News
New momentum for ENDA as Senate vote nears
Senate Dems united in support of legislation
Now that Sen. Joe Manchin has said he’ll vote for ENDA, the entire Senate Democratic caucus is on board (Photos public domain).
In the days after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced on Monday a floor vote would take place on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act before Thanksgiving, the Democratic caucus has become united on the bill, but some Republican senators are still undecided.
Following Reid’s announcement, the three Democratic holdouts — Sens. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) — signaled they’d support the legislation as Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) reportedly said he’s “inclined to support” the measure.
Meanwhile, Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) expressed opposition to ENDA in its current form and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) may be wavering following his support for the bill in committee.
Reid said during his routine weekly news conference on Tuesday that he feels “pretty good” about ENDA, but wasn’t more specific about the timing of the vote.
“I don’t know if we’ll do it next week but we’re going to do it this work period,” Reid said. “The lead Democrat on that has been [Sen.] Jeff Merkley of Oregon and he said earlier today he has 59 supporters. So, that’s pretty good. That’s counting a new senator on Thursday.”
The bill, which has languished in Congress in various versions since the 1970s, would prohibit businesses from discriminating against or firing workers for being LGBT.
Merkley, ENDA’s chief sponsor, was optimistic when speaking with the Washington Blade on Capitol Hill about whether he thinks the bill will pass the Senate.
“I think it will,” Merkley said. “There’s just a tremendous sense that this is an issue of fairness, an issue of equality under our Constitution, an issue of opportunity. If you don’t have a chance to have fairness in getting a job, you really don’t have a fair chance to live the American dream.”
Merkley wouldn’t predict the number of votes that ENDA will receive on the Senate floor and deferred details about the timing of the vote to Democratic leadership, but said “momentum continues to build.”
Following Nelson’s signal earlier Tuesday that he would become the 54th sponsor of ENDA, Pryor, in a development first reported by Arkansas Times, announced he’d vote for the legislation on the floor. Michael Teague, a Pryor spokesperson, confirmed to the Blade that Pryor “will vote ‘yes’ on ENDA.”
Tico Almeida, president of Freedom to Work, said Pryor’s support for ENDA is evidence that momentum for the legislation is “building fast.”
“We applaud him for standing up for basic fairness and predict that his decision will be supported by Arkansas business leaders from small to big,” Almeida said. “It helps that Wal-Mart, the state’s largest employer, has protected gay and lesbian workers from discrimination for nearly 10 years, and adopted workplace protections for transgender employees two years ago.”
The next day, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) signaled he’d also for vote ENDA. Asked whether he could confirm a tweet via the New York Times that the senator would vote for the bill, Jonathan Kott, a Manchin spokesperson, replied, “I can.”
Republicans hold differing views
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), a senator known for his outreach to the LGBT community, was optimistic when speaking to the Blade about ENDA’s chances on the Senate floor.
“I think it has a very good chance of passing; I’m very positive about it,” Schumer said. “There are at least four Republicans who have either voted for it, or committed to voting for it, and five or six other who seem positive. I’m very optimistic.”
One Republican who may be in that column is Portman, who earlier this year after learning his son is gay. The Cincinnati Inquirer reported that Portman said Tuesday he’s “inclined to support” ENDA.
Caitlin Dunn, a Portman spokesperson, told the Blade afterward the Ohio Republican supports the basic premise of the legislation, but has concerns about “religious liberties.”
“Sen. Portman agrees with the underlying principle of ENDA and supports ending unjust discrimination based on one’s sexual orientation,” Portman said. “He doesn’t think one of his constituents should be able to be fired just because he or she is gay. The bill as it stands, however, is not perfect, and he continues to discuss his concerns with the bill’s sponsors and is exploring ways to strengthen the bill, including its religious liberties provisions.”
But other Republicans considered possible “yes” votes on ENDA don’t share the same view.
