FALL REAL ESTATE

Navigating D.C.s market

in the new season.
PAGES 27-30

SEPTEMBER 22, 2017 VOLUME 48 ISSUE 38 AMERICAS LGBTQ NEWS SOURCE WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

Dening moment for LGBT rights

Supreme Courts
new term includes
Masterpiece Cakeshop,
other milestone cases
By CHRIS JOHNSON
cjohnson@washblade.com
A plethora of cases related to LGBT
rights are awaiting the Supreme Court
after its summer recess at the end of
this month, which could lead to the most
monumental term for justices since the
landmark 2015 ruling in favor of marriage
equality nationwide.
The Supreme Court has already
agreed to hear and accepted briefs in
the Masterpiece Bakeshop case, which
Will LGBT rights supporters be celebrating again in 2018 like they were in 2015? Or
will the Supreme Court deal LGBT rights a setback next year? was led by a Colorado baker asserting
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY a First Amendment right to refuse to
make wedding cakes for same-sex
couples despite a state law prohibiting
anti-LGBT discrimination. But justices
could also take up cases determining
whether current federal civil rights
law aords lesbian, gay and bisexual
people workplace non-discrimination
protections and transgender kids access
to school restrooms consistent with their
gender identity.
James Esseks, director of the American
Civil Liberties Union LGBT and HIV project,
said the upcoming term for the Supreme
Court is potentially momentous for
LGBT rights and civil rights in general
based on the Masterpiece Cakeshop case
for which his organization is defending
Colorados non-discrimination law.
Youve got the Masterpiece Cakeshop
case, which is about whether the courts
CONTINUES ON PAGE 16

Tragedy at Georgia Tech

LGBT student leader killed
by police, triggering protests
By LOU CHIBBARO JR.
lchibbaro@washblade.com
A Georgia Institute of Technology campus
police ocer shot to death the president of Pride
Alliance, the schools LGBT student group, shortly
before midnight on Sept. 16, during an incident
in which police say the student approached
ocers with a knife in a threatening way.
Campus police at the Atlanta-based school,
known as Georgia Tech, released a statement
saying Scout Schultz, 21, a fourth year computer
engineering student, ignored repeated requests
to drop what appeared to be an unopened
pocket knife minutes before being shot.
Schultz left three suicide notes shortly
before the altercation with police, according to
information released by the Georgia Bureau of
SCOUT SCHULTZ, 21, was shot to death by Georgia Tech campus police.
CONTINUES ON PAGE 18
PHOTO COURTESY GA. TECH PRIDE ALLIANCE

V O T I N G E N D S O C T O B E R 1 S T
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Comings & Goings D.C. seminary

Working to elect a Democrat in Virginias 10th
disinvites
By PETER ROSENSTEIN

The Comings & Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our commu-
pro-LGBT priest
nity. 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
Cites hostile social
comingsandgoings@washblade.com. media postings as
Congratulations to Ted Miller who recently
reason to avoid distraction
joined the Cancer Support Community (CSC) as Vice
President, Development and External Aairs. He By LOU CHIBBARO JR.
oversees the CSCs individual fundraising eorts, lchibbaro@washblade.com
special events and communications. He is also
charged with elevating CSCs patient-focused mission Theological College, a D.C.-based Catholic
through partnerships and cause marketing eorts. seminary aliated with the Districts Catholic
Before joining CSC, Miller served in the Obama University of America, created a stir on Friday,
TED MILLER
administration as the Chief of External Aairs PHOTO COURTESY OF MILLER
Sept. 15, when it announced it had rescinded
at the Corporation for National and Community its invitation for an LGBT-supportive priest to Theological College rescinded a speaking
Service, a federal agency that administers deliver an Oct. 4 speech on its campus. invitation from FATHER JAMES MARTIN.
AmeriCorps and provides $600 million in funding The decision to cancel the speech by PHOTO COURTESY FACEBOOK
to more than 3,000 nonprots. Fr. James Martin at an Alumni Day event
In 2014, Miller directed the 20th anniversary followed a urry of hostile social media
of AmeriCorps, which culminated in a White postings attacking Martin over his recently supported yesterdays decision.
House event with Presidents Obama and Clinton, published book, Building a Bridge, which The statement then quotes Catholic
simultaneous ceremonies in all 50 states; and calls for better understanding of the LGBT University President John Garvey as
digital engagement that reached 52 million community within the Catholic Church. comparing the campaign by groups
social media users in 24 hours. He also served AUSTIN TAYLOR In a Facebook posting on Sept. 15, Martin opposed to Fr. Martins speech at
PHOTO COURTESY OF TAYLOR
as a strategic adviser for partnerships with said the attacks against his scheduled Theological College to the same pressure
corporations and foundations whose nancial speaking engagement at Theological being applied by the left for universities
contributions enabled thousands of additional College and another Catholic organization to withdraw speaker invitations.
individuals to participate in AmeriCorps. in London were fueled by a campaign Universities and their related entities
Prior to that, Miller worked for NARAL Pro-Choice by an ultraconservative Catholic web should be places for the free, civil exchange
America as Director of Communications and Online commentary site called Church Militant. of ideas, Garvey said in the statement.
Advocacy Strategies. Before that, he served as Among other things, postings on the site Our culture is increasingly hostile to this
press secretary for the Oce of Senate Democratic referred to Martin as a homosexualist. idea. It is problematic that individuals and
Leader Tom Daschle and press secretary in the That campaign caused a storm of groups within our church demonstrate
CHASE SANDERS
Oce of Congressman Sherrod Brown of Ohio phone calls, emails and messages to this same inability to make distinctions
PHOTO COURTESY OF SANDERS
Congratulations also to Austin Taylor. He is Theological College, which included, and to exercise charity, Garvey said.
currently doing what those in politics consider I was told, people screaming at the Francis DeBernardo, executive director of
Gods work hes a eld organizer helping to receptionists who answer the phone, the LGBT supportive Catholic organization
elect Wendy Gooditis who is running for the House of Delegates in Virginias 10th Martin said in his Facebook message. New Ways Ministry, called the decision
district. Taylor said, I am a committed Democrat and heard about Wendys race In its own statement last week, Theological to rescind Martins speaking invitation at
only weeks ago. After talking to Wendy herself, doing my research, and realizing College said its rector, Rev. Gerald Theological College a devastating blow to
how important this race really is, I packed up my car and moved six hours up McBrearity, made the reluctant decision to the Catholic Church, academic freedom,
from Bristol, Va., so I could help make a dierence where it counts. disinvite Martin as a speaker in the interest and pastoral outreach to LGBT people.
Field organizers are the lifeblood of politics. The job is to organize and mobilize of avoiding distraction and controversy. The decision is an impotent one in which
the ground game and overall eld work. That includes recruiting volunteers In no way does this decision signal the seminarys leaders reveal that they are
on a weekly basis to canvass and phonebook and building relationships with approval or agreement with the powerless to stand up to commentators
community leaders, volunteers, and voters to help strategize and implement comments or accusations that the various whose views are beyond the mainstream
eective messaging. Field organizers create events and generally work 12 hours social media sites have made over the of Catholic thought, DeBernardo said in
a day, seven days a week. But as Taylor said, Hey, thats politics and someones recent weeks, the statement says. a statement. It reveals cowardice on the
got to do it. Wendy is lucky he is there. In an action likely to be viewed by LGBT part of the seminarys administrators who
Finally, congratulations also to Chase Sanders who recently began his new Catholics as a positive development, Catholic do not have integrity to withstand pressure
position as Events Manager for Leadership Greater Washington (LGW). There, University issued a separate statement from outside forces, and instead opt for
he supports cross-departmental eorts in the LGW events space and helps disassociating itself from Theological Colleges censorship instead of discussion, he said.
facilitate the management of the various programming and events aspects of decision to disinvite Martin as a speaker. DeBernardo noted that at least two
their multiple leadership programs.The goal of LGW is to bring leaders together The Catholic University statement notes cardinals and a bishop have praised
to make a positive community impact in the Washington Metropolitan region. that Martin is the editor at large for the Jesuit Martins book.
Prior to joining LGW, Sanders produced events for the National Gay and magazine America and serves as an adviser to One of those cardinals, Kevin Farrell, is the
Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. There, he helped organize and run innovative the Vaticans Secretariat for Communications. head of Congregation for Laity, Family, and
programming and their inspiring gala dinners. Sanders says, I enjoy challenging This decision does not reect the Life at the Vatican, according to DeBernardo.
myself and using my events skills and creativity to provide memorable Universitys policy on inviting speakers to What could possibly motivate the seminary
experiences for the individuals who belong to the organizations I work for. He campus, nor does it reect the specic rector, Fr. Gerald McBrearity, to feel that he
began his D.C. career with Public Media Platform, a non-prot startup. counsel received from the University and could not let a speaker with the impressive
leadership, the statement says. We regret credentials and Vatican approval that Fr.
the implication that Catholic University Martin has to speak in an academic setting?
W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM T:9.75 SE P T E MBE R 2 2 , 2 0 1 7 0 5

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D.C. Office on Aging excited to work with LGBT seniors
Director of citys programs
responds to criticism of
insucient outreach
By LOU CHIBBARO JR.
lchibbaro@washblade.com
The D.C. Oce on Aging, which
oversees a wide range of city programs
for senior citizens, has been working to
create a safer space for LGBT seniors
in all of its programs, according to its
executive director Laura Newland.
In an interview with the Washington
Blade last week, Newland responded to
concerns raised by LGBT activists that
the Oce on Aging has not responded to
longstanding requests to designate one
or more of its numerous senior drop-
in sites throughout the city as an LGBT
seniors facility.
As part of its programs, the oce
operates six Senior Wellness Centers
and 50 Congregate Meals sites that oer
seniors a place to obtain a free meal and
socialize with other seniors. Newland said
each of the Wellness Centers also provides
entertainment and other amenities
services for seniors, including computer
terminals with free Internet access.
Among those raising concerns about
the oces LGBT seniors outreach has
been David Mariner, executive director of
the DC Center for the LGBT Community.
Mariner said DCOA has so far declined
repeated requests that it provide funding
for the Center to serve as an LGBT seniors
congregate meals site.
The DC Center currently provides a
weekly brunch and social gathering for
LGBT seniors at its oce in the Reeves
Municipal building at 2000 14th St., N.W.
I have talked to David a couple of times
about this, Newland said. What Ive told
him is were not accepting applications for
new meal sites right now. But if he could
show consistently that he had a group of
seniors who were interested in this type
of program that we would denitely make
an exception and consider it, Newland
told the Blade.
So what were really focused on is
one, making sure that all of our current
programming creates a safer space for
all seniors, including LGBTQ seniors, and
also that were reaching isolated and
underserved seniors of which we would
include LGBTQ seniors, she said.
So were focused on both of those
things at the same time.
Since there are currently no
specic LGBT senior wellness centers
or congregate meals sites, Newland
was asked if LGBT seniors would feel
comfortable and welcome should they
visit any of these existing facilities.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
LO CA L N E W S
Part of my job is to make sure that we
as a city are meeting people were theyre
at, she said. And so its not my place to
tell anybody you should feel safe in this
space. Its my job to do everything that we
can to create safer spaces, Newland said.
And so we do that through cultural
competency training, she continued. We
do that by really making a commitment
from our executive level down to our
front line sta not just at the Oce on
Aging but all of our grant recipients to be
able to participate in that type of cultural
competency training.
Newland added: We spent a lot of
time over the past year actually going
to LGBTQ senior events, some of which
are hosted by some of our grantees and
others by nonprots in the community.
And its been a really great experience for
us and weve learned a lot.
She noted that the Oce on Aging is
hosting an LGBTQ Town Hall Meeting on
Tuesday night, Sept. 26, from 5:30-7 p.m.
at the Hayes Senior Wellness Center at
500 K St., N.E.
Last week, Newland and DCOA
Communications Director Karen Dorbin Our primary and immediate goals are to create safer and more arming spaces throughout
provided the Blade a tour of the Senior our network and reaching isolated seniors through programming for LGBTQ older adults, said
LAURA NEWLAND, executive director of the D.C. Oce on Aging.
Wellness Center in Ward 1 at 3531
Georgia Ave., N.W. where longtime
gay entertainer and emcee Rayceen
Pendarvis hosted a game show. Newland told the Blade this week Swanda states in his report, and which
Pendarvis, who is the longtime that the chart DCOA released to Mariner he said this week remains largely true in
performer of his popular Ask Rayceen doesnt accurately reect the true number 2017, is for DCOA to create one or more
Show, called on the seniors at the Georgia of LGBT clients being served by the oce. LGBT specic congregate lunch sites or
Avenue center to compete to identify the I wish I could say our data tells the other LGBT specic sites.
names of popular recording artists known story, but it doesnt, Newland said. They dont have to be exclusively for
for their specic songs. Overall, very few of our callers answer LGBT seniors, he said. They can just
Newland said her oce has arranged all of our demographic questions, and make it known that the focus is on LGBT
for Pendarvis to organize shows in all of we dont require answers to all of the seniors and everybody is welcome but if
its wellness centers. questions in order to receive services, you have a problem with that you dont
One of the things we want to do with she said. have to come, he said.
our current spaces is to make them be While we dont know how many seniors Swandas report, which was updated
more open and to have people feel more receiving services identify as LGBTQ, earlier this year for a D.C. Seniors
comfortable about being out basically, she we do ask all callers during intake, she Symposium in June, says many LGBT
said. And so one of the things we decided continued. Our primary and immediate seniors remain unaware of the programs
to do is to really focus on bringing in the goals are to create safer and more oered by the Oce on Aging, including
kind of entertainment and conversation arming spaces throughout our network the senior wellness centers or the
about LGBTQ right in our centers. and reaching isolated seniors through congregate lunch programs. It calls on
Despite these developments Mariner of programming for LGBTQ older adults. the DCOA to more aggressively reach out
the DC Center has pointed to information Ron Swanda, a longtime LGBT seniors to LGBT seniors.
he received from the Oce on Aging advocate in D.C., prepared a detailed Newland said her oce is working
through a Freedom of Information Act report on the state of LGBT seniors in the diligently to make changes when
request he submitted last year, which District in 2014 for the Age-Friendly D.C. necessary to address these concerns.
shows far fewer LGBT seniors participate Task Force, a city advisory group of which You know, we take criticism really
in DCOA programs than the estimated Swanda is a member. seriously, she said. And I think that our job is
number of LGBT seniors living in the city. His report states that LGBT seniors he to really make sure that we serve all seniors.
According to a chart released to interviewed generally had no problems Im not focused on just checking boxes and
Mariner by DCOA called Self-Identied with members of the DCOA sta, who saying we do this, we do that. Were in this for
LGBT Seniors, the oces Senior Service they said appeared to be LGBT supportive. meaningful change, she said.
Network had a total of 72 LGBT clients Their main concern, Swandas report And this mayor and this administration
in scal year 2014, 78 in scal year 2015, says, was with other seniors attending have been very clear that its about
and 94 in scal year 2016. The same chart various DCOA programs, including the meaningful and substantive changeWe
shows that in the category of straight/ congregate lunch programs, who the take a lot of time and think about it and
heterosexual, DCOA had 8,059 straight/ LGBT seniors viewed as unfriendly and in ask ourselves how we can improve based
heterosexual clients in 2014, 9,444 in some cases hostile toward them. on what were hearing in the community,
2015, and 9,814 in 2016. The best way to address this problem, Newland said.
W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM
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LGBT reviews are in for Trumps U.N. speech and theyre bad
Experts fear respect for
sovereignty will lead to
ignoring human rights
By CHRIS JOHNSON
cjohnson@washblade.com
President Trump is receiving predictably
bad reviews from LGBT foreign policy
experts for remarks he made Tuesday
before the United Nations in which he
denounced rogue nations for bad
behavior, taunted loser terrorists and
threatened to totally destroy North Korea.
In his rst address before the 72nd Session
of the United Nations General Assembly,
Trump said respecting national sovereignty
was paramount to U.S. foreign policy.
Our success depends on a coalition
of strong and independent nations that
embrace their sovereignty to promote
security, prosperity, and peace for
themselves and for the world, Trump
said. We do not expect diverse countries
to share the same cultures, traditions,
or even systems of government. But we
do expect all nations to uphold these
Clinton returns to D.C. lamenting mistakes of 2016 campaign
Dem nominee on role of
misogyny, fake news in
election loss
By CHRIS JOHNSON
cjohnson@washblade.com
As Hillary Clinton has reemerged in the
national spotlight to promote her new
book, some critics have groaned and
wondered why she wont just go away.
They were not among the crowd at the
Warner Theatre on Monday night.
In fact, the veneration for the rst
female U.S. presidential nominee of a
major political party was palpable among
attendees, who paid upwards of $82 for a
ticket to the event.
The topic of discussion was her
new book What Happened a self-
examination of the 2016 presidential
campaign and actions that led to her loss
and the election of President Trump to
the White House and Clinton had many
explanations for that outcome and the
way forward.
Clinton laid out a balanced approach to
explain her loss, attributing the outcome not
just to her missteps, but also outside forces
that tipped the election in Trumps favor.
I just decided I was going to write it,
and it was painful, Clinton said. I say in
two core sovereign duties: To respect
the interests of their own people and
the rights of every other sovereign
nation. This is the beautiful vision of this
institution, and this is foundation for
cooperation and success.
LGBT groups found that emphasis
on sovereignty troubling because they
appear to y in the face of a U.S. policy
seeking to secure LGBT rights overseas
even if that means demanding sovereign
governments make changes to those laws.
Ty Cobb, director of HRC Global, took
to Twitter to say Trumps words about
respecting sovereignty and other cultures
were just an excuse to ignore anti-LGBT
human rights abuses.
Trump wants US to lead by example
& stop interfering w/ other cultures.
#LGBTQ human rights violations often
justied by culture. #unga
Jessica Stern, executive director of
OutRight Action International, said in a
statement Trumps repeated use of the word
sovereignty in his speech underscored
that his political agenda promotes political
isolationism and undermines the global
cooperation that protects vulnerable
the book that Id write about something,
and Id have to go lie down because it was
just so hard to think about the mistakes
I made and missed opportunities, but
then also to come to grips with these
other big forces at work that I think had
a determinative impact on the outcome.
Clinton recalled after the election
before she started writing the book in
February being so devastated, trying
to feel better by cleaning out closets and
taking walks in the park. The process of
the writing the book, Clinton said, was
cathartic, but also important for her
view of democracy.
It really hit me there were these
very important issues that needed to
be discussed, debated even, that our
democracy and country relied upon that
kind of self-examination, Clinton said.
A key factor Clinton identied in her loss
was not realizing the game had changed
since her runs with her husband President
Bill Clinton in the 1990s and her earlier
campaign in 2008 even during the 1960s
and 1970s when clear policy proposals
were crucial for presidential candidates.
You realize that the press is not
putting out the policy that youre putting
out everyday, theyre covering an empty
podium, Clinton said. And I kept
thinking, Well, were still going to break
through because we really care do about
people from natural disasters, corrupt
governments, and civil war.
As an organization that serves as a
watchdog on the U.N., we know that
sovereignty is a term loaded with negative
meaning, Stern said. Sovereignty is
often an excuse for states to ignore their
obligation to protect the human rights of
individuals, especially those that are most
marginalized and vulnerable.
Also raising eyebrows was Trumps
use of the word reform in his United
Nations speech as he reminded the
international body the United States
is responsible for 22 percent of its
funding. (According to Politifact, thats
actually an understatement from Trump
because many U.S. agencies support
the U.N. outside the regular budget,
including about $2.2 billion a year toward
peacekeeping activities.)
We also thank the Secretary General
for recognizing that the United Nations
must reform if it is to be an eective
partner in confronting threats to
sovereignty, security, and prosperity.
Trump said. Too often the focus of this
organization has not been on results, but
HILLARY CLINTON lamented staying too
focused on a path in the 2016 election.
SCREENSHOT VIA CSPAN
what kind of jobs and infrastructure and
health care and other things you want to
do for them and their families and their
incomes, but theres a disconnect.
Although Clinton said she stayed too
focused on a path and was not as adept
at changing to the new environment,
she cautioned a less detailed approach
might not be the path in the future and
speculated people will want details
again in 2020.
Lissa Muscatine, co-owner of Politics
& Prose and Clintons chief speechwriter
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
NATIONAL NEWS
on bureaucracy and process.
Stern said Trumps use of the word
reform in his speech is in fact code
for stripping the human rights system of
much-needed resources.
We believe the only reform that
is truly needed puts LGBTIQ people
and all vulnerable groups at the
center of U.N. governance, human
rights, and programs, Stern said.
The reform and resources we need
would elevate the rights of the worlds
most marginalized, open space for
meaningful civil society participation,
and invest in climate justice.
Trump, who has issued a travel ban
placing Americas refugee program on
hold, also outlined a plan during his
speech in which the United States would
seek to repatriate refugees coming to
its shores, saying that policy is better
for both countries where people are
eeing and countries accepting the
migrants. Eleanor Acer, director of
refuge protections for the pro-LGBT
Human Rights First, said in a statement
the refugee policy Trump proposes is a
false and shortsighted choice.
in the State Department and the White
House, moderated the forum and queried
Clinton on factors attributed to her loss,
from Russian interference to fake news
and misogyny.
Clinton recalled feeling compelled to
exercise constraint as a woman and not
respond during the second presidential
debate when Trump could be seen on
camera lurching close behind her as
she spoke.
As you might think back funny
gestures, facial expressions, heavy sighs
these really do aect viewers, Clinton
said. And I just ended up believing that
in addition to the gender-linked aspect
of this, there was a history of people in
presidential debates who had deviated
in a way to show frustration, anger,
dismissiveness, whatever their feelings
were, and paid a heavy price for it, and I
thought whatever price they paid, I would
pay double or triple.
Clinton recalled with indignation
the Russians hacking the emails of her
campaign chair John Podesta, which she
described as being stolen, and given
to Wikileaks a website Clinton called
nothing more than a tool of Putin and the
Kremlin. Clinton said Trumps associates
certainly knew about it, citing a tweet
from Roger Stone that Podestas time in
a barrel would soon come.
W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM SE P T E MBE R 2 2 , 2 0 1 7 0 9

