a&e features
Remembering those we lost in 2023
World’s oldest drag performer, PR guru to the stars among those who died
The many acclaimed LGBTQ people and allies who died in 2023 include:
Frank Galati, an internationally acclaimed writer, director, and actor, known for directing “Ragtime” on Broadway and his Chicago theater work, which included his adaptation of “The Grapes of Wrath,” died on Jan. 2 in Sarasota, Fla. at 79 from complications of cancer.
Lily Chavez, a beloved D.C. nightlife figure, died on Jan. 8 at age 35 from complications of Lupus. Chavez was the box office cashier at D.C.’s Town Danceboutique, a bartender at Annie’s and Level 1 restaurants and the gay bar Cobalt, the Blade reported.
Sal Piro, a fan of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” who saw the camp classic some 1,300 times and founded “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” fan club, died at 72 on Jan. 22 at his Manhattan home from an aneurysm in his esophagus.
Everett Quinton, an actor, director, and leader of the Ridiculous Theatrical Company after his partner Charles Ludlam’s death in 1987, died on Jan. 23 in Brooklyn, Ny. at 71 from glioblastoma, a fast-moving cancer.
Albert Russell, an acclaimed organist and music director from 1966 to 1984 of St. John’s Episcopal Church on Lafayette Square in D.C. (often called the “Church of the Presidents”), died at 91 from complications of a fall on Jan. 23 at his Washington home.
Dr. Charles Silverstein, a psychologist, whose presentation as a graduate student helped to persuade the American Psychiatric Association to stop pathologizing being queer, died on Jan. 30 at age 87 at his Manhattan home from lung cancer. He founded the Institute for Human Identity, which provides mental health service to LGBTQ clients.
Shinta Ratri, an Indonesian transgender activist, who founded an Islamic boarding school that provides a safe space for trans women, died on Feb. 1 at 60 from a heart attack in Yogyakarta, a city on the Indonesian island of Java.
Adrian Hall, the founding artistic director of the Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, R.I., who revitalized regional theater in Dallas and other cities, died at 95 on Feb. 4 in a hospital in Tyler, Texas.
Donald Spoto, a biographer whose more than two-dozen subjects included Joan of Arc, Jesus, Alfred Hitchcock and Grace Kelly, died at 81 on Feb. 11 in Koege, Denmark from a brain hemorrhage.
Howard Bragman, a publicist who advised celebrities involved in scandals and queer clients who were coming out, died at 66 on Feb. 11 from leukemia in Los Angeles.
John E. Woods, an award-winning translator of Thomas Mann, died on Feb. 15 in Berlin at 80 from a lung ailment and skin cancer.
Royston Ellis, a British Beat poet whose spoken word performances accompanied the Beatles, Jimmy Page and other performers before they became rock stars, died on Feb. 26 at 82 from heart failure in Induruwa, Sri Lanka.
Georgina Beyer, believed to be the first transgender member of Parliament in New Zealand, died on March 6 at 65 in a Wellington, New Zealand hospice.
Ian Falconer, whose popular children’s books featuring Olivia, an endearing, charming pig, delighted kids and adults, died on March 7 at 63 in Norwalk, Conn., from kidney failure.
Julie Anne Peters, author of “Luna,” whose books were widely banned, died on March 21 at 71 at her Wheat Ridge, Colo. home. “Luna,” released in 2004, is believed to be the first young-adult novel with a transgender character to come out from a mainstream publisher.
Walter Cole, the world’s oldest drag performer known as Darcelle XV died March 23 at 92 at a Portland, Ore. hospital.
James Bowman, a British countertenor known for his performance as Oberon in Benjamin Britten’s opera “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and Apollo in Britten’s opera “Death in Venice,” died at 81 on March 27 at his home in Redhill, south of London.
Raghavan Iyer, an American-born chef and author who introduced Americans to Indian cuisine, died on March 31 at 61 in San Francisco from pneumonia complicated by colorectal cancer that had metastasized to his lungs and brain.
Rachel Pollack, a transgender activist and authority on tarot, who created the first trans DC Comics superheroine, died at 77 on April 7 from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in Rhinebeck, N.Y.
