MARCH 07 2014 volume 45 issue 10 CELEBRATING 45 YEARS AS AMERIcAS GAy NEWS SOURcE washingtonblade.

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washingtonblade.com 04 MARCH 07, 2014 LOCAL NEWS

Maryland Senate approves trans rights bill

It is not our job to discriminate
By MICHAEL K. LAVERS mlavers@washblade.com ANNAPOLIS, Md. The Maryland Senate on Tuesday approved a bill that would ban discrimination based on gender identity and expression in the state. The measure passed by a 32-15 vote margin after senators debated on its third reading for less than 20 minutes. Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller (D-Prince Georges and Calvert Counties) voted for Senate Bill 212 the Fairness for All Marylanders Act of 2014 alongside state Sens. Joanne Benson (D-Prince Georges County), James Brochin (D-Baltimore County), Joan Carter Conway (D-Baltimore City), Ulysses Currie (D-Prince Georges County), Brian Feldman (D-Montgomery County), Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City), Jennie Forehand (D-Montgomery County), Brian Frosh (D-Montgomery County), Lisa Gladden (D-Baltimore City), Verna Jones-Rodwell (D-Baltimore City), Edward Kasemeyer (D-Baltimore and Howard Counties), Delores Kelly (D-Baltimore County), Nancy King (D-Montgomery County), Allan Kittleman (R-Howard County), Katherine Klausmeier (D-Baltimore County), Rich Madaleno (D-Montgomery County), Roger Manno (D-Montgomery County), Nathaniel McFadden (D-Baltimore City), Thomas Middleton (D-Charles County), Karen Montgomery (D-Montgomery County), C. Anthony Muse (D-Prince Georges County), Douglas Peters (D-Prince Georges County), Paul Pinsky (D-Prince Georges County), Catherine Pugh (D-Baltimore City), Victor Ramirez (D-Prince Georges County), Jamie Raskin (D-Montgomery County), James Robey (D-Howard County), James Rosapepe (D-Anne Arundel and Prince Georges Counties), Norman Stone (D-Baltimore County), Ronald Young (D-Frederick and Washington Counties) and Robert Zirkin (D-Baltimore County). Kittleman, who is the only Republican who voted for the measure, said he hopes people realize this is a fairness issue. It is not our job to discriminate, added Kelly before the vote. The bill is carefully crafted. The denitions are clear State Sens. John Astle (D-Anne Arundel County), David Brinkley (R-Carroll and Frederick Counties), Richard Colburn (R-Caroline, Dorchester, Talbot and Wicomico Counties), James DeGrange, Sr., (D-Anne Arundel County), Roy Dyson (D-Calvert, Charles and St. Marys Counties), George Edwards (R-Alleghany, Garrett and Washington Counties), Joseph Getty (R-Baltimore and Carroll Counties), Barry Glassman (R-Harford County), Stephen Hershey, Jr. (R-Caroline, Cecil, Kent the trans community who came every year to Annapolis to lobby and tell their stories. After eight years of struggle, and with the active support of Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr., and the legislative magic of Sen. Jamie Raskin, a comprehensive gender identity anti-discrimination bill has passed in the Senate, said Beyer. Frosh described Madaleno as the best leader for gender equality and LGBT rights in the country as he discussed the measures passage with the Washington Blade after the vote. It was the forceful but quiet leadership of Jamie and Rich, said Frosh. The fact it came up and got almost no debate was remarkable. The fact it got 32 votes was astonishing. SB 212 last month cleared a major hurdle when the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee approved the measure by a 8-3 vote margin. Baltimore City and Baltimore, Montgomery and Howard Counties currently include gender identity and expression in their non-discrimination laws. Hyattsville in December became the rst jurisdiction in Prince Georges County to pass a trans-inclusive antidiscrimination ordinance. The Maryland House of Delegates Health and Government Operations Committee on Wednesday was scheduled to hold a hearing on a trans rights bill that state Del. Luke Clippinger (D-Baltimore City) introduced. The chamber approved a similar measure in 2011. Visit washingtonblade. com for updates. All three Democratic gubernatorial candidates Lieutenant Gov. Anthony Brown, Attorney General Doug Gansler and state Del. Heather Mizeur (D-Montgomery County) support SB 212.

Maryland state Sen. RICH MADALENO introduced Senate Bill 212.

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY JEFF SURPRENANT

and Queen Annes Counties), Nancy Jacobs (R-Cecil and Harford Counties), J.B. Jennings (R-Baltimore and Harford Counties), James Mathias, Jr., (D-Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester Counties), Edward Reilly (R-Anne Arundel County), Christopher Shank (R-Washington County) and Bryan Simonaire (R-Anne Arundel County) voted against SB 212. Simonaire before the vote questioned the measures denitions of public accommodations and gender identity. The Anne Arundel County Republican also sought additional religious protections in SB 212 that Raskin maintained already exist. The intent of this bill is discrimination, said Simonaire. There is an absence of religion. Madaleno, who introduced SB 212, applauded its passage. Today marks a historic milestone in the continued ght to advance equal rights for all Marylanders, he said in a statement. The Senates passage of the Fairness for All Marylanders Act sends a reafrming message throughout our state that regardless of whom you are, prejudice and discrimination will no longer be tolerated or exempted from law. With these new antidiscrimination protections for transgender persons one step closer to full passage. Today is a huge day for transgender rights in Maryland, added Equality Maryland Executive Director Carrie Evans. With their vote, 32 senators stood up to say no one should be denied the opportunity to work for a living, secure housing or eat lunch at a restaurant just because of their gender identity. Gender Rights Maryland Executive Director Dana Beyer, who announced her candidacy against Madaleno in January, specically applauded her opponent in a statement after senators approved the measure. She also praised Frosh, who chairs the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, former Equality Maryland Executive Director Dan Furmansky and

Pixie Windsor with members of Chamber of Commerce, staff and friends open her new location in Rehoboth.
PHOTO COURTESY OF PETER SCHOTT

Miss Pixies opens in Rehoboth

Spring is when new businesses in Rehoboth Beach complete their renovations and preparations for the summer season. Such LGBT-friendly businesses as the L Bar (formerly Double L), Cloud 9 and the Maggio and Shields Real Estate Brokerage and Caf in First Street Station will be replaced, among others. Recent weeks have brought other changes to the Rehoboth retail scene. Last month, one popular D.C. business opened its shore branch, when Pixie Windsor, of Miss Pixies, the iconic home furnishings store, which has operated in D.C. since 1997, opened her Miss Pixies by the Shore at 40 Baltimore Ave. in Rehoboth Mews, across the street from Blue Moon. Windsor, who previously owned a business in Rehoboth Beach, said it was time for her to open the beach branch of her popular store, which started in Adams Morgan in 1997, and then reopened on 14th Street in 2008. She will maintain the store in D.C. People in Washington know me, so I have a built-in customer base with the summer crowd, as well as giving us a chance of getting known by the year-round residents, she said. In its press release announcing the opening of the store, the Rehoboth BeachDewey Chamber of Commerce states that Miss Pixies sells every whatnot from the Victorian era to yesterday with a bit of midcentury and shabby chic thrown in. Miss Pixies isnt the only new addition to the home dcor retail scene. The gayowned R Squared Home opened March 1 at 39 Baltimore Ave. featuring items for the home and offering full interior design services. PETER SCHOTT

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AS MAYOR, I WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR SMALL LGBTQ BUSINESSES, TO HELP MAKE THIS THE MOST ECONOMICALLY VIBRANT CITY IN AMERICA.
Drew and Richard, partners and Fathom Creative Owners since 1994 talk with Jack regarding the redevelopment of their home/ofce space on 14th St.

Jack Evans for Mayor Vote April 1

www.jackevansfordc.com
jackevansfordc.com/facebook @EvansForMayor (202) 704-6556
Paid for by Evans for Mayor. James S. Kane, Treasurer. PO Box 73068, Washington, DC 20056.

washingtonblade.com 06 MARCH 07, 2014 LOCAL NEWS

D.C. requires insurers to cover gender reassignment

Mayor bans insurance discrimination against trans residents
By LOU CHIBBARO JR. lchibbaro@washblade.com D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray announced last week that health insurance companies doing business in the District must provide full coverage for medically recognized treatments to help transgender people change their gender, including gender reassignment surgery. At a news conference in a meeting room outside his ofce, Gray said the citys Department of Insurance, Securities, and Banking issued a bulletin directing insurers to recognize a condition known as gender dysphoria, or gender identity disorder, as a medical condition to be covered by insurance plans. Transgender advocates note that the American Medical Association and the American Psychiatric Association recognize gender dysphoria as a diagnosable condition through which physicians and other health care professional provide a wide range of approved medical treatments to assist people in transitioning from one gender to another. Today, the District takes a major step toward leveling the playing eld for individuals diagnosed with gender dysphoria, Gray said. These residents should not have to pay exorbitant out-ofpocket expenses for medically necessary treatment when those without gender dysphoria do not, he said. Im clarifying today that treatment of individuals diagnosed with gender dysphoria is a covered benet in all individual and group insurance plans in the District of Columbia, including Medicaid, Gray said. Grays remark drew a prolonged, standing ovation from LGBT activists, including transgender advocates, who gathered in the mayors ceremonial bill-signing room where Gray held his news conference. Those who know me know how proud I am that the District continues to be on the cutting edge and on the forefront when it relates to equality and fairness for its LGBTQ residents, Gray said. The bulletin, which the city sent to insurance companies on the day of Grays announcement, cites the D.C. Human Rights Act as among the legal grounds being used to require insurers to cover transgender related treatments. The Human Rights Act, among other categories, bans discrimination based on gender identity and expression as well as sexual orientation. The bulletin cites the D.C. Unfair Insurance Trade Practices Act of 2001 as further grounds for not allowing insurers to exclude coverage of trans-related treatments from their insurance plans. Among those speaking at the news conference was Mara Keisling, executive director of the D.C.-based National Center for Transgender Equality, which worked with the mayors ofce and insurance department ofcials to help draft the fourpage bulletin. Keisling said Grays action places D.C. among just ve states that have adopted similar policies requiring insurers to cover treatments such as gender reassignment surgery and hormone therapy to assist an individuals transition to another gender. Those states are California, Oregon, Colorado, Vermont and Connecticut. This is really signicant, Keisling told the Blade after the news conference. It means that transgender people in D.C. now can make their health care decisions with their doctor rather than with their insurance companies, she said. Asked what treatments are involved in a gender transition, Keisling said experts with the World Professional Association for Transgender Health Standards of Care (WPATH) have developed a wide range of treatments that may vary from person to person depending on individual needs. Its a whole range of transition-related care everything from diagnostic visits to experts in the eld, Keisling said. It can mean hormone treatments. It can mean lab tests to make sure your hormones are working correctly and not causing any harm. There are various kinds of surgeries that transgender people may need. So it covers a whole range of things. D.C. transgender activist Andy Bowen, who recently joined the staff of the NCTE as a policy associate, called the D.C. initiative announced by Gray the most comprehensive among the states that have adopted similar policies. If you look at some of the other states they say theyre not going to cover some treatments, Bowen said. D.C. has not done that. It just said that if its one of the WPATH treatments were going to cover it. And thats amazing to hear a government be that unequivocal about it. Philip Barlow, the citys Associate Commissioner of Insurance, said after the news conference that requiring health insurance companies to cover the medical treatments for transgender people would likely result in a small increase in premiums over a period of time. It will just be incorporated into the general cost and utilization that insurers use in coming up with future rate increases, he said. But we dont really anticipate it to have a signicant impact on the rates. Michael Silverman, executive director of the New York-based Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund, praised Gray for taking action that he said would end health care discrimination against transgender residents of Washington, D.C. The bulletin issued by the citys Department of Insurance that directs insurers to provide full coverage for medically approved treatments to transgender individuals in D.C. can be obtained here.

Evans seeks trans amendment to Human Rights Act

D.C. Council member and mayoral candidate Jack Evans (D-Ward 2) said if elected mayor he would introduce legislation to amend the citys Human Rights Act to strengthen workplace protections for transgender residents. The proposed Human Rights Act change is part of a nine-point LGBT policy initiative that Evans planned to announce Monday night at a campaign rally scheduled to be held at the downtown gay bar Number Nine. Although the rally was postponed due to inclement weather, the Evans campaign released a copy of the policy initiative to the Blade. Theres much more so much more we could be doing for our LGBTQ community, In the District, 15 percent of said mayoral candidate JACK EVANS. transgender people reported losing a job due to discrimination based on their WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY PETE EXIS gender identity, the policy initiative says. As mayor, Jack will introduce legislation to create a specic category of workplace protections in the D.C. Human Rights Act for discrimination against the transgender community, the initiative says. This law change will reduce workplace discrimination for this community, it says. The document doesnt provide further details on the wording of the proposed legislation. [T]heres much more so much more we could be doing for our LGBTQ community, Evans said in remarks prepared for the postponed rally. Noting that he has a 20-year record as a champion for LGBT rights as a Council member, Evans said the policy initiatives hes now proposing will have signicant, tangible effects on all segments of the LGBTQ community. Evans policy initiative document includes these additional proposals: Give the director of the D.C. Ofce of GLBT Affairs the authority to issue competitive grants to help fund non-prot organizations that benet the LGBT community. Ensure that the needs and rights of LGBTQ seniors are met and protected by all city agencies. Direct Project Empowerment (a job training and placement program for transgender residents created by Mayor Vincent Gray) to have greater emphasis on job placement, not just job training. Hire more transgender employees in his administration than any previous mayoral administration through collaboration with the Transgender Economic Empowerment Initiative and the Transgender Law Center. Expand LGBTQ cultural sensitivity training for all D.C. government employees, especially the police and re departments. Prioritize and strengthen the work of the police departments Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit, among other things, through future collaboration with community organizations and continued grant funding. Implement robust LGBTQ education as part of existing sex education programs to combat negative and inaccurate perceptions of the LGBTQ community. Support and implement the LGBTQ Homeless Youth Reform Act, which establishes a minimum number of beds made available for LGBTQ youth in homes shelters. LOU CHIBBARO JR.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

MARCH 07, 2014 07

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washingtonblade.com 08 MARCH 07, 2014 LOCAL NEWS

Uproar after arrest of trans woman in D.C.

Activist Corado says aggressive police traumatized passengers
By LOU CHIBBARO JR. lchibbaro@washblade.com Local LGBT activists on Facebook were in an uproar this week when transgender advocate Ruby Corado posted a message claiming hostile D.C. police ofcers traumatized a group of young transgender and gay passengers in her SUV on Feb. 28 when they handcuffed and arrested a transgender woman for driving the vehicle without a valid license. I sat in my car as a passenger as we are driving my clients home after a support group when a police ofcer stopped us and in three minutes I witness a D.C. police ofcer turn into a very homotransphobic cop, Corado wrote in her Facebook posting. Activists commenting on the incident noted it took place less than a week after Police Chief Cathy Lanier released a report conducted by an independent task force that found shortcomings in the departments dealings with the transgender community. Sgt. Matthew Mahl, supervisor of the departments Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit, told the Blade he looked into the matter after speaking with Corado and reading her Facebook comments. Mahl said that aside last Friday night. Saying she was too tired to drive, Corado said Williams, with Corado sitting in the front passenger seat, was driving north along the 5200 block of 13th Street, N.W. when a police car ashed its lights, prompting Williams to pull over and stop the vehicle. Ofcer Ramon I. Moe states in a police report that he conducted a trafc stop after observing that two people were sitting in the vehicles cargo area not occupying a seat without a seatbelt restraint. He stated in the report that he requested an I.D. check for Williams by radio to the Fourth District dispatcher and discovered that Williams did not have a valid drivers license. Suspect 1 [Williams] was placed under arrest for No Permit and transported to the Fourth District Station for processing, Moe wrote in the report. According to Corado, the transporting of Williams to the police station came after an ordeal in which the arresting ofcer and at least one other ofcer spoke to both Williams and Corado in a hostile manner. She said as many as three or four police cars arrived on the scene. I understand that they were going to arrest her for not having a license, Corado told the Blade. But my concern is the way they treated her. Corado and Williams, who also spoke with the Blade, said the ofcers attitude appeared to change after he saw that Williams identication document identied her as a male. Mahl said a more detailed police report not available to the public says Williams handed the ofcer her auto insurance card rather than a drivers license. When the ofcer stopped us, I told him it was my car, said Corado. I said I am so sorry. Im the director of an agency and I made the decision to seat the people in the back. I said we just got out of a meeting and it was freezing outside and I wanted to give my clients a ride home rather than have them wait for a bus. In her Facebook posting, Corado said, Looking at his facial expressions, listening to his demanding voice, watching his intimidating body language as he questions and quickly arrests my black trans sister make my advocate persona come out and start questioning why my black sister is being arrested. Williams told the Blade the ofcer asked her if she was white. She said that when she told him shes black, he appeared to be surprised. She said she was sitting in the vehicle talking to the male ofcer who rst approached her. All of a sudden hands grabbed me, the door swung open and a female ofcer pulled me out of the car, William said. They threw me up against the back of the car and searched her, she said. It was verbal abuse and it was physical abuse, she said of the ofcers conduct toward her.
CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

RUBY CORADO said hostile D.C. police ofcers traumatized a group of young transgender and gay passengers in her SUV last weekend.
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

from one of the ofcers referring to the arrested woman by an incorrect pronoun and gender in a police report, he could not immediately identify any improper action by the ofcers on the scene. Anyone involved is welcome to le a formal complaint, which would enable us to look into this further, he said. Corado told the Blade she asked Patrice Williams, 51, a volunteer at Casa Ruby, the LGBT community center that Corado heads, to help her drive home three trans women and two young gay men who attended a support group meeting there

Report critical of D.C. response to hate crimes

Gay & Lesbian Liaison Units abilities weakened by changes
By LOU CHIBBARO JR. lchibbaro@washblade.com The restructuring of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Departments Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit in 2009 weakened its effectiveness in responding to hate crimes and hindered its ability to reach out to the LGBT community, according to a new report. The 41-page Hate Crimes Assessment Report was prepared by an independent task force created in 2012 by the Anti-Defamation League of Washington, a nationally recognized civil rights group, at the request of D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier. In announcing the launching of the task force, Lanier said she asked the ADL to assist the MPD by conducting an impartial review of its programs directed toward the LGBT community, comparing them with other police departments and identifying areas that could be improved. MPD policies on the identication and handling of bias or hate crimes are strong and reect many best practices of law enforcement agencies nationally, the report concludes. It also concludes that the vast majority of MPD leaders and rank and le ofcers have a deep commitment to ensuring the safety and security of the LGBT community and to all of those who live, work, or visit the District of Columbia. But the report says a series of structural changes that the department put in place for the GLLU beginning in 2009, which were aimed at expanding the reach of the unit throughout the city, appear to have weakened its effectiveness and diminished its credibility within the LGBT community. MPDs outreach to the LGBT community, which is a critical component of preventing and responding to hate crimes, is signicantly less visible and effective than it was prior to the restructuring, the report says. The restructuring of the GLLU reduced the size and limited the role of the central core of the GLLU, weakened its effectiveness in responding to hate crimes and engaging in outreach, and made it less accessible and visible to the LGBT community, says the report. The GLLUs reduced visibility and presence in the LGBT community has signicantly impacted the level of trust the LGBT community has in MPD, it says. Former Police Chief Charles Ramsey created the GLLU along with separate liaison units working with the Latino, Asian, and deaf and hard of hearing communities in the late 1990s. Unlike police liaison units in other cities, whose responsibilities were limited mostly to public relations and educational duties, Ramsey arranged for the GLLU and the other units to investigate crimes and make arrests. Under the leadership of its former commander, Sgt. Brett Parson, the GLLU developed strong ties to the LGBT community, assigning its ofcers to attend LGBT events and meetings and to patrol neighborhoods with high concentrations of LGBT residents. Although the ofcers were based in the GLLU headquarters in Dupont Circle, they responded to calls throughout the city and played an active role in investigating crimes targeting LGBT people, including hate crimes. Harvard Universitys Kennedy School of Government recognized the GLLU as a highly effective agent for community policing and awarded the unit a grant to expand its work and assist police departments in other cities set up similar units. In 2009, two years after then Mayor Adrian Fenty appointed her, Lanier put in place a restructuring plan that, among other things, decentralized the GLLU and the other liaison units through the creation of an afliate ofcers program that placed afliate liaison unit members in each of the seven police districts. The restructuring included downsizing the central GLLU ofce.
CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

washingtonblade.com NATIONAL NEWS MARCH 07, 2014 09

DNC to form Lesbian Leadership Council

Wasserman Schultz notes, No offense to gay men in the room
By LOU CHIBBARO JR. lchibbaro@washblade.com Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz told members of the DNCs LGBT Caucus at a March 1 meeting in Washington that the DNC is in the process of creating a Lesbian Leadership Council to boost the leadership role of lesbians in the party. Wasserman Schultz was among a number of high-prole Democratic Party ofcials that addressed the LGBT Caucus meeting on the nal day of the DNCs annual winter meetings at the Capital Hilton Hotel. No offense to gay men in the room, but just like in the straight community, where women sometimes have been left behind and men have vaulted ahead on the leadership track, my message was its time for lesbians to step up, she said in referring to a speech she gave to a lesbian gathering last month. And were going to make sure we have a vehicle here at the DNC for lesbian leadershipso we can have lesbians catch up and get them the tools they need and make sure they can be a strong part of our leadership team, she said. Wasserman Schultz said more details about the Lesbian Leadership Council would be announced later. The DNC created an LGBT Leadership Council in 2000 as a party entity charged mostly with raising money for Democratic candidates. She told LGBT Caucus members at the March 1 meeting that she is proud of the role the Democratic Party has played in pushing for advances in LGBT rights during the years of the Obama administration, including advances in marriage equality And we have a lot more to do, she said. We need to pass a transgender-inclusive ENDA. Thats absolutely critical. We need to make sure that marriage equality continues to move forward. Others speaking at the LGBT Caucus meeting were Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake; gay U.S. Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.), Speaker of the California Assembly John Perez, whos gay; and New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley, whos also gay. At the request of LGBT Caucus Chair Earl Fowlkes of D.C., the caucus voted unanimously to approve a resolution in support of D.C. statehood.

