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Articles by Kevin Naff
Washington Blade responds to concerns over White House pool duties
The Pentagon (Photo by icholakov/Bigstock) Fifteen years ago this month, the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” took effect. At the time, the importance of the change was obvious: gay, lesbian, and bisexual Americans would no longer have to hide who they were to wear the uniform. What was harder to see was what would follow: a generation of LGBTQ veterans able to carry their service openly into American civic life. Earlier this month, Alaska state Rep.
Acclaimed Chef Patrick O’Connell’s memoir reveals the arc of a life well lived
Renowned three-Michelin-star Chef Patrick O’Connell says food and wine hold a unique ability to bring people together. Indeed, he has served everyone from right-wing zealot Jerry Falwell to Britain’s Queen Elizabeth during his decades at the beloved Inn at Little Washington in rural Virginia. O’Connell’s compelling new memoir, “Main, Middle & Gay” is out Sept.
Acclaimed Chef Patrick O’Connell’s memoir reveals the arc of a life well lived
Lifestyle 5 hours ago Stop Storing Your Loaves in Ziplocs — This ‘Game-Changing’ Solution Keeps Bread Fresh for a Week and a Half FOOD & WINE - Grace Cooper • 5h Starting at just $8 apiece. After spending hours making sourdough or driving to my favorite bakery, the last thing I want to do is toss out a moldy or stale loaf just days later. Storing bread in the plastic or paper bag it comes in isn’t the best way to preserve it.
BLADE ENDORSEMENT: Susan Stewart for mayor of Rehoboth Beach
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.
Tickets on sale for chef Patrick O’Connell’s book launch event
Alex Kim performs at the Pride Comedy Special in Washington, D.C., on June 18, 2026. (Photo by Christina Lee/VOICES) Kevin Chen’s family tombstone has room for four: him, his parents and his boyfriend. The arrangement might prove to be a little awkward. “My boyfriend is 100% white, and my parents are 100% disappointed,” Chen confessed. Jokes about family traditions and the untraditional ways they’re practiced earned a burst of laughs at the bar where Chen was opening for the Pride Comedy Special.
Celebrate Pride in Rehoboth Beach this weekend
Pride in Rehoboth Beach is kicking off this week on Friday, July 17, with events happening throughout the weekend. “Rehoboth Beach Pride is more than a festival — it is a vital space for community, healing, and connection,” said David Mariner, director of Sussex Pride, which organizes many of the events. The weekend will begin with the Grand Opening & Community Preview from 1-4 p.m. on Friday, July 17, celebrating the opening of Novus Medical Services and the new Sussex Pride Community Center.
Longtime Blade staffer Stephen Rutgers steps down after 14 years
Longtime Washington Blade employee Stephen Rutgers announced he is stepping down after 14 years to focus on other ventures, including his part ownership of the popular Crush Dance Bar. Rutgers was hired by the Blade in 2012 to help plan Pride festivities and over the years was promoted to director of sales and marketing.
Washington Blade names new publisher
The Washington Blade announced this week that its longtime publisher, Lynne Brown, who has worked at the publication for nearly 40 years, is retiring from her day-to-day duties. Blade co-owner and longtime advertising executive Brian Pitts will assume the role of publisher effective June 26. Pitts, 46, is a native of Fredericksburg, Va. In 2004, he moved to Washington, D.C., from Rehoboth Beach, Del., to work at the Blade as a 24-year-old sales executive.
Washington Blade publishes ‘Queering America 250’
The Washington Blade this week published a new glossy magazine, titled “Queering America 250,” a look back at the many contributions that LGBTQ people have made to the founding of the country through the present day. From Colonial times to modern pop culture, the magazine aims to remind readers of some of the many ways queer people have influenced American life.
America’s founders sought ‘justice.’ That fight never ends.
Iconic out athletes like Brittney Griner and Megan Rapinoe inspired milions of fans. Rapinoe is seen here being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Biden in 2022. (Griner photo NBC News screenshot via YouTube; Rapinoe photo via White House) Editor’s note: This is part of the “Queering America 250” LGBTQ history magazine published by the Washington Blade. The glossy magazine is free and available across the D.C. region during Pride.