Gail Christian, a trailblazing, acclaimed Black NBC News and PBS correspondent, died on April 12 at 83 in Los Angeles from complications of intestinal surgery.
Helen Thorington, a trailblazer in radio and internet art, died at 94 on April 13 from complications of Alzheimer’s disease in Lincoln, Mass.
Koko Da Doll, 35, a Black transgender woman, who was featured in “Kokomo City,” an award-winning documentary about four Black transgender sex workers, was killed in Atlanta on April 18.
Barry Humphries, the Australian-born actor and comic, who created the divine and beloved Dame Edna, died on April 22 in Sydney at 89 several days after having hip surgery.
Robert Patrick, a playwright whose 1964 play “The Haunted Host,” The New York Times has called “a touchstone of early gay theater,” died at 85 on April 23 from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease at his Los Angeles home.
Harry Belafonte, a barrier-breaking singer, actor, civil rights activist and LGBTQ ally, known as the “King of Calypso,” died on April 25 at 96 from congestive heart failure at his Manhattan home.
David Miranda, an ally of Edward J. Snowden and an advocate for LGBTQ rights in Brazil’s Congress, who was born in the slums of Rio de Janeiro, died at 37 on May 9. He died in a Rio de Janeiro hospital intensive care unit after battling an abdominal infection for nine months.
Renowned queer, avant-garde artist Kenneth Anger, known for his surreal films, died at 96 on May 11 in a care facility in Yucca Valley, Calif. Anger wrote two “Hollywood Babylon” books, which were filled with gossip. These works were thought to be based on rumors, not facts.
Helmut Berger, an Austrian actor who was known for his work in films directed by the acclaimed filmmaker Luchino Visconti, died at 78 on May 18 at his Salzburg home.
Tina Turner, the legendary singer, who performed at the first Gay Games in 1982, died on May 24 at 83 at her home in Kusnacht, Switzerland after a long illness.
George Maharis, an actor who was a star in the iconic TV show “Route 66,” died at 94 on May 24 at his Beverly Hills, Calif. home.
Jon Haggins, a fashion designer, who was acclaimed for, what The New York Times called his “sinuous, sensuous” 1960s and early 70s designs, died on June 15 at 79 at his Queens, N.Y. home.
The drummer for the Texas acid-punk band Butthole Surfers, Teresa Taylor, died at 60 on June 18 from lung cancer. She was beloved by Gen-Xers for her appearance in the 1990 movie “Slacker.”
Robert Black, an acclaimed bassist and a founding member of the renowned Bang on a Can All-Stars ensemble, died at 67 on June 22 from colon cancer at his Hartford, Conn. home.
David Richards, a theater critic, who was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for his work for the The Washington Post, and, briefly, chief drama critic for The New York Times, died at 82 on June 24 in a Warrenton, Va. hospital. The cause of death was complications from Parkinson’s disease.
Michele Judith Ballotta, a.k.a. Mickie, a beloved advocate for the fight against breast cancer and other causes, died on June 24 at age 67 in Seaford, Md.
Lilli Vincenz, a groundbreaking LGBTQ rights activist, psychotherapist and documentary filmmaker, died at 85 on June 27 of natural causes at her residence at an Oakton, Va. assisted living center.
Dr. Susan Love, a surgeon, public health advocate, author, researcher and founder of the National Breast Cancer Coalition, died at 75 on July 2 from a recurrence of leukemia at her Los Angeles home. At the time of her death, she was chief visionary office of the Dr. Susan Love Foundation.
Minnie Bruce Pratt, an acclaimed lesbian poet, essayist and LGBTQ activist, died at 76 from an aggressive brain tumor on July 2 at a hospice in Syracuse, N.Y.
Cheri Pies, author of the landmark 1985 book “Considering Parenthood: A Workbook for Lesbians,” died at 73 from cancer on July 4 at her Berkeley, Calif. home.
