Washington Blade, Volume 56, Issue 32, August 08, 2025

Standing our ground (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

LGBTQ leaders disagree with Buttigieg on trans athletes, PAGE 12

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VOLUME 56 ISSUE 32 ADDRESS PO Box 60664 Washington DC 20039 PHONE 202-747-2077 E-MAIL news@washblade.com INTERNET washingtonblade.com PUBLISHED BY Brown Naff Pitts Omnimedia, Inc. PUBLISHER LYNNE J. BROWN lbrown@washblade.com ext. 8075 EDITORIAL EDITOR KEVIN NAFF knaff@washblade.com ext. 8088 SR. NEWS REPORTER LOU CHIBBARO JR. lchibbaro@washblade.com ext. 8079 WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT CHRIS KANE ckane@washblade.com extg 8083 INTERNATIONAL NEWS EDITOR MICHAEL K. LAVERS mlavers@washblade.com ext. 8093 LOCAL NEWS REPORTER JOE REBERKENNY jreberkenny@washblade.com ext. 9463 POP CULTURE REPORTER JOHN PAUL KING PHOTO EDITOR MICHAEL KEY mkey@washblade.com ext 8084 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DANIEL ITAI, ISAAC AMEND, TINASHE CHINGARANDE, PETER ROSENSTEIN, PATRICK FOLLIARD, TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER, JOE PHILLIPS, EVAN CAPLAN, ANKUSH KUMAR, ESTEBAN RIOSECO, SAM KISIKA, ELVIS KAWEDO, JAKE STEWART, HENRY CARNELL, DAWN ENNIS CREATIVE DESIGN/PRODUCTION MEAGHAN JUBA production@azercreative.com SALES & ADMINISTRATION DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING STEPHEN RUTGERS srutgers@washblade.com ext. 8077 SR. ACCT. EXECUTIVE BRIAN PITTS bpitts@washblade.com ext. 8089 CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING/ADMINISTRATION PHILLIP G. ROCKSTROH prockstroh@washblade.com ext. 8092 NATIONAL ADVERTISING RIVENDELL MEDIA 212-242-6863; sales@rivendellmedia.com For distribution, contact Lynne Brown at 202-747-2077, ext. 8075.

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Pitchers opens Latin-fusion pop-up bar MOR Adams Morgan rooftop provides space to sip and celebrate

By JOE REBERKENNY

Pitchers in Adams Morgan opened MOR, a “Latin-fusion” pop-up bar on July 11. The space is complete with Latin music videos, specialty cocktails, and a vibe centered around “mor” (slang for love) of Latin American culture and community.

The “tropical paradise” is open every Friday and Saturday, and was created with and for the Latin LGBTQ community. Pitchers’ owner Dave Perruzza spoke with the Blade about how he and his business partner/DJ Felipe Pino Ferreira made the idea a reality.

“I’ve been wanting to for the last six months,” Perruzza told the Blade. “I didn’t want to just do a Latin night. I wanted to do more of an upscale, chill place for people to hang out rather than just a dance club—we’re going to have elements of dancing, but it’s mostly going to be like specialty cocktails, and a place to hang out where they can feel comfortable.

It’s more like a Latin video bar.”

Guests can enjoy their go-to favorites from a Latin American–inspired menu that includes multiple tequilas, or try something new and not often served in LGBTQ bars—like Pisco Sours, Maracuyá Sours, or Chilcanos.

“We’re going to make sure we have cocktails and liquor that aren’t at other bars that the community drinks,” Perruzza said. “We want to make people feel as at home as possible. And we’re going to do specialty drinks, and we’re going to do specialty nights featuring different cultures of the Latin community …

We’re actually getting rid of a lot of our liquor in that room and replacing it with some of the tequilas and the other stuff that you can’t find in other places.”

Perruzza explained that the idea for this space came after redesigning the top floor of the bar three

times in the past year. First, it was ‘Pop! Bar’—themed after local drag legend Cake Pop!—then a pop-up Christmas bar, and lastly a WorldPride-themed bar to coincide with the city’s massive LGBTQ celebration in June.

Following the multiple themes, Perruzza partnered with Ferreira to make sure MOR reflects the LGBTQ Latin community—not one white man’s take on it.

Pitchers in Adams Morgan opened MOR, a “Latin-fusion” pop-up bar on July 11. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

“[After going through these themes] I was like, you know what, I’m going to make it the Latin bar,” Perruzza said. “And I have a DJ, Felipe, who I work with, and he’s very in touch with the community—and I’m not a Latino. We’re doing Brazil, Colombia, Puerto Rico—we’re trying to make everybody feel comfortable. There is not one type of person in the Latino community; it’s everybody as a whole, and he’s got a really good grip on that. He’s helped me out a lot. It’s

basically like he just told me what to do.”

Perruzza went on to explain that in his many years operating and owning LGBTQ bars in D.C., he has witnessed some segments within the community feel excluded from nightlife spaces that often cater to white cisgender men. One specific instance he remembers from his time at JR.’s involved someone speaking up about wanting the space to be more inclusive—an experience that helped him realize he could do more in his role to advocate for diversity.

“I learned a long time ago—we had an issue at JR.’s years ago. Some people of color came in and said, ‘We don’t feel comfortable.’ I asked, ‘Why is that?’

‘We don’t see us on the TVs,’ [they responded]. And I realized as a white guy, I don’t think about stuff like that because when you’re white, you have to rely on other people to tell you what they want to see.”

He added that since such a large portion of his staff is part of the LGBTQ and/or Latin American community, opening MOR made sense—especially when other Latin pop-up bars didn’t necessarily make space for Latin LGBTQ folks.

“Most of my staff are Latin,” Perruzza said. “I think around 40% of my staff is Latin. I will always have somebody who’s Latin in that bar… I’ve been to the Latin pop-up nights, and I feel like, you go to this bar, they’re usually like a straight bar that sometimes does not give back to the community. I always give back to the community. So I feel like if I build this space for and by gay [Latin] people, my money always goes back.”

MOR is open on Fridays and Saturdays on the top floor of Pitchers (2317 18th St., N.W.). Check the Pitchers (@pitchersdc) and MOR’s instagram (@barmordc) for details on the theme of the week.

VCU halts gender-affirming care

Virginia Commonwealth University last week announced it would stop providing and researching gender-affirming care at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU for anyone under the age of 19.

In a post on the hospital’s website, it said the decision was made to stay within federal and state directives and was a result of “a thoughtful and thorough assessment that revealed no other viable options at this time.”

VCU staff — part of one of the largest healthcare providers in the state — were notified by email of the change, which announced they would “wind down these services,” a claim the hospital has made before.

In January, President Donald Trump signed the “Protecting Children From Chemical and Surgical Mutilation” executive order which is, at its core, designed to vilify transgender people. Since then, VCU stopped providing trans-specific care, then backtracked, allowing doctors to prescribe puberty blockers and hormone therapy, according to Axios.

Wyatt S. M. Rolla, a senior transgender rights tttorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia, spoke with the Washington Blade about the negative impact VCU’s decision will have on

trans children’s healthcare.

“I think a really important starting point is that gender-affirming care is legal in the state of Virginia, including for individuals under the age of 19, and there are doctors, nurses, clinicians across the state that are committed to still providing that care to patients,” Rolla said.

Rolla went on to explain that even though providing gender-affirming care for minors is legal in Virginia, this executive order has a chilling effect on hospitals and is preemptively causing institutions like VCU to stop offering it.

“The primary impact of that executive order was to threaten the disruption of federal funding to hospitals that were providing that care,” they added.

“There have been multiple pieces of litigation filed to challenge that threat to disrupt grants to institutions that are providing this care, and the executive order — that provision of it — is actually enjoined by multiple federal courts right now and cannot be used as a basis to terminate federal funding.”

They continued, explaining that this is not the only method of control the Trump-Vance administration is using.

“The Trump administration is weaponizing the

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Department of Justice, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Federal Trade Commission, [and] other federal agencies to try to bully healthcare providers into discriminating against their patients, and that should disturb everyone, because it won’t stop at trans people.”

These other fears, Rolla explained, could encroach on broader issues of bodily autonomy and safety that Republicans deem “controversial” — especially if medical boards, which are supposed to be non-political, are affected by orders like this one.

“I mean, it is setting a really dangerous precedent for all Virginians,” Rolla said. “And I think it’s not just a question of how other hospitals in Virginia will respond regarding gender-affirming care. Tomorrow, this could be a conversation about reproductive health services or HIV treatment or other vital health care that someone has decided is politically controversial. It’s really important to recognize the threat of undermining public trust in our medical institutions and endangering the communities that they’re meant to serve by refusing to provide medical care that providers have determined is necessary.”

JOE REBERKENNY

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Rep. Mace running for S.C. governor

U.S. Rep. NANCY MACE (R-S.C.) (right) (Blade photo by Christopher Kane)

Republican U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina announced on Monday that she will enter the crowded 2026 contest to be governor of the Palmetto State.

