Pride festivals, community gatherings, and more
Local guides, business directory, and how to reach our readers.
Recent reporting and curated coverage across every beat we cover.
Donald J. Trump does not now or has ever understood the concept of “human strength” and what it is to be a “man.” Instead, Trump performs strength in ways that many progressive advocates construct as “toxic hypermasculinity.” Actually, one does not need to have been assigned “male” at birth to repro
Pop star, writer, and filmmaker Haley Kiyoko has long been cemented as a sapphic legend, referred to lovingly by her fans as the "Lesbian Jesus." The singer has been making music and music videos celebrating sapphic love since well before doing so became a bit more mainstream. And now, she has relea
Commentators on MSNBC could not contain their laughter after Donald Trump tried to claim that only the good parts of the economy are because of him. NBC News White House correspondent Kristen Welker asked during an interview, "When does it become the Trump economy?" Related 'Animatronic' Trump offic
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 last week of Pride month, which always makes us feel a bit sad), but we have some good news for ya — there was so muc
Former Secretary of Transportation and likely 2028 presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg was briefly separated from his children after an anonymous false report alleging he was a danger to his young twins. Buttigieg detailed the ordeal firsthand in a post on Substack, titled “A Terrible Thing Happen
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Friday recounted being separated from his children following an anonymous police report later determined to be false. The openly gay former mayor of South Bend, Ind., and current 2028 presidential contender was accused of posing a danger to his child
Friday marks 11 years since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the Constitution protects same-sex marriage in Obergefell v. Hodges. Despite that major win for LGBTQ people nationwide, the case may be on shakier ground than originally thought. Obergefell v. Hodges, the case that determined the Constitution
Precious Arzuaga, 38, entered a guilty plea to all charges, including first-degree murder.
On June 23, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights announced it is launching a Title IX investigation into three Maryland school districts and the Maryland State Department of Education for failing to enforce sex-based protections guaranteed by federal law. The districts include
Michigan State Police said it received an anonymous report and determined it was false. Buttigieg said the ordeal forced him to spend a night away from his and Chasten Buttigieg’s 4-year-old twins.
A state representative in Louisiana is speaking out over new legislation signed into law by Gov. Jeff Landry (R) granting employees in the state a right to deadname trans colleagues. The legislation describes the disrespect as “constitutionally protected speech.” Related The Texas GOP's official 202
An unlikely pair of countries, Iran and Egypt, are competing Friday night in what's been billed as the 2026 World Cup "Pride Match" in Seattle. Neither nation's government recognizes LGBTQ+ rights. And FIFA, the World Cup's governing body, is denying there's a "Pride Match" at all. Related The Pride
The Texas State Board of Education is set to vote on a proposal that would establish a mandatory reading list for K-12 public school students. The list, an oddity in its own right, includes extensive selections from the Bible while snubbing all other religions. The Republican-majority board is expec
The reality star says she routinely gets DMs from parents of newly out trans youth.
Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett confirmed her belief that marriage equality has resulted in "very concrete reliance interests" that make it unlikely to be overturned. In a conversation with the New York Times’ Ross Douthat, Barrett defined reliance interests as "things that would be upset or
Lara Raj and Megan Skiendiel are saying no to bi erasure this Pride.
This article is offered exclusively to members, those who contribute monthly or annually to LGBTQ Nation.View this article on LGBTQ Nation to learn more or log in to continue reading.
Minneapolis has set the stage for legal bathhouses and adult sex venues to operate in the city for the first time since the 1980s. On Thursday, the Minneapolis City Council approved a pair of measures repealing a 1988 ordinance that banned such businesses at the height of the AIDS epidemic. Related
The Comings & Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our community. We want to recognize those landing new jobs, new clients for their business, joining boards of organizations and other achievements. Please share your successes with us at comingsandgoings@washblade.com. Congra
There’s something about horror films that makes them particularly apt as a vehicle for allegory. Vampires, zombies, ghosts, or seemingly death-proof serial killers can all easily be seen as metaphors for some lurking threat from the “dark side” of our own collective psyche, and stories about them ar
City council member Jason Chavez called it an important “first step” to the return of bathhouses.
