Washington Blade - May 1, 2015

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‘A great day for equality’ Supreme Court hears marriage cases

PAGES 14-18

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

‘CROSSROADS’

THEY’RE SORRY

DON’T LABEL HER

LGBT activists respond to week of protests, riots that rocked Baltimore.

Wealthy gay hoteliers apologize after hosting reception for Ted Cruz.

Actress Maria Bello on her new book and pain of typecasting.

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

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 city’s 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.

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LO CA L N E W S

Baltimore at a ‘crossroads’ after riots LGBT activists respond to violence

By STEVE CHARING The riots and looting that rocked Baltimore this week impacted the entire city and LGBT leaders were quick to weigh in on the issues of poverty and police violence that triggered protests that began last week.

The death of Freddie Gray, a 25-yearold black man who died on April 19 from a severe injury to his spinal cord sustained while in police custody, raised questions about police procedures that resulted in protests in the city. By Monday, the protests turned violent, with widespread rioting and arson; at least 20 officers were injured, 144 cars were burned along with 19 buildings.

That day, Baltimore high school students learned of a “purge”— referring to a film in which crime is legal — on social media and groups descended upon Mondawmin Mall in Northwest Baltimore.

They proceeded to nearby streets where they lit vehicles on fire, looted local businesses and burned down a CVS store among other structures. Gov. Larry Hogan issued a State of Emergency for Baltimore, and Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake called for a week-long curfew effective Tuesday night.

Scenes of the fires, looting and destruction that began on the day Freddie Gray was laid to rest were shown all over the world. Many businesses including those that are LGBT-owned have been affected by the disturbances and the curfew and curtailed their hours.

Baltimore’s LGBT community is diverse and not shy about expressing its opinions.

Clearly, there is anger and frustration.

Some prefer peaceful solutions; others are more militant.

Joel Tinsley-Hall, the first AfricanAmerican executive director of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of Baltimore and Central Maryland (GLCCB), explained that the death of Freddie Gray goes beyond police brutality.

“As far as the events since Mr. Gray’s death, I fully support the peaceful protests. Through peaceful means we can begin good conversations that will bring forth real solutions to address a broken system. A system that for too long has held in place lines of separation between various groups based on race, ethnicity, age, sexual identity and orientation and the list goes on.

“I, of course, condemn those who brought violence to the streets of our city. That is not the path to healing our city and certainly does not do justice to

the memory of Freddie Gray. The ‘thugs’ as Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake called them are bringing even greater harm.

The result of their actions is a further marginalization of the very people and neighborhoods we need to be building up.”

Carlton Smith, executive director of the Center for Black Equity Baltimore and community leader at Moving Maryland Forward Network, noted that peaceful demonstrations are a significant part of black history.

“I’m very devastated by the activities of this week and the media also reporting on riots,” Smith wrote in an email to the Blade. “Especially, when there were peaceful protesters and marchers who participate in their civil rights movement.

Baltimore is not Ferguson! All LIVES matter especially black LGBTQ lives.

“Constantly, our lives go unnoticed because of who we love. Mia Henderson and so many other black trans individuals’ lives were taken by ruthless criminals and yet the black community didn’t even budge on her murder.

“The LGBTQ community still protests peacefully without tearing down the city.

We are still waiting to hear about her murder. We must have communications with our civic leaders and community stakeholders to set the change we believe that needs to happen without riots. We are civil servants here to serve all of humanity.”

Community activist Rev. Merrick Moises said this week’s developments were inevitable. “Many of us, living and working, in these communities are saddened but not shocked by what happened,” Moises said. “Years of neglect, poor education, mass incarceration, drugs and police brutality have led to this moment.

“We are at a crossroads. The question is how do we meet this profound challenge, to develop our city with equity and compassion? How do we collectively meet the needs of all of Baltimore, leaving no one behind, moving forward collectively and in rhythm with the infinite potential and purpose of humanity?”

Jabari Lyles, co-chair and education manager for GLSEN Baltimore, and a resident of Reservoir Hill near the epicenter of the riots, expressed anger at the situation.

“I am sad, and I am also fed up. The problems that caused the civil unrest in Baltimore on Monday and last week are problems that have been facing our nation for centuries. I stand with anyone who is ready to address our deeply entrenched tradition of structural and systemic violence against black people in America.

“It is time for us as social justice advocates and activists, the ones who

A scene from last week’s peaceful protests that followed the death of Freddie Gray.

PHOTO BY VEGGIES; COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

accurately interpret systemic oppression, to merge our movements, and realize that we are ALL up against the same, wielding power and privilege that continues to limit the idea that we, minorities and allies alike, are secondary citizens fighting for benign causes.”

Cecil County resident Samantha Master, a youth and campus engagement manager at HRC, has family in Baltimore.

She directed her anger toward the local government as well as at black people who defend the police.

“I am livid—not equally livid to the amount of disgust and anger I feel at the state, but livid nonetheless—at black people who themselves have been harassed, accosted and assaulted by police, have bore witness to the deplorable and inhumane conditions that black people in Baltimore City have been forced to live under, and whose self, sons and/or daughters frequent the space where Freddie Gray was killed trip all over themselves to defend the police and to deride and mock people’s anger and frustration.

“You are being criminalized. Your babies are being killed and criminalized.

Your schools are tools of criminalization, and yet you lambast your children for putting their bodies on the line and screaming ‘enough!’”

Master added in an email, “If you can honor Stonewall via prides—which is the commemoration of a riot—then surely you can elevate your analysis to think through why black people might be livid

to be CONSISTENTLY unjustly murdered in the street with no explanation and no accountability. Surely we can walk and chew bubble gum at the same time.”

Carrie Evans, executive director of Equality Maryland who has lived in Baltimore with her wife for 10 years, also said existing problems in the city sparked the reactions.

“What is happening in Baltimore, both the peaceful protests and the lawless behavior of some people, is a response to deep-seated systemic problems that many don’t want to hear about, let alone deal with.

“A history of distrust and mistreatment between the Baltimore Police Department and the black community, a city with history of deep divides between racial groups that still exists and is manifested in disturbing levels of residential segregation and a public education system that has been abandoned by many of the city’s non-black residents and a city with alarming rates of poverty and lack of opportunities for many of its residents.

“What we are seeing is our city and the people who call it home, screaming out in pain to all of these realities. These realties will not change in a week, but all of us who live here will continue the fight to dismantle these realities. Our city and its leaders and residents are tenacious and while this is a very trying time for all of us, we will not be deterred from our commitment to our city and doing all that we can to change its realities.”

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GLAA celebrates 44th anniversary

D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine, City Council Chair Phil Mendelson (D-At-Large), and Council member Elissa Silverman (I-At-Large) were among the city officials who turned out on April 23 for the Gay and Lesbian Activist Alliance’s 44th Anniversary celebration and awards ceremony.

GLAA, a non-partisan political Mayor Bowser declared April 23 as the group founded in 1971, is the oldest Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance Day in D.C. continuously active gay and lesbian WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY civil rights organization in the United States.

Sheila Alexander-Reid and Terrance Laney, the director and deputy director of the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, who also attended the event, presented GLAA with an official proclamation from Mayor Muriel Bowser declaring April 23 as the Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance Day in the District of Columbia.

Mendelson, a longtime supporter of LGBT rights, presented a similar resolution on behalf of the City Council.

GLAA President Richard Rosendall and current and former GLAA officers presented the group’s 2015 Distinguished Service Awards to longtime City Council staffer Anne Phelps; black history specialist and HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment advocate Chuck Hicks; and transgender advocate and Democratic Party activist Alexandra Beninda.

GLAA members have credited Phelps with playing an important behind-thescenes role in helping to shepherd through the City Council at least six LGBTrelated bills while serving on the staff of former Council member Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6). She currently serves on the staff of Council member Charles Allen (D-Ward 6), who succeeded Wells.

Hicks has been credited with playing an important role in helping to organize D.C. events surrounding the opening ceremonies of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and the 50th Anniversary celebration of the 1963 March on Washington.

LOU CHIBBARO JR.

Willard Hotel bias case set for public hearing

The D.C. Office of Human Rights has determined that a case in which it made a preliminary finding that the Willard Intercontinental Hotel illegally forced a gay assistant chef out of his job could not be settled between the two parties and will be certified for a trial-like public hearing.

In an April 20 letter, OHR Director Monica Palacio told the attorney representing assistant chef Alberto Vega that efforts to reach a settlement in the case through a conciliation process had failed.

“The matter is therefore being certified to the Commission on Human Rights for a public hearing,” Palacio said in her letter. “The Commission will inform all parties of the date and time of the hearing.”

Vega charges in a discrimination complaint filed with the OHR last year that Willard officials allegedly forced him out of his job after he complained that he was repeatedly subjected to anti-gay harassment and taunts by co-workers and supervisors.

A 15-page Letter of Determination of Probable Cause issued by the OHR on Dec. 17 says Vega, 43, establishes a “prima facie case” that he was subjected to a hostile work environment because of his sexual orientation and was “constructively discharged” from his job in August 2013.

The Willard has declined to comment on Vega’s complaint, saying it never discusses ongoing litigation. But it released a statement to the Washington Blade in January saying it “condemns unlawful discrimination in all forms” and has a policy of holding the “safety, comfort and well-being of our customers and employees as our top priority.”

Under the D.C. Human Rights Act, the Commission on Human Rights is authorized to make a final decision on whether discrimination occurred and what, if any, penalty should be handed down to the party found to have engaged in discrimination.

The Commission reaches its decision on such cases after it conducts an evidentiary hearing open to the public that includes testimony by witnesses.

LOU CHIBBARO JR.

LO CA L N E W S

Todd wins Ward 4 seat; May leads in Ward 8 Marion Barry’s son finishes distant fifth place

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. lchibbaro@washblade.com One of two candidates supported by most of the city’s prominent LGBT activists won his race for the Ward 4 City Council seat Tuesday night while the other held a narrow lead over her closest rival in the race for the Ward 8 Council seat.

Brandon Todd, a former City Council staffer, beat his closest rival by a margin of 42.4 percent to 21.6 percent in an 11-candidate race to capture the Ward 4 seat held by his political mentor, Mayor Muriel Bowser, before Bowser won election as mayor last year.

In the Ward 8 race, attorney and community activist LaRuby May was leading her closest rival, former school board member Trayon White, by 152 votes in a race that also consisted of 11 contenders.

They were competing to succeed Council member and former mayor Marion Barry, who died in November.

White was among five candidates in the Ward 8 race that received a “0” rating from the Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance on LGBT issues. GLAA rates candidates on a scale of -10, the worst possible score, to +10, the highest possible score.

GLAA said it gave White and the other four candidates a zero rating because they failed to return a candidate questionnaire on LGBT related issues and the group had no information about their positions on those issues.

White was also one of six candidates running for the Ward 8 seat that did not show up for a candidates’ forum on LGBT issues organized by the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club, the city’s largest LGBT local political organization.

During his successful campaign in 2011 for a seat on the D.C. State Board of Education White expressed general support for LGBT-related school issues.

The D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics said the race between May and White was too close to call on Tuesday night because there were at least 245 absentee and special or provisional ballots that had not been counted.

Todd and May, who have expressed strong support for LGBT rights, were each endorsed by the Stein Club. They also had the backing of many of the city’s LGBT rights leaders, including most of the LGBT activists who supported Bowser’s campaign for mayor last year.

In a development that surprised some

political observers, Marion Christopher Barry, the son of the former mayor and Council member, finished in fifth place in the Ward 8 Council race Tuesday night, with just 460 votes or 7.2 percent of the total.

Todd and May, who played prominent roles in Bowser’s 2014 mayoral campaign, received strong backing from Bowser in their respective Council races this year.

Bowser’s citywide network of campaign supporters, including LGBT supporters, has been credited with helping Todd and May raise far more money for their campaigns than all of their rivals.

Several of the rival candidates accused Todd and May of having an unfair advantage through Bowser’s support, with some critics saying the two would be beholden to the mayor if elected to the Council.

Todd and May disputed those assertions. Supporters of the two, including their LGBT supporters, argued that Todd and May finished ahead of their rivals because they ran highly professional campaigns that included face-to-face visits with residents in all parts of their respective wards.

Veteran LGBT rights advocate and businessman Everett Hamilton, who served as a campaign adviser to Bowser as well as for Todd and May, noted that Todd served for seven years as then-Council member Bower’s constituent services director. Hamilton said that in performing constituent services work Todd became well known and well liked in Ward 4.

“He was out there every single day knocking on doors and talking to residents of Ward 4,” said Hamilton in discussing Todd’s campaign for the Ward 4 council seat this year. “This victory was not handed to him. He worked for it very hard every single day,” said Hamilton.

Hamilton and Darrin Glymph, an attorney and longtime LGBT rights advocate and Ward 4 resident, each said they are confident that Todd will be a strong ally for the LGBT community.

“If you ask any LGBT person in the ward, they know Brandon Todd,” Glymph told the Blade at Todd’s election night victory party. “He was responsive. He was the one who was responding to emails, to the listserv, to phone calls,” Glymph said in referring to Todd’s work as Bowser’s Ward 4 constituent director.

While stopping by Todd’s election night gathering to congratulate Todd, Bowser told the Blade she, too, credits Todd and May for finishing ahead of their rivals in Tuesday’s election because of their own skills and accomplishments. � CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

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LO CA L N E W S

Police said Mann’s two female housemates found her unconscious and bound in her bedroom after arriving at the home about 3 p.m. on April 17. The Office of the chief Medical Examiner ruled that Mann died of asphyxia by strangulation. Vander Briel was apprehended about two hours later following a manhunt that involved dogs and about 20 police officers, a police spokesperson said.

LOU CHIBBARO JR.

A same-sex marriage opponent stands outside the Foundry United Methodist Church on April 26.

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL K. LAVERS

Blade editor KEVIN NAFF, reporter CHRIS JOHNSON, actress LAVERNE COX and Blade sales and marketing director STEPHEN RUTGERS at Saturday’s dinner.

Blade staffers escort Laverne Cox to White House dinner Actress and Emmy Award-winning producer Laverne Cox attended Saturday’s White House Correspondents Association dinner as the guest of the Washington Blade.

Cox attended for the first time and the event was held one night after Bruce Jenner’s coming out interview on ABC. Cox was in demand, with reporters swamping her with questions about Jenner. Cox told the Blade that she spoke to Jenner by phone after his interview aired and praised Dianne Sawyer’s handling of the questioning. “I think ABC handled it beautifully,” Cox said.

Obama made two gay jokes during the dinner. Referencing Rick Santorum’s comment that he would not attend a same-sex wedding, Obama said, “Gays and lesbians across the country responded, ‘That’s not going to be a problem.’”

And speaking about his close relationship with Vice President Biden, Obama quipped, “I tease Joe sometimes, but he has been at my side for seven years, I love that man. He’s not just a great vice president, he is a great friend. We’ve gotten so close in some places in Indiana, they won’t serve us pizza anymore.”

STAFF REPORTS

Housemate charged in murder of Va. lesbian The New York-based Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network expressed condolences to the family and friends of a lesbian activist and student who was murdered on April 17 in her off-campus home near the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va. Grace Rebecca Mann, 20, was found strangled shortly after she participated in an annual international event on campus created over a decade ago by GLSEN called Day of Silence. The event is aimed at drawing attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment at schools and colleges.

Fredericksburg police have charged one of Mann’s three housemates, Steven Vander Briel, 30, with first-degree murder and abduction in connection with her death. Neither police nor the Office of the Rappahannock County Commonwealth’s Attorney has disclosed whether they have determined a motive for the murder.

“The death of Grace Mann is an unspeakable tragedy and our thoughts go out to her family and friends,” said GLSEN Executive Director Eliza Byard in a statement to the Washington Blade.

Anti-gay activists target D.C. church A handful of same-sex marriage opponents on Sunday protested a church in Northwest D.C. Members of a group that calls itself Official Street Preacher stood outside the Foundry United Methodist Church on the corner of 16th and P Streets, N.W., in Dupont Circle as parishioners arrived for an 11 a.m. service. They held signs that read, among other things, Romans 1:24-32 states “your sin of sodomy is ‘worthy of death’” and “homo sex is sin.”

Ruben Israel told the Washington Blade that he and his fellow protesters were standing outside Foundry to bring “real, true church to these people right here.”

He said they are “most likely” in D.C. because of the oral arguments in the four samesex marriage cases the U.S. Supreme Court heard on Tuesday.

“It’s a shock, it’s an abomination to have a church that presents same-sex marriage,” said Israel. “They can’t produce one example of two men married in the Bible.”

Israel said a man spit in his face, while another “wanted to get physical with him.”

Several officers with the Metropolitan Police Department were standing adjacent to the protesters as parishioners entered the church.

MICHAEL K. LAVERS

W.Va. gay couple attends prom Two gay high school seniors in a small town in West Virginia took a brave step last weekend and attended prom together.

Michael Martin is a senior at Musselman High School in Inwood, W.Va. His boyfriend of four months, Logan Westrope is a senior at Hedgesville High School, another school also in the state’s Berkeley County. Both schools’ proms were held the same night (April 25) but since they’d attended a winter formal dance together at Hedgesville a few months ago, they decided to go to Musselman’s prom. The school is about 75 miles from Washington in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle.

