Delaware
Delaware poised to become 17th state to ban LGBTQ panic defense
Bill passes with unanimous, bipartisan support in Senate
It was an extraordinary week in the Delaware Senate, as a bill to ban the LGBTQ+ panic defense, in which a defendant claims they panicked and killed or injured a victim upon finding out the person was gay or transgender and receive a lesser sentence or even acquittal because of it, passed unanimously.
Every senator, Republican and Democrat, voted for it Wednesday. And every Republican – and Democratic – senator signed up to co-sponsor the bill.
“Thank you to my colleagues and my friends. That is a beautiful statement,” bill sponsor Sen. Sarah McBride said on the Senate floor after the senators signed up. “Other states, this has fortunately been bipartisan, and I’m incredibly proud that we will make clear that this is a bipartisan issue.”
Mark Purpura, a Delaware lawyer who worked on the bill, watched as the bill passed from his home via Zoom.
“It was very moving,” he said. “It moved me to tears. I was crying.”
The defense has been used five times in Delaware, according to research by St. Edward’s University professor W. Carsten Andresen. House sponsor Rep. Eric Morrison pointed to the cases during his House testimony, but the Senate did not seem to be aware of the cases during the vote – the discussion hinged around preventing the possibility of the defense being used, not preventing its future use.
An amendment by Rep. Jeff Spiegelman that would expand the ban to prohibit all panic defenses based on race, religion, color, disability, sexual orientation, sex, age, gender identity, national origin, and a person’s ancestry failed earlier in the House.
“Promise me there’ll never be a Jew defense,” said Spiegelman, pointing to Nazi Germany, where he said people were allowed to harm Jewish people once they found out their victim was Jewish. “Promise me that that will never be said in this country, and it will never be used in Delaware, and I’ll scrap this amendment right away.”
Morrison did not engage in a discussion with Spiegelman, saying only that he considered the amendment unfavorable. It failed with 25 votes against the amendment and 14 for it.
The House passed the bill mostly along party lines, with all Democrats voting for the bill and most Republicans against. But three Republicans, Rep. Nnamdi Chukwuocha, Rep. Michael Ramone, and Rep. Michael Smith broke party lines and voted for the bill, and Spiegelman did not vote either way on the bill.
Morrison, the bill’s sponsor, said he wasn’t sure what to make of the lack of bipartisanship in the House.
“I wish we had had more support in the House. I worked really hard to try to educate folks about this defense, because so many people had never heard of it,” he said in a short interview. “So that could have been part of the issue. I’m not sure.”
The bill now heads to the desk of Gov. John Carney, a Democrat. His communications team did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but Morrison said he does not anticipate any problems.
“Overall,” Morrison said, “I’m just happy that it passed and that we’re going to become the 17th state to ban this defense.”
Delaware
Delaware Gov. Meyer announces LGBTQ commission
Nine members appointed to work to protect rights of residents
Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer announced the members of a new LGBTQ commission on the first day of Pride month.
The members include representatives from all three counties: Chair Cora Castle, Dwayne Bensing, Noah Duckett, and Mark Purpura of New Castle County; Vice Chair Vienna Cavazos, Leslie Ledogar, and John Kane of Sussex County; and Daniel Lopez of Kent County. They will serve three-year terms without monetary compensation.
The commission was created by an executive order from previous Gov. Bethany Hall-Long in January. It will work to “strengthen ties between the government and LGBTQ+ organizations, help remove barriers to societal participation for LGBTQ+ people and improve the delivery of services to the community in Delaware in areas such as employment, equality, education, mental health, social services, health, and housing.
“The commission will advise the governor, the governor’s Cabinet, the General Assembly, and other policymakers on the effects of policies and laws on the “unique challenges and needs of LGBTQ+ people.”
Commission Chair Cora Castle is president of OmniPotential Energy Partners, executive director of the Delaware Sustainable Chemistry Alliance, secretary of Sierra Club Delaware, and the vice chair of the New Castle County Board of Adjustment. She said it is “extremely humbling” to be included in this group of people.
“Having the opportunity to serve and be out here and help Gov. Meyer and help everybody across the state is again just so humbling,” Castle told the Washington Blade. “I love doing work on policy, I love having the opportunity to lead and this is something where I think I can make a difference and I think that my voice matters.”
Castle said it’s important that everyone understands that the commission is here to serve all of Delaware.
Vienna Cavazos is the commission’s vice-chair and youngest member at 19. They moved to Delaware from Texas in 2022 and have a background in youth advocacy and organizing.
“I am beyond grateful to have been asked to serve not only this governor but this state,” Cavazos said. “I appreciate the work that has been done in years prior and I’m excited to do the work that we need to do to bring us back to the 21st century.”
Leslie Ledogar, board president of CAMP Rehoboth, is also a member of the commission. She said it is a “huge honor” to be included.
“I believe that the commission will be a safe space in which we can discuss those issues and make sure that, in Delaware, we are not erased,” Ledogar said. “We do still have power at the state level, notwithstanding federal actions in the opposite and very very disturbing and dangerous direction.”
The commission will begin meeting soon. A major topic will be developing policies to protect health care for LGBTQ Delawareans.
“This commission will be critical as we work to protect the rights of all Delawareans, and I want to thank each of these individuals for their willingness to serve,” Gov. Meyer wrote in a Facebook post. “Together, we will ensure Delaware remains a welcoming state and a beacon of hope to all LGBTQ+ Americans.”
Delaware
Delaware Pride Festival returns this Saturday
28th annual festival boasts activities for all in Dover
The 28th annual Delaware Pride Festival is back this weekend in the capital city of Dover.
The Saturday event will take place from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on the Legislative Green outside of the state capitol building in Dover. The festival is hosted by drag queen Scarlet Masters.
The schedule includes a policy panel with State Representatives Eric Morrison and DeShanna Neal, a performance from the Rainbow Chorale of Delaware, and drag shows. There will also be food vendors, a kids zone, beer garden, and 21+ after party.
“Pride season is a riot, a time to advocate, and a time to remember those that came before us to take us as far as we are today, especially our trans and BIPOC siblings,” wrote Delaware Pride President Zach Workman in a letter on its website. “Always remember that when one member of our community is under attack, we come together to support them. We remember the sacrifices of our ancestors in order to fuel our push into the future. We are here, we have always been here, and we will be here for the future to come no matter how many times others try to erase us … This festival is a testament to the strength of queer Delawareans as it has stood the test of time over the last 28 iterations, becoming a lasting tradition.”
Delaware
Historic New Castle to host Pride Market this weekend
Delaware town offers event with more than 55 vendors
The town of New Castle, Del., will host a Pride Market on Sunday, the first day of Pride month.
The event is hosted by the Delaware Sexuality and Gender Collective and features more than 55 LGBTQ-aligned businesses and resources, including Planned Parenthood of Delaware, the ACLU of Delaware, Orgullo Delaware, and New Castle Public Library. The event runs from 12-5 p.m. at 3rd Street and Delaware Street on The Green, an open space and market square.
The inaugural Pride Market in November 2024 was the first market in the town’s history dedicated to the LGBTQ community. The Pride Market is “designed to be an affirming space for LGBTQ businesses and individuals to join together as a community,” according to the Facebook page.
New Castle was founded in the 1650s by Dutch settlers with weekly markets on The Green beginning in 1655. The area features historically significant buildings like the 1732 Court House, the 1799 New Castle Academy, and an 1809 U.S. arsenal. Delaware Pride is scheduled for June 7 in Dover.
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