National
Gay Republican seeks to unseat Mass. congressman
Boston Globe poll shows Richard Tisei is ahead of incumbent Congressman John Tierney
Richard Tisei may become the first non-incumbent openly gay Republican elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. (photo courtesy of Tisei)
BOSTON – Massachusetts congressional candidate Richard Tisei remains confident that he will become the first openly gay Republican elected to Congress next month.
“I feel pretty comfortable and pretty confident at this point,” Tisei told the Washington Blade during an Oct. 4 interview near Copley Square. A poll the University of New Hampshire Survey Center conducted on behalf of the Boston Globe late last month shows that the former 2010 lieutenant gubernatorial candidate is ahead of incumbent Congressman John Tierney by a 37-31 percent margin.
Thirty percent of respondents said they remain undecided, but the survey further indicates that Tierney’s wife and brothers-in-law’s involvement in an illegal gambling ring has adversely impacted his re-election campaign. “A lot of people in the district are ready for a change and they are looking for a different type of congressman than we have right now. I’ve gotten a great reception from folks.”
Tisei, a former Massachusetts Senate minority leader who co-owns a real estate brokerage company in suburban Lynnfield, announced his candidacy against Tierney last November. He would represent Massachusetts’ Sixth Congressional District that includes portions of Middlesex and Essex Counties north of Boston if elected.
Tierney and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee continue to compare Tisei to a Tea Partier in an attack ad currently airing on local television stations. He quickly brushed aside the comparison.
“I’m the only gay, pro-choice Republican who wouldn’t sign the [Grover] Norquist pledge being called an extremist anywhere in the country,” said Tisei. “It’s funny because people who know me find it laughable. I don’t think he’s realized how much he’s damaged his own credibility. Rather than talking about what he’s done over a 16-year period. Trying to paint me as some type of Right Wing extremist is just so off-the-wall that it damages his own credibility.”
He further noted that the economy and jobs are among the top issues on voters’ minds.
“Most of the jobs are created by small business owners who employ 10 or less people and those are the people who don’t feel comfortable or confident hiring anybody right now because there’s so much uncertainty emulating from the government,” said Tisei. “We have a dysfunctional government so nobody knows when the next tax increase is going to be, the next regulation that comes out or how they’re going to be affected. I think a lot of people are just holding back right now hence the reason our economy really hasn’t jump started.”
Tisei would be the first non-incumbent openly gay Republican elected to the House of Representatives. Both former Arizona Congressman Jim Kolbe and former U.S. Rep. Steve Gunderson (R-Wis.) came out after being elected.
GOP establishment continues to back Tisei
Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, who volunteered for Tisei’s first state representative campaign in 1984, was among the first prominent Republicans to endorse his campaign. House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio,) House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and the National Republican Congressional Committee have all backed Tisei’s candidacy in spite of their continued support of the Defense of Marriage Act.
“A good number of representatives here in Massachusetts support gay marriage right now and have seen that it’s not the end of the world. And both Democrats and Republicans and the body politic as a whole has evolved,” said Tisei in response to the Blade’s question about how he could spur Capitol Hill Republicans to no longer support DOMA if elected. He further noted he was among the first Massachusetts officials to applaud the state Supreme Judicial Court’s landmark 2003 ruling that struck down the commonwealth’s ban on marriage for same-sex couples.
“Being in Washington, being a member of the caucus, I can help be a catalyst or help bring that process along. I realize that the party as a whole has been a tougher nut to crack, but there are a lot of people within the party who want to see a chance to take place or they want different voices within the party and if an issue like DOMA comes up, somebody like me on the Republican side can stand up and say you know what, this is about fairness, it’s about treating people equally under the law and really appeal to the American ideals to make the argument. If I’m in a position to do that, I think I can change a lot of hearts and minds.”
Tisei, who has also been endorsed by the Victory Fund, further referenced this GOP support to dismiss retiring Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank’s claims last month that he would be “no use to us in Congress.”
“Barney’s a smart guy, but hearing that argument is so convoluted and most of the people I know within the gay community were baffled by it,” said Tisei. “It’s a bit far-fetched for him to make the argument that he did. I think most normal, rational people can understand that we’ll never have true equality in the country unless you have advocates on both sides of the aisle who are willing to stand up and say, you know what, everybody should be treated fairly.”
