Los Angeles Blade, Volume 10, Issue 13, July 17, 2026

Everybody get up and dance!

Madonna leads our special music issue, PAGE 08

JULY 17, 2026 • VOLUME 10 • ISSUE 13 • AMERICA’S LGBTQ NEWS SOURCE • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

FEATURES

An activist says he’ll stand for trans rights, even if he’s standing alone Colin Campbell, a volunteer for Trans Youth LA, is determined to show Children’s Hospital its decision to reverse course on trans care won’t be taken quietly

By VICTORIA IVIE Wearing a flag saying “protect trans kids” and waving a large transgender flag, Colin Campbell stands with a handful of other protestors outside of Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles every Thursday.

In June 2025, the hospital announced it would stop its gender affirming services for transgender youth and young adults. Leadership cited major budget cut threats and federal investigation probes from Donald Trump’s administration for its decision. By the end of July 2025, its Center for Transyouth Health and Development closed.

“Across the country, bills all over are targeting transgender people from health care and access to participation in public life,” Campbell said. “This fascist administration is trying to erase trans people. Restrictions on gender-affirming care put lives at risk, especially for young people and families with limited resources.”

For the last year, Campbell has led the protest charge against the hospital’s decision.

“We’re the longest ongoing weekly street protest for trans kids in the United States, and probably the world,” Campbell said. “This is the civil rights issue of our time.”

Campbell has been to almost every weekly protest since Feb. 20, 2025, as a volunteer for Protect Trans Youth LA. Protect Trans Youth LA is a group of care providers and community members aiming to protect gender affirming care and the safety of trans youth.

“The reason why I admire trans people so much is because they challenge the strict behavioral expectations placed on everyone, and they allow everyone more freedom,” Campbell

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said.

Rain or shine, at least one person is always protesting outside the hospital each Thursday night at 6 p.m. ”Sometimes it’s just me; sometimes it’s four other people,” Campbell said. “A month or two ago, there were 40 people. It really depends on how much we get the word out there, but we always make sure there’s someone.”

Campbell isn’t new to activism and its importance. He first got involved in activism as a member of ACT UP in 1987 because the government was ignoring victims of the AIDS crisis.

“We fought because we had no choice but to,” he said of his youth activism. “We were dying.”

He felt called to action when he saw Kamala Harris lose the 2024 election and when he saw the immediate attempts to limit trans rights after Trump took office.

He said trans people need allies now more than ever.

“There’s fear in the community, and all the trans kids and trans adults that were marching with us early on in this fight have gone underground,” Campbell said. “They’re afraid because there is danger in our simple protesting.”

Previously, there have been incidents where people jumped out of their cars to harass protestors, physical assaults have happened multiple times, and slurs were commonly yelled early on. Campbell was almost run over by a truck.

“I also think it’s very important that the LGBTQ+ community becomes more united on this issue,” Campbell said. “I’m not a trans person; I’m a cis white gay male, but I’m looking to see more of the letters of the LGBTQ+ involved in this.”

“The time for our community to be fighting for trans rights, and especially trans children, is now,” he added.

During Pride Month, Protect Trans Youth LA launched a petition on Change.org, urging the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles to continue providing evidence-based care to children.

The petition is addressed to Paul S. Viviano, president and chief executive officer, and is titled “No Child Should Be Denied Care Because of Gender.”

As of July 3, over 200 people have signed, verified by Change.org.

“Week after week, our message has remained consistent: Children deserve healthcare decisions guided by patients, families, and medical professionals—not politics,” a portion of the petition says. “Behind every policy decision is a child, a family, and a future.”

The demands the petition lists include restoring access to gender-affirming care for trans youth, restoring services the hospital’s Center for Transyouth Health and Development used to provide, and reaffirming its commitment to providing healthcare “free from discrimination.”

“This petition is not about politics,” a portion of the petition said. “It is about fairness. It is about equal treatment.”

All Pride Month, Campbell has hit the usual Pride circuit to get signatures on this matter.

At Weho Pride, Campbell handed out nearly 5,000 postcards and 1,000 stickers.

Campbell’s activism was highlighted at this year’s Venice Pride. He was honored with the Bill Rosendahl Pioneer of the Year Award for his “tireless advocacy on behalf of transgender youth.”

He was also presented with a certificate of recognition on behalf of the City of Los Angeles and the 11th Council District for his “extraordinary advocacy, leadership, and unwavering commitment to equality.”

“Your efforts have sparked important public dialogue, mobilized thousands of supporters, reaffirmed the values of dignity, fairness, and inclusion that strengthen our communities,” a portion of the certificate said. “The City of Los Angeles proudly recognizes your contributions to advancing equality and protecting the rights and well-being of LGBTQ+ youth.”

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LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • JULY 17, 2026 • 03

LOCAL

Former council member John Duran is running for one last term Duran said his years of experience are needed

By VICTORIA IVIE Long-time West Hollywood resident and activist John Duran surprised many by announcing he was running again for West Hollywood City Council in the upcoming general election.

“I’m only doing this because I think it is absolutely necessary for the city’s health to have one person with some experience on the council,” Duran told the Los Angeles Blade. “I really think the city is heading in the wrong direction and is on the wrong track.”