They said the evening went beautifully.

“I was really shy at first,” Martin said. “I wouldn’t dance like the first three songs and then I was just dancing goofy but by the fourth song or so, everybody else was holding their girlfriends’ hands so I felt obligated to hold Logan’s hand too. Then after that, I didn’t really care what people thought. No one really looked at us. When we walked off the dance area, a few friends said, ‘Aww, you guys are so cute, look at you,’ and stuff like that, but we didn’t get any negative comments.”

Martin says Musselman staff deserve credit for not making a big deal of his same-sex date.

“I had to fill out an outside guest form and they didn’t have a single problem with it at all,” he says. “It actually surprised me. I thought they were going to say, ‘No, you have to take a girl,’ but they didn’t.”

JOEY DiGUGLIELMO

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12 • MAY 01, 2015

NATIONAL NEWS

N.D. lawmaker outed on Grindr FARGO, N.D. — A North Dakota man said a state lawmaker who voted against a gay rights measure sent an explicit photo and messages to him.

The Forum, a local newspaper, reported that Dustin Smith, a 21-year-old man from Bismarck, claims state Rep. Randy Boehning (R-Fargo) sent him “sexually suggestive messages” and “an unsolicited photo of his penis” over Grindr using the name Top Man! Smith during an interview with the Forum noted that Boehning recently voted against a bill that would have banned discrimination based on sexual orientation in North Dakota.

The Fargo Republican initially declined to comment on whether he sent the picture and messages to Smith, but he later confirmed that he did.

“That’s what gay guys do on gay sites, don’t they?” Boehning told the Forum.

“That’s how things happen on Grindr. It’s a gay chat site. It’s not the first thing you do on that site. That’s what we do, exchange pics on the site.”

Groups challenge Va. school proposal

The two gay hoteliers who hosted a reception for U.S. Sen. TED CRUZ (R-Texas) have issued apologies.

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

FALLS CHURCH, Va. — Anti-LGBT groups have strongly criticized a proposal that would add gender identity to Fairfax County Public Schools’ non-discrimination policy.

The Washington Post reported that Traditional Values Coalition President Andrea Lafferty on April 23 testified against the proposal that Ryan McElveen, a member of the Fairfax County School Board, introduced. The newspaper said state Dels. Bob Marshall (R-Prince William County) and David LaRock (R-Loudoun County) also spoke against the measure during the same school board meeting.

“We are very concerned that Fairfax County has selected children — the most vulnerable, least powerful people in our county — as lab animals for this experiment,” said Lafferty in a press release from the American Family Association, a Mississippi-based group.

Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring last month said that local school boards have the authority under state law to include sexual orientation and gender identity in their non-discrimination policies.

The Fairfax County School Board is expected to vote on McElveen’s proposal later this month.

Anti-trans measure dies in Florida TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida House of Representatives on April 28 unexpectedly ended its 2015 legislative session without voting on an antitransgender bill that advocates sharply criticized.

Lawmakers adjourned without voting on House Bill 583, a measure that state Rep. Frank Artiles (R-Miami-Dade) introduced in March that would have required people using single-sex public facilities to prove their gender or face arrest. State Sen. Charlie Dean (R-Inverness) introduced an identical measure in the Florida Senate.

Gina Duncan of TransAction Florida described HB 583 as “dehumanizing” after Artiles introduced it.

“This bill invents a problem that simply doesn’t exist,” said Duncan.

“Transgender people need to use the restroom the same as anyone. If anything, we want and need to be protected from undue attention and harassment — not be told we’re committing a crime if someone thinks we’re in the wrong place.”

Members of the Nevada Assembly last month killed a bill that would have required students to use bathrooms corresponding with their biological sex.

The Stafford County School Board in Virginia in March unanimously voted to prevent a trans student from using the bathroom that corresponds with her gender identity. The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Virginia late last year filed a Title IX complaint with the Justice Department on behalf of a trans high school student in Gloucester County who challenged a policy that requires students to use restrooms and locker rooms that correspond to their “biological genders.”

Gay hoteliers apologize for hosting Cruz reception Reisner says he made ‘terrible mistake’

By MICHAEL K. LAVERS mlavers@washblade.com The two gay hoteliers who hosted U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) at their Manhattan apartment have issued apologies.

Ian Reisner on Sunday wrote on his Facebook page that he is “shaken to my bones by the emails, texts, postings and phone calls of the past few days.” He added he made a “terrible mistake” in “accepting a request to co-host a dinner with Cruz at my home without taking the time to completely understand all of his positions on gay rights.”

“I’ve spent the past 24 hours reviewing videos of Cruz’ statements on gay marriage and I am shocked and angry,” wrote Reisner. “I sincerely apologize for hurting the gay community and so many of our friends, family, allies, customers and employees. I will try my best to make up for my poor judgment. Again, I am deeply sorry.”

Mati Weiderpass wrote on his Facebook page that he shares “in Ian’s remorse.”

“I, too, lay humbled with what has happened in the last week,” he wrote. “I made a terrible mistake. Unfortunately, I cannot undo this.”

Reisner owns the Out NYC, a gayoriented hotel on Manhattan’s West Side.

He purchased the Pavilion nightclub,

the Blue Whale and other commercial properties in Fire Island Pines, New York, in January for $10.1 million.

The gay hoteliers issued their respective apologies amid growing calls to boycott the Out NYC and other businesses that they own.

The New York City Gay Men’s Chorus cancelled a fundraiser that was to have taken place at the Out NYC last week. A May 10 fundraiser for Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS that was to have taken place at a nightclub owned by Reisner and Weiderpass has also been cancelled.

Cruz last month officially announced his 2016 White House bid during a speech at Liberty University in Virginia.

The anti-gay Texas Republican introduced two bills seeking to protect states without marriage rights for samesex couples. Cruz in March introduced a resolution that urged Congress to kill a D.C. bill that would protect LGBT students from discrimination in religious schools.

Reisner in a previous Facebook post wrote that he was “given the opportunity to have a candid conversation” with Cruz about Israel, national security and other issues. The gay hotelier noted the Out NYC earlier this year hosted an event in support of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign that drew 900 people.

Sean Verdi, 23, died last October from what police described as a drug overdose after he was found unconscious in a bathtub in Reisner and Weiderpass’ apartment.

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

14 • MAY 01, 2015

NATIONAL NEWS

Historic week as Supreme Court hears marriage cases Unclear how justices might rule; decision expected in June

By CHRIS JOHNSON cjohnson@washblade.com The historic oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court on pending marriage cases involved tough questioning for attorneys on both sides of the litigation.

Forecasting the way the court will rule on the cases challenging marriage bans in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee based on the two-and-a-half hour arguments is difficult because key members of the bench — Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy — wouldn’t give a clear signal of their views.

Kennedy, who wrote several gay rights cases for the Supreme Court, including the 2013 decision against the Defense of Marriage Act, expressed a weariness about a decision instituting the right to gay nuptials across the country.

“This definition has been with us for millennia, and it’s very difficult for the court to say we know better,” Kennedy said.

But Kennedy also offered a contrasting view when John Bursch, the Michigan attorney defending a state’s right to refuse marriage licenses to same-sex couples, delivered his arguments.

Bursch referenced the number of children being born out of wedlock, saying since 1970, the out-of-wedlock birth rate has gone from 10 percent to 40 percent. Kennedy shot back, insisting that statistic — instead of proving the attorney’s point —”cuts quite against” a ban on same-sex marriage.

“Under your view, it would be very difficult for same-sex couples to adopt these children,” Kennedy said.

In a discussion about the benefits of marriage, Kennedy also spoke about same-sex couples wanting access to the institution because it has a “noble purpose” and is a “dignity that can be fulfilled.”

Despite his varying comments, Kennedy has a reputation of being a champion of gay rights during his decades on the bench. It’s hard to see how he would depart from previous rulings to join a decision upholding state bans on samesex marriage.

Roberts, whom some observers see as a potential swing vote in the case, undercut the image of his being sympathetic to same-sex couples early on during his questioning of Mary Bonauto, civil rights director of the New England-based Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders. She argued states shouldn’t be allowed to withhold marriage licenses from samesex couples.

The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the marriage cases on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

“My question is you’re not seeking to join the institution, you’re seeking to change what the institution is,” Roberts said. “The fundamental core of the institution is the opposite-sex relationship and you want to introduce into it a samesex relationship.”

But Roberts also raised the possibility that denying marriage licenses to samesex couples is unconstitutional, asking why the case of a hypothetical couple named Tom and Joe not being able to marry isn’t “a straight-forward question of sexual discrimination.”

Other justices on the court were more consistent with their approaches to samesex marriage during oral arguments, keeping in tune with their reputations as conservative or liberal justices.

U.S. Associate Justice Antonin Scalia expressed concern about a court decision in favor of same-sex marriage requiring ministers to perform same-sex wedding ceremonies, saying if instead of the courts, the states were allowed to handle the issue, “they could make exemptions.”

The Catholic justice brought up the possibility of a same-sex marriage performed at National Cathedral, which condones such unions, negatively impacting St. Matthews, the D.C. seat of the Catholic Church, which remains opposed to same-sex marriage.

Although Bonauto insisted these clergy would continue to have a right to refuse same-sex marriage no matter what the court ruled, Scalia was unmoved.

“If it’s a state law, you can make these exemptions, when it’s a constitutional requirement, I don’t see how you can,” Scalia said.

In response, U.S. Associate Justice Elena Kagan said under current law many rabbis in the Jewish faith don’t marry Jews to non-Jews, but are still able to fulfill their constitutional requirements.

Associate Justice Samuel Alito asked questions about how the court could

require states to marry same-sex couples, but continue to deny polygamous marriages or the relationship between two siblings as a marriage.

Alito also noted that other societies, including ancient Greece, condoned homosexuality, yet still saw fit to keep marriage as a union between one man, one woman.

“People like Plato wrote in favor of that, did he not?” Alito asked.

On the other hand, Associate Justice Stephen Breyer noted that states allow marriage for many groups of people, including couples who both have children and don’t want children, but these laws seems to make an exception.

“But there is one group of people whom they won’t open marriage to, so they have no possibility to participate in that fundamental liberty,” Breyer said.

“That is people of the same sex who wish to marry. And so we ask, why? And the answer we get is, well, people have always done it. You know, you could have answered that one the same way we talk about racial segregation.”

Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg made the case that same-sex marriage is possible now because of the evolving understanding of the institution.

“There was a change in the institution of marriage to make it egalitarian when it wasn’t egalitarian,” Ginsburg said. “And same-sex unions wouldn’t fit into what marriage was once.”

Just after Bonauto completed her oral arguments, a protester emerged at the entrance of the courtroom and began shouting anti-gay views, including “homosexuality is an abomination.”

As the protester was being taken away, Scalia remarked, “rather refreshing.” It’s wasn’t clear whether Scalia was referring to the substance of the protester’s words or his interruption of legal arguments.

Bonauto argued to justices that making marriage “off limits to gay people as a

class” is an affront to the promise of equal dignity under the Constitution.

“It’s not about the courts versus the state,” Bonauto said. “It’s about individuals making the choice to marry.”

Also speaking in favor of allowing same-sex couples to marry was U.S. Solicitor General Donald Verrilli, who said if the court were to continue to allow a patchwork of marriage laws across the country, it would amount to racial segregation laws before the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s.

“I don’t know why we’d want to repeat that history,” Verrilli said.

Verrilli concluded his arguments by saying continuing to deny same-sex couples access to marriage is “simply untenable” and that they “deserve protections under our laws and they deserve it now.”

Bursch, in addition to making the case the state should be allowed to ban samesex marriage because marriage and procreation are intertwined, also urged the court to defer to the legislative process.

“Taking the issue away from the people will have dramatic impact on the democratic process,” Bursch said.

Besides discussing whether states are permitted to withhold marriage licenses from same-sex couples, the court examined whether states have a right to refuse to recognize out-of-state same-sex marriages.

Tennessee Associate Solicitor General Joseph Whalen insisted that the 14th Amendment doesn’t require a state to recognize out-of-state same-sex unions.

“As soon as states were confronted with the reality that some states were going to redefine marriage or expand the definition of marriage to include same -sex couples for the first time, then it’s unsurprising that they would determine, in keeping with their own laws, that they would not recognize those other states’ marriages in Tennessee,” Whalen said.

Asked by Kagan whether if the states lose on the licensing question, they would also lose on the recognition question, Whalen replied, “Yes.” Arguing on behalf of requiring states to recognize out-of-state same-sex marriages was Douglas HallwardDriemeier, an attorney with the global law firm Ropes & Gray LLP. “A state should not be allowed to effectively dissolve that marriage without sufficient justification to do so,” HallwardDriemeier said.

In his conclusion, Hallward-Driemeier invoked the stories of his clients, including Jim Obergefell, the Ohio widower who’s seeking to ensure his name remains on his late spouse’s death certificate.

“States have no legitimate reason for denying him that last fact regarding his life,” Hallward-Driemeier said.

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

16 • MAY 01, 2015

NATIONAL NEWS

‘A great day for equality’ Marriage supporters, opponents rally outside Supreme Court

By MICHAEL K. LAVERS mlavers@washblade.com The lead attorney representing samesex couples in four marriage cases that went before the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday is optimistic the justices will rule in their favor.

“Today was a great day for equality at the U.S. Supreme Court,” Mary Bonauto told reporters after the justices heard oral arguments in the cases.

Jim Obergefell, an Ohio widow who sued the Buckeye State after it refused to recognize his Maryland marriage to his now-deceased husband, appeared emotional as he spoke to reporters outside the U.S. Supreme Court. The plaintiffs from the Michigan, Kentucky and Tennessee cases were standing by his side along with Bonauto and their other attorneys.

“I’m fighting for our marriage,” said Obergefell.

U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), New York Congressman Jerrold Nadler, California Lieutenant Gov. Gavin Newsom, Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring, Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin and Freedom to Marry President Evan Wolfson were among the lawmakers and LGBT advocates who attended the oral arguments.

“It went supremely well,” Wolfson told the Washington Blade as he left the U.S. Supreme Court. “The case for the freedom to marry is clear.”

Herring told the Blade the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Loving v. Virginia decision that struck down state interracial marriage bans in 1967 came up during Tuesday’s oral arguments. He reiterated his previous statements that indicate Virginia “has argued on the wrong side of” Brown v. Board of Education and other major civil rights cases.

“This time as the attorney general for Virginia I was in standing up for the rights of all people to be treated fairly and equally,” said Herring.

Advocates heckle marriage opponents Victoria Cobb, president of the Family Foundation of Virginia, was among the opponents of marriage rights for samesex couples who took part in a rally outside the U.S. Supreme Court as the justices heard oral arguments.

Cobb during her speech said that more than 1.3 million Virginia voters in 2006 voted in support of a state constitutional

amendment that defined marriage as between a man and a woman. She noted that Herring declined to defend it in court.

“He stepped in and worked on the opposite side,” said Cobb. “His decision was in fact unprecedented.”

LGBT rights supporters loudly heckled Cobb, National Organization for Marriage President Brian Brown and other samesex marriage opponents as they spoke in front of the U.S. Supreme Court.

U.S. Rep. Bill Flores (R-Texas) referenced the case of the owners of an Oregon bakery who were fined $135,000 by the state after they refused to make a wedding cake for a lesbian couple. Supporters of nuptials for gays and lesbians shouted “boo Texas” and “shame on Texas” as the Republican highlighted his state’s continued opposition to the issue.

“Marriage is a sacred institution critical to our nation’s success and health, which must be preserved and protected,” said Flores.

“The definition of marriage should not be decided by judges from the high court.”

Jennifer Marshall of the Heritage Foundation made a similar point as she stood outside the U.S. Supreme Court holding a sign that read, “every child deserves a mom and a dad.” She noted to the Blade that 50 million Americans have voted to “affirm in law the definition of marriage as one man and one woman.”

“The court should not disregard those votes,” said Marshall.

A group of protesters that gathered in front of Foundry United Methodist Church in Dupont Circle on Sunday were among the other same-sex marriage opponents who were outside the U.S. Supreme Court during the oral arguments. The Blade also witnessed two groups of people who were on their knees along both sides of First Street, N.E., praying in Spanish that the justices do not rule in support of marriage rights for gays and lesbians.

Same-sex marriage supporters far outweighed the number of opponents who gathered outside the U.S. Supreme Court.

Members of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington sang the National Anthem at the start of a rally that featured Dean Gary Hall of the Washington National Cathedral and other speakers. They also placed themselves in front of a group of counter-protesters who were standing along First Street, N.E. Gregory T. Angelo, executive director of Log Cabin Republicans, held a Gadsden flag while standing outside the U.S. Supreme Court.

“Democracy cannot survive if it ignores the rights of its minorities,” said Rabbi Lucy Dinner of Temple Beth Or in Raleigh, N.C., who was among the plaintiffs in a lawsuit against North Carolina’s marriage amendment that state voters approved in 2012, as she spoke at the rally.

