Will
dcagenda
NOVEMBER 27, 2009
City poised to approve gay marriage bill
Catania, Mendelson
urge Catholic leaders
to compromise
By LOU CHIBBARO JR.
The D.C. City Council
drew national attention this
week as it made final prepara-
tions for the first of two votes
on a same-sex marriage bill
next Tuesday that observers
say was expected to pass by a
margin as wide as 11 to 2.
Council insiders said there
was no surge in phone calls or e-
mails to the Council over the
past week in response to national
media reports about a warning
about the bill from the Catholic
Archdiocese of Washington.
Archdiocesan officials said
they would stop operating city
funded social service programs
that help as many as 68,000
D.C. gov’t official linked to trans bias complaint
Dana Beyer charges
Mont. Co. ethics panel
with discrimination
By LOU CHIBBARO JR.
The Montgomery County,
Md., Ethics Commission —
which is headed by a D.C.
government attorney working
in an unofficial, volunteer ca-
pacity — violated the county’s
human rights law by waging a
“blatant political attack”
against a transgender woman
based solely on her gender iden-
tity, according to a discrimina-
tion complaint filed last week.
The complaint was filed
with the Montgomery County
Human Rights Commission by
transgender activist Dana
Beyer, who works as a senior
aide to Montgomery County
Council member David Catania called on the Archdiocese to
adopt what has been dubbed the ‘San Francisco-Georgetown’
compromise over how the Catholic Church could provide health
insurance and other benefits to same-sex partners of employees.
(Photo by Michael Key)
needy people unless the Council
makes changes in the bill allow-
ing the group Catholic Charities
to deny same-sex spousal bene-
fits to its employees.
“I hear everybody in the
press talking about it, but we
haven’t heard anything at
Council member Duchy Tra-
chtenberg (D-At-Large). Beyer
plans to run for the Maryland
House of Delegates next year.
Beyer said she filed the
complaint Nov. 17 after the
Ethics Commission found “rea-
sonable cause” that she abused
her position as a County Coun-
cil employee by allegedly “in-
timidating,” “threatening” or
“coercing” members of a group
opposed to a county non-dis-
crimination law protecting
transgender people.
Members of the group filed a
complaint with the Ethics Com-
mission accusing Beyer of intim-
idating them in an effort to stop
them from gathering petition
signatures at a Giant supermar-
ket in 2007 for a referendum to
overturn the transgender non-
discrimination law. The referen-
dum died after its supporters
the lgbtq community’s news source
all,” said Jason Shedlock,
chief of staff to Council
member Phil Mendelson
(D-At-Large), who chairs the
committee that approved the
bill earlier this month.
In a separate development,
opponents of the same-sex
failed to obtain the required
number of valid signatures.
At a Nov. 17 news confer-
ence in Rockville, Beyer called
the accusations against her
baseless. She said the commis-
sion took statements only from
her accusers and failed to inter-
view several eyewitnesses who
dispute claims that she acted
improperly to stop the signa-
ture gathering.
She also noted that the
commission may have acted
illegally by arranging for a
county attorney to search her
computer without her or
Trachtenberg’s knowledge to
determine whether she was
using office equipment to
campaign against the pro-
posed referendum.
“If the Ethics Commission
acted responsibly, and frankly,
ethically, we would not be here
marriage bill, led by a Mary-
land minister, filed suit against
the city in D.C. Superior
Court to contest a decision two
weeks ago by the city’s election
board rejecting a proposed
voter initiative to ban same-sex
marriage in the District.
The election board ruled
that the proposed ballot initia-
tive would violate the D.C.
Human Rights Act, which
bars discrimination based on
sexual orientation. Same-sex
marriage opponents say they
have the funds to appeal the
ruling all the way to the U.S.
Supreme Court should they
lose in Superior Court.
Shedlock said Mendelson
and Council member David
Catania (I-At-Large), the au-
thor of the bill, had yet to re-
ceive an answer as of Monday
to a letter they sent to Arch-
bishop Donald Wuerl, head
today,” Beyer said at the news
conference. “Instead, politics
and bigotry dictated their ac-
tions and corrupted an institu-
tion dedicated to fighting public
corruption.”
According to Beyer and
Trachtenberg, the Ethics
Commission has never be-
fore investigated or brought
charges against a County
Council employee for engag-
ing in political activity dur-
ing their off-duty time.
Antar C. Johnson, chair of
the five-member Ethics Com-
mission and a Silver Spring res-
ident, serves as Assistant
General Counsel in the D.C.
Office of the Chief Financial
Officer. When contacted Mon-
day by the D.C. Agenda, John-
son said he could not comment
on a pending case before the
commission.
Gartshore
leads talented
cast in
Signature
Theatre’s
‘Show Boat.’
Page 14
of the Washington Archdio-
cese, suggesting a compromise
solution to the church’s objec-
tion to the marriage bill.
In statements last week,
Archdiocesan officials said pro-
viding spousal benefits to their
employees’ same-sex married
spouses would violate church
teachings that marriage must be
restricted to a man and a
woman. Church officials have
asked the Council to add a pro-
vision in the marriage bill to
amend the city’s Human Rights
Act to exempt groups like
Catholic Charities from having
to provide equal employee ben-
efits to same-sex couples.
The Council has refused the
request, saying it would be un-
fair to single out gay or lesbian
employees for discrimination.
Story continues at
DCAgenda.com.
Trans activist Dana Beyer
He said his involvement
with the commission is based on
his role as a volunteer commis-
sioner appointed by former
Montgomery County Executive
Douglas Duncan and is unre-
lated to his full-time job as a
D.C. government attorney.
Story continues at
DCAgenda.com.
SAVE 20% ON SELECT CATEGORIES:
Tables & Storage. Modern Linens. Rugs & Accessories.

