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My Celebrity BEYOND transatlantic cruise continues

Happy hours, stellar performances, politics, and more

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Celebrity BEYOND Transatlantic Cruise: Blog #5

Day 6, our first sea day, dawned windy and cool and the boat was rocking. But that didn’t stop most of us from enjoying the day. There is lots to occupy your time on the Celebrity Beyond every minute of the day. Or if you are like me, it is a day of relaxing, reading, eating, and drinking. A hard life, but someone has to live it.

After spending time in the morning writing, I again headed to the gym. This time it was empty and three of the four lifecycles were available when I got there. The woman on the one next to me kidded we were not only doing leg work, but with the rocking motion of the ship, were doing some core work. Hey, a two for one exercise is always good. After the gym I headed back to the Retreat lounge for my usual cappuccino. The waiters there are nice. The Cappuccino machine was broken but the waiter said if I could wait a little, he was sure it would work. Well since I had nothing but time, that was fine, and about fifteen minutes later, he came over with a smile and my cappuccino. A few of the gang were there and we again headed to Luminae for lunch. Due to the rocking of the ship, it was not quite as full as the first time.

The rest of the day was nice and lazy. I read, walked around the ship getting in some of my steps; hey my Apple watch keeps reminding me to do them. I then found a nice place to sit and read above the Eden lounge. Then before I knew it was time to change, and head to the LGBTQ happy hour. It was better attended than I thought it would be considering some of our group was a little under the weather, suffering mild cases of sea-sickness. The boat was really rocking and it made walking a little difficult. I should mention we had begun turning back our watches every other evening; the goal to be on US time when we arrive back in Ft. Lauderdale, thereby avoiding any jet lag. It is why I like traveling east to west. On the nights when the ship was really rocking, it meant extra time tossing and turning for some.

After a short time at happy hour, I headed to the Retreat lounge to meet with Christophe, the Hotel Director. We chatted about several things including why the luggage was delivered late, to the art installations on the ship. He remembered we had met last year on APEX, and appreciated my comments. He is working closely this year with Dustin and Scott, helping them with their parties. He realizes they have over 100 guests, many in the Retreat. Watching Christophe do his job, it is clear Celebrity is really lucky to have him.

I then joined many in our group and headed to the theater to see Jesse Hamilton, Jr., a very talented singer. My review is he was trying too hard to involve the audience, and spending a lot of time giving us his resume. He didn’t need to do that, as he is very talented. The big decision for most evenings is whether to go to the 7pm show, and do dinner after, or dinner first, and go to the 9pm show. After the 7pm show, Paul, Ken, and I headed to our first dinner at Eden. Paul’s other half, John, was a little under the weather and didn’t join us. Eden is interesting.

There is a tasing menu, eight courses, with wine pairings, which they try to charge an enormous amount for. Then there is the regular menu, which is covered by what you paid when you reserved the specialty restaurants. Basically, the food choices on both sides of the menu are the same, and on the regular menu you can try all the appetizers. Either way, the food is great. The chef was pointed out to us, his name is David. He looked vaguely familiar but I wasn’t sure from where.

All-in-all it was the best meal I had onboard thus far. Then I stayed in the Eden lounge for the 10:45 show. It was called Dreams. The aerialists had their part of the show curtailed as the ship really was rocking too much for them to go flying.

After the show some headed to the Martini Bar, but I headed back to the cabin. My first sea day over. I looked forward to the next five. Sea days are really my favorite time on the ship.

Celebrity BEYOND Transatlantic Cruise: Blog #6

Day 7, our second sea day, dawned very windy and the boat was still rocking. My room service waiter brought breakfast on time at 7:30; my coffee, bagel, and orange juice. This time I added a banana to make myself feel more virtuous. After writing for a couple of hours I headed back to the gym. Again, it was fairly empty and a lifecycle was immediately available. I do thirty minutes on it each day, trying to keep my knees in shape. After all, I have had two knee replacements. I am always thankful we live in a time when we can get replacement body parts. Once again, my destination after the gym is the retreat lounge for my cappuccino. This time the machine was working and I sat with some of our group and ended up talking politics. Most of our group know I write a regular political column for the Washington Blade, so they often ask for my thoughts. Someone said to me, “Oh, you are a journalist,” to which I replied “No, I am a columnist, and that is very different, I give opinions.” Since we are nearly all members of the LGBTQ+ community in our group of about 100, we tend to share many of the same views. I always enjoy the discussions but must admit with the way the world is today, they can get very depressing.