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 WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

1 0 S EPTE MB ER 22, 2017 NATIONAL NEWS

Key West residents allowed to return home after Irma

But now Maria threatens
storm-ravaged Caribbean

By MICHAEL K. LAVERS

Authorities this week began to allow

residents of Key West and the lower
Florida Keys who evacuated ahead of
Hurricane Irma to return home.
Former Monroe County Mosquito
Commissioner Steve Smith who
evacuated to Orlando with his husband
told the Blade during a telephone
interview from Key West that Irmas
storm surge did not ood his home that
is less than a block from the beach.
Smith, who returned to Key West on
Sunday, said utility crews have restored
power to roughly 70 percent of the island
and supermarkets and other stores have
reopened. He also told the Blade the gay
guesthouses are getting themselves
cleaned up.
The clean up is going remarkably well,
considering this is a little island, said
Smith. You can drive down just about
every street. Theyre not blocked.
There are piles of debris everywhere,
he added. A lot of trees blew down.
Aaron Huntsman, co-manager of Aqua,
a gay nightclub on Key Wests Duval
Street, lives with his husband on Stock
Island, which is directly east of Key West.
Huntsman said his home did not Hurricane Irmas storm surge inundated areas of Key West, Fla., on Sept. 10, when it made landfall in the Florida Keys. Local residents are
ood during Irma, even though its storm watching Hurricane Maria, which is approaching the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean, closely.
surge inundated the island on which it PHOTO COURTESY OF LARRY BLACKBURN

is located. He nevertheless described

the hurricane as a freight train, noting
he thought it was going to destroy his
homes roof.
It just kept going and going and
going, said Huntsman, who, along with
his husband, are among the couples
who successfully challenged Floridas
constitutional amendment that dened
marriage as between a man and a
woman. That storm was huge.
Huntsman said trees fell in Aquas
patio and the garden bar of New Orleans
House, a gay guesthouse that is less than
a block south of his nightclub on Duval
Street. He told the Blade there is no
signicant damage to any of the islands
gay and lesbian bars and clubs.
The bars are grilling food and the locals
are bringing stu in, noted Huntsman.
People come, get their drink, bring a bag
of FEMA ice.
Irma made landfall on Cudjoe Key,
which is roughly 20 miles east of Key
West, on Sept. 10 with winds of 130
mph. The Category 4 hurricane washed
out portions of U.S. 1, which is the only
road to the mainland in Miami-Dade
County, and caused widespread damage
throughout the Florida Keys.
Smith told the Blade he saw gas
station awnings tipped over and blown
away and part of a house that was very
shattered when he drove through Big
Pine Key, which is roughly 30 miles east
of Key West, on Sunday. He also saw
motorhomes on nearby Bahia Honda Key
ipped over and boats that had become
dislodged during the storm.
Its sobering, said Smith. It lets you
totally realize the force of this storm.
Smith also noted he saw people oering
hot meals, ice and bottles of ice water along
U.S. 1. He told the Blade that gas stations,
propane companies and supermarkets
are also providing free water, propane and
water to local residents.
People are stepping up, said Smith.
Irma caused widespread destruction
in Barbuda, St. Barts, St. Martin, Anguilla,
the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, the
Turks and Caicos, Cuba and portions
of the southeastern Bahamas before it
made landfall in Florida.
Alturi, an organization that seeks to
promote further engagement on global
LGBT and intersex issues, and the Rustin
Fund for Global Equality have created
a fund to help Irmas LGBT victims in
the Caribbean. The groups are raising
funds for the Jamaica-based Caribbean
Vulnerable Communities Coalition, which
provides services directly to and on
behalf of Caribbean populations who are
especially vulnerable to HIV infection or
often forgotten in access to treatment
and healthcare programs.
Irma damaged the Centro Comunitario
de Cultura, an LGBT community center
in the Cuban town of Santo Domingo
that operates independently of Mariela
Castro, the daughter of Cuban President
Mariela Castro who spearheads LGBT-
specic issues as director of the countrys
National Center for Sexual Education.
Victor Manuel Dueas, who founded the
community center, told the Blade over the
weekend that local residents and members
of the LGBT community need clothing,
shoes and other items after the hurricane.
Facebook on Monday said an employee
mistakenly deleted a message Mariela
Castro posted onto her Facebook page
that contained information about how her
supporters could contribute to the Cuban
governments hurricane relief eorts.
The Trans Disaster Relief Fund has also
been established to help trans, intersex
and genderqueer people impacted by
Irma and Hurricane Harvey, which made
landfall last month on the Texas Gulf
Coast and inundated large swaths of
Houston and surrounding areas.
Dueas, Huntsman and Smith all
expressed concern about Hurricane
Maria, which is just east of the central
Lesser Antilles.
The Category 4 hurricane with winds of
130 mph is expected to make landfall in
Dominica, an island country that is between
the French territories of Guadeloupe and
Martinique, on Monday night. Maria is
forecast to reach the U.S. Virgin Islands and
Puerto Rico later in the week.
Fortunately, we didnt get a direct hit
with Irma, but it will be a tough one now
with Maria, Pedro Julio Serrano, founder
of Puerto Rico Para Tod@s, a Puerto Rican
LGBT advocacy group, told the Blade on
Monday from the Puerto Rican capital
of San Juan. It will hit us as a Category 4
with winds of 150. We havent seen this
for almost a century. Were preparing for
the worst, hoping for the best.
Maria is not expected to impact the
Florida Keys. Local residents nevertheless
continue to follow the hurricane closely.
Thats a little too close for comfort,
Huntsman told the Blade. Its giving all of
us post-traumatic stress disorder.
Karen Ocamb contributed to this report.
 W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM SE P T E MBE R 2 2 , 2 0 1 7 1 1

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1 2 SEPTE MB ER 22, 2017
National Black Justice, PFLAG name new leaders
Johns served in
Obama administration
By LOU CHIBBARO JR.
lchibbaro@washblade.com
Two D.C.-based LGBT advocacy
organizations, the National Black Justice
Coalition and PFLAG National, announced
last week that they have chosen new
executive directors to lead the organizations.
David J. Johns, a former White House
ocial in the Obama administration and
former adviser to U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin
(D-Iowa), assumed his new role as executive
director at NBJC earlier this month, according
to a statement released by the group.
In a separate statement released last
week, PFLAG National announced it has
named Jaime M. Grant, a feminist and LGBT
movement activist for three decades, as
its new executive director. Grant succeeds
Jody Huckaby, who served as the groups
executive director for the past 12 years.
NBJC describes itself as a civil
rights organization dedicated to the
empowerment of black lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender and queer people,
including people living with HIV/AIDS.
It says its mission is to end racism,
homophobia, and LGBTQ bias and stigma.
In a statement the group says Johns
succeeds Sharon J. Lettman-Hicks, who
Court: Facebook posts allow Mich. farmer to refuse service to gays
The City singled Country
Mill out for special
treatment
By CHRIS JOHNSON
cjohnson@washblade.com
A federal court has ruled in favor
of a Michigan farmer asserting a First
Amendment right to refuse to host same-sex
couples at his wedding venue, concluding
his Facebook posts announcing the policy
are protected under the U.S. Constitution.
In a 16-page decision, U.S. District Judge Paul
Maloney, an appointee of George W. Bush,
granted Stephen Tennes of Country Mill Farms
a preliminary injunction on Friday against the
City of East Lansing on the basis that his social
media posts constitute protected activity
under the First Amendment.
The City focuses on the act of
excluding same-sex wedding ceremonies
from Country Mill, Maloney writes. But,
even if that conduct is not protected,
Plaintis still engaged in protected
activity when Tennes communicated
his religious beliefs on Facebook in
DAVID J. JOHNS will lead the National Black
Justice Coalition.
PHOTO COURTESY NBJC
headed NBJC for the past eight years in the
dual role of executive director and chief
executive ocer. It says Lettman-Hicks
will continue in her role as CEO, where
she will focus on board development,
infrastructure and long-term sustainability.
In 2013, President Obama appointed
Johns as the rst executive director of
the White House Initiative on Educational
Excellence for African Americans, where
he served until the end of the Obama
administration in January 2017.
August and December. Even if the City is
correct that talking about discrimination
is not protected, Plaintis also talked
about their religious beliefs, which is a
protected activity. For the rst element
in the retaliation claim the City cannot
ignore the portions of the Facebook posts
that would be protected speech.
The Charlotte, Mich.-based farmer sued
the City of East Lansing after it informed
him he could no longer participate in a
farmers market to sell produce when he
declared on Facebook he wouldnt allow
same-sex marriages on his property,
which he rents for wedding services.
Tennes wrote a Facebook post saying
he believes marriage is a sacramental
union between one man and one woman
based on his Catholic faith in August 2016
after he denied wedding services to two
women in 2014 and they encouraged
others not to patronize his business.
Although Tennes temporarily suspended
all weddings on his property, he later
resumed them, but only for dierent-sex
ceremonies. Tennes wrote in a subsequent
Facebook post that he reserves a right to
deny a request for services that would
Prior to his White House position Johns
served as senior education and workforce
development policy adviser to the U.S. Senate
Committee on Health, Education, Labor and
Pensions under the leadership of Harkin. He
also served on the committee sta when it was
headed by Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.).
According to the NBJC statement
announcing Johns appointment as
executive director, Johns served as a
Congressional Black Caucus Fellow in the
oce of U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.).
During my tenure, I plan to focus
deeply on the empowerment of the Black
family, which includes the families we are
born into as well as those we create
while honoring the opportunity to remain
a central repository for advocating for and
responding to the needs of Black LGBTQ/
SGL individuals and communities, Johns
said in the NBJC statement.
NBJC spokesperson Isaiah Wilson said
SGL stands for same gender loving, a
term he said is often used in the African
American community as an alternative to
the terms gay, lesbian, or homosexual.
PFLAG National describes itself as the
nations largest and oldest organization
uniting families and Allies with people who
are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and
queer (LGBTQ). The statement notes that
the group was founded in 1972 and currently
has over 200,000 members and supporters
and nearly 400 local chapters nationwide.
require it to communicate, engage in, or host
expression that violates the owners sincerely
held religious beliefs and conscience.
The City of East Lansing initially allowed
Tennes to continue selling produce at its
farmers market, but asked him no longer
to participate as long as that was his policy.
Subsequently, the city denied his
application for the 2017 season after it
amended its policy to mandate vendors
adhere to the citys human rights ordinance,
which bars discrimination on the basis of
sexual orientation. That denial prompted
Tennes to sue in federal court on the basis
the city violated his freedom of speech and
religion under the First Amendment.
Maloney concludes the City of East
Lansing singled out Tennes for punishment
because it amended its human rights
ordinance after he declared on Facebook
he wouldnt serve same-sex couples.
Within months, the City amended its
Vendor Guidelines to incorporate the
Citys non discrimination ordinance,
Maloney writes. The City also singled
Country Mill out for special treatment by
ordering the Farmers Market Planning
Commission not to invite Country Mill to
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
NATIONAL NEWS
Having Jaime at the helm signals PFLAGs
resolve to advance the ght for LGBTQ
people and their families, who continue
to struggle in this increasingly stressful
and violent environment; and to educate,
engage, and empower a new generation of
allies, who are so crucial to this moment,
said Jean Hodges, PFLAGs National Board
President. She is a bold choice for PFLAG
National, at the right time, Hodges said.
Grant previously served as director of the
National LGBTQ Task Forces Policy Institute
and as founding executive director of the
Arcus Center for Social Justice Leadership
at Kalamazoo College. She was founder
and director of the Global Trans Research
and Advocacy Project, which supports
transgender researchers and activists.
The PFLAG statement says Grant has
also authored or co-authored numerous
books, including her role as co-author
and principal investigator for Injustice
at Every Turn: A Report of the National
Transgender Discrimination Survey. The
report was co-published by the National
Center for Transgender Equality and the
National LGBTQ Task Force.
Ive been in training for this job my whole
life, Grant said in the statement. I believe so
strongly in PFLAG and its work, which, over
the past 45 years has created a tremendous
cultural shift in parenting values, and res up
advocacy by families and allies, she said. I am
honored and thrilled to accept this position.
A federal court has ruled Facebook posts
allow a Michigan farmer to refuse to host
same-sex weddings.
PHOTO COURTESY FACEBOOK
the 2017 market and by requiring Country
Mills vendor application to be forwarded
to the City for consideration.
In addition to nding the City of East
Lansing violated Tennes right to free speech,
Maloney determined the municipality
violated his freedom of religion.
As a result of the preliminary injunction,
the City of East Lansing must allow Tennes
to sell produce at its farmers market for
the remainder of the 2017 season.
W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM SE P T E MBE R 2 2 , 2 0 1 7 1 3

