Arts & Entertainment
Kim Petras and Beyoncé make history at the 65th annual Grammys
The 65th annual Grammys served up a night of LGBTQ significance as Beyoncé and Kim Petras both make history
The 65th annual GRAMMY Award Ceremonies held Sunday evening at the Crypto.com Arena saw a significant LGBTQ+ presence and wins in several categories including a GRAMMY for Best Solo Pop Duo/Group Performance awarded to Out Trans artist Kim Petras along side nonbinary artist Sam Smith for their song “Unholy.”
Madonna was on hand to introduce the duo, and in doing so, seemed to shout praise to the entire queer community. “Here’s what I have learned after four decades in music. If they call you shocking, scandalous, troublesome, problematic, provocative, or…dangerous. You are definitely on to something. So I am here to give thanks to all the rebels out there forging a new path, and taking the heat for all of it. You guys need to know, all you trouble makers out there, you need to know your fearlessness does not go unnoticed, you are seen, you are heard, and most of all you are appreciated.”
While online chatter seemed obsessed with Madonna’s physical appearance, there is hope her message reached queer teens, currently under the ire of current conservative politics, in the same way the singer elevated HIV positive people in the 1980s by not only accepting them, but calling them heroes.
Sam Smith insisted that Kim Petras give their acceptance speech so that she could experience the full effect of being the first transgender woman to receive the award in the Recording Academy’s 65 year history.
Petras acknowledged Madonna’s effect as an icon when she said in her acceptance speech, “I want to thank Madonna for always fighting for LGBTQ rights, I would not be here if not for Madonna.”
She also called out SOPHIE, the transgender Grammy-nominated DJ, producer and recording artist who died in Athens after a tragic accident. “I just want to thank all the incredible transgender legends before me who kicked these doors open for me so I could be here tonight. SOPHIE, especially, my friend who passed away two years ago, who told me this would happen and always believed in me. Thank you so much for your inspiration, SOPHIE. I adore you and your inspiration will always be in my music.”
“I grew up next to a highway in nowhere, Germany, and my mother believed me that I was a girl and I wouldn’t be here without her and her support,” Petras concluded her historic speech. “Sam, thank you, you’re a true angel and hero in my life and I love you. And everyone who made the song, too, I love you guys. Sorry, I didn’t write down the names. I love you.”
Longtime LGBTQ+ ally Harry Styles received a GRAMMY for Album of the Year for his Harry’s House. Styles also picked up a GRAMMY win Best Pop Vocal Album for Harry’s House. Earlier Styles received a GRAMMY trophy for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical also for Harry’s House.
Beyoncé, who was the most nominated artist going into Sunday’s ceremonies, made GRAMMY history breaking the record for the most wins ever by an artist. In her acceptance speech where she mentioned her late uncle who died from HIV/AIDS she acknowledged the queer community for their support and “for inventing the genre” of dance music, which she honors in her album.
“I’m trying not to be too emotional. I’m trying to just receive this night. I want to thank God for protecting me. Thank you, God. I’d like to thank my uncle Johnny who’s not here, but he’s here in spirit.
I’d like to thank my parents, my father, my mother for loving me and pushing me. I’d like to thank my beautiful husband, my beautiful three Children who are at home watching.
I’d like to thank the queer community for your love, for inventing the genre. God bless you.
Thank you so much to the GRAMMYs. Thank you.”
She also posted a thank you note on Instagram celebrating the three awards she won earlier in the evening: Best Traditional R&B Performance (“Plastic Off the Sofa”), Best R&B Song (“Cuff It”), and Best Dance/Electronic Recording (“Break My Soul”).
First Lady Dr. Jill Biden walked on stage during the ceremonies to a standing ovation. GRAMMYs host Trevor Noah, who introduced her, described her as “the only person in the world who knows which of tonight’s songs the President sings in the shower.”
The First Lady presented two awards – the Song of the Year and the new award “Best Song for Social Change.”
