Arts & Entertainment
YouTuber Logan Paul defends ‘going gay’ comments
The YouTuber says he doesn’t think being gay is a choice
YouTuber Logan Paul recently was criticized for saying he and his
“It’s male-only March. We’re going to attempt to go gay for just one month,” Paul explained.
After people slammed Paul for insinuating that being gay is a choice, Paul backtracked on his “poor choice of words” and apologized.
Paul invited Outserve founder Josh Seefried on his podcast to discuss the issues with his comment. Seefried publicly called out Paul for his statement on Twitter.
Obviously to @LoganPaul being gay is some sort of punchline to a joke. Make sure to tell that to youth that kill themselves because they struggle with being gay. Shame on him once again. https://t.co/7HE1t6AxC9
— Josh Seefried (@JoshSeefried) January 11, 2019
“Did my comment offend you personally?” Paul asks.
Seefried says ‘absolutely” and explains that Paul has a lot of influence over his young fans.
“You are a person that sets the tone of what is acceptable to make a joke of, and so when youth watch you and say ‘hey, Logan Paul made this joke’ that’s what kind of legitimizes bullying in school,” Seefried told Paul.
Paul asks, “So if I want to hook up with dudes for a month in March, I can’t do that?”
Seefried replies there’s a difference between seriously exploring your sexuality and making a joke.
“Are you making that as a joke, or are you being legitimate? If you genuinely want to experiment with men, that’s a different thing than saying, ’Hey, I’m gonna go gay for a month,’ making a joke,” Seefried says.
Paul also explained that he never meant to insinuate being gay is a choice.
“Going gay is not a choice. That is not what I implied by saying that. That is the narrative that the media decided to run with. I’ve never thought that. I think who you are attracted to is innate to who you are, that it’s genetic and that’s that. I’ve thought that my whole life,” Paul says.
Paul continued that he is a “pro gay dude” who he feels has “a magnifying glass on me now” because of past controversies. In 2018, Paul made headlines for filming a suicide victim in Japan.
Seefried ended the podcast imploring Paul to do “better.”
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.”
The Washington Blade will update this article with additional reaction when it becomes available.
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
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