DECEMBER

18

2015

VOLUME 46

ISSUE 51

Trumps Muslim plan echoes

past eorts targeting LGBT,
HIV-positive Americans
By CHRIS JOHNSON
cjohnson@washblade.com
Donald Trumps plan to bar Muslims from
entering the United States has been criticized
as unconstitutional and inhumane, but its not
unprecedented, as gay and HIV-positive people
once faced similar prohibitions.
The United States barred gay people from
entering the country by statute until 1990 and
HIV-positive people from entering until the HIV
travel ban was nally lifted in 2010.
The ban on gay people rst appeared under
the Immigration Act of 1917, which was passed
by Congress in an override vote of President
Wilsons veto at a height of xenophobic sentiment

Many employers dropping

plans after marriage ruling
By LOU CHIBBARO JR.
lchibbaro@washblade.com
Questions about the future of employee domestic
partner benets oered by many of the nations
most prominent private sector employers emerged
several years ago when states began passing samesex marriage laws.
Verizon, Delta Airlines, IBM and the Corning glass

AMERICAS GAY NEWS SOURCE

in the United States. The law prohibited of a slew

of classes of individuals from entering the United
States, including anarchists, polygamists and
thoseabove age 16 who were illiterate.
The law also barred persons of constitutional
psychopathic inferiority, which almost 60 years
before the American Psychological Association
would declassify homosexuality as a mental
illness was understood to mean gay people.
With the Immigration & Nationality Act of
1952, Congress sought to further clarify its intent
by replacing the language with an exclusion on
immigrants with a psychopathic personality,
which were explicitly dened as homosexuals
or sex perverts. But the bill signed into law by
President Truman contained only the language
psychopathic personality. A Senate Judiciary
Report on the bill reveals that phrase was
considered suciently broad to provide for the
exclusion of homosexuals and sex perverts.
CONTINUES ON PAGE 14

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

DONALD TRUMP has proposed a ban on Muslims entering the

United States.

and technology company were among the rst to

announce they were discontinuing domestic partner
benets for employees living in states where samesex marriage had been legalized.
Each of those rms along with others said they
were pleased to oer full spousal benets to their gay
and lesbian employees who marry.
According to sources who monitor trends in
employee benet programs, the U.S. Supreme Courts
historic ruling in June legalizing same-sex marriage
in all 50 states has prompted more private sector
employers as well as public employers such as county
governments and state-aliated universities to drop

PHOTO BY ANDY KATZ; COURTESY OF BIGSTOCK

domestic partner benets for their employees.

We have heard in part through news reports but
also through our health desk that there are some
private companies and also some public entities that
are now wrapping up their domestic partner benets
programs because same-sex couples can marry, said
Camilla Taylor, an attorney with the LGBT rights group
Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund.
And thats unfortunate because we believe people
should not have to get a legal marriage in order to be
respected as a family, Taylor told the Washington Blade.
CONTINUES ON PAGE 15

TRAVESTY

HOLIDAZE

HELLISH SHOOT

LGBT supporters blast

ve-year probe of Gray
that led to his defeat.

The best new music

and our picks for
last-minute gift ideas.

Mommie actress tells

all, trashes Faye Dunaway
in juicy new memoir.

PAGES 8 & 19

PAGES 25 & 27

PAGE 31

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

New Genvoya
is now available

GENC0002_WashingtonBlade_9.75x11.5_Sprd.indd 1-2

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Actual Size

One pill contains

elvitegravir, cobicistat, emtricitabine,
and tenofovir alafenamide (TAF).
Ask your healthcare provider
if GENVOYA is right for you.
To learn more visit
GENVOYA.com

Please see Brief Summary of

Patient Information with important
warnings on the following pages.

12/3/15 12:01 PM

0 4 DE CE MB ER 1 8, 2015

Brief Summary of Patient Information

about GENVOYA
GENVOYA (jen-VOY-uh)
(elvitegravir, cobicistat, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide) tablets
Important: Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about medicines that should
not be taken with GENVOYA.
There may be new information about GENVOYA. This information is only a summary and
does not take the place of talking with your healthcare provider about your medical condition
or treatment.

What is the most important information I should know

about GENVOYA?
GENVOYA can cause serious side effects, including:
Build-up of lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis).
Lactic acidosis may happen in some people who take GENVOYA. Lactic acidosis is a
serious medical emergency that can lead to death. Lactic acidosis can be hard to identify
early, because the symptoms could seem like symptoms of other health problems. Call
your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms,
which could be signs of lactic acidosis:

feel very weak or tired

have unusual (not normal) muscle pain
have trouble breathing
have stomach pain with nausea or vomiting
feel cold, especially in your arms and legs
feel dizzy or lightheaded
have a fast or irregular heartbeat

Severe liver problems. Severe liver problems may happen in people who take
GENVOYA. In some cases, these liver problems can lead to death. Your liver may become
large and you may develop fat in your liver.
Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any
of the following symptoms of liver problems:
your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice)
dark tea-colored urine
light-colored bowel movements (stools)
loss of appetite for several days or longer
nausea
stomach pain
You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or severe liver problems if you are
female, very overweight (obese), or have been taking GENVOYA for a long time.
Worsening of Hepatitis B infection. GENVOYA is not for use to treat chronic hepatitis B
virus (HBV). If you have HBV infection and take GENVOYA, your HBV may get worse (flareup) if you stop taking GENVOYA. A flare-up is when your HBV infection suddenly returns
in a worse way than before.
Do not run out of GENVOYA. Refill your prescription or talk to your healthcare provider
before your GENVOYA is all gone.
Do not stop taking GENVOYA without first talking to your healthcare provider.
If you stop taking GENVOYA, your healthcare provider will need to check your health
often and do blood tests regularly for several months to check your HBV infection.
Tell your healthcare provider about any new or unusual symptoms you may have
after you stop taking GENVOYA.

GENC0002_WashingtonBlade_9.75x11.5_Sprd.indd 3-4

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

What is GENVOYA?
GENVOYA is a prescription medicine that is used without other HIV-1 medicines to
treat HIV-1 in people 12 years of age and older:
who have not received HIV-1 medicines in the past or
to replace their current HIV-1 medicines in people who have been on the same HIV-1
medicines for at least 6 months, have an amount of HIV-1 in their blood (viral load)
that is less than 50 copies/mL, and have never failed past HIV-1 treatment
HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS.
GENVOYA contains the prescription medicines elvitegravir (VITEKTA), cobicistat
(TYBOST), emtricitabine (EMTRIVA) and tenofovir alafenamide.
It is not known if GENVOYA is safe and effective in children under 12 years of age.
When used to treat HIV-1 infection, GENVOYA may:
Reduce the amount of HIV-1 in your blood.
This is called viral load.
Increase the number of CD4+ (T) cells in your blood that help fight off other infections.
Reducing the amount of HIV-1 and increasing the CD4+ (T) cells in your blood may help
improve your immune system. This may reduce your risk of death or getting infections
that can happen when your immune system is weak (opportunistic infections).
GENVOYA does not cure HIV-1 infection or AIDS. You must stay on continuous HIV-1
therapy to control HIV-1 infection and decrease HIV-related illnesses.
Avoid doing things that can spread HIV-1 infection to others:
Do not share or re-use needles or other injection equipment.
Do not share personal items that can have blood or body fluids on them, like
toothbrushes and razor blades.
Do not have any kind of sex without protection. Always practice safer sex by using
a latex or polyurethane condom to lower the chance of sexual contact with semen,
vaginal secretions, or blood.
Ask your healthcare provider if you have any questions about how to prevent passing
HIV-1 to other people.

Who should not take GENVOYA?

Do not take GENVOYA if you also take a medicine that contains:
alfuzosin hydrochloride (Uroxatral)
carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Epitol, Equetro, Tegretol, Tegretol-XR, Teril)
cisapride (Propulsid, Propulsid Quicksolv)
ergot-containing medicines, including: dihydroergotamine mesylate (D.H.E. 45,
Migranal), ergotamine tartrate
(Cafergot, Migergot, Ergostat, Medihaler Ergotamine, Wigraine, Wigrettes),
and methylergonovine maleate (Ergotrate, Methergine)
lovastatin (Advicor, Altoprev, Mevacor)
midazolam, when taken by mouth
phenobarbital (Luminal)
phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek)
pimozide (Orap)
rifampin (Rifadin, Rifamate, Rifater, Rimactane)
sildenafil (Revatio), when used for treating lung problems
simvastatin (Simcor, Vytorin, Zocor)
triazolam (Halcion)
the herb St. Johns wort or a product that contains St. Johns wort

Wh
taki

Befo

Tell y
presc
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How

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

What should I tell my healthcare provider before

taking GENVOYA?

HIV-1
oad)

ons.
help
ons

V-1

sing
men,

ng

Before taking GENVOYA, tell your healthcare provider if you:

have liver problems including hepatitis B infection
have kidney or bone problems
have any other medical conditions
are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if GENVOYA can harm
your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while
taking GENVOYA.
Pregnancy registry: there is a pregnancy registry for women who take HIV-1
medicines during pregnancy. The purpose of this registry is to collect information
about the health of you and your baby. Talk with your healthcare provider about
how you can take part in this registry.
are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you take GENVOYA.
You should not breastfeed if you have HIV-1 because of the risk of passing HIV-1
to your baby.
At least one of the medicines in GENVOYA can pass to your baby in your breast
milk. It is not known if the other medicines in GENVOYA can pass into your
breast milk.
Talk with your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby.
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including
prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Other
medicines may affect how GENVOYA works.
Some medicines may interact with GENVOYA. Keep a list of your medicines and show
it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine.
You can ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for a list of medicines that
interact with GENVOYA.
Do not start a new medicine without telling your healthcare provider.
Your healthcare provider can tell you if it is safe to take GENVOYA with
other medicines.

How should I take GENVOYA?

Take GENVOYA exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to take it. GENVOYA is
taken by itself (not with other HIV-1 medicines) to treat HIV-1 infection.

s),

GENVOYA is usually taken 1 time each day.

Take GENVOYA with food.
If you need to take a medicine for indigestion (antacid) that contains aluminum and

magnesium hydroxide or calcium carbonate during treatment with GENVOYA, take

it at least 2 hours before or after you take GENVOYA.
Do not change your dose or stop taking GENVOYA without first talking with your
healthcare provider. Stay under a healthcare providers care when taking GENVOYA.
Do not miss a dose of GENVOYA.
If you take too much GENVOYA, call your healthcare provider or go to the nearest
hospital emergency room right away.
When your GENVOYA supply starts to run low, get more from your healthcare
provider or pharmacy. This is very important because the amount of virus in your
blood may increase if the medicine is stopped for even a short time. The virus
may develop resistance to GENVOYA and become harder to treat.

D E CE MBE R 1 8 , 2 0 1 5 0 5

What are the possible side effects of GENVOYA?

GENVOYA may cause serious side effects, including:
See What is the most important information I should know about
GENVOYA?
Changes in body fat can happen in people who take HIV-1 medicine. These
changes may include increased amount of fat in the upper back and neck (buffalo
hump), breast, and around the middle of your body (trunk). Loss of fat from the
legs, arms and face may also happen. The exact cause and long-term health
effects of these conditions are not known.
Changes in your immune system (Immune Reconstitution Syndrome) can
happen when you start taking HIV-1 medicines. Your immune system may get
stronger and begin to fight infections that have been hidden in your body for a
long time. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you start having any new
symptoms after starting your HIV-1 medicine.
New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare
provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys before you start
and while you are taking GENVOYA. Your healthcare provider may tell you to stop
taking GENVOYA if you develop new or worse kidney problems.
Bone problems can happen in some people who take GENVOYA. Bone problems
may include bone pain, softening or thinning (which may lead to fractures). Your
healthcare provider may need to do tests to check your bones.
The most common side effect of GENVOYA is nausea.
Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that
does not go away.
These are not all the possible side effects of GENVOYA. For more information,
ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects.
You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
General information about the safe and effective use
of GENVOYA.
Medicines are sometimes prescribed for purposes other than those listed in a Patient
Information leaflet. Do not use GENVOYA for a condition for which it was not prescribed.
Do not give GENVOYA to other people, even if they have the same symptoms you have.
It may harm them.
This Brief Summary summarizes the most important information about GENVOYA.
If you would like more information, talk with your healthcare provider. You can ask
your healthcare provider or pharmacist for information about GENVOYA that is
written for health professionals.
For more information, call 1-800-445-3235 or go to www.GENVOYA.com.
Keep GENVOYA and all medicines out of reach of children.
Issued: November 2015

EMTRIVA, GENVOYA, the GENVOYA Logo, GILEAD, the GILEAD Logo, GSI, TYBOST, and
VITEKTA are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. All other
marks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners.
2015 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. GENC0002 11/15

12/3/15 12:01 PM

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

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Comings & Goings

Marriott exec becomes American citizen

LO CA L N E W S

Gay couple attacked on

Metro buoyed by support

By PETER ROSENSTEIN

Police seek help from public

in identifying suspects

The Comings and Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our community. We want to recognize those landing new jobs, new clients for their business, joining boards of organizations and other achievements. Please share your successes with us
at comingsandgoings@washblade.com.

By LOU CHIBBARO JR.

lchibbaro@washblade.com

Congratulations are in order for Michael Hennessy,

one of 31 petitioners who became an American citizen
last Tuesday morning at a Naturalization Ceremony at
the National Archives in Washington. President Obama
delivered the keynote address as Hennessy reected
over the past 16 years on his path to citizenship. The
ceremony coincided with the 224th anniversary of the
PHOTO COURTESY OF HENNESSY
ratication of the Bill of Rights.
MICHAEL HENNESSY
Hennessy is a native of Dublin, Ireland. Graduating in
1994 from the College of Commerce in Dublin, Hennessy
entered the hospitality industry and worked his way
through the ranks at some of Irelands preeminent
properties, arriving in D.C. in 1999. Since his arrival,
Hennessy has worked for several D.C. hotels in senior
leadership roles in operations, event planning and
sales. Hennessy joined Marriott International in 2005
PHOTO COURTESY OF MCCANNELL
and soon headed up its catering sales eorts as an
area sales director representing all Marriott brands in CHRIS MCCANNELL
the metropolitan area. Hennessys professional path, ambitions and desires to
experience more have allowed him a front row seat to history hosting many highprole events, conferences and celebrations. It is that same spirit of celebration
and ambition that initially motivated Hennessy to make his move to the United
States. Today, Hennessy heads up sales and marketing for Marriott International,
based at The Mayower Hotel.
Hennessys path to citizenship is a realization of the American dream. The terrorist
attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 marked a turning point for him and soon thereafter he applied
for permanent residence status. As a long-term resident in D.C., he witnessed many
historic local and national events that have shaped the community and country. As
a non-citizen he was unable to vote, and decided to apply for citizenship primarily
to exercise that right andpower to contribute to the future of his adopted country.
When asked about the ceremony, he said, What better way to celebrate receiving my
citizenship than on the anniversary of the rst 10 amendments to the Constitution,
guaranteeing rights such as freedom of speech, assembly, and worship. I want to
remind everyone to exercise your right as American citizens and to stay engaged in the
political process understanding every vote makes a dierence. Hennessy added he is
humbled and thankful for all that the United States of America has allowed him to do.
Congratulations also to Lorella Praeli, who was naturalized in the same
ceremony. I was fortunate to meet Lorella last year through friends. She was
born in Peru and came to the United States as an undocumented immigrant
when she was 10. She recently moved from D.C. to Brooklyn, N.Y., to become
Hillary Clintons Latino Outreach Director. She is an amazing young woman who
happens to be an amputee. She has overcome many odds to achieve success
and through it all has dedicated her life to helping others.
Congratulations are also in order for Chris McCannell who recently became
a partner in the Eris Group, formerly Bartlett and Bendell. The Eris Group is a
government relations practice. Chris previously worked as the lead of the D.C.
nancial services practice at APCO Worldwide.
A press release from the Eris Group stated, In addition to continuing work on
previous clients, Chris brings to the Eris Group the perspective of a senior House
Democrat. Chris was previously chief of sta for current Democratic Caucus
Vice Chairman Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.), and also served as chief of sta for Rep.
Michael E. McMahon (D-N.Y.).
Doyle Bartlett, founder and managing partner of the Eris Group added, The
Eris Group is fortunate to have Chris. Chris has a passion for his clients and the
clients value his counsel. He is someone who is respected on both sides of the
aisle and has a proven track record of getting things done both when he was on
Capitol Hill and with his clients.

Calvin Lawrence, whose partner of 16

years, Joseph Cowart, was assaulted and
robbed on a Metro Green Line train last
month while at least one of the attackers
shouted anti-gay slurs, said he and
Cowart are grateful for an outpouring of
community support since the Washington
Blade rst reported the incident last week.
Lawrence said he and Cowarts struggle
to cover medical expenses related to
the ongoing treatment of serious head,
back and leg injuries Cowart suered
during the Nov. 22 attack have been
partially oset by people responding to
a GoFundMe page he set up following a
urry of news media reports about the
incident triggered by the Blade story.
Its been like amazingly huge support,
he said this week. And were getting lots
of letters. Its overwhelming. Its what gives
us gas to get up and go through this.
Lawrence, 48, has said the incident
began shortly after 1 a.m. when he and
Cowart, 43, boarded the Green Line
train at the West Hyattsville station after
visiting friends at a nearby location. He
noted, as chronicled in a Metro Transit
Police report, that Cowart became the
target of as many as a dozen teenagers
on the train car after Howard tried to stop
one of the teens a young woman from
assaulting and robbing a 14-year-old boy.
By the time I got to him the girl had
pounded him in the head, Lawrence said
in recounting how the girl attacked Cowart.
And then all of a sudden out of nowhere
12 teenagers had him down on the ground
kicking him in the head, stomping him in
the chest, Lawrence said. I threw myself
into the middle of it, he said, adding, I
tried to get him up and they sole his iPad
and iPhone and all of that.
As the incident unfolded, Lawrence said
he contacted the train operator over the
emergency call box and urged him to stop
the train and call police. But for reasons
unknown at the time, the conductor
continued to operate the train as if
nothing had happened, Lawrence said.
Metro spokesperson Dan Stessel told
the Blade the conductor immediately
called Metro police and, according to other
media reports, was advised to continue
to the Shaw-Howard University station
before halting the train because police
could respond quickly to that location.
When contacted by the Blade, Stessel
would neither conrm nor deny that the

JOSEPH COWART was assaulted and robbed

on a Metro Green Line train last month.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CALVIN LAWRENCE

conductor was advised to continue to

Shaw-Howard U station rather than stop
the train sooner. He said Metro police
were actively investigating the incident.
He released a police report that listed the
attack as a robbery with force and violence
but did not list the incident as a hate crime.
According to Stessel, police would work
closely with prosecutors if an arrest is
made and at that time a decision would
be made on whether to list the attack as
a hate crime.
Lawrence has said Cowarts recovery
from the injuries he received in the Metro
attack has been hampered by lingering
eects of a stroke he suered about 10
years ago. He said doctors were especially
concerned that Cowart had been kicked
in the head and face on the same side of
his head where bleeding in his brain had
occurred during the time of the stroke.
They noticed the right side of his brain
was a little swollen, Lawrence said in
telling of their discussion with doctors at
Howard University Hospital, where Cowart
was taken by ambulance after police
arrived on the scene at the Metro station.
And when we got the results back [from
X-rays] they said the good news was as far
as internal bleeding were safe on that,
said Lawrence. He noted that Cowart was
discharged from the hospital that night
but the two have been traveling back and
forth to follow-up doctors visits since
that time. Among other things, Cowart is
undergoing physical therapy.
Meanwhile, Metro Transit Police have
released a photo of a young woman whom
they describe as a person of interest in
the case. Police have urged anyone with
information about this person or of the
incident to contact them at 202-962-2121.
Lawrence and Cowarts GofundMe
page can be reached at gofundme.com/
dvec86tw.

