Arts & Entertainment
Caitlyn Jenner announces MAC lipstick to benefit trans communities
the former Olympic athlete lands first cosmetics deal

Caitlyn Jenner is partnering with MAC cosmetics to release a lipstick that will make people look good and do good at the same time.
MAC announced last week Jenner will be the new face of the makeup brand.
“She has come to represent courage, fearlessness, honesty and compassion — characteristics long-prized and celebrated by MAC,” the cosmetics line said in a statement. “Her beautiful transformation inspires all of us to live our best lives and to honor who we are.”
Jenner’s lipstick Finally Free will be released on April 7. Proceeds from sales will benefit transgender communities including the M•A•C AIDS Fund Transgender Initiative. The program is meant “to expand its support of much needed grants to organizations and programs dedicated to improving transgender lives.”
The former Olympic athlete told MAC the lipstick’s name was chosen by her and reflects her life right now.
“Yeah, it’s just so simple. No more secrets. I’m free. I woke up the other morning, and I was just happy. Getting dressed, going out, I’m accepted in the world; people are nice. Life is good. I’m Finally Free,” Jenner said. “That’s why I’m glad I was named Barbara Walters’ Most Fascinating Person last year, because this year I have no more secrets. I’m going to be very boring.”
All Ages. All Races. All Sexes. #MACCaitlynJenner online in Apr. Info here: https://t.co/3YelAZ4s20 @Caitlyn_Jenner pic.twitter.com/2TLykwNoy7
— MACcosmetics (@MACcosmetics) February 26, 2016

The 2025 Baltimore Pride Parade was held on Saturday, June 14.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)








































































You’ve done your share of marching.
You’re determined to wring every rainbow-hued thing out of this month. The last of the parties hasn’t arrived yet, neither have the biggest celebrations and you’re primed but – OK, you need a minute. So pull up a chair, take a deep breath, and read these great books on gay history, movies, and more.
You probably don’t need to be told that harassment and discrimination was a daily occurrence for gay people in the past (as now!), but “American Scare: Florida’s Hidden Cold War on Black and Queer Lives” by Robert W. Fieseler (Dutton, $34) tells a story that runs deeper than you may know. Here, you’ll read a historical expose with documented, newly released evidence of a systemic effort to ruin the lives of two groups of people that were perceived as a threat to a legislature full of white men.
Prepared to be shocked, that’s all you need to know.
You’ll also want to read the story inside “The Many Passions of Michael Hardwick: Sex and the Supreme Court in the Age of AIDS” by Martin Padgett (W.W. Norton & Company, $31.99), which sounds like a novel, but it’s not. It’s the story of one man’s fight for a basic right as the AIDS crisis swirls in and out of American gay life and law. Hint: this book isn’t just old history, and it’s not just for gay men.
Maybe you’re ready for some fun and who doesn’t like a movie? You know you do, so you’ll want “Sick and Dirty: Hollywood’s Gay Golden Age and the Making of Modern Queerness” by Michael Koresky (Bloomsbury, $29.99). It’s a great look at the Hays Code and what it allowed audiences to see, but it’s also about the classics that sneaked beneath the code. There are actors, of course, in here, but also directors, writers, and other Hollywood characters you may recognize. Grab the popcorn and settle in.
If you have kids in your life, they’ll want to know more about Pride and you’ll want to look for “Pride: Celebrations & Festivals” by Eric Huang, illustrated by Amy Phelps (Quarto, $14.99), a story of inclusion that ends in a nice fat section of history and explanation, great for kids ages seven-to-fourteen. Also find “Are You a Friend of Dorothy? The True Story of an Imaginary Woman and the Real People She Helped Shape” by Kyle Lukoff, illustrated by Levi Hastings (Simon & Schuster, $19.99), a lively book about a not-often-told secret for kids ages six-to-ten; and “Papa’s Coming Home” by Chasten Buttigieg, illustrated by Dan Taylor (Philomel, $19.99), a sweet family tale for kids ages three-to-five.
Finally, here’s a tween book that you can enjoy, too: “Queer Heroes” by Arabelle Sicardi, illustrated by Sarah Tanat-Jones (Wide Eyed, $14.99), a series of quick-to-read biographies of people you should know about.
Want more Pride books? Then ask your favorite bookseller or librarian for more, because there are so many more things to read. Really, the possibilities are almost endless, so march on in.
Music & Concerts
Indigo Girls coming to Capital One Hall
Stars take center stage alongside Fairfax Symphony

Capital One Center will host “The Indigo Girls with the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra” on Thursday, June 19 and Friday, June 20 at 8 p.m. at Capital One Hall.
The Grammy Award-winning folk and pop stars will take center stage alongside the Fairfax Symphony, conducted by Jason Seber. The concerts feature orchestrations of iconic hits such as “Power of Two,” “Get Out The Map,” “Least Complicated,” “Ghost,” “Kid Fears,” “Galileo,” “Closer to Fine,” and many more.
Tickets are available on Ticketmaster or in person at Capital One Hall the nights of the concerts.