Los Angeles Blade, Volume 08, Issue 05, February 23, 2024

Is Jason Caceres too gay?

(Photo by Simha Hadid)

PAGE 05

FEBRUARY 23, 2024 • VOLUME 08 • ISSUE 05 • AMERICA’S LGBTQ NEWS SOURCE • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

FEATURE

Sabrina Cervantes is embracing identity at home and in politics RIVERSIDE, Calif. - With the onset of the 2024 election season, Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes has announced her candidacy for the 31st State Senate District, seeking to expand her commitment to service and advocacy to a wider audience. Cervantes, a Democrat, presently represents California’s 58th Assembly District.

In an exclusive interview with The Los Angeles Blade, Cervantes and her spouse, Courtney Downs, shared insights into how they manage their legislative duties alongside family life, addressing challenges and championing inclusivity.

Assemblymember SABRINA CERVANTES (D-Riverside) speaking to attendees at the 2023 Latino Economic & Policy Summit hosted by the Inland Empire Economic Partnership in Riverside, Calif. (Photo Credit: Office of Assemblymember Cervantes)

Balancing Work and Life “I don’t believe that in this field there is a true work-life balance,” Cervantes said. “It’s nearly impossible when I have to travel each week from Southern California for eight months out of the year. There is a significant impact on the family, especially with having triplets at home.

Cervantes, who splits much of her time between Riverside and Sacramento, expressed gratitude for Downs’ steadfast support.

“I am very grateful to my wife,” the Assemblymember said. “She is with the triplets full time, so that I am able to do this work and be a representative for our community.”

Downs, formerly a clinical educator, made the decision to accommodate Cervantes’ demanding schedule, ultimately stepping away from her career to become a fulltime homemaker.

Reflecting on the impact of Cervantes’ career on their family dynamic, Downs stressed the significance of being a supportive partner in the face of the challenges of public service.

“It takes a toll on our family,” Downs said, “but this is the work Sabrina is driven to do. As her wife, I want to be her biggest supporter.”

Coping with the distance, Cervantes described her ef-

forts to connect with her family mid-week, prioritizing quality time amid her busy schedule.

“I make the effort to commute mid-week,” Cervantes said. “I’ll fly up to Sacramento Monday and come back Tuesday so that I am able to make dinner for my family, give my kids a bath, read them a book, and get them into bed. The next morning, I fly back to Sacramento.”

Cervantes added that her challenging travel schedule is worth the chaos for the time she is able to spend with her family: “These are critical years that I don’t get back.”

The couple, introduced by a mutual friend who remains close to them, also emphasized the importance of their supportive family and inner circle.

“I’m certainly very grateful that I have a supporting, loving family that has embraced Courtney and I and our union and our triplets,” Cervantes said. “I know that’s not the case for a lot of people.”

Cervantes also expressed gratitude for the inclusive environment in Sacramento, where discussions about her family are welcomed among her Democratic colleagues.

“My democratic colleagues are very engaging in a discussion about Courtney and about the triplets,” Cervantes said. “It’s been a very inclusive environment in Sacramento that I’m really grateful for. It’s just been that much more helpful as we navigate this work-family balance as LGBT parents.”

view legislation and the issues that I do tackle and take on.

I take on a heavier load on maternal mental healthcare and the different disparities when it comes to black and brown communities when it comes to birthing children.”

A recent data snapshot by the Maternal Health Network (MHN) reveals insights into maternal and infant health, highlighting disparities and trends within the healthcare system. Using data from the California Department of Public Health Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health (MCAH) Division Data Dashboards, the snapshot offers a comprehensive overview of health outcomes.

Key findings include disparities in health outcomes based on race/ethnicity and age, underscoring the need for targeted interventions to improve health equity. The snapshot also stresses the importance of accessing accurate information from the MCAH Data Dashboard.

“For our region, our infant mortality rate for our black and Latinx community is 11%,” Cervantes told The Blade.

“The state average is only 4%. I think there is a lack of infrastructure and a lack of healthcare providers. We have a big healthcare shortage, which is why we have been elevating these issues around healthcare access.”