Ellen, Dallas, Oz make for gay Oscars

With Ellen DeGeneres playing host, a tribute to Wizard of Oz and a performance by Bette Midler, it was a pretty gay Oscars. Most notably, Jared Leto won Best Supporting Actor for playing a transgender AIDS patient in Dallas Buyers Club and he acknowledged the 36 million who have died from the disease in his acceptance speech. Matthew McConaughey won Best Actor playing a straight AIDS patient in the same lm. The adult children of Judy Garland Liza Minnelli, Lorna Luft and Joey Luft sat together for a tribute to the 75th anniversary of Wizard of Oz. Pink sang Over the Rainbow.

JARED LETO won an Oscar for his portrayal of Rayon in Dallas Buyers Club.

LGBT group banned from Boston parade

BOSTON Organizers of Bostons annual St. Patricks Day parade on March 3 rejected an LGBT advocacy groups application to march. The South Boston Allied War Veterans Council said in a press release that LGBT Veterans of Equality, an afliate of MassEquality, submitted an application that would have allowed 20 veterans to march with Boston Mayor Marty Walsh in the annual event that takes place in the citys South Boston neighborhood. Walsh has said he will likely not participate in the parade if MassEquality is not allowed to take part. The mayor represents all the people of the city of Boston, said Walsh as WCVB, a Boston television station, reported. I think its important to send a message across the city. The South Boston Allied War Veterans Council said in a press release the groups intention is to keep this parade a family-friendly event. We will not allow any group to damage the integrity of the historic event or our reputation as a safe and fun-lled day for all. The U.S. Supreme Court in 1995 ruled parade organizers had the constitutional right to prevent a local LGBT group from marching in the annual event.

Were going to make sure we have a vehicle here at the DNC for lesbian leadership, said DNC Chair DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ.
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

One issue that wasnt discussed at the caucus meeting was the status of the position of director of the DNCs LGBT Outreach Desk. The position became vacant when D.C. gay Democratic activist Jeff Marootian, who held the post since 2011, resigned in September to become White House liaison at the U.S. Department of Transportation. DNC Regional Press Secretary Ian Sams said the DNC is in the process of hiring more staff following a recent staff turnover and a replacement for Marootian is likely to come out of this hiring process. He said he has been doing LGBT outreach through the DNCs communications division since he joined the DNC staff in September. So while we hope to have more outreach staff coming on board soon, were certainly not slowing down, he said. Were not missing a beat on this front at all. Fowlkes couldnt immediately be reached to determine whether DNC ofcials have discussed the matter with him. Were all kind of pushing that we want this now, said LGBT Caucus member Barbra Casbar Siperstein of New Jersey. But we want to make sure that we have truly qualied people because they will be lling big shoes. We were very happy with Jeff Marootian, she said. Siperstein said with the 2014 midterm congressional elections approaching, having an LGBT outreach desk at the DNC is important, especially following the shutdown just over a year ago of the National Stonewall Democrats, which closed due to nancial difculties. Buckley told the Blade that he and other LGBT Caucus members were taking steps to re-launch National Stonewall Democrats but it was unclear when that might happen.

Mississippi city passes LGBT ordinance

OXFORD, Miss. A third Mississippi city has passed a resolution in support of adding sexual orientation and gender identity and expression to its diversity statement. The Oxford Board of Aldermen on March 4 unanimously approved the resolution. Tolerance and acceptance creates the strongest bonds between neighbors, said Alderman Jay Hughes in a Human Rights Campaign press release. I am proud to be on the right side of history in reafrming Oxfords long-standing commitment to that most fundamental principle. Hattiesburg last month added LGBT-specic language to its diversity statement. The Starkville Board of Alderman in January approved the states rst pro-LGBT municipal resolution.

U.S. military base hosts drag show

TOKYO A nightclub at a U.S. Air Force base in Okinawa on March 1 hosted a fundraiser for a newly formed chapter of OutServe-SLDN. Stars and Stripes reported six service members of various sexual orientations dressed in drag and sang songs from Whitney Houston and others at the Rocker NCO Club at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa. The newspaper reported they may have been the rst U.S. service personnel to take to the stage and perform as drag queens on a military installation in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender troops. Stars and Stripes reported the OutServe-SLDN chapter sold 400 tickets for the fundraiser. We didnt think there was much of a desire for an event like this on the island, but it has actually blown up, Navy Lt. Marissa Greene, co-chapter leader of Outserve Okinawa, told the newspaper.

washingtonblade.com 14 MARCH 07, 2014 NATIONAL NEWS

Illinois AG spells out new marriage policy

LGBT advocates say its green light for couples to wed statewide
By CHRIS JOHNSON cjohnson@washblade.com Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has spelled out state policy in the aftermath of a federal court ruling in her state legalizing same-sex marriage, which the governor and LGBT advocates interpret to mean she has given her OK for gay nuptials throughout the state. In a March 5 letter, Madigan responds to an inquiry from Macon County Clerk Stephen Bean, who apparently asked her whether he should begin distributing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in the wake of the federal court decision last month in Lee v. Orr. In that ruling, U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman struck down the states ban on same-sex marriage, but said the decision only applies to the Chicago-area Cook County. LGBT advocates behind the ruling said the decision applies statewide because it was a facial challenge to the law, although clerks expressed uncertainty about how to act. by the Constitution must exist without regard to county lines, and the Lee decision, along with the federal court decisions noted above, should be persuasive as you evaluate whether to issue marriage licenses to samesex couples, Madigan writes. Additionally, while the ruling in Lee does not control other courts as binding precedent, we expect Lee to be persuasive to other state or federal trial courts addressing the same questions. Madigan writes if another lawsuit arises challenging a county clerks refusal to issue a marriage license to a gay couple in Illinois, her ofce would likely move to intervene, as it did in the Cook County case, and urge the court to follow that holding. Following the publication of the letter, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn issued a statement saying his administration will now accept marriage licenses from same-sex couples across the state as valid. Nobody should have to wait for equal rights when it comes to love. I encourage every county clerk in Illinois to quickly follow the Attorney Generals guidance, Quinn said. Following this guidance, the Illinois Department of Public Health will now accept all marriage licenses issued by any county clerk in Illinois. Last year, Quinn signed into law a bill legalizing same-sex marriage in the state, but because the bill was passed during a special session, it wont go into effect until June 1. Gay couples had sued in Cook County to allow gay couples to wed ahead of time. LGBT advocates jumped on the letter from Madigan as a signal that shes OK with county clerks distributing marriage licenses statewide even though the new marriage law wont go into effect for several months. Bernard Cherkasov, CEO of Equality Illinois, said the letter green lights the ability for gay couples to attain marriage licenses at every county clerks ofce. We agree with the Attorney General that the recent federal decision knocking down restrictions on marriage equality as unconstitutional should be the determining factor in clerks decisions to issue the licenses before the June 1 effective date of the Illinois Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act, Cherkasov said. According to the Chicago Tribune, Cook County had already handed out more than 260 marriage licenses to samesex couples following the federal court ruling. Champaign County, which lies in central Illinois, had also determined that it could begin distributing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in the wake of the Lee decision.

Illinois Attorney General LISA MADIGAN has spelled out state policy following a court ruling on marriage equality.
PHOTO BY JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER; COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

Although Madigan never explicitly says marriage licenses should be made available to gay couples everywhere in the state, she recalls her position that current Illinois restrictions against same-sex marriage violate the equal protection rights that belong to all citizens under the United States Constitution. Even though the ruling in Lee is not binding on you, the protections guaranteed

Kentucky governor to defend marriage ban

But states attorney general bows out of ght
By CHRIS JOHNSON cjohnson@washblade.com The governor of Kentucky announced on Tuesday that he intends to appeal a ruling against the states ban on same-sex marriage to a higher court on the same day the states attorney general declared he would no longer defend the law. Gov. Steve Beshear announced hell hire other counsel to represent the state in the case, known as Bourke vs. Beshear, in addition to appealing the district court decision against the marriage ban the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. General Conway has advised me that he will no longer represent the Commonwealth in Bourke vs. Beshear, Beshear said. The state will hire other counsel to represent it in this case, and will appeal Judge Heyburns decision to the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals and ask the court to enter a stay pending appeal. As Beshear notes, U.S. District Judge John Heyburn ordered the state to recognize out-of-state same-sex nuptials following his ruling last month against country, will be and should be ultimately decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in order to bring nality and certainty to this matter, Beshear said. The people of this country need to know what the rules will be going forward. Kentucky should be a part of this process. Heyburn ordered the state to recognize out-of-state same-sex marriages, but later issued a 21-day stay in his order, allowing Kentucky to wait to recognize until March 20. In addition to defending the law, Beshear said hell seek a continued stay on that order until the U.S. Supreme Court resolves the issue. In every other appeal currently in process, a stay has been entered maintaining the status quo until a nal decision is reached on appeal, Beshear said. The reason is obvious. Without a stay in place, the opportunity for legal chaos is real. Other Kentucky courts may reach different and conicting decisions. Beshear announced hell continue defending the states ban on same-sex marriage after Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway announced earlier on Tuesday hell no longer defend the law in court. I have evaluated Judge Heyburns legal analysis, and today am informing my client and the people of Kentucky that I am not appealing the decision and will not be seeking any further stays, Conway said. After reviewing the judges order, Conway said Heyburn got it right with his decision against the marriage ban. From a constitutional perspective, Judge Heyburn got it right, and in light of other recent federal decisions, these laws will not likely survive upon appeal, Conway said. We cannot waste the resources of the Ofce of the Attorney General pursuing a case we are unlikely to win. Conway acknowledges that many in Kentucky will disagree with his decision, but he came to the conclusion that defending the law would be defending discrimination. The United States Constitution is designed to protect everyones rights, both the majority and the minority groups, Conway said. Judge Heyburns decision does not tell a minister or a congregation what they must do, but in government equal justice under law is a different matter. The situation in Kentucky is unique among other states in terms of party afliation because Beshear, a Democrat, is defending the ban, while Conway, also a Democrat, is declining to defend the law.

Gov. STEVE BESHEAR (D-Ky.) will defend the states marriage ban in court without the attorney general.

the states constitutional ban on samesex marriage. Heyburn, an appointee of President George H.W. Bush, also took on the question of whether the state can prohibit same-sex couples from marrying within its borders. Both of these issues, as well as similar issues being litigated in other parts of the

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

MARCH 07, 2014 15

washingtonblade.com 16 MARCH 07, 2014 NATIONAL NEWS

Why doesnt Ariz. outrage translate to ENDA support?

Outcry over vetoed anti-gay bill not inspiring calls for Congress to act
By CHRIS JOHNSON cjohnson@washblade.com Within one week, national outrage over anti-LGBT discrimination was able to kill a controversial turn away the gay bill in Arizona, but almost 40 years after an early version of the Employment NonDiscrimination Act was introduced in Congress, that bill still hasnt become law. The unprecedented restorm of opposition leading to Arizona Gov. Jan Brewers veto of SB 1062 raises questions about why that energy cant be harnessed to institute federal protections against the discrimination the legislation would have enabled. The outcry among LGBT advocates, Republican lawmakers, faith groups and the media against the Arizona bill was widespread. The legislation would have allowed any person which under the bill could be an individual, a religious assembly or business to deny services based on a religious belief. Among Republicans, Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) urged a veto of the measure. They were followed by surprise calls to reject the measure from former Republican presidential contenders generally known for their opposition to LGBT rights: former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich. On the business side, the Arizona Chamber of Commerce opposed the legislation as well as corporate tech giants Apple and Intel. Major companies based in Arizona U.S. Airways and retailer PetSmart also called on Brewer to veto the bill. The National Football League even weighed in and, according to a report in Sports Illustrated, reportedly considered moving next years Super Bowl XLIX out of Phoenix if the measure became law. Scott Wooledge, a gay New York-based netroots advocate who sought to get major U.S. companies on the record against SB 1062, said he thinks the broad and vague language of the bill is what triggered the massive outcry among businesses. Individuals could assert under Arizona law that they have the right to re their gay subordinate, Wooledge said. They could say you hired me and I have this gay executive assistant, and Im ring him because he offends my religious liberty. What would Intel do under this situation because that would be a violation of their company policy, and their own employees would have the force of law behind them? But other religious exemption bills that If the president had a week to decide and then ENDA would be dead forever, people might be a little more engaged, and there might be a little more pressure on him, Aravosis said. But the negative is always better reality in playing to the grassroots than the positive. It shouldnt be, but it is. Not helping matters is a misconception that federal protections against LGBT people in the workplace are already in place. According to a YouGov/Hufngton Post poll made public in October, 69 percent of Americans incorrectly believe ring someone for being gay or lesbian is illegal. Its that kind of false understanding that Erickson Hatalsky said makes people satised with the status quo and unwilling to make changes to law as other issues surrounding LGBT rights move quickly. If they dont see a huge problem happening in front of them, they say, Whatever the law is, it must be working, Erickson Hatalsky said. So that really plays to our benet when its an overly broad religious liberty attack like the one in Arizona. It does exactly the opposite when were trying to pass afrmative non-discrimination. Amid the national outcry over the Arizona bill, President Obama has remained unwilling to sign an executive order barring LGBT discrimination among federal contractors. White House Press Secretary Jay Carney instead touted the importance of ENDA when asked last week for an update on the directive in the aftermath of the Arizona veto, saying the legislative approach would be far more comprehensive in its effect. Still, Carney acknowledged the broad opposition to the Arizona bill. And it was gratifying to see Americans from all walks of life, including business leaders, faith leaders, regardless of party, speak out against this measure and its further evidence that the American people fundamentally believe in equality, and its time to get on the right side of history, Carney said. But Congress has shown no signs of moving forward. Months after the Senate approved ENDA by a bipartisan 64-32 vote, U.S. House Speaker John Boehner held a meeting with the LGBT Equality Caucus and threw cold water on the bill, either saying theres no way ENDA would come this session or its highly unlikely. Still, those in attendance see an opportunity for a bill to come up after Election Day during the lame duck session of Congress. The effort to link the discrimination that would have been allowed under the Arizona bill to the need to pass ENDA is daunting, but something observers say can happen.
CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

Arizona Gov. JAN BREWER last week vetoed a controversial anti-gay bill that drew national condemnation.
PHOTO BY GAGE SKIDMORE; COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

would enable anti-LGBT discrimination have advanced without as much outcry. In Kansas, the state House approved a measure specically aimed at allowing businesses to refuse services for weddings. Despite media reports that the measure is dead, at least one advocate on the ground has said he expects action soon in the Senate. In Mississippi, the Senate passed legislation, SB 2681, which would give businesses a license to discriminate against customers based on personal religious beliefs that is under consideration in the House. Although LGBT advocates have spoken out against these measures, the level of outcry isnt the same as in Arizona. A number of observers who spoke to the Washington Blade pointed out an obvious distinction: SB 1062 managed to reach the governors desk while others havent made it that far. Lanae Erickson Hatalsky, director of social policy and politics for the Third Way, also said Arizona has a special distinction because it has a reputation for passing controversial bills, such as SB 1070, which allowed law enforcement to ask individuals perceived as being immigrants for registration documents before the measure was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court. Folks in Arizona are particularly sensitive about their state getting a bad rap and losing business after the anti-immigrant legislation caused such an uproar, Erickson Hatalsky said. This bill was similarly poorly written and wouldve allowed a parade of horribles that made it easy to convince businesses and the public that it was a bad idea, especially on top of that current sensitivity about the states reputation. But the situation in Arizona was striking

not just for the outcry over the legislation, but the wall-to-wall coverage from national mainstream media on the bill on networks like MSNBC and CNN. As Media Matters notes, even Fox News, which has a reputation of shilling for conservatives, aired commentary from conservative analysts in opposition to the bill. Andrea Tantaros, co-host of The Five, compared the bill to the racist Jim Crow laws in the South and said she doesnt know why you would want to bring Jim Crow laws back to the forefront for homosexuals. Cathy Renna, a New York-based public affairs specialist, said the media coverage of the Arizona bill is part of a trend of growing attention to LGBT rights amid rulings from the U.S. Supreme Court on marriage equality. We obviously cannot turn on the TV or look at any website, or if people still ip through newspapers, not seeing a story about this, Renna said. Its almost impossible, and its creating a whole new level of conversation about the issue of discrimination, and I think its really showing how we have a ton of momentum thats come a long way, but we still have a lot that we need to do. But if a bill that would have enabled discrimination against LGBT people inspired so much angst, why isnt that same energy helping to advance measures that would protect against this kind of discrimination, at least in employment, at the federal level? John Aravosis, editor of AMERICAblog, said the distinction is the Arizona bill was a negative anti-gay measure that could have been enacted by Brewers signature within a week, and its harder to muster the energy to pass a positive law that can be constantly delayed.

washingtonblade.com INTERNATIONAL NEWS MARCH 07, 2014 17

Gay ambassador in spotlight amid Ukraine crisis

Baer a strong voice for human rights at OSCE as Russia invades
By CHRIS JOHNSON cjohnson@washblade.com A gay U.S. ambassador is taking center stage in the crisis over Russias military incursion into Ukraine by representing American interests at the Organization for Security & Cooperation in Europe. Daniel Baer, who was conrmed by the U.S. Senate in August to his seat at the Vienna-based international conference, has his work cut out for him in one of the most daunting foreign policy challenges faced by the Obama administration. As widely reported, after turmoil in Ukraine leading to the ouster of the proRussian President Viktor Yanukovych, Russian military forces under the leadership of President Vladimir Putin occupied buildings, airports and other assets in Crimea for what hes said is ensuring the safety of ethnic Russians living on the peninsula. Both the United States and the Ukraine government have deemed the incursion an act of invasion and occupation by Russian forces. From his Twitter account, Baer has posted updates about efforts to mitigate the crisis, which include attending emergency meetings to deliver the U.S. call to send an international observer mission to Ukraine. The OSCE was set up during the Cold War as a forum where the United States could raise human rights and security issues with countries aligned with the Soviet Union. After the Cold War, the OSCE has served as a pan-Atlantic forum now comprising 57 European, Asian and North American countries for conversations on conict management and human rights, although the most recent crisis in Ukraine recalls the original purpose of the organization. In his prepared remarks for an initial emergency meeting on Sunday, Baer said Putin is breaking various international agreements by intervening in Crimea, such as its 1994 Budapest Summit commitments that enabled the denuclearization of Ukraine. Baer also lists the times Russian diplomats were critical of military incursions in the Middle East, Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Sri Lanka, saying Russia cant selectively apply this principle to its foreign policy. In response, the Russian government insists it has undertaken the incursion into Crimea out of concern for the Russian ethnic minority. But Baer asserts an international monitoring team would be an appropriate way to handle the situation. It should be noted that Baer is taking a lead role during the Ukraine crisis, but isnt Blade: Lets get a little personal. What do you think is the signicance of an openly gay person representing U.S. interests in diplomacy with Russia, a country that has passed laws against gay people? Baer: You know, I think to all of my colleagues when I showed up here in Vienna, most of my colleagues only knew one or two things about me. Everyone knew that I was gay, and the other thing talked about was that I was young. Other than that, they knew that I was an American ambassador. Six months later, its certainly more important that Im the U.S. ambassador than anything else about me, and I have a decent working relationship with all my colleagues. I have a weekly meeting with the Russian ambassador, and Brian and I have invited him and his wife to the Marine ball along with others. So, we built a working relationship. I guess it would be an interesting question for him. For me, Im trying to do my job the best I can and represent my country the best I can. I think one of the strengths that America has is that we increasingly theres still work to do on many dimensions but we increasingly have a diplomatic core that represents our diversity, and part of that is important because it makes us more effective. Part of that is important because it more accurately represents the country we are. And its super important because part of what others see as valuable and powerful and engaging and attractive about America is the promise of progress toward a society that embraces rights for everyone. I dont see that as having anything to do with me, per se, but to the extent that theres a broader story there. I think its valuable that we continue to make progress on that front. Blade: So no Russian ofcials refused or expressed any reluctance to negotiate with you because of your sexual orientation? Baer: I have not had any experience where they have refused to engage with me. For some people, with a Russian or otherwise, Im the rst ambassador from the United States that theyve known was gay and they have to work with. I guess one of the advantages of being the U.S. ambassador in a multi-lateral institution is that its pretty hard to be effective and not work with the U.S. ambassador one way or the other. Just like being gay, working with the U.S. ambassador is not a choice, and Im ready to work with all of them. And I certainly go into it giving everybody the benet of the doubt that it isnt an issue because it shouldnt be an issue. Blade: You said they havent refused, but they have expressed any reluctance to work with you because of your sexual orientation? Baer: Not to me. Not to me. If they have, theyve kept it from me.

