News
DelBene draws on Supreme Court ruling in new effort for LGBTQ troops, veterans
Wash. lawmaker to urge Trump admin to undo trans military ban

On the heels of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in favor of LGBTQ rights, a Washington State congresswoman is drawing on that decision to assist LGBTQ service members and veterans.
Rep. Suzan DelBene (D) reintroduced on Tuesday the Voices for Veterans Act, which will expand the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans to include LGBTQ veterans in its membership and scope.
DelBene, who first introduced the legislation in 2014, said Tuesday in an interview with the Washington Blade the bill is needed to address the “lack of representation of the LGBTQ community on the advisory board.”
“We’re reintroducing [it] again to continue to push forward so that LGBTQ voices are represented as they should be and they deserve to be,” DelBene said.
The Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans, established by Congress in 1994, advises the VA Secretary on meeting minority veterans needs on compensation, health care, rehabilitation, outreach and other VA benefits in addition to recommending program changes to address those needs.
Asked what congressional action she expects on the Voices for Veterans Act, DelBene said she’ll continue to build support for it, but conceded action may come at a later time.
“It also helps for us to have this momentum heading into the next Congress if we’re unable to get it passed this year,” DelBene said.
At the same time, DelBene is gathering signatures for an upcoming letter to the Justice Department and Pentagon calling for elimination of the transgender military ban in light of the Supreme Court’s ruling anti-LGBTQ discrimination is prohibited under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The letter is set to made public next week.
Although Title VII doesn’t have an impact on the transgender military ban at face value, it did establish anti-transgender discrimination is a form of sex discrimination. Given U.S. legal jurisprudence has established laws related to sex should be subject to heightened scrutiny, or a greater assumption they’re unconstitutional, that should make the transgender military ban vulnerable if subject to judicial review.
Asked to assess how the Trump administration has responded to that court ruling, DelBene said it “has on an ongoing basis made assaults on the LGBTQ community to take down their rights, especially in the military.”
“We have to see change,” DelBene added. “The issues had to go to the Supreme Court to be addressed. We should be looking at the Equality Act, and we’re going to follow that course and we have to address disparities in the LGBTQ community across the board.”’
Although the House has passed the Equality Act, DelBene pointed out the Senate under Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is “unlikely” to take that up.
“We need to move forward and fight for rights in particular for trans rights the administration has been denying,” DelBene added.
Asked if she had any engagement with the Trump administration on the transgender military ban, DelBene said she has “not directly led yet,” but will build support for the letter, then “follow up when we release it.”
Hungary
New Hungarian prime minister takes office
Péter Magyar’s party defeated anti-LGBTQ Viktor Orbán last month
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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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.”

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.
Virginia
Va. Supreme Court invalidates Democrat-backed redistricting plan
Voters narrowly approved new congressional districts last month
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.