Embracing Identity at Home and in Politics Embracing their queer identity, Cervantes and Downs emphasized the importance of representation and inclusivity for their children. Actively engaging with other families and advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, they take pride in their family’s visibility.

“Honesty and open communication are at the forefront,” Downs said.

“We try to be very intentional in showing them (their children) that they are not the only family with two moms.

There are some families with two dads. There are families with one mom, one dad, just grandparents… We just try to be open with them about the different makes of families.”

Downs said that the couple incorporates inclusive books into their parenting strategy, prioritizing diversity in their children’s upbringing and ensuring exposure to various cultural experiences and perspectives.

Some of the triplets’ current favorites are My Two Moms, Mommy, Momma, and Me, and I Love My Hair.

“My top priority is showing them that they are not alone,” Downs added.

“They accept and love the fact that they have a mommy and a momma,” Cervantes shared. “They know they don’t need to necessarily have a mom and dad to fit in.”

Impact on Legislation “I have two job titles,” Cervantes said. “I’m a full-time legislator and a full-time mom. The title of being my kids’ momma is by far my favorite and most accomplished title.”

“Motherhood certainly has a profound effect on how I

02 • FEBRUARY 23, 2024 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

(Family photo courtesy of Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes)

CONTINUES ON PAGE 04

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Trailblazing for families

Looking towards the future “I am excited to be running in an open senate district to continue representing our vast and diverse communities,” Cervantes said.

Cervantes also shared that she is excited about the prospect of bringing her unique and diverse voice to the State Senate.

“It’s important to ensure that we are continuing to have not just LGBTQ voices at the table, but voices from our LatinX community as well.”

“It is not lost on me what it means to have someone that reflects the community to represent them,” Cervantes added. “I am excited to continue that representation in the upper chamber of the state senate.”

Legislative achievements Cervantes is proud of her accomplishments in the Assembly as a lawmaker and detailed the legislation that she is especially keen to highlight:

AB 746. - A Bill to Protect the Rights of Mothers (Family photo courtesy of Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes)

Since her election to the State Assembly in 2016, Cervantes has been a trailblazer in various capacities. As the first Latina Millennial elected to the State Assembly, she has worked to improve the lives of Inland Empire residents. Her efforts have led to the enactment of thirty-nine bills into law, covering crucial areas such as maternal mental health services, student financial aid accessibility, survivor protections, and fostering an inclusive economy.

Delving into the need for accessible healthcare and childcare, the couple recounted their struggles in securing childcare for their newborn triplets post-COVID-19. Downs’ decision to leave her career highlighted the urgency of addressing the childcare crisis for working mothers.

In addition to her legislative achievements, Cervantes has been deeply involved in community partnerships and organizations. Currently, she serves on the Advisory Board for the University of California, Riverside (UCR) School of Public Policy and is a member of the Human Rights Campaign.

Cervantes has also been instrumental in securing over $600 million in state investments for programs enhancing the economy, wildfire resilience, voting protections, and access to essential resources for working families, children, veterans, and students in the region. Her leadership extends to her role as Chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus, where she oversees a historic number of legislative members, including 21 Latinas.

With a focus on addressing pressing issues such as candidate residency requirements, contractor workers’ compensation classification, environmental justice, and maternal mental health, Cervantes has continually championed legislation aimed at serving the diverse needs of her constituents.

Cervantes expressed pride over her Assembly Bill 746, which seeks to streamline the stepparent adoption process in the state, stemmed from the couple’s personal experience when Downs realized she was legally required to adopt their triplets.

Downs encountered undue discrimination when attempting to adopt her own children, facing invasive home checks and education verification requirements imposed by the county, which were neither required nor constitutional. AB 746 aims to prevent such discriminatory practices and ensure equitable treatment for all families seeking to adopt.

Signed into law by the Governor on September 22, 2021, the AB 746 bill assures that parties involved in stepparent adoptions are not mandated to have been married or in a domestic partnership for a minimum period before adoption, and they are not required to provide income or education verification.

