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JANUARY 22, 2015

METROWEEKLY.COM

METROWEEKLY.COM

JANUARY 22, 2015

EDITORIAL
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Randy Shulman

JANUARY 22, 2015

Volume 21 / Issue 37

ART DIRECTOR
Todd Franson
POLITICAL EDITOR
Justin Snow
NEWS & BUSINESS EDITOR
John Riley

NEWS

SCOTUS: GAME ON
by Justin Snow

OBAMAS HISTORIC STATE OF THE UNION

ASSISTANT EDITOR
Rhuaridh Marr
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Doug Rule

by Justin Snow

SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHERS
Ward Morrison, Julian Vankim

10

VIRGINIAS STILL NOT FOR EQUALS

by John Riley

CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR
Scott G. Brooks

13

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

16

AGENT OF CHANGE

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Christian Gerard, Brandon Harrison, Will OBryan
Troy Petenbrink, Kate Wingfield
WEBMASTER
David Uy

FEATURE

After a year as the head of GLAAD, Sarah

Kate Ellis looks to close the culture gap
between equality and acceptance
Interview by Justin Snow

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
Julian Vankim

SALES & MARKETING

PUBLISHER
Randy Shulman
BRAND STRATEGY & MARKETING
Christopher Cunetto
Cunetto Creative
NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE
Rivendell Media Co.
212-242-6863
DISTRIBUTION MANAGER
Dennis Havrilla
EDITOR EMERITUS
Sean Bugg

OUT ON THE TOWN

22

SELFIE EXPRESSION
by Doug Rule

FILM

28

DEFENSE MECHANISM
by Rhuaridh Marr

HOME

30

HOME IMPROVEMENT
by Doug Rule

TECH

32

PLUS POINTS
by Rhuaridh Marr

PATRON SAINT
Jodie Dallas

NIGHTLIFE

35

SCENE

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JANUARY 22, 2015

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BARES 6TH ANNIVERSARY AT COBALT

photography by Christopher Cunetto

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY
Courtesy of GLAAD

42

MID-ATLANTIC LEATHER WEEKEND

by Doug Rule
photography by Todd Franson
and Ward Morrison

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LAST WORD

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JANUARY 22, 2015

LGBT

News

Now online at MetroWeekly.com

Fair Housing Bill Dies in Va. Senate
Hate Crimes Vote Postponed

Game On

The U.S. Supreme Court will rule on same-sex couples right to marry
by Justin Snow
Illustration by Scott G. Brooks

HE U.S. SUPREME COURT

will take up cases challenging same-sex marriage bans
in four states, once again presenting to the justices the question of a
constitutional right to marry and setting
the stage for a ruling on same-sex couples right to marry later this year.
In an order released Jan. 16, the
nations highest court agreed to consol6

JANUARY 22, 2015

METROWEEKLY.COM

idate four cases challenging same-sex

marriage bans in Kentucky, Michigan,
Ohio and Tennessee and address two
questions presented by the cases: Does
the Fourteenth Amendment require
a state to license a marriage between
two people of the same sex? Does the
Fourteenth Amendment require a state
to recognize a marriage between two
people of the same sex when their marriage was lawfully licensed and performed out-of-state?
Oral arguments will be scheduled,
likely in April, to allot a total of 90 minutes to the first question and one hour to

the second question. The briefs of petitioners are to be filed on or before 2 p.m.,
Friday, Feb. 27. The briefs of respondents
are to be filed on or before 2 p.m., Friday,
March 27. The reply briefs are to be filed
on or before 2 p.m., Friday, April 17.
A decision from the high court will be
handed down in June.
The Supreme Courts decision to take
up the cases comes after a 2-1 decision
handed down Nov. 6 by the 6th Circuit
Court of Appeals that upheld same-sex
marriages bans in the four states, breaking with other federal appeals courts that
have considered the issue and creating

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JANUARY 22, 2015

LGBTNews
a split among the circuit courts. The
Supreme Court was asked to consider
all four state marriage bans by plaintiffs
in the four cases. With the exception of
Tennessee, all of the states defending
those respective bans have agreed the
court should hear the cases.
Four of the nine Supreme Court justices must vote to hear a case in order
for writ of certiorari to be granted.
The breakdown of those votes are not
released by the court, nor the justices
reasons for granting or denying a petition to hear a case. Earlier last week,
the justices declined to take up a case
challenging Louisianas ban on same-sex
marriage before a federal appeals court
has rendered judgement.
This isnt the first time the justices
have been presented with the opportunity to consider state bans on same-sex
marriage. In October, the court surprised
marriage-equality advocates and opponents alike when they declined to hear
cases challenging same-sex marriage
bans in five states Utah, Oklahoma,
Virginia, Indiana and Wisconsin thus
allowing lower court decisions legalizing
marriage equality in those states to stand.
Because the Supreme Court left intact

rulings by the 4th Circuit, 7th Circuit and

10th Circuit Courts of Appeals striking
down same-sex marriage bans in those
five states, the appeals courts decisions
applied to six other states in those three
circuits: West Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Kansas, Colorado and
Wyoming. As a result of that action, the
Supreme Court doubled the number of
marriage-equality states.
In March 2013, the Supreme Court
considered the issue of a constitutional
right to marry in the Proposition 8 case,
but later dismissed the case due to defendants lack of standing to bring the case.
However, since the Supreme Courts
June 2013 decision in Windsor, which
struck down Section 3 of the Defense
of Marriage Act defining marriage as
between a man and a woman, federal and
state courts across the country have been
in near universal agreement that state
bans on same-sex marriage violate the
U.S. Constitution. Following the arrival
of marriage equality to Florida last week,
approximately 70 percent of the nations
population 216 million Americans
lives in one of 36 states, plus D.C., that
permit same-sex marriage.
Marriage has returned to the U.S.

Obamas Historic
State of the Union
The president declares marriage equality a civil right

by Justin Snow

PEAKING TO A NATIONAL
audience Tuesday night during
his annual State of the Union
address, President Barack
Obama described same-sex couples right
to marry as a civil right.
Ive seen something like gay marriage go from a wedge issue used to drive
us apart to a story of freedom across our
country, a civil right now legal in states
that seven in ten Americans call home,
Obama said to a standing ovation from the
Democratic side of the chamber. Obamas
declaration that marriage equality is a
civil right, and presumably one that samesex couples nationwide are guaranteed,
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METROWEEKLY.COM

marks one of Obamas most forceful statements on the issue to date and comes at
a time when same-sex marriage is once
again the focus of national attention.
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court
agreed to hear a consolidated case challenging same-sex marriage bans in four
states Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and
Tennessee and address whether the
14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
prohibits states from banning same-sex
marriage or recognition of same-sex
marriages legally performed elsewhere.
Obamas affirmation that marriage equality is a civil right was made as five or
perhaps even six of the Supreme Court
justices most likely to rule in favor of
same-sex marriage sat mere feet away.
Sitting in the front row were Chief

Supreme Court faster than virtually any

other issue in American history, and
theres a simple reason for thatcommitted and loving gay and lesbian couples, their children, and the fair-minded American people refuse to wait a
single day longer, said Human Rights
Campaign President Chad Griffin in a
statement.
Following the announcement by
the Supreme Court, outgoing Attorney
General Eric Holder reaffirmed earlier
statements that the Obama administration will weigh in on the cases. As these
cases proceed, the Department of Justice
will remain committed to ensuring that
the benefits of marriage are available as
broadly as possible. And we will keep
striving to secure equal treatment for all
members of societyregardless of sexual
orientation, Holder said in a statement.
As such, we expect to file a friend of the
court brief in these cases that will urge
the Supreme Court to make marriage
equality a reality for all Americans. It is
time for our nation to take another critical step forward to ensure the fundamental equality of all Americansno matter
who they are, where they come from, or
whom they love. l
Justice John Roberts and Justices
Anthony Kennedy, Ruth Bader Ginsburg,
Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and
Elena Kagan. The courts more conservative members Justices Samuel Alito,
Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas
did not attend the speech. Kennedy
is the author of three of the Supreme
Courts most important gay rights opinions, the latest being the 2013 Windsor
decision, which struck down the federal
governments definition of marriage as
between a man and a woman. Although
considered a member of the courts conservative wing, some have speculated
whether Roberts could be convinced to
rule in favor of marriage equality.
What was striking to me was to stand
up to applaud his comments, said out
Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.). I swelled
up with pride when he mentioned marriage equality and the momentum it had
across the country, but looked at the
Republican side of the chamber and the
stony, arms-crossed attitude was I cant
say I was surprised. Let me just say I was
disappointed that theyre clinging to this
as a wedge issue.
Sen. Rob Portman (Ohio), one of
four Senate Republicans to openly support marriage equality, told reporters

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LGBTNews
he agreed with Obamas remarks on
marriage equality. Portman has said he
believes same-sex marriage should be
left up to the states, and when asked if
he supports same-sex marriage litigation
before the Supreme Court, he responded,
I support the democratic process working, and I think it is working.
Obamas declaration that marriage
equality is a civil right comes after his
outgoing attorney general, Eric Holder,
reaffirmed last week that the Justice
Department would file a brief urging
the Supreme Court to make marriage
equality a reality for all Americans. The
Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments in April with a decision handed
down in June. More than 70 percent of
Americans live in one of the 36 states,
plus D.C., that permit same-sex marriage.
Obama also made history as the
first president to spell out bisexual and
transgender in LGBT during a State of
the Union address. As Americans, we
respect human dignity, even when were
threatened, Obama said. Thats why
we defend free speech, and advocate for
political prisoners, and condemn the persecution of women, or religious minor-

ities, or people who are lesbian, gay,

bisexual, or transgender. We do these
things not only because theyre right, but
because they make us safer.
The president articulated a vision in
which future generations know that we
are a people who see our differences as
a great gift, that we are a people who
value dignity and worth of every citizen,
including those who are gay.
On and off of Capitol Hill, LGBT advocates were enthusiastic in their praise of
Obamas speech, which comes as two
years remain in his presidency.
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), who has
vowed to introduce comprehensive LGBT
civil rights bill this Congress, praised
Obamas remarks. Im very pleased that
he brought the discussion about equality
and opportunity right into the heart of
the American living room tonight to say
that this is the right thing for our nation,
its the right thing for individuals and
for our vision of fairness, Merkley told
Metro Weekly. Merkley hopes the comprehensive LGBT nondiscrimination bill
will be introduced by April or May.
Although Mara Keisling, executive
director of Transgender Equality, said the

Virginias Still
Not for Equals
Even though same-sex couples can wed, the commonwealth is
dragging its feet on LGBT rights issues
by John Riley

HEN MARRIAGE equality came to the commonwealth last fall, it seemed,

at least briefly, as if lawmakers would adapt to the new reality
and become more amenable to passing
other pieces of pro-LGBT legislation. But,
for the bulk of Republicans in the Virginia
House of Delegates, it appears as if none
of the facts on the ground have changed
since last year.
Nonetheless, LGBT advocates, progressive groups and legislative allies, led
by the commonwealths top LGBT rights
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JANUARY 22, 2015

METROWEEKLY.COM

organization Equality Virginia, are pushing at least 21 pieces of pro-LGBT legislation with bipartisan support. These
bills would do everything, from remove
Virginias statutory and constitutional
bans (since declared unconstitutional by
a federal circuit court) denying recognition to any form of same-sex relationship,
to prohibiting discrimination in public
employment. LGBT allies have also started to organize against two bills proposed
by Del. Bob Marshall (D-Manassas Park,
Sudley, Bull Run), one that prohibits agencies of the commonwealth from requiring
contractors to agree to any nondiscrimination agreements that cover sexual orientation or gender identity, and another

Obama administrations advancement

of policies that have improved the lives
of transgender people in years without
a mention in the State of the Union are
far more important, Obamas remarks
are heartening. But make no mistake,
the President of the United States condemning persecution against transgender people is pivotal. It will empower
trans people to stand taller and work
harder to improve this country for all
people, Keisling said in a statement.
The president acknowledges marriage as a civil right to a standing ovation
from members of Congress, Fred Sainz,
vice president of the Human Rights
Campaign, said in an email. And for the
first time in a State of the Union speech,
he refers to our bisexual and transgender
brothers and sisters. It should not go
unnoticed that he also lends his voice
to supporting LGBT people across the
world struggling against tyranny and
oppression.
Added Sainz, Its amazing to believe
that eleven years ago this very night,
President George W. Bush launched his
war on marriage equality. Weve come a
long way, baby. l
that would create a so-called conscience
clause exemption for individuals or businesses that undergo state certification,
registration or licensing, allowing them to
cite religious or moral objections in refusing to perform, assist, or participate in any
action that could be seen as condoning
either same-sex marriage or homosexual
behavior.
Equality Virginia Executive Director
James Parrish has, during previous legislative sessions, noted that polling consistently reveals that most Virginians
already think that Virginia law protects LGBT people from discrimination.
During a press conference Tuesday morning to tout Equality Virginia-backed bills,
Parrish again highlighted that most people are just unaware of the status of LGBT
rights in the commonwealth.
Even as Virginians continue to celebrate the freedom to marry, it is important to remember that LGBT Virginians
are still discriminated against every
day, Parrish said. For example, many
people are surprised to learn that LGBT
Virginians can be fired from their job simply because of who they are.
Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D), who
expressed support for LGBT rights in
his 2013 election campaign, has recently

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LGBTNews
unveiled an Equal Opportunity legislative agenda in which he advocates
for a host of progressive policies, most
notably, for LGBT rights supporters, a
proposal that all sections of the Code
of Virginia with gender-specific terms
such as man and woman or husband
and wife be changed to the genderneutral spouse. Sen. Adam Ebbin
(D-Alexandria, Arlington, Belle Haven)
has patroned SB1211, a bill that would
do exactly what McAuliffe has proposed
with respect to gender-specific references. That bill is scheduled to be heard
Monday, Jan. 26. There are two similar
measures in the House, one, patroned by
Del. Marcus Simon (D-Falls Church City,
Merrifield, Pimmit Hills), nearly identical to Ebbins legislation and another, by
Del. Rip Sullivan (D-McLean, Arlington)
that calls for a study of how best to revise
gender-specific references in light of
the overturn of Virginias bans on samesex nuptials. A number of other bills,
patroned by at least five LGBT-friendly
lawmakers in both chambers, also seek
to repeal the underlying statutory and
constitutional bans whose overturn was
upheld by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of
Appeals last year.
Advocates most important priority this session, as in previous years, is a
push to prohibit discrimination in public
employment based on sexual orientation or gender identity. In the Senate,
Sen. Don McEachin (D-Richmond City,
Ashland, Charles City) has patroned
SB785, a bill that would do just that. In
a surprise move, the Senate Committee
on General Laws and Technology voted
on the measure during a Jan. 19 meeting, where the bill almost died when
it deadlocked 7-7 in committee after a
Democratic senator was absent from the
hearing and had not designated a proxy
to vote on his behalf. But quick-thinking
allies on the committee managed to get
the measure passed by immediately
after the vote, thereby prolonging the
bills life and allowing supporters of nondiscrimination legislation another chance
to organize themselves ahead of a Jan. 26
committee meeting, in hopes of passing
the measure. If all senators are accounted
for, the bill should pass out of committee
on an 8-7 vote. Then, passage in the full
Senate would require all 19 Democrats in
the upper chamber to be present and vote
in favor of the measure, and gain the support of at least one Republican in order to
create a 20-20 tie that could then be broken by Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam, an LGBT
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JANUARY 22, 2015