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1 4 S EPTE MB ER 22, 2017
Latin America trans movement sees advances, setbacks
Violence, discrimination
remain pervasive
in the region
By MICHAEL K. LAVERS
mlavers@washblade.com
BOGOT, Colombia Torrential
downpours were ooding roads and
causing massive trac jams in the
Chapinero area of the Colombian capital
shortly after 6:30 p.m. on March 7 when a
handful of people were gathered inside the
small oce of Fundacin Grupo de Accin
y Apoyo a Personas Trans, a trans advocacy
group known by the acronym GAAT.
They were talking about ways to
identify trans people as the downpours
continued to ood the streets around
the building. Transsexuals and cross-
dressers are among the words to which
they referred, but GAAT Executive
Director Laura Weinstein pointed out
their meaning can prove complex.
One of the problems that we have is
how to precisely identify (ourselves), she
told the group, which included trans men
and women who live in dierent Bogot
neighborhoods.
How to identify oneself is among the
myriad problems trans advocates in
Colombia and across Latin America face.
Activists across the region with whom
the Washington Blade has spoken since
the beginning of the year say violence
based on gender identity remains a
serious issue.
Three trans women were killed in
San Luis Talpa, El Salvador, in February.
Stacy Velsquez of Organizacin Trans
Reinas de la Noche, a Guatemala City-
based group that advocates on behalf of
trans sex workers, in that same month
highlighted to the Blade the case of a
trans woman who ed to Guatemala after
a gang member tried to slit her throat.
Diana Sacayn, a prominent trans rights
advocate in Argentina, was stabbed to death
in her Buenos Aires apartment in October
2015. Francela Mndez, a former board
member of Colectivo Alejandra, a trans
Salvadoran advocacy group, was killed a few
months earlier while she was visiting a friend
at her home in Sonsonate, El Salvador.
A trans sex worker in Cuba was
reportedly stoned to death by a group
of six teenagers in the province of Pinar
del Ro in April 2015. The videotaped
torture and murder of Dandara dos
Santos in the Brazilian city of Fortaleza
in February sparked widespread outrage
and highlighted the brutal violence
based on gender identity that remains
commonplace in the country.
Statistics from the Brazilian Secretariat
of Human Rights indicate more than
half of the 300 reported LGBT murder
TAMARA ADRIN is the rst openly transgender person elected to the Venezuelan National
Assembly. She is among those who attended the Gay and Lesbian Victory Institutes
International LGBT Leaders Conference that took place last December in D.C.
victims in the country in 2012 were trans,
with roughly 52 percent of them people
of color. A report the Inter-American
Commission on Human Rights released in
2014 indicates the average life expectancy
of trans people in the Western Hemisphere
is between 30-35 years.
The situation of our trans community
is very delicate, Odalys Araujo, a trans
woman who lives in the Salvadoran
capital of San Salvador, told the Blade
earlier this month. We are being killed
by the violence that exists in our country.
Gnesis Rafael, general coordinator of
Colectivo Hombres XX, a trans advocacy
group in Mexico City, noted to the Blade
that three trans people were killed last
October in the Mexican capital.
Trans women are more visible, said
Rafael. Having changed ones name is no
guarantee for getting a job, a place to live
and even riding the subway or going to
the bathroom.
Advocates in Honduras, El Salvador and
other countries with whom the Blade has
spoken said they have been harassed and
even receive death threats. They also said
discrimination based on gender identity
in employment, education, health care
and other sectors remains commonplace.
There is a double morality, Agata
Brooks, a transsexual woman in the
Dominican Republic who was born in the
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY
Bahamas, told the Blade late last month
in an email. Many are only looking for
trans people in secret in order to satisfy
their sexual desires, but they are the rst
to point you out in public.
Araujo told the Blade there is a lack of
educational opportunities in El Salvador
for trans women, noting they must dress
as a man if they want to go to high school
or attend university. Tatiana Pieros, a
trans woman who ran Bogots social
welfare agency under former Mayor
Gustavo Petros administration, said
discrimination based on gender identity
forces trans people to drop out of school.
They are not prepared for life, she said.
Pieros and others with whom the Blade
spoke said many trans women become
sex workers because they lack formal
education and employment opportunities.
They are less accepted socially,
suer more rejection, said Mara
Fernanda Martnez of Caribe Armativo,
a Colombian LGBT advocacy group, on
March 14 as she and the Blade walked
through the old city of Cartagena in which
trans sex workers typically work. We see
that it is not normal in Colombia to nd
a trans woman working in a formal job.
Martnez told the Blade that many trans
sex workers in Cartagena are attacked and
killed, noting one could no longer work
after she underwent back surgery. She
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
I N T E RN A T I O N A L N E W S
also said local police ocers either dont
investigate attacks against sex workers or
use anti-LGBT slurs against them.
A trans activist in San Pedro Sula,
Honduras, with whom the Blade spoke
in February said police ocers along
with gangs frequently target trans sex
workers for extortion and violence. The
activist, who asked the Blade not to publish
their name because they have been the
target of two assassination attempts over
the last two years, said those who publicly
criticize the police or gangs are threatened
and often go into hiding.
Police ocers, soldiers are the ones
who violate our rights, said the activist.
Advocates have celebrated a number
of legislative and political advances in the
region in spite of persistent violence and
discrimination based on gender identity.
Argentina, Colombia, Uruguay and
Mexico City are among the jurisdictions
in which trans people can legally
change their name and gender without
undergoing sex-reassignment surgery.
Chilean lawmakers continue to consider a
bill that would allow trans adults to legally
change their name and gender without
surgery and without going before a judge.
El Salvadors criminal code includes
enhanced penalties for hate crimes
based on gender identity, but advocates
with whom the Blade has spoken say
authorities are reluctant to apply them.
The Honduran constitution bans anti-
LGBT discrimination, but activists insist
these protections have had little impact.
Mexico Citys nondiscrimination law
includes gender identity. The Mexican
capital also allows trans people to legally
change their gender without a court order.
Luisa Revilla in 2014 became the rst
openly trans person elected to public
oce in Peru after she won a seat on
the local council in La Esperanza. Tamara
Adrin and Diane Rodrguez were elected
to the Venezuelan National Assembly and
the Ecuadorian Congress in 2015 and
earlier this year respectively.
Kendra Stefani Jordany in March
became the rst openly trans person to
ever win a primary election in Honduras.
She was among the list of 20 candidates
for the Central American Parliament who
advanced to the countrys November
general election, but she will not appear
on the ballot because the party of which
she is a member reorganized itself.
Rihanna Ferrera is running for a seat in
the Honduran Congress. She would make
history as the rst openly trans person
elected in the Central American country if
she wins in November.
EDITORS NOTE: Blade reporter Michael K. Lavers
will be on assignment in Latin America from Sept.
19-Oct. 4. He will be reporting from Honduras,
El Salvador, Panama, Colombia and Chile. Visit
washingtonblade.com to follow his reports.
W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM SE P T E MBE R 2 2 , 2 0 1 7 1 5

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1 6 SEPTE MB ER 22, 2017
Supreme Court to begin potentially momentous term for LGBT rights
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
going to recognize a constitutional right
to discriminate based on peoples religion
or peoples political beliefs, and if they
do, that overrides civil rights law, and not
just for LGBT people, but for everybody,
Esseks said. And thats something I think
every single person in the country should
be concerned about because everybodys
rights are at risk here.
If the court takes up other LGBT cases in
addition to the Masterpiece Cakeshop case,
Esseks said the upcoming term will be a
dening moment for LGBT rights whether
our side wins the cases or loses them.
Front-and-center among the LGBT
cases, simply by virtue of the Supreme
Court already agreeing to review the
lawsuit, is the Masterpiece Cakeshop
case. It could also have signicant impact
if justices deliver a ruling mandating
exemption for state and local non-
discrimination laws, more so if that
decision isnt contained to the baking of
wedding cakes.
Supporters of Jack Phillips, who refused
to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex
couple, already led briefs in the case
earlier this month. Representing Charlie
Craig and David Mullins, the same-sex
couple that sought the wedding cake, and
Colorado and that successfully sued
in Colorado state courts after Phillips
denied them service is the ACLU.
Esseks said the issue presented to
justices isnt about a cake or business
artistry but whether the court will nd
the baker has a constitutional right to
discriminate under the First Amendment.
Itll sell the cake to lots of other people,
but it wont sell it to a same-sex couple,
and thats the paradigm of discrimination:
No cakes for gays, Esseks said. What the
store wants to be able to do is put up a
sign over the display case for wedding
cakes that says, Wedding cakes for
heterosexuals only. And just think about
what the world looks like if a business
can put up that sign. It can put up a lot
of other signs. They can say no clothing
for Muslims, they can say no haircuts for
Latinos, you can go down the list.
The Supreme Court already ruled in the
1990 decision of Employment Division
v. Smith that neutral laws of general
applicability, including anti-discrimination
laws, are subject to rational basis review
even when they incidentally burden
religious beliefs. That precedent will likely
hamper Masterpiece Cakeshops claims of
being able to deny wedding cakes to same-
sex couples under freedom of religion.
But supporters of Masterpiece
Cakeshop are also framing the lawsuit
as an attempt to protect freedom
of expression on the basis that the
preparation of a wedding cake is an
Attorney General JEFF SESSIONS weighed in on the Masterpiece Cakeshop case before the
Supreme Court, siding with the Colorado baker in a friend-of-the-court brief.
inherently expressive act, unlike the
provision of other goods, and protected
under the First Amendment.
Katie Eyer, an anti-discrimination law
scholar at Rutgers Law School, said the
outcome of the case is hard to predict
largely based on the freedom of speech
claims made by Masterpiece Cakeshop.
The speech side of the case is honestly
more complicated, Eyer said. If this were
20, 30 years ago, certainly 30 years ago,
I would tell you the Supreme Court does
not treat discrimination as constitutionally
protected expression. That has been
eroded over the years as the court has
moved away from the race cases, when
this issue was originally raised. It has
shown more and more willingness to
entertain those types of defenses to anti-
discrimination law claims.
Eyer pointed out the Colorado Court of
Appeals, which ruled against Masterpiece
Cakeshop, determined the outcome could
have been dierent if the baker was
required to write a certain message on
the wedding cake something the U.S.
Supreme Court may consider in evaluating
the bakers First Amendment claims.
Although oral arguments in the case
arent yet scheduled, Esseks said the
court has said theyre likely to take place
within two weeks after Thanksgiving. The
consensus among legal experts is the
court will hand down a decision at the
end of June 2018, when the term ends
and the court tends to issue rulings in its
high-prole cases.
In addition to the Masterpiece Cakeshop
case, numerous petitions are before the
court that would enable justices to issue
rulings either dramatically expanding
or restricting LGBT rights. It takes a vote
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY
of at least four justices to grant a writ of
certiorari, or agree to hear a case.
Among them is the petition led
by Barronelle Stutzman of Arlenes
Flowers in Washington State, who like
Masterpiece Cakeshop is seeking a First
Amendment right to refuse services
for same-sex weddings, but in her case
oral arrangements. The Washington
Supreme Court upheld the states non-
discrimination law against her claims, but
she led a petition with the U.S. Supreme
Court seeking review.
Eyer, however, said the likely outcome
of that petition is the Supreme Court
will place it on hold until it nishes
consideration of the Masterpiece
Cakeshop case, then take action.
Often what the court will do in that
type of circumstance is not grant and
consolidate, but hold it until the initial case
having implications is decided, and if it
does indeed have implications, grant and
remand and further consideration, Eyer
said. I expect they probably wont rule
on the petition until the Cakeshop case is
decided, and then whether or not theyll
send it back will depend on whether or
not the Cakeshop case has new relevant
doctrine, which its very likely to given the
controversy and the circumstances.
Another LGBT-related petition before
the Supreme Court was led by Kenosha
School District in Wisconsin, which is
seeking a nationwide ruling on whether
Title IX of the Education Amendment
of 1972 requires schools to allow
transgender students to use the restroom
consistent with their gender identity. The
school district sought to bar high school
student Ash Whitaker from the boys
room, but the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
NATIONAL NEWS
of Appeals ruled Title IX requires the
school to change its policy.
Last year, the Supreme Court
agreed to hear a similar case in which
Gloucester County Schools refused to
allow transgender high school student
Gavin Grimm to use the school restroom
consistent with his gender identity. But
the Supreme Court changed course and
nixed consideration of the case after
the Trump administration rescinded
guidance to schools assuring transgender
kids access to the restroom of their
choice. The remanded case is once again
before trial court, which is determining
the issue is moot now that Grimm has
graduated.
Additionally, the LGBT group Lambda
Legal has led a petition before the
Supreme Court seeking a determination
that sexual-orientation discrimination
amounts to sex discrimination, and
therefore is unlawful in the workplace
under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of
1964. The plainti in the case is Jameka
Evans, a security guard who claims she was
targeted for harassment and eectively
terminated from her job at Georgia
Regional Hospital for being a lesbian.
The issue may be ripe for review
because of a split among federal appeals
courts. The U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of
Appeals ruled against nding employment
protections for Evans under Title VII in
contrast to a ruling earlier this year from
the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals
determining anti-gay discrimination is a
form of sex discrimination.
Jocelyn Samuels, executive director of
the Williams Institute at the University of
California, Los Angeles, said the circuit split
makes the Supreme Court more likely to
hear the gay employment case, but that
wont necessarily be the outcome.
The Second Circuit is also hearing the
case en banc on the very same question, so
there is a lot of development in the lower
courts on addressing this issue, Samuels
said. I think its uncertain whether the
Supreme Court would weigh in now or
would opt to see how more cases at the
district and circuit level come out.
As with the marriage cases and so
many other cases before the Supreme
Court, the outcome of the LGBT-related
lawsuits will likely come down to U.S.
Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy, whos
considered the swing vote on the bench
and has a reputation for coming down in
favor of gay rights.
With respect to the Masterpiece
Cakeshop case, Eyer said predicting
the way Kennedy who in addition to
favoring LGBT rights, also has a reputation
for giving deference to free speech will
come down is dicult.
W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM SE P T E MBE R 2 2 , 2 0 1 7 1 7

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1 8 S EPTE MB ER 22, 2017 NATIONAL NEWS

Ga. Tech LGBT student leader shot to death by police

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
Investigation.
The GBI, which is investigating the
campus shooting incident, also disclosed
in a statement released Monday, Sept. 18,
that it determined it was Schultz who called
911 to alert campus police of a suspicious
person carrying a knife and possibly a gun.
The statement says Schultzs description
of the suspicious person given in the 911
call matched Schultzs own appearance.
It has been determined that Schultz
made the 911 call to Georgia Tech Police
alerting them to a suspicious person on
campus, the GBI statement says.
In the call Schultz describes the person as
a white male, with long blonde hair, white-t-
shirt & blue jeans who is possibly intoxicated,
holding a knife and possibly armed with a
gun on his hip, the statement says.
A total of 3 suicide notes were located
in Schultzs dormitory room, says the
statement, which adds, No rearms
were recovered from the scene.
Schultzs mother, Lynn Schultz, has said
she believed the campus police ocers who
confronted Scout Schultz on campus late in
the evening on Saturday, Sept. 16, should
have made a greater attempt to diuse
the situation rather than use deadly force.
She told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
that Scout Schultz was suering from
depression and had attempted suicide by
hanging in the recent past.
Protests were held Monday night on
campusleading to three arrests, according
to a university statement. The AP reported
that the protests turned violent and that
a police vehicle was torched, prompting
Georgia Tech to issue an alert warning
students to shelter indoors.
I think (Scout) was having a mental
breakdown and didnt know what to
do, the Journal-Constitution quoted
Chris Stewart, an attorney representing
Schultzs parents, as saying. The area was
secure. There was no one around at risk,
Stewart told the Journal-Constitution.
Campus police said they responded to
a 911 call from someone who saw Schultz
walking barefoot on campus while
holding a knife and a gun at about 11:17
p.m. on Sept. 16. When police arrived
Schultz was holding the knife, and there
was no evidence of a gun, according to
follow-up police statements.
The Journal-Constitution and Atlantas
Channel 2 Action News reported at least
two students who witnessed the incident
recorded part of it on video with their
phones from their dormitory windows.
In one of the videos Schultz can be heard
shouting Shoot me! to the four ocers
on the scene, the TV news station reported.
Ocers can be heard on one of the
videos shouting repeatedly, Nobody
wants to hurt you. Drop the knife, the
newspaper reported.
A photo obtained from another video
recording published by the Journal-
Constitution shows what appeared to be
an unopened utility or pocket knife lying
on the ground after the shooting.
Ocers provided multiple verbal
commands and attempted to speak with
Schultz who was not cooperative and would
not comply with the ocers commands,
GBI said in a Sept. 17 statement.
Schultz continued to advance on the
ocers with the knife, the statement says.
Subsequently, one of the ocers red
striking Schultz. Schultz was transported
to Grady Memorial Hospital where he
died, the statement says, adding that
an autopsy was being conducted by its
Medical Examiners Oce in Decatur, Ga.
In a self-prepared biographical
statement still posted on the website of
the Georgia Tech Pride Alliance, for which
Schultz served as president for the past
two years, Schultz stated, Im bisexual,
nonbinary, and intersex and prefers to be
referred to by the pronouns they/them.
Je Graham, executive director of the
statewide LGBT advocacy group Georgia
Equality, said he has seen no evidence
to indicate Schultz was singled out for
improper treatment by police or others on
campus because Schultz self-identied as
non-binary, intersex, or an LGBT person.
Our immediate reaction is that this
is a very tragic situation, he told the
Washington Blade. Our thoughts are
with Scouts family, Scouts friends at the
Georgia Tech community, especially the
LGBTQIA community at Georgia Tech.
This is just a horric tragedy that has
befallen them.
In addition to serving as president of the
Georgia Tech Pride Alliance, Schultz has
been a leader in the local community in
terms of making Georgia Tech as well as
the surrounding Atlanta community better
for LGBTQIA individuals, Graham said.
On its surface this does seem like an
overreaction with a student that seems
to have had some mental health issues,
Graham said. Why wasnt this ocer
better trained in de-escalation eorts?
he asked in discussing the police handling
of the matter. And it should be troubling
to all people to think that a student that
was having challenges was met with this
level of deadly force.
Georgia Techs president and dean of
students posted messages of condolence
over Schultzs death on the schools website.
Scouts sudden and tragic death
today has been devastating news for the
Schultz family and classmates and for
members of the community who knew
Scout personally, the shock and grief
are particularly acute, said John Stein,
Georgia Techs dean of students and vice
president for Student Life.
The Pride Alliance also posted a
message on its own website calling
Schultz the driving force behind the
group for the past two years who pushed
us to do more events and a larger variety
of events, and we would not be the
organization we are known as without
their constant hard work and dedication.