By removing unnecessary barriers, AB 746 aims to make the adoption process more accessible and less burdensome for families, including LGBTQ+ families like Cervantes and Downs’. The legislation underscores California’s commitment to equality and inclusivity, ensuring that all families, regardless of sexual orientation or family structure, have equal access to legal recognition and protection.

With the passage of AB 746, California takes a significant step towards supporting diverse families and fostering loving and stable homes for children. As the bill becomes law, it is expected to bring about positive change in the adoption process, contributing to the well-being of families throughout the state.

AB 1477 - A Bill for Maternal Mental Health Assembly Bill 1477, championed by Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes and signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom, mandates licensed healthcare practitioners pro-

04 • FEBRUARY 23, 2024 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

viding prenatal, postpartum, or interpregnancy care to conduct appropriate screening for maternal mental health (MMH) conditions.

The bill expands the definition of MMH to include interpregnancy care, ensuring support for women experiencing pregnancy loss and early detection of symptoms for improved health outcomes.

Cervantes emphasizes the importance of providing quality mental healthcare to pregnant women, addressing the stigma surrounding pregnancy loss, and meeting the emotional and psychological needs of affected individuals. MMH disorders affect one in five women in California, with higher prevalence among specific demographic groups, highlighting the need for equitable access to maternal mental healthcare services.

AB 1478 - A Bill to Bolster Maternal Health Services Cervantes made a significant stride toward bolstering maternal mental health services statewide with the authoring of AB 1478, which was approved by both houses.

AB 1478 aims to fortify existing initiatives by mandating the State Department of Public Health to establish and maintain a comprehensive database of referral networks for community-based mental health providers and support services, with a particular focus on addressing postpartum depression and prenatal care in medically underserved areas.

Cervantes has emphasized the personal significance of the bill, drawing from her own experiences as a mother: “This legislation is about ensuring that all mothers, regardless of their circumstances, have access to the mental health support they need during the perinatal period.”

Under AB 1478, the Department of Public Health will be tasked with developing and maintaining an internet-based database containing up-to-date information on mental health providers and support groups. This initiative is poised to streamline access to essential services, thereby enhancing the quality of care available to mothers in need.

This bill was, unfortunately, vetoed by the Governor.

AB 2466 - A Bill to Safeguard the Rights of Foster Children Assembly Bill No. 2466, now law as Chapter 967, marks a significant stride in safeguarding the rights of foster children in California.

The bill, signed by the Governor on September 30, 2022, explicitly bars placing agencies from denying foster care placement to children based on a resource family parent’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

It brings about amendments to key sections of both the Health and Safety Code and the Welfare and Institutions Code, emphasizing the paramount importance of conducting thorough home studies for licensed foster parents to ensure the safety and well-being of foster children.

This legislative move underscores the state’s commitment to eradicating discrimination and promoting equitable access to foster care placements for all children statewide.

SIMHA HADDAD

FEATURE

Is Jason Caceres too gay?

WEST HOLLYWOOD - The petite-framed young man wearing a billowing top open to his navel revealing his lean muscle build sits across from me at a West Hollywood café – the kind where seating requires a reservation made in advance and where they will not seat you until your entire party has arrived.

His foxlike brown eyes framed by long, curling lashes set under thick but perfectly maintained brows glean mischievously. He flashes a set of perfect teeth set in a jaw that could cut iron as he looks between me and the waitress, asking, “Is it too early for a mimosa?”

The waitress smiles back at Jason Caceres, the 33-yearold actor best known for his roles as gay characters on “Open To It” on Out TV and Amazon Prime and the feature film “Boy Culture.”

“Single or double?” the waitress asks, regarding Caceres’ preferred mimosa size.

“Oh, sorry,” Jason replies, feigning an apology and fanning his fingers over his chiseled chest, “I’m taken.”