Gay U.S. ambassador DANIEL BAER is representing U.S. interests during the Ukraine crisis at the Organization for Security & Cooperation in Europe.
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

the top U.S. diplomat handling the situation. Victoria Nuland, assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian Affairs, was also set to participate in the OSCE meetings along with Baer. Prior to his assignment as U.S. ambassador to OSCE, Baer was the State Departments deputy assistant secretary for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights & Labor, where he took a lead role in shaping policy for international LGBT affairs. In his new post, Baer has moved to Vienna with his partner Brian Walsh. Mark Bromley, chair of the Council for Global Equality, said Baer was a strong and vibrant voice for human rights at the bureau, so his role in mitigating the Ukraine crisis is reassuring. Baer spoke extensively to the Blade this week. Below is a partial transcript of the interview; visit washingtonblade.com for the full transcript. Washington Blade: How would you characterize the situation in Vienna as the crisis in Ukraine unfolds? Daniel Baer: I guess a couple things. The OSCE is a big political organization, and an operational entity that has eld ofces in 16 countries, including Ukraine and many independent institutions that are doing things all the time. So, theres been kind of two levels of activity. One, theres been a sense of urgency in terms of getting the existing capacities of OSCE mobilized to engage in Ukraine, and particularly in Crimea now, in the ways that they can to help de-escalate tension. So, theres a High Commissioner for National Minorities, the Swiss special envoy whos the current ambassador to Germany now, but a designated special envoy to Ukraine who sits as the chair of the OSCE right now. The

Representative on Freedom of the Media, they just arrived in Crimea a couple hours ago, and then the project ofce in Kiev is being supplemented. In addition, because OSCE does arms control, and military transference, the Ukrainians have invited military monitoring missions. They have an invitation for two military monitors from every participating state in the OSCE. Then, theres the political side, and a lot of people focus on the downside of the OSCE, which is you operate on consensus. And its a big tent that includes the Russian Federation, the United States, Canada and basically everybody in between and Mongolia. That is both a hindrance, in the sense that it makes consensus harder, but its also an asset in the sense that the other project that were starting to work on now is trying to develop a mandate for a new special monitoring mission to Ukraine and that will require consensus, but the upside is that if we can nd a description of a mandate that works for everyone, it will also have the political value of being blessed by Ukrainians, the Federation, the EU countries, Turkey, ourselves and Canada. So, itll have broad backing. And so, were kind of taking the two-pronged approach of mobilize quickly everything thats already set up and teed up, and ready to go, and also look at this kind of near-to-medium term possibility of setting up a monitoring mission. Thats something that Im under no illusions I think its going to be very hard, and really all we can do is tee it up, and leave that door open. And if and when the Russian Federation decides to engage on that and walk through that door, well be ready to work with them.

Keep your promise to protect each other.

washingtonblade.com 18 MARCH 07, 2014 BALTIMORE NEWS DIGEST

Baltimore Mayor STEPHANIE RAWLINGS-BLAKE spoke on Meet the Press.

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

Mayor would welcome Arizonas LGBT residents

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Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake appeared on NBCs Meet the Press on Sunday. In discussing the vetoed legislation in Arizona that would have allowed business owners to discriminate against gays and lesbians on religious grounds, she invited LGBT residents from Arizona to move to Baltimore even though Arizona has better weather. On balance, I think the LGBT community would be better off, save the weather, we cant promise you the weather, but better off in Baltimore. Im more than happy to deal with the welcome. I think its a much friendlier place. It burns me up to know that a community that has given so much, particularly for the Democratic Party, is under siege. Its 2014. We have a great LGBT community in Baltimore. Ive been a big supporter to the rst LGBT, the same-sex marriage in the state right after New Years. And theres no war going on in Baltimore.

Popular drag performer Ada Buffet dies

Adrian L. Cowan, better known as Ada Buffet, died on Feb. 28 at the age of 37 in Baltimore. Three weeks earlier, Cowan was hospitalized after a fall at his ancs home that caused injuries to his brain and required a ventilator. After his condition worsened, his family authorized that life support be terminated. As the drag performer Ada Buffet, Cowan was beloved in Baltimores gay community. A host for numerous drag shows, Cowan provided opportunities for other performers and raised money for local charities and organizations. He also coordinated the Lady Lisa Drag Stage at Pride a venue named after another fallen drag icon. A benet was held at Leons on March 1 that raised $1,200 to help the family pay for medical expenses. Scores of comments, photos and tributes have been accumulating on Ada Buffets Facebook page.

ADRIAN COWAN, known as Ada Buffet, died after a fall.

PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVE CHARING

PFLAG to present Bridegroom

ADVERTISING ISSUE DATE: 10.26.12 SALES REPRESENTATIVE: BRIAN PITTS (bpitts@washblade.com) PROOF
REVIEW AD FOR COPY AND DESIGN ACCURACY. Revisions must be submitted within 24 hours of the date of proof. Proof will be considered nal and will be submitted for publication if revision is not submitted within 24 hours of the date of proof. Revisions will not be accepted after 12:01 pm wednesday, the week of publication.Brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) is not responsible for the content and/or design of your ad. Advertiser is responsible for any legal liability arising out of or relating to the advertisement, and/or any material to which users can link through the advertisement. Advertiser represents that its advertisement will not violate any criminal laws or any rgihts of third parties, including, but not limited to, such violations as infringement or misapporpriation of any copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret, music, image, or other proprietary or propety right, false advertising, unfair competition, defamation, invasion of privacy or rights of celebrity, violation of anti-discrimination law or regulation, or any other right of any person or entity. Advertiser agrees to idemnify brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) and to hold brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) harmless from any and all liability, loss, damages, claims, or causes of action, including reasonable legal fees and expenses that may be incurred by brown naff pitts omnimedia llc, arising out of or related to advertisers breach of any of the foregoing representations and warranties.

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The Howard County chapter of PFLAG will present the documentary lm Bridegroom on March 11. The lm, produced by Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, tells the true story of two young small-town men, Shane Bitney Crone and Tom Bridegroom, who fall deeply in love and remained together for six years until Toms fatal accident at the age of 29 in 2011. Using interviews and footage from Shanes video diary, Bridegroom describes the intense love between the two men and the reactions from family members as their relationship ADVERTISER SIGNATURE By signing this proof you are agreeing to your contract obligations with the blossoms. Tom s parents were not accepting. washington blade newspaper. This includes but is not limited to placement, payment and insertion schedule. Following the accident, the hospital staff initially would not permit Shane to visit him as he was not family under hospital rules. After he died, Toms parents cut Shane off from making funeral arrangements and being a part of the services. His life and relationship with Tom was completely eradicated as if it never occurred. Of course, if marriage equality had been legal (they were living in Prop 8 California at the time), the couple would have been married according to their stated plans, and Shane would have had the right to make the funeral arrangements. The meeting, which is free, condential and open to the public, begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Owen Brown Interfaith Center, 7246 Cradlerock Way in Columbia. For more information, visit pagmd.org. STEVE CHARING

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

MARCH 07, 2014 19

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washingtonblade.com 20 MARCH 07, 2014 HEALTH NEWS

Injections of long-lasting AIDS drugs protected monkeys for weeks against infection.
PHOTO BY FIFO; COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

department research specialist who prepared the report and was quoted in the PressEnterprise article. Some of the local statistics mirror results of national and state studies that nd that LGBT people have higher rates of smoking, substance abuse and binge drinking. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that may in part be a reaction to homophobia and discrimination, the article said.

HIV shot shows promise in study on monkeys

BOSTON Researchers are reporting that injections of long-lasting AIDS drugs protected monkeys for weeks against infection, a nding that could lead to a major breakthrough in preventing the disease in humans, the New York Times reports. Two studies by different laboratory groups each found 100 percent protection in monkeys that got monthly injections of antiretroviral drugs, and there was evidence that a single shot every three months might work just as well, the article said. Because many people fail to take their antiretroviral pills regularly, the ndings could have huge potential benets if they can be replicated in humans, the Times reports. A preliminary human trial is to start late this year, said Dr. Wafaa El-Sadr, an AIDS expert at Columbia Universitys Mailman School of Public Health, but a larger trial that could lead to a treatment in humans may still be years away, the article said.

Young gay Aussie men avoiding HIV tests

SYDNEY A new report from Australia nds that about one-third of young gay men there are avoiding getting tested for HIV and other STIs despite the fact that they are increasingly likely to have had unprotected sex with casual partners, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. Health professionals there have raised concerns about a 65 percent increase in the number of men aged 18-24 newly diagnosed in the countrys New South Wales region between 200912, the article said. Medical bodies and community groups have responded by taking testing to the streets in a bid to encourage more young men to nd out their HIV status. Health ofcials speculate that about a quarter of the young men diagnosed had simply not been exposed to prevention campaigns.

Author of disputed study takes stand in Mich.

DETROIT The author of a controversial study of adult children often cited by opponents of gay marriage defended his work in court this week but also said it was too early for social scientists to make far-reaching conclusions about families headed by same-sex couples, the Associated Press reports in a story carried by the Washington Post. University of Texas sociologist Mark Regnerus testied for more than three hours as a witness for the state of Michigan, which is defending a ban on gay marriage. The constitutional amendment, approved by voters in 2004, is being challenged by two Detroit-area nurses in a rare trial. Regnerus was the leader of a study that screened thousands of people, ages 18-39, and found roughly 250 who said they grew up in a house where a mom or dad eventually had a same-sex relationship, the AP reports. He found they were more likely to have problems welfare dependence, less education, marijuana use than young adults from stable, straight-led families. But he later acknowledged that his study didnt include children raised by same-sex couples in stable relationships. The results ignited a blast of criticism when they were published in an academic journal in 2012, the AP reports.

Health disparities reported for Calif. gays

SAN BERNADINO, Calif. LGBT residents in Californias Inland Empire (the metro areas of Riverside and San Bernadino counties) suffer higher rates of asthma, cancer, substance abuse and smoking, a report released last week found. The Press-Enterprise, a paper in the region, reported the news. The report, believed to be the rst of its kind in California, also found a greater likelihood of depression and suicidal thoughts, believed to be linked to discrimination and stigma, the article said. Much of the Inland-specic data in the report is based upon the California Health Interview Survey. That statewide survey, conducted by UCLA, includes 150 LGB people from Riverside and San Bernardino counties who were selected to be representative of the communitys gender, ethnicity and age. Both counties data were used in the report to include more people and make the statistics more representative, according to Aaron Gardner, a health

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washingtonblade.com COACH G MARCH 07, 2014 21

Indoor infusion
If your results have diminished, its time for a new workout
softer version of a sandbag, which you can use like a medicine ball or a kettle bell without the handle. The cool thing about using the steel bell was that in the class we were able to add it to all the functional moves that Im used to doing, but this challenged my core like crazy, making each exercise even harder. Especially for my athletes out there, this can be a great new tool for you because unlike many other machines and some free weights, it requires a lot of grip strength to hold on to the steel bell. Grip strength is key in all sports including the in home sport I love, called opening the red wine bottle. Steel bells are relatively small so you can store them at home with no issue or bring them to the gym with you to show off your skills. This is a great way to mix up some of the normal exercises that you do and spice up the routine. Ride D.C. Cycle Class. I go to many spin classes around the city and around the country. Some are good, some are bad, but they basically are the same thing, riding a bike as hard as you can while an overly energetic person yells at you for 45 minutes. This one intrigued me for one reason only they add a competitive visual aspect to the ride. As soon as you walk into the room you see that your bike number is on a huge screen in the front of the class. Intimidated yet? You then see that you are ranked up against everyone else in the class based on revolutions per minutes (RPM), power and energy expenditure. Even for me this was slightly intimidating, but it made me work so much harder than I usually would. They keep the class encouraging so you never feel like the slowest kid in class, but knowing where you are ranked with the class gives you that extra push to do better. Before starting the class, they take your height, weight and age so when the class is over you get an email that accurately shows your calorie output and distance traveled. This is perfect because sweaters, long islands and Instagram pics may lie, but the numbers never do. Remember during this polar vortex season to stay committed to your goals and be open to try new classes that push you out of your comfort zone. The polar vortex is no reason to start looking like a polar bear. If you cant push yourself, then hire someone who can. Your mid section will thank you.

GERARD BURLEY is a D.C.-based personal trainer. Reach him via @CoachGFit or coachg@ coachgtness.com.

If youre like me, youve had enough of the cold D.C. winter weather. I want to get outside and do what I want with my body, but I cant because its freezing. The silver lining, though, is that being forced to keep my tness training indoors has opened me up to try some new classes that were just the shot in the arm my tness regimen needed. Remember, getting out of your comfort zone is where all good things happen. It never feels good while were there, but afterward it always makes us better. One of the biggest problems I see with new clients is that they continue to do the same routine over and over and wonder why their bodies never change. So get out there and be more versatile with your tness of course! Here are the two I tried. Reformation Fitness Steel Bell Class. I decided to jump into this class for two reasons: Its down the street from my house and I, like many of you, have never heard of a steel bell workout. I honestly thought these girls had a really bad typo for kettle bell and me being a good gay, I should come help them out. I was wrong. When I walked in, I saw a good sign everyone from the prior class was barely moving and very sweaty. Class gets started and I quickly learn what a steel bell is and that it can be used quite well to kick my booty. A steel bell is a small sack lled with tiny steel pellets that some gyms are using as an exercise tool. Ive used almost every type of gym equipment and free weight thats out there, so it was fun for me to try something new. The best way to describe it is like a smaller

washingtonblade.com 22 MARCH 07, 2014 INSIDE LGBT WASHINGTON V O L U M E 4 5 I S S U E 1 0

ADDRESS PO Box 53352 Washington DC 20009 PHONE 202-747-2077 E-MAIL news@washblade.com INTERNET www.washingtonblade.com PUBLISHED BY Brown Naff Pitts Omnimedia, Inc. PUBLISHER LYNNE J. BROWN lbrown@washblade.com ext. 8075 EDITORIAL EDITOR KEVIN NAFF knaff@washblade.com ext. 8088 FEATURES EDITOR JOEY DIGUGLIELMO joeyd@washblade.com ext. 8081 SR. NEWS REPORTER LOU CHIBBARO JR. lchibbaro@washblade.com ext. 8079 NEWS REPORTER CHRIS JOHNSON cjohnson@washblade.com ext. 8083 NEWS REPORTER MICHAEL K. LAVERS mlavers@washblade.com EDITORIAL INTERN MARIAH COOPER PHOTO EDITOR MICHAEL KEY mkey@washblade.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS PETER ROSENSTEIN, MARK LEE, LATEEFAH WILLIAMS, KATE CLINTON, KATHI WOLFE

Republicans continue to self-destruct

CPAC to showcase parade of ofcials pandering to far-right GOP faithful
support basic equality for the transgender community. The Blue Mass group said, If he cant convince his own running mate in Massachusetts to be less extreme, how in the world will he convince Republicans from conservative states to be less extreme on gay rights or any other issue? Another problem with electing someone like Tisei to Congress is that his rst vote would be for Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) as House Speaker the same speaker who has blocked ENDA since the Senate passed it last year. This week, we will be treated to the annual spectacle of the Conservative Political Action Conference, a place where the most outrageous Republicans are invited to spew their venom to the party faithful. In the past the conference has hosted the likes of irrelevant gures like Donald Trump and Ann Coulter. This year promises to bring more of the same; the intellectual giant Sarah Palin will be there. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and embattled New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will be two of the big draws. I understand they were excited to invite and get an acceptance from Christie before he got entangled in Bridgegate. It will be interesting to see how far right Christie will go to attract the GOP faithful. They forced Mitt Romney far enough right in the last election to ensure a loss to President Obama. Huckabee, on the other hand, already has just the kind of far-right cred they love. Then CPAC attendees will surely hear from Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.). This is the same Ryan who ran as Romneys running mate and managed to gain a reputation as someone who had a few problems telling the truth. He recently spoke about the budget he is preparing for the Republican House, which will question all the programs meant to help those in need, the safety net programs like Medicare, food stamps, Head Start etc. Democrats wait with baited breath to see if his solution is simply to cut these programs or to legitimately improve them. CPAC attendees will also get to hear from that Joseph McCarthy-like Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Sen. Marco Rubio (RFla.) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ken.). They will also get another chance to hear from right-wing Johns Hopkins retired surgeon turned Fox News commentator Dr. Ben Carson. This is the same Carson forced to withdraw as the Johns Hopkins commencement speaker after he compared gay marriage to bestiality and pedophilia. He attacked the Affordable Care Act as socialism by quoting Lenin: Lenin thought so. He declared: Socialized medicine is the keystone to the arch of the Socialized State. Carson apparently took that quote from a brochure attacking Harry Truman for his attempt to get everyone medical insurance and some have disputed that Lenin ever said it. Democrats arent perfect and there are Blue Dog Democrats whose voting records clearly dont match the Democratic Party platform. The difference is those Democrats dont control the party and they vote for a leadership team that is progressive and favors ensuring the human and civil rights of all people.

PETER ROSENSTEIN is a D.C.-based LGBT rights and Democratic Party activist. He writes regularly for the Blade.

There is a certain Schadenfraude when I hear Republicans say things that are sure to quicken the downward spiral of the national Republican Party. Republicans in places like Arizona who pass legislation designed to allow people to discriminate just keep adding to the view that the Republican Party today is a place that only welcomes those who want to discriminate against the LGBT community, women and other minorities. The few moderates left seem to be losing any control they once had of the platform or direction of the party. That makes it difcult to convince people in places like Massachusetts to even consider electing a Republican. Take the case of congressional candidate Richard Tisei who is being touted as a moderate gay Republican who can change the party from within. The facts challenge that assumption. When he ran on a ticket for lieutenant governor with Charlie Baker who claimed to be a moderate, he couldnt even get him to

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washingtonblade.com VIEWPOINT MARCH 07, 2014 23

Victory Funds dangerous endorsement

Support for Tisei over pro-LGBT Dem incumbent a major mistake
By JOE RACALTO Recently, the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund endorsed former Massachusetts Republican Senate Minority Leader Richard Tisei, who is openly gay, for Congress. Although I applaud Tisei and all LGBT political candidates who run for public ofce this endorsement is not justied and sets a dangerous precedent. Tiseis opponent, Democratic Rep. John Tierney, has been a staunch champion for LGBT rights even when it wasnt popular. He backed marriage equality in Massachusetts, despite the criticism. He has supported the repeal of Dont Ask Dont Tell, an inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act; he was a strong and early supporter of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act and he has a HRC score of 100 percent in the 112th Congress. Tierneys support for LGBT causes is clean, clear and perfect. And, Congressman Tierney will do one thing Tisei will not do vote for Leader Nancy Pelosi as the next Speaker of the House. It is no secret that Speaker John Boehner does not support ENDA, claiming it is not necessary. Nor is it a secret that the GOP continues to block or stall every single LGBT advancement at all levels, and in all parts of the country. Given the recent events in Arizona, ENDA is needed now more than ever and if Democrats were in control, ENDA would be the law of the land. Make no mistake, Tiseis potential vote for Boehner would be a vote to further delay justice for LGBT Americans who face employment discrimination. Torey Carter, COO of the Victory Fund, said Tiseis election to Congress would shatter a glass ceiling for the
Gay Republican RICHARD TISEI is challenging a proLGBT Democrat for Congress in Massachusetts.
PHOTO COURTESY OF TISEI

Republican Party and further the dialogue within the GOP about LGBT issues. With all due respect to Carter, at what cost and at whose expense? Should those who ght for LGBT rights have to sit by and wait for the Republicans to understand? Additionally, in order to further one must start. They have had 40 years to start the dialogue and who is gullible enough to believe Tisei can help them with that process? This country has moved on and the

election of Tisei over Rep. Tierney would be represent a major setback for LGBT Americans. We must never, ever turn our backs on those who have championed our causes, like Tierney, simply to shatter glass or further dialogue (within the GOP) or whatever other reason the Victory Fund uses to describe this dangerous endorsement.
JOE RACALTO is president of Giesta Racalto, LLC. He served as former Rep. Barney Franks senior policy adviser and is a board member at Freedom to Work.