McCain co-sponsors bill against Trumps trans military ban

Arizona Republican
was strong opponent
of Dont Ask repeal
By CHRIS JOHNSON
A new standalone bill that seeks to
undermine President Trumps ban on
transgender military service has key
support from Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.)
who years ago was a chief opponent of
Dont Ask, Dont Tell repeal.
In a statement upon the bills
introduction, McCain declared his support
for transgender military service and said
he awaits feedback on the issue from
Defense Secretary James Mattis, who set
forth a plan for a study on transgender
service after Trumps order.
When less than one percent of
Americans are volunteering to join the
military, we should welcome all those who
are willing and able to serve our country,
McCain said. Any member of the military
who meets the medical and readiness
standards should be allowed to serve
including those who are transgender.
The Senate Armed Services Committee
will review the results of the DOD study
on accession and will continue to work
closely with our military leaders on any
policy changes as we conduct oversight
on this important issue.
McCains support for the legislation
is striking because in 2010, the Arizona
Republican was the biggest opponent in the
Senate of repealing of Dont Ask, Dont Tell, for it, and even die for it, and Congress
the law that prohibited openly gay people
from serving in the U.S. armed forces.
As the Pentagon was reviewing the
possibility at the time of allowing openly
gay people to serve, McCain complained the
study was o-base and should have asked
service members if they want the change.
On the day the Senate voted to repeal Dont
Ask, Dont Tell, McCain said on the Senate
oor the occasion was a sad day.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.)
introduced the standalone measure
Thursday, when Senate Majority Leader
Mitch McConnell refused to hold a vote
on her amendment against Trumps ban
as part of the scal year 2018 defense
authorization bill.
Despite being denied a vote on my
bipartisan amendment to defend our
transgender service members, we are
not giving up in this ght, Gillibrand
said in a statement. Thousands of brave
transgender Americans love our country
enough to risk their lives for it, ght
proposed as part of the scal year 2018
should honor them and let them serve.
Doing otherwise would only harm our
readiness at a time when our military is
deployed around the world in defense of
our country.
The new bill, S.1820, has bipartisan support
right o the bat. Among the co-sponsors
other than McCain are Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.)
and Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine).
Collins, the other Republican whos an
original co-sponsor of the legislation, was
in contrast to McCain a strong proponent
of repealing Dont Ask, Dont Tell in 2010.
Our armed forces should welcome the
service of any qualied individual who is
willing and capable of serving our country,
Collin said. If individuals are willing to put
on the uniform of our country, be deployed
in war zones, and risk their lives for our
freedoms, then we should be expressing
our gratitude to them, not trying to kick
them out of the military.
Sources familiar with the legislation say
its identical to the amendment Gillibrand
defense authorization.
The measure has three parts. It
expresses the sense of Congress that
qualied individuals should be able to
serve in the armed forces; prohibits the
military from discharging service members
solely for being transgender; and codies
the review Mattis established in June to
determine whether openly transgender
people can enlist in the armed forces. The
measure also calls for a report to Congress
on that study by Feb. 21.
W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM SE P T E MBE R 2 2 , 2 0 1 7 1 9

Searching for housing in Dc?

The District Government Has Resources for You
The DC Department of Housing and Community
Development (DHCD) offers resources to help residents
find safe and affordable homes in the City, such as:
DCHousingSearch.org,
which provides free
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housing listings.
Housing Resource
Center, where residents
can learn about rent
control, landlord and
tenant rights and
responsibilities, and
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 WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

20 S E PT E M B E R 22, 201 7 H E A LT H N E W S
I love wandering through
Smithsonian museums, eating
on H Street with friends, and going Chicago hopes to eliminate HIV over next decade
to shows at Howard Theatre.
CHICAGO Chicagos Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced a plan this week
to eliminate new HIV diagnoses in the city and state over the next decade, the
Chicago Sun Times reports.
Im a The partnership between the city and state Departments of Public Health, 10
community organizations and hospitals is appropriately called Getting to Zero.
transgender woman It has two main goals are to increase the use of prevention medications
and Im part of DC. among the most vulnerable to the disease and ensure that 70 percent of all
people living with HIV receive the medication they need to reduce the viral load
that ocials said signicantly reduces the risk of transmission.
The plan is patterned after similar eorts in San Francisco and the state of
Washington, the Chicago Sun Times reports.
Please treat me the way any Chicago has gone a long way toward reducing the spread of HIV.
woman would want to be treated: In 2002, the number of newly diagnosed cases spiked at 1,850. Since 2013, it
with courtesy and respect. has been less than 1,000 a year. Less than half of those living with HIV are also
Discrimination based on gender identity and
expression is illegal in the District of Columbia.
virally suppressed. That means theyre less likely to transmit the virus.
If you think youve been the target of By increasing distribution and daily use of PrEP, a pill that dramatically
discrimination, visit www.ohr.dc.gov reduces the risk of becoming infected with HIV, and increasing adherence to
or call (202) 727-4559.
antiretroviral treatment among those living with HIV from 50 percent to 70
percent, the hope is HIV in Chicago will someday reach a point where it can no
longer sustain itself, the Chicago Sun Times reports, citing ocials.
OFFICE OF

GLBT Last year, the city invested $3 million in community partners to increase education and
AFFAIRS
access to PrEP for communities at greatest risk. They include gay, bisexual and other men
who have sex with men of color and transgender women, the Sun Times reports.

24-hour LGBT drop-in center planned in NYC

Show your support! Spread word of the #TransRespect NEW YORK New York City is creating a multi-agency project in hopes of
campaign by photographing this ad and sharing on Twitter.
better coordinating and expanding existing services for LGBT youth, WNYC
reports. The eort includes a focus on health programs, homeless services,
suicide prevention and added supports in the public schools.
First Lady Chirlane McCray launched the initiative Tuesday, which city ocials are
calling NYC Unity, by calling awareness to the specic needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender and questioning or queer youth. These young people are vulnerable to
violence, bullying, homelessness and mental health issues, she said, according to WNYC.
To all of our citys LGBT young people especially those just discovering
their sexuality or identity, or those feeling isolated and afraid take it from me,
you are not alone, WNYC quoted her as having said. You are wonderful and
New York City will always have your back.
Speaking from the LGBT Community Center in Manhattan, McCray invoked
her own personal storyof being part of New York Citys LGBT community in the
late 1970s. She found support and encouragement from friends, though not
necessarily from political leaders, she said.
The city will invest $4.8 million in NYC Unity, which will include opening a
new 24-hour drop-in center specically for LGBT youth in Jamaica, Queens. The
center is slated to open next month.
The city currently has one other 24-hour drop-in center for LGBT young people
in Harlem, WNYC reports.

Harvard increases LGBT training

PFLAG promotes the equality and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual,
and transgendered persons, their families and friends through:
Support to cope with an adverse society.
Education to enlighten an ill-informed public.
Advocacy to end discrimination and secure equal civil rights.
Trained facilitators lead the Arlington Support Group and confidentiality is maintained. For
further information about the Arlington Support Group, contact us at arl.pflag@gmail.com.
Our groups meet on the second Sunday of each month, from 3 4:30pm at the Unitarian
Universalist Church in Arlington, at George Mason Drive & Route 50.
A.L.Y. is a group for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, and Questioning Youth and Allies in
grades 7-12. Our goal is to give LGBTQ youth a safe place to gather. Trained facilitators lead the
youth group. Confidentiality maintained. For more info, contact: aly.pflagdc@gmail.com.
Our Washington DC Chapter of PFLAG may be reached at 202-638-3852.
NEW YORK The Harvard Medical School has added to its LGBT-specic training
over the last year with a new elective course devoted to gay health, more incorporation
of LGBT issues in existing courses and a new LGBT scholarship, NBC News reports.
The elective course was unveiled in January, 2016 for fourth-year medical
students to learn about sexual- and gender-minority health issues from LGBT
people. Its a multidisciplinary course designed to help graduating physicians
provide better care to LGBT patients, NBC News reports. Health disparities for
LGBT patients have been widely documented.
Dr. Alex Keuroghlian, an assistant professor of psychiatry at HMS and the
director of education and training programs at the Fenway Institutes National
LGBT Health Education Center, said he customizes the elective course for each
student, hoping to provide an enriched experience toward the end of their
medical school training, so that they can appreciate the fact that this is really a
eld in and of it itself, NBC News quoted him as having said.
Outside of the LGBT-specic elective, HMS also seeks to be LGBT-inclusive in its other
courses, such as a genetics class that included a three-hour clinic with an intersex patient.
Dr. Edward Hundert, the dean for medical education at HMS, credited the
growing number of out LGBT faculty, sta and students for pushing to make
sure LGBT-inclusivity is the rule, not the exception at HMS, NBC News reports.
W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM SE P T E MBE R 2 2 , 2 0 1 7 2 1

2 2 S EPTE MB ER 22, 2017
Hillary: serious, funny,
warm and real
Returning to
standing ovations
on D.C. book tour stop
PETER ROSENSTEIN is a D.C.-based LGBT rights
and Democratic Party activist. He writes regularly
for the Blade.
In 2012, I wrote a column titled Obama
unleashed, which was highlighted in a
video Obamas sta prepared for one of his
appearances at a White House Correspon-
dents Dinner. It spoke to what he could
then do as he would never run for oce
again. My regret is Hillary Clinton never had
the chance to show us what she could have
done as our president. I know it would have
been nothing short of amazing.
Being at the Warner Theater on Mon-
day night with a couple of thousand oth-
er supporters listening to Hillary speak
truth, which clearly some people have
a hard time hearing, felt both good and
heartbreaking at the same time.
Lisa Muscatine, who interviewed her, led
Hillary to sharing her thoughts on the cam-
paign, why she wrote the book, and on the
future, both hers and ours. I have always
found it compelling to listen to Hillary speak
and Monday night the crowd clearly agreed
giving her standing ovations.
Hillary spoke of how dicult it can be
for a candidate, no less a woman, on the
campaign trail. How unacceptable it is for
a woman candidate to speak out on issues
like sexism and misogyny. Matt Bai wrote
in a recent column, Gender, while always
an added challenge, never dened Clintons
candidacy. As good a political reporter as
he may be he misses the point entirely;
anytime a woman runs for oce it is about
gender because so many people still cant
get beyond that to hear what she is saying.
Having read the book I know there is
nothing in it or anything Hillary spoke
about Monday night that isnt the truth.
People can interpret truth dierently but
as Hillary reminded us a number of times
we cant change facts. She also reminded
us we have a president and an administra-
tion that deal in alternate facts, in essence
they lie.
She was funny in a way I have only seen
her before in smaller groups. Muscatine
played a game she called Boxers and Briefs
with her. She gave her two words and asked
her to respond. First were bath or shower;
Hillary said it depends on how much time
she has. Then vodka or Chardonnay; Hill-
ary laughed and said again it depends on
how much time she has. Then Putin or
Trump; Hillary took a moment and then to
much laughter said, That is hard, since I ran
against both of them.
Hillary took the blame for not necessar-
ily reading the mood of the country and
being quick enough to realize this wasnt
like any other presidential campaign. But
clearly she believes were it not for the
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
IN S IDE L G B T W ASH I N G T O N
perfect storm, including Comey and
Russia, that despite her errors she would
have won. She talked about the impor-
tance of getting to the bottom of the Rus-
sian interference in our election not for
her but for the sake of the future of our
Democracy. She talked about pizzagate
and how Republicans weaponized the
emails they stole. Hillary said she doesnt
like the word hacked, since it was theft.
Muscatine told how Hillary and Bill felt
bad for Comet Pizza and quietly ordered
a huge number of pizzas donating them
to a school in D.C.
Hillary said writing the book was cathar-
tic for her and it rang a bell with the audi-
ence when she said she heard from good
friends that reading it was cathartic for
them. There were some in the audience
who had worked for her over the years and
many young people who had volunteered
in her campaign. She urged them to contin-
ue to volunteer and stay involved in politics.
While I am a little old to be a groupie I still
left with a good feeling after walking toward
the stage at the end of the evening where
she was shaking some hands and having her
look my way and say, Oh my its so good to
see you, thanks for coming and then shak-
ing my hand. This was the Hillary so many of
us worked our hearts out for and the coun-
try lost out on when it elected Trump. Hillary
said she remains positive about the future
and said we all should as well. She commit-
ted to continue to work on the issues she
has all her life and to encourage women and
young people to get involved in politics and,
above all, to exercise their right to vote.
E DIT OR IA L CA RT O O N
VOLUME 48 ISSUE 38
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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
V I E W PO I N T
Youth, taking ight amid hazards
The mixing of sex and
drugs stirs old memories
and new concern
RICHARD J. ROSENDALL is a writer and activist.
Reach him at rrosendall@starpower.net.
I saw an article the other day in Gay
Star News titled, Chemsex will dene a
period of our gay history. The subhead
stated, Stop stigmatizing people who
engage in chemsex and help them share
their stories.
Yes, we must stop stigmatizing de-
structive behavior. Wait, what? Was the
writer on drugs? Judging by the accom-
panying photos, one might assume that
those aected by chemsex (or PnP for
party and play, terms I never saw before)
are all young and attractive guys with
bu gym bodies. If were going to com-
V I E W PO I NT
A big thank you to Edie Windsor
It wasnt enough for you just
to be a gay rights icon
KATHI WOLFE, a writer and poet, is a regular
contributor to the Blade.
Dear Edie:
From Maine to Mississippi to Califor-
nia, we were all your children. Even if we
werent your BFF or you hadnt hugged or
taken a sele with us, we knew you. We
smiled when we saw your fab straw hat.
When you stood in front of the Supreme
Court with your arms outstretched, you
were reaching out to your cousin Lewis
and his kids. But we felt you were cele-
brating with us: our community, too, was
your family.
Your formal name might be Edith, but
youll always be Edie to us. Everyone dies,
bat stigma, what about stereotyping that
appears to glamorize harmful activity?
Are the editors worried that more realis-
tic photos would get fewer clicks? I dont
need a lecture from people sexing-up
self-destructiveness.
Yes, addicts should receive help. The
use of party drugs is not new. Only the
lingo and the recreational drugs of choice
have changed, along with the mode of ac-
cess. A lot of people I met in 1980 when
I moved to D.C. were dead within a few
years; drugs played a role along with HIV.
Some would boast and laugh about the
drugs they were taking. I remember put-
downs I got from men now long dead for
not being part of that scene. But I was not
celibate. I was lucky. Their ghosts are with
me still.
Now some guys use PrEP (pre-expo-
sure prophylaxis) as a magic shield as
they party away. Mind you, I defend PrEP
against its critics. A life-saving medica-
tion should not be rejected because it
prompts carelessness in some. That just
means we have more educating and per-
suading to do.
We need to mix truth-telling with our
compassion. As it happens, a straight rel-
but you were a force of nature. We cant
believe that you, mother to the queer
community and the LGBT rights pioneer
whose case struck down DOMA, died on
Sept. 12 at age 88 in Manhattan.
When you met and fell in love with
clinical psychologist Thea Spyer in 1963,
queer people couldnt say anything about
being gay to their families, co-workers or
all but a very few close LGBT friends. The
idea of gays dancing with, dating or even
being seen with, let alone marrying their
same-sex loves, was unthinkable. Spyer
proposed to you in 1967 with a diamond
brooch. Because an engagement ring
would have been considered beyond the
pale.
Nearly 40 years later, Anne, the late
love of my life, was in the hospital. Same-
sex marriage wasnt yet on the horizon.
I was only allowed to be with her before
she went into surgery because the nurses
thought she was my sister.
My story is just one of the multitude of
stories of pain and injustice due to mar-
riage inequality that youve heard dur-
ing your decades of LGBT activism. The
Stonewall uprising catapulted you into
ative of mine wrecked his marriage and
his job with crystal meth. He survived. I
wish more of the party guys I knew in my
20s had lived; they could provide sorely
needed mentoring now.
Much has changed over the years, and
much has not. In my youth there were no
social media or hookup apps to get us in
trouble; nor was there Uber to ferry us to
out-of-the-way places. The powerful de-
vices in our pockets are both useful and
hazardous. But sex, drugs, and rock n
roll goes back at least half a century.
I know a gifted gay teen whose par-
ents worry about the dangers he faces.
Their worry annoys him. This dynamic is
also not new. I cry to think of any harm
coming to him. But I do not show him my
worry. That, to be honest, is what par-
ents are for. He is just starting to date.
He needs others with a bit of distance to
whom he can turn for supportive, non-
coercive advice.
The fact is, at some point, like all of
us, he has to y on his own power. One
hopes that when he does, he will have
assimilated the right mix of love, knowl-
edge, and wisdom to see him through,
and summoned the strength and guts
queer advocacy. Until then, Id always
had the feeling and I know its ignorant
and unfair I dont want to be identied
with the queens, you told the New York
University Alumni Magazine, But from
that day on, I had this incredible grati-
tude. They changed my life. They changed
my life forever.
It wasnt enough for you just to be a gay
rights icon! Divorced (from a marriage
with a man that you early on decided
wouldnt work because you were queer)
and living on your own, you earned an
M.A. in applied mathematics from NYU in
1957. You became one of a few women to
work in a senior position at IBM. This was
at a time when most women were home-
makers in hetero marriages.
In 1996, President Bill Clinton signed
the Defense of Marriage Act. DOMA de-
ned marriage as being between a man
and a woman and denied same-sex cou-
ples (married where same-sex marriage
was legal) federal recognition and more
than 1,000 benets. Because of DOMA
when your beloved Thea died in 2009 you
had to pay $363,053 in inheritance taxes.
(You were married in Canada in 2007.)
SE P T E MBE R 2 2 , 2 0 1 7 2 3
to care for himself. It gets delicate, deal-
ing with desire while trusting ones resis-
tance to the downward pull of the crowd.
At least now there are more community
resources to turn to. I pray that someday
he can look back, grateful for heeding his
own voice, and for help that was there
when he needed it.
I saw him dance on Saturday. His joy in
expressing himself was as wonderful to
see as his talent. He is proud of his make-
up skills. On his face, he told us, were
foundation, blush, bronzer, mascara, eye-
liner, eyebrow pencil, lip liner, and a few
other cosmetics I dont recall. He has nat-
ural good looks, but this is his creation.
His indulgent father sighed, You have
fty dollars on your face. For Sunday, he
designed special eye makeup to attend a
matinee of Aida at the Washington Na-
tional Opera. He is charting his own star.
Back in his living room, my young
friend whirled and kicked a leg up high.
Who knows what insights and possibili-
ties ride on a edgling artists wings? A de-
but awaits, just over his horizon. Goddess
keep him safe, with our help and his own.
Copyright 2017 by Richard J. Rosendall.
All rights reserved.
I bet you had no idea youd be the Rosa
Parks of LGBT rights. But nothing was go-
ing to keep you from ghting injustice.
Who could count how many lives were
enriched when you won your battle to
strike DOMA down?
My friend Shannon is among the
many to benefit from your battle for
justice. It was because of you, Shan-
non emailed me, that I was able to get
Lettys Social Security.
What a dierence she made to this
country we love, President Obama said
of you.
You helped to change hearts and
minds, including mine, Hillary Clinton
said at your funeral.
You liked, as youd say, to keep it hot.
At your funeral, someone on your medi-
cal team said you were scheduled next
month to talk to doctors on sex for folks
in their 80s. After Thea became quadri-
plegic through her multiple sclerosis, you
talked to the disability community. You
werent about to give up being passionate
with Thea!
Thank you, Edie, for dancing, loving and
ghting for us! R.I.P.
 WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

