MAY 0 5 , 2 0 1 7 V O L U M E 4 8 I SSU E 18 AM E RI C A S LGB T NE W S S O URCE WASHINGTONBLADE.

COM

LGBT groups vow to ght

religious freedom EO

By CHRIS JOHNSON
cjohnson@washblade.com

In the wake of a media report that

President Trump was preparing to sign
a religious freedom executive order on
Thursday, LGBT groups are making plans
to ght the measure on the assumption it
will enable anti-LGBT discrimination. (The
action was slated to come after Blade
press time; visit washingtonblade.com
for updates.)
The Human Rights Campaign staged
a rally and news conference Wednesday
at Lafayette Square outside of the White
House to raise awareness about a
directive that the organization says
Sen. JEFF MERKLEY (D-Oregon) was among speakers at a Wednesday protest organized by HRC at the White House.
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY CONTINUES ON PAGE 14

No Justice No Pride Members of No Justice No Pride, who describe themselves

to air grievances at
May 8 board meeting
By LOU CHIBBARO JR.
lchibbaro@washblade.com
A dissident group that is calling for radical changes in the
way D.C.s Capital Pride Parade and Festival are carried out
this year is calling on its supporters to pack the Capital
Pride Alliances May 8 board of directors meeting to voice
their support for the proposed changes.
as a local coalition of LGBT activists and organizations, have
released a list of demands that include calling on Capital
Pride to eliminate corporate sponsorship of the Pride events
and ban corporations and D.C. police from participating in
the parade and festival set for June 10-11.
The Capital Pride board meeting is scheduled for 6:30
p.m. Monday, May 8, at National City Christian Church at 5
Thomas Circle.
Longtime lesbian activist Cathy Renna, who is serving
as a communications consultant for Capital Pride, said the
Capital Pride Board President BERNIE DELIA
17-member Capital Pride Alliance board is looking forward has said that the organization will not agree
to the demands by No Justice No Pride to
ban police and corporate sponsors.
CONTINUES ON PAGE 16 WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY
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 WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

04 MAY 05, 2017 LO CA L N E W S

Comings & Goings

Penchina joins Voices for Progress

By PETER ROSENSTEIN

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

Congratulations to Daniel Penchina, who has

been named president of Voices for Progress
and Voices for Progress Education Fund. Voices
for Progress is a unique organization made up of
inuential people advocating for the public interest. Thousands of immigrants and workers rights advocates marched from Dupont Circle to
Lafayette Square on May 1.
Voices for Progress Education Fund (V4PEF), and its WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL K. LAVERS
sister organization, Voices for Progress (V4P), are
progressive national advocacy organizations building
a counterweight to the campaign contributors and
corporations that seek policies serving their own DANIEL PENCHINA Immigrant, workers rights
advocates march to White House
PHOTO COURTESY OF PENCHINA
narrow nancial self-interest. A 501(c)(3) project of
the Tides Center, V4PEF, and V4P, a 501(c)(4) project
of The Advocacy Fund, have enlisted hundreds
of philanthropists, political donors and business
leaders nationwide as members. Members and sta HRC, National LGBTQ administration, she told the Blade. We
advocate to elected ocials to ght against climate really care about people and the fact that
change and economic inequality; to strengthen
Task Force staers theyre not being treated with their full
democracy through campaign nance reform and among participants dignity and respect.
voting protections; and on other social justice issues Trump on Jan. 25 signed two executive
Penchina has 15 years of experience navigating By MICHAEL K. LAVERS orders that spur construction of a wall
JORDAN SCHWARTZ
the intersection of policymaking and politics. He PHOTO COURTESY OF SCHWARTZ mlavers@washblade.com along the U.S.-Mexico border and the
was a principal at The Raben Group, a progressive reduction in federal funding to so-
public aairs rm based in D.C. where he designed Thousands of people marched to the called sanctuary cities that protect
and managed issue and advocacy campaigns including developing legislative White House on Monday in support of undocumented immigration.
strategy, communications plans, coalitions and tools for grassroots organizing immigrant and workers rights. The president two days later signed
for dozens of national nonprots, foundations, and companies. Prior to that, Democratic National Committee Chair another executive order that suspended
he worked as a senior adviser and strategist for several members of Congress, Tom Perez and U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez the issuance of visas to people from seven
including as legislative director to Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.). He has served (D-Ill.) are among those who sharply predominantly Muslim countries Syria,
as a member of the board of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, and of SMYAL. criticized President Trumps immigration Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan and Libya
Penchina is a past president of Q Street, an association of LGBT lobbyists and policies during a rally that took place in for 90 days and ends the U.S. Refugee
advocates. He has a BFA with honors in cinema studies from New York University. Lafayette Square. Admissions Program for 120 days. The
Congratulations also to Jordan Schwartz, who was promoted to National Staers from the Human Rights mandate also indenitely banned Syrian
Development Associate at A Wider Bridge (AWB). Schwartz previously served as Campaign and the National LGBTQ Task refugees from entering the U.S.
Regional Development Associate for the Mid Atlantic. He will now assist with Force are among those who attended A revised travel ban that Trump issued
AWBs national fundraising eorts. the event that CASA de Maryland and in March does not include Iraq. The
A Wider Bridge was founded by Arthur Slepian in 2010 to provide opportunities the Service Employees International executive order has not taken eect
for LGBTQ people in North America to build meaningful relationships with Israel Union co-organized. Casa Ruby CEO Ruby because it remains under court order.
and LGBTQ Israelis. From its outset, AWB has provided LGBTQ people with the Corado, who immigrated to the U.S. from Federal agents in February deported
opportunity to engage with Israel in ways that matter to them personally, and El Salvador in the 1980s, joined hundreds Juan Manuel Montes, a 23-year-old man
to demonstrate they have a stake in Israel and its future. In seven years, it has of people who marched from Mount from Mexico who arrived in the U.S. when
sponsored dozens of Israeli LGBTQ delegations to North America. It has also Pleasant to the White House. he was a child. Montes is a Dreamer
given more than 200 North American LGBTQ leaders the opportunity to visit The rally is among the more than 100 who was protected under the Deferred
Israel and engage with LGBTQ Israeli leaders and NGOs on the ground. such events that took place across the Action for Childhood Arrivals program
Prior to working with AWB, Schwartz founded Tappan Street Productions, U.S. on May Day. that President Obama created in 2012.
Brookline, MA where he produced a 15-minute documentary that screened in Stacey Long Simmons, director of The arrest of an undocumented
the Boston area for Joe Kennedy for Congress. He is also the youngest tutor advocacy and action at the National transgender woman inside a courthouse
hired by Advantage Testing trained in and certied to teach LSAT, GRE, GMAT, LGBTQ Task Force, and a handful of her in El Paso, Texas, in February after she
and numerous academic subjects. Jordan has a bachelors in political science colleagues marched from Dupont Circle received a protective order against her
with a minor in business from Brandeis University. to Lafayette Square. ex-boyfriend sparked outrage among
Congratulations also to those elected to the board of Brother, Help Thyself. She pointed out to the Washington Blade immigrant rights advocates and their
Jim Slattery was re-elected to his fth term as president of BHT. He is joined by that a quarter of a million LGBT people in supporters.
Andrew McCarty as vice president, Mark Clark as the boards treasurer and the U.S. are undocumented. Simmons Donald Trump is someone who
Mike Lentz as assistant treasurer. In addition, elected to the board of directors also accused the Trump administration of really, clearly does not care about the
were Mario Ward, Jose Gutierrez and Julius Agers. Brother, Help Thyself advancing a racist agenda of hate that vulnerable, Simmons told the Blade.
Inc. is a community-based organization providing nancial and other support includes anti-LGBT policies. Were here because we want to demand
to non-prot organizations serving the GLBTQ and HIV/AIDS community in the We are really fed up with the amount accountability from this administration.
Baltimore/Washington, D.C. metro area. of discrimination thats been pouring Were not going to stop marching until we
out of this White House and this get justice for everyone.
 T:9.75
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 WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

0 6 MA Y 0 5 , 2 0 1 7 NATIONAL NEWS

Trump exec order could jeopardize Stonewall Monument

Interior Secy to assess
whether monuments
are public burden

By LOU CHIBBARO JR.

lchibbaro@washblade.com

The designation last year of the

Stonewall Inn gay bar in New Yorks
Greenwich Village as a U.S. National
Monument could be jeopardized by
an executive order issued last week by
President Donald Trump calling for a
review and reassessment of national
monuments named since 1996, according
to the head of a New York historic
preservation group.
Andrew Berman, executive director of
the Greenwich Village Society for Historic
Preservation, said supporters of the
Stonewall designation are worried about
a little-noticed provision in the Trump
order that covers nearly all national
monuments, not just those consisting of
100,000 acres or more of federal lands.
The order directs the Secretary of the
Interior to review national monuments
designated or expanded by Presidents
Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack
Obama where the designation covers
more than 100,000 acres and where the
designation after expansion covers more
than 100,000 acres.
But the order also directs the Interior
Secretary to conduct a review of national
monument designations where the
Secretary determines that the designation
or expansion was made without adequate
public outreach and coordination with
relevant stakeholders.
Among the factors Interior Secretary
Ryan Zinke is directed to assess under
the executive order are whether national
monument designations create barriers
to achieving energy independence,
restrict public access to and use of
federal lands, burden state, tribal, and
local governments, and otherwise curtail
economic growth.
So you can see its pretty open ended,
Berman told the Washington Blade on
Monday. So clearly if they chose to
they could use this to reconsider any
of those [monument designations], he
said, including the Stonewall National
Monument.
I think there is a great deal of anxiety
about this possibility, he said. And I
certainly think the word is spreading
and has spread here in New York that
this puts Stonewall at the very least in
theoretical danger if not potentially real
danger as well.
Gregory Angelo, president of the Log
Cabin Republicans, disputes Bermans
assessment, saying the overriding aim of
President Obama designated as a national monument the area around the Stonewall Inn last year.
the executive order is to review National
Monument designations consisting of
100,000 or more acres of land.
If youre getting hung up on the
adequate outreach portion of the order,
the Obama administration did ample
outreach on the matter of the Stonewall
National Monument, Angelo told the
Blade in an email.
He noted that Log Cabin submitted a letter
in support of the Stonewall designation,
which is featured in the National Parks
Conservation Association website.
So reports attempting to shoehorn
the Stonewall National Monument into
administrative review is a canard, Angelo said.
President Obama announced last June
that he had designated the Stonewall Inn
bar, the adjacent Christopher Park, and
the surrounding streets and sidewalks that
were the site of the 1969 Stonewall riots as
the Stonewall National Monument.
Historians have credited the Stonewall
riots, which started when New York City
police raided the Stonewall Inn and began
arresting some of its patrons, as the rst
signicant uprising by gay and transgender
people and the spark that triggered the
modern LGBT rights movement.
Berman agrees with Angelo that
the Stonewall Monument designation
was thoroughly vetted by the Obama
administration. He said New York City and
New York State ocials also consulted with
local stakeholders in the areas surrounding
the Stonewall Inn when they pushed
for its earlier designation as a National
Historic Landmark. He said the proposed
National Monument designation received
widespread support.
Obviously we would argue that there
was extensive consultation that went on
here, he said. But you take nothing for
granted with this administration.
A White House spokesperson couldnt
immediately be reached to determine
whether the president or Interior Secretary
Zinke have any intention to target the
Stonewall National Monument for review or
for rescinding its monument designation.
Political observers have pointed out
that the executive order was based on
complaints by governors and public
ocials in several western states in
which presidents since 1996 designated
hundreds of thousands of acres of lands
as National Monuments, removing them
from use for development.
Televangelist Franklin Graham emerged
as a vocal opponent of the Stonewall
National Monument designation in May
2016, when news surfaced that Obama
was about to announce the designation.
He called it a monument to sin in a post
on his Facebook page.
I hope the president will reconsider, he
wrote. Flaunting sin is a dangerous move.
Mark Meinke, a founding member of
D.C.s Rainbow History Project and former
co-director of the national Rainbow
Heritage Network, which works to preserve
LGBT historic sites, said the 1906 U.S.
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY
Antiquities Act, which gives presidents the
power to designate National Monuments,
has no provision for rescinding a National
Monument designation.
He noted that no National Monument
has ever been reversed and any attempt
to do so now would likely face a lengthy
court challenge.
In summary, it is highly unlikely the
attempt would be made and even less
likely that it would succeed, Meinke
said of an eort to rescind the Stonewall
National Monument designation.
Jerey Harris, the current board chair of
Rainbow Heritage Network, said he agrees
with Meinkes assessment but believes
the preservation and conservation
communities would rise in support of
the Stonewall Monument in the unlikely
event the Trump administration would
try to rescind its status.
And if there is an attempt to remove
that status, I am more than condent that
the preservation community will ght
that eort vigorously, and the Rainbow
Heritage Network absolutely will be a part
of that ght, he said.
The executive order calls on Zinke
to provide an interim report on his
ndings of the mandated review of
National Monument designations to the
president within 45 days of the issuance
of the order and for him to deliver to the
president a nal report on the ndings,
along with recommendations for possible
presidential actions within 120 days.
W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM MA Y 0 5 , 2 0 1 7 0 7

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
NATIONAL NEWS
In uphill ght, Democrats make case for Equality Act
Supporters condent
bill would pass if GOP
leaders allow a vote
By CHRIS JOHNSON
cjohnson@washblade.com
President Trumps November victoryand
Republican majorities in Congress arent
stopping Democrats from reintroducing
legislation seeking to enshrine into law
comprehensive non-discrimination
protections forLGBT people.
At an event Tuesday at the Rayburn
Room of the U.S. Capitol, Rep. David
Cicilline (D-R.I.) and Sen. Je Merkley
(D-Ore.), lead sponsors of the legislation
in their respective chambers of Congress,
touted the Equality Act as a means to
extend LGBT progress in the face of
current obstacles.
Cicilline, lead sponsor of the Equality Act
in the U.S. House, said the legislation has
more supporters than ever in the House
and reects the simple idea that everyone,
including members of the LGBT community,
is entitled to equal treatment under the law
and right to live free of discrimination.
Its long past time to guarantee that
equal protection under the law applies to
every single American regardless of their
sexual orientation or gender identity, and
thats exactly what the Equality Act will
accomplish, Cicilline said.
Merkley, lead sponsor of the legislation
in the Senate, said the Equality Act is
the answer to the question of what
constitutes a just and equal society.
Every American deserves to be treated
with dignity and respect, Merkley said.
Every American deserves to be able to
pursue their full potential without the
door of discrimination being slammed in
their face. When we pass the Equality Act,
non-discrimination will be the law of the
land here in America once and for all, and
that day could not come sooner.
As when it was rst introduced in the
previous Congress, the Equality Act would
amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and
the Fair Housing Act to ban anti-LGBT
discrimination in employment, housing,
public accommodations, jury service,
education, federal programs and credit.
The bill also seeks to update federal law
to include gender in the list of protected
classes in public accommodation in
addition to expanding the denition of
public accommodations to include retail
stores, banks, transportation services and
health care services. Further, the Equality
Act would establish that the Religious
Freedom Restoration Act a 1994 law
aimed at protecting religious liberty cant
used to enable anti-LGBT discrimination.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi
Sen. JEFF MERKLEY (D-Oregon) speaks at the reintroduction of the Equality Act at the U.S.
Capitol on May 2.
(D-Calif.) invoked the recent ruling from the
U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals that
found anti-gay discrimination on the job
constitutes sex discrimination under current
law, but said the Equality Act is needed to
expand protections into other areas.
Now we must pass the Equality Act to
remove all doubt that sexual orientation
and gender identity warrant civil rights
protection, not just in the workplace, but
every place, Pelosi said.
Lawmakers at the event characterized
the legislation as an eort to make a
distinction between supporters of LGBT
rights and their opposition in the White
House and Congress.
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), top
Democrat on the Senate Health, Education,
Labor & Pensions Committee, lamented
being at a dierent place with Trump
in the White House than expected when
Hillary Clinton was leading in the polls.
The truth is there has never been a
more important time to keep up this
ght, to lay out a vision for the kind of
country that we all know we can be and
to come together to pass the Equality
Act, Murray said. Since the moment he
walked into the White House, President
Trump has laid out a hateful, damaging
agenda to undo the hard won progress
for the LGBTQ community.
Upon its reintroduction in the 115th
Congress, the Equality Act has a greater
number of total co-sponsors in the
House and Senate than ever before. The
legislation has 195 co-sponsors in the
House and 46 co-sponsors in the Senate.
But the only Republican co-sponsor
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY
in either chamber is Rep. Ileana Ros-
Lehtinen (R-Fla.), an LGBT-supportive
Republican who this weekend said she
plans to retire from Congress at the end
of next year.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) has been
a Republican who has taken the lead on
pro-LGBT measures in the past, such
as Dont Ask, Dont Tell repeal and the
Employment Non-Discrimination Act,
but isnt an Equality Act co-sponsor. The
Washington Blade has placed a call toher
oce seeking comment on why she
doesnt co-sponsor the bill.
The remaining co-sponsors are all
members of the Democratic caucuses.
In the House, the only two Democrats
who arent co-sponsors are Reps.
Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) and Dan Lipinski
(D-Ill.). Lipinski is a rare member of the
Democratic caucus whos known for
holding anti-LGBT views. In the Senate,
the only two Democrats who arent co-
sponsors are Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.)
and Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.).
Despite the lack of Republican support
in a Republican Congress, Cicilline
expressed condence Congress would
approve the measure if the measure
is allowed to come up for a vote when
asked by a reporter about GOP support.
Its like so many things: The ultimate
decision on whether or not this bill
comes to the oor for a vote rests with
the speaker of the House, Cicilline said.
I have every condence that if the bill
came to the oor it would pass because
I think most members of Congress
recognize voting to continue practices of
MA Y 0 5 , 2 0 1 7 0 9
discrimination against individuals is un-
American, and we would be successful in
passing it.
On the same day Democrats
reintroduced the Equality Act, the Center
for American Progress unveiled the
results of a new report titled Widespread
Discrimination Continues to Shape
LGBT Peoples Lives in Both Subtle and
Signicant Ways, which found 1 in 4
LGBT people report having experienced
discrimination in 2016.
Winnie Stachelberg, senior vice
president of external aairs for the
Center for American Progress, cited
the pervasive discrimination found in
the report as she made the case for the
Equality Act.
Two years ago, we introduced the
Equality Act on the heels of marriage
equalitys victory at the Supreme Court,
Stachelberg said. At that time, progress
on LGBT rights was heralded as inevitable.
It is true that we have made progress
toward that more perfect union, yet we
stand here two years later with the sword
of discrimination hanging over our heads
and without an iron clad shield of federal
civil rights laws to protect us.
The Equality Act has been a source of
heartburn for members of the civil rights
community who fear the consequences of
moving to the oor legislation that seeks
to amend the Civil Rights Act. Poison pill
or religious freedom amendments to
the Equality Act could weaken the historic
measure if they become law along with
the Equality Act.
But that seems to be abating. Of the
47 members of the Congressional Black
Caucus, 46 are co-sponsors, including
Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn
(D-S.C.) and Cedric Richmond, chair of the
caucus. Thats up from the last Congress
when just more than two-thirds of the
Congressional Black Caucus were co-
sponsors of the legislation.
Wade Henderson, outgoing CEO of The
Leadership Conference on Civil & Human
Rights, expressed support for the goals
of the Equality Act in a statement upon
introduction without explicitly endorsing
the measure.
We welcome the introduction of the
Equality Act of 2017, which would provide
comprehensive civil rights protections to
the LGBTQ community, Henderson said. It
is shameful that LGBTQ Americans in many
parts of the country remain vulnerable to
discrimination in housing, credit, education,
employment, and public accommodations.
The Leadership Conference stands ready to
work with Congress to pass long-overdue
federal protections that help ensure equal
opportunity and dignity for all LGBTQ
Americans.
CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