For a limited time, save on our entire

collection of tables and storage for
every room in the house, rugs for the
floors, photography for the walls, must-
have accessories for the season, and
our newest addition to the line, our
Modern Linens which are essential for
the modern bedroom.

furniture. linens. lighting. rugs. accessories. photography. mgbwhome.com

1526 14th Street NW (P & Q Streets) Washington, DC 202.332.3433 M-F 10am to 8pm, Sat 10am to 6pm, Sun 11am to 6pm Convenient daily parking from 10am - 6pm
4 dcagenda.com • Nov. 27, 2009
districtagenda
D.C. police chief assailed at hate crimes hearing
Activists, union leader say
Lanier ‘decimated’ GLLU
By LOU CHIBBARO JR.
Representatives of the
LGBT community and the
head of the D.C. police union
told a City Council hearing on
Nov. 20 that District Police
Chief Cathy Lanier has failed
to take adequate steps to curtail
hate crimes targeting gays and
transgender people.
Kris Baumann, chair of the
Fraternal Order of Police, and
officials with five local LGBT
organizations said Lanier has
turned down their repeated re-
quest to assign more officers to
the department’s highly ac-
claimed Gay & Lesbian Liai-
son Unit, whose ranks have
been reduced from seven to
two members since Lanier be-
came chief in 2007.
“What the chief has done
is decimate that unit,” said gay
activist Peter Rosenstein.
Lanier took strong excep-
tion to that assessment,
telling the Council’s Com-
mittee on Public Safety and
the Judiciary that she is ex-
panding the GLLU and
other special liaison units in
Loved ones celebrate life of Desi Deschaine
City officials hail young
activist’s work ethic
By PETER ROSENSTEIN
Four months after Desi
Deschaine died accidently in
Baltimore’s Inner Harbor,
more than 200 relatives and
friends gathered in Saint
Patrick’s Church, on a
slightly overcast afternoon,
to celebrate his life.
Rev. Msgr. Salvatore A.
Criscuolo greeted the celebrants
and began a one-hour service,
which was organized by Lee
Brian Reba from Council
Chair Vincent Gray’s office and
Jeff Coudriet from Council
member Jack Evans’ office.
the department by assigning
officers “affiliated” with the
units to each of the depart-
ment’s seven police districts.
She said her plan calls for
assigning a total of 57 offi-
cers or supervisors to all four
of the special liason units, in-
cluding the GLLU. She said
about 20 of the 57 would be
assigned to the GLLU, mak-
ing it far more responsive to
the community than a seven-
member centralized unit.
Lanier told the committee
she would keep her promise to
LGBT activists to retain a
small, centralized GLLU office.
But Baumann and Chris
Farris, co-chair of Gays and
Lesbians Opposing Violence,
each said Lanier has “systemat-
ically” dismantled the GLLU’s
operations under the promise
of replacing it with a decentral-
ized unit that she has yet to
produce more than two years
after she first proposed the re-
organization.
“I am unfortunately sig-
nificantly less optimistic
today about this city’s will-
ingness to tackle the difficult
issue of hate crimes than I
was a year ago,” Farris told
the committee.
Desi Deschaine (Photo cour-
tesy of facebook)
Lending their voices to the serv-
ice was the D.C. Boys Choir.
A Council ceremonial
resolution was presented to
Desi’s parents by Evans, for
whom Desi worked at the
time he died. Evans was sur-
“I do not see what I think
is needed – most impor-
tantly, leadership at the top,
and a firm commitment to
roll up our sleeves and treat
the issue as it must be treated
– holistically,” he said. “This
means the MPD, the U.S.
Attorney’s office, the D.C.
Public School system, the
mayor, and this City Coun-
cil must all be unequivocally
committed to the fight.”
Farris questioned recent
police data showing the num-
ber of LGBT-related hate
crime has decreased since
2006. He said he believes the
decrease is due to a lack of re-
porting that came about as a
result of GLLU’s reduction in
staff and its inability to push
more aggressively for report-
ing hate crimes.
Lanier and Assistant Chief
Diane Grooms testified that a
long-awaited training course
for prospective GLLU officers
would begin shortly. Lanier
said she has found from her
own conversations with LGBT
officers that they prefer to re-
main in their regular units in
the police districts rather than
be “pigeonholed” in a special
gay related unit.
rounded by Council mem-
bers Gray, Tommy Wells,
Jim Graham, Mary Cheh
and David Catania. Gray
spoke of Deschaine’s dedica-
tion to the people of the Dis-
trict of Columbia and to his
passion for service. Former
Mayor Anthony Williams
spoke of how Deschaine
worked for his administra-
tion, noting that Deschaine
was always around with a
good word on a tough day.
He recalled that whatever he
asked Deschaine to do some-
how got done.
Former Council Chair
Linda Cropp delivered the eu-
logy and kidded that De-
schaine would have loved the
picture that was displayed in
Police chief Cathy Lanier
(Photo courtesy of mpdc.dc.gov)
She angered some of the
activists attending the hearing
when she said she didn’t be-
lieve they represent the views
of LGBT people in the neigh-
borhoods across the city.
Council member Phil
Mendelson (D-At-Large),
who chairs the committee,
said he would continue to
monitor the department’s re-
sponse to hate crimes against
all city residents. He and the
LGBT representatives that
testified at the hearing noted
that anti-LGBT hate crimes
in the city far outnumber hate
crimes targeting other groups.
A report released last week
the front of the church as he
looked so slim. She spoke of
the warmth of Deschaine’s
smile and how he could make
anyone feel better by just being
around and that he had the ca-
pacity to light up a room.
Deschaine was remem-
bered by best friend Neil
Alpert, Lee Brian Reba and
his cousin Terri Adams who
shared anecdotes about De-
schaine growing up in Con-
necticut and stopping by her
house on the way home from
school to chat. Then De-
schaine’s parents, Linda and
Philip, and his sister Desiree
thanked everyone for being
part of Deschaine’s life.
His sister, Desiree, re-
minded everyone that De-
by Mayor Adrian Fenty and
Lanier, “Bias-Related Crime in
the District of Columbia,”
shows that “sexual orientation”
related hate crimes comprised
more than 70 percent of the
total number of hate crimes in
the city each year from 2005
through 2009.
So far this year, out of a total
of 36 reported hate crimes, 30
were classified as “sexual orien-
tation” related hate crimes.
Alison Gill, an official
with the D.C. Trans Coali-
tion, and Julius Agers, a
transgender activist, told the
committee they were pleased
that Fenty and Lanier pub-
lished the bias-related crime
report – three years after the
report was due under rules
set by the City Council.
But the two said they were
troubled that the report did
not break down the statistics
to show the number of hate
crimes specifically targeting
transgender people in the city.
They noted that a number of
widely reported anti-trans hate
crimes have occurred in the
District in recent years.
Story continues at
DCAgenda.com.
schaine switched from being
a Republican in college to a
Democrat. She said that
when that happened her
grandmother, a lifelong De-
mocrat, could finally rest easy.
Among the celebrants at
the church were many local
ANC members, city officials,
and those who worked with
Deschaine on all the various
causes he cared about. Pre-
senting the colors were the
D.C. Fire and EMS Guard.
As people left the church a
few couldn’t help but remark
that the celebration of his life
was held in a Catholic
church and that were Desi
alive today he would be on
the front lines fighting for
marriage equality in the city.
Protect your partner with the right documents.

