District of Columbia
Trans community removed from National Park Service’s Dupont Circle website
Description changed to ‘LGB community’ gathering place
The National Park Service, which owns and maintains Dupont Circle as one of the National Capital Region’s national parks, has removed all references to transgender people from its website devoted to Dupont Circle’s history.
The website’s change in use of the term “LGBT” to “LGB” appears to have come shortly after the National Park Service on Feb. 13 removed all references to trans people from its website for the Stonewall National Monument in New York City’s Greenwich Village, which drew expressions of outrage from the LGBTQ community.
Other than removing the “T” and all other references to trans people, the National Park Service left in place on its Dupont Circle website a detailed description of the circle’s “LGB History.”
“Located at the intersection of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Hampshire Avenues in Northwest Washington, D.C., Dupont Circle has served as the anchor of a neighborhood of diplomats, government officials, war commemorations, and the LGB community for over 200 years,” the website states.
“In the 1970s, Dupont Circle became a welcoming place for the city’s LGB community,” the description of Dupont Circle’s history continues. “Activist Deacon Maccubbin opened Earthworks, a craft store and ‘headshop’ that was the city’s first openly gay business that wasn’t a bar,” it says.
It goes on to say Maccubbin a short time later opened the Lambda Rising bookstore in the Dupont Circle area, and other “gay” organizations were located in the neighborhood, including the Gay Blade which later became the Washington Blade.
It points out that Maccubbin also organized the city’s first “Gay Pride Day” in 1975 in the Dupont Circle neighborhood that evolved into D.C.’s annual Pride festival and parade.
The website includes a photo of Dupont Circle taken during the 2022 DC Pride Festival, which includes someone displaying a flag representing the trans community.
Local LGBTQ groups in D.C. didn’t immediately comment on the removal of trans references to the National Park Service website on Dupont Circle. But LGBTQ groups, including those representing the trans community in New York, denounced the removal of trans references to the Stonewall National Monument.
“Transgender people play a critical role in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, and New York will never allow their contributions to be erased,” said New York Gov. Kathy Hochul in a statement.
Longtime D.C. trans rights advocate Earline Budd points out the removal of trans references from the National Park Service’s Dupont Circle website is part of the national effort by the Trump-Vance administration to remove trans rights from all federal programs.
“So, it’s not just here. We’re being removed from everything,” Budd told the Washington Blade. “Anything federal we’re being removed based on the president’s mandate,” she said. “It’s really a scary time for what’s going on with this administration.”
Maccubbin on Wednesday issued this statement.
“As long as the current administration is in power, we can no longer depend on any agency of the federal government to tell the truth about our community and its rich and colorful history. It is, therefore, up to us to keep that history alive, to maintain an accurate historical record.
Dupont Circle has long embraced people of all races, all faiths, all sexual orientations and gender expressions. Likewise, our Lambda Rising Bookstore, from its earliest days, embraced and employed gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer people and welcomed them all as customers, patrons and friends. We didn’t call it DEI then. They were just parts of a large, loving and valued family, each bringing their unique perspectives and contributions to our common good.
Gay Pride Day (now DC Pride) was founded in 1975 with a commitment to the whole community and every shade in the rainbow was welcome to celebrate with us. That remains the case today.
The National Park Service seeking to erase transgender people from this history is un-American and unacceptable. It’s a despicable lie. As Frank Kameny did in the 50’s, as our community did in the 60’s, as we did when we opened Lambda Rising and when we founded Gay Pride Day in the 70’s, now again we must resist.”
District of Columbia
Gay D.C. police lieutenant arrested on child porn charges
Matthew Mahl once served as head of LGBT Liaison Unit
D.C. police announced on April 14 that they have placed one of their lieutenants, Matthew Mahl, on administrative leave and revoked his police powers after receiving information that he was arrested in Maryland one day earlier.
Although the initial D.C. police announcement doesn’t disclose the reason for the arrest it refers to a statement by the Harford County, Md. Sheriff’s Office that discloses Mahl has been charged with sexual solicitation of a minor and child porn solicitation.
“On Tuesday, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office contacted MPD’s Internal Affairs Division shortly after arresting Lieutenant Matthew Mahl,” the D.C. police statement says.
“The allegations in this case are extremely disturbing, and in direct contrast to the values of the Metropolitan Police Department,” the statement continues. “MPD’s Internal Affairs Division will investigate violations of MPD policy once the criminal investigation concludes,” it says.
“MPD is not involved in the criminal investigation and was not aware of the investigation until yesterday,” the statement adds.
Mahl served as acting supervisor of the MPD’s then Gay & Lesbian Liaison Unit in 2013 when he held the rank of sergeant. D.C. police officials placed him on administrative leave and suspended his police powers that same year while investigating an undisclosed allegation.
A source familiar with the investigation said Mahl was cleared of any wrongdoing a short time later and resumed his police duties. Around the time he was promoted to lieutenant several years later Mahl took on the role as chairman of the D.C. Police Union, becoming the first known openly gay officer to hold that position.
