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Arts & Entertainment

Calendar: April 20

Concerts, plays, exhibits and more through April 27

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Strathmore presents its spring gala on Saturday with singer Dionne Warwick. (Photo courtesy Strathmore)

TODAY (Friday)

Green Lantern (1335 Green Court) hosts  “Pop Goes the World: International Dance Party,” starting at 10 p.m. with DJs Aaron Riggins, Della Volla and AVM. Cover is $5. For more information, visit greenlanterndc.com.

Grammy-nominated pop pianist Jim Brickman plays Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd., Vienna) tonight at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35 and available online at wolftrap.org.

Phase 1 (525 8th St., S.E.) and the D.C. Kings present “Lip Sync for Your Life,”a competition searching for the best lip sync performer in D.C. Up to 10 contestants will duke it out in the first round and only three will continue to the battle round. For more information, visit dckings.com or phase1dc.com. Doors open at 7 p.m., show begins at 9 p.m.

Mormon Stories presents “Circling the Wagons,” a conference for LGBT Mormons and their families, opening tonight with a social at Williams Residence (2501 N. Lincoln St., Arlington) with a poetry reading, appetizers, drinks and followed by a brief choir practice. The conference continues through Saturday, with interfaith services on Sunday. For more information, visit mormonstories.org.

The Bacon Brothers play Rams Head OnStage (33 West St., Annapolis) tonight at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $49.50 and available online at ramsheadonstage.com.

Saturday, April 21

Strathmore is celebrating its diversity in programming and community outreach at its 2012 spring gala “Wishin’ and Hopin'” with Dionne Warwick at the Music Center (5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda) starting with a cocktail reception at 5:30 p.m. Tickets for the whole event, including the reception, dinner, performance and after party range from $500 to $1,000 and tickets for just the performance and after party range from $35 and $85. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit strathmore.org.

Broadway star Jeri Sager performs at Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd., Vienna) tonight at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 and available online at wolftrap.org.

LURe presents “Bare: Military Night” with Servicemembers Legal Defense Network tonight at Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. DJs Rosie and Keenan will be spinning with Dystruxion dancing all night. Admission is $7 before midnight and $10 after, but service members with ID get in free.

Maryland Stingers Women’s Rugby Club is having a fundraiser at Bottom Line (1716 I St., N.W.) tonight at 10 p.m. $10 gets unlimited keg beer until the bar closes or the keg runs out. This is a 21 and older event.

Kappa Psi Kappa is holding an information session today at the D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) from 3 to 5 p.m. Kappa Psi Kappa is a non-collegiate service-social organization for progressive men regardless of sexual orientation. For more information, visit kappapiskappainc.org.

Sunday, April 22

Focus-In! Films presents “Howl” as its April Film of the Month and in celebration of National Poetry Month with a screening at Busboys & Poets’s 5th and K streets location (1025 5th St., N.W.) tonight at 7 p.m. The film stars James Franco as a young Allen Ginsberg. This is a free screening.

The band War plays Rams Head OnStage tonight at 5 and 8 p.m. Tickets are $39.50 each and available online at ramsheadonstage.com.

Monday, April 23

Khris Royal & Dark Matter, an alternative funk band with jazz flavors, plays Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage (2700 F St., N.W.) tonight at 6 p.m. This is a free event.

Busboys & Poets presents Monday night Open Mic Poetry hosted by Drew Law in at its Shirlington location (4251 S Campbell Ave., Arlington) at 8 p.m. There is a $5 cover charge.

Tuesday, April 24

Sam Sparro plays Rock and Roll Hotel (1353 H St., N.E.) tonight at 7 p.m. with Big/Bright. Tickets are $15 and available online at rockandrollhoteldc.com.

GLAA is having a membership meeting tonight in the second floor community room at the Reeves Center (2000 14th St., N.W.) from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Wednesday, April 25

Mova (2004 14th St., N.W.) presents iCandy tonight from 6:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. A weekly event, the night features a professional networking happy hour, “Taste of Culture” and dancing. For more information, contact [email protected].

HRC is having its monthly community night at Nellie’s (900 U St., N.W.) tonight from 5 to 8 p.m. There is no cover for this event.

The Lambda Bridge Club meets tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Dignity Center (721 8th St., SE — across from Marine Barracks) for duplicate bridge. No reservations needed; newcomers welcome. Visit lambdabridge.com if you need a partner.

Thursday, April 26

The Fridge (516 1/2 8th St., S.E.) presents “Mind Control: Four Feminist Perspectives through Poetry Prose and Performance Art” tonight featuring Molly Gaundry, Jessica Hirst, Sarah Lawson and Mindy Nettifee from 7 to 10:30 p.m. Tickets are $8. For more information, visit thefridgedc.com.

Baked & Wired (1052 Thomas Jefferson St., N.W.) is hosting the Capital Pride volunteer meet and greet tonight from 6 to 8 p.m.

Nellie’s (900 U St., N.W.) is hosting the kickoff party for AIDS Walk 2012 tonight from 6 to 9 p.m. Registration for the walk is free at this event and everyone who registers gets a free Nellie’s beer or soda and an order of fries.

