JUL Y 2 8 , 2 0 1 7 V O L U M E 4 8 I SSU E 30 AM E RI C A S LGB T NE W S S O URCE WASHINGTONBLADE.

COM

TRUMP BANS TRANS TROOPS

Presidents tweets dont
address plight of those
already serving
By CHRIS JOHNSON
cjohnson@washblade.com
President Trump tweeted on Wednesday
the U.S. military will not accept or allow
transgender people in the armed forces in
any capacity, citing dubious claims of medical
costs and disruptions of allowing them to
serve.
After consultation with my Generals and
military experts, please be advised that the
United States Government will not accept or
allow Transgender individuals to serve in any
capacity in the U.S. Military, Trump tweeted.
Our military must be focused on decisive
and overwhelming victory and cannot be
burdened with the tremendous medical costs
and disruption that transgender in the military
would entail.
Trumps announcement comes after
Defense Secretary James Mattis announced
hed push back the target date for allowing
openly transgender people to enlist in the
armed forces from July 1, 2017 to Jan. 1, 2018,
citing a need for additional six-month review
of transgender service. Its unclear why Trump
has made the decision to bar transgender
troops from the armed forces before the
expected completion of this review.
Last year, under the Obama administration,
former Defense Secretary Ashton Carter
after a year-long review lifted the medical
regulation banning transgender people
from serving in the armed forces. Although
transgender people could come out without
fear of discharge, openly transgender people
wouldnt be allowed to enlist until a later time,
which Mattis later pushed back.
DONALD TRUMP tweeted transgender people wont be allowed in the
U.S. military.
CONTINUES ON PAGE 13 WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

D.C. man guilty in love triangle murder case

Police said defendant bludgeoned
two roommates with hammer
By LOU CHIBBARO JR.
lchibbaro@washblade.com
A D.C. Superior Court jury this week found a 24-year-
old District man guilty of rst-degree premeditated
murder while armed for allegedly using a hammer
to bludgeon to death his two roommates with whom
witnesses said he had sexual relations.
In its third day of deliberations the jury found Jerey
Bernard Neal guilty of murdering Leon Young, 22, and
Delano Wingeld, 23, who witnesses said were at one
time his closest friends as well as roommates.
Police and prosecutors said the murders took place
in June of 2014 inside a house at 1846 8th St., N.E.
that was owned by Neals grandmother and in which
Neal, Young, Wingeld, and other roommates resided
at various times.
Chief Judge Robert Morin, who presided over the
trial, scheduled a sentencing for Neal on Oct. 20.
Under D.C. law the penalty for a conviction of rst-
degree murder includes a mandatory minimum
sentence of 30 years in prison and a maximum
sentence of life in prison.
Tuesdays verdict followed a two-and-a-half week
trial in which prosecutors and defense attorneys
clashed over the motive behind the murders. From
the beginning of the trial the defense argued that Neal
killed Young in self-defense after Young confessed
CONTINUES ON PAGE 17

GUILTY PLEA I GAVE TO HRC MICHELLES BACK

Rehoboth bar owner Trump adviser Scaramucci Early 00s mainstay Branch
sentenced for DUI, supports marriage equality, talks music, label feud on
police car chase. donated to LGBT causes. eve of 9:30 club show.

PAGE 7 PAGE 10 PAGE 25

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0 4 J ULY 2 8 , 2 0 1 7 LO CA L N E W S

Trans woman
Comings & Goings injured in BB gun
attack in Baltimore
New roles for locals at ConferenceDirect and EDF Victim shot ve times
after suspect asked
By PETER ROSENSTEIN
about her gender
The Comings & Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our communi-
ty. We want to recognize those landing new jobs, new clients for their business, joining boards
of organizations and other achievements. Please share your successes with us at By STEVE CHARING
comingsandgoings@washblade.com.
A transgender woman named Channel
Michael H. Sicheri has taken a new position as global account executive was shot with a BB gun by a motorist on
with ConferenceDirect, a leading provider of global meeting planning solutions. July 22 in Baltimore, according to police.
Sicheri said he is proud to be working with them the company because, We Ava Pipitone, executive director of The
help clients save time and money by securing the best hotel accommodations, Baltimore Transgender Alliance, told the
meeting space, conference venues and hospitality services available at the most Blade that Channel, who was hospitalized
favorable terms possible. after the attack, has since been released.
Sicheri has more than 30 years experience in the hospitality industry. He has According to a Baltimore Police
worked at hotels including the Omni Shoreham Hotel, as a senior sales manager; Department report, the victim told
the Loews Madison Hotel, as a national sales manager; and the Hilton Alexandria police that she was standing outside the
Mark Center, as sales manager. In addition to his work with ConferenceDirect he Eagle nightclub at the intersection of
is an owner of Cruise Planners, Travelisto. MICHAEL H. SICHERI Charles and 21st Streets on July 22. At
Sicheri is a past vice president of Alexandria Gay Lesbian Association; past PHOTO COURTESY OF SICHERI approximately 1:48 a.m., an unidentied
president of Capital Area Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. He also served suspect driving a blue or gray four-door
in the United States Navy. He is a Persian Gulf War veteran stationed on the USS vehicle with a sunroof called over to the
Theodore Roosevelt. He graduated from Mercyhurst University with a bachelors victim claiming he needed to ask her a
in Business/Hotel Restaurant and Institutional Management. question.
Mark W. Rupp recently began a new position with the Environmental She walked over to the drivers side
Defense Fund (EDF) as director, Wildlife Campaign. Within the organization he door. The victim described the suspect to
will coordinate the activities and strategies among several EDF functional areas: police as a black male with black hair that
political aairs, ecosystems, marketing and communications and legal. He will was cruddy style with the top bleached
also facilitate activities and strategies with outside partners and coalitions and and appeared to have on a white shirt.
represent EDF to elected ocials and members of the administration. The suspect then asked, Are you a girl or
After President Trumps election, Rupp left his position at the U.S. Environmental a boy? The victim replied, What do I look
Protection Agency where he served as deputy associate administrator for like?
intergovernmental relations. Prior to that, he worked for former Washington State He then pulled out a silver BB gun
Gov. Christine Gregoire as director of her D.C. oce and as legislative counsel to and shot the victim ve times in her
U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.). forehead, right eye and other parts of her
He worked as a law clerk for both the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) body. The victim told police that when
and the San Francisco Environmental Law and Justice Clinic. Rupp has been active she was shot she fell to the ground and
in the community as a member of the Gay Mens Chorus of Washington, D.C., that when she realized she was still alive,
and was on the board of the Community Coalition for Environmental Justice. MARK W. RUPP ran away from the area. The suspect ed
He has received numerous awards including a 2016 Recognition for Service to PHOTO COURTESY OF RUPP
in an unknown direction.
the Environment and the States, Environmental Council of States (ECOS); 2012 She told police she was taken to a
Appreciation for Leadership on behalf of the Chair, Western Governors Association; hospital for treatment by a friend and a
and 2005 Distinguished Congressional Sta Award, National Association of witness.
Community Health Centers. The responding ocer informed LGBT
Scott Widmeyer was recently named chair of the School of Media and Public Liaison Sgt. Kevin Bailey of the incident.
Aairs Council at The George Washington University. The National Council for If you want to help, talk to people in
Mediaand Public Aairs functions as the directorsadvisory body for the School your circles of inuence. Ignorance and
of Media and Public Aairs (SMPA). Comprised of distinguished national and transphobia are killing us. And bridge
international alumni and friends, the Council works to address issues impacting this divide, Pipitone said. Know your
the growth and development of SMPA. In addition, members help to promote the neighbors. When the temperature goes
mission of the university and SMPA through their work on the Council. up so does violence. We are not going to
Widmeyer is a founding managing partner at Finn Partners and founder of sit here and wait to react. Channel was
Widmeyer Communications. Talking about Finn Partners, he said, In June, we shot in an area where white queers enjoy
celebrated the fourth anniversary of Widmeyer Communications joining Finn a signicant amount of safety. Why?
Partners. Its been a good and evolving endeavor. At mid-year, Finn Partners, a Detectives from the Northern District
global marketing communications rm, is approaching nearly 600 employees in are continuing to investigate this incident.
14 oces throughout the U.S. and globally.Our most recent acquisition of Ying SCOTT WIDMEYER Anyone with information can call Metro
Communications enables Finn to establish its Asia-Pacic hub in Singapore. PHOTO COURTESY OF WIDMEYER Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7Lockup. Callers
can always remain anonymous.
W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM T:9.75 J U LY 2 8 , 2 0 1 7 0 5

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the vast collection of LGBTQ movies and shows on XFINITY X1. Explore the LGBTQ Film & TV collection
on XFINITY On Demand or just say Pride or LGBTQ into the X1 Voice Remote to find exciting, new
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available on XFINITY Stream app

Restrictions apply. Not available in all areas. 2017 Comcast. All rights reserved.

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0 6 J ULY 2 8 , 2 0 1 7
Madaleno runs as progressive leader in Md. gubernatorial race
Mont. Co. Democrat
would be countrys rst
openly gay governor
By MICHAEL K. LAVERS
mlavers@washblade.com
KENSINGTON, Md. Maryland state
Sen. Rich Madaleno (D-Montgomery
County) describes himself as a
progressive leader among the
Democratic candidates who are running
for governor.
Madaleno pointed out to the Washington
Blade during a nearly hour-long interview
at his Kensington campaign oce last
week that he is the lead sponsor of a bill
that would raise the states minimum wage
to $15 an hour. The Montgomery County
Democrat also noted he has played an
active role in the extension of marriage
and other rights to LGBT Marylanders over
the last two decades.
Not only do I have a record of
supporting and leading on progressive
issues, I have a record of getting them
done, said Madaleno.
Madaleno on July 17 formally announced
he is running to succeed Republican Gov.
Larry Hogan. His husband, Mark Madaleno
Hodge, and their two children, Jackson
and Katie, joined him at his campaign
announcement that he made at Universities
at Shady Grove in North Potomac.
Madaleno, 52, has represented the
18th Senate District since 2007.
He became the rst openly gay person
elected to the Maryland General Assembly
in 2002. Madaleno also worked for state
Sen. Barbara Homan (D-Baltimore City)
and the late state Del. Pete Rawlings
(D-Baltimore City).
I know more about the Baltimore
region than I think people assume, he
told the Blade.
Former NAACP President Benjamin
Jealous, Prince Georges County Executive
Rushern Baker and former State
Department ocial Alec Ross are among
the Democrats who have also announced
they are challenging Hogan. Madaleno
would become the rst openly gay man
elected governor in the U.S. if he were to
win in 2018.
I would be immensely proud of having
that distinction, said Madaleno.
Madaleno, who joined the FreeState
Justice board of directors in 2000, is
among the lawmakers and advocates
who led eorts to secure passage of the
states same-sex marriage bill then-Gov.
Martin OMalley signed into law in 2012.
Madaleno in 2014 introduced a
transgender rights measure that took
eect later in the year. He also defeated
Gender Rights Maryland Executive
RICHARD MADALENO (D-Montgomery County) speaks with the Washington Blade outside his Kensington, Md., campaign oce on July 20.
Director Dana Beyer, who ran against him
in the 2014 Democratic primary.
Madaleno told the Blade he would
absolutely support a bill that would
formally repeal Marylands sodomy law.
[We would do] all of those things to
make sure that we are in alignment of
keeping the promise that we have made
to LGBTQ Marylanders, he said.
Hogan ambivalent onLGBT issues
A recent poll indicates Hogan is the
second most popular governor in the
U.S., with a 68 percent approval rating.
Madaleno has nevertheless emerged as
one of Hogansmost vocal critics.
Hogan said during his campaign against
then-Lieutenant Gov. Anthony Brown
that his position on marriage rights for
same-sex couples has evolved, even
though he voted against the 2012 law
that legalized them. Madaleno told the
Blade that Hogan has been ambivalent
onLGBT-specic issues.
He recognizes that he cannot win with
his true feelings coming out, he said.
He said he would work to ensure
LGBT Marylanders and their families
can access all of the rights they have
in the state birth certicates for
trans people who have transitioned
and children of same-sex couples if
he were elected. Madaleno added he
would also appoint judges who will
faithfully follow the rules of the laws
of the state and the rules that the U.S.
Supreme Court has laid out.
Madaleno has challenged Hogans
support of the use of public funds
to private schools that are not
required to comply with Marylands
nondiscrimination law. He has also
criticized the governor on a host of
other issues that include his handling
of the proposed Purple Line between
Bethesda and New Carrollton and
appointing Maryland State Board of
Education President Andrew Smarick
and Maryland Health Care Commission
Chair Robert Mot, who have ties to
the conservative American Enterprise
Institute and Heritage Foundation think
tanks respectively.
Hes going to ll his second-term
administration with more and more
of these people associated with these
right-wing think tanks in Washington to
try and use Maryland as a Petrie dish
for crazy right-wing ideas, especially
if Virginia succeeds in having another
Democratic governor, said Madaleno,
referring to the 2017 Virginia
gubernatorial race in which Lieutanant
Gov. Ralph Northam is running against
former Republican National Committee
Chair Ed Gillespie to succeed Gov. Terry
McAulie. Their avenue is not going to
be Richmond, but Annapolis.
Madaleno also questioned Hogans
ability to respond to the possible repeal
of the Aordable Care Act then-President
Obama signed in 2010.
There are going to be all sorts of
decisions that are passed on to the
states, said Madaleno. What sort of
governor do you want making those
decisions for the state? Do you want a
conservative Republican or do you want a
progressive Democrat whos going to be
looking out for all the people of the state,
who believes health care is a human right
and were stronger when people have
access to quality, aordable health care
or o you want someone who believes in
the unfeterred free market?
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
LO CA L N E W S
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY
Should Trump resign?
Madaleno spoke with the Blade six
months to the day after President
Trumps inauguration.
Madaleno said it would be nice
if (Trump) would just resign over
his campaigns reported collusion
with Russia in the 2016 presidential
election, but he stopped short of saying
the president should be impeached.
Madaleno told the Blade he supports
Maryland Attorney General Brian Froshs
decision to le a federal lawsuit last
month that alleges Trump is violating the
U.S. Constitutions Emoluments Clause
because his businesses accept payments
from foreign governments.
Im just as anxious about Mike Pence,
Madaleno told the Blade. Pence shares
many of the same, very bad and very
regressive ideas. He just does it with
better hair and maybe less drama.
Its still hard to believe that Donald
Trump is president of the United States
and every day theres a new revelation,
he added. Its so frightening because you
dont know.
Hogan did not publicly supportTrump
during the campaign.
Madaleno sought to compare Hoganto
Trump, noting he reappointed acting
Planning Secretary Wendi Peters and
acting Health Secretary Dennis Schrader
in spite of the fact the Maryland Senate
did not approve their nominations.
Hogan dismissed Froshs opinion earlier
this month that said it is illegal to pay his
cabinet nominees.
Hogan displays some of the same
executive arrogance that Trump does,
said Madaleno. He does it in a more
subtle way or it gets less attention because
Trump is sucking up all the oxygen.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
L O CA L NEW S
Smithsonian accepts conversion
therapy documents
The Mattachine Society of Washington has presented the Smithsonian
Institutions National Museum of American History with two documents from
the now-defunct Love In Action organization that once served as the nations
largest residential facility seeking to change people from gay to straight through
so-called conversion therapy.
Mattachine President Charles Francis said he presented the documents
to museum ocials at a luncheon attended by Garrard Conley, author of the
recently published book Boy Erased, which tells of Conleys experience as a
patient at Love In Actions conversion therapy facility in 2004.
Conley describes in the book how he has fully accepted himself as a gay
man after surviving his stay at the Love In Action facility, which was located in
Memphis, Tenn.
Many groups, people, and events have shaped LGBT history and it is part of
our work as historians to document the inuences, said Katherine Ott, Curator
of the National Museum of American History in commenting on the conversion
therapy documents. The history of the United States is big and always changing
and we do our best to capture that for the future, she said.
One of the documents given to the museum is a handbook on how to overcome
homosexuality that was given to Conley when he rst checked into the Love In
Action program in 2004 as a college freshman at the request of his parents.
The second document is a 325-page teaching manual that Mattachine Society
of Washington obtained from the Love In Action archive of John J. Smid, the head
of Love In Action who has since come out as gay after renouncing the work of
his group. Joining Conley at the Smithsonian luncheon was his mother, Martha
Conley, who has since come to accept her son as a proud mother of a gay man,
according to Francis.
A movie based on Conleys book in which actors Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe
and other Hollywood stars will portray Conley and other people in the book was
announced last month and was expected to begin production in the fall.
LOU CHIBBARO JR.
Bowser greeted warmly at Log Cabin meeting
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser received loud applause and multiple requests to
have her picture taken with members of Log Cabin Republicans of the District
of Columbia during her appearance last week as an invited guest speaker at the
organizations regularly scheduled July meeting.
About 50 members of the group attended the meeting, held in an upstairs
room at the Exiles bar and restaurant at 1610 U St., N.W.
Its really wonderful to be here with you tonight, said Bowser, a Democrat.
I want to thank all of you for inviting me to come and chat tonight. And I come
with great news, she said. Our city is doing well. Its doing super well actually.
In her 15-minute talk before taking questions for another 30 minutes the
mayor noted that D.C. has had a surplus budget for more than 20 consecutive
years and has an excellent bond rating by Wall Street all attributes, she
said,that the Republican Party has considered important.
Pointing out that the Republican Party has also long pushed for autonomy and
more decision making by states and local governments rather than the federal
government, she called on Log Cabin members to become actively involved in
pushing for D.C. statehood.
You like local government, right? said Bowser. Were local government. Were
as local as it gets. And we love to say if we pay taxes we should have representation.
She was referring to D.C.s lack of voting representation in Congress and the
quest by statehood advocates to make D.C. the nations 51st state with two U.S.
senators and a voting member of the House of Representatives.
Chris Allen, the D.C. Log Cabin president, said the group reached out to
Bowser in the spirit of bipartisanship.
Our group has been very open to having bipartisan talks, especially in D.C.
where we dont have representatives on the Council anymore, he said. So we
were thrilled that the mayor took time out of her schedule to speak to us. And
I think she addressed a lot of our members questions very well. I think theyre
satised with the answers that she gave.
Allen said D.C. Log Cabin has not taken a position on D.C. statehood.
LOU CHIBBARO JR.
J U LY 2 8 , 2 0 1 7 0 7
TIMOTHY DRABIC was sentenced to two years of probation and a three-year suspended prison
term.
PHOTO COURTESY DELAWARE STATE POLICE
Rehoboth gay bar owner
pleads guilty to DUI
Suspended prison sentence, probation for L Bars Drabic
By LOU CHIBBARO JR.
lchibbaro@washblade.com
The co-owner of the Rehoboth Beach gay bar Double L was sentenced to two years
of probation and a suspended three-year prison term on July 19 after pleading guilty in
Sussex County Superior Court to driving under the inuence (DUI) and disregarding a
police ocers signal to stop the vehicle he was driving, according to a spokesperson for
the Oce of the Delaware Attorney General.
The guilty plea and sentence for Timothy Drabic came a little over six months after he
was arrested on Dec. 30 following a high-speed chase that began in Ocean City, Md., and
ended in Delaware near the Maryland border, according to a police statement.
The statement by Ocean View, Del., police said Drabic, a Rehoboth Beach resident,
was observed driving a black SUV about 4:30 a.m. in a northbound direction in the
southbound lane of Coastal Highway in Ocean City at speeds up to 100 miles per
hour. The statement said he did not stop his SUV until Ocean View police deployed tire
deation devices on the road, causing the vehicles front left tire to deate.
It was at that time that Ocean View police, with assistance from Delaware State Police,
placed Drabic under arrest on the DUI and disregarding an ocers signal to stop
charges along with a third charge of driving a vehicle at unreasonable or imprudent
speeds. The third charge was apparently dropped at the time Drabic pled guilty to the
other two charges on July 19.
Drabics latest court appearance also came four months after his business partner,
Terry Snoddy, announced on Facebook that the Double L, which had been in business
for nearly 20 years under previous owners, would be closing indenitely for the
foreseeable future. The bar has remained closed since March.
John H. Cordrey, commissioner for the Delaware Alcoholic Beverage Control
Commission, told the Washington Blade on Monday that the Double L still retains its
liquor license. But he said the Commission earlier this year charged Drabic with a civil
violation of failing to report his arrest to the commission as required under Delaware law.
Cordrey said a hearing to determine what, if any, penalty should be given to the Double
L in response to Drabics violation was scheduled for May 25. He said the hearing was
postponed at the request of Drabics attorney on grounds of a health issue for Drabic
and because of a possible sale of the bar.
Under Delaware law, principal owners of businesses with liquor licenses are required
to report an arrest and the disposition of the arrest to his oce, Cordrey said. He said
that as of Monday his oce had not been informed of a disposition of Drabics DUI case.
Drabics attorney for the DUI case, Eric Mooney, couldnt immediately be reached
for comment. Eric Hacker, an attorney representing the Double L on the matter of the
liquor commission violation led against Drabic, declined to comment.
0 8 J ULY 2 8 , 2 0 1 7 W A SH I N G T O N BLA D E . CO M