The anti-transgender congresswoman, a staunch loyalist to President Donald Trump, will face off against Alan Wilson, South Carolina’s longtime attorney general, Pamela Evette, the state’s lieutenant governor, and U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, another especially conservative member.

In a post on X, she announced, “I’m running to be the governor of South Carolina! God’s not done with South Carolina and neither am I.” She continued, “You and me. Our mission begins now. South Carolina First. Nancy Mace for governor.”

While Mace’s video highlighted remarks by Trump in which he praised her as “a fighter,” and she has

kept the White House apprised of her plans to run, the president has not yet endorsed her.

During an interview Sunday, Mace said she would be a “super MAGA governor,” or “Trump in high heels.”

Mace has turned her proposal to prohibit trans people from using restrooms and changing areas in the Capitol complex into a central campaign issue, notwithstanding her emphasis that her gubernatorial bid will focus on more than just cultural flashpoints.

“I want a legitimate high school vocational diploma program,” Ms. Mace said in a Sunday interview, outlining parts of her platform. “I want to bring back law and order in my state.” At the same time, she vowed to target transgender rights along with “woke ideology.”

CHRISTOPHER KANE

New U.S. visa policy targets trans athletes U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on Monday announced it will ensure “male aliens seeking immigration benefits aren’t coming to the U.S. to participate in women’s sports.”

The announcement notes USCIS “has clarified eligibility for certain visa categories: O-1A aliens of extraordinary ability, E11 aliens of extraordinary ability, E21 aliens of exceptional ability, and for national interest waivers (NIWs), to guarantee an even playing field for all women’s athletics in the United States.” The new policy comes roughly six months after President Donald Trump issued an executive order that bans transgender women and girls from female sports teams in the U.S. “Men do not belong in women’s sports. USCIS is closing the loophole for foreign male athletes whose only chance at winning elite sports is to change their gender identity and leverage their biological advantages against women,” said USCIS spokesperson Matthew Tragesser. “It’s a matter of safety, fairness, respect, and truth that only female athletes receive a visa to come to the U.S. to participate in women’s

sports.”

“The Trump administration is standing up for the silent majority who’ve long been victims of leftist policies that defy common sense,” added Tragesser.

USCIS in April announced it will only recognize “two biological sexes, male and female.” Trump shortly after he took office for a second time on Jan. 20 signed the “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government” executive order.

The 2028 Summer Olympics will take place in Los Angeles.

The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee last month banned trans women from competing in women’s sporting events.

The Guardian earlier this year reported the State Department ordered consular officials “to deny visas to transgender athletes attempting to come to the U.S. for sports competitions, and to issue permanent visa bans against those who are deemed to misrepresent their birth sex on visa applications.”

Germany and Denmark are among the countries

that have issued travel advisory for trans and nonbinary people who are planning to visit the U.S. The warnings specifically note the Trump-Vance administration has banned the State Department from issuing passports with “X” gender markers.

“This policy update clarifies that USCIS considers the fact that a male athlete has been competing against women as a negative factor in determining whether the alien is among the small percentage at the very top of the field,” reads the USCIS announcement. “USCIS does not consider a male athlete who has gained acclaim in men’s sports and seeks to compete in women’s sports in the United States to be seeking to continue work in his area of extraordinary ability; male athletes seeking to enter the country to compete in women’s sports do not substantially benefit the United States; and it is not in the national interest to the United States to waive the job offer and, thus, the labor certification requirement for male athletes whose proposed endeavor is to compete in women’s sports.”

The new USCIS guidance takes effect immediately.

MICHAEL K. LAVERS

AGs sue over Trump effort to restrict gender-affirming care A group of 15 Democratic attorneys general and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) have accused the Trump-Vance administration of unlawfully pressuring health providers to withhold access to gender-affirming medicine for minors in places where these treatments remain legal.

In a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts on Friday, the attorneys general outlined multiple ways in which, they claim, the administration has overstepped its authority to restrict care that is protected under state law, such as by threatening providers with meritless lawsuits and federal investigations.

On the first day of his second term, President Donald Trump directed the Justice Department to pursue enforcement actions to proscribe medically necessary gender related interventions, which were characterized in his executive order as “chemical and surgical mutilation.”

Thereafter, the DOJ has issued subpoenas, demanded private patient data, and suggested that criminal

U.S. Attorney General PAM BONDI (Blade photo by Michael Key)

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charges might be coming — actions that have no legal basis, and instead constitute efforts to strong-arm Democratic states into alignment with the administration’s position on gender-affirming care for minors, according to the complaint.

As a result of these pressures, the attorneys general argue, providers have reduced or eliminated services while patients have reported cancelled appointments and uncertainty over whether they can continue receiving treatment.

Their lawsuit asks the court to block the administration’s actions and halt the enforcement of the executive order along with another that prohibits the federal government from recognizing transgender people or acknowledging that gender identity does not always correspond with one’s sex at birth.

The 15 attorneys general are from Massachusetts, California, New York, Connecticut, Illinois, Delaware, D.C., Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin.

CHRISTOPHER KANE

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Washington Blade among targets of hostile online scammers Gay Parent Magazine’s Facebook page deleted in attack

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

Gay Parent Magazine and the Washington Blade have taken steps to alert LGBTQ media publications about what appears to be an organized scam operation that deleted Gay Parent Magazine’s Facebook page and attempted unsuccessfully to infiltrate the Blade’s Facebook page.

The action by the unidentified scammers targeting Gay Parent Magazine and the Blade appeared to be aimed at LGBTQ media outlets with the intent of harming or disabling LGBTQ supportive publications, according to Gay Parent Magazine editor and publisher Angeline Acain and Blade editor Kevin Naff.

“We have strong reason to believe our Facebook page hacking was politically motivated,” Acain said in a July 7 statement. “We were targeted by people who don’t support LGBTQ parents,” she said.

Both Acain and Naff said they were contacted via email by someone claiming to be podcaster Jennifer Welch, a pro-LGBTQ commentator, inviting them to appear as a guest on her podcast.

“When I accepted, she emailed to set up a Zoom call to review technical requirements because she conducts her interviews via Facebook Live,” Naff said. “When I connected to Zoom, she wasn’t on camera and a man’s voice then said he handles her technical support. He instructed me to log into the administrative page of the Blade’s Facebook account and to share my screen,” Naff said. “That’s when I became suspicious and declined the request and ended the call.”

Naff said he had not heard anything from them since that time.

Acain told the Blade she now regrets that she agreed to provide access information to her publication’s Facebook page when she too was invited to appear as a guest on a Jennifer Welch podcast.

“I did somehow give them access,” Acain said. “I don’t know exactly how they did it, but whatever I did, they knew what to do to gain access.”

In her July 7 statement, Acain said, “In this attack, bad actors posed as liberal podcast hosts and invited me to be a guest saying the podcast would be live streamed on their Facebook page. They then hacked into Gay Parent Magazine’s Facebook page and removed all of our followers. The next thing I knew our Facebook page was gone.”

She said the Facebook page had 30,000 followers before it was hacked. Since that time, she said, she and her team at Gay Parent Magazine have rebuilt the Facebook page and continue to take steps to rebuild its audience and followers.

Acain also says in her statement that her publication’s Facebook hacking took place about five months after the Facebook page was “attacked by trolls posting hateful comments at LGBTQ parents.” She said the barrage of hateful postings began shortly after Donald Trump took office as president.

“After weeks of reporting the hateful comments, blocking trolls, and limiting who could comment, the hateful rhetoric eventually stopped,” she said.

“In the 26 years since I’ve been publishing, this has never happened before,” she told the Blade. “Since Trump has been president all of this has been happening.”

“This is clearly an organized right-wing effort targeting queer media outlets,” Naff said in his own statement.

“I immediately reached out to contacts in LGBTQ media warning them of this scam,” he said, adding that his personal Facebook account was also targeted by someone who posted anti-gay slurs.

The anti-LGBTQ postings that Acain reports began to

Online hackers attempted to delete the Washington Blade’s Facebook account.

target Gay Parent Magazine’s Facebook page took place after two prominent LGBTQ advocacy organizations, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and GLAAD, issued strongly worded statements criticizing Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, the company that owns and operates Facebook and other social media outlets, for ending longstanding anti-LGBTQ hate speech polices.

In a Jan. 7 statement, GLAAD said the policy changes put in place by Meta “removed and adopted several sections of its Hateful Conduct Policy, rolling back safety guardrails for LGBTQ people, people of color, women, immigrants, and other protected groups.”

In its own statement released Jan. 15, HRC states, “When Mark Zuckerberg announced sweeping changes to Meta’s content moderation policies, he framed the move as a bold defense of free speech. But many, especially members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies, worry about what this means for safety on Meta’s platforms and fear this marks an open invitation for Meta users to engage in anti-LGBTQ+ abuse that will disempower and marginalize the community.”

Meta has said the policy change was aimed at increasing free speech and curtailing censorship on its social media platforms like Facebook.

The Blade couldn’t immediately confirm whether any other LGBTQ media outlets have been targeted by anti-LGBTQ scammers.

