a&e features
At last, a place in St. Patrick’s Day parade
After decades of protest, gay contingent welcomed into NYC tradition
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks at the St. Pat’s for All Parade on March 6 in New York. Brendan Fay, founder of the Lavender & Green Alliance, is in the rainbow scarf. The mayor boycotted the St. Patrick’s Day Parade the last two years for its LGBT exclusion but will go this year. (Photo by Jon Nalley)
The official word announcing that the board of directors of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, a non-profit that runs the annual New York City event every March 17, had invited the LGBT group the Lavender & Green Alliance to the event is a bare-bones statement indicating nothing of the decades of effort that led to the change of heart.
“Since 2016 marks the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising, the birth of Irish Independence, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade March 17 is a special opportunity for renewed commitment to Irish values and tradition and the Irish role in the 21st century,” board chair John Lahey said in a press release.
Brendan Fay, founder and chair of the Lavender & Green Alliance, which has held its own St. Pat’s For All Parade annually in Queens since 2000, was granted a quote in the release.
“We celebrate the welcome,” he said. “March 17, 2016 will be a great day for hospitality and inclusion.”
There were signs that change was imminent. At last year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Out@NBC, a gay employee group at the affiliate WNBC-TV 4, which broadcasts the event locally, was the first out group welcomed into the parade although unlike Lavender & Green, they weren’t particularly Irish. Some Alliance members viewed the NBC group’s inclusion while their own was left out, a slap in the face.
The ongoing rancor had led to significant tension. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio this year announced the end of a two-year boycott of the 253-year-old event, the largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the country. He marched in and spoke at Sunday’s St. Pat’s for All Parade.
“The St. Patrick’s Day Parade is a New York City tradition but for years, Irish LGBT New Yorkers could not show their pride,” he told the Associated Press in a March 2 story. “Finally they can celebrate their heritage by marching in a parade that now represents progress and equality.”
The parade, held rain or shine, begins on Fifth Avenue at 44th Street and ends on Fifth Avenue uptown at 79th Street. It typically runs from about 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. About 200,000 people are in the parade each year. About 300 are expected to march under the Alliance banner.
So why now? Fay told the AP de Blasio’s boycott had an effect. He was the first mayor in more than 20 years to refuse to participate,” the Associated Press reports.
Fay told the Blade there “were many factors bringing us to this historic moment,” and cites boycotts by other elected officials, some of which go back 25 years, pressure from the New York City Council, letters of support from straight Irish New Yorkers, pressure from beer companies like Guinness and Heineken that threatened to pull out and more.
“It was the persistent determination of activism of a determined and hope-filled community,” Fay says. “Not just the LGBT community, but the Irish community as a whole.”
So why was it such a big deal? And in New York City, of all places?
The controversy ties in deeply with the parade’s Catholic roots. First held in 1762, the parade marches up Fifth Avenue and is reviewed from the steps of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. In the mid 1800s, the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH), an Irish-Catholic fraternal organization, became the official sponsor of the parade. Although in 1992, the National AOH directed all its chapters to form separate corporations to run their various parades, the parade’s roots in the Roman Catholic Church — Ireland was essentially a pawn in the Protestant Reformation battles between Italy and England — are strong and deep.
Although the St. Pat’s for All Parade has developed into its own thing and will continue (there were about 100 contingents in the March 6 event), Fay says the significance of the Alliance’s inclusion in the official parade cannot be overstated.
“History will be made for the first time on March 17,” he says. “We’ll be carrying the green Alliance banner and we’re all really feeling the moment. There’s so much joy in the Irish community of New York City and back home in Ireland as well.”
Dignity New York, an LGBT Catholic group that’s the local chapter of DignityUSA, members — of which Fay is one — have been watching this drama unfold for years. They say it just took time for the strong opposition to play out.
