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Tennis court ‘Battle’
Actors say art inspired life on new Billie Jean King movie
Andrea Riseborough (left) with Emma Stone in ‘Battle of the Sexes.’ (Photo courtesy Fox Searchlight)
Editor’s note: Washington Blade movie critic Brian T. Carney interviewed actresses Andrea Riseborough and Natalie Morales at the Los Angeles premiere of ‘Battle of the Sexes’ last weekend.
LOS ANGELES — “Battle of the Sexes,” the excellent movie currently showing in D.C.-area theaters, is a passionate examination of the people and politics that led to the game-changing 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, a match that is stunningly recreated in the film’s finale.
Produced by Fox Searchlight Pictures, “Battle of the Sexes” is the rare Hollywood film that features a strong female cast and that features a lesbian relationship as just one of many elements in a complex plot. It’s also one of the rare movies that passes the famous Bechdel test.
The Bechdel test first appeared in Alison Bechdel’s “Dykes to Watch Out For” comic strip in 1985. A character says she will only see a movie if it meets three criteria: that the movie has at least two women in it, that they talk to each other and that they talk about something besides a man. “Battle of the Sexes” passes the test with flying colors. It also passes the Russo test, named for the late activist and cultural critic Vito Russo, which applies the same criteria to LGBT characters.
Two of the women who star in the film, Andrea Riseborough and Natalie Morales, were eager to talk about the challenges of playing strong women with recent historical footprints and about turning Billie Jean King’s vision of equal pay for women and female economic empowerment into reality.
Acclaimed British actress, writer and filmmaker Riseborough plays Marilyn Barnett, King’s first girlfriend. For Riseborough, known for playing strong historical character like Wallis Simpson (“W.E.”), Margaret Thatcher (“The Long Walk to Finchley”) and Svetlana Stalin (the upcoming “The Death of Stalin”), playing Barnett offered a different challenge: the lack of documentation.
“There was so little to unearth compared to other characters I’ve played,” she says. “They’re over-documented. You have to forget the noise and get to the center of who they are.”
Playing Barnett, she says, “I had the opposite pressure, it was a process of excavation. For me as an actor, it was very fulfilling because there was so much I had to fill in, so much I had to imagine.”
Riseborough discovered that Barnett was “a very liberated, free-spirited woman. She embodies the hopefulness of the early ‘70s, the wholesome part of it. She was incredibly happy and very much in love.”
Working with a few period photographs, she collaborated with Costume Designer Mary Zophres to recreate Barnett’s look, that of a long-haired California beauty.
In fact, Austin Stowell (who plays King’s husband Larry) and Riseborough joked that, “the cinematic Billie certainly had a type; in the film, we’re both tanned and blond.”
In addition to her award-winning appearances in front of the camera, Riseborough founded her own production company in 2013. “Mother Sucker,” named in honor of her mother, is an all-female company. Its staff is now working on “Nancy,” an anti-hero piece starring Riseborough and written and directed by Christina Choe.
Natalie Morales faced a different set of challenges playing Rosie Casals. Morales says Casals, “was frequently Billie Jean’s doubles partner and one of her best friends at the time. She was one of the few women of color in the tennis world at the time and one of the few people of color in this movie, because that’s the way the tennis world was at the time.”
Casals also worked with famed sportscaster Howard Cosell to provide on-air commentary during the match. Morales (“Grinder,” “Parks and Recreation” and “Girls”) was edited into the actual film from ABC, which offered an exciting challenge for the actor.
“I had to match Rosie’s voice perfectly, her intonation and the way she ended sentences. Everything had to be an exact copy so it would match. I had to look at him at the exact same time. It was a fun puzzle. I’m a director and I really love the technical aspect of making movies.”
Morales has directed several music videos as well as segments for “Funny Or Die” and is working on deals to direct a television series and a feature film.
Morales was not able to meet Casals until the film’s premiere last weekend in Los Angeles. She was thrilled when both Casals and King said she got it “really, really great.”
Inspired in part by her participation in “Battles of the Sexes,” Morales came out as a lesbian in June. She says she’s a private person who avoids the spotlight.
“I was already out to my friends and some of my family, so it really wasn’t a big deal coming out in my personal life,” she says.
But since she knew she would be heavily involved in the press tour for this movie, Morales made the decision to come out publicly.
“I wanted to support this film fully in a way that is honest to me. I’d like to be candid while also being private,” Morales says. “I was always an advocate of LGBTQ rights, but I thought I was omitting something by not saying publicly that I was actually a part of that community and not just a straight ally. I thought I don’t mind sacrificing a little bit of privacy for the visibility and the normalizing that that will do for the queer community. If I make anyone feel a little less alone or a little more understood, or if I educate a single person it’s worth it.”