MARY BONAUTO was optimistic leaving the U.S. Supreme Court on April 28, 2015, after delivering oral arguments in four same-sex marriage cases.

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

Kris Perry and Sandy Stier, one of the plaintiff couples in the lawsuit that challenged California’s Proposition 8, were among the thousands of other LGBT rights advocates who gathered outside the U.S. Supreme Court. The two women also received tickets to allow them to attend a portion of the oral arguments.

“Today’s a historic day,” Stier told the Blade as she and Perry stood outside the Supreme Court. “We feel like we’re finally getting to the end of this long struggle, and we’re going to have marriage equality soon.”

Elizabeth Patten of Ann Arbor, Mich., stood outside the Supreme Court with a sign that contained the names of the two children she has with Jonnie Terry, her partner of more than 28 years. It also contained the slogan “marriage equality is a family value.”

Patten and Terry are among the roughly 300 same-sex couples that were legally married in Michigan on March 22, 2014, after a federal judge struck down the state’s marriage amendment. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals later that day issued a stay that prevented any additional same-sex weddings from taking place.

“There’s always going to be the haters out here, but this is wonderful,” Patten

told the Blade, referring to a group of same-sex marriage opponents who were standing nearby. “I’m glad to see there’s such a good showing here.”

Both Hall and Angela Peoples, codirector of GetEQUAL, were among the speakers at the marriage rally who noted the ongoing unrest in Baltimore that continues to take place against the outcry of the death of Freddie Gray.

“The quest for marriage equality is not unconnected to the quest for racial equality in this country,” said Hall.

Hannah Willard of Equality Florida noted to the Blade as she stood outside the U.S. Supreme Court that her state’s anti-discrimination law does not include sexual orientation and gender identity.

“Same-sex couples can get married on Saturday and if they post about it on Facebook their bosses can find out and they can be fired on Monday,” she said.

“So we need to make sure LGBT people are fully safe and protected in the entire state.”

Peoples also looked beyond the samesex marriage movement as she spoke outside the U.S. Supreme Court.

“We know that the fight for all of our collective humanity and all of our collective equality is not won,” she said.

“We will continue to fight.”

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

18 • MAY 01, 2015

NATIONAL NEWS

Advocates on both sides of the marriage equality issue rallied Tuesday outside the U.S. Supreme Court as justices heard oral arguments in four related cases. A decision is expected by June. (Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

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20 • MAY 01, 2015

I N T E RN A T I O N A L N E W S

LGBT envoy backs ‘nuanced’ approach to promoting rights Randy Berry assumed firstof-its-kind post last month

By MICHAEL K. LAVERS mlavers@washblade.com The new special U.S. envoy to promote global LGBT rights last week said his position will allow the Obama administration to further expand its support of these efforts.

“We have the luxury of defining sort of how that role’s going to operate,” Randy Berry told the Washington Blade during an interview at his office in the State Department. “I’m lucky to be picking up where a lot of people within the bureau, a lot of folks in the White House, a lot of folks in other branches of government who have already been working in the space.”

The Blade is the first media outlet with whom Berry spoke since formally assuming his post within the State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor on April 13.

Berry was the consul general at the U.S. Consulate in Amsterdam when the State Department in February announced his appointment. The career Foreign Service officer has previously been posted in New Zealand, Nepal, Bangladesh, Egypt, Uganda, South Africa and D.C. Berry told the Blade that he will work with the State Department and federal agencies to “make sure that our policies, that our activities are coordinated” in a way that ensures they have the most impact. He said the majority of work will be “outwardly focused.”

“I’m going to be partnering not only with like-minded governments,” he said.

Berry told the Blade that the State Department has made its views “known” to the Egyptian government over its LGBT rights crackdown that has garnered global headlines in recent months. He also acknowledged there have been “a lot of issues with our relationship” with Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. ally in the Middle East which is among the countries in which homosexuality remains punishable by death.

“When we look at the space overseas and think that in certain places that change will not be possible, I think there’s an argument to be made that we really don’t know until we make those engagements, until we push,” said Berry. “I’m not naive enough to think we’re going to see rapid change in some of those places.”

“This job is a new tool,” he added. “The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor has been working on these issues for quite some time.”

Berry told the Blade he feels U.S. Ambassador to Uganda Scott DeLisi “masterfully handled” the administration’s response to the signing of the country’s Anti-Homosexuality Act in February 2014,

Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBT People RANDY BERRY WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

which included a travel ban on those responsible for human rights abuses in the African nation and the cutting of foreign aid. He also noted the Obama administration’s decision to drop Gambia from a duty-free trade program amid growing concerns over the country’s LGBT crackdown and other human rights issues.

“Our toolkit in each case is going to be slightly different,” said Berry.

Berry during the interview also discussed the White House’s decision to begin normalizing relations with Cuba and the Communist country’s LGBT rights movement that has grown more visible in recent years.

“It’s a significant example of the phenomenon that I think exists across places in Latin America where we have a lot of countries in the region that have been very, very progressive on the issues,” he told the Blade. “Certainly on this particular issue, I think we’re reasonably close. And I think there’s a conversation to be had there just like in any other place.”

Chile last November became the 11th country to join the Global Equality Fund, an LGBT rights initiative the State Department manages with the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Berry told the Blade he would like to expand the list of non-European countries that contribute to the fund.

“There is tremendous potential to make the g in the Global Equality Fund look a little more like g,” he said. “To expand the partnership, I think Latin America has the most promising sort of environment to do so.”

Berry added he also hopes to work with

those countries he described as being in the “vast middle,” which may have unenforced laws that still criminalize homosexuality.

“There’s an argument to be made for some good engagement in that space as well,” he said. “Through some very smart approaches you can get countries out of that middle and on the side of right on this.”

Berry stressed the need for what he described as an “extraordinarily nuanced” approach.

“It could be very easy to adopt a purist approach here and maybe inflict harm in ways that we don’t intend,” he told the Blade. “One of the concepts that we’ve been talking about especially in these tougher environments is to make sure that our first principle is do no harm, but do no harm doesn’t mean do nothing.”

“It means that you have to take great stock of what the situation is, what the local community I think wants as well,” added Berry. “I want to be very, very sensitive to that.”

Out ambassadors sign of progress

Berry, 50, joined the Foreign Service shortly after then-President Bill Clinton in 1995 signed an executive order banning the federal government from denying security clearances to gays and lesbians simply because of their sexual orientation.

His husband and two young children were among those who attended the State Department ceremony during

which Secretary of State John Kerry formally introduced him. Selim Ariturk, president of GLIFAA, an association of LGBT employees of Foreign Service agencies, was among those who attended the ceremony.

Berry told the Blade his “interest in stepping into a job” like special LGBT envoy began when he became a parent for the first time at 47. He also described the rate of suicide among young LGBT people as “devastating.”

“Environments where young people are being delivered a message that they are evil or sinful or sick is deeply distressing,” said Berry. “If we can open up some space to whatever extent that’s going to be a success.”

Another success to which Berry pointed is the appointment of six openly gay ambassadors who currently represent the U.S. in the Dominican Republic, Spain, Denmark, Vietnam, Australia and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Berry — who attended a panel last month at the Newseum in D.C. that featured the six men — conceded the ambassadors could be more diverse in terms of race, sexual orientation and gender. He nevertheless dismissed criticism over the fact that they are all gay white men.

“I’m always uncomfortable when progress goes towards perfection,” said Berry. “Any way you cut it that’s a big step forward, but it’s not the end of the game either. As long as we’re on the right trajectory I think we’re going to see very positive things.”

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Student leaders at Johns Hopkins say they don’t want a Chick-fil-A on campus.

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By a vote of 18-8, a resolution by the Student Government Association at Johns Hopkins University requested that administrators reject any current or proposed plans for opening a Chick-fil-A restaurant on or near the campus.

Stating that allowing a restaurant from the Atlanta-based franchise would be a “microagression” against the campus community including “visiting prospective and current students, staff, faculty, and other visitors who are members of the LGBTQ community or are allies,” the SGA said university officials should pick “other non-discriminatory options” and rule out any “current and future Chickfil-A development plans” if searching for new dining vendors on campus.

There have been no concrete indications that the university was negotiating with Chick-fil-A for a place on the campus, but some students were concerned body mind Self about construction that is in progress. atbody Allay Yoga mind Self At the heart of the vote against Chick-fil-A is the opposition by CEO Dan Cathy at Allay® Yoga to marriage equality and his funding of organizations dedicated to maintaining try Svaroopa Yoga for yourself! marriage.” ® Enjoy your first Svaroopa Yoga classyourself! for“traditional FREE! try Svaroopa Yoga for Wed & Thurs 10am “The reason the resolution occurred at this time was essentially student Enjoy your first Svaroopa Yoga class for FREE! Please arrive 10 minutes prior to class to set up your spacesaid John Hughes, community liaison for Diverse Sexuality And Gender concern,” Wed a & Thurs Come experience very10am 301-946-1517 Alliance.

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More than 35 area high school and college students as well as supporters marched through Mount Vernon on April 17 to end the annual Day of Silence with a loud scream. The event was coordinated by the Baltimore chapter of LICENSED IN DC, MD AND VA mireyoga.com GLSEN — the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network.

The Day of Silence is a day in which people who support LGBT rights take a ADVERTISIN G of PR O O F to recognize and protest the silence that LGBT people face each vow silence ISSUE DATE: 10.26.12 SALES REPRESENTATIVE: BRIAN PITTS (bpitts@washblade.com) day and to spread awareness for LGBT issues, especially bullying.

According to Anne Stoner, an ally who represented PFLAG-Westminster/ REVIEW AD FOR COPY AND DESIGN ACCURACY. Revisions must be submitted within 24 hours of the date of proof. Proof will be considered final and will be submitted for publication if revision is not submitted within 24 hours of Carroll County at the event, the march began at the Washington Monument and A D V I C E • M E D I A T I O N • L I T I G A T I O N • A P P E A L S • C O L L A B O R A T I O N the date of proof.

Revisions will not be accepted after 12:01 pm wednesday, the week of publication.Brown naff pitts NS omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) is not responsible for the content and/or design of your ad. Advertiser is proceeded up Charles Street. responsible for any legal liability arising out of or relating to the advertisement, and/or any material to which users GN can link through the advertisement. Advertiser represents that its advertisement will not violate any criminal laws or EVISIONS any rgihts of third parties, including, but not limited to, such violations as infringement or misapporpriation of any “We paused at intersections to make sure passersby saw our signs. We were copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret, music, image, or other proprietary or propety right, false advertising, unfair /LOGO REVISIONS competition, defamation, invasion of privacy or rights of celebrity, violation of anti-discrimination law or regulation, greeted by horns, waves, peace signs and the sign language word for love,” or any other right of any person or entity.

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Prior to the scream, Lili Fox Vélez, the president of the New Wave Singers of Baltimore, sang a chorus of “Everything Possible” by Fred Small, and then the march’s participants screamed to break their silence.

FAMILY | ESTATE PLANNING | EMPLOYMENT | IMMIGRATION Jabari Lyles, the Co-Chair & Education Manager for GLSEN Baltimore, was COMPLEX LITIGATION | CIVIL RIGHTS | LGBT | ADOPTION | BUSINESS pleased with the turnout and diversity for this third GLSEN-led Day of Silence event. “There were all different ages, races, sexual orientations and occupations,” he told the Blade. “There were students, teachers, social workers, parents, friends, health professionals, legal professionals.”

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Oregon considers conversion therapy ban

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PORTLAND — Elected officials in Oregon are considering a conversion therapy ban, the Statesman Journal, a Gannett paper, reports.

House Bill 2307 would apply only to licensed mental or social health care professionals, and only to therapy given to those under 18.

Rep. Rob Nosse (D-Portland) sponsored the bill. He told the committee that he was thankful that he didn’t figure out he was gay until he was 23.

“I’m lucky as a kid I was never subjected to this kind of therapy,” Nosse said at the hearing according to the Statesman Journal.

Conversion therapy is opposed by a number of medical, social and educational organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychiatric Association, the American School Counselor Association and the National Association of Social Workers.

“Mental health clinicians are venturing outside the appropriate boundaries of their scope of practice if they attempt to change a client’s sexual orientation,” Richard Yep, chief executive officer of the American Counseling Association, said in written testimony.

Earlier this month, President Obama came out in support of bans on conversion therapy for children. California, New Jersey and Washington, D.C., already have banned conversion therapy for minors, and more than a dozen states have similar legislation pending.

However, similar bans recently failed in Colorado, Hawaii, Maryland and Virginia.

Opponents say the state shouldn’t interfere in family and religious matters, the Journal reports.

“If we force kids to live homosexually if they don’t want to, that puts them in harm’s way,” said Jayson Graves, head of the Colorado counseling organization Healing for the Soul, who says conversion therapy worked on him. “We’re not celebrated in this culture.

We don’t have television shows about us saying look how great it is to be ex-gay,” Graves told the committee.

The Oregon House passed the bill in March. The Senate Committee on Human Services and Early Childhood has scheduled a work session on the bill for Thursday, the Journal reports.

Court: Gay blood ban sometimes justified

ISSUE DATE: 05.01.15

NS GN EVISIONS /LOGO REVISIONS SIONS

McLEAN, Va. — A top European court on Wednesday said that a lifetime ban by EU member states on gay men donating blood may be justified, under certain conditions, USA Today and other media outlets report.

Wednesday’s judgment comes after an offer to give blood by Geoffrey Leger, a Frenchman, was rejected by a doctor in Metz in northeastern France in April 2009 because Leger had had sexual relations with another man. French law permanently barred men from donating blood on those grounds. Leger challenged the decision.

The European Court of Justice said that lifetime bans for men who have had sexual relations with another man may be justified if a prospective blood donor is at a high risk of acquiring severe infectious diseases and there are no effective techniques for detecting those diseases, USA Today reports.

It returned the case to the court in Strasbourg, which originally handled Leger’s case, to determine whether in France there is a high risk of acquiring severe infectious diseases that can be transmitted by blood in the case of a man who has had sexual relations with another man.

French Health Minister Marisol Touraine in March said it was unacceptable that sexual orientation is seen as an exclusion criterion, as politicians prepared to vote in a new health bill to allow gay men to give blood. She reiterated her stance after the ruling, the USA ADVERTISING PROOF Today article said.

SALES REPRESENTATIVE: BROOKE JORDAN (bjordan@washblade.com)

REVIEW AD FOR COPY AND DESIGN ACCURACY. Revisions must be submitted within 24 hours of the date of proof. Proof will be considered final and will be submitted for publication if revision is not submitted within 24 hours of the date of proof. Revisions will not be accepted after 12:01 pm wednesday, the week of publication.Brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) is not responsible for the content and/or design of your ad. Advertiser is responsible for any legal liability arising out of or relating to the advertisement, and/or any material to which users can link through the advertisement. Advertiser represents that its advertisement will not violate any criminal laws or any rgihts of third parties, including, but not limited to, such violations as infringement or misapporpriation of any copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret, music, image, or other proprietary or propety right, false advertising, unfair competition, defamation, invasion of privacy or rights of celebrity, violation of anti-discrimination law or regulation, or any other right of any person or entity. Advertiser agrees to idemnify brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) and to hold brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) harmless from any and all liability, loss, damages, claims, or causes of action, including reasonable legal fees and expenses that may be incurred by brown naff pitts omnimedia llc, arising out of or related to advertiser’s breach of any of the foregoing representations and warranties.

Virginia clinic expands trans services ROANOKE, Va. — A Virginia health clinic is expanding its transgender services, WSLS 10, an NBC affiliate in the region, reports.

When local resident Dolly Davis started her transition 15 years ago, she opted for ADVERTISER SIGNATURE By signing this proof you are agreeing to your contract obligations with the washington blade newspaper. This includes but is not limitedat to placement, services the Carilion Clinic in Roanoke rather than going to more established service payment and insertion schedule. centers in Richmond, WSLS reports.

“One things Carilion has started is looking at understanding what the needs are but not just the basic health needs but how the community operates,” Davis was quoted as having said.

Over the past year, a patient advisory group worked with Davis to gain insight into the population’s unique medical needs such as counseling and patient classification.

Carilion Clinic officials said staff has been doing research, training, and technology fixes in the electronic medical records system to help address the transgender community needs, WSLS reports.

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C O A CH G

M A Y 01, 2015 • 25

Countdown to swimsuit season Been slacking? Follow these tips for ‘code red’ fitness mode

Grab a coffee, coffee take a survey,

change the world.

Making a Difference is Easy.

We are into the heart of spring and can almost taste summer. Four weeks from now I’ll be getting ready to hit the beaches of Hawaii and like ® many of you who may be getting Memorial Day ready, I’m getting into my “fine-tune mode.”

GERARD BURLEY is a D.C.-based personal This is also known as code red I trainer. Reach him via @CoachGFit or coachg@ have to wear a bathing suit soon. coachgfitness.com.

Help!

If you’ve been slacking and falling behind on your workouts and nutrition don’t panic, but we have to get serious immediately. Believe it or not, four-six weeks is enough time to see some differences and to have that confidence you want at the beach. Here are some dietary keys to getting the body you want in six weeks.

