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Carl DeMaio: California’s gay GOP kingmaker

Gas tax repeal effort could foil Democrats in November

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Carl DeMaio with John Cox at a Gas Tax Repeal news conference. (Photo courtesy DeMaio)

During the only debate among the top gubernatorial candidates before the June 5 primary, Republican businessman John Cox and Assembly member Travis Allen sniped at each other over who was first to call for a repeal of the gas tax. “Ask Carl DeMaio,” Cox said, ending the argument.

Few knew John Cox until he hitched his political wagon to conservative talk radio host Carl DeMaio, the gay former San Diego City Council member who organized the online grassroots campaign to repeal the 12-cent per gallon tax hike and recall State Sen. Josh Newman for supporting the increase. Newman was the final vote needed by the Democrats to pass Senate Bill 1 last year to raise $5.4 billion for infrastructure repairs and transit projects.

DeMaio devised a three-part strategy: 1) recall Newman, depriving the Democrats of their super-majority in the state Legislature; 2) gather enough signatures to place a gas tax repeal initiative on the November ballot; and 3) increase the Republican voter rolls for the 2018 midterms.

Despite being heavily outspent by Democrats, DeMaio achieved all three goals—collecting nearly 940,000 signatures for the initiative, exceeding by 356,000 the number of signatures needed to qualify for the ballot. A USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times statewide poll released in May indicates he’s on to something: 51% of registered voters favor repeal.

Gov. Jerry Brown called the endeavor “devious and deceptive.”

“The test of America’s strength is whether we defeat this stupid repeal measure, which is nothing more than a Republican stunt to get a few of their losers returned to Congress, and we’re not going to let that happen,” Brown told Southern California transportation leaders at Union Station in Los Angeles last May, The Times reported.

Stunt or not, DeMaio has added 203,941 signatures to his electoral database from San Diego County alone. Overall, the USC/LA Times poll indicates that 64% of registered voters in Orange and San Diego counties and the Inland Empire support the gas tax repeal. And that is expected to dramatically impact GOP voter turnout in critical races statewide.

DeMaio’s targeting of Newman was strategic, employing “the gazelle strategy,” DeMaio told the Los Angeles Blade in a June 9 phone interview, referring to the Animal Planet series on the lions. “We’re going to pick the weakest state senator and we’re going to recall that person from office because of their vote on the gas tax. And by doing that, we end the Democrat supermajority and if we end the supermajority, they can’t raise taxes without a public vote.”

The third phase after recall and repeal, he says, is “replace,” actually fixing the roads by earmarking the existing gas tax for roads “and make a number of other reforms that have been long overdue.”

DeMaio explains that he used $250,000 from his super PAC with help from Republican State Sen. Pat Bates and a coalition that included Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and donor groups such as the New Majority and the Lincoln Club to place the gas tax repeal on the ballot.

“Some of our coalition members want this because in November of 2018, they need Republicans to show up,” DeMaio says. “My goal is to fix California.”

DeMaio credits California Democrats with “working their tails off,” while California Republicans “have been very afraid to speak out. They have Stockholm syndrome. A lot of the elected officials in Sacramento are worthless,” he says, giving them no credit for simply voting “no.”

That failure prompted DeMaio to step up, offering alternative ideas and taking on the “fundamentals of institution and capacity building,” including developing a volunteer list. He has a list of 20,000 volunteers statewide and 25,000 individual donors that have given an average contribution of $37, some monthly.

“We have raised $2.5 million from grassroots donors, no contribution more than $1,000. And the Republican Party in the last four years has only raised $200,000 from those sorts of donors,” he says. “We’re not going to write off any community. Jack Kemp once said ‘people don’t care what you know until they know that you care.’…They don’t really pay attention to you unless you actually show up in their community” and share concerns such as the cost of living.

While gubernatorial candidate John Cox touts President Donald Trump’s endorsement, DeMaio is more independent, comparing Trump’s primary function to a plumber.

“Donald Trump is our first marriage equality-supporting president, elected,” he says. “But there are certain things that we can all celebrate. Things are not all black and white here. There is a whole lot of progress that we should acknowledge.”

Trump responded to “dissatisfaction” in the country.

“Yes, he’s rude, crude and unattractive. His behavior at times is abhorrent and certainly not what you’d want as a role model for your kids. However, the best analogy I can offer you is he’s like the plumber that you hire to unplug your toilet. I won’t even describe what the toilet looks like but you can imagine. The fact that the plumber comes in with no teeth, really bad body odor and plumber’s crack is irrelevant to you as long as he is honest, charges you a fair price and gets the damn toilet unplugged,” DeMaio says, skirting deeper questions about Trump’s record of lying.

“Our country—the issues have been festering for so long and people are so dissatisfied that they are willing to tolerate some bad parts of Donald Trump as long as the toilet gets unplugged. It’s unfortunate. I wish I could have a president where I would say, ‘look, this is someone who epitomizes on a personal level in their conduct the very best of our country.’ But that unicorn don’t exist,” DeMaio says. “My job isn’t to support Donald Trump or oppose him. My job is to call him out when I think he’s wrong and when I think he’s right, I’ll support him. But I don’t blindly give my allegiance to anybody. And I hope no one does….I’ve called him out for telling white lies and exaggerating. I’ve also done that with Democrats.”

DeMaio, who’s been with his husband Jonathan Hale since April 2009 and married since 2015, says he’s had Vice President Mike Pence on his radio show.

Congressional candidate Carl DeMaio holding hands with partner Jonathan Hale in 2014. (Photo courtesy DeMaio)

“I invited him on, he came on. He’s not had an issue on that front. So I know people continue to say how much of a homophobe he is. I know he’s a man of faith,” says DeMaio. “I’ve got a lot of people who I know have different religious views than I do and as long as they keep it out of the issue of public law, I’m fine. As soon as you start wanting to legislate morality, well we’ve got ourselves a problem. And this is what I’m trying to communicate to Republicans in California: if you are for freedom—as you say you are—then you need to be for all forms of freedom, not just the select few.”

