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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

Supreme Court set to hear marriage cases

Kennedy, Roberts seen
as swing votes; oral arguments
slated for Tuesday
By CHRIS JOHNSON
cjohnson@washblade.com
The Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments
on Tuesday in cases seeking the right for same-sex
couples to marry across the nation, and the questions
asked by key justices could indicate the nature of the
ruling expected by the end of June.
For two-and-a-half-hours, the nine members of
the court will hear from attorneys on both sides of
litigation challenging state marriage bans in Michigan,
Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee in what is arguably
the most signicant gay rights lawsuit ever heard. The
Supreme Court agreed to hear these cases in January after
the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals upheldprohibitions
on same-sex marriage in those states.
The stakes are high: Either the court will rule that
same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry

across the country, or that states are allowed to

prohibit them from marrying, which could jeopardize
the rapid gains made on marriage in the courts in
recent years because defendants would be allowed to
reopen cases.
One LGBT advocate whos set to argue before justices
is Mary Bonauto, the civil rights director of the New
England-based Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders
who successfully argued in favor of marriage equality
in Massachusetts before the Massachusetts Supreme
Court in 2003. The occasion will mark the rst time she
has argued before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Shell answer Question 1 justices have posed in the
cases: Does the 14th Amendment require a state to
license a marriage between two people of the same sex?
In a conference call with reporters on Tuesday,
Bonauto said her task now shares an important
similarity to when she stood before the Massachusetts
Supreme Court more than 10 years ago.
There is one thing that is for certain that is exactly
the same, which is that were dealing with real people
CONTINUES ON PAGE 14

Is Chief Justice JOHN ROBERTS a potential vote for

marriage equality? Some say yes.
WASHINGTON BLADE ARCHIVE PHOTO

Man called faggot during Metro attack

Police investigating incident
as possible hate crime
By LOU CHIBBARO JR.
lchibbaro@washblade.com
A 23-year-old D.C. man is recovering from a
concussion, broken jaw and loosened teeth he
suered at the hands of four male suspects who
attacked him about 10:45 p.m. on April 11 inside
the Congress Heights Metro station while one of the
attackers called him an anti-gay name, according to
reports by Metro Transit Police.

A Metro Transit Police report says the victim,

who is not identied, told police that one of at least
four suspects approached him from behind on the
mezzanine level of the Congress Heights Metro station
and punched him in the jaw, knocking him to the
ground.
As he fell to the station oor he dropped his cell
phone and noticed one of the suspects grabbed the
phone, the report says.
Victim 1 was unable to identify suspects 1 through
4 and unable to determine exact gender and race
because of the attack happened in such a surprising
manner, the police report says.
Victim 1 stated he heard someone say Ya get that

faggot, the police report says.

A separate account of how the incident unfolded has
been published online through a fundraising website
set up by one of the victims friends, Je Winder.
Winders site identies the victim as Tracye Prince
DeSon and quotes him as saying, I heard one of the
attackers yell yeah, get that fucking faggot as others
were punching me repeatedly in my head.
The Washington Blades attempts to reach the victim
and Winder to conrm the name were unsuccessful.
The fundraising website says the victim was
released from the hospital to a secure location where
CONTINUES ON PAGE 15

YOUNG AND PROUD

20 D.C.-area young people
reect on coming out and
misconceptions about
millennials.
PAGE 23

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

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DC Families for DC Kids

CFSA is recognized nationally for its leading support of LGBT foster parents in the District. Placing children and teens in
safe and nurturing environments within their home communities is our highest priority,
we find great foster parents come from all walks of life.
CFSA provides support services for all of our foster parents. From medical care, clothing, and school supplies to short term
care for the children you foster if you need to take a break, the agency will help you care for our citys youth. CFSA also
provides you the opportunity to join a network of fellow current and past foster parents through our Family Connections
Cluster program. The program meets frequently to share stories, resources, and support for one another.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

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LO CA L N E W S

MAYOR BOWSER on Tuesday ocially opened the LGBTQ Aairs oce at the Reeves Center.
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

Mayor opens new

LGBTQ Affairs Office

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on Tuesday night cut a ceremonial ribbon to

formally open the new oce suite in the Reeves Center municipal building for
the Mayors Oce of LGBTQ Aairs.
More than 100 people turned out for the event, which was part of an open
house reception for the new oce space on the buildings second oor.
The oce, whose name recently changed from GLBT Aairs to LGBTQ Aairs,
had been located at the John A. Wilson City Hall building downtown.
Bowser praised Sheila Alexander-Reid, director of the oce, and Terrance
Laney, the deputy director, for facilitating a smooth transition from the old
location to the new space.
It was really important to me and I had the discussion with Sheila when she
rst came on to make sure we had a space that was robust, where people could
nd it, get to easily and it being proximate to the community, Bowser told the
gathering after the ribbon cutting ceremony. And we thought this space was
perfect, she said.
The new oce is located almost directly above the DC Center for the LGBT
Community, which moved into the Reeves Center in November 2013. AlexanderReid said Bowser told her the Reeves Centers location at 14th and U Street, N.W.
would be more accessible to the LGBT community than the Wilson Building.
In welcoming the community to the new LGBTQ Aairs Oce location,
Bowser also introduced several of her openly gay or lesbian appointees to high
level positions in her administration, including lesbian public relations executive
Courtney Snowden, whom Bowser appointed as a deputy mayor.
We have really had the opportunity to build a great team of people, she said.
And Im proud that the LGBT community feels safe and good and welcome in
the Bowser administration. Isnt that a good thing?
LOU CHIBBARO JR.

Va. court rules trans inmate can change name

The Supreme Court of Virginia has ruled that a transgender woman who is incarcerated
at a federal prison can legally change her name.
The justices on April 16 overturned Prince George County Circuit Court Judge Nathan
Lees ruling that denied Alicia Jade Browns request to legally change her name.
Brown who is an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution in Petersburg on
Feb. 8, 2013, petitioned the Prince George County Circuit Court to legally change her
name. Her application included a document from the Federal Bureau of Prisons that
stated she had been diagnosed with Gender Identity Disorder.
The Prince George County Circuit Court denied Browns petition.
She appealed the decision to the state Supreme Court, which in December 2013
found there was error in the trial courts order denying Browns application. The judges
returned the case to the Prince George County Circuit Court with the expectation that it
would allow Brown to legally change her name, but in March 2014 it once again denied
her request on the grounds that good cause did not exist because her stated reasons
for the name change do not outweigh the potential negative impact on the community.

As there is no evidence in the record of a fraudulent purpose or that this name

change would infringe upon the rights of others, the trial court was required to order
the change of name, wrote Chief Justice Donald W. Lemons.
The state Supreme Court in January held oral arguments in the case of Ashley Jean
Arnold, a trans woman who was incarcerated at a federal prison in Hopewell.
Arnold in July 2013 led an application with the Prince George County Circuit Court
to allow her to legally change her name. She, like Brown, submitted a document from
the Federal Bureau of Prisons that said she had been diagnosed with Gender Identity
Disorder.
Lee on Aug. 2, 2013, denied Arnolds request on the grounds that good cause does
not exist for her to legally change her name. Arnold appealed the ruling and the state
Supreme Court last September accepted it.
Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring led an amicus brief in support of Arnolds
petition.
Transgender identity alone should pose no barrier to a name change, it reads.
Arnold took her own life before the state Supreme Court was scheduled to issue its
ruling.
The circuit court abused its discretion in rejecting Arnolds name change application
for lack of good cause, reads Herrings brief.
MICHAEL K. LAVERS

Virginia same-sex marriage plaintis, from left, Mary Townley and Carol Schall as well as Tony
London and Tim Bostic attended the Equality Virginia Commonwealth Dinner at the Greater
Richmond Convention Center on April 18.
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

Equality Va. celebrates marriage

RICHMOND, Va. Equality Virginia on Saturday during its annual Commonwealth
Dinner celebrated the legalization of same-sex marriage in the state.
The four gay and lesbian couples who led a lawsuit against the commonwealths
same-sex marriage ban received a standing ovation as they walked onto the stage at
the Greater Richmond Convention Center. Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring and
Equality Virginia Executive Director James Parrish joined them.
Your strength, your bravery and your courage have been a source of inspiration for
thousands and thousands of Virginians, including myself, said Herring.
Herring who announced shortly after taking oce in January 2014 that he would
not defend Virginias same-sex marriage ban said that more than 1,500 gay and
lesbian couples have legally married in the commonwealth since Oct. 6, 2014, when
the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the states gay nuptials lawsuit. He also noted
Virginia now recognizes the marriages of thousands of same-sex couples who legally
married in D.C. and other jurisdictions.
The children of same-sex couples are nally getting the protections they need and
deserve, said Herring.
Lieutenant Gov. Ralph Northam, U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Marc Solomon of
Freedom to Marry are among those who also spoke during the dinner.
Last year I stood up here as Equality Virginia kicked o its 25th celebration
anniversary, said Parrish. I remember saying it is no longer if we will have marriage
equality, but when. Now we know when it was. Monday, Oct. 6, 2014. And thats what
were going to celebrate tonight.
Herring, Kaine, U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Virginia Congressman Bobby Scott
are among those who have signed onto amicus briefs urging the U.S. Supreme Court to
rule in support of marriage rights for same-sex couples in the four cases in which they
will hear oral arguments on April 28.
In just 10 days the highest court in the land is going to hear a chorus of millions,
including from the commonwealth of Virginia, that the right to marry is a guaranteed
right for all Americans, said Herring.
MICHAEL K. LAVERS

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

A P RI L 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 0 5

The Store carries a great collection of clothing and furnishings in BOSS Black, BOSS
Tailored and HUGO. Elegant items in sportswear accompanied with seasonal
accessories are available as well. Onsite tailors allow them to put the finishing
touches on the product in a timely manner that work for their clients. This location
was established in the heart of historic Georgetown in 1996. If you are in the market
for a suit or other wardrobe essentials, this shop should definitely be on top of the
list of stores to visit.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

0 6 A PRI L 2 4 , 2 0 15

LO CA L N E W S

LGBT vote could be factor in D.C. special election

Many activists backing
presumed frontrunners
in Wards 4, 8

By LOU CHIBBARO JR.

lchibbaro@washblade.com
Many of the citys most prominent LGBT
activists have joined Mayor Muriel Bowser in
supporting the presumed frontrunners in a
crowded eld of candidates running in the
April 28 D.C. special election to ll vacant City
Council seats in Ward 4 and Ward 8.
The two candidates, former City
Council staer Brandon Todd of Ward
4, and attorney and community activist
LaRuby May of Ward 8, have received
the endorsement of the Gertrude Stein
Democratic Club, the citys largest local
LGBT political organization.
Both are strong supporters of LGBT
rights and both played key roles in
Bowsers mayoral election campaign last
year. Todd served as Bowsers constituent
services director during Bowsers tenure
as the Ward 4 Council member prior to
her successful race for mayor.
With Bowsers citywide network of
supporters and campaign contributors still in
place, and with many LGBT activists believed
to be part of that network, Todd and May
have beneted from the mayors backing,
according to most political observers. The
two are far ahead of all of their rivals in
money raised for their campaigns.
The two have also been endorsed by
the Washington Post.
But despite this advantage, Todd
and May are each running against 11
opponents, with many of them enjoying
widespread name recognition in their
respective wards. Most of the opposing
candidates have also expressed support
for LGBT rights.
Some LGBT activists, including longtime
Ward 8 community leader Phil Pannell,
have said its uncertain whether rankand-le LGBT voters will follow the lead
of the Stein Club and Bowser rather than
vote for another candidate.
Pannell, who said hes remaining
neutral in the Ward 8 race, considers
May to be the clear favorite. But he said
Marion Christopher Barry, the son of
the late D.C. mayor and longtime Ward
8 Council member, could emerge as a
sleeper candidate in a 12-candidate race
where he or another candidate could win
with less than 20 percent of the vote.
Barry, who has expressed strong
support for LGBT rights, has been
endorsed by gay former D.C. Council
member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1). Hes
also being backed by Ward 8 Advisory
Neighborhood Commissioner Anthony
Lorenzo Green, the wards only openly

BRANDON TODD of Ward 4, and LARUBY MAY of Ward 8 won the endorsement of the
Gertrude Stein Democratic Club.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CANDIDATES

gay elected ocial.

Ward 8 voting rights activist and longtime
LGBT community ally Eugene Kinlow is also
considered to have a shot at winning the
Ward 8 Council race. In the closing weeks
of the campaign Kinlow has accused May
of being beholden to corporations and
businesses that have contributed to her
campaign while saying hes beholden only
to the residents of Ward 8.
May and her supporters have dismissed
Kinlows attacks as baseless campaign
rhetoric. They note that May has been
endorsed by most of the citys labor
unions and would never be beholden to
corporate interests over residents.
Although Todd and May received the
Stein Club endorsement, the two received
lower ratings on LGBT issues from the
Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance than
several of their opponents. Pannell and
other activists said it was unclear whether
ratings from the non-partisan GLAA would
persuade LGBT voters to back candidates
other than Todd and May.
In the Ward 4 race, Todd nished third
in the GLAA ratings, receiving a +5.5 on a
rating scale of -10, the lowest possible
rating, to a +10, the highest possible score.
Attorney and community activist
Dwayne Toliver received a +7, the highest
GLAA rating in the Ward 4 contest. Howard
University Medical School professor
Edwin Powell came in second with a
+6.5 GLAA rating. Democratic contender
Acqunetta Anderson received a +3 rating
and Democrat Renee L. Bowser, who is
not related to Muriel Bowser, received a
+2.5 rating.
In the Ward 8 race, Sheila Bunn, who
served as deputy chief of sta to former
Mayor Vincent Gray and was endorsed by
Gray, received a +9 GLAA rating, the highest
rating given to a candidate in that contest.
Barry and Ward 8 community activist
Sandra Seegars each received a +4.5
GLAA rating. May nished in fourth place
with a GLAA rating of +4.

Kinlow, a Democrat, and Keita

Vanterpool, an independent, each
received a +3.5 rating. Ward 8 Democratic
candidate Stuart Anderson received a +3;
Democrat Greta Fuller received a +2.5; and
Democrat Jauhar Abraham received a +2.
In a statement accompanying the
release of its ratings, GLAA said Todd
and May along with the candidates
receiving higher ratings each expressed
support on a GLAA questionnaire for
all of the LGBT-related issues the group
considers important. GLAA said the
candidates receiving higher ratings either
had a stronger record of support on LGBT
issues or demonstrated a greater depth
of understanding of LGBT issues in their
questionnaire responses.
In the Ward 4 race, seven of the 12

candidates did not return the GLAA

questionnaire and received an automatic
0 rating based on GLAAs inability to assess
their positions or records on LGBT issues.
Similarly in the Ward 8 race, four of
the 12 candidates running received a
0 GLAA rating for failing to return the
questionnaire.
Among
them
were
Democratic
candidates
Anthony
Muhammad,
Leonard Watson, Trayon White, and
Natalie Williams. Muhammad, Watson,
and White also didnt attend a Stein Club
candidates forum where LGBT issues
were discussed prior to the groups vote
on an endorsement.
Williams showed up at the forum but
was not allowed to participate because
she didnt return an advance statement
expressing her views on LGBT issues
that the club requires as a condition
for allowing candidates to speak at the
forum. Although she wasnt allowed to
speak, Williams distributed a statement
to the audience expressing support for
LGBT equality.
The Ward 4 candidates failing to return
the questionnaire and who received a 0
rating were Democrats Leon Andrews,
Ron Austin, Gwenellen Corley-Bowman,
Judi Jones, Douglas Sloan, and Bobvala
Tengen. Socialist Workers Party candidate
Glova Scott also did not return the
questionnaire, resulting in her receiving a
rating of 0.
A detailed breakdown of GLAAs
candidate ratings and the candidates
responses to the GLAA questionnaire can
be viewed at glaa.org.

Levine enters Va. delegate race

Gay rights attorney and civic activist Mark Levine on Sunday declared his
candidacy for a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates in a district that includes
about half of Alexandria and parts of Arlington and Fairfax Counties.
Levine, a talk show host who served as former Massachusetts Congressman
Barney Franks legislative counsel, is running against four other candidates for
the 45th House District seat in a June 9 Democratic primary.
The seat became open when incumbent state Del. Rob Krupicka (D-Alexandria)
announced in March that he would not seek re-election. Krupicka has been a
strong supporter of LGBT rights.
Whatever the issue is I want to let you know that I understand representative
democracy and I want you to know I will be here for you, Levine said at his
announcement gathering at the Union Street Public House Restaurant in Old
Town Alexandria.
And if you have an issue, if you have a need it doesnt matter if its the
schools, education, climate change, regulation of guns, all the issues we care
about Ill be there for the citizens of the 45th, he said.
Levine ran unsuccessfully one year ago for the U.S. House of Representatives
seat that became open when longtime Democratic Congressman Jim Moran
announced he was retiring. Levine nished in fth place in the Democratic primary
with slightly less than seven percent of the vote in a seven-candidate race.
LOU CHIBBARO JR.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

NATIONAL NEWS

A P RI L 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 0 7

BRUCE JENNER is widely rumored to be coming out as trans in an interview Friday.

PHOTO BY KATHCLICK; COURTESY OF BIGSTOCK

Victory Fund President and CEO AISHA MOODIE-MILLS spoke at the National Champagne
Brunch on April 19.

