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Hippo among Out’s top 200 bars

Other D.C. and Rehoboth area bars include The Lodge, Duplex Diner, JR.’s and Blue Moon

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Club Hippo, Maryland, Baltimore, Gay News, Washington Blade
Club Hippo, Baltimore, nightlife, gay news, Washington Blade

Club Hippo , Maryland’s largest gay bar. (Washington Blade file photo by Pete Exis)

Club Hippo, Maryland’s largest gay bar, was listed among Out magazine’s 200 best gay bars in the world. Compiling “nominations, suggestions and polled friends and experts around the world,” Out lists the best 200 representing a variety of types to appeal to anybody “from a pierced and leather-clad cub to a skinny, go-go boy wannabe.”  The editors acknowledge this will spark debate.

For the Hippo, OUT says, “No visit to Baltimore’s gay scene is complete without Hippo, an institution since its founding in 1972 and for generations of ageless decades has kept the boys glued to their bar stools, gripping pool cues and transfixed by attractive and fun-loving Charm City citizens.” It should be noted that several months ago the Hippo renovated its saloon section and the pool tables were removed.

Also making the list is The Lodge from Boonsboro, Md., which attracts patrons from the Baltimore-D.C. area and beyond. Says Out of The Lodge, “The Lodge is the place to go dancing in Frederick, Maryland — on weekends, at least. Though they do occasionally open Monday for special holiday events, time at The Lodge is restricted to Thursday-Saturdays, which is alright, because you can pack a lifetime into one evening spent here.”

Baltimoreans who enjoy D.C. clubs will notice Duplex Diner and JR.’s on the list as well as Rehoboth Beach’s Blue Moon.

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Photos

PHOTOS: Pride on the Pier

Blade’s WorldPride celebration ends with fireworks show

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The Washington Blade's Pride on the Pier. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Washington Blade’s second day of Pride on the Pier at The Wharf DC ended with a fireworks show on Saturday, June 7. The fireworks show was presented by the Leonard-Litz LGBTQ Foundation.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

The Washington Blade’s Pride on the Pier (Photo by Cedric Craig for Wild Side Media)
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Virginia

Hashmi to face Reid in Va. LG race

State senator won Democratic primary on Tuesday

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Ghazala Hashmi (Screen capture via One Vote At A Time/YouTube)

State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi (D-Chesterfield) will face John Reid in the race to become Virginia’s next lieutenant governor. 

Hashmi won the Democratic primary with 27.49 percent of the vote. She defeated former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, state Sen. Aaron Rouse (D-Virginia Beach), Babur Lateef, Victor Salgado and Alexander Bastani.

“Tonight, Virginians made history,” said Hashmi in a statement. “We didn’t just win a primary, we sent a clear message that we won’t be bullied, broken, or dragged backward by the chaos in Washington.”

Reid, a gay conservative talk show host, in April won the Republican nomination to succeed Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, who is running to succeed Gov. Glenn Youngkin. 

The incumbent governor days after Reid secured the nomination called for him to withdraw his candidacy amid reports that a social media account with his username included “pornographic content.” Reid, who would become the first openly gay person elected to statewide office in Virginia if he wins in November, has strongly denied the reports.

Former state Del. Jay Jones defeated Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor in Democratic attorney general primary. Jones will face Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares in November.

Youngkin cannot run for a second, consecutive term.

Former Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger will face off against Earle-Sears in November. The winner will make history as the first woman elected governor in the state’s history.

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Baltimore

More than 15K people attend Baltimore Trans Pride

Baltimore Safe Haven organized annual event

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(Bigstock photo)

More than 15,000 people attended Baltimore Safe Haven’s annual Trans Pride on Saturday.

“Last year we had maybe 2,500, and the year before that, we had 5,000,” Renee Lau, administrative assistant for special projects coordinator for Baltimore Safe Haven, said. “In today’s political climate, it’s absolutely amazing.”

Lau said allies and other groups “went into hiding” for about a month or two after President Donald Trump’s inauguration, but then all at once, different organizations started to reach out. 

“The community has really come together to support us,” Lau said. “It was a fun, exciting day.” 

Baltimore Safe Haven Executive Director Iya Dammons in a press release said the “historic turnout” showed the transgender community’s strength, as well as their unity to fight for justice and equality for all LGBTQ people.

At the event, attendees were seen waving flags and shouting “Trans Lives Matter,” showing their support for the community. 

On Friday, before Trans Pride, Baltimore Safe Haven opened their new building to the public, gathering notable attendees like the Baltimore City Council President Zeke Cohan, Council Member Antonio Glover, and representatives from the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation.

“(It) was historic in itself because … we’re the only direct service providers for people in the LGBT community,” Lau said.

Providing housing for 18- to 24-year-olds, Lau said the new building also serves as a community hub and has office spaces for workers. 

With only a few hiccups of arguments between attendees and fixing street blockades during Trans Pride, Lau said the event showed what the community can do. 

“It was amazing that so many people came out and had that much fun. We were all giddy by Sunday morning,” Lau said. “(It gave) Safe Haven exposure and continuity. We are not just an LGBT organization, we are an organization that supports the entire community.”

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