Arts & Entertainment

Here comes the Pride

Bounty of black, Latino events through Memorial Day and beyond

Published

14 years ago

May 17, 2012

Pride season is here and with it brings events, concerts and festivals for everyone.

The sixth annual Latino Pride starts Sunday and this year’s theme is “History, Celebration, Diversity and Identity.” This is the first year Latino Pride is spread over multiple days.

Latino Pride begins with La Corona, the royal coronation and dance party at Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. hosted by Jocelyn Carrillo. There’s a $5 donation for this 21-and-older event.

“La Plática” is May 30 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Human Rights Campaign (1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.) and features several components including a panel discussion and networking, a historical exhibition and community resource fair. Panelists include Gustavo Velasquez, director of D.C. Office of Human Rights, and Jack Harrison of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. HIV testing will also be available during this event.

A bilingual ecumenical service, “La Misa,” with Rev. Joseph Palacios is June 3 at St. Thomas’ Parish Dupont Circle (1772 Church St., N.W.) from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

“This will be the first time we have this,” says David Perez, president of Latino GLBT History Project. “We’re partnering with [St. Thomas’ and Palacios] … and we’re also partnering with the Dignity group … focusing on a call to action of how we celebrate pride by giving back to others.”

Latino Pride ends with the official Latino Pride dance party “La Fiesta” at Town (2009 8^th St., N.W.) on June 7 from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. There is a $5 donation for this 18-and-older event.

For more information on Latino Pride, visit latinoglbthistory.org.

Black Pride starts Thursday and runs through May 27.

D.C. Black Pride starts with a wine-and-spirits reception on Thursday at Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum (1001 F St., N.W.) from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Admission is $10.

The festivities continue on May 25 at the Hyatt Regency (400 New Jersey Ave., N.W.) with a hospitality suite open from noon to 9 p.m. and a game room open from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. The opening reception is from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. including a book signing for “King Peggy.” RainbowConnects will be running a speed dating event from 7 to 9 p.m.

Also on May 25 is a performance of “She’Baltimore” at The Warehouse Theater (1071 7^th St., N.W.) at 8 p.m. Tickets to this performance are $25.

The hospitality suite is also open on May 26 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., but there are other events happening that day as well.

At 11 a.m. there is “Why Do You Write/Read and How Do You Succeed?” a panel sponsored by Fire & Ink featuring Rashid Darden, LaToya Hankins, J. Renee LaCour, Spectra Speaks, Red Summer and Dwayne Vernon. There are also various workshops running from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hyatt.

At 12:30 p.m., Angela Harvey presents “The Key to the Perfect Orgasm” at the Hyatt.

At 2 p.m. is a film festival also at the Hyatt. Admission to the festival is $15. Also at 2 p.m. is a reading of “The Four of Us” at Mead Lab Theater (916 G St., N.W.). Admission to the reading is $20 and includes a small reception.

Buttafly Soul is hosting a poetry slam at the Hyatt from 5 to 8 p.m. and from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. is the Soul Train Dance Party. Admission is $15 to both events.

Black Pride ends May 27 with a faith service organized by Courtney Williams, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Hyatt. At noon, “It’s a Family Affair,” the D.C. Black Pride Health and Wellness Expo begins. The expo will be held at Francis-Stevens Educational Campus (23 and O streets) featuring food, community vendors, children’s play area, DJ and entertainment honoring Etta James, Whitney Houston and Vesta Williams.

For more information on Black Pride, visit dcblackpride.org.

Also starting Thursday is Chocolate City Pride with “The Genesis” at Layla Lounge (501 Morse St., N.E.) on Thursday. Cover is $5 before midnight and $10 after.

On May 25, Omega Entertainment presents “5000 Men Pride Mega Party” at Fur Nightclub (33 Patterson St., N.E.) featuring R&B singer Ashanti. Doors open at 9 p.m.

May 26 brings the “Tropical Heat Rooftop Party” at Ibiza (1222 1^st St., N.E.) from 3 to 8 p.m. Admission is $10. That night is the annual Manhunt party at Layla Lounge from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. featuring a surprise celebrity performance.

