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Inouye remembered as ‘beacon of hope’ for LGBT people

Hawaii senator was among 14 to vote against DOMA

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The late Sen. Daniel Inouye (photo public domain)

The late Sen. Daniel Inouye (photo public domain)

The passing of Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) was a somber moment for LGBT advocates as they remembered him for being among 14 senators to vote against the Defense of Marriage Act and his early advocacy for “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal.

On Monday, Inouye’s office confirmed the senatorĀ died of respiratory complications at 5:01 p.m. at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The senior senator from Hawaii, Inouye was aĀ World War II veteran and a recipient of the Medal of Honor. According to his office, the senator’s last words wereĀ “Aloha.”

A senator since 1963, Inouye was the most senior member of the U.S. Senate and served as president pro tempore. That distinction will now be given to Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), which makes him third in line to succeed the presidency. The 88-year-old senator was the second longest to serve in the U.S. Senate after the late Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia.

In a statement, President Obama commended Inouye for his lifelong work as a public servant — noting that his contribution to the war effort cost him his right arm.

“In Washington, he worked to strengthen our military, forge bipartisan consensus, and hold those of us in government accountable to the people we were elected to serve,” Obama said. “But it was his incredible bravery during World War II – including one heroic effort that cost him his arm but earned him the Medal of Honor – that made Danny not just a colleague and a mentor, but someone revered by all of us lucky enough to know him.”

Inouye’s arm was mutilated in 1945 during military operations in Italy and had to be amputated without anesthetic. It was deemed Inouye had already been given too much morphine at an aid station prior to the procedure.

A supporter of marriage equality, Inouye was a co-sponsor of the Respect for Marriage Act, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, the Student Non-Discrimination Act and the Uniting American Families Act. His support for the LGBT community goes back to 1996, when he was among 14 senators to vote against the Defense of Marriage Act.

Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, praised Inouye not only for the senator’s work on LGBT advocacy, but also forĀ distinguishing himself “in everything he set his mind to — from his heroic service in World War II to his historic tenure and record of accomplishment in the U.S. Senate.”

“Sen. Inouye was a trailblazing leader and he will remain in our memories for standing with his LGBT sisters and brothers from day one,” Griffin said. “We will miss him, and every American should be grateful to have been touched by the life of this remarkable man.”

Following President Obama’s announcement in May in favor of marriage equality, Inouye announced he shares Obama’s support for marriage rights for gay couples.

ā€œI am very pleased that the president affirmed his support for marriage equality,” Inouye said. “I think everyone who wishes to enter into marriage and start a life together should be allowed to do so, regardless of sexual orientation. Ā How can we call ourselves the land of the free, if we do not permit people who love one another to get married? I look forward to working with the president to ensure his position on marriage equality becomes law in this country.ā€

Inouye was also known for being an early advocate of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal even before the legislative effort to repeal the law was off the ground. In 2009, Inouye delivered the keynote speech at the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network’s annual dinner.

Allyson Robinson, executive director of OutServe-SLDN, commended Inouye for his commitment to repeal the military’s gay ban.

“Tonight our condolences go out to the family of Senator Inouye,” Robinson said. “He will be remembered for many things, but here at OutServe-SLDN, we will remember him above all as an advocate for fairness and equality, becoming a key supporter of the movement to repeal the discriminatory ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ law when the chips were down and it mattered the most.”

Scott Larimer, co-chair of Equality Hawaii, also praised Inouye for his commitment to Hawaii’s LGBT community, saying the late senator has “long been a beacon of hope for those who endured ridicule and retribution for being different.”

“Our hearts go out to his family, friends and all people of Hawaii,” Larimer said. “His tireless advocacy for the civil rights of all people will always be remembered, and his legacy of fairness and equality will endure the test of time. He has been a stalwart in the Senate and shining example of the best an elected official has to offer. He will be greatly missed.”

UPDATE: Gay Congressman-elect Mark Takano of California, who’s candidacy was endorsed by Inouye, issued the following statement to the Washington Blade upon news of the senator’s death:

“I was saddened to learn of the passing of Senator Daniel Inouye today, who has exemplified the meaning of public service for over 70 years. First, as a part of the Nisei 442nd Infantry Battalion during World War II where he showed his heroism, then as a member of Congress where he represented the people of Hawaii for decades.

“Senator Inouye served as a role model for countless Japanese Americans, like myself, and it was one of my greatest honors to have his support earlier this year as he departed from tradition and endorsed my candidacy for the House of Representatives before the primary had been decided — knowing very well that I was seeking to become the first LGBT person of color to enter Congress. For many years, I’ve admired his fundamental sense of fairness, as he invoked his status as a decorated veteran of WWII to support the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and was a strong voice in opposition to the Defense of Marriage Act long before the recent turn in public opinion.

“We have lost yet another great man, who hails from our greatest generation.

“My condolences go out to his wife Irene, and the rest of his family during this difficult time.”

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State Department

HIV/AIDS activists protest at State Department, demand full PEPFAR funding restoration

Black coffins placed in front of Harry S. Truman Building

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HIV/AIDS activists place black Styrofoam coffins in front of the State Department on April 17, 2025. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Dozens of HIV/AIDS activists on Thursday gathered in front of the State Department and demanded the Trump-Vance administration fully restore President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief funding.

Housing Works CEO Charles King, Health GAP Executive Director Asia Russell, Human Rights Campaign Senior Public Policy Advocate Matthew Rose, and others placed 206 black Styrofoam coffins in front of the State Department before the protest began.

King said more than an estimated 100,000 people with HIV/AIDS will die this year if PEPFAR funding is not fully restored.