Today was the day I had arranged to meet Vladyslav, one of the aerialists, to interview him. We had agreed to meet at 4:00pm in the back of the Ocean Café, near the pizza stand. I was looking forward to it. I had invited him to join me after the interview at the Sea Day party Dustin and Scott, of My Lux Cruise, our travel agents extraordinaire, hosted in their Iconic suite. But he, like all the entertainment crew, needed to get special permission to attend a guest’s party.

Even though Captain Leo and Christophe said they could. He said he would try to get permission for our next party, a sail-away party from Bermuda. I told him he could invite the entire cast after getting permission from Scott to do that.

I had a great interview with him. He told me his friends call him Slavik which is what he uses on his Instagram. I learned much about him and his family, some of who are still in Ukraine. His parents are now in Poland but his god-father is in the military and his cousins and their children are still in Ukraine, in the Kherson area.

Slavik spent some time at the beginning of the war there as well. While he was not in the military, he was a volunteer. I learned he began his gymnastics career at the age of 4 and has gone on to compete in a European, and two world championships, the last in China in 2016, in sports acrobatics. He is quite an amazing young man and I intend to write up the interview.

Then it was off to the party in the Iconic suite. It was crowded and as the evening progressed the weather got a little better so people could be on the big deck of the suite. There was a short moment when I got a great picture of the sunset.

Captain Leo and Christophe were there, but we had all hoped Captain Kate would show, but she didn’t. After the party I had dinner in Luminae with Kenny, Tom, and their friends. At one point as dinner began, Tom started feeling a little sick and headed back to his cabin. The ship was definitely rocking, and after dinner I called it an evening and headed back to my cabin and read for a while. Turned on the TV and watched MSNBC which I never do at home. We had been told by the Captain the weather would now start to get better in the next days, and we were all looking forward to that.

Celebrity BEYOND Transatlantic Cruise: Blog #7

Day 8 of our cruise dawned a little smoother, and it was warmer. I woke up early and started writing my column for the Blade which was going to be submitted late because I was going to wait to hear the results of the Tuesday elections. The top of the column would have to wait for results, but the rest was going to be about the irrelevant poll the New York Times had released showing Biden down in six of the swing states. Politics was going to be the conversation of the next two days, even in the middle of the Atlantic.

But that wouldn’t be the whole of my day. Breakfast was delivered to the room as always and after a couple of hours of writing, which included drafting of the column based on the interview I had done with Slavik, I headed to the gym. It was fairly empty and my lifecycle was available. It was a good hour in the gym, and then it was back to the retreat lounge to treat myself to my morning cappuccino, and conversation with friends. This was going to be the first day we thought we could head to the sun deck. It was going to be a great day to sit outside. The new deck in the retreat was beautiful. Deck 17 had various areas to sit with full lounges and chairs with great comfortable cushions. It was nice to feel the sun on my body. I even treated myself to a strawberry daiquiri, the first such drink I had since my last cruise. I am not a drinker but daiquiris and mudslides go down like milkshakes, and are perfect when sitting in the middle of the Atlantic. I do tend to stay away from them during the rest of the year. But since I have invested in the ‘premium’ drink package it would be wasteful not to partake.

The day went by quickly, and suddenly it was 3pm and I headed to the Comedy show in the theater. The comedian, Jeff Stevenson, is English, and very funny. For some reason I haven’t always put those two things together. It was billed as an 18+ show but the humor was very clean and could have been for all ages. The theater was packed to the rafters for the show. After, I headed back to the cabin to read and relax, after-all it had been a hard day, lol. Then got ready for happy hour and a second dinner at Eden with Ken, Paul and this time John joined us. It has been the best food on the ship by far. This time as we were leaving after finishing another superb dinner, the chef, David, was standing at the entrance podium. I took the occasion to find out why he looked so familiar. Turned out he had been the chef at Eden on the EDGE when I traveled on it before the pandemic. I had met him the first night of that cruise, when he came to our table to chat, along with the food and beverage manager at the time. I told him we thought the food at Eden was again as great as it was that first time.