JASON CACERES, the 33-year-old actor best known for his roles as gay characters on “Open To It” on Out TV and Amazon Prime and the feature film “Boy Culture” was recently interviewed by Los Angeles Blade correspondent Simha Haddad. (Photo by Simha Haddad)

His joke has the acuteness of a well-rehearsed theatre line with the freshness of a first performance. Everybody laughs.

Caceres is naturally charming in the way those who live authentically often are. He emanates an ease of being and a palpable honesty that is so immediately contagious, and so perceivably queer, that we are soon joined by a bearded stranger who makes a b-line from wherever he was sitting straight for Caceres.

“I’m so sorry to interrupt,” Beardman says, his gaze locked on my companion. “I just think you are so incredibly cute.”

The man hands Caceres a card and introduces himself as a tarot card reader who “also serves Iowaska.”

“Is your birthday April twelfth?” the man asks in an attempt to dissect Caceres’ personality based on his zodiac - a flirtatious move particularly common in Los Angeles.

“No,” says Jason, still smiling. “It’s March twenty-fourth.”

I sip my coffee while Caceres handles the man’s attempted wooing with sophisticated grace.

Once Beardman has left, Caceres blushes, insisting this kind of thing never happens to him. I, of course, don’t believe him. I tell him that, in that case, he must have paid the man to come over here, knowing I would include the encounter in this feature.

Jason leans back in his chair, laughing and ad-libbing a scenario wherein he has to rush to the alley to pay Beardman for his job well done. When the jokes subside, he takes a breath, ready to continue spilling the beans about his journey through the often tumultuous landscape of Hollywood as a proud gay man.

“So,” I ask him, playfully returning to the subject of this piece, “is Jason Caceres too gay?”

sion, surprised.

“I thought my dad would have told her about what he had seen on my computer. So, I asked him, ‘Why didn’t you say anything to mom?’ and he just shrugged and said, ‘It wasn’t my business.’”

What’s on your computer?

Jason grew up in what he describes as a lower-middle-class Cuban immigrant household with his mother, father, and older brother in South Beach, Florida.

“I don’t have an official coming out story,” Caceres says.

“Although I did have sort of an unofficial coming out when my dad found something on my laptop. That was a very awkward moment.”

Caceres’ dad, whom he describes as a stoic but supportive old-world Cuban man, had logged in to the family’s only laptop to research something for work.

“I didn’t know how to delete my browsing history back then,” Caceres says, laughing at his youthful ignorance.

“And something popped up.”

Caceres’ dad did ask Caceres to explain the explicit material on the laptop. However, when Caceres seemed hesitant to elaborate, his father brushed off the incident rather than push his son further.

About a year later, when Caceres told his mother he was dating a boy, she was supportive but, to Caceres’ confu-

(Photo by Simha Haddad)

Both of Caceres’ parents continue to be strong, supportive forces in his life. Caceres even describes one recent incident when his father insisted on voting for his son in an underwear modeling competition just to contribute to his son’s potential success.

“I told him he didn’t have to do that,” Caceres says, “but he insisted that he wanted to vote for me.”

Caceres explains that in a family of 64 cousins, he was the fourth or fifth person to come out as gay, so his coming out was not a huge shock.

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Outed Caceres also attributes his family’s overall support to their history of immigrant-related struggles, which created a tight familial bond. “My whole family is made up of immigrants. Cuba is a very Third World country with so little available. So, I think when you come from a situation like that, leaving all your friends behind you for a better life in a different country where no one speaks your language, all you have is your family. My sexuality would not be enough for my parents to excommunicate me when family is so important.”

(Caceres family photo)

“As early as 14, I started to hear I was too gay,” Caceres says, segueing into the story of being unexpectedly outed his sophomore year of high school.

There was a boy, whom we agree to call “Chad” for the purposes of this story, who was on the swim team with Caceres.

“He was actually really good,” Caceres says. “I wasn’t that good. I only joined swim because a biology teacher told me that you burn more calories in the water because your body tries to heat up the water around you. I was a chubby kid, so I joined to lose weight.”

Caceres also jokes that he has since burned all the photos of his chubby phase.

