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Heller likely becomes 60th vote for ENDA

Nevada Republican announces he’ll back LGBT anti-bias bill

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Dean Heller, Nevada, United States Senate, Republican Party, gay news, Washington Blade
Dean Heller, Nevada, United States Senate, Republican Party, gay news, Washington Blade

Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) has announced support for ENDA (Photo public domain).

Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) cemented the confidence among LGBT advocates Monday morning that the Senate would have sufficient votes to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act by announcing his support for the bill.

Heller announced that he supports the long-sought legislation, which would prohibit many employers from discriminating against LGBT workers, in a statement on his website. The cloture vote on Monday is anticipated sometime after 5 pm.

“After listening to Nevadans’ concerns about this issue from a variety of viewpoints and after numerous conversations with my colleagues, I feel that supporting this legislation is the right thing to do,” Heller said. “Under the leadership of this Governor, as well as the legislature over the past several years, Nevada has established a solid foundation of anti-discrimination laws. This legislation raises the federal standards to match what we have come to expect in Nevada, which is that discrimination must not be tolerated under any circumstance.”

Heller is relatively new to Congress, so doesn’t have much of a history to evaluate his support for LGBT issues. However, he voted for an LGBT-inclusive version of the Violence Against Women Act reauthorization earlier this year.

Tico Almeida, president of Freedom to Work, heaped praised on the Nevada Republican for announcing his support for the legislation.

“We applaud Sen. Heller for standing on the right side of history by voting to protect LGBT Americans from workplace harassment and discrimination,” Almeida said. “Nevada’s Republican Gov. [Brian] Sandoval signed into law strong workplace protections for transgender Nevadans several years ago, showing that more and more Republicans are concluding that workplace fairness is good policy and smart politics.”

Jeff Cook-McCormac, senior adviser for the American Unity Fund, told the Washington Blade Heller’s support for ENDA is sign on things to come.

“Senator Heller’s support for non-discrimination puts him in good company – with nearly 90% of Fortune 500 companies, with a clear majority of Republican voters and with Republican Governor Sandoval who signed Nevada’s law,” Cook-McCormac said. “In the near future we expect several other Republican Senators to embrace this core conservative principle – that American employees should be judged on their merit and hard work, not on their race, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity.”

LGBT advocates are claiming 60 votes in the wake of Heller’s announcement. As of Monday morning, the legislation has 54 sponsors, including chief sponsor Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.). Newly seated Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) has signaled support for the bill as well as fellow Democrats Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.).

Assuming Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) vote for cloture on ENDA as they voted for it in committee, the bill will meet the 60-vote threshold to overcome a filibuster.

However, despite media reports and LGBT advocates claims that they’re “yes” votes, these last two senators have never given explicit assurances they’ll vote for cloture.

Last week, Hatch told the Blade he wants “I want to make sure I understand it fully before I make a decision.” His office didn’t immediately respond to a request for an update Monday morning.

Matthew Felling, a Murkowski spokesperson, also wouldn’t commit his boss to voting “yes” when asked for an update by the Blade.

“We’ve worked together long enough that you know we don’t discuss/telegraph our votes prior,” Felling said.

Further, the effort to pass ENDA in the House remains significantly difficult. As reported by the Huffington Post, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has reiterated his opposition to the bill.

“The Speaker believes this legislation will increase frivolous litigation and cost American jobs, especially small business jobs,” said Michael Steele, a Boehner spokesperson.

A Boehner aide added we have always believed this is covered by existing law and the speaker’s words don’t represent a new position.

Chad Griffin, president of Human Rights Campaign, reportedly jabbed Boehner over the response.

“The Speaker, of all people, should certainly know what it’s like to go to work every day afraid of being fired,” Griffin was quoting as saying. “Instead of letting the far right trample him again, it’s time for Speaker Boehner to stand with the majority of everyday Republican voters and support ENDA.”

Drew Hammill, a spokesperson for House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), said Boehner’s response isn’t surprising given his defense of the Defense of Marriage Act in court.

“It is deeply disappointing to see that Speaker Boehner would block any legislation that would end discrimination,” Hammill said. “But after spending $2.3 million in taxpayer dollars on a failed effort to defend discrimination against LGBT couples in federal courts, no one should be surprised. When the Senate passes this legislation, all options will be on the table in order to advance this critical legislation in the House.”

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World Pride 2025

Pabllo Vittar to perform at WorldPride

Brazilian drag queen, singer, joined Madonna on stage in 2024 Rio concert

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Pabllo Vittar (Screen capture via Pabllo Vittar/YouTube)

A Brazilian drag queen and singer who performed with Madonna at her 2024 concert on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach will perform at WorldPride.

The Capital Pride Alliance on Thursday announced Pabllo Vittar will perform on the Main Stage of the main party that will take place on June 7 at DCBX (1235 W St., N.E.) in Northeast D.C.