Wills & Trusts

Powers of Attorney • Living Wills
Partnership Agreements
(301) 738-8220 • (703) 536-0220
www.PartnerPlanning.com
Serving the GLBT Community in DC/MD/VA since 1983

Lawrence S. Jacobs & Associates, P.C.

6 dcagenda.com • Nov. 27, 2009
nationalagenda
Pentagon nominee tight-lipped on DADT
Stanley defers to military
leaders on gay ban
By CHRIS JOHNSON
The presidential nominee
who would oversee imple-
mentation of repealing “Don’t
Ask, Don’t Tell” was tight-
lipped about his personal
views of the law during his re-
cent confirmation hearing.
Retired Marine Corps Gen.
Clifford Stanley, who’s up to be-
come the Pentagon’s undersecre-
tary of personnel and readiness,
told lawmakers he’d defer to mil-
itary leaders on the issue.
The Senate Armed Services
Committee asked Stanley about
a range of issues — including
care for troops after deployment
internationalagenda
Local activists demonstrate at Ugandan embassy
African nation considers
harsh anti-gay legislation
By CHRIS JOHNSON
A harshly anti-gay bill intro-
duced in Uganda’s legislature
triggered a protest Thursday be-
fore the country’s embassy in
D.C. where local activists railed
against the measure.
About 30 participants at-
tended the protest, carrying
signs reading, “Standing in
— but also peppered him with
questions about “Don’t Ask,
Don’t Tell,” the 1993 law that
bars gays from serving openly in
the U.S. military.
Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.),
chair of the committee, asked
Stanley whether he would be
prepared to “give us your best,
objective opinion on the ques-
tion of whether or not ‘Don’t
Ask, Don’t Tell’ should be
maintained or dropped” upon
Senate confirmation.
“Yes, senator, I will,”
Stanley replied succinctly.
Another “Don’t Ask, Don’t
Tell” question came from Sen.
Roland Burris (D-Ill.), who
asked Stanley about his posi-
tion on pending cases of service
members who could be dis-
missed under the law.
Solidarity with LGBT Ugan-
dans” and “LGBT Rights =
Human Rights.”
Among other things, the bill
would criminalize the forma-
tion of LGBT organizations
and the publication or broad-
cast of pro-gay materials in
Uganda. The bill would also
penalize homosexual acts, pun-
ishing those who are repeat of-
fenders and gays who are HIV
positive with the death penalty.
“It really is one of the
most horrific bills that we’ve
“If confirmed,” Stanley
replied, “and there are pend-
ing cases there, they would
fall under the existing statute,
as I understand it.”
Burris, in turn, responded
that Congress could address the
law this session in a way that
would “free up” Stanley, adding
that the U.S. military needs “all
the volunteers who will com-
mit to serve this country of
ours to be able to serve.”
Stanley began his affiliation
with the U.S. military in 1969,
when he studied at the Basic
School for Marine Corps offi-
cers in Quantico, Va., according
to his bio. Most recently, he was
president of Scholarship Amer-
ica, which seeks to provide
scholarships for those seeking
higher education.
seen introduced anywhere in
recent years,” said Mark
Bromley, chair of Council
for Global Equality and or-
ganizer of the protest.
Bromley said the protest
was held in response to a pub-
lic call for global attention to
the issue from Sexual Minori-
ies Uganda, an LGBT group
in the country, and other
protests took place elsewhere,
including New York City.
Donald Hitchcock, a local
gay activist among the protest-
703 D St NW
Washington, DC
* coming soon*
Stanley was also deferential
to the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
law and the opinions of other
military leaders in responses to
written questions.
Asked about his view on
changing the law, Stanley
replied “If confirmed, I would
work closely with service Sec-
retaries and Chiefs to provide
the Secretary of Defense the
best advice possible on the way
forward regarding this issue.”
And in response to whether
overturning “Don’t Ask, Don’t
Tell” would impact unit cohe-
sion, as many supporters of the
law claim, Stanley said he
“would work closely with the
services to ensure the revising
of this policy is done in a way
that maintains our highest state
of military readiness.”
ers, said the event was in-
tended to show solidarity with
LGBT people in Uganda.
“One of things they just
wanted us to do was raise
awareness in this country
and show solidarity that this
bill that they’re proposing is
really a barbaric act,” he said.
During the protest, Ugan-
dan officials at the embassy
spoke with Bromley. He said
the officials emphasized the
legislation was a private bill
that had been introduced and
Retired Marine Corps Gen.
Clifford Stanley (Photo
courtesy of Stanley)
Aubrey Sarvis, executive di-
rector of the Servicemembers
Legal Defense Network, told
the DC Agenda on Thursday
that Stanley’s responses on
“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” show
he’s “being cautious.”
Story continues at
DCAgenda.com.
said the government had
taken no position on it.
Bromley also said he was
told Ugandan officials feel the
legislation was fostering pro-
ductive discussion on the issue.
“We believe that the discus-
sion around the bill has actually
been very problematic and de-
monizing for already targeted
sexual minorities,” he said.
Bromley said he thinks
protests in the United States
are showing Ugandan officials
the “world is watching.”
1221 Mass Ave NW
Washington, DC
202-628-7979
!!!
I look forward to the continued excitement created in our
LGBT community by!!!
!!!
publication of the!!!
!!!
new

