Arts & Entertainment
Demi Lovato helps Shane Bitney Crone and Rayvon Owen get engaged
the couple made their relationship public in 2016

Demi Lovato, Rayvon Owen and Shane Bitney Crone (Screenshot courtesy of Instagram)
Demi Lovato helped her friends Shane Bitney Crone and Rayvon Owen get engaged on stage during the Los Angeles stop of her “Tell Me You Love Me” tour on Friday.
Lovato invites Owen, 26, and Crone, 32, on stage with her but Owen finds himself standing alone next to Lovato. While Owen tries to find where his boyfriend went Crone pops on stage through a trap door.
Owen appears shocked as Crone proposes and Owen says yes.
“Something you don’t know is that these are two of my really close friends. I’ve gotten to watch Shane go through so much and come out on the other side. Such a strong person who has now found the love of his life,” Lovato tells the crowd. “Now I’m going to sing you a song while I cry.”
She then proceeds to sing her song “Yes” as a video montage of the couple’s love story plays behind her.
Crone, who is an LGBT activist, chronicled the legal challenges he faced after his partner Tom Bridegroom’s sudden death in the documentary “Bridegroom.” Owen, who was a finalist on season 14 of “American Idol” came out as gay in his music video “Can’t Fight It,” which starred Crone as his love interest, in 2016.
“I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you, and I am beyond thrilled to officially call you my fiancé! You’ve made me a better man and I’ll forever be grateful to you for loving me unconditionally. I know with all of my heart that Tom would be so happy for us, and I thank you for honoring and respecting the fact that he will always be a part of my life,” Crone captioned photos and video of the special moment.
Owen posted his own memory of the night with photos and video of the proposal and Lovato’s performance.
“I said yes…hands down the happiest night of my entire life. @shanebitneycrone, i am beyond excited and honored to spend the rest of my life with you. thank you @ddlovato for making this a moment that i will absolutely never ever forget,” Owen writes.
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.