Cowardly corporations abandon LGBTQ America
I had a thought provoking conversation with Billy Porter over Memorial Day weekend. The talented and opinionated star asked me how things were going at the Blade and in D.C. given the current administration in the White House. It was a loaded question.
UFC fighter says 'Michelle Obama is a man' at White House event
UFC fighter Josh Hokit, in a crude post-match stunt, told podcaster Joe Rogan that, "Michelle Obama is a man. Am I right America?" The incident occurred as part of President Trump's UFC Freedom 250 event held on the White House lawn on Sunday night. Hokit won his fight then gave an interview to Rogan on stage when he made the remark. Trump has not addressed the incident but has a history of attacking the Obamas using racist imagery.
Blade reporters reflect on covering Pulse massacre 10 years ago
Friday marks 10 years since a gunman killed 49 people inside the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla. The massacre, which, at the time was the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, left the LGBTQ community in this country and around the world reeling. It also prompted renewed calls for gun control. The OnePulse Foundation, which Pulse owner Barbara Poma founded after the massacre, raised upwards of $20 million for a memorial that never materialized.
Blade reporters reflect on covering Pulse massacre 10 years ago
Friday marks 10 years since a gunman killed 49 people inside the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla. The massacre, which, at the time was the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, left the LGBTQ community in this country and around the world reeling. It also prompted renewed calls for gun control. The OnePulse Foundation, which Pulse owner Barbara Poma founded after the massacre, raised upwards of $20 million for a memorial that never materialized.
Blade editor inducted into D.C. Society of Professional Journalists Hall of Fame
The Society of Professional Journalists’ Washington, D.C., Pro Chapter on Tuesday inducted Kevin Naff, the Washington Blade’s editor and co-owner, into its Hall of Fame. The induction took place at the group’s annual dinner that took place at the National Press Club.
PHOTOS: Blade Summer Kickoff Party
The 19th annual Blade Foundation Summer Kickoff Party was held on Friday, May 15 at Diego’s in Rehoboth Beach, Del. An award presentation was held for former Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden. Ashley Biden accepted the award on her brother’s behalf and gave remarks. Other speakers included Delaware state Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall, CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Dr. Robin Brennan and Washington Blade Editor Kevin Naff.
Blade Foundation awards 9th journalism fellowship to AU student
The Blade Foundation this week announced the recipient of its 2026 Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism is Thomas Weaverling, who is scheduled to graduate from American University with a degree in communication, language, and culture this month. He will cover issues of interest to Delaware’s LGBTQ community for 12 weeks this summer. The fellowship is named in honor of Steve Elkins, a journalist and co-founder of the CAMP Rehoboth LGBTQ community center.
Blade finalist for D.C. Society of Professional Journalists awards
The Society of Professional Journalists’ Washington, D.C., Pro Chapter on Tuesday announced the Washington Blade is a finalist for various awards it will hand out at its annual dinner next month. International News Editor Michael K.
Rehoboth’s Blue Moon sold; new owners to preserve LGBTQ legacy
The iconic Blue Moon restaurant and bar in Rehoboth Beach, Del., has been sold to new owners who have pledged to keep it an LGBTQ-affirming space, according to longtime owner Tim Ragan. Ragan and his partner Randy Haney sold the Blue Moon to Dale Lomas and Mike Subrick, owners of Atlantic Liquors on Route 1. “They don’t want to change a thing,” Ragan said. “They’re local people, they live here. Dale worked his first job at Dolle’s.” Ragan and Haney did not sell the business, only the real estate.
Rehoboth Summer Kickoff Party set for May 15 with Ashley Biden
The Washington Blade’s 19th annual Summer Kickoff Party is scheduled for Friday, May 15 in Rehoboth Beach, Del. Ashley Biden, daughter of President Joe Biden, has joined the list of speakers, the Blade announced. She will accept an award on behalf of her brother Beau Biden for his LGBTQ advocacy work as Delaware attorney general. (Her appearance was rescheduled from last year.) The event, to be held this year at Diego’s (37298 Rehoboth Ave.
