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PRIDE PHOTOS,

PAGES 45 & 46 AND


AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
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AM E RI C A S GAY NE W S S O URCE

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

What a weekend!
Thousands turn out for
citys 40th Pride celebration
By MICHAEL K. LAVERS &
LOU CHIBBARO JR.
More than 150,000 people turned out
in Northwest D.C. on Saturday for the
40th annual Capital Pride parade.
D.C.
Mayor
Muriel
Bowser,
Congressional Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton
(D-D.C.) and all ve freshmen members of
the D.C. Council LaRuby May, Brandon
Todd, Elissa Silverman, Brianne Nadeau
and Charles Allen were among the
local elected ocials who marched in the

parade that began at 22nd and P streets,


N.W., in Dupont Circle and ended on
14th Street, N.W., in Logan Circle. For the
second consecutive year, a military Color
Guard marched in the parade.
Deacon Maccubbin, owner of the now
closed Lambda Rising bookstore who founded
what became known as Capital Pride in 1975,
and actor Wilson Cruz were grand marshals
of this years parade. Television personality
Ross Mathews ociated the wedding of Sean
Franklin and George Carrancho, who tied the
knot on a oat.
Members of the Boy Scouts Troops of
America marched in the parade for the
CONTINUES ON PAGE 08

Visitors to Sundays Capital Pride Festival wore their festive best and braved the heat
and a late afternoon storm.
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

Trump, Bush enter 2016 race


GOP hopefuls attack
Obama, Clinton;
mum on LGBT issues
By CHRIS JOHNSON
cjohnson@washblade.com
Real estate business mogul Donald
Trump on Tuesday ended years of
speculation that hed pursue a run for
the White House, declaring his candidacy
for the 2016 Republican nomination. He
joins former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who
announced his bid on Monday.
Trump made his announcement in New

York Citys Trump Tower during a speech


in which he denounced the Obama
administration for policies he says have
weakened the United States.
All of my life Ive heard a truly successful
person, a really, really successful person,
and even modestly successful cannot run
for public oce, Trump said. It just cant
happen, and yet thats the kind of mindset
that you need to make this country great
again, so ladies and gentlemen, I am
ocially running for president of the
United States and we are going to make
our country great again.
Saying he wanted to end claims among
CONTINUES ON PAGE 14

Polls show DONALD TRUMP in the top 10 among GOP hopefuls.

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY LEE WHITMAN

IN MEMORIAM

HATE CRIME

D-LIST NO MORE

Len Hirsch, founder of


Federal GLOBE,
dies at age 59.

Baltimore gay man


recovering after violent
downtown attack.

Kathy Grin on Caitlyn,


Gaga and details of her
Kennedy Center show.

PAGE 6

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LO CA L N E W S

Doc on 1950s-era war on gays premieres

The menu at Nacho Mamas included a jab at Caitlyn Jenner.

Baltimore restaurant
assailed for Jenner joke
Nachos Mamas, a Tex-Mex restaurant located in the trendy Canton
neighborhood of Baltimore, was the focus of a brouhaha this week and it had
nothing to do with the food or service. Included on a specials menu inserted in
the main menu was a comment about Caitlyn Jenner that was intended as a joke
but generated a great deal of pushback from around the country.
On the top of the menu, the following was said by the restaurants cartoon mascot,
a sombrero-wearing Mr. Boh: I guess Caitlyn Jenner will be the only Kardashian on
a magazine cover with clothes on. Beneath that sentence is a photo of the Austin
Powers movie character with his signature line, Thats a man baby!
On Monday, the menu controversy was met with heated comments from both
sides of the issue on social media those who saw it as demeaning to trans
people and others who saw it as a harmless joke. Its subsequent removal from
the menu was seen by some as a cave-in to political correctness.
The restaurants Facebook page contains more than 130 comments in response
to the posting by the restaurant Monday afternoon, Thank you for reaching out
to us, the comment on the top of our Specials Menu has been removed.
There has not been a public apology as of Thursday afternoon. An employee
representing Nacho Mamas declined to comment by phone to the Blade other
than stating the joke was removed from the menu.
Trans activist Jen Fischetti told the Baltimore Sun, Whether theres a public apology
or not, whats important is whether the behavior continues. Im willing to give people
the benet moving forward. Rather than an apology, Id rather see change within the
company so theyll never be in a position to have to apologize again.
Caitlyn Jenner came out as transgender in the June 9 issue of Vanity Fair.
STEVE CHARING

Va. school board sued over restroom policy


The American Civil Liberties Union last week led a federal lawsuit against a Virginia
school district over its controversial policy that requires students to use restrooms and
locker rooms that correspond to their biological gender.
The ACLU and the ACLU of Virginia brought the case against the Gloucester County
School Board on behalf of Gavin Grimm, a transgender boy who has been required to
use a unisex restroom in the nurses oce since the policy took eect in December.
The lawsuit claims the policy violates both the 14th Amendments Equal Protection
Clause and Title IX that prohibits schools that receive federal funds from discriminating
on the basis of sex.
The distinction stigmatizes Gavin and marks him as dierent from the other students;
it isolates Gavin from his peers and it exposes him to serious psychological harm, reads
the lawsuit. To avoid the stigma of having to use separate restrooms, Gavin has tried to
avoid using any restroom during the school day.
Grimm and his mother, who is also named as a plainti in the lawsuit, are seeking
preliminary and permanent injunctions requiring the school board to allow Gavin to
use the boys restrooms at school. They are also seeking unspecied damages.
I just want to use the restroom in peace, said Grimm in an ACLU press release.
Since the school board passed this policy I feel singled out and humiliated every time I
need to use the restroom.
Gloucester County School Board Chair Randy Burak on Thursday did not immediately
return the Blades request for comment on the ACLU lawsuit.
MICHAEL K. LAVERS

More than 150 people turned out at D.C.s E Street Cinema Monday night for the premiere
showing of the documentary lm Uniquely Nasty: The U.S. Governments War on Gays.
The 30-minute lm produced by Yahoo News and its chief investigative correspondent
Michael Isiko depicts a little-known 1950s-era campaign by the FBI and other federal
government agencies to purge gays from the federal workforce.
Isiko, a former investigative reporter for ABC News, takes viewers on a dramatic
tour of some of the thousands of documents unearthed by the recently resurrected
gay rights group Mattachine Society of Washington and its leader Charles Francis. The
documents, including several written by former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, depict
homosexuals as sex perverts and a dire threat to national security.
Each Supervisor will be held personally responsible to underline in green pencil the
names of individuals mentioned in any report, letter, memorandum, newspaper article
or other communication who are alleged to be sex deviates, Hoover wrote in one of the
FBI documents shown in the lm.
In an interview in the lm, Francis notes that gays were referred to repeatedly as sex
deviates in many of the documents, which his group obtained through multiple Freedom of
Information Act requests from government agencies. The group obtained other documents
by persuading the presidential libraries of Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and Lyndon
Johnson, among others, and the National Archives, to release them.
Actor George Takei of Star Trek fame, whos gay, speaks in the lm as Hoovers voice,
reciting in a somber and angry tone Hoovers writings warning of the threat gays posed
for the government.
Francis has credited the law rm McDermott, Will & Emery with providing pro bono
legal help for the Mattachine Society in its eort to secure the release of many of the
documents through its Freedom of Information Act requests.
In a panel discussion moderated by Washington Post editorial board member
Jonathan Capehart, which took place after the lm viewing, Isiko said he was taken
aback by the degree of animus directed at gays in the documents Francis showed him.
One document a 1964 memo written by then-U.S. Civil Service Commission ocial
John W. Steele is representative of the views of gays shared by many government
ocials, Isiko told the gathering.
Some feel that once a homo, always a homo, Steele wrote in the memo. Our
tendency to lean over backwards to rule against a homosexual is simply a manifestation
of the revulsion which homosexuality inspires in the normal person, Steele wrote.
The lm reports that thousands of gay men and lesbians were red from or refused
jobs with federal government agencies during the height of the anti-gay purges that
took place from the 1940s through the 1960s.
Others speaking on the panel were Francis; Douglas Charles, author of the recently
released book Hoovers War on Gays: Exposing the FBIs Sex Deviates Program; and JoDee
Winterhof, the Human Rights Campaigns vice president for policy and political aairs.
Yahoo News says it will release the lm for nationwide viewing on June 22 on Yahoo.com.
LOU CHIBBARO JR.

Blade names intl news editor


The Washington Blade this week announced the creation of a new position
international news editor in recognition of the papers growing focus on LGBT issues
around the globe.
Michael K. Lavers, a Blade reporter since 2012, will take on the new role, which
involves covering international stories, cultivating LGBT sources abroad, managing and
editing the work of freelance contributors and traveling to foreign countries.
Lavers is just back from a week in Cuba, where he traveled the island nation reporting
on the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. This week, hes in the
Dominican Republic, where hes scheduled to interview local ocials, activists and the
U.S. ambassador, whos gay.
Michael has worked hard to broaden the Blades coverage of international issues
and this promotion is perfectly suited to his unique skill set and our commitment to
covering the LGBT communitys struggle for equality around the globe, said Blade
Editor Kevin Na.
I am thankful for the opportunity to cover international LGBT rights issues from
Cuba, Peru, Mexico, the Netherlands and other countries where the Blade has sent me
over the last three years, Lavers said. It is important to have an LGBT publication that
devotes the resources necessary to cover these stories. I very much look forward to the
opportunity to continue this reporting.
STAFF REPORTS

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LO CA L N E W S

Federal GLOBE founder Len Hirsch dies at 59


Spent 26 years
at Smithsonian

research at the Smithsonians National


Museum of Natural History.
In his rst three years in D.C. prior to
joining the Smithsonian, Hirsch worked
for a data management rm, started
a company that produced a personal

By LOU CHIBBARO JR.


lchibbaro@washblade.com
Leonard P. Len Hirsch, a senior policy
adviser at the Smithsonian Institution in
Washington for 26 years and founder
of the organization representing LGBT
employees of the federal government
known as Federal GLOBE, died June 12 at
the National Institutes of Health Hospital
in Bethesda, Md. He was 59.
Friends said the cause of death was cancer.
Hirsch has been credited with playing
a key role in bringing together scientists
and public policy makers in his role as
senior policy adviser at the Smithsonians
Oce of International Relations and the
Oce of the Under Secretary for Science
from 1988 to 2014.
A statement released by those who
knew him at the Smithsonian says Hirsch,
who specialized in global environmental
issues, helped to found the Global
Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF),
an international data gathering operation
that allows anyone, anywhere to access
data about all types of life on earth,
shared across national boundaries via
the Internet, according to its website.
The statement says Hirsch represented
the Smithsonian before national and
international meetings and organizations,
including the Convention on Biological
Diversity, a group founded by a 1992
international agreement on conservation
of natural resources.
He also dealt with a wide range of
issues in history, art and culture, as well
as astronomy, the statement says.
Information released by D.C.s Rainbow
History Project says Hirsch in 1988
organized the rst meeting of the Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender
Employees of the U.S. government that
became known as Federal GLOBE. It
happened during his rst year working at
the Smithsonian.
A short time later he was elected
president of Federal GLOBE, a position he
held for more than 10 years.
Hirsch also played a lead role in
founding a GLOBE chapter at the
Smithsonian and helped others form
GLOBE chapters at more than a dozen
federal government agencies.
He was an important, early voice for
LGBT rights for U.S. federal government
personnel, said Selim Ariturk, president
of GLIFAA, the GLOBE-aliated group
representing LGBT employees in U.S.
foreign aairs agencies. Len was a great
friend and supporter of GLIFAA since our
organizations inception in 1992.
Richard Socarides, who served as

computer, and conducted research under


a U.S. Department of Education grant at
Prince Georges Community College, the
Rainbow History Projects write-up says.
CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

obituary

Ted Cooper, 72

LEN HIRSCH founded the organization


representing LGBT employees of the federal
government known as GLOBE.
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

the White House liaison to the LGBT


community during the administration
of President Bill Clinton, said Hirsch
worked hard behind the scenes to lay the
groundwork for an executive order that
Clinton issued in his second term banning
sexual orientation discrimination in the
federal workforce.
I remember Len as a tireless advocate
not only for LGBT federal employees
but for civil rights for all Americans,
Socarides said. He was such a warm and
dignied presence, even while a most
vigorous advocate.
Hirsch was born and raised in Queens,
N.Y. Nancy Gray, a friend since the two
were teenagers, said Hirsch graduated
from Benjamin Cardozo High School
in Bayside, Queens before starting at
Pomona College in Claremont, Calif.,
where he received a bachelors degree in
International Relations in 1976.
He received both a masters degree in
1978 and his Ph.D. in 1980 in political science
at Northwestern University in Chicago.
After completing his doctorate degree
Hirsh landed a teaching job at the
University of South Florida in Tampa,
where he helped start an LGBT faculty
organization, according to a Rainbow
History Project write-up on Hirsch at the
time he was named one the of groups
LGBT Pioneers.
The write-up says that during the
1984 annual conference of the American
Political Science Association, Hirsch
helped organize the rst meeting of what
became the associations Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual and Transgender Caucus.
It says Hirsch moved to D.C. in 1985
to join his partner, Kristian Fauchald,
whom he met in 1983. Fauchald, a marine
biologist, began a 35-year career at the
Smithsonian in 1979, where he conducted

Theodore Arthur Cooper died


March 19 of colon cancer at his
home in central Virginia according to
Luis R. Lugo, his partner of 25 years.
Cooper was 72. He was previously
the director and owner of Adams
Davidson Galleries.
Cooper, widely known as Ted, was
born Feb. 20, 1943, in Cleveland, Ohio,
to Arthur Erwin Cooper and Shirley
Marion Seltzer. He graduated from
Muskingum College, now Muskingum
TED COOPER in 1993
University, in New Concord, Ohio, and
moved to Washington in the midPHOTO COURTESY OF LUIS R. LUGO
1960s.
He soon landed a job as a gallery
assistant at Adams Davidson Galleries, which had its showroom on P Street,
N.W., in Georgetown. Cooper bought the gallery from its founders and spent the
next four decades acquiring and selling premium 19th- and early 20th-century
American and European art by leading painters and sculptors.
Cooper authored and published about 20 catalogs on American art for
exhibitions held at the gallery until the early 1990s. Cooper then became a
private dealer and appraiser working from his home in Washington.
He met Lugo in 1977 and a decade later they rekindled their friendship. When
Cooper closed his showroom and oces in Georgetown in 1992 and began to
recongure the gallerys direction and scope, Lugo often collaborated with him on
various projects including assisting when Cooper, as a visiting lecturer at George
Washington University, presented a lecture series on the nuances of valuing art.
One of his last appraisals, in late 2012, involved an obscure work by Auguste Renoir
that had been missing from the Baltimore Museum of Art before emerging in a
disputed ownership claim that eventually restored the work to the museum.
During the course of his career, Cooper established strong ties to many local and
national public and private galleries and museums, notably the National Gallery of
Art in Washington, and developed close bonds with many New York art dealers as
well as with countless private collectors in the U.S. and abroad. He was a certied
appraiser of the Appraisers Association of America, an accredited senior appraiser
and local president of the American Society of Appraisers, a senior member of the
International Institute of Valuers, a member of La Confdration International des
Ngociants en Oeuvres dArt, a member of the Art Dealers Association of America,
and a board member of the Art Dealers Association of Greater Washington from
its inception in 1981, which he co-founded with fellow art dealers Jane Haslem,
Ramon Osuna and Jack Rasmussen and twice served as its president. He was an
early supporter of the Human Rights Campaign.
In 1980, Cooper built a home on a precipice at the Wintergreen resort situated in
the Blue Ridge Mountain range in central Virginia, where he lived full-time since 2013.
In February 2014, he was diagnosed with cancer and underwent chemotherapy for
ve months until the cancer was in remission. But by December, the cancer had
returned and he was soon in hospice care at his home.
In addition to Lugo, Cooper is survived by two sisters, Leigh Cooper Eastman
and Laura Cooper Jordan; a brother-in-law, William C. Jordan; three nieces,
Marion E. Eastman, Margaret L. Tuma Nazario and Melissa A. Jordan; a nephew,
William A. Jordan; and two grandnieces, all of Ohio.
JOEY DiGUGLIELMO

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JUNE 19, 2015 07

Master weavers from the Centro de


Textiles Tradicionales del Cusco, Peru.

Photo by Josu Castilleja, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives, Smithsonian Institution

150 DANCERS,
MUSICIANS,
ARTISANS,
COOKS, AND
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OPEN 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. EVENING CONCERTS at 7p.m.

