Arts & Entertainment
Queery: Justin Croft
The MOVA general manager answers 20 gay questions
Justin Croft (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
Managing and bartending in various restaurants and bars has been conducive to Justin Croft’s bouncing around.
The 32-year-old New London, Pa. (near Philly) native went to college here at George Washington, moved to Los Angeles, returned here, went back to L.A., returned briefly to Philadelphia, then ended up here — at least for now — in May 2010.
He’d known the MOVA owner, Babak Movahedi, since Croft was in college and started bartending there shortly before MOVA moved from P Street (where Nine is now) to its current location at 2204 14th Street, N.W. (movalounge.com).
“I don’t know, it was kind of wanderlust — it was just my 20s, that’s mostly what I tell people,” Croft says. “I kind of moved back here for someone. … I just kind of went with the flow.”
So Los Angeles gay guys versus D.C.’s?
“Everybody says L.A. is pretentious but I think there are pretentious groups in every city,” he says. “I actually think L.A. guys might be a little more inviting at first. They’re more willing to get to know someone they don’t know there I think.”
MOVA has a New Year’s Eve party called “Countdown With the Divas” event planned with DJ Jason. There’s a $5 cover that will go to the D.C. Center. A pair of Lady Gaga tickets will be given away. Guests who RSVP at [email protected] get VIP entry and open bar from midnight to 1 a.m.
Croft says things are going well for the business though it has had a significant transition from its former location. Once some of the big construction projects near it wrap — which should be soon — he expects business to take off.
Croft is single and lives in Washington. He enjoys working out, music, movies and trying new restaurants with friends in his free time.
How long have you been out and who was the hardest person to tell?
Since I was 20, 12 years now. It was pretty easy. My family is very liberal. Looking back, coming to terms with myself was the most challenging.
Who’s your LGBT hero?
Adam Bouska and Jeff Parshley, the creators of the NOH8 campaign. They have done an amazing job at bringing together both straights and gays in a very creative way to foster acceptance
What’s Washington’s best nightspot, past or present?
Halo, which is now MOVA.
Describe your dream wedding.
Never really dreamed about it.
What non-LGBT issue are you most passionate about?
The environment — I am a bit of a tree-hugger at heart.
What historical outcome would you change?
Bush winning Florida in 2000.
What’s been the most memorable pop culture moment of your lifetime?
Being in Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful” video back when I lived in L.A.
On what do you insist?
Clean hygiene. BO is not a welcome scent; deodorant goes a long way.
What was your last Facebook post or Tweet?
Something about MOVA.
If your life were a book, what would the title be?
“Now” because life is really all about living in the present.
If science discovered a way to change sexual orientation, what would you do?
Pass on it. I am proud to be gay.
What do you believe in beyond the physical world?
Karma and life after death.
What’s your advice for LGBT movement leaders?
Keep up the great work.
Who would you walk across hot coals for?
Those whom I care most about.
What LGBT stereotype annoys you most?
The ignorant assumption that all gay men are/must be feminine and lesbians are hyper-masculine.
What’s your favorite LGBT movie?
“Broken Hearts Club”
What’s the most overrated social custom?
Shaking hands
What trophy or prize do you most covet?
My swimming trophy. When I was 6, I swam in a competition but did not win. I was devastated and so my father went out and got me a trophy.
What do you wish you’d known at 18?
How much better life is when you’re honest with yourself and others about who you are.
Why Washington?
Washington is a great city — worldly, dynamic and just a few hours from my family.
Sports
Jason Collins dies at 47
First openly gay man to actively play for major sports team battled brain cancer
Jason Collins, the first openly gay man to actively play for a major professional sports team, died on Tuesday after a battle with brain cancer. He was 47.
The California native had briefly played for the Washington Wizards in 2013 before coming out in a Sports Illustrated op-ed.
Collins in 2014 became the first openly gay man to play in a game for a major American professional sports league when he played 11 minutes during a Brooklyn Nets game. He wore jersey number 98 in honor of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student murdered outside of Laramie, Wyo., in 1998.
Collins told the Washington Blade in 2014 that his life was “exponentially better” since he came out. Collins the same year retired from the National Basketball Association after 13 seasons.
Collins married his husband, Brunson Green, in May 2025.
The NBA last September announced Collins had begun treatment for a brain tumor. Collins on Dec. 11, 2025, announced he had Stage 4 glioblastoma.
“We are heartbroken to share that Jason Collins, our beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, has died after a valiant fight with glioblastoma,” said Collins’s family in a statement the NBA released. “Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar. We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers over the past eight months and for the exceptional medical care Jason received from his doctors and nurses. Our family will miss him dearly.”
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Collins’s “impact and influence extended far beyond basketball as he helped make the NBA, WNBA, and larger sports community more inclusive and welcoming for future generations.”
“He exemplified outstanding leadership and professionalism throughout his 13-year NBA career and in his dedicated work as an NBA Cares Ambassador,” said Silver. “Jason will be remembered not only for breaking barriers, but also for the kindness and humanity that defined his life and touched so many others.”
“To call Jason Collins a groundbreaking figure for our community is simply inadequate. We truly lost a giant today,” added Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson in a statement. “He came out as gay — while still playing — at a time when men’s athletes simply did not do that. But as he powerfully demonstrated in his final years in the league and his post-NBA career, stepping forward as he did boldly changed the conversation.”
“He was and will always be a legend for the LGBTQ+ community, and we are heartbroken to hear of his passing at the young age of 47,” she said. “Our hearts go out to his family and loved ones. We will keep fighting on in his honor until the day everyone can be who they are on their terms.”
The Washington Blade will update this article with additional reaction when it becomes available.
Glitterati Productions held the “Studio 69” party at Bunker on Friday, May 8.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Arts & Entertainment
Washington Blade’s Pride on the Pier returns June 13 to kick off D.C. Pride week
Pride on the Pier officially launches Pride Week in D.C.
The Washington Blade’s annual Pride on the Pier celebration returns to The Wharf on Saturday, June 13, 2026 from 4-9 p.m., bringing thousands of LGBTQ community members and allies together for an unforgettable waterfront celebration to kick off Pride week in Washington, D.C.
Now in its eighth year, Washington Blade Pride on the Pier extends the city’s annual celebration of LGBTQ visibility to the bustling Wharf waterfront with an exciting array of activities and entertainment for all ages. The District Pier will offer DJs, dancing, drag, and other entertainment. Alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase for those 21 and older.
“Pride on the Pier has become one of the signature moments of Pride in D.C.,” said Lynne Brown, publisher of the Washington Blade. “There’s nothing like watching our community come together on the waterfront with live music and incredible energy as we kick off Pride week.”
Pride on the Pier is free and open to the public, with VIP tickets available for exclusive pier access to the Dockmaster Building. To purchase VIP tickets visit www.prideonthepierdc.com/vip.
Additional entertainment announcements, sponsor activations, and event details will be released in the coming weeks.
Event Details:
📍 Location: District Pier at The Wharf (101 District Sq SW, Washington, DC)
📅 Dates: Friday, 13, 2026
⏱️ 4-9PM
🎟️ VIP Tickets: www.PrideOnThePierDC.com/VIP
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