Local

McAuliffe portrays Cuccinelli as anti-gay during last debate

Republican gubernatorial candidate did not mention opposition to same-sex marriage

Published

11 years ago

October 25, 2013

Gay News, Washington Blade, Gay Virginia, Terry McAuliffe

Terry McAuliffe, Christopher Schaffer, Levar Stoney, Equality Virginia, gay news, Washington Blade

Terry McAuliffe (center) at an Equality Virginia fundraiser in Arlington, Va. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Former Democratic National Committee Chair Terry McAuliffe on Thursday once again sought to portray Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli as anti-gay during the last gubernatorial debate that took place at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg.

McAuliffe pointed out Cuccinelli once described gay Virginians as “soulless human beings” in response to a question that Harry Wilson of Roanoke College asked about how each candidate would compromise and fight for their principles if elected to the Executive Mansion on Nov. 5.

“Who talks like that,” McAuliffe said. “There’s somebody in this audience who might be gay or has a friend who’s gay. You cannot grow and diversify our economy with this mean-spirited language.”

McAuliffe also pointed out that Cuccinelli is among the three attorneys general who did not sign onto a 2012 letter that urged Congress to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. The former DNC chair further criticized his Republican opponent over his support of more strict regulation of the commonwealth’s abortion clinics and a personhood bill he sponsored in 2007 while in the state Senate.

“We have got to stop this attack on women,” McAuliffe said. “We have got to stop this attack on gay Virginians. We cannot be putting up walls around Virginia if we are going to grow. We have to bring people together.”

A poll that Rasmussen Reports conducted on Oct. 20 shows McAuliffe leads Cuccinelli by a 50-33 percent margin. Eight percent of respondents said they support Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Robert Sarvis, who did not participate in the debate that Roanoke television station WDBJ sponsored.

A survey of likely Virginia voters that Quinnipiac University conducted between Oct. 15-21 found McAuliffe ahead of Cuccinelli by a 46-39 percent margin. Ten percent of respondents backed Sarvis.

Forty-six percent of likely Virginia voters who responded to a separate Quinnipiac University poll between Oct. 2-8 said they feel Cuccinelli is too conservative.

Cuccinelli did not discuss his opposition to marriage rights for same-sex couples and other LGBT-specific issues during the debate.

He told Wilson his handling of the commonwealth’s economy is among the things for which he wants journalists and pundits to most remember him.

“More people are just dying for the dignity of work — and I mean full-time work, not Obamacare part-time work — full-time work than anything else we’re facing in Virginia right now,” Cuccinelli said.

Sarvis criticized McAuliffe, Cuccinelli and debate organizers in a statement his campaign released late on Thursday.

“Virginia voters were prevented from hearing me discuss the problems and challenges we face,” Sarvis said. “The commonwealth’s electorate was deprived of an opportunity to hear about my vision of Virginia that’s both open-minded and open for business.”

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Arts & Entertainment

2024 Best of LGBTQ DC Readers’ Choice Award Finalist Voting

Published

14 hours ago

September 9, 2024

Staff reports

It is time to celebrate the best of LGBTQ+ DC! You nominated and now we have our finalists. Vote for your favorites in our 2024 Best of LGBTQ DC categories through September 23rd. Our 2024 Best of LGBTQ DC will be announced at the Best of L GBTQ DC Awards Party on October 17th and our special issue will come out on Friday, October 18th.

Thank you to our sponsors: ABSOLUT, Crush, Infinite Legacy & Wild Side Media.

VOTE BELOW OR BY CLICKING HERE!

ARE YOU A BEST OF FINALIST? DOWNLOAD ASSETS HERE!

Maryland

Defying the odds: First transgender Miss Maryland USA on changing the world

Bailey Anne is state’s first trans woman pageant winner

Published

17 hours ago

September 9, 2024

Baltimore Banner

Miss Maryland USA Bailey Anne. (Grant Foto)

BY JOHN-JOHN WILLIAMS IV | Bailey Anne’s mom was apprehensive when she told her she was going to compete for the Miss Maryland USA pageant.

Her mom thought her transgender daughter might be harassed and ridiculed, and worried about her safety.

“I told her that the world is changing,” recalled Bailey Anne, who doesn’t use her last name because her identity has unfortunately also come with threats from people who don’t agree with it.

And so she competed this year and became the state’s first trans woman titleholder. She was also Maryland’s first Asian American winner and the oldest contestant to represent the state in the Miss USA pageant.

The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.

Local

Bernie Delia estate auction set for Sept. 12

Memorial for beloved Capital Pride organizer planned for Sept. 28

Published

4 days ago

September 6, 2024

Lou Chibbaro Jr.

Bernie Delia died June 21. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

A local auctioneer company has announced a large collection of artwork and other eclectic property from the estate of D.C. LGBTQ rights advocate Bernie Delia will be available for purchase in an auction scheduled for Sept. 12 in Chevy Chase, Md.

Delia, who was a founding member of the Capital Pride Alliance, the group that organizes most of D.C.’s LGBTQ Pride events, and who served as co-chair of World Pride 2025, which D.C. will be hosting in 2025, died unexpectedly of natural causes on June 21.

Sloans & Kenyon Auctioneers and Appraisers says in its announcement that the items to be offered through the auction include “a large and eclectic assortment of fine art and sculpture, silver, English and Continental porcelain and other decorative arts, political memorabilia and entertainment ephemera, and various other antique and vintage items.”

The announcement says the items for sale in the Sept. 12 Estate Catalogue Auction will be on display at the Sloans & Kenyon gallery from Saturday, Sept. 7 through Wednesday, Sept. 11. The gallery where the items will be available for viewing and where the auction will be held on Sept. 12 is located at 5550 Friendship Blvd., Suite T60, in Chevy Chase, Md.

“The September auction includes over 200 lots from Bernie’s vast collection and is the first of several auctions of property from his estate,” the announcement says. “Absentee, telephone and internet bids will be accepted for the September 12 Eastgate Catalogue Auction,” it says.

Dignity Washington, the LGBTQ Catholic organization for which Delia served as president, is holding a memorial service for Delia on Saturday, Sept. 28, at 1:30 p.m. at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church near Dupont Circle, according to Dignity member David Lamdin.