More on drag queens in a second, but first, big news out of D.C.: The Senate passed this year’s mammoth defense spending bill, which now moves to conference committee where the House and Senate will reconcile their respective versions before presenting a finished bill to the President. This is not normally a cause for celebration, sure, but this bill has the Matthew Shepherd Hate Crimes Act attached! The Act will add adds sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability to the federal definition of a hate crime. There is still a question whether or not the Act will be loose out in conference committee, as it still contains a provision added by Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) that would require the death penalty in some instances, but given Obama’s scheduled appearance at the Human Rights Campaign’s biggest yearly gay-la on Saturday, there will likely be extensive pressure on the committee to leave the bill alone. (via PHB)

Elsewhere…

Washington — Microsoft donates $100,000 to “Protect Marriage Washington,” a group trying to save the state’s same-sex marriage legislation. The Washington Blade reports the group is being dangerously out-fundraised and out-spent by its opponents, Washington Families Standing Together, who’ve raised about $780,000 overall, and spent about $200,000, versus Protect Marriage Washington, who’ve raised about $60,000, and spent about $35,000. This is no small change! (The Washington Blade)

The other Washington — It’s a big weekend in D.C, with the National Equality March on Sunday, the HRC’s annual awards dinner (where Obama is slated to make a probably-important speech), AND QUEERS PROTESTING OBAMA! Andy Thayer and the Gay Liberation Network charge the March’s leadership has been going soft on the Obama Administration, and want to make that point to the President’s face, in front of HRC dinner. Also, the D.C. city council is considering a bill that would recognize same-sex marriage within the city.(JMG, HuffPo)

Gaw-jah — A high school student drops out in the face of demands he cease his gender-bending. When one of his friends went at it with one of his -ah- detractors, the school decided that Jonathan Escobar’s cross-dressing violated the school’s “disruptive clothing policy.” And we wonder why LGBT kids are more likely to do poorly/fail/drop out of school…. (JMG)

Teh Interwebs — In a “we’ll see your NAMBLA insinuations and raise you a speech to a white supremacist hate group” post, Pam’s House Blend digs up the very unsavory past of Tony Perkins, President of the conservative Family Research Council. In 1997 and again in 2001, Perkins addressed gatherings of the Council of Conservative Citizens, at least once photographed speaking before a Confederate flag. Lately, right-wing media outlets have been targeting Kevin Jennings, the openly gay political appointee in charge of the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, hoping to cause his dismissal. Because of a 1997 speech where Jennings expressed admiration for Harry Hay, a pioneering LGBT rights activist who later earned notoriety for his support of NAMBLA, bloggers (including our very own Minnesota Family Council) and editorials are insinuating Jennings is a big fan and supporter of NAMBLA. (PHB)

Now, why you should never pick a fight with a drag queen. Especially a pair of cage-fighting drag queens. (Towleroad)

I’m not sure what this has to do with Liz Cheney, but the daughter of Dick “It’s Not Torture If I’m On Top” Cheney is pregnant with a second child of her own. (Gawker)