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Calendar

Calendar: March 27-April 2

LGBTQ events in the days to come

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Friday, March 27

Center Aging Monthly Luncheon With Yoga will be at 12 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. Email Mac at [email protected] if you require ASL interpreter assistance, have any dietary restrictions, or questions about this event.

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Happy Hour” at 7 p.m. at Dupont Italian Kitchen. This is a chance to relax, make new friends, and enjoy happy hour specials at this classic retro venue. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite

Trans and Genderqueer Game Night will be at 7 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a relaxing, laid-back evening of games and fun. All are welcome and there’ll be card and board games on hand. Feel free to bring your own games to share. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website

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, email [email protected]

Saturday, March 28

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation.  Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

The DC Center for the LGBT Community will host “Sunday Supper on Saturday” at 2 p.m. It’s more than just an event; it’s an opportunity to step away from the busyness of life and invest in something meaningful, and enjoy delicious food, genuine laughter, and conversations that spark connection and inspiration. For more details, visit the Center’s website

Black Lesbian Support Group will be at 1 p.m. on Zoom. This is a peer-led support group devoted to the joys and challenges of being a Black Lesbian. For more details, email [email protected]

Monday, March 30

“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam ([email protected]).

“Tea Time! A Local DC Drag Comedy Show” will be at 3 p.m. at Spark Social. This is a live drag comedy show where drag legends TrevHER & Tiara Missou Sidora host spill all the tea in the DMV. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite

Tuesday, March 31

Visibili-TEA Party will be at 6 p.m. at Restoration Station. Guests are encouraged to come sip, celebrate, and shine together. This event is a Trans Day of Visibility celebration and a special collaboration between Auntie’s Home and Damien Ministries. This is a boozy tea party with intention and the dress code reflects the vibe. More details are available on Eventbrite

Wednesday, March 1

Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.

Thursday, April 2

The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245. 

Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breathwork and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.  

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Out & About

Celebrate cherry blossoms the drag way

Unconventional Diner hosts bingo party

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The cherry blossoms are here. Celebrate at a unique event hosted by Unconventional Diner. (Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)

Unconventional Diner will host “Cherry Blossom Drag Bingo Party” on Friday, April 3, at 6:30 p.m.

Guests will be treated to an unforgettable night of drag performances, bingo, food and drink and prizes. Highlights of the evening include themed cocktails, drag performances and bingo prizes.

Tickets can be secured via Resy.

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Sports

New IOC policy bans trans women from Olympics

New regulation to be in effect at 2028 summer games in Los Angeles

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(Photo by Greg Martin; courtesy IOC)

The International Olympic Committee on Thursday announced it will not allow transgender women from competing in female events at the Olympics.

“For all disciplines on the Sports Program of an IOC event, including individual and team sports, eligibility for any Female Category is limited to biological females,” reads the new policy.

The policy states “eligibility for the Female Category is to be determined in the first instance by SRY Gene screening to detect the absence or presence of the SRY Gene.”

“On the basis of the scientific evidence, the IOC considers that the SRY (sex-determining Region Y) Gene is fixed throughout life and represents highly accurate evidence that an athlete has experienced or will experience male sex development,” it reads. “Furthermore, the IOC considers that SRY Gene screening via saliva, cheek swab or blood sample is unintrusive compared to other possible methods. Athletes who screen negative for the SRY gene permanently satisfy this policy’s eligibility criteria for competition in the Female Category.”

The policy states the test “will be a once-in-a-lifetime test” unless “there is reason to believe a negative reading is in error.”

The new regulation will be in place for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

“I understand that this a very sensitive topic,” said IOC President Kirsty Coventry on Thursday in a video. “As a former athlete, I passionately believe in the rights of all Olympians to take part in fair competition.”

“The policy that we have announced is based on science and it has been led by medical experts with the best interests of athletes at its heart. The scientific evidence is very clear: male chromosomes give performance advances in sport that rely on strength, power, or endurance,” she added. “At the Olympic Games, even the smallest margins can be the difference between victory and defeat. So, it is absolutely clear that it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the female category. In addition, in some sports it would simply not be safe.”

(Video courtesy of the IOC)

Laurel Hubbard, a weightlifter from New Zealand, in 2021 became the first trans woman to compete at the Olympics.

Imane Khelif, an Algerian boxer, won a gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Khelif later sued JK Rowling and Elon Musk for cyberstalking after they questioned her gender identity.

Ellis Lundholm, a mogul skier from Sweden, this year became the first openly trans athlete to compete in any Winter Olympics when he participated in Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy.

President Donald Trump in February 2025 issued an executive order that bans trans women and girls from female sports teams in the U.S.

The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee last July banned trans women from competing in female sporting events. Republican lawmakers have demanded the IOC ban trans athletes from women’s athletic competitions.

“I’m grateful the Olympics finally embraced the common sense policy that women’s sports are for women, not for men,” said U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) on X.

An IOC spokesperson on Thursday referred the Washington Blade to the press release that announced the new policy.

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