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AM E RI C A S GAY NE W S S O URCE

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

But religious exemption

enables discrimination
at local level
By MICHAEL K. LAVERS
mlavers@washblade.com

A Boy Scouts of America committee on July 27 voted to repeal the organizations longstanding ban on openly gay leaders and employees.
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

Some key organizations

like NAACP not
yet on board
By CHRIS JOHNSON
cjohnson@washblade.com
Although many civil rights groups
have endorsed the Equality Act, the
reluctance of others to support the
sweeping new LGBT rights bill raises

Members of the Boy Scouts of

America National Executive Board on
Monday voted to end the organizations
longstanding ban on openly gay adults
from holding leadership positions.
The body, in a 45-12 vote, approved
a resolution on the issue the Boy
Scouts of America Executive Committee
unanimously backed earlier this month.
The new policy, which takes eect
immediately, would allow openly gay
adults to become scoutmasters and
unit leaders within the Boy Scouts of
America. It will also allow gay people

questions about itsviability.

The Washington Blade surveyed civil
rights groups representing racial and
religious minorities on whether they
support the measure, which would
amend the Civil Rights Act and Fair
Housing Act to enshrine into law federal
LGBT non-discrimination protections in
employment, housing, education, jury
service, credit, public accommodations
and federal programs.
The civil rights groups were among
the 80-plus organizations that were part

of the coalition thatsought to pass the

Employment Non-Discrimination Act,
which was limited to protections against
anti-LGBT bias in the workplace and was
standalone legislation that would leave
the Civil Rights Act untouched. Unlike
the Equality Act, which was introduced
last week, ENDA languished in Congress
without passage for decades.
Luis Torres, director of education
policy for the League of United Latin
CONTINUES ON PAGE 12

who were previously removed from

leadership positions because of their
sexual orientation to reapply for them.
The Boy Scouts of America under
the new policy will continue to allow
religious chartered organizations to
choose leaders based on their beliefs.
For far too long this issue has
divided and distracted us, said Boy
Scouts of America President Robert
Gates in a video that announced the
vote. Now is time to unite behind
our shared belief in the extraordinary
power of scouting to be a force of good
in a community and in the lives of its
youth members.
Zach Wahls, executive director of
Scouts for Equality, an organization that
supports the new policy, in a statement
described the vote as the beginning of
CONTINUES ON PAGE 11

Civil rights pioneer Rep. JOHN LEWIS

(D-Ga.) is among the co-sponsors of the
Equality Act.
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

VOTE FOR ME

HISTORIC VISIT

SAMPSON RETURNS

George Pataki wants gay

support, even though he still
opposes marriage equality.

President Obama talks

LGBT issues, meets
activists while in Africa.

Popular comedian, a D.C.

native, preps for Sunday
show at Howard Theatre.

PAGE 8

PAGE 9

PAGE 25

0 2 J ULY 3 1 , 2 0 1 5

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J U LY 3 1 , 2 0 1 5 0 3

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

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Hate iers placed on cars at Rehoboth church

A three-page ier denouncing gays and female clergy members was placed
on as many as 75 cars parked outside All Saints Episcopal Church in Rehoboth
Beach, Del., last Sunday, according to Father Max Wolf, the churchs rector.
Wolf told the Washington Blade that the ier, which was typed with crude
hand-written comments in the margins, denounced the church for its LGBTsupportive policies and practices, including its policy of allowing its priests to
perform same-sex marriages.
We think we know who the person is, Wolf said. Weve spoken to people from
an Episcopal Church in Dover. Its a disgruntled person who sometimes pickets
that church, said Wolf, while carrying signs with the same hateful rhetoric that
appeared on the iers distributed outside All Saints Church in Rehoboth.
Among the slogans the man wrote on the ier were No homos in Heaven
and Hell is real, Wolf said.
Rehoboth Police Chief Keith Banks told the Blade his department was
investigating the incident as a violation of a Rehoboth ordinance that prohibits
public leaeting as a means of controlling litter. He said the ordinance calls for a
ne for those found in violation of the anti-leaeting provision.
Banks, who obtained copies of the ier, said its placement on cars outside
the church did not appear to be a hate crime because there were no threats of
violence toward a specic person. Even so, he said investigators would do all
they could to identify the person who distributed the iers.
We take these things very seriously, he said.
Wolf said that while the incident was upsetting to him and the church
members who discovered the iers on their car windshields and door handles,
he was moved by the strong support the church received from the community
after the incident was reported by a local TV news station.
I must have had 100 Facebook messages and dozens of phone calls and
emails expressing support from all kinds of people, gay and straight, he said.
Thats been very moving to see the kind of encouragement and support for
the stand that the Episcopal Church has taken for quite a while now and that our
parish has taken.
He was referring to the recent policy change by the Episcopal Church in the
U.S. to allow priests to perform same-sex marriages. Wolf noted that his church
has a longstanding reputation as an LGBT-supportive place of worship.
LOU CHIBBARO JR.

No gays ensnared in D.C. prostitution crackdown

None of the 68 adult males arrested by D.C. police in an anti-prostitution

crackdown that began on July 14 were gay men seeking sex from other men,
according to a police spokesperson.
The spokesperson, Gwendolyn Crump, said all of the arrests in the latest sting
operation were of men soliciting women for sex for money. But Crump said
information was not readily available on whether arrests have been made of
men who solicit other men for sex for money in an ongoing police investigation
into online escort ads.
The Washington Post reported on Monday that recent police operations have
focused on Internet sites on which prostitutes advertise and in which undercover
ocers place fake ads to lure men to hotel rooms, where they are arrested for
soliciting prostitution.
Transgender advocate Earline Budd, who serves as an outreach ocial with
the sex worker advocacy group HIPS, said some transgender women have been
ensnared in the recent prostitution sting operations by D.C. police.
Im hearing that the U.S. Attorneys Oce has been no-papering most of these
cases, Budd said. The term no-papering refers to a decision by prosecutors to
drop a charge led by police.
Some local LGBT rights activists, including gay activist Rick Rosendall, have said
anti-prostitution operations involving consenting adults further complicate and
worsen conditions for marginalized populations such as transgender women
and runaway gay youth who engage in prostitution as a means of survival.
LOU CHIBBARO JR.

LO CA L N E W S

Gay official enters race

for College Park mayor
Wojahn vows to make
great city even better

By LOU CHIBBARO JR.

lchibbaro@washblade.com
Attorney and LGBT rights advocate
Patrick Wojahn, one of two gay members
of the College Park, Md., City Council,
has announced his candidacy for mayor,
saying hes committed to serving the
needs of long-term residents as well as
the citys largest institutional resident, the
University of Maryland.
I am an advocate for the residents of
College Park, Wojahn said in a statement
on his campaign website. I have served
north College Park on the City Council for
the past eight years. In that time, I have
made our city safer, greener, and an
overall better place to live.
Wojahn was scheduled to ocially
launch his campaign on Saturday, Aug.
1, at a gathering at the home where he
and his husband, Dave Kolesar, live on
Lackawanna Street.
The gathering was to take place less
than two weeks after Wojahn suered a
broken left ankle and fractured right foot
when an SUV slammed into the back of
his car as it was parked next to the car
of a friend whose car broke down on the
side of a road at night.
Wojahn had arrived on the scene to help
his friend Je Chelsky. The force of the
impact shoved Wojahns car into his and
Chelskys path, knocking both men over
a guardrail. Chelsky, who received only
bruises and scrapes, said in a Facebook
posting that had Wojahn not come to
his aide he would have stayed inside his
disabled car and would likely have been
thrown through the windshield and killed
by the impact of the out-of-control SUV.
Friends and supporters have since
pledged to redouble their eorts to help
Wojahn with campaign legwork that
he wont be able to do for at least two
months as his ankle heals with the aid of
a cast-like boot.
Wojahn received his law degree from
Georgetown University School of Law
in 2002. He began his law practice with
organizations advocating for the rights
of people with disabilities. He currently
works as director of government relations
at Rails to Trails Conservancy, a national
nonprot organization that helps convert
unused rail corridors into public parks
and recreational spaces.
He has been credited with playing a
lead role in pushing through policies on
the City Council to improve overall city

I am an advocate for the residents of College

Park, said PATRICK WOJAHN.
PHOTO COURTESY OF FACEBOOK

services, public safety, transportation,

and rental housing for students.
Among other things, he introduced and
helped shepherd through the Council
two LGBT rights measures in 2014. One
is an ordinance that requires companies
that do work for the city to adopt nondiscrimination policies that include
protections based on sexual orientation
and gender identity, as well as same-sex
partner benets, for their employees as
a condition for being approved for city
contracts. The measure passed by a vote
of 7-0, with one abstention.
The other was an amendment to the
city charter that calls for a policy declaring
that the city opposes discrimination
in employment, housing and public
accommodations for a wide range of
categories, including race, religion, sexual
orientation and gender identity. The
amendment passed by a vote of 6-2.
I started my professional career and
my family in College Park, Wojahn said in
a statement announcing his candidacy. I
love our city, and so, with the support of
family and friends, I have decided to run
for mayor. I want to continue to make this
great city an even better place to live for
all our residents.
Wojahn has been endorsed by the current
mayor, Andrew Fellow, who is not seeking
re-election, and fellow Council members
Stephanie Stullich and P.J. Brennan.
Council member Denise Mitchell, who
voted against the charter amendment
calling for non-discrimination polices for
LGBT people, has emerged as the only
other candidate running for mayor so far.
The deadline for ling petition signatures
to run for the mayoral position is Sept. 18.
The election will be held Nov. 3.

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Were Excited, Are You?!

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

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LO CA L N E W S

LGBT leaders divided over Md. congressional race

Kathleen Matthews,
Jamie Raskin
considered frontrunners

By LOU CHIBBARO JR.

lchibbaro@washblade.com

Six Democrats have entered the race

so far to replace Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D)
for Marylands 8th District seat in the U.S.
House of Representatives, with a number
of prominent LGBT leaders lining up behind
the two now considered the frontrunners.
The seat became vacant when Van
Hollen announced he is running for the
U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring
Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.).
State Sen. Jamie Raskin, an American
University law professor who played
a leading role in securing passage
of Marylands marriage equality and
transgender rights laws, and former
WJLA-TV news anchor and Marriott
Hotels executive Kathleen Matthews,
also a longtime supporter of LGBT rights,
appear to be drawing support from wellknown LGBT rights advocates.
The remaining four candidates
State Dels. Kumar Barve and Ana Sol
Gutierrez, former Obama White House
ocial William Jawando, and former
Montgomery County Council President
Valerie Ervin each have solid records
of support on LGBT issues, according to
Jerey Slavin, the gay mayor of the town
of Somerset, Md., which is in the 8th
congressional District.
Im an ocer with the state Democratic
Party, Slavin told the Washington Blade. So
blessedly I have to remain neutral because
Im friends with all of them, he said. They
would all be ne members of Congress and
theyre all strong friends on LGBT issues.
But eyebrows were raised among
some of Marylands LGBT activists in June
when several national LGBT leaders who
dont live in Maryland helped organize a
LGBT fundraising reception for Matthews
at the home of lobbyist and Washington
socialite Heather Podesta.
Among those declaring their support
for Matthews at that time were Elizabeth
Birch, former executive director of
the Human Rights Campaign; and
Aubrey Sarvis, former head of the
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network,
which led eorts to repeal the Dont Ask,
Dont Tell law banning gays from serving
openly in the military.
Gay
public
relations
and
communications executive Bob Witeck
and gay political consultant Je Trammell,
both
longtime
Democratic
Party
advocates, were the lead organizers of
the Matthews fundraising event. Both
live in Virginia. Gay lobbying rm director
Tom Sheridan, a D.C. resident, also

State Sen. JAMIE RASKIN and former Marriott executive KATHLEEN MATTHEWS are running for
Rep. Chris Van Hollens seat in Congress.
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTOS BY MICHAEL KEY

helped organize the event.

This was primarily but not exclusively
an LGBT fundraiser, Witeck said. It was
intended to identify Kathleens bona des
as an LGBT ally. She and her husband,
Chris Matthews theyve both been very
deeply committed to the community.
Witeck was referring to Chris Matthews
role as host of the MSNBC political talk
show Hardball, in which he has spoken
out in support of LGBT issues.
Witeck said he has been friends with
Matthews since the two met through mutual
friends when Matthews was a student at
Stanford University and throughout her
25-year career as a journalist and later
during her tenure of nearly 10 years as chief
communications and public aairs ocer
for Marriott International.
My experience in the business world is
that she has been consistently articulate
in advocating LGBT policies among her
business peers for quite a long time,
said Witeck, who added that Matthews
played a lead role in strengthening LGBT
supportive policies at Marriott.
Raskins LGBT supporters, meanwhile,
appear to be mainly Maryland residents,
including activists who have observed
rst hand his longtime support for LGBT
issues in the Maryland Legislature.
I see this as a local versus national thing,
said Raskin supporter Dana Beyer, executive
director of Gender Rights Maryland, a state
transgender advocacy organization.
Jamie was integral in passing the
transgender rights bill and marriage
equality in Maryland, Beyer said. So the
Maryland people know him. Beyer said
the LGBT vote will likely go to Raskin.
They are both very good supporters,
said Beyer. They have both been great
for the LGBT community. They will ght it
out on other issues.
Among the other LGBT advocates

backing Raskin are Carrie Evans, former

executive director of the statewide LGBT
group Equality Maryland; State Sen. Rich
Madaleno (D-Montgomery County); Vic
Basile, former executive director of the
Human Rights Campaign; Dan Furmansky,
former executive director of Equality
Maryland; and LGBT rights advocate
Tony Verona, an American University law
professor and colleague of Raskin.
Although most LGBT advocates agree
both candidates are deeply committed on
LGBT issues, some progressive activists
and bloggers have attacked Matthews for
a single contribution of $2,600 she made
to the 2016 re-election campaign for U.S.
Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.).