ABC to air Jenner interview

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

Victory Fund welcomes

new CEO at brunch
O-year election important
for LGBT candidates
By LOU CHIBBARO JR.
lchibbaro@washblade.com
The newly hired president and CEO
of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund
on Sunday vowed to continue the
organizations mission of helping to elect
out LGBT people to public oce across
the country during the groups National
Champagne Brunch in D.C.
Aisha
Moodie-Mills
told
those
attending the $250 per plate event that
she is committed to carrying on the
organizations mission of helping to
raise money and provide professional
campaign training for hundreds of out
LGBT candidates running for oce on the
local, state and national levels.
What we do here is we are pipelining the
next generation of leadership who will lead
those foot soldiers who are sitting in the
legislatures, who are sitting in the city councils,
who are sitting in Congress, she said
And I dont know, maybe theyll be
sitting in the White House at some point
too, she said, drawing loud applause.
The Victory Funds board selected
Moodie-Mills in March to succeed Chuck
Wolfe as head of the organization
following his decision to step down to
pursue other endeavors.
The future of Victory is strong, Wolfe told
the Washington Blade during the brunch,
which was held at the Marriott Marquis. You
see it both in the fantastic board members
whove been speaking today, but also in the
new dynamic leader of Aisha.
Seeing the energy in this room and
the warmth around the new strategic
direction Victory for All its fantastic,
Wolfe said.

He was referring to a new project that

Moodie-Mills is tasked with implementing
that sets as a high priority the election
of openly LGBT people in parts of the
country, including the South, where LGBT
rights advances have lagged behind other
parts of the country.
Theres a direct correlation between
the number of LGBT elected ocials and
the tone and tenor of the policies that are
on the books in those areas, Moodie-Mills
told the Blade in an interview last week.
Among those speaking at the event
were out gay U.S. Reps. Mark Takano
(D-Calif.) and Sean Patrick Maloney
(D-N.Y.) and straight ally Congressman
Joaquin Castro (D-Texas). U.S. Rep. Mark
Takai (D-Hawaii), also a straight ally,
attended but did not speak.
Other high level Obama administration
ocials attending the brunch, who are
openly LGBT, were U.S. Chief Technology
Ocer Megan Smith; Eric Fanning, chief of
sta to Defense Secretary Ash Carter; and
Amanda Simpson, executive director of
the U.S. Army Oce of Energy Initiatives.
Out lesbian Patricia Todd, a member of
the Alabama House of Representatives,
had been scheduled to speak at the event
but had to cancel due to illness, according
to the Victory Funds Denis Dison.
Also speaking were gay businessman
Henry Muoz, III, co-founder of the
Latino Victory Project and current nance
director for the Democratic National
Committee; and Brian Sims, a gay
member of the Pennsylvania House of
Representatives from Philadelphia.
Several former and current Victory
Fund student interns, trainees, or Victory
Congressional Fellows told the gathering
how their involvement with the group as
young LGBT people helped open career
opportunities for them that would not
otherwise have been available.

NEW YORK Diane Sawyers long-anticipated exclusive interview with former

Olympian and reality TV star Bruce Jenner is scheduled to air on ABC on Friday.
The network in recent days has aired promotional clips that show Jenner
talking with Sawyer. One of them shows the former Olympian and reality TV star
with long hair in a ponytail as the narrator sets up the interview that will feature
the journey, the decisions, the future.
Sawyers interview with Jenner will air amid mounting speculation the former
Olympian, whose stepdaughter is Kim Kardashian, is transitioning from a man
into a woman.
Jenners mother, Esther Jenner, told the Associated Press earlier this year
during a telephone interview from her Idaho home that the reality TV star
has indeed begun to transition. Kardashian referenced the former Olympians
journey during a January interview with Entertainment Tonight.
Transgender advocates with whom the Washington Blade has spoken in
recent months remain divided over the potential impact that Jenners transition
may have.
Zoey Tur, a trans woman who made headlines earlier this year when Inside
Edition named her a special correspondent, told the Blade that Jenner has
become a national joke. Gender Rights Maryland Executive Director Dana
Beyer said the former Olympian coming out as trans could prove a teachable
moment.

N.Y. to investigate Boy Scouts

NEW YORK New York Attorney General Eric Schneidermans oce has
opened an investigation into whether the Boy Scouts of Americas employment
practices discriminate against gays.
The New York Times on April 20 reported that Schneidermans oce plans to
seek what it described as detailed information from Wayne Brock, chief scout
executive of the Boy Scouts of America, about its hiring decisions and those of
its local councils.
The Boy Scouts of America in 2013 began admitting openly gay scouts, but it
maintains its ban on out scout leaders who are older than 18. The Greater New
York Councils of the Boy Scouts of America earlier this month announced it had
hired Pascal Tessier, 18, of Chevy Chase, Md., as a summer camp leader.

X-Men character Iceman is gay

LOS ANGELES The new issue of All-New X-Men No. 40 includes a disclosure
that Bobby Drake, aka Iceman, is gay.
CNN reported that members of the X-Men team out Drake when they travel
back in time.
The X-Men, with the conceit of time travel, give us a fascinating platform in
which to examine such personal journeys, Brian Michael Bendis, who wrote the
issue, told the cable network in a statement. This is just the rst little chapter of
a much larger story that will be told.
Drake is the latest comic book character to come out.
Selina Kyle, whose alter ego is Catwoman, earlier this year acknowledged her
bisexuality in Catwoman #39. DC Comics in 2013 faced criticism over its decision
to hire a former National Organization for Marriage board member to write a
chapter of the Superman franchise.

0 8 A PRI L 2 4 , 2 0 15

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

I was only 16 years old when I discovered that I was born with HIV. My mother passed away from the disease, but
until getting tested at a community health fair, I had no idea, that I too, was living with HIV. Within a few months of
my diagnosis, I got on treatment to control my viral load. Since then, Ive stayed on treatment and in good health.
Getting tested saved my life and Ive used my experience to help youth learn about HIV prevention, testing and
fighting stigma. Today, I enjoy friends, family and living life to the fullest. Christopher 1, HIV 0.

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

A P RI L 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 0 9

HIV, lifes a game, and

with treatment, Im
winning it day by day.
Christopher - Washington, DC
Living with HIV since 1987.

HIV

TREATMENT

WORKS

Get in care. Stay in care. Live well.

cdc.gov/HIVTreatmentWorks

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

1 0 A PRI L 2 4 , 2 0 15

Rubio: People are

born with homosexuality
U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said during an interview that aired on CBS Face
the Nation this week that he believes homosexuality is not a choice.
The bottom line is that I believe that sexual preference is something that
people are born with, the Florida Republican told Bob Schieer during the
interview that took place at a community college in Manchester, New Hampshire,
on April 17.
Rubio spoke to Schieer four days after he formally kicked o his bid for the
White House.
The Florida Republican reiterated his opposition to marriage rights for samesex couples.
Its not that Im against marriage, Rubio told Schieer. I believe the denition
of the institution of marriage should be between one man and one woman.
States have always regulated marriage and if a state wants to have a dierent
denition you should petition the state legislature and have a political debate,
added the Florida Republican. I dont think courts should be making that
decision and I dont believe same-sex marriage is a constitutional right.
Rubio last week told Univisions Jorge Ramos that he would attend a samesex wedding, even though he would disagree with a choice theyve made.
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, a possible presidential candidate, told reporters
over the weekend while in New Hampshire that he has attended a reception for
a gay relative who married.
New Hampshire, which holds the countrys rst presidential primary, is among
the 37 states and D.C. in which gays and lesbians can legally marry.
Rubios comments come less than two weeks before the U.S. Supreme Court
will hear oral arguments in four cases in which same-sex couples from Michigan,
Ohio, Tennessee and Kentucky are seeking marriage rights.
MICHAEL K. LAVERS

Snyder opposes recognizing ill gay mans marriage

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder announced in a legal
brief that he opposes state recognition of the
marriage of gay man whos terminally ill.
In a ve-page brief dated April 16 and submitted
to the U.S. District Court of the Western District
of Michigan, Snyder argues Michigan shouldnt
be required to recognize the marriage of Bruce
Morgan, an East Grand Rapids, Mich., resident
whos suering from brain cancer and married his
partner, Brian Merucci in New York in 2013.
A federal court had struck down Michigans ban
on same-sex marriage in March 2014, but the
U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the
decision, upholding the states prohibition on gay
nuptials. That case is now pending before the U.S.
Supreme Court.
Michigan Gov. RICK SNYDER
opposes the recognition of a
Snyder had acceded to another court ruling
terminally ill gay mans marriage.
requiring Michigan to recognize the marriages
PHOTO COURTESY OF
THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
of about 300 same-sex couples who wed during
a window period after the initial court ruling,
but before the Sixth Circuit placed a stay on the
weddings. But the governor says the decision in that lawsuit, Caspar v. Snyder, isnt
enough for the court to grant state recognition of Morgans marriage.
The only circumstance cited by Plaintis not previously considered by this Court
is the decision in Caspar, Snyder said. But Caspar is non-precedential and factually
distinguishable. Consequently, the legal and factual landscapes relevant to staying this
case remain the same as they did when this Court issued the stay, and Plaintis motion
should be denied.
The lawsuit, Morgan v. Snyder, was led by private attorneys on behalf of the couple
in June 2014, but the case was stayed in August as marriage litigation was pending
before the Sixth Circuit. Earlier this month, the plainti couple sought a relief from the
stay in the aftermath of the decision in the Caspar case.
CHRIS JOHNSON

NATIONAL NEWS

Walker faces calls to boycott conservative summit

Likely
Republican
presidential
candidate Scott Walker is facing calls
to boycott an upcoming conservative
summit in Colorado over its decision
to disinvite a local chapter of Log Cabin
Republicans to the event.
The Western Conservative Summit,
an annual gathering of high-prole
conservatives, disinvited Colorado Log
Cabin Republicans from setting up a table
at the Denver event, which this year is set
to take place June 26 to 28 at the Colorado
Convention Center.
According to the Denver Post, John
Andrews, chair of the summit, said the
gay GOP group was disinvited from
the event sponsored by Colorado
Christian University its think tank, the
Centennial Institute because Log Cabin
Republicans advocate contrary to our
agenda and our core beliefs.
The Log Cabin Republicans exists to
redene the family, Andrews is quoted
as saying. Log Cabin Republicans think
gay marriage should be the law of the
land, and Colorado Christian University
doesnt believe it should be.
Wisconsin Gov. SCOTT WALKER
Colorado Log Cabin Republicans was
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY
reportedly invited to attend, but later
refunded its $250 fee and informed it
couldnt attend as a partner, exhibitor or advertiser, although individuals members
were still allowed to purchase tickets.
Among the scheduled speakers this year is Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who after
winning election as governor in a purple state like Wisconsin is likely to pursue the
Republican nomination in 2016 for the White House.
Fred Sainz, vice president of communications for the Human Rights Campaign, said
Walker should respond to the Log Cabin disinvite by boycotting the summit.
The decision of the Western Conservative Summit to un-invite Republican LGBT
activists is deeply disappointing, Sainz said. As a potential candidate, Gov. Walker
should lead by example and tell the organizers that he will pull out of this event unless
they allow equal access to LGBT Republicans.
Also calling on Walker to boycott is Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), one of seven openly gay
members of the U.S. House, who compared the disinvite to the controversial religious
freedom law in Indiana.
Gov. Walker should not validate the decision by event organizers to discriminate
against an LGBT Republican group by attending the Western Conservative Summit,
Pocan said. After the fallout of this type of discrimination in Indiana, Gov. Walker
must send the clear message that Wisconsin does not tolerate discrimination of LGBT
individuals and groups.
Walkers oce deferred comment to the remnants of his gubernatorial campaign,
which didnt respond to multiple requests from the Washington Blade to comment.
The Wisconsin governor has a reputation for anti-LGBT actions. In addition to opposing
same-sex marriage and supporting defense of his states now overturned ban on gay
nuptials in court, Walker sought to interfere with the limited domestic partnership law
in the state.
Gregory Angelo, executive director of Log Cabin Republicans, took a dierent
approach to the way attendees should respond.
I think that all of the participants scheduled to attend or exhibit at this years Western
Conservative Summit have now been presented with a moment in which they can show
great courage, display that there is more in common with gay Republicans than things
that separate us from our fellows in the party, and show real leadership, Angelo said.
Time will tell.
In a statement on Thursday, the Colorado Republican Party invited the local Log Cabin
chapter to share its booth at the Western Conservative Summit.
According to the Denver Post, summit organizer Andrews is ne with Log Cabin
sharing a table, but not with the shaming and bullying pressure tactics of Log Cabin
Republicans national oce.
CHRIS JOHNSON

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1 4 A PRI L 2 4 , 2 0 15

CO V E R ST O RY

Kennedy, Roberts seen as swing votes in marriage cases

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

who truly have committed to one another

and feel that the commitment and
responsibilities for one another can really
best be described by marriage, Bonauto
said. And yet, they are foreclosed from
making that commitment simply because
of who they are.
In terms of what is dierent, Bonauto
said more than 10 years ago there were
a fair number of skeptics about marriage
equality, but now that a majority of
Americans believe that marriage isa right
that should be aorded to gay couples,
theres no reason to tell LGBT families
they should be denied legal respect.
Joining Bonauto in arguing on behalf
of same-sex couples is Doug HallwardDriemeier, an attorney at the global law
rm Ropes & Gray LLP. A newcomer
in advocating for LGBT rights, he has
argued cases in every federal court of
appeals and at the Supreme Court.
Hes set to answer Question 2 in the
cases: Does the 14th Amendment require
a state to recognize an out-of-state samesex marriage?
In the conference call, HallwardDriemeier said he thinks the arguments
on the two questions are very much
mutually supportive.
Of course, we think there is a
fundamental right for same-sex couples
to marry and we think that pretty much
ends the question on Question 2, but we
also think that its really quite instructive
when you see the arguments that the
state is making for denying already
existing marriages and denying the
legal existence of these families that the
rationales just disappear as you give them
any kind of scrutiny, Hallward-Driemeier
said. We think that argument actually
only further supports the argument that
were making on Question 1, that theres
just no legitimate state purposes to deny
these marriages.
Also arguing on behalf of same-sex

MARY BONAUTO will argue before the

Supreme Court next week in favor of
marriage equality.
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

marriage is U.S. Solicitor General Donald

Verrilli. After the Justice Department led
a brief before the court arguing against
state constitutional bans on same-sex
marriage, Verrilli sought time to speak
before the court to address Question 1.
In preparations for arguments,
Hallward-Driemeier said his legal team
has discussed favorably the addition of
the Obama administration as part of the
arguments.
Were talking about this in our legal
team, and when one of the members whos
been working on these issues since the
70s said she was just so excited that weve
come to the day when the United States
legal representative is standing beside
gay and lesbian couples to argue that they
cannot be denied the right to marry, that is
something to celebrate, and we absolutely
do,Hallward-Driemeier said.
The states have two attorneys: John
Bursch, a former Michigan solicitor
general who is now in private practice, is
designated to address the license issue,
while Tennessee Associate Solicitor
General Joseph Whalen will handle the
issue of out-of-state recognition. Ohio and
Kentucky wont have separate counsel.

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It wasnt that long ago the marriage

issue was before the Supreme Court.
In 2013, the Supreme Court heard
challenges to Section 3 of the Defense of
Marriage Act, which prohibited federal
recognition of same-sex marriage, and
Californias Proposition 8. The court
overturned DOMA, but determined
defendants in the Prop 8 case didnt
have standing, letting stand a lower court
decision aecting the marriage ban only
in that state.
This time around, standing issues
arent in play, and LGBT advocates are
heading into the arguments with a
sense of a optimism that the court will
rule favorably for marriage. Although a
number of observers have said the court
is poised to issue a nationwide ruling in
favor of marriage equality, other legal
experts have urged caution.
Two justices U.S. Associate Justice
Anthony Kennedy and Chief Justice John
Roberts are expected to face particular
scrutiny from observers. Kennedy was in
the majority in the DOMA ruling and is
considered a swing justice on the court.
Roberts was in the dissent, but is still
considered in play.
Both Roberts and Kennedy have also
indicated they may be ready for a nationwide
ruling for marriage equality by joining other
justices in denying stays on lower court
decisions in favor of gay nuptials.
Judith Schaeer, vice president of the
progressive Constitutional Accountability
Center, said in a conference call that
Roberts might be gettable for supporters
of marriage equality. Among other
reasons, he issued a concurring dissent
in the DOMA decision as opposed to
joining U.S. Associate Justice Antonin
Scalia, perhaps in anticipation of the
issue returning to the court.
What Roberts did by not joining Justice
Scalias dissent on the merits was to
preserve a clean slate for himself when
that case ultimately came before the
court, as it has now, Schaeer said.

