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National News in Brief: July 1

13 U.S. Senators release an ‘It Gets Better’ video, Chicago Pride parade marred by vandalism and a new court case for marriage in New Jersey

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Kristen Gillibrand

Kristen Gillibrand joined 12 other U.S. Senators in a new 'It Gets Better' video. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

13 senators release ‘It Gets Better’ video

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Mark Udall (D-Col.), and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) unveiled a new “It Gets Better,” Wednesday, aimed at encouraging LGBT youth not to give up when facing bullying and depression.

The video also features Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).

A study released last year by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network found 90 percent of LGBT students were harassed at school. The ‘It Gets Better Project,’ which has produced more than 10,000 encouraging videos for LGBT youth from everyone from the president to sports teams, seeks to ease those fears for youth.

“We’re proud so many elected officials are working to make it better for struggling LGBT youth and hope other leaders from both sides of the aisle will join them,” said Scott Zumwalt, a spokesperson for the It Gets Better Project.

Chicago Pride marred by violence

CHICAGO — Despite celebrating the beginning of Illinois’ civil unions law, vandalism prior to the Chicago Pride march cast a pall over the Midwest’s best-attended Pride parade, Sunday.

Tires were slashed on 51 floats gathered in a lot operated by Associated Attractions. Several of the entries were forced to abandon their floats completely.

“It was a reminder of why we are still marching in the streets with pride celebrating the LGBTQ community in remembrance of the beginning of the fight for our civil rights,” said Anthony Martinez, executive director of the Civil Rights Agenda whose float won “Best Organizational Float,” despite being damaged.

During the Lincoln Park neighborhood-based parade, tensions heightened by overcrowding led to several fights, which forced Chicago police to reroute parts of the contingent at the last minute. During the violence at least one parked car was damaged near the route.

“I think the violent act that started the Pride parade and the overcrowding set a negative tone for some bystanders,” said Lindsey Dietzler co-founder of the Video Action League. “Some organizations and businesses like GayCo and Berlin had their floats diverted and were devastated to be unable to participate in the parade after months of hard work.”

Andy Thayer, co-founder of the Gay Liberation Front, said the vandalism was “clearly a hate crime,” and suggested that the violence during the Pride parade was due to overcrowding from Pride-goers running into fans arriving for a Cubs game blocks away from the path of the parade.

“With all the perks that professional sports teams get in our town, you’d think that the mayor and aldermen could jaw-bone the Cubs into scheduling away-games on Pride weekend,” Thayer said.

Group files suit in N.J. seeking marriage rights

TRENTON, N.J. — On Wednesday, Lambda Legal, Garden State Equality and seven same-sex couples announced Garden State Equality v. Dow, a new suit against New Jersey in an effort to correct what advocates call inequalities in the state’s institutions for recognizing same-sex couples.

In a joint statement, the groups announced the case “argues that the civil union law violates both the New Jersey Constitution and the Fourteenth Amendment of the federal Constitution.”

In Lewis v. Harris October 2006, the New Jersey Supreme Court struck down as unequal a domestic partnership registry law enacted in 2003, compelling the state legislature to offer the same rights to same-sex couples as opposite-sex married couples. However, in December, the lawmakers turned down the opportunity to become the second marriage equality state and opted instead for civil unions.

In 2009, outgoing Gov. John Corzine pushed to upgrade the unions to full marriage, but a bill failed to pass. Current Gov. Chris Christie is opposed to same-sex marriage.

In addition to naming workplace benefits, and medical visitation as primary reasons for upgrading civil unions to marriages, the statement concludes “exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage deprives them and their children of their dignity as a family and certainty in their legal rights and status to each other.”

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Arizona

Shooting outside gay bar in Ariz. leaves three dead

Tucson police investigating double murder-suicide as a hate crime

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The shooting happened outside Venture-N bar in Tucson, Ariz. (Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)

Three people were fatally shot outside a gay bar in Tucson, Ariz., early Monday morning, about a mile from the city’s nightlife district.

Police have said the shooting, which took place in the parking lot of Venture-N bar at 1239 N. 6th Ave., was likely a hate crime and a double murder-suicide following a verbal altercation.

The suspect, Ousman Ceesay, allegedly shot Vincent Anthony Siqueiros and Cameron Davis Capara while they were outside the club around 12:30 a.m. Monday.

Reports show Capara and Siqueiros were pronounced dead at the scene. Ceesay died after being taken to a local hospital with gunshot wounds.

Police have also said that Ceesay was carrying a list of LGBTQ businesses at the time of the shooting.

Arizona Public Media has said police are investigating the case as a hate crime because the suspect was carrying a note containing the names of multiple LGBTQ-associated businesses.

“I am deeply saddened that another senseless loss of life has happened in our community,” Tucson Police Chief Monica Prieto said in a statement. “Bias-based crimes are especially heinous and have no place in our community.”

According to Prieto, there is no imminent threat to the community, and the Tucson Police Department is working to provide extra protection to various LGBTQ businesses across town.

Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva, who represents the area, issued a statement condemning the act of violence, which appears to have been at least in part motivated by homophobia.

“I am disgusted and deeply saddened to learn of a targeted act of hate and the cold-blooded murder of two members of our LGBTQIA+ community, Vincent Siqueiros and Cameron Capara, at the Venture-N bar in Tucson last night. This horrific attack is a painful reminder that even in welcoming communities like Tucson, hate and violence against the LGBTQIA+ community still exist.”

“When that hate is combined with easy access to firearms, the consequences can be deadly. I am sick and tired of Congress refusing to lift a finger to protect our communities while, every day, dozens of people are shot and killed across the country. It does not have to be this way. The House of Representatives is returning to session this week, and our first action should be passing common-sense gun safety reforms that we know can save lives.”

Other federal lawmakers also condemned the shooting.

The Congressional Equality Caucus, which is made up of federal legislators advancing LGBTQ interests, issued a statement after news broke.

“Our hearts are with the friends and loved ones of the victims of this devastating attack outside a Tucson gay bar and with the Tucson LGBTQI+ community,” it said on X. “No one should fear violence because of who they are — and we’re going to continue fighting to build a world where no one does.”

The Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQ organization in the country, released a statement following the shooting.

“We are heartbroken by the loss of Vincent Anthony Siqueiros and Cameron Davis Capara and our hearts are with their families, loved ones, and the entire Tucson LGBTQ+ community. Once again, we are reminded that gun violence robs people of their lives, destroys families, and devastates communities.”

A candlelight vigil honoring the victims is planned for Sept. 2 at 6:30 p.m. at Catalina Park in North Tucson.

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Congress

HRC president campaigns for Chris Pappas in NH

Gay congressman running to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen

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Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson, left, campaigns with U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) in Manchester, N.H., on Aug. 30, 2026. (Photo courtesy of the Human Rights Campaign)

Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson on Sunday campaigned for U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) in New Hampshire.

Robinson traveled to Manchester, the state’s largest city, nine days before the Sept. 8 primary that will determine who will vie for retiring U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.)’s seat.

Former U.S. Sen. John E. Sununu, who represented New Hampshire in the U.S. Senate from 2003-2009, will face off against former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, who represented Massachusetts in the U.S. Senate from 2010-2013, in the Republican primary.

Karishma Manzur is among the Democrats challenging Pappas.

A poll the University of New Hampshire Survey Center released on Aug. 26 shows Sununu is ahead of Brown. The same survey shows Pappas ahead of Manzur and his other Democratic challengers.

The UNH Survey Center poll shows Sununu ahead of Pappas by a 45-43 percent margin if they were to face off in the general election. The margin of error is +/-2.1 percent.

Pappas would become the first openly gay man elected to the U.S. Senate if he were to win in November.

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National

Milo Yiannopoulos deported to UK

ICE arrested far-right provocateur in New Orleans on Thursday

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Milo Yiannopoulos (Photo via Homeland Security @DHSgov/X account)

Editor’s note: The Department of Homeland Security on Saturday said Milo Yiannopoulos has been deported to the U.K.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Thursday arrested far-right provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos.

A DHS spokesperson in a statement sent to the Washington Blade said ICE arrested Yiannopoulos, who they described as “an illegal alien from the United Kingdom,” at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.

The DHS spokesperson said Yiannopoulos “legally entered the country” in New York on May 14, 2019.

“He chose to overstay his welcome in violation of our nation’s laws,” said the spokesperson.

The DHS spokesperson said an immigration judge on July 22 “issued a final order of removal” for Yiannopoulos “after failing to show up for his immigration hearing.” The Times-Picayune newspaper in New Orleans on Friday reported Yiannopoulos is being held at an ICE detention center in Alexandria, La., which is about 200 miles northwest of the Crescent City.

“He will remain in ICE custody pending removal,” said the DHS spokesperson.

Yiannopoulos has, among other things, repeatedly targeted transgender people and Muslims.

The American Conservative Union, which organizes the annual Conversative Political Action Conference, in 2017 disinvited Yiannopoulos from speaking at that year’s CPAC after a video in which he appeared to condone sex between adults and underage boys emerged. Yiannopoulos subsequently resigned from Breitbart News, a far-right news website, where he had been a senior editor.

Yiannopoulos later that year married his boyfriend in Hawaii. The far-right provocateur in 2021 claimed he was an “ex-gay.”

The Australian government in 2019 banned Yiannopoulos from entering the country “on character grounds.” Yiannopoulos was also banned from Facebook, Twitter (now X), and other social media platforms.

Milo Yiannopoulos speaks at a “Gays for Trump” event during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

The Times-Picayune reported Yiannopoulos “most recently worked for” Ye, formerly known as Kanye West.

The controversial rapper is scheduled to perform in New Orleans on Friday.

Laura Loomer, a far-right conspiracy theorist who is close to President Donald Trump, has called for Yiannopoulos’s deportation. Loomer on Friday wrote on X that she “reported him to ICE and the FBI” after he “called for me to be assassinated.”

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