Photos

The Year in Photos

2022 LGBTQ news photography in Washington, D.C. and beyond

Published

3 years ago

December 29, 2022

From left, activists attend a Fairfax County School Board meeting to protest Virginia's transgender "model policy" changes under Republican Gov. Glen Youngkin, actor Wilson Cruz speaks at Awesome Con and Vice President Kamala Harris waves to the crowd at the Human Rights Campaign National Dinner. (Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

2022 was a year of parties, performances and protests. In chronological order below are the Washington Blade’s favorite photos from the many events covered throughout the year.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key, Linus Berggren, Michael K. Lavers, Kevin Majoros, Jamie Thompson/Fleur de Lis Photography and Daniel Truitt)

Stonewall Kickball holds a recruitment event at the Green Lantern on Sunday, Jan. 30. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

**Willam Belli** performs at the Disco District Launch Party at Zebbie’s Garden on Saturday, Feb. 5. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Patrons dance and party at the new gay bar Kiki on Sunday, Feb. 6. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

**LeAndrea Gilliam** skates on the ice at The Wharf on Friday, Feb. 11 at the Blade’s 2022 Most Eligible LGBTQ Singles party. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The 2022 Cupid Undie Run begins at Penn Social on Saturday, Feb. 12. Participants clad in Valentine’s Day-themed underwear jog to raise money for the Children’s Tumor Foundation. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

**Logan Stone** hosts the weekly ‘Not Another Drag Show’ at DIK Bar on Monday, Feb. 21. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Washington Wizards hosts its annual Pride Night at Capital One Arena on Friday, March 4. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington perform ‘Brand New Day’ at the Lincoln Theatre on Saturday, March 12. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Capital Pride Alliance holds a Pride Reveal party on Wednesday, March 16. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Guests enjoy the On the Platform drag performance at Metrobar on Saturday, March 19. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Pride flags fly over Ipanema Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Tuesday, March 20. (Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)

Owners **Jo McDaniel** and **Rachel Pike** greet guests at the new LGBTQ+ venue As You Are on Tuesday, March 22. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

D.C. Mayor **Muriel Bowser** cuts the ribbon signifying the opening of the newly-renovated Studio Theatre on Thursday, March 31. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Impulse DC, Flux DC and the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs hold a ‘Coming Out Party’ for Transgender Day of Visibility at Sachi Nightclub on Thursday, March 31. (Blade photo by Michael Key)

**Matthew Siegal** displays a check for $50,000 for ORAM at a fundraiser for LGBTQ Ukrainian refugees at Number Nine on Saturday, April 2, 2022. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

QUA — LGBTQ Ukrainians in America organize a rally for LGBTQ Ukrainians in front of the White House on Sunday, April 3. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The 25th anniversary of Cherry Weekend continues on Saturday, April 9 with a ‘Moodio 54 – Birthday LXV’ event at Soundcheck. (Blade photo by Michael Key)

‘Flawless’ is Cherry Weekend’s main event held at the Howard Theatre on Saturday, April 9. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Team DC Scholarship Committee Co-Chair **Charles Roth** speaks at the Night Of Champions awards ceremony on Sunday, April 10. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The LGBTQ Victory Fund holds its National Champagne Brunch at the Grand Hyatt Washington on Sunday, April 10. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ alum **Lady Camden** performs at Pitchers DC on Wednesday, April 13. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Stonewall Kickball holds its REMIX Tournament at West Potomac Park on Saturday, April 16. (Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Bonnet Ball returns to JR.’s Bar for Easter Sunday, April 17. (Blade photo by Michael Key)

Drag queen **Frieda Poussáy** entertains at the Pitch Slapper’s Glow Party on Friday, April 22. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The National Cannabis Festival is held at RFK Stadium on Saturday, April 23. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The ‘Call Of The Wild! Gay Day At The Zoo Opening Party’ is held at Trade on Saturday, April 27. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

**Dezi Minaj** is crowned 2022 Miss Gay Western Maryland at the Lodge in Boonesboro, Md. on Friday, April 29. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Gay Day at the Zoo is held on May 1, International Family Equality Day, at the Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

‘Ru Paul’s Drag Race’ alum **Detox** performs at Pitchers DC on Wednesday, May 4. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

**Ty Dupp** performs at the ‘Halfway to Halloween’ spooky drag show on Friday, May 13 at Red Bear Brewing Co. (Blade photo by Michael Key)

**Tatiyanna Voche’** is crowned Miss Gay D.C. America at As You Are on Saturday, May 14. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

D.C. Council Chair **Phil Mendelson**, second from left, is honored at the 2022 Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington Spring Affair gala at the Ritz-Carlton on Saturday, May 14. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Rep. **Lisa Blunt Rochester** (D-Del.) shares a laugh with Washington Blade Editor **Kevin Naff** at the Summer Kickoff Party at The Pines in Rehoboth Beach, Del. on Saturday, May 20. (Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

**Celina Gerbic** speaks at the Taste of Point Spring Garden Party for the Point Foundation at Room & Board on Friday, May 20. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

