a&e features
GLAAD Media Awards celebrate progress
Niecy Nash hosts livestream featuring ‘Glee’ reunion
For obvious reasons, Hollywood’s 2021 “Awards Season” has been a little different. Constrained by COVID and foregoing the usual swanky galas and glamorous stage extravaganzas, the entertainment industry has been limited to making the public presentations of its annual honors via virtual livestreams that look pretty much the same as the Zoom meetings and Facetime chats of which we’ve all become so weary.
These shows, though they try hard to generate excitement, can’t help but feel a bit perfunctory. We can easily forgive all this, of course. Everyone, including us, has to make the best of a not-so-great situation, and making sure that “the show goes on” is a big part of maintaining a positive, forward-looking attitude as we all push through the current crisis; and besides, there’s a satisfaction that comes with watching our favorite celebrities fumble through the same awkward gaffes and technical glitches we’ve all become so used to – it turns an event that is normally synonymous with the words “Hollywood elite” into an egalitarian reminder that even movie stars like to sit on the couch in their sweats. Still, that same equalizing effect also serves to highlight the relative absurdity of building up so much importance, so much pomp and hyperbole, over awards shows in the first place. It’s enough to make watching even a show like the Oscars an empty experience.
The GLAAD Media Awards, however, are not the Oscars. While most big entertainment awards are focused (in theory, anyway) on artistic excellence, the GMAs are interested in something with a little more real-world impact – the fair, accurate, and inclusive representation of LGBTQ people and issues in the media – and that difference helped to make the livestream of its 32nd annual presentation, which took place April 8, a surprisingly engaging 90 minutes of screen time.
Of course, it helped that the production was slick, polished, and tightly orchestrated, and that numerous winners had already been announced so that the show could be streamlined into an hour-and-a-half. It was a show that had the self-assuredness that comes from being pre-recorded (or at least, well-rehearsed); and while this may have eliminated the spontaneity that often makes for some of the best highlights in awards shows like this, it also allowed show producers to put together something that felt like a cohesive presentation instead of an awkward work-from-home staff meeting where everyone involved would rather be doing something else.
Unsurprisingly, GLAAD – the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization, which has been holding the media accountable for its treatment of queer people and issues for nearly four decades – turned the situation into an opportunity to highlight the incredible progress that continues to be made in an uphill fight that is still far from over. Tastefully but assertively, the show threaded key talking points into the festivities; threads highlighting diversity, intersectionality, and the uptick in percentages of youth identifying somewhere on the LGBTQ spectrum were picked up and echoed throughout in speeches from hosts, presenters and winners alike.
A few highlights:
Host Niecy Nash took immediate command of the proceedings, setting a jovial tone and leaning into her status as a “new member” of the community. Nash came out (“came into myself,” as she prefers to say) as LGBTQ and married her wife, musician Jessica Betts, in 2020, and joked about the ongoing process of figuring out her own place on the spectrum by admitting she didn’t know how things would have turned out if “that guy from ‘Bridgerton’” had come along first. Later in the livestream, Betts appeared to sing her song, “Catch Me,” giving Nash the opportunity to introduce her wife’s performance – an undeniably magical moment.
JoJo Siwa, who also came out in 2020, presented the award for Outstanding Children’s Programming to “The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo.” After her exuberant introduction, in which she acknowledged “the best, most amazing, wonderful girlfriend in the entire world” and proclaimed “Love is awesome…. you can be in love with whoever you want to be in love with and it should be celebrated,” the award was accepted by Elmo himself – another tear-inducing moment in which the progress made in queer acceptance was thrown into stark relief.
Presenting the award for Outstanding Film – Wide Release, USWNT and Orlando Pride Stars Ashlyn Harris and Ali Krieger spoke out in support of trans athletes, saying “Trans students want the opportunity to play sports for the same reason other kids do: to be a part of a team where they feel like they belong.” The award went to “Happiest Season,” the Hulu-produced Christmas romance centered on a lesbian couple played by Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis – again, underscoring the leaps made in LGBTQ inclusion in mainstream entertainment.
