Arts & Entertainment
‘Gay is Good’ Pride Pils Can Celebrates Frank Kameny’s 100th Birthday for WorldPride in D.C.
In celebration of WorldPride 2025 coming to the nation’s capital, Red Bear Brewing Co. is proud to unveil the 8th edition of its beloved Pride Pils can — themed “Gay is Good” — honoring LGBTQ+ civil rights icon Frank Kameny on what would be his 100th birthday.
The 2025 design bursts with pop-art color and protest-inspired energy, featuring a bold illustration of Kameny holding a sign declaring “GAY IS GOOD,” a phrase he coined in the 1960s to inspire queer pride and challenge societal prejudice. The background is filled with rally signs and silhouettes of activists, representing decades of LGBTQ+ resistance and progress.
“Frank Kameny was a trailblazer who helped ignite the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement,” said Red Bear co-founder Bryan Van Den Oever. “We’re honored to celebrate his life and legacy during this historic World Pride year in D.C.”
This year’s Pride Pils release marks a continued partnership between Red Bear Brewing Co., DC Brau, and LGBTQ+ community partners including The Washington Blade, SMYAL, and District CoOp. The Pride Pils campaign originally launched by DC Brau and the Washington Blade has raised more than $55,000 for local LGBTQ+ causes. Now, Red Bear proudly carries the torch, donating 100% of profits from Pride Pils sales to SMYAL and LGBTQ+ nonprofit efforts.
Frank Kameny, a pioneer in LGBTQ+ activism, was fired from his federal job in 1957 for being gay. Refusing to stay silent, he co-founded the Mattachine Society of Washington, D.C., led some of the first gay rights protests in front of the White House, and fought to remove homosexuality from the American Psychiatric Association’s list of mental disorders. His unrelenting advocacy laid the groundwork for generations of progress.
With D.C. preparing to host hundreds of thousands of visitors for WorldPride 2025, this year’s Pride Pils can stands as a toast to the power of protest, visibility, and queer joy.
The limited-edition Pride Pils will be available starting May 2025 at bars, restaurants, and retailers across the DMV.
Join the celebration at the Pride Pils Launch Party, happening on Frank Kameny’s 100th birthday — May 21st, 6–8 PM at Crush (2007 14th St NW), D.C.’s newest LGBTQ+ bar.
Pride Pils merchandise is available now from District CoOp HERE.
The Freddie’s Follies drag show was held at Freddie’s Beach Bar in Arlington, Va. on Saturday, Jan. 3. Performers included Monet Dupree, Michelle Livigne, Shirley Naytch, Gigi Paris Couture and Shenandoah.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
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Queer highlights of the 2026 Critics Choice Awards: Aunt Gladys, that ‘Heated Rivalry’ shoutout and more
Amy Madigan’s win in the supporting actress category puts her in serious contention to win the Oscar for ‘Weapons’
From Chelsea Handler shouting out Heated Rivalry in her opening monologue to Amy Madigan proving that horror performances can (and should) be taken seriously, the Critics Choice Awards provided plenty of iconic moments for queer movie fans to celebrate on the long road to Oscar night.
Handler kicked off the ceremony by recapping the biggest moments in pop culture last year, from Wicked: For Good to Sinners. She also made room to joke about the surprise hit TV sensation on everyone’s minds: “Shoutout to Heated Rivalry. Everyone loves it! Gay men love it, women love it, straight men who say they aren’t gay but work out at Equinox love it!”
The back-to-back wins for Jacob Elordi in Frankenstein and Amy Madigan in Weapons are notable, given the horror bias that awards voters typically have. Aunt Gladys instantly became a pop culture phenomenon within the LGBTQ+ community when Zach Cregger’s hit horror comedy released in August, but the thought that Madigan could be a serious awards contender for such a fun, out-there performance seemed improbable to most months ago. Now, considering the sheer amount of critics’ attention she’s received over the past month, there’s no denying she’s in the running for the Oscar.
“I really wasn’t expecting all of this because I thought people would like the movie, and I thought people would dig Gladys, but you love Gladys! I mean, it’s crazy,” Madigan said during her acceptance speech. “I get [sent] makeup tutorials and paintings. I even got one weird thing about how she’s a sex icon also, which I didn’t go too deep into that one.”
Over on the TV side, Rhea Seehorn won in the incredibly competitive best actress in a drama series category for her acclaimed performance as Carol in Pluribus, beating out the likes of Emmy winner Britt Lower for Severance, Carrie Coon for The White Lotus, and Bella Ramsey for The Last of Us. Pluribus, which was created by Breaking Bad’s showrunner Vince Gilligan, has been celebrated by audiences for its rich exploration of queer trauma and conversion therapy.
Jean Smart was Hack’s only win of the night, as Hannah Einbinder couldn’t repeat her Emmy victory in the supporting actress in a comedy series category against Janelle James, who nabbed a trophy for Abbott Elementary. Hacks lost the best comedy series award to The Studio, as it did at the Emmys in September. And in the limited series category, Erin Doherty repeated her Emmy success in supporting actress, joining in yet another Adolescence awards sweep.
As Oscar fans speculate on what these Critics Choice wins mean for future ceremonies, we have next week’s Golden Globes ceremony to look forward to on Jan. 11.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
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