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U.S. Attorney challenges use of civil rights law
Government defends Library of Congress in firing of gay employee
Peter TerVeer (Blade photo by Michael Key)
The United States Attorney for the District of Columbia filed court papers on Dec. 17 arguing that a gay man, who sued the Library of Congress for firing him because of his sexual orientation, failed to show he’s entitled to protection under Title VII of the U.S. Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The court filing by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., who was appointed by President Obama, places the Obama administration in the awkward position of opposing a gay discrimination claim under Title VII.
In a lawsuit filed against the Library of Congress in August 2012, former management analyst Peter TerVeer, 30, says he was fired from his job after being harassed and humiliated for more than a year by a supervisor who repeatedly quoted biblical passages condemning homosexuality.
The lawsuit charges that although TerVeer was targeted because he’s gay, he suffered employment discrimination and harassment based on his gender, gender stereotyping and his religious beliefs, which he says didn’t conform to those of supervisor John Mech.
Title VII of the famed 1964 Civil Rights Act bans discrimination based on race, religion, ethnicity, gender and, according to recent court rulings, gender identity, but not sexual orientation by itself.
According to the lawsuit, TerVeer and Mech had a cordial working relationship from the time TerVeer was hired in February 2008 as a management analyst in the library’s Auditing Division. It says TerVeer received high performance ratings and two promotions between 2008 and 2010.
The lawsuit says Mech allegedly became hostile and unfairly critical of TerVeer’s work performance and created an unbearably hostile work environment after Mech learned TerVeer was gay.
The government’s filing of a motion to dismiss the case on legal and procedural grounds comes at a time when gay rights attorneys are seeking to persuade courts to treat anti-gay discrimination as a form of sex discrimination protected under Title VII.
“We believe that the allegations in the complaint are insufficient to substantiate a Title VII claim,” said Charles Miller, a spokesperson for the Justice Department’s Civil Division.
Miller pointed to an April 2012 ruling by the Library of Congress’s in-house equal employment opportunity division, which investigated TerVeer’s allegations of discrimination and harassment and dismissed an in-house complaint he filed in September 2011 on grounds that the allegations could not be substantiated.
“The Executive Branch is of course opposed to discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and this filing does not reflect any contrary policy,” Miller told the Blade.
But Christopher Brown of the D.C. law firm Ackerman Brown, which is representing TerVeer, said the government’s motion to dismiss the case “relies on legal precedent that excludes LGBT employees from protection under Title VII.”
Brown declined to comment further on the government’s arguments, saying TerVeer’s legal team prefers not to comment in detail on pending litigation.
Greg Nevins, supervising attorney for the gay litigation group Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, which is monitoring the TerVeer case, said the government’s motion to dismiss appears to be arguing that TerVeer did not present sufficient evidence to show that his supervisor targeted him for discrimination because TerVeer displayed mannerisms or behavior of a stereotypical gay man, which some might view as being effeminate.
“I think what the U.S. Attorney is saying here is a masculine gay man or a feminine lesbian would not be covered under Title VII,” Nevins said. “Some court rulings have essentially said Title VII does not apply to sexual orientation.”
In a landmark ruling last April, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission declared that transgender people are protected against job discrimination under Title VII because bias against their gender identity is equivalent to sex discrimination. The EEOC ruling followed several appeals court decisions holding that transgender people were protected under Title VII.
Lambda Legal and other LGBT advocacy organizations say they hope to persuade courts that gay men and lesbians enjoy Title VII protections. They argue that sexual orientation discrimination is also linked to gender role stereotyping and bias, regardless of whether the victim is perceived as masculine or feminine.
TerVeer’s lawsuit says he also was targeted for retaliation after he filed his discrimination complaint with the library’s in-house EEO office, which is known as the Office of Opportunity, Inclusiveness and Compliance.
“Plaintiff’s discrimination and retaliation claims fall short,” Machen and two other government attorneys argue in their Dec. 17 motion seeking to dismiss the case, which was filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
“Plaintiff alleges that he was subject to harassment after his employer learned that he was gay, and he presents his claim as one of non-conformity with sex stereotypes,” the motion to dismiss says. “But the detailed allegations in the complaint do not provide what courts have held is required to show that sex stereotyping was the cause of his employer’s actions.”
The motion to dismiss adds, “[C]ourts have generally required plaintiffs to set forth specific allegations regarding the particular ways in which an employee failed to conform to such stereotypes — generally relating to an employee’s behavior, demeanor or appearance in the workplace — and allegations to support the claim that this non-conformity negatively influenced the employer’s decision … In this case, however, plaintiff fails to offer anything more than the conclusory statement that, as a result of his sexual orientation, ‘he did not conform to the defendant’s gender stereotypes associated with men under Mech’s supervision.’”