Blade editor to be inducted into D.C. Society of Professional Journalists Hall of Fame
Longtime Washington Blade Editor Kevin Naff will be inducted into D.C.’s Society of Professional Journalists Hall of Fame in June, the group announced this week. Hall of Fame honorees are chosen by the Society of Professional Journalists’ Washington, D.C., Pro Chapter. Naff and two other inductees — Seth Borenstein, a Washington-based national science writer for the AP and Cheryl W.
BMA celebrates enduring influence of Henri Matisse
Amy Sherald at Sunday’s BMA interview.
35 years after ‘Truth or Dare,’ Slam is still dancing
Most gay men of a certain age remember “the kiss.” It was the moment Madonna’s dancers Salim Gauwloos and Gabriel Trupin locked lips in the hit 1991 documentary film “Truth or Dare,” which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this spring. The kiss was hot, but what made it groundbreaking is that it appeared in a mainstream Hollywood movie that screened in suburban multiplexes across the country. This wasn’t an obscure art house film.
Blade, Pride House LA announce 2028 Olympics partnership
The Los Angeles Blade and Washington Blade on Friday announced a media partnership with the Out Athlete Fund, which will produce Pride House LA for the 2028 Summer Olympics. Pride House is the home for LGBTQ fans and athletes that will become a destination during the L.A. Summer Games in West Hollywood in partnership with the City of WeHo. This 17-day celebration for LGBTQ athletes and fans will include medal ceremonies for out athletes, interactive installations, speakers, concerts, and more.
Media obsess over ‘Heated Rivalry’ sex but ignore problem of homophobia in sports
(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key) Please do not forget that Renee Nicole Good was a queer woman. Last week, Good, a 37-year-old American citizen, was shot and killed by a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Minneapolis. Her wife Rebecca Good was present when the ICE agent shot her, standing outside their car.
Support the Blade as mainstream media bend the knee for Trump
We knew it would be bad. I’m referring, of course, to 2025 and the unthinkable return of Donald Trump to the White House. We just didn’t know how bad. The takeover of D.C. police. ICE raids and agents shooting defenseless citizens in the face. The cruel attacks on trans Americans. A compliant and complicit right-wing Supreme Court and GOP rubberstamping all the criminality and madness. Much of that was outlined in Project 2025 and was predictable.
Blade travels to Colombia after U.S. forces seize Maduro in Venezuela
Washington Blade International News Editor Michael K. Lavers will be on assignment in Colombia through Jan. 10. Lavers arrived Bogotá, the Colombian capital, on Monday. American forces two days earlier carried out an overnight operation and seized now former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and wife, Cilia Flores, at their home in Caracas, the Venezuelan capital. Maduro and Flores on Monday pled not guilty to federal drug charges in New York.
Rehoboth’s Blue Moon is for sale but owners aim to keep it in gay-friendly hands
Gay gasps could be heard around the DMV earlier this week when a real estate listing for Rehoboth Beach’s iconic Blue Moon bar and restaurant hit social media. Take a breath. The Moon is for sale but the longtime owners are not in a hurry and are committed to preserving its legacy as a gay-friendly space. “We had no idea the interest this would create,” Tim Ragan, one of the owners, told the Blade this week.
Dick Cheney was a disastrous VP and not a true LGBTQ ally
As ICE raids intensify across Southern California and anti-immigrant sentiment resurfaces in Orange County, transgender and immigrant communities are once again being targeted. These crackdowns go beyond enforcement — they’re designed to instill fear. At the same time, a coordinated right-wing smear campaign is attempting to discredit the very organizations working to keep these communities safe.
Blockbuster Amy Sherald exhibit opens in Baltimore
Artist Amy Sherald has emerged as a hero in the LGBTQ community following her controversial decision to pull her blockbuster new exhibit “American Sublime” from the National Portrait Gallery in D.C. and move it to Baltimore after Smithsonian officials sought to censor her painting “Trans Forming Liberty.” That painting depicts transgender model Arewà Basit as the Statue of Liberty, which conflicts with President Trump’s war on DEI and his efforts to erase transgender people from the American...
Free D.C.!