HIV, you didnt take

my hope, and you wont
take my life.
Vernial - Washington, DC
Living with HIV since 1987.

Throughout my 32 years of heroin addiction, HIV treatment wasnt a real priority. But after getting clean in rehab,
I found hope and have been on HIV treatment ever since. Now that Im living a healthy life, I have the strength and
passion to help others as an HIV testing counselor. Ive been where they are. So when newly diagnosed people see
what treatment has done for me, its the hope they need at a critical time. Now, as a musician and Sunday school
teacher, Im able to reach out to my community and share the benefits of my experience.
W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM J U LY 2 8 , 2 0 1 7 0 9

HIV
TREATMENT
WORKS

Get in care. Stay in care. Live well.

cdc.gov/HIVTreatmentWorks

1 0 J ULY 2 8 , 2 0 1 7
ANTHONY SCARAMUCCI is the new White House communications director.
PHOTO BY URS JAUDAS; COURTESY WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM
New Trump communications
chief backs LGBT rights
Scaramucci: Ive given to HRC, Im for marriage equality
By CHRIS JOHNSON
cjohnson@washblade.com
Marking an unusual shift for the Trump administration, the new White House
communications chief has declared support for LGBT rights and professed to have
donated to LGBT groups.
Anthony Scaramucci, a prominent New York nancier, was named White House
communications director last Friday, pledging during a news conference to work to
reshape Trumps image amid widespread disapproval of his administration.
I think theres been at times a disconnect between the way we see the president and
how much we love the president, and the way some of you perhaps see the president,
Scaramucci said. ... To use a Wall Street expression, there might be an albatross spread
between how well we are doing and how well some of you guys think we are doing, and
were going to work hard to close that spread.
A Trump fundraiser, Scaramucci is a founder and co-managing partner of Skybridge
Capital hedge fund and a former employee at Goldman Sachs. No stranger to defending
Trump on cable news, Scaramucci was the host of Wall Street Week on the Fox
Business Network and a regular contributor to Fox News.
It was not long ago that Scaramucci professed his support for LGBT rights and
defended Trump as an LGBT rights supporter.
In November, Scaramucci criticized the progressive movement for instituting political
correctness, which he said the average person rejects, but nonetheless insisted hes
a supporter of LGBT rights and has donated to the Human Rights Campaign and the
American Unity PAC, a pro-LGBT Republican group.
Im also a gay rights activist, Scaramucci said. You can look it up. Ive given to
American Unity PAC, Ive given to the Human Rights Campaign, Im for marriage equality.
And by the way, thisll be the rst American president in U.S. history that enters the
White House with a pro-gay rights stance.
Scaramucci erroneously said during the interview gay singer Elton John would perform
at Trumps inauguration. John denied that was the case. Scaramucci later admitted his
error on Twitter, but also reiterated his support for LGBT rights.
The Blade has conrmed Scaramucci donated to the American Unity Fund, a non-
prot pro-LGBT Republican organization. Scaramucci seems to have misspoken by
saying he contributed to the American Unity PAC, a political action committee.
Its hard to say what Scaramucci meant by Trump having a pro-gay rights stance,
let alone being the rst president to have that position following the milestone LGBT
achievements of the Obama administration.
Since Trump has taken oce, hes rescinded guidance assuring transgender kids have
access to school restrooms consistent with their gender identity, failed to issue a Pride
proclamation for the month of June and made numerous anti-LGBT appointments.
Nonetheless, the White House has said Trump is respectful and supportive of LGBT
rights and would keep President Obamas 2014 executive order against anti-LGBT
workplace discrimination.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
NATIONAL NEWS
The announcement Scaramucci would become White House communications
director preceded news White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer resigned over
objections to the appointment. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, formerly deputy White House
press secretary, has been promoted to Spicers old role after his resignation.
Also reportedly objecting to Spicer was White House Chief of Sta Reince Priebus
and White House strategist Steve Bannon. Its unclear whether Scaramuccis positions
on LGBT rights were among the views to which Spicer and other administration ocials
objected.
Scaramuccis support for LGBT rights isnt limited to those remarks. As an organizer of
SALT, an annual political and business conference in Las Vegas for hedge fund managers,
Scaramucci had invited as a speaker TV personality and transgender Republican
advocate Caitlyn Jenner. A report last year in the Hungton Post on business support
for LGBT rights quotes him as saying, We dont want to be on the wrong side of history.
On Twitter, Scaramucci has also criticized North Carolinas anti-LGBT House Bill 2,
calling the measure prohibiting transgender people from using the restroom in schools
and government buildings shameful.
Chad Grin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, said in a statement to the
Washington Blade he sees an opportunity for the Trump administration to reverse
course in the aftermath of Scaramuccis appointment.
Anthony has been strong supporter of LGBTQ rights in the past, and we hope he is
able to inuence the Trump administration to abandon their attacks on all those who
make up our diverse community, Grin said.
The Human Rights Campaign didnt respond to an email inquiry to conrm whether
Scaramucci was in fact a donor to the organization.
No word on Grenell as German ambassador
President Trump has yet to ocially
nominate a gay Republican to become
the next U.S. ambassador to Germany,
despite media reports he would do so.
Maggie Haberman of the New York
Times last week reported Trump
had tapped Richard Grenell for the
position. A spokesperson for the U.S.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee
on told the Blade on Monday it does
not have an intent to nominate from
the administration on Mr. Grenell.
Grenell, 50, was the spokesperson for
the U.S. ambassador to the U.N. from
Media outlets reported last week that
2001-2008. The Fox News contributor President Trump would name RICHARD
and former chair of the California GRENELL as ambassador to Germany.
chapter of Log Cabin Republicans COURTESY OF RICHARD GRENELL VIA FLICKR
was a Trump delegate to the 2016
Republican National Convention.
Trump has always made perfectly clear that he has a lot of gay friends,
that he is totally for equality, Grenell told the Blade during an interview at the
convention. And for me, its actually, I know we have a lot of work to do within
the Republican Party on gay rights, but its really emotional for me to be here on
my seventh convention.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in April 2012 hired Grenell as a
foreign policy spokesperson for his presidential campaign. Grenell resigned
from the post less than two weeks later amid criticism from social conservatives
who assailed his hiring and commentators who criticized what they described as
misogynistic and homophobic tweets toward MSNBC host Rachel Maddow and
other women.
Grenell was scheduled to headline an event for the California chapter of Log
Cabin Republicans in San Francisco on Thursday.
The Blade has reached out to Grenell and the White House.
Six openly gay men served as ambassadors during the Obama administration.
They represented the U.S. in the Dominican Republic, Spain and Andorra, Denmark,
the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe, Australia and Vietnam.
Ted Osius, who is a long-time Foreign Service ocer, remains the U.S.
ambassador to Vietnam. Deputy Assistant Secretary of the State Departments
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Randy Berry also remains the
special U.S. envoy to promote LGBT and intersex rights.
MICHAEL K. LAVERS
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
NATIONAL NEWS
Sen. JOHN MCCAIN (R-Ariz.) joined his colleagues to vote to proceed with Obamacare repeal.
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY
Senate votes to proceed with
Obamacare repeal
Defying predictions last week that eorts to replace the Aordable Care Act were
dead in the water, the U.S. Senate on Tuesday narrowly voted to proceed with legislation
that would repeal the law.
With Vice President Mike Pence presiding over the chamber in his duty as president
of the Senate, the chamber voted 51-50 to proceed withthe legislation. The initial tie
vote placed the responsibility for whether or not to move forward with the legislation
on the shoulders of Pence, who cast the tie-breaking vote to proceed.
All 48 Senate Democrats were present and cast their votes in opposition to proceeding.
Only two Republicans Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine)
76 lawmakers call for return
of trans question in survey
A bipartisan group of 76 U.S. House members is calling on the White House to
restore to a federal health survey for elders a question the Trump administration
has struck allowing them to identify as transgender.
In a letter dated July 21 and led by Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), chair of the
LGBT Aging Issues Task Force, lawmakers call on the White House Oce of
Management & Budget to reinstate the question in the National Survey of Older
Americans Act Participants or NSOAAP.
We have to ensure we are meeting the needs of the most vulnerable among
us, Deutch said in a statement. Study after study has shown that transgender
older adults face greater social isolation, food insecurity and disparate health
impacts. It is cruel to remove a previously included transgender-specic
demographic question and, in essence, send a message to transgender seniors
that their needs are not important.
Earlier this year, the Administration on Community Living at the Department of
Health & Human Services indicated it would eliminate from the NSOAAP questions
allowing LGBT elders to identify their sexual orientation and gender identity. Amid
pressure from LGBT rights supporters, HHS agreed to restore sexual orientation,
but kept out a question allowing elders to identify as transgender.
NSOAAP is a survey that evaluates whether the billions of dollars in HHS
funding for programs assisting older Americans is being eectively spent. LGBT
advocates have said the questions on sexual orientation and gender identity,
which rst appeared in the survey in 2014, have yielded important data on
whether these resources have reached LGBT elders.
CHRIS JOHNSON
J U LY 2 8 , 2 0 1 7 1 1
abandoned their caucus to vote no.
The vote was held open with only 48 senators voting to proceed before Sen. John
McCain (R-Ariz.), who was recently diagnosed with brain cancer, entered the chamber
and voted yes, followed by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.). Senators on both sides of the
aisle applauded McCain as he entered the chamber before he gave a thumbs up to
indicate support for the motion to proceed.
McCain, who had a visible scar above his left eye after his recent surgery to remove a
blood clot, said in a speech on the Senate oor even though he voted to proceed, hed
oppose nal approval without changes to the bill as it currently stands.
We Republicans have looked for a way to end [Obamacare] and replace it with
something else without paying a terrible political price, McCain said. We havent found
it yet, and Im sure will. All weve managed to make popular is a policy that wasnt very
popular when we started to get rid of it. I voted for the motion to proceed to allow debate
to continue and allow amendments to be oered, I will not vote for this bill as it is today.
Prior to the vote, there was an open question about whether Sens. Shelley Moore
Capito (R-W.Va.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who said theyd oppose eorts to repeal
Obamacare without replacement, or Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Jerry Moran (R-Kansas),
who said they opposed the replacement plan, would vote yes.
They ended up following the rest of their caucus, but it remains to be seen if theyll
approve the nal legislation produced by the Senate.
Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) issued a statement after the vote decrying the motion to
proceed with Obamacare repeal as the rst step in the process to deprive millions of
health care.
These decisions mean health or illness and life or death to countless Americans,
Leahy said. And lets be clear: Republican senators have no idea what they voted for
with this motion to proceed. Millions upon millions of Americans health is at stake.
The bill with which senators agreed to proceed was the House version of Obamacare
repeal. Media reports indicated the Republican majority would seek to amend it with
a skinny version of Trumpcare that includes repealing the Aordable Care Acts
individual mandate, the employer mandate, and the medical device tax.
According to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, the skinny version of
Trumpcare would save about $225 billion over a decade and result in 15 million more
uninsured by2026.
LGBT groups opposed eorts to repeal Obamacare on the basis that many LGBT
people gained insurance as a result of President Obamas signature legislative
achievement and because the measure would deny Medicaid reimbursements to
Planned Parenthood, which touts its health services for LGBT people.
A major criticism from LGBT groups as well as HIV/AIDS advocacy groups was
the inclusion in GOP plans to replace Obamacare of a provision to undo the Medicaid
expansion under the Aordable Care Act. That increased the income level to qualify
for care under that program to 133 percent of the poverty level provided the states
agreed to it.
An estimated 40 percent of people with HIV which continues to disproportionately
aect LGBT people received health care under Medicaid coverage.
However, the skinny Trumpcare repeal bill seems to avoid the question of whether
or not to repeal the Medicaid expansion and defund Planned Parenthood for political
expediency. That measure was voted down late Tuesday night in the Senate.
CHRIS JOHNSON
U.S. urged to ban intersex normalization surgeries
Two advocacy groups have called upon the U.S. to ban normalization surgeries on
intersex children.
The Human Rights Watch and interACT note in a 185-page report they released on
Tuesday that intersex people in the U.S. are subjected to medical practices that can
inict irreversible physical and psychological harm on them starting in infancy.
The report summary indicates intersex children have undergone surgeries that
reduce the size of the clitoris for cosmetic reasons and remove gonads that force
them to receive hormone replacement therapy for the rest of their lives.
Many of these procedures are done with the stated aim of making it easier for
children to grow up normal and integrate more easily into society by helping them
conform to a particular sex assignment, it reads. The results are often catastrophic,
the supposed benets are largely unproven, and there are generally no urgent health
considerations at stake.
Procedures that could be delayed until intersex children are old enough to decide
whether they want them are instead performed on infants who then have to live with
