News
Attack at Zimbabwe LGBT party leaves dozens injured
Incident took place on Dec. 19
Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe Director Chester Samba (Photo courtesy of Chester Samba)
Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe in a press release said three vehicles at around 11:20 p.m. “forced their way” into a club near its office where the event was taking place and demanded that security personnel allow them to attend.
The group notes a man in one of the vehicles threatened the guards with a pistol after they refused to allow him inside the venue. Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe said between 12 and 15 men proceeded to enter the club and began punching those inside.
The group said the assailants attacked people with logs, iron bars and empty beer bottles. Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe in their press release further noted the men also demanded money and electronics from its members as they attacked them.
Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe said more than 35 people were injured. The men also attacked five of the organization’s staffers and a female cashier who was working the bar during the party.
“Members sought refuge in a nearby bush, with some seeking refuge in private homes by way of jumping over fences and walls,” said Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe in a second press release on Dec. 21.
Zimbabwe president: Gays have no rights
Activists, the Obama administration and others in recent years have sharply criticized Zimbabwe and Robert Mugabe, the country’s long-time president, over its LGBT rights record.
Mugabe in May described homosexuality as “inhuman” and said gays “have no human rights.” He told supporters during a July 2013 rally ahead of his re-election that authorities should arrest gays and lesbians who don’t conceive children.
Authorities have also frequently targeted members of Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe.
Police in August 2012 arrested more than 40 members of the organization inside their office in Harare, the Zimbabwean capital. Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe claimed that authorities a few days earlier confiscated computers and pamphlets.
Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe said five men with hammers “violently” entered their offices in June 2013 and disrupted a meeting that was taking place. Authorities arrested the alleged perpetrators, but prosecutors have yet to charge them in connection with the incident.
“Whilst the existence of LGBTI people in Zimbabwe cannot be disputed anymore, thanks largely to the powerful help of President Mugabe’s rhetoric, this has created a climate and culture of impunity and lawlessness as evidenced by the actions of these thuggish men to hunt down LGBTI people in our communities, vicinities and homes to inflict harm,” said Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe in their Dec. 21 press release.
The organization said it has “reason to believe” club patrons who are affiliated with Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party may have asked the men to attack its members because the venue was closed for their event. Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe said it heard reports that some of those who took part in the incident suggested the Movement for Democratic Change, an opposition party, hosted the party.
“We are deeply troubled by reports of brutality against LGBT community members at a private end-of-year party,” said Noel Clay, a spokesperson for the State Department. “We urge the government of Zimbabwe and police authorities to investigate the reports thoroughly and to respond appropriately.”
Chester Samba, director of Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe, told the Washington Blade on Tuesday that those who were attacked are still filing police reports.
“We need to give the police time to investigate,” said Samba.
Gavin Reid of the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, which works with Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe, urged Zimbabwean officials to investigate the attack and prosecute those who committed it.
“It’s the duty of the Zimbabwean government to protect and promote the rights of all its citizens and to ensure that all Zimbabweans are able to enjoy their full constitutional rights including the right to life, to personal security, to freedom of assembly and association and to freedom from torture,” said Reid.
Clay agreed.
“We urge the government of Zimbabwe and police authorities to investigate the reports thoroughly and to respond appropriately,” he told the Blade. “We encourage respect for rule of law and call on the government of Zimbabwe to uphold its international obligations to protect the human rights of all Zimbabweans.”
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.
Rehoboth Summer Kickoff Party set for May 15 with Ashley Biden
Curve magazine honors Washington Blade publisher
Auction of Rehoboth’s Blue Moon canceled
Delaware school district remains supportive after Trump attacks on trans students
Va. voters approve HRC-backed redistricting plan
Judge rescinds stay-away order in Capital Pride anti-stalking case
Wagons ho! High-class, head-turning haulers
Inside the lonely world of MAGA gay men
Rorschach stages ‘Dragon Play’ in unlikely, raw space