DeMaio says he’s a “big proponent” of religious liberty. “I had a very conservative Jewish rabbi in 2014 come to me and he was considering endorsing me (in his congressional race against Democrat Rep. Scott Peters) and he was very nervous,” DeMaio says. “I got a lot of Jewish support in 2014 but this rabbi said, ‘Carl, you’re right on these issues—economic issues, fiscal issues, government reform issues. I think what you’re doing is great. You’re supporting Israel. But I don’t subscribe to your gay marriage point of view and I think it’s a sin.’

“And I said, ‘Well, Rabbi, I disagree with you on that.  However I will defend your right to be wrong.’ And he looked at me and he started laughing. And I said, ‘I’m never going to support a policy that says you can’t preach your point of view, that you cannot profess your faith, that you cannot counsel your parishioners in a certain way. But in a matter of public law, in the eyes of the law, we must embrace freedom of individuals to be who they are, to love who they want, to say what they want, to profess what they want. The First Amendment and our freedoms are a two-way street and so we have to respect that.’ So he then endorsed me, which was pretty shocking to some in the conservative Jewish community.”

DeMaio is hoping the LGBT community will be similarly open.

LGBT people have aligned with Democrats because Democrats have said—“and in large part, rightfully so”—that Republicans have been bad on gay issues and they’ve been good. But the world has changed.

“Thank God the world has changed and we can celebrate that. With rare exception, California Republicans are committed to full equality on LGBT issues. It’s a non-issue, all right? And it’s something we all should be proud of and celebrate,” he says.

But, DeMaio argues, Democrats have made it harder to afford to live and work in California.

“At some point, we’ve gotta look beyond the arguments of the past that no longer really exist and say, ‘wait a minute, hold on, nobody is being persecuted at this point,’” he says. “And for people to say, ‘Yes they are,’ it’s like, ‘Wait, so are you inventing persecution stories now so that you can continue to just keep my vote? Or have we moved past that?’ Thank goodness we’ve moved past that,” leaving Democrats nothing else to offer on other issues of concern. 

“I really think that the LGBT community needs to hold the California Democratic Party accountable for more than just hysterical rhetoric on LGBT issues, because when you do fact check their claims of persecution and plots, it’s just not happening anymore. It’s not and thank God it’s not,” he says.

The California LGBT Legislative Caucus and Equality California might disagree with DeMaio. “Equality California’s 2018 legislative package focuses on the most vulnerable in our community and is part of our continuing effort to address the disparities in health and well-being that LGBTQ people face as a result of longstanding discrimination and lack of acceptance,” Equality California says on its website. Some of the 15 bills included in that package address the fraud of “conversion therapy,” anti-bullying training in schools, LGBT older adults, and LGBT homelessness.

“Look, I can disagree with someone’s point of view but they have the freedom to express that, provided that they’re not taking government money,” DeMaio says. “So if you are for freedom, you have to be for freedom in all aspects. And sometimes freedom is messy and frustrating. But I would rather have it that way than any other way with government telling us who we can be, who we can love, how we can operate.”

DeMaio says he’s trying to “reposition the Republican Party on the side of freedom, dignity and equality for all,” by focusing on economics. “If I were a Democrat, if I were an LGBT member, I’d say, ‘Well, hold on a second. So you’ve got this whole movement in California, in my backyard, where Republicans are actually doing this? Maybe I should give them a chance because if they succeed, the National Republican Party will turn around and say, ‘Well, holy shit! Maybe we’re wrong nationally and maybe these California Republicans are actually right!’ That’s what I’m hoping will happen.”

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LGBTQ leaders urge state lawmakers to restore $31 million in healthcare budget cuts

Budget cuts would mainly impact HIV prevention resources and care

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Canva image by Gisselle Palomera

Governor Gavin Newsom’s May Revise for the 2025-26 budget proposes to eliminate two major initiatives from the California Department of Public Health’s Office of Health Equity: the California Reducing Disparities Project (CRDP) and the Gender Health Equity Section (GHES). 

The move would rescind funding which has already been awarded through existing contracts with nearly 70 community-based organizations across the state, with nearly 40 of those organizations being in Los Angeles. 

“These cuts come at a time when LGBTQ communities are already facing national rollbacks, from Medicaid slashes and  cuts to bans on gender-affirming care and shrinking access to mental health services,” said Dannie Ceseña, MPH, Director of the California LGBTQ Health and Human Services Network. “With trauma mounting from political attacks, California should be leading, not cutting lifelines. Slashing nearly half of the Office of Health Equity’s budget, the only state office specifically dedicated to addressing health disparities, breaks trust.”

Earlier this year, L.A. County’s Department of Public Health sent a notice to 39 organizations across the county, alerting them of the termination of over $19 million in Centers of Disease Control and Prevention funding, effective May 31. 

The Trump administration released a budget proposal for 2026, where $3.59 billion would be cut from the CDC — which currently handles 90% of all HIV prevention funding on a federal level.  This includes the elimination of millions of dollars worth of funding for community-based healthcare providers in Los Angeles, such as the LA LGBT Center, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Equality California, Trans Latin@ Coalition and others. 

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has also moved to eliminate the CDC’s prevention division as part of the plan to restructure the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 

Due to the widespread budget cuts coming from all levels of government, healthcare providers are now urging state legislators to allocate over $60 million from the AIDS Drug Assistance Program rebate fund to supplement and sustain the HIV prevention programs for the next year. 