Accepting the award for Outstanding Variety or Talk Show Episode for “A Little Late With Lilly Singh: Lilly Responds to Comments About Her Sexuality,” Lilly Singh highlighted the importance of representation by saying, “you know, in other cultures like South Asian culture…there is still a stigma attached to being your true authentic self. I always think that if I was younger and I saw someone on TV who looked like me, that was out and proud about it, maybe I would’ve gotten here faster…I just want to say to everyone at home that looks like me: I am out. I am loud. I am proud. I love myself. And the journey to get here was tough, but it was so worth it. So I want to say that I see you. I recognize you. You are valid. You are beautiful. Nothing about you needs to change.”
The “Gay Geek” contingent received some validation when the award for Outstanding Television Series – Drama went to “Star Trek: Discovery.” Accepted by series stars Wilson Cruz, Anthony Rapp, Ian Alexander, and Blu del Barrio, the win was a much-deserved acknowledgement that the Gene Roddenberry-created franchise has always pushed the boundaries of social acceptance in its content, as well as an uplifting reminder of the power of popular fiction to help us imagine – and aspire to – the better world we want to build.
There were some drawbacks and disappointments, of course – most notably, perhaps, the much-touted “Glee” reunion, in which the stars of the breakthrough Ryan Murphy series came together via virtual conference to pay tribute to departed castmate Naya Rivera and the legacy of her character, Santana Lopez. Die-hard fans may have found satisfaction in seeing this beloved ensemble “together” again, and the spirit in which it happened was unquestionably sincere; even so, the obvious “edited highlights” quality of the segment fell far short of the excitement that might have been made possible by having them unite for a musical number for old time’s sake. Let’s hope for a “do-over” in 2022.
Also unfortunate was the “by the way” status relegated to many of the winners that had been previously announced, especially the electrifying Michaela Cole-created “I May Destroy You,” the HBO show exploring the grey areas of consent in an era hyperaware of “rape culture,” which won for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series. And while the focus may not have been on glamour, it might still have been fun to see (for example) the fabulous outfit singer Sam Smith might have worn in lieu of baggy sweats had he been able to accept his award for Outstanding Music Artist in person instead of from his living room.
As for who all the winners were, a complete list can easily be found on the GLAAD website, or you can even watch the full presentation on YouTube. Their names deserve to be known, and their accomplishments celebrated.
a&e features
Memorial for groundbreaking bisexual activist set for May 2
Loraine Hutchins remembered as a ‘force of nature’
The Montgomery County Pride Center will host a celebration honoring the life and legacy of Loraine Hutchins, Ph.D., on May 2. People are invited to attend the onsite memorial or a livestream event. The on-site event will begin at 10 a.m. with a meet-and-greet mixer before moving into a memorial service around the theme “Loraine a Force of Nature!” at 11 a.m., a panel talk at 12 p.m., break out sessions for artists, academics, and activists to build on her legacy at 1 p.m. and a closing reception at 2 p.m.
Attendees are encouraged to register for the on-site memorial gathering or the livestreamed memorial. The goal of this event is also to collect stories and memories of Loraine. Attendees and others can share their stories at padlet.com.
An obituary for Hutchins was published in the Bladelast Nov. 24, where people can learn more about her activism in the bisexual community. A private service for friends and family was held in December but this memorial service is open to all.
Alongside her groundbreaking work organizing for U.S. bisexual rights and liberation including co-editing “Bi Any Other Name: BIsexual People Speak Out” (1991), she also integrated faith into her sexual education and advocacy work. Her 2001 doctoral dissertation, “Erotic Rites: A Cultural Analysis of Contemporary U.S. Sacred Sexuality Traditions and Trends,” offered a pointed queer and feminist analysis to sex-neutral and sex-positive spiritual traditions in the United States. Her thesis was also groundbreaking in exploring the intersections between sex workers and those in caregiving professionals, including spiritual ones.
In an oral history interview conducted by Michelle Mueller back in August 2023, Hutchins described herself as a “priestess without a congregation.” While she has occasionally had a sense of community and feels part of a group of loving people, she admitted that “I don’t feel like we have the shape or the purpose that we need.”
“I’ve often experienced being the Cassandra in the room, the Cassandra in the community. Somebody who’s kind of way out there ahead, thinking through the strategic action points that my community hasn’t gotten to yet, and getting a lot of resistance and hostile responses from people who are frightened by dissent and conflict and not ready for the changes we have to make to survive,” she said.