2 4 S EPTE MB ER 22, 2017 BRO CK P A P E R SCI SSO RS

Philly to New Hope to Rehoboth: the long weekend gay trifecta

Were lucky to have LGBT
hotspots so close to D.C.
BROCK THOMPSON is a D.C.-based freelance
writer. He writes regularly for the Blade.
Last weekend I did the gay trifecta of
late summer/early fall travel: Philadel-
phia, New Hope and Rehoboth Beach.
Three great pockets of gay, each connect-
ed by vast swaths of Trump country.
Friday I sat o for Philadelphia. Doing the
touristy things that afternoon, meeting up
with my friend Jesse later. Aside from connect-
ing out of their train station or airport, I have
never really been to Philadelphia. Embarrass-
ing, I know. So I was eager to check out the
famed Gayborhood. Before hitting the bars,
he took me to an utterly charming Italian res-
taurant, Giorgio on Pine. I didnt know this, but
many of Philadelphias restaurants are BYOB,
which somehow adds to the adventure of din-
ing out. More striking, we had no reservation.
The place was packed and no table options for
a few hours. I mentioned to the hostess that
I was in from out of town, and suddenly she
was having a table assembled for us on the
sidewalk for some alfresco dining. I have to
say, that sort of service would never happen in
Washington, D.C..
After dinner, Jesse was my sherpa through
various gay establishments. I did a solo turn
through the famed Woodys. Before enter-
ing a got a pat down from the bouncer. That
was my rst sign that Woodys might be on
a down swing. I walked right through the
front entrance and immediately sought the
back exit. The bars exterior was adorned
with several rainbow ags, but that was the
only gay thing about it nowadays. Sadly, it
was full of straights. Other establishments
though like the Tavern on Camac proved to
be a great gay time.
Saturday I drove the short distance to
New Hope, Pa., a gay town that has taken
quaintness to level 11. Stone bridges, his-
toric homes, and a population of just over
2,000, all of them seemingly owning either
an antique store or ice cream shop. I was
there for a wedding, a straight wedding,
where the only thing gay was the ociant,
a groomsman, and my polkadot pocket
square. Nevertheless, weddings, straight or
others, are pretty gay aairs anyway. Who
would have thought of putting lanterns in
oak trees but a gay man anyway? Bottom-
line, check out New Hope.
On Sunday morning, after helping get
some lanterns out of trees, and bidding fare-
well to the still beaming, newly married Nell
and Pat, I sat o for Rehoboth Beach.On the
way, I stopped by Royal Farms, a gas station
where fried chicken is now rated by Food and
Wine magazine. I had no choice but to stop
and get some, twice. Arriving in Rehoboth
that afternoon, I immediately dropped o
my bags and headed to the ocean for a
quiet sit and refreshing swim. Later, I sat o
for town. And the minute I walked into the
Blue Moon to hear Pamala Stanley, which
by the way, is one of my favorite things to
do, ever, I was immediately surrounded by a
mini mob of angry town Realtors. They were
not at all pleased with my article from ear-
lier in the summer detailing my Memorial
Day Weekend at the beach. They thought I
portrayed their town in a less-than-attering
light. I tried to reason with them, but Real-
tors can be a rather unforgiving group. I love
Rehoboth. I think were so fortunate to have
it so close to our city. The towns restaurant
scene has improved dramatically while still
having great mainstays like the Moon, and a
recent coup in the city government suggests
we might be done with silly pool rules and
the like. Rehoboth Beach, in short, is still a
great little gay town. But, Ive been venturing
out there for over decade now, so I think I
can make fun of it a little. I think of Rehoboth
like my rst time, in the shower after a Dave
Matthews concert. A little messy, some re-
positioning here and there, some redening
of roles at times something I smile when
I think about and something Im not particu-
larly unproud of. I guess the lesson here, try
not to piss o the Realtors.
All in all, weve got some gayer-than-
gay gay destinations all within a car ride
of Washington. And with two long week-
ends coming up this fall, do the gay tri-
fecta of Philadelphia, New Hope and Re-
hoboth Beach. And pick up some fried
chicken for the road.

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DC Open Doors (DCOD) is your key to homeownership in the city. The program offers fully forgivable second trust loans
on a buyers minimum down payment requirement in addition to below market interest rates for rst trust mortgages for
the purchase of homes in the District of Columbia. Qualied rst-time and repeat buyers are eligible for the program.

The Mortgage Credit Certicate (MCC) provides an additional incentive for rst-time homebuyers to purchase a home
in the District of Columbia. An MCC provides qualied borrowers the ability to claim a Federal Tax Credit of 20 percent
of the mortgage interest paid during each calendar year.

DCHFA serves as a co-administrator of the DC Department of Housing and Community Developments (DHCD)
rst time homebuyer program HPAP. The program provides down payment and closing cost assistance in the form of
interest-free loans and closing cost assistance to qualied applicants for the purchase of their primary residence, to
include single family houses, condominiums, or cooperative units.

The HomeSaver Program is a foreclosure prevention resource for unemployed or underemployed District homeowners
that are at risk of losing their homes due to foreclosure or delinquent real property taxes. The program is funded through
the U.S. Department of the Treasurys Hardest Hit Fund.

HOMEOWNERSHIP is the secret

weapon of wealth building. The
District of Columbia Housing Finance
Agency is your homeownership
resource in the District for buying a
home to retaining your home; we have
a homeownership program to assist
you. Visit www.DCHFA.org for a
complete list of program guidelines
for DC Open Doors, Mortgage Credit
Certicate, HPAP and HomeSaver.
Join us at the Agency on the rst
and third Wednesday of each month
815 Florida Ave., N.W. for a DC Open Doors Homebuyers
Washington, D.C. 20001 Informational Session where you
can meet with a DC Open Doors
202.777.HOME
lending partner and a realtor,
www.DCHFA.org 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Follow
@DCHFA on Facebook & Twitter @DCOpenDoors on Twitter and
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events and daily interest rates.

ackermanbrown.com
Home buying season with DCHFA
DC Open Doors
program oers range
of mortgage products
By TODD A. LEE
Homeownership is the secret weapon
of wealth building. However, saving for a
down payment can be a major hurdle for
people that wish to become homeowners
in the District of Columbia. The District of
Columbia Housing Finance Agency is here
to bridge this gap to homeownership with
its menu of resources.
DC Open Doors is our agship program
for home purchase assistance. With a D.C.
Open Doors down payment assistance
loan and the Home Purchase Assistance
Program (HPAP), it is possible to actually
purchase a home in District with $500 at
the closing table. This will not be the sce-
nario for everyone but its a possibility for
those seeking access to homeownership.
I invite you to explore DC Open Doors
range of mortgage products with a part-
nering lender to choose the program that
meets your nancial needs.
Since its launch in May 2013, D.C. Open
Doors has nanced, 845 home purchases
in all of the Districts wards with $249.6
million in total mortgage loans. Loans
from DC Open Doors are fully forgivable
after ve years of residency in the home
purchased through the program. Pro-
THINKING OF BUYING IN REHOBOTH?
Now is the time. Call Joe, Your Working Broker.
LICENSED IN DELAWARE & MARYLAND
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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM SEPTEMBER 22, 2017 27
gram qualications include a minimum
credit score of 640, maximum borrower
income of $132,360 and maximum debt-
to-income ratio of 50 percent. First-time as
well as repeat homebuyers may qualify for
the program. D.C. Open Doors funds may
be used toward down payment and/or
closing costs. The average home price for
a D.C. Open Doors buyer is $300,242, how-
ever there is no maximum sales price limit.
Join us for the next Home Buyers Infor-
mational Session on Oct. 4 at DCHFA (815
Florida Ave., N.W.) 6:30-8:00 p.m. The
sessions are free and take place on the
rst and third Wednesday of each month.
Visit the Agencys website DCHFA.org for
a list of DC Open Doors lending partners
to begin your home purchase process.
On the site you will also nd informa-
tion on HPAP, Mortgage Credit Certicate
and HomeSaver programs. In March,
DCHFA became the co-administrator of
HPAP, the D.C. Department of Housing D.C. Open Doors can help make your home buying dream a reality.
and Community Developments rst time
BIGSTOCK PHOTO; COURTESY OF ANDY DEAN PHOTOGRAPHY
home buyer program. HPAP provides in-
terest free deferred loans for down pay-
ment and closing costs assistance up to may be purchased with or without D.C. risk of losing their homes due to foreclo-
$84,000 combined. Open Doors mortgage products. sure or delinquent real property taxes.
DCHFAs Mortgage Credit Certicate Retaining homeownership is criti- Fall is a great time to purchase a home and
(MCC) is an additional incentive for rst- cal once you have purchased a home. the DCHFAs resources are available to help
time homebuyers to purchase a home in DCHFA oers the HomeSaver Program, you get on the road to homeownership.
D.C. An MCC provides qualied borrow- a foreclosure prevention resource for
ers the ability to claim a Federal Tax Cred- unemployed, underemployed or District
it of 20 percent of the mortgage interest homeowners who may have suered a TODD A. LEE is executive director/CEO of the
DC Housing Finance Agency and a D.C.
paid during each calendar year. MCCs qualied nancial hardship and are at resident.
DEED OF TRUST
TRANSLATION:
HOME PURCHASED
WITH UNSECURED
SIGNATURE LOAN.
To be used at the top of collateral:
VALERIE M. BLAKE, Associate Broker, GRI, Director of Education & Mentorship
Dupont Circle Ofce 202-518-8781 (o) 202.246.8602 (c) To be used at the bottom of collateral:
Valerie@DCHomeQuest.com www.DCHomeQuest.com
 28 WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
An exercise in compromise
When buying a home,
make a wish list, then edit
By VALERIE M. BLAKE
I cant aord much. Will you still work
with me?
When I hear this from potential buyer
clients it makes me a little bit sad, kno-
wing that theyre usually asking that que-
stion because another agent has said no.
Of course, not every agent can be all
things to all buyers. Some agents will spe-
cialize in a neighborhood and others in a
price range, a type of property, or a buyer
category such as rst-time, move-up, or
luxury. There are also agents who choose
to list homes and not work with buyers at
all and theres absolutely nothing wrong
with that. You just need to connect with
the right one.
The Greater Capital Area Association of
Realtors (GCAAR) reports that the medi-
an sales price in D.C. in August 2017 was
$694,000 for a house and $455,000 for a
condominium. If your budget is well below
that, then you might believe homeowner-
ship is just not for you. But dont dismiss it
without investigating.
Like most urban dwellers of today, you
probably want to be in an area where you
can walk to shopping, dining and trans-
portation. The reality is that its unlikely
you will get everything on your wish list,
but if youre willing to compromise on
property size, type, location, or amenities,
then you may well succeed in securing a
home that suits your lifestyle for a purse-
pleasing price.
Lets say, for example, that youre a sin-
gle person buying your typical rst home
in the region. In most cases, it will be a one-
bedroom condominium of 550-650 square
feet.
Based on GCAAR sales statistics from
2017, you can spend as little as $65,000
in Congress Heights, an area in Southeast
D.C. that has a Metro stop on the green
line. In Dupont Circles West End, howe-
ver, that same condo can cost you as
much as $525,000.
Go across the water to the City of Alexan-
dria and you can spend a mere $110,000, but
look out for high condo fees that may vastly in-
crease your monthly payments. Farther west
in Arlington, that same square footage will cost
$115,000 on the south side and as much as
$465,000 on the north side.
Prefer Maryland? You can sometimes nd
an older condo in Silver Spring or Gaithers-
burg for under $100,000 and if youre lucky,
you may end up with a renovated unit in
Bladensburg for less than $50,000. Even in
Bethesda on Woodmont Avenue surrounded
by restaurants, you can cap your spending at
$360,000 with a monthly fee less than $500.
When its time to move up to a town-
house (or rowhouse for the D.C.-ites
among us), expect to shell out more for
an additional 500-1,000 square feet.
SEPTEMBER 22, 2017
You may dream of a giant home in the
burbs, but what does your budget allow?
BIGSTOCK PHOTO; COURTESY OF MARLS
In the Randle Heights subdivision of
Southeast D.C., a 1,300-square-foot, two-
level end unit with two bedrooms and
two baths sold this spring for $334,000,
whereas a similar home in Georgetown
garnered $950,000.
A three-bedroom, 1,200 square foot town-
house near Duke Street in Alexandria may
cost as little as $360,000 and on the other
side of the Beltway, new construction in Up-
per Marlboro can start as low as $300,000.
In Greenbelt, Md., you might add builder
upgrades to a new townhouse with a gara-
ge and still pay less than $475,000, and if
youre OK commuting from Clarksburg or
Germantown, you might pay $50,000 less.
And what if price is no object?
Well, for eight gures in Northwest D.C., you
just missed a home with nine bedrooms and
11 baths for your live-in housekeeper to clean.
Alexandria oered an estate on two
acres with ve bedrooms, ve baths and
tennis courts for just over $3,000,000 this
year and Arlington seemed almost bud-
get-friendly with the sale of 8,000 square
feet of splendiferous Craftsman architec-
ture for a mere $2,500,000.
You could also have yodeled to your
hearts content in a 33,000-square-foot
grand residence in Potomac, provided
you had $6 million to buy it and had at
least that much set aside to nish what
the builder had failed to complete.
And for the best bang for your megabucks,
a Bowie home featuring 15,000 square feet
on nearly three acres, with a four-car garage,
a pool, theater room, billiard room and eve-
ry imaginable luxury could have been yours
for drumroll please $1,325,000.
So, if you have been considering buying a
home on a tight budget, go ahead and make
your wish list, then choose an agent who can
be your mentor and help you edit it.
VALERIE M. BLAKE is a licensed Associate Bro-
ker in D.C., Maryland and Virginia and Director
of Education & Mentorship at Real Living| At
Home. Call or text her at 202-246-8602, email
her at Valerie@DCHomeQuest.com, or follow
her on Facebook at TheRealst8ofAairs.
 WANT DRAMA?
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM SEPTEMBER 22, 2017 29

Home lled with art and historical

artifacts on the Chesapeake Bay
(just 40 minutes from D.C.)