DC AGENDA
My congratulations and appreciation go to the Staff for
ensuring that your important community coverage

Clark
continues.

www.clarkray4council.com
www.clarkray4council.com

Paid
Paid for
for b
by
yCClark
lark Ray
Ray for
for C
Council
ouncil – 2010,
2010, Diane
Diane Williams,
Williams, Treasurer.
Treasurer. A Copy
Copy of
of Our
Our Report
Report is
is filed
filed with
with the
the
Director
D off C
irector o Campaign
ampaign F Finance.
inance.

Photo by Joe Tresh

David Carter
Thanks the Washington Blade’s staff for
40 years of excellent journalism and
congratulates them for continuing the Blade’s
mission with the DC Agenda.

For my next book, a biography of Frank Kameny,

I would appreciate hearing from persons who
have known Kameny or who have documents
concerning Kameny’s life and his career
as an activist.

Please write to:

david@davidcarterauthor.com
www.davidcarterauthor.com
10 dcagenda.com • Nov. 27, 2009
personalagenda
Catholics get in bed with religious right
‘Manhattan Declaration’
unites anti-gay forces
By JOSEPH M. PALACIOS
After the loss of the 2008
elections, Catholic, Orthodox
and Evangelical fundamental-
ists have regrouped and issued
the “Manhattan Declaration:
A Christian Call to Con-
science.” As you peruse the sig-
natories of the Manhattan
Declaration, you see a stellar
representation of the new reli-
gious right and their primary
issues of pro-life, opposition to
same-sex marriage, and Chris-
tian persecution in the U.S.
This Declaration was issued
in the same week as the U.S.
Catholic bishops’ letter “Mar-
riage: Love and Life in the Di-
vine Plan.” With a vote of 180
bishops in favor and 45 opposed
the U.S. bishops have unequiv-
ocally stated their opposition to
marriage equality. Quite a dou-
feedback
The following are excerpts
from comments posted to DCA-
genda.com responding to news
of the Washington Blade’s clo-
sure and launch of the new pub-
lication. Join the discussion at
dcagenda.com.
As Rev. Anthony Evans
said of the Blade’s demise, so
let us say about the DC
Agenda’s rise: It was God’s
will! Congrats and best
wishes to the entire staff. The
bold statement you collec-
tively made by coming out
with today’s issue gives us all
something else to be thankful
for next week. As they say on
Monty Python, “Not dead
yet!” — Rick Rosendall, vice
president, GLAA
CONGRATS, guys. Boot-
strap newspapers are the best. —
Troy Masters, Gay City News
Bravo! I am very proud of
all of you for taking a blow and
rebounding so fast…and for
ensuring that good journalism
ble-header for the religious right!
There should be no doubt
that the present leadership of the
U.S. Catholic Church repre-
sented by Archbishops Dolan
(New York), Rigali (Philadel-
phia), and Wuerl (D.C.) has de-
cided to shift the weight from a
wide religious ecumenism with
social justice and pastoral con-
cerns for the American people
to a narrow legalistic moral the-
ology. In signing the Manhattan
Declaration these bishops have
linked up with the fundamen-
talism of such evangelical leaders
as James Dobson, Gary Bauer,
Bishop Harry Jackson and Tony
Perkins. Who would have
thought 30 years ago that this
kind of ecumenism could be
possible? Gay rights, marriage
equality and pro-life advocacy
have created a new form of
Christian unity and ideology.
Basic to this ideology is that
God has pre-ordained a natural
order and that the human body
keeps going in DC. We need
it. Good luck, and thank you.
— Evan Wolfson, activist
Good luck to all the staff!
You folks are the hardest
working journos in gay media
and I wish you the best of suc-
cess. — Japhy Grant, former
editor, Queerty.com
When I moved to the Dis-
trict 21 years ago you guys were
there to help me get started
with housing, social organiza-
tions, social life and – yes – sex.
You’ve kept me up-to-date on
the issues important to us for
all these years and I will do
what I can to keep you there
for all of us. — Greg Case
Good luck guys. As they
say in the theater, break a leg.
— Larry Kramer, activist
Yay, go for it! I’m not a
member of the LGBT com-
munity, but I’m happy to see
this publication rise from the
ashes of the Blade; it’s
has an ordered purpose to pro-
create and that the body’s func-
tions have a natural order. The
primary purpose of sexuality
and marriage is for pro-cre-
ation. For the Catholic bishops
and the signers of the Manhat-
tan Declaration the family as
the institution of marriage “is
what one man and one woman
establish when, forsaking all
others and pledging lifelong
commitment… not in some
merely metaphorical sense, but
by fulfilling together the behav-
ioral conditions of procreation.”
Yet the one man and one
woman concept belies the polyg-
amous families of the Hebrew
scriptures, as well as the role of
polygamy, extended families, and
variant child-rearing practices in
world history. The empirical ev-
idence refutes anything “natural”
about one man, one woman as a
universal foundation for mar-
riage and family life as the natural
law proponents assert.
needed, and will be valued by
us straight folks too. — Jack
You were both the heart
and the brain of the Washing-
ton Blade. Therefore, let the
DC Agenda carry on with