“For somebody who’s bisexual in an out political way and who’s been a spokesperson for the polyamory movement in an out political way, it’s very exposing. And it’s very important to me to be able to try to explain and help other people understand the connection between spirituality and sexuality,” she explained citing how even as a graduate student she was “exploring how to feel erotic and spiritual, and not feel them in conflict with each other in my own spiritual contemplative life and my own sensual body awareness of being alive in the world.”
“Every religion has a sense of sacred sexuality. It’s just they put a lot of boundaries and regulations on it, and if we have a spiritual practice that is totally affirming of women’s priesthood and of gay people, queer people’s ability to minister to everyone and to be ministered to be everyone, what does that do to the gender of God, or our understanding of how we practice our spirituality and our sexuality in community and privately?”
“There’s no easy answer,” she concludes, and she continued to grapple with these questions throughout her life, co-editing another seminal text, “Sexuality, Religion and the Sacred: Bisexual, Pansexual, and Polysexual Perspectives,” published in 2012. Her work blending spiritual and queer liberation remains groundbreaking to this day.
Rev. Eric Eldritch, a local community organizer and ordained Pagan minister with Circle Sanctuary who has worked for decades with the DC Center’s Center Faith to organize the Pride Interfaith Service, is eager to highlight this element of her legacy at the memorial service next month.
a&e features
Queery: Meet artist, performer John Levengood
Modern creative talks nightlife, coming out, and his personal queer heroes
John Levengood (he/him) describes himself as a modern creative with a wide‑ranging toolkit. He blends music, technology, civic duty, and a sharp sense of wit into a cohesive artistic identity. Known primarily as a recording artist and performer, he’s also a self‑taught music producer and software engineer who embodies a generation of creators who build their own lanes rather than wait for one to appear.
Levengood, 32, who is single and identifies as gay and queer, is best known as a recording artist who has performed at Pride festivals across the country, including the main stages of World Pride DC, Central Arkansas Pride, and Charlotte Pride.
“Locally in the DMV, I’m known for turning heads at nightlife venues with my eye-catching sense of style. When I go out, I don’t try to blend in. I hope I inspire people to be themselves and have the courage to stand out,” he says.
He’s also known for hosting karaoke at Freddie’s Beach Bar in Arlington, Va., on Thursday nights. “I like to create a space where people feel comfortable expressing themselves, building community, and showcasing their talents.”
He also creates social media content from my performances and do interviews at LGBTQ+ bars and theatres in the DMV. Follow the Arlington resident @johnlevengood.
How long have you been out and who was the hardest person to tell?
I have been fully out of the closet since 2019. My parents were the hardest people to tell because my family has always been my rock and at the time I couldn’t imagine a world without them. Their reactions were extremely positive and supportive so I had nothing to fear all along.
I remember sitting on the couch with my mom, dad, and sister in our hotel room in New Orleans during our winter vacation and being so nervous to tell them. After I finally mustered up the nerve and made the proclamation, I realized my dad had already fallen asleep on the couch. My mom promised to tell him when he woke up.
Who’s your LGBTQ hero?
My LGBTQ heroes are Harvey Milk for paving the way for gays in politics and Elton John for being a pioneer for the fabulous and authentic. My local heroes in the DMV are Howard Hicks, manager of Green Lantern, and Tony Rivenbark, manager of Freddie’s Beach Bar. Both of them are essential to creating spaces where I’ve felt welcome and safe since moving to the DMV.
What’s Washington’s best nightspot, past or present?
Trade tops the list for me because of the dance floor and outdoor space. It’s so nice to get a break from the music every once and a while to be able to have a conversation.
We live in challenging times. How do you cope?
I’m still figuring this out. What is working right now is writing music and spending time with family and friends. I’ve also been spending less time on social media going to the gym at least three times a week.
What streaming show are you binging?
After “Traitors” Season 4 ended, I was in a bit of a show hole, but “Stumble” has me in a laughing loop right now. The writing is so witty.
What do you wish you’d known at 18?
At 18, I wish I would have known how liberating it is to come out of the closet. It would have been nice to know some winning lottery numbers as well.
What are your friends messaging about in your most recent group chat?
We are planning our next trip to New York City. If you can believe it, I visited NYC for the first time in 2025 for Pride and I’ve been back every quarter since. Growing up in the country, I was subconsciously primed to be scared of the city. But my mind has been blown. I can’t wait to go back.
