District of Columbia
SMYAL faces threats after hostile article by conservative publication
LGBTQ youth group falsely accused of encouraging children to become trans
The executive director and at least one staff member at the D.C.-based LGBTQ youth advocacy organization SMYAL reported the organization has received “threats to do bodily harm,” according to a D.C. police report, following the publication of an article in a conservative online publication that accuses SMYAL of placing prepubescent children “on a pathway to medical mutilation” through SMYAL’s transgender youth support programs.
The highly critical article was published Aug. 5 in the online publication Townhall.com, which states on its website that it is part of the conservative Salem Web Network that reaches out to “audiences interested in Christian and family themed content and conservative values.”
SMYAL spokesperson Hancie Stokes told the Washington Blade in a statement that SMYAL was not surprised to see “hateful rhetoric” in the publication’s comment section and posted on social media. “While there were no specific threats against our facility or personnel, out of an abundance of caution we alerted authorities to ensure safety of our staff and community,” the statement says.
The D.C. police report, which lists the incident as a hate crime, says that threats were reported on Aug. 7 by SMYAL Executive Director Erin Whelan, who is listed in the report as Respondent 1. “R-1 received threats that were directed toward her and her staff,” the report says. “R-1 felt threatened by these statements and was in fear for her and her staff’s safety,” it says.
The police report also identifies another SMYAL staff member as a victim of the threats. But the report does not disclose how the threats were made other than its reference to “statements” reported by Whelan.
The Townhall.com article, which is 25 pages long, among other things, raises concerns over a SMYAL program called Little SMYALs that is funded in part by a $50,000 grant from D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs for fiscal year 2024. The article notes that SMYAL documents state that the program provides services to school kids from kindergarten through eighth grade after school hours.
According to the article, Townhall.com obtained a copy of the grant application through a Freedom of Information Act request. It says the application shows SMYAL agreed to a grant requirement that its purpose in part is to end gun violence and to place “All Students on Pathways to Success.”
The article says that while applying for the grant, SMYAL argued that those two objectives were achievable through SMYAL creating “a safe space where youth can express themselves without fear of judgment or discrimination,” “celebrating identity,” “promoting self-acceptance,” and “developing a positive sense of self.”
In response to a request from the mayor’s office for SMYAL to describe in writing a “programmatic achievement” of the project in the second quarter of the grant period, the article quotes from SMYAL’s response and implies that SMYAL inappropriately encouraged an eight-year-old child to become transgender.
The article states that as an example of the program’s “efficacy,” SMYAL shared a “success story” of a “little girl whom SMYAL, using a made-up male alias, identified as ‘Daniel.” The article then asserts, “Evidently, the exalted eight-year-old, now a poster child for the program’s cause, was groomed into believing she’s a boy.”
The article states that SMYAL and the mayor’s office did not respond to Townhall’s requests for comment before the article was published.
In response to a request by the Washington Blade for comment from the mayor’s office on the article, mayoral spokesperson Daniel Gleick sent the Blade this brief response from the mayor’s office: “Washington, D.C. is proud to be a community that supports, welcomes, and loves our LGBTQ community. We’ll keep fighting for a safe and inclusive future for every Washingtonian, especially the next generation.”
In its own statement SMYAL strongly disputes the claims made by the Townhall.com article.
“It is important to understand that this is a heavily biased article from a notorious anti-LGBTQ outlet,” SMYAL spokesperson Stokes says in the statement. “Our community is unfortunately very used to these discriminatory and biased attacks. Rather than addressing their complete misrepresentation and mischaracterization of our work point by point, we remain steadfast in continuing to support our community with unwavering strength,” the statement says.
It adds, “To be clear, SMYAL adheres to all relevant laws and regulations governing youth organizations, and we have a rigorous vetting process in place for our staff to ensure the safety of our youth participants. We actively work to create a community and space where LGBTQ+ youth and their parents and caregivers can thrive through affirming programs and services to develop critical life skills, build community, and foster a sense of belonging…SMYAL believes and trusts that the work we do is lifesaving.”
SMYAL Executive Director Whelan added in the statement, “SMYAL proudly stands by our 40-year history of providing care and support to LGBTQ+ youth.” According to Whelan, “When you work with the LGBTQ+ community you know there are extremists who seek to spread misinformation and politicize our work. SMYAL is aware of our detractors, and we’re committed more than ever to providing inclusive and affirmative support for LGBTQ+ youth and their parents and caregivers.”
District of Columbia
Juvenile arrested for anti-gay assault in D.C.
Police say suspect targeted victim in house with Pride flags
D.C. police announced on June 16 that they have arrested a 13-year-old juvenile male on a charge of Assault With Significant Bodily Injury for allegedly throwing a rock through the window of a house in Northeast D.C. and “striking the victim in the face.”
In a statement announcing the arrest, police said the incident took place on Friday, June 6, and “LGBTQ+ flags were displayed at the front of the home.”
A separate D.C. police incident report obtained by the Washington Blade states, “Victim 1 reports he was sitting in his living room at the listed location watching television when a rock came through the front window and struck him about his left eye. Victim 1 suffered a laceration under his left eye.”
The report adds, “Victim 1 states he observed Suspect 1 running away.”
According to the June 16 statement issued by police, “On Sunday, June 15, 2025, officers located the suspect and placed him under arrest. [A] 13-year-old juvenile male of Northeast D.C., was charged with Assault With Significant Bodily Injury (Hate/Bias).”
The statement says the house where the incident occurred is located on the 400 block of 20th Street, N.E.