Schaeer also noted without any

recorded dissent, the court declined to
review decisions in favor of marriage
equality from three circuit courts.
It only takes four votes for the court to
agree to hear a case, and certainly the four
Windsor dissenters on their own could
have stopped marriage equality dead in
its track by voting to hear those cases,
Schaeer said. But that did not happen;
there were not four votes to do it.
Although opponents of same-sex
marriage have been brieng the cases to
get Kennedys vote, Schaeer said they face
a huge, uphill battle in persuading him
to rule against gay nuptials because of the
decisions he wrote in three major gay rights
cases Romer, Lawrence and Windsor
during his decades on the bench.
Its very dicult to read his opinions
and conclude Justice Kennedy would
now reverse course on the application
of those fundamental constitutional
principles for gay people, Schaeer said.
Kennedy last year in the case of
Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Armative
Action upheld a state constitutional
amendment in Michigan prohibiting
public universities from using race as a
factor in admissions, but Schaeer noted
he wrote in the decision no fundamental
rights or invidious discrimination was
involved in the case, so the people could
make a policy choice.
Adam Romero, senior counsel and
Arnold D. Kassoy Scholar of Law at the
University of California, Los Angeles,
urged caution about reading too much
into questions during oral arguments,
but said hes eager to see if Kennedy talks
about children of same-sex couples and
the Schuette case.
If Justice Kennedy focuses on Schuette
or respecting the will of voters, that may
suggest he is uncomfortable overturning
voter-enacted same-sex marriage bans,
Romero said.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

C O V ER STO RY

A P RI L 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 1 5

Friends raising money for attack victim

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

he can stay for just 30 days.

Because of the nature of the attack
and the possibility that he was personally
targeted, it is no longer safe for Tracye to
return to his home, the website says. He
must now nd a new place to live with less
than 30 days notice in one of the most
expensive housing markets in the nation.
The website message adds, All of this
while he is recovering from the attack,
undergoing counseling, able to eat only
through a straw and dealing with wages
lost during his hospitalization.
Metro Transit Police have released
photos obtained through security
cameras at the station showing four males
considered suspects in the case. Police
are calling on members of the public
to contact them 202-962-2121 if they
recognize the individuals in the photos or
if they have information about the attack.
Police have listed the incident as a
robbery force, according to the report.
There is no evidence at this time that
the victim was targeted as a result of hate/
bias motivation, Metro spokesperson
Morgan Dye told the Washington Blade
on Tuesday.
However, based on what the victim
told police about the statement he heard
during the attack, the report notes a
possible hate/bias motivation, Dye said.
MTPD detectives will fully investigate
that aspect, but it will ultimately be up
to prosecutors to determine whether to
pursue enhanced penalties as a result.
Dye was referring to the D.C. hate
crimes law, which gives judges the
authority to hand down a more severe or
enhanced sentence, including longer jail
time, for people convicted of committing
a hate crime.
The Metro Transit Police report notes
that the victim did not report the incident
to police until April 13, two days after the
incident happened, because he didnt

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority has released images of three suspects in the April 11 attack of a D.C. man in the
Congress Heights Metro station.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF WMATA

realize the seriousness of his injuries and

did not want to pursue the matter initially.
I was walking on the right side of the
elevator when someone hit me, punched
me on the right side of my jaw, the victim
told Fox 5 News. I was disoriented at the
time, he said. My glasses fell o so I
really couldnt see.
Fox 5 reported him saying, I did hear
someone yell, Get that eng fa****,
while I was on the ground.
The TV news outlet reported the victim
said he didnt realize the seriousness
of his injuries until the day after the

incident, when he woke up with blood all

over his pillow. He then went to a hospital
emergency room where he underwent
surgery, Fox 5 reports.
He has dozens of stitches, two metal
plates in his mouth and his mouth is now
wired shut, which is why it is dicult
to understand when he speaks, Fox 5
News reports.
Im hopeful justice will be served, the
victim told Fox 5. But Im also grateful to still
be alive because sometimes these things do
turn fatal and the person is killed.
The assault victim identied as Tracye

Prince DeDon posted this statement on

the website youcaring.com thats seeking
to raise money for him:
I refuse to be silent. Im calling
my attack that happened Saturday
night a hate crime. I believe that I was
targeted because of my perceived
sexual orientation. And nothing more.
No money was taken from me, just my
phone which was snatched when it was
knocked out of my hand. I heard one of
the attackers yell yeah get that fucking
faggot. As others were punching me
repeatedly in my head, the victim said.

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About 100 people attended the ocial re-opening of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual
and Transgender Community Center of Baltimore and Central Maryland (GLCCB)
on April 14 at the organizations new headquarters at the city-owned Waxter
Center. The free event included a ribbon-cutting ceremony, food, wine, a DJ
and entertainment provided by drag performer Sabrina Blue. GLCCB leaders
discussed new programs as well as the 40th anniversary of Pride.
The GLCCB has been located at this venue since February 2014, but because
of limitations placed by the city regarding renovations at the GLCCBs third-oor
suite, the Center was unable to host an ocial grand opening until now.
At the event, Chuck Bowers, Rick Newton-Treadway, Tim Hurley and Carlton
Smith were the announced recipients of Leadership Awards by GLCCB executive
director Joel Tinsley-Hall. Demetrius Mallisham, representing the mayors oce,
read a proclamation honoring the Centers re-opening.

LGBTQ prom set for Baltimore

A prom for high school-aged LGBTQ students and allies in the Baltimore area
is scheduled for May 15 at Pier 5 Hotel from 7-11 p.m. Its purpose is to provide a
safe and welcoming space for youth to enjoy their special night.
The event, titled, A Night Under The Stars: LGBTQ Prom 2015, is hosted by
STAR TRACK Adolescent Health Program at the University of Maryland, SMILE
Linkage to Care Program of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Connect
to Protect, Adolescent Trials Network Youth Community Advisory Board, and
GLSEN Baltimore. Appetizers and entertainment including Baltimores DJ Rosie
will be provided.
Donors are requested to help pay for the costs of the prom. To do so, visit the
events GoFundMe page at gofundme.com/lgbtqprombmore.

PFLAG, Howard schools collaborate on LGBT issues

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HE A LTH NEW S

A PR IL 24, 2015 17

Meningitis vaccine advocates to gather in N.Y.

ALBANY, N.Y. Several gay advocacy groups are lobbying to have a
vaccination for meningitis added to the standard vaccination schedule for all
sixth-11th graders throughout New York states, the groups announced in a joint
press release.
Representatives from the Gay Mens Health Crisis, the American Academy of
Pediatrics/District II New York State, the March of Dimes and others plan a press
release Tuesday at 11:45 a.m. in Albany with State Rep. Aileen Gunther, a New
York State Assembly member, to voice support for the proposed legislation.
In 2015, there have been meningitis outbreaks at the University of Rochester,
Yale University, Providence College and the University of Oregon where six
students contracted the disease and one died, advocates said in a press release.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1,000
contact meningitis each year in the U.S. Ten-15 percent of those die and
thousands lose limbs, hearing and experience other serious complications.
Dozens of gay men in California and New York have been aected and in a few
cases died of the disease since 2010.

BTREE
REPORT

CARD
2014

Study nds LGBT-competent health care scarce

LOS ANGELES A new study from the American Journal of Public Health
reports that nding doctors competent to care for LGBT patients in the U.S. is
dicult, Health 24 reports.
As medical organizations we really should be making a better eort to identify
providers that can provide competent health care, said Dr. Allison Diamant, the
studys senior author from the David Geen School of Medicine at the University
of California, Los Angeles.
For the study, led by medical student Joshua Khalili, researchers asked the
chief medical ocers or deans of the 138 accredited U.S. teaching hospitals
to complete a 15-minute survey in 2012. Half of the schools responded to the
survey.
Only a handful of respondents reported procedures or policies to identify
LGBT-competent physicians. Overall, 15 percent of respondents said their
hospital had a list of LGBT-competent doctors. Most of those lists were available
to the public on the internet. A couple of the lists were internal documents.
Sixteen percent of respondents said their institutions oered comprehensive
LGBT-competency training. About a third said there was some level of training
available, but over half said they oered no training. About 80 percent of
respondents said they wanted to do more to develop policies and programs to
enhance the care of LGBT people, Health 24 reports.

For the third consecutive year,

D.C. received a B- in the annual

TREE REPORT CARD

LGBT group wins breast cancer prevention grant

ATLANTA Health Initiative, an Atlanta-based agency for statewide LGBT
health advocacy, was a recipient this week of a $26,000 grant from the Susan
E. Komen foundation, one of 17 local organizations that split more than $1.5
million for breast cancer prevention work, Project Q Atlanta reports.
The $26,000 is specically earmarked for lesbians and trans men who are
underserved, a Komen statement said.
Komen Atlanta has expanded its 2015 grant scope to include programs
that address critical needs in our community including grants that focus on
Metro Atlantas LGBT community, the foundation announced. The grant of
approximately $26,000 awarded to the Health Initiative will fund innovative
breast health services through a project aiming to increase the number of
LGBT [individuals] in the Komen Atlanta service area accessing breast cancer
screenings. By issuing targeted breast health messaging, the Health Initiative will
support an underserved, at risk population.
That means that cost-free clinical breast exams and mammograms sponsored
by the Health Initiative throughout the year will take place in judgment-free
surroundings by culturally competent providers, Linda Ellis, executive director
of the Health Initiative told Project Q.
We work to ensure that the screeners and clinics we partner with are
prepared to be supportive of anyone we send their way, and make sure that
some our screening days are trans and masculine exclusive, and are housed
with providers with solid experience working with trans health, Ellis said in an
interview with Project Q.

WE CAN DO BETTER.
Find out how at caseytrees.org

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

1 8 A PRI L 2 4 , 2 0 15

VIEWPOINT

VOLUME

46

ISSUE

17

ADDRESS

PO Box 53352
Washington DC 20009

OMalleys amnesia on marriage

Jabs at Clinton unfair given Md.
guvs ever-changing opinions

KEVIN NAFF is editor of the Washington Blade

and can be reached at kna@washblade.com.

There he goes again. Former Maryland

Gov. Martin OMalley, who once extolled
the virtues of centrism, now wants us to
believe in an unintentionally hilarious
rewriting of history that hes more liberal than Hillary Clinton and a prole in
courage when it comes to ghting for
marriage equality.
In a not-so-subtle jab at Clinton,
OMalley in a February speech said, History celebrates proles in courage, not
proles in convenience. The dignity of every person tells us that the right to marry
is not a state right, it is a human right.
A Clinton aide last week, responding to a Blade inquiry, armed that the
2016 hopeful views same-sex marriage
as a constitutional right. That statement
marked a change from her earlier position, articulated in an infamous NPR in-

terview last year, that she viewed marriage as a state issue.

Clinton, like President Obama and Martin OMalley and many others evolved on
the issue.
The problem with OMalley is that hes
had more positions on marriage than
all the 2016 hopefuls combined. And after pushing for civil unions right up until
2011, he now wants voters to believe that
hes a pioneer on the issue. What nerve!
Lets revisit OMalleys actual record
rather than listen to his calculated
amnesia.
In 2004, OMalley told a Baltimore TV
station, Im not opposed to civil marriages. Also that year, he emailed a
plainti in the state marriage lawsuit
that read, Im just supporting something I strongly believe in, referring
to marriage equality. But by 2006,
OMalleys position was shifting and he
said, I was raised to believe that marriage is between a man and a woman.
This is a fundamental issue of the
states public policy, and a decision that
ultimately should not be made by a single trial court judge. When confronted
by gay activists after issuing that statement, OMalley disavowed any previous
support of marriage equality.
After a 2007 Maryland court ruling limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples,
OMalley issued the following statement

E DIT OR IA L C A R T OON

as heartbroken gay residents were busy

cancelling their weddings and mourning
the courts misguided decision: I look forward to reading the courts full opinion,
but as we move forward, those of us with
the responsibility of passing and enforcing laws have an obligation to protect the
rights of all individuals equally, without
telling any faith how to dene its sacraments. I respect the courts decision.
Privately, OMalley had assured gay
rights activists and plaintis in the case
that he supported marriage equality, only
to reverse course and ultimately invoke
his Catholic religious beliefs to justify his
support of discrimination.
From 2008-2010, OMalley publicly
backed civil unions as bills to legalize
marriage equality were defeated in committee. He was even booed o the stage
at a private LGBT donor gathering after
advocating for civil unions over full marriage rights.
In 2011, OMalley nally said he would
sign a marriage bill if passed. I have concluded that discriminating against individuals based on their sexual orientation
in the context of civil marital rights is unjust. That bill ultimately failed.
It wasnt until New York Gov. Andrew
Cuomo embraced the cause of marriage
equality as a civil rights issue and well
after Maryland Attorney General Doug
Gansler did the same that OMalley
evolved yet again. Whereas Cuomo made
it clear even before he was elected that he
supported full marriage rights and then
lobbied for the needed votes to pass it,
OMalley was until 2012 the reluctant
advocate, oering meek, private assurances of support but refusing to publicly
embrace the cause, even after winning a
second term in a landslide.
Though he eventually came around to
full support and was instrumental in preserving the law after it went to referendum, OMalley was late to the marriage
party and certainly doesnt deserve credit
for its success.
OMalley has, for years, embodied the
poll-driven milquetoast politician who
checks the wind before staking out a position. Now he wants us to believe otherwise.
We have the ability as a party to lead
by our principles or are we going to conduct polls every time we try to determine
where the middle is on any given day, he
told NPR this week.
We should welcome OMalleys more
progressive positions without forgetting
his disappointing record of saying one
thing in private and the opposite when
the cameras are rolling.

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V I E W PO I NT

A P RI L 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 1 9

Hillarys left ank

We are choosing among
politicians, not saviors

RICHARD J. ROSENDALL is a writer and activist.

Reach him at rrosendall@starpower.net.

Hillary Rodham Clintons experience as

a lawyer, rst lady, U.S. senator, and Secretary of State gives her a dream rsum.
With it, however, come conspiracy theories from left and right, plus a catalogue
of complaints: She lacks her husbands
charm. She cannot give a stirring speech.
She is not as liberal as Bernie Sanders.
She doesnt drive her own car. She ignored the tip jar at Chipotle. Her hairstyle
and wardrobe are national concerns.
Hillarys career since her rst White
House residency suggests that her accumulated smears and scars are little more
than background chatter. As the 2016

campaign heats up and old stories are reignited, her performance at the Benghazi
hearings in 2013 shows that she is more
than capable of holding her own. But can
she overcome resistance on her left ank?
Like President Obama, Hillary is lucky in
her opponents. Rand Paul slams the Clinton
Foundation for taking money from countries
that oppress women, while he voted against
the Paycheck Fairness Act and the Violence
Against Woman Act and wants to criminalize
abortion. Marco Rubio called Hillary a leader from yesterday despite his own archaic
positions on Cuba, gays, and global warming. Mike Huckabee threatens re from
heaven and says Gods blessing will make
him president to stop Americas secular
theocracy, which is lucky for him because
the voters wont. Chris Christie and Scott
Walker trail Clinton in their home states.
Log Cabin Republicans responded to
Hillarys campaign launch by questioning
her LGBT record. Seriously? Unlike Mitt
Romney, whom they endorsed in 2012,
Hillary has a pro-gay record on which she
continues to build. As Secretary of State
she launched a global LGBT rights initiative. Last week she moved from a states
rights stance on marriage to endorse

marriage equality nationwide. If we want

politicians to move in our direction, we
have to give them credit when they do.
Many progressives are so wedded to being outsiders that they wont support any
candidate who can actually get elected.
Their support for Ralph Nader in 2000 resulted in President George W. Bush, two
wars, and an exploding budget decit.
They proudly embrace what I call Progressive Exceptionalism, in which condemning
the imperfections of allies absolves you of
responsibility for helping elect right-wing
fanatics who attack voting rights, womens
rights, immigrants, science and consumer
protections. Hillary is a corporatist, they
say. Let the Democrats lose; well rebuild.
This is as glib as Sen. Tom Cotton saying
we can defeat Iran in several days.
I am more impressed by those who
urge a vigorous primary challenge but
pledge support for the Democrat in the
general election. Those who deny any
dierence between the major parties
should ask themselves: Would Al Gore
have started the Iraq war? Would the author of Earth in the Balance have denied
climate change? Would he have nominated Sam Alito to the Supreme Court?

What pragmatic liberals like me are calling for is not surrender on the part of progressives, but political maturity. Hillary is
far better than any GOP candidate. If she is
the Democratic nominee, those who dont
want to see a century of reforms decimated should give her their vote.
That is not the end of it. Just as we need to
press her now to address our concerns, we
will need to keep it up after she takes oce.
Iran is a good example. The more she panders to AIPAC, the more we need to press her
with the J Street alternative. If we dont want
another expensive and bloody war, we cannot leave her to her hawkish impulses. We
must convey to her that she will alienate liberals who decry more war if she panders to
conservatives who wont vote for her anyway.
Let us get over the fantasy of political candidates as saviors. LGBT advances are due
mainly to our own eorts, which we should
continue. As for Hillary, she should keep in
mind that voters have more choices besides
voting for the Democrat or the Republican:
they can stay home or vote for a third-party
candidate. Her ne rsum only earns her
consideration; she must still close the deal.
Copyright 2015 by Richard J. Rosendall.
All rights reserved.

C O MMUNI K A TE

Our 2016 Game of Thrones election

The kingdom needs someone
strong with the right family name

KATE CLINTON is a humorist who has

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

Scene: Ralph Lauren luxe balcony on

Amal Coast.
Bald, jowly guy with indeterminate accent: I believe men of talent have a part
to play in the war to come. The kingdom
needs someone strong, a ruler loved by
millions, with a powerful army and the
right family name.
Scar-faced small person drinking from
RL stemware:
Good luck nding him.
Jowly guy: [beat] with arched Austin
Power eyebrow:
Who said anything about him?

The Supreme Court hangs in the balance!

