Arts & Entertainment
CoverGirl announces first male spokesmodel
makeup artist will be first CoverBoy
James Charles, the 17-year-old makeup artist and YouTuber, is now CoverGirl’s first male spokesmodel.
Fellow spokesmodel Katy Perry broke the news on Instagram that the high schooler would be the makeup brand’s first CoverBoy.
A photo posted by KATY PERRY (@katyperry) on
Charles became a viral sensation after he posted his senior portraits on social media and confessed he brought his own ring light to the photo session retake.
So I retook my senior photos & brought my ring light with me so my highlight would be poppin. I love being extra ? pic.twitter.com/7Qu1yu8U2P
— James Charles (@jcharlesbeauty) September 5, 2016
The CoverBoy will kick off his new role by promoting the makeup brand’s new mascara So Lashy! and will eventually make his way into more ads and commercials.
Check out Charles announcing the news himself.
A video posted by JAMES CHARLES (@jcharlesbeauty) on
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
D.C. Council approves expanded grant funding for Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs
Congressional Cemetery hosts Gays & Graves
Baltimore Pride is here
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
EXCLUSIVE: Pelosi reflects on four decades of LGBTQ advocacy