Iranian singer Shervin Hajipour won the new social change award. His song Baraye has been described as the anthem of the Mahsa Amini protests in Iran. Biden described the song as a “powerful and poetic call for freedom and women’s rights.”
He was arrested on September 29, 2022 – two days after his song was released on social media – and was released two days later. He is not allowed to leave Iran.
Biden then presented Song of the Year to Just Like That by Bonnie Raitt. She kissed Raitt on the cheek.
Vanessa Valdivia, Press Secretary for Biden told the traveling press pool: “The First Lady was honored to be asked by the Recording Academy to announce the GRAMMYs’ first Social Change award to Shervin Hajipour for his song ‘Baraye’. As a steadfast champion for women and girls around the world, the First Lady was inspired by his song that served as an anthem for freedom and women’s rights.”
2023 GRAMMY Award Winners
* Winners in bold
Album of the Year:
Harry Styles – Harry’s House
ABBA – Voyage
Adele – 30
Bad Bunny – Un Verano Sin Ti
Beyoncé – Renaissance
Mary J. Blige – Good Morning Gorgeous (Deluxe)
Brandi Carlile – In These Silent Days
Coldplay – Music of the Spheres
Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
Lizzo – Special
Song of the Year:
Bonnie Raitt – “Just Like That”
Gayle – “abcdefu”
Lizzo – “About Damn Time”
Taylor Swift – “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)”
Harry Styles – “As It Was”
Steve Lacy – “Bad Habit”
Beyoncé – “Break My Soul”
Adele – “Easy On Me”
DJ Khaled feat. Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, JAY-Z, John Legend, and Fridayy – “God Did”
Kendrick Lamar – “The Heart Part 5”
Record of the Year:
Lizzo – “About Damn Time”
ABBA – “Don’t Shut Me Down”
Adele – “Easy On Me”
Beyoncé – “Break My Soul”
Mary J. Blige – “Good Morning Gorgeous”
Brandi Carlile feat. Lucius – “You and Me on the Rock”
Doja Cat – “Woman”
Steve Lacy – “Bad Habit”
Kendrick Lamar – “The Heart Part 5”
Harry Styles – “As It Was”
Best New Artist:
Samara Joy
Anitta
Omar Apollo
Domi & JD Beck
Muni Long
Latto
Måneskin
Tobe Nwigwe
Molly Tuttle
Wet Leg
Best Alternative Music Album:
Wet Leg – Wet Leg
Arcade Fire – WE
Big Thief – Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
Björk – Fossora
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Cool It Down
Best Alternative Music Performance:
Wet Leg – “Chaise Lounge”
Arctic Monkeys – “There’d Better Be a Mirrorball”
Big Thief – “Certainity”
Florence + The Machine – “King”
Yeah Yeah Yeahs feat. Perfume Genius – “Spitting Off the Edge of the World”
Best Rock Performance:
Brandi Carlile – “Broken Horses”
Bryan Adams – “So Happy It Hurts”
Beck – “Old Man”
The Black Keys – “Wild Child”
IDLES – “Crawl!”
