Arts & Entertainment
‘Rise of Skywalker’ gets a pass from Chinese censors – but not from toxic fans
The opening weekend for “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” brings a mixed bag of news – some of it good, some not-so-good, depending on how you look at it.
In the former category, as reported in Variety, a same-sex kiss between two female characters slipped by censors in China, allowing the film to be released uncut in a country where government censorship has been historically strict about LGBTQ content, despite the decriminalization of same-sex sexuality and the declassification of homosexuality as a mental illness.
The kiss, which takes place late in the film and could easily be described as a “blink-and-you’ll-miss-it” moment between minor characters, was teased by the film’s director and co-writer J.J. Abrams a few weeks ahead of the movie’s release, when he told Variety he has always wanted the people of “Star Wars” to look “more the way the world looks than not,” and that, regarding the LGBTQ community, “it was important to me that people who go to see this movie feel that they’re being represented in the film.”
The representation can be seen an important step in the struggle for global advancement of LGBTQ acceptance, indicating an erosion of a key roadblock that traditionally serves as an excuse for major studios to balk on featuring LGBTQ characters or storylines – the accepted notion that such material would be denied release in lucrative international markets, resulting in the loss millions of dollars in profits.
Speaking with the Blade in 2018, GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis questioned the validity of this argument, saying, “I’ve never seen the science or the methodology behind that and I think if they ever did those studies, they probably did them decades ago,” Ellis says “There are these false narratives that live within the entertainment community that we all buy into and we’ve all taken them on as the truth.”
The moment in “Rise of Skywalker” is the first time in “Star Wars” history that a same-sex romantic relationship has been depicted in one of the franchise’s films, though a 1999 comic book, “The Bounty Hunters: Aurra Sing,” featured the first LGBTQ character within the “Star Wars” universe, and several LGBTQ characters have since been depicted in “Star Wars” video games.
Onscreen, 2018’s “Solo: A Star Wars Story” featured the character of Lando Calrissian, who was confirmed by both screenwriter Jonathan Kasdan and actor Donald Glover as pansexual. More recently, Justin Ridge, executive producer of the kid-friendly “Star Wars Resistance” TV series, said on a podcast that two fan-favorite characters from his show are “absolutely a gay couple,” and Queerty published a story reporting on rumors that an upcoming “Star Wars” series on the Disney+ streaming service will “feature an out-queer lead.”
While most commentators have acknowledged the historic importance of the lesbian kiss in “Rise of Skywalker,” many have also expressed a less-than-positive perspective. An article in Variety lamented that the brief onscreen moment has “zero impact on the story” and features “characters who barely register within the vast tapestry of the ‘Star Wars’ creative galaxy.”
The Hollywood Reporter went even further, publishing an article that characterized it as “a step back for LGBTQ representation” and called out Disney for a history of “queerbaiting” LGBTQ fans, citing as an example this year’s earlier “Avengers: Endgame,” which included a similarly brief and non-essential scene as its sole nod toward LGBTQ inclusion.
Critical response to the film, which is the final installment of the so-called “Skywalker Saga” which originated with the first “Star Wars” film in 1977, has been mixed; audience reactions have been predictably divisive, reflecting a trend in fan culture that was explored in a recent essay in Esquire, which suggests the aggressively hostile reaction of some fans over the newer installments is a response to their frustration “that heroes in ‘Star Wars’ – and in other massive properties – are no longer exclusively straight, white, and male.”
Earlier this month, former Trump advisor Sebastian Gorka made comments on his “America First” radio show decrying Abrams’ hinted revelation of an LGBTQ moment, saying, “Well, you know, if you couldn’t destroy the franchise already, let’s destroy it a little bit more. The last installment of the ‘Star Wars’ saga would include a member from the trans — is it trans? Let’s just say the alphabet soup community.”
His derisive comments echo many of those made by angry fans around the franchise’s most recent rebooted trilogy, which have each featured an increased number of prominent characters who are female or people of color; the backlash reached a peak with the release of “The Last Jedi” in 2017, when disgruntled fans mounted campaigns to have the movie removed from the “official” canon, and some even calling for it to be remade.
In addition, Vietnamese-American actress Kelly Marie Tran was driven to delete her social media accounts when she was beset by sexist and racist insults by “a legion of trolls,” as detailed in a 2018 Yahoo article which describes the increasing trend toward virulent grassroots activism as “toxic fan culture” and links “ the vile online behavior of a vocal minority” of fans to “elements of the far-right and the misogynist ‘incel’ men’s movement.”
Sports
New IOC policy bans trans women from Olympics
New regulation to be in effect at 2028 summer games in Los Angeles
The International Olympic Committee on Thursday announced it will not allow transgender women from competing in female events at the Olympics.
“For all disciplines on the Sports Program of an IOC event, including individual and team sports, eligibility for any Female Category is limited to biological females,” reads the new policy.