your intelligent, diligent, soul
searching and honest report-
ing. Whatever you call your-
selves, I will definitely look
forward to continue reading
your publication online as I
have every week. (I live in Los
Angeles.) I respect you all for
having the courage to con-
tinue. Robin Tyler, activist
Good luck – get out there
– from all at HOMOVI-
SION.TV in the UK!
Great job!!! There’s some-
thing to be said about that old
adage of that which doesn’t kill
you makes you stronger. The
entire community is pulling
for you! — Robert Turner
Best wishes to the best
LGBT news team in the na-
On the Catholic side, the
defeat of marriage equality is
integral to Pope Benedict’s
campaign against moral rela-
tivism. Evangelical fundamen-
talists need the anti-gay and
anti-marriage equality agenda
as a focus for their social mis-
sion intertwined with the Re-
publican Party. What’s new in
D.C. is the integration of these
two sides into a Catholic-Fun-
damentalist coalition led by
Archbishop Wuerl and Bishop
Jackson, who as Washington
outsiders need to secure their
places as national leaders.
Through the new Catholic-
Fundamentalist Right, Wash-
ington has become ground zero
for the Manhattan Declaration.
Joseph M. Palacios is ad-
junct professor of liberal studies,
Georgetown University and an
organizer of Catholics United for
Marriage Equality. Reach him at
dr.josephpalacios@gmail.com.
tion. The reason DC Agenda
is here is because the staff at
the Washington Blade are
committed and dedicated to
delivering high quality news
about our community. Your
birth is the result of your
legacy. I have high hopes for
the future. Way to go! —
Wesley Combs, Witeck
Combs Communications
The mission continues.
Congratulations on regroup-
ing so quickly and with such
style. The Blade has been
through reinventions many
times in its life. Once again
it is independent, indispen-
sable, community-focused,
and employee-owned. As we
used to say in the ’70s,
“Right on!” Good on you.
— Mark Meinke, Rainbow
History Project
Talk about picking your-
selves up and dusting your-
selves off! Congratulations to
everyone at DC Agenda.
Hope the next 40 years are a
dcagenda
Vol. 1, Issue 2
PUBLISHER
LYNNE J. BROWN
EDITORIAL
Editor
KEVIN NAFF
News Editor
JOSHUA LYNSEN
Features Editor
JOEY DiGUGLIELMO
Sr. News Reporter
LOU CHIBBARO JR.
News Reporter
CHRIS JOHNSON
Staff Photographer
MICHAEL KEY
PRODUCTION
Art Director
ROB BOEGER
WEB
Online Creative and DCATV
Exec. Producer ARAM VARTIAN
SALES & ADMINISTRATION
Ad Operations Manager
JEANNI CENTOFANTI
Sr. Acct. Executive
BRIAN PITTS
Sr. Acct. Executive
ANDREW HARTSFIELD
Acct. Executive
JERYL PARADE
Classifieds Manager
DANIELLE KING
Display Classifieds Sales
PHILLIP G. ROCKSTROH
Distribution Coordinator
ROBBIE BARNETT
EDITORIAL POSITIONS
of DC Agenda are expressed in
editorials and in editors’ notes
as determined by the paper’s
editors. Other opinions are those of
the writers and do not necessarily
represent the opinion of
DC Agenda or its staff.
© 2009, TWB Employee
Acquisition, LLC. All rights reserved.
From the staff
This is the second edition of the new
DC Agenda, brought to you by the
same staff responsible for the
Washington Blade, which was
abruptly shuttered by parent com-
pany Window Media last week.
Our goal is to return to four-color
newsprint within a week or two. Thank
you for your patience as we navigate
this unexpected change. We continue
to be awed by the outpouring of local
community support for DC Agenda
and will respond to all offers of assis-
tance as soon as possible.
Please visit savetheblade.com to make
a financial contribution to the new ven-
ture or DCAgenda.com for updated
news and information. Again, our sin-
cere thanks and best wishes for a safe
and happy holiday weekend.
huge success. — Denis
Dison, Victory Fund
Mega hairy muscle hugs of
continued success. A new be-
ginning but a solid past. — BT
12 dc agenda.com • Nov. 27, 2009
socialagenda
TODAY
Gay Chicago DJ Steve Hender-
son is spinning in Washington
this weekend. He’ll be at Secrets
both tonight and Saturday from
9 p.m. to 3 a.m. Secrets is part of
the Ziegfeld’s/Secrets Nightclub
Complex and is located at 1824
Half Street, S.W. For more infor-
mation, visit www.djstevehender-
son.com or www.secretsdc.com.
The music of Meredith Wilson’s
“The Music Man” will be pre-
sented tonight by the National
Symphony Pops Orchestra
under the direction of the leg-
endary Marvin Hamlisch at the
Kennedy Center. Performances
today are at 1:30 and 8 p.m. and
also on Saturday at 8 p.m. in the
Center's concert hall. Shirley
Jones (“The Partridge Family”),
Patrick Cassidy and Rebecca
Luker will also appear. Tickets
start at $20. For more informa-
tion, contact 202-467-4600 or
visit www.kennedy-center.org.
A new Friday night drag
show at Ziegfeld’s has started
with a new hostess. The
Ladies of Illusion hosted by
Kristina Kelly has perform-
ances every Friday at 11 p.m.
and 1 a.m.
SATURDAY, NOV. 28
Burgundy Crescent Volunteers
is helping Food & Friends
today from 8 to 10 a.m. Help
is needed chopping vegetables
and packing groceries at a new
site near the Fort Totten Metro
station. Groups are limited to
10 per shift. Donuts and coffee