#2015FOLKLIFE

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LO CA L N E W S

CIA, FBI join long list of Pride festival exhibitors


CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

rst time.
Meteorologist Steve Rudin also joined
more than 20 other on-air personalities
and employees from WJLA who took part
in the annual event. Their participation
marks the rst time the television station
marched in the parade.
Whitman-Walker Health, the D.C.
Center for the LGBT Community, GLIFAA,
the British Embassy, the Latino GLBT
History Project, SMYAL and GLINT are
among the hundreds of other groups
that also took part in the annual event.
Members of RUSA LGBT, a group of
LGBT-speaking Russians and others from
the former Soviet Union, carried ags
from their respective homelands as they
marched in the parade.
The Russian government always
banned this, Gleb Latnik told the
Washington Blade before he and other
RUSA LGBT members began to march.
If people try to do it, those people are
arrested immediately. All those people
are arrested in just one minute.
Casa Ruby CEO Ruby Corado told
the Blade that she has seen the most
transgender support ever in 2015 and
it makes me hope for a better year.
She conceded unemployment and

homelessness are among the issues that


trans people continue to face, but Corado
applauded the Bowser administration for
the way she says it has responded to them.
We have a great conversation with
our mayor, Corado told the Blade. I
feel for the rst time that they are really
addressing our issues.
Temperatures were in the low 90s when
the parade kicked o from 22nd and P
Streets, N.W. The thunderstorms that had
been forecast to move through the D.C.
area on Saturday did not materialize.
Organizers told the Blade that more
than 250,000 people attended the annual
Capital Pride festival on Sunday that took
place on Pennsylvania Avenue between
Third and Seventh Streets, N.W.
The D.C. Oce of Human Rights, the
Central Intelligence Agency, Log Cabin
Republicans and D.C. Frontrunners were
among the hundreds of groups that took
part. Carly Rae Jepsen, En Vogue, Amber,
Wilson Phillips and Katy Tiz headlined
the festival.
A
thunderstorm
with
torrential
downpours moved through D.C. at the
time the headliners were taking the stage.
The super secret U.S. Oce of the
Director of Intelligence for the rst time
hosted a booth at the festival, joining
booths hosted at the annual festival since

2012 by the Central Intelligence Agency


and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The presence of government agencies
like the FBI and CIA which banned
LGBT people from working for them
as recently as the 1980s highlights
the dramatic advances in LGBT rights,
according to Capital Pride organizers.
The Oce of the Director of Intelligence,
which oversees and coordinates activities
of 17 U.S. intelligence related agencies,
including the FBI and the CIA, was
among at least a dozen U.S. government
agencies or departments to host a booth
at this years Capital Pride Festival.
Other federal agencies hosting booths
included the Department of Justice,
the D.C. Oce of the U.S. Attorney, the
Department of Energy, the U.S. Census
Bureau, the Department of Defenses
Oce of the U.S. Armed Forces, and the
U.S. Coast Guard.
If you go back 40 years, not only
would these agencies not be there at the
festival but we were not welcome to work
at these agencies, said Bernie Delia,
president of the Capital Pride board and
a Justice Department attorney.
And these agencies are here also
because their individual employees who
are LGBT have made their presence
known, he said. We have made

tremendous advances.
Nearly all of the booths hosted by
the federal government agencies were
staed by members of LGBT agency
employee groups. The CIA booth, for
example, which distributed employee
recruitment literature, was staed by
members of the Agency Network of
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender
Employees
(ANGLE),
an
ocially
recognized CIA employees group.
Were happy to be here, said one
ANGLE member who asked not to be
identied because the CIA requires
advance clearance for its employees to
be quoted in the media.
Delia said this years festival included
a total of 276 organizations, local or
federal government agencies, and
large and small businesses that hosted
booths. A list of the booths released by
Capital Pride shows they reect of wide
and diverse array of LGBT and LGBT
supportive groups, corporations, and
local and federal government agencies,
and faith-based organizations.
Employees of a number of prominent
corporations and hospitality companies
chatted with festival goers about their
products and services.

Ban on trans surgery at Gtown Hospital highlights shortage of surgeons


None in D.C. area
trained for sex
reassignment surgery

By LOU CHIBBARO JR.


lchibbaro@washblade.com

Transgender activists say a decision


earlier this year by MedStar Georgetown
University Hospital to discontinue
performing breast implant surgery for
transgender women has highlighted
an unexpected turn of events for the
transgender community.
At a time when private health insurance
companies and state Medicaid programs
are beginning to cover the costs of gender
transition related surgery, the supply of
surgeons qualied to perform the highly
specialized surgeries is falling short of
the demand.
This is an interesting story because
with the increase in insurance coverage
there is now a demand greater than the
number of surgeons who are capable of
doing this, said Dana Beyer, a retired eye
surgeon who serves as executive director
of Gender Rights Maryland, a transgender
advocacy organization.
News about Georgetown Hospitals

decision to discontinue breast-related surgery


for transgender patients surfaced earlier this
month when a transgender woman led a
discrimination complaint against the hospital
on grounds that it allegedly refused her
request for breast implant surgery because
of her gender identity.
The complaint led by Alexa Rodriguez,
38, is pending before the D.C. Oce of
Human Rights, which informed Rodriguez
it was investigating the allegation. A lawyer
familiar with D.C.s comprehensive Human
Rights Act told the Blade that Rodriguez
appears to have a strong case because
the hospital is operating as a public
accommodation and must comply with the
acts ban on transgender discrimination.
A MedStar Georgetown Hospital
spokesperson said the hospital has a policy
of non-discrimination based on gender
identity and sexual orientation, among
other categories. The spokesperson,
Marianne Worley, said the hospital
determined it is best to do transgenderrelated surgery only if it had the specialists
and capability to provide a full array of
gender transition services, something she
said the hospital currently doesnt have.
Dr. Sarah Henn, senior director of
Healthcare Operations and Medical
Services for D.C.s Whitman-Walker

Health, said there are surgeons who


currently perform breast implant surgery
for transgender women at George
Washington University Hospital and
Sibley Hospital in the District.
But Henn noted that there are no
surgeons in the D.C. and Baltimore
Metropolitan Areas qualied to perform
sex reassignment surgery for transgender
men or women. She and Beyer said
Philadelphia is the closest location to D.C.
where surgeons and hospitals provide
sex reassignment surgery.
A website created by a transgender activist
who has conducted an informal survey of
surgeons and medical practices that perform
sex reassignment survey shows that such
surgeons are available in just 12 states.
The next closest place to D.C. after
Philadelphia, according to the website
TSSurgeryGuide.com, is Raleigh, N.C.
I think to some degree were still
learning what hospitals and surgeons are
going to be able to perform surgery for our
transgender patients, Henn told the Blade.
Previously, up until last year, patients
who needed surgery really were stuck if it
wasnt covered by insurance, she said. So
if they needed surgery they had to save
their money and pay out of pocket for it.
Now, according to Henn, changes in

D.C. law and D.C. insurance industry


regulations require medical insurers to
cover transgender-related surgery as long
as patients are deemed qualied under
a nationally recognized set of criteria
established by the World Professional
Association of Transgender Health (WPATH).
Among the criteria is that the patient
must be diagnosed by a mental health
professional with a condition called gender
dysphoria. A letter from the mental health
professional conrming the diagnosis
enables the patient to begin hormone
treatment under the care of a medical
doctor. That step is usually followed by the
requirement that the person live openly
as a member of the gender to which he
or she is seeking to become before the
person is cleared for surgery.
Beyer said that in an ironic turn of
events, the advances in transgender
rights and the increased understanding
and acceptance of transgender people
in recent years have prompted more
transgender people to choose not to opt
for sex reassignment surgery.
Fifteen years ago most trans people
wanted that surgery, she said. Now the
percentage who wants it is less but there
are more in numbers.
The culture is changing, she said.

W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM

JUNE 19, 2015 09

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W W W. H A M I L T O N S O F A G A L L E R Y. C O M

Bet Mishpachah Presents


Matt Nosanchuk
White House Jewish Liaison

Matt is a longtime legal advocate for Jewish, LGBTQ, DOMA,


Civil Rights, and Social Justice issues. He will speak on these
issues following Shabbat Services June 26th.

Please Join us Friday evening June 26th,


8:00pm at the DC JCC, 16th and Q Streets

For more information about our programs go to www.betmish.org or


www.facebook.com/betmish

Follow
us on
4.75

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

1 0 J UN E 1 9 , 2 0 1 5

NATIONAL NEWS

Most LGBT murder victims are people of color


Anti-violence group
releases annual report
By MICHAEL K. LAVERS
mlavers@washblade.com
The vast majority of the reported
victims of anti-LGBT murders in 2014
were people of color, according to a
report the National Coalition of AntiViolence Programs released this week.
The NCAVP report notes that 80 percent
of the 20 anti-LGBT murder victims who
were reported to the organization last
year were people of color. Sixty percent
of them were of African descent, while
another 15 percent were Latino. The
report further indicates that 15 percent
of the documented LGBT murder victims
in 2014 were white.
NCAVP notes 55 percent of these
homicide victims were trans and half
of those were people of color.
This years report again shows that
people at risk for the most severe
hate violence are at the intersection
of multiple forms of oppression and
discrimination including homophobia,
transphobia, racism and socio-economic
discrimination, said Essex Lordes of

MIA HENDERSON was killed last year.


PHOTO COURTESY OF FACEBOOK

Community United Against Violence, a


San Francisco-based organization that
combats anti-LGBT violence, in an NCAVP
press release. Anti-LGBTQ hate violence
can no longer be viewed in isolation
from other forms of violence that our
community members are experiencing

based on their identities.


The unsolved murders of two trans
women of color Kandy Hall and Mia
Henderson in Baltimore last year left
LGBT rights advocates in Charm City on
edge. A third trans woman of color, Lamia
Beard, was shot to death in Norfolk,

Virginia, in January.
Lourdes Ashley Hunter, co-founder of
the Trans Women of Color Collective, told
the Washington Blade on Wednesday
that the NCAVP report is a snapshot of
the structural and physical violence trans
and gender non-conforming people face
across this country everyday.
Trans and gender non-conforming
people of color continue to be denied
access to housing, healthcare, employment
and educational opportunities placing us
at a greater risk for poverty, violence,
heighten criminalization, incarceration
and detention, she said. This is what
state sanctioned violence looks like as
it is inextricably linked to the physical
violence our community endures.
Ted Heck, a former member of the
Virginia Anti-Violence Project board of
directors, described the NCAVP report as
upsetting and not expected.
The experience of violence, especially
among trans people, and especially
trans women of color is pervasive in
our society, he said. I hope that these
statistics will move people, organizations,
and government entities to action to
address the problems that create such
a dangerous environment for these
marginalized communities.

Westin hotel disputes anti-gay bias allegation


Gay guests say they
were ejected from area
reserved for families
By LOU CHIBBARO JR.
lchibbaro@washblade.com
The general manager of the Westin
Atlanta Airport Hotel has apologized to a
group of ve gay and lesbian guests who say
a hotel security ocer asked them to leave
the hotels cocktail lounge in April because it
was reserved for families and others.
In a May 19 letter responding to a
written complaint to the hotel by D.C.
resident K. David Weidner, one of the gay
guests, hotel manager Bill Henderson
said the security ocer asked them to
leave the lounge because they brought
in food from the outside.
Because food sales are a core business
for us, we reserve our outlet space for
guests who want to purchase our food and
beverages, Henderson said in his letter.
But Weidner, the co-founder and
president of a D.C.-based consulting rm,
told the Washington Blade that his two
gay male and two lesbian friends who
were with him distinctly recall the security

ocer stressing that the lounge was


reserved for families and other patrons
whom he declined to dene.
Weidner said he and his group had
just returned from attending a funeral in
Montgomery, Ala., for a mutual friend. He
said he and the two males with him were
dressed in dark suits and ties and the two
women wore black dresses.
We decided that before we changed
clothes and refreshed ourselves we
wanted to toast our dear friend whom
wed just buried in Montgomery,
Weidner told Henderson in a May 19
letter complaining about the security
ocers handling of the situation.
Weidner told the Blade he brought in
$6 worth of crackers and chips he bought
from the hotels sundry shop located
steps away from the cocktail lounge.
But he said he has no recollection of the
security ocer raising the issue of food
when he asked his group to leave the
lounge and directed them to a nearby
dining room that Weidner said had dirty
tables and no servers.
Before being asked to leave the lounge
the group ordered a round of drinks,
which a friendly server brought to their
table, Weidner told Henderson in his
letter. But she was barely out of sight

and we had barely a chance to toast


our departed friend when a gentlemen
approached our table and identied
himself as the director of security,
Weidner said in his letter.
He said in a rather direct and impolite
tone that we would have to remove
ourselves from the table, as this area is
reserved for families and others.
According to Weidners account, the
security ocial then said they could enjoy
their beverages in a nearby room called
the Revivals area, which the group later
described as a poorly lit space with two
dirty tables.
The ve of us looked at each other we
were absolutely stunned, Weidner said in
his letter. I asked the director of security
to dene families and others. He replied
that our party was not welcome to sit at
this reserved space, but that we would be
welcome in the Revivals area, Weidner said
in his letter to Henderson. He never did
explain what families and others meant.
In response to an inquiry from the Blade,
Katie Roberts, an ocial with a public relations
rm representing the Starwood Westin
Hotels chain, said the company has a strict
policy of non-discrimination and is especially
welcoming to the LGBT community.
The interaction with Mr. Weidners group

was most unfortunate and poorly handled


by the Westin Atlanta Airport associate, but
it was in no way discriminatory, Roberts
said in a statement.
The only reason Mr. Weidners group
was asked to move to another area was
because they had brought in food from
the outside into an area where the hotel
serves food, she said. Starwood has zero
tolerance of discrimination of any kind.
Roberts noted that the Starwood hotel
chain works closely with and supports
LGBT rights organizations and is
pleased that the Human Rights Campaign
Foundation has recognized Starwood for
nine straight years as one of the Top
Employers for LGBT equality.
Weidner said hes skeptical about
the explanations oered by the Westin
Atlanta Airport Hotel and its PR rm, and
noted that hotel ocials did not respond
to his requests for an explanation and
an apology until the Blade began making
inquiries to the Westin.
Upon learning that the city of Atlanta
has a human rights law that bans
discrimination against LGBT people,
Weidner said hes considering ling a
discrimination complaint against the hotel.
CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM

JUNE 19, 2015 11

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

1 2 J UN E 1 9 , 2 0 1 5

NATIONAL NEWS

Mixed results at stopping religious freedom bills


Of 78 such measures
introduced, ve
made it into law
By CHRIS JOHNSON
cjohnson@washblade.com
Now that most state legislative sessions
have come to a close for this year,
observers have diering assessments
on the eorts aimed at stopping aseries
of religious freedom bills seen to enable
anti-LGBT discrimination.
According to theAmerican Civil Liberties
Union, of the 78 religious freedom bills
introduced this year, ve were signed into
law and two of the measures that became
law were scaled back.
Rose Saxe, a sta attorney with the
ACLU LGBT Project, characterized eorts
to defeat the bills as successful and
attributed the defeat of most of the bills
to the case made by the LGBT community
against them.
There was an incredible onslaught of
bills in the past yearin a tremendous
number of states, and I think we made a
very good case the LGBT community
and the broader community for the
harms that these measures would cause,
and managed to stop almost all of them,
Saxe said.
Yet ahead of an expected decision from
the U.S. Supreme Court on whether samesex couples have a constitutional right
to marry across the country, measures
in Arkansas, Utah, Indiana, Michigan
and North Carolina seeking religious
accommodations for LGBT discrimination
became law.
The rst of these bills to become law
this year was SB 202 in Arkansas, which
prohibits municipalities from enacting
non-discrimination
ordinances
for
classes of individuals outside the scope
of state law, including on the basis of
sexual orientation and gender identity.
After new Republican majorities in the
Arkansas Legislature passed the bill, Gov.
Asa Hutchinson allowed it to become law
by taking no action when the measure
reached his desk.
One bill that became law in Utah, SB
297, allows employees in clerks oces to
refuse to perform same-sex marriages.
But the legislation was actually endorsed
by state LGBT advocates before it was
signed by Gov. Gary Herbert. The measure
passed as part of an agreement to enact
LGBT non-discrimination protections in
the state for employment and housing
(although that bill had a broad religious
exemption similar to other civil rights
laws in the state). Moreover, if an ocial
doesnt wish to perform a same-sex
marriage, that person isnt allowed to

Indiana Gov. MIKE PENCE ignited a media restorm after signing a so-called religious
freedom bill.

facilitate any marriages and someone


else must be present in their oce who
can perform the service.
The biggest blowback for one of these
measures came after Gov. Mike Pence
signed into law a sweeping religious
freedom bill, SB 101, which prohibited
government action against individuals
for acting on a religious belief, including
the purposes of discrimination against
LGBT people. After a media restorm
and condemnation from the business
community, Pence signed into law a
x that claries the law doesnt allow
discrimination against LGBT people
(although churches, ministers and nonprot religious organizations were
exempt from the change).
At the same time in Arkansas,
Hutchinson asked the state legislature
to redraft a similar religious freedom bill,
SB 975, so it would mirror the existing
accommodations under federal law. The bill
Hutchinson would sign had a more limited
accommodation for religious objections.
For a time, no other states enacted
similar religious freedom laws. But last
week, the North Carolina Legislature
overrode the veto of Gov. Pat McCrory
on SB 2, which enables magistrates
and registers of deeds to opt out of
issuing marriage licenses based on a
religious objection, although invoking the
exemption requires them not to issue any
marriage licenses for at least six months.
Also last week, Gov. Rick Snyder signed
into law a series of religious freedom bills,
HB 4188, HB 4189, HB 4190, which allow
child placement agencies to refuse a state
referral for the placement of a child if that
service would conict with the agencys
sincerely held religious beliefs as stated
in written policy.
Michaelangelo Signorile, a gay New York

activist and author of Its Not Over, wrote


in an op-ed for the Hungton Post the
enactment of religious freedom bills in
North Carolina and Michigan demonstrates
Indiana wasnt the turning point many
observers thought. Further, Signorile
criticized national LGBT advocates,
including the Human Rights Campaign, for
not doing enough to stop them.
And why you should be ghting mad is
simply that the enemies of equality made
their strategy very clear and very public
back then, yet some of our major LGBT
groups havent been paying attention,
Signorile said. Theyve been heralding
the wins against bigotry, such as those in
Indiana and others, as major turning points
not to mention the fact that these wins
are good opportunities for the groups to
fundraise around and they have run
away from the battles in the states where
losses are a real possibility or probability.
The Human Rights Campaign didnt
respond to a request for comment on
Signoriles criticism. The organization
issued news statements against the
measures and launched a campaign
against religious freedom bills called
Dont Repeat the Mistakes of Indiana in
12 states, including North Carolina and
Michigan. HRC President Chad Grin also
expressed opposition to the measures in
a series of messages on Twitter.
Dan Pinello, a political scientist at the
John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said
theres a distinct limit to the power to
stop anti-LGBT laws in state legislatures
that are overwhelmingly controlled by
Republicans, such as those in Michigan
and North Carolina.
With such overwhelming single-party
control of state legislatures, theres
little LGBT advocates can do to quell
conservative legislators fears of political

backlash from constituents who are


outraged by the probability the Supreme
Court will soon authorize marriage
equality nationwide, Pinello said. Instead,
Republican state lawmakers have been
doing whatever they can to signify
solidarity with their own activist base.
Notably, while religious freedom
measures became law in some states
where conservatives control legislatures,
similar measures didnt advance to
the same extent in other states with
even greater conservative control. In
Oklahoma, 15 anti-LGBT bills were
pending before the state legislature, but
none became law, nor did any of the 23
anti-LGBT bills in Texas, including HB
4105, which sought to prohibit the use of
state funds for issuing a marriage license
to same-sex couples or recognizing a
same-sex marriage.
Saxe attributed the dierence among the
state legislatures to the particular vagaries
of each legislative session, adding the
media restorm that emerged in Indiana
raised the prole and made it harder to
pass anti-LGBT bills in other states.
Both Texas and Oklahoma had a ton
of bills that were introduced, Saxe said.
They were both conservative states and,
I think in some ways, there just really
wasnt the appetite to move that.
Pinello said some states beneted from
eective opposition often from sources
that arent aliated with one side or the
other of our polarized politics, such as the
business community. Several years ago,
he recalled, Texas lawmakers considered
a bill banning gay people from adopting
children, representatives from the Texas
child-welfare agency testied against it.
Consequently, the bill died in committee.
Sometimes activists can help facilitate
such politically neutral sources to act on
the behalf of LGBT Americans, but its a
delicate and time-consuming process that
often is impossible in the closing heats
of legislative sessions, when so many
bills come up for consideration without
any consequential public deliberation,
Pinello said.
It should be noted that after a religious
freedom bill failed in Louisiana, Gov.
Bobby Jindal, whos considered a likely
Republican presidential candidate, signed
an executive order that prohibits state
government retaliation against a person
for acting on the basis of a religious belief
in opposition to same-sex marriage.
Among the bills against the LGBT
community pending in state legislatures
were a rash of measures in Florida,
Kentucky, Texas, Nevada, Minnesota,
Missouri and Massachusetts specically
targeting transgender people. None of
these ID to pee bills became law.
CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM

