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County exec balks at trans guidelines for schools

Board of Education accused of of ‘extreme overreaction’

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Anne Arundel County public schools, gay news, Washington Blade

Anne Arundel County Executive Steven R. Schuh (Photo courtesy Schuh)

While acknowledging that all students in Anne Arundel County public schools deserve the support to reach their potential, County Executive Steven R. Schuh along with Education Officer Amalie E. Brandenburg sent a letter to Stacey Korbelak, president of the Board of Education stating the board went too far in establishing guidelines to support transgender students.

ā€œWe believe that all students facing challenges should be offered reasonable accommodations, and we support several of the accommodations proposed by the board for transgender students, including use of preferred names and alternative bathroom arrangements,ā€ the letter stated. ā€œHowever, we do not support unnecessary and extreme accommodations that would have negative impacts on other students.ā€

Schuh is particularly concerned about guidelines that allow for transgender students to participate in single-sex athletic teams, use locker rooms and bathrooms and sleep in overnight situations with the gender a student identifies with rather than their biological gender.

He accused the board of ā€œextreme overreactionā€ to a letter from the U.S. Departments of Justice and Education issued in May that directed public schools to use restrooms and locker rooms consistent with their gender identity. Last month, a federal judge in Texas temporarily blocked that directive. Schuh pointed out that such guidance is not binding.

ā€œWhat trans kids need most is to be included and treated like any other kids of their gender identity,ā€ Mary Moore, president of PFLAG-Annapolis/Anne Arundel County, told the Blade. ā€œThe county executive is promoting fear of hypothetical situations which are ridiculous. We see through this smokescreen for bigotry against the trans community and the supportive, inclusive guidelines published by AACPS.ā€

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Arts & Entertainment

2024 Best of LGBTQ DC Readers’ Choice Award Finalist Voting

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It is time to celebrate the best of LGBTQ+ DC! You nominated and now we have our finalists. Vote for your favorites in our 2024 Best of LGBTQ DC categories through September 23rd. Our 2024 Best of LGBTQ DC will be announced at the Best of LGBTQ DC Awards Party on October 17th and our special issue will come out on Friday, October 18th.

Thank you to our sponsors: ABSOLUT, Crush, Infinite Legacy & Wild Side Media.

VOTE BELOW OR BY CLICKING HERE!

ARE YOU A BEST OF FINALIST? DOWNLOAD ASSETS HERE!

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Maryland

Defying the odds: First transgender Miss Maryland USA on changing the world

Bailey Anne is state’s first trans woman pageant winner

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Miss Maryland USA Bailey Anne. (Grant Foto)

BY JOHN-JOHN WILLIAMS IV | Bailey Anneā€™s mom was apprehensive when she told her she was going to compete for the Miss Maryland USA pageant.

Her mom thought her transgender daughter might be harassed and ridiculed, and worried about her safety.

ā€œI told her that the world is changing,ā€ recalled Bailey Anne, who doesnā€™t use her last name because her identity has unfortunately also come with threats from people who donā€™t agree with it.

And so she competed this year and became the stateā€™s first trans woman titleholder. She was also Marylandā€™s first Asian American winner and the oldest contestant to represent the state in the Miss USA pageant.

The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.

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Local

Bernie Delia estate auction set for Sept. 12

Memorial for beloved Capital Pride organizer planned for Sept. 28

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Bernie Delia died June 21. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

A  local auctioneer company has announced a large collection of artwork and other eclectic property from the estate of D.C. LGBTQ rights advocate Bernie Delia will be available for purchase in an auction scheduled for Sept. 12 in Chevy Chase, Md.

Delia, who was a founding member of the Capital Pride Alliance, the group that organizes most of D.C.ā€™s LGBTQ Pride events, and who served as co-chair of World Pride 2025, which D.C. will be hosting in 2025, died unexpectedly of natural causes on June 21.

Sloans & Kenyon Auctioneers and Appraisers says in its announcement that the items to be offered through the auction include ā€œa large and eclectic assortment of fine art and sculpture, silver, English and Continental porcelain and other decorative arts, political memorabilia and entertainment ephemera, and various other antique and vintage items.ā€

The announcement says the items for sale in the Sept. 12 Estate Catalogue Auction will be on display at the Sloans & Kenyon gallery from Saturday, Sept. 7 through Wednesday, Sept. 11. The gallery where the items will be available for viewing and where the auction will be held on Sept. 12 is located at 5550 Friendship Blvd., Suite T60, in Chevy Chase, Md.

ā€œThe September auction includes over 200 lots from Bernieā€™s vast collection and is the first of several auctions of property from his estate,ā€ the announcement says. ā€œAbsentee, telephone and internet bids will be accepted for the September 12 Eastgate Catalogue Auction,ā€ it says.

Dignity Washington, the LGBTQ Catholic organization for which Delia served as president, is holding a memorial service for Delia on Saturday, Sept. 28, at 1:30 p.m. at St. Margaretā€™s Episcopal Church near Dupont Circle, according to Dignity member David Lamdin.

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