering every fundamental right that we care about in this country. You’ve seen with Dr. McCaskill, what has happened with her in that she has lost her position or been indefinitely suspended simply because she signed a petition to put this on the ballot. These are not theoretical issues. These are happening across the nation where people are losing their God-given right of the freedom of religion, the freedom of speech in the wake of this forced march down the aisle towards same-sex marriage. Now friends, it does not have to be that way. It’s not what God intended. It’s not what our founders intended. It is not I believe in the best interest of America. It’s certainly not in the best of interest of the church to go down this path. I want to encourage you to continue in this stand.”
Perkins again urged those who attended the rally to vote on Nov. 6.
“We need to know what the issues are, where the candidates stand on the issue. I could not, and I will not vote for a candidate who supports the redefinition of marriage,” he said to applause. “We need to know where they stand. And finally we need to participate. We can have rallies. We can register. We can do all that, but on Election Day we have to turn out. And no one should keep you from voting. As an American citizen, you have a right to vote. As a Christian, you have a responsibility to vote, to stand up for truth and to be salt and light to this culture.”
Marylanders for Marriage Equality spokesperson Kevin Nix responded to Perkins’ claims that Question 6 threatens freedom of religion and speech.
“This comes right out of their binder full of lies and misinformation,” he told the Washington Blade earlier on Monday.
Bishop Angel Nunez of the Bilingual Christian Church in Baltimore and Bishop Eugene Reeves of New Life Ministries in Woodbridge, Va., also spoke during the roughly two-hour event.
Beverly Johnson of New Harvest Ministries told the Washington Blade on behalf of Bishop Marcus Johnson, the church’s pastor, that the marriage rally was one of the “many events” that the congregation hosts.
“This was just one of many and that’s what his answer was on that,” she said.
She directed questions about Goudeaux’s reference to gays as “predators” to him. McCoy declined to speak with the Blade inside the church.
District of Columbia
Trayon White, ousted by colleagues, wins Ward 8 special election
Indicted Council member expected to regain seat

Former D.C. Council member Trayon White (D), who was expelled by his fellow Council members following his indictment on a federal bribery charge, is the projected winner of the July 15 Ward 8 special election.
With nearly all votes counted by around 8:30 p.m. on Election Day except for ballots cast by mail on the 15th or a few days earlier, and a relatively small number of absentee and “special” ballots, the D.C. Board of Elections announced White was ahead of his three Democratic opponents with 1,987 votes or 29.46 percent of the vote.
The vote count released by the Board of Elections showed Democratic rivals Sheila Bunn receiving 1,627 votes or 24.13 percent; Mike Austin receiving 1,584 votes or 23.49 percent; and Salim Adofo with 1,405 votes or 22.17 percent.
White has pleaded not guilty to the bribery charge filed against him by the FBI, and under D.C. law, he can retake his Council seat if he wins the election up until the time he is convicted. His trial is scheduled to begin in January 2026.
Political observers, including LGBTQ activists, have said they believed LGBTQ voters, like most if not all voters in Ward 8, were divided over which of the four candidates to support. Each of the four, including White, has expressed support for LGBTQ-related issues.
The preliminary results show that White was ahead of Bunn, who had the second highest vote count, by 354 votes. He was ahead of Austin by 397 votes and ahead of Adofo by 492 votes.
With White’s three opponents dividing the opposition vote it was unlikely that Bunn or one of the other candidates would capture enough votes to surpass White.
Based on the preliminary vote count released by the election board, White’s three opponents captured a combined vote of 69.79 percent compared to White’s 29.46 percent.
“The real winner this evening outside of Trayon is the antiquated electoral process where a candidate can win with a small plurality of the vote,” said Ward 8 longtime LGBTQ rights advocate Phil Pannell. “Seventy percent of the people in Ward 8 clearly rejected Trayon White,” Pannell added in referring to a slightly different percentage of the vote reported by the Washington Post.