Healthcare providers like the LA LGBT Center have expressed their concerns and have sounded the alarm for the serious repercussions this budget cut will have on the progress that has been made over the past 30 years. 

“We are sounding the alarm: Los Angeles County’s decision to eliminate HIV prevention services now is a direct threat to public health. It will fuel a surge in new HIV transmissions, deepen existing health disparities and saddle the county with far greater long-term costs,”  continued. “We demand that the Department of Public Health and the Board of Supervisors immediately reverse these reckless terminations and honor their contractual funding commitments.” 

The proposed cuts include cutting grants from programs that were created with explicit legislative direction and funded by the Legislature in previous budget cycles. These include programs supporting health equity, LGBTQ foster youth and access to reproductive healthcare. 

The grants fund grassroots mental health services, trauma-informed care, peer support and capacity-building in underserved regions and communities too often overlooked by mainstream systems.

“If the County has truly lost federal funding at a level that warrants terminating all HIV prevention contracts, its leadership should be working overtime with the State, elected officials, and community partners to secure emergency support and fill the gap,” said Joe Hollendoner, CEO of the LA LGBT Center. Instead, last week’s actions revealed a troubling lack of commitment to HIV prevention—and to the very communities most at risk for the virus.”

Ending the HIV Epidemic, a statewide coalition advocating for funding to eliminate health inequities, end HIV, STI, viral hepatitis deaths and substance overdoses in California, is pushing for state legislators to allocate around $60 million in the state’s fiscal budget for next year, toward sustaining HIV prevention programs across the state, including L.A. County. 

“In this critical moment, California must double down, not retract, its efforts to advance health equity and reduce health disparities,” said Jodi Hicks, CEO and president of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California.

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New sapphic social club comes to West Hollywood

BBGRL Club debut night brings in full house with Niña Dioz performing live alongside local pop star BBGRL

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Dominique "BBGRL" Buggs poses with Paulina "Bro It's Paulina" Nguyen at BBGRL's debut show in West Hollywood. (Photo credit Dhalia Ghafoori)

BBGRL, formerly known as Dom, is an upcoming ethereal pop artist and visionary behind BBGRL Club — the femme-forward collective that aims to celebrate sapphic joy through music, performances and futuristic self-expression. Her pop sound blends synths, intimate vocals and Y2K nostalgia to build a unique experience for her audience.

BBGRL Social Club was born out of the idea that there needs to be more events for lesbians and sapphics in the City of Los Angeles. A city well-known for its vibrant and populous queer and trans community, struggles to make space for the many sapphics that inhibit the metropolis.

West Hollywood is home to a plethora of queer bars that are really open to all, but are locally known to cater more specifically to the gay male community. Whether it’s because of their male go-go dancers, beefy boy bartenders, or open restroom design for urinals and very few stalls, WeHo is very much for the gays. 

Now, we’re in 2025 and Dominique ‘Dom’ Buggs, libra, set out to be one of the few sapphics in Los Angeles to make space for the first letter of the acronym. Though there are a few other event spaces that do host consistent sapphic-centered nights, BBGRL, formerly known as Dom, wanted to make sure there was a space that not only welcomed, but centered the BIPOC baddies. Dom is from Mexico City, but is also half Black, so creating spaces like this is her personal mission. 

“[The goal] was to make a space where they could belong because I have been living in West Hollywood for many years and I really know there is a huge need for more authentic places that are actually inclusive to people from all walks of life, but that specifically center [sapphic]  people,” said Dom in an exclusive interview with the Los Angeles Blade. 

Emerging ethereal pop artist BBGRL interacts with the crowd during her debut night at WeHo’s Roosterfish on May 3, 2025.

(Photo credit to David Tran and Jocelyn Perich)

Even now in 2025 there are very few spaces that consistently cater to the sapphic community. At the start of 2025, there were only two. Only a few months into the new year and The Ruby Fruit — a sapphically-inclined wine bar in Silverlake — closed its doors due to what the owners say were financial circumstances beyond their control. The only other sapphically-centered space is Honey’s at Star Love. The bars opened around the same time, but Honey’s is an eccentric and charming place owned by queer, Black, women. 

Though there are very few other spaces that are intentional about making space for lesbian or sapphic nights, there are a lot of event organizers who take up the space on one night of the week or month. 

At Little Joy Cocktails in Echo Park, “Butchona” has one day a month to bring in all the lesbianas and butchonas who dress like their tíos — but better. At Bar Flores, there is a “The World is our Oyster” night, whose crowd tends to lean on the sapphic side. 

Last December, Roosterfish opened in West Hollywood, now adding itself to the list of brick-and-mortars making has made the space for sapphic events like BBGRL.

“This is my first time performing original music in West Hollywood period — but in a long time too,” said BBGRL. “I’m very excited to share a little bit of what I’ve been working on for some years.” 

BBGRL says that spaces like this are very necessary right now because of the social and political attacks on the LGBTQ community. 

“I’m really trying to build something that is memorable and something that really brings people together during these times where we really, really need unity.” 

During the social event’s debut night at Roosterfish in West Hollywood, BBGRL performed some of her music and invited long-time friend Niña Dioz to perform as well. 

“We are comadres and we both realized that we both had so many dreams about moving to L.A. and two years later in 2015 we both made the move and ended up being neighbors in Hollywood,” said BBGRL. “We formed a very special friendship that is really rooted in what reminds us of home — which is our community. Eventually she became my family.” 

Niña Dioz performs in West Hollywood on May 3, 2025. (Photo credit to David Tran and Jocelyn Perich)

After Niña Dioz returned to living in Mexico, BBGRL says it hit her hard, so their return to Hollywood to perform alongside BBGRL meant that much more to this dynamic duo. 

