NOTHING COMPARES TO PRINCE

A tribute to the Purple One

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Al-Qaida says it
targeted man for
promoting homosexuality
By MICHAEL K. LAVERS
mlavers@washblade.com

XULHAZ MANNAN was hacked to death in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka

on April 25.
PHOTO COURTESY OF BANGLADESH AGAINST HOMOPHOBIA

An editor of Bangladeshs rst LGBT

magazine was hacked to death on Monday.
The Dhaka Times reported that Xulhaz
Mannan, who was an editor of Roopbaan,
and a friend, Tanay Mojumdar, were killed
inside an apartment in the Bangladeshi
capital of Dhaka. The newspaper said up to
half a dozen young men who claimed they
worked for a courier company entered the
apartment building and attacked Mannan
and Mojumdar.
Mannan, who was also a prominent LGBT
rights advocate in the South Asian country,
worked at the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka.
I am devastated by the brutal murder
of Xulhaz Mannan and another young
Bangladeshi this evening in Dhaka, said
U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh Marcia
Stephens Bloom Bernicat in a statement.
Xulhaz was more than a colleague to those
of us fortunate to work with him at the

Frontrunners dominate
rivals, pivot toward fall
matchup
By CHRIS JOHNSON
cjohnson@washblade.com

DONALD TRUMP swept ve primary contests this week.

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY LEE WHITMAN

Presidential front-runners Hillary Clinton

and Donald Trump are closer to clinching
their party nominations after big wins
Tuesday in the so-called Acela primary.
The contest, so named because the Acela
train system runs throughthe participating
states, consisted of primaries in Maryland,
Delaware, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and
Rhode Island. Trump won in all ve states

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

U.S. Embassy. He was a dear friend. Our

prayers are with Xulhaz, the other victim,
and those injured in the attack. We abhor
this senseless act of violence and urge the
government of Bangladesh in the strongest
terms to apprehend the criminals behind
these murders.
U.S.
Agency
for
International
Development Administrator Gayle Smith
said in a statement that Mannan worked for
the U.S. Embassy for eight years until joining
USAID last September.
Today, USAID lost one of our own, said
Smith. On behalf of our entire team, I send
our deepest condolences to the family,
friends, and colleagues of USAID Foreign
Service National Xulhaz Mannan, who was
brutally murdered in Bangladesh today.
We condemn this cruel and inhumane act
of violence and add our voices to all those
calling to bring his cowardly attackers to
justice.
State Department spokesperson John
Kirby described Mannan as a staunch
defender of LGBT rights.
He was a staunch defender of LGBT
rights, said Kirby. He was brutally, viciously
CONTINUES ON PAGE 10

over his rivals Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and

Ohio Gov. John Kasich, while Clinton won
in four of the ve contests, losing to Sen.
Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) only in Rhode Island.
In her victory speech in Philadelphia,
Clinton pledged to return soon to the city,
where the Democratic National Committee
will be held, to claim her partys nomination
to run for president.
With your help, were going to come back
to Philadelphia for the Democratic National
Convention with the most votes and the most
pledged delegates, Clinton said. And we will
unify our party to win this election and build
an America where we can all rise together,
CONTINUES ON PAGE 11

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LO CA L N E W S

freedom bill that critics contend allows discrimination based on sexual orientation and
gender identity.
Both laws have sparked widespread outrage among LGBT rights advocates and their
supporters across the country.
The Montgomery County Council resolution condemns the discriminatory laws
passed in North Carolina and Mississippi. It also supports the residents of the two
states who are seeking to repeal these discriminatory laws.
New York is among the states that have banned ocial travel to North Carolina and
Mississippi over HB and HB 1523. The British Foreign Oce issued an advisory last week
that warns travelers about the laws.
MICHAEL K. LAVERS

D.C. to bid on 2022 Gay Games

NENE LEAKES will join the Washington Blades table at Saturdays White House
Correspondents Dinner.
PHOTO BY IDOMINICK; COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

Blade to escort Leakes, Harris-Perry

to White House dinner
The Washington Blade announced this week plans to escort two prominent
LGBT allies to Saturdays White House Correspondents Dinner: actress and
reality TV star NeNe Leakes and professor and former MSNBC host Melissa
Harris-Perry.
Leakes has starred in Glee and The New Normal and appeared on
Broadway in Cinderella and Chicago in addition to her role on Bravos Real
Housewives of Atlanta.
Harris-Perry is a professor at Wake Forest University. She hosted the Melissa
Harris-Perry show on MSNBC from 2012-2016 and recently was named editor
at large for Elle.com.
Both of these women have been allies to the LGBT community in dierent
ways and the Blade is happy to thank them for their visibility by inviting them
to join our table at the White House Correspondents Dinner, said Blade editor
Kevin Na, who will attend along with the Blades White House reporter, Chris
Johnson.
This years dinner marks the nal appearance by President Obama, who is
scheduled to deliver the traditional monologue. Larry Wilmore of Comedy
Centrals The Nightly Show is the emcee. Red carpet arrivals are televised
starting at 6 p.m. on various cable networks; the program begins at 7:30 p.m.
STAFF REPORTS

Montgomery Co. seeks travel ban to N.C., Miss.

The Montgomery County Council this week unanimously approved a resolution that
calls for a ban on ocial travel to jurisdictions with anti-LGBT laws.
As a place that stands for equality and respect, Montgomery County should not
support jurisdictions that have enacted laws that perpetuate hate, fear, and bigotry,
reads the resolution.
North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory last month signed House Bill 2, which prohibits
transgender people from using public restrooms consistent with their gender identity
and bans municipalities from enacting LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination ordinances.
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant on April 5 signed House Bill 1523, a sweeping religious

D.C. is among 17 cities on three continents that have expressed an interest in bidding
to become the host city for the 2022 Gay Games, the quadrennial international LGBT
sports competition.
According to a statement released on April 19 by the Federation of Gay Games,
organizations in D.C. and the other cities must embark on a rigorous and costly process
of putting together and submitting a formal bid by Nov. 30, 2016.
Brent Minor, executive director of Team D.C., an association of 31 LGBT sports groups
in the D.C. metropolitan area, said the association will be the bidding organization for
hosting the 2022 Gay Games.
He said Team D.C. ocials are condent that the knowledge and experience they
gained in bidding on the 2014 Gay Games will enable them to put together a top-notch
bid for the 2022 games.
D.C. lost the bidding competition to Cleveland for the 2014 Gay Games. But according
to Minor, D.C. came in second place and its 300-plus page bid was considered by FGA
ocials to be highly professional and sucient to make D.C. a successful host for the
games.
At the time they selected Cleveland, FGA ocials said D.C. and Boston, which along
with Cleveland were nalists in the competition, could have successfully hosted the
games. The ocials said Cleveland was selected because the FGA believed holding the
games there would better advance LGBT equality in a region of the U.S. that was less
advanced in LGBT rights than the Boston and D.C. regions.
The other cities that expressed interest along with D.C. in bidding to host the 2022
games are Anaheim, Calif.; Atlanta, Ga.; Austin, Texas; Cape Town, South Africa; Denver,
Colo.; Des Moines, Iowa; Guadalajara, Mexico; Hong Kong; Los Angeles; Madison, Wis.;
Minneapolis; Salt Lake City, Utah; San Antonio, Texas; San Francisco; and Tel Aviv.
The next Gay Games is scheduled to take place in Paris in 2018.
The FGGs announcement of the start of the bidding process for the 2022 games came
just over a month after it announced it had withdrawn from longstanding negotiations
with the Gay & Lesbian International Sports Association (GLISA) about a possible merger
of the Gay Games and the GLISA sponsored Out Games.
FGG said in its announcement that it concluded a merged venture would be high risk
and the valuable nancial and human resources needed for such a venture couldnt
be justied at this time.
LOU CHIBBARO JR.

Trans woman acquitted in Casa Ruby assault case

One of two transgender women charged with simple assault and destruction of
property last January at the oces of D.C. community services center Casa Ruby was
found not guilty of the charges on Tuesday by a Superior Court judge following a oneday non-jury trial.
Judge Robert Morin acquitted Jeniyah Littman, 27, of the two misdemeanor charges,
which stemmed from allegations that she punched and threw computer monitors at
a Casa Ruby employee who is also a transgender woman during a Jan. 27 altercation.
Court records show that on Monday, Torkill Holcomb, 31, the other trans woman
charged in the Casa Ruby incident, accepted a plea bargain oer by prosecutors and
pled guilty to a single charge of destruction of property in connection with that case.
The court records show that Holcomb also pled guilty on Monday to an unrelated
charge of attempted assault with a dangerous weapon stemming from a March 28
incident in which she allegedly stabbed a man in the back after punching him in the face
in an apartment at 1900 West Virginia Ave., N.E.
The records show prosecutors with the U.S. Attorneys Oce agreed to lower the
charge from assault with a dangerous weapon to attempted assault with a dangerous
weapon in exchange for the guilty plea. Holcomb is scheduled to be sentenced for both
oenses on May 9.
LOU CHIBBARO JR.

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LO CA L N E W S

Clinton wins Stein Club endorsement

Shadow Representative FRANKLIN GARCIA, Del. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON (D-D.C.) and
Ward 2 Council member JACK EVANS all received endorsements at the Gertrude Stein
Democratic Clubs forum on Tuesday.
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

Gay City Council candidate

fails to win support
By LOU CHIBBARO JR.
lchibbaro@washblade.com
The Gertrude Stein Democratic Club,
the citys largest local LGBT political
organization, voted Tuesday night
to endorse Democratic presidential
candidate Hillary Clinton over rival Sen.
Bernard Sanders (D-Vt.) by a margin of
75.9 percent to 24.1 percent.
The
vote
took
place
after
representatives of the Clinton and
Sanders campaigns told more than 100
people attending a club endorsement
forum at Unity D.C. Church at 1225 R St.,
N.W. that the two presidential contenders
have strong records of support for the
LGBT community.
Allida Black, a George Washington
University professor and co-founder of
the group Ready for Hillary, called Clinton
a champion of LGBT rights in her roles
as Secretary of State and U.S. senator.
Black said Clintons longstanding
support for LGBT rights was highlighted
by her groundbreaking remarks at a
United Nations session in which she
declared, gay rights are human rights
and human rights are gay rights.
Catalina Velasquez, the Sanders
representative, identied herself as an
undocumented
transgender
Latina
woman. She said the fact that the
Sanders campaign has embraced her and
named her as a member of its LGBTQ
Steering Committee demonstrates the
strength and depth of Sanders support
for LGBT rights.
I am here to speak for someone who
has stood up for the right side of history,
Velasquez said.
In a development likely to surprise
some LGBT activists, gay former Advisory

Neighborhood
Commissioner
David
Garber, who is one of two candidates
challenging Council member Vincent
Orange (D-At-Large) in the citys June 14
Democratic primary, received just two
votes from Stein members at the Tuesday
night forum.
Orange received 44 votes. The third atlarge candidate, attorney and longtime civic
activist Robert White, received 37 votes after
he, Orange and Garber each expressed
strong support for LGBT equality.
With neither of the candidates receiving
a required 60 percent of the vote under
the clubs endorsement rules, a second
ballot runo vote was taken for the two
top vote getters. In that second round,
Orange received 37 votes compared to 31
votes for White, with Orange falling ve
votes short of the 60 percent threshold
needed for an endorsement.
We hereby declare that there shall be
no endorsement in the at-large Council
race, declared Stein Club President Earl
Fowlkes.
The no endorsement for the race for
the at-large seat just goes to show how
our community is split down the middle
on how they feel about Vincent Orange
and how they feel about Robert White,
Fowlkes told the Washington Blade after
the forum.
In the only other contested race
considered at the Tuesday forum, Ward 4
Council member Brandon Todd (D) won
the Stein Club endorsement by capturing
60 votes (71 percent) in a four-candidate
race. Challenger Calvin H. Gurley, who,
along with Todd, appeared at the forum,
received just one vote.
Ward 4 candidate Ron Austin, who did
not attend the forum, received 7 votes.
The name of the fourth candidate, Leon T.
Andrews Jr., did not appear on the ballot
distributed to club members at the forum.
Sixteen Stein Club members voted for no

endorsement in the Ward 4 contest.

In other races, D.C. Congressional
Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, Ward 2
Council member Jack Evans, and Shadow
Representative Franklin Garcia, who are
running unopposed in the Democratic
primary, each won the Stein Clubs
endorsement by a unanimous voice vote.
Norton and Evans have held their
respective oces since 1991. They are
considered by LGBT activists to be among
the citys most LGBT supportive elected
ocials. Both told the gathering they look
forward to continuing their role as LGBT
advocates if re-elected in November.
Todd took oce in 2015 after winning a
special election to ll the Ward 4 Council
seat vacated by Muriel Bowser, who won
election as mayor. He had served on
Bowsers Council sta, where he worked

on LGBT-related issues and got to know

many of the citys LGBT activists who
backed him in his rst Council race.
At the Stein Club forum on Tuesday,
Gurley criticized Todd for not being
aggressive enough in addressing a
number of issues, including what he
called D.C. Police Chief Cathy Laniers
dismantling of the departments LGBT
Liaison Unit. He was referring to concerns
raised by some LGBT activists that Lanier
was not replacing ocers who left the
unit to take other assignments.
Todd told the forum he has served as a
strong advocate for the LGBT community
on the Council and will continue to be an
advocate and friend of the community
if re-elected.
CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

A vigil for Keyonna Blakeney was held in front of the Rockville Council Oce Building
on April 23.
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

Slain trans woman honored at vigil

The police chiefs of Montgomery County and the city of Rockville and the
director of Rockvilles Oce of Human Rights joined more than 60 members of
the transgender community and their supporters at a vigil on April 23 to honor
the life of trans woman Keyonna Blakeney.
Blakeney, 22, was found dead on April 16 in her room at Rockvilles Red Roof
Inn. Police have listed the death as a homicide and said they are working day
and night to solve the case.
We are gathered here to remember one of our family members, said trans rights
advocate Ruby Corado, who founded D.C.s LGBT community center Casa Ruby.
It is very obvious that people are scared, said Corado in referring to what she
called an epidemic of trans-related murders across the country and in the D.C.
metropolitan area in recent years.
So we are here to show our own transgender community that your lives
have value, she told the gathering.
Among those participating in the vigil, which was held outside the Montgomery
County Council building in downtown Rockville, were Blakeneys father, Kenny
Linton, and her sister, Jasmine Blakeney.
She just turned 22, Linton told the gathering. She was still my baby. And I
want to become an advocate with all of you, he said, to help in the ght for the
rights of all people like his daughter.
LOU CHIBBARO JR.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

NATIONAL NEWS

A P RI L 2 9 , 2 0 1 6 0 7

The Gloucester County School

Board has asked the full 4th
U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
to review an April 19 decision
in favor of GAVIN GRIMM.
PHOTO COURTESY OF GRIMM

MARA KEISLING, from the National Center for Transgender Equality, was arrested this week.
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

Trans advocate
arrested in N.C. protest
Repeal of anti-LGBT
law unlikely
By CHRIS JOHNSON
cjohnson@washblade.com
On the rst day the North Carolina
Legislature reconvened after passing its
controversial anti-LGBT law last month,
opponents called for repeal of the measure.
On Monday, LGBT advocates delivered
a petition calling for repeal, held
demonstrations in the state capitol and
introduced legislation that would repeal
House Bill 2. The actions took place before
both chambers of the legislature were set to
reconvene for their general session at 7 p.m.
Signed by North Carolina Gov. Pat
McCrory last month after an emergency
single-day session of the legislature,
House Bill 2 prohibits municipalities in
North Carolina from passing pro-LGBT
non-discrimination ordinances and bars
transgender people from using restrooms
in schools and government buildings
consistent with their gender identity.
In the North Carolina House, Democrats
seeking to repeal the law State Reps.
Darren Jackson, Graig Meyer, Susi
Hamilton and Grier Martin introduced
legislation, House Bill 946, seeking to
undo the anti-LGBT law in its entirety.
State Rep. Ed Haines, a co-sponsor of the
bill, was among those speaking out in favor
of the measure during a news conference.
Im actually stunned at the doublingdown by our governor in the face of
rebuke by business people within his own
party who spent large sums in support
of his campaign and election of this
Republican majority that we have who
supported this bill, Haines said.
The proposed legislation retroactively
repeals House Bill 2 from the date it was
enacted into law on March 23, so any

nullied non-discrimination ordinance,

such as the recently approved one
in Charlotte, would remain in eect.
Additionally,
the
measure
would
appropriate $545,407 in recurring funds
for the states Human Rights Commission
for the upcoming scal year.
Despite this eort, House Speaker
Tim Moore and Lt. Gov. Dan Forest, who
oversees the North Carolina Senate,
have insisted they have no plan to revisit
House Bill 2 or any part of the legislation.
Meanwhile, competing demonstrations
took place at the state house over House
Bill 2. According to the New York Times,
thousands of supporters of House Bill 2
gathered near the General Assembly for
a rally that sometimes had the feel of a
revival meeting.
Opponents of House Bill 2 held a sit-in in
the capitol rotunda blocking the entrance
to the governors oce. A rally took
place outside the building in opposition
to the anti-LGBT law, but according to
the Charlotte News Observer, it seemed
smaller than the demonstration in
support of the measure.
Mara Keisling, executive director of the
National Center for Transgender Equality,
was detained after participating in a sit-in
at the state legislative building in protest
of House Bill 2.
The sit-in was part of the Moral
Monday movement led by the North
Carolina NAACP, which conducts sit-ins
on a regular basis while the legislature
is in session. According to the National
Center for Transgender Equality, Keisling
and 17 others were arrested on charges
of trespassing and were told theyd be out
in several hours.
According to the News & Observer,
there were a total of 54 arrests in the
state capitol Monday as a result of civil
disobedience over House Bill 2 18 in
the afternoon; 36 after closing time.

