Maryland
Two gay congressmen endorse Joe Vogel for Congress
Openly gay Md. lawmaker running to represent state’s 6th Congressional District

Two openly gay congressmen have endorsed Maryland state Del. Joe Vogel (D-Montgomery County) in the race for Maryland’s 6th Congressional District seat.
Vogel announced his candidacy on May 8. He would be Maryland’s first openly LGBTQ and first Latino congressman.
Equality PAC endorsed Vogel on June 21, making it the first organization to endorse in the race and the PAC’s first endorsement of this election cycle. U.S. Reps. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) and Mark Takano (D-Calif.), who co-chair Equality PAC, have announced their support for the freshman Maryland lawmaker. The announcement coincides with Equality PAC’s support of Congressional candidates Julie Johnson and Will Rollins, who are running to represent Texas’ 32nd Congressional District and California’s 41st Congressional District respectively.
“In Maryland, state Del. Joe Vogel has a strong track record of standing up for our community and will make sure this swing seat elects someone who will fight for equality,” Torres and Takano said in a press release. “As we speak, our community is facing an unprecedented level of attacks, targeting trans people, children, and families. Making sure we have representation in Congress is a critical component to protecting these vulnerable communities. We look forward to working with all these candidates to build winning campaigns and fulfill Equality PAC’s mission to elect more LGBTQ persons to federal office and to ensure a pro-equality majority in Congress.”
Vogel, 26, was born in Uruguay and immigrated with his family to Rockville when he was 3-years old.
As one of the youngest members of Maryland’s House of Delegates, Vogel has supported a number of progressive bills and positions. During his tenure, Vogel has introduced more than 75 bills, including a measure to establish a commission on hate crime response and prevention, which Gov. Wes Moore signed into law in May, and the Event-Goer Rights and Accountable Sales (ERAS) Act, which would require companies to enforce policies that prevent ticket price gouging.
“We’ve been all over the district during Pride month and having conversations with people from Cumberland to Frederick to Gaithersburg about the challenges facing our community, the progress we’ve made and what the future holds,” Vogel said. “I think folks are excited about the representation that we’re offering and I want people to know that I take these issues personally. I will be a champion for our community in Congress.”
Congressman David Trone currently represents Maryland’s 6th Congressional District.
The incumbent Democrat announced in May that he is running for retiring U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.)’s seat. Stephen McDow and state Del. Lesley Lopez (D-Montgomery County) are in the race alongside Vogel.
Vogel said that when deciding who to vote for, he hopes his record, and not just his identity, in the House of Delegates will speak for itself to voters. Vogel also said Congress needs more members who look like him.
“When you hear about the issues that I’m focused on on the campaign trail, it’s issues that matter to every person in this district, regardless of your gender identity or sexual orientation,” Vogel said. “It’s mental health, it’s gun violence, it’s the climate crisis, it’s job creation, it’s transportation, it’s housing rights. All of these issues that affect every family in this community, but … I think we need more people who understand what it’s like to be part of [the LGBTQ] community and will make our issues a priority.”
Maryland
LGBTQ suicide prevention hotline option is going away. Here’s where else to go in Md.
Changes will take effect July 17

By ANNA RUBENSTEIN | The national suicide prevention hotline will no longer offer specialized support to LGBTQ people, starting July 17, the Trump administration announced last week.
Dialing the hotline at 988 will still be available for crisis support. But callers will no longer be able to reach specific LGBTQ services by pressing Option 3. The change worries advocates because their data shows the LGBTQ community has a disproportionally high suicide rate.
Even after the option ends, here’s how to receive tailored support if you’re in Maryland.
The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
Maryland
Silver Spring holds annual Pride In The Plaza
‘Today means inclusion. It means to build resilience’

