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LGBT ally Kacey Musgraves wins big at queer-dominated Grammys

Brandi Carlile, Lady Gaga also rack up wins

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Kacey Musgraves accepts Album of the Year at the 2019 Grammys. (Screenshot via YouTube)

Country singer Kacey Musgraves won the coveted Album of the Year award for her album “Golden Hour” marking the end of a Grammys award show filled with plenty of queer women representation.

Musgraves, who also won Country Album of the Year, has emerged as an LGBTQ ally in the country music world. She has spoken up for more LGBTQ inclusion in country music and her song “Follow Your Arrow” was hailed as a pro-LGBTQ anthem. Musgraves also served as judge on “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” Musgraves also took home Best Country Solo Performance (“Butterflies”), and Best Country Song (“Space Cowboy”) Awards for a total of four winning categories.

Lesbian singer/songwriter Brandi Carlile won three awards during the pre-telecast including Best Americana Album for “By the Way, I Forgive You” and Best American Roots Song and Best American Roots Performance for “The Joke.” She received the most nominations of any woman this year and became the first LGBTQ person to win awards in those categories.

While accepting the award for Best American Roots Performance, she shared that she came out in high school at age 15. She says she never was invited to high school parties or dances.

“I never got to attend a dance. To be embraced by this enduring and loving community has been a dance of a lifetime,” Carlile said. “Thank you for being my island.”

Carlile also received a standing ovation for her vocal powerhouse performance of “The Joke” during the televised ceremony.

Other queer artists with impactful Grammys performances were Ricky Martin who performed with Camila Cabello, J Balvin, Arturo Sandoval and Young Thug for a Broadway musical-inspired Grammys opener to Cabello’s song “Havana.”

Miley Cyrus, who identifies as pansexual, dueted with Shawn Mendes on his song “In My Blood.” She later also teamed up with Katy Perry, Maren Morris, Musgraves and Little Big Town for a tribute to Dolly Parton.

Janelle Monáe performed her bisexual anthem “Make Me Feel” off her album “Dirty Computer,” mixed in with her feminist song “Pynk.”

She didn’t win for either category she was nominated for (Album of the Year and Best Music Video) but she did dedicate her nominations to her “trans brothers and sisters.” In an interview with Variety, the singer was asked about coming out as queer last year.

“People do it everyday,” she replied. “My trans brothers and sisters, they do it everyday. And they are shunned from these sorts of events. So this one is for them.”

Lady Gaga scored two wins (Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Song Written For Visual Media) for her “A Star is Born” duet with Bradley Cooper, “Shallow,” which she also performed.

Dua Lipa and St. Vincent, who is sexually fluid, did a steamy joint performance of her song “Masseducation” and Lipa’s “One Kiss.” St. Vincent and Jack Antonoff won Best Rock Song for “Masseducation.”

History continued to be made with Cardi B becoming the first woman to win Best Rap Album and “This is America” by Childish Gambino winning Best Song. This is the first time a rap song has won in that category.

Jennifer Lopez also gave a dance-filled tribute to Motown while Diana Ross honored her own birthday, which is in March, with a performance. Michelle Obama, Lady Gaga, Jada Pinkett-Smith and Lopez also made appearances at the top of the show to help host Alicia Keys reflect on the importance of music.

Check out the complete list of winners below.

Album Of The Year — “Golden Hour”- Kacey Musgraves

Record Of The Year — “This Is America” – Childish Gambino

Best New Artist — Dua Lipa

Best Rap Album — “Invasion Of Privacy”- Cardi B

Best R&B Album Winner — “H.E.R.”- H.E.R.