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LO CA L N E W S

FRANK OLDHAM is accused of stealing from NAPWA.

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

Trial date set for former NAPWA director

No charges are to be led against former Mayor VINCENT GRAY after a ve-year
investigation.
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY DAMIEN SALAS

Grays LGBT supporters

praise end of probe
LGBT supporters of former D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray hailed the decision
announced last week by the Oce of the U.S. Attorney that no additional
charges will be led in its nearly ve-year investigation into whether Gray knew
about and consented to illegal fundraising activities associated with his 2010
mayoral election campaign.
The U.S. Attorneys Oce for the District of Columbia announced today that
the investigation into corrupt spending in federal and local political campaigns,
including the 2010 mayoral election in the District of Columbia, has concluded,
the oce said in a statement.
LGBT activists supporting Gray in his unsuccessful re-election campaign in
2014 joined other Gray backers in condemning the decision by former U.S.
Attorney Ronald Machen to announce weeks before the 2014 Democratic
mayoral primary that allegedly had detailed knowledge of an illegal, o-thebooks campaign fund that helped him defeat Mayor Adrian Fenty in 2010.
Gray backers said the sensational announcement by Machen implicating Gray
in the illegal campaign nancing scheme was directly responsible for Gray losing
the primary to then-Ward 4 Council member Muriel Bowser, who went on to win
election as mayor.
It is a shame what they did to him, said D.C. transgender activist Jeri Hughes
who has joined other LGBT activists in calling Gray one of the citys most LGBTsupportive mayors.
I never believed he would be charged in this, Hughes said. He doesnt have
a greedy or conniving bone in his body. He is and always has been a dedicated
public servant.
Rick Rosendall, president of the Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance, called the
U.S. Attorneys protracted investigation into Gray a travesty that should have
ended a long time ago.
Their politically timed leaks and insinuations against Vince Gray were an
egregious interference in the Districts electoral process, Rosendall said. As has
been clear for some time, they didnt have the goods. Ron Machen owes Vince
and the citizens of the District an apology.
In its statement, the U.S. Attorneys Oce points out that a total of 12 people
pled guilty to charges stemming from the investigation, including seven who
pled guilty to charges directly related to Grays 2010 mayoral campaign. Gray
has said repeatedly that he had no knowledge of wrongdoing associated with his
campaign, which was operated by political operatives who had been associated
with Gray over the years.
Earlier this year, Machen stepped down as D.C.s U.S. Attorney. He has been
replaced by Channing D. Phillips, who reportedly has made the decision to end
the investigation.
LOU CHIBBARO JR.

A Montgomery County, Md., Circuit Court judge has scheduled Feb. 8 as the opening
day for the trial of Frank Oldham Jr., the former CEO of the National Association of
People with AIDS, who was indicted in September for allegedly stealing between $10,000
and $100,000 from the organization.
According to the indictment, the alleged theft took place three months before NAPWA
led for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in February 2013. At the time of the bankruptcy ling
NAPWA announced it was going out of business 30 years after it was founded in 1983
as the nations leading organization representing people with AIDS.
At the time of the indictment, Oldham released a statement through his attorney
saying he denies the allegations and maintains his innocence.
In an atmosphere of allegations and baseless rumors, Mr. Oldham welcomes
the opportunity to defend himself against these charges and remains dedicated to
spreading awareness, expanding access, and serving the needs of the community, the
statement released by his attorney, Thomas DeGonia, said.
LOU CHIBBARO JR.

D.C. Council approves DP termination bill

The D.C. City Council voted unanimously earlier this month to give nal approval the
Domestic Partnership Termination Recognition Amendment Act of 2015.
The legislation calls for amending the citys existing domestic partnership law to allow
couples that had domestic partnerships legally registered in another jurisdiction to
terminate those partnerships by judicial degree in the District.
Supporters say the bill will correct an unintended legal interpretation of the existing
law that prevents couples who moved to D.C. from another jurisdiction from terminating
their partnerships unless they reestablish residency in the state in which the partnership
was originally registered.
LGBT activists have said D.C.s domestic partnership law, which recognizes same-sex
and opposite-sex partnerships, has been used less frequently by same-sex couples in
recent years since same-sex marriage became legal in D.C. in 2010.
LOU CHIBBARO JR.

D.C. cultural competency bill passes committee

The D.C. Council Committee on Health and Human Services voted unanimously last
week to approve the LGBTQ Cultural Competency Continuing Education Amendment
Act of 2015.
The bill would require medical professionals licensed in the city to take two credits of
cultural competency training related to patients who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, gender nonconforming, queer, or questioning their sexual orientation or
gender identity.
It was introduced in April by Council members Yvette Alexander (D-Ward 7), who
serves as chair of the committee, and David Grosso (I-At-Large), who initiated the bill.
During the hearing on this bill, we heard truly heartbreaking stories from LGBTQ
residents about mistreatment they experienced at the hands of medical providers,
said Grosso. In particular, our transgender friends and neighbors face disrespect and
misunderstanding in medical settings, and this bill will continue our work to correct this
serious problem.
The full Council is expected to vote on the bill early next year.
LOU CHIBBARO JR.

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

1 0 DE CE MB ER 1 8, 2015

NATIONAL NEWS

Criticism as N.Y. LGBT

group shuts down
A N.Y. priest allegedly paid KEITH CRIST to be his master in S&M sessions.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MYSPACE

Empire State Pride

Agenda assailed for
poverty of vision

Church funds paid for priests S&M sessions: lawsuit

By MICHAEL K. LAVERS
mlavers@washblade.com

BRONX, N.Y. A lawsuit claims that a New York City priest stole more than
$1 million from two Catholic churches in order to pay for S&M sessions with a
male prostitute.
The New York Daily News reported that Rev. Peter Miqueli paid $1,000 for
each rough sex session with the man identied as Keith Crist. The newspaper
said that the priest and his boyfriend shared a house in New Jersey that Miqueli
bought for $264,000.
Miqueli allegedly stole the money from a fund that had been established to
repair a pipe organ.
The lawsuit claims the priest also took money from a parish thrift shop and
bought drugs from a parishioner. Miqueli allegedly used the funds to pay for
vacations to Florida and Italy.
Parishioners at St. Frances de Chantal Church in the Throgs Neck neighborhood
of the Bronx and St. Francis Cabrini on Roosevelt Island led the lawsuit, which
also names the Archdiocese of New York as a defendant.
Miqueli on Dec. 12 announced his resignation.

Advocates are blasting New Yorks

largest statewide LGBT group over its
surprise announcement that it will shut
down next year.
Bryan Ellicott, a transgender rights
advocate from Staten Island, described
Empire State Pride Agendas decision to
close as a dicult one.
While knowing personally many
members of their sta and board of
directors, I cant help but feel betrayed
by the people who are supposed to ght
and protect my community and myself,
he told the Washington Blade. Especially
when we know that the work needs to be
done still to advance the LGBT community
to be completely equal and protected
under the law in many ways in our own
state and across this country.
Empire State Pride Agenda Executive
Director Nathan Schaefer said in an email to
supporters on Dec. 12 that the organizations
board of directors made the decision after a
series of unanimous votes.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo in October
during the Empire State Pride Agendas
Fall Dinner in Manhattan announced
new statewide regulations banning
discrimination based on gender identity
in employment, housing and public
accommodations. Schaefer described the
mandate as our top remaining priority.
After 25 years of groundbreaking
advocacy and service to New Yorks
LGBT community, the Empire State Pride
Agenda will conclude major operations in
2016, he wrote. In the coming months,
the Pride Agenda will identify aspects of
its policy work to transition to partner
LGBT organizations.
Ellicott noted to the Blade that the
Gender Expression Non-Discrimination
Act, which would codify Cuomos executive
order into law, has languished in the New
York Senate for more than a decade.
Kenneth Sherrill, a political science
professor emeritus at Hunter College of
the City University of New York, scoed
at the idea that Cuomos executive order
was Empire State Pride Agendas top
remaining priority.
The idea that having gotten an
executive order from the governor, which

N.Y. lawmaker opposes trans policy

LANCASTER, N.Y. A New York lawmaker last week spoke against a school
districts eorts to allow students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that are
consistent with their gender identity.
State Assembly member Angela Wozniak (R-Cheektowaga) spoke with WGRZ,
a Bualo television station, about her concerns over the proposed Lancaster
School District Policy.
We need to make sure that were protecting all students, not just a few,
Wozniak told WGRZ. This is a very serious issue. Were talking about the
students safety and dignity and their ability to maintain modesty.
The New York State Department of Education in July advised school districts
that the Justice Department said Title IX of the U.S. Education Amendments of
1972 requires them to allow students to use the restroom that corresponds with
their gender identity. New York law also bans harassment and discrimination
against students based on their sexual orientation, gender, sex and other factors.
Wozniak abruptly ended the interview with WGRZ after the reporter challenged
her claim that the school districts policy was inconsistent with state law.
The New York State Assembly Ethics Committee is currently investigating a
sexual harassment allegation made against her.

LGBT domestic violence group to close

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. An organization that serves LGBT victims of domestic
violence and sexual assault will close its doors at the end of the month.
The GLBTQ Domestic Violence Project made the announcement in a press
release on Nov. 23.
The organization founded in 1994 by a gay man who was denied access
to domestic violence shelters after his partner attempted to kill him will stop
providing services on Dec. 31. The press release said it will dissolve in the rst
months of 2016.
The organization will transfer most of its programs to Fenway Health in Boston
and other local agencies and service providers.

could be reversed by the next governor,

means that weve done it all indicates a
poverty of vision thats unbelievable,
Sherrill told the Blade on Tuesday during
a telephone interview from Manhattan.
Same-sex couples began to legally
marry in New York in 2011.
Sherrill told the Blade that implementing
an LGBT-inclusive school curriculua,
addressing homelessness among LGBT
youth and ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic
are among the issues on which advocates
continue to work. Ellicott noted that New
York lawmakers have yet to approve a bill
that would ban conversion therapy to
minors in the state.
Theyre saying, Well we got marriage,
but theres nothing else to do, Sherrill told
the Blade. Theres a hell of a lot to do.
Empire State Pride Agenda is the latest
LGBT advocacy group to announce plans
to close.
The U.S. Supreme Courts ruling in the
Obergefell case that extended marriage
rights to same-sex couples throughout
the country prompted Freedom to Marry
to announce it will shut down. A budget
shortfall prompted Equality Maryland to
curtail operations in August.
Love Makes a Family in Connecticut
disbanded in 2009 after gays and lesbians
received marriage rights in the state.
Hunter T. Carter, a Manhattan lawyer who
represents plaintis in same-sex marriage
cases throughout Latin America, said he
feels deceived and dismayed by Empire
State Pride Agendas decision to shut down.
Carter told the Blade on Tuesday
that his law rm has contributed to the
organizations eorts to ban workplace
discrimination based on gender identity. He
said he is now considering ways to explain
our partnership with the organization.
I see a shocking harm to the credibility
of everyone else, said Carter. It was
one thing for [Freedom to Marry CEO]
Evan [Wolfson] to fold the marriagespecic organization he ran. But this
ESPA decision ies in the face of the many
needs in New York to which donors have
been responding and for which more
leadership is needed.
Schaefer in his email to supporters
said his organizations political action
committee will remain active in order to
play a continuing role in electoral politics.
The latest campaign nance report
the PAC led with state ocials in July
indicates it had a balance of -$7,372.64.
This gure compares to the $8,602.36
balance it reported in January.

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

1 2 DE CE MB ER 1 8, 2015

NATIONAL NEWS

Clinton campaign launches LGBT for Hillary

Ricky Martin, Billie Jean King
stump for Dem hopeful
By CHRIS JOHNSON
cjohnson@washblade.com
Weeks ahead of the rst 2016
presidential election contest in Iowa,
Hillary Clinton has launched LGBT for
Hillary to rally LGBT supporters.
During a 30-minute conference call with
supporters on Monday, the Democratic
presidential candidate kicked o the
initiative, which aims to organize LGBT
supporters to knock on doors and make
phone calls on behalf of Clinton.
Clinton told supporters the LGBT
rights movement has made signicant
advancements,
including
the
U.S.
Supreme Court ruling in favor of marriage
equality, but said more work remains.
Even as we celebrate progress,
nobody should forget how much work
still lies ahead, Clinton said. That work
isnt nished until every single person, no
matter who you are or who you love or
where you live is treated with the equality
and dignity that you all deserve.
In addition to recalling the high-prole
speech she delivered four years ago in
favor of international LGBT human rights,
Clinton reiterated her support for the
Equality Act to enshrine into federal law
a prohibition on anti-LGBT discrimination,
ensuring service members discharged
under Dont Ask, Dont Tell receive

RICKY MARTIN helped with the launch of LGBT for Hillary.

PHOTO COURTESY OF FLY LIFE INC.

honorable discharges and ending the ban

on transgender service in the U.S. military.
Clinton said shell announce more plans
and policies related to the LGBT community
soon, saying she wants LGBT supporters
to know the issues youre ghting for
are not only central to my campaign, but
theyre at the heart of everything I think we
stand for as a country.
Also speaking on the call were two
celebrities and members of the LGBT
community whove pledged to support
Clinton as a part of LGBT for Hillary.
Among them was Ricky Martin, a gay
Puerto Rican singer who came out as gay
in 2010 and said hes supporting Clinton
because listening to the Republican Party
is the scariest thing that me as a gay man

and a Latino man is facing at the moment.

What happens with Hillary is that she
makes me feel comfortable, she makes
me feel protected, Martin said. I listen
to her on the debates, and shes just real,
shes honest, shes classy...and it makes
me feel completely at ease when I listen
to her speak. As a gay man, what she
brings to the table is what I want for me,
for my kids, for my family.
Legendary tennis player Billie Jean
King, a lesbian, also declared her support
during the call for Clinton as a member
of LGBT for Hillary, saying she plans to
go to Iowa and New Hampshire to help
campaign in the Democratic primary.
Its an opportunity to bring all of
ourselves, our heads, our hearts and our

guts to making sure Hillary Clinton wins

on Nov. 8, King said. It is so important.
We cannot take this lightly. We can never,
ever underestimate our opponents, the
Republicans, others, and any time you
start to sit back and think its going to be
easy, its not.
King also said Election Day falling on
Nov. 8 in 2016 is signicant because the 8
could be seen as two rings in the aftermath
of the Supreme Court decision on samesex marriage or an innity symbol.
Gautam Raghavan, former White House
LGBT liaison for President Obama, was
also on the call and said electing Clinton
is important because a Republican victory
could reverse victories seen under the
Obama administration.
All the progress weve seen so far could
easily be rolled back, Raghavan said. Just
think about where we were seven years
ago. You could only get married in two
states, gay and lesbian service members
could be discharged for who they are, we
didnt have a federal hate crimes law. So,
weve seen a lot of progress over those
seven years and Secretary Clinton was a
key part of that progress.
Clinton unveiled LGBT for Hillary as
she maintains a strong position in the
polls. In addition to being the Democratic
front-runner, an NBC News/Wall Street
Journal poll published Monday nds she
would defeat Ted Cruz and Donald Trump
in a hypothetical head-to-head general
election matchup, but would lose to
Marco Rubio or Ben Carson.

Pentagon report on lifting trans ban slated for Jan.

Advocates hopeful for open
service by spring of 2016
By CHRIS JOHNSON
cjohnson@washblade.com
The Pentagons review of the U.S.
militarys ban on openly transgender
service is nearing the end of its
scheduled six-month time period and a
spokesperson said Monday initial ndings
are on track to be released in January.
The Washington Blade sought updates
from the White House and the Defense
Department on the same day President
Obama visited the Pentagon for an
update on strategy to defeat the Islamic
State of Syria & Iraq.
Over the summer, Obamas visit to
the Pentagon to discuss ISIS strategy
preceded by one week Defense Secretary
Ashton Carters announcement the
Defense Department would begin a sixmonth review intended to lift the military

ban on transgender service.

But after Obamas visit to the Pentagon on
Monday, White House Press Secretary Josh
Earnest told the Washington Blade he doesnt
think the issue came up at the subsequent
meeting at the Defense Department.
I dont believe that that item was on the
agenda, Earnest said. I think this was a
meeting focused on our counter-ISIL eorts.
Earnest
added
the
review
of
transgender service is something the
Pentagon continues to work on and
something Secretary Carter continues to
be paying close attention to.
Asked whether the Pentagon will lift the
ban on May 27 in accordance with media
reports over the summer on the review,
Earnest deferred to the Defense Department.
Matthew
Allen,
a
Pentagon
spokesperson, said the review is on
track to meet its goals and will present
the secretary of defense with a report
of outcomes and recommendations in
January 2016.
In accordance with Secretary Carters

directive last June, the working group

started with the presumption that
transgender persons can serve openly
without adverse impact on military
eectiveness and readiness, unless
and except where objective, practical
impediments are identied, Allen said.
Allen added the Defense Department
is committed to removing all barriers
toallowing capable people to serve in the U.S.
military, but will maintain its high standards.
There are some practical challenges
that require thoughtful resolution,
Allen said. The Department needs to be
deliberate and think through the impacts
of full integration of open transgender
service members into the armed forces in
order to get it right, and were committed
to getting it right.
Although ndings are expected early
next year, Allen said the exact form of
that product is still taking shape. Among
the issues it will address are accessions,
retention, transition and medical care
for trans service members and potential

applications to the armed forces, Allen said.

