News
Hispanic Caucus latest to endorse ENDA
Two-thirds of caucus voted to back pro-LGBT resolution
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus has endorsed a resolution from Rep. Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.) supporting ENDA. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)
The caucus for Latino members of the U.S. House has added its name to the long list of supporters of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act amid a push for a House vote on the bill.
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus voted Wednesday to endorse the legislation, which would prohibit anti-LGBT bias in the workforce, as a result of a resolution proposed by Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.).
In a statement, Sanchez, vice chair of the caucus, called ENDA “an important, long overdue civil rights law.”
“Equality shouldn’t wait,” Sanchez said. “We need to break down the barriers of intolerance and bigotry that have kept too many talented people out of the workplace. The vast majority of Americans believe that job performance is what should determine whether you get hired, fired or promoted. It’s time for the House to pass ENDA and end workplace discrimination.”
House aides said two-thirds of the caucus voted to endorse ENDA, but wouldn’t disclose the way each of the 26 members of the caucus voted. According to aides, a majority vote is necessary for approval.
Rep. Ruben Hinojosa (D-Texas), chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, similarly emphasized the importance of ENDA and praised Sanchez for supporting the legislation.
“Discrimination of any sort is unacceptable and goes against our country’s values of freedom and equality,” Hinojosa said. “I applaud my colleague Congresswoman Linda Sánchez for her leadership on this important issue and look forward to continuing the work with my CHC colleagues. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus will keep working to ensure that Congress continues moving forward on ENDA.”
The legislation already passed the Senate last month in a historic 64-32 bipartisan vote. In response to repeated requests to bring up ENDA for a House vote, Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has said he opposes the measure.
It’s not the first time the Congressional Hispanic Caucus has endorsed a pro-LGBT initiative. In November, the caucus included protections for bi-national same-sex couples as part of its list of principles for comprehensive immigration reform. Although the Senate Judiciary Committee opted not to include the LGBT language in its version of reform, the issue became moot after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act.
Last month, Sanchez held a congressional field hearing in Los Angeles on the impact of workplace bias on LGBT Latinos in the aftermath of the publication of a Movement Advancement Project report titled, “A Broken Bargain for LGBT Workers of Color.”
Tico Almeida, president of Freedom to Work, praised both the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and Sanchez for their continued efforts in bringing to light the vulnerability of LGBT workers.
“Freedom to Work applauds the Congressional Hispanic Caucus for its tremendous support for LGBT workplace fairness, and especially Rep. Linda Sanchez with whom we worked on the recent ENDA field hearing in Los Angeles to delve into the findings of the ‘Broken Bargain for LGBT Workers of Color’ report by the Movement Advancement Project and a coalition of civil rights organizations,” Almeida said.
Other Latino organizations that support ENDA are the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund, the League of United Latin American Citizens and the Trans-Latina Coalition.
Photos
PHOTOS: Helen Hayes Awards
Gay Men’s Chorus, local drag artists have featured performance at ceremony
The 41st Helen Hayes Awards were held at The Anthem on Monday, May 19. Felicia Curry and Mike Millan served as the hosts.
A performance featuring members of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington and local drag artists was held at the end of the first act of the program to celebrate WorldPride 2025.
The annual awards ceremony honors achievement in D.C.-area theater productions and is produced by Theatre Washington.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
District of Columbia
Laverne Cox, Reneé Rapp, Deacon Maccubbin named WorldPride grand marshals
Three LGBTQ icons to lead parade
WorldPride organizers announced Thursday that actress and trans activist Laverne Cox, powerhouse performer Reneé Rapp, and LGBTQ trailblazer Deacon Maccubbin will serve as grand marshals for this year’s WorldPride parade.
The Capital Pride Alliance, which is organizing WorldPride 2025 in Washington, D.C., revealed the honorees in a press release, noting that each has made a unique contribution to the fabric of the LGBTQ community.
Cox made history in 2014 as the first openly transgender person nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in an acting category for her role in Netflix’s “Orange Is the New Black.” She went on to win a Daytime Emmy in 2015 for her documentary “Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word,” which followed seven young trans people as they navigated coming out.
Rapp, a singer and actress who identifies as a lesbian, rose to prominence as Regina George in the Broadway musical “Mean Girls.” She reprised the role in the 2024 film adaptation and also stars in Max’s “The Sex Lives of College Girls,” portraying a character coming to terms with her sexuality. Rapp has released an EP, “Everything to Everyone,” and an album, “Snow Angel.” She announced her sophomore album, “Bite Me,” on May 21 and is slated to perform at the WorldPride Music Festival at the RFK Festival Grounds.
Deacon Maccubbin, widely regarded as a cornerstone of Washington’s LGBTQ+ history, helped organize D.C.’s first Gay Pride Party in 1975. The event took place outside Lambda Rising, one of the first LGBTQ bookstores in the nation, which Maccubbin founded. For his decades of advocacy and activism, he is often referred to as “the patriarch of D.C. Pride.”
“I am so honored to serve as one of the grand marshals for WorldPride this year. This has been one of the most difficult times in recent history for queer and trans people globally,” Cox said. “But in the face of all the rhetorical, legislative and physical attacks, we continue to have the courage to embrace who we truly are, to celebrate our beauty, resilience and bravery as a community. We refuse to allow fear to keep us from ourselves and each other. We remain out loud and proud.”
“Pride is everything. It is protection, it is visibility, it is intersectional. But most importantly, it is a celebration of existence and protest,” Rapp said.
The three will march down 14th Street for the WorldPride Parade in Washington on June 7.
Congress
House passes reconciliation with gender-affirming care funding ban
‘Big Beautiful Bill’ now heads to the Senate
The Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday voted 215-214 for passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” reconciliation package, which includes provisions that would prohibit the use of federal funds to support gender-affirming care.
But for an 11th hour revision of the bill late Wednesday night by conservative lawmakers, Medicaid and CHIP would have been restricted only from covering treatments and interventions administered to patients younger than 18.
The legislation would also drop requirements that some health insurers must cover gender-affirming care as an “essential health benefit” and force states that currently mandate such coverage to find it independently. Plans could still offer coverage for transgender care but without the EHB classification patients will likely pay higher out of pocket costs.
To offset the cost of extending tax cuts from 2017 that disproportionately benefited the wealthiest Americans, the reconciliation bill contains significant cuts to spending for federal programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
The Human Rights Campaign criticized House Republicans in a press release and statement by the group’s president, Kelley Robinson:
“People in this country want policies and solutions that make life better and expand access to the American Dream. Instead, anti-equality lawmakers voted to give handouts to billionaires built on the backs of hardworking people — with devastating consequences for the LGBTQ+ community.
“If the cuts to programs like Medicaid and SNAP or resources like Planned Parenthood clinics weren’t devastating enough, House Republicans added a last minute provision that expands its attacks on access to best practice health care to transgender adults.
“This cruel addition shows their priorities have never been about lowering costs or expanding health care access–but in targeting people simply for who they are. These lawmakers have abandoned their constituents, and as they head back to their districts, know this: they will hear from us.”
Senate Republicans are expected to pass the bill with the budget reconciliation process, which would allow them to bypass the filibuster and clear the spending package with a simple majority vote.
Changes are expected as the bill will be reviewed and amended by committees, particularly the Finance Committee, and then brought to the floor for debate — though modifications are expected to focus on Medicaid reductions and debate over state and local tax deductions.
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Laverne Cox, Reneé Rapp, Deacon Maccubbin named WorldPride grand marshals
House passes reconciliation with gender-affirming care funding ban
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