Buttigieg: allowing trans women to compete raises ‘fairness issues’ Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said there are “serious fairness issues” with allowing transgender women and girls to compete with or against their PETE BUTTIGIEG cisgender counter(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key) parts in sports.

The gay former Cabinet secretary and 2020 presidential contender’s comments came during an interview with NPR’s “Morning Edition” on Monday, after host Steve Inskeep flagged controversial anti-trans remarks made recently by former President Barack Obama’s Democratic Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.

“I think the approach starts with compassion,” Buttigieg said. “Compassion for transgender people, compassion for families, especially young people who are going through this, and also empathy for people who are

not sure what all of this means for them. Like, wondering, ‘Wait a minute. I got a daughter in a sports league. Is she going to be competing with boys right now?’ And just taking everybody seriously.”

He continued, “I think when you do that, that does call into question some of the past orthodoxies of my party.

For example, around sports, where I think most reasonable people would recognize that there are serious fairness issues if you just treat this as not mattering when a trans athlete wants to compete in women’s sports.”

However, Buttigieg added, “These decisions should be in the hands of sports leagues and school boards and not politicians” in Washington who are eager to exploit the issue or “use this as a political pawn.”

Another caveat, he said, is how fact-specific these determinations can be based on the circumstances at play in each case. For example, “chess is different from weightlifting, and weightlifting is different from volleyball, and middle school is different from the Olympics.”

“So that’s exactly why I think that we shouldn’t be grandstanding on this as politicians,” he said. “We should be empowering communities and organizations

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and schools to make the right decisions.”

During an interview last week with conservative pundit Megyn Kelly, Emanuel criticized the Democratic Party’s position on the sports issue but also voiced his opposition to housing trans women in women’s prisons and his skepticism about minors receiving puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones.

The former Chicago mayor who served as U.S. ambassador to Japan in the Biden-Harris administration and is publicly considering a run for president in 2028 also declared, “Can a man become a woman? No.” On trans rights, particularly on the question of eligibility to compete in school sports, other Democrats have made remarks and taken positions closer to those expressed by Buttigieg on Monday, though none have gone as far as Emanuel.

For example, in March California Gov. Gavin Newsom told conservative activist Charlie Kirk “I think it’s an issue of fairness” and that opponents of inclusive policies for trans athletes without conditions or exceptions are “deeply unfair.”

CHRISTOPHER KANE

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GLAAD, HRC hold the line on trans inclusion in sports despite setbacks Advocacy groups reject Buttigieg’s plea for compromise

By CHRISTOPHER KANE | ckane@washblade.com

Since the start of President Donald Trump’s second term, LGBTQ rights have faced a string of setbacks, with the debate over transgender athletes in competitive sports marking a sharp institutional, legal, political, and social shift away from inclusion.

Two of the nation’s leading LGBTQ advocacy organizations, however — GLAAD and the Human Rights Campaign — are refusing to compromise on the stance that no restrictions should impede the ability of transgender people, including transgender women and girls, to play.

In recent months, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and the National Collegiate Athletic Association have reversed course on policies that were once inclusive, imposing new restrictions on transgender athletes in apparent anticipation of the enforcement of an executive order from the Trump-Vance administration that would bar transgender women and girls from competing in sports. That order has not yet taken effect and may not withstand legal scrutiny.

“First and foremost, what we’re seeing from organizations like the USOPC and the NCAA is pre-compliance with Trump’s executive order,” said Shane Diamond, GLAAD’s director of communications and advocacy. “It’s notable here that the executive order isn’t actually a law or a policy. Most of the executive orders coming from the administration are glorified press releases.”

Diamond, a transgender man and former collegiate athlete, described the policy shifts as “disheartening” and “frustrating.”

“These are organizations that have spent so much time, historically, crafting fair and inclusive policies,” he said. “To seemingly overnight shift their stance on the inclusion of trans athletes, and specifically trans women, is incredibly disappointing.”

The stakes are more than symbolic. Last week, Pete Buttigieg, one of the most influential leaders in the Democratic Party, argued for compromise — a reversal of the position held by the Biden-Harris administration in which he served as transportation secretary.

“I think the approach starts with compassion,” Buttigieg said in an NPR interview. “Compassion for transgender people, compassion for families, especially young people who are going through this, and also empathy for people who are not sure what all of this means for them. Like, wondering, ‘Wait a minute. I got a daughter in a sports league. Is she going to be competing with boys right now?’ And just taking everybody seriously.”

To many LGBTQ advocates, such statements signal a disturbing shift in Democratic messaging. Diamond, for instance, took issue with the argument that fairness issues are raised by inclusive policies. Pressed on the significance of the gay Democrat’s statements, he said, “I don’t know why Pete Buttigieg is talking about trans inclusion in sports,” adding that the way politicians talk about these matters can have profound consequences on LGBTQ people, especially youth.

Laurel Powell, communications director for the Human Rights Campaign, called it “heartbreaking that we’re in an era in which the right wing has toxified empathy and inclusion and used vulnerable kids to try and divide the American people.”

Both Powell and Diamond rejected any suggestion that LGBTQ organizations should recalibrate their approach or soften their demands for full inclusion in sports.

“It’s never a winning strategy to sacrifice vulnerable communities,” Powell said. “It’s time to be bold, stand up to bullies, and say unequivocally: we refuse to compromise on freedom.”

For Diamond and Powell, the current backlash is not the result of widespread public discomfort or legitimate debate, but rather the product of a right-wing strategy, years in the making, that seeks to use transgender athletes as scapegoats in the service of a broader agenda.

“It has been said for the past four or five years that conservatives’ and Republicans’ obsession with prohibiting and banning trans people from sports is actively a solution in search of a problem,” Diamond said. “There is not a takeover of trans people in sports.”

The numbers bear that out. Despite more than two decades of policies allowing trans participation in international competition, the International Olympic Committee has documented only two openly transgender Olympians. “Between 2003 and 2021, there were maybe 50,000 Olympians,” Diamond said. “Two of them were openly trans. This idea that trans women are coming in and dominating women’s sports is a myth.”

And yet, bans are proliferating. Twenty-nine states have passed laws restricting transgender athletes’ participation in school sports. In several cases, these measures were supported by legal settlements brokered by the Trump administration’s Department of Education with universities like the University of Pennsylvania.

The White House, Trump himself, and Education Secretary Linda McMahon celebrated these agreements, which in the case of U Penn included a provision revoking titles and awards won by transgender swimmer Lia Thomas while barring trans athletes from competing in the future.

According to Powell, right-wing legal organizations like the Alliance Defending Freedom “used sports participation as an on-ramp, then moved on to banning access to public spaces, restricting access to health care for transgender people of all ages, banning books, and censoring curriculum.”

“In the face of that limitless assault on equality,” she said, “we will continue to advocate for freedom—the freedom for everyone to learn, play, love, and live without apology.”

Diamond stressed that the arguments about fairness do not hold water and rely on assumptions that do not stand up to scrutiny.

Opponents of trans inclusion often cite fairness as their primary concern, arguing that cisgender women should not have to compete against athletes who were assigned male at birth. But Diamond said such arguments rest on faulty assumptions and pseudoscience.

“It is deeply sexist and misogynistic to assume that anyone who is assigned male at birth is going to be inherently better, faster, stronger than anyone who’s assigned female at birth,” he said. “Do you know tall people who are uncoordinated? Do you know strong people

1 2 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • AUGUST 08, 2 0 2 5 • S P O RT S NE WS

U Penn has revoked titles and awards won by transgender swimmer LIA THOMAS. (YouTube screen capture)

who are not fast? Different sports, different bodies, have different assets.”

Pointing to a photo of two athletes on the U.S. Women’s National Rugby Team—one 4’11” and the other 6’3”— Diamond said, “not one body type is the best body type for all success in all sports.”

Both Diamond and Powell pointed to the media’s outsized role in shaping the narrative around transgender athletes—often in ways that perpetuate harmful myths.

“A lot of the news that Americans are consuming is coming from right-wing or conservative outlets,” Diamond said, “in part because those outlets are not behind paywalls. So the loudest and most consistent messaging about trans athletes is coming from those who oppose inclusion.”

Diamond said GLAAD’s media watchdog work is more critical than ever, particularly in an environment flooded with misinformation.

“It is scientifically inaccurate and categorically false to say that trans women are men competing,” he said.

“Trans women are women. Trans men are men. And they deserve to be treated and included as such.”

That message is the foundation of GLAAD’s public education campaign “Here We Are,” a partnership with Ground Media designed to increase public empathy for trans people by highlighting the ordinariness of their lives.

“When we communicate to people that being trans is real, we’re able to see more empathy and support for policies that affect trans people,” Diamond said. “Trans people are out here trying to buy eggs and afford mortgages, just like everybody else.”

Like GLAAD, the Human Rights Campaign is investing in public education efforts grounded in storytelling.

Last week, HRC launched the “American Dreams Tour,” a “multi-city journey through mostly ‘red’ and ‘purple’ states to amplify LGBTQ+ stories, address HIV and healthcare realities for the community, and chart a powerful path forward toward equality.”

