Arts & Entertainment
Queery: Walker Chaffin
The tennis coach and Team D.C. honoree answers 20 gay questions
Walker Chaffin (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
Walker Chaffin isn’t quite sure how he got into tennis as a kid. Nobody in his family played but somewhere along the way, he picked it up and it’s become a big part of his life.
As a member of the Capital Tennis Association — a gay D.C.-area league of about 300 players — for about 22 years, he just finished organizing his fifth charity tournament, the “Capital Classic,” for the group last month. This year’s recipients are the Washington AIDS Partnership and the Team D.C. scholarships. In past years, proceeds have gone to Food & Friends, Whitman-Walker, the Mautner Project and others. Over the years, Chaffin says the tournaments have raised about $100,000 for these groups.
For his efforts, he’s being honored Saturday night at the Team D.C. Champion Awards at the HRC building (teamdc.org).
“Well, you know, it’s a surprise and quite an honor,” Chaffin says. “My first thought was, ‘Who nominated me?’ but they’re very secretive about that. I’m happy we’ve been able to raise so much money. That’s why I wanted to do it, so it’s just a very nice surprise.”
The 46-year-old Alexandria, Va., native works as a law librarian by day but is active in the Association and also teaches tennis on the side. He’s been in the area his entire life except for two years of college in Minneapolis.
He and partner Brian Peteritas met last year at the Capital Classic.
Chaffin lives in Columbia Heights and enjoys, besides tennis of course, movies, TV and hanging out with friends in his free time.
How long have you been out and who was the hardest person to tell?
I have been out since 1989. I am extremely lucky because my mother made it clear early on that I was loved no matter what so coming out was not difficult for me as it was for others. Thanks Mom!
Who’s your LGBT hero?
Martina Navratilova — she is a great role model and one of the greatest players of all time. She was brave enough to come out well before others were doing it.
What’s Washington’s best nightspot, past or present?
Present – Nellie’s. Past – Tracks. Where else could you dance and/or play volleyball at 2 in the morning?
Describe your dream wedding.
Saying “I do” when it’s legal for all to marry.
What non-LGBT issue are you most passionate about?
The environment
What historical outcome would you change?
Martin Luther King’s assassination and 9-11.
What’s been the most memorable pop culture moment of your lifetime?
I would say seeing Madonna in concert for the first time. I waited in line overnight in 20 below temperatures in Minnesota to get those tickets and it was so worth it.
On what do you insist?
Respect, a great sense of humor and two DVRs.
What was your last Facebook post or Tweet?
I don’t post very often. My last post was “Paris was amazing, on my way to Barcelona” back in May.
If your life were a book, what would the title be?
“Game Set Match”
If science discovered a way to change sexual orientation, what would you do?
Nothing for myself but it would be fun to give it to Rick Santorum and the owner of Chick-Fil-A.
What do you believe in beyond the physical world?
Those we have loved and lost are still with us.
What’s your advice for LGBT movement leaders?
I don’t think I’m qualified to give them advice. I would, however, like to thank them for all their hard work.
What would you walk across hot coals for?
The people I love, a winning lottery ticket or a chance to hit with Roger Federer.
What LGBT stereotype annoys you most?
That we’re not interested in or good at sports.
What’s your favorite LGBT movie?
“Big Eden,” “A Single Man” and “Brokeback Mountain.”
What’s the most overrated social custom?
Political correctness
What trophy or prize do you most covet?
I can’t say I’d mind winning an Oscar or the U.S. Open.
What do you wish you’d known at 18?
To buy up all of the Microsoft stock.
Why Washington?
I was born here and have always loved it. I’ve almost relocated a few times but the life I have here and the friends I’ve made make it impossible to leave.
Celebrity News
My evening with Madonna
Gay icon headlined the World Pride Music Festival in Amsterdam
Editor’s note: International News Editor Michael K. Lavers and Photo Editor Michael Key will be on assignment in the Netherlands through Aug. 10. They will be covering World Pride in Amsterdam.
AMSTERDAM — Madonna and 6,000 of her closest friends celebrated World Pride at Amsterdam’s AFAS Live concert hall early Sunday morning. I was fortunate enough to be one of them.
Madonna last Wednesday nearly broke the internet when she said on social media in Dutch that “I got somethin’ I wanna talk about,” referring to an opening line in “Danceteria,” one of the tracks on her “Confessions II” album that has received rave reviews since its July 2 release. The track has been on near constant replay on my playlist since I first heard it.
— Madonna (@Madonna) July 28, 2026
MISTR — a telehealth platform that offers free access to PrEP, Doxy PEP, STI testing, and long-term care that has organized Madonna’s Club Confessions shows in the U.S. and the U.K. — later confirmed the rampant speculation. I woke up on July 30 to an email in my inbox from MISTR and the World Pride Music Festival PR team that said I was on the press list.
Madonna was indeed going to headline the World Pride Music Festival that Jake Resnicow and Insomniac produced, and I was going to be there. OMFG!!!!
