Washington Blade, Volume 57, Issue 31, July 31, 2026

Cruel Summer Trump cuts HIV funds; Berlin Pride attack kills one, PAGES 12 & 14

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Officials raise troubling concerns about Rehoboth mayoral candidate Suzanne Goode Homophobic emails, ‘aggressive’ behavior cited: ‘It just seems to be getting worse’

By THOMAS WEAVERLING

As Rehoboth Beach voters prepare to elect a new mayor on Aug. 8, some city officials and local residents are raising new concerns about the behavior of City Commissioner and mayoral candidate Suzanne Goode.

In addition to a history of troubling emails in which she has used homophobic language and criticized the city’s rainbow crosswalks, Goode is being accused of inappropriate behavior by a neighbor and a fellow Commissioner related to a dispute on the Nextdoor online platform.

The Blade spoke to City Manager Taylour Tedder, Commissioner Chris Galanty, and others about Goode’s behavior during her time as commissioner.

Goode was elected commissioner in August 2024. Fellow commissioner Susan Stewart, who is also running for mayor, criticized Goode’s behavior in a March 9, 2026 meeting, bringing up emails outlining Goode’s offensive conduct toward city staff.

In one email, Goode wrote to Rehoboth Beach City Solicitor Lisa Borin Ogden: “I am sorry that I learned from Google when you were first interviewed [in the] spring [of] 2025 that you are Jewish. My opinion of my fellow Jews declined significantly thanks to you since last summer. Actually would have thought you would have more compassion than the average person, based on your late brother. Except you don’t. I am sick of your haughty attitude toward me.”

In other emails, Goode questions why city officials encouraged CAMP Rehoboth and Clear Space Theatre to apply for grant funds. She has denigrated both institutions, referring to CAMP as a “questionable non-profit” and Clear Space as “second rate” with a “woke, drag queen bent” at times. She accuses Rehoboth’s LGBTQ community of displaying “their sex lives in public view” and fears physical violence from LGBTQ activists.

Goode disputed the claims and called for the city to remove Stewart’s remarks from the website.

The following statements were included in the emails sent by Goode: • “Gays and theatre aficionados can donate as much as they like to these pet causes.

Some taxpayers think the theatre is second-rate as community theatres go, and many dislike the RB emphasis on LGBTQ when heterosexuals don’t demand equivalent display of their sex lives in public view.”

• “Just because the LGBTQ community feels oppressed and discriminated against, that doesn’t mean that those who identify as LGBTQ are better able to recognize racial discrimination than someone like myself. It might surprise some of you to learn that I briefly dated an African American fellow college student.”

• “A performing arts and LGBTQ agenda isn’t appropriate for BOC spending when the city faces over $60M in debt.”

• “But there are some folks in town, who ironically have to remain in the closet (conservatives now have to do what gays had to do in the 20th century — ah, the irony) who object to the woke, drag queen bent of Clear Space at times. They have confided this in me, and thanked me for fighting for their tax dollars. Maybe I will regret speaking up, as some LGBTQ activist will attack me physically, even though I am a complete supporter of gay rights, and have as many gay male friends as female friends now that I live in RB with a large gay population.”

In the emails, Goode also referred to City Manager Tedder as “the mayor’s whore.”

Stewart told the Blade that the troubling behavior has since escalated.

Commissioner Chris Galanty spoke to the Blade about Goode’s behavior as commissioner and her issues with the rainbow crosswalks in town.

“Suzanne told me on two separate occasions that she didn’t like the rainbow crosswalks, and she said that she didn’t understand why they had to exist, and she didn’t understand why gay people had to advertise their sexuality, and she said straight people don’t have to do that.”

Galanty said that when he challenged her on this, she “moved very quickly to another topic.” He said that she has now shifted her perspective and is more concerned that the rainbow crosswalks are an issue of labor costs.

Goode told the Blade that, “Unfortunately, the rainbow crosswalks have potentially reduced the upkeep of the conventional crosswalks. But the rainbow crosswalks are attractive in and of themselves, and they do add to our recognition of Rehoboth’s longstanding status as a gay-friendly town.”

Accusations of “aggressive” behavior by Goode aren’t limited to emails. Last summer, Goode came to the home of Diana Jones, a property owner in Rehoboth Beach who is a neighbor of Galanty’s. Jones spoke to the Blade to share her experience with Goode.

Jones is active on Nextdoor, an online social network for neighborhoods. She said that she got involved on the platform during the time of the commissioners election last summer, in 0 6 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • JULY 31, 2026 • LO CA L NE WS

which her neighbor, Chris Galanty, was elected as commissioner.

Jones said that she made posts supporting Galanty. She said that someone posted a link of a lawsuit that involved Goode’s husband, Jeffrey Goode, who lost his race for commissioner last summer. Jones said that she reposted the link after it was taken down.

Jones said that the lawsuit was “very relevant to somebody who is running for city commissioner.”

Jones said that Suzanne Goode showed up at her house as a result of the post. Jones was out walking her dog nearby so Goode briefly spoke with Jones’s husband who was home.

Locals are raising concerns about SUZANNE GOODE’s behavior. (Photo courtesy Goode)

“She came over to my house because she was saying I was doxing him,” said Jones. Jones said that Goode then found her as she was walking her dog and tried to talk to her about her Nextdoor posts, saying that she “brought up a very painful time in her life.”

Jones said that she has not had any communication with Goode since.

When asked for comment on the situation with Jones, Goode responded by saying “Diana Jones’s behavior toward me was despicable, and the way she has chosen to give her side of the story to news media says more about her than it will ever say about me.”

Galanty told the Blade that Goode came to his house in late June of this year when he was not home. She then called him about Jones.

“She relayed to me that she was having a disagreement with my neighbor on the Nextdoor platform, and she asked me to intercede with the neighbor,” said Galanty. “She said, ‘Please speak to her because I am frustrated with what she is saying. She needs to stop, and you need to say something to her.’”

Galanty said that Goode called him four times and texted him 32 times in the span of three and a half hours the next day.

Galanty said that he responded the next day, telling her that her behavior was inappropriate.

“Eventually it took a couple of weeks, but she apologized in her own way. She just said we just need to let it go.”

From his perspective as commissioner, Galanty said, “She likes to re-litigate things that have happened, six months ago, nine months ago. She likes to rehash issues that are in the past.”

“She can be really aggressive, and people are just really turned off by her,” said Galanty.

Tedder, who has accused Goode of creating a “hostile work environment,” told the Blade about his experiences working with Goode.

“She does not support the staff, and constantly tells us to resign,” said Tedder.

Tedder said that Goode texted City Solicitor Ogden at 7:45 a.m. on a Saturday, telling her to resign.

“Sometimes she does have good ideas. It’s just it gets so lost in these pages and pages of emails and thousands of emails that she sends,” said Tedder.

In regards to Goode’s behavior, Tedder said it has been going on since the beginning. “It just seems to be getting worse.”

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Earle-Sears launches campaign against Va. marriage equality Less than a year after losing Virginia’s gubernatorial race, former Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears is campaigning across the state against constitutional amendments that would protect marriage equality and reproductive freedom.

She is launching a statewide “Life and Marriage Tour” ahead of November’s election.

Although same-sex couples can legally marry under the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision, Virginia’s constitution still contains language that defines marriage as between one man and one woman. Supporters say removing the language would protect marriage equality should federal precedent change.

The original ban was written into the state constitution in 2006.

It has been hinted at in the past by Supreme Court Judge Clarence Thomas that he would consider revisiting Obergefell v. Hodges regarding contraception and marriage rights for same-sex couples. He stated this in his concurring opinion regarding the Dobbs v.

Jackson ruling, which allows for state-level abortion bans.

Equality Virginia Executive Director Narissa Rahaman said removing the ban would bring the state’s constitution in line with existing law.

“20 years after banning marriage equality, it’s time for our commonwealth to fully complete our evolution — and finish the job on protecting marriage equality for all,” Rahaman said.

In an email to supporters, Earle-Sears said these amendments “raise serious concerns” and could alter principles about which Virginians care.

“That is why our efforts are focused not only on in-

forming voters, but also encouraging them to carefully consider these proposals and vote NO on both amendments,” Earle-Sears said.

