Arts & Entertainment
‘Think of those who have not been seen,’ Cynthia Erivo’s powerful message at GLAAD Awards
Erivo and Doechii delivered powerful acceptance speeches
GLAAD celebrated its 40th anniversary with a star-studded gala in Beverly Hills, honoring achievements in LGBTQ media and entertainment, while pushing back at efforts nationwide to turn back civil rights protections, restrict and erase transgender identities.
Doechii accepted a GLAAD Media Award for outstanding music artist, Harper Steele won for outstanding documentary for Will & Harper and Nava Mau was honored with the outstanding series – limited anthology award for Baby Reindeer.
Those in attendance rose for a long and enthusiastic standing ovation as the prestigious Stephen F. Kolzak Award was presented to Cynthia Erivo.
“It isn’t easy. None of it is, waking up and choosing to be yourself, proclaiming a space belongs to you when you don’t feel welcomed,” said Erivo.
The 38-year-old queer Oscar nominee and Emmy, Tony and Grammy winner delivered a moving acceptance speech, in which she thanked GLAAD but also called on the audience to do more to help those in the community who have not yet come out. Video of her remarks has gone viral on Instagram.
“Here in this room, we have all been the recipients of the gift that is the opportunity to be more. I doubt that it has come easy to any of us, but more, for some, the road has not been one paved with yellow bricks, but instead paved with bumps and potholes. Whichever road you have traveled, how beautiful it is that you’ve had a road to travel on at all. There are the invisible ones who have had no road at all. For those who have not
yet even begun to find the road, be encouraged and be patient with yourself, it will show itself,” Erivo said. Then she paused from reading the speech that was in the teleprompter, and ad libbed a poetic, closing message.
“We use the phrase ‘out and proud,’ and though you might not have the strength or capacity to do that now, know that I am proud of your quiet and solitary want to be just that,” she said, and then addressed the community ahead of Transgender Day of Visibility. “We are all visible. We can be seen. We see each other. I see you, you see me. But think of those who have not been seen, think of those who sit in the dark and wait their turn, hoping and waiting for a light to light their path. I ask every single one of you in this room, with the spaces that you’re in, and the lights that you hold, to point it in the direction of someone who just needs a little guidance.”
Broadway legend Patti LuPone offered guidance from queer icons, past and present, when she took the stage to recite inspiring quotes that brought the house down.
“I can no longer accept the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept,” LuPone quoted lesbian, feminist, activist Angela Davis. “Coming out is the most political thing you can do,” she said, quoting Harvey Milk.
Then LuPone cited some of the stars of Drag Race, including Valentina, Kennedy Davenport, Alyssa Edwards, Trixie Mattel, Plane Jane, and Latrice Royale. But it was the words of OG Drag Race alumna Bianca Del Rio that got the crowd on its feet: “Not today, Satan. Not today!”
“Right now, LGBTQ+ rights are under attack, but what they take from us, they take from you too,” said Brian Michael Smith, upon winning the award for outstanding drama series for 911: Lone Star. “These aren’t isolated rollbacks; they’re attacks on all of our civil rights. This kind of representation is more than visibility, it’s resistance.”
When Doechii accepted the trophy for outstanding music artist at the ceremony, the “Denial Is a River” rapper commented on this politically charged moment for the LGBTQ community, as she praised GLAAD for its principles of “acceptance, inclusiveness and empowerment.”
“Those are the same things I strongly believe in and advocate for and that continue to propel me forward, especially now that hard-won cultural change and rights for transgender people and the LGBTQ community have been threatened,” said Doechii. “And I am disgusted. Disgusted. But I want to say that we are here and we are not going anywhere.”
“These kinds of events help me to feel support, to feel like we’re a team working together to make ourselves feel more seen, make others feel more seen, and there’s so much still to celebrate,” said singer songwriter David Archuleta, the American Idol alum who made headlines in 2021 when he came out and quit the Mormon Church. On the red carpet before the gala, he shared with the Los Angeles Blade his advice to fans who want to find joy amid the gloom: “I love to go dance. Dance is so therapeutic. It’s a place where you can just shake it off, feel hot, go out, and that’s a therapeutic way.”