Powell emphasized that the path to restoring support for transgender rights runs through personal connection and shared humanity. “When people know a trans person or have heard a trans person’s story, they are more likely to support full equality—and be willing to fight and vote for it,” she said.

“History and data tell us that the best disinfectant for right-wing lies is our humanity,” she said. “When people know a trans person or hear a trans person’s story, they are more likely to support full equality—and to fight and vote for it.”

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LGBTQ Bangladeshis still vulnerable a year after gov’t toppled Tuesday marks one year since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled Bangladesh, triggering a political crisis that unleashed widespread unrest. The country since her ouster has faced a surge in mob violence and lynchings, with the LGBTQ community at the epicenter.

The Washington Blade reported in August 2024 the collapse of public order forced many in this marginalized group into hiding, seeking refuge in safe houses as vigilante attacks intensified. A year later, as the country grapples with ongoing instability and a weakened law enforcement system — marked by a 30 percent vacancy rate in police positions — the experiences of the LGBTQ community offer a stark measure of Bangladesh’s social and political recovery.

Tushar Kanti Baidya, program director of Inclusive Bangladesh, an LGBTQ advocacy organization, told the Blade the landscape for LGBTQ rights in Bangladesh has shifted since the 2024 political crisis. Unfortunately, Baidya said, this change has taken a deeply concerning direction.

“Over the past decade, we have worked hard to build positive visibility for LGBTQ individuals, particularly transgender persons. However, that progress is now under threat due to the increasing influence of right-wing political groups and their allies,” said Baidya. “These groups continue to deny the legitimacy of transgender identities and are actively engaged in coordinated campaigns against the broader LGBTQ community.”

“The hostile environment has resulted in widespread discrimination, harassment, and violence. Transgender individuals, in particular, are being targeted, facing physical assault, bullying, and restrictions in continuing their traditional professions,” noted Baidya. “Even those who have contributed significantly to human rights efforts are not spared.”

Baidya said Sanjiboni Sudha, the group’s executive director, was “consistently harassed and pressured to resign from her position” at BRAC bank, a financial institution affiliated with BRAC, a prominent NGO. “Despite reaching out to the bank’s general manager and BRAC’s executive director, Mr. Asif Saleh, we received no substantive response,” Baidya told the Blade. “The matter was ultimately dismissed as an ‘internal issue’ of the bank.”

Baidya said Sanjiboni lost her scholarship at the University of Dhaka after the sudden abolition of the trans quota, with no follow-up guidance to address the decision’s impact. Baidya added another colleague, Saraban Tahura,

was denied a contract renewal at Walton Group, a private company, while her cisgender colleagues in similar roles were retained.

“Members of our community who openly supported a new political party were expelled from its committees once their sexual or gender identity became public,” Baidya told the Blade. “Incidents of blackmail, hate crimes, and even killings have escalated significantly.”

“As a result of this widespread and systemic backlash, many members of the LGBTQ community in Bangladesh have been forced into silence, living in fear, and waiting for a safer and more inclusive future,” added Baidya.

Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, a gay man, was brutally murdered in Gazipur, a city just north of Dhaka, Bangladesh’s capital, on July 19.

The killing, described by JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France, a Paris-based human rights organization, as premeditated, has intensified fears among marginalized groups.

JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France’s 2024 report documents a sharp rise in violence against Bangladesh’s LGBTQ community.

The report noted that following the fall of Hasina’s government and the formation of an interim administration led

by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, Islamist fundamentalist groups gained significant influence. Exploiting the ensuing political instability, these groups unleashed a wave of attacks on LGBTQ people, exacerbating the community’s vulnerability amid a deteriorating security landscape.

Baidya told the Blade that under Hasina’s administration, minority communities — religious, sexual, gender, and ethnic groups — benefited from inclusive policies and targeted social safety programs. Hasina’s government, he said, showed a clear commitment to supporting marginalized groups through institutional measures and public acknowledgment, fostering a more protective environment before the 2024 political upheaval.

“In contrast, the current interim government has yet to demonstrate any meaningful action to uphold or continue these protections.,” said Baidya. “There has been no clear initiative or policy commitment aimed at safeguarding the rights of minority groups, leaving these communities in a state of uncertainty and heightened vulnerability. This lack of proactive engagement from the present leadership is particularly concerning, as it signals a potential regression

LGBTQ activists participate in anti-government protests in Bangladesh in 2024. The country’s LGBTQ community is increasingly vulnerable to violence in the wake of then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ouster. (Photo courtesy of Saraban Tahura)

in the hard-won progress made toward equality and inclusion in Bangladesh.”

Hasina’s government from 2013-2021 enacted several trans-inclusive policies, notably granting legal recognition to the trans community as a third gender in 2013 for official documents, including passports and voter ID cards. These measures enabled trans people to apply for government jobs and vote under their recognized gender identity.

Bangladesh also became one of the few South Asian countries to offer tax rebates to companies employing trans people, bolstering economic inclusion before Hasina’s government fell.

The Yunus-led interim government has not introduced any policies to advance LGBTQ inclusion, aligning instead with conservative and Islamist political groups, some known for actively opposing LGBTQ rights. The administration lifted a ban on Jamaat-e-Islami, a conservative Islamist party with a history of resisting LGBTQ protections.

“There have been widespread allegations suggesting that the recent anti-government protests were indirectly supported by foreign actors, particularly the United States,” noted Baidya. “Claims have emerged that USAID (U.S. Agency for International Development)-funded certain individuals and NGOs with the intention of promoting an agenda aimed at unseating the previous government.”

“It is well-documented that Professor Muhammad Yunus, a central figure in the current political transition, has maintained strong ties with previous U.S.-aligned democratic administrations,” he added. “Given this context, it is unlikely that the current Republican-led U.S. government will significantly alter its position, especially if the current political arrangement serves broader strategic or geopolitical interests.”

ANKUSH KUMAR

Anti-LGBTQ activist confirmed as next Vatican ambassador The U.S. Senate on Saturday confirmed the co-founder of an anti-LGBTQ Catholic group to become the next U.S. ambassador to the Vatican.

Senators confirmed former CatholicVote President Brian Burch by a 49-44 vote margin.

President Donald Trump late last year nominated Burch for the ambassadorship.

The Vatican’s tone towards LGBTQ and intersex issues softened under Pope Francis’s papacy, even though church teachings on homosexuality and gender identity did not change.

Burch sharply criticized the Argentine-born pontiff’s 2023 decision to allow priests to bless same-sex couples.

Francis died in April.

Pope Leo XIV in May reaffirmed Vatican doctrine that says marriage is between a man and a woman. The Amer-

ican-born pontiff, however, has said priests can continue to bless same-sex couples.

A Dec. 5, 2024, post on Catholic Vote’s website on the U.S. v. Skrmetti case notes the justices heard oral arguments on “whether Tennessee can protect children from puberty blockers, which chemically sterilize, and sexual surgeries that mutilate and castrate.” A second CatholicVotes post notes the justices grilled the Justice Department “on challenge to Tennessee protections for children against ‘transgender’ mutilations and sterilizations.”

The U.S. Supreme Court in June upheld the Tennessee law that bans gender-affirming health care for minors.

“I am profoundly grateful to President Trump and the U.S. Senate for this opportunity to serve as the next U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See,” said Burch in a statement CatholicVote released on Saturday. “I have the honor and

1 4 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • AUGUST 08, 2 0 2 5 • I NT E R NAT I O NA L NE WS

privilege of serving in this role following the historic selection of the first American pope. In a remarkable coincidence, or what I prefer to attribute to Providence, Pope Leo XIV is from Chicago, which is also my hometown.”

“The relationship between the Holy See and the United States remains one of the most unique in the world, with the global reach and moral witness of the Catholic Church serving as a critical component of U.S. efforts to bring about peace and prosperity,” he added. “As a proud Catholic American, I look forward to representing President Trump, Vice President Vance, and Secretary Rubio in this important diplomatic post. I ask for the prayers of all Americans, especially my fellow Catholics, that I may serve honorably and faithfully in the noble adventure ahead.”

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PETER ROSENSTEIN

is a longtime LGBTQ rights and Democratic Party activist. He writes regularly for the Blade.

Mayor, Council score big win with stadium vote Final approval expected next month; can a Super Bowl be far behind?

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser made bringing the Commanders back to D.C. her goal since she became mayor 10 years ago. With a 9-3 win on the Council’s first vote, that goal is now in sight. But the mayor put together a deal with the new owners of the Commanders that is more than a new stadium. It is the development of 180 acres the mayor had transferred to D.C. from Congress after much hard work. It is a domed stadium, housing (including affordable housing), green spaces, parks, a sportsplex for the children of D.C., a hotel, and a new supermarket for the people of Ward 7, and more. There will be more adjustments to the legislation, then a second vote in September. When that passes, and it will, and the mayor signs the legislation, it goes to the Hill for a 30-day review. This will be a huge win for all the people of D.C. The passage of this legislation will mean thousands of construction jobs, many of them union jobs, and permanent jobs for D.C. residents, all on land that has been lying fallow for years.

