Schools

Arlington Public Schools leaders are playing their cards close to their chests following the end of a federal investigation into the school system’s anti-discrimination policy.

In response to demands from the U.S. Department of Education, which targeted policies allowing transgender students to use facilities corresponding with their gender identities, Superintendent Francisco Durán said only that APS has received the findings and is formulating a response.


News

Two LGBTQ+ advocacy groups are calling for Arlington Public Schools to defy federal attempts to dismantle the school system’s anti-discrimination policy for transgender students.

Both Equality Arlington and the Arlington Gender Identity Alliance (AGIA) issued statements this week on the results of a U.S. Department of Education investigation into five Northern Virginia school districts.


Schools

An advocacy group is calling on Arlington school officials to push back on a new state policy on reporting students as either male or female.

On May 12, the Virginia Department of Education’s policy on records collection removed an option to designate some students as “other” rather than male or female.


News

The founder of a beloved LGBTQ+ bar in Crystal City is getting married to his longtime partner on a float at D.C.’s WorldPride Parade this Saturday.

Freddie’s Beach Bar owner Freddie Lutz and his partner of 28 years, Johnny Cervantes, plan to tie the knot in bride-and-groom-inspired tuxedos atop a special Freddie’s display featuring a chapel.


Around Town

A bookstore and cafe with a taste for the mystical, metaphysical and macabre has announced plans to open in Falls Church.

The Dark, Unbound plans to sell books by “underrepresented voices in the fantasy, science-fiction, speculative fiction and horror genres,” in a cozy, moody atmosphere. It is in the works at 112 W. Broad Street, where Dominion Camera closed in September.


Events

A full schedule of Pride-themed events is kicking off in Arlington this weekend as WorldPride commences in D.C.

The festivities begin with a light art projection and Saturday block party at the Ellen M. Bozman Government Center, followed by theatrical performances, DIY arts and crafts and more through June. Here’s a look at some upcoming Pride events across the county.


News

Sponsorships for Arlington Pride’s annual LGBTQ+ pride events have plunged this year.

The number of sponsors for the group’s upcoming festivities at the Hyatt Regency in Crystal City plummeted from 50 last year to two this year, organizer Lindsey Hinton told ARLnow.


News

A plan to redevelop a Lyon Village church as affordable housing for LGBTQ+ seniors has been canceled.

Clarendon Presbyterian Church and True Ground Housing Partners announced yesterday evening (Thursday) that a proposed 102-unit development at 1305 N. Jackson Street is “not financially viable.”


News

A proposal to redevelop a Lyon Village church as affordable housing for LGBTQ+ seniors continues to get pushback from some neighbors.

Clarendon Presbyterian Church has been seeking to redevelop its property at 1305 N. Jackson Street in partnership with True Ground Housing Partners. Conceptual site plans filed last May depict a six-story building with 102 units, as well as a church and childcare center totaling 8,530 square feet.


Schools

An LGBTQ+ advocacy group is calling for Arlington Public Schools to take a more aggressive stance in support of transgender students.

Equality Arlington released a letter this week urging the school system to “stand up for the rights of transgender athletes and oppose all discriminatory policies from whatever source they come.”


Schools

Debate over gendered spaces in Arlington Public Schools has erupted following the arrest of a sex offender accused of exposing themselves in multiple girls’ locker rooms.

The school system is tightening security measures at its pools in response to Richard Kenneth Cox reportedly loitering while naked around women and girls after hours on APS property.


News

LGBTQ+ advocates are lobbying the Arlington County Board for a resolution safeguarding against potential attacks on their rights.

Dozens of activists packed the Board’s meeting room on Saturday to decry recent developments at the federal and state level, including President Donald Trump’s executive order targeting gender identity and “gender ideology.” They argue that such actions threaten the wellbeing of LGBTQ+ people everywhere.


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