Best Rap Song — “God’s Plan”- Drake

Best Country Album — “Golden Hour”- Kacey Musgraves

Song Of The Year — “This Is America”- Childish Gambino

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance — “Shallow” Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper

Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical — Pharrell Williams

Best Rap/Sung Performance — “This Is America”-Childish Gambino

Best Rap Performance — “King’s Dead”- Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future & James Blake / Bubblin, Anderson .Paak

Best Rock Album — “From The Fires”-Greta Van Fleet

Best Rock Song — “Masseduction” – St. Vincent

Best Metal Performance — “Electric Messiah”- High On Fire

Best Rock Performance — “When Bad Does Good”- Chris Cornell

Best Urban Contemporary Album — “Everything Is Love”- The Carters

Best R&B Song — “Boo’d Up”- Ella Mai

Best Traditional R&B Performance — “Bet Ain’t Worth The Hand”- Leon Bridges / “How Deep Is Your Love”-Pj Morton Featuring Yebba

Best R&B Performance — “Best Part”- H.E.R. Featuring Daniel Caesar

Best Latin Jazz Album — “Back To The Sunset”- Dafnis Prieto Big Band

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album — “American Dreamers: Voices Of Hope, Music Of Freedom”- John Daversa Big Band Featuring Daca Artists

Best Jazz Instrumental Album — “Emanon”- The Wayne Shorter Quartet

Best Jazz Vocal Album — “The Window”- Cécile Mclorin Salvant

Best Improvised Jazz Solo — “Don’t Fence Me In”- John Daversa

Best Reggae Album — “44/876”- Sting & Shaggy

Best Dance/Electronic Album — “Woman Worldwide”- Justice

Best Dance Recording — “Electricity”- Silk City & Dua Lipa Featuring Diplo & Mark Ronson

Best Contemporary Classical Composition — “Kernis: Violin Concerto”- James Ehnes, Ludovic Morlot & Seattle Symphony

Best Classical Compendium — “Fuchs: Piano Concerto ‘Spiritualist’”; Poems Of Life; Glacier; Rush”- Joann Falletta

Best Classical Solo Vocal Album —” Songs Of Orpheus”-Monteverdi, Caccini, D’india & Landi, Karim Sulayman

Best Classical Instrumental Solo — “Kernis: Violin Concerto”- James Ehnes

Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance — “Anderson”- Laurie: Landfall, Laurie Anderson & Kronos Quartet

Best Choral Performance — “Mcloskey: Zealot Canticles”- Donald Nally

Best Opera Recording — “Bates: The (R)Evolution Of Steve Jobs”-Michael Christie, Garrett Sorenson, Wei Wu, Sasha Cooke, Edward Parks & Jessica E. Jones

Best Orchestral Performance — “Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 11”- Andris Nelsons

Producer Of The Year, Classical — Blanton Alspaugh

Best Engineered Album, Classical — “Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 11”- Andris Nelsons & Boston Symphony Orchestra

Best Pop Vocal Album — “Sweetener”- Ariana Grande

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album — “My Way” -Willie Nelson

Best Pop Solo Performance — “Joanne (Where Do You Think You’re Goin’?)”- Lady Gaga

Best Country Song — “Space Cowboy” – Kacey Musgraves

Best Country Duo/Group Performance — “Tequila”- Dan + Shay

Best Country Solo Performance — “Butterflies”- Kacey Musgraves

Best Music Film — “Quincy”- Quincy Jones

Best Music Video — “This Is America”-Childish Gambino

Best Regional Roots Music Album — “No ‘Ane’I”- Kalani Pe’a

Best Tropical Latin Album — “Anniversary”- Spanish Harlem Orchestra

Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano) — “¡México Por Siempre!”- Luis Miguel

Best Latin Rock, Urban Or Alternative Album — “Aztlán”- Zoé

Best Latin Pop Album — “Sincera”- Claudia Brant

Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling) — “Faith – A Journey For All”- Jimmy Carter

