News
Baldwin pledges ‘no’ vote on bill barring Syrian refugees
Lesbian senator calls on NGOs to step up efforts for LGBT asylum-seekers
Sen. Tammy Baldwin said she would vote “no” on legislation barring Syrian refugees. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)
Following anger in the LGBT community over gay and bisexual members of the U.S. House voting for legislation seen to bar Syrian refugees from entering the United States, Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) said Thursday she’d vote “no” if the same bill came to the floor of the U.S. Senate.
Baldwin made the remarks during a panel of the Atlantic LGBT Summit titled “Unfinished Business” in D.C. in response to a question from the Washington Blade, saying, “I would vote ‘no’ on that legislation if it were to come before the Senate.”
The only out lesbian in the Senate emphasized the rigorous nature of the system for screening refugees before they enter the United States, saying it contrasts with the visa program President Obama has placed under review following the San Bernardino shootings.
“Our refugee process is the most rigorous of all the ways to get into the United States, often taking between 18 and 24 months,” Baldwin said. “Visa waiver? Another thing altogether. And so, we need to be rational and certainly not just playing the politics of the moment, or tacking it to people’s fearfulness, but we need to be informed and educated, and I can use my position in the Senate, hopefully, to educate my constituency and my colleagues to some degree.”
Baldwin also expressed confidence the need for her to vote against the legislation would never arise, saying, “I think you’ve seen what we thought was going to be an immediate reaction in the Senate to take up the House-passed bill to a real pivot in the conservation, and sort of let’s look where we need to be looking.”
The U.S. House passed the legislation, the American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act, by a vote of 289-137 last month. The bill would expand background checks on Iraqi and Syrian refugees hoping to enter the United States, but critics say the legislation would have the effect of barring them entirely.
Among those joining Republicans in voting in favor of the legislation were 47 Democrats, including Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.), who’s gay; Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.), who’s gay; and Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), who’s bisexual. The support of these three lawmakers for the legislation has invoked the ire of some LGBT advocates who argue members of the LGBT community should support another community facing persecution.
Anti-LGBT persecution is among the hardships refugees are fleeing from the areas controlled by ISIS. Reports have shown men perceived as gay being thrown to their death from rooftops.
Asked by the Blade after the panel whether she sees any imperative as an LGBT advocate to support Syrian refugees because they face anti-LGBT discrimination, Baldwin said “we saw this also during the Iraq war” and talked about the importance of efforts from non-governmental organizations.
“It is important to me that the international institutions that help refugees, especially with their passage through various places before there’s an ultimate determination of where they get final refugee status, that there’s a sensitivity in those NGOs as well as government-sponsored organizations to the struggles and the victimization of LGBT refugees,” Baldwin said. “Often times, that is not a priority, that’s not even on folks’ radar screens, and yet they’re a particularly vulnerable population.”
Baldwin added, “Often times, in the interim as a final refugee determination is being made, they’re in countries or locations with hostile laws, hostile customs, etc. And so, I think our international efforts have to focus on greater security, safety and protection, and frankly, knowledge and competence about LGBT issues.”
Amid calls for the Obama administration to set aside 500 slots for LGBT people among the additional 10,000 refugees anticipated from Syria, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said this week the administration doesn’t institute quotas for certain types of refugees, but those facing persecution like the anti-LGBT violence perpetuated by ISIS would be considered a priority for asylum cases.
District of Columbia
Over 2,000 turn out for Hands Around the Kennedy Center protest
Drag performer Tara Hoot serves as MC, Gay Men’s Chorus of DC performs, attendees shout for Trump to keep ‘hands off’ Kennedy Center
More than 2,000 supporters of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts turned out on Sept. 18, for a rally in support of the performing arts center and a vocal protest against President Donald Trump’s threats to permanently close the center and possibly demolish it.
The event was organized by a group called Hands Off the Arts, which initially called for participants to form a “human chain” around the Kennedy Center’s main building following a rally on the plaza in front of the building.
However, due to a decision by the Trump-controlled Kennedy Center’s board of trustees to close the center earlier in the week and install fencing around part of the building, participants could only form the chain around part of the building, according to organizers.
Drag performer Tara Hoot, who co-organized the event and served as master of ceremonies for the rally preceding the “human chain,” said the large turnout could have fully surrounded the building at least twice had the fencing not prevented a full encirclement.
Among the musicians and singing groups that performed at the rally was the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, which, like other rally performers, had performed at the Kennedy Center in past years. They drew loud applause after singing one of their favorite songs from the Broadway musical show Ragtime, which includes the lyrics, “Will justice be demanded by 10 million men? Make them hear you. When they hear you, I’ll be near you again.”