Step one will be the demolition of the old rusting RFK Stadium. All this will happen because of a singular focus by the mayor, working with Congress to get the land, and then dealing with the City Council, to get it over the finish line.

Some will say the final deal is different than the original one the mayor and the team negotiated. They knew when it was presented to the Council that there isn’t a politician who doesn’t want their stamp on a deal like this. They want the right to claim they added something, and they did. Good for them. Thank you to Council Chair Phil Mendelson, and Council member Kenyan McDuffie (at-large), for leading the negotiations. The changes are good. It was interesting to watch the D.C. Council as it debated the iteration of the RFK legislation for their first vote.

There was Robert White (at-large), who was clearly trying to speak to those he hoped would eventually elect him mayor, as he introduced his four amendments. He was the only member to introduce amendments. Three were voted down and one withdrawn. The other two no votes, Nadeau (Ward 1) and Frumin (Ward 3), should be defeated when they are next up for reelection, as they clearly don’t understand the future economy of the District.

The majority on the Council understood the total budget, including the RFK site legislation, sent to them by the mayor, came to grips with the changing economy and the fact less money is being collected from existing sources — some as a result of the felon firing thousands of federal workers, causing countless downtown businesses to suffer, or close. This compounded the issue of downtown office buildings standing partially empty since the pandemic. They came up with some compromises including how to deal with Initiative 82, the minimum wage for tipped workers. On initiative 83, ranked choice voting, and open primaries, they funded ranked choice voting, but not open primaries. They are still dealing with the RENTAL act the Mayor sent them.

Despite amendments, the bulk of the budget the mayor sent to the Council is intact.

The mayor was clear: her budget proposal and RFK site development legislation, are based on D.C. having to relook at its long-term economic outlook. How will the city raise enough revenue to fund the programs needed by the poor and low-income residents? How will the city fund Medicaid, SNAP, and so many others programs like housing vouchers? Or find the funds to continue to pay for schools, police, fire, and all other basic services? There is a limit to how much you can raise taxes on the wealthy without seeing them leave the District. The mayor has rightly looked at sports as one way to bring more revenue to the district. Fans who buy tickets eat in our restaurants, stay in our hotels, spend money in our shops. Millions come out to our major sports arenas. We have seen what a catalyst Nationals Stadium was for the surrounding area, Capital Center for downtown, and Audi field where it is located. That is what the new stadium, and the other plans for the 180-acre RFK site, will do for that area. The domed stadium allows for much more than just football. It will host concerts, conventions, and other special events. If it weren’t for the excitement around the proposed new stadium, D.C. wouldn’t be hosting the 2027 NFL draft, which will bring a million people to D.C. and fill hotels and restaurants for four days. D.C. will finally have a venue for a Beyoncé or Taylor Swift concert. There will be a Super Bowl in the District’s future. I am confident the majority of the Council recognizes all this, as they move from the half-yard line, to a touchdown, with their second vote.

Then, the focus will change to holding the District government, and the team, to the commitments they have made. Five years from now, in 2030, when the first Commanders’ game is played in a new domed stadium, and there is building on the rest of the site, there will be a lot of cheering.

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Summer portal fantasies

A little escape can help us see reality more clearly A seashore is a boundary not only between land and sea, but between the world we know and another one holding many mysteries. Magical things can happen in such a place.

It helps to be away from our normal preoccupations, but any place or moment can open a door into a different world.

I often go to my roof in the evening with a glass of wine to relax and stare at the sky. For a pleasant hour I stop worrying about the destruction of my country and let my mind wander. Half-forgotten memories can well up. Sometimes I just listen to the cheers rising from a nearby soccer field.

Time is not linear in our minds. A friend who died 32 years ago feels as present to me as if he were sitting across from me chatting over drinks as we did long ago.

Though I have grown old as he did not, his spirit lifts me and reminds me of our shared devotion to causes greater than ourselves.

Imagining alternate timelines reminds us that individual choices can change things, for good or ill.

The other day I found an email saying I had won millions in a sweepstakes. I am wary of scams and did not follow the link. Nonetheless, I felt its gravitational pull.

Millions of dollars would be nice. My favorite director sitting next to me on a plane would be nice. Mad tyrants disappearing through wormholes would be nice.

“A wormhole,” according to Wikipedia, “is a hypothetical structure that connects disparate points in spacetime.” In literary terms, a wormhole is like the rabbit hole in Alice in Wonderland or the twister in The Wizard of Oz. It’s a magical portal between worlds.

The nice thing about a wormhole, at least a fictional one, is that you can go through it, have a lovely adventure, and get back in time for breakfast.

I do not want our mad tyrant to get back. I want the portal to vanish behind him, as with the Bermuda Triangle, where you fly into it and are never heard from again.

Sometimes I feel that I fell asleep when Joe Biden was president, and woke up in a dystopian novel with a deranged dictator tearing the country apart.

Some people insist they’re not political. If they can sustain that fantasy, they’re lucky. For many of us, just walking out our front door and expecting to be treated like an equal human being is a political act.

Still, I understand. We don’t always want to deal with politics. We just want to go about our business. I bet the people being grabbed in the street by masked ICE police and carted off to internment camps would also like to go about their business.

Occasionally a nation goes to sleep and demons work their mischief. Our best prospect may be for the demons to devour one another, which they are beginning to do.

Social media can be a wormhole into a dark place. I broke away from the platform formerly known as Twitter a year ago after Elon Musk turned it into a spigot of disinformation. At some point, I may try another platform. For now, I need my time staring at the sky.

Sometimes, though, I choose a restaurant instead of my roof to benefit from the skills of a mixologist. At my local Thai restaurant I like to order a Flaming Typhoon, which consists of rum and tropical juices with a little lemon rind boat on top filled with rum the bartender lights on fire. I almost hate blowing out the flame and drinking it. It would be disrespectful to the mixologist, however, to sit there entranced without tasting her handiwork.

Anything exquisite, like a meal or a work of art, can transport us. If I ordered enough Flaming Typhoons, who knows what magical realm they would carry me off to.

But as much as we need escape, it is important to keep our underlying grip on reality. Just because a fictional character can fly or walk on water does not mean we should try it ourselves.

I need a few hours or perhaps weeks of peace, not eternal peace. That will come soon enough. While I am here I am eager to embrace life, including by marrying the man I love. That is a promise I intend to keep here in this imperfect world, before someone else tries to reduce me to a bit character in his own warped fantasy.

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AUG UST 0 8 , 2 0 2 5 • WA S H I N GTO N B L A D E.CO M • 2 1

MICHAEL K. LAVERS is the Blade’s international news editor.

Reach him at mlavers@washblade.com.

Vacationing abroad with an embarrassment in the White House President Trump is a self-serving buffoon

SYRACUSE, Italy — It was shortly after 7 p.m. on July 22 when I left the beach and returned to my apartment in Ortigia, a small island in which Syracuse’s Old City is located, and turned on the television. An Italian newscast had yet another story about an AI-generated video on Truth Social that showed FBI agents arresting former President Barack Obama in the Oval Office as President Donald Trump watched.

“The Italian news all day has been reporting on Trump’s deep fake showing Obama’s arrest. Is that for real? And seriously WTF?” I asked Washington Blade White House Correspondent Chris Kane in a text that I also sent to a mutual friend.

The video that Trump shared on his social media network was fake, but it was yet another example of our commander-in-chief embarrassing our country. Not even a two-week vacation in Italy could temper the embarrassment that I feel as an American with Trump in the White House.

There are myriad other examples of Trump embarrassing our country about which I have written while abroad. Here are some examples: • I was on assignment in the Mexican border city of Tijuana on Jan. 28 when Trump suggested, without evidence, the Biden-Harris administration’s diversity, equality, and inclusion policies could have caused the midair collision of a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet near Reagan National Airport that left 67 people dead.

“He is doing everything possible to ensure the U.S. will no longer stand for human rights — around the world and in our own country — and basic decency,” I wrote in the Blade on Feb. 4.

• Trump on July 16, 2018, defended President Vladimir Putin during a press conference that took place in Helsinki after they met. I watched the spectacle unfold on television while I was on assignment in Mexico City.

“President Trump’s defense of Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday after their summit in Helsinki was yet another moment when I felt embarrassed for my country while on assignment outside the U.S.,” I wrote in the Blade on July 19, 2018.

“This ridiculous spectacle also proved once and for all the U.S. under this administration cannot claim with any credibility that it stands for human rights around the world.”

• Hurricane Maria on Sept. 20, 2017, devastated Puerto Rico. I was on assignment in Chile a few days later when Trump attacked then-San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz. Our commander-in-chief later threw paper towels into a crowd at a church in Guaynabo, a suburb of the Puerto Rican capital.

“His outrageous attacks against the mayor of an American city who is doing everything possible to help her citizens survive are the latest in a long list of actions (or inactions) that have left this gay American journalist who routinely reports overseas embarrassed,” I wrote in the Blade on Oct. 2, 2017. “I am also increasingly ashamed to identify myself as an American while this man occupies the White House.”