Arrivederci Sugar — I know I’m always preaching to limit your sugar, but now is crunch time. Sugar has been proven to force the body to hold onto those last fat deposits especially around your mid section. I find most people feel like they aren’t eating lots of sugars in their diets, but your daily sugar intake can sneak up on you quickly. The most deceptive places are juices, breads and alcohol.

Proudly LGBT-owned and -operated Whenever I’m really cutting down, I always count out the amount of grams of A pioneer in LGBT research, founded in 1992 Your information is confidential, used for research purposes only. sugar I take in and shoot to keep it under 20 grams per day. It’s tough at first, NGLCC-Certified LGBT Owned Business Enterprise You will not be contacted for marketing purposes. but it’s worth it.

Jump off the juices — Fruit juices are laced with high amounts of sugar, without the healthy fiber that helps to control how much sugar is actually absorbed into your bloodstream. Even the 100 percent all natural, fresh squeezed and vitamixed juices are still sugar sanctuaries and can play a major role in blocking you from achieving your goals. The best plan during cut-down crunch time is to stick to water all the time. If you need some type of flavor, try adding lemon, Cosmetic, Implants, Sleep Apnea, Sedation cucumber or slices of your favorite fruit to your water. Placing fruit slices into Call Today • Weekend Hours • MulTilingual your water will add flavor without the sugar. Another great solution is using soda or carbonated water to help give the water a refreshing taste without the empty “We believe we can make the calories that come along with juices. As someone who wasn’t a super fan of water growing up or even now, using carbonated water and fruit flavors has dental experience better.” really helped me to include more water into my diet.

Sneaky bread — Unfortunately bread doesn’t always present itself to us in its true loaf form. Sometimes it sneaks its way into our diets; think crackers, cookies, pretzels and anything else that you’re putting flour into. Remember food doesn’t necessarily have to taste sweet to act like a sugar in your body.

Once these flour-based foods are broken down in the body, it spikes your blood Some things we all have in sugar up and puts you in a fat-storing zone, which is not the zone we want at all. common.

Try alternatives like lettuce wraps, kale wraps, cheese crisps or kale chips to Patient of the Week Julie W. and rhea dental Hygienist There’s nobody like me to protect the replace the bread-based food in your diet. If bread is your go to and it’s not things we all value. Like a good neighbor, going to change, try using less. Open-faced sandwiches or sandwiches made ADVERTISING State Farm is there.® CALL ME TODAY. with only one slice of bread and then folded over can serve as better options.

PROOF #1weeks is ISSUE DATE: SALES REPRESENTATIVE: My game plan for reducing the bread from your diet over the next four as follows: Start by removing your bread intake from one meal each week. This REVIEW AD FOR COPY AND DESIGN ACCURACY. Revisions must be submitted within 24 hours of the date of proof. Proof will be considered final and will be submitted for publication if revision is not submitted within 24 hours of week no bread at dinner, next week none for lunch and dinner, and finally in the date of proof. Revisions will not be accepted after 12:01 pm wednesday, the week of publication.Brown naff pitts REVISIONS omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) is not responsible for the content and/or design of your ad. Advertiser is weeks three and four cutting it out completely. Remember you can still include responsible for any legal liability arising out of or relating to the advertisement, and/or any material to which users REDESIGN can link through the advertisement. Advertiser represents that its advertisement will not violate any criminal laws or TEXTbeans REVISIONS any rgihts of third parties, including, but not limited to, such violations as infringement of any healthier complex carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, quinoa, farro and John Tsaknis Jeanette Suhor misapporpriation Indra Mustapha copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret, music, image, or other proprietary or propety DDSunfair DMD right, false advertising, DDS, MS IMAGE/LOGO REVISIONS competition, defamation, invasion of privacy or rights of celebrity, violation of anti-discrimination law or regulation, Gunther Heyder to get a well-balanced diet. If you’re going to include bread, make sureNO itsREVISIONS darker Maria Hodas or any other right of any person or entity. Advertiser agrees to idemnify brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the ADVERTISER SIGNATURE DDSBy signing this proof you DDS from any and all washington blade) and to hold brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) harmless are agreeing to your cont and you make it yourself with flour from ancient grains. liability, loss, damages, claims, or causes of action, including reasonable legal fees and expenses that may be incurred washington blade newspaper. This includes but is n by brown naff pitts omnimedia llc, arising out of or related to advertiser’s breach of any of the foregoing representations payment and insertion schedule. and warranties.

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IN S IDE L G B T W ASH I N G T O N

VOLUME

46

ISSUE

18

ADDRESS

Marriage now in hands of 9 justices The fight for equality continues no matter the ruling

PETER ROSENSTEIN is a D.C.-based LGBT rights and Democratic Party activist. He writes regularly for the Blade.

With oral arguments over in Obergefell v.

Hodges, we can hope this will be the last time the Supreme Court will have to look at this issue. The case was consolidated by the court with three other same-sex marriage cases challenging both a state’s refusal to recognize same-sex marriages from other jurisdictions and a state’s refusal to license same-sex marriages, or both. The plaintiff’s case was argued by Mary Bonauto, the lawyer for the seven gay and lesbian couples in Massachusetts who in 2003 won their case and made it the first state in the nation to allow same-sex couples to wed. It is fitting she is the attorney of record in this case that could finally declare same-sex marriage legal nationwide.

As oral arguments were made on Tuesday, many went in with high hopes the court will decide both issues at once. The complexity and uncertainty caused when 37 states and the District of Columbia recognize same-sex marriage but those

marriages are not recognized in the other 14 states is untenable. The confusion is unacceptable and continues to deprive people of their full civil and human rights.

The court has seemed reluctant to tackle same-sex marriage, as it generally doesn’t like to move ahead of public opinion and developments in states. But now with more than 60 percent of the population supporting same-sex marriage according to recent polls, the court needn’t worry about that.

As oral arguments began, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. said he “had looked up definitions of marriage and had been unable to find one written before a dozen years ago that did not define it as between a man and a woman, and continued saying to the plaintiffs if you succeed, that definition will not be operable.” He went on to say “You are not seeking to join the institution.

You are seeking to change the institution.”

Justice Anthony M. Kennedy also spoke as the advocates for marriage equality made their case. He said, “The definition of marriage has been with us for millennia and it’s very difficult for the court to say, ‘Oh, we know better.” While that statement was disappointing he also said his sense was that “a principal purpose of marriage was to afford dignity to the couples, which is denied to same-sex couples.” At another point in responding to an argument Kennedy said, “Noting that the ‘societal’ or ‘cultural’ definitions of marriage that had lasted millennia were just that, and not necessarily the same as the governmentally sanctioned institution

of marriage.” So trying to guess on which side of these issues he will vote is difficult.

Adam Liptak in the New York Times reported, “When the lawyer for the opponents of gay marriage began arguing, Justice Stephen G. Breyer forcefully questioned why states should be able to exclude gay people from marriage. Marriage is open to vast numbers of people, he said, adding that same-sex couples have no possibility to participate in that fundamental liberty. And so we ask why.”

In cases such as this where the conservative and liberal Justices come from such different points of view it is always difficult to anticipate what they will do. The consensus is that Alito, Thomas (the silent justice), Scalia and Roberts will come down on the side saying same-sex marriage is not a constitutional right. Breyer, Sotomayor, Ginsburg and Kagan will vote to say it is. That leaves Justice Kennedy who has been pragmatic in these cases and said in Windsor it was a case of dignity. In this case where he may feel the same, the question will be whether he agrees it is the court’s right to make the decision.

Those who have fought this battle for years think the time has come for it to be decided in our favor. However even if we win the LGBT community must recognize our fight for civil and human rights is not over. You may marry but in nearly half the states the next day you could lose your job and be discriminated against in housing and other areas. Whatever the decision, the fight for our rights must go on.

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Standing ovation for Bechdel’s ‘Fun Home’ Acclaimed memoir brings lesbian visibility to Broadway

KATHI WOLFE is a writer, poet and regular contributor to the Blade. She can be reached through this publication.

One of the most exciting moments of my youth was seeing Carol Channing in “Hello Dolly” on Broadway.

I adored Channing, the music, dancing and costumes. Yet, at age 11, I sensed that the stories of girls like me, who felt a mysterious attraction to other girls, wouldn’t be told on the Great White Way. Seeing girls with no makeup and who hated wearing dresses, sing or dance, let alone be the main story in a Broadway musical was as likely as watching pigs fly.

Until now. “Fun Home,” the first musical with

a lesbian lead character, opened on Broadway on April 19. Incredible as it may seem, lesbians, once relegated to dingy dives and pulp fiction, are now as mainstream as Playbill or Sardi’s caricatures.

“Fun Home,” which has received glowing reviews and is likely to receive a Tony nod, is based on Alison Bechdel’s 2006 brilliant, best-selling graphic memoir “Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic.” Bechdel, 54, a lesbian writer and cartoonist, has been beloved for years by legions of lesbian and indie fans for her long-running comic strip “Dykes to Watch Out For.” Anyone with a sense of humor can’t help but love the characters in “Dykes” from Mo, who used to work at the now-defunct Madwimmin Books and whose “Impending Doom Alert Level” is orange to Sydney, Mo’s partner, a tenured college professor and credit card debtor with a “penchant for the theoretical and disdain for knee-jerk liberalism.” At a time when lesbian lives were rarely authentically reflected in the culture at large, we could see our community, with its joys, pain and quirks in “Dykes to Watch Out For.” Bechdel, who received a MacArthur

Foundation “genius” award last year, is perhaps, best known for the “Bechdel test” (for assessing movies). The idea for the test, Bechdel has said, was developed by a friend of hers, Liz Wallace. In 1985, a “Dykes” character said that a movie passes the “test” when it has two women characters who talk to each other about something other than a man.

“Fun Home,” as memoir and Broadway show, aces the Bechdel test! It’s often said that comedy and tragedy are intertwined.

Bechdel’s work shows that this is an essential truth about life — not an empty trope.

If asked to read a memoir or see a show about a family who ran a funeral home with a closeted queer father who kills himself, you might well take a pass. But not if the family is Alison Bechdel’s clan.

Bechdel’s father Bruce, a closeted gay man, ran a funeral parlor out of his family’s home in Beech Creek, Pa. His kids ironically call it the “fun home.” Bruce, who Bechdel calls a “manic-depressive, closeted fag,” also teaches high school English and meticulously restores the Victorian mansion where the family

lives. Bruce is killed in a car accident, but Bechdel believes he killed himself because she, while at college at Oberlin, had came out as a lesbian to her parents.

You wouldn’t think that a Broadway musical could be both moving and funny about funerals, death or lesbian love and attraction. But “Fun Home” would prove you wrong. Audiences are laughing and singing along with songs that rhyme “satisfied” with “formaldehyde.”

The musical, a Pulitzer Prize finalist when it played off-Broadway at the Public Theater, was adapted from Bechdel’s

by Lisa Kron (book and lyrics) and Jeanine Tesori (music).

All of us, whether we want to or not, construct our lives and memories through our families. In “Fun Home,” three actresses play Bechdel at various stages in her life as she seeks to unravel her family’s mysteries: as a 43-year-old using her art to remember her past (Beth Malone), a college student (Emily Skeggs) and a child (Sydney Lucas).

In “Fun Home,” for the first time, a lesbian family is out front and center stage.

V I E W PO I NT

Bruce Jenner’s transition is the most public ever Kudos to ABC News for responsible interview

By DANA BEYER “The thrill of victory — the agony of defeat.”

Little did we know that, when Keith Jackson shouted that Jenner had “kicked the world record sideways” and he stood in triumph on the gold medal podium in Montreal in 1976, that moment was actually more an agony of defeat. A defeat due to living an inauthentic and fraudulent life. Having thought about Friday night’s interview with ABC News’ Diane Sawyer “forever,” this was the day that was filled with the thrill of victory.

After months of teasing, tabloid intrusions, a fatal car crash and a trans community holding its breath, America’s hero, who, in Sawyer’s words, “embodied the muscle and glory of America,” had come home, and said, simply, “I am a woman.”

Most remarkably, Jenner, who still wants to be called Bruce and “he” at this stage of the transition, a transition that has progressed in fits and starts for 30 years, was humble and respectful to the trans community. Admitting his ignorance and stating, “I am not a spokesperson for the community,” nevertheless he was proud and hopeful that his courage, recognized by all of his children and his mother, his sister and his exes, would bring about change. Considering that fewer than 10 per-

cent of Americans knew a trans person before Friday night, that change is very likely. The vast reach of this program, on television and social media, globally as well as nationally, makes this the most public of all gender transitions.

His refusal to be personally dragged into tabloid style journalism comes as a relief to many who feared the worst.

Jenner’s story is one I could have written for myself, one familiar to me from my friends and colleagues. It’s a story of the trans movement of the past half century, but most importantly, can now be seen as just the beginning of the story. The discussion about trans children, highlighted by the very common, now classical tale of most adult trans women having been confused about their gender as children, laid a marker for the next generation. Drs. Norman Spack and Jo Olson spoke eloquently about their work with children, and to ABC News’ credit, they only promoted one opponent of transition, Dr. Stephen Levine. His words were relatively benign and lost in the overwhelming positivity of the representatives from the trans community, from Professor Jenny Boylan to model Geena Rocero and political and corporate activist Diego Sanchez.

The role of the Kardashians was minimized, as Jenner made clear he was a Jenner, not a Kardashian. Yet the Kardashians, like Jenner’s children, were also highly supportive of their stepfather. Very significantly, while the program followed the traditional structure of a trans

coming-out story, with the visit to the childhood home, replete with decades of family photo albums, Jenner made it very clear he would stay away from the salacious. He stated that, “filming and shooting [surgery] would be degrading.” So we weren’t, and can hope not to be, subjected to the usual shots pre and post-operatively, and maybe even spared the makeup lessons and getting dressed. After all, how exciting is watching all that? This is real progress in the evolution of telling trans stories.

Notably Jenner emphasized that his brain was always more female than male, that while he never felt “trapped in the wrong body” it was a situation that he knew was a fact of his life, and that the lonely, introverted child who rarely socialized has never really disappeared. As Dr. Spack said very simply about all trans persons, “If they were wonderful people before, they’ll be wonderful people after.”

Transition just makes you authentic; it doesn’t change your personality or character.

Like most trans women of his generation, he tried to prove his masculine gender to himself, but in spite of being hailed as the greatest male athlete of 1976, he felt defeated by his failure to be himself. If that won’t give pause to the proponents of reparative therapy for trans kids, nothing will. It’s fitting that Jenner’s story has arrived so soon after the statement from the White House in opposition to conversion therapy for gay and trans kids. There must be some very unhappy Republicans listening to this religious

person speak so clearly and humbly.

Oh, wait, it gets worse – Jenner is also a Republican! Not a surprise, as wealth and privilege do have a habit of causing people to prioritize their personal assets over societal needs. Jenner isn’t the first Republican public transitioner, either, as Susan Stanton had him beat by almost a decade. While he said he’s willing to meet with Sen. Mitch McConnell and House Speaker John Boehner, I have a feeling he will learn quickly just who his friends really are. He unassumingly recognized that much of the trans community fares far worse than he because of his class and racial status, and I don’t expect the Republican Party to embrace him. But if Ted Cruz would love his daughters if they were gay, I suppose anything is possible.

This program was an example to America of responsible journalism, free from titillation and the usual intrusive questions. It should also be an example to those Republican legislators who have introduced a slew of anti-trans (and anti-gay) legislation this year, particularly targeting children in school. There is hope that after seeing this broadcast their shame will cause them to reconsider and back down like some of their colleagues have already done.

And as for Nikolai Avilov, 1976 decathlon bronze medalist from the defunct Soviet Union — “yes, you former commie bastard, you did lose to a woman.”

DANA BEYER is a longtime LGBT rights advocate.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

28 • MAY 01, 2015

LI F E I N T H E I N T E RSE CT I O N

Baltimore and the intersection of oppression Similarities between this week’s protests and Stonewall

LATEEFAH WILLIAMS’ column addresses the intersection of race, gender and sexual orientation. Reach her at lateefah_williams@ msn.com or @lateefah4DC.

The world is now focused on the civil unrest in Baltimore. In recent years, an alarming number of African Americans have been killed by law enforcement officers around the country. The murder of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old African-American man, by the Baltimore police is not the sole reason that people are so outraged, hurt and upset. Rather, it’s the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back.

Many African Americans, particular those who are low-income, have been trapped in the cycle of poverty, lack of opportunity, police brutality and systemic racism for generations. In Baltimore, African Americans have been repeatedly targeted and abused by the police without any repercussions against the officers. According to a 2014 report by the Baltimore Sun, Baltimore “has paid about $5.7 million since 2011 over lawsuits claiming

that police officers brazenly beat up alleged suspects.” All but one of the victims pictured on the cover of the Sun article are African American.

We should all be outraged at oppression faced by any community and, let’s be clear, the civic unrest in Baltimore is about generations of oppression. It’s important that while viewing biased media images portraying all of the protesters as aimless, violent looters, we do not forgot what the protests are truly about—the loss of a young man’s life at the hands of the police. A young man who was alive and asking for medical attention when he was arrested, yet died with a broken back and a crushed voice box a week later.