Virginia voters will consider three constitutional amendments this November.

Earle-Sears is campaigning for voters to reject two of them: the Virginia Remove Constitutional Same-Sex Marriage Ban Amendment and the Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment.

A “Yes” vote on the Same-Sex Marriage Ban Amendment would include removing a provision that states marriage is between one man and one woman and prohibitng the state from denying a marriage license to two adults based on their sex, gender, or race, according to the Virginia Department of Elections.

In 2025, during debates against now Gov. Abigail Spanberger, Earle-Sears argued it is not discrimination to think that gay people should not be allowed to marry. She claims it conflicts with her faith.

According to ABC 8, in 2024 she wrote that she had a “moral opposition” to marriage equality, after former Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, signed a marriage equality bill that barred denying marriage licenses based on sex, gender, or race.

According to the Virginia Department of Elections, a “Yes” vote on the Reproductive Freedom amendment supports adding a section to the state constitution that would give Virginians the right to make and carry out decisions regarding reproductive healthcare, except in specific exemptions.

The Virginia Department of Elections wrote that if accepted, the amendment would allow the state government to pass laws to regulate abortion care in the third trimester of pregnancy, but require abortion care when

it is medically needed to protect the life and health of the pregnant person or because the fetus is not viable.

During the 2025 election cycle, Earle-Sears was clear on her anti-abortion stance.

Former Virginia Lt. Gov. WINSOME EARLE-SEARS (Blade photo by Michael Key)

According to the Virginia Independent, she utilized campaign funds to donate to the Family Foundation of Virginia. The group is a faith-based, anti-abortion, and anti-in vitro fertilization non-profit.

The “Life and Marriage Tour” will include traveling throughout Virginia to speak with citizens, churches, community organizations, and local leaders. The exact locations have yet to be announced.

EMMA LaPOINTE

Gary Sutton, known for ‘warmth, laughter,’ dies at 62 Gary A. Sutton, a longtime resident of College Park, Md., who was an active member of several D.C.-area LGBTQ social organizations before and after his retirement as a federal government worker, died on July 17.

He was 62.

His partner of 35 years, Edward Leddy, said the cause of death was a heart attack.

A write-up on Sutton’s life that Leddy helped prepare for the funeral home where a celebration of life for Sutton will be held on Aug. 15 says Sutton’s life “was filled with warmth and laughter” and he was a “cherished son” of the community in Prince George’s County, Md., where he lived for nearly all of his life.

He graduated from the county’s Crossland High School in Camp Springs, Md., shortly before he “dedicated his career to the Environmental Protection Agency, serving with commitment and integrity,” the write-up says. Leddy said Sutton worked at the EPA’s D.C. headquarters for about 20 years before his retirement.

“Outside of work, Gary was known for his passion for gardening, often found tending to flowers and crafting beautiful landscapes,” the write-up says. “His creative soul shone through his watercolor paintings and intricate ink prints, leaving behind a legacy of artistry,” it says.

“Gary’s life was enriched by his love for sharing

GARY SUTTON (Photo by Gerry Woods)

meals with friends, where his stories and laughter would light up the room,” the write-up that Leddy helped prepare continues. “He was an active member of several clubs, including Prime Timers, the Four Seasons Garden Club, the Montgomery County Men’s Club, and Ushers, where his presence was always full and appreciated.”

According to Leddy, all those groups, based in the D.C. metro area, had mostly gay/LGBTQ members. He

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said he and Sutton first met in 1991 at a meeting of the Four Seasons Garden Club. He said the two began dating and soon became a couple before Sutton moved into Leddy’s College Park house in 1994, where the couple lived until Sutton’s passing.

“It’s going to be very different for me now,” Leddy said. “He was very outgoing, loved his stories, loved laughter,” Leddy said, adding that he will miss their eating out with friends and sharing time together at home. He pointed to his and Sutton’s time traveling both across the U.S. and to Europe in past years.

“Gary’s life was a testament to the beauty of laughter, friendship, and heartfelt connections,” the writeup concludes. “He will be deeply missed and fondly remembered by all who knew him.”

In addition to his partner, the write-up says Sutton is survived by his sister Margo Arnold and her husband Randy, nephews Michael and Brandon Arnold, Brandon’s wife Renee, and a grandniece, Emily Arnold, “all of whom will carry forward his memory and joy.” Also among the survivors are his many friends in the D.C. metro area.

The celebration of life is scheduled to take place Saturday, Aug. 15, from 2-4 p.m. at the Donald V. Borgwardt Funeral Home at 4400 Powder Mill Road in Beltsville, Md. LOU CHIBBARO JR.

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‘Heated Rivalry’ star takes it off in new ads for Under Armour Actor François Arnaud made a splash as gay hockey player Scott Hunter in “Heated Rivalry.” Now the Under Armour athletic apparel company is counting on the actor to make a splash promoting its HeatGear sportswear line.

The Baltimore-based company announced on July 23 that it has made Arnaud its newest global brand ambassador and that he will headline “For When It’s Hot,” a promotional campaign celebrating its HeatGear franchise.

A 45-second video released by the company features Arnaud exercising in Under Armour gear – lifting weights, doing crunches and battling ropes while the neighbors gawk — and then taking his shirt off, wiping his face with it and throwing it at the camera. A jogger passing by is apparently so flustered that he runs into a couple of trash cans.

“It’s hot out there,” an announcer says. “Temperatures are expected to keep rising.”

Arnaud, 41, never made it to The Cottage, but he had a prominent role in the steamy gay hockey romance show, which debuted last fall on HBO Max and the Canadian streaming service Crave. His character wore tight-fitting Under Armour products throughout the series, including a memorable scene where he meets his love interest Kip, played by Robbie G. K. (Robbie Graham-Kuntz), at the fictional Straw + Berry smoothie shop. Hunter’s Under Armour logo is hard to miss as he waits for his extra-banana blueberry smoothie.

“Arnaud has earned international recognition for his dynamic work across film and television, most recently captivating audiences with his breakout role in ‘Heated Rivalry,’” Under Armour said in announcing its partnership with the actor. “His performance sparked widespread fan engagement and conversation online, including enthusiasm around the character’s connection to sport, training and Under Armour products featured throughout the series.”

“What drew us to François was more than his obvious talent and looks, it was what he represents,” said Matt Dornic, chief communications officer for Under Armour, in a statement. “The character he portrays ultimately finds his greatest success when he stops trying to fit someone else’s mold and embraces who he truly is. That’s a lesson that resonates deeply with us. The best athletes perform with confidence, conviction and authenticity, and we believe the strongest brands do too. As Under Armour continues to evolve, we’re focused on being unmistakably ourselves, and François embodies that mindset in everything he does.”

Long known for its partnerships with professional athletes, Under Armour also names ambassadors from the fields of entertainment and culture. Others include country music star Parker McCollum and Grammy-nominated rapper Gunna. These partnerships, the company says, “reflect the brand’s expanding view of performance and its belief that athletic mindset extends far beyond the field of play.”

“The connection between sport and culture is stronger than ever, and that’s creating exciting opportunities to engage athletes and fans in new ways,” said Tyler Rutstein, Under Armour’s Senior Vice President of Global Brand and Americas Marketing, in a statement.

“François is at the center of a moment that fans are genuinely passionate about, and

we’re excited to be part of it,” he continued.” As a brand, we’re focused on showing up in authentic sport moments and clever cultural crossovers. When we recognized François wearing Under Armour organically, we knew a partnership would feel authentic to both of our fan bases.”

“François’s character held a cultural mirror up to the brand and we liked what FRANÇOIS ARNAUD stars in a new ad campaign for Under it reflected — hardworking, Armour. (Screen capture via underarmour.com) relentless and an athlete whose performance improved when he embraced his authentic self,” Dornic told ADWEEK. “That is especially meaningful at this moment for UA. With [founder] Kevin [Plank] returning as CEO, we’ve been really intentional about connecting with our roots and reigniting what makes UA great.”