Blunt is a longtime opponent of LGBT

rights and vocal opponent of samesex marriage rights. The Democratic
Senatorial Campaign Committee has
targeted Blunt for defeat in 2016 as part
of the Democrats eort to regain control
of the Senate.
A spokesperson for the Matthews
campaign
couldnt
immediately
be
reached. But Matthews spokesperson
Ethan Susseles told the Hungton Post in
May that Matthews contribution to Blunt
was based on his support for bipartisan
travel and tourism programs that coincided
with Marriotts business interests.
Susseles also pointed out in the
Hungton Post story that Matthews
also made campaign contributions to at
least 16 Democratic candidates in recent
years, including Hillary Clinton, Barack
Obama, Senate Minority Leader Harry
Reid (D-Nev.), Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.)
and Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.).
Progressive activist Howie Klein,
who publishes the blog Down with
Tyranny, rejected that explanation,
saying
Matthews
contribution
to
Blunt disqualies her for the Maryland
congressional seat.
And since this donation is for the 2016
cycle, Matthews is essentially endorsing
a Republican senator at the same time
shes running as a Democrat, Klein wrote
in a May 28 blog posting. Does that mean
she supports Blunts anti-choice agenda?
Does that mean she supports his pro-gun
agenda? Does that mean she supports his
anti-gay marriage agenda?
CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

Equality Md. to meet Aug. 2 to talk future

Members of the Equality Maryland board of directors will meet on Sunday to
determine the organizations future.
Were either going to close down or were not, Equality Maryland Foundation
Chair Isabella Firth told the Washington Blade on Wednesday during a telephone
interview. If we dont close down were going to scale down greatly.
Firth and Stephanie Bernstein, chair of the Equality Maryland board of
directors, announced on June 30 that a growing budget shortfall may force the
organization to close.
The nancial crisis prompted the organization to lay o Carrie Evans, who
had been Equality Marylands executive director since November 2011. The
organization told supporters in an email earlier this week that it will vacate
its Baltimore oce on Friday as part of cutting overhead costs in our current
nancial situation.
Firth told the Blade one option the board will consider on Sunday is electing
a transitional board that can help put the organization on a stronger nancial
footing. Keith Thirion, interim executive director of Equality Maryland, said in a
follow-up email the response to his organizations fundraising appeal earlier this
month could sustain a scaled-back Equality Maryland in the short term.
There is still no question that nancial support needs to increase for the
organization to be sustainable, Thirion told the Blade.
MICHAEL K. LAVERS

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

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LGBT Catholics seek meeting with Pope

NEW YORK Advocacy groups
on July 28 urged Pope Francis to
meet with LGBT Catholics during
his trip to the U.S. in September.
GLAAD President Sarah Kate
Ellis and Dignity USA Executive
Director Marianne Duddy-Burke
signed the letter to the ponti
the Human Rights Campaign, the
Latino GLBT History Project and
other organizations endorsed.
Francis DeBernardo, executive
director of New Ways Ministry in
Mt. Rainier, Md., is among those
who also back the request.
Many LGBT people and family
members
have
experienced
a resurgence of hope for full
acceptance in our church as a
result of your words and reports
of personal meetings with LGBT
people, reads the letter. We
see your visit to the U.S. as an
POPE FRANCIS is scheduled to arrive in D.C.
opportunity for you to hear from
on Sept. 22.
us how central our faith is to
PHOTO BY JEON HAN; COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA
our lives, and to work together
towards creating a church where
all families know that we are truly loved and welcomed.
Francis is scheduled to arrive in D.C. on Sept. 22.
The Argentine-born ponti is scheduled to meet with President Obama,
address Congress and canonize Junipero Serra at the Basilica of the National
Shrine of the Immaculate Conception while in the nations capital. Francis is
slated to travel to New York and Philadelphia for the World Meeting of Families
before returning to Rome on Sept. 27.

Mass. lawmakers consider conversion therapy ban

BOSTON Massachusetts lawmakers on July 28 held a hearing on a bill that
would ban so-called conversion therapy for minors in the state.
Bennett Klein, senior attorney for Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders,
is among those who testied in support of state Rep. Kay Khans (D-Newton) bill
during a hearing before the Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons
with Disabilities.
Massachusetts can take a huge step to creating a better world for LGBT
youth with this bill, said Klein.
D.C., New Jersey and California ban conversion therapy to minors.
Lawmakers in Virginia and other states over the last year have also debated
similar proposals. California Congressman Ted Lieu in May introduced a
measure to ban conversion therapy throughout the country.

Gay hairstylist killed in Puerto Rico

SANTA ISABEL, Puerto Rico Puerto Rican police say a man and his 21-yearold son have confessed to stabbing a gay hairstylist to death.
Francisco Miranda Bermdez and Francisco Miranda Snchez allegedly
attacked Miguel Rodrguez Fernndez late on July 18 along a remote stretch of
highway. El Vocero, a Puerto Rican newspaper, reported the Mirandas stabbed
Rodrguez after he left his car in which the two men were riding.
Rodrguez died from his injuries a few hours later at a hospital in Ro Piedras.
El Vocero reported that Rodrguez and the younger Miranda had been in a
relationship. The newspaper indicates the elder Miranda became angry after he
heard the gay stylist said he had also been sexually involved with him.
Rodrguez was laid to rest on July 22.
He was targeted for being openly gay, a mourner told a local Telemundo
aliate after Rodrguezs funeral. He was a very courageous person who always
believed in it.

NATIONAL NEWS

Exclusive: Pataki makes

pitch to gay voters
But 2016 hopeful still
opposes gay nuptials
By CHRIS JOHNSON
cjohnson@washblade.com
Republican presidential candidate
George Pataki may be trailing in the
polls, but that isnt stopping him from
insisting hes the best candidate for the
job including for LGBT voters.
The former New York governor and
2016 presidential hopeful made his pitch
for LGBT support Thursday afternoon
during a sit-down interview with the
Washington Blade at the Mayower Hotel
in Washington.
Pataki, 70, issued a call for unity when
asked why LGBT people should support
him when they have allies in Democratic
presidential candidates like front-runner
Hillary Clinton, saying, with any constituency
you look at a broad range of issues.
I think when you look at the challenges
facing our country, Im the right person to
bring us together, to convince Americans
that we are one America, that we have
a common future, and that we have
enormous challenges facing us as a
country, but that when we stand together
we can overcome those challenges,
Pataki said. Whether theyre protecting
our national security, growing our
economy, getting Washington out of
our lives, creating public condence in
the future of America and the American
Dream again I think these are things
that I know I can do.
The self-described libertarian made
note of his bipartisan record as a thriceelected New York governor and said he
could work across party lines to bring the
country together.
I was able to govern, change the state
as a Republican in a very Democratic state,
so the challenges in Washington dont faze
me, the challenges facing our country dont
faze me, Pataki said. When we stand
together we can accomplish anything.
On LGBT issues, Pataki wouldnt take any
policy position that would advance LGBT
rights, but he said the Republican Party
should avoid attacks on LGBT people.
For example, Pataki stopped short
of saying he supports the recent U.S.
Supreme Court decision in favor of
same-sex marriage. At the same time,
he declined to support, unlike other
Republican presidential candidates, an
amendment to the U.S. Constitution to
underminethe decision.
I accept the ruling, Pataki said. I
dont think we should Republicans or

Former Gov. GEORGE PATAKI is running far

behind GOP frontrunners for president.
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

others shouldnt seek a constitutional

amendment to overturn it. I happen to
think that change is best made by the
states through the legislative process, but
the court has ruled, the decision is done
and that is the law of the land.
Despite media speculation that Pataki
may come out in support of same-sex
marriage, hedenied that was the case.
Personally, I think marriage is between
a man and a woman, but I accept the fact
that the court has ruled and that is the
law of the land, Pataki said.
Patakis interview with the Blade took
place less than an hour after Democrats
on Capitol Hill announced the introduction
of the Equality Act, which would enact
sweeping non-discrimination protections
for LGBT people in all areas of civil rights law.
Asked whether he would support
the legislation, Pataki demurred, but
pointed to his signature in 2002 on the
Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination
Act in New York, which prohibits bias on
the basis of actual or perceived sexual
orientation in employment, housing,
public
accommodations,
education,
credit and the exercise of civil rights.
First of all, for 20 years, Democrats
tried to get that legislation in New York,
Pataki said. I got that legislation through,
the Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination
Act, and signed it into law in New York. I
havent seen the federal legislation. I guess
its brand new. My general philosophy is
that Id like to see things done at the state
level as opposed to federal mandate, but I
will take a look at that.
Reecting on passage of the legislation
at the state level in New York, Pataki said
opposition to passing the bill faded away
under his leadership as governor.
For the longest time, there was
opposition, but I provided the leadership
and explained quite simply it was about
having equal protection under the law for
everyone in New York State, Pataki said.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

I N T E RNA TI O N A L NEWS

J U LY 3 1 , 2 0 1 5 0 9

Obama highlights LGBT rights during Africa visit

Countries should not
discriminate based on
sexual orientation
By MICHAEL K. LAVERS
mlavers@washblade.com
President Obama addressed LGBT
rights several times during his recent visit
to Africa, including at a Saturday press
conference in Nairobi with his Kenyan
counterpart.
With respect to the rights of gays and
lesbians, Ive been consistent all across
Africa on this, said Obama in response
to a question from Reuters reporter Je
Mason about Kenyas LGBT rights record.
I believe in the principle of treating people
equally under the law. And they are
deserving of equal treatment under the
law and the state should not discriminate
based on their sexual orientation.
Mason asked Kenyan President Uhuru
Kenyatta the same question.
For Kenyans today, the issue of gay
rights is really a non-issue, said Kenyatta
to audible applause during the press
conference that took place at State House
in Nairobi. We really want to focus on
other areas that are day-to-day living for
people.
LGBT rights advocates with whom the
Washington Blade spoke after the press
conference criticized Kenyatta over his
comments.
We feel excluded: Thats what
Kenyatta is sending as a message,
said Eric Gitari, executive director
of the National Gay and Lesbian
Human Rights Commission, a Kenyan
LGBT advocacy group. The violence
and discrimination is real. Instead
of stating his opinion on gay rights,
Kenyatta should have responded to
the question, which was how people
are treated. Simply that, not West vs.
African values. Not moral or cultural
superiority competition.
Je Smith of the Robert F. Kennedy
Center for Justice and Human Rights
expressed similar sentiments.
I would like to take President
Kenyatta at his word that gay rights
is currently a non-issue in Kenya;
however, that doesnt seem to be the
case given the recent disparaging
comments made by his deputy
president, and the incidents of violence
against LGBT people that continue
to be documented by local groups,
he told the Washington Blade in an
email. If improving day-to-day living
is a priority for Kenyatta, as it should
be, then he would be well-served to
know that study after study has shown

I believe in the principle of treating people

equally under the law, said PRESIDENT
OBAMA.

ERIC GITARI, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission of
Kenya (center) speaks in D.C. in 2013. The Kenyan LGBT rights advocate on July 26 was among
the members of Kenyan civil society who met with President Obama.

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

that countries that treat LGBT people

equally have better-performing and
more sustainable economies.
The press conference took place a day
after Obamas arrival in Nairobi amid calls
that he not discuss LGBT rights while in
Kenya.
Deputy Kenyan President William
Ruto earlier this month during a
speech he gave at a Nairobi church
sharply criticized the U.S. Supreme
Courts
decision
that
extended
marriage rights to same-sex couples in
the United States. Ruto also suggested
that LGBT rights advocates should
leave the country.
I disagree with him on that, Obama
told the BBC during a White House
interview before leaving for Kenya.
The International Criminal Court has
indicted Ruto over violence he allegedly
orchestrated after Kenyas 2007 general
election.
Mason on his Twitter page noted that
Obama earlier on Saturday came faceto-face with Ruto during a meeting in
Nairobi.
Obama meets LGBT advocates
Obama on Sunday met with several
Kenyan LGBT rights advocates before
leaving the country.
A White House ocial told the
Washington Blade the advocates were

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL K. LAVERS

among the more than 70 members of

Kenyan civil society who attended a town
hall with Obama in Nairobi. The ocial
did not identify the LGBT rights advocates
who attended the meeting that lasted for
nearly an hour.
Eric Gitari, executive director of the
National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights
Commission, a Kenyan LGBT advocacy
group, told the Blade that he is among
those who attended the gathering.
We
discussed
the
importance
of creating strong movements and
organizing collectively as civil society
against oppression, Gitari told the
Blade, noting Kenyan television stations
broadcast the meeting live. The meeting
was inclusive of other movements and
mainstreamed our struggle with others.
Our inclusion in it was monumentally
symbolic.
Obama on Tuesday made a veiled
reference to LGBT rights during his
speech to the African Union in the
Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa.
Every one of us is equal, he said.
Every one of us has worth. Every one of
us matters. And we respect the freedom
of others, no matter the color of their skin
or how they pray or who they are or who
they love, we are all more free.
Obama during his speech also
highlighted eorts to combat the HIV/
AIDS epidemic on the continent.
He broadly referenced the Presidents

Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. He also

noted a new U.S. eort to combat the
virus among teenage girls in Kenya,
Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South
Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda,
Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Were moving towards a historic
accomplishment: The rst AIDS-free
generation, said Obama.
Obama is the rst U.S. president to
address the African Union.
Kenya and Ethiopia are among the
dozens of African countries in which
consensual same-sex sexual acts are
criminalized. Homosexuality remains
punishable by death in Mauritania,
Sudan and portions of Nigeria and
Somalia.
South Africa is among the countries
in which same-sex couples can legally
marry.
The African Unions human rights
commission last year adopted a resolution
against anti-LGBT violence. Mozambique
on June 30 ocially decriminalized
homosexuality when its new legal code
took eect.
Randy Berry, the special U.S. envoy to
promote LGBT rights, earlier this month
traveled to Uganda where he met with
local advocates and other ocials.
Secretary of State John Kerry last week
raised Nigerias LGBT rights record during
his meeting with the countrys president
at the State Department.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

1 0 J ULY 3 1 , 2 0 1 5

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

Sister of Australian prime minister campaigns for marriage

Christine Forster,
brother have respectful
dierence of opinion
By MICHAEL K. LAVERS
mlavers@washblade.com
The lesbian sister of Australian Prime
Minister Tony Abbott on Thursday told
the Washington Blade that she and her
brother have a respectful dierence of
opinion on the issue of marriage rights
for same-sex couples in their country.
We have what I would term a respectful
dierence of opinion, said Sydney City
Council member Christine Forster during
a telephone interview from Key West,
Fla., where she and her ance, Virginia
Edwards, were on vacation. I appreciate
his position and he appreciates mine.
Forster spoke to the Blade ahead of
the introduction of a same-sex marriage
bill in the Australian Parliament that is
expected to take place on Aug. 11.
Abbott during an interview with
the Guardian after last months U.S.
Supreme Court ruling in the Obergefell
case reiterated his opposition to nuptials
for gays and lesbians. The Liberal and
National Parties, which hold the majority
of seats in the Australian Parliament,
have yet to adopt a conscience clause
provision that would allow members to
vote for a same-sex marriage bill without

Lesbian Sydney City Council member

CHRISTINE FORSTERs brother is Australian
Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRISTINE FORSTERS OFFICE

party sanctions.
Forster, like her brother, is a member
of the Liberal Party.
Were party colleagues, but we kind of
sit at the end of the range of opinions on
this issue, Forster told the Blade.
Forster was elected to the Sydney City
Council in 2012.
She frequently takes part in forums
and other events in support of marriage
rights for same-sex couples.
Forster on Monday is scheduled to
take part in a panel in Melbourne with
Australian Marriage Equality National
Director Rodney Croome and Australian

Human Rights Commissioner Tim Wilson.

She also makes frequent appearances in
the Australian media to discuss the issue.
I am in a position where Im often
asked to be a spokeswoman for marriage
equality, Forster told the Blade. I take
the opportunity whenever I can to push
the case.
Forster said she feels Australian
Marriage Equality and other supporters
of nuptials for gays and lesbians have
mounted a pretty eective campaign in
support of the issue. She acknowledged,
however, there is a lack of awareness
around the fact that transgender
Australians who transition from the
opposite gender must divorce their
spouses because federal law denes
marriage as between a man and a
woman.
Thats a huge issue, Forster told the
Blade. Theres an issue for transgender
people that really goes right to the heart
of this debate.
Croome during an interview with the
Blade earlier this month said there is a
very slim majority in support of a samesex marriage bill in the Australian Senate.
Supporters of nuptials for gays and
lesbians need an additional 11 votes in
the Australian House of Representatives
to secure passage.
Forster pointed out to the Blade that
roughly 70 percent of Australians support
marriage rights for same-sex couples.

I expect the vote will be quite close,

she said. If the Parliament were to reect
the Australian people, it would be passed
with a clear majority.
Forster said she feels the U.S. Supreme
Court ruling in the Obergefell case and
the May referendum that extended
marriage rights to same-sex couples in
Ireland have bolstered eorts in support
of nuptials for gays and lesbians in
Australia. She also acknowledged the U.S.
Supreme Court ruling sparked criticism
among same-sex marriage opponents in
the country.
Anytime an English-speaking, Western
democracy like the U.S. and the leader of
the western world, the U.S. Supreme Court
makes a decision like that of course its
signicant, of course it cant be ignored,
said Forster. It shouldnt be denigrated.
Same-sex couples are able to legally
marry in New Zealand, the U.S., Canada,
Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Iceland,
Scotland, England, Wales, France, Spain,
Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium,
Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden, Denmark,
South Africa, Pitcairn Island, St. Martin, St.
Barthelemy, Bonaire, Saba, Sint Eustatius
Mexico City and several states in Mexico.
Lawmakers in Finland, Slovenia and Chile
over the last year have approved bills that
would allow same-sex couples to marry
or enter into civil unions.
Australian lawmakers could vote on
a marriage bill as early as September.