METROWEEKLY.COM

rights supporter. The bill has already

received support from Sen. Jill Holtzman
Vogel (R-Upperville, Winchester, Aldie,
Jeffersonton) in committee. Vogel previously told Metro Weekly she opposes
discrimination in any form and intends
to vote for the bill, both in committee and
on the floor.
At Tuesdays Equality Virginia press
conference, McEachin expressed hope
that his legislation would surmount any
obstacles that opponents try to throw in
its way.
I am confident that next week we
will do the right thing and support this
nondiscrimination bill when it comes
before the committee, McEachin said.
All Virginians deserve equal opportunity, justice and fairness. Employees should
be able to be confident that their performance on the job is the only standard by
which they are evaluated.
In the House, Del. Ron Villanueva
(R-Virginia Beach, Chesapeake) and
Del. Ken Plum (D-Reston) have both
introduced identical workplace nondiscrimination bills that are similar to
McEachins legislation. Villanueva has
also introduced a bill to study the frequency and occurrence of discrimination in housing, while Simon has proposed a bill to make it illegal to discriminate in housing against prospective buyers or tenants based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Sadly, a similar
bill in the Senate, SB917, patroned by
Sen. Jennifer Wexton (D-Leesburg,
Sterling, Herndon) deadlocked in committee 7-7, on Jan. 19, effectively killing
it for the session.
But Wextons legislation has not been
the only pro-LGBT bill killed since the
legislative session started less than a
week ago. Also going down to defeat on
the first day of the session was a measure
by Sen. Barbara Favola (D-Arlington,
McLean, Potomac Falls) that would
have added bias-motivated crimes committed against people because of their
sexual orientation or gender identification to the definition of what constitutes
a hate crime. Favolas bill would have
required local law enforcement officials
to collect data on bias-motivated antiLGBT crimes and report them to the
Department of State Police, who would
then collect and analyze data to help
predict, track and combat such crimes.
It failed in committee, 6-7. In the House,
Del. Sullivan has introduced an identical measure, HB1494, which is slated to
be voted upon by a subcommittee next

Monday, Jan. 26. Sullivan told Metro

Weekly that Virginia already reports suspected anti-LGBT hate crimes to the FBI,
but Virginias statutes have not caught up
with police procedure.
What I dont want is a knee-jerk
reaction just because this bill mentions
sexual orientation or gender identity,
Sullivan said. This is as much a law
enforcement bill as an LGBT bill.
Other pro-LGBT initiatives championed this session include a secondparent adoption bill patroned by Sen.
Janet Howell (D-Reston, Tysons Corner,
Arlington) and two bills, one by Del.
Patrick Hope (D-Arlington) and another
by Sen. Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth,
Sussex, Franklin, Emporia) that would
seek to ban the practice on minors under
the age of 18 of so-called reparative or
conversion therapy that seeks to change
a persons sexual orientation or gender
identity.
Yet, even amid the flurry of bills being
introduced, LGBT advocates and allies
are realistic about the bills prospects.
Most bills have a better chance of passing the closely divided Senate, which
is split 21-19 between Republicans and
Democrats, than the House of Delegates,
where Republicans, led by Speaker Bill
Howell (R-Fredericksburg, Stafford,
Aquia Harbor) control the chamber
67-32-1 over Democrats and a liberalleaning independent.
This is still a tough battle to wage in
the House of Delegates, said Sen. Ebbin,
the Alexandria Democrat and former
House member who is the chief patron
of three pro-LGBT bills this session. The
biggest stumbling block is what committee [bills] go to.
Equality Virginias Parrish said he
expects all pro-LGBT bills will eventually be blocked by the House of Delegates.
Notably, 2015 is an election year for
Virginia legislative office holders, which
may leave some GOP delegates reticent
to support any LGBT-related bills due to
fears of primary challenge. Nonetheless,
Parrish says there can be no ambiguity
when it comes to equal treatment under
the law.
At the end of the day, you are either
for discrimination or you are against it,
Parrish said. It is unfortunate that many
members in the House are so comfortable standing up for discrimination. Even
as the majority of Virginians believe in
LGBT equality and nondiscrimination,
the House of Delegates continues to stand
in the way of meaningful change. l

LGBTCommunityCalendar
Metro Weeklys Community Calendar highlights important events in
the D.C.-area LGBT community, from alternative social events to
volunteer opportunities. Event information should be sent by email to
calendar@MetroWeekly.com. Deadline for inclusion is noon
of the Friday before Thursdays publication. Questions about
the calendar may be directed to the Metro Weekly office at
202-638-6830 or the calendar email address.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 24
The AMERICAN MILITARY PARTNER
ASSOCIATION presents the first of a two-part
web seminar for LGBT military families on how
to navigate the process of filing both federal
and state taxes. 1-3 p.m. For more information,
contact Dr. Lori Hensic, AMPAs director of
research and policy, lori@militarypartners.org.
To register, visit attendee.gotowebinar.com/
register/8930375t641482726657.

BURGUNDY CRESCENT, a gay volunteer organization, volunteers today for Food & Friends. To
participate, visit burgundycrescent.org.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 22

FRIDAY, JANUARY 23

GAYS AND LESBIANS OPPOSING VIOLENCE

(GLOV), a group seeking to combat hate crimes and

GAY MARRIED MENS ASSOCIATION (GAMMA)

other anti-LGBT violence, meets at The DC Center.

7-8:30 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more
information, visit glovdc.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice session at
Takoma Aquatic Center, 300 Van Buren St. NW.
7:30-9 p.m. swimdcac.org.

DC LAMBDA SQUARES gay and lesbian squaredancing group features mainstream through
advanced square dancing at the National City
Christian Church, 5 Thomas Circle NW, 7-9:30 p.m.
Casual dress. 301-257-0517, dclambdasquares.org.
The DULLES TRIANGLES Northern Virginia social
group meets for happy hour at Sheraton in Reston,
11810 Sunrise Valley Drive, second-floor bar, 7-9
p.m. All welcome. dullestriangles.com.

HIV TESTING at Whitman-Walker Health. The

Elizabeth Taylor Medical Center, 1701 14th St. NW,

9 a.m.-5 p.m. At the Max Robinson Center, 2301
MLK Jr. Ave. SE, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Call 202-7457000. Visit whitman-walker.org.

IDENTITY offers free and confidential HIV testing

in Gaithersburg, 414 East Diamond Ave., and in

Takoma Park, 7676 New Hampshire Ave., Suite 411.
Walk-ins 2-6 p.m. For appointments other hours,
call Gaithersburg, 301-300-9978, or Takoma Park,
301-422-2398.

METROHEALTH CENTER offers free, rapid HIV

testing. Appointment needed. 1012 14th St. NW,
Suite 700. 202-638-0750.

SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-5 p.m., by

appointment and walk-in, for youth 21 and younger.

202-567-3155 or testing@smyal.org.

US HELPING US hosts a Narcotics Anonymous

Meeting, 6:30-7:30 p.m., 3636 Georgia Ave. NW.

The group is independent of UHU. 202-446-1100.

WOMENS LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE for young

LBTQ women, 13-21, interested in leadership development. 5-6:30 p.m. SMYAL Youth Center, 410 7th
St. SE. 202-567-3163, catherine.chu@smyal.org.

is a confidential support group for men who are

gay, bisexual, questioning and who are married
or involved with a woman, that meets regularly in
Dupont Circle. The group also meets in Northern
Virginia and Maryland. 7:30-9:30 p.m. For more
information, visit gammaindc.org.

WOMEN IN THEIR TWENTIES, a social discussion

and activity group for LBT women, meets on the

second and fourth Fridays of each month. 8-9:30
p.m. 2000 14th St. NWm Suite 105. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS
ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURAL HEALTH offers
free HIV testing, 9-5 p.m., and HIV services (by
appointment). 202-291-4707, andromedatransculturalhealth.org.

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice session

at Hains Point, 927 Ohio Dr. SW. 6:30-8 p.m. Visit

swimdcac.org.

GAY DISTRICT holds facilitated discussion for

GBTQ men, 18-35, first and third Fridays. 8:30 p.m.

The DC Center, 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. 202682-2245, gaydistrict.org.

HIV TESTING at Whitman-Walker Health,

Elizabeth Taylor Medical Center, 1701 14th St. NW,

9 a.m.-5 p.m. 202-745-7000, whitman-walker.org.

METROHEALTH CENTER offers free, rapid HIV

testing. Appointment needed. 1012 14th St. NW,
Suite 700. 202-638-0750.

PROJECT STRIPES hosts LGBT-affirming social

group for ages 11-24. 4-6 p.m. 1419 Columbia Road

NW. Contact Tamara, 202-319-0422, layc-dc.org.

SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-6 p.m., by

appointment and walk-in, for youth 21 and younger.
Youth Center, 410 7th St. SE. 202-567-3155, testing@smyal.org.
SMYALS REC NIGHT provides a social atmo-

sphere for GLBT and questioning youth, featuring

dance parties, vogue nights, movies and games.
More info, catherine.chu@smyal.org.

CHRYSALIS arts & culture group and

ADVENTURING outdoors group co-sponsor guided

walking tour of Petersburg (Va.) battlefield south of

Richmond. Bring beverages, lunch, winter-worthy
boots and about $20 for fees, plus funds for dinner
in Fredericksburg on the way home. Carpool at 9
a.m. from King Street Metro Station; meet inside
by station attendants kiosk. Craig, 202-462-0535.
adventuring.org.

HIV STRATEGY MEETING for long-term HIV

survivors to collaborate with similar groups in other
cities to focus on combating HIV. 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information,
visit thedccenter.org.
MILITARY PARTNERS AND FAMILIES
COALITION hosts a clean-up of wreaths at

Arlington National Cemetery. 8 a.m.-3 p.m. No

formal sign-up or registration. Metro use encouraged if possible. Volunteer briefing at Memorial
Amphitheater at 8:45 a.m. Bring sticks, poles,
ropes, rakes or other tools to help carry multiple
wreaths. Dress appropriately, including gloves and
waterproof footwear. Questions, contact Jodi Davis,
jodi@milpfc.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS
BET MISHPACHAH, founded by members of the
LGBT community, holds Saturday morning Shabbat
services, 10 a.m., followed by Kiddush luncheon.
Services in DCJCC Community Room, 1529 16th St.
NW. betmish.org.
BRAZILIAN GLBT GROUP, including others interested in Brazilian culture, meets. For location/time,
email braziliangaygroup@yahoo.com.
DC FRONT RUNNERS running/walking/social

club welcomes all levels for exercise in a fun and

supportive environment, socializing afterward.
Meet 9:30 a.m., 23rd & P Streets NW, for a walk; or
10 a.m. for fun run. dcfrontrunners.org.

DC SENTINELS basketball team meets at Turkey

Thicket Recreation Center, 1100 Michigan Ave. NE,

2-4 p.m. For players of all levels, gay or straight.
teamdcbasketball.org.

DIGNITY NORTHERN VIRGINIA sponsors Mass

for LGBT community, family and friends. 6:30 p.m.,
Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill, 3606 Seminary
Road, Alexandria. All welcome. For more info, visit
dignitywashington.org.
GAY LANGUAGE CLUB discusses critical languages and foreign languages. 7 p.m. Nellies, 900 U St.
NW. RVSP preferred. brendandarcy@gmail.com.
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13

LGBTCommunityCalendar
SUNDAY, JANUARY 25

org. To register, visit attendee.gotowebinar.com/

register/8930375t641482726657.

ADVENTURING outdoors group sponsors moder-

BURGUNDY CRESCENT, a gay volunteer organi-

Telegraph Road, Alexandria. hopeucc.org.

Join LINCOLN CONGREGATIONAL TEMPLE
UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST for an inclusive,
loving and progressive faith community every
Sunday. 11 a.m. 1701 11th Street NW, near R in
Shaw/Logan neighborhood. lincolntemple.org.

ate 9-mile hike from Teddy Roosevelt Island to

Bethesda via the paved Capital Crescent Trail. Bring
beverages, lunch, $2 trip fee. Meet at 9:30 a.m. by
station attendants kiosk inside the Rosslyn Metro
Station. Jay, 415-203-7498. adventuring.org.

zation, volunteers today for Lost Dog & Cat Rescue

Foundation in Potomac Yards. To participate, visit
burgundycrescent.org.

The AMERICAN MILITARY PARTNER

ASSOCIATION presents the second half of a
two-part web seminar for LGBT military families
on how to navigate the process of filing both federal and state taxes. 6-8 p.m. For more information, contact Dr. Lori Hensic, AMPAs director
of research and policy, lori@militarypartners.

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF

CHRIST welcomes all to 10:30 a.m. service, 945 G

Rev. Onetta Brooks. Childrens Sunday School, 11

a.m. 10383 Democracy Lane, Fairfax. 703-691-0930,
mccnova.com.

HOPE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST welcomes

NATIONAL CITY CHRISTIAN CHURCH, inclusive

church with GLBT fellowship, offers gospel worship,
8:30 a.m., and traditional worship, 11 a.m. 5 Thomas
Circle NW. 202-232-0323, nationalcitycc.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS

St. NW. firstuccdc.org or 202-628-4317.

GLBT community for worship. 10:30 a.m., 6130 Old

METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH OF

NORTHERN VIRGINIA services at 11 a.m., led by

ST. STEPHEN AND THE INCARNATION, an

interracial, multi-ethnic Christian Community

offers services in English, 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., and
in Spanish at 5:15 p.m. 1525 Newton St. NW. 202232-0900, saintstephensdc.org.

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF

SILVER SPRING invites LGBTQ families and indi-

viduals of all creeds and cultures to join the church.

Services 9:15 and 11:15 a.m. 10309 New Hampshire
Ave. uucss.org.

MONDAY, JANUARY 26
CENTER FAITH, a group of The DC Center for

LGBT-friendly religious groups and allies, meets

to help plan this years Capital Pride Interfaith
Service. 7:30-9 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105.
For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

CENTER MILITARY, a group composed of LGBT

veterans, service members and their families
(VMF), currently in the process of planning D.C.s
first LGBT VMF conference for May 2015, meets
on the fourth Monday of every month. 7-8:30 p.m.
2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. RSVP, Eric Perez, 202682-2245 or eric.perez@thedccenter.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS
Michael Brazell teaches BEARS DO YOGA, a program of The DC Center. 6:30 p.m., Green Lantern,
1335 Green Court NW. No cost, newcomers welcome. 202-682-2245, thedccenter.org.

DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds practice, 6:30-8:30

p.m. Garrison Elementary, 1200 S St. NW. dcscandals.wordpress.com.

METROHEALTH CENTER offers free, rapid HIV

testing. No appointment needed. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. 1012

14th St. NW, Suite 700. 202-638-0750.
The DC Center hosts COFFEE DROP-IN FOR THE
SENIOR LGBT COMMUNITY. 10 a.m.-noon. 2000
14th St. NW. 202-682-2245, thedccenter.org.

14

JANUARY 22, 2015

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LGBTCommunityCalendar
WASHINGTON WETSKINS Water Polo Team
practices 7-9 p.m. Takoma Aquatic Center, 300 Van
Buren St. NW. Newcomers with at least basic swimming ability always welcome. Tom, 703-299-0504,
secretary@wetskins.org, wetskins.org.

SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-5 p.m., by

appointment and walk-in, for youth 21 and younger.
Youth Center, 410 7th St. SE. 202-567-3155, testing@smyal.org.
SUPPORT GROUP FOR LGBTQ YOUTH ages 13-21

TUESDAY, JANUARY 27
GENDERQUEER DC DISCUSSION GROUP, for

those that identify outside the gender binary, meets

at The DC Center. 7-9 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite
105. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

WEEKLY EVENTS
ASIANS AND FRIENDS weekly dinner in Dupont/
Logan Circle area, 6:30 p.m. afwash@aol.com,
afwashington.net.
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice session at
Takoma Aquatic Center, 300 Van Buren St. NW.
7:30-9 p.m. swimdcac.org.

THE GAY MENS HEALTH COLLABORATIVE

offers free HIV/STI screening every 2nd and 4th

Tuesday. 5-6:30 p.m. Rainbow Tuesday LGBT
Clinic, Alexandria Health Department, 4480 King
St. 703-321-2511, james.leslie@inova.org.

OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS-LGBT focused meeting every Tuesday at 7 p.m. St. Georges Episcopal
Church, 915 Oakland Ave., Arlington, just steps
from Virginia Square Metro. For more information,
call Dick, 703-521-1999 or Gretchen, 703-307-9517.
Handicapped accessible. Newcomers welcome.

meets at SMYAL, 410 7th St. SE, 5-6:30 p.m. Cathy

Chu, 202-567-3163, catherine.chu@smyal.org.

US HELPING US hosts a support group for black

gay men 40 and older. 7-9 p.m., 3636 Georgia Ave.
NW. 202-446-1100.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28
The DC Centers HIV PREVENTION WORKING
GROUP holds a planning meeting. 7-9 p.m. 2000
14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit
thedccenter.org.

THE LAMBDA BRIDGE CLUB meets for Duplicate

Bridge. 7:30 p.m. Dignity Center, 721 8th St SE,

across from Marine Barrack. No reservation needed.
703-407-6540 if you need a partner.

WEEKLY EVENTS
AD LIB, a group for freestyle conversation, meets
about 7:45 p.m., covered-patio area of Cosi, 1647
20th St. NW. All welcome. Jamie, 703-892-8567.
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice session

at Hains Point, 927 Ohio Dr. SW. 7-8:30 p.m. Visit

swimdcac.org.

DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds practice, 6:30-8:30

p.m. Garrison Elementary, 1200 S St. NW. dcscandals.wordpress.com.

HISTORIC CHRIST CHURCH offers Wednesday

worship 7:15 a.m. and 12:05 p.m. All welcome. 118 N.
Washington St., Alexandria. 703-549-1450, historicchristchurch.org.
IDENTITY offers free and confidential HIV testing
in Gaithersburg, 414 East Diamond Ave. Walkins 2-7 p.m. For appointments other hours, call
Gaithersburg at 301-300-9978.

JOB CLUB, a weekly support program for job

entrants and seekers, meets at The DC Center. 2000

14th St. NW, Suite 105. 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. More info,
www.centercareers.org.

METROHEALTH CENTER offers free, rapid HIV

testing. No appointment needed. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. 1012

14th St. NW, Suite 700. 202-638-0750.

NOVASALUD offers free HIV testing. 11 a.m.2 p.m. 2049 N. 15th St., Suite 200, Arlington.
Appointments: 703-789-4467.

PRIME TIMERS OF DC, social club for mature gay

men, hosts weekly happy hour/dinner. 6:30 p.m.,
Windows Bar above Dupont Italian Kitchen, 1637
17th St. NW. Carl, 703-573-8316.
Whitman-Walker Health offers confidential
HIV TESTING. D.C.: Elizabeth Taylor Medical
Center, 1701 14th St. NW, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. At the Max
Robinson Center, 2301 MLK Jr. Ave. SE, 9 a.m.-4:30
p.m. 202-745-7000, whitman-walker.org. l

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Agent of
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After a year as the head of GLAAD, Sarah Kate Ellis looks to

close the culture gap between equality and acceptance

Interview by Justin Snow

PHOTOS COURTESY OF GLAAD

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OR SARAH KATE ELLIS, TWO COVERS OF TIME MAGAZINE

ONE from the birth of the gay rights movement, the other from
the height of the culture wars of the 1990s sum up how far LGBT
people have come in their portrayals by the media.
In 1966, Time published a cover story titled The Homosexual in
America. The story explored the prevalence of gay people in every
walk of life, all while framing homosexuality as a disease. It is a pathetic little second-rate substitute for reality, a pitiable flight from life, the story stated. As such
it deserves fairness, compassion, understanding and, when possible, treatment. But
it deserves no encouragement, no glamorization, no rationalization, no fake status
as minority martyrdom, no sophistry about simple differences in taste and, above
all, no pretense that it is anything but a pernicious sickness.
If anything, the story was a clear demonstration of just how much work needed
to be done to properly tell the story of gay people to their fellow Americans. Thirty
years later, in 1997, times, and Time, had changed. Although gay people were far
from universal acceptance the Defense of Marriage Act had become law the
previous year when Ellen DeGeneres came out, the magazine addressed the revelation with passivity. Yep, Im Gay, the cover read with a photo of DeGeneres.
When you look at that span of time, when being gay was a disease and an illness to the time when its celebrated and its understood, its a part of who we are.
I think weve come a very, very long way, says Ellis, who marks her first year as
the president and CEO of GLAAD (formerly know as the Gay & Lesbian Alliance
Against Defamation) this month. A veteran of several magazines who worked at
Time Inc., the 43-year-old used to conduct a tour of Times archives during Pride
Month where she would compare the two covers.
GLAADs original purpose when we started was really as a watchdog, to be a
measuring stick for the media and keep them honest and to change the representation of LGBT people in the media. Theres an absolute shift where media is way
more friendly now and we partner more, she says. Theres still issues that pop up,
but the media and the coverage wants to portray LGBT people in a positive light
more often than not and that wasnt the case it was the inverse 30 years ago.
With public policy on LGBT equality moving at an extraordinary pace, Ellis is
setting her sights on ensuring the gap between policy achievements and cultural
acceptance is not forgotten. And now, with the Supreme Court having agreed to
rule on the right of same-sex couples nationwide to marry, that culture gap could
prove dangerous, says Ellis.
It was a really exciting year to step in to GLAAD, she adds. At a time when we
have this great momentum around policy and visibility for the LGBT community
and to take that and accelerate everyday acceptance is very exciting.
METROWEEKLY.COM

JANUARY 22, 2015

17

METRO WEEKLY: What brought you to GLAAD?

SARAH KATE ELLIS: My career was in media prior to coming to

GLAAD. I spent about 17 years at various magazines, launching

and relaunching, turning around. Ive worked at every magazine
from Vogue and InStyle to launching Real Simple, relaunching
Cond Nast House & Garden. When I finally left I was overseeing
about 12 magazines and digital properties at Time Inc. called the
lifestyle group.
And Ive known GLAAD for a long time in my role in media.
My wife and I wrote a book about our dual pregnancies we got
pregnant on the exact same day. And we wrote that book. And
before the book came out, I called GLAAD when our media tour
was being set up. I realized I wasnt prepared, so I came down to
GLAAD and they trained me. They helped us understand how to
handle the press and how to talk about our family and being gay.
It was very, very helpful. When this opportunity came up I just
thought it was a perfect combination of both my media experience and my advocacy. Ive been an advocate my entire adult life.
When I was at Time, Inc. I was the chairman at Out at Time,
Inc., so I had been heavily involved. At one point, when DOMA
was overturned, my wife and I were on the cover of Time magazine, kissing. We had to call the family for that to let them know
that was coming out [Laughs]. Well be kissing, but were married! Its been a long history of both media and advocacy, and
GLAAD is kind of the dream job. Its more a calling than a job,
honestly.
MW: You mentioned advocacy as being part of your adult life. What
sparked that?
ELLIS: I grew up on Staten Island, one of the boroughs of New
York. The forgotten borough. But I had a really strong role
model who was my mom, who had me marching on Washington
for womens rights. At a very young age, I learned that you
have to stand up for yourself. So when I came out, it was just
a natural thing. The year I came out I was 20 or 21 it was
the big march in Washington, I think it was 1993. And a bunch
of my friends and I drove down to march. So it has always just
been inherent in me and its something that I guess in my family
has been passed down from generation to generation. I always
believed in fighting for equality and diversity and inclusion in
this country.
Especially when you become a parent, you have to be vigilant
because now youre responsible for the future of your children
and the world youre creating for them. My wife and I have twin
5-year-olds, or we call them twins. We each had one. Since that
happened I feel like Ive really amped up my advocacy.
MW: You both got pregnant on the same day?
ELLIS: A doctor said to me that I had a better chance of being hit
by lightning than that actually happening when you look at the
odds. What had happened is I had been trying to get pregnant for
a long time, unsuccessfully, and at some point my wife, who is a
musician, was finally not touring and off the road. I just said to
her, You need to try and start, too, because this is not going like
we planned. It was not as smooth as we thought it was going
to be. With both trying at the same time, it happened. We were
shocked by it. We were hoping one of us would get pregnant and
we could move on from there and the next one would start trying
after the baby was born, but it happened at the same time. It was
an instant family.
MW: Thats crazy.
ELLIS: It was really crazy. It was really fun being pregnant
together.
MW: Were your kids both born around the same date?
ELLIS: They were due at the same time, in the middle of the
18

JANUARY 22, 2015

METROWEEKLY.COM

month. My son, Thomas, came on February 1 and my daughter,

Kate, who I gave birth to, came on February 24, so we call them
the February bookends. Kristen gave birth first she was early.
I was nine months pregnant driving her to the hospital. It was
pretty crazy. And then once I experienced being in the room of
a real live birth, I swear my body just shut down. I was like, Im
not letting that happen to me.
MW: Is that what inspired you to write a book about it?
ELLIS: I was at Real Simple and the editor, Kristin van Ogtrop, is
a friend. She said she really would want to follow the story and I
thought, Real Simple reaches 8 million women in this country,
most of who are the movable middle. What better way to help
shine a light on what new and evolving families look like? So
they followed us through our nine months. Simon & Schuster
was really interested in that story, so we wrote it from there.
MW: When were you first aware of a gay character in film or TV?
What effect did it have on you?
ELLIS: Im going to really date myself here: Its a tossup between
Peppermint Patty and Jo Polniaczek on Facts of Life. I dont
know what I was registering with Peppermint Patty, but with Jo
Polniaczek I definitely wanted to be her girlfriend, be with her
everyday and sit next to her everyday.
MW: When did you finally equate those feelings with being gay?
ELLIS: Not till I came out, actually. I remember in high school my
brother saying, Youre gay. He knew and I had no idea. In high
school, and even through college, I just did what I thought I was
supposed to do, which is date all these guys. And they were nice,
but all my friends were so excited about going on a date with a
guy and I was like, Sure, Ill go out. I wasnt excited about it.
And then the lightbulb went off in my senior year of college. I
had just broken up with a boyfriend and I was like, I get nothing out of that. I might as well be dating a piece of cardboard.
I knew lesbians, I knew plenty of them and I loved them and
would go out with them and stuff like that. I grew up in a very
conservative area so it never even occurred to me that that could
be me. I thought to myself, Maybe I should try dating a girl.
Then it all made sense.
MW: When did you meet Kristen?
ELLIS: We were in the West Village of Manhattan for the early
part of the 90s and kind of ran in the same circles, but we didnt
particularly care for each other. Then she and I went our separate ways and met back up about six years later in 2005. Then it
was instant after not having seen each other for a long period of
time. And we wouldve been married two years later if we could
have been. We were domestic partnered, and got married when
it was legal in New York in 2011. We were the first Episcopal
wedding in New York state.
MW: Are you a person of faith?
ELLIS: I was raised Roman Catholic but couldnt sit by that. My
mom is Roman Catholic, my dad is Episcopal, so we ended up
joining the Episcopal Church. And were raising our children at
the Episcopal Church, too.
MW: There seem to be a number of people who dont believe religion
and the LGBT community can be compatible.
ELLIS: As someone who understands cultural narratives, I think
the cultural narrative right now is that they are mutually exclusive that youre either LGBT or youre a person of faith. And I
think that disregards millions of Americans, both who are faithful and supporters and allies of the LGBT community, and also
LGBT people who are people of faith. Its a destructive narrative
and were working very hard on that.
GLAAD came out in September with a midterm election campaign on faith where we worked with the media to start to break

down the barriers on having conversations

about LGBT people and people of faith, and
that they are joined communities. If youre
Mormon you can be LGBT or you can be
LGBT and Mormon. There are communities
of faith in every group. Were working very
hard to try to shift that narrative.
MW: Youve been at GLAAD for a year now.
Whats your proudest accomplishment in that
time?
ELLIS: Surviving? No, Im kidding. The first
one is really personal for me the Saint
Patricks Day Parade. Its a parade I marched
in with my parents my whole life until it
became exclusionary. There have been so
many activists that have been working on the
Saint Patricks Day Parade for years and to
step in and be able to help move that along in
a positive direction from a GLAAD perspective felt like a momentous moment for me,
because it was so personal and so important.
Its a 253-year-old institution that was created because the Irish community was being
discriminated against and now here it was
discriminating against Irish LGBT people. So
to have an impact on that felt pretty amazing.
But we are still working on it to bring full
inclusion. Its not done by any means, but it
was definitely a big step in the right direction
for the first time.
On the flip side of that, from a business
leader standpoint, I think that stabilizing
GLAAD and getting GLAAD very mission
focused, getting our program work mission
focused and getting to a really good financial
place has been a huge achievement of mine
and the team in the first year.
MW: Is there anything thats surprised or disappointed you?
ELLIS: Its pretty amazing to see how much
more work we have to do. It was something
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I started noticing as I was going around the
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country and meeting with all different kinds
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
My biggest achievement, I hope, will be
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
of people from community leaders, move>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
accelerating acceptance, closing a culture
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
ment leaders to political leaders to corporate
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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
leaders is that theres this current narrative
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
gap and creating a world where the LGBT
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
about marriage equality and seeing policy
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moving so quickly in such a short period of
community can live freely. AND BY FREELY
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time. What I started to get concerned about
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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I MEAN CAN WALK DOWN THE STREET
was how quickly is culture or public opinion
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>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
moving along with that and is policy outpacAND HOLD EACH OTHERS HAND AND
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
ing cultural momentum, creating a dangerous
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
NOT THINK TWICE ABOUT IT.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
culture gap.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
We did some research around that, which
will be released in the next month or so, asking questions that have never been asked before to find out how acceptance in this country, closing a culture gap and really creAmericans really feel about the LGBT community. That was ating a world where the LGBT community can live freely. And
surprising as well. A little disheartening, but the great thing is by freely I mean can walk down the street and hold each others
Im an optimist and I think we can accelerate acceptance in this hand and not think twice about it.
country if we do it right and GLAAD is a perfect organization MW: How do you get there?
as a cultural change agent to do that.
ELLIS: There is a path to that point and thats what weve been
MW: What do you hope to achieve at GLAAD?
laying out through our program. GLAADs belief is that we can
ELLIS: My biggest achievement, I hope, will be accelerating
close that cultural gap by bringing allies along with us. By idenMETROWEEKLY.COM