Arnaud identifies as bisexual. His “For When It’s Hot” campaign for Under Armour has launched globally and will run across Under Armour’s social channels, including Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

To celebrate the occasion, Under Armour had a pop-up “HeatGear Smoothie Bar” at its headquarters over the weekend. One popular flavor was named “Blue Moon over Baltimore” – a nod to Scott Hunter’s favorite smoothie in the show, “Blue Moon over Brooklyn.”

“If you’d told the skinny awkward kid I used to be that one day I’d be an ambassador for a sportswear brand, I would’ve laughed,” Arnaud said in Under Armour’s announcement.

“What makes this moment feel so special is that it’s [a] reminder that we don’t always end up where we expect, and growth can look very different from what we imagined. Grateful and honored to partner with Under Armour who were willing to meet me right where I want to be.”

Fan reaction to the collaboration was overwhelmingly positive, with one commenter on social media suggesting that Under Armour rename itself “Under Arnaud.”

“It’s a great day to be bisexual,” said a second.

“Such a big deal to have an out and proud bisexual man to be the new ambassador of a major sports brand campaign like this!” said a third. “Love our bi king François and shoutout to Under Armour!”

ED GUNTS

U.S. official protested at Int’l AIDS Conference HIV/AIDS activists on Sunday protested a TrumpVance administration official at the 2026 International AIDS Conference in Rio de Janeiro.

Health GAP Executive Director Asia Russell and others disrupted U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Jeff Graham, who is leading the Trump-Vance administration’s AIDS 2026 delegation, as he spoke. They were protesting the Trump-Vance administration’s cuts to U.S. HIV/AIDS activists on July 26 protest U.S. Global AIDS foreign aid that they mainCoordinator Jeff Graham at the 2026 International AIDS tain have had a devasting Conference in Rio de Janeiro. (Photo courtesy of Asia Russell) impact on the global HIV/ AIDS fight.

“The U.S. government has stolen HIV treatment from 77,163 HIV positive children, slashed PrEP enrollment by 42 percent, closed 1,700 PEPFAR HIV treatment sites, decimated programs led by and for key populations, implementers report slashing condom 1 0 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • JULY 31, 202 6 • NAT I O NA L NE WS

programming by 93 percent, and so much more,” said Russell in a Bluesky post that contained pictures of her and other activists on stage at AIDS 2026.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio shortly after the Trump-Vance administration took office issued a waiver that allowed PEPFAR and other “life-saving humanitarian assistance” programs to continue to operate during a freeze on nearly all U.S. foreign aid spending. HIV/AIDS service providers around the world with whom the Washington Blade has spoken say PEPFAR cuts and the loss of funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development, which officially closed on July 1, 2025, has severely impacted their work.

The International AIDS Society in a press release it issued last week noted PEPFAR “has saved more than 26 million lives” since President George W. Bush implemented it in 2003, “and changed the trajectory of the HIV pandemic.” The group also said PEPFAR “was a a success under the first Trump administration, with major progress toward the 95-95-95 goals.”

The UNAIDS’s 95-95-95 goals are 95 percent of people with HIV knowing their status, 95 percent of people with HIV having access to antiretroviral therapy, and 95 percent of those receiving ART having suppressed viral loads by 2030.

“Since the start of the second Trump administration, however, it has undergone major disruptions,” added the International AIDS Society.

“No one has to accept being lied to by this administration, particularly not the scientists and communities and activists who know the best what is at stake and what is actually happening,” said Russell on Bluesky.

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Trump ends direct HIV prevention funding to community groups Advocates say transfer of funds to states may disrupt local programs

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

A decision by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) at the request of the Trump administration to discontinue direct federal funding of community-based organizations and clinics that provide HIV prevention services has raised concern among community health advocates, including LGBTQ advocates.

News surfaced earlier this month that the OMB informed the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that it would not renew $46 million in funding for 96 community-based organizations that provide HIV testing, referrals to medical care, and arrangements for obtaining pre-exposure HIV prevention medication known as PrEP that has been shown to be 99 percent effective in preventing HIV infection.

Under the new policy arranged by OMB, the funds will be redirected to the states to be allocated to state and local health departments. The policy calls for states to encourage but not require their respective state and local health departments to allocate some of those funds for community-based organizations. Under the new policy, the funding is scheduled to last until May of 2027, before a renewal decision is made.

Some political observers have speculated that the decision to end direct federal funding to community-based organizations could be motivated by the Trump administration’s hostility to diversity, equity, and inclusion or DEI programs and organizations that promote those programs, with the belief that some of the groups receiving the federal HIV prevention funds are promoting DEI. Carl Schmid, executive director of the D.C.-based HIV+ Hepatitis Policy Institute, is among the leaders of many AIDS advocacy organizations expressing strong opposition to the OMB action. Schmid said that in places like D.C. and some states, local officials will be willing to redirect the federal funds to local community-based organizations.

A list of the 96 community-based organizations across the country that are currently receiving the federal AIDS funds includes the D.C.-based Whitman-Walker Health, which has

a long history of healthcare support for the LGBTQ community, and La Clinica del Pueblo, which reaches out to the Latino community.

Schmid said Whitman-Walker and La ClThe Trump administration will discontinue direct federal inica del Pueblo have funding of community-based longstanding good relaorganizations that provide HIV tionships with the local prevention services.

(Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key) D.C. government.

“But other states and jurisdictions don’t have that relationship with the community-based organizations,” Schmid said. “It depends on the state,” he said, adding, “Not all states send their money to the communities that really need it most. And not all states are fast in getting money to the community-based organizations.”

Spokespersons for Whitman-Walker and La Clinica del Pueblo couldn’t immediately be reached for comment on whether they think the Trump administration’s latest action related to funding will adversely impact their respective organizations.

Schmid said under the current federal grant program slated to be discontinued, which has been in effect for at least five years, HIV-related health organizations receiving the federal grant funds were eligible for an existing federal policy enabling them to purchase HIV-related medication, including the PrEP prevention medication, at a significant discount from pharmaceutical companies. With the ending of the direct federal HIV funds to community-based organizations, Schmid said it was unclear whether problems may surface in obtaining drug discounts.

“They could still qualify as a sub-grantee from a state,” Schmid said. “But what if they don’t get that grant again? They would not be able to qualify to obtain the

drugs” at the discounted price, he said.

Among the organizations expressing strong concern over the decision to discontinue the direct HIV prevention funding to community-based organizations has been the Federal AIDS Policy Institute and its subgroup called the HIV Prevention Action Coalition.

In a July 22 letter bearing the names of 71 community-based organizations from throughout the country sent to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Acting Director Jay Bhattacharya, the group called for the Trump administration to “reconsider” ending the current funding policy.

“Ending this program without a clear plan for what comes next would dismantle prevention infrastructure that has taken more than three decades of federal investment to build and do so just as that long record of measurable returns is accelerating,” the letter states.

It says the initiative by President Trump in his first term as president to end the HIV epidemic and reduce new HIV infections by 90 percent by 2030 was moving ahead by the funding program for community-based organizations that the administration now wants to end.

“Discontinuing this program would also cost far more than it saves,” the letter says. “Every HIV transmission prevented avoids an estimated lifetime treatment cost of roughly half a million dollars per person to the healthcare system – costs that fall heavily on taxpayer-funded programs, including Medicaid, Medicare, and the Ryan White HIV/AIDS program,” the letter continues.

“The choice before the administration is straightforward: a modest, targeted investment in prevention now, or far greater public expense for treatment later,” the letter concludes.

Spokespersons for the OMB and the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the CDC, have not immediately responded to news media requests for comment on the opposition to the funding change policy.

House blocks effort to codify trans military ban into law But lawmakers approve two anti-trans amendments

By EMMA LaPOINTE

The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday rejected an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would have codified a ban transgender servicemembers in the military.

The bipartisan vote was 212-217.

The NDAA is for the 2027 fiscal year and sets policies for the Defense Department programs and activities and the national security programs of the Department of Energy.

U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) proposed the amendment on July 21. It stated that all personnel are required to serve in accordance with their biological sex, citing military readiness and discipline.

Human Rights Campaign Senior Director of Government Affairs Jennifer Pike Bailey stated that she is grateful for the bipartisan vote that rejected President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s “dangerous and discriminatory policy that has kicked brave transgender servicemembers out of the military and weakened our national security.”