U.S. urged to deny spousal visas to anti-gay countries diplomats

125 members of Congress
sign letter to John Kerry
By MICHAEL K. LAVERS
mlavers@washblade.com
More than 100 lawmakers on Monday
called on the State Department to deny
visas to the spouses of diplomats from
countries that refuse to recognize the samesex spouses of Foreign Service personnel.
U.S. Reps. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), who is
the highest-ranking Democrat on the
House Foreign Aairs Committee, and
Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) spearheaded the
letter to Secretary of State John Kerry that
125 members of Congress signed.
U.S. Reps. David Cicilline (D-R.I.),
Krysten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Jared Polis
(D-Colo.), Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.),
Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) and Mark Takano
(D-Calif.) are among the Democrats who
signed the letter alongside Congressional
Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.)
Florida Congresswoman Ileana RosLehtinen is the only Republican who signed it.
We cannot look the other way when

an American spouse any American

diplomatic spouse is discriminated
against in this way, reads the letter. If a
foreign government refuses to issue the
appropriate visa to same-sex spouses, we
ask that the State Department reciprocate
by denying a visa to the spouse of a
diplomat from that country.
The signatories note they are deeply
concerned that LGBT Foreign Service
personnel are sometimes denied an
equal opportunity to represent the
United States abroad because certain
foreign governments refuse to accredit
same-sex couples.
The letter further notes reports the
State Department sometimes declines
or discourages LGBT Foreign Service
personnel from assignments to certain
overseas posts due to anticipated
objections from the host nation. It
highlights that some of the agencys
employees have apparently been denied
assistance when they try to bring their
same-sex spouses into countries that do
not recognize their marriages.
These decisions can hamper the

professional growth of those FSOs

(Foreign Service ocers) and threaten
the departments ability to ensure that it
can place the best, most qualied person
in each position, states the letter. We
urge the State Department to prioritize
this issue by advocating for all American
Foreign Service spouses, regardless of
sexual orientation.
Lowey in a statement to the Washington
Blade on Monday applauded Foreign
Service personnel for working each
day to advance the American causes of
freedom, equality and justice.
Our State Department must take
concrete actions in defense of LGBT
Foreign Service ocers and their spouses
experiencing discrimination abroad,
said the New York Democrat. If a foreign
government denies a visa to the spouse
of any one of our diplomats regardless
of their sexual orientation they deserve
to receive similar treatment.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi
(D-Calif.) issued her own statement in
support of the letter.
Rather than deter LGBT FSOs from

applying for certain assignments, we

should deter governments from practicing
discrimination,
said
the
California
Democrat. Our government has an
obligation to provide adequate assistance
that empowers GBT FSOs to have the
resources needed to do their jobs.
GLIFAA President Regina Jun on Monday
also welcomed the lawmakers letter.
These American families want nothing
more than to serve their country, she said
in a statement, referring to LGBT Foreign
Service personnel her organization
represents. But less than half of U.S.
government positions abroad are in
countries where we know our families can
safely join us. To us, this isnt even about
the word marriage, but about the word
family. The members of Congress have
asked for reciprocity and fairness. If these
countries wont let our American families
in, why does our country continue to
admit all of their families.
State Department spokesperson John
Kirby on Monday told the Blade during
his daily press brieng that he had not
seen the letter.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

N A T IO N A L N E W S

J U LY 3 1 , 2 0 1 5 1 1

Boy Scouts vote to allow gay leaders

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

a new chapter for the organization.

As of this vote, the Boy Scouts of
America is an organization that is looking
forward, not back, he said.
Senior White House Adviser Valerie
Jarrett on her Twitter account said the
Boy Scouts of America took a big step
in including LGBT leaders. Jon Davidson
of Lambda Legal also applauded the
organization for allowing gay leaders.
Todays vote by the National Executive
Committee to end the organizations
decades-long policy of excluding openly
gay and bisexual adults from membership
in Scouting marks yet another milestone
in the march toward LGBT equality in our
nation, he said.
Wahls and other advocates nevertheless
continue to express concerns over the
new policys religious exemption.
Todays vote by the Boy Scouts of
America to allow gay, lesbian and bisexual

adults to work and volunteer is a welcome

step toward erasing a stain on this important
organization, said Human Rights Campaign
President Chad Grin. But including
an exemption for troops sponsored by
religious organizations undermines and
diminishes the historic nature of todays
decision. Discrimination should have no
place in the Boy Scouts, period.
Davidson largely echoed Grin.
The change will not free the BSA
of sexual orientation discrimination
altogether, he said, noting religious
organizations have chartered roughly
70 percent of local Boy Scouts of
America troops. Nonetheless, this (new
policy) is another repudiation of antigay
discrimination by the Boy Scouts and
another key moment for gay rights as
openly gay and bisexual adults will be
able to participate in Scouting, even if not
in every troop or den.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints in a statement criticized the new policy.

The century-long association with

scouting will need to be examined, it
said. The church has always welcomed
all boys to its Scouting units regardless
of sexual orientation. However, the
admission of openly gay leaders is
inconsistent with the doctrines of the
church and what have traditionally been
the values of the Boy Scouts of America.
Rev. Russell Moore, president of the
Southern Baptist Conventions Ethics and
Religious Liberty Commission, told the
Associated Press the new policy for force
his organization to further distance itself
from the Boy Scouts of America.
In recent years I have seen a denite
cooling on the part of Baptist churches
toward the Scouts, said Moore. This will
probably bring that cooling to a freeze.
Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry earlier
this month told Chuck Todd on NBCs
Meet the Press that the organization
is better o without gay scoutmasters.
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who, like

Perry, is seeking the 2016 Republican

presidential nomination, said after
declaring his candidacy for the White
House that he feels the long-standing
regulation protected children.
The American Family Association,
a
Mississippi-based
anti-LGBT
organization, on Monday said the new
policy means men who are attracted to
males are now welcome on campouts in
intimate proximity to boys. It also urged
those within the Boy Scouts of America
who oppose its new policy to resign.
Your dropped membership will send
a strong message that your values are
steadfast, faithful and unchangeable,
said the American Family Association in a
letter to its supporters.
The U.S. Supreme Court in 2000 ruled in
Dale v. Boy Scouts that the organizations
previous policy was constitutional.
The Boy Scouts of America in 2013 began
admitting openly gay scouts, but its ban on
adult leaders remained in place.

Texas court sidelines Houston pro-LGBT ordinance

City Council must repeal
measure or place
it before voters
By CHRIS JOHNSON
cjohnson@washblade.com
The Texas Supreme Court on Friday
suspended the enforcement of a recently
enacted
LGBT
non-discrimination
ordinance in Houston, ordering the City
Council to repeal the measure or put it
on the ballot before voters.
The measure, known as the Houston
Equal Rights Ordinance, or HERO, was
approved by the Houston City Council last
year and signed by Mayor Annise Parker,
an out lesbian. Much of the ordinance
mirrors protections at the federal and
state level, but it also expands protections
by prohibiting discrimination on the basis
of sexual orientation, gender identity,
marital status and familial status.
In a 12-page per curiam decision, the
court determined the City Council erred
by not suspending the measure after
City Secretary Anna Russel determined
its opponents had submitted 17,846
valid signatures on a petition for a
voter-initiated referendum to rescind
the ordinance slightly more than the
necessary 17,269 names. Her report also
included a conicting assessment from
the city attorney, who said there werent
enough signatures for referendum.
Organizers of the petition gathering

Houston Mayor ANNISE PARKER criticized the courts decision.

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

eort maintained after the city secretary

certies the petitions suciency, the
Council must reconsider the ordinance
and, if it does not repeal it, place it on the
ballot in the next general election. But
the city attorney defending the ordinance
said the Council had no duty to act
because the city secretary didnt certify
enough signatures. The court ruled in
favor of petition organizers.
But what of the City Councils
complaints of forgery, false oaths, and
the like? the ruling states. Although
these issues were addressed at trial and
are now pending before the court of

appeals, we note that the City Secretary

never claimed the referendum petition
was plagued by forgery or perjury. Yet
the City Council decided, of its own
accord, not to act, disregarding the City
Secretarys certication that the petition
had enough signatures.
In addition to suspending enforcement
of the ordinance, the court ordered the
City Council to reconsider the measure.
If the Council members dont repeal the
ordinance in 30 days, it must be placed
on the ballot in the general election.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican
who opposes LGBT rights, said he supports

the decision of the Texas Supreme Court

to return the issue to the voters.
Freedom of expression can only exist
once government removes itself from
stiing free speech, repressing religious
liberty and interfering with the lives
of its citizens, Abbott said. Todays
decision by the Texas Supreme Court
appropriately returns jurisdiction over
this matter to voters while reassuring the
people of Houston that their personal
values remain beyond the reach of
government.
The decision from the Texas Supreme
Court reverses decisions from lower
courts, which held insucient signatures
were present on the petition to move
forward with a referendum.
Parker expressed disappointment with
the ruling, saying the court is in error
with this eleventh hour ruling in a case
that had already been decided by a judge
and jury of citizens. Nonetheless, Parker
said the city is taking steps to comply.
Houstons Equal Rights Ordinance
is similar to measures passed by every
other major city in the country and by
most local corporations, Parker said. No
matter the color of your skin, your age,
gender, physical limitations or sexual
orientation, every Houstonian deserves
the right to be treated equally. To do
otherwise, hurts Houstons well-known
image as a city that is tolerant, accepting,
inclusive and embracing of its diversity.
Our citizens fully support and understand
this and I have never been afraid to take
it to the voters. We will win!

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

1 2 J ULY 3 1 , 2 0 1 5

CO V E R ST O RY

Equality Act raises questions among some LGBT supporters

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

American Citizens, or LULAC, told the

Blade on Monday his organization just
signed up as among the civil rights
groups that support the Equality Act.
While initially the group withheld support
for the legislation, Torres said LULAC of
course agreed to support the Equality Act
after the Human Rights Campaign agreed
to review proposed changes to the bill.
The organization seeks to add ethnicity
to protected classes in the legislation and
adding language centers to the list of
establishments prohibited from engaging
in anti-LGBT discrimination.
We do still want to see changes, but
we dont want to hold o on the process,
Torres said. We know that its moving
already, so we want to make sure that we
are supporting full equality in all its forms.
The nations largest Latino advocacy
group, the National Council of La
Raza, was one of the few civil rights
organizations to declare support for the
Equality Act on the day of its introduction
last week, making an announcement on
the bill via Twitter.
Julian Teixeira, an NCLR spokesperson,
armed via email his organization
supports the Equality Act because like
our tweet said we believe equal rights =
equal rights.
Other civil rights groups declaring
support for the Equality Act includeAsian
Americans Advancing Justice and the
Calfornia-based Legal Aid Society
Employment Law Center.
But other key civil rights groups have
yet to declare support for the Equality Act.
Many groups have expressed concern
over enacting LGBT non-discrimination
protections by amending the Civil Rights
Act, which they said could open up the
historic law to dangerous poison-pill
amendments or expanded religious
accommodations if the legislation reaches
the oor of the House and Senate.
At the same time, amending the Civil
Rights Act to include sexual orientation
and gender identity would take existing
legal precedent under the law to cover
LGBT people. In an interview with
SiriusXMs Michelangelo Signorile, Sen.
Je Merkley (D-Ore.), lead sponsor of the
Equality Act in the Senate, said it doesnt
feel right to separate the bill from the
Civil Rights Act.
Kham Moua, a spokesperson for the
Organization of Chinese Americans,
signaled support for the legislation, but
acknowledged concern about amending
the Civil Rights Act to achieve nondiscrimination protections.
OCA supports the Equality Act, Moua
said. Though we are concerned that
key sections of the CRA may be hurt by
potential toxic amendments, we believe
that the act will further civil rights for all

SHARON LETTMAN-HICKS, CEO of the

National Black Justice Coalition, endorsed
the Equality Act.
PHOTO COURTESY OF NBJC

minority groups, particularly LGBT racial

minority community members.
Chief among the groups that havent
endorsed the bill is the Leadership
Council on Civil & Human Rights, an
umbrella group founded in 1950 that
coordinates national lobbying eorts
for civil rights measures. The group
supported ENDA, but has yet to endorse
the Equality Act.
On the day the Equality Act was
introduced, Wade Henderson, president
of LCCHR, issued a statement applauding
eorts to ban anti-LGBT discrimination,
saying we look forward to working
toward passage of this bill or similar
legislation to the achieve those goals.
An LCCHR spokesperson claried for the
Blade the organization supports the aims
of the Equality Act, but is still vetting this
particular legislative vehicle.
Not responding to repeated requests
to comment on whether it supports
the Equality Act is the NAACP, which
was on the record in support of ENDA
and marriage equality. Nothing on the
organizations website indicates the
NAACPs position on the bill.
Julian Bond, chairman emeritus of
the NAACP, nonetheless wrote an oped piece for The Advocate prior to the
introduction of the bill calling for the
addition of LGBT protections to existing
civil rights law.
Its time to add concrete protections
for LGBT people to existing civil rights
law, ensuring that sexual orientation and
gender identity enjoy similar treatment
as religion, national origin, and race;
and guaranteeing nondiscrimination
protections in employment, housing,
public spaces and services, education,
federal funding, and other areas, Bond
said. Its time for true federal equality:

nothing more, nothing less.

Tina Matsuoka, executive director of
the National Asian Pacic American Bar
Association, which has supported ENDA,
said her organization supports the aims
of the Equality Act, but is still reviewing
the legislation.
NAPABA has long supported LGBT
equality, including the freedom to marry
and full equality in the workplace and
in public accommodations, Matsuoka
said. We havent yet fully reviewed the
Equality Act but it appears to include
many anti-discrimination provisions that
are consistent with our policy platform.
Civil rights and legal groups that
didnt respond to multiple requests for
comment on the Equality Act are the
Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights
Under Law, the Japanese American
Citizens League, the A. Philip Randolph
Institute and Legal Momentum.
One noteworthy group that has
remained silent on the Equality Act is the
Southern Poverty Law Center, which as
part of its civil rights eorts has undertaken
eorts to win marriage equality in the
South. An SPLC spokesperson said
experts who would be able to speak on
the legislation were unavailable.
Another organization that seeks to
bridge the LGBT and black communities
came out enthusiastically in support of the
legislation on the day of its introduction.
Sharon Lettman-Hicks, CEO of the
National Black Justice Coalition, said
without federal legislation like the Equality
Act, LGBT people have insucient
protection amid the current patchwork of
state non-discrimination laws.
When a person is both black and LGBT,
discrimination and the evils of blatant
and systemic racism is too common
place and faced on a number of levels
that are fundamentally unacceptable in a
democracy, Lettman-Hicks said. As such,
NBJC supports the Equality Act, which
would provide vital legal protections to
so many in the black LGBT community
who are particularly vulnerable to
discrimination in our nation.
The Human Rights Campaign, which
has taken the lead on the Equality Act
and its promotion, didnt respond to a
request for comment on support from
civil rights groups for the legislation.
Ian Thompson, legislative director for
the American Civil Liberties Union, sought
to allay concerns about opening up the
Civil Rights Act to amendments by saying
the adoption of dangerous measures
would lead supporters to abandon the bill.
I think what you see on the part
of LGBT groups and womens rights
groups is a rock-solid commitment not
to do anything with the legislation thats
going to undermine existing civil rights
protections, Thompson said.
Thompson acknowledged LCCHR and

NAACP are currently not on board with the

Equality Act, but said theyre in the process
of evaluating the bill and have an underlying
support for the idea of federal nondiscrimination protections for LGBT people.
Arguably as a reection of discomfort
with the bill among civil rights groups,
two-thirds of the Congressional Black
Caucus are designated as co-sponsors
of the Equality Act. Thirty members of
46-member caucus were among the cosponsors of the legislation.
Rep. G.K. Buttereld (D-N.C.), chair of
the Congressional Black Caucus, stopped
short of endorsing the Equality Act upon
its introduction, but maintained the
caucus opposes anti-LGBT discrimination.
We believe that all Americans,
regardless of sexual orientation or gender
identity, are entitled to protection of the
law from discrimination in all aspects of
American life, Buttereld said. We believe
these principles must be enacted into law.
We look forward to the opportunity to
analyze the bill introduced today.
Civil rights pioneer Rep. John Lewis (DGa.), said upon introduction of the bill,
This legislation is what justice requires,
and like the recent Supreme Court
decision, it is long overdue.
Many womens groups are at the
forefront of eorts to pass the Equality
Act. In addition to enacting LGBT nondiscrimination protections, the legislation
would add gender provisions to the public
accommodations and federal program
sections of the Civil Rights Act, which are
currently absent from the statute.
Civil rights groups representing
religious minorities generally had the
same perspective on the Equality Act
as womens groups, even though the
potential danger of amendments to
the Civil Rights Act would apply to the
religion provisions just as much as the
race provisions.
Issuing statements in favor of the
Equality Act upon its introduction
were the Anti-Defamation League, the
Religious Action Center for Reform
Judaism and the Interfaith Alliance.
Nancy Kaufman, CEO of the National
Council of Jewish Women, signaled
support for the legislation in a statement
to the Blade, commending the inclusion
of legislation to ensure the Religious
Freedom Restoration Act cant be used to
enable anti-LGBT discrimination.
The National Council of Jewish
Women supports passage of the
Equality Act because we believe no one
should be denied employment, housing,
transportation, retail services, public
accommodations or other programs
because of discrimination based on sex,
sexual orientation or gender identity,
Kaufman said.