May 27 starts with the “Insomniac After-Party” at Lace Nightclub (2214 Rhode Island Ave., N.E.) from 3:30 to 7:30 a.m. Then there’s the annual “Island Inferno Pool Party” at Cameron Run Regional Park (4001 Eisenhower Ave., Alexandria) from 3 to 8 p.m. Admission is $10 but the first 500 get in free. The day ends with the “Klimax Mega Party” at Love (1350 Okie St., N.E.) from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m.

The last day of Chocolate City Pride is May 28 and starts with a cookout for all pass holders at Fort Dupont Park (3600 F St., S.E.) from noon until 7 p.m. That night is “The Apocalypse” at Layla Lounge from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Admission is $10.

For more information and to purchase passes, visit omegapartydc.net.

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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

Published

11 minutes ago

March 26, 2026

Michael K. Lavers

(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)

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.

The Blade will update this article with additional reaction when it becomes available.

a&e features

Introducing the Torchbearers Awards honoring queer, trans women and nonbinary people

Meet the Legends and Illuminators lighting new paths

Published

29 minutes ago

March 26, 2026

Staff reports

The Torchbearers Awards are more than recognition—they are a continuation of legacy. They honor the quiet architects of progress in our community: those who organize, advocate, build, and protect, often without fanfare but always with purpose. Rooted in a belief in intentional recognition, this honor names those who carry our movements forward—those who make room for others, who remind us that change is both generational and generative. In a time marked by uncertainty and challenge, these leaders push forward with courage, clarity, and an unwavering commitment to expanding opportunity and equity.

This year’s honorees reflect the full breadth of our community, spanning generations, backgrounds, identities, and industries. From Legends, with decades of leadership and having created pathways for others, to Illuminators, who are lighting new paths with creativity and innovation, each Torchbearer represents the power of intergenerational leadership and the strength found in our diversity. They are organizers, advocates, artists, policy leaders, healers, and changemakers whose lived experiences shape a shared vision for equity and liberation.

This award is our love letter to queer and trans women and nonbinary people who carry the flame when it would be easier to let it dim. To those who consistently show up, who use their voice and visibility and stand firm, often without recognition, so that others may live more freely and fully. The Torchbearers Awards celebrates not just what has been done, but the enduring spirit, responsibility, and collective care that ensure the work continues, and that the flame is always passed forward.

Co-Creators of the Torchbearers Awards: Shannon Alston, June Crenshaw, Heidi Ellis

Torchbearers Awards Advisory Board: Aditi Hardikar, Lesley Bryant, Jasmine Wilson-Bryant, Stephen Rutgers

ILLUMINATOR AWARDEES

Representative Sharice Davids (she/her), (D, KS-03)
— U.S. House of Representatives
Greisa Martinez Rosas (she/her/ella)
— Executive Director, United We Dream
Paola Ramos (she/her)
— Journalist & Correspondent
Meagan A. Fitzgerald (she/her)
— Journalist & Correspondent
Jessica L. Lewis (she/her)
— Founder / Producer, Play Play DC
Savannah Wade (she/her)
— Founder, OAR Agency
Suhad Babaa (she/her)
— Filmmaker/ Former Executive Director of Just Vision
Ashlee Davis (she/her)
— Global Head of Inclusive Outcomes, Ancestry
Jazmine Hughes (she/her)
— Journalist and Former Editor at New York Times Magazine
Queen Adesuyi (she/they)
— Policy Advisor & Organizer, ReFrame Health & Justice
Michele Rayner, Esq. (she/her)
— Civil Rights Attorney, State Representative (Florida House of Representatives)
Gaby Vincent (she/her)
— Sports/Cultural Commentator and Community Leader
Jenny Nguyen (she/her)
— Founder & Owner, The Sports Bra
Denice Frohman (she/her)
— Independent Artist, Poet / Performer
Vida Rangel (she/her)
— Founder, Our Trans Capital
Roxanne Anderson (they/them)
— Executive Director, Our Space
Ann Marie Gothard (she/her)
— Director of Programs, Pride Live (Stonewall Visitor Center)
Diana Rodriques (she/her)
— Program Leader, Pride Live (Stonewall Visitor Center)
Wendi Cooper (she/her)
— Founder / Executive Director, Transcending Women
Toya Matthews (she/her)
— City of San Antonio, Texas
Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones (she/her)
— Sports/Cultural Commentator and Community Leader
Charity Blackwell (she/her)
— Poet, LGBTQ Advocate & Community Leader
Wilhelmina Indermaur (she/her)
— Director of Communications, Tyler Clementi Foundation
Em Chadwick (she/her)
— CMO, For Them & Autostraddle
Kylo Freeman (they/he)
— CEO, For Them & Autostraddle