Carla Reyna, better known as Niña Dioz, is a nonbinary, queer hip-hop artist from Monterrey, Mexico. Over a decade ago, they stepped into a rap scene overly-saturated by male rappers within a culture that is also notorious for ignoring and sidelining women, trans and gender nonconforming people. Niña Dioz says they continue to fight the mainstream and make space for themselves and their homegirls. 

“I’m super excited to be here performing with my homegirl, BBGRL,” said Niña Dioz in an exclusive interview with the Los Angeles Blade. 

Niña Dioz says they are also excited to be working on new music to be released at the end of May. 

“I’m just excited to release new music,” said Dioz. “I took a few months off but it’s a song with Lenchanter. She sings chanteos (which is a slang term used in reggaeton music for fast and rhythmic lyrical music) and she is big in the queer, ballroom scene in Mexico City.” 

Niña Dioz says they are also excited to be releasing a new house music track right in time for Pride month. 

“I’m doing a lot of collaborations with artists from Latin America so you’re definitely going to be hearing from me this year,” they emphasized. 
The event will be hosted monthly in West Hollywood and will feature other performers, as well as guest DJs from the sapphic scene. At this event, the line-up included well-known sapphic DJ Amandita, who immaculately brings the vibes at every event where they play their bops but to keep up with the next lineup, follow BBGRL on Instagram.

BBGRL’s next show will be on June 11 at The Peppermint Club in Los Angeles.

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Arts & Entertainment

WeHo Pride and OUTLOUD Music Festival to host free concert

Registration for free tickets will open tomorrow, May 16 at 10a.m. PT

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On Friday, May 30, WeHo Pride and OUTLOUD will kick off the weekend full of festivities with a free WeHo Pride Presents Friday Night outdoor concert. 

WeHo Pride and OUTLOUD Music Festival have come together this year featuring a lineup of LGBTQ performers and LGBTQ-focused programming for all ages. 

The kick off event is free, but requires an RSVP to secure the complimentary tickets and registration for tickets officially opens on Friday, May 16 at 10a.m. The headlining performer will be Maren Morris, a GRAMMY award-winning, singer-songwriter who came out as bisexual during Pride month last summer and released her fourth album earlier this month. 

The OUTLOUD Music Festival will continue on Saturday, May 31, and Sunday, June 1, with a two-day concert experience spotlighting a dynamic lineup of LGBTQ+ artists including Lizzo, Remi Wolf, Kim Petras and Paris Hilton — all set to perform on the mainstage. Lil Nas X was also set to perform, but has been taken out of the lineup due to health issues. 

The SummerTramp stage will have Honey Dijon as the headliner, and feature sets from Horse Meat Disco, salute, Meredith Marks, Brooke Eden, and others. The Saturday and Sunday concerts are not free and do require tickets to be purchased in advance. 

“WeHo Pride Weekend is nearly upon us. Hosting WeHo Pride Presents Friday Night at OUTLOUD with free-entry tickets is more than symbolic — it’s a declaration that equality and inclusion matter,” said Chelsea Lee Byers, mayor of West Hollywood. “In West Hollywood, we celebrate queer lives and artists. At a time when LGBTQ communities face a surge of attacks across the country, West Hollywood remains committed to raising visibility and vibrantly celebrating our community. I’m so proud that the City of West Hollywood stands firm in the fight for LGBTQ rights and creative expression. I hope to see everyone out on Friday Night at OUTLOUD!”

WeHo Pride Presents Friday Night at OUTLOUD will begin at 6p.m. on Friday, May 30. The free WeHo Pride Street Fair will then take place on Saturday, May 31 and Sunday, June 1, beginning at noon. Both days will feature live entertainment, drag performances, activities and dyke-tivities such as the Dyke March and Women’s Freedom Festival on Saturday, taking place at the WeHo Pride Community Stage. 

“This event is all about showing up, celebrating loudly, and creating space for queer joy and none of it would be possible without the incredible support from the City of West Hollywood,” said Jeff Consoletti, founder and executive producer of OUTLOUD. “We’re beyond grateful to have our partnership extended through 2030 and can’t wait to keep building something unforgettable together year after year.”


Weekend and single day passes are on sale now. 
For more information, visit the OUTLOUD Festival website.

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a&e features

Scarlet Vows: A wedding celebration like no other where queer nightlife, love, liberation take center stage

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(Photo Courtesy of The Scarlet Vows team)

On May 10th, West Hollywood will witness a wedding unlike any other — one that’s equal parts celebration and cultural statement. The Scarlet Vows is a fiery fusion of love, Black queer joy, and unapologetic nightlife, wrapped in a bold, red bow.

Celebrating the union of David Brandyn and Matthew Brinkley, Ph.D., this wedding transcends tradition, turning a day of commitment into a night of unforgettable energy, connection, and liberation. Picture a nightclub alive with lights, music, and bold red gowns swirling on the dance floor. Laughter fills the air, and joy radiates through every glittering detail. This isn’t just a wedding, it’s a love story turned party, turned cultural statement.

“We hate tradition,” said Brandyn, one half of the couple, co-producer of the event, writer and sexual health educator. “We wanted to celebrate in a place that actually feels like us — and that’s the club,” .

Together, he and Brinkley — a relationship therapist and dating coach — have built their careers around supporting Black queer communities. 

“We’re not just partners in love — we’re partners in purpose,” explained Brandyn. “This celebration is a tribute to the spaces and people that raised us, healed us, and reminded us we were never alone.” 

Their story began, like many queer romances today, with a match on Jack’d

“But I avoided meeting up,” said Brandyn while laughing. “I knew if we met in person, I’d fall in love — and I wasn’t ready yet.” Brinkley, determined, found another way — showing up at David’s job picnic. As a QTBIPOC couple, the meaning behind this union goes far beyond the personal. “We are what we didn’t see growing up,” said Brandyn. “We’re living proof that Black queer love exists and deserves to be celebrated loudly.” 