will be provided at 8 a.m. Those
interested in this event should
e-mail Jonathan@burgundy-
crescent.org. For other local
LGBT volunteer opportunities
with Burgundy Crescent, visit
www.burgundycrescent.org.
DJ Mike Cruz spins tonight
at Town Danceboutique.
Doors open at 9 p.m. Cover
is $8 from 9 to 11 p.m. and
$12 after 11. Town is located
at 2009 8th Street, N.W.
Visit www.towndc.com for
more information.
SUNDAY, NOV. 29
Dignity Washington, a local
gay Catholic group, celebrates
Mass for the LGBT commu-
nity every Sunday at 6 p.m. at
St. Margaret’s, located at 1820
Connecticut Ave., N.W. Call
202-546-2245 for more infor-
mation or visit www.dignity-
washington.org.
MONDAY, NOV. 30
Level One, a gay-owned restau-
rant located below Cobalt at
1639 R Street, N.W., has pasta
night every Monday with choice
of three sauces, salad and dessert
for $12.95 Bottles of wine are
half price from 5 p.m. on every
Monday and Wednesday nights.
Visit www.levelonedc.com for
more information.
TUESDAY, DEC. 1
The GLBT Community
Center of Baltimore and
Central Maryland is having
a discussion today to honor
World AIDS Day. Tonight’s
topic is HIV and AIDS
among the LGBT black
community. The event is free
and open to the public. The
center is located at 241 W.
Chase Street in Baltimore
and starts at 7 p.m. E-mail to
baltimore4equality@gmail.c
om for more information.
Fight HIV in D.C., the
D.C. Center’s HIV working
group, is having a cocktail
party tonight from 6:30 to
9 p.m. at the Center, located
at 1111 14th Street, N.W.,
suite 350. The “Our Heroes”
exhibit, a collection of 150
black-and-white photo-
graphs honoring the key
players in D.C.’s HIV/AIDS
history, will be on display
tonight and throughout the
month. Visit www.thedccen-
ter.org for more information.
The D.C. Center’s HIV Work-
ing Group is also having a free
World AIDS Day luncheon
today from noon to 2 p.m. at
the HRC Equality Center, lo-
cated at 1640 Rhode Island
Ave., N.W. The event, in which
a light luncheon will be served,
is free and open to the public.
The discussion topic will be
“HIV Vaccine Research: a New
Chapter.” Speakers include
prominent AIDS experts such
as Elizabeth Adams, Anthony
Fauci, Barney Graham, Sanjay
Phogat and Mark de Souza.
Visit www.thedccenter.org for
more information.
Whitman-Walker Clinic is
hosting and co-hosting several
events today in honor of World
AIDS Day. A candlelight vigil
will be held at 5:30 p.m. in
Dupont Circle, sponsored in
partnership with the AIDS Al-
liance for Children, Youth &
Families. An event dubbed Red
Hot Night will be held at Hotel
Rouge from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
The hotel is located at 1315
16th Street, N.W. A suggested
$10 donation includes one free
drink ticket. Additional drink
tickets will be available for $5.
All proceeds benefit Whitman-
Walker. And an exhibit called
ADS vs. AIDS: 25 Years of
Communications For the
Cause, will be held from 6 to
8 p.m. at Long View Gallery at
1234 9th Street, N.W. with a
portion of the proceeds going
to Whitman-Walker. Visit
www.longviewgallery.com for
more information.
Local drag queen Shi-Queeta-
Lee hosts drag bingo every
Tuesday this month at Nellie’s
Sports Bar from 6 to 10 p.m.
She’s selling copies of her 2010
calendar. Nellie’s is located at
900 U Street, N.W.
Hollaback, a social and sup-
port group for transgender
people, meets tonight at
1638 R Street, N.W., on the
second floor. For more infor-
mation, call Dee Curry at
202-290-0324.
Tabu Tuesdays, a gay Latin
party, is held at Majestic Night
Club located at 2922 Annan-
dale Road in Falls Church, Va.
For ages 18 and older. Free
parking. Call 703-655-0056 or
visit www.latinsouldc.com for
more information.
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 2
An HIV/AIDS support
group meets tonight and on
Wednesday, Dec. 16, at
1638 R Street, N.W., suite
260. Dinner is served but
RSVP is required. Call 301-
735-2805 or 301-674-8901
for more information.
D.C. Ice Breakers, an LGBT
skating social group, meets
tonight for its bimonthly event
at Kettler Capitals Iceplex, lo-
cated at 627 N. Gleve Rd. in
Arlington, Va., from 7:45 to
8:45 p.m. Skating costs $8 with
rental skates another $3. A so-
cial hour will follow at a nearby
restaurant. Novices are wel-
come. For more information,
visit www.dcicebreakers.org.
THURSDAY, DEC. 3
Author and gay porn star
Aiden Shaw will be at
Lambda Rising tonight at
7:30 p.m. signing copies of his
memoir “My Undoing: Love
in the Thick of Sex, Drugs,
Pornography and Prostitu-
tion,” his second memoir,
which picks up where the first,
“Sordid Truths,” left off. Shaw
is also the author of three nov-
els and a volume of poetry.
He’s made more than 50 gay
porn films for Chi Chi LaRue,
Falcon, Hothouse and other
studios. Lambda Rising is lo-
cated in Dupont Circle at
1625 Connecticut Ave., N.W.
A lecture on Hepatitis C
and HIV infection, part
seven of the Survival Forum
lecture series hosted by
Alpha Drugs, will be held
tonight from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
(registration starts at 6:30) in
the Phillips Ballroom at
Hotel Palomar, located at
2121 P Street, N.W. Dr.
Micheal Pistole, an HIV spe-
cialist, will speak. Admission