Climate change is here and now!
Government will occupy your vagina!
Listen, I would name names if I could,
but Game of Thrones [GOT] has long been
inaccessible to me. When I might have gotten the plot basics down, GOT was on right
after eight hours in the crack house of The
NFL Red Zone, and I was too fried.
GOT is a lot like The Red Zone, maniacally switching from one team to another
team, each with mascots, outts, team
colors, beardage, home eld advantages
and scores to settle. The Red Zone has an
unappable dispatcher calmly keeping
viewers up on what is happening. GOT
does not.
Just as I have given up keeping up with
the swirling collide-oscope of footballs Red
Zone, I have given up on GOT. In so doing I
have disqualied myself from participation
in a huge segment of cocktail party bingewatching recaps. I dont speak Gottian.
It is a disadvantage but you cant make
me do a daylong marathon catch-up. Espe-

cially now that winter is over. Besides GOT

would have to be in my view queue behind
Harry Potter, Star Wars and the Hobbit. My
cultural deciency there has irreparably
hobbled my crossword prociency.
But it did not escape me that the much
ballyhooed return of GOT, Season whatever, was the same Sunday as the announcement of the return of Hillary Clinton to the
war to come. The kingdom needs someone strong, loved by millions, with a powerful army and the right family name.
Were the Clinton campaign war-room
generals prescient or just lucky? The socalled soft-open campaign video was a
welcomed relief to the eyes. Instead of
weeks of crashing icons, ame-breathing
ying dragons and mumbling minions
there were some ordinary Americans talking about healthcare, education and the
environment. At the end Hillary appears
to announce her candidacy. It might have

been cool to have Hillary sport some Daenerys Targaryen [I Googled it, calm down]
awesome Heidi blonde braids, but they
didnt go there.
You can imagine how hilarious it would
be if here I were able to pair up Hillarys opponents with GOT characters. In column
A: Ted Cruz, from the cold northern realm.
Rand Paul, strange lovechild of Ron Paul
and Ayn Rand. Chris Christie, once powerful ruler brought low by bridge trolls. Marco Rubio, bedeviled by a bottle of Poland
Springs water. Scott Walker, leader of the
blood-thirsty Teahaddists. Jeb Bush, closeted Latino, AKA Heb Arbusto. I will let you
GOT fans match up with column B.
Of course I will be following the one
GOT plot line I do know: Hillary attacked
by resentful, power-mad, poison-penned
Red Queen, Maureen Dowd.
Otherwise I will be spending my time on
strategies to get out the vote. Dire warnings dont seem to work. The Supreme
Court hangs in the balance! Climate
change is here and now! Government
will occupy your vagina! Heres one idea:
if you dont vote you forfeit your right to
watch Game of Thrones. NO VOTE: NO
GOT something like that.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

2 0 A PRI L 2 4 , 2 0 15

I N SI D E LG BT W A SH I N G T O N

Hillary Clinton off to strong start

Dealing with income
inequality, climate change,
womens rights

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

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

The consensus was Hillary Clintons

announcement video was great but her
campaign logo came in for some criticism.
But overall both nationally and in Iowa
there was an enthusiastic response to
the start of her campaign and even progressives had to be happy, except maybe
some die-hard lefties and conservatives
like Chuck Todd on Meet the Press who,
for some reason, expected Hillary to lay
out a complete platform from soup-tonuts on day one.
Even they must understand that is not
how campaigns are run and while Hillary

makes news whatever she does, even

ordering lunch at Chipotle, policy papers
make big news and they will be released
in due course over the coming months.
Even without formal policy papers, Hillary has indicated what her platform will
be and made many people happy talking
about her views on CEO pay (it is much
too high compared to the average worker), saying taxes on hedge fund managers
are too low and calling for a constitutional
amendment to get rid of Citizens United
and curbing contributions to campaigns.
Then Adrienne Elrod, a spokesperson for
the campaign spoke to the Washington
Blade clarifying Hillarys position on marriage equality, saying she is calling on the
Supreme Court to support it.
There is a quote from Laurene Powell Jobs describing Hillary in the Time
100 leaders list. Jobs says about Hillary,
When shes standing up for the rights of
women and girls, she is speaking not only
of gender but also of justice and liberty.
As Hillary has always made clear, these
values are universal, and fullling them
is a practical and moral pursuit. It matters, of course, that Hillary is a woman.
But what matters more is what kind of
woman she is.
How strong Hillarys nascent campaign

is can also be judged by Republican candidates falling all over themselves attacking her instead of each other trying to
prove how strong/vicious they would be
in a general election. The story in the New
York Times about Republicans speaking in New Hampshire has Hillary in the
headline on the front page and in the
continuation of the column. The attacks
notwithstanding by far the biggest reason
voters, other than Democrats who are
already supporting her in massive numbers, are talking about supporting Hillary in addition to her experience, stellar
record and intelligence are named Bush,
Rubio, Carson, Walker, Cruz Paul, Perry
and Fiorina, etc.
Hillarys campaign is just beginning and
there will likely be other Democrats entering the primary and that isnt a bad thing.
It will allow the party to debate the issues
and give Hillary debate practice before
the general election. The nal platform
on which Hillary will run is a progressive
one and will call on the country to deal
with income inequality, climate change,
womens rights and the civil and human
rights of all, including the LGBT community. Hillary has said when the Supreme
Court says marriage equality is protected
by the Constitution she understands the

battle is still not over.

But a big key to this election will be
women. Hillary represents the unnished business of our Constitution and
the struggle to achieve a more perfect
union. She always recognizes she stands
on the shoulders of suragettes who
fought for womens right to vote and
women like Bella S. Abzug (D-N.Y.) who
spoke out and fought her entire life for
women to take their rightful place in the
Democratic Party and the nations government.
While we are only a scant two weeks
into the campaign with about 18 months
to go, we are already seeing the ght
ahead. It wont be an easy campaign; no
Clinton campaign has ever been easy. But
we already see the outline of how Hillary
will take her case to Democratic primary
voters and then to the nation.
Hillary Clinton is a progressive and will
share her history of ghting for children,
and those without a voice of their own. As
she listens and talks to individual voters
they will learn about her participation in
the struggles for civil rights and womens
rights. Some of us have known Hillary for
decades, others will be hearing from her
in person for the rst time and I predict
they will like what they see and hear.
VIEWPOINT

City made right choice in Bowser over Catania

LGBT appointees, action on
Indiana demonstrate her support

JUSTIN PELIGRI is a student at George

Washington University.

Almost exactly one year ago, gay Democrats in the District of Columbia found
themselves confronted with a problem.
Then-D.C. Council member Muriel
Bowser a well-known progressive
had just whopped former Mayor Vincent
Gray in the Democratic primary for mayor.
For LGBT Democrats, it would have been
a no brainer to vote for her except for
the fact that a gay person was running on
the independent ticket in the form of former D.C. Council member David Catania.
Although it might not have been obvi-

ous by the nal vote count in the general

election Catania garnered a paltry 36
percent of the vote compared to Bowsers
55 percent a spirited debate occurred
in gayborhoods across the District about
which candidate was most deserving of
the gay vote.
And, by the way, Bowsers margin of
victory is the smallest its been in four
decades, with half of the traditionally gay
precincts like Dupont Circle and Adams
Morgan largely voting for the independent. That suggests that perhaps LGBT
groups split support might have helped
Catanias candidacy.
Clearly, Bowser had a strong record in
the City Council as a liberal on LGBT rights
and otherwise. But was Catanias go-getter attitude a better choice for a city that
has in recent years felt like it lacks political direction?
Bowsers rst few months as the citys
leader should quell any of these concerns. Gay voters rest assured: This city
made the right choice.
Bowser doesnt just say shes pro-gay
she surrounds herself with gay leaders

who inform her political views and help

steer her administration.
In the three and a half months shes
been mayor, Bowser has appointed a series of lesbian and gay leaders to her cabinet, including Sheila Alexander-Reid and
Terrance Laney as the director and deputy director of the Oce of LGBT Aairs.
But shes also appointed out leaders to
positions not specically geared toward
LGBT people, like, for example, gay urban
planning specialist David Do to direct the
citys Oce of Asian and Pacic Islander
Aairs. She even appointed a lesbian
activist and lobbyist Courtney Snowden
to a newly created position as deputy
mayor for greater economic opportunity
in the Executive Oce of the Mayor.
As the adage goes: If you dont have
a seat at the table, youre on the menu.
Having more LGBT people in leadership
positions ensures our continued success.
More recently, she joined the ranks of
top Democratic powerhouses like New
York Gov. Andrew Cuomo by instituting a
ban on the use of city funds to travel to
Indiana following the states anti-gay re-

ligious freedom law. (She later rescinded

the ban after Indiana GOP Gov. Mike
Pence backed down.)
In her rst State of the District address,
Bowser said issuing the travel ban was an
easy decision.
Because we always stand with the
LGBT community, we wont sit by as discrimination is veiled in misguided belief,
she said, echoing similar comments made
by President Obama about less than loving expressions by Christians.
By appointing LGBT advisers and aligning herself with other progressives on
LGBT rights, Bowser proves that she is
genuinely focused on these issues in a
city where, thankfully, it is not politically
risky to do so. Bowser isnt married, although she did tell the Washington Post
in a recent prole that despite her busy
schedule, I get in my friends, my family,
dating, you name it. Her lack of a partner
to publicly trot around has sparked a urry
of questions about her sexual orientation.
But we should cut the speculation:
Whether she plays for our team or not,
shes certainly rooting for us.

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

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20 YOUTHS REFLECT ON COMING OUT EARLY AND MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT MILLENNIALS

Youth Pride will be here soon. LGBT young people from all over the D.C. area will
spend Saturday, May 2 from noon-5 p.m. in Dupont Circle enjoying performances,
games, speakers, testimonials and more (details at youthpridealliance.org).
To celebrate this years event, Washington Blade sta teamed up with SMYAL to prole
20 local youths 20 and under. Their perspectives encompass the full range of queer
teen experience from bullying and harassment to acceptance and joy.

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

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AZARIAH KURLANTZICK

AGE: 17
RESIDENCE: Potomac, Md.
ID AS: queer/trans boy
CAME OUT: May 2011 as bi (in seventh
grade); summer 2012 as transgender,
just before ninth grade

AGE: 20
RESIDENCE: Maryland
ID AS: genderqueer/queer
CAME OUT: senior year of high school

1. What kind of reaction have you

received being out at school?
When I rst came out as bi, I was attending a
Jewish day school so it was sometimes weird
for me when taking part in class discussions
on whether homosexuality is a sin, but
reactions were generally ne. I was still at
that school when I came out as transgender
and I did encounter some people who
refused to use my new name and pronouns,
but with the help of Keshet, a Jewish LGBT
organization, I was met with support.

1. What kind of reaction have you

received being out at school?
The reaction of my peers has mostly
been positive. However when I attended
Duquesne University, a Catholic university
in Pittsburgh, I experienced bigotry and
aversion to the gay lifestyle. At St. Marys
College of Maryland, I experienced a kind of
gay euphoria and was accepted and was
able to start a club for trans students.

2. How have your family, friends and

community reacted?
My family and friends have been very
accepting and although my Jewish community
had a bad reaction initially, it has become
more positive. Now that Im attending public
school for the rst time in 11th grade, I hear a
lot of homophobic slurs directed at me in class
and in the halls, but whenever I talk to people,
they seem accepting.

2. How have your family, friends and

community reacted?
My family and friends reacted positively,
however my parents were concerned about
how being out would impact my future.

3. Have there been any benets/

downsides to being out?
A big benet of being out is that I feel more
comfortable now exploring my gender
presentation. Before, I felt the need to
present as very masculine so that people
might read me as a girl. Now, though, I feel
more comfortable doing things like dying
my hair pink because I can assume that
most people do not see me as a girl.

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

CAROLYN KIDD

3. Have there been any benets/

downsides to being out?
There have been no overt downsides to
being out, but hearing people openly
badmouth the LGBT community is hard.
4. Whats been the hardest or best part
of being out?
The hardest is constantly being
misgendered whether its being called sir,
young lady or using the wrong pronouns.

4. Whats been the hardest or best part

of being out?
The best part is that I am now part of a
wonderful community that I wouldnt have
access to were I still in the closet.

5. Did you go to Youth Pride last year?

No

5. Did you go to Youth Pride last year?

It was a good event, but adults there kept
referring to the trans people I was with as ladies.

6. What is the biggest misconception

LGBT Boomers and Gen Xers have about
LGBT Millennials?
That trans people are cross dressers and
confused. Trans folks are often excluded.

6. What is the biggest misconception

LGBT Boomers and Gen Xers have about
LGBT Millennials?
That there are fewer of us than there
actually are and that all of us are cisgender.

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

CARLY CARTER

AGE: 18
RESIDENCE: Herndon, Va.
ID AS: lesbian/queer
CAME OUT: March 26, 2014
1. What kind of reaction have you
received being out at school?
Not a huge one. People were surprised but
otherwise I didnt get a lot of response.
Occasionally, I hear a mean comment, but
usually people are really supportive.
2. How have your family, friends and
community reacted?
My friends are great! I could not have
picked better friends. Most of us are queer
actually, so that works out great. My mom
and dad are still adjusting. they have
overall been crazy supportive. Not a mean
word has ever come out of their mouths.

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

LC (LAUREN COLLINS)
AGE: 16
RESIDENCE: Herndon, Va.
ID AS: bisexual
CAME OUT: eighth grade

1. What kind of reaction have you

received being out at school?
Mixed positive from close friends, but
neutral to negative from the student body.
2. How have your family, friends and
community reacted?
Mom has come around and is supportive
now. Dad said a couple insensitive things
but hes always supported me. My church
and community are pretty OK with it.

3. Have there been any benets/

downsides to being out?
Getting to be more open and honest with
people is a huge plus. Also meeting a bunch
of queer friends whom I love being in touch
with. I would never have met them had I
not been out.

3. Have there been any benets/

downsides to being out?
Being able to interact with openly queer
friends and being able to share my
relationships publicly. Downsides are
backlash at school and its harder to y
under the radar.

4. Whats been the hardest or best part

of being out?
There are challenges with everything
being out is not an exception.

4. Whats been the hardest or best part

of being out?
Feeling like a representative for all queer
people.

5. Did you go to Youth Pride last year?

No, I didnt know about it.

5. Did you go to Youth Pride last year?

N/A

6. What is the biggest misconception

LGBT Boomers and Gen Xers have about
LGBT Millennials?
That we have it easy or that the hardships
they had to face are gone now.

6. What is the biggest misconception

LGBT Boomers and Gen Xers have about
LGBT Millennials?
That were just confused or saying were
queer or trans just because its trendy.

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KATIE BARACK

AGE: 19
RESIDENCE: McLean, Va.
ID AS: queer
CAME OUT: April 2013
1. What kind of reaction have you
received being out at school?
Ive been accepted by the community
as someone who could fall in love with
someone of any gender. However, I go to
a same-sex boarding school, so all of
my gender questioning has been pretty
private. Ive had to give a lot of advice to
underclassmen. I love the leadership role
and being the only out student has made
me nd an incredible community.
2. How have your family, friends and
community reacted?
My family is very supportive. While my
friends at school are supportive, my friends
from home in the Midwest can be very
ignorant and tend to make me feel other.
3. Have there been any benets/
downsides to being out?
I feel excluded often and school dances
are awkward. In my tux, Im called sharp
while all the other students in dresses are
called gorgeous.
4. Whats been the hardest or best part
of being out?
Ive found a community I would never
trade. I love nding other queer people.
Questioning my gender is something Ive
only recently come out about. It sucks that
my high school diploma probably wont
have the name I use on it. I wish I could use
the right pronouns and name, but Im at an
all-girls school. Ive had to work my ass o to
get us to be aware of transgender students
and the need for accommodating policies.
5. Did you go to Youth Pride last year?
No
6. What is the biggest misconception
LGBT Boomers and Gen Xers have about
LGBT Millennials?
Transgender people are viewed as outsiders
of the community by the older generation.
Cultural intersectionality is ignored.

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

LIA WARNER

AGE: 16
RESIDENCE: Chesapeake, Va.
ID AS: lesbian
CAME OUT: 14
1. What kind of reaction have you
received being out at school?
I was really lucky to be a member of a very
accepting track and cross-country team, so
in the locker room, I felt a lot safer than I
anticipated. But I still heard homophobic
slurs and comments elsewhere at school.
2. How have your family, friends and
community reacted?
My parents have been overwhelmingly
supportive as have my friends. Many
members of the community as well, but thats
not to say its been 100 percent positive.
3. Have there been any benets/
downsides to being out?
A benet would be, of course, the ability
to be myself and be true to my identity
with those I love. The downside, where I
live is overwhelmingly homophobic and
discriminatory.
4. Whats been the hardest or best part
of being out?
The hardest when people look at me in a
dierent and negative light. The best my
ability to be myself publicly and help others
in my GSA.
5. Did you go to Youth Pride last year?
No, I did not know about SMYAL or that
event. I did go to Hampton Roads Pride,
which was fabulous.
6. What is the biggest misconception
LGBT Boomers and Gen Xers have about
LGBT Millennials?
They believe this is a phase or that were
somehow a mistake.

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

RICO JONES

AGE: 15
RESIDENCE: none given
ID AS: bisexual
CAME OUT: This year
1. What kind of reaction have you
received being out at school?
Mixed happiness from some who were
proud of me, but also a lot of bullying most
of the time. Ive been called a lot of names
and picked on by many others.
2. How have your family, friends and
community reacted?
My friends were all by my side and have
wished me happiness and the best of luck.
3. Have there been any benets/
downsides to being out?
Benets: happy to have found myself in so
many ways, love and freedom. Downsides:
bullying.
4. Whats been the hardest or best part
of being out?
Bullying and the feeling that people think
because youre gay, you think you deserve
special rights or treatment.

