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‘American Teenager’: A nonbinary journalist’s pursuit of joy amid hate

Inside author Nico Lang’s odyssey to find trans teens who are thriving

Published

10 months ago

October 2, 2025

If you’ve ever marveled at how sometimes a rainbow appears after what seems like the darkest day and the wildest storm, then you’ll appreciate what it’s like at a time like this, to discover “American Teenager” — an honest chronicle of diverse, complex, and completely real transgender and nonbinary youth, struggling to live their authentic lives all across America.

“I think the more that we can remind people that these kids are just kids, that they’re just people, the better off the world’s going to be,” author Nico Lang, told the Washington Blade.

Lang is an award-winning journalist, who was recently honored by NLGJA, The Association of LGBTQ Journalists, with the Al Neuharth Award. Lang, who is nonbinary themself, has been touring for nearly a year since the publication of the hard cover first edition, a 2025 Stonewall Book Award honoree.

Lang’s bestselling ethnography has now hit bookstores and online booksellers in paperback. And, they said, they are exhausted.

“In 12 days, it will be 12 whole months of being on the road, with tiny breaks every now and then,” Lang said. “I just got nine days off to be home with my husband. They felt very short. I’ve been to 110 stops so far, in 39 states and the District of Columbia. I plan to make it to all 50, but to be honest, I’m not sure when traveling will be over for me, when it feels like I will have done enough.”

Before the book tour, there was their odyssey across the country, spending days, sometimes weeks, with eight families who opened up to Lang about their challenges, their pain and also their joy. Lang spoke with the Blade in 2024 as well as last month about that journey, during which they also struggled.

“I was just completely living off what little savings I have, being really scrappy,” they said, pausing to reflect on what it took to write the book; not just the financial challenges, but emotional ones as well. “I don’t want to ever overemphasize my own struggle here, but being present with these families all the time, and doing that emotional labor and just, you know, being a human, around humans who are really struggling, was a lot.”

And the people they interviewed told Lang, that weight was plain to see.

“All of the families kept telling me, over and over again, ‘You sacrificed a lot for this. You really gave up your life for this.’ This wasn’t easy for me. This wasn’t easy for any of us.”

So why do it? Especially given that the most recent Gallup opinion poll, published in June, showed a slim majority of Americans believe changing one’s gender is “morally wrong.” The tide is high right now for the transgender community, especially families raising trans kids.

“A friend who is a civil rights attorney told me something recently that stuck with me: namely, that the movement for LGBTQ+ equality lost for years before we won anything,” said Lang. “Every court battle ended in defeat for decades until the tide started to turn slowly, and then quickly. Then, we became so used to winning that we always thought it would be that way. We’re finding out the hard way that that was never true, but it’s a reminder that tides can change. We can still fight to change them. That’s what this book is: the fight.”

And the fight is just beginning.

Lang told the Blade the book — subtitled “How Trans Kids Are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy in A Turbulent Era” — is aimed at countering narratives spread by opponents of gender affirming care and transgender inclusion in schools and sports, with an emphasis on what they call “the universality of the stories here.”

“It’s about their resilience. It’s about how they survive in the world,” they said. “But it’s also about them being kids and about them being humans.”

Each of Lang’s seven chapters introduces readers to a new family in a different city, focusing on eight individuals and their everyday lives. One centers on homeless trans siblings in Pensacola, Fla. — Augie, who is both nonbinary and neurodivergent, and Jack, as well as their mom.

“Homelessness is such a part of the trans experience,” Lang said.

There’s also Wyatt of Sioux Falls, S.D., Rhydian in Birmingham, Ala., Mykah in Charleston, W.Va., Ruby in Houston, Clint in Chicago and Kylie in Torrance, Calif.

“More than anything, it’s just a book that centers the humanity of these kids,” said Lang. “It’s not always about them being trans. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn’t. Sometimes it’s just us talking about, like, Kierkegaard on the balcony, you know? And there’s a universality there that, even if people have that kind of initial apprehension to the subject matter of a book like this, I hope that universality is able to sneak past that, and remind people, why these kids’ stories are important, and why their lives are important. I think that we can, when we put that humanity first and we remind people that these kids are just people, we can stop forcing our preconceptions onto them. We can just let them live their lives.”