“If we continue to not provide the PEPFAR funding to people living in low-income countries who are living with HIV or at risk, we are going to see millions and millions of deaths as well as millions of new infections,” added King.

Then-President George W. Bush in 2003 signed legislation that created PEPFAR.

The Trump-Vance administration in January froze nearly all U.S. foreign aid spending for at least 90 days. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later issued a waiver that allows the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS relief and other ā€œlife-saving humanitarian assistanceā€ programs to continue to operate during the freeze.

The Washington Blade has previously reported PEPFAR-funded programs in Kenya and other African countries have been forced to suspend services and even shut down because of a lack of U.S. funding. Two South African organizations — OUT LGBT Well-being and Access Chapter 2 — that received PEPFAR funding through the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in recent weeks closed down HIV-prevention programs and other services to men who have sex with men.

Rubio last month said 83 percent of USAID contracts have been cancelled. He noted the State Department will administer those that remain in place “more effectively.”

“PEPFAR represents the best of us, the dignity of our country, of our people, of our shared humanity,” said Rose.

Russell described Rubio as “ignorant and incompetent” and said “he should be fired.”

“What secretary of state in 90 days could dismantle what the brilliance of AIDS activism created side-by-side with George W. Bush? What kind of fool could do that? I’ll tell you who, the boss who sits in the Harry S. Truman Building, Marco Rubio,” said Russell.

Health GAP Executive Director Asia Russell, center, speaks in front of the State Department on April 17, 2025. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
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U.S. Military/Pentagon

Pentagon urged to reverse Naval Academy book ban

Hundreds of titles discussing race, gender, and sexuality pulled from library shelves

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U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Lambda Legal and the Legal Defense Fund issued a letter on Tuesday urging U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to reverse course on a policy that led to the removal of 381 books from the Nimitz Library of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.

Pursuant to President Donald Trump’s executive order 14190, “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling,” the institution screened 900 titles to identify works promoting “diversity, equity, and inclusion,” removing those that concerned or touched upon “topics pertaining to the experiences of people of color, especially Black people, and/or LGBTQ people,” according to a press release from the civil rights organizations.

These included “I Know Why the Caged Bird Singsā€ by Maya Angelou, ā€œStone Fruitā€ by Lee Lai,Ā ā€œThe Hate U Giveā€ by Angie Thomas, ā€œLies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrongā€ by James W. Loewen, ā€œGender Queer: A Memoirā€ by Maia Kobabe, and ā€œDemocracy in Black: How Race Still Enslaves the American Soulā€ by Eddie S. Glaude, Jr.Ā 

The groups further noted that “the collection retained other books with messages and themes that privilege certain races and religions over others, including ‘The Clansman: A Historical Romance of the Ku Klux Klan’ by Thomas Dixon, Jr., ‘Mein Kampf’ by Adolf Hitler, and ‘Heart of Darkness’ by Joseph Conrad.

In their letter, Lambda Legal and LDF argued the books must be returned to circulation to preserve the “constitutional rights” of cadets at the institution, warning of the “danger” that comes with “censoring materials based on viewpoints disfavored by the current administration.”

“Such censorship is especially dangerous in an educational setting, where critical inquiry, intellectual diversity, and exposure to a wide array of perspectives are necessary to educate future citizen-leaders,”Ā Lambda Legal Chief Legal Officer Jennifer C. PizerĀ andĀ LDF Director of Strategic Initiatives Jin Hee Lee said in the press release.

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Federal Government

White House sues Maine for refusing to comply with trans athlete ban

Lawsuit follows months-long conflict over school sports in state

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U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Justice Department is suing the state of Maine for refusing to comply with President Donald Trump’s executive order banning transgender athletes from participating in school sports, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Wednesday.

DOJ’s lawsuit accuses the state of violating Title IX rules barring sex discrimination, arguing that girls and women are disadvantaged in sports and deprived of opportunities like scholarships when they must compete against natal males, an interpretation of the statute that reverses course from how the law was enforced under the Biden-Harris administration.

ā€œWe tried to get Maine to comply” before filing the complaint, Bondi said during a news conference. She added the department is asking the court to ā€œhave the titles return to the young women who rightfully won these sports” and may also retroactively pull federal funding to the state for refusing to comply with the ban in the past.

Earlier this year, the attorney general sent letters to Maine, California, and Minnesota warning the blue states that the department “does not tolerate state officials who ignore federal law.ā€

According to the Maine Principals’ Association, only two trans high school-aged girls are competing statewide this year. Conclusions from research on the athletic performance of trans athletes vis-a-vis their cisgender counterparts have been mixed.

Trump critics and LGBTQ advocates maintain that efforts to enforce the ban can facilitate invasive gender policing to settle questions about an individual athlete’s birth sex, which puts all girls and women at risk. Others believe determinations about eligibility should be made not by the federal government but by school districts, states, and athletics associations.

Bondi’s announcement marked the latest escalation of a months-long feud between Trump and Maine, which began in February when the state’s Democratic governor, Janet Mills, declined to say she would enforce the ban.

Also on Wednesday, U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the findings from her department’s Title IX investigation into Maine schools — which, likewise, concerned their inclusion of trans student-athletes in competitive sports — was referred to DOJ.

Earlier this month, the Justice Department pulled $1.5 million in grants for Maine’s Department of Corrections because a trans woman was placed in a women’s correctional facility in violation of a different anti-trans executive order, while the U.S. Department of Agriculture paused the disbursement of funds supporting education programs in the state over its failure to comply with Title IX rules.

A federal court last week ordered USDA to unfreeze the money in a ruling that prohibits the agency from ā€œterminating, freezing, or otherwise interfering with the state’s access to federal funds based on alleged Title IX violations without following the process required by federal statute.ā€Ā 

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