Enjoy sunset over the 50x35 livingroom w/ 9 doors All art, artifacts,
Chesapeake Bay & West River from the Freer Gallery of Art, sculptures & frescos comes with
windows from the Museum of sale of home
American History & marble from
Women in the Military Memorial

D.C. sculptor/artist, recognized internationally for his art and historial restorations,
created this 7,2000 sq. ft. estate inspired by and incorporating his art, sculptures,
frescos and artifacts salvaged from National Museums and Monuments. Shows like a
Fall brings changes in the weather and in the housing market. Hollywood movie set and has been featured in several magazines and news articles.
Julie Beal LR is 50x35 MBR is 40x42, MB includes 6-person hot tub, sauna, 21x14 cedar
BIGSTOCK PHOTO; COURTESY OF SEANPAVONEPHOTO 443-254-0531 closet. All this and sweeping views of Chesapeake Bay waterways too.
Must See! www.homesdatabase.com/AA10011476

Fall 2017 housing YOUR WATERFRONT SPECIALISTS IN DEALE, MD 410-867-9700

market predictions
A strong season ahead,
but get started now
By SUE GOODHART
As we transition from swimsuits to
sweaters and owers to football, we in
the real estate market are contemplating
the fall market. How do we see fall 2017
it can take 45 days to snag an interested
buyer. If not sold after 45 days, homes
Your Flooring Professionals since 1985
are sitting for at least four months or
longer. If youre selling this fall, its criti- MHIC #41515
cal to price your home appropriately at
the start of the fall market. You want to
avoid having your property languish over
the holidays when buyer trac slows
considerably. The holiday season is also
when deal-seeking buyers come out of .tsal seilppus elihw stcudorp llA* .sliated dna noitceles rof erots eeS .tcudorp eht fo noitatneserper tcaxe eb ton yam dna ylno sesoprup noitartsulli rof era nwohs segami tcudorP*

unfolding in the D.C. area? Read on!
INTEREST RATES: We anticipate interest
rates will remain steady and perhaps in-
crease slowly throughout the rest of the year.
INVENTORY: Our area has been in a
state of low inventory for a long time and
we see no sign of change. That being said,
September to November is the second
busiest inventory season of the year so if
you are thinking of a move, the time to
the woodwork and make low oers.
THINGS TO WATCH: We are seeing an
uptick in buyers searching for new con-
struction. That means if youre selling
your home, you need to be able to com-
pete. Your home must show well or be
priced accordingly. As PROOF
noted#1above in the
section discussing days on market, you
want to be priced competitively
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DAYS ON MARKET: When inventory is
low, we typically see a correspondingly
low days on market, even more so at en-
try-level price points and/or properties in
walkable locations or close to Metro. That
is because buyers are waiting and watch-
ing for properties in good condition and/
or priced well. The further out the home
or higher the price point, the slower the
market and days on market creep up and
that can be a problem.
Typically, we see that if homes dont
sell within the rst 10 days on the market
home is not stale over theIMAGE/LOGO
slower holi-
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
REVISIONS copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret, music, image, or other proprietary or propety right, false advertising, unfair
day season. NO REVISIONS
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or any other right of anyN. personBethesda
or entity. Advertiser agrees to idemnify brown naffLaurel
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THE BOTTOM LINE: The fall market is and warranties.
(Next to Shoppers & HomeGoods) (Rt. 1 & Contee Rd.)
a great time to make a move. We predict (301) 881-0969 (301) 206-2200
fall 2017 will be particularly good for both
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 30 SEPTEMBER 22, 2017 WASHINGTONBLADE.COM QUEERY: 20 QUESTIONS FOR DESMOND MCKENNA

DESMOND MCKENNA

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY
How long have you been out and who
was the hardest person to tell?
Twenty years and my family was the
hardest to tell. But Im so glad I did
because theyre accepting and love
visiting and meeting my friends in D.C.
Whos your LGBT hero?
Martina Navratilova is the rst person I
remember being openly gayat a time when
it must have been so much more dicult.
Whats Washingtons best nightspot,
past or present?
Rock & Roll Hotel on H Street has
started to host Bear Happy Hour every
other Friday. Its worth a trip if you dont
live in the neighborhood.
know they can count on me for a dose of
history in their news feeds.
If your life were a book, what would the
title be?
Finding Home. This describes both
my journey from Ireland to America as
well as my passion for real estate.
If science discovered a way to change
sexual orientation, what would you do?
Convert everybody to our team.
What do you believe in beyond the
physical world?
Cher said it best: I believe in life
after love.
Whats your advice for LGBT

Desmond McKenna
Describe your dream wedding.
Small, intimate, destination
What non-LGBT issue are you most
passionate about?
The local Realtor answers 20 gay questions As an immigrant who is now an
American citizen, I believe America is
By JOEY DiGUGLIELMO at its best when we welcome everyone.
joeyd@washblade.com This is what makes D.C. a great
community to live in.
Desmond McKenna likes to dispel a notion he says many have they fear
they cant aord to buy a house in Washington. What historical outcome would
McKenna holds rst-time homebuyer workshops quarterly at his D.C. Home you change?
Buzz oce in Columbia Heights and nds that many clients are unaware of The District lost a lot of its history with the
D.C. government and federal programs that can help. destruction of homes, detailed in the book
Often times people feel undeserving or think that theyll never be able to Capitol Losses. I think more could have
get on the property ladder in this market, says the 40-year-old Castleblayney, been done to preserve our unique history.
Ireland native. In order to help people and dispel this myth I provide an A-to-Z
scenario from strategy to market knowledge on how this goal can be achieved. Whats been the most memorable pop
McKenna says his team of local lenders, title companies and home culture moment of your lifetime?
inspectors at the workshops have a wealth of good information for prospective Princess Dianas death. For many Americans
homebuyers. this was devastating and it hit even closer to
It gives me great pleasure to have people learn from what would have been home for those of us who were on the other
my own mistakes, he says. I started by giving my friends these shortcuts and side of the Atlantic at the time.
now I have expanded to a much broader audience.
The next workshop will be held in December though no date has been set. On what do you insist?
Theyre free to attend and about 30 are in each class. Details at dchomebuzz.com. Manners. Why not always be nice
McKenna came to Washington 18 years ago to help open a hotel. Hes single to others?
and lives on the H Street corridor. McKenna enjoys entertaining, exploring the
city and day trips in the region in his free time.As an immigrant who is now an What was your last Facebook post
American citizen, I believe America is at its best when we welcome everyone. or Tweet?
This is what makes D.C. a great community to live in. I love sharing stories and photos
about the D.C. of yesterday. My friends
movement leaders?
Never give up.
What would you walk across hot
coals for?
My friends
What LGBT stereotype annoys you most?
That we all secretly want to be Real
Housewives. Guilty.
Whats your favorite LGBT movie?
Does The First Wives Club count?
Whats the most overrated
social custom?
Air kissing.
What trophy or prize do you most covet?
Ive received a lot of pink love letters
from the mayor on my windshield. An
unlimited parking pass would be the
best prize I could ever receive.
What do you wish youd known at 18?
There isnt a time limit on your
dreams, but I would tell my 18-year-old
self to have the courage to start earlier.
Why Washington?
Washington is much more than most
people realize. Theres a neighborhood
for every person and for every season.
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ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM VOLUME 48 ISSUE 38 SEPTEMBER 22, 2017 PAGE 33

KELLI OHARA hopes audiences can forget about politics for an evening when she performs in the
region this weekend.
PHOTO BY NATE JOHNSON; COURTESY GMU

Broadway chanteuse
Kelli OHara makes regional debut this weekend

By KEITH LORIA

With six Tony nominations to her credit
including a well-deserved win in 2015
for her portrayal as Anna in the revival of
The King and I Kelli OHara has been
one of Broadways most beloved leading
ladies for the past decade.
The stage star has had memorable
turns in shows such as The Light in the
Piazza, South Pacic, The Bridges of
Madison County and The Pajama Game.
On Saturday, Sept. 23, OHara will make
her headlining debut at the George Mason
Center for the Arts as part of the annual
ARTSby George!Benet. On the night, she
will be performing Broadway hits, classic
pop songs and American standards.
My performance will be a mix of
personal stories and a diverse mix of
songs from my career and childhood,
she says. Having art in my life and in my
education has made me a better person.
Im certain of it. I love the idea of sharing
with, learning from and encouraging
establishments who want to continue an
arts tradition.
Also on the night, OHara will also be
joined by students from Masons School
of Music for one special number and she
is looking forward to that song.
Being an artist is one of the most
collaborative joys of my life, she says.
Its what its all about for me. It makes so
much sense for me to nd new artists to
make music with whenever I can.
Originally from Oklahoma, OHara
received a degree in opera and after
winning the State Metropolitan Opera
Competition, moved to New York and
enrolled in the Lee Strasberg Institute. She
made her Broadway debut in Jekyll & Hyde
as a replacement ensemble member.
It was fast and unremarkable although
exhilarating, but the very next show I did
just a few months later was Sondheims
Follies, and that experience with folks like
Judith Ivey, Blyth Danner, Polly Bergen, Betty
Garrett and Joan Roberts, among others,
was so magical, she says. Like a dream
come true. I just stood and watched and
learned and thought of all the history that I
was now becoming a part of. And Sondheim
was there, crying. I will never forget it.
She followed those shows with Sweet
Smell of Success opposite John Lithgow,
and Dracula. Next, shell be seen on
stage Nov. 15-19 at New Yorks City
Center for a week-long concert staging of
Brigadoon opposite Patrick Wilson.
I love these bursts of artistry when many
people can come together and throw up a
show quickly and hopefully well and have
a great time, she says. I love supporting
City Centers/Encore and am excited to
work with Patrick Wilson and Christopher
Wheeldon on this great old score.
OHara will also be appearing next
season on the Netix hit show, 13 Reasons
Why. She admits balancing theater and TV
opportunities is important to her.
As artists, we are constantly inspired to
learn and try new things, new genres of art,
she says. This year, I am shooting this TV
show and singing Cosi Fan Tutte at the MET
and doing a musical. Its like a dream to stretch
myself and be challenged and I truly believe
each strengthens the other. I hope to continue
to have these diverse opportunities.
Looking forward to stopping in Northern
Virginia for the night, OHara hopes that
those attending can put any political feelings
aside and just concentrate on the arts.
I feel at a loss lately about how
separate we feel as a nation and as
human beings, OHara says. One thing
I have always hoped is that art can bring
us together, if even for an evening. I hope
we can come together for a night of music
and be reminded that love is the answer.
There are two ways to purchase tickets
for the event. Ticket and sponsorship
packages to the full ARTS by George! benet
event, which starts at 5 p.m. and includes
the concert are available at artsbygeorge.
gmu.edu or single tickets ($60-100) to the
concert portion only, starting at 8 p.m. are
available at cfa.gmu.edu/calendar/2489.
KELLI OHARA
ARTS by George! benet
GMUs Center for the Arts
4373 Mason Pond Dr.
Fairfax, Va.
8 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 23
Tickets start at $60
artsbygeorge.gmu.edu
 WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

34 SEPT E M B E R 22, 2017 O U T & A BO U T

the
STEELDRIVERS
W/ STRONG WATER
SOLD OUT
FRIDAY SEPT 22

WILL By MARIAH COOPER

HOGE
W/ DAN LAYUS
SATURDAY SEPT 23
THURS, SEPT 28 WTF returns for
GOGO PENGUIN W/ THE MATTSON 2 encore engagement
FRI, SEPT 29
ALL GOOD PRESENTS Gay dance party WTF returns to Town
PHOTO COURTESY REEL AFFIRMATIONS
(2009 8th St., N.W.) on Saturday, Sept. 30
ERIC KRASNO BAND from 11 p.m.-3:30 a.m.
W/ MIDNIGHT NORTH
Raising Zoey screens Sept. 29 Performers include Biblegirl666, Alotta
SAT, SEPT 30 McGriddles, Jaxknife Complex, Salvadora
AN EVENING WITH THE BAD PLUS Reel Armations presents a screening of Raising Zoey at Human Rights Dali, Pussy Noir and Miche. DJ Aaron
Campaign (1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.) on Friday, Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. Riggins, DJ Ed Bailey and DJ Claudia will
SUN, OCT 1 Raising Zoey, directed by Dante Alencastre, is a documentary about 13-year- play music. Guests with the best looks will
AN EVENING WITH old Zoey Luna who ghts for her right to self-identity in school. A talk back with receive free entry and drink tickets.
CLASSIC ALBUMS LIVE: Alencastre and members of the cast is in the works. There will be a catered For more details, visit facebook.com/
RUSH 2112 reception. VIP tickets are $30 and include VIP seating and entry to the catered
reception. General admission tickets are $17. Every ticket includes a one-year
omgwtfdc.

WED, OCT 4 membership with Human Rights Campaign.

THE SECRET SISTERS For more information, visit thedccenter.org/raising-zoey.
W/ MARY BRAGG
FRI, OCT 6
AN EVENING WITH
CHOPTEETH AFROFUNK
BIG BAND
SPECIAL BONE READER CD RELEASE SHOW
SAT, OCT 7
AN EVENING WITH
SPLINTERED SUNLIGHT
SUN, OCT 8
JAMES HUNTER SIX
TUES, OCT 10
AN EVENING WITH HUDSON:
JACK DEJOHNETTE, LARRY
PHOTO COURTESY BUCKLESWEET MEDIA

GRENADIER, JOHN MEDESKI

& JOHN SCOFIELD Carpenter to play with NSO
THURS, OCT 12 Out organist Cameron Carpenter joins
PHOTO COURTESY MSL GROUP
EILEN JEWELL W/ MISS TESS the National Symphony Orchestra to
honor composers Leonard Bernstein and
FRI, OCT 13 Aaron Copland at Kennedy Center (2700 F
DAVID GRISMAN BLUEGRASS Dare to Dream with Disney on Ice St., N.W.) on Thursday, Sept. 28 at 7 p.m.
EXPERIENCE W/ CIRCUS NO. 9 and Saturday, Sept. 30 at 8 p.m.
Disney on Ice Presents Dare to Dream will be at EagleBank Arena (formerly Cristian Macelaru conducts the program
SAT, OCT 14 the Patriot Center) in Fairfax, Va., Sept. 29-Oct. 8. combining Coplands Symphony for
KAT WRIGHT & Five Disney heroines will be featured along with other characters as they nd Organ and Orchestra and Appalachian
THE INDOMITABLE SOUL BAND the heart and determination to overcome obstacles and make their dreams Spring suite with Bernsteins
come true. Mickey and Minnie Mouse will also appear. Cast members Rachel Divertimento. The performance is
Nevares and Jacobo Montemayor are openly LGBT. part of the Kennedy Centers Leonard
Tickets start at $20. Details at eaglebank.areanfairfax.com or disneyonice. Bernstein at 100 celebration. Tickets
eventticketcenter.com. range from $15-89.
For more information, visit kennedy-
THEHAMILTONDC.COM center.org.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
F I LM
HARRISON ELLIS in Beach Rats.
Beach Rats a potent
piece of lmmaking
A Brooklyn teens two
worlds collide
By JOHN PAUL KING
Eliza Hittmans Beach Rats is
unquestionably a potent piece of
lmmaking.
After a glowing debut at Sundance
early this year, it has claimed awards at
numerous lm festivals, including the
prize for Outstanding Screenwriting in a
U.S. Feature at Los Angeles own Outfest.
Now receiving wider release in movie
theaters across the country, it continues
to garner impressive reviews as it
cements its status as the latest darling of
indie LGBT cinema.
Its also at the center of a blooming
controversy that threatens to undermine
that status.
A gritty, slice-of life drama, the movie
documents a fateful summer in the life
of Frankie, a closeted South Brooklyn
teen who nds escape from his joyless
life through anonymous online hookups
with older guys he meets online. As the
narrative follows his eorts to mask
his secret by posturing with hooligan
friends and pursuing a romance with a
neighborhood girl, it creates an astute
portrait of internalized homophobia and
the cultural pressure that breeds it.
The critical acclaim is not unwarranted.
Anchored by a breathtaking
performance from the beautiful Harris
Dickinson (an English actor, though you
would never know it from his awless
depiction of a young Brooklyn bro),
Hittmans movie is sexy, haunting,
and impressionistic. It ows through
a series of incidents and encounters
with dreamlike detachment; its 16mm
cinematography (by Hlne Louvart)
creates a sense of disjointed aimlessness
S E PT E M B E R 22, 2017 35
PHOTO BY CINEREACH, ANIMAL KINGDOM, SECRET ENGINE
with hand-held camerawork, and
oppresses our senses with the frequent
use of extreme close-ups. The overall
eect is to keep us as completely in the
moment as the lms protagonist as he
oats blithely along toward the inevitable
collision of his two worlds.
It doesnt all work as well as Hittman
wants it to. There are stretches when the
movies meandering pace feels like a test
of patience; its narrative is occasionally
obscured by its impressionistic visual
style; and one has to wonder why, in a
lm about a young man coming to terms
with his homosexuality, so much more
screen time is devoted to his relationship
with a would-be girlfriend than it is to his
encounters with other males (no oense
to the lovely Madeline Weinstein, who
gives a luminous performance as the girl
in question).
Ultimately, though, Beach Rats wields
a cumulative power that grows out of
its scattered moments of truth, leaving
us with a clear picture of a young man
disconnected from his sense of self
by his own determination to be what
he thinks the world expects him to be. ADVERTISING
Frankies compartmentalization
PROOF #1 of his ISSUE DATE: 170922 SALES REPRESENTATIVE:
sexual identity is less about shame than
REVIEW AD FOR COPY AND DESIGN ACCURACY. Revisions must be submitted within 24 hours of the date of
it is about living up to a role in which he
REVISIONS
proof. Proof will be considered final and will be submitted for publication if revision is not submitted within 24 hours of
the date of proof. Revisions will not be accepted after 12:01 pm wednesday, the week of publication.Brown naff pitts
sees himself cast by his community.
REDESIGN Its omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) is not responsible for the content and/or design of your ad. Advertiser is
responsible for any legal liability arising out of or relating to the advertisement, and/or any material to which users
OK for him to have sex with TEXT
men,REVISIONS
as long
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truthful and authentic self comes to the
surface when he is with his clandestine
tricks, which makes it all the more
devastating to watch him betray that self
through the actions he takes to hide it.
CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
the fact that Beach Rats is written and
directed by a straight woman are well

