Local
Cummings to vote ‘in support’ of Md. same-sex marriage law
Baltimore congressman said he identifies with President Obama’s evolution on same-sex marriage
Maryland Congressman Elijah Cummings represents Baltimore City.
A Baltimore congressman who has yet to publicly back nuptials for gays and lesbians told the Washington Blade late on Wednesday he plans to vote for his state’s same-sex marriage law on Nov. 6.
“I respect and support the decision of the Maryland legislature and will vote in support of Question 6,” said U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings.
Cummings spoke to the Blade two days after Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger announced his support of same-sex marriage during a debate against his opponent, state Sen. Nancy Jacobs (R-Baltimore County,) in Cockeysville. Maryland Sens. Barbara Mikulski and Benjamin Cardin and the rest of the state’s Democratic congressional delegation all support the same-sex marriage law.
“Ultimately, I identify with President Obama’s evolution on the topic of same-sex marriage,” said Cummings. “When you come from a religious background where you’ve been taught all your life that marriage is between a man and a woman, and then you find yourself looking at how a society is changing and how many in your own community are seeing the issue in terms of fairness and equality, it makes you re-think your position.”
A Washington Post poll last week found 52 percent of Maryland voters support Question 6, compared to 42 percent who said they oppose it.
Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley said during a Human Rights Campaign fundraiser in D.C. on Wednesday he remains optimistic voters will support Question 6 on Election Day. He spoke hours after the Maryland Marriage Alliance announced it had begun airing radio commercials that feature Dr. Alveda King, niece of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
She criticizes the Baltimore-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People for endorsing marriage rights for same-sex couples and Question 6.
“I understand the civil rights struggle. During the civil rights movement, we were working for access to education, to decent housings, jobs and health care,” says Alveda King in the ad. “As a minister, I believe that the NAACP leadership and gay rights activists have formed an unholy alliance by trying to convince you and me that marriage should be redefined. We did not define marriage. And we cannot redefine marriage. Marriage by definition is a holy union between one man and one woman.”
The NAACP did not immediately respond to the Blade’s request for comment on the anti-Question 6.
Meanwhile, a group of Maryland Jewish leaders held a press conference earlier today at a Baltimore synagogue to back the state’s same-sex marriage law. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who donated $250,000 to Marylanders for Marriage Equality earlier this month, is scheduled to attend a separate press conference with O’Malley and Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake on Friday.
Freedom to Marry also on Thursday announced a $100,000 contribution to the pro-Question 6 campaign that paid for a Marylanders for Marriage Equality ad that features two women discussing President Obama’s support of marriage rights for same-sex couples and a second with NAACP Chair Emeritus Julian Bond
“Freedom to Marry’s investment comes at a key moment, and helps us accomplish an important goal,” said Josh Levin, campaign manager of Marylanders for Marriage Equality. “The radio spot we launched today ensures that voters hear President Obama’s heartfelt and compelling explanation of his journey to support marriage for gay and lesbian couples. Marylanders will identify with those same values – fairness, being a good role model for their kids – and will make the decision to vote for Question 6.”
The group announced its contribution on the same day black clergy who support and oppose Maryland’s same-sex marriage law protested the suspension of Gallaudet University’s chief diversity officer, Dr. Angela McCaskill, after she signed the petition that prompted the same-sex marriage referendum. They gathered outside the Northeast D.C. campus.
Rehoboth Beach
Rehoboth Summer Kickoff Party set for May 15 with Ashley Biden
The Washington Blade’s 19th annual Summer Kickoff Party is scheduled for Friday, May 15 in Rehoboth Beach, Del.
Ashley Biden, daughter of President Joe Biden, has joined the list of speakers, the Blade announced. She will accept an award on behalf of her brother Beau Biden for his LGBTQ advocacy work as Delaware attorney general. (Her appearance was rescheduled from last year.)
