Arts & Entertainment
Against Me! lead singer Laura Jane Grace burns birth certificate on stage
rock star takes stand against North Carolina HB2 law
(Screenshot via Rolling Stone)
Laura Jane Grace, transgender lead singer of punk band Against Me!, burned her birth certificate on stage during a concert in North Carolina on Sunday.
Rolling Stone reports Grace destroyed her birth certificate while on stage at the Motorco Music Hall in Durham, N.C. in protest of North Carolina’s HB2 law. “Goodbye gender,” Grace told the crowd.
Grace, who came out as transgender in 2012, has strongly opposed North Carolina’s HB2 law. However, the singer decided not to cancel her scheduled North Carolina show date.
“Hell no! I’m even more eager to play North Carolina ’cause of the bill! Let me know if there’s any activist groups that can come table the show,” Grace tweeted.
In April, Grace told Buzzfeed she wanted the show in North Carolina to be a protest.
“I’m going to create an event around the show as a form of protest to say that despite whatever stupid laws they enact, trans people are not going to be scared,” Grace told Buzzfeed. “They are not going to go away.”
The Capital Pride Alliance presented the 2026 Capital Pride Honors at “The Audacity Brunch: In Full Fuchsia” at the Four Seasons Hotel Washington, D.C. on Sunday, June 7.
(Washington Blade photos by Landon Shackelford)
Out & About
Congressional Cemetery hosts Gays & Graves
Daylong Pride celebration blends history, remembrance, art and community
Historic Congressional Cemetery will host the second annual “Gays & Graves: A Big Gay Festival” on Sunday, June 14 at 11 a.m.
The event will feature pioneering activist Randy Wicker, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, and new public art installations and programs celebrating LGBTQ+ history. Gays & Graves is an official partner event of Capital Pride 2026.
This event is a daylong Pride celebration blending history, remembrance, art and community. Visitors can shop from LGBTQ+ and allied artists and makers, experience performances and interactive installations, and engage with programs exploring LGBTQ+ history and lived experience.
For more details, visit the cemetery’s website.
Baltimore Pride is underway, taking place from June 8-14.
The Pride Parade will be on Saturday, June 13 at 12 p.m. at Charles Street & North Avenue, followed by the Pride Block Party at 1 p.m. at Druid Hill Park. And then the Pride Festival will be held on Sunday, June 14 at 12 p.m. at Druid Hill Park.
There will be an array of additional events including: a fashion show, a “Suits and Sneakers” reception and a 5k race, among many other events.
For more details, visit Baltimore Pride’s website.
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