News
Will Obama ‘use the pen’ to protect LGBT workers?
President pledges to take executive action if Congress fails to pass agenda items
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney won’t say whether Obama’s use of his pen will include action to protect LGBT workers. (Washington Blade photo by Damien Salas)
President Obama pledged this week to take executive action if Congress fails to pass certain items on his legislative agenda, but so far the strategy of bypassing Congress doesn’t extend to the issue of barring discrimination against LGBT workers.
In public remarks before a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Obama said he intends to make clear that Congress isn’t the only path for policy change, saying “we are not just going to be waiting for legislation” to provide aid to Americans.
“I’ve got a pen and I’ve got a phone,” Obama said. “And I can use that pen to sign executive orders, and take executive actions and administrative actions that move the ball forward in helping to make sure our kids are getting the best education possible, and making sure that our businesses are getting the kind of support and help they need to grow and advance to make sure that people are getting the skills that they need to get those jobs that our businesses are creating.”
That situation could apply to the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, a bill that would bar most employers from engaging in anti-LGBT workplace discrimination. Although the bill passed the Senate last year on a bipartisan basis, it has languished in the House. House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has said he opposes the legislation.
LGBT advocates are jumping on Obama’s remarks as another opportunity to push him to sign the executive order prohibiting federal contractors from discriminating against LGBT workers.
Fred Sainz, vice president of communications for the Human Rights Campaign, said his organization “certainly hope[s]” the president’s words — and similar words from other administration officials — indicates Obama is preparing to take action to institute LGBT non-discrimination protections.
“The White House’s statements were a perfect description of the executive order that hardworking LGBT Americans need,” Sainz said.
Rea Carey, executive director of the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, said the “time is right for more action” in the wake of Obama’s words that he’ll use his pen to advance his agenda.
“If politics is local, then all the administration has to do is take a look at what Virginia’s new Gov. Terry McAuliffe did as his first act — signing an executive order that protects LGBT state employees from discrimination,” Carey said. “With one stroke of his pen, the president can immediately improve the lives of LGBT people across the country; we encourage him to use it.”
But the White House maintains the legislative route to protecting LGBT workers from discrimination is the path it prefers.
Under questioning from the Washington Blade, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said on Thursday he doesn’t “have any change or update” from the administration’s previously stated preference for passage of ENDA over an executive order prohibiting LGBT discrimination among federal contractors.
“So our view has always been that the best way to address this important matter is through broad, comprehensive employment non-discrimination legislation,” Carney said. “And we support action on that legislation in the House so that the president can sign it.”
Asked by another reporter why the president would take executive action to advance his policies on issues such as gun control and education, but not on LGBT discrimination, Carney reiterated the administration’s position.
“We are very focused on the potential for further action in the Congress — for the progress that we’ve seen around the country and in Congress in recognizing that these are fundamental rights that ought to be recognized,” Carney said. “And we expect that Congress will, as I said, get on the road toward progress that so many in this country have been traveling on these issues.”
Obama’s words this week mark a significant change in tone from what he’s previously said on the issue of bypassing Congress and issuing executive orders to enact new policy.
In November during a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee in San Francisco, Obama was heckled by an audience member who kept shouting “executive order.” Although the protester didn’t make clear on what issue he was seeking executive action, Obama responded that his belief generally is that he shouldn’t bypass Congress.
“There is no shortcut to politics,” Obama said. “And there’s no shortcut to democracy. And we have to win on the merits of the argument with the American people. As laborious as it seems sometimes, as much misinformation as there is out there sometimes, as frustrating as it may be sometimes, what we have to do is just keep on going, keep on pushing.”
The reason for the change in tone could be attributable to a new face on the White House staff. John Podesta has recently joined the staff as a counselor to Obama. During his time building the Center for American Progress as its founder, Podesta was a strong advocate of use of executive power by the president.