“Everyone who meets the same rigorous standards should be able to serve their country. We should honor that patriotism, particularly in this moment where we are

witnessing brave servicemembers making the ultimate sacrifice for our country, instead of ending their careers and politicizing their existence. We’re grateful that a permanent extension of this ban failed, and we will keep fighting to reverse this senseless policy,” Bailey said.

Mark Takano, chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, stated that he and his members put in countless

U.S. Rep. LAUREN BOEBERT (R-Colo.) proposed an amendment requiring all personnel to serve in accordance with their biological sex. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

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hours of work to kill the amendment.

“When Americans know they or their families are going to be targeted by or not supported by the military, that leads them to avoid signing up to serve or staying in the service — making it harder to keep the ranks of the armed services full and our nation safe. My colleagues in the Equality Caucus and I will continue working to prevent these attacks on our servicemembers and their families from becoming law,” Takano said.

According to the Congressional Equality Caucus, two other bills could potentially be passed that would also target the transgender community, both of which were proposed by U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.).

The first was a bill that would have prohibited gender-related medical care under TRICARE and to prevent TRICARE from covering certain gender-related medical procedures and treatments, which was approved in a vote of 219-208.

The second was a bill that would have prohibited male participation in female sports at DoDEA schools. DoDEA schools are Department of Defense Dependents Schools, which is a network of primary and secondary schools.

The amendment was approved in a vote of 221-203.

The American Red Cross has declared a national blood crisis. Blood donations have fallen to a four-year summer low. All blood types are needed, but the situation is especially dire for type O blood. Donors are needed immediately to help save lives.

Make an appointment to give blood now!

Visit RedCrossBlood.org.

Download the Blood Donor App. Call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Two more ways you can help restock the shelves:

Bring a friend to donate with you.

Spread the word about the need in your community.

1-800-RED CROSS | RedCrossBlood.org | Download the Blood Donor App © 2026 The American National Red Cross | 418001-01

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1 dead, 29 injured in Berlin Pride attack At least one person died on Saturday when a van drove into a crowd at Berlin’s annual Pride march.

The incident took place shortly before 10 p.m. local time (4 p.m. ET) in Tiergarten park.

Authorities say a 21-year-old German man of Lebanese descent who tried to join the Islamic State drove the van into the crowd. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt on Sunday told reporters during a press conference the suspect also attacked people with a machete.

Dobrint said the suspect injured 29 people — with some of them in critical condition.

He and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed authorities are investigating the attack as “an Islamist terrorist attack.” Officers killed the suspect in the Berlin suburb of Spandau on Sunday after he reportedly charged at them with a knife.

A memorial service and rally took place in Berlin on Sunday.

Hundreds of thousands of people participate in the annual Christopher Street Day parade — which is one of Europe’s largest Pride events — that winds its way through Berlin.

Tiergarten is near June 17 Street and the Brandenberg Gate where post-parade parties and concerts take place. Authorities cancelled the remaining Pride events after Saturday’s attack.

“We strongly condemn the fatal attack at the Christopher Street Day celebration in Berlin,” said the U.S. Embassy in Germany on Sunday. “This attack undermines the fundamental values of freedom and respect which underpin open and democratic societies. Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the first responders.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni are among those who condemned the attack.

“It is difficult for us to put into words the shock and grief of the queer community,” said Alva Träbert of Federation Queer Diversity, a German LGBTQ and intersex rights group known by the acronym LSVD, on Sunday in a statement. “Our solidarity goes out to all the victims and their families. The community’s grief now needs space to be expressed. This act, which according to the current state of the investigation was motivated by Islamist extremism, is to be condemned in the strongest possible terms. We owe our thanks and deep respect to the entire Berlin Pride team for their organization and to the emergency services for their swift assistance.”

Träbert added the attack “was not directed at a party, but at a political demonstration for the human rights of LGBTQIA+ people” and was “also an attack on democratic values themselves.” Träbert also urged the German government in the wake of the attack to do more to protect LGBTQ and intersex Germans.

The Capital Pride Alliance, which organizes the annual D.C. Pride parade, in a statement said it “is deeply saddened by the attack during Berlin Pride and our hearts are with everyone affected, especially the victims, attendees, the organizers, and the families, friends, and loved ones whose lives have been impacted.”

“We send our love and unwavering support to the entire Berlin LGBTQ+ community during this difficult time.,” said the Capital Pride Alliance. ”Pride is rooted in community, resilience, and the belief that everyone deserves to gather safely and authentically,” it added. “In moments like these, we are reminded that our greatest strength is standing together.”

A rally is held in Berlin on July 26, following an attack at the Christopher Street Day Pride event the night before. (Screen capture via ITV News/YouTube)

The attack took place on the same day that World Pride began in Amsterdam.

Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema on Sunday said authorities will “take extra measures … where necessary” during the event and the city’s annual Pride, which will take place on Aug. 1. Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, who is gay, on social media said he expressed his condolences to Merz.

“The horrific act of aggression last night at the Pride in Berlin is a direct attack on our free and tolerant society,” said Jetten on X. “My thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones,” he added. “In these difficult times, we stand shoulder to shoulder with our German neighbors.”

MICHAEL K. LAVERS

Dutch queen opens World Pride in Amsterdam

Dutch Queen MÁXIMA opens WorldPride in Amsterdam on July 25.

(Photo courtesy of the Royal House of the Netherlands’ X account)

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(Editor’s note: International News Editor Michael K. Lavers and Photo Editor Michael Key will be on assignment in Amsterdam from Aug. 5-10.)

Queen Máxima on July 25 participated in this year’s World Pride opening ceremony in Amsterdam.

The Dutch monarch joined Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema at the ceremony that took place in Amsterdam’s Vondelpark. Several drag queens also participated in the event.

World Pride will take place in Amsterdam through Aug. 10.

Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, who is openly gay, is scheduled to open the World Pride Human Rights Conference on Aug. 5.

Halsema on Sunday told reporters that authorities will bolster security measures “where necessary” in response to the terrorist attack at Berlin’s annual Pride march the day before that left one person dead and 29 others injured.

MICHAEL K. LAVERS

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BLADE ENDORSEMENT: Susan Stewart for mayor of Rehoboth Beach

Voters should reject Suzanne Goode’s crass bullying and elect city’s first out mayor Voters in Rehoboth Beach head to the polls on Aug. 8 to elect a new mayor and the choice couldn’t be more obvious.

Susan Stewart is a smart, effective Commissioner with a background in finance who happens to identify as part of the LGBTQ community, which would make her the first openly gay Rehoboth mayor if elected. Stewart has worked as an attorney and later a financial services adviser at major banks and brokerage firms.

In 1996, she founded her own financial advisory firm. She currently works as a financial adviser and senior vice president with The StewartGroup, RBC Wealth Management. She also serves on the Rehoboth Beach Commission and has served on the Planning Commission and the Mixed-Use and Stormwater Utility Task Forces. She has a deep knowledge of the inner workings of the city, including budgeting and development along with an appreciation for what makes Rehoboth special — its natural beauty, walkability, and charming character.

“Rehoboth Beach has important opportunities ahead,” Stewart says on her campaign website. “From infrastructure improvements and stormwater solutions to commercial revitalization and responsible growth, the decisions we make today will shape our city for decades. I am committed to helping Rehoboth Beach move forward.”

Stewart is our choice for mayor. She would represent the city well as it looks to the future with the retirement of Mayor Stan Mills, who has served for six years in that role after 12 years as a Commissioner.

There is a special urgency to the election this year with the mayoral candidacy of fellow Commissioner Suzanne Goode, a divisive figure whose emails have raised serious questions about her judgement and legitimate concerns about where she stands on LGBTQ issues.

Controversy erupted in March when Stewart outlined allegations that Goode used derogatory language in emails, particularly toward City Manager Taylour Tedder.

“All of our emails are public information under FOIA,” Stewart told the Blade in a recent interview. “I simply asked the city to link them on the website, and then the city published a transcript of [Goode’s emails].”

Stewart said that she did this on behalf of the city’s employees such as Tedder: “We have a moral and legal obligation to support our employees,” Stewart told the Blade. Goode denied all of the allegations and said that they were based on falsehoods.

