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D.C. Council considers LGBTQ Pride license plates

Similar bill died in committee in 2022

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D.C. Councilmember Robert White (D-At-Large) reintroduced a bill this week calling for the creation of LGBTQ Pride license plates. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

D.C. Councilmember Robert White (D-At-Large) reintroduced a bill this week calling for the creation of “LGBTQ Pride” license plates for motor vehicles licensed in the city for a small annual fee that will help fund the city’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs.

Eight other Council members joined White as co-introducers of the bill, indicating it has at least nine members of the 13-member Council as supporters of the bill.

The legislation, called the Pride Plates Amendment Act of 2023, states that, “The Mayor shall design and make available for issue one or more LGBTQ Pride motor vehicle tags demonstrating support for the LGBTQ community.”

The bill calls for amending the existing law that created the Mayor’s Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Affairs to create an Office of LGBTQ Affairs Fund. The revenue received by the D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles from a fee to be charged for the LGBTQ Pride tags will be deposited into the newly created Office of LGBTQ Affairs Fund, according to the bill.

“Money in the Fund shall be used by the Office to support programs that promote the welfare of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning community,” the bill states.

“A resident ordering an LGBTQ Pride tag shall pay a one-time application fee and a display fee each year thereafter,” the bill declares. “The application fee shall be $25, and the display fee shall be $20, or such other amount that may be established by the Mayor by rule,” the bill says.

The LGBTQ Affairs Office, among other things, awards grants to community based organizations that provide services to the LGBTQ community, including groups that provide support for homeless LGBTQ youth. Japer Bowles, a longtime local LGBTQ rights advocate, is the current director of the office.

Although the office is funded through the city’s annual budget, the revenue generated by the fees for the proposed Pride license plates is expected to strengthen its ability to support local LGBTQ related programs and services.

In a development that most LGBTQ activists were unaware of, White introduced a similar bill last year, but it appears to have died in the Council’s Committee on Transportation & The Environment, which never took a vote to release the bill to the full Council.

The committee at the time was chaired by Councilmember Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3) who chose not to run for re-election last year and is no longer on the Council. At a public hearing on the bill last July, Cheh expressed concern that an LGBTQ Pride license plate could be interpreted by a court to be a political message that would require the city to approve other political messages on license plates such as opposition to abortion.  

Council records show that the bill last year had also been sent to the Council’s Committee on Government Operations and Facilities, which was chaired by Robert White. In a Sept. 22, 2022 report announcing its approval of the bill, the committee disputed Cheh’s suggestion that the political nature of a license plate supportive of the LGBTQ community could result in the city being forced to release license plates with political views opposing abortion or other views at odds with the city’s progressive positions.

“The committee does not share this concern,” the committee report says. “Under longstanding U.S. Supreme Court precedent, governments are allowed to decide the content of their own speech,” the report states.

Cheh, who is a professor at George Washington University Law School, could not immediately be reached for comment.

The Committee on Transportation & The Environment, where the newly introduced bill was sent this week, is currently chaired by Councilmember Charles Allen (D-Ward 6), who is one of the co-introducers of White’s bill.

A statement released by White’s office on Wednesday points out that the city’s Department of Motor Vehicles currently offers a wide variety of other specialty license plates expressing support for causes such as veterans with disabilities, breast cancer awareness, bicycle safety, protection for the Anacostia River, and opposition to taxation of D.C. residents without congressional representation.

“The District’s LGBTQ community is incredibly vibrant and active across our city,” White says in the statement released by his office. “Unfortunately, LGBTQ people around the country are being persecuted,” he says in the statement. “This bill reaffirms the District’s dedication to our LGBTQ residents and visitors, and also gives drivers an opportunity to make a difference with small but meaningful recurring contributions to OLGBTQA” [the Office of LGBTQ Affairs].

White added in the statement that he is excited that D.C. could have its Pride plates when the city hosts World Pride 2025, the international LGBTQ Pride event.