**Brooklyn Heights** of Baltimore, Md. is crowned Miss Freddie’s 2022 on Friday, May 20 at Freddie’s Beach Bar in Arlington, Va. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

**Carson Kressley** emcees the Worthy Mentoring Pride Brunch at the Four Seasons Washington Hotel on Sunday, May 22. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Center for Black Equity President and CEO **Earl Fowlkes, Jr.** joins D.C. Mayor **Muriel Bowser** on the stage at the Black Pride Opening Reception on Friday, May 27. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

D.C. Black Pride concludes on Monday, May 30 with the annual “Us Helping Us Black Pride Festival in the Park” at Fort Dupont Park. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Washington Blade and DC Brau hold a release party for this year’s Pride Pils at Dacha Navy Yard on Thursday, June 2. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington perform ‘Unbreakable’ at Lincoln Theatre on Friday, June 3. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Baltimore Trans Pride Parade is held on Saturday, June 4. (Washington Blade photo by Linus Berggren)

Eastern Panhandle Pride is held in downtown Martinsburg, W.Va. on Saturday, June 4. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The 2022 Reston Pride Festival is held at Lake Anne Plaza in Reston, Va. on Saturday, June 4. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Md. state Sen. **Sarah Elfreth** and Annapolis Mayor **Gavin Buckley** march in the 2022 Annapolis Pride Parade on June 4. (Blade photo by Jamie Thompson/Fleur de Lis Photography)

Openly gay actor **Wilson Cruz** speaks at Awesome Con at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on June 4. (Blade photo by Michael Key)

The 2022 Cumberland Pride Festival is held at Canal Place in Cumberland, Md. on Sunday, June 5. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The 16th annual DC Latinx Pride Fiesta is held at the historic Howard Theatre on Friday, June 9. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Capital Pride kicks off Pride weekend with a Rooftop Pool Party at VIDA Fitness at The Yards on Thursday, June 9. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The D.C. Front Runners hold the Pride Run 5K at Congressional Cemetery on Friday, June 10. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

**Desiree Dik** performs at RIOT! Capital Pride Opening Party at Echostage on Friday, June 10. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Capital Pride Parade was held on Saturday, June 11. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Vice President **Kamala Harris** makes an appearance at the main stage of the Capital Pride Festival on Sunday, June 12. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Washington Blade and the Ladies of LURe hold the annual Pride on the Pier at The Wharf on Sunday, June 12. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Team DC hosts the 2022 Night Out at the Nationals at Nationals Park on Tuesday, June 14. (Washington Blade photo by Kevin Majoros)

Equality PAC, the political arm of the Congressional LGBTQ Equality Caucus, holds its annual Pride Gala on Thursday, June 16 at the Hotel Washington. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The inaugural Delmarva Pride Festival is held in downtown Easton, Md. on Saturday, June 18. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Baltimore Pride Parade is held on Saturday, June 25. (Washington Blade photo by Linus Berggren)

**Chasity Vain** performs at the 10th annual Frederick Pride Festival at Carroll Creek Linear Park in Frederick, Md. on Saturday, June 25. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Loudoun County, Va. elected officials gather on the main stage at Loudoun Pride on Sunday, June 26 at Claude Moore Park in Sterling, Va. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

**The Vixen** of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ performs at Pitchers DC on Wednesday, July 6. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

**Ongina** of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ headlines Hagerstown Pride at Doubs Woods Park in Hagerstown, Md. on Saturday, July 9.. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The fourth annual Westminster Pride Festival is held in downtown Westminster, Md. on Saturday, July 9. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Student activists and community supporters of the Pride Liberation Project hold signs supporting trans rights at Luther Jackson Middle School in Falls Church, Va., on Thursday during a Fairfax County School Board meeting. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

**Sirene Noir Sidora Jackson** hosts the Crystal Cove Mermaid Pageant at Trade on Saturday, July 17. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

**Frieda Poussay** is crowned the winner at the 2022 Miss Gay Freestate Pageant held at Central Mount Vernon in Baltimore, Md. on Friday, July 22. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Upwards of 500,000 people attend the annual Christopher Street Day Parade in Berlin, Germany on Saturday, July 23. Activists from Ukraine are among those who take part. (Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)

The 30th annual Central Pennsylvania Pride celebration is held in Harrisburg, Pa. on Saturday, July 30. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Contestants vie for the title of 2022 Mister Nice Jewish Boy at a pageant at Union Stage on Sunday, July 31. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Team DC sponsors the 2022 United Night Out at Audi Field on Saturday, Aug. 6. (Washington Blade photo by Kevin Majoros)

Equality Virginia holds its annual Commonwealth Dinner at the Greater Richmond Convention Center in Richmond, Va. on Saturday, Aug. 13. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

**Deja Diamond Jemaceye** is crowned Miss AGLA 2022 at Freddie’s Beach Bar in Arlington, Va. on Sunday, August 14. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Members of the Pride Liberation Project hold signs supporting trans rights during a Loudoun County School Board meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 19. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

