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U.S. Olympic Committee bans anti-gay discrimination

Change comes against mounting pressure to respond to Russia law

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Athlete Ally, All Out, IOC, International Olympic Committee, Russia, Sochi, gay news, Washington Blade
Athlete Ally, All Out, IOC, International Olympic Committee, Russia, Sochi, gay news, Washington Blade

Members of All Out and Athlete Ally on August 7 presented a petition with more than 300,000 signatures to the International Olympic Committee that urges it to pressure Russia to end its gay crackdown. (Photo courtesy of All Out)

The U.S. Olympic Committee Board of Directors on Thursday voted to add sexual orientation to its non-discrimination policy.

U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Scott Blackmun made the announcement earlier on Friday during a speech he delivered in Colorado Springs, Colo., as he discussed a Russian law that bans gay propaganda to minors. Blackmun also referenced the reassurances the International Olympic Committee has said it has received from the Kremlin that the statute will not impact athletes and others who plan to attend the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

“Even though we have been assured by the IOC that the new law will not directly impact anybody in Russia for the games, it is important for us to emphasize that we believe the law is inconsistent with the fundamental principles of the Olympic and Paraolympic movements,” Blackmun said.

The policy change took place three days after U.S. Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) and Mark Takano (D-Calif.) and more than three dozen other members of Congress urged Blackmun in a letter to outline the steps the U.S. Olympic Committee plans to take to protect athletes who travel to the Sochi games. The Dutch LGBT advocacy group COC Nederland has also sought similar assurances from their country’s Olympic committee amid growing outrage over the gay propaganda law and Russia’s LGBT rights record.

IOC President Thomas Bach earlier this week reiterated the Olympic charter bans all forms of discrimination in a letter to the LGBT advocacy group All Out. He did not specifically say whether it includes sexual orientation and gender identity and expression.

The Olympic body in August also announced athletes are not allowed to publicly challenge Russia’s gay propaganda law during the Sochi games.

“We are actively seeking more clarity from the IOC on what will and will not be regarded as violations of Rule 50 in the games environment and we will absolutely communicate what we learn to athletes and administrators alike,” Blackmun said during his speech.

Blackmun also reiterated the IOC’s position that it cannot urge the Russian government to modify or repeal the law.

“The fact that we do not think it is our role to advocate for a change to the Russian law does not mean that we support the law, and we do not,” he said.

Ros-Lehtinen described the U.S. Olympic Committee’s decision to add sexual orientation to its non-discrimination policy as “a positive step forward toward living up to the ideals” of the games in a statement to the Washington Blade on Friday. She added she feels there is “still much work to be done to ensure the rights and freedoms of all LGBT individuals are protected, in and out of sports.”

“I urge the International Olympic Committee to include LGBT individuals in its goal of building a better world through sports by instituting similar non-discrimination polices as the USOC has done,” the Florida Republican said.

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Hungary

New Hungarian prime minister takes office

Péter Magyar’s party defeated anti-LGBTQ Viktor Orbán last month

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Péter Magyar votes in Budapest, Hungary on April 12, 2026. He has been sworn in as the country's new prime minister. (Screen capture via APT/YouTube)

Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar took office on Saturday.

Magyar’s center-right Tisza party on April 12 defeated then-Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz-KDNP coalition. Vice President JD Vance less than a week before the election traveled to Budapest, the Hungarian capital, and urged Hungarians to support Orbán.

Orbán had been in office since 2010. He and his government faced widespread criticism over its anti-LGBTQ crackdown.

The European Commission in 2022 sued Hungary, which is a member of the EU, over the country’s anti-LGBTQ propaganda law. The European Union’s top court, the EU Court of Justice, on April 21 struck down the statute.

The EU while Orbán was office withheld upwards of €35 billion ($41.26) in funds to Hungary in response to concerns over corruption, rule of law, and other issues.