Any end to the current prohibition on
accessing transgender persons, or their
open service in the Military Services, will
be informed by the Working Groups
recommendations and nal decisions made
by the Secretary of Defense, Allen said.
In August, USA Today reported the
Pentagon expected to lift the ban on
transgender service on May 27, but Allen
denied the veracity of that target date.
The May 27th date that has been
reported in the press was obtained
through leaked working papers and does
not reect an ocial DoD position or
current planning timeline, Allen said.
Although Dont Ask, Dont Tell repeal in
2011 enabled openly gay people to serve in
the armed forces, transgender people are
still barred from service because of medical
regulation. DOD Instruction 6130.03 calls
for separation of service members who
have undergone gender reassignment
or have psychosexual conditions that
include transvestitism or transsexualism.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

I N T E RNA TI O N A L NEWS

D E CE MBE R 1 8 , 2 0 1 5 1 3

Gay Ugandan refugee in Kenya: Life is hard

Mugisha ed to Nairobi,
forced into sex work
By MICHAEL K. LAVERS
mlavers@washblade.com

A gay Ugandan man says he had no

choice but to ee to Kenya, even though
the country remains largely hostile to
people based on their sexual orientation
or gender identity.
Ronnie Aine Mugisha, 23, told the
Washington Blade last month during a
telephone interview from the Kenyan
capital of Nairobi that he ed Uganda in
December 2014 to escape persecution
because he is gay.
Mugisha, who is from the city of Mbarara
in western Uganda, said administrators at
his school in 2009 found text messages
that he had sent to a male teacher who
he was dating.
The
administrators
suspended
Mugisha for two weeks. He told the Blade
that he did not tell his father the reason
why he had been kicked out of school
until he returned to class.
They called a school assembly, said
Mugisha. I was punished. Then from that
day my dad started suspecting me.
David Bahati, a Ugandan lawmaker
with close ties to U.S. evangelicals, in
2009 introduced the so-called AntiHomosexuality
Bill.
The
measure
contained a provision that called for the
death penalty for anyone convicted of
aggravated homosexuality.
President Yoweri Museveni in 2014
signed the controversial bill with a
provision that those found guilty of
repeated same-sex sexual acts would
face life in prison, as opposed to the
death penalty. The Constitutional Court
of Uganda later struck down the AntiHomosexuality Act on a technicality.
You are no longer my son
Mugisha told the Blade that he has
engaged in sex work in order to support
himself.
He said he began dating a man from
Kampala, the Ugandan capital, in 2013
who he had met on Facebook.
Mugisha said he spent the night with
him at an Mbarara hotel last year.
He told the Blade that the receptionist
at the hotel was a family friend. Mugisha
said she called his father, who is a pastor,
after he left.
A crowd of people was waiting for
Mugisha when he returned home later
that day.
They took me inside the house, he
told the Blade. They beat me.
Mugisha told the Blade that his
stepmother suggested that the people
who were attacking him kill him. He said
others in the crowd said that the police

RONNIE AINE MUGISHA said he was disowned by family and forced into sex work after being
outed.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MUGISHA

should arrest him for violating Ugandas

colonial-era sodomy law.
Mugisha told the Blade that his father
disowned him.
I cant allow this, said his father,
according to Mugisha. From now on I dont
want to see you talking to my kids, coming
to my family. Youre no longer my son.
Mugisha ed to Kampala after the incident.
He told the Blade that a friend refused
to allow him to live with him because they
will come looking for you and because I
too am gay. Mugisha said that others in
the Ugandan capital told him to engage in
sex work in order to support himself.
Mugisha told the Blade that he soon
began to speak with a man in Nairobi. He
traveled to Kenya after he sent him money.
He wanted to only use me and dumped
me, said Mugisha. He was all about sex.
He told the Blade that the man gave
him the names of several people who
were in his network, including someone
who worked at a gay brothel.
I cant do that, Mugisha told the man,
referring to working in the brothel. I cant
manage.
Mugisha told the Blade that he
eventually received the address for the
U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR) oce in
Nairobi. He was only able to travel there
after he paid the Kenyan police ocers
who had arrested him two days earlier
about $20.
Mugisha said he told UNHCR staers
the whole story about what he said
happened to him in his homeland after he
registered as a refugee with the Kenyan
government.
He told the Blade that he received
a stipend from a non-governmental
organization that works with UNHCR in
order to pay for his rent for three months.
Refugees from Uganda, Somalia, Burundi,

Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of

Congo who arrive in Kenya typically live in
UNHCR camps that Mugisha described as
very homophobic.
Mugisha told the Blade that his landlord
evicted him from the house in which he
had been living. He said he is unable to get
a job in Kenya because the government has
not given him a work permit.
Mugisha also complained that Kenyan
UNHCR personnel are very homophobic.
They look at you, they say for us in
Kenya we dont allow gays. We dont allow
homosexuality, he told the Blade.
Mugisha told the Blade that his initial
interview with UNHCR took place in April.
He said he has not received a nal decision.
Everything is very hard, said Mugisha.
UNHCR: 454 LGBT Ugandan refugees in
Kenya
Kenya is among the more than 70
countries in which consensual same-sex
sexual relations are criminalized.
President Obama in July highlighted
LGBT rights during a Nairobi press
conference with Kenyan President Uhuru
Kenyatta. Obama on the same trip met
with Eric Gitari, executive director of the
National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights
Commission, and other Kenyan LGBT
rights advocates.
Deputy Kenyan President William
Ruto who has been indicted by the
International Criminal Court over violence
he allegedly orchestrated in the wake
of the countrys 2007 general election
ahead of Obamas visit said that
LGBT rights advocates should leave the
country. Kenyatta in October during an
interview with CNNs Fareed Zakaria said
that Kenya has more pressing issues
than extending rights to people based on
their sexual orientation.
UNHCR statistics indicate there were

593,529 registered refugees and asylum

seekers in Kenya as of Nov. 30. The agency
notes that 62,892 of them live in cities,
while 530,537 are in camps throughout
the country.
UNHCR
spokesperson
Catherine
Hamon Sharpe told the Blade the
majority of the 454 lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender and intersex people who are
registered with her agency in Kenya are
from Uganda.
Sharpe said the Kenyan government
has thus far granted refugee status to
136 of them, and another 318 LGBT
Ugandans are awaiting a decision on their
asylum claim.
UNHCR in the current scal year has
received $47.6 million from the State
Department to provide protection and
assistance to refugees in Kenya.
The U.S. has directed $16.1 million
of the $47.6 million to fund projects in
Nairobi and the Dadaab and Kakuma
refugee camps that non-governmental
and international organizations run.
This money includes funding for projects
that assist LGBT Ugandans and other
vulnerable refugees in Kenya.
A State Department spokesperson
told the Blade the U.S. Embassy in Kenya
actively and regularly consults with
UNHCR sta in the country about the
needs of the LGBT Ugandans who have
sought refuge in the country.
Sharpe told the Blade last week during
a telephone interview from Nairobi
that the number of LGBT Ugandans
who have sought refuge in Kenya has
increased since Museveni signed the AntiHomosexuality Act. She said that UNHCR
has expedited the process through
which LGBT Ugandans can seek asylum,
recognizing that it would be very dicult
for them to return to their homeland for
the foreseeable future.
The U.S. depends upon UNHCR to
refer LGBT refugees for resettlement
in the country. They undergo the same
screening process as any other refugee
who wishes to resettle in the U.S., but
their cases are expedited.
Mugisha told the Blade that he has met
other LGBT Ugandans in Nairobi.
We dont stay in the same places, but
we are facing the same challenges, he
said, noting that up to eight of them can
live together in the same room. Everyone
will be asking what they are doing. Are
they terrorists? They are Ugandans? They
are gays? We also get diseases?
Sharpe told the Blade that the Kenyan
government continues to accept the
Ugandan LGBT refugees into the country,
even though attitudes towards them
remain hostile. She also stressed that
UNHCR staers treat them with respect.
We have an obligation to protect these
people and equally as anyone, said Sharpe.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

1 4 DE CE MB ER 1 8, 2015

NATIONAL NEWS

Trumps Muslim ban recalls restrictions on gays

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

Gay former Rep. Barney Frank, who

led eorts to change the law in 1990
during his tenure in Congress, told
the Washington Blade in an interview
last week that the gay ban wasnt fully
enforced, but was harassment and it
was a sign of contempt.
I think the Muslim ban is worse in many
ways in terms of its impact on the rest of
the world, Frank said. Unfortunately,
when America was banning gay people,
it was more in synch with the rest of the
world. The Muslim ban is outrageous in
terms of human rights, but its even worse
politically in terms of foreign policy.
In the 1960s, Clive Michael Boutilier,
a Canadian national living in New York,
challenged the interpretation of language
as a prohibition on gay people entering
the United States. When he applied for
U.S. citizenship in 1963, he was instead
placed in deportation proceedings
because he admitted he was arrested in
1959 on charges of sodomy. (The charge
was later reduced to simple assault and
subsequently dismissed.)
Boutilier didnt deny he was gay. At the
request of the government as part of his
citizenship application, he summited an
adavit outlining his sexual behavior
in great detail. He said he had his rst
homosexual experience at age 14
and was a passive participant in the
encounter. In the period since he entered
the United States in 1955, Boutilier said
he had sex with a man on average three
or four times a year. Since 1959, Boutilier
said he shared an apartment with a man
with whom he was having sex.
Boutilier took issue with the language of
the ban. Even though he was gay, he said
that didnt mean he had a psychopathic
personality. But his appeal of the special
inquiry ocers nding was rejected by
the Board of Immigration Appeals and
the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals.
When his petition was accepted by
the U.S. Supreme Court, Congress and
the progressive Kennedy and Johnson
administrations were so concerned
Boutilier would prevail they yet again
changed the statutory language. One
year after passing the Civil Rights Act of
1964, Congress changed immigration law
in 1965 in a way that banned people from
entering the United States who engaged
in sexual deviation.
As it turned out, the concerns of
Congress were unfounded. The famously
progressive Warren Court, which ended
school segregation and overturned bans
on interracial marriage, determined in
1967 the psychopathic personality
language was intended for gay people
based on legislative history.
In a 6-3 decision, former U.S. Associate
Justice Tom Clark determined the language

Gay former Rep. BARNEY FRANK led eorts

to end the U.S. gay ban in 1990.
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

was a term of art intended to exclude

homosexuals and therefore not void under
the Fifth Amendment because of vagueness.
The Government clearly established
that petitioner was a homosexual at
entry, Clark wrote. Having substantial
support in the record, we do not now
disturb that nding, especially since
petitioner admitted being a homosexual
at the time of his entry. The existence
of this condition over a continuous and
uninterrupted period prior to and at the
time of petitioners entry clearly supports
the ultimate nding upon which the
order of deportation was based.
In his dissent, former U.S. Associate
Justice William Douglas said the term
psychopathic personality is much
too vague by constitutional standards
for the imposition of penalties or
punishment and invoked the research
of contemporaneous sexologist Alfred
Kinsey in defense of gay people.
It is common knowledge that in this
century homosexuals have risen high in
our own public service both in Congress
and in the Executive Branch and have
served with distinction, Douglas writes.
It is therefore not credible that Congress
wanted to deport everyone and anyone
who was a sexual deviate, no matter
how blameless his social conduct had
been nor how creative his work nor how
valuable his contribution to society.
Frank told the Blade when he was
rst seated in Congress in 1981, he was
determined to get rid of the gay travel
ban. Although he said the language at
that time didnt have many defenders,
he had to resort to a tactic other than
outright repeal to make the change.
My problem was people didnt want
to vote explicitly to repeal it, Frank said.
So the strategy was to take the whole
section which embodied it, and rewrite
the section to leave it out so nobody
actually had to vote to repeal it.
In 1990, Congress passed and President
George H.W. Bush signed into law the
Immigration Act of 1990, which reversed
the gay ban in addition to making other
changes to immigration law.

I am also pleased to note that this

Act facilitates immigration not just in
numerical terms, but also in terms of
basic entry rights of those beyond our
borders, Bush said in a signing statement
at the time. S. 358 revises the politically
related exclusion grounds for the rst
time since their enactment in 1952.
Boutilier is considered an unsung hero
of the gay rights movement, although
Marc Robert Stein, an associate professor
of history at York University in Toronto,
Ontario, made public details about
Boutiliers life in a 2005 article, Forgetting
and Remembering a Deported Alien.
Presumably distraught over the
Supreme Courts decision, Boutilier
attempted suicide before leaving New
York. After surviving a month-long
coma that left him brain-damaged with
permanent disabilities, he moved to
southern Ontario, where his parents cared
for him for 20 years. According to one of
his relatives, he died of complications from
heart disease in April 2003, weeks before
Canada legalized same-sex marriage and
months before the U.S. Supreme Court
struck down state bans on sodomy in
Lawrence v. Texas.
The HIV travel ban has a similar story. It
was instituted in 1987 at the height of the
AIDS crisis by the Reagan administration,
which added HIV to the list of dangerous
and contagious diseases that excluded
people from entering the country. That
same year, Congress reinforced the
policy by passing an amendment from
the late Sen. Jesse Helms adding HIV
infection to the exclusion list.
Although the Immigration Act of 1990
allowed the Department of Health &
Human Services to lift the HIV travel
ban, that attempt was thwarted after
an outcry from social conservatives. The
ban was strengthened in 1993 under
reauthorization of the National Institutes
of Health, which included language
specifying infection with the etiological
agent for acquired immune deciency
syndrome was reason to bar someone
from the United States.
Carl Schmid, deputy executive director
of the AIDS institute and champion of
lifting the HIV travel ban, said the policy
presented complications on determining
who was HIV positive something he
says he thinks would be duplicated if
Trumps Muslim ban went into eect.
Its really dicult to know whos HIV
positive and whos not, Schmid said. So
you connect that to Muslims as well. Who
is to know just by looking at someone? I
dont think on your passport it has what
religion you are.
Schmid said the only way customs
ocers know if a traveller had HIV
was if that person was carrying
relatedmedications.
In 1989, Dutch educator Hans Paul

Verhoef was detained for ve days in

Minneapolis by immigration ocials
when they found azidothymidine with
him en route to San Francisco for an AIDS
conference. A waiver was obtained, but
not until the conference ended.
The ban also kept the United States
from hosting the high-prole annual
international AIDS conference. When the
conference was held in San Francisco
in 1990, more than 70 organizations,
including the International Red Cross,
boycotted the event because of the HIV
travel ban.
Congress would statutorily lift the ban
under the administration of President
George W. Bush when it renewed his
Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief
in 2008. But the process wasnt nished;
President Obama had to administratively
change federal rules, which nally resulted
in the lifting of the ban in 2010.
We lead the world when it comes to
helping stem the AIDS pandemic yet
we are one of only a dozen countries that
still bar people with HIV from entering
our own country, Obama said in 2009
upon announcing plans to lift the ban.
If we want to be the global leader in
combating HIV/AIDS, we need to act
like it. And thats why, on Monday my
administration will publish a nal rule
that eliminates the travel ban eective
just after the New Year.
Consequently, the nation hosted in
2012 the international AIDS conference
in D.C. for the rst time since the boycott
of the U.S.-held conference in 1990.
Although Trump is considered the
front-runner for the GOP nomination, the
passage of a Muslim travel ban similar to
the bans on gay and HIV-positive people the
nation has had in the past seems unlikely.
Frank said he doesnt think Congress
would enact the restriction because the
majority of members know how stupid it is.
I dont think theres a remote chance
of Donald Trump becoming president,
but secondly, weve already seen it has
virtually no support among Republican
members of Congress with a Republican
majority, Frank said.
Joe Solmonese, former president of
the Human Rights Campaign at the time
the HIV travel ban was lifted, said the past
treatment of gay people in this country,
including travel prohibitions, makes it
imperative for the LGBT community
to speak out when other minority
communities are demonized.
Thats whats really important for
people to remember, Solmonese said.
As we continue to be more and more
powerful, and less and less the victim of
this sort of rhetoric, I think weve got a
moral obligation to pay attention to and
to speak up and have something to say
about other groups of people who become
the victims of this kind of rhetoric.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

N A T IO NA L NEW S

D E CE MBE R 1 8 , 2 0 1 5 1 5

Employers dropping DP benets after marriage ruling

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

Lambda Legal and several other

national LGBT rights organizations,
including the Human Rights Campaign,
have issued statements calling on
employers to retain domestic partner
benets for unmarried employees.
Some LGBT rights advocates have
said forcing employees in a same-sex
relationship to marry as a condition for
receiving partner benets such as health
insurance coverage could subject them
to discrimination in states where antiLGBT discrimination remains legal.
If an LGBT employee is, in eect,
outed by being required to obtain
a public marriage license in a
state that doesnt provide explicit
nondiscrimination protections, it could
place that employee and their family
at risk of being denied credit, housing
and public accommodation, HRC legal
director Sarah Warbelow told the New
York Times in June shortly after the
Supreme Court ruling on marriage.
Other LGBT advocates, including
Taylor of Lambda Legal, have said they
dont see marriage exposing same-sex
couples to discrimination to a signicant
degree greater than same-sex partners
living as couples and receiving domestic
partner benets.
If youre talking about solely private
employers quietly oering health
benets to their employees who may
not be married to their signicant others
then that may be what people are talking
about when they say you may not want
to get married because thats a public
record document, Taylor said.
However, there are so many ways
in which someones relationship is
discoverable that it seems like choosing
not to marry is not very eective in
todays information age, she said.
Lambda Legal, HRC and ve other
national LGBT organizations issued
a joint statement in June saying an
employer cannot legally re someone
who is married to a same-sex partner.
Even though no federal statute
explicitly prohibits sexual orientation
or gender identity discrimination,
the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission (EEOC) has determined that
ring someone because they married
a person of the same sex constitutes
impermissible sex discrimination under
federal law, the statement says.
Taylor and other LGBT activists who
favor retaining domestic partner benets
for unmarried same-sex and oppositesex couples say the most important
reason for doing that is to oer gay and
straight couples a choice.
Todd Solomon, an attorney with the
Chicago-based law rm McDermott Will
& Emery, which specializes in employee

Verizon, Delta Airlines and IBM are among the large companies that have discontinued DP
benets for employees.

benets law, said nearly all of the

companies that have dropped domestic
partner benets since same-sex marriage
became legal had limited those benets
to same-sex couples.
If their starting point was covering
same-sex and opposite-sex unmarried
couples, which many companies do,
Solomon said, theyre not changing
anything in my experience because
theyre already accustomed to covering
a sector of employees who can legally
marry but have just chosen not to.
Solomon said companies he knows
that have dropped domestic partner
benets have a record of being LGBT
supportive due, in part, to their earlier
decisions to provide those benets to
same-sex couples that were barred by
law from marrying.
From an administrative standpoint,
said Solomon, company domestic partner
programs are complex and burdensome
due to federal tax laws that require the
employee receiving the partner benet
to pay a tax as if it were taxable income.
So its not being dropped in the spirit of

now we dont have to oer this benet and

we dont want to protect gay and lesbian
employees, Solomon said. Its being
dropped in the spirit of halleluiah now
we have marriage equality. Everybody
can get married if they want this benet.
And we can get rid of this ridiculous tax
regime that weve had to manage for
years and years and this burdensome
administrative scheme weve had to do to
cover same-sex partners under our plan.
Earlier this month, Tennessee-based
companies
Bridgestone
Americas,
Hospital Corporation of America and
Vanderbilt University announced they
were phasing out their employee
domestic partner benets, according to
WSMV-TV News in Nashville.
In October, the Orange County, Fla.,
Commission voted unanimously to
discontinue its employee domestic partner
benets eective Jan. 1, 2016. Employees
currently enrolled in the countys DP
program were given a one-year grace
period to get married as a condition for
receiving full spousal benets, the blog
Business Insurance.com reports.

