Arts & Entertainment
Garfield Wikipedia debate forces creator to clarify cat’s gender
the cartoon cat’s male identity was called into question
(Screenshot via YouTube.)
Garfield is known as the lazy, lasagna-eating orange cat but some fans who thought the cartoon character could also be gender fluid led to a 60-hour Wikipedia edit war.
Podcaster Virgil Texas started the great debate when he cited an interview Garfield creator Jim Davis did for Mental Floss in 2014.
Davis claimed, “by virtue of being a cat, really, he’s not really male or female or any particular race or nationality, young or old.” Texas took that admission to mean Garfield had no gender and the internet exploded.
FACT: Garfield has no gender. This. Is. Canon. pic.twitter.com/umm4OmeeVx
— Virgil Texas (@virgiltexas) February 24, 2017
A 60-hour Wikipedia edit on the famous cat’s page followed with Garfield’s gender changing to “none” and citations and entries flooding the site. Things got even more serious when someone with a congressional IP address removed Garfield from Wikipedia’s list of male cartoon characters.
Wikipedia eventually stepped in and put the page on lockdown to keep further edits from being made.
Never forget the Great Garfield Gender Wikipedia War of 2017 https://t.co/CY8S2JZs9p pic.twitter.com/m1hWpRbdhc
— irony guy (@homero_simpsone) February 28, 2017
Washington Post reached out to Davis for comment and Davis’ publicist confirmed “Garfield is male” and “has a girlfriend, Arlene.”
Texas accepted the clarification and says the information is “a victory for what matters most: cannon.”
Friends, we should not view the Garfield gender ruling as a loss. We should view it as a victory for what matters most: Canon.
— Virgil Texas (@virgiltexas) March 1, 2017
Even when we do not like it we must defer to Jim Davis’ statements, which, along with the comic strips, constitute JD-CANON, and are gospel.
— Virgil Texas (@virgiltexas) March 1, 2017
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
David Archuleta, Monroe Alise named D.C. Pride parade marshals