“Chad and I had this very high-school silent rivalry,” says Caceres. “He was out, and I wasn’t. He was also super popular. There was no good reason for it, but we just hated each other.”

While Caceres and Chad may have started as mortal enemies, the ice between them soon thawed when Chad started dating Caceres’ neighbor.

Caceres recalls one phone conversation wherein Chad explicitly asked Caceres if he was gay.

“I just hung up the phone,” says Caceres. “I thought, nope.

We are not having this conversation.»

Later, on the swim team’s yearly trip to Orlando to partake in a national competition and a traditional annual trip to Disney World, Caceres offered to room with Chad.

“People didn’t want to room with the gay kid. But I said I didn’t mind. Of course, I had already started to develop a

crush on this boy.”

Caceres recalls feeling nervous and awkward in their shared room at first.

“I think he was joking, but he told me not to lock the door when I showered. I remember locking the door and then unlocking it, and then locking it again over and over. When I finally came out of the bathroom, Chad was like, ‘Are you okay?’ and I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m fine. I just didn’t know how to use the door!’”

Caceres recalls a smooth trip after the awkward door incident. He and Chad shared intimate conversations and flirtatious moments, particularly when Chad carried Caceres through Disney World on his back. “Because my legs were tired,” explains Caceres.

Back at school, Caceres presented Chad with a note, professing his love to Chad. The note, which Chad said slipped out of his backpack, soon ended up making its rounds throughout his peers.

“You know when people laugh with each other and stare at you?” Caceres asks. “That’s what the entire swim team was doing. Someone finally told me it was because everybody now knew I was gay.”

Caceres shakes his head in dismay as he recalls his swim coach joining in on the belittling gossip about his note to Chad.

“She was a grown 40-something-year-old woman, and she was giggling along with the other kids and pointing at me, talking with them about me under her breath.

I thought this is ridiculous... I quit swimming shortly after that.”

Caceres says he even lost his close group of friends over the love note.

“After that, the people who I thought were my friends started to do the whole Mean Girls thing and distance themselves from me.”

Caceres says that he was able to find a new group of friends who accepted him for the rest of his high school career.

“High school got a little bit crazier after that because then I was dating a lot of boys and girls.”

In spite of a lifetime of what he calls “jabs” for appearing “too gay,” Caceres describes his sexuality as “fluid but on the far end of the spectrum leaning towards gay.”

In company but alone Caceres attended Florida International University, located in southwestern Miami where he joined a fraternity and also found a group of supportive female friends. However, navigating his identity as a gay man amidst a predominantly heterosexual environment proved challenging.

“There is a very distinct loneliness that comes with being the only gay man in a group of women,” Caceres laments.

“We don’t have the same shared experience.”

Caceres explains that the division lies in the small moments of social isolation. “I can’t go to the bathroom with them when they all go together as a group,” Caceres says, “so I’m left standing by myself with a drink while they all disappear together.”

06 • FEBRUARY 23, 2024 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

In his fraternity, Caceres was outwardly accepted in chapter meetings and in required displays of inclusion and diversity efforts. However, he explains, behind closed doors, the scene looks very different.

“Being in that frat was lonely, too. They wouldn’t invite me to go and play video games or hang out with them and smoke weed. They wouldn’t invite me out to the bars to pick up chicks because that would feel weird for them. And I definitely couldn’t go to their sleepovers.”

Caceres pauses, thoughtful. Finally, he tells me, “You know, I do identify with the whole ‘It Gets Better’ campaign.

I do agree; it does get better. But I want to know how we can help during the period I just described. How can we help those who are actually living through this incredibly exhausting time?”

Caceres said the invisible rift between his and his heterosexual friends’ experiences reached a peak when his female friends started getting married. Caceres recalls being left out of the wedding of one woman whom he considered to be one of his best friends.

“She took me aside and told me to my face why I couldn’t be in the wedding party,” Caceres recalls. “There were so many ways she could have handled that. But to tell me to my face that it was because I was gay and a man...” Caceres trailed off, shaking his head.