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Prior to their performance, Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington’s artistic director, Thea Kano, spoke at the rally, reminding participants that shortly after the Trump takeover of the center last year, Kennedy Center officials cancelled a concert the chorus was scheduled to perform there for World Pride 2025.
A Kennedy Center spokesperson said the cancellation was due to a scheduling conflict, but chorus members and LGBTQ activists believe it resulted from policies put in place by Trump and his leadership team at the Kennedy Center following Trump’s statements that he would end controversial “woke” performances that he claimed the majority of Americans disapprove of.
“Now this building sits empty in silence,” Kano told the crowd at the rally. “Let us raise our voices together and bring back the Kennedy Center as it was intended, a place where American culture could be celebrated and elevated, embracing the vibrancy with the spectrum of identify without censure and without politics,” she said.
Among the others who spoke at the rally were U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson (D-Ill.), and D.C. Councilmember Robert White (D-At-Large).
Most speakers, along with LGBTQ participants in the hands-around-the-building event expressed strong opposition to Trump’s demand that the Kennedy Center name be changed from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to the Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
At Trump’s request, his appointed board initially made that name change and placed Trump’s name on the front wall of the building along with the Kennedy name. But following legal action taken by opponents who pointed out that Congress must approve such a name change, a judge ordered the removal of Trump’s name from the building. Trump has said he will take steps to reverse that order and has said he will stop plans to renovate the Kennedy Center building and possibly demolish it if his name is not restored in the Kennedy’s Center’s official name.
Throughout the Sept. 18 rally, LGBTQ participants repeatedly responded to the Trump threats by shouting, “Hands Off!”
Chris Raleigh, one of the founders of Hands Off the Arts and a lead organizer of the Sept. 18 event at the Kennedy Center who spoke at the event told the Washington Blade that more similar events are being planned and he welcomes the support the event has received from the LGBTQ community.
“The LGBTQ community was here first, and we’re following them,” he said. “They’ve been the spearhead; they’ve been the vanguard. And I’m so thankful for heroes like Tara Hoot,” he said, adding, “It’s because they know what it means and how this is a safe place – the theater – for many LGBTQ people.”
The DMV’s own furry group was on full display on the Metro on Sept. 12.
Shutterpaws is a volunteer-led 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located in Maryland.
The furry group has been doing the FurRide event since 2024 and has blown up in popularity for furries around DMV. They showcased themselves on the Silver and Blue Lines near the Smithsonian on Sept. 12.
“A lot of careful planning goes into running these events, with the goal being a seamless and enjoyable experience for everyone who attends,” says Zayre, a Shutterpaws staff member. “There’s a lot that you learn just by trial and error, and as Shutterpaws hosts more and more events, our team of event organizers continues to learn and refine our approach to keep things running smoothly and finding new ways to engage with our community.”
With a larger growth of participation in the community comes many challenges with the group, especially when it comes to the Metro rides and organizing.
“The biggest challenge that we face as organizers is keeping things fresh and finding new and engaging venues to host events,” says Zayre. “Recently we saw a lot of success hosting a meet at On Target Battlezone, an indoor NERF gun battle arena where our crew was welcome to show up and play both with and without a fur suit.”
Nevertheless, Shutterpaws receive overwhelming support from the community and partners.
“Across the DMV there are so many amazing places to host a Shutterpaws event so we can pursue our mission of helping connect fur suiters and photographers, and we’re blown away with the amount of support we’ve received from our community partners,” says Zayre.
Shutterpaws plans to do more events for anyone in the DMV who is interested.
Their next event in collaboration with DC Fur Meet will take place at Pitchers (2317 18th St., N.W.) on Saturday. Visit Shutterpaws’ website for more information.
Turkey
Activists protest outside Turkish Embassy in D.C.
Dozens detained during anti-LGBTQ ‘My Family Is Safe’ campaign raids
A group of activists on Friday gathered in front of the Turkish Embassy in D.C. to protest the country’s anti-LGBTQ crackdown.
The protest — which the Council for Global Equality, Amnesty International USA, Outright International, and Health GAP organized — took place less than a week after Turkish authorities detained dozens of people during raids that targeted the country’s LGBTQ community and advocacy groups and HIV/AIDS service organizations.
Authorities in Istanbul on Sept. 15 detained more than 150 people who gathered outside a courthouse to protest the raids that are part of the government’s “My Family Is Safe” campaign. Journalists are among those who were taken into custody.
“This crackdown is not making families safer,” said Amnesty International USA Executive Director Nadia Daar, speaking in front of the Turkish Embassy.
Council for Global Equality Managing Director Keifer Buckingham stressed that “homosexuality is not a crime in Turkey.” Health GAP Executive Director Asia Russell and Outright International Senior Director of Law, Policy, and Research Neela Ghoshal also spoke.
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Activists in Madrid and in other cities around the world held similar protests on Friday.
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