News
Carney: Ariz. anti-gay bill sounds ‘pretty intolerant’
Some fear Obama speaking out would push Brewer to sign it
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney (Washington Blade file photo by Damien Salas)
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney was cautious in his response Tuesday when asked about a controversial “license to discriminate” bill in Arizona, saying the legislation sounds “pretty intolerant” without directly expressing opposition to the measure.
Under questioning from NBC News’ Peter Alexander, Carney said the administration doesn’t generally weigh in on state legislation, but the president’s support for LGBT rights is well known.
“Well, my suggestion yesterday that it sounded like a pretty intolerant proposed law, I think, reflects our views,” Carney said. “As a practice, we don’t generally weigh in on every piece of legislation under consideration in the states, but I think the president’s position on equality for LGBT Americans and opportunity for all is very well known. And he believes that all of us, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity should be treated fairly and equally, with dignity and respect. That view would govern our disposition toward a state law under consideration.”
Now that both chambers of the Arizona Legislature have approved the bill, it comes before Gov. Jan Brewer, who has to decide whether to sign or veto the bill. If enacted, it would expand the state’s definition of exercise of religion to allow businesses and individuals to discriminate based on religious reasons. Critics say the measure is aimed at allowing discrimination against LGBT people.
Brewer was among the attendees in Washington for a meeting of the National Governors Association. Asked whether President Obama spoke with Brewer about the legislation, Carney said he’s “not aware” of any such talks.
Although the White House has yet to articulate direct opposition to the bill, others who have weighed in opposing it include Apple, Inc. and the Arizona Chamber of Commerce. Additionally, the Arizona-based American Airlines has called on Brewer to veto the bill as well as both U.S. senators from the state: Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.).
Major LGBT rights groups have refrained from calling on Obama to speak out on the bill. The generally unstated view among LGBT advocates is that vocal opposition to the bill from Obama may actually act as an incentive for Brewer to sign it. The two have a history of hostility, which includes an exchange in which Brewer publicly pointed her finger in his face at an Arizona airport.
As the Blade reported on Monday, Eunice Rho, an advocacy and policy counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union said lawmakers behind legislation like the one in Arizona “don’t care much for what the president says or thinks” on policy matters.
Meanwhile, the Human Rights Campaign is pointing to a “chorus of voices” in a statement that have already denounced Arizona’s controversial proposal as the organization maintains it and similar bills in other states are bad both for civil rights and businesses.
“These bills are bad for business, bad for the LGBT community and bad for all Americans,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “These bills have nothing to do with faith and everything to do with shameful discrimination. Make no mistake about it; states that do enact these bills into law will face less investment, fewer jobs and a reputation for standing on the wrong side of history.”
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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