News
Obamas, Bidens won’t attend Russian Olympics
Two lesbian athletes chosen amid calls for stand against Putin’s anti-gay crackdown
Billie Jean King will be part of the U.S. delegation to the Sochi Olympics. (Photo by Andrew Coppa Photography)
Amid concerns over the anti-gay climate in Russia, the White House announced on Tuesday the U.S. delegation to the Winter Olympics in Sochi wouldn’t include either the Obama or the Biden families, but instead two accomplished members of the LGBT community.
Billie Jean King, a member of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, was tapped as one of five members of the delegation for the opening ceremony. For the closing ceremonies, lesbian ice hockey Olympian Caitlin Cahow, was named as part of the five-member delegation.
In the announcement on Tuesday, no member of the first or second families was named as part of the delegation for the opening or closing ceremony. Also, no statement from Obama or any White House official accompanied the announcement.
Instead, Janet Napolitano, president of the University of California system and former secretary of homeland security, was tapped to the lead the delegation for the opening ceremony. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns was selected to lead the delegation for the closing ceremony.
Shin Inouye, a White House spokesperson, said in a follow-up email to the Blade that Obama is proud of U.S. athletes and will root for them even though Obama’s schedule “doesn’t allow him to travel to Sochi.”
“President Obama is extremely proud of our U.S. athletes and looks forward to cheering them on from Washington as they compete in the best traditions of the Olympic spirit,” Inouye said. “He knows they will showcase to the world the best of America – diversity, determination, and teamwork.”
Inouye maintained Obama has sent a “high-level delegation” to Sochi in his place that includes several individuals who served or have once served in the administration.
“The U.S. delegation to the Olympic Games represents the diversity that is the United States,” Inouye said. “All our delegation members are distinguished by their accomplishments in government service, civic activism, and sports. We are proud of each and every one of them and think they will serve as great ambassadors of the United States to the Olympic Games.”
The White House announced King and Cahow would take part in the delegation after the U.S.-based international rights group Human Rights First called on the administration to include LGBT people as part of the delegation. The call was echoed by other LGBT groups: the Human Rights Campaign, the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, All Out and the Council for Global Equality.
Concerns over the anti-LGBT record in Russia consist of the country’s recently passed law barring pro-gay propaganda to minors, another prohibiting same-sex couples in foreign countries from adopting Russian children and continuing reports of anti-LGBT hostility and violence in the country.
Shawn Gaylord, advisory counsel to Human Rights First, praised the Obama administration for taking the organization’s advice about the inclusion of LGBT leaders in the U.S. delegation to the Olympics.
“We are pleased to see the Obama administration take action in line with our recommendations to have LGBT people included in the delegation and believe this can send a positive message to the LGBT community in Russia, as well as to Russian government officials,” Gaylord said. “The selection of this delegation displays to the international community the American values of respect and equality for all.”
Mark Bromley, chair of the Council for Global Equality, said the absence of the Obamas and the Bidens from the delegation was appropriate as was the inclusion of LGBT figures.
“We are pleased that the delegation is at a lower level than might otherwise be expected and that it includes such an important LGBT sports legend,” Bromley said. “In both respects, we hope the delegation’s composition and its members will give voice to our country’s disdain for Russia’s persecution of its LGBT citizens.”
Michael Cole-Schwartz, spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign, also commended the White House for its choices regarding the Olympics delegation.
“Given Russia’s deplorable law against LGBT people, the makeup of this delegation is entirely appropriate,” Cole-Schwartz said. “Particularly the inclusion of openly gay athletes sends a message to the world that the U.S. values the civil and human rights of LGBT people.”
The Obamas’ decision not to attend the Olympics in 2014 — unlike in 2012, when Michelle Obama led the delegation to the London Olympics — follows the announcement by several world leaders that they would skip the games. Notably, the announcement from the White House came less than two months ahead of the games; an announcement was made four months ahead of time for the 2012 Olympics in London.