Silver Spring’s annual Pride in the Plaza event took place on Sunday to celebrate the LGBTQ community and emphasize inclusion and resilience.
“Today means inclusion. It means to build resilience, love,” Robyn Woods, program and outreach director for Live In Your Truth, which organized the event, said. “I mean, just being surrounded by the community and so many great entrepreneurs, business owners, and just being a part of this whole rainbow coalition that we call the LGBTQIA to be about.”
With the event being her first time organizing for Live In Your Truth, Woods said she felt emotional to see the support and love at the event.
“Some people (are) bringing out their children, their babies, their grandparents,” Woods said. “It’s a lot more allies here than anything else. That type of support to me means so much more than just support from my community; just outside support, inside support, so much support around it, so much love. Everyone’s smiling outside, helping each other.”
Attendees of the event were able to head over to the Family Fun Zone, an air-conditioned Pride Cool Down Lounge, or watch live drag performances in the main stage area.
Along with entertainment and a shaved-ice stand, rows of information tables stood along the plaza, including FreeState Justice, the Washington Spirit, Trans Maryland, Moco Pride Center, and the Heartwood Program, an organization that offers support, therapy, education, and resources to the LGBTQ community.
“I want people to know about our services, and I love what we have to offer,” Jessica Simon, psychotherapist for Heartwood Program’s Gender Wellness Clinic, said. “I (also) want to be part of a celebration with the community, and so it feels good to be here with other people who have something they want to give to the community.”
She added that within today’s political climate, to which she called an “antidote to shame,” it’s important to be celebrating Pride.
“There’s a lot of demonization of LGBTQI people,” Siena Iacuvazzi, facilitator for Maryland Trans Unity, said. “(Pride) is part of the healing process.”
Iacuvazzi said she was taught to be ashamed of who she was growing up, but being a part of a community helped her flourish in the future.
“I was taught how to hate myself. I was taught that I was an abomination to God,” she said. “But being a community is like understanding that there are people who have experienced the same thing, and they’re flourishing. They’re flourishing because they’re willing to stand up for themselves as human beings and discover themselves and understand what’s true for themselves.”
She added that Pride allows for a mutual understanding to take place.
“It’s more of a sense of belonging … and just taking that home and understanding you’re not alone,” Iacuvazzi said. “We’re each taking our own journey — we’re not putting that on each other. It’s just walking away with a sense of belonging and humanity.”
Similar to Iacuvazzi, Woods said she hopes attendees’ biggest takeaways would be family, fun, resilience, and pride.
“Being proud of yourself, being happy for who you are, and representation and how much it matters,” she continued. “And I think all these young people that are walking around here get to see versions of themselves, but older. They get to see so many different lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual people that are successful, that are showing love, that care, and it’s not how we’re portrayed in the media. It’s lovely to see it out here. (It’s) like we’re one big old, happy family.”
Maryland
Wes Moore hosts annual Pride reception
‘Nobody should have to justify their own humanity in Maryland’

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore on Wednesday hosted his annual Pride month reception at Government House in Annapolis.
“One of the things that makes me so proud to be the governor of the great state of Maryland is that we are a safe haven for the LGBTQIA+ community,” Moore. “And I want to be clear that is a reputation we intend to keep.”
Organizations like FreeState Justice and the New Wave Singers of Baltimore gathered in attendance as speakers, including Moore, Maryland first lady Dawn Moore and FreeState Justice Executive Director Philip Westry spoke to the crowd of around 175 people.
In his speech, Moore acknowledged the accomplishments made with organizations and individuals within the audience, including passing the Trans Health Equity Act within his first 100 days in office.
A month after his first 100 days in office, Moore emphasized how an executive order protecting gender-affirming care in Maryland was signed, as well as more recent initiatives to decriminalize HIV and promote best practices in HIV prevention and care.
“But I want to be clear: we cannot — and will not — stop fighting. We must stand up and protect all of our fellow Americans — lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual … all identities,” Moore said. “Because what we are seeing out of this new White House is the latest chapter in a long playbook of demonizing specific groups for political gain. It isn’t just cruel and immoral — it also masks the humanity of our fellow Marylanders. Nobody should have to justify their own humanity in Maryland. So we are going to fight.”