News
Russian court dismisses ‘foreign agent’ fine against LGBT group
St. Petersburg judge had ordered Coming Out director to pay more than $15,000
Polina Andrianova of Russian LGBT rights group Coming Out (Photo courtesy of Polina Andrianova)
A Russian appellate court on Wednesday dismissed a lower court’s ruling that fined the director of a St. Petersburg LGBT advocacy group more than $15,000 under the country’s “foreign agent” law.
Coming Out said on its website the judge in St. Petersburg found the lower court had relied solely on the prosecutor’s charge as opposed to independently establishing whether the organization had violated the 2012 statute that requires groups that receive funding from outside Russia to register as a “foreign agent.” The appellate court also said the deadline to impose the fine against the head of Coming Out had already passed.
Kseniya Kirichenko of Coming Out applauded the ruling in a statement, while acknowledging prosecutors could potentially appeal it.
“We welcome the fact that there are still judges able to impartially and objectively examine a case against such an ‘unpopular’ organization as an LGBT rights organization,” Kirichenko said. “We continue to keep our finger on the pulse, because the prosecution can still protest the judgment.”
The ruling comes against mounting outrage over Russia’s gay crackdown and increased anti-LGBT discrimination and violence in the country
Russian President Vladimir Putin in June signed a broadly-worded law that bans gay propaganda to minors. A second statute that bans same-sex couples and anyone from a country in which gays and lesbians can legally tie the knot from adopting Russian children took effect last month.
Police in May arrested 30 LGBT rights advocates who tried to stage a Pride celebration outside Moscow City Hall. Police in St. Petersburg took dozens of activists into custody in June as they tried to hold their own event in support of LGBT rights.
Authorities in Murmansk last month arrested four Dutch LGBT rights advocates who were in the city filming a documentary about gay life in Russia.
Playwright Harvey Fierstein is among those who have called for the U.S. to boycott the 2014 Winter Olympics that will take place in Sochi, Russia, in February over Russia’s gay rights record. Andy Cohen told E! News on Wednesday he declined an invitation to co-host the 2013 Miss Universe pageant that will take place in Moscow in November because “he didn’t feel right as a gay man stepping foot into” the country.
President Obama told Jay Leno during an appearance on “The Tonight Show” last week that he has “no patience” for countries with anti-LGBT laws. The White House, along with retired tennis champion Martina Navratilova and a coalition of LGBT advocacy groups that include Athlete Ally are among those who have said they do not support calls to boycott the Sochi games.
Polina Andrianova of Coming Out told the Washington Blade during an interview on August 9 she feels the “foreign agent” law and the ongoing gay crackdown is an attempt to “shut down any kind of possibility for LGBT advocacy.”
“These laws are aimed at driving LGBT people back into silence, back underground, back to the invisibility,” she said. “That’s the whole point of them.”
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.
Rehoboth Summer Kickoff Party set for May 15 with Ashley Biden
Curve magazine honors Washington Blade publisher
Auction of Rehoboth’s Blue Moon canceled
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