Flake, who voted for a gay-only version of ENDA without transgender protections as U.S. House member in 2007, told the Blade in response to how he’ll vote on the bill this time around, “If it’s the House version, I’ll vote for it, like I did then.”
When the Blade pointed out that the 2013 version of ENDA in the Senate is different from the 2007 version in the House, Flake replied, “If they don’t change it, I’ll vote ‘no.'”
Asked if it was the trans protections in the current version of ENDA to which he had objections, Flake replied, “Yeah. I have issues with that.”
Another Republican previously cited as a potential “yes” vote on ENDA, Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) told the Blade he hadn’t seen ENDA, nor would he say if he was leaning to vote one way or the other.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) had similarly said he hasn’t thoroughly examined ENDA when speaking with the Blade, but indicated some initial concerns about the legislation.
“I need to look at the bill,” Rubio said. “I just saw yesterday news reports that it might come up next week, so I’ll be studying it. I can just tell you my initial read on it. I have concerns about it that I’ll address at a later time.”
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), identified by Freedom to Work as a potential ENDA supporter, was similarly non-committal about the legislation.
“I haven’t had a chance to examine it carefully,” McCain told the Blade. “I don’t know when it’s coming up to tell you the truth.”
The Washington Post reported last week that Cindy McCain, the senator’s wife, signed a postcard to her husband given to her by a Human Rights Campaign volunteer encouraging him to support ENDA.
McCain acknowledged he has received the postcard as he maintained he hasn’t yet taken a position on ENDA.
“My wife is — as most women are — a very independent thinker and is entitled to her views, and I respect those views — not only of my wife, but of my daughter and my sons,” McCain said.
Additionally, the two Republicans that joined Democrats on the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee in voting left the door open for them to vote “no” on the Senate floor when speaking with the Washington Blade.
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), one of these Republicans, gave himself considerable latitude in reversing the “yes” vote that he delivered in committee on ENDA.
“I’m looking at it,” Hatch said. “I want to make sure I understand it fully before I make a decision.”
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), the other Republican, also opened the door for her to vote “no” when asked if she’d vote on the floor for the bill she supported in committee.
“Obviously, we’re going to see what’s happening with amendments, but, yes, I was supportive of ENDA as it came out in committee, and I’m looking forward to seeing it on the floor,” Murkowski said.
Assuming these two Republicans continue their support for ENDA, the 54 sponsors of ENDA vote for it as well as Manchin and Pryor, the legislation now has the 59 votes that Reid cited during the news conference. That’s still one vote short of overcoming a filibuster.
Religious exemption draws concern
Meanwhile, concerns among some LGBT advocates persist over the religious exemption over fears the language is too broad and provides insufficient protection for LGBT people working at religious organizations.
The grassroots LGBT group GetEQUAL is petitioning Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) to speak out against ENDA’s broad religious exemptions on the floor of the Senate, touting more than 5,600 petition signatures.
Heather Cronk, managing director of GetEQUAL, said her organization doesn’t support ENDA with the current religious exemption in place.
“We don’t support the current version of ENDA specifically because the broad religious exemptions contained in the bill will set a really harmful precedent that discrimination against LGBT folks is acceptable if the person or institution discriminating simply claims religion,” Cronk said.
Currently, ENDA has a religious exemption that provides leeway for religious organizations, like churches or religious schools, to discriminate against LGBT employees. That same leeway isn’t found under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits religious organizations from discriminating on the basis of race, gender or national origin.
The lack of support for ENDA from GetEQUAL — as well as concern expressed by groups like the American Civil Liberties Union — recalls the discontinued support for ENDA in 2007 when the transgender protections were dropped before a House vote took place. Despite this concern, groups such as Freedom to Work and the Human Rights Campaign continue to support ENDA with its current religious exemption.
Merkley reiterated on Tuesday he’s happy with the current language, but noted there will be a debate process and opportunity for amendments on the Senate floor.
“I’m very satisfied with the religious exemption” Merkley said. “I’m sure there’ll be a variety of amendments put forward, but I think it strikes the right balance.”