I N T E RNA TI O N A L NEWS MA Y 0 5 , 2 0 1 7 1 3

Holocaust Museum
Mariela Castro: Father is deeply concerned
supportive of pro-LGBT efforts by Chechnya arrests
EDITORS NOTE: The Blades Michael Lavers is in Cuba for the next two weeks reporting on the island nations progress on LGBT
rights and covering the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. Visit washingtonblade.com for updates.
U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum ocials last
The daughter of Cuban President week announced they are deeply concerned over
Ral Castro says her father supports the arrests of more than 100 gay men in Chechnya.
her eorts to spearhead LGBT- The Holocaust teaches us what can happen
specic issues in the country. when state-sponsored, group-targeted violence is
He understands, Mariela Castro allowed to go unchecked, said Museum Director
told Hatzel Vela, a Havana-based Sara J. Bloomeld in a statement. The reports
reporter for the South Florida about the targeting of LGBT persons in Chechnya
television station WPLG. He is combined with statements from Chechen ocials
supportive. seemingly endorsing violence are cause for
Mariela Castro, who is director great concern. Both the Chechen and Russian
of Cubas National Center for governments need to investigate these allegations
Sexual Education that is known by and ensure the safety of LGBT populations within
the Spanish acronym CENESEX, the Russian Federation.
spoke with Vela last week at her Novaya Gazeta, an independent Russian
organizations headquarters in newspaper, reported authorities in the semi-
Havanas Vedado neighborhood. autonomous Russian republic in the North
WPLG broadcast the interview on Caucuses have arrested more than 100 gay men
Monday night. since February. Its reporting also indicates they
Mariela Castro became CENESEXs have been sent to secret prisons that have been
director in 2007 after her mother, described as concentration camps.
Vilma Espn, who was the president The museums press release notes the Nazis
of the Cuban Federation of Women, arrested an estimated 100,000 men between 1933-
passed away. 1945 for violating Germanys anti-homosexuality
Transgender people have MARIELA CASTRO, daughter of Cuban President Ral Castro and niece of former law. It indicates up to 15,000 of them were sent to
Cuban President Fidel Castro, takes part in a march to commemorate the
been able to obtain free sex- International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia in Havana on May 14, concentration camps.
reassignment surgery under Cubas 2016. The Nazis persecuted homosexuals as part
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL K. LAVERS
national health care system since of their so-called moral crusade to racially and
2008, although independent LGBT culturally purify Germany, reads the press release.
activists with whom the Washington Blade has spoken maintain only a few dozen people have been able to undergo Gay men were targeted for persecution because
the procedure. Mariela Castro, who is a member of the Cuban National Assembly, in 2013 voted against a proposal they were viewed to be carriers of a contagion that
that banned discrimination in the workplace based on sexual orientation because it did not include gender identity. weakened society and did not contribute to the
CENESEX since 2007 has commemorated the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia which growth of the Aryan population.
is May 17 in Havana and in other cities around the country. Mariela Castro spoke with WPLG less than a week Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov, who is a
before she is scheduled to speak at a press conference in the Cuban capital that will mark the beginning of this close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and
years series of events. the Kremlin continue to deny reports that gay men
Mariela Castro told Vela she remembers the stares and disapproval from people that she saw in 2007 when have been arrested. A Novaya Gazeta reporter who
she and a group of trans people walked around Havana to mark the International Day Against Homophobia and broke the story has gone into hiding after receiving
Transphobia. death threats.
I was scared, she said. The U.S. and 22 other countries that are members
Then-President Fidel Castro, who is Mariela Castros uncle, in the years after the 1959 Cuban revolution that of the Equal Rights Coalition, which formed in 2016
brought him to power sent more than 25,000 gay men and others deemed unt for military service to Military Units at the end of a global LGBT and intersex rights
to Aid Production, which were labor camps known by the Spanish acronym UMAP. The Cuban government forcibly conference in the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo,
quarantined people with HIV/AIDS in state-run sanitaria until 1993. on Thursday in a statement urged Russian authorities
Cuba repealed its sodomy law in 1979. Fidel Castro in 2010 apologized for the work camps during an interview to conduct an independent and credible investigation
with a Mexican newspaper. into reports of arbitrary detention, torture and killing
Mariela Castro, who publicly supports marriage rights for same-sex couples, told reporters in March there is a of gay men by Chechen authorities.
legislative package that would extend rights to LGBT Cubans. If these reports prove credible, we call on
She said earlier that month during an appearance at a lm festival in the Mexican city of Guadalajara the country the Russian government to take steps to ensure
does not like to copy anyone as she discussed why Cuba has yet to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples. the release of anyone wrongfully detained and
Mariela Castro during the WPLG interview dismissed criticism from independent activists who say she has not done hold accountable anyone found responsible,
enough to publicly advocate for the issue. reads the statement. These steps are in-line
It is something that takes a long time, she told Vela. with international human rights obligations and
CENESEXs International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia events will take place less than six months after commitments made by the Russian government to
Fidel Castros death. They will also occur against the backdrop of continued criticism over Cubas human rights record. respect the human rights of all individuals.
Independent LGBT activists with whom the Blade regularly speaks maintain authorities harass and detain them U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley earlier
because they publicly criticize Mariela Castro and her fathers government. Plainclothes ocers and security this month said the U.S. remains disturbed by
ocials on Monday detained a protester with an American ag as he briey disrupted a May Day celebration in the arrests. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), former
Havanas Revolution Square. Vice President Joe Biden, former Secretary of State
The U.S. and Cuban in 2004 began the process of normalizing diplomatic relations. Hillary Clinton and the State Department have also
I want to respond politely, Mariela Castro told Vela in response to his question about those who question her eorts publicly condemned the arrests and urged Chechen
to spearhead LGBT issues against the backdrop of Cubas human rights record. They should inform themselves. and Russian authorities to investigate them.
Get rid of your hate, prejudices and stereotypes, she added, speaking directly to Cuban exiles in Miami who remain President Trump and Secretary of State Rex
opposed to her fathers government and the normalization of relations between the U.S. and the Communist island. Tillerson who met with Putin in Moscow on April
MICHAEL K. LAVERS 12 have yet to publicly comment.
MICHAEL K. LAVERS

1 4 MA Y 0 5 , 2 0 1 7
LGBT groups prepare for ght over religious freedom EO
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
would put millions of LGBT people at risk
of discrimination.
Donald Trumps rumored
unconstitutional action is nothing more
than a license-to-discriminate order that
puts millions of LGBTQ people at risk,
HRC President Chad Grin said. There
is no religious freedom crisis in America
today, but there is a crisis of hate and
discrimination. At a time when two-
thirds of all LGBTQ people report having
experienced discrimination, Donald
Trump is making the problem worse by
giving legal cover to perpetrators. By even
considering this discriminatory order he
has broken his promise to be a president
for all Americans.
According to Politico, President Trump
invited conservative leaders to the White
House on Thursday for the signing of an
executive order timed tothe National Day
of Prayer, which the administration was
planning to celebrate with faith leaders.
The report cites two senior
administration ocials conrming
Trump would sign the order on Thursday,
although one cautioned that it hasnt yet
been nalized, and noted that lawyers are
currently reviewing and ne-tuning the
draft language.
A draft religious freedom executive
order has circulated among federal
advocacy groups and would enable
discrimination on the basis of religious
objections to same-sex marriage,
premarital sex, abortion and transgender
identity. The proposed measure would
gut former President Obamas 2014
executive order barring anti-LGBT
workplace discrimination against federal
contractors, that the White House
saidTrump planned to keep intact.
Media reports have said Ivanka Trump
and Jared Kushner convinced Trump
not to sign the order, but White House
Press Secretary Sean Spicer has said the
administration would have something
on it. Just last week, USA Today reported a
group of 51 House Republicans have sent
a letter to Trump calling on him to sign
the religious freedom executive order.
Politico reported the draft executive
order Trump plans to sign is being
tightly held, but quoted an inuential
conservative who saw the text said it
hasnt been dialed back much - if at all -
since the February leak and has language
that is very, very strong.
Asked about any plans to sign a
religious freedom order, Sarah
Huckabee Sanders, a White House
spokesperson, told the Washington
Blade, Nothing to announce at this time.
The American Civil Liberties Union
issued a statement on Tuesday
threatening the administration with a
lawsuit after news broke about Trumps
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
NATIONAL NEWS
plan to sign the executive order. for years to stretch and distort the concept urging Trump to reject the measure.
The ACLU ghts every day to defend of religious liberty into a tool they can As clergy and faith leaders who serve
religious freedom, but religious freedom use to discriminate against anyone who diverse communities across the United
does not mean the right to discriminate doesnt think like them, especially LGBTQ States, we write to you to express our
against or harm others, said Louise people, Montgomery said. Religious deep concern over the draft religious
Melling, deputy legal director of the liberty should be a shield that protects freedom executive order that some
American Civil Liberties Union. If every Americans religious freedom; have urged you to sign, the letter says.
President Trump signs an executive but the far Right is trying to transform it Although it purports to strengthen
order that attempts to provide a license into a sword to attack and harm others. religious freedom, what this order would
to discriminate against women or LGBT Its deeply disappointing, although not actually do is misuse this freedom,
people, we will see him in court. particularly surprising, that Donald Trump turning it into a weapon to discriminate
Peter Montgomery, senior fellow for is once again willing to give extreme anti- against broad swaths of our nation,
the People For the American Way, said in gay activists exactly what they want. including LGBTQ people, women, and
a statement the executive order would be On the same day news broke that Trump children in foster care. We urge you to
very bad news for real religious liberty if would sign the order, Faith in Public Life turn away from all proposals that would
the directive is along the lines of the anti- issued a statement highlighting a full-page abuse religious freedom, including any
LGBT draft order. letter published in Politico last month that executive orders on this issue that are
The Religious Right has been working was signed by more than 1,300 faith leaders currently under consideration.
19 senators urge HHS to restore LGBT questions to elder surveys
A bipartisan group of 19 senators
led by Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine)
and Robert Casey (D-Pa.) are calling on
the Department of Health & Human
Services to restore LGBT questions to
a federal survey intended to evaluate
government services for older
Americans.
In a two-page letter dated April
27, Collins, chair of the U.S. Senate
Special Commission on Aging, and
Casey, the top Democrat, lead
other senators in saying the Trump
administrations removal of the
questions will limit HHSs ability to
evaluate whether federal programs
are reaching LGBT elders eectively.
Sexual orientation and gender
identity questions on these surveys
were designed to ensure that vital Sen. SUSAN COLLINS (R-Maine) is among those calling on HHS to include LGBT elders in a
survey.
services were reaching vulnerable
LGBT Americans, the letter says. WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY
By rolling back data collection, it is
possible that the needs of millions
of Americans go unmet.
Much to the dismay of LGBT advocacy groups, the Trump administration indicated last month it would remove questions
seeking to identify the sexual orientation of respondents from the National Survey of Older Americans Act Participants, or
NSOAAP. (A Federal Register notice indicating the survey would not be changed, although an examination of proposals reveals
the questions are removed.)
At the time, HHS said the LGBT questions were part of a pilot test and removed because the sample response has not been
sucient enough to date to allow for reliability and reporting.
According to the letter, HHS also proposed similar revisions for its Centers of Independent Living Annual Performance
Report survey. An initial draft included a questions on sexual orientation and the option to identify as transgender, but those
questions were moved in the current draft in the only noticeable change, according to the letter.
The senators urge HHS to reinstate the questions to ensure that key programs for older Americans and people with
disabilities are meeting the needs of the LGBT community. They also seek a sta brieng on the decision to remove the LGBT
questions no later than May 5
An HHS spokesperson conrmed the department has received the letter, but defended the decision to remove the LGBT
questions from the federal health surveys.
Under the Paperwork Reduction Act, making a survey longer or requesting highly personal information can only be justied
if the data the additional questions will generate are required by law or can be expected to help us conduct necessary oversight
for the program, the spokesperson said.
CHRIS JOHNSON
W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM
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16 MAY 05, 2017
New group demands change at Capital Pride
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
to what it expects to be a constructive
discussion by a diverse group of people.
The purpose of the meeting is to create
a community dialogue and to provide any
information that we can and just continue
the conversation about the issues that
have been brought up by the No Justice
No Pride group and others, Renna told
the Washington Blade.
Were encouraging anyone in the
community to come, she said. I believe
there will be many people who support
the Capital Pride Alliance and will want to
talk about these issues as well. So were
hoping for a good dialogue and a good
conversation and an opportunity to talk
about the issues.
The meeting was scheduled to take
place less than two weeks after the
Capital Pride board created a stir by
requesting and receiving the resignation
of volunteer executive producer Bryan
Pruitt because of comments he made
about transgender people in a May 2016
article in the conservative blog RedState.
As soon as the Capital Pride board was
made aware of the May 2016 RedState article
by Bryan Pruitt, a Capital Pride volunteer,
we immediately asked for and received
his resignation, a Capital Pride statement
posted on its Facebook page says.
The Capital Pride Alliance board, sta,
and volunteers have zero tolerance for
transphobia in any form and remain
deeply committed to supporting the
trans community through our work and
programs, the statement says.
Capital Prides action seeking Pruitts
resignation came after No Justice No
Pride posted an excerpt of Pruitts
RedState article on Facebook and other
social media outlets and demanded that
Capital Pride disassociate itself from him.
Bernie Delia, Capital Prides board
president, said that although Capital
Prides board agreed it was necessary
to seek Pruitts resignation it would
absolutely not agree to additional
demands by the No Justice No Pride
coalition that it ban D.C. police from
participating in this years Pride parade
and festival and that it ban corporate
sponsors, including Wells Fargo Bank,
from participating in all Pride events.
It has been with the support and
resources of our diverse sponsors and
corporate partners that Capital Pride has
been able to grow and thrive, said Delia,
who added that corporate supporters
have strong records of support for the
LGBT community and LGBT rights.
No Justice No Pride issued a press
release stating what it says has been the
longtime concern of its supporters and
members that Capital Pride, like LGBT
Pride groups in other cities, has become
beholden to corporate sponsors and too
BRYAN PRUITT stepped down as a Pride volunteer after criticism of a blog post he wrote about
trans people.
supportive of D.C. police, which No Justice
No Pride says have directly and indirectly
oppressed predominantly queer and
trans people of color.
Drew Ambrogi, a spokesperson for No
Justice No Pride, told the Washington Blade
that the coalition believes its positions
enjoy support from a growing segment of
the LGBT community during the current
political climate in Washington, where the
Trump administration is seeking to roll
back government support for LGBT people.
Angela Peoples, executive director
of the national LGBT direct action
organization Get Equal, told the Blade
in a phone interview that her group fully
supports the eorts and positions taken
by No Justice No Pride.
I have been working with Drew and
other folks that are organizing this eort,
Peoples said. So the eort and the
demands of the No Justice No Pride eort
is very much aligned with the work Get
Equal has been doing and is continuing to
do, she said.
Ambrogi said the coalition, among
other things, is calling on Capital Pride to
disinvite D.C. police, including the police
LGBT Liaison Unit, from participating in
the D.C. Pride parade and festival.
He said the coalition also wants Capital
Pride to no longer allow corporate
sponsors or corporations in general to
participate in the festival and parade and
wants Capital Pride to remove its funds
from a Wells Fargo Bank and remove
from the Capital Pride board one of its
members who is a Wells Fargo employee.
The press release says Wells Fargo has
given nancial support for the Dakota
Access Pipeline, which has been opposed
by environmentalists; and is a major
PHOTO COURTESY OF TWITTER
investor in private prisons and immigrant
detention centers. Ambrogi said LGBT
people, including trans people, have been
disproportionately impacted in a negative
way by private prisons.
The community is paying attention and
recognizing that for too long, Capital Pride
has colluded with the very forces that
oppress queer and trans individuals, No
Justice No Pride says in its press release.
Their willingness to turn a blind
eye to transphobia, accept money
from corporations that prot o of the
incarceration of queer and trans people
predominantly queer and trans
people of color and celebrate the
Metropolitan Police Department, indicate
a fundamental disregard for large swaths
of our community, the press release says.
It says D.C. police have carried out
Prostitution-free zones, allowing ocers
to harass and arrest women guilty of
walking while trans.
We must reject the appeasing
and centrist politics of the LGBT
establishment, the press release
concludes. Now more than ever, we must
not allow Pride to be a de-politicized,
corporatized, white-washed celebration.
Delia said Capital Pride takes strong
exception to many of No Justice No
Prides assertions.
The press release includes many
inaccuracies and they are engaging in
oppressive tactics that do not align with
the very essence of what they claim to
seek, Delia told the Blade in a statement.
Capital Pride is extremely mindful and
thoughtful of our role in serving the entire
community and growing our events in a
way that fosters pride and community,
he said. Pride is an inclusive event and
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
LO CA L N E W S
the Capital Pride Alliance supports all
members of the LGBTQA community to
participate in Capital Pride.
Delia noted that Capital Prides activities
include Capital Trans Pride, an event
scheduled for May 20 that celebrates the
transgender community.
Some of the citys most prominent
transgender advocates, including Earline
Budd and Ruby Corado, have said that
although police abuse of trans people has
been a serious problem, the instances of
abuse have declined and police ocials,
including the previous and current police
chiefs, have been supportive of the trans
community.
The excerpt from Pruitts article that
the No Justice No Pride coalition singled
out states: There is not an epidemic of
trans people being denied access to public
facilities. Trans people safely use bathrooms
every day, mostly because if they are truly
trans, other folks dont even notice.
Pruitt, a gay Republican activist and
former president of D.C.s Log Cabin
Republicans, told the Blade that the
excerpt takes out of context the premise
of his article, which is entitled Grabbing
Defeat From The Jaws Of Victory.
He noted that the article pointed out,
in the midst of the 2016 presidential
election, that far-left leaning Democrats
and the gay left were unwittingly playing
into the hands of GOP presidential
candidate Donald Trump by making an
issue of the controversial transgender
bathroom controversy.
Im a hundred percent supportive of
the trans community, Pruitt told the
Blade. I have always been and always will
be supportive of the trans community,
he said.
No Justice No Pride, meanwhile, has
said it plans to aggressively push its
demands for changing the Capital Pride
agenda at the May 8 board meeting.
Were showing up at the Capital
Pride board meeting to remind the
board members what D.C.s queer and
trans community actually looks like,
the coalition states on its Facebook
page. Bring your friends, bring your
frustrations, bring your ideas. Lets ll the
room.
Earl Fowlkes, one of the lead organizers
of D.C.s annual Black Pride events, which
take place during the Memorial Day
weekend, said no one has approached
Black Pride about discontinuing corporate
sponsors or banning D.C. police from
Black Pride events.
He said Black Pride traditionally has had
only a few corporate sponsors. He said
members of the D.C. police LGBT Liaison
Unit have attended Black Pride events
as volunteers to help ensure the safety
of participants. Fowlkes said Black Pride
has no plans to discontinue its corporate
sponsors or police participation.
W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM
MARYLAND FILM FESTIVAL
The SNF Parkway Film Center
May 37, 2017
The brand-new SNF Parkway Film Center in Station
North Arts and Entertainment District hosts this years
showcase of film and video from all over the world.
Screening more than 50 features and 75 shorts of
every genre, this is a cant-miss event for movie buffs.
142ND PREAKNESS
STAKES
Pimlico Race Course
May 20, 2017
This years festivities include headliners Sam Hunt
and Good Charlotte at InfieldFest, and, of course,
the time-honored Pimlico traditions of big hats,
Black-Eyed Susans and the always-thrilling running
of the Preakness. Down the stretch they come!
HONFEST
The Avenue in Hampden
June 1011, 2017
Hampden doesnt get more colorful than during
Honfest, a two-day street party of leopard prints,
cat-eye glasses and family fun, hon. Sign up for the
Best Hon Contest, grab a coddie, and wiggle your
capri pants at three stages of live entertainment.
170200_VISIT_9.75x11.5_WB.indd 1
MA Y 0 5 , 2 0 1 7 1 7
THE FUN IS
WARMING UP
IN BALTIMORE.
Spring welcomes summer as only
Baltimore can, with beehive hair,
gay pride, visionary filmmakers
and the second jewel of the
Triple Crown.
BALTIMORE PRIDE
Old Goucher
June 1718, 2017
Let your rainbow flag fly at Baltimore Pride, the block
party of peace, love and LGBTQ. This year the
festivities have moved to the Old Goucher
neighborhood, home of the newly opened Baltimore
Eagle, a block away from Station North. Dance in the
streets with live entertainment, and flip your wig at
the one and only Pride parade.
THEATER
Bromo Arts District, Downtown,
Mount Vernon
May/June 2017
This summer, Baltimores top theaters are presenting
shows for every interest. Take in world premieres
like Baltimore Center Stages Jazz, based on Toni
Morrisons book; favorites like Noises Off at
Everyman Theatre and Finding Neverland at the
Hippodrome; a classic like The Tempest at Chesapeake
Shakespeare Company; or a contemporary work like
BootyCandy at Iron Crow, billed as the citys only
queer theater.
Plan your visit today at
BALTIMORE.ORG
4/21/17 1:27 PM
 WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

