News
Don’t miss today’s Blade town hall with the mayor!
Watch today’s LGBT town hall live here at the Blade. We will ask the mayor about the issues you are most interested in.

Mayor Gray will address the Washington D.C. LGBT community's questions on June 2 at the Wilson Building. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
The Washington Blade and Mayor Vince Gray will be discussing the issues most pressing for the DC LGBT community today at 5:30 P.M. and you can be part of the discussion!
All week we’ve been taking your questions for the mayor. Now make sure you log in at 6:30 to watch our LIVE coverage of the conversation at our dedicated page http://washingtonblade.com/beheard.
Get ready to be heard. “A Conversation With The Mayor,” Town Hall Event during DC’s LGBT Pride month with Mayor Vincent Gray, will feature questions submitted through the Blade website, Facebook and Twitter. If you’re watching with us, use the hashtag #DCLGBT.
The Washington Blade invites you to “A Conversation with the Mayor” today, as part of our Pride month celebrations. At the event, Blade editor Kevin Naff will interview Mayor Vincent Gray on LGBT issues. The mayor will also answer questions submitted by the public.
Join us at 5:30 p.m. for a reception and the opening of SMYAL’s youth advocacy project photography exhibit exploring heterosexism. The exhibit will be on display from June 2, 2011 through June 13, 2011.
“We are honored that Mayor Vincent Gray will join us for a candid discussion about the topics that are of greatest concern to the District’s LGBT community,” said Naff. “This will be a wonderful forum for the mayor to interact with a community that has been incredibly supportive of his efforts to push for autonomy from congressional interference in city affairs, including the marriage equality law.”
The event will include a question and answer session following Naff’s interview with Gray. Members of the public will have the opportunity to submit questions for the mayor through the newly re-launched Blade website, Facebook and Twitter.
“A Conversation with the Mayor” will be held at the John A. Wilson Building. The event will be preceded by a reception. Both events are open to the public and all members of the DC metro area community are invited to attend.
If you can’t be there in person, be there with us for our live coverage at http://washingtonblade.com/beheard!
WHO: Washington Blade
Washington DC Mayor Vincent Gray
Washington Blade editor Kevin Naff
WHAT: “A Conversation with the Mayor,” a Capital Pride town hall event
WHEN: June 2nd, 2011
6 to 6:30 p.m. – reception
6:30 to 7 p.m. – interview with the mayor
7 to 7:30 p.m. – question and answer session
WHERE: John A. Wilson Building
If you require accommodations to participate in this event, please inform The District of Columbia Office of Disability Rights at 202-724-5055.
Make sure that you “like” our Facebook Page, and “follow” our Twitter Page so that you can see what others in D.C. are asking the mayor. You can also get all of the best local and national news and info on the hottest upcoming events in and around Washington.
Hungary
New Hungarian prime minister takes office
Péter Magyar’s party defeated anti-LGBTQ Viktor Orbán last month
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar took office on Saturday.
Magyar’s center-right Tisza party on April 12 defeated then-Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz-KDNP coalition. Vice President JD Vance less than a week before the election traveled to Budapest, the Hungarian capital, and urged Hungarians to support Orbán.
Orbán had been in office since 2010. He and his government faced widespread criticism over its anti-LGBTQ crackdown.
The European Commission in 2022 sued Hungary, which is a member of the EU, over the country’s anti-LGBTQ propaganda law. The European Union’s top court, the EU Court of Justice, on April 21 struck down the statute.
The EU while Orbán was office withheld upwards of €35 billion ($41.26) in funds to Hungary in response to concerns over corruption, rule of law, and other issues.
Hungarian lawmakers in March 2025 passed a bill that banned Pride events and allowed authorities to use facial recognition technology to identify those who participate in them. MPs later amended the Hungarian constitution to ban public LGBTQ events.
Upwards of 100,000 people last June defied the ban and marched in Budapest’s annual Pride parade.
“Congratulations to [Péter Magyar] on becoming prime minister of Hungary,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on X.
“This Europe Day, our hearts are in Budapest,” she added. “The hope and promise of renewal is a powerful signal in these challenging times.”
“We have important work ahead of us,” noted von der Leyen. “For Hungary and for Europe, we are moving forward together.”
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Congratulations to Congresswoman Sarah McBride (D-Del.) on being honored with this year’s Stonewall Award from Whitman-Walker Health. Amy Nelson, senior director of Legal Services, said, “Congresswoman Sarah McBride is working to make healthcare accessible to all, and this award recognizes her support of healthcare as a human right. Our legal program supports families facing unprecedented challenges to stay healthy and safe – families that Congresswoman McBride champions with a deep understanding of the issues they face and the legislative expertise of how to support them.”
McBride, in a press release, said, “I am honored to accept this year’s Stonewall Award from Whitman-Walker Health — an organization that has spent 40 years doing vital work to ensure every person can access the dignity of care. In the wealthiest and most developed nation on earth, the ability to receive care should not be a matter of luck—it should be the law of the land. I am proud to be recognized as a partner in this work and to support Whitman-Walker Health in their mission to build a healthier society for all.”
Congratulations also to Wes Drummond who will join Clear Space Theatre Company in Rehoboth Beach, Del., as its third artistic director. Managing Director Joe Gfaller said, “This is an exciting moment of growth for Clear Space as we welcome Wes to join our remarkable team. I am confident he will be an excellent partner as we work with our entire staff, board, and committed team of volunteers, to ensure Clear Space can achieve its full potential in pursuit of our mission to unite and enrich our community through every production on stage, and every arts-based learning program we offer throughout our community.”
On accepting the position Drummond said, “I’m honored to join Clear Space Theatre Company as artistic director, and beyond excited for what we’re about to create together. Clear Space has established itself as a vital and vibrant part of the cultural life of coastal Delaware, and I feel incredibly fortunate to step into this next chapter alongside such a passionate and dedicated team. Rehoboth Beach is a place defined by creativity and community, and I look forward to listening, learning, and building meaningful relationships across the region in the months ahead. My vision is to help Clear Space continue to grow as a bold, forward-thinking, cultural force, that champions fearless storytelling.”

Drummond served in leadership roles at Duluth Playhouse in Duluth, Minn., from 2021 to 2026, including four years as executive director followed by one year as executive producing artistic director, guiding the organization through a period of significant transformation and stability in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a director, he has worked extensively in New York City, Chicago, and at regional theaters across the country, directing both musical theater and plays with a focus on storytelling that bridges classical works with contemporary perspectives. He has collaborated with leading figures in the industry, including Tony Award-winning director Matthew Warchus, and Tony-nominated director Michael Greif. He is an associate member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.
Wes earned his MFA in directing, Penn State University, where he studied under Tony-nominated director, Susan H. Schulman.
Virginia
Va. Supreme Court invalidates Democrat-backed redistricting plan
Voters narrowly approved new congressional districts last month
The Virginia Supreme Court on Friday struck down a Democrat-backed redistricting plan that voters approved last month.
Ten of 11 of Virginia’s congressional districts favor Democrats in the plan that passed by a 51-48 vote margin in last month’s referendum.
The Human Rights Campaign PAC is among the groups that support it. The court by a 4-3 majority invalidated the referendum results.
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