Washingtonblade.Com, Volume 46, Issue 30, July 24, 2015
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JULY 24 2015 VOLUME 46 ISSUE 30 • AMERICA’S GAY NEWS SOURCE • WASHINGTONBLADE.COM Congress to consider sweeping LGBT rights bill Equality Act would ban (Visit washingtonblade.com for updates.) According to a “Dear Colleague” letter dated bias in employment, July 20 and obtained by the Washington Blade, credit, housing and more the legislation intends to prohibit anti-LGBT discrimination in seven areas: credit, education, employment, federal funding, housing, jury By CHRIS JOHNSON service and public accommodations. [email protected] The name of the legislation is the Equality Act, which is the same as legislation introduced A bill that would explicitly ban anti-LGBT more than 40 years ago by the late Rep. Bella discrimination in all areas of civil rights law Abzug of New York City. The bill, which was was set for introduction in both chambers of the fi rst-ever gay rights measure introduced in Congress late this week. Congress, would have amended the Civil Rights Capitol Hill sources said lead sponsors Rep. Act of 1964 to include sexual orientation. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) In his letter to colleagues, Cicilline makes would introduce the legislation on Thursday the case that although the U.S. Supreme Court Activists with GetEqual at a protest for ENDA. Lawmakers are expected to introduce the Equality Act this week, a broader measure than ENDA and hold a news conference at noon on the but not all LGBT advocates support the strategy. legislation on the Senate side of the U.S. Capitol. CONTINUES ON PAGE 14 WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY D.C. judge explains leniency in hate attack Short sentences for for instigating and leading what police the sentences are far too lenient for a siblings who beat, and prosecutors have called a brutal conviction in an assault that could have gay bashing attack. resulted in the victim’s death. slashed gay man Williams called the hearing just over “I wanted to have this hearing because two weeks after she handed down the at the initial sentencing, admittedly, By LOU CHIBBARO JR. sentences at a separate hearing on June I was pretty rushed because I had a [email protected] 29. The victim, a 29-year-old gay man, jury waiting,” said Williams, who was and his mother, who witnessed the referring to another trial over which she D.C. Superior Court Judge Yvonne attack, testifi ed then that the beatingwas presiding. Williams took the unusual step of and face slashing of the victim that took “It’s really an opportunity for me to calling a special hearing on Aug. 15 to place during the incident have had a just talk,” she said. “And apparently, as explain why she sentenced a 22-year- devastating impact on their lives. the judge, you can just summon people D.C. Superior Court Judge YVONNE old lesbian to six months in jail and her Sources familiar with the case have WILLIAMS said she’s known for ‘telling it twin brother, who’s straight, to one year said police and prosecutors believe CONTINUES ON PAGE 16 like it is.’ SECOND ACT SURVIVOR’S STORY MAKE YOU SWEAT Mike Fleck joins Pa. guv’s Alfred Munzer, who lived Martha Wash headlines administration after coming through the Holocaust, 40th Baltimore Pride out, losing House seat. shares life lessons. celebration this weekend. PAGE 4 PAGES 21-24 PAGE 26 02 • JULY 24, 2015 WASHINGTONBLADE.COM Fostering: A Transformational Life Experience Six years ago we made the decision to become foster parents. support groups and each other and our commitment of It was an easy decision, one that did not require a lot of providing a safe, loving environment for one of our own – a pondering or mulling over. We invested in the District of youth from the District of Columbia. Columbia early in our careers (1987). We chose to live here and at the time were considered pioneers. After establishing Fast forward to today – gone are the days of tantrums, our roots, finding each other and comingling our assets we emotional outbursts and defiance. The growth, maturity knew we wanted to give back to our community and wanted and stabilization of this child is nothing short of miraculous. to experience parenthood through the lens of being a “foster He anchors us and we are his rock. So much so that we parent.” Warning! The best laid plans don’t always follow moved forward and adopted this young man. Today, we the script! can’t imagine our lives without him nor can we imagine what his life what have been like without our paths having Fast forward to 2010 – with all of our course requirements, crossed. background checks and other importantly deemed Following this