One civil rights attorney familiar with the case, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the U.S. Attorney’s office was fulfilling its role in defending its client — the Library of Congress — and should not be faulted for arguing against TerVeer’s attempt to invoke protection from Title VII.
“The government’s argument that the complainant fails to allege sufficient facts to state a claim … are typical arguments that they’d make equally if the plaintiff were female or black rather than gay,” the attorney said.
The government’s motion to dismiss the case is based mostly on procedural and legal grounds rather than on the merits of TerVeer’s specific allegations of discrimination and retaliation.
The government’s motion cites legal and procedural grounds to seek the dismissal of a separate claim in the lawsuit that the firing violated TerVeer’s Fifth Amendment constitutional right to due process and equal protection under the law.
In addition, it cites procedural grounds to call on the court to dismiss separate claims in the lawsuit that the library violated the Library of Congress Act, which bans discrimination based on factors unrelated to an employee’s ability to perform his or her job; and an internal library policy banning sexual orientation discrimination.
Library investigation finds no substantiation of discrimination
The motion to dismiss releases publicly for the first time the April 26, 2012 ruling by the library’s Office of Opportunity, Inclusiveness and Compliance (OIC) that rejects TerVeer’s allegations on grounds that they could not be substantiated or proven.
The 14-page ruling by the OIC, which was filed in court by the U.S. Attorney’s office as “Exhibit D,” was based on an in-house library investigation into a discrimination complaint filed by TerVeer on Nov. 9, 2011, according to OIC acting supervisor Vicki Magnus.
Magnus discusses the findings in an April 26 letter to Brown, TerVeer’s attorney, which the U.S. Attorney’s office submitted in court as part of Exhibit D.
“Based on the available evidence, the Office of Opportunity, Inclusiveness and Compliance (OIC) does not find sufficient evidence to support Complainant’s allegations that he was discriminated against based on religion, sex, and reprisal, and that he was subjected to sexual harassment and a hostile work environment in his meetings with supervisors regarding performance and in actions taken by supervisors regarding his performance,” Magnus said in her letter.
In what potentially could be damaging to TerVeer’s lawsuit, Magnus notes that the OIC investigation into TerVeer’s discrimination and retaliation complaint included interviews of and testimony by five of TerVeer’s co-workers. Each of the five testified that they personally observed less than satisfactory work performance by TerVeer, according to the OIC ruling.
In his complaint, TerVeer accuses his immediate supervisor, John Mech, and a higher level supervisor, Nicholas Christopher, of giving him a lower job performance rating based on anti-gay bias.
The five co-workers, “each of whom personally observed complainant’s performance, fully support the reasons presented by management justifying their decision to issue complainant poor performance ratings and to deny complainant a [performance based salary increase].”
Brown, TerVeer’s attorney, declined to comment on the OIC ruling or its potential impact on the lawsuit.
The library’s official reason for firing TerVeer was his failure to report to work after a leave of absence he requested and received permission to take had expired. TerVeer told reporters in a news conference in April that his doctor and therapist urged him to take a leave from work after the hostile work environment he said Mech created caused him to suffer severe emotional distress.
He said the library refused to grant his request to be transferred to another office under another supervisor, making it impossible for him to return to work.
World Pride 2025
WorldPride recap: Festival, parade, fireworks, and Doechii
D.C. turned out for a massive celebration tempered by new political realities
From Spain to Saint Lucia, Berlin to Brazil, travelers from around the globe began to arrive in Washington, D.C., for the biggest celebration of the LGBTQ community of the year. After two years of planning, over the course of nine days, one unified message of the strength of love against bigots that oppose the LGBTQ community emerged as WorldPride took over the city last week.
The long road to the successful events wasn’t met with open arms, though. As Donald Trump was elected president the year prior, the political climate in the U.S. became even more polarized, with the LGBTQ community — and trans people specifically — becoming targets for far-right figures.
This made it more difficult to ensure the safety of our transgender siblings within the LGBTQ community, especially while traveling to a city led by someone who has openly claimed them as enemies. InterPride, the group that runs WorldPride celebrations across the globe, even issued travel advisories for transgender and nonbinary people.
Additionally, the U.S. Park Service fenced off Dupont Circle — one of the centers of Washington’s LGBTQ community — just days before the celebrations began. After massive pushback, they took down the fences and allowed people to use the circle as a place to celebrate.
Despite the fears, scores of LGBTQ people poured into the capital just as rainbow banners, flags, posters, and messages of love and support covered every part of the city.
