Arts & Entertainment
Gay couple gives dizzying treetop proposal
National Geographic explorer asks his boyfriend to marry him
(Screenshot courtesy of YouTube)
A gay couple gave the proposal of a lifetime to each other at the top of a tree in a rainforest caught by camera traps. The couple recounted their story in a video for National Geographic.
Kevin McLean, an explorer and ecologist for National Geographic, planned a gravity-defying proposal for his boyfriend Dan. McLean’s work involves setting up camera traps in treetops to evaluate animals in the rainforest.
McLean invited Dan on a tree climbing expedition in Panama. When Dan accepted, McLean decided it would be the perfect time to propose. However, Dan had plans of his own.
“Just as I was about to go into my little proposal, he surprised me and started proposing to me first,” McLean says in the video.
“I asked him if he would like to adventure for the rest of our lives together,” Dan says. “He said ‘of course’ and then he was like ‘and as a matter of fact, I also have something to ask you.’”
The Capital Pride Alliance presented the 2026 Capital Pride Honors at “The Audacity Brunch: In Full Fuchsia” at the Four Seasons Hotel Washington, D.C. on Sunday, June 7.
(Washington Blade photos by Landon Shackelford)
Out & About
Congressional Cemetery hosts Gays & Graves
Daylong Pride celebration blends history, remembrance, art and community
Historic Congressional Cemetery will host the second annual “Gays & Graves: A Big Gay Festival” on Sunday, June 14 at 11 a.m.
The event will feature pioneering activist Randy Wicker, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, and new public art installations and programs celebrating LGBTQ+ history. Gays & Graves is an official partner event of Capital Pride 2026.
This event is a daylong Pride celebration blending history, remembrance, art and community. Visitors can shop from LGBTQ+ and allied artists and makers, experience performances and interactive installations, and engage with programs exploring LGBTQ+ history and lived experience.
For more details, visit the cemetery’s website.
Baltimore Pride is underway, taking place from June 8-14.
The Pride Parade will be on Saturday, June 13 at 12 p.m. at Charles Street & North Avenue, followed by the Pride Block Party at 1 p.m. at Druid Hill Park. And then the Pride Festival will be held on Sunday, June 14 at 12 p.m. at Druid Hill Park.
There will be an array of additional events including: a fashion show, a “Suits and Sneakers” reception and a 5k race, among many other events.
For more details, visit Baltimore Pride’s website.
PHOTOS: The Audacity Brunch
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Congressional Cemetery hosts Gays & Graves
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Calendar: June 12-18
Hundreds of thousands expected to attend D.C. Pride events
PHOTOS: Pride Run
Queen Jean is Tony’s first transgender winner
David Archuleta, Monroe Alise named D.C. Pride parade marshals