“Brendan is much more well versed in the politics of this and all the ins and outs … but I think gradually, you know, the people who wanted the group to march finally won out and I think it was a matter of attrition,” says Jeff Stone, a spokesperson for Dignity New York. “Eventually the older, more conservative members who were against it either left or died or whatever and I understand that Barbara Jones, the consul general of Ireland in New York, tried to urge the committee to let them march. That’s also in line with what’s happening in Ireland, especially now with the pro-same-sex marriage vote. The people of that country have clearly spoken.”
Despite studies that show disparities on all kinds of issues between official Catholic Church teaching and the laity, the anti-gay theology is well documented. As just one example, earlier this month the AOH issued a press release calling for Disney/ABC to “immediately apologize” for its new gay-themed sitcom “The Real O’Neals.” Although careful not to slam gays, it cites Irish stereotypes, anti-Catholicism and gay activist/writer Dan Savage, the show’s executive producer, in a scathing assessment.
“Dan Savage has a well-documented hostility to the Catholic Church,” the statement says. “(We) question the wisdom and motivations of Disney/ABC giving him a national platform to perpetuate his intolerance.”
Stone says movement on same-sex marriage, both in Ireland and the U.S., welcoming gays into the parade, the use of more inclusive language among Catholic leaders and more are all aspects to the policy change. He also says the tide has shifted enough that there were economic considerations as well.
“It’s just not a good situation for them when there’s all this bitterness and controversy surrounding the parade,” he says. “It’s counter to the law in Ireland, it’s not good for tourism. I think they wanted to get this resolved so that the parade could return to being a symbol of celebration and of Irish-American pride and not a source of division and bitterness that it had become for many people. The parade lost a lot of sponsors over this.”
Fay says the change makes a powerful statement.
“I think it’s conveying a message about equality and what I call cultural hospitality,” he says. “There’s an overall feeling of excitement and just really great and joyful expectation. … I’ve really come to appreciate how important cultural gatherings and parades are in our lives and communities.”
Brendan Fay, in the rainbow scarf, on March 6 at the St. Pat’s for All Parade in Queens, New York, with Lavender & Green members and allies. He says the counter parade will continue as it’s developed into its own event over 17 years. (Photo courtesy the Alliance)
a&e features
D.C. LGBTQ sports bar Pitchers listed for sale
Move follows months of challenges for local businesses in wake of Trump actions
A Santa Monica, Calif.-based commercial real estate company called Zacuto Group has released a 20-page online brochure announcing the sale of the D.C. LGBTQ sports bar Pitchers and its adjoining lesbian bar A League of Her Own.
The brochure does not disclose the sale price, and Pitchers owner David Perruzza told the Washington Blade he prefers to hold off on talking about his plans to sell the business at this time.
He said the sale price will be disclosed to “those who are interested.”
“Matthew Luchs and Matt Ambrose of the Zacuto Group have been selected to exclusively market for sale Pitchers D.C., located at 2317 18th Street, NW in Washington, D.C located in the vibrant and nightlife Adams Morgan neighborhood,” the sales brochure states.
“Since opening its doors in 2018, Pitchers has quickly become the largest and most prominent LGBTQ+ bar in Washington, D.C., serving as a cornerstone of D.C.’s modern queer nightlife scene,” it says, adding, “The 10,000+ SF building designed as a large-scale inclusive LGBTQ+ sports bar and social hub, offering a welcoming environment for the entire community.”
It points out that the Pitchers building, which has two years remaining on its lease and has a five-year renewal option, is a multi-level venue that features five bar areas, “indoor and outdoor seating, and multiple patios, creating a dynamic and flexible layout that supports a wide range of events and high customer volume.”
“Pitchers D.C. is also home to A League of Her Own, the only dedicated lesbian bar in Washington, D.C., further strengthening its role as a vital and inclusive community space at a time when such venues are increasingly rare nationwide,” the brochure says.
Zacuto Group sales agent Luchs, who serves as the company’s senior vice president, did not immediately respond to a phone message left by the Blade seeking further information, including the sale price.
