Connect with us

National

Santorum: Bill signing not ‘final word’ on Wash. marriage

Protestors denounce candidate, tazed by police officers

Published

on

Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum said the signing of legislation in Washington state legalizing same-sex marriage isn’t “the final word” at a campaign rally in the state Monday night, according to the Associated Press.

The anti-gay candidate spoke before hundreds of supporters at the Washington State History Museum in Olympia, Wash., seeking to block the enactment of marriage equality in Washington State, which was signed into law on the same day by Gov. Chris Gregoire (D).

“There are ebbs and flows in every battle, and this is not the final word,” Santorum reportedly said.

Although Gregoire signed the marriage bill on Monday, anti-gay forces have the opportunity to bring the measure to the ballot if they collect 120,577 petition signatures and deliver them to state officials before the June 6 deadline.

A video of the event posted online shows Santorum denouncing before the legalization of same-sex marriage in Washington — saying the bill signing marks “a sad day” — as well as the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision last week to overturn California’s same-sex marriage ban.

“It is very important you understand what just happened in another place,” Santorum said. “The Ninth Circuit decided that anybody that disagrees with any of these folks, anyone who disagrees with these folks when it comes to the issue if what marriage is in this country, well they are irrational. That’s what the Ninth Circuit said.”

Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, blasted Santorum in a statement for coming to Washington bearing an anti-gay message.

“Rick Santorum’s sideshow is purely a political maneuver designed to draw attention to a campaign that is dramatically out of step with the values of mainstream Americans,” Solmonese said.

As Santorum made his remarks, he was heckled by protesters affiliated with the Occupy Tacoma movement, who repeatedly shouted, “We are the 99 percent.” Before Santorum could complete his comments on the Ninth Circuit, a scuffle broke out in the crowd and the police intervened. Others at the rally countered the protesters by shouting, “USA! USA!”

Santorum called the protesters a “radical element” and said they represent “true intolerance.” Still, he added he respects their right to have a different point of a view and doesn’t think they’re bigoted because they disagree.

Still, the candidate took a dig at them saying “instead of standing here unemployed, yelling at somebody” they should “go out out there and try to work for a living.”

Protesters afterward told KIRO 7 TV they were there to protest corporate corruption. According to the news affiliate, two men were arrested as well as a woman for throwing glitter at Santorum. According to KIRO 7 TV, the three could be charged with disorderly conduct or even assault.

Earlier in the day, Santorum reportedly held a private meeting with religious leaders at an Olympia church and met with political leaders in the state legislative building. The candidate reportedly said he told individuals at these meetings “to continue the fight” against same-sex marriage.

Santorum backs an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would not only prohibit any more same-sex marriages from taking place, but nullify all of those in existence.

The candidate comes to Washington State a few weeks before the state’s Republican presidential caucuses on March 3. They’ll take place three days before Super Tuesday, when Republican voters 10 states in states will decide on their party’s nominee. Washington will award 43 delegates to the Republican National Convention, though they will not be allocated on caucus night.

Polls are showing that Santorum is now the front-runner is the Republican presidential race. Findings published Saturday by Public Policy Polling found Santorum has a wide lead ahead of other GOP contenders. The candidate polled at 38 percent, while Mitt Romney was at 23 percent, Newt Gingrich at 17 percent and Ron Paul at 13 percent.

Santorum is also doing well in the polls in the Michigan, the next state in the GOP primary to hold a major caucus. Even though Romney has the home-state advantage in the Wolverine State, Santorum is leading with 39 percent of support among Michigan Republicans, according to a PPP poll published Monday.

Advertisement
FUND LGBTQ JOURNALISM
SIGN UP FOR E-BLAST

Federal Government

UPenn erases Lia Thomas’s records as part of settlement with White House

University agreed to ban trans women from women’s sports teams

Published

on

U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon (Screen capture: C-SPAN)

In a settlement with the Trump-Vance administration announced on Tuesday, the University of Pennsylvania will ban transgender athletes from competing and erase swimming records set by transgender former student Lia Thomas.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights found the university in violation of Title IX, the federal rights law barring sex based discrimination in educational institutions, by “permitting males to compete in women’s intercollegiate athletics and to occupy women-only intimate facilities.”

The statement issued by University of Pennsylvania President J. Larry Jameson highlighted how the law’s interpretation was changed substantially under President Donald Trump’s second term.

“The Department of Education OCR investigated the participation of one transgender athlete on the women’s swimming team three years ago, during the 2021-2022 swim season,” he wrote. “At that time, Penn was in compliance with NCAA eligibility rules and Title IX as then interpreted.”