Taylor noted that Cook County, Ill., in

which the city of Chicago is located, is
also phasing out its domestic partner
registration program.
Meanwhile, several states that have
enacted domestic partner or civil unions
laws in past years have also either
phased out or automatically converted
their domestic partner or civil union
registrations into marriages after the
states passed same-sex marriage laws,
according to the National Conference of
State Legislatures.
Connecticut,
Delaware,
New
Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont
are among the states that converted civil
unions to marriages, the NCSL says.
The D.C. City Council included a provision
in the same-sex marriage law it passed in
2009 that explicitly retains D.C.s domestic
partner law and DP registrations. The D.C.
marriage equality law, which took eect
in 2010, gives same-sex and opposite-sex
couples who were registered as domestic
partners the option to convert their
partnerships into a marriage free of charge
if they wish to do so.
Jesus Ranon, an economist with the U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, said data on
employee domestic partner benets that
the BLS began collecting in 2012 shows
that the availability of DP benets had not
changed signicantly as of March 2015.
A chart published on the BLS website
shows that as of March, 37 percent of
all U.S. private industry workers are
estimated to have access to same-sex
domestic partner benets for health
care. The chart shows that 32 percent
of all workers in private industry had
access to opposite-sex domestic partner
benets for health care.
A separate BLS chart shows that
36 percent of civilian workers, a
category that includes private sector
and civilian public employees working
for government agencies, had access to
health-related DP benets for same-sex
couples. Thirty-one percent of those in
the civil workers category had access to
health-related DP benets for oppositesex couples, the BLS data show.
In its 2016 Corporate Equality Index
report, which surveys private sector
employers on LGBT-related personnel
policies, HRC reports that 64 percent
of U.S. Fortune 500 companies oered
domestic partner benets in 2015 to
LGBT employees. HRC released the 2016
report in November.
The report says 94 percent of the
Fortune 500 companies that participated
in the HRC survey reported they oered
domestic partner benets in 2015. It
says that among Fortune 500 companies
that did not participate in the survey, 40
percent oered DP benets.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

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16 DE C E M B E R 18, 201 5

Mayoral candidates address AIDS forum

Several candidates vying to replace outgoing
Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake appeared
Tuesday before a forum sponsored by the Greater
Baltimore HIV Health Services Planning Council.
The purpose of the annual meeting is to discuss
Baltimores response to the White Houses national
HIV/AIDS strategy.
Former Mayor Sheila Dixon, City Council member
Nick Mosby, State Sen. Catherine Pugh, Conor Meek
and Calvin Young addressed a standing-room-only
crowd of nearly 100 in the community room in Chase
Brexton Health Services Mount Vernon building.
Former Mayor SHEILA
DIXON took part in
While most of the candidates used the opportunity
Tuesdays AIDS forum.
to promote their candidacies, they all indicated strong
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO
support for eradicating the disease and called for
BY STEVE CHARING
increased awareness, education and health care as
principal components of the eort. Three of them
Dixon, Mosby and Young had close relatives aected by HIV/AIDS, indicating a
personal connection to further motivate them to ght the spread of the disease.
Mosby nds the stigma associated with the disease unacceptable in the
community. Its time to end this, he said emphatically. It starts with leadership;
it starts at the top. As mayor, he would treat it as a top priority.
Dixon emphasized that AIDS is not just a gay disease but it also aects
heterosexual people and is intergenerational. She pledged to knock on doors
to talk about AIDS.
Prior to the candidates portion, Dr. Leana Wen, health commissioner for
the Baltimore City Health Department, provided an overview of what the city
is undertaking to prevent HIV/AIDS and to care for the 16,000 residents of
Baltimore living with AIDS.
There is a plan to end AIDS by 2030. We can do it, she said, noting that one
in ve Baltimore residents have HIV and are not aware of it.
Jerey Hitt, a director from the Maryland Department of Health and Mental
Hygiene, pointed out the behavioral aspects of treating HIV. This includes people
taking the prescribed medication as directed.
He pledged support from the state whereby a comprehensive coordinated
response is needed to include a recommitment to needle exchange strategies,
promoting safer sex practices, self-determination and harm reduction.
Hitt promised, HIV will be rare and when it does occur, people will have
unfettered access to care.

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Community center to host party for homeless

D r . M a r k r i c h a r D s , B oa r D c e r t i f i e D P l a s t i c s u r g e o n
11 3 0 0 R o c k v i l l e P i k e , S u i t e 9 1 2
Rockville, MD 20852

301.468.3458

Serving Our COmmunity fOr 35 yearS

a dv i C e m e d i at i o N l i t i G at i o N a P P e a l S C o l l a B o r at i o N

The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of Baltimore

and Central Maryland (GLCCB) will host a holiday party for the homeless on Dec.
21 between noon-4 p.m. The event will take place at the GLCCB third-oor oce
suite, 1000 Cathedral St. in Baltimore.
Attendees can shop the clothing closet from noon-3 p.m. and dinner
consisting of turkey and all the trimmings, beverages and desserts will begin at
3 p.m. There will also be a service at 6 p.m. to commemorate Homeless Persons
Memorial Day.
The Helping Hands Clothing Closet is a project initiated by Baltimore youth
in the YouthWorks program. This closet will be available for anyone in need to
browse and take items for free.

FreeState Legal moves to new address

FreeState Legal, a legal advocacy organization that seeks to improve the lives
of low-incomeLGBT Marylanders, has moved to a new location as of Dec. 14.
FamilY | eState PlaNNiNG | emPloYmeNt | immiGratioN
The address is 231 E. Baltimore St., Suite 1100 in Baltimore. The phone number
ComPleX litiGatioN | Civil riGHtS | lGBt | adoPtioN | BuSiNeSS
and
faxG
number
will remain the same.
A (410-625-5428)
D V E RT I S
I N
P R (410-625-7423)
O O F
Previously FreeState Legals oces were housed in the Mount Vernon site of
ISSUE DATE: 10.23.15
SALES REPRESENTATIVE: DOUG PEETS (dpeets@washblade.com)
Chase Brexton Health Services on North Charles Street. We have outgrown our
old location and are moving to a larger space that will increase our ability to
at to r N e YS at l aW d C | m d | va
serve clients, the organization said in a statement.
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 the date
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for any legal liability arising out of or relating to the advertisement, and/or any material to which users can link through
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HE A LTH NEW S

DE C E M B E R 18, 2015 17

Obamacare effort urges gay gym seles

WASHINGTON The Department of Health and Human Services is partnering
with an advocacy organization that is asking gay men to send seles from the
gym to promote Obamacare, the Washington Free Beacon reports.
The agency announced this week it was joining with several LGBT groups to
encourage the community to enroll.
As part of LGBT Week of Action from Dec. 7-11, Out2Enroll and other
organizations will hold enrollment activities and provide in-person assistance
across the country, the department said. Additionally, partners will leverage
social media campaigns to ask their members and aliates to sign up for an
aordable health plan for 2016 through the Health Insurance Marketplace.
One social media campaign started by the agencys main partner, Out2Enroll,
is #HealthySele.
Weve showed [sic] you ours, now you show us yours, the groups Facebook
post reads, featuring mostly images of men at the gym, the Beacon reports.
Among the participants are model Colby Melvin; R.J. Aguilar, founder of Not
Adam and Steve; and Jack Mackenroth, an HIV educator and former contestant
on Project Runway, the Beacon reports.
Out2Enroll was created in 2013 and began partnering with the government to
promote the law.

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Alcohol ads dont resonate with gays

LONDON A Scottish study has found LGBT people feel intimidated by
existing heterocentric alcohol health services, Gay Star News reports.
Funded by Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems and conducted by
the Glasgow Caledonian University, the study considered the impact of alcohol
within the LGBT community and its role in constructing identity.
Almost all of the participants had experience of the commercial gay scene in
Glasgow, and many had experience of this in other cities too.
There were perceived to be a range of barriers for LGBT people who needed
to access alcohol services. These included service providers assuming that all
patients were heterosexual, and the perception that alcohol services and peer
support groups would not provide a safe or welcoming space for LGBT people
because they were macho and intimidating, researchers wrote, according to
the Gay Star News article, the Scotsman and other media outlets.
The UK literature suggests that lesbians, gay men and bisexual men and
women are more likely to drink alcohol, and more likely to drink excessively,
than the population as a whole, the report states.

PrEP fails in rare cases: study

LONDON Drug resistance acquired in rare cases of HIV infection during
treatment with pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) rapidly disappears once
medication is discontinued, investigators report in the journal AIDS. Use of ultrasensitive tests performed six months after seroconversion and discontinuation
of PrEP failed to nd any resistant virus, AIDSmap reports.
Multiple studies have now shown that the risk of developing resistance
from PrEP is very low, but is an important concern for those who initiate PrEP
during unrecognized acute infection, researchers wrote. Our data show that
resistance selected in these cases decays rapidly to levels below detection of
even highly sensitive assays.
PrEP with emtricitabine/tenofovir (Truvada) or tenofovir (Viread) alone is
highly eective at preventing infection with HIV. However, resistance to these
antiretroviral drugs has been detected in individuals who initiated PrEP during
unrecognized acute HIV infection, and, very rarely, in patients infected with HIV
while taking PrEP, AIDSmap reports.
Such resistance could limit future HIV treatment options. It is therefore
important to determine if it persists once treatment is withdrawn. To answer
this question, investigators from the Partners PrEP study designed a longitudinal
study involving nine patients who had drug-resistant HIV of various mutations
detected during HIV seroconversion.
By testing archived blood samples taken of the virus six, 12 and 24 months
after they stopped taking PrEP, researchers found that the resistance appeared
to be related to the PrEP usage as their levels of resistant virus fell to undetectable
levels in all nine patients and stayed at those levels six, 12 and 24 months after
they stopped taking PrEP, AIDSmap reports.

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Surveying our sins at solstice

Reection is needed for
repair and reform

RICHARD J. ROSENDALL is a writer and activist.

Reach him at rrosendall@starpower.net.

The Christmas greeting, Peace on

earth, goodwill toward men, is rooted in
the Gospel yet has a universal pull. As an
aspiration it seems as distant as ever.
This is a season of counting our
blessings and sharing them. From toy
drives for families living with HIV/AIDS
to appeals by animal welfare organizations, we show our beliefs by practicing them, not using them as weapons.
After the mass shooting in San Bernardino, Muslims promoted goodwill
by raising $200,000 for the victims and
their families.
When belligerent voices surround us,
the way to advance peace is not to watch
them roll past us unchallenged but to
raise rational and humane voices in response. Americas greatest enemy is often its own unthinking, arrogant self. We

improve not by attery, but by critical examination. A few troubling reections of

our country this winter solstice:
1. Accused California mosque arsonist
Carl Dial, whose father reportedly calls
him a loner caught up in social media.
This is the latest example of the dierence in coverage of white suspects compared to black suspects. At least Dials
family holds him responsible for his actions.
2. Rev. Peter Miqueli, accused of stealing $1 million from church funds to pay
for his $1,000-an-hour S&M master boyfriend. New York Archbishop Timothy
Cardinal Dolan, scourge of loving gay
couples, is accused of covering up the
matter. Men like Dolan are convinced
that they must always be above the law.
The belief that you can never be wrong is
corrupting, whether you are a cleric or a
political ideologue.
3. Security guards at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, who initially denied
entry to Sikh Broncos fans on Dec. 6 because of their turbans, which apparently
were deemed a threat to the homeland.
Setting aside the fact that Sikhism is an
entirely dierent religion from Islam, and
the fact that most domestic terrorism is
the work of white Christians, what if the
men stopped were Arabs wearing kefyehs? How do selective headwear bans
make anyone safer? And if you want Muslims to do the right thing, shouldnt you

E DIT OR IA L C A R T OON

acknowledge the 70,000 Indian Muslim

clerics who signed a fatwa against terror groups? Sadly in this age of security
as theater, pandering to fear is preferred
over educating people and instilling tolerance.
4. Climate-change denier Sen. James
Inhofe, who has no fresh snowball to
display on the Senate floor. Washington has been having a warm spell.
Those of you who dont know the difference between weather and climate,
but who are less stubbornly ignorant
than Inhofe, can look up Neil deGrasse
Tyson for an explanation. Inhofe exemplifies people who not only feel
entitled to their own reality, but to impose it on others.
There has been much talk recently
about our window of discourse having
been pulled to the right, eectively restricting our political options. Here are
thoughts for changing the narrative:
Resist wars that are likely to worsen the
situations that prompted them. The fact
that something makes us feel good does
not make it smart.
Avoid group blame. If you never
thought to blame all straight white men
for the crimes of Ted Bundy, then dont
blame all Arabic or Muslim men for the
crimes of a guy named Farook.
Diversity is no mere slogan but demographic reality. Demands for privileged
status for white Christians undermine social cohesion. Treating everyone equally
is not a war on you.
Eorts to redress past discrimination
are not special treatment. As Ira Katznelson wrote in his 2005 book, When Armative Action Was White, key New Deal
and Fair Deal programs were designed by
Southern Democrats to exclude heavily
black professions. Even today, lynchings
continue under the color of law enforcement. Denying problems does not solve
them.
Security and cooperation are not fostered by an airbrushed history that vilies any attempt to confront Americas
past mistakes. President Obamas diplomacy, from the nuclear accord with Iran
to the climate agreement by 196 nations last week, reects lessons learned.
It makes no sense to answer challenges
by making matters worse, or to refuse
concerted action until our ideal choice
prevails.
Pausing from our battles and using
these long nights for reection can light
a path forward.
Copyright 2015 by Richard J. Rosendall.
All rights reserved.

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I N S I D E LGB T W A S HING TON

D E CE MBE R 1 8 , 2 0 1 5 1 9

Machen should be censured for misconduct

Govt nally ends its fruitless
investigation of Gray

PETER ROSENSTEIN is a longtime Democratic

Party and LGBT rights activist. He is a regular
contributor to the Blade.

Ronald C. Machen Jr., formerly U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, is now
at the Wilmer Hale law rm likely on his
way to a long million-dollar-a-year career.
This is his reward for a nearly four-year
investigation of D.C. Mayor Vincent Grays
2010 campaign that never found any
wrongdoing by Mayor Gray.
Now that the investigation has been
ended by the current U.S. Attorney for
the District, Channing D. Phillips, with the
statement Based on a thorough review
of the available evidence and applicable
law, the U.S. Attorneys Oce has concluded that the admissible evidence is
likely insucient to obtain and sustain a

criminal conviction against any other individuals, we must ask whether Machen
will receive some penalty for interfering
with an election. He certainly deserves
to be cited for this or it sends the wrong
message to U.S. Attorneys across the nation as to what is acceptable practice.

would have won reelection had Machen

not held a news conference one week
before early voting started and stated
as fact information he got from an admitted felon, Jerey Thompson, saying,
Gray brought a one-page handout to a
meeting with Thompson detailing how

Now with the investigation dropped,

Machen is facing no penalty and Gray
is left to wonder what if.
Although the investigation into Grays
2010 election campaign is now over, Gray
has no statement from the Department
of Justice saying he is innocent and that is
something he should have. For four years
the investigation was a cloud over his head
and the heads of the citizens of the District. Many of us were constantly amazed
at Grays ability to lead the city, and lead
it well, while the investigation was ongoing with members of the Council calling for
his resignation and the Washington Post
leading a drumbeat of attacks against him.
Under Grays leadership the city prospered
and continued to move forward.
We will never know whether Gray

$425,000 would be spent for a get-outthe-vote eort, coordinated with the ofcial Gray campaign. Gray presented the
document to Thompson, and Thompson
agreed. According to court documents,
Gray thanked him and called him Uncle.
Making the statement when he did was
clearly an abuse of his oce. Now with
the investigation dropped, Machen is facing no penalty and Gray is left to wonder
what if. That is patently unfair.
I always have and continue to believe
in the decency of Vincent Gray. I have
worked with him for years and he has always stood for what is good in people. On
the other hand my opinion of the Justice

Department has gone down seeing how

they worked to ruin the reputation of a
decent man and interfered in an election
without proof of wrongdoing. Another
person who will never know what the results of the primary election would have
been without Machens interference is
Mayor Muriel Bowser and I am sure she
would have rather won without it.
The people of the District are being well
served by Bowser. She has stepped up to
the plate and continued many of Grays
programs, adding many of her own, and
built a good administration continuing to
move the District forward. We continue
to make progress in areas like education
and improving the environment, among
others. We see how one administration
builds on the work of past ones. Two of
Mayor Bowsers leading cabinet members rst began to serve the people of the
District in the Fenty administration.
I have no idea what Vincent Gray will do
now. There are many ways Gray can serve
the people of the District and the nation.
One is to run for oce but there are others
as he is a seasoned and well-respected nonprot executive and has a wealth of knowledge and experience to share. Whatever he
chooses to do it is clear from the past he will
do it well and do it with all his heart.

V I E W PO I NT

Happy anniversary to Sunday Kind of Love

Poetry event at Busboys &
Poets a local institution

KATHI WOLFE, a writer and poet, is a regular

contributor to the Blade.

It is dicult/to get the news from poems/yet men die miserably every day/for
lack/of what is found there, wrote the
poet William Carlos Williams more than a
half century ago in his poem Asphodel,
That Greeny Flower.
Today, in this time of anti-Muslim bigotry, racism, transphobia and economic inequality, we need poetry more than ever.
Not to escape the news or the world,
but to witness injustice and be a force of
hope. On Dec. 20 from 5-7 p.m., Sunday
Kind of Love, a monthly reading series at
Busboys and Poets in D.C., that has fos-

tered diversity of all kinds, been a welcoming spirit to poets and poetry lovers,
queer and hetero, and supported social
change, will celebrate its 10th anniversary
with poetry, music, cake and Champagne
at Busboys and Poets at 2021 14th St.,
N.W. Sarah Browning, director of Split
This Rock, a D.C. national poetry organization that works for social change, and
Katy Richey, a D.C.-area poet and teacher
will co-host the event. There will be an after party from 7-8 p.m. Admission is $5.
(For more info, visit Busboysandpoets.
com)
When I say Im a poet, I often get these
responses: some people are surprised:
they believe poetry is only by and for
white, able-bodied, straight, middleupper class men. Others shy away; they
think Im oering them a nutritious, but
tasteless all-tofu diet. For a decade, Sunday Kind of Love has debunked these
misperceptions.
Split This Rock started Sunday Kind
of Love when the organization was the
group D.C. Poets Against the War. Busboys had just come to the District.
We were thrilled that the new venue

Busboys and Poets was oering a regular

series and such a beautiful space dedicated to art and social justice, Browning
emailed me.
Initially, the series showcased D.C.-area poets of conscience, Browning said.
It has grown to include poets from all
over the country and even some from
abroad, she added. It has brought national attention to D.C. poets ... more importantly, its brought the radical diversity
of D.C. and U.S. contemporary poetry to
audiences that might not otherwise be
exposed to it.
Frequently, groups talk about diversity
to make themselves feel or look good.
Thats not the deal with Sunday Kind of
Love. Ive been privileged to be among
the many poets whove read in the series.
At Sunday Kind of Love, youll nd straight
and LGBT people; people of color; and
youth and elders, reading and listening to
poetry, drinking a beer, munching sweet
potato fries and even talking to or laughing with people who arent like them.
Once I had the honor of reading in the
series with Carlos Parada Ayala, author
of La luz de la tormenta/The Light of the

Storm and a recipient of D.C.s Commission on the Arts Larry Neal Poetry Award.
I read poems about being queer and
growing up in New Jersey. After we read,
Parada Ayala, told me, I was born in El
Salvador. But I felt as if I were at your dinner table in New Jersey in the 1960s.
From the get-go, Sunday Kind of Love
has had a substantial LGBT presence. So
much rich, vibrant poetry is being written
by queer poets today that having queer
voices at the center of the series is essential, Browning said. We couldnt tell
the true stories of life in our city and our
country today without a great variety of
queer poets.
One of the earliest readings in the series was a gay Pride reading. The 10th
anniversary celebration will feature many
queer poets, including Barbara Jean Orton, Timm West, Joseph Ross and Danielle Evennou.
Dont get me wrong. Achieving true
diversity is hard, often painful work and
social change wont come in a nano-sec.
But poetry can bear witness to injustice,
and over time, change hearts and minds.
Happy anniversary, Sunday Kind of Love!

