National
Same-sex marriage law takes effect in England, Wales
Peter McGraith and David Cabreza among first gay couples to tie the knot


Peter McGraith and David Cabreza were the first same-sex couple to legally marry in England on March 29. (Photo by Alicia Clarke)
A law that allows same-sex marriage in England and Wales has taken effect.
Peter McGraith and David Cabreza, who have been together for 17 years, exchanged vows at Islington Town Hall in London shortly after midnight in the U.K. (8 p.m. EST.) Peter Tatchell, a British LGBT rights advocate, witnessed the wedding.
“We are thrilled to be getting married,” said McGraith before he and Cabreza exchanged vows. “It is a mark of significant social progress in England and Wales that the legal distinction between gay and straight relationships has been removed.”
Prime Minister David Cameron welcomed the arrival of marriage rights for same-sex couples in England and Wales.
“The introduction of same-sex civil marriage says something about the sort of country we are,” he said in an op-ed that Pink News published exclusively. “It says we are a country that will continue to honour its proud traditions of respect, tolerance and equal worth. It also sends a powerful message to young people growing up who are uncertain about their sexuality. It clearly says ‘you are equal’ whether straight or gay.”
The British Embassy in D.C. hosted a reception to commemorate the law taking effect.
“I’m particularly delighted the British Embassy can add another step forward towards the march for equal marriage,” said Rosalind Campion, counselor for global issues at the British Embassy in Washington, as she discussed the civil partnership into which she and her partner entered five years ago.
“This is about equal rights for everybody, whoever they are,” Deputy British Ambassador to the U.S. Patrick Davies told the Washington Blade before same-sex couples began to legally marry in England and Wales.
LGBT rights advocates in the U.S. and across Europe also celebrated the law taking effect.
“The advent of marriage is a further historic step in the journey to full equality for lesbian and gay people in England and Wales and contributes significantly to the growing international momentum for equality,” said Kieran Rose, chair of the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network in Ireland. “A very strong message of inclusion, value, respect and equality is being sent to people everywhere.”
Catholic Voices criticized Stonewall and other British LGBT advocacy groups that backed the same-sex marriage bill.
“Despite the claims of lobbies and the government’s own wishful thinking, gay marriage will not strengthen marriage,” said Catholic Voices earlier this week in a blog post.
Iceland, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Portugal, Spain, Canada, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, South Africa and New Zealand have extended marriage rights to same-sex couples alongside 18 states, D.C. and Mexico City.
The Scottish Parliament last month approved a same-sex marriage bill that will take effect later this year. A referendum on whether gays and lesbians can exchange vows in Ireland will take place next year.
Same-sex couples have been able to enter into civil partnerships in the U.K. since 2005.

The British embassy held a celebration on Friday night. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
Federal Government
UPenn erases Lia Thomas’s records as part of settlement with White House
University agreed to ban trans women from women’s sports teams

