Opinions
It’s called war
More must be done to stop Vladimir Putin

It all started on a typical morning as I sat down with my freshly brewed coffee and opened my email to start my workday. There it was, glaring at me, an email from an old friend who I had not heard from in a while. I was thrilled to see what news he had to share. My friend and I had shared many good times in the past and him, being a lot younger than me, was always up to some new business venture or off to some far corner of the earth. As I opened the email to learn what his latest sojourn might be my eyes grew wide. My friend JC was off to Ukraine. He had formed a non-profit and needed support from all in his sphere of influence as he was going to Ukraine to help those who needed help escaping the wrath of an evil existence known as Vladimir Putin. So of course, I immediately clicked the link and provided what financial support I could for JC’s current mission. Then I realized, why shouldn’t I go. I am free to travel at the moment and I didn’t have any pressing issues at hand, so with a few days’ notice I packed my suitcases and I headed for the Polish city of Przemysl on the border of Poland and Ukraine.
I arrived in Przemysl a few days before President Joe Biden was to visit the 82nd Airborne stationed outside of Rzeszow. I met up with JC and his crew and then headed over to one of four refugee centers in this small town of 60,000 people. I expected to see complete chaos but instead I walked into one of the most well organized and empathetic humanitarian missions I have ever witnessed. The building was a former Tesco, similar to an oversized Costco, completely filled with thousands of cots and blankets for the women and children arriving from the war in neighboring Ukraine. Comfort wasn’t the priority at the Tesco but safety, security and a good meal was provided to all of those who arrived. Outside there is a registration tent where volunteers sign up and credentials are checked to ensure they have a reason to be in the building. Once inside there was an area for women with babies and small children, a larger area for those traveling alone and with elderly family members, a full restaurant with food provided by Jose Andrés’ World Central Kitchen, a medical facility, a veterinarian facility with food for those traveling with animals and areas divided into sections for those who have completed their registration and ready to move to their next destination. The refugee centers are nothing more than a stopover point for those fleeing the war. It is not a permanent home or a long-term housing facility, it is a processing center to ensure people are registered and provided with basic human needs until they can sort out their next or final destination.
After spending some time in the refugee center in the main part of the city I headed for the border crossing where arrivals from Ukraine literally were walking across the border with whatever they could carry. I stood at the green gate and watched human after human, all women and children and elderly, some in wheelchairs, pass by carrying bags or pulling one or two suitcases behind them. Their most important possessions and in some cases their only possessions depending on what part of Ukraine they had traveled from. When they passed the green gate into Poland they were met by a long line of tents and volunteers extending their hands of comfort to the downtrodden arrivals. Though these people were clearly happy to be in a place that was safe, they were devastated at what they were leaving behind. They were leaving their husbands, fathers, sons and their homeland, all under attack by an evil force whose only goal was to destroy their lives and freedom.
For the next several days I returned to the border to speak with volunteers and provide assistance in any way I could. I met concerned citizens from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the U.K., Israel and many from the U.S., including a gentleman from the middle of South Dakota. All there to do whatever they could to ensure the Ukrainians who were fleeing for their lives from Putin’s war would have a safe, caring and emotionally comforting place to arrive. Despite all the goodness and caring I observed and the beautiful people I met who were doing the Lord’s work, at the end of the day when I returned to my hotel, and I shared many tears with those who no doubt were laying on those refugee center cots crying for those they left behind.
This is not a sustainable situation for the people of the small town of Przemysl. This is not sustainable for those who are traveling to the border towns all over Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova to assist with those fleeing Putin’s war. This is not sustainable for those women and children and the elderly who will live in one temporary home after another until they are either united with the male family members they were forced to leave behind or hear the news of their heroic deaths trying to protect their homeland. If we are to live in a world of peace, security and human decency; if we are to create a legacy of leaving the world better than we found it based on the religious teachings so many proclaim; if we are to live in an Earth where humanity will prevail and democracy can flourish, including the democracy of the U.S. then there is only one solution. Putin must go, he must be retired from the stage of global influence. The only way peace and security will ever have the opportunity to be forever lasting be that in Ukraine or Russia or in any country is for global leaders to possess and extend empathy in their quest to govern. Putin lacks multiple elements required for global leadership including empathy and possesses greed and an evil soul. I have seen firsthand the results of that combination, it’s called war.
Bob J. Satawake is the author of “Breaking Protocol: Forging a Path Beyond Diplomacy”
Opinions
TRAITOR: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has blood on his hands
Nation’s highest-ranking gay public official is a MAGA sell out

It’s an odd dichotomy: President Trump appoints the highest-ranking openly gay government official in history in Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, yet he launches cruel attacks on transgender Americans.