The gay icon had one more surprise in store.
The Dutch internet on Saturday once again broke over speculation that Kylie Minogue was going to appear alongside Madonna. I was getting ready to leave our hotel in Amsterdam on Saturday night when I saw a video of the two of them together.
“Madonna is now teasing Kylie Minogue on her social media … she may be one of her ‘special guests’ tonight,” I wrote in a text to Washington Blade Editor Kevin Naff at 8:46 p.m.
“Have fun! This is turning into the gayest concert ever,” he responded.
I arrived at AFAS Live shortly before 11 p.m. My press contact walked me and two other Dutch journalists into the venue’s cavernous main room known as the Black Box. We made small talk for a few minutes before I started to walk around and listen to Josh Harrison who was on the decks.
Madonna was scheduled to take the stage at 1:30 a.m., but she is known for being late — she is Madonna and she does what she wants. Hayla, a British singer, and Bebe Rexha are among those who performed ahead of Madonna. Thousands of sweaty men — including a group of Australians next to me who were eagerly awaiting Kylie’s anticipated appearance — packed the Black Box and were dancing, anticipating what was to come.
MISTR CEO Tristan Schukraft at one point came on stage and declared Madonna was indeed in the building. The moment for which we were all eagerly waiting finally came shortly before 2:30 a.m.
“Mother is here and this is gay heaven,” said Madonna when she took the stage.
Stuart Price, who produced her “Confessions on a Dance Floor” album in 2005, manned the decks during Madonna’s set.
She opened it with “I Feel So Free” from “Confessions II.” Madonna then sang “Bring Your Love” and “Danceteria” to which this reporter — and everyone else — sang along.
Madonna then teased a surprise before she began to perform “Love Sensation.” Kylie soon appeared on stage. It was nearly too much for my fellow partygoers from Australia. It was indeed the gayest concert ever!
Madonna and Kylie performed “Love Sensation” together. They then sang “Hung Up” and “Sorry” from “Confessions on a Dance Floor” to round out the set that ended shortly after 3 a.m.
Madonna and I share the same birthday — Aug. 16 — and I would like to think she and Kylie gave me an early birthday present. In all seriousness though, it was an amazing night for me and for everyone else who was fortunate enough to be there.
“On the dance floor I feel so free,” says Madonna in the opening of “I Feel So Free.”
For those few precious hours at AFAS Live I did not think about the Trump-Vance administration and the myriad ways it is destroying the U.S. I did not think about the National Guard troops deployed to D.C. I did not think about the pointless wars that continue to ravage Ukraine and other countries around the world. I simply lost myself on the dance floor and celebrated an icon who has always stood with my community.
Thank you, Madonna.
The Petal Release Party and Drag Show was held at Spark Social on Friday, July 31. Performers included Tiara-Missou, Labianna and Darcy de la Cuadra.
(Washington Blade photos by Landon Shackelford)
Celebrity News
Madonna headlines World Pride Music Festival in Amsterdam
Kylie Minogue made surprise appearance alongside gay icon
AMSTERDAM — Madonna on Sunday headlined the final night of the World Pride Music Festival in Amsterdam.
The gay icon took the stage shortly before 2:30 a.m. local time (8:30 p.m. ET on Saturday) during Club Confessions, a set that MISTR, a telehealth platform that offers free access to PrEP, Doxy PEP, STI testing, and long-term HIV care, organized.
“Mother is here and this is gay heaven,” said Madonna when she took the stage inside Amsterdam’s AFAS Live concert hall that can hold up to 6,000 people.
Stuart Price, who produced Madonna’s 2005 “Confessions on a Dance Floor” album and “Confessions II,” which debuted on July 2, DJed the set.
Kylie Minogue made a surprise appearance. She and Madonna performed a new remix of “Love Sensation” from “Confessions II.”
(Washington Blade video by Michael K. Lavers)
“Throughout my career, I’ve always supported efforts to fight HIV and AIDS, and that fight begins with education and access,” said Madonna in a MISTR press release. “With MISTR, (CEO) Tristan (Schukraft) is expanding access to HIV prevention and sexual healthcare for everyone. Through this work, he’s helping preserve and strengthen LGBTQ+ spaces while investing in the communities and culture that have long sustained us.”
Minogue in an Instagram post thanked Madonna, Price, Schukraft, and MISTR.
Madonna appeared at The Abbey in West Hollywood, Calif., in April. Madonna in June celebrated Pride month with a pop-up performance in New York’s Times Square.
Jake Resnicow and Insomniac produced the World Pride Music Festival that also featured Bebe Rexha and Paris Hilton, among others.
“Pride has always been about bringing our community together,” said Resnicow. “At a moment when too many people are being told to hide or make themselves smaller, gathering openly, joyfully, and without apology matters more than ever. I couldn’t be prouder of what this festival brought to life in Amsterdam — one dance floor, completely free.”
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