“This is where I find joy,” Michaela Jaé Rodriguez told the Blade. “But the best times where I find even more joy is learning what state we’re in. Learning how I can fire myself, put a fire behind me, and stay as vigilant as possible and be in the forefront and never disappear. And I want to encourage that to a lot of my young individuals out there. Don’t disappear. Stand out, be proud, and don’t be scared. I’m not scared!”
“It feels amazing, being surrounded by basically my own people is always like a big warm hug, so I love it,” Harper Steele told the Blade.
The writer, who took home a GLAAD trophy for her award-winning documentary with her friend and fellow SNL alum Will Ferrell, noted that despite the joy of the evening, she was “very sad” about political moves targeting the transgender community in Washington, D.C. as well where she grew up in Iowa.
“My own home state, who gave me trans protections and rights, just took them away,” Steele told the Blade. “We’re the first group that’s ever had those rights taken away from us, so we’re in a weird time. I’m going to keep doing the best I can to convince people that they’re wrong. Not only are they wrong, but they’re being stupid.”
The Washington Blade was nominated for its coverage of the 2024 Summer Olympics Games, ”Paris Olympics: More queer athletes, more medals, more Pride, less Grindr,” in the category of outstanding print article. The winner was “‘Changing The Narrative’: Advocates Fight HIV Stigma in Dallas’ Latino Community” by Abraham Nudelstejer of The Dallas Morning News. The Advocate won for outstanding magazine overall coverage, and Jo Yurcaba of NBC Out won for “Friends Remember Nex Benedict, Oklahoma Student Who Died After School Fight, as ‘Fiery Kid.’”
The Blade also spoke to GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis on the red carpet.
Ellis and the organization survived a difficult challenge in 2024 when Ellis herself came under fire from The New York Times for what it called “lavish” spending. It should be noted that in a one-on-one conversation with Variety in October, Ellis pointed out that The Times report omitted mention of GLAAD’s multi-year campaign that called attention to the newspaper’s unbalanced coverage of issues related to transgender Americans and gender-affirming care, and that any spending issues raised by the report — seen by many as a hit piece in retaliation for GLAAD’s campaign — had already been addressed “two years ago.”
Ellis told the Blade she remains focused on GLAAD’s mission to advance acceptance of the LGBTQ community in media.
“I think tonight for me is about getting everybody together to talk about our stories, how important they are, and make sure that we are plastering the airwaves with our stories. And I think it’s about moving forward and having a plan. We have a plan at GLAAD. We understand what’s happened to this media ecosystem and we’re forging forward.”
Ellis spoke passionately about the challenge the nonprofit faces in 2025 and beyond.
“I think the media ecosystem has changed so dramatically and tectonically in a short period of time, “ she said. “We’re seeing that right-wing media gets about 100 million people a week. Progressive media reaches 30 million people a week. So, we have a 70 million person gap, and that gap is why we’re losing presidential campaigns, why we’re losing the narrative, why our community is under siege. We have to close that gap.”
Read the full list of nominees and winners of this year’s GLAAD Media Awards here.
Theater
‘Bad Books’ a timely look at censorship in local library
Influencer vs. conservative parent in Round House production
‘Bad Books’
Through May 4
Round House Theatre
4545 East-West Highway
Bethesda, Md.
Tickets start at $43
Roundhousetheatre.org
While a library might seem an unlikely place for a heated contretemps, it’s exactly the spot where adults go when they’re itching to battle out what books minors might be allowed to read.
In Sharyn Rothstein’s “Bad Books,” two women, The Mother (out actor Holly Twyford) and The Librarian (Kate Eastwood Norris), swiftly become mired in a quarrel that comes with some weighty repercussions.
