News
Gay candidate launches bid for Texas congressional seat
Duncan challenges Republican who told constituent to ‘shut up’ at town hall
John W. Duncan has launched a bid for a Texas congressional seat. (Photo courtesy John W. Duncan Campaign)
A gay HIV/AIDS activist has launched a bid for a Texas congressional seat currently held by a 16-term Republican member of Congress who recently gained notoriety for instructing a constituent to “shut up” during a town hall meeting.
Currently the compliance officer at Prism Health North Texas, the largest non-profit HIV/AIDS service organization in the area, Duncan declared in a statement Monday his intention to seek the Democratic nomination to run for the seat representing Texas’ 6th congressional district.
“I’m excited to begin the campaign and meet the voters of the 6th Congressional District,” Duncan said. “I am committed to representing the people of Texas with a vision of progress. I will utilize my constituents’ experiences, hopes, and concerns to be a compassionate leader who seeks change and expects results.”
Duncan bills himself on his campaign website as an advocate “for the rights of the most vulnerable.” The candidate says he has been a vocal supporter of marriage equality and reproductive rights as well as of efforts to “eliminate the racial and economic injustices so rampant in our world.” Duncan identifies “as a lifelong Christian,” which he says “has influenced the way I understand immigration reform and refugees.”
“In addition to representing the people, I commit to protecting health care and making it more affordable, improving our public schools and enacting comprehensive immigration reform that includes a path to legal status,” Duncan said in a statement.
Duncan faces significant odds in defeating Rep. Joe Barton (R), a 32-year incumbent who currently holds the seat in the safe Republican district. Last year, Barton won the race with 58.3 percent of the vote compared to the 39 percent won by Democrat Ruby Fay Woolridge.
Weeks ago as the town halls of Republican members of Congress were filled with opponents of Obamacare repeal, Barton became irate with constituents who pressed him to support legislation to combat violence against women, telling one questioner, “You, sir, shut up.”
Duncan’s campaign is set to kick off formally on April 11 at J Gilligan’s Bar & Grill in Arlington, Texas. It remains to be seen if other candidates will enter the race. In the previous cycle, the candidate filing deadline was Dec. 14 and the primary was March 1, but nothing has been set for the current cycle.
According to his campaign website, Duncan lives in Arlington, Texas with his husband, Tim, who’s a Christian minister, and their two rescue dogs, Dolce and Makea.
Here is the link to the Duncan for Congress campaign website.
Senegal
Senegalese court issues first conviction under new anti-LGBTQ law
Man sentenced to six years in prison on April 10
A Senegalese court has issued the first conviction under a new law that further criminalizes consensual same-sex sexual relations.
The Associated Press notes the court in Pikine-Guédiawaye, a suburb of Dakar, the Senegalese capital, on April 10 convicted a 24-year-old man of committing “acts against nature and public indecency” and sentenced him to six years in prison.
Authorities arrested the man, who Senegalese media reports identified as Mbaye Diouf, earlier this month. The court also fined him 2 million CFA ($3,591.04).
Lawmakers in the African country on March 11 nearly unanimously passed the measure that increases the penalty for anyone convicted of engaging in consensual same-sex sexual relations from one to five years in prison to five to 10 years. The bill that Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko introduced also prohibits the “promotion” or “financing” of homosexuality in Senegal.
MassResistance, an anti-LGBTQ group based in the U.S., reportedly worked with Senegalese groups to advance the bill that President Bassirou Diomaye Faye signed on March 31.
“This prison sentence is unlawful under international law,” said Human Rights Watch on Wednesday. “Senegal is bound by treaty obligations that protect every person’s right to dignity, privacy, and equality.”
Maryland
Evan Glass is leaning on his record. Is that enough for Montgomery County’s top job?
Gay county executive candidate pushing for equitable pay, safer streets, and cleaner environment
By TALIA RICHMAN | During a meet-and-greet at Poolesville Memorial United Methodist Church, Evan Glass got his loudest applause of the night with a plan he acknowledged was decidedly unsexy.
“Day one, I’ll hire a director of permitting services,” the county executive candidate said.
Doing so, he added, is a step toward easing the regulatory burdens that can stifle small businesses in Montgomery County.
The only problem? At least one of his fiercest competitors is making a similar pledge.
The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
District of Columbia
D.C. bar, LGBTQ+ Community Center to mark Lesbian Visibility Week
‘Ahead of the Curve’ documentary screening, ‘Queeroke’ among events
2026 Lesbian Visibility Week North America will take place from April 20-26.
This year marks the third annual Lesbian Visibility Week, run by the Curve Foundation. A host of events take place from April 20-26.
This year’s theme is Health and Wellness. For the Curve Foundation, the term “lesbian” serves as an umbrella term for a host of identities, including lesbians, bisexual and transgender women, and anyone else connected to the lesbian community.
The week kicks off with a flag-raising ceremony on April 19. It will take place in New York, but will be livestreamed for the public.
“Queeroke” is one of the events being held around the country. It will take place at various participating bars on April 23.
As You Are, an LGBTQ bar in Capitol Hill, is one of eight locations across the U.S. participating. Their event is free and 21+.
On April 24, the D.C. LGBTQ+ Community Center will hold a screening of “Ahead of the Curve,” a documentary about the founder of Curve, Franco Stevens. The event is free with an RSVP.
April 25, is Queer Women in Sports Day. And on April 26, several monuments in New York will be illuminated.
Virtual events ranging from health to sports will be made available to the public. Details will be released closer to the start of Lesbian Visibility Week. Featured events can be found on the official website.
Some ways for individuals to get involved are to use #LVW26 and tag the official Lesbian Visibility Week account on social media posts. People are encouraged to display their lesbian flags, and businesses can hand out pins and decorate. They can also reach out to local lawmakers to encourage them to issue an official Lesbian Visibility Week.
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