The long list of celebrations was supposed to begin on May 31 with a concert from Colombian pop superstar Shakira at Nationals Park.
“Due to circumstances beyond my control, I am sad and heartbroken that I will not be able to be in Washington, D.C., with you tomorrow,” said Shakira in a statement online. “I hope that I can come back to D.C. as soon as I am able.”
The event was intended to serve as both a concert and the welcome ceremony for WorldPride Washington 2025. Yet, less than 48 hours before she was supposed to mark the beginning of the global LGBTQ festival, she abruptly canceled, citing issues with her stage.
Despite the shaky start to the celebration, there was still music heard in the city — and not just Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club,” which jumped to 16 on the U.S. Spotify streaming charts. Singers from all backgrounds joined the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington to celebrate the “Freedom to Sing” in the International Choral Festival — spanning 17 days and numerous venues.
Sports also had its moment at WorldPride this year. The Capital Cup Sports Festival, produced by Team DC, works to end discrimination against LGBTQ people participating in sports and awards scholarships to local LGBTQ student-athletes. The sports festival included 15 different sports competitions across three days — from rugby to rowing.
There was also the WorldPride Film Festival, where filmmakers worldwide were encouraged to submit LGBTQ films of all genres and lengths to be screened during the WorldPride celebrations. From classic shorts like DC Gay Pride 1978 (1978), showcasing what Pride was like in the same city 46 years ago, to world premieres like Humans of Pride (2025), there was a myriad of motion picture art that showcased the LGBTQ community.
As the fight for LGBTQ rights began to shift from the street with bricks to the halls of parliaments and presidents’ offices around the globe, the focus turned to fighting for legislatively ensured human rights. To ensure that LGBTQ and minority rights are preserved in countries where they exist and to attempt to expand them in places without protections, the WorldPride 2025 Human Rights Conference launched.
For three days, upwards of 800 people — most of whom have devoted their careers to creating a world where “dignity, equality, and respect” are at the foundation of governments — gathered. Speakers like Jessica Stern, Spanish Sen. Carla Antonelli, Peruvian Congresswoman Susel Paredes, and Mariann Edgar Budde of the National Cathedral of Washington were just some of the notable attendees.
The Pride celebrations really ramped up just as the Human Rights Conference started to wind down. On Friday, June 4, multiple parties began — including the sixth annual Pride on the Pier celebration (presented by the Washington Blade). This year, it was extended from one to two days in honor of WorldPride. On Friday, The Wharf in Southwest D.C. hosted a night of vendors, food, drinking, dancing, DJs, and — for the first time — a boat parade. Boats with LGBTQ people in their proudest outfits danced and waved up and down the river.
Another highly anticipated event was the WorldPride Music Festival: Global Dance Party. This mega two-day event brought together LGBTQ icons from a slew of styles like house, pop, drag, circuit, and techno. Performers — some of which included headliners Jennifer Lopez and Troye Sivan, Reneé Rapp, Kim Petras, Purple Disco Machine, RuPaul, Betty Who, Tinashe, and local talent like Ed Bailey, Fish House Funk, Dickerman, and Miscalculated — performed at the RFK Festival Grounds.
In addition to the Music Festival, there were two official WorldPride parties on Friday. “Full Bloom” brought together some of the East Coast’s most “iconic queer collectives and performers” — Flower Factory and Sweet Spot — with Capital Pride Alliance to host the dance party of the season. Floral outfits, carnival games, and a lot of sweaty dancing as far as the eye could see were the vibe of the night.
“I am at Full Bloom having so much fun. It feels like a county fair, but for gay people, and I’m having a blast with my community,” said Henry Hicks, a journalist originally from Tennessee.
“Queerness is about so much more than being able to get married and own property, queerness is about community. It’s about justice. It’s about liberation, and I feel like the ability to convene and express ourselves and really celebrate who we are outside of the confines of structures and institutions.”
Also happening at the same time was the “Woven Together” party by Daryl Wilson Promotions, set to celebrate the Black LGBTQ community with “energy, the music, the fashion, and the men — all under one roof.” The party took place at The Park on 14th and, as advertised, was filled with energy, music, bold fashion, and men.
On Saturday the 7th, Pride started just early enough to get a quick Bloody Mary in before the big events. The WorldPride Street Festival opened at 11 a.m., and included hundreds of booths — from vendors to nonprofits — and even a space for LGBTQ families to gather and allow their children to have their own space. The festival had something for everyone.
As street festival attendees set up their booths hours before, people further northwest began to prepare for the biggest Pride parade in Washington’s history. With more than 300 contingents and 40,000 people marching in the parade alone, it’s safe to say 14th Street had never seen this many LGBTQ people and allies.