The Rev. A. Stephen Pieters, a gay minister, who had AIDS and spoke about being gay and having the disease to church congregations in the 1980s when homophobia was the norm, died at 70 on July 8 from a sepsis infection at a Glendale, Calif. hospital. His memoir “Love Is Greater Than AIDS: A Memoir of Survival, Healing, and Hope” will be released in 2024.
Amos Badertscher, a photographer whose empathetic portraits of hustlers, sex workers and drag queens in Baltimore are in institutions devoted to queer art from the Leslie-Loman Museum of Art in New York to the ONE Archives in Los Angeles, died on July 24. He died in Baltimore at age 86 from complications from a fall.
Sinead O’Connor, the pop singer, who was acclaimed, but reviled for denouncing pedophilia in the Catholic Church, and, in 1992, tearing up a photo of Pope John Paul II on “Saturday Night Live,” died at 56 on July 26.
James “Hawk” Crutchfield, a U.S. Air Force veteran and U.S. Federal Communications Commission career program analyst, died at 77 of natural causes in his D.C. home on July 29. For more than four decades, Crutchfield was “devoted” to volunteer leadership to at least eight D.C.-area LGBTQ D.C. organizations, the Blade reported.
Paul Reubens, the actor and comedian who created and portrayed the iconic and beloved character Pee-Wee Herman, died at 70 on July 30 from cancer in a Los Angeles hospital.
Jess Search, a gender nonconforming producer of documentaries focusing on marginalized groups, died at 54 on July 31 in a London hospital from brain cancer. Search helped to start-up the Doc Society, a group that supports documentarians.
Carmen Xtravaganza, a ballroom legend and transgender activist, who was featured in the documentary “Paris Is Burning,” died at 62 on Aug. 4. Before her death, she had been struggling with stage 4 lung cancer.
Sarah Wunsch, a civil liberties lawyer known for her work on race, gender ,and free speech issues, died at 75 on Aug. 17 at her Brookline, Mass. home from complications of a stroke.
Janne Marie Harrelson, who had a 32-year career at Gallaudet University, died at 70 on Aug. 23 from Ovarian cancer while in hospice care in Rockville, Md. She held multiple leadership positions at Gallaudet, including director, National Mission Planning and director, Gallaudet University Regional Centers.
Michael Leva, an acclaimed 1980s fashion designer, who was on the cover of the (now defunct) weekly “7 Days” for its “Designers on the Verge” feature, and later a prominent fashion executive, died at 62 on Sept. 14 in Providence, R.I. from heart failure.
Erwin Olaf, a Dutch photographer acclaimed for his portraits of counterculture celebs and Dutch royalty died at 64 on Sept. 20 in Groningen, the Netherlands from complications of a lung transplant.
John F. Benton, 72, who worked in management at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum and other government agencies for more than four decades, died on Sept 20 after a short illness at the Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington the Blade reported.
Pat Arrowsmith, 93, a British author, anti-war activist and Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament co-founder, who worked with Amnesty International, died on Sept. 27 at her North London home.
Rudy Perez, a choreographer and postmodern dance pioneer died at 93 on Sept. 29 from complications of asthma at his Los Angeles home.
Beverly Willis, a trailblazing, acclaimed architect, who advocated for omen striving to break through in the profession, died at 95 on Oct. 1 from complications of Parkinson’s disease at her Branford, Conn., home.
James Jorden, a writer and creator of the high culture, yet punk opera zine-turned-website Parterre Box, died at 69 on Oct. 2. He was found dead at his Sunnyside, Queens home, The New York Times reported.
Terence Davies, 77, a British director whose acclaimed films included “The House of Mirth,” “A Quiet Passion” and “Benediction,” died on Oct. 7, after what his manager said was “a short illness,” at his home in Mistley, Essex in England.
Margot Polivy, a lawyer, champion of women in college sports and a tireless advocate for Title IX, died at 85 on Oct. 7 at her Washington home.
Steven Lutvak, 64, a composer and lyricist whose show “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder” won the Tony Award for best musical, died on Oct. 9 from a pulmonary embolism at his Manhattan work studio.