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

J U LY 3 1 , 2 0 1 5 1 3

LIFE AT
AN INTEGRATIVE
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14 J U L Y 31, 2015

BA LT I MO RE N E W S

Baltimore Prides 40th anniversary festivities returned to the gayborhood. More photos are on
pages 30-31.
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Thousands celebrate Baltimore Pride

Serving the LGBT Community

in DC/MD/VA since 1983

Any concerns about the shift of dates for Baltimore Pride from its customary
June event to the weekend of July 25-26 were put to rest as thousands descended
on Mount Vernon on a sun-baked Saturday to cheer on the Pride parade and
celebrate at the block party.
Baltimore Prides 40th anniversary festivities returned to the gayborhood
following an unpopular move in 2014 to the Mount Royal area. Pride is run by
the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of Baltimore and
Central Maryland (GLCCB).
The new dates deep into July and a revised location for the annual parade
as well as a new venue for the block party did not deter visitors from all over
Maryland, D.C. and beyond to partake in the celebrations.
body mind Self
For many in Baltimores LGBT community, it was a bittersweet event as it
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marked the last time Club Hippo would take part as it is scheduled to close its
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doors later in the year after more than four decades.
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Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Interim Police Commissioner Kevin
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Local advocacy and health organizations participated, such as FreeState Legal,
Chase Brexton Health Services and Johns Hopkins Medicine. Bars past and
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including the Hippo, the Lodge from Boonsboro, Md.,
ISSUE DATE: 10.26.12
SALES REPRESENTATIVE: BRIAN PITTS (bpitts@washblade.com)
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has been closed since 2012 but which supporters are hoping to reopen.
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The block party following the parade became so crowded it spilled onto
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Headliners Cazwell, Ts Madison and Martha Wash and other performers
entertained on the stage throughout the evening.
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Drag Stage. Popular gay country singer Steve Grand was Sundays headliner.
Paul Liller, deputy director of the GLCCB and the person who oversaw Pride,
was pleased with the weekends festivities.
We at the GLCCB are very excited about how Pride 2015 went, Liller told the Blade.
AT TO R N E YS AT L AW D C | M D | VA
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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

H E A L TH NEW S

J U L Y 31, 2015 15

LGBT patients face discrimination in U.K.

LONDON Hundreds of health care workers in Britain have heard their colleagues
suggest that LGBT people can be cured, a new study shows.
Out of 3,001 health and social care workers surveyed, from across the countrys
National Health Service (NHS) and private sectors, 10 percent have been in situations
where colleagues have expressed those beliefs, a gure that jumps to 22 percent in
London, the Daily Telegraph reports.
The Unhealthy Attitudes study, released by the charitable group Stonewall, found that
LGBT people are facing discrimination from health care professionals.
A quarter of sta working directly with patients have heard their colleagues make
negative remarks about LGB people, or use language like poof or dyke in the last ve
years, researchers found.
When it came to trans people, one in ve said theyd heard colleagues use inappropriate
language such as tranny and she-male. Workplace bullying was also found to be
commonplace among health and social care professionals, the Telegraph reports
Just more than a quarter of LGB sta said they have personally experienced
homophobic or biphobic bullying from colleagues in the last ve years. Three in ve sta
directly involved in patient care, who heard discriminatory remarks about LGB people,
said they did not report it, researchers found.
The study suggested these negative believes could stem from a lack of decent training.
Many sta said they had received little or no equality and diversity training some even
questioned its relevance, the Telegraph article said.
Almost three quarters of patient-facing sta said they had not received training on the
health needs of LGB people, the rights of same-sex partners and parents, or how to use
language that is inclusive.
Only a quarter of those surveyed who had received equality and diversity training said
that the legal rights of trans sta and patients were covered, the Telegraph reports.

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Gay syphilis rates up 76 percent in Ottawa

OTTAWA, Canada Health ocials here are working to combata highly infectious
strain of syphilis that has seen reported casesskyrocketing76 percent in the past year.All
cases have been among men, and nearly 90 percent of them were gay or bisexual, CBS
News reports.
Symptoms include a painless sore and rashes which may include palms of the hands
or soles of the feet.Condoms are only partially eective against syphilis. Though the
strain responds to antibiotics, if left untreated syphilisposes a risk of neurological damage.
The message to folks in the community is if you are sexually active with more than one
partner, consider getting tested on a routine basis, said Dr. Paul MacPherson, infectious
disease specialist at Ottawa Hospital. I knew there was an increase before public
healthreported it. Nobody around here was seeing syphilis. Then we had our rst spike
(around 2006) and it really took everybody o guard. If in doubt, do the test.
Lauren Dobson Hughes of Planned Parenthood Ottawa said the outbreak was a sign
that healthocials are not doing something right, according to the CBS News report.

Some cancers more common in LGBT patients

LONDON Some LGBT people are disproportionately aected by certain types of
cancer including a higher incidence rate of anal cancer in gay men and cervical cancer in
lesbian and bisexual women, researchers at Mott Cancer Center have found according
to a new study, News Medical reports.
Mott researchers analyzed current LGBT literature for prevention, early detection,
diagnosis, treatment, survivorship and end-of-life data for seven dierent cancers anal,
breast, cervical, colorectal, colon and rectal, endometrial, lung and prostate cancers.
They discovered that there has been very limited eort in delineating the
epidemiological patterns and medical needs of the LGBT community in regard to cancer,
Mott researchers found.
Matthew B. Schabath, Ph.D., assistant member of the Cancer Epidemiology Program
at Mott noted, this is particularly important given the nding that some LGBTQ groups
tend to have a higher prevalence of many cancer risk factors and behaviors, including
higher rates of smoking, alcohol consumption, obesity and high-risk sexual behavior.
Given the lack of information and data regarding the LGBT community and cancer, the
researchers explained that it is critically important for local, state and national surveys
and registries to collect the gender identity and sexual orientation status of their study
populations. They also suggested that changes should be made to insurance and
governmental policies to expand insurance coverage and reduce health disparities for
the LGBT community, the News Medical article said.

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1 6 J ULY 3 1 , 2 0 1 5

IN S IDE L G B T W ASH I N G T O N

VOLUME

46

ISSUE

31

ADDRESS

Judges leniency justifies her removal

Williams reduced sentence
for woman convicted of
slashing gay man

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

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

D.C. Superior Court Judge Yvonne Williams

was quoted in the Blade as saying, She likes
to be known for telling it like it is. Williams
recently reduced the sentence of one perpetrator of a hate crime and gave the other a
short prison sentence. Police and prosecutors
believe the sentence is much too lenient and I
agree with them.
As covered in the Blade, according to prosecutors, Christina Lucas and her brother Christopher showed no remorse after a D.C. Superior Court jury convicted them on May 8 of
aggravated assault while armed and designated the incident as an anti-gay hate crime. Wit-

nesses testied that the siblings led a group of

others in an attack on the victim in Northwest,
punching and stomping him multiple times after knocking him to the ground. According to
testimony, Christina Lucas slashed the victims
face with a sharp object, causing a permanent
facial scar after she called him a faggot motherfucker.
Williams reduced her sentence of Christina,
a lesbian, to six months from one year. She
sentenced Christopher to one year in prison.
Upon hearing of the sentence Mayor Bowser said, When someone is attacked because
of who they are, it is a hate crime. The District
will seek out those who perpetrate hate crimes
and we call upon the justice system to hold
them accountable to the full extent of the law.
I think more is needed and it is incumbent on
the mayor to speak out on this particular case
and to hold this judge up to public scrutiny for
apparently saying to the community there is
such a thing as a hate crime lite.
The reasoning behind this judges decision
to lessen the sentence is so egregious that she
should be removed from the bench. Not only
were her comments on this case and hate
crimes in general outrageous but she went on
to say how she arrived at the original sentence.
I was rushed because I had a jury waiting.
Would this not lead us to question all of her

E DIT OR IA L C A R T OON

sentences and her judgment? How many other sentences has she gotten wrong? The D.C.
Superior Court is a busy place but we must expect judges to take the time they need when
sentencing convicted criminals.
This was an interesting case. A juror on the
initial grand jury that indicted this brother and
sister said they had to force the U.S. Attorney
to ask for a hate crime indictment because she
thought it would make the case harder to win.
The grand jury handed down the hate crime
indictment and a jury convicted.
Reducing the original sentence was so unusual the judge decided to explain why she did
it. In doing so she said she decides on the severity of a hate crime based on the seriousness
of the injuries suered by the victim. The judge
said since the victim wasnt left in a wheelchair
or killed she thought it wasnt that bad a crime.
She said, there are dierent levels of hate
crimes and actually went on to talk about the
fact that one of the siblings who committed the
crime said she was gay. She said, So do I have
concerns with Ms. Lucas going forward, that
shes going to be terrorizing the community
and going after gay people? No I dont have that
concern. Would she have thought this before
these two were convicted of terrorizing and
slashing the face of their victim?
What Judge Williams is saying to the community is that hate crimes are OK if you dont
put the victim in a wheelchair or kill them. Just
cut them with a knife, or knock them to the
ground, and we wont give you much punishment. In essence, a hate crime lite is OK.
In her rambling explanation, she talked
about Matthew Shepard but couldnt remember his name; she asked if a black-on-black
hate crime could exist if one African American
used the N word against the other.
Judge Williams recently sentenced a
20-year-old D.C. man accused of assaulting
and robbing another man before pushing him
onto the Metro tracks at the Navy Yard station
because he believed the victim was gay to only
one year in jail. In that case, a spokesperson
for the U.S. Attorneys oce told the Washington Blade, We did consider a hate crime enhancement and intended to pursue it until the
defendant quickly took responsibility for his
actions and pled guilty.
Each person and politician, especially the
mayor and Council members, must take a
hard stand against hate crimes. Convicted
perpetrators must be punished to the full extent of the law. There is no such thing as a hate
crime lite. While we dont control the courts or
the U.S. Attorneys Oce we can use public
opinion to demand they act in these cases and
take each and every one seriously. The reason
for enhanced punishment for those committing a hate crime is not only to punish them
but it sends a message to the community that
we will not tolerate hate.
All citizens deserve to feel safe in their
homes and on the streets as they go about
their daily lives.

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CO MM UNI K A TE

J U LY 3 1 , 2 0 1 5 1 7

Wedding bells breaking up that old gang of mine

Stop asking, Whats next?
and enjoy the moment

KATE CLINTON is a humorist who has

entertained LGBT audiences for 30 years. Her
monthly column appears exclusively in the
Blade. Reach her via kateclinton.com.

After our Supreme Court victory, Evan

Wolfson announced he is closing up his
Freedom to Marry shop. After 24 hardworking years as executive director of
Lambda Legal, Kevin Cathcart is leaving.
After their FIFA Womens World Cup victory season, Abby Wambach is retiring.
Wasnt Abbys victory kiss with her wife
awesome? Sorry. I know its o-topic, but
I cant stop talking about it.

Put on your Maurice Chevalier straw

boaters and thank Evan and Kevin. (Go
ahead, Google it.) They must both be tired
and tired of being asked, So whats next?
Let them take a year o to rest up. Then
I want them both to do a Boies/Olson
dream team lawyer mash-up and try to
get the Equal Rights Amendment ratied.
Futilitarians unite!
President Obama said that the
courts decision made our union a little more perfect. Actually Justice Kennedys opinion made marriage sound
too perfect; an ideal of love, fidelity,
devotion, sacrifice and family. Like he
never heard of divorce. And pity the
poor single people who live lives treading water at the bottom of the well of
loneliness. Is that Elena Kagan in the
pink water wings? Not everyone joins
in all the rainbow games.
Kennedys idealized language describes an institution fallen into such disrepair that gays have to go in and gentrify
it. I know I sound all cranky like Jabba the
Scalia whose opinions sound like tween

tweets, but it makes me want to act out.

Pick a ght with my wi hotspot, have an
aair, do a dog, get in a throuple and call
it a long weekend. Could be a lingering effect of the Mad Vow disease.
Dont get me wrong. Our marriage victory was incredible. As were the non-photo-shopped rainbow klieg lights on the
White House. I bet the girls were behind
it, Come on Mom and Dad, do it. It would
be so gay!
But instead of a Whats next? moment, Im having a Peggy Lee Is-thatall-there-is? moment. So thats it? Feel
free to move about the country and get
married; were o to swift-boat the Iran
nuclear deal? Hold on a second. I want
an apology.
But instead of that, we get backlash.
The losers plan to make marriage equality a religious tolerance issue. They are
trying again to make us a political wedge
issue: the butt thong between the cheek
of church and the cheek of state. Their response reminds me of an apology I once
got from an ex. Im sorry, sounded a lot

like Kiss o.
A few years back, I asked Kevin Cathcart, if we could sue the right-wing nutjobs for harassment. I argued that for
years we had to spend pallets of hundred dollar bills ghting the drones on
the right and their frivolous anti-gay
propositions and propaganda strikes.
We could have used that money against
bullying, anti-trans violence and for eldercare and HIV/AIDS. Im not a lawyer
though I have played with one near a
TV but I thought it was a great idea.
Kevin was quite patient.
In lieu of cash, we could go the reparative route. We should demand as restitution, programs to retrain and retrot homophobes into ex-haters. They can work
out their community service hours in
LGBT youth homeless shelters, home visits with LGBT seniors, HIV/AIDS education
or volunteer in anti-trans violence centers. Or they could do pro-bono work with
the rm Cathcart and Wolfson, which will
be working on nally ratifying the Equal
Rights Amendment.

V I E W PO I N T

The view from Kepler-452b

A nuclear deal silent on
LGBT issues is still good

RICHARD J. ROSENDALL is a writer and activist.

Reach him at rrosendall@starpower.net.