Va. seeks review of Grimm decision

GLOUCESTER, Va. A Virginia school district has asked a federal appeals
court to review its ruling in the case of a transgender student who is challenging
its restroom policy.
The Associated Press reported the Gloucester County School Board has asked
the full 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to review an April 19 decision in favor
of Gavin Grimm.
Grimm alleges in a federal lawsuit he led against the Gloucester County
School Board that its policy barring him from using the boys restroom or locker
room is unconstitutional under the 14th Amendments Equal Protection Clause
and violates Title IX of the U.S. Education Amendments of 1972.
The April 19 ruling is the rst time that a federal appeals court has ruled on the
issue of trans people accessing bathrooms consistent with their gender identity.

Gay couple wins custody in surrogacy case

BANGKOK A Thai court on April 26 ruled in favor of a gay couple that was
embroiled in a bitter custody battle over their daughter who was born to a
surrogate mother.
The BBC reported the Bangkok Family Court ruled Gordon Bud Lake, who
is from the U.S., is the legal guardian of Carmen Santos Lake, who was born
last year. The decision allowed Lakes husband, Manuel Santos Valero, to leave
Thailand with their daughter and bring her to Spain where the couple lives.
We are so happy about the ruling today, Gordon Bud Lake told the
Washington Blade in an email on April 26. We are just happy that we will nally
be able to all be together again as a family.
Lake told the Blade in a previous interview that he visited the surrogate mother
in a Bangkok hospital with his son lvaro, who was also born through a surrogate
in 2013, shortly after his daughter was born. Santos did not accompany him, but
the surrogate mother later said she objected to the fact the gay couple was not
an ordinary family.
I will be going to Thailand to get things ready to bringCarmenand Manuel
home, Lake told the Blade.

Former U.S. senator to marry partner

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. Former Pennsylvania U.S. Sen. Harris Woord has
announced he will marry his partner, Matthew Charlton.
The lawmakers second marriage comes nearly 20 years after the death of his
wife. In an op-ed column written in The New York Times on April 24, Woord, 90,
describes meeting and falling in love with Charlton, 40. Woord was 75 at the
time and Charlton 25 when the pair met on a beach.
We both felt the immediate spark, and as time went on, we realized that our
bond had grown into love, Woord writes. Other than with Clare, I had never
felt love blossom this way before.
Woords wife Claire died in 1996 after battling leukemia.
Too often, our society seeks to label people by pinning them on the wall
straight, gay or in between, Woord writes. I dont categorize myself based
on the gender of those I love. I had a half-century of marriage with a wonderful
woman, and now am lucky for a second time to have found happiness.
Woords political career included being an adviser to John F. Kennedy and
working alongside Martin Luther King, Jr.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

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NATIONAL NEWS

Lawmakers criticize Saudi Arabia over LGBT rights

Homosexuality punishable
by death in the kingdom
By MICHAEL K. LAVERS
mlavers@washblade.com
More than 30 members of Congress have
signed a letter to Saudi Arabias ambassador
to the U.S. that expresses concern over the
countrys LGBT rights record.
The April 22 letter to Prince Abdullah
Al Saud which gay New York
Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney
spearheaded notes the use of torture
and capital punishment against the
LGBTQ community.
The letter highlights a task force against
sexual anomaly that the Saudi government
created investigates and charges members
of the LGBT community as though they
were pedophiles. It also notes reports
that citizens identifying themselves as
LGBTQ on social media can be punished by
ogging or even execution.
These reports are highly concerning,
reads the letter.
Out U.S. Reps. Jared Polis (D-Colo.), Mark
Takano (D-Calif.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.),
David Cicilline (D-R.I.) and Mark Pocan
(D-Wis.) signed the letter alongside Maloney.
D.C. Congressional Del. Eleanor Holmes
Norton is also among the signatories.
Saudi Arabia is among the handful of
countries in which consensual same-sex
sexual relations remains punishable by death.
Oraz, a Saudi newspaper, reported last

Rep. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY drafted a

letter criticizing Saudi Arabia.
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

month that prosecutors in the city of Jiddah

have proposed the death penalty for anyone
who comes out online in the kingdom.
The State Departments 2015 human
rights report notes it is illegal for men to
cross-dress or behave like women in
Saudi Arabia.
The report notes that Saudi authorities
arrested several people in Jiddah last June
after they raided two parties involving
LGBTI individuals. It also indicates the
Committee for the Promotion of Virtue
and the Prevention of Vice the socalled religious police that endorses
Sharia law in the kingdom ned an
international school $25,000 last July for
painting rainbows on its building that were
described as emblems of homosexuality.

No one regardless of where they live

should be subject to torture or capital
punishment because of who they are or
who they love, said Maloney, who co-chairs
the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus,
in a press release that his oce released
on Monday. The reports are horrifying,
unacceptable and demand an immediate
response from the United States.
Freedom House Executive Vice President
Daniel Calingaert echoed Maloney.
Fundamental rights, including free
expression and peaceful dissent, are
routinely and severely suppressed in
Saudi Arabia, said Calingaert. The
human rights of LGBT people should be
respected everywhere. They should not
be singled out for discrimination, let alone

face criminal charges and prosecution.

The lawmakers sent their letter to Al
Saud two days after President Obama
met with King Salman in the Saudi capital
of Riyadh.
The Associated Press reported that
Obama and King Salman discussed the
Iran nuclear deal and the Syrian civil war
during their meeting. The president and
Secretary of State John Kerry attended a
regional summit that focused on the socalled Islamic State and other topics on
April 21.
Saudi Arabia remains a key U.S. ally,
especially in the ght against the so-called
Islamic State. The kingdom received
$10,000 from the United States last year
for military education and training.

Cruz: Trans women should use restroom at home

2016 hopeful highlights
dierence with Trump
By CHRIS JOHNSON
cjohnson@washblade.com
Republican presidential hopeful Ted Cruz
took his anti-trans rhetoric a step further
over the weekend by indicating transgender
women should only use restrooms at home
and avoid public facilities.
Cruz, whos made made anti-LGBT
positions a cornerstone of his campaign
and said North Carolinas anti-LGBT
law is perfectly reasonable, made the
remarks Saturday during an appearance
in Plaineld, Ind., that was captured on
video by the progressive group American
Bridge 21st Century.
Every one of us has the right to live our
lives as we wish, Cruz said. If any one
of us wants to dress up as a woman or
man and wants to live as woman or man
and believes that we might be something

Sen. TED CRUZ indicated trans women

should only use the restroom at home.
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

other than what we were born, God has

made each of us with free will and the
ability to choose to do that if man to

wants to dress as a woman, and live as a

woman, and have a bathroom at home.
Asked if those remarks mean a
transgender woman shouldnt be able to
use the restroom in public, Cruz indicated
that was in fact the case.
You dont have a right to intrude upon
the rights of others because whether or
not a man believes hes a woman, there
are a lot of women who would like to be
able to use a public restroom in peace
without having a man there, Cruz said.
And when there are children involved,
you dont have a right to impose your
lifestyle on others.
As Cruz concludes his comments, an
onlooker can be heard on the video
shouting out, Amen!
Following Donald Trumps (now
reversed) comments against North
Carolinas anti-LGBT law, Cruz has
sought to capitalize on the comments by
condemning his rival for suggesting trans
people should be able to use whichever
bathroom they wish. Last week, a

transgender teen was expelled from a

Cruz rally in Maryland.
JoDee Winterhof, vice president for
policy and political aairs at the Human
Rights Campaign, condemned Cruz for
the remarks, which she associated with
the mentality behind North Carolinas
House Bill 2.
Ted Cruzs ignorance is outrageous
and dangerous, Winterhof said. His
recent attacks on LGBT people, specically
his vicious attacks on the dignity of
transgender people, show there is no limit
to how low he will go to score a political
point. Over the last few days, he has made
vile statements that underscore how
much is at stake in this election. Cruz and
everyone associated with his campaign
should be ashamed of his attacks on LGBT
people and renounce them immediately.
And North Carolina leaders should ask
themselves whether they want to go down
in history with the likes of Ted Cruz or
with the bipartisan majority of voters who
support LGBT equality.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

NATIONAL NEWS

A P RI L 2 9 , 2 0 1 6 0 9

Colo. court wont hear wedding cake lawsuit

The Colorado Supreme Court has declined to hear an appeal from a bakery found to
have violated state civil rights law for refusing to make a cake for a same-sex wedding.
In a list of case announcements on Monday, the Supreme Court denied the writ
of certiorari led by the Lakewood-based Masterpiece Cakeshop and owner Jack
Phillips seeking to reverse a decision from the Colorado Civil Rights Commission that
determined the bakery violated the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act, which prohibits
anti-LGBT discrimination.
Masterpiece Cakeshop led the appeal before the Colorado Supreme Court after
the Colorado Court of Appeals in August armed the determination of Colorado Civil
Rights Commission, saying state law prohibits the bakery from picking and choosing
customers based on their sexual orientation.
The bakery and its owner challenged the commissions decision on the basis that it
has right under protections of freedom of religion under the First Amendment of the
U.S. Constitution to refuse a wedding cake to a same-sex couple.
According to the case announcements, the decision to refuse the appeal was made
en banc with other decisions announced Monday. Justice Allison Eid, appointed by
Democratic Gov. Bill Owens, didnt participate in the decision.
Chief Justice Nancy Rice and Justice Nathan Coats, appointed by Democrats, indicated
on the announcement they would have accepted the case to determine whether
Colorado law requires Phillips to create an artistic expression that violates his religious
conscience; whether applying the law to force him to create artistic expression violates
free speech rights under the federal and state constitutions; and whether applying to
force him to create artistic expression violates free exercise rights under the federal and
state constitutions.
In July 2012, Charlie Craig and David Mullins, a same-sex couple, asked Jack Phillips,
the owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, to design and produce a wedding cake for their
same-sex wedding in Massachusetts. Phillips refused based on his religious beliefs,
but said he would be happy to make and sell them other baked goods. In 2013, the
American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Colorado led a lawsuit on behalf of
Mullins and Craig, alleging the bakery discriminated on the basis of sexual orientation.
In December 2013, an administrative judge ruled the bakery had illegally discriminated
against the couple a decision armed by the Colorado Civil Rights Commission.
The Colorado Civil Rights Commission ordered the bakery to (1) take remedial
measures to ensure compliance with the states civil rights law, including comprehensive
sta training and alteration to the companys policies; and (2) le quarterly compliance
reports for two years describing the remedial measures and document all patrons
denied service and the reasons for the denial. No other punishment, such as nes, were
included as part of the order.
The case and others like it around the country was fodder for conservatives arguing
laws against anti-LGBT discrimination impair religious freedom. Republican presidential
candidates like Ted Cruz have drawn attention to these incidents to galvanize support
for their campaigns.
CHRIS JOHNSON

Obama credits daughters,

friends with marriage evolution

PRESIDENT OBAMA spoke about LGBT rights on April

23, during a London town hall with young people.
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

President Obama on Saturday

said his daughters and gay
friends helped him evolve on
the issue of marriage rights for
same-sex couples.
The
Washington
Post
reported the president made
the comment during a London
town hall that 500 young
people attended. Obama in his
remarks said that he should
have realized earlier that his
support of civil unions and
not marriage rights for samesex couples was wrong.
It was not simply about legal
rights but a sense of stigma,
said Obama, according to the
Washington Post. If you are
calling it something dierent

First Lady MICHELLE OBAMA gives the commencement speech at Jackson State
University in Jackson, Miss. on April 23.
SCREEN CAPTURE VIA LIVESTREAM

Michelle Obama criticizes

Miss. religious freedom law
First lady Michelle Obama on Saturday criticized Mississippis controversial religious
freedom law that critics contend allows anti-LGBT discrimination in the state.
She said during the commencement speech she delivered at Jackson State
University, a historically black college in Jackson, Miss., that the country saw
how swiftly progress can hurdle backwards when Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant
signed House Bill 1523 into law on April 5.
Weve got to stand side by side with all our neighbors straight, gay, lesbian,
bisexual, transgender; Muslim, Jew, Christian, Hindu immigrant, Native American
because the march for civil rights isnt just about African Americans, its about
all Americans, she said. Its about making things more just, more equal, more
free for all our kids and grandkids. Thats the story you all have the opportunity
to write. Thats what this historic university has prepared you to do.
The rst ladys speech comes a day after President Obama said during a
London press conference that HB 1523 and North Carolinas House Bill 2, which
prohibits transgender people from using public restrooms that are consistent
with their gender identity and bans local municipalities from enacting anti-LGBT
nondiscrimination, should be overturned. The British Foreign Oce earlier this
week issued an advisory that warns LGBT travelers about Mississippis HB 1523
and North Carolinas HB 2.
MICHAEL K. LAVERS

then somehow it means less in the eyes of society.

The Washington Post reported that Maria Munir, a non-binary person from a
Pakistani-Muslim background, asked the president and British Prime Minister David
Cameron to take us seriously as transgender people.
Im incredibly proud of the steps it sounds like you have already taken to speak out
about your own experience and to start a social movement to change laws, Obama told
Munir, according to the Washington Post.
Munir also asked Obama about North Carolinas House Bill 2 that prohibits trans
people from using public restrooms consistent with their gender identity and bans local
municipalities from enacting anti-LGBT nondiscrimination measures. The Washington
Post reported the president spoke about eorts in support of LGBT rights in the U.S.
Social attitudes on this issue have changed faster than Ive seen on any other issues,
Obama told Munir. It doesnt feel fast enough for you or for those who are impacted...
you shouldnt feel satised. You should keep pushing.
MICHAEL K. LAVERS

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

1 0 A PRI L 2 9 , 2 0 16

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

Murdered Bangladeshi editor was brave man

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

murdered in his own home and thats just

atrocious and barbaric.
Bangladesh Against Homophobia,
an LGBT advocacy group, described
Mannans death on its Facebook page
as a devastating blow to the LGBT
movement in Bangladesh. An LGBT
rights activist in Bangladesh who asked
the Washington Blade not to publish their
name because of safety concerns also
mourned Mannan.
We just lost our Harvey Milk of
Bangladesh, said the advocate.
U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) in a
statement said he condemns Mannan and
Majumders murders in the strongest
way possible. Gay Mens Health Crisis
CEO Kelsey Louie noted his organization
is saddened and horried by the killing
of a leading gay rights activist and editor
at Bangladeshs only LGBT magazine.
These senseless acts of violence
remind us how critical it is for our political
leaders to be dedicated to advancing
social justice and equal rights for all
people, and we will continue our ght
to end stigma surrounding the LGBT
community in the wake of this tragedy,
said Louie in his statement.
Roopbaan, a Bangladeshi LGBT
advocacy group, began to publish the
magazine that shares its name in 2014.
Mannans death comes two days after
members of the so-called Islamic State
claimed responsibility for the hacking
death of Rezaul Karim Siddique, a
university professor, in northwestern
Bangladesh. A number of other secular
academics, writers and bloggers and
members of religious minority groups
have also been killed by Islamists in
Bangladesh over the last year.
The Bangladeshi advocate with whom
the Blade spoke said an Islamist group
wrote on its Facebook page that it is high
time to eliminate gays from the country.
Roopbaan cancelled a Rainbow Rally
that was to have taken place during a
Bengali New Year celebration in Dhaka on
April 14 because Islamists had threatened
to attack participants. The advocate with
whom the Blade spoke on Monday said
that Roopbaan was also targeted.
The activist said the Bangladeshi
government did not care about that
threat and did not remove it from the
Islamist groups Facebook page. 76crimes.
com reported that police arrested four
LGBT rights activists who had gathered in
the area where the April 14 event was to
have taken place.
The brutal killing today of an editor of
an LGBTI publication and his friend, days
after a university professor was hacked
to death, underscores the appalling lack
of protection being aorded to a range