The policy states “eligibility for the Female Category is to be determined in the first instance by SRY Gene screening to detect the absence or presence of the SRY Gene.”
“On the basis of the scientific evidence, the IOC considers that the SRY (sex-determining Region Y) Gene is fixed throughout life and represents highly accurate evidence that an athlete has experienced or will experience male sex development,” it reads. “Furthermore, the IOC considers that SRY Gene screening via saliva, cheek swab or blood sample is unintrusive compared to other possible methods. Athletes who screen negative for the SRY gene permanently satisfy this policy’s eligibility criteria for competition in the Female Category.”
The policy states the test “will be a once-in-a-lifetime test” unless “there is reason to believe a negative reading is in error.”
The new regulation will be in place for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
“I understand that this a very sensitive topic,” said IOC President Kirsty Coventry on Thursday in a video. “As a former athlete, I passionately believe in the rights of all Olympians to take part in fair competition.”
“The policy that we have announced is based on science and it has been led by medical experts with the best interests of athletes at its heart. The scientific evidence is very clear: male chromosomes give performance advances in sport that rely on strength, power, or endurance,” she added. “At the Olympic Games, even the smallest margins can be the difference between victory and defeat. So, it is absolutely clear that it would not be fair for biological males to compete in the female category. In addition, in some sports it would simply not be safe.”
(Video courtesy of the IOC)
Laurel Hubbard, a weightlifter from New Zealand, in 2021 became the first trans woman to compete at the Olympics.
Imane Khelif, an Algerian boxer, won a gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Khelif later sued JK Rowling and Elon Musk for cyberstalking after they questioned her gender identity.
Ellis Lundholm, a mogul skier from Sweden, this year became the first openly trans athlete to compete in any Winter Olympics when he participated in Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy.
President Donald Trump in February 2025 issued an executive order that bans trans women and girls from female sports teams in the U.S.
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee last July banned trans women from competing in female sporting events. Republican lawmakers have demanded the IOC ban trans athletes from women’s athletic competitions.
“I’m grateful the Olympics finally embraced the common sense policy that women’s sports are for women, not for men,” said U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) on X.
An IOC spokesperson on Thursday referred the Washington Blade to the press release that announced the new policy.
a&e features
Introducing the Torchbearers Awards honoring queer, trans women and nonbinary people
Meet the Legends and Illuminators lighting new paths
The Torchbearers Awards are more than recognition—they are a continuation of legacy. They honor the quiet architects of progress in our community: those who organize, advocate, build, and protect, often without fanfare but always with purpose. Rooted in a belief in intentional recognition, this honor names those who carry our movements forward—those who make room for others, who remind us that change is both generational and generative. In a time marked by uncertainty and challenge, these leaders push forward with courage, clarity, and an unwavering commitment to expanding opportunity and equity.
This year’s honorees reflect the full breadth of our community, spanning generations, backgrounds, identities, and industries. From Legends, with decades of leadership and having created pathways for others, to Illuminators, who are lighting new paths with creativity and innovation, each Torchbearer represents the power of intergenerational leadership and the strength found in our diversity. They are organizers, advocates, artists, policy leaders, healers, and changemakers whose lived experiences shape a shared vision for equity and liberation.
This award is our love letter to queer and trans women and nonbinary people who carry the flame when it would be easier to let it dim. To those who consistently show up, who use their voice and visibility and stand firm, often without recognition, so that others may live more freely and fully. The Torchbearers Awards celebrates not just what has been done, but the enduring spirit, responsibility, and collective care that ensure the work continues, and that the flame is always passed forward.