High in the night sky over Washington,

the bright stars Deneb and Vega mark a
star eld at the center of a probe unrelated to Benghazi or Hillarys emails or
whether Iran will get the Bomb.
NASAs planet-hunting Kepler spacecraft has discovered Kepler-452b, an
Earth-like planet 1,400 light years away.
At 6 billion years old, it is 1.5 billion years
older than Earth. This raises the question whether any intelligent life there
has avoided destroying itself. How might
earthlings evolve over a similar time period?
It will be sad but unsurprising if it turns
out that Kepler-452b has produced several intelligent life forms in succession,
each destroying itself after developing
genocidal weapons. Back here, of course,

humanitys own ongoing quest of selfannihilation nearly succeeded in the last

century. Our latest opportunity is the resolute eort by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and American cohorts
to foment war with Iran. They are attacking a multilateral accord, reached on July
14 after a two-year eort, designed to
prevent Iran from developing a nuclear
weapon.
President Obama and Secretary of
State Kerry gave strong presentations defending the accord. Experts touted its unprecedented verication measures. The
agreement was made possible by strict
international sanctions that brought Iran
to the negotiating table. J Street released
a poll showing that 59 percent of American Jews support the deal. But opponents
were quick to denounce it. Republican
presidential candidate Mike Huckabee
said the deal would march Israelis to
the door of the oven. By contrast, in the
streets of Tehran, young Iranians jubilantly chanted, Death to no one!
Gregory T. Angelo of Log Cabin Republicans sided with his fellow partisans,
declaring that, any deal with Iran that
does not include consideration of human
rights abuses against women, religious
minorities and gays is a bad deal.
The notion that no problems should be

solved unless all are solved is just as foolish coming from Log Cabin as it is from
gay leftists who denounce any good-butimperfect bill or candidate. To suggest
that a hard-won multilateral agreement
to prevent Iran from getting nuclear
weapons should be rejected unless every
other concern is resolved is not responsible advocacy but sabotage.
Not that we should be surprised. This
is the same Log Cabin that denigrated
Obama when he endorsed marriage
equality in May 2012. The reasoning was
that Dick Cheney had beaten him to it, despite also having worked to re-elect President George W. Bush who endorsed the
Federal Marriage Amendment. Thus Log
Cabin attacks the most pro-gay president
in American history while oering cover
to its homophobic friends in Congress.
Irans government is harshly anti-gay,
but like all non-nuclear issues, that is not
part of the nuclear accord. I wonder if a
radical LGBT group will heckle the president over that. Surely preventing nuclear
proliferation is enough for one multilateral negotiation. America has destabilized
the Mideast enough.
Advancing peace in a violent world
requires keeping your eye on a distant
prize. Obamas vision, endurance and
cool temperament have served him and

the world well. During his recent trip to

Africa, he stood beside Kenyan President
Uhuru Kenyatta and criticized that countrys anti-LGBT persecution. He continues
to stand with us. He is multi-tasking, as
his job requires. Also last week, thanks to
Obama, Cubas ag rose over its embassy
in Washington, even as members of the
Gay Mens Chorus of Washington sang
in Cuba. With public opinion behind him,
Obama is ghting to end more than 50
years of a failed American policy of isolating the island nation.
Instructive regarding the hawks rejection of Middle Eastern peace is a 2012
animation by Nina Paley set to Andy Williams singing This Land Is Mine from
Exodus. It recounts millennia of slaughter
at the eastern edge of the Mediterranean
as one group after another claimed it in
the name of their god.
Fourteen hundred and a few years
from now, let us hope that any intelligent creature on Kepler-452b studying
the light from our solar system does not
detect a wobble caused by our self-destruction. I am with the beautiful, spirited
young Persians I saw on television, who
have no wish to kill and die in an old conict perpetuated by bitter men.
Copyright 2015 by Richard J. Rosendall.
All rights reserved.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

1 8 J ULY 3 1 , 2 0 1 5

LI F E I N T H E I N T E RSE CT I O N

White supremacy, racism killed Sandra Bland

Constantly being
stereotyped, marginalized,
vilied eats away at us

LATEEFAH WILLIAMS is a regular contributor

to the Washington Blade.

Ever since Sandra Bland died in a Texas jail cell earlier this month, her case
has been on my mind. I noted in my
January column titled, Black Womens
Lives Matter, Too, that black women are
subjected to police brutality and have
been murdered by the police, but the
community never rallies around those
cases, and are often not even aware of
them. Until now, none of those cases
had garnered the amount of attention or
outrage as the deaths of black men by
law enforcement.
For whatever reason, people could
not wrap their heads around women being brutalized, so the dashboard camera
plays a major role in allowing people to
see much of the interaction between
Bland and the ocer. Bland was also an
outspoken, attractive, college-educated,
Black Lives Matter activist. This matters
in terms of folks who only like to ght for
the right kind of people, which is also
known as the respectability mantra.
Most people who feel Sandra Bland was
unjustly killed believe she was murdered
by the police and are demanding accountability for that murder. It matters if the police murdered her in terms of getting the
harshest sentence for the perpetrators.
However, its already clear, whether Bland
died by a police ocers hand or her own
hand, they killed her. White supremacy
and racism killed her the same way it slowly kills millions of African Americans in this
country. Constantly being stereotyped,
marginalized, vilied, and, all too often,
working harder than most for a meager
subsistence gets to you. Each day, it kills a
part of your spirit.
Take, for instance, the stereotype of the
angry black woman. Although Im softspoken and though I sometimes hate to
admit it, shy, I have recently been stereotyped as an angry black woman by some
white people in the local political and media scene. My ethnic features have been
used as a source of disdain and derision
as these mean-spirited, racist bullies have

spread rumors that Im always angry and

walk around with my bottom lip sticking
out. Um, I have thick lips and, yes, my bottom lip protrudes out further than my top
lip. But no, Im not poking out my lip in
anger, my bottom lip just sticks out and
many of my African brothers and sisters
happen to think Im quite cute, I may add.
The fact that this, and other, malicious
gossip has been spread continuously
by people who dont look like me, dont
share my culture, and apparently have no
knowledge of or respect for African features, is just one illustration of what its
like to navigate a society that constantly
kills your spirit. This is the type of stu
that eats at you each day.
It also lets me know that the angry
black woman stereotype is so pervasive
and so believable to white folks that all
actions can be made to t into the stereotype when displayed by black women,
even if those actions contradict one another. Thus, if you are a passionate vocal
advocate, youre angry. If you are softspoken, youre not overly vocal because
youre angry. If you look people directly in
the eyes, youre angry. If you take a more
subservient demeanor and divert your
eyes or look down, youre angry.
To be a black woman in America often means that a piece of your spirit is

SANDRA BLAND died in a Texas jail after what should have been a routine trac stop.
PHOTO COURTESY FACEBOOK

he snaps back, shut up, dont say a

word. He then goes on about whether
I can aord a $200 ticket. After he nished his rant, I pulled into the parking

When the officer started speaking in a hostile

tone toward Sandra Bland, I recognized
the tone immediately.
crushed each day. You graduate from
college and maybe even get an advanced
degree, but none of that shields you from
the daily indignities that you will face.
A few years ago, in the Eastern Market
area, I pulled behind a minivan as the
minivans occupants were getting into
the car. Happy to nd a parking space, I
patiently waited as they got into the vehicle and put the kids into the car seat.
There was a white male police ocer on
the other side of the street. I didnt think
anything of it when he walked over to
my car. I let my window down, so I could
hear what he wanted to tell me. He
then started to berate me about parking illegally and I calmly explained that I
was not parked, I was waiting for the car
in front of me to pull out of their parking space, so I could park there. He then
starts speaking in a very aggressive and
hostile tone, and when I try to respond,

space and he walked away. His hostility

was unnecessary and I was boiling inside. I was too taken aback at the time
to get his name or badge number. After
I got out of the car, I saw him standing
on the corner, but I chose my personal
safety over confronting him to get his
badge number. On Inauguration Day in
2008, I also experienced this same hostility from a white male police ocer,
whose hostile tone and aggression startled me so much, I dropped and broke
my camera.
So, when the ocer started speaking
in a hostile tone toward Sandra Bland, I
recognized the tone immediately. It is the
same demeaning, hostile tone that white
male ocers have used toward me on
several instances.
This hostility comes from a place of
interacting with someone who you dont
deem to be equal. When you are black,

a woman, and either young or younglooking, my experience has shown that

some white male ocers take any assertion that you are their equal as a personal
aront. This belief extends far beyond
interactions with law enforcement and
the repercussions of this mentality often
manifest itself in hostile behavior from
some white men in other settings.
My situation with the police ocer in
Eastern Market could have escalated if I
did not swallow my pride and allow this
hostile ocer to disrespect me. However, I wanted to respond as Sandra Bland
did. You cant imagine how demeaning it
is for someone to yell Shut up in your
face and to say nothing back because
youve decided its the practical way to
deescalate the situation and not get arrested or an unwarranted ticket. We go
through this type of blatant hostility and
disrespect every day and it gets to you.
Bland chose a healthy way of addressing the societal and systemic racism by
connecting with the Black Lives Matter
movement. Yet, she still found herself
demeaned and in jail for a minor trac
oense, after, if her experiences have
been anything like mine, a lifetime of
pushing to persevere and thrive in a hostile society.
We may never truly know if the police
murdered Sandra Bland or if she technically died by her own hand. But one
thing is abundantly clear: No matter the
circumstances, white supremacy and racism killed her.

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2 0 J ULY 3 1 , 2 0 1 5

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

GET MORE
OUT OF
SUMMER IN
BALTIMORE.
Theres something for everyone
to enjoy this summer in Baltimore,
from live rock n roll to the latest
in runway fashion.

BALTIMORE
FASHION WEEK

War Memorial
August 1116, 2015

Baltimores trendiest week kicks off with a party

and gala, followed by a weekend of one-of-a-kind
runway shows. The showcasing event offers a
runway setting for designers to present collections
to buyers, boutique owners, clients and fashion
trendsetters.

BALTIMORE SUMMER
ANTIQUES SHOW

Baltimore Convention Center

August 2023, 2015

The largest indoor antiques show in the country

features more than 200,000 pieces of fine art,
furniture, jewelry, porcelain, glass, textiles,
American folk art and more.

FORT! FLAG! FREEDOM!

THE SHINDIG

Carroll Park
September 19, 2015

Sing along with your favorite acts at this all-day

rock 'n' roll festival featuring two main stages and
no overlapping sets. Scheduled acts include
Godsmack, Stone Temple Pilots and many more!
Local food and beverage vendors supply the
picnic at this highly anticipated outdoor concert.

LEGO CASTLE
ADVENTURE

Port Discovery Childrens Museum

Through September 20, 2015
Explore, build and play in Port Discoverys newest
traveling exhibitionLEGO Castle Adventure!
The whole family will be transported back in time
with this fantastic exhibition, featuring royal
thrones, secret passageways, working catapults
and more.

Fort McHenry National Monument and

Historic Shrine
Through August 23, 2015
Fort McHenry delivers hands-on history seven
days a week, offering you the chance to help
rangers hoist the Star-Spangled Banner flag over
the ramparts. And Wednesdays through Sundays,
become a part of history as you drill with wooden
muskets, muster to the drum, learn about 1814
fashions and meet historical characters.

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7/23/15 3:58 PM

ARTS

AND

ENTERTAINMENT

Contemporary African
art explores afterlife
in massive exhibit
By KEITH LORIA
If youve happened upon the National
Museum of African Art (part of the
Smithsonian Institution) at any point
since April, youre one of the lucky ones to
have experienced an artistic wonderland
of works inspired by Dante Alighieris epic
poem, The Divine Comedy.
With new commissions and cuttingedge artwork by more than 40 artists
from 18 African countries as well as the
African Diaspora, The Divine Comedy:
Heaven, Purgatory and Hell Revisited by

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

VOLUME

46

ISSUE

31

A still from The 99 Series, a 2013 work by Ethiopian artist Aida Muluneh.
IMAGE COURTESY OF MULUNEH

Contemporary African Artists (africa.

si.edu) encompasses the entire museum,
the rst exhibit ever to make use of all
four levels and nearly 22,000 square feet
at 950 Independence Ave., S.W.
The exhibit, which will run through Nov.
1, was guest curated by internationally
acclaimed critic and scholar Simon Njami
with help from the National Museum of
African Arts curator Karen Milbourne.
Weve been working with Simon Njami
for a while and the idea came from him.
Hes of Cameroonian descent, is based in
Paris, and was a passionate reader of The

Divine Comedy, Milbourne says. For

Simon, what was the most telling was its
position as a universal text. Many of us
around the world have read translations
of at least Inferno if not all three books,
and yet he didnt see himself in it.
The exhibition therefore, was a chance
for Njami to allow Africa, as well as Asia
and others from around the world, to
become part of the story.
Beyond that, for the museum,
this is an exhibition that looks at how
something we consider to be timeless,
like a text, is also timely, she says. The

JULY

31

2015

PAGE

21

idea of what is good and what is bad and

what is in between is certainly timely for
today. The opportunity to look at these
issues through the lens of emerging and
established artists is a great one.
Regardless of what type of art you enjoy,
theres something for everyone in this exhibit
as it showcases inspirational painting, video
projection, installation, sculpture, textiles,
printmaking, lm, photography and even a
collage by African artists.
About 80 percent of the artworks are
commissioned and the rest were works
selected to be included. All were created
within the last 10 years, Milbourne says.
Pretty much anything you can think of to
make art out of is in this exhibition.
CONTINUES ON PAGE 32

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

2 2 J ULY 3 1 , 2 0 1 5

Q U E E RY : 2 0 Q U E ST I O N S F O R RO D D Y F LY N N

RODDY FLYNN
How long have you been out and who was
the hardest person to tell?
Since high school. My parents were
denitely the hardest people to tell. I knew
they would be loving and accepting (they
didnt disappoint), but it felt nally real when I
took that step.

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

By JOEY DiGULIELMO
joeyd@washblade.com
Roddy Flynn was in Washington for college at American University but after
stints in Lexington, Va., (for law school) and Philadelphia, he returned to D.C.
six weeks ago to start his new job as executive director of the Congressional
LGBT Equality Caucus.
The Caucus is a group of 77 members of Congress dedicated to LGBT
equality. Flynn works with members on their LGBT legislation and priorities,
helps design educational opportunities, works with outside organizations and
more.
Its important because LGBT Americans wont be fully equal in society until
they are fully equal in our laws and there are many protections that can only
come from legislation, the former attorney says.
The 29-year-old Wilmington, Del., native is single and lives on Capitol Hill
in a studio apartment three blocks from his oce in the Longworth House
Oce Building. Hes a Katharine Hepburn fan and enjoys reading, traveling
and binge-watching an embarrassing amount of TV shows like Borgen,
Veep and Hannibal in his free time.

Whos your LGBT hero?

I cant pick between two amazing women.
First, Drew Fennell from Delaware. She
used to be the executive director of the
Delaware ACLU. I have really vivid memories
of her lobbying for nondiscrimination 15
years ago, putting up with intense negativity
and pressure. She relentlessly fought the
good ght and did it with incredible grace.
Second, President Judge Jan Jurden, also from
Delaware, who heads up the states Superior
Court. She is everything I aspire to be as a
lawyer: brilliant, glamorous, fair minded and
implacable, but with perspective and a sense
of humor. Every day I measure myself against
their examples.
Whats Washingtons best nightspot, past
or present?
Nostalgia from my college days: Apex.
Describe your dream wedding.
Three hundred people; Gold Ballroom of
the Hotel DuPont in Wilmington, Del.; old
Hollywood glamour.
What non-LGBT issue are you most
passionate about?
Economic justice
What historical outcome would you
change?
The Holocaust
Whats been the most memorable pop
culture moment of your lifetime?
Jack McPhee coming out on Dawsons
Creek
On what do you insist?