Duran has a long history of advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community and was one of the founders of Equality California. He is known around the city and in his political career as having defended LGBTQ+ rights during 40 years of his legal career, including being an attorney for ACT UP during the AIDS epidemic, and was the statewide co-chair of the Life AIDS lobby when laws on HIV and AIDS were being made in the 80s.

Duran served on the West Hollywood City Council for two decades, starting from 2001, and passed on his mayoral seat in March 2019 after multiple sexual harassment allegations were made about Duran by past and current members of the Gay Men’s Chorus. Duran cited a health issue as his reason for stepping down as mayor.

In February 2019, Duran left his board position within the Gay Men’s Chorus, claiming his departure was planned before these accusations came to light.

An investigation into the allegations, published by the Los Angeles Times, included claims that Duran made inappropriate remarks and put his hand down two men’s waistbands. At the time, protestors and media scrutiny demanded his resignation from the council; after stepping down as mayor, Duran served the rest of his term as a city council member until Nov. 2020.

Prior to these accusations, in 2016, an aide received a $500,000 settlement from a sexual harassment suit against the City of West Hollywood and Duran. Neither Duran nor the city admitted wrongdoing in the settlement or suit.

In the six years since his last term, Duran said he’s enjoyed his privacy but is ready to get back to work for one last term.

He’s only eligible for another four years, so he feels he can use his expertise to get the council on better footing for long-term success.

“A lot of the votes right now are three to two, with the two people with lots of experience in the minority, and I think that produces some threats to the city in terms of growth, economic growth, housing development, and transportation,” Duran said. “All of the nuts and bolts of the city are under threat.”

Some issues he says he’s been frustrated seeing the council voting on are affordability and increasing safety along Fountain Ave. “I think affordability is a big issue, and one of the issues that I disagree with the current council majority on is the issue about affordable housing and what to do about it,” Duran said.

The strongest tool for affordable housing? Duran says it’s rent control.

“We cannot build our way out of this (lack of affordability) issue,” Duran said. “What’s happening now is the incentive to try to build more is resulting in the destruction of rent-controlled units, and so the net effect is we’re going backwards by tearing down rent-controlled apartment buildings.”

Long-term, he hopes to see the council continue to strengthen rent control and follow up on earthquake retrofitting that Duran says was “largely abandoned” since he left the council.

Issues Duran hopes to tackle if he’s voted in for his last four-year term include “boring” everyday policies and issues to improve within municipal government.

“There are too many unfunded capital projects in the city’s budget, like well over 50,” Duran said.

Focusing on boring things like this can help fund future projects for the city long-

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term, he said.

“We need to look at our capital improvement projects and figure out which ones have to be cut, so we can put those unfunded projects back into our prudent reserves and really focus on how we’re going to use our prudent reserves.”

With so many capital improvement projects sitting in the pipeline, Duran said many of them are not being built due to economic shifts post-pandemic.

Another aspect he’d like to focus on improving if he gets voted back onto the city council is leadership development, especially for older council members, in cultivating younger LGBTQ+ leaders.

“I think a lot of the younger people that I see that are now running are inspired by being anti-Trump. I totally get that; I am too,” Duran said. “But really, what we have to start thinking about in terms of West Hollywood governance is the way that technology, artificial intelligence, and robotics are reshaping the world around us.”

“To me, those are the kind of conversations that need to happen for the future planning of West Hollywood,” he added. “I know I’m only going to be part of the launching of these conversations.”

Overall, Duran hopes that the spirit of West Hollywood, its defiant origins, and important LGBTQ+ history remain and shape the future of West Hollywood.

“I’ve been coming here to West Hollywood since the 70s, when they said we were mentally ill and I got to watch the whole history of the LGBT community from my front doorstep,” Duran said. “I think it’s worth having at least one person on the council who’s got a sense of where we came from and helping direct where we need to go.”

That Duran has “no interest” in running for higher office in Sacramento or D.C. is a plus for voters, he said.

“I don’t want to see West Hollywood become like the rest of Los Angeles,” Duran said. “That would be so heartbreaking to think that we’re going to become just like Brentwood, Westwood, Hollywood. We’re not; we’re something unique, completely different.”

NATIONAL

Who might replace Sen. Lindsey Graham after unexpected death?

A look at the contenders and their LGBTQ records

By JOE REBERKENNY | jreberkenny@washblade.com

Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) has died, and what he has left behind is a power vacuum for his U.S. Senate seat — and within the Republican Party.

The South Carolina senator had been a major part of Republican politics up until his Saturday death at his home in Washington, reportedly of an aortic dissection related to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Graham has been a fixture in government at both the state and federal levels. He began his political career in the South Carolina House of Representatives in 1992, representing the Palmetto State’s 2nd District before eventually moving to the federal government.

He moved up to Capitol Hill after his 1994 run for the U.S. House of Representatives. In 2003 he stepped across the rotunda to the Senate in 2003 following the retirement of longtime U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond.

He consistently opposed LGBTQ rights.

He voted against the 2022 Respect for Marriage Act, saying the decision should be left up to state governments, and the 2013 Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and opposed the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

With Graham’s sudden passing, the Republican Party is scrambling to find a replacement who can advance both its goals and those of the president as Republicans’ supermajority in the federal government begins to shrink.