Vittar and Anitta, a Brazilian pop star who is bisexual, on May 4, 2024, joined Madonna on stage at her free concert, which was the last one of her Celebration Tour. Authorities estimated 1.6 million people attended.

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Federal Government

RFK Jr.’s HHS report pushes therapy, not medical interventions, for trans youth

‘Discredited junk science’ — GLAAD

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HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

A 409-page report released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services challenges the ethics of medical interventions for youth experiencing gender dysphoria, the treatments that are often collectively called gender-affirming care, instead advocating for psychotherapy alone.

The document comes in response to President Donald Trump’s executive order barring the federal government from supporting gender transitions for anyone younger than 19.

“Our duty is to protect our nation’s children — not expose them to unproven and irreversible medical interventions,” National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya said in a statement. “We must follow the gold standard of science, not activist agendas.”

While the report does not constitute clinical guidance, its findings nevertheless conflict with not just the recommendations of LGBTQ advocacy groups but also those issued by organizations with relevant expertise in science and medicine.

The American Medical Association, for instance, notes that “empirical evidence has demonstrated that trans and non-binary gender identities are normal variations of human identity and expression.”

Gender-affirming care for transgender youth under standards widely used in the U.S. includes supportive talk therapy along with — in some but not all cases — puberty blockers or hormone treatment.

“The suggestion that someone’s authentic self and who they are can be ‘changed’ is discredited junk science,” GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement. “This so-called guidance is grossly misleading and in direct contrast to the recommendation of every leading health authority in the world. This report amounts to nothing more than forcing the same discredited idea of conversion therapy that ripped families apart and harmed gay, lesbian, and bisexual young people for decades.”

GLAAD further notes that the “government has not released the names of those involved in consulting or authoring this report.”

Janelle Perez, executive director of LPAC, said, “For decades, every major medical association–including the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics–have affirmed that medical care is the only safe and effective treatment for transgender youth experiencing gender dysphoria.

“This report is simply promoting conversion therapy by a different name – and the American people know better. We know that conversion therapy isn’t actually therapy – it isolates and harms kids, scapegoats parents, and divides families through blame and rejection. These tactics have been used against gay kids for decades, and now the same people want to use them against transgender youth and their families.

“The end result here will be a devastating denial of essential health care for transgender youth, replaced by a dangerous practice that every major U.S. medical and mental health association agree promotes anxiety, depression, and increased risk of suicidal thoughts and attempts.

“Like being gay or lesbian, being transgender is not a choice, and no amount of pressure can force someone to change who they are. We also know that 98% of people who receive transition-related health care continue to receive that health care throughout their lifetime. Trans health care is health care.”

“Today’s report seeks to erase decades of research and learning, replacing it with propaganda. The claims in today’s report would rip health care away from kids and take decision-making out of the hands of parents,” said Shannon Minter, legal director of NCLR. “It promotes the same kind of conversion therapy long used to shame LGBTQ+ people into hating themselves for being unable to change something they can’t change.”

“Like being gay or lesbian, being transgender is not a choice—it’s rooted in biology and genetics,” Minter said. “No amount or talk or pressure will change that.” 

Human Rights Campaign Chief of Staff Jay Brown released a statement: “Trans people are who we are. We’re born this way. And we deserve to live our best lives and have a fair shot and equal opportunity at living a good life.

“This report misrepresents the science that has led all mainstream American medical and mental health professionals to declare healthcare for transgender youth to be best practice and instead follows a script predetermined not by experts but by Sec. Kennedy and anti-equality politicians.”




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The White House

Trump nominates Mike Waltz to become next UN ambassador

Former Fla. congressman had been national security advisor

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U.N. headquarters in New York (Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)

President Donald Trump on Thursday announced he will nominate Mike Waltz to become the next U.S. ambassador to the U.N.

Waltz, a former Florida congressman, had been the national security advisor.

Trump announced the nomination amid reports that Waltz and his deputy, Alex Wong, were going to leave the administration after Waltz in March added a journalist to a Signal chat in which he, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and other officials discussed plans to attack Houthi rebels in Yemen.

“I am pleased to announce that I will be nominating Mike Waltz to be the next United States ambassador to the United Nations,” said Trump in a Truth Social post that announced Waltz’s nomination. “From his time in uniform on the battlefield, in Congress and, as my National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz has worked hard to put our nation’s Interests first. I know he will do the same in his new role.”

Trump said Secretary of State Marco Rubio will serve as interim national security advisor, “while continuing his strong leadership at the State Department.”

“Together, we will continue to fight tirelessly to make America, and the world, safe again,” said Trump.

Trump shortly after his election nominated U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) to become the next U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Trump in March withdrew her nomination in order to ensure Republicans maintained their narrow majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.

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