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Kevin Naff and Michael K. Lavers is a bylined journalist whose reporting appears on LGBTQ News. We aggregate Kevin Naff and Michael K. Lavers's work from trusted local sources with full attribution, linking back to the original publisher. To learn more about how we select and review stories, see our editorial standards.
Affiliated with: Washington Blade
Friday marks 10 years since a gunman killed 49 people inside the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla. The massacre, which, at the time was the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, left the LGBT
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The military junta that took over the Sahara nation of Niger in 2023 announced the country's new penal code last Friday. The new penal code criminalizes homosexuality and imposes a prison sentence of five to ten years. The AP notes that homosexuality wasn't formally illegal in Niger before 2025, but
The false conspiracy theory made it all the way to the South Lawn.
The primaries in California took place almost two weeks ago, but the election is far from over. For Republicans who see a landslide for Democrats heading their way in November, the Los Angeles mayoral race has become the template for undermining the results. California primaries for state and local
“There Is No Pride in Detention” is the name of a campaign led by Rainbow Migration, the British organization to which I contribute as part of an advisory panel. The campaign, launched during Pride Month, highlights the fact that an unknown number of LGBTQ people are held in immigration detention in
A raid by Malaysian authorities on an alleged "gay spa" in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur late last month saw over 200 individuals arrested, but ultimately yielded no convictions under colonial-era prohibitions on "carnal knowledge" between men. Local police carried out the joint raid with the Fed
After Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) competitor Josh Hokit won his heavyweight fight against Derrick Lewis during the UFC Freedom 250 event on the White House lawn on Sunday night, he concluded his victory interview with popular transphobic broadcaster Joe Rogan by declaring, “And lastly, Mich
The Washington Blade held the seventh annual Pride on the Pier at The Wharf DC on Saturday, June 13. (Washington Blade photos by Landon Shackelford) The post PHOTOS: Pride on the Pier appeared first on Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay News.
In Ghana last week, participants from 20 African nations advanced the latest iteration of the African Inter-Parliamentary “Family, Sovereignty and Values” Charter, a document African rights activists say threatens to dismantle protections for women, girls, and LGBTQ+ people in service of a Christian
The 2026 Lost River Pride Festival was held on the scenic grounds of the Lost River Farmers Market in Lost City, W.Va. on Saturday, June 13. Headliner Tom Goss performed at the festival and gave a second performance at the nearby Guesthouse Lost River. (Washington Blade photos by Michael Key) View o
Notorious transphobe Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) lost in her state’s Republican gubernatorial primary earlier this week, coming in 5th place as Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Attorney General Alan Wilson advanced to a runoff. And now, Republicans who worked closely with her are speaking out about why she is
Mark Segal was a witness to history and a participant on "just another night out" at the Stonewall Inn on June 28, 1969. The soon-to-be activist was just 18 when he arrived in New York City a few weeks before from his hometown in Philadelphia. He discovered Greenwich Village not long after, and "nir
‘Devout: Losing My Faith to Find Myself’By David Archuletac.2026, Gallery Books$29/290 pages So just make up your mind already. The decision is very much in your control – or, at least that’s how it’s supposed to be. It’ll be your future, your path, and seizing it may not just be necessary, but mand
While one would hope it’s easy to calculate a break-even point for a home purchase – such as you could calculate for “how many widgets a month do I need to sell to break even?” It’s not always easy when looking at the return on investment for a home purchase. Condo buildings can lose a view due to n
‘Suffs’June 16 – 28National Theatre1321 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.$115 and upBroadwayatthenational.com Poised to kick off a two-week run at D.C.’s National Theatre (June 16-28), “Suffs,” the Tony Award-winning musical written by Shaina Taub, promises an entertaining chronicle of what was the arduous po
June 14 is Flag Day. That's right, smack in the middle of Pride Month – which celebrates a community that absolutely adores flags – there is a day celebrating a flag. I'm not the first person to notice this. A sketch in season 13 of RuPaul's Drag Race, which aired in 2021, noticed it too. The challe
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee today released photographs from the Jeffrey Epstein estate confirming the close ties President Donald Trump had to the late child sex trafficker, and documenting his proximity to the young women who were victimized. Committee Democrats released 19 photos re
O'Shae Sibley's killer found guilty on hate crime charges What he was convicted of: Dmitriy Popov, who stabbed gay dancer O’Shae Sibley to death in 2023, was found guilty of second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter as a hate crime, and aggravated harassment because of race or religion. Why it
House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is set to retire in 2027 and recently spoke about her decades-long career advocating for LGBTQ+ rights. “Anything that we accomplished, whether it was fighting HIV and AIDS, ending discrimination, passing hate crimes legislation, or ending ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t
A gay dad's thoughts on the trials and tribulations of raising a straight son went viral last week as parents across the internet connected to his feelings. The Brazil-based father posted in Portuguese under the handle @cleccio. According to X's translation, he opened by saying that being the gay da
National HIV medical associations and providers are challenging the Trump administration's new federal funding guidelines that target transgender identity assisted by the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program. The new regulations bar organizations that access the decades-old program, including several of the
President Donald Trump was accused of trying to orally rape a 13- to 14-year-old girl who then bit his genitals, according to an unproven allegation contained among the 3.5 million pages of investigatory files connected to deceased child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, released today by the Departme
Here are this week’s most popular positive stories, with some fun social media posts tossed in too. Like seeing uplifting content like this? Sign up for our Good News email. It's the second week of Pride Month, and we've got a great mixed bag of rainbow-colored goodies for you to enjoy in this week'
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From new comedies to the return of House of the Dragon, there’s lots of queer TV to keep you company this summer.