The protests on Saturday drew more than 1,000 people and the protesters peacefully marched and chanted for miles. The limited violence on Sunday did not occur until the protesters were met by drunk, Baltimore Orioles fans near Camden Yards. Even then, the overwhelming majority of protesters were still peaceful and first-hand accounts indicate that in several instances white Orioles fans initiated confrontations with the mostly black protesters. While Monday’s protests drew more people bent on causing destruction and are now the focus of the national media, we cannot allow the narrative to be changed.

The focus must remain on ending police brutality and improving the desperate living conditions that too many Baltimore residents and low-income people around the nation

face. We cannot allow the media and others who lack empathy for the plight of lowincome African Americans to make this story about looting and rioting.

Members of marginalized groups should all be concerned when other marginalized groups are oppressed. As Martin Luther King said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” You do not have to be African American or low-income to understand that brutality against Freddie Gray impacts all of us.

The LGBT community, regardless of race or socio-economic status, should be concerned that too many police forces across the nation use excessive force against young, black men.

After all, I’m sure that more seasoned members of the LGBT community can recall the Stonewall Riots. The similarities between the two events can’t be overstated. Both events began after the police targeted members of a marginalized community. Both events have been categorized as riots (and rioting definitely occurred), yet legitimate protests against systemic discrimination were the primary focus of both acts of civil disobedience.

The Stonewall Riots and the LGBT community unification and organizing that followed are often seen as the bellwether of the modern gay rights movement. Thus, it is disheartening when I hear LGBT people making hateful comments about those engaging in civic unrest in Baltimore (including the peaceful protesters), while praising those who engaged in rebellious acts at the Stonewall Inn in the late 1960s.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t condone violence or looting and the people who took advantage of Freddie Gray’s death to wreak havoc did the cause a disservice. However, the deep-rooted anger is understandable and if the LGBT community would take a step back and truly ponder the situation, the community will realize that the anger and rebellion is coming from the same place as it did at the Stonewall Inn. Feeling oppressed, brutalized by the police, hopeless, unheard and unseen can be a dangerous mixture. When you add to those factors that many of the rioters are young people who were born into poverty, have not been given the tools to escape poverty, and have not been taught how to effectively advocate for themselves in a way that brings attention to their plight, rioting is what we end up with.

People see them for the first time. People are actually talking about the conditions that gave rise to the uprising. It’s a shame that it takes committing destructive acts in your own community to get the necessary attention to improve living conditions and stamp out brutality. While those goals may not be on the minds of those causing the most damage, those who are rioting are clearly hurting from generations of oppression. Let’s not lose sight of that in our tendency to judge.

Let’s also not lose sight that these events began with more than 1,000 peaceful protesters. Now is the time to stand with Baltimore to ensure that the conditions that have led to the civic unrest are eradicated.

VIEWPOINT

After marriage, it’s a transgender moment Community must rally around cause of trans visibility

JUSTIN PELIGRI is a student at George Washington University.

The old saying “any press is good press” isn’t always true — but media coverage of transgender issues proves that this time, it is.

When it comes to covering the transgender community, a hefty portion of what I’ve been observing recently — both in news and entertainment programming — has seemingly been positive.

Of course, we’re nowhere close to the finish line on this one. But I’m reassured, for example, by Diane Sawyer’s interview with Bruce Jenner from last week, where Jenner’s story

— and the more general ramifications of being transgender in America — were critically examined and sympathetically portrayed.

ABC isn’t the only one bringing these powerful personal stories to light. Over the past few weeks, NBC has produced a smart series about transgender children and their families, which have aired on MSNBC and the Nightly News.

“Transparent,” the fictional portrayal of what it’s like to come out as trans later in life appeared on Amazon this fall to mostly positive reviews.

And transgender icon and actress Laverne Cox not only appeared at the see-and-be-seen White House Correspondent’s Dinner (as the Blade’s guest, by the way) but was one of the stars of the night, even appearing in a muchshared picture with Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

This could be the transgender moment – and despite this week’s same-sex marriage rallies during oral arguments outside the Supreme Court, this is an historic time that the L’s, G’s, and B’s should embrace and accept as belonging to all parts of the acronym.

Transgender issues are somewhat new to

the national stage and public consciousness — but gay marriage is not. Just over a decade ago, same-sex marriage was first legalized in Massachusetts. Since then, it’s slowly but surely dominated conversations on equality, clogging our Twitter feeds and being identified as the one of the very top advocacy priorities for organizations like the Human Rights Campaign.

Now, I don’t mean to be a killjoy. But even though we won’t hear an official decision on same-sex marriage from the Supremes until June, experts have made it pretty clear how this story is likely to end.

It’s also become clear that the same-sex marriage fight is no longer one we are expected to fight alone. At the rallies Tuesday were all sorts of advocacy organizations, from NARAL, to URGE, to the American Civil Liberties Union.

Same-sex marriage is a gay issue – but it’s no longer exclusively a gay issue.

That’s why there’s nothing wrong with adjusting our focus to a campaign that has yet to garner a broad base of support; namely, issues like transgender suicide and homelessness rates. Or even conversations about what it means to be transgender, how this portion

of our American population is not a media fabrication, and how they deserve the same basic rights even those of us in the gay community have come to take for granted.

So Sawyer deserves kudos for her interview with Jenner, as well as her ability to break down differences between gender identity and sexual orientation. (Naturally, well-informed D.C. progressives might have rolled their eyes and interpreted Sawyer’s slow-talking as condescending. But just imagine how eye-opening her report was for those in rural America who have hardly heard of the word “transgender,” let alone met a trans person for themselves.)

I hope everyone who attended the marriage rallies this week enjoyed them. But don’t sit down on your couch in front of the fireplace with a glass of Pinot Noir just yet. Don’t assume that because you wore a T-shirt with an equal sign on it, your work or anyone else’s is finished.

This is the transgender moment, and marriage equality supporters have a new responsibility to keep the momentum going.

It’s the next battle to invigorate our community.

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H O ME & GA RDE N

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Spring brings garden events galore Local grounds in full bloom with tours, festivals and more

By MARIAH COOPER All Hallow Guild’s 76th annual Flower Mart is at Washington National Cathedral (3101 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.) today (Friday) from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. There will be herbs, flowers, food, boutique gifts and children’s rides. Representatives from select Asia embassies will also be in attendance. For more information, visit facebook.com/ flowermartbyallhallowsguild.

Ladew Gardens (3535 Jarrettsville Pike, Monkton, Md.) hosts an array of events in May. First, the seventh annual Garden Festival is on Saturday from 10 a.m.4 p.m. More than 40 vendors will be selling plants, garden ornaments, antiques, furniture and more. There will also be complimentary lectures including Regionally Adapted Plants with Washington Gardener Magazine Editor Kathy Lentz at 11 a.m. and “Not Your Mother’s Containers,” a lecture on fun container planning, with Ladew staff member Fran Scully at 1 p.m. Advanced tickets are $15 for members and $20 for non-members. Tickets at the door are $20 for members and $25 for non-members.

Ladew also hosts WALK: Spring Birds on May 23 from 8-10 a.m. Led by Dennis Kirkwood from the Harford Bird Club, visitors may explore the gardens and birds that occupy the grounds.

Storytime in the Gardens and Nature Stories: Hop-along Froggy is May 27 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. and 12:301:15 p.m. The story time explores how frogs grow and are recommended from children ages 2-6. Tickets are $5 per child and adult pair for members and $15 per child and adult pair for non- members.

Additional siblings are $5 each. Tickets include admission to the gardens.

Capitol Hill Restoration Society hosts its 58th annual House and Garden Tour on May 9 from 4-7 p.m. and May 10 from noon-5 p.m. The tour begins at East Capitol and 2nd Street N.E. and continues east to 8th Street and north to E Street. Tickets are $35 through May 8 and $40 after May 8. For more details and to purchase tickets, visit chrs.org or call

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Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens (4155 Linnean Ave., N.W.) holds multiple garden-focused Hands-On workshops in May. On May 9 from 10 a.m.-noon and from 1:30-3:30 p.m., learn how to make mosslined hanging baskets filled with pink and purple flowers and ornamental foliage.

Tickets for this workshop are $55-65.

On May 16 from 10-11 a.m. and 1-2 p.m. build your own container gardens. First walk around the gardens and look at Hillwood’s summer designs.

After, build your own container garden.

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United States Botanic Garden (100 Maryland Ave., S.W.) hosts multiple Lunchtime Tours of the Conservatory from noon- 1 p.m. The tours explore the permanent display of plants that are used for everyday purposes. The tour meets in the Conservatory Garden Court. No preregistration is required.

United States Botanic Garden also hosts its Celebrating Public Gardens Tour on May 8 from 10:3011:30 a.m. in celebration of National Public Gardens Day. Meet at the National Garden entrance. For a full

list of garden event dates and more information, visit usbg.gov.

Green Spring Gardens (12000n Government Center Pkwy., Fairfax, Va.) hosts the Big Plant Sale on May 16 from 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. The sale will feature more than 40 vendors selling rare and unusual plants. For more details, visit fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/greenspring.

And if you’re planning to do work on your own garden, check out the services at Ginkgo Gardens (ginkgogardens.com) on Capitol Hill (911 11th St., S.E.) which offers on-site consultations, design and maintenance services and more.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

PLANTING A TREE HAS

32 • M A Y 01, 2015

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RELAX Replace outdated fixtures with new top-quality options that offer greater functionality. Manufacturers such as Mansfield Plumbing, produce fixtures and fittings designed to work in tandem. Such “suites” of a toilet, sink and bathtub can improve the look of a bathroom setting.

In a toilet, there are certain features to seek. A SmartHeight toilet allows for easier access. For those who are environmentally conscious or looking for a pocketbook-friendly option, seek out a WaterSense rated toilet, signifying greater water conservation.

When it comes to relaxation, the bathtub is king. Luckily, manufacturers are innovating features to go beyond whirlpools. New bathtub offerings include chromatherapy mood light systems, thermotherapy heated backrests and in-line heaters that keep water heated perfectly. Explore your options at mansfieldplumbing.com.

RETREAT Make your bathroom the perfect retreat from the rest of the house and the outside world with a few stylish accents that provide greater solitude.

For example, privacy decorative glass windows and privacy acrylic block windows offered from Hy-Lite are design elements that don’t compromise natural light. Available in four designer frame colors, you can go beyond plain frosted glass with stylish windows that come

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Take your spa retreat a step further by piping music into your bathroom with humidity-resistant speakers unsusceptible to steamy showers and hot baths.

BEAUTY On a limited budget you can give the bathroom an elegant long-term facelift by investing in millwork products that resist humidity so you don’t experience warping. From crown moulding to trim around showers and bathtubs to ceiling medallions, polyurethane is a more practical material than traditional wood for these design elements. It’s lightweight, easy to install, and most importantly, designed to resist the humidity of bathing.

To get the look of a luxury hotel, the experts at Fypon, which produce thousands of pieces of polyurethane millwork, moulding and trim in a variety of architectural styles, recommend a few project ideas: • Install a set of pilasters on both sides of your shower stall and a door crosshead overhead to upgrade your bathroom’s look.

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• Install chair rail moulding around the bathroom to add dimension. Paint above or below the moulding and use wallpaper, paneling or a different color paint in the other section.

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A D V E RTO RI A L

M A Y 01, 2015 • 33

LIFE MAY NOT BE PERFECT, BUT YOUR COMFORT CAN BE. The Ultimate Comfort System™ is a groundbreaking home heating and cooling system that makes perfection possible.

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By JUSTIN JOHNSON With summer almost here, you are probably getting ready to crank up your air conditioning to cope with unseasonably hot days. Soon you’ll notice a spike in your monthly electrical bill.

This got me to thinking about the various mistakes people make that result in needlessly high energy bills. Here are some of the things routinely reported by the highly trained team of professional service technicians at Magnolia Plumbing: Dirty filters. HVAC filters should be changed four times a year. Dirty filters restrict air flow, reducing efficiency and jacking up energy bills. Longer term, dirty filters contribute to equipment breakdown. Most filters are inexpensive.

This is something most home owners are capable of doing themselves, but surveys have found that fewer than half of them bother to do so. If that sounds like you, contact us about a service agreement that will ensure your system receives TLC at least twice a year.

Our service technicians often spot open windows and screened doors while the air conditioning is on. Many people like to sleep with windows open during cool evenings, but forget to close the windows when they turn on the air conditioning during the day. Or they fail to close them tightly. You can understand how this wastes money.

Some homes feel like walking into a freezer. You are entitled to control your home’s climate to your personal comfort

level. Just realize that each degree of temperature represents about 3 percent of energy consumption. Thus, if you raise the thermostat setting from 70 to 75, you will save about 15 percent on your energy bill.

If you have to turn the thermostat down way low to feel comfortable, the problem may not be with your body but refrigerant slowly leaking out of the system. Our technicians know how to check for leaks and repair them in an environmentally safe manner.

A simple energy saving tip is to keep shades and draperies drawn on the sunny side of the house. This can save 10-20% of the cost of cooling on a hot summer day.

Our technicians will clear the area around your outdoor condenser of dirt, leaves, and other debris that accumulate over time. This reduces system efficiency and life span. Periodically throughout the summer you ought to check for shrubbery growth around the outside condenser and keep it trimmed.

Our technicians frequently discover leaks in duct-work that often aren’t readily apparent to the untrained eye. Leaky ducts exposed to attics or outside air can have the same effect as an open window. Our technicians routinely detect and eliminate inefficiencies that can reduce a home’s fuel consumption by as much as 20%. Saving that much energy by itself will pay for the service call and then some. Give us a call before summer turns on the blast furnace.

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34 • M A Y 01, 2015

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*Available only to qualified customers at participating authorized Mercedes-Benz dealers through Mercedes-Benz Financial Services at Euro Motorcars Bethesda through 4/30/15. Advertised lease rate based on a gross capitalized cost of: 2015 C250 Coupe - $38,749; 2015 C300 - $41,074; 2015 C300 4MATIC® - $43,027. Includes destination charge. Excludes title, taxes, registration, license fees, insurance, dealer prep. and additional options. Total monthly payments equal 2015 C250 Coupe - $10,764; 2015 C300 - $12,204; 2015 C300 4MATIC® - $12,924. Cash due at signing includes customer down payment of: 2015 C250 Coupe - $3,199; 2015 C300 - $3,359; 2015 C300 4MATIC® - $3,499, $795 acquisition fee, and first month’s lease payment of: 2015 C250 Coupe - $299; 2015 C300 - $339; 2015 C300 4MATIC® - $359. Total payments equal: 2015 C250 Coupe - $14,758; 2015 C300 - $16,358; 2015 C300 4MATIC® - $17,218. Subject to credit approval. No security deposit required. At lease end, lessee pays for any amounts due under the lease, any official fees and taxes related to the scheduled termination, excess wear and use plus $0.25/mile over 30,000 miles, and $595 vehicle turn-in fee.

Visit Merrifield Garden Center to see our enormous selection of colorful plants. Fresh shipments arrive daily. Here are some tips to spruce up your yard or other outdoor space this season: Spring is an excellent season to fertilize your flowering trees, shrubs and perennials with Merrifield Flowering Plant Food. Use Merrifield Tree and Shrub Food for lush, green growth on evergreens and shade trees.

Before adding fresh mulch to your flower beds, apply a weed preventer such as Preen, Amaze or an organic alternative – corn gluten meal.

The first impression of your home is your landscape. Create eye-catching curb appeal with beautiful foundation plantings, a thick green lawn and lots of gorgeous color.

Hanging baskets and container gardens add spectacular color. When creating a container garden, use Merrifield Potting Mix and Soil Moist – a water-grabbing polymer that absorbs excess water and releases it into the soil when needed.

Visit our display gardens to get great ideas for your landscape.

Continue planting your edible garden.

Now’s a great time to plant basil, beans, corn, cucumbers, garlic, onions, squash, tomatoes and much more.

Keep your rose bushes on a spray program with Rose Shield or Neem Oil for gorgeous blooms and healthy plants.

Trees are Mother Nature’s natural purifiers, absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing clean oxygen into the air. You may be planting trees to beautify your landscape, but you’re also helping to protect the earth. We carry a magnificent selection of trees for every style and budget.

Time to plant apple, pear, peach and other fruit trees. Fruit trees require two different varieties to pollinate properly.

Please ask one of our plant experts to guide you selecting varieties.

May through early June is an ideal time to fertilize your lawn with Merrifield Premium Lawn Food to keep it green and healthy.

Control weeds in your lawn with Weed Beater Ultra or Speed Zone. If you seeded your lawn this spring, you must wait until the new grass has germinated and been mowed two to three times before applying. Always follow label instructions.

A D V E RTO RI A L

M A Y 01, 2015 • 35

PHOTO COURTESY OF SUMMIT COMMERCIAL

View of Kennedy Center from 3245-3255 K St NW located at Georgetown’s Potomac River Waterfront and adjacent to Washington Harbor.