In a 2010 report titled, “The Power of the President: Recommendations to Advance Positive Change,” Podesta advocates for the use of executive power for Obama to advance job creation and economic competitiveness and to improve education, health care and security.
“Concentrating on executive powers presents a real opportunity for the Obama administration to turn its focus away from a divided Congress and the unappetizing process of making legislative sausage,” Podesta writes. “Instead, the administration can focus on the president’s ability to deliver results for the American people on the things that matter most to them.”
Winnie Stachelberg, vice president of external affairs at the Center for American Progress, insisted that Obama has asserted he has the prerogative to exercise executive authority, saying she supports him doing so for LGBT workers.
“I think his comments this week and comments from others who are senior advisers at the White House that he will act if Congress doesn’t is in keeping with what he has said in his first term and in the past year in his second term,” Stachelberg said. “He has been clear that he wants to work with Congress on issues that challenge our country, but where and when Congress won’t act, he will use the authority that he has.”
Obama will likely flesh out what he intends to pursue through executive action during his annual State of the Union Address before a joint session of Congress on Jan. 28. Although the details of the speech are under wraps, Obama has already disclosed he’ll talk about mobilizing the country around a national mission of ensuring the economy offers all hardworking Americans a fair shot at success.
Tico Almeida, president of Freedom to Work, identified another item that Obama should bring up during the State of the Union speech: pushing the U.S. House to finish the job on ENDA.
“We will keep pushing for an ENDA vote in the House of Representatives in 2014, and we hope the president will use the State of the Union Address to call for that vote, but the very best thing he can do right now is lead by example and sign the executive order,” Almeida said.
Advocates of workplace protections pushed Obama to sign the directive prior to his campaign to win a second term, but the White House announced it wouldn’t happen at that time. Despite a presumption the president would sign the measure once re-elected, there was no change in the White House position following Election Day.
After first lady Michelle Obama was heckled during a DNC fundraiser over the executive order, renewed pressure was placed on the White House, and advocates had renewed hopes Obama would announce he would sign the order at the annual Pride reception at the White House. Instead, Obama took the opportunity to renew his call for ENDA passage.
Finally, amid questions over whether Obama would sign the executive order once ENDA made it halfway through Congress and passed the Senate, the White House indicated there was still no change in plans.
Dan Pinello, a political scientist at the City University of New York, didn’t put much stock in the notion that things would change this time around — despite the president’s words.
“My guess is that Obama would not issue an executive order that might unduly upset the business community,” Pinello said. “He’s been fairly deferential to them.”
Pinello added most federal contractors are large enough business entities that they likely have LGBT non-discrimination provisions already in place with regard to LGBT people.
“Thus, there might be significantly diminished returns from such an executive order, especially in light of the antagonism potentially felt by those small contractors who’d feel put upon by the action,” Pinello said. “So I’d be surprised if Obama did it.”
U.S. Supreme Court
Supreme Court rules against Colo. law banning conversion therapy for minors
8-1 decision could have sweeping impact
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled against a Colorado law that bans so-called conversion therapy for minors.
The justices last October heard oral arguments in Chiles v. Salazar. They ruled 8-1 in favor of Kaley Chiles, a therapist who challenged the 2019 law.
More than 20 states and D.C. ban the widely discredited practice for minors.
The Washington Blade will update this article.
The White House
Thousands attend ‘No Kings’ protests in D.C.
Protesters demand accountability, defend democracy, and oppose Trump administration
Across all 50 states — and D.C. — more than 8 million people came out nationwide from towns big and small, red and blue, to make their voices heard. That united voice echoed what nearly 20,000 protesters declared in the nation’s capital back in October 2025: the citizens of the U.S. would not sit idly by as President Donald Trump and his administration erode democracy, attempt to restrict human rights, loosens First Amendment protections, and begin wars without congressional approval.
While there were countless differences among the thousands who joined the “No Kings” protests this weekend in the DMV — from creeds and socioeconomic statuses to races, sexualities, and gender identities — there was one thing that united them all during the chilly March 28 weather: a commitment to making their voices heard.
