News
Russian LGBT rights advocates visit D.C., Maine
Urge end to country’s anti-gay crackdown
Oleg Klyuenkov and Lyudmila Romodina of the Russian LGBT advocacy group Rakurs in D.C. on Nov. 8, 2013. (Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)
Two Russian LGBT rights advocates last week urged U.S. officials to continue to pressure the Kremlin to end its anti-gay crackdown.
Lyudmila Romodina and Oleg Klyuenkov of Rakurs (“Perspective” in Russian) in the city of Arkhangelsk met with U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and officials with the U.S. State Department, the White House and the Helsinki Commission in D.C. on Nov. 7. They also discussed Russia’s gay rights record Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus staffers on Capitol Hill on Nov. 8.
Romodina and Klyuenkov arrived in the U.S. on Nov. 1 — the same day the Olympic torch passed through Arkhangelsk on its way to the 2014 Winter Olympics that will take place in Sochi, Russia, in February.
Their trip began in Portland, Maine, where they met with the city’s mayor, Michael Brennan, members of a local PFLAG chapter, Equality Maine and other LGBT rights advocates and officials. The activists’ visit coincided with the 25th anniversary of the sister city partnership between Portland and Arkhangelsk.
Romodina and Klyuenkov returned to Russia on Nov. 10.
Human Rights First, a group that promotes international human rights, organized Romodina and Klyuenkov’s trip to the U.S.
“We’re trying to use [Russian] American partnerships in a constructive way; to take the partnership to a new level of dialogue where human rights and LGBT rights are present at the table, they’re discussed,” Innokenty Grekov of Human Rights First told the Washington Blade during an interview in Northwest Washington on Nov. 8.
Arkhangelsk law was ‘test pilot’ for national gay propaganda ban
Rakurs, which is a member of the Russian LGBT Network, is the first group that specifically works with Arkhangelsk’s LGBT residents.
The group was a feminist organization when it was founded in 2007. Russia’s Justice Ministry in 2010 denied Rakurs’ request to add the words lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender to their charter and by-laws.
A regional court later ordered the Justice Ministry to allow Rakurs to register as an LGBT rights organization.
“It took some time,” Klyuenkov told the Blade through an interpreter.
Arkhangelsk officials in 2011 banned propaganda that promotes homosexuality and bisexuality. They quietly repealed the law last month, but Klyuenkov told the Blade the Arkhangelsk statute was a “test pilot” for the nationwide ban on gay propaganda to minors that Russian President Vladimir Putin signed in June.
“The informational campaign that surrounded the regional ban in Arkhangelsk was a miniature version of the mass media campaign that surrounded the adoption of the federal ban,” Klyuenkov said. “It was quite aggressive as we were just slandered and slimed. We were accused of undermining demography of Russia, undermining traditional values, being a threat to traditional values.”
Rakurs distributed leaflets that contained information on what Klyuenkov described as the “dangers of adopting a federal law on propaganda.” The organization also sought a permit to stage a protest against the measure as members of the Russian Duma debated it, but Romodina told the Blade that Arkhangelsk officials used the regional gay propaganda ban to deny their request.
“When we received these denials for demonstrations involving multiple individuals, we went and nevertheless demonstrated in single pickets,” she said.
Lawmakers criticize IOC during advocates’ trip
Romodina and Klyuenkov’s trip to the U.S. coincided with the growing outrage over the Kremlin’s LGBT rights record that threatens to overshadow the Sochi games.
U.S. Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Christopher Murphy (D-Conn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Christopher Coons (D-Del.) and Mark Udall (D-Colo.) in a Nov. 8 letter criticized International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach over his previous comments that appeared to suggest he feels Russia’s gay propaganda ban does not violate the Olympic Charter.
Bach said in September before the lighting of the Olympic torch in Greece that Olympic values include “respect without any form of discrimination.” Putin on Oct. 28 reiterated previous Russian government claims that gays and lesbians will not suffer discrimination during the Sochi games.
“Although some Russian authorities have indicated that the law will not affect Olympic spectators and participants, we have yet to see a satisfactory explanation of what type of activities or behavior will be permitted,” the U.S. senators wrote in their letter. “If LGBT individuals or supporters were to be arrested or harassed during the Olympics, the reputation of the IOC would be damaged.”
U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) and more than three dozen other members of Congress last month urged U.S. Olympic Committee President Scott Blackmun to outline steps the USOC plans to take to safeguard American athletes who plan to compete in Sochi.
Blackmun on Oct. 11 described Russia’s gay propaganda ban is “inconsistent with the fundamental principles of the Olympic and Paraolympic movements.” The U.S. Olympic Committee Board of Directors the day before voted to add sexual orientation to its non-discrimination policy.
Advocates oppose Olympic boycott
Romodina and Klyuenkov are the latest Russian LGBT rights advocates to visit the U.S.
