National
DNC 2012: R.I. guv says primary race ‘pivotal’ for marriage equality
Chafee says lesbian candidate’s victory would send ‘broad message’

Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee speaks before the Democratic National Committee (Blade photo by Michael Key)
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The independent governor of Rhode Island said Tuesday that an upcoming Democratic primary could be key in determining whether the state will pass same-sex marriage legislation next year.
Gov. Lincoln Chafee, a supporter of marriage equality, told the Washington Blade that a victory on Sept. 11 for Laura Pisaturo, a lesbian attorney running for state Senate, would be “pivotal” when asked about his expectations for advancing marriage equality.
“There’s a key Senate race in Rhode Island, which is really revolving around this issue, and the head of the committee who overseas marriage equality is having a tough primary race,” Chafee said. “So a week from tonight, we’ll kind of have an indication. A big pro-marriage equality candidate against this committee chair. That’s a pivotal race in Rhode Island that will be an indication.”
Pisaturo is running against State Sen. Michael McCaffrey, another attorney and chair of Rhode Island’s Senate Judiciary Committee. Pending same-sex marriage legislation has never advanced in his committee, even though he’s a Democrat. Last month, McCaffrey said during a TV debate that the committee may not have the votes to move the bill, adding his position is he “believes that marriage is between a man and a woman.”
Chafee added that the election of Pisaturo, who’s been endorsed by the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, would not only remove someone who doesn’t support marriage equality, but be a broader symbolic victory for same-sex marriage.
“It’s a blue collar district,” Chafee said. “It’s representative of Rhode Island. If in that district they elect a pro-marriage equality candidate, it’s going to send a broad, broad message across the state.”
Asked whether it would be smooth sailing for a marriage bill if Pisaturo is elected, Chafee said, “That’s a big one. Because it is the committee chair that’s involved. The woman who’s running is openly gay and talks about her advocacy for marriage equality.”
Political observers expect movement on same-sex marriage legislation in Rhode Island next year. Rhode Island House Speaker Gordon Fox, who’s gay, said during an interview in June that he would “address” the issue early on during the legislative session.
Additionally, Chafee reaffirmed his opposition to a ban on federal recognition of same-sex marriage known as the Defense of Marriage Act when asked whether he wants to see the anti-gay law lifted from the books. Chafee was among the six governors and five mayors who signed a letter from the Human Rights Campaign urging the Senate to pass legislation to repeal DOMA.
“It’s just way overdue,” Chafee said. “I don’t know how that ever got passed.”
A former Republican who later ran as an independent before becoming governor of Rhode Island, Chafee spoke to the Blade in the Time Warner Cable Arena following remarks he delivered in favor of re-electing President Obama.
The State Senate race on Sept. 11 isn’t the only race of interest in Rhode Island to the LGBT community. Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.), a gay U.S. House member, is facing a primary challenge from businessman Anthony Gemma. A survey published late last month from WPRI-TV found that Cicilline had a 12-point lead over his challenger.
National
Queen Jean is Tony’s first transgender winner
Designer/activist wins for work on ‘Cats: The Jellicle Ball’
It was a historic night at the 79th annual Tony Awards on Sunday as Queen Jean won the award for Best Costume Design of a Musical, making her the first out transgender person to win a Tony.
“This experience has been monumental. We are here for the legacy of queer people, trans people,” she said. “We are taking up space in ways we have to take up space. We have to shift the paradigm. So I just want to say, thank you all so much for this incredible honor. The world right now is deeply, deeply combating so many ailments, and we know as a society that when we come together, we can make real, permanent change.”
She won the award for her work on “Cats: The Jellicle Ball” and was also nominated for best costume design of a play for “Liberation.”
In addition to her stage work, Queen Jean is the founder of Black Trans Liberation, an organization that supports trans and gender-nonconforming people in New York City.
National
Madonna turns Times Square into massive dance floor
Pop icon celebrates Pride month with surprise performance
Pop icon Madonna celebrated Pride month with a pop-up performance in New York City’s Times Square on Thursday to the delight of 50,000 fans.
She performed for about 15 minutes high above street level, including several songs from her new album “Confessions II” due on July 3, along with a trio of songs from the first “Confessions on a Dance Floor.”
In addition to the brand new “Love Sensation,” she performed “I Feel So Free” and “Bring Your Love,” plus “Hung Up,” “Get Together” and “I Love New York.” She wished the crowd a happy Pride season; the event was shared with audiences through Grindr’s first-ever livestream.


National
Gallup finds LGBTQ support among Americans is dropping
Marriage equality support lowest since 2016
Gallup, one of the leading organizations in public opinion polling, has found that LGBTQ support among Americans is dropping.
The poll, whose data was collected using Gallup’s annual Values and Beliefs survey, was conducted in May and was published on Wednesday. The data was collected through telephone interviews from a sample of more than 1,000 adults living in all 50 states and D.C. using random digit dialing.
It highlights declining attitudes surrounding LGBTQ issues in multiple areas — from support for same-sex marriage to views on gender identity and the morality of one’s sexuality.
One of the most striking findings was that support for marriage equality fell six points from its 2022-2023 high.
The survey also found that 62 percent of Americans view gay and lesbian relations as morally acceptable, the lowest level since 2016 just after same-sex marriage was legalized nationwide by the U.S. Supreme Court.
One newer question on the poll found that the perceived morality of changing one’s gender has dropped eight points since 2021, indicating the American public is less supportive of transgender people.

The data attributes much of the decline to shifting Republican views alongside the party itself. Conservative leaders have pushed back against diversity, equity, and inclusion programs that were intended to foster greater acceptance of LGBTQ people and other historically disadvantaged groups.
President Donald Trump has been a guiding force behind waves of anti-LGBTQ sentiment, particularly when it comes to trans rights. The president has enacted multiple executive orders, including Executive Order 14168, “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government,” which mandates that gender be defined by one’s sex assigned at birth. He also signed Executive Order 14183, “Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness,” which barred qualified trans applicants from joining the military and led to the removal of trans service members already serving in the armed forces.
Additionally, he signed Executive Order 14201, “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” which prohibits trans female athletes from participating on women’s and girls’ sports teams.
In February, Gallup found that an estimated 9 percent of Americans identified as part of the LGBTQ community in some form.
The organization also found that 23 percent of adults under age 30 identify as LGBTQ, compared with 10 percent of those ages 30 to 49 and 3 percent or less among those ages 50 and older.
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