I wrote in response to Trump’s exchange with Putin in Helsinki that American exceptionalism, “however flawed, teaches us the U.S. is a beacon of hope to those around the world who suffer persecution” and also “teaches us the U.S. is the land of opportunity where people can build a better life for themselves and for their families.” These ideals, seven years later, ring hollow.

An optimist may think the Trump-Vance administration should spend its time on far more important things: protecting transgender people from discrimination and violence; pressuring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government to stop committing what two prominent Israeli human rights groups last week described as genocide in the Gaza Strip; forcing Putin to stop his war against Ukraine; ensuring undocumented immigrants in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody have access to due process; and negotiating in good faith with trading partners. A realist may conclude these aspirations are beyond reach with the TrumpVance administration in the White House.

Trump clearly has his own aspirations. He is a self-serving buffoon who continues to embarrass his country in the eyes of the world.

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Still fighting the good fight 14 years after ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ repeal

First out military general on the need to ‘build an army’ amid new attacks on LGBTQ service members

By ABIGAIL HATTING

The date was Aug. 10, 2012, and Tammy Smith was being promoted to brigadier general. Tracey Hepner stood beside her wife and pinned a star on her uniform, making Smith the first openly gay military general in United States history.

Tammy Smith and Tracey Hepner met on an Olivia cruise in 2004. The couple married in March 2012 and now live in Delaware.

“She just had this gravitational pull,” Smith said. “It’s just as soon as I saw her, I felt like the universe was pulling me in her direction, so I knew that she was someone who I needed to meet. So of course, I didn’t talk to her.”

Eventually, they were seated together at dinner and discovered their shared interests.

Years later, Smith would become the first openly gay military general after “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was repealed.

“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was the law in place from 1993 to 2011 that prohibited openly LGBTQ individuals from serving in the military.

Smith served under this policy, as well as after it was repealed until her retirement in 2021. During DADT, Hepner founded two organizations, Rainbow Ribbon and the Rainbow Ribbon Project, a postcard initiative, and the Military Partners and Families Coalition, which were both dedicated to raising visibility for LGBTQ military families.

TRACEY HEPNER and TAMMY SMITH (Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

During this time, Hepner couldn’t be out either. Organizing Rainbow Ribbon took some “covert operation” with friends and allies agreeing to be the face of the organization.

“The advocacy part really came into my life personally … when I saw how despondent the most important person in my life became when ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ paralyzed her,” Hepner said. “And it just hit me as it was staring me right in the face.”

While Smith was serving under DADT, she was “insulated” from the gay community and didn’t really keep up with what was going on.

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“Being part of the gay community was not something I could do easily or openly,” Smith said. “It really cut us off from our ability to just participate in many of the things that were going on around us.”

It got too hard to serve under the weight of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” Smith said. It was easy earlier in her career, but it got more difficult after meeting Tracey.

“It’s harder to hide somebody that you truly love,” she said. “As soon as I felt that gravitational pull on that ship, I knew Tracy was my person. Having that good relationship made my situation now feel bad, because I just couldn’t be fully me and I had to keep her a secret.”

The Military Partners and Families Coalition was created while “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was still in effect. Co-founded by Hepner, the coalition was made up of existing organizations that were willing to work with them, such as the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) and Blue Star Families, to provide resources and support to all military families, regardless of sexual orientation. Smith was serving in Afghanistan when MPFC was launched.

Today, MPFC is no longer active and merged with the Service Members Legal Defense Network, OutServe, and the American Military Partner Association, which eventually became the Modern Military Association of America.

Smith said that back in 2012, there were not as many out public figures and she was “terrified” ahead of the big promotion ceremony, though she knew it was necessary at the time. Her family had come to D.C. to attend the event at the Women’s Memorial at the Arlington National Cemetery, but they weren’t told about the other significant aspect of the day beforehand.

“I assumed that the response would be some sort of negative, homophobic backlash,” Smith said. “I just assumed that all these bad things were going to happen, and none of those bad things happened.”

Though there were rough spots along the way, Smith said the couple’s story has been well received. Their lives were not upended, the two of them became closer, and Smith grew closer to the other thing she was married to, the Army.

Following her coming out, Smith served for 10 more years until her mandatory retirement. Now that openly gay military members could serve, the couple lived on bases in Georgia, Virginia, and South Korea.

“That was our entry, literally into being a full fledged 100% military family, and then we went ahead and got a house outpost,” Hepner said. “And then we never looked back. We lived at the military installation for those final 10 years until her retirement … It was a wonderful decade that we got to serve in the military as a military family.”

The first knock on the door of their military installation was someone bringing cookies and welcoming them. Smith said Hepner made lifelong friends with military spouses and had a great time being part of that network.

After coming out, Smith said she was unsure of what she was doing as she went along but was given some room by the trust the Army had in her.

“There was an assumption that I would do the right thing on behalf of the Army … but I had to create a new path,” Smith said. “How do I now best represent the Army with a wife instead of a husband? But a lot of that was built on the trust that the Army had in me individually as a person to be able to navigate that, because it’s not like they could tell me what to do. They didn’t know either.”

Smith said that she has tried to maintain the platform of being a spokesperson who is a veteran but also a member of the LGBTQ community. She wants to improve things for veterans, especially during times of cuts to support systems such as the Veterans Administration.

You don’t get to pick to be the first, said Smith. You either step up or you don’t and it’s been a privilege to be put into the position of given that choice. Smith said the couple has navigated everything together and they have tried to do as much as they can while they have the platform, as she knows the importance of visibility of LGBTQ service members.

“We’re just ordinary people that were put in an extraordinary role, and right now we need more ordinary people to step into extraordinary roles because of what’s happening in our current environment,” Hepner said. “Today, we need everybody.

We need to build an army.”

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CALENDAR |

By TINASHE CHINGARANDE

Friday, August 08 “Center Aging Friday Tea Time” will be at 2 p.m. in person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s new location at 1827 Wiltberger St., N.W. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email adam@thedccenter.org.

Women in their Twenties and Thirties will be at 8 p.m. on Zoom. This is a social discussion group for queer women in the Washington, D.C. area and a great way to make new friends and meet other queer women in a fun and friendly setting. For meeting updates join the closed Facebook group.

GoGayDC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Happy Hour” at 7 p.m. at Crush. This event is ideal for making new friends, professional networking, idea-sharing, and community building. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Saturday, August 09 GoGay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 12 p.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Kiki and JHouse will host “Stilettos and Stonewall: A Joseph’s House Drag Fundraiser” at 2:30p.m. at Kiki. This is a fierce drag fundraiser benefiting Joseph’s House, a D.C.-based organization providing medical respite, supportive services, and endof-life care to unhoused individuals with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and terminal illnesses.

It will be hosted by the iconic Vagenesis, with performances by Druex Sidora and Baphomette, and music by DJ Blasian. Tickets cost $33.85 and are available on Eventbrite.

Sunday, August 10 Rainbow History Project will host “LGBTQ+ History Walking Tour of West Dupont and P Street” at 10 a.m. starting at Dupont Circle. Rainbow History Project’s Senior Curator will lead a one-hour walking tour of the west side of the Dupont neighborhood and the P Street corridor. Do you know about the Gay Liberation Front in the 1970s? Do you miss Badlands, Apex, or Mr. P’s? Does your Lesbian History knowledge include the founding of the Lesbian Avengers? Or how they swallowed fire at the First Dyke March? Have you heard of cruising at the P Street Beach? Did you know where the Gay Pride Day was hosted in the 1980s? This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Monday, August 11 “Center Aging Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email adam@thedccenter.org.

Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom and in-person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a support group for people who identify outside of the gender binary whether you’re bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know that you’re not 100% cis. For more information, visit www.genderqueerdc.org or check out Facebook.

Tuesday, August 12 Trans Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group is intended to provide an emotionally and physically safe space for trans people and those who may be questioning their gender identity/expression to join together in community and learn from one another. The group welcomes all who identify under the trans* umbrella or are unsure, and seek to continually reinforce our principles of respect, acceptance, and protection through ongoing input from our attendees. For more

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Pitchers will host ‘Thirst Trap Thursday Drag Show’ on Thursday, Aug. 14.

(Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

OUT & ABOUT Brighten up your Thursday with drag at Pitchers Pitchers will host “Thirst Trap Thursday Drag Show” on Thursday, Aug. 14 at 10:30 p.m.

Hosted by the sensational drag queens Cake Pop and Venus Valhalla, each week features four incredible queens, ranging from international RuPaul’s Drag Race stars to local legends. Come see real drag for yourself with fierce performances and revered queens.

This event has no cover charge and more details are available on Eventbrite. details, email info@thedccenter.org.

Coming Out Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a peer-facilitated discussion group. It is a safe space to share experiences about coming out and discuss topics as it relates to doing so. By sharing struggles and victories the group allows those newly coming out and who have been out for a while to learn from others. All are welcome to join in discussion whether Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, or Ally. For more information, visit the Coming Out Discussion Group Facebook page.