VIEWPOINT

Poking the homophobic beehive in Botswana

LGBT society threatens politicians only to trigger a national backlash
By KATLEGO K KOL-KES With Uganda, Nigeria and Zimbabwe being vocal with their homophobia, it seems University of Botswana students have felt left out of the action. The newly formed LGBT society, UB-LEGABI has subsequently threatened politicians who would not support LGBT issues. This is a drastic move in a country with an antiquated colonial anti-sodomy law. This new campaign has poked the proverbial homophobic beehive on a national level, especially as its an election year. Last year, I debated the chair of the Evangelical Fellowship of Botswana on national radio after it employed similar bullying tactics. They warned politicians that it was the EFBs duty to protect the moral ber of the Christian community, therefore they would de-campaign anyone who supports what they call gay rights. Needless to say, the EFB chairs citations of the Bible were met with well-informed retorts, proving that you dont pick ghts with people you underestimate. Last year saw a surge in sensationalising homosexuality in Botswana. Each week brought a new gay headline, including a rumoured bill to register and imprison suspected homosexuals and sex workers to curb the spread of HIV/ AIDS. What the UB-LEGABI committee has done with this tirade is enable the homophobes rather than boost any LGBT rights defences. Theyve declared war before understanding the battlegrounds. Reading through the Facebook responses to the article published in the tabloid newspaper, The Voice, the roots of the homophobic comments are evident: religious bias, masculine insecurity and uninformed notions of homosexuality. The (unedited) comments included statements like: wats the use of gays and lesbians, if they cant make babies?; why must they force people to accept their lifestyle! this aint America; B4 they come wth their stupid threats, they must b sure of 1 thing WHETHER THEY ARE MALES OR FEMALES. Some even blame gays for the lack of rain in southern Botswana, a country that is 80 percent desert. The greatest shock comes when you read comments calling presidents like Robert Mugabe, Goodluck Jonathan and Yoweri Museveni to Botswana to instill laws like Ugandas recent measure. Musevenis declaration that the west is promoting homosexuality in Africa goes to show how uninformed, and religiously blinded, some of our leaders are. This begs the questions: Is Western intervention in internal affairs worsening the situation? Are U.S. warnings to cut off aid simply making life more laborious for LGBT activists in these countries? The homophobes fail to understand the far-reaching effects of such legislation as Musevenis because of their obsession with the act of gay sex. Unfortunately, lesbians are sidelined in the conversation on homosexual acts. Some comments referred to two bearded men kissing, and how can a man sweat to provide for another man? Statements such as these prove that the nation is in dire need of education on the nature of homosexuality before expecting citizens to support threats to de-campaign people they see as their protectors. The plethora of closedminded comments that acknowledging homosexuality slows population growth, or that this will mark Jesus cue to return has made it seem, to the homophobes in Botswana, that they are not alone nor wrong for such ignorant thoughts. The hive was poked, but of the 467 comments fewer than 10 were in defense of LGBT rights. There isnt a visible united front of LGBT rights defenders. This only fuels the misconceptions such as Tshenolo Makakengs that: There are less than 60 (which are mostly at UB) gays in Bots. We must put facts before fury. Whats been made evident is that were growing too impatient with the community we want to accept us. National acknowledgement of LGBT existence would sufce because it sets enough of a precedent for educating the laymen. It seems LGBT movements around the world have forgotten the baby steps that have led to U.S. victories over Dont Ask, Dont Tell, Prop 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act. It may seem as though background work is dormancy but its as important as making grand threats against politicians in an election year. Smoke works better on bees than sticks and stones.
KATLEGO K KOL-KES is a writer and activist based in Gaborone, Botswana. She has recently begun covering Botswana LGBT life and has contributed to Afropunks Gender Bent blog. Follow her on Twitter: @kol13.

washingtonblade.com 24 MARCH 07, 2014 VIEWPOINT

Businesses still have license to discriminate in Arizona

By CROSBY BURNS As LGBT activists cheered the demise of Arizonas controversial license to discriminate bill, one thing seemed lost on the media, in progressive circles and among most Americans: Even with Gov. Jan Brewers (R) veto, businesses in a majority of Arizona cities still have the legal right to discriminate against LGBT people. If passed, SB 1062 would have afforded business owners the right to refuse service to patrons that identify as LGBT based on those owners religious beliefs. In this respect, SB 1062 is part of a broader pattern of dangerous religious freedom bills being proposed throughout conservative statehouses in the United States. In this respect, the defeat of SB 1062 is something to celebrate, as anti-gay legislators in other states will think twice before introducing similar legislation that sanctions LGBT discrimination behind the guise of religious freedom. However, most activists are celebrating last weeks veto as if SB 1062 would have stripped all Arizonans of nondiscrimination protections they currently enjoy under state law. This is far from the truth. Looking broadly, federal law affords no legal protections against discrimination on the basis of either sexual orientation or gender identity. While an alarming nine out of 10 Americans believe laws like the Employment Non-Discrimination Act already exist, the cold hard truth is that under the law of the land in the United States, its perfectly legal to deny someone employment, refuse someone service, or kick someone out of their apartment simply because they are LGBT. Where federal policymakers have failed to enact comprehensive LGBT nondiscrimination legislation, a number of states have lled the void with nondiscrimination laws that provide LGBT people protection in employment, housing and public accommodations. However, fewer than half have done so. Or put another way, in a majority of statesstates like ArizonaLGBT people have no protections against discrimination under state or federal law. Its true that in Arizona, the cities of Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Tucson and Gilbert have municipal ordinances that afford their LGB citizens some protections against discrimination (Phoenix, Tucson, and Tempe also afford protections to transgender citizens). Signing SB 1062 into law would have invalidated these citys ordinances, which according to U.S. Census data account for 2.6 million people, or 40 percent of Arizonas total population. In that respect, the defeat of the bill was certainly a huge victory in maintaining these important protections. However, the bills defeat legally changes nothing for LGBT people living in the remaining cities accounting for 60 percent of Arizonas population. If SB 1062 had been passed into law, businesses could legally turn away LGBT customers. But even today without SB 1062, businesses can still turn away LGBT customers in the 86 Arizona municipalities that do not have any LGBT protections on the books. Nevertheless, this fact seems lost in the media and among LGBT activists. There is a lot to celebrate with SB 1062s veto. The massive opposition to this bill is one more indicator of the huge cultural shift we have made as a country, a shift away from bigotry and toward fairness and inclusion of LGBT people in our society. Moreover, the groundswell of opposition to the bill included Arizonas two Republican senators, Fortune 500 companies, and even many of the Arizona state legislators that voted for the bill in the rst place. In this respect, the defeat of this bill is a signicant symbolic victory for the LGBT movement. And as mentioned earlier, its a signicant legal victory for LGBT Arizonans living in cities like Phoenix where they are afforded some protections against discrimination. And yet despite these victories, the controversy that was SB 1062 was a missed opportunity. It was a missed opportunity to have an important conversation about the lack of legal protections afforded to LGBT Americans in this country. While marriage equality is on the march both in the courts and in the statehouses, legislation outlawing discrimination against LGBT people has stalled. To change that, we need to acknowledge that those laws dont even exist in the rst place. So yes, in many ways the veto was something to celebrate. But while LGBT Americans today celebrate the defeat of antigay bills such as SB 1062, they also await the passage of state and federal laws that would positively provide them the protections they deserve but currently lack. This means, for example, Congress nally passing comprehensive protections for LGBT Americans such that all people are protected against discrimination, regardless of the state where they reside. Now, that would be something to celebrate.
CROSBY BURNS is a candidate for a masters degree in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He is the managing editor of the LGBTQ Policy Journal at the Kennedy School.

OUR BUSINESS MATTERS

Business now greatest ally in LGBT equality pursuit

tion would substantially burden the exercise of them. Public focus on developments in Arizona, and to a lesser extent similar bills being considered in other states, was widespread as was public disdain. Business leaders, industry organizations and corporate entities are credited with prompting Brewers decision. Clarion corporate antipathy, both within the state and across the country, was decisive. Business pressure for a veto, both in the public arena and behind the scenes, was pervasive and engaged businesses both small and large. Brewer prominently referenced business opposition when announcing she had halted the law. The next day White House Press Secretary Jay Carney rst identied business when enumerating those who had successfully contributed to the bills demise. Government has long been a lagging indicator of popular opinion and tardy in implementing policy revisions. Public sentiment on LGBT civil equality has outpaced legislative action at the federal level and in most state and local jurisdictions. Large numbers of businesses have led the way in implementing a complement of now commonplace protections in the workplace, usually much earlier and often more broadly than those guaranteed by the actions of either elected ofcials or government bureaucracies. Since the landmark adoption in 1975 of sexual orientation employment protections by AT&T, fair treatment has expanded exponentially among businesses. In its Corporate Equality Index for 2014, the Human Rights Campaign reports that historic numbers of American businesses champion LGBT equality including 91 percent of Fortune 500 companies providing explicit protections on the basis of sexual orientation. Growth in recent years has accelerated at unprecedented rates. Business leaders and organizations understand that embracing modern standards of equitable treatment is essential to attracting and retaining talent and best maintaining a corporate environment encouraging success. Companies also require the ability to relocate employees absent reluctance based on the territorial legal implications for workers and families. Larger enterprise with centers of commerce spanning geographic locations and political jurisdictions have little patience for the burden of managing the administration of variable tax and benet policies or suffering inconsistencies in workplace matters. Disgruntlement with differing jurisdictional same-sex marriage laws, for example, will likely speed laggard federal regulatory and benet clarications as well

MARK LEE is a long-time entrepreneur and community business advocate. Follow on Twitter: @MarkLeeDC. Reach him at OurBusinessMatters@gmail.com.

The Fortune 500 is the most effective lobby for gay rights. So declared television journalist George Stephanopoulos, a former Democratic Party adviser, last Sunday on the political news program he hosts. Stephanopoulos was referencing the widely acknowledged role that business played in Arizona Gov. Jan Brewers veto last week of state Senate Bill 1062. The legislation would have extended the legal shield granted to religious institutions against being sued for denying service to persons based on religious beliefs. Existing law would have been broadened to include any individual, association, partnership, corporation, church, religious assembly or institution or other business organization provided the required religious beliefs were sincerely held and a lawsuit or other sanc-

as spur national uniformity. Business advocacy could prove to be a notable incentive for encouraging both a national right to marry and consistent conveyance of privileges and obligations. Ironically, should the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act be enacted its practical signicance will be largely illusory, outpaced by wholesale prior corporate implementation as standard practice. The numerous exemptions stipulated in the longlanguishing legislation will leave untouched the small segment of micro-businesses and other institutions most likely to include the relative few who would desire to resist compliance if affected. In local jurisdictions with similar laws, legal claims have been nearly nonexistent softening business concerns regarding the potential volume of frivolous or retaliatory complaints and the expense of defending against them. Business afrmation and advancement of fair and equal treatment offers benet of normalizing the notion and strengthening community support. Corporate leadership on LGBT equality should be embraced as an asset in broadening civil adoption and cultural acceptance. It is imperative that allies be acknowledged instead of permitting those promoting a perpetual state of alienation to prevail. Enterprise is not the enemy.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

MARCH 07, 2014 25

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Saturday, April 5 at 8 p.m.

Body and Soul

Saturday, March 8 at 8 p.m. The Center for the Arts is honored to welcome one of the worlds most well-known and respected dance companies. American Legends will feature Jerome Robbins Interplay, Twyla Tharps Nine Sinatra Songs and more. Body and Soul features works by some of todays most brilliant choreographers. Balletgoing rarely gets more rewarding, and the [Joffrey] dancers reach for and often grasp new levels of achievement. (Chicago Tribune) Friday, $25, $42, $50 / Saturday, $25, $42, $50
ff = Family Friendly performances that are most suitable for families with younger children

Ballet Favorites

SERIES UNDERWRITER

Sunday, April 6 at 4 p.m. Two opportunities for grand Russian classical ballet! Choose Romeo and Juliet with Petipas brilliant choreography and Tchaikovskys majestic score and the bonus Chopiniana, Fokines beautiful short piece of pure classical 19th century ballet, or a complete afternoon of highlights, which include Fokines Dying Swan and selections from Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Don Quixote, and much more. Or come to both! Saturday, $28, $48, $56 ff / Sunday, $28, $48, $56 ff

Tickets

888-945-2468 or cfa.gmu.edu

Located on the Fairfax campus, six miles west of Beltway exit 54 at the intersection of Braddock Road and Rt. 123.

SPRING AR T S

MAR CH 07, 2014 27

Queen of everything
Boy George chats up his new album, tour and how he got his mojo back
By JOEY DiGUGLIELMO joeyd@washblade.com Boy George is the rst to acknowledge a clich. Getting sober in 2008 and turning 50 two years ago are big take stock moments for many and no less so for him. It was a huge turning point for me, he says of his milestone birthday. I thought, Ive got to get my shit together, Ive got to focus, this is important. I just felt Id wasted a lot of time. I looked at myself and thought, God, Ive done nothing. I know Ive done a lot, Ive always worked. Ive grafted and always made money, but a lot of it was pointless because no one knew what I was doing. This year, the world is seeing the fruit of those epiphanies. His new album This Is What I Do was out in the UK last fall and ofcially drops in the U.S. with three bonus cuts on March 25. The last several years have seen him release a spate of side projects of various scope, but this is his rst full-edged solo album since 1995s Cheapness and Beauty. He starts a U.S. leg of his tour on April 18 in Philadelphia and plays D.C.s 9:30 Club on April 21. During a Saturday afternoon phone chat from his London home last weekend, George in his ever-delightful, clipped British accent was chatty, self deprecating, quick to laugh and balked or sidestepped no questions. His comments have been slightly edited for length. WASHINGTON BLADE: I know youve been DJing a lot and working on various things, but how did it work out that you released a new album at this time? Why now? BOY GEORGE: Well, you know, as you said, Ive been DJing very happily for the last 25 years and I havent really had a record deal for a long time. I suppose I have thought about making records but, you know, I wasnt sure how I was going to do it. You know, whether I was going to sign with a major label or do something more independent. I also changed management a couple of years ago and wanted to kind of start fresh with a bunch of people that perhaps could kind of see beyond what I was. I think when youve had a very, very successful career like I had in the 80s, people tend to kind of hope youre going to try and repeat that. Theyre always waiting for you to write the next Karma Chameleon, but its never going to happen (laughs). Everything Ive ever done has been kind of instinctual and impulsive and spontaneous and Ive never really been the kind of artist that can kind of just pull it out of a hat. I have to feel it. I just felt it was the right time. We discussed the different ways I could go about making a record and I decided to be brave and pay for it myself and own it myself which is a new thing for me, kind of a grown up move. And so far, you know, its been the right choice. BLADE: When was it recorded and how long did it take? GEORGE: We started about March last year and we did it within about four months. Not solidly. We recorded and then somebody else mixed it. I would say about four to ve months last year. BLADE: How was the reception in the UK last fall? GEORGE: Weve had amazing reviews. Comeback of the year, Boy George has nally got his mojo back, you know, blah, blah, blah. Lots of compliments. I mean, much to my surprise really, because I wasnt really sure what kind of reaction I would get. I wasnt sure what to expect. So yeah, everything in the UK has been kind of another surprise. England tends to get much more excited about Beyonce than anything that comes from here. Its like all America, America, hiphop, Beyonce, Lady Gaga. Nobody cares about Boy George anymore (laughs). Thats why Im relying on you guys in America. BLADE: The rst single King of Everything says What is the word on the street? Have I lost my crown? Have you? GEORGE: Well, the song isnt just about me, its about everyone. Its about human frailty, people messing up, which is a very human thing, yet it is also about me but its about you, its about everyone. Its not literal. The crown is a metaphor. If it was about me, Id call it Queen of Everything. BLADE: How did the UK tour go last fall? GEORGE: It was amazing. Very small, very affectionate and the audiences were adorable. They were mostly the kind of hardcore fans, so they were really affectionate. BLADE: About how long do you

PHOTO COURTESY OF HIGH RISE PR

Boy George says in some ways straight acts can experiment with gender more than gay artists.

usually play? GEORGE: It depends on the curfew. We do about an hour and a half, maybe two hours. Not quite Bruce Springsteen-length. But we play for as long as we can. When youre doing a show, sometimes if the mood is right, you can keep it going, depending on the audience reaction, really. But obviously some venues have a curfew so you cant play longer than a certain time. BLADE: About how much of the new album do you work into the set list? GEORGE: We kind of try and balance it with things people know, some things people havent heard, some new stuff, some old stuff. You know, Ive been doing this a while and one thing Ive continued to do is to play live. At the end, you have to gure out a way to reach the audience. BLADE: How does the new stuff sit with the Culture Club hits? Is it hard to build a set list that ows? GEORGE: No, I dont think its difcult. With the things people know, youre always in a very safe area. If you sing a song thats been a hit, thats very safe so no, I wouldnt say its difcult. There are certain songs that I dont do. Obviously with that kind of a back catalogue, there are some songs you grow into and some that you say, OK, this doesnt really speak to who I am anymore. So you kind of try to mix it up and keep it interesting,

not just for the audience but also for yourself. You dont want it to be a kind of robotic show thats the same every night. Myself and John, who plays guitar in my band, we have sections where we do acoustic stuff and we can do all sorts of things there and change things around and do new things. That helps keep the show exciting. BLADE: Do you still have the goatee? GEORGE: I do. BLADE: Your look at present seems more kind of genderfuck than androgynous. Just a whim or do you feel more comfortable with mixing in masculine elements than you have in previous years? GEORGE: I just had some time off and didnt shave for a few days and kind of looked at myself and thought, Oh, I quite like this look. Its not something I really sat down and thought about. I just kind of grew my beard when I was on break and other people seemed to like it and other people didnt like it, which made me want to keep it more. I might get bored with it at some point but Im loving it at the moment. BLADE: Lots of pop stars have played around with androgynous looks Im thinking of David Bowie and Prince and the public seems to accept them as straight. You were always pretty much out for the
CONTINUES on page 54

28 MAR CH 07, 2014

q ueer y : 20 q ues tions f or dc ALLEN

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY PETE EXIS

By JOEY DiGUGLIELMO Joeyd@washblade.com Things will be a little different at the Crew Club (1321 14th St., N.W.) on Sunday. From 2-6 p.m., owner DC Allen is hosting a birthday party. Gay porn star Matthew Rush will be on hand. Its open to the public. Allen, a 58-year-old Boston native, has been in D.C. since 1990 after spending the 80s in New York. He and husband Ken Flick live on 17th Street near Dupont Circle with their dog, Toad. Allen enjoys reading, community activism, working out, cooking and traveling in his free time. Find the Crew Club on Facebook or visit thecrewclub.co for details.
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY PETE EXIS

How long have you been out and who was the hardest person to tell? Since 1979. My stepfather who was not gay friendly. Whos your LGBT hero? Frank Kameny for his long-term activism. Whats Washingtons best nightspot, past or present? The Crew Club, of course! Describe your dream wedding. Surrounded by family and friends, in the District Courthouse with fake owers on a plastic trellis. We did it in October 2012!
FEBRUARY 1 MARCH What non-LGBT issue 31, 2014

If science discovered a way to change sexual orientation, what would you do? You cant teach an old dog new tricks. I would stay the same delightful homosexual that I am today. What do you believe in beyond the physical world? A spiritual existence and a power greater than myself. Whats your advice for LGBT movement leaders? Never forget that we are not heterosexuals. What would you walk across hot coals for? Complete equality. What LGBT stereotype annoys you most? We are not all 20-year-old muscle bunnies. Whats your favorite LGBT movie? Kinky Boots Whats the most overrated social custom? There are no overrated social customs. What trophy or prize do you most covet? I was lucky enough to receive the Business Leader of the Year Award in 2012 from the Capitol Area Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. That was and is the award I most coveted because it recognized all of the positive things Ive tried to do in the D.C. gay community. What do you wish youd known at 18? Floss more, eat less. Why Washington? I had family in the area. Also, Washington has the highest percentage of masters degrees per workforce in the world. I like a bright, driven population around me.

FEBRUARY 1 MARCH 31, 2014

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EVENT S

MAR CH 07, 2014 29

Preview of coming attractions

By JOEY DiGUGLIELMO joeyd@washblade.com Not everything ts into our regular fall arts coverage, broken down by disciplines. Here are a few other events youll want to note. The Turnabout Show where the guys become girls and the girls become guys is at 11 p.m. Monday night at Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.). The event has a Facebook page. The Miss Gaye Universe D.C. Pageant is at Town on March 15. Admission is $15 for Academy members and $20 for guests. Doors open at 3 p.m.; pageant starts at 4. Details at thewashingtonacademy.com. The Mayors Ofce of GLBT Affairs have an awards event in honor of Womens History Month on March 21 at 6:30 p.m. at Fannie Mae (3900 Wisconsin, Ave., N.W.). RSVPs and photo IDs are required to attend. RSVP by e-mailing your full name to lgbt@dc.gov. The Split This Rock Poetry Festival: Poems of Provocation & Witness is March 27-30 and will feature workshops, panels and readings held at various spots in the Farragut Square neighborhood. Several LGBT participants are on the slate. Visit splitthisrock.org for details. The fth annual Charm City Fetish Fair, billed as Baltimores premiere fetish event, is April 4-6. Visit charmcityfetishfair.com for details. Cherry is the same weekend in Washington at various gay clubs in the city. Visit cherryfund.org for details. The Rehoboth Womens Fest 2014 is April 10-13 in Rehoboth Beach, Del. Visit camprehoboth.com for details. Miss Gay Maryland America is April 25-27 at the Hippo (One W. Eager St., Baltimore). Visit missgaymaryland.com for details. The Capital Area Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce has its LGBT Business Excellence Awards dinner and gala April 25 at the Mayower Renaissance Washington (1127 Connecticut Ave., N.W.). Visit caglcc.org for information, tickets and details on other Chamber events. Youth Pride is April 27 from noon-5 p.m. in Dupont Circle. Visit youthpridedc. org for details. Gay Day at the Zoo is May 3. Find the groups Facebook page for more information. The American Military Partner Association has its inaugural national gala on May 17 (Armed Forces Day) at the Liaison Hotel on Capitol Hill. Visit militarypartners. org/gala for tickets and details. The Academy of Washington has its 52nd annual Golden Boy Awards at Town on May 17 at 4 p.m. (doors open at 3). Admission is $15 for Academy members and $20 for guests. Visit thewashingtonacademy.com for details. Lesbian Angie Harvey is in D.C. the same day for a retreat tour called Work2Work that will cover issues such as self esteem, letting go, relationships and purposeful living. Its free. E-mail to sdevynbryant@ gmail.com for details. D.C. Black Pride Weekend is May 23-25 at various locations. Visit dcblackpride.org for details. Omega Entertainment and Daryl Wilson Promotions have their Wet Dream Weekend 2014 May 22-26 and promise ve days, 10 events and one hell of a party. Details at omegapartydc.com.

cc_bday_matt_wb_2.indd 1

2/19/14 11:52 AM

30 MAR CH 07, 2014

OUT & AB OUT

at the Montgomery County Cultural Arts Center

7995 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910

To Benefit Sarahs Circle www.sarahscircle.org

www.hexagon.org or 202-333-SHOW

PHOTO BY DEAN CARPENTIER

PHOTO COURTESY OF WEST END STRATEGY TEAM

Gay artist presents multi-media exhibit

BloomBars (3222 11th St., N.W.) presents In These Boxes, a one-night performance by musician and video artist Dudley Saunders, Saturday from 8-9:30 p.m. In These Boxes is a photograph collection of 12 items left behind by deceased loved ones, all taken by members of the D.C. community, set to Saunderss own original music in a video hallucination of the missing persons life. All photographs will also be available to view online. Saunders got the idea for what he calls a social media cemetery after two of his ex-lovers died leaving behind only a few objects as evidence they were alive. Tickets are $8. For more information visit bloombars.com or intheseboxes.com.