White House spokesman JOSH EARNEST described the murder of a gay Bangladeshi as a
heinous crime.
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

of peaceful activists in the country,

said Amnesty International South Asia
Director Champa Patel in a statement.
Human Rights Campaign Global
Director Ty Cobb echoed Patel.
HRC joins the international community
in mourning the death of Xulhas Mannan,
said Cobb in a statement. His death
follows a worrying pattern of attacks
targeting secular activists, religious
minorities, activists and academics by
extremist Islamic groups. The government
of Bangladesh needs to take immediate
measures to end these attacks and end
the sense of impunity among attackers
by arresting and bringing them to justice.
The Dhaka Tribune reported that
Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner
Asaduzzaman Kahn said the murders were a
targeted one. He said the investigation into
Mannan and Mojumdars deaths continues.
The U.S. government has contacted
Bangladesh leaders to ensure they seek
to bring to justice those who carried out
the murder, White House Press Secretary
Josh Earnest said Tuesday.
Earnest made the remarks in response
to a question the day after news broke
of Mannans murder, which the White
House spokesperson said the United
States strongly condemns.
Mr. Mannan served the U.S. embassy
in Dhaka with distinction and he worked
on behalf of his fellow Bangladeshis as a
voice for justice, and equality and human
rights for all, including for the local LGBT
community, Earnest said. And while his
death is obviously a signicant tragedy,
there are also reports that indicate that
he was targeted because of his advocacy
for these human rights, and that makes
his death even more tragic than it seems.
Mr. Mannan set an example of dignity,
courage, selessness, and his legacy will
live on in the causes that he championed.
Earnest
added
the
Obama

administration sends sympathies to

Mannans loved ones as they mourn
his loss and urges the Bangladesh
government to ensure that the
perpetuators of this senseless crime are
brought to justice.
I can tell you that the U.S. government
has already been in touch with the
government of Bangladesh to make it
clear that this investigation is a priority,
Earnest said. And we are pleased to see
that, so far, the government is moving
forward with the kind of thorough
criminal investigation that we would
expect them to conduct.
Asked whether Bangladesh should take
a stronger public stance amid a trend of
high-prole crimes, Earnest limited his
comments to Mannans murder.
Well, at this point, our expectation is
that the government of Bangladesh should
engage in a serious criminal investigation to
determine who is responsible and to bring
those individuals to justice, Earnest said.
Theyve committed a heinous crime and
they should be held accountable for it.
A close friend of Mannans mourned
him during an hour-long interview with
the Washington Blade this week.
Hes a very brave man, said the friend.
The friend asked to remain anonymous
because of safety concerns.
Ansar-al-Islam, the Bangladeshi branch of
al-Qaida, has claimed responsibility for the
attack. The Associated Press reported the
militant group said it targeted Mannan and
Mojumdar because they were pioneers of
practicing and promoting homosexuality.
It was planned, Mannans friend told
the Blade. They came to his house. They
martyred him. He was not ready to die.
A member of the Bangladeshi LGBT
community who also asked the Blade not
to publish their name because of security
concerns was inside the apartment
building when the attack took place.

The LGBT Bangladeshi told the Blade

that three men in their early 20s were
screaming God is great as they struck
Mannan in the head and neck with a
machete outside his apartment on the
buildings third oor. The community
member said the men all of a sudden
began attacking Mojumdar.
I saw blood everywhere, said the
LGBT Bangladeshi.
Mannans friend told the Blade the
apartment in which Mondays attack took
place was a safe haven for the local
LGBT community.
Its one of those rooms that I think of
as my second home, said the friend. Its
all blood soaked.
The Associated Press on Tuesday
reported the U.S. is considering granting
refugee status to a handful of secular
Bangladeshi bloggers who are in
imminent danger.
He was in double danger, Mannans
friend told the Blade. There were
specic threats that, Your days are
coming. Get ready. Be prepared. You will
be our next target.
He was scared, but he didnt stop,
added Mannans friend.
Mannans friend and the community
member with whom the Blade spoke
both said Islamists have published a list
of LGBT Bangladeshis who they have
threatened to hack to death.
Mannans funeral took place on Tuesday.
The Associated Press reported that
his brother, Minhaz Mannan Emon, told
mourners that a true Muslim will always
consider that he has freedom of expression.
Bangladeshi authorities have yet to
make any arrests in connection with the
attack.
The Associated Press also reported that
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina accused
the opposition Bangladesh National Party
and the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami group
of carrying out the attack. She made this
allegation hours before Ansar-al-Islam
claimed responsibility.
The LGBT Bangladeshi with whom
the Blade spoke expressed a lack of
condence in the governments ability
to thoroughly investigate Mannan and
Mojumdars murders.
I dont think the government will do
anything, said Mannans friend.
The National Gay Media Association, a
consortium of major LGBT publications
in the U.S., joined the chorus of those
condemning the attack.
We are a voice for LGBTQ people
everywhere, NGMA stated, but it is
most important that we be heard when
journalists anywhere nd press freedoms
threatened by violent acts that are
universally despicable.
CHRIS JOHNSON
contributed to this report.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

LO C A L N E W S

A P RI L 2 9 , 2 0 1 6 1 1

Van Hollen beats Edwards in Md. Senate race

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

an America where we lift each other up

instead of tearing each other down.
According to a count from the
Associated Press, Clinton now has 2,141
pledged delegates, which is just short of
the 2,383 delegates need to claim the
Democratic nomination. Sanders has
1,321 delegates.
In an attempt to reach out to Sanders
supporters during her victory speech,
Clinton thanked them for challenging her
campaign to get unaccountable money
out of politics and closing the gap in
income equality.
And I know together we will get that
done because whether you support Sen.
Sanders or you support me, theres much
more that unites us than divides us,
Clinton said.
Clinton also warned that election of any
of the Republican candidates would divide
the country and undermine the rights of
Americans, including LGBT people.
On Trumps assertion shes done well
in the primary because shes played the
woman card, Clinton said, If ghting
for womens health care and paid family
leave and equal pay is playing the woman
card, then deal me in.
After his clean sweep on Tuesday,
Trump addressed supporters at his
campaign headquarters at Trump Tower
in New York City, saying he won in a
massive landslide.
Were going to have our country back,
were going to make our country great
again, Trump said. And I just want to tell
you for the ve states, I am so honored,
this was, to me, our biggest night because
it shows such diversity.
Trump had his own message for Sanders
in the wake of his loss, encouraging him
to run as an independent instead of
oering support to Clinton.
The Democrats have treated Bernie
very badly, and frankly, I think he should
run as an independent, OK? Trump said.
I actually do. I actually do. I think theyve
treated him very badly, and, you know,
the system is a bad system and whether
its their system or our system, if you look
at what goes on, the best way to beat the
system is have nights like this, where you
get record-setting votes, where you get
record-setting delegates.
Trump now has 950 pledged delegates,
according to the count from the
Associated Press, which is just short of
1,237 needed to claim the Republican
nomination. Comparatively, Cruz and
Kasich, who are seeking to deprive
Trump of a majority of delegates to drive
the Republican National Convention to
open ballot, have 560 delegates and 153
delegates respectively.
Dana
Beyer,
a
Maryland-based

Rep. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN won the Democratic nomination to replace Sen. Barbara Mikulski.

transgender advocate, said the results

of the presidential primary in her state
were long-expected victories for Clinton
and Trump.
Clinton has had a good team here
for months, and support for Bernie is
more recent, Beyer said. As far as the
Republicans go, there is a much smaller
evangelical community, as has long been
evident during the battles for marriage and
trans protections. We may be in the Fourth
Circuit, but were not North Carolina.
Beyer added she doubts Trumps
relatively pro-trans comments against
North Carolinas anti-LGBT law which
have since been reversed had much of
an impact in the state.
The next contest in the presidential
primary season will take place May 3 in
Indiana. A win there is considered crucial for
Trump to cinch the Republican nomination,
but a loss could well mean proceeding to a
contested convention in Cleveland.

Van Hollen, Pugh

among winners
Maryland Congressman Chris Van
Hollen defeated U.S. Rep. Donna Edwards
(D-Md.) on Tuesday in the Democratic
primary to succeed retiring U.S. Sen.
Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.).
Van Hollen beat Edwards by a 53-39
percent margin.
Together together were going
to go forth from this evening and win
the general election, Van Hollen told his
supporters on Tuesday. Were going to
be going to the new Democratic majority
in the United States Senate.
Edwards spoke to her supporters in

KRISTEN BECK, a transgender former

Navy SEAL, lost her bid to unseat Rep.
Steny Hoyer.

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY DAMIEN SALAS

Lanham after she conceded to Van Hollen.

Our battle is not over and our work is
not done, said Edwards.
Both Edwards and Van Hollen touted
their support of marriage rights for samesex couples and the Equality Act, which
would amend federal civil rights law
to ban discrimination based on sexual
orientation and gender identity, during
interviews with the Washington Blade
earlier this year.
Van Hollen will face House Minority Leader
Kathy Szeliga (R-Baltimore and Harford
Counties) in the general election. She defeated
gay Republican Chrys Kefalas, among others,
to secure the GOP nomination.
Elsewhere in Maryland, state Sen.
Catherine Pugh bested Sheila Dixon
to win the Democratic nomination for
mayor of Baltimore, which this week
marked one year since the riots that
followed the death of Freddie Gray. Pugh
is strongly favored to win the oce given
Democratic Party dominance in the city.
Also in Baltimore, Kelly Cross lost his bid
to become the citys rst openly gay City
Council member.
State Sen. Jamie Raskin (D-Montgomery
County) and former Lieutenant Gov.
Anthony Brown won their respective
Democratic primaries in the races to
ll two vacancies in the U.S. House of
Representatives.
Raskin defeated businessman David
Trone in the 8th Congressional District
by a 34-27 percent margin. Kathleen
Matthews, a former WJLA reporter who
is married to MSNBCs Chris Matthews,
came in third with 24 percent of the vote.
Raskin who spearheaded samesex marriage and transgender rights
bills in the Maryland Senate will

face Republican Dan Cox in the race to

succeed Van Hollen.
Brown
defeated
former
Prince
Georges County States Attorney Glenn
Ivey by a 42-34 percent margin in the 4th
Congressional District. State Del. Joseline
Pea-Melnyk (D-Prince Georges and
Anne Arundel Counties) came in third
with 19 percent of the vote.
This campaign has always been about
giving back to the community where my
wife and I raise our family, and where I
have dedicated my life to public service,
said Brown in a statement. I am incredibly
honored to be the Democratic nominee
and so grateful to the voters of Prince
Georges and Anne Arundel Counties who
have put their trust in me.
Brown also backed the states same-sex
marriage and trans rights laws, although
some advocates have questioned
the
former
lieutenant
governors
commitment to them.
The Prince Georges County Democrat
will face o against Republican George
McDermott in the race to succeed Edwards.
The two LGBT congressional candidates
in Maryland fell short in their respective
Democratic primaries.
House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer
(D-Md.) easily defeated Kristin Beck,
a transgender former U.S. Navy SEAL,
in the Democratic primary in the 5th
Congressional District. Former Salisbury
Mayor Jim Ireton narrowly lost to Joe
Warner in the 1st Congressional District
that includes the Eastern Shore by a 4852 percent margin.
Warner will face o against Congressman
Andy Harris in the general election.
MICHAEL K. LAVERS
contributed to this report.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

12 A PR IL 29, 2016

BA LT I MO RE N E W S

Preprate un caf,
contesta una encuesta,

cambia el mundo.

This years Baltimore Pride

could be cancelled if funds
arent raised to pay a city
debt.

Hacer la Diferencia es Fcil.

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO

BY ANTWAN J. THOMPSON

Toma la 10a Encuesta Anual

de la Comunidad GLBT

Baltimore Pride in jeopardy due to lack of funds

LGBTsurvey.com

Con orgullo de propiedad y operacin GLBT

Pioneros en investigacin GLBT, fundados en 1992
Certificados por NGLCC como una empresa de propiedad GLBT

Tu informacin es confidencial, usada con propsitos de investigamiento solamente.

No sers contactado con fines de mercadotecnia.

Nicholas F. Benton
Reads From His Best-Seller

Frederick Center elects new board chair

The board of directors of the Frederick Center, a non-prot LGBT organization
serving Frederick and Central Maryland, elected Kristopher Fair as its new board
chair at its April meeting. He replaces Brian Walker who is term-limited having
served two two-year terms.
In a statement, the board welcomed Fair as its leader by looking forward to
the new energy that change brings. His proven management and communication
skills will propel The Frederick Center forward to reach our long term goals.
Fair, who had headed Frederick Pride and led outreach eorts for the organization,
told the Blade, I am honored to be elected as the new board chair for The Frederick
Center. The incredible foundation set down by previous board leadership left a
lasting legacy and framework for the future success of our organization.

Extraordinary
Hearts
Reclaiming Gay Sensibility's
Central Role in the Progress
of Civilization

(The collection of 100 Historic 'Gay Science' Essays)

Thursday,
May 5, 7:00 p.m.
ISSUE DATE:

Baltimore in Conversation launched

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PROOF

The STAR TRACK Adolescent Health Program at the University of Marylands

School of Medicine alongside the Baltimore City Health Department and MICA
hosted the inaugural Baltimore in Conversation show on April 22.
The red carpet was rolled out and search lights beamed in front of the Motor
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The setting and tone of Baltimore in Conversation made it feel as if the
storytellers were sharing their thoughts and experiences with you, one to one,
Gabrielle Mnkande, Community Mobilization Coordinator, STAR TRACK, told the
2141 P STREET NW SUITE 103
Blade. Hearing the intimate stories of vulnerability motivated a lot of guests to
WASHINGTON DC 20037
pledge their actions, voices, etc. to the movement.
E-MAIL steveweinbergdc@aol.com
STEVE CHARING

SALES REPRESENTATIVE:

One More Page Books

Baltimore Pride is scheduled for July 23-24, but nancial challenges facing the
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of Baltimore and
Central Maryland could throw a wrench into the plans.
The GLCCB, which produces Pride annually its principal fundraiser is
seeking to raise money to pay o debts owed to Baltimore City.
GLCCB leadership stated in a published appeal: We have an outstanding
balance of $12,146.27 with Baltimore City for police fees for Baltimore Pride
2015. We will not be able to secure permits for Pride 2016 until this debt is paid.
Furthermore, $2,200 is needed for 2016 permit fees, according to a statement
on the Razoo fundraising page, where a goal of $15,000 has been set by the
GLCCB. Without these funds, we will be unable to move forward with Pride 2016.
Complicating matters is that Baltimore City led a lawsuit against the GLCCB
on Feb. 17 in the amount of $11,829.42, according to electronic court records.
Published minutes of the GLCCBs March 14 board meeting indicate that the
amount sought by the city in the lawsuit represents Pride-related debts from
2011-2015. A court date is set for May 24 at Baltimore District Court.
With three months to go, the projected budget for Pride 2016 is $200,000.
Neither GLCCB president Jabari Lyles nor legal counsel Randolph Knepper
responded to Blade requests for comment.

202-861-0077
LICENSED IN DC, MD AND VA

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

A P RI L 2 9 , 2 0 1 6 1 3

SPRING INTO
SUMMER IN
BALTIMORE.
With outdoor concerts, park
celebrations, historic trails and an
unforgettable day at the track,
Baltimore is in full bloom.

FIND YOUR PARK

Fort McHenry National Monument and

Historic Shrine and throughout Baltimore
May through September, 2016
Be a part of the National Park Services Centennial
Celebration, along the scenic byways and historic
trails and in Baltimores exciting parks. Special
events at Fort McHenry National Monument and
Historic Shrine and throughout the city take place
all season long.

141ST RUNNING OF THE

PREAKNESS STAKES

Pimlico Race Course

May 2021, 2016

Cheer on your favorite at the middle jewel of

thoroughbred racings Triple Crown. Kick off
the weekend with the Black-Eyed Susan Day
on Friday and then get ready for the big race
on Saturdayfeaturing the InfieldFest, two
music stages, national acts including The
Chainsmokers and Fetty Wap and activities
throughout the day.

AFRICAN AMERICAN
FESTIVAL

Camden Yards Sports Complex

July 23, 2016

Celebrate the Fourth of July weekend at the

40th anniversary of the African American Festival.
Bring the entire family to enjoy celebrity
entertainment, food and drink, beauty and
wellness demonstrations, kids games and free
concerts featuring an extraordinary roster of
musical icons.

BALTIMORE PRIDE

Mt. Vernon and Druid Hill Park

July 2324, 2016
With more than 30,000 people attending each year,
Baltimore Pride is the premier LGBT event in
Maryland. Historic Mount Vernon hosts the parade
and block party, featuring musical performances
and entertainment, before moving to Druid Hill
Park. Feel the love at one of Baltimores most
colorful happenings.