18 M A Y 05, 2017 BA LT I MO RE N E W S

Bring in this coupon for

LGBT elders to be honored in Baltimore
$250
OFF
Chase Brexton Health Care will celebrate National Honor Our LGBT Elders Day
on May 16, a day of recognition established by Chase Brextons own LGBT Health
Resource Center.
Your Flooring Professionals Since 1985 Any Purchase of A special event will take place at the Baltimore Eagle, 2022 N. Charles St. from
MHIC #41515 $3000 or more! 6-8:30 p.m. in which the challenges, struggles and triumphs of older LGBT adults
Limited time only, who fought for greater freedoms will be featured.
N. Bethesda Laurel cannot be combined with any
Included among those community members who will highlight an LGBT Elder
other offer. Must be
5268 Nicholson Ln. 13380 Mid Atlantic Blvd.
presented at time who made a dierence in their life are: Catherine Hyde, PFLAG Howard County;
(Next to Shoppers & HomeGoods) (Rt. 1 & Contee Rd.) of purchase. James Burrell, The POWER Project of Chase Brexton Health Care; Felicia French,
(301) 881-0969 (301) 206-2200
Baltimore City Department of Aging (Retired); Nancy West, Faith Communities
Germantown Aspen Hill Columbia with Pride; Carrietta Heirs, LGBT Elder Activist; and a selection from a volunteer
20650 Seneca Meadows Pkwy. 13629 Connecticut Ave 8221 Gateway Overlook Dr. audience member.
(Next to Wegmans) (Aspen Hill Shopping Center) (Next to Costco) Whether they fought quietly or stepped into the spotlight, LGBT elders have
(301) 528-6400 (301) 460-4100 (410) 872-1129 made a dierence for all LGBT people, said Nate Sweeney, executive director of
The LGBT Health Resource Center of Chase Brexton Health Care in a statement.
WWW.FLOORMAX.US.COM
This event will pay tribute to their sacrices and successes, and give our
Carpet | Hardwood | Ceramic | Laminate | Vinyl | Stair Rails | Fireplaces | Sand & Finish | Bathroom Remodeling community a chance to thank them for all they have done.
Tickets are $25, include food and drink and a commemorative gift, and are
available online.
Information will also be available about SAGECAP Baltimore, a joint program
between the LGBT Health Resource Center and SAGE (Services & Advocacy for
GLBT Elders), which oers support to LGBT older adults and caregivers.

Night Out with the Os to benet Moveable Feast

The third annual Night Out with the Os is scheduled for June 21 at Orioles Park
at Camden Yards. The Orioles are scheduled to play the defending American
League Champion Cleveland Indians at 7:05 p.m.
Organizers say that tickets are $33 of which $5 will be donated to Moveable
Feast, a Baltimore-based non-prot that is the sole provider of free nutritious
meals for people living with HIV/AIDS, breast cancer and other life-threatening
conditions in Baltimore, the ve surrounding counties and the Eastern Shore.
The group will be seated in Sections 70 and 72, which are located in the left
eld corner lower box. Tickets are limited and can be purchased online.

202.319.8541 www.lgbtc.com Se habla espanol

~ PFLAG to discuss LGBT-friendly workplaces
On May 9, the Howard County chapter of PFLAG will feature a discussion

Serving Our Community for 35 years
a d v i C e m e d iat i o N L i t i G at i o N a P P e a L S C o L L a B o r at i o N
on how to identify companies that promote an LGBT-friendly workplace. Neal
Bonner and Nina Nethery, representatives from Nielsen, a Columbia, Md.-based
international market research company, will lead the discussion. They are the
co-presidents of Nielsens Pride group.
The meeting, which will also feature the presentation of the chapters annual
scholarship to a deserving student in Maryland, will take place at 7:30 p.m. at the
Owen Brown Interfaith Center, 7246 Cradlerock Way in Columbia.

Montgomery Co. LGBT social on tap

FamiLY | eState PLaNNiNG | emPLoYmeNt | immiGratioN
ComPLeX LitiGatioN | CiviL riGHtS | LGBt | adoPtioN | BuSiNeSS The Visionary Team of the MoCo Pride Center will host a social at Agrodolce

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

in Germantown, Md., on Sunday, May 21 from 4-6 p.m. Agrodolce is located at
21030 Frederick Rd., Suite J, in Germantown.
at tor N e YS at L aw d C | m d | va Attendees are urged to mingle and share concerns with team members.
For more information, visit the events Facebook page.
3 0 1 . 8 9 1 . 2 2 0 0 S P - L aw. C o m STEVE CHARING
6 9 3 0 C a r r o L L av e , S u i t e 6 1 0 ta k o m a Pa r k m d
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

HE A LTH NEW S M A Y 05, 2017 19

Health disparities found in LGB Hawaiians

HONOLULU A new report from the Hawaii Department of Health, the
rst of its kind, nds that among high school and adult LGB residents exist
health disparities comparable to those reported in other studies including N ATIONAL H ONOR O UR
LGBT ELDERS DAY
disproportionate rates of obesity, smoking, bullying, alcohol use, cancer, lack of
exercise and strokes, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald reports.
A total of 4,700 high school students in Hawaii identify as LGB or questioning,
according to the report. Native Hawaiian students make up 22 percent of LGB and
questioning youth, the report says. Residents who are Native Hawaiian or part Native
Hawaiian made up 21 percent of the overall state population in 2015, according to a
Pew Research Center report.
LGB students are signicantly less likely to visit a health care professional or see a
dentist. Questioning students are even less likely than LGB students. Just 23 percent of
LGB and 18 percent of questioning young male students report having been tested for
HIV, the Tribune-Herald reports.
The report says only half of questioning youth saw a doctor or nurse for a physical
exam in the past year, compared with almost 75 percent of straight youth. A night of laughter, inspiration, and
One concerning nding, for all students, is that 33 percent of straight, 48 percent
of questioning and 57 percent of LGB students report purposely hurting themselves recognition, featuring storytelling vignettes
within the past year.
LGB youth are almost four times more likely to have attempted suicide in the past
year than straight youth; 43 percent of LGB youth have been bullied either at school or
from community leaders.
electronically, the article notes.

PrEP gets green light in Wales

LONDON Despite opposition, PrEP (aka Truvada), an HIV-prevention drug popular
with gay men in the U.S., has been approved for a three-year trial in Wales slated to
begin this summer, the BBC reports.
But the All Wales Medicines Strategy Group spoke of several uncertanties and
limitations in the economic model presented by the drug company, the BBC reports.
The Terrence Higgins Trust in Wales called the Strategy Groups recommendation
short sighted and said PrEP could cost NHS Wales, the countrys publicly funded health
care system, money in the long run, the BBC article said.
Around 150 new people are diagnosed with HIV in Wales each year, nearly half from
sexually transmitted infection between men.
A daily dose of the pill is suggested for people at high risk who might not have safe
sex. It is currently used in the US, Canada, Australia and France, and taken daily, it has
been shown to reduce the risk of infection by 86 percent.
Stonewall Cymru, an LGBT charity, has been campaigning for PrEP to be made
available, the BBC reports. at the Baltimore Eagle Night Club & Bar
Increased syphilis testing bodes well for gay men
2022 N. Charles Street
NEW YORK Increased syphilis testing among gay men increased detection of early Baltimore, Maryland 21218
latent infections and was accompanied by a fall in the proportion of cases involving
secondary syphilis, investigators report in the online edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases,
AIDSMap reports.
Researchers said they believe this is the rst study to show the benets of catching
syphilis early before it develops to later, more infectious stages, AIDSMap reports.
Since the late 1990s, rates of syphilis have been increasing among gay and other men
who have sex with men (MSM) in major cities around the world. Many of these infections
involve MSM living with HIV.
A team of investigators examined rates of syphilis testing and diagnoses among HIV- Tickets are $25 or pay what you can.
negative and HIV-positive MSM. They especially wanted to see if increased testing was
accompanied by an increase in the proportion of syphilis infections detected in the early You may also Pay It Forward by sponsoring
latent stage.
Data from 46 sexual health clinics across Australia were analyzed.There were someone in the community.
approximately 359,000 clinic visits during the study period. A third of these visits involved
men with HIV, AIDSMap reports.
The proportion of HIV-negative men tested for syphilis increased from 48 percent in
2007 to 91 percent in 2014. Ticket includes heavy hors doeurves, soda,
Increased testing was accompanied by a signicant increase in the proportion of cases
of syphilis diagnosed in the early latent stage of infection (27 to 44 percent), while the and a commemorative gift.
proportion of cases involving secondary infection decreased from 24 to 19 percent. There
was also a fall in the number of cases of primary syphilis detected (49 to 38 percent),
AIDSMap reports.
An increase was also observed in the proportion of HIV-positive MSM tested for
syphilis as part of their routine care, from 42 to 77 percent. The mean number of
tests per patient per year increased from 1.6 to 2.3 tests, the AIDSMap article notes.