the consequences for a lifetime, adds the report.
Researchers interviewed 30 intersex adults, two intersex children, 17 parents of intersex
children and 21 healthcare providers who work with intersex people. The report includes
testimony from those who underwent so-called normalization surgery as children.
MICHAEL K. LAVERS
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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
NATIONAL NEWS
Trump tweets U.S. military will not accept or allow trans troops
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
Trumps tweets indicate not only
a reversal of the delay in allowing
transgender enlistments, but a total ban
on transgender people in the armed
forces. It remains to be seen whether
openly transgender people currently in
the military will now be forced out.
The Washington Blade has placed
a request seeking comment with the
Defense Department on how the
Pentagon will implement Trumps
announcement and what it means for
transgender people currently in the
armed forces.
An estimated 15,500 transgender
service members are already serving
in the armed forces. The RAND Corp.
has determined the cost of gender
reassignment surgeries for transgender
troops would consume between $2.4
million and $8.4 million, which is a tiny
fraction of the Pentagons multi-billion
dollar budget.
Chad Grin, president of the Human
Rights Campaign, tweeted criticism of
Trumps decision to bar transgender
people from the armed forces. I know
transgender service members and vets
who have done more to serve their
country than @realdonaldtrump has in
his entire life, he wrote.
Will Fischer, an Iraq War veteran and
director of government outreach for
the anti-Trump group VoteVets, said in
a statement Trumps decision insults
our professional military and hurts our
ability to win.
Maybe Donald Trumps time at a fake
military school has skewed his view of the
military, Fischer said. But for those of us
who have served, transgender service is
not a problem. In fact, when it allows the
best into our military, it is an asset.
Matthew Thorn, executive director
of the LGBT military group OutServe-
SLDN, also condemned Trumps tweets
in a statement, suggesting a lawsuit
may be underway to undo Trumps new
transgender military ban.
The readiness, eectiveness, and
lethality of the Armed Services comes
from the commitment of our troops not
the vagaries and bigotry of exclusionary
policies, Thorn said. We are committed
to transgender service members. We are
going to ght for them as hard as they are
ghting for the country. And were going
to start by taking the ght to Donald
Trump in the federal court.
Praising Trump for announcing a ban
on transgender people in the armed
forces was Tony Perkins, president of the
anti-LGBT Family Research Council.
I applaud President Trump for
keeping his promise to return to military
priorities and not continue the social
experimentation of the Obama era
that has crippled our nations military.
Perkins said. The military can now focus
its eorts on preparing to ght and win
wars rather than being used to advance
the Obama social agenda.
Trumps announcement comes after
the publication of a Foreign Policy report
indicating Vice President Mike Pence, who
has a history over his career of opposing
LGBT rights, has been quietly working
behind the scenes with members of
Congress to reverse transgender military
service.
Marc Lotter, a Pence spokesperson,
however, denied in a statement to the
Washington Blade Pence had any talks
with lawmakers about the reversing the
Obama-era change.
As I said to that publication, the vice
president has been focused on health
care, Lotter said. I am not aware of him
having any conversations with members
on that.
Trumps announcement also comes
shortly after the U.S. House rejected
an amendment proposed by Rep. Vicky
Hartzler (R-Mo.) to major defense policy
legislation that would have banned the
Pentagon from paying for transition-
related care for transgender troops. Given
their dependence on this health care,
the amendment would have eectively
banned them from the armed forces.
Before the U.S. House rejected her
amendment by a narrow 214-209 vote,
Hartzler estimated gender reassignment
surgery would cost $1.35 billion over
the course of 10 years a gure wildly
higher than estimates from military
experts. Trump may have been relying
on that dubious estimate when tweeting
the military would be burdened with
the tremendous medical costs of
transgender service.
The Family Research Council, which had
been pushing for reversal of transgender
military service, had cited an even more
outlandish gure, estimating transition-
related care would cost $3.7 billion over
the next 10 years.
After the failure of the Hartzler
amendment, Republican lawmakers
werent giving up. A trio of anti-LGBT
lawmakers Reps. Scott Perry (R-Pa.),
Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) and Steve King
(R-Iowa) submitted new amendments
to the House Rules Committee in an
attempt to restrict transgender military
service as part of the scal year 2018
defense appropriations bill.
It remains to be seen whether
the House will proceed with those
amendments to codify restrictions on
transgender military service into law,
or whether Trumps announcement will
persuade them to abandon the eort.
Trump makes his announcement on
J U LY 2 8 , 2 0 1 7 1 3
July 26, the same day former President order desegregating the U.S. military on
Truman in 1948 issued an executive the basis of race.
DOJ set to reject LGBT workplace
protections: sources
JEFF SESSIONS is set to reject LGBT protections under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of
1964, according to sources.
PHOTO BY GAGE SKIDMORE; COURTESY FLICKR
The U.S. Justice Department under U.S. Attorney General Je Sessions is set
to le a brief undermining eorts to ensure LGBT people are protected from
discrimination under current federal civil rights law, according to two outside
sources familiar with the eort.
Although LGBT groups and a growing number of courts are taking the
view the prohibition on sex discrimination in employment under Title VII of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964 also bars discrimination against LGBT people, sources
say the Justice Department will le a brief in an employment discrimination case
before the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals opposing that view.
James Esseks, director of the ACLUs LGBT and HIV Project, told the Washington
Blade the Trump administration lingsuch a brief would be going out of its way
to undermine LGBT rights.
This would be a gratuitous and extraordinary attack on LGBT peoples civil rights,
Esseks said. DOJ would be reaching out to oer its opinion on these issues, since they
are not a party to this case. Thats not championing LGBT people, its working armatively
to expose us to discrimination. But fortunately, whether the Civil Rights Act protects LGBT
people is ultimately a question for the courts to resolve, and not for the attorney general.
We are condent that the courts will come to the right decision here.
The case is known as Zarda v. Altitude Express and the plainti is the estate of
deceased New York skydiver Donald Zarda, which alleges he was red from his
job in 2010 for being gay. Although a three-judge panel on the Second Circuit in
April determined Title VII doesnt prohibit anti-gay discrimination, and therefore
doesnt apply to Zardas case, the court at the request of Lambda Legal has
agreed to reconsider the ruling en banc, or before the full court.
Before the deadline of Wednesday at close of business, sources say the Justice
Department intends to le a friend-of-the-court brief that would arm the view
of the three-judge panel and argue the prohibition of sex discrimination under
Title VII doesnt prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
Additionally, sources say DOJ is going to take the opportunity to argue Title
VII also doesnt prohibit discrimination based on gender identity even though
transgender discrimination isnt at issue in the case.
Such a brief would reverse a position under former U.S. Attorney Eric Holder
asserting discrimination on the basis of gender identity is prohibited under Title
VII. In a 2014 memo, Holder wrote the Justice Department will no longer assert
Title VIIs prohibition on gender discrimination does not encompass gender
identity per se (including transgender discrimination).
CHRIS JOHNSON
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
L O CA L NEW S
D.C. man convicted in murders of two roommates
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
to having killed Wingeld and lunged at
Neal with a knife in a jealous range.
Prosecutors argued that the motive
was unclear but was most likely due to
disputes over money needed to pay the
expenses for the house. They speculated
that Neal killed one of his two roommates
over an argument and the other because
he witnessed the rst murder.
Kevin J. McCants, one of two defense
attorneys who represented Neal, told the
Washington Blade the defense plans to
appeal the verdict.
The government, based on the
emotions of this case, was overly
sensational in closing arguments,
McCants said. It was improper. It was
unfair. And were going to appeal.
One of two prosecutors in the case,
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shana Fulton,
called on the jury in her closing arguments
to base its verdict strictly on the facts of
the case, which she said proved beyond
a reasonable doubt that Neal was guilty.
Fulton disputed the defenses claim
that Neal killed Young in self-defense
after Young lunged at him with a knife
in a jealous range after saying he had
just killed Wingeld. She argued that the
preponderance of evidence presented by
witnesses left the actual motive behind
the murders unclear, although she said
it suggested that the three men fought
over money needed to pay the bills for
the house.
Fulton noted that Young had two jobs
and paid money he thought was to go
to the overhead for the house only to
discover the electricity and water had been
turned o because the bills werent paid.
She pointed to autopsy reports
showing that Young was struck in the
head at least 26 times by an object with
a at rounded tip that appeared to be a
hammer and that Wingeld was similarly
hit in the head with what appeared to be
a hammer multiple times. Citing other
forensic evidence she said it appeared
that Young was attacked while lying
down sleeping in his room, evidence she
said refuted the defense claim that Neal
killed young in self-defense.
While holding in her hands two
hammers that homicide investigators
said Neal used to crush Young and
Wingelds skulls with multiple blows,
Fulton said Neal had to consciously
decide to hit the two men each and every
time in an act of premeditation with the
intent to kill.
Every swing is a decision to kill, she told
the jury. And thats what the defendant
did. These are full body swings.
Fulton also cited statements Neal
made to police that he carried Youngs
body up a ladder into the attic of the
DELANO WINGFIELD (left) and LEON YOUNG were bludgeoned to death in 2014.
house and covered it with an air mattress
and put a plastic bag over Youngs head
reportedly to stop the bleeding. Instead
of calling police or an ambulance, Fulton
continued in her closing arguments, Neal
drove to Florida in Youngs car.
A police arrest adavit states that
a short time after one of Neals uncles
discovered Youngs body in the attic
after coming to the house to do routine
maintenance work, police discovered
Wingelds body buried in a shallow
grave in the backyard.
McCants and fellow defense attorney
Michael Madden argued that Neal killed
Young in self-defense after Young lunged
at him with a knife in a jealous rage upon
realizing that Neal and Wingeld had become
romantically closer at his own exclusion.
In closing arguments, Madden
reiterated the defense case that the
murders were the result of a love triangle
gone badly among the three men.
He noted that Young, who had been
romantically involved with Neal, believed
Neal was switching his romantic interests
toward Wingeld.
Madden pointed to witnesses who
testied that Young had threatened Neal
with a knife at least once before during a
dispute at the house. He also pointed to
medical records showing that Young had
been hospitalized several times for mental
health emergencies, with one medical
report stating that Young displayed
homicidal ideation. All of this showed that
Neal had reason to believe Young posed a
potential danger toward him.
Madden also pointed out that Neal
returned on his own from Florida and
cooperated with police about what
happened between him and Young.
He didnt lawyer up, Madden said. two jobs.
Citing Neals statement to police,
Madden told the jury that Neal had been
asleep in his room and was awakened
when he heard Young climb down from
the attic.
He is naked and he is shaking and
carrying a knife, Madden quoted Neal
as saying to police. When Neal asked
him what happened Young told him he
had just killed Delano Wingeld, Madden
recounted to the jury. Then Young came
after Neal after Neil picked up Youngs
phone, Madden continued.
This prompted Neal to pick up a
hammer and hit Young once as Young
lunged at him with the knife, Madden
said. That did not stop Leon, Madden
said. He hit Leon again and Leon
dropped, said Madden, who added that
Neal freaked out and continued to hit
Young for another ve minutes.
Neal then did some stupid things,
Madden said. He cleaned up the mess
and ed to Florida, the defense attorney
told the jury. But he added that Neal
came back and cooperated with police.
In a rebuttal period given to
prosecutors in criminal trials, prosecutor
Fulton told the jury evidence showed that
Neal had planned to leave the country
but returned to D.C. only after he ran out
of money and called on his family to send
him enough money to come back.
She said that Young wrote in a personal
journal submitted as evidence that he
had become disillusioned over his living
arrangement at the house and was in the
J U LY 2 8 , 2 0 1 7 1 7
PHOTOS COURTESY U.S. ATTORNEYS OFFICE
process of arranging to move out to live
with other friends he made at one of the
It was he who was planning to leave
the house, Fulton told the jury. And
the love triangle? Where is this coming
from? she said. What love triangle?
There is no evidence of that. Its just what
the defense attorneys said.
Added Fulton: Leon did not want
anything to do with the defendant.
He was trying to get away from the
defendant.
Although she didnt use the term
smoking gun, Fulton pointed out that
Neal mentioned to police during a
voluntary interview, at which he appeared
to mix up in his own mind the two
murders, that Young was naked at the
time he allegedly attacked Neal with the
knife except that he had a pair of socks
on his feet. According to Fulton, the police
report showed that it was Wingelds body
that was found buried in the nude except
for a pair of socks on his feet.
The only person who could have
known that Delanos body had socks on
was the defendant, Fulton told the jury.
For them to build a murder case o
of socks is a tragedy and an injustice,
defense attorney McCants told the Blade.
They normally wore socks. It was an old
house with wood oors. And that was a
statement that has haunted us for a long
period of time, he said.
We thought the jury would decide
this case on the facts and not on what
hes not charged with and that being
the statements he made to the police,
said McCants.
 Keep your promise to protect each other. WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