According to sources familiar with the bill, Merkley rejected an ACLU proposal prior to ENDA’s introduction to limit the religious exemption.
One question is whether the White House is actively engaged in pushing lawmakers to support ENDA. On Monday, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told the Blade that President Obama “will encourage continued movement” on ENDA, but wouldn’t go into details about legislative strategy.
Merkley said he hasn’t seen the White House or Obama engage in lobbying efforts on ENDA, but assumed that would take place at a later point in time.
“At this point, the conversation has been mostly within the Senate, but I’m sure they’ll have something to say about it before we’re done,” Merkley said.
Among the undecided senators claiming that he hasn’t heard from the White House is Toomey. Asked by the Blade whether Obama or the White House has reached out to him about the bill, Toomey said he hasn’t heard anything.
Even if the Senate approves ENDA, the more challenging obstacle is passage in the House, where Republican control will make progress significantly more challenging.
For his part, Schumer said the vote in the Senate will create momentum regardless of the fate of ENDA in the House.
“You never know,” Schumer said. “You build momentum in the Senate and it’s the right thing do. Remember what Martin Luther King said, ‘The arc of history is long, but it bends in the direction of justice.’ So, that’s what I say with the House of Representatives.”
UPDATE: This article has been updated in the aftermath of news that Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) would sign on as an ENDA supporter.
Obituary
Remembering Elliot Leonard, generous visionary who helped LGBTQ communities thrive
‘You’re only here for a while … make something of it’
Elliot Leonard, the visionary co-founder and founding trustee of the Leonard-Litz LGBTQ+ Foundation, died on June 6 in Easton, Conn., at his home with his husband, Roger Litz, by his side. He left a legacy of generosity and support for LGBTQ+ organizations across the Northeast and beyond, and is remembered as the heart and soul of a mission that sought to uplift people and empower the LGBTQ+ community. Leonard was 88.
“His memory lives on in every small town Pride festival, every weekly support group of a Pride center, every foundation and benefactor that is inspired to follow his example,” the Foundation said in a statement following Leonard’s passing. “His vision lives and breathes in every young person free to discover their identity and in every person of any age who has the freedom and support to continue living their truth.”
Perhaps owing to the loss of his parents at a young age, and having grown up in a time when being young and gay was fraught, Leonard held a special place in his heart for LGBTQ youth. He simply wanted their lives to be better.
“Elliot wanted to do good in the world, and with all the LGBTQ+ folks locally that he became friendly with, he noticed a thread that most of us grew up with and saw, especially those of us of a certain age, where we had to hide our identities,” said Judy Troilo, executive director and trustee of the Leonard-Litz LGBTQ+ Foundation.
“Then when we came out, we dealt with adverse reactions. Kids need to be able to grow up in this very, very dangerous world when you are other than the majority… He also felt strongly about seniors and knew that many were lonely. He was looking at his age, and was very grateful for his life and the fact that he had a partner of 57 years that he loved very much.”
Launched in early 2021, the Leonard-Litz Foundation has granted more than $6 million to about 150 nonprofit organizations since inception – serving the LGBTQ+ community through advocacy, programs, and services that range from youth summer camps to mental health outreach. The Washington Blade Foundation is among those beneficiaries and the Leonard-Litz Foundation has served as a key sponsor of the annual Pride on the Pier celebration that brings tens of thousands of queer Washingtonians together each June.
Leonard measured his success by how many people the Foundation could bring together and how many people they could help, Troilo says.
“And because of all the hostility, anti-LGBTQ legislation and the fight we’re having on so many different levels – from academia to the work environment to government – we’ve widened the help to folks in areas where people are most disenfranchised, especially the trans community.”
With more than 6,000 connections of care made last year alone, the Triangle Community Center, located in South Norwalk, is a welcoming space where LGBTQ+ people feel safe, seen, and supported. TCC provides resources that include peer-to-peer youth support, AA gatherings, housing navigation, laundry and shower facilities, a food pantry, a gender-affirming closet and so much more.