After daily doses of negative mainstream media reports mentioning transgender people, Lang said their goal for the paperback is to provide positivity.

“I hope this book brings people optimism, that it brings people comfort, and that it gives others joy on hard days, of which we have collectively had many recently,” they told the Blade in an email Thursday.

“I struggle with those concepts myself,” wrote Lang. “Right now, I have really lost touch with hope. I sometimes say that ‘I hope to hope.’”

After this break with their husband, Lang vows to return to the road to resume promoting the book, right into the new year, and beyond.

“I’ve thought about traveling all the way through 2028, through the next election,” they said. “I don’t feel I did enough to try to stop the second Trump presidency. In regards to what could be coming next, I don’t want to make the same mistake again. I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t put everything I had into that project.”

Looking back on the project that produced “American Teenager” — they said the title is borrowed from a song by Ethel Cain — it’s clear they put everything they had into the 304 pages, including the dedication.

“In our journalism,” Lang told the Blade, “we make connections beyond what general cisgender journalists do in terms of covering the stories.”

Lang’s dedication is to what they called, “lost souls,” like Terri Bruce, a trans man and South Dakota advocate, who died by suicide in 2018, and to HRC staffer Henry Berg-Brousseau, both of whom “gave their lives to us,” wrote Lang. And to Nex Benedict of Oklahoma, whose death after bullying made national headlines. And to Acey Morrison, a Native American killed in 2023 after meeting a man from a dating app, all of whom “deserved better,” they wrote.

“For me, the book is a record of the fact that we were here, we are here, and we will be here,” said Lang. “Trans people have always existed; they will always exist. Try as they might — and they will try very, very hard — they cannot will us out of being.”

Related Topics:American Teenager LGBTQ books Nico Lang

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Rainbows in Revolt on a mission to make LGBTQ artists’ voices heard

Published

2 weeks ago

July 29, 2026

Kyle Rood

Lily Erin, one of Rainbows in Revolt’s signature artists, performed at Capital Pride in June. (Photo courtesy of Rainbows in Revolt)

Last month’s Pride celebration in D.C. was so fun. Walking around my first Capital Pride with a $15 lemonade I was loving the madness and the color. Artists and small businesses battling banks you’ve never heard of collecting your personal information so you can spin a wheel to snag free merch. Great music blaring, people actually smiling and enjoying themselves, the “Great” American State Fair could never!

The Monument Stage was on Pennsylvania Avenue, directly in front of the National Gallery of Art and I can’t think of a better venue to see live music. How does someone get on the lineup for Pride? How do we accelerate the visibility of the most talented voices in our community to perform in places like this?

There is certainly not a talent gap, but there is a visibility gap. Chappell Roan went from playing for two people in a parking lot to owning the main stage at Coachella in one year. Whether it is shadowbanning or bias in AI, algorithms have been shown to suppress queer artists. In a digital age, how can queer people break through and show the world how talented they are?

Allison and Matt of Rainbows in Revolt are on a mission to make openly LGBTQ+ artists’ voices heard. Their goal is to find “musicians whose queerness is central to their identity as an artist,” and accelerate them to a place where they can actually reach fans.

The only time queer events seem to be in the spotlight is June, but this should be year round, according to Allison and Matt. Rainbows in Revolt wants to act as a “nucleus” for different sub-communities, finding common ground in the universal language of music.

Matt and Allison founded Rainbows as a way to make cheaper, higher quality merchandise for queer artists. While Rainbows has already pledged 20% of their profits to the LGBTQ+ community, with 10% to Whitman-Walker Health and 10% to LGBTQ+ organizations in need, this is just the beginning of the work that they do.

