Arts & Entertainment
‘Matilda’ star Mara Wilson says she regrets coming out after Pulse tragedy
the child actress announced her sexuality after the Pulse nightclub shooting
(Screenshot via YouTube.)
“Matilda” star Mara Wilson came out as bisexual in the wake of the Pulse nightclub shooting in June 2016 but says she now regrets the timing of her announcement.
Wilson, 30, spoke with Lambda Legal about how she received backlash for coming out after the tragedy.
“I often wish that I hadn’t done it then. Because I got accused of taking advantage of a tragedy for personal attention,” Wilson says. “Now clearly I like attention, but I am not so callous as to make a tragedy about myself, my life and my story. That isn’t what I was going for.”
She continued on that the reason she waited so long to come out was because of the negative stereotypes of bisexuals.
‘”One of the reasons I didn’t come out for a very long time was because I grew up hearing that bisexual girls were ‘crazy.’ I heard that all the time. I heard that bisexual girls were “crazy,” they were greedy, they were selfish and they caused drama. They were the worst. They wanted attention.” Wilson says.
“When you think of bisexuals, you think of villainy,” she added. “You think of people using their sexuality to get what they want, using other people and hurting other people. Or just having a lot of sex, and …if you are ‘promiscuous,’ that is seen as being inherently a bad thing.”
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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Congressional Cemetery hosts Gays & Graves
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Calendar: June 12-18
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Queen Jean is Tony’s first transgender winner
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