Eva Kollisch, 98, in her teens, fled Nazi-occupied Austria. Kollisch, who grew up to be a prominent lesbian rights advocate, feminist studies scholar and memoirist, died from a chest infection on Oct. 10 at her Manhattan home.
Jack Anderson, a dance critic for The New York Times for five decades, died at 88 in a New York City hospital from sepsis on Oct. 20.
Amber Hollibaugh, 77, an activist, organizer, author of “My Dangerous Desires: A Queer Girl Dreaming Her Way Home” and self-educated public intellectual in the LGBTQ+, feminist, sexual liberation and economic justice movements, died from complications of diabetes on Oct. 20, the Blade reported.
David Del Tredici, a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, acclaimed for his pieces that set parts of “Alice in Wonderland” to music, died at 86 from Parkinson’s disease on Nov. 18 at his Greenwich Village home.
Carlton D. Pearson, a pastor who was cast aside by his evangelical megachurch after he said he didn’t believe in hell and began advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, died at 70 on Nov. 19 from cancer in a Tulsa, Okla. hospice. Pearson, whose life story was told in a Netflix movie, moved on from his evangelical church to become a minister with the United Church of Christ, a liberal Christian denomination.
Brandon “RBC” Gordon, 41, a Greenbelt City Council member, who started the Greenbelt Pride festival in 2022, died on Nov. 26. Gordon, who worked to make the community more inclusive, identified as a “transamorous heterosexual man,” The Washington Post, reported.
LGBTQ ally Norman Lear, the TV writer and producer whose TV shows, from “All in the Family” to “Maude,” transformed the culture, died at 101 on Dec. 5 at his Los Angeles home.
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MISTR’s Tristan Schukraft on evolution of HIV prevention
From ACT UP to apps, embracing stigma-free care
It was not too long ago that an HIV diagnosis was read as a death sentence. In its earlier decades, the HIV/AIDS crisis was synonymous with fear and loss, steeped in stigma. Over recent years, open conversation and science have come together to combat this stigma while proactively paving the way for life-saving treatments and preventive measures like PrEP. Now, in 2026, with discreet and modern platforms that meet people where they’re at in their lives, HIV prevention has evolved from hushed words of warning into something far more sex-positive and accessible. Game-changing services like MISTR are a testament to this shift, showing our community that healthcare doesn’t have to feel clinical or shaming to work. It can be empowering and, dare I say, celebratory.
Few people embody this evolution quite like Tristan Schukraft, founder of MISTR. With one hand in healthcare and the other high-fiving through queer nightlife, Schukraft gets that, from the bar to the bedroom and beyond, prevention happens in person and in real life. His approach has helped turn PrEP, DoxyPEP, and testing into normalized parts of our daily queer life, reaching hundreds of thousands of people across the US.
In our conversation, Schukraft shares candidly about stigma, policy, and why the future of sexual health depends on keeping it real.
BLADE: You have one hand in healthcare and the other in nightlife and queer spaces. Can you share with us how these two spheres impact and inform each other? How do they impact and inform you?
SCHUKRAFT: Honestly, for me, they’ve never been separate. Nightlife and queer spaces are where people meet, date, hook up, fall in love, and make friends. That’s real life. Being in queer spaces all the time keeps me grounded and reminds me who we’re building MISTR for.
BLADE: MISTR markets sexual health in a sex-positive, stigma-free fashion. Can you share with us how you measure the impact of this approach?
SCHUKRAFT: This year, we held the first-ever National PrEP Day. Dua Lipa performed, and Cardi B was there. After the event, Cardi B went on her Instagram live to encourage people to sign up for PrEP.
When you make sexual health stigma-free and sex positive, people talk about it. We see it in how people use the platform. When 700,000 people are willing to sign up, get tested, start PrEP, and add things like DoxyPEP, that tells us we’ve made it feel safe and normal instead of scary or awkward. And then we see it in the results. Since we expanded DoxyPEP, STI positivity among our patients dropped by half.
BLADE: How have you seen the conversation of sexual health in our LGBTQ+ community change in mainstream culture in recent years?