2 0 MA Y 0 5 , 2 0 1 7
U.S. complicit in Chechnya horrors
Ignoring lessons of
Holocaust, Trump caters to
Putin while gay men die
KEVIN NAFF is editor of the Washington Blade
and can be reached at kna@washblade.com.
Listening to President Trump deliver re-
marks on Holocaust Remembrance Day
last week proved yet another galling exer-
cise in surreal hypocrisy.
The same president who tapped Stephen
Bannon to serve as his top adviser had the
nerve to criticize Holocaust deniers, adding
we must never, ever shrink away from tell-
ing the truth in our time.
And so, lets tell some truth.
Truth: Bannon established Breitbart
News as the platform for the alt-right,
as he boasted last summer. While clever
enough not to openly espouse anti-Semitic
views himself, he deliberately cultivated
Breitbart as the go-to place for expressing
misogynistic, white supremacist and anti-
Semitic views. Former KKK Grand Wizard
David Duke praised Bannons White House
appointment, which alone should tell you
all you need to know about this dangerous
gure. Alt-right lunatics are now ensconced
in the White House, including among
the press corps. Two fake journalists re-
cently ashed white power signs inside gas chambers as Holocaust centers.
the White House press brieng room and
shamelessly posted the photos to social
media. As rst reported by the Indepen-
dent, Freelancejournalist Mike Cernovich
and Cassandra Fairbanks, a reporter for
Russian news outlet Sputnik, posed for a
Amid cries of never forget, we do just
that in Chechnya, turning away from the
well-documented horrors being committed
there against gay men.
picture behind the podium in the White
House brieng room. In the photo, they are
making a hand sign that can be used to sig-
nify white power.
Truth: According to a report from the
Anti-Defamation League, anti-Semitic at-
tacks increased by 86 percent in the rst
quarter of 2017. Between January and
March, the ADL reports there were 541 anti-
Semitic incidents in the country compared
to 281 during the same period last year.
Trumps gullible supporters who are not
inuenced or constrained by facts, logic or
reason will dismiss those numbers as a
coincidence. But for those of us with more
than three functioning brain cells, its obvi-
ous that Americas deplorables have heard
the dog whistles emanating from this White
House and are acting accordingly. The big-
ots are unleashed and validated after being
forced to endure an America led by a black
man for eight years, their worst nightmare.
Truth: Speaking of dog whistles, White
House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told re-
porters recently that Adolf Hitler never used
chemical weapons against his own people
and referred to concentration camps and
while masking our governments complic-
Truth: As Trump belatedly and hypo-
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
VIEWPOINT
critically condemned anti-Semitism after
empowering bigots and ignoring attacks on
Jewish community centers and cemeteries
gay men are being rounded up, tortured
and killed in secret prisons in Chechnya.
Holocaust Remembrance Day sounds like
an opportune time to condemn those pris-
ons, which have been widely described in
the media as concentration camps. But cjohnson@washblade.com ext. 8083
Trump didnt mention Chechnya and hasnt
denounced the governments actions to
cleanse the country of gays. Hillary Clin-
ton lambasted Trump over his silence on
Chechnya. The State Department, which
remains woefully understaed such that
it hasnt been holding press briengs, is si-
lent. Only Nikki Haley at the U.N. could be
coaxed into denouncing Chechnya.
Why is that? Well, Chechnya is controlled
by Vladimir Putin, whose own campaign
against Russian gays is well known and doc-
umented. Trumps ongoing love aair with
Putin (or is our president being blackmailed
by the Russian murderer?) precludes him
from speaking out.
And so, amid cries of never forget, we
do just that in Chechnya, turning away
from the well-documented horrors being
committed there against gay men. Amer-
icas pledge to respect the lessons of the
Holocaust is now a hollow sham, a photo
op that oers the appearance of caring
prockstroh@washblade.com ext. 8092
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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
V I E W PO I N T
Police, corporate sponsors must be welcome at Pride
Who elected NJNP to speak
for the community?
RICHARD J. ROSENDALL is a writer and activist.
Reach him at rrosendall@starpower.net.
If youre a small band of radicals with an
itch to resist but with no cash reserves, it may
be convenient to hijack someone elses event
and bend it to your purpose. So it is with ac-
tivists chanting No Justice No Pride (NJNP),
who shut down Phoenix Pride on April 3 and
whose compatriots now set their sights on
Capital Pride in Washington, D.C. in June. (Full
disclosure: I was chosen as one of this years
Capital Pride Heroes.)
The D.C. dispute made the news last week
when it came to light that one of Capital
Prides volunteers, Bryan Pruitt, wrote last
year on RedState.com calling the ght against
bathroom bills unnecessary and favorably
I N S I DE LGB T W A S HING TON
Ralph Northam for governor of Virginia
Perriellos candidacy isnt
worth spending millions
on a primary
PETER ROSENSTEIN is a D.C.-based LGBT rights
and Democratic Party activist. He writes regularly
for the Blade.
The lieutenant governor of Virginia, Ralph
Northam, won a hard fought statewide race
in 2013 and is now running for governor. He
has been endorsed by Gov. Terry McAulie,
who has a one-term limit, and nearly every
Democratic oceholder in the state. He is a
progressive with a great record.
Northam is a strong supporter of a wom-
ans right to choose having led the ght
against the now infamous transvaginal ultra-
sound mandate, which would have required
Virginia women seeking an abortion to un-
dergo an intrusive and unnecessary proce-
dure.
He chairs the Commonwealth Council on
Childhood Success, and helped secure a fed-
eral grant creating up to 13,000 pre-K educa-
mentioning religious freedom bills that al-
low anti-LGBT discrimination in violation
of church-state separation. Pruitt stepped
down as an executive producer so as not to
be a distraction. He said he is pro-trans and
considers Gavin Grimm a hero.
The main controversy is over the NJNP de-
mands: that Capital Pride drop Wells Fargo
and all corporate sponsors, and that it bar
uniformed police ocers from participating
in Pride. Wells Fargo has a perfect 100 rating
on the Corporate Equality Index, but it has
also been involved in funding the Dakota Ac-
cess Pipeline. This somehow makes it pink-
washing to credit the bank for its pro-LGBT
policies. As for police, some people are intimi-
dated by them, so out they must go.
Not so fast. I oppose the pipeline, but ef-
fective advocacy requires giving people credit
where due and not only criticism. Diversity
means that we do not agree on every issue.
The banks LGBT employees deserve respect
for their eorts. The anti-capitalist left ignores
the fact that the private sector has long led
the public sector in LGBT protections. It is not
a choice between corporations and activists:
there is room for both.
Having worked with local chapters of ACLU
and NAACP to create the D.C. Oce of Police
tion spots for children in low-income families
and advocates for greater access to prenatal
care. He chairs the Governors Task Force on
Improving Mental Health Services and Crisis
Response and led a team tasked with iden-
tifying challenges and suggesting improve-
ments to the states complex system of men-
tal health services.
Northam cast the tie-breaking vote to block
legislation that would have let Virginians car-
ry concealed weapons without a permit. He
knows guns and alcohol are a deadly combi-
nation. In the state Senate, he fought legisla-
tion to allow people to bring guns into bars
and other places where alcohol was served
and voted to ban concealed carry privileges
for those convicted of driving under the inu-
ence or public intoxication in other states.
When in the Virginia Senate, Northam
met Virginia Tech survivors who came to
Richmond to advocate for commonsense
gun safety reform. He has been partners
with them ever since. He voted to close the
gun show loophole and to keep the One-
Handgun-A-Month limit. As governor, he will
continue those ghts and has promised to re-
instate the commonwealths successful One-
Handgun-A-Month policy limiting the num-
ber of handguns an individual can purchase.
He is not opposed to owning guns. Hes an
avid outdoorsman, gun owner, hunter, and
sports shooter from his days growing up in
Accomack, attending VMI, and serving in the
Complaints, and worked in coalitions for po-
lice reform, I have long defended marginalized
populations like trans women of color. But
thats just it: in D.C. we have won reforms, as
many trans activists acknowledge. We under-
cut our eorts if we impose ideological blinders
that eectively treat all police as our enemies.
LGBT ocers are members of our community
who risk their lives for us. Telling them they
must leave their uniforms at home is an act of
disrespect that can never be accepted.
We are part of a multi-generational strug-
gle. Civic engagement, persistence, coop-
eration, and incremental eorts have been
key to our advancement. Diversity breeds
contentiousness, which makes it a challenge
to keep our eyes on the prize. Our cause is
greater than any personality or faction. One
of the things for which we have always fought
as a movement is the right to dene and cele-
brate our own lives. The right to our joy is not
a prize we win at the end: it is what sustains
us on the journey. Denigrating our celebra-
tions dishonors those who brought us this
far. We need celebration as much as protest
and organizing.
I have some serious questions for NJNP:
Who elected them to speak for the commu-
nity in place of the diverse stakeholders al-
military.
Northam is a strong ally of the LGBT com-
munity, opposing bathroom bills that dis-
criminate against transgender individuals
and ghting to protect LGBT people from
workplace and adoption discrimination in
Virginia.
He understands the state and the need
to grow rural Virginia and is committed to
bringing broadband Internet access to every
Virginia community. Hes committed to ght-
ing for teacher pay raises and fair funding
for rural public schools. As governor, when
working to expand economic opportunities,
he wont forget rural Virginia.
In the past year, under McAulie and Lt.
Governor Northam, Virginia has doubled the
number of veterans placed in jobs through
the Virginia Values Veterans program.
Northam supported legislation to establish a
program to connect returning military med-
ics to private sector healthcare jobs. He is
committed to continue to grow these pro-
grams until there is no longer any veteran
joblessness in Virginia.
So there is a great, tested progressive can-
didate for governor who understands the
state and how to win. Not good enough for
Tom Perriello, the one-term congressman,
trying to claim the mantle of progressive can-
didate with the support of Bernie Sanders and
out-of-state money. The Washington Post re-
ported he received money from groups like
MA Y 0 5 , 2 0 1 7 2 1
ready involved? What headliner would agree
to perform at a resistance event, and who
would come? Why dont they join the national
Equality March for Unity and Pride, set for
the same weekend, instead of trying to hijack
Capital Pride?
The cost of Capital Pride runs into seven
gures. How much skin does NJNP have in
the game that they can dictate to us? This re-
minds me of Rush Limbaugh calling the pro-
gressive D.C. restaurant Busboys and Poets
racist because its bookshop wouldnt carry
his childrens books. Setting aside his need
for an intro course on racism, and the ques-
tion of why any parent would inict him on
their children, why would a white reactionary
expect to be carried by a place whose shelves
looked like they were stocked by Angela Da-
vis? What happened to free markets?
The fact that Capital Pride, by contrast, is a
nonprot does not entitle intolerant zealots
to waltz in and deliver new instructions. What
we need are not coercive tactics that divide us
and give comfort to our enemies, but mutual
respect in which dierent groups organize
events that suit their varied purposes.
Copyright 2017 by Richard J. Rosendall.
All rights reserved.
Avaaz that dont report their donors and raise
money from foreign nationals. One donor
gave him $500,000. Fifty-seven percent of his
donations come from out of state. For many
progressive Virginians his problem as Slate
reported is his record. During his one term in
Congress, Perriello voted against the assault
weapons ban and boasted about it when he
tried to get reelected. Another sticking point
is his vote for the so-called Stupak amend-
ment. The Stupak amendment wouldve
prohibited insurance companies that partici-
pate in the Aordable Care Acts exchanges
from covering abortion forcing insurance
companies on the exchanges to drop abor-
tion coverage for all women.
We understand politicians have big egos.
Yet running against a proven progressive
candidate like Northam who already won
statewide in a state like Virginia is the wrong
thing to do. Perriello has made no case why
his candidacy is worth Democrats spending
millions of dollars and thousands of volun-
teer hours on a primary. Democrats have
won all statewide oces in Virginia and that
time and money would be better spent work-
ing to win the state legislature and preparing
to take back every Virginia Republican con-
gressional seat in 2018.
Ralph Northam deserves your support in
the June 13 primary. Join gay state Sen. Adam
Ebbin who is co-hosting a fundraiser for
Northam on Sunday, May 21 in Alexandria.

2 2 MA Y 0 5 , 2 0 1 7
Reminder to keep working to end the nightmare of racism
The relevance of Raisin in
the Sun in the Trump era
Recently, scrolling through Facebook, I
saw a post by a friend, Kenneth Carroll, a
D.C. writer, that made me shudder. Car-
KATHI WOLFE, a regular contributor to the
Blade, was the winner of the 2014 Stonewall
Chapbook Competition.
roll, who is African American, wrote that
in the midst of a discussion, a woman,
a [Democratic] party loyalist, called
him boy.
Its pretty standard racist code to refer
to grown ass Black men as boys, he told
her. As a white woman trying to be aware
of her white privilege, Im no expert on
race. But it doesnt take a rocket scientist
Sen. Mike Enzi is a dick
Offensive comments about
men in tutus inspire D.C.
kickball protest
BROCK THOMPSON is a D.C.-based freelance
writer. He writes regularly for the Blade.
Last week, a reader told me that my
opinion pieces werent opinionated
enough. Noted.
This week, let me take the opportunity
to state my opinion clearly: Sen. Mike Enzi
is a dick.
If you havent heard by now, the Repub-
lican senator from Wyoming (un-ironical-
ly nicknamed the Equality State) told a
group of high school and middle school
students that in Wyoming you can be
just about anything you want to be, as
long as you dont push it in somebodys
face. Enzi went on to say that he knows
to see that racism, even liberal racism, is
all too alive and well.
I thought of Carrolls encounter with
racism, as I watched a riveting produc-
tion of A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine
Hansberry at Arena Stage. (It runs at Are-
na through May 7.) Hansberry who was
black and queer, died of cancer at age 34
in 1965. A classic of mid-century American
theater, Raisin is set in the 1950s in the
South Side of Chicago. It tells the story of
an African-American family. The Younger
family live in a cramped tenement. The
family unexpectedly comes into money
when Momma receives a $10,000 check
in life insurance after her husband dies.
She, her son, 35-year-old Walter Lee, and
her daughter, 20-year-old Beneatha, have
dierent dreams of how they want to
spend the money. Walter Lee wants to go
into business. Beneatha wants to become
a doctor.
Momma uses part of the money to
buy a home for the family. Karl Lindner,
a white man from the welcoming com-
mittee comes to their apartment to pres-
sure them not to move into their new
home in his neighborhood. Lindner tries
Members of D.C.s Stonewall Kickball played
in tutus after Sen. Enzis oensive comments.
PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN JACK GALLAGHER
a guy who wears a tutu and goes to bars
on Friday night and is always surprised
that he gets in ghts. Well, he kind of asks
for it. Thats the way that he winds up with
that kind of problem.
Where do we start unpacking this?
to mask his racism in the language and
veneer of tolerance and understanding.
Most of the trouble exists because peo-
ple just dont sit down and talk to each
other, he says. That we dont try hard
enough in this world to understand the
other fellows problem. The other guys
point of view.
The New York Times called A Raisin in
the Sun, the play that changed Ameri-
can theater forever. Hansberry received
the New York Drama Critics Circle Award
when her groundbreaking play appeared
on Broadway in 1959. She was the young-
est American playwright, fth woman and
only African American to win this award.
Never before, in the entire history of
the American theater, had so much of the
truth of black peoples lives been seen on
the stage, said James Baldwin, a friend
of Hansberry.
Some might feel that A Raisin in the
Sun isnt relevant now that weve moved
beyond the racism depicted in the play.
We have civil rights laws and for eight
years we had a black president. But that
would be wrong. In our time of Ferguson,
there have been innumerable, senseless
Maybe begin with the senator engaging
in old-school, did-you-see-what-she-was-
wearing victim blaming for hate crimes
and assault, or that he told this to an
audience of children? With all of that on
their minds, leave it to the fun-loving kids
of D.C.s Stonewall Kickball to stage their
own protest. D.C. resident Emily Myers,
coach for the Scorgies team, joined up
with third baseman John Skic of Field of
Kweenz for Guys and Gals Who Wear Tu-
tus to Bars this past Sunday. Throughout
the all-day event, dozens of kickballers
and their supporters proudly wore their
tutus to Duponts Stead Park.
According to the Scorgies Myers, the
league prides itself on self-expression.
She noted that, the mission of our league
is to create safe spaces for everyone and
support our community through philan-
thropy. We want to send a message to ev-
eryone out there, especially LGBTQ youth,
that you are beautiful. Express yourself
how you want to. No one has the right to
take that away. Stonewall Kickball cur-
rently has more than 700 members.
For the District, for kickball and the
young adults who play it, its far more
than a big red bouncy ball and some
Sunday Fundaying. Whats created is a
stronger community with a good sense
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
VIEWPOINT
police shootings of black people. One
hundred days into the Trump era, Attor-
ney General Je Sessions seems bent on
setting back civil rights for people of color
(along with LGBT folk and other margin-
alized groups). Its unlikely that HUD Sec-
retary Ben Carson will be a fair housing
champion.
This isnt to say that all white people
are racists. There are white people who
check their privilege. I know white people
who work with, are friends with and live
in families with people of color. My friend
Martha, who is white and lives in New
York, is part of a loving, bi-racial family.
But, she says, issues around race are
far from easy. Martha participates in
White Lives Listen, a Judson Memorial
Church group that seeks to understand
prejudice and works for racial justice.
What happens to a dream deferred?
queer, African-American poet Langton
Hughes asked in the poem (which provid-
ed Hansberry with the title for her play),
Does it dry up/like a raisin in the sun?
A Raisin in the Sun, a play about
dreams, calls on us to keep working to
end the nightmare of racism.
BRO CK P A P E R SCI SSO RS
of purpose and awareness of issues far
outside our little 68 square miles. And we
can hope that images of their tutu protest
will reach the one transgender boy that
was perhaps sitting in the audience when
Enzi delivered his clueless remarks. And
remember, Enzi represents Wyoming,
the Equality State and the scene of Mat-
thew Shepards horric murder almost 20
years ago.
For the senator, for his comments to
center around clothing, always a cor-
nerstone of queer self-expression and
individuality, that was deliberate. As for
bringing up the tutu itself frilly with no
real utility, something typically worn by
women that was surgical. As for the
senator himself and what he chooses to
wear, in this case, a converted leather
sofa of some sort, you can tell he doesnt
know any actual gay men, here in D.C. or
back home. And to be fair, the senator
has since apologized, saying that he re-
grets a poor choice of words. Right. Why
is it always the words fault? But he did
add that all individuals should be treated
with respect it is such a simple lesson
it is never permissible to hurt another.
It does take a man to apologize. But in
this case maybe the real men are wearing
the tutus.
W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM MA Y 0 5 , 2 0 1 7 2 3