Cupcakes closes Jewish Film Festival Sunday night

Cupcakes, a comedy from Israeli lmmaker Eytan Fox, is slated to close the Washington Jewish Film Festival on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. at the D.C. Jewish Community Center (1529 16th St., N.W.). The comedy follows a group of friends who accidentally enter a Eurovision-style musical contest and their struggle to navigate the sharp elbows of the pop music business. It has several LGBT characters. Tickets are $12 for single lms but the Festival has many other screenings throughout the weekend. Visit wjff.org for a full festival lineup.

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Auction features work by 30 artists

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PHOTO BY RONY ALWIN; COURTESY OF STRATHMORE

Ally Rye Rye at Strathmore tonight

M-Th 11:30aM-10pM F-saT 11:30aM-11pM suN. bruNch 10aM-3pM / diNNer 3-10pM

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322 Mass. ave. Ne 202.543.7656

Baltimore rapper and LGBT supporter Rye Rye performs at Mansion at Strathmore (10901 Rockville Pk., North Bethesda, Md.) tonight at 9 p.m. Rye Rye, protg of rapper M.I.A., is performing songs from her debut album Go! Pop! Bang!. In the past, she has performed alongside the Scissor Sisters, Robyn and Katy Perry. Tickets are $15. Doors open at 8 p.m. For more details and to purchase tickets, visit strathmore.org.

The Vander Zee Foundation hosts its ninth annual art auction at Vander Zee Gallery (105 South Lee St., Alexandria, Va.) Saturday from 6:30-9 p.m. The auction offers work from about 30 artists for sale, including 20 original paintings by gallery owner Rob Vander Zee. Different types of paintings are offered from abstraction to realism. The silent auction is from 6:30-9 p.m. The live auction starts at 8 p.m. For more details, visit vanderzeeart.com. MARIAH COOPER

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

MARCH 07, 2014 31

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32 MAR CH 07, 2014

calendar

TODAY
Del Ray Artisans (2704 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria, Va.) opens its Portraits of Pop Culture exhibit, a collection of artists cartoons and caricatures of important people in pop culture, with an opening reception tonight from 7-10 p.m. The exhibit is open through March 30th. Admission is free. For more details, visit thedelrayartisans.org. Adodi D.C., a black same gender-loving mens social/spiritual group, hosts its bimonthly potluck discussion at Metropolitan Community Church of Washington (474 Ridge St., N.W.) tonight at 7 p.m. featuring guest journalist and author Wyatt OBrian. OBrian will be talking about intimate partner violence and abuse. Please bring food to share. For details, call 202-360-1143 or email briane350@yahoo.com. Ladies and Laughter, a benet for Mautner Project of Whitman-Walker Health and the Human Rights Campaign is at Artisphere (1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Va.) tonight from 7-11 p.m. Lesbian comedians Michele Balan, Gloria Bigelow and Dana Goldberg will perform with comedian Chelsea Shorte emceeing the event. Tickets are $75 for general admission and $100 for VIP. For more details and to purchase tickets, visit whitman-walker.org. Gay District, a facilitated group discussion focused on building understanding of gay culture and personal identity for men ages 18 through 35, meets at the D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.) tonight from 8:30-9:30 p.m. For details, visit thedccenter.org.

Jagers and reballs are $6. Cover is $5 before midnight and $7 after. Admission is limited to guests 21 and over. For details, visit cobaltdc.com.

Sunday, March 9
Perrys (1811 Columbia Rd., N.W.) hosts its weekly Sunday Drag Brunch today from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The cost is $24.95 for an all-you-can-eat buffet. For more details, visit perrysadamsmorgan.com. Nellies Sports Bar hosts its weekly drag brunch today with two seatings at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. For a full menu, including vegetarian options, visit nelliessportsbar.com. Adventuring, an LGBT outdoors group, hosts a Snickers Gap hike today at 8:30 a.m.The hike is along the Appalachian Trail and centered on Snickers Gap where Route 7 crosses the blue Ride in Round Hill, Va. Bring lunch, boots, beverages and $15 for transportation fees. Meet in the Kiss and Ride lot of the East Falls Church Metro Station (2001 N Sycamore St., Arlington, Va.). For more information, visit adventuring.org.

Monday, March 10
The D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) hosts coffee drop-in hours this morning from 10 a.m.-noon for the senior LGBT community. Older LGBT adults can come and enjoy complimentary coffee and conversation with other community members. For more information, visit thedccenter.org. Youth Working Group holds its monthly meeting at the D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.) this evening from 6-7:30 p.m. The group works to support and advocate for D.C.s LGBT youth. For more details, visit thedccenter.org. The D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W..) hosts coffee drop-in hours this morning from 10 a.m.-noon for the senior LGBT community. Older LGBT adults can come and enjoy complimentary coffee and conversation with other community members. For more information, visit thedccenter.org. Us Helping Us (3636 Georgia Ave., N.W.) holds a support group for gay black men to discuss topics that affect them, share perspectives and have meaningful conversations. For details, visit uhupil.org. Nellies Sports Bar (900 U St., N.W.) hosts poker night tonight at 8 p.m. Win prizes. Free to play. For more information, visit nelliessportsbar.com.
IMAGE COURTESY OF DRA

Whats Up Batman?, a piece from the Portraits of Pop Culture exhibit which opens tonight at Del Ray Artisans.

Saturday, March 8
Team D.C. hosts its annual fashion show and model competition at Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) tonight from 7-10 p.m. Fashions include club wear, swim wear, underwear and more. Tickets are $15 and proceeds help support the Team D.C. College Scholarship program for LGBT student athletes. You can bid for the clothes right off the models. For more details, visit teamdc.org/fashionshow. The Mautner Project of WhitmanWalker Health holds its 24th Annual Mautner Project Gala and Dance at JW Marriot (1331 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.) tonight from 6 p.m.-midnight. Honorees include Maryland Delegate Heather Mizeur and former Mautner Project Executive Director Leslie J. Calman. Entertainment provided by Kellye Gray and DJ Rosie. Tickets are $250. For more information, visit whitman-walker.org. Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) hosts BEARZERK, a bear party, tonight at 10 p.m. Music by DJs Dean Sullivan, Tommy Cornelis and George DADHEMAR. Well and domestic drinks are $5. Jamesons,

meeting in the upstairs room of Dupont Italian Kitchen (1637 17th St., N.W.) from 7-9 p.m. tonight. For more details, visit thedccenter.org. SMYAL (410 7th St., S.E.) holds free and condential HIV testing drop-in hours from 3-5 p.m. today. For details, visit smyal.org.

at Larrys Lounge (1836 18th St., N.W.) tonight from 7-9 p.m. For more information, visit facebook.com/groups/QFCDC. Rainbow Response, an LGBT intimate partner violence prevention group, meets in the third oor conference room at 5 Thomas Circle N.W. today from 6-7 p.m. For details, visit thedccenter.org.

Wednesday, March 12
The Lambda Bridge Club meets tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Dignity Center (721 8th St., S.E.) for duplicate bridge. No reservations required and new comers welcome. If you need a partner, call 703-407-6540. Big Gay Book Group meets tonight at 7 p.m. at 1155 F St., N.W. Suite 200 to discuss The Martin Duberman Reader: The Essential Historical, Biographical and Autobiographical Writings by Martin Duberman, who founded the rst graduate program LGBT studies and his writings have focused on the medical communitys attempt to cure homosexuality. Newcomers welcome. For more details, email biggaybookgroup@hotmail.com. Queer for Christ, a young-adult LGBT Christian group, hosts a March Happy Hour

Thursday, March 13
Burgundy Crescent, a gay volunteer organization, volunteers today at Food and Friends (219 Riggs Rd., N.E.) from 6-8 p.m.. Come help with food preparation and packing groceries. Coffee and donuts will be provided. For details, visit burgundycrescent.org. Rude Boi Entertainment hosts Tempted 2 Touch, a ladies dance party, at the Fab Lounge (2022 Florida Ave., N.W.) Doors open at 10 p.m. Drink specials $5 and vodka shots $3 all night. No cover charge. Admission limited to guests 21 and over. For more details, visit rudeboientertainment. wordpress.com. MARIAH COOPER

Tuesday, March 11
D.C. Bi Women hosts its monthly

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

MARCH 07, 2014 33

the World
03/07 FLAMENCO FESTIVAL 2014 Ballet Flamenco Eva Yerbabuena: Lluvia
Co-presented with Jaleo by Jos Andrs

Sounds Better

In Here!
03/29 Johnny Clegg 04/25-04/26 MOMIX: Botanica 04/27 What Makes It Great? with Rob Kapilow 03/18 FLAMENCO FESTIVAL 2014 Tomatito Sextet
Co-presented with Jaleo by Jos Andrs Co-presented with Washington Performing Arts Society Co-presented with Washington Performing Arts Society and The Smithsonian Associates

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3 4 MAR CH 07, 2014

THE GUIDE T O AR T S & CULTURE

Hot Hits & Hidden Jewels

From CultureCapital.com Your Link to the Arts in Metro DC

THEATRE
Richard III. Thru Mar 16. Folger Theatre. 202-544-7077. folger.edu. Spring Awakening. Thru Mar 8. Clarice Smith. 301-405-2787. claricesmithcenter.umd.edu. Beaches. Thru Mar 23. Signature Theatre. 703-820-9771. signature-theatre.org. Tribes. Thru Mar 16. Water by the Spoonful. Thru Apr 13. Studio Theatre. 202-232-3300. studiotheatre.org. We Are Proud to Present. Thru Mar 9. Woolly Mammoth. 202-393-3939. woollymammoth.net. The Young Lady from Tacna. Thru Mar 9. GALA Hispanic Theatre. 202-234-7174. galatheatre.org. I And You. Thru Mar 23. Olney. 301-924-3400. olneytheatre.org. Hamlet. Mar 13-Apr 6. Synetic Theater. 703-824-8060. synetictheater.org. La Vida Que Me Das... y no me alcanza. Thru Mar 9. Teatro de la Luna. Gunston. 703-548-3092. teatrodelaluna.org. Orlando. Thru Mar 23. WSC Avant Bard. Theatre on the Run. 703-418-4808. wscavantbard.org. The Wedding Dress. Thru Mar 9. Spooky Action Theater. Universalist National Memorial Church. 202-248-0301. spookyaction.org. Back To Methuselah. Thru Mar 16. Washington Stage Guild. Undercroft Theatre. 240-582-0050. stageguild.org. Shear Madness. Thru Jun 30. Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600. kennedy-center.org.

British Invasion: The Beatles & The Rolling Stones Thru Mar 9. The Washington Ballet. Kennedy Center. 202-362-3606. washingtonballet.org.
Relive this revolution in Trey McIntyres A Day in the Life, an energetic, thrillingly visual and emotional journey set to classic Beatles tunes. Through poignant lyrics, hard-driving guitar licks and strutting dance, Christopher Bruces highly-acclaimed rock ballet Rooster, is the penultimate battle of the sexes.

The Barns at Wolf Trap. 877-965-3872. wolftrap.org. Minetti Quartet - Embassy of Austria. Mar 7. Embassy of Austria. 202-625-2361. embassyseries.org. Giuseppe Verdis Il corsaro. Mar 9. Washington Concert Opera. GW Lisner Auditorium. 202-364-5826. concertopera.org. Happy Birthday Vivaldi: The Extraordinary Four Seasons. Mar 8. National Chamber Ensemble. Spectrum Theatre at Artisphere. 888-841-2787. nationalchamberensemble.org. March Open Mic. Mar 10. DC Cabaret Network. The Passenger. 202-679-8553. dccabaretnetwork.org.

MUSEUMS
Corcoran Gallery of Art. Alex Prager: Face in the Crowd. Thru Mar 9. American Journeys - Visions of Place. Thru Sep 21. 202-639-1700. corcoran.org. Folger Shakespeare Library. Shakespeares the Thing. Thru Jun 15. folger.edu. National Gallery of Art. The Dying Gaul: From the Capitoline Museum, Rome. Thru Mar 16. Modern German Prints and Drawings from the Kainen Collection. Thru Jun 29. 202-737-4215. nga.gov. National Geographic. Women of Vision. Thru Mar 9. 202-857-7000. nglive.org. Museum of Women in the Arts. Judy Chicago: Circa 75. Thru Apr 13. Workt by Hand: Hidden Labor and Historical Quilts. Thru Apr 27. 202-783-5000. nmwa.org. The Phillips Collection. Made In The USA: American Masters From The Phillips Collection, 1850-1970. Thru Aug 31. 202-387-2151. phillipscollection.org.

WORLD STAGES Mar 10-30. Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600. kennedy-center.org.

An international festival highlighting various traditions of theatrical expression from 20 different countries including works by famed director Peter Brook, novelist/playwright Ariel Dorfman, and acclaimed War Horse collaborators Tom Morris and the Handspring Puppet Company; to plays featuring Academy Award nominees Dame Janet Suzman and Emmanuelle Riva and more.

The Cole Porter Project Thru Mar 9. In Series at Source Theatre. 202-204-7763. inseries.org.
Image COURTESY OF The Washington Ballet

A revue of Cole Porters incomparable words and music: an American master who dened the sophisticated soul of a generation.

DANCE
Celtic Nights: The Emigrants Bridge. Mar 7. Strathmore. 301-581-5100. strathmore.org. Joffrey Ballet: American Legends. Mar 7. Body & Soul. Mar 8. GMU Center for the Arts. 888-945-2468. cfa.gmu.edu. Ballet Flamenco Eva Yerbabuena Lluvia. Mar 7. GW Lisner Auditorium. 202-994-6800. lisner.org.

GALLERIES
Artisphere. Claire Briggs: #Coping. Thru Mar 15. 703-875-1100. artisphere.com. Gallery plan b. Works by Regina Miele. Thru Mar 23. 202-234-2711. galleryplanb.com. Goethe-Institut. Gute Aussichten: New German Photography 2013-2014. Thru Apr 25. 202-289-1200. goethe.de. Joan Hisaoka Gallery. A Window into the Minds Eye. Thru Mar 15. 202-483-8600. smithcenter.org. The Art League Gallery. The 15th Biennial Ikebana Show. Thru Mar 9. ColorField. Mar 12-Apr 7. The Cocoon Series by E.E. McCollum. Mar 13-Apr 7. 703-683-1780. theartleague.org.

MUSIC
WNO: Moby-Dick. Thru Mar 8. Mar 9.Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600. kennedy-center.org. The Songs of George Gershwin. Mar 9. WPAS. Baird Auditorium202-785-9727. wpas.org. Winterreise. Mar 7. Enter The Haggis. Mar 8. The Oak Ridge Boys. Mar 9. Paul Byrom. Mar 12. Solas. Mar 13-Mar 14.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

MARCH 07, 2014 35

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36 MAR CH 07, 2014

C ONCER T S

Cher and Cher alike

Believe legend isnt only one with that name coming to town
By MARIAH COOPER The D.C. spring concert season is every bit as gay and musically eclectic as one might expect. Coming right up on Sunday evening is Washington Concert Opera which will perform a full-length concert version of the rare Verdi gem Il Corsaro with tenor Michael Fabiano and soprano Nicole Cabell. They will perform at 6 p.m. at the Lisner Auditorium (730 21st St. N.W.) at George Washington University. Go to concertopera. org for ticket information. Pop legends Sting and Paul Simon will perform a benet concert for the Duke Ellington School of the Arts 40th anniversary on March 12 at 8 p.m. at the Strathmore (5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, Md). Tickets start at $250 and go up to $750. Lesbian folk duo Indigo Girls come to the Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria, Va.) April 22. The folk/rock duo went from playing together in high school to becoming Grammy winners in 1990 with their hit single Closer to Fine. The soldout show opens with Shirlette Ammons, a lesbian hip-hop artist from North Carolina. Visit birchmere.org for more information. Its unofcially lesbian rocker night April 19 at Jammin Java. disappear fear, featuring lesbian front-woman SONIA, plays the venue (227 Maple Ave., Vienna, Va.) at 7 p.m. The band, which formed in Baltimore, has toured the world and been an advocate for LGBT rights. Tickets are $18 in advance and $20 day of show. Antigone Rising, an all-lesbian alt-country band, opens with a 6 p.m. set. The band has performed alongside Joan Jett, the Rolling Stones and Aerosmith. Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 day of show. Doors open at 6 p.m. For more details, visit jamminjava.com. Art-rock band My Darling Fury plays the Tree House Lounge (1006 Florida Ave., N.E.) on March 20th at 9 p.m. Danny Reyes, who is gay, is the lead singer of the Richmond, Va.,-based band. For details, visit treehouselounge.com. American Idol season six runner-up Crystal Bowersox comes to Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd., Vienna, Va.) March 26. The singer, known for her soulful voice, has been cast as Pasty Cline in the upcoming Broadway production Always Patsy Cline. This show is sold out. For more information, visit wolftrap.org. Folk singer Cheryl Wheeler gives a performance at the Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria, Va.) March 29 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $35. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit birchmere.com. D.C. Different Drummerss Capitol Pride Symphonic Band presents its spring concert Dances! at Columbia Heights Education Campus Auditorium March 29 at 7:30 p.m. This is the last performance for the ensembles conductor Joey Bello before his retirement. Tickets are $10. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit dcdd.org. British pop songstress Cher Lloyd comes to Rams Head Live (20 Market Pl., Baltimore) April 3 at 8 p.m. Lloyd gained attention as
PHOTO COURTESY OF RAMS HEAD LIVE

CHER LLOYD Plays Rams Head Live in Baltimore on April 3.

one of Simon Cowells favorite contestants on X Factor U.K. Since the show Lloyd has found success in the U.S. with her hit single Want U Back. Lloyd also performed at Capital Pride last summer. Tickets are $22 in advance and $25 day of show. For more details, visit ramsheadlive.com. Gay Mens Chorus of D.C. has several performances this spring. First they put on a performance of Von Trapped, a parody of The Sound of Music, at Lisner Auditorium (730 21st St., N.W.) March 1416. Tickets are $29-54. Next, Potomac Fever and Rock Creek Singers perform Forte at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church (1313 New York Ave., N.W.) April 11 at 8 p.m. and at The Mead Center for American Theater (1101 6th St., S.W.) on April 19 at 5 p.m. Tickets are $39-44. Then, A Gay Mans Guide to Broadway, a performance of Broadway hits including Book of Mormon and Kinky Boots, comes to the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) May 18 at 4 p.m. Tickets range from $25-$78. Full details at gmcw.org. Cher comes back to the District for her Dressed to Kill tour at the Verizon Center April 4 at 8 p.m. Pop/rocker Pat Benatar and Benatars husband guitarist Neil Giraldo join

Cher. Tickets range from $40.05-$180.50. Singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright, who is gay, performs at the Lincoln Theatre (1110 Vermont Ave., N.W.) Apr. 16 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $45. For more details and to purchase tickets, visit thelincolndc.com. The sold-out Sweet Life Festival brings some popular acts in the indie music scene to Merriweather Post Pavilion (10475 Little Patuxent Pkwy., Columbia, Md.) on May 10. Artists performing include Lana Del Rey, Foster the People, 2 Chainz and many more. For a complete list of performances and more information, visit sweetlifefestival.com. Pop star Katy Perry brings her The Prismatic World Tour to the Verizon Center June 24 at 7 p.m. Perrys latest album Prism featured hit singles including Roar and Dark Horse. Her previous album Teenage Dream received multiple platinum and gold certications. Tickets range from $41.10-$153.50. For more details and to purchase tickets, visit verizoncenter. monumentalnetwork.com. Motown legend Diana Ross comes to Modell Performing Arts Center at the Lyric (140 W Mt. Royal Ave., Baltimore) June 28 at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $70.60$190.40.

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MARCH 07, 2014 37

Il corsaro
Sunday, March 9 at 6:00pm
Lisner Auditorium | Washington, DC

Guiseppe Verdis

Michael Fabiano | Nicole Cabell | Tamara Wilson Sebastian Catana | Maestro Antony Walker
202-364-5826 | www.concertopera.org

And join us
STEPHANIE BERGER, 2013

VINCENZO BELLINIS

I Capuleti e i Montecchi
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2014
RICHARD STRAUSS

in 2014-2015!