18 J U L Y 28, 2017 BA LT I MO RE N E W S

Wills & Trusts

Powers of Attorney Living Wills TITAN LEGACY and DEE DIAMOND attend the 2017 Baltimore Pride Parade.
Partnership & Prenuptial Agreements WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY CHRIS JENNINGS

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2018 Baltimore King & Queen
Serving the LGBT Community of Pride pageants on tap
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be on hand as the pageants for the 2018 titles will be held on Aug. 5 at the Nest

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Doors will open at 2:30 p.m. with the contests beginning at 3 p.m. A $10
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Co-producers Rik Newton-Treadway and Ganivah Cache say there will be ve
contestants for each title competing in three categories: Pride Wear, Interview

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For more info call 311 or visit doee.dc.gov/udp of each month at Chase Brexton Health Cares Mount Vernon Center, located
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To apply for the telephone Lifeline Service (Economy II), call 800-253-0846. SAGECAP Baltimore is a partnership between the LGBT Health Resource
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These programs are for DC residents only. oering many programs and services designed to help address the critical issues
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STEVE CHARING
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

HE ALTH NEW S J U L Y 28, 2017 19

HIV transmission nil when poz partner on meds
PARIS HIV-positive people taking regular antiretroviral medication have
pretty much a zero chance of infecting others during either gay or straight sex,
according to a large-scale study of gay men presented at the ninth International
AIDS Conference on HIV Science in Parish this week, CNN reports.
HIV experts emphasized this aspect of prevention, highlighting the
Undetectable equals Untransmissible campaign, during a press conference at
the international meeting. The campaign works to encourage people worldwide
to stay on treatment by ensuring they understand that doing so could mean
they cannot infect others, CNN reports.
This message is not aligned with the status quo in terms of the care people
infected with HIV receive today, says Bruce Richman, founder and executive


director of Prevention Access Campaign and the Undetectable = Untransmittable
initiative. This is transmission-stopping information, he said, according to CNN.
New vaccine results have shown promise at the meeting this week and in
recent studies, but are still far from becoming a reality to end the epidemic.
In the largest-ever trial on HIV transmission risk among gay men, Australian researchers
explored the sex lives and HIV rates of more than 350 same-sex couples where one
person is HIV positive. The couples were from Brazil, Thailand and Australia, CNN reports.


Each couple reported their sexual activity when visiting clinics involved in
the trial and HIV-negative partners were regularly tested to diagnose any new
infections, CNN reports. The couples participating reported having sex almost
17,000 times without condoms between them over four years, and none of
those times resulted in new infections.
There was not a single linked HIV infection in these couples, said Andrew Grulich,
professor of epidemiology at the University of New South Wales in Australia, who led the


study. Nobody became infected from their partner, CNN quoted him as having said.
Three new infections were discovered during the trial, but analysis of the
virus showed they had come from sex outside of the relationships, not from the
person on treatment within the couple, CNN reports.
Sex without a condom is not necessarily advised, however, to prevent risk of
other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This (group) had very high STIs,
Grulich told CNN, adding that 20 percent of the men in the trial developed STIs
each year, yet there were zero HIV infections.
Approximately 10 percent of men had STIs associated with anal sex, which experts had
previously thought aided HIV transmission, Gulich said, according to the CNN article.

U.K. relaxes blood donation laws

LONDON Blood donation rules for sex workers and gay men are being
relaxed in England and Scotland after improvements in the accuracy of testing
procedures, the BBC reports.
Men who have sex with men can now give blood three months after their last
sexual activity instead of 12. And sex workers, who were previously barred from
donating, now can, subject to the same three-month rule, the BBC reports.
Experts said the move would give more people the opportunity to donate
blood without aecting blood supply safety.
The Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs, which
advises UK health departments, recommended the changes after concluding
that new testing systems were accurate and donors were good at complying
with the rules, the BBC reports.
All blood that is donated in the UK undergoes a mandatory test for Hepatitis B
and C, and HIV, plus a couple of other viruses.
Scientists agree that three months is a comfortably long window for a virus or Serving Our Community for 35 years
infection to appear and be picked up in the blood, the BBC reports. a d v i C e m e d iat i o N L i t i G at i o N a P P e a L S C o L L a B o r at i o N
Prof. James Neuberger, from the committee, said, Technologies to pick up the
presence of the virus have greatly improved, so we can now pick up viruses at a
much earlier stage in the infection, and therefore its much easier to tell if a blood
donor has the virus, according to the BBC article.
The rule changes will come into force at blood donation centers in Scotland in
November, and in early 2018 in England.
The changes aect groups including: men who have sex with other men, people
who have sex with high-risk partners (for example, those who have been in areas FamiLY | eState PLaNNiNG | emPLoYmeNt | immiGratioN
where HIV is common) and commercial sex workers. They will now all be able to ComPLeX LitiGatioN | CiviL riGHtS | LGBt | adoPtioN | BuSiNeSS

Silber, Perlman, Sigman & Tilev, P.A.

donate blood after abstaining from sex for three months, the BBC reports.
The UK government is also considering relaxing the rules for people who have
undergone acupuncture, piercing, tattooing and endoscopies, and for those at tor N e YS at L aw d C | m d | va
with a history of non-prescribed injecting drug use.
But these also need changes to current EU legislation, the BBC reports. 3 0 1 . 8 9 1 . 2 2 0 0 S P - L aw. C o m
6 9 3 0 C a r r o L L av e , S u i t e 6 1 0 ta k o m a Pa r k m d

2 0 J ULY 2 8 , 2 0 1 7
The Great American Eclipse
Solar events and political
shenanigans coincide
KATE CLINTON is a longtime humorist. She
writes regularly for the Blade.
Its a known scientic fact that I love sci-
ence. Marie Curie is a goddess to me. It is
miraculous that I have any curiosity at all.
I was raised oridly Catholic. If you had a
question, God was the answer. Q: Why is
the sky blue? A: God.
So you can just stop blaming that curi-
osity-killing cat.
Besides the biological sciences, I love
astronomy. Maria Mitchell, the rst Amer-
ican woman to become a professional as-
tronomer, is a rock star to me. I studied
the less mathematical branch of astron-
omy called, Hey honey, Im out here just
looking at the stars.
My hitchhikers guide through the con-
stellations was the childrens book illu-
strator H.A. Reys The Stars: A New Way
to See Them. He redrew constellation
diagrams so that you could actually rec-
ognize the Twins of Gemini walking and
holding hands. You might also recog-
nize the name H.A. Rey for his Curious
George series, which was about an ador-
ably curious monkey, not about Incurious
George and his pet goat.
I never studied astrology. My dear
Catholic mother, unlike my dear Hindu
mother-in-law, thought astrology was
the devils art, so would never tell me the
actual time of my birth. Consequently any
reading of my chart is based on imprecise
information. The fakery generally induces
complete amnesia in me. I can never re-
member what was said at a session; have
never successfully taped a session and a
note-taking friend, allowed to accompany
me once, fell soundly asleep before the
sun even rose in my rst house.
My astrological agnosticism has also
skepticized other solar and lunar align-
ment events.
In August 1987, the exceptional align-
ment of the Sun, moon, Mars and Venus
with eight planets in our solar system was
called The Harmonic Convergence. The
E DIT OR IA L C A R T OON
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
C OM MU N I KA T E
big Converge was supposed to be a shift
that would cause a ve-year period of en-
ergy cleansing. Not so much. Instead it
was the tail end of the Reign of Reagan
and a raging AIDS epidemic.
For 2000, experts predicted that the
Y2K Millennium bug would cause network
crashes, global dysfunction, power fail-
ures, data transmission interruption and
other end-time internet catastrophes.
Jan. 1, 2000 did bring some monster
hangovers but the apocalypse foretold
seems to have only now arrived in Y2K17.
The next big look-up event is more so-
lar than stellar the total solar eclipse
on Monday, Aug. 21, 2017. You might not
have heard much about the The Great
American Eclipse. Dont feel bad. It has
gotten less press than the buildups to The
Convergence or The Y2K. Our current pre-
historic parallel political universe, with its
Orange cis-narcissist Sun King and all the
human sacrices he demands, has totally
eclipsed actual solar events.
And this eclipse with its fabulous
sounding Path of Totality is, if youll par-
don the expression, huge. The last solar
eclipse in America in 1991 was seen only
for a brief moment in Hawaii.
This 2017 eclipse will make landfall in
Oregon and then will throw some total
shade through Idaho, Wyoming, Nebras-
ka, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennes-
see, North Carolina, nally through South
Carolina and then on out to sea. Even
though the eclipse will pass through the
blue states of Oregon and Illinois, the ac-
tual districts it will unenlighten are red, as
is the rest of the path. Towns along the
route are expecting thousands of revelers
to celebrate at Solarfests, Moonstocks,
and Eclipse Experience weekends.
Despite my avowed agnosticism, I nd
myself squinting at eclipse path maps, and
reading them as if they are necroman-
tic charts sure to yield some clue to our
own path forward. Sometimes I read as if
it were an X-ray negative and the ecliptic
path is searing a path of enlightenment di-
agonally across a darkened country.
Provincetown is north of the eclipse path
and will have only a penumbral eclipse ex-
perience. Some will think the dimming is a
hangover from the Gods and Goddesses
themed Carnival Week a few days before.
At my Path of Totality party, I will be glow-
ing in my Marie Curie goddess dress.
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I N S I DE LGB T W A S HING TON
Will A Better Deal win it for Democrats?
Lets hope voters again
change their minds in 2018
PETER ROSENSTEIN is a D.C.-based LGBT rights
and Democratic Party activist. He writes regularly
for the Blade.
Democrats have a new slogan A Bet-
ter Deal they hope will win them back the
Congress in 2018. Will it work? Who knows?
Based on other slogans it could. Americans
are slogan happy. Considering they elected
Trump based on a set of lies under the slogan
Make America Great Again anything is pos-
sible. Based on that election policy wonks like
me are in the minority. So if this is the slogan
members of Congress agreed on, go for it.
The Washington Post reported, Republi-
cans talk in headlines; Democrats speak in ne
print, concededRep. Hakeem Jeries (D-N.Y.),
who co-chaired a team of House lawmakers
tasked with leading the revamp. That ends
V I E W PO I NT
The undead anti-gay past
Unearthing the lost history of
government persecution
RICHARD J. ROSENDALL is a writer and activist.
Reach him at rrosendall@starpower.net.
The attention paid to the compulsively
lying, brazenly ignorant grifter in the Oval
Oce, while legitimate and necessary, pro-
vides cover for Republican eorts to reverse
decades of progress on a host of issues and
to undermine our representative democ-
racy. These threats require multitasking and
division of labor among those resisting the
slide toward authoritarianism.
An instructive lesson is found in the often
lost and buried history of anti-gay discrimi-
nation in America. The animus behind that
discrimination is alive and well, like the ra-
cial, gender, and religious biases that are
its cousins. The strategy that has gained
momentum in state legislatures since the
this week. Were going to make sure that were
able to reach the American people in a clear
and compelling fashion. They went on to re-
port A Better Deal:Better Jobs, Better Wages,
Better Future is the new slogan hatched after
months ofstrategy sessions on Capitol Hill and
late-night dinners at Washington restaurants
hosted by Schumer, Pelosi, Jeries and other
rank-and-le House and Senate lawmakers.
What has already begun is what Democrats
do best; they are arguing and attacking each
other over the choice of the slogan. If we are
smart we wont waste our time doing that. In-
stead we will work on the legislative initiatives
to back up the slogan and actually produce
the better jobs, better wages and a better fu-
ture. That is where the rubber will hit the road.
We must accept the fact that Americans
as Hakeem Jeries suggests read the
headlines and not the ne print. But its not
the slogan, rather how in plain English and
Spanish, based on the voting population,
we communicate what the policies we es-
pouse and will pass will do for people.
Donald Trump won based on a pack of
lies. He said he would guarantee easily af-
fordable health insurance; he would reopen
the coal mines; and he would reopen facto-
ries. A big group of Americans bought into
landmark 2015 marriage equality victory
in Obergefell goes by the false monicker
of religious freedom. It is no more about
freedom than it was when restauranteurs
refused service to people whose skin color
they didnt like.
If your concept of freedom is exclusive to
one group, then you are defending not free-
dom but supremacy. The social contract on
which our republic is based requires mutual
respect. This inescapable network of mutu-
ality, as Dr. King put it, is both inseparable
from the American project and targeted by
equalitys enemies in each generation.
The 30-minute documentary Uniquely
Nasty: The U.S. Governments War on Gays,
produced by Yahoo News and reported
by Michael Isiko, received an Edward R.
Murrow Award in the News Documentary
category in 2016. It portrays eorts by the
Mattachine Society of Washington, originally
founded by the late Frank Kameny but with
a new mission of archive activism under
the leadership of Charles Francis and Pate
Felts. With help from pro bono attorneys at
McDermott, Will & Emery, Mattachine has
combed through archives and newly declas-
sied documents to educate and motivate
a new generation of thought leaders, the le-
gal community and the media.
those lies because they were both frustrated
and scared. They couldnt get the jobs they
wanted, their adult kids were back living in
their basement, they were having a hard
time aording health insurance or if they had
it couldnt aord to use it because the copays
were too high. They were afraid of this new
world where diversity created more compe-
tition and was upending life as they knew it.
So how do we Democrats assuage those
fears and overcome their frustrations. What
are the better deals we will oer them?
Democrats need their policy wonks to write
the legislation we promise to pass if the
American people give us back the major-
ity in Congress. We need legislation every
Democrat can support, from Mississippi to
Montana, New York to California. If we arent
ready we will be in the same place Repub-
licans are in today with a series of empty
promises not being able to pass anything
because we will be ghting with ourselves.
So I posit to our Democratic leaders; you
must put together a series of bills that can get
the 218 votes needed in the House of Rep-
resentatives and 51 votes in the Senate if we
do get the chance to lead again. It might not
be good enough to just say we want a $15
minimum wage if we cant get that passed. Its
The deadly consequences of anti-gay
persecution are illustrated in Uniquely
Nasty by the story of Wyoming Sen. Les-
ter Hunt, who was blackmailed by hench-
men of Sen. Joe McCarthy over the arrest
of Hunts son for soliciting sex with a male
undercover ocer in Lafayette Park, and
shot himself to death in his Senate oce
in 1954. Few people know that story today,
though it inspired the bestselling novel and
movie Advise and Consent.
Another forgotten bit of history un-
earthed by Mattachine after Uniquely
Nasty was a report by the Mississippi State
Sovereignty Commission in 1964 that was
used to scuttle voter registration and civil
rights work at Rust College, an HBCU in Holly
Springs, Miss., by smearing its president, fac-
ulty and students as oddballs and homos.
One Student Nonviolent Coordinating Com-
mittee activist at Rust who stirred the wrath
of state ocials that year was Frank Smith,
who decades later served four terms on the
D.C. Council and founded the African Ameri-
can Civil War Memorial and Museum.
Francis, who moderated a July 17 panel
discussion on the Rust episode as part of the
March on Washington Film Festival, calls it a
classic example of homophobia in service to
racism. Can you say intersectionality?
J U LY 2 8 , 2 0 1 7 2 1
not good enough to say we want single-payer
healthcare; or have a tax plan that cant get
the votes to pass. The same goes for a plan
to make college aordable, rebuild our infra-
structure, or work to impact climate change.
The most dicult thing for some Demo-
crats to deal with is the concept of com-
promise. Our Founding Fathers (and yes
there should have been founding moth-
ers) set up a government requiring com-
promise to get anything done. Lets not
promise the moon only to fail miserably
like the Republicans.
Barack Obama won the White House in
2008 with the slogan Hope and Change.
He captured the peoples imagination
because things had gotten so bad they
needed hope for the future. They knew we
needed change from the disastrous Bush
administration. But within two years, in the
mid-term elections of 2010, the American
people handed Democrats a disastrous de-
feat in elections for Congress, state houses
and state legislatures. In some ways that
is what gives Democrats hope for 2018.
Americans do change their minds. Let us
give them a reason, something more than
just a slogan however good it might be, to
vote Democratic across the board.
One of the treats in Uniquely Nasty is
listening to actor George Takei read from
long-hidden memos by FBI director J. Edgar
Hoover, the closet case who persecuted
generations of homos. Another is watch-
ing the 2015 seaside gay wedding of Charlie
Baker, who fought back with help from Ka-
meny after being red by the National Bu-
reau of Standards in 1971.
The ocial justications for the perse-
cution explored in Isikos documentary
went from the old security risk canard (the
evidence-free claim that gays posed such
a risk was akin to the current voter fraud
pretext for vote suppression), to the citation
of popular revulsion toward homosexuality.
My own 32-year federal career, from 1979 to
2011, was made possible by the struggles of
brave people like Kameny and Baker.
In connection with Uniquely Nasty, Ya-
hoo News published a cache of long-secret
government memos uncovered by Mat-
tachine. Persistent anti-LGBT persecution
eorts like Mississippis HB 1523 teach us
the importance of preserving and studying
our history. As Mississippi novelist William
Faulkner wrote, The past is never dead. Its
not even past.
Copyright 2017 by Richard J.
Rosendall. All rights reserved.