In a settlement with the Trump-Vance administration announced on Tuesday, the University of Pennsylvania will ban transgender athletes from competing and erase swimming records set by transgender former student Lia Thomas.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights found the university in violation of Title IX, the federal rights law barring sex based discrimination in educational institutions, by “permitting males to compete in women’s intercollegiate athletics and to occupy women-only intimate facilities.”
The statement issued by University of Pennsylvania President J. Larry Jameson highlighted how the law’s interpretation was changed substantially under President Donald Trump’s second term.
“The Department of Education OCR investigated the participation of one transgender athlete on the women’s swimming team three years ago, during the 2021-2022 swim season,” he wrote. “At that time, Penn was in compliance with NCAA eligibility rules and Title IX as then interpreted.”
Jameson continued, “Penn has always followed — and continues to follow — Title IX and the applicable policy of the NCAA regarding transgender athletes. NCAA eligibility rules changed in February 2025 with Executive Orders 14168 and 14201 and Penn will continue to adhere to these new rules.”
Writing that “we acknowledge that some student-athletes were disadvantaged by these rules” in place while Thomas was allowed to compete, the university president added, “We recognize this and will apologize to those who experienced a competitive disadvantage or experienced anxiety because of the policies in effect at the time.”
“Today’s resolution agreement with UPenn is yet another example of the Trump effect in action,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement. “Thanks to the leadership of President Trump, UPenn has agreed both to apologize for its past Title IX violations and to ensure that women’s sports are protected at the university for future generations of female athletes.”
Under former President Joe Biden, the department’s Office of Civil Rights sought to protect against anti-LGBTQ discrimination in education, bringing investigations and enforcement actions in cases where school officials might, for example, require trans students to use restrooms and facilities consistent with their birth sex or fail to respond to peer harassment over their gender identity.
Much of the legal reasoning behind the Biden-Harris administration’s positions extended from the 2020 U.S. Supreme Court case Bostock v. Clayton County, which found that sex-based discrimination includes that which is based on sexual orientation or gender identity under Title VII rules covering employment practices.
The Trump-Vance administration last week put the state of California on notice that its trans athlete policies were, or once were, in violation of Title IX, which comes amid the ongoing battle with Maine over the same issue.
New York
Two teens shot steps from Stonewall Inn after NYC Pride parade
One of the victims remains in critical condition

On Sunday night, following the annual NYC Pride March, two girls were shot in Sheridan Square, feet away from the historic Stonewall Inn.
According to an NYPD report, the two girls, aged 16 and 17, were shot around 10:15 p.m. as Pride festivities began to wind down. The 16-year-old was struck in the head and, according to police sources, is said to be in critical condition, while the 17-year-old was said to be in stable condition.
The Washington Blade confirmed with the NYPD the details from the police reports and learned no arrests had been made as of noon Monday.
The shooting took place in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, mere feet away from the most famous gay bar in the city — if not the world — the Stonewall Inn. Earlier that day, hundreds of thousands of people marched down Christopher Street to celebrate 55 years of LGBTQ people standing up for their rights.
In June 1969, after police raided the Stonewall Inn, members of the LGBTQ community pushed back, sparking what became known as the Stonewall riots. Over the course of two days, LGBTQ New Yorkers protested the discriminatory policing of queer spaces across the city and mobilized to speak out — and throw bottles if need be — at officers attempting to suppress their existence.
The following year, LGBTQ people returned to the Stonewall Inn and marched through the same streets where queer New Yorkers had been arrested, marking the first “Gay Pride March” in history and declaring that LGBTQ people were not going anywhere.
New York State Assemblywoman Deborah Glick, whose district includes Greenwich Village, took to social media to comment on the shooting.
“After decades of peaceful Pride celebrations — this year gun fire and two people shot near the Stonewall Inn is a reminder that gun violence is everywhere,” the lesbian lawmaker said on X. “Guns are a problem despite the NRA BS.”
New York
Zohran Mamdani participates in NYC Pride parade
Mayoral candidate has detailed LGBTQ rights platform

Zohran Mamdani, the candidate for mayor of New York City who pulled a surprise victory in the primary contest last week, walked in the city’s Pride parade on Sunday.
The Democratic Socialist and New York State Assembly member published photos on social media with New York Attorney General Letitia James, telling followers it was “a joy to march in NYC Pride with the people’s champ” and to “see so many friends on this gorgeous day.”
“Happy Pride NYC,” he wrote, adding a rainbow emoji.
Mamdani’s platform includes a detailed plan for LGBTQ people who “across the United States are facing an increasingly hostile political environment.”
His campaign website explains: “New York City must be a refuge for LGBTQIA+ people, but private institutions in our own city have already started capitulating to Trump’s assault on trans rights.
“Meanwhile, the cost of living crisis confronting working class people across the city hits the LGBTQIA+ community particularly hard, with higher rates of unemployment and homelessness than the rest of the city.”
“The Mamdani administration will protect LGBTQIA+ New Yorkers by expanding and protecting gender-affirming care citywide, making NYC an LGBTQIA+ sanctuary city, and creating the Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs.”
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