SCHUKRAFT: Ten years ago, nobody was casually talking about PrEP, and if they did, it likely referenced one being a Truvada whore. Now it’s part of the culture. Popstars like Troye Sivan post pictures of their daily PrEP pill on social media. Cardi B goes on Instagram Live telling people to get on PrEP.
For many sexually active gay men, taking PrEP is simply part of the gay experience. For people in more remote areas, it might not be as talked about. Particularly in rural or more conservative places, MISTR can be a life-changing option. No awkward visits to the family doctor or the local pharmacy where everybody knows your business. It’s all done discreetly online and shipped straight to your door.
BLADE: You have publicly argued that cuts to government HIV prevention funding are of high risk. Would you please elaborate for us on what those budget decisions mean on an individual level?
SCHUKRAFT: It means real people fall through the cracks. Someone doesn’t get tested. Someone waits too long to start PrEP. Someone finds out they’re HIV-positive later than they should have. Community clinics will be the hardest hit, especially those in underserved communities. The good news is that MISTR is ready to help people who might lose their access to care. All you need to do is sign up at mistr.com, and it’s totally free with or without insurance.
BLADE: From your (and MISTR’s) perspective, how do these funding cuts threaten ongoing efforts to end the HIV epidemic?
SCHUKRAFT: For the first time, we have all the tools to end HIV. If everybody who is HIV negative is taking PrEP and everyone HIV+ is virally suppressed, we can end all new HIV transmissions in the United States. We have everything we need today. All we need is to get more people on PrEP. Cutting funding risks losing that momentum. Ending HIV requires scale and consistency. Every time funding gets cut, you lose momentum, trust, and infrastructure, and rebuilding that takes years.
HIV transmissions don’t pause because budgets change.
BLADE: In our current climate of decreased federal investment, what role do you feel private healthcare and business should play in sexual health?
SCHUKRAFT: With reports that the current administration is considering cuts to HIV and prevention funding, we face a moment of reckoning. At the same time, some employers are seeking to exclude PrEP and HIV prevention from their coverage on religious freedom grounds. If these challenges succeed, and if federal funding is slashed, the consequences for public health will be devastating. But this is where the private sector must step up to fill the gap, bridge divides, and deliver results.
Businesses have the power and platform to normalize HIV prevention and drive measurable outcomes. At MISTR, we see firsthand what’s possible: since introducing DoxyPEP, STI positivity rates among our patients have been cut in half. But it’s not just about medication. It’s about messaging.
Our sex-positive, stigma-free marketing speaks directly to our community, making sexual health part of everyday life. No awkward doctor visits, no needles, no paperwork — just free online PrEP and STI testing, prescribed by real physicians and delivered to your door. That kind of impact could grow exponentially if more employers embraced this approach and made HIV prevention part of their employee wellness programs.
Employers, this is your call to action. Start by making sure your health plans cover PrEP and DoxyPEP. Partner with platforms like MISTR to give employees private, stigma-free access to care. Offer on-site testing. Talk openly about sexual health, not just during Pride, but every day of the year. This is not political — this is about protecting lives, strengthening communities, and building a healthier, more productive workforce. Because healthy employees aren’t just good for public health — they’re good for business.
When the private sector steps up, outcomes improve. And when businesses align with platforms like MISTR, scaling impact isn’t just possible — it’s happening.
BLADE: Has MISTR experienced any direct effects from these recent shifts in public health funding?
SCHUKRAFT: MISTR’s unique model is totally free for patients with or without insurance, and we don’t cost the government or taxpayers a penny. We are scaling up our efforts to reach people who might be losing their access or care.
BLADE: What would be your message to policymakers who are considering further cuts to HIV/AIDS programs?
SCHUKRAFT: During his first term, President Donald Trump committed unprecedented resources to the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative here at home. Bipartisan support has shown what’s possible when bold leadership meets smart strategy. To policymakers: I urge you to reconsider any cuts to HIV prevention funding. This is not the time to pull back. It’s the time to push forward. Ending HIV is within reach — but only if government, private industry, and community organizations stand together.
BLADE: What is one perhaps overlooked win from last year that impacted you on a personal level?
