Local
B’MORE Proud energizes students
200 turn out for second LGBTQ conference
Zach Wahls, pictured here speaking at the 2012 Democratic National Convention, presented a keynote address at B’MORE Proud. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)
It may have been a cold rainy on March 30, but inside Levering Hall on the campus of Johns Hopkins University, the energy and enthusiasm coming from the students attending the B’MORE Proud LGBTIA Leadership Summit warmed things up.
More than 200 LGBTQ students and allies registered for the conference, which took place at Johns Hopkins for the second time since this summit began in 2010. Previous hosts have been Towson University and the University of Maryland Baltimore County. The theme for this year’s installment was “Breaking Boundaries.”
Three potent speakers fired up the crowd throughout the 10-hour summit. Oakland, California-based author, performer and trans-bi activist Julia Serano, best known for her 2007 book, “Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity,” delivered the morning keynote with a high-tempo PowerPoint presentation on gender and associated stereotypes.
The afternoon keynote address was presented by activist Zach Wahls, who in 2011 at the age of 19, testified before the Iowa Legislature on behalf of marriage equality in support of his two moms. His speech then was captured on YouTube where it went viral with some 18 million views. During his presentation at the summit, Wahls replicated his speech to a loud ovation.
The evening’s entertainment was provided by comedian Julie Goldman who irreverently delivered a roaring monologue on her life as a Jewish lesbian, receiving roars from the crowd.
In between these presentations were three breakout sessions covering a wide range of issues including: “B’More You! Intersecting Identities,” “Advocating Through the Media,” “Safe Dating: Identifying Abusers and Sexual Predators,” “Health Concerns for LGBTQ People of Color,” “Queering Reproductive Justice,” “Coming Out in the Digital Age,” and “Realities of Young Black Gay Men in Baltimore.”
“Personally, I think what contributed most to the success of this year’s B’More Proud Summit was the sheer energy and enthusiasm of our participants,” said Brandon Fiksel, a member of the B’MORE Proud planning committee. “Everyone was passionate, they wanted to be there, and that was because we all recognized how important of an opportunity this was — a rare opportunity for the whole Baltimore queer community, but especially the college-aged generation, to come together and learn from each other.”
District of Columbia
Norton reintroduces bill to ban discrimination against LGBTQ jurors in D.C. Superior Court
Congresswoman notes Congress controls local court system
D.C. Congressional Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) on Friday, June 20, reintroduced her bill to ban discrimination against LGBTQ D.C. residents in the process for selecting people to serve as jurors in D.C. Superior Court.
“The bill would clarify that D.C. residents may not be excluded or disqualified from jury service in the local D.C. trial court, the D.C. Superior Court, based on sexual orientation or gender identity,” Norton said in a statement.
“Specifically, this bill would clarify that the term ‘sex,’ which is a protected class under the nondiscrimination law that applies to jurors in the D.C. Superior Court includes sexual orientation and gender identity,” Norton said.
She points out in her statement that under the D.C. Home Rule Act approved by Congress that created D.C.’s local government, including an elected mayor and City Council, the federal government retained control over the local court system.
“Therefore, until D.C. is given authority to amend Title 11 of the D.C. Code, which one of my bills would do, an act of Congress is required to clarify that LGBTQ+ jurors in the D.C. Superior Court are protected from discrimination,” according to her statement.
A spokesperson for Norton couldn’t immediately be reached to determine whether Norton is aware of specific instances where residents were denied jury service because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Online records of congressional action on Norton’s juror nondiscrimination bill show she had introduced it in 2019, 2021, and 2023, when it died in committee each year, except for the 117th Congress in 2022, when it was approved by a committee but died in the full House.
“During Pride month we are reminded of the many contributions of the LGBTQ+ community,” Norton said in her June 20 statement. “Nobody, including D.C. jurors, should be discriminated against based on their sexual orientation or gender identity, and D.C. juries should not be deprived of the service of LGBTQ residents,” she added.
The Washington Blade’s second day of Pride on the Pier at The Wharf DC ended with a fireworks show on Saturday, June 7. The fireworks show was presented by the Leonard-Litz LGBTQ Foundation.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi (D-Chesterfield) will face John Reid in the race to become Virginia’s next lieutenant governor.
Hashmi won the Democratic primary with 27.49 percent of the vote. She defeated former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, state Sen. Aaron Rouse (D-Virginia Beach), Babur Lateef, Victor Salgado and Alexander Bastani.
“Tonight, Virginians made history,” said Hashmi in a statement. “We didn’t just win a primary, we sent a clear message that we won’t be bullied, broken, or dragged backward by the chaos in Washington.”
Reid, a gay conservative talk show host, in April won the Republican nomination to succeed Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, who is running to succeed Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
The incumbent governor days after Reid secured the nomination called for him to withdraw his candidacy amid reports that a social media account with his username included “pornographic content.” Reid, who would become the first openly gay person elected to statewide office in Virginia if he wins in November, has strongly denied the reports.
Former state Del. Jay Jones defeated Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor in Democratic attorney general primary. Jones will face Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares in November.
Youngkin cannot run for a second, consecutive term.
Former Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger will face off against Earle-Sears in November. The winner will make history as the first woman elected governor in the state’s history.
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