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Va. senator introduces anti-transgender student athlete bill

Democrats have vowed to thwart anti-LGBTQ measures in state Senate

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transgender, Gender Conference East, trans, transgender flag, gay news, Washington Blade
(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

A Virginia lawmaker has introduced a bill that would ban transgender students from joining school sports teams that are consistent with their gender identity.

Senate Bill 766, which state Sen. Jennifer Kiggans (R-Virginia Beach) introduced on Friday, would require “each elementary or secondary school or a private school that competes in sponsored athletic events against such public schools to designate athletic teams, whether a school athletic team or an intramural team sponsored by such school, based on biological sex as follows: (i) ‘males,’ ‘men,’ or ‘boys’; (ii) ‘females,’ ‘women,’ or ‘girls’; or (iii) ‘coed’ or ‘mixed.'”

“Under the bill, male students are not permitted to participate on any school athletic team or squad designated for ‘females,’ ‘women,’ or ‘girls’; however, this provision does not apply to physical education classes at schools,” adds the bill. “The bill provides civil penalties for students and schools that suffer harm as a result of a violation of the bill. Such civil actions are required to be initiated within two years after the harm occurred.”

Kiggans introduced her bill less than a week after Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin took office.

Youngkin during his campaign said he does not support allowing trans children to play on sports teams that are consistent with their gender identity. Elizabeth Schultz, an anti-LGBTQ former member of the Fairfax County School Board, has been named the Virginia Department of Education’s Assistant Superintendent of Public Instruction.

The General Assembly’s 2022 legislative session began on Jan. 12 with Republicans in control of the state House of Delegates. Democrats still control the state Senate, and they have pledged to thwart any anti-LGBTQ bills.

“Let’s be clear: This is part of an ongoing, nationwide effort to exclude trans people from enjoying the benefits of sports like their cisgender peers,” tweeted the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia on Friday after Kiggans introduced SB 766. “We won’t tolerate this.”

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District of Columbia

D.C. officials monitoring Mpox outbreak in Africa for possible local impact

New, more potentially fatal strain declared global health emergency

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(Photo courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

The D.C. Department of Health and Whitman-Walker Health are closely monitoring an outbreak of a new, more virulent strain of Mpox in several African nations that prompted the World Health Organization on Aug. 15 to declare the outbreak a global health emergency.

LGBTQ health advocates in Los Angles have been working with that cityā€™s public health officials to ensure the LGBTQ community, especially gay and bisexual men, become vaccinated with the existing Mpox vaccine, which is deemed effective in preventing or lessening the severity of an Mpox infection.

In the 2022 Mpox outbreak in the U.S., men who have sex with men accounted for the largest number of Mpox cases, with more than 90 percent of the cases occurring in men who were gay, bi, or straight.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which closely monitored and took action to curtail the 2022 Mpox outbreak in the U.S., has said no cases so far of the more virulent strain in Africa, referred to as the clade 1 strain, have been documented in the U.S.

But CDC officials, along with officials with the D.C. Department of Health, referred to as D.C. Health, and Whitman-Walker Health, say they are taking steps to ensure they are prepared if the new strain surfaces in the U.S. and in the D.C. area.

International health officials expressed concern after at least one case of a person infected with the new more virulent strain was diagnosed in Sweden, marking the first case outside the African continent. Information surfacing from Africa in August showed that at least 500 people had died from Mpox in the current outbreak.

ā€œD.C. Health is monitoring the situation very closely and taking the necessary steps to ensure preparedness,ā€ according to a statement released by D.C. Health to the Washington Blade

ā€œWe have treated over 300 patients with Mpox, with most of the cases occurring in 2022,ā€ a statement released on Sept. 9 by Whitman-Walker Health says. ā€œWe continue to see sporadic cases, with 11 cases in the last year,ā€ the statement says. It says the most recent Mpox case it has treated occurred this July.

Dr. Kyle Benda, who serves as manager of Whitman-Walkerā€™s Sexual Medicine and Acute Rapid Treatment Clinic, said all of the Mpox patients Whitman-Walker has seen have had the less virulent strain of Mpox that surfaced in the 2022 outbreak in the U.S. and worldwide ā€”  referred to as clade 2 Mpox.

ā€œWe have not seen any cases recently or cases we believe to be due to the clade 1 outbreak occurring in Africa,ā€ Benda told the Blade. ā€œWe have been able to treat patients with Mpox through use of tecovirimat obtained from the CDC through their expanded access program.ā€

He was referring to the medication approved in 2022 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as an effective treatment for Mpox.

Similar to nationwide U.S. data, statistics released by D.C. Health about the demographic breakdown of the 2022-2023 Mpox outbreak in D.C. shows that men, especially African-American men, along with gay and bisexual men, made up the largest number of Mpox cases.

The D.C. data show that men made up 96.3 percent of the D.C. cases, with women making up 1.8 percent of the cases. The data show that gay men accounted for 54.8 percent of the cases, bisexuals accounted for 6.7 percent of the cases, and those whose sexual orientation was unknown accounted for 31.4 percent of the cases.