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GLORIA GAYNOR ON WHY HER MASSIVE 1978 HIT STILL RESONATES
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
Gloria Gaynor cracked the U.S. Hot 100
several times throughout the 1970s but,
of course, its her legendary 1978 No. 1
hit I Will Survive for which shes most
identied and remembered.
So universally beloved is the song that
the Library of Congress has included
it in its National Recording Registry,
a list of sound recordings that have
been deemed culturally, historically or
aesthetically important and/or inform or
reect life in the United States. Begun
in 2000, it includes everything from Scott
Joplin piano rags, Bessie Smith blues,
Roosevelts Fireside Chats, Abbott and
Costello comedy routines and much
more.
The Library wraps up its disco-tribute
series Bibliodiscotheque this weekend
with an afternoon of events featuring
Gaynor culminating with a free concert
in the Great Hall. Gaynor spoke with the
Blade by phone from her New Jersey
home in March.
WASHINGTON BLADE: How do
you feel about I Will Survive being
inducted into the National Recording
Registry and how did your involvement
in this weekends festivities come
about?
GLORIA GAYNOR: The song was
inducted into the Library of Congress
music registry last year and I honestly
dont know how it came about except that
I got a message from my manager that
theyd called and wanted to do this event.
They rst called her and said they were
inducting the song and then they called
a month later and said they wanted me
to do this event, so who actually came
up with the idea, it probably came out of
the meeting we had with them, but Ive
forgotten now. But I was extremely happy
about it. Flattered beyond belief.
BLADE: Had you ever been to the
Library of Congress before?
GAYNOR: Not before that meeting. I
went down and met with them and looked
at the Thomas Jeerson building, the
archives and oh my God, its an awesome
building and an awesome room. Its going
to be acoustically a challenge for my
sound people to do the concert there, but
what a beautiful place, a beautiful room.
BLADE: When were you there?
Survival techniques
By JOEY DiGUGLIELMO
joeyd@washblade.com
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
GLORIA GAYNOR says she used to see I Will Survive as a mixed blessing but has come to
embrace it as central to her mission to empower and uplift others.
GAYNOR: That was in November, I
believe.
BLADE: Youll also be signing copies
of your 2013 book We Will Survive: true
Stories of Encouragement, Inspiration
and the Power of Song. What kind of
reaction have you received from the
book?
GAYNOR: A lot of people write and say
how the book encouraged and inspired
them, which was my whole purpose in
writing the book because Im thinking if
youre going through something, how
encouraging, inspiring and uplifting
would it be to read about someone
whos gone through what youre going
through or perhaps something even
more dicult and yet they came out of
the other side victorious? So when people
call me and tell me the book or the song
has accomplished my purpose, then of
course thats very encouraging, inspiring
VOLUME 48 ISSUE 18
PHOTO COURTESY OF LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
and uplifting to me.
BLADE: Why do you think the song
still resonates so strongly all these
years later?
GAYNOR: It taps into the tenacity of
the human spirit. It encourages you and
inspires you to reach down inside and
pull up whatever support you have inside
of you to get you through the dicult
times in your life. We all have situations,
circumstances in our lives from time to
time that we think are insurmountable
and hope well survive.
BLADE: Is it true it was originally
slated to be the B-side? That seems
inconceivable.
GAYNOR: Oh yes, absolutely. The
record company had sent me to these
producers out in California to record a
song that the president of the company
had chosen because hed had a hit with
MAY 5, 2017 PAGE 27
it in England and wanted to repeat that
success here in the United States and he
specically wanted me to help him do
that so he sent me out to record that song
which was called Substitute. And when
I asked the producers what was going
to be the B-side, they asked me in turn
what kind of songs did I like, what kind of
songs did I like to sing and record. I told
them I like songs that are meaningful and
that touch peoples hearts and have good
melodies and they said, Oh, we think
youre the one weve been waiting for to
record this song that we wrote a couple
years ago.
BLADE: Did you realize right away it
had strong hit potential?
GAYNOR: Well, the fact that my mother
had passed away just a couple years prior
and I never thought Id survive that and
the fact that I was standing there in a
back brace from my hip up to my art pit
because Id fallen on stage and woke up
the next morning paralyzed from the
waist down and was in the hospital for
four years wondering what was going to
happen to my life, I immediately related
to the lyrics and immediately believed
that since I was relating a couple of
situations to the song that had nothing to
do with the unrequited love that the song
speaks about, I believed other people
would do the same thing. I believed it
was a timeless lyric that everybody was
going to be able to relate to and time has
proven me right.
BLADE: There was such a backlash
against disco for years. When did you
start seeing it appreciated again? Was
that in the 90s?
GAYNOR: I always believed when
people pulled away from it, that was
something that was engineered and was
more of an economic decision on the part
of people whose bottom line was being
negatively aected by the fact that people
were buying so much disco music and
they probably thought this was taking
away from people buying their music so
I think they came up with this idea for
this big rally in Comiskey Park (in Chicago
in 1979) but of course my question has
always been if all those people who
burned all those disco records hated
CONTINUES ON PAGE 41

28 MAY 05, 2017 Q U E E RY : 2 0 Q U E ST I O N S F O R D A V I D BA I LE Y
DAVID BAILEY
How long have you been out and who
was the hardest person to tell?
Ive been out since 1984 when a
fraternity brother introduced me to the
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY
gay bars of Boston.
Whos your LGBT hero?
By JOEY DiGULIELMO Harvey Milk, Divine, Guy Baldwin and
joeyd@washblade.com anyone with the guts to live in the public
eye.
Rebel: D.C. Leather Pride Weekend kicks o Thursday, May 11 with a meet
and greet at the Green Lantern. Other events slated for next weekend include: Whats Washingtons best nightspot,
Rebel Heart on Friday, May 12 at the D.C. Eagle past or present?
Rebel Without a Gown, a drag/leather event at Cobalt on Saturday, May 13 The Eagle, both D.C. and Baltimore.
R2, a rubber/gear social at the Eagle also on the 13th
Rebel Yell, a Distrkt C party also on the 13th at the Eagle Describe your dream wedding.
The Bad Reputation tea dance on Sunday, May 14th at the Eagle. Oh, thats a boundary Im keeping intact,
Weekend passes are available. Full details on all weekend festivities at at least for now.
dcleatherpride.org.
David Tigger Bailey was crowned International Mr. Leather over Memorial What non-LGBT issue are you most
Day Weekend in Chicago last year. He moved to Washington this year after passionate about?
several years in Jersey Shore to be with his chosen family, which includes Im only passionate about LGBT issues.
partner Dan Ronneberg. The need and threats are too great to
He got into the gay leather scene in the mid-80s and says he felt instantly dilute energy and resources.
at home.
There was a visible sense of sexual rebellion coupled with an unspoken What historical outcome would you
sense of order, the 52-year-old Boston native says. There were also men change?
who looked like me jeans, boots and shirts. It was casual and very erotic. Obviously the election.
His leather title hes only been competing since 2015 was entirely
unexpected, but he says he wants to do my best and be of service. Whats been the most memorable pop
Bailey lives in Alexandria and works by day in retail. He enjoys the leather culture moment of your lifetime?
community and volunteering in his free time. Will & Grace. For those of us who
grew up in the 70s, I think we can fully
appreciate what a milestone that was for
our community.
On what do you insist?
Honesty
What was your last Facebook post or
Tweet?
A sneak peek at some new custom
leather motorcycle gear for IML, and an
I love you, all the way text to my leather
family.
If your life were a book, what would
the title be?
Im Not Defective
If science discovered a way to change
sexual orientation, what would you
202.747.2077 do?
Not a damn thing.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
What do you believe in beyond the
physical world?
After 11 years of sobriety Im convinced
theres something greater in the
universe. In physics the principal holds:
energy is neither created nor destroyed,
it merely changes states. What that
energy looks like is beyond me and Ive
become comfortable not having to have
all the answers.
Whats your advice for LGBT
movement leaders?
Remember what worked during our last
ght for our lives: Act Up, Speak Out,
Silence = Death
What would you walk across hot coals
for?
My family.
What LGBT stereotype annoys you
most?
Straight acting. It screams of shame
and homophobia. Its actually incredibly
sad when a gay man uses it to describe
himself. WTF does that mean anyway?
You cant dance, dress yourself or give
decent head? Yeah, not hot!
Whats your favorite LGBT movie?
Tie between Priscilla Queen of the
Desert and Boys in the Band.
Whats the most overrated social
custom?
Im not sure social customs that identify
us as a culture and a community can be
overrated. If anything, they should be
preserved with intent.
What trophy or prize do you most
covet?
My IML contestant medallion.
What do you wish youd known at 18?
That Im not genetically defective, that
Im not alone in the things I like and that
Im lovable just the way I am.
Why Washington?
To be with my chosen family.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

FI L M M A Y 05, 2017 29

PHOTO COURTESY OF REEL AFFIRMATIONS

DYLAN GELULA as Anne in First Girl I Loved.

First Girl features
detailed, nuanced acting
By BRIAN T. CARNEY
Next Friday, May 12, First Girl I Loved,
one of the current hits on the rainbow lm
circuit, comes to D.C. as part of the Reel
Armations Monthly XTRA lm series.
Written and directed by rising star
Kerem Sanga, First Girl I Loved is
a quirky and touching story about a
teenagers rst steps into the worlds of
sex and love. Anne, played with great
sensitivity by Dylan Gelula from Netixs
The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,
is a high school junior and yearbook
photographer. When she takes a picture
of softball superstar Sasha (Brianna
Hildebrand from Deadpool), she is
instantly smitten. The sparks and texts
begin to y, even though Sasha tries to
deny the attraction.
More trouble ensues when Anne tries to
tell her best friend Cli (Mateo Arias) about
her feelings for Sasha. In a t of jealousy,
he confesses his love for Anne. Tensions
continue to mount as the trio, their parents
and various school ocials stumble
through the rest of the school year.
The teen performances are all strong
and interesting. Sanga creates quirky
characters with all of their jagged
edges intact. Their actions arent always
appealing, but they are credible. The
acting is detailed and nuanced, capturing
the aches and yearnings of hormonal
teenagers and rst love with great care.
Sanga also creates a robust cast of
sympathetic adult characters. Unlike many
teen movies, Sangas adults are people
too. Of special note are Pamela Adlon as
Annes mom Sharon and Tim Heidecker
as a laid-back guidance counselor. Its
also noteworthy that Sharon has an
unspecied disability and walks with a
cane. Theres no fuss; the character simply
uses a cane. Thats powerful.
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First Girl I Loved
Friday, May 12
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Director buoyed by award