By 10 a.m., the Washington Blade estimated around 200 people had braved bitter winds and temperatures hovering around 40 degrees, with bright sun, to stand along the cherry blossom-adorned streets of Kalorama and Connecticut Avenue. Protesters carried signs large and small from criticizing Trump’s disregard for the “everyman” to handmade signs emphasizing love, calling for the melting of ICE, and addressing issue-specific concerns like ending the wars in Gaza and Iran — both policies propagated by Trump.
While a solid group of D.C. residents came out with babies in strollers and dogs on leashes, the Kalorama protest skewed older with a majority-white crowd.
On the other side of town, the more heavily attended protest in Anacostia started at 1:30 p.m., crossing the Frederick Douglass Bridge.
MS Now estimates that over 20,000 people marched across the bridge, sending a clear message to the president, his administration, and the Republican-controlled federal government: federal overreach is not what the majority of Americans want to see, hear, or witness as protesters in the thousands came out for, as organizers say “the single largest non-violent day of action” in American history.
The two marches on Saturday differed in both theme and location — the Kalorama protest felt like a small-town demonstration in a big city, covering a wide variety of topics, whereas the Anacostia protest was more focused, directly calling out and pushing back against the actions of Stephen Miller (the White House chief of staff)and other Trump allies.
Many participants shared their reasons for marching with glee — shouting as cars honked in support passing by and discussing the broader issues within the current political climate with those standing next to them: some neighbors, some friends, others complete strangers. Regardless, an important discussion was happening across the city.
A surprise to many participants — and the Blade reporter covering the event — was seeing U.S. Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) stand outside in near-freezing temperatures with her staff and some signs.
Jacobs used the exclusive — and more intimate — ability to speak on her experience watching everything unfold from inside the halls of Congress.
“We had votes until midnight last night, so I couldn’t make it back to San Diego for the march, but it’s important to show up and cheer on people standing up and making their voices heard,” Jacobs said. “This is just the start. We need to make our voices heard every day through the end of the year.”
Jacobs also used the opportunity to criticize congressional inaction from those on the other side of the aisle, reminding the Blade that a legislator’s job is to protect and secure the people they represent — not the interests of a wannabe king or corporations that back many congressional campaigns through PACs.
“It makes me angry at my Republican colleagues who won’t stand up to Trump. Actions like this inject courage into my colleagues — they need to see that the American people have their back,” she added, eventually emphasizing the public responsibility lawmakers have to protect the Constitution and everyone in the country (which the Supreme Court had pointed out as far back as 1886 with Yick Wo v. Hopkins). “Congress is not going to save people. This is about everyone showing up and making our voices heard and building the democracy we want.”
Ashley Gould, a tourist visiting from Missouri, told the Blade that despite Washington being seen as one of the most politically active towns in the country, over the past few years, she and many other politically active Missourians have been preparing for this moment and were zealous to have their voices heard together as one.
“I’m actually visiting my sister from Missouri, and we’ve been doing this since the first No Kings protest [there]. I wanted to see how you guys did it here,” she said. “As someone in a red state, we’re not represented in Congress right now, so I don’t personally have a say in any of this. If I can do one small thing, I want kids in our town to see me trying to make a difference, get petitions signed. This is all we have.”
Gould continued, “I don’t know if it’s going to cause an impact for elected officials, but I hope that little kid who sees us with the posters sees that we do have a voice—and maybe one day they can, if they can’t right now.”
Gary Bowman, another early protest-goer, held a sign that pointed out the obscurity — and unconstitutional nature — of the current administration’s actions.
“I hate the direction the country is going in, and Donald Trump is not fit to be in office,” Bowman said, adding that his choice of sign exemplified that. “It’s obvious based on his policies — his attacks on the trans and LGBTQ communities — that he’s trying to suppress people. And the Republican Congress isn’t helping.”