Similar to statements D.C. police have issued regarding LGBTQ bias-related cases in the past, the statement announcing this case says that while the case is being investigated as being potentially motivated by hate or bias, that designation could be changed at any time during the investigation.
It adds that a hate crime designation by D.C. police may not be prosecuted as a hate crime by prosecutors. Under D.C. law, juvenile cases are prosecuted by the Office of the D.C. Attorney General.
Since court records for cases involving juveniles are sealed from public access, the Blade could not immediately determine whether prosecutors designated the case as a hate crime.
It also could not immediately be determined if the juvenile charged in the case was being held in detention while awaiting trial at juvenile court or whether he was released to a parent or guardian and whether a judge set any conditions for release.
The police statement concludes by saying that the department’s Special Liaison Branch, which includes the LGBT Liaison Unit, is assisting with the investigation.
District of Columbia
Drive with Pride in D.C.
A new Pride-themed license plate is now available in the District, with proceeds directly benefiting local LGBTQ organizations.
Just in time for Pride month, the D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles has partnered with the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs to create a special “Pride Lives Here” license plate.
The plate, which was initially unveiled in February, has a one-time $25 application fee and a $20 annual display fee. Both fees will go directly to the Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Affairs Fund.
The MOLGBTQA Fund provides $1,000,000 annually to 25,000 residents through its grant program, funding a slew of LGBTQ organizations in the DMV area — including Capital Pride Alliance, Whitman-Walker, the D.C. Center for the LGBTQ Community, and the Washington Blade Foundation.
The license plate features an inclusive rainbow flag wrapping around the license numbers, with silver stars in the background — a tribute to both D.C.’s robust queer community and the resilience the LGBTQ community has shown.
The “Pride Lives Here” plate is one of only 13 specialty plates offered in the District, and the only one whose fees go directly to the LGBTQ community.
To apply for a Pride plate, visit the DC DMV’s website at https://dmv.dc.gov/
District of Columbia
Drag queens protest Trump at the Kennedy Center
President attended ‘Les Misérables’ opening night on Wednesday
On Wednesday night, four local drag performers attended the first night of the Kennedy Center’s season in full drag — while President Donald Trump, an outspoken critic of drag, sat mere feet away.
Three queens — Tara Hoot, Vagenesis, and Mari Con Carne — joined drag king Ricky Rosé to represent Qommittee, a volunteer network uniting drag artists to support and defend each other amid growing conservative attacks. They all sat down with the Washington Blade to discuss the event.
The drag performers were there to see the opening performance of “Les Misérables” since Trump’s takeover of the historically non-partisan Kennedy Center. The story shows the power of love, compassion, and redemption in the face of social injustice, poverty, and oppression, set in late 19th century France.
Dressed in full drag, the group walked into the theater together, fully aware they could be punished for doing so.
“It was a little scary walking in because we don’t know what we’re going to walk into, but it was really helpful to be able to walk in with friends,” said drag queen Vagenesis. “The strongest response we received was from the staff who worked there. They were so excited and grateful to see us there. Over and over and over again, we heard ‘Thank you so much for being here,’ ‘Thank you for coming,’ from the Kennedy Center staff.”
The staff weren’t the only ones who seemed happy at the act of defiance.
“We walked in together so we would have an opportunity to get a response,” said Tara Hoot, who has performed at the Kennedy Center in full drag before. “It was all applause, cheers, and whistles, and remarkably it was half empty. I think that was season ticket holders kind of making their message in a different way.”
Despite the love from the audience and staff, Mari Con Carne said she couldn’t help feeling unsettled when Trump walked in.
“I felt two things — disgust and frustration,” Carne said. “Obviously, I don’t align with anything the man has to say or has to do. And the frustration came because I wanted to do more than just sit there. I wanted to walk up to him and speak my truth — and speak for the voices that were being hurt by his actions right now.”
They weren’t the only ones who felt this way according to Vagenesis:
“Somebody shouted ‘Fuck Trump’ from the rafters. I’d like to think that our being there encouraged people to want to express themselves.”
The group showing up in drag and expressing themselves was, they all agreed, an act of defiance.
“Drag has always been a protest, and it always will be a sort of resistance,” Carne said, after pointing out her intersectional identity as “queer, brown, Mexican immigrant” makes her existence that much more powerful as a statement. “My identity, my art, my existence — to be a protest.”
Hoot, who is known for her drag story times, explained that protesting can look different than the traditional holding up signs and marching for some.
“Sometimes protesting is just us taking up space as drag artists,” Hoot added. “I felt like being true to who you are — it was an opportunity to live the message.”
And that message, Ricky Rosé pointed out, was ingrained with the institution of the Kennedy Center and art itself — it couldn’t be taken away, regardless of executive orders and drag bans
“The Kennedy Center was founded more than 50 years ago as a place meant to celebrate the arts in its truest, extraordinary form,” said Ricky Rosé. “President Kennedy himself even argued that culture has a great practical value in an age of conflict. He was quoted saying, ‘the encouragement of art is political in the most profound sense, not as a weapon in the struggle, but as an instrument of understanding the futility of struggle’ and I believe that is the basis of what the Kennedy Center was founded on, and should continue. And drag fits perfectly within it.”
All four drag performers told the Washington Blade — independently of one another — that they don’t think Trump truly understood the musical he was watching.
“I don’t think the president understands any kind of plot that’s laid out in front of him,” Vagenesis said. “I’m interested to see what he thinks about “Les Mis,” a play about revolution against an oppressive regime. I get the feeling that he identifies with the the rebellion side of it, instead of the oppressor. I just feel like he doesn’t get it. I feel it goes right over his head.”
“Les Misérables” is running at the Kennedy Center until July 13.
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