News of Perruzza’s decision to sell Pitchers and A League of Her Own follows his Facebook postings last fall saying Pitchers, like other bars in D.C., was adversely impacted by the Trump administration’s deployment of National Guard soldiers on D.C. streets
In an Oct. 10 Facebook post, Perruzza said he was facing, “probably the worst economy I have seen in a while and everyone in D.C. is dealing with the Trump drama.” He told the Blade in a Nov. 10 interview that Pitchers continued to draw a large customer base, but patrons were not spending as much on drinks.
The Zacuto Group sales brochure says Pitchers currently provides a “rare combination of scale, multiple bars, inclusivity, and established reputation that provides a unique investment opportunity for any buyer seeking a long-term asset with a loyal and consistent customer base,” suggesting that, similar to other D.C. LGBTQ bars, business has returned to normal with less impact from the Trump related issues.
The sales brochure can be accessed here.
a&e features
Alexander Skarsgård describes ‘Pillion’ in 3 words: lube, sweat, leather
Highly anticipated film a refreshingly loving look at Dom-sub life
Whether you’ve seen him in popular HBO series like “True Blood,” “Succession,” or “Big Little Lies,” the dynamic Swedish actor Alexander Skarsgård has that smoldering gaze that immediately draws viewers in.
Following in the footsteps of his father Stellan, (who just won the Golden Globe for “Sentimental Value”) the Golden Globe, Emmy, and SAG winner Skarsgård continues to be an actor who is fearless in the roles he takes on.
That courageousness is evident in Skarsgård’s latest film, the BDSM black comedy “Pillion,”which he also executive produces. He plays Ray, the handsome, hyper-dominant leader of a gay bike gang. The film was written and directed by Harry Lighton, and is based on the 2020 novel “Box Hill,” by Adam Mars-Jones.
“This was a small film by a first time filmmaker and it wasn’t financed when I read it,” Skarsgård told journalists at a recent awards news conference. “And I felt that, if I could help in any small way of getting it financed, I wanted to, because I thought it was such an incredible screenplay and I believe in Harry Lighton so much as a filmmaker. And it felt tonally unlike anything I’d ever read. It was such an exciting, surprising read.”
Skarsgård was blown away by the quality of the unconventional script. “When I heard BDSM relationship, biker culture, I expected something very different. I didn’t expect it to have so much sweetness and tenderness and awkwardness.”
For the sex scenes and nudity with co-star, Harry Melling — who excels in his portrayal as Ray’s submissive Colin — Skarsgård talked very early on with Lighton about how he wanted to shoot those scenes, and why they were in the film.
“I often find sex scenes quite boring in movies because a lot of the tension is in the drama leading up to two people hooking up, or several people hooking up, as in our movie. But what I really enjoyed about these scenes — they are all pivotal moments in Colin’s journey and his development. It’s the first time he gets a blowjob. It’s the first time he has sex. It’s the first time he has an orgasm. And these are pivotal moments for him, so they mean a lot. And that made those scenes impactful and important.”
Skarsgård was happy that Lighton’s script didn’t have gratuitous scenes that shock for the sake of just shocking. “I really appreciated that because I find that when this subculture is portrayed, it’s often dangerous and crazy and wild and something like transgressive.”
He continued: “I really love that Harry wanted it to feel real. It can be sexy and intense, but also quite loving and sweet. And you can have an orgy in the woods, rub up against a Sunday roast with the family. And that kind of feels real.”
One of the obstacles Skarsgård had to work with was Ray’s emotionally distant personality.
“Ray is so enigmatic throughout the film and you obviously never find out anything about him, his past. He doesn’t reveal much. He doesn’t expose himself. And that was a challenge to try to make the character interesting, because that could easily feel quite flat…That was something that I thought quite a lot about in pre production…there are no big dramatic shifts in his arc.”
For the film, Lighton consulted the GMBCC, the UK’s largest LGBT+ biker club, attending their annual meetup at which 80 riders were present.