When asked how the phrase “No Kings” resonates with him, especially since this is the third one held in two years, Bowman said it may be catchy for headlines or help inspire creative signs (like Trump on a golden throne or toilet), but the march and protest are about something much more important.
“‘No Kings’ is a catchphrase for me; I’m more concerned about losing our democracy. We, the people, have a voice we should use,” he said, elaborating on how this administration’s course of action disregards rules designed to prevent an authoritarian — or wannabe-authoritarian — from taking power. “I don’t think Trump is overstepping … I think he’s shattering democratic norms. He wants to do what’s right for Donald Trump, not for anyone else.”
He concluded bluntly that unless everyone — including Republicans in power — stand up to the president for these ludicrous choices, change won’t happen, regardless of how loud he or any other Trump critics scream at protests.
“Until we have a Congress that would actually look at protests and take action, it won’t matter. He’ll just get pissed off and act against them,” Bowman said.
When asked what he could say to those in charge, he finished strongly: “If I could say one thing to him? Fuck off, Donald Trump.”
Jameson Woosley and Elena Lacayo were standing on the corner of Kalorama Road, holding their baby tight as pink cherry blossom trees swayed behind them, as if to cheer on the protesters.
“It’s the degradation of democracy. Every day there’s an overreach by the executive branch, and Congress just sits on their hands,” Woosley said, standing side by side with Lacayo.
“It’s terrifying for my baby. This administration has turned people who’ve done nothing wrong into criminals — it’s Orwellian. Up is down, war is peace,” Lacayo noted. “I was raised in another country with authoritarians… I’m a citizen here, and I’m going to use every right I have to advocate for those who can’t.”
Lacayo then spoke about how, for many, direct protests against government action (and inaction) are the only choice — especially under a supermajority federal government with the White House, Supreme Court, and both chambers of Congress.
“We have no choice but to believe change can come. This is what we can do. We must continue fighting; that’s what the human spirit is about,” she said.
Woosley emphasized the growing impact of the protests, saying, “Every protest gets bigger, and opinion polls keep swinging in the right direction … We need to speak up and get all the right people out to bring positive change.”
“These people are nothing without us,” Lacayo added.
Beth Davis, a former resident of Kalorama, shared with the Blade that this place holds special meaning for her — and her children — which is in part why she chose this one over the larger protest in Anacostia.
“I used to live in the neighborhood, so this is special for me. It’s easy to bring the kids and let them be part of the movement,” Davis said, as her elementary-aged children ran around the manicured grass while bundled up, enjoying the lively atmosphere.
“What’s happening to immigrant communities is horrific, and I want to show solidarity. Also, the Iran war — it’s terrifying what’s happening,” she added before explaining what the “No Kings” name actually means to her. “’No Kings’ makes me think of the extreme grab for power — it’s unprecedented.”
Davis then noted the importance of protesting when it seems like the main goal is often to iisolate : “Coming to protests makes people feel like they’re not alone, and that momentum carries into elections,” she explained, noting why she not only brought her two children to this protest—and many others in the past as well– but uses these as real world teaching moments. “We bring kids to teach them their civic responsibilities. My oldest has been to about ten protests.”
Another remarkable aspect of D.C. protests is the diversity of participants. Teachers, retail workers, students, and even some congresspeople turned out. In Kalorama on Saturday, the No Kings protest brought out Anne Plant, a biochemist and fellow at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, where she was previously chief of the Biosystems and Biomaterials Division.
Plant focused on many issues when speaking to the Blade, but started with what many consider the most important: Trump-era policies making civic engagement more difficult, particularly regarding civil rights.
“A lot of things are going wrong, and the only way to change them is for people to act. D.C. has no statehood, no vote — it’s a civil rights issue,” Plant said. “To deny the vote to any group of U.S. citizens doesn’t make sense. These people work for us; we should be able to hold them accountable.”