REDISCOVER. LOVE.

Guntram

SUNDAY, MARCH 1, 2015

38 MAR CH 07, 2014

G ALLERIES

Fight the Power

From Homocats to gender-bending video installations, regions galleries not offering same old thing
By MARIAH COOPER Fade 2 Grey, a solo exhibition by Adrian Loving featuring six video art installations that explore androgyny, gender roles, fashion and sensationalism of style in 80s pop music through artists such as Patti Smith, David Bowie, Grace Jones, Sylvester, Boy George, Prince and more, opens with a reception tonight from 6-9 p.m. and runs through April 25. Its at Vivid Solutions Gallery inside the Anacostia Arts Center (1231 Good Hope Road, S.E.). Visit vividsolutionsgallery.com for full details. Transformer (1404 P St., N.W.) is featuring HOMOCATS: Fight the Power by Brooklyn-based artist J. Morrison through March 15. Morrison, who is gay, combines the internet phenomenon of cats and sociopolitical LGBT issues on a psychedelic wallpaper design and printed c-prints. His work pays homage to historic queer symbols like the rainbow ag and pink triangle. AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center (8633 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring, Md.) and Royal Books presents Behind the Fourth Wall: Actors and Directors on the Set, Photographs 1926-2001, a behind-thescenes movie exhibit. It opens today and runs through May 26. The exhibit is a collection of vintage behind-the-scenes of classic lms from the silent era to the 20th century. The photos are candid and were taken by famous photographers such as Mario Tursi and Bob Willoughby, working professionals and anonymous photographers. For more details, visit a.com/silver. Kreeger Museum (2401 Foxhall Rd., N.W.) is currently featuring K@20, a celebration of the museums 20th anniversary, through July 31. The exhibit features 14 D.C.-area artists in a variety of mediums including installations, paintings, sculptures and paper to video. On April 16 from 6-7:30 p.m., a roundtable discussion will occur. For more information, visit kreegermuseum.com. Touchstone Gallery (901 New York Ave., N.W.) presents Light and Dark, an exhibit that explores darkness and light in the spring equinox, through March 30. Touchstone member artists produced various forms of artwork such as ceramics, paintings, sculpture and drawing. For more details, visit touchstonegallery.com. Corcoran Gallery (500 17th St., N.W.) features Rineke Dijkstras The Krazyhouse, Liverpool UK, 2009 a fourchannel video installation exhibit, March 29-June 15. Dikstra lmed guests at a popular dance club in Liverpool. It shows ve young people (Megan, Simon, Nikky, Phillip and Dee) as they dance and sing to music they selected themselves. The half-hour show intends to look at each individual in a broader social spectrum. Corcoran Gallery is also showing Jennifer Steinkamp and Jimmy Johnson: Loop, a visual art and music installation, March 15-April 20. Visitors are surrounded by digital colorful rope and can see their shadows on the walls. The combination makes for a multi-colored three dimension moving abstraction. Admission for the gallery is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and students and free for children under 12. Visit corcoran.org for more details. Gallery B (770 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, Md.) is showing Ideal Form, featuring paintings and drawings by artist Robert OBrien, through March 29. OBrien is a Maryland native and received his Certicate in Painting from Washington Studio School. His work has been shown in galleries throughout the area. For more details, visit bethesda.org. Foundry Gallery (1314 18th St., N.W.) presents Ana Elisa Benavents Shifting Gears through March 30. Benavent uses color expressionism to demonstrate revival, healing, reinvention and change through a painting interpretation of riding in a car. Visit foundrygallery.org for more information. The Phillips Collection (1600 21st St., N.W.) is showing Intersections: 50-65 Horizon Line by Jean Meisel, a D.C.-based artist, through May 4. The exhibit displays more than 50 watercolor paintings of horizon lines. The Phillips Collection is also featuring Made in the USA, the most comprehensive on-site installation of the Phillips American collection to date, through Aug. 31. The exhibit includes prominent American artists of the late 19th century, as well as a display of Abstract Expressionists. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for students and seniors and free for members and children under 12. Featured artists are Edward Hopper, Milton Avery, Man Ray and many more. Visit phillipscollection.org for details.

IMAGE COURTESY OF THE FOUNDRY GALLERY

Edward Hoppers Sunday

Artisphere (1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Va.) presents Coast to Coast by Empty Stretch, an online photography curation group, April 2-Aug. 3 on the Town Hall Video Wall. Empty Stretch selected approximately 400 photographs that feature different coastlines and bodies of water. The photographs were collected through email submissions and Flickr. Visit artisphere.com for more details. Hirshhorn (700 Independence Ave., S.W.) is featuring Santiago Sierra and Jorge Galindo in the Hirshhorns Black Box series with Los Encargados (Those in Charge) through May 18. Sierra staged a performance in 2012 with a motorcade of seven black Mercedes-Benz sedans with portraits of prominent Spanish leaders on top. By-standers lmed the spectacle on their phones and the footage can be seen in black and white.
CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

ITS ALL ABOUT CHANGE!

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BE PART OF OUR 2014 SEASON!

FEB 26 - MAR 23

I AND YOU

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40 MAR CH 07, 2014

MUSIC

80s resurrection?
Two gay legends named George slated for first albums in years
By RYAN ROSADO Is your iPod ready for some major gay action? Before we get to the spring releases, though, a couple albums that dropped in February you might have missed. Coinciding with the premiere of the latest season of RuPauls Drag Race, the queen of all drag queens, RuPaul, released her sixth full-length studio effort, Born Naked on Feb. 24. RuPaul enlists the help of whos who of underground pop including Weather Girl/dance legend Martha Wash, Australian soul singer Clairy Browne and My Crazy Girlfriend vocalist Myah Marie. Born Naked also features a cover of Let the Music Play featuring Michelle Visage. Catie Curtis released her 13th studio album Flying Dream on Feb. 25 which treats her fans to 10 new tracks which the out singer/ songwriter describes as a lustrous long player with subtle jazz, electronic and AM pop shadings. Hitmaker Pharrell Williams dropped his highly anticipated studio set GIRL this week. Packed with star-studded collaborations featuring Justin Timberlake, Alicia Keys, Miley Cyrus and Daft Punk, GIRL promises to take listeners on a popfunk joy ride. Gay pop legend George Michael is slated to release his rst album in seven years, Symphonica, on March 18. Recorded during his Symphonica Tour in 2011 and 2012, Michaels latest album will feature live classics and covers. The rst single is dramatic ballad Let Her Down Easy. Sure to be on repeat into the summer is Kylie Minogues latest album Kiss Me Once scheduled for March 18. Lead single Into the Blue picks up where Get Outta My Way left off with dance-infused goodness. Minogue collaborated with pop hit-makers Sia and Pharell Williams this time around and features Enrique Iglesias on the duet, Beautiful. Another gay pop legend, Boy George, makes his rst return to the music scene since 1995s Cheapness & Beauty with the March 25 release of This Is What I Do. Georges latest full-length LP features an eclectic sound with jazz, country and soft rock stylings accompanied by Georges signature soulful voice. Cyndi Lauper celebrates the 30th anniversary of her hugely successful album Shes So Unusual with a rerelease scheduled for April 1. The two-disc commemorative set features signature hits Girls Just Wanna Have Fun and Time After Time on disc one and a combination of remixes, demos and live recordings on disc two. Speaking of Lauper, fresh off a Tony- and Grammy-winning turn in her hit Kinky Boots, out Broadway legend Billy Porter will release Billys Back on Broadway on April 15. Lauper guests on Happy Days/Get Happy on the standards-heavy set. Ally Joan Osborne is back with her eighth studio album Love and Hate dropping April 8. The 12-song collection features an American roots music sound with poetic lyrics. Osborne enlisted the help of producer

IMAGE COURTESY OF FLYLIFE

Kylie Minogues Kiss Me Once is slated to drop March 18.

Jack Petruzzelli. Soulstress Kelis is hungry to get back into the music game with her latest LP Food, scheduled for an April 22 release. Departing from the EDM club sounds of 2010s Brave, Kelis is venturing into a varied sound with Food complete with a full band that includes a horn section and string orchestra. Lead single is the raw and delicious Jerk Ribs. Dolly Parton is a back with her yearsin-the-making Blue Smoke on May 13. Parton promises a little bit of something for everyone. The 12-track release features the Grammy-nominated collaboration with Kenny Rogers, You Cant Make Old Friends. LGBT supporter Tori Amos returns with her 14th full-length effort, Unrepentant Geraldlines due May 13. The album sees Amos returning to her roots after a departure toward more classically inspired

albums. Unrepentant Geralines combines Amos signature piano and thoughtful contemporary pop sound with her appreciation for visual art. Originally discovered by none other than Madonna, bi singer-songwriter Meshell Ndegeocello, is preparing for the reveal of her 11th studio album, Comet, Come to Me slated for a June release. Ndegeocellos latest offering features a groove-driven and infectiously melodic sound. Lead single is the laid-back soul number Continuous Performance. Out Music Award winner Matt Zarley is gearing up for the release of his latest release, Hopeful Romantic also expected in June. Supporting the release is uplifting dance cut, Somebody 4 Everybody which saw a single release in early February. Out organist Cameron Carpenter releases his Sony Masterworks debut If You Could Read My Mind on April 22.

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42 MAR CH 07, 2014

THEATER

Henry, Hamlet and Hair

Full-scale productions, staged readings and big-name one nighters among seasons fare
By PATRICK FOLLIARD With so many new and familiar musicals, plays and performances busting out all over, spring is an especially busy time for D.C.-area theater. And many of the seasons hottest tickets are of special interest to LGBT audiences. Signature Theatre is premiering a musical adaptation of Beaches (through March 30), based on the novel previously adapted for the big screen as the 1988 tearjerker starring Bette Miller and Barbara Hershey. Signatures out artistic director Eric Schaeffer is staging the production. Broadway veterans Alysha Umphress and Mara Davi respectively play odd couple longtime friends Cee Cee and Bertie. Also at Signature (signature-theatre.org), out director Matthew Gardiner is staging a revival of the Berthold Brecht/ Kurt Weill scathing musical critique of capitalism Three Penny Opera (April 22-June 1). The cast features Rick Hammerly (also gay) as scheming Lucy Brown, a part played memorably by Bea Arthur in the 1950s offBroadway version. WSC Avant Bard (wscavantbard.org) is currently presenting Orlando (thru March 23), playwright Sarah Ruhls adaptation of Virgnia Woolfs 1928 novel about a man who becomes a woman. Talented local actor Sara Barker plays the title role. Amber Jackson directs. The Gay Mens Chorus of Washington (gmcw.org) presents Von Trapped (March 12-14). Its a sure-to-be gay parody of The sound of Music featuring those familiar characters and beloved songs but with a twist. James Ellzy is the director/choreography. Comic icon Lily Tomlin comes to the Strathmore (Strathmore.com) in Bethesda, Md., on March 28. In her live act, Tomlin, who recently married longtime partner Jane Wagner, uses her familiar roster of characters like Ernestine the telephone operator and precocious brat Edith Ann to hilariously comment on the human condition. Olympia Dukakis will perform a reading of her onewoman show Rose, which tells of a Jewish woman who has survived major events of the 20th century, at the Strathmore on March 13. As part of its World Stages: International Theatre Festival, the Kennedy Center presents a staged reading of gay playwright Samuel D. Hunters A Great Wilderness on March 22, a story of an older man who has devoted his life to counseling teen boys not to be gay. About to retire, he takes one last client who forces him to confront his own demons. Details at kennedy-center.org. The Keegan Theatre (keegantheatre. com; located on Church Street, N.W., a half block walk from JR.s Bar) presents Hair (March 15-April 12), the acclaimed 60s rock musical that celebrates youth, protest, free love, and, of course, hair. The shows co-creators James Rado and Gerome Ragni shared an intimate relationship that inspired the shows groundbreaking relaxed attitude toward sexuality. The Shakespeare Theatre Companys (shakespearetheatre.org) out artistic director Michael Kahn is staging both Henry IV Part 1 (March 25-June 7) with Stacey Keach playing Falstaff, and the Henry IV Part 2 (April 1-June 8) with local big talent Edward Gero in the title role. Synetic Theatre (synetictheatre.org) is reviving its Helen Hayes Award-winning production of Hamlet, the rst in its enormously successful Silent Shakespeare series, which relies on movement rather than words to tell the story. Out actor Alex Mills plays the gloomy Danish prince. It runs March 13-April 6. Every April 12, parties are held throughout the world celebrating Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarins historic 1961 rst manned space ight. D.C.s Countdown to Yuris Night (C2YN) offers an artistic spin on this high-science holiday by combining an art exhibition, a space-themed burlesque show, band performances and a dance party. Entertainers include New Yorkbased burlesque star Mr. Gorgeous and out performer Patrick Doneghy. This years venue is the spanking new Anacostia Arts Center (c2yn.com). In May, gay director John Waters brings his one-man show This Filthy World (May 16) to the Birchmere (birchmere.com) in Alexandria. For just one performance, the Baltimore-based lm legend will share insights on his journey from trash genre cult favorite to bankable Hollywood director. Gay playwright Peter Sinn Nachtriebs The Totalitarians (June 2-29) makes its area premier in a production staged by out director Robert O Hara at Woolly Mammoth (woollymammoth.net). Set against the backdrop of Nebraska-based political campaign, this high-energy farce pokes fun at the inanity of political language.

PHOTO COURTESY OF STRATHMORE

Actress Olympia Dukakis performs a reading of her one-woman show Rose at the Strathmore March 13.

With Jarman (all this maddening beauty), force/collision pays tribute to Derek Jarman, the British avant-garde artist and lmmaker who died of an AIDS-related illness 20 years ago. A mash-up of video and live performance, Jarman is written by playwright Caridad Svich and will be directed and performed by the ensemble companys out founding director John Moletress. First workshop performances are scheduled for April 17-27 at the Atlas Performing Arts Center (force-collision.org). Holly Twyford, celebrated local actor and now director who is gay, is staging Factory 449s The Amish Project (April 17-May 11), playwright Jessica Dickeys account of the tragic Amish one-room schoolhouse shootings that took place in Nickel Mines, Pa., in 2006, and its effects on the community. The production will be mounted at the Anacostia Arts Center (factory444.org). On April 21, its the annual Helen Hayes Awards, honoring outstanding work in professional local theater from

2013. The event will be held for the rst time at the National Building Museum (theatrewashington.org). Over the last weekend in May, the D.C. Queer Theatre Festival (thedccenter. org) marks its third annual celebration the underrepresented voices and diversity of queer artists. The festival features new plays with themes relevant to the D.C. area and local artists with roots in the community. It also aims to meld quality theater with activism and charity. This spring, the Rainbow Theatre Project (rainbowtheatreproject.com), D.C.s new company committed to presenting LGBTthemed plays and musicals, continues its inaugural season with one night staged readings of gay playwright Noel Cowards Long Island Sound (March 17), a comedy of bad manners featuring out actor Rick Hammerly; and Yank!(May 5), a musical about a gay romance during World War II to be staged by Hammerly, who must be among the hardest working local theater folks this spring.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

MARCH 07, 2014 43

Your Passport to International Theater

March 1030
Three weeks of contemporary theater, staged readings, forums, and installations from 19 countries
Curated by Alicia Adams, Vice President of International Programming

Spring is

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212-675-4106 WASHINGTON BLADE MARCH 7, 2014 4.75" x 11.5" 4C NP

Fabulous

Photo by Simon Annand

Photo by Jeff Busby

RUPERT

A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM

Photo by Chai Lin

GREEN SNAKE

WORLD-RENOWNED THEATER COMPANIES

Melbourne Theatre Company Baxter Theatre Centre Bristol Old Vic in association with Handspring Puppet Company LA MAFIA Teatro Nalagaat Theater Deaf-Blind Acting Ensemble Thtre de lAtelier National Theatre of China Tapioca Inn Ronnie Burkett Theatre of Marionettes Tokyo Theatre Company KAZE and Les Souffleurs commandos potiques Thtre des Bouffes du Nord The National Theatre of Iceland

March is Orchid Month Our greenhouses full of orchids are more vibrant than ever before. Learn about Hillwood founder Marjorie Merriweather Posts favorite ower through talks, workshops, and tours all month long. Now on view Dont miss the special exhibition, Passion of the Empress: Catherine the Greats Art Patronage

LEADING DIRECTORS, PLAYWRIGHTS, AND ACTORS

Peter Brook Ariel Dorfman Tom Morris David Williamson Dame Janet Suzman
Presenting Underwriter HRH Foundation Major support is provided by David and Alice Rubenstein.
Corporate support is provided by Chevron. Additional support is provided by A. Huda and Samia Farouki, The Florence Gould Foundation, The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, Amalia Perea Mahoney and William Mahoney, The Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater, and the State Plaza Hotel. International government support is provided by the Ministry of Culture of the Peoples Republic of China, the Embassy of the Peoples Republic of China in the United States, the Embassy of Israel in the United States, the Canada Council for the Arts, The National Theatre of Iceland, and the Japan Foundation. Major support for education and related artistic programming is provided by David and Alice Rubenstein through the Rubenstein Arts Access Program, the National Committee for the Performing Arts, and the Presidents Advisory Committee on the Arts. International Programming at the Kennedy Center is made possible through the generosity of the Kennedy Center International Committee on the Arts.

Where Fabulous Lives

For more information call 202.686.5807 or visit HillwoodMuseum.org 4155 Linnean Ave. NW, Washington DC Free parking

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4 4 MAR CH 07, 2014

DINING

Fusions of taste
From an all-grilled cheese menu to Red Light cocktails, D.C. chefs get creative to get noticed
By JONATHAN HOWARD This spring, new concepts, chefs and restaurants are popping up all over. Aggio (5335 Wisconsin Ave. N.W.) opened within Bryan Volttaggios Range on Valentines Day and another is scheduled to open in Baltimore later this year. The Aggio inside Range is an 80-seat Italian destination. Voltaggio built the kitchen at Range to be able to accommodate more and didnt particularly like the nishes in the backroom of Range, so when he didnt nd another suitable space for this Italian-American eatery, he chose to include it in the Range space. Voltaggios food never disappoints but the lamb ragu on the Aggio menu sounds astonishingly good with the pomodoro sauce made with lamb shoulder, roasted lamb grind and rendered aged lamb fat. Caf Deluxe (22nd and M streets, N.W.) plans to open its fth location this spring; this one in the West End in the Hilton Garden Inn. Caf Deluxe will accommodate 130 people in the dining room and 38 at the bar. The Carolina Kitchen (2300 Washington Place, N.E.) plans its rst D.C. location in early March just steps from the Rhode Island Ave. Metro stop. Fresh ingredients and his grandmothers recipes are what inspire chef and owner Lance Londons menu. China Chilcano (418 7th St. N.W.) by Jose Andres opens in Penn Quarter this spring; this will be his third restaurant on the same block. China Chilcano will be similar to his Vegas restaurant China Poblano except instead of fusing Mexican and Chinese, it will fuse the Chilfa cuisine of Peru with Chinese food. This is destined to be another homerun for Andres. Compass Rose (1346 T St., N.W.) will focus on serving street food from across the world as well as wines from some lesser known countries like Croatia and Georgia. Former executive chef for Jaleo, John Paul Damato will manage the kitchen. DBGB Kitchen and Bar from acclaimed New York City Chef Daniel Boulud opens in the City Center complex late this spring. Boulud is famous for his upscale casual concepts and the DBGB in D.C. will have a similar feel to its predecessor on Bowry in New York City blending the French Brassiere concept with American Tavern. District Doughnut (749 8th St. S.E.) plans its rst brick and mortar store in Barracks Row by April. It will feature creative doughnut avors like dulce de leche and peanut butter and jelly. Dram and Grain (2007 18th St. N.W.) is a new limited seating, reservation-only bar in the basement of Jack Rose Dining Saloon. Trevor Frye and partner Nick Love plan on building an ever-changing cocktail program that includes long-forgotten classics as well as new and inventive concoctions so that no two visits are the same. Fiola Mare (3050 K St. N.W.) is brought to the District by Rammy Award-winning Chef Fabio Trabbochi who is expanding his Italian concept to Georgetown with this establishment focusing on seafood. GCDC (1730 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.) will be Washingtons rst grilled- cheesecentric restaurant. The selection of grilled cheese options will rotate consistently but some possibilities include French onion soup in a sandwich, lobster and Gouda grilled cheese or turkey pesto with mozzarella. Three to three-and-a-half ounces of cheese will be used on each sandwich. Just imagining the ooey-gooey goodness is making me hungry; GCDC is scheduled to open this month. Lupo Verde (1401 T St. N.W.) opened its doors just a couple weeks ago. Lupo Verde, which means green wolf, is owned and operated by the Lalou Group, which owns three other restaurants in D.C., including Ulah Bistro. This intimate 100seat restaurant will be serving rustic Italian fare. About 70 percent of the restaurants menu will be available to go including 50 artisanal cheeses. Maketto (H St., N.E.) is a long-awaited, 6,000-square foot space from Toki Underground Chef Erik Bruner-Yang and Will Sharp of the clothing label DURKL. Maketto (which means ea market in Japanese) will be a communal space offering clothing, food and a coffee bar from Vigilante. Red Light Cocktails and Dessert Bar (1401 R St. N.W.) will take over the space that was occupied by the short-lived coffee and wine concept Bar di Bari. Partners Aaron Gordon, Robert Underwood and brothers Ari and Micah Wilder are teaming up to open this establishment whose name gives a playful nod to 14th Streets colorful past. Be prepared to enjoy imaginative sweets, potent spirits and boozy desserts when this establishment opens in April.
PHOTO BY KEN GOODMAN PHOTOGRAPHY

BRIAN VOLTAGGIO OF AGGIO

Ri Ra Georgetown (3123-3125 M St. N.W.) will expand its authentic Irish offerings with the launch of its highly anticipated lunch menu. Lunch will be served from 11 a.m.4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Highlights include dishes like the 202 burger, a beef patty topped with shaved rib, melted Swiss, caramelized onions and horseradish aioli on a pretzel bun. Toro Toro (1300 I St. N.W.) by acclaimed Chef Richard Sandoval is anticipating a late March opening. Toro Toro is a Pan-Latin steakhouse concept that will offer artfully designed dishes with South and Central American avors and ingredients. Dishes will include arepes, ceviches, steaks and savory side dishes meant for sharing. Diners will also have the opportunity to indulge in Toro Toros Rodizio Experience, which features unlimited amounts of perfectly grilled meats that are carved tableside. With all these options opening up in such a short period, not only will this restaurant columnist be busy, but also so will foodies all over town.