JANUARY 22, 2015

19

tifying them, engaging them, and activating them, well have

more boots on the ground than weve ever had before. We are
actively putting together an ally initiative that will hopefully
engage a good portion of Americans. We brought in a gentleman
named Zeke Stokes as vice president of programs and he and I
have been working very closely to align the program around the
concept of closing the cultural gap. So all of our programs from
our trans visibility to our southern voices are all laddering up to
raising visibility, growing acceptance across the country.
MW: Aside from the Saint Patricks Day Parade, weve also seen
GLAAD engaged with things like the Boy Scouts ban on gay youth.
Is that something we should expect to see more of?
ELLIS: The thing about GLAAD is that all of our work is through
the media. All of those projects or programs were all done
through media campaigns. The way I look at us is that we are
a cultural change agent, the way that we do it is through the
media because it is the most effective, efficient and scalable way
to get the biggest change done. For instance, the Boy Scouts program, that was a media campaign. We partnered with Scouts for
Equality and they did the policy piece of it, our job is raising visibility around the issue, gathering mass acknowledgment of the
issue and then being able to make the issue relatable to everyday
people. A lot of times our work is not as cut and dry as a policy
move. We might start a campaign, but it never has our name
attached to it and its a media campaign.
MW: How does GLAAD interact with journalists and entertainers?
What happens behind the scenes?
ELLIS: I would say 80 percent of our programs and campaigns
now are proactive, like our Southern Stories campaign. Were
down there to grow the visibility of southern stories, both the
triumphs and the trials of the LGBT community there, to build
awareness to help move the policies that are being sought out.
There is a portion of our work that is a little bit more responsive,
like the recent TLC show, My Husbands Not Gay, where we
work in front of and behind the scenes. Well come out with a
statement on why we think a show like that is irresponsible or
destructive and can harm youth especially, but well also have
conversations behind the scenes to try to get it to a place where
we can help move culture forward.
MW: Do you think there will ever be a time when GLAAD isnt
necessary or do you think there will always be a need for a media
watchdog for the LGBT community?
ELLIS: When you think of us as more than watchdogs but as
cultural change agents, you realize really quickly that GLAAD
will never go away. I think the watchdog aspect of it over the
years based on visibility and almost 30 years of work weve done
has gotten so much better. But you look at the GLAAD Studio
Responsibility Index, its dismal the representation of LGBT
characters in studio releases. Mainstream Hollywood films still
contain few depictions of LGBT people that actually go beyond
the stereotypical humor, or even offensive depictions. They are
sort of stuck in the old way, if you will, and thats particularly
important as Hollywood films remain one of our most widely
seen and influential global exports. One of Americas biggest
cultural exports is Hollywood films, so I think the studios need
to bring these LGBT depictions into the modern day. And were
not there yet.
So there is quite a bit of work to be done. But look at the trans
visibility right now. Its exploding, which makes me really proud
that were heading in that direction. But we do a tremendous
amount of work on that behind the scenes, whether or not its
consulting on shows or films or a lot of people just call us for
their HR groups because its such a big topic now and they want
20

JANUARY 22, 2015

METROWEEKLY.COM

to know how to navigate it properly.

MW: Its extraordinary the number of transgender characters

who are being portrayed in a positive light. We just saw the wins
for Transparent at the Golden Globes. How did that change so
quickly?
ELLIS: Its been years and years of work. It feels like an instant.
Streaming services have been very cutting edge the Netflix
and Amazons of the world and dont live by the same standards as TV networks in terms of ratings and all. I think that
has helped us as well. As content has become more diversified,
as well as the platforms it is released on, it gives creators more
ability and freedom.
MW: Do you think these shows are playing a role in shifting public
acceptance?
ELLIS: Absolutely. Why we come to work every day is to make
sure there are positive images out there. So not only the kids who
are LGBT who are struggling with coming out are able to see
that because to be it, you need to see it but also to change the
hearts and minds of Americans around LGBT people.
MW: Theres been an increase in films relating to HIV and AIDS in
recent years, particularly at a time when those issues dont seem
to get the same kind of attention from the LGBT advocacy world.
ELLIS: Its very interesting that you bring that up because we
have a renewed commitment to building visibility around HIV
and AIDS. There has been significant rise in the thousands of
people of color with HIV. We say around the office that we
need to put our red ribbons back on and the visibility is a really
important piece of that. We will be announcing in about a month
a significant partnership around creating more dialogue on AIDS
and HIV.
GLAAD was started 29 years ago around the HIV/AIDS epidemic, specifically we started with The New York Post in mind
because their coverage was an abomination. So its part of our
foundation and we really are stepping back up and stepping back
in to gain visibility on this.
MW: There was also a time when there seemed to be a negative
reaction to gay villains in TV and movies. That no longer seems
to be the case.
ELLIS: The important thing is LGBT villain story lines it doesnt
reduce the character to being evil because of being LGBT. Its
just another facet of their identity, and we all know human
beings are multidimensional. So its refreshing to see that reflected in the wide range of television characters that exist today.
MW: Do you think there is any room for anti-LGBT voices in media?
ELLIS: I think its about responsible journalism and its about
responsible coverage or programming. As far as the TLC show,
when you look at medical experts refuting for years now that its
a choice to be gay or that reparative therapy is dangerous and
then you have shows or journalists reporting that its not, that
its something you can do, that its a choice, I think thats where
it falls into irresponsible journalism and using your platform to
push irresponsible content.
MW: The other example I think of is the controversy over Duck
Dynasty, where it wasnt so much talking about reparative therapy
but just being homophobic. What about those voices?
ELLIS: They build an audience and a platform and then use that
platform to come out against the LGBT community and create
environments that are hateful and dangerous. I think thats irresponsible as well.
MW: Does it all come down to LGBT youth?
ELLIS: Absolutely. Theres so many LGBT kids in this country
who are isolated, who arent living in the big urban cities.
And even in the big urban cities there are kids who are liv-

ing in small communities who are isolated, so when we come

to work everyday, when we take on something, we have the
kids in mind. When we know eight out of ten LGBT youth are
being bullied, that the homeless rate for LGBT kids is 40 percent across this country, theres an absolute problem there.

And yes, we feel like were protecting the kids.

Winners of the GLAAD Media Awards will be announced in Los
Angeles on March 21 and New York on May 9. Visit glaad.org to
learn more. l

26th ANNUAL GLAAD MEDIA AWARDS NOMINEES

OUTSTANDING FILM - WIDE RELEASE
The Imitation Game
(The Weinstein Company)
Love is Strange (Sony Pictures Classics)
Pride (CBS Films)
The Skeleton Twins (Roadside Attractions)
Tammy (Warner Bros.)
OUTSTANDING FILM - LIMITED RELEASE
Dear White People (Lionsgate)
Life Partners (Magnolia Pictures)
Lilting (Strand Releasing)
The Way He Looks (Strand Releasing)
Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow
(Film Movement)
OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
Degrassi (TeenNick)
The Fosters (ABC Family)
Game of Thrones (HBO)
Greys Anatomy (ABC)
How to Get Away with Murder (ABC)
Last Tango in Halifax (PBS)
Masters of Sex (Showtime)
Orphan Black (BBC America)
Pretty Little Liars (ABC Family)
Shameless (Showtime)
OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (FOX)
Faking It (MTV)
Glee (FOX)
Looking (HBO)
Modern Family (ABC)
Orange Is the New Black (Netflix)
Please Like Me (Pivot)
Sirens (USA Network)
Transparent (Amazon Instant Video)
Vicious (PBS)
OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL EPISODE
(in a series without a regular LGBT character)
Deep Breath Doctor Who (BBC America)
Down a Tree Good Luck Charlie
(Disney Channel)
Identity Crisis Drop Dead Diva (Lifetime)
Lets Have a Baby Playing House
(USA Network)
No Lack of Void Elementary (CBS)
OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY
The Case Against 8 (HBO)
L Word Mississippi: Hate the Sin (Showtime)
Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word
(Logo / MTV)
To Russia with Love (Epix)
True Trans with Laura Jane Grace (AOL
Originals)
OUTSTANDING REALITY PROGRAM
Big Freedia: Queen of Bounce (Fuse)
B.O.R.N. to Style (FYI)
Make or Break: The Linda Perry Project (VH1)
R&B Divas: Atlanta (TV One)
Survivor: San Juan del Sur (CBS)
OUTSTANDING DAILY DRAMA
Days of Our Lives (NBC)
General Hospital (ABC)

OUTSTANDING MUSIC ARTIST

Against Me!, Transgender Dysphoria
Blues(Xtra Mile Recordings)
Angel Haze, Dirty Gold (Island Records/
Republic Records)
Mary Gauthier, Trouble & Love
(In the Black Records)
Mary Lambert, Heart on My Sleeve
(Capitol Records)
Sam Smith, In the Lonely Hour
(Capitol Records)
OUTSTANDING COMIC BOOK
Hawkeye, written by Matt Fraction
(Marvel Comics)
Lumberjanes, written by Noelle Stevenson,
Grace Ellis(BOOM! Studios)
Memetic, written by James Tynion IV
(BOOM! Studios)
Rat Queens, written by Kurtis J. Wiebe
(Image Comics)
Saga, written by Brian K. Vaughan (Image
Comics)
OUTSTANDING TALK SHOW EPISODE
Issues Facing the Transgender Community
Katie(syndicated)
Laverne Cox discusses The T Word The
View (ABC)
Michael Sam Oprah Prime (OWN)
Pepe Julian Onziema Last Week Tonight
with John Oliver (HBO)
Robin Roberts The Ellen DeGeneres Show
(syndicated)
OUTSTANDING TV JOURNALISM
NEWSMAGAZINE
Coming Out Nick News With Linda
Ellerbee (Nickelodeon)
Gay and Muslim in America America
Tonight (Al Jazeera America)
Gay Rodeo This is Life with Lisa Ling
(CNN)
Infield & Out: Baseball for All Morning Joe
(MSNBC)
Transgender Society [series] Ronan Farrow
Daily (MSNBC)
OUTSTANDING TV JOURNALISM
SEGMENT
Change is Coming to the South Melissa
Harris-Perry (MSNBC)
Fired for Being Gay? MSNBC Live
(MSNBC)
License to Discriminate? Anderson Cooper
360 (CNN)
A Model with a Mission Alicia Menendez
Tonight (Fusion)
Transgender Tipping Point? This Week
(ABC)
OUTSTANDING NEWSPAPER ARTICLE
A Christian Family, a Gay Son and a Wichita
Fathers Change of Heart by Roy Wenzl
(The Wichita Eagle)
For Transgender Service Members, Honesty
Can End Career by Ernesto Londoo
(The Washington Post)
An Identity to Call Their Own [series] by

Michael A. Fuoco & Mackenzie Carpenter

(Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
Longtime Utah LGBT Advocates Recount
Brutal History by Erin Alberty
(Salt Lake City Tribune)
When They Stopped Waiting by Shaun
McKinnon(The Arizona Republic)
OUTSTANDING MAGAZINE ARTICLE
Do Ask, Do Tell by S.L. Price
(Sports Illustrated)
The Forsaken by Alex Morris
(Rolling Stone)
Inside the Iron Closet: What Its Like to Be
Gay in Putins Russia by Jeff Sharlet (GQ)
Sex Without Fear by Tim Murphy
(New York)
The Transgender Tipping Point by Katy
Steinmetz (Time)
OUTSTANDING DIGITAL JOURNALISM
ARTICLE
31 Days of PrEP [series] (Advocate.com)
Black Parents, Gay Sons and Redefining
Masculinity by Edward Wyckoff Williams
(TheRoot.com)
Conner Mertens came out to his college
football team. Now he comes out publicly.
by Cyd Zeigler (Outsports.com)
A Nuns Secret Ministry Brings Hope to
the Transgender Community by Nathan
Schneider (America.Aljazeera.com)
A Year Later, Nothing Has Changed Since
Transgender Woman Islan Nettles was
Killed by Tony Merevick(Buzzfeed.com)
OUTSTANDING DIGITAL
JOURNALISM MULTIMEDIA
Left Behind: LGBT Homeless Youth Struggle
to Survive on the Streets by Miranda
Leitsinger (NBCNews.com)
Why did the U.S. Lock Up These Women
with Men? by Cristina Costantini, Jorge
Rivas, Kristofer Ros(Fusion.net)
With Technology I Didnt Have to Sell My
Body by Kerri Pang (MSNBC.com)
Young and Gay: Jamaicas Gully Queens by
Adri Murguia, Christo Geoghegan
(News.Vice.com)
Young and Gay in Putins Russia by Milene
Larsson (News.Vice.com)
OUTSTANDING BLOG
The Art of Transliness
(theartoftransliness.com)
Autostraddle (autostraddle.com)
Box Turtle Bulletin (boxturtlebulletin.com)
Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters (holybulliesandheadlessmonsters.blogspot.com)
My Fabulous Disease (marksking.com)
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
Dragon Age: Inquisition
(BioWare/Electronic Arts) l
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METROWEEKLY.COM

JANUARY 22, 2015

21

JANUARY 22 - 29, 2015

COURTESY OF THOMAS DRYMON

Compiled by Doug Rule

Linea Nigra by Kanchan Balse

Selfie Expression

Studio Gallery exhibit explores artistic approaches to self-portraiture

AINTERS HAVE LONG CREATED SELF-PORTRAITS TO

present themselves to the world, but the advent of selfies
inspired curator Thomas Drymon to survey the works with
fresh eyes.
That was sort of the genesis of the whole show, Drymon says.

CHOREOGRAPHERS

A co-presentation with the Maryland-National

Capital Park and Planning Commission, this annual
showcase at the Clarice features some of the regions
most talented emerging choreographers adjudicated
by Zvi Gotheiner and Keith A. Thompson. Noted
local gay choreographer Christopher K. Morgan
is one of those selected this round, along with
Kimmie Dobbs Chan, Robin Neveu Brown, Madhvi
Venkatesh, Emily Heller, Colette Krogol with
Matthew Reeves and Taura Broadhurst. Saturday,
Jan. 24, at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. The Clarice at the
University of Maryland, University Boulevard and
Stadium Drive. College Park. Tickets are $25. Call
301-405-ARTS or visit theclarice.umd.edu.
22

JANUARY 22, 2015

Portraits of Self As Other runs to Jan. 31 at Studio

Gallery, 2108 R St. NW. Call 202-232-8734 or
visit studiogallerydc.com.

JASON ALEXANDER WITH THE BALTIMORE

SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

SPOTLIGHT
32ND
ANNUAL
SHOWCASE

Ive spent the last year looking at social media and the
way people present themselves online and the choices
they make. Im a painter myself and I like painters.
And so I [started looking at] self-portraits because I
thought that was kind of telling about themselves
the choices they made in the medium, the way they
painted, and their viewpoint.
The resulting show, Portraits of Self As Other, now
at the Studio Gallery, features six artists who approach
the self-portrait from various angles, from the personal narrative style of Kanchan Balse to the formal
and conceptual work of Joren Lindholm. For the exhibition, Drymon, also included works by Laura Elkins,
Paul Pietsch, Amanda Kates and Alexander Atkinson.
The thing about this show is that even though
people are painting portraits, they find new ways, new
approaches, he says. Elkins is a case in point, with a
series of portraits in which the artists own features
are combined with those of First Ladies Michelle
Obama and Hillary Clinton. When Elkins first moved
to the area over a decade ago, Drymon explains, she
became really fascinated by the way first ladies are
portrayed and how first ladies and the media control
their images to the public. And over the past decade
Elkins has expanded on the series to include evermore-complicated issue-based self portraits.
She has a new series about corporations, Drymon
says, where she paints herself as Michelle Obama
wearing a McDonalds uniform, and Hillary Clinton
working at Walmart, for instance. Its really pretty
amazing that she can continue to stretch this idea.
Doug Rule

METROWEEKLY.COM

Jack Everly leads the BSO Pops in a performance

featuring the former Seinfeld actor, who reprises his
salad days on Broadway with a variety show featuring stand-up and improv plus lots of music, of
course. Thursday, Jan. 22, at 8 p.m. Music Center at
Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda.
Also Friday, Jan. 23, and Saturday, Jan. 24, at 8 p.m,
and Sunday, Jan. 25, at 3 p.m. Joseph Meyerhoff
Symphony Hall, 1212 Cathedral St., Baltimore.
Tickets are $40 to $120. Call 410-783-8000 or visit
bsomusic.org.