She held a small, hand-painted sign with two cohesive messages: “Reject Fascism. Defend democracy.”
“Some of what’s going on now is not healthy for society. No one will benefit; it’s just ruination,” Plant concluded. “Seeing more people out here shows that others feel the same, and momentum is what it takes to move things.”
Religious activists also joined the marches. Sister Diane and Sister Claire, two Catholic nuns, were out protesting Trump and his agenda.
“We’re sisters, Catholics in support of LGBTQ rights. I work with immigrants, and we wanted to stand in solidarity,” Sister Diane said.
Sister Claire reflected on the era the U.S. is in now: “It’s so disturbing. I’m almost glad my folks aren’t alive anymore for all they cared about. It’s heartbreaking, but we need something for the future.”
John Jones, another attendee teeming with energy and anger against the regime, captured the urgency of the moment succinctly.
“We’ve got to do something. I needed to be part of the community and let them know we’re tired of all the madness,” Jones told the Blade before detailing specific atrocities by the Trump-Vance administration.
“Rounding up legal people who follow the rules — throwing them away just because he’s racist, or his friends tell him to be racist. Helping pay for a war, bombing Gaza, killing people for no reason, manipulating the stock market for personal gain. It’s crazy,” he said, still holding out hope that small acts — like the protest gathering — show everyday Americans they have power, advocating for even more people to come out for the next No Kings protest.
“I hope protests can spark change. I won’t hold my breath, but the more people out here, the more they [in power] seem to be listening.”
Patty Bowring, who had moved with her family from the United Kingdom to join her husband in D.C. for his career, is set to return soon due to immigration restrictions. She, her children, and her mother came out to protest because she believes it is just as important for non-citizens to have the right to both protest and exist in a country founded and enriched by immigrant and enslaved labor.
“Even though we’re British, we’re leaving America in two months because of the administration. But this affects everybody — it’s hugely dangerous and worrying,” Bowring said.
Despite the somber mood, she kept a smile and joked: “I hope it’s the death of dinosaurs and that nothing more radical comes next. I want them to be happy,” also pointing out that the mixed messages at the protest could dilute impact. “Protests need a clearer message. ‘Anti-fascist’ should be the focus; too many other messages muddy things.”
Finally, John Norrin highlighted the continuity of civic engagement, informing the Blade that this protest — albeit a smaller version — happens every week on the corner.
“I’m here with friends, looking for more,” Norrin said. “There’s a regular protest every Thursday morning, and I’m going to start joining … The kings today are mostly figureheads, but we also have dictators not called kings who act like one. We have an elected representative trying to be a king.”
He, much like others around him — even with Jacobs standing mere feet away — criticized Congress’ inaction.
“Congress is understepping. They should assert their rights under Article One — declare war, impose tariffs — but they’re too afraid to follow their oath,” Norrin said, eventually shifting to a note of hope. “If at least 3.5 percent of the populace regularly protests, there’s a good possibility for change. I hope that happens here. Some friends will go to Connecticut to join larger groups. I had to figure out which protest in D.C. to join—it took a while.”
District of Columbia
Blade contributor, husband exchange vows in D.C.
Yariel Valdés and Kevin Vega held ceremony at Jefferson Memorial on March 23
Washington Blade contributor Yariel Valdés and his husband, Kevin Vega, exchanged vows at the Jefferson Memorial on March 23.
The couple married in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Nov. 24, 2025. The Jefferson Memorial ceremony — which Blade International News Editor Michael K. Lavers and Samy Nemir Olivares officiated — coincided with the third anniversary of Yariel and Kevin’s first date.
Yariel in 2019 asked for asylum in the U.S. because of the persecution he suffered as a journalist in his native Cuba. He spent nearly a year in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody before his release on March 4, 2020.
Yariel wrote a series of articles about his time in ICE custody that the Blade published. The series was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award in 2022.
Yariel and Kevin live in South Florida.
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