The CDC and other health experts have pointed out that Mpox is transmitted from skin-to-skin contact, including contact with someone who may have body sores and through bodily fluids, as well as from shared bedding or clothing. Sexual contact is one of the leading modes of transmission, the experts have said.

The most common symptoms, health officials have said, include pimples or blisters on the face, body, and genitals. Other symptoms include fever, chills, headaches, muscle aches, or swelling of the lymph nodes.

Benda said Mpox transmission from sexual relations, especially for gay and bisexual men, often occurs when the typical outbreak of sores or blisters on the skin occurs internally such as in the anal canal and is not immediately detectable in the early stage of the infection.

Like other health officials, LGBTQ health advocates say the most important steps to take for those at risk for Mpox, especially gay and bi men, is to get vaccinated. The vaccination requires one injection followed by a second dose injection 28 days later.

Benda said Whitman-Walker has the vaccination shots to give to anyone who feels they may be at risk for Mpox, including people who are not currently enrolled as a Whitman-Walker patient. The statement released by D.C. Health says the vaccinations are widely available throughout the city at most pharmacies and health and medical offices.

It says for those who may not have insurance coverage for the cost of the vaccination and who may be economically challenged, they can get vaccinated at the D.C. Health and Wellness center at 77 P St., N.E. 

ā€œWe encourage all of our patients who may have an increased risk of Mpox to get vaccinated, particularly patients who may have had only one does of the two-dose series or who have not been vaccinated at all,ā€ Whitman-Walkerā€™s Benda told the Blade.

Health experts, including officials with D.C. Health, have said the mostly widespread access to the Mpox vaccine is what resulted in the dramatic decline in the number of cases in the U.S. and the D.C. area in later 2023 and 2024.

When asked if a booster shot may be needed for those who have been fully vaccinated in the past two years, D.C. Health said in its statement, ā€œCurrently, there is no recommendation for more than two doses in most people.ā€ 

The statement adds, ā€œThose with an occupational risk, like research laboratorians who handle cultures or animals contaminated with Mpox virus directly, are recommended to receive booster doses at 2 ā€“ 10 years depending on the nature of their work.ā€

Data released by D.C. Health shows that out of the total number of vaccinations given in D.C. as of earlier this year, 83.4 percent of those vaccinated were men and 74.5 percent of those vaccinated were gay men. The data show 12.2 percent were bisexual, and 0.9 percent were lesbian. Women consisted of 6.5 percent of D.C. residents receiving the Mpox vaccine. 

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Maryland

Upper Chesapeake Bay Pride Festival returns to Havre de Grace

ā€˜There are thriving queer communities in rural areasā€™

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(Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Concord Point Park in Havre de Grace, Md., will transform into the site of the 6th annual Upper Chesapeake Bay Pride Festival on Saturday, Oct. 5. The free, family-friendly festival will run from 2-6 p.m. and feature live music, drag performances, and vendors. 

About 3,500 people are expected to attend the festival, which is organized by the Upper Chesapeake Bay Pride Foundation and will be held at the Chesapeake waterfront. More than 120 artists, vendors, and community organizations will have booths, and a kidsā€™ area will offer activities such as face painting, magician performances, and storytelling. 

Along with drag performances, musical acts will perform throughout the day, spanning genres such as R&B, punk, and queer country. The foundationā€™s president, Kurt Doan, highlighted Ryan Cassata as a key headliner.  

ā€œRyan is a trans activist but also makes really vibrant music, so Iā€™m excited to bring that kind of music to Harford County,ā€ Doan said.

Festival goers will be able to choose from a variety of food options, including empanadas, Thai food, burgers, French-style desserts and ice cream. This year, the foundation is extending activities beyond the festival hours, including an after party and happy hour at one of the local breweries, and Sunday yoga session.  

ā€œWeā€™ve got lots of really super supportive queer-friendly businesses in Havre De Grace that are going to be offering different things,ā€ Doan said. 

The inaugural Upper Chesapeake Bay Pride Festival was held in 2019 to celebrate the local LGBTQ community in the rural Harford and Cecil counties. Since then, the foundation has grown in its scope: In addition to hosting the annual festival, it provides scholarships to local colleges and hosts monthly social activities. 

Doan emphasized the role the foundation plays in supporting the rural queer community, noting its impact in creating belonging and visibility.

ā€œI think people can very easily forget that queer people also live in rural areas, and when we talk about being queer in Maryland, it’s often about what’s going on in the outskirts of D.C. or in Baltimore or in Annapolis. But there are thriving queer communities in rural areas, we just don’t often have brick and mortar spots where we can gather,ā€ he said. ā€œI think it’s super important to have an organization like this.ā€

To support the festival or learn how to become an exhibitor, volunteer, or performer, visit ucbpride.com/2024-pride-festival/.

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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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