is free and dinner will be
served, though RSVPs are re-
quired. RSVP by contacting
leigh@alphadrugs.com or
202-265-5757.
Ziegfeld’s/Secrets Entertain-
ment Complex is starting a
new shirtless Tuesdays event
tonight where shirtless guys
drink for free. The club is lo-
cated at 1824 Half Street,
S.W. Visit www.secretsdc.com
for more information.
FRIDAY, DEC. 4
GAYLAW, a group of LGBT
lawyers in Washington, is having
its 17th annual holiday awards
celebration tonight at the
Woman's National Democratic
Club in Dupont Circle, located
at 1526 New Hampshire Ave.,
N.W. Several gay companies
and individuals are being hon-
ored including gay D.C. Coun-
cilman David Catania,
Ackerman Legal and the now-
closed Washington Blade. Those
attending are asked to bring an
unwrapped toy or article of
clothing for a child aged 4 to 16
for Metropolitan Community
Church’s fifth annual toy drive.
For cost and ticket information,
visit www.gaylaw.org.
Metropolitan Community
Church of Washington will
have its annual Christmas con-
cert featuring the church’s
gospel choir and praise team
tonight at 7:30 p.m. and Sat-
urday at 7 p.m. The choirs,
under the direction of Shirli
Hughes, MCC’s minister of
music who's openly gay, will
perform a variety of seasonal
selections. MCC-D.C. is the
region’s largest mostly gay
church. Visit www.mccdc.com
for more information on this
and other church events.
14 dcagenda.com • Nov. 27, 2009
theater
Scaling back the ‘Boat’
Signature’s abbreviated
production feels flat
despite talented cast
By PATRICK FOLLIARD
Signature Theatre is cele-
brated for its tradition of re-
imagining big Broadway shows
to suit its own smaller scale.
The latest recipient of the Sig-
nature treatment is that old
musical behemoth “Show-
boat.” The results are mixed.
Set against the eternal tides
of the Mississippi river, Jerome
Kern and Oscar Hammerstein
II’s epic 1927 musical spans
more than 40 years in the lives
of those living and working on
the Cotton Blossom, a river
showboat. Described as the
first modern American musi-
cal, “Showboat” — despite
some of the stereotypical por-
trayals of blacks — was ahead
of its time because it dealt with
race and relationship issues.
Gay director Eric Schaeffer
sets a mood, very effectively
establishing the racial inequity
found in early 20th century
America. Smartly, Schaeffer
opts to include “Mis’ry
Comin’ Aroun’,” a song typi-
cally cut from most produc-
tions. Sung by the showboat’s
cook Queenie (Delores King
Williams), the ominous dirge
foreshadows the outcome of
the musical’s most engaging
subplot — the illegal interra-
cial marriage of showboat stars
Steve (Jim Newman) and Julie
(Terry Burrell).
Music director Jon
Kalbfleisch conducts a 15-per-
son orchestra playing the clas-
sic score (“Can’t Help Lovin’
Dat Man,” “Ol’ Man River”
and “Bill”) with Jonathan Tu-
SHOWBOAT’
Through Jan. 17
Signature Theatre
4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington
$52 to $76
703-573-7328
www.signature-theatre.org
nick’s new orchestrations.
While the chemistry between
Stephanie Waters’ naïve
singer/actress Magnolia and
gay actor Will Gartshore’s raff-
ish river gambler Gaylord
Ravenal isn’t exactly com-
bustible, their gorgeously sung
duets, “Make Believe” and
“You Are Love,” are among
the show’s musical highpoints.
Noticeably absent from
James Kronzer’s functional
two-tiered set are the famed
showboat paddle wheel and
gang planks. Instead, the gay
designer suggests a hardwork-
ing floating theater with
Gay actor Will Gartshore as Gaylord Ravenal in Signature Theatre’s
‘Show Boat.’ The production is ambitious, even in a slightly truncated
format. (Photo by Scott Suchman; courtesy of Signature Theatre)
weathered wharf planks. Dur- duction’s comic moments fall
ing the musical’s landlocked inexplicably flat. Surprisingly,
second act, those same planks Karma Camp’s choreography
serve as promenade at lacks its usual fizz too.
Chicago World’s Fair prome- The original “Showboat”
nade and worn floorboards in was more than four hours long.
an inelegant rooming house Signature’s edited version clocks
where Magnolia and Ravenal in at a little less than three. And
stay when they’re broke. while this production’s 25-per-
Despite a cast including son cast is hardly small by today’s
talented D.C. funnymen like standards, for a “Showboat” pro-
Bobby Smith and J. Fred duction, it’s tiny. Standouts in-
Shiffman (playing a veteran clude Harry A. Winter as
showboat performer and goodhearted Cap’n Andy and
rifle-toting mountain man, Kimberly Schraf as Parthy, his
respectively) many of the pro- fault-finding Boston-born wife.
WELCOME
BLOCKBUSTER
CUSTOMERS
EVERYTHING
THEY HAD
PLUS MORE!
MISSED YOUR
FAVORITE
TV SHOW?
RENT THEM
HERE!
5 DAYS FOR
$
3.75 &
2 FOR 1
SUN-THURS
LOWEST PRICES
LARGEST SELECTION
NOVELTIES • DVDS • TOYS • HEADCLEANERS • MAGS
CAPITOL HILL, 514 8TH ST. SE SI N C E
544-2808 EASTERN MARKET 19 81
DUPONT, 1729 CONN., AVE., NW MAJOR CREDIT
265-9226 S. DUPONT CARDS ACCEPTED
 Join GAYLAW in honoring
Environmental Protection Agency
Hogan and Hartson LLP
Ackerman Legal PLLC
Washington Blade
Metro Weekly
David Catania
Recipients of the Distinguished Service Award