Led by a 1,000-foot rainbow flag and Grand Marshals Renée Rapp and Laverne Cox, to say it was a party would be an understatement. It was a cacophony of sound and rainbow sights that included people shouting messages of love in nearly every language. Tequila shots were shared in flasks on the curb while people dressed in everything — from full leather outfits complete with pup masks to pasties, jockstraps, and fishnets. The parade was a true display of queer individuality and joy.
A special local legend got married during the parade — Freddie Lutz of the Northern Virginia gay bar Freddie’s married his partner of 28 years, Johnny Cervantes, while riding down 14th Street in a chapel float. The couple celebrated their wedding shortly after at Freddie’s, where parade and WorldPride attendees were invited to join them.
Another part of Washington’s Pride celebrations — the 17th Street Block Party — also began to ramp up as the parade made its way down 14th Street. The annual party, taking place in the city’s first “gayborhood,” was alive with drag performers, friends taking pictures and sipping drinks, and lovers wearing their queerness on their sleeves — or in many cases — sleeveless tank tops.
“We are gangbusters on 17th Street — it is amazing,” said Georgia Katinas, whose family owns and runs Annie’s Paramount Steakhouse, a cornerstone of the Washington LGBTQ community since its opening 76 years ago. “It’s been hot like this since we opened at noon, packed full of the most diverse, wonderful people we’ve ever met. We are so happy.”
Randy Downs, who soft-launched his and his boyfriend Rick Bennett’s pizza place, Protest Pizza, just for the Pride celebration, shared how he felt opening a queer-run restaurant at the peak of Pride.
“It’s busy, non-stop, and incredible,” Downs said. “The energy is amazing and the block party is incredible as well. It hasn’t hit home yet.”
As the sun dipped lower in the sky, the parade began to wind down—six hours after it kicked off at 2 p.m. The energy from the march spilled directly into the street festival, blending into one big, joyful queer celebration. Down Pennsylvania Avenue, performers delivered some of the greatest—and gayest—shows of their careers. Kristine W, CeCe Peniston, and David Archuleta lit up the stage, framed perfectly by the Capitol dome. The night wrapped with a show-stopping performance by Cynthia Erivo who, from afar, looked like she just might have been defying gravity.
While Erivo lit up the Capitol Stage, fireworks burst over The Wharf for the second night of Pride on the Pier. Booms, “oooohs,” and “ahhhhhs” echoed along the river as the sky exploded in every color of the rainbow. Before and after the dazzling display, DJ Farrah Flosscett kept the energy high with a set full of queer pop anthems, spinning under the open sky.
Later that night, the Sapphic side of the LGBTQ community came out strong for “Unraveled: Women’s Party” at The Park at 14th. An all-female DJ lineup took over the four-story bar, filling each level with music as Harlem star Jerrie Johnson hosted the event for a crowd of more than 5,000 queer women, femmes, trans, and non-binary baddies who showed up—and showed out.
Kinetic Events have become a cornerstone of the D.C. circuit scene, so it was only fitting that the “Fabric of Freedom” party would close out the weekend with a bang. Hundreds of mostly scantily clad men—dressed in harnesses, jockstraps, and not much else—descended into Burhta for a night of sweat, bass, and liberation. Queer stars Pabllo Vittar and Alyssa Edwards (RuPaul’s Drag Race) headlined the night, alongside a stacked roster of DJs and go-go boys who kept the massive space—three dance floors and 10,000 square feet—alive until the early morning hours.
The next day at 9:30 a.m., folks started to gather on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to get ready for the International Rally + March on Washington for Freedom. As the speakers began to arrive and check in, other event organizers started passing out signs. The rally and march, which lasted more than four hours despite the rain, had an impressive turnout.
The L.O.V.E. WorldPride Chorus started the event, performing “Freedom” in bright pink shirts on the memorial’s steps, followed by Dee Crank of the Navajo Nation. There, she spoke about her experiences being a trans Indigenous woman and encouraged everyone to listen to those who are most oppressed. “The fight for freedom starts with listening,” Crank said.
Ashley Smith, Capital Pride’s board president and a board member of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, followed. He spoke with ferocity as he explained that now is the time to stand up for what’s right—especially for our trans siblings who are being ostracized by people a few thousand yards away in the White House and Capitol.
Multiple other speakers came up and spoke as the sky got darker and the rain began to fall, but amazingly—the crowd didn’t seem to dwindle.
Among the notable speakers, activist and comedian Mimi Gonzalez came out and sang a modernized version of “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor.