First Girl loosely based on directors sisters experience
DentalBug Sta 2016-2017

Unlike the creators of many writers and directors of coming-of-age stories, Kerem
Sanga has not based his latest movie on his own life.
Instead, First Girl I Loved is based loosely on his sisters coming-out story. Sanga
says he found this process liberating.
The thing about this lm, Sanga says, is that its very far removed from my own
experiences in high school, which in a strange way made writing it very fascinating
and freeing. I kept coming back to the idea of having to hide a fundamental fact Jeanette Suh John Tsaknis
DMD
about yourself. Its something that Anne is doing for reasons that go beyond fear of DDS Indra Mustapha
rejection.That feeling made a lot of sense to me and kept me connected to her. CALL FOR Maria Hodas
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That feeling of connection has led to strong audience responses across the indie and
rainbow lm circuits. First Girl I Loved premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival
RESERVATIONS
and won the coveted Best of NEXT Audience Award.
The best part about playing Sundance was getting to tell everybody that worked on it
that we got in, Sanga says. They had all worked so hard for so little, so to be able to tell
them that their eorts were going to get such a prestigious platform was very satisfying. M-TH 11:30AM-10PM F-SAT 11:30AM-11PM
SUN. BRUNCH 11AM-3PM / DINNER 3-10PM
Following his Sundance success, Sanga is back at his writing desk.
For me, writing is the most dicult, least immediately gratifying part of the lmmaking 1221 Mass. Ave, NW 202.628.7979 (Free Parking)
process.On the other hand, I get to work in an air-conditioned room. 322 MASS. AVE. NE 202.543.7656
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30 M A Y 05, 2017
The iconic rock opera in
a stunning new production
A newly reunited Revolution pay homage to late mastermind Prince on a current tour.
Long dormant Prince
band reunites for
blazing tribute tour
Photo of Michael Brown by Christopher Mueller
By CHRIS GERARD
Starts next week
The Revolution contributed to some
May 9 July 2, 2017 | PRIDE NIGHT: JUNE 23 of the most important recordings of the
last four decades, appearing on Prince
Tickets selling quickly! albums like 1999, Purple Rain, Around
the World in a Day and Parade. Purple
Rain made them more famous than
most backing bands.
The young, no-nonsense and blazingly
talented guitarist Wendy Melvoin was one
of the few who would stand up to Prince (in
7521 WALTON LANE, ANNANDALE, VA 22003 WWW.7521WALTONLN.COM Purple Rain and in real life). Her partner
Lisa Coleman is a gifted pianist, songwriter
and vocalist, someone who helped bring
dimensions of color to Princes music that
otherwise would never has existed. Bobby
Z., Mark Brown and Matt Fink all made
important contributions as members of
the Revolution.
Though disbanded by Prince amidst
tension following a 1986 tour, theyve now
reunited and are touring. On April 27th,
they played the Fillmore in Silver Spring.
Prince was a peerless performer. He
was a dynamo like no other, dancing,
singing and knocking out blistering guitar
solos or wildly intricate piano with equal
prociency. Nobody will ever compare
to Prince and the Revolution doesnt try.
In his live performances, Prince would
often run through his hits in abbreviated
versions or as part of medleys, and
sometimes he would go o on long funk
jams. He was not the type to choose
True Mid-Century Modern Post and Beam Contemporary home designed to blur the line between
inside and outside, bringing light from multiple directions and the natural surroundings into a set list of 25 songs, play them in full
the house. Extensive use of glass with rooms orientated to expansive rear deck, front patio, and change it up from night to night to
perennial gardens & landscaping. Stand alone studio with stain glass side light and transom keep the audiences surprised. But the
at entry door, heated, electric service and built-in benches and wall shelving. Close to major Revolution did exactly that. Their 22-song
transportation routes and public transportation access. set covered all of the albums on which
they were featured, focusing mainly on
the hits but throwing in a couple deep cuts
Every transaction is treated as if it was my own as well. Throughout the night the band
paid respect to the music, treating it with
LAURIE MENSING reverence and bringing it to electrifying
C 703-965-8133 D 703-873-5193 E laurie.mensing@longandfoster.com life before a wildly enthusiastic crowd.
WWW.LAURIEMENSING.COM Most of the lead vocals were handled
Licensed in DC, MD & VA by Melvoin and bassist Mark Brown,
Multi-Million Dollar Producer, Top 1% Nationally both of whom did their former boss
justice. Vocalist Stokley Williams of Mint
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
MU SI C
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE FILMORE SILVER SPRING
Condition guested throughout much of
the show, generally performing lead on
the more funk-oriented tracks like Kiss,
Erotic City, Uptown and Lets Work.
Williams faced a dicult task. Obviously
replacing Prince is impossible, and he
didnt try. He kept the audience singing
along, dancing and leading the crowd
in arm-waving and cheers, but he didnt
go too far over the top or showboat.
He allowed the attention to be on the
Revolution but still delivered the dynamic
vocals the songs required.
The band opened with their iconic
dialogue on the hard-edged funk/rock
classic Computer Blue, and delivered
scalding takes on 1999, D.M.S.R.,
Controversy, Lets Go Crazy and
Delirious. The more pop-oriented
songs were all crowd-pleasers, and the
whole room sang along with Take Me
With U, Paisley Park, Mountains and
Raspberry Beret.
When Doves Cry was absolutely blazing
from start to nish, Melvoin nailing the
opening snarls of guitar and the searing
solo midway through, and keyboardist
Matt Fink deftly managing those slithery
lines of synth near the end. Most of
the night was a party, but one somber
moment came when the rest of the band
left and Wendy Melvoin, after a short and
emotional speech about Prince, and Lisa
Coleman together performed Sometimes
it Snows in April, alone on the stage. The
room was silent as a seance, apart from
the hushed voices singing along. It was a
shared moment of connection, of loss and
love. Wendy & Lisa recorded the original
with Prince in one take, and his absence
from that stage was felt to the bones by
everyone in that room.
The main set of course closed with
Purple Rain and it was hard not to feel
Princes presence smiling down as Wendy
nailed his famous solo and the crowd
waved their arms in the air and sang along
with his great epic. Then just like in the
lm, after the dramatic title song the band
walks o stage, only to return to the sound
of wild applause. Then, bam! Pure funk
amped to the highest wattage with the one-
two closing punch of I Would Die 4 U and
Baby Im a Star, which sent the crowd into
a frenzy of dancing and the pure love and
celebration of Prince and his music.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
T HE ATE R
STEPHEN SCOTT WORMLEY as Dorian in Dorians Closet.
Dorians Closet pays
tribute to diva of yesteryear
By PATRICK FOLLIARD
A musical about a drag queen who
keeps a mummied corpse in her closet
for 15 years may ring too farfetched to be
true. But again as is so often the case
fact proves stranger than ction.
Rep Stage is currently premiering the
musical Dorians Closet, by Richard
Mailman (book and lyrics) and Ryan
Haase (music), and directed by the
companys co-producing Artistic Director
Joseph Ritsch. Its the story of legendary
female impersonator Dorian Corey who
gained fame from Jennie Livingstons
seminal 1990 documentary Paris Is
Burning about New York Citys gay and
transgender black and Latino ball culture.
When I saw the documentary, I was
captivated by Dorian, recalls Mailman,
a playwright and TV writer based in Los
Angeles. By sheer force of personality
she pulls focus. Shes the one character
that seemed level headed about lifes
limitations and where she ts. I thought
shed be the perfect subject for a musical
not about the documentary but about
her life.
Though she was already renowned in
certain circles, the wider public rst met
Corey as a world weary, unappable queen
and loved her. She was also quotable.
In explaining shade, she simply said:
Shade is, I dont have to tell you youre to hold onto a body, the psychological
ugly, because you know youre ugly.
Her life philosophy struck a chord
with audiences too. I always had hopes
of being a big star. But as you get older,
you aim a little lower. Everybody wants
to make an impression, some mark upon
the world. Then you think, youve a made
a mark on the world if you just get through
it, and a few people remember your
name. Then youve left a mark. You dont
have to bend the whole world. I think its
better to just enjoy it. Pay your dues and
just enjoy it. If you shoot an arrow and it
goes real high, hooray for you.
When Corey died at 56 from
complications related to AIDS in 1993,
it came out that shed been harboring a
dead mans mummied remains in her
M A Y 05, 2017 31
PHOTO COURTESY OF REP STAGE
closet for years. Competing theories say
he was either an intruder or former ame
who Corey has shot in the head. Mailman
says the mummy revelation sparked a
long creative journey for him. He was
determined to tell Dorians story.
Though Rep Stage didnt commission
the work, director Ritsch has been
involved with Dorians Closet since its
inception. He and Mailman had been
friends for 30 years, having known each
other in New York when Ritsch worked in
some plays Mailman had written. Ritsch is
a former drag performer himself.
He went to Los Angeles for a reading
of the play and introduced Mailman to
Baltimore composer Ryan Hasse. He says
the two clicked and created a score
thats both traditional and contemporary.
When I got a real feel that the show
knew where it was going, I decided to
include it in Rep Stages season, he says.
There were some challenges, Ritsch
says. Winnowing down which years to
cover proved tricky. Born Frederick Legg
in Bualo, Dorian left for Manhattan
A musical history
to study art at the prestigious Parsons
School of Design. She became involved
in the drag scene as a performer and
clothing designer. Though Dorian never
identied as transgender, she had
breast implants and probably dabbled in
of gay broadway
hormones. In the end, they focused on
the years 1980 through Dorians death.
Also, Ritsch says, I did my best to treat JUNE 3 at 8:00pm
the story in a sensitive way. As a director
Im fascinated with what motivated her JUNE 4 at 3:00pm
aspects of that, more so than the
sensational details. LINCOLN THEATRE 1215 U Street NW
Rep Stages productions mostly
African-American eight-man cast stars
TICKETS 1-877-435-9849
Stephen Scott Wormley as Dorian. or visit gmcw.org
Dwayne Washington plays fellow Harlem
ball diva Pepper Labeija. Its in part a
backstage story about drag queens and Tickets and groups of 10 or more
the places where they performed.
call 202-293-1548
CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
DORIANS CLOSET
Through May 14 Brought to you by , Presenting Sponsor
Rep Stage
Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center
10901 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, MD Thea Kano Artistic Director Justin Fyala Executive Director
$40
443-518-1500
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32 MAY 05, 2017
Megan Mullally bares all
From Will & Grace to
Nancy and Beth, singer
says music was her rst love
By MARIAH COOPER
mcooper@washblade.com
Megan Mullally cemented her legacy
as the boozing and wise-cracking Karen
Walker on the hit sitcom, Will & Grace.
She later would go on to play opposite her
husband Nick Oerman as his characters
ex-wife on Parks and Recreation. Since
then, Mullally has started a side passion
project with fellow actress Stephanie
Hunt (Friday Night Lights), known as
Nancy and Beth.
Bonded by a mutual love for quirk
and music, the duos self-titled album
is an eclectic mix of cover songs from
rapper Gucci Manes I Dont Love Her to and I knew that Stephanie didnt either,
the country classic, He Stopped Loving
Her Today by George Jones. Mullally
and Hunt bare it all on the cover art,
appearing naked with the albums title
lettering strategically placed.
Mullally spoke with the Blade on the
eagerly awaited Will & Grace reboot (a
limited, 12-episode run with the original
cast and crew on NBC is expected to air
this fall), dropping her clothes for an
album cover and the struggle to be taken
seriously as an actress pursuing music.
WASHINGTON BLADE: Where did the
name Nancy and Beth come from?
MEGAN MULLALLY: Nick, Stephanie
and I had sat around at dinner one night
and bounced around a bunch of band
names and none of them seemed exactly
right, but I wrote them all down. When I
got back to Los Angeles I made a list of
those, and a few others that I thought
of, and I had thought of Nancy and Beth.
For some reason it just seemed like the
perfect name. I dont know why. I stuck
it in the middle of the list without any
comment. I emailed the list to Stephanie
and she emailed back right away, Nancy
and Beth. I thought, well there you have
it. That would be a good way of describing
our entire vibe together. Were completely
on the same page. We have a real
synchronous sort of anity for each other.
BLADE: On the album cover, the both
of you are naked. How did that concept
come about?
MULLALLY: Were both modest people.
I dont think Nick has ever seen me naked,
for example. Im not someone who rips
my clothes o and goes galavanting
about. Im the opposite of that. I know
Stephanie is too. I was in a very relaxed
state one day and that image, exactly the
Actress/singer MEGAN MULLALLY, left, says her band with fellow singer STEPHANIE HUNT is a
quirky, musically eclectic outt that made sense instinctually.
way the album cover ended up being,
came into my mind. Even though I didnt
want to take my clothes o necessarily,
I pitched it to her and she was like,
Yeah we should do that. Its hard for
me to put into words why I feel thats
the right record cover. It has something
to do with bringing everything down to
its most basic, elemental level. Its the
most stripped down, pure state. Its two
humans on the planet and we tried to
keep it as absolutely neutral as possible.
Except on the back cover art you see that
we dont mean it just as taking ourselves
seriously, we also mean that there is
humor included. I dont think either one
of us are very analytical people, were
more instinctual.
BLADE: The music video for the
single Please, Mr. Jailer has a quirky
vibe paired with a classic song. Is that
the vibe of the album?
MULLALLY: Yeah, it is. Theres only
10 songs on the record.Theyre all a very
eclectic mix from every genre, every era.
Originally for the video theres one rap
song on the record by an artist named
Gucci Mane. Initially I thought that should
be the video because the track came out
pretty well. Its pretty funny. Its not a
comedy band at all, but that track has a
lot going for it. So I sent it out to a bunch
of people I know who are really good
directors and said, Hey do you want to
direct our music video? and for whatever
reason everybody said no, mostly for
scheduling reasons. It occurred to me
that I didnt want to get in a situation with
a music video where we were going to
have to sell our house and move into a
tent so I thought, Well Ill just direct the
music video. And I thought we shouldnt
do that track because its an anomaly, its
the only rap/hip-hop song on the record.
We should do Please, Mr. Jailer which
is more representative of our record as
PHOTO COURTESY OF KID LOGIC MEDIA
a whole and the spirit of the band. So I
thought, Ill just direct it and Ill shoot it on
my phone.
My pilates teacher, who is a really good
friend of mine, I was talking to her about it
and I realized that her husband is a really
great VP, editor and director. So I thought,
Maybe Ill just get Alex to come over and
take some pictures or hold my phone.
Then I thought, Wait, why dont I just have
Alex shoot it? It was just really simple. We
had a really easy shoot. It was just me,
Stephanie, Alex and his assistant and hair
and makeup. There was no other crew. It
was all just very chill. I think it came out
really well and Im excited about it. The
music video is more reective of the tone
of the album cover. So I think theres an
enigmatic quality that pulls you in thats
not necessarily reected in our live show.
Our live show we have facial expressions
and every song is choreographed full-
on. The video is dierent from the live
show but I think the video is reective of
a weirdness that is inherent in my and
Stephanies take on music.
BLADE: Lots of actors have musical
side projects. Did you ever fear that
the public wouldnt take you seriously
when you embarked on Nancy and
Beth?
MULLALLY: Oh, I know they wont.
Nobody gives a shit if an actor does music.
If a musician wants to act, people are like,
Oh my god. Amazing, brilliant. If an actor
reveals that they also have a musical side
people are like, Please, take your childish
musical aspirations elsewhere.
Well the fact of the matter is that I,
and probably many other actors who
also would like to express themselves
musically, that was my start. I was into
music way before I even thought about
acting. I was in a ballet company. I was a
serious ballet dancer for years also. I have
done three musicals on Broadway and
two of them were before Will & Grace.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
O U T &A BO U T
So two of them were before I was ever
known as an actress on television. I think
Ive said that I came out the womb in a
top hat and tap shoes. Ive always loved
music. Music has been the driving force
in my creative life. Its just that the public
at large has no idea. They have not seen
me in a Broadway musical. They dont
know anything about me being a singer.
Ive done a lot of concert singing. Singing
is really my rst, or maybe my best, thing.
People dont know that and thats not
their fault. Its just the way it is. I dont
expect to ever sell one ticket, one record
or anything. So each ticket or record that
gets sold, Im like, Great. Bonus.
BLADE: The last time you were
on tour with Nancy and Beth your
husband came along. Is he coming
along this time?
MULLALLY: He is. Sometimes hell
make an appearance during the show so
well see what happens. Hes our roadie.
BLADE: Fans are super excited for
the Will & Grace reboot. Was it easy
to slip back into the role of Karen
Walker after so long?
MULLALLY: Frighteningly easy. I never
doubted that it would be, but I also never
thought there would be any reason for it to
be. It never crossed any of our minds that
the show would come back as the same
exact show on the same exact network
because thats never happened before.
Although I did feel Karen was living
a happy existence in some kind of
alternative universe. It never occurred to
me that universe would then be on NBC.
Its very exciting. I think the weirdest thing
about the whole reboot is the fact that it
doesnt feel weird. It seems totally normal
like we were just here two days ago, we
went away for the weekend and we came
back on a Monday. Weve only had like two
photoshoots and weve already just been
like, Hey when we walk in like no time
has gone by. We just had a photoshoot
and I walked in and Eric (McCormack)
and Sean (Hayes) were sitting there and
I was like, Hey guys as I was heading to
my dressing room. I came back and was
like, Wait a minute. No crazy casual, Hey
guys. This is great, were doing this. Its
crazy. Its pretty fun. Were already back
to total, full-time groping, humping and
laughing hysterically. Its bizarre, nothing
has changed.
CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
NANCY AND BETH (MEGAN MULLALLY,
STEPHANIE HUNT)
Monday, May 8
7 p.m.
U Street Music Hall
1115 U St., N.W.
$30
W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM MA Y 0 5 , 2 0 1 7 3 3

Queer your beer.

&
P r i d e P i l s
2 01 7 # H o u r
h Y a p p y
Launc
, 2 01 7
June 7
6PM
0 9 8 t h St NW
20

r t h e b e st
Prizes fo u n i co r n
o r
rainbow yo u r
o n
costume d friend!
u r - l e g g e
fo

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Visit washingtonblade.com/dcbrau for more information.
 WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

LIVE
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
34 MA Y 05, 2017 O U T & A BO U T

DEB
TALAN
OF THE WEEPIES By MARIAH COOPER
W/ MATT THE ELECTRICIAN
THURSDAY MAY 4

JIMMY
GREENE
W/ ERIC BYRD TRIO
PHOTO BY QUADELL; COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

FRIDAY MAY 5 Lions, tigers and bears, oh my!

SAT, MAY 6
Rainbow Families hosts Gay Day at the Smithsonians National Zoo (3001
AN EVENING WITH
Connecticut Ave., N.W.) on Sunday, May 7 from noon-5 p.m.
BRUCE IN THE U.S.A. There will be a meet up for families from noon-1:30 p.m. on the Lion-Tiger Hill.
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

Bring a blanket to sit on. Afterwards, guests can explore the zoo at their leisure,
TUES, MAY 9
Pride Heroes Gala
GRAHAM PARKER DUO ride the carousel or explore the Kids Farm. The zoos schedule of events for the
is early this year
day include meeting a farm animal, meet a amingo keeper, a lemur feeing,
FEAT. BRINSLEY SCHWARZ meet a zebra and more.
W/ JAMES MADDOCK
Admission is free. To register, visit rainbowfamilies.org. The Historical Society of Washington
FRI, MAY 12 D.C. hosts Capital Prides Heroes Gala
THE BUMPER JACKSONS at Carnegie Library (801 K St., N.W.) on
W/ BE STEADWELL AND LETITIA VANSANT Saturday, May 13 from 7-11 p.m. The
event is ordinarily held in June but was
SAT, MAY 13
bumped up to mid May this year.
ALMOST QUEEN Capital Pride Heroes honors individuals
SUN, MAY 14 10AM, 12:30PM, 3PM who have made a positive and signicant
MOTHERS DAY GOSPEL BRUNCH contribution to the LGBT community.
FEATURING WILBUR JOHNSON Honorees this year include Dee Curry,
& THE GOSPEL PERSUADERS Juan Carlos Loubriel, Amy Loudermilk,
Richard Rosendall and Melvin Thomas.
WED, MAY 17
Stacey Karen and Hayden Mora will also
ALL GOOD PRESENTS be honored for their contributions to the
DUMPSTAPHUNK transgender community.
W/ THE MAIN SQUEEZE Other awards include the Ally Award
THURS, MAY 18 which will be given Washington Capitals
MORGAN JAMES goaltender Braden Holtby and the Larry
Stansbury Award, a recognition of an
THE RECKLESS ABANDON TOUR organization that has contributed to
W/ ANDY ALLO Pride, that honors Brother Help Thyself.
FRI, MAY 19 There will be entertainment, an open bar
THE BLACK LILLIES and food-tasting stations.
W/ THE RAGBIRDS Tickets are $65. For more details, visit
capitalpride.org.
SAT, MAY 20
GIANT PANDA
GUERILLA DUB SQUAD AIDS Walk Baltimore is May 7
W/ THUNDER BODY
SUN, MAY 21 AIDS Walk Baltimore takes place at the
Maryland Zoo (1 Safari Pl., Baltimore) on
DAVID BROMBERG BIG BAND Sunday, May 7 from 7-10:30 a.m.
W/ HONEY CHILD
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY The 5K run stretches 3.1 miles
WED, MAY 24 through the zoo into Druid Park. General
BEN SIDRAN registration for the timed run is $35 and
FRI, MAY 26 Drag and leather worlds collide for Rebel event $10 for children 12 and younger. Walkers
will stroll through the zoo along side the
JOHN MAYALL W/ BILL CARTER animals. Walker registration is $25 and
SAT, MAY 27 7PM & 10:30PM D.C. Leather Pride, D.C. Sisters and the Imperial Court of Washington presents $10 for children 12 and under. After the
TDC SHOWS PRESENTS Rebel Without a Gown, an annual drag and leather fundraiser, at Cobalt (1639 R run and walk, participants are invited to
AMEL LARRIEUX St., N.W.) on Saturday, May 13 from 4-8 p.m. spend the day at the zoo. Participants
Funds will be raised for D.C. leather titleholders to compete in the International are encouraged to raise a minimum of
Mr. Leather competition in Chicago over Memorial Day weekend. Mr. D.C. Eagle $100 to receive a commemorative event
2017 Kai Anderson will be this years recipient. Kristina Kelly hosts. There will be T-shirt. The top three fundraisers will
performances by local queens starting at 5 p.m. receive a special prize.
Tickets are $10. For more information, visit facebook.com/dcleatherpride. For more information, visit
THEHAMILTONDC.COM
baltimoreaidswalk.org.
W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM MA Y 0 5 , 2 0 1 7 3 5

I love wandering through

Smithsonian museums, eating
on H Street with friends, and going
to shows at Howard Theatre.

