Arts & Entertainment
Whitman’s Washington
Local group honors gay poet with lecture/discussion
Walt Whitman, left, with his companion Peter Doyle. (Photo by M.P. Rice public domain)
Overbeck History Lecture Series
Walt Whitman in Washington
Washington Friends of Walt Whitman
Naval Lodge Hall
330 Pennsylvania Ave., S.E.
Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
RSVP requested to [email protected]
Martin Murray, a local gay Walt Whitman scholar, at the north entrance of the Dupont Circle Metro stop where a Whitman quote is prominently displayed. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)
Local historian Martin Murray is founder of the Washington Friends of Walt Whitman, a group that conducts tours showing spots in the District that are significant to the late, great poet who was spent a large portion of his adult life here from 1862-1873.
On Tuesday, Murray will lecture at the Naval Lodge Hall in a discussion of the gay poet’s many roles here. Here are a few highlights from a lengthy conversation with Murray this week about why the “Leaves of Grass” author still matters. His comments have been heavily edited for length.
WASHINGTON BLADE: How did you come to be so interested in Whitman?
MURRAY: I was introduced to him in 1976 when I was a student at Rutgers. It was the year of the Bicentennial and there was a series on famous Americans. One was on Walt Whitman in which he was portrayed by Rip Torn. I was in college and coming to terms with my own sexuality. The portrayal was very sensitively drawn, but they made it clear he was gay… which I thought was pretty forward for 1976. I hadn’t studied him much in school, but after that, I was very interested.
BLADE: You’ve done some substantial research on Whitman. What are some of the things you’ve discovered?
MURRAY: I had been interested in his role as a journalist during the war and I found about a dozen additional pieces of Whitman’s journalism that hadn’t been noted before. … Also in some of the things he jotted down during his time visiting wounded soldiers, he would often jot down their names or initials. I thought it would be interesting to find out more about them, so by doing some research at the National Archives where military service records are held and pension records as well, I was able to find a lot. This was about 15 years ago. … I also wrote a biographical essay on (Whitman confidante and probably lover) Peter Doyle that was published in the Walt Whitman Quarterly Review.
BLADE: Whitman lived here many years. What was his view of his life in Washington?
MURRAY: He was basically here from the last week of December of 1862 until July of 1873. As the war was ending, he got more secure government work. … He had a lot of connections here and worked until he had a stroke in January of 1873 in his office at the Treasury Building where he worked in the Attorney General’s office. He was basically paralyzed I believe on the left side. He tried as best he could to recover but eventually realized he couldn’t stay, so he went to Camden, New Jersey where he lived with his brother. … I think he would have stayed if his health had allowed.
BLADE: Do we know if there were any networks of gay men in Washington at the time or if they had any way of finding each other outside of random encounters?
MURRAY: It’s really hard to say. There probably were networks like that but trying to find firm evidence of it is really difficult. We know Whitman was writing poems about romance among gay soldiers, that there were references in the press suggesting his homosexuality and people he was intimate with in D.C., but it’s hard to say if there was any kind of gay society in that day.
BLADE: What significance does it hold for gays today to have historical figures such as Whitman be recognized as gay forefathers?
MURRAY: Even with the great progress that’s been made, there’s always a struggle, always something to grapple with when we start to realize we’re gay. People need to be able to look back and realize we’re not freaks. People of my kind have always existed and there’s a continuity there that goes all the way back through recorded time.
Sports
Blade, Pride House LA announce 2028 Olympics partnership
Media sponsorship to amplify stories of LGBTQ athletes
The Los Angeles Blade and Washington Blade on Friday announced a media partnership with the Out Athlete Fund, which will produce Pride House LA for the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Pride House is the home for LGBTQ fans and athletes that will become a destination during the L.A. Summer Games in West Hollywood in partnership with the City of WeHo. This 17-day celebration for LGBTQ athletes and fans will include medal ceremonies for out athletes, interactive installations, speakers, concerts, and more.
The Los Angeles Blade will serve as the exclusive L.A.-area queer media sponsor for Pride House LA and the Washington Blade will support the efforts and amplify coverage of the 2028 Games.
