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Gay teacher’s fan photo with Trump goes viral

the picture has been shared more than 5,000 times

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A Rhode Island teacher’s LGBT pride-filled photo with President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump has gone viral.

Nikos Giannopoulos, 29, was named the 2017 Rhode Island Teacher of the Year for his work as a special education teacher at the Beacon Charter High School for the Arts in Woonsocket, R.I. In April, he joined other state teachers on a trip to the White House to meet President Trump and the first lady.

In what appears to be a nod to Pride month, Giannopoulos shared the photo he took with the Trumps. Giannopoulos is seen holding a black, lace fan with his head cocked to the side. The teacher also proudly wore a rainbow pin on his jacket. Right next to him, the Trumps smile brightly at the camera.

Speaking with NPR, the teacher said the fan, which belongs to his partner, is an accessory he takes with him whenever he travels.

In a Facebook post from April, Giannopoulos explained why he decided to showcase LGBT pride for his photo with the president.

“I wore a rainbow pin to represent my gratitude for the LGBTQ community that has taught me to be proud, bold, and empowered by my identity — even when circumstances make that difficult,” Giannopoulos writes. “I wore a blue jacket with a bold print and carried a black lace fan to celebrate the joy and freedom of gender nonconformity.”

Giannopoulos also explains that he wished he could have spoken with Trump about the needs of the LGBT community.

“I would have told him that queer lives matter and anti-LGBTQ policies have a body count. Taking pride in queer identity means rejecting the shame imposed upon us by a harsh society. It means opening yourself up to a lifetime of criticism and misunderstanding, but knowing that it’s worth it to be able to live authentically,” Giannopoulos writes.

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Bars & Parties

Queer Magic dance party planned

Tarot, dancing, drag and more at Black Cat event

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Celebrate the start of Pride month at the Queer Magic Dance Party at the Black Cat on Saturday, June 6. Doors open at 9 p.m.

There will be pole performances and demonstrations, a free photo booth with glitter bar, a queer vendor market, tarot readings by Skye Marinda Tarot, a drag performance by Sapphica, and dancing to a blend of smooth R&B, Afrobeats, hip-hop and pop by Slammer & Saba. Tickets are $20 at the door or $15 (plus fees) in advance, purchased here.

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Out & About

NLGJA-DC Pride happy hour at Trade

Local queer journalists celebrate Pride

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(Washington Blade file photo by Daniel Truitt)


Local queer journalists will celebrate Pride this weekend at the annual NLGJA-DC Pride Happy Hour event at Trade (1410 14th St., N.W.) on Saturday, June 6, 3-5 p.m. Admission is free. 

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Out & About

DC Front Runners Pride Run 5K set for Saturday

Annual event held at historic Congressional Cemetery

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The 14th annual DC Front Runners' Pride 5K run/walk is set for Saturday. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

The 14th annual DC Front Runners’ Pride 5K run/walk is set for Saturday, June 6 at historic Congressional Cemetery. The race starts and ends at the cemetery (1801 E St., S.E.) and passes through scenic D.C., along the Anacostia River trail and the fields at RFK campus. Registration ends Friday at 11:59 p.m. 

Runners can pick up their race packets on Saturday from 7-8:30 a.m. at Congressional Cemetery; the race begins at 9 a.m.

The fee to run the 5K in person is $65 ($35 for those under age 20). Proceeds benefit local LGBTQ nonprofits, including Thrive DC, Wanda Alston Foundation, Blade Foundation, Ainsley’s Angels, SMYAL, and Team DC. Visit DCFrontRunners.org for more information.

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