Im a
transgender woman
and Im part of DC.

Please treat me the way any

woman would want to be treated:
with courtesy and respect.
Discrimination based on gender identity and
expression is illegal in the District of Columbia.
If you think youve been the target of
discrimination, visit www.ohr.dc.gov
or call (202) 727-4559.

OFFICE OF

GLBT
AFFAIRS

Show your support! Spread word of the #TransRespect

campaign by photographing this ad and sharing on Twitter.
 WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

36 MAY 05, 2017 A RT S & CU LT U RE

This Week in the Arts provided by CultureCapital.com

joyofmotion.org. the design of The Kreeger. Thru Jul 29.

IDENTIFY: Wanda Raimundi Ortiz. kreegermuseum.org.
May 6. National Portrait Gallery, Library of Congress. Drawing Justice:
Smithsonian. npg.si.edu. The Art of Courtroom Illustration. Thru
Gran Milonga - Tango Concert Oct 28. loc.gov.
and Dance. May 6. Glen Echo Park.
glenechopark.org.
GALLERIES
MUSIC The Art League Gallery. Lesa Cook:
Gods, Heroes, and Fools. May 10-Jun 4.
Timon of Athens Storm Large. May 6-May 7. AMP. theartleague.org.
May 9-Jun 11. Folger Theatre. ampbystrathmore.com. Waverly Street Gallery. Textures in
folger.edu. Jane Monheit with special guest Glass - Glasswork by Jill Tanenbaum.
Fortune strains the bonds of friendship. Timon is a wealthy and popular Nicholas Payton. May 5. NSO Pops: May 9-Jun 3. waverlystreetgallery.com.
aristocrat with but one awan excess of generosity. Sparing no expense on Indigo Girls. May 5-May 6. NSO: District Architecture Center. Bees
lavish parties, expensive gifts, and charity, Timon later suers a downturn of Tchaikovskys The Nutcracker Suite/ in the City. Thru Jun 3. The Pollinator-
fortune and friendship. Robert Richmond directs Shakespeares tragic satire Rimsky-Korsakovs Scheherazade. friendly Garden. Thru Jun 3.
about the ckleness of prosperity, with Ian Merrill Peakes in the title role. May 11-May 13. Kennedy Center. aiadac.com.
kennedy-center.org. gallery Neptune & Brown. Jowita
Bibliodiscotheque Symposium, featuring Gloria Gaynor Simone Baron. May 10-May 24. Wyszomirska: Vanishing Point. Thru
May 6. Library of Congress. Strathmore. strathmore.org. May 13. galleryneptunebrown.com.
loc.gov. Passion & Struggle. Thru May 7. In Glen Echo Park. Vessels Great
Explore the history of disco music, dance and culture in this afternoon Series. Atlas. inseries.org. and Small 2017. May 5-May 29.
symposium that features appearances by Gloria Gaynor, Good Morning America Hill Center Concert Series: Feifei glenechopark.org.
host Robin Roberts, distinguished music scholars Martin Scherzinger and Alice Yang and Jiaju Shen. May 10. Hill Goethe-Institut. Exhibition: FORTY out
Echols, photographer Bill Bernstein, and Yolanda Baker, the only disco ball Center. hillcenterdc.org. of ONE MILLION by Kai Wiedenhfer.
maker in the United States. A book-signing will follow the program. Matt Haimovitz & Christopher Thru Jun 16. goethe.de.
ORiley, Cello + Piano. May 7. JCC of Hill Center. Hill Center Galleries. Thru
Madame Buttery Greater Washington. jccgw.org. Jun 25. hillcenterdc.org.
May 6-May 21. Washington National Opera at Kennedy Center. Concert: Eya. May 6. Concert: ISAAG. The Language of the Heart
kennedy-center.org. Margaret Leng Tan. May 7. National (Dominican Republic). Thru May 5.
In this eye-popping staging of Puccinis immortal tragedy, a dashing American Gallery of Art. nga.gov. idbstaassociationartgallery.org.
naval ocer chooses a nave young geisha to be his bride, only to betray her- Piano Men Cabaret. May 9-May 13. Korean Cultural Center DC.
-leading to one of the most devastating and legendary nal scenes in all of Signature Theatre. sigtheatre.org. Integrated: Korean Clay and Paper
opera. Masterworks of Five Centuries: Heritage in Contemporary American
Evening Performance. May 6 - 7. Art. May 5-May 31. koreaculturedc.org.
Jackson Art Center Open Studios Smithsonian Associates. Smithsonian
May 7. Jackson Art Center.
jacksonartcenter.com.
Museum of American History.
smithsonianassociates.org.
AND MORE...
One of the earliest Open Studios in DC, since the 80s, Jackson Art Centers UMD Wind Orchestra: The Sound of Strathmore. Backstage with the
twice-a-year open house features 40-plus emerging and established DC artists Light. May 6. Annual Pops Concert. Creators of Serial. May 11. strathmore.
who make the historic DC public Jackson School their home. Free, with live May 11. The Clarice. org.
music & refreshments. Explore the old building and take something home. theclarice.umd.edu. Smithsonian Associates. Exploring
Balkan Food: A Private Dinner
PHOTO COURTESY OF FOLGER THEATRE
MUSEUMS at Ambar Restaurant. May 7.
smithsonianassociates.org.
National Archives. Amending National Archives. Oh, the Stories
America. Thru Sep 4. They Tell: Chinese Exclusion Acts Case
THEATRE Brighton Beach Memoirs. Thru May
14. Theater J. theaterj.org.
archivesfoundation.org.
National Gallery of Art. The Woodner
Files. May 10. archivesfoundation.org.
PEN/Faulkner. The 37th Annual PEN/
Jesus Christ Superstar. May 9-Jul 2. Chess. Thru May 6. Theatre Lab. Collections: Master Drawings from Faulkner Award for Fiction. May 6.
Signature Theatre. sigtheatre.org. theatrelab.org. Seven Centuries. Thru Jul 16. nga.gov. Folger Theatre. folger.edu.
The Father. May 10-Jun 18. Studio The Schooling of Bento Bonchev. National Geographic. Earth Explorers. Hill Center. Indivisible: Love Knows No
Theatre. studiotheatre.org. Thru May 6. The Weekday Players. May Thru Sep 10. nglive.org. Borders. May 6. hillcenterdc.org.
In the Heights... In Spanish! Thru 9. The Clarice. theclarice.umd.edu. National Museum of Women in the Docs in Progress. Documentary
May 21. GALA Hispanic Theatre. 30th Annual Evening of Comedy. May Arts. Border Crossing: Jami Porter Roundtable DC: Investigative
galatheatre.org. 5-May 6. The Barns. wolftrap.org. Lara. Thru May 14. New Ground: The Documentary Case Study. May 8.
Ragtime. Thru May 20. One Destiny. Southwest of Maria Martinez and Interface Media. docsinprogress.org.
Thru May 20. Fords Theatre. fords.org.
Outside Mullingar. May 6-May 28.
DANCE Laura Gilpin. Thru May 14. nmwa.org.
National Portrait Gallery,
National Geographic. Waters Edge.
May 9. nglive.org.
Keegan Theatre. keegantheatre.com. New Releases Choreographers Smithsonian. Lincolns National Portrait Gallery. Author
Shear Madness. Thru Jun 11. Kennedy Showcase. May 6. Dance Place. Contemporaries. Thru May 19. Talk: Blanche Weisen Cook. May 7.
Center. shearmadness.com. danceplace.org. npg.si.edu. npg.si.edu.
The Magic Play. Thru May 7. Olney H.Y.P.E.: In Concert. May 7. Joy Kreeger Museum. RE-VISION: Looking The Writers Center. Michael Salcman.
Theatre. olneytheatre.org. of Motion. Greenberg Theatre. anew at the art of Philip Johnson and May 7. writer.org.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
S P O RTI N I N D. C.
The Federal Triangles players in action.
Tensions sometimes
are when gay leagues
mix with straight
By KEVIN MAJOROS
Homophobic slurs have been a long-
running situation in the sports community
and they continue to happen despite the
progress of the LGBT sports movement.
The comments are tossed at seemingly
anyone and often come in the heat of a
sporting event. The slurs can be sexist,
racist, homophobic, transphobic or aimed
at anyone who is considered inferior.
The question then becomes, is itOK
if the person using the slur apologizes?
Does it become a teaching moment?
The Federal Triangles Soccer Club is a
long-running LGBT-based soccer club in
the Washington area. During the summer
season, members run their own league,
the Summer of Freedom League. Its
considered a safe space for LGBT players
and allies.
During the other three seasons,
members of the Federal Triangles are on
teams that play in predominately straight
soccer leagues in the area. The leagues
can consist of either womens, mens or
co-ed teams.
District Sports is a straight-based
nonprot that provides recreational
leagues and tournaments to about
6,300 athletes at 14 separate locations
throughout the area. Through targeted
fundraising and proceeds from league
fees, they distribute tens of thousands
of dollars in support to other service-
minded nonprots.
Last weekend at a nine-on-nine mens
match at Bell Field, in the heat of the
moment, a straight player called a gay
player from the Federal Triangles a
maricon, which translates to faggot.
It happened during a foul-lled rst half
and the referee approached the captain of
the straight team at halftime. The straight
player stepped forward and admitted that
he had used the slur. In this District Sports
league, there are four Federal Triangles
M A Y 05, 2017 37
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OPEN SUN., MAY 7,
1:00pm-4:00pm
teams and six straight teams.
The following statement was issued
by the gay player who was called the
derogatory term.
At the core of good sportsmanship
is fairness, respect and a sense of
fellowship with your competitors. Yelling
homophobic or racial slurs is far from
good sportsmanship and has no place in
Joe Rubin 301.455.4371
sports. I am utterly disappointed by the
Office: 301.907.7600
opposing teams display of homophobia
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.
last weekend, yet I cant say Im surprised. Joe.rubin@LNF.com
Homophobia, racism, transphobia,
misogyny and discrimination are pervasive
in sports, and throughout American
society for that matter. The current
political climate fueled by Trumps hate
has made homophobia that much worse,
Licensed
leading to skyrocketing hate crimes. Its
FREE
everyones responsibility toend hate and
discrimination, in sports and elsewhere. Estimates! Bonded
Zach Strauss, director of operations Insured
for District Sports, has investigated
the incident and found that the player
attempted to apologize at the match.
I have been on the receiving end of
SERVICES LLC
that word myself and I hope that this
incident will result in people learning
from each other, Strauss says. The
player understands that the word was
unacceptable and he seems contrite.
A statement was also released by the
Federal Triangles Soccer Club through
team president Adrienne Morris.
FTSC supports many teams throughout ADVERTISING
the Washington areaPROOFand it#6
is uncommon ISSUE DATE: 170505 SALES REPRESENTATIVE:
for other teams to resort to hateful
REVIEW AD FOR COPY AND DESIGN ACCURACY. Revisions must be submitted within 24 hours of the date of
speech. However, gay slurs are still proof. Proof will be considered final and will be submitted for publication if revision is not submitted within 24 hours of
REVISIONS the date of proof. Revisions will not be accepted after 12:01 pm wednesday, the week of publication.Brown naff pitts
sometimes used during sports. Whether
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responsible for any legal liability arising out of or relating to the advertisement, and/or any material to which users
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it is directed at a player or used without can link through the advertisement. Advertiser represents that its advertisement will not violate any criminal laws or
any rgihts of third parties, including, but not limited to, such violations as infringement or misapporpriation of any
homophobic intent, IMAGE/LOGO
reprehensibleREVISIONS copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret, music, image, or other proprietary or propety right, false advertising, unfair
competition, defamation, invasion of privacy or rights of celebrity, violation of anti-discrimination law or regulation,
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language should never be used. Our washington blade) and to hold brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) harmless from any and all
liability, loss, damages, claims, or causes of action, including reasonable legal fees and expenses that may be incurred
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players do not tolerate it, and we expect
by brown naff pitts omnimedia llc, arising out of or related to advertisers breach of any of the foregoing representations
payment and insertion schedule.
and warranties.
other teams to reject any use of slurs,
whether homophobic, sexist or racist. We
$
250 OFF
will continue to support our players and any project over $1000
ensure that slurs have no place in sports. Ask for details!
When the oending player apologizes,
we accept the apology and recognize it is
an important step toward understanding
PAINT, FLOORS AND MORE SINCE 1964.
how language matters.
We Accept: LGBTQ friendly
CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