JUNE 19, 2015 13

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

1 4 J UN E 1 9 , 2 0 1 5

CO V E R ST O RY

Bush seen as evolving away from marriage support


CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

political pundits that he wouldnt seek


the presidency because he would never
disclose his wealth, Trump acknowledged
during his speech that hes really rich
and presented paperwork he said
indicates hes worth nearly $8.8 billion.
Much of his campaign announcement
consisted of ery language against the
Obama administration for what he said
was poor negotiations in trade deals with
China as well as criticism of Obamacare,
which he called amazingly destructive.
Trump also took President George W.
Bush to task over the Iraq war and
President Obama to task for the way he
terminated it.
The 69-year-old native of Queens,
N.Y., also criticized immigration policies,
saying the entry of those from Mexico
and Latin American countries into the
United States is unacceptable.
When Mexico sends its people, theyre
not sending their besttheyre sending
people that have lots of problems and
theyre bringing those problems to us,
Trump said. Theyre bringing drugs,
theyre bringing crime, theyre rapists,
and some, I assume, are good people.
But I speak to border guards and they tell
us what we are getting.
Among the agenda items that Trump
articulated as part of his vision for the
country was repealing and replacing
Obamacare, addressing immigration by
building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border,
terminating Obamas executive action on
immigration, defeating the terrorist group
known as the Islamic State of Iraq & Syria,
ending Common Core, caring for veterans
and rebuilding the nations infrastructure.
Aside from expressing opposition to
the Obama administrations policies on
immigration, Trump didnt bring up social
issues, including LGBT rights, during his
announcement.
Trump has a convoluted history on
LGBT rights and has never come out in
support of same-sex marriage. In 2000,
when he was considering a run on the
Reform Party ticket, Trump gave an
extensive interview with The Advocate
in which he said he opposes same-sex
marriage, but supports a very strong
domestic partnership law. He also
expressed support for Dont Ask, Dont
Tell repeal, hate crimes protection
legislation laws and amending the Civil
Rights Act to include sexual orientation.
But in 2011, when he was oating the
possibility of running for president as a
Republican, Trump told the Des Moines
Register he opposes giving gay couples
the same benets as opposite-sex
couples, including same-sex marriage
and civil benets.
In 2013, Trump held the Miss Universe

JEB BUSH announced his 2016 White House


bid on Monday.
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY LEE WHITMAN

pageant, which he co-owns with NBC,


in Russia amid controversy over the
countrys anti-gay propaganda law. In an
interview with MSNBCs Thomas Roberts,
who was hired as host for the pageant,
Trump said hes evolving on the issue of
same-sex marriage, which has been his
most recent public comment on the issue.
(Meanwhile, his son Donald Trump Jr. has
come out in favor of same-sex marriage
and said he has wished every guy would
be gay so he could have more women.)
Gregory Angelo, executive director of
Log Cabin Republicans, had good things
to say about Trump upon the candidates
announcement hes seeking the White House.
Say what you may about Trump, he
speaks his mind because he has absolutely
nothing to lose in this race besides
the money he will use to self-fund his
campaign, Angelo said. Social issues dont
seem to be a priority he didnt mention
them once in his announcement and
despite his stance as a traditionalist, he
has demonstrated a respect and support
of LGBT individuals and charities in the
past during his tenure on The Celebrity
Apprentice. While his viability is dubious,
his potential to be a disruptive force in this
election cycle is denite.
The candidates position on marriage
may become clearer this month when hes
asked for his opinion after the U.S. Supreme
Court rules on whether same-sex couples
have a right to marry across the nation.
Polls have him among the top 10
candidates in the Republican eld, which
is enough for him to qualify for debates

with other GOP candidates.


One day earlier, Bush formally entered
the 2016 race for the White House,
making protections for religious liberty a
component of his bid for the presidency.
Speaking at a rally before supporters at
Miami Dade College, Bush announced he
would seek the Republican nomination
for the presidency in a speech loaded
with criticism of President Obama and
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary
Rodham Clinton.
Our country is on a very bad course
and the question is: What are we going to
do about it? Bush said. The question for
me is what am I going to do about it, and
Ive decided Im a candidate for president
of the United States of America.
Bush didnt mention LGBT issues
during his speech, but criticized Clinton
for what he said was her failure tostand
up for religious freedom, which many
observers read as code for anti-LGBT
discrimination.
These have been rough years for
religious charities and their right of
conscience, and the leading Democratic
candidate basically hinted at more
trouble to come, Bush said. Secretary
Clinton insists that when the progressive
agenda encounters religious beliefs to
their contrary, those beliefs quote, have
to be changed. Thats what she said.
Thats what she said, and I guess we
should at least thank her for the warning.
As Kerry Eleveld of DailyKos notes,
Bush took Clintons remarks out of
context. They come from a 2015 Women

in the World Summit speech in which


she called for access to health care for
women and an end to domestic violence.
Other agenda items that Bush
enumerated
during
his
speech
includedusing the veto power to protect
the country from needless spending,
ensuring children have options in
schooling that includes charter schools,
winning energy security for the country
in ve years, maintaining a four-percent
growth rate and passing meaningful
immigration reform.
Upon announcing in December that he
was considering a run, Bush was initially
seen as one of the more gay-friendly
hopefuls in the Republican eld, but any
perception that he was pro-gay quickly
evaporated.
Speaking at the Conservative Political
Action Conference this year, Bush said
when asked if his views have changed
that he believes in traditional marriage.
In an interview with the Christian
Broadcasting Network, Bush said theres
no constitutional right to same-sex
marriage and support for traditional
marriage should be a core American
value thats needed to protect children
born into poverty.
Although Bush 10 years ago supported
the eorts of his brother, former
President George W. Bush, in pushing for
a U.S. constitutional amendment banning
same-sex marriage, the candidate hasnt
yet spoken on whether hed support such
a measure in the event the Supreme
Court rules in favor of same-sex marriage.

W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM

JUNE 19, 2015 15

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

1 6 J UN E 1 9 , 2 0 1 5

I N T E RN A T I O N A L N E W S

3 Central American trans


advocates denied visas
LGBT rights advocates have criticized the U.S. over
the denial of visas to three transgender women who
were invited to attend the General Assembly of the
Organization of American States in Washington this
week.
Aldo Fernndez Turitich of the Latin American and
Caribbean Network of Trans People, known by the
Spanish acronym REDLACTRANS, told the Washington
Blade during a June 12 interview at the Northwest D.C.
oces of the Heartland Alliance for Human Needs and
Human Rights that three of his colleagues were unable
to receive visas from American ocials in Guatemala,
El Salvador and Panam. He identied them as Stacy
Vsquez Velsquez, Ambar Alvarado Alfaro and Mixair
Nolasco.
Vsquez, Alvarado and Nolasco told the Blade
on Monday during separate telephone and Skype
interviews from their respective countries capital cities
that they brought their passports, the formal invitation
MIXAIR NOLASCO is one of three transgender
they received from the OAS to travel to Washington
rights advocates from Central America who
and other ocial documents to the U.S. embassies in
were unable to obtain visas that would have
allowed them to travel to D.C. this week.
order to apply for the necessary visas.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MARCELO ERNESTO FERREYRA
Vsquez said her visa interview at the U.S. Embassy
in Guatemala City took place on June 2.
She said the woman with whom she spoke repeatedly
asked her about unresolved problems with the police that she said she had in her native El Salvador
before moving to Guatemala a decade ago where she is now a legal resident. The advocate maintains
Salvadoran police arrested her arbitrarily in a market while she and a friend were walking through
it.
She was detained and then released, Marcelo Ernesto Ferreyra of Heartland Alliance told the
Blade. She now lives in Guatemala, and there have been no problems in that respect.
Fernndez said that embassy ocials denied Vsquezs visa application based on that issue.
Alvarado told the Blade that she was asked similar questions during her initial interview at the U.S.
Embassy in San Salvador on June 8.
Ferreyra said Alvarados neighbor called the police after speaking with her about some private
issues. He said ocers stopped her as they usually do with trans people and then released her,
without bringing any criminal charges against her.
Alvarado told the Blade the embassy called her on June 9 and told her she had to come back the
next day for a second interview.
She said they asked her a series of questions about her interactions with the police. Alvarado said
a female embassy staer with whom she spoke used male pronouns to refer to her because the
documents she brought with her had the name that her parents gave her.
I told her that I am a transgender person and she told me OK, I understand, said Alvarado.
Nolasco said as she spoke to the Blade from the oces of Grupo Gnesis Panam, a Panamanian
LGBT advocacy group, that she brought the OAS invitation with her to the U.S. Embassy in Panama
City in order to apply for a visa. The advocate said the woman who interviewed her on June 4 didnt
want to see any letter.
Nolasco said the same embassy staer asked her three times what the OAS is.
Perhaps she is a person who lacks respect, asked Nolasco. It seems to me that a person from a
consulate who does not know what the OAS is was playing dumb.
Nolasco told the Blade that embassy ocials told her that they denied her visa application because
she didnt have sucient ties to Panam, even though she is a Panamanian citizen.
Nolasco said she felt the woman who interviewed her was anti-trans because of her conduct,
but she didnt explicitly use transphobic language. Vsquez who still does not know whether her
visa has been approved told the Blade she feels the actions of the U.S. Embassy in San Salvador
in and of themselves were not directly transphobic.
The spaces inside the OAS are of the utmost importance for us, she said.
REDLACTRANS and the Incidence LGBTTTI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Transsexual,
Transvestite and Intersex) Coalition in the Americas on June 11 issued a press release in which they
criticized U.S. ocials for denying visas to Nolasco, Alvarado and Vsquez.
We express our profound rejection of the discrimination exercised by the U.S. consulates in
Panam, Guatemala and El Salvador to block and/or deny visas and prevent the participation of
credentialed trans people as special invited guests to the 45th OAS General Assembly that is taking
place in the city of Washington, said the groups.
MICHAEL K. LAVERS

Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBT People RANDY BERRY said
Latin America is at the forefront of promoting LGBT rights.
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO FILE BY MICHAEL KEY

Berry: Latin America at


forefront of LGBT movement
The special U.S. envoy to promote global LGBT rights on Monday
said Latin America is very much on the forefront of advancing
these issues.
Randy Berry made the comments during a conference call that
took place shortly after he returned to Washington from an 11-day
trip to Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil and the Dominican Republic.
He attended a variety of Pride events in the ve countries and met
with government and religious ocials and representatives of
business, academic and advocacy groups.
Berry described the meetings he had with government ocials
as incredibly productive. He said the activists with whom he met
in the ve countries have really moved the ball.
We are seeing I think extraordinary change sweeping through
Latin America, said Berry. Those four countries, plus Colombia
have been very much on the forefront of that change.
Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil are among the countries in which
gays and lesbians can legally marry.
The Mexican Supreme Court earlier this month ruled that laws
prohibiting same-sex marriage are unconstitutional. A Chilean
law that will allow gays and lesbians to enter into civil unions is
scheduled to take eect in October.
Argentina and Uruguay have comprehensive transgender rights
laws that allow people to legally change their gender without
surgery. Colombian Justice Minister Yesid Reyes earlier this month
issued a decree that will allow trans people in the South American
country to do the same on their identication cards and other
ocial documents.
Berry on Monday acknowledged to the Blade that he had
a conversation about anti-LGBT hate crimes in each of the ve
countries he visited while in Latin America.
He visited the grave of Daniel Zamudio Vera, a 24-year-old man
who a group of self-described neo-Nazis beat to death in the
Chilean capital of Santiago in 2012 because he was gay, upon his
arrival in the South American country on June 4. Zamudios death
sparked widespread outrage in Chile and prompted lawmakers to
pass an LGBT-inclusive hate crimes and anti-discrimination bill.
That tragedy sort of formed a pivotal event in how Chile I
think made some advancements, Berry told the Blade. [It is] not
dissimilar to our own journey through the Matthew Shepard case.
The South American country last fall joined the Global Equality
Fund, a global LGBT rights initiative the State Department manages
with the U.S. Agency for International Development. Chile,
Colombia, Uruguay and Brazil introduced a resolution against antiLGBT violence and discrimination the U.N. Human Rights Council
adopted in September 2014.
Quite often we focus on the fact that there have been great
examples of leadership on this emanating from our partner
countries in Europe particularly in northern Europe, said Berry.
Theres a superb example of Latin leadership that has certainly
predated our entry into this space as a foreign policy issue. I
see very enlightened government engagement. I see an active
partnering with civil society.
Berry assumed his post within the State Departments Bureau of
Democracy, Human Rights and Labor on April 13.
MICHAEL K. LAVERS

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

1 8 J UNE 1 9 , 2 0 1 5

BA LT I MO RE N E W S

Gay man attacked in


downtown Baltimore
A 25-year-old gay man, Steven
Lemmerman, also known by his DJ name
DJ Lemz, was attacked along with his
partner Stuart Parlier on the corner of
Charles and Fayette streets in downtown
Baltimore, according to local media
reports. They were walking back from
a drag show at Soundstage on June 11

STEVEN LEMMERMAN was attacked June 11.


WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

Lemmerman described his attacker


as being light skinned and driving a
light Creamsicle-colored
RD orange sports
IGGS
car. He chased Rme
for a bit as I tried
to get away and started hitting me, he
told the City Paper. It was a weird time
when no one was around that usually
GALLOWAY ST
busy intersection so I dont know of any
witnesses.
Fort Totten
Park
Lemmerman said he was
hit numerous
times in the face, and then the man got
in his car and took o
. He Totten
said he was
Fort
OK and that it could have been worse.
Lemmerman recalled being the victim of
a gay bashing three years ago when he
hosted a club night at the Get Down in
Fells Point.
Noting the impending closing of the
Hippo, Lemmerman said, We need our
gay places. Its really nice to have a safe
place. I understand why [gay bars] are
closing, but its great to be with your
community
and identify with each other. I
United States
Soldiers
see [the
bars] as necessary and safe.
and Airmens
Home
National Baltimore
Cemetery police didnt immediately
return a request for comment. The Blade
will update this post as developments
warrant.

when they were attacked.


We were having a little fun walking
back from the show, Lemmerman told
the City Paper in a phone interview.
I was strutting and dancing in the
crosswalk when this guy gunned his
engine and tried to hit me. I tapped his
hood with my palm and he rushed out of
the car and went after Stuart rst, which
means to me that we were targeted for
us for strutting across the crosswalk. I
think he used the word faggot, but it
was such a blur.

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only gay bar for more than a decade.