Wednesday, August 13 Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email centercareers@thedccenter. org or visit www.thedccenter.org/careers.

Thursday, August 14 The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5:00 pm if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required.

For more information, email supportdesk@thedccenter.org or call 202-682-2245.

Virtual Yoga with Charles M. will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a free weekly class focusing on yoga, breath work, and meditation. For more details, visit the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s website.

South Asian LGBTQ+ Support Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. KHUSHDC provides a safe, confidential space for South Asian LGBTQ community members to come together and share experiences. The peer support group is an outlet for South Asian-identified LGBTQ individuals to come and talk about anything affecting them. It’s a secure, judgement-free environment to discuss relationships, sexuality, health, well-being, identity, culture, religion, or anything that is on your mind. Please feel free to join, and share stories, learn about available resources, and join our community. For more details, email supportdesk@thedccenter.org.

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THEATER

Out local actor leaving D.C. to study directing Ian Anthony Coleman accepted into prestigious MFA program

By PATRICK FOLLIARD

Out director and actor Ian Anthony Coleman is a familiar face on the D.C. theater scene. Always busy, very involved in the project at hand, but never without an eye on the long game.

When the Blade spoke with Coleman two summers ago, his ambitious career objective was to become an artistic director and change maker. Those goals have remained unchanged What’s different is he’s leaving Washington and entering a fully funded MFA program at University of California, San Diego (UCSD) where he’ll study direction as part of a prestigious drama program ranked one of the best in the country.

“Out of over 100 applicants, only one director was accepted this year and that’s me,” says Coleman understandably thrilled. (He heads west on Aug. 15, two days after his 35th birthday.)

As an undergrad at Mellon University in Pittsburgh he earned a B.S. in international politics and French. But a passion for drama smoldered within.

After graduating, he returned to his native D.C. and devised a plan based on the success of other local young actors. By getting a foot in the door at smaller area companies, he was able to hone his craft, and was soon recognized as a young baritone who could also act and dance. Work at larger theaters followed including Olney Theatre Center (“Beautiful”), Signature Theatre (“The Color Purple”, “Grand Hotel”), and numerous others.

More recently, he’s added direction to his resume with musicals at the popular Montgomery College Summer Dinner Theatre (“Footloose,” “Grease,” “A New Brain”) and several new works at Catholic University. He’s also held essential education positions as performing arts director at Barrie School, a progressive independent school in suburban Maryland, and as teaching artist with Round House Theatre.

Recently, he took some time away from preparing for the big move to share thoughts on his latest news.

WASHINGTON BLADE: Congrats, Ian. It sounds like the competition was fierce.

IAN ANTHONY COLEMAN: One of the most intense pressure cookers that I’ve ever been in. The selection process was a lot. For the final round interview there were four of us in an eight-hour process. It was intense.

BLADE: Did your DMV experiences prepare you for the challenge?

COLEMAN: Yes, D.C. has been great and offered me many opportunities, first as an actor and later as a director mostly at the college level. I’m ready to expand what’s possible. I’m eager for new challenges and new networks, and to be taken serious for my talent as a director.

BLADE: Was this next step planned or a little unexpected?

COLEMAN: A bit of both. My idea was to take my savings and move to L.A. where I’d try get an agent and make it happen as an actor. Then COVID hit.

So, I stayed here and focused on directing. Increasingly I began to feel that directing aligned with my strengths, capitalizing on my leadership skills.

But I still wanted to try the West Coast, so I began looking at programs. I’d been working at Round House a long time and knew people there that got into UCSD’s M.F.A. program for acting or playwriting. I thought I’d try directing.

BLADE: Did you feel confident about applying?

COLEMAN: I knew the chances were slim but I felt I might be the one. I collected recommendations. Asked directing mentors like Timothy Douglas [and others] to look at my portfolio. I practiced my presentation, a five-minute pitch. My ex helped with my personal statement and encouraged me to be fully authentic and not to present a sanitized version of myself and what I want to do. I think that helped a lot.

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IAN ANTHONY COLEMAN, Iananthonycoleman.net

BLADE: So, what sealed the deal?

COLEMAN: I think my ability to stay true to myself under pressure. And that’s entirely due to my experience as an actor. I can put myself out there with the possibility of rejection.

BLADE: What do you hope to find at UCSD? COLEMAN: I’ve been fortunate to work on big musicals, campy comedies, and coming-of-age stories during my time in D.C. I’m really looking forward to defining my voice as a director in grad school.

I’m especially interested in directing new works and reimagining beloved classics — with a particular focus on plays by Black authors (Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Suzan-Lori Parks, August Wilson, Dominique Morisseau) and stories centered on Black protagonists.

My first major task has been compiling a list of shows I’d like to work on at UCSD, so I’m deep in reading mode right now. But I’m grateful for the opportunity to spread my wings a bit more as a director and the freedom to explore new things.

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DINING

New cookbook showcases salsas as diverse as the flavors of Mexico ‘Salsa Daddy’ features 70 recipes from basic to the avant-garde

By EVAN CAPLAN

Proudly wearing his self-styled “gay tio energy,” author and chef Rick Martinez has just published his sophomore cookbook, “Salsa Daddy.” Seventy salsa (and 24 salsa-based meal) recipes pepper the book’s riotously colorful pages. Raw, cooked, historic, avant-garde, basic, complex, earthy, spicy, sassy: the salsas are as diverse as the flavors of Mexico.

“Salsa Daddy” is a saucier approach to Mexican cooking. Instead of hitting on Mexican food totems, Martinez draws on his background, identity, and creativity to discuss, tell stories, and riff on salsas, allowing the reader to digest and craft their own.

Martinez, a native of South Texas with Mexican roots, says that he was often told that he didn’t belong – not American enough, nor Mexican enough.

After working in advertising, he finally followed his dreams and attended culinary school, moving into a career in food media at the Food Network and later Bon Appetit. His first cookbook, “Mi Cocina Recipes and Rapture from My Kitchen in Mexico,” won the James Beard Award for best international cookbook. Today, after visiting all 32 states of Mexico, Martinez felt he truly found home. He now lives steps from the Pacific waves in Mazatlán, Mexico, with his dog Choco.

Salsa, Martinez, says, “is one of the most popular condiments in the United States. Over the years, I’ve gotten the same question again and again: “I love salsa, but I only know how to make one or two. How do I level up?”

“Salsa is low cost, low effort, and doesn’t require fancy gear or culinary training. But what it does demand and reward is passion and creativity.”

Salsa offers a spark, a sense of freedom, of play, that there is no ‘right way’ to create a salsa. It’s a culinary game with few rules, few strictures, open thinking, no adherence to a misguided authenticity. Just as people the world over cook with what they have around them, salsas reflect this local cupboard nature of food and flavors. “There’s no such thing as salsa police,” he says.

Martinez divides the book into several salsa categories: smashed, chopped, blended, sweet, hot, cooked, and special. He kicks off the book with a few key tools for crafting salsas (molcajete, good knives), as well as a key to chili peppers and pantry ingredients.

Highlights include the creamy La Tatemada Cremosa (charred tomato, chipotle in adobo, crema), the chunky Xnipec (tomato, habanero, and sour orange), and even three types of Salsa Macha (peanuts, guiajillo, and chile de árbol; almonds, sesame, and habanero; and cashews, vanilla, and ghe.).

The last chapter unites the previous seven, under the heading “easy meals.”

This chapter gives the reader various methods of crafting dishes based on or leveraging the salsas he outlined, like chilaquiles, tacos, and pozole verde.

There is even a single dessert, a chocolate-chunk cookie based on the flavors of salsa macha along with piloncillo (a brown, unrefined cane sugar).

During this adventure and discovery of being in food media, Martinez has been a proudly out gay man.

“The point is, I am gay. And that’s a huge part of how I show up in the world — joyfully, unapologetically, colorfully,” he says, reflected in the sensuous, saturated colors of “Salsa Daddy” (and in the book title). In the culinary industry, he received “vicious” comments and reactions. Instead of hiding, he decided to live a life that made him happiest, including through his career in food, resulting in a sense of “peace, power, and joy.” Being gay has been “the root of the joy, the freedom, the play, and the boldness in everything I do.” He also thrives embracing his unique Mexican-American identity, helping him overcome struggles and isolation.

Through his writing, vibrant Insta presence, and books like “Salsa Daddy,” Martinez continue to show up, colorfully and thoroughly.

“The goal of ‘Salsa Daddy’ is to give people permission, and the tools, to make something joyful, bold, and personal. To stop chasing some myth of authenticity and start trusting their own sazón. It’s about unlocking a whole category of flavor and making it your own.”

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FILM

‘Sunset Boulevard’ at 75: ‘It was all very queer’ Golden Age classic still holds universal appeal

By JOHN PAUL KING

Few classics of the Hollywood Golden Age have stood the test of time with as much stamina as Billy Wilder’s “Sunset Boulevard.”

Released on Aug. 10, 1950, it became a near-instant classic, earning rave reviews for its savage portrayal of the very industry that produced it and the fearlessly intense performance of former silent screen goddess Gloria Swanson as tragically deranged Norma Desmond, whose fictional history mirrored her own more than enough to make the casting provocative.