202.747.2077

Timeliness

What was your last Facebook post or

Tweet?
A link with the trailer for new season of

The X-Files, along with an expression of my

excitement.
If your life were a book, what would the
title be?
Pugs, Personality Drinks and Netix: the
Roddy Flynn Story
If science discovered a way to change
sexual orientation, what would you do?
If I werent gay Id be a completely dierent
person and I dont want to be a dierent
person.
What do you believe in beyond the
physical world?
God had a plan when he created the earth
and we can never understand that plan so
we just have to try our best.
Whats your advice for LGBT movement
leaders?
Dont forget the movement is about real
people who just want to live their lives as who
they are.
What would you walk across hot coals
for?
A Tanqueray and tonic on a hot, humid
D.C. day
What LGBT stereotype annoys you most?
LGBT stereotypes are all based on
gender-normative stereotypes, which are all
ridiculous.
Whats your favorite LGBT movie?

Milk

Whats the most overrated social custom?

Softball
What trophy or prize do you most covet?
The Sarah Siddons Award
What do you wish youd known at 18?
How lucky I was.
Why Washington?
Everyone makes fun of D.C. because
people here are obsessed with their jobs,
but I love that people here are passionate,
dedicated and wholly devoted to their work.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

T HE ATE R

Love, hope,
success,
family,
security.

J U L Y 31, 2015 23

Some things we all have in

common.
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TALLY SESSIONS as Hannibal Lecter and LAURA JORDAN as Clarice in Studio 2ndStages Silence!
The Musical.

Loony parody nds

right tone in Studio
2ndStage staging
By PATRICK FOLLIARD
When you think The Silence of the
Lambs, you dont think musical. But
thats exactly what makes Silence! The
Musical, the song-lled spoof on the
1991 thriller ick, so much fun.
Framed as bad musical theater
presented by the Quantico Community
Players, Silence! with its chorus of tapdancing lambs and vulgar ditties, aims
to be a tacky, sometimes groan-inducing
laugh fest, and as such works beautifully.
Of course this cant be achieved without
savvy staging and totally committed
performances, and fortunately Studio
2ndStages production has found these
necessities in talented local director Alan
Paul and a topnotch cast.
The plot remains the same. FBI agent
trainee Clarice Starling (Laura Jordan)
is hunting down serial killer Bualo Bill
(Tom Story) before he kills again. For
insight, Clarice seeks the consul of brilliant
but incarcerated psychiatrist and serial
cannibal Hannibal Lecter (Tally Sessions).
But in exchange for his assistance, Lecter
insists Clarice play by his rules. Based
on the bestselling book and popular lm
that garnered Oscars for Jodie Foster and
Anthony Hopkins as Clarice and Lecter, the
source material lends itself pretty easily to
camp and the shows librettist Hunter Bell
and composers Jon Kaplan and Al Kaplan
make the most of it. There isnt a lot of
high-minded art here its just making
fun of a cult lm and its foremost target is
the movies biggest fans.
The Kaplan brothers score consists of
songs inspired by moments in the lm that
quickly click with those whove seen it even
once or twice. Theres Bualo Bills Are

you about a size 14? And the seduction

line that oily Dr. Chiltern (Alan Naylor) tries
on Clarice: Baltimore can be quite a fun
town if you have the right guide. Lecters
songs include an unprintably titled ode to
a part of Clarices anatomy.
The source material is more easily
parodied than Id remembered and at
the center of the madness bravely stands
Laura Jordans Clarice who speaks with
a slurry drawl and plays it straight in a
bad pantsuit and unfortunate wig. Tally
Sessions plays Hannibal Im-havingmy-friend-for-lunch Lecter more as a
Broadway leading man and it works. Out
actor Tom Story brings great humor to
blonde-tressed Bualo Bill, a possibly
transgender serial killer who murders
full-gured females in order to wear their
skins as his own woman suit. (Over the
years, the lms director Jonathan Demme
has responded to accusations aspects
of the movie being homophobic and/
or transphobic by saying the Bualo Bill
isnt meant to be gay or transgender, just
insane, traumatized and self-loathing.)
Awa Sal Secka plays Ardelia, Clarices
FBI academy roommate. Here shes not
so subtly attracted to Clarice and also
pining for more time in the spotlight
which she gets in a sensational solo
turn. Hayley Travers does double duty as
Bualo Bills big-haired victim Catherine
and her doltish mother Sen. Martin.
The remainder of the terric cast
includes John Loughney, Neil Rushnock
and the excellent Wood Van Meter, who
recently played the conicted young
Mormon in The Whale at Rep Stage.

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CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
SILENCE! THE MUSICAL
Through Aug. 9
Studio 2ndStage
1501 14th St., N.W.
$40-45
202-332-3300
Studiotheatre.org

1400 Decatur St. NW Washington, DC 20011

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O U T & A BO U T

UPCOMING PERFORMANCES

RAYLAND

BAXTER
W/ DEAD PROFESSIONAL
THURSDAY JULY

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BOMBINO
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FRIDAY JULY

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TUES, AUG 4

STEVE KIMOCK PERFORMING

GRATEFUL DEAD,
JERRY GARCIA
AND KIMOCK CLASSICS
W/ BOBBY VEGA, JAY LANE,
JEFF CHIMENTI, LEBO

By MARIAH COOPER

THURS, AUG 6

LOUDON WAINWRIGHT III

W/ DEAN FIELDS

THEHAMILTONDC.COM

MidCity Dog Days

plans sidewalk sale
JAMES EARL HARDY PHOTO COURTESY OF THE D.C. CENTER

LGBT book festival returns to D.C. Center

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OutWrite, an LGBT literary festival, is at the Reeves Center (2000 14th St., N.W.)
Friday, July 31 and Saturday, Aug. 1. The festival will feature various readings and
workshops led by LGBT authors and publishers.
On Friday from 6-9 p.m., there will be Celebrating the Work of James Earl
Hardy, a reading of Hardys work to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Hardys
B-Boy Blues series. Panelists La Marr Jurelle Bruce and David Green will give a
tribute to Hardy at 6 p.m. Hardy will give a keynote address at 7 p.m. A reception
will follow at 8:15 p.m. featuring music by Prince Jerel.
On Saturday from 10:30 a.m.-noon, there will be a childrens book reading
and activities period. Books read will include Red: a Crayons Story, by Michael
Hall, Blue Chameleon by Emily Gravett and more. There will also be activities
such as creating rainbow bracelets and applying for library cards to D.C. Public
Libraries.
Also at 10:30 a.m., Hardy will give a reading from his collection of short stories,
Can You Feel What Im Saying?
At noon, there will be Threefold: Presenting Three Cave Canem Fellows, a
reading from Bettina Judd, Tasha A. Edwards and Saida Agostini.
At 1 p.m., Sheena Howard will read from her latest book Black Queer Identity
Matrix, a book that explores black lesbian female identity.
At 1:30 p.m., Rebecca Coey will give a reading from her book Hysterical:
Anna Freuds Story, a book about Sigmund Freuds daughters struggle with
being a lesbian when her father believed lesbianism to be a mental illness.
At 2 p.m. is Queer Immigrant Stories, a collection of readings by Mala Kumar
and Yvonne Fly Onakeme Etaghene followed by a question-and-answer session
and discussion.
Rayceen Pendarvis hosts Quick and Dirty, a ve-minute reading from six
authors, at 3 p.m. At 4 p.m., author Rigoberto Gonzlez reads from his book
Our Lady of the Crossword, a book about his cultural heritage and sexuality.
At 5 p.m., Sons of Baldwin, a spoken-word group inspired by the works of
James Baldwin, will give a performance.
Workshops include Trans Self-Publishers: Storytelling on our Terms, a
workshop for self-publishing trans authors at 11 a.m., Transforming Words into
a Multi-Media Experience, at 11 a.m., Fade to Hot: Writing Sex Scenes at 2 p.m.
and Black Writers Form: Black Queer Identity and the Written Word at 3:30 p.m.
For more information on OutWrites readings and workshops, visit thedccenter.
org/outwritedc.

The 16th annual MidCity Dog Days

sidewalk sale and festival is this Saturday
and Sunday, Aug. 1-2. It begins along 14th
Street through Thomas Circle to Florida
Avenue and continues along U Street
from 17th Street to 7th Street, N.W.
Numerous shops, restaurants and
other local businesses will be on the
sidewalk for exclusive sales, tastings and
more. The 14th and U Street farmers
market will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday.
CityPaws Animal Hospital (1823 14th St.,
N.W.) will host the Washington Animal
Rescue League on Saturday from 11 a.m.2 p.m. as they bring animals looking to be
adopted. Urban Essentials (1401 14th St.,
N.W.) will have a sale with the entire store
10-15 percent o. Logan Hardware (1734
14th St., N.W.) will also have a sale with 20
percent o the entire store.
For a list of businesses participating in
MidCity Dog Days, visit facebook.com/
midcitydogdays.

Rickie Lee Jones to

play at Howard
Pop/rock singer Rickie Lee Jones gives a
performance at the Howard Theatre (620
T St., N.W.) on Tuesday, Aug. 4 at 8 p.m.
Jones has been performing music since
the 70s and has released 15 albums to
date. Her latest album, The Other Side
of Desire, was inspired, recorded and
written in New Orleans. The album was
released this summer. This is the rst new
music Jones has released in a decade.
Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets range from
$39.50-75.
For
more
details,
visit
thehowardtheatre.com.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

O UT& A B O UT

J U L Y 31, 2015 25

ING

Tally Session

s and Laura Jo

rdan. Photo: Igo

r Dmitry.

AY
NOW PL

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCCORMICK

SAMPSON MCCORMICK has been working in stand-up comedy full time for 13 years. He says
moving to California helped him realize his fan base was broader than he thought.

D.C. native juggling

several new projects
By JOEY DiGUGLIELMO
joeyd@washblade.com
Stand-up
comedian
Sampson
McCormick, a D.C.-area native from age
2 on, did a show two years ago in Palm
Springs, Calif., and soon felt the West
Coast beckon.
I came out here and just fell in love,
he says. Winter here is like 59 degrees.
You just fall in love with all that.
McCormick returns to his roots this
weekend with a performance called
Hoodlarious with Luenell at the Howard
Theatre on Sunday, Aug. 2. Luenell is
known for her role as a hooker in the
2006 lm Borat and roles in other
movies such as Think Like a Man, Hotel
Transylvania and Thats My Boy, the
latter two with Adam Sandler.
Shes like that auntie who sits down
at a table, eats crabs and talks trash,
McCormick, 30, says. Shes the kind who
would give you that talk about the birds
and the bees.
He says his material of late has been
more political.
I talk about a lot of silly things, but
more and more Im realizing people dont
take time to watch the news anymore.
Colbert is rated the highest of all the
news shows, so what that shows is that
people are relying on comedy to keep up
with the news. It gives comedians a lot of
responsibility to help keep people honest,
to let people know were watching the

store. Ill be talking about all kinds of things

homophobia that still exists, curfews,
entertainment, society in general and the
Black Lives Matter project. Its a serious
subject and a dicult time in our lives,
but laughs are like vodka for me. You can
cover a lot of serious topics with humor.
McCormick, living now in Oakland,
Calif., has been busy at work on several
projects, including a book of essays (the
working title is My Spirit Animal is a
Butch Lesbian), a documentary he hopes
will be done in time to be shown at Reel
Armations (D.C.s gay lm festival) in
2016 and a new live comedy album. His
most recent, That Bitch Better Be Funny
was recorded live at the Howard.
He says fans can expect more material
about Aunt Jackie, whom he says he
revisits for material much like Phyllis
Diller did with Fang.
Everybody loves hearing stories about
her, he says. Shes that hilarious aunt
everybody has who tells it like it is.
McCormick says his East Coast fans
were understanding when he moved. He
says it makes the shows he does here
now more special.
Whenever I come back now, I just
get so much love from people, he says.
Its been really amazing. I didnt really
appreciate that til I moved.
HOODLARIOUS
Starring Luenell with Sampson McCormick
Sunday, Aug. 2
7:30 p.m.
Howard Theatre
620 T St., N.W.
$27.50-55
thehowardtheatre.com

SILENCE!

THE MUSICAL

MUSIC AND LYRICS BY

JON AND AL KAPLAN

BOOK BY HUNTER BELL

DIRECTED BY
ALAN PAUL
STAGED CABARET-STYLE WITH A
FULL SERVICE BAR, THIS SPOOF
OF THE 1991 OSCAR-WINNING FILM
FEATURES GLEEFULLY VULGAR
SONGS, NON-STOP ZINGERS, AND A
SINGING CHORUS OF TAP-DANCING
LAMBS.

STUDIOTHEATRE.OR
G
202.332.3300

Prime Time reALTOr

Valerie M. Blake

While looking for

a bungalow near
Parks and Recreation
Recreation,
she bought a little fixer
needing only decoration.
Dupont Circle Office 202.243.7700 (o)
202.246.8602 (c) Valerie@DCHomeQuest.com

www.DCHomeQuest.com

Associate Broker, GRI

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

2 6 J ULY 3 1 , 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.

THEATRE
The Book of Mormon. Thru Aug 16. Shear
Madness. Ongoing. Kennedy Center. 202467-4600. kennedy-center.org.
Silence! The Musical. Thru Aug 9. Studio
Theatre. 202-332-3300. studiotheatre.org.
The Second Citys Let Them Eat Chaos.
Thru Aug 2. Woolly Mammoth.
202-393-3939. woollymammoth.net.
Hoodlarious starring Luenell w/
DCs own Sampson McCormick. Aug
2. Howard Theatre. 202-803-2899.
thehowardtheatre.com.
The Rodgers Family: A Century of
Musicals. Aug 1-Aug 2. Wolf Trap.
877-965-3872. wolftrap.org.
Bootleg Shakespare: The Two
Gentlemen of Verona. Aug 3. Taety
Punk Theatre Company. Folger Theatre.
202-355-9441. taetypunk.com.
Twelve Angry Men. Thru Aug 8.
American Century Theater. Gunston.
703-998-4555. americancentury.org.

David Sedaris
Aug 2. Wolf Trap.
877-965-3872. wolftrap.org.

Dubbed the funniest writer since SJ Perleman (The Guardian), the NPR
humorist brings his storytelling to the stage, transforming tales of ordinary life
into sardonic vignettes and witty social commentaries.

Once
Thru Aug 16. Kennedy Center.
202-467-4600. kennedy-center.org.

Theatrically breathtaking, the eight-time 2012 Tony Award winning musical tells the
enchanting tale of a Dublin street musician whos about to give up on his dream
when a beautiful young woman takes a sudden interest in his haunting love songs.

Rufus Wainwright
Jul 31. Wolf Trap.
877-965-3872. wolftrap.org.

This award-winning singer/songwriter pairs his poignant lyrics with the dynamic
sounds of the National Symphony Orchestra.

Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology

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

For over 30 years, audiences around the world have followed Indiana Jones
on his quests for adventure, fortune, and glory. The 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.
IMAGE COURTESY OF WOLF TRAP

Buy
Discount Tickets
ticketPLAce.org

DANCE
Christylez Bacon: Washington Sound
Museum. Aug 1-Aug 2. Atlas Performing
Arts Center. 202-399-7993. atlas arts.org.
Furia Flamenca. Aug 1-Aug 2. Dance
Place. 202-269-1600. danceplace.org.
Swing Dance with Beginner Lesson.
Aug 1. Glen Echo Park. Spanish Ballroom
at Glen Echo Park. 301-634-2222.
glenechopark.org.
Capital Fringe Festival: Burlesque
Classiques Vaudevillian Romp. Aug
1-Aug 2. Trinidad Theatre. 866-811-4111.
capfringe.org.