SCHUKRAFT: Seeing our STI positivity rate drop by half after expanding DoxyPEP.
BLADE: Looking at the year ahead, what are MISTR’s most significant priorities for sexual health in 2026?
SCHUKRAFT: Expanding access, especially in the South and in communities that still get left out. Rolling out injectable PrEP. And just continuing to make sexual healthcare easier and more normal.
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Visible and unapologetic: MAL brings the kink this weekend
Busy lineup includes dances, pups, super heroes, and more
MLK Weekend in D.C. brings the annual Mid-Atlantic Leather (MAL) Weekend. Just a short walk from where Congress has been attacking queer Americans this year, MAL takes place at the Hyatt Regency Washington for several days of intrigue, excitement, leather, and kink.
The Centaur Motorcycle Club — one of several similar groups dedicated to leather in the country — has been hosting MAL in its current form for more than 40 years. Originally a small gathering of like-minded people interested in the leather lifestyle, MAL has grown to include a full four days of events, taking place onsite at the Hyatt Regency Washington (400 New Jersey Ave., N.W.). Select partner happenings take place each night, and many more non-affiliated events are scattered across the DMV in honor of and inspired by MAL.
MAL Weekend has become an internationally renowned event that celebrates fetish culture, yet it also raises funds for LGBTQ organizations, “reinforcing its legacy as both a cultural and philanthropic cornerstone of the global leather community,” according to MAL organizers.
During the day, MAL events at the Hyatt include workshops, social gatherings, shopping, and other in-person engagements for the community.
“The Hyatt underwent an extensive top to bottom renovation after last year’s event,” says Jeffrey LeGrand-Douglass, the event chair. The lobby, meeting spaces, guest rooms, and other areas have been updated, he notes, “so I am very excited for our guests to experience the new design and layout for the first time. And of course as with every year, we look forward to the contest on Sunday afternoon and seeing who will become our new Mr. MAL.”
In the evening, MAL hands the reins to partner KINETIC Presents, the D.C.-based nightlife production company. KINETIC will host four consecutive nights of high-production events that fuse cutting-edge music, immersive environments, and performance. This year, KINETIC is popping open doors to new-to-MAL venues, international collabs, play zones, and a diverse lineup.
According to KINETIC managing partner Zach Renovátes, 2026 is the most extensive MAL production to date. “The talent lineup is unreal: an all-star roster of international DJs, plus drag superstar performances at the Saturday main event,” he says.
Renovátes added that he’s “most excited about the collaborations happening all weekend — from bringing in MACHO from WE Party Madrid, to teaming up with local leather groups, to nonprofit partners, and Masc Diva [a queer nightlife collective].”
Official MAL events begin on Thursday with the Full Package/Three Day Pass Pick-Up from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the Hyatt.
Thursday night is also the KINETIC kickoff party, called LUST. Running 10 p.m. – 3 a.m., it’s being held at District Eagle. DJ Jay Garcia holds it down on the first floor, while DJ Mitch Ferrino spins in the expansive upstairs. LUST features special performances from the performers including Serg Shepard, Arrow, Chase, and Masterpiece.
Renovátes notes that the LUST opening party at District Eagle coincides with the bar’s grand re-opening weekend. The bar will unveil its new permanent home on the renovated second floor. “it felt like the perfect place to start Mid-Atlantic Leather weekend — right in D.C.’s only dedicated home for kink communities,” he says.
After Thursday night, Friday is when daytime events begin at the Hyatt. The Exhibit Hall, on the ballroom level below the lobby, hosts upwards of 30 vendors, exhibitors, and booths with leather goods, fetish wear, clothes, toys, other accessories, providing hours of time to shop and connect with attendees and business owners. The Exhibit Hall will be open on Friday from 4-10 p.m., as well as on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
DC Health is once again back at MAL, to provide preventative health services. In the past, DC Health has provided MPox vaccines, Doxy PEP, HIV testing, Narcan kits, and fentanyl test strips. This booth will be open on Friday 4-10 p.m.