2 2 J ULY 2 8 , 2 0 1 7
Paul Kuhns will x Rehoboths nancial mess
Voters must rebuke Mayor
Cooper and choose change
By RICHARD PERRY
Frank Coopers defense of Mayor Sam
Cooper in a recent Blade op-ed came as no
surprise to me. As a former candidate for
the Board of Commissioners in the past two
years and as someone who closely follows
the issues and politics of Rehoboth Beach, I,
like many others, know Frank Cooper to be
an apologist for, and a proponent of, May-
or Sam Cooper and whatever policies the
mayor promotes. What is also no surprise
to me is that Frank Cooper does not under-
stand that his half-truths are no less fake
news that he claims is now common place
in the media. As to Peter Rosensteins quali-
cations to comment on the issues aecting
the citizens of Rehoboth Beach, one should
know that Rosenstein spends as much time
here, if not more time, than a lot of people
who actually are property owners and even
registered voters in Rehoboth Beach.
Frank Cooper should do some fact check-
ing. Contrary to his assertions that Rosen-
steins article is full of inaccuracies, false-
hoods and dangerous innuendo, Frank
Coopers defense of Mayor Sam Cooper
suers from exactly those deciencies. For
starters, Frank Coopers assertion that Paul
Kuhns, the person running against Mayor
Cooper, served on the City Hall Task Force is
absolutely false. Kuhns has never served on
BR OCK PA PER SCI SSORS
For gays, is it OK to mock Sarah Huckabee Sanders?
Forget her frumpy style and
focus on the lies
BROCK THOMPSON is a D.C.-based freelance
writer. He writes regularly for the Blade.
We still have a month to go more or
less, but interns are starting to go back to
wherever they came from, gays are talk-
ing of their plans post Labor Day, all of
these signs point to summer in the Dis-
trict winding down. And that means that
the Miss Adams Morgan Pageant is just
around the corner.
When it comes to that fantastic drag ex-
travaganza, what Im really waiting to see
the City Hall Task Force. While it is true that
the new City Hall was the subject of numer-
ous public hearings and discussion, Mayor
Cooper has made numerous decisions on
his own without the consent of the commis-
sioners, including most recently approving
and paying for cost overruns amounting to
millions of dollars putting the cost of the
City Hall project well over the $18 million ap-
proved by referendum of the property own-
ers of Rehoboth Beach. Only when called
out by certain commissioners has Mayor
Cooper begun to involve our elected Board
of Commissioners in these decisions. More-
over, the $18 million bond referendum,
composed and orchestrated by Mayor Coo-
per, was clearly based on estimates of cost
and contingencies that have proven to be
erroneous and wholly inadequate. Today,
many budgeted costs have been backed
out to make it appear as though the project owners were harassed by Mayor Coopers
is closer to being on budget than it actually
is. In fact, even using our limited reserves in
the citys treasury, the city doesnt even have
enough funding to pay for landscaping.
As for Frank Coopers claims that busi-
nesses, including gay-owned and gay-friendly
businesses, thrive because city leadership
allows them to be protable and ourish suer in silence for fear of retribution and
could not be further from the truth. If you talk
to business owners and proprietors, you (and
Mr. Cooper) would know that they survive in
spite of the city leaderships attitude and lack
of interest in helping the business communi-
ty prosper and survive. While it is not unusual
in a resort community for some businesses
is just how many Sarah Huckabee Sanders
will be wondering around. And lets face it,
a lot of us wait until the last minute when it
comes to assembling our drag outts, and
mimicking Sarah Huckabee Sanders, with
a rather boxy dress and snarl to match,
wouldnt be too dicult to throw together.
But what Im wondering, is it OK to make
fun of a persons appearance, even some-
one as ridiculous, in her lying anyway, as
Sarah Huckabee Sanders?
I want to be completely honest with
you. Ive been feuding with the Huckabee
clan for years. And Ive mainly left Sarah
Huckabee Sanders out of it. I grew up in
Arkansas, and imagine as a teenage boy
just coming to terms with his sexuality,
hearing your governor say that HIV-pos-
itive people should be corralled into con-
centration camps. Delightful, right? My
distaste for all things Huckabee contin-
ued into adulthood, and came to a head
with a terse email exchange between me
and Huckabee matron, Janet, over her
to come and go, our business community
struggles with the indierence and lack of
support shown by the citys leadership and,
in particular, that of Mayor Cooper.
I am shocked by Frank Coopers assertion
that homophobia does not exist. To be sure,
we have come a long way in overcoming the
homophobia that existed for years but it was
not without constant struggle and the hard
work and dedication of many who suered
persecution along the way. I found it ironic as I
drove down Baltimore Avenue this past Satur-
day afternoon to see Frank Cooper sitting on
the patio of the Aqua Grill, a gay-owned and
gay-friendly establishment. Perhaps Frank
Cooper has forgotten, conveniently, that the
owner of that establishment, as well as two
of the owners of the Blue Moon, were once
hauled o in handcus one of only many
ways in which these establishments and their
project management, and a lack of pure
administration policies. These kinds of actions
against these businesses and their owners
could not have occurred in a community un-
less they were sanctioned by those in control
of its government. And, if Frank Cooper had a
real understanding of how the business com-
munity feels, he would also know that they
soon be asked to pay the piper. The buck
retaliation. Anyone who is honest will tell you
that is a fact. Thankfully, it appears that the
business community has had enough and will
now stand up and make their voices heard.
As for Frank Coopers allegation that
Rosensteins claims that Mayor Cooper
does not have adequate relationships with
rather questionable ethics when it came
to soliciting gifts and later when she took
a position as an election poll watcher,
something that even the most fair-mind-
ed person would consider iy at best.
So, as you can see, I think the whole fam-
ily has rather questionable values. But its
always a little uneasy when gays begin to
bully, seeing as how many of us might have
been victims of bullying ourselves. But bul-
lying can be subtle, and can even come
from their side and toward their own. The
new White House Communications Direc-
tor Anthony Scaramucci advised Sanders,
via national television, to continue to take
advantage of a hair and makeup person.
And if public gures are fair game, where
is the line and criticizing them? Can we
make fun of her style, but not her appear-
ance? Can we make fun of that ridiculous
mid-South accent that at times warrants
subtitles? Or is that the line? Should we just
stick to substance, or lack there of, when it
comes to national gures?
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
VIEWPOINT
local, county and state peers, perhaps he
should talk with ocials of our county,
state and federal governments he will
learn something dierent. While I am not
sure what line items Frank Cooper has in-
cluded in his $35 million of county, state
and federal assistance it is simply un-
true that taxpayers are not asked to repay
through local taxes some of the amounts
the city receives.
Frank Cooper does not spend much time
attempting to refute Rosensteins accusa-
tions of scal mismanagement or incom-
petent decision-making. Perhaps the rea-
son for his inability to refute these claims is
obvious. The nancial mess our city faces,
witness the mismanagement of the new
City Hall complex, is ample evidence that
our citys nances suer from lack of nan-
cial planning, sound decision-making and
common sense. It is no wonder that Frank
Cooper cannot nd his own words to claim
otherwise. Make no mistake, this is a crisis
of nancial mismanagement that has per-
sisted for far too long and must be brought
to an end. It is time for the taxpayers of
Rehoboth Beach to recognize that they will
stops at Mayor Cooper.
I suggest to Frank Cooper that he take
his own advice and deal with the truth
the whole truth!
RICHARD PERRY is a resident of Rehoboth
Beach, Del.
Whos to say, really? But this much is
certain, looks matter far too much in this
White House, and that starts from the
top, from the president himself dress-
ing down Sean Spicer over his bland, ill-
tting suits, to his intrusive comments on
the looks of visitors and foreign heads of
state. Remember earlier this month when
Trump told French President Macrons
wife, youre in such good shape, dur-
ing his recent visit there. And who could
forget his treatment of MSNBC host Mika
Brzezinski?A whole other column should
be on why looks matter so much to the
current administration. Its frankly bizarre
and unsettling when you think about it.
Maybe for now we should ask our-
selves if its OK to join in on the chorus.
Forget that she looks tired, frumpish, for-
get that string of pearls that might actu-
ally be some sort of candy. Lets not fo-
cus on any of that. Focus on her lies, her
enabling of authoritarianism. Everything
else is a distraction.
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2 4 J ULY 2 8 , 2 0 1 7 W A SH I N G T O N BLA D E . CO M
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM VOLUME 48 ISSUE 30 JULY 28, 2017 PAGE 25

MICHELLE BRANCH says the pop music industry is working with outdated business models that
arent fair to artists.
PHOTO COURTESY VERVE LABEL GROUP

Moments with Michelle

After white-hot, early 00s run, anti-Britney Branch returns with new album, new tour and new perspective on life
By MARIAH COOPER
mcooper@washblade.com

In 14 years, Michelle Branch went from
making radio hits to people wondering,
Whatever happened to Michelle Branch?
Branch came out with her rst hit single
Everywhere from her debut album The
Spirit Room in 2001 at 18 years old. Known
as the Anti-Britney, along with fellow
alternative-pop queens Avril Lavigne and
Vanessa Carlton, Branchs angsty lyrics
and guitar playing were the opposite of
Spears bubblegum pop sound. Her music
videos for Everywhere, All You Wanted has released her rst album since 2003,
and Goodbye to You propelled her to a
frequent spot on the TRL Top 10.
Her next album Hotel Paper produced
the hit single, Are You Happy Now?, a
You Outta Know by Alanis Morissette
for the early 00s generation that
received plenty of radio airplay. She also
collaborated with big-name artists such
as Sheryl Crow. She even won a Grammy
for her work with Santana on The Game
of Love in 2003.
Then silence.
Branch married her bass playerTeddy
Landau and gave birth to their now-11-
year-old daughter, Owen. Branch delved
into country with her band the Wreckers,
with musician Jessica Harp in 2005. After
the duo disbanded, Branch found herself
caught in a cycle of creating content that
her label wouldnt let her release. In 2015,
the singers personal life also hit a rough
patch when she divorced Landau.
Now nally free of her contract, Branch
some of the label issues you were
Hopeless Romantic, on a new label,
Verve Records. The edgy, alternative
sound is back but at 33 years old, Branch
is no longer the angsty teen she was.
This is also her rst collaboration with
the Black Keys drummer, Patrick Carney.
Carney started as her music partner and
went on to become her anc; the couple
got engaged in July.
Her rst solo tour in years stops by 9:30
Club (815 V St., N.W.) on Friday, Aug 4 for
a sold-out performance.
Branch chatted with the Washington Blade
right before a sound check about where shes
been these last 14 years, how much the music
scene has changed and what its actually like
being Carltons doppelgnger.
WASHINGTON BLADE: Since your
2003 album Hotel Paper you seemed
to disappear from the mainstream as a
solo artist. But behind the scenes you
were battling your label. What were
having post-Hotel Paper?
MICHELLE BRANCH: Well, post-Hotel
Paper I actually rst started a band
called the Wreckers. It was like a country
side project of mine. We were doing
really successful. We had a Grammy
nomination, a number one song, we
went platinum and we were on tour.
So everything was going great up until
about 2007. Thats when the Wreckers
broke up. Thats when it started getting
complicated. I followed up the Wreckers
with a solo country record. I had been
writing a bunch of Wreckers material
but then we broke up so I just decided
to record it myself. Thats when I started
getting problems. I had the president of
that label tell me, Youre not country
enough to do this album by yourself. So I
took the record to L.A. and they said, No,
this isnt pop enough. Its too country for
us. So that record got shelved. I watched
like four label presidents get red while
I was there. I basically ended up being a
victim of corporate restructuring. I ended
up turning in a full country album and
then I followed it up with a full pop record
that got shelved as well. They wouldnt let
me out of my contract. So I nally got out
of my contract in 2014 and thats when I
started writing this record.
BLADE: On your new album
Hopeless Romantic you collaborated
CONTINUES ON PAGE 35