Pannell noted that the Ward 8 special election outcome would have been far different if the city had put in place a ranked choice voting system approved by D.C. voters in the November 2024 election known as Initiative 83. The D.C. Council this week gave final approval for funding to enable the initiative’s ranked choice voting system to be in place for the city’s 2026 primary and general election.
Among other things, the ranked choice voting system allows voters to indicate who their second choice candidate is and puts in place an automatic runoff election if no candidate receives at least 50 percent of the vote.
In a statement released at 8:45 p.m. Tuesday, the Board of Elections said it would resume its vote count on Wednesday morning, July 16.
“DCBOE will continue to accept ballots sent by USPS until July 25, 2025, as long as they were postmarked by July 15, 2025,” the statement says. “Official election results will not be released until after mail, absentee, and valid special ballots have been processed and tabulated, a post-election audit has been conducted, and DCBOE’s Board had certified the election results,” the statement says.
It says the post-election audit was scheduled to begin on Aug. 5 and the final certification of the results was tentatively scheduled for Aug. 8.
It couldn’t immediately be determined if members of the D.C. Council will take steps to exercise the Council’s authority to once again expel White from its ranks. If White or one of the other candidates in the special election is officially declared the winner, they would serve the unexpired term that was created by White’s ouster until Jan. 2, 2029.
District of Columbia
Dive in: a guide to LGBTQ-friendly pools in D.C.
City offers plenty of places to cool off, sometimes with a cocktail

As the dog days of summer arrive in Washington, it seems only one thing is on everyone’s mind: Where are the pools? Fret not, the Washington Blade has compiled a list of places where D.C.’s LGBTQ community can wear a Speedo, splash around, and enjoy the summer.
Public Pools:
To gain access to any public pools in D.C., District residents must first obtain a free membership by creating an account with the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation and presenting a valid photo ID at the pool. For more information on D.C. public pools, visit dpr.dc.gov/findapool.
Banneker Pool (2500 Georgia Ave NW): Popular with both young adults and families, Banneker Pool features a spacious outdoor swimming area complete with dedicated lap lanes for serious swimmers and a separate shallow kiddie pool designed for children’s safety and fun. The pool often hosts community swim events and is known for its vibrant, welcoming atmosphere.
Francis Pool (2435 N St NW): Located in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood, this outdoor pool is easily accessible via the Foggy Bottom-GWU Metro station. It offers two 25-yard lap lanes ideal for fitness swimmers and open swim times for casual visitors. Its central location makes it a convenient option for downtown residents and workers.
Volta Park Pool (1555 34th St NW): Nestled in the Georgetown neighborhood, Volta Park Pool is a smaller, cozy community pool favored by locals. Due to limited capacity, especially on busy summer days, early arrival is recommended to secure a spot. The pool provides a friendly and relaxed environment, perfect for a quick swim or cooling off on hot days.
Wilson Aquatic Center (4551 Fort Dr., N.W.): Recognized as one of D.C.’s premier indoor aquatic facilities, the Wilson Aquatic Center boasts a large 50-meter by 25-meter competition pool with diving boards suitable for swim meets and advanced training. The facility also includes a leisure pool for recreational swimming, a whirlpool spa, a spacious viewing gallery for spectators, and a multi-purpose room used for classes and community events. Conveniently located in Tenleytown, it is just steps away from the Tenleytown–AU Metro station.
Anacostia Pool (1800 Anacostia Drive SE): Set along the scenic banks of the Anacostia River, this pool offers a peaceful setting for swimmers. The facility provides a variety of programs throughout the summer, including swimming lessons for all ages, water aerobics classes, and other aquatic activities aimed at encouraging fitness and community engagement.
Kenilworth Pool (4321 Ord Street NE): Part of the newly renovated Kenilworth Recreation Center, this large outdoor pool is a centerpiece of the upgraded facility. It features ample swimming space for lap swimmers and recreational users alike, along with modern amenities and well-maintained grounds, making it a popular choice for residents in Northeast D.C.
