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White House embraces NCAA, ACC values in cancelling N.C. games

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Josh Earnest, gay news, Washington Blade
Josh Earnest, gay news, Washington Blade

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest declined Thursday to comment directly on the NCAA and ACC pulling games from North Carolina over its anti-LGBT law, but said reasoning behind the decisions “sound a lot like the values President Obama has been fighting for for the last eight years in the White House.”

Under questioning from the Washington Blade, Earnest said the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the Atlantic Coast Conference “are making their own decisions,” but President Obama shares the values they expressed in announcing their decisions to pull games from North Carolina over House Bill 2.

“Certainly, the president agrees with the values that were articulated by the leaders of both the ACC and the NCAA when they talked about their commitment to equality and justice for every American,” Earnest said.

Both collegiate sports organizations this week cancelled championship games in North Carolina over HB2, which bars cities from enacting pro-LGBT non-discrimination ordinances and prohibits transgender people from using the public restrooms in schools and government buildings consistent with their gender identity.

Earnest, who called the law “mean-spirited” when it was enacted in March, said HB2 isn’t just contrary to the values of Americans who oppose discrimination, but also “inconsistent with a smart business strategy.”

“We have seen private sector businesses and athletic organizations announce their intent to take their business elsewhere outside the state of North Carolina,” Earnest said. “So, again, I think the president’s got concerns with the law, but it’s apparent that business leaders and the leaders of athletic organizations have similar concerns, particularly when it comes to the impact that it could have on discriminating against athletes, coaches or even fans.”

Asked whether the athletic organizations’ decisions to pull games from North Carolina reflect a national distaste for the law, Earnest said looking at the loss of business to the state would put an individual on “solid ground” to conclude “opposition to the law is quite widespread, and that a number of people are quite uncomfortable with the discriminatory impact that it has.”

“It’s not just the NCAA and the ACC, which are collegiate athletic organizations,” Earnest said. “The NBA has moved the All-Star Game and any number of private sector companies have made announcements curtailing their footprint inside the state of North Carolina.”

Earnest said he hasn’t discussed the NCAA and ACC decisions to cancel games in North Carolina with Obama, nor would he expect the administration to directly comment on decisions those kind of private entities are making,

“But certainly they have described the kinds of values that are leading them to make those decisions, and those values sound a lot like the values President Obama has been fighting for for the last eight years in the White House,” Earnest said.

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Hungary

New Hungarian prime minister takes office

Péter Magyar’s party defeated anti-LGBTQ Viktor Orbán last month

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Péter Magyar votes in Budapest, Hungary on April 12, 2026. He has been sworn in as the country's new prime minister. (Screen capture via APT/YouTube)

Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar took office on Saturday.

Magyar’s center-right Tisza party on April 12 defeated then-Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz-KDNP coalition. Vice President JD Vance less than a week before the election traveled to Budapest, the Hungarian capital, and urged Hungarians to support Orbán.

Orbán had been in office since 2010. He and his government faced widespread criticism over its anti-LGBTQ crackdown.

The European Commission in 2022 sued Hungary, which is a member of the EU, over the country’s anti-LGBTQ propaganda law. The European Union’s top court, the EU Court of Justice, on April 21 struck down the statute.

The EU while Orbán was office withheld upwards of €35 billion ($41.26) in funds to Hungary in response to concerns over corruption, rule of law, and other issues.

Hungarian lawmakers in March 2025 passed a bill that banned Pride events and allowed authorities to use facial recognition technology to identify those who participate in them. MPs later amended the Hungarian constitution to ban public LGBTQ events.

Upwards of 100,000 people last June defied the ban and marched in Budapest’s annual Pride parade.

“Congratulations to [Péter Magyar] on becoming prime minister of Hungary,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on X.

“This Europe Day, our hearts are in Budapest,” she added. “The hope and promise of renewal is a powerful signal in these challenging times.”

“We have important work ahead of us,” noted von der Leyen. “For Hungary and for Europe, we are moving forward together.”

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Comings & Goings

Whitman-Walker honors Rep. Sarah McBride

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U.S. Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.) (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Comings & Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our community. We want to recognize those landing new jobs, new clients for their business, joining boards of organizations and other achievements. Please share your successes with us at [email protected]

Congratulations to Congresswoman Sarah McBride (D-Del.) on being honored with this year’s Stonewall Award from Whitman-Walker Health. Amy Nelson, senior director of Legal Services, said, “Congresswoman Sarah McBride is working to make healthcare accessible to all, and this award recognizes her support of healthcare as a human right. Our legal program supports families facing unprecedented challenges to stay healthy and safe – families that Congresswoman McBride champions with a deep understanding of the issues they face and the legislative expertise of how to support them.”  

McBride, in a press release, said, “I am honored to accept this year’s Stonewall Award from Whitman-Walker Health — an organization that has spent 40 years doing vital work to ensure every person can access the dignity of care. In the wealthiest and most developed nation on earth, the ability to receive care should not be a matter of luck—it should be the law of the land. I am proud to be recognized as a partner in this work and to support Whitman-Walker Health in their mission to build a healthier society for all.”

Congratulations also to Wes Drummond who will join Clear Space Theatre Company in Rehoboth Beach, Del., as its third artistic director. Managing Director Joe Gfaller said, “This is an exciting moment of growth for Clear Space as we welcome Wes to join our remarkable team. I am confident he will be an excellent partner as we work with our entire staff, board, and committed team of volunteers, to ensure Clear Space can achieve its full potential in pursuit of our mission to unite and enrich our community through every production on stage, and every arts-based learning program we offer throughout our community.” 

On accepting the position Drummond said, “I’m honored to join Clear Space Theatre Company as artistic director, and beyond excited for what we’re about to create together. Clear Space has established itself as a vital and vibrant part of the cultural life of coastal Delaware, and I feel incredibly fortunate to step into this next chapter alongside such a passionate and dedicated team. Rehoboth Beach is a place defined by creativity and community, and I look forward to listening, learning, and building meaningful relationships across the region in the months ahead. My vision is to help Clear Space continue to grow as a bold, forward-thinking, cultural force, that champions fearless storytelling.”

Wes Drummond

Drummond served in leadership roles at Duluth Playhouse in Duluth, Minn., from 2021 to 2026, including four years as executive director followed by one year as executive producing artistic director, guiding the organization through a period of significant transformation and stability in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a director, he has worked extensively in New York City, Chicago, and at regional theaters across the country, directing both musical theater and plays with a focus on storytelling that bridges classical works with contemporary perspectives. He has collaborated with leading figures in the industry, including Tony Award-winning director Matthew Warchus, and Tony-nominated director Michael Greif. He is an associate member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.

Wes earned his MFA in directing, Penn State University, where he studied under Tony-nominated director, Susan H. Schulman. 

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Virginia

Va. Supreme Court invalidates Democrat-backed redistricting plan

Voters narrowly approved new congressional districts last month

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Virginia Supreme Court (Photo by sainaniritu/Bigstock)

The Virginia Supreme Court on Friday struck down a Democrat-backed redistricting plan that voters approved last month.

Ten of 11 of Virginia’s congressional districts favor Democrats in the plan that passed by a 51-48 vote margin in last month’s referendum.

The Human Rights Campaign PAC is among the groups that support it. The court by a 4-3 majority invalidated the referendum results.

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