The Belgian press reported on Tuesday that Belgian and Flemish Prime Ministers, Elio Di Rupo and Kris Peeters, have no plans to attend the Winter Olympics. Without explaining the decision further, French President Francois Hollande and other French officials announced they wouldn’t attend the Olympics. German President Joachim Gauck and European Union commissioner Viviane Reding earlier made similar announcements.
In an August interview, the Blade asked King whether she feels athletes should boycott the Olympics over the anti-gay atmosphere in country. Recalling Tommie Smith and John Carlos, who raised their fists in the air as they stood on the medal podium at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, King said athletes should decide for themselves.
“The athletes who have the most to derive from it and the least to derive from it if they don’t go, I think they should get the vote,” she said. “This is the Olympics. This is about the athletes and the fans, so it’s a really hard call.”
Michael K. Lavers contributed to this report.
Israel
ILGA World reinstates Israeli LGBTQ rights group
The Aguda was suspended from global organization in October 2024
ILGA World has announced it will reinstate an Israeli LGBTQ rights group.
The global advocacy group’s board last fall voted unanimously to suspend the Aguda, the Association for LGBTQ+ Equality in Israel, after it withdrew its bid to host the 2026/2027 ILGA World Conference. ILGA World in a May 1 statement said the Aguda’s reinstatement will take effect on Oct. 27, 2025, a year after the suspension began.
“The decision, made by a majority vote, follows an investigation by ILGA World’s Disputes Resolution Committee, composed of elected board members,” reads the statement. “The committee assessed the complaints it received on whether the Aguda aligned with ILGA World’s constitutional principles.”
The statement notes that while the complaint against the Aguda “was deemed substantive — particularly due to the Aguda’s reluctance to condemn war crimes plausibly amounting to genocide in Gaza, the committee acknowledged that ‘the Aguda actively continues to provide support to LGBTI communities.'”
“The ILGA World board took into account that requiring member organizations to take a public stance on their government positions and actions, and holding them accountable for not doing so, would create a precedent that could be harmful to our membership in many countries,” it adds.
The statement further notes the ILGA World board’s decision “is not an endorsement of the Aguda’s position, actions, or silence on the war in Gaza.”
The decision to suspend the Aguda took place less than a month after Israel marked the first anniversary of Oct. 7.
Hamas militants on Oct. 7, 2023, killed roughly 1,200 people, including upwards of 360 people at the Nova Music Festival, when they launched a surprise attack against southern Israel.
The Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry says Israeli forces have killed tens of thousands of people in the enclave since Oct. 7. Fifty-nine hostages who were kidnapped in Israel on that day remain in the Gaza Strip.
Aguda CEO Yael Sinai Biblesh stated:
“ILGA’s decision to reinstate the Aguda is an important step that recognizes our longstanding contribution to advancing LGBTQ+ rights in Israel,” said Aguda CEO Yael Sinai Biblesh in a statement her organization sent to the Washington Blade on Monday. “However, we regret that the suspension was not lifted immediately and instead extended until October.”
“We chose to fight for our voice in spaces where the discourse is difficult and complex, because we believe that’s exactly where our presence is most needed — to enable nuanced and respectful conversations and discussions,” she added. “The Aguda will continue to collaborate with organizations around the world in order to defend the rights of all people under the LGBTQ+ umbrella across all sectors in Israel — both Arab and Jewish, even in the most challenging times.”
ILGA Asia on Monday issued a statement in which it said it disagrees with the decision to reinstate the Aguda.
“While we acknowledge the decision of the ILGA World board, we note that the motion to lift the suspension was not adopted unanimously,” said the ILGA Asia Executive Board. “Following consultations with the ILGA Asia Executive Board, our representatives on the ILGA World board did not support the motion. Our decision was guided by deep conscience, regional accountability, and unyielding commitment to justice, dignity, and solidarity.”
ILGA Asia made the following points.
