Crush Dance Bar will join a nationwide inaugural celebration of National PrEP Day during a Thursday event that will feature “RuPaul’s Drag Race” star Tatianna.

MISTR, the nation’s largest telehealth platform for sexual health, and its companion brand SISTR are together launching National PrEP Day on Friday. The campaign aims to end HIV in the U.S. by enrolling 10,000 people in PrEP within 10 days.

PrEP is a pill or injection that reduces the probability of HIV by up to 99 percent. 

MISTR and SISTR provide free, discreet PrEP delivery regardless of insurance status. The brands aim to promote stigma-free PrEP access for LGBTQ men and women of color during the campaign.

“We already have the tools to end HIV: the science, the medication, and the technology. What’s missing is the will, the access, and the equity,” said Tristan Schukraft, the founder and CEO of MISTR.

More than 39,000 people were diagnosed with HIV as recently as 2023. Only one in four of individuals eligible for PrEP are current users.

The Washington event is one of 16 events being held across the country to celebrate PrEP access and sexual health equity.

In addition to national events, MISTR is also behind a social media campaign encouraging people to sign up for PrEP. The national campaign will end with a National PrEP Day blue carpet event at The Abbey in West Hollywood, Calif., on Thursday, featuring celebrities and drag queens, to count down to National PrEP Day.

Competitors showed off carabiners, guitars, and Old Spice deodorant to a packed bar crowd during a “performative masc contest” held at Shakers on Sept. 25.

Alphabet Soup Events, a queer event organization focused on the sapphic community, organized the contest at the LGBTQ-friendly bar on the U Street Corridor. The free event reached capacity, with cheers echoing outside and a line of patrons trailing on to the sidewalk.

The competition instilled a queer twist on the “performative male contest,” an event popularized through social media and seen across college campuses in recent months. While the latter satirizes men feigning certain beliefs or appearances to attract women, Alphabet Soup Events tailored the concept to the sapphic community.

The contest began with 14 competitors “catwalking” across the stage. Some presented a bouquet of flowers to the crowd, flaunted vinyl records, and pretended to flip through popular books. The crowd then watched competitors answer a series of questions, such as their favorite hobbies or the most romantic thing they’ve done for a former partner.

Competitor Jack Harris ultimately emerged as the winner of the contest. They applauded the event for “inviting people to express themselves.”

“As someone who has been told that they’re not masculine enough, I thought competing in a performative masc lesbian contest would be a unique opportunity to show people what masculinity means to me,” Harris said.

Harris stated that feeling like themselves during the contest all while “playing up” their gender expression made the experience fun.

Alphabet Soup Events initially introduced the contest via Instagram on Sept. 9, garnering more than 3,000 likes on the announcement post. The organization has hosted events in cities across the U.S. and has arranged past events for Washington’s sapphic community, such as boxing classes, and astrology-focused speed dating.

Becca Gaylin, an event attendee, noted she was “so excited” to see a performative masc event at Shakers following the virality of performative male contests.

“The D.C. queer scene is amazing and there are lots of sapphic events, but honestly this is just such a silly way to poke fun at stereotypes and get people together in a low stakes easy way,” Gaylin said.

Beyond the stage, the night featured local vendors, including a tattoo artist and a psychedelic storefront.

Soon after the event, Alphabet Soup Events posted competitors’ Instagram accounts, divided into “Single” and “Not Single” categories. The organizers also teased a follow-up contest, writing “femmes… ur NEXT!” in an Instagram caption.

More information about Alphabet Soup Events can be found at their Instagram page.

The great gay summer migration is over, and the LGBTQ community has flocked back to D.C. only to be confronted with unwanted federal troops in the city. Yet the gay nightlife community maintains optimism, hope, and excitement, despite the political circumstances.