Igor Kochetkov of the Russian LGBT rights group Sphere is among those who met with Ros-Lehtinen on Capitol Hill in September. He was part of the group of human rights activists who met with President Obama during the G-20 summit in St. Petersburg a few weeks earlier.
Russian LGBT Sports Federation Co-President Elvina Yuvakaeva was part of a five-member delegation whom the State Department invited to the U.S. in September to meet with professional American sports team and organizers of the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
Klyuenkov told the Blade he feels “interest groups” within the Russian government have “persuaded” Putin to sign the gay propaganda law and other anti-LGBT measures. These include a 2012 statute that requires groups that receive funding from outside the country to register as “foreign agents.”
“This federal law on propaganda is part of a larger, broader policy,” Klyuenkov said. “The government is simply trying to distract the public’s attention from our societal problems, our economic problems.”
Klyuenkov and Rodomina both stressed their organization remains opposed to any boycott of the Sochi games over Russia’s LGBT rights record.
“We should use both the Olympic games and the existing relationships between our municipal entities as a platform for discussing human rights, for encouraging more dialogue within Russia between the government and civil society and LGBT groups,” Klyuenkov said.
The advocates spoke with the Blade a day before gay MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts co-hosted the Miss Universe pageant in Moscow.
Roberts repeatedly criticized the gay propaganda law during interviews with the “Today” show and other media outlets in the days leading up to the pageant that Donald Trump co-owns with NBC Universal. Pageant participants did not discuss Russia’s LGBT rights record during the event.
“It’s great,” Klyuenkov told the Blade when asked about Roberts co-hosting the pageant. “I don’t think the Russian people watch Miss Universe.”
Elton John is scheduled to perform two concerts in Russia next month amid controversy from some LGBT rights advocates.
“His approach is to go over and engage and win over,” Grekov told the Blade. “Rakurs is doing the same. Human Rights First is so happy to help facilitate this visit and raise their voice.”
District of Columbia
Pride faith services in Washington, D.C.
Almost half of all LGBTQ adults in the U.S. are religious
Are you an LGBTQ person of faith or someone exploring spirituality? It is more common than people realize. According to a Williams Institute study published in October 2020, almost half of all LGBTQ adults in the United States are religious. This may seem counterintuitive as any LGBTQ people have complicated relationships with faith because of very real histories of abuse, trauma, and violence.
This violence still continues in the United States, especially following the Supreme Court’s March 2026 decision in Chiles v. Salazar, who ruled Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy for minors violates the First Amendment, but not everyone has encountered this violence, nor do people who have faced it, separate themselves completely from religion. Many people may seek out affirming faith traditions which are prevalent in the DMV area.
For individuals seeking out faith services during Pride 2026, please check out the list below, which will be updated as more events are publicized.
Memorial Service for SaVanna Wanzer
May 17th at 1 pm
Westminster Presbyterian Church (400 I St SW, Washington, DC 20024)
Westminster Presbyterian will host a celebration of life for legendary DC trans rights activist and founder of DC Trans Pride and Black Trans Pride SaVanna Wanzer who was a long-time member of the church. Live music will begin at 12:15 pm before the start of the memorial service. The service will be livestreamed on the Westminster DC Facebook page. A meal will follow the Sunday service.
There will also be a celebratory vigil held on Saturday, May 16th from 6:30-8 pm for friends and family at the church led by LGBTQ organizer Raycee Pendarvis.
May 23th at 11 am
Downtown Westin (999 9th Street NW, Washington, DC 20001)
This intimate conversation is hosted by Janeé Lee, founder of Queer Ministry, between Black trans and queer people who are surviving religious trauma and navigating their relationship with the church. The workshop, hosted as part of Trans Pride DC, is a chance for people to share their stories at the intersection of queerness and spirituality and to walk away with a spiritual healing guide with affirming scriptures and inclusive theology.
DC Black Pride Worship Service
May 24th at 10 am
Remnant Christian Center (120 West Hampton Avenue, Capitol Heights, MD)
Hosted by The Community Church of Washington DC-UCC, this service will feature speakers and sessions on Black queer faith and unity, including host and speaker Robert D. Wise Jr. for a powerful Pentecost Unity Service. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed in and white.
June 5th at 7 pm
Sixth & I (600 I Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001)
Join Rabbi Jenna will be leading an inclusive, musical service celebrating the diversity of Jewish life in Washington, DC. Happy Hour, which is limited to people 21 and older, will start at 6 pm. The service will start at 7 pm, with dinner at 8:15 pm. The service is free but registration is required, and the kosher-style pescatarian meal does cost money. Register online here.
June 14th at 5 pm
Black Cat (1811 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20009)
Muslim Pride is a community-led and funded grassroots performance series centering queer and trans Muslim artists through music, drag and dance. The series was originally founded in 2020 as a way to create affirming spaces where faith, culture, and queerness can coexist. This year’s series features Mercedes Iman Diamond. This year, Muslim Pride expands to Washington, DC, New York City, and Los Angeles. Buy tickets here.