The other Council members who signed on as co-introducers of the bill include Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5), the Council’s only openly gay member; Charles Allen (D-Ward 6), Vincent Gray (D-Ward 7), Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2), Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4) Christina Henderson (I-At-Large), Kenyan McDuffie (I-At-Large), and Matthew Frumin (D-Ward 3).

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District of Columbia

Gay ANC member announces candidacy for Ward 1 D.C. Council seat

Community leader Brian Footer seeking seat held by Brianne Nadeau

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Brian Footer (Photo courtesy of Brian Footer for D.C.)

Gay Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Brian Footer, a community activist who has been involved for many years in local and national government affairs, has announced his candidacy for the Ward 1 D.C. Council seat up for election in 2026.

Footer, a Democrat, will be running in the city’s June 2, 2026, Democratic primary for the Ward 1 Council seat, but it is uncertain whether he will be running against incumbent Ward 1 Council member Brianne Nadeau (D). Nadeau has not yet announced if she plans to run for re-election for a fourth term following her 12 years on the Council.

 Nadeau has been a longtime vocal supporter of the LGBTQ community.  

If Footer were to win the primary and the November 2026 general election, he would become the Council’s second openly gay member. Ward 5 Council member Zachary Parker (D) is currently the 13-member Council’s only gay member.

Footer is a three-term ANC commissioner who currently serves as Chair of ANC 1E, which represents the city’s Adams Morgan neighborhood.

“Brian has worked at every level of government — federal, state, and local — building a career rooted in public service, aging policy, and inclusive urban planning,”  a statement on his campaign website says.

“I’m running for Council because too many people in Ward 1 are doing everything right and still feel ignored by the city they call home,” Footer states on his website.

“I’m running because we can do better,” his statement continues. “That means making housing more affordable, addressing homelessness with real solutions, and keeping our neighborhoods safe with smart, community focused strategies.”

When contacted by the Washington Blade for comment, Nadeau said she was not ready at this time to discuss her plans about running again or about Footer’s candidacy.

“The primary is a ways away, and I’m very focused right now on the budget and the stadium deal and all the work that we’re doing at the Council,” she told the Blade. “So, I really haven’t had time to turn to my plans. So, as a result, I’m also not going to be commenting on anybody else who is determined that they’re running at this time.” 

She first won election to the Council in 2014 after she defeated four-term gay Ward 1 Council member Jim Graham in the Democratic primary after Graham became embroiled in an ethics controversy.

In the 2022 Democratic primary Nadeau defeated gay challenger Salah Czapary in a three-candidate race, by a margin of 48.5% of the vote compared to Czapary’s 30.9%.

With the third candidate, Sabel Harris, receiving 20.4%, the outcome showed that the two challengers had a combined total vote count higher than Nadeau.

Further details of Footer’s candidacy can be accessed from his campaign website, brianfooterdc.com.

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District of Columbia

Gay GOP group hosts Ernst, 3 House members — all of whom oppose Equality Act

Log Cabin, congressional guest speakers mum on June 25 event

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Sen. Joni Ernst spoke to D.C.’s Log Cabin group. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and three women Republican members of the U.S. House appeared as guest speakers at the June 25 meeting of Log Cabin Republicans of D.C., the local chapter of the national LGBTQ Republican group with that same name.

The U.S. House members who joined Ernst as guest speakers at the Log Cabin meeting were Celeste Maloy (R-Utah), Kat Cammack (R-Fla.), and Julia Letlow (R-La.).

Neither D.C. Log Cabin Republicans President Andrew Minik nor spokespersons for Ernst or the three congresswomen immediately responded to a request by the Washington Blade for comment on the GOP lawmakers’ appearance at an LGBTQ GOP group’s meeting.

“Please join us for an inspiring evening as we celebrate and recognize the bold leadership and accomplishments of Republican women in Congress,” a D.C Log Cabin announcement sent to its members states.