• We fully recognize the process undertaken by ILGA World’s Disputes Resolution Committee. However, we believe that the following factors were not adequately addressed:
• The significant harm and internal division caused by the Aguda’s 2024 bid to host the World Conference in Israel, at a time of escalating genocide and humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza
• The lack of a public stance from The Aguda on war crimes and human rights violations in Gaza, which we view as inconsistent with the universality of human rights espoused by ILGA
• The presence of content glorifying militarism on their public platforms raises concerns about alignment with ILGA’s principles of peace and nonviolence
• And the unresolved harm and trauma experienced by many within the ILGA family — particularly Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim members — warranted a longer and more restorative process before reinstatement.
“We acknowledge that the majority of the ILGA World Board justified the decision on the grounds that civil society organizations should not be automatically held accountable for the actions of their governments,” reads the statement. “While this argument holds relevance in many repressive contexts, we respectfully diverge from this rationale in this case, where silence amid atrocity has direct and harmful consequences.”
The ILGA Asia Executive Board’s full statement can be found here.
Australia
Australian prime minister re-elected
Anthony Albanese marched in 2023 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Saturday won re-election.
Albanese’s Labor Party defeated the Liberal Party that Peter Dutton led.
Dutton, who lost his seat in parliament, quickly conceded to Albanese, who is the first Australian prime minister to win re-election in 21 years. Foreign Minister Penny Wong, a lesbian who represents South Australia in the Australian Senate, on Saturday introduced Albanese at his victory party.
“Today the Australian people have voted for Australian values; for fairness, aspiration, and opportunity for all, for the strength to show courage in adversity, and kindness to those in need,” said Albanese. “Australians have voted for a future that holds true to these values.”
(9News Australia)
Albanese has been prime minister since 2022. In 2023 he became the first Australian prime minister to march in the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade.
Voters re-elected Albanese less than a week after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and his Liberal Party won the country’s federal election. The Trump-Vance administration’s global tariffs are among the issues that factored into both country’s votes.
“Congratulations to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on his victory in Australia’s federal election,” said Secretary of State Marco Rubio on X. “Australia is a valued U.S. friend and a close partner.”
“We look forward to continuing to promote freedom and security in the Indo-Pacific and around the world,” he added.
Virginia
Va. LG opposed marriage equality affirmation bill in handwritten note
Winsome Earle-Sears constitutionally required to sign HB 174 as Senate president
Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears last year in a handwritten note indicated her opposition to marriage rights for same-sex couples when she signed a bill that affirmed marriage equality in the state.
Brandon Jarvis of Virginia Scope on May 1 published Earle-Sears’s note on House Bill 174, which state Del. Rozia Henson, a Prince William County Democrat who is gay, introduced.
The Virginia Senate passed HB 174 by a 22-17 vote margin, and the state constitution required Earle-Sears to sign it as the chamber’s president. Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed the measure into law after it received bipartisan support.
“As the lieutenant governor, I recognize and respect my constitutional obligation to adhere to procedures set out in the constitution of Virginia,” wrote Earle-Sears in her note. “However, I remain morally opposed to the content of HB 174 as passed by the General Assembly.”
Earle-Sears, a former U.S. Marine who served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 2002-2004, in 2021 became the first woman elected Virginia’s lieutenant governor. Activists have criticized her for her opposition to LGBTQ rights in Virginia.
She sparked controversy last year when she misgendered state Sen. Danica Roem (D-Manassas), who is transgender, on the Senate floor. Earle-Sears has also spoken at the Conservative Political Action Conference.
Earle-Sears is running to succeed Youngkin as governor once his term ends in January 2026. She will likely face former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat who previously represented Virginia’s 7th Congressional District.
John Reid, a conservative talk show host who is openly gay, last month secured the Republican nomination to succeed Earle-Sears as lieutenant governor. Youngkin has called for Reid to end his campaign amid reports that he posted “pornographic content” on social media.
Reid has strongly denied the reports.
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