2 6 J ULY 2 8 , 2 0 1 7 Q U E E RY : 2 0 Q U E ST I O N S F O R MO N T A N A D E BO R
PHOTO COURTESY OF DANI PIERCE STEUBER MO NT ANA D E B O R
By JOEY DiGUGLIELMO
joeyd@washblade.com
How long have you been out and who
You might think the circus world would be pretty open minded on LGBT was the hardest person to tell?
issues, but thats not necessarily the case. I grew up pretty obviously queer (lots
About four years ago, some local performers who were interested in of bowl cuts and juniors section annel).
bringing queer themes to the circus were told the market didnt exist for There was no big conversation with my
circus arts shows featuring LGBT characters. family, I feel lucky. I nd it challenging when
This was the guidance theyd been given by all their coaches and mentors, the topic comes up with newer students in
says director Elliot Proebstel. Gay performers were encouraged to develop my aerial classes however. Its hard to judge
acts that were strictly technical and never communicated romance between how someone I havent met before will
two men, for example. react, even in a safe environment.
Proebstel felt otherwise and forged ahead founding Sweet Spot Aerial
Productions in 2015 as a vehicle for bringing to life our vision for the Whos your LGBT hero?
narratives that werent yet being told on modern circus stages. Rain Dove, a model who is an
The group will perform Smoky Mirrors: an Aerial Exploration of Gender exceptional person and dees all societal
and Sexual Identity on Saturday, Aug. 5 at 5 and 8:30 p.m. and on Sunday, gender expectations.
Aug. 6 at 5 p.m. at the Atlas Performing Arts Center (1333 H St., N.E.). Tickets
are $25. Visit atlasarts.org for details. Whats Washingtons best nightspot,
Montana DeBor took gymnastics as a child and began circus classes in past or present?
college. Shes been studying for ve years and performing the last two. Shes Phase One
one of 12 Sweet Spot members performing a range of ground and aerial
modern circus arts. DeBor will perform on the Spanish web, a rope with a Describe your dream wedding.
loop at the top from which shes spun. A wedding happening in a world
Queer themes are represented throughout the acts. DeBors character where marriage equality exists globally.
dives into an acrobatic journey of self acceptance.
DeBor performs full time. The 26-year-old Arlington, Va., native is dating What non-LGBT issue are you most
and lives in the H Street Corridor. She enjoys playing the violin, painting and passionate about?
hip-hop classes in her free time. Womens reproductive rights.
What historical outcome would
you change?
Something that happened this past
November comes to mind.
Whats been the most memorable pop
culture moment of your lifetime?
Anything Beyonces ever done.
On what do you insist?
Honesty
What was your last Facebook post
or Tweet?
A photo of myself in Goodwill looking
for costumes wearing platform heels.
If your life were a book, what would
202.747.2077 the title be?
Great Expectations
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
If science discovered a way to change
sexual orientation, what would
you do?
Absolutely nothing
What do you believe in beyond the
physical world?
I believe art transcends time and
physical boundaries but I dont believe in
life after death.
Whats your advice for LGBT
movement leaders?
Please never be silenced. We need you
now more than ever.
What would you walk across hot
coals for?
My circus family. I feel like one of them
probably already does this in an act.
What LGBT stereotype annoys
you most?
The stereotype that gender and
sexuality are black or white. The
spectrums for both are innite.
Whats your favorite LGBT movie?
Tomboy
Whats the most overrated
social custom?
Texting. I love phone calls.
What trophy or prize do you
most covet?
Ive always wanted to win at
Jell-O wrestling.
What do you wish youd known at 18?
Its OK to take an unconventional path.
Why Washington?
Because its lled with art and creative
inspiration. You just have to know where
to look.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
O U T & A B O UT
LEA SEYDOUX and ADELE EXARCHOPOULOS in Blue is the Warmest Color.
Blade, Comcast collaborate
on movie recommendations
Sta picks featured
in Xnity service
FROM STAFF REPORTS
Washington Blade sta recently
collaborated on a series of
recommendations to be featured on
Comcasts Xnity LGBTQ Film & TV
Collection, a community-driven library of
about 800 TV shows and movies with gay
and trans characters and storylines.
Participating in the project were Blade
Editor Kevin Na, Blade Features Editor
Joey DiGuglielmo and Sta Writer Mariah
Cooper.Comcast subscribers will soon be
able to access the Blades picks via the on-
demand service.
You always feel a little unqualied
tackling a project like this because unlike
a critic who sees pretty much everything,
the list of stu weve each seen isnt
exhaustive, DiGuglielmo says. However,
Ive learned that sometimes the most
satisfying options are things that werent
necessarily on your own radar for
whatever reason. We tend to gravitate
toward things we think we might relate to,
but if thats all we ever do, we miss a lot.
The Blades recommendations in no
particular order are:
Blue is the Warmest Color (2013)
does what all great lms should do it
transcends the specics of the characters
lives and makes you feel what theyre
feeling. You dont have to be a lesbian to
feel swept away by the unbridled erotic
passion here. (JD)
The Trans List (2016) is a well-paced,
doc from Timothy Greeneld-Sanders
from HBO that explores the lives of 11
diverse, trans Americans. Over the course
of it, you start to realize how absurd the
I dont get it arguments are against trans
folks. Whats not to get? Its not an esoteric
concept. This should be required viewing
for every red state U.S. citizen. (JD)
Bridegroom (2013) is a documentary
about an unmarried gay couples love
story and the devastating aftermath
when one of them falls four stories to
an untimely death. The lm explores the
struggles unmarried same-sex couples
had to be a part of health decisions and
funeral proceedings without having legal
standing in the relationship.(MC)
Tangerine (2015) tells the story
of transgender sex worker Sin-Dee
who takes her best friend, fellow trans
sex worker Alexandra, on a hunt to
confront her cheating boyfriend. The
indie comedy, which was shot entirely on
iPhones, approaches the harsh realities of
transgender sex work with a dark, gritty
humor starring transgender actresses.(MC)
Outrage (2009) is a documentary
on outing in which the Blade is featured.
It addresses Nas outing of FOX News
anchor Shepard Smith in 2005. (KN)
Celluloid Closet (1995) is an
important lm chronicling the history
of how Hollywood portrayed LGBT
characters from censorship of gay
storylines to repeated enforcement of
anti-LGBT stereotypes. (KN)
Matt Shepard is a Friend of Mine
(2014) whittles brilliantly through the
hagiography weve collectively built
around the slain hate crimes victim and
gives us a fresh perspective on his life and
untimely death. (JD)
Paris is Burning (1990) is a
groundbreaking, iconic lm chronicling
the underground ball scene in New York,
J U LY 2 8 , 2 0 1 7 2 7
IMAGE COURTESY WILD BUNCH
exposing viewers to an LGBT community
most had never heard of before. (KN)
Larry Kramer in Love and
Anger (2015) is a touching, compelling
documentary that does a great job
capturing the landmark activist and writer
realistically. You leave understanding
what made him great and what fueled
his righteous indignation but that doesnt
make him any softer around the edges. (JD)
Moonlight (2016) was a historic
moment for LGBT lm. Ten years
after anti-gay bigotry cost Brokeback
Mountain the Oscar for best picture,
Moonlight came along and smashed
that glass ceiling for the community.(KN)
So why so many documentaries?
That is kind of curious and we didnt
plan that, DiGuglielmo says. Id say
probably the format appeals to our
journalistic instincts and also perhaps
now that weve been through 100 years-
plus of cinematic narrative, theres
something really unfettered about docs
that seems to resonate especially well
with LGBT lives and events.
Details are online at corporate.
comcast.com.
 Look as Young as You Feel 28 J U L Y 28, 2017
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

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Filmmaker CECILIA ALDARONDO says she learned lmmaking as she went making Memories of
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a Penitent Heart.

Recreating a life
8 8 8 8

Reels of family home uncle and how he died. I knew he had

movies inspired died young; he was only 31. I had this
young lmmaker sense that there was something awry in
the way people talked about his death.
Something smelled wrong. The more
By BRIAN T. CARNEY I talked to people about it, the more I
Impressions talked to my mom, we just started talking
FREE Filmmaker Cecilia Aldarondo only met about the fact that he was gay and he had
Medical 10560 Main Street Suite 307 Fairfax VA 22030 Consultation her uncle Miguel Dieppe once in 1987 this partner who disappeared. I felt like I
Aesthetics 703-273-0001 www.ImpressionsMediSpa.com Call Now! when he returned to Puerto Rico to visit needed to know more. It became a kind
his family. He died six months later and of detective story at that point.
his funeral had a deep impact on her. Aldarondo nally tracked down her
We went to Puerto Rico for his funeral uncles partner Aquin and learned about
when I was 6, she says, and it was my rst her uncles life as a gay man in New York

DentalBug.com ever brush with death and grieving adults.

It was a really indelible experience.
Cosmetic, Implants, Sleep Apnea, Sedation In the wake of her sons death,
Aldarondos grandmother Carmen
CALL TODAY WEEKEND HOURS MULTILINGUAL put together a scrapbook of her sons
life. It was lled with pictures of happy
We believe we can make the family gatherings and Miguels theatrical
dental experience better. performances.
He had this kind of legendary status in
my family, Aldarondo says.
But, she later realized her grandmother
had created a scrapbook of the son she
wanted, not the son she had.
Aldarondos investigation into her
uncles life began on 2008 when she
was helping her mother Nylda clean out
DentalBug Sta 2016-2017 the garage. Knowing that her daughter
was a lm bu (Aldarondo was working
A D V E R T I on SIN her G PhD PRO in Olm F studies at the time),
ISSUE DATE: 170728 SALES REPRESENTATIVE: Nylda asked if Cecilia wanted a box of
8-millimeter home movies she had found.
REVIEW AD FOR COPY AND DESIGN ACCURACY. Revisions must be submitted within 24 hours of the date of
proof. Proof will be considered nal and will be submitted for publication if revision is not submitted within 24 hours of She made me a deal, Aldarondo says. If
NS the date of proof. Revisions will not be accepted after 12:01 pm wednesday, the week of publication.Brown naff pitts
City. Miguel called himself Michael and
worked as an actor and bartender. He
and Aquin were together 12 years and led
an active social and sexual life in the citys
gay community.
At the same time, Miguel was engaged
in a passionate correspondence with his
mother. She begged him to renounce his
gay lifestyle so he could go to heaven; he
refused and died of AIDS in 1987. Before
her death in 1996, Carmen told her friends
and family that Miguel had repented on
his deathbed; Aquin denies that his lover
ever renounced his true identity.
At a certain point, Aldarondo says, I
realized it was such an interesting story it
should be a documentary lm.
Aldarondo began shooting the lm in
2012 when she was still a graduate student
at the University of Minnesota (she now
teaches lm at Skidmore College).
The rst shoot that I did, I essentially

GN
omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) is not responsible for the content and/or design of your ad. Advertiser is
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EVISIONS can link through the advertisement. Advertiser represents that its advertisement will not violate any criminal laws or
any rgihts of third parties, including, but not limited to, such violations as infringement or misapporpriation of any you want with what you nd there. I dont and I roped some friends into ying to
/LOGO REVISIONS copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret, music, image, or other proprietary or propety right, false advertising, unfair

SIONS Jeanette Suh

competition, defamation, invasion of privacy or rights of celebrity, violation of anti-discrimination law or regulation,
or any other right John Tsaknis
of any person or entity. Advertiser agrees to idemnify brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the ADVERTISER SIGNATURE know if she knew exactly what she was Puerto Rico with me, she says. We went
DMD washington blade) and

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DDS
liability, loss, damages, claims, or causesIndra Mustapha
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limited when she said that.
By signing this proof you are agreeing to your contract obligations with the
to placement, and lmed in the cemetery where my
byMaria
brownHodasnaff pitts omnimedia llc, arising outDDS, MS to advertisers breach of any of the foregoing representations
of or related
uncle was buried and the church where
payment and insertion schedule.
DDS
and warranties. The resulting lm is the 60-minute
documentary Memories of a Penitent his funeral was held. I learned everything
RESERVATIONS Heart, which follows her process of along the way by just doing it and making
piecing together her late uncles life. The a lot of mistakes. I was denitely ying by
broadcast is a co-presentation of the POV the seat of my pants.
documentary series and Latino Public She says it was a rewarding learning
M-TH 11:30AM-10PM F-SAT 11:30AM-11PM Broadcasting and airs Monday, July 31 on process, though.
SUN. BRUNCH 11AM-3PM / DINNER 3-10PM
PBS (at 10 p.m. in the Washington market). By the time I had nished the lm I had
As Aldarondo watched the movies, she become a lmmaker. It was really a trial
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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
S P ORTS
JIREH AKI, left, and JEFF HUGHES are avid members of Adventuring, a local outdoors LGBT group.
All-stars spotlight: Adventuring
Outdoor enthusiasts nd
camaraderie, decompression
in hiking trails
By KEVIN MAJOROS
This week in the ongoing Washington
Blade series spotlighting the members of
the LGBT sports community, we meet two
members of the outdoors club, Adventuring.
Adventuring leads hikes year-round
along with biking, tubing and rafting in
the summer months. Many of their hikes
are along the historic trails and vistas that
are in abundance in the Washington area
including hikes through Rock Creek Park,
Civil War battleelds and the C&O Canal.
This weekend the group will host the
Whiteoak Canyon-Robertson Hike on
Saturday and the Blackberry Ice Cream Hike
on Sunday. On the weekend of Aug. 12-13,
members will join the Capital Climbers (rock
climbing) in Shenandoah Park for the Big
Meadows/Meteor Shower Weekend.
After six years of active duty in the Air
Force, Jireh Aki was looking for an outlet
into the LGBT community that involved
the outdoors. He found the Adventuring
group on a Meetup post.
I attended my rst hike in Shenandoah
National Park and fell in love with the
group. One of the rst members I met
became my best friend, Aki says. The
members are welcoming and inviting and
encompass a diverse age group.
Aki grew up in Long Beach, Calif.,
and played no sports while attending a
performing arts high school. After a year
at University of California, Santa Cruz, he
joined the Air Force and arrived in D.C. in
2012 after being stationed in Okinawa. He
was deployed in 2013 and returned to the
area to serve at Andrews Air Force Base.
He is currently working as a government
contractor for the Department of Defense
and attending University of Maryland
with an emphasis on global politics with
a background in security.
Now serving as the Adventuring
J U L Y 28, 2017 29
Educated at Brown, Harvard,
PHOTOS COURTESY ADVENTURING
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membership chair, Aki says the group Body Plastic Surgery
has opened him up to other clubs under
the Team D.C. umbrella such as Capital
Climbers and the D.C. Front Runners.
The Adventuring hikes are a wonderful
way to escape the hustle of the city. The
tour guides are a wealth of knowledge
about local history and its nice to put it
to sight and see where things took place,
Aki says. I am hoping to bring in more
younger adults so this continues to be an
active and successful club.
The life path of Je Hughes is just
about as winding as the trails he likes to
hike. Band, choir and theater lled his life
in Pittsburgh in high school because the
sports he tried didnt interest him.
After graduating from University of
Pittsburgh, he attended Georgetown
Law and subsequently began practicing
law. From there he segued into legal
and government consulting and is now
working as an independent health & Laser Liposuction
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It was a very easy way to become Transgender Surgeries
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meeting good people and it was a relaxed
atmosphere, Hughes says. Over time I
also started to fall in love with being in
the woods. It has become a x; I need
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that time out in nature away from the
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city, the cars and the stress.
Hughes, Adventurings president, also
enjoys that the history of the club is
being preserved by reinventing hikes that
began in 1979. One is the Skyline Drive
to Hoover Camp hike which is recreated
each year using a dierent route.
Some of our original members still join
us and one of my favorite hikes is through
Shenandoah followed by a day spent in
Harpers Ferry, Hughes says. The areas
we hike are lled with natural beauty and
steeped in history. Its exhilarating.
 BLUES ALLEY 30 J U L Y 28, 2017
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

THEATER
Washington DCs Premiere Jazz Supper Club

Getting wiggy
Summer Studio production
explores black drag culture
By PATRICK FOLLIARD

The smitten protagonists in Wig Out!,

the current Studio Theatre production,
meet in a cute way.
Theyre on the subway when drag
queen Ms. Nina (Michael Rishawn), PHOTO BY TERESA WOOD, COURTESY STUDIO
after a night on the town, asks attractive
stranger Eric (out actor Jaysen Wright) if EDWIN BROWN III, left, and DESMOND BING
in Wig Out!
hes gay.