Caceres also recalls an instance with the same woman prior to her engagement. “Some of the other girls Asbestos_Lunchbox Ad4_vertical_CA 2024.qxp_W&L 1/31/24 10:34 AM Page 1 and I were discussing possibly going to this gay club. Her

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FEATURE

your accent.’ She said she wanted me to take accent reduction classes. I assumed she meant my Cuban accent or my Miami accent, which are very different, and they were more pronounced back then. But she said, ‘No. It’s none of that.

You need to change your gay voice.’”

Caceres was shocked at first but was willing to take her advice. However, upon further thought, he realized that changing who he was felt like a betrayal to himself.

“I was really taken aback by that, and I didn’t know what to say or do,” says Caceres” I ended up sending her an email saying I didn’t think that was appropriate.”

Without any further conversation or explanation, Caceres’ manager sent an email to Caceres, his husband, and even his female best friend, formally dropping them from her roster.

“I wish her well,” Caceres says.

CACERES on the set of CBS Studios drama Criminal Minds with fellow actor REID MILLER. (Photo courtesy of Jason Caceres) JASON CACERES as a student at Southwest Miami Senior High School in South Miami Florida’s Olympia Heights neighborhood.

19 year old JASON CACERES in 2010.

(Photo courtesy of Jason Caceres)

Keeping it gay

(Photo courtesy of Jason Caceres)

then-boyfriend at the time said, ‘There is no way you are going to that faggot ass shit.’ I thought, okay, so it’s fine for us to share a meal, but going to a gay club is too much? I didn’t understand why it was such a problem. It just didn’t make any sense.”

Fired

Shortly after college ended, Caceres moved to Los Angeles to continue to pursue his career in TV and film. His manager from Florida decided to relocate around the same time to attempt to set up an LA-based agency.

“I was lucky to have a representation,” Caceres says, “although I’ll use the term ‘lucky’ loosely.”

His manager held mandatory acting workshops that Caceres did not find particularly helpful but agreed to attend out of respect for his manager’s wishes.

The working relationship between Caceres and his manager had seemed amicable in Florida. In spite of having little face-to-face communication, she consistently booked him on small starter jobs like his first role, reenacting a crime scene on a true crime show. However, Caceres noticed a shift when he introduced his manager to his now ex-husband.

“I could see she was taken aback,” says Caceres. “She didn’t know I was gay before that.”

“She called me one day and said, ‘You need to work on

Now, signed with a gay manager who has never asked Caceres to change his ‘gay voice,’ Caceres is thriving in his acting career, portraying gay characters authentically. He advises young gay actors to stay true to themselves despite the advice they receive, emphasizing the importance of self-acceptance and authenticity in navigating the industry.

To wrap up, Caceres shared the following message for any young actors out there trying to navigate the ups and downs of a Hollywood career: “Everybody is going to try to give you advice. All these random people who don’t know you. Take all of that advice loosely and just remember to stay true to who you are.”

SIMHA HADDAD

LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • FEBRUARY 23, 2024 • 07

INTERNATIONAL

Out in the World: LGBTQ+ news from Europe & Asia RUSSIA

taining and relatable for learners worldwide. This is a fun and oftentimes difficult challenge. We’re proud to have our characters, especially our LGBTQ characters, help us do that.”

Radetel, which referred to members of the LGBTQ community as “sodomites” in its complaint to Roskomnadzor, said that “outraged” parents had brought Duolingo’s LGBTQ “propaganda” to its attention, adding that they had said they didn’t know how to explain the sentences to their primary school-age children “without traumatizing them,” Novaya Gazeta reported.

GREECE Opening screen on the popular learning app that teaches over 40 languages to more than 60 million users worldwide.

It has been accused of allegedly spreading “LGBTQ propaganda” by Roskomnadzor the Russian government media watchdog agency.

MOSCOW, Russia - The Russian Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media agency, abbreviated as Roskomnadzor, has launched an investigation into the language learning app Duolingo for allegedly spreading “LGBTQ propaganda.”