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

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VIEWPOINT

D.C. residents still lack voice in Congress

When will 2016 candidates
address this ongoing injustice?
By JOHN KLENERT
For the sake of discussion, this essay
assumes that regardless of who wins the
2016 presidential election, the District
of Columbia will cast its three electoral
votes for the Democratic nominee as it
has blindly done since the 23rd Amendment gave us the right to participate in
the process. How so very kind of our fellow citizens bestowing on us what they
take for granted.
Today, the District of Columbia has
more residents than the two very dierent states of Wyoming and Vermont and
if more people continue to move and live
here in the next 10 years, chances are the
District may also exceed the populations
of Alaska and South Dakota. Yet our national capital city continues to be denied
any real voice in either house of our federal legislature.
Our local representatives on the City
Council and our mayor do not even have
a say in the appointment and/or reten-

tion of our judges. Is no presidential candidate for the White House chagrined at
our being the only national capital city on
this planet with such a distinction? Can
you imagine the outcry if those who live
in state capital cities had their representation in legislatures taken away? Unfor-

Oval Oce? No national or local, straight

or gay reporter from various news agencies or mass and social media has asked
their proposals on correcting this 200+
years of immoral outrage. How many
District residents are tired of such meaningless mentions of support that border

Even the current White House resident should

receive only a barely passing grade when it comes
to standing up for democracy here in D.C.
tunately, even the current White House
resident should receive only a barely
passing grade when it comes to standing
up for democracy here in Washington,
D.C. Eating out at our restaurants is certainly appreciated and shopping at our
local bookstores is a nice gesture. There
is still a year left to speak up for us, Mr.
President. Please speak about it.
Just what are the current thoughts of
those candidates now running for the

frankly on insulting.
All have heard the usual Return to
Maryland or Statehood for D.C. or Get
over it! or Ask Arlington and Alexandria to Rejoin or No Room on the Flag.
How about this one, You do not look like
a state, which is often paired with The
District of Columbia is simply too small
in land area to be considered for statehood. Why is everything reduced to size
matters?

Acknowledging that a constitutional or

an organizational or social problem exists usually calls for what is our endemic
way to solve challenges committees or
commissions are formed whose membership includes those from all interested
and aected parties. What will it take to
even have this occur? One suggestion
that would certainly gain national and
international attention: Return all or one
or two of our electoral votes for someone other than the winner of the popular
vote. After all, desperate times demand
desperate measures. Lets hear some
real, concrete ideas with deadlines from
candidates instead of the pablum written by far too many supporters, both gay
and straight, who seem to await the next
presidency with the fervor of the Rapture
or the Second Coming.
And while Im at it, why does this country still have territories? The age of Imperialism is long over. After all, it is the
21st century.
JOHN KLENERT is a longtime D.C. resident,
a former member of the D.C. Vote board of
directors and has been arrested for supporting
voting rights.

VIEWPOINT

UN emerges as powerful platform for LGBT advances

Working to get our issues
into the DNA of world body
By JONATHAN DROMGOOLE
This month, advocates from around
the world including the United Nations
Association of Georgetown (UNAG) of the
United Nations Association of the United
States of America (UNA-USA) celebrate
Human Rights Day, marking the 67th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights by
the UN. This year, the UN has selected
the theme Freedom in a throwback to
President Franklin Delanos Roosevelts
famous Four Freedoms Speech to Congress.
Freedom is a uniquely tting and universal theme for the LGBTI community,
a population that is proudly and strongly
represented in the various communities
to which our members belong to both domestically and abroad.
Historic gains for LGBTI freedoms
in 2015 have occurred in the U.S. and
around the globe from Ireland to Mexico,
Nepal, Portugal, Ukraine and Venezuela.
Nevertheless, our work is far from done.
Sexual minorities all too often continue

to face varying degrees of discrimination

and violence, including beatings and extrajudicial killings. As college students,
Americans, humanitarians and believers
in liberty and justice for all, we all have a
responsibility to speak out on Human
Rights Day and every day.

fered an unexpectedly crushing defeat in

a referendum fueled by specious misinformation.
At the same time, the United Nations
has emerged as a powerful platform to
advance freedoms for LGBTI persons everywhere as well as shine the spotlight

Freedom is a uniquely tting and universal

theme for the LGBTI community.
Certainly, there is no time to lose. LGBTI persons have emerged as targets for
the Islamic State in the Levant (ISIL) and
other extremist groups operating in Iraq
and Syria. Subhi Nahas, a gay Syrian refugee who escaped to the U.S. and became
the rst openly gay man to address the
UN Security Council, put his choice to ee
in stark terms: It was death or my life.
Elsewhere, newly proposed legislation in
Russia would all but criminalize merely
coming out. Last November, an LGBT
human rights ordinance in Houston suf-

on cases of injustice. From the UN Human Rights Oce global public information campaign on LGBTI equality, Free
and Equal, that has reached more than
2 billion people worldwide, to the rights
of LGBTI refugees being elevated to the
UN Security Council, the international
community has moved closer to bearing
witness to human rights challenges facing
LGBTI persons globally.
Even more, UN Secretary Ban Ki-moon
has publicly countered critics of LGBTI
rights as a Western or foreign con-

cept. In 2013, the secretary general unequivocally declared, I respect culture,

tradition and religion, but they can never
justify the denial of basic rights. He has
also repeatedly emphasized the need for
the new UN sustainable development
agenda to be one in which no one is left
behind. This includes ensuring that decision makers at all levels understand
the enabling role of the UN in supporting LGBTI human rights. As Samantha
Power, U.S. Ambassador to the UN, said,
Were getting this issue into the DNA of
the United Nations.
The United Nations Association of
Georgetown (UNAG) of the United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA)
is committed to this eort and stands
with others who believe all people should
have the freedom to be who they are and
love who they want. This is change that
can start locally simply by raising our
voices in support of the UNs work on behalf of LGBT people but that can reach
globally.

JONATHAN DROMGOOLE is founder and

chair of the United Nations Association of
Georgetown and current senior in the School
of Foreign Service at Georgetown University.

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

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Fast and easy

ELIMINATE STRESS FROM YOUR HOLIDAY TO-DO LIST WITH THESE LAST-MINUTE GIFT IDEAS
By MARIAH COOPER

For the live-show lover in your life,

purchase tickets to their favorite concert,
sporting event or Broadway show with
SeatGeek. Upcoming shows through
SeatGeek include the NFL Playoffs
featuring the Redskins, The Beach Boys,
Justin Bieber, Earth Wind & Fire and
Washington Nationals Opening Day.
SeatGeek also offers an instant mobile
transfer, perfect for gifts. Ticket prices vary.

Thomas Foolery (2020 P St., N.W.) is an

ideal place for the kid at heart adult. The
bar offers board games, candy, colorful
cocktails, grilled cheese, tots and an
extensive beer list. Purchase a holiday bar
tab as a gift for food or drinks. The tabs
have no required minimum or maximum
making it a great gift idea for every budget.
(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Proper Topper (1350 Connecticut Ave.,

N.W.) has a paper Nutcracker stage ($28)
great for play or decoration. Personalize
the stage with additional accessories for
$18 each. For those people you know who
love a nice drink, give a cloth ask in big
($24) or small ($17) sizes. (Washington
Blade photo by Michael Key)

Labyrinth Games & Puzzles (645

Pennsylvania Ave., S.E.) has many games
for adults and children alike. Pengoloo
($19.92) is a wooden penguin memory
game that can be silly fun for kids.
(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Fantom Comics has many LGBT-themed

comic books for the comic novice or
collector. Glory ($34.99) is a comic by
trans writer and artist Sophie Campbell.
Other LGBT comics available include The
Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye
($19.99), The Wicked and the Divine: the
Faust Act ($9.99), Saga: Vol. 1 ($9.99)
and Jem and the Holograms: Showtime
($19.99). (Washington Blade photo by
Michael Key)

Give the gift of relaxation at Capital Teas

(1627 Connecticut Ave., N.W.). The Green
Dragon Fly Cast Iron Teapot ($100) is a
kitchen staple great for brewing. Gift a
couple holiday-themed teas along with it
such as Christmas Cookie, Figgy Pudding
and Gingerbread Rooibos. (Washington
Blade photo by Michael Key)

Gift cards are always a safe bet.

American Plant, like many retailers, have
them available in any denomination.
americanplantgiftcards.com
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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

2 4 DECE MB ER 1 8, 2015

Grab stocking stuffers at Lou Lou (1804

14th St., N.W.). Heart-shaped trinket
trays ($20) are small gifts that are nice
for holding jewelry or other small items.
Bright Ideas pencil set ($12.95) and
Bright Ideas journal ($14.95) make a gift
set for the artistic soul or idle doodler.
(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

GIFT GUIDE

For the person who you can never shop

for, get something different at Miss
Pixies (1626 14th St., N.W.). For a rustic
decoration, give a license plate of their
home state for $12. Keep it crafty with
a ball jar ($9) for decorating or ower
arrangements. (Washington Blade photo
by Mariah Cooper)

S&A Beads (6929 Laurel Ave., Takoma

Park, Md.) has all of the tools to give
someone a creative and specialized gift.
Create beaded necklaces or bracelets
from their wide-ranging bead collection.
Beads range from $0.10 to $18 per bead.
(Washington Blade photo by Mariah
Cooper)

Keep it cute in the kitchen with an elf mug

($11.99) or Melamine Personality Plate
($9.99) from Home Rule (1807 14th St.,
N.W.). (Washington Blade photo by Mariah
Cooper)

A calendar is a fast choice anybody can

use. Among this years offerings are the
naughty Kilty Pleasures, Madonnas
annual celebration of herself and Grammy
darling Sam Smith. Available at various
retailers. Prices vary. (Photos courtesy Fly
Life Inc.)

Pick up a holiday candle at Universal

Gear for $39.50. Candle scents include
holiday pine with bayberry and clove or
orange with cinnamon and spice. You can
also keep it organized by giving a stylish
messenger bag ($59.95.). (Washington
Blade photo by Mariah Cooper)

Dont know what brand he likes? A

cologne sampler, like this deluxe Leading
Man favorites set from Sephora, is a safe,
fast and easy choice. $55 (Photo courtesy
Sephora)

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bringing an unforgettable evening of bright lights, joyous sounds, and
dance! Come see one of the great tap dancers of all time in this one-ofa-kind holiday performance!
$54, $46, $32 ff

The Adventures of
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FRIDAY, JANUARY 22 AT 8 P.M.
Presented by the acclaimed British-American touring troupe, Sherlock
Holmes comes to our stage in a witty and wild whodunit, joined by
the trusty Dr. Watson, the red-headed pawnbroker Jabez Wilson, and
Irene Adler, the woman who got away. Its an exhilarating tale of
intrigue as Holmes maneuvers through the twisted web of Londons
most fascinating cases, which (of course) only he can solve.
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SATURDAY, JANUARY 23 AT 2 P.M. & 8 P.M.
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British military tradition are on display when these military
bands take the stage in their full regalia. Bring the family to
enjoy the bagpipes, the brass, and the regimental marches and
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FRANKIE R. FAISON. PHOTO: TEDDY WOLFF.

2 6 DE CE MB ER 1 8, 2015

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

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1511 ELLERSLIE RD, BERRYVILLE, VA

23545 OLD MEADOW LN, MIDDLEBURG, VA

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A rare opportunity to own 249+/- acres of waterfront property in the

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Hard to find minutes from town, private and protected, all brick
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A long winding drive past a picturesque pond leads to an exquisite brick & stucco colonial on 10 gorgeous acres. This 12 room
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End your commute! Work downstairs and live upstairs! This old Hamilton Bank offers the unique combination of commercial and residential
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office 540.687.6321 fax 540.687.3966 middleburgrealestate.com

ARTS

AND

ENTERTAINMENT

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

VOLUME

46

ISSUE

51

DECEMBER

SHARON JONES, BRIAN SETZER, RU AND KYLIE AMONG THIS YEARS HOLIDAY RELEASES
By CHRIS GERARD
Every year like clockwork, starting as early as October, were inundated with a new
batch of holiday albums.
Artists of every conceivable genre have recorded seasonal collections over the
decades, with some of them becoming timeless classics that are an integral part of the
holidays for millions. This years slate is lacking in star power, but more than makes up
for it in diversity and overall quality. Here are 10 of the best freshly cut holiday releases
of 2015 that will help make your festivities especially jolly.
INDIA.ARIE AND JOE SAMPLE CHRISTMAS WITH FRIENDS
Legendary jazz pianist Joe Sample was working with R&B vocalist India.Arie on what
would become Christmas with Friends when he died from mesothelioma last year. His
warm keyboards are featured on four songs, and Arie honored his memory with a cobilling and a place on the albums cover. Christmas with Friends is an elegant collection
of holiday favorites, sung beautifully by Arie and featuring an impressively diverse roster
of guests such as Michael McDonald, Brandy and Kirk Whalum. Particularly stunning is
Aries duet with gospel singer Gene Moore, Jr. on Mary Did You Know? Christmas
with Friends is the perfect soundtrack for a mellow evening at home in front of the
Christmas tree and a crackling replace.
THE BRAXTON FAMILY BRAXTON FAMILY CHRISTMAS
Tamar Braxton released her seasonal Winter Loversland album two years ago, and
now her siblings have followed suit with their own oering, Braxton Family Christmas.
Although its a brief collection at only eight songs, its festive charm makes it well worth
picking up. Even brother Michael gets in on the family act with his lovely duet with
sister Toni, Under My Christmas Tree. The ladies harmonize and switch up lead vocal
parts as they jaunt through well-known classics like This Christmas and Mary, Did You
Know and lesser-known gems like Everyday Is Christmas and Blessed New Year with
soulful energy and good cheer.
CONTINUES ON PAGE 41

18

2015

PAGE

27

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

2 8 DECE MB ER 1 8, 2015

Q U E E RY : 2 0 Q U E ST I O N S F O R KY LE CO LLI N S

How long have you been out and

who was the hardest person to tell?
I came out almost 10 years ago, when I was
a junior in high school. The hardest person
to tell was my mother. I thought she would
take it the best, and that was not the case,
she had a really hard time. Since I lived with
her, that made it even harder on both of us.
But Im happy to say that we have an amazing
relationship today. She even threw all of her
support my way for the D.C. Eagle contest last
month.

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICAHEL KEY

KYLE COLLINS
By JOEY DiGULIELMO
joeyd@washblade.com
D.C. Leather Pride is holding its Winter Solstice Ball, an event it plans to make
annual, Saturday night at 8 p.m. at the D.C. Eagle (3701 Benning Rd., N.E.).
The D.C. Imperial Court and the D.C. Sisters are co-hosting the event,
which will be emceed by local drag legend Kristina Kelly. Several groups have
donated gift baskets, rae and auction items and several performances are
scheduled. The event is a holiday fundraiser for Food & Friends.
A $5 donation, which gets you ve rae tickets, is suggested. Look for its
Facebook page for more information.
Kyle Collins is the founder and co-chair of D.C. Leather Pride. The 26-yearold Rhinebeck, N.Y., native came to Washington four-and-a-half years ago.
Hes on the board of Capital Pride. He tends bar at Bluejacket, Partisan and
the Eagle.
Collins lives in Southwest and enjoys volunteering, trying new restaurants
and bars, cigars and attending community events in his free time.

Whos your LGBT hero?

Ive come to nd that many of the real heroes
are the people youve never heard of. The
people who worked tirelessly behind the
scenes to make all of the things we take for
granted today a reality. The organizers and
volunteers whose names didnt make it into
the history books. The people who protested
the persecution of LGBT federal workers
with Frank Kameny, the people who staged
the rst Pride marches (yes marches, not
parades), those who cared for those dying of
HIV/AIDS when no one else would.
Whats Washingtons best
nightspot, past or present?
The D.C. Eagle, which has existed here since
the early 70s and it is so much more than a
nightspot. Its been a home to many people
who dont have anywhere or anyone else to
go to. We serve free dinner on Thanksgiving,
we care for our peers when theyre sick or
down on their luck. Its so much more than
just a bar. But even as a bar, its a damn fun
place to be.
Describe your dream wedding.
I dont have a desire to be married. I support
our right to do so, but they can keep their
institution. My dream wedding is more of a
collaring ceremony.
What non-LGBT issue are
you most passionate about?
My biggest passion is education. I think our
education system is failing our society in
a multitude of ways and doesnt just need
reform, but needs to be rebuilt from the
ground up.
What historical outcome
would you change?
The fear and stigma that resulted from the
AIDS crisis that is still felt today.
Whats been the most memorable pop
culture moment of your lifetime?
The death of Michael Jackson.
On what do you insist?
Respect. Everyone deserves respect. Give
respect and you will get respect. I have no
tolerance for disrespectful people.

~
202.319.8541 www.lgbtc.com Se habla espanol

What was your last

Facebook post or Tweet?
A reminder for Winter Solstice.

If your life were a book,

what would the title be?
Here We Go Again

If science discovered a way to change

sexual orientation, what would you do?
Id be ghting to ensure the rights of minors
against being given this treatment. Id also
ght to ensure proper measures against
prematurely administering said treatment to
adults.
What do you believe in
beyond the physical world?
I dont believe in anything specic. I believe
there may be something out there bigger
than ourselves, but I dont know what that is
and dont think anyone else does either.
Whats your advice for
LGBT movement leaders?
Dont lose sight of our community. Dont
forget who you are representing and what
you are ghting for. It is easy to lose our
cultural identity if we trade it for certain rights.
We shouldnt have to sacrice who we are as
LGBT people and our culture to be treated as
equal.
What would you walk
across hot coals for?
My loved ones. My community. And tacos.
What LGBT stereotype annoys you most?
The stereotypes we put on ourselves. The
self loathing and entrenched homophobia
that is perpetuated by our own community.
Particularly the characterization of gay men
as overindulgent drunks and vapid sex
addicts. Our community is not summed
up by one group of people, and I say that
without any judgment, and to characterize
our community as such is an injustice to us
all.
Whats your favorite LGBT movie?
The Birdcage followed closely by To Wong
Foo.
Whats the most overrated social custom?
Mindless chatter when you dont have
anything to say to someone. Silences
shouldnt be uncomfortable.
What trophy or prize do you most covet?
I dont really covet an award or trophy.
Recognition and appreciation is always a
nice feeling. But I dont do what I do for the
rewards or recognition.
What do you wish youd known at 18?
How to be more empathetic.
Why Washington?
Ive always liked this city. Ive met some
very interesting people, some of my
closest friends and loved ones. Ive grown
substantially as a person since moving here
and I like the person Ive grown into and
continue to grow into.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

T HE ATE R

DE C E M B E R 18, 2015 29

Christmas Eve
Thursday, December 24, 2015

6:30 PM
Kid Friendly!
There will be music presentations by the children, interactive
storytelling and glow sticks for all the kids.

PHOTO COURTESY OF POINTLESS

The cast of A Very Pointless Holiday Spectacular, a wacky but warm spin on holiday cheer.

8:00 PM
Lessons, Carols & Candlelight
Join us for a rich tradition of celebrating with beautiful music,
singing Christmas Carols, scripture readings
and a Christmas Eve homily.
This service will be live streamed.