The late-U.S. Sen. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-S.C.) (Washington Blade photo

by Michael Key)

Among those reportedly in the running is Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the highest-ranking openly LGBTQ federal official in American history and fifth in the presidential line of succession.

Bessent, a South Carolina native, was formerly a supporter of the Democratic Party and donated to several Democratic presidential candidates before switching parties in 2017 following Trump’s election in 2016. He later donated $1 million to Trump’s 2017 presidential

inaugural committee.

On Sunday, Bessent was also fielding calls from people asking him to run, according to a person familiar with the communications. A person close to Bessent told Politico that he is not interested in the seat, saying he is happy in his role as Treasury secretary, a position he has long wanted.

The Washington Blade reached out to the Treasury Department for comment, but did not receive a response.

One of the most anticipated and widely discussed names for the vacant Senate seat is Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette.

Evette is a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump and has gone as far as criticizing Republicans for not supporting the conspiracy theory that the 2020 presidential election was stolen. Trump also endorsed her gubernatorial campaign, though she ultimately lost to her now-boss, Gov. Henry McMaster.

McMaster has a long history of opposing LGBTQ rights.

During an October 2022 gubernatorial debate, McMaster said that if the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Obergefell v. Hodges, he would enforce South Carolina’s preexisting law banning same-sex marriage. In 2022, he also signed legislation requiring student athletes from elementary school through college to compete on teams corresponding to the sex listed on their birth certificates.

Other names reportedly being considered include U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), who has had a contentious relationship with LGBTQ issues during her time in Congress. She began as a supporter of LGBTQ rights, becoming one of the few Republicans to publicly support the Respect for Marriage Act, before making a complete about-face as transgender issues became a central part of the Republican Party’s political strategy.

As part of that strategy, Mace introduced a resolution to ban trans women from using female restrooms in the U.S. Capitol, a move she acknowledged was in direct response to the election of U.S. Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.), the first out trans person elected to Congress.

In a November 2024 post on X, Mace wrote: “We support gay marriage, and voted for the Respect for Marriage Act twice. However, if you think protecting women is discrimination, you are the problem. We don’t care if you’re trans, if you have balls we don’t want you in the women’s bathroom.”

Two other names being floated are U.S. Rep. Russell Fry, who represents South Carolina’s 7th Congressional District, and U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, who represents the state’s 5th Congressional District.

Trump recommended Graham’s sister, Darline Graham, should serve as the state’s temporary senator in a post on Truth Social on Monday.

“This would be a fabulous tribute to Lindsey, who loved her dearly!” Trump wrote on his social network.

The scramble comes as Republicans hold increasingly narrow majorities over Democrats in both the Senate and House, potentially complicating efforts to advance Trump’s agenda. That agenda includes continuing the war in Iran, securing Todd Blanche’s confirmation as attorney general, and adding $350 billion in defense spending to the SAVE America Act — a controversial proposal deemed a “Jim Crow 2.0” among voting rights advocates.

McMaster announced Graham’s interim replacement would be Graham’s sister, Darlene Graham Nordone, who will serve out the term until January and is not expected to run to fill the seat.

LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • JULY 17, 2026 • 05

NATIONAL

Queer media dominates the 2026 Emmy nominations LGBTQ+ shows and performers alike earn dozens of nominations across the Emmys’ many categories

By JOEL MEDINA Nominations for the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards are here — and they are so, so queer!

With the year we’ve seen in LGBTQ+ media, this isn’t very surprising; whether it be jaw-dropping new series or the ends of fan-favorite classics, every month offered a new project or performer for queer audiences to fall in love with. There were some pleasant surprises — and shocking snubs — with these nominations that have left the many TV fanatics in our community excited, hopeful that their favorite actor or series can take home at least one award at this year’s ceremony.

Will this be the gayest Primetime Emmy Awards that the Television Academy has ever seen? Let’s take a look at some of the biggest, absolutely queerest nominations for this year and find out!

Leading the pack (and making history) for queer television is Hacks, with the final season of this HBO Max comedy earning a massive 25 nominations — breaking Schitt’s Creek’s record for the maximum number of nominations for a comedy series’ final season!

Following an established comedienne (Jean Smart) and her bisexual, thoroughly Gen Z comedy partner (Hannah Einbinder), the series has been applauded for not only its portrayals of queer identity but also for how it showcases the generational divide in a way anyone can laugh at. Smart and Einbinder are both nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress and Outstanding Supporting Actress, respectively, with their fellow performers Meg Stalter, Paul W. Downs, Kaitlin Olson, and more also earning nominations for their time on the show. These, along with the numerous nominations for Hacks’ writing, directing, and allaround production, make it one of the most nominated programs at this year’s Emmys.

And this isn’t the only sapphic program being celebrated at this year’s awards! When Pluribus premiered, it took the (thankfully non-hive-minded) world by storm; it follows a lesbian author (Rhea Seehorn) who becomes one of the only people left with autonomy when an alien virus takes over the Earth. Seehorn — who offers an impeccably bitter performance as protagonist Carol Sturka — is being honored with an Outstanding Lead Actress nomination, with the show itself receiving 18 nominations overall in categories ranging from Outstanding Supporting Actor to Casting for a Drama. One extremely fun, thoroughly queer fact about these nominees: the actresses behind both of Carol’s onscreen love interests, Karolina Wydra and Miriam Shor, have earned their first Emmy nominations ever due to their work on the series!