Later, at 6 p.m., the Centaur MC is holding its welcome reception on the ballroom floor. After the Centaur’s Welcome Reception, the MIR Rubber Social is 8-11 p.m. A Recovery Meeting is scheduled at 10 p.m.
Many attendees enjoy visiting the guest room levels of the hotel. Note that to get in an elevator up to a hotel room, a staff member will check for a hotel room wristband. Non-registered guests can only access host hotel rooms if they are escorted by a registered guest with a valid wristband. Registered guests are permitted to escort only one non-registered guest at a time. Non-registered guests with a wristband who are already in the hotel before 10 p.m. may remain until midnight. However, non-registered guests without a wristband will not be admitted after registration closes.
Friday night, for the first time, KINETIC Presents is joining forces with WE Party to bring MACHO to Washington, D.C. This official MAL Friday event delivers two stages and two genres. On the UNCUT XXL stage, international Brazilian circuit superstars Erik Vilar and Anne Louise bring their signature high-energy sound. On the MACHO stage, Madrid’s Charly is joined by Chicago’s tech-house force, Karsten Sollors, for a blend of techno and tech house. UNCUT also features the XL Play Zone, a massive, immersive space exclusive to this event. The party takes place at the Berhta space from 10 p.m.-4 a.m..
“This year we’re bringing back the two-room format we debuted at WorldPride for both Friday and Saturday, so attendees can really tailor their experience — whether they’re in the mood for circuit or tech house.” says Renovátes.
Directly after Friday’s UNCUT XXL, UNDERWORLD Afters takes over District Eagle, from 3:30-8 a.m. International DJ Eliad Cohen commands the music.
Saturday, the Exhibit Hall opens earlier, at 11 a.m.. DC Health will also be back from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday is also time for one of the most anticipated events, the Puppy Mosh, running from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. During the event, pup culture comes to life, when pups, handlers, and friends can enjoy an inclusive, safe pup zone. There is also a Recovery Meeting at 11 a.m., and the IML Judges Announcement takes place at noon.
The popular Super Hero Meet Up will be held 1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m., sponsored by One Magical Weekend, for cosplayers, comic enthusiasts, and their friends.
From 2-6 p.m., the Onyx Fashion Show will take place to showcase and highlight people of color in leather.
Finally, the Leather Cocktail Party – the original event of MAL – will be held 7-9 p.m. in the Ballroom. While this requires special tickets to attend, at 9 p.m. is the MAL cocktail party, which is open to wider attendees.
The last event of Saturday leaves the hotel, again a partnership with KINETIC. Kicking off at 10 p.m. and running until 4 a.m., it’s just the second time that KINETIC’s Saturday night party is an official MAL event and serves as the main weekend engagement.
Saturday night’s centerpiece is called KINK: Double Trouble. The night will feature a first-ever back-to-back set from international electronic music icons Nina Flowers and Alex Acosta on the Circuit/Tribal Stage. The other room – the Tech House Stage – curated by The Carry Nation and Rose, provides a darker, underground counterpoint, reinforcing the event’s musical depth and edge.
Beyond the DJs, KINETIC has called in the big shots for this party: “RuPaul’s Drag Race” legends Nymphia Wind and Plastique Tiara are set to headline. The party also takes place at Berhta.
Sunday, back at the hotel, there will be another Recovery Meeting at 10 a.m., and the Exhibit Hall opens again from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
At 1 p.m., the anticipated and prestigious Mr. MAL Contest that celebrates the achievements of the leather community will be held in the Ballroom. This highly sought after title gives one man the power to become the Mid-Atlantic Leather man of the year. Sash and title winners must be (1) male, (2), a resident of North America, (3) At least 21 years of age; and (4) self-identify as gay. The first Mr. MAL was crowned in 1985. The Winner of Mr. MAL has the privilege of later competing in International Mr. Leather (IML) in Chicago on Memorial Day Weekend 2025.
From 4 p.m. to 12 a.m., MAL will hold its Game Night for the gaymers in attendance. There will also be a special screening of A24’s new film, “Pillion,” about a man who is swept off his feet when an enigmatic, impossibly handsome biker takes him on as his submissive.