Just fun in wacky and

irreverent holiday
production
By PATRICK FOLLIARD
Its Christmas Eve and while Santa
makes the global rounds with his
reindeer, the elves have the night o.
To celebrate a break from toy making,
Santas dream team gathers for the North
Poles annual talent show (simulcast in
the South Pole and sponsored by Jolly
Brand Candy Canes). Thats the setup
for Pointless Theatres A Very Pointless
Holiday Spectacular, a silly but fun
celebration of the season.
The evenings emcee is Mrs. Claus (Mary
Catherine Currin), a brassy broad outtted
in a low-cut red dress and thigh-high black
boots. Shes backed by ve wide-eyed
elves in striped stockings and Tyrolian hats.
With names like Snowella Mistletoe (Hilary
Morrow) and Sunshine Sparklecane played
by skilled juggler Daniel Riker, the Santas
helpers are more than ready for a night of
onstage shenanigans.
Staged by Frank Cevarich, Holiday
Spectacular is an amalgam of improv,
sketch comedy, original music, several
(intentionally) cheesy dance numbers
choreographed by the companys out coartistic director Matt Reckeweg, and some
of Pointless signature puppetry. The
production notes describe the companys
second holiday cooperative eort as both
cozy and mischievous. Yes, its a night of
white Christmas memories and myriad
tasteless jokes that sometimes land
uneven but cheery.
The show looks adorable. Patti Kalils
set is a charming throwback to the midcentury department store Santaland,

and out costume designer Frank Labovitz

creates sartorial holiday magic on a slim
budget. The puppets are inspired by old
school claymation TV specials circa 1960s
like Rudolph, the Red- Nosed Reindeer.
Theres Romeo (Chloe Mikala), a high-toned
rat; Stuy (Lee Gerstenhaber) a one-eyed,
baby-voiced blue elephant campaigning
for oce with the slogan Get stued with
Stuy; and Dick (Matthew Sparacino), a
boorish Jack-in-the-Box (here Dick-in-thebox), who owns the local Naughty and Nice
nightclub. Sparacino doubles as elf Robin
Goldencake and excels at improv.
A tight three-man band puts a rock spin
on classic carols like Jingle Bells and O
Little Town of Bethlehem. Aaron Bliden
(drums) and Nick Wilby (guitar) make like
good-natured reindeer with antlers and
brown noses while Devin Mahoney (vocals
and keyboard) dons ram horns as the
sinister, German-accented elf Krampus.
Holiday Spectacular saves the best for
last with Mrs. Claus torchy You Make the
Magic Happen, written by band member
Bliden. As she sings, the other cast
members expertly execute an elegant
shadow puppet display.
The North Poles annual talent show
could from benet from some retooled
material. And to make a fun show more
satisfying, the company might consider
training the spotlight on additional solo
acts a couple additional strong singers,
and perhaps a contortionist or two and a
sword swallower to follow the juggler.
CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
A VERY POINTLESS HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR
Through Jan. 2
Pointless Theatre
Mead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint
916 G St., N.W.
$17-27
202-733-6321
Pointlesstheatre.com

1500 16th Street NW ~ www.foundryumc.org

A Reconciling Congregation
We welcome everyone!

Celebrate Christmas with Us!

Tuesday, Decemer 22

7 PM Longest Night Service Wesley UMC*

Join us Sundays
in January

From the Heart of the Sea

Metropolitan Memorial

Christmas Eve Thursday, December 24

5 PM Family Service
7 PM Candlelight & Communion Wesley UMC*
7:30 PM Candlelight & Communion
10:30 PM Prelude Music
11 PM Traditional Candlelight Service with Music

Sunday, Decemer 27

10AM Service of Lessons & Carols

11AM Kwanzaa Service with
Malcolm X Drummers Wesley UMC*

* 5312 Connecticut Ave. NW

METROPOLITAN MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

3401 Nebraska Ave. NW WDC 20016 202.363.4900 www.nationalchurch.org

Christmas is a time for new beginnings.

Come join us in celebration.

Bethesda Presbyterian, 7611 Clarendon Rd., Bethesda MD bethesdapresbyterian.org

Capitol Hill Presbyterian, 201 4th St. SE, Washington, DC capitolhillpreschurch.org
Clarendon, 1305 N Jackson St., Arlington VA clarendonpresbyterian.org
New York Avenue, 1313 New York Ave. NW, Washington, DC nyapc.org
Oaklands, 14301 Laurel Bowie Rd., Laurel, MD oaklandspres.org
Pilgrims, 2201 P St. NW, Washington, DC churchofthepilgrims.org
Rockville United, 355 Linthicum St., Rockville, MD rockvilleunitedchurch.org
Takoma Park, 310 Tulip Ave., Takoma Park, MD takomaparkpc.org
United Christian Parish, 11508 North Shore Dr., Reston, VA ucpreston.org
Western, 2401 Virginia Ave. NW, Washington, DC westernpresbyterian.org
Westminster, 400 I St SW, Washington, DC westminsterdc.org
All members of More Light Presbyterians/Open Doors Chapter

opendoorsmlp.org

LIVE
FELIX
CAVALIERES

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

30 D E C E M B E R 18, 2015

O U T & A BO U T

UPCOMING PERFORMANCES

RASCALS
ROCKIN THE HOLIDAYS

W/ DAVID KITCHEN BAND

SUNDAY DEC 20

New Years Eve

CHARLES
BRADLEY
& HIS EXTRAORDINAIRES

W/ THE DIRTY BOURBON RIVER SHOW

IN THE LIVE

THURSDAY DEC

By MARIAH COOPER

31

WED, DEC 23

YELLOW DUBMARINE
W/ BURT THE DIRT
SAT, DEC 26

REBIRTH BRASS BAND

SUN, DEC 27

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO

REBIRTH BRASS BAND

W/ THE DJ WILLIAMS PROJEKT

Christmas services at arming churches

MON, DEC 28

CHRISTMAS EVE

THE DEFINITIVE TRIBUTE TO THE ORIGINAL

ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND

Foundry United Methodist Church (1500 16th St., N.W.) holds a children
and family Christmas Eve service from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in fellowship hall. From 8-9
p.m. there will be a time of lessons, carols and candlelight service from 8-9 p.m.
in the sanctuary. For details, visit foundryumc.org.
The Christ Church on Capitol Hill (620 G St., S.E.) has multiple Christmas Eve
services and events. At 4:30 p.m. there will be a Come as you are family service
with carols, pageant and communion. At 6:30 p.m. there will be a formal family
service with a homily, communion and music from the St. Petersburg Mens
Ensemble. At 10 p.m. the St. Petersburg Mens Ensemble will perform in the
choral prelude before the festival eucharist at 10:30 p.m. A festive reception will
follow at 11:30 p.m. with food and drink. For more details, visit washingtonparish.
org.
Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church (3401 Nebraska Ave.,
N.W.) has many services through Christmas Eve. At 5 p.m. there will be a family
Christmas Eve service led by the children. At 7:30 p.m. there will be a candlelight
communion service. At 11 p.m. there is a candlelight service with a musical
prelude starting at 10:30 p.m. For more information, visit nationalchurch.org.
Dumbarton United Methodist Church holds a Christmas Eve child-friendly
service with a repeat of their Christmas pageant at 5 p.m. At 9 p.m. there will
be a formal Christmas Eve worship service with candles and caroling. Rev. Mary
Kay Totty will lead both services. For more information, visit dumbartonumc.org.
Rockville United Church (355 Linthicum St., Rockville, Md.) has Christmas
Eve Under the Stars, a Christmas Eve celebration, at 5 p.m. A service will be at 8
p.m. For more details, visit rockvilleunitedchurch.org.
Metropolitan Community Church of Washington (474 Ridge St., N.W.) holds
a Christmas Eve service from 8-9:30 p.m. For more information, visit mccdc.com.
Seekers Church (276 Carroll St., N.W.) has a Christmas Eve dinner at 6 p.m.
followed by a service of lessons and carols at 7:30 p.m. Visit seekerschurch.org
for more details.
Saint Johns Episcopal Church (1525 H St., N.W.) holds a festive holy
eucharist from 8-9:30 p.m. For more information, visit stjohnsgeorgetown.org.
Washington National Cathedral (3101 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.) has carols by
candlelight with Rev. Mariann Budde at 6 p.m. Festival of the holy eucharist
service is at 10 p.m. Passes are required for both events. Carols by candlelight is
sold-out but passes for the 10 p.m. Holy eucharist service are still available. Visit
Nationalcathedral.org for more details.
National City Christian Church (5 Thomas Circle,N.W.) holds a Christmas
Eve service at 7 p.m. For more information, visit nationalcitycc.org.

LIVE AT THE FILLMORE

THE HAMILTONDC.COM

The DC Public Library

has something for
everyone.

This year,
give back to the library
that you love.

Visit dcplf.org to
donate today!

#LoveDCPLGive

CHRISTMAS DAY

Washington National Cathedral (3101 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.) holds the

Festival Holy Eucharist service today at 11 a.m. The Blessing of the Crib: A
Service of Christmas Lessons and Carols will be at 3 p.m. There will be scripture
readings and Christmas carols. No passes are required for any of the days
programs. For more information, visit nationalcathedral.org.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DJ MIM

Homo for the

Holidays on Dec. 26
#YASQUEEN hosts Homo for the
Holidays, a gay dance party, at 9:30 Club
(815 V St., N.W.) on Saturday, Dec. 26 at
9 p.m.
DJ Deedub and DJ Mim will play. DJ
Deedub has a monthly residency for
GlittHER dance parties at Zeba Bar. DJ
Mim has performed at venues such as
Howard Theatre and the Fillmore. Tickets
are $15.
For more details, visit 930.com

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

BO OK S

Carol Ann on the shoot from

hell and what shed say to
Faye Dunaway today
By JOEY DiGUGLIELMO
joeyd@washblade.com
PART TWO OF TWO
(Look for part one and more of this interview
at washingtonblade.com)

BLADE: Although you dont hold back at

all with Faye, it didnt feel to me that you
had an axe to grind. You write of several
moments too where she was gracious.
On the other hand, the book Mommie
Dearest always felt to me like Christina
had a huge axe to grind. Do you agree?
ALDA: I tried to be fair in my book and
I hope when Faye reads it she can respect
the fact that I was fair to her. Its very
hard to be with a person on the set who
is totally ungiving to the other actor. I just
held my tongue then because, as you
know from the book, she never stayed
for any of my close-ups. I stayed for hers
to the 12th, the 13th hour and she never
turned around and stayed for any of mine.
Its really not honoring the other actor
and we have to honor that. Were a team
workingtogether for the best of the scene.
I always felt Faye worked for herself only
and thats the truth. There were private
moments when I felt really bad for her
but those moments really didnt last
that long. Its too bad because, you know
honestly, if she had just been gracious (to
the crew), they would have embraced her
but instead she alienated so many people.
BLADE: Hollywood lore is so full of
stories of bitchy star behavior. In your
experience, is there always re where
theres smoke or does some of this
get unfairly exaggerated in the publics
endless appetite for such tales?
ALDA: Its gotten to be so much about
me, me, me that some people think the
whole world rotates around them and
thats really the worst position for an actor
to put themselves in. ... Fame is eeting. It
lasts for a while. If you have a few years run
or a decade run, youre lucky and I think if
you can be compassionate and kind, I think
thats a great lesson to give people. ... And
the audience of Mommie Dearest is a great
audience and I think they are disappointed
that Faye has never embraced the lm. If
I were Faye Dunaway, I would have said,
Look, I was great in the part, I did great
things. OK, maybe I had an over-the-top
performance, but it worked, didnt it? But
all these years of not talking about it and
suddenly after 30 years shes writing a book?
Why? Whats in it for her? Is she doing it for
the money? Shes really deprived herself of

D E CE MBE R 1 8 , 2 0 1 5 3 1

a great audience of people who love the

movie and its a detriment to her. Look at all
the joy she missed.
BLADE: So you know she is proceeding
with her own book?
ALDA: Yes, she has a contract with a
publishing house. A friend I know, whom
I wont name unless he names himself, he
was just oered to be her ghostwriter. I
think shes gone through several. I e-mailed
him and said, Are you going to do it? He
said, No, not even if she gives me a million
dollars cash would I put myself through this.
BLADE: On his Mommie Dearest
commentary, John Waters said he
thought the lm would have worked as
straight drama with just some slightly
more judicious editing, for instance the
scene where you see Dianas (Scarwid as
Christina) panties. Do you agree?
ALDA: (laughs) No. Dont get me wrong,
I love John Waters, I think hes wonderful,
but no, I dont agree with that.
BLADE: Do you think Mommie
Dearest ruined Fayes career? I know
thats probably an oversimplication, but
people say that and it does seem like her
lmography is quite spotty after that.
ALDA: I dont think so. She did quite a
few lms after it, maybe 10 or 15.
BLADE: Yes, but there was never
another Network or Chinatown-caliber
lm after it.
ALDA: No, because what did she
choose right after Mommie Dearest?
Supergirl? I mean, her choice of material
she still had the power to choose her
own material at that point and she was
choosing stu that wasnt in the same
league as Network, or, you know,
Chinatown. I mean these area really
great lms, really amazing lms, and she
chooses Supergirl and other lms you
cant even remember? Even the movie
she likes to talk about with Marlon Brando
and Johnny Depp (Jon Juan DeMarco),
well thats not a very good movie. I mean
God bless all the actors, but some movies
just dont work. Her choice of parts was
really not good.
BLADE: Mommie Dearest lives on as
a camp classic and nobody takes it at
least the lm seriously. Has Joan had
the last laugh?
ALDA: Oh, absolutely. Joan Crawfords
career got resurrected. All of a sudden
its her lms that are seen and viewed
and shes kind of the big star here instead
of Faye. People are seeing her lms.
At the Film Forum downtown, theres
a retrospective of her movies next
weekend and its just amazing. People are
rediscovering her that have never seen

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALDA

RUTANYA ALDA, left, with FAYE DUNAWAY, MARA HOBEL and JEREMY SCOTT REINHOLT in
Mommie Dearest.

her movies. I think Joan Crawford has

become the big star instead of Faye.
BLADE: Was Joan a good actress?
ALDA: I think she was a wonderful
actress for that era. She was over the top
and mannered, but that was the movies of
that era. I think she was marvelous in those
kinds of movies. People dont act that way
today, but theyre fascinating to watch. You
look at Mildred Pierce and Baby Jane
and even some of the horror movies she
did and she was really pretty impressive.
BLADE: You write at length about what
a great actor Richard was and it seems
like he kind of got swallowed up by the
machine, so to speak, with his drug
issues. With true persistence and talent,
does the cream always rise in Hollywood
or have you seen truly talented people
fall through the cracks?
ALDA: Unfortunately I dont think the
cream always rises. When I started out
50 years ago, I knew a lot of really, really
talented people, much more talented
than the people that eventually became
stars, I thought, so no. But its very dicult
because a lot of really talented people
are also so sensitive and their sensitivity
winds up destroying them.
BLADE: Do you think Christina wrote
her book just to get back at Joan for being
left out of the will?
ALDA: No, because I think the book was
already more or less written before Joan
died. Now, did Joan leave her out of the
will because she knew she was writing a
book? I dont know, maybe. But the book
was done before the will. Had it been the
other way around, I might have said yeah.
It was a scandalous thing to do at the time
because she was the rst to do it.
BLADE: Why did you choose the selfpublishing route for your book?

ALDA: Id had it with an agent for

almost two years and I just felt he wasnt
getting it out to the right people. I could
have tried to nd another agent but I
thought, OK, that could be another two
years. I learned things happen rather
slowly in the publishing world, at least
from my experience, and I felt this was
the right time to put it out.
BLADE: You said you knew of the lms
camp element immediately upon seeing
it, but did you realize the gay element in
that then too or did that come later?
ALDA: I didnt really know that then, no.
I think my rst inkling to that was when I
did the Town Hall show Mothers Day with
Joan about 10 years ago with Lypsinka,
who is absolutely brilliant. Then, of
course, about three years ago there was
a show with Hedda Lettuce. She said,
Do you have any stories from Mommie
Dearest, and I said, Yeah, I kept a
journal. She said, Could you come read
something from it, so I went and read a
few things. Then Marc Huestis called me
two years ago and asked me to come to
the Castro to read from it. I said, Do you
think anybody would be interested? He
said yes, so then at the Castor there were
like 1,500 beautiful gay men and honestly
just this wave of love that hit me and,
wow, I still feel it in my heart, this love and
support that came from the audience. Im
very emotional about it still. I read from
my diary and they just went wild, they
were so wonderful. So they were the rst
real audience and I thought, oh my God,
Ive got to publish this book. It hit me that
people were really interested.
BLADE: What would you say if you were
in an elevator with her?
ALDA: Hi. But she might not answer me
because there were a lot of times on the
set when shed just walk right by. Id be
prepared for that.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

32 DEC E M B E R 18, 2015

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PHOTO COURTESY OF PROJECT PUBLICITY

After many years in the background, singer DARLENE LOVE is enjoying her moment in the sun.

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Legendary singer
brings Christmas cheer
to the Howard
By KEITH LORIA

With Christmas on the horizon, chances

are if Christmas music is being played,
Darlene Loves 1963 Christmas (Baby
Please Come Home) is in the rotation,
as the song has been one of the most
popular songs of the season for decades.
David Letterman calls it his favorite
song and before retiring, would have
Love come on his show and kick-o the
Christmas season with a live rendition.
Dave is the one who made it so popular
around the world, Love says. When its
this close to Christmas, I think the song
means even more to people. I love this time
of year. I really enjoy the closeness of family
and people are in a giving mood, are happy
E R special
TISIN
G for
P Rme.
OOF
and jovial. A
ItsDaVvery
time
E: 11.28.14
SALES REPRESENTATIVE: JERYL PARADE (jparade@washblade.com)
Love rose to prominence in the 60s
as a session vocalist and although she
EVIEW AD FOR COPY AND DESIGN ACCURACY. Revisions must be submitted within 24 hours of the date of
oof. Proof will be considered final and will be submitted for publication if revision is not submitted within 24 hours ofsupported all the great singers in Phil
e date of proof. Revisions will not be accepted after 12:01 pm wednesday, the week of publication.Brown naff pitts
mnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) is not responsible for the content and/or design of your ad. Advertiser is
sponsible for any legal liability arising out of or relating to the advertisement, and/or any material to which usersSpectors arsenal of performers with her
n link through the advertisement. Advertiser represents that its advertisement will not violate any criminal laws or
background vocalsincluding
y rgihts of third parties, including, but not limited to, such violations as infringement or misapporpriation of anyglorious
pyright, patent, trademark, trade secret, music, image, or other proprietary or propety right, false advertising, unfair
mpetition, defamation, invasion of privacy or rights of celebrity, violation of anti-discrimination law or regulation,tunes such as Hes a Rebel, Hes Sure
any other right of any person or entity. Advertiser agrees to idemnify brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the
ADVERTISER SIGNATURE
ashington blade) and to hold brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) harmless from any and all
By signing this proof you are agreeing to your contract obligations with the
I Love,
Be My
Baby
and
bility, loss, damages, claims, or causes of action, including reasonable legal fees and expenses that may be incurredthe Boy
washington
blade newspaper.
This includes
but is not
limitedYouve
to placement,
brown naff pitts omnimedia llc, arising out of or related to advertisers breach of any of the foregoing representations
payment and insertion schedule.
d warranties.
Lost That Lovin Feelingshe was rarely
10010 Fernwood Road
credited on the liner notes of the records.
Bethesda, MD 20817
The performers all knew and adored
her, but the public wasnt privy to just
how incredible she was.
I wasnt the rst one that it happened
to; you just never heard about it with a lot
of us. Phil Spector was a rising producer
who became incredibly successful who
We Welcome ALL
started his own empire and knew how to
Without Exception!
succeed, she says. I couldnt sign work

Join us for
Christmas Eve Service
at 7:00 PM

because of him recording my voice as the

Crystals and I couldnt claim Hes A Rebel
or Hes Sure The Boy I Love as my own,
because my name wasnt on there. That
kept me from nding work.
Then Letterman began championing
the Christmas tune, she took a role as
Murtaughs wife in the Lethal Weapon
movies, and did a turn on Broadway in
Leader of the Pack, and Love eventually
skyrocketed to the fame she deserved.
Love is ranked No. 84 on Rolling
Stones top 100 singers of all-time; she
was inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of
Famein 2011 and was one of the subjects
of the 2014 Oscar-winning documentary,
20 Feet From Stardom, which showed
an in-depth illustration of Loves storied
musical career as a background singer.
Her speech at the Oscars was one of
the most memorable of the last decade
and the soulful singer has never been in
greater demand.
When I started, I thought I would be
done singing by the time I was 50. You dont
think you could keep it up or that people
would still love the music, but they do, the
73-year-old says. I think the biggest reason
they still come out is that I stay true to
the songs. I dont change how I sing them
and they are even more powerful today
because my voice is more powerful.
Fans can check that out for themselves
when the legendary Love plays the
Howard Theatre on Saturday, Dec. 19.
Were having so much fun with this
show, everywhere weve been, Love says.
My show is very energetic. Many women
dont do these high-energy shows
maybe Tina Turner or Joan Jettbut mine
it so high energy. We play some new
songs, do some Christmas songs and of
course, many of the classics people love.