While these queer TV shows are earning massive praise, the Emmys also made sure to honor the LGBTQ+ and ally celebrities who’ve graced our screens this year.

When he isn’t exciting audiences all over the world in Heated Rivalry, Connor Storrie was making viewers

laugh on Saturday Night Live, a hosting spot which earned him a nomination for Guest Actor in a Comedy. And though Jeff Hiller (who is coming off a 2025 Emmy win for Somebody, Somewhere) has proven to be one of the best parts of new hit Widow’s Bay, it was his turn as a mind-controlled, bicycle-short-wearing drone in Pluribus that earned the openly gay actor an Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama nomination.

Along with these, the always immaculate Zendaya received a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress for her role as queer recovering drug addict Rue in Euphoria, and long-time ally Claire Danes will be competing for Lead Actress in a Limited Series for her role as troubled lesbian writer Aggie Wiggs in The Beast in Me. When it comes to scripted television, the 2026 Emmy Nominations are filled with nominations for queer performers and stories alike. But, to the shock of nobody who loves nothing more than a good confessional and shocking table flip, there was one category where queer performers absolutely dominated: Reality Television.

The Outstanding Host for a Reality/Competition Program is one of this year’s most competitive categories — and not just because four of the five nominees are queer! The hilarious RuPaul Charles and Alan Cumming have both received nominations in this category, with their shows RuPaul’s Drag Race and The Traitors also being nominated for Best Reality Compe-

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tition Program. They’re joined by lesbian heartthrob Kristen Kish, who, for the third year in a row, has been nominated for Outstanding Host right alongside her series, Top Chef, for Best Reality Program!

And, finally, making her debut in the world of Emmy nominations is Ariana Madix, who just earned her first nomination for Outstanding Host thanks to her work on Love Island USA! An alum of reality TV herself, her guiding sexy singles along the path to love has helped this reality series take the country by storm. An openly bisexual host — who has stated that she wants her own show to be more queer — she joins this amazing group of leaders helping to innovate this genre today.

While these are some of the biggest LGBTQ+ nominees at this year’s Emmys, they don’t include the countless queerr editors, writers, costume designers, and more who have also been nominated in the ceremony’s 100+ categories. They all deserve a huge round of applause for their tireless work this year, and each of them should remember that they’ve each won just by being nominated.

And even if they don’t take home that illustrious trophy, in the words of a particular Queen of Drag who’s nominated for Outstanding Reality Host, always remember: losing is the new winning!

You can watch the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards on Monday, September 14, 2026, at 5:00 pm PST (8:00 pm EST) on NBC and Peacock.

VIEWPOINT

ISAAC AMEND

VO L U M E 10 IS S U E 13 PHONE 310-230-5266 E-MAIL arodriguez@losangelesblade.com INTERNET losangelesblade.com PUBLISHED BY Los Angeles Blade, LLC PUBLISHER ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ arodriguez@losangelesblade.com, 310-230-5266 x 8080 EDITORIAL NATIONAL EDITOR KEVIN NAFF knaff@washblade.com, 202-747-2077 x 8088 LOCAL NEWS REPORTER KRISTIE SONG ksong@losangelesblade.com CONTRIBUTING WRITER KAREN OCAMB karenocamb@losangelesblade.com CONTRIBUTORS

MICHAEL K. LAVERS, TINASHE CHINGARANDE, JOHN PAUL KING, LOU CHIBBARO JR., SUSAN HORNIK, JOE REBERKENNY, DANIEL ITAI, ISAAC AMEND, PETER ROSENSTEIN, TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER, JOE PHILLIPS, ANKUSH KUMAR, ESTEBAN RIOSECO, SAM KISIKA, ELVIS KAWEDO, HENRY CARNELL, DAWN ENNIS, AJ SLOAN