Known for its numerous drag shows,
leather contests, karaoke, bear nights
and charitable bingo events as much as
for its food, PWs served as a popular
destination for those in the BaltimoreWashington corridor and beyond. As a
MedStar
result of back taxes owed to the state
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has lost
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The license was halted eective May
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liquor board of the taxes not being
paid. Accordingly, PWs hours were
reduced to 9 a.m.-3 p.m. serving food
and nonalcoholic beverages only. On
June 9, the liquor board met and ocially
deemed the license dead, according to
Board Administrator Denise King.
PWs owner John Cook did not respond
to a request by the Blade for comment
but a spokesman for the bar, Scott Gould,
said that they are actively pursuing a
buyer for the business with the hope of
retaining its LGBT identity.
King said that any new owner would
have to apply for a liquor license rather
than seek a license transfer from the
current ownership since the license is
dead. There is a vigorous application
process, and if approved by the board,
the new license owner, who must be
a Howard County resident, would be
required to pay an annual fee in the
amount of $1,000.
STEVE CHARING

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

20 J U N E 19, 2015

H E A LT H N E W S

Thinner partner can affect eating habits: study

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CAMDEN, N.J. A new study released this month explores the way people in
same-sex relationships aect each others eating habits, the State University of
New Jersey has announced.
Over the course of the study, researchers surveyed 288 participants in
monogamous, romantic same-sex relationships and found that having a thinner
partner can be a problem for some.
The majority of the couples, who were participating in a larger study examining
predictors of relationship quality and health among gay and lesbian couples, were
cohabitating and romantically involved on average about ve-and-a-half years.
Consistent with their previous research on same-sex couples linking body mass
index and concerns over weight issues, the study found signicant evidence that
men and women who were relatively heavier than their partners were at particular
risk for engaging in all facets of restrained eating, which they dened as alternating
periods of restricted eating with uncontrolled and emotional eating.
The researchers suggest the ndings may be explained in part by the need for
individuals in both same-sex and heterosexual relationships to conform to body
ideals of close reference groups in this case, their romantic partners. This
tendency can be increased, they add, when the partner is of the same gender.
Understanding the same-sex male and female partners restrained eating in
the context of their relationships is published in the June issue of the Journal
of Heatlh Psychology. Charlotte Markey, a psychology professor at Rutgers
University, Camden, did the work with a team.

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ATHENS, Ga. Researchers at the University of Georgia will partner with other
universities as part of a national study on identity development in transgender
populations, the largest study of its kind to date, Health Canal reports.
The ve-year, $2.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health supports
three study sites and partner institutions: New York Citys Columbia University,
San Francisco State University and the University of Georgia in Atlanta. The study
will look at how people who identify as transgender developed their identity as
well as gauge how they overcome adversity at dierent times in their lives.
Through surveys and interviews, the national partnership will help lay the
groundwork for putting social services and support networks in place for the
transgender population. The rst year of the project will look at critical incidents,
starting from birth, that help shape a persons gender identity.
Its about creating better health outcomes for transgender people across the
lifespan and ultimately reducing the massive amounts of discrimination they
face, said Anneliese Singh, who is leading the Atlanta team and is an associate
professor in the department of counseling and human development services in
the University of Georgia College of Education.
Singh said this study is unique because of its proactive focus. Until now, major
studies on transgender populations have been reactive, typically associated with HIV.
There are a lot of things we already know that need to be changed, said
Singh, citing issues such as discrimination at home or in the workplace.

Higher lesbian drinking rates explored


DETROIT Higher rates of alcohol abuse among lesbian and bi women may
stem from a disconnect between who they are attracted to and how they identify
themselves a new study has found.
In psychology, it is commonly believed that humans have a basic need for
consistency, a study author said in an email to the Detroit Free Press, which
reported the ndings. In general, acknowledging an apparent disconnect
between ones beliefs and behaviors can increase feelings of anxiety and
discomfort. Alcohol is a drug that may be particularly useful to avoid or distract
yourself from focusing too much on yourself or being intensely introspective.
Researchers studied several hundred women over a 10-year period to nd an
answer, the results of which are published in this months issue of the Journal of
Health and Social Behavior. Such identity frustration might be more common in
non-straight women than men because women are more likely to experience sexual
uidity changing or evolving orientation over the course of their lifetime.
One factor considered was age. Older lesbian and bisexual women showed to
be at greater risk for hazardous drinking. Clinical acceptance of sexual uidity is
relatively new, researchers said perhaps too new to assuage the mindset of those
of a certain age, the Free Press reports.

W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM

JUNE 19, 2015 21

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Rehoboth pool
ordinance draws ire
Proposal to ban swimming a
tale t for the Onion

PETER ROSENSTEIN is a D.C.-based LGBT rights


and Democratic Party activist. He writes regularly
for the Blade.

When I rst heard of the discussion by


Rehoboth Beach Commissioners about
passing an ordinance requiring property
owners to cover and lock their swimming
pools so renters cant use them, I thought
it was a satirical story from the Onion.
Then it turned out to be real and the commissioners were serious.
Its hard to believe it hasnt dawned on
them the only people who could be happy
about this proposal are those who have
homes outside the voting boundaries of
the city. The value of their homes and increases they could get by renting those
properties should they want to would rise
exponentially to the falling prices of any
home within the City of Rehoboth Beach.
Still, I havent heard one homeowner outside the city say they support this insan-

ity by the Rehoboth Beach Commission.


They all want Rehoboth to continue to
thrive as a year-round community and
vacation town. They know the businesspeople in town and want them to continue to be successful as that is what will
keep the town a place where people will
want to visit and live.
It was 32 years ago that I rst visited
Rehoboth Beach and since then it has
been my vacation spot of choice. I have
made many friends in town. So many
that years ago I purchased a home with a
Rehoboth Beach address. However that
home is in Sussex County just outside
the voting boundaries of the City of Rehoboth Beach.
But many in town will vouch I have
been active in the Rehoboth Beach community and supported its businesses
and often helped candidates running
for City Commission, including some of
the current commissioners. But any of
them who continues to support what
is an overall unfair and unenforceable
noise ordinance and even considers
a new ordinance impacting owners of
homes with swimming pools will not
only lose my support in the future but I
will join the many who will actively work
against their reelection until they are o
the City Commission.
There have been some silly ideas coming out of the Rehoboth Beach CommisE DIT OR IA L C A R T OON

sion over the years but this nonsense


about pools is probably the craziest
idea yet. Just the discussion is drawing
the worst kind of attention to the town.
People are scratching their heads at how
ridiculous the idea is. If it gets voted on
and passes there will be lawyers salivating to take on the commission, on a probono basis, and extract a tidy sum from
the city for passing what is clearly illegal
legislation.
While this discussion is going on, many
who are thinking of Rehoboth Beach as
a good place to live and visit are surely
watching and have already looked at other resort towns where they can take their
families for their next vacation or to build
their home.
Rehoboth has grown up over the years
and it has changed, mostly for the good.
The problems that exist are mostly beyond the commissioners jurisdiction, like
the trac congestion on Route 1. There
have been ghts over the years between
long-time homeowners who wanted no
change and those who have been moving to the town and building retirement
homes, some of which are being rented
out while their owners are still working.
There have been zoning ghts over the
years, debating how big a house can be
and where on the property line it can
be built too. During the 32 years I have
been coming to the town with the emergence of CAMP Rehoboth the old ghts
between long-time residents and the gay
community have all but abated and now
the LGBT community is totally integrated into the town. Many in the community live there year-round and own businesses and pay taxes there. While some
visitors initially tried to make this a gay
vs. straight ght it denitely isnt. It is a
smart vs. dumb ght.
I hope the commissioners will reconsider what they are talking about doing,
come to their senses and open up a discussion about the future if need be, but
dont vote to hurt all those living in the
city now who built their homes legally and
in good faith, under current zoning laws
and city ordinances.
If the commissioners dont do that,
they will expose Rehoboth Beach to a
nasty ght one that will go on for years
and hurt everyone, new and old residents
alike, as their home prices fall and the city
gets a reputation for being a hostile place
to live, retire or vacation.

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V I E W PO I N T

JUNE 19, 2015 23

Rodham rising: A seasoned liberal steps up


Hillarys grit will help her
break that nal glass ceiling

RICHARD J. ROSENDALL is a writer and activist.


Reach him at rrosendall@starpower.net.

I checked my Twitter feed as I watched


Hillary Rodham Clinton speak in Four Freedoms Park on June 13 with One World
Trade Center in the distance. Her well-crafted speech touted a host of liberal causes,
but some progressives had already made
up their minds against her. Same conservative shit, one person tweeted, to which
others replied that they must not have
been watching the same speech.
Utopian standards allow people to reject any candidate who can actually get
elected; but getting things done requires
a candidate who will engage the system
we have. Similarly, the welcome given to
corporate oats by the huge crowds at

D.C.s Capital Pride Parade the same day


as Clintons rally demonstrated the success of the mainstream LGBT movement
and the failure of counterculturists who
romanticize life at the margins from their
positions of privilege.
Reality-based activists pursue practical reforms rather than phantoms of
revolution. But dissenting voices remain
indispensable. Socialist candidate Bernie
Sanders got results with his hammering
of Clinton for her previous silence on the
Trans-Pacic Partnership. Speaking in Iowa
after her New York rally, Clinton called for
any trade agreement to include protections for American workers, and said there
should be no deal without them.
In her New York speech, Clinton wisely
made a virtue of her battle scars. Those
expecting her to charge up San Juan Hill
over every intractable problem may still
be disappointed; but she showed herself
to be a smart, condent woman ready to
take on know-nothingism and intolerance
and defend the middle class. This puts
her in stark contrast with the Republican
eld.
Right-wing hyperventilating and guntoting displays notwithstanding, we are
not on the verge of another civil war. The
harshness of struggles elsewhere in the

world, made more visible via new media,


remind us of how good we have it. If we
were as powerless as portrayed by leftist
purveyors of perpetual outrage, plutocrats would not spend so much money to
inuence our votes.
Litmus tests undermine the liberal
cause, which must be fought on multiple
fronts. Creating change is a marathon,
and requires working with people and
candidates who do not agree with us on
everything. The likely alternative to Clinton is not a perfect candidate but a victory for homophobes, misogynists, white
supremacists and religious bullies. If a Republican wins the White House in 2016,
we will soon have only two liberal justices
on the Supreme Courtthe two women
put there by President Obama.
Patrick Healy in The New York Times
oers Sanders hope by comparing his
underdog presidential race to the Tony
Award upset by Alison Bechdels Broadway musical Fun Home over An American in Paris. As a fan of Bechdels groundbreaking comic strip, Dykes to Watch Out
For, I was thrilled at her victory; but this
is a classic Bad Analogy, despite Bechdels
own support for Sanders. One might just
as well call Sanders the Steph Curry of this
campaign, comparing him to the MVP ve

decades his junior whose magical play in


the NBA nals proved him a true peer of
the magnicent LeBron James.
Bernie is a great guy, but he is no
Steph Curry, and he is no Alison Bechdel.
His value, not to be underestimated, is
in pressuring the frontrunner by energizing progressives. To be sure, Barack
Obama was an underdog himself going
into the 2008 primaries, but there is no
one of comparable gifts in sight this time
around. Obama has shown remarkable
endurance in dealing with conservative
obstruction; but the hand-to-hand combat ahead favors those familiar with the
territory and adept with the available
weapons. No one ts the bill better than
Hillary. She faces a long, tough race. She
seems to understand, better than some
of her supporters, that she cannot aord
to take anything for granted.
@JesseRodriguez tweeted on June 13 that
there was more Rodham than Clinton in the
Roosevelt Island speech. That is apt. She has
come into her own. When she smiles at her
crowds reactions, you can see how much
she relishes a political ght. More than any
other quality, that is the one that will enable
her to break the nal glass ceiling.
Copyright 2015 by Richard J. Rosendall.
All rights reserved.

V I E W PO I NT

On choosing pronouns and embracing queer


Changing the language thats
central to our being

KATHI WOLFE is a writer, poet and regular


contributor to the Blade. She can be reached
through this publication.

Recently, Caitlyn Jenner made history by


asking us to Call Me Caitlyn on the cover
of Vanity Fair. Rapper Iggy Azaleas appearance in Pittsburghs Pride parade was nixed
because of her past homophobic tweets.
Nothing makes us feel more respected or
more dissed than the words people from
politicos to singers to pundits to preachers
use to describe us. Especially in the LGBT
community. Few things are as dicult, or
essential, for us scribes, queer and hetero,
than to pen language thats respectful of

those whose stories were telling.


Take the word queer. Today, I love the
term! Its been embraced by many in our
community particularly young people.
The word, which originally meant strange
or odd, has been reclaimed to be an umbrella term for the LGBT community. Why
do I like using queer? Because, as a writer
dealing with space limitations and seeking to avoid repetition, its a short and apt
description of LGBT issues and people.
Personally, as a poet, I embrace being a
bit odd. As a lesbian, the word gives me
some wiggle room. If I say, a mans attractive, I dont have to explain.
Unlike queer, other expressions, once
commonly used by respectable folks
about LGBT people, such as homosexuals are, thankfully, falling out of use. Gay
icon and comedian Kathy Grin talked to
NPR about how she might have referred
to herself as a fag hag in her old comedy specials. Things change, said Grifn, who performs at the Kennedy Center
on June 20, over time you go, that community has changed. Its not cool I personally made the choice to go, you know

what, Im not gonna say that anymore.


Were now in an era of change, debate,
creativity and backlash over the words we
use to denote gender. The long-awaited
emergence of transgender people and
issues onto the national radar, is making
us see how meaningful a pronoun can
be. Language is power, Jennifer Finney
Boylan, the rst openly transgender cochair of GLAADs board of directors and a
writer, told the New York Times.
Many of us have been the target of homophobic slurs. Yet, Id wager that most
of us who are cisgender (not transgender)
cant imagine how hurtful it must be to be
described by a pronoun that doesnt represent who we truly are. No matter how hard
I try, Im not sure that Ill ever totally sense
what this would feel like. Many of the transgender men and women who Ive spoken
with have said that journalists often use
inappropriate pronouns to describe them.
I appreciate that you asked me what pronoun I wanted, said a transgender woman,
who talked with me for a story on aging, a
lot of reporters dont ask.
Fortunately, the powerful impact of

the pronouns and other terms we use


is beginning to hit home not just in our
community but in mainstream culture
and media. I have always confused sex
and gender, writes Mary Norris, a copy
editor with The New Yorker, in her new
book Between You & Me: Confessions
of a Comma Queen. So many things in
language can never be explained, except
by custom.
The dierence between sex and gender
leaped out of the textbook and became
personal for Norris when my younger
brother [Dee] announced that he was
transgender, she wrote. The pronouns
turn out to be in our marrow.
One night, Norris and Dee were at a
bar. Thats his, Norris told the waiter,
who wanted to know if the cheeseburger
was for Dee. It feels so hopeless, Dee
said, Norris wrote. You say thats his and
dont even know youve said it.
We have a long way to go. Yet, thanks
to Caitlyn, Dee and countless others in
the LGBT community and our allies, were
changing the language thats vital to the
marrow of our being.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

2 4 J UNE 1 9 , 2 0 1 5

VIEWPOINT

Seattle mayors Israel trip


highlights dangers of pinkwashing
Playing the fool in campaign to
distract from abuse of Palestinians
By ALEX SHAMS
Last week, Seattle mayor Ed Murray
touched down in Israel as part of a trip
where he marched in Tel Avivs gay Pride
parade, met Israeli political and military ofcials, and gave a keynote at a conference
celebrating Israels LGBTQ rights record.
The trip has generated a great deal of
controversy, especially after reports revealed that despite the fact that the Israeli
Ministry of Foreign Aairs was paying for
part of his trip reportedly the rst time
in at least a decade a Seattle mayor has
accepted such a gift from a foreign government taxpayers will still be forced
to foot $36,000 for the rest.
If that isnt enough to cause reason for
suspicion about potential underlying motives, theres the fact of who was behind
the trip. A major sponsor was the pro-Israeli lobbying group called A Wider Bridge
that aims to improve the countrys image
among LGBTQ-identied Americans. That
organization is closely linked with StandWithUs, a group that has come under re
repeatedly for rampant Islamophobia,
verbal attacks on pro-Palestinian students,
and promoting narratives that whitewash
the realities of Israels occupation and mistreatment of the Palestinians.
The largest opposition to the mayors
trip has come from queer groups across
the United States accusing the mayor
of playing the fool in the Israeli governments global campaign to highlight its
LGBT-friendly policies as a way to obscure
or cover up its ongoing crimes against the
Palestinian people.
As scholars and activists have repeatedly highlighted, Israel has in recent years
actively pursued a global PR strategy under its Brand Israel label, often called
pinkwashing, that seeks to divert attention from its massive abuses of Palestinian rights, including the killing of more
than 2,200 people, around 70 percent
civilians, in Gaza last summer, as well as
the brutal military occupation of the West
Bank and Gaza since 1967.
The strategy, which is complemented
by a broader outreach to young, Western
liberals through arts and culture, is rooted in the idea that if hipsters think Israel
is a fun place to be gay, they might forget
or at least ignore the fact that it maintains
dierent systems of law for Jews and for