Tedder has accused Goode of creating a “hostile work environment” for city employees and publicly rebuked Goode for insulting him in an email as “the mayor’s whore.”

“Calling me a derogatory term, the ‘mayor’s whore,’ which I don’t think is a professional way to put something, talking badly about an employee’s religion,” Tedder said.

Tedder was referring to an email in which Goode wrote to Rehoboth Beach City Solicitor Lisa Borin Ogden: “I am sorry that I learned from Google when you were first interviewed [in the] spring [of] 2025 that you are Jewish. My opinion of my fellow Jews declined significantly thanks to you since last summer. Actually would have thought you would have more compassion than the average person, based on your late brother. Except you don’t. I am sick of your haughty attitude toward me.”

Goode, who’s Jewish, denied the remark was racist.

“I don’t think a Jewish person can discriminate against another Jewish person,” Goode said, according to a March report by Coast TV News.

But Mayor Mills issued a statement calling the remarks “reprehensible and unbecoming of an elected official in our community.”

That’s putting it diplomatically. Referencing a city official’s religion and then invoking her dead brother should be disqualifying for a mayoral candidate. But it gets worse. The Blade reviewed Goode’s emails that were made public following local media FOIA requests. They are disturbing.

In a January email, Goode wrote to Mills demanding to know who encouraged

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KEVIN NAFF

is editor of the Washington Blade.

Reach him at knaff@washblade.com

CAMP Rehoboth and Clear Space Theatre to apply for city grant funds. She then unfairly disparages CAMP as a “questionable non-profit.” She wrote: “Gays and theatre aficionados can donate as much as they like to these pet causes. Some taxpayers think the theatre is second-rate as community theatres go, and many dislike the RB emphasis on LGBTQ when heterosexuals don’t demand equivalent display of their sex lives in public view.”

I’ve been coming to Rehoboth since the ‘90s. We don’t “display our sex lives in public view.” But Rehoboth is that rare place in America where LGBTQ people can comfortably and safely come together in community. Where partners and same-sex spouses can hold hands in public. Where gender non-conforming visitors can express themselves. None of that has anything to do with our “sex lives” and Goode’s disgusting comment is a common slur used against our community.

She should retract that statement and apologize for it. Rehoboth’s vibrancy is due in very large part to its LGBTQ residents, tourists, and business owners and we all deserve better than homophobic slurs from elected officials.

Additionally, CAMP and Clear Space are vital, affirming spaces as worthy of grant funds as any other organization. Her repeated attacks on those important Rehoboth institutions raise more concerns given they are both run by openly gay and lesbian officials.

In a November 2025 email passage about Clear Space Theatre, Goode wrote, “But there are some folks in town, who ironically have to remain in the closet (conservatives now have to do what gays had to do in the 20th century — ah, the irony) who object to the woke, drag queen bent of Clear Space at times. They have confided this in me, and thanked me for fighting for their tax dollars. Maybe I will regret speaking up, as some LGBTQ activist will attack me physically, even though I am a complete supporter of gay rights, and have as many gay male friends as female friends now that I live in RB with a large gay population.”

So Goode fears physical violence from the local LGBTQ community? I’ve been around a long time and cannot recall a Blade story about a gay person beating up a straight person in Rehoboth, though we have covered scores of gay bashings and other violent attacks targeting LGBTQ people and businesses over the decades. Equating the plight of modern conservatives to 20th century violence that killed countless LGBTQ people is the height of ignorance.

Further, her use of “woke” as a derogatory term raises alarms as it echoes President Trump’s racist and transphobic rhetoric.

In an email from just last month, Goode wrote, “Just because the LGBTQ community feels oppressed and discriminated against, that doesn’t mean that those who identify as LGBTQ are better able to recognize racial discrimination than someone like myself. It might surprise some of you to learn that I briefly dated an African American fellow college student.”

So we should trust Goode’s instincts on racial issues because she dated a Black guy in college? You can’t make this stuff up.

During a March Commissioners meeting, Goode criticized Rehoboth’s rainbow crosswalks as a “non-essential item” and questioned why they weren’t painted yellow and white, which she said would be more “effectual” for safety purposes than rainbow colors. This attack on rainbow crosswalks represents another MAGA/Trump nod. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy last year launched a nationwide campaign to remove rainbow crosswalks. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Trump ally, ordered the removal of rainbow crosswalks, even targeting the crosswalk at the Pulse nightclub.

For these and many other reasons, Goode is unfit to serve as mayor (or Commissioner) and voters must reject her toxic brand of bullying and ignorance.

Susan Stewart, meanwhile, represents the opposite of Goode’s crass foolishness. Stewart is a competent, calm presence on the board. She works collaboratively and respectfully. Her deep knowledge of the city and its processes will serve her well as mayor. And her commitment to maintaining Rehoboth as one of the country’s most visible, supportive, LGBTQ-affirming cities in the country make her an obvious choice for mayor.

The election takes place on Aug. 8, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center.

DIMITRIOS ALETRAS

is a queer, first-generation Greek-American writer and survivor-advocate, with work published in Salon, The Advocate, and the Reading Eagle.

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Pentagon says hormones make trans troops unfit but gives them to men A man who needs a screening program to feel like a warrior is telling on himself

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Last week, the Secretary of Defense posted a video to announce what he called the “High-T Department of War.” In it, Pete Hegseth ordered annual testosterone screening appointment@citydentaldc.com for every service member over 30 and offered testosterone therapy to those who want it, all in the name of keeping American warriors, in his words, on the “leading edge of lethality.” A hormone, he explained, is part of “the biological foundation required to sustain the fight.”

I have spent years writing about masculinity, so I know a performance when I see one.

1221 Massachusetts Ave., NW But this one is different, because at the exact moment Hegseth is prescribing testosterone to the men, his department is throwing other Americans out of uniform for taking it.

703 D St., NW Here is the contradiction, and I promise I am not the one straining to find it. Since 2075 L St., NW early 2025, the administration has worked to remove transgender troops from the military. One of its stated reasons, laid out in the executive order and in the government’s 955 L’Enfant Plz., SW PR #325 own court filings, is that these service members require ongoing medical treatment the military cannot easily sustain. Hormone therapy, the argument goes, means cost, monitoring, lab work, and stretches of non-deployability. A soldier who needs a standing prescription, the logic runs, is a burden the force cannot carry.

Then the same department launched a program to put a standing hormone prescription in the pocket of any man over 30 who wants one.

You do not have to take my word for the hypocrisy. A federal judge has already put it on the record. Last Wednesday, in the case challenging the transgender ban, Judge Ana Reyes took formal notice of the new testosterone program and ordered the government to explain how the very same class of treatment can be readiness-enhancing for one group of troops and disqualifying for another. It is the question at the center of the case now. Reyes has been skeptical of the medical argument from the start. Last year she pointed out that the military spent roughly $41 million on Viagra in a single year, and called transgender care, by comparison, “not even a rounding error.”

That is the tell. It was never really about the medicine. Testosterone is testosterone.

The prescriptions, the monitoring, the lab work, the deployability questions are identical whether the person filling the vial is a trans man or a cisgender colonel chasing his youth. The only thing that changes is who is holding it. When the man taking the hormone fits the picture of a warrior, the treatment becomes “lethality.” When the man taking it is transgender, the identical treatment becomes a fatal risk to readiness. The medicine did not change. The identity did.

I want to be fair, because the argument only works if it is honest. The government has other claims in the case that a court has not yet resolved, about surgeries, about facilities, about unit cohesion, and it insists that cisgender men on testosterone and transgender men are simply “not similarly situated.” Those arguments can be debated on their merits. But the medical one, the claim that hormone therapy itself is too much for the military to manage, is the one Hegseth’s own policy just detonated. You cannot brand testosterone a warrior’s birthright on Monday and a disqualifying liability on Tuesday and expect a judge, or the rest of us, not to notice.

And notice what the whole spectacle is actually selling. A “Department of War” rebrand. A hormone reframed as a weapon.