Her favorite thing about being on stage

is seeing the generations of fans who
come out and sing along with her.
Its so great to see people are bringing
their children and they are bringing their
children, it doesnt get any better than
that, Love says. I think the younger
generation wants to hear great songs,
great lyrics and great melodies that they
want to sing along with. They do that
when they come to my show.
Last year, the singer released new
material with the album, Introducing
Darlene Love, produced by Loves longtime
friend and advocateSteven Van Zandt.
Its been time to do this for a while, but
I couldnt nd anyone to do it, that was
the problem. Record companies dont
want to record older artists because they
think theres no place for them, she says.
Steve wanted to record to sound like the
music I recorded in the 60s, and thats the
beauty of it. People may think they have
heard these songs before because they
sound as if they are from that era.
Love will be opening her show at the
Howard with one of the new tunes and
hopes to see many people come out and
celebrate Christmas with her.
I always tell my audiences to come
with the sense that theyre going to be
entertained and I will lift their spirits up. Its
my job to life their spirits up, so they will
leave the show saying we had a good time,
Love says. If Im having fun, they will have
fun. They know just how far to go with me.
DARLENE LOVE
Saturday, Dec. 19
8 p.m.
The Howard Theatre
620 T St., N.W.
VIP tickets: $80
General admission $45 in advance/$50 day of
thehowardtheatre.com

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

A UT O S

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The cabin is one of the quietest and most
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iPad-like infotainment system in the
center dash, though using such an e-tablet
setup seems somewhat distracting at rst.
What isnt distracting is the car-like
handling, generous amount of driver
visibility (thanks to large windows and
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And Volvo introduces two new safety
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34 DE C E M B E R 18, 201 5

F I LM

PHOTO COURTESY OF FOCUS FEATURES

EDDIE REDMAYNE gives a transcendent performance in The Danish Girl.

Redmayne shines in
trans-themed biopic
By BRIAN T. CARNEY

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It all starts out in one seemingly

ordinary moment.
Prima ballerina Ulla is once again
late for a sitting with portraitist Gerda
Wegener (Alicia Vikander). Frustrated,
Gerda asks her husband, famous
landscape artist Einar (Eddie Redmayne),
to sit in for their friend since shes only
working on the delicately extended foot.
Its screening now in the D.C. area.
Einar puts on the stockings, crams his feet
into the slippers and holds the dress against
himself as Gerda picks up her brushes and
starts to paint. Einar slowly begins to caress
the fabric as long-suppressed thoughts and
emotions begin to emerge. Thus begins a
remarkable journey for a devoted couple
and a remarkable collaboration for a
talented cinematic team.
Based on the largely forgotten true
story of transgender pioneer Lili Elbe, one
of the rst people to undergo genderreassignment surgery, The Danish Girl is
an exceptional lm. Director Tom Hooper
(The Kings Speech and Les Misrables)
coaxes powerful performances out of his
top-notch cast and collaborates smoothly
with his entire creative team.
The movie, set mainly in Copenhagen
and Paris in the 1920 and 1930s,
looks splendid. Working seamlessly
with cinematographer Danny Cohen
and production designer Eve Stewart,
Hooper makes the most of place and
period, contrasting the rigid lines of
Copenhagen (and Einars harsh airless
landscape paintings), with the color and
light of Art Nouveau Paris which supports

Gerdas emergence as an artist and Lilis

emergence as a women. The script by
Lucinda Coxon, based on the novel by
David Ebersho, is supple and sensitive,
as eloquent when the actors are silent as
when they are speaking.
Several
key
sequences
unfold
wordlessly. Coxon does a marvelous job
balancing
contemporary
sensitivities
about gender with the realities of the
time period. With incredible subtlety, she
makes it clear that Lili is not gay man in
drag or a straight man donning a costume,
but a woman becoming her true self.
Redmaynes performance is even
more powerful than his Academy Awardwinning portrayal of wheelchair-bound
scientist Stephen Hawking, due in part to a
stronger script and cast. With the support
of movement choreographer Alexandra
Reynolds, who also worked with him on
The Theory of Everything, Redmayne has
developed an amazingly detailed physical
vocabulary that guides him from the rigid
mask of masculinity that constricts Einar
to the freer expression of femininity that
allows Lili to ourish. Redmayne also
displays an emotional vulnerability and
transparency that makes Lilis journey
incredibly compelling.
Vikanders performance as Gerda is
equally stunning and multi-faceted.
The supporting cast is also excellent.
Amber Heard (Magic Mike XXL) is a
delightful nd in the surprisingly pivotal
of Ulla. The hard-working but fun-loving
ballerina serves as a godmother of sorts
to the emergent Lili. Matthias Schoenaerts
(Far From the Madding Crowd) is sleek and
dapper as Parisian art dealer Hans Axgil, a
childhood friend of Einars who helps Lili
and Gerda through their transitions.
The Danish Girl may be the nest
LGBT-themed release of 2015.

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

3 6 DECE MB ER 1 8, 2015

A RT S & CU LT U RE

HOT HITS & HIDDEN JEWELS

From CultureCapital.com
YOUR LINK TO THE ARTS IN METRO DC

A Darlene Love Christmas

Dec 19. Howard Theatre.
202-803-2899. thehowardtheatre.com.

With a ve-decade career and having been named one of the best singers of all
time by Rolling Stone Magazine, Darlene Love brings her version of Christmas
Cheer to the Howard Theatre, where youll be sure to hear Christmas (Baby
Please Come Home).

Bright Star
Thru Jan 10. The Kennedy Center.
202-467-4600. kennedy-center.org.

From Grammy and Emmy winner Steve Martin and Grammy-winning singersongwriter Edie Brickell comes a sweeping tale of love and redemption set
against the rich backdrop of the American South in the 1920s and 40s.

An Irish Carol
Thru Dec 31. Keegan Theatre.
202-265-3767. keegantheatre.com.

An Irish Carol follows one evening in the life of David, a wealthy pub owner who
has distanced himself from others and lost touch with his own humanity in
the interest of self protection and material success.But on this Christmas Eve
challenged by a voice from the past, provoked by those in this present, and
faced with the reality of lonely future Davids life may change forever.

Wolf Kahn - Americas Printmaker: Monotypes and Editions

Thru Jan 9. Gallery Neptune & Brown.
202-986-1200. neptuneneart.com.

Wolf Kahn has spent decades taking audiences on a journey through his
America - one that blends realism and abstraction. His monotypes and editions
reect an instinctive understanding of line and an ever-evolving mastery of
color and light that has gathered acclaim both in America and abroad.
IMAGE COURTESY OF HOWARD THEATRE

Buy
Discount Tickets
ticketPLAce.org

THEATRE
Pericles. Thru Dec 20. Folger Theatre.
202-544-7077. folger.edu.
West Side Story. Thru Jan 24.
Signature Theatre. 703-820-9771.
signature-theatre.org.
The Neo-Futurists: Too Much Light
Makes the Baby Go Blind. Thru Jan
3. Woolly Mammoth. 202-393-3939.
woollymammoth.net.
Bad Jews. Thru Jan 3. Studio Theatre.
202-332-3300. studiotheatre.org.
Sons of the Prophet. Thru Dec 20. Stars
Of David: Story To Song. Dec 22-Dec 27.
Theater J. 202-518-9400. theaterj.org.
Guys and Dolls. Thru Dec 27. A
Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of
Christmas. Thru Dec 27. Olney Theatre.
301-924-3400. olneytheatre.org.
Shear Madness. Ongoing.
The Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600.
kennedy-center.org.
How to Catch A Leprechaun. Thru Dec
27. An Irish Carol. Thru Dec 31. Keegan
Theatre. 202-265-3767. keegantheatre.com.
A Christmas Carol. Thru Dec 31. Fords
Theatre. 202-347-4833. fords.org.

DANCE
Savion Glover: Dance Holiday
Spectacular. Dec 19. GMU Center for the
Arts. 888-945-2468. cfa.gmu.edu.
Step Afrika!s Magical Musical Holiday
Step Show. Thru Dec 22. Step Afrika!.
Atlas. 202-399-7993. stepafrika.org.

MUSIC
Marriotts Ridge High School Madrigals.
Dec 19. Eric Mintel Quartet featuring
Central Bucks West High School Choir.
Dec 20. National Gallery of Art.
202-737-4215. nga.gov.
Rochelle Rice. Dec 18. Strathmore.
301-581-5100. strathmore.org.
NSO: Handels Messiah. Thru Dec 20.
WNO: Hansel and Gretel. Thru Dec
20. The Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600.
kennedy-center.org.
Taste of the Holidays. Dec 18. GW
Lisner Auditorium. 202-994-6800.
lisner.gwu.edu.
The Season Bids Us. Dec 18-Dec 23.
Folger Consort. Lutheran Church of the
Reformation. folger.edu.
Christmas with Nova Y. Payton and
Friends. Thru Dec 24. Signature Theatre.
703-820-9771. signature-theatre.org.
Bobby Brown. Dec 18. Howard Theatre.
202-803-2899. thehowardtheatre.com.
Handels Messiah. Dec 19-Dec 20.
National Philharmonic at Strathmore.
301-581-5100. nationalphilharmonic.org.
Vienna Boys Choir: Christmas in
Vienna. Dec 18. GMU Center for the Arts.
888-945-2468. cfa.gmu.edu.
Christmas with the Consort. Dec 20.
Washington Bach Consort. National
Presbyterian Church. 202-429-2121.
bachconsort.org.
A Choral Arts Christmas. Thru Dec 24.

Choral Arts Society. The Kennedy Center.

202-244-3669. choralarts.org.
By George, By Ira, By Gershwin. Thru
Dec 20. In Series at Source Theatre.
202-204-7763. inseries.org.

MUSEUMS
National Gallery of Art. The Serial
Impulse at Gemini G.E.L. Thru Feb 7.
Power and Pathos: Bronze Sculpture of
the Hellenistic World. Thru Mar 20.
202-737-4215. nga.gov.
National Archives. Spirited
Republic. Thru Jan 10. 202-357-5000.
archivesfoundation.org.
Museum of Women in the Arts.
Esther Bubley Up Front. Thru Jan 17.
Pathmakers. Thru Feb 28. 202-783-5000.
nmwa.org.
Prince Georges African American
Museum. Now: A Photographic Survey
of Prince Georges County, Maryland.
Thru Jan 31. 301-809-0440. pgaamcc.org.
Sandy Spring Museum. Weaving
Community. Thru Dec 30. 301-774-0022.
sandyspringmuseum.org.
Smithsonian Anacostia Museum. Hand
of Freedom: The Life and Legacy of the
Plummer Family. Thru Dec 27.
202-633-4820. anacostia.si.edu.
National Geographic. Indiana Jones.
Thru Jan 3. Pristine Seas: The Oceans
Last Wild Places. Thru Mar 27. Photo Ark.
Thru Apr 11. 202-857-7000. nglive.org.

GALLERIES
Strathmore. Joseph Craig English. Thru
Jan 3. Fine Art in Miniature. Thru Jan 3.
301-581-5100. strathmore.org.
Arlington Mill Community Center.
Living Diversity: Columbia Pike
Documentary Project. Thru Dec 31.
arlingtonarts.org.
BlackRock. Mark Parascandola: China
Film. Thru Dec 19. 301-528-2260.
blackrockcenter.org.
Zenith Gallery. Figuratively Speaking.
Thru Jan 9. Great Moments in Art. Thru
Jan 30. zenithgallery.com.
VisArts at Rockville. Brian Davis:
Uncoupled. Thru Jan 10. 301-315-8200.
visartsatrockville.org.
Washington Project for the Arts (WPA).
Washington Produced Artists. Thru Dec
19. 202-234-7103. wpadc.org.
The Art League Gallery. Kathlyn Avila.
Thru Jan 4. 703-683-1780.
theartleague.org.
District Architecture Center. The
Awards Show. Thru Jan 9. 202-347-9403.
aiadac.com.
Fisher Art Gallery. Shanthi
Chandrasekar. Thru Dec 20.
703-534-5726. schlesingercenter.com.
Gallery Neptune & Brown. Wolf Kahn
- Americas Printmaker: Monotypes
and Editions. Thru Jan 9. 202-986-1200.
neptuneneart.com.
Glen Echo Park. Holiday Art Show
& Sale. Thru Jan 10. 301-634-2222.
glenechopark.org.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

S P O RTI N I N D. C.

DE C E M B E R 18, 2015 37

PHOTO COURTESY OF FEDERAL TRIANGLES

SCOTT TERIBURY, left, and ANDY SYLVIA on the eld.

Players of all skill levels

nd fun in gay league
By KEVIN MAJOROS
This week in the continuing Blade series
on the rookies and veterans that make up
the LGBT sports teams in the Washington
area, we check in with two gay athletes
from the Federal Triangles Soccer Club.
The Triangles host the Summer of
Freedom League every summer and
three tournaments throughout the year.
In addition, their players travel to out-oftown tournaments and play in a variety of
straight leagues in the area.
Scott Teribury grew up on military
bases mostly in northern Virginia and
competed in wrestling and soccer. He
also ran cross country and track for his
high school. During his collegiate years
at Christopher Newport University, he
played intramural soccer.
After moving to the D.C. area in
2012 to work in consulting, he Googled
gay sports and found two clubs that
interested him, D.C. Front Runners and
the Federal Triangles Soccer Club. He
ended up going with a friend to a Triangles
pick-up game in 2013 and was recruited
and put into a league mid-season.
When I moved to the area I only knew
a couple of people, Teribury says. The
Triangles participate in so many things and
the athletes are all so dierent. I have made
many new friends including a best friend.
Teribury has been competing in the
area competitive leagues along with the
Summer of Freedom League. He says
the veterans are very supportive and
are always looking to put new players
on their teams. Several of the Triangles
players have called Teribury the best
rookie player to come along in years.

He has also been traveling with his

teammates to tournaments and has played
in Cleveland, Provincetown, Rehoboth
Beach, Philadelphia and New York.
An ankle injury in October has him
sidelined for the time being and he will
have surgery in January. The recovery
period will be four to six months, but he
is already planning his return.
The International Gay & Lesbian
Football Association Worldcup is in
Portland in August of 2016, Teribury
says. I am hoping to be there.
Andy Sylvia was born and raised on the
eastern shore of Maryland and played
club soccer up until his high school years.
After nishing his degree at Salisbury
University he moved to the D.C area for
his work in human resources.
In 1998 he was looking for a new social
activity and began playing pick-up games
with the Triangles and is still playing with
some of those same players.
My rst tournament with the Triangles
was in Fort Lauderdale and it was great
opportunity to bond with my teammates.
Soccer has given me a fun group of people
to travel with, Sylvia says. I have also met
people from all over the world and it is a
comfortable feeling to compete with those
same athletes at the international events.
Over the past 18 years, Sylvia has
played in tournaments in Cologne,
Dublin, London, Copenhagen, Sydney,
Buenos Aires, Barcelona and Montreal
among others. Along with Teribury, he is
also planning on being at the Worldcup in
Portland next year.
Sylvia says people come and go all
the time and depending on the skill
level of the rookie player coming in, you
sometimes have to remind them that
they are playing in a recreational league.
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CA LE N D A R

E-mail calendar items to calendars@washblade.

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

TODAY
The Downtown Holiday Marketkicks
o today and runs through Dec. 23.
Various vendors will be selling crafts,
fashion, jewelry, home decor and
more. There will also be live music
performances throughout the month.
Alexas Empanadas, Vigilante Coee Co.,
Migues Magnicent Mini Donuts and the
Taste of Germany will be selling food.
For a list of performers and vendors,
visitdowntownholidaymarket.com.
Gay District meets at the D.C. Center
(1318 U St., N.W.) tonight from 8:30-9:30
p.m. The facilitated group discussion
covers building understanding of gay
culture and personal identity and
awareness of community events for LGBT
men between the ages of 18-35 in the D.C.
area. For more details, visit thedccenter.
org or gaydistrict.org.
Number Nine (1435 P St., N.W.) hosts a
happy hour today from 5-9 p.m. All drinks
are half price. Admission is free. For more
information, visit numberninedc.com.
Burgundy Crescent, a gay volunteer
organization, volunteers today for the
Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation at
the Falls Church PetSmart (6100 Arlington
Blvd., Falls Church, Va.) at 11:45 a.m.
today. You will be paired with a dog on a
leash to walk around and play with. Wear
casual clothes. For more information,
visit burgundycrescent.org.

SATURDAY, DEC. 19
The D.C. Eagle (3701 Benning Rd.,
N.E.), D.C. Imperial Court and the D.C.
Sisters host its Winter Solstice Ball tonight
at 8 p.m. There will be performances,
demonstrations and auction items.
Kristina Kelly will emcee. There will also
be a fundraiser for Food & Friends.
For more details, visit facebook.com/
dcleatherpride.
Safari D.C. (4306 Georgia Ave., N.W.)
hosts Raw Silk: a disco dance party
tonight at 10 p.m. DJ Soulvester, DJ
Giogrio Monrose and DJ Sissyt will spin.
For more information, search Raw Silk: a
disco dance party on Facebook.
Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) hosts Bare:
Holiday Edition, a gay dance party,
tonight from 10 p.m.-3 a.m. DJ Keenan
Orr and DJ Deedub Tezrah will spin. The
DystRucXion dancers will perform. There
will be drink specials all night. Cover is $7
before midnight and $10 after. For more
details, visit cobaltdc.com.
Snow Day presents its fth annual
Snow Day Bar Crawl in Dupont Circle
today starting at 2 p.m. Tickets include
one signature bar crawl mug and no
cover at the bars. Drink specials will be
$2 Bud Lights, $3 specialty cocktails, $4

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DOWNTOWN HOLIDAY MARKET

The Downtown Holiday Market has a wide variety of vendors and foot oered through Dec. 23 on F Street between 7th and 9th streets, N.W. from
noon to 8 p.m. Details at downtownholidaymarket.com.