FOUR BITCHIN BABES

Best of the Babes 25th Anniversary Show features highlights from the comedic music ensemble
featuring Ohio-based Sally Fingerett, Philadelphiabased comedic singer Deirdre Flint and two locals,
Grammy-winning lesbian multi-instrumentalist

Marcy Marxer and former The Hags singer Debi

Smith. In an interview with Metro Weekly a couple
years ago, Smith summed up the Babes outlook to
songwriting and performing: We look at life, as
its happening, usually in a comedic way [and]
through a wacky viewfinder. Saturday, Jan. 24, at
7:30 p.m., at the Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave.,
Alexandria. Tickets are $35. Call 703-549-7500 or
visit birchmere.com.

JOHN C. REILLY & FRIENDS

You may only know him as a Hollywood actor and

his notable supporting work in such acclaimed films
as Chicago, The Hours and The Aviator, but more
recently John C. Reilly has become a bluegrass musician, singing in a rootsy band with friends including
Becky Stark and Tom Brosseau. Tuesday, Jan. 27, at
8 p.m. Sixth & I Historic Synagogue. 600 I St. NW.
Tickets are $25 in advance, or $30 day-of show. Call
202-408-3100 or visit sixthandi.org.

METROWEEKLY.COM

JANUARY 22, 2015

23

KAKI KING

Years after Rolling Stone heralded her as one of its New Guitar Gods and a
genre unto herself, Kaki King had been searching for new ways to dazzle as a
performer. Then the lesbian artist discovered projection wrapping and the work
of lighting designers V. Owen Bush and Benton-C Bainbridge, who go by the name
Glowing Pictures. Working together, the three have developed an innovative,
immersive audio-visual show, The Neck Is a Bridge to the Body, a metaphor
for her guitar. As she told Metro Weekly last year before premiering the work at
Artisphere, Theyre going to be projecting images onto the surface of the guitar
itself, as well as the large screen behind me. And as Im playing, the volume of
what Im doing dictates how big the images get. Then, in the following section,
each note corresponds to a different color that spirals out onto my guitar. Friday,
Jan. 30, at 8:30 p.m. The Hamilton, 600 14th St. NW. Tickets are $18 to $53. Call
202-787-1000 or visit thehamiltondc.com.

LAURA BENANTI

Last year Tony-winning star Laura Benanti (Gypsy, Into The Woods) recalled to
Metro Weekly having a slight existential crisis as a kid. What is this world that I
live in? What is this horrible place where people know who Paula Abdul is, and
they dont know who Rosemary Clooney is? It made me feel really lonely and
really sad, Benanti said. On the flipside, it also made her feel like a 45-year-old
gay man in a little girls body. After performing once again with the Gay Mens
Chorus of Washington, Benanti returns less than a year later to offer another night
of cabaret-style song, dance and humor. Sunday, June 25, at 7:30 p.m. The Barns
at Wolf Trap, 1635 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets are $40. Call 877-WOLFTRAP or
visit wolftrap.org.

LIFE SUCKS (OR THE PRESENT RIDICULOUS)

Theater J presents the world premiere of Aaron Posners irreverent variation on

Chekhovs Uncle Vanya, where life is miserable for every character in this play
about love and longing. Kimberly Gilbert, Eric Hissom and Naomi Jacobson head
the cast. Now to Feb. 15. The Aaron and Cecile Goldman Theater, Washington,
D.C.s Jewish Community Center, 1529 16th St. NW. Tickets are $30 to $55. Call
202-518-9400 or visit washingtondcjcc.org.

NATIONAL PHILHARMONIC

Bachs Brandenburgs features four of Bachs lively Brandenburg Concertos,

the highlight of Baroque music. Piotr Gajewski conducts the Strathmore-based
National Philharmonic in a performance including several soloists for each

piece. Saturday, Jan. 24, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 25, at 3 p.m. Music Center at
Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets are $37 to $84. Call
301-581-5100 or visit strathmore.org.

NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

As part of a multi-week series Fantasy & Fate: Tchaikovsky Masterworks,

Christoph Eschenbach conducts the NSO in a program featuring the Russian masters Serenade melancolique and Valse Scherzo with NSO Concertmaster Nurit
Bar-Josef plus the Symphony No. 1, which Tchaikovsky nicknamed Winter
Daydreams. Thursday, Jan. 22, at 7 p.m., and Friday, Jan. 23, and Saturday, Jan.
24, at 8 p.m. Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Tickets are $10 to $85. Call 202-4674600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

PENNY

As part of its three-year-old American Opera Initiative, the Washington National

Opera commissioned composer Douglas Pew and librettist Dara Weinberg to
create an hour-long world premiere, Penny, about a woman with a disability
who discovers her talent for vocal music. Alan Paul of the Shakespeare Theatre
Company directs, with Deborah Nansteel performing as Penny, while Anne
Manson conducts the orchestra. Friday, Jan. 23, and Saturday, Jan. 24, at 7:30
p.m. Kennedy Center Terrace Theater. Tickets are $32. Call 202-467-4600 or
visit kennedy-center.org.

SHERRY VINE

This singing New York drag queen is creator and host of the variety show Shes
Living for This on the LGBT-themed digital cable network Here TV, but shes
best known for her pop parodies, spoofing everyone from Madonna (4 Minutes
to Make You Cum) to Destinys Child (Whats Your Name) to Britney Spears
(Super-Sizer) to, most famously, Lady Gaga (Shit My Pants). The suburban
Baltimore native returns to Cobalts Level One restaurant for an hour-long dinner show. Saturday, Jan. 24, at 8 p.m. Level One Restaurant, 1639 R St. NW.
Reservations recommended through OpenTable.com. Call 202-745-0025 or visit
cobaltdc.com.

STAGE
BAD JEWS

HHHHH
Its become the best-selling show in Studio Theatres history, and sales are still
rolling in: Studio has extended Bad Jews yet again, making it one of the longestrunning shows in the companys history too, or twice the normal run of a Studio
show. And with good reason: In Studios production of Joshua Harmons acerbic
dramedy, Irene Sofia Lucio and Alex Mandell both turn in astonishing performances as the shows two tentpole monsters, one an Israeli-dreaming Jewish
hardliner, the other a thoroughly assimilated American atheist. Peace and goodwill between these two is as impossible to imagine as it is between Israel and
Palestine. Extended to Feb. 1. Studio Theatre, 14th & P Streets NW. Tickets are
$44 to $88. Call 202-332-3300 or visit studiotheatre.org. (Doug Rule)

BESSIES BLUES

Virginias Metro Stage reprises this musical by Thomas W. Jones II on the occasion of its 20th anniversary since its multiple Helen Hayes Award-winning premiere at Studio Theatre. The show looks at the legacy of the blues as told through
the eyes and lens of Bessie Smith, Empress of the Blues, performed by the great
Bernardine Mitchell. In previews starting Thursday, Jan. 22, at 8 p.m. To March
15. MetroStage, 1201 North Royal St., Alexandria. Tickets are $55 to $60. Call 800494-8497 or visit metrostage.org.

BASKERVILLE: A SHERLOCK HOLMES MYSTERY

Arena Stage presents the world-premiere of Ken Ludwigs comic adaptation

of everyones favorite crime-solver, in a co-production with McCarter Theatre
Center. Amanda Dehnert directs. To Feb. 22. Mead Center for American Theater,
1101 6th St. SW. Tickets are $45 to $98. Call 202-488-3300 or visit arenastage.org.

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT IN AMERICA

Virginias American Century Theater offers two intense one-act dramas in an evening with echoes of todays Ferguson: Terry Curtis Foxs Cops (based on a sketch
by David Mamet) and William Saroyans classic Hello Out There. Both are encore
productions, with Cops one of the companys best-received shows and Hello Out
There garnering the company its first Helen Hayes nomination in its second season. To Jan. 31. Gunston Theater Two, 2700 South Lang St. Arlington. Tickets are
$32 to $40. Call 703-998-4555 or visit americancentury.org.

DINER: THE MUSICAL

Kathleen Marshall, a veteran Broadway director/choreographer of hit revivals

including Wonderful Town and Anything Goes, helms a new adaptation of Barry
Levinsons classic 80s movie set in Baltimore and featuring music and lyrics
by bluesy rocker Sheryl Crow. After last years scheduled Broadway debut was
24

JANUARY 22, 2015

METROWEEKLY.COM

postponed for further refinement, Signature Theatre stepped up to the plate to

give the show its world premiere. The production features a large cast of 20, with
the central circle of friends portrayed by Adam Kantor as Eddie, Josh Grisetti
as Shrevie, Derek Klena as Boogie, Aaron C. Finley as Billy and Matthew James
Thomas as Fen. And Signatures main star in its arsenal, Nova Y. Payton, plays
Stripper. Closes this Sunday, Jan. 25. Max Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell
Ave., Arlington. Call 703-820-9771 or visit signature-theatre.org.

GIGI

The Kennedy Center taps Signature Theatres Eric Schaeffer to helm a new
Broadway-bound revival of Lerner and Loewes Oscar and Tony-winning musical
comedy, set in turn-of-the-century Paris. Former Disney Channel star Vanessa
Hudgens (High School Musical) takes on the title role, playing a free-spirited
young woman on a journey to find her true self and her true love. Victoria
Clark (The Light in the Piazza), Dee Hoty (Footloose), Howard McGillin (Anything
Goes), Corey Cott (Newsies) and Steffanie Leigh (Mary Poppins) also star. To Feb.
12. Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater. Tickets are $45 to $145. Call 202-4674600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

IN PRAISE OF LOVE

Washington Stage Guild offers a production of Terence Rattigans play about the
marriage of Rex Harrison and Kay Kendall, an early hit at the Kennedy Center.
Laura Giannarelli directs. Extended to Feb. 1. Undercroft Theatre of Mount
Vernon United Methodist Church, 900 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Tickets are $40
to $50. Call 240-582-0050 or visit stageguild.org.

MARY STUART

Folger Theatre presents Friedrich Schillers drama, which unfolds as Mary,

Queen of Scots, awaits her fate at the hands of her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I.
Holly Twyford and Kate Eastwood Norris star in this regal showdown in a bold
new translation by Peter Oswald and directed by Richard Clifford. Opens in a
pay-what-you-can performance on Tuesday, Jan. 27, at 7:30 p.m. Runs to March
8. Folger Theatre, 201 East Capitol St. SE. Tickets are $30 to $65. Call 202-5447077 or visit folger.edu.

SMELLIN UP THE DEN

Red Knight Productions, which started a couple years ago at the Capital Fringe
Festival, offers a new New York-style sketch comedy show, Smellin Up The Den.
Written by Red Knights Scott Courlander and David Juliano, the piece was
first performed in a shorter version at Amy Poehlers Upright Citizens Brigade
Theatre in New York and is billed as Think SNL, but with the F-word. It
features Michael Cartwright, Katie Courlander and Justus Hammon telling a
sketchy story that spoofs on Charlie Brown, the Muppets and Americas brightest
children somehow or other roped into competing for the Scripps National Penis
Bee. To Jan. 31. Port City Playhouse, 1819 North Quaker Lane. Alexandria. Tickets
are $!8 to $22 and come with complimentary beer or wine. Call 703-838-2880 or
visit redknightproductions.com.

THE INSERIES: BELLINIS SONNAMBULA

The next opera in the In Series pocket opera series is this infrequently performed Romantic story of innocent young love, jealousy, intrigue and sleepwalking. Its a full production with chamber ensemble of a new English adaptation by
Steven Scott Mazzola. CarrieAnnie Winter, Joseph Haughton, Brody Del Baccaro,
Eduardo Castro and Kimberly Christie make up the cast. Closes this Sunday, Jan.
25. Source, 1835 14th St. NW. Tickets are $22 to $42. Call 202-204-7760 or visit
inseries.org.

THE WIDOW LINCOLN

Mary Todd Lincoln sparked more controversy than any First Lady in history, and
this world premiere by James Still, commissioned by Fords Theatre and set during the weeks following Abraham Lincolns murder at Fords, should have particular dramatic resonance in the venue and in this city that loves a good mystery
with political intrigue. Stephen Rayne directs a cast led by Mary Bacon as Mary
Lincoln and featuring Sarah Marshall, Kimberly Schraf and Brynn Tucker. Opens
Friday, Jan. 23, at 7:30 p.m. To Feb. 22. Fords Theatre, 511 10th St. NW. Call 800982-2787 or visit fordstheatre.org.

MUSIC
ARI HEST

Thirty-four-year-old Ari Hest sings chiefly as a baritone a range well suited to

heavy sentiments about life and love. I guess I identify more with the struggle
whatever the struggle is in music, Hest told Metro Weekly two years ago. Not
to compare myself to Leonard Cohen, but you know that kind of voice, generally,
you think of some kind of weighted song coming from a voice like that. Sarah
Siskind, whose perceptive folk music has been performed on ABCs Nashville,
opens. Saturday, Jan. 24, at 7:30 p.m. The Barns at Wolf Trap, 1635 Trap Road,
Vienna. Tickets are $25. Call 877-WOLFTRAP or visit wolftrap.org.

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25

BUDAPEST FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA

Former National Symphony Orchestra conductor Ivn Fischer co-founded and

leads the Budapest Festival Orchestra, a relatively young yet highly regarded
ensemble. The BFO returns to the area with a program linking two dramatic
works: Mozarts The Magic Flute and Mendelssohns A Midsummer Nights
Dream. Plus, violinist Pinchas Zukerman joins to perform Mozarts Violin
Concerto No. 5 in A Major. Friday, Jan. 23, at 8 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore,
5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets are $35 to $95. Call 301-581-5100
or visit strathmore.org.

DENNIS FERRER

From techno (Sandcastles) to gospel house (Most Precious Love featuring

Barbara Tucker) to deep/tech house (his remix of Fish Go Deeps The Cure & The
Cause), Dennis Ferrer has fired up dance floors of every stripe and persuasion
over the past decade. In gay clubland of course hes best known as the producer
behind the Song of Summer from a few years back, Hey Hey, featuring vocalist
Shingai Shoniwa of The Noisettes. Friday, Jan. 23, at 10 p.m. U Street Music Hall,
1115A U St. NW. Tickets are $15. Call 202-588-1880 or visit ustreetmusichall.com.

ERIN MCKEOWN

Massachusetts-based singer-songwriter Erin McKeown, a native of

Fredericksburg, Va. has produced an eclectic, experimental repertoire over the
past 14 years, but her music is always tuneful, with strong melodies and clever
lyrics expressed through a sweet, beguiling voice. Two years ago, McKeown
released the wonderfully realized Manifestra, the first truly politically oriented
album of her career a reflection of the policy and social-justice activism shes
increasingly taken on. McKeown, who identifies as queer, told Metro Weekly in
2013, There are a lot of reasons to make music, but for me, I need to make music
for a community purpose now. Maryleigh Roohan opens. Saturday, Jan. 31, at 8
p.m. Downstairs at Sixth & I Historic Synagogue. 600 I St. NW. Tickets are $15 in
advance, or $18 day-of show. Call 202-408-3100 or visit sixthandi.org.