“Working with these guys was extraordinary and it brought so much texture and richness to the film to have them present,” said Skarsgård. “They were incredibly sweet and guiding with us — I can’t imagine making this movie without them. I’d go on a road trip with them anytime.”
Added Skarsgård: “To sum up ‘Pillion’ in three words: lube, sweat, and leather. I hope people will connect with Colin and his journey, and come to understand the nuance and complexity of his bond with Ray.”
This year is shaping up to be a busy one for Skarsgård. “Pillion” premieres in select cities on Feb. 6 and then moves into wide release on Feb. 20. After that for Skarsgård is a role in queer ally Charli XCX’s mockumentary, “The Moment,” which premieres at the Sundance Film Festival. HIs sci-fi comedy series, Apple TV’s “Murderbot,” which he also executive produces, will begin filming its second season. And this weekend, he hosts “Saturday Night Live.”
a&e features
MISTR’s Tristan Schukraft on evolution of HIV prevention
From ACT UP to apps, embracing stigma-free care
It was not too long ago that an HIV diagnosis was read as a death sentence. In its earlier decades, the HIV/AIDS crisis was synonymous with fear and loss, steeped in stigma. Over recent years, open conversation and science have come together to combat this stigma while proactively paving the way for life-saving treatments and preventive measures like PrEP. Now, in 2026, with discreet and modern platforms that meet people where they’re at in their lives, HIV prevention has evolved from hushed words of warning into something far more sex-positive and accessible. Game-changing services like MISTR are a testament to this shift, showing our community that healthcare doesn’t have to feel clinical or shaming to work. It can be empowering and, dare I say, celebratory.
Few people embody this evolution quite like Tristan Schukraft, founder of MISTR. With one hand in healthcare and the other high-fiving through queer nightlife, Schukraft gets that, from the bar to the bedroom and beyond, prevention happens in person and in real life. His approach has helped turn PrEP, DoxyPEP, and testing into normalized parts of our daily queer life, reaching hundreds of thousands of people across the US.
In our conversation, Schukraft shares candidly about stigma, policy, and why the future of sexual health depends on keeping it real.
BLADE: You have one hand in healthcare and the other in nightlife and queer spaces. Can you share with us how these two spheres impact and inform each other? How do they impact and inform you?
SCHUKRAFT: Honestly, for me, they’ve never been separate. Nightlife and queer spaces are where people meet, date, hook up, fall in love, and make friends. That’s real life. Being in queer spaces all the time keeps me grounded and reminds me who we’re building MISTR for.
BLADE: MISTR markets sexual health in a sex-positive, stigma-free fashion. Can you share with us how you measure the impact of this approach?
SCHUKRAFT: This year, we held the first-ever National PrEP Day. Dua Lipa performed, and Cardi B was there. After the event, Cardi B went on her Instagram live to encourage people to sign up for PrEP.
When you make sexual health stigma-free and sex positive, people talk about it. We see it in how people use the platform. When 700,000 people are willing to sign up, get tested, start PrEP, and add things like DoxyPEP, that tells us we’ve made it feel safe and normal instead of scary or awkward. And then we see it in the results. Since we expanded DoxyPEP, STI positivity among our patients dropped by half.
BLADE: How have you seen the conversation of sexual health in our LGBTQ+ community change in mainstream culture in recent years?
SCHUKRAFT: Ten years ago, nobody was casually talking about PrEP, and if they did, it likely referenced one being a Truvada whore. Now it’s part of the culture. Popstars like Troye Sivan post pictures of their daily PrEP pill on social media. Cardi B goes on Instagram Live telling people to get on PrEP.
For many sexually active gay men, taking PrEP is simply part of the gay experience. For people in more remote areas, it might not be as talked about. Particularly in rural or more conservative places, MISTR can be a life-changing option. No awkward visits to the family doctor or the local pharmacy where everybody knows your business. It’s all done discreetly online and shipped straight to your door.