The Capital Pride Alliance presented the 2026 Capital Pride Honors at "The Audacity Brunch: In Full Fuchsia" at the Four Seasons Hotel Washington, D.C. on Sunday, June 7. (Washington Blade photos by Landon Shackelford) The post PHOTOS: The Audacity Brunch appeared first on Washington Blade: LGBTQ Ne
British-Jewish journalist Jonathan Sacerdoti authored an article entitled, "Bombing Iran is the perfect way to celebrate Pride." While the article's title has since been changed to, "Bombing Iran’s evil regime is a point of Pride for Israel", in it he praises Israel's missile strikes against "the ho
The D.C. Council on June 9 gave its first round of approval to an amendment to the city’s fiscal year 2027 budget that calls for increasing the number and size of funding grants that the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs provides for local organizations providing services for the LGBTQ community. The
David Hockney, the pioneering gay artist best known for his portraits of male desire in mid-century settings, has died. He was 88. His cause of death is not yet publicly known. The British artist, who, along with compatriots Francis Bacon and Lucien Freud, was uncompromising in his depictions of gay
Ten years after the mass shooting at Pulse nightclub, survivors, family and friends of the 49 victims are gathering in Orlando to honor the dead. Several events around the city will pay tribute to those lost in what was then the largest mass shooting in American history. 58 clubgoers at the Latin-th
The Brighter Days Ahead Foundation will fund small grassroots organizations with a focus on protecting queer and trans people.
Former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg slammed Donald Trump for saying that he loves inflation. "We have a president and a White House that clearly don't care," Buttigieg said in a video posted to social media. Related Pete Buttigieg will be the next president. Here's why. Buttigieg was r
A state judge in Maine agreed on Thursday that "Protect Girls' Sports," an anti-transgender activist group, tried to get a referendum on sports participation on the ballot this fall but failed to collect enough valid signatures. Earlier this year, Protect Girls' Sports, a campaign that was bankrolle
During a press event at the Oval Office on Thursday, Donald Trump claimed that there are six states that are taking people's children and forcing them to transition, leaving people wondering if Trump was lying or if he had lost his mind, since this is not happening anywhere. "No men in women's sport
They are trying to figure out how to reconnect LGBTQ+ youth with specialized suicide counselors while complying with policies that deny recognition of trans people. The LGBTQ+ community is skeptical.
Daniel Arnulfo Ceron, 22, was arrested on June 10 in connection to the violent killing.
Bud Light has gone from sponsoring Pride events in major U.S. cities to sponsoring the Trump administration’s UFC cage match on the White House lawn. Three years after a one-off Instagram video partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney sparked a MAGA boycott, the brand’s logo will appea
Historic Congressional Cemetery will host the second annual “Gays & Graves: A Big Gay Festival” on Sunday, June 14 at 11 a.m. The event will feature pioneering activist Randy Wicker, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, and new public art installations and programs celebrating LGBTQ+ history. Gays &
Baltimore Pride is underway, taking place from June 8-14. The Pride Parade will be on Saturday, June 13 at 12 p.m. at Charles Street & North Avenue, followed by the Pride Block Party at 1 p.m. at Druid Hill Park. And then the Pride Festival will be held on Sunday, June 14 at 12 p.m. at Druid Hill Pa
Friday, June 12 Bet Mishpachah will host “Pride Shabbat Happy Hour” at 6 p.m. at Edlavitch DC Jewish Community Center. This is an in-person happy hour with an open wine and beer bar, great company, and joyful conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite. Women in the
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen (R) signed a proclamation on June 3 designating this month as "Marriage and Family Month." His proclamation makes his state just the latest among several red states that have recently tried to give Pride Month a conservative and anti-LGBTQ+ rebranding. “The nuclear family, c
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