GREAT NOISE ENSEMBLE

Since composer and conductor Armando Bayolo founded it in 2005, the Great
Noise Ensemble has become one of the most important and adventurous ensembles in D.C. focused on contemporary classical music. The group returns to the
Atlas with a Winter Light program featuring two new-music giants: Arvo Part
and his Fratres, and Pulitzer Prize winner John Luther Adams and his Clouds of
Forgetting, Clouds of Unknowing. Friday, Jan. 23, at 8 p.m. Atlas Performing Arts
Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $28. Call 202-399-7993 or visit atlasarts.org.

SULLIVAN FORTNER

Young New Orleans pianist Sullivan Fortner returns to the Kennedy Center following a 2013 appearance on NPRs A Jazz Piano Christmas, this time as part of
the series Discovery Artist in the KC Jazz Club. Saturday, Jan. 24, at 7:30 p.m. and
9:30 p.m. Kennedy Center Terrace Gallery. Tickets are $22. Call 202-467-4600 or
visit kennedy-center.org.

GREENSKY BLUEGRASS, THE LAST BISON

A five-piece bluegrass/rock band from Kalamazoo, Mich., Greensky Bluegrass

tours in support of last years If Sorrows Swim. Also on the bill is the Last Bison,
a seven-piece ensemble from Chesapeake, Va., that makes what it describes as
mountain-top chamber music, a contemporary folk-rock blend with echoes of
Bon Iver, Mumford & Sons and Fleet Foxes. Friday, Jan. 30, and Saturday, Jan.
31. Doors at 7 p.m. 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW. Tickets are $20. Call 202-265-0930
or visit 930.com.

ZAP MAMA & ANTIBALAS

In a first-time-ever collaboration, Afro-pop artist Zap Mama and Afro-beat/

Latin funk band Antibalas perform in a celebration of the evolution of contemporary Afro music. Friday, Jan. 30, at 8 p.m. GW Lisner, The George Washington
University, 730 21st St. NW. Tickets are $30 to $50. Call 202-994-6851 or visit
lisner.org.

DANCE
COYABA DANCE THEATER

Sylvia Soumah founded Coyaba Dance Theater nearly two decades ago to specialize in traditional dance and rhythms from the Mali Empire, including the countries Guinea and Senegal. Coyaba performs at Dance Place, where it is a resident
company. Saturday, Jan. 24, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 25, at 4 p.m. Dance Place,
3225 8th St. NE. Tickets are $25 in advance, or $30 at the door. Call 202-269-1600
or visit danceplace.org.

MARIINSKY BALLET

For their 13th annual visit to the Kennedy Center, St. Petersburgs great Mariinsky
Ballet brings an exceptional program of Russian choreographers: Millicent
Hodsons Le sacre du printemps inspired by Nijinksy, Michel Fokines Le Spectre
de la Rose and The Swan, and Marius Petipas Grand Pas. The Kennedy Center
Opera House Orchestra accompanies the ballet under guest conductor Gavriel
Heine. Opening Tuesday, Jan. 27, at 7:30 p.m. To Feb. 1. Kennedy Center Opera
House. Tickets are $30 to $165. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

SUSAN MARSHALL

A MacArthur Fellow last decade and the director of dance at Princeton University,
ballet-minded choreographer Susan Marshall has been developing a new work
involving the body, objects and sound with So Percussion composer and musician Jason Treuting and visiaul artist Suzanne Bocanegra. The trio will perform
sketches from the new work next weekend at the American Dance Institute.
Friday, Jan. 23, and Saturday, Jan. 24, at 8 p.m. American Dance Institute, 1501
East Jefferson St. Rockville. Tickets are $31.25. Call 301-984-3003 or visit americandance.org.

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READINGS
PETER MANSEAU

One Nation, Under Gods: A New American History seeks to dispel the myth that
the United States was founded on distinctly Christian religious ideals by Puritans.
Instead, as this Smithsonian Institution fellow writes, the nation was shaped by
multiple religious traditions, a rich interplay of beliefs making up the fabric of
American life. Wednesday, Jan. 28, at 7 p.m. Sixth & I Historic Synagogue. 600 I
St. NW. Tickets are $12, or $28 for two tickets and one book. Call 202-408-3100
or visit sixthandi.org.

COMEDY
PORKCHOP VOLCANO

This live short form improv troop specializes in rapid-fire laughs inspired by
audience suggestions and performs on special Saturday nights at its home base,
the Arlington Drafthouse. Saturday, Jan. 24, at 9 p.m. Arlington Cinema N
Drafthouse, 2903 Columbia Pike, Arlington. Tickets are free. Call 703-486-2345
or visit arlingtondrafthouse.com.

GALLERIES
BEYOND BOLLYWOOD: INDIAN AMERICANS SHAPE THE NATION

Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center presents this ambitious and colorful exhibition on the second floor of the National Museum of Natural History,
exploring the heritage, daily experiences and diverse contributions of Indians
and Indian Americans. Through Aug. 16. National Museum of Natural History,
10th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Call 202-633-1000 or visit mnh.si.edu.

DECODING THE RENAISSANCE

The Folger Shakespeare Librarys latest exhibition focuses on the first great age
of mass communication, the Renaissance, which launched printing, developed
diplomacy and created postal systems. All of this triggered an obsession with
encryption and secret communication that produced some of the periods most
brilliant inventions, most beautiful books and most enduring legacies, including
that of code-breakers and cryptographers. Through Feb. 26. Folger Great Hall in
Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 East Capitol St. SE. Free. Call 202-544-7077 or
visit folger.edu.

ELSABE DIXON: LIVE/LIFE

South Africa-born, Virginia-based artist Elsabe Dixon investigates our relationship with changing systems and networks using organic and repurposed material,
focused on the biological life cycle of insects. In Live/Life at Artisphere, Dixon
shows an insect life cycle as an ephemeral gesture over a period of five months.
Through Feb. 22. Artist In Resident Studio at Artisphere, 1101 Wilson Blvd.
Arlington. Call 703-875-1100 or visit artisphere.com.

FOOD: OUR GLOBAL KITCHEN

National Geographic imports this exhibition from New Yorks American Museum
of Natural History exploring the complex and intricate farm-to-fork food system,
with sections devoted to growing, transporting, cooking, eating, tasting and
celebrating. Through Feb. 22. National Geographic Museum, 1145 17th St. NW.
Tickets are $11. Call 202-857-7588 or visit ngmuseum.org.

JAMESON MAGROGAN: 12TH ANNUAL DC ARTIST SOLO EXHIBITION

Transformer presents its 12th annual solo exhibition with a focus on Jameson
Magrogan. Oil, Then Acrylic investigates the artists relationship to the mythos
of art history through painting, drawing, sculpture and print. Through Jan. 31.
Transformer, 1404 P St. NW. Call 202-483-1102 or visit transformerdc.org.

PERSONALLY SPEAKING: 12X12

A juried multi-media art show, Personally Speaking: 12x12 features Capitol Hill
Arts League member artists revealing their personal style through work that
holds a personal meaning to them. Through March 5. Capitol Hill Arts Workshop,
545 7th St. SE. Call 202-547-6839 or visit chaw.org.

PICTURING MARY: WOMAN, MOTHER, IDEA

The National Museum of Women in the Arts offers a landmark exhibition

bringing together Renaissance and Baroque masterworks from major museums,
churches and private collections in Europe and around the U.S., all depicting the
Virgin Mary in one form or another as the ultimate conception of motherhood.
The exhibition includes more than 60 paintings, sculptures and textiles from
artists both male Botticelli, Michelangelo and Drer and to a lesser extent
female, including Artemisia Gentileschi and Elisabetta Sirani. Through April 12.
National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave NW. Admission is
$10. Call 202-783-5000 or visit nmwa.org. l

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JANUARY 22, 2015

27

film

Johnson

A compelling documentary, Out In

The Night still fails to answer the
many questions it inspires
by RHUARIDH MARR

S MUCH AS WED LIKE TO BELIEVE THAT

our courts are the envy of the world, too often
will a little scrutiny reveal a staggering number of
cases in which gender or ethnicity or a variety of
other factors have led to sentences which stand in opposition to
the accepted norm. With that in mind, and with a media currently obsessed with the treatment of minority citizens by our police
and courts, it seems all too timely to revisit the 2006 Greenwich
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Village assault case in new documentary Out In The Night.

The case involved seven young, black lesbians who assaulted
and stabbed a single black man, Dwayne Buckle, in what he
deemed a hate crime against a straight man, NBC News reported at the time. Four of those women Patreese Johnson, Renata
Hill, Venice Brown, and Terrain Dandridge refused to accept
a plea bargain that would have seen them released after six
months, and instead headed to trial, where they were sentenced
to eleven, eight, five and three-and-a-half years respectively.
News coverage at the time was sensational, with papers
branding them a bloodthirsty gang, Bill OReilly stating that
they were part of a national movement of violent lesbians, and
public opinion turning against the apparently brutal women
who harmed a man whose only wrong was commenting on
their appearances as they walked past him. Indeed, its hard to
empathize as Johnson admits to stabbing the man with a steak
knife and CCTV footage is shown of the assault. Its easy to
see why a jury of 10 women and two men handed down guilty

PHOTO CREDIT

Defense Mechanism

verdicts on the four defendants.

Well, thats until you start to examine the facts of the case.
It was an all-white jury that convicted them, one which was
fed incorrect instructions by a judge who routinely tried actual
gangs of the guns and drugs variety in his courtrooms. The
women claimed they acted in self defense, but vital evidence
and testimony failed to make it to the courtroom. The victim
was claimed to have been brutally harmed, but the officer at the
scene reported no blood and a wound caused by what seemed
to be a pen knife (it was eventually identified as a steak knife).
The four women claim that Buckle was aggressively sexual to
Johnson, who rebuffed his advances by telling him she was gay.
An enraged Buckle apparently began throwing homophobic
insults at them, before spitting on and throwing his cigarette at
them. As CCTV footage showed, he then instigated the attack,
throwing punches at the women. At one point Buckle, who told
the court he only held his hands up in self-defense, is shown on
top of Brown, choking her so violently that she was left with
bruising around her neck. When Johnson drew the knife her
brothers demanded she carry to protect herself, she did it to save
a friend she thought was going to be killed.
Lawyers are interviewed, who state absolutely that their clients acted in self-defense. The four women talk of their upbringing in Newark and how difficult life can be. Indeed, all four knew
Sakia Gunn, the openly gay woman fatally stabbed in Newark for
rebuffing a mans sexual advances. Representatives of FIERCE,
the New York-based activist group for LGBTQ youth of color,
discuss their outrage at the sentences imposed on each woman.
At a rally, the question is raised as to whether the same harsh
sentences would have been handed to a group of white women.
Indeed, Out In The Night asks a lot of questions. Why was Hill

given eight years for her role in the assault, yet the male family
member who raped her when she was nine was only sentenced
to five? Why were Brown and Dandridge charged with felonies
when their roles were misdemeanors at best? Why was the
judge, prosecutor and national media so obsessed with presenting the seven black women as a gang, when in reality they were
a group of friends on a night out in Greenwich Village?
Director Blair Dorosh-Walther fails to answer these questions. Like a visual Wikipedia, the facts are presented, but are
neither challenged nor explored perhaps a victim of the films
lack of narration and short 74-minute runtime. Theres nobody
here to seek explanation, no opposing arguments offered as neither the judge, prosecutor or Buckle agreed to be interviewed.
In the end, were left with four women who were undoubtedly
wronged by a system, a man and a media prejudiced against their
race, their gender and their sexuality, but were not given any
sign of change, any exploration of those wrongs, any sense that
Dorosh-Walther was interested in doing any more than filming
their lives, their families and those who wanted to help them.
As a record in history, Out In The Night is a great piece of educational film, one worth watching. However, its hampered by its
short length and lack of depth. Dorosh-Walther only scratches
the surface of the numerous injustices in this tale, leaving the
complexities and the vulgarities of what lies beneath untouched.
And those are perhaps exactly what needed to be explored.
Out In The Night (HHHHH), presented by Reel Affirmations,
screens January 30 at 7 p.m., at The Human Rights Campaign
Equality Center, 1640 Rhode Island Ave. NW. A Q&A with the filmmakers and Patreese Johnson follows. VIP Tickets are $25. Screening
only tickets are $10. isit reelaffirmations.org/out_in_the_night. l

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JANUARY 22, 2015

29

home

OConnor

This Old Houses Kevin OConnor

is just one of many draws at this
weekends Home + Remodeling Show
by DOUG RULE

EOPLE ARE OBSESSED WITH THEIR LIVING

spaces, says Kevin OConnor, host of PBSs This
Old House for the past 12 years. I have seen that go
from an interest to an obsession over those years. Its
really moved front and center for a lot of people.
Whether its because of greater affluence or expanded range
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JANUARY 22, 2015

METROWEEKLY.COM

and choice of living options or both this obsession has

spawned a host of television shows focused on the topic of home
improvement and remodeling but This Old House is the granddaddy of them all. The show is touted as the most watched in
the home improvement genre, and its also the longest-running,
celebrating 35 years on the air. Some people who are in this
business are fun to watch, but what these guys have thats unique
to them: theyre incredibly trustworthy, OConnor says of his
colleagues on the show. On some level people who are looking
for less entertainment and more high-quality information. They
end up coming to us.
OConnor is set to talk about This Old Houses anniversary
this weekend at the Home + Remodeling Show at the Dulles
Expo Center. Ive pulled some archival footage and lots of photos from my personal collection. Were talking about some of
the funniest moments, some of the highlights of those 35 years.
That includes amusing photos with original host Bob Vila, back

COURTESY OF MARKETPLACE EVENTS HOME + REMODELING SHOW 2015

Home Improvement

when he had big hair.

