Arts & Entertainment
Social conservatives defend ‘Duck Dynasty’
A&E suspended Phil Robertson for homophobic, racist comments
Phil Robertson (Photo courtesy of A&E)
A&E continues to face criticism over its decision to indefinitely suspend the patriarch of the reality show “Duck Dynasty” after he made homophobic and racially insensitive comments during a magazine interview.
National Organization for Marriage President Brian Brown sent an e-mail to supporters that contained a link to a petition urging A&E to apologize to Phil Robertson and allow him to once again appear on the show hours after the network announced it had placed the reality show star on indefinite “hiatus.”
“The gay lobby bullies are at it again,” wrote Brown. “This time they’ve attacked one of the most popular Christians in America — Phil Robertson, patriarch of Duck Dynasty’s Robertson family.”
Robertson said during an interview that will appear in GQ magazine’s January issue that “to me, a vagina — as a man — would be more desirable than a man’s anus.”
“That’s just me,” the patriarch of the A&E reality show that takes place in Northeastern Louisiana told GQ during an interview for the magazine’s January issue. “I’m just thinking: There’s more there! She’s got more to offer. I mean, come on, dudes! You know what I’m saying? But hey, sin: It’s not logical, my man. It’s just not logical.”
Robertson went on to describe homosexuality as a sin. He also discussed his experiences growing up in Louisiana before the civil rights movement of the 1960s.
“I never, with my eyes, saw the mistreatment of any black person,” said Robertson, who noted he worked in cotton fields alongside black people. “Pre-entitlement, pre-welfare, you say: Were they happy? They were godly; they were happy; no one was singing the blues.”
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal described Robertson and his family as “great citizens” of his state in a statement that criticized A&E’s decision to suspend the “Duck Dynasty” star.
“I don’t agree with quite a bit of stuff I read in magazine interviews or see on TV,” said Jindal. “I find a good bit of it offensive, but I also acknowledge that this is a free country and everyone is entitled to express their views. In fact, I remember when TV networks believed in the First Amendment. It is a messed up situation when Miley Cyrus gets a laugh and Phil Robertson gets suspended.”
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is among those who also defended Robertson.
“What Phil said was not hate speech. It was the truth,” said Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association on his Twitter account after A&E announced it had suspended Robertson. “The truth is only hate speech to those who hate the truth.”
The Robertson family thanked “Duck Dynasty” fans for their “prayers and support” in a Dec. 19 statement posted to their website.
“While some of Phil’s unfiltered comments to the reporter were coarse, his beliefs are grounded in the teachings of the Bible,” the statement reads. “Phil would never incite or encourage hate. We are disappointed that Phil has been placed on hiatus for expressing his faith, which is his constitutionally protected right.”
TMZ on Dec. 19 posted a video to its website that shows Robertson speaking at a Pennsylvania church in 2010. He described gays and lesbians as “insolent, arrogant, God-haters” during his sermon.
“They are heartless, they are faithless, they are senseless, they are ruthless,” said Robertson. “They invent ways of doing evil.”
Louisiana is among the states in which marriage rights for same-sex couples remain constitutionally banned.
The state’s hate crimes law includes sexual orientation, but not gender identity and expression. Louisiana’s anti-discrimination statute does not include LGBT-specific protections.
Rev. Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, executive director of the Campaign for Southern Equality, told the Washington Blade late last week that Robertson’s comments “don’t surprise me because they reflect the reality that discrimination and bigotry persist in the South.” Her group continues to lead efforts in support of marriage rights for same-sex couples and other LGBT-specific issues in Virginia, North and South Carolina, Tennessee and other Southern states.
“His comments reflect a climate of pervasive discrimination and bigotry for LGBT people in the South from cradle to grave,” said Beach-Ferrara, referring to the lawsuit the Southern Poverty Law Center last week filed against a Mississippi school district on behalf of a lesbian student who said she experienced anti-LGBT bullying and harassment from her classmates and administrators. “People suffer because of this.”
Log Cabin Republicans on Dec. 20 announced it would mediate a “Moonshine Summit” between Robertson and his family and A&E.
“Phil, you have your views and we have ours, but I think you’d be surprised how much we all have in common,” said Gregory T. Angelo, the group’s executive director. “We’re conservative, we’re guided by our faith and we believe in freedom of speech. Most important, we are all children of God; that’s the most important thing we have in common.”
The Robertson family said in its statement it remains “in discussions with A&E” about the show’s future.
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.
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.
Sports
New IOC policy bans trans women from Olympics
New regulation to be in effect at 2028 summer games in Los Angeles
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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