Co-Creators of the Torchbearers Awards: Shannon Alston, June Crenshaw, Heidi Ellis
Torchbearers Awards Advisory Board: Aditi Hardikar, Lesley Bryant, Jasmine Wilson-Bryant, Stephen Rutgers
ILLUMINATOR AWARDEES
- Representative Sharice Davids (she/her), (D, KS-03)
— U.S. House of Representatives - Greisa Martinez Rosas (she/her/ella)
— Executive Director, United We Dream - Paola Ramos (she/her)
— Journalist & Correspondent - Meagan A. Fitzgerald (she/her)
— Journalist & Correspondent - Jessica L. Lewis (she/her)
— Founder / Producer, Play Play DC - Savannah Wade (she/her)
— Founder, OAR Agency - Suhad Babaa (she/her)
— Filmmaker/ Former Executive Director of Just Vision - Ashlee Davis (she/her)
— Global Head of Inclusive Outcomes, Ancestry - Jazmine Hughes (she/her)
— Journalist and Former Editor at New York Times Magazine - Queen Adesuyi (she/they)
— Policy Advisor & Organizer, ReFrame Health & Justice - Michele Rayner, Esq. (she/her)
— Civil Rights Attorney, State Representative (Florida House of Representatives) - Gaby Vincent (she/her)
— Sports/Cultural Commentator and Community Leader - Jenny Nguyen (she/her)
— Founder & Owner, The Sports Bra - Denice Frohman (she/her)
— Independent Artist, Poet / Performer - Vida Rangel (she/her)
— Founder, Our Trans Capital - Roxanne Anderson (they/them)
— Executive Director, Our Space - Ann Marie Gothard (she/her)
— Co-Founder & President, Pride Live (Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center) - Diana Rodriques (she/her)
— Co-Founder & CEO, Pride Live (Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center) - Wendi Cooper (she/her)
— Founder / Executive Director, Transcending Women - Toya Matthews (she/her)
— City of San Antonio, Texas - Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones (she/her)
— Sports/Cultural Commentator and Community Leader - Charity Blackwell (she/her)
— Poet, LGBTQ Advocate & Community Leader - Wilhelmina Indermaur (she/her)
— Director of Communications, Tyler Clementi Foundation - Em Chadwick (she/her)
— CMO, For Them & Autostraddle - Kylo Freeman (they/he)
— CEO, For Them & Autostraddle
LEGEND AWARDEES
- Sheila Alexander-Reid (she/her)
— Executive Director, PHL Diversity, Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau - Cassandra Cantave Burton (she/her)
— Interim Director of Thought Leadership & Senior Research Advisor, AARP - leigh h. mosley (she/her)
— Photographer / Educator, PhotoFlo Photography - Jenn M. Jackson, PhD (they/them)
— Assistant Professor of Political Science; Author & Columnist, Syracuse University - Jordyn White (she/her)
— COO, Washington Prodigy / VP of Leadership Development & Research, HRC Foundation - AJ Hikes (they/them)
— Deputy Executive Director, ACLU - RaeShanda Lias (she/her)
— Digital Creator, RL Lockhart - Donna Payne-Hardy (she/her)
— Educator, EEO Specialist, Former Leader at the Human Rights Campaign - Courtney R. Snowden (she/her)
— Principal, Blueprint Strategy Group - Gaye Adegbalola (she/her)
— Musician & Activist, Musician / Inductee of the Blues Hall of Fame - Cheryl A. Head (she/her)
— Independent Author, Novelist (Crime Fiction) - Letitia Gomez (she/her)
— The American LGBTQ+ Museum, Formerly of Voto Latino - Lynne Brown (she/her)
— Publisher, Washington Blade - Shay Franco-Clausen (She/Her/Ella/Queen)
— Political Strategist and Organizer - Melissa L. Bradley (she/her)
— Founder & Managing Partner, New Majority Ventures - Meghann Burke (she/her)
— Executive Director, NWSL Players Association - Victoria Kirby York, MPA (she/they)
— Director of Public Policy & Programs, National Black Justice Coalition - Joli Angel Robinson (she/her)
— CEO, Center on Halsted - Jeannine Frisby LaRue (she/her)
— CEO, Moxie Strategies - Alice Wu (she/her)
— Film Director (Saving Face, The Half of It) / Screenwriter - Storme Webber (she/her)
— Interdisciplinary Artist / Educator, University of Washington - Kim Stone
— CEO of the Washington Spirit, Washington Spirit - Mickalene Thomas
— American Visual Artist, Mickalene Thomas Studio - Erika Lorshbough (any/they/she)
— Executive Director, interACT - J. Gia Loving (she/ella)
— Co-Executive Director, GSA Network
Celebrity News
D.C. goes gaga for Gaga
Bisexual icon brought ‘The Mayhem Ball’ tour to Washington this week
Lady Gaga this week took D.C. by storm.
The bisexual icon and LGBTQ rights champion brought “The Mayhem Ball” tour to Capital One Arena on Monday and Tuesday.
“Abracadabra,” “Paparazzi,” “Applause,” and “Bad Romance” are among the songs Lady Gaga performed during the 2 1/2-hour long concert. Lady Gaga also celebrated her many queer fans.
“You are precious to us,” she said on Tuesday night before she performed “Born This Way.”
‘No Kings’ protests set for D.C.
Border to border: modern slavery and human trafficking in refugee movements across East Africa
New IOC policy bans trans women from Olympics
Introducing the Torchbearers Awards honoring queer, trans women and nonbinary people
Pa. House passes bill to codify marriage equality in state law
PHOTOS: Capital Stonewall Democrats 50th anniversary
‘Inherit the Wind’ isn’t about science vs. religion, but the right to think
Small is beautiful: subcompact SUVs
Polish court rules country must recognize same-sex marriages from EU states
Capital Stonewall Democrats 50th anniversary gala draws sold out crowd
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Photos4 days agoPHOTOS: Capital Stonewall Democrats 50th anniversary
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Theater5 days ago
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Autos5 days ago
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Poland4 days ago
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