Rainbows “does the dirty work” that artists normally struggle to do on their own with limited resources. Interviews, artist profiles, social promotion, playlist discovery, radio outreach, and merch-funded support. This work is normally expensive, time consuming, and requires lots of different skills. Musicians don’t want to be editing clips to post online. Standup comedians don’t want to make graphics for their tour dates. They want to write more. They want to focus on their craft.

In addition to helping artists find their audience, Rainbows has built other digital tools to help queer people connect, including an interactive Safe Space Map for most major cities. It is hard to know which places are truly safe and supportive just from a simple Google search. Attitudes and actions change, and there should be a simple way for queer people to find other places that align with them. The Safe Spaces Maps are all up to date, and are tagged and filterable. Instead of relying on forums and word of mouth, Rainbows has created a centralized way to find authentic community quickly.

I had a chance to talk with Allison and Matt at Pride where Lily Erin, one of their signature artists, was performing on the Monument stage. Lily Erin is a folk singer who is familiar and forging her own path. Her bittersweet sound echoes through Acadia, and her garb mirrors the New England athletes I grew up with. Gorp Core meets streetwear. A graphic tee, hiking shorts, and creamsicle Jordans.

Her debut single, “Bus Stop,” tells a sad story about unconditional love, and the conditions that still seem to come with it. Graduating into lockdown, Erin needed a new way to connect with herself and others. Lily made “Bus Stop” without an intention to share it, but doing so was a liberation. People have been responding to her honesty around queer-ness, family, and the “ghosts which haunt us” even in the daytime.

Rainbows in Revolt has helped Lily Erin go from bars and backyards to The Monument Stage at Pride. This is a meteoric rise, and a testament to both Erin’s talent and the work of Rainbows to promote her. “A little encouragement goes a long way with early artists,” and by “planting a seed” Rainbows is already seeing their artist garden grow. Community is power, and Erin is a perfect example of how effective simple modern techniques of promotion can be.

A next step for Rainbows is putting on shows themselves. On Oct. 3, Rainbows in Revolt will host an Evening with Ray Boltz at the National City Christian Church. Boltz grew up in the Catholic Church and for many years was the soundtrack to many services, youth camps, and church groups. He was celebrated by millions until he came out in 2008. Allison remembers her community “never playing his music again.”

Rainbows in Revolt is helping him to return to the church, and proving that identity does not need to be exclusive. We live in a complicated world with complicated lines being drawn. Boltz proves that these lines don’t exist, and will be breaking down barriers to bring together communities. To Allison, “a trans woman standing next to a straight white man in church is a powerful teacher.”

The Safe Space maps bridge all types of spaces, and one of the unlikely ones is, perhaps, churches. Matt said that “BYU has only nine safe spaces around their campus and seven of them are churches.” Not all churches are anti-gay, and many times they are the only place for people to find community.

Rainbows in Revolt is just getting started bridging gaps and building community.

a&e features

Summer in the City: Free exhibits, movies, more fill D.C.’s calendar

America 250 celebrations continue

Published

2 weeks ago

July 26, 2026

Emma LaPointe

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande star in ‘Wicked,’ screening Sept. 12 at Union Market. (Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures)

From late-night museum visits and outdoor jazz concerts to free movie screenings and America250 exhibitions, Washington’s summer calendar is packed with events that don’t charge admission. Here’s a look at some of the free activities happening across the District through September and beyond.

Museum exhibitions

The Renwick Gallery is presenting State Fairs: Growing American Craft, an exhibition that looks at unique and unconventional crafts from the 19th century to the present. It will run until Sept. 7, and admission is free.

The Arts and Industries Building, located next to the Smithsonian Castle, is presenting the exhibition Voices and Votes: Exploring Democracy Across America. The exhibition features the development of American independence and what that has meant over time, beginning with the Revolutionary War. Admission to the museum is free, and the exhibition runs until Sept. 7.

The National Gallery of Art presents Dear America, an exhibit featuring more than 100 pieces of work, including letters, photographs, and drawings that depict American landscapes and depictions of freedom. The exhibition will run until Sept. 20.