A Secretary who mocks “dudes in dresses” PROOF: #2 ISSUE DATE: 23-02-03 SALES REPRESENTATIVE: PHIL ROCKSTROH prock while rolling out mandatory bloodwork so the men can optimize their manhoodREVIEW by the AD FOR COPY AND DESIGN ACCURACY. Revisions must be submitted within 24 hours of the date of proof. Proof will be considered final and will be submitted for publication if revision is not submitted within 24 milligram. This is not a medical policy. It is a theory of masculinity, the same tired hours one, of the date of proof. Revisions will not be accepted after 12:01 pm wednesday, the week of publication.

REVISIONS Brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) is not responsible for the content and/or design of REDESIGN ad. coAdvertiser is responsible for any legal liability arising out of or relating to the advertisement, and/or that a man is a number on a lab report and a posture for the camera. It arrives, your not any material to which users can link through the advertisement. Advertiser represents that its advertisement TEXT REVISIONS prescribing across will not violate any criminal laws or any rgihts of third parties, including, but not limited to, such violations as incidentally, as the administration moves to loosen testosterone the infringement or misapporpriation of any copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret, music, image, or other IMAGE/LOGO proprietary or propety right, false advertising, unfair competition, defamation, invasion of privacy or rights of country, turning manhood into a supplement you can top off. celebrity, violation of anti-discrimination law or regulation, or any other right of any person or entity. Advertiser REVISIONS agrees to idemnify brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) and to hold brown naff pitts NO REVISIONS I have known a lot of strong men. My father crossed an ocean as a laborer toomnimedia build llca (dba the washington blade) harmless from any and all liability, loss, damages, claims, or causes of action, including reasonable legal fees and expenses that may be incurred by brown naff pitts omnimedia llc, arising out of or related to advertiser’s breach of any of the foregoing representations and warranties. life; the strongest men I was raised by never once measured themselves in a vial.

Real strength was never a hormone level, and the men who most need to announce their lethality are, with remarkable consistency, the ones least sure of it.

The House declined last week to write the transgender ban into law, so it still rests on nothing sturdier than executive will and a medical excuse. That excuse just ran out of testosterone. A man who needs a screening program and a war-department rebrand to feel like a warrior is telling on himself. The rest of us should say so out loud.

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PETER ROSENSTEIN

is a longtime LGBTQ rights and Democratic Party activist. He writes regularly for the Blade.

Matthew Rosenstein in ‘Make Me French’ a hit at Clear Space Theatre ‘A bagel who dreamed of being a croissant’

Clear Space Theatre Company was founded in 2004 and has become a huge success in Rehoboth Beach, Del. They present performances all year long, and always have a great summer season when the town grows by the thousands. Not only do they have some great main productions this year, “The Cher Show,” “Pretty Woman,” and “Mean Girls,” but they also have a strong series of cabaret performances.

Matthew Rosenstein’s show, “Make Me French!” was part of that series. While I haven’t seen them all, it will be hard to beat his show. He is a superb storyteller and singer. He blends his real-life experiences, with music from different genres, including showtunes and French disco. Some of the songs he uses to tell his story include: “Belle / Go the Distance” (Menken/Ashman; Menken/Zippel), “Ahh, Paree/Les prénoms de Paris” (Sondheim; Brel); and “Hymne à L’Amour” (Marguerite Monnot/Edith Piaf/Hiroyuki Takei/Fumiaki Uemura).

He has a way of making you feel part of his life story. The show is directed and co-authored by cabaret icon Robbie Rozelle, and it features music direction and arrangements by the incredibly talented Michael Cuschieri, who also plays the piano.

The backup band included, Jim McGiffin on bass; Joshua Getka on drums; and Jessica Brams-Miller who sings backup and banters with Matthew, in a wonderful French accent. They are all immensely talented.

The blurb I received from Clear Space said about the show: “A bagel who dreamed of being a croissant, young Matt Rosenstein longed for a life that was far more sophisticated, and interesting, than his own as a suburban New Jersey teenager in the 1990s. His one prayer? “Make Me French!” Matt was determined to not just learn French but to be as French as possible.” Matt went so far as to call Air France from pay phones as a youngster, just to practice speaking with a real French person.

He eventually got the chance to move to Paris to fulfill his dream, and learned some hilarious lessons along the way. Matt shares what he’s learned about what he calls our most ‘misunderstood’ ally. The stories and songs are about: Why do French people not get fat? Are they rude? And do they hate Americans? He talks, and sings about these things in a wonderfully humorous way. You get caught up in the stories and then realize not only is Matt a great story teller, but he has a really strong voice.

He generally stays away from politics in the show but does suggest he left the United States when George W. Bush became president, and returned when Obama was elected. He didn’t actually say what he wants to do today, but the audience did get the idea.

After living in Paris, he came back to the U.S. and had what he calls, ‘a second awakening.’ He worked with a vocal coach, met and became friends with many in the theater world and did his first show, “A Pleasure to Have in Class,” which is stories and songs about his life as a people-pleaser, from childhood to his gay divorce. This second show he shared with the public for the first time in 2023 at The Green Room 42.

Matt told Broadway World, “to do a one-man show, you first have to have the confidence you have a story to tell, that you have something to share with people. Not just something that you want to say, but something relatable that will connect with the audience. And then you have to work with a good team. You need a director that can help you shape an arc out of the story and make sure that it’s not just therapy on stage. So having a good team, making the right musical choices, making sure that you’re not coming from too self-centered of a place, has been key for me.” Matt followed all that advice well, and the result is the wonderful “Make Me French.”

This is the first show Matt has done outside of New York. I hope for audiences it won’t be the last. The world awaits this talented performer. You can follow Matt on Instagram and on his website, www.showtunesmatt.com. The Clear Space cabaret series continues all summer; visit clearspacetheatre.org for tickets.

Now the disclaimer: I am not related to Matthew Rosenstein, and this is an unbiased review. It would be nice to be related to such a talented guy, but we have found no indication we share any relatives at all. I first met Matthew after his show at Clear Space Theatre in Rehoboth Beach.

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Rainbows in Revolt on a mission to make LGBTQ artists’ voices heard Creative firm built to support emerging queer musicians

By KYLE ROOD

Last month’s Pride celebration in D.C. was so fun. Walking around my first Capital Pride with a $15 lemonade I was loving the madness and the color. Artists and small businesses battling banks you’ve never heard of collecting your personal information so you can spin a wheel to snag free merch. Great music blaring, people actually smiling and enjoying themselves, the “Great” American State Fair could never!

The Monument Stage was on Pennsylvania Avenue, directly in front of the National Gallery of Art and I can’t think of a better venue to see live music. How does someone get on the lineup for Pride? How do we accelerate the visibility of the most talented voices in our community to perform in places like this?

There is certainly not a talent gap, but there is a visibility gap. Chappell Roan went from playing for two people in a parking lot to owning the main stage at Coachella in one year. Whether it is shadowbanning or bias in AI, algorithms have been shown to suppress queer artists. In a digital age, how can queer people break through and show the world how talented they are?

Allison and Matt of Rainbows in Revolt are on a mission to make openly LGBTQ+ artists’ voices heard. Their goal is to find “musicians whose queerness is central to their identity as an artist,” and accelerate them to a place where they can actually reach fans.

The only time queer events seem to be in the spotlight is June, but this should be year round, according to Allison and Matt. Rainbows in Revolt wants to act as a “nucleus” for different sub-communities, finding common ground in the universal language of music.

Matt and Allison founded Rainbows as a way to make cheaper, higher quality merchandise for queer artists. While Rainbows has already pledged 20% of their profits to the LGBTQ+ community, with 10% to Whitman-Walker Health and 10% to LGBTQ+ organizations in need, this is just the beginning of the work that they do.

Rainbows “does the dirty work” that artists normally struggle to do on their own with limited resources. Interviews, artist profiles, social promotion, playlist discovery, radio outreach, and merch-funded support. This work is normally expensive, time consuming, and requires lots of different skills. Musicians don’t want to be editing clips to post online. Standup comedians don’t want to make graphics for their tour dates. They want to write more. They want to focus on their craft.

