Local
Trans woman sexually assaulted near Dupont Circle
Report marks neighborhood’s seventh incident against LGBT people since June
A reported sexual assault against a transgender woman behind a building near Dupont Circle on Aug. 13 is the seventh incident of violence against LGBT people with a connection to the neighborhood since June 2, according to police reports.
Police said the latest incident occurred in an unspecified location in the rear of the 2000 block of P Street, N.W., in the early morning hours of Aug. 13, when a suspect approached the victim, whom police have not identified.
“The complainant reports that she was grabbed by the suspect who placed his hand over her mouth,” said Sgt. Carlos Mejia, supervisor of the police’s Gay & Lesbian Liaison Unit, in an e-mail to local LGBT activists.
“The suspect removed the complainant’s clothes and sexually assaulted the complainant,” Mejia said. “The suspect fled the area on foot. The complainant is a member of the transgender community.”
Gays & Lesbians Opposing Violence, which was among the groups to receive Mejia’s e-mail, released the message Monday.
GLOV’s release came on the same day that court records became available showing that the man charged with murdering gay federal worker Delando King on Aug. 8 in D.C. had patronized at least one Dupont Circle gay bar on the night of the murder.
Court records show that Marcus McLean, 24, who is charged with premeditated first-degree murder while armed in connection with King’s stabbing death, was arrested Aug. 14 along the 2100 block of P Street, N.W., within a one-block radius of three gay bars.
Four earlier incidents involving attacks against gay men in the Dupont Circle area have been listed as bias-related assaults that involved anti-gay name calling when suspects attacked the victims. As of earlier this week, no arrests had been made in the five assaults. The fifth of the string of anti-gay bias attacks between June 2 and July 30 took place on Emmerson Street, N.W., outside the Dupont Circle area.
Police said none of the victims in the five assault cases received life-threatening injuries.
A law enforcement source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the transgender victim in the sexual assault case knew the suspect and provided his identity to investigators with the police’s Sexual Assault Unit, which is investigating the case. According to the source, police listed the attack as an incident of first-degree sexual abuse, one of the most serious sexual offenses under the city’s criminal statutes.
Rehoboth Beach
Rehoboth Summer Kickoff Party set for May 15 with Ashley Biden
The Washington Blade’s 19th annual Summer Kickoff Party is scheduled for Friday, May 15 in Rehoboth Beach, Del.
Ashley Biden, daughter of President Joe Biden, has joined the list of speakers, the Blade announced. She will accept an award on behalf of her brother Beau Biden for his LGBTQ advocacy work as Delaware attorney general. (Her appearance was rescheduled from last year.)
The event, to be held this year at Diego’s (37298 Rehoboth Ave. Ext.) from 5-7 p.m., is a fundraiser for the Blade Foundation’s Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which funds a summer position reporting on LGBTQ news in Delaware. This year’s recipient will be introduced at the event.
The event will also feature remarks from state Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall. New CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Dr. Robin Brennan and Blade editor Kevin Naff will also speak. The event is generously sponsored by Realtor Justin Noble, The Avenue Inn & Spa, and Diego’s.
A suggested donation of $25 is partially tax deductible and includes a drink ticket and light appetizers. Tickets are available in advance at bladefoundation.org/rehoboth or at the door.
District of Columbia
Curve magazine honors Washington Blade publisher
Lynne Brown named to 2026 Power List
Washington Blade Publisher Lynne Brown has been named to the 2026 Curve Power List celebrating LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary individuals in North America who are blazing trails in their chosen fields.
“From sports and entertainment icons to corporate leaders and lawmakers, these individuals are breaking barriers, challenging norms, and shaping the future,” Curve Foundation/Curve magazine said in announcing this year’s list, which includes ABC newscaster Robin Roberts, comedian/actress Hannah Einbinder, and singer/actress Renee Rapp, among others.
Brown has worked for the Washington Blade for nearly 40 years. She was named publisher in 2007 before becoming a co-owner in 2010.
“I am honored to be recognized by Curve magazine during Lesbian Visibility Week,” Brown said. “Receiving this Curve honor is twofold. I was an early subscriber to Curve. I enjoy the product and know its history. Its journalism, layout and humorous features have inspired me.
“As an owner/publisher, receiving recognition from a similar source acknowledges my work and efforts, with a sincerity I truly appreciate. Franco Stevens, the publisher of Curve, is a business person of duration, experience, and purpose. The fact that they are in the media business, and honoring me and my publication makes it a tiny bit sweeter.”
Nominations for the Curve Power List come from the community: peers, mentors, fans, and employers.
Curve explained the significance of the list in its announcement: “An annual, publicly nominated list of impactful LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary changemakers is crucial in current times to counter discrimination, legislative rollbacks, hostility, and the invisibility of queer women within mainstream and marginal spaces and endeavors. Such a list also fosters encouragement and solidarity, and elevates voices and achievements—from high-profile roles to under appreciated areas of life.”
Rehoboth Beach
Auction of Rehoboth’s Blue Moon canceled
Details on sale of iconic bar, restaurant not disclosed
The Blue Moon in Rehoboth Beach, Del., has been an iconic presence in the local LGBTQ community for four decades but its status remains murky after a sheriff’s auction of the property was abruptly called off on Tuesday.
The property was listed for sale in December. At that time, owner Tim Ragan told the Blade that he is committed to preserving its legacy as a gay-friendly space.
“We had no idea the interest this would create,” Ragan said in December. “I guess I was a little naive about that.”
Ragan explained that he and longtime partner Randy Haney were separating the real estate from the business. The two buildings associated with the sale were listed by Carrie Lingo at 35 Baltimore Ave., and include an apartment, the front restaurant (6,600 square feet with three floors and a basement), and a secondary building (roughly 1,800 square feet on two floors). They were listed for $4.5 million.
The bar and restaurant business is being sold separately; the price was not publicly disclosed.
But then, earlier this year, the Blue Moon real estate listing turned up on the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office auction site. The auction was slated for Tuesday, April 21 but hours before the sale, the listing changed to “active under contract” indicating that a buyer has been found but the sale is not yet final. As of Wednesday morning, the listing has been removed from the sheriff’s auction site.
Ragan didn’t respond to Blade inquiries about the auction. Back in December, he told the Blade, “It’s time to look for the next people who can continue the history of the Moon and cultivate the next chapter,” noting that he turns 70 this year. “We’re not panicked; we separated the building from the business. Some buyers can’t afford both.”
The identity of the buyer was not disclosed, nor was the sale price.
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