It was Leonard’s involvement with TCC after permanently settling in Connecticut that set the wheels of inspiration in motion for his own foundation. By no means his first foray into charitable giving, as a funder and board member of TCC, Leonard saw the effects of what could be done at the ground level.
“He and Roger saw a great need in the LGBTQ+ community: well-funded community centers dedicated to serving the community, supported by courageous and generous benefactors willing to bring people together. He knew that if someone led the charge, others would follow,” his Foundation said in its tribute.
“He had ideas on how to do good work through a foundation that could have a more immediate and direct impact, and saw that he could really use his voice to make an impact on the LGBTQ community,” recalls Rachel Simon, TCC’s executive director.
Among the countless ways their Foundation helped, Leonard and Litz made it possible for TCC to build out its footprint with a large gathering space. Thanks to that expansion, TCC is now able to host more than 30 events each month, Simon says, including workshops and community dinners where people cultivate friendships, share ideas and network around work and activism.
Leonard was particularly proud to see vision turn to brick and mortar, when the Foundation was able to give Bridgeport – the largest city in Connecticut, and one of the largest in New England – an LGBTQ+ hub of its own. The Bridgeport Pride Center offers comprehensive support services and resources, along with an array of programming and events.
“Growing up in Bridgeport, I never imagined I would one day see a Pride Center or the incredible Pride celebrations our city now has,” said Jason A. Coombs, co-founder and executive director of the Bridgeport Film Fest. “Elliot’s vision, leadership, generosity, and unwavering belief in this community helped make those dreams a reality. As a member of the Bridgeport Pride Center Board, I know firsthand that we would not have the Pride Center we have today without his dedication, generosity and advocacy.”
Leonard’s intense need to support the community took on urgency amid the widespread bans and restrictions unleashed upon our most marginalized in recent years. In June 2026, the Leonard-Litz Foundation provided $25,000 for The Safe Harbor Fund, which assists out-of-state patients seeking reproductive and gender-affirming care that is legal in Connecticut, but would otherwise be unavailable to them in their states of residence.
“Elliot Leonard worked to expand opportunity for all people and remove barriers to their dignity, success, and happiness,” Connecticut State Treasurer Erick Russell shared. “He will be deeply missed, but his vision and generosity will live on through the Leonard-Litz Foundation. We are honored that the Foundation made the inaugural contribution to Connecticut’s Safe Harbor Fund — one of the many ways Elliot’s legacy will continue to impact lives for years to come.”
If there is a resounding motif, it is this: “Elliot didn’t back organizations. Elliot backed people,” Danny Loftus George, president of The Norwalk Conservatory of the Arts, shared at a June 29 gathering of remembrance at TCC. “He believed in people, and he was one of the best judges of character — one of his many superpowers.”
“Elliot believed in me. He changed my life. He changed the Norwalk Conservatory, and because of his contributions at NoCo, he changed the lives of thousands of students, faculty, community, and more.”
Elliot Leonard was born in Brooklyn on March 7, 1938. Before most young people were even beginning to discover who they are, Leonard had already experienced profound loss, Jeff Arnold, board member of TCC, shared at the memorial gathering. “Those early years demanded courage long before anyone should have to find it,” he said. “And rather than allowing hardship to define him, Elliot allowed it to strengthen him.”
After earning a bachelor’s degree from Brooklyn College, and law degree from UCLA, Leonard built an extraordinary career. He practiced corporate and real estate law for 20 years, and, inspired by his clients, became a full-fledged entrepreneur. His portfolio of success included the development of residential and commercial properties in California, and he was a principal founding member of the largest roofing and solar subcontractor company in the state. As a result of his business leadership and advocacy, Leonard was invited to serve on many boards, including the Orange County LGBTQ Center.
“Success came through intelligence, persistence, and an unwavering belief that difficult circumstances never have the final word,” Jeff Arnold said.