In addition to helping artists find their audience, Rainbows has built other digital tools to help queer people connect, including an interactive Safe Space Map for most major cities. It is hard to know which places are truly safe and supportive just from a simple Google search. Attitudes and actions change, and there should be a simple way for queer people to find other places that align with them. The Safe Spaces Maps are all up to date, and are tagged and filterable. Instead of relying on forums and word of mouth, Rainbows has created a centralized way to find authentic community quickly.

I had a chance to talk with Allison and Matt at Pride where Lily Erin, one of their signature artists, was performing on the Monument stage. Lily Erin is a folk singer who is familiar and forging her own path. Her bittersweet sound echoes through Acadia, and her garb mirrors the New England athletes I grew up with. Gorp Core meets streetwear. A graphic tee, hiking shorts, and creamsicle Jordans.

Her debut single, “Bus Stop,” tells a sad story about unconditional love, and the conditions that still seem to come with it. Graduating into lockdown, Erin needed a new way to connect with herself and others. Lily made “Bus Stop” without an intention to share it, but doing so was a liberation. People have been responding to her honesty around queer-ness, family, and the “ghosts which haunt us” even in the daytime.

Rainbows in Revolt has helped Lily Erin go from bars and backyards to The Monument Stage at Pride. This is a meteoric rise, and a testament to both Erin’s talent and the work of Rainbows to promote her. “A little encouragement goes a long way with early artists,” and by “planting a seed” Rainbows is already seeing their artist garden grow. Community is power, and Erin is a perfect example of how effective simple modern techniques of promotion can be.

A next step for Rainbows is putting on shows themselves. On Oct. 3, Rainbows in Revolt will host an Evening with Ray Boltz at the National City Christian Church.

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LILY ERIN, one of Rainbows in Revolt’s signature artists, performed at Capital Pride in June.

(Photo courtesy of Rainbows in Revolt)

Boltz grew up in the Catholic Church and for many years was the soundtrack to many services, youth camps, and church groups. He was celebrated by millions until he came out in 2008. Allison remembers her community “never playing his music again.”

Rainbows in Revolt is helping him to return to the church, and proving that identity does not need to be exclusive. We live in a complicated world with complicated lines being drawn. Boltz proves that these lines don’t exist, and will be breaking down barriers to bring together communities. To Allison, “a trans woman standing next to a straight white man in church is a powerful teacher.”

The Safe Space maps bridge all types of spaces, and one of the unlikely ones is, perhaps, churches. Matt said that “BYU has only nine safe spaces around their campus and seven of them are churches.” Not all churches are anti-gay, and many times they are the only place for people to find community.

Rainbows in Revolt is just getting started bridging gaps and building community.

Proudly supporting the LGBTQ Veterans Community and their allies across 11 platforms.

www.gayvets.net

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CALENDAR |

By TINASHE CHINGARANDE

Friday, July 31 GoGay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Happy Hour” at 7 p.m. at DIK Bar. This is a chance to relax, make new friends, and enjoy happy hour specials at this classic retro venue. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Saturday, August 01

OUT & ABOUT Come showcase your singing, poetry talent Spark Social will host “Open Mic Night” on Thursday, Aug. 13 at 8 p.m.

Get ready to share your talent or just kick back and enjoy some great performances.

This event is a fun, laid-back vibe where everyone’s welcome to take the stage. Sign-ups are first-come, first-served, but you can also DM Spark Social on Instagram to reserve a performance spot. Whether you’re a singer, poet, or comedian, this is your chance to get on stage and share your art. More details are available on Eventbrite.

GoGay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Sunday, August 02 “Black Gay Flea: Summer Kickback” will be at 12 p.m. at Wunder Garten. This is a space created to celebrate Black LGBTQ+ creatives, artists, makers, entrepreneurs, and the community that shows up for them. Come spend the afternoon shopping with local vendors, discovering new brands, supporting small businesses, and connecting with people from across the DMV. More details are on Eventbrite.

Monday, August 03 Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice.

For more information, contact Adam (adamheller@thedccenter.org).

Tuesday, August 04 The DC Anti-Violence Project will host “Soul Centered” at 7 p.m. at Thurst Lounge.

This is not a dating event in the traditional sense. It is a space to meet kindred spirits, future collaborators, mentors, friends, or maybe someone who reminds you of what’s possible. Romance may happen, but it’s not the expectation. For more details, visit DCAVP website.

Wednesday, August 05 Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email centercareers@thedccenter.org or visit www.thedccenter.org/careers.

Center Aging Women’s Social & Discussion Group will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This group is a place where older LGBTQ+ women can meet and socialize with one another.

To register, visit the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center’s website.

Thursday, August 06 The DC LGBTQ+ Community Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the Center. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email supportdesk@thedccenter.org or call 202-682-2245.

Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breath work and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center’s website.

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Spark Social will host “Open Mic Night” on Thursday, Aug. 13 at 8 p.m.

(Washington Blade photo by Joe Reberkenny)

SE A SON

Coming up at Pet Metheny

Gravity & Other Myths

Thu, Sept 17

Thu, Oct 15

Jacob Collier The Light For Days Tour

Chucho Valdés 85th Birthday Celebration

Side Eye III+ Tour

A Series of Solo Performances in Intimate Spaces

Ten Thousand Hours

Sun, Oct 18

Mon, Sept 28— limited availability!

An Evening of Alton Brown

David Foster & Katharine McPhee

Afro-Cuban All Stars

Tue, Sept 29

2026 2027

Mon, Oct 26

Thu, Oct 29

Coco Live-to-Film Concert

UB40

The Unstoppable Tour 2026

The North American Tour

Sat & Sun, Oct 31 & Nov 1

Wed, Sept 30

The ‘From Whose Line Is It Anyway?’ Tour Colin Mochrie & Brad Sherwood Sun, Oct 4 From top: Coco, Afro-Cuban All Stars, Gravity and Other Myths by Andy Phillipson, Chucho Valdés, Colin Mochrie & Brad Sherwood, UB40, Alton Brown

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THEATER

Reggie White relishing first season as artistic director of Woolly Mammoth First five shows a reminder that ‘pressure is a privilege’

By PATRICK FOLLIARD

Madly talented and preternaturally energetic, Reggie D. White, 38, is about to launch his first season as artistic director of D.C.’s boundary-pushing Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company.

White brings a lot to the job.

REGGIE D. WHITE As actor, playwright, and direc(Photo by Ambe J Williams) tor, his varied resume includes a 2019 Broadway acting debut in Matthew López’s Tony Award–winning play “The Inheritance,” his semi-autobiographic play “Fremont Ave.” that opened to acclaim last season at Arena Stage, and a number of exciting regional directing credits.

A longtime admirer of Woolly, the out theater-maker was selected from a pool of candidates before receiving the offer last November and starting work in January. His season of five world premieres kicks off with gay playwright Steve Yockey’s “Venus” (Sept. 9-Oct. 4), a darkly funny study of modern relationships told through two lesbians looking back on their first encounter.

White was introduced to Woolly Mammoth as a pre-law student at Cal State Hayward in the San Francisco Bay Area, long before he foresaw a life in the arts. “As part of a random theater history course, I was assigned to write a paper on a counterculture company called Woolly Mammoth,” he recalls “Strange name. I was like what the hell is that?”

Nineteen-year-old White was intrigued. Research acquainted him with Howard Shalwitz who co-founded Woolly in 1980,

and the company’s commitment to living playwrights and new work. He also learned how theater could be used as a tool for difficult conversations and shape the way people thought about social issues by employing imagination and rigor.

“Never in a million years did young me envision that one day I’d be Woolly’s third artistic director in its 46-year history,” says White. “It’s kind of serendipitously insane.”

WASHINGTON BLADE: Was there a moment when the enormity of the job hit you?

REGGIE D. WHITE: After I’d signed my contract and finished all the paperwork, I got my keys and sat in the theater by myself in the dark and thought about what an incredible honor it is to be trusted with what happens in this beautiful space [in D.C.’s Penn Quarter]. I might have cried. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to remember it’s real.

BLADE: Are you curating the upcoming 2026–2027 season?

WHITE: Yes, I am. It’s very rare that an incoming artistic director gets to program their first season, but I was lucky in terms of time. After being hired late last year, I asked Woolly’s managing director Kimberly E. Douglas, if she thought it would be crazy if I programmed the season. She warned me it would be hard.