When the federal troop presence began in mid-August, bars reported steep losses in revenue and customers. The patrols also aligned with the regular seasonal downturn, as many regular patrons travel during this high vacation period. WUSA reported that restaurants and bars saw reduction in dining and reservation numbers and RAMW even extended Summer Restaurant Week for another seven days to encourage dining out. “Generally speaking, the community seems to be on edge,” says Ed Bailey, who owns Trade and Number Nine.

Dave Perruzza, who owns Pitchers, noted that sales have dropped by thousands of dollars, and foot traffic has drastically declined. The bar attempted to ameliorate the issue by throwing special events, but attendance remained low.

Yet, “the fall is traditionally the busiest time for nightlife in D.C.,” says Bailey. For that reason, “we are ramping up for a busy fall after an unusual summer [at the bar].” Trade, after unveiling its massive expansion that includes a larger outdoor patio, a pulsating dance floor, and a subterranean lair, is going to provide new programming for its expansion. Look out for a new monthly event with Flower Factory on the first Saturday of each month – as well as a huge party later this year to celebrate Trade’s 10-year anniversary. Number Nine, a bar around the corner, will be dressing up this fall with a pop-up bar catering to all the Pumpkin Spice vibes for the months of October and November.

“With all that D.C. has been going through, it is nice to have a full and robust nightlife to look forward to,” he says.

Mark Rutstein of Crush agrees. 

“We are ready for D.C. to get the love it deserves, and to return to the vibrant city it has always been. A reduction of crime is always welcomed, but this is excessive and scaring people who haven’t lived here. I’ve been here for over 25 years. It’s my home,” said Rutstein.

Keaton Fedak, owner of Kiki on U Street, says that, “No matter what happens outside, our community is always welcome here!”

“Coming off an amazing WorldPride where we witnessed the beauty of a united LGBTQ+ community, we must continue to use our collective voices to fight for our rights, spaces, and protections,” says Melvin Thomas, Outreach, Events and Marketing Manager at Kiki. “Every time I walk into Kiki and see our guests laughing, talking, hugging, kissing, and dancing, it reminds me how important it is for local LGBTQ+ owned and operated businesses to keep opening their doors and building programs that resonate with people, bringing them joy and a sense of safety.”

Kiki, like many bars, sponsors a variety of Stonewall sports. As kickball, bocce, dodgeball, and more kick off for the fall season, Kiki will be hosting many a happy hour, Sunday Funday, and party for thirsty athletes.

Over the past several months, beyond Trade’s celebrated expansion, D.C. has also welcomed new additions to the LGBTQ bar scene. District Eagle and its adjoining chicken shack Lucky Pollo opened its doors earlier this year, and the dance party-forward Revolt also debuted in August between Bunker and the Eagle. Plus, the downstairs space of MXDC, called Diosa Lounge, transforms into a new concept called “Ricky’s” on Sundays: An inclusive Sunday Funday of rotating parties and events, hosted by Tara Hoot and other drag performers, along with a rotating roster of queer DJs. 

In terms of LGBTQ-focused events, later this month, RuPaul is set to DJ at Echostage; 9:30 Club and its affiliates (Atlantic, Merriweather, The Anthem, Lincoln) are not slowing down their lineups of acts with LGBTQ members or LGBTQ fan bases either. Some examples: Wet Leg, Addison Rae, Renee Rapp, Doechii, Indigo De Souza, King Princess, and Halsey are all performing; plus the Hokus Pokus Live show and “Rocky Horror Picture Show” events at Lincoln Theater. October is also home to the High Heel Race on 17th Street, the Miss Adams Morgan Pageant XXXVII on Oct. 4, whose theme is “Studio 54 Ever”; and HRC’s Chefs for Equality.

“As we continue on this path of the unknown and the ever-changing climate in the District, the queer community is gearing up to top off the year by celebrating who we are, throwing inclusive parties and events, and rolling with the sentiment that we have throughout the years: We’re here, and we’re queer,” says Brandt Ricca, who runs Nora Lee, an agency that represents several LGBTQ institutions.