The National Museum of Women in the Arts is exhibiting Burnished: Pueblo Pottery until Sept. 27. The exhibit features pottery from the Southwest, and while most of the pottery belongs to women artists, a few also reflect those who have advocated for women.

Extending past this summer, the exhibition ¡Puro Ritmo! The Musical Journey of Salsa will be at the National Museum of the American Latino until July 2028. The exhibition shows how Afro-Cuban music has become a staple in the U.S. Admission is free.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library will feature the exhibition District Vibes / American Pride: How DC Changed American Culture, which will highlight all of the ways D.C. has impacted American life. The exhibit will run until Sept. 27.

At the Folger Shakespeare Library, the exhibit Imagining Shakespeare: Mythmaking and Storytelling in the Regency Era will be on view through Aug. 2. All the portraits on display come from the Boydell Shakespeare Gallery in London.

The United States Botanic Garden will be open until 8 p.m. on Aug. 20 and Sept. 17, as part of America’s State Flowers: An America250 Celebration. The evenings will include live music, mocktails, ice cream, and snacks.

The National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden will have extended hours, staying open until 8 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday until Sept. 3.

Live performances

On Aug. 7, the postgame Nationals concert series will continue with Jordan Davis performing. To see the concert, guests just need to buy tickets to the Nationals game.

Jazz in the Garden will run each Friday until Aug. 14. The event has free admission, but those interested have to enter a lottery due to the high demand for the event.

From May to October, Capital Harvest Market occurs every Wednesday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. The market features fresh foods, crafts, and recipes for unique dishes. A full list of vendors is available on Capital Harvest’s website.

Live! Concert Series on the Plaza will feature live performances at Woodrow Wilson Plaza until Sept. 25. The performances run Monday to Friday from 12-1 p.m. Admission is free to the performances.

DowntownDC Live! at Anthem Row is running until July 30, with free performances every Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The final performance will feature HUE and a vintage flea market hosted by Get Flee Marketplace.

Located in Adams Morgan, AdMo Vibe will present live performances every Thursday at 6 p.m. in Kalorama Park. Guests are encouraged to check out Adams Morgan before and after shows, and it is an event for all ages.

Other events

Union Market is hosting drive-in movies on Aug. 8, featuring “Monsters, Inc.”, and Sept. 12, featuring “Wicked.” On Aug. 8, the parking lot will open at 7:30 p.m., with the movie starting at 8:25 p.m. On Sept. 12, the parking lot will open at 6:35 p.m., and the movie will start at 7:30 p.m.

Sunset Cinema at the Wharf will also be available one day a month. On Aug. 12, “10 Things I Hate About You” will premiere, and on Aug. 26, “Project Hail Mary.” No tickets are necessary.

The Library of Congress will also show movies. On Aug. 6, guests are invited to watch “Apollo 13.” The movie will be shown at 8 p.m., with additional live performances beginning at 7 p.m.

For fans of Asian media, the Okaton convention will be at Walter E. Washington Convention Center from July 31-Aug. 2. Festivities will include cosplay contests, skits, live music, and panel discussions.

Washington Spirit’s season also begins in August. The Spirit is Washington’s National Women’s League, with matchups occurring between the San Diego Wave, the North Carolina Courage, the Orlando Pride, and the Bay FC.

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Summer in D.C. brings sports, Restaurant Week, festivals, and more

Published

2 weeks ago

July 23, 2026

Evan Caplan

Washington Spirit CEO Kim Stone hosts Pride Night OUT on Sunday, Aug. 23. (Photo courtesy of Washington Spirit)

Summer in D.C. just hits different. Congress is out, school is out, the sun is out, thighs are out. With the skies clearing from Canadian smoke, here are a few ways to stay entertained.

Dining

Summer restaurant week: The Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) is once again hosting Summer Restaurant Week, Aug. 18-24. This weeklong dining experience showcases the dynamic dining scene of the DMV, including 2026 RAMMY Award-winning favorites (the annual D.C. food awards show that took place June 29). Participating restaurants will offer three-course brunch and lunch selections for $25 or $35 per person, and three-course dinners for $40, $55 and $65 per person.