Friday, June 26 Trans Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This event is intended to provide an emotionally and physically safe space for trans people and those who may be questioning their gender identity/expression to join together in community and learn from one another. For more details,
Since Elliot Hefty came out as a trans man in 2020, he has lost his job, been evicted, and received KKK flyers at his front door – all because of his gender identity. He was also a victim of sexual assault in a men's bathroom and thinks his gender identity is what caused the perpetrator to act. Afte
The Baltimore Orioles will take on the Washington Nationals on Friday, June 26 at 7 p.m. for Pride Night at Oriole Park. The first 15,000 fans will receive an exclusive Pride Night Orioles jersey. The Washington Blade is a media sponsor of this event. To purchase tickets, visit Orioles.com/Tickets.
Dear Michael, I’ve been dating Mark for three years, living together for two, and I’m not sure he’s for me. We get along great but I’m questioning how attracted I am to him. I was never crazy about him physically but he was such a sweet and smart guy that I wanted to date him. Sex was never mind-blo
On April 30, 1997, students at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams invited me to give a presentation I called "Homophobia: How We All Pay the Price," based on my 1992 book of the same title. They chose this specific day on this specific topic because that evening, the star of an
Anti-LGBTQ+ Fox News Host Jesse Watters hurled insults at bisexual women during a segment about the movie Supergirl, which opens in theaters today. Watters was reacting to an assertion from the film's star, Milly Alcock, that her character could be bisexual. And as the chyron declared the movie "des
It started with a swipe. "In November of 2023, my friend took my phone out of my hands, downloaded the Her app, and created my online profile," says Jennelle Kariotis, a fortysomething assistant professor of Psychology at Northeastern University in Boston. The mother of two, twice-divorced, had neve
When the Washington Blade first reported the story of Jonathan David Muir Burgos, the news centered on a 16-year-old Cuban teenager who had been sent to prison after taking part in a public protest in Morón, Ciego de Ávila. At the time, the facts were straightforward. A minor had lost his freedom, a
Jesse Watters is having an extremely normal reaction to the release of Supergirl.
Books for Pride by various authorsc.2026, various publishers$18.95 – $29.00 How many times have you marched so far this month? Seems like there’s always a reason to gather and walk during Pride, but save some time for yourself, too. You’ll want to reflect, rest, and read these great books about livi
While numerous brands have cautiously rolled back their Pride Month involvement in recent years, fearing right-wing blowback for any association with the LGBTQ+ community, a handful of big companies haven't backed away — in the case of Mastercard and Target, they have even increased their Pride inve
The funding comes amid a federal battle over gender-affirming care.
The biennial convention of the Texas Republican Party convened last month, resulting in the release of a new official platform that includes a host of anti-LGBTQ+ provisions, including a ban on trans teachers and the characterization of homosexuality as "an abnormal lifestyle choice." Texas already
Pete Buttigieg zoomed out on Saturday on the controversy surrounding Donald Trump's teardown of the East Wing of the White House, saying he's not as concerned about historic preservation as he is about Americans suffering the effects of historic price hikes for health insurance, all while Trump buil
After two decades, the U.S. will end a life-saving HIV-prevention and treatment program in South Africa, a country where over 8 million people live with the virus (about 12% of its population). The Trump administration said it is stopping the funding because South Africa hasn't done enough to meet t
Eswatini's Supreme Court has ordered the government to allow an LGBTQ rights group to legally register. The Registrar of Companies in 2019 denied Eswatini Sexual and Gender Minorities' request to register. The advocacy group in 2020 petitioned the Supreme Court to hear the case. The Supreme Court in
Graham Platner, the Democratic nominee for Maine's U.S. Senate seat, had twin events demonstrating his strong support among the LGBTQ+ community this week. The candidate is facing off against longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins in November, with control of the Senate at stake. Platner won the Dem
The actor might be playing another figure in Greek mythology. We'll be tuning in regardless.
WNBA legend and Hall of Famer Sue Wicks reflects on her New York Liberty career, coming out in 2002, and why she's just as obsessed with the league's new gay players as we are.
Free weekly digest. Local news that actually matters — no spam, no clickbait, easy unsubscribe.
By subscribing you agree to our privacy policy. We never sell your data.