Arts & Entertainment
Demi Lovato brings Danica Roem to the AMAs to speak out against bullying
the singer kicked off her performance seated next to the newly elected state legislator
Demi Lovato invited Danica Roem, the first openly transgender person seated in a state legislature, to walk the American Music Awards red carpet with her to speak out against bullying at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday.
Lovato and Roem were brought together as part of GLAAD’s Together initiative, a campaign for all marginalized communities to stand together.
“We contacted because I heard her story. She’s the first out and seated transgender state legislator in American history,” Lovato told E! on the red carpet. “When I heard that, I was just completely inspired by it. My story with ‘Sorry Not Sorry’ is all about bullying and I wanted to have her in the audience with me tonight because I feel like we’ve been through some of the same things and now we get to share this experience together.”
Roem defeated her Republican opponent Bob Marshall for a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates. When asked about her upcoming inauguration, Roem confessed it is “overwhelming.”
“It’s really overwhelming, and I’m also really grateful that Demi has spent her career advocating for people who need a voice when they feel voiceless,” Roem says.
Lovato sang her hit single “Sorry Not Sorry” during the AMAs kicking off the performance seated in the audience next to Roem.
Momma. You were INCREDIBLY AMAZING!!! You totally NAILED IT! I love you with all my heart!!! ♥️@ddlovato #DEMixAMAs pic.twitter.com/DY1vfMjg96
— Jan Doblado (@jandoblado) November 20, 2017
Roem showed her appreciation for Lovato’s anti-bullying stance, and for being invited to the star-studded AMAs, on Twitter.
“I’ll always stand for inclusion & against bullying. Demi Lovato’s performance tonight made it clear that’s where she stands too. Thank you for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity @ddlovato.
PWC folks: I’ll be back bright & early Monday to talk education policy. See you soon! #NoH8,” Roem tweeted.
I’ll always stand for inclusion & against bullying. Demi Lovato’s performance tonight made it clear that’s where she stands too. Thank you for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity @ddlovato.
PWC folks: I’ll be back bright & early Monday to talk education policy. See you soon! #NoH8 https://t.co/6BJzz5xhNp— Danica Roem (@pwcdanica) November 20, 2017
Lovato also gave Roem a shout-out on Instagram posting a picture of the pair on the red carpet.
“Such an honor to have Danica Roem who will be the first out and seated transgender state legislator in U.S. history by my side tonight at the AMAs. Danica put up with a lot of hate and bullshit by people who said she couldn’t win but she did. Her story is so inspiring and I was so proud to have her next to me before the performance for #sorrynotsorry which is an unapologetic anthem to all haters out there. Danica, you are an inspiration to so many and I can’t wait see all the amazing things you do,” Lovato wrote.
Sports
Jason Collins dies at 47
First openly gay man to actively play for major sports team battled brain cancer
Jason Collins, the first openly gay man to actively play for a major professional sports team, died on Tuesday after a battle with brain cancer. He was 47.
The California native had briefly played for the Washington Wizards in 2013 before coming out in a Sports Illustrated op-ed.
Collins in 2014 became the first openly gay man to play in a game for a major American professional sports league when he played 11 minutes during a Brooklyn Nets game. He wore jersey number 98 in honor of Matthew Shepard, a gay college student murdered outside of Laramie, Wyo., in 1998.
Collins told the Washington Blade in 2014 that his life was “exponentially better” since he came out. Collins the same year retired from the National Basketball Association after 13 seasons.
Collins married his husband, Brunson Green, in May 2025.
The NBA last September announced Collins had begun treatment for a brain tumor. Collins on Dec. 11, 2025, announced he had Stage 4 glioblastoma.
“We are heartbroken to share that Jason Collins, our beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, has died after a valiant fight with glioblastoma,” said Collins’s family in a statement the NBA released. “Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar. We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers over the past eight months and for the exceptional medical care Jason received from his doctors and nurses. Our family will miss him dearly.”
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Collins’s “impact and influence extended far beyond basketball as he helped make the NBA, WNBA, and larger sports community more inclusive and welcoming for future generations.”
“He exemplified outstanding leadership and professionalism throughout his 13-year NBA career and in his dedicated work as an NBA Cares Ambassador,” said Silver. “Jason will be remembered not only for breaking barriers, but also for the kindness and humanity that defined his life and touched so many others.”
“To call Jason Collins a groundbreaking figure for our community is simply inadequate. We truly lost a giant today,” added Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson in a statement. “He came out as gay — while still playing — at a time when men’s athletes simply did not do that. But as he powerfully demonstrated in his final years in the league and his post-NBA career, stepping forward as he did boldly changed the conversation.”
“He was and will always be a legend for the LGBTQ+ community, and we are heartbroken to hear of his passing at the young age of 47,” she said. “Our hearts go out to his family and loved ones. We will keep fighting on in his honor until the day everyone can be who they are on their terms.”
Glitterati Productions held the “Studio 69” party at Bunker on Friday, May 8.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Arts & Entertainment
Washington Blade’s Pride on the Pier returns June 13 to kick off D.C. Pride week
Pride on the Pier officially launches Pride Week in D.C.
The Washington Blade’s annual Pride on the Pier celebration returns to The Wharf on Saturday, June 13, 2026 from 4-9 p.m., bringing thousands of LGBTQ community members and allies together for an unforgettable waterfront celebration to kick off Pride week in Washington, D.C.
Now in its eighth year, Washington Blade Pride on the Pier extends the city’s annual celebration of LGBTQ visibility to the bustling Wharf waterfront with an exciting array of activities and entertainment for all ages. The District Pier will offer DJs, dancing, drag, and other entertainment. Alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase for those 21 and older.
“Pride on the Pier has become one of the signature moments of Pride in D.C.,” said Lynne Brown, publisher of the Washington Blade. “There’s nothing like watching our community come together on the waterfront with live music and incredible energy as we kick off Pride week.”
Pride on the Pier is free and open to the public, with VIP tickets available for exclusive pier access to the Dockmaster Building. To purchase VIP tickets visit www.prideonthepierdc.com/vip.
Additional entertainment announcements, sponsor activations, and event details will be released in the coming weeks.
Event Details:
📍 Location: District Pier at The Wharf (101 District Sq SW, Washington, DC)
📅 Dates: Friday, 13, 2026
⏱️ 4-9PM
🎟️ VIP Tickets: www.PrideOnThePierDC.com/VIP
Blade Foundation awards 9th journalism fellowship to AU student
Jason Collins dies at 47
Polish government to recognize same-sex marriages from EU countries
America’s broken pipeline of mental healthcare for trans youth