HONFEST

36th Street in Hampden

June 1112, 2016
Everyones a Hon at Baltimores HONfest, the
street party that pays tribute to one of the citys
most beloved personalities. Primp that beehive
and squeeze into some leopard-print capri pants
for this weekend of outrageous funfeaturing
live music, Bawlmer delicacies and unique
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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

14 A PR IL 29, 2016

H E A LT H N E W S

City life complicates health for gays: study

NEW HAVEN, Conn. Leaving ones hometown and moving to a city can have
negative health consequences for gay men a new study from the Yale School of
Public Health nds.
The Yale team found that young gay men who moved to New York City
experienced mental health issues, substance abuse and engaged in HIV-risk
behavior. Those with higher incomes had lower HIV and mental health risks but
tended to use more alcohol. The ndings were published this week in the journal
Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
We know that young gay and bisexual men currently represent the highestrisk group for new HIV infections, said John Pachankis, associate professor at
the Yale School of Public Health. Because these men might be moving from
homophobic hometowns where they experienced stress related to discrimination
or not tting in, they might be particularly likely to seek connections or support
in the easiest ways available in a big city. Unfortunately, this might include
things like excessive alcohol or drug use and sex without condoms with casual
partners.
Pachankis said that there has been surprisingly little research exploring the
health challenges of young gay and bisexual men who move to cities. While only
migrants to New York City were studied, Pachankis said the ndings could be
relevant to other large major urban areas in the United States. Findings were
largely similar whether participants were international migrants or moving from
other places in the U.S.
The study also found that the men studied had, within the past few months
since their arrival in the city, engaged in frequent behaviors that placed them at
higher risk for HIV, suggesting that one of the ways migrants seek connections in
their new home is by forming eeting, but high-risk sexual contacts.
Pachankis and his team used popular mobile apps that gay and bisexual men
use for meeting other men to recruit 273 men, ages 18-29, who had come to
New York in the past year. The long-term goal of the research is to identify ways
to support young migrants both during and after their move to ensure that they
maintain good health despite the potential temptations of big city gay life.

Younger gay men more likely to commit suicide

LONDON Young gay and bisexual men in the UK are at a signicantly greater
risk of poor mental health than their older counterparts according to research
published in the Journal of Public Health, MedicalXpress reports.
Conducted by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and funded
by Stonewall, the study found gay and bi men under the age of 26 were six
times more likely to attempt suicide or self-harm compared to men in that
group 45 and up. They were also twice as likely to be depressed or anxious.
The researchers say the results reinforce the importance of mental health
interventions reaching those who need them most, as well as people who
actively seek help, MedicalXpress reports.
The study is the rst to examine the mental health dierences within gay and
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OOF
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in the UK. Using data from the Stonewall Gay and Bisexual Mens
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Health Survey, the researchers analyzed responses of 5,799 gay and bisexual
men aged 16 and over living in the UK. Depression, anxiety, attempted suicide
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and self-harm were examined against a range of life factors. Age, ethnicity,
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income and education were all found to have a large impact on mental health.
responsible for any legal liability arising out of or relating to the advertisement, and/or any material to which users
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any rgihts of third parties, including, but not limited to, such violations as infringement or misapporpriation of any
Black gay and bisexual men were twice as likely to be depressed and ve times
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harm. Those with lower levels of education were twice as likely to experience
one of those issues compared to those with degree-level education, only in part
Speak with our preplanning adviSor,
due to earning a lower wage, MedicalXpress reports.
Jamie arthurS at (202) 966-6400 or email
Although more research is needed, the authors suggest older men are able
Jamie.arthurS@dignitymemorial.com
to cope better with homophobia and that homophobia is more prevalent in the
lives of younger men. The study also indicates that gay and bisexual men may
experience discrimination or marginalization unrelated to their sexuality.
The researchers also discovered cohabitation is key for positive mental health,
with men who are living with a male partner 50 percent less likely to suer from
depression compared to gay and bisexual men living alone.

~
202.319.8541 www.lgbtc.com Se habla espanol

5130 Wisconsin Ave. NW DC (202) 966-6400 www.JosephGawlers.com

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

FI T NES S

A PR IL 29, 2016 15

Switch it up!
Doing the same old workout
will get you diminishing returns
This spring has been big. Primary
election season is in full swing,
Beyonce dropped Lemonade,
allergies are on a level beyond
eek, and through all of that
everyone is trying to get in shape for
summer.
We all wish we could be more
GERARD BURLEY is a D.C.-based personal
trainer. Reach him via @CoachGFit or coachg@
consistent in our workouts. Here are
coachgtness.com.
two questions I get a lot this time of
year: how do I plan my workouts for
maximum eect and when should I take rest days?
Building a plan Were going to start with this one because most people
have no idea what their tness or wellness plan is. Exhibit A: Im going to go
cycling every day. That isnt a plan. Technically it is, but its for sure not an overall
good one.The rst step is determining your primary goal and moving from there.
If your primary goal is to lose fat or raise your cardio endurance, then yes,
cycling or some other cardio source can be a major piece of your weekly workouts,
but not every day.When building a workout plan think about balance among your
workouts and workout types. If youre doing something cardio based three to four
times a week, then your other days should be strength and exibility based.
With the boom of boutique tness, the biggest issue I see with people plateauing
or not seeing the results they want is that they do a lot of the same types of
exercise over and over. The premise of the boutique studio is that you can a la
carte tness at dierent places on dierent days and get dierent experiences.
Yes, youre good at it because you do it a lot, but you should also do things you suck
at and probably dont what to do in order to get the best results.Lack of variety in any
tness plan breeds plateaus and injury.Whatever your primary goal is, you should do
activities that support that goal three times a week. Supplement those workouts with
other workouts that you need to do for the other two times per week.
Using our previous example, if my major goal is to burn fat, I would plan three
cardio workout days per week and two strength days. The other two days I
would use as active recovery days where I would keep the level of intensity fairly
low, but work with my foam roller, take a yoga class to increase exibility or just
go for a long walk to work my body in a dierent way.For most to see the results
they really want, I recommend a ve-day workout plan per week.
Rest day what? When it comes to rest days, there are two types of people.
One group who thinks this word is evil and others who are using this word a little
too much.Rest days are necessary for the body to recover from workouts, but
rest doesnt always mean stop.Again we go back to the word balance.
Think about your workout days as days meant to shake things up and shock
your system, while your rest days are lled with activities to re-center your
body.If your body is really sore from working out, you may notice that the body
actually recovers better when some low-level activity is involved than when
you stay still.My rest days are almost always yoga-inuenced since my primary
workouts are usually strength-based.
Rest days are also good times to use low-intensity training. Despite what
every trainer is saying, you dont have to have high-intensity training all the
time.If you do, your body will eventually break down, especially at your joints
and tendons.For my athletes or seasoned workout bus who are really taking
themselves to the limit, remember that recovery tools like ice baths and massage
are also great tools to use on your rest days.
The most important two things to include are lots of sleep and proper
nutrition.Most of us dont get enough sleep anyway, so on those rest days, do your
body a favor and crawl into bed a little earlier.Much of the bodys healing occurs
while were sleeping, so the more sleeping you do, the more healing you get.The
foods you eat on your recovery days directly aect your recovery time. Pump lots of
water, veggies and lean proteins into your body while limiting the booze.
When it comes to being successful with your tness goals, building a plan
and having purposeful rest days are important components to achieving those
goals. All tness plans should be diverse in workout types while rest options
should be based on the level of the athlete.If you arent sure what to do, ask
a pro for help to be the most ecient and eective workout super star this
spring.Make time for your body. You deserve it.

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

1 6 A PRI L 2 9 , 2 0 16

VIEWPOINT

VOLUME

47

ISSUE

18

ADDRESS

Attacks on Brewster are

attacks on LGBT Dominicans
Troubling rise of bigoted rhetoric
against U.S. ambassador
By ROSANNA MARZAN
The entry of the U.S. Ambassador is
not permitted in this institution.
A large sign bearing these words was
displayed outside a school in the Dominican capital of Santo Domingo. This sign is
just one example of the backlash against
Wally Brewster, the U.S. ambassador, after he visited a dierent school with his
husband. There was also a petition on the
White House website urging President
Obama to remove Brewster for promoting an LGBT agenda inconsistent with the
countrys values. It garnered more than
30,000 signatures.
The verbal attacks on Brewster began
even before he visited the school. Certain
Catholic and evangelical church leaders
and their allies have called on him to be
ousted, claiming hes promoting immorality and disrespecting Dominican values. Dominican Cardinal Nicols de Jess
Lpez Rodrguez even used a homophobic slur to refer to him.
But the recent round of bigoted rhetoric and the resounding silence of government ocials in response is espe-

cially troubling. If the representative of

the Dominican Republics most important
and inuential global partner was consideredpersona non gratain that school
because of whom he loves, then I, a Dominican lesbian and an activist, am surely
not welcome.
The government has had plenty of opportunities to condemn these attacks,
and more fundamentally, to signal to
LGBT citizens that the homophobia, lesbophobia, and transphobia they face
daily in all aspects of their lives will not be
permitted. On the contrary, the government has opted to remain silent, tacitly
endorsing this intolerance.
Those using hateful rhetoric against
the ambassador have specic objectives.
Among them, to quash the eorts that
we as Dominican LGBT civil society activists have undertaken to defend ourselves
against the hateful, violent and stigmatizing discourse orchestrated by hierarchies within the Catholic and Evangelical
churches and the conservative individuals who support them.
The kind of rhetoric used to attack the
ambassador has been used against me
recently, and I worry that the increasingly hateful discourse will worsen the
already challenging climate for LGBT
people. I worry about my safety and the

E DIT OR IA L C A R T OON

safety of my colleagues and friends.

The Dominican Republic is a country of
beautiful beaches, bachata and merenguemusic and joyful people. Dominicans
in general have a warm human quality,
but LGBT peoples lives and emotional
stability are at risk because of intolerance.
LGBT Dominicans face the threat of
violence and hate crimes as well as discrimination in essential services, including healthcare, employment and housing. Impunity is the norm for violations
against LGBT people. In only three of 33
cases of possible hate-crime murders of
trans women since 2006 have the perpetrators been brought to justice.
For decades, LGBT organizations have
been working together with other civil
society groups to counter the stigma and
discrimination against LGBT people and
advocate for their human rights. We also
work to ensure their access to healthcare
and provide basic services to LGBT Dominicans. We will press on with our work,
but we need the support and recognition
of our government to reduce the violence
and discrimination that lead to so many
tears, substance abuse and even suicide
among many LGBT people.
The government must break its silence
and speak out against the homophobia,
lesbophobia and transphobia at the root
of the attacks against Brewster. And in
its engagement with Dominican counterparts on the attacks against its ambassador, the United States government
should highlight the deeper implications
of homophobic rhetoric and the consequences of the Dominican governments
silence for the human rights of LGBT
people. The attacks on Brewster are also
attacks on us.
In speaking out against hateful rhetoric, the Dominican government would
not be succumbing to foreign pressure,
as many claim, but rather would be helping to protect the basic human rights of
many Dominicans. Doing so would be a
small but important step toward cementing the inclusive future that Dominican
civil society activists have been working
toward for decades, one in which our
schools, healthcare centers, and institutions will proudly and prominently display signs stating Allare welcome.

ROSANNA MARZAN is a Dominican LGBT

rights activist and executive director of
Diversidad Dominicana.

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I N S I DE LGB T W A S HING TON

A P RI L 2 9 , 2 0 1 6 1 7

Ups and downs at the Victory Fund

Upcoming brunch an opportunity
to clarify goals, results

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

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

A recent email from the Gay & Lesbian

Victory Fund announced the Victory War
Room. Upon clicking on the link it turned out
to be a rebranding of what was previously
the Gay Politics Report, which provided
good information. The new site didnt seem
to represent a great change and according
to what they say still presents ourresearch
and communications hub that highlights the
impact of LGBT public ocialsand discredits opponents who aim to thwart equality by
attacking and lying about LGBT leaders and
political issues.
That aside, it will be interesting to hear
from the new leadership at the upcoming
National Champagne Brunch on May 15

what has changed at Victory Fund in the past

year and how things are going. My hope is
things are going well.
It does seem over the past year I have
heard less from the Victory Fund than in
previous years. One possible reason is there
is no signature race with an LGBT candidate
this year for the community to coalesce
around. No major city mayors race and the
Oregon governors race is for a sitting governor. No openly LGBT candidate is running
for the United States Senate and only two
races for House seats feature out gays. The
rest are local.
That isnt to say those local races arent
important, they are. They are crucial to
building the future bench of candidates who
will eventually be mayors, governors, members of Congress and one day maybe even
a president. So, again, the question has to
be how the Victory Fund works to publicize
all those LGBT candidates who are running
for a seat at the table in their town councils
and commissions, school boards and state
legislatures. It was my hope the Victory Fund
would have taken this year to develop a coherent way to bring attention to all those
candidates, even the ones not endorsed by
them.
While perusing the newly branded Victory

War Room, I took the time to browse the rest

of the website and it was disappointing. Not
having looked at it for some time it seemed
like it was only for those who already know
about VF and the candidates they support.
Interestingly there was no button to click for
the new Victory War Room on the website.
One section lists Spotlight Candidates
2016 with the introduction Every year, a few
openly LGBT candidates are poised to break
down barriers and make an outsizeimpact
for equality. Victory is proud to highlight
these Spotlight Candidates as they continue
their history-making campaigns to change
the face of American politics. This year
there are only 11 listed, including two running for Congress and the Oregon governor,
Kate Brown, who was appointed after the
last governor was forced out of oce.
There is another section called Our Candidates. This section has no introductory
explanation about who these candidates
are, whether these candidates have been
endorsed by the Victory Fund, or what constitutes their being Our Candidates. There
are pictures of the candidates with their
names. When you click on the picture you
never know what information will be listed.
For some it is an extensive bio and for others
just three lines. There are candidates listed

without a picture such as Em Westerlund.

When you click on the space where her picture should be you nd out she is running
for Duluth City Council and was endorsed
by Victory Fund in 2014. You would think a
picture could have been secured in the past
two years. Clicking on the picture of Rep. David Cicilline you nd out he is a congressperson up in the general election this year and
he was endorsed by Victory Fund in the past.
There is no bio, no telling when he was rst
elected to Congress, what he stands for or
even which party he belongs to. The same
when you click on the picture of Rep. Jared
Polis. Some have a button enabling you to
send a contribution, but others dont with no
explanation for why that is.
I understand the Victory Fund is nonpartisan and they endorse LGBT candidates
without regard to party aliation. While we
can debate that policy, the reality is people
who contribute to candidates are often
concerned about party aliation because it
does make a dierence, especially once you
are talking about statewide and national ofce.
Again it will be interesting to hear a report
at the brunch about the progress, or lack of
it, made at the Victory Fund during the past
year.

V I E W PO I NT

Finally, progress for LGBT federal employees

Bias based on orientation,
gender ID effectively barred
By DEBRA DAGOSTINO
Most people would be shocked to know
that, until fairly recently, it was legal for
a federal agency to re an employee for
being LGBT unless the employee could
show that the agency discriminated on
the basis of sexual stereotyping. Thankfully, the federal government has made
tremendous strides, which is especially
crucial given its role as a model employer
for other employers nationwide.
The Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission (EEOC) now interprets Title
VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which
does not explicitly list sexual orientation or gender identity as protected (as it
does for sex, race, national origin, color
and religion), as prohibiting discrimination against federal employees on these
bases. In FY 2015, the EEOC issued 20 federal sector decisions nding that sexual
orientation and gender identity-related
complaints can be brought under Title VII.
For example, in Larita G. v. U.S. Postal Ser-

vice, EEOC Appeal No. 0120142154 (Nov.