After dinner we stayed in the Eden lounge to see the Decadence show, with the Aerialists, Slavik and Vlad. The entire cast is great, really good singers and dancers, but some felt the show didn’t quite live up to its name. Guess they were hoping to see more skin or something. I really enjoyed the show. By that time, it was nearly midnight and way past my bedtime. So, when some of the gang headed to the Martini Bar and the casino, I went to my cabin. Tomorrow was going to be election day back home.

Celebrity BEYOND Transatlantic Cruise: Blog #8

It was Day 9 of our cruise. Time was going too quickly. It was also Election Day back home, and again it was part of the conversation all day. But it didn’t stop anyone from having fun. The day began for me as always with room service breakfast. Some think returning from a trip to Europe involves jet lag, but that is ameliorated when coming back by ship. But the real change for me, is when I wake up that first day at home, no one is knocking at the door at 7:30 with my coffee, juice, and a bagel. I actually have to walk a full block to Java House to get my coffee. To be honest, I never have a bagel at home, that is reserved for my cruises where overeating seems to be ok.

After a little writing, I once again headed to the gym to assuage the guilt of the bagel, and whatever else I would eat during the day. Sitting on the Lifecyle, and peddling, watching the ocean through the windows, I was surprised when it started to rain. Watching the rain slide down the windows as the ship continues to move forward, is kind of cool. But it meant no sundeck today. Didn’t stop me from treating myself to cappuccino after the gym. Today I was going to meet Scott and Dustin for lunch at Raw on Five, the great sushi restaurant on the ship. I was pleasantly surprised when Mark and his mom, and Piotr and his sister, Tatiana, joined us. Mark and Piotr, who insists he is a Peter, are great guys, who I had met on previous cruises and had dinner with when they visited DC. Scott and Dustin, as always, were great hosts and the food in the restaurant is always great and plentiful. The conversation included discussing a potential future cruise to the Norwegian Fjords which I was pushing Scott to investigate. It is another place on my bucket list.

After lunch it was another wonderful, and lazy, afternoon. Some more reading, and a look at MSNBC to see what they were predicting about the elections. TV viewing is limited on the ship. They have MSNBC to balance FOX and BBC. I have come to believe BBC is very right-wing.

Then it was suddenly happy hour time again. After happy hour some of us headed to the theater to see the magician, Matt Johnson. I had seen him on America’s Got Talent do a Houdini type escape from the water. Turns out he is a very likable guy, also English, now living in Vancouver, Canada, with loads of tattoos. He did levitate a woman he selected from the audience, and then escaped from a straight jacket while hanging upside down with an electric saw threatening him, if he couldn’t reach the bottom to stop it within 60 seconds. Thankfully he did, or his next show, which he had already been paid for, couldn’t have happened.

Seriously, it was a good show. After the show Mary, Nancy, and I headed to the Cosmopolitan restaurant, one of the four main dining rooms, and had a relaxed dinner. After dinner I wandered around the ship, headed to the Martini Bar to see who was around, but realized I was very nervous about the elections, and headed back to the cabin and turned-on MSNBC and brought up the New York Times on my computer to wait for results. MSNBC was going to have Steve Kornacki on with his running commentary on the chances each candidate had, as the results started to come in.

As the polls started closing at 7 p.m. East Coast Time, that was about 10 p.m. ship time, it was quickly becoming clear that Democrats were going to have a good night. The first race he called was Andy Beshear (D) winning reelection by a good margin in Kentucky, a very red state. I was still holding my breath for Virginia and hoping voters there would hand a defeat to MAGA Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin. When it was clear they did, I went back to the column I was preparing for the Blade and headlined it: “Virginia is for lovers, and Democrats.” By the time I turned off the TV at about 1 a.m. I knew it had been a good night for Democrats.