But it was not these accomplishments that Leonard was most proud of, Arnold reflected. It was Roger. As Arnold tells it, the two first met in 1970 at a Los Angeles gay bar. Litz didn’t initially think Leonard was his type. But the buttoned-up Leonard was persistent, and upon learning what Litz wanted in a partner—”to be loved, cherished, and adored”— Leonard made it clear that this wouldn’t be difficult to do.
It was the beginning of a 57-year love story that took them from California through countless trips and adventures, ultimately landing in Easton, Conn., where they cultivated the extraordinary gardens they were famously known for, and surrounded themselves with opera and art. As Arnold shared, “perhaps most importantly, [they] lived openly and honestly as gay men during decades when doing so often required tremendous courage.”
Leonard delighted in the untamed beauty of nature, and in time spent with friends amid statues, starlings, and blue jays in his extraordinary botanical landscape. There, Danny Loftus George affectionately recalled, Leonard dared to plant banana trees, simply because he loved them, even while knowing their time was limited in a climate unsuited to their survival.
Leonard also took immense joy from his expansive collection of art that included works from around the world and across a spectrum of styles. “He would collect what he loved,” said Troilo, who admired how Leonard wouldn’t think twice about placing folk art by an unknown young artist next to a Keith Haring. “I think his art represented his diversity as a person, but also his vision of equality,” she said. “He was saying that you’re as important.”
Leonard is remembered for his loving tenacity in challenging others to push harder. “Elliot would lean in with that spark in his eyes and say, ‘What’s next?'” Foundation trustee Andrew Mitchell-Namdar shared. “He never let us get comfortable. He believed right down to his bones that we could always do more. He didn’t just believe it; he modeled it every single day with the same energy and hope he brought to everything he touched.”
As for the man who made Leonard light up whenever he walked into a room, his husband, Roger Litz, told the gathering of chosen family, “Almost anyone could sense that this is a man who got things done and was on the right side. He was on the right side of humanity, and that’s a lot.” Leonard didn’t care for grandiosity, Litz said. If you said something nice to his face, Leonard was likely to get embarrassed. What he wanted to leave people with was this:
“You’re only here for a while, so it’s not a matter of making the best of it. Make something of it.”
Celebrity News
My evening with Madonna
Gay icon headlined the World Pride Music Festival in Amsterdam
Editor’s note: International News Editor Michael K. Lavers and Photo Editor Michael Key will be on assignment in the Netherlands through Aug. 10. They will be covering World Pride in Amsterdam.
AMSTERDAM — Madonna and 6,000 of her closest friends celebrated World Pride at Amsterdam’s AFAS Live concert hall early Sunday morning. I was fortunate enough to be one of them.
Madonna last Wednesday nearly broke the internet when she said on social media in Dutch that “I got somethin’ I wanna talk about,” referring to an opening line in “Danceteria,” one of the tracks on her “Confessions II” album that has received rave reviews since its July 2 release. The track has been on near constant replay on my playlist since I first heard it.
— Madonna (@Madonna) July 28, 2026
MISTR — a telehealth platform that offers free access to PrEP, Doxy PEP, STI testing, and long-term care that has organized Madonna’s Club Confessions shows in the U.S. and the U.K. — later confirmed the rampant speculation. I woke up on July 30 to an email in my inbox from MISTR and the World Pride Music Festival PR team that said I was on the press list.
Madonna was indeed going to headline the World Pride Music Festival that Jake Resnicow and Insomniac produced, and I was going to be there. OMFG!!!!
The gay icon had one more surprise in store.
The Dutch internet on Saturday once again broke over speculation that Kylie Minogue was going to appear alongside Madonna. I was getting ready to leave our hotel in Amsterdam on Saturday night when I saw a video of the two of them together.
“Madonna is now teasing Kylie Minogue on her social media … she may be one of her ‘special guests’ tonight,” I wrote in a text to Washington Blade Editor Kevin Naff at 8:46 p.m.