The trip has generated a great deal


of controversy, especially after reports
revealed that taxpayers will be forced
to foot $36,000 for the Seattle
mayors Israel visit.
Palestinians in areas under its military
control or that it has kept Gaza under a
nearly total economic siege for the last
nine years.
After all, who wants to talk about racial apartheid when we could be talking
about clubbing in Tel Aviv?
In this way, Israels strategy resembles
that used by many corporations and
politicians in the United States to distract
from their own records of workers rights
abuses or support for racist and classist
laws, and instead refocus the perception
that being gay is all about being able to
party.
This strategy not only delinks queer
and trans rights from other kinds of human, political, and social rights, it also
de-historicizes the queer and trans rights
struggles in order to delegitimize other
forms of rights violations. In the case of
Israel, pinkwashing sets up an opposition between the rights of queer and
trans Israelis and those of Palestinians
by calling for queers around the world to
support a state friendly to Jewish queers
but violently opposed to the rights of Palestinians queer or otherwise to live
free, dignied lives.
For a queer or trans Palestinian living
under Israeli occupation, the idea that
global leaders should heap praise on Israel because Tel Aviv has a few gay clubs
is not only absurd, it is also insulting and a
direct expression of support for the denial of the basic rights of themselves, their
families, and their people as a whole.
Amid the cynical use of gay rights as a
cover for racial discrimination, it is no surprise that Palestinian queers have been
at the forefront of the global campaign
for the boycott, divestment and sanctioning of Israel over the last decade.
In a 2010 statement, the Palestinian
Queers for Boycott, Divestment, and
Sanctions group wrote: As Palestinian
queers, our struggle is not only against
social injustice and our rights as a queer
minority in Palestinian society, but rather,
our main struggle is one against Israels
colonization, occupation and apartheid; a

system that has oppressed us for the past


63 years.
Mayor Murray has not remained silent
on the accusations by activists, and a few
days before the trip he even released a
statement to a local radio station.
To the extent that I can help advance
the cause of equality in Seattle, in Israel,
the rest of the Middle East, or in any other
places, I welcome the opportunity to do
so, he said.
Murrays statement highlights the
shocking extent to which the mainstream
gay rights movement in the United States
has managed to so narrowly dene
equality that it embraces the freedom to
y a rainbow ag but not the freedom to
live free of fear from military occupation.
Murray enthusiastically embraced calls
for a boycott of the state of Indiana after
it passed legislation deeply discriminatory to LGBTQ citizens, but apparently cannot extend that same empathy to both
LGBTQ and straight Palestinians.
But queer and trans rights are not isolated discourses unrelated to the right to
life, dignity, and freedom. If queer and
trans rights are to be seen as nothing
more than the ability to party or marry
divorced from an analysis of the political and economic realities that dene our
daily lives then they are close to meaningless to the billions around the world,
queer and otherwise, who daily struggle
for better lives and a more just world.
In Bethlehem, a Palestinian city in
the West Bank where I live, the strategy
seems so ridiculous that it can be dicult
to know whether to laugh or cry when
reports emerge of yet another Western
leader or dignitary coming on an Israelifunded trip.
Israels separation wall and policies
of building Jewish-only settlements and
roads for 500,000 settlers in the West
Bank have chopped the region into little
tiny bits of limited Palestinian sovereignty
surrounded by Israeli military checkpoints.
The reality on the ground makes a
mockery of Murrays claims that he sup-

ports a two-state solution a policy the


sitting Israeli prime minister has said he
refuses to consider and a quick glance
around Palestine and Israel would show
that Israel has made this an impossibility.
Supporters of the trip have noted that
Murray was scheduled to meet with exactly two Palestinians during a jaunt to the
Palestinian city of Ramallah, as if to demonstrate that his participation in a multi-day
trip coordinated by the Israeli government
with the support of pro-Israeli advocacy
groups and including meetings with Israeli
military ocials can be balanced out by a
few hours in the West Bank.
These claims are disingenuous, to say
the least, and rely on the notion that there
are two sides in the conict. But there are
not. There is a military superpower that
occupies the land and dispossesses a
people who have been denied basic human, political, and civil rights for decades.
In this context, playing along with Israeli government eorts to raise publicity about how gay-friendly it is should be
recognized as a form of complicity in the
occupation and dispossession of Palestinians.
Unfortunately, Ed Murray isnt the only
who has been duped. Both Jenny Pizer
of Lambda Legal and Brad Sears of the
Williams Institute, two prominent LGBTQ
advocates in the United States, are also
speaking at a Tel Aviv conference Murray
is attending intended to celebrate its record of gay rights.
U.S. queer organizations need to understand that participating in the pinkwashing of Israel and allowing gay rights
to be used as a tool to suppress the rights
of others wherever it happens is an
ethical betrayal of the decades of queer
struggle in the United States.
For the last decade, Palestinian activists
have called on those who support justice
and equality in the Holy Land to join the
movement for the Boycott, Divestment
and Sanctioning of Israel in order to hold
the state accountable.
They have urged people around the
world to be conscious of how the long
struggle for queer rights is now being cynically co-opted by the Israeli government
for its own agenda that entails using gays
as window-dressing for its brutal policies.
It is time for Ed Murray, and U.S. queers
more broadly, to listen.
ALEX SHAMS is a journalist based in Bethlehem
and a Ph.D. candidate at the University of
Chicago. Follow him @SeyyedReza.

W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM

JUNE 19, 2015 25

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ARTS

AND

ENTERTAINMENT

Ribald as ever, Grin


on Caitlyn, Gaga, the
D-list and more
By MARIAH COOPER
Kathy Grins no-holds-barred brand
of comedy has catapulted her into
stardom with everything from her former
reality show My Life on the D-list, to her
outrageous celebrity-skewering stand-up
tours to briey taking over Joan Rivers
reign as host of Fashion Police.
The notorious comedian and outspoken
LGBT rights activist, who opens her 80city #LIKEABOSS tour at the Kennedy
Center on Wednesday, declined to answer
questions about her Fashion Police
departure in March, having commented
on it earlier this year on Twitter and to
other outlets. She says that although
she was told accommodations would be
made for her brand of comedy, once she
tried it, she felt uncomfortable critiquing
the stars red carpet looks. She taped
seven episodes and told The View, her
departure was no harm, no foul it just
wasnt the right thing for me.
But Grin, 54, still had plenty to talk
about. During a phone interview on the
road, she discussed her upcoming standup show, Caitlyn Jenner and how talking
to Lady Gaga in an elevator made her rethink her celebrity status. Her comments
have been slightly edited for length.
WASHINGTON BLADE: Youre bringing
#LIKEABOSS tour to D.C. at the Kennedy
Center. Whats the show about?
KATHY GRIFFIN: Well, I named the tour
because I realized after doing, and Im in
the Guinness Book of World Records for
this, 23 stand-up comedy specials, more
than any comedian male or female, living
or dead, I didnt want people to think,
Oh Ive already seen her, or, Ive seen
her three years ago. I want everyone to
know its all new, new, new. I also want
people to know I write all my material and
Im pointing that out because I frankly
recently learned a lot of comics dont

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

VOLUME

46

ISSUE

25

JUNE

19

2015

PAGE

27

even write their own act. Fuck that! Like a


boss, I write all my stu and why wouldnt
I? I mean what better time to come to the
iconic Kennedy Center when we are on
the verge of the decision coming down
about the legalization of gay marriage.
Its all about Caitlyn or Catie as I call
her. Its all about Caitlyn, which is an
ever-changing minute-by-minute story. I
couldnt be happier to be in D.C. at this
time. The Republican race is getting down
right hilarious. The D.C. audiences are
notoriously smart and open-minded and
thats all I ask. You thought you knew me
but I have some new things to talk about
at the Kennedy Center.
BLADE: Why are LGBT rights such an
important issue for you?
GRIFFIN: I always say gay audiences
are the greatest audiences in the world
because theres nothing I can say that can
shock them. Theres nothing Im going to
say out of my potty mouth or thats too
far across the line that a member of the
LGBT community has not heard or dealt
with. As a woman, I feel that we have a
lot to learn from the LGBT community
because women you know, we have a lot
of ground to cover and a long distance to
go as feminists. Frankly, I dont feel were
as eective as a womens movement as
the LGBT movement. The LGBTs fucking
get together and legislate and march and
protest and come together in a way I think
is so eective and so moving in the right
direction. As a woman, I am often telling
my straight female friends, Look at how
the LGBTs are doing it. Come on ladies we
need to learn from them.
I think thats why Ive always been
immersed in the community and weve
always worked well together. When I
started doing open mic nights, I honestly
would prefer to do stand-up in a gay bar
than a conventional comedy club. That is
what the folks that have been coming to see
me all these years they know. Leading up
to the Kennedy Center Im doing Roanoke
and Charlottesville and those markets one
may not expect them to be quite as liberal
as D.C. but the folks coming to those cities
know what theyre in for. They see a ticket

KATHY GRIFFIN says not to fear her show might be toned down just because its at the Kennedy
Center. She plans to let it rip and give even buttoned-up Washingtonians a belly laugh.
PHOTO COURTESY OF PMK-BNC ENTERTAINMENT

that says Kathy Grin: Like a Boss and


they know Im not going to be holding a
pro-Sarah Palin rally.
I think that is what I have been building
and that is what I have been seeing side
by side with the community such progress
and its thoughtful. Its not like the LGBT
community has just been hoping for
miracles. Its fucking hard work and I think
thats why the community has been so good
to me. I love doing it all and I feel that is
another way I identify with the community

is like this is a community that realizes they


have to work harder and jump higher and
thats my story as well. So thats why weve
always been kindred spirits. And we love a
good laugh, damn it!
BLADE: Your comedic style is known for
being controversial and oensive. How
do you feel about comedy and talking
about sensitive issues like Caitlyn Jenner?
CONTINUES ON PAGE 48

2 8 J UN E 1 9 , 2 0 1 5

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JUNE 19, 2015 29

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

3 0 J UNE 1 9 , 2 0 1 5

Q U E E RY : 2 0 Q U E ST I O N S F O R MA T T H E W O H A RA

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

By JOEY DiGULIELMO
joeyd@washblade.com
Matthew OHara says being a gay dad is awesome.
As corny as it may sound, its a dream come true, he says. It just is.
Fostering and adopting is so special. Its near and dear to me and I am so lucky
to get to raise the most amazing kids ever.
OHara, a 42-year-old West Palm Beach, Fla., native, and partner Patrick
Koontz, live together in Eastern Market with their three children Elijah, age 8;
Mackenzie, 6; and Christian, 2.
They plan to spend Fathers Day this weekend with friends they call their
surrogate family in D.C.
OHara says he always knew he wanted to be a parent. He explored various
options for adopting and heard about the D.C. Child and Family Services
Agency through a friend who had adopted. OHara took the training and got
licensed. A few months later, Elijah joined him.
There are many kids of all ages who need loving homes, he says. Weve
worked with wonderful social workers over the years and now lead a group
of foster homes.
The agency works regularly with LGBT families. Anyone interested in nding
out more can visit cfsa.dc.gov for more information.
OHara came to Washington in 1999 for graduate school at Gallaudet
University and has worked for years as a sign language interpreter with many
certications in the eld. He currently freelances as a mediator and interpreter
and plans to return to non-prot management he was previously deputy
director for an interpreter association work in the fall.
OHara enjoys the beach, reading, volunteering and puttering around the
house and yard in his free time.

How long have you been out and who


was the hardest person to tell?
I have been out for about 20 years and
the hardest person to tell was my pastor.
Whos your LGBT hero?

Ellen DeGeneres

Whats Washingtons best


nightspot, past or present?
For the rst several years I was in D.C., I
was a big Remingtons fan.Lots of good
times there.

Describe your dream wedding.


A simple beach ceremony with friends
and family and then a fun party.

What non-LGBT issue are


you most passionate about?
Child welfare. As a foster/adoptive
parent and mediator in the D.C. foster
care system for over eight years, Ive
gotten an up close and personal look at
the needs of children and families who
need so much that too many of us take
for granted.
What historical outcome
would you change?
The Holocaust.
Whats been the most memorable pop
culture moment of your lifetime?
Y2K
On what do you insist?

Be fair.

What was your last


Facebook post or Tweet?
Mackenzies (my daughter)kindergarten
graduation from Maury Elementary!

202.747.2077

If your life were a book,


what would the title be?

Be Yourself

If science discovered a way


to change sexual orientation,
what would you do?
Stay the same. I worked too hard to do
exactly what my mother said all growing
up be yourself!

What do you believe in beyond


the physical world?
Theres a God.And He loves me.
Whats your advice for LGBT
movement leaders?
Keep it real.

What would you walk


across hot coals for?
To never have to answer this question.

What LGBT stereotype


annoys you most?
That gay people are all heathens.

Whats your favorite LGBT movie?


Brokeback Mountain
Whats the most
overrated social custom?
Connecting on 10 dierent social media
outlets.I have just enough mental
bandwidth for Facebook.
What trophy or prize
do you most covet?
2013 Presidents Award from the
Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf.

What do you wish youd known at 18?


You dont have to know everything or
even think you do.I wish I knew Id turn
out just ne, be loved and respected by
many and have a fabulous family.

Why Washington?
Work.People.Diversity.Deaf
community. Gay community.
My kids roots.

W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM

JUNE 19, 2015 31

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

32 J U N E 19, 2015

THEATER

Remember...
On Fathers Day
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Champagne Brunch
Sunday, June 21
PHOTO BY JAMES LYONS; COURTESY BUCKLESWEET MEDIA

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ANN CARLSON says dance can be incorporated into all aspects of life.

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Choreographer nds
inspiration in
unexpected places
By PATRICK FOLLIARD
For out choreographer, performer and
conceptual artist Ann Carlson, the world
of dance and performance is wide open.
Throughout her acclaimed career, a
great curiosity and zeal have nudged her
to create innovative works that question
the very denition of dance and dancer. A
new version of her seminal work Four Men
in Suits is now making its D.C. premier at
Chamber Dance Project, a contemporary
ballet company with live music helmed by
artistic director Diane Coburn Bruning.
The piece has an interesting backstory.
In the late 80s, Chicago native Carlson
moved to New York City. For a young
woman whod spent most of her life
training in dance studios, seeing hordes
of suited men squeezing through the
canyons of Wall Street marching to work
was a striking and somewhat puzzling
image. Their lives were so dierent
from mine, she says. I was really, really
curious about them.
Then came the dream that inspired
the dance.
I dreamed of four men in suits who
were trying to move but they were stuck
to the oor. I wanted to change the image
into a reality. I knew one guy who was a
lawyer who wore a suit to work. I gured
he might have some friends who also
wore suits. My plan was to invite them
to dinner and trick them into going along
with my idea. It worked.
When the piece premiered at
Performance Space 122 in New York,
it got a big reaction from mainstream
media sources like Newsweek and
Good Morning America, a rarity for a
nontraditional dance piece. The idea of
the white men in power suits struck a
chord, she says. It was being explored a
lot at the time.

Not long after Carlsons big success


with Four Men in Suits, Diane Coburn
Bruning invited her to restage the work
using trained dancers.
I refused, says Carlson. At the time
I had some very strong ideas about who
danced and what was dance. For me, that
work required lawyers who suited up
every day in real life too.
Carlsons ideas about dance formulated
early on. At 12, she attended a lecture by
famed dancer and choreographer Murray
Louis who spoke about blurring the
line between dancing and not dancing.
He taught that you could dance when
working, walking down the street or
even while sleeping. His ideas informed
Carlsons entire career. Carlson went
on to create works and collaborate
on internationally performed projects
featuring untrained dancers and varied
animals including a goldsh.
Growing up, my chore was to do the
dishes, she says. So when I was standing
at the sink, Id be dancing. It changed my
outlook on everything.
Several years following the rst invitation,
Bruning again asked Carlson to restage
Four Men in Suits for trained dancers with
the New York company she headed before
relocating to Washington. This time Carlson
agreed. And most recently, Carlson again
agreed to re-adapt the piece for Chamber
Dance Companys summer season at the
Lansburgh Theatre.
This most recent time I came back with
a lot more curiosity, says Carlson, who is
based in Los Angeles. As Im older, Ive
experienced more open heartedness.
Im not holding so tight to the work. I let
it grow and breathe with these four new
guys in context of a contemporary ballet
company. I had a great time with them.
CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
FOUR MEN IN SUITS
June 24-28
Chamber Dance Project
Lansburgh Theatre
450 7th St. N.W.
Chamberdance.org

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

F I LM

JUNE 19, 2015 33

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Williams swan song
hammy but affecting

PHOTO COURTESY OF REEL AFFIRMATIONS

ROBIN WILLIAMS, here with KATHY BAKER in Boulevard, was looking for dramatic roles toward
the end of his life. He committed suicide in August 2014.

Closet pain explored in


new character study lm
By BRIAN T. CARNEY
For out screenwriter Douglas Soesbe,
the idea for Boulevard came from
taking a fresh look at the well-known tale
of a man coming out later in life.
Wouldnt it be interesting, Soesbe
says, if you had a situation where an
older married man is living a ne life, but
he knows somethings missing.
Boulevard is the coming-out tale of
Nolan Mack (played by Robin Williams
in his nal feature lm appearance), a
mild-mannered assistant bank manager
in a small, unnamed college town. Hes
happily married to Joy (Kathy Baker)
and enjoys spending time with his
friend Winston (Bob Odenkirk) and
Winstons latest girlfriend Patty (Eleonore
Hendricks). But his life changes late one
night when hes driving home and nearly
hits a young man with his car.
It turns out that Leo (Roberto Aguire)
is a prostitute. Nolan soon nds himself
paying just to spend time with him and
lying to his wife about where hes been.
That aspect of the story resonates with
Soesbes own life. Im an older gay man,
he says. I came out late, so I understand
that pressure. I was never married, so I
was not quite in the box that Nolan is,
but I certainly understand that. I also
went through the whole thing of having
aection for someone who was much
younger than I. I related to that part of it.
When Soesbe nished the script, he
showed it to his colleague Jerey Gelber,
who became one the producers of the

lm. Gelber shared the script with Robin


Williams agent, and Williams loved the role.
Robin was looking for something
dramatic, unlike some of the stu he
had been doing, Soesbe says. The script
really appealed to him. He understood
the script intuitively. We were just thrilled
when he signed up.
Soesbe only spent a few days working
with Williams directly, but he relished the
experience.
I was only on the set for three of the
actual lming days, Soesbe says, but
everything youve read about Robin was
true. He was a wonderful man, not at all
what youd expect. He was very shy and
deferential, very smart and extremely
kind. He put up with a lot during the
lming. This was a low-budget lm and
hes in every single scene. Its a long,
dicult process, but he never complained.
There were no diva moments.
The movie, which will premiere in D.C.
as part of the Reel Armations monthly
lm series, has been well-received on the
festival circuit.
We were in Outfest. We were at
Frameline. I am very happy with the
reaction. People are moved by it of
course, Soesbe says. So many men of
my age came up to me afterwards and
said, This was my story. You told my
story. They really see the truth in it. As a
writer, that means everything to me.
BOULEVARD
Reel Armations
Friday (June 19) at 7 and 9:15 p.m.
HRC Equality Center
1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.
Q&A with Douglas Soesbe after the 7 p.m.
screening
$10
reelarmations.org

John Tsaknis
Jeanette Suh
Indra Mustapha
When Boulevard opens, it looks
DDS
DMD
DDS, MS
Gunther Heyder
Maria Hodas
like Nolan Mack has the perfect
DDS
DDS
life. But a chance encounter forces
him to address feelings hes been
suppressing since age 12.
This is a fresh starting point
for a coming-out movie: an older
man who truly enjoys his life and
loves his wife but is suddenly
confronted with a passion he can
no longer resist. Unfortunately,
director Dito Montiel turns to
1221 Mass. ave, nW 202.628.7979 (Free Parking)
the heavy-handed style of 1950s
703 d street, nW 202.628.1288
lenfant Plaza,sW Promenade #325 202.628.2177
melodramas to tell what tries
to be a contemporary tale. The
moody lighting, deliberate pacing
and hushed tones drain the life
out of Nolans story. Nolan seems
stuck in a rut, so theres little
tension between the life hes living
and the more authentic life he
wants to live.
Despite this, Montiel does
draw ne performances from a
top-notch cast. In his last feature
lm performance, Robin Williams
brings a quiet dignity to the mildmannered banker. Nolan is a
decent man with no experience in
coming up with convincing stories
to cover absences at home and
Some things we all have in
work. Williams portrays Nolans
common.
confusion with moving precision
Theres
nobody like me to protect the
and beautifully captures Nolans
things we all value. Like a good neighbor,
anguish when he must tell his wife
State Farm is there. CALL ME TODAY.
the truth about himself and their
PROOFmarriage.
#1
ISSUE DATE: 06.05.15
SALES REPRESENTATIVE: JERYL PARADE (jparade@washbl
Kathy Baker delivers a powerful
REVIEW AD FOR COPY AND DESIGN ACCURACY. Revisions must be submitted within 24 hours of the date of
Proof will be considered final and will be submitted for publication if revision is not submitted within 24 hours of
performance
as Nolans wife,proof.
Joy.
the date of proof. Revisions will not be accepted after 12:01 pm wednesday, the week of publication.Brown naff pitts
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omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) is not responsible for the content and/or design of your ad. Advertiser is
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and warranties.
supported by comic Bob Odenkirk
in a dramatic turn as Nolans
understanding friend Winston,
Jonna S Wooten, Agent
newcomer Roberto Aguire as
Bus: 703-560-7804
the taciturn young man who
www.jonnawooten.com
transforms Nolans life, and Giles
Matthey as the macho pimp who
brings a healthy jolt of energy to
the proceedings.
BRIAN T. CARNEY

Love, hope,
success,
family,
security.

