Arts & Entertainment
Julianne Hough comes out as ‘not straight’
The ‘America’s Got Talent’ judge shares when she told her husband

Julieanne Hough publicly discussed her sexuality for the first time in an interview with Women’s Health.
The “America’s Got Talent” and “Dancing with the Stars” judge posed nude on the cover of Women’s Health’s “Naked Strength” issue and got candid about when she came out as “not straight” to her husband, hockey player Brooks Laich.
“I [told Brooks], ‘You know I’m not straight, right?’” the 31-year-old told Women’s Health. “And he was like, ‘I’m sorry, what?’ I was like, ‘I’m not. But I choose to be with you.’”
Hough and her brother Derek, who is also a professional dancer, grew up in a strict Mormon community. She explains that her upbringing contributed to her understanding of her sexuality.
“I think there’s a safety with my husband now that I’m unpacking all of this,” Hough says. “And there’s no fear of voicing things that I’ve been afraid to admit or that I’ve had shame or guilt about because of what I’ve been told or how I was raised.”
Hough says she worried about Laich accepting her for being her “authentic self.”
“I was connecting to the woman inside that doesn’t need anything, versus the little girl that looked to him to protect me. I was like ‘Is he going to love this version of me?’ But the more I dropped into my most authentic self, the more attracted he was to me. Now we have a more intimate relationship,” Hough says.
⚡️@juliannehough is the star of WH’s Naked Strength issue! ⚡️ The #AGT judge has been on an epic journey of self-discovery this year, stripping down and learning new truths about herself. Full cover story: https://t.co/7nRzPZR7vD pic.twitter.com/pqv5NBp4jB
— Women’s Health (@WomensHealthMag) August 1, 2019
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.
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