Monday Night Skating — Photo: Ward Morrion/file photo
MONDAY NIGHT SKATING: MARDI GRAS MASQUERADE
Billed as “the gayest skate a Monday night can have and the most fun on eight wheels,” MNSkating is a longstanding LGBTQ roller-skating tradition. Held the last Monday of every month, the evening includes couples/trios/group skating, limbo, conga line, and other fun games (“Ghostbusters Mayhem,” say). There’s also a charity-benefiting 50/50 Raffle and door prizes. This Monday, Feb. 24, from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m., comes a Mardi Gras-themed event one day before the actual holiday, allowing skaters to kick things off in a sober way, given that the host venue is a dry one. If you’re wondering what to wear, organizers suggest “a ball gown and mask, or more minimalist attire if you dare.” At the Laurel Roller Skating Center, 9890 Brewers Ct. in Laurel, Md. For more information, including pricing, call 301-725-8070 or visit www.MondayNightSkating.com.
MASQUERADE DRAG BINGO AT RED BEAR BREWING
On Fat Tuesday, Feb. 25, Red Bear Brewing head queen Desiree Dik invites everyone to don their “best masquerade costumes, beads or party gear” to win prizes for “best dressed” at the gay-owned nanobrewery in NoMa. The occasion is the venue’s usual rounds of bingo held every second and fourth Tuesdays as co-hosted by Dik along with Bombalicious Eklaver. The games, which are free to play and ASL interpreted, start at 7 p.m. and are interspersed with drag shows. Red Bear Brewing is at 209 M St. NE. Call 202-849-6130 or visit www.redbear.beer.
NATIONAL MARGARITA DAY
Every day is National Margarita Day for some of us, but officially, it comes just once a year. And this year, on Saturday, Feb. 22, you don’t have to stick to traditional tequila haunts around town to get your fill of the sweet and boozy concoction. All day long, starting at noon, Nellie’s Sports Bar offers wallet-friendly options, ranging from just $6 for a basic House Margarita, to $8 for an Avion-branded one, to $10 for a frozen blend. Best yet, you can mix and match and imbibe until you get your fill, are cut off, or until closing time at 3 a.m., whichever comes first. Nellie’s is at 900 U St. NW. Call 202-332-NELL or visit www.nelliessportsbar.com.
After all that tequila on Saturday, Feb. 22, you might feel like crying if you’re still standing — and if you can still move before, say, 1 a.m., get yourself to the Black Cat for the 14th Street institution’s longest-running, mopiest DJ-driven battle-of-the-bands-themed events. The 18th Anniversary CryFest features DJs Steve EP, Missguided, and Killa K, all of whom will take turns spinning tunes with Robert Smith’s signature forlorn croons alternating with the whines of Morrissey. It’s promoted as “the largest Cure/Smiths dance party in the U.S.” Doors at 9:30 p.m. The Black Cat is at 1811 14th St. NW. Tickets are $15. Call 202-667-4490 or visit www.blackcatdc.com.
After removing all references to transgender people from the Stonewall National Monument website earlier this year, the National Park Service has now scrubbed mentions of bisexual people as well.
As first reported by transgender journalist Erin Reed on her Erin in the Morning Substack, the change occurred on July 10, when the homepage was updated to read, "Before the 1960s, almost everything about living authentically as a gay or lesbian person was illegal."
Subsequent pages, including the site's "History and Culture" section, were also altered to remove broader LGBTQ references. One now reads: "Stonewall was a milestone for gay and lesbian civil rights," whereas it previously noted that living "openly as a member of the Stonewall comunity was a violation of law."
Baylor University, a Baptist college in Waco, Texas, is rescinding a $643,000 grant it received to study the inclusion of LGBTQ people and women in the church.
The grant, awarded to Baylor’s Center for Church and Community Impact in the School of Social Work, came from the Eula Mae and John Baugh Foundation, which funds progressive, faith-related initiatives focused on church-state separation, interfaith projects, and social justice.
The money was intended to "help foster inclusion and belonging in the church" by funding research into "the disenfranchisement and exclusion of LGBTQIA+ individuals and women within congregations," with the goal of encouraging more inclusive practices.
Void, a Chicago-based Italian eatery, marked Pride Month with a pop-up parody targeting Chick-fil-A, the fast-food chain that has long been criticized for its past support of anti-LGBTQ initiatives and organizations.
"Chick-feel-Gay" appeared for one day only, on June 22, at a storefront at 2937 N. Milwaukee Street, in Chicago's Avondale neighborhood.
The menu featured chef and co-owner Dani Kaplan's version of the famous Chick-fil-A fried chicken sandwich, along with waffle fries, dipping sauces, and chicken nuggets.
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