SALES & ADMINISTRATION SALES EXECUTIVE SHANA WONG SOLARES swong@losangelesblade.com, 808-386-0872 MARKETING DIRECTOR BRIAN PITTS bpitts@washblade.com, 202-747-2077 x 8089 NATIONAL ADVERTISING RIVENDELL MEDIA sales@rivendellmedia.com, 212-242-6863 ADMINISTRATION PHILLIP G. ROCKSTROH prockstroh@washblade.com, 202-747-2077 x 8092 CREATIVE DESIGN/PRODUCTION MEAGHAN JUBA production@azercreative.com DISTRIBUTION CHRISTOPHER JACKSON, 562-826-6602 All material in the Los Angeles Blade is protected by federal copyright law and may not be reproduced without the written consent of the Los Angeles Blade. The sexual orientation of advertisers, photographers, writers and cartoonists published herein is neither inferred nor implied. The appearance of names or pictorial representation does not necessarily indicate the sexual orientation of that person or persons. Although the Los Angeles Blade is supported by many fine advertisers, we cannot accept responsibility for claims made by advertisers. Unsolicited editorial material is accepted by the Los Angeles Blade, but the paper cannot take responsibility for its return. The editors reserve the right to accept, reject or edit any submission. A single copy of the Los Angeles Blade is available from authorized distribution points, to any individual within a 50-mile radius of Los Angeles, CA. Multiple copies are available from the Los Angeles Blade office only. Call for rates. If you cannot reach a convenient free distribution point, you may receive a 26-week mailed subscription for $125 per year or $5.00 per single issue. Checks can be sent to Phil Rockstroh at prockstroh@washblade.com. Or send him an email to request directions to make a payment online. Postmaster: Send address changes to the Los Angeles Blade, PO BOX 60664 Washington, DC 20039. The Los Angeles Blade is published bi-weekly, on Friday, by Los Angeles Blade, LLC. Rates for businesses/institutions are $450 per year. Periodical postage paid at Los Angeles, CA., and additional mailing offices. Editorial positions of the Los Angeles Blade are expressed in editorials and in editors’ notes as determined by the paper’s editors. Other opinions are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Los Angeles Blade or its staff. To submit a letter or commentary: Letters should be fewer than 400 words; commentaries should be fewer than 750 words. Submissions may be edited for content and length, and must include a name, address and phone number for verification. Send submissions by e-mail to knaff@washblade.com.

2023 GLAAD Media Awards

©2026 LOS ANGELES BLADE, LLC.

is a writer based in the D.C. area. He is a transgender man and was featured in National Geographic’s ‘Gender Revolution’ documentary.

He serves on the board of the LGBT Democrats of Virginia. His portfolio is available at www. isaacamend.com and you can contact him on Instagram at @isaacamend.

Literature is my companion I’ve lived in Russia, Pakistan, India, but books are always home

By ISAAC AMEND People often ask where I am from and I never know how to answer.

The factual answer is straightforward enough: I was born in Saudi Arabia, spent parts of my childhood in Pakistan and India, lived in Moscow, and later in Jordan before eventually settling in the United States. The emotional answer is much more complicated. Home kept changing. Languages changed. Schools changed.

Friends changed.

The only country I never had to leave was literature.

Some children grow up with a single hometown that anchors their memories. I grew up with departure lounges, embassy compounds, cardboard boxes, and the understanding that permanence was a temporary arrangement. Just when I learned the shape of one place, another place arrived. By the time I reached adulthood, I had become adept at beginning again.

Books offered a different bargain. They asked only that I return.

I was too young in Saudi Arabia to remember much beyond fragments and family stories. Pakistan arrived as mountains and long drives. We passed through Abbottabad on our way to ski slopes, the landscape unfolding in a way that felt both ancient and immediate. Even as a child, I found comfort in reading during those journeys. A book transformed transit into destination. The hours belonged to a story rather than to geography.

India deepened that relationship. I remember wandering through bookstores near Khan Market in New Delhi, clutching bags of Lay’s chips and searching for something new to carry home. There was a particular joy in rummaging through shelves without any plan, allowing a title or a sentence to find me first.

Outside our house, cows grazed peacefully on the grass, untouchable and entirely unconcerned with human schedules. Street vendors sold samosas that remain among the best food I have ever eaten. The world outside was vibrant, crowded, and overwhelming in the best possible way. Reading provided a parallel world— equally rich, but one I could enter and leave on my own terms.

By the time we moved to Moscow, literature had become less of a pastime and more of a companion.

Winters in Russia bring their own emotional architecture. The days contract. Darkness arrives early. At diplomatic receptions in Spaso House, there were blinis, caviar, Christmas cookies, and annual performances of “The Nutcracker.” Yet beyond the formal rituals of diplomacy stood an extraordinary literary inheritance.

To live in Moscow is to feel, even faintly, the presence of writers who treated human suffering and longing with unmatched seriousness.

I found myself drawn to Fyodor Dostoevsky and his insistence that contradiction lies at the center of being human. You can hold

faith and doubt simultaneously. You can seek love while fearing intimacy. You can desire freedom and still long for belonging. For someone who already felt different from those around him, those lessons mattered. Literature granted permission to be complicated.

Jordan, perhaps more than anywhere else, taught me that books and places can become intertwined. I think of afternoons in Jabal Amman and evenings near Rainbow Street. I think of traveling through Wadi Rum, floating in the Dead Sea, hiking through Wadi Mujib, and standing in Petra with the humbling awareness that civilizations outlast individual lives. Reading in such places changed the texture of the act itself. The world felt larger, and so did the questions worth asking.

People sometimes imagine literature as an escape from reality.

I have never understood it that way.

For me, books did not remove me from the world. They taught me how to inhabit it.

They taught me that loneliness is a universal experience rather than a personal defect. They taught me that identity can be layered and unfinished. They taught me that grief and beauty frequently occupy the same sentence. Most importantly, they taught me that human beings across centuries and continents ask remarkably similar questions: Who am I? What do I owe others?

How should I live?

Those questions followed me to college, where literature ceased to be merely a private refuge and became an intellectual vocation. Yet even then, I recognized that my relationship to books differed from that of many peers. I did not simply love reading. I depended upon it. Literature had functioned as continuity in a life defined by movement.