LEA DELARIA
Eric reluctantly says he is but adds that
he likes men. So Nina sheds her wig and
assorted drag to reveal Wilson, a well-
Carrie Big Boo Black from Orange is the New Black muscled young man with a shaved head.
After a long second look, Eric rethinks the
Friday, August 11 thru Sunday, August 13 situation and the pair goes home together.
III) and her butch boyfriend DJ Deitys
(perfectly played by out actor Desmond
Bing) ongoing eort to resolve a rocky
relationship. House happenings are
diligently reported by a Greek chorus/

BLUES ALLEY But its not happily-ever-after for Eric

and Ms. Nina. Drag is a huge part of Ms.
Ninas life. Shes a key member of the
House of Light where shes required to
1073 Wisconsin Ave. www.bluesalley.com play glamour girl at all times. But she also
wants Eric to be a part of this world and
that proves problematic.
Its through Erics eyes that the
audience peers into Harlems Ball
culture, the decades-old, mostly black
LGBT subculture in which participants
SATURDAY, JULY 29 from dierent houses walk for trophies
tight urban girl group named for the
Fates: Faith (Dane Figueroa Edidi), Fate
(Melissa Victor) and Faye (Isabel Jasa).
After intermission, Wig Out! takes you
to the ball. And while its challenging to
bring that kind of excitement and raw
energy to Studios black box space, the
productions design team, led by director
Kent Gash, does an admirable job. Set
designer Jason Sherwood creates a
ball venue with elevator doors and a
cruciform runway festooned with drag

Pride
and prizes at balls. The events ercely
competitive categories include Femme
Queen Realness, Butch Queen Realness,
Legendary/Iconic and Face. Drag
balls rst came to mainstream attention
through the unforgettable documentary
world mementos newspaper clipping,
old invites, feathers and snapshots. And
Frank Labovitz costumes the cast in a
range of street drag and competition
gowns. David Lamont Wilson supplies
a hot soundscape against which the

Splash &
1990 documentary Paris Is Burning.
Out, African-American
Tarrell Alvin McCraneys take on this world
is poetic, poignant and loads of fun. Rife
with romance, rivals, inghting and lust,
the House of Light is never boring. But
its still a safe haven for its members and
houses story unfolds.
playwright Things really kick o when sassy jester
Loki (Alex Mills) from the rival House
of DiAbolique delivers a challenge to
compete in a high-stakes ball. This small
but showy part gives Mills a chance to
show his mindboggling contortionist

Ride
SPINNING AT THE allows a tremendous outlet for positive skills. And then the second act is mostly
PRIDE PARTY creativity and performance. ball hosted by emcee Serena (Frank
DJ ROSIE The standouts in a powerhouse cast Britton) from the House of DiAbolique.
DJ CENTRIK SATURDAY are House of Light elders Lucian (Michael Shes a sort of wild mix of kabuki and
A D V E R T I Kevin S I N G Darnall) P R O O Fand Rey-Rey (Jamyl German punk rock goddess Nina Hagen
JULY 30 Dobson). House father Lucian is a sexual McCraney is one of Studios most
ISSUE DATE: SALES REPRESENTATIVE:
predator whos after the houses drag produced writers. Memorable works
REVIEW AD FOR COPY AND DESIGN ACCURACY. Revisions must be submitted within 24 ALL
hours ofDAY
the date ACCESS TO SIX
queens and butch gays too. For Lucian, include his trilogy The Brother/Sister
of

NS
proof. Proof will be considered nal and will be submitted for publicationRIDEif revision isALL DAY,
the date of proof. Revisions will not be accepted after 12:01 pm wednesday, the week of publication.Brown naffFLAGS
not submitted PARTY
within 24 hours of
pitts
ALL NIGHT
AMERICA
IGN
omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) is not responsible for the content and/or design of your ad. Advertiser is its not about sex and much less about Plays. He deservedly received an Oscar
PRIVATE POOL PARTY
responsible for any legal liability arising out of or relating to the advertisement, and/or any 8:00 PM - MIDNIGHT
EXCLUSIVE
any criminal laws or PRIDE WATER
material to which users
EVISIONS can link through the advertisement. Advertiser represents that its advertisement will not violate
romance. Backstory reveals his conquests for Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for
/LOGO REVISIONS
any rgihts of third parties, including, but not limited to, such violations as infringement or misapporpriation of any
HAPPY
copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret, music, image, or other proprietary or propety right, false advertising, unfair PARK PARTYHOUR
competition, defamation, invasion of privacy or rights of celebrity, violation of anti-discrimination law or regulation,
ADVERTISER SIGNATURE
are prompted by a need for power and Moonlight adapted from his play In
SIONS or any other right of any person or entity. Advertiser agrees to idemnify brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the
DRAG
allHAPPY HOUR
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SHOW
By signing manipulation.
this proof you are agreeing to your contract obligationsWithout
with the
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doubt Lucian is the Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue.
DJ AND LATE
by brown naff pitts omnimedia llc, arising out of or related to advertisers breach of any of the foregoing representations
and warranties. DRAG
NIGHT SHOW
payment
FUN
and insertion schedule.
darkest, slimiest resident in the House of Penned in 2006, Wig Out! doesnt
Light and Darnall plays it superbly. have the lyricism and resonance of some
METRO ACCESSIBLE DJ DREW G
Life is becoming increasingly dicult of McCraneys other works. But its an
SHUTTLES FROM DC AVAILABLE (To/From ) for house mother Rey-Rey. Her legendary entertaining and fun ride perfect for
SHUTTLES FROM BALTIMORE AVAILABLE {To/From GLCCB) drag career is agging and shes nding it Studios summer slot.

42
A PORTION OF TICKET SALES dicult to give up the crown gracefully.
$ BENEFIT:
CAPITAL PRIDE ALLIANCE
NOVA PRIDE
Rey-Rey still yearns for the limelight
and the status that ball wins brings. Her
WIG OUT!
Through Aug. 20
Studio Theatre
BALTIMORE PRIDE challenge is to go with dignity. 1501 14th St., N.W.
$45-55
Other House of Light subplots
PRIDESPLASH.ORG include rising star Venus (Edwin Brown
202-332-3300
Studiotheatre.org
W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM J U LY 2 8 , 2 0 1 7 3 1
 WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

LIVE
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
32 JU L Y 28, 2017 O U T & A BO U T

PETER
HIMMELMAN
W/ NATALIE YORK
THURSDAY JULY 27

an evening with
LIVE AT
THE FILLMORE
THE DEFINITIVE TRIBUTE TO THE
ORIGINAL ALLMAN
BROTHERS BAND
FRIDAY JULY 28
SAT, JULY 29
AN EVENING WITH INGRATITUDE:
A TRIBUTE TO EARTH, WIND, & FIRE
SUN, JULY 30
ENTER THE HAGGIS
W/ JUSTIN TRAWICK & THE COMMON GOOD
TUES, AUG 1
LIVE DEAD 69 W/ HOLLY BOWLING WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY BEN KELLER

WED, AUG 2
MIDNIGHT NORTH Distrkt C readies Winter White Party
W/ HOLLY BOWLING By RASHANNA LEE
THURS, AUG 3 DJ Manny Lehman will spin at Distrkt Cs Winter White Party on Saturday, Aug.
AN EVENING WITH CRIS
JACOBS, 12 at the D.C. Eagle (3701 Benning Rd., N.E.).
OutWrite 2017 celebrates
The event will begin at 10 p.m. Tickets are $25. White attire is suggested, but
JOHN GINTY, & FRIENDS not required. LGBT authors
FRI, AUG 4 Details at distrktc.com.
HONEY ISLAND SWAMP BAND OutWrite 2017: A Celebration of LGBT
W/ THE TWIN BROTHERS BAND
FEAT. PAUL & DIMITRI OF THE YEONAS BROTHERS BAND Literature is Aug. 4-6 at the D.C. Center
and features authors, poets, panel
SAT, AUG 5 discussions and more.
AN EVENING WITH Cecilia Tan, an author and editor with
SPLINTERED SUNLIGHT Circlet Press, will give the keynote address.
The weekend will continue with
SUN, AUG 6 readings, panels and book sales on
AN EVENING WITH BOX OF RAIN Saturday and a full day of workshops on
Sunday at the Center (2000 14th St., N.W.).
WED, AUG 9 SOLD OUT The event is free and open to the public.
AN EVENING WITH For more information, visit thedccenter.
DARK STAR ORCHESTRA org/outwrite.
SPECIAL ACOUSTIC SHOW
THURS, AUG 10 MidCity Dog Days
CAROLYN WONDERLAND is next weekend
SAT, AUG 12
More than 20,000 visitors are expected
JUAN DE MARCOS & to attend the MidCity Dog Days Sidewalk
THE AFRO-CUBAN ALL STARS PHOTO BY MATTHEW MURPHY; COURTESY KENNEDY CENTER Festival next weekend, Aug. 5-6. The
event was founded in 2000 with just one
TUES, AUG 15
block of vendors and has since expanded
AJ CROCE AND ROBBIE FULKS The King and I runs through Aug. 20 to about 100 local businesses.
The festival was created in an eort to
WED, AUG 16
support these local businesses and give
THE ROOSEVELTS The Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) is running its production of the Tony attendees a laid-back way to explore the
W/ HOLY GHOST TENT REVIVAL Award-winning musical The King and I through Sunday, Aug. 20. The production neighborhood.
is directed by Tony Award-winner Bartlett Sher and tells the story of the The event spans 14th St., N.W. between
complicated romance between the King of Siam and an English schoolteacher. Thomas Circle and Florida Ave., and U
Tickets range from $49-159 depending on seat and showtime. St. from 7th to 17th streets. Bang Salon,
For more information and showtimes, visit kennedy-center.org. lululemon and Soul Cycle are a few of the
participating vendors this year.
THEHAMILTONDC.COM
Details at dogdaysdc.com.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
C A L EN DA R
E-mail calendar items to calendars@washblade.
com two weeks prior to your event. Space is lim-
ited so priority is given to LGBT-specic events
or those with LGBT participants. Recurring
events must be re-submitted each time.
TODAY
The 2017 Masculine of Center
conference begins today and continues
through Sunday, July 30 at the Tysons
Corner Marriott (8028 Leesburg Pike,
Tysons, Va.). The event features 21
workshops, three keynote speakers and
special events like music showcases.
Tickets start at $150. For more
information, visit mocconference.com.
Reel Armations presents 195 Lewis
tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Human Rights
Campaign Equality Center (1640 Rhode
Island Ave N.W.). The dramedy series
centers the realities of being black, queer,
and polyamorous in New York City. The
event is free. For more information, visit
thedccenter.org.
Northern Virginias rst three-day comic
and gaming convention NOVA begins
today at 4 p.m. and continues through
Sunday at the Ritz-Carlton (1700 Tysons
Blvd., McLean, Va.). Three cast members
from Stranger Things will be in attendance
as well as Kelly Hu from Arrow. Tickets are
$85 for all three days. For more information,
visit novacomic-con.com.
Homosuperior, Jail Solidarity, the
Alements and Symptom perform tonight
at Slash Run (201 Upshur St., N.W.).
Tickets are $7. For more information, visit
eventbrite.com.
Gamma, a support group for gay or
bi men who have been in relationships
with women meets tonight at 7:30 p.m.
at Luther Place Memorial Church (1226
Vermont Ave., N.W.).
SATURDAY, JULY 29
Six Flags America (13710 Central Ave.,
Upper Marlboro, Md.) will hold the fth
annual Pride Splash and Ride today
from 10:30 a.m. until midnight. Attendees
can spend the day at the amusement
park then the pool party begins at 8 p.m.
Tickets are $42. For more information,
visit pridesplash.org.
Aretha Franklin performs tonight at
Wolf Trap (1551 Trap Rd., Vienna, Va.) at
8 p.m. Franklin is known for soulful hits
like Respect and Chain of Fools. Tickets
start at $40. Details at wolftrap.org.
Daniel Phoenix Singh Dance
Company returns to Dance Place (3225
8th St., N.E.) tonight at 8 p.m. and Sunday
night at 7 p.m. The evening will feature
Anna Sokolows choreography including
Chakra, a piece that brings Bharata
Natyam and Modern dance together.
Tickets start at $15.
SUNDAY, JULY 30
There is a Plant Nite D.C. event today
Soul legend ARETHA FRANKLIN returns to Wolf Trap on Saturday, July 29.
at James Hobans Irish Restaurant & Bar
(1 Dupont Cir., N.W.) today at 1 p.m.
Attendees are invited to create their own
terrariums as they engage in conversation
over dinner and drinks. All supplies will
be provided. Tickets are $45. For details,
visit plantnite.com.
The RAMMY Awards Gala, in which
awards are given out to D.C. restaurant
industry professionals, is tonight from
5-11 p.m. at the Washington Convention
Center (801 Mt. Vernon P., N.W.). Details
at therammys.org.
Palestinian Tales: a Storytelling
Workshop is today from 2-4:30 p.m.
at the Potters House (1658 Columbia
Rd., N.W.). This event is a free workshop
with the Palestinians Podcast in which
participants will explore the art and
importance of storytelling and work to
build their own narrative by discussing
PHOTO BY MATTHEW JORDAN SMITH, COURTESY WOLF TRAP
identity, culture, community and struggle.
Look for the event on Facebook for details.
Where the Girls Go has its OverEasy
Tea Dance July edition today from 3-8
p.m. at Dodge City D.C. (917 U St., N.W.).
DJs Abby, Mim and Vanniety Kills will spin
tracks. OverEasy is a trans-positive, all-
gender-inclusive, anti-racist, pro-makeout
space. Ages 21 and up. Look for the event
on Facebook for details.
MONDAY, JULY 31
Queen and Adam Lambert perform
tonight at the Verizon Center (601 F St.,
N.W.). Queen is a band that formed in
the 70s known for hits like Bohemian
Rhapsody and We Will Rock You. Adam
Lambert is an openly gay pop artist who
nished as runner-up in the eighth season
of American Idol. Tickets are $83.75. For
J U LY 2 8 , 2 0 1 7 3 3
more information, visit ticketmaster.com.
The D.C. Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence,
a local drag outt, present Singing With
the Sisters tonight at the Green Lantern
(1335 Green Ct., N.W.) from 9:30 p.m.-
12:30 a.m. Hymns, pop songs or show
tunes are welcome. Proceeds generated
will go to benet Casa Ruby. Look for the
event on Facebook for details.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 1
The Barclay Brass will perform today
at noon at Church of the Epiphany for its
Tuesday Concert Series. The ensemble
will perform works by J.S. Bach, Stevie
Wonder and a new piece called The
Eternity Gate by Kent Baker written for
the ensemble. The church is at 1317 G St.,
N.W. Its free and open to the public.
Erin Brockovich is being screened
tonight at the Georgetown Waterfront
Park at 7 p.m. This year marks the third
annual outdoor series and the lineup
honors women in lm. Attendees are
advised to bring a blanket. The event
is free. For more information, visit
georgetowndc.com/sunsetcinema.
Covenant Baptist United Church
of Christ, a local, LGBT-arming
congregation, has its Night Out for
Safety and Liberation D.C. tonight
from 6-10 p.m. at the church (2845 S.
Capitol St., S.W.). The event is billed as
an opportunity to come together as a
community and discuss our visions, ideas
and plans to get there. Vendors, music,
food, child care, kids activities and more
will be available.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 2
The Ask Rayceen Show is tonight at
6 p.m. at the Human Rights Campaign
Equality Center (1640 Rhode Island Ave
N.W.). The event will include the annual
poetry slam as well as interviews with
OutWrite 2017 participants. Admission
is free. For more information, visit
askrayceen.com.
The Tom Davoren Social Bridge Club
will meet tonight at 7:30 pm, at the Dignity
Center (721 8th St., S.E.) for Social Bridge.
No partner needed. Phone 301-345-1571
for more information.
Bookmen D.C. will meet this evening
to discuss In the Empire of the Air, by
Donald Britton. Newcomers are welcome.
The group will meet at 7:30 p.m. at the
Tenleytown Library (4450 Wisconsin
Ave., N.W. ) For more information, visit
bookmendc.blogspot.com.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 3
Blondie and Garbages Rage and
Rapture Tour heads to Wolf Traps
Filene Center (1645 Trap Rd., Vienna, Va.)
tonight at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the show
start at $35. For more information, visit
wolftrap.org.
 WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