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

MARCH 07, 2014 45

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46 MAR CH 07, 2014

FILM

Queer celluloid
Festivals, docs, features, retrospectives, contests and more among local spring film season
By BRIAN T. CARNEY The spring lm season in Washington starts with a bang with Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me, a comic and poignant documentary by Chiemi Karasawa that captures the legendary performers life in New York City. The lm interweaves footage from Stritchs professional life (teasing Alec Baldwin on the set of 30 Rock and struggling to remember the tricky lyrics of Stephen Sondheim for her nal show at the Caf Carlyle) and personal life (medial crises and packing for her move from Manhattan to Michigan). Shoot Me opens at West End Cinema on March 14. The works of groundbreaking gay writer Tennessee Williams will be among those featured at the AFI Silver Theatre in Silver Spring this spring. A celebration of Vivien Leighs centenary will include The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone and Leighs iconic performance as Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire. A retrospective on the career of Burt Lancaster will include his sizzling performance opposite Oscar winner Anna Magnani in The Rose Tattoo, as well as his powerful appearance in the classic Come Back, Little Sheba by gay playwright William Inge. Details at a. com/silver. Two documentaries about anti-gay campaigns will be released on DVD this spring. Michael Lucas Campaign of Hate: Russia and Gay Propaganda will be available on April 1 and nds the gay porn legend continuing his branching out into non-porn terrain. Yoruba Richens documentary The New Black examines how the black community is grappling with the issues of marriage equality and civil rights, and how the Christian right is exploiting anti-gay sentiment in black churches. It comes to home formats in June after it is broadcast on PBS as part of its Gay Pride Month celebration. April 1 is also the DVD release date for the documentary I Am Divine, which explores the transformation of mild-mannered Baltimore native Harris Glenn Milstead into Divine, a cinematic terrorist and legendary international drag icon. Filmmaker Jeffrey Schwarz combines interviews with Milsteads mother and Divines cinematic collaborators to create a complex portrait of a fascinating artist. On a lighter note, the trend of female buddy movies continues with The Other Woman, a comedy featuring Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann and Kate Upton as three women turn the tables on the man who cheats on all three of them. The movie, which opens in wide release on April 25, also features a performance by pop singer Nicki Minaj. Bmore QFest (formerly/formally known as the Baltimore Queer Film and Media Festival) strives to bring unity to the community by bringing quality LGBT lm to Charm City. Upcoming events include a double bill of Sordid Lives and Southern Baptist Sissies with screenwriter Del Shores on April 6 and Leslie Jordan (Sordid Lives and Will & Grace) performing his oneman show Fruit Fly on June 10-11. Details at bmorequeer.org. Stranger by the Lake, the gay erotic thriller that won the Queer Palm (an independent award given to entries made to the Cannes Film Festival) and was named one of the top lms of 2013 by the inuential Cahiers du Cinema is still looking for a venue in D.C. If all else fails, this steamy tale of murder and sexual awakening set by a scenic lake in rural France will be available on DVD May 13. Interior. Leather Bar., inspired by the mythology surrounding the 1980 lm Cruising, will be released on DVD on April 15. Filmmakers James Franco and Travis Mathews (I Want Your Love) reimagine the lost footage from the controversial lm

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as they document their own challenges with shooting sexually explicit material. LGBT lmmakers will have a chance to strut their stuff in the annual 48 Hour Film Fest. From 7:30 p.m. on May 2 to 7:30 p.m. on May 4, teams of local artists will create original short lms. The lms will be screened the following weekend at AFI Silver Theatre and the winner will advance to the national competition. Teams can register at 48hourlm.com. Although the D.C. Shorts Film Festival wont be held until September, the staff and volunteers, under the direction of founder Jon Gann, an openly gay director, will host a variety of events this spring. In March, the Mentors program will offer a series of workshops for lmmakers of all skill levels. On June 13-14, the D.C. Shorts Laughs will offer evenings that combine funny short lms and stand-up comedians. And most importantly, the Festival is now accepting entries from both directors and screenwriters. For more information, visit dcshorts.com.

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48 MAR CH 07, 2014

TELEVISION

Whole lotta gay

Queer representation now so omnipresent on TV its nearly de rigueur
By SANTIAGO MELLI-HUBER Both seasons of the Netix original series House of Cards are available for streaming online. Season two builds on some of the implied LGBT themes of season one, both explicitly and implicitly. Season two of Orange Is the New Black will become available on Netix on June 6. The show, set in a womens prison, is rife with lesbian relationships and includes trans actress Laverne Cox in a signicant supporting role. Season four of Arrested Development is also available on Netix. The series stars Jason Bateman, Portia de Rossi and Jessica Walter. Series creator Mitchell Hurwitz is planning an Arrested Development movie as well as a fth season. The CW airs a new series, StarCrossed, on Mondays at 8 p.m. The show stars Matt Lanter as an alien and Aimee Teegarden as a human whose love is forbidden. The show carries heavy themes of racial integration, the Civil Rights movement and the gay rights movement. Once Upon a Time returns to ABC on March 9 at 8 p.m. The second half of the season will focus heavily on the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz. Revenge returns to ABC on March 9 at 10 p.m. Madeline Stowe, Emily VanCamp and Gabriel Mann star in this drama, a contemporary re-imagining of

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The Count of Monte Cristo, told from a female perspective. OWN will premiere a new Lindsay Lohan documentary series called Lindsay on March 9 at 10 p.m. Over eight episodes, the show will focus on the actresss attempts to rebuild her life and career following legal and public relations troubles. As part of the lineup of Robert Rodriguezs new network El Rey, From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series premieres on March 10 at 9 p.m. The show will expand on the mythology of the cult-favorite From Dusk till Dawn series. Season 18 of Dancing With the Stars premieres on March 17 at 9 p.m. on ABC. Contestants had not been announced by the time of publishing, but they will likely include NeNe Leakes and Candace Cameron Bure of Full House fame. LGBT ally and activist Aisha Tyler returns to host another season of Whose Line Is It Anyway? on March 21 at 8 p.m. on The CW. The nal season of Drop Dead Diva premieres on March 23 at 9 p.m. on Lifetime. Bi comedian and LGBT activist Margaret Cho stars in the show. James Van Der Beek stars in Friends With Better Lives, a comedy premiering on March 31 at 9 p.m. on CBS. Mindy Kalings sitcom The Mindy Project returns to Fox on April 1 at 9 p.m. Adam Pally, who recently starred in Happy Endings as the openly gay Max Blum, has been promoted to a series regular on The Mindy Project. Comedian Amy Schumer returns with season two of Inside Amy Schumer on April 1 at 10:30 p.m. on Comedy Central. The sketch comedy series tackles a number of topics, including sexuality. The American Country Music Awards will air on April 6 at 8 p.m. on CBS. Some

nominees for top awards this year include Taylor Swift, Kacey Musgraves, Sheryl Crow and Carrie Underwood. Season four of Game of Thrones premieres on April 6 at 9 p.m. on HBO. Season three of Veep returns to HBO on April 6 at 10 p.m. The shows star, Julia LouisDreyfus, won Emmys for her performances in the rst two seasons of the show as Vice President Selina Meyer. Mad Men premieres the rst part of its nal season on April 13 at 10 p.m. on AMC. Throughout its run, the show has addressed sex and sexuality as they were perceived in the 60s, when the show takes place. Orphan Black, a Canadian science ction series, premieres its second season on April 19 at 9 p.m. on BBC America. The show stars Tatiana Maslany playing multiple characters and Jordan Gavaris as her gay foster brother. MTV premieres Faking It on April 22 at 10:30 p.m. The show revolves around two high school girls who are mistakenly outed as lesbians and keep up the charade as their popularity rises. Another character is the openly gay Shane, described as the most popular boy in the school. HBOs lm The Normal Heart airs May 25 at 9 p.m. The adaptation of the play by Larry Kramer focuses on the rise of HIV/ AIDS in New York City in the early 80s. The lm stars Matt Bomer, Jim Parsons, Jonathan Groff, Julia Roberts and others. The 68th annual Tony Awards airs June 8 on CBS at 8 p.m. The ceremony recognizing achievement in Broadway productions will be hosted by Hugh Jackman for the fourth time. RuPauls Drag Race season six just premiered last week and continues on Monday nights at 9 p.m. on Logo. The show has also been renewed for a seventh season as well.

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SPOR T S

Gay games galore

Winter growth means many local Team D.C. leagues at capacity for spring
By KEVIN MAJOROS The LGBT sports community of Washington continued to grow over the winter months. The leagues are all at full capacity and new teams are popping up every few months. Most of the groups are in training for Gay Games 9 to be held in Cleveland/Akron in August. Several of the teams are offering Gay Games scholarships for those in need. The Team D.C. Fashion Show & Model Search will be held on Saturday at Town with the doors opening at 7 p.m. Clothes will be auctioned off the models to fund the Team D.C. College Scholarship Program which grants awards to local, openly gay student athletes. This years show features fashions from Tattee Boy, Mensuas, UnderBriefs, T Christopher New York, Fireboy, Adam & Eve, Skiviez, Body Aware and Universal Gear. The Team D.C. SportsFest is coming on April 10 at 6 p.m. at Room & Board. This is a great opportunity to meet and greet with members of about 30 LGBT sports teams from the area and enjoy cocktails on the outdoor deck. Team D.C. will host Night OUT at the Wizards on March 28 as the Wizards take on the Indiana Pacers at the Verizon Center. Tickets are $20 (normally $36 at the box ofce). Stonewall Dodgeball kicked off its

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inaugural season this week with play on Tuesday nights at the Cleveland Elementary School. Registration for the league sold out fast and was capped at 100 players. Also new in town is TriOut, an LGBT offshoot of the D.C. Triathlon Club. The group will target regular triathlon races along with LGBT-themed events such as Pride Run, Swim for Life and the Gay Games. The D.C. Sentinels basketball team is wrapping up its third season of the Washington, D.C. Gay Basketball League. On April 5, members will be sending teams to compete in the Coady Roundball Classic in Chicago. The Capital Area Rainbowlers Association is hosting its Crazy Bowling Tournament, a singles event, on March 8 at the AMF Annandale Lanes in Annandale, Va. On March 29, they will host the CARA Championship Tournament at AMF Centreville Lanes in Centreville, Md. The D.C. Gay Flag Football League will kick off its eighth season with 20 teams vying for the spring championship title. Registration capped out at 260 players, but you can still sign up for the supplemental draft, which begins after week three. The Washington Renegades Rugby Football Club began its spring season last week with league play scheduled to run through May 10. Charm City Volleyball will host the Charm City Invitational 29 on March 2930 at the Volleyball House in Elkridge, Md. Recreational volleyball is hosted on Wednesday nights and competitive play on Sunday mornings. The D.C. Strokes Rowing Club is hosting Winter Erg Training through March 13. Their Learn to Row Program begins registration in early March and offers an introduction to

the sport of rowing and the opportunity to advance to their Novice Program. The XXI Stonewall Regatta will be held on June 1 on the Anacostia River. Registration events for the 2014 summer season of the Chesapeake and Potomac Softball League begin this month. The season begins on May 4 and their MAGIC Tournament will be contested on July 5-6. The spring league of the Capital Tennis Association will run from March to May and the spots lled up quickly. Registration for the summer league will open on April 1 and will run from May to September. The Federal Triangles Soccer Club with be holding the fth annual FTSC Womens Winter Wrap-Up Indoor Cup on March 23 at the Dulles Sportsplex. Registration for the Summer of Freedom League will open in late April. Season six of Stonewall Bocce will begin on March 20 at Logan Circle. Registration is closed but you can still get on the waiting list. The North American Gay Volleyball Championships XXXII will be held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center from May 22-25. The event will be cohosted by New Yorks Gotham Volleyball and Capital City Volleyball. UltimateOUT Frisbee is offering Frisbee play for members of the LGBT community at all levels including beginners on Saturdays starting in March. The spring season has also begun for Washington Scandals Rugby. Practices are being held on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Garrison Elementary School. Stonewall Kickball begins its spring season which runs from March 23 to May 11 at Stead Field on Sundays. The group also offers Thursday night play in conjunction with D.C. Kickball.

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Kreeger Museum 20th Anniversary Exhibition

K@20 February 20-July 31, 2014

K@20 highlights 14 Washington, DCarea artists: Kendall Buster, William Christenberry, Gene Davis, Sam Gilliam, Tom Green, Ledelle Moe, Michael B. Platt, Jann Rosen-Queralt, John Ruppert, Jim Sanborn, Jeff Spaulding, Dan Steinhilber, Rene Stout, and Yuriko Yamaguchi. Displaying a broad spectrum of interests and styles, the featured artists have all contributed to the Washington art scene and beyond and each has shown previously at The Kreeger. In recognition of the Museums history, guest curator Sarah Tanguy relates the artworks thematically to the buildings architecture and aspects of the collection. From installations, paintings, sculptures, and works on paper to video, the selection offers a fresh perspective, not only on individual practices, but also on the collective strength of Washingtons art community - and honors Carmen and David Lloyd Kreegers legacy and the Museums future.
Courtesy of Rene Stout

Rene Stout. Reverend Zombies, 2011. Screen print with pigment and wax on paper mounted to canvas.

52 MAR CH 07, 2014

B OOKS

Paths through pages

Kindle or ink and paper, this springs books will take you places
By TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

Photo by Erich Keel

Whether youre looking for a fabulous read for a spring ing/getaway or youre hoarding books for that long-anticipated summer vacation, there are lots of books to look for this spring and events youll want to attend. Lets start this trip with books. Its practically an Emma Donoghue Courtesy of the artist and Tim Davis of International Visions The Gallery signature: take one obscure historical event Michael B. Platt. We Always Met at Our Water Hole, 2013. and wrap a what if? story around it Digital print on adhesive fabric which is exactly what you get in Frog Music, due next month. Its 1876 and Blanche Beunon is nearly 2401 Foxhall Road, NW Washington, DC 20007 run over by a strange man on a penny 202.338.3552 kreegermuseum.org farthing. When the man stops to make sure Blanche is OK, she learns that the man is actually a woman in mens clothing. Jenny Bonnet knows who Blanche is; shes seen Blanche dance and she knows that Blanche sleeps with men for money. Still, the two become friends that is, until the night Jenny is murdered. This imagined tale based on a real murder takes us on a trance-like journey from France to San Francisco. Dont Ask, Dont Tell isnt just something our military personnel know and have lived with. It happens in Great Britain, too, and in Out in the Army: My Life as a Gay Soldier by James Wharton (June), youll read about a boy who wanted adventure. To nd it, he joined the Army and there, he became a man who struggled with disclosure: how to tell his loved ones and colleagues that hes gay. This is one of those action-packed memoirs with pockets of truth and strength. A D V E R T I S IMoving N G P on RO Othis F trip lled with books, in ISSUE DATE: 03.07.14 SALES REPRESENTATIVE: JERYL PARADE (jparade@washblade.com) youll want to read Lost and Found in Johannesburg by Mark Gevisser (April). Its REVIEW AD FOR COPY AND DESIGN ACCURACY. Revisions must be submitted within 24 hours of the date of proof. Proof will be considered nal and will be submitted for publication if revision is not submitted within 24 hours of the story of apartheid, maps and how one led the date of proof. Revisions will not be accepted after 12:01 pm wednesday, the week of publication.Brown naff pitts NS omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) is not responsible for the content and/or design of your ad. Advertiser is to an understanding of the other. You may responsible for any legal liability arising out of or relating to the advertisement, and/or any material to which users GN can link through the advertisement. Advertiser represents that its advertisement will not violate any criminal laws or EVISIONS any rgihts of third parties, including, but not limited to, such violations as infringement or misapporpriation of any nd it fascinating that the author is a gay copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret, music, image, or other proprietary or propety right, false advertising, unfair /LOGO REVISIONS competition, defamation, invasion of privacy or rights of celebrity, violation of anti-discrimination law or regulation, Jewish white born-and-raised South African or any other right of any person or entity. Advertiser agrees to idemnify brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the ADVERTISER SIGNATURE SIONS washington blade) and to hold brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) harmless from any and all By signing this proof you are agreeing to your contract obligations with the married to a man of another race. liability, loss, damages, claims, or causes of action, including reasonable legal fees and expenses that may be incurred washington blade newspaper. This includes but is not limited to placement, by brown naff pitts omnimedia llc, arising out of or related to advertisers breach of any of the foregoing representations payment and insertion schedule. and warranties. Then, landing back home, how about a trip to New York with Nothing Like a Dame by Eddie Shapiro, (February) a book of conversations with some of Broadways leading ladies. Peek in on Carol Channing, Chita Rivera, Patti LuPone, Kristin Chenoweth, Bebe Neuwirth and others. Its almost like being there. Almost. Also just out is Christ-Centered Consciousness in which author John Ryan

John Ruppert, Split Boulders, 2011-13, and Vertical Strike, 2009, Split Column, 2009 and Wing, 2008, cast iron and rocks.

IMAGE COURTESY OF BALBOA PRESS

writes a meditation on how he found peace with being a gay believer. Out novelist (and Washingtonian) Louis Bayards new book Roosevelts Beast tells of an action adventure involving Theodore Roosevelt and his son, Kermit, through Brazils Rio da Duvida circa 1914. Its out March 18. Look for an interview with Bayard in next weeks Blade. And then there are trips you can physically take this spring. If youre a book lover, make plans to attend BOOKS ALIVE! 2014 on March 29 at the Bethesda Marriott on Pooks Hill. This event offers a chance to meet big-name authors and journalists, but aspiring authors will also have a chance to meet with literary agents at pitch sessions. Doors are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., early registration is $220 or $240 at the door, which includes morning coffee and a box lunch. For more information, call Deborah Gelin at 202-223-6161. And before the springs over, be sure to attend the Gaithersburg Book Festival on May 17. Meet authors, nd your next best read and get it signed. Oh, and just in case you missed it in January, fans of legendary gay author Armistead Maupin will denitely want to check out his latest The Days of Anna Madrigal, the end of the 40year, nine-volume Tales of the City series thats let us all get a surprisingly resonating taste of San Franciscos LGBT community over the decades.

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MARCH 07, 2014 53

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SPRING AR T S

Boy George says DJ work freed him

CONTINUEd from page 27

most part. Do you feel the public overall has pretty good gaydar? GEORGE: I dont know really. I think there are some audiences that dont really want to know, depending on the artist. Sometimes people have this kind of spareme-the-details kind of attitude. I think its more about what kind of artist you are and in what ways you want to affect the audience. Thats the starting point for me. Its about whats going to make you happy, do you know what I mean? How much of yourself you reveal. I think its much easier for somebody straight to play around with these boundaries because theyre not being dened by their sexuality. If youre gay, then youre gay and you have to strike a sort of balance so people dont feel youre aunting it in their face or preaching, you know. I think as a gay artist, you have to walk a much ner line than, say, somebody whos just having a irtation with this. I mean, its much easier for someone straight like Macklemore to sing a song with the word gay in it. A few years ago I made an album called Cheapness and Beauty and there was a song called Same Thing in Reverse and I was told categorically this will never, ever get played on the radio because I used the phrase kamikaze queer in it. You can get away with more when youre straight. BLADE: Youve talked about making a new album with Culture Club this year. Is that still in the cards? GEORGE: Yes, we are looking at the possibility of recording some stuff this year but at the moment, were kind of still in the

writing stages. Weve had some great sessions and we really did enjoy ourselves and it was a really nice experience. Everybody came away feeling really good about it and, you know, were going to see what we can do next. BLADE: Its so great to see you looking so good, sounding so good and apparently really thriving. A few of your contemporaries who were also huge in the 80s havent fared as well. What did you think and feel when you heard Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston had died? GEORGE: Oh my God, you know, I mean Michael Jackson. And I loved Whitney Houston like so much. I was just a massive, massive fan. I loved her voice. And Michael Jackson, you know, I was at home when it happened and I just remember thinking, Oh my God, this is so sad. You know, he was such an incredible artist. For the last few years of his life, I felt like there was so much pressure on him and he looked world-weary every time I saw him. I felt such sadness for him. I was just so sad when he died and Whitney, what a shame for both of them. They were great, great artists. I was a huge Michael Jackson fan and a huge Whitney Houston fan and Im not ashamed to say I did cry. I thought it was really sad. BLADE: Conversely does it make you happy when you see some of those artists still doing well today. Like Cyndi Lauper, for instance, just won a Tony. GEORGE: Im always happy when anyone does well. Thats a measure of maturity, I think. Cyndis a friend. I havent seen her for a while, but shes a great girl and, you know, yeah, I think when you see your

contemporaries doing well, it gives you hope. You think, OK, anythings possible. BLADE: You recognized early on that fame was ckle and I remember you telling Johnny Carson you knew staying at that level at the height of Culture Club was not sustainable and that you envisioned yourself eventually writing songs for other artists and doing other things. How has that played out differently than you thought it might have when you were 22? GEORGE: Oh, I think when youre 22 you really think you know it all, dont you? (laughs) You listen back to the things you say and you think, Oh my God, you really thought you knew it all. And I think at that age, youre still learning so much. I feel very fortunate to still be doing what I love. BLADE: Yes, but it struck me as rather insightful that you realized even then that pop careers always ebb and ow. GEORGE: It may be one of the reasons Ive done other things. Ive never wanted to just rest on my laurels. I dont have the idea of trying to kind of repeat something. So in a way, DJing has been an incredible second career for me. When I rst started it, my manager at the time thought it was a really bad idea and told me I shouldnt do it. But again, I just followed my instincts and it was the right thing to do because it allowed me to avoid nostalgia. Ive been able to be involved in a quite progressive industry and not have to worry about what I used to be or, you know, the 80s, and all that stuff. So Im really happy that I made that decision. I like to work. Im a worker and Im always up for a new challenge.