Commercial Building on Georgetown Waterfront Offers Abundant Options and Views James Connelly of Summit Commercial Real Estate presents a rare opportunity to own a property in the heart of Georgetown.

Located at 3245-3255 K Street, this commercial building has access to all of the amenities of Georgetown as well as beautiful views of the Potomac River.

Features of the two-story, 11,000-square-foot building include: 13 parking spaces, multiple office areas, 1,000 square feet of storage, conference/ reception area, and showrooms.

The unique property is close to Washington Harbor, retail, the Ritz Carlton, the Swedish Embassy, Georgetown University, and much more.

A legendary home.

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Sale Price Options Option A: 11,000 square feet and 13 parking spaces: $8,789,000 Option B: 6,500 square feet and 7 parking spaces: $5,072,052 Option C: 4,500 square feet and 6 parking spaces: $3,716,948 Lease Price: $85 NNN Site visits by appointment only. To arrange a showing, please contact James Connelly of Summit Commercial Real Estate: jconnelly@summitcre.com or 202491-5300.

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Actress-turned-author explores power and pain of typecasting

By JOEY DiGUGLIELMO joeyd@washblade.com Actress Maria Bello spent the summer of 2013 in bed ill with a parasitic illness she contracted while doing relief work in Haiti.

Turning to the roughly 150 journals she’s been keeping since age 10, the actress, best known for her roles in the films “Payback,” “Coyote Ugly” and “A History of Violence” as well as the TV hit “ER,” found herself pondering all sorts of questions from all facets of her life from work, family, romantic relationships and more.

She eventually distilled her personal discoveries into the new book “Whatever … Love is Love: Questioning the Labels We Give Ourselves.” On Monday night she’ll be in Washington at the Sixth & I Synagogue to discuss the book with Daniel Jones of the New York Times, which published her essay “Coming Out as a Modern Family,” in which she discussed her current relationship with partner Clare Munn.

We talked with her Tuesday — the day of the Supreme Court marriage arguments — by phone to find out why she has such a thorny relationship with labels. Her comments have been slightly edited for length.

•

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

•

MARIA BELLO: How are you?

WASHINGTON BLADE: We’re good. It’s a big day in Washington!

BELLO: I know! I’ve been watching all day and tweeting about it. I’m so excited and the whole community must be.

BLADE: Yes, it feels momentous.

BELLO: It is. We’re on the verge and the tide is changing and it’s very exciting.

BLADE: It sounds like you had an epiphany of sorts when you began your relationship with Clare. Prior to that, had you had much involvement or investment in LGBT issues?

BELLO: Yes, always, even when I was going to a Catholic university. I’ve always been involved in LGBT rights because they have always been a huge force in human rights in general and it’s a human right to be able to marry who you love and love who you love. I was very inspired

by Marsha P. Johnson, a famous AfricanAmerican transgender, flamboyant, really beautiful woman when I used to live on Christopher Street. She threw the first shot glass at Stonewall.

BLADE: Did you journal continuously or in spurts over the years?

BELLO: Pretty consistently. I started at 10 but only have them going back to age 13. The first one I have is a green notebook with little hearts drawn all over

VOLUME

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18

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01

2015

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PHOTO BY AMANDA DEMME; COURTESY OF DEY STREET BOOKS

MARIA BELLO says a 2013 illness that sidelined her gave her time to rethink the rigid way society categorizes love, sexuality and relationships, labels she says never fit her own life.

it. The challenge with my journals was trying to choose the material to go into the book and what I realized more and more was that I wasn’t just taking a walk down memory lane, I was uncovering all these pieces and I had so many questions about the girl I was, the woman I had become, about my family, you know, myself, my religion, my sexuality and as I started asking more questions, I heard from so many more people that they were asking similar questions. I had no idea it would become part of a larger conversation. I always journalized pretty consistently. I can’t imagine I ever went more than three months or so without writing. Sometimes they were just gratitude lists I made because I was so miserable.

BLADE: What big picture started to emerge from reading them?

BELLO: Relationships are fluid, partnerships are fluid, life is fluid and the more you accept that, which is sometimes a very hard thing to accept, you become more mindful. It doesn’t mean you’re happy all the time. Sometimes it’s just being where you’re at. Sometimes you could be miserable and mindful and I

have to allow myself space to have those days and sometimes those weeks where, you know, you’re sad, angry confused.

But my mom always told me unless you hit the bottom, you’re not able to push yourself back up. I always loved that.

BLADE: How do you differentiate between happiness, joy and containment?

BELLO: It’s kind of what I just answered.

More coming from my preferred self, my most authentic self. When I can do that and be in the moment, I am more curious and happier when I have an understanding of that and, you know, connect to my higher power. Call it God, call it whatever you like. For me, it’s that connection that brings me joy. And also watching my son play soccer. He’s going to Ireland this summer to play in like the world cup of kids’ soccer. He’s freaking awesome.

BLADE: How old is Jackson?

BELLO: He’s 14. He was 12 when he said those amazing words (that became the book title).

CONTINUES ON PAGE 48

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

38 • MAY 01, 2015

Q U E E RY : 2 0 Q U E ST I O N S F O R RA Y CE E N P E N D A RV I S

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

By JOEY DiGUGLIELMO joeyd@washblade.com Rayceen Pendarvis had a long and colorful career in all kinds of endeavors before starting the “Ask Rayceen” show at the Martin Luther King Jr. Library in 2013. The show started as a natural outgrowth of the kind of life-affirming wisdom he’s been sharing for years.

He calls the show a “safe space and forum for LGBTQ people to express themselves and showcase local talent.”

The show is now held at LIV Nightclub (2001 11th St., N.W.) on the second floor. The next installment, slated for Wednesday, will find Rayceen holding court with a variety of local and national LGBT leaders such as Sharon Lettman-Hicks of National Black Justice Coalition, David Mariner of the DC Center, Ruby Corado of Casa Ruby and several others. Ramona Montanez and DJ Angie D will provide music. Rayceen will also interview several emerging leaders. The show, which features live music, discussion, comedy, games and more is always held on the first Wednesday of each month March-November.

Doors open at 6 p.m. for the show at 7. Admission is free.

Rayceen identifies as gay, a “gender-bender” and “earth mother to the gays.” The native Washingtonian works by day as a nail technician at VSL. He’s coy on a few topics such as age (“I take advantage of my AARP card!”) and relationship status (“I recently met someone who enriches my life”).

He lives in Brentwood and enjoys prayer, uplifting the community and giving back in his free time.

202.747.2077

How long have you been out and who was the hardest person to tell?

Essentially, I was always out. Hiding it from myself was the hardest thing.

Once I embraced who I am, that made it easier for me. When others around you experience your honesty and see you standing in your truth, that makes it easier to dialogue with anyone.

Who’s your LGBT hero?

It’s difficult to pick one. I am in awe of my trans sisters who stood on the forefront of the LGBT movement and broke down barriers, from the ballroom to the boardroom to the ballot. I’m particularly impressed by the work of Earline Budd, Lourdes Ashley Hunter and Janet Mock.

What’s Washington’s best nightspot, past or present?

The best nightspots of the past were the Brass Rail and Tracks. They represented two different eras but both celebrated freedom for people regardless of age, color, ethnicity, nationality, sex, gender expression or sexual orientation. We all came together and danced our troubles away! The best nightspot now is Liv at 11th and U Street, N.W. on first Wednesdays, where “The Ask Rayceen Show” continues that spirit of inclusion, unity and community.

Describe your dream wedding.

It doesn’t matter where, when or how much it costs — what matters is having that special day with the man I love and sharing it with family and friends.

What non-LGBT issue are you most passionate about?

The issue of police brutality, the prison industrial complex and the school-toprison pipeline. I’m pleased that the #BlackLivesMatter movement is gaining momentum. But like most issues, we should be mindful of intersectionality and that ultimately it all impacts LGBT communities.

What historical outcome would you change?

The assassinations of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and President Kennedy.

What’s been the most memorable pop culture moment of your lifetime?

The release of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” album and music video.

On what do you insist?

That we are all kind to one another.

What was your last Facebook post or Tweet?

My last Tweet: “May 6 #AskRayceen Show @ Liv (U St NW): Community Forum + Live Music by Ramona Montañez (@RamonasSpot). Doors

open 6 p.m. Admission is FREE.” If you follow @AskRayceen, you know that Twitter is an excellent forum for making shameless plugs!

If your life were a book, what would the title be?

“Not All Queens Wear Crowns”

If science discovered a way to change sexual orientation, what would you do?

I certainly wouldn’t change mine. I am perfect the way I am.

What do you believe in beyond the physical world?

I am convinced there is a heaven because of all the hell LGBTQ people have endured in this life; and those who use religion as an excuse to hate and kill — their access to heaven will be denied!

What’s your advice for LGBT movement leaders?

To strive to be as inclusionary as possible. Please don’t cast anyone aside; everyone should be brought to the table.

I also want them to know that what they do matters. Never give up, because our work is never done.

What would you walk across hot coals for?

All of the amazing members of Team Rayceen, because I know they would do the same for me.

What LGBT stereotype annoys you most?

The idea that we want to “convert” people or “turn out” heterosexuals.

What’s your favorite LGBT movie?

“The Boys in the Band”

What’s the most overrated social custom?

Shaking hands. I much rather greet someone with a hug.

What trophy or prize do you most covet?

An Emmy for best talk show. (I speak it into existence!) My most cherished award is the Angel Award, in honor of my mentor and mother Avis Penda’vis, presented to me at the 2014 Latex Ball in New York City by Luna and Sol Pendarvis.

What do you wish you’d known at 18?

I wish I knew that HIV/AIDS was about to hit my community so that I could have informed, educated and encouraged everyone to use condoms so that they could have lived.

Why Washington?

I’m free and it’s my home.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

T HE ATER

M A Y 01, 2015 • 39

THE CLASSIC FAIRY TALE COMES TO LIFE LIKE NEVER BEFORE WITH UPROARIOUS COMEDY & FABULOUS TWISTS!

PHOTO COURTESY OF QUOTIDIAN

Maggie Smith vehicle shines in local production

By PATRICK FOLLIARD British playwright Sir Peter Shaffer wrote “Lettice and Lovage” specifically for his friend Dame Maggie Smith.

At the heart of this comedic and sometimes poignant tale is Miss Lettice Douffet, a highly dramatic expert on Elizabethan cuisine and medieval weaponry who finds difficulty fitting into the modern world. Lettice is a role in which Smith shone, winning wide praise for the 1987 London premiere and a Tony Award for the 1990 New York production.

Now audiences can see Shaffer’s comedy at Bethesda’s Quotidian Theatre Company.

And while there isn’t a titled international star in the lead, local actress Jane Squire Bruns gives a formidable and heartfelt turn as the eccentric Englishwoman who can’t endure the “mere,” and has adopted her late mother’s motto as her own: ‘’Enlarge! Enliven! Enlighten!’’

The play traces the unlikely relationship between two ladies who share an interest in history and distaste for modern architecture. Both are single and of a certain age, but similarities end there.

In the farcical first act, we find Lettice in action. As the docent of historic Fustian House, the dullest great house in England, she cannot resist but to enliven her tours.

With each successive group of visitors (played by the same quartet of quick-changing actors), she increasingly embellishes the house’s history until it no longer resembles the truth whatsoever. As her stories become more fanciful, the once fidgety tourists transform into a rapt audience.

Eventually the Preservation Trust hears about their rogue employee and Miss Lotte Schoen (Leah Mazade), a gray bureaucrat with a penchant for facts, is sent to inspect. Ultimately Lettice is sacked and neither a very dramatic exit nor a stack of fan letters from satisfied Fustian House visitors alters the fact.

But Lotte was struck by Lettice’s spirit and several months later she drops in on Lettice, unannounced, at her modest basement apartment to give her a generous letter of recommendation. Truly touched, Lettice breaks out a celebratory carafe of homemade medieval “quaff” (booze mixed with an herb called lovage), and the women bond. Lettice speaks of her equally eccentric late mother, who acted the male leads in the Shakespeare plays that her troupe performed in France. A seriously buzzed Lotte shares her past including stories of an aborted career in architecture and a lost love. It’s here where Bruns and Mazade are at their best and the play at its most engaging.

At three hours, it’s a long evening (or matinee), but director Louis Pangaro keeps things at a quick enough pace. He sets the scene with a projection of Fustian House’s great carved wooden staircase, and effectively contrasts images of historical English architecture with steely, impersonal modern edifices. Also thrown in are projected portraits of royals who met untimely deaths including David’s simple yet haunting sketch of a decidedly unglamorous Marie Antoinette en route to the guillotine.

In the play’s final act, set in the same basement flat, Lettice reluctantly answers questions posed by her appointed lawyer Mr. Bardolph (an excellent John Decker), about an assault that took place offstage.

It seems that Lettice and Lotte’s friendship has developed into a weekly night of drama and fun where the women act out the great executions of British history. But the last time things got out of hand. Here the play devolves into silliness, though it ends with an effective feel-good ending in which a love for things old and beautiful triumphs.

‘LETTICE AND LOVAGE’ Through May 17 Quotidian Theatre Company The Writer’s Center 4508 Walsh Street Bethesda, MD $30 301-816-1023 Quotidiantheatre.org

PHOTOS BY BRETT COOMER/HOUSTON GRAND OPERA

LEAH MAZADE, left, and Jane Squier Bruns in ‘Lettice and Lovage.’

MAY 9–21 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 WNO’s 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 D’Aniello.

E: 05.01.15

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

40 • MA Y 01, 2015

O U T & A BO U T

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY PETE EXIS

SPECIAL MOTHER’S DAY MENU M-Th 11:30aM-10pM • F-saT 11:30aM-11pM suN. bruNch 11aM-3pM / diNNer 3-10pM

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Youth Pride returns Youth Pride Day is Saturday from noon- 5 p.m. in Dupont Circle with an afterparty, Infatuation, at Human Rights Campaign (1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.) from 5:30-9:30 p.m.

The event is for all LGBT people and allies who are 24 and younger. Youth Pride Day will be filled with performances, speakers and testimonials. The dance will have music played by DJ Keenan, free pizza and a raffle. There will also be Chipotle gift cards for those who receive HIV/STI testing.

For more details, visit youthpridealliance.org.

By MARIAH COOPER

Gays gather at zoo

REVEREND

Gay Day at the Zoo is Sunday — “international family equality day” — at the Smithsonian National Zoo (3001 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) from 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

The event is free but several sponsorship levels are available that involve a variety of perks. T-shirts are available for preorder for $15 at thedccenter.org.

WITT (Women in Their Twenties) will also have a scavenger hunt during the event at 1 p.m. Meet by the main entrance for details on that. More information at the WITT page on Facebook as well.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

Photo project explores LGBT safety ADVERTISER SIGNATURE

Participants in a recent photography study will present their work in “Safekeeping: Images from the LGBT Photovoice Study” Saturday from 3-5 p.m. at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (545 7th St., S.E.).

The event, dubbed a “participatory action research study that uses photography, group dialogue, collaborative analysis and community engagement as mechanisms for hearing, amplifying and responding to the voices of LGBT adults in Washington,” will feature work by Iden Campbell McCollumn, who’s transgender, and Gregory Johnson, who’s gay. The goal of the project was to “identify the barriers to … safety among LGBT adults.”

After the exhibit, the photos can be viewed at thephotovoiceproject.org.

It’s free and open to the public.

By signing this proof you are agreeing to your contract obligations with the washington blade newspaper. This includes but is not limited to placement, payment and insertion schedule.

Crack is back Saturday night with “Orange is the New Crack” at 10 p.m. (doors at 9) at Town Danceboutique (2009 8th St., N.W.).

This show finds Summer Camp sent to prison for a murder she may or may not have committed. While incarcerated, she meets a motley crew of prisoners including show co-creators Chris Farris and Karl Marks, plus performers Rumor Millz, Jaxknife, Salvadora Dali, Champagne Supernova, Troye, Rene’ PorcelainDahl, Harley Q, Aaron Riggins, Grant Barker, Devon Trotter and more.

The show is billed as being for anyone “craving the bizarre and shocking” with drag performances, audience participation, improv and more.

Tickets are $10 and available at the door. For ages 21 and older.

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

MA Y 0 1 , 2 0 1 5 • 4 1

Songs and stories from Civil and Equal Rights movements

May 15, 2015 at 8:00pm May 16, 2015 at 3:00pm (ASL) & 8:00pm Lincoln Theatre 1215 U Street NW featuring the debut of the

Chorus Tickets: Call 1-877-435-9849 or visit www.GMCW.org

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

42 • MAY 01, 2015

A RT S & CU LT U RE

HOT HITS & HIDDEN JEWELS From CultureCapital.com YOUR LINK TO THE ARTS IN METRO D.C.

A Frank View of Life in Politics and the Real World: Barney Frank Speaks His Mind. May 5. The Smithsonian Associates. Museum of Natural History.

202-633-3030. smithsonianassociates.org.

The former legislator shares his unvarnished thoughts on Congress, the closeddoor workings of the Hill, and how private and public life intersected in his political career. Evening Lecture with Book Signing.