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We’re all suffering in Trump’s alternate universe

We must throw MAGA sycophants out of Congress in 2026

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President Donald Trump (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

We are all stuck for the moment, suffering in Trump’s alternate universe, where it’s OK to lie and insult foreign leaders who are your guests in the White House. Where it’s OK to lie and say you have a beautiful bill that won’t add to the deficit when it’s actually a disgusting bill that will add $4 trillion to the deficit. Where it’s OK to screw the poor and make the rich richer. Where you can scapegoat trans people and make their lives hell. Where you can invite racist South Africans into our country, and send legally here Venezuelans back home, to maybe face death. Where it is OK to take grift from Qatar in the form of a $400 million plane that will cost the American taxpayer over a billion dollars to retrofit for your sorry lying ass to use. That is the Trump alternate universe we all currently live in. 

But as this alternate universe begins to unravel, I have a gut feeling the American people, or at least enough to make a difference, will wake up one morning and say ‘we’ve had it with you and your MAGA cult’ and finally rebel. My hope is they do it in time for the 2026 mid-term elections. By then there will be very few Americans who themselves, have a friend, or relative, who have not been negatively impacted from the actions taken in Trump’s alternate universe. They, or someone they know, will have lost their job. They will have lost their healthcare, or know someone who did, or find their rural hospital has closed. They or someone they know will have trouble applying for Social Security because their local office has been closed. They will know a veteran who can’t access their healthcare, because they were fired, or their VA hospital has fired so many care givers. They will see their grocery bill go up, and all the Christmas gifts they hoped to buy for their children become unaffordable because of Trump’s tariffs. They will see their rent rise, and have no recourse but to find the money to pay it, or lose their home. They will be told they can no longer get their annual flu or COVID vaccination, and even if they could, their health insurance will no longer pay for it, and that is if they still have health insurance. Their prayers for a cure for their own, a relative, or friends’ illness; cancer, Alzheimer’s, MS, or HIV/AIDS, will have been dashed, as in Trump’s alternative universe all the research looking for those cures has been defunded. 

They will wake up one morning to a nightmare realizing Trump lied to them. That he has appointed the biggest collection of incompetent fools ever to run the government. They will finally understand it’s not the government that is bad, but rather Trump and his MAGA minions. They will see too late that in Trump’s alternate universes it was OK to fire the people at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) so we no longer get predictions of hurricanes and tornadoes, which allowed communities to get advance warning. Then when they hit and create havoc and death, people will find out in Trump’s alternate universe the Federal Emergency and Management Administration (FEMA) has been defunded, so there is no help for them to rebuild their lives. 

I believe that one morning people will wake up to reality, and realize that yes, President Biden was diminished and should have said earlier he wouldn’t run for a second term. But their lives were still better and safer than they are now in Trump’s alternate universe. It is Trump who is diminished, and is diminishing them, while screwing them. They will recognize in Trump’s alternate universe the poor in the United States are expendable and don’t matter except as pawns in his desire to rule the world. He thinks it’s OK to screw the heroic people of Ukraine, and all of our allies in NATO, as he bows down and kisses Putin’s ass. That he can actually talk about displacing millions of Palestinians, so he can steal their homeland, and build a resort. That he can go to the Middle East, bow to their sheiks, and cut deals for his private company to build hotels and resorts. 

So again, it is my hope and prayer, that before 2026 they will realize Trump never had a mandate from them, the people, to enter his alternate universe. Contrary to his rants, while he won the last election, the vote was split nearly evenly. So, it won’t take many voters to throw his MAGA sycophants out of Congress in 2026. It won’t take many to rise up and say, “We have had it with your alternate universe.” They will refuse to continue to live in Trump’s alternate universe, where we get hurt, and you and your friends get richer on our backs. They will say, “We are ready to reclaim our country, to bring back common decency. You will not continue to lie to us and we will not continue to be fooled. We finally see through you, and see who you really are. We will keep you from doing any more harm to us, and our country, in your last two years in office.” Then the people will cast Trump and his MAGA sycophants in Congress out. They will see to it that he ends up on the dust heap of history and ensure that one day his tombstone will read “Here lies the lying felon who tried to destroy our county, but we stopped him, and took it back.” 