New Restaurants: A handful of new spots have opened, so the summer is a great time to check them out:

Oribu: A new Mediterranean-Japanese restaurant in the Grand Hyatt hotel, which just underwent a remodeling effort. The sleek restaurant brings upscale charm, with dishes like Wagyu beef tartare with potato pavé and caviar.
The Oak Room: A snazzy old-school American grill has just opened in Georgetown, alongside its sister upstairs supper club (Bernadette’s) restaurant, in the old El Centro space.
Uchi: This showy Japanese sushi-forward chain has landed in Dupont with a chef’s tasting menu of favorites like fatty tuna.
Kathmandu: Recalling the capital of Nepal, this warm, buzzy subterranean restaurant right in the heart of U Street brings spice, flair, and rare ingredients to its dishes (see: buffalo burgers) and drinks.

Sports

Washington Spirit Pride Night OUT: On Sunday, Aug. 23, head to Audi Field for a massive, high-energy game following the exciting month of World Cup. The designated Pride Night OUT game promises boisterous crowds plus pre- and post-game community engagements.
Washington Tennis Open – Now called the Mubadala DC Open, this annual tournament is only combined mens’ and womens’ 500-level tennis tournament in the world. The open is one of D.C.’s longest-standing sports traditions, and will take place at the Rock Creek Park Tennis Center July 25-Aug. 2. Naomi Osaka, Venus Williams, Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe, and others are expected to play.

Festivals

Afro Plus Fest: This huge, three-day Afro-Caribbean Hip-Hop Festival brings together headliners Davido, Alkaline, and Wizkid, plus Tems and Ayra Starr. The event moves from RFK to the Northwest Stadium Complex for three days, Sept. 4-6.
Capital Fringe Festival: Running from July 11-21, this massive celebration features dozens of live theater, comedy, dance, and boundary-pushing nighttime performances across multiple DC neighborhoods.
The National Book Festival returns, with headliners like Cynthia Erivo, and Martin Scorsese. The one-day festival, Saturday, Aug. 22, brings together bookworms and word nerds under the theme “America 250: It’s Your Story.” There are talks, workshops, musical sessions and more.
All Things Go: A three-day festival Sept. 25-27 at Merriweather Post Pavilion featuring Mitski, Hayley Williams, Brandi Carlile, MUNA, Zara Larsson, Ethel Cain, and many, many more artists. There are single-day and three-day tickets. Featuring and highlighting female artists, the festival has turned into a must-see for many LGBTQ audience members.
Fuchsia Fest: The inaugural Fuchsia Fest is a new multi-day celebration created to celebrate LGBTQ community and expression, bringing together a mix of community gatherings, entertainment, and nightlife. The event takes place Sept. 18-20 and is hosted by Capital Pride.

Art and Music

United We Dance: A high-energy rave with house, techno, bass, and festival music, on Aug. 1 at the 9:30 Club.
The Fray. On Aug. 14, this American rock band famous for How To Save A Life is at Merriweather Post Pavilion.
Kesha: Kesha’s high-energy The Freedom Tour comes to the D.C. area on Aug. 14 at Jiffy Lube Live.
ALOK: On Sept. 3 at Lincoln Theater, ALOK (they/them) performs. The poet, comedian, and actor is putting on a new comedy show.
2charm, the emerging Australian electronic club-pop duo popular with the queer community, which blends hyperpop and dance music, comes to the Atlantis.
Sapphic Dance Party: a vibrant, inclusive nightlife and social event designed specifically for queer women, lesbians, bisexuals, trans individuals, and nonbinary folks, at Atlantis on Aug. 21.
Jazz in the Garden: The most quintessential of D.C. activities returns Friday evenings through Aug. 14. This season’s theme, “American Sounds,” is a nod to the nation’s 250th anniversary. Tunes themes range from Appalachian and Americana to Creole jazz, Hill Country blues, contemporary jazz, and more. Tickets are available through a lottery system a week before each event.