President Trump’s unnecessary and performative takeover of D.C. police raises many legal and ethical concerns that are already being litigated. Last weekend, we learned that Trump plans to deploy National Guard troops from West Virginia, Ohio, and South Carolina in addition to the 800 or so Guard troops already on D.C.’s streets. Their presence is intimidating and scaring away customers from local businesses, including LGBTQ bars.
Visit Cambridge, a ‘beautiful secret’ on Maryland’s Eastern Shore
CAMBRIDGE, Md. — Driving through this scenic, historic town on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, you’ll be charmed by streets lined with unique shops, restaurants, and beautifully restored Victorian homes. You’ll also be struck by the number of LGBTQ Pride flags flying throughout the town. The flags are a reassuring signal that everyone is welcome here, despite the town’s location in ruby red Dorchester County, which voted for Donald Trump over Kamala Harris by a lopsided margin.
Making sense of a dark Pride season
WorldPride was supposed to attract up to three million visitors to the Nation’s Capital for a once-in-a-lifetime celebration that would boost all of the region’s queer-owned businesses and shine a bright light on the progressive, pro-LGBTQ city that is Washington. Then came the 2024 election. In an instant, the mood shifted. Then the anti-trans attacks came — eliminating “X” gender markers on passports, a trans military ban, efforts to criminalize affirming healthcare. The list goes on.
Looking back at 50 years of Pride in D.C
At last, after an uncharacteristically cold and snowy winter, another Rehoboth Beach season is upon us. I have been going to Rehoboth Beach since 1984, and it was the first place I went where people only knew me as a gay man. It was the year I came out. It was a summer community back then. Today it really is an exciting year-round community. But it’s still the summer season when Rehoboth shines, and when the businesses make most of their money.
TRAITOR: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has blood on his hands
It’s an odd dichotomy: President Trump appoints the highest-ranking openly gay government official in history in Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, yet he launches cruel attacks on transgender Americans. Make no mistake: Those attacks are claiming lives. Trans people are killing themselves. I know of one trans person who died by suicide on Election Night, overwhelmed by fear of the incoming administration.
Fired. Depressed. Moved to Canada: Tales from Trump 2.0
It’s been difficult to keep up with the news since Jan. 20, as the attacks on our community keep coming. The same president who nominated the highest-ranking openly gay government official ever (Scott Bessent as Treasury Secretary) is the same president who is killing transgender Americans via his incessantly cruel attacks on their humanity.
I stopped watching MSNBC and you should too
In the two years leading up to the disastrous 2024 election, I became addicted to MSNBC. As an early riser, I watched Jonathan Lemire on “Way Too Early,” then the first hour of “Morning Joe.” In the afternoon, I often took a coffee break with Nicolle Wallace. At night, there was Rachel Maddow, Joy Reid, along with former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki. The hosts and their “experts” seemed to have a deep understanding of the polls and the electorate.
Trump’s gay Treasury Secretary should denounce anti-trans attacks
The U.S. Senate on Monday confirmed Scott Bessent, President Trump’s pick for Treasury Secretary, in a rare bipartisan vote of 68-29. Bessent, a billionaire hedge fund manager, becomes the first openly gay, Senate-confirmed Republican Cabinet member. He’s also the highest-ranking out gay government official ever, as Treasury Secretary is fifth in the line of presidential succession.
Trump’s gay Treasury Secretary should denounce anti-trans attacks
The U.S. Senate on Monday confirmed Scott Bessent, President Trump’s pick for Treasury Secretary, in a rare bipartisan vote of 68-29. Bessent, a billionaire hedge fund manager, becomes the first openly gay, Senate-confirmed Republican Cabinet member. He’s also the highest-ranking out gay government official ever, as Treasury Secretary is fifth in the line of presidential succession.
Thank you, Mr. President
This week marks the end of President Joe Biden’s administration, the most pro-LGBTQ leader our country has ever known. With his departure, our community enters a period of uncertainty and alarm over how trans Americans will be treated under Trump’s tenure. Before we begin coping with that unfortunate reality, let’s take a moment to celebrate Biden.
