News
Kamala Harris addresses high-dollar LGBTQ donors at D.C. fundraiser
Jackson confirmation promoted as key victory
Vice President Kamala Harris headlined a D.C-based fundraiser for high-dollar LGBTQ Democratic donors on Wednesday night, promoting the confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court as a key victory.
“I was proud for a number of reasons,” Harris said. “Probably the obvious reason, in terms of what this means in terms of the history that continues to be made — one could say, parenthetically, ‘Sadly, we’re still making firsts,’ but we are doing it. And I was proud to be there for that reason.”
As Harris pointed out at the event, she presided last week over the vote on Jackson in the Senate, making the first Black woman to serve as vice president a key player in the confirmation of the first Black woman justice to the Supreme Court.
Among the prominent LGBTQ donors present at the private home for the fundraiser was Claire Lucas, a lesbian and deputy finance chair for the Democratic National Committee. The DNC counted 86 people present at the event and Lucas told the crowd the DNC “blew past” its fundraising goal by 50 percent, according to a White House pool report.
Harris didn’t explicitly mention any LGBTQ issues in her remarks, despite concerns over the advancement in state legislatures over measures targeting the LGBTQ community, including bills prohibiting transgender girls from participating in sports and the Florida “Don’t Say Gay” law. Topics Harris touched on included her lead role in the Cabinet meeting at the White House earlier that day as well as climate change, infrastructure, and workers’ rights.
Amid expectations Democrats are in store for a drubbing in the mid-term elections as inflation continues to soar and Americans widely believe the war in Ukraine will get worse, Harris urged the crowd to keep their chin up heading into November.
“Elections matter,” Harris said. “Because the accomplishments we have been able to achieve so far, I am certain would not have occurred had it not been for all the work that you all did to turn out the largest numbers of voters we’ve seen.”
State Department
New State Department policy bans embassies from flying Pride flag
Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed directive this week
The Washington Blade has obtained a copy of a new State Department policy that bans embassies and other U.S. diplomatic institutions from flying the Pride flag.
“Per the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act 2024, only the United States of America flag is authorized to be flown or otherwise publicly displayed at U.S. facilities, both domestic and abroad, and featured in U.S. government content,” reads directive that Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed. “No symbol or affiliation marking other than those authorized by U.S. statute, the president, or the secretary may be displayed, projected, or exhibited at any U.S. facility, both domestic and abroad.”
The policy states the U.S. flag “unites all Americans under the universal principles of justice, liberty, and democracy.”
“These values, which are the bedrock of our great country, are shared by all American citizens, past and present,” it reads. “The U.S. flag is a powerful symbol of pride and it is fitting and respectful that only the U.S. flag be flown or displayed at U.S. facilities, both domestically and abroad and in accordance with Chapter 1 of 4 U.S. C. ‘The Flag.”
The policy’s only exception is the POW/MIA flag.
The previous administration banned Pride flags from flying at U.S. embassies. (The Blade in 2018 saw the Pride flag attached to the fence that surrounds the U.S. Embassy in Havana.)
The State Department in 2021 for the first time flew the Progress Pride flag. Then-Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and then-Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley are among those who helped raise it. Then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken in 2021 said American diplomatic installations could once again fly the Pride flag.
Former President Joe Biden last March signed a government spending bill with a provision that banned Pride flags from flying over U.S. embassies.
Thailand
Thailand marriage equality law takes effect
Country is first in Southeast Asia to allow same-sex couples to marry
A law that extends marriage rights to same-sex couples in Thailand took effect on Thursday.
Media reports indicate hundreds of same-sex couples tied the knot across the country once the law took effect. The Bangkok Post reported Bangkok Pride and authorities in the Thai capital organized a mass wedding that took place at a shopping mall.
“Today, the rainbow flag is proudly flying over Thailand,” said Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on X.
Thai lawmakers last year approved the marriage equality bill. King Maha Vajiralongkorn signed it last September.
Thailand is the first country in Southeast Asia to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples.
Same-sex couples can legally marry in Taiwan and Nepal.
Maryland
Originally charged with hate crimes, Salisbury University students now face misdemeanor charges
Suspects allegedly attacked man they met on Grindr
The first three Salisbury University students charged in an attack on a man they allegedly lured to an off-campus apartment using a dating app are set to stand trial this week.
Dylan Pietuszka, 20, Logan Clark, 20, and Sean Antone, 19, are among the 15 Salisbury students who in early November were taken into custody in connection with the attack and charged with hate crimes.
All three men standing trial this week are only facing two charges: Second degree assault and false imprisonment, which are both misdemeanors.
The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
New State Department policy bans embassies from flying Pride flag
Thailand marriage equality law takes effect
Originally charged with hate crimes, Salisbury University students now face misdemeanor charges
New book is a fun whodunit set in London drag world
Ugandan advocacy groups step up fight against mpox
Trump-Vance administration removes LGBTQ, HIV resources from government websites
Trump previews anti-trans executive orders in inaugural address
Va. Senate approves resolution to repeal marriage amendment
Meta’s policy changes ‘putting us back in the dark ages’
Trump executive order bans passports with ‘X’ gender markers
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Federal Government3 days agoTrump-Vance administration removes LGBTQ, HIV resources from government websites
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Virginia2 days agoVa. Senate approves resolution to repeal marriage amendment
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