MUSIC
Boz Scaggs. Aug 4. Free Summer
Outdoor Concert: Cheick Hamala
Diabate. Aug 5. Strathmore.
301-581-5100. strathmore.org.
Jazz in the Garden: Incendio (acoustic
Latin guitar world fusion jazz). Jul 31.
National Gallery of Art. NGA Sculpture
Garden. 202-737-4215. nga.gov.
Too Marvelous for Words: The Songs
of Johnny Mercer. Jul 31-Aug 1. AMP.
301-581-5100. ampbystrathmore.com.
Shuggie Otis. Jul 31. Jerry Garcia
Birthday Celebration. Aug 1. Harlem
Gospel Choir. Aug 2. Rickie Lee Jones.
Aug 4. Howard Theatre. 202-803-2899.
thehowardtheatre.com.
Mount Vernon Nights 2015: Grand Ole
Ditch. Aug 1. Sizzling Summer Nights!
Jul 31-Aug 2. Stars on Sunday: Sior-og.
Aug 2. Workhouse Arts Center.
703-584-2900. workhousearts.org.
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra
with Wynton Marsalis. Aug 1-Aug 2.
Castleton Festival. Castleton Festival
and State Theatre of Culpeper present
Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver. Jul 31.
State Theatre of Culpeper. 866-974-0767.
castletonfestival.org.
Take a Break Concert Series: Uptown

Vocal Jazz Quartet. Aug 6. Reston

Community Center. RCC at Lake Anne.
703-476-4500.
restoncommunitycenter.com.
Star Trek - NSO. Aug 1. The Piano
Guys. Aug 6. Wolf Trap. 877-965-3872.
wolftrap.org.

MUSEUMS
National Gallery of Art. The Memory of
Time. Thru Sep 13. Pleasure and Piety:
The Art of Joachim Wtewael (15661638).
Thru Oct 4. Gustave Caillebotte: The
Painters Eye. Thru Oct 4. 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. Daisy
Makeig-Jones. Thru Aug 16. Super
Natural. 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.
Smithsonian Anacostia. How the Civil
War Changed Washington. Thru Nov 15.
202-633-4820. anacostia.si.edu.
National Geographic. Monster Fish.
Thru Oct 11. 202-857-7000. nglive.org.

GALLERIES
Arlington Cultural Aairs. Gallery
3700. Nauck Community Portrait
Exhibition. Thru Sep 6. arlingtonarts.org.
The Art League Gallery. Shiho Rice:
Quietly Cutting Through. Thru Aug 3.
703-683-1780. theartleague.org.
Target Gallery. Leigh Merrill: Cloud
Seeding. Thru Aug 30. 703-838-4565.
torpedofactory.org.
WPA at Capitol Skyline Hotel. Avi
Gupta. Thru Aug 1. WPA Lobby Project:
Tang. Thru Aug 28. 202-234-7103.
wpadc.org.
Zenith Gallery. Stars & Stripes: Zenith
Salutes the Flag! at Zenith Gallery and DC
Chamber of Commerce. Thru Sep 5.
202-783-2963. zenithgallery.com.
Zenith Sculpture Space. Earth, Fire,
Stone - The Works of Hadrian Mendoza.
Thru Aug 23. zenithgallery.com.
Gallery Neptune & Brown. Summer
Splash on 14th Street. Thru Sep 5.
202-986-1200. neptuneneart.com.
Workhouse Arts Center. Workhouse
Clay National 2015. Aug 1-Sep 13.
Natures Best Photography. Aug 1-Oct 4.
703-584-2900. workhousearts.org.
DCAC. 1460 Wallmountables. Thru Aug
30. 202-462-7833. dcartscenter.org.
Flashpoint Gallery: CulturalDC. Erik
Thor Sanderberg + Megan Van Wagoner.
Thru Aug 8. 202-315-1305. culturaldc.org.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

T E LEVI SI O N

J U L Y 31, 2015 27

PHOTO COURTESY OF NBC UNIVERSAL

CAITLYN JENNER is a reality show veteran. It shows on her new E! series I Am Cait.

New reality show

nds Jenner grappling
with new life
By MARIAH COOPER
Caitlyn Jenners explosive public
unveiling as a trans woman has garnered
attention from media and the public
alike. Was an accompanying reality show
anything but inevitable?
On I Am Cait, which premiered on E! on
Sunday night, Jenner shares her life now
both her perspective in a deeply personal
documentation that delivers a serious
message about the trans community and
a side of juicy reality television.
I Am Caits pilot episode starts with
chronicling Jenners mother and sister as
they prepare to meet Caitlyn for the rst
time. Jenners anticipation of meeting
her mother and sister has her visibly
shaken. At 65, Jenner reverts to childlike
nervousness as she waits for her mother
and sister to arrive.
Moments like this give a deeper insight
into Jenners struggle with announcing her
trans identity to those she loves. Although,
some of these moments are serious, there
are plenty of humorous instances where
Jenner at-out demonstrates how this is
still a new world for her. While playing
tennis with her sister, Jenner admits that
she now understands why girls have to
wear sports bra in one of the funniest
moments of the episode. Jenner says that
Bruce was a lot better at playing tennis
than Caitlyn because now as a woman,
running is harder. Her commentary on
such matters gives the show levity.
However, I Am Cait is not without its
trashy reality show moments. Jenner is
a seasoned reality show veteran after
appearing on 10 seasons of Keeping Up
with the Kardashians and she uses the
tricks shes undoubtedly learned from
that show to amp up her own series. In a
purely contrived attention-seeking move,
theres a scene where Kim Kardashian and
Kanye West drop by. West has made it no
secret that he does not like appearing
on Keeping Up with the Kardashians

forcing his relationship with Kim to be

o camera. Yet here, West utters more
words than he ever has on a Kardashianrelated show to give his support to Jenner
saying how heroic she is for being herself.
Nicely put, but a clear PR move calculated
by Jenner and West.
The highlight of the entire episode is
Jenner consistently bringing attention to the
trans communitys struggles and hardships
particularly for young trans people. Jenner
admits, as she sits for her interview
segments in perfectly applied makeup
with a closet full of designer clothing
donated to her by Tom Ford and Diane Von
Furstenberg, that many members of the
trans community dont have the platform
she does. She expresses the desire to help
the trans community however she can by
using the public platform and her voice to
spread awareness.
Jenner brings attention to the high
rates of murder and suicide in the trans
community. She even reveals she has had
suicidal thoughts herself. She reaches out
to family and friends of transgender teen
Kyler Prescott who committed suicide.
Jenner speaks with Prescotts mother and
friends and attends a memorial service
for the teen. This is what will set this series
apart from any like it. Jenners dedication
to letting the trans community be heard
that they are hurting, they are dying and
they are in need of support and help. Its
a message that isnt heard in mainstream
entertainment and can be a starting point
PROOF
ISSUE DATE:
SALES REPRESENTATIVE:
for making headway
on #1
an issue that
before has been oundering for visibility.
REVIEW AD FOR COPY AND DESIGN ACCURACY. Revisions must be submitted within 24 hours of the date of
proof. Proof will be considered final and will be submitted for publication if revision is not submitted within 24 hours of
Yes, there are trashyREVISIONS
reality show
the date of proof. Revisions will not be accepted after 12:01 pm wednesday, the week of publication.Brown naff pitts
omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) is not responsible for the content and/or design of your ad. Advertiser is
gimmicks. This is E! after all,
what
else
responsible for any legal liability arising out of or relating to the advertisement, and/or any material to which users
REDESIGN
can link through the advertisement. Advertiser represents that its advertisement will not violate any criminal laws or
TEXT
REVISIONS
any rgihts of third parties, including, but not limited to, such violations as infringement or misapporpriation of any
would one expect? Yet theres
also
heart,
copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret, music, image, or other proprietary or propety right, false advertising, unfair
IMAGE/LOGO REVISIONS
competition, defamation, invasion of privacy or rights of celebrity, violation of anti-discrimination law or regulation,
humor and most importantly
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or any other right of any person or entity. Advertiser agrees to idemnify brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the
NO a
REVISIONS
washington blade) and to hold brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) harmless from any and all
being made with this show. Yet Jenners
liability, loss, damages, claims, or causes of action, including reasonable legal fees and expenses that may be incurred
by brown naff pitts omnimedia llc, arising out of or related to advertisers breach of any of the foregoing representations
and warranties.
intelligence and understanding of her
privileged position in the trans community
make the show far more than part of an
entertaining Sunday night lineup for E!.
At the start of the episode, Jenner
worries alone in bed talking to the camera
about the tremendous responsibility she
feels towards the trans community. I just
hope I get it right. I hope I get it right,
Jenner says. I Am Cait is a step in the
right direction.

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

2 8 J ULY 3 1 , 2 0 1 5

CA LE N D A R

PHOTO COURTESY OF HBO

Diving legend GREG LOUGANIS is the subject of a new HBO documentary that debuts on
Tuesday, Aug. 4.

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
Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett bring
their duo musical act to the Kennedy
Center (2700 F St., N.W.) for a sold-out
two-night performance tonight and
Saturday. The two will sing songs from
their classic jazz collaboration album
Cheek to Cheek. The show will be a mix
of solo and duo performances. For more
information, visit kennedy-center.org.
Singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright
performs at Wolf Trap (1551 Trap
Rd., Vienna, Va.) tonight at 8:15 p.m.
Wainwright will be joined by the National
Symphony Orchestra led by conductor

Emil De Cou. Tickets range from $25-58.

For more details, visit wolftrap.org.
KhushDC hosts Jalwa, an LGBT
Bollywood dance party, at Green
Lantern (1335 Green Ct., N.W.) tonight
at 9:30 p.m. DJ Bombay Entertainers
will spin. Cover is $5 before 11 p.m. and
$10 after. For more information, visit
facebook.com/khushdc.
An LGB support group meets today
from 10-11:30 a.m. at 16220 S. Frederick
Rd., Gaithersburg, Md.) for individuals
in Montgomery County. The group
will discuss coming out of marriage,
homophobia, parenting issues, nding
intimate relationships, LGB resources
in the suburbs and more. For more
information, visit thedccenter.org.

SATURDAY, AUG. 1
Story District, previously known
as Speakeasy D.C., hosts its name

change kick-o party tonight at Town

(2009 8th St., N.W.) starting at 6 p.m.
There will be an indoor street fair
featuring local businesses from 6-7:30
p.m. Performances are from 7:30-10
p.m. Batal Washington, Poem-Cees,
Da Originalz and DJ Lile will perform.
Sampson McCormick will host the night.
Admission is free but RSVP is required.
For more details, visit facebook.com/
speakeasydc.
Tropicalia (2001 14th St., N.W.) hosts
Butch Queen, an LGBT dance party,
tonight at 10 p.m. DJ Kris Sutton and DJ
Sam Blodgett will play a mix of hip-hop,
house, trap, vogue house and more.
Admission is free. For more information,
search Butch Queen DC on Facebook.
Makers Lab presents Work It: A Missy
Elliott Day Party at Tropicalia (2001 14th
St., N.W.) today from 4-8 p.m. DJ Lady
Ryan and DJ Baronhawk Poitier will spin.
Admission is $10. For more details, visit
facebook.com/makerslabdc.

more details, visit georgetowndc.com/

sunsetcinema.
Back on Board: Greg Louganis,
a documentary about gay Olympic
gold medalist swimmer Greg Louganis,
premieres on HBO tonight at 10 p.m.
Directed by Cheryl Furjanic, the lm
delves into Louganis life and career. For
more details, visit louganisdoc.com.
Green Lantern (1335 Green Ct., N.W.)
hosts its weekly FUK!T Packing Party from
7-9 p.m. tonight. For more details, visit
thedccenter.org or greenlanterndc.com.
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.
Bachelors Mill has half-price drinks
all night long from 5 p.m.-2 a.m. tonight.
They also have pool, video gaming
systems and cards. Admission is free. For
more details, visit bachelorsmill.com.

SUNDAY, AUG. 2

The Ask Rayceen Show, a live

entertainment event, is at Liv (2001
11th St., N.W.) tonight at 6 p.m. The
show, hosted by Rayceen Pendarvis, will
feature a live performance by singer
Nia Simmons, an interview with WPFWs
Inside Out co-host Dr. Nicole Cutts and
a poetry reading by Venus Thrash. There
will also be a poetry slam with a prize of
$100 for the winner. DJ Honey will spin.
Admission is free. For more information,
visit facebook.com/askrayceen.
Bookmen D.C., an informal mens
gay literature group, discusses The
Carnivorous Lamb by Agustin GomezArcos, a story about a young gay man and
his family, at Cleveland Park Library (3310
Connecticut Ave., N.W.) tonight at 7:30
p.m. visit bookmendc.blogspot.com.
Team D.C. hosts Night Out at the Mystics
versus San Antonio Stars at Verizon Center
(601 F St., N.W.) tonight at 7 p.m. Meet in
the Acela Lounge before and during the
game to meet other Mystics fans. For
more information, visit teamdc.org.

Gay author David Sedaris performs

at Wolf Trap (1635 Trap Rd., Vienna, Va.)
in the Filene Center tonight at 7 p.m. The
show will be a mix of Sedaris humorous
storytelling featuring new material, a
question-and-answer session and a book
signing. Tickets range from $25-55. For
more details, visit wolftrap.org.
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 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, AUG. 3
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.

TUESDAY, AUG. 4
Georgetowns Sunset Cinema Series
screens its nal lm The Exorcist at
Georgetown Waterfront Park (Water St.,
N.W.) tonight at 7 p.m. The Exorcist
was lmed in Georgetown. Admission
is free. Seating is limited. No chairs are
allowed but blankets are accepted. For

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 5

THURSDAY, AUG. 6
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.
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 spin. For more
information, visit bachelorsmill.com.
Nellies Sports Bar (900 U St., N.W.)
hosts its weekly Beat the Clock Happy
Hour tonight from 5-8 p.m. Drink specials
start at $2 and increase by a dollar
each hour. For more information, visit
nelliessportsbar.com.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

S P O RTI N I N D. C.

J U LY 3 1 , 2 0 1 5 2 9

Local gay rugby league kicks

o new season in August
By KEVIN MAJOROS
This week in the Washington Blade
series on the rookie and veteran players
that compete on the LGBT sports teams
in the D.C. area, we focus on two gay
athletes from the Washington Scandals
rugby team.
The Scandals (dcscandals.org) were
formed in 2013 when overcrowding on
other local rugby teams was preventing
interested players from competing in the
sport. They are not playing in a league
and have created a niche lining up games
with teams from the Eastern seaboard
and competing in tournaments.
They are currently between seasons
and going through conditioning training.
Their rst rookie camp session for the
new season will be held on Aug. 15.
Vinny Ah Sam joined the team in
May after Scandals president Sean
Cunningham invited him to see what the
team was all about.
I got there for my rst practice and
was really intimidated, Ah Sam says. I
had never played a full-contact sport and
they were really scary.
Ah Sam grew up in El Sobrante, Calif.,
and played multiple sports growing up
including baseball and basketball. His
main sport from age 10 on was swimming
and he swam for two years at Diablo
Valley College.
He moved to D.C. when his anc
Zach took a job here in 2013 and he is
currently taking classes to earn a degree
in surgical technology at Montgomery
College and working as a lifeguard and
swim instructor.
Ah Sam learned the basics of rugby
playing on the beach in California with his
college swim team and that experience set

PHOTO BY ZACK KREITER

VINNY AH SAM says learning rugby was intimidating at rst.

him up for a quick integration into the sport.