Jack Daniels Fire shots and more. Bars

participating will be Blacknn, Recessions,
Front Page, Madhatter, Ozio, Bottom
Line, Public Bar and many more. Tickets
start at $15. For more information, visit
snowdaydc.com.
Arlington Gay and Lesbian Alliance
(AGLA) hosts a brunch at Freddies Beach
Bar (555 23rd St., Arlington, Va.) today from
11 a.m.-1 p.m. There will be a breakfast
buet with made-to-order omelets and
Belgian waes. Coee, soda and juice
will also be available. Cost is $9.99 for the
buet. Anyone is welcome and guests
do not have to be members of AGLA to
attend. For more details, visit agla.org.

SUNDAY, DEC. 20
Alexandria Symphony Orchestra
holds a family holiday concert at St. Pauls
Episcopal Church (228 S Pitt St., Alexandria,
Va.) today at 3 p.m. They will perform songs
from Duke Ellingtons The Nutcracker
Suite. After the show, a reception with
holiday treats and drinks will be held. Santa
Claus will also make an appearance. Adult
tickets are $20 and youth tickets for people
18 and under are $5. For more information,
visit alexsym.org.
The Beltway Bears host its annual
holiday happy hour at Tiber Island
Cooperative
Homes
(429
N
St.,
S.W.) today from 4-7 p.m. For more
details,
visit
facebook.com/groups/
beltwaybearsocial.
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.

MONDAY, DEC. 21
John Waters brings his one-man
holiday show A John Waters Christmas:
Holier & Dirtier to the Birchmere (3701
Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria, Va.)
tonight at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $49.50.
For more details, visit birchmere.com.
The D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.)
hosts coee drop-in hours this morning
from 10 a.m.-noon for the senior LGBT
community. Older LGBT adults can
come and enjoy complimentary coee
and conversation with other community
members. For more information, visit
thedccenter.org.
Us Helping Us (3636 Georgia Ave.,
N.W.) holds a support group for gay black
men to discuss topics that aect them,
share perspectives and have meaningful
conversations. For details, visit uhupil.org.
Nellies Sports Bar (900 U St., N.W.)
hosts poker night tonight at 8 p.m. Win
prizes. Free to play. For more information,
visit nelliessportsbar.com.

TUESDAY, DEC. 22
The Chesapeake and Potomac
Softball League hosts a holiday happy
hour at Nellies Sports Bar (900 U St., N.W.
tonight from 7-10 p.m. All are welcome.
For more information, visit facebook.
com/CAPSsoftballLeague.
Genderqueer D.C. holds a discussion
group at the D.C. Center (13181 U St.,

N.W.) at 7 p.m. tonight. The group is for

anyone who identies outside of the
gender binary as bigender, agender,
genderuid or any label outside of
cisgender. For more information, visit
thedccenter.org.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 23
The Lambda Bridge Club meets
tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Dignity Center
(721 8th St., S.E.) for duplicate bridge. No
reservations required and new comers
welcome. If you need a partner, call 703407-6540.
SMYAL hosts an open mic night today
from 5-7 p.m. Gay youth can come to
talk openly about the issues they face
with their sexual orientation or gender
identity. For more information, visit
smyal.org.

THURSDAY, DEC. 24
Nice Jewish Girls, a Jewish lesbian
group, host a Christmas Eve dinner at
Sala Thai Restaurant (1301 U St., N.W.)
at 6 p.m. RSVP is required for the dinner.
Email Heather Alpem at heather.alpem@
gmail.com to RSVP. For more details, visit
facebook.com/njgdc.
The Mansion on O Street (2020 O St.,
N.W.) hosts a Christmas Eve dinner with
a seating at 5:30 p.m. and another at 7:30
p.m. The dinner is a gourmet holiday buet
for $50. After eating, shop the mansions
annual Christmas Eve sale to get that last
minute gift. The shop is open until 11 p.m.
For details, visit omansion.com.

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

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

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name and logo on marketing materials by James Williams, President, 909 U St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20001. (202) 742-7290. We are pledged to the letter
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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

A R T S & EN TE RTA I NMENT

DE C E M B E R 18, 2015 41

Smoke Fairies charm

on Wild Winter
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27

MARC BROUSSARD MAGNOLIAS & MISTLETOE

Magnolias & Mistletoe is the rst holiday album by Louisiana-based Marc Broussard
and he brings his trademark husky vocals and bluesy bayou vibe to a stellar collection
of standards and two originals. Broussard doesnt stray too far from the traditional
arrangements of holiday staples O Holy Night, The Christmas Song and The First
Noel, allowing his powerhouse voice to shine over the stripped-down instrumentation.
Broussard closes the album with two superb original ballads, When Christmas Comes
Along and Almost Christmas. Magnolias & Mistletoe was clearly a labor of love and
Broussards genuine heart and sincerity come through in every track.
JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA BIG BAND HOLIDAYS
Famed jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis is the musical director for New York Citys Jazz at
Lincoln Center Orchestra and on Big Band Holidays he leads the uber-talented collective
though a fresh and lively parade of holiday favorites. Particularly noteworthy is the eightminute take on What Child is This? featuring the acclaimed vocalist Ccile McLorin Salvant.
Washington, D.C.-based singer Ren Marie is fantastic on her two tracks, a playful take on
Zat You, Santa Claus? and an elegant performance of Ill Be Home For Christmas. Big
Band Holidays is a joyous presentation of the Orchestra at their exhilarating best.
SHARON JONES & THE DAP KINGS ITS A HOLIDAY SOUL PARTY
Nobody does old-school soul like Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings and they prove it
once again on their rst seasonal collection Its a Holiday Soul Party. The album is aptly
named, as the always-tight Dap Kings deliver their smokin hot retro R&B vibe and Jones
expertly vamps her way through 11 classics and originals. Tired of the same old boring
renditions? Check out Jones & the Dap Kings on their wildly hoppin take on White
Christmas, or the smoldering groove they deliver on Funky Little Drummer Boy. Its a
Holiday Soul Party will be entertaining festive revelers for years to come.

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RUPAULS DRAG RACE CHRISTMAS QUEENS

Some of the most memorable contestants from RuPauls Drag Race serve up holiday
realness on Christmas Queens, a collection of nervy and naughty Christmas nuggets
certain to delight fans of the show. Sharon Needles punk-rock version of Jingle Bells
is priceless, and Jiggy Caliente is hilarious on Ratchet Christmas. Miss Fame delivers a
lovely retro take on the dreamy Toyland. Christmas Queens oers a campy respite
from the same old earnest perennials we hear every year. And if that wasnt enough,
RuPaul also released a new holiday CD this year, Slay Belles, so sashay away to your
favorite retailer and grab them both.
THE BRIAN SETZER ORCHESTRA ROCKIN RUDOLPH
Iconic Stray Cats frontman and guitarist Brian Setzer swings and rocks his way
through 12 seasonal gems on Rockin Rudolph, the third holiday album with his big
band orchestra. Rockin Around The Christmas Tree is a natural for Setzer, and Here
Comes Santa Claus stands out as well. Perhaps the most surprising is his atmospheric
take on Carol of the Bells, one of the best versions of that classic in ages. Rockin
Rudolph starts right back up from where Boogie Woogie Christmas and Dig That
Crazy Christmas left o, with fun festive energy and plenty of groove.
SMOKE FAIRIES WILD WINTER
For something a bit dierent and more contemplative, British indie-pop duo Smoke
Fairies seasonal collection Wild Winter is denitely not the kind of stu you might
hear at Macys. The 10 dreamy tracks are made for late nights and candlelight while
the wind roars outside and the snow piles deep. Crystalline vocals gleam over a bed of
hazy keyboards and guitar on the darkly beautiful Snowglobe Blizzard, Three Kings
and the wonderfully atmospheric title-track Wild Winter is a dierent kind of holiday
album, but after all the frivolity and exuberance its the perfect antidote for chilling at
home after the party is over.

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

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WA SH I N GTO NB LADE.C OM

D E CE MBE R 1 8 , 2 0 1 5 4 3

REALESTATE

Perfect gifts for new homeowners

Private chefs, massages,
pet doors and more
By VALERIE M. BLAKE
Tis the season to be jolly, to hang
stockings on the mantel, to light candles
on the Menorah, to baste a turkey, honeyup a ham or serve up a slice of roast beef
with some Yorkshire pudding. No matter what, if any, holiday you celebrate, its
also the season for gift-giving and racking
up huge credit card bills.
It can be dicult to nd just the right
gift for someone on your list. So many
people simply buy what they need during
the course of the year that even listening
to them drop hints about what they want
or keeping track of things they have eyed
in the store or online may not be helpful.
So what do you get the man or woman
who has everything during the holiday
season? Well, if he or she bought a home
this year, bypass the bottle of Champagne and try something more creative
(and maybe even useful) to complement
a new home purchase.
A good friend of mine surprised me
with a gift certicate to The Container
Store this week. Who doesnt need Elfa
shelving or a container or two to hold all
the stu you should never have bothered
to move to your new house to begin with?
It could be the start of a beautiful relationship.
Weve all seen those commercials featuring that perky gal named Angie. Well,

she has this list, you see, that you can buy
a subscription to so the recipient will never have to ask you for the name of your
plumber again and you can keep him all
to yourself.
Got a friend with pets? How about a
doggy door? Want to spend a bit more?
Add a gift certicate for a waste removal
rm with a cute name like Doody Calls or
The Poop Scoop Troop to take care of the
worst part of owning a dog.
Moving into a new place can be hard
on the nerves and on the back. Dinner
for two prepared by a private chef can be
a welcome treat to pamper your friends
after they nish schlepping boxes up the
stairs and from room to room. A couples
massage or an excursion for the kids
(theirs, not yours) will complete a wonderful, relaxing package.
Looking for a stocking stuer? Try a set of
change of address cards or return address
labels. Or how about a gift certicate for
dog walking, cat sitting or plant watering?
Spend an afternoon roaming the aisles
of your favorite orange or blue box store
(or their online equivalent) and assemble
a personalized x-it kit. Include such
things as a tape measure, hammer, multihead screwdriver, box of nails and picture hanging hardware, then put it all in
the pockets of a cute tool belt that even
the novice homeowner can wear around
the house to look like one of the Property
Brothers or a Rehab Addict.
Leaning toward the more traditional
gift? A basket of bare necessities like toilet
paper and light bulbs is a gift that keeps

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Got a friend with pets? Consider giving a doggy door as a gift to a new homeowner.

on giving and can be shared with friends,

while a thorough housecleaning by a reputable crew will always be welcome.
Is your friend a gadget enthusiast? How
about a gift of a Nest thermostat? She can
spend countless hours walking in front of
it watching it adjust to her use patterns.
If a bathroom remodel is on the agenda, think Game of Thrones and surprise
the new homeowner with an energy ecient, comfort height toilet.
No extra cash? One of best gifts might
be that of your time I will happily share
my WiFi if youll wait in my home for the
cable guy, the furniture delivery man, the
FedEx lady, or anyone wearing brown.
If you really want to go all out, frame

a picture for a friend. I can attest from

recent personal experience that framing
has to be one of the most costly items of
dcor that you may ever run across. Nearly $2,000 and eight paintings later, I feel
as if Im the one who has been framed.
And as someone who purchased a new
home this year myself, I have yet one more
suggestion: make my mortgage payment.
(All I need is 360 well-heeled friends in
a gift-giving mood and Im done.)

VALERIE M. BLAKE can be reached at 202-2468602 or Valerie@DCHomeQuest.com. Each

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BODY & SOUL

DEADLINES

years serving the community. Mike

Counseling Community since 1973.

BEST MASSAGE by male certified
therapist. Soothing Swedish; deeptissue; stress & pain release. Safe
Atmosphere in Annandale, VA, almost
right off I-395. Days/Eve/Wkend. In/
Out calls. Hotels welcome. Call Marval
(703) 568-6348.

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

Locker Room Attendants. We all

scrub toilets & do heavy cleaning. You
must be physically able to handle the
work & have a great attitude doing
it. No drunks/druggies need apply.
Please call Richard at (202) 319-1333.
from 9-5pm, to schedule an interview.

LEGAL SERVICES

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

Fairfax represents clients in DC, MD

& VA. interested in adoption or ART
matters.301-221-9651,JFairfax@
jenniferfairfax.com.

OUR GUYS AROUND TOWN

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

CLEANING
TOO NEAT GUYS INC.
Residential & Commercial cleaning
in DC & Northern VA. Over 20 years
experience, gay owned, licensed,
bonded & insured. Email: tooneat@
comcast.net, (703) 622-5983.
FERNANDOS CLEANING:
Residential & Commercial Cleaning,
Reasonable Rates, Free Estimates,
Routine, 1-Time, Move-In/Move-Out.
(202) 234-7050, 202-486-6183.

ADOPTION & ASSISTED

REPRODUCTIVE Law Attorney Jennifer

MOVERS

MAIDTOCLEAN Gay owned,

awesome, trustworthy & reliable!
Serving the DC/VA area. Mention
this ad for $50 off. Maidtoclean.com.
(703) 299-0101.

SEXY GUYS
CLEAN TOO!

Catering to the
discriminating taste
of the Metro DC Gay
Community since
2005. Who says sexy,
handsome guys cant
clean too? CALL 571-2765271 for estimates.
PLACE YOUR CLASSIFIEDS ONLINE

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

CONTINENTAL MOVERS LOCAL &

Long distance Moving Services $80 x
hour x two men plus driving time Big
& small jobs also 202 438 1489 / 301
340 0602 cmora53607@msn.com
www.continentalmovers.net.

TREE SERVICE
BRANCHES - FULL SERVICE
Tree Expert Company. Certified
Arborists, pruning, insect &
disease diagnosis, treatment &
removal. 301-589-6181. www.
BranchesTreeExperts.com. Angies
List Award Winner 09, 10, 11, 12.

DEADLINES

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PICTURES
BOLD TEXT
LARGE TEXT
COLOR
AND MORE
CONTACT US AT 202-747-2077 x8092

All Classified Ads

- Including Regular & Adult Must Be Received
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So They Can Be Included
in That Weeks Edition of
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SHARE / VA
MALE SEEKING ROOMMATE
& new place January-ish. Only
Arlington. Prefer Pentagon City.
Got place in mind. Im part goofy,
part serious, 52, neat. I rarely drink.
Prefer nonsmoker. Drop me a line.
DennisJaffe@Gmail.com.

REAL ESTATE AGENTS

DEADLINES

All Classified Ads

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

SHARE / DC
CAPITOL HILL semi-furnished
rooms for rent in well appointed
townhome. 2 1/2 blocks from Eastern
Market Metro. Finished single BR for
$945+utilities. Available immediately.
Call 202-544-5688.
SW DC WATERFRONT GWM ISO
same to share home. Cable, WiFi
included. Garden & outdoor areas.
Utilities, maid, parking included. Call
Bruce (202) 488-4888.

SHARE / MD
ISO Female to share lovely
House in Accokeek MD. Employed,
neat, responsible female to share.15
minutes from National Harbor,
25 minutes from Metro, close to
shopping & downtown DC! Enjoy
peace of suburbs & convenience
of city! LARGE fenced yard, new
hardwood floors, great kitchen,
$575.00 per month + $75.00/month
utilities. Pets ok. Credit check, lease,
$300.00 security deposit, first/
last months rent due at signing.
Ruthsphonemail@aol.com.
GLENMONT/SS HOUSE, near
Metro & ICC, new 3,000 sf., 3 bdrm,
2.5 bath, dedicated parking; W/D,
FiOS. Seeking dog-friendly, GM, nonsmoker.Tomsommers2@gmail.com
for photos/info. $1,150+ utils.
ROOM FOR RENT Clean quiet safe
3blks to metro $175.00 a wk. includes
utilities. 301-503-4263.

WASHNGTON D.C. TOP GAY

REALTORS! Instant Free Access to
D.C. & NationsTop LGBT Realtors.
FREE Buyers Representation FREE
Sellers Competitive Market Analysis
+ FREE Relocation Kit any City, USA.
Be Represented! Choose your
Perfect Agent On-line at;WWW.
GAYREALESTATE.COM

RENT / DC
PETWORTH, 3BR/2BA GORGEOUS
home. Newly renovated rowhouse for
rent in the heart of Petworth. Contact
703.501.0843 or jhowellbarros@
gmail.com to set up a tour.

WOMENS PERSONALS
LOOKING FOR LONG TERM
Single looking 4 mature woman
for possible LTR. Retired women
who recently moved back from
N. Carolina; Like movies, hiking &
snuggling, sharing those special
moments smile.Intrigued? Check out
my ad online.

PLACE YOUR FREE AD ONLINE

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM/CLASSIFIEDS

BODYWORK

In-Calls.

MENS PERSONALS

ISO sharing Look 65 according

to WSC trainer. ISO man, younger
good, for touching, holding, sharing.
Contact by email: hwcummins@
yahoo.com.

Swedish, Massage or Deep Tissue.

Appts 202-486-6183, Low Rates, 24/7,

GWF, SOFT BUTCH, attractive,

blue eyes, brown hair. I walk three
miles every day. I like movies, music,
playing cards, tv & pizza. ISO GWF
attractive, feminine, for friendship &
a long term relationship. If you are
interested, call Debbie 703-368-3618.

VA SENIOR, artist, wants to meet

male. Soccer or lacrosse player or
cyclist a plus. 571-970-7782.

THE MAGIC TOUCH:

AFTERNOON DELIGHT
Custom bodywork! Exceptional deep
tissue & sensual bodywork for total
stress relief in private studio on the
Hill or in my new Dupont location. Call
Erik 202-544-5688. No texts. In calls
only. Intro Special $99.00.

WHITE EX NAVY GUY NICK

In Town Visiting Hot guy visiting, mild
to wild, great massage, pics & video
can be seen at http://rentmen.com/
Nickintown call 202-820-3126 for an
appointment. 58, Black/Blue, 8.
EROTIC SWEDISH MASSAGE
- healthy clean cut guy, 61, 160 lbs,
Dupont Circle, massage table, noon
to 1:00 a.m., indulge your body. $70
for 1 hour. Bill 202-728-0238. No text
messages.

DUNGEON MASSAGE?
or Rent our dungeon. Explore
your fantasies! Surprise a BF or
FB. Awesome, clean, discrete. Fully
equipped private DC playroom.
(Tutorial/instruction available). 202544-5688.

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W A SH I N G T O N BLA D E . CO 1 8

4 to 8pm every Saturday @ the houSe Beer $5 / door $10 35350 GeorGia ave NW

FREE TO LISTEN
AND REPLY TO ADS
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A D V ERTI SI NG
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Baltimore:

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