NBC 4 reports that Mahl, 47, has served on the police force for 23 years and most recently was assigned to the department’s Special Operations Division.
Records related to Mahl’s arrest filed in Harford County District Court, show Sheriff’s Department investigators state in charging documents that he allegedly committed the offenses of Sexual Solicitation of a Minor and Child Porn Solicitation on Monday, April 13, one day before he was arrested on April 14.
The court records show he was held without bond during his first appearance in court on April 14. A decision on whether he would be released while awaiting trial or continue to be held without bond was scheduled to be determined during an April 15 bond hearing. The outcome of that hearing could not be immediately determined.
District of Columbia
D.C. bar, LGBTQ+ Community Center to mark Lesbian Visibility Week
‘Ahead of the Curve’ documentary screening, ‘Queeroke’ among events
2026 Lesbian Visibility Week North America will take place from April 20-26.
This year marks the third annual Lesbian Visibility Week, run by the Curve Foundation. A host of events take place from April 20-26.
This year’s theme is Health and Wellness. For the Curve Foundation, the term “lesbian” serves as an umbrella term for a host of identities, including lesbians, bisexual and transgender women, and anyone else connected to the lesbian community.
The week kicks off with a flag-raising ceremony on April 19. It will take place in New York, but will be livestreamed for the public.
“Queeroke” is one of the events being held around the country. It will take place at various participating bars on April 23.
As You Are, an LGBTQ bar in Capitol Hill, is one of eight locations across the U.S. participating. Their event is free and 21+.
On April 24, the D.C. LGBTQ+ Community Center will hold a screening of “Ahead of the Curve,” a documentary about the founder of Curve, Franco Stevens. The event is free with an RSVP.
April 25, is Queer Women in Sports Day. And on April 26, several monuments in New York will be illuminated.
Virtual events ranging from health to sports will be made available to the public. Details will be released closer to the start of Lesbian Visibility Week. Featured events can be found on the official website.
Some ways for individuals to get involved are to use #LVW26 and tag the official Lesbian Visibility Week account on social media posts. People are encouraged to display their lesbian flags, and businesses can hand out pins and decorate. They can also reach out to local lawmakers to encourage them to issue an official Lesbian Visibility Week.
District of Columbia
Whitman-Walker Health to present ‘Pro Bono Excellence’ award to law firm
Health center set to celebrate 40th anniversary of legal services program
Whitman-Walker Health, the D.C.-based community healthcare center that specializes in HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ-related health services, announced it will present its annual Dale Edwin Sanders Award for Pro Bono Excellence to the international law firm McDermott Will & Schulte at a May 6 ceremony.
“This year’s award is especially significant as it coincides with the 40th anniversary of Whitman-Walker Health’s Legal Services Program, marking it as the nation’s longest running medical-legal partnership,” a statement released by Whitman-Walker says.
“As a national leader in public health, Whitman-Walker celebrates our partnership with McDermott to strengthen the health center and to enable Whitman-Walker to reach more medical and legal clients,” the statement adds.
“McDermott’s firm-wide commitment to Whitman-Walker’s medical-legal partnership demonstrates a shared vision to serve those most in need,” Amy Nelson, Whitman-Walker’s director of Legal Services, says in the statement. “Our work protects individuals and families who face discrimination and hostility as they navigate increasingly complex administrative systems,” Nelson said.
“Pro bono legal services – like that of McDermott Will & Schulte – find solutions for people who have no place else to turn in the face of financial and health threats,” she added.
“Our partnership with Whitman-Walker Health is a treasured commitment to serving our neighbors and communities,” Steven Schnelle, one of the law firm’s partners said in the statement. “We are deeply moved by Whitman-Walker’s unwavering dedication to inclusion, respect, and equitable access to health care and social services,” he said.
The statement notes that the award for Pro Bono Excellence honors the legacy of the late gay attorney Dale Edwin Sanders. It says Sanders’s pro bono legal work for Whitman-Walker clients “shaped HIV/AIDS law for more than four decades by securing key victories on behalf of individuals whose employment and patient rights were violated.”
It says the Whitman-Walker Legal Services program began during the early years of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s at a time when people with AIDS faced widespread discrimination and often needed legal assistance. According to the statement, the program evolved over the years and expanded to advocate for transgender people and immigrants.
Whitman-Walker spokesperson Lisa Amore said the presentation of the Dale Edwin Sanders Pro Bono Excellency Award will be held at the May 6 fundraising benefit for Whitman-Walker’s Legal Services Program. She said the event will take place at the offices of the DC law firm Baker McKenzie and ticket availability can be accessed here: https://www.whitman-walker.org/gtem-2026/
Gay D.C. police lieutenant arrested on child porn charges
Demonstrators disrupt OMB director hearing over PEPFAR
HIV/AIDS group NMAC is ‘destabilized’ and in financial crisis: sources
Madonna announces release date for new album
Senegalese court issues first conviction under new anti-LGBTQ law
An effort to increase the number of psychiatrists of color
Comings & Goings
Trump budget targets ‘gender extremism’
Minimal version of ‘Streetcar Named Desire’ heading to Dupont Underground