Actually competing in the sport is
a whole new experience for me and I
absolutely love it, Ah Sam says. The
veterans have been pushing me to be the
best that I can be.
Another plus for Ah Sam is his
background in sports medicine and
athletic training which allows him to
be involved in occasionally setting up
workouts and treating injured teammates.
I really like the whole experience of being
a part of this team, Ah Sam says. During
a match, I feel really useful when I take
someone down and defend the try zone.
Brendan Raden had a friend on the
Scandals when they formed in early 2013
and joined the team in July, 2013.
People have this idea of what rugby is
and then that idea just sits in their mind
until they actually play, Raden says.
Even though I had never played, I loved
it immediately.
Raden grew up in Rockville and

PHOTO COURTESY OF RADEN

BRENDAN RADEN says hes always excited to see new Scandals members.

Damascus, Md., and attended college at

the University of Delaware. Growing up
he played baseball and lacrosse but didnt
compete in college.
I played volleyball and ultimate
Frisbee recreationally and refereed for
intramurals, Raden says. Sports were
not a priority for me then and I regret
that now.
Raden is currently a full-time student
at University of Maryland working toward
two more degrees, English literature and
secondary English education. This time
he is also deeply involved in his sport.
By the end of 2013 he was the captain
of the team and has also been the coach
of the team since 2014 after getting his
coachs certication.
That was frightening since I had only been
playing for just over a year, Raden says.
Raden jumped right into the leadership
role and realized that they were constantly
teaching the basics over and over. The
team subsequently created a rookie camp

to help beginners learn the sport.

Most other teams have a one-time
rookie 101 day clinic where they go over the
basics. It is detached and without context,
Raden says. We have three rookie camps
where the veterans come in to play with the
rookies and go over the scenarios. It is a nopressure, comfortable environment.
Raden says rookies are everything for
the team.
You need the numbers to keep the
team going and to keep improving.
Whenever I see a new player, I say to
myself, Ah yes, here is somebody new.
Fantastic.
Coming up for the fall season, the
Scandals have four-to-ve conrmed
matches lined up and tournaments in
Charlotte and Atlanta.
I didnt join this team to nd friends.
I just wanted to play a really cool sport,
Raden says. It turned out that the guys
on the team are my closest friends. It has
been pretty incredible.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

3 0 J ULY 3 1 , 2 0 1 5

P H O T O S BY MI CH A E L KE Y & A N T W A N J . T H O MP SO N

Baltimore Pride celebrated its 40th anniversary last weekend with the annual Saturday Block Party and parade and the Sunday festival.
Martha Wash headlined the block party entertainment.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

P H OTO S B Y M I CH AEL KEY & ANTWAN J. THOMPS ON

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

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

Exhibit explores heaven, hell and purgatory

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

Fragment, a 2009 work (ink and acrylic on canvas) by Julie Mehretu.

IMAGE COURTESY OF MARIAN GOODMAN GALLERY

Summer sights
Current D.C. exhibits full of
beauty, drama and color
Intersects by Janis Sweeney is on display at
Artists and Makers Studios.
IMAGE COURTESY OF ARTISTS & MAKERS STUDIOS

Filthy Lucre, where artist Darren Waterston

reinterprets James McNeil Whistlers famed
Peacock Room, runs through years end at the
Freer and Sackler Galleries.
PHOTO BY HUTOMO WICAKSONO

As usual, theres no shortage of great gallery exhibits

in Washington. Here are a few especially good ones that
deserve your attention, but note the dates a few are
wrapping up this weekend.
Peacock Room REMIX: Darren Waterstons Filthy
Lucre is on display at Freer and Sackler Galleries (1050
Independent Ave., S.W.). The room is a reimagining of James
McNeil Whistlers The Peacock Room as a decaying ruin.
Whistlers original The Peacock Room is also on display
at the gallery. Both can be viewed at the same location.
Admission is free. For details, visit asia.si.edu/lthylucre. Its
on display through Jan. 2.
Gallery Al-Quds at the Jerusalem Fund (2425 Virginia
Ave., N.W.) holds its exhibit Home Away From Home: Little
Palestine by the Bay by Najib Joe Hakim starting Aug. 14. The
multi-media exhibit combines photographs from the Bay Area
Palestinian community with voice recordings of them telling
their stories. Residents answer the question of what it means
to be Palestinian in America to them. Admission is free. For
more information, visit thejerusalemfund.org/gallery.
Touchstone Gallery (901 New York Ave., N.W.) has
three exhibits on display through Sunday, Aug. 2. Gallery A
has Some Like it Hot, a collection of summer landscapes

Among the highlights are a 42-foot

canvas by Plagie Gbaguidi and a dualchannel video installation by Berry Bickle,
both appearing for the rst time ever in a
North America showing.
Also of note are life-size embossed
engravings by Christine Dixie from the
permanent collection of the Smithsonians
National Museum of African Art, and a
mixed-media collage by Wangechi Mutu
and photographic series by Youssef Nabil.
I do love all the art in dierent ways,
Milbourne says. A highlight for me has
been the photography of Franck AbdBakar Fanny in Heaven, and thats in part
because he is very much on the emerging
side of the spectrum and I think hes put
together an exquisite suite of photographs
that provides for the physical experience
of loss and separation and yet are these
poetic black-and-white photographs.
Milbourne says she loves the idea
of seeing dierent visions of paradise,
purgatory and hell.
I think the show asks each of us,
what each of these concepts means to
us, and seeing how very dierent it is
from person to person, she says. Its an
extraordinary exhibition in its ability to
show the individuals perspective.

by Touchstone member artists in sculpture, photography,

drawing, collage, ceramics and more. Gallery B holds
Olympic Peninsula: From Coast to Ancient Forests by
Harvey Kupferberg, who uses a series of photographs to
showcase parts of the Olympic Peninsula located in western
Washington. Memoryscapes: Blurry Lines II by Steve
Alderton is located in Gallery C. This exhibit highlights the
connection between realism and abstraction in landscapes.
For more details, visit touchstonegallery.com.
Artists and Makers Studios (11810 Parklawn Dr.,
Rockville, Md.) presents NOVA Printmakers: The Painterly
Print Aug. 7-26. The exhibit displays printmaking, book
arts, letterpress and papermaking from local printmakers
from D.C., Maryland and Virginia. There will be an opening
reception for the exhibit on Aug. 7 from 6-9 p.m. For more
information, visit artistsandmakersstudios.com.
The Phillips Collection (1600 21st St., N.W.) displays
American Moments: Photographs from the Phillips
Collection through Sept. 13. This collection of photographs
comes directly from the Phillips Collections permanent
photography collection. The exhibit includes more than
130 photographs from 33 artists that is a combination of
modernism, street photography, documentary expression
and photojournalism. Admission is $12 for adults and $10 for
students and seniors. For details, visit phillipscollection.org.
Gallery B (7700 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, Md.) hosts
Michael Gross: Abstraction II through Saturday, Aug. 1.
Gross, a Bethesda-based painter and printmaker, displays his
abstract artwork in this solo exhibit. For more information,
visit Bethesda.org/Bethesda/gallery-b.
MARIAH COOPER

A d v e R t i s e i n A m e R i c A s P R e m i e R L G B t P u B L i c At i o n s t o d Ay !

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

A D V I CE

J U L Y 31, 2015 33

Stronger than ever

Spending in Americas LGBT
media is at a record high
of $381.4 million, up 18.2%
from 2012. Circulation and
readership of LGBT media are
also up a healthy 15.1%*
Now thats just SUPER!

Diagnosis doesnt mean the

end of life and dreams

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,
I am a 24-year-old gay man and I
recently became HIV positive.
Im angry at myself for so badly
screwing up my life. Basically I feel like I
have ushed my future down the toilet.
Im also feeling very alone.
I havent told any of my friends because
I am so afraid they will judge me. As far as
I know, none of them are positive.
Im not dating anyone and now I cant
see how I will ever be in a relationship. I
see myself as damaged goods and dont
feel like anyone would want to date me.
Even if someone were interested in me,
I think my sexual and romantic feelings
are dead. Considering where theyve
gotten me, I dont want to ever go down
that road again.
I always imagined Id have a husband,
some kids, good health and a long life.
Now theres a giant question mark after
all those dreams. So I dont really know
what I have to live for.
I am despondent. What can I do to feel
better?
MICHAEL REPLIES:
You can have a perfectly wonderful,
fullling life, even if it doesnt seem
possible at this moment. Many people
are successfully living with HIV.
The rst thing you must do is nd
support. Its an awful thing to feel as
alone as you do with a seemingly terrible
secret. The reality is you dont need to be
alone and HIV is no longer a disaster.
If youre living in Washington, please
contact Whitman-Walker Health Clinic.
They oer a support group for people
who are newly diagnosed with HIV
(whitman-walker.org/service/behavioral)
as well as a group to help people navigate
life with HIV that may be helpful to you
down the road a bit.
There, youll meet others who have
been through everything you are now

facing. They will be able to tell you and

show you that you can have a ne, full life
with HIV. You will gain a supportive peer
group to talk with and learn from. All of
this will help you feel better.
If you dont live in D.C., please nd the
nearest HIV support group and go. It will
help you save your own life.
Now may not be the time to tell all
your friends, because you are feeling
bad about yourself and may not have
the strength or presence of mind to best
take this step. But if you have any really
close friends whom you can count on for
loving support without judgment, telling
them about your status may reduce your
feelings of isolation and give you some
relief.
Yes, its possible that some of your
friends will be unsupportive or reject
you, just as its possible that some men
wont be interested in dating you. But you
will also have friends who will be there
for you, just as there will be guys who
are interested in you once youre feeling
better and back on your game.
Im wondering how well youre taking
care of yourself. When we feel as awful
as you describe feeling, its common to
stop eating properly, exercising or getting
adequate sleep. Without good self care,
we spiral downward and feel even worse.
As you want to feel better, please make
the eort to treat yourself well right now,
even though you are feeling low. Doing so
is likely to improve your mood.
I dont know if alcohol and/or drug
use was involved in your HIV conversion,
as it is for so many gay men. Substance
abuse is entrenched in LGBT culture
as a means to push away the isolation,
distress, anxiety, depression and pain
that many of us face. But it actually makes
everything worse.
If you are using or feeling tempted to
use as a way to try and feel better, please
seek out help for this right away. Again,
Whitman-Walker in D.C. has a number of
great substance treatment programs. If you
live elsewhere, look for something similar,
preferably gay-friendly. I know many people
who are alive today because they started
attending Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics
Anonymous or similar 12-step groups.
Others nd help through alternatives such
as SMART Recovery.
I know you are in a bleak and hopeless
place right now, but dont despair. You
wont always feel this way. Many people
have walked the same path before you
and are now thriving. If you take steps
to move forward, youll be able to enjoy
a life that can include the dreams youve
had for yourself.

*2013 Gay Press Report

BAy AREA REPoRTER I BAy WINdoWS I BETWEEN ThE LINES I dALLAS VoICE I GA VoICE
GAy CITy NEWS I SoUTh FLoRIdA GAy NEWS I WAShINGToN BLAdE I WINdy CITy TImES

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

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REALESTATE

A guide to maintaining your surfaces

Tips for cleaning marble,
stainless steel and more
By JOSH BAKER
Whether you recently purchased a new
house, are settled in for a lifetime of memories or are planning to sell in the future, a
regular schedule of maintenance is critical
to protecting your homes value. Properly
caring for your homes surfaces is just one
of the many essential things you can do to
help keep things in tip-top shape.
With more than 27 years of experience,
the BOWA team of trained architects and
remodeling professionals has designed
homes with a wide mix of materials, all with
dierent properties and most requiring different care. Weve rounded up the most
common surfaces and the recommended
methods of care for each type below:
Granite: Routine cleaning with mild
dish soap and a soft cloth is recommended. General household cleaners, such as
Windex and 409, can be used, but may
leave a lm, so its best to use these sparingly. Although granite is highly durable,
avoid using any harsh solutions that may
break down the sealant.
Marble: As a porous stone, marble is
susceptible to scratching and staining, so
spills should be wiped up immediately,
with extra care given to acidic substances that can etch the surface. For routine
cleaning, use a damp chamois to avoid

streaking. Occasionally wipe the surface

down with plain warm water and once per
year use warm water and a dishwashing
liquid, but always be sure to rinse well and
wipe dry. Periodic resealing and polishing
is also recommended. If you do have a
stain, its best to contact a professional for
removal as methods vary by type.
Soapstone:Soapstone is a non-porous
surface that does not need to be sealed
and chemicals and acids do not harm it, so
cleaning and care are quite simple. General household cleaners can be used, but
regular soap and water is sucient. An
occasional treatment with mineral oil is
recommended to help ensure even darkening. While soapstone is more prone to
scratches, they are often easily removed
with a light sanding and/or mineral oil.
Tile Flooring:Regular sweeping or vacuuming without a beater bar loosens and
removes dirt that could easily adhere to
tile surfaces. For cleansing, a damp mop
with a mild soap or detergent is recommended. For heavier soil, soap build up
and hard water stains, its best to use a
neutral pH cleaner available at your local
grocery or hardware store, but be sure
to read the label for usage details and instructions. Acidic, ammonia-based, bleach,
and abrasive cleaners, as well as scouring
pads and steel wool, should all be avoided.
Wood Flooring:Routinely sweep or vacuum without a beater bar to remove dirt,
and use a slightly damp mop or terry cloth
pad for cleaning. Never use a wet mop, as

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Caring for marble counters can be trickier than granite due to its porous nature.

standing water can dull the nish, damage

the wood, and leave a discolored residue.
Additionally, avoid using any type of chemicals on the wood, which can cause additional wear and failure when recoating in
the future. A little bit of vinegar and water
will work just ne, or a high-quality wood
oor cleaner, such as one from Bona, is
another recommended option.
Stainless Steel: Water with a mild
detergent and a microber towel is suggested for general cleaning. Fingerprints
on the surface can easily show, but occasional bung with olive oil, mineral oil
or distilled vinegar can help to keep your
steel smudge-free. If you choose to use a
store-bought cleaner, keep in mind not all

stainless steel is created equal. Dierent

manufacturers use dierent grades and
types of steel, so one brand of cleanser
might not clean as well as another on a
particular appliance.
While these tips are helpful, its recommended to always follow the manufacturers
guidelines for what products should be used
for the care and cleaning of your surfaces.
JOSH BAKER is founder and co-chair of BOWA,
an award-winning design and construction
company specializing in luxury renovations,
additions and condominium remodels in the
greater Washington, D.C. area. BOWA has more
than 27 years of experience and has been honored with 170 local and national awards. For
more information, visit bowa.com, or call 703734-9050.

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

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

LOCKER ROOM ATTENDANTS
NEEDED! The Crew Club, a gay mens
naturist gym & sauna, is now hiring
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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.

J U LY 3 1 , 2 0 1 5 3 7

HEATING / COOLING

LEGAL SERVICES
FULL SERVICE LAW FIRM
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BUY/SELL
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PIANOS
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COUNSELING
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washingtontherapyguild.com.

EMPLOYMENT
RCM of Washington is looking
for in-home supports (non-live in)
to support adults with intellectual
disabilities. Currently, we are seeking
in-home supports for a gentleman
looking to make connections within
the community. He identifies as a
LGBT male and is looking for staff
that are supportive and comfortable
going to LGBT events and businesses.
Candidates must be at least 21 and
a high school graduate or GED. If
interested, e-mail your resume to
dhernandez@rcmofwashington.com.
Please no phone calls.

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LGBTQ AFFIRMING THERAPY at

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MOVERS

ADOPTION & ASSISTED

REPRODUCTIVE Law Attorney Jennifer
Fairfax represents clients in Maryland
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matters.301-221-9651,JFairfax@
jenniferfairfax.com.

CLEANING
TOO NEAT GUYS INC. Residential
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SHARE / DC
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