Arts & Entertainment
Pete Buttigieg and his husband Chasten land Time magazine cover
The article chronicles the South Bend mayor’s presidential election journey
South Bend, Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg landed the cover of Time magazine along with his husband, Chasten Buttigieg, for the magazine’s May 13 issue.
The Democratic presidential candidate and his husband are shown standing outside of their Indiana home with the headline “First Family.” Underneath it reads, “The unlikely, untested and unprecedented campaign of Mayor Pete Buttigieg.”
In the story, Pete describes his time in the military and some of the homophobia he encountered from fellow officers. However, he says now some of them have reached out with their support.
“I bet some of them still go back and tell gay jokes because that’s their habit, you know? Bad habits and bad instincts is not the same as people being bad people,” Pete says.
Pete says he’s a believer in forgiveness and that, “We’ve got to get away from this kill-switch mentality that we see on Twitter.”
“This idea that we just sort people into baskets of good and evil ignores the central fact of human existence, which is that each of us is a basket of good and evil,” he added. “The job of politics is to summon the good and beat back the evil.”
Chasten, 29, is a former junior high school teacher who currently works as an adviser and campaign spokesman to Pete. The couple met on a dating app in 2015 and married last year.
Chasten praised the cover writing on Instagram,” If only 13 year old Chasten could’ve seen 29 year old Chasten.”
The issue hits newsstands on Friday.
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Gay Men’s Chorus celebrates 45 years at annual gala
‘Sapphire & Sparkle’ Spring Affair held at the Ritz Carlton
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington held the annual Spring Affair gala at the Ritz Carlton Washington, D.C. on Saturday. The theme for this year’s fete was “Sapphire & Sparkle.” The chorus celebrated 45 years in D.C. with musical performances, food, entertainment, and an awards ceremony.
Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington Executive Director Justin Fyala and Artistic Director Thea Kano gave welcoming speeches. Opening remarks were delivered by Spring Affair co-chairs Tracy Barlow and Tomeika Bowden. Uproariously funny comedian Murray Hill performed a stand-up set and served as the emcee.
There were performances by Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington groups Potomac Fever, 17th Street Dance, the Rock Creek Singers, Seasons of Love, and the GenOUT Youth Chorus.
Anjali Murthy, a member of the chorus and a graduate of the GenOUT Youth Chorus, addressed the attendees of the gala.
“The LGBTQ+ community isn’t bound by blood ties: we are brought together by shared experience,” Murthy said. “Being Gen Z, I grew up with Ellen [DeGeneres] telling me through the TV screen that it gets better: that one day, it’ll all be okay. The sentiment isn’t wrong, but it’s passive. What I’ve learned from GMCW is that our future is something we practice together. It exists because people like you continue to show up for it, to believe in the possibilities of what we’re still becoming”
The event concluded with the presentation of the annual Harmony Awards. This year’s awardees included local drag artist and activist Tara Hoot, the human rights organization Rainbow Railroad as well as Rocky Mountain Arts Association Executive Director, Dr. Chipper Dean.
(Washington Blade photos and videos by Michael Key)
Equality Prince William Pride was held at the Harris Pavilion in Manassas, Va. on Saturday, May 16.
(Washington Blade photos by Landon Shackelford)
Photos
PHOTOS: Blade Summer Kickoff Party
Ashley Biden accepts award for Beau Biden at annual Rehoboth fundraiser
The 19th annual Blade Foundation Summer Kickoff Party was held on Friday, May 15 at Diego’s in Rehoboth Beach, Del. An award presentation was held for former Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden. Ashley Biden accepted the award on her brother’s behalf and gave remarks. Other speakers included Delaware state Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall, CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Dr. Robin Brennan and Washington Blade Editor Kevin Naff. The event was a fundraiser for the Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism.
(Washington Blade photos by Daniel Truitt)
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PHOTOS: Blade Summer Kickoff Party