17th Annual HOLIDAY Awards Celebration

with remarks by Kerry Eleveld,
gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender lawyers of washington
White House Correspondent for The Advocate

Bring an unwrapped toy or article of

clothing for a child age 4-16, or a gift
card for the Metropolitan Community
Church’s 5th Annual Toy Drive.
purchase tickets at www.gaylaw.org
graphics by Studio Santalla, Inc.
Woman’s National Democratic Club
1526 New Hampshire Avenue, NW
Friday, December 4, 2009
6:00 - 9:00 pm
18 dcagenda.com • Nov. 27, 2009

classifieds
RENT / VA
FURNISHED APT, 1 BR, 1 BA, Becky Carroll, Ph.D.
$995/month, Walk To Huntington Licensed Psychologist
Interactive Counseling,
Metro All utilities included Psychotherapy and
http://www.idkent.com/apartment Somatic Experiencing
www.LGBTC.com
SHARE / VA 202.332.8477
B.Carroll@mac.com
ALEX $700 + 1/3 UTILS Private furnished
3000 Connecticut Ave., NW
BR & BA w/ Shower & Jacuzzi Tub in SFH,
near So. Towers. Near bus & 7 parks,
quiet, treed neighborhood, 2 Westies, Wi- S i d n e y W. B i n k s I I I , P h . D .
Fi, Sat. TV Call Steve 571-228-3033. Licensed Clinical Psychologist

SINGLE, 27 Y/O, gay male seeks room- Individual & Couples Therapy
mate for 2 BR apt in Pentagon City. Metro, fo r the LGBT Community
18 years experience!!
supermarket & gym are close. Rent share is
$950/mo. Includes utils. Avail Dec 1.
ccjohnso82@hotmail.com, (734) 834-7895. SidBinks@aol.com 202. 255.5187
www.LGBTC.com/staff/sidney_binks 3000 Conn. Ave.

HOME IMPROVEMENT
JOHNNY HOLSTEIN PAINTING Proudly
serving the community for 20 years Experts
with color Interior/Exterior Free Estimates
202-546-5790 Holsteinj@aol.com

LEGAL SERVICES
FULL SERVICE LAW FIRM Repre-
senting the GLBT community for over
25 years. Family adoptions, estate
planning, real estate, immigration, em-
ployment. (301) 891-2200. Silber, Perl-
man, Sigman & Tilev, P.A. & Kirstin
Gulling, Of Counsel. www.SP-Law.com
EMPLOYMENT LAW ATTORNEY -

PROUDLY SERVING OUR COMMUNITY SINCE 1990 PROUDLY SERVING OUR COMMUNITY SINCE 1990 PROUDLY SERVING OUR COMMUNITY SINCE 1990
PROUDLY SERVING OUR COMMUNITY SINCE 1990 PROUDLY SERVING OUR COMMUNITY SINCE 1990 PROUDLY SERVING OUR COMMUNITY SINCE 1990
Wrongful Discharge, Sexual Harrass-
ment, Contract Review, Whitleblowers.
The Law Office of Carl Roller (202) 531-
2777, www.carlroller.com

MASSAGE
FANTASTIC WARM HEARTED
MASSAGE My strong hands & great SAV E M O NEY O N
techniques will help you relax & feel C A R I NSURA NC E ,
great. Adams Morgan (202) 641-1078, NOT ON A HAIRCUT.
Hagerstown (301) 824-1017, Ron, fan-
tasticmassage@myactv.net.
Your State Farm® agent’s
ESCORTS got your back with the right
WHEN QUALITY COUNTS Male/TV/TS, coverage, and discounts up to
(202) 628-0092, www.tops69.com, 40% on car insurance.
also hiring! Call today.

Jonna S. Wooten, Agent

8148 Electric Avenue
Vienna, VA 22182
703-560-7804
jonna.wooten.loy3@statefarm.com

Like a Good Neighbor, state farm is there.®

statefarm.com ®