Other people had hometown diners, childhood neighborhoods, and lifelong classmates. I had novels, essays, and poems that accompanied every relocation.

Perhaps that is why I remain skeptical of narrow definitions of belonging. Home is not always a fixed point on a map. Sometimes it is a practice. Sometimes it is a set of stories you carry from one country to another. Sometimes it is a shelf of books that survives every move.

The older I become, the more grateful I am for that inheritance.

Long before I understood my identity, my ambitions, or even the shape of the life I wanted to build, I understood that books offered something enduring. They expected nothing from me except attention. They never demanded reinvention. They remained patient through every transition.

I have left many places behind over the course of my life. Literature, thankfully, never left me.

LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • JULY 17, 2026 • 07

Madonna roundup:

Reviews, sales, and love for ‘Danceteria’ Pop legend’s new album ‘Confessions II’ earning raves

By STAFF REPORTS Madonna isn’t just back, she’s ubiquitous.

From a Times Square takeover to Graham Norton’s couch, the pop legend is busy promoting her new album, “Confessions II,” a sequel to 2005’s “Confessions on a Dance Floor,” that is earning rave reviews.

“Madonna’s back in peak form with a fresh and honest dance record that’s not only her best in 20 years, but a genuinely vital addition to her canon,” says Pitchfork.

“Facing grief and loss has made Madonna’s music deeper than it’s been in 20 years, but also more alive,” the Guardian proclaims.

“If everyone in the club is a work of art, as ‘Danceteria’ says, then to live loudly is to make an indelible mark,” according to Vulture.

The album features upbeat dance productions along with some melancholic views on death and loss. On the song “Betrayal,” she reflects on the recent death of her stepmother Joan, singing, “You’ll never take my mother’s place … you betrayed me, you enslaved me.”

On “L.E.S. Girl,” she revisits her early days living on the Lower East Side and struggling to pay the rent. “Bizarre” seems to reference her failed 1980s marriage to actor Sean Penn. “Test” is a duet with daughter Lola Leon, in which she sings, “I wish I knew / The pain I’ve caused / My butterfly / Was always being watched.”

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But the emotional high point of the album comes on “Fragile,” which she wrote about the death of her brother Christopher. The two were close early in Madonna’s career and he designed sets for early tours, including “Blonde Ambition.” But they had a falling out after her marriage to Guy Ritchie and he wrote a scathing tellall book about his sister that led to years of estrangement. The two reconciled after Christopher’s cancer diagnosis and shortly before he died in 2024 at age 63. She sings, “Late last night I was fast asleep/You came to me in a dream/You said, ‘Don’t forget about me/Don’t forget to be happy.’”

Death emerges again but in a much more upbeat context in “Danceteria,” an ode to the iconic New York nightclub that has emerged as a gay favorite single and seems destined to be the song of the summer in queer nightlife. She recounts her pre-fame days trying to convince a DJ to play her first single “Everybody” at the club and name checks Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, best friend Debi Mazar, and DJ Mark Kamins on the track.

Streaming numbers and sales are strong for the new album with projected first week sales of 100,000 ensuring a No.1 debut in the U.S.

MUSIC

Weho’s Prince Joshua tells all in his new album, ‘Prince of the BLVD’ ‘Prince Of The BLVD’ takes listeners on Prince Joshua’s personal journey from potato fields to Hollywood stages and Weho’s nightlife

By STEVEN DEHLER Prince Joshua is back! The two-time winner of the Los Angeles Blade Reader’s Choice Award for Local Music Artist of the Year, as well as reigning Go-Go Madness Champion in West Hollywood, returns with his new mixtape, Prince of the BLVD. A celebration of confidence, ambition, perseverance, and self-discovery — the eight-track album released worldwide on June 1, 2026.

Prince Of The BLVD takes listeners on Prince Joshua’s personal journey from performing for his family at a young age to encouragement from his father that he could achieve anything he was willing to work hard for.

“Prince of the BLVD is about carrying yourself like royalty.

It’s about discovering what makes you special, putting that energy into your passions, and creating a life you’re proud of while being unapologetically yourself. Every song represents a chapter of that journey.” — Prince Joshua.

As an added bonus for fans, the music video for “GOGO BOY”, the sixth track off Prince of the BLVD, was released on June 10, 2026. The video was filmed at EDYN, Prince Joshua’s weekly party at The Abbey in West Hollywood. In the video, he combines his passion for music, dance, and live performance. Prince Joshua has opened up to Los Angeles Blade to give us more insight into Prince of the BLVD, his state-of-mind while creating the album, what makes it different than his previous albums, how he balances his love for dancing in nightlife with being a recording artist, and more: What was the inspiration for this album? And how does it differ from your other bodies of work?

In Prince of the BLVD, I have a few moments where I slow things down a bit from my hype club banger sound and allow you into the book of Joshua, where I paint the picture with my lyrics that I’ve always been a star, from performing for my family in my living room to being on stage at Weho Pride. In “MOMENT IN TIME” and “DROPPIN HEAT,” I explain why I believe in myself and what kind of mindset I have by being unapologetically myself, working hard for my dreams, and always getting back up when life gets hard. I’ve always been a hard worker and someone who wants to be amazing in everything I do. My track “FULL TIME SLAYER” dives into this mindset of working hard for what you want and always giving it your all. My track “GOGO BOY” was made to have a go-go boy anthem since I always hear songs of dancers and women and never one about the guys, so I created one to pay homage to all the go-go boys out there to applaud them and thank them for being the ones who energize every party.

