Local
Norton vows to fight efforts to kill LGBT bill
Measure seeks to protect students at religious schools
D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (Washington Blade file photo by Jeff Surprenant)
D.C. Congressional Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) told representatives of LGBT groups on Monday that she will vigorously fight attempts by members of Congress to kill a city-approved bill aimed at protecting LGBT students from discrimination at D.C.-based religious schools.
She also told representatives of reproductive rights groups that she and her allies on Capitol Hill would strongly oppose attempts by Congress to kill a separate D.C. bill that would prohibit city employers from discriminating against employees based on reproductive rights choices, including a decision to have an abortion.
The LGBT-related bill, the Human Rights Amendment Act of 2014, repeals a 1989 law passed by Congress known as the Armstrong Amendment. The amendment exempts religious educational institutions in the city from having to comply with the D.C. Human Rights Act’s provision banning discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Language in the Armstrong Amendment, which is part of the D.C. Human Rights Act, allows religious schools such as Catholic University to deny meeting space or privileges offered to other student clubs for any organization that engages in “promoting, encouraging, or condoning any homosexual act, lifestyle orientation, or belief.”
The D.C. Council approved the repeal legislation in the form of the Human Rights Amendment Act in December. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser signed it earlier this month.
An official with the City Council’s Office of the Secretary said on Tuesday that due to a backlog of bills passed by the Council in December, the Council wasn’t expected to send the bill to Congress to begin the required 30 legislative day review of the measure for at least another two weeks.
The official, who spoke on condition of not being identified, said the holdup was strictly administrative in nature and unrelated to the bill’s content.
Last week, a religious-oriented conservative group called Heritage Action released a statement calling on its members and supporters to urge their congressional representatives to support a disapproval resolution to kill the Human Rights Amendment Act. Under the city’s Home Rule Charter, a majority vote of both the House and Senate and the signature of the president of a “disapproval” resolution can kill any D.C.-passed bill. Most lawmakers expect President Obama would refuse to sign such a resolution.
For that reason, opponents of D.C. bills have resorted to blocking such bills through riders attached to the city’s annual budget bill, which Congress must pass.
“We have been preparing for anti-Democrats to use the Republican Congress to try to interfere with the local laws of the District of Columbia,” Norton said in a statement last week. “Just as my colleagues insist that the laws of their constituents be respected by Washington, you better bet that we will insist on that same American principle and will target members who dare to disrespect the people of the District of Columbia by trying to overturn our local laws.”
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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