Arts & Entertainment
Absolut Vodka ad features transgender storyline
Swedish alcohol company’s commercial is part of new campaign
(Screenshot via YouTube)
Absolut Vodka released a commercial with a transgender storyline this month that has gained almost 600,000 views on YouTube.
The commercial, titled “Darla,” is part of the vodka brand’s #AbsolutNights campaign. A man at a music festival bumps into his old friend Dave who has now transitioned into a woman called Darla. The man is hesitant to reconnect, but Darla grabs his hand.
The pair dance together, take pictures, watch a parade and drink Absolut Vodka. At the end of the night, Darla opens up about her transition.
“We walked, and she told me she always felt this way,” the man says in a voiceover. “I just listened, and somehow I understood.”
“She was my friend. The same person. The same heart. She hadn’t changed. I had,” the man continues. The newfound friends embrace and walk off together.
“When was the last time you were true to yourself? Sometimes being open to new possibilities is all it takes,” the campaign’s tagline reads.
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.
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District of Columbia5 days agoHundreds of thousands expected to attend D.C. Pride events
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National5 days ago
Queen Jean is Tony’s first transgender winner
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Congress4 days ago
EXCLUSIVE: Pelosi reflects on four decades of LGBTQ advocacy
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District of Columbia4 days ago
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