Jameson continued, “Penn has always followed — and continues to follow — Title IX and the applicable policy of the NCAA regarding transgender athletes. NCAA eligibility rules changed in February 2025 with Executive Orders 14168 and 14201 and Penn will continue to adhere to these new rules.”

Writing that “we acknowledge that some student-athletes were disadvantaged by these rules” in place while Thomas was allowed to compete, the university president added, “We recognize this and will apologize to those who experienced a competitive disadvantage or experienced anxiety because of the policies in effect at the time.”

“Today’s resolution agreement with UPenn is yet another example of the Trump effect in action,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement. “Thanks to the leadership of President Trump, UPenn has agreed both to apologize for its past Title IX violations and to ensure that women’s sports are protected at the university for future generations of female athletes.”

Under former President Joe Biden, the department’s Office of Civil Rights sought to protect against anti-LGBTQ discrimination in education, bringing investigations and enforcement actions in cases where school officials might, for example, require trans students to use restrooms and facilities consistent with their birth sex or fail to respond to peer harassment over their gender identity.

Much of the legal reasoning behind the Biden-Harris administration’s positions extended from the 2020 U.S. Supreme Court case Bostock v. Clayton County, which found that sex-based discrimination includes that which is based on sexual orientation or gender identity under Title VII rules covering employment practices.

The Trump-Vance administration last week put the state of California on notice that its trans athlete policies were, or once were, in violation of Title IX, which comes amid the ongoing battle with Maine over the same issue.

Continue Reading

New York

Two teens shot steps from Stonewall Inn after NYC Pride parade

One of the victims remains in critical condition

Published

on

The Stonewall National Memorial in New York on June 19, 2024. (Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)

On Sunday night, following the annual NYC Pride March, two girls were shot in Sheridan Square, feet away from the historic Stonewall Inn.

According to an NYPD report, the two girls, aged 16 and 17, were shot around 10:15 p.m. as Pride festivities began to wind down. The 16-year-old was struck in the head and, according to police sources, is said to be in critical condition, while the 17-year-old was said to be in stable condition.

The Washington Blade confirmed with the NYPD the details from the police reports and learned no arrests had been made as of noon Monday.

The shooting took place in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Manhattan, mere feet away from the most famous gay bar in the city — if not the world — the Stonewall Inn. Earlier that day, hundreds of thousands of people marched down Christopher Street to celebrate 55 years of LGBTQ people standing up for their rights.

In June 1969, after police raided the Stonewall Inn, members of the LGBTQ community pushed back, sparking what became known as the Stonewall riots. Over the course of two days, LGBTQ New Yorkers protested the discriminatory policing of queer spaces across the city and mobilized to speak out — and throw bottles if need be — at officers attempting to suppress their existence.

The following year, LGBTQ people returned to the Stonewall Inn and marched through the same streets where queer New Yorkers had been arrested, marking the first “Gay Pride March” in history and declaring that LGBTQ people were not going anywhere.

New York State Assemblywoman Deborah Glick, whose district includes Greenwich Village, took to social media to comment on the shooting.

“After decades of peaceful Pride celebrations — this year gun fire and two people shot near the Stonewall Inn is a reminder that gun violence is everywhere,” the lesbian lawmaker said on X. “Guns are a problem despite the NRA BS.”

Continue Reading

New York

Zohran Mamdani participates in NYC Pride parade

Mayoral candidate has detailed LGBTQ rights platform

Published

on

NYC mayoral candidate and New York State Assembly member Zohran Mamdani (Screen capture: NBC News/YouTube)

Zohran Mamdani, the candidate for mayor of New York City who pulled a surprise victory in the primary contest last week, walked in the city’s Pride parade on Sunday.

The Democratic Socialist and New York State Assembly member published photos on social media with New York Attorney General Letitia James, telling followers it was “a joy to march in NYC Pride with the people’s champ” and to “see so many friends on this gorgeous day.”

“Happy Pride NYC,” he wrote, adding a rainbow emoji.

Mamdani’s platform includes a detailed plan for LGBTQ people who “across the United States are facing an increasingly hostile political environment.”

His campaign website explains: “New York City must be a refuge for LGBTQIA+ people, but private institutions in our own city have already started capitulating to Trump’s assault on trans rights.

“Meanwhile, the cost of living crisis confronting working class people across the city hits the LGBTQIA+ community particularly hard, with higher rates of unemployment and homelessness than the rest of the city.”

“The Mamdani administration will protect LGBTQIA+ New Yorkers by expanding and protecting gender-affirming care citywide, making NYC an LGBTQIA+ sanctuary city, and creating the Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs.”

Continue Reading

Popular