We the people, will eventually win against Trump’s alternate universe, because good does finally triumph over evil, and Donald Trump, you are proving to be pure evil. 


Peter Rosenstein is a longtime LGBTQ rights and Democratic Party activist.

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A WorldPride call to action

Lavender Interfaith Collective united for justice, liberation, joy, and love

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(Screenshot courtesy of WorldPride's website)

Across faiths, identities, and nations, we are united by one unshakable truth: every person is worthy, every voice sacred, every body divine. Our unity is not rooted in a single tradition but in a collective belief in the sacred worth of every person. We uphold the fundamental principle of religious freedom, recognizing that no faith should dictate the governance of our nation. We reject all attempts to impose religious values, symbols, or authority upon our shared civic life, united in our commitment to a society where all traditions — and those who follow none — are equally respected. In the face of forces that seek to divide, erase, and harm, we unite as one — rooted in justice, driven by love, and committed to a future where liberation is not just an ideal but a lived reality. 

We call upon all to embrace joy as resistance — to dance, to celebrate, to laugh, to live loudly. In a world that weaponizes despair, joy is our defiance. It is our fuel, our sustenance, and our reminder that liberation is not just survival — it is thriving. 

We call upon the LGBTIQ+ community to embrace the common ground that unites us in the fight for dignity and liberation. Though our experiences and identities vary, we share a sacred commitment to intersectional justice. We will not be divided by differences; instead, we will center solidarity, knowing that our shared struggle is our greatest strength. 

We call upon people of faith across the globe to join in radical solidarity — not just in the United States, but across borders, traditions, and languages. Justice is not bound by geography; neither is our love, resistance, or advocacy. Let faith be the force that binds us together, not the tool that tears us apart. 

We call upon faith communities to be places of compassion, healing, and activism — spaces that do not merely welcome but actively uplift, renew, and give witness to inclusion and intersectional justice. Let our faith be evident in the way we fight for each other, hold space for each other, and refuse to leave anyone behind. 

We call upon faith leaders to unite in advocacy and pastoral care, challenging their communities to make visible the lives of those under attack, and providing education on trans and nonbinary realities, human sexuality, nonviolent social change, and the systems that increase vulnerabilities to harm and violence. Knowledge is power, understanding is liberation, and faith must never be a tool for harm — it must be a beacon of transformation. 

We call upon faith leaders to amplify trans theologians. Their voices, wisdom, and spiritual insights must not remain in the shadows. Let pulpits, platforms, and sacred spaces be filled with trans-theological perspectives, ensuring that faith itself becomes a force of liberation. With care and consent, we commit to sharing their work, making sure their voices reach the wider faith community. 

We call upon advocates to join in solidarity — bearing each other’s burdens not with judgment, but with grace. Intersectional justice demands action against homophobia, transphobia, biphobia, ableism, racism, white supremacy, any religious nationalism, and every system of oppression. We must reject policies that strip our communities of essential services, including gender affirming care, HIV, reproductive health, and other programs addressing public health, medical research, housing, education, and services for persons with disabilities. Justice is not selective; it is intersectional. We cannot be free until we all are. 

We call upon all people of conscience to hold elected officials to account that they defend the Constitution, oppose self-dealing by public officials, resist transactional, market-driven approaches that dismantle collaborative spaces and institutions, and uphold the inherent dignity of every human being. No exceptions. No compromises. Let us rise up against the forces that weaken democracy and erode our shared humanity. 

We call upon the world to reimagine love as revolutionary and decolonizing — to see faith, justice, and neighborliness through a lens that liberates rather than oppresses. Let us honor the activism, resistance, and resilience that drive change. And let us refuse narratives of powerlessness. We are not powerless. We are powerful beyond measure. It is an imperative to protect, uplift, and fight for our neighbors everywhere. 

Above all, we call for self-care — for the nourishment that sustains movements, the rest that strengthens resistance, and the healing that ensures we do not lose ourselves in the fight for liberation. 