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

AUTUMN SMITH
AGE: 18
RESIDENCE: D.C.
ID AS: male
CAME OUT: 2013

1. What kind of reaction have you

received being out at school?
That I was cool for being a gay guy except
when I wore womens jewelry.
2. How have your family, friends and
community reacted?
My family doesnt talk about it. Friends are
cool and its all good until I wear a dress.
3. Have there been any benets/
downsides to being out?
Oh yes!
4. Whats been the hardest or best part
of being out?
Harassment, weird looks.

5. Did you go to Youth Pride last year?

No, I wish I had.

5. Did you go to Youth Pride last year?

Yes! It was amazing as always.

6. What is the biggest misconception

LGBT Boomers and Gen Xers have about
LGBT Millennials?
Being myself and being free and showing
other people that we can be the change.

6. What is the biggest misconception

LGBT Boomers and Gen Xers have about
LGBT Millennials?
That our struggles cant compare with
theirs.

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ERIKA JOHNSON

AGE: 18
RESIDENCE: Clinton, Md.
ID AS: lesbian
CAME OUT: ninth grade
1. What kind of reaction have you
received being out at school?
I received a pretty positive reaction from
my friends and teachers. A lot of my friends
were shocked and surprised but very
supportive.

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

JASON ADLE

AGE: 16
RESIDENCE: Gaithersburg, Md.
ID AS: gay
CAME OUT: 2010-ish

2. How have your family, friends and

community reacted?
My family on the other hand, doesnt really
understand. Most of them dont know Im
out, but the few I trust fully support.

1. What kind of reaction have you

received being out at school?
The reaction at school has been neutral
at worst and encouraging at best. For the
most part, encouraging and supportive.
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

2. How have your family, friends and

community reacted?
By and large, supportive and positive.
3. Have there been any benets/
downsides to being out?
The main benet is that there is no stress to
not be yourself. You can be you to the Nth
degree.
4. Whats been the hardest or best part
of being out?
The worst part is having to deal with those
who you did not want to know your identity
at a certain time. But on the ip side, it is
absolutely great not having to feel trapped
in being something youre not.
5. Did you go to Youth Pride last year?
I did. It was a great time to hang out with
friends and meet new people and learn
about/interact with organizations that were
helping further the cause.
6. What is the biggest misconception
LGBT Boomers and Gen Xers have about
LGBT Millennials?
I think the biggest disconnect is how aware
Millennials appear to be in regard to LGBT
history. We may not have lived in certain
parts of LGBT history, but we are well
aware of the events that have led to today.

SASHA JARVIS

AGE: 18
RESIDENCE: Derwood, Md.
ID AS: bisexual
CAME OUT: ninth grade
1. What kind of reaction have you received being out at school?
Neutral

3. Have there been any benets/

downsides to being out?
The benet of being out is that there are so
many people I can relate to on a personal
level. Being out has given me the spunk to
go forth with my advocacy. The downside
of being out is that not a lot of people fully
understand my new points. Coming out
in the ninth grade has been very stressful
because I still feel like Im hiding.

3. Have there been any benets/downsides to being out?

I havent really felt any downsides personally but it is rewarding to not be sitting quietly and
letting homophobes slide out of fear of judgment.

4. Whats been the hardest or best part

of being out?
The hardest part about being out is that
it is hard trying to express myself in front
of people. Im partially in the closet and
partially not. The best part is that I can
come to SMYAL and feel like the true me.
SMYAL has made this process 100 percent
easier. There are still some obstacles I have
to get over, but I am a strong woman who
can do anything.

4. Whats been the hardest or best part of being out?

Its annoying to hear hetero-normative language from people close to me. Like hearing my
mom say my sisters and I should live alone or with a girlfriend (as in a female friend) before
getting married. It hurts to not have my identity respected, even in small ways.

5. Did you go to Youth Pride last year?

Yes! It was amazing. It was a pleasure
meeting more SMYAL folks and getting to
learn about queer youth experiences.

5. Did you go to Youth Pride last year?

Yes! I love being able to share my queer community life with my school friends.

6. What is the biggest misconception

LGBT Boomers and Gen Xers have about
LGBT Millennials?
That we spend too much time
complaining about what we need when
we are really just speaking the truth.

2. How have your family, friends and community reacted?

Ive had a pretty positive reaction. The rst person I came out to was my friend Kathryn and
it felt so nice until she decided she had to tell her mom. So that was super uncomfortable
because I wasnt even out to my own parents. My favorite thing was when I casually
dropped the word girlfriend without getting any kind of extreme response. That was
arming.

6. What is the biggest misconception LGBT Boomers and Gen Xers have about LGBT
Millennials?
I think the biggest misconception is that were all just following trends.
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SELVI ULUSAN

AGE: 16
RESIDENCE: Bethesda, Md.
ID AS: queer/bi
CAME OUT: June 20, 2013
1. What kind of reaction have you
received being out at school?
Surprise mostly. I dont think everyone
knows quite yet actually. I dont tell
everyone I meet automatically but if
anyone asks, I tell them the truth.
2. How have your family, friends and
community reacted?
My friends were very supportive. My family
kind of already saw it coming but my little
sister was great. So nice!
3. Have there been any benets/
downsides to being out?
Benets: I am who I am and people
knowing doesnt change that, but they
just know a little bit more about me.
Downsides: there was a lot of are you
sure? or just weirded out reactions. Some
people just didnt believe me, but thats not
my problem.
4. Whats been the hardest or best part
of being out?
Hardest: That I feel like I have to keep
coming out every time I tell someone else.
Best is letting people know a little more of
who I am.
5. Did you go to Youth Pride last year?
I have been to the Capital Pride parade
and festival the last two years, but not
Youth Pride. The rst year I went to Pride,
it was amazing. I met a girl who made all
of my unanswered questions about myself
incredibly clear.
6. What is the biggest misconception
LGBT Boomers and Gen Xers have about
LGBT Millennials?
That its just a choice or just how you feel
and that you can only be attracted to one
gender.

PHOTO COURTESY OF REMPSON

EBONY REMPSON
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

TEMITAYO WOLFF

AGE: 18
RESIDENCE: D.C.
ID AS: queer girl (panromantic, grey-asexual)
CAME OUT: beginning of 11th grade/end of 2013
1. What kind of reaction have you received being out at school?
Within a specic community, Ive received so much love and support. My friend group is super
gay. I havent received much open hostility. Some people have a lot of questions.
2. How have your family, friends and community reacted?
My mom wishes I would stop saying words like pansexual, which she never heard. I think she
accepts my identity even though it doesnt make sense to her. My dad is also a little confused but
he is supportive of my identity, activism and presentation. I have a much younger sister and I think
coming out has made her more accepting and socially aware.
3. Have there been any benets/downsides to being out?
Ive been really lucky to experience more benets than downsides when I came out. Coming out
provided me with a community of really supportive queer friends online and in D.C. The main
downside is tension with my mother.
4. Whats been the hardest or best part of being out?
The best my queer-platonic partner and my girlfriend.
5. Did you go to Youth Pride last year?
I did attend and had a lot of fun. I appreciate Youth Pride as a space that doesnt have alcohol
and nearly as many people as Capital Pride. However a lot of my friends were consistently
misgendered both by peers and by adults who were running the programs, which was
disappointing that an event that is supposed to be safe for trans people makes assumptions
about peoples gender and reinforces that non-existent binary.
6. What is the biggest misconception LGBT Boomers and Gen Xers have about LGBT
Millennials?
I think older folks feel like we are undermining a lot of the work they did with our own activism.
When we use social media as a platform for advocacy, they think we are being lazy or
unproductive. When we reclaim queer as a self-identier, they think we are disrespecting their
struggle to eliminate the use of that word. When we advocate for lesser-known identities like
asexuality, pansexuality and non-binary genders, they think we are just making up new words and
new forms of oppression when they fought so hard just for basic recognition of the L, G, B and T. I
think older LGBTQ folks need to recognize that queer young people of color exist.
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AGE: 20
RESIDENCE: D.C.
ID AS: queer
CAME OUT: 2009

1. What kind of reaction have you

received being out at school?
In high school, it varied from shock and
disgust to understanding.
2. How have your family, friends and
community reacted?
I had problems with my family at rst,
especially since I was outed by a family
member but things got better. My friends
have always been loving. Communities that
Ive found myself a part of have been great
support systems and always served as
places where I could seek validation.
3. Have there been any benets/
downsides to being out?
I wouldnt have had a chance to grow the
way I did and share my unique story with
people had I not been out.
4. Whats been the hardest or best part
of being out?
The hardest part about being out as queer
has been knowing that there is a third
strike against me in the heteronormative
and patriarchal society, strikes one and two
being black and a woman.
5. Did you go to Youth Pride last year?
Yes and its always positive. Theres nothing
better than a sense of community.
6. What is the biggest misconception
LGBT Boomers and Gen Xers have about
LGBT Millennials?
That were lazy and self absorbed.

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MAYA PARKER

AGE: 20
RESIDENCE: D.C.
ID AS: bisexual
CAME OUT: freshman year of high school
1. What kind of reaction have you
received being out at school?
I wasnt accepted at rst as I was one of the
rst in my high school to come out. I got
made fun of mainly by the boys. I gured
they were jealous. It somehow was an
inspiration to the other girls in the school
as they began to come out as well.
2. How have your family, friends and
community reacted?
My family pretty much thought of it as a
phase. I guess they have swept it under
the rug. My friends didnt like it too well.
They started acting uncomfortable around
me and not wanting to get dressed in
front of me. People heard bisexual and
gured I was looking at every woman that
would walk past me. My community didnt
react much as Im more on the feminine
side. Ive only really gotten reaction by
my community if I was seen with a more
dominant female.
3. Have there been any benets/
downsides to being out?
I actually get to be myself. It gives me a sort
of condence where I can walk outside with
my head high without feeling like I have a
dark secret.
4. Whats been the hardest or best part
of being out?
People thinking youre playing both sides
of the fence. Its hard to get a woman to
understand that youre serious about her
when she knows you like men and with
men, they cant seem to get the thought of
two women and themselves out of their
heads.
5. Did you go to Youth Pride last year?
No
6. What is the biggest misconception
LGBT Boomers and Gen Xers have about
LGBT Millennials?
A misconception I believe older LGBT
people have about LGBT millennials is
that we dont carry ourselves properly
that we may be a little to open about our
preference. I see it as us wanting it to be
put out into society where its like you either
accept me or you dont.

CHANCERAMIREZ

AGE: 18
RESIDENCE: Arlington, Va.

ID AS: gender queer

CAME OUT: 2013
1. What kind of reaction have you
received being out at school?
Some people said I was the rst queer
person they had met. Some said they
werent sure what queer was so I had to
spend some time talking to people in my
school. I dont know if everyone was OK
with the answer but most people seemed to
be open-minded.
2. How have your family, friends and
community reacted?
Most of my family is OK with it. I know I
have some people who dont like the fact
that Im not straight, but Im OK with that.
3. Have there been any benets/
downsides to being out?
The only downside has been hearing from
friends that other people dont want to
hang out with me. That really sucks, but Im
still glad I came out.
4. Whats been the hardest or best part
of being out?
The best part has been my relationship
with my girlfriend. I dont think we would be
together if I wasnt out.
5. Did you go to Youth Pride last year?
I did not.
6. What is the biggest misconception
LGBT Boomers and Gen Xers have about
LGBT Millennials?
I would say that some older people dont
really understand LGBTQ young people.
Ive had older people ask why I want to be
called queer.

SHANTEL JORDAN

AGE: 17
RESIDENCE: Arlington, Va.
ID AS: queer/trans
CAME OUT: 2013
1. What kind of reaction have you
received being out at school?
My close friends were very supportive.
Some other students didnt understand and
made some pretty harsh comments.
2. How have your family, friends and
community reacted?
Family was mixed they were upset at
rst, but are now mostly supportive.
3. Have there been any benets/
downsides to being out?
The big benet is being able to be myself.
Its very refreshing not to have to hide.

4. Whats been the hardest or best part

of being out?
Hearing from people that God doesnt like
gay people. That was hard.
5. Did you go to Youth Pride last year?
I did. I enjoyed it.
6. What is the biggest misconception
LGBT Boomers and Gen Xers have about
LGBT Millennials?
That we just want to play on our phones
and arent really serious about anything.

JAMES ROSENSTEIN
AGE: 15
RESIDENCE: Arlington, Va.
ID AS: queer
CAME OUT: 2014

1. What kind of reaction have you

received being out at school?
I had a number of people ask if I really
thought I was gay or if it was a phase but
most of my friends were great. They really
accept me for me.
2. How have your family, friends and
community reacted?
My family has been really great. They
wanted to talk a lot when I rst told them,
but they have always been very supportive.
3. Have there been any benets/
downsides to being out?
I get some comments from other students
from time to time, but Id still rather be out.
4. Whats been the hardest or best part
of being out?
Being able to be honest with my friends
and parents.
5. Did you go to Youth Pride last year?
I did. I liked it but I couldnt stay for the
entire thing.
6. What is the biggest misconception
LGBT Boomers and Gen Xers have about
LGBT Millennials?
That young people dont want to be active
in church. I am very active in my church
but I understand that many LGBTQ young
people dont want to be.

GAVIN CALVIN

AGE: 16
RESIDENCE: Clarksburg, Md.
ID AS: transgender
CAME OUT: 8th grade
1. What kind of reaction have you
received being out at school?

Very supportive and loving.

2. How have your family, friends and
community reacted?
They were not surprised and supported me
fully.
3. Have there been any benets/
downsides to being out?
Strangers not understanding my choices
and judging.
4. Whats been the hardest or best part
of being out?
Im more comfortable around my peers
and am happier living as who I truly am.
5. Did you go to Youth Pride last year?
No
6. What is the biggest misconception
LGBT Boomers and Gen Xers have about
LGBT Millennials?
(My generation) seems to think LGBT
Boomers are reckless and carefree. My
experience with Gen. Xers is that they think
how we are is a choice and is wrong.

LANCE M. COATES III

(LACYY COATES)
AGE: 20
RESIDENCE: D.C.
ID AS: trans woman,
early transition stage
CAME OUT: 16

1. What kind of reaction have you

received being out at school?
I have received mixed reactions at various
schools.
2. How have your family, friends and
community reacted?
My family and friends have been supportive
while the community as a whole has been
very hostile to the point of gay bashing.
3. Have there been any benets/
downsides to being out?
I have become more inspired to live my life
openly by the girls at Casa Ruby.
4. Whats been the hardest or best part
of being out?
Being able to be myself is the best part.
5. Did you go to Youth Pride last year?
Yes, it was a very happy experience.
6. What is the biggest misconception
LGBT Boomers and Gen Xers have about
LGBT Millennials?
They dont really interact with us or teach
us the ways.

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

A P RI L 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 2 9

Grab a coffee,
coffee
take a survey,

change the world.

Making a Difference is Easy.

Take the 9th Annual

LGBT Community Survey

LGBTsurvey.com

Your information is confidential, used for research purposes only.

You will not be contacted for marketing purposes.

Proudly LGBT-owned and -operated

A pioneer in LGBT research, founded in 1992
NGLCC-Certified LGBT Owned Business Enterprise

2015

SUMMER
PROGRAM
Featuring our Fantastic
Playground and New Pool!

HALF & FULL DAY OPTIONS

featuring the debut of
ISSUE DATE:

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REVIEW AD FOR COPY AND DESIGN ACCURACY. Revisions must be submitted within 24 hours of the date of
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and warranties.

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Songs and stories from Civil and Equal Rights movements

May 15, 2015 at 8:00pm

May 16, 2015 at 3:00pm & 8:00pm
Lincoln Theatre - 1215 U Street NW

AG ES 3 11

Create Adventures and Lasting Memories.

Swimming, Outdoor Adventures, Gymnastics,
Languages, Music, Drama, Cooking, Science,
Field Trips and MUCH, MUCH more.

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washington blade newspaper. This includes but is not limited to placement,
payment and insertion schedule.

Tickets:
1-877-435-9849
www.GMCW.org

For more information visit

www.beauvoirschool.org/summer
3500 Woodley Road, NW Washington, DC 20016

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

3 0 A PRI L 2 4 , 2 0 15

Q U E E RY : 2 0 Q U E ST I O N S F O R BRE A N N A W A LT O N

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

By JOEY DiGUGLIELMO
joeyd@washblade.com
Breanna Walton is just starting to stick a toe into broader LGBT waters.
The 16-year-old sophomore at Edmund Burke School is involved with
SSASI (Students Supporting All Sexualities and Identities), a small GayStraight Alliance there, and is excited about going to Youth Pride in Dupont
Circle on May 2. It will be her rst time. And in February she joined the new
GenOUT Chorus, a youth choir that launched out of the Gay Mens Chorus of
Washingtons youth outreach program.
The young singers, who range in age from 12-18, will debut May 15-16 at the
GMCW Born This Way concert (details at gmcw.org). The group, which meets
monthly for rehearsal, will sing pop songs and show tunes such as Beautiful
City from Godspell, Christina Aguileras Beautiful, We Shall Overcome
and more, some on their own and others with the Gay Mens Chorus. Walton,
who just recently came out to her family but has been out at school for a
while, says so far its been a wonderful experience.
Its great to have a place to feel safe and relate to other people in a good
way, Walton says. It also helps the kids and teens who may not be out
yet, to be more comfortable knowing there are other people with similar
experiences. It helps to hear other peoples perspectives and take those
lessons and apply them at your own school.
Walton is one of about 12 in the chorus. She sings tenor and says the
group is mostly comprised, so far, of girls. Thea Kano, the Gay Mens Chorus
conductor, directs and chorus members help with GenOUT rehearsals. Walton
heard the full mens chorus for the rst time last month.
I really enjoyed it, she says. Im extremely excited to sing with them.
Walton was born in Washington and lives in Southwest. She enjoys
swimming, playing clarinet, ultimate Frisbee, reading, swimming and listening
to music in her free time.