The Mother is a popular conservative influencer on a mission. She’s furious that the local library has overstepped its bounds and she blames The Librarian, a woman who adheres to the “it takes a village” method of child rearing and is dedicated to the young people who approach her reference desk.
There’s some background. It seems The Librarian who dresses young (tight jackets and Doc Martens) and curses a blue streak, forged a friendship with Jeremy, a teenage library regular.
While the details are a bit hazy, it seems the troubled Jeremy confided in The Librarian regarding some personal issues. In return, she suggested a helpful book – Boob Juice.
Unsurprisingly, based solely on its title, the book has thrown The Mother into a pique of outrage. After finding Boob Juice in her son’s bedroom, she made a beeline to the library; and not incidentally, The Mother hasn’t read the recommended work and has no plans to do so.
Set in a suburb with lax gun laws, the story explores facets of division and conciliation. The Mother insists she isn’t so much about banning books as she is keeping some books away from young people until they’ve obtained parental approval.
“Bad Books” is performed in the round. Built on a rotating stage, Meghan Raham’s set is simple, pleasingly serviceable, and easily transforms from the library into a small corporate office, and later the assembly room of a church. Overhead floats a circular glass shelf filled with a cache of banned books. Things like a rolling book cart and a goldfish bowl add some flavor to the different locations.
The Mother wasn’t always a popular conservative warrior with an enthusiastic horde of followers.
Her past includes penning a book that later filled her with guilt and regret. She refers to that early questionable literary accomplishment as her bad book. And while over the years, she has persevered to find and destroy each and every printed copy, she hasn’t entirely succeeded.
Norris plays three women who figure meaningfully into the arc of Twyford’s mother character. In addition to The Librarian, Norris is The Manager, a broadly played piece of comic relief, and The Editor, a warm woman who reveals things about Jeremy that his own mother never knew.
Smartly staged by Ryan Rilette, the production is part of a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere. While Rothstein’s script offers two strong roles (skillfully performed by celebrated actors Twyford and Norris), its ending feels too neatly resolved.
In the past, Twyford and Norris have successfully joined forces for numerous DMV productions including Studio Theatre’s production of David Auburn’s two-hander “Summer, 1976,” the story of a longtime and unlikely friendship between two women who meet as young mothers during the Bicentennial summer.
Though different, both The Librarian and The Mother share a strong and ultimately hopeful relationship with words.
There’s a quote from E.B. White’s classic “Charlotte’s Web” that pops up a couple of times in the briskly paced 80-minute play. Charlotte, the wise spider, says, “with just the right words you can change the world.”
Books
‘Pronoun Trouble’ reminds us that punctuation matters
‘They’ has been a shape-shifter for more than 700 years
‘Pronoun Trouble’
By John McWhorter
c.2025, Avery
$28/240 pages
Punctuation matters.
It’s tempting to skip a period at the end of a sentence Tempting to overuse exclamation points!!! very tempting to MeSs with capital letters. Dont use apostrophes. Ask a question and ignore the proper punctuation commas or question marks because seriously who cares. So guess what? Someone does, punctuation really matters, and as you’ll see in “Pronoun Trouble” by John McWhorter, so do other parts of our language.
Conversation is an odd thing. It’s spontaneous, it ebbs and flows, and it’s often inferred. Take, for instance, if you talk about him. Chances are, everyone in the conversation knows who him is. Or he. That guy there.
That’s the handy part about pronouns. Says McWhorter, pronouns “function as shorthand” for whomever we’re discussing or referring to. They’re “part of our hardwiring,” they’re found in all languages, and they’ve been around for centuries.
And, yes, pronouns are fluid.
For example, there’s the first-person pronoun, I as in me and there we go again. The singular I solely affects what comes afterward. You say “he-she IS,” and “they-you ARE” but I am. From “Black English,” I has also morphed into the perfectly acceptable Ima, shorthand for “I am going to.” Mind blown.
If you love Shakespeare, you may’ve noticed that he uses both thou and you in his plays. The former was once left to commoners and lower classes, while the latter was for people of high status or less formal situations. From you, we get y’all, yeet, ya, you-uns, and yinz. We also get “you guys,” which may have nothing to do with guys.