34 J U L Y 28, 2017 A D V I CE

M I D C I T Y Just Jack?
Shacking up for nancial
D O G D A Y S
The big unanswered question is why
reasons is usually a bad idea has Jack not agreed to your proposal?
A few hypotheses: One, he thinks it
would be too large a step to move straight
from having been out of each others lives
to living together. Two, he thinks you are

AUGUST 56, 2017 rushing things and perhaps perceives

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Maki Shop Menchies Merlots Art Ministry of Supply Miss Pixies Jack waned and we lost touch.
furnishings & whatnot Nellies Sports Bar Orangetheory Provision No. 14
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SUMMERS BEST LAID-BACK ADVENTURE
you as needy or desperate. Three, he is
worried about taking responsibility for
MICHAEL RADKOWSKY, Psy.D. is a
you nancially while you are unemployed.
And of course, there is also the
licensed psychologist who works with gay possibility that Jack is not really eager to
individuals and couples in D.C. All identifying continue this relationship, although you
information has been changed for reasons write that the two of you are on the same
of condentiality. Have a question? Send it to
him via michaelradkowsky.com page about moving forward.
The best way to know Jacks reasoning
is to ask him. From your letter I gather
MICHAEL, that you havent done so and Im curious
Five years ago I met Jack, who lives about what may be stopping you. Are you
in Philadelphia. We dated long distance afraid of what you might hear? If thats
with the intention that I would move to the case, ask yourself if you would rather
Philadelphia and wed date more seriously. live with uncertainty and hope or actually
I found a job in Philly, commuting between know where Jack stands. The second
my D.C. condo and corporate housing for option might be painful, but it would keep
two months before my dad got sick back you in reality rather than in fantasy.
here in D.C. and I needed to take care of Or maybe you have asked Jack and
him. I left my Philadelphia job, moved back not gotten an answer, either because he
into my condo and even got my D.C. job does not know where he stands or does
back. Communications between me and not want to disappoint or hurt you. While
you cant force someone to speak up, you
During this entire time, I never dated can talk with Jack about the importance
anyone else nor was I interested in dating of being able to talk about dicult topics
because Jack was always on my mind. We in an intimate relationship. Keep in mind
could not pursue our goal of my moving to that if you were to have that conversation,
Philly because I needed to take care of my dad. youd have to be willing to hear whatever
Fast forward to Spring, 2017. My dad Jack had to tell you.
stabilized and I got laid o from my job. I With regard to your proposal of
sold my condo and moved in with my father. moving in with Jack: rushing into living
Ive been job hunting but with no luck so far. together full-time would have some big
Then a few months ago, Jack contacted downsides. This would be, essentially, a
me and we decided I would visit him. The new relationship. As the two of you would
visit was stellar. I realized I was in love be getting to know each other better

SHOPPING DINING ARTS & with Jack and we both agreed that we
wanted to pick up where we left o.
CULTURE As Im unemployed and dont have
my own home right now, I suggested to
Jack that I live with him until I nd a job
in Philly, at which time we could decide
if I should stay with him permanently or
move into my own place. Jack has not
agreed to this proposal.
How do we work through this situation
and adjusting to being in a relationship,
wouldnt you want to each have your own
space so that you could take a break from
non-stop togetherness?
Also, putting the nancial burden of
housing completely on Jack would be a big
weight for him to bear alone when the two
of you are so new as a couple and have so
little history together. He could only easily
become resentful. And so could you, in the

#exploremidcity to nd a solution that allows me to live in

the Philly area so that I can interview for
jobs, while also allowing us to see each
other as often (or as little) as wed like, and
work toward a possible marriage situation?
MIDCITYBID.ORG DOGDAYSDC.COM
MICHAEL REPLIES:
one-down position of being dependent on
Jack for a place to live.
The solution that allows you to live in
Philly in order to job hunt and spend time
together is simple: Find some way to pay for
your own housing. Relationships work best
when both people can stand on their own.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
A R T S & EN TE RTA I NMENT
Branch says contract kept her from releasing new music
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25
with Patrick Carney of the Black Keys.
How did that come about?
BRANCH: Patrick and I met at a Grammy
party. But he was on my list of people
to ask about producing. I wanted to nd
someone with more of a rock background
and I liked another band that he produced
called Tennis that I loved. And I walked
into the party and saw him on the other
side of the room and was like Oh, this is
perfect. I can actually go ask him myself.
So, we started talking and he was like,
Where have you been? What have you
been up to? I love your voice. You should
be making music. When I told him what
Id been through at the record label he
immediately was like, I want to help. Send
me music. And thats how it started.
BLADE: Even though you switched
labels and had a new collaborator
in Patrick did you fear this music
wouldnt see the light of day like your
other material?
BRANCH: Once I signed with the new
label and started recording, it all felt great.
Between the records and getting o my
record label there were moments. Like
when I was on Warner Brothers I thought,
OK, maybe Im never, ever going to get
a record out again. But once I switched
labels it just felt completely dierent.
There was a totally dierent energy.
BLADE: Prince used to say record
contracts are like slavery and that he
would tell young artists not to sign.
Would you give the same advice?
BRANCH: Yeah. I mean I just think
the record business is a dying business.
So many of these huge companies are
just following old, dinosaur methods
of doing things and ultimately its all
because of wanting to make money and
the artists suer. So I would denitely
encourage younger artists to be as
independent as possible. were always compared. Did it ever
BLADE: You tweeted the other day
you noticed how people had their
cell phones out at your concerts now
versus the last time you toured. Do
you think people have lost the ability
to be fully present at shows?
BRANCH: I dont think everyone has.
Fellow concert-goers get annoyed too. I
The
hookup site
TOO HOT
for the
app store
had so many people comment back saying,
Yeah I was at that show and it was so
annoying. I couldnt see because someones
phone was in my face. I feel like theres a
certain time and place where you should be
present. The whole point of live music is to
actually see it, feel it and be a part of it. Its
a collaborative eort. The audience is just
as much part of a show as whoever is on
stage. If you want to lm the whole thing
you might as well just go watch YouTube
videos of the show and not be at the show.
Its not at every show but just the last few
shows Ive noticed it and it bummed me
out. I think that theres denitely a time and
a place for technology.
BLADE: You and Vanessa Carlton
debuted around the same time and
annoy you?
BRANCH: Not at all. Shes amazing. I
think the only thing that gets annoying is
that still to this day people are like, Oh
my god, will you please play that song
A Thousand Miles? Im like, Thats not
me. But shes great. She gets it just as
much as I do so weve just gotten used to
being each others doppelgnger.
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J U LY 2 8 , 2 0 1 7 3 5
BLADE: Youve shown your support
for the Tegan and Sara Foundation.
Why is it important for you to be an
LGBT ally?
BRANCH: Its so important because
human equality, human rights, should be
for everybody. It shouldnt be for just one
type of person. Love is love. Theres a line
from one of the songs on my album called
Heartbreak Now. It says, You cant
help who you love and I truly believe it.
I think its completely preposterous to
discriminate against someone based on
who they love or how they identify.
BLADE: So whats next?
BRANCH: More music. I was just talking
with Patrick that the minute this tour gets
done were going to go home and start
recording a new record. My goal now that Im
free is to just make as much music as possible
and be able to play shows whenever I can.
MICHELLE BRANCH
Friday, Aug. 4
8 p.m.
9:30 Club
815 V St., N.W.
930.com
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REALESTATE

Factors toconsiderwhen opening a business

Heres why Montgomery
County is attractive to
entrepreneurs
By DAVID PETR
The D.C. metro region is one of the
hottest spots in the country for launch-
ing a business, according to a recent re-
port from The Kauman Index of Growth
Entrepreneurship. And Montgomery
County is at the top of the list for en-
trepreneurial activity. The Montgomery
County Economic Development Corpora-
tion (MCEDC) can help propel entrepre-
neurs to the next level, providing support
forpeople with a great ideaand passion
but who need market intelligence and
servicestostart a successful business.
MCEDC is an organization specical-
lydesignedto help businesses from start-
ups to establishedcompanies.In my expe-
rience in economic development here in
Montgomery County as well aspreviously
in Texas and Florida, I have found that
there are FOUR key factorseverybusiness
needs to consider as it grows.
Top Talent: The no. one reason com-
panies choose to locate in Montgom-
eryCounty isaccessto top talent.Mont-
gomery County has the smartest
workforce in the U.S., with 57 percent
holding a bachelors degree and 30 per-
cent of our residents with a post-grad de-
gree two amazing stats. Our educated
and highly skilled workforce feeds the
growing needs of thetech, cybersecurity,
andbiohealthindustries.
Cost of Doing Business: MCEDC pro-
vides an incredible gateway to doing
business here in the county. We lead
companies to available incentives and
grants, including the popular Montgom-
ery County MOVE Program. In addition
to incentives, our business development
team oers access to capital, mentors,
and making connections all the resourc-
esentrepreneurs need to start, grow and
thrive here. Just recently, MCEDC was
instrumental in supporting the merger
between JBG Companies and Vornado
Realty Trust to form the JBG SMITH com-
pany. Theyll be movingto their corporate
headquarters ina fantastic new building
JBG SMITH the largest commercial development real estate investment trust focused solely
in Bethesda. on GreaterWashington recently announced it is expanding into newcorporateheadquarters
Ideal Location: Montgomery County inBethesda, Md.
JBG SMITH ARTIST RENDERING
is perfectly situated for business suc-
cess. We have incredible connectivity
with three international airports within easy to get out and play in one of our 400 Corporation helps you every step of the
30 miles, allowing people to do business parks, from the incredible Brookside Gar- way on your path to business success.
anywhere. The county is home to 18 fed- dens to the Crescent Trail. Metro, Uber
eral agency headquarters, includingNIH, and Lyft make getting around town easy, DAVID PETR is president and CEO of Mont-
FDA and NIST, which is a huge draw for and many millennials like to grab a bike gomery County Economic Development Cor-
companies in the bio and tech spaces. atone of manyCapital Bikeshares. poration(MCEDC), thepublic-privateorganiza-
tion created in 2016 to help businesses start
Quality of Life: Individuals and fami- All these factors, and more,contribute to and grow by helping them gain access to top
lies love it here in Montgomery Coun- Montgomery County being truly the best talent, business and market intelligence and
prime locations. For more information about
ty for so many reasons, starting with place to do business. It takes an idea, talent resources available to companies, please visit
top schools, many of which are award and courage to start a business. AndMont- thinkmoco.com or follow them on Twitter,
winning and the best in the country. Its gomery County Economic Development Facebook or LinkedIn.

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 DEADLINES
All Classified Ads
SHARE ADS ARE FREE. - Including Regular & Adult -
Place your HOUSING TO SHARE Must Be Received
ad online at washingtonblade.com By Mondays at 5PM
and the ad prints free in the paper and online.* So They Can Be Included
*25 words or less prints free - anything more is $1/word. in That Weeks Edition of
Washington Blade and
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3 8 J ULY 2 8 , 2 0 1 7 W A SH I N G T O N BLA D E . CO M

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Its Like Retirement, Only Better

Ingleside at Rock Creek and Ingleside at King Farm are now expanding your possibilities for engaged
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Dont miss your opportunity to take advantage of priority choice locations!

An Ingleside Community An Ingleside Community

For more information call 202-470-3413 For more information call 240-380-2678
3050 Military Road NW Washington, DC 701 King Farm Blvd. Rockville, MD
www.ircdc.org www.inglesidekingfarm.org
Ingleside at Rock Creek and Ingleside at King Farm are CARF accredited, not-for-profit, continuing care retirement communities.

Ingleside at King Farm is expanding with the proposed building of 125 new independent living apartments, 32 private assisted living memory support suites, and a Center for Healthy Living subject to approval by the Maryland Department of Aging.