Logan 14 saLon spa/med spa

haircuts, body waxing, laser hair removal

BREANNA WALTON
How long have you been out and who
was the hardest person to tell?
About a year and a half.My brother was
the hardest person to come out to.

sexual orientation, what would you

do?
Try to convince them that you cant
change someones sexual orientation.

Whos your LGBT hero?

Every teen who has the courage to come
out.

Whats Washingtons best nightspot,

past or present?
I love hanging out with my friends in
Georgetown and doing anything outside.

What do you believe in beyond the

physical world?
That there is a heaven.

Describe your dream wedding.

Anywhere near water with my friends
and family.
What non-LGBT issue are you most
passionate about?
Global warming
What historical outcome would you
change?
Slavery
Whats been the most memorable pop
culture moment of your lifetime?
After six years, the season nale of
Lost.

What would you walk across hot coals

for?
An end to the bullying of LGBT teens in
schools.
What LGBT stereotype annoys you
most?
That just because a guy does things that
some people consider feminine, does
not mean that he is gay.
Whats your favorite LGBT movie?
Blue is the Warmest Color

Equal rights

Whats the most overrated social

custom?
Interacting on social media when you
are in the same room.

What was your last Facebook post or

Tweet?
None. I dont have Facebook or Twitter.

What trophy or prize do you most

covet?
My rst ballet trophy at the age of 5.

If your life were a book, what would

the title be?
Complicated

What do you wish youd known at 18?

Ill let you know when I get there.

On what do you insist?

1314B 14th St. NW WDC 20005 202.506.6868 Logan14salonspa.com

Whats your advice for LGBT

movement leaders?
Its a cause worth ghting for so keep
moving. Many lives are counting on and
supporting you.

If science discovered a way to change

Why Washington?

I was born here!

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

T H E A TE R

A PR IL 24, 2015 31

IMAGINATIVE, FAST-PACED,
IRRESISTIBLY FUNNY A SHOW THAT
WILL ENTRANCE THE WHOLE FAMILY
The Seattle Times

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY LEE WHITMAN

Grim interrogation plays

out in Closet Land
By PATRICK FOLLIARD
As the evil interrogator in Factory 449s
production of Closet Land, out actor
David Lamont Wilson plays the meanest
character of his career.
Its a daunting role that frankly scares
me a lot, Wilson says. Hes so outside
anything Ive done before. Usually theres
a piece of me in every character. Not so
much this time.
Adapted by Radha Bharadwaj from
her same-titled 1991 lm, Closet Land
depicts the brutal interrogation of a writer
of childrens books (Sara Barker) by a
sadistic secret policeman. The unspecied
countrys government suspects the author
of spreading propaganda through her
work. She denies the charges. Its his job to
break her. Her only defense is resistance.
Its taken me longer than usual to
develop this part, Wilson says. And Rick
has been incredibly patient. I couldnt have
done it without him. Rick is Rick Hammerly
Factory 449s producing artistic director
and director of Closet Land.
David is a really nice guy and maybe
not the rst actor youd think to cast as the
villain, Hammerly says. Hes a company
member and I thought this was a part
that could really showcase his range.
Best known as an actor, Hammerly won
a Helen Hayes Award in 2003 for his star
turn in Signature Theatres production
of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Hes
always striving to raise the visibility of his
company members: Its good for us. Its
good for them.
Barker on the other hand was a
natural choice to play opposite Wilson,
says Hammerly. Sarah is the companys
resident victim. In past productions shes
committed suicide, been held captive in
an ice chest in somebodys basement,
and now tortured. She obliges us every

time, bless her.

Here she is called on to do some
really harrowing things, physically and
emotionally, he says. We wanted her to
feel as safe as possible in getting to those
dark places. Wilson is an actor she knows
and trusts. Its an excellent t.
Factory 449 was founded in 2009 as
a theater collective dedicated to the
collaborative process. As the current
company in residence at the vibrant
Anacostia Arts Center, the company
strives to bring high quality theatrical
experiences to the neighborhood.
Closet Land is an intense 75 minutes.
Performed in the round in Anacostia Arts
Centers intimate black box space, it can be
tough to watch. But whats nice about a
smaller company, says Hammerly, is if no
one came to the show, it wouldnt kill us.
Wed just raise money for the next show.
It gives us the opportunity to do things
that are experimental or might not be so
popular with audiences, things that need
to be done or are right for our actors.
Hammerly
was
concerned
that
Anacostias mostly African-American
community might have problems with
Wilson, an African-American actor,
being cast as the heavy. But Wilson and
Hammerly agree ultimately its the
same play regardless of the actors races.
Its about power and the encroachment
by government on personal freedoms
relevant themes, now and always.
Earlier in his career, Wilson played a
closeted married man in gay playwright
Christopher Shinns Four at Studio
Theatre. That character hooked up with
a teenage boy he met online not very
admirable. But the part Im playing now,
says Wilson, takes evil to an altogether
dierent level.
CLOSET LAND
Through May 10
Factory 449
Anacostia Arts Center
1231 Good Hope Road, SE
$12-22
closetland.brownpapertickets.com

PHOTOS BY BRETT COOMER/HOUSTON GRAND OPERA

RICK HAMMERLY, front, with DAVID LAMONT WILSON.

MAY 921
OPERA HOUSE
Tickets on sale now!

(202) 467-4600 kennedy-center.org

Tickets also available at the Box Office
Groups (202) 416-8400
In Italian with projected English titles

Major support for WNO is provided by Jacqueline Badger Mars.

David and Alice Rubenstein are the Presenting Underwriters of WNO.
General Dynamics is the proud sponsor of WNOs 2014-2015 Season.
WNO acknowledges the longstanding generosity of Life Chairman Mrs. Eugene B. Casey.
Generous support for WNO Italian opera is provided by Daniel and Gayle DAniello.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

32 AP R IL 24, 2015

O U T & A BO U T

PHOTO COURTESY OF STRATHMORE

The hills are alive

Legendary actress and singer Julie Andrews appears at the Strathmore (10701
Rockville Pike, Rockville, Md.) for An Evening of Life Stories on Saturday at 9
p.m.
Andrews, best known for her roles in Mary Poppins and The Sound of
Music, will be join by Washington Post theater critic Peter Marks to discuss her
lm and theater career. Strathmore Childrens Chorus will perform. Andrews will
not sing. The show is a part of Strathmores 10th anniversary Spring Gala.
Tickets range from $145-175. For more information, visit Strathmore.org.

By MARIAH COOPER

Celebrate books
this weekend
World Book Day is at various locations in
Dupont Circle from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday.
Programs include a book fair, book
drive and book exchange. There will be
childrens activities such as arts and crafts
from 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. and a childrens
book exchange. Food will be provided by
Pepe Food Truck and will be served from
11:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
For
more
information,
visit
worldbookdaywdc.com.

Nellies to host suicide

prevention gathering
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO

National City to host prayer service

National City Christian Church (5 Thomas Circle, N.W.) hosts an interfaith
service for the Supreme Court arguments on Sunday at 5 p.m.
The oral arguments on marriage equality will take place on Tuesday. The
service welcomes all to pray for the outcome. ReconcilingWorks will participate.
Family and friends are also encouraged to attend. National City is an LGBTarming church with gay leaders on sta.

The National Capital Area Chapter of

the American Foundation for Suicide
Prevention hosts its third annual LGBT
Suicide Prevention Happy Hour at Nellies
Sports Bar (900 U St., N.W.) from 6-9 p.m.
on Wednesday.
There will be a rae, silent auction
and door prizes including gift certicates
to Home Depot, Pottery Barn and the
Marriott. There will also be appetizers
from 6-7:30 p.m. and drink specials are
oered until 9 p.m.
For more information, visit facebook.
com/afsp.ncac.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

M U SI C

A PR IL 24, 2015 33

PHOTO COURTESY OF HOWARD THEATRE

SHEILA E. says she feels energy on stage no matter how large or small the crowd.

Educated at Brown, Harvard,

and Johns Hopkins
Washingtonian Magazine Top Doc
US News & World Report Top
1% of Doctors in the USA

Sheila E. still growing,

singing, touring
By KEITH LORIA
In the mid-80s, singer and percussionist
Sheila E. dened cool for a generation of
women musicians, rst by collaborating
with Prince on the classic Purple Rain
album, lending vocals to the albums
Erotic City, and also by recording
her own bestselling solo album, The
Glamorous Life, which had a top 10 hit in
its title track and another top single with
The Belle of St. Mark.
It was more than I ever expected but I
worked really hard, I didnt sit back and wait
for something to happen, Sheila E. says. I
went out and toured and did all types of
publicity and released a record in Europe
rst, and pushed my record even before
Purple Rain. By the time I got to the states,
The Glamorous Life was already a hit.
Now 57, the musician has released
seven albums with several hit songs
since her heyday, and is still a force to be
reckoned with on stage.
If the day ever comes when I dont feel
inspired and the butteries are not there,
thats the day Ill stop, she says. I get
even more of a thrill today than I used to
and it doesnt matter if Im playing for 10
people or 20,000.
On April 30, Sheila E. will be appearing
at the Howard Theater in what promises
to be a night full of high-octane energy.
What they can expect is a great show;
great musicianship, a lot of fun, a big
party, some old music, new music and
Sheila E. at her best, she says. Howard
Theater and the people of D.C. are some
of my favorite people to play for. I totally
appreciate the vibe they bring and I really
look forward to being back.
True fans know that her real name is
Sheila Escovedo, and she learned her
drum skills from her legendary father,
percussionist Pete Escovedo. Still,
following her dads musical footsteps
wasnt always in the cards.
I wanted to be the rst girl astronaut
on the moon or win a gold medal in track

and eld, she says. I played a show with

my dad when I was 15 because one of the
musicians got sick, and to play with that
type of musicianship at that level brought
me to a place I had never experienced
before. After that show, I knew thats
what I wanted to do the rest of my life.
Fame came quickly as Sheila E.
performed with artists such as Diana Ross,
Lionel Richie and Marvin Gaye, and it was
a chance encounter with Prince at one of
her concerts that would lead to more than
two decades of musical collaboration.
I had a huge career even before I
started working with Prince, Sheila E.
says. Prince had followed my career and
told me he was very excited to meet me
the rst time we met.
In more recent years, Shelia E. has
worked with Beyonc and other music
stars behind the scenes, but she never
stopped making her own music. Last year,
she released the aptly titled Icon, her rst
new album in 13 years, and it was viewed
positively throughout the industry.
If I didnt continue to write new music
and venture out to play with dierent
artists and listen to dierent genres
of music, I would be stuck in a place of
not growing at all, she says. Inspiration
comes from all the music I grew up
listening to, as well as new music and just
wanting to grow and learn more and do
more and be a student for life.
The 13-track recording includes colorful
fusions of the Latin, jazz, R&B, pop, funk
and rock inuences that shaped her style
over the last 30 years.
In addition to the new music, last year
also saw the release of her autobiography,
entitled, And the Beat Goes On. It was
while writing the book, that she started
hearing songs behind some of the stories
she was telling, and that led to a number
of songs on Icon.
CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
SHEILA E.
Thursday, April 30
8 p.m. (doors 6)
$37.50-75
Howard Theatre
620 T St., N.W.
thehowardtheatre.com

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3 4 A PRI L 2 4 , 2 0 15

A RT S & CU LT U RE

HOT HITS & HIDDEN JEWELS

FROM CULTURECAPITAL.COM
YOUR LINK TO THE ARTS IN METRO D.C.

MURDER BALLAD
THRU MAY 10. STUDIO THEATRE.
202-332-3300. studiotheatre.org.

Staged cabaret-style in Stage 4 with full bar service before the performance,
Murder Ballad is an explosive rock musical that puts the audience in the middle
of its action for a full immersive experience.

SHEILA E.
APR 30. HOWARD THEATRE.
202-803-2899. thehowardtheatre.com.

World-class drummer and percussionist whose credits read like chapters in

a music history book, Sheila is a fearless multi-instrumentalist, as well as an
Actress, Mentor, and Philanthropist.

SONGS OF STEPHEN SONDHEIM

APR 26. WASHINGTON PERFORMING ARTS AT MUSEUM OF
NATURAL HISTORY.
202-785-9727. washingtonperformingarts.org.

Join Rob Kapilow as he unravels and explores some of the great musical
masterpieces of Stephen Sondheim featuring some of the Broadway legends
most well-known songs including Send in the Clowns, Too Many Mornings,
Finishing the Hat, and Not Getting Married Today.

CELEBRITY IN CHIEF: A HISTORY OF THE PRESIDENTS AND THE

CULTURE OF STARDOM
APR 24. NATIONAL ARCHIVES.
202-357-5000. archivesfoundation.org.
Presidential historian Kenneth T. Walsh looks at the history of Americas
Presidents, arguing that modern Presidents need to be celebrities.

IMAGE COURTESY OF STUDIO THEATRE

THEATRE
Soon. Thru Apr 26. Signature Theatre.
703-820-9771. signature-theatre.org.
Lights Rise On Grace. Thru Apr 26.
Woolly Mammoth. 202-393-3939.
woollymammoth.net.
Uncle Vanya. Thru May 3. Round
House Theatre. 240-644-1100.
roundhousetheatre.org.
Carousel. Thru May 10. Olney Theatre.
301-924-3400. olneytheatre.org.
Mariela in the Desert. Thru May 10.
GALA Hispanic Theatre. 202-234-7174.
galatheatre.org.
Shear Madness. Thru Dec 31. Kennedy
Center. 800-444-1324. shearmadness.com.
Swing Time - The Musical. Thru Jun
27. Navy Memorial. 202-737-2300.
swingtimethemusical.com.
The Fire and The Rain. Thru May 24.
Constellation Theatre Company.
202-204-7741. constellationtheatre.org.
One Destiny. Thru May 16. Freedoms
Song: Abraham Lincoln and the Civil
War. Thru May 20. Fords Theatre.
800-982-2787. fords.org.
Very Still & Hard to See. Thru May 10.
Rorschach Theatre. Atlas. 202-399-7993.
rorschachtheatre.com.
On Approval. Thru May 17. Washington
Stage Guild. Undercroft Theatre.
240-582-0050. stageguild.org.
Fox On The Fairway. Apr 24-May 9.
Reston Community Players. CenterStage.
703-476-4500. restonplayers.org.

DANCE
Rennie Harris RHAW. Apr 25-Apr 26.
Dance Place. 202-269-1600.
danceplace.org.
Tappenstance. Apr 25-Apr 26. JOMDC
Friendship Heights. 202-520-3692.
joyofmotion.org.
Umoves. Thru Apr 26. Clarice Smith.
301-405-2787.
claricesmithcenter.umd.edu.
La Sylphide. Apr 25-Apr 26. Virginia
Ballet Company and School. Ernst
Community Cultural Center.
703-249-8227.
virginiaballetcompany.org.

MUSIC

Get Out More!

Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain.

Apr 26. Strathmore. 301-581-5100.
strathmore.org.
The Roaring 20s Speakeasy. Apr 24.
The Barefoot Movement. Apr 30. AMP.
301-581-5100. ampbystrathmore.com.
NSO: Christoph Eschenbach,
conductor. Apr 30-May 2. Fortas
Chamber Music Concerts. Apr 29.
Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600.
kennedy-center.org.
Gilberto Gil. Apr 24. GW Lisner
Auditorium. 202-994-6800.
lisner.gwu.edu.
Ute Lemper. Apr 25. WPA at
Sixth & I Historic Synagogue. New
World Symphony. Apr 29. WPA

at Kennedy Center. 202-785-9727.

washingtonperformingarts.org.
Pacica Quartet. Apr 25.
Kreeger Museum. 202-337-3050.
kreegermuseum.org.
The Birchmere Presents 2Cellos.
Apr 24. Daryl Hall & John Oates. Apr
29. Warner Theatre. 202-783-4000.
warnertheatredc.com.
Jarabe De Palo. Apr 24. Keith Sweat.
Apr 25. Howard Theatre. 202-803-2899.
thehowardtheatre.com.
Plena Libre. Apr 24. Beauty Pill. Apr
30-May 2. Artisphere. 888-841-2787.
artisphere.com.
BBC Concert Orchestra. Apr 24. GMU
Center for the Arts. 888-945-2468.
cfa.gmu.edu.
Maryland Opera Studio. Thru Apr 26.
The Nile Project. Apr 26. Clarice Smith.
301-405-2787.
claricesmithcenter.umd.edu.
Sybarite5. Apr 24. Hawaiian Slack
Key Guitar Festival. Apr 25. Black
Violin. Apr 30. Wolf Trap. 877-965-3872.
wolftrap.org.
Jason Yeager Trio with Ben
Roseth. Apr 24. ISAAG. Enrique V.
Iglesias Auditorium. 202-623-2217.
idbstaassociationartgallery.org.
Alexandria Symphony Orchestra. Thru
May 16. Schlesinger Concert Hall.
703-845-6156. schlesingercenter.com.