LEGEND AWARDEES

Sheila Alexander-Reid (she/her)
— Executive Director, PHL Diversity, Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau
Cassandra Cantave Burton (she/her)
— Interim Director of Thought Leadership & Senior Research Advisor, AARP
leigh h. mosley (she/her)
— Photographer / Educator, PhotoFlo Photography
Jenn M. Jackson, PhD (they/them)
— Assistant Professor of Political Science; Author & Columnist, Syracuse University
Jordyn White (she/her)
— COO, Washington Prodigy / VP of Leadership Development & Research, HRC Foundation
AJ Hikes (they/them)
— Chief Equity & Inclusion Officer, ACLU
RaeShanda Lias (she/her)
— Digital Creator, RL Lockhart
Donna Payne-Hardy (she/her)
— Educator, EEO Specialist, Former Leader at the Human Rights Campaign
Courtney R. Snowden (she/her)
— Principal, Blueprint Strategy Group
Gaye Adegbalola (she/her)
— Musician & Activist, Musician / Inductee of the Blues Hall of Fame
Cheryl A. Head (she/her)
— Independent Author, Novelist (Crime Fiction)
Letitia Gomez (she/her)
— The American LGBTQ+ Museum, Formerly of Voto Latino
Lynne Brown (she/her)
— Publisher, Washington Blade
Shay Franco-Clausen (She/Her/Ella/Queen)
— Political Strategist and Organizer
Melissa L. Bradley (she/her)
— Founder & Managing Partner, New Majority Ventures
Meghann Burke (she/her)
— Executive Director, NWSL Players Association
Victoria Kirby York, MPA (she/they)
— Director of Public Policy & Programs, National Black Justice Coalition
Joli Angel Robinson (she/her)
— CEO, Center on Halsted
Jeannine Frisby LaRue (she/her)
— CEO, Moxie Strategies
Alice Wu (she/her)
— Film Director (Saving Face, The Half of It) / Screenwriter
Storme Webber (she/her)
— Interdisciplinary Artist / Educator, University of Washington
Kim Stone
— CEO of the Washington Spirit, Washington Spirit
Mickalene Thomas
— American Visual Artist, Mickalene Thomas Studio
Erika Lorshbough (any/they/she)
— Executive Director, interACT
J. Gia Loving (she/ella)
— Co-Executive Director, GSA Network

Celebrity News

D.C. goes gaga for Gaga

Bisexual icon brought ‘The Mayhem Ball’ tour to Washington this week

Published

1 day ago

March 25, 2026

Michael K. Lavers

Lady Gaga brought "The Mayhem Ball" tour to Capital One Arena this week. (Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)

Lady Gaga this week took D.C. by storm.

The bisexual icon and LGBTQ rights champion brought “The Mayhem Ball” tour to Capital One Arena on Monday and Tuesday.

“Abracadabra,” “Paparazzi,” “Applause,” and “Bad Romance” are among the songs Lady Gaga performed during the 2 1/2-hour long concert. Lady Gaga also celebrated her many queer fans.

“You are precious to us,” she said on Tuesday night before she performed “Born This Way.”