3 6 SEPTE MB ER 22, 2017
This Week in the Arts provided by CultureCapital.com
Hour Comedy Show. Thru Sep 28.
Cafe Saint-Ex. H Street Comedy Night
w/ ET. Sep 23-Sep 30. Driftwood
Kitchen. Mundane Aight Comedy
w/ Adelle and Kevin. Thru Sep
25. The Passenger. U Dont Know
Jack w/ Jack. Thru Sep 27. Adams
Morgan Comedy Night. Thru Sep
28. Town Tavern DC. Capital Laughs.
capitallaughs.com.
Cabaret. Thru Oct 8. Workhouse Arts
Center. workhousearts.org.
MUSIC
Ari Hest. Sep 24. AMP.
Kelli OHara ampbystrathmore.com.
Sep 23. GMU Center for the Arts. An English Garden. Sep 22-Sep 24.
cfa.gmu.edu. Folger Consort. Folger Theatre.
Tony Award winner and Broadway star Kelli OHara performs a radiant concert folger.edu.
of Broadway favorites, pop classics, and great American standards. Talented WNO: Aida. Thru Sep 23. Selma: A
student musicians from Masons School of Music will perform alongside OHara Film and Live Music Event with
for one number. the NSO Pops, Jason Moran, and
Others. Sep 22. Season Opening Gala
M&MS Opera in the Outeld Concert. Sep 24. NSO: Carpenter 15. nglive.org.
Sep 23. Washington National Opera at Nationals Park. plays Copland, Bernstein & Adams.
kennedy-center.org. Sep 28-Sep 30. Kennedy Center.
Celebrate the tenth season of free live opera simulcasts by joining Washington kennedy-center.org.
National Opera at Nationals Park for Aida at 7 pm.Gates open at 5 pm for pre- FMMC--Yi-Yang Chen Solo Recital.
opera activities. Sep 26. Cosmos Club. Dumbarton
House Concert Series. Sep 26. FMMC.
History Happy Hour: Culinary Cocktails Dumbarton House. fmmc.org.
Sep 23. National Archives. Mozarts The Magic Flute. Sep 23-Oct
archivesfoundation.org.
Pairing food and drink has long been an exciting challenge for creators of both.
1. In Series. D.C. Scottish Rite Temple.
inseries.org.
Join Derek Brown for an exploration of the evolving world of culinary cocktails, Metro Mambo: Jose Madera, Johnny
where kitchen ingredients meet innovative libations. Dandy Rodriguez, Joe Conzo & Sin
Miedo. Sep 23. Metro Mambo. Dance
Aqueduct: Stone Ruins in Maryland and Virginia Place.
Thru Oct 1. The Art League. Trio Lennon (Italy). Sep 26. ISAAG.
theartleague.org. Enrique V. Iglesias Auditorium.
Printmaker M. Alexander Gray takes pride in the meticulous detail of his idbstaassociationartgallery.org.
engravings, which are painstakingly carved into copper, wood, and resin. He Beat Battle: Opera vs. Hip Hop. Sep
creates intaglio and relief prints, working little by little to achieve his vision. 27. Gourmet Symphony. Beucherts
Just like the stonemasons who originally built the canals, Gray slowly carves his Saloon. gourmetsymphony.org.
vision into existence. American Roots Concert Series:
Session Americana. Sep 24. Hill
PHOTO COURTESY OF GMU CENTER FOR THE ARTS Center. hillcenterdc.org.
Latin Pop: A Cultural Fusion. Sep 26.
Library of Congress. loc.gov.
New York Opera Society. Sep 24.
THEATRE Stones in His Pockets. Sep 23-Oct 15.
Keegan Theatre. keegantheatre.com.
National Gallery of Art. nga.gov.
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of
A Little Night Music. Thru Oct 15. Bernstein on Broadway. Sep 22. Amsterdam. Sep 26. The Embassy
Signature Theatre. sigtheatre.org. Shear Madness. Thru Oct 1. Kennedy Series. Residence of the Netherlands
The Simon & Garfunkel Story. Sep Center. kennedy-center.org. Ambassador. embassyseries.org.
22. Strathmore. strathmore.org. Coquitrucos. Sep 23. Dance Place. Music in Mind: Ghost Dialogues.
Skeleton Crew. Thru Oct 8. Studio danceplace.org. Sep 25. The Boston Trio. Sep 26. The
Theatre. studiotheatre.org. Don Juan Tenorio, The Infamous Clarice. theclarice.umd.edu.
Keith A. Wallace: The Bitter Game. Seducer of All Times. Thru Oct 1.
Sep 27-Sep 28. The Clarice. MilkBoy
ArtHouse. theclarice.umd.edu.
GALA Hispanic Theatre.
galatheatre.org.
MUSEUMS
The Arsonists. Thru Oct 8. Woolly The Devils Music: The Life & Folger Shakespeare Library. Painting
Mammoth. woollymammoth.net. Blues of Bessie Smith. Thru Sep Shakespeare. Thru Feb 11. folger.edu.
In The Heights. Thru Oct 22. Olney 24. Mosaic Theater Company. Atlas. National Museum of Women in the
Theatre. olneytheatre.org. mosaictheater.org. Arts. Equilibrium: Fanny Sann. Thru
Death of a Salesman. Sep 23-Oct 22. Phil & a Mic with Phil Mike. Thru Oct 29. Wonder Women! Thru Nov 17.
Fords Theatre. fords.org. Sep 26. Bier Baron Tavern. Happy Inside the Dinner Party Studio. Thru
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
A RT S & CU LT U RE
Jan 5. nmwa.org.
Dumbarton Oaks Library and
Collection. Ancient Textiles. Thru
Mar 31. Women in Art. Thru Mar 31.
Ancient Bronzes in the Dumbarton
Oaks Collections. Thru Mar 31.
Collecting in Paris and London, 1912
1919. Thru Mar 31. doaks.org.
Goethe-Institut. Brilliant Dilletantes
(Geniale Dilletanten). Thru Oct 28.
goethe.de.
Library of Congress. Drawing Justice:
The Art of Courtroom Illustration.
Thru Oct 28. Echoes of the Great War:
American Experiences of World War I.
Thru Jan 1. loc.gov.
National Gallery of Art. Matthias
Mansen: Congurations. Thru Dec 13.
Edvard Munch: Color in Context. Thru
Jan 28. Posing for the Camera: Gifts
from Robert B. Menschel. Thru Jan 28.
nga.gov.
National Geographic. Sharks: On
Assignment with Brian Skerry. Thru Oct
National Portrait Gallery. Americas
Presidents Reopens. Sep 22. The Face
of Battle: Americans at War, 9/11 to
Now. Thru Jan 28. Marlene Dietrich:
Dressed for the Image. Thru Apr 15.
Celebrating Fifty Years. Thru Jan 6.
npg.si.edu.
GALLERIES
gallery Neptune & Brown. Cianne
Fragione: Dancing the Tarantella. Thru
Oct 8. galleryneptunebrown.com.
Waverly Street Gallery. An Impending
Silence: Vanishing African Wildlife
Photography Exhibit. Thru Oct 7.
waverlystreetgallery.com.
Zenith Gallery. RESIST: Nationally
Juried Exhibit. Thru Oct 15. Black Artists
of Today: Reinventing Tomorrow! Thru
Jan 6. zenithgallery.com.
Glen Echo Park. Richard Weiblinger:
Unique Visions. Thru Sep 23. Ilya
Gefter: The Architecture of Light. Thru
Sep 24. glenechopark.org.
Hill Center. Regional Juried Exhibition.
Thru Oct 1. hillcenterdc.org.
ISAAG. Conversations with Al Zheimer.
Sep 25-Oct 6. Opening Reception. Sep
25. idbstaassociationartgallery.org.
JCCNV. Jewish Grati. Thru Oct 2.
jccnv.org.
Korean Cultural Center DC. Evolving.
Thru Sep 29. koreaculturedc.org.
AND MORE...
The Writers Center. Lunch Time Lit:
Seeking Book Endorsements. Sep 22.
Open Door Reading: Melissa Castillo-
Garsow and Ethelbert Miller. Sep 23.
writer.org.
W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM SE P T E MBE R 2 2 , 2 0 1 7 3 7

3 8 S EPTE MB ER 22, 2017
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 Latino GLBT History Project
hosts its 12th annual Hispanic LGBTQ
Heritage Awards at Human Rights
Campaign (1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.)
tonight from 6-8:30 p.m. LGBT leaders
Esther Hidalgo, Johny Vasquez and Aaron
Renee Rodriguez will be honored. Food
and drinks will be provided. Admission
is free but donations will be accepted
at the door. For more information, visit
facebook.com/latinoglbthistory.
Gamma D.C., a support group for men
in mixed-orientation relationships, meets
at Luther Place Memorial Church (1226
Vermont Ave., N.W.) today from 7:30-
9:30 p.m. The group is for men who are
attracted to men but are currently, or were
at one point, in relationships with women.
Meeting locations are in private residences.
For more information about the group and
location, visit gammaindc.org.
Professionals in the City and AGLA host
seated speed dating for gay men at the
Hilton Inn (1620 Prince St., Alexandria,
Va.) tonight from 7-9 p.m. There will be
three-hour complimentary valet parking
for anyone who purchases two drinks or
other items from the bar or restaurant.
Tickets are $30. For more details, visit
prosinthecity.com.
D.C. Rawhides hosts a happy hour at
Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) tonight from 6-11
p.m. Dance lessons are $5 and start at 6:30
p.m. Free open dancing begins at 9:30 p.m.
Entry ends at 9:30 p.m. Drink specials run
until 11 p.m. Admission is free. For more
information, visit facebook.com/dcrawhides.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 23
Art All Night will span across the
neighborhoods of Congress Heights,
Dupont Circle, H Street, North Capitol and
Shaw tonight from 7 p.m.-3 a.m. Visual
and performing arts will be celebrated
in painting, photography, fashion, music,
dance, theater, photography, sculpture,
crafts and more. LGBT artists on display will
include Michael Crossett, Charlie Gaynor,
Branddave, Stephen Benedicto, Betto
Ortiz, Colin Winterbottom and Lisa Marie
Thalhammer. For a complete list of shows
and activities, visit artallnightdc.com.
18th & U Duplex Diner (2004 18th St.,
N.W.) hosts Haute Dish, a drag brunch
fundraiser for Marthas Table, today
from 1-4 p.m. Performers include KC B.
Yonce, Goldie Grigio, Febreze, Fun Fety,
Annie G. OPlasty, Jenna Slide, Tabeeda
Deadhorse. Tom ColliciHo hosts. DJ Pad
Thai Lakshmi will spin tracks. Tickets are
$40 and include one select brunch entre
of choice, one champagne cocktail or
glass of Pinot Grigio and a donation to
Rebels of the Neon God, a movie from gay director Tsai Ming-Liang, will be screened at Landmark E Street Cinema Sunday, Sept. 24 as part of the
D.C. Chinese Film Festival.
Marthas Table. There will also be drink
specials, including mimosa pitchers, from
11 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information, visit
facebook.com/duplexdiner.
Uproar Lounge & Restaurant (639
Florida Ave., N.W.) hosts Sweatpants &
Viagra, a gay dance party, tonight from
9 p.m.-1 a.m. Wolfgang Fultz will make
a special appearance and DJ Matt Pierce
will play music. Sweatpants are preferred
attired but speedos and other form-
tting attire is acceptable. Admission is
free. For more details, visit facebook.
com/uproarloungedc.
Virginia PrideFest is on Browns Island
(500 Tredegar St., Richmond, Va.) today
from noon-8 p.m. For a complete list of
events, visit vapride.org/pridefest217.
The Gay Mens Health Collaborative
and Us Helping Us hosts its annual
summer cookout at Virginia Highlands
Park (1600 S Hayes St., Arlington, Va.)
today from noon-6 p.m. There will be free
food and games. For more details, visit
facebook.com/thegmhccrew.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 24
Comedian Jen Kirkman brings her All
New Material, Girl Tour to the Howard
Theatre (620 T St., N.W.) tonight at 8 p.m.
Paris Sashay will perform an opening set.
Doors open at 6 p.m. VIP tickets are $40
and include reserved seating. General
admission tickets are $22.50 in advance
and $26 day of show. Seating is rst
come, rst served. For more information,
visit thehowardtheatre.com.
D.C. Chinese Film Festival screens
Rebels of the Neon God, a lm by openly
gay Taiwanese lmmaker Tsai Ming-Liang,
at Landmark E Street Cinema (555 11th
St., N.W.) tonight at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are
$12.50. The D.C. Chinese Film Festival
takes place over four days from Thursday,
Sept. 21 through today, screening eight
lms. The festival pass is $59.99 and gives
access to all eight lms. For a complete list
of lm screenings, visit dcchineselm.com.
MONDAY, SEPT. 25
Katy Perry stops by Capitol One Arena
(601 F St., N.W.) tonight at 7 p.m. Noah
Cyrus opens the show. Doors open at
8 p.m. Tickets range from $50-434. For
more information, visit ticketmaster.com.
TUESDAY, SEPT. 26
D.C. Strokes Rowing Club holds its
monthly happy hour at Nellies Sports
Bar (900 U St., N.W.) tonight from 6:30-
8:30 p.m. There will be food and drink
specials. For more details, visit facebook.
com/dcstrokes.
LezLink Events hosts a womens speed
dating and mixer at Busboys and Poets
(2021 14th St., N.W.) tonight from 6:30-
9:30 p.m. There will also be tips and
resources on how to foster a healthy
dating relationship. For more information,
visit facebook.com/lezlinkevents.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 27
Pride Outside hosts the LGBTQ
Community and the Outdoors at
Patagonia (1048 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.)
tonight from 7-9 p.m. Megan Springate of
the National Park Service will discuss the
NPS LGBTQ Theme Study and how LGBT
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
CA LE N D A R
PHOTO COURTESY OF DCCFF
history is being integrated into NPS work.
Hannah Melvin, founder of Pride Outside,
will also speak about the importance
of inclusive outdoor opportunities for
everyone. For more information, visit
pride-outside.org.
Log Cabin Republicans celebrate its 40th
anniversary with the Spirit of Lincoln at Trump
International Hotel (1100 Pennsylvania Ave.,
N.W.) tonight. Cocktails are at 6 p.m. and
dinner starts at 7 p.m. Carly Fiorina will give
the keynote address. Congressman Charlie
Dent and Congressman Scott Taylor will
be the special guests. Tickets are $250. For
more details, visit logcabin.org/lcr-spirit-of-
lincoln-event.
The Lambda Bridge Club meets at
7:30 p.m. tonight at the Dignity Center
(721 8th St., S.E.) for duplicate bridge. No
reservations required and new comers
welcome. If you need a partner, call 703-
407-6540.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 28
Uproar Lounge & Restaurant (639
Florida Ave., N.W.) hosts a Will & Grace
premiere watch party tonight from 8-10
p.m. There will be three TVs on the rst
oor, two TVs and a projector on the
second oor and four TVs on the rooftop.
Guests can enjoy an extended happy
hour with shot specials. For more details,
visit facebook.com/uproarloungedc.
Shaws Tavern (520 Florida Ave., N.W.)
hosts a Will & Grace trivia and watch
party tonight from 7:30-11 p.m. Will
& Grace trivia starts at 7:30 p.m. with
prizes. There will also be Will & Grace-
themed cocktails. For more information,
visit facebook.com/shawstavern.
W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM SE P T E MBE R 2 2 , 2 0 1 7 3 9

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40 S E PT E M B E R 22, 20 1 7
DJ ROSIE says the new D.C. Jane party will ll a need in D.C. lesbian nightlife.
D.C. Jane premieres
New womens nightlife event
debuts this weekend
By MARIAH COOPER
mcooper@washblade.com
In a city with plenty of bar and club
options for straight nightlife, party
promoter Bruce Yelk is hoping to give the
LGBT community parties that appeal to a
variety of tastes.
Yelk, whose late-night Distrkt C parties
have become a staple at the D.C. Eagle
(3701 Benning Rd., N.E.), is expanding into
the lesbian market with his new womens
party, D.C. Jane.
Every fourth Friday of the month, the
D.C. Eagle will be taken over by a large-
scale womens party. D.C. Jane kicks o
Friday, Sept. 22 from 9 p.m.-3:30 a.m.
featuring music from D.C.s own, DJ Rosie.
Tickets are $30 and include an open bar
from 9-10:30 p.m. All ticket proceeds
from the Sept. 22 event will benet
Capital Pride.
While the party is still in its infancy,
Yelk says, The concept is to be a
Distrkt C version for women. He
hopes that D.C.s lesbian community
will consider D.C. Jane a contender in
womens parties.
I think that the women would like
some more options, Yelk says. Im just
hoping that I tap into what theyre looking
for. Thats for the gay market too. Theres
always room to look for more things to do.
DJ Rosie agrees.
D.C. Jane brings something new to
the womens scene with an open bar and
fresh new venue, she says. The best part
is that it allows women and their friends
and allies to party while also giving back
to our community.
Yelks party promoter expertise was
put to the test when organizing D.C. Jane
as he wasnt as experienced in womens
parties as parties for men.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
N I G H T LI F E
PHOTO COURTESY DJ ROSIE
This is a much bigger beast for me. Im
much more outside my comfort zone,
Yelk says.
Yelk says hosting parties at the D.C.
Eagle may seem a little out of the way for
people to venture, but he hopes the large
venue will attract women who want to
experience a party on a bigger scale.
D.C. Jane isnt the only party Yelk has
planned to take over the D.C. Eagle this fall.
All the new events that Im doing at the
D.C. Eagle are tapping into specic niche
markets, breaking the gay market down a
little bit more, Yelk says.
While Distrkt C parties are every second
Saturday of the month, partygoers dont
have to wait weeks to attend. Yelks new
events keep the fun going all month long,
These premiere events include Alto
Voltaje, a gay mens Latin-themed party,
which will be every fourth Saturday of
the month. One was scheduled for this
weekend but was postponed due to
Hurricane Maria. Its rescheduled for Dec.
9. Instead, a bonus Distrkt C party will be
held on Saturday, Sept 23 at the Eagle
with DJ X Gonazlez.
The next one is Saturday, Sept. 23 from
9 p.m.-4 a.m featuring tunes from DJ Ed
Wood. The party will also include an open
bar from 9-10:30 p.m.
The 5th Retrograde, a party on fth
Saturdays of the month, is on Saturday,
Sept. 30 from 9 p.m.-4 a.m. Legendary
DJ Billy Carroll will spin a mix of current
music, classics and disco. Well and
domestic bottle drink specials are $4 and
run from 9-11 p.m.
DC2, which takes place on Sundays of
holiday weekends, debuted this year. It
continues on Sunday, Oct. 8 from 10 p.m.-
4 a.m. Nina Flowers will get the crowd
jumping and an open bar from 10-11 p.m.
will keep the party going.
Online advanced tickets for these
events are $25. Tickets are $30 at the door
before midnight and $40 after midnight.
For more information, visit distrktc.com.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
F I LM
Billie Jeans Battle
Legendary tennis match
recreated in new biopic
By BRIAN T. CARNEY
The real star of Battle of the Sexes,
(playing now in D.C.-area theaters) the
stunning recreation of the historic 1973
tennis match between feminist icon
Billie Jean King and male chauvinist pig
Bobby Riggs, may be the superb script
by Simon Beaufoy.
Beaufoy, who won the Academy Award
for his screenplay for Slumdog Millionaire
and also wrote Hunger Games: Catching
Fire and the gay-themed The Full Monty,
weaves together several compelling
stories while creating vivid sympathetic
characters and exploring complex social
and political issues.
Beaufoys story starts with the
formation of the Virginia Slims Circuit
in 1970. Billie Jean King (Emma Stone)
is furious to learn that tennis promoter
Jack Kramer (Bill Pullman) plans to oer
male players much bigger prizes than the
female players, even though the womens
matches sell as many tickets as the mens.
Under the canny leadership of Gladys
Heldman (Sarah Silverman), King and
eight other top-ranked female players
(collectively called The Nine) divide
their time between working together to
promote the new circuit and competing
ercely on the court.
Billie Jeans devoted husband Larry
(Austin Stowell) is a fervent supporter
of his wifes career, but things begin to
change for the tennis star when she falls
in love with free-spirited hairdresser
Marilyn Barnett (Andrea Riseborough).
Things become even more complicated
when King catches the attention of
showman Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell), a
former tennis champion who is upset
with his low earnings on the seniors
tennis circuit. To prove that men are
superior to women, Riggs challenges
King to an exhibition match. She refuses,
but her Australian rival Margaret Court
(Jessica McNamee) takes Riggs up on his
oer. Court loses to Riggs and King feels
compelled to play Riggs.
The lm ends with the climactic
Battle of the Sexes between Riggs and
King at the Houston Astrodome. With
commentary by Howard Cosell and Kings
colleague Rosie Casals (Natalie Morales),
record-breaking television audiences
watched King soundly defeat Riggs in a
match that helped to spark signicant
social change.
Beaufoy weaves all these strands
together with amazing dexterity. He
depicts the triangle between Larry,
Marilyn and Billie Jean with great
sensitivity and an appreciation for the
S E PT E M B E R 22, 2017 41
EMMA STONE as Billie Jean King in Battle of the
Sexes.
PHOTO COURTESY FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES
sacrices both Larry and Marilyn are
willing to make to advance Billie Jeans
career and cause. He also presents the
troubled marriage between Riggs and
his long-suering wife Priscilla (Elisabeth
Shue) with admirable subtlety and
understanding. Beaufoy also oers a
clear picture of the complex world of
professional tennis so that everyone can
AIDA
easily the follow the action on and o the
court. The climatic match between Riggs
and King is riveting.
Emma Stone (La La Land and The
Birdman) is stunning as Billie Jean King;
the actress is physically transformed
by the pitch-perfect period costumes
by Mary Zophres and her strenuous
physical training with the real-life King
and a team of tennis coaches. Her erce
FREE SIMULCAST at Nationals Park
performance captures the staggering
physical and emotional toll the match Saturday, September 23, 2017 at 7 p.m.
took on King. She blazes with pride as she
and the other members of The Nine take
on the male tennis establishment and
Arrive early for family fun!
glows with passion as she discovers her Gates open at 5 p.m. for pre-opera activities
true sexual identity with Marilyn. Stones
King is fascinating; she is an unrelenting
competitor, a generous colleague, a
M&MS Ms. Brown Photo Ops for kids of all ages
shrewd negotiator, a passionate ghter
for equal rights and a dedicated tennis
Costume Dress-up Trunk Face Painting & Craft Table
player who automatically sacrices her The Warner Bros. cartoon Whats Opera, Doc?
personal life for the game. Performances by local artists Chances to win amazing prizes
Steve Carell (Little Miss Sunshine) Open Playground And much more!
creates a surprisingly sympathetic
portrait of Riggs, a born showman For more info, visit OperaintheOutfield.org
and huckster who is driven more by
his frantic need for attention than his
misogyny. Carell brings all of his well- Major support for WNO is provided by WNO acknowledges the longstanding generosity
honed physical comedy skills to the role; Jacqueline Badger Mars. of Life Chairman Mrs. Eugene B. Casey.
hes delightful when he recreates Riggs David and Alice Rubenstein are the WNOs Presenting Sponsor
Presenting Underwriters of WNO.
pre-game antics (which include playing
tennis when dressed as Little Bo Peep, Generous support for WNO Italian Opera is provided by Daniel and Gayle DAniello.
complete with sheep). Mars, Incorporated Opera in the Outfield is brought to you by the
M&MS Chocolate Candies and AMERICAN HERITAGE Chocolate Brands;
Louise Austin Remmey Trust, by JD Katz, P.C.; and the Washington Nationals.
CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
Photo of El Teatro de Danza Contemporanea by Dave Cunningham