Best Children’s Album — “All The Sounds”- Lucy Kalantari & The Jazz Cats

Best Folk Album — “All Ashore”- Punch Brothers

Best Contemporary Blues Album —” Please Don’t Be Dead”- Fantastic Negrito

Best Traditional Blues Album — “The Blues Is Alive And Well”- Buddy Guy

Best Bluegrass Album —”The Travelin’ Mccourys”- The Travelin’ Mccourys

Best Americana Album — “By The Way, I Forgive You”- Brandi Carlile

Best American Roots Song — “The Joke”- Brandi Carlile

Best American Roots Performance — “The Joke”- Brandi Carlile

Best New Age Album — “Opium Moon”- Opium Moon

Best Song Written For Visual Media — “Shallow”- Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media — “Black Panther”- Ludwig Göransson

Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media — “The Greatest Showman”- Hugh Jackman (& Various Artists)

Best World Music Album — “Freedom”- Soweto Gospel Choir

Best Roots Gospel Album — “Unexpected”- Jason Crabb

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album — “Look Up Child”- Lauren Daigle

Best Gospel Album — “Hiding Place”-Tori Kelly

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song — “You Say” -Lauren Daigle

Best Gospel Performance/Song — “Never Alone”- Tori Kelly Featuring Kirk Franklin

Best Contemporary Instrumental Album — “Steve Gadd Band”- Steve Gadd Band

Best Immersive Audio Album —” Eye In The Sky – 35th Anniversary Edition”- The Alan Parsons Project

Best Remixed Recording — “Walking Away (Mura Masa Remix)”- Haim

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical — “Colors”- Beck

Best Historical Album — “Voices Of Mississippi: Artists And Musicians Documented By William Ferris”

Best Album Notes —” Voices Of Mississippi: Artists And Musicians Documented By William Ferris”

Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package — “Squeeze Box: The Complete Works Of ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic” Weird Al Yankovic

Best Recording Package — “Masseduction”- St. Vincent

Best Arrangement, Instruments And Vocals — “Spiderman Theme”- Randy Waldman Featuring Take 6 & Chris Potter

Best Arrangement, Instrumental Or A Cappella — “Stars And Stripes Forever”- John Daversa Big Band Featuring Daca Artists

Best Instrumental Composition — “Blut Und Boden (Blood And Soil)”- Terence Blanchard

Best Alternative Music Album — “Colors”- Beck

Best Musical Theater Album — “The Band’s Visit”- Original Broadway Cast

Best Comedy Album — “Equanimity & The Bird Revelation”- Dave Chappelle

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Sports

Blade, Pride House LA announce 2028 Olympics partnership

Media sponsorship to amplify stories of LGBTQ athletes

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(Photo by Chaay Tee via Bigstock)

The Los Angeles Blade and Washington Blade on Friday announced a media partnership with the Out Athlete Fund, which will produce Pride House LA for the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Pride House is the home for LGBTQ fans and athletes that will become a destination during the L.A. Summer Games in West Hollywood in partnership with the City of WeHo. This 17-day celebration for LGBTQ athletes and fans will include medal ceremonies for out athletes, interactive installations, speakers, concerts, and more.

The Los Angeles Blade will serve as the exclusive L.A.-area queer media sponsor for Pride House LA and the Washington Blade will support the efforts and amplify coverage of the 2028 Games.

The Blade will provide exclusive coverage of Pride House plans, including interviews with queer athletes and more. The parties will share content and social media posts raising awareness of the Blade and Out Athlete Fund. The Blade will have media credentials and VIP access for related events. 

“We are excited to partner with the Washington Blade, the oldest LGBTQ newspaper in the United States and the Los Angeles Blade, already a strong supporter of Out Athlete Fund and Pride House LA/West Hollywood,” said Michael Ferrera, CEO of Pride House LA. “Our mission is about increasing the visibility of LGBTQ+ athletes and fans to challenge the historical hostility toward our community in the sports world. Visibility is what publications like the Washington and Los Angeles publications are all about. We know they will play a key part in our success.”

“LGBTQ visibility has never been more important and we are thrilled to work with Out Athlete Fund and Pride House LA to tell the stories of queer athletes and ensure the 2028 Summer Games are inclusive and affirming for everyone,” said Blade Editor Kevin Naff.