BLADE: Back in the early 90s, the theme from Crying Game was this huge out-ofnowhere smash radio hit in the U.S. Do you still sing it live? GEORGE: From time to time. Actually, maybe thats a good one to put into the set in America. Ill write that down. BLADE: Is it harder to break a song in the U.S. now than it was years ago? Not even with yourself, necessarily, but just in general? GEORGE: I dont know what its like now because Im not involved in that kind of trying to have hits, you know. I think past a certain age, youre just kind of marginalized in the world anyway. BLADE: Does that bring with it artistic freedom? GEORGE: I think it does. Once you kind of get over the shock and the horror that certain radio stations wont play your new stuff no matter how good you are, I mean thats really the bonkers thing. Im not sure its as bad in America as it is here, but certainly here, its just ridiculous. But it kind of remains to be seen. Its a very different landscape now. Making records is very different and the way we promote ourselves is very different. In a way Im kind of starting again, so Ill let you know.
CONTINUES at washingtonblade.com Boy George Monday, April 21 9:30 Club 815 V St. N.W. 930.com $35 Doors open at 7 p.m. Boygeorgeuk.com

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Thank you for making the Dupont Circle Ofce The #1 ofce in the District!
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REAL ESTATE

MARCH 07, 2014 57

The listing you cant nd

How private opportunities may cost the seller
By SAMMY DWECK Lately, some brokerage rms in Washington have been boasting to sellers about how they are holding private exclusive and private placement listings. These are listings where the seller signs an agreement and elects not to go into the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) for exposure to the broader market. Sometimes, these agreements actually give the broker the exclusive right to bring a buyer stopping other brokers from participating. The proponents of private listings tell you the seller that they are doing you a favor, assuring your privacy, making sure only the most qualied buyers can get into your home. Restricting access to a property does not often do the seller a favor it is a benet to the broker who may get both sides of the commission by making sure nobody else has access. Marketing private listings under the guise of exclusivity often excludes potential buyers who might otherwise be interested in your home. The laws of supply and demand dictate that if you reduce the demand by making sure only a few people know about a listing, while you still have the exact same supply, you get less money. Dont get me wrong there are certainly situations that warrant keeping a property out of the MLS. A seller who isnt ready to move until she nds a new house might want to stay out of the computer so as not to run up days on market. A seller whose

property is in particularly poor condition or with an unusual living situation may not want the exposure. By and large, though, more exposure gets you more money. The best way to sell a property in Washington is to price it correctly, present it attractively and make sure that EVERYBODY SEES IT. Multiple offers can cause an escalation in the sales price and may also can garner better terms for the seller. That said, if youve signed a listing agreement that allows for MLS entry but youre still preparing the property for market, there is nothing wrong with letting your agent

make other agents aware of the upcoming listing and even allow them to show it to motivated buyers who have a little imagination. Ive sold many listings pre-market by creating hype; the buyers are afraid they will have to compete and so they will pay top dollar for a property they have fallen in love with. It is up to the seller to decide whether to go with the bird in hand or to see whats in the bush. Sometimes taking a big prot pre-market makes sense; theres nothing like a sure thing. Dont let an agent or broker tell you that he or his rm is the only one with a buyer

for your property. Its OK to sell pre-market, but make sure your agent is working the larger brokerage community for you if you do so. Trying to keep things in-house is a service to the broker, not to the seller, and it can hurt the sellers bottom line. With so many opportunities to capitalize on smart D.C. real estate investments this spring, place your trust in rms that want to expose you to the market.
SAMMY DWECK with Evers & Co. Real Estate, Inc. is a licensed real estate agent specializing in townhouse, condo and co-op sales in the D.C. metro area. Reach him at Sammy@sammydweck.com or 202-716-0400.

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

Business partners MIKE WITKOP and ADAM HOLZSAGER of Window Wears.

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

Local small business team offers full-service selection, design and installation
By MARK LEE The staff at Window Wears knows their business so well customers likely think they have a magic portal into their homes. Business partners Adam Holzsager and Mike Witkop take great pride in serving clients with acquiring custom window blinds, shades, motorized shades, shutters and other window treatment products. If satisfaction, referral and repeat business, and preferred provider status among local builders and real estate agents are indicators, theyre at the top of their game. The companys glowing online reviews provide testimonials the envy of enterprise. Its simply the way they like to operate. Founded by Witkop in 1996, the former mens sportswear specialist launched the business as a result of personal experience. Needing blinds for his residence, Witkop self-ordered them. He discovered it was difcult to locate product options, navigate selection and undertake installation. His offthe-shelf purchases soon developed problems, requiring replacement or repair. The lack of a specialized company providing customized service in D.C. inspired Witkop to discern a business opportunity still fullling a niche. Customer service experience from previously working in the business equipment industry helped Witkop decide to take the leap. He cut the corporate cord cold with a phone call while vacationing in Rehoboth. He set out to master all aspects of his new endeavor with an ofce on his kitchen table. He learned the ropes, established vendor relationships and promoted his business by word of mouth later running ads in the Blade to grow his client base. An underserved marketplace was constantly conrmed as client calls came. Holzsager, a senior buyer for a major grocery store chain, was an acquaintance and had been a previous clothing customer. Whenever Holzsager would ask, Witkop would report his new endeavor

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was booming. It was always as successful as I needed it to be, Witkop recalls. Holzsager started to tentatively inquire, dont you think youll need someone to help out soon? In 2000, he would follow his friends entrepreneurial path by leaving his job and teaming up with him. Five years later, Holzsager would buy out his co-worker when Witkop relocated to San Francisco. Although he enjoyed the West Coast, operating a Window Wears West while there, Witkop would return to D.C. in 2011, re-joining the rm. Shortly thereafter, design and installation team member Bill Carson would begin working full-time. What makes us different is that were familiar with every single task involved in our business, Holzsager says, theres nothing we havent done or dont know well. Both Mike and I have more than a decade of experience working with clients and knowing our products, and we strive to offer lowhype, low-stress service delivering exactly what our clients want with exacting installation in the most convenient way possible. A commitment to excellence and their longevity of operation have enabled the duo to work directly with major national and international manufacturers allowing for quick delivery and great pricing on the highest quality and most innovative window coverings available. Weve put a lot of effort into creating relationships with premier product sources that allow us to offer custom products of quality materials made to last and at good value, emphasizes Holzsager. No national franchise operation can provide that level of service and attention to detail, Witkop adds. Working out of an ofce suite in the Dupont Circle area when not consulting with clients in their homes or handling installations, Window Wears limits service within the Beltway. We want to be able to maintain quick response to ensure clients enjoy complete satisfaction, explains Holzsager. What gives them the most pleasure, however, is helping them decide what their windows will wear.
MARK LEE is a long-time entrepreneur and community business advocate. Follow on Twitter: @MarkLeeDC. Reach him at OurBusinessMatters@gmail. com.

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60 MARCH 07, 2014

MASSAGE / CERTIFIED
START FRESH - UPGRADE yourself before upgrading your phone! My deep tissue massage will help you feel like a new person! Stretching, Swedish & Sports massage. Convenient Dupont location. Marcio (202) 2719440. www.MarciosMassage.com. ROSSLYN / ADAMS MORGAN Improve your workouts and refresh your body. Massage available in Rosslyn Sun-Wed, 301-704-1158 and at TuSuva, Adams Morgan Thur-Sat 202-299-9005 (ask for Gary). http://www. mymassagebygary.com/ Gary 301-704-1158. BEST MASSAGE BY male certied therapist. Soothing Swedish; deep-tissue; stress & pain release. Safe Atmosphere in Annandale, VA, almost right off I-395. Days/Eve/Wkend. In/ Out calls. Hotels welcome. Call Marval (703) 568-6348. CAPITOL HILL MASSAGE Excellent bodywork, deep tissue my specialty, 15 years self-employed, Eastern Market Metro, $70/Hr, $95/1.5hr, 202-543-3265, Mark.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
ADOPTION & ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE Law Attorney Jennifer Fairfax represents clients in Maryland & D.C. interested in adoption or ART matters. 301-221-9651, JFairfax@ jenniferfairfax.com.

PETS & SUPPLIES

ADOPT AN ADORABLE PUPPY OR DOG All-breed, non-prot rescue. 100% volunteer run. Donations welcome & needed. www. aforeverhome.org. LOOKING FOR THAT special someone? Loving vet-checked cats & kittens waiting to meet you. Feline Foundation 703-920-8665. Application & adoption fair schedule online at www.ffgw.org.

COUNSELING
A MINDFULNESS-BASED MENTAL HEALTH PRACTICE specializing in a holistic approach to anxiety, depression, careers, & relationships. 20 years experience helping people identify & overcome impediments to a fullling life, satisfying careers, & healthy relationships. Jonathan Kirkendall MA LPC, 202.550.3589, www.dclpc.com. LGBTQ AFFIRMING THERAPY at Dupont Circle Individuals, couples, families, adolescents. Over 15 years serving the community. Mike Giordano, LICSW. 202/4606384 mike.giordano.msw@gmail.com. www. WhatIHearYouSaying.com. COUNSELING FOR GAY MEN. Individual/ couple counseling w/ volunteer peer counselor. Gay Mens Counseling Community since 1973. 202-580-8861. gaymenscounseling.org. No fees, donation requested. CHANGES ARE EASIER WITH HELP . Small, private practice group of experienced, caring therapists. Safe, condential setting. Ofces in Woodley Park & Takoma Park near Metro. Licensed professionals. Insurance reimbursable. Washington Therapy Guild. Call 202-483-2660. www.therapyguild.net. INDIVIDUAL THERAPY FOR LGBTQ and straight adults; expertise in trauma. 33 years of experience with individuals, couples & families. Convenient to 495, 270 & Metro. MARGE COFFEY, LCSW-C. 301-802-4971. www.margecoffeymsw.com.

202-747-2077 ENHANCE YOUR AD WITH OUR UPGRADES LIKE PICTURES BOLD TEXT LARGE TEXT COLOR AND MORE!
all classied ads - including regular and adult - must be received by mondays at 5pm so they can be included in that weeks edition of the washington blade and washingtonblade.com

CONTACT US AT

MOVERS
OUR GUYS AROUND TOWN MOVERS. Professional Moving & Storage. Let Our Guys Do The Heavy Lifting. Mention the Blade for 10% off of our regular rates. Call today 202.734.3080. www.ourguysatmovers.com.

PHOTOGRAPHY
STEVE OTOOLE PHOTOGRAPHY Fine Art Photographer for portraits, weddings & dating photos for the internet. Call (703) 532-3031. www.steveotoolephotography.com.

HOME SERVICES BRITISH REMODELING HANDYMAN

WEDDINGS
CANTOR JINNY - YOUR Wedding Your Way. Well work together nding the right vows, blessings, & expressions to make the ceremony ow with your personal touch. Cantorjinny@gmail.com 703-282-6505.

DEADLINES

Local licensed company with over 25 years of experience. Specializing in bathrooms, kitchens & all interior/exterior repairs. Drywall, paint, electric & wallpaper. Trevor 703-3038699. DUNCAN DEMOLITION/HAULING Company Save $1000s! Let us Get your house/ofce/project contractor ready. Over 28 years, serving DC. Lowest rate on hauling. Contractor Friendly! 202 635-7860.

CLEANING
CLEANING DC/MD/VA for 12th Years Free Estimates, Excellent Prices, Great References One time, Move in / out, Ofce, Frequency ( your choice ) cell # 301-327-8994 maico@ mkclean.com www.mkclean.com TOO NEAT GUYS INC. Residential & Commercial cleaning in DC & Northern VA. Over 20 years experience, gay owned, licensed, bonded & insured. Email: tooneat@ comcast.net, (703) 622-5983. FERNANDOS CLEANING: RESIDENTIAL & Commercial Cleaning, Reasonable Rates, Free Estimates, Routine, 1-Time, Move-In/ Move-Out. (202) 234-7050, 202-486-6183. MAID TO CLEAN. Rated #1 in Metro DC. Gay owned. Serving DC/VA. DC & VA (703) 299-0101. Visit www.maidtoclean.com.

MK CLEANING SERVICES

INSTRUCTION
EQUINE RIDING LESSONS Private or SemiPrivate Lessons. Beginner through Advanced. Masters in Teaching and Training. Reasonable rates. Hunter/Jumper/Dressage. 240-2073543. Yettertrainingcenter@gmail.com.

EMPLOYMENT
LOCKER ROOM ATTENDANTS NEEDED! The Crew Club, a gay mens naturist gym & sauna, is now hiring Locker Room Attendants. We all scrub toilets & do heavy cleaning. You must be physically able to handle the work & have a great attitude doing it. No drunks/ druggies need apply. Please call Richard at (202) 319-1333. from 9-5pm, to schedule an interview. PLACE YOUR CLASSIFIED ONLINE washingtonblade.com

LEGAL SERVICES
FULL SERVICE LAW FIRM Representing the GLBT community for over 30 years. Family adoptions, estate planning, immigration, employment. (301) 891-2200. Silber, Perlman, Sigman & Tilev, P .A. www.SP-Law. com.

ITS NICE TO BE KNEADED! For quality, consistency & trust; choose an experienced, intuitive masseur. For appts. 703-402-6698. You wont regret it!

1-800-ROOF-495 MAGGIOROOFING.COM

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ADVERTISE

BEST RATES
BEST RESULTS
If you would like to have your pet in the paper, please send a photo and description to ewommack@washblade.com.
BRANCHES - FULL SERVICE Tree Expert Company. Certied Arborists, pruning, insect & disease diagnosis, treatment & removal. 301-589-6181. www.BranchesTreeExperts. com. Angies List Award Winner 09, 10, 11, 12. ROOFING, REPAIRS, GUTTERING - SLATE, SHINGLE, TILE, TIN, MODIFIED BITUMEN, RE-ROOFING, ROOF COATINGS, RUBBER ROOFS! Residential, Commercial Wood & Whitacre Contractors Roong Systems, est.1985. 301-674-1991. MHIC-25881.

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RENT / VA

SHARE / DC
PROFESSIONAL PERSON to SHARE large 2 bedroom, 1 block from bus stop, 5 blks red line metro, shared kitchen, w/d, & bathroom. OSP . $800/month. 202-361-8087. LOGAN CIRCLE 1350 + 100 UTILITIES Nicely furnished large BR with private bath and dual walk in closets. Room includes wireless internet & cable TV. W/D in apt. Includes biweekly maid service. 10 min walk to Metro, building includes tness center, sauna, roof deck & patio. 202-390-2668. ARLINGTON BALLSTON METRO Stop furnished 1 BR above Metro. Completely furnished and newly renovated condo for rent. Price includes all monthly costs. $2500/mth. mebrender@aol.com or 703-629-5368.

SALE / MD
MONTGOMERY VILLAGE $229,995 2 Sensational Levels! 3 Bedrooms! 2-1/2 Baths! Sparkling Wood Floors! Incredible New Kitchen! Photos Available! LARRY PERRIN REALTOR (301) 983-0601 LJPerrin@aol.com.

SHARE / MD
ROOM 4 RENT on a weekly basis only. Clean, quiet, safe, 3 blocks to Suitland Metro. 1/2 block to Metro bus. Please call 301-503-4263. MONTGOMERY VILLAGE, MD 2 furnished rooms available. Weekly or monthly rates available. Large room has queen-sized bed, small room has futon. Call 240-477-8055 - leave callback # or email address.

SALE / VA
Franklin Park - Entertainers dream on over an acre of woodland minutes from DC. Contact Steve Wydler 703.873.5020 for more information. www.WydlerBrothers.com

SHARE / VA
Falls Church, $500/mth + 1/3 utils. Share w/ 2 men & cat in 4 BR 3 BA. Convenient 495, 66, 50 29, 7, & WFC & Dunn Loring Metro. Jeff 202-230-1106.

SHARE / REHOBOTH
REHOBOTH SUMMER Private room in house, quiet setting, approximately equal distance between Rehoboth & Lewes w/ easy access to beach, outlet shopping. MemorialLabor Day. rbamingo@comcast.net.

REAL ESTATE
GALE STORM TEAM - Realtors The Realtors you refer to your Friends & Family! Looking to sell or buy a home? Call us! 202-355-4316. www.gayrealtors.us.com. Licensed in DC, MD & VA.

Entertainers Dream! - 6011 Softwood Trail, McLean $1,189,000. 6 BRs, 6 FULL BAs, 3 FPLS, 2 levels & 2 car garage. Hardwood oors, 2 kitchens- 1 with granite and Viking stove, amazing master suite with Palladian window. Amazing wine cellar for approx 4000 bottles! Presented by Debbie Dogrul Associates; Long and Foster703-425-3582.

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WOMENS PERSONALS
ISO GWF FEMININE, attractive for friendship &/or long term relationship. GWF, attractive, blue eyes, brown hair. In shape. Lets go to movies, listen to music, play cards, watch tv, & order pizza. Lets talk! Debbie, 703-368-3618.

MENS PERSONALS
DC HAPPY HOUR, Fri & Sat, dining. Masculine, non-scene 50s guy here. Seeking DC happy hour/dining friend of any (adult) age, must be masculine, non-affected, genuine. Contact: wmsinva@hotmail.com.

4 HAND MALE Massage, Deep Tissue, Swedish. Greatest massage. Text me 703-6228282. 2219A North Columbus St, Suite 302, Arlington VA 22207.

BODYWORK

ESCORTS
NEVER HIRED BEFORE? Get tips for a good experience blogspot.com here: http://beforeyoucome.

WHITE HOUSE ATHLETIC CLUB masseur (former) Custom bodywork! Quality massage by a nationally certied masseur. Exceptional deep tissue & sensual bodywork for total stress relief in private studio.4 Handed Massage Available. (Shower & parking available, 2.5 blocks to Metro on Capitol Hill) Call Erik 202544-7905 or 202-285-5709. for one of the best. In calls only. $99.00 SPECIAL Reg. $130.

ADVERTISE

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TED 5 11, 155LBS, 30yo, 9X6, Versatile Top 202.271.0440. M2M SENSUAL MASSAGE BY LATINO, 44, in-shape, shaved head. OUT CALLS ONLY! 202-276-9272.

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Hot Latino w/ a special touch. 32 yo, 5 9, 165 lbs, Offering full body release in a private atmosphere. In/out. Parking Available, hotels welcome, Silver Spring/DC area, 24/7. 240462-8669 brazilusa50@yahoo.com. SOOTHING SUPERB, SENSUAL massage by in shape attractive guy. Calif. certied, comfortable massage table. 2 Metro stops from Dupont. Private entrance. In/Out. 10 AM - 11 PM. David 202-421-8900. BLONDE GI 511 165 lbs 32 waist, 8 & cut. Can do in calls & will do out calls depending where you are. I am located near 395 and King St. Plenty of free parking. Call 703-599-2668 ask for Eli. MASSAGE SILVER SPRING est 2004. Where some of the nicest guys in town come for one of the best massages in town...sensuous erotic naked. Days/ Evenings $70 one hour..parking/metro BRUNO 301 580 2716. EROTIC SWEDISH MASSAGE - healthy clean cut guy, 61, 160 lbs, Dupont Circle, massage table, noon to 1:00 a.m., indulge your body. $70 for 1 hour. Bill 202-728-0238. AFFORDABLE MASSAGE BY friendly & intuitive Latin male, in relaxing, priv. studio just 15 min from DC in Arlington. Plenty of Parking. Same day appts, 703-401-9093 or a2006mx@yahoo.com. THE MAGIC TOUCH: Swedish, Massage or Deep Tissue. Appts 202-486-6183, Low Rates, 24/7, In-Calls.

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