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20,000 leagues under the G

Well — almost; local gay sports teams have bounty of spring activities planned

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The Cherry Bombs at the Team D.C. Sportsfest two weeks ago. (Blade photo by Pete Exis)

Earlier this month, 33 local LGBT sports teams gathered at Room & Board on 14th Street for Team D.C.’s sportsfest. In addition to long time mainstays such as the D.C. Frontrunners and the Federal Triangles Soccer Club, there were some newer clubs making their presence known on the LGBT sports scene.

The D.C. Cherry Bombs are a recently formed LGBT friendly women’s flag football team that hopes to compete on a local and national level. The group will compete at a tournament in Maryland next month and is hoping to put a team together for the women’s division of the Gay Super Bowl in Denver in September. Practices are at Garrison Elementary School on Saturdays at 11 a.m. They can be found on Facebook at D.C. Cherry Bombs.

The predominately straight group D.C. Triathlon Club was at Sportsfest to encourage members of the LGBT community to join them in training and competing in triathlons. The group recently hosted a happy hour at MOVA with more planned. The group offers a large variety of workout opportunities and members can get discounts from several local retailers. More information is at dctriclub.org.

Ultimate Out is a LGBT-friendly coed Ultimate Frisbee team that meets twice weekly. One night is reserved for league play in the Washington Area Frisbee Club recreational league. The other meet-up is for pick up play with athletes of all skill levels welcome to join. Write the group at [email protected] for more information.

The Washington Wetskins water polo team is the longest running, continuously operating LGBT water polo team in the nation. Its members practice on Mondays and Wednesdays at the Tacoma Recreation Center from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. All skill levels are welcome and they can be reached at wetskins.org.

Charm City Volleyball hosts social play on Wednesdays at the Mt. Royal Recreational Center in Baltimore from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sundays are reserved for competitive play, scrimmages and team practices at the Volleyball House in Elkridge, Md., from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

This weekend, starting on Saturday morning, the group will host the 27th annual Charm City Invitational at the Volleyball House where 40 teams will be competing in pool play on Saturday and will return for double elimination play on Sunday. Social festivities will run the course of the weekend in Baltimore. Details are at volleybaltimore.org.

Stonewall Kickball is in the middle of its spring season and will break for its All-Stars game on May 5 at Stead Park beginning at 4 p.m. League playoffs and finals will be wrapped up on May 20.Stay tuned for fall registration as the team rosters fill up fast. Also coming up for the group is the hilarious Drag Kickball event on June 3 at Stead Park from 3 to 5 p.m. Keep up with the kickballers at stonewallkickball.com.

The Capital Splats racquetball club has begun league play, which is primarily held at the Washington D.C. Jewish Community Center. New players can still be phased into the league which consists of three divisions, each of which has two tiers. Check out their new website at capitalsplats.org.

Rainbow Climbing D.C. can be found climbing on a weekly basis either indoor or outdoor. Indoor climbing sessions are at Earth Treks in Rockville or Sportrock in Alexandria. The group can sometimes be found outdoors at Carderock, just west of Bethesda. Meet up information is on their Facebook page at Rainbow Climbing D.C.

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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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