1101022.1 State Farm, Home Office, Bloomington, IL

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

34 JU N E 19, 2015

O U T & A BO U T

UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
NEWMYER FLYER PRESENTS:

LIKE YOUR

DAD DID

VOL. 2
FRIDAY JUNE

19

CARBON

By MARIAH COOPER

LEAF

W/ MARIE MILLER
20

SATURDAY JUNE
SUN, JUNE 21

THE HAMILTON AND CEG/NOLA FUNK PRESENT:

THE JAMES BROWN


DANCE PARTY
THURS, JUNE 25

HONEYHONEY

W/ NORAH JANE STRUTHERS


& THE PARTY LINE
FRI, JUNE 26

WALKER LUKENS
AND PARKER MILLSAP
SUN, JUNE 28

BEN LEE W/ RYAN DILMORE & THE FALLS

THEHAMILTONDC.COM

PHOTO COURTESY OF STORY LEAGUE

Story League hosts LGBT night


D.C. Improv Comedy Club (1140 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) presents an LGBT
night of Story League, a funny story contest, on Wednesday at 8 p.m.
Comedians and storytellers are selected prior to the show for their funniest
stories. Then they perform their stories in front of an audience to win a $500
cash prize. The audience chooses a winner. Chelsea Shorte, Shep Kelly, Layla
McCay, Rachel Hinton and Peter Murray will compete. David Crabb, author of
Bad Kid, will host.
Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 day of show. Tickets and information at
dcimprov.com.

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

The Divine Miss M returns


The legendary Bette Midler brings her
tour Divine Intervention to the Verizon
Center (601 F St., N.W.) on Monday at 8 p.m.
The tour promotes Midlers latest
album Its the Girls! Songs performed
will be a mix of originals and covers.
This will be Midlers rst global tour in a
decade and her 10th concert tour overall.
Tickets range from $45-260. For
more
details,
visit
verizoncenter.
monumentalnetwork.com.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF LOGO


PHOTO BY AUTUMN DE WILDE; COURTESY OF WOLF TRAP

LOGO unveils rst doc in series

Fathers Day
Cookout!

Special Menu Available


Sunday, June 21, 11am - 3pm
M-Th 11:30aM-10pM F-saT 11:30aM-11pM
suN. bruNch 11aM-3pM / diNNer 3-10pM

322 Mass. ave. Ne 202.543.7656

cafeberlin-dc.com

LOGO kicks o its documentary lm series with Out in the Night showing on
LOGO and PBS simultaneously on Monday at 10 p.m.
Out in the Night is a documentary that tells the story of African-American
lesbian women who experienced violence and sexual threats in Greenwich
Village 2006. They were assaulted but were later charged with attempted murder
for ghting back. The documentary explores the womens side of the story.
The new series was created to share powerful stories that capture LGBT life
and culture in all its diversity, the network announced. Upcoming installments
will cover Matthew Shepard, the ght for LGBT rights abroad and high stakes
fashion in 1970s France. The series was created after last years Laverne Cox
Presents: the T Word won an Emmy.
For more details on Out in the Night and other lms being shown in the
series, visit logotv.com.

NSO joins McDonald


for Wolf Trap show

Tony- and Grammy-winning singer


Audra McDonald performs at Wolf Trap
(1645 Trap Rd., Vienna, Va.) on Monday at
8:15 p.m.
McDonald will perform with the National
Symphony Orchestra with Conductor Andy
Einhorn. She is known for her Broadway
roles in A Raisin in the Sun, Ragtime,
Carousel and more. McDonald has also
appeared on television in Wit and A
Raisin in the Sun.
Tickets range from $25-75. For more
information, visit wolftrap.org.

W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM

JUNE 19, 2015 35

@NYCPRIDE

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

36 J U N E 19, 2015

A D V E RT O RI A L

PHOTO BY FRANCISCO GUERRA; COURTESY OF RALPH RINZLER FOLKLIFE ARCHIVES AND COLLECTIONS CENTER FOR FOLKLIFE AND
CULTURAL HERITAGE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

The 2014 Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall featured programs on China and Kenya.

PHOTO BY JOSHUA ELI COGAN; COURTESY OF RALPH RINZLER FOLKLIFE ARCHIVES AND COLLECTIONS CENTER FOR FOLKLIFE AND
CULTURAL HERITAGE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

Los Wemblers de Iquitos popularized cumbia amaznica, a fusion of traditional and modern
musical styles.

Per: Pachamama
Now in its 49th year, come celebrate
the spirit of Peru from June 24-28 and July
1-5 at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on
the National Mall between 3rd and 4th
Streets.
Experience the countrys cultural
heritage through music and dance
performances,
cooking
and
craft
demonstrations, moderated discussions,
ritual and celebratory processions, and
other participatory activities. Attendees
are encouraged to ask questions, learn
a new dance or song, and taste the
incredible avors of Peru. Best of all, the
event presents more than 150 dancers,
musicians, artisans, cooks and more
and is free and open to the public.
Support master artisans at the Festival
Marketplace, and share a pisco sour with
friendsold and newbefore an evening

concert featuring some of the best


music Peru has to oer. Bring a blanket
and lawn chairs, grab dinner from the
Peruvian concession stands, or pack your
own picnic.
Festival hours are 11 a.m. to 5:30
p.m., with special events taking place
most evenings beginning at 7 p.m. The
Marketplace has an extended schedule
and is open daily from June 24 through
July 12, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., in the
National Museum of the American Indian,
adjacent to the Festival site.
The Smithsonian Folklife Festival is an
annual exercise in cultural democracy,
where traditional, folk, and communitybased artists speak for themselves, with
each other, and with the public. For more
Festival information and the complete
schedule of activities and concerts, visit
festival.si.edu and share your Festival
experiences on social media with
@SmithsonianFolk and #2015Folklife.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

S P O RTI N I N D. C.

J U N E 19, 2015 37

TONIGHT AT 8:30 PM!


BACK TO THE FUTURE
EMIL DE COU, CONDUCTOR

JUNE 19

PHOTO COURTESY OF SHENG

Photographer JEFF SHENG didnt think being out as an athlete was an option in his younger years.

TCHAIKOVSKYS
1812 OVERTURE
EMANUEL AX
PLAYS BRAHMS

ANDREW LITTON, CONDUCTOR

By KEVIN MAJOROS
At the beginning of his senior year
in Thousand Oaks, Calif., Je Sheng
did something that probably surprised
everyone who knew him.
He was a varsity tennis player and had
just been named co-captain of his high
school team by his teammates, a team
his younger brother was just joining as a
talented freshman player.
Before his senior year tennis season
even started, he quit the sport he loved
and had been playing since childhood.
It was 1997 and Sheng was in the middle
of confronting his own sexual orientation
and didnt believe that he could continue
as an athlete.
In a quote from his new photography
book Fearless: Portraits of LGBT
Athletes, he writes, I believed that being
openly gay and being a competitive
athlete were incompatible with each
other. There were no visible role models
to show me otherwise.
In an attempt to ll the hours that were
once occupied by tennis, Sheng turned
his attention to photography. He went
on to Harvard University and earned a
degree in lmmaking and photography
from the visual and environmental
studies program.
It was at the end of his freshman
year at Harvard that Sheng met his rst
boyfriend and began the process of
coming out of the closet. His boyfriend
was on the Harvard water polo team and
Sheng began snapping photographs of
their life together. The photos would later
become his senior thesis.
The relationship ended in their
sophomore year due in part to the
fact that Sheng was becoming more
comfortable with being openly gay and
his boyfriend was still closeted to most of
his water polo teammates.
His ex-boyfriend eventually did come

out to his teammates before graduation


and Sheng found himself reecting on
what it would have been like to compete
as an openly gay athlete.
Sheng began photographing openly
gay student athletes in 2003 and by 2012
had accumulated roughly 140 subjects.
My reasoning for starting the Fearless
project was about never being able to be
an out athlete myself, Sheng says. It was
inspiring to encounter people who were
doing something that I hadnt been able to
do. I found myself moved by their bravery.
After initially starting with college athletes,
Sheng expanded the Fearless project to
include high school LGBT athletes. Over
the years since 2003, the photos have been
exhibited at the Nike and ESPN headquarters
along with 70 other venues.
Following a slideshow exhibit at Pride
House during the 2012 London Olympics,
the ideas for making a book to further the
LGBT sports movement began to jell.
Everyone kept telling me that these
images were powerful and that they
needed to reach more people, Sheng
says. I didnt want to make another gay
coee table book. It needed to be a work
of art that gave appropriate recognition
to the LGBT sports movement.
A Kickstarter campaign was launched
and the funds were generated to
photograph 60 more athletes. The
resulting book, released on June 9,
features photographs of 202 LGBT
athletes, a timeline of the LGBT sports
movement, backstories of ve of the
photographed athletes and a memoir of
Shengs journey.
The book concludes with an afterword
essay by retired NBA basketball player
Jason Collins who celebrates and praises
the authenticity and bravery of the athletes.
I am hoping that mothers and fathers
in underserved areas can look at this
book and nd a connection to their own
child, Sheng says. We have had so
much remarkable progress in the LGBT
sports movement. A movement happens
not because of just one person; it is a
collection of the lives of many people.

WOLF TRAP OPERA ALUMNI


THE WASHINGTON CHORUS
DANIELE CALLEGARI,
CONDUCTOR

JULY 24

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT
EMIL DE COU, CONDUCTOR

JUNE 21

JULY 31

AUDRA McDONALD

STAR TREK

JUNE 22

AUGUST 1

BEETHOVENS
SYMPHONY NO. 5
SARAH CHANG
PLAYS BRUCH

MADAMA BUTTERFLY

ANDY EINHORN, CONDUCTOR

Gay photographer nds


redemption proling others

VERDIS AIDA
IN CONCERT

SHIYEON SUNG, CONDUCTOR

JULY 11

POKMON: SYMPHONIC
EVOLUTIONS
SUSIE BENCHASIL SEITER,
CONDUCTOR

EMIL DE COU, CONDUCTOR

WOLF TRAP OPERA


CHORAL ARTS
GRANT GERSHON, CONDUCTOR

AUGUST 7

THE MUSIC OF
JOHN WILLIAMS

EMIL DE COU, CONDUCTOR

AUGUST 8

JULY 18

DONT MISS OUT ON UPCOMING


DANCE PERFORMANCES!
HUBBARD STREET DANCE CHICAGO | JUNE 24
NATIONAL BALLET OF CHINA | JULY 14

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1.877.WOLFTRAP

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

3 8 J UNE 1 9 , 2 0 1 5

A RT S & CU LT U RE

HOT HITS & HIDDEN JEWELS


From CultureCapital.com
YOUR LINK TO THE ARTS IN METRO D.C.

Mary-Kate Olsen is in Love


Thru Jun 21. Studio Theatre.
202-332-3300. studiotheatre.org.

Grace is 27 and her life is not as perfect as shed planned. Mary-Kate and
Ashley Olsen are her only friends, and shes just market research for them. Or
maybe theyre going to save her?

Audra McDonald & NSO


Jun 22. Wolf Trap.
877-965-3872. wolftrap.org.

Spend an enchanting evening with the six-time Tony and double Grammywinning queen of Broadway praised as one of the most consummate
performers there is, (The Boston Globe) as she sings beloved show tunes and
pop standards with the National Symphony Orchestra.

Dinner with David Guas: A Grilling Experience


Jun 24. The Smithsonian Associates.
202-633-3030. smithsonianassociates.org.

Join the co-host of Travel Channels American Grilled for a program, cookbook
signing, and a seasonally inspired dinner at the Hill Center, site of his second
Bayou Bakery location.

Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology


Thru Jan 3. National Geographic.
202-857-7000. nglive.org.

This exhibition features real fascinating archaeological artifacts, along with an


extensive collection of original Indiana Jones lm materials that will take you
on the adventure of a lifetime.
PHOTO COURTESY OF STUDIO THEATRE

THEATRE
The Book of Mormon. Thru Aug 16. Shear
Madness. Ongoing. Kennedy Center.
202-467-4600. kennedy-center.org.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are
Dead. Thru Jun 28. Folger Theatre.
202-544-7077. folger.edu.
Cabaret. Thru Jun 28. Signature Theatre.
703-820-9771. signature-theatre.org.
Zombie: The American. Thru Jun
21. Woolly Mammoth. 202-393-3939.
woollymammoth.net.
NSFW (Not Safe for Work). Thru Jun 21.
Round House Theatre. 240-644-1100.
roundhousetheatre.org.
The Price. Thru Jun 21. The Producers.
Jun 24-Jul 26. Olney Theatre.
301-924-3400. olneytheatre.org.
The Tale of the Allergists Wife. Thru Jul
5. Theater J. 800-494-8497. theaterj.org.
Jumpers for Goalposts. Thru Jun
21. Studio Theatre. 202-332-3300.
studiotheatre.org.
Las Polacas - The Jewish Girls of
Buenos Aires. Thru Jun 28. GALA
Hispanic Theatre. 202-234-7174.
galatheatre.org.
Jarry Inside Out. Thru Jun 21. Spooky
Action Theater. Universalist Church.
202-248-0301. spookyaction.org.
Swing Time - The Musical. Thru Jun
27. Navy Memorial. 202-737-2300.
swingtimethemusical.com.
Mozarts The Marriage of Figaro.
Thru Jun 20. Wolf Trap. 877-965-3872.
wolftrap.org.
One Destiny. Thru Jul 3. Fords Theatre.
202-347-4833. fords.org.
Source Festival 2015. Thru Jun 28.
CulturalDC. Source Theatre.
866-811-4111. culturaldc.org.

DANCE
New Releases Choreographers
Showcase 2015. Jun 20. Dance Place.
202-269-1600. danceplace.org.
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Jun 24.
Wolf Trap. 877-965-3872. wolftrap.org.
Light Switch Dance Theatres: Frame
of Mind. Jun 20. Sandy Spring Museum.
301-774-0022. sandyspringmuseum.org.

MUSIC

Your link to the


arts in Metro DC.

Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Jun 25.


Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr. Jun 20.
Strathmore. 301-581-5100. strathmore.org.
Jazz in the Garden: Deanna Bogart. Jun
19. National Gallery of Art. NGA Sculpture
Garden. 202-737-4215. nga.gov.
Beggars Tomb: Grateful Dead Tribute
Show. Jun 19. Brubeck Brothers. Jun
21. The El Mansouris & Kokayi. Jun 24.
Chatham County Line. Jun 25. AMP.
301-581-5100. ampbystrathmore.com.
Huey Lewis and the News. Jun
23. Warner Theatre. 202-783-4000.
warnertheatredc.com.
Leo Dan. Jun 20. Backyard Band &
Northeast Groovers. Jun 20. Jody
Watley. Jun 24. Ginger Baker. Jun

19. Howard Theatre. 202-803-2899.


thehowardtheatre.com.
Rhythm Caf: Ritmos y Caliente! Jun
20. Smithsonian Anacostia.
202-633-4820. anacostia.si.edu.
Music Films: Crossing the Bridge - The
Sound of Istanbul. Jun 22. GoetheInstitute. 202-289-1200. goethe.de.
Brahms Second Symphony. Jun
20. Clarice Smith. 301-405-2787.
claricesmithcenter.umd.edu.
Radio King Orchestra. Jun 25. Reston
Community Center. RCC at Lake Anne.
703-476-4500.
restoncommunitycenter.com.
Back to the Future, NSO. Jun 19. Celtic
Woman 10th Anniversary World Tour.
Jun 20. Tchaikovskys 1812 Overture.
Jun 21. Peter Frampton & Cheap
Trick. Jun 25. Wolf Trap. 877-965-3872.
wolftrap.org.