And that’s exactly what Scarlet Vows is: loud, proud, and deeply intentional. With every detail, the couple is reclaiming what weddings can look like for those of us who’ve been told we’re “too much, too queer, too different.” “We didn’t want perfection or tradition — we wanted sweat, sparkle, laughter, and love,” shared Brandyn. “So we created something that combines a ball, a house party, a love story, and a family reunion.” 

The name Scarlet Vows is more than aesthetic. “Scarlet is bold, sexy [and] powerful. Vows are sacred. Together, it’s a declaration: this isn’t love whispered in secret. This is love out loud, in full color, surrounded by chosen family.” 

From the moment guests walk in, they’ll be immersed in a world where Black queer joy is not only centered but celebrated. And when they walk out? 

“We hope they feel more alive, more hopeful, and more connected to what’s possible,” said Brandyn. 

Hosted at Beaches Tropicana, The Scarlet Vows promises an unforgettable night filled with live performances, giveaways, and vendors. The vibe? Elevated, emotional, and full of bold fashion. The dress code is red — think high glam, full drama, and statement-making looks. 

But beneath the sequins and spotlight is something even deeper: purpose. 

This celebration comes at a time when QTBIPOC communities are facing escalating attacks — politically, socially, and economically. The couple has weathered hardships planning this event too, including being robbed and experiencing sudden venue cancellations. Yet, they’ve persisted — reaching out to community members and aligned brands to co-create something powerful. “Nightlife saved us,” David reflects.

“It gave us safety, friendship, release. This is us giving back. This is joy without apology.” That joy is contagious. Whether you’re a longtime friend or a first-time guest, Scarlet Vows invites everyone to come as they are — whether in a gown, a jockstrap, or both. “Think warmth meets wild,” David smiles. “We want people to cry during the vows and then immediately turn up on the dance floor.” 

What happens after the last dance? “Maybe this turns into something bigger,” he muses. “A recurring event, a documentary, a community tradition. Either way, the impact is already bigger than just one night.” 

And if you’re still on the fence about attending? “You’ll miss the wedding of the year. A celebration of love, culture, and freedom. A ball, a rave, a healing circle, and a Black queer love story all in one,” said Brandyn. “If you’ve never seen what it looks like when we build something just for us — this is your chance.”

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California

Long Beach Pride reaffirms community focus for this year’s festival

This year’s theme is ‘Power of Community’

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Courtesy of Long Beach Pride

Long Beach Pride 2025 will take place on May 17 and 18 at Marina Green Park, emphasizing focus on grassroots organizations and local community performers. 

“Long Beach Pride has always been more than just a festival—it’s a movement,” said Elsa Martinez, interim president of LB Pride. “This year, more than ever, we’re celebrating the strength, creativity, and unity of our local community.” 

Martinez also notes that all the ticket sales directly go toward funding on-the-ground resources. 

“As a nonprofit organization, every aspect of the Pride Festival—from ticket sales to vendor partnerships—directly funds our work in the community,” noted Martinez. “This is a festival with purpose.”

As LB Pride amps up for its 42nd annual celebration, the organization has stated that this year marks the return to the roots of Pride. LB Pride stated that they are committed to emphasizing what makes the local community so special and spotlighting local performers, musicians and entertainers. 

The organization has also stated that they are committed to ‘justice, inclusion, and the celebration of queer joy.’ 

“Our strength has always been our solidarity,” said Martinez. “This year’s festival is a reminder of what we can achieve when we lift each other up.”

This year, the main stage will feature a lineup of pop, Hip-hop and Latin talent. 

Performers include HYM the Rapper, George Michael Reborn Tribute, Tori Kay, Jewels Drag Show Extravaganza, Secret Service, Tiancho and music mixes by DJ BSelecta, DJ Icy Ice and DJ 360. 

For updates, tickets, and volunteer opportunities, please visit https://longbeachpride.com and follow @LongBeachPride on social media.

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LA Pride 2025 announces grand marshals and parade theme

The parade will also pay tribute to the city’s first responders, relief organizations, agencies, officials and others who stepped up during the January fires

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The theme for the parade set to take place on Sunday June 8, at 11 a.m., will fittingly be “Pride Marches On,” and this year’s parade grand marshals will be Niecy Nash-Betts and wife Jessica Betts, Andrew Rannells, and Trino Garcia and Adam Vasquez, who are also known as ‘TrinoxAdam.’

Rannells, a Grammy-winning, two-time Tony-nominated actor celebrated for his work on stage, screen, and television, is this year’s LA Pride Celebrity Grand Marshal. 

“I’m truly honored to be this year’s Celebrity Grand Marshal of LA Pride,” said Rannells. “I don’t take it lightly and I just hope in some small way I can reflect the strength and resilience of the queer community, especially in times like these.”

Rannells made his TV directorial debut with Amazon’s “Modern Love” and is widely recognized for his role as Elijah Krantz on HBO’s “Girls,” which garnered a Critics Choice nomination. He recently appeared on Hulu’s “Welcome to Chippendales” and Showtime’s “Black Monday,” earning him yet another Critics Choice nomination. Rannells is also an author, director and Broadway actor. 

Nash-Betts, one-half of this years Vanguard Marshals, is a multi-talented Emmy Award-winning actress, producer and director who has captivated audiences on many projects across the big screens. Soon, she will be making a big appearance starring opposite Kim Kardashian, Naomi Watts, Sarah Paulson, Teyana Taylor and Glenn Close, in Ryan Murphy’s “All’s Fair” Hulu TV series about an all-female legal firm. 