This is the charge. This is the sacred work.  

We are boldly, unapologetically, and unshakably committed to collective liberation. Together, unstoppable, and unafraid. 

More information about the Lavender Interfaith Collective can be found here.

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Lesotho

Lesotho is an example of the power of communities

People’s Matrix Association’s tangible policy reforms have changed lives

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A Pride event in Lesotho (Photo courtesy of the People's Matrix Association)

This year’s International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism, and Transphobia (IDAHOBiT) celebrates the diversity within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer (LGBTIQ+) communities, from grassroots movements to regional and global networks, by honoring our varied and intersecting backgrounds, identities, and experiences. The 2025 theme highlights how strength and resilience grow through collective solidarity and open dialogue. It recognizes the transformative power of conversations bridging differences, fostering understanding, and building alliances. Through these dialogues, activists, human rights defenders, civil society groups, allies, and governments are shaping narratives and advancing equal rights.

“Motho ke motho ka batho!” or “A person is a person through other people!”

While many countries have seen policy reforms related to LGBTIQ+ people after lengthy court battles, the LGBTIQ+ community in Lesotho has a different experience and has taken a different approach, which has opened the doors to transformation.

At the heart of this story is the People’s Matrix Association, whose strategic, community-rooted advocacy has led to tangible policy reforms that have changed lives and set a powerful example for the region. At the core of this, they have been using dialogue as one of their core values and strategies to achieve legislative and social reform.

The power of collectiveness

The Basotho people’s innate emphasis on mutual respect, conversation, and shared humanity laid a strong foundation for meaningful engagement. With this understanding, the People’s Matrix Association focuses on building strong bridges with government officials, police, teachers, parents, and traditional leaders. Although not a walk in the park, activists have significantly succeeded in engaging with and encouraging policymakers to see LGBTIQ+ people as deserving of fundamental rights, such as dignity and equality and not as political pawns for popular votes.

The power of Pride

Despite facing pushbacks, stigma, and violence, the community remains steadfast. They organize, mobilize, and build alliances with broader human rights movements for deeper inclusion and intersectionality. For example, the IDAHOBiT and Pride celebrations play a crucial role in reaffirming LGBTIQ+ existence and further strengthening and inspiring unity. They enable Basotho LGBTIQ+ people to claim and occupy spaces.

The power of resilience as a catalyst for change

In 2024, the parliament of Lesotho amended the Labor Act 2024 to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and HIV status. This bold move solidified Lesotho as one of the few countries in Southern Africa to protect LGBTIQ+ people in the workplace, after South Africa and Botswana. And all this happened without a court ruling. This amendment means that LGBTIQ+ people and people living with HIV have legal recourse against hate and discrimination in the workplace. A giant step towards dignity, affirmation, and economic inclusion.

Rights under attack

Early this year, Lesotho came under attack by the Trump administration. On March 4, 2025, Trump made a claim about the People’s Matrix Association receiving $8 million to promote LGBTIQ+ rights, adding that “nobody has ever heard of Lesotho.” This intentionally inaccurate disinformation has surprised many. Yet, during this moment of hostility, we witness the power of communities rallying in solidarity and using this moment to refute harmful narratives and the need to protect Lesotho’s values, which are: “U se ke ua re ho moroa, moroa tooe!” and “Motho ke motho ka batho!”

But it does not end there, in recent months, Lesotho has witnessed a rise in attacks towards LGBTIQ+ identifying individuals, fueled by an increase in misinformation, disinformation, discrimination and online hate. These threats and violence have put the community on edge. External forces, such as false sentiments, further make LGBTIQ+ people targets of hate.

Despite these challenges, LGBTIQ+ communities in Lesotho continue to organize, speak out, and build alliances to defend human rights. Now more than ever, the power of communities theme is important and relevant in protecting the gains made in advancing equal rights in Lesotho.

Tampose Mothopeng is a transgender human rights defender, publisher, and executive director of the People’s Matrix Association that championing the rights of LGBTIQ+ people. Bradley Fortuin is a consultant at the Southern Africa Litigation Center and a social justice activist.

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