Private Pools:
Vida Penthouse Pools; Multiple Locations — (1212 4th St., S.E.), (1612 U St., N.W.), (1845 Reston Row Plaza, Reston, Va.): This fitness club is where many in Washington’s LGBTQ community can be found kiki-ing on sunny weekends, sipping vodka lemonades. The pools offer a unique watering hole experience that can only be described as “Vida” — complete with a full bar and restaurant.
YMCA Anthony Bowen Pool (1325 W St., N.W.): Home to the first African-American chapter of the YMCA, this site features an indoor heated pool — ideal for lap swimming, aqua classes, and lessons.
Viceroy Hotel Pool (1430 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.): This D.C. hotel features a small rooftop pool in Logan Circle, open daily to hotel guests and “daycation” pass holders ($150 for a room from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.), with public access after 7 p.m. Highlights include a full bar with frozen margaritas and the “Pink Pony Club” cocktail, as well as small bites.
Hedy’s Rooftop at Hotel Zena (1155 14th St., N.W.): Offering stunning Thomas Circle views, this rooftop pool and bar is open to hotel guests and locals, with $50 day passes and private cabanas starting at $500 for six people. Dive into poolside movie nights every Wednesday at 9 p.m. with popcorn and cocktails, plus enjoy summer bites. The bar is open Tuesday through Sunday, and the pool operates daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., with service starting at noon.
Rehoboth Beach
Rehoboth Pride festival to take place July 19
LGBTQ-friendly resort town welcomes third year of celebrations

Rehoboth Beach Pride is back for a day of summer celebration next Saturday.
The Delaware beach town will host its Pride festival at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center on July 19 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., followed by an after-party at Freddie’s Beach Bar and a ticketed event in the evening with a film screening, comedian, and musician.
“It will be a day of community engagement, fun, celebration and learning, all sorts of things rolled into one,” David Mariner, executive director of Sussex Pride, told the Washington Blade. “I think it’s a great opportunity for us to be together, to support each other.”
Pride is organized by Sussex Pride and Gay Women of Rehoboth. The festival will include a free, family-friendly event with vendors offering information and resources, health screenings, and other activities.
Drag queen Roxy Overbrooke will host the festival, with performances throughout the day by Ivy Blu Austin, Goldstar, the cast of Clear Space Theatre, JC Pizzaz, and Kadet Kelly.
Mariner said Rehoboth Pride has not seen a decrease in corporate support this year, as some Pride celebrations have. Last year, the vendor spots were capped at 50 but increased to 60 this year.
“The main thing that’s different this year is what’s happening in the world and what’s happening in the country so it changes the tone,” Mariner said. “I go into this with strength and determination and an awareness and appreciation for the rights that we have here in Delaware. I go into this … knowing there are people in our community feeling under attack. There are a lot of things happening at the national level that impact us from healthcare to education that affect our lives in various ways.”
Funds raised from a raffle will be used to support unhoused LGBTQ youth in Delaware. Last year, the raffle raised $1,000, which was donated to the Safeguards Housing Committee, a program of PFLAG Wilmington.
In response to LGBTQ youth “increasingly targeted by harmful rhetoric and policies,” the festival will hold various workshops with topics such as supporting the LGBTQ Latinx community, suicide prevention, and an ACLU activist training.
Mariner referenced a Dan Savage quote from the AIDS epidemic that he loves. He said it reflects Pride festivals and the celebration of pride in the LGBTQ community.
“During the darkest days of the AIDS crisis, we buried our friends in the morning, we protested in the afternoon, and we danced all night. The dance kept us in the fight because it was the dance we were fighting for,” the quote reads.
Mariner said having an event like this that combines education, advocacy, and celebration is reflective of “who we are as queer people.” He said it’s important to learn and recommit to the work that needs to be done and that he is looking forward to every piece of the day.
“I would just like to see everyone leave the convention center feeling loved and connected and supported and with a renewed sense of strength and determination to face whatever challenges may come,” Mariner said.
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