What’s your creative process when building an album? Was there anything that you changed for this album? If so, why?

I really just get inspired randomly. I love to smoke a joint before listening to beats to come up with new songs.

Sometimes I’ll be in the shower or sleeping and have an idea, or a couple of lines or bars will come out, and I’ll immediately write them down because I don’t want to forget what comes to me naturally. I don’t like to force my songs; I really just enjoy having fun and speaking of my own experiences and turning them into a musical memory.

What track did you enjoy working on the most?

I have so much love for my song “MOMENT IN TIME” because before my Papa passed, he told me I could be anything I believed if I worked hard. I include his words of wisdom to share this with anyone who grew up in a family being the black sheep, and in a city where you felt you didn’t belong. You are worthy and capable of achieving anything. I went from potato fields to Hollywood stages. It took a lot of growth, traveling, and hard work, but I created a life for myself that I only ever dreamed of as a little boy.

The song takes you on a journey through my life through lyrics. I was most insecure about sharing this song, and yet it’s one that I’ve gotten the most good feedback about.

Sometimes it’s okay to open up, and I’m glad it’s been received well by my listeners.

How is it balancing your passion for music and performing with working as a dancer in nightlife?

I’m often trying to brand myself as a music artist, not just a go-go, which can be difficult after winning various go-go competitions. I’m proud of every title I’ve earned and think it’s time for us go-go boys to show everyone we are capable of so much more than being an accent piece to a party. We can command the stage and evolve into artists, performers, and party producers. I love that I get to blend my love for dance and music at my weekly party EDYN at the Abbey in Weho. It’s a magical feeling when you get to pursue your passions and combine them to make an immersive experience for our community.

Has there been any negative bias associated with dancing in nightlife? If so, how has that made it more difficult for you?

While there may be some negative bias or stigma about being a go-go boy and working in nightlife, as I say in my song “FULL TIME SLAYER”: “ I do what I do, wannabe in my shoes. Living my truth, never think of you. Do it for who, ain’t nothing to prove.” I am who I am, and I come from an experience no other person has. A lion does not concern itself with the opinion of sheep. What I do makes me unique from the blending of go-go boy, music artist, and party producer. I think that due to my experience, I am more than qualified to be doing what I’m doing. I know my work will speak for itself, and people will see how much effort I put into my art, being an independent self-funded artist who uses the tips put in my underwear to afford stu-

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dio sessions and music video productions that I write and direct myself.

In your opinion, how has nightlife changed as you as a dancer? As a musical artist?

The first time I saw a go-go dancer, I was at a rave I had snuck into at 17, and I was in awe. I knew I wanted to be up there one day, and when I turned 20, I found the opportunity. I fell in love with the stage as a kid, from acting to doing competitive cheerleading, but dancing for the LGBTQ community was where everything felt aligned.

Once I moved to Hollywood, it really began to change the way I dance, and I continued evolving to where I wanted to create my own music I could dance to. I’m so influenced and inspired by my own experience as a gay man living in West Hollywood, and I want others to be able to see themselves in music when we only have a limited amount of gay male artists, especially in the hip hop genre.

As an LGBTQ recording artist, what challenges have you faced within the industry?

I definitely feel as though my content is censored on various platforms. I’ve even had my TikTok wrongfully deleted before due to trolls bullying me. It’s something I’m constantly trying to navigate and find a way to “win over the algorithm” while still being true to myself. I will always be unapologetically and genuinely myself, no matter how I decide to portray that in my art. I think our own community can be more critical when we see one another making music or getting new opportunities and I encourage everyone to clap for others because the more queer people that succeed in this industry, the more space we’ll be able to take up and connect through music.

What’s the overall message that you want to convey with this album?

PRINCE Of The BLVD is about living in a royal mindset, no matter what your beginnings looked like, and chasing your dreams by working hard with tenacity and believing in your own worth. I want others to walk away inspired to live life for themselves, not anyone else, and to allow themselves to be the confident bad bitch you want to be.

Prince of the BLVD is available now on all streaming platforms. Stream here.

You can also stay up-to-date with Prince Joshua through his Instagram, where he gives fans a closer look at his music and nightlife.

Drag diva Rhea Litrè releases Spanglish album ‘PUNTO’

MUSIC

Litrè takes time to discuss working with recording artist VELO, her heritage, and singing in Spanish

By CHRISTIAN CINTRON You know Rhea Litrè. Whether it’s from seeing her at shows all over West Hollywood. Perhaps you know her through her drag mothers, Raja or Mayhem Miller, or from her drag bestie Willam Belli. Maybe it was as a member of Tranzkuntinental with Kelly Mantle, Detox, Willam, and Vicky Vox. Or maybe you remember her from the parody song, “Let’s have a KaiKai.” So you know her, but you may not have known she was Latina.