MUSEUMS
National Gallery of Art. Peter Paul
Rubens. Thru Jul 5. In Light of the Past.
Thru Jul 26. Drawing in Silver and Gold.
Thru Jul 26. 202-737-4215. nga.gov.
Folger Shakespeare Library. Ships,
Clocks, & Stars: The Quest for Longitude.
Thru Aug 23. folger.edu.
National Archives. Spirited Republic:
Alcohol in American History. Thru Jan 10.
202-357-5000. archivesfoundation.org.
Museum of Women in the Arts. Super
Natural. Thru Sep 13. Organic Matters.
Thru Sep 13. 202-783-5000. nmwa.org.
Prince Georges African American
Museum and Cultural Center. Patented
Ingenuity: The Art of African American
Inventors. Thru Sep 12. 301-809-0440.
pgaamcc.org.
National Geographic. Monster Fish.
Thru Oct 11. Indiana Jones. Thru Jan 3.
202-857-7000. nglive.org.

GALLERIES
Strathmore. Creative Crafts Council. Thru
Jul 26. 301-581-5100. strathmore.org.
Gallery 3700. Nauck Community Portrait
Exhibition. Thru Sep 6. arlingtonarts.org.
BlackRock. Mid-Atlantic Watercolor
Exhibition. Thru Jul 1. 301-528-2260.
blackrockcenter.org.
The Art League Gallery. Tabletop
Ceramics Exhibit. Thru Jul 6.
703-683-1780. theartleague.org.
Zenith Gallery. Lucent Moments: The
Works of Emily Piccirillo. Thru Jul 3.
202-783-2963. zenithgallery.com.
ISAAG. Street Trades, Lima Style.
Thru Jun 26. 202-623-2217.
idbstaassociationartgallery.org.
WPA at Capitol Skyline Hotel. Hothouse
Video: Amy Finkelstein. Thru Jun 21. South
Capitol Skyscape: Avi Gupta. Thru Aug 1.
202-488-7500. wpadc.org.
Target Gallery. Borders &
Boundaries. Thru Jul 19. 703-838-4565.
torpedofactory.org.
Fisher Art Gallery. Paintings by Brian
Williams. Thru Jul 12. 703-534-5726.

W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM

JUNE 19, 2015 39

The BeachBus by BestBus

202-332-2691 or 1-888-888-3269 info@bestbus.com www.bestbus.com

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

40 J U N E 19, 2015

Rebuilding damaged bonds


doesnt happen overnight

MICHAEL RADKOWSKY, Psy.D. is a licensed


psychologist who works with gay individuals
and couples in D.C. He can be found online
at personalgrowthzone.com. All identifying
information has been changed for reasons
of condentiality. Have a question? Send it to
Michael@personalgrowthzone.com.

DEAR MICHAEL,
Over the six years Ive been with my
boyfriend Sam, I have cheated countless
times. Weve had many arguments about
this when he has caught me. Still, weve
chosen to stay together.
Very recently, as part of our wanting our
relationship to work, I decided to come
clean with him about everyone that I have
slept with from the rst time I cheated
and let Sam read all my messaging. But
having him go through the conversations
is backring as we are now arguing more.
I accept my mistakes and have vowed
to myself never again to stray. But I am
having trouble helping Sam move on
from this. I know I have made many
mistakes, but I really love him and want
our relationship to work.
I dont want him to stay like this forever.
I want him to regain his trust and the love
and respect that has lessened since I
came clean to him. I am totally lost and
have run out of apologies to prove to Sam
that I will change.
Any ideas?
MICHAEL REPLIES:
I believe the two of you are getting
something out of being in a relationship
where you torture each other. Otherwise,
why would you have stayed together for
six years of cheating and anger?
So your rst step is to decide whether
youre actually ready to stop having a
drama-lled relationship. That would
be a big change. Do you know what you
stand to lose? It is a good idea to gure
this out, so that you can be certain youre
prepared to give up whatever it is youve
been getting. And I suspect you arent yet
as ready for change as you say, because
youre continuing the drama by now
being disappointed in Sam for not being
on your timetable.
You, like many people, made the
erroneous assumption that sharing all

A D V I CE

your aair/hookup texts and emails with


your partner would be a healing act of
transparency. The honesty part is good,
but for many partners, witnessing the
details and scope can also be traumatic.
Transparency is better accomplished
moving forward by removing your
passwords and having nothing to hide.
What does it take to regain someones
trust? Its not always possible. Your best
hope is to build a great track record of
being truthful. As youve just decided to
stop cheating after countless episodes,
you have a ways to go before you have a
credible shot at being perceived as a guy
who is not going to cheat in the future.
And that means tolerating Sams distrust
of you for a long while as you continue
to prove yourself, dedicating yourself
to being a loyal partner even if your
boyfriend isnt giving you any strokes for
your eort.
I suspect this will be dicult for you.
Your ongoing cheating indicates that you
rely on other peoples attention to help
you feel validated, and that you dont
have much of an ability to soothe yourself
under stress. So if Sam isnt going to
readily give you the approval that you
want, you may start looking outside
again to get some good feelings. What
you really need is to learn how to keep
yourself calm and encourage yourself to
continue doing what you think is right,
even if your boyfriend is skeptical.
But youre not the only player here.
Sam also has to decide if he wants a
whole dierent kind of relationship than
the one you two have had. Do you have
any evidence that he does? Given that
hes still with you, though he recently
learned that you cheated on him even
more frequently than he thought and is
angrier and more hurt than ever, what
makes you think he wants to be in a
relationship with a guy who is honest,
faithful or even loving?
Im questioning the glue that binds you
guys. We dont get love and respect in a
relationship automatically; we need to
earn it by behaving toward our partners
with love and respect. But it sounds like
you and Sam have been bound together
by betrayal and ghting. If you both really
want to have a dierent relationship than
youve had, youll have to nd a healthier
reason to be partners.
In addition, you are going to have to be
patient, walk the walk for the long haul
and manage to keep yourself calm when
youre not getting validation from Sam.
The good news for you is that this will be
an excellent growing experience to help
you become a man who knows how to be
a strong, resilient boyfriend.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

A UT O S

J U N E 19, 2015 41

Alexandria - Dulles - Falls Church - Winchester

ITS FINALLY

HERE!
INFINITI QX80

Sometimes bigger is
better on the road
By JOE PHILLIPS
Big is beautiful, especially for plush
rides with lots of room with loads of ritzy
features. But that base price? Take it with a
grain of salt, since there are tons of musthave options all very pricey, of course.
BMW 740Ld
$89,000
Mpg: 23 city/31 highway
0-to-60 mph: 6.1 seconds
Ach-tung, baby! Nothing gets attention like
a Bimmer on steroids, especially the longwheelbase 740Ld. This is BMWs agship,
a clean diesel thats quiet on the inside but
roars anytime your foot nears the gas pedal.
A sumptuous sedan, the 740Ld oats down
the freeway yet takes corners like an Alpine
skier. There are loads of amenities, such
as self-leveling air suspension, massaging
seats and 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio.
A high-performance M Sport package has
larger wheels and a higher top speed. And
a slew of safety options includes a selfparking system, blind-spot monitoring,
lane-departure warning, collision-avoidance
system, drowsiness monitor and night-vision
capability to better see pedestrians. One
of the cars multiple cameras even lets the
driver peek around corners when pulling out
of an alley or into an intersection. Of course,
its not easy parking a limo-like sedan but
theres always a pint-sized 1 Series for that.
JAGUAR XJL
$86,000
Mpg: 18 city/27 highway
0-to-60 mph: 6.1 seconds
For true Anglophiles, Jaguar has its own
long-wheelbase agship: the XJL. Its the same
size and accelerates just as briskly as the BMW
740Ld (though the Jag gets 30 percent lower
gas mileage and doesnt oer as many safety
features). While BMW, Mercedes and Lexus
may sell more cars, this makes the sleekly
styled XJL more exclusive. Its also classier in
some ways, with lavish rear seating: two tray

City Safety with Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection GPS Navigation


w/ Voice Command Power Tailgate & Park Assist Camera
Bluetooth Drive-E engine w/ 316hp And lots more...

tables, footrests and heated/cooled seats with


massage. Other plusses: large panoramic
sunroof, soft-close doors and double-thick
glass (though some competitors are still
quieter inside). The XJL also wins the stereo
wars with its 26-speaker Meridian system.
INFINITI QX80
$67,000
Mpg: 14 city/20 highway
0-to-60 mph: 6.5 seconds
One word: beast. The Inniti QX80 is a
ginormous SUV with bulging sheet metal,
acres of cabin room (including sevenpassenger seating) and high ground
clearance (you almost need a ladder to
climb in). While the smaller QX60 is more
fuel-ecient and easier to park, this megamobile is surprisingly agile. Light-as-afeather steering, rm brakes and reduced
vibration in the suspension all help prevent
the QX80 from being just another waddling
land yacht. And hill start assist prevents
rollback on steep slopes. Inside, theres
handsome trim and plenty of visibility for
the driver. Few full-sized SUVs are as quick,
though the powerful V8 sucks gas aplenty.
Still, this is a fun road warrior for group
travel, especially when stuck in beach trac.

Try The quieT side of


Marylands easTern shore...

RANGE ROVER V8 SC
$112,000
Mpg: 14 city/19 highway
0-to-60 mph: 4.7 seconds
A bit smaller than the hulking Inniti QX80,
the robust Range Rover V8 SC can sprint
from zero to 60 mph as fast as a souped-up
Mustang GT. But while SC refers to the supercharged engine, it could just as easily mean
super chic. After all, this is what the Queen
drives and Range Rover is the only automaker
to have a vehicle exhibited in the Louvre.
Along with almost all the high-end features
mentioned in the vehicles above, theres also
a heated steering wheel, heated windshield
washer jets, four-zone climate-control system
and refrigerated cooler in the center console.
And its easy to get in and out of this SUV
thanks to adjustable air suspension that raises
and lowers the chassis. Puttin on the glitz isnt
cheap (at $100,000-plus), but it sure helps
pass the miles.

TilghMan island is perfecT for roManTic geTaways,


gay weddings and sunseTs over The chesapeake Bay.
Black walnuT
PoInT Inn

TIlghman ISland
counTry STore

Two If By
Sea reSTauranT

blackwalnutpointinn.com
(Performing dozens of
Same-Sex Weddings
throughout the year.)

facebook.com/tilghmanislandcountrystore
(Free Wine Tastings
every Friday@Five!)

twoifbysearestaurant.com
(Voted Best Breakfast and
Best Kept Secret on the
Eastern Shore.)

Tilghman islandjust 2 hours from dc.


avoid the beach traffic and reserve your getaway today!

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

4 2 J UNE 1 9 , 2 0 1 5

CA LE N D A R

E-mail calendar items to calendars@washblade.


com two weeks prior to your event. Space is limited so priority is given to LGBT-specic events
or those with LGBT participants. Recurring
events must be re-submitted each time.

TODAY
Reel
Armations
presents
a
screening of Boulevard at Human Rights
Campaign (1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.)
tonight at 7 and 9:15 p.m. Boulevard is
Robin Williams last lm and tells the story
of a middle-aged man whose long-time
suppressed sexuality identity is revealed.
There will be a question-and-answer
session with gay screenwriter Douglas
Soesbe after the screening. There will
also be a reception. General admission
tickets are $10 and VIP tickets are $25
and include reception entry and one
complimentary cocktail, beer or wine. For
more details, visit reelarmations.org.
Lollytart, a new queer dance party,
kicks o with its grand opening party at
Science Club (1136 19th St., N.W.) tonight
at 10 p.m. Present your ticket stub to a
bartender and receive a free shot at
midnight. Ten percent of prots will be
donated to LGBT youth organizations.
Cover is $5. For more details, visit
facebook.com/lollytartdc.
Tri-Out, Front Runners and D.C.
Aquatics Club host a joint happy hour
at JR.s Bar and Grill (1519 17th St.,
N.W.) today at 6 p.m. There will be drink
specials. For more information, visit
facebook.com/groups/dcaquatics.
D.C. Gurly Show presents its annual
Pride show at Phase 1 (525 8th St., S.E.)
tonight at 9:30 p.m. Performers include
Aurora Wells, Chaser Round, Eva LeStrange,
Miss Fanny Tittington, James Fondle, Rose
Tint and DcKinggurly Myster E. Sugar Cane
will host the night. Cover is $10. For more
details, visit facebook.com/dcgurly.
Nice Jewish Boys of D.C. hosts a Pride
Shabbat at 27 U St., N.W. at 7:30 p.m.
tonight. There will be vegetarian food and
drink. Bring a vegetarian dish to share
with the group. For more details, visit
facebook.com/njb.dc.

SATURDAY, JUNE 20
Code: Redux is at Glorious Health Club
(2120 West Virginia Ave., N.E.) tonight
from 9 p.m.-3 a.m. DJ David Merrill and
DJ Jake Marx will spin. Fetish dress code is
required for entry. For more information,
visit facebook.com/codec.
Number Nine (1435 P St., N.W.) hosts
Pop Goes the World: Pride Hangover, a
global pop music video party, tonight at
9:30 p.m. VJ West Della Volla will play music
videos all night. There will be $5 Absolut
and Bulleit drinks. There is no cover. For
more details, visit numberninedc.com.
Black Cat (1811 14th St., N.W.) hosts
Mega Church Night, a Pride edition
of Church Night, tonight from 9 p.m.midnight. Performers include BOYF,

PHOTO BY JOAN MARCUS; COURTESY OF THE KENNEDY CENTER

MONICA L. PATTON, DAVID LARSEN and CODY JAMISON STRAND from The Book of Mormon national tour. It runs through Aug. 16 at the
Kennedy Center.

Summer Camp, Curt Mariah and


Glam Gamz. Doors open at 9 p.m.
and performances begin at 9:30 p.m.
Admission is $12. For more information,
visit churchnight.org.
Burgundy Crescent, a gay volunteer
organization, volunteers for the Lost Dog
and Cat Rescue Foundation at the Falls
Church PetSmart (6100 Arlington Blvd.,
Falls Church, Va.) at 11:45 a.m. today. You
will be paired with a dog on a leash to
walk around and play with. Wear casual
clothes. For more information, visit
burgundycrescent.org.

SUNDAY, JUNE 21
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 buet. For more
details, visit perrysadamsmorgan.com.
Nellies Sports Bar (900 U St., N.W.) hosts
a drag brunch today with two shows at
10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Brunch buet
is $26 and the rst mimosa or Bloody
Mary is free. For more information and to
purchase tickets, visit nelliesdragbrunch.
eventbrite.com.

MONDAY, JUNE 22
The D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.)
hosts coee drop-in hours this morning
from 10 a.m.-noon for the senior LGBT
community. Older LGBT adults can
come and enjoy complimentary coee
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 aect them,
share perspectives and have meaningful
conversations. For details, visit uhupil.org.
Nellies Sports Bar (900 U St., N.W.)
hosts Poker Face tonight at 8 p.m. Play
Texas Hold Em Poker for free. There
will be prizes. For more details, visit
nelliessportsbar.com.

TUESDAY, JUNE 23
SMYAL (410 7th St., S.E.) hosts a
rap group, a support group for LGBT
youth, today from 5-6:30 p.m. For more
information, visit smyal.org.
Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.)
presents The Book of Mormon tonight
at 7:30 p.m. The Tony Award-winning
musical runs through Aug. 16. Tickets
range from $43-$250. For more details,
visit kennedy-center.org.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24
The Lambda Bridge Club hosts
duplicate bridge at the Dignity Center
(721 8th St., S.E.) at 7:30 p.m. tonight.
No reservations needed and newcomers
welcome. If you need a partner, call 703407-6540.
Path2Parenthood
presents
Gay
Womens Gathering: An Evening about
Lesbian Pregnancy at the D.C. Center
(2000 14th St., N.W.) today from 6:308:30 p.m. Learn how to choose a sperm
donor, how to get pregnant through

insemination or in vitro fertilization and


more. Refreshments will be served. For
more information, visit thedccenter.org.

THURSDAY, JUNE 25
The United States Agency for
International
Development
(USAID)
hosts a 2015 Pride in the Ronald Reagan
Building (1300 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.)
from 2-3:30 p.m. The open house will
showcase USAIDs programming that
supports the LGBT community. For more
information, visit usaid.gov.
The Smithsonian Latino Center and the
National Museum of African-American
History and Culture present a special
screening of Paris is Burning at Baird
Auditorium in the National Museum of
National History (10th St., and Constitution
Ave., N.W.) at 7:30 p.m. to celebrate the lms
25th anniversary with a panel discussion to
follow. Admission is free. Doors open at 7
p.m. For more details, visit facebook.com/
pages/Smithsonian-latino-center.
Bachelors Mill (1104 8th St., S.E.)
holds a happy hour today from 5-7:30
p.m. All drinks are half price. There will
be pool, video gaming systems and cards.
Admission is $5 after 9 p.m. DJ Bling, DJ
Freaky and DJ Tim-Nice will play music
for the night. For more information, visit
bachelorsmill.com.
SMYAL (410 7th St., S.E.) hosts Womens
Leadership Institute, a group for LBT
women and their straight allies ages 13-21
to discuss female sexuality, relationships
and womens rights today from 5-7 p.m. For
more information, visit smyal.org.