“At first I was afraid. I was petrified. Kept wondering, ‘What in the world are they thinking? D.C. for WorldPride?’” Gonzalez sang-spoke as laughter rose from the crowd. “Consider this country’s leader who wants to rid the world of us—even he’s a little queer, having just broken up with Musk! Gay boys, lesbians, and trans. Look around the rainbow world, holding hands. So much love and unity, so much power when we’re one. There’s no stopping all of us. Our love outshines the sun,” she sang as cheers from the crowd grew louder.
For four hours, speakers from all walks of LGBTQ life came and spoke—Tyler Heck from the Christopher Street Project emphasized the importance of supporting politicians who are looking out and working on behalf of trans Americans. Kamala Harris made a video telling the LGBTQ community to keep the faith and to keep fighting. Even multiple RuPaul’s Drag Race stars came out—including Mrs. Kasha Davis, who spoke with the Blade after getting off stage.
“The political nature of this is that we’re in this period of negativity and of hate, and what we need to do is show up for one another,” the drag queen said as her rainbow leopard print dress and gigantic pink updo stood out against the marble of the monuments around her. “And what we really need is more of our allies to continue to show up. And I mentioned in my talk about painting your nails. I mean, any way that you can show up to support your family, your neighbors, your community. That’s what this is all about. Because we’re finding that more and more people are not siding with that hate. Yes, the conservatives are loud, but we can be louder.”
As the group from the rally began to walk toward the Washington Monument, chants supporting trans kids and keeping LGBTQ people safe could be heard from yards away. The rainbow-clad group, holding umbrellas and signs, made their way down the Mall until they met up with Pennsylvania Avenue, as the final event of WorldPride took place.
The closing concert took place at the end of the WorldPride Street Festival once again, as MkX, Parker Matthews, 2AM Ricky, and Brooke Eden sang their hearts out to the growing crowd. Just as the sky began to clear up, one of the headliners of the night, Khalid, started his set and performed his radio hits.
Doechii, the Grammy-winning performer, sang and rapped her most popular songs from her mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal. She performed in true Doechii style, exuding confidence and love under the rainbow lights, ultimately finishing with an encore of “Nissan Altima.”
“I love y’all,” she said into her alligator-green microphone, walking back into her swamp-inspired set. “What are y’all doing after this? Are y’all partying? I want to party! I’ll see y’all later!”
WorldPride 2025 concluded with the WorldPride Street Festival and Closing Concert held along Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. on Sunday, June 8. Performers on the main stage included Doechii, Khalid, Courtney Act, Parker Matthews, 2AM Ricky, Suzie Toot, MkX and Brooke Eden.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Celebrating the transgender community, Baltimore Safe Haven, an organization committed to empowering LGBTQ individuals in Baltimore City, plans to host their fourth annual Baltimore Trans Pride on Saturday.
Instead of the usual parade and march, this year’s Trans Pride will be a block party on Charles Street and between 21st and 22nd Streets. The event will start at 1 p.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and last until 10 p.m.
Community members can go on guided tours, enjoy refreshments by local vendors, listen to presenters, and watch performances by special guests.
Sukihana, the event’s headliner, plans to take to the stage to entertain the crowd, along with a variety of local performers, according to Melissa Deveraux, Baltimore Safe Haven’s executive assistant to Executive Director Iya Dammons.
“Some (are) prominently known, some (are) just making a name for themselves,” Deveraux said. Iya is always making sure that community talent is showcased at all of our functions.”
In company with Pride on Saturday, Baltimore Safe Haven will be opening its new building on Friday from 1-4 p.m.
“That is sort of going to be the prelude to pride,” Lau said. “Thanks to Sen. Mary Washington and the Weinberg Foundation, we were able to purchase the building outright, and it’s going to be a community hub of administrative buildings and 12-bedroom apartments.”
Renee Lau, administrative assistant for special projects coordinator for Baltimore Safe Haven, said the planning process for Baltimore Trans Pride began in January, and putting it all together was a collaboration of multiple city agencies and organizations.
“Safe Haven is an LGBT community organization, but we service the entire community, and that’s the message we try to spread,” Lau said. “We’re not just here for the LGBT community. We’re here to spread goodwill and offer harm reduction and housing to the entire community.”
Lau said the organization’s biggest goal for the event is to gain exposure.
“(We want) to let and let people know who we are and what our community is about,” she said. “Right now, because of what’s happening in DC, there’s a lot of bad untruths going on, and the total thing is bringing out the truth.”
Deveraux said having a place of inclusivity, acceptance, and togetherness is important in today’s political climate and the current administration.
“This event will have people seeing the strength and resilience of the transgender community, showing that no matter what we are going through, we still show up,” Deveraux said. “We are here, we will not be erased.”
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