Ozzy Osbourne feat. Jeff Beck – “Patient Number 9”
Turnstile – “Holiday”
Best Rock Song:
Brandi Carlile – “Broken Horses”
Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Black Summer”
Turnstile – “Blackout”
The War on Drugs – “Harmonia’s Dream”
Ozzy Osbourne feat. Jeff Beck – “Patient Number 9″
Best Rock Album:
Ozzy Osbourne – Patient Number 9
The Black Keys – Dropout Boogie
Elvis Costello & The Imposters – The Boy Named If
IDLES – Crawler
Machine Gun Kelly – Mainstream Sellout
Spoon – Lucifer on the Sofa
Best Metal Performance:
Ozzy Osbourne feat. Tony Iommi – “Degradation Rules”
Ghost – “Call me Little Sunshine”
Megadeth – “We’ll Be Back”
Muse – “Kill or Be Killed”
Turnstile – “Black Out”
Best Solo Pop Performance:
Adele – “Easy on Me”
Bad Bunny – “Moscow Mule”
Doja Cat – “Woman”
Steve Lacy – “Bad Habit”
Lizzo – “About Damn Time”
Harry Styles – “As It Was”
DJ Khaled feat. Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, JAY-Z, John Legend, and Fridayy – “God Did”
Best Solo Pop Duo/Group Performance:
Sam Smith & Kim Petras – “Unholy”
ABBA – “Don’t Shut Me Down”
Camila Cabello feat. Ed Sheeran – “Bam Bam”
Coldplay & BTS – “My Universe”
Post Malone & Doja Cat – “I Like You (A Happier Song)”
Best Pop Vocal Album:
Harry Styles – Harry’s House
ABBA – Voyage
Adele – 30
Coldplay – Music of the Sphere
Lizzo – Special
Best Dance/Electronic Recording:
Beyoncé – “Break My Soul”
Bonobo – “Rosewood”
Diplo & Miguel – “Don’t Forget My Love”
David Guetta & Bebe Rexha – “I’m Good (Blue)”
Kaytranada feat. H.E.R. – “Intimidated”
RÜFÜS DU SOL – “Intimidated”
Best Dance/Electronic Album:
Beyoncé – Renaissance
Bonobo – Fragments
Diplo – Diplo
Odesza – The Last Goodbye
RÜFÜS DU SOL – Surrender
Best Rap Album:
Kendrick Lamar – Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers
DJ Khaled – God Did
Future – I Never Liked You
Jack Harlow – Come Home the Kids Miss You
Pusha T – It’s Almost Dry
Best Rap Song:
Kendrick Lamar – “The Heart Part 5”
Future feat. Drake and Tems – “Wait for U”
Jack Harlow feat. Drake – “Churchill Downs”
DJ Khaled feat. Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, JAY-Z, John Legend, and Fridayy – “God Did”
Gunna and Future feat. Young Thug – “Pushin’ P”
Best Rap Performance:
Kendrick Lamar – “The Heart Part 5”
DJ Khaled feat. Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, JAY-Z, John Legend, and Fridayy – “God Did”
Doja Cat – “Vegas”
Gunna & Future feat. Young Thug – “Pushin P”
Hitkidd & GloRilla – “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)”
Best Melodic Rap Performance:
Future feat. Drake and Tems – “Wait for U”
DJ Khaled feat. Future and SZA – “Beautiful”
Jack Harlow – “First Class”
Kendrick Lamar feat. BLXST and Amanda Reifer – “Die Hard”
Latto – “Big Energy (Live)”
Best Música Urbana Album:
Bad Bunny – Un Verano Sin Ti
Rauw Alejandro – Trap Cake, Vol. 2
Daddy Yankee – Legendaddy
Farruko – LA 167
Maluma – The Love & Sex Tape
Best Americana Album:
Brandi Carlile – In These Silent Days
Dr. John – Things Happen That Way
Keb’ Mo’ – Good to Be…
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss – Raise the Roof
Bonnie Raitt – Just Like That…
Best Comedy Album:
Dave Chappelle – The Closer
Jim Gaffigan – Comedy Monster
Randy Rainbow – A Little Brains, a Little Talent
Louis CK – Sorry
Patton Oswalt – We All Scream
Best Music Video:
Taylor Swift – “All Too Well: The Short Film”
Adele – “Easy on Me”
BTS – “Yet to Come”
Doja Cat – “Woman”
Kendrick Lamar – “The Heart Part 5”
Harry Styles – “As It Was”
Best Music Film:
Various Artists – Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story
Adele – Adele One Night Only
Justin Bieber – Our World
Billie Eilish – Billie Eilish Live at The O2
Rosalía – Motomami (Rosalía TikTok Live Performance)
Neil Young & Crazy Horse – A Band A Brotherhood A Barn
Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media:
Germaine Franco – Encanto
Michael Giacchino – The Batman