18, 2015), the EEOC reversed the agencys
dismissal of a sexual orientation based
hostile work environment claim nding
such an allegation is necessarily an allegation of sex discrimination under Title
VII. In Lusardi v. Dept of the Army, EEOC
Appeal No. 0120133395, (Mar. 27, 2015),
the EEOC held that an agencys restrictions on a transgender womans ability
to use a female restroom and intentional
misuse of a transgender employees new
name and pronoun can constitute sexbased discrimination.
The EEOC has posted guidelines for
federal employees who believe their
agency is discriminating against them
because of sexual orientation or gender
identity to follow:
http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/directives/lgbt_complaint_processing.cfm
The Oce of Special Counsel (OSC) is
an independent agency charged with protecting federal employees from prohibited personnel practices (PPPs), especially
retaliation for whistleblowing. However,
OSC has also determined that it is a PPP
for an agency to discriminate against a
federal employee or applicant based on

sexual orientation or gender identity. This

stems from 5 U.S.C. 2302(b) (10), which
prohibits discrimination based on conduct that does not adversely aect job
performance. OSC has authority to investigate and prosecute PPP complaints
alleging sexual orientation and gender
identity discrimination, and may take several actions including:
Seeking stays of personnel actions
while investigations are pending (for example, where removal of the employee
has been proposed);
Obtaining full corrective action (including reinstatement or back pay);
Seeking disciplinary action against alleged wrongdoers.
While there is no statute of limitations
to le PPP complaints with OSC, it is better
to act as soon as possible. OSCs website
also has information about the federal
protections for LGBT workers at: https://
osc.gov/Resources/2014%20LGBT%20
Handout.pdf.
The Merit Systems Protection Board
(MSPB) is an independent, adjudicative
agency that hears, among other things,
appeals of adverse actions taken against
federal employees, such as removals, de-

motions, or suspensions of more than 14

days. The MSPB also hears cases brought
by OSC concerning PPPs (see above). At
the MSPB, a federal employee can assert
whats called an armative defense of
discrimination against an adverse action.
Given the EEOCs recent holdings that
Title VII prohibits discrimination on the
basis of sexual orientation and gender
identity, a federal employee subjected
to an adverse action because of sexual
orientation or gender identity can now
successfully raise that as an armative
defense against the adverse action. In
other words, the MSPB can explicitly reverse any adverse actions taken by federal agencies to discriminate against LGBT
federal employees.
The federal governments steps to
eliminate discrimination based on gender
identity and sexual orientation against its
own employees have eectively nally
made discrimination on these bases illegal and actionable.
DEBRA DAGOSTINO is a founding partner of
The Federal Practice Group Worldwide Service.
She has more than a decade of experience in
employment law.Stephen Lang contributed to
this article.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

1 8 A PRI L 2 9 , 2 0 16

CO MMU N I KA T E

What caused lesbian extinction?

Future scientists ponder
several theories

KATE CLINTON is a humorist who has

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

It has been a tough time for lesbians. Our

tribal language and lands are disappearing.
The word lesbian has been retro-grouped to
queer by Hu Post among others. We have
lost our sacred summer gathering lands in
Michigan. I have been investigating the causes
of the the Dyke Diaspora for 25 years.
In 1993, a gay magazine, which shall remain
nameless (hint: three syllables, rhymes with bad
show Kate), hired me as a monthly columnist.
My first column was about the Newsweek Lesbians cover story that had appeared the week
after its Could Dinosaurs Return? cover story.
The column was rejected. Enjoy:
News bulletin, the year 8093:
Paleoarcheologists have discovered an
ancient mosquito suspended in amber resin
in a dig outside a known lesbian festival site

in central Michigan. Scientists were studying

the foundation of an ancient eatery, complete with ceremonial food arches, when they
chanced upon the nd. The excellent condition of the site also enabled them to uncover
a small container of carbon foodsticks labeled
Dino-Fries.
Hypothesizing that the lambent mosquito
had bitten a lesbian attending the festival,
scientists used a syringe found in a Diet Pepsi can to extract blood from the mosquitos
perfectly preserved and engorged proboscis. They isolated an incomplete strand of
DNA. They augmented the partial strand
with the DNA from a leather softball cover,
circa 1991, and using ordinary tap water rehydrated the complete DNA and ecce lesbo!
A reanimated lesbian.
This is an extraordinary moment, said
project spokeswoman, Simone Noway, for
it has allowed us to end our centuries-long
speculation about what caused the lesbian
to become extinct. As soon as Amber came
around, we were able to talk to her and nd
out what happened in those crucial latter
years of the 21st century.
Archeologists at Hettrick-Martin University
had led research in the eld for years, pioneering dig techniques at sites all over North America and proering several intriguing theories
on lesbian extinction.
In 7969, Stonewall Six Thousand, at an
East Coast urban site, they uncovered scued,

but perfectly intact Vibram-soled footwear,

Doc Martens, which still had a half-life of
about a billion years. Scientists speculated that
their huge, weighted soles made it dicult
for lesbians to ee from their predators. We
believe that in some cases, especially in the
larger-sized footwear, lesbians undecided on
this style looked down at their feet and actually died of fright. The later platform style was
apparently quite lethal, said Noway.
In 7890, Western water workers chanced
upon the site of the second Lesbian Herstory
Archives. The treasure trove yielded invaluable information from the late 1900s, a crucial
period in lesbian evolution. Artifacts found
at that site refuted the earlier-held notion
that some drastic environmental or climatic
change, some hole in the ozone layer, caused
the Great Dyke Demise.
After poring over archives, scientists speculated that in fact the sudden glare of media publicity was too much for the lesbian organism. After
living mushroomlike for years in the primordial
ooze of rumor and innuendo, lesbians were sent
into shock by the Lesbian Chic Period, following
as it did on the heels of the Stealth Lesbian Era.
Despite an emergency airlift of cool sunglasses
from L.A. Eyeworks, many perished from squinting.
Perhaps the most controversial theory was
presented at the 6100th Annual Womens
Studies Conference by Prof. Mookie McClinton, famous for her ovular work, Lesbian

Family Trees: The Burning Bush. In her thesis on the Dyke Diaspora, Lesbo a Go-Go?
she stated, I believe quite simply, that they
ate their own. And I dont mean that in the
good, old way, she added wryly. Its no coincidence that at that same time, the mainstream, swollen from assimilating many tributaries, overowed its banks. Not only were
food sources destroyed, but weakened dykes
were blamed.
Scientists briefed a slightly dazed Amber,
wearing multi-pocketed pants and a No One
Knows Im a Lesbian T-shirt, very popular in
the Irony Age of the late 1900s. She rejected
the shoe, sunlight and snack theories. NOA,
she said atly. None of the above.
Heres what happened. Cruises became
popular. The Aqua-Separatists sailed everywhere: Alaska: The Klondyke Tour; Australia:
The Down There Tour; Lesbos: The Redundancy Tour. Not me. I believe a Navy of exlovers cannot sail. I was actually one of the last
land-based lesbians.
Anyway, they ran out of places to go. At the
time of my tragic accident, a mud-wrestling
top-bottom thing, I know plans were in the
works for a huge cruise to Jupiter. Everybody
was going. Theyd be gone for 7,000 years,
stop at planets out and back with a dierent
comedy show every night. There were just
that many lesbian comics then. Lesbian lift-o
was scheduled for late 1998. Near as I can gure, theyll be back soon, give or take a month.
O U R BU SI N E SS MA T T E RS

Playing statehood card with a political poker face

Mayor Bowser cynically using
the issue to distract residents

MARK LEE is a long-time entrepreneur

and community business advocate. Follow
on Twitter: @MarkLeeDC. Reach him at
OurBusinessMatters@gmail.com.

D.C. aint gonna become a state.

It certainly isnt going to happen anytime soon.
Its already been 34 years since the last resident
vote on the issue, and the District is arguably no
closer to statehood now than it was then.
Of course, you might think otherwise if
youve been listening to D.C. Mayor Muriel
Bowser suddenly and excitably auditioning for
head cheerleader on the squad that wants to
add another star to the U.S. ag.
Bowser announced a few days ago that she
wants to place a non-binding initiative on the
November general election ballot to allow D.C.

voters to presumably register their support for

becoming the 51st state. Last week she got the
endorsement of something called the New
Columbia Statehood Commission to back her
pie-in-the-sky plan to petition Congress and
the next president for admission to the Union
as a full-edged state.
As if.
This will require the hurried convening of
a local constitutional convention to draft another state constitution to replace the one
approved over three decades ago, prior to the
vote on approving it in six short months. Some
question whether theres even enough time
for the task, predicted to be a messy process
on a too-tight timeline. Last time it took more
than two years and generated hearty controversies over included provisions.
It could even require that D.C. Council members convene during their summer recess to
work on the thing. Most ironic is that this futile
exercise is likely to delay action on more pressing matters.
Aside from the obvious benet of distracting local legislators from scheming up yet
even more harebrained and poorly thoughtout new mandates and regulations on citizens

and commerce, the entire exercise seems a

distraction, which may be exactly the point
and purpose.
What better way for a meme-making mayor beginning to be swallowed up by a failure
to deliver on what are becoming irritatingly
meaningless slogans, cloying Twitter hashtags,
and increasingly transparent platitudes to
avert our attention than waving the tried-buttrue statehood ag?
Why not tempt voters with looking away
from a homeless shelter plan now in the crapper due to the discovery that her administration didnt do even rudimentary due diligence
on the nancial details of land and leasing deals
by exploring other arrangements and terms?
Hey, locals might be stuck with a subway system that is literally falling apart and catching fire,
but wont a new ensign sure be something special? The murder rate may be stuck at the same
elevated level of her first year in office, but just
look at that new flag flapping in the breeze!
Perhaps Bowser is hoping she can drown
out the pissed-o anger and fear for their futures of tipped bartenders and servers caused
by her turnabout last week on raising the wage
portion directly paid by local independent

small business bar and restaurant owners.

Those earning tips are smart enough to know
that changing the longstanding economic
foundation of hospitality establishments will
only reduce their actual incomes, especially
as venue owners have no choice but to lay o
employees, cut back shifts and reduce shift
hours to aord exorbitant new labor costs
that rising patron prices will only exacerbate.
She might be thinking we wont notice our
ngers ordering on touch-screens when we
spot that renovated red-white-and-blue on
the agpole outside.
Good luck with her teams plea this week for
private sector hiring of entry-level low-skill firsttime job applicants from the Summer Youth Employment Program. Shes priced them out of the
job market by suddenly switching gears on further raising the local minimum wage to $15 after
consistently opposing a continued too-rapid hike.
Not only is political discourse these days reduced to broad-brush sloganeering more conniving than constructive, a wannabe-governor
is now playing the statehood card with a political poker face.
Its a cynical ploy on display in all its new, and
old, glory.

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By CHRIS GERARD
ARTS

AND

ENTERTAINMENT

Many of us are still trying to wrap our

heads around the fact that Prince is gone.
Through the disbelief and mourning,
many have started to look back and take
stock of just what a peerless musical legacy
Prince left behind. Its stunning in its quality
and quantity, its inuence and diversity.
Prince was rocks most prolic artist, a
studio wizard, songwriting genius and
master musician.
We all know the massive hits, but dig
deeper and theres just as much to love.
Ive chosen 25 of his best deep cuts
some of the best pieces of studio work
hes ever released, yet much of it will be new
to you unless youre a die-hard. For every
Kiss, there are a dozen other tracks that
youll love as much. These are presented
chronologically.
1. Gotta Broken Heart Again (from
Dirty Mind, 1980)
A combination of styles, the songs a
charmer that brings a little tenderness to
the hard-edged Dirty Mind.
2.Annie Christian (from Controversy, 1981)
Prince creates the kind of new wave
synthesized background youd expect from
a Berlin album, and layers it with squealing
guitar eects, and a strident vocal in which
he accuses Annie Christian of multiple highprole murders. Its a uniquely unsettling
song that is one of the rst examples of
Princes ability to go far beyond the slick
R&B/Pop sound of his rst two albums and
tackle more diverse subject matter.
3. All The Critics Love U In New York
(from 1999, 1982)
This track is hidden away on the doublealbum masterpiece 1999, although an
edited version did appear as the b-side to
Little Red Corvette. The song is basically
just a wicked groove, a funky beat and
a popping bass over which Prince sing/
speaks a set of sardonic lyrics. The hook
sung during the repetition of the title brings
in a sharp melody and ashes of keyboard.
4. 17 Days (When Doves Cry b-side, 1984)
Although its partner b-side from Lets
Go Crazy, Erotic City, was unquestionably
the most infamous and popular of the two,
17 Days seems to rest in its shadow. It
shouldnt. 17 Days has a wicked groove
of its own, especially from that elastic bass,
and a tense and eective vocal by Prince.
With its vaguely trippy nature, 17 Days is
an obvious foreshadowing of the full-blown
psychedelic to be heard soon on 1985s
Around the World in a Day.
5. New Position (from Parade, 1986)

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

VOLUME

47

ISSUE

18

Any decent artist has gems lurking beyond his or her hits, but the PRINCE catalogue is astounding
in its scope and quality.
PHOTO BY CHELSEA LAUREN, NPG RECORDS

up never materialized. Happily this dreamy,

This taut slice of kinetic funk is built
elegant ballad was nally made available
largely by Prince as a solo recording. Theres
when it was added to the B-sides disc to a
not much to it, but there doesnt need to
1993 combination.
be. Prince plays the frenetic percussion
7. The Ballad of Dorothy Parker (from
anchored by a clanging steel drum, between
Sign o the Times, 1987)
which coils a wildly gyrating bass line.
A surreal slice of Princely quirkiness from
6. Power Fantastic (Recorded 1985, not
arguably his nest album, The Ballad of
released until The Hits/The B-sides 1993)
Dorothy Parker has a stripped down vibe
It required an unconventional recording
basically just a few ornate lines of piano
set-up to get the right sound, but Prince
and pulses of keyboard all riding a dry and
managed to capture the elegant vibe he was
strangely o-kilter electronic pattern on
seeking. Its a one-take jaw-dropper with
the Linn Drum machine in lock step with a
the Revolution recorded as a track for the
quivering bass.
possible follow-up Parade, presumably to
8. Anna Stesia (from Lovesexy, 1988)
be called The Dream Factory, but Prince
Widely considered by Prince fans as
disbanded the Revolution and the follow-

APRIL

29

2016

PAGE

23

among his nest pieces of work, Anna

Stesia is the emotional centerpiece of
Lovesexy. It builds slowly from a stark
piano intro to the stirring chorus at the end
repeating, Love is God, God is Love. Girls
and boys love God above. Both the vocal
and musical arrangement are complex, and
Prince delivers one of his most impassioned
vocals.
9. The Question of U (from Grati
Bridge, 1990)
Forget the movie the soundtrack is
high quality.The Question of U is basically
one exquisite verse over a trippy groove,
followed by Princes guitar histrionics,
rhythmic clapping, soaring background
vocals and exotic lines of keyboard.
Beautiful.
10. And God Created Woman (from
Love Symbol, 1992)
Prince turns the biblical story from
Genesis into a gorgeous soul ballad with a
touch of a Latin/jazz vibe. Princes nuanced
vocal is beguiling and the vocal arrangement
throughout the song is nothing short of
magical.
11. Pheromone (from Come, 1994)
One of Princes darkest and most
extreme dance tracks, Pheromone boasts
a truly massive beat and a throbbing bass.
Prince sings the lurid lyrics in a hard falsetto
from the point of view of a highly aroused
man surreptitiously peeping a couple in the
process of enacting a violent sexual fantasy.
Its a stellar track, disturbing in its way
but loaded with power and an unusually
dangerous vibe for a Prince song.
12. Shhh (from The Gold Experience,
1995)
Prince scored a hit for young vocalist
Tevin Campbell with Round & Round from
Grati Bridge in 1990. Campbells next
attempt to record a Prince tune, Shhh,
wasnt as successful. In exasperation, Prince
transformed the song into a rock behemoth
with some of the most stunning guitar the
man ever recorded, plus some of the most
devastating, come-hither, sexually charged
vocals of his career.
13. The Same December (from Chaos &
Disorder, 1996)
Prince handed Warner Bros. two albums
of older material in 1996 for them to put
out as they chose to complete his contract
Chaos & Disorder and The Vault. The
Same December is a buoyant guitar rocker
that would have soared into the Top 20 had it
CONTINUES ON PAGE 34

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

2 4 A PRI L 2 9 , 2 0 16

Q U E E RY : 2 0 Q U E ST I O N S F O R N A N CY K. P E A RSO N

NANCY K. PEARSON

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH WILSON

By JOEY DiGULIELMO
joeyd@washblade.com
Like many artists and writers, Nancy K. Pearson learned how to funnel her
angst into her work.
Her new poetry book The Whole By Contemplation of a Single Bone, out
this month from Fordham University Press and already the winner of the Poets
Out Loud Prize, explores the possibilities of recovery and transformation in a
world where words cease to matter.
Working through a past shadowed by depression, addiction and
misdiagnosis, Pearson writes poems that have been called restless, unsettling
and revelatory. Her rst book was a nalist for a Lambda Literary Award.
Though she rst started writing poems in second grade, she didnt pursue
it seriously until years later after being hospitalized for severe depression.
Poetry works best for me because I think in fragments and metaphors, she
says. Im always making connections between disparate images or ideas. My
mind likes to leap and Im obsessed with words, sound and texture. Her book
is $25 and available through Fordham University Press (fordhampress.com).
Pearson lived in the region after college when she earned a masters
degree in poetry at George Mason University. The Chattanooga, Tenn., native
returned to the area after stints in Massachusetts and Texas. She and her
partner of 10 years, Elizabeth Winston, now live in Frederick, Md., and have a
baby on the way.
Pearson works by day as an online poetry instructor for the Fine Arts
Work Center in Provincetown, Mass., and as an English adjunct professor
at Frederick Community College. She enjoys long-distance cycling and of
course poetry in her free time.

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How long have you been out and who

was the hardest person to tell?
Ive been publicly out since 1999. Telling
my sister was very hard. Shes on the
right and Im on the left of most rivers.
We have a great relationship, though.
Shes my best friend.
Whos your LGBT hero?
I love Elizabeth Bishop and Harvey Milk.