W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM

JUNE 19, 2015 43

JUNE 19th - 21st

TERENCE BLANCHARD
E-COLLECTIVE
(pictured)
Trumpet
Grammy Winner

JUNE 26th - 28th

Joyce Moreno
(pictured)
Legendary Brazilian
Guitarist and Vocalist
JULY 9th - 13th

R&B Legend Jean Carne


40 Year Tour

PFLAG promotes the equality and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered persons, their families and friends through:
Support to cope with an adverse society.
Education to enlighten an ill-informed public.
Advocacy to end discrimination and secure equal civil rights.
Trained facilitators lead the Arlington Support Group and confidentiality is maintained. For further information about the Arlington Support Group,
contact us at arl.pflag@gmail.com.
Our groups meet on the second Sunday of each month, from 3 4:30pm at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Arlington, at George Mason
Drive & Route 50.
A.L.Y. is a group for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, and Questioning Youth and Allies in grades 7-12. Our goal is to give LGBTQ youth a safe place to gather. Trained
facilitators lead the youth group. Confidentiality maintained. For more info, contact: aly.pflagdc@gmail.com.
Our Washington DC Chapter of PFLAG may be reached at 202-638-3852.

A D V E RT I S I N G
PROOF #1

ISSUE DATE: 06.19.15

REVISIONS
REDESIGN
TEXT REVISIONS
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P R O O F

SALES REPRESENTATIVE: BRIAN PITTS (bpitts@washblade.com)

REVIEW AD FOR COPY AND DESIGN ACCURACY. Revisions must be submitted within 24 hours of the date of proof.
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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,
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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

P A R ADE PH O TO S BY MIC HAEL KEY

JUNE 19, 2015 45

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

4 6 J UN E 1 9 , 2 0 1 5

FE S T I V A L P H O T O S BY MI CH A E L KE Y & D A MI E N SA LA S

W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM

JUNE 19, 2015 47

AUGUST

30 2013

VOLUME

44

ISSUE

35

OUR COMMUNITY, OUR STORIES SINCE

1969

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

48 J U N E 19, 2015

A RT S & E N T E RT A I N ME N T

I didnt want to stay


on the D-list forever
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27

AUGUST 22 2014 VOLUME 45 ISSUE 34 CELEBRATING 45 YEARS AS AMERICAS GAY NEWS SOURCE WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

with guest editor brendon ayanbadejo

PHOTO BY JOHN TODD

GRIFFIN: Well rst of all what I loved


about the then Bruce Jenner interview
with Diane Sawyer is the rst thing he said
to Diane is, Now Diane, before we start I
think its important that we keep a sense
of humor about this. I, as a viewer, I was
on the road somewhere, and I remember
just cheering out loud and saying, Yes
that is essential. As someone who has
done stand-up comedy in AIDS hospices,
in Iraq and Afghanistan, that is what I
have heard my whole career. People who
are in all kinds of situations whether they
are having the greatest day of their life,
the most challenging day of their life,
changing their lives as Caitlyn has done.
Its so interesting, its always the rst thing
out of their mouths to me. They always
say, I want a joke, I want to keep this
funny. Its so important to keep a sense
of humor about everything. Comedy
really is the best medicine. Theres always
funny in everything.
I had a friend who was in the end stages
of cancer and I went to visit her and I
thought it was going to be this serious
visit and she said, Oh God, just make fun
of me. Just make me laugh. I know what
that meant. It didnt mean make light of
the situation; it meant, I need a laugh. So
I really loved that then Bruce Jenner said
rst out the gate weve got to keep our
sense of humor. Within the community,
Ive met many, many transgender people
that are not in the position of Caitlyn with
a lot of money and a Vanity Fair cover.
There are many colors to this rainbow. Its
all fair game and there are many, many
ways to have a great sense of humor
about Caitlyns journey and about the
community. So Ill do this the same way
I make fun of everything and everybody.
BLADE: Washington is such a hotbed of
political activity. It can be very serious and
people can take themselves very seriously.
GRIFFIN: Let them even try! Let them
even try the minute they walk into that
Kennedy Center for the Kathy Grin show.
I would love nothing more than if like even
two people walked in thinking they were
seeing the symphony and then 20 minutes
into my pussy jokes storm out. Im not
above a good walk out. I enjoy them. Ive
experienced several walk-outs, typically
more in the red states. Theyre not going
to be allowed to take themselves seriously
that night. Im not having it.
BLADE: On the other side of that, do
you ever nd that your humor helps your
agenda in support for LGBT rights?
GRIFFIN: Oh my gosh absolutely! My

greatest contribution to the community is


honestly bringing humor. Im not saying
Im Larry Kramer, I never did. Im just
saying Im here to make you laugh. That
is my function in the community. Thats
my profession, thats what I do, Im hardwired to do that. Whether its a talk show
or My Life on the D-List or hosting an
awards show, that is the way that I am
able to contribute. When I hold a rally
or go canvassing, Im putting on a little
bit more of a dierent hat. Its more of
a serious hat. But frankly, the best way I
can serve the community is to make them
laugh. Thats really the message that
Ive heard over and over again from all
kinds of people in all kinds of situations,
in particular dicult situations. Its, Get
me through this. Tell me a fucking joke.
Tell me about going to see a Bette Midler
concert the other night and Barbra
Streisand was in the audience and what
happened. I really do believe laughter is
a relief, its the best medicine and it gets
you through things. I believe it. I live it.
Im from a crazy drunken Irish Catholic
family and thats kind of how we dealt
with everything. But I also do believe
that there is a true cathartic experience
to showing up at the Kennedy Center
knowing that youre going to hear some
things that are beyond the pale and then
leaving with a belly laugh. Thats my job.
BLADE: Are you still D-list?
GRIFFIN: I consider myself someone
who moves through many lists. I think
that honestly everybody does and thats
what I love about the whole concept of
A-list, B-list, C-list, D-list. And thats why I
say it with a complete giant tongue in my
cheek. I dont know what list Im on because
it changes minute by minute. When Im in
an elevator, as I was two nights ago, with
Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett? Fucking A-list
right? If Im driving through Mississippi and
I stop at the Wae House and someone
says, Arent you the lady from the TV?
then I go alright maybe thats not an A-list
moment. But I am at the fucking Wae
House what do I fucking expect? Thats why
it meant so much to me to win the Emmys
and the Grammys because its all about the
longevity and having fun with it. I didnt want
to stay on the D-list forever. I dont expect
to be on the A-list forever and Im going to
always live somewhere in between.

KATHY GRIFFIN
#LIKEABOSS tour
The Kennedy Center
2700 F St., N.W.
Saturday
8 p.m.
$49-99

W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM

NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING


Zoning Regulations Review (ZRR)
Zoning Commission Case No. 08-06A
The Zoning Regulations Review, also known as the ZRR, is a project that began in 2007
led by the Office of Planning (OP) to revise the DC Zoning Regulations. This is the first
time the Zoning Regulations have been comprehensively revised since 1958.
The Zoning Commission for the District of Columbia, pursuant to its authority under
1 of the Zoning Act of 1938, approved June 20, 1938 (52 Stat. 797, as amended;
D.C. Official Code 6-641.01 (2012 Repl.)), hereby gives notice of its intent to amend
Title 11 (Zoning) of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (DCMR). The public
comment period will be open until Sepetmber 25th at 5:00 p.m. The public is encouraged to submit comments on the proposed text.
The following is a list of documents that comprise the proposed text as approved by
the Zoning Commission on December 11, 2014:
Subtitle A - Authority and Applicability
Subtitle B - Definitions, Rules of Measurement, and Use Categories
Subtitle C - General Rules
Subtitle D - Residential House (R) Zones
Subtitle E - Residential Flat (RF) Zones
Subtitle F - Residential Apartment (RA) Zones
Subtitle G - Mixed-Use (MU) Zones
Subtitle H - Neighborhood Mixed-Use (NC) Zones
Subtitle I - Downtown (D) Zones
Subtitle J - Production, Distribution, and Repair (PDR) Zones
Subtitle K - Special Purpose Zones
Subtitle U - Use Permissions
Subtitle W - Specific Zone Boundaries
Subtitle X - General Procedures
Subtitle Y - Board of Zoning Adjustment Rules of Practice and Procedure
Subtitle Z - Zoning Commission Rules of Practice and Procedure
All documents can be found on the Office of Zoning website at www.dcoz.dc.gov.
The public is encouraged to submit comments on the proposed text. Comments should
be filed using one or more of the following methods:

The online ZRR Comment Module at www.dcoz.dc.gov under the ZRR tab
The online Interactive Zoning Information System (IZIS) at www.dcoz.dc.gov
By e-mail to zcsubmissions@dc.gov
By mail to 441 4th Street, N.W., Suite 200-S, Washington, D.C. 20001

All comments should be submitted no later than 5:00 p.m. on Sepetmber 25, 2015.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Office of Zoning at 202727-6311 or dcoz@dc.gov.

District of Columbia Office of Zoning

441 4th Street, NW, Suite 200-S - Washington, DC 20001


(202) 727-6311 - dcoz@dc.gov - www.dcoz.dc.gov

JUNE 19, 2015 49

5 0 J UN E 1 9 , 2 0 1 5

W A SH I N G T O N BLA D E . CO M

New steel building.


All inspections and permits in place.
Building designed for solar and/or wind.
Large profit margin spread along with
tremendous growth patterns in the industry.

Sets in the mountains,


A CASH COW and
excellent opportunity
for the right investor.

Visit www.owengordonbrokerage.com for more info and other opportunities or call 717.816.0095.

Prime Time reALTOr

Valerie M. Blake

Associate Broker, GRI

Her agent said it needed work


but that it had good Bones
so she bought the house and
fixed it up with 203K loans.
City of Alexandria A jewel box in the sky! $459,900
Dupont Circle Office 202.243.7700 (o)
202.246.8602 (c) Valerie@DCHomeQuest.com

www.DCHomeQuest.com

city of alexandria
PROOF #1

ISSUE DATE: 06.19.15

a jewelAbox
sKy!
D V in
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T I S
I N G $459,900
P R O O F

SALES REPRESENTATIVE: BROOKE JORDAN (bjordan@washblade.com)

just listed! 2181 jamieson ave. #1402

This 2 bedroom, 2bath corner unit offers a fabulous circular


floor plan with entry foyer, gorgeous granite kitchen with
sweeping city views, updated baths, elegant appointments,
access onto the striking birds eye view sunroom from both
the living and bedrooms, W/D, garage parking, and amazing
ADVERTISER
SIGNATURE
resort like amenities including desk service,
fitness center,
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This includes but is not limited to placement,
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REVIEW AD FOR COPY AND DESIGN ACCURACY. Revisions must be submitted within 24 hours of the date of proof.
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2013 winner
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or other design
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dave lloyd & associates

4701 Old Dominion Drive Arlington, VA 22207

703-593-3204 www.daveloyd.net

W A SH I NGTO N B LA D E.C OM

JUNE 19, 2015 51

REALESTATE

My how real estate game has changed


From 70s keys and
manuals to todays
apps and smartphones
By VALERIE M. BLAKE
Your grandparents (and I) constantly
remark on how times have changed.
You hear the stories of the onerous commute to school, trudging two miles in the
snow. Then theres the tale about the family
that would gather around the radio to hear
the big game, followed by a description of
Walt Disneys Wonderful World of Color
with Tinker Bell and her magic wand doing
a David Bromstad color splash all over the
screen of the rst color TV. You sco in disbelief at tales of life before computers, the
Internet and cell phones.
How did we all survive? And for the curious among us, how did we conduct real
estate transactions before portable document format (PDF) forms, electronic signatures and real estate search engines?
Showing property was more time consuming when I bought my rst home in
1977. Back then, online was where you
hung your clothes to dry and listings were
published weekly in a large, soft-cover
manual that resembled what was known
as a telephone book.
You met your agent at the oce, looked
through the pages of exterior photos and
decided what homes you wanted to see.
Then your agent called the listing agents
oce on the telephone (which had yet to

become smart and was connected to the


wall by a cord) to make an appointment.
Once the appointment was approved,
you went to the listing agents oce to
pick up the keys, returning them before
going on to the next pre-arranged appointment. As ridiculous as that sounds
today, some rms followed that key retrieval system until 2000.
Nowadays, a buyers rst visit to a home
is via the Internet. As agents, we call, we text
and we schedule appointments on tablets,
Androids and Apples. Try telling someone
in 1977 to schedule an appointment on an
apple and see how far you get.
Once you were ready to write an oer,
your agent (who represented the seller
there was no buyer representation
then) helped you complete a two-sided
contract printed on legal-sized paper. Together, you lled in the price and terms
on the front, read the boilerplate legalese
on the back and hand-signed the oer.
In contrast, a recent page count tells
us that a basic contract can contain more
than 26 pages in Virginia, 30 pages in D.C.
and 44 pages (gulp!) in parts of Maryland.
You can now get your copy in PDF by
email or on a thumb drive.
Todays electronic signature programs
are helpful for manipulating our voluminous contracts and quickly passing them
among the parties. Call me old-fashioned,
but Id be thrilled if someone would also
invent an electronic reading comprehension program so we could all be sure our
clients understand what they are signing.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ZILLOW.COM

Buying the Brady Bunch house today would be very dierent from the buying process in the
1970s.

We did have several electronic mechanisms for negotiating oers in the past,
including telegrams, night letters (short,
reduced-fee telegrams that could be sent
after midnight) and later, faxes. Buyers
also waited in the car outside the sellers
home while their agent presented the offer (in person) in case they had to initial
a change before going home to call their
friends and exclaim, We got the house!
Think home inspections are a thing of
the past now? Well, they didnt even exist
in the past. If you were selling a home, you
made sure everything worked. If you were
buying a home, you took responsibility for
xing whatever broke during your tenure.
And getting a loan? That was nail-biting
time for both parties since nobody was
pre-approved. Nonetheless, underwriting was more exible and if you applied
for a mortgage where you banked, a denial could be appealed to the loan com-

mittee, most likely made up of members


of your Rotary Club.
Like today, settlement documents
were often completed at the last minute; however, once done, there might be
a delay of several hours while a courier
hand-delivered them from the lender to
the settlement oce. Today, the lender
merely hits Send and the documents
are downloaded and printed before you
can ask, Where do I sign?
In the end, while applauding the technological progress of the industry, I still maintain that a smiley face does not always a
satised customer make. Lets not get so
ahead of ourselves that human interaction
becomes merely a ashback to the past.
VALERIE M. BLAKE can be reached at 202-2468602 or Valerie@DCHomeQuest.com. Each
Keller Williams Realty oce is independently
owned and operated. Equal Housing Opportunity.

Sid Binks, PhD, ABPP-CN


Board Certified in Clinical Neuropsychology
Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Individual & Couples Therapy


for the LGBTQ Community
20 years experience!
3000 Connecticut Ave. NW 202.255.5187 SidBinks@aol.com

LGBTC.com/html/sid_binks.html

SIMPLE
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PROVEN RESULTS
CALL TODAY TOPLACE YOUR AD

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5 2 J UN E 1 9 , 2 0 1 5

W A SH I N G T O N BLA D E . CO M

SOLD WITH PRIDE!


landmark property sells in
record-breaking time after
restoration for $19 million
2320-2330 S Street, NWSylvia Bergstrom, Marin
Hagen and Joseph Zorc are pleased to announce the
sale of the former Textile Museum, representing the
most expensive residential sale year to date, and the
3rd most expensive residential sale in the history of the
nations capital.*
*Based on residential sales in Washington, D.C. for properties sold for $15 million or more on record as reported by
Metropolitan Regional Information Systems, Inc. (MRIS) on June 2, 2015. Does not include commercial or multi-family/
developable properties.

Greg Powers Photography

sylvia bergstrom

marin hagen

joseph zorc

d:
m:
e:

d:
m:
e:

d:
m:
e:

202-471-5216
202-262-3730
sbergstrom@cbmove.com

202-471-5256
202-257-2339
mhagen@cbmove.com

3000 k street, nw, washington dc 20007

202-333-6100

202-741-1813
301-351-5274
jzorc@cbmove.com

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- Including Regular & Adult Must Be Received
By Mondays at 5PM
So They Can Be Included
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washingtonblade.com

Place your housing to sharead online at


washingtonblade.com
and the ad prints free in the paper and online.*
*25 words or less prints free - anything more is $1/word.

W A SH I NGTO N B LA DE.C OM

LIMOUSINES / DRIVERS

JUNE 19, 2015 53

HEATING / COOLING

KASPERS LIVERY SERVICE


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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM/CLASSIFIEDS

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COUNSELING FOR GAY MEN.


Individual/couple counseling w/
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Counseling Community since 1973.
202-580-8861. gaymenscounseling.
org. No fees, donation requested.

EMPLOYMENT
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
for National Real Estate Firm, Great
opportunity to join a successful,
nationally-known real estate
company in DC which offers a
progressive corporate culture and
enormous room for growth. If
you are interested in moving your
career forward, please email your
resume and salary requirements to
resumes@elitepersonnel.com.
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.

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.
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.

*25 words or less prints free - anything more is $1/word.

STEVE OTOOLE
PHOTOGRAPHY Fine
Art Photographer for
portraits, weddings
& dating photos for
the internet. Call
(703) 532-3031. www.
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GWM w/ 2 cats seeks house


mate/health aid, has cozy fully
furnished room available in NE DC.
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CLEANING

NIRSA CLEANING SERVICE


serving the Metropolitan area, call me
with any housekeeping needs, 202669-6858.

Looking for FREE Room in


exchange for cooking, or childcare
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Beautiful 3bd/2ba house


w/ yard in NE DC. Hardwood floors,
new carpet, fireplace. Shared laundry
room. $2375/month ($100/month
credit when owner in basement unit).
202-344-5049.

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SEEKING HOUSING

HEATING / AC
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get up to a $1,700 rebate on a
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SHARE / VA
WOODBRIDGE,MBR single-family
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Beautifully renov. walk-out bsmt. BR
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CAIRO ON Q ST, SUNNY & SECURE,
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5 4 J UN E 1 9 , 2 0 1 5

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DEADLINES

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washingtonblade.com

Baltimore Stunning
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7719 Tuckerman Lane
Potomac MD 20854
Direct - 301-455-0333
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EHO

Rent/Sale 2 BR 1 BA, WD, DW,


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