**Daryl Wilson** performs at The Bachelors Mill Reunion 2022 on Saturday, August 27 at KARMA DC. (Blade photo by Michael Key)

**Bayley** is crowned Miss Glamour Girl America 2022 at McAvoy’s in Parkville, Md. on Sunday, Aug. 28. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware’s Sussex Pride hosts a pool party at a private residence on Saturday, Sept. 3 to raise funds for ongoing programming. (Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

CAMP Rehoboth welcomes the long-awaited return of its annual SunDance as part of SunFestival on Sunday, Sept. 4. (Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

Tributes to Queen Elizabeth II are placed in front of the British Embassy in D.C. on Friday, Sept. 9. (Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)

The Imperial Court of Washington, D.C. holds its Gala of the Americas: Coronation XI at The Schuyler on Saturday, Sept. 10. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The 2022 Winchester Pride Festival is held at the Downtown Mall and Taylor Pavilion in Winchester, Va. on Saturday, Sept. 17. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Kiwanis Club of Washington, D.C. is honored at the 2022 SMYAL Fall Brunch at the Marriott Marquis on Saturday, Sept. 24. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The 2022 Virginia Pridefest is held on Brown’s Island in Richmond, Va. on Saturday, Sept. 24. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Youth activists in schools across Virginia walk out of class on Tuesday, Sept. 27 to rally against proposed changes to school policy for trans students. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

**Amethyst Diamond** is crowned Miss Gay Maryland 2022 on Saturday, Oct. 1 at the Horseshoe Casino in Baltimore, Md. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Brazilian Congresswoman-elect **Erika Hilton** speaks at a pro-Lula rally in São Paulo, Brazil, on Oct. 3. (Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)

Students and community activists gather for a rally outside Luther Jackson Middle School on Thursday, Oct. 6. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The 2022 Shenandoah Valley Pride Festival is held at Court Square in Harrisonburg, Va. on Saturday, Oct. 8. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Howard County Pride is held at Symphony Woods at Merriweather Park in Columbia, Md. on Sunday, Oct. 9. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Franklin County Pride is held at Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pa. on Sunday, Oct. 9. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

From left, **Tracey Africa Norman**, **Twiggy Pucci Garçon**, **Kevin Aviance**, **Sampson McCormick** and **Rayceen Pendarvis** speak at ‘A Speakeasy Evening’ at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture on Friday, Oct. 14. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

**The Rosé** of season 13 of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ performs at Zebbie’s Garden on Saturday, Oct 15 for the Stonewall Kickball team Mounties’ ‘THURS-TEA’ tea dance fundraiser for the Wanda Alston Foundation. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Best Drag King of 2022 **Molasses** performs at the Washington Blade’s Best of LGBTQ DC Awards Party at Eaton DC on Thursday, Oct. 20. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

D.C. Mayor **Muriel Bowser** marches in the 2022 Walk to End HIV at the Gateway DC Pavilion on Oct. 22. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The 2022 Staunton Pride Festival is held at Gypsy Hill Park in Staunton, Va. on Sunday, Oct. 23. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The 35th annual High Heel Race is held on 17th Street’s Frank Kameny Way on Tuesday, Oct. 25. (Blade photo by Michael Key)

Activists inflate a giant ‘joint’ outside the Russian Embassy in D.C. on Thursday, Oct. 27 calling for Brittney Griner’s release and freedom for the Russian people. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Vice President **Kamala Harris** speaks at the Human Rights Campaign National Dinner at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on Saturday, Oct. 29. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Patrons don their best wigs for Wig Night Out at Pitchers DC on Saturday, Nov. 5. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Capital Pride Alliance holds The Fuchsia Ball at Echostage on Saturday, Nov. 12. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Activists **Judy** and **Dennis Shepard** speak at the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) National Dinner at the National Building Museum on Friday, Nov. 18. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

**Shareese Mone** of HIPS speaks at the Trans Day of Remembrance vigil on Sunday, Nov. 20. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington and the GenOUT Youth Chorus perform ‘The Holiday Show’ at a dress rehearsal on Friday, Dec. 2 at Lincoln Theatre. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Safe Space 2: A Safer Space party is held at the Black Cat on Saturday, Dec. 3. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Dito Sevilla’s Christmas tree is displayed outside of Floriana’s in Dupont Circle on Dec. 5. (Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)

Activist and singer **Cyndi Lauper** speaks at the White House on Tuesday, Dec. 13. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

**Sam Smith** performs at the signing ceremony for the Respect for Marriage Act at the White House on Tuesday, Dec. 13. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The Imperial Court of Washington, D.C. holds an Ugly Sweater Party and fundraiser for the LGBT Fallen Heroes Fund at Freddie’s Beach Bar in Arlington, Va. on Sunday, Dec. 18. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

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The Freddie's Follies drag show was held at Freddie's Beach Bar in Arlington, Va. on Saturday. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

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