Whats Washingtons best

nightspot, past or present?
Well, I think it was in my backyard when I
was a little younger. Now, Id say the best
nightspot is anywhere on the river or bay
where you can order a mess of crabs.

Describe your dream wedding.

I had my dream wedding. Elizabeth and
I got married in Provincetown, Mass.,
in an old house on the bay. We were
surrounded by friends and family. The
sunset lit a re on the deck and we
spilled wine on our dresses and laughed
under the stars.

What non-LGBT issue are

you most passionate about?
The rising suicide rate, especially among
women and teenagers, is alarming.
The issue hits close to home for me.
Education about mental health issues is
imperative.

What historical outcome

would you change?
Lets not start with outcome. Lets go
back and erase the origins of oppression
and the idea of The Other.

Whats been the most memorable pop

culture moment of your lifetime?
I started competitive running when I was
12, in 1984, when women were allowed
to run the Olympic marathon for the
rst time. I watched and re-watched
the 1984 Olympics, and hung a poster
of Joan Benoit on my yellow wall. Ive
been running ever since. Also, Angels in
America and Morrisey at the 9:30 club.

On what do you insist?

I insist that my students enter the world
(or perhaps just the classroom) with an
open mind, an open heart and the ability
to learn from others who arent like
them. I hope I get them thinking about

the world outside their heads. I also

insist on a good IPA (India pale ale).

What was your last

Facebook post or Tweet?
Lets see. Last week it was this: Im
worried about my Houston friends.
Theyve been under water.

If your life were a book,

what would the title be?
The title of my two books of poems,
Two Minutes of Light and The Whole
by Contemplation Of a Single Bone.
Perhaps Im just self-promoting here.
Maybe the title should be, The Riveting
Real-Life Horror Story of a Poetry Junkie.

If science discovered a way

to change sexual orientation,
what would you do?
Freak out. Dont change us.

What do you believe in

beyond the physical world?
Hope.

Whats your advice for

LGBT movement leaders?
I dont have advice. The leaders do it
better than anyone.
What would you walk
across hot coals for?
My wife. And perhaps a cold beer on an
old porch at sunset.

What LGBT stereotype

annoys you most?
That lesbians dont want to be with
men because of past trauma.
Whats your favorite LGBT movie?
Desert Hearts

Whats the most

overrated social custom?
Mrs.
What trophy or prize
do you most covet?

Nobel Peace Prize

What do you wish youd known at 18?

Perspective

Why Washington?
I dwell in possibility. (Emily Dickinson)

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

O UT & A B O UT

A PR IL 29, 2016 25

presents

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

Out students at Parkville High School work on prom decorations for this weekends event.

Parkville High School to

host Saturday night dance
By MARIAH COOPER
mcooper@washblade.com
Besides graduation, prom has been a longtime rite of passage for high school students.
The Parkville High School Chapter of Gender
& Sexualities Alliance Network, formerly
known as Gay-Straight Alliance Network, has
organized a prom designed specically for
LGBT students to feel comfortable and have
fun among their peers.
Parkville High Schools Network Advisor
Kelly Reardon says the idea for the prom,
ocially deemed a LGBTQ-plus mixer,
came from a former chapter member.
The member envisioned local gaystraight alliance chapters from Maryland
joining together for a semi-formal dance
event. Unfortunately, the individual had
to withdraw from the organization due
to unsupportive family, but Reardon says
she still wanted to honor the idea.
The idea is now a full-edged event
occurring on Saturday, April 30 from 7-11
p.m. in Parkville High Schools gymnasium
(2600 Putty Hill Ave., Parkville, Md.). The
event is free and open to all Maryland high
school students, including home schooled,
ages 15-21. Parkville is northeast of
Baltimore inside the Baltimore Beltway
and near White Marsh. Despite the name
change, members still sometimes casually
refer to the chapter as a GSA (gay-straight
alliance). Search GSA Mixer on Facebook
or EventBrite for details.
With a DJ, snacks, soda, pizza and a
photography service, there was a lot of
organizing that had to be done to bring
this idea to life.
Reardon says the Network rst had to
contact private and public high schools all
over Maryland. Financially, Reardon says
it was important for the dance to be free
since a lot of the invited schools are low-

income. Organizers turned to donations

to get their party started.The advisor says
the group sent out 100 donation letters
to surrounding companies and teachers
walked on foot to visit businesses after
school to encourage them to donate
for the cause. Police enforcement also
oered to donate their time. Local
business interest and nancial support
helped the project come to fruition.
We are really fortunate to have all
these organizations and local businesses
supporting us. Weve been having GSA
meetings, putting together posters, making
props for the photo booth and inviting
friends from all over, Reardon says.
Chapter President Annalea Cascio, who
identies as agender, says group members
spoke with GLSEN, which has its own gay
prom, for guidance. Cascio, 17, says the
schools standard prom isnt discriminatory,
but LGBT representation is slim.
We had I think two LGBT couples at
junior prom, Cascio says. They arent
in GSA but they are LGBT. They didnt
really face any backlash, like girls can
wear tuxes. There is more backlash in
the school during the day than really at
the dances. I guess whenever youre at
the dance youre kind of in your own little
group and you dont really care as much.
However, an LGBT-specic prom is
something that Cascio and Reardon
think will be benecial for not only the
students, but adults as well.
Its just really important for us all to
connect and build a family if we ever
need help or just getting to know LGBT
adults. It kind of gives us a perspective on
how it is being older and LGBT and how
its eventually going to be when were not
underneath our parents, Cascio says.
Meanwhile Reardon is excited for
the events opportunity for her to build
connections with other gay-straight
alliance advisors.
CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

Celebrating 35 years in song, including the choral classic Carmina Burana

with guests Gallim Dance, featuring all-new choreography by Andrea Miller

May 8 at 8pm

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Concert Hall
2700 F Street NW
Tickets are available at the Kennedy Center box ofce,
charge by phone at 202/467-4600 and kennedy-center.org

LIVE
JANIVA

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

26 AP R IL 29, 2016

O U T & A BO U T

UPCOMING PERFORMANCES

MAGNESS

W/ MARK WENNERS

BLUES WARRIORS

TUESDAY MAY

By MARIAH COOPER

VETIVER
W/ THE RANGE OF LIGHT WILDERNESS

WEDNESDAY

MAY 4

SUN, MAY 1

J BOOG W/ HIRIE
THURS, MAY 5

EMPIRE STRIKES BRASS

FRI, MAY 6

AN EVENING WITH SPYRO

GYRA
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE TREVOR PROJECT

SAT, MAY 7

DELTA RAE W/ AUBRIE SELLERS

SUN, MAY 8

MOTHERS DAY
GOSPEL BRUNCH

Trevor benet
slated for May 6

10am, 12:30pm, 3pm

FEATURING WILBUR JOHNSON &

THE GOSPEL PERSUADERS

THEHAMILTONDC.COM
PHOTO COURTESY OF BUCKLESWEET MEDIA

DentalBug.com
Cosmetic, Implants, Sleep Apnea, Sedation
Call Today Weekend Hours MulTilingual

We believe we can make the

dental experience better.

A Storm is coming
Pink Martinis Storm Large joins the National Symphony Orchestra for Cabaret
of Sins at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) on Friday, April 29 at 9 p.m. and
Saturday, April 30 at 8 p.m.
Large will perform Kurt Weills The Seven Deadly Sins joined by Hudson Shad
and maestro James Gagan. The Friday performance will also include a mix of
cabaret songs as part of Kennedy Centers Declassied series. There will also
be a pre-concert circus sideshow performance by Carnivalesque Roadshow at
8 p.m.There will be carnival games, food, a fortune teller and more. The party
continues after the main performance and goes until midnight.
Tickets range from $15-89. For more information, visit kennedy-center.org.

Gay Day at the Zoo is May 1

lauren rdH and Patient-of-the-Week Cielo

Jeanette Suh
DMD
Maria Hodas
DDS

John Tsaknis
DDS

Indra Mustapha
DDS, MS

Gay Day at the Zoo for International Family Equality Day is at Smithsonians
National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (3001 Connecticut Ave., N.W.)
on Sunday, May 1 from noon-4 p.m.
Both adults and children are welcome. Admission into the zoo is free. Gay
Day at the Zoo T-shirts are also available for purchase for $15. Order online
at thedccenter.org. T-shirts can be picked up at the D.C. Center (2000 14th St.,
N.W.) on Saturday, May 30 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. or at the main entrance of the
zoo on Sunday, May 1.
For more details, visit gaydayathtezoo.com.

Third annual Vinofest is next weekend

1221 Mass. ave, nW 202.628.7979 (Free Parking)

703 d street, nW 202.628.1288
lenfant Plaza,sW Promenade #325 202.628.2177

The Trevor Project hosts A Night Out

For Trevor, a benet, at Hotel Monaco
(700 F St., N.W.) on Friday, May 6 from
7-10 p.m.
Broadway actor Kyle Dean Massey will
be a special guest performer. There will be
a bar, food and a silent auction. DJ Khelan
will play music. Trevor Star admission is
$175 and includes early Impact Circle
admission at 6 p.m. General admission
tickets are $100.
For more information, visit cities.
trevorproject.org.

The third annual Vinofest is Saturday, May 7 at the Yards (1300 1st St., S.E.)
from 3-10 p.m.
Its a live concert featuring Jon Batiste & Stay Human, the Original Wailers,
Trouble Funk, Paperhaus and more. There will also be wines and food to sample.
Marthas Table and Dreaming Out Loud are charity partners for the event.
Details at vinofest.co.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SPARK POINT STUDIO

Lesbian Jewish author

shares memoir
Jewish Lesbian author Leah Lax will
make an appearance at the Library of
Congress (101 Independence Ave., S.E.)
in dining room A on the sixth oor on
Tuesday, May 3 at noon.
Lax will be speaking about her book
Uncovered: How I Left Hasidic Life and
Finally Came Home. Lax is the rst gay
woman to publish an ex-Hasidic memoir
of its kind. The memoir has landed on
Best Book lists for New York Public
Library, Booklist, Redbook and more.
Admission is free.
For more details, visit facebook.com/
leahlaxauthor.

ITS A FUNNY SHOW.

THE WASHINGTON POST

FUNNY AND LIVELY.

BROADWAYWORLD

TRULY HEARTWARMING
AND THOUGHT-PROVOKING.

DC METRO THEATER ARTS

A PR IL 29, 2016 27

EARTHY AND ENTERTAINING. LAUGH-OUT-LOUD

T HE ATE R

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

MD THEATRE GUIDE

PHOTO BY DANIEL SWALEC; COURTESY OF CENTER STAGE MARKETING

SHANI HADJIAN says she jumped at the chance to play the witch when she learned the part came
with a splashy solo number.

Now through May 8

By PATRICK FOLLIARD
For her scary turn as the Wicked Witch
of the West in the national tour of The
Wizard of Oz, Shani Hadjian gives both
old and new. Shes covered in green
makeup but instead of the familiar black
hat, she sports a long, pointy wig. Still,
Hadjian says her performance denitely
pays homage to Margaret Hamilton, the
character actress who famously played
the witch in the MGM 1939 lm classic.
Growing up in Ohio, I watched a lot of
musicals on TV, and of course The Wizard
of Oz was a staple. But even as a little girl
I was never a Dorothy person. The witch
terried me but I loved her. She was the
character I felt closest to,Hadjian says.
Even then Hadjian knew a good part
when she saw one. But with her model
looks, she doesnt appear the obvious
choice to play the cackling crone.
Im tall (5 feet, 10 inches), and in the
theater world tall represents strength and
power and sometimes evil. In the show,
I do get melted. Recently, a young girl in
the audience yelled out, Thats so mean,
she says. But honestly I feel powerful
and strong as the witch. I feel stunning
in the costume and green makeup. My
character knows what she wants and
goes after it. In that sense I think shes
relatable for me.
Hadjian was an energetic kid, so
her mother put her in extracurricular
activities, primarily sports (volleyball) and
theater. When she lost the school talent
show to a girl who took private voice
lessons, Hadjian had to have them too.
By high school, Hadjian was hooked
on the idea of a career in show biz. After
earning a degree in musical theater from
the Hartt School in Connecticut, she
headed to New York.
The rst couple years were the
hardest. You go to so many auditions and
dont get jobs. But after seven years, Ive
learned to keep going and keep pushing.
Ive accepted that.
Despite her love for the Wicked Witch,
Hadjian had harbored initial doubts

about playing her.

I assumed she wouldnt have a song,
she says. But when I learned that Id have
an epic, second act-opening song titled
Red Shoes Blues, I wanted the part badly.
My eyes literally bulged out of my head.
This is amazing. Lyrically it brings you into
why she wants the shoes. Its a dramatic,
powerful number.
Based on the MGM screenplay, this
production premiered in London in 2001.
It contains the Harold Arlen and E.Y.
Harburg songs from the movie score, plus
four new songs from famed composing
team Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Hadjian promises shes having a great time
playing the heavies (she also plays uptight
meanie Miss Gulch in sepia-toned Kansas).
As I see it, my witch is justied. Those
red shoes belong to me, Hadjian says. I
think musicals are cheesy and its ridiculous
when people burst out into song. But I fully
believe it every time. You break out into
song when words arent enough.
Despite her experience in musicals and
Shakespeare, Hadjian balks at the title
triple threat.
In a small town somewhere somebody
might call me a dancer. But in New York
Im a singer and actor.
Despite the many highs, traveling with
a national tour isnt always easy. New
York-based Hadjian misses her girlfriend
Emily who teaches ESL in the Bronx.
Like Dorothy, its hard to be away from
home. But we do face time before every
show. I have a half hour when Im steaming
my voice with my portable steamer in my
dressing room and pinning my hair.
The Wizard of Oz is an iconic LGBT lm,
and thats certainly not lost on Hadjian.
Its amboyant and fun and stars
Judy Garland, and all that carries over
to this production. But its also about a
girl who doesnt feel she ts in Kansas.
She embarks on a crazy, self-revealing
journey and nds at the end of it all that
theres no place at home. She discovers
who she is and thats a wonderful thing.
THE WIZARD OF OZ
May 3-15
The National Theatre
1321 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
$38-98
800-514-3849
TheNationalDC.com

Charlotte
loves Jonny.
And Claire.
What will her
parents say?

Photo of Shayna Blass and Xavier Scott Evans by Christopher Mueller.

Out actress relishes

evil Oz role

SigTheatre.org 703 820 9771

The Mystery of Love & Sex contains full nudity.

Now Open Daily

5PM to Close - 7 Days A Week

Wednesdays

Live DJ - 5PM to Close

Thursdays

Live Performances
202-872-1126
BBGWDC.com
17th & Rhode Island Ave. NW

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

2 8 A PRI L 2 9 , 2 0 16

A RT S & CU LT U RE

HOT HITS & HIDDEN JEWELS

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

Storm Large sings Brecht & Weills The Seven Deadly Sins,
James Gagan, conducts the NSO
Thru Apr 30. The Kennedy Center.
202-467-4600. kennedy-center.org.

Pink Martinis Storm Large sings Brecht and Weills wickedly delightful workin
concert with vocal quartet Hudson Shad. The program includes Rodgerss
Carousel Waltz, Dvorks American Suite, and Ravels La valse.

Hugo Ball: A Pointless Dada Puppet Adventure

Thru May 14. Pointless Theatre at Trinidad Theatre.
202-766-6321. pointlesstheatre.com.

A one-of-a-kind spectacle loosely based on the life of Hugo Ball, one of the
founders of the highly inuential DADA anti-art movement. Through Balls
story, the show explores themes of art, love, faith, and the unexpected cost of
pushing the boundaries with puppetry, mask, visual art, and dance, all joined
together by an anarchic sense of humor.

Marvel Men: Directors Joe and Anthony Russo on Bringing

Captain America to the Screen
May 5. TSA at National Museum of American History.
202-633-3030. smithsonianassociates.org.

Joe and Anthony Russo, directors of two entries in the Captain America lm
franchise, discuss their experience in transporting the adventures of the iconic
superhero from the page to the screen and screen clips from their newest lm,
Captain America: Civil War.

New Paintings by Kathryn Wiley

May 4-May 29. Foundry Gallery.
202-232-0203. foundrygallery.org.

Kathryn Wiley paints with a new lightness, assurance and freedom in her rst
solo show since 2013. She intends to paint with no mind, not imposing images
or shapes, but allowing the composition to appear using only color.
PHOTO COURTESY OF KENNEDY CENTER

Get Out More!