Hans Zimmer – No Time to Die
Jonny Greenwood – The Power of the Dog
Nicholas Britell – Succession: Season 3
Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media:
Encanto
Elvis
Stranger Things: Soundtrack from the Netflix Series, Season 4 (Vol 2)
Top Gun: Maverick
West Side Story
Best Remixed Recording:
Lizzo – “About Damn Time (Purple Disco Machine Remix)”
Beyoncé – “Break My Soul (Terry Hunter Remix)”
Ellie Goulding “Easy Lover (Four Tet Remix)”
The Knocks & Dragonette – “Slow Song (Paul Woolford Remix)”
Wet Leg -“Too Late Now (Soulwax Remix)”
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical:
Harry Styles – Harry’s House
Bayn – Adolescence
Robert Glasper – Black Radio III
Father John Misty – Chloë and the Next 20th Century
Wet Leg – Wet Leg
Producer of the Year:
Jack Antonoff
Boi-1da
Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II
Dahi
Dan Auerbach
Additional reporting by Brody Levesque
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Rob Watson is the host of the popular Hollywood-based radio/podcast show RATED LGBT RADIO.
He is an established LGBTQ columnist and blogger having written for many top online publications including Parents Magazine, the Huffington Post, LGBTQ Nation, Gay Star News, the New Civil Rights Movement, and more.
He served as Executive Editor for The Good Man Project, has appeared on MSNBC and been quoted in Business Week and Forbes Magazine.
He is CEO of Watson Writes, a marketing communications agency, and can be reached at [email protected] .
Sports
Trans cyclist’s victory sparks outrage in conservative media
Katheryn Phillips is originally from DC
On the heels of UPenn erasing the record of the first openly transgender NCAA Division I All-American swimmer and the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to tackle bans on trans student-athletes, right wing media is now all hot and bothered about the latest trans woman who won a cycling championship — even though she competed according to the rules.
On Tuesday, 58-year-old Katheryn Phillips finished first in USA Cycling’s Lyons Masters National Championship race for women aged 55-59, with a time of 1:42:10, according to the official results posted by the organization. The record shows her gender as “F” for female.
One second behind Phillips was Julie Peterson, with a time of 1:42:11 — as were three other cyclists: Mary Beth Grier, Andrea Cherniak-Tyson, and Carolyn Maddox.
Peterson, 57, was so outraged, she told Fox News she refused to stand on the podium in second place next to Phillips. Her story was swiftly shared by the New York Post (also owned by Fox’s parent company News Corp.), the Daily Mail, Breitbart, and other conservative media.
Both Peterson and another competitor are accusing USA Cycling of “hiding” that a transgender woman had registered to race.
“It was hidden from us. Katheryn Phillips, KJ’s name, was not on that list. And I checked it up all the way to the point of closure when we couldn’t register online anymore,” Debbie Milne told Fox.
“If I had known, I wouldn’t have spent thousands of dollars in travel and time off work to come and do a race,” Peterson said. Fox welcomed Milne, 56, who finished seventh on Tuesday, to Fox & Friends Thursday morning.
(Video courtesy of Fox News)
Peterson told Fox she did complain to USA Cycling officials prior to the race. Both Milne and Peterson referred to Phillips as a male, and with “he/him” pronouns.
“To be fair to all humans, if we want to say ‘him’ or ‘her,’ he was born a biological male, that is a fact,” Milne said. “And that is the thing that makes it an unfair advantage. Whatever has happened after that is a whole different topic.”
“I said, ‘I don’t want to race against a man,’ and they quickly scolded me and said ‘Oh, you can’t call him a man,’ and I’m like ‘Well, he is a man,’ so I was quickly scolded and corrected that it is a woman and I don’t even know what to say.”
