Local
Del. cop under investigation for anti-LGBT post
Activists demand termination of officer
(Images courtesy of Equality Delaware)
The chief of police in a small town in Delaware near the state capital of Dover is investigating allegations that one of his patrol officers posted an anti-gay message on Facebook, according to a town official.
Theon Callender, the town administrator of Cheswold, Del., confirmed the investigation was under way in an Aug. 14 letter to the statewide LGBT advocacy group Equality Delaware.
Callender’s letter came three days after Equality Delaware sent its own letter to the town’s police chief, Christopher Workman; the town mayor, Robert Sine; and other town officials disclosing that it learned that Patrol Officer First Class Louis Simms had allegedly made the anti-LGBT post on Facebook under an account with his profile picture.
Although the post was made under the name Louis Judge, Equality Delaware officials have said they learned the post was made by Officer Simms through sources who know the officer.
The post in question states, “I stand with Trump!!! The flag on the right shoulder is [an American flag is shown], not [a rainbow flag is shown].”
A separate Facebook post obtained by Equality Delaware under the name Louis Judge shows a large photo of a police officer with an American flag patch on the right shoulder of the officer’s police uniform. Although the photo shows only half of the officer’s face, Equality Delaware says it learned through sources that the photo is of Officer Simms.
“We have seen the post, and we ask you to conduct an investigation, if one is necessary, to determine whether the post came from Officer Simms,” the Equality Delaware letter to the Cheswold town officials says.
“If it did, we ask that you permanently remove Officer Simms from the police force of the Town of Cheswold,” the letter says. “The Facebook post characterizes the LGBTQ community, through our trademark rainbow flag, as somehow incompatible with America, as though LGBTQ Americans aren’t Americans at all.”
The letter adds, “Simply stated, if the post is from Officer Simms, then his behavior shows not only poor judgment, but a disposition for discrimination against an entire community of people based solely on their sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. That is not a trait that can be tolerated in a position of public law enforcement, which demands the protection of all communities and equal and fair administration of justice.”
Mark Purpura, president of Equality Delaware Foundation, who co-signed the letter to the Cheswold officials, said the group has no objections to the Facebook postings expression of support for President Trump. He said the group’s objection is over the posting’s disparagement of LGBT people through the reference to the rainbow flag.
In his letter of response, town administrator Callender said the mayor, Town Council, and police chief of Cheswold “are aware of the recent controversial postings on social media allegedly attributed to Officer Simms.”
“Chief Workman is and has taken immediate steps to investigate the matter with great sensitivity toward those raising objections; toward the community at large, while also being sensitive to and maintaining the rights of the officer,” Callender said. “We expect to bring the investigation to a prompt conclusion and at that time we will announce our findings and course of action, as stipulated by the laws of Delaware,” he said.
“While this fair and orderly process occurs, please be assured that the Mayor, Town Council and Chief Workman share an attitude of inclusiveness, respect and compassion that reflects the prevailing view of our community,” he stated in the letter.
The initial Equality Delaware letter to the Cheswold officials raising the allegations against Officer Simms was jointly signed by Purpura and Equality Delaware President Lisa Goodman.
Purpura told the Blade that as of late Tuesday Cheswold officials had not informed the group that the pending investigation had been completed.
Virginia
Gay Va. couple hopeful voters will enshrine marriage equality in state constitution
Early voting has already begun in the state
A referendum on whether to enshrine marriage equality in Virginia’s constitutional amendment is on the ballot this year.
If voters approve Question 2, it will codify the U.S. Supreme Court’s Obergefell ruling in 2015 that extended marriage rights to same-sex couples across the country — gays and lesbians have been able to legally marry in Virginia since Oct. 6, 2014.
Rob Bookbinder and James Fisher are a married couple who live in Arlington.
They have been together for 38 years — Bookbinder and Fisher married in 2014.
“We think this is a critical vote to remove this discriminatory language from the constitution and to ensure that going forward, no matter what happens, the state of Virginia will ensure marriage equality,” Fisher told the Washington Blade. “It is it is really difficult and upsetting to think that our current state constitution would prohibit same-sex marriage, even though the federal government overrides that now. There’s no saying what may happen in the future.”
Bookbinder said it was important for him and Fisher to get married “to gain social equality.”