THEATRE
The Reduced Shakespeare Company:
William Shakespeare's Long Lost First
Play (abridged). Thru May 8. Folger
Theatre. 202-544-7077. folger.edu.
WNO: Ring Cycle: The Rhinegold. Apr
30-May 17. The Valkyrie. May 2-May 18.
Siegfried. May 4-May 20. The Kennedy
Center. 202-467-4600.
kennedy-center.org.
The Mystery of Love & Sex. Thru May
8. Signature Theatre. 703-820-9771.
signature-theatre.org.
Poetry Out Loud. May 4. GW Lisner
Auditorium. 202-994-6800.
lisner.gwu.edu.
Chronicle of a Death Foretold. Thru
May 8. GALA Hispanic Theatre.
202-234-7174. galatheatre.org.
Moment. Thru Apr 30. Studio Theatre.
202-332-3300. studiotheatre.org.
The Nether. Thru May 1. Woolly
Mammoth. 202-393-3939.
woollymammoth.net.
The Body Of An American. Thru May
29. Theater J. 202-518-9400. theaterj.org.
Dial 'M' for Murder. Thru May 1. Olney
Theatre. 301-924-3400. olneytheatre.org.
110 in the Shade. Thru May 14. One
Destiny. Thru May 20. Ford's Theatre.
202-347-4833. fords.org.

DANCE
Nejla Yasemin Yatkin Dance /
NY2Dance. Apr 30-May 1. Fieldwork
For Mixed Disciplines Showing. May 4.
Dance Place. 202-269-1600.
danceplace.org.
Les Ballets Jazz de Montral.
May 5. The Clarice. 301-405-2787.
claricesmithcenter.umd.edu.
Artist in Residence Showcase. Apr 30.
BalletNova. 703-778-3008.
BalletNova.org.
Dallas Black Dance Theatre. Apr 30May 1. Publick Playhouse. 301-277-1710.
arts.pgparks.com.

MUSIC
Secret Society. Apr 29. The Mersey
Beatles. Apr 30. Billy Hart ft. Ethan
Iverson. May 5. AMP. 301-581-5100.
ampbystrathmore.com.
Jason+: Charles Lloyd and Jason
Moran. Apr 29. NSO: Andrew Litton,
conductor: Vadim Gluzman, violin,
May 5-7, Organ Recital: Christopher
Houlihan. May 4. The Kennedy Center.
202-467-4600. kennedy-center.org.
PostClassical Ensemble. May 1.
National Gallery of Art. 202-737-4215.
nga.gov.
Opera and the French Revolution. Apr
29. GW Lisner Auditorium. 202-994-6800.
lisner.gwu.edu.
Childrens Chorus of Washington &
WPA Children of the Gospel Choir.
May 1. WPA at Lincoln Theatre.
Murray Perahia, piano. May 1.
WPA at Strathmore. 202-785-9727.

washingtonperformingarts.org.
Black Tie Monte Carlo/European
Celebration. Apr 30. Embassy
Experiences. Embassy of France.
301-519-8030. embassyexperiences.com.
Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen.
May 1. BlackRock. 240-912-1058.
blackrockcenter.org.
Friday Noon Concert. Apr 29. Pianist
Laurence Hobgood. May 2-May 9. Arts
Club of Washington. 202-331-7282.
artsclubofwashington.org.
Claremont Trio, Piano Trio. May 1. JCC
of Greater Washington. 301-348-3872.
jccgw.org.
Rodgers and Hammer[steins]: Musical
Theatre Cheer and Beer. May 1. Choral
Arts Society. The Black Squirrel. 202-2443669. choralarts.org.

MUSEUMS
Folger Shakespeare Library. America's
Shakespeare. Thru Jul 24. folger.edu.
National Archives. Amending
America. Thru Sep 4. 202-357-5000.
archivesfoundation.org.
National Gallery of Art. Louise
Bourgeois: No Exit. Thru May 15.
202-737-4215. nga.gov.
National Museum of Women in the
Arts. Womanimal: Zine Art by Caroline
Paquita. Thru May 13. 202-783-5000.
nmwa.org.
Smithsonian Anacostia Museum.
Twelve Years That Shook And Shaped
Washington: 1963-1975. Thru Oct 23.
202-633-4820. anacostia.si.edu.
National Portrait Gallery,
Smithsonian. The Four Justices. Thru
Oct 16. 202-633-8300. npg.si.edu.

GALLERIES
Strathmore. Shelley Lee Marie. Thru Jun
4. Kaleidoscopes: 200 Years. Thru Jun 4.
301-581-5100. strathmore.org.
Gallery Neptune & Brown. Foon
Sham. Thru May 1. 202-986-1200.
neptuneneart.com.
JCCNV. After the Holocaust. Thru May 19.
703-323-0880. jccnv.org.
The Art League Gallery. Nancy
McIntyre. May 4-Jun 5. 703-683-1780.
theartleague.org.
VisArts at Rockville. Virginia Warwick.
Apr 29-May 29. 301-315-8200.
visartsatrockville.org.
Zenith Gallery. Peter Kephart. Thru Jun
25. 202-783-2963. zenithgallery.com.
Goethe-Institut. American University's
Berlin Studio Program. Thru Apr 29.
202-847-4700. goethe.de.
ISAAG. Hernan Illescas. Thru Apr 29.
202-623-2217.
idbstaassociationartgallery.org.
Arts Club of Washington. Sandra
Gobar. Thru May 28. 202-331-7282.
artsclubofwashington.org.
District Architecture Center. Hany
Hassan, FAIA. Thru May 7. 202-347-9403.
aiadac.com.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

M US I C

A PR IL 29, 2016 29

Out recitalist Christopher

Houlihan shares tricks
of the trade
By JOEY DiGUGLIELMO
joeyd@washblade.com
Organist Christopher Houlihan took
a few minutes with us by phone from
Hartford, Conn., where he was playing
at his alma mater Trinity College (where
hes artist in residence) in advance of his
Washington recital next week. He plays
the Kennedy Center on Wednesday,
May 4. His comments have been slightly
edited for length.
WASHINGTON BLADE: Does organ
music translate well to iPods?
CHRISTOPHER HOULIHAN: I think
it can. Some pieces work better than
others. I dont tend to listen to it if I just
want to have some music playing because
if its organ music, I tend to focus on it too
much. If you want the best experience
possible, theres nothing more exciting
than a live organ shaking the room.
BLADE: Recording organ is hard with all the
outside noise that can happen. Can engineers
take out sirens and that sort of thing?
HOULIHAN: In my experience, we
havent been able to do that. Weve had
to do another take. But yes, recording in
a big city is really tough. You usually have
to do it in the middle of the night. But then
sometimes if it rains, you lose a whole night.
BLADE: Do you plan to keep recording
and releasing CDs?
HOULIHAN: I would denitely like to
do more. I have a Bach CD thats in the
works to be released. I hope in time
over what I hope is a long career that Ill
have several recordings released.
BLADE: Can you tell which stops are
pipe or digital on a hybrid organ?
HOULIHAN: When theyre done well,
I think they can be very eective. Its
a tough question to answer. I can tell,
but Ive played lots of hybrid organs
and completely digital organs and what
matters most is if you can make music on
them and you absolutely can.
BLADE: What is the consensus among
elite organists about the Kennedy
Centers new Casavant organ?
HOULIHAN: It has a good reputation. I
havent heard it myself yet but Im excited.
Ive played lots of Casavants and some of
their more recent instruments and I have
nothing but good things to say. Im sure
the Kennedy Centers is equally stunning.

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY JOEY DIGUGLIELMO

CHRISTOPHER HOULIHAN at Wilson College in

Chambersburg, Pa., on March 6, 2016.

BLADE: How much of a consideration

is audience familiarity with certain pieces
when youre programming a recital? Are
some works perhaps too much to digest?
HOULIHAN:
Its
somewhat
a
consideration. I think a program needs to
have balance so I think playing something
theyre familiar with helps but I also
nd people like to be a little challenged
and there are things theyll like and nd
interesting whether theyre familiar with
them or not. Most people arent familiar
with a whole lot beyond the Toccata and
Fugue in D Minor, so its hard to give that
too much weight.
BLADE: You played at First Baptist
Church in Washington in 2013. How was
it for you?
HOULIHAN: I had a great time. Its a
great space for organ music. The Austin
organ there is enormous and has a great
variety of colors and beautiful sounds.
BLADE: You dont seem to post much
on Facebook. How do you stay focused?
HOULIHAN: I guess Im on Facebook as
much as anybody. I dont post a lot, but when
it comes time to work, I put my phone aside
and focus on practicing. Then I take a break
when its time to take a break. Im much
more interested in reaping the benets of
practicing. Its not especially hard once you
get yourself to the organ bench.
CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
CHRISTOPHER HOULIHAN
Organ recital
Presented by the National Symphony
Orchestra
Kennedy Center Concert Hall
Wednesday, May 4
8 p.m.
$15
kennedy-center.org
christopherhoulihan.com

Custom landscape design

Patios, walkways, pool decks
Outdoor fireplaces and kitchens
Planting and water features
Landscape lighting and irrigation

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

3 0 A PRI L 2 9 , 2 0 16

CA LE N D A R
park and back into the zoo. Registration
for the run is $35. Registration for 5K
run participants 12 and under is $10.
Everyone is encouraged to raise a
minimum of $100 for a commemorative
T-shirt. The top three fundraisers will
receive prizes. For more details and to
register, visit chasebrexton.org.
Jewish Community Relations Council
hosts a community-wide Holocaust
observance in Maryland at Bnai Israel
Congregation (6101 Montrose Rd.,
Rockville, Md.) today from 10 a.m.-3:30
p.m. and Virginia at Jewish Community
Center of Northern Virginia (8900 Little
River Turnpike, Fairfax, Va.) from 4:308:30 p.m. There will be a dialogue with
Holocaust survivors, art exhibits and a
community commemoration featuring
Dr. Peter Black. For more information,
visit jcouncil.org.

MONDAY, MAY 2

PHOTO COURTESY OF CARVER

A work by Benjamin Carver thats included in his exhibit New Orleans. It will be on display with
many others on April 30 and May 2.
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
Comedian Wanda Sykes performs at
Patrice & Arthur Modell Performing Arts
Center at the Lyric (140 West Mount Royal
Ave., Baltimore) tonight at 8 p.m. Tickets
range from $35-70. For more details, visit
lyricbaltimore.com.
A LGB support group meets today
from 10-11:30 a.m. at 16220 S. Frederick
Rd., Gaithersburg, Md., for individuals
in Montgomery County. The group
will discuss coming out of marriage,
homophobia, parenting issues, nding
intimate relationships, LGB resources
in the suburbs and more. For more
information, visit thedccenter.org.
The NeedlExchange hosts a gay dance
party at Zeba Bar (3423 14th St., N.W.)
tonight from 10 p.m.-3 a.m. Vicki Powell
will guest DJ for the night. Cover is $5. For
more details, search The NeedlExchange
on Facebook.
Opera Lafayette performs Opera:
French Revolution tonight at the Lisner
Auditorium at George Washington
University (730 21st St., N.W.) at 7:30
p.m. Tickets are $20-110. Details at
operalafayette.org.

SATURDAY, APRIL 30
Rainbow Families Conference is at
Georgetown Day School (4530 MacArthur
Blvd., N.W.) today from 8:30 am.-4:45

p.m. Keynote speaker will be LGBT artist

and activist Staceyann Chin. There will
also be a kids camp for children 2-anda-half -11 years old with activities such
as arts and crafts, games, sports and a
moon bounce. Advanced registration
for Rainbow Families members is $40
per person and $50 for non-members.
On-site registration is $50 per person
for Rainbow Families members and $60
per person for non-members. For more
information, visit rainbowfamiliesdc.org.
Thorgy Thor, eliminated last week
fromRuPauls Drag Races performs
at Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) tonight at
10 p.m. Meet-and-greet tickets are $20
and grant entry at 9 p.m. to take photos.
Cover is $12. Drag show starts at 10:30
p.m. Details at towndc.com.
Gay
photographer/lmmaker
Benjamin Carver presents his exhibit
New Orleans, an exhibition of about
600 photos he took in New Orleans 10
years after Hurricane Katrina, tonight at
the White Room (1240 9th St., N.W.) from
6-10 p.m. Another show is planned for
Monday, May 2 from 6-9 p.m. Details at
benjamincarver.com.

SUNDAY, MAY 1
AIDS Walk & Run Baltimore is at The
Maryland Zoo (1876 Mansion House
Dr., Baltimore) today from 7-10:30
a.m. Walkers can stroll through the
zoo alongside the animals. The walk is
recommended for children of all ages
and adults. General walk registration is
$25. For participants 12 and under, walk
registration is $10. The 5K run will be a
3.1-mile run through the zoo into Druid

Book Reading Uplifts His Spirit

(B.R.U.H.S), a literary gathering for samegender loving men of color, meets today
at Martin Luther King Library (901 G St.,
N.W.) in room A5 from 6-9 p.m. The
meeting will be a celebration of same
gender loving artists. For more details,
email darscorpius@gmail.com.
Live at 9:30, a music variety show
airing on public television, screens its
world premiere episode at the Lincoln
Theatre (1215 U St., N.W.) tonight at 8
p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. For details,
visit thelincolnd.com.
The D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W..)
hosts coee drop-in hours this morning
from 10 a.m.-noon for the senior LGBT
community. Older LGBT adults can
come and enjoy complimentary coee
and conversation with other community
members. For more information, visit
thedccenter.org.

TUESDAY, MAY 3
Green Lantern (1335 Green Ct., N.W.)
hosts its weekly FUK!T Packing Party from
7-9 p.m. tonight. For more details, visit
thedccenter.org or greenlanterndc.com.
SMYAL (410 7th St., S.E.) hosts a
transgender and non-binary support
group today from 5-7 p.m. For more
details, visit smyal.org.
Bachelors Mill has half-price drinks
all night from 5 p.m.-2 a.m. tonight. They
also have pool, video gaming systems
and cards. Admission is free. For more
details, visit bachelorsmill.com.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 4
The Tom Davoren Social Bridge
Club meets tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the
Dignity Center (721 8th St., S.E.) for social
bridge. No partner needed. For more
information, call 301-345-1571.
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.
Team Rayceen presents The Ask
Rayceen Show at Martin Luther King
Library (901 G St., N.W.) in the auditorium
tonight at 6 p.m. There will be a
community forum focused on nutrition,
tness, health and wellness. Panelists
will include Lanada Williams, Nicole Cutts,
Ruby Lathon, Candice Camille, Elesa Du
Boise, and Dr. Linda Spooner. Gerard
Coach G Burley will give a tness demo.
AFLOCENTRIC will perform live music
with an accompanying performance by
Rae Monet. Rayceen Pendarvis hosts
the event and Curt Mariah will be the
announcer. Admission is free. For more
details, visit facebook.com/askrayceen.
The Washington Ballet presents
Bowie & Queen, a ballet tribute to David
Bowie and Queen, tonight at 7:30 p.m.
The performance, choreographed by
Trey McIntyre and Edwaard Liang, runs
through Sunday, May 15. Tickets range
from $32.25-130. For more information,
visit kennedy-center.org.
Bookmen D.C., an informal mens gay
literature group, discusses Bettyville by
George Hodgman at the Cleveland Park
Library (3310 Connecticut Ave., N.W.)
tonight at 7:30 p.m. All are welcome. For
details, visit bookmendc.blogspot.com.

THURSDAY, MAY 5
Author/historian Nicholas F. Benton
will read from his book Extraordinary
Hearts: Reclaiming Gay Sensibilitys
Central Role in the Progress of Civilization
tonight at 7:30 p.m. at One More Page
Books (2200 Westmoreland St., No.
101, Arlington, Va.). Benton will also be
interviewed. His book is comprised of 100
essays on gay history. The book has been
a best seller in the area of gay studies on
Amazon for months.
Suede, a pop-jazz singer whos also
a lesbian, will perform her rst concert
in Washington in eight years tonight at
Atlas Performing Arts Center (1333 H St.,
N.E.) at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $30-50 and
70 percent of the proceeds will go to the
Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (CHAW). Suede
will also perform on Friday, May 6 in an
intimate concert at CHAW (545 7th St.,
S.E.) at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for that event
are $160 and include a mix-and-mingle
event with Suede. Proceeds go to the
Paint Bucket Campaign. Tickets at chaw.
org/suede-concert.
Gamma MD, a support group for men
in mixed-orientation relationships, meets
today from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at 25 E 2nd St.,
Frederick, Md. The group is for men who
are attracted to men but are currently or
were at one point in relationships with
women. For more information about the
group and location, visit gammaindc.org.
SMYAL (410 7th St., S.E.) hosts Fight
4 Yr Rights Activist Night today from 5-7
p.m. LGBT youth can come to learn about
historical activist movements. For details,
visit smyal.org.