Romney “knows how the economy works”
Tisei spoke with the Blade hours after former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and President Obama squared off in the first presidential debate in Denver.
He noted that he disagreed with Romney on marriage rights for same-sex couples, abortion, stem cell research and other issues. Tisei stressed he feels Romney “knows his stuff as far as what it takes to get companies to create jobs.”
“On economic issues, I think he knows how the economy works,” he said. “I’ve sat with him over the years in a lot of different meeting when he was the governor here and he really does have the knowledge of how the free enterprise system works. Last night he shows he has a depth. People probably see that he could be a good steward of the economy and help jump start the economy.”
Tisei predicted that Brown will ultimately defeat challenger Elizabeth Warren, but he said it will be “a really close election.” He also opposes a federal judge’s decision last month that ordered a taxpayer-funded sex-reassignment surgery for convicted murderer Michelle Kosilek.
“Governor Patrick has come out against this, which should automatically tell people that just how off the charts that decision was,” said Tisei, who sponsored a bill while in the state Senate that would have added gender identity and expression to the commonwealth’s anti-discrimination law. Patrick signed the measure last November. “You’re talking about somebody who murdered another human being. I just don’t think that the state should be doing that.”
Florida
Disney’s Gay Days ‘has not been canceled’ despite political challenges
GayDays is moving forward with its planned LGBTQ meet-up
Gay Days in Orlando is preparing for its 2026 gathering though organizers have yet to release full details.
Concerns emerged about the status of the annual meetup of LGBTQ people at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., after social media posts and multiple news outlets reported the event would not take place this year.
In response to inquiries from the Blade, Josh Duke, co-owner of Gay Days, clarified that an update would come this week.
“At this time, I’d like to clarify that Gay Days Orlando has not been canceled,” an email to the Blade said. “We are currently finalizing details regarding our plans for 2026 and will be making an official announcement later this week.”
Earlier this week, Gay Days posted about a pause in their plans for the annual meeting, which quickly gained traction online.
In an official statement on social media, Gay Days organizers cited several factors behind what had initially appeared to be a cancellation of their 2026 event.
“Changes to our host hotel agreement, the loss of key sponsorship support, and broader challenges currently impacting LGBTQIA+ events nationwide made it impossible to deliver the experience our community deserves,” organizers wrote. However, the statement added, “This is a pause — not an ending.”
In a longer message shared with supporters, organizers elaborated on that now-reversed decision.
“Gay Days Family — it is with very heavy hearts that we share Gay Days 2026 will not take place this year. This was an incredibly difficult decision and one that was only made after every possible option was explored.
“Gay Days has always been more than an event — it is community, family, and a place where so many memories are made. While this pause is painful, it also gives us the opportunity to step back, listen, and begin shaping a stronger and reimagined GayDays for the future. Thank you for your continued love, patience, and support. This is not goodbye — it’s a reset, and we look forward to creating the future of GayDays together.”
GayDays, which began in 1991, encourages queer Disney fans to visit the Orlando theme park while wearing red shirts to identify one another. Originally focused on gay men reclaiming the childhood joy often denied due to homophobia, the event has expanded over the years to include LGBTQ+ families on summer vacations and queer couples honeymooning in the Magic Kingdom.
Disney made history in 2019 by holding its first-ever official Pride event at its European park, Disneyland Paris. In 2023, Disneyland California hosted the first U.S. official Pride event.
Concerns about the potential cancellation had arisen amid broader challenges affecting LGBTQ events nationwide. These include changes in hotel agreements, sponsorship support, and Florida’s increasingly restrictive anti-LGBTQ policies under Gov. Ron DeSantis. Florida currently has an equality score of -3.00 out of 49 from the Movement Advancement Project, which evaluates states based on policies affecting relationship and parental recognition, nondiscrimination, religious exemptions, LGBTQ youth, healthcare, criminal justice, and transgender identity documentation.
Recent legislation in Florida has included prohibitions on hormone replacement therapy for transgender minors, restrictions on adult access to treatment, bans on drag performances for those under 18, bathroom bans for transgender people in state buildings, and expansion of the Parental Rights in Education Act, commonly called the “Don’t Say Gay” law. These measures limit public school instruction or discussion about sexual orientation and gender identity.
Gay Days Anaheim is scheduled to take place at Disneyland Resort in September.