The event, to be held this year at Diego’s (37298 Rehoboth Ave. Ext.) from 5-7 p.m., is a fundraiser for the Blade Foundation’s Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which funds a summer position reporting on LGBTQ news in Delaware. This year’s recipient will be introduced at the event.
The event will also feature remarks from state Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall. New CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Dr. Robin Brennan and Blade editor Kevin Naff will also speak. The event is generously sponsored by Realtor Justin Noble, The Avenue Inn & Spa, and Diego’s.
A suggested donation of $25 is partially tax deductible and includes a drink ticket and light appetizers. Tickets are available in advance at bladefoundation.org/rehoboth or at the door.
District of Columbia
Curve magazine honors Washington Blade publisher
Lynne Brown named to 2026 Power List
Washington Blade Publisher Lynne Brown has been named to the 2026 Curve Power List celebrating LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary individuals in North America who are blazing trails in their chosen fields.
“From sports and entertainment icons to corporate leaders and lawmakers, these individuals are breaking barriers, challenging norms, and shaping the future,” Curve Foundation/Curve magazine said in announcing this year’s list, which includes ABC newscaster Robin Roberts, comedian/actress Hannah Einbinder, and singer/actress Renee Rapp, among others.
Brown has worked for the Washington Blade for nearly 40 years. She was named publisher in 2007 before becoming a co-owner in 2010.
“I am honored to be recognized by Curve magazine during Lesbian Visibility Week,” Brown said. “Receiving this Curve honor is twofold. I was an early subscriber to Curve. I enjoy the product and know its history. Its journalism, layout and humorous features have inspired me.
“As an owner/publisher, receiving recognition from a similar source acknowledges my work and efforts, with a sincerity I truly appreciate. Franco Stevens, the publisher of Curve, is a business person of duration, experience, and purpose. The fact that they are in the media business, and honoring me and my publication makes it a tiny bit sweeter.”
Nominations for the Curve Power List come from the community: peers, mentors, fans, and employers.
Curve explained the significance of the list in its announcement: “An annual, publicly nominated list of impactful LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary changemakers is crucial in current times to counter discrimination, legislative rollbacks, hostility, and the invisibility of queer women within mainstream and marginal spaces and endeavors. Such a list also fosters encouragement and solidarity, and elevates voices and achievements—from high-profile roles to under appreciated areas of life.”
Rehoboth Beach
Auction of Rehoboth’s Blue Moon canceled
Details on sale of iconic bar, restaurant not disclosed
The Blue Moon in Rehoboth Beach, Del., has been an iconic presence in the local LGBTQ community for four decades but its status remains murky after a sheriff’s auction of the property was abruptly called off on Tuesday.
The property was listed for sale in December. At that time, owner Tim Ragan told the Blade that he is committed to preserving its legacy as a gay-friendly space.
“We had no idea the interest this would create,” Ragan said in December. “I guess I was a little naive about that.”
Ragan explained that he and longtime partner Randy Haney were separating the real estate from the business. The two buildings associated with the sale were listed by Carrie Lingo at 35 Baltimore Ave., and include an apartment, the front restaurant (6,600 square feet with three floors and a basement), and a secondary building (roughly 1,800 square feet on two floors). They were listed for $4.5 million.
The bar and restaurant business is being sold separately; the price was not publicly disclosed.
But then, earlier this year, the Blue Moon real estate listing turned up on the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office auction site. The auction was slated for Tuesday, April 21 but hours before the sale, the listing changed to “active under contract” indicating that a buyer has been found but the sale is not yet final. As of Wednesday morning, the listing has been removed from the sheriff’s auction site.
Ragan didn’t respond to Blade inquiries about the auction. Back in December, he told the Blade, “It’s time to look for the next people who can continue the history of the Moon and cultivate the next chapter,” noting that he turns 70 this year. “We’re not panicked; we separated the building from the business. Some buyers can’t afford both.”
The identity of the buyer was not disclosed, nor was the sale price.
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