But the highlight of OConnors appearance at the show will
come after his official presentation, when hell take questions
from the audience first from the stage and then one-on-one off
to the side. Ill be spending hours answering peoples questions,
either publicly or individually, he says.
OConnor is happy to entertain general questions about the
shows content and specific questions about personal remodeling problems or concerns. In fact, taking such questions has
become critical to his work, which also includes hosting the
companion show Ask This Old House. Television is by nature
very isolating, he explains. Consumer home shows [offer a
rare] chance to interact with the people who watch our show....
And the questions kind of drive our editorial content. Based on
what people are asking or saying, OConnor can report back to
his editorial staff to enhance their coverage of, say, intelligent
thermostats and the smart home. All Im hearing are questions
from people who cant figure out this stuff, he says. Maybe
these things arent as intuitive as were making them seem.
The Home + Remodeling Show offers additional chances
for attendees to solicit advice and services from experts in the
field. Most notable is the free, first-come, first-serve component
called Ask a Remodeler. We encourage homeowners to bring
their remodeling challenges, their questions, their issues, says
Liz Benkovich, the shows manager and a vice president with
Marketplace Events, the Buffalo-based company that presents it
and other shows like it around the country. Remodeling exhibitors man that space an hour or two at a time, and consumers get
free, private consultations...and expert advice.
Also appearing at the show this year are John and Whitney
Spinks from HGTVs Flipping the Block. The married couple won

on the show by beating out three other teams, garnering the biggest resale value after renovating a run-down Los Angeles-area
condo on a limited budget. The Spinks will share some of the
behind-the-scenes secrets from the show, as well as some of
their favorite do-it-yourself tips and products.
Homeowners come to the show because there are experts
under one roof all weekend long, Benkovich says. The exhibitors are all kinds of companies that have to do with remodeling,
decorating and home improvement. They range from windows
and doors to flooring to siding to roofing, and contractors for
closet organization, or if you have an insect issue. For consumers, its a timesaver. And a really good opportunity to see whats
new, to get new ideas. And, of course, maybe find a new contractor to work with as the vast majority are local to the area,
says Benkovich.
The January Home + Remodeling Show was spun off three
years ago from the 20-year-old Capital Remodel + Garden Show,
which takes place at the Dulles Expo Center in late February and
has more of an outdoor component, with dream gardens and
landscapers. But even spreading it out over two shows hasnt been
enough. Both shows are set to grow even larger. The Dulles Expo
Center is expanding, Benkovich says. In 2016, it will be 30-percent larger.... Thats good because we are filled to the brim.
Kevin OConnor appears Friday, Jan. 23, at 7 p.m., and Saturday,
Jan. 24, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., at the Home + Remodeling Show,
which runs Friday, Jan. 23, and Saturday, Jan. 24, from 10 a.m.
to 9 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 25, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dulles Expo
Center, 4320 Chantilly Shopping Center, Chantilly, Va. Tickets are
$10, or use promo code Metro for a $4 discount online. Call 800274-6948 or visit homeandremodelingshow.com. l

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JANUARY 22, 2015

31

tech

Plus Points
Apples larger iPhone enticed a longtime
detractor to sample its fruity wares,
but left a bittersweet taste.
by RHUARIDH MARR

N THE METRO WEEKLY OFFICES, THERES SOMEthing of a common theme. At weekly meetings, a cool,
white glow washes over the table as we plan the next issue
of Washingtons most-read LGBT publication. Its source?
The numerous, illuminated Apple logos that line the table, fixed
to the aluminum shells of the various MacBooks most of the
staff use. Beside them, of course, sit iPhones, some naked, some
in cases, the perfect pairing of Apple products in one delightful,
unified ecosystem.
Unfortunately, I somewhat disrupt this altar to all things
Steve Jobs. Breaking the flow of fruity tech is a magnesium
Surface Pro, or a brushed metal HP laptop. Beside either of
those devices sits any number of non-iOS phones. I regularly
bounce between several different handsets on my nightstand
there are two Windows Phones, two Android smartphones and
a BlackBerry Passport. All have their strengths and weaknesses,
each has several unique talents which endear them to me, none
of them are perfect. The one glaring omission? An iPhone.
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I have no trouble admitting that Ive long admonished

iPhones. After a lengthy love affair with a second-generation
iPod Touch last decade, Ive neglected to own any Apple products except for a brief fling with the iPad 3. Apples smartphones
failed to ignite desire. They were too small, too restricted, too
light on features, and I resented the smug attitude of many who
stubbornly believed their devices to be the crme de la crme
of the smartphone world. Ive owned various flagship devices,
the majority of which have run Android. Googles OS has always
suited my tastes, with its open, easily-customized interface,
peerless multitasking and deep integration with Googles own
services. Android sated my need for the latest and greatest in
technology, with specs to make any geek drool and devices that
run the gamut from tiny to gargantuan.
None of this, of course, explains why I now own an iPhone
6 Plus. With hands too accustomed to large screens to consider
Apple, I now find myself with an iPhone as part of my rotation
of devices. It sits next to Googles Nexus 6 on my nightstand. It
is, for all intents and purposes, a fantastic device. However, even
Apples best still isnt the halo device Ive been looking for.
I decided to buy into Apples ecosystem for two reasons.
First, the size. Since HTCs HD2, whose 4.3-inch screen seemed
vast in 2009, Ive been a complete technological size whore.
With phones, the larger the better. Ive own every iteration of
Samsungs Note series, and Nokias 6-inch Lumia 1520 was my
main device for most of 2014. With the introduction of the 6
Plus, with its 5.5-inch display, Apple finally had a device which

wouldnt seem cramped compared to my other devices. That it

finally had a resolution to match 1080p, up from the iPhone
5Ss sub-HD display was a welcome bonus.
My second reason was that Ive become increasingly frustrated with finding one device to do everything I need without compromise. Yes, its the definition of a first-world-problem, but Ive
been left relatively underwhelmed with the numerous flagships
available today. Sonys Xperia Z3 a gorgeously made phone
is hampered by a pitiful camera. Samsungs Galaxy Note 4 would
be perfect were it not for its horrendous, lag-prone Touchwiz
software. Googles Nexus 6 comes close to matching my needs,
but is let down by a hit-or-miss camera and less-than-stellar battery life. Nothing in the Windows Phone camp excites me the
way 2013s Lumia 1020 and Lumia 1520 did, and BlackBerrys
Passport has improved dramatically since I reviewed it last year,
but its ropey implementation of Android apps still leaves a lot to
be desired. And so, with that in mind, I thought it time to finally
grab an iPhone, and see whether I had finally found the best
smartphone available.
Spoiler alert: I havent but thats not to say that the 6 Plus
doesnt come close. Indeed, much like Samsungs Note 4, its a
perfect smartphone save for one area: its software. On a list of
compromises, it asks less than many others, but it certainly isnt
the perfect device.
So whats good about the iPhone? The most obvious answer
is hardware. Apple has built a stunning device. From the smooth
aluminum shell to the glossy, curved-edge glass front, the 6 Plus
looks fantastic. However, it seems that in the race to be thin,
Apple has sacrificed form over function. Without a case, the 6
Plus is a slippery beast, and more than once I found myself having to rescue it from a dramatic meeting with the floor. While it
feels solid, with a welcome density, it also feels woefully fragile
thanks to its slender frame. Once in a case, however, it not only
becomes easy to handle but still remains thinner than many
naked smartphones.
Its display is also up there with some of the best. Yes, Android
may have moved onto Quad HD while Apple has only just
reached Full HD, but 1080p is still excellent for web browsing
and consuming media. Colors are rich and accurate and its
plenty bright enough when outdoors or shooting photos. Media
consumption is aided by a surprisingly capable mono speaker
though I wish Apple would adopt the stereo, front-facing speakers of many rivals. Under that display, Apples Touch ID sensor
is everything they claim it to be and more. It detects my fingerprint nine times out of ten, and usually when it fails its because
Ive done something wrong. Compare that with Samsungs Note
4, which registered my swipes seemingly whenever it felt like it
which wasnt often and Apple clearly is the one to beat here.
Apple deserves incredible praise for its camera, which uses
Sony technology thats been tweaked by the folks in Cupertino.
It may only be 8MP, but its one of the most well-rounded cameras Ive ever used on a smartphone. The inclusion of optical
stabilization and extremely fast autofocus means that, much like
Touch ID, nine times out of ten youll get the result you want.
Yes, the software may be overly simple, choosing the settings it
thinks you want but I often prefer that to having to manually
adjust several settings just to get the photo I want. With the 6
Plus, I know I can take the photo once and it will be perfectly
usable, something that cant be said of many other devices. Add
in excellent video capture (though the fact that it only records
mono audio is a little ridiculous) and its a fantastic package.
Unfortunately, its iOS where things start to slip. The software itself is perfectly stable. Ive experienced no crashes, very

little lag and every app has worked well save for the few still
waiting to be updated for the 6 Plus larger screen. Setup is simple, the ease of paying for apps with my fingerprint is dangerous
for my bank balance, and every app I enjoy on Android is here in
some variation or other usually with a much nicer aesthetic.
Using it regularly, though, can become something of a chore.
With Android, Googles intelligent multitasking keeps apps
in the background, with the ability to instantly resume. I know
that these apps will continue to sync data and refresh and work
as normal whenever I jump back into them. On iOS, I didnt
have that same confidence. Yes, you can give apps permission to
run in the background, and many will, but that didnt mean that
they always would. OneDrive kept thinking that WiFi had been
switched off whenever I moved to another app. Gmail (which I
use for work and personal email) and Inbox (Googles new app
which Ive become addicted to on Android) would stop showing
notifications, with the former taking ages to reload whenever
I jumped back to it. Spotify, which, on Android, instantly connects and plays over BlueTooth when I jump into my car, will
only connect if its one of the last apps opened. If its more than
a couple apps away, the iPhone will open iTunes instead, which
I dont use. Also, double-tapping the home button and scrolling sideways to see recent apps is laborious compared with
Androids software-based key and vertical list. Its a very small
foible, but its there, and a problem Windows Phone also shares
with its side-scrolling cards.
Widgets are also half-baked. The only one I use is Yahoo!
Weather both Android and Windows Phone have better ways
to present snippets of information. Notifications are great, and
come through just as quickly as on other phones, but I wish
there were a faster way to clear either all notifications at once,
or individual ones within groups. Control Center is also another
bugbear. Yes, its convenient, but unlike Android, Windows
Phone and BlackBerry, which access their settings from the top
of the screen, Apples bottom-up implementation makes it tricky
to access when you have the keyboard open. Speaking of the keyboard, third-party implementation is a buggy mess, and while
Apples software for grammar and sentence structure is mightily
impressive, after years of swiping around letters on Android and
Windows Phone, tapping words out feels painfully slow especially in one-handed use.
I could go on. Why cant I set Googles apps as the default?
Why cant I share between any apps that I choose? Why cant I
organize my homescreen the way I want? Why are most app settings not in the actual app? Why is the audio recording quality in
iMessage so terrible? But Ill stop, lest this dissolve into ranting
or I be labelled a fanboy.
Let me say this: the iPhone 6 Plus is a mightily impressive
device. As a complete package, it asks for less compromises than
many other smartphones, particularly when design, camera and
battery life are factored in, but its the software that ultimately
stops it from being my perfect device. I emphasize that because it
really is entirely subjective. There are those who love iOS 8, who
are deeply embedded in Apples many services, such as iCloud,
and for whom it can do no wrong. Thats fine, but as someone
who has gone to the other side of the river and sampled the
wares on offer, it only serves to highlight that my quest for the
perfect device is perhaps a fruitless one indeed. Apple has failed
to match the usability of the latest version of Android, but only a
handful of devices running Googles OS can offer as few compromises as the iPhone. It may not be perfect, but the many things
the iPhone does exceedingly well ensures it stays in my rotation
of devices even if it cant supersede them. l
METROWEEKLY.COM

JANUARY 22, 2015

33

NIGHT

LIFE
LISTINGS
THURS., 01.22.15

9 1/2
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm Multiple
TVs showing movies,
shows, sports Expanded
craft beer selection No
Cover
ANNIES/ANNIES
UPSTAIRS
4@4 Happy Hour, 4pm-7pm
$4 Small Plates, $4 Stella
Artois, $4 House Wines,
$4 Stolichnaya Cocktails,
$4 Manhattans and Vodka
Martinis
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Happy Hour: $6 Call
Martini, $3 Miller Lite, $4
Rail, $5 Call, 4-9pm $3
Rail Drinks, 10pm-midnight,
$5 Red Bull, Gatorade
and Frozen Virgin Drinks
Locker Room Thursday
Nights DJs Sean Morris
and MadScience Ripped
Hot Body Contest at midnight, hosted by Sasha
J. Adams and BaNaka
$200 Cash Prize Doors
open 10pm, 18+ $5 Cover
under 21 and free with
college ID
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm
Shirtless Thursday,
10-11pm Featuring music
by DJs BacK2bACk
JR.S
$3 Rail Vodka Highballs, $2
JR.s drafts, 8pm to close
Throwback Thursday featuring rock/pop retro hits

NUMBER NINE
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm No Cover

NELLIES SPORTS BAR

Beat The Clock Happy Hour
$2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
$4 (7-8pm) Buckets of
Beer $15 Drag Bingo

METROWEEKLY.COM

35

36

JANUARY 22, 2015

METROWEEKLY.COM

scene
Bares 6th Anniversary at Cobalt
Saturday, January 17
scan this tag
with your
smartphone
for bonus scene
pics online!

PHOTOGRAPHY BY
CHRISTOPHER CUNETTO

ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
All male, nude dancers
Shirtless Thursday DJ
Tim-e in Secrets 9pm
Cover 21+
FRI., 01.23.15

9 1/2
Open at 5pm Happy Hour:
2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm
Friday Night Videos with
resident DJ Shea Van Horn
VJ Expanded craft beer
selection No cover
ANNIES
4@4 Happy Hour, 4-7pm
$4 Small Plates, $4 Stella
Artois, $4 House Wines,
$4 Stolichnaya Cocktails,
$4 Manhattans and Vodka
Martinis Upstairs open
5-11pm
COBALT/30 DEGREES
All You Can Drink Happy
Hour $15 Rail &
Domestic, $21 Call &
Imports, 6-9pm Guys
Night Out Free Rail
Vodka, 11pm-Midnight, $6
Belvedere Vodka Drinks all

night DJ Keenan Orr in

Cobalt, DJ Barronhawk in
30 Degrees $10 cover
10pm-1am, $5 after 1am
21+
DC BEAR CRUE
@Town Bear Happy
Hour, 6-11pm $3 Rail,
$3 Draft, $3 Bud Bottles
Free Pizza, 7pm Hosted
by Charger Stone No
cover before 9:30pm 21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm
BOOM Dance Party, 10pmclose Featuring Go-Go
Bears and Hot-N-A-Jock
Contest with $50 Prize
$5 Cover $5 Smirnoff, All
Flavors, All Night
JR.S
Buy 1, Get 1, 11pm-midnight Happy Hour: 2-for1, 4-9pm $5 Coronas, $8
Vodka Red Bulls, 9pm-close

NELLIES SPORTS BAR

DJ Matt Bailer Videos,
Dancing Beat The Clock
Happy Hour $2 (5-6pm),
$3 (6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm)
Buckets of Beer $15
NUMBER NINE
Open 5pm Happy Hour: 2
for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm
No Cover
TOWN
Drag Show starts at
10:30pm Hosted by Lena
Lett and featuring Miss
Tatianna, Shi-QueetaLee, Epiphany B. Lee
and BaNaka DJ Wess
upstairs, BacK2bACk
downstairs Doors open
at 10pm For those 21 and
over, $5 from 10-11pm and
$10 after 11pm For those
18-20, $12 all night 18+
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
All male, nude dancers,
hosted by LaTroya Nicole
Ladies of Illusion with host
Kristina Kelly, 9pm DJ
Steve Henderson in Secrets
DJ Don T. in Ziegfelds
Cover 21+

SAT., 01.24.15

9 1/2
Open at 5pm Happy Hour:
2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm
$5 Absolut & Titos, $3
Miller Lite after 9pm
Expanded craft beer selection No Cover
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Drag Yourself to Brunch
at Level One, 11am-2 and
2-4pm Featuring Kristina
Kelly and the Ladies of
Illusion Bottomless
Mimosas and Bloody
Marys Happy Hour: $3
Miller Lite, $4 Rail, $5
Call, 4-9pm Sherry Vine
Dinner Show at Level One,
8-9pm Reservations recommended, can be made
through OpenTable.com
Pajama Party, 10pm-3am
Featuring DJ Tom from
Prague $5 Rail Drinks, $3
PBRs, $4 Fireball, $8 Vodka
& Red Bull $5 Cover after
10pm 18+

FREDDIES BEACH BAR

Diner-style Breakfast
Buffet, 10am-3pm
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Freddies Follies Drag
Show 8pm-10pm, hosted
by Ms. Destiny B. Childs
Karaoke, 10pm-1am
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm
Naughty Snowbunny
Underwear Party
Featuring DJ Darryl
Strickland No Cover
$5 Fireball and $5 Smirnoff
for men in underwear $5
Bacardi Buffet, All Flavors,
All Night
JR.S
$4 Coors, $5 Vodka highballs, $7 Vodka Red Bulls
NELLIES
Guest DJs Zing Zang
Bloody Marys, Nellie Beer,
House Rail Drinks and
Mimosas, $4, 11am-5pm
Buckets of Beer, $15