38 MAY 05, 2017
E-mail calendar items to calendars@washblade.
com two weeks prior to your event. Space is lim-
ited so priority is given to LGBT-specic events
or those with LGBT participants. Recurring
events must be re-submitted each time.
TODAY
Ricky Martin performs at MGM
National Harbor (101 MGM National Ave.,
Oxon Hill, Md.) tonight and Saturday night
at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $40-366. For
more information, visit ticketmaster.com.
Bowen McCauley Dance presents et
le Monde at the Shakespeare Company in
the Lansburgh Theatre (450 7th St., N.W.)
tonight and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The
dance company (about half the dancers
are gay) will perform the world premiere
of Tramontane with live music from
French composer Jean Cras performed
by MuUyas. Guest artist Ilana Goldman
will also perform the solo pieces, El Cant
dels Ocells and Le Sacre du Printemps
a quatre mains accompanied by Fabio
and Gisele Witkowski. Tickets range
from $24-144. For more details, visit
shakespearetheatre.org/events/bmd.
The Indigo Girls perform with the
National Symphony Orchestra at the
Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) tonight
from 8-10 p.m. Tickets range from $24-
99. For more information, visit kennedy-
center.org.
Touchstone Gallery (901 New York
Ave., N.W.) holds an opening reception
for its exhibits Connect/Disconnect by
Maria Coppel, 275 Stripes by Jeanne
Garant and its Touchstone Member Show
tonight from 6-8:30 p.m. For details, visit
tochstonegallery.com.
Saturday, May 6
U.K. band the xx perform at
Merriweather Post Pavilion (10475 Little
Patuxent Pkwy., Columbia, Md.) tonight
at 7 p.m. Sampha opens the show. Doors
open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets range from $40-
55. For details, visit merriweathermusic.
com.
Team Rayceen and Unite Virginia
present the Artomatic 2017 nale at
Artomatic (1800 South Bell St., Arlington,
N.W.) tonight at 7 p.m. Rayceen Pendarvis
will host along with Curt Mariah, Tim
Trueheart and Krylios Clarke. Performers
will include Nia Simmons, Quineice,
Private Tails, Peace Jah and Aocentric.
Rayceens dance party will follow at 10
p.m. DJ Joe Audio will spin. Admission
is free. For more information, visit
artomatic.org.
CityDance presents Dreamscape,
a one-night only performance, at the
Lincoln Theatre (1215 U St., N.W.)
tonight at 8 p.m. Debbie Allen will host
the production that includes a lineup of
Brooklyn Mack from The Washington
Ballet, ballroom dancers Denys Drozdyuk
and Antonina Skobina, Bruce Wood
Dance Project, Cloud Movement and
many more. Tickets range from $25-250.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
CA LE N D A R
Funds support CityDances free after-
school DREAM program. Doors open at 7
p.m. For more details, visit thelincolndc.
com.
D.C. Front Runners host a three-
mile underwear run kicking o at Taras
Shevchenko Statue (1511 22nd St., N.W.)
today from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Runners can
wear running clothes or underwear.
After the run, there will be an after party
at the Embassy Row Hotel bar. Guests
can wear underwear in the bar. A $10
donation will enter the participant into a
rae for prizes. A $20 donation will enter
into the rae and get a discount code for
underwear at Mensuas/Viez. Donations
will also be accepted at the run. RSVP
is required. For more information, visit
dcfrontrunners.org.
The Gay Mens Chorus of Washington
presents its Spring Aair, a fundraising
event for the chorus, at the Mayower
Hotel (1127 Connecticut Ave., N.W.)
tonight from 6:30-10 p.m. There will
be live and silent auctions, cocktails,
entertainment and an after-party. Patron
tickets are $175. Benefactor tickets are
$350 and include VIP open bar reception,
premium table placement and free valet
parking. For more details, visit gmcw.org.
Spartan Motorcycle Club hosts All
Colors Night at the D.C. Eagle (3701
Benning Rd., N.E.) tonight from 10 p.m.-1 PHOTO COURTESY TOUCHSTONE
a.m. There will be a club beer bar, rae and
Jell-O shots. For more information, visit Frida at the Beach, a work by MARIA COPPEL is on display now at Touchstone Gallery.
facebook.com/spartanmotorcycleclub.
D.C. Rawhides presents Town &
Country at Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) N.W.) holds a support group for gay black p.m. LGBT artists are invited to share
tonight from 6:30-10:50 p.m. Power Surge men to discuss topics that aect them, their feelings about targeted violence in
line dancing will be taught from 7-8 p.m. share perspectives and have meaningful the D.C. area through an artistic medium
There will be open dance from 8-10:50 conversations. For details, visit uhupil. such as song, dance or poetry. For more
p.m. DJ Chris P plays music. There is a $5 org. information, visit theddcenter.org.
cover. For more details, visit towndc.com. Big Gay Book Group meets at Trio
Storm Large, co-lead vocalist of Pink Restaurant (1537 17th St., N.W.) tonight
Martini, performs at AMP by Strathmore Tuesday, May 9 at 7 p.m. to discuss Imagine Me Gone
(11810 Grand Park Ave., North Bethesda, Softball league D.C. Pocket Rockets by Adam Haslett, a story about Margaret
Md.) tonight and Sunday night at 8 p.m. host drag bingo with BaNaka and Sasha at and John who marry despite Johns
Tickets range from $30-40. Doors open Nellies Sports Bar (900 U St., N.W.) tonight depression and raise three children. For
at 6:30 p.m. For more information, visit from 6:30-9 p.m. For more information, more details, visit biggaybookgroup.com
ampbystrathmore.com. visit facebook.com/dcpocketrockets. or email biggaybookgroup@hotmail.com.
The Tom Davoren Social Bridge
Club meets for social bridge at the
Sunday, May 7 Wednesday, May 10 Dignity Center (721 8th St., S.E.) at 7:30
D.C. Leather Pride presents BLUF, The Ask Rayceen Show hosts a p.m. tonight. No reservations needed
a leather dance party, at the D.C. Eagle community forum at HRC Equality Center and newcomers welcome. If you need a
(3701 Benning Rd., N.E.) today from 4-9 (1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.) today at 6 partner, call 703-407-6540.
p.m. Guests are encouraged to wear full p.m. Rayceen Pendarvis will moderate the
leather. No cover. For more information, panel, The D.C. Government and You.
visit dcleatherpride.org/bluf. Panelists include D.C. Council Chairman Thursday, May 11
The fourth annual LGBT Phil Mendelson, At-Large Councilmember The D.C. Center hosts Rooftop
Tech+Innovation Summit is today and David Grosso, At-Large Councilmember Speakeasy, its annual fundraising
Monday at various locations. The event Robert White, Deputy Mayor Courtney reception, at the Warner Building (1299
was previously a partnership event Snowden, Deputy Mayor Hyesock Chung Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.) tonight from 6-9
between Lesbians Who Tech and the and DCPS Chancellor Antwan Wilson. Jae p.m. Contributions will aid the D.C. Center
White House, but the White House is the Lyoness will perform. The Jam Cellar in achieving its mission of providing a safe
out this year. Organizers will gather so will have swing dancing with music by environment for the LGBT community.
LGBT technologists (can) ght for what DJ MIM. There will be free food for early Tickets range from $50-90. For more
matters most to our community. Details arrivals and a cash bar. Admission is free. details, visit thedccenter.org.
at lesbianswhotech.org. For more details, visit askrayceen.com. LezLink hosts a happy hour at Dave &
The D.C. Center hosts Taking the Busters (8661 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring,
Stage, Taking a Stand: LGBTQ Voices Md.) tonight from 5-9 p.m. There will be drink
Monday, May 8 Against Violence at Busboys and Poets specials until 7 p.m. For more information,
Us Helping Us (3636 Georgia Ave., (2021 14th St., N.W.) tonight from 7-9 visit facebook.com/lezlink.dating.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
A D V I CE
Dogs death poses
existential crisis
MICHAEL RADKOWSKY, Psy.D. is a licensed
psychologist who works with gay individuals
and couples in D.C. He can be found online
at personalgrowthzone.com. All identifying
information has been changed for reasons
of condentiality. Have a question? Send it to
michaelradkowsky.com
MICHAEL,
Im a 53-year-old single gay man. What
a depressing label.
I had a serious boyfriend for 11 years.
He left me 14 years ago for an aair.
I went into a very deep depression.
Barely kept my job, stopped talking to
friends. I didnt want to see anyone or be
with anyone.
After about a year of this, in a moment
of sanity I adopted a mutt from a shelter.
Long walks every day, tug-of-war games,
lounging on the sofa and a soothing warm
dog snoring next to me at night brought
me back to life. She really was the center
of my world.
Last summer she got ill and died.
Ive been feeling pretty miserable all
over again. Friends tell me its way past
time to stop crying for a dog. I cant
imagine getting a replacement for my
beloved pal as they suggest.
I know I should start thinking about
a relationship with a human again, but
given my history, Im scared. And I feel like
Rip Van Winkle. Looking around me, time
has passed me by. Ive started going out
and everyone I see is 20-30 years younger
than I am. They look right through me like
Im invisible.
Do you think I missed the boat?
MICHAEL REPLIES:
Im sorry for your loss. Please dont let
people shame you over still crying for
your dog. She was your loyal companion
for many years and you make clear that
she saved your life. There is no expiration
date for grieving such a loss.
That said, it would be a good thing for
you to start moving forward in life. You
have a history of letting yourself be laid
low by grief for extended periods. Now
is time to challenge this. Mourning your
dog is not mutually exclusive to nding
some fulllment and (I hope) even joy in
the present.
M A Y 05, 2017 39
Grab a coffee,
coffee
take a survey,
So please do your best not to worry
that you missed the boat. Youll just make
change the world.
yourself feel hopeless, which wont help
you at all. And as long as youre alive, Making a Difference is Easy.
there will more boats to catch.
Yes, I know its not at all easy to stop
repetitive negative thoughts about the Take the 11th Annual
state of your life. Nevertheless, each time LGBT Community Survey
youre able to shift your thinking toward
LGBTsurvey.com
something positive, you strengthen your
ability to do so.
Heres a question you can direct your
attention to when your mind is focused
on whats wrong: What can I do to build a
satisfying life in the present?
This question will give you multiple
avenues to consider: Ways you might nd
someone youd like to date and ways that
you can have a perfectly good life as a
single gay man.
If everyone you see when you go out
is 20-30 years younger, its a great idea
for you to start going to some new places Proudly LGBT-owned and -operated
A pioneer in LGBT research, founded in 1992
where youre more likely to meet people Your information is confidential, used for research purposes only.
NGLCC-Certified LGBT Owned Business Enterprise
You will not be contacted for marketing purposes.
closer to your age.
And if people are looking right through
you when you go out, gure out some
things to do that are more likely to involve
interacting with friendlier people, even if
these people arent necessarily guys to
date. I have a strong hunch you could
stand to expand your friendship circle.
You never know to what connections new
friends might lead.
It is totally understandable that youre Green Belt
scared to put yourself out there again. TRANSLATION:
Youve had your heart broken. Plus, its Martial arts degree
been awhile since you have been involved attained by selling
with anyone. And given the unconditional homes in PG County.
love our companion animals have toward
us, it is bound to feel a lot riskier to put
your heart out there for a human, whose
reciprocation might be less certain. VALERIE M. BLAKE, Associate Broker, GRI
You dont know when you might meet Dupont Circle Ofce 202.243.7700 (o) 202.246.8602 (c)
someone youd like to be involved with Valerie@DCHomeQuest.com www.DCHomeQuest.com
and you cant be certain that you ever
will meet such a person because life is
THINKING OF BUYING IN REHOBOTH?
uncertain for everyone. So I urge you
Now is the time.
to work on building a fullling life right
now. None of us can depend on having a
partner to make our lives worthwhile. We
all need to gure this out for ourselves.
Want a place to start? Challenge
yourself, over and over, on your opening Call Joe, Your Working Broker.
statement. Being a 53-year-old single
gay man need not be a depressing label.
You are alive; you are clearly a guy with a
big heart, as shown by your connection
to your dog; youre capable of devotion
and strong attachment (ditto); and you
tell me that you are willing to put one
foot in front of the other, even though
youre scared. You have good things
going for you and I hope you will come
to see that. LICENSED IN DELAWARE & MARYLAND
4 0 MA Y 0 5 , 2 0 1 7 W A SH I N G T O N BLA D E . CO M

MAY 13 CARNEGIE LIBRARY

HEROES
GALA HONORING
OUR UNAPOLOGETIC LEADERS
WHO HAVE ADVANCED THE CAUSES OF
LGBTQ+ RIGHTS IN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION
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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
A R T S & EN TE RTA I NMENT
Gaynor says classic anthem is part of her lifes calling
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27
disco music so much, why did they have
those records to start with?
BLADE: It seems like it takes a long
period after any pop musical genre is
super popular doo-wop, new wave,
whatever to be revived in a nostalgic
way. Do you think it was any dierent
with disco or pretty much the same
phenomenon?
GAYNOR: Well I think it was a similar
thing, but I dont think it was that incident
that caused it. I think that disco music
very unfairly became associated with
negative things like drugs and all dierent
kinds of overindulgences and I think
that contrary to what people believe,
California, Miami and New York dont run
the world, middle America runs the world
and middle America said I dont want my
children associated with that, so that was
the end of it. It wasnt really the end of
it, but it went more into the underground
and went more into the dance music that
we have today.
BLADE: Whats your favorite cover of
I Will Survive?
GAYNOR: Chantay Savage.
BLADE: Why?
GAYNOR: Because shes the only one
who really made it her own. She really
changed it and made it her own and did a
good job of it.
BLADE: How did it come about that
you sang it with Diana Ross at her
concert in New Jersey in 2013?
GAYNOR: A friend of mine asked me to
go to the concert with her. I didnt know
that she had it in the back of her mind that
was she using me to try to meet Diana
Ross, but thats what she did. She had
called the management of the theater,
I dont know which now, but she got us
really great seats using my name and
then they came and got us I dont know
if she asked for me to meet her or how
it went, but thats how we got backstage.
They came and got us from our seats
just before the show was over and then
Diana Ross invited me onstage, which I
never expected. I just thought we were
standing there, she was going to come
back and say hi, my friends gonna get
her autograph and well be on our way.
But she did invite me on stage and I was
very attered and I thought it was really
gracious of her to do that and we had a
good time. The audience was ecstatic.
BLADE: Her 90s cover was just sort
of a modest hit but nothing huge yet
shes been closing all her concerts with
it for the last several years. Why do you
think she keeps doing that when she
had so many big hits of her own that
would work in that slot in her show?
Any theory on that?
GAYNOR: Well I dont really need a
theory on it because I have the truth of
it. My brother was her chaueur and
bodyguard for 15 years and he told me
that she said she always wished shed
recorded that song. She just liked it and
shes adopted it.
BLADE: Do you ever feel like maybe
shes hoping casual fans will forget it
wasnt she who had the big hit with it
in the 70s or that she just likes it?
GAYNOR: I think she just does it
because she likes it. She thinks its a great
song.
MA Y 0 5 , 2 0 1 7 4 1
BLADE: Was it ever challenging for
you to reconcile your Christian faith
with being open on gay issues or to gay
fans?
GAYNOR: No.
CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
BIBLIODISCOTHEQUE
Library of Congress
Continues through Saturday, May 6
SCHEDULE:
Friday, May 5:
Music & Veterans Panel Discussion
Noon in Whittall Pavilion
Saturday, May 6:
Bibliodiscotheque symposium with Gloria
Gaynor, Good Morning America host Robin
Roberts et. al. (1 p.m. in Coolidge Auditorium)
The Craft of Making Disco Balls (1 p.m.)
Two Perspectives on Beyonces African
Dance References (1:30 p.m.)
Disco: the Bill Bernstein Photographs (2
p.m.)
Hot Stu: Disco and the Remaking of Amer-
ican Culture
panel discussion, 3 p.m.
Robin Roberts interviews Gloria Gaynor (4
p.m.)
Gloria Gaynor, et. al., book signing (5 p.m.)
Gloria Gaynor in concert (7 p.m. in the Li-
brary of Congress Great Hall, sold out)
All events are free and open to the public but
tickets must be secured in advance.
4 2 MA Y 0 5 , 2 0 1 7 W A SH I N G T O N BLA D E . CO M

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REALESTATE

Myths to avoid when selling your home

4 common misconceptions
about the process

By DONNA EVERS

It is spring and many homeowners are
selling their homes, or going to be putting
their homes on the market, soon. If you
fall into this home selling category, there
are myths and mindsets to avoid in order
to be successful with your home sale.
Here are the four common myths we
hear from homeowners who are selling,
and wanted you to be aware of, so you can
avoid them, and attract the buyer you want.
1. Were in no hurry to sell our home.
Some home sellers seem to think that the
house goes up in value as it sits on the
market, but the exact opposite is true. As
the listing gathers dust, it decreases in
value from the perspective of the would-
be buyers. Sellers take this stand as an in-
dication that they are in charge and have
the wherewithal to wait out the market
in order to get their price. Unfortunate-
ly, the psychology of buyers works the
other way; listings are the most interest-
ing and valuable to buyers when they are
new, and whether sellers can afford to
keep their house on the market for a long
time or not has little to no influence on
the buyers view of its value.
2. Were not going to sell our home
to the first buyer who comes along. The
thinking behind this statement is that the
quality of buyers improves as time goes
on, but once again, the exact opposite is
true. The best buyers come in right away
andmake their offer. The only reason for
buyers to stall is that they think the prop- Dont ever tell a Realtor that youre not in a hurry to sell.
erty will be shop-worn, and theyll be
able to get it for a lower price.
3. Were not going to bother fixing the first impression, and telling the buyer tive viewpoint prevents them from seeing pricing is the most important feature that
house up to sell it because the buyers how it could look with a fresh coat of their home as a buyer sees it. This is where leads to an optimum sale.
will want to do their own redecorating. paint wont do the trick.Spend some time the sellers need the help of aknowledge-
This makes sense on paper, but it shows and money to ready your home for sale. able, experienced real estate agent who
a misunderstanding of buyer psychology. The investment willmake the home more has the facts about other area home sales DONNA EVERS is the owner and broker of
If buyers walk into a house and it looks appealing to buyers. and can go over the comparable sales, Evers & Co. Real Estate, the largest woman-
owned and -run real estate firm in the Wash-
dirty, dated or cluttered, they immedi- 4. Our house is much better than the point-by-point, so the sellers can under- ington metro area, and the proprietor of Twin
ately register a negative reaction and au- other houses in the neighborhood. Sell- stand how their home compares to make Oaks Tavern Winery in Bluemont, Va. She is a
regular contributor to the Washington Blade
tomatically give the property low marks, ers are usually not objective about the a sound decision about pricing. Sellers and frequently appears on TV and radio as an
evenbefore they stop to think it through. value of their own home.Judgment may should remember that they have a built expert on the D.C. real estate market. Reach
Its very hard to erase that all-important be clouded by emotions, and the subjec- in bias about their home and thatcorrect her atdevers@eversco.comor follow her team
on eversco.com.
4 4 MA Y 0 5 ! 2 0 1 7 W A SH I N G T O N BLA D E . CO M

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4309 20TH Street, NE Washington, DC 20018

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Totally Renovated. Four finished levels of perfection. Amazing Kitchen open to Dining Room. Original archways from true foyer to
and warranties.

Living room and Dining Room. Den/Sunroom adds even more space to main level. Bedroom Level features Master with stunning Master
Bath, features include multi faucets, river rock flooring, washer and dryer. Add 2 more Bedrooms on this level and a full bath offering a
period angled tub and fashionable large porcelain tiled walls and flooring. Lower level offers high ceilings, abundance of light, Catering
kitchen, 2nd laundry, Full bath and Bedroom. MRIS: DC9932854

MARY KEEGAN MAGNER OPEN: SUNDAY,

Call 301-785-1601 MAY 7TH FROM 2-4PM