Why Washington?
It’s the closest metropolitan area to my family, but not too close. I love the museums, the diversity, the history, and the proximity to the beach and mountains. It’s also nice to live in a city with public transportation.
Aging RFK Stadium has come down, but the RFK grounds are still getting lit up. Welcome back to the stage Project GLOW, D.C.’s homegrown electronic festival, on May 30-31. Back for its fifth year on these musically inclined acres, Project GLOW returns with an even more diverse lineup, and one that continues to celebrate LGBTQ antecedents, attendees, and acts.
Project GLOW 2026 headliners include house and techno star Mau P, progressive house legend Eric Prydz, hard-techno favorite Sara Landry, and bass acts Excision b2b Sullivan King, among the lineup of trance, bass, house, techno, dubstep, and others for the fifth anniversary year.
President & CEO Pete Kalamoutsos — born and raised in D.C. — founded Club GLOW in 1999. In 2020, GLOW entered into a partnership with global entertainment company Insomniac Events to produce live events like Project GLOW, which kicked off in 2022.
As in past years, Project GLOW not only makes space, but is intentionally inclusive of the LGBTQ community, one of its most dedicated fan bases. The festival’s LGBTQ-focused Secret Garden stage blooms again — a more intimate dance area that stands on the strength of DJs and musicians who draw from the LGBTQ community. D.C.’s LGBTQ nightlife mastermind Ed Bailey is the creative mind behind Secret Garden again. He joined Project GLOW in 2023.
“Kalamoustos says that “he’s proud of his partnership with Ed Bailey, along with Capital Pride and [nightlife producer] Jake Resnikow. It’s amazing to collaborate with Bailey at the Secret Garden stage, especially after the curated lineup we worked on at Pride last year.”
The Secret Garden will be a bit different from other stages: Eternal (“At the Eternal stage, time stands still. Lose yourself in the dance of past, present, and future, surrendering to the eternal rhythm of the universe”) and Pulse (“Feel the rhythm of the beat pulse through your veins as the heartbeat of the crowd synchronizes into one. Here, every moment vibrates with life as it guides you through a new dimension of euphoria”). The Secret Garden stage is in the round, surrounded by 16 shipping containers. The containers play canvas to muralists from around the world, who are coming in to paint them in a vibrant garden-style vibe. “We gave this stage some extra love with this layout,” K says, “ we finally cracked the code.”
K says that this will be the biggest lineup yet for the Secret Garden, featuring Nicole Moudaber b2b Chasewest, Riordan b2b Bullet Tooth, Ranger Trucco, Cassian, Eli & Fur, Cosmic Gate and Hayla. The stage is also the largest yet, featuring an expanded dance floor and 360-degree viewing.
Across all stages, K says that his goal for the fifth anniversary is “More art and fan interactive experience, more like a festival, strive to be like a Tomorrowland, as budget grows to add more experience.” Last year’s Project GLOW alone drew 40,000 attendees over two days.
K, however, was not satisfied with one festival this spring. GLOW recently announced a “pop-up” one-day event. Teaming up with Black Book Records, GLOW is set to throw a first-of-its-kind dance-music takeover of Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., headlined by electronic music star Chris Lake. Set for April 18, this euphoric block party will feature bass and vibes blocks from the White House. Organizers expect as many as 10,000 fans to attend. Beyond music, there will be food, activations, and plenty of other activities taking place around 6th St and Pennsylvania Ave NW – a location familiar to many in the LGBTQ community, as this sits squarely inside the blocks of the Capital Pride party that takes place in DC every June.
Over the past two decades, Club GLOW has produced thousands of events, from club nights to large-scale festivals including Project GLOW, Moonrise Festival, and more. Club GLOW also operates Echostage.
Why we need to recognize and celebrate Lesbian Day of Visibility
Prominent activists join ‘Living History’ panel at Freddie’s Beach Bar
How arts institutions built the city that politics couldn’t
DC Center marks one year at new location
Calendar: April 24-30
Inside the lonely world of MAGA gay men
PHOTOS: Night of Champions
PHOTOS: National Champagne Brunch
Victory Fund brunch draws top LGBTQ officials, 2028 hopeful Andy Beshear