Natalie Morales (right) with Emma Stone and Alan Cumming in ‘Battle of the Sexes.’ Morales says her work in the film inspired her to come out. (Photo courtesy Fox Searchlight)
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Memorial for groundbreaking bisexual activist set for May 2
Loraine Hutchins remembered as a ‘force of nature’
The Montgomery County Pride Center will host a celebration honoring the life and legacy of Loraine Hutchins, Ph.D., on May 2. People are invited to attend the onsite memorial or a livestream event. The on-site event will begin at 10 a.m. with a meet-and-greet mixer before moving into a memorial service around the theme “Loraine a Force of Nature!” at 11 a.m., a panel talk at 12 p.m., break out sessions for artists, academics, and activists to build on her legacy at 1 p.m. and a closing reception at 2 p.m.
Attendees are encouraged to register for the on-site memorial gathering or the livestreamed memorial. The goal of this event is also to collect stories and memories of Loraine. Attendees and others can share their stories at padlet.com.
An obituary for Hutchins was published in the Bladelast Nov. 24, where people can learn more about her activism in the bisexual community. A private service for friends and family was held in December but this memorial service is open to all.
Alongside her groundbreaking work organizing for U.S. bisexual rights and liberation including co-editing “Bi Any Other Name: BIsexual People Speak Out” (1991), she also integrated faith into her sexual education and advocacy work. Her 2001 doctoral dissertation, “Erotic Rites: A Cultural Analysis of Contemporary U.S. Sacred Sexuality Traditions and Trends,” offered a pointed queer and feminist analysis to sex-neutral and sex-positive spiritual traditions in the United States. Her thesis was also groundbreaking in exploring the intersections between sex workers and those in caregiving professionals, including spiritual ones.
In an oral history interview conducted by Michelle Mueller back in August 2023, Hutchins described herself as a “priestess without a congregation.” While she has occasionally had a sense of community and feels part of a group of loving people, she admitted that “I don’t feel like we have the shape or the purpose that we need.”
“I’ve often experienced being the Cassandra in the room, the Cassandra in the community. Somebody who’s kind of way out there ahead, thinking through the strategic action points that my community hasn’t gotten to yet, and getting a lot of resistance and hostile responses from people who are frightened by dissent and conflict and not ready for the changes we have to make to survive,” she said.
“For somebody who’s bisexual in an out political way and who’s been a spokesperson for the polyamory movement in an out political way, it’s very exposing. And it’s very important to me to be able to try to explain and help other people understand the connection between spirituality and sexuality,” she explained citing how even as a graduate student she was “exploring how to feel erotic and spiritual, and not feel them in conflict with each other in my own spiritual contemplative life and my own sensual body awareness of being alive in the world.”
“Every religion has a sense of sacred sexuality. It’s just they put a lot of boundaries and regulations on it, and if we have a spiritual practice that is totally affirming of women’s priesthood and of gay people, queer people’s ability to minister to everyone and to be ministered to be everyone, what does that do to the gender of God, or our understanding of how we practice our spirituality and our sexuality in community and privately?”
“There’s no easy answer,” she concludes, and she continued to grapple with these questions throughout her life, co-editing another seminal text, “Sexuality, Religion and the Sacred: Bisexual, Pansexual, and Polysexual Perspectives,” published in 2012. Her work blending spiritual and queer liberation remains groundbreaking to this day.
Rev. Eric Eldritch, a local community organizer and ordained Pagan minister with Circle Sanctuary who has worked for decades with the DC Center’s Center Faith to organize the Pride Interfaith Service, is eager to highlight this element of her legacy at the memorial service next month.
a&e features
Queery: Meet artist, performer John Levengood
Modern creative talks nightlife, coming out, and his personal queer heroes
John Levengood (he/him) describes himself as a modern creative with a wide‑ranging toolkit. He blends music, technology, civic duty, and a sharp sense of wit into a cohesive artistic identity. Known primarily as a recording artist and performer, he’s also a self‑taught music producer and software engineer who embodies a generation of creators who build their own lanes rather than wait for one to appear.
Levengood, 32, who is single and identifies as gay and queer, is best known as a recording artist who has performed at Pride festivals across the country, including the main stages of World Pride DC, Central Arkansas Pride, and Charlotte Pride.
“Locally in the DMV, I’m known for turning heads at nightlife venues with my eye-catching sense of style. When I go out, I don’t try to blend in. I hope I inspire people to be themselves and have the courage to stand out,” he says.
He’s also known for hosting karaoke at Freddie’s Beach Bar in Arlington, Va., on Thursday nights. “I like to create a space where people feel comfortable expressing themselves, building community, and showcasing their talents.”
He also creates social media content from my performances and do interviews at LGBTQ+ bars and theatres in the DMV. Follow the Arlington resident @johnlevengood.
How long have you been out and who was the hardest person to tell?
I have been fully out of the closet since 2019. My parents were the hardest people to tell because my family has always been my rock and at the time I couldn’t imagine a world without them. Their reactions were extremely positive and supportive so I had nothing to fear all along.
I remember sitting on the couch with my mom, dad, and sister in our hotel room in New Orleans during our winter vacation and being so nervous to tell them. After I finally mustered up the nerve and made the proclamation, I realized my dad had already fallen asleep on the couch. My mom promised to tell him when he woke up.
Who’s your LGBTQ hero?