The Blade will provide exclusive coverage of Pride House plans, including interviews with queer athletes and more. The parties will share content and social media posts raising awareness of the Blade and Out Athlete Fund. The Blade will have media credentials and VIP access for related events.
“We are excited to partner with the Washington Blade, the oldest LGBTQ newspaper in the United States and the Los Angeles Blade, already a strong supporter of Out Athlete Fund and Pride House LA/West Hollywood,” said Michael Ferrera, CEO of Pride House LA. “Our mission is about increasing the visibility of LGBTQ+ athletes and fans to challenge the historical hostility toward our community in the sports world. Visibility is what publications like the Washington and Los Angeles publications are all about. We know they will play a key part in our success.”
“LGBTQ visibility has never been more important and we are thrilled to work with Out Athlete Fund and Pride House LA to tell the stories of queer athletes and ensure the 2028 Summer Games are inclusive and affirming for everyone,” said Blade Editor Kevin Naff.
Out Athlete Fund is a 501(c)3 designed to raise money to offset the training cost of out LGBTQ athletes in need of funding for training. The Washington Blade is the nation’s oldest LGBTQ news outlet; the Los Angeles Blade is its sister publication founded nine years ago.
In honor of Black History Month, the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center will host a series of events uplifting the histories, artistry, and resilience of Black LGBTQ+ communities through dialogue, film, and intentional gathering.
The series begins with “Ballroom Culture: Rhythms of Resilience,” a panel discussion on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026 at 7 p.m. Artists, activists, and leaders from the ballroom community will explore ballroom’s historical, cultural, and political significance as a site of resistance, kinship, creative expression, and social justice within Black, Latinx, and LGBTQ+ communities.
On Friday, Feb. 13 at 12:30 p.m., the Center will host a screening of the groundbreaking documentary “Paris is Burning,” which chronicles New York City’s ballroom scene and house culture while examining themes of race, class, identity, and survival through the voices of legendary performers including Willi Ninja, Pepper LaBeija, and Dorian Corey.
The month will conclude with “Soul Centered: A Black LGBTQ+ Gathering” on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026 at 3:30 p.m. This free, RSVP-required event invites Black LGBTQ+ community members into a space of rest, connection, and reflection centered on love in all its forms. The gathering will feature a panel conversation with Black LGBTQ+ creatives, healers, and community members, followed by intentional speed connections and a closing social mixer.
For more details and to RSVP, visit the Center’s website.
Friday, February 6
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.
Spark Social will host “RuPaul’s Drag Race Watch Party S18 Watch Party” at 8 p.m. Drag Entertainers TrevHER and Grey provide hilarious commentary and make live predictions on who’s staying and who’s going home. Stick around after the show for a live drag performance. The watch party takes place on our heated outdoor patio and cozy indoor space. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Go Gay DC will host “First Friday LGBTQ+ Community Social” at 7 p.m. at Silver Diner Ballston. 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.
Saturday, February 7
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.
LGBTQ People of Color will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This peer support group is an outlet for LGBTQ People of Color to come together and talk about anything affecting them in a space that strives to be safe and judgement free. There are all sorts of activities like watching movies, poetry events, storytelling, and just hanging out with others. For more information and events, visit thedccenter.org/poc or facebook.com/centerpoc.
Sunday, February 8
DMV Gay Dog Moms will host “Puppy Love” at 1 p.m. at Wunder Garten. This a Valentine’s pawty and market for dog lovers. Get gifts for your loved ones – both human & canine at this event. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Monday, February 9
“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]).
Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a support group for people who identify outside of the gender binary, whether you’re bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know that you’re not 100% cis. For more details, visit genderqueerdc.org or Facebook.
Tuesday, February 10
Coming Out Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a safe space to share experiences about coming out and discuss topics as it relates to doing so — by sharing struggles and victories the group allows those newly coming out and who have been out for a while to learn from others. For more details, visit the group’s Facebook.
Trans Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is intended to provide an emotionally and physically safe space for trans people and those who may be questioning their gender identity or expression to join together in community and learn from one another. For more details, email [email protected].
Wednesday, February 11
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, February 12
The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. To be more fair with who is receiving boxes, the program is moving to a lottery system. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5:00 pm 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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