Litrè has just released a full Spanglish album with recording artist VELO titled PUNTO. Velo is widely known for his reggaeton-inspired club anthems, including Big D*ck Daddy and Perra (Bitch) with Dragula star Melissa Befierce, who also RHEA LITRÈ’S PUNTO (Photo by David Martinez) guest stars on this album.

“This album is a love letter to my Chicano, Tejano, and Mexicano heritage.” Rhea shares. She adds, “This album helped me connect with my roots and explore how incredible and authentic it is to sing in Spanish.”

The album was produced in the Dominican Republic by Velo Productions and premieres today on all streaming platforms and with the music video for the song “Tu Dueño.”

Litrè adds, “This goes out to all Latinos who don’t know Spanish fluently. People can be so cruel sometimes, especially within our own communities. You are Latino! Be Proud!

Shout from the rooftops!”

She took some time to talk to the Blade about drag, the DNA of this album, and her own relationship to her heritage.

First, I have to ask: the album is named Punto… is that a play on the Spanish word for period/periodt?

That is exactly what I was going for. It may or may not translate perfectly, but I am no stranger to interesting album names, like my last studio album, BuckBonkey.

What made you want to release an album in Spanish?

I have been singing in Spanish for as long as I can remember. I never felt completely comfortable singing in Spanish because I do not speak it fluently. Christina Aguilera’s “Mi Reflejo” gave me a lot of strength in recording this album, and the more I learned the lyrics, what they meant, and how they were sung on this album, I became more connected than ever to anything I had ever felt.

I feel so connected to my culture when I sing in Spanish. This album is a love letter to all my Latino brothers and sisters who were not taught Spanish and still connect to our culture through other things like designing, dancing, or, in my case, music.

What was it like growing up Latino?

INCREDIBLE. My family was very close growing up. I have over 30 cousins. My Wella (abuela) and Wello (abuelo) had 12 kids, so there was always a birthday, graduation, holiday, or something going on. If you ask me, I was Wella’s favorite. Or maybe it was because I was her lil gay grandchild, but when all the boys had to leave to play outside, I got to stay with her in the kitchen. I will always remember that. The security in Wella’s arms and a warm, fresh homemade flour tortilla in hand is what I remember most about childhood.

How did this album come about?

Music has always been my main passion when it came to drag. When VELO approached me about doing music together back in 2017, we both knew we were going to do a Spanglish Album. Here we are, almost 10 years later, and it’s finally upon us. This is unlike anything we have done before; this album is written from the heart and shared with some of the best friends that I have been working with for my whole career. When Scarlett BoBo from Canada’s Drag Race and Melissa Befierce from Dragula joined VELO and me on this record, it truly turned into a family affair.

What was it like working with VELO? VELO is incredible and knows how to handle the doll! He’s got all the swag and has the sexiest singing voice. I love the way VELO writes in Spanish for me. He knows exactly what I would want to say and how to say it. Incredibly, VELO and I recorded the majority of this album on a week-long trip to Maine and sent our stems out to the Dominican Republic to be produced and mastered.

What inspired the songs?

Partying, romance, and being a Bad Bitch have always been prevalent when it comes to my music. My travels to Mexico, especially Puerto Vallarta, have heavily inspired this album. There is something for everyone on PUNTO. “Debil” for Love, “Tu Dueno” for Romance, and “Down in PV” to dance!

What was the sound and vibe you were going for?

We got some tropical, we got some dance, some Reggaeton. We really wanted to create a sexy vibe for this record, and I believe we nailed it. One of my favorite tracks is “Down in PV” featuring Scarlett BoBo. Scarlett had a cabaret show and lived there for a few months last year.

I can’t even count how many times I have been to PV. I got to shout out all my favorite hotspots like the Tryst Hotel, CC Slaughters, the Mantamar & more! Puerto Vallarta was dreamt up by a gay man; it is truly my favorite place to have a Gaycation! “Down in PV” is a fun track to dance to! Let’s go dance!

Can you tell me a little bit more about these amazing guest performers?

I met Scarlett Bobo back in 2013 in Toronto while I was touring. Let’s be real, we are cut from the same cloth. I loved that bitch the second I met her, and we are best of friends today. Scarlett is a real one, and it just was so organic to have my sister on this record.

Melissa Befierce is one of the Baddest Bitches in the game. Melissa and I have hosted countless parties together, and I am completely enamored by her artistry and beauty through the art of drag. Melissa is an ICON, and I am honored to have her on this album.

What do you think makes drag different for Latin audiences?

Latinos are very connected to the culture. For example, when I watched Drag Race México, I felt every runway in my soul. I thought to myself, “I need to explore more of my culture.” I want to feel more than sexy and strong in my drag. I want to feel more connected to my culture, and that is what this record is about. PUNTO Were there any funny stories while recording/working on the album?

After a full day of shooting the music video for “Tu Dueno,” VELO and I went to the Abbey. The Abbey serves the stiffest drinks this side of the Mississippi, honey, and I was lit!

While blackout drunk, VELO shot me as a video ho for his song “Dimelo,” and the footage is hilarious. Go watch that video and see if you can tell how lit the doll is. I remember nothing!

You can catch PUNTO on July 1st on all streaming platforms and watch the premiere of the video for “Tu Dueño” on YouTube.

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