“I was surprised how good it felt, how important it was to begin to say, ‘my husband rather than my partner,'” Bookbinder said.
Bookbinder then explained why it feels good to be married.
“Is it a legal partner, a business partner, a tennis partner, you know, or a romantic partner? But when you say my husband James, everyone knows exactly what you mean and confers an equal status with everyone else who’s married, and we were both surprised at how good it felt and how equal it felt to suddenly be married and be able to state that you were married and discuss your husband rather than your partner, and I would hate to lose that,” he said.
Bookbinder and Fisher said they are hopeful that voters will approve the amendment, noting Virginia has become more progressive over the years.
“I think people have, with the Supreme Court decision, people have seen that a same-sex marriage is just a marriage,” stated Fisher. “It’s just two people who love each other, and I think more and more people have attended a same-sex marriage, someone in their family or a friend, and the experience of what this is, firsthand experience, is so important in shaping people’s opinions, and I think the period of time that we’ve had since the Obergefell decision has given a lot of voters that experience, which I think is really important and powerful.”
The couple also said the push to enshrine marriage equality in Virginia’s constitution is in response to the Trump-Vance administration.
“And I think due to President Trump doing all the horrible things he’s done to so many groups, including LGBTQ, especially trans people, that Virginians are kind of pushed to be even more progressive to protect those who need protection, which would include the LGBTQ community in terms of marriage equality, so I’m confident it will pass,” said Fisher.
Narissa Rahaman, executive director of Equality Virginia, sent the Blade a statement about early voting on Question 2 that has already begun.
“With early voting now underway, our focus is making sure every Virginian knows Question 2 is on their ballot,” said Rahaman. “The outdated ban on same-sex marriage still in Virginia’s state constitution leaves a gap in protections for the thousands of same-sex couples that call this state home, but after 20 years we have the chance to fix it.”
Log onto www.mobilize.us/vaformarriage to find out more about the campaign in support of Question 2.
By JOHN-JOHN WILLIAMS IV | Those legendary heavy-handed pours, spirited karaoke and trivia nights, and groan-worthy wall-to-wall patrons on packed nights are back!
Leon’s will live to see another day.
Baltimore’s oldest gay bar, which opened in the 1950s, closed in July following the death of its owner, Ron Singer.
The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
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 Leigh Miles Jackson, Ph.D., named executive director of The Institute for Health Research & Policy at Whitman-Walker, and Angel Earle, Ph.D. named as chief operating officer, Whitman-Walker Health System.
Upon her appointment Dr. Jackson said, “Under my leadership, I would love for The Institute for Health Research & Policy at Whitman-Walker to be known as a trusted, forward-looking research organization that shapes policies, strengthens practices and creates measurable change for the community.” Dr. Jackson spent 12 years with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, leading national initiatives on minority-serving institutions and economic evidence for investments in children, youth and families. Dr. Jackson holds an extensive educational background, including postdoctoral fellowships in developmental Psychology and Neurogenomics from Vanderbilt University, a Ph.D. in molecular and systems pharmacology from Emory University and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Wake Forest University.
Upon her appointment Dr. Earle said, “When we talk about parity and inequities and research, it’s never just about the dollars that are out there. It’s about making sure that we’re cultivating a change that embraces equity at the heart of everything that it does. As the COO for Whitman-Walker Health System I will be working closely to support The Institute for Health Research & Policy at Whitman-Walker and the Whitman-Walker Foundation to drive advancement in research and support the strategic goals of all of the Whitman-Walker Heath System entities.”
Dr. Earle is a genetic epidemiologist and senior executive. She brings a background from the London School of Economics and the University of South Carolina, with expertise in global health, corporate strategy and socioeconomic policy. She has co-authored peer-reviewed research on cancer genetics, nephrology biomarkers and reproductive genomes.
Dr. Heather Aaron, CEO of Whitman-Walker Health System said, “both leaders bring research-driven expertise and operational strength to the organization as it continues expanding research, health care access, and health outcomes for residents across the Washington, D.C., region, including the LGBTQ+ community, people living with and at risk for HIV, and communities experiencing persistent health disparities.”
The Institute for Health Research & Policy at Whitman-Walker is also expanding its research agenda beyond HIV to address the complex health conditions affecting people living with and at risk for HIV, as well as the broader communities The Institute for Health Research & Policy at Whitman-Walker serves.
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