Local
Hair Cuttery reinstates stylist fired over HIV status
Apologizes, says firing based on ‘erroneous information’
Brandon Smith was fired from a Maryland Hair Cuttery after he tested positive for HIV. (Photo courtesy of the ACLU of Maryland)
The company that owns the Hair Cuttery chain of hair salons has agreed to reinstate assistant manager and hair stylist Brandon Smith whom it fired from its salon in Greenbelt, Md., in August after learning he had tested positive for HIV.
The reinstatement and an accompanying public apology comes two weeks after the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland filed a discrimination complaint on Smith’s behalf over the firing against the Vienna, Va., based Ratner Companies, the parent company of the Hair Cuttery and other name brand salons operating in Maryland, Virginia and D.C.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the ACLU of Maryland said it was pleased to announce that Brandon Smith and Ratner Companies had reached an agreement to resolve the complaint that “will both bring justice to Mr. Smith and strengthen the Companies’ commitment to fair treatment of its clients and employees.”
The ACLU complaint, which was filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleged that the Hair Cuttery shop that fired Smith had violated the federal Americans With Disabilities Act, which prohibits discrimination based solely on someone’s HIV status.
In a dismissal letter given to Smith at the time of the firing in August, the Ratner Companies said it based its action on a Maryland regulation of the cosmetology profession. According to the ACLU, the company claimed the regulation prohibits hair salons from employing someone working as a hair stylist who has an “infectious” or “contagious” disease such as HIV.
ACLU of Maryland Legal Director Deborah Jeon said at the time the legal group filed the complaint on Smith’s behalf that the company had misinterpreted the state regulation.
“You don’t get HIV by getting your hair cut, and we cannot allow unfounded fears to drive workplace discrimination against Marylanders living with HIV,” she said in an Aug. 9 statement. “The Hair Cuttery fired Brandon Smith notwithstanding the fact that he did not pose a significant risk to the health and safety of others, the applicable legal standard.”
In a statement released by the ACLU of Maryland on Wednesday, Dennis Ratner, founder and CEO of Ratner Companies, said, “Ratner Companies deeply regrets the dismissal of Mr. Smith from his employment with Hair Cuttery and sincerely apologizes for his termination, the company’s initial responsive statement based on erroneous information, and any harm done to Mr. Smith.”
Ratner’s statement adds, “Ratner Companies does not condone or tolerate illegal workplace discrimination of any kind, and it is not the company’s policy to terminate employees who are living with HIV or another disability.”
The ACLU of Maryland statement says Ratner Companies agreed to “make appropriate restitution to Mr. Smith” along with reinstatement. Jeon of the ACLU told the Blade the agreement reached calls for the company to provide Smith with back pay plus financial compensation for damages related to emotional distress caused by the firing.
“We are heartened by the quick action that Ratner Companies has taken to resolve the injustice suffered by Brandon Smith and to ensure that never again will an employee of Hair Cuttery or any other of the Companies’ salons be terminated because they are living with HIV,” the ACLU’s Jeon said in the group’s statement.
“It is our hope that this settlement sends a strong and clear message to other employers so that unfounded fears and misconceptions no longer drive workplace discrimination against those with disabilities,” she said.
Rehoboth Beach
Rehoboth Summer Kickoff Party set for May 15 with Ashley Biden
The Washington Blade’s 19th annual Summer Kickoff Party is scheduled for Friday, May 15 in Rehoboth Beach, Del.
Ashley Biden, daughter of President Joe Biden, has joined the list of speakers, the Blade announced. She will accept an award on behalf of her brother Beau Biden for his LGBTQ advocacy work as Delaware attorney general. (Her appearance was rescheduled from last year.)
The event, to be held this year at Diego’s (37298 Rehoboth Ave. Ext.) from 5-7 p.m., is a fundraiser for the Blade Foundation’s Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which funds a summer position reporting on LGBTQ news in Delaware. This year’s recipient will be introduced at the event.
The event will also feature remarks from state Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall. New CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Dr. Robin Brennan and Blade editor Kevin Naff will also speak. The event is generously sponsored by Realtor Justin Noble, The Avenue Inn & Spa, and Diego’s.
A suggested donation of $25 is partially tax deductible and includes a drink ticket and light appetizers. Tickets are available in advance at bladefoundation.org/rehoboth or at the door.
District of Columbia
Curve magazine honors Washington Blade publisher
Lynne Brown named to 2026 Power List
Washington Blade Publisher Lynne Brown has been named to the 2026 Curve Power List celebrating LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary individuals in North America who are blazing trails in their chosen fields.
“From sports and entertainment icons to corporate leaders and lawmakers, these individuals are breaking barriers, challenging norms, and shaping the future,” Curve Foundation/Curve magazine said in announcing this year’s list, which includes ABC newscaster Robin Roberts, comedian/actress Hannah Einbinder, and singer/actress Renee Rapp, among others.
Brown has worked for the Washington Blade for nearly 40 years. She was named publisher in 2007 before becoming a co-owner in 2010.
“I am honored to be recognized by Curve magazine during Lesbian Visibility Week,” Brown said. “Receiving this Curve honor is twofold. I was an early subscriber to Curve. I enjoy the product and know its history. Its journalism, layout and humorous features have inspired me.
“As an owner/publisher, receiving recognition from a similar source acknowledges my work and efforts, with a sincerity I truly appreciate. Franco Stevens, the publisher of Curve, is a business person of duration, experience, and purpose. The fact that they are in the media business, and honoring me and my publication makes it a tiny bit sweeter.”
Nominations for the Curve Power List come from the community: peers, mentors, fans, and employers.
Curve explained the significance of the list in its announcement: “An annual, publicly nominated list of impactful LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary changemakers is crucial in current times to counter discrimination, legislative rollbacks, hostility, and the invisibility of queer women within mainstream and marginal spaces and endeavors. Such a list also fosters encouragement and solidarity, and elevates voices and achievements—from high-profile roles to under appreciated areas of life.”
Rehoboth Beach
Auction of Rehoboth’s Blue Moon canceled
Details on sale of iconic bar, restaurant not disclosed
The Blue Moon in Rehoboth Beach, Del., has been an iconic presence in the local LGBTQ community for four decades but its status remains murky after a sheriff’s auction of the property was abruptly called off on Tuesday.
The property was listed for sale in December. At that time, owner Tim Ragan told the Blade that he is committed to preserving its legacy as a gay-friendly space.
“We had no idea the interest this would create,” Ragan said in December. “I guess I was a little naive about that.”
Ragan explained that he and longtime partner Randy Haney were separating the real estate from the business. The two buildings associated with the sale were listed by Carrie Lingo at 35 Baltimore Ave., and include an apartment, the front restaurant (6,600 square feet with three floors and a basement), and a secondary building (roughly 1,800 square feet on two floors). They were listed for $4.5 million.
The bar and restaurant business is being sold separately; the price was not publicly disclosed.
But then, earlier this year, the Blue Moon real estate listing turned up on the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office auction site. The auction was slated for Tuesday, April 21 but hours before the sale, the listing changed to “active under contract” indicating that a buyer has been found but the sale is not yet final. As of Wednesday morning, the listing has been removed from the sheriff’s auction site.
Ragan didn’t respond to Blade inquiries about the auction. Back in December, he told the Blade, “It’s time to look for the next people who can continue the history of the Moon and cultivate the next chapter,” noting that he turns 70 this year. “We’re not panicked; we separated the building from the business. Some buyers can’t afford both.”
The identity of the buyer was not disclosed, nor was the sale price.
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