Local
Teenager charged in D.C. lesbian attack
Police have made one arrest; say more are being investigated
D.C. police on Tuesday charged a 19-year-old D.C. man with assault for a July 30 incident in which five lesbians reported being attacked and beaten by two men outside the Columbia Heights Metro station.
In a statement released late Tuesday, police said detectives from the department’s Third District announced the arrest of Christian Washington of Northwest D.C. on a charge of assault after obtaining a D.C. Superior Court warrant.
“The Metropolitan Police Department is still investigating whether others were involved,” the statement says.
The case has attracted widespread attention after two of the victims told the Blade that police officers responding to the scene of the attack refused to take a report of the incident. The two women also said the officers released a suspect they apprehended upon their arrival on the 3100 block of 14th Street, N.W., where the incident occurred.
D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier issued a statement on Aug. 5 saying she was “appalled” over the conduct of the officers who responded to the scene of the incident. She said the department would conduct a thorough investigation of the incident.
One day earlier, she told members of the D.C. group Gays and Lesbians Opposing Violence that officers failing to take a report of a crime similar to this one could be fired from the department depending on the findings of an investigation.
An officer with the department’s Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit did take a report of the incident on Aug. 2. The report prepared by the GLLU officer listed the incident as an anti-lesbian hate crime.
The report says the victims reported that at least one of the two male attackers called the women “dykes” and “bitches” before he and another man punched each of the five women in the head and face several times.
Court records show that D.C. police charged a man named Christian Washington with unauthorized use of a vehicle on July 27, just three days before the attack against the five lesbians. The Blade could not immediately determine whether the Christian Washington charged in the unauthorized use of a vehicle case is the same person as the man charged with assaulting the five lesbians.
The four-paragraph police statement released Tuesday doesn’t say whether the charge filed against Washington was listed as a misdemeanor or felony assault or whether it was listed as a hate crime.
More information about the case was expected to emerge on Wednesday, when Washington was expected to appear in court for a hearing.
“I appreciate the personal interest that Chief Lanier has shown in this case and the fact that the MPD announced an arrest in the case today,” said D.C. gay activist Peter Rosenstein. “I anticipate there may be more arrests, and the LGBT community needs to follow up and make sure that the officers who mishandled this are disciplined or fired.”
Rehoboth Beach
Rehoboth Summer Kickoff Party set for May 15 with Ashley Biden
The Washington Blade’s 19th annual Summer Kickoff Party is scheduled for Friday, May 15 in Rehoboth Beach, Del.
Ashley Biden, daughter of President Joe Biden, has joined the list of speakers, the Blade announced. She will accept an award on behalf of her brother Beau Biden for his LGBTQ advocacy work as Delaware attorney general. (Her appearance was rescheduled from last year.)
The event, to be held this year at Diego’s (37298 Rehoboth Ave. Ext.) from 5-7 p.m., is a fundraiser for the Blade Foundation’s Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which funds a summer position reporting on LGBTQ news in Delaware. This year’s recipient will be introduced at the event.
The event will also feature remarks from state Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall. New CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Dr. Robin Brennan and Blade editor Kevin Naff will also speak. The event is generously sponsored by Realtor Justin Noble, The Avenue Inn & Spa, and Diego’s.
A suggested donation of $25 is partially tax deductible and includes a drink ticket and light appetizers. Tickets are available in advance at bladefoundation.org/rehoboth or at the door.
District of Columbia
Curve magazine honors Washington Blade publisher
Lynne Brown named to 2026 Power List
Washington Blade Publisher Lynne Brown has been named to the 2026 Curve Power List celebrating LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary individuals in North America who are blazing trails in their chosen fields.
“From sports and entertainment icons to corporate leaders and lawmakers, these individuals are breaking barriers, challenging norms, and shaping the future,” Curve Foundation/Curve magazine said in announcing this year’s list, which includes ABC newscaster Robin Roberts, comedian/actress Hannah Einbinder, and singer/actress Renee Rapp, among others.
Brown has worked for the Washington Blade for nearly 40 years. She was named publisher in 2007 before becoming a co-owner in 2010.
“I am honored to be recognized by Curve magazine during Lesbian Visibility Week,” Brown said. “Receiving this Curve honor is twofold. I was an early subscriber to Curve. I enjoy the product and know its history. Its journalism, layout and humorous features have inspired me.
“As an owner/publisher, receiving recognition from a similar source acknowledges my work and efforts, with a sincerity I truly appreciate. Franco Stevens, the publisher of Curve, is a business person of duration, experience, and purpose. The fact that they are in the media business, and honoring me and my publication makes it a tiny bit sweeter.”
Nominations for the Curve Power List come from the community: peers, mentors, fans, and employers.
Curve explained the significance of the list in its announcement: “An annual, publicly nominated list of impactful LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary changemakers is crucial in current times to counter discrimination, legislative rollbacks, hostility, and the invisibility of queer women within mainstream and marginal spaces and endeavors. Such a list also fosters encouragement and solidarity, and elevates voices and achievements—from high-profile roles to under appreciated areas of life.”
Rehoboth Beach
Auction of Rehoboth’s Blue Moon canceled
Details on sale of iconic bar, restaurant not disclosed
The Blue Moon in Rehoboth Beach, Del., has been an iconic presence in the local LGBTQ community for four decades but its status remains murky after a sheriff’s auction of the property was abruptly called off on Tuesday.
The property was listed for sale in December. At that time, owner Tim Ragan told the Blade that he is committed to preserving its legacy as a gay-friendly space.
“We had no idea the interest this would create,” Ragan said in December. “I guess I was a little naive about that.”
Ragan explained that he and longtime partner Randy Haney were separating the real estate from the business. The two buildings associated with the sale were listed by Carrie Lingo at 35 Baltimore Ave., and include an apartment, the front restaurant (6,600 square feet with three floors and a basement), and a secondary building (roughly 1,800 square feet on two floors). They were listed for $4.5 million.
The bar and restaurant business is being sold separately; the price was not publicly disclosed.
But then, earlier this year, the Blue Moon real estate listing turned up on the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office auction site. The auction was slated for Tuesday, April 21 but hours before the sale, the listing changed to “active under contract” indicating that a buyer has been found but the sale is not yet final. As of Wednesday morning, the listing has been removed from the sheriff’s auction site.
Ragan didn’t respond to Blade inquiries about the auction. Back in December, he told the Blade, “It’s time to look for the next people who can continue the history of the Moon and cultivate the next chapter,” noting that he turns 70 this year. “We’re not panicked; we separated the building from the business. Some buyers can’t afford both.”
The identity of the buyer was not disclosed, nor was the sale price.
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