“Have fun! This is turning into the gayest concert ever,” he responded.
I arrived at AFAS Live shortly before 11 p.m. My press contact walked me and two other Dutch journalists into the venue’s cavernous main room known as the Black Box. We made small talk for a few minutes before I started to walk around and listen to Josh Harrison who was on the decks.
Madonna was scheduled to take the stage at 1:30 a.m., but she is known for being late — she is Madonna and she does what she wants. Hayla, a British singer, and Bebe Rexha are among those who performed ahead of Madonna. Thousands of sweaty men — including a group of Australians next to me who were eagerly awaiting Kylie’s anticipated appearance — packed the Black Box and were dancing, anticipating what was to come.
MISTR CEO Tristan Schukraft at one point came on stage and declared Madonna was indeed in the building. The moment for which we were all eagerly waiting finally came shortly before 2:30 a.m.
“Mother is here and this is gay heaven,” said Madonna when she took the stage.
Stuart Price, who produced her “Confessions on a Dance Floor” album in 2005, manned the decks during Madonna’s set.
She opened it with “I Feel So Free” from “Confessions II.” Madonna then sang “Bring Your Love” and “Danceteria” to which this reporter — and everyone else — sang along.
Madonna then teased a surprise before she began to perform “Love Sensation.” Kylie soon appeared on stage. It was nearly too much for my fellow partygoers from Australia. It was indeed the gayest concert ever!
Madonna and Kylie performed “Love Sensation” together. They then sang “Hung Up” and “Sorry” from “Confessions on a Dance Floor” to round out the set that ended shortly after 3 a.m.
Madonna and I share the same birthday — Aug. 16 — and I would like to think she and Kylie gave me an early birthday present. In all seriousness though, it was an amazing night for me and for everyone else who was fortunate enough to be there.
“On the dance floor I feel so free,” says Madonna in the opening of “I Feel So Free.”
For those few precious hours at AFAS Live I did not think about the Trump-Vance administration and the myriad ways it is destroying the U.S. I did not think about the National Guard troops deployed to D.C. I did not think about the pointless wars that continue to ravage Ukraine and other countries around the world. I simply lost myself on the dance floor and celebrated an icon who has always stood with my community.
Thank you, Madonna.
Netherlands
Amsterdam Pride Canal Parade draws hundreds of thousands
Gay Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten among participants
Editor’s note: International News Editor Michael K. Lavers and Photo Editor Michael Key are on assignment in the Netherlands through Aug. 10.
AMSTERDAM — Hundreds of thousands of people lined Amsterdam’s canals on Saturday for the city’s annual Amsterdam Pride Canal Parade.
Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, who is openly gay, is among those who participated in the parade that featured more than 80 boats. Participants held signs and posters that, among other things, read “proud to be intersex” and “lesbians love you and a free Palestine.”
The Washington Blade saw at least two attendees holding fans that read “fuck Trump.” One of the boats also compared President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin as “the kissing couple.”
(Washington Blade video by Michael K. Lavers)
(Washington Blade video by Michael K. Lavers)
The parade took place a week after a terrorist attack at Berlin’s Christopher Street Day left one person dead and more than two dozen others injured.
It passed the Homomonument, a memorial to gays and lesbians who have suffered persecution. The Homomonument has been transformed into a makeshift memorial to the victims of the July 25 terrorist attack in the German capital.
View on Threads
The Canal Parade took place during World Pride, which will end in Amsterdam on Aug. 9.
Remembering Elliot Leonard, generous visionary who helped LGBTQ communities thrive
My evening with Madonna
PHOTOS: Petal Release Party
Madonna headlines World Pride Music Festival in Amsterdam
Reggie White relishing first season as artistic director of Woolly Mammoth
PHOTOS: Lambda Legal in the Pines
Calendar: July 31-August 6
Taiwan’s government has failed to update process to change gender markers on ID documents
Come showcase your singing, poetry talent