MUSEUMS
National Gallery of Art. Piero di
Cosimo. Thru May 3. Peter Paul Rubens.
Thru Jul 5. nga.gov.
Folger Shakespeare Library. Ships,
Clocks, & Stars: The Quest for Longitude.
Thru Aug 23. folger.edu.
Kennedy Center. Dustin Yellin:
Psychogeographies. Thru May 6.
800-444-1324. kennedy-center.org.
National Archives. Spirited Republic:
Alcohol in American History. Thru Jan 10.
202-357-5000. archivesfoundation.org.
Kreeger Museum. Flemish
Expressionism. Thru May 15.
202-337-3050. kreegermuseum.org.
Museum of Women in the Arts. Doris
Lee. Thru May 8. 202-783-5000.
nmwa.org.
District Architecture Center. reVISION.
Thru Jun 13. 202-347-9403. aiadac.com.
Fords Theatre. Silent Witnesses:
Artifacts of the Lincoln Assassination.
Thru May 25. 202-347-4833. fords.org.
National Geographic. Monster Fish: In
Search of the Last River Giants. Thru Oct
11. 202-857-7000. nglive.org.

GALLERIES
Strathmore. If the Shoe Fits. Thru May
31. 301-581-5100. strathmore.org.
DCCAH. Duke Ellington School of the Arts
Student Exhibition. Thru May 10.
202-724-5613. dcarts.dc.gov.
The Art League Gallery. Bits & Pieces.
Thru May 4. 703-683-1780.
theartleague.org.

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

3 6 A PRI L 2 4 , 2 0 15

CA LE N D A R
HIPS hosts a benet happy hour at Bar
Pilar (1833 14th St., N.W.) today from 5-8
p.m. Admission is $10 for a wristband
that gives access to exclusive HIPS drink
specials and small plates. All proceeds
benet HIPSs new Center for Health
and Achievement that will open in the
summer. For more details, visit facebook.
com/ilovehips.

E-mail calendar items to calendars@washblade.

com two weeks prior to your event. Space is limited so priority is given to LGBT-specic events
or those with LGBT participants. Recurring
events must be re-submitted each time.

TODAY
Arlington Gay and Lesbian Alliance
(AGLA) presents the fth annual Miss Gay
Arlington Pageant at Freddies Beach Bar
and Restaurant (555 23rd St., Arlington,
Va.) tonight at 8 p.m. Current Miss Gay
Arlington, Coco B. Colby, will make her
nal performance and the title holder and
a new Miss Gay Arlington will be crowned.
Admission is $10. For more information,
visit facebook.com/arlingtonlgbt.
Rock and Roll Hotel (1353 H St., N.E.)
hosts a bear happy hour today from
5-10 p.m. There is no cover charge. Drink
specials include $6 Ketel One drinks, $4
rail drinks, $3 pints and $1 o everything
else. DJs of The NeedlExchange will
play music. For more details, visit
rockandrollhoteldc.com.
Green Lantern (1335 Green Ct., N.W.)
hosts Boom Neon, a black light dance
party, tonight at 10 p.m. Guests should
wear underwear or other clothing that
is blacklight reactive. DJ David Merrill will
play music for the night. Drink specials
are all night and will include $4 Bud
and Bud Light, $4 Fireball shots and $5
Smirno. Cover is $5. There will be a
free coat check. For more details, visit
greenlanterndc.com.
Ladies First Entertainment hosts
a champagne launch party for its new
monthly ladies party at Bachelors Mill
(1104 8th St., S.E.) tonight from 10 p.m.-3
a.m. The theme is camouage. The new
monthly parties will be the last Friday of
each month. For more information, visit
bachelorsmill.com.

SATURDAY, APRIL 25
Burgundy Crescent, a gay volunteer
organization, volunteers for Food and
Friends (219 Riggs Rd., N.E.) today from
8-10 a.m. Volunteers will chop vegetables
and pack groceries. To volunteer, email
jonathan@burgundycrescent.org.
For
more details, visit burgundycrescent.org.
Universal Gear (1919 14th St., N.W.)
hosts its 22nd anniversary party today
from 2-6 p.m. There will be live music,
drinks and fashion models. There will also
be a sale with 15 percent o all full-priced
merchandise. For more information, visit
facebook.com/like.universalgear.
CTRL
celebrates
its
three-year
anniversary with its anniversary party
Wigs and Mustachio at Town (2009 8th
St., N.W) tonight at 11 p.m. DJ Adam
Koussari-Amin, DJ Devon Trotter and DJ
Je Prior will play music for the night. For
more information, visit towndc.com.
Blackbird, a lm that tells the story
of an African-American choir boy who
comes out in his small Baptist town, is
playing at multiple theaters in the area

TUESDAY, APRIL 28
Bachelors Mill has half-price drinks all
night long from 5 p.m.-2 a.m.tonight. They
also have pool, video gaming systems and
cards. Admission is free. For more details,
visit bachelorsmill.com.
Human Rights Campaign will hold
a rally in support of the plaintis for
the marriage equality case Obergefell v.
Hodges at the United States Supreme
Court building (1 1st St., N.E.) today from
9 a.m.-noon. For more information, visit
action.hrc.org.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29

D.C. Gurly Show presents Over the

Rainbow, a burlesque brunch, at the Bier
Baron Tavern (1523 22nd St., N.W.) today
at 1 p.m. The burlesque will be in the
theme of The Wizard of Oz. Performers
will be Myster E, Phenoix King, Anna
Steasya, Lyndi Luxe and more. Tickets
for brunch, show and one beer are $22
in advance and $25 at the door. Tickets
for show only are $13 in advance and $15
at the door. For more information, visit
dcgurlyshow.com.

Whitman-Walker Health and the D.C.

Coalition Against Domestic Violence hold
a discussion group on intimate partner
violence in the LGBT community at the
D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.) Issues
discussed will be healthy dating and how
to leave an abusive relationship. Dinner
will be provided. For more details, visit
thedcenter.org.
The Lambda Bridge Club meets
tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Dignity Center
(721 8th St., S.E.) for duplicate bridge. No
reservations required and new comers
welcome. If you need a partner, call
703-407-6540.
The D.C. Center and Professionals
in the City present Speed Dating for
Women in their 30s and 40s, for lesbian
and bisexual women, at Finn and Porter
(900 10th St., N.W.) tonight from 7-9 p.m.
For an hour spend a few minutes one a
date with each attendee in a one-on-one
setting. Afterwards there will be a mixer
to spend more time with the daters. After
the event, you can use an online system
at home to choose your matches and
message those you are interested in.
Check-in is at 7 p.m. and dating begins
at 7:20 p.m. There will be a cash bar. For
more information, visit thedccenter.org.

MONDAY, APRIL 27

THURSDAY, APRIL 30

The D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.)

hosts coee drop-in hours this morning
from 10 a.m.-noon for the senior LGBT
community. Older LGBT adults can
come and enjoy complimentary coee
and conversation with other community
members. For more information, visit
thedccenter.org.
Us Helping Us (3636 Georgia Ave.,
N.W.) holds a support group for gay black
men to discuss topics that aect them,
share perspectives and have meaningful
conversations. For details, visit uhupil.org.

Nellies Sports Bar (900 U St., N.W.)

hosts its weekly Beat the Clock Happy
Hour tonight from 5-8 p.m. Drink specials
start at $2 and increase by a dollar
each hour. For more information, visit
nelliessportsbar.com.
SMYAL (410 7th St., S.E.) hosts
Womens Leadership Institute, a group
for LBT women and their straight allies
ages 13-21 to discuss female sexuality,
relationships and womens rights today
from 5-7 p.m. For more information, visit
smyal.org.

PHOTO COURTESY OF 135TH STREET

MONIQUE and JULIAN WALKER in a scene from Blackbird. It opens today in the region.

starting today. The lm stars MoNique

and Julian Walker. Arclight Bethesda
(7101 Democracy Blvd., Bethesda, Md.),
Angelika Film Center (2911 District Ave.,
Fairfax, Va.) and AMC Magic Johnson
Capital Center 12 (800 Shoppers Way,
Largo, Md.) have screenings planned.

SUNDAY, APRIL 26
Where the Girls Go presents a Ladies
Tea Dance at Dodge City D.C. (917 U St.,
N.W.) today from 3-8 p.m. DJ Vanniety
Kills will provide music. Drink specials will
be $3 Miller High Life, $5 vodka lemonade
and $5 rail drinks. Sausages will also be
served including vegetarian options.
For more details, visit facebook.com/
wherethegirlsgo.
Nellies Sports Bar (900 U St., N.W.) hosts a
drag brunch today with one show at 10:30
a.m. and another at 12:30 p.m. For more
information, visit nelliessportsbar.com.
Perrys (1811 Columbia Rd., N.W.) hosts
its weekly Sunday Drag Brunch today
from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The cost is $24.95
for an all-you-can-eat buet. For more
details, visit perrysadamsmorgan.com.

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

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

38 A PR IL 24, 2015

A D V I CE

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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
Michael@personalgrowthzone.com.

MICHAEL,
I am almost always the one who
initiates sex in my relationship. If I dont,
it doesnt happen. Because I like having
sex, I dont let it go too long. But if I didnt
initiate, I think wed have sex twice a year.
Joe and I are about the same age (mid-30s)
and have been together three years. When I
do initiate, the sex is good and he seems to
enjoy it, so its not like his libido is fading.
Ive brought this up to him but havent
gotten anywhere. No surprise, he sees the
situation dierently. He claims he initiates
more frequently than I give him credit for.
He also says that because I want sex more
than he does, I always beat him to the
punch by initiating so often.
In fairness, when we have sex I like
being more the top and being the initiator
is a part of this role. But I want to feel like
Joe really wants to have sex with me, not
just that he is happy to go along with it
when I start something.
Lately Im getting resentful. I raised this
issue with him, he knows its important to
me and nothing has changed. I decided to
just wait till he initiates, to prove a point,
but now I am totally focusing on this issue
and getting mad. I brought up couples
therapy and he said no. He thinks were
doing ne. Any pointers?
MICHAEL REPLIES:
Its tough not to get what you want
from your partner, but everyone who
is coupled faces this at points. Now you
must gure out what you want to do.
Is this a deal-breaker issue? Do you
want to end the relationship if Joe doesnt
start initiating more? As you contemplate
your answer, please consider more than
this one issue. You havent told me much

about your relationship, other than that

the sex is good when you have it. So I
dont know if there are other ways that
that you enjoy your life with Joe, whether
you feel valued or whether the two of you
respect and care about each other, all
key considerations when evaluating your
relationship as a whole.
Im curious what you make of Joes not
initiating and what it means to you to be
uncertain that Joe wants you. Do you tell
yourself that youre not sexy enough, not
a good enough lover or an inadequate
partner in some ways?
If youre thinking along those lines, I
understand why you badly want Joe to
start initiating more. However, the reality
is that he may not change. So rather than
counting on Joe to help you feel better,
youve got to nd ways to feel more
solid about yourself as a lover who is the
primary initiator of sex. Of course, you
can also keep advocating for what you
want. But take a dierent tack: Coming at
this punitively by withholding sex is a bad
idea, as youre discovering. Keeping score
never brings people closer. Instead, focus
on what you would like and on making
clear to Joe why it is important to you.
Do you think that Joe is stingy with
aection? Scared to make the rst move?
Maybe he doesnt want to make himself
vulnerable by letting you know he wants
you and then possibly face your rejection?
Or maybe he doesnt even allow himself to
acknowledge his desire for you, to avoid
feeling needy or dependent? Do you think
he is simply lazy, so hes ne with you doing
all the work? Im encouraging you to think
about how his choices dont necessarily
reect whom you are and need not dictate
how you feel about yourself.
To Joe, and all the Joes reading this:
The questions I just raised are ones that
you would do well to grapple with. Dont
hide behind the illusion that you would
make a move if only your partner gave
you the time and space to do so. While
it can be hard to deal with your partner
shaking things up or asking for things that
are beyond your comfort zone, thats life
when youre part of a couple. And while
theres no law that says you must accede
to your partners requests, its worth
having a better reason than fear, anxiety
or laziness for saying no.
I understand you dont think theres
a problem, but if your partner has a
problem, you do, too.
Rather than
opposing him, consider collaborating
on a relationship that is challenging and
rewarding for both of you.

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

A P RI L 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 3 9

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40 A PR IL 24, 2015

SP O RT I N I N D . C.

PHOTO BY CLIFF BETITA

BEN TAKAI competing at the IGLA World Championships in Honolulu in 2011.

Dearth of opportunities in
region remain in some sports
By KEVIN MAJOROS
About 40 local LGBT sports teams and
clubs gathered for the annual Team D.C.
SportsFest. The event, held April 9, is an
opportunity for the teams to recruit new
athletes and a chance for members to mingle.
Washington is home to one of the
largest LGBT sports communities in the
world, but there are still a few major
sports missing from the local oerings.
Last summer at the 2014 Cleveland/Akron
Gay Games, Team D.C. sent athletes in close
to 25 sports and medaled in 18 of those
sports. Wrestling, ice hockey and diving are
just a few of the sports that had no local
representation. There was one local athlete
in the wrestling oshoot sport of grappling.
While ice hockey and wrestling
are denitely more popular in the
Midwestern and northern United States,
diving is contested all across the country.
The LGBT masters divers who compete
nationally are spread out in various cities
and train with straight teams.
New York City and Paris are home to
the largest LGBT diving communities
in the world. Croft Vaughn is the head
diving coach for Team New York Aquatics
and he was recruited in 2010 to launch its
LGBT diving program.
Vaughn says its hard to have an LGBT
masters diving team outside of a large
metropolitan area, but not impossible.
Most of the masters divers are former
competitors who want to stay active in
the community and train to keep their
form and technique, Vaughn says. The
inexperienced divers who come in are
looking to discover something new.
Competitions available for the LGBT diving
community include the annual International
Gay & Lesbian Aquatics Championships, the
Gay Games, the World OutGames and the
EuroGames. Most of the LGBT divers also
compete in straight competitions.
In the platform portion of the sport,
USA Diving has set rules as precautionary
measures for the masters divers who hit

speeds of 30 mph when they dive o the

10-meter platform.
Dives with higher degrees of diculty
are only permitted o the 5 meter and 7
meter platforms, says Vaughn. For that
reason, you dont see many dives o the
10-meter platform in masters diving.
The obstacles for someone who wants
to start a diving team includes access
to facilities, coaching and the dreaded
Speedo, he says.
It isnt a sport that you can practice on
your own, so you need good coaching,
says Vaughn. Another hindrance is
convincing people who have been heavily
socialized to wear a speedo and put their
bodies in awkward positions.
Locally, there are masters diving teams
at the Montgomery Dive Club and the
Alexandria Dive Club. Both clubs oer
access to good facilities and coaching.
Ben Takai grew up in Montgomery
County and began his sports career in
gymnastics at age 7. When a visiting Soviet
coach pointed out that he was going to
be too tall for the sport, he switched to
diving and swimming.
The coachs words turned out to be
prophetic as Takai grew to 6 feet, 3 inches
and went on to become an all-American diver
and swimmer at Watkins Mill High School.
Springboard divers are generally known
for their strength and power, Takai says.
Judges are looking for long lines in platform
diving, so that event suited me because of
my height and thin stature.
Takai, 33, also competed as an out diver
at Bates College in Lewiston, Me., and
post-college joined the Montgomery Dive
Club to train for one last competition.
As part of the contingent from the District
of Columbia Aquatics Club, Takai traveled
to Honolulu for the 2011 International Gay
and Lesbian World Championships where
he won three gold medals in diving and
three gold medals in swimming.
He is no longer diving and points to
several reasons including the wear and
tear on ones body from the sport.
I have accomplished many fantastic
things in diving and dont feel the need
to compete again, says Takai. However,
there are many possibilities in this world.