USA Cycling did not respond to the Washington Blade’s emails requesting comment.
Phillips, who goes by Kate and by “KJ,” is a former rugby player with the D.C. Furries, who stated in the comments of a 2024 article published by Zwift Insider that she was the first out trans athlete in the U.S. to compete under the 2004 International Olympic Committee’s guidelines on trans participation.
“When USA Rugby told me about the IOC decision in 2004, I raised my hand to be included. I experience nothing but joy when I play, ride, and race,” Phillips said.
As the Blade has reported, the International Olympic Committee drastically revised those rules in 2021, and in March, Republican lawmakers in D.C. demanded the IOC ban trans female athletes from women’s sporting events altogether.
The Blade also reached out to Phillips for comment but as of press time we have not received a response. She told Zwift Insider in March 2024 she does not let those who disapprove or spread hate impact her performance or her attitude.
“I am unaffected by dissent. I love, I share joy, I am me, and I have been my authentic self for decades,” she said. It’s been reported Phillips came out in 1999, and told Zwift Insider she considers herself a lifelong cyclist.
“I’ve been on a bike for as long as I can remember,” said Phillips. “As kids, my friends and I rode all over town, we were feral kids; no cell phones, no trackers … we just roamed, and nobody got in trouble or hurt bad enough not to ride home … Scrapes/bruises/cuts were not an issue for us. In my teens, I worked for myself as a court/legal messenger, doing all of the work via my bike until I got a car. Raced BMX as a kiddo (when I mowed lawns to cover the race entry fees), I did MTB stuff (non-racing) and Sprint/Olympic Triathlons in my 30’s, and now I’m racing on Zwift, Road/Gravel, and CX in my 50s.”
In the comments section, Phillips made clear she’s not competing to win.
“I don’t do sports for victory, I do it because like many other women, I am an athlete to my core,” she said. “Unlike some, I am not there to WIN, I am there to do my best with the competitors and teammates I have around me trying to do the same…we are in it for the experience. I rejoice in their wins, and a lot of joy is reflected back to me when I have a good day.”
Celebrity News
Nina West’s ‘Sugar in the Tank’ tour comes to Rehoboth Beach
Drag Race’ contestant will be at Clear Space Theater Company on July 6
Nina West, a drag queen known for competing on “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” is currently on her ‘Sugar in the Tank’ tour around U.S. cities.
With previous shows in Key West, Fla., New York, and hometown of Columbus, Ohio, the tour is staying put in Provincetown, Mass., from late July to early September. It will make a stop at Clear Space Theater Company in Rehoboth Beach, Del., as part of a summer cabaret series on July 6.
Andrew Levitt has been performing as Nina West for 25 years, who got her rise from starring in “Drag Race” Season 11, where she placed sixth and won Miss Congeniality, a title awarded to the contestant who is regarded as the kindest and most helpful one of that season.
West has toured “Hairspray” on Broadway as Edna Turnblad, starred in a couple of feature films and published a children’s book titled ‘The You Kind of Kind.’
Levitt said he wrote this show in response to attacks from the government towards the LGBTQ community.
“‘Sugar in the Tank’ is a big old gay fabulous summer musical,” Levitt told the Washington Blade. “The show is a response to the darkness that I think has fallen over a lot of people in the country and it’s hopefully trying to bring a little bit of light and a little bit of joy.”
“Sugar in the Tank” is a Southern euphemism for gay, often holding a negative connotation. Levitt said he wanted to “reclaim and embrace” queerness in times when some people want to take that away.
Levitt said he knew he would be traveling to predominantly queer destinations like Key West and Provincetown for these shows and that was always at the forefront of his mind when writing “Sugar in the Tank.”
This will be Levitt’s first time in Rehoboth Beach. Clear Space Theater is considered Delaware’s second-largest professional non-profit theater and the state’s most prolific producer of professional theater. The space seats just 170 patrons and Levitt said he loves the intimacy of a small venue and that it’s his favorite way to do a show.