The popular learning app teaches over 40 languages to more than 60 million users worldwide.

Russian media news outlet Novaya Gazeta reported that a complaint, filed by a group Radetel, based in Novosibirsk in central Russia, and claims on its social media and website that it is on a mission to protect “public morality, culture, and traditional values,” accused the learning app of violations of Article 5 the Russian “on the protection of children from information harmful to their health and development” law which specifies the promotion of “non-traditional sexual relations as detrimental to children’s health and development.”

Russian state media outlet TASS reported that Roskomnadzor confirmed that the agancy would be investigating Duolingo for potential “distribution of information that promotes LGBTQ.” For its part as defined on its website, Duolingo states: “Duolingo believes deeply in diversity and representation.

This made it a no-brainer to include all types of characters of different ages, ethnic backgrounds, and sexual orientations.”

The app’s statement goes on reading: “The second reason is our learners. Something really unique about Duolingo is the extremely vast and diverse audience for our content: language learners of all ages, from all around the world. Yes, that’s a lot of people. And with such a broad base of learners, we have a responsibility to reflect and relate to the experiences of all kinds of people, LGBTQIA+ folks included.

Of course, characters are also much more compelling when they’re relatable, not only because of their dreams and their flaws but also who they love. So when we create Stories, which are written first in English and then adapted to other languages, we aim to make our content enter-

ATHENS, Greece - The Greek Parliament voted late Thursday night to pass the government’s bill to legalize same-sex marriage and adoption rights, becoming the first Eastern Orthodox Christian country with equal marriage. The bill will take effect once it is officially published.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced that he planned to legalize same-sex marriage last summer, after winning a second term with a commanding majority in parliamentary elections. The announcement came as something of a surprise given his party’s conservative orientation, but it comes as Greece has taken steps in recent years to promote LGBTI inclusion, including banning conversion therapy and banning unnecessary surgeries on intersex children.

vert those into marriages within one year, and says the government will recognize same-sex marriages performed abroad retroactive to the date of the marriage. The option to have a civil union will continue for both straight and gay couples.

Some saw Mitsotakis’ turn as a way to neutralize a potential wedge issue after the largest opposition party SYRIZA elected openly gay businessman Stefanos Kasselakis as its leader last September. Kasselakis married his American husband in New York last year, because same-sex marriage wasn’t legal in Greece.

The bill, which moved swiftly through parliament after being introduced at the end of January, was not without controversy in the country of 10 million. The influential Greek Orthodox Church came out strongly against it, as did several former prime ministers. Polling was inconsistent on the issue but tended to show a slight majority in favor of equal marriage.

Ahead of a the vote, several hundred people protested against same-sex marriage outside Parliament in Athens.

The Prime Minister’s New Democracy Party was heavily divided on same-sex marriage, and the bill needed the support of left-wing opposition parties SYRIZA and PASOK to pass. Far-right parties and the Communist Party were also opposed. In the end, the bill sailed through on a 176-76 vote, with 2 abstentions and 46 MPs absent.

While the bill makes same-sex couples and families equal to married heterosexual couples in most respects, it does not allow same-sex couples to access surrogacy, even though infertile heterosexual couples are allowed. Some campaigners have said they believe the restriction will not stand up to a court challenge.

It’s also part of a growing trend in Europe. Of the original 15 members of the European Union, only Italy has not legalized same-sex marriage, and of the 37 countries with same-sex marriage globally, 21 are in Europe.

Two more European countries are debating same-sex marriage bills – Liechtenstein, which is expected to pass the bill next month, and Czechia, where same-sex marriage remains a contentious political issue.

UNITED KINGDOM Greek Prime Minister KYRIAKOS MITSOTAKIS speaking with reporters on the eve of the Orthodox New Year celebration and Epiphany in Chania, Greece, January 6, 2024.