I invoked tennis legend Billie Jean King’s maxim “pressure is a privilege” and got to work.

These plays [dubbed White’s “first five”] represent both the kind of theater that Woolly can do really well and speak directly to my voice as curator and how I want to contribute to the larger theatrical conversation in the DMV. Getting here has meant a lot of late nights. But I knew the

juice would be worth the squeeze.

BLADE: As a queer artistic director, what makes you unique?

WHITE: When I was playing in “Inheritance” on Broadway, after a performance, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sotomayer came backstage to meet the cast. She spoke about how her lens on the world as a Puerto Rican woman shapes her decisions. Similarly, because I’m a queer Black man I see through a lens that shapes my work.

I know I’m not the only queer artistic director in town. For me, it influences how I make editorial decisions. Out of this season’s five plays there are explicitly queer characters in four [“Venus,” “Chanukkah Spectacular,” “Ten Grand,” and “Love I Awethu Further”] and I’m directing two [“Venus,” “Ten Grand”].

BLADE: Will we see familiar faces?

WHITE: Every show this season will feature a Woolly Mammoth company member in its cast. Our company also includes designers and directors who we’ll include. I’m invested in continuing to provide a showcase for their work.

BLADE: How do you think queer audiences will receive the season?

WHITE: Very well, I think. For queer people who’ve had to navigate the world subversively and solve problems in unique ways, I think it will be especially interesting. I find theater a potent place for questions.

Like all artistic directors. I’ll show up for the job in my own way. I’m just excited that I’ve been invited to bring the fullness of myself to the role.

FILM

‘Heartstopper Forever’ delivers satisfying conclusion Beloved queer phenomenon shows us hope can belong to everyone

By JOHN PAUL KING

When I wrote my review of the first season of “Heartstopper,” I said that if the series could only be summed up in one word, it would be “adorable.”

After an additional two seasons and a movie length series finale (which began streaming on Netflix July 17), I’m going to make up a new rule and say that I can choose a second word to close things out. By the time I reach the end of my review of “Heartstopper Forever,” in which our adorable Nick and Charlie must face the possibility that their tender young romance may not be able to survive their graduation to college, I hope I’ll have figured which word it would be.

Directed by Wash Westmoreland and written (as always)

by Alice Oseman, artist and creator behind the YA webcomic/ graphic novel that launched the whole “Heartstopper” phenomenon, this final installment finds a very different Nick and Charlie than we met in those early episodes – yet in many ways they’re still very much the same. Far from the timid and bullied queer lad of the first season, Charlie (Joe Locke) is now boldly out and confident enough to win the election for “head boy” in his final year at school, and Nick (Kit Connor) no longer struggles with being open about his bisexuality; yet as the stress of their impending separation – each to a different college in a different city – begins to become more urgent, both of them fall back on old patterns.

To those of us who have been around long enough to re-examine such a crisis with 20/20 hindsight, that’s bound to strike

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chords of recognition. To the younger “Heartstopper” fans, however, it’s likely to feel like high drama – exactly as it did for us when we were going through it ourselves. It’s not just Nick and Charlie, either; other characters, like transgender prodigy Elle (Yasmin Finney) and her cis-het boyfriend Tao (William Gao), must also come to terms with the changing dynamics of their relationships. The result is multiple mirrors through which queer teens can see their own experience reflected, which has always been the appeal of “Heartstopper” in the first place.

And as it has from the beginning, Oseman’s intent to provide her teen audience with positive perspectives shines through, ensuring that the story’s final chapter lands in a place where hope can belong to everyone.

That doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its share of dark moments – it wouldn’t be “Heartstopper” if it didn’t, would it? Part of the show’s value for its fans, young and old alike, has always come through its various characters’ growing pains; their missteps and misjudgments, their confused emotions, their fumbling efforts at “first times,” their struggles toward self-esteem. All these and more have provided the necessary “weight” to counter the show’s bubbly optimism and keep it from becoming as insubstantial as spun sugar. More importantly, these issues have always been the real core of the story: We love the sweetness of the romance, but the deeper satisfaction comes from watching these young people navigate all their challenges, sometimes alone but more often together, and build a community

JOE LOCKE and KIT CONNOR in ‘Heartstopper Forever.’

(Image courtesy of Netflix)

through the shared experience of working through them.

The final installment, having brought Charlie, Nick, and all the rest to the cusp of young adulthood, brings a suitably more mature level of problems into the mix. Sure, Charlie has grown into the hero he once needed himself, but the uncertainty that emerges between himself and Nick as they ponder their impending separation is enough to spark a relapse of his eating disorder; likewise, Nick may be confident and unguarded about his sexuality and openly proud of being Charlie’s boyfriend, but that doesn’t stop him from slipping back into self-doubt (and bad behavior) when he contemplates the possibility that their love story might be coming to an end. We know they have the “tools” to get back on track, but with everything so up in the air, will they be able to remember how to use them?

CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

Should I divorce my catty gay friend group?

ADVICE

They’re mean but I’m afraid to be alone

By MICHAEL RADKOWSKY

Hi Michael, When is it worth stopping being friends with someone, or more than one person?

Lately I feel like my friends aren’t being very nice to me.

In fact it reminds me of high school, and junior high school, when I was being bullied.

I’m not the most attractive in the group, I know that. They are always ribbing me about not working out enough or that I should get a hair transplant (I am balding) or making fun of the way I dress. I am not that stylish, I just don’t have a good sense for clothes. I thought about asking for some advice but I worry that would just lead to more mocking.

That I am not having as much sex as they are—it’s actually my preference, but of course I get comments about not being able to get someone to hook up with because of my appearance, clothes, low-key personality etc.

As I’m writing this I could go on and on. I think I’ve just tried laughing with them or ignoring it, but it does really get to me.

There’s a standard in this town that I know I don’t fit. Great body, handsome face, overall hot, witty and sarcastic sense of humor, make a lot of money in some impressive job. I am sure you know the type I am describing.

Some of the things I can’t help (appearance), some I don’t really want to fix (hooking up a lot). My brother died of an overdose so I don’t use drugs or alcohol, which, no surprise, evokes more judgment.

My job is my job, I like it a lot and it is meaningful to me

but I’m never going to be rich.

The problem with that is, all my friends like to take a lot of expensive vacations. I can go on some but not on all. When we go I am watching my expenses, which provokes more judgment and jokes, always delivered as if they are “kidding” but it hurts.

I started off by saying I feel like I’m back to being a bullied kid. You know, laugh it off so that they don’t see you crying.

But it doesn’t feel like I am respecting myself when I do that.

If I speak up and ask them to stop, I just get more jokes. I am NOT taken seriously.

The idea of walking away is scary, though. Who else would I have to spend my weekends with? I am afraid of being lonely.

I could write more but I think I’m conveying why I am feeling pretty hopeless about these friendships.

Michael replies: I think it’s a bad idea to spend time with people who are mean or abusive toward you.

But before you walk away from your friend group, do you think it’s worth talking to them, individually, or as a group? In a serious way, without joking, laughing, or minimizing your pain so as not to make them uncomfortable.

Their behavior sounds very junior high school, but they are adults. Telling them how their behavior affects you might lead them to confront themselves, but it might not.

You didn’t write anything about what you actually like

My friends are mean to me but I’m afraid to leave them and be alone. (Photo via Bigstock/Andrew Rybalko)

about these friends. Is it just that they allow you to spend time with them? Or do they have some good qualities? Getting clear about this would help you figure out if you want to push for change here.

I know what you mean about “the standard” in D.C. (and very likely in other locations). I hear from clients over and over about the hierarchy of attractiveness and success.

When people don’t feel they measure up, it is easy to feel less-than, and invisible.

CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM (Michael Radkowsky, Psy.D. is a licensed psychologist who works with couples and individuals in D.C., Maryland, Virginia, New York, and all PSYPACT states. He can be found online at michaelradkowsky.com. All identifying information has been changed for reasons of confidentiality. Have a question? Send it to michael@michaelradkowsky.com.)

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2 6 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • JULY 31, 2026

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