Weak Democrats like Jared Polis already caving to Trump
This is not the time to cave to Donald Trump and normalize his attacks on democracy and decency. Nor is it the time to throw the transgender community under the bus. Or to accept anti-vaxxers as head of Health & Human Services or dilettantes as defense secretary or credibly accused sex traffickers as attorney general. Yet, here we are, and some prominent Democrats — like gay Colorado Gov. Jared Polis — are leading the charge to capitulation.
What’s next for the LGBTQ movement?
These are frightening times for those of us on the target list of Project 2025, the blueprint for Donald Trump’s second term that he secured in landslide fashion on Tuesday. Many of us are wondering how this could happen again. Kamala Harris is one of the most qualified presidential candidates to run in our lifetime. She ran against a 34-times convicted felon who staged an insurrection against the government and who faces a sentencing hearing in just three weeks for his crimes.
What’s next for the LGBTQ+ movement?
This article originally appeared in the Washington Blade. Trump’s win requires us to organize, focus on protecting trans community These are frightening times for those of us on the target list of Project 2025, the blueprint for Donald Trump’s second term that he secured in landslide fashion on Tuesday. Many of us are wondering how this could happen again. Kamala Harris is one of the most qualified presidential candidates to run in our lifetime.
What’s next for the LGBTQ movement?
I had the privilege to run as an independent candidate for parliament during Botswana’s recent and most historic election. While I was not elected, my privilege to exercise my right to stand as a citizen was fulfilled, most notably, as an out and proudly queer feminist nonbinary individual in my youth. There are many reasons that lead to my decision to run, one of them being the anti-LGBTI developments that were occurring in my country, along with several others across Africa.
Wash Post can’t recover from endorsement debacle - Bezos must sell it
I have worked in media and newspapers for most of my career, including at large metropolitan dailies like the Baltimore Sun. I’ve had the immense privilege of working alongside Pulitzer Prize-winning reporters and editors like John Carroll of the Los Angeles Times and Bill Marimow of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The most important lesson I took from the early days of my career from those colleagues is that newspapers have only one commodity: credibility. When that’s gone, there’s nothing.
Christian Siriano on new book, red carpet fashion - and dressing Kamala
After 15 years in the fashion business, Christian Siriano has dressed everyone from Oprah to Gaga and he’s celebrating all those memorable years of success in his book, “The New Red Carpet,” which features photos of his many iconic designs along with anecdotes about the stars who made them famous. There’s Halle Berry, Alicia Silverstone (a Siriano muse), Billy Porter, Laverne Cox, Lizzo, Jennifer Lopez, and dozens more. One of his favorites to dress is Janet Jackson.
10 reminders of why we must vote for Harris
There are a million reasons to vote for Kamala Harris over Donald Trump but here are 10 of the best. If you’re not feeling the burn about casting your ballot, please remember just how close our last two elections were and how dire the 2016 consequences for the country. Indeed, a strong turnout by LGBTQ and allied voters could prove decisive in some key states. So let’s review 10 reasons why it’s not only important — but essential — that all LGBTQ and allied voters show up to vote for Kamala Harris.
10 reminders of why we must vote for Harris
Though I’ve never lived “in the closet” over the years, I realized I hadn’t fully stepped out of it in every aspect of life. While I embraced being out, certain moments hindered my personal and professional growth. Have you ever let someone assume something about your life, like having a wife or girlfriend, because it was easier than correcting them? Perhaps you thought, “I’m not in the closet, so it doesn’t matter.” But looking back, did it matter?
Who’s afraid of Robby Starbuck?
The backlash against DEI and other inclusive programs at America’s largest companies continues, with news last week that Ford Motor Company will scale back its internal DEI initiatives. The announcement follows a move by retailer Target to reduce its Pride merchandise in June and, of course, the uproar last year over Bud Light’s trans-inclusive marketing efforts.
Joe Biden, our fiercest ally
President Biden bowed out of the presidential race on Sunday after weeks of pressure following his debate performance in June. He leaves a long record of support for the LGBTQ community as a key part of his powerful legacy and he has raised the bar for future presidents when it comes to fighting for our community.
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