Chicago native Betts will join her wife Nash-Betts as the other half of this years Vanguard Grand Marshal’s of the parade. Betts is an acclaimed singer-songwriter known for her original electric and acoustic rock and soul music. The two have been married since 2020 and in 2022, they made history as the first same-sex couple to grace the cover of Essence magazine, receiving a nomination for a GLAAD Media Award.

“We are thrilled to have Niecy Nash and Jessica Betts as this year’s Vanguard Grand Marshals,” said Gloria Bigelow, CSW board member. “As individuals and as a couple, they exemplify the beauty of living authentically and embracing love in all its forms. Their presence serves as a shining example for our community, reminding us to celebrate who we are, love fiercely and never back down from our Pride.”

TrinoxAdam will be this years Community Grand Marshals. The two are a loving gay couple who have dazzled the queer, Latin community with their content showcasing how they reclaim the cholo, or ‘xolo’ identities. They went viral on social media after sharing a romantic kiss on a bridge overlooking the 110 Freeway in Los Angeles. Now famous on social media, the two make content about their love, challenging traditional perceptions of masculinity, sexuality and Chicano culture. 

“Pride is about loving yourself and accepting yourself for who you truly are,” said Trino Garcia and Adam Vasquez. “Being this year’s LA Pride’s Community Grand Marshals is the biggest honor and our greatest accomplishment, knowing we’ve made an impact and helped people find acceptance within themselves and finally feel the true meaning of Pride.”

This year, the parade will also pay tribute to the city’s first responders, relief organizations, agencies, officials and others who stepped up during the fires that devastated Altadena and Pacific Palisades, in a special “Heroes of the Wildfires” section in the lineup. 

Los Angeles County Fire Department marches in the 2024 LA Pride Parade. (Photo courtesy of LA Pride)

“This year LA Pride marks a pivotal moment for both the Los Angeles and LGBTQ communities,” said Gerald Garth, CSW board president. “Despite facing unimaginable challenges, our community has always emerged stronger. This year’s theme, ‘Pride Marches On,’ symbolizes the strength of our community, and no matter the fire, hate or fear, Pride will always forge ahead. We look forward to embodying this spirit while celebrating resilience, hope and togetherness.”

The parade will be hosted by “Good Morning America” Saturday and Sunday co-anchor and ABC News transportation correspondent Gio Benitez and “ABC7 Eyewitness News” anchors Ellen Leyva and Coleen Sullivan. 

After the Parade, LA Pride will host LA Pride Village on Hollywood Boulevard. Now in its fourth year, this free street festival will feature programming on two stages, welcome over 80 booths with local vendors and nonprofits, dozens of sponsor activations, giveaways, games, scores of food trucks, and two 21+ full-service bars.

For the third year in a row, LA Pride will also be featuring “Ballroom Battle,” the voguing competition created by New York City’s Black and Brown LGBTQ+ communities made famous by the documentary, “Paris is Burning,” Madonna, and the FX show “Pose.” LA’s premiere ballroom houses such as House of Miyake Mugler, House of Ninja, and House of Gorgeous Gucci will compete in front of celebrity judges, including Margaret Cho, who will also be in the parade, riding with longtime LA Pride alumni Project Angel Food.

A curated art exhibition called “Bring the T” will feature works in multiple media by trans artists that represent and explore themes around trans discrimination and erasure but also activism, determination and fearlessness.

The parade is set to broadcast live on Sunday, June 8, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. PDT on ABC7/KABC-TV Los Angeles. 

The live broadcast will include comprehensive coverage from ABC7 news reporters David González, Sophie Flay and Kevin Ozebek, who will be reporting directly from the parade route, capturing all the festivities.

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Commentary

From pride to policy, it’s time to build in WeHo

‘West Hollywood isn’t just coasting on its values—we’re acting on them’

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By John M. Erickson, West Hollywood City Councilmember

West Hollywood has always stood as a beacon for LGBTQ people, for the
marginalized—for anyone chasing a place to be safe, seen, and supported. But that
promise is slipping away. If people can’t afford to live here, then West Hollywood becomes a symbol, not a sanctuary.

The housing crisis gripping Southern California is particularly acute in LGBTQ communities. Whether it’s trans women of color pushed into homelessness, queer youth aging out of foster care, or seniors on fixed incomes being priced out of the very neighborhoods they helped shape—our inability to build enough housing is deepening the inequality we claim to fight against. Our failure to build enough housing is not just a policy gap—it’s a moral one.

This isn’t theoretical. It’s personal.

As a gay man and a progressive policymaker, I know what it means to live at the intersection of identity and action. I carry the legacy of those who fought for a seat at the table—and the duty to do more than just sit there. Right now, that means confronting a housing system that’s failing the very people we claim to protect.

When West Hollywood became a city in 1984, we inherited density. We had walkable
neighborhoods, apartment buildings, and a diverse housing stock. But we froze. For 40
years, our zoning has barely moved.

In the last 25 years, WeHo has actually decreased in population. Meanwhile the number
of Americans who identify as LGBTQ+ has more than tripled in that same amount of
time. We haven’t kept up with demand, and we haven’t met the needs of the vulnerable
communities we claim to champion.

That’s about to change.

On Monday, May 5th, I’m introducing a sweeping housing reform package aimed at one
thing: making it easier, faster, and cheaper to build homes in West Hollywood. Not just
luxury condos—homes people can actually live in. That means slashing red tape. Cutting delays. Dismantling outdated rules that stall projects and drive up rents.

This isn’t about bulldozing neighborhoods or silencing community voices. It’s about
fixing a broken system—one built for a different era and completely out of step with the
urgency of now. It’s time to stop confusing progressive branding with progressive
outcomes. We need real reform: faster processes, smarter regulations, and yes—political courage.

Will this fix everything overnight? No. But it will send a clear message: West Hollywood
isn’t just coasting on its values—we’re acting on them.