We and us are warmer in tone because of the inclusion implied. She is often casually used to imply cars, boats, and – warmly or not – gay men, in certain settings. It “lacks personhood,” and to use it in reference to a human is “barbarity.”
And yes, though it can sometimes be confusing to modern speakers, the singular word “they” has been a “shape-shifter” for more than 700 years.
Your high school English teacher would be proud of you, if you pick up “Pronoun Trouble.” Sadly, though, you might need her again to make sense of big parts of this book: What you’ll find here is a delightful romp through language, but it’s also very erudite.
Author John McWhorter invites readers along to conjugate verbs, and doing so will take you back to ancient literature, on a fascinating journey that’s perfect for word nerds and anyone who loves language. You’ll likely find a bit of controversy here or there on various entries, but you’ll also find humor and pop culture, an explanation for why zie never took off, and assurance that the whole flap over strictly-gendered pronouns is nothing but overblown protestation. Readers who have opinions will like that.
Still, if you just want the pronoun you want, a little between-the-lines looking is necessary here, so beware. “Pronoun Trouble” is perfect for linguists, writers, and those who love to play with words but for most readers, it’s a different kind of book, period.
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Friday, April 18
“Center Aging Friday Tea Time” will be at 2 p.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected].
Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Social in the City” at 7 p.m. at Hotel Zena. This event is ideal for making new friends, professional networking, idea-sharing, and community building. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Trans and Genderqueer Game Night will be at 6 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This will be a relaxing, laid-back evening of games and fun. All are welcome and there’ll be card and board games on hand. Feel free to bring your own games to share. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.
Saturday, April 19
Go Gay 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.
LGBTQ People of Color Support Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This peer support group is an outlet for LGBTQ People of Color to come together and talk about anything affecting them in a space that strives to be safe and judgement free. There are all sorts of activities like watching movies, poetry events, storytelling, and just hanging out with others. For more information and events for LGBTQ People of Color, visit thedccenter.org/poc or facebook.com/centerpoc.
“Spark Sapphic Social” will be at 8 p.m. at Spark Social House. This weekly sapphic social is an opportunity to mix and mingle with other sapphics in D.C.’s newest LGBTQ bar. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
“DC Drag Brunch on Rooftop – Penthouse (Formerly at Lima Twist)” will be at 12 p.m. at Baby Shank Rooftop. Hosted by Miss Capital Pride, this is the ultimate drag brunch experience in Washington, D.C., featuring the fiercest queens around. Prepare to be entertained by glamorous drag queens and celebrated celebrity impersonators, including Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande, Whitney Houston, Cher and many more. Tickets cost $27 and are available on Eventbrite.
Sunday, April 20
Queer Crayon Club will host “Queer Sketch Social” at 3 p.m. at Sinners and Saints. This is a fun event for LGBTQ+ adults to come together and color. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.
Monday, April 21
“Center Aging Monday Coffee & Conversation” 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 details, email [email protected].
Tuesday, April 22
Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This support group is for people who identify outside of the gender binary. Whether you’re bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know that you’re not 100% cis – this is your group. For more details, visit www.genderqueerdc.org or Facebook.
Coming Out Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a peer-facilitated discussion group and a safe space to share experiences about coming out and discuss topics as it relates to doing so. For more details, visit the group’s Facebook.
Wednesday, April 23
Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. 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 [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.
Asexual and Aromantic Discussion Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a space where people who are questioning this aspect of their identity or those who identify as asexual and/or aromantic can come together, share stories and experiences, and discuss various topics. For more details, email [email protected].
Thursday, April 24
Virtual Yoga with Sarah M. will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a free weekly class focusing on yoga, breath work, and meditation. For more details, visit the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s website.
DC Anti-Violence Project Open Meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This meeting is open to anyone interested in learning more and getting involved in lessening violence both within and directed towards the LGBT communities. For more information, visit Facebook or Twitter.
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