Media watchdog GLAAD announced nominees for its 36th annual GLAAD Media Awards on Wednesday encompassing more than 300 nominees in 33 categories.

The Washington Blade was nominated in the Outstanding Print Article category for, “Paris Olympics: More Queer Athletes, More Medals, More Pride, Less Grindr” by sports editor Dawn Ennis. Additionally, Blade Fellow Henry Carnell was nominated in the Outstanding Online Journalism Article category for “First They Tried to ‘Cure’ Gayness. Now They’re Fixated on ‘Healing’ Trans People,” with Madison Pauly; the story was published by MotherJones.com.

“Congratulations to Dawn and Henry on their nominations,” said Blade Editor Kevin Naff. “These honors reflect the Blade’s more than 55-year commitment to excellence in journalism and we’re proud of their important work.”

“The GLAAD Media Awards were created nearly four decades ago to champion LGBTQ stories amid a deeply hostile and unsafe time for our community. Today, this mission holds true and ever-more important as attacks against LGBTQ people are not only growing, but finding new avenues,” said GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis.

The GLAAD Media Awards ceremony will be held later this year in Los Angeles. For the full list of nominees, visit GLAAD.org.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 17 announced it will consider the case of a group of Montgomery County parents who are challenging a policy that does not allow them to “opt out” their children from classes in which lessons or books on LGBTQ-related topics are taught.

The parents in a federal lawsuit they filed in May 2023 allege the Montgomery County Public Schools policy violates their religious beliefs.

A federal judge in Maryland on Aug. 24, 2023, ruled against the parents. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the ruling.

“Under the 4th Circuit’s reasoning, parents cannot be heard until after the damage has been done to their children,” reads the Supreme Court filing that CBS News obtained. “But there is no unringing that bell — by then, innocence will be lost and beliefs undermined.”

D.C. police are seeking help from the public in their investigation into the Dec. 30 Dupont Circle stabbing death of a 36-year-old man who had been arrested at least three times between 2016 and 2023 for assault related incidents in the neighborhood, according to police and court records. 

A police announcement says D.C. police and U.S. Park Police officers responded at about 3:58 p.m. Monday, Dec. 30, 2024, to Dupont Circle for a report of a stabbing. It says an adult male later identified as Dominique Ratiff of  Southeast D.C. was found unresponsive suffering from a stab wound.

According to the statement, he was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead. Police said they have made no arrest in the case, but a police liaison officer told the Dupont Circle Advisory Neighborhood Commission that a suspect was described as a male wearing a purple beanie and baggy sweatpants leaving the scene on a bicycle on New Hampshire Avenue, N.W.

Police have said the stabbing occurred at the western side of Dupont Circle that intersects with Massachusetts Avenue, N.W. near the CVS Pharmacy and a PNC Bank.

Court records show that Ratiff was first arrested on June 2, 2016, on a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon and simple assault for allegedly hitting a woman with his walking cane following a “verbal altercation” in Dupont Circle.

D.C. Superior Court records show he was arrested again on June 15, 2016, for allegedly repeatedly punching a homeless man outside the man’s tent near 901 27th St., N.W., while wearing boxing gloves. That incident did not occur at Dupont Circle, but court records show prosecutors combined that case with the earlier assault case against the woman.

The records show both cases were dismissed by a judge after Ratiff complied with his pre-trial release requirements and successfully completed a “mental health” diversion program.

Records show Ratiff’s third arrest took place on April 16, 2022, when he was charged with Robbery Force and Violence, Theft Second-Degree, and Simple Assault for allegedly pushing a male victim against the wall outside of the CVS Pharmacy at Dupont Circle and taking money from the man after threatening to stab him.

Again, court records show all charges were dismissed against Ratiff after he complied with his pre-trial release requirements and successfully completed a court diversion program that included community service.

His fourth arrest occurred on July 18, 2023, court records show, when he was charged with Unlawful Entry-Private Property and Simple Assault for allegedly entering the CVS Pharmacy at Dupont Circle after having been barred from the premises one year earlier and assaulting a CVS manager who told him he had to leave.

The records show that a remote “citation” hearing was held on Aug. 9, 2023, which Ratiff attended with his attorney. According to the records, a judge ordered him to return to court on Sept. 20, 2023, for an arraignment and a judicial summons with the order was mailed to his address at 2863 Denver St., S.E.

The summons was returned as “undeliverable” on Aug. 22, 2023, and Ratiff failed to appear at the Sept. 20 hearing, the records show, prompting the judge to issue a bench warrant for his arrest. But the records show no further action, such as an arrest, had taken place and authorities did not learn of Ratiff’s whereabouts until the time he was found fatally stabbed in Dupont Circle.

Gay Dupont Circle Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Vincent Slatt has called Ratiff’s murder a tragedy that possibly could have been prevented by better social services programs that Slatt said could have been arranged by the court system.

“This guy had gone through the system multiple times, and the social services have failed him,” Slatt told the Washington Blade. “And it resulted in him getting killed.”

Slatt added, “So, he was in several of these deferment programs. But ultimately, he still needed the social services, and it cost him his life,” Slatt said. “This is an indication that we need to improve our social services. And these people are falling through the cracks.”

D.C. police are offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for Ratiff’s murder. Anyone with information that could help in the investigation is asked to call the police Homicide Branch at 202-645-9600.