Housing justice is LGBTQ+ justice. It’s racial justice, economic justice, and generational
justice. We don’t get to call ourselves a queer haven if only the rich and lucky can live
here. The West Hollywood of the future must make room for drag artists, Trader Joe’s
cashiers, trans youth, longtime renters—and anyone else trying to build a life with
dignity.

A city that flies the Pride flag can’t stand by while its most vulnerable residents are
priced out and pushed out. We owe the next generation more than just slogans and
rainbows. Let’s leave them keys.

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Events

New ‘Party with a Purpose’ lesbian brunch to be hosted at Sorry Not Sorry

Lez Brunch is coming to Sorry Not Sorry L.A. on May 17 with bottomless mimosas and games

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Jessica Wagstaff is the founder of Homology L.A. and most recently partnered up with The Queer 26, a nonprofit platform for QTBIPOC creatives, to produce Lez Brunch. The brunch will be hosted on May 17, from noon to 4p.m., at Sorry Not Sorry. The 4,000 sq-ft event space is a well-respected wine-forward, cocktail bar in Los Angeles that also hosts lots of other LGBTQ events, drag shows and more, throughout the year. 

Wagstaff believes it is important to not only host this event, but also to make it as safe and inclusive as possible. They have also incorporated a community outreach aspect to this event by giving back to their community by donating proceeds to non-profit and mutual aid organizations.

Everything down to the ticketing site, is queer and inclusive. 

“The ticketing website allows attendees to enter in their name which may differ from their legal name, which I think is a really important aspect right off the top of the bat, they know we care about who they are right at the start of their experience with us,” said Wagstaff. “In fact the ticketing website is the only platform that is queer owned and operated in the world, it’s called Sickening Events. So we know that it’s also benefiting our community.”

The performers are also part of the LGBTQ+ community and Wagstaff believes that by having a line-up of performers and entertainers who mirror and represent the community, it allows people to feel safe, heard and seen. 

“I’ve always been very passionate about having a lineup that directly mirrors our community from BIPOC, trans, queer, non-binary, etc,” said Wagstaff. 

Wagstaff is also a licensed security guard who says safety and security is on the top of their priorities when it comes to hosting these events. 

“I will have a code of conduct signage and training at the front door which will be promoted by wait staff, restaurant management, plus all Lez Brunch talent and staff,” said Wagstaff. 

The event will be hosted by Ruthie Alcaide who is a TV personality who has been a contestant on The Real World: Hawaii, a finalist on Battle of the Sexes and All Stars 1, and she also competed on Battle of the Sexes 2, The Gauntlet 2, and The Duel II.

Wagstaff is also working in collaboration with Camille Ora-Nicole, founder of The Queer 26 and multi-hyphenated creative. 

Ora-Nicole has been hosting events and collaborating with queer and trans BIPOC creatives across Los Angeles to bring more visibility to those marginalized communities. Her and Wagstaff agree that queer joy is the biggest form of resistance and that hosting these events during this politically polarizing time is much needed for survival and for the people in these communities to have the space to heal, gather, celebrate and network. 

To learn more about The Queer 26, visit their website.

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Events

Los Angeles Blade’s Community Series kicks off with panel

First panel in series brought in community leaders, politicians and other notable figures

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Left to Right, West Hollywood Mayor Chelsea Byers, former WeHo Mayor and queer activist Abby Land, Equality California Communications Director Jorge Reyes Salinas, Political Vice President of the Stonewall Democratic Club Nico Brancolini, and NAACP LGBTQ+ Committee Chair Chris Baldwin, and Roar Resistance’s Michael Ferrera.

The Los Angeles Blade kicked off its “Free Community Series” in partnership with Roar
Resistance, for a rousing discussion panel titled “Time To Get Informed, Time To
Resist” at The Abbey in West Hollywood last Saturday.

The event featured a panel of notable figures in the city’s government and queer
activism circles who spoke about how to organize and protect queer rights in the current
political climate.

The panel was moderated by Roar Resistance’s Michael Ferrera, and included West
Hollywood Mayor Chelsea Byers, former WeHo Mayor and queer activist Abbe Land,
Equality California Communications Director Jorge Reyes Salinas, Political Vice
President of the Stonewall Democratic Club, Nico Brancolini and NAACP LGBTQ
Committee Chair Chris Baldwin.

The discussion kicked off with a call by Abbe Land for participants to stay focused on
the issues that matter, despite the flood of new developments constantly coming from
the White House.

“I do think it was designed that way to keep us crazed, to keep us unfocused, to keep us
in a state of panic and fear,” said Land. “We have to look at what is happening and
where is our lane and where are we going to focus our energies and have trust that
there are other people that are focusing in other areas that need focus.”

Each of the panelists then described how the first few months of the current
administration has impacted the work they’re doing in the community and the dangers
they see on the horizon.

“I have been deeply disturbed by the elite capitulation that occurred this time around,”
Brancolini said, noting the big law firms and media corporations that have acceded to
“unconstitutional orders” and rushed to make settlements with Trump and his family.

“Frankly, I’ve been disappointed by a lot of the national Democratic leadership. I think
they treated a 1.5% plurality victory on Trump’s behalf as if it was a huge blowout, and I
think that’s a big mistake,” said Land.

Reyes Salinas pointed out that a one of the most vulnerable communities right now is
trans youth.

“The target is on their backs and the backs of their families and providers,” he said.
“Here in California, we have laws that protect them and we keep improving those, but
there’s still so much fear, and it’s important for everyone to be able understand that
these are children’s lives at stake here.”

But while there was agreement that there is much at risk at the current moment, Chris
Baldwin said this was a time to build stronger coalitions.

“I don’t live my life in fear. I am a Black woman born in the 60s, at a time when my father
when we traveled to Alabama had to step across the street to let a white man pass,”
she said. “We will get through this. Black people have lived through much worse.
Welcome to the civil rights movement. We are going to experience setbacks but we will
keep pushing forward.”