Sunday closes with a community partner event produced by Masc Diva, featuring Horse Meat Disco with support from Coach Chris, at A.I. Warehouse in the Union Market district. It’s the same team that produced HMD during WorldPride at A.I. Warehouse.
Note that there are several types of passes for attendance to the hotel and parties. KINK VIP Weekend Passes include express entry, VIP areas, and enhanced amenities throughout the weekend, while MAL Full Weekend Package holders receive access to the official Sunday closing event.
At last year’s MAL events, KINETIC Presents raised more $150,000 for LGBTQ charities, and expects to match or exceed that impact in 2026.
Renovátes stated that “now more than ever, it’s important to create safe, affirming spaces for our community — but it’s just as important to be visible and unapologetic. We want to make it clear that the LGBTQ+ and leather communities aren’t going anywhere. We’ve fought too long and too hard to ever feel like we have to shrink ourselves again, no matter what the political climate looks like.”
In addition to the KINETIC events, various LGBTQ bars will hold parties celebrating the theme of the weekend. For example, Kiki, located on U Street NW, is hosting a party called KINKI, hosted by DJ Dez, on Saturday night. Sister bar Shakiki, on 9th Street NW, is hosting a party called Railed Out, a fetish-inspired party that features a play zone, on Thursday night. Flash, on U Street NW, will hold its infamous Flashy Sunday party to close out the weekend.
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Queer highlights of the 2026 Critics Choice Awards: Aunt Gladys, that ‘Heated Rivalry’ shoutout and more
Amy Madigan’s win in the supporting actress category puts her in serious contention to win the Oscar for ‘Weapons’
From Chelsea Handler shouting out Heated Rivalry in her opening monologue to Amy Madigan proving that horror performances can (and should) be taken seriously, the Critics Choice Awards provided plenty of iconic moments for queer movie fans to celebrate on the long road to Oscar night.
Handler kicked off the ceremony by recapping the biggest moments in pop culture last year, from Wicked: For Good to Sinners. She also made room to joke about the surprise hit TV sensation on everyone’s minds: “Shoutout to Heated Rivalry. Everyone loves it! Gay men love it, women love it, straight men who say they aren’t gay but work out at Equinox love it!”
The back-to-back wins for Jacob Elordi in Frankenstein and Amy Madigan in Weapons are notable, given the horror bias that awards voters typically have. Aunt Gladys instantly became a pop culture phenomenon within the LGBTQ+ community when Zach Cregger’s hit horror comedy released in August, but the thought that Madigan could be a serious awards contender for such a fun, out-there performance seemed improbable to most months ago. Now, considering the sheer amount of critics’ attention she’s received over the past month, there’s no denying she’s in the running for the Oscar.
“I really wasn’t expecting all of this because I thought people would like the movie, and I thought people would dig Gladys, but you love Gladys! I mean, it’s crazy,” Madigan said during her acceptance speech. “I get [sent] makeup tutorials and paintings. I even got one weird thing about how she’s a sex icon also, which I didn’t go too deep into that one.”
Over on the TV side, Rhea Seehorn won in the incredibly competitive best actress in a drama series category for her acclaimed performance as Carol in Pluribus, beating out the likes of Emmy winner Britt Lower for Severance, Carrie Coon for The White Lotus, and Bella Ramsey for The Last of Us. Pluribus, which was created by Breaking Bad’s showrunner Vince Gilligan, has been celebrated by audiences for its rich exploration of queer trauma and conversion therapy.
Jean Smart was Hack’s only win of the night, as Hannah Einbinder couldn’t repeat her Emmy victory in the supporting actress in a comedy series category against Janelle James, who nabbed a trophy for Abbott Elementary. Hacks lost the best comedy series award to The Studio, as it did at the Emmys in September. And in the limited series category, Erin Doherty repeated her Emmy success in supporting actress, joining in yet another Adolescence awards sweep.
As Oscar fans speculate on what these Critics Choice wins mean for future ceremonies, we have next week’s Golden Globes ceremony to look forward to on Jan. 11.
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