The Fire and The Rain Thru May 24. Constellation Theatre Company.

202-204-7741. constellationtheatre.org.

In this mystical exploration of humanity, we encounter a mask that possesses its owner, a tortured demon-soul on a mission, and a supernatural act of compassion. Fascinating surprises abound!

MOMIX: Alchemia May 1 & 2. GMU Center for the Arts.

888-945-2468. cfa.gmu.edu.

This new work about the art of alchemy manipulates the four classic elements: earth, air, fire, and water, to create a visually arresting theatrical experience full of whimsy, sensuality, beauty, and intrigue.

5-Star Design: Patrick OConnell of the Inn at Little Washington May 7. The Smithsonian Associates. Ripley Center.

202-633-3030. smithsonianassociates.org.

The chef and proprietor of the celebrated restaurant and hotel reveals how architectural ingenuity and opulent interior design transformed a former garage into a luxurious country destination. Evening Lecture with Book Signing.

IMAGE COURTESY OF THE SMITHSONIAN ASSOCIATES.

Buy Discount Tickets

THEATRE Murder Ballad. Thru May 10. Studio Theatre. 202-332-3300. studiotheatre.org.

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.

Memphis. May 1-May 2. Mo Amer.

May 3. Torn Between 2 Fathers. May 7-10. Warner Theatre. 202-783-4000. warnertheatredc.com.

Shear Madness. Ongoing. Kennedy Center. 800-444-1324. shearmadness.com.

Swing Time - The Musical. Thru Jun 27. Navy Memorial. 202-737-2300. swingtimethemusical.com.

The Human Capacity. May 2-May 9. Clarice Smith. 301-405-2787. claricesmithcenter.umd.edu.

Freedom’s Song: Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. Thru May 20. Ford’s Theatre. 800-982-2787. fords.org.

28th Annual Evening of Comedy.

May 1-2. Wolf Trap. 877-965-3872. wolftrap.org.

Fox On The Fairway. Thru May 9.

Reston Community Players. CenterStage.

703-476-4500. restonplayers.org.

Hamlet, Q1. May 1-May 30. Taffety Punk Theatre Company. CHAW. 202-355-9441. taffetypunk.com.

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.

DANCE Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Singh Dance Company. May 2-May 3. Dance Place. Dance Place’s NEXTgeneration Showcase. May 2. Dance Place. Catholic University of America. 202-269-1600. danceplace.org.

Persistent Voices by Daniel Phoenix Singh. May 6. Reston Community Center. CenterStage. 703-476-4500. restoncommunitycenter.com.

MUSIC RAIN - A Tribute to the Beatles. May 1.

Strathmore. 301-581-5100. strathmore. org.

Jayme Stone’s Lomax Project. May 1. Psycho Killers. May 2. Omer Avital Quintet. May 7. AMP. 301-581-5100. ampbystrathmore.com.

Concert: United States Army Band.

May 3. National Gallery of Art. 202-737-4215. nga.gov.

Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5. Thru May 2. Mahler’s Symphony No. 5.

May 7-May 9. NSO. Kennedy Center.

The Blues Hall of Fame Tour. May 1.

Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600. kennedy-center.org.

ILoveMakonnen. May 1. Erica Campbell of Mary Mary. May 3. Howard Theatre.

202-803-2899. thehowardtheatre.com.

Lila Downs. May 1. GW Lisner Auditorium. 202-994-6800. lisner.gwu.edu.

Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony. May 2-May 3. National Philharmonic. Strathmore.

301-581-5100. nationalphilharmonic.org.

Beauty Pill. Thru May 2. Artisphere.

888-841-2787. artisphere.com.

Carmina Burana: Evening Lecture with Live Performance. May 6. TSA. Museum of the American Indian. 202-633-3030. smithsonianassociates.org.

New Dominion Chorale: Gilbert & Sullivan. May 3. Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall. 703-845-6156. schlesingercenter.com.

Augustin Hadelich & Joyce Yang. May 3. JCC of Greater Washington.

301-348-3872. jccgw.org.

MUSEUMS National Gallery of Art. Drawing in Silver and Gold. May 3-Jul 26. In Light of the Past. May 3-Jul 26. 202-737-4215. 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: A Modernist Vision. Thru May 15. 202-337-3050. kreegermuseum.org.

Museum of Women in the Arts. Doris Lee: American Painter and Illustrator.

Thru May 8. 202-783-5000. nmwa.org.

District Architecture Center. reVISION. Thru Jun 13. 202-347-9403. aiadac.com.

Ford’s 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 Student Exhibition. Thru May 10. 202-724-5613. dcarts.dc.gov.

BlackRock. Sabine Carlson, Nancy Frankel, and Bobbi Shulman. May 6-May 30. 301-528-2260. blackrockcenter.org.

The Art League Gallery. Bits & Pieces.

Thru May 4. John Gosling. May 7-Jun 1.

703-683-1780. theartleague.org.

Arts Club of Washington. May Art Exhibition. May 1-30. 202-331-7282. artsclubofwashington.org.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

M USI C

M A Y 01, 2015 • 43

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Things in D.C. didn’t work out for singer Billy Winn quite how he planned.

The Pittsburgh native came here in 2009 to study English at Georgetown University. And while he loved it, he says gradual realizations that he “didn’t want to be a teacher” and a growing itch to pursue music eventually led him to abandon his academic plans.

The out singer, who specializes in EDM and pop/R&B, says things have gradually started clicking for him through sheer persistence. A key turning point, he says, was deciding to be out.

“When I first started making records in D.C., I really still felt at the time a certain amount of pressure to keep my sexuality sort of a non-subject because of the kind of music I was making and the audience,” he says. “But the music suffered in a way. It wasn’t as genuine as I would have liked for it to be. So I eventually started working with some producers I really liked who really just kind of got me on an artistic level. We started playing around with some dance records and everything then pretty much clicked.”

He had a modest hit last summer with “Future X Boyfriend,” which reached No. 22 on Billboard’s Dance/Club Songs chart.

In February, he released two new cuts,

“Cruel Intentions” and “He Won’t Do,” a suggestive, up-tempo track that finds him hooking up with an ex, an experience he says is based on a true story. He’s signed with the Los Angeles-based Kaleidosphere Records, a new label that specializes in dance.

“I always try to say something provocative and write from a real place, either a situation I’ve been in or someone I know has been in,” he says. “I had a relationship with an ex that was really tumultuous. The only way we really connected was sexually. It was one of those things where we could barely stand to be in the same room together unless sex was involved. … It’s a little scandalous but as I was writing it I thought, ‘I don’t care, I’m going to do it anyway.”

Winn, who’s performed at Capital Pride a few times and will return this year, makes his debut at Town Danceboutique Saturday night (actually Sunday morning) at 1:30 a.m. with a 15-minute set on the upstairs stage.

“It’s the most intense 15 minutes I’ve ever put together,” he says.

Winn is single and lives in NOMA. He says he’s open to dating in Washington but his career, which he works at full time, has made it hard.

“Not everyone understands that,” he says.

“It’s like starting a business, any business. You spend crazy hours working and just letting people know you exist and sometimes those are hours a boyfriend or significant other might feel is time they deserve.”

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

44 • MAY 01, 2015

CA LE N D A R 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 affect them, share perspectives and have meaningful conversations. For details, visit uhupil.org.

E-mail calendar items to calendars@washblade. com two weeks prior to your event. Space is limited so priority is given to LGBT-specific events or those with LGBT participants. Recurring events must be re-submitted each time.

TODAY NOVA Gay and Lesbian Professionals hosts a professional networking social this evening at Pinzimini Lounge at the Westin Arlington Gateway (801 N. Glebe Rd., Arlington, Va.) from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

For more details, visit gogaydc.org.

Scandal hosts a D.E.B.S-themed party at Comet Ping Pong (5037 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) tonight at 10 p.m. There will be drink specials including PBRs for $2.50. DJ DeeDub and DJ Lez Rage will play music for the night. Guests are encouraged to wear plaid school girl outfits. There will also be a chance to win a bar tab. For more information, visit facebook.com/ scandaldc.

Lesbian comedian Fay Jacobs has her show “Aging Gracelessly: 50 Shades of Fay” at CAMP Rehoboth Community Center (37 Baltimore Ave., Rehoboth Beach, Del.) tonight at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 4 and 8 p.m. The show consists of a reading in two acts with a cocktail intermission. The material is based on Jacobs’s memoirs and columns. Tickets are $20. For more details, visit camprehoboth.com.

The Trevor Project hosts “A Night Out for Trevor” at Hotel Palomar (2121 P St., N.W.) tonight from 7-9:30 p.m. There will be a performance by Alex Newell from “Glee,” bar and hors d’oeuvres. General admission tickets are $100, NextGen tickets for guests 21-29 are $75 and Springtime Access tickets are $175 and include a hosted champagne bar, a performance by Newell and a gift. For more information, visit thetrevorproject.org.

SATURDAY, MAY 2 Unity of Fairfax Church (2854 Hunter Mill Rd., Oakton, Va.) hosts the Art of Wellness Fair today from 1-5 p.m. There will be demonstrations and presentations focused on health and wellness such as classes on Qigong, learning about healing touch, meditations sessions and much more. There will also be vegan food available. Admission is $10 in advance and $15 at the door. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit unityoffairfax.org.

Lambda Links LGBT Golfers hosts its President’s Cup team competition at Cross Creek Golf Club (12800 Bay Hill Dr., Beltsville, Md.) at 11:04 a.m. Singles will be paired or teams can sign up together.

Non-members admission is $45. For more details, visit lambdalinks.com.

Melrose Georgetown Hotel (2430 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.) hosts a Kentucky Derby party today from 3-7 p.m. There will be a live screening of the derby race, derby cocktails and betting for no charge.

Guests are encouraged to dress in fancy southern fashion. For more information,

TUESDAY, MAY 5 SMYAL (410 7th St., S.E.) hosts a “Rap Group” today from 5-6:30 p.m. Discuss stressful issues like school, bullying, getting into college or finding a job in this support group. For more details, visit smyal.org.

Green Lantern (1335 Green Ct., N.W.) hosts its weekly FUK!T Packing Party from 7-9 p.m. tonight. For more details, visit thedccenter.org or greenlanterndc.com.

Bachelor’s 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.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6 Bookmen D.C., an informal men’s gay literature group, discusses “Closer” by Dennis Cooper,a novel about a young man who is used and abused by other men after the death of his mother, at Cleveland Park Library (3310 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) tonight at 7:30 p.m. All are welcome. For details, visit bookmendc. blogspot.com.

The Tom Davoren Social Bridge Club meets tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Dignity Center (721 8th St., S.E.) for social bridge. No partner needed. For more information, call 301-345-1571.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE TREVOR PROJECT

‘Glee’ star ALEX NEWELL will be at ‘Night Out for Trevor’ Friday night at Hotel Palomar.

visit melrosehoteldc.com.

Burgundy Crescent, a gay volunteer organization, volunteers today for the Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation at the Falls Church PetSmart (6100 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church, Va.) at 11:45 a.m. today. You will be paired with a dog on a leash to walk around and play with. Wear casual clothes. For more information, visit burgundycrescent.org.

SUNDAY, MAY 3 Green Lantern (1335 Green Ct., N.W.) hosts Bears Can Party: Retro Remixed Sundays tonight from 6-10 p.m. Old favorites like Donna Summer, the Beegees, Earth, Wind and Fire and many more will be played. There will also be happy hour cocktails. There is no cover charge. For more information, visit greenlanterndc.com.

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.

Perry’s (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 buffet. For more details, visit perrysadamsmorgan.com.

The D.C. Center hosts “Bisexual Community Voices: Recognizing People of Color,” a reading and discussion, at Human Rights Campaign Equality Center (1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.)from 6:30-8:30 p.m. There will be a reading from the anthology “Recognize: The Voices of Bisexual Men.” Following the reading there will be a discussion. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

MONDAY, MAY 4 The D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W..) hosts coffee drop-in hours this morning from 10 a.m.-noon for the senior LGBT community. Older LGBT adults can come and enjoy complimentary coffee

THURSDAY, MAY 7 Chez Billy (3815 Georgia Ave., N.W.) hosts its May Petworth LGBT Happy Hour tonight at 7 p.m. The back outdoor deck will be reserved and there will be happy hour specials served until 9:30 p.m. For more information, visit chezbilly.com.

The D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.) hosts a Spring Botox Party tonight from 6-8 p.m. Facial plastic surgeon Dr. Somenek will perform Botox injections for $15 per unit. Refreshments will be served. RSVP at 202-785-4187 or email questionscbarry@ ruffplasticsurgery.com by May 5. For more details, visit thedccenter.org.

Nellie’s Sports Bar (900 U St., N.W.) hosts its weekly Beat the Clock Happy Hour tonight from 5 p.m.-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 Women’s Leadership Institute, a group for LBT women and their straight allies ages 13-21 to discuss female sexuality, relationships and women’s rights today from 5-7 p.m. For more information, visit smyal.org.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

BO OK S

M A Y 01, 2015 • 45

IMAGE COURTESY OF ST. MARTIN’S PRESS

Gay author writes of alcoholism, overbearing mother

TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER has been reading since she was 3 years old. She lives in Wisconsin with two dogs and 12,000 books. Reach her at bookwormsez@yahoo.com.

Mother knows best.

Long before you were old enough to complain, for instance, she knew when you were uncomfortable or ailing and she fixed it. She told you to ignore detractors.

She helped you follow your heart. She reminded you to take a sweater. Mom always knew best — except, as in the new memoir “Dangerous When Wet”

by Jamie Brickhouse, when her counsel could derail your life.

Jamie Brickhouse “had no business being a child.”

Then again, he never was a child, really.

Starting at age 5 (an age his mother wished she could freeze him, Peter-Panstyle), he was his Mama Jean’s sounding board, fashion advisor and cheering squad. He recalls the fascination of seeing her put on make-up; his days were spent watching her sew and going to downtown Beaumont, Texas, to shop and visit the beauty parlor. He also dimly recalls his first drink at age 5.

Though his mother warned him that others would never love him like she did, his first grade teacher came close.

Brickhouse adored that woman who shared school gossip with him and invited him into her home. Later, after a playground friend became his “first

boyfriend,” that same teacher warned Brickhouse that the boy was a “sissy.”

By junior high, he realized that he was, too, but since Mama Jean had had a fit when Brickhouse’s older gay brother came out and had offered a psychiatrist to Brickhouse if he was “like that,” Brickhouse denied his sexuality.

Years later, he also denied his HIV status to her, just like he denied his alcoholism.

From the time he was a toddler, Brickhouse had had an obsession with sex.

His love of drink also came early and the two intersected when he went to college.

Even after he found the love of his life, he couldn’t let go of either vice: many nights after work as a book publicist, he drank until he could barely function and often woke up in the arms and homes of strangers.

His boyfriend knew what was going on.

Brickhouse hoped Mama Jean never would.

For some reason, I’ve been awash in mother-and-gay-son memoirs lately.

“Dangerous When Wet” is the newest one, and only a little different from the others.

Don’t get me wrong: this wasn’t a bad book, but it doesn’t really stand out. Author Jamie Brickhouse is a funny guy, but I would say that charm is more prevalent in this book than are laughs. That may be, perhaps, because his thumb-sucking, profane, force-to-be-reckoned-with Mama Jean is ultimately like so many other moms: an exasperating reason for eye-rolls to their children, but adorable to others.

The small bit of humor lies with her antics, at any rate. The alcoholism, the black-outs, the promiscuity, not so much.

I do think this book is worth a try. I enjoyed it enough, but if you’re drowning in similar memoirs, too, you could just as easily skip it.

“Dangerous When Wet” isn’t the worst book of this genre, but it’s not the best, either.

‘DANGEROUS WHEN WET: A MEMOIR’

By Jamie Brickhouse St. Martin’s Press $25.99 288 pages

4 6 • MA Y 0 1 , 2 0 1 5

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

DHCD invites all residents, business owners, developers and housing providers to attend the Seventh Annual DC Housing Expo!

Workshops and demos will include valuable financial, rental, homeownership and small business information.

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Government of the District of Columbia, Muriel E. Bowser, Mayor Dept. of Housing and Community Development, Polly Donaldson, Director

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

D I N ING

Everything you always wanted to know about the Mexican spirit

By KRISTEN HARTKE With Cinco de Mayo just around the corner and summer close behind, our thoughts naturally turn to ... tequila.

Hailing from the hot sunshine of Mexico, tequila seems synonymous with summer fun, so it’s no wonder that we belly up to the bar in search of margaritas as the mercury climbs. Faced with shelves filled with what seems like every tequila under the sun at places like Oyamel in Penn Quarter or Agua 301 in Navy Yard, it can be intimidating to know which kind of tequila should get splashed into a cocktail shaker and which needs to be sipped lovingly on its own. And what the heck is mezcal anyway?

Made from the blue agave plant, all tequila comes from Mexico, period.

Protected by law as a designation of origin product — much like French champagne — true tequila can only be manufactured in and produced from agave grown in specific regions of Mexico, centered particularly around the city of Tequila.