Disney has also maintained a focus on Pride, reporting in 2022 that proceeds from Pride merchandise benefited numerous LGBTQ organizations, including GLSEN, PFLAG, The Trevor Project, Zebra Coalition, the Los Angeles LGBT Center, the LGBT Center Orange County, the San Francisco LGBT Center, and the Ali Forney Center. Pride merchandise sold internationally supports local LGBTQ organizations in those regions.
More details about this event are expected to be released on Friday.
New York
Pride flag removed from Stonewall Monument as Trump targets LGBTQ landmarks
The new NPS policy targets Pride flags amid consistent efforts from the Trump administration to minimize LGBTQ history.
A rainbow Pride flag flying at the Stonewall National Monument in New York was removed at the direction of Trump administration officials at the National Park Service, according to a source familiar with the matter who spoke to the Blade on condition of anonymity.
The source said the move had been in the works for weeks and is part of ongoing efforts by the Trump-Vance administration to erase LGBTQ identity from federally controlled landmarks.
In response to the Blade’s request for information about the new flag policy, the National Park Service provided the following statement:
“Current Department of the Interior policy provides that the National Park Service may only fly the U.S. flag, Department of the Interior flags, and the Prisoner of War/Missing in Action flag on flagpoles and public display points. The policy allows limited exceptions, permitting non-agency flags when they serve an official purpose. These include historical context or reenactments, current military branch flags, flags of federally recognized tribal nations affiliated with a park, flags at sites co-managed with other federal, state, or municipal partners, flags required for international park designations, and flags displayed under agreements with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for Naturalization ceremonies.”
The statement also included official guidance on the display of non-agency flags issued by Trump-appointed National Park Service Director Jessica Bowron.
The Blade reached out to other organizations to confirm the status of the Pride flag last week, including the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center, the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission, and the National Parks Conservation Association. None were able to provide details about whether the flag was still flying at that time but it has since been removed.
This action aligns with other moves targeting and erasing LGBTQ history. In September, the Blade reported that three organizations originally slated to receive more than $1.25 million from the National Park Service’s Underrepresented Communities Grant Program would no longer receive funding: In Washington, D.C., the Preservation League had been awarded $75,000 to document LGBTQ+ historic resources. In Providence, R.I., the Preservation Society was slated for $74,692 to conduct an LGBTQ+ survey and prepare a National Register nomination. And in New York, the Fund for the City of New York, Inc., had been awarded $32,000 to nominate the residence of Bayard Rustin — the iconic civil rights and LGBTQ activist — as a National Historic Landmark.
Puerto Rico
Bad Bunny shares Super Bowl stage with Ricky Martin, Lady Gaga
Puerto Rican activist celebrates half time show
Bad Bunny on Sunday shared the stage with Ricky Martin and Lady Gaga at the Super Bowl halftime show in Santa Clara, Calif.
Martin came out as gay in 2010. Gaga, who headlined the 2017 Super Bowl halftime show, is bisexual. Bad Bunny has championed LGBTQ rights in his native Puerto Rico and elsewhere.
“Not only was a sophisticated political statement, but it was a celebration of who we are as Puerto Ricans,” Pedro Julio Serrano, president of the LGBTQ+ Federation of Puerto Rico, told the Washington Blade on Monday. “That includes us as LGBTQ+ people by including a ground-breaking superstar and legend, Ricky Martin singing an anti-colonial anthem and showcasing Young Miko, an up-and-coming star at La Casita. And, of course, having queer icon Lady Gaga sing salsa was the cherry on the top.”
La Casita is a house that Bad Bunny included in his residency in San Juan, the Puerto Rican capital, last year. He recreated it during the halftime show.
“His performance brought us together as Puerto Ricans, as Latin Americans, as Americans (from the Americas) and as human beings,” said Serrano. “He embraced his own words by showcasing, through his performance, that the ‘only thing more powerful than hate is love.’”
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Disney’s Gay Days ‘has not been canceled’ despite political challenges
Pride flag removed from Stonewall Monument as Trump targets LGBTQ landmarks
Capital Pride wins anti-stalking order against local activist
LGBTQ Venezuelans in Colombia uncertain about homeland’s future
D.C. bar Rush facing eviction on charge of failing to pay rent
Blade, Pride House LA announce 2028 Olympics partnership
Calendar: February 6-12