TOWN
DC Rawhides host Town
& Country: Two-Step, Line
Dancing, Waltz and West
Coast Swing, $5 Cover to
stay all night Doors open
6:45pm, Lessons 7-8pm,
Open dance 8-10:30pm
Super Dirty Pop with DJ
Drew G, 10pm-close
Peaches performs in the
Drag Show Drag Show
starts at 10:30pm Hosted
by Lena Lett and featuring
Miss Tatianna, Shi-QueetaLee, Epiphany B. Lee and
BaNaka Music and videos by DJ Wess downstairs
Cover $10 from 10-11pm,
$12 after 11pm 21+
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
Men of Secrets, 9pm
Guest dancers Ladies
of Illusion with host Ella
Fitzgerald, 9pm DJ Steve
Henderson in Secrets
DJ Joey O in Ziegfelds
Doors 8pm Cover 21+

NUMBER NINE
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm No Cover

METROWEEKLY.COM

JANUARY 22, 2015

37

SUN., 01.25.15

9 1/2
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm Multiple
TVs showing movies,
shows, sports Expanded
craft beer selection No
Cover
COBALT/30 DEGREES
$4 Stoli and Miller Lite all
day Homowood Karaoke,
10pm-close
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Champagne Brunch Buffet,
10am-3pm Crazy Hour,
4-7pm Karaoke 8pm-1am
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm
Upstairs: Bears Can Party,
6-10pm Featuring DJ
Jeff Eletto Downstairs:
Mamas Trailer Park
Karaoke, 9:30pm-close
JR.S
Sunday Funday Liquid
Brunch Doors open at
1pm $2 Coors Lights &
$3 Skyy (all avors), all day
and night

38

JANUARY 22, 2015

METROWEEKLY.COM

NELLIES
Drag Brunch, hosted by
Shi-Queeta-Lee, 11am-3pm
$20 Brunch Buffet
House Rail Drinks, Zing
Zang Bloody Marys, Nellie
Beer and Mimosas, $4,
11am-close Buckets of
Beer, $15
NUMBER NINE
Pop Goes the World with
Wes Della Volla at 9:30
pm Happy Hour: 2 for
1 on any drink, 5-9pm
No Cover
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
All male, nude dancers
Decades of Dance DJ
Tim-e in Secrets Doors
8pm Cover 21+
MON., 01.26.15

9 1/2
Open at 5pm Happy Hour:
2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm
Multiple TVs showing
movies, shows, sports
Expanded craft beer selection No Cover

ANNIES
4@4 Happy Hour, 4-7pm
$4 Small Plates, $4 Stella
Artois, $4 House Wines,
$4 Stolichnaya Cocktails,
$4 Manhattans and Vodka
Martinis
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Happy Hour: $2 Rail, $3
Miller Lite, $5 Call, 4-9pm
Drag Show hosted by
Kristina Kelly Doors open
at 10pm, show starts at
11pm $3 Skyy Cocktails,
$8 Skyy and Red Bull No
Cover, 18+
FREDDIES
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour All Night Long,
4pm-close Michaels
Open Mic Night Karaoke,
9:30pm-close
JR.S
Happy Hour: 2-for-1, 4-9pm
Showtunes Songs &
Singalongs, 9pm-close
DJ Jamez $3 Drafts

NELLIES SPORTS BAR

Beat The Clock Happy Hour
$2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
$4 (7-8pm) Buckets of
Beer $15 Poker Texas
Holdem, 8pm Dart
Boards

SIN Industry Night

Half-price Cocktails, 10pmclose

NUMBER NINE
Open 5pm Happy Hour: 2
for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm
No Cover

GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour All Night Long,
4pm-close

TUES., 01.27.15

9 1/2
Open at 5pm Happy Hour:
2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm
Multiple TVs showing
movies, shows, sports
Expanded craft beer selection No Cover
ANNIES
Happy Hour, 4-7pm $4
Stella Artois, $4 House
Wines, $4 Stolichnaya
Cocktails, $4 Manhattans
and Vodka Martinis
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Happy Hour: $2 Rail, $3
Miller Lite, $5 Call, 4-9pm

FREDDIES BEACH BAR

Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm

JR.S
Underground (Indie Pop/Alt/
Brit Rock), 9pm-close DJ
Wes Della Volla 2-for-1,
all day and night
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
Beat The Clock Happy Hour
$2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
$4 (7-8pm) Buckets of
Beer $15 Karaoke and
Drag Bingo
NUMBER NINE
Open 5pm Happy Hour: 2
for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm
No Cover Safe Word: A
Gay Spelling Bee, 8-11pm
Prizes to top three
spellers After 9pm, $3
Absolut, Bulleit & Stella

WED., 01.28.15

9 1/2
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm Multiple
TVs showing movies,
shows, sports Expanded
craft beer selection No
Cover
ANNIES
Happy Hour, 4-7pm $4
Stella Artois, $4 House
Wines, $4 Stolichnaya
Cocktails, $4 Manhattans
and Vodka Martinis
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Happy Hour: $2 Rail, $3
Miller Lite, $5 Call, 4-9pm
Wednesday Night
Karaoke downstairs, 10pm
$4 Stoli and Stoli Flavors
and Miller Lite No Cover
21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm $6
Burgers Drag Bingo
Night, hosted by Ms.
Regina Jozet Adams
Karaoke, 10pm-1am

GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm
Upstairs: The Boys of
HUMP, 9pm-1am
JR.S
Trivia with MC Jay Ray,
8pm The Queen, 10-11pm
$2 JRs Drafts & $4
Vodka ($2 with College I.D./
JRs Team Shirt)
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
SmartAss Trivia Night, 8pm
and 9pm Prizes include
bar tabs and tickets to
shows at the 9:30 Club
$15 Buckets of Beer for
SmartAss Teams only
Bring a new team member
and each get a free $10
Dinner
NUMBER NINE
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm No Cover
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
All male, nude dancers
Shirtless Night, 10-11pm,
12-12:30am Military
Night, no cover with
military ID DJ Don T. in
Secrets 9pm Cover 21+

open 10pm, 18+ $5 Cover

under 21 and free with
college ID

THURS., 01.29.15

9 1/2
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm Multiple
TVs showing movies,
shows, sports Expanded
craft beer selection No
Cover

FREDDIES BEACH BAR

Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm

ANNIES/ANNIES
UPSTAIRS
4@4 Happy Hour, 4pm-7pm
$4 Small Plates, $4 Stella
Artois, $4 House Wines,
$4 Stolichnaya Cocktails,
$4 Manhattans and Vodka
Martinis
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Happy Hour: $6 Call
Martini, $3 Miller Lite, $4
Rail, $5 Call, 4-9pm $3
Rail Drinks, 10pm-midnight,
$5 Red Bull, Gatorade
and Frozen Virgin Drinks
Locker Room Thursday
Nights DJs Sean Morris
and MadScience Ripped
Hot Body Contest at midnight, hosted by Sasha
J. Adams and BaNaka
$200 Cash Prize Doors

METROWEEKLY.COM

GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm
Shirtless Thursday,
10-11pm Featuring music
by DJs BacK2bACk
JR.S
$3 Rail Vodka Highballs, $2
JR.s drafts, 8pm to close
Throwback Thursday featuring rock/pop retro hits
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
Beat The Clock Happy Hour
$2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
$4 (7-8pm) Buckets of
Beer $15
NUMBER NINE
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm No Cover
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
All male, nude dancers
Shirtless Thursday DJ
Tim-e in Secrets 9pm
Cover 21+

JANUARY 22, 2015

39

FRI., 01.30.15

9 1/2
Open at 5pm Happy Hour:
2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm
Friday Night Videos with
resident DJ Shea Van Horn
VJ Expanded craft beer
selection No cover
ANNIES
4@4 Happy Hour, 4-7pm
$4 Small Plates, $4 Stella
Artois, $4 House Wines,
$4 Stolichnaya Cocktails,
$4 Manhattans and Vodka
Martinis Upstairs open
5-11pm
COBALT/30 DEGREES
All You Can Drink Happy
Hour $15 Rail &
Domestic, $21 Call &
Imports, 6-9pm Guys
Night Out Free Rail
Vodka, 11pm-Midnight, $6
Belvedere Vodka Drinks all
night DJ MadScience
presents Heaven on Earth,
10pm-3am DJ Keenan
Orr in the lounge $10
cover 10pm-1am, $5 after
1am 21+

40

JANUARY 22, 2015

METROWEEKLY.COM

DC BEAR CRUE
@Town Bear Happy
Hour, 6-11pm $3 Rail,
$3 Draft, $3 Bud Bottles
Free Pizza, 7pm Hosted
by Charger Stone No
cover before 9:30pm 21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm The
Men of ONYX Mid-Atlantic
present Iniquity January
Bar Night, 10pm-2am $5
Cover Featuring Go-Go
Boys, Jello Shots and
Demos $5 Smirnoff, All
Flavors, All Night
JR.S
Buy 1, Get 1, 11pm-midnight Happy Hour: 2-for1, 4-9pm $5 Coronas, $8
Vodka Red Bulls, 9pm-close
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
DJ Matt Bailer Videos,
Dancing Beat The Clock
Happy Hour $2 (5-6pm),
$3 (6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm)
Buckets of Beer $15

NUMBER NINE
Open 5pm Happy Hour: 2
for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm
No Cover
PWS SPORTS BAR
9855 Washington Blvd. N
Laurel, Md.
301-498-4840
Drag Show in lounge
Half-price burgers and fries,
4-8pm
TOWN
Drag Show starts at
10:30pm Hosted by Lena
Lett and featuring Miss
Tatianna, Shi-QueetaLee, Epiphany B. Lee
and BaNaka DJ Wess
upstairs, BacK2bACk
downstairs Doors open
at 10pm For those 21 and
over, $5 from 10-11pm and
$10 after 11pm For those
18-20, $12 all night 18+
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
All male, nude dancers,
hosted by LaTroya Nicole
Ladies of Illusion with host
Kristina Kelly, 9pm DJ
Steve Henderson in Secrets
DJ Don T. in Ziegfelds
Cover 21+ l

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41

42

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KINKY
CAMARADERIE
This years Mid-Atlantic Leather may have
been the largest yet, eagerly embracing
newcomers and veterans alike
by Doug Rule
Photography by Todd Franson
and Ward Morrison

VER 3,000 PEOPLE ATTENDED MIDAtlantic Leather, held last weekend

at the Hyatt Regency Washington on
Capitol Hill. It was definitely one of our largest,
if not the largest, says Patrick Grady, chair of
the event, which originated 41 years ago.
The second largest leather and fetish event
in the U.S., MAL has grown even in the five
years since it moved to the Hyatt. Certainly, its
an eye-opening experience for any newcomer,
as well as for those veterans, such as Mauro
Walden-Montoya, Mr. MAL 1996, who havent
been to MAL since the move. Walden-Montoya
and his husband flew in from Albuquerque,
N.M., arriving late Friday evening.
Just watching his face as we walked in
was priceless, Walden-Montoya says of his
husband, who was attending his first big leather
event. Like a kid in a candy store mixed with
a shocked nun the emotions across his face
were hilarious. You just look down and theres
this sea of black leather and naked butts and
beautiful men with no shirts. Soon enough
he got a kick out of another sight: His husband
wandering the hotel in a jockstrap, which he
never thought hed do in his life.
Jerry Overby was another first-time attendee
relishing in the kind of freedom MAL allows,
even encourages. It was pretty dreamy, a
complete eye-opener, says the young Virginia
native, who had no previous experience with
leather or kink but opted to go after a friend
invited him to join. I lost a lot of my shyness. I
would have never been caught dead in public in
my underwear, or even without a shirt on. At

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43

this years MAL, Overby walked around wearing just a harness and a jock. It was a superfriendly environment. Everyone was so chill.
There was no judgment at all.
The weekend was a huge success, Grady
says. Lots of happy people and good energy everywhere. There were no problems, no
issues at the hotel. In fact, the hotels new
general manager, who was on site all weekend,
called Grady on Monday morning to thank us
and to thank our guests for coming. The hotel
received lots of compliments from our guests.
All events, official and unofficial, were busy
and bustling. And 14 former Mr. MALs were
in attendance to celebrate the 30th annual
Mr. MAL Contest on Sunday, where David
Gerard won the title and David Gerard won
as first runner-up. (Yes, the top two of five
contestants were both named David Gerard
though are not related.) Ahren Hollis, Mr.
Pittsburgh Leather Fetish 2015, was the second runner-up. The first runner-up is a young
man from Mr. Maryland Leather, while the
winner, Mr. Connecticut Leather 2015, went
by the name Daddy Dave during the competition to help distinguish the two. It really
is an honor to be picked as Mr. Mid-Atlantic
Leather, says Gerard, who had not been to
MAL previously and has only recently started
becoming more active in the leather community after decades on the perimeter in the
kink and play side of it.
Says Gerard: I had just come to a place in
my personal journey where I really felt I was
ready to put myself out there and be more in the
center of the community. l

44

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45

The Jenner gender speculation is a modern day freak show.

It spreads the misconception that being trans is laughable.
Journalist, author and transgender activist JANET MOCK, speaking on her MSNBC web series So Popular! With Janet Mock
about magazine InTouchs decision to mock Bruce Jenners gender identity on the cover of its latest issue. The magazines headline reads Bruces Story: My life as a woman and features an image of the former Olympian and stepfather to
Kim Kardashian with make-up and womens clothing photoshopped on to his body.

Perez [Hilton] sets our community back 50 years.

Hes an embarrassment.

MICHELLE VISAGE, star of RuPauls Drag Race and longtime LGBT ally, speaking during her appearance in the UKs Celebrity
Big Brother about fellow housemate Perez Hilton, the infamous gossip blogger. Hilton has enraged Visage with his attentionseeking antics and embarrassing comments. We have been fighting for equal rights, equal marriage and ... this person is an
embarrassment to an entire community, she said. I do not want people judging the gay community on this ass.

If these new rules go through,

we will be erased from Russian film and culture.
An anonymous gay rights activist, speaking with Gay Star News, about proposed changes to Russian law which would ban
films defiling the national culture, posing a threat to national unity and undermining the foundations of the constitutional
order. Gay rights activists fear that the broad nature of the proposal, currently under review, could lead to
LGBT themes or characters being censored or banned by the government.

If I wasnt gay,
probably I wouldnt be CEO of the bank.
ANTNIO SIMES, openly gay CEO of HSBCs UK banking operations, speaking with Portuguese newspaper Expresso. Simes,
who recently topped a list of the most influential LGBT people in British business, believes that being openly gay has helped him
to be better at his job. Being gay is a plus for me. It made me a more authentic person, with better empathy,
better emotional intelligence.

In order to ensure the Courts integrity and impartiality,

both should recuse themselves from
same-sex marriage cases.
TIM WILDMON, president of the anti-gay America Family Association, in a statement calling for Supreme Court Justices Ruth
Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan to recuse themselves from cases pertaining to same-sex marriage, because both justices have
performed same-sex weddings. Wildmon incorrectly argues that federal judicial officers must disqualify themselves from hearing cases in specified circumstances, because he believes that both justices support for equality affects their decision-making.

46

JANUARY 22, 2015

METROWEEKLY.COM