“The agaves from each region produce very different tequilas,” says Jasmine Chae, beverage management director for José Andrés’ ThinkFoodGroup. “While each tequila is distinct and unique, highland tequilas tend to be brighter and fruitier, Tequila Valley tequilas tend to be earthier and more herbaceous.”

When perusing tequilas, look first for 100 percent agave; “mixto” tequila — the kind that you drank in college that gave you The Worst Hangover Ever — is only required to be 51 percent agave with sugars like glucose and fructose making up the balance. If you want to avoid the hangover, stick to 100 percent agave tequila and sip, don’t shoot.

Types of tequila and how to drink them

Blanco or “silver” tequila is an unaged or barely aged spirit whose bright flavor lends itself well to citrus or other fruitbased cocktails; some blancos can be very smooth and fruity, while others can have a vegetal bite. You’ll want to stock blanco in your home bar for everything from classic margaritas to bloody marys to tequila sunrises.

Reposado (“rested”) tequila has been aged in oak barrels for two months up to just under a year. With a pale golden color, reposado is the perfect marriage between blanco and añejo tequila, sporting a smooth mellow quality with bright accents. ThinkFoodGroup’s Jasmine Chae notes that she likes to use reposado

M A Y 01, 2015 • 47

tequilas with bold spicy ingredients like chiles or peppers.

Añejo is aged tequila that has rested in oak barrels, often old bourbon barrels, from one to three years. In the same way that different grains can create subtleties in aged whiskey, the base blanco tequila placed into the barrel can do the same for the resulting añejo. This is generally a sipping tequila, but can also be a great substitute for whiskey or bourbon in traditional cocktails like a Vieux Carré or a Mint Julep.

Extra añejo is a relatively new category of tequila established less than 10 years ago, signifying a tequila that has been aged at least three years in oak barrels and sometimes blended with very old vintage tequilas. A really fine extra añejo is like a good brandy, the kind of tequila meant to be enjoyed as a digestif after a heavy meal or with dessert. These tequilas can often have rich undertones of chocolate, vanilla and tree fruits.

Committed to serving the legal needs of the entire community.

over

125

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Founded1887

www.jackscamp.com 1120 Twentieth Street, N.W. South Tower Washington, DC 20036

And what about the mezcal?

Like tequila, mezcal is made from a specific type of agave native to Mexico, known as maguey, which is roasted underground to give it a distinctive smoky flavor. Referring to its “smoky, fiery, spicy allure,” ThinkFoodGroup’s Chae says that one way she helps introduce mezcal to the uninitiated is by serving it as a sidecar to a traditional margarita, adding a smokiness that “completely transforms the margarita.”

Rockville, MD

Vienna, VA

Baltimore, MD

Stocking up for summer Expensive does not always translate to better in terms of tequila. A lot of excellent tequila is priced pretty reasonably between $25-40 a bottle; the best way to figure out what you like is to taste different varieties at a bar or local liquor store and see which ones suit your palate. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also look for “blue agave spirits,” the American version of tequila produced in small batches by a few distillers around the country with agave nectar imported directly from Mexico.

Simple Summer Margarita 2 ounces silver tequila 1 ounce Cointreau or triple sec 1 ounce fresh lime juice 1 teaspoon light agave syrup (or to taste) 1 piece of fresh orange peel, about 2 inches long (optional) Shake first four ingredients well with ice and strain into a chilled glass, then twist the orange peel over the top and drop into the drink. Serve immediately.

KRISTEN HARTKE is managing editor of Edible DC and writes about cocktails at goodbooze. wordpress.com. Her elf name is Twinkie.

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48 • M A Y 01, 2015

Bello eschews society’s ‘tidy little boxes’

ALL SIGNS

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SPRING

BLADE: How long were you ill?

BELLO: A few months. Actually when I was quite sick and recovering and frail, I think your body has a way of telling you when it’s time to take a break or take a breath. It was a real transforming time in my life. I looked around my bedside and saw who was there — my mom, my brother and Jack and Jack’s dad and Clare and many of my friends. I’m so proud to have so much love in my life.

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BLADE: Are you healthy now?

BELLO: I am. … Except for the smoking thing, which I’m working on again. It’s my vice. www.clydes.com

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BLADE: You say nobody should feel judged or afraid because of a label. We use labels all the time to decide where to put things in a grocery store, to decide what genre a film or book is, to say if someone is a blond or brunette even when there are so many variations of different things. Why have the labels associated with sexuality gotten such a bad rap?

BELLO: Because it’s not just about sexual orientation, it’s about partnerships and family and how traditional labels, you know, seem to put people in these tidy little boxes and those traditional labels don’t seem to be working anymore. In the end, I always feel like call me whatever you want, I’ll label myself practically anything to advance human rights and that feels good for me, but I see these poor kids ashamed and being blamed for their sexuality or having partnerships that are different. … It’s important to claim the labels that make you feel your authentic self.

BLADE: When you see the studies about how monogamous people really are and how many stay married their entire lives, it does make you question whether these societal expectations are realistic.

BELLO: In one of my chapters I write about having an affair and talk about this very issue. It’s said that more than 50 percent of married people have admitted having affairs. Men, women, conservative, liberal, across the board. And yet we just don’t talk about it. We seem to just wave our finger and say, “OK, you’re a bad guy or bad girl if you had an affair,” but what we should really be talking is the question of why this is happening and the complications of sexuality. What does it mean. … There has to be a reason these people in long-term, committed

relationships go outside the relationship for something besides partnership.

BLADE: True, but don’t we need some sort of compartmentalization system in the world for such matters if only to make sense of all the thousands of people we encounter? Wouldn’t things get too overwhelming if we shunned labels altogether?

BELLO: Oh yes, we need some. My point is that only use the ones you are proud of and make you feel part of a community. Identifying a movie or a person by the way they look, that’s really simplistic. What we’re talking about are bigger issues. Facebook added 51 new gender options last year. I’m at least 15 of them. I think our lexicon needs to expand to include all of those.

BLADE: You write about growing up Roman Catholic. Do you have any relationship with the church today?

BELLO: I’m so excited about the new pope, with his openness and his attention to what really matters, which is love and (addressing) poverty and peace. … I’m happy to be part of this movement that’s happening in the church, even in the church I go to in Santa Monica, more of an acceptance and getting back to real values and what it’s all about, which is love.

BLADE: Has it been hard to take the good and leave the dogma you don’t agree with behind?

BELLO: It’s getting easier and easier as I get older because I’m doing that with everything in my life. I guess part of it is being middle aged and menopausal, but I’m excited about the question and I hope the book will help people question their own labels and look at the ones that empower them and get rid of the ones that disempower them.

BLADE: You were so good with Viggo Mortensen in “History of Violence.” What is he like as a fellow actor?

BELLO: Oh my god, such an incredibly authentic and funny man. You would never think the funny part, but he’s hysterical.

MARIA BELLO In conversation with Daniel Jones (New York Times) Sixth & I Historic Synagogue 600 I St. N.W. $17 (ticket $30 (ticket and book) $38 (two tickets, one book) sixthandi.org

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OPEN SAT & SUN, 1-4PM KENT 5260 Partridge Lane NW 6BR / 4BA • $1,795,000

Elegant center hall Colonial. Perfect for entertaining. Upstairs includes 5 BR / 3 BA. Downstairs features spacious family room and private au pair suite. Two-car garage parking.

BO BILLUPS 202.431.4052 BRIAN SMITh 202.412.4668

BBILLUPS@CBMOVE.COM

FOR SALE • DUPONT CIRCLE 1824 19th St. NW #D 2BR / 1.5BA • $899,900

Price reduced! One of a kind! Extraordinary location! Bright and beautiful 2BR w/ parking and balcony! Master Bath with radiant floor heating! High ceilings, original hardwood floors, extra attic storage! Meticulously maintained common front garden.

JTPOWELL@CBMOVE.COM WWW.JTPOWELL.COM

We are thrilled to welcome back gARRETT COTTRELL to Coldwell Banker Dupont! Contact him today for all your real estate needs.

Sun-drenched colonial features a grand entrance, spacious living and dining room, chef’s kitchen, huge family room, and large deck. Huge master suite, deep backyard with deck.

2-car garage and walking distance to Metro and MARC trains.

KERRY MULDOON 202.436.1268

gARRETT COTTRELL 202.618.3545 Garrett.cottrell@cbmove.com

KERRY.MULDOON@CBMOVE.COM

TIMOThY SAVOY 202.400.0534

TIMOThY.SAVOY@CBMOVE.COM

PRICE REDUCED! DUPONT CIRCLE

JUST LISTED! LOgAN CIRCLE

2 parking spots in Dupont! Private garage structure and the other is tandem outside of the garage. Large 1BR with bath jacuzzi tub and separate shower. Washer/Dryer/Dishwasher Separate dining room or use it as a den. Outdoor space.

Huge 2BR or 1/den condo. 1,328 square feet and more than 500 square feet of outdoor space composed of TWO patios. Open floorplan, gas fireplace with remote, two person master shower, many full size windows line the unit. Stainless steel & granite kitchen. High ceilings. Open Sat 12-2, Sun 1-4.

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This charming traditional home features expansive yard, off street garage parking with driveway, updated kitchen and baths, enclosed back yard and 1700+ sqft to call your own!

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10007BrunswickAve.•5BR/3.5BA•$875,000

MARK RUTSTEIN & EVAN JOhNSON 202.498.1198

5 Missouri Ave. NW 3BR / 2.5BA • $565,000

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457 SF, separate full kitchen, separate toilet and tub room in master bath. Common roof deck with pool, $380 condo fee includes all utilities, onsite garage parking for rent (when available). Open Sun 1-4pm. eRiK LaRS evanS 202.731.3142

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COMINg SOON! U ST. CORRIDOR 2125 14th St. NW 2BR / 2BA • $669,495

Stunning 2BR/2BA corner unit w/nearly 1,000 SF features open living/dining spaces w/maple floors, a gourmet KIT, spacious en suite master + guest BR, pkg and add’l storage in full service Union Row. Contact me for more details.

ChRISTOPhER BULKA 202.420.8919

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JUST LISTED! OBSERVATORY CR/UPPER g’TOWN

COMINg IN MAY! OBSERVATORY CIRCLE

Nearly 5,000 square feet! Perfect home for entertaining!

Includes in-law suite/office, two-car garage pus two more parking spaces (four in total), two blocks to Whole Foods and rec center.

Stately brick center hall with classic layout, incredible garden with Cathedral views, swimming pool, and two-car garage.

Large living room with fireplace.

2617 Wisconsin Ave. NW 5BR / 6.5BA • $1,399,900

MIChAEL SChAEFFER 202.491.5910

MSChAEFFER@CBMOVE.COM

3503 Fulton St. NW 7BR / 4.5BA

FEODORA STANCIOFF 202.285.6659 feoDoRa@cBMove.coM

“The most tools, the most technology, the most leads, the best working environment. Sound interesting?

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REALESTATE

Gardens for every space and taste Try potted herbs for a touch of green

By TIM SAVOY When I walk around D.C., I often feel that we live in a very green city. From vast lawns on the National Mall to the seclusion of the far reaches of Rock Creek Park, the city has great green public spaces. However, when I look inward to the home, I find that we are often challenged by a lack of space.

No matter your style of home, you have the ability to use your green thumb in a variety of ways. To many, growing plants is an essential to homeownership. Planting allows for creativity, a place to express personality through life. Because we are often forced to trade space for location, planting a garden can seem like an insurmountable task. However, with a few city living techniques, you can still utilize your green thumb with little effort.

First, there are many ways to incorporate green space when living in the heart of the city, even in confined spaces such as condos. Outdoor space is a luxury that many include when searching for a home, but the idea of planning on a small patio or balcony can seem impossible. If this is the case, think of expanding your search to include buildings that incorporate a green roof or amenities that allow the owner to use planter’s boxes off of the balcony. One can easily manage to

plant small flowers and maybe even a vegetable or two within a confined space.

The key to such planting is planning and an open imagination. After all, you don’t have to have many acres to grow something beautiful. Even if it is just a plant or two in your garden, creating something in your home is a great way to spur the imagination.

Additionally, some of the best space in the home to grow a garden only requires sunlight. In your home, planting can be as easy as a few pots and seeds to create an herb garden in the kitchen. Herbs such as basil, sage, oregano, and more can be low maintenance, DIY projects that give your living space a little extra charm. After just a few moments and minimal effort, this small, colorful garden can easily rest and grow on your windowsill.

For the planter who wants low maintenance for larger plants, think of planting greenery such as a fiddle leaf fig or peace lily, both of which require little attention, water and sunlight. Also, smaller items like terrariums can give a good visual effect to many spaces in the home, and are easy to maintain. Think of plants as finishes in your home; like a tasteful accent pillow or throw rug, your planting can say a lot about your personal style.

Finally, sometimes living in the city can place too much of a constraint on your gardening ambitions. For needs outside the house, it may be time to look toward a community garden. The District is home to dozens of community gardens,

D.C. has many green spaces, including the National Mall.

from the District’s Department of Parks and Recreation-sponsored parks (online at dpr.dc.gov/page/dpr-community-gardens) to private parks that sponsor some garden space. For many, community gardens provide an opportunity to interact with the community while also allowing ambition to grow plants you otherwise wouldn’t within the city.

To be clear, the return on investment for a garden can be hard to determine.

Often times, small green spaces provide a sentimental value to the owner. The rate

of return on a small section of greenery or a couple pots of herbs can be hard to quantify, but often times, this value is irreplaceable, and truly sets the home apart from others. In a city as beautiful yet transient as Washington, having a small garden or plant can provide just the right slice of home.

DAVE LLOYD & ASSOCIATES

SIMPLE AFFORDABLE PROVEN RESULTS

TIM SAVOY is a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, Dupont Circle.

Reach him at 202-400-0534 or timothy.savoy@ cbmove.com.

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REALESTATE

Measuring success in real estate Is it days on market or total price paid?

By LEYLA PHELAN If you Google “fair deal in real estate,” what pops up are links to vacation properties in Trinidad and Tobago. Now, I’m not looking for a vacation property right now and I’m pretty sure that if I was, my partner wouldn’t let me buy in Trinidad or Tobago, not that there is anything wrong with that.

I am a real estate agent in DC/MD/VA working as a buyer’s agent for one of the nicest couples that you’d ever hope to meet. To me, as a buyer’s agent, this couple, let’s call them Sally and Harry, are the perfect clients: solid employment history, good income, healthy savings, intelligent, thoughtful and humorous. Sally and Harry have realistic expectations and understand that buying renovated homes in D.C.’s most popular neighborhoods would be expensive and they would have to act quickly.

Over the past month, after submitting three or four VERY strong offers, with strong escalation clauses, no contingencies, and having completed pre-offer inspections, they have yet to land the winning bid.

A home inspection for the size home they are seeking costs between $600-700.

To date, none of the inspections yielded any flaws in the home that either were not disclosed by the seller or would have stopped Sally and Harry from moving forward. Did I mention that Sally and Harry are intelligent and understand that no home is perfect? Realistic expectations.

Frustrated, Sally and Harry no longer want to spend the money for an inspection prior to submitting an offer on a house. So last week, we submitted an offer on a charming house that received a total of three offers. We included a twoday home inspection contingency without the ability to void the contract, escalated in $10,000 increments above the next highest offer and had no financing or appraisal contingencies. Truly a strong offer and a great deal for both sides.

Guess what? Sally and Harry didn’t get the house. The sellers decided that the risk of a home inspection exceeded the value of an additional $10,000.

Now I am asking myself when did we get into such a rush that a successful real estate transaction is measured in

When did we get into such a rush that a successful real estate transaction is measured in terms of number of days on the market?

terms of time, number of days on the market, instead of a net dollar amount for the seller and a well informed and happy buyer? Sally and Harry were happy to pay a premium of $10,000 to have a home inspection and negotiate in good faith. They did not have the right to void the contract. The house appeared sound and the seller’s disclosures indicated that it was well maintained. I am pretty sure the sellers could use $10,000. So why the rush? Is the speed of a transaction the best metric to evaluate a successful transaction? Is a successful sale really measured more by the days on market versus the net proceeds to the seller?

I believe as agents we can remove the emotion and stress from a very personal transaction and help buyers and sellers, through negotiation, reach an equitable deal. A win-win. But a win-win can often take a bit of time, effort and nuanced thinking.

What does $10,000 mean? You can buy a used car, replace 15 windows in your house, shop for a family of 4 for at Whole Foods for a month (just kidding), you can spend a month at Club Med in Cancun with your family, you can take a cruise with your partner and have change left over. Ten grand is a whole lot of money.

So again, the question is why aren’t agents working harder to make it work for everyone? An increase in $10,000 in sales price to the listing agent’s commission is $250 or $300, perhaps not enough to make the effort? The bottom-line?

Buyers and sellers should take another look at the current home selling model and give it some serious thought. There may be a lot of money at stake. Their money. Have your agents work for you and negotiate a thoughtful, nuanced and profitable transaction that creates a winwin feeling for both parties.

LEYLA PHELAN is with the Denny & Leyla Team at Evers & Co Real Estate, Inc., 202-415-3845 or Leyla@DLTRealtors.com.

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