“Stages like this size are the perfect size for me because it allows for me to really showcase my talents,” Levitt said.
Levitt founded the Nina West Foundation in 2015 to uplift and sustain the central Ohio LGBTQ community, which has raised more than $3 million for various organizations. He said he makes activism part of the entertainment in his career.
“That’s the nuance of what drag is. We can be ridiculous for fun and we can be serious but it’s all wrapped up into one thing,” Levitt said. “I think that can be the power of it.”
Levitt said West is so much more confident now than when he first started performing as her. He didn’t know where his voice belonged in the community in the past, but because of those who came before him in this art form, he has learned to harness the power of the stage and the power of the wig to be able to tell stories.
“I really love my community. I love queer people. I love who we are and what we represent,” Levitt said. “Knowing our history and knowing that we’ve been through a lot, I’m really thrilled that as a queen, I can use my voice and my platform to help try to better our community, not try to speak for everyone but try to lend voice to people who desperately need it.”
Levitt’s advice to young queer artists is to not give up on yourself, surround yourself with supportive people and allow yourself the opportunity and space to fail, to ask questions, and to not give up.
“Our young people have got to be told they matter,” Levitt said. “Oftentimes, people are told that they don’t matter, that their voice doesn’t matter, that they cannot make a difference and I want to remind every single person who’s doing this that they do matter, they can make a difference, their voice is intrinsic to who we are as a community.”
If Sugar in the Tank was a drink, it would be a Bahama Mama or Sex on the Beach, said Levitt, because they are delicious, juicy, and sugary, just like the show.
“I just want everyone to know that they should come to ‘Sugar in the Tank’ and experience a show that’s built on joy and levity and silliness and fun and come have some fun with me and show me the fabulous love of Rehoboth Beach,” Levitt said. “I can’t wait.”
The Rainbow History Project will host “Pickets, Protests and Parade Exhibit Tour” at 7 p.m. at Freedom Plaza. This event honors the courage, resilience and resistance of D.C.’s gay community. For more details, visit Eventbrite.
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ Community Social” at 7 p.m. at Hyatt Centric Arlington (1325 Wilson Blvd.). This fun event is ideal for meeting new people and community building. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Xavier Entertainment DC will host “Cowboy Carter Afterparty” at 10 p.m. at Nellie’s Sports Bar. There will be fireworks, parades, and patriotic fun. For more details, visit Eventbrite.
Mezcal Amaras will host “Sha Boing Boing Showdown” at 6 p.m. at Snappy’s Small Bar (3917 Georgia Ave., N.W.). Get ready to test your hotdog eating abilities. Tickets start at $12.51 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
Illusions Drag Queen Show will host “Drag Queen Dinner Show” at 7 p.m. at 2323 18th St. N.W. Guests will be treated to the very best celebrity drag impersonations in entertainment. Tickets start at $12.97 and are available on Eventbrite.
Thurst Lounge will host “A Thirsty Cowboy Afterparty” at 5 p.m. DJ Apollo will be performing. For more details, visit Thurst’s website.
9:30 Club will host “Gimme Gimme Disco: A Dance Party Inspired by ABBA” at 9 p.m. The DJ will play plenty of disco hits from the 70s and 80s. Tickets cost $45.30 and can be purchased on Ticketmaster.
Trans cyclist’s victory sparks outrage in conservative media
Activist recalls experience in Tel Aviv after Israel-Iran war began
Congress passes ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ with massive cuts to health insurance coverage
Nina West’s ‘Sugar in the Tank’ tour comes to Rehoboth Beach
Supreme Court to consider bans on trans athletes in school sports
Upwards of 100K people march in Budapest Pride
Supreme Court to consider bans on trans athletes in school sports
Celebrate the Fourth of July the gay way!
Silver Spring holds annual Pride In The Plaza