Pride Celebrations and Sunday Worship Service
June 14th all day
Riverside Baptist Church (699 Maine Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20024)
Join Riverside Baptist Church for a day-long Pride celebration beginning with Pride Weekend/Musical Theater Sunday worship service at 10 am. Later that morning and early afternoon, from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm, the church will be hosting a Pride Pageant, a technicolor celebration featuring a runway showcase, line dancing, food, and refreshments.
June 22nd at 7 pm
St. Mark’s Episocpal Church (301 A Street, SE, Washington, DC 20003)
Join this interfaith service celebrating affirming faith traditions and intertradition dialogue hosted by queer and trans faith leaders. The interfaith service has been hosted annually for over 40 years, and first began back in the 1980s with faith leaders and queer people of faith coming together to mourn and pray at the site of the AIDS Memorial Quilt on the National Mall. Learn more about the history of the interfaith service here.
June 23rd at 6 pm
Holy Trinity Catholic Church (3513 N St NW, Washington, DC 20007)
Holy Trinity will be hosting its 6th annual Pride Mass. After its debut this past summer, the Pride Mass choir will be singing at the Pride Mass in June, and following the Mass, there will be an annual reception with ice cream and other goodies. Learn more about attending the reception and Holy Trinity’s LGBTQ+ Ministry.
European Union
European Commission says all EU countries should ban conversion therapy
Recommendation ‘an important step forward for LGBTI rights across Europe’
The European Commission on Wednesday said all European Union countries should ban so-called conversion therapy.
The recommendation comes weeks after the European Parliament voted in favor of prohibiting the widely discredited practice across the EU. More than 1.2 million people signed a campaign in support of the ban that ACT (Against Conversion Therapy) LGBT launched in 2024 through the EU’s European Citizens Initiative framework.
“We warmly welcome today’s commitment from the European Commission to a recommendation on ending conversion practices, an important step forward for LGBTI rights across Europe,” said ILGA Europe in a statement.
Seven EU countries — Belgium, Cyprus, France, Malta, Norway, Portugal, and Spain — have banned conversion therapy outright.
Greece in 2022 banned the practice for minors. German lawmakers in 2020 passed a law that prohibits conversion therapy for minors and for adults who have not consented to undergoing the widely discredited practice.
ILGA Europe said the European Commission’s recommendation “highlights how much work remains to be done.”
“Ending conversion practices cannot stop at symbolic commitments or fragmented national approaches,” stressed the advocacy group. “We need coordinated EU action, proper training for professionals, and survivor-centered support systems that recognize the serious harm these practices cause.”
“More than one million people supported the European Citizens’ Initiative calling for change,” added ILGA Europe. “The message is clear: conversion practices are not therapy or belief, they are a form of violence that Europe can and should end.”
Delaware
Blade Foundation awards 9th journalism fellowship to AU student
Thomas Weaverling will cover LGBTQ issues in Delaware this summer
The Blade Foundation this week announced the recipient of its 2026 Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism is Thomas Weaverling, who is scheduled to graduate from American University with a degree in communication, language, and culture this month.
He will cover issues of interest to Delaware’s LGBTQ community for 12 weeks this summer. The fellowship is named in honor of Steve Elkins, a journalist and co-founder of the CAMP Rehoboth LGBTQ community center. Elkins served as editor of Letters from CAMP Rehoboth for many years as well as executive director of the center before his death in March of 2018.
Kevin Naff, editor of the Blade, welcomed Weaverling and will introduce him to the Rehoboth Beach community at an event this week.
“If the applicants to our fellowship program are any indication, the future of American journalism is very bright,” Naff said. “Thomas stood out for his broad skillset and strong writing and reporting skills and we’re all excited to work with him this summer.”
Weaverling is the ninth recipient of the Elkins fellowship, which is funded by community donations at the Blade Foundation’s annual fundraiser in Rehoboth Beach. This year’s event is scheduled for May 15 at Diego’s and includes a generous sponsorship from Realtor Justin Noble and remarks from Ashley Biden accepting an award on behalf of her brother Beau Biden for his LGBTQ advocacy while serving as Delaware’s attorney general.
“I am incredibly honored and excited to receive the Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism,” Weaverling said. “Writing for the Washington Blade has been a goal of mine since I began my freshman year of college and I could not be more thrilled to have this opportunity. I am looking forward to getting to know the LGBTQ+ community in Rehoboth Beach and throughout Delaware.”
Weaverling is graduating cum laude with a concentration in journalism and Spanish. He studied in Spain in 2025 and worked in the office of Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.) as a policy intern.
For more information on the fellowship program or to donate, visit bladefoundation.org.
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Blade Foundation awards 9th journalism fellowship to AU student
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