Arts & Entertainment
Grindr shutters its digital publication Into
The company laid off its editorial and social media staff


Grindr unexpectedly laid off the editorial and social media staff for its digital LGBT publication, Into, on Tuesday in an effort to shift to video content.
According to the Advocate, Grindr’s communications department issued a statement to the press explaining the pivot.
“This decision was driven by the high user engagement and development we see through channels such as Twitter and YouTube. With this strategic shift in focus, several Into employees will be leaving the company. This was a difficult decision and one that we do not take lightly. We want to thank these colleagues for all of their contributions to Grindr and our community,” the statement reads.
Into’s staff penned a goodbye letter calling the decision “a tremendous loss for LGBTQ media, journalism, and the world. “
A goodbye letter from @into staff pic.twitter.com/sZIs70p6cV
— Mary Emily O'Hara (@MaryEmilyOHara) January 15, 2019
Into launched in 2017 as an online LGBT publication aimed at millennials. During it’s run, it earned a GLAAD nomination and won an award from the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF). After it’s debut, other dating apps such as Tinder and Bumble began to follow suit with plans to launch their own digital editorial platforms.
Grindr founder Joel Simkhai told Forbes in 2017: “We want Into to give people an understanding of the gay world, from a global perspective. It’s quite ambitious but we like to do things big and we like to positively impact the community.”
In November, Into published a story titled “Grindr President Says Marriage Is ‘Holy Matrimony Between a Man and a Woman’ In Deleted Social Media Post,” which called out Grindr President Scott Chen’s same-sex marriage comments.
“Some think marriage is between a man and a woman. I think so, too, but it’s a personal matter,” Chen wrote in a Facebook post that was translated from Chinese to English. “Some people think the purpose of marriage is to have your own biological children. It’s a personal matter, too.”
Chen defended his statement saying that his comments were lost in translation. A few weeks later Landon Rafe Zumwalt, Grindr’s head of communications, resigned.
“As an out and proud gay man madly in love with a man I don’t deserve, I refused to compromise my own values or professional integrity to defend a statement that goes against everything I am and everything I believe. While that resulted in my time at Grindr being cut short, I have absolutely no regrets. And neither should you,” Zumwalt wrote in a statement.
Into was honored on social media as people grappled with its sudden demise.
Throughout its run, @into has been an important source of news and culture for LGBTQ people, reported by a team of talented queer writers. This is a major loss for the LGBTQ news landscape. https://t.co/P6pju3yubW
— GLAAD (@glaad) January 15, 2019
.@HRC thanks the staff at @Into for their incredible coverage of #LGBTQ issues. We will miss their fierce commitment to telling our community's stories. https://t.co/SOZD2Ab0Za
— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) January 16, 2019
One more thing: This is also a loss to the LGBTQ movement. We rely on news outlets to tell our stories and amplify our issues. For the many places where our stories are too niche, LGBTQ publications handle our stories with unique attention, sensitivity, and understanding.
— Eliel Cruz (@elielcruz) January 16, 2019
Photos
PHOTOS: Helen Hayes Awards
Gay Men’s Chorus, local drag artists have featured performance at ceremony

The 41st Helen Hayes Awards were held at The Anthem on Monday, May 19. Felicia Curry and Mike Millan served as the hosts.
A performance featuring members of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington and local drag artists was held at the end of the first act of the program to celebrate WorldPride 2025.
The annual awards ceremony honors achievement in D.C.-area theater productions and is produced by Theatre Washington.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)



























2025 D.C. Trans Pride was held at Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library on Saturday, May 17. The day was filled with panel discussions, art, social events, speakers, a resource fair and the Engendered Spirit Awards. Awardees included Lyra McMillan, Pip Baitinger, Steph Niaupari and Hayden Gise. The keynote address was delivered by athlete and advocate Schuyler Bailar.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)











a&e features
Looking back at 50 years of Pride in D.C
Washington Blade’s unique archives chronicle highs, lows of our movement

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of LGBTQ Pride in Washington, D.C., the Washington Blade team combed our archives and put together a glossy magazine showcasing five decades of celebrations in the city. Below is a sampling of images from the magazine but be sure to find a print copy starting this week.

The magazine is being distributed now and is complimentary. You can find copies at LGBTQ bars and restaurants across the city. Or visit the Blade booth at the Pride festival on June 7 and 8 where we will distribute copies.
Thank you to our advertisers and sponsors, whose support has enabled us to distribute the magazine free of charge. And thanks to our dedicated team at the Blade, especially Photo Editor Michael Key, who spent many hours searching the archives for the best images, many of which are unique to the Blade and cannot be found elsewhere. And thanks to our dynamic production team of Meaghan Juba, who designed the magazine, and Phil Rockstroh who managed the process. Stephen Rutgers and Brian Pitts handled sales and marketing and staff writers Lou Chibbaro Jr., Christopher Kane, Michael K. Lavers, Joe Reberkenny along with freelancer and former Blade staffer Joey DiGuglielmo wrote the essays.

The magazine represents more than 50 years of hard work by countless reporters, editors, advertising sales reps, photographers, and other media professionals who have brought you the Washington Blade since 1969.
We hope you enjoy the magazine and keep it as a reminder of all the many ups and downs our local LGBTQ community has experienced over the past 50 years.
I hope you will consider supporting our vital mission by becoming a Blade member today. At a time when reliable, accurate LGBTQ news is more essential than ever, your contribution helps make it possible. With a monthly gift starting at just $7, you’ll ensure that the Blade remains a trusted, free resource for the community — now and for years to come. Click here to help fund LGBTQ journalism.