Hungarian lawmakers in March 2025 passed a bill that banned Pride events and allowed authorities to use facial recognition technology to identify those who participate in them. MPs later amended the Hungarian constitution to ban public LGBTQ events.

Upwards of 100,000 people last June defied the ban and marched in Budapest’s annual Pride parade.

“Congratulations to [Péter Magyar] on becoming prime minister of Hungary,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on X.

“This Europe Day, our hearts are in Budapest,” she added. “The hope and promise of renewal is a powerful signal in these challenging times.”

“We have important work ahead of us,” noted von der Leyen. “For Hungary and for Europe, we are moving forward together.”

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Comings & Goings

Whitman-Walker honors Rep. Sarah McBride

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U.S. Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.) (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Comings & Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our community. We want to recognize those landing new jobs, new clients for their business, joining boards of organizations and other achievements. Please share your successes with us at [email protected]

Congratulations to Congresswoman Sarah McBride (D-Del.) on being honored with this year’s Stonewall Award from Whitman-Walker Health. Amy Nelson, senior director of Legal Services, said, “Congresswoman Sarah McBride is working to make healthcare accessible to all, and this award recognizes her support of healthcare as a human right. Our legal program supports families facing unprecedented challenges to stay healthy and safe – families that Congresswoman McBride champions with a deep understanding of the issues they face and the legislative expertise of how to support them.”  

McBride, in a press release, said, “I am honored to accept this year’s Stonewall Award from Whitman-Walker Health — an organization that has spent 40 years doing vital work to ensure every person can access the dignity of care. In the wealthiest and most developed nation on earth, the ability to receive care should not be a matter of luck—it should be the law of the land. I am proud to be recognized as a partner in this work and to support Whitman-Walker Health in their mission to build a healthier society for all.”

Congratulations also to Wes Drummond who will join Clear Space Theatre Company in Rehoboth Beach, Del., as its third artistic director. Managing Director Joe Gfaller said, “This is an exciting moment of growth for Clear Space as we welcome Wes to join our remarkable team. I am confident he will be an excellent partner as we work with our entire staff, board, and committed team of volunteers, to ensure Clear Space can achieve its full potential in pursuit of our mission to unite and enrich our community through every production on stage, and every arts-based learning program we offer throughout our community.” 

On accepting the position Drummond said, “I’m honored to join Clear Space Theatre Company as artistic director, and beyond excited for what we’re about to create together. Clear Space has established itself as a vital and vibrant part of the cultural life of coastal Delaware, and I feel incredibly fortunate to step into this next chapter alongside such a passionate and dedicated team. Rehoboth Beach is a place defined by creativity and community, and I look forward to listening, learning, and building meaningful relationships across the region in the months ahead. My vision is to help Clear Space continue to grow as a bold, forward-thinking, cultural force, that champions fearless storytelling.”

Wes Drummond

Drummond served in leadership roles at Duluth Playhouse in Duluth, Minn., from 2021 to 2026, including four years as executive director followed by one year as executive producing artistic director, guiding the organization through a period of significant transformation and stability in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a director, he has worked extensively in New York City, Chicago, and at regional theaters across the country, directing both musical theater and plays with a focus on storytelling that bridges classical works with contemporary perspectives. He has collaborated with leading figures in the industry, including Tony Award-winning director Matthew Warchus, and Tony-nominated director Michael Greif. He is an associate member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.

Wes earned his MFA in directing, Penn State University, where he studied under Tony-nominated director, Susan H. Schulman. 

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Virginia

Va. Supreme Court invalidates Democrat-backed redistricting plan

Voters narrowly approved new congressional districts last month

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Virginia Supreme Court (Photo by sainaniritu/Bigstock)

The Virginia Supreme Court on Friday struck down a Democrat-backed redistricting plan that voters approved last month.

Ten of 11 of Virginia’s congressional districts favor Democrats in the plan that passed by a 51-48 vote margin in last month’s referendum.

The Human Rights Campaign PAC is among the groups that support it. The court by a 4-3 majority invalidated the referendum results.

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