“This month’s meeting will highlight the efforts of the Republican Women’s Caucus and explore key issues such as the Protection of Women and Girls In Sports Act and the broader fight to preserve women’s spaces in society,” the message says.

It was referring to legislation pending in Congress calling for banning transgender women from participating in women’s sports events. 

According to media reports, Ernst and the three congresswomen have expressed opposition to the Equality Act, the longstanding bill pending in Congress calling for prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in the areas of employment, housing, and public accommodations. 

The Log Cabin announcement says the meeting was scheduled to take place at the Royal Sands Social Club, which is a restaurant and bar at 26 N St., S.E. in the city’s Navy Yard area.    

D.C. Log Cabin member Stuart West, who attended the meeting, confirmed that Ernst and the three congresswomen showed up and spoke at the event.

“It was a good turnout,” he said. “I would definitely say probably 30 or 40 people attended.” West added, “Four women came to talk to a group of mostly gay men. That’s something you don’t see very often.” 

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D.C. police seek public’s help in July 5 murder of trans woman

Relative disputes initial decision not to list case as hate crime

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Daquane ‘Dream’ Johnson (Photo courtesy of family)

D.C. police are seeking help from the public in their investigation into the murder of a transgender woman who they say was shot to death at about 12:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 5, on the 2000 block of Benning Road, N.E.

But the police announcement of the fatal shooting and a police report obtained by the Washington Blade do not identify the victim, 28-year-old Daquane ‘Dream’ Johnson of Northeast D.C., as transgender. And the police report says the shooting is not currently listed as a suspected hate crime.

It was local transgender activists and one of Johnson’s family members, her aunt, who confirmed she was transgender and said information they obtained indicates the killing could have been a hate crime.

“On Saturday, July 5, at approximately 12:51 a.m., Sixth District officers were flagged down in the 2000 block of Benning Road, Northeast, for an unconscious female,” a July 5 D.C. police statement says. “Upon arrival, officers located an adult female victim suffering from gunshot wounds,” it says.

“D.C. Fire and EMS responded to the scene and transported the victim to a local hospital where after all lifesaving efforts failed and the victim was pronounced dead,” the statement says.

A separate police flyer with a photo of Johnson announces an award of $25,000 was being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the murder.

The flyer identifies D.C. police Homicide Detective Natasha Kennedy as being the lead investigator in the case and says anyone with information about the case should contact her at 202-380-6198.

Longtime D.C. transgender rights advocate Earline Budd told the Blade that one of the police investigators contacted her about the case and that she also spoke to Detective Kennedy. Budd said police confirmed to her that Johnson was a transgender woman.

(Photo courtesy of family)

One of Johnson’s family members, Vanna Terrell, who identified herself as Johnson’s aunt, told the Blade that Johnson used the first name of Dream and had planned to legally adopt that name instead of Daquane but had not gotten around to doing so.

Terrell said she and other family members learned more about the incident when one of two teenage high school students who knew Johnson’s brother contacted a friend and told the friend that they recognized Johnson as they witnessed the shooting. Terrell said the friend then called her to tell her what the friend learned from the two witnesses.

According to Terrell, the witnesses reportedly saw three men approach Johnson as Johnson walked along Benning Road and one of them called Johnson a derogatory name, leading Terrell to believe the men recognized Johnson as a transgender woman.

Terrell said one of the witnesses told the friend, who spoke to Terrell, that the man who shot Johnson kept shooting her until all of the bullets were fired. Budd, who said she spoke to Terrell, who also told her what the witnesses reported, said she believed the multiple shots fired by the shooter was an “overkill” that appears to have been a hate crime. Terrell said she too believes the murder was a hate crime.

In response to an inquiry from the Blade, Officer Ebony Major, a D.C. police spokesperson, stated in an email, “At this point there is nothing in the investigation that indicates the offense was motivated by hate or bias.”

Terrell said a memorial gathering to honor Johnson’s life was scheduled to be held Saturday, July 12, at River Terrace Park, which is located at 500 36th St., N.E. not far from where the shooting occurred.

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