News
Republicans ignore LGBT issues at CPAC
Log Cabin criticizes organizers for exclusion from ‘outreach’ panel
Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-La.) speaking at the 2014 Conservative Political Action Conference. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Amid growing support for LGBT rights and following a string of court victories on marriage equality, high-profile Republican speakers avoided those subjects at the first day of the 2014 Conservative Political Action Conference.
Although many of the speakers have previously articulated their opposition to same-sex marriage — with some going as far as supporting a Federal Marriage Amendment — none took the opportunity while speaking before an estimated 8,500 conservatives in attendance to attack gay rights or made statements against the many recent judicial rulings in favor of marriage equality.
Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-La.) most closely approached LGBT issues when he defended his earlier statement supporting Phil Robertson of “Duck Dynasty” for controversial comments equating homosexuality to sinful behavior.
“But the reality is this: I stood up for their right to speak up and articulate their beliefs because I’m tired of the left,” Jindal said. “I’m tired of the left that claims they’re tolerant, claims they’re for diversity — and they are — they are tolerant and they are for diversity except for when you dare to disagree with them.”
Jindal made the reference to “Duck Dynasty” after criticizing the Obama administration for supposedly impinging on the religious liberties of Americans.
Another veiled reference to LGBT issues came up when Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) praised the restaurant chain Chick-fil-A — despite the company’s history of anti-gay donations and controversial comments in opposition to same-sex marriage by owner Dan Cathy.
You would have to look off stage at CPAC to find anti-LGBT sentiments. According to Right Wing Watch, the ultra-conservative Catholic group Tradition, Family, and Property distributed fliers at the event depicting the gay conservative group GOProud as a rainbow-colored beaver, explaining “Why GOProud Does Not Belong at CPAC.”
“Why is GOProud a welcomed and official guest at CPAC, when it advocates the legalization of same-sex ‘marriage,’ thus undermining the votes and dreams of millions of God-fearing Americans?” the flier reportedly says.
Ross Hemminger, co-director of GOProud who helped the group regain its guest status at CPAC after two years of being banned, responded to the flier succinctly.
“I think it’s hilarious,” Hemminger said. “We will proudly be the rainbow beavers.”
Even though no one on stage at CPAC took the opportunity to oppose LGBT rights, no one speaking on stage said anything in favor of them either.
That absence was most acute during a panel titled “Reaching Out: The Rest of the Story,” which looked at the ways the conservative movement can expand into minority groups.
On the panel, moderated by Revolvis Consulting partner Jason Roe, was Republican U.S. Senate candidate from Virginia Ed Gillespie; Robert Woodson, president of the Center for Neighborhood Enterprise and Elroy Sailor, CEO of J.C. Watts Companies.
Although the panel talked at length about the Republican Party entering the black and Latino communities to win over those heavily Democratic constituents, not once did any mention of LGBT outreach come up, nor was the word “gay” even uttered.
Gregory Angelo, executive director of the Log Cabin Republicans, attended CPAC as a guest and criticized the lack of LGBT outreach on the panel in an interview with the Blade.
“The silence is deafening there, as least as far as I’m concerned,” Angelo said. “This is a constituency that the conservative movement needs to reach out to and formally acknowledging that in some capacity is something I think it needs to do.”
In the wake of GOProud’s readmission as a guest to CPAC, Angelo penned an op-ed piece for The Daily Caller saying Log Cabin had sought “meaningful” participation at CPAC, such as a seat on the outreach panel, but was “rebuffed.” The American Conservation Union, which hosts CPAC, didn’t respond to a request for comment.
“Our ask was that we have a voice at the conference — that’s it — whether that was introducing speakers, introducing panelists, or being part of a panel,” Angelo said. “From our perspective, that was a simply non-controversial proposal that would have shown the country that gay conservatives are a meaningful part of this movement, in a vehicle that wasn’t all about ‘gay policy issues.'”
Log Cabin executive director Gregory Angelo (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
While remaining silent on LGBT issues, a number of prominent Republicans who spoke on stage at CPAC — many of whom are seen as Republican presidential contenders — addressed other relevant issues of the day, often attacking President Obama.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) talked about the importance of the “three-legged stool” of the conservative movement — social issues, fiscal issues and national security issues — that Republicans say led to Ronald Reagan’s wide victories during presidential elections in the 1980s.
“When we say that we’re pro-life, and that we’re proudly pro-life, that doesn’t mean that we’re pro-life just when that human being is in the womb,” Christie said. “It means we have to be in favor of an educational system that’s accountable, so that child, as they grow, can have a world-class education. It means that we have to be in favor of a society that creates opportunity and jobs for them — not one that has the government control what they think is good or fair in our society.”
Gov. Chris Christie (R-N.J.) speaking at the 2014 Conservative Political Action Conference. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
Amid concern over Russia’s military incursion into Ukraine, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) derided the Obama administration for what he said was allowing the growth of totalitarian regimes in North Korea, Iran, China and Russia.