It was one of the year’s biggest “award season favorites,” a creative triumph for the director/screenwriter team of Wilder and Charles Brackett, and it quickly gained a reputation — one that it largely still holds — as the best film Hollywood has ever made about itself. It would go on to become a frequently cited example of the film noir genre at its finest, a near-legendary insider’s tale of the movie industry, a meditation on the dangers of ego, the fickleness of fame, and a damning indictment of callousness within a system that exploits its best and brightest and casts them aside when they cease to be profitable.

It’s inarguably a great movie, fully worth the reverence with which it is held in the “cinephile” community — but while that’s more than enough reason to observe and celebrate its 75th anniversary, what makes the occasion noteworthy for us here at the Blade is its status as one of the most beloved “gay” film faves of all time.

Not that there’s anything explicitly “gay” about it, at least on the surface. Indeed, if you watch it at face value, it adheres more or less to conventional heterosexual “normalcy” in the specifics of its story. Struggling screenwriter Joe Gillis (William Holden) is the image of mid-century American masculinity: worldly, handsome without being “pretty” and oozing with an almost smug virility; it’s enough to make a movie star — albeit a faded one — want to make him into her own private rent boy, especially when he has talents that might help her accomplish her delusional dream of a return to stardom. Considering how he looks in those mid-century sim trunks, we can’t say we blame her.

Then there’s Norma. To say she’s larger than life is an understatement; exuding a persona that speaks of a need to be seen and acknowledged, she’s made a place for herself by commanding every room with her sheer presence. It’s an identity built on artifice, on the carefully mastered tricks of her trade — the elevated vocal expression, the broad gestures and glamorous presentation that establish her as… well, a queen. Yet she’s been rejected, cast aside in a world that no longer recognizes her glory, which worships youth and beauty and views those who are older as unwanted and irrelevant; how many queer men, especially in the repressive days of “Sunset Boulevard,” can relate?

Naturally, there’s a certain amount of camp to be found here, too, which in itself could explain the queer fascination with the movie. The exaggerated acting style of the silent screen — embodied so menacingly in Swanson’s iconic performance — adds a certain air of the ridiculous, yet somehow (like all

WILLIAM HOLDEN and GLORIA SWANSON in ‘Sunset Boulevard.’

good camp) invites our empathy, too.

That, of course, is why “Sunset Boulevard” speaks to us still after three quarters of a century: no matter how flawed, how unlikable, how misguided or how self-serving its characters might be, they are so recognizably human that we cannot help but be moved by them. Yes, it’s ultimately a black comedy, a pitch-black commentary on vanity, amorality, and self-delusion, but it’s impossible to watch without feeling a tinge of sympathy for Joe Gillis — dead in a swimming pool before he even gets to tell his own story and not even a good enough opportunist to avoid feeling sorry for the woman who will eventually put him there. It’s impossible to consider the fate of Norma Desmond — all the years of loneliness, of living in memories, of finding connection only through the fawning servitude of her ex-husbandturned-loyal manservant (Erich Von Stroheim), and of finding companionship only through the proxy of a pet monkey — without becoming aware of the profound sadness of her existence. Wilder and Brackett may have been renowned for their cynicism, but they never failed to touch you with their deep sense of humanity, either. And when Joe Gillis, watching the

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grim nocturnal funeral for that aforementioned monkey from his window, voices his opinion that “it was all very queer,” you can be sure they chose that word on purpose.

Of course, for many queer audiences, understanding “why” they like it is not really necessary — after all, it’s an entertaining enough movie, with a wickedly transgressive attitude about social norms and constructs (the reversed gender dynamics between its two “romantic”” leads add an overall sense of discomfort for anyone who might feel vaguely threatened by such things), and if you’re a fan of old Hollywood, it offers a host of pleasures in its incorporation of real-life personalities (filmmaker Cecil B. DeMille and Hollywood gossip columnist Hedda Hopper make appearances as themselves, as do several silent stars (including Buster Keaton, Anna Q. Million, and H.B.Warner) as Norma’s “bridge circle.”

Ultimately, though, what matters most of all is that it is a film with universal appeal — a timeless story, despite its aging stylistic and technical contributions.

The fact that it remains so after 75 years is testament of the universal power of cinema to speak to us regardless of when it was made.

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Shook at Shakers

Crystal Edge and Tatianna lead weekly drag show (Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

The weekly drag show, “Shook” was performed at Shakers on Saturday, Aug. 2.

Performers included Tatianna, Crystal Edge, Gadfrie, Tiara Missou Sidora and Siren Kelly.

‘Queer Eye’ cast at Crush

Popular television personalities speak at CAA event (Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

Creative Artists Agency (CAA) in Washington, D.C. held an event at Crush Dance Bar with members of the cast of “Queer Eye” on Monday, Aug. 4. Antoni Porowski, Jonathan van Ness, Karamo Brown and Jeremiah Brent reflected on their time in the long-running series.

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REAL ESTATE

How school districts influence real estate Prices, demand, neighborhood growth tied to a quality education

By VALERIE M. BLAKE

When it comes to buying or selling a home, one of the most powerful and consistent influences on property values is the local school system. Whether or not buyers have children, the quality of nearby schools can significantly shape real estate prices, demand, and neighborhood growth. For sellers, a desirable school district can mean quicker sales and higher offers. For buyers, especially those with families, finding the right home often begins with finding the right school.

Numerous studies show that homes in top-rated school districts tend to command higher prices than comparable homes in areas with lower-performing schools. This is largely due to demand, since families are often willing to pay a premium for a home or pay higher property taxes to ensure their children have access to quality public education without the need for private tuition.

Even buyers without children frequently consider school ratings when purchasing. That’s because homes in strong school districts tend to hold their value better and appreciate more reliably over time.

Schools contribute to neighborhood stability, lower crime rates, and active community involvement — all appealing features for homeowners and investors alike.

In areas where school districts are a major draw, homes can cost anywhere from 10% to 30% more than comparable homes just outside the school zone.

While higher prices can be problematic for some buyers, this dynamic also means that homes in top school zones are more resilient during market downturns.

For buyers who don’t yet have school-aged children (or aren’t planning to), the school district still matters. If you eventually sell the home, the same factors that made it desirable when you bought it will likely apply to future buyers. If you’re looking for rental income, homes near desirable schools tend to attract stable, long-term tenants.

Whatever your situation, it’s also worth considering future redistricting plans, new school construction, or demographic shifts that could influence school performance and boundaries.

The impact of schools on real estate can play out differently in urban and suburban settings. In many cities, there’s wide variation in school quality even within the same district. Buyers may choose a specific city block or neighborhood solely to be zoned for a sought-after school.

In suburban areas, entire towns may be known for their public-school systems, drawing families from across a region. These communities often have higher property taxes, but those taxes fund the schools that make the area so desirable. It’s a cycle that tends to reinforce itself: better schools lead to higher home prices, which lead to more resources for schools.

If your property is not in a top-rated district, ask your agent to focus on marketing alternative educational opportunities that you may know about, like

Quality schools usually boost home prices. (Photo via Bigstock/StudioDin)

charter schools, private institutions, or proximity to reputable early childhood education centers or magnet programs.

While our multiple listing service can auto-populate the names of area schools, real estate agents are often asked for advice about them, but offering opinions or recommendations can be risky and even unethical. By making judgments or sharing personal views on schools, an agent could unintentionally influence a buyer’s decisions in a way that violates fair housing laws or creates the appearance of bias, since school ratings or reputations are sometimes tied to demographic factors.

Additionally, what makes a “good” school is highly subjective. One buyer may prioritize academic performance, while another may value arts programs, diversity, or emotional support services. Instead of giving advice, agents should direct clients to objective, third-party resources like school district websites.

Independent rating platforms like GreatSchools. org and Niche.com have made school performance data widely accessible to prospective buyers. These platforms rank schools based on test scores, graduation rates, college readiness, teacher quality, and parent/student reviews; however, a high score does not necessarily reflect the full experience a child will have at a school. Visiting schools, talking to local par-

3 6 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • AUGUST 08, 2 0 2 5 • B US I NE S S

ents, and considering extracurricular offerings, diversity, and social support programs can offer a more complete picture.

Understanding how schools affect real estate and how real estate affects options for education is essential for making the best possible decision when it comes to buying or selling a home. Whether you’re a parent prioritizing education or a potential homeowner or investor focused on value, schools are a critical and often underestimated piece of the real estate puzzle.

Also, choosing a home based on school quality isn’t just about the current moment. It’s a long-term investment in both your family’s future and your financial portfolio. Ultimately, while you can renovate kitchens and finish basements, you cannot move a home into a different school zone, so remember that the age-old phrase, “location, location, location,” also applies when it comes to schools.

VALERIE M. BLAKE

is a licensed Associate Broker in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia with RLAH @properties.

Call or text her at 202-246-8602, email her via www.DCHomeQuest.com, or follow her on Facebook at TheRealst8ofAffairs.

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