Make no mistake: Those attacks are claiming lives. Trans people are killing themselves. I know of one trans person who died by suicide on Election Night, overwhelmed by fear of the incoming administration. Trump’s attacks have driven trans Americans and their families to flee the country and move to Canada, as the Blade has reported.
None of this is hypothetical or melodramatic. It’s real life and happening everywhere.
And so when Bessent was confirmed as Treasury Secretary, I wrote an op-ed urging him to educate Trump about the plight of trans Americans and the destructiveness of the attacks on the community. I waited 90 days for some sign that Bessent has a heart or at least a modicum of decency but sadly, I must report that he does not.
The attacks on the LGBTQ community under Trump keep coming. Last week’s news that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is planning to retire the national 988 crisis lifeline for LGBTQ youth on Oct. 1 is just the latest evidence that this administration doesn’t just dislike us — they want us dead.
“Ending the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQ+ youth specialized services will not just strip away access from millions of LGBTQ+ kids and teens — it will put their lives at risk,” Trevor Project CEO Jaymes Black said in a statement.
The service for LGBTQ youth has received 1.3 million calls, texts, or chats since its debut, with an average of 2,100 contacts per day in February.
Make no mistake: cutting this service will kill young LGBTQ people.
Just a couple of weeks earlier, Trump’s administration announced the Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy would be gutted.
“In a matter of just a couple days, we are losing our nation’s ability to prevent HIV,” said HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute Executive Director Carl Schmid.
And prior to that, Trump issued a series of executive orders targeting the trans community — restricting access to affirming healthcare, banning trans service members from the military, barring trans women and girls from playing sports, eliminating the “X” gender marker on passports, and barring students assigned male at birth from using women’s restrooms.
Let’s be very clear: When you deny someone the ability to use the bathroom, you deny their humanity.
So back to Scott Bessent, the billionaire hedge fund manager now running our economy into the ground. As many Trump protesters have noted: silence is complicity. And Bessent has been silent on all of these horrific attacks on trans Americans and their basic humanity. He is spineless and a traitor to the LGBTQ community.
Bessent runs the U.S. Treasury and reportedly has Trump’s ear on all matters related to the economy. He could easily push Trump in a better, more compassionate direction, yet there is no evidence he has done that.
“The LGBTQ+ community is counting on openly LGBTQ+ nominees like Scott Bessent to step up for the community,” said Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson after the inauguration. Sadly, it’s become clear we cannot count on Bessent. As I wrote in January, Trump likes his queer people gay, white, cis, rich, and obedient.
Bessent has ignored the Blade’s interview requests. (And after this is published, I have no illusions he will change his mind.) The mainstream media, increasingly cowed by Trump, have failed to ask Bessent even the most basic questions about his views on trans equality and Trump’s attacks.
As a member of the LGBTQ community, Bessent has a responsibility to at least speak up on behalf of trans people who are suffering. But Republicans today have lost their spines. They genuflect before their Dear Leader, line their own pockets, and leave the rest of us to deal with the consequences.
The crisis is real. People are dying. Trans people especially are suffering. The rest of us must do what we can to mitigate that suffering and to speak out in defense of our trans friends.
Kevin Naff is editor of the Washington Blade. Reach him at [email protected].
Opinions
Congressional Equality Caucus should participate in WorldPride
Make bold statement about our commitment to LGBTQ rights

The Trump administration, by its actions, has already hurt WorldPride. By attacking trans people, they have gotten many nations to suggest to trans citizens they not come to the United States. Canada’s queer group has said it is advising its people not to come. It is sad in so many ways. But despite what the felon in the White House is doing, WorldPride will be a success. It can be a time to not only have fun, but to make a point to the administration and the world. What was the old saying, “We’re here, we’re queer, and we’re not going anywhere, so get used to it.” The LGBTQ community in the United States has made great strides since Stonewall in 1969, and there is no way we are going back into the closet.
One way we can make a strong statement is if every member of the Congressional Equality Caucus would come out and join hands with constituents from their state, who are coming to D.C. for WorldPride. Together, they can take a stand for equality. Together, they can make a statement about our country to the world; that the United States values and supports its LGBTQ community.
This year from May 17-June, we are anticipating huge crowds in Washington, D.C. for WorldPride. Let us together make sure they are all safe and that they have an exciting and fun time while here. But at the same time we should use this gathering to speak out, for our community here, and the LGBTQ community around the world.
We must show the felon in the White House, and his MAGA acolytes in Congress, and around the nation, all those who would keep us down, we can, and will, stand up for ourselves. We are only willing to move one way, and that is forward toward full equality. Many years ago, during the early fight for recognition of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, there was an event staged by the group ACT UP, called ‘hands around the White House.’ It is time to stage something like that again.