Later, Baldwin invited attendees to join the NAACP, noting that it is an interracial
organization whose membership is open to all. Chelsea Byers echoed that sentiment, noting that this moment presents an opportunity for a new generation of leaders to imagine new ways to solve society’s big problems.

“We know that people are under-resourced. We need to make education accessible to
people bring them on board, help them understand these processes and meet them
where they’re at,” she said. “We need to bring people on board. We can’t go back to
what was, because it wasn’t working. We need to activate our political imaginations in
the biggest way possible.”

When the discussion turned to what people can do to protect our rights, the panelists
focused on practical things anyone can do to help build a successful coalition for
change.

“Every day, do something. It doesn’t have to be a big thing. It might be just calling
someone to check in on them, it might be writing a letter, or calling your congressman. It
might be a passive thing,” said Land. “That moment when you think, ‘Oh my god, I can’t believe this,’ that’s when you do something, anything and it’ll propel you for the next
day.”

The panel also addressed concerns from the audience that we have to ensure that our
activism is inclusive and intersectional.

“Feminism without intersectionality is just white supremacy,” Baldwin said. “Going
forward with your coalitions, I encourage you to be intentional with your intersectionality,
not just tokenism.”

“There are some common needs that we all care about and it doesn’t matter who you
are, and that’s where we have to be. But when we’re fighting for those things, we have
to recognize there are some people who have different ideas of what that looks like, and
we have to be open to that,” said Land. Reyes Salinas added that it’s an important priority for Equality California to use its platform to lift the voices of diverse parts of the community.

“We can elevate your coalitions, your storytelling, whatever’s happening, my team can
make sure that that’s elevated to ensure that other people see you as a trusted source,”
he said.

Reyes Salinas added that Equality California offers leadership training programs for
people who want to get experience in politics and running for office.

The Los Angeles Blade is planning more community forums to discuss hot-button
issues as they arise.

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Features

Meet the new co-presidents of the NLGJA LA Chapter

The National Lesbian Gay Journalists Association’s LA Chapter under new leadership

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Canva graphic by Gisselle Palomera. Photos courtesy of Hansen Bursic and Katie Karl.

An award-winning documentary filmmaker and a news producer make up the dynamic duo who now run the Los Angeles chapter of the NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists. 

NLGJA is a nationally recognized affinity group meant to unite journalists from dozens of different industries, who identify as members of the LGBTQ community. 

The national chapter recognizes the work and contributions of LGBTQ journalists who work to further the narratives by queer, trans and gender non-conforming people. 

Hansen Bursic, 27, pisces, is one half of the dynamic duo who now run the L.A chapter. 

Katie Karl, 30, gemini, forms the other half. 

Last year, Bursic and Karl took over as interim co-presidents and have been able to grow the local chapter to include a diverse and wide range of voices on the Board of Directors and on the membership list. 

The chapter has hosted a long list of events that include collaborations with other local and national organizations with roots in Los Angeles, such as GALECA: Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics and the Asian American Journalists Association. 

It became the first time in the Los Angeles chapter’s history that there was such a shift in leadership, with two people taking over the leading role. 

“It was just too big of a job for one of us to do, especially in rebuilding. So we decided to get together and come on as co-president’s, which was recommended by the national president, Ken Miguel,” said Karl. 

When it comes to the chapter’s mission, Bursic says it’s a two-fold goal. 

“We want to build a sense of community for queer and trans journalists in Southern California and we also want to advocate for those journalists any chance we get by building the spaces where journalists can meet each other, breaking down barriers and trying to reduce gatekeeping of opportunities for our members so they can thrive and find a place in Southern California newsrooms,” he said. 

Many of the events that are hosted by the NLGJA LA Chapter are free and open to the general public through RSVP. One of the common misconceptions the affinity group faces, is that many people feel as though their work may not directly correspond to the work pursued by current members of the group. However, that is not the case. 

“Together, we really want to make sure that everyone feels included,” said Karl. “I’m in broadcast and Hansen is in documentary and together we really push to make sure that no matter what kind of journalist you are, you know there is a space for you and you feel welcomed.” 

The organization welcomes members and people to attend their public events, who work in industries that are adjacent to the work journalists do and those who might just be creatives with multi-hypenated titles. 

Bursic has a full-time day job in communications for a nonprofit, but his creative work extends far beyond his work in communications. His energy and passion lie in documentary filmmaking. Bursic recently directed and produced “Trans Heaven Pennsylvania” (2024). The 12-minute documentary is about the 2010s in Pennsylvania, where each year, a group of trans women would take over a small American town for a week-long party. The documentary was funded through the Creative Hope Initiative, an incubator for emerging LGBTQ filmmakers sponsored by Traverse32 and Outfest Film Festival. 

The film most recently screened internationally in London, at the Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club. Its next screening will be at the Grandview Theater Drafthouse & Cinema in Columbus, Ohio on May 3rd. 

Bursic has a notable list of accomplishments, including making the 30 under 30 list at Temple University in 2023. He has also been named a DOC NYC Documentary New Leader, has had a spot in the Ford Foundation Rockwood Documentary Leadership Fellowship and Sundance Film Festival Press Fellowship.

Karl was born and raised in the Greater Los Angeles area, is a dedicated news producer with extensive experience in live news coverage and team coordination. Currently a freelance writer and producer at KABC, she brings years of experience from her work at stations like KPNX, KHQ and KEYT. 

Karl, says the experience of connecting with the members more, has been really rewarding. 

“Going forward, my goal is to grow the chapter in name and recognition,” said Karl. “I want our [reach to get] across other organizations in other areas of journalism and that’s why I joined the board in the first place.”

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