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

42 S E PT E M B E R 22, 20 1 7 THEATER

OCT
CMYK

Grey:
OCT 6-7, 8PM
7, 2PM (family matinee)
Orange:
A bi Don Juan?
Out Spanish
playwright reimagines
C=0 C=0
M=2 SIDNEY HARMAN HALL
M=80
1 weekend. 19 companies.
Y=0
K=68
Y=95
K=0 legendary lothario
Starting at $18 per show.
Text is Century Gothic Bold and Century Gothic Regular.
By PATRICK FOLLIARD
Additional free events begin
each evening at 7:15pm.
At 20, author and playwright Nando
View participants and full schedule at
Lpez came out to his parents.
VelocityDC.org
When the conversation reached a very
Co-presented by the D.C. Commission on the dramatic moment, he says, there was
Arts and Humanities, the Shakespeare Theatre a pause and then my father said, Well,
Company, and Washington Performing Arts you were born on June 28 so it all makes
sense. My birthday is also gay Pride day
in Madrid, the city where I grew up. The
seriousness of the moment was lost
TICKETS: VelocityDC.org (202) 547-1122 and everything was just ne. I think they
For black backgrounds
already knew anyway. PHOTO COURTESY GALA
The grey becomes a K=40 Lpez certainly already knew. The
Playwright NANDO LOPEZ says all his plays
successful novel that he wrote as a have gay sensibility even when theres not a
teenager featured a gay protagonist and gay character.
his work has continued to have if not gay
characters then gay sensibilities.
From the start my sexuality has played Similarly, GALA gives me total freedom to
a part in my writing, says Lpez, 40. Its write what I want. If the adaptation works
impossible for it not to. Im gay and thats thats good and if it fails its my fault.
my way of experiencing love and life. Lpezs connection with GALA began
His ever-increasing body of work several years ago when director Jos
includes subsequent novels, theatrical Luis Arellano tapped him to write an
pieces and adaptations of classic Spanish adaptation of late gay playwright and
plays. Currently, Lopezs scintillating martyr Federico Garca Lorcas Yerma,
adaption of Jos Zorrillas Don Juan the gripping tale of a childless woman
Tenorio is playing at GALA Hispanic living in rural Spain. The production went
Theatre, the esteemed company housed on to win the 2016 Helen Hayes Award for
in a pleasingly renovated slice of the outstanding play.
historic Tivoli Theatre in Columbia Heights. Classic Spanish works involve many
Staged by out director Jos Carrasquillo, characters and complicated stories, he says.
the production features a compelling cast He respects the originals but looks for
led by Iker Lastra in the title role. their essence while rewriting, simplifying
When GALAs producing artistic director plot lines and streamlining casts. Like
Hugo Medrano asked Lpez to adapt Zorrillas play, Lpezs adaptation is also
Zorrillas 1844 play about the devious written in verse.
lothario who leaves a wake of destruction After his recent week-long stay in D.C.
in his path, Lpez was initially surprised. for the opening, Lpez has returned to
I have a problem with the title Madrid where he lives with his husband, a
character. I dont like him. I agreed to trained architect who works as a translator
write an adaption on condition that I for the European Union. Lpez is currently
could look into this classic and write nishing up his latest novel and awaiting
something personal. I changed the female the opening of The Age of Rage, his new
characters. I didnt want weak women. English language play that involves themes
Unlike Zorrillas version in which Don of racism, violence and homophobia
Juan nds religious redemption, here among 21st century teenagers.
Don Juan achieves redemption through Looking forward, Lpez hopes to continue
his conquest Doa Ins, endowing the his relationship with GALA and D.C.
teenage girl with power. I believe in GALAs work. Its a
Don Juan is complex. He primarily particularly important at this time to have
loves himself, but he pursues women a meeting place for Hispanic culture,
and shares a sexual attraction with his Lopez says. I thank GALA for that and
rival Don Luis (Peter Pereyra). Don Juan is for introducing me to Washington. In my
denitely bisexual. experience, its been an open minded and
Like many GALA oerings, Don Juan welcoming city.
is performed in Spanish with English
surtitles. And though Lpez speaks uent,
charmingly accented English, he didnt DON JUAN TENORIO
Through Oct. 1
write the plays English translation. GALA Hispanic Theatre
For me theater is a team eort, he 3333 14th St., N.W.
$30-45
says. When I hand the script over to the 202-234-7147
director, producer and actors, thats it. Galatheatre.org
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
S P O RTS
TOMMY SCIBILIA and SARA HEWITT have balanced career, swimming and competition in the D.C.
Aquatics Club.
All Stars: D.C. Aquatics Club
Swimmers from all
backgrounds nd
camaraderie in local group
By KEVIN MAJOROS
Two former college club swimmers,
one gay and one straight, from the
District of Columbia Aquatics Club are
featured this week in the ongoing All Star
series in the Washington Blade. The LGBT
sports community in D.C. has grown to
more than 7,000 athletes and has drawn
in both gay and straight competitors.
At the urging of his parents, Tommy
Scibilia played everything from baseball
to volleyball to soccer while he was
growing up in Fairax, Va. None of them
stuck until he started swimming year
around in the eighth grade. He swam all
four years in high school and when he
committed to attend the University of
Virginia, he had a decision to make.
I chose the club swimming route
which is part competitive and part social,
Scibilia says. Im glad that I did that
because a lot of the varsity swimmers
burn out. I still appreciate the sport and
want to continue to pursue it.
Though it may not be as intense as
NCAA swimming, college club swimming
is lled with athletes looking to challenge
themselves. Scibilia attended up to six
meets per school year at dierent schools
as well as the Collegiate Club Swimming
Championships at Georgia Tech.
After graduating with a masters
degree in urban and environmental
planning, Scibilia moved back to the area
in 2016 and works as a city planner in
Fairfax. One of his new roommates told
him about the LGBT-based D.C. Aquatics
and he joined a few months later.
Scibilia attended his rst meet with
his new teammates in Miami in May at
the International Gay & Lesbian World
Championships. He says the experience
could have been intimidating but his
teammates and past swimming races
helped him feel comfortable.
It comes back pretty fast when you are
up on the blocks again. You dont lose the
S E PT E M B E R 22, 2017 43
PHOTOS BY TOM PARK AND COURTESY HEWITT
spirit of it, Scibilia says. Im a little shy
and I wasnt sure what to expect being
new and younger, but everyone was
welcoming and really funny.
Coming up for Scibilia is the D.C.
Aquatics-hosted meet in October and
plans to attend his rst Gay Games
in Paris next year. He says the swim
meets are a good way to get to know
his teammates outside of the regular
practice routine.
I like the age range on D.C. Aquatics.
Its cool to know that people have been
swimming on this team for decades,
Scibilia says. I have a lot to look forward
to in the future.
Sara Hewitt was born in D.C. and
grew up in Glen Echo, Md. She swam in
September
the Montgomery County Swim League
from ages 5-18 along with swimming
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MADONNA performs in Stockholm on her massive Rebel Heart Tour.
Heart palpitations
New Madonna tour
DVD and live album
stronger than source
material that inspired it
By CHRIS GERARD
Madonnas last studio album, 2015s
Rebel Heart, was far from her best
work, but when it comes to the tour that
it launched nally out on DVD and live
album a year and a half after wrapping
the album itself hardly matters.
The Rebel Heart Tour was another
triumph for the pop icon, who has never
disappointed as a live performer. The
worldwide trek stretched for 82 shows
and 55 cities, raked in a cool $169.8
million and was viewed by more than a
million lucky fans.
Madonnas continued strength and
perseverance is inspiring to her fans and
should be even to those who dont care for
her music. Even her detractors cannot deny
that she has put in the work. She is tireless,
working hard to make sure her fans get the
most for their money and to make it an
experience they will never forget.
The just-released live CD and DVD were
lmed at the Allphones Arena on March
1920, 2016 in Sydney. The double CD
spans 22 songs and 100 minutes and for
the most parts its thoroughly entertaining.
The weakest aspect of the collection are the
nine songs from the Rebel Heart album,
although they do work marginally better
in a live setting than their underwhelming
studio versions. Its understandable that
she would highlight her most recent
album, but these songs will never stand
up along her best work and most of her
classic singles.
Of course, Madonna doesnt neglect
those hits and its fascinating as always to
hear which ones she decides to highlight.
She obviously cant play them all (unless
its gonna be an all-night show), so she
picks and chooses carefully, including
songs that havent appeared frequently
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
MU SI C
PHOTO COURTESY WIKIMEDIA
on prior tours. Madonna typically
splashes them with a modern sheen
and dierent arrangements, keeping the
much-played tunes fresh and keeping the
audiences guessing.
She cleverly adapts the 60s pop pastiche
True Blue into an acoustic singalong and
her early new wave dance classic Burning
Up features a blistering guitar solo. The
retro disco groove of Deeper and Deeper
is updated in electrifying fashion while
her sometimes overlooked classic La Isla
Bonita is kept more faithful to the original
but is still a highlight.
Madonna has reinvented Like a Virgin
numerous times over the years and this
time she goes with a minimalist club
beat so the audience can sing along
exuberantly. Dress You Up and Into
the Groove were both popular around
the same timeframe so it makes sense
that they are appended together in a
medley. She delivers a sizzling take on
her nal no. 1 single, 2000s Music, with
a irty throwback jazz intro that might
have been an interesting approach for
the entire song. The biggest surprise is
Candy Shop, the funky lead track from
her underrated 2008 album Hard Candy
it holds up nicely wedged between
much bigger hits.
Less eective is the modern take on
Material Girl, which saps the cheeky
charm of the original while accenting
its more annoying aspects (especially
those wretched background vocals).
Her take on the dith Piaf standard La
Vie en Rose doesnt quite get o the
ground, and a gruelingly long take on her
recent Unapologetic Bitch is eminently
skippable. The nale, though, is a strong
one-two punch of her rst major hit
Holiday and arguably her greatest
single Like a Prayer, which retains its
dramatic grandeur.
Of course, a CD and DVD will not
replace seeing the actual show in person,
but like all of the live album releases
Madonna has issued over the years (this
is her fth), they are excellent souvenirs.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
A D V I CE
Time to cut ties?
Sisters political views
grow tiresome for gay bro
MICHAEL RADKOWSKY, Psy.D. is a licensed
psychologist who works with gay individuals
and couples in D.C. He can be found online
at personalgrowthzone.com. All identifying
information has been changed for reasons
of condentiality. Have a question? Send it to
michaelradkowsky.com
Michael,
In a recent column you advocated
that someone might want to continue
having a relationship with their mother,
even though the mom voted for Trump
and wont take a stand against the
administrations anti-LGBT actions.
But when is enough enough?
My sister, a proud Republican, not
particularly religious, assured me
following the election that she was not
voting against me, just against Hillary.
That was of small comfort. I was
appalled by her support of a guy who
thinks and acts in the revolting and
dangerous ways Trump does and I was
horried by her misogynous thinking.
But I thought to myself that family
is family; while all of us see the world
dierently and hold dierent viewpoints,
it is important to get along.
This was my stance until last week
when I read that the Justice Department
is supporting the guy in the upcoming
Supreme Court case who didnt want to
bake a cake for a gay wedding, because
doing so oended his religious beliefs.
I brought up my unhappiness over
this to my sister. Yes, I have remained
disturbed by her vote and skeptical of her
support of gay rights, so I wanted to hear
where she stood.
To my disgust, my sister informed me
that she supports the DOJ move because
its all about religious freedom.
I dont want to have anything to do with
her anymore. Why should I talk to or stay
connected with a person who believes
I should be discriminated against and
clearly doesnt respect my own marriage?
I can foresee all sorts of complications,
such as the upcoming holiday gathering
at my parents (who are trying to stay
neutral, but thats another story). But
arent there some circumstances where
its OK not to have a relationship with
someone because their point of view is so
hateful? Even if that person is your sister?
S E PT E M B E R 22, 2017 45
MICHAEL REPLIES:
Of course none of us is under obligation
to speak, socialize or have anything to do
with someone who is in favor of our being
discriminated against.
And while refusing to talk with
someone were angry at or hurt by can
actually feel pretty great, there are a few
drawbacks to cutos.
First, although there is no guarantee,
sometimes we have the opportunity to
inuence other peoples thinking over
time by talking about our point of view
in a way that is neither too challenging
nor too confrontational. Of course, this
can be incredibly dicult to pull o when
the other person advocates for your
second- or third-class status. But if there
is no communication, changing another
persons mind or simply opening their
eyes to other ways of seeing an issue is
less likely.
Second, when you cut someone out of
your life, you often end up holding onto
a lot of anger going forward. When the
persons name comes up, when youre
both invited to the same social event,
when you cross paths all these are
opportunities to feel your rage over the
awful things the other person has done
that merit your not wanting to have
anything to do with them. So if youre
contemplating a cuto, you have to
consider whether you want to expend a
considerable amount of energy and brain
space on strong negative feelings for
years to come.
Third, as you note, things can get
complicated. Maybe youll miss being
with the rest of your family for the
holidays because you dont want to
sit across the table from your sister.
Maybe youll wind up having a troubled
relationship with your parents as they
feel caught in the middle between two
of their children, one of whom wont be
in the same room as the other. And if
you have any children and/or your sister
does, future generations of the family
will miss out on the opportunity to know
each other.
Consider, too, how realistic political
agreement is to you. Yes, these positions
can feel personal, but if your barometer for
friend and family interaction is total political
agreement, youll eventually whittle your
circle down to a very small group.
But this is your decision to make.
If you do cut her o, I hope for your sake
that youll nd a way to get past enough
of your anger that you dont keep feeling
furious whenever you think of your sister
or hear her name. Because that would
not be a great way to live.
4 6 S EPTE MB ER 22, 2017 W A SH I N G T O N BLA D E . CO M

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4 8 SEPTE MB ER 22, 2017 P H O T O S BY T O M H A U SMA N

The Point Foundation, an organization that provides scholarships and mentorships for LGBT students, held its annual Cornerstone Reception at Room & Board on Thursday, Sept. 14.
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