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

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4 2 A PRI L 2 4 , 2 0 15

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

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A P RI L 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 4 3

REALESTATE

The open house: A love story

Answering ood of
questions from buyers
and the curious
By VALERIE M. BLAKE
Visiting open houses has become somewhat of a national pastime. Not only do
you get a sense of the architecture and the
prices of each neighborhood, but you may
also get decorating and remodeling ideas
for that xer-upper that has a more pursepleasing price. We have HGTV and the Property Brothers to thank for some of that.
As agents, we try to capture the right
day (on a weekend) and the right time
(when the sun oods the kitchen with
light) to entice buyers into the home. We
encourage our sellers to dress it up like
a model so that it will get accolades (and
oers) from the viewing public. There is
also a chance that we will meet people
who have not yet entered the market full
bore, hoping that we can become their
guide down the path of homeownership.
As I write this, I sit in the living room
at my open house quietly tapping on my
laptop. Each time the front door opens,
I rise to introduce myself and extend my
hand. Im Valerie, I smile and say, Welcome! Please take a moment to sign in
and help yourself to a ier. Have a look
around and let me know if I can answer
any questions.
I know that at the end of my time here,

the sign-in sheet will have names without

other information, phone numbers that
arent any good and email addresses scribbled in haste, challenging me to decipher
them. On some lines, I will see the names of
my colleagues written by those buyers who
have been instructed by their agents to use
their name or leave their card.
Some of my visitors have found the open
house online, some through their agents
and still others from the signs I have put
up along adjacent streets, pointing the way.
Neighbors also stop in. I can tell who didnt
plan to stop by in advance from one question alone: How much is it?
I dont put the price on my iers any longer. I ceased including it in 2008 to avoid
having to reprint marketing materials when
a price drop occurred. Now, with the market heading back in the other direction, it
might be considered crass to say, the list
price is X but my seller will be happy to
take $50,000 more if there are multiple offers, so I simply leave it out.
I stop typing for a moment and listen
to the conversations in the background.
What a beautiful house! Hmmm. Not
sure I would have chosen that color.
Look, honey. It has a fenced yard. And
the inevitable, What were they thinking?
I giggle and remind myself that if everyone liked the same thing I would very
quickly go out of business.
Usually in a 1-4 p.m. window, people
tend to arrive in batches, allowing me to
make a phone call or two during any dead
time, but today, the trac is non-stop. Its

nally warm but windy and just a little bit

overcast. A nice enough day for people to
go out, but not so nice as to send them
outside the city or to outdoor events that
call louder to them than an open house.
Some people are just taking the house
for a spin and are in and out quickly. Others spend considerable time there and
want answers to questions that fair housing laws and duciary duties prohibit me
from answering.
I discuss improvements in the neighborhood with long-time residents, describe the dierent commuting routes to
newcomers and help a father teach his
daughter to shake hands by allowing her
jelly-covered ngers to connect briey
with my clean ones.
As I approach the conclusion of my time

here, a car rounds the corner and the driver

shouts out, How much? Are you closed?
He circles around the block three times trying to decide whether to park and come in,
but by then, I am suciently nonplussed by
his presence to have removed my sign and
closed the door.
And thus ends the love story of the day.
As the buyers return home to sort through
the iers they picked up, look over their
notes and contact their agents, I congratulate myself on a good day and reach for
you guessed it the bottle of hand sanitizer that I keep in my car. Until next time.
VALERIE M. BLAKE can be reached at 202-2468602 or Valerie@DCHomeQuest.com. Each
Keller Williams Realty oce is independently
owned and operated. Equal Housing Opportunity.

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DaVE lloYD & aSSoCiatES

4701 Old Dominion Drive Arlington, VA 22207

703-593-3204 WWW.DAVELOYD.NET

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

Lake Barcroft year round vacation living!

J U S T 7 M I L E S T O D C , FA L L S C H U R C H S H I D D E N G E M !
Lake Barcroft offers a peaceful oasis just a short commute to DC, Arlington and Tysons
Corner. Residents enjoy swimming, boating and fishing on their private lake! This
welcoming neighborhood has it all concerts, social clubs, parades, parties and more!

Lisa DuBois
Broker/Owner, CRS, ABR
703.350.9595
www.3408GreentreeDr.com | $878,000
4br/3.5ba with spacious contemporary addition!

lisa@chrissyandlisa.com

www.3801WhisperingLn.com | $849,900
Stunning 5br/3ba contemporary with 2-car garage!

chrissyandlisa.com
EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE
EXCELLENT RESULTS

RE/MAX by invitation
4784 Lee Hwy
Arlington, VA 22207
703.677.8730

www.3718WoodlandCir.com | $779,000
Renovated & updated 5br/3ba!

www.6401CavalierCorridor.com | $765,000
Tastefully updated 4br/3ba rambler!

1517 Bay Dr., ShaDy SiDe, MD

Unlimited water views and serenity!
3/4BR, 2.5BA. no maintenance
landscaping. Easy commuting!
$579,900

LinDa Miko

Long and Foster

410-562-0660 (c)
410-260-2800 (o)

Prime Time reALTOr

Valerie M. Blake

While enjoying The View

from the balcony, he smiled
and then he said with Glee,
I found the perfect place for
me because I hired Valerie.
Dupont Circle Office 202.243.7700 (o)
202.246.8602 (c) Valerie@DCHomeQuest.com

www.DCHomeQuest.com

Associate Broker, GRI

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- Including Regular & Adult Must Be Received
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Place your housing to sharead online at

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and the ad prints free in the paper and online.*
*25 words or less prints free - anything more is $1/word.

W A SH I NGTO N B LA DE.C OM

SHARE ADS
ARE FREE

Place your
housing to share
ad online at
washingtonblade.com
and the ad prints free in
the paper and online.*
*25 words or less prints free - anything more is $1/word.

MASSAGE / CERTIFIED
BEST MASSAGE by male certified
therapist. Soothing Swedish; deeptissue; stress & pain release. Safe
Atmosphere in Annandale, VA, almost
right off I-395. Days/Eve/Wkend. In/
Out calls. Hotels welcome. Call Marval
(703) 568-6348.\

REFRESH & RELAX IN

ROSSLYN. Certified
massage therapist
available. Call or text
Gary w/ your name at
301-704-1158 or visit

www.mymassagebygary.com.

EMPLOYMENT
LOCKER ROOM ATTENDANTS
NEEDED! The Crew Club, a gay mens
naturist gym & sauna, is now hiring
Locker Room Attendants. We all
scrub toilets & do heavy cleaning. You
must be physically able to handle the
work & have a great attitude doing
it. No drunks/druggies need apply.
Please call Richard at (202) 319-1333.
from 9-5pm, to schedule an interview.

COUNSELING
CHANGES ARE EASIER WITH
HELP. Small, private practice
group of experienced, caring
therapists.Safe, confidential
setting. Offices in Woodley Park &
Takoma Park near Metro.Licensed
professionals.Insurance
reimbursable.Washington
Therapy Guild. Call 202-483-2660.
washingtontherapyguild.com.
LGBTQ AFFIRMING THERAPY at
Dupont Circle Individuals, couples,
families, adolescents. Over 15
years serving the community. Mike
Giordano, LICSW. 202/460-6384
mike.giordano.msw@gmail.com.
www.WhatIHearYouSaying.com.

COUNSELING FOR GAY MEN.

Individual/couple counseling w/
volunteer peer counselor. Gay Mens
Counseling Community since 1973.
202-580-8861. gaymenscounseling.
org. No fees, donation requested.

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SALE / MARYLAND

LEGAL SERVICES
FULL SERVICE LAW FIRM
Representing the GLBT community
for over 30 years. Family adoptions,
estate planning, immigration,
employment. (301) 891-2200.Silber,
Perlman, Sigman & Tilev, P.A. www.
SP-Law. com.
ADOPTION & ASSISTED
REPRODUCTIVE Law Attorney Jennifer
Fairfax represents clients in Maryland
& D.C. interested in adoption or ART
matters.301-221-9651,JFairfax@
jenniferfairfax.com.

LIMOUSINES / DRIVERS
KASPERS LIVERY SERVICE BMW 740LI
Luxury Sedan Service; Hourly, Point
to Point & Special Airport Transfer
Rates! Gay & Veteran Owned! http://
www.KasperLivery.com Phone 202554-2471 or 800-455-2471.

PHOTOGRAPHY
STEVE OTOOLE
PHOTOGRAPHY Fine
Art Photographer for
portraits, weddings &
dating photos for
the internet.
Call (703) 532-3031.

www.steveotoolephotography.com.

PETS

CLEANING
FERNANDOS CLEANING:
Residential & Commercial Cleaning,
Reasonable Rates, Free Estimates,
Routine, 1-Time, Move-In/Move-Out.
(202) 234-7050, 202-486-6183.
TOO NEAT GUYS INC. Residential
& Commercial cleaning in DC
& Northern VA. Over 20 years
experience, gay owned, licensed,
bonded & insured. Email: tooneat@
comcast.net, (703) 622-5983.
MAID TO CLEAN. Gay owned.
Serving DC/VA since 1996. We
provide 1x, move/in, move/out,
recurring service. We love pets &
your dirt! (703)299-0101. Visit us at
maidtoclean.com.

CAPITOL HILL furnished or

unfurnished rooms for rent in well
appointed townhome. 2 1/2 blocks from
Eastern Market Metro. Finished single
BR for $795+utilities. Also a huge 18 x
30 unfurnished room with southern
exposure $1095.+ utilities. Available
immediately. Call Dr. Wes 202-544-5688.

BRITISH REMODELING HANDYMAN

Local licensed company with over 25
years of experience. Specializing in
bathrooms, kitchens & all interior/exterior
repairs. Drywall, paint, electric & wallpaper.
Trevor 703-303-8699.

HEATING / COOLING

PAINTERS

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

SHARE / DC

HANDYMAN /
IMPROVEMENTS

$1,700 SPRING REBATE, get up to

a $1,700 rebate on a qualifying new
Lennox heating and cooling system
from Magnolia Plumbing, Heating &
Cooling. Call 202-829-8510 today.
www.magnoliaplumbing.com.

PLACE YOUR CLASSIFIEDS ONLINE

HEATING / COOLING

FINESSE INTERIOR/
EXTERIOR PAINTING.
Chalkboard & Dry Erase
paint. Wood Staining.
Plaster Repairs. Pressure
Cleaning. Free Estimates.
Elmer 240-462-3760.

SHARE / DE
TREE SERVICE
BRANCHES - FULL SERVICE Tree
Expert Company. Certified Arborists,
pruning, insect & disease diagnosis,
treatment & removal. 301-589-6181.
www.BranchesTreeExperts.com.
Angies List Award Winner 09, 10,
11, 12.

MOVERS
OUR GUYS AROUND TOWN
MOVERS. Professional Moving &
Storage. Let Our Guys Do The
Heavy Lifting. Mention the Blade
for 10% off of our regular rates.
Call today 202.734.3080. www.
ourguysatmovers.com.

Rehoboth Summer Shares Full

& half shares available. Victoria Square
Townhomes, east of Rt1. Walk to town
and the beach. Contact Pete 609-4257849. Pete.komar@comcast.net.
REHOBOTH SEASONAL ROOM
Summer Rental---reasonable rate
in a quiet setting, close proximity to
beach, downtown & outlets. Inquire
by email rbflamingo@comcast.net.

SHARE / MD
WALK TO ROCKVILLE METRO
Basement w/ private entrance, private
full bathroom, W/W carpet, kitchenette, 1
parking space. All utilities included + wifi +
cable. $800 monthly + 1 month security
deposit. Background check. sonera66@
yahoo.com.

DEADLINES

ENHANCE YOUR AD WITH OUR UPGRADES

PICTURES
BOLD TEXT
LARGE TEXT
COLOR
AND MORE
CONTACT US AT 202-747-2077

All Classified Ads

- Including Regular & Adult Must Be Received
By Mondays at 5PM
So They Can Be Included
in That Weeks Edition of
Washington Blade and
washingtonblade.com

4 6 A PRI L 2 4 , 2 0 15

SHARE / VA
WOODBRIDGE,MBR single-family
home between Quantico & Ft. Belvoir.
Beautifully renov. walk-out bsmt. BR
w/ priv. full bath. Singles only. $900/
month. 703-798-3955.

REAL ESTATE AGENTS

HOME BUYER BONUS! Top LGBT

Realtors Represent Buyers FREE!
Plus up to $2,500 Cash Back at
Closing. www.GayRealEstate.com or
1.888.420.MOVE (6683).

REAL ESTATE/
COMMERCIAL
GAY CAMPGROUND FOR SALE in
beautiful hills of WV. Established
campground with RV, Tent ,guest
rooms and cabins. $530,000.00
304.577.9347 www.LongFork.com

RENT / DC
SW CAP. PARK 2BR, 2 story
garden apt w/renovated kit &
bath, full size w/d, wood flrs. Walk to
dwntwn, metro, mall, Nats stadium,
shopping, restaurants, museums,
Starbucks. Pking space. $2200/mo 1
yr, $2100/mo 2 yr. Peg Schaake, H.A.
Gill, 202.369.4714.
LOVELY SUN FILLED CONDO in SE
Top floor, private balcony, stainless
steel appliances, hardwood floors
throughout, crown molding, free
laundry for tenants, well maintained
and move in ready! $1,100. shonda@
entrusteddevelopment.com

RENT / MD
BEAUTIFUL, HISTORIC HOME in
downtown Frederick. Gourmet
kitchen, hardwood floors, 2 fireplaces,
2 bedrooms with 2 full baths, private
yard. Available May 1. $2000/month.
Call 240-481-5058.
PLACE YOUR CLASSIFIEDS ONLINE

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

RENT / VA
FALLS CHURCH, TOWNHOUSE
Secluded tranquil enclave of elegant
townhomes within walking distance
of the WEST FC MTRO, 4 BEDRM,
Renovated with a Moroccan flair. No
Pets or smokers. 703 528 6635.

SALE / MD
GREENBELT METRO
-- GREENBRIAR
CONDOMINIUM
1347 Square Feet,
3 Big Bedrooms, 2 Full
Baths, Formal
Dining ! Separate
Family Room!
Newly remodeled !
Sunken Living Room !
Private Balcony !
REQUEST ONLINE
PHOTOS
LARRY PERRIN REALTOR
(301) 983-0601
LJPerrin@aol.com.
MONTGOMERYVILLAGE
TOWNHOMES - REQUEST
ONLINE PHOTOS!
-$256,995 - 3 Level!3
Bedrooms! 2 - 1/2 Baths!
Huge Basement Family
Room!
-$349,995 - Garage!3 BRs!
2 - 1/2 Baths! Terrific
Basement Family Room!
-FOR RENT Only $1500
3-Level Townhome,3
Bedrooms, 2 1/2 Baths!
LARRY PERRIN REALTOR
(301) 983-0601
LJPerrin@aol.com.

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

ENHANCE YOUR
AD WITH OUR
UPGRADES
PICTURES
BOLD TEXT
LARGE TEXT
COLOR
AND MORE
CONTACT US AT
202-747-2077
VERY PRIVATE BLACK Male Top
seeks very private middle eastern
bottom for memorable encounters.
Please call 202-230-2762.

BODYWORK
SWEDISH/DEEP
TISSUE/SENSUAL

Massage - relaxed environment by

CMT, 59, 165lbs. NEW TABLE. David

(202)-42one-8900. dcack@hotmail.
com. Cleveland Park metro.
EROTIC SWEDISH MASSAGE healthy clean cut guy, 61, 160 lbs,
Dupont Circle, massage table, noon
to 1:00 a.m., indulge your body. $70
for 1 hour. Bill 202-728-0238. No text
messages.

AFFORDABLE MASSAGE by friendly

& intuitive Latin male, in relaxing,
priv. studio just 15 min from DC
inArlington. Plenty of Parking.Same
day appts, 703-401-9093 or
a2006mx@yahoo.com.

Tidy Tony NUDE House Keeper

Housework and chores done at your
request NUDE, (special requests
accommodated) handsome,
masculine, bubble butt guy, flex
schedule, MD, DC, VA Email/text for

BLONDE GI 511 165 lbs 32 waist,

8 & cut. Can do in calls & will do out
calls depending where you are. I am
located in Alexandria. Call 703-5992668 ask for Eli.

details: tidytonyhousecleaning@aim.
com, 443-875-8641.

ESCORTS
DESIRE TO SATISFY, caucasian,
clean, professional, discrete and safe.
Lets meet for a drink or at your place.
Love older men. 301-284-0690, gift of 150

WOMENS PERSONALS

appreciated, outcalls.

GWF, SOFT BUTCH, attractive,

blue eyes, brown hair. I walk three
miles every day. I like movies, music,
playing cards, tv and pizza. ISO GWF
attractive, feminine, for friendship
and a long term relationship. If you
are interested, call Debbie 703-3683618.

Never hired before? Get tips

for a good experience here: http://
beforeyoucome.blogspot.com
Custom bodywork! Quality
massage by a nationally certified
masseur. Exceptional deep tissue
& sensual bodywork for total stress
relief in private studio. 4 Hand

MENS PERSONALS
LATIN BOTTOM attractive, HIV
neg., 50 years old, 170 lbs, 510,
looking for 35 - 57 men. HIV Neg.
handsome, masculine, top, well
endowed, friendship & relationship.
Call 301-646-4275. Leave a msg
please.

Massage Available. Parking available,

2.5 blocks to Metro on the Hill. Call
Erik 202-544-7905. No texts. In calls
only. Intro Special $99.00 Reg. $130.
THE MAGIC TOUCH: Swedish,
Massage or Deep Tissue. Appts 202486-6183, Low Rates, 24/7, In-Calls.

ADULT ENTERTAINER Man to Man

Fantasy Massage By Lee aka Yummy.
Smooth, Hot Body, Fit 59, 150 Lbs,
30 W., Hun - Asian Descent, 24/7, In/
Out. 703-507-8742 / 412-628-1269.

SPECIAL LATINO
TOUCH

5 9, 170 lbs, Offering full body

relaxing, release on my professional
table, in a private atmosphere. In/out.
Parking Available, hotels welcome,
DC/MD/VA, 24/7. Call Lucas, 240-4628669, fromlucas@yahoo.com.

The Blacklist Site Real Recourse

for Male Escorts & Masseurs.
(Now a National service) http://
BlackListedJohn.com.

PHONE LINE
M4M Hot Phone!!!
http://bit.ly/1D37hoW
9PM-1AM or by appt
1-800-863-5478 ext.10672633

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

A P RI L 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 4 7

WARNING
HOT GUYS!
2013 winner
american graphic design award
for publication design
(official capital pride guide)

Washington

2014 winner
american graphic design award
for publication design
(runwashington magazine)

202.822.1666
Arlington

703.373.1000
Baltimore

410.468.4000
A D V E RT I S I N G
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ISSUE DATE: 04.18.14

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