With all the attacks on the trans community, and as threats to the entire LGBTQ community continue, we need to stand together, and stay strong. We need to join with everyone else who is fighting back against the felon, and his Nazi sympathizing co-president, in the White House. To join in the demonstrations, fight back, and not fall for the distractions meant to take us from our goals. Those goals must include defeating every Republican in elections in 2025, and taking back Congress in 2026. I say every Republican, only because today there is no longer a rational Republican Party. That party has become a MAGA Party, or ‘Cult of Trump.’ That is sad, but it’s true. It is not up to Democrats, or independents, to change the Republican Party; it is up to us to ensure their defeat until they change themselves.
Until then we must work hard to elect Democrats across the nation. From school board, to county council, from statehouse to Congress. For the LGBTQ community that is the only way we will move forward on equality. It is the only way we can defeat those who want to ban books about our lives, and try to force us back in the closet. We must say a resounding NO to that.
We must vote for Democrats because history shows us, any other vote, a vote for a third party, helps Republicans win. The reality, like it or not, is today there are only two parties that can win a general election. Yes, in a few rare districts, a third party has won. But this is rare and let’s not take the chance of that happening if there isn’t a history in your state, or district, or community, where it happened in the past. Be smart! While you may not like everything the Democratic Party stands for, it has proven, its members stand for the rights of the LGBTQ community. The incredible progress since Stonewall has been because the Democratic Party has worked with the activists in our midst, to make that progress. Let’s not give up now and move backwards with the MAGA Party. Together, let’s retake our government, and continue to move forward until we have full equality. That must be the goal we join hands for, and pledge to work toward.
Peter Rosenstein is a longtime LGBTQ rights and Democratic Party activist.

With legislation making it more difficult for transgender and gender non-conforming people to change their passports and other documents, it is now a race against the clock to change as many of them as possible.
Trans Maryland and Advocates for Trans Equality are among the groups that offer workshops and online resources.
Here’s how I did it in Maryland:
A letter from your primary care provider
The first thing you’ll need to get any of this rolling is a document from your primary care provider that shows proof of hormone therapy, gender incongruence, or both. In my experience, this is important to have prior to getting anything started because some states require some sort of proof in order to certify the change.
Some courts may need a therapist’s letter as well, but it depends on what state you live in. With this document, you’ll be able to bring it to the respective offices and it will give a valid reason for you to get your desired gender marker.
A court order
The next thing you will need is a court order that recognizes your gender identity. It is a precaution just to avoid any wasted time or confusion at any offices going forward. You will go to the circuit court website for what state/county you reside in and find a document that is a petition to change your gender. Here is an example from Maryland.
You will print that document and fill out the petition for your respective titles with or without a name change and take it to the Circuit Court. Some courts may require the appointment. There, you will present the petition and letter and pay a fee — Maryland’s fee is $165, however there are fee waivers for those that apply. After, you will wait some weeks for the court order to show up.
Social Security card
Unfortunately, as of January 2025, the Social Security Administration has ceased any gender changes in their system. As with the fight for passports reflecting the holder’s proper gender identity, the Human Rights Campaign and the American Civil Liberties Union may bring a case to regain access in the future.
Identity card/driver’s license
After getting your primary care letter and court order, make a standard appointment for Identification Services at the local DMV and bring the paperwork. Though the Maryland Court’s website says there is no need to get a court order to change any documents, the clerk at the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (Maryland’s DMV) stressed that I needed the updated Social Security card changed in order to get an updated ID.
I was able to get it changed prior to the Trump-Vance administration, however given the current circumstances, if there is any pushback from any clerk or official who say they require a Social Security card, very adamantly cite the official gov website if applicable, and use the court order, despite the fact you should not need one to get your ID updated.
Birth certificate
Should all have gone well with the ID, the last document to amend is the birth certificate.
Unfortunately, this may be the most difficult document that you are able to amend because it must be done within your home state and some states, such as Oklahoma, Florida, Tennessee, and Texas, have already banned altering birth certificates.
In D.C., where I changed my own, there have been no known issues or legislation passed for changing the name and gender marker on the document. You will search your state government websites for the vital records department, find a Gender Designation Application and fill out the necessary information. The D.C. application is here:
On D.C.’s application, you must sign the document in front of a notary in order for it to be valid. Several mail offices, such as UPS, offer notary services for relatively cheap. Upon getting the application notarized, you can bring all documents you have already updated along with the court order and primary care letter to an appointment at the vital records office. All the previous work done should make this fairly easy if you are in a state that hasn’t made heavy strides to halt the process.
All in all, with about a month of your time, about $300, and a state that supports your right to self-actualization, you should still be able to change most of your documents.
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