“All the problems of the world, all the conflicts of the world are being created by totalitarian regimes who are more interested in forcing people to do what they want them to do than truly achieving peace and prosperity and respect for the rights of others,” Rubio said.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), another rising Republican star, enumerated several policy items he wanted to achieve, including repeal of Obamacare and Dodd-Frank financial reform, abolition of the IRS and the establishment of the flat-tax.
Following his speech, Cruz took a shot at former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, whom many see as the likely Democratic presidential nominee in 2016, when asked about her candidacy.
“I’m less concerned about Hillary Clinton than I am about the direction this is country is going,” Cruz said. “We will have had eight years of a failed economic agenda that is resulting in a lack of leadership across the world. It is allowing Russia and China and Iran to expand their spheres of influence and make the world a much more dangerous place, and at home people are hurting. We’ve got the lowest labor force participation since 1978. Let me tell you, we can’t afford eight more years of this: Hillary Clinton would continue the failed Obama economic agenda.”
It should be noted Cruz is an opponent of marriage equality and has introduced in the Senate the State Defense Marriage Act, which would prohibit the federal government from recognizing same-sex unions in states where they’re illegal.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) speaking at CPAC 2014. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
Cuba
Trans parent charged with kidnapping, allegedly fled to Cuba with child
Cuban authorities helped locate Rose Inessa-Ethington
Federal authorities have charged a transgender woman with kidnapping after she allegedly fled to Cuba with her 10-year-old child.
An affidavit that Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Jennifer Waterfield filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Utah on April 16 notes the child is a “biological male who identifies as a female” and “splits time living with divorced parents who share custody” in Cache County, Utah.
Waterfield notes the child on March 28 “was supposed to be traveling by car to” Calgary, Alberta, “for a planned camping trip with his transgender mother, Rose Inessa-Ethington, Rose’s partner, Blue Inessa-Ethington, and Blue’s 3-year-old child.”
The affidavit notes the group instead flew from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Mexico City on March 29. Waterfield writes the Inessa-Ethingtons and the two children then flew from Mérida, Mexico, to Havana on April 1.
The 10-year-old child called her biological mother on March 28 after they arrived in Canada. The custody agreement, according to the affidavit, required Rose Inessa-Ethington to return the child to her former spouse on April 3.
“Interviews of MV [Minor Victim] 1’s family members provided significant concerns for MV 1’s well-being, as MV 1 was born a male, however, identifies as a female child, which is largely believed to be due to manipulation by Rose Inessa-Ethington,” reads the affidavit. “Concerns exist that MV 1 was transported to Cuba for gender reassignment surgery prior to puberty.”
The affidavit indicates authorities found a note in the Inessa-Ethingtons’ home with “instruction from a mental health therapist located in Washington, D.C., including instruction to send the therapist the $10,000.00 and instructions on gender-affirming medical care for children.”
The affidavit does not identify the specific “mental health therapist” in D.C.
A Utah judge on April 13 ordered Rose Inessa-Ethington to “immediately” return the child to her former spouse. The former spouse also received sole custody.
“Your affiant believes that due to the extensive planning and preparation exhibited by both Rose Inessa-Ethington and Blue Inessa-Ethington to isolate MV 1 and take MV 1 to Havana, Cuba, without notifying or requesting permission from MV 1’s mother indicates they are likely not planning to return to the United States,” wrote Waterfield.
The affidavit notes Cuban authorities found the Inessa-Ethingtons and the child.
A press release the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah issued notes the Inessa-Ethingtons “were deported from Cuba” on Monday “with the assistance of the FBI.”
The couple has been charged with International Parental Kidnapping. The Inessa-Ethingtons were arraigned in Richmond, Va., on Monday. The press release notes a federal court in Salt Lake City will soon handle the case.
The New York Times reported the child is now back with their biological mother.
“We are grateful to law enforcement for working swiftly to return the child to the biological mother,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah in the press release.
The case is unfolding against the backdrop of increased tensions between Washington and Havana after U.S. forces on Jan. 3 seized now former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
President Donald Trump shortly after he took office in January 2025 issued an executive order that directed the federal government to only recognize two genders: male and female. A second White House directive banned federally-funded gender-affirming care for anyone under 19.
The U.S. Supreme Court last year in the Skrmetti decision upheld a Tennessee law that bans gender-affirming care for minors.
Cuba’s national health care system has offered free sex-reassignment surgeries since 2008.
Activists who are critical of Mariela Castro, the daughter of former President Raúl Castro who spearheads LGBTQ issues as director of Cuba’s National Center for Sexual Education, have previously told the Washington Blade that access to these procedures is limited. The Blade on Wednesday asked a contact in Havana to clarify whether Cuban law currently allows minors to undergo sex-reassignment surgery.
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.”
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