BLADE: You have publicly argued that cuts to government HIV prevention funding are of high risk. Would you please elaborate for us on what those budget decisions mean on an individual level?
SCHUKRAFT: It means real people fall through the cracks. Someone doesn’t get tested. Someone waits too long to start PrEP. Someone finds out they’re HIV-positive later than they should have. Community clinics will be the hardest hit, especially those in underserved communities. The good news is that MISTR is ready to help people who might lose their access to care. All you need to do is sign up at mistr.com, and it’s totally free with or without insurance.
BLADE: From your (and MISTR’s) perspective, how do these funding cuts threaten ongoing efforts to end the HIV epidemic?
SCHUKRAFT: For the first time, we have all the tools to end HIV. If everybody who is HIV negative is taking PrEP and everyone HIV+ is virally suppressed, we can end all new HIV transmissions in the United States. We have everything we need today. All we need is to get more people on PrEP. Cutting funding risks losing that momentum. Ending HIV requires scale and consistency. Every time funding gets cut, you lose momentum, trust, and infrastructure, and rebuilding that takes years.
HIV transmissions don’t pause because budgets change.
BLADE: In our current climate of decreased federal investment, what role do you feel private healthcare and business should play in sexual health?
SCHUKRAFT: With reports that the current administration is considering cuts to HIV and prevention funding, we face a moment of reckoning. At the same time, some employers are seeking to exclude PrEP and HIV prevention from their coverage on religious freedom grounds. If these challenges succeed, and if federal funding is slashed, the consequences for public health will be devastating. But this is where the private sector must step up to fill the gap, bridge divides, and deliver results.
Businesses have the power and platform to normalize HIV prevention and drive measurable outcomes. At MISTR, we see firsthand what’s possible: since introducing DoxyPEP, STI positivity rates among our patients have been cut in half. But it’s not just about medication. It’s about messaging.
Our sex-positive, stigma-free marketing speaks directly to our community, making sexual health part of everyday life. No awkward doctor visits, no needles, no paperwork — just free online PrEP and STI testing, prescribed by real physicians and delivered to your door. That kind of impact could grow exponentially if more employers embraced this approach and made HIV prevention part of their employee wellness programs.
Employers, this is your call to action. Start by making sure your health plans cover PrEP and DoxyPEP. Partner with platforms like MISTR to give employees private, stigma-free access to care. Offer on-site testing. Talk openly about sexual health, not just during Pride, but every day of the year. This is not political — this is about protecting lives, strengthening communities, and building a healthier, more productive workforce. Because healthy employees aren’t just good for public health — they’re good for business.
When the private sector steps up, outcomes improve. And when businesses align with platforms like MISTR, scaling impact isn’t just possible — it’s happening.
BLADE: Has MISTR experienced any direct effects from these recent shifts in public health funding?
SCHUKRAFT: MISTR’s unique model is totally free for patients with or without insurance, and we don’t cost the government or taxpayers a penny. We are scaling up our efforts to reach people who might be losing their access or care.
BLADE: What would be your message to policymakers who are considering further cuts to HIV/AIDS programs?
SCHUKRAFT: During his first term, President Donald Trump committed unprecedented resources to the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative here at home. Bipartisan support has shown what’s possible when bold leadership meets smart strategy. To policymakers: I urge you to reconsider any cuts to HIV prevention funding. This is not the time to pull back. It’s the time to push forward. Ending HIV is within reach — but only if government, private industry, and community organizations stand together.
BLADE: What is one perhaps overlooked win from last year that impacted you on a personal level?
SCHUKRAFT: Seeing our STI positivity rate drop by half after expanding DoxyPEP.
BLADE: Looking at the year ahead, what are MISTR’s most significant priorities for sexual health in 2026?
SCHUKRAFT: Expanding access, especially in the South and in communities that still get left out. Rolling out injectable PrEP. And just continuing to make sexual healthcare easier and more normal.
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