experience, we maintained our license and documentation we were ready for a “placement.” Patience soon began to explore the opportunity of expanding our is a virtue and waiting for a placement is a true test – we family via the foster care path once again. In January 2015 thought we had cast our net far and wide. We were willing we were fortunate to have a fourteen-year-old boy placed in to foster any child between the ages of 5-15. Following what our care. Although the process was the same, his needs were we thought to be a lengthy wait the phone finally rang and different than our younger son. Again, via our training and our lives changed forever. support from the agency and our friends we quickly adapted and have formed a permanent bond. In fact we have filed There was an eight (8) year old boy who was in need our letter of intent to adopt and are eager to legalize our of a placement. He had experienced several placement expanded family. disruptions and was being cared for at Children’s Hospital and waiting transfer to a residential living facility in Georgia Fostering and adopting our sons has been the most where he would be cared for until he was eighteen (18). phenomenal life transformational experience for us. We Again, very little discussion, we were ready for this challenge can’t imagine our life without our sons being a part of it. and immediately said yes! There are so many children, especially older children, who only need love, support and a stable environment from a Following our first night, we looked at each other and loving and flexible family. These are our children, District simultaneously mouthed “What Have We Done?” Needless of Columbia children, and they deserve to be loved and to say, our first night was “rough” but we survived and we nurtured. Take a chance and enjoy the rewards! We did! made it through. We relied on our agency training, our For more information about becoming a DC foster parent call 202.671.LOVE (5683). WASHINGTONBLADE.COM JULY 24, 2015 • 03 WASHINGTONBLADE.COM 04 • JULY 24, 2015 LOCAL NEWS Man gets 1 year for anti-gay attack in Metro station Victim pushed onto tracks responsibility for his actions and pled prosecutor in the case, played a video what he did by agreeing to plead guilty. because he ‘looked gay’ guilty,” William Miller, a spokesperson obtained from Metro security cameras David Richter, Sills’ attorney, told for the U.S. Attorney’s Offi ce, told thethat showed the victim being pushed Williams his client was grappling with Washington Blade. onto the tracks and immediately climbing mental health issues. By LOU CHIBBARO JR. “We brought the defendant’s back onto the platform. “It was a bunch of dumb young kids [email protected] motivation to the judge’s attention during The arrest affi davit says the attack doing this,” Richter said. “He has taken the allocution at sentencing,” Miller said. continued as the victim fl ed to the upper responsibility for it.” A 20-year-old D.C. man accused of A police arrest affi davit says Sills, co- level of the station. The Metro security Before handing down her sentence, assaulting and robbing another man defendant Isiah Bogan, 20, and other video played in court at the sentencing Williams asked Sills, “Did you tell police before pushing him onto the tracks at unidentifi ed males with them approachedshows Sills picking up a cone-shaped, you don’t like gay people?” the Navy Yard Metro station in March the victim on the platform of the Navy four-foot-tall plastic “wet fl oor” sign and Sills nodded his head and said because he believed the victim was gay Yard Metro station about 10:50 p.m. on using it like a baseball bat to strike the something in a soft voice that couldn’t be was sentenced on July 15 to one year in March 10. The affi davit says Sills allegedly victim repeatedly in the upper body. heard by courtroom observers. jail by a D.C. Superior Court judge. slapped the victim on the back of the head During the sentencing hearing Baker “This boils down to, you can’t control Judge Yvonne Williams handed down as the victim tried to walk away from Sills pointed out that Sills told police at the your behavior, your anger,” Williams told the sentence for Raheem S. Sills two and the others accompanying Sills. time of his arrest that he targeted the him. “You sucker punched him in the back months after Sills pled guilty on May According to the affi davit, Sills’ initial victim because he “looked gay” and that of his head when he was walking away. 11 to a charge of attempted assault assault triggered an altercation between he doesn’t like gay people or men who This is all for nothing, you hit him for with a dangerous weapon as part of a the victim, Sills and the others.