Out Athlete Fund is a 501(c)3 designed to raise money to offset the training cost of out LGBTQ athletes in need of funding for training. The Washington Blade is the nation’s oldest LGBTQ news outlet; the Los Angeles Blade is its sister publication founded nine years ago.

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Celebrate Black History Month

LGBTQ+ Community Center to host series of events

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‘Paris is Burning’ is screening as part of Black History Month commemorations at the DC Center. (File photo courtesy of Reel Affirmations)

In honor of Black History Month, the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center will host a series of events uplifting the histories, artistry, and resilience of Black LGBTQ+ communities through dialogue, film, and intentional gathering.

The series begins with “Ballroom Culture: Rhythms of Resilience,” a panel discussion on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026 at 7 p.m. Artists, activists, and leaders from the ballroom community will explore ballroom’s historical, cultural, and political significance as a site of resistance, kinship, creative expression, and social justice within Black, Latinx, and LGBTQ+ communities. 

On Friday, Feb. 13 at 12:30 p.m., the Center will host a screening of the groundbreaking documentary “Paris is Burning,” which chronicles New York City’s ballroom scene and house culture while examining themes of race, class, identity, and survival through the voices of legendary performers including Willi Ninja, Pepper LaBeija, and Dorian Corey.

The month will conclude with “Soul Centered: A Black LGBTQ+ Gathering” on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026 at 3:30 p.m. This free, RSVP-required event invites Black LGBTQ+ community members into a space of rest, connection, and reflection centered on love in all its forms. The gathering will feature a panel conversation with Black LGBTQ+ creatives, healers, and community members, followed by intentional speed connections and a closing social mixer. 

For more details and to RSVP, visit the Center’s website.

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Calendar

Calendar: February 6-12

LGBTQ events in the days to come

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Friday, February 6

Center Aging Monthly Luncheon With Yoga will be at 12 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. Email Mac at [email protected] if you require ASL interpreter assistance, have any dietary restrictions, or questions about this event.

Spark Social will host “RuPaul’s Drag Race Watch Party S18 Watch Party” at 8 p.m. Drag Entertainers TrevHER and Grey provide hilarious commentary and make live predictions on who’s staying and who’s going home. Stick around after the show for a live drag performance. The watch party takes place on our heated outdoor patio and cozy indoor space. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite

Go Gay DC will host “First Friday LGBTQ+ Community Social” at 7 p.m. at Silver Diner Ballston. This is a chance to relax, make new friends, and enjoy happy hour specials at this classic retro venue. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite

Saturday, February 7

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation.  Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

LGBTQ People of Color will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This peer support group is an outlet for LGBTQ People of Color to come together and talk about anything affecting them in a space that strives to be safe and judgement free. There are all sorts of activities like watching movies, poetry events, storytelling, and just hanging out with others. For more information and events, visit thedccenter.org/poc or facebook.com/centerpoc.

Sunday, February 8

DMV Gay Dog Moms will host “Puppy Love” at 1 p.m. at Wunder Garten. This a Valentine’s pawty and market for dog lovers. Get gifts for your loved ones – both human & canine at this event. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite

Monday, February 9

“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam ([email protected]).

Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a support group for people who identify outside of the gender binary, whether you’re bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know that you’re not 100% cis. For more details, visit genderqueerdc.org or Facebook

Tuesday, February 10

Coming Out Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a safe space to share experiences about coming out and discuss topics as it relates to doing so — by sharing struggles and victories the group allows those newly coming out and who have been out for a while to learn from others. For more details, visit the group’s Facebook

Trans Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is intended to provide an emotionally and physically safe space for trans people and those who may be questioning their gender identity or expression to join together in community and learn from one another. For more details, email [email protected]

Wednesday, February 11

Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.

Thursday, February 12

The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. To be more fair with who is receiving boxes, the program is moving to a lottery system. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5:00 pm if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245. 

Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breathwork and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.  

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