My LGBTQ heroes are Harvey Milk for paving the way for gays in politics and Elton John for being a pioneer for the fabulous and authentic. My local heroes in the DMV are Howard Hicks, manager of Green Lantern, and Tony Rivenbark, manager of Freddie’s Beach Bar. Both of them are essential to creating spaces where I’ve felt welcome and safe since moving to the DMV.
What’s Washington’s best nightspot, past or present?
Trade tops the list for me because of the dance floor and outdoor space. It’s so nice to get a break from the music every once and a while to be able to have a conversation.
We live in challenging times. How do you cope?
I’m still figuring this out. What is working right now is writing music and spending time with family and friends. I’ve also been spending less time on social media going to the gym at least three times a week.
What streaming show are you binging?
After “Traitors” Season 4 ended, I was in a bit of a show hole, but “Stumble” has me in a laughing loop right now. The writing is so witty.
What do you wish you’d known at 18?
At 18, I wish I would have known how liberating it is to come out of the closet. It would have been nice to know some winning lottery numbers as well.
What are your friends messaging about in your most recent group chat?
We are planning our next trip to New York City. If you can believe it, I visited NYC for the first time in 2025 for Pride and I’ve been back every quarter since. Growing up in the country, I was subconsciously primed to be scared of the city. But my mind has been blown. I can’t wait to go back.
Why Washington?
It’s the closest metropolitan area to my family, but not too close. I love the museums, the diversity, the history, and the proximity to the beach and mountains. It’s also nice to live in a city with public transportation.
Aging RFK Stadium has come down, but the RFK grounds are still getting lit up. Welcome back to the stage Project GLOW, D.C.’s homegrown electronic festival, on May 30-31. Back for its fifth year on these musically inclined acres, Project GLOW returns with an even more diverse lineup, and one that continues to celebrate LGBTQ antecedents, attendees, and acts.
Project GLOW 2026 headliners include house and techno star Mau P, progressive house legend Eric Prydz, hard-techno favorite Sara Landry, and bass acts Excision b2b Sullivan King, among the lineup of trance, bass, house, techno, dubstep, and others for the fifth anniversary year.
President & CEO Pete Kalamoutsos — born and raised in D.C. — founded Club GLOW in 1999. In 2020, GLOW entered into a partnership with global entertainment company Insomniac Events to produce live events like Project GLOW, which kicked off in 2022.
As in past years, Project GLOW not only makes space, but is intentionally inclusive of the LGBTQ community, one of its most dedicated fan bases. The festival’s LGBTQ-focused Secret Garden stage blooms again — a more intimate dance area that stands on the strength of DJs and musicians who draw from the LGBTQ community. D.C.’s LGBTQ nightlife mastermind Ed Bailey is the creative mind behind Secret Garden again. He joined Project GLOW in 2023.
“Kalamoustos says that “he’s proud of his partnership with Ed Bailey, along with Capital Pride and [nightlife producer] Jake Resnikow. It’s amazing to collaborate with Bailey at the Secret Garden stage, especially after the curated lineup we worked on at Pride last year.”
The Secret Garden will be a bit different from other stages: Eternal (“At the Eternal stage, time stands still. Lose yourself in the dance of past, present, and future, surrendering to the eternal rhythm of the universe”) and Pulse (“Feel the rhythm of the beat pulse through your veins as the heartbeat of the crowd synchronizes into one. Here, every moment vibrates with life as it guides you through a new dimension of euphoria”). The Secret Garden stage is in the round, surrounded by 16 shipping containers. The containers play canvas to muralists from around the world, who are coming in to paint them in a vibrant garden-style vibe. “We gave this stage some extra love with this layout,” K says, “ we finally cracked the code.”
K says that this will be the biggest lineup yet for the Secret Garden, featuring Nicole Moudaber b2b Chasewest, Riordan b2b Bullet Tooth, Ranger Trucco, Cassian, Eli & Fur, Cosmic Gate and Hayla. The stage is also the largest yet, featuring an expanded dance floor and 360-degree viewing.
Across all stages, K says that his goal for the fifth anniversary is “More art and fan interactive experience, more like a festival, strive to be like a Tomorrowland, as budget grows to add more experience.” Last year’s Project GLOW alone drew 40,000 attendees over two days.
K, however, was not satisfied with one festival this spring. GLOW recently announced a “pop-up” one-day event. Teaming up with Black Book Records, GLOW is set to throw a first-of-its-kind dance-music takeover of Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., headlined by electronic music star Chris Lake. Set for April 18, this euphoric block party will feature bass and vibes blocks from the White House. Organizers expect as many as 10,000 fans to attend. Beyond music, there will be food, activations, and plenty of other activities taking place around 6th St and Pennsylvania Ave NW – a location familiar to many in the LGBTQ community, as this sits squarely inside the blocks of the Capital Pride party that takes place in DC every June.
Over the past two decades, Club GLOW has produced thousands of events, from club nights to large-scale festivals including Project GLOW, Moonrise Festival, and more. Club GLOW also operates Echostage.
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