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

HERE WE GO AGAIN
MAKING A SCENE
WELL, FIVE NEW SCENES TO BE EXACT
Five reimagined Kimpton hotels among 13 boutique beauties
in DC and Old Town Alexandria. Go ahead. Play favorites.
LEARN MORE AT KIMPTONHOTELS.COM/DC

A P RI L 2 9 , 2 0 1 6 3 1

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

3 2 A P RI L 2 9 , 2 0 16

Well-stocked rooftop bar a

major perk at new Takoda
By KRISTEN HARTKE
Is it possible to have too many rooftop
dining rooms in D.C.? No, we didnt think
so, either. And even if we did, the rooftop
at Shaws newest hot spot, Takoda (715
Florida Ave., N.W., takodadc.com), is
pretty spectacular.
Even better, the enclosed dining room
downstairs is an equally inviting space,
lined with windows overlooking Florida
Avenue, while a customizable food and
drink menu makes it a welcoming option
when youre getting together with a large
group of friends with many dierent likes,
dislikes and dietary requirements.
But well start with drinks, because a
rooftop bar just cries out for cocktails.
Stocked with 35 bourbons and more
than two dozen ryes and other whiskeys,
Takoda clearly has a whiskey-centric bar
concept. The fruit-forward Cold Toddy
oers a warm-weather counterpoint to the
hot drink usually associated with nursing a

D IN IN G

sore throat, this time made with rye, iced

tea, honey, lemon and a cinnamon stick
garnish to add a shot of spice. Meanwhile,
a slightly malty beer syrup adds depth to a
traditional Old Fashioned.
Because Takodas rooftop is actually
referred to as a beer garden, there are 24
beers on draft, mostly focused on madein-D.C. varieties like D.C. Brau, Hellbender,
Atlas and 3 Stars, along with a selection from
the mid-Atlantic area and beyond. If youre
looking to keep it classic (and cheap) PBR is
just $5 a pint. Happy hour discounts from 5-7
p.m. most days are worth every penny, from
whiskey and wings (more on those later) on
Wednesdays, cider and salads on Thursdays
(for when youre on a diet, obviously), and
an extended happy hour until 11 p.m. on
Sundays when you can kick back half-priced
mimosas and desserts.
Chef Damian Brown, a native of Capitol
Heights who at 25 has been quickly rising
through some of D.C.s best kitchens,
including those at Vidalia and Blue Duck
Tavern, oers up several playful dishes
on Takodas menu that showcase a
youthful Southern-inspired exuberance.
PB&J barbecue chicken wings sound

5821 Dawes avenue

alexanDria, va 22311

UnDer ConTrACT In 10 DAYs!

PHOTO BY DANIEL SWARTZ; COURTESY OF TAKODA

A burger with two bacon-infused patties with

applewood-smoked bacon, bacon and cheese
fondue and a sunny side up egg served on a
pretzel bun at Takoda.

like a strange concept at rst blush, but

the hint of peanut butter references
an Indonesian-style satay, but with a
pleasingly fruity stickiness from the jam.
Flash-fried tater tots are tossed with
Parmesan and rosemary, then served with
three dipping sauces: Sriracha ketchup,
beer-cheese fondue (yes, please), and

2563 niCky lane

alexanDria, va 22311
soLD ABoVe AsKInG PrICe!
UnDer ConTrACT In 4 DAYs!

Irene Xenos

Licensed realtor in VA & MD

re/MAX By Invitation
4784 Lee Highway
Arlington, VA 22207

Cell: (703) 956-0418

Office: (703) 677-8730
Fax: (703) 940-0708

Email: irene.xenos@remax.net
Website: irenexenos.com
Company Website: www.byinvitationrealty.com

barbecue sauce aioli. Sometimes the

clever ideas dont always yield interesting
results: vegetable ceviche, for instance,
sounds intriguing but, in all honesty, is
salsa and chips.
A true reection of his generation,
Brown also oers a menu that is meant
to be customized, allowing diners to ask
for gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan
oerings for many dishes sometimes
that might simply mean that the vegan
version of bacon popcorn is, you know,
popcorn, albeit with freshly diced chives,
but it might also provide the option to get
a gluten-free skillet mac n cheese topped
with broccoli or a grilled caesar salad with
an anchovy-free dressing. While some
of the desserts veer a little overly sweet,
a cereal-topped creme brle does
not disappoint, a crunchy-salty-sweet
throwback to what every child thinks a
fancy dessert should be.
And apparently brunch is coming soon.
Save us a seat on the roof.
KRISTEN HARTKE is a D.C.-based food
and beverage writer. Follow her kitchen
adventures on Twiiter, @khartke.

walDorf, MD

Charles Crossing subDivision

UnDer ConTrACT In 10 DAYs!
soLD for $425,000

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

A P RI L 2 9 , 2 0 1 6 3 3

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

34 A PR IL 29, 2016

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

Meet Mike Love, sex, joy chief

among Prince themes
Mike Brown has nearly 30 years of experience in sales,
marketing and business negotiations, and he has been a

licensed real estate professional since 1986. Previously, he

was a residential lender for more than eight years with

nationally ranked top-five firm.
Mike offers his sellers and buyers an exceptional crossindustry knowledge and experience so they can make
intelligent and well-informed decisions. His greatest passion
and achievement is providing tangible results for his clients.
A local resident for almost 40 years, Mike currently lives in
Washington, DC. He was born and grew up overseas with
his parents, who were C.I.A. officers. If I wasnt a real estate
agent, Id be a secret agent, he likes to say. Mike earned his
bachelors degree from George Mason University.

Licensed in DC, MD, VA

Mike@MikeBrownMoves.com | 202.340.3340
MikeBrownMoves.com
1803 14th St, NW | Washington, DC 20009 202.903.2200

Katharine Hepburn
on Housekeeping:
If I knew I was going
to live to 86, I wouldnt
have let the maid go.
VALERIE M. BLAKE, Associate Broker, GRI

Dupont Circle Office 202.243.7700 (o) 202.246.8602 (c)

Valerie@DCHomeQuest.com www.DCHomeQuest.com

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703-593-3204 WWW.DAVELOYD.NET

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23

been released a decade earlier.

14. When the Lights Go Down (from
The Vault Old Friends for Sale, 1999)
A long, R&B/jazz avored slow-jam with
booming bass and some jaw-dropping
instrumentation, its clear that Prince didnt
have it in him to turn in subpar material
even for contract ller. Prince nails his
sweet falsetto, which doesnt come in until
after two minutes of sublime Latin-groove
instrumental introduction.
15. The Love You Make (from
Emancipation, 1995)
This powerful gospel-avored rock ballad
ratchets up the intensity as it approaches a
breathtaking climax. Often a stunner in live
performance, The Love You Make sounds
entirely more authentic than almost anything
else on Emancipation.
16. Comeback (from The Truth, 1997)
The Truth is an all-acoustic album
included with the Crystal Ball box set of
previously unreleased material. Because of
its hard-to-acquire status, The Truth has not
been widely heard. The highlight is the short
but exquisitely beautiful Comeback, a song
presumably written by Prince for his late son.
Not often does Prince allow something so
nakedly personal to be heard by his audience
and the song is worthy of its stature as a
touching goodbye.
17. Wasted Kisses (from New Power
Soul, 1998)
This track is indeed a hidden gem you
have to scroll through the CD to track 49 to
nd it, but its well worth the extra clicks. Its
about as bitter a Prince song as youll ever
hear. We hear gunshots, an ambulance,
medical personnel and a atline all the while
Prince is singing, Why did I waste my kiss on
you, baby?/Why did I waste my kisses on you
now. Its as strange and as chilling a song as
Prince has ever released.
18. I Love U, But I Dont Trust U Anymore
(from Rave un2 The Joy Fantastic, 1999)
Princes performance here is emotionally
authentic and shows a naked vulnerability
were not used to hearing from him.
19. She Loves Me 4 Me (from The
Rainbow Children, 2001)
The Rainbow Children seems to be
Princes version of a concept album inspired
by the teachings of his new religion. It seems
nobody really understood any of it but Prince
himself, but that hardly matters. She Loves
Me 4 M is a classic mid-tempo Prince pop
tune built on the lovely interplay between a
glistening order and Princes guitar. It stands
along with anything he has done.
20. Reection (from Musicology, 2004)
The nal track from Princes 2004
comeback Musicology a year in which
Prince launched his rst major U.S. tour in

ages and also saw him steal the show at the

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Reection may
be the musical highlight a charming piece
of nostalgia set to gentle acoustic guitar, like a
photograph faded with time.
21. Love (from 3121, 2006)
3121 earned Prince his rst No. 1 album
in America since the 80s, and its easy
to understand why. Its a super-slick and
modern collection of rst-rate pop and R&B,
and Love is one of the albums highlights.
Although it was never a single, the song has
an irrepressible groove, jittery keyboard, a
strong melodic hook and Prince sounds his
condent best.
22. All the Midnights in the World (from
Planet Earth, 2007)
Princes 2007 album Planet Earth was the
rst to prominently feature old Revolution
mates Lisa Coleman and Wendy Melvoin
substantially in 30 years. Its a gentle song
that doesnt t with much of what Prince has
been doing in recent years, which is no doubt
part of its luminous charm.
23. Future Soul Song (from 20ten,
2010)
20ten is generally not regarded as one
of Princes nest eorts, but its not nearly
as bad as some would have you believe.
There are indeed gems, like the electronic
powerhouse Beginning Endlessly, the lithe
and funky Sticky Like Glue, and especially
the gorgeous ballad Future Soul Song, with
an old school groove, sumptuous keyboards
and with Prince shifting from his soulful
slower register during the versions to his
most feathery falsetto for the chorus.
24. Way Back Home (from Art Ocial
Age, 2014)
Most people in this world were born dead,
but I was born alive. Its a line impossible to
forget and impossible to argue. Way Back
Home is Princes transcendent ballad from
his triumphant 2014 release Art Ocial Age,
a smart collection of fresh pop and R&B. The
vocal harmonies and the sincerity in Princes
voice make Way Back Home the standout.
Its sheer beauty and heart on an album
loaded with terric songs.
25. Revelation (from HITNRUN Phase
2, 2015)
The nal Prince album during his life was
released in December 2015, HITNRUN
Phase 2. Happily, its an album worthy of his
catalogue. Revelation is the type of strippeddown ballad that Prince can crunch out by
the dozen, but theyre all dierent and usually
worthy of attention. He is careful to keep the
song melodically interesting hes not trying
to create a boring Top 40 hit. He delivers a
superb falsetto and a blistering guitar solo.
On the strongest track from his last album,
Prince could still bring it at the highest quality.

WA SH I N GTO NB LADE.C OM

A P RI L 2 9 , 2 0 1 6 3 5

REALESTATE

Tips for moving with young children

Make sure baby is happy
during hectic process
By JONATHAN NEAL
Summer is the most popular season for
moving because the kids are out of school
and the weather is warm. However, moving can be daunting for families with young
children, especially infants that have to be
monitored around the clock.
At Metropolitan Moving & Storage, we
always help guide our clients through any
challenges that they might face with their
move. Were family friendly and have
learned quite a few things about moving
with babies:
Familiarize yourself with your new
neighborhood: First and foremost, do
some research on your new neighborhood and identify where the nearest hospitals, pediatricians and 24-hour supermarkets are located. Create a cheat sheet
of addresses and contact information to
have on-hand. Youll feel more prepared
for any emergencies that come up.
Pack the nursery last and unpack

first: Talk to your movers and come up

with an effective packing game plan that
works for your family. Let them know that
youd like them to pack the babys nursery
items last on the moving truck. Furniture,
such as the crib and changing table, will
be the first items moved into your new
home and placed in the nursery that way
all of babies essentials can be organized
first. Youll be able to cross the biggest todo off your list early on in your move.
Keep essentials close by: Pack a travel
suitcase with all of your childs most important everyday items, like blankets,
diapers, wipes and enough outfits to last
a week without laundry. Having this on
hand will give you time to properly organize the nursery. It will also be a comfort for you and your baby to have these
items close by.
Another great tip is to pack sheets and
pillows in a suitcase for the babys crib,
as well as for your own bed, so you wont
be digging through boxes when you just
want to get some rest.
The day of the move: Book a babysitter ahead of time, triple confirm and
have a back-up babysitter plan in place.

Summer is the most popular time to move because kids are out of school.

Focusing all of your energy on the move

will only make it go that much faster and
will be much less stressful without having to entertain a little one. The nature
of moving day can be a bit chaotic for a
youngster, so youll want to make sure
the childs first introduction to the new
home is as calm as possible.
Keep in mind that the most important

thing about your move is to make sure

that your baby is healthy and happy during the entire process.

Jonathan Neal is president of Metropolitan

Moving and Storage LLC, headquartered in
Laurel, Md. To learn more about the company, visit dcmetropolitanmoving.com or follow
them on Twitter @MetroMovingDC.

SIMPLE
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703-593-3204

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ENTHUSIASTICALLY
SERVING DC & VIRGINIA

3 6 A PRI L 2 9 , 2 0 16

Open Sunday, May 1 2-4pM

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

old town
alexandria
731 north alfred st.
$849,000

Freshly painted Carlyle model in Old

Town Commons! 3 bedrooms each with
an ensuite bath - master bath features
double granite vanity. Hardwood floors in
the living room, dining room and kitchen.
Kitchen with granite counters, and granite
center island, stainless steel appliances
and sliding glass doors to small rear deck.
Main level front office with bump out
bay window. Family room with sliding
glass doors to roof top terrace overlooking
North Old Town. One car attached garage.
4 blocks to the Braddock Metro, 7 blocks
to King Street shops and restaurants. Easy
access to I395, I495, Route 1, Route 7 and
the GW Parkway.

alexandria, va
924 north alfred st.
$4,050/month

3 bedrooms each with an ensuite bath

- master bath features double granite
vanity. Open style living room, dining room and kitchen. Kitchen with
granite counters, including breakfast
bar, stainless steel appliances and
glass door to small rear deck, gas grill
on deck stays with property. Main
level front office off entry foyer. Roof
top terrace off family room. One car
attached garage. 5 blocks to the Braddock Metro, 9 blocks to King Street
shops and restaurants. Easy access to
I395, I495, Route 1, Route 7 and the
GW Parkway.

Open Sunday, May 1 2-4pM

arlington riDge 1304 19th rd. south $1,095,000

Quiet cut-de-sac home on The Ridge. Only one stop sign to DC. Colonial home with
open living room and dining rooms, eat-in kitchen with granite counters, island and
stainless steel appliances. Kitchen is open to family room featuring built-in bookshelves
framing a wood burning fireplace with custom mantel and granite surround. Upstairs 4
bedrooms, including a master suite, with two walk in closets and en-suite dual vanity
master bath. Off the back of the home is a large deck and entertainment platform, perfect for your next outdoor gathering. Attached two car garage. Full unfinished basement
awaits your customization - sellers are offering a credit to finish this wonderful space,
call for details. Property is co-listed with Susan Leavitt 703.855.2267.

great falls, va 9563 edmonston Dr. $1,745,000

Custom designed home on five acres of private wooded property, Maywood feels
like a Virginian estate! Stunning details include extensive woodwork, custom plaster
mouldings, wainscoting, rich hardwood floors, 3 wood-burning fireplaces, and floorto-ceiling windows. An entertainers dream, the living areas include a Honduran
mahogany library, large sun-filled living room with grand fireplace and French doors
leading to a backyard oasis. Property is co-listed with Susan Leavitt 703.855.2267.

mary ashley rhule

Top Producer & Multi Million Dollar Sales Club

Licensed in VA and DC
Cell: 860.214.7474
Fax: 703.717.5843
marhule@mcenearney.com
www.maryashleyrealestate.com

DEADLINES

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WA SH I NGTO N B LA DE.C OM

BODY & SOUL

A P RI L 2 9 , 2 0 1 6 3 7

SALE / DC

GET YOUR MIND IN SHAPE

& your body will follow. Stop smoking?
Weight loss? Addictions? Fears &
phobias. Changing your behavior can
be difficult. Hypnosis changes your
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COUNSELING
MASSAGE / CERTIFIED
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LGBTQ AFFIRMING THERAPY at

Dupont Circle Individuals, couples,
families, adolescents. Over 15
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mike.giordano.msw@gmail.com.
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EMPLOYMENT
SALES POSITIONS for
the Washington Blade
the Nations Premier
LGBT weekly publication
in Washington DC. We
are seeking dynamic
individuals to join our
advertising sales team.
If you are a motivated,
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LOCKER ROOM ATTENDANTS

NEEDED! The Crew Club, a gay mens
naturist gym & sauna, is now hiring
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Please call Richard at (202) 319-1333.
from 9-5pm, to schedule an interview.

LEGAL SERVICES
ADOPTION & ASSISTED
REPRODUCTIVE Law Attorney Jennifer
Fairfax represents clients in DC, MD
& VA. interested in adoption or ART
matters.301-221-9651,JFairfax@
jenniferfairfax.com.
FULL SERVICE LAW FIRM
Representing the GLBT community
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CLEANING

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MORTGAGES VA

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SALE / DC

MASSAGE SILVER SPRING est 2004.

Where some of the nicest guys
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W A SH I N G T O N BLA D E . CO M

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

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FIND REAL GAY MEN NEAR YOU

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