(Photo Credit: Office of the Prime Minister/Greek government)

“The vote has passed: as of tonight, Greece is proud to become the 16th EU country to legislate marriage equality. This is a milestone for human rights, reflecting today’s Greece - a progressive, and democratic country, passionately committed to European values,” Mitsotakis posted on X immediately after the vote.

Greece had legalized same-sex civil unions in 2014, but these did not offer couples equal rights compared to marriage. Same-sex couples were not allowed to adopt, and only biological parents were recognized if the couple had children. That changes now.

The bill allows couples who were in civil unions to con-

08 • FEBRUARY 23, 2024 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

HARROW, UK - 19-yearold Summer Betts-Ramsey appeared before a magistrate at Willesden Magistrates Court on Tuesday, Feb. 13, charged with attempted murder and possession of an deadly weapon in public after she allegedly Google Earth image of Masons Avenue in Wealdstone, northstabbed an 18-year-old west London UK. trans woman at who was with friends headed to the Harrow Leisure Centre for a roller-skating party.

Metropolitan Police Detective Inspector Nicola Hannant, who is leading the investigation, said: “This was a shocking and violent attack and we continue

INTERNATIONAL to support the victim and her family as she recovers from her injuries. At this stage, we are treating this as a transphobic hate crime and we know this will cause significant concern.

“Since the incident occurred, we have been working tirelessly to identify those responsible and are making good progress with our investigation.

“We have already arrested four people however we continue to appeal for anyone who may have been in the area or who believes they have further information to come forward and speak to us. We have increased police patrols and would encourage people to approach these officers with any information or concerns.”

According to Detective Inspector Hannant, the victim was subjected to transphobic slurs before being stabbed 14 times. She was rushed to hospital for treatment and subsequently discharged.

The attack comes just over a year after a pair of 15-yearolds stabbed trans teen Brianna Ghey, 16, to death in a park near her home in Birchwood, Warrington, U.K. The teens now 16, Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, were both handed life sentences earlier this month.

Anyone with information should call 101 with reference 6306/10Feb or alternatively, contact independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

IRAQ AL DIWANIYAH, Iraq - An unnamed security official with the Al-Qadisiyah Governorate, told Iraqi media outlet Shafaq News that a transgender blogger was killed after being repeatedly stabbed in the center of the city of Al Diwaniyah, the capital city of Iraq’s Al-Qādisiyyah Governorate, located 189 kilometers southeast of the country’s capital city of Baghdad.

The police official told Shafaq News: “Simsim, was 28 years old was killed by unknown assailants with several sharp knife stabs near the mural roundabout in the center of Diwaniyah city.” The official went on to note “the killers escaped to an unidentified location, and the forensic team took the body to complete the legal formalities.”

Iraq has witnessed a series of assassinations of transgender individuals Shafaq News noted. One of the most prominent cases was the murder of NOOR BM, a popular TikTok figure who was shot dead by an unknown gunman

in Baghdad in September 2023.

The Okayama court judged that the man fulfilled the appearance criterion, the same conclusion it reached in his first petition, due to factors including his having undergone hormone therapy.

The Mainichi reported Usui, operates a farm in the village of Shinjo, where he lives with his 46-year-old partner and her son, aged 13. With Usui’s gender now legally recognized, the pair will be able to fulfill their long-held wish to marry.

“I want to thank my family. I feel a new life is beginning,” Usui said in a press conference after the decision.

The trans blogger & make-up artist known as “SIMSIM,” shown in this interview with Iraqi media outlet Al Walaa channel in 2020, spoke candidly about the threats he faced regularly because of his appearance.

(Photo Credit: Screenshot/Youtube)

Last August, Iraq’s Communications and Media Commission has ordered media outlets and social media companies that operate in the country to refer to homosexuality as “sexual deviance.”

Homosexuality is legal in Iraq, but violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity remains commonplace in the country.

(Courtesy of Tacaquito Taqui Usui)

JAPAN OKAYAMA, Japan - In a landmark ruling last week, the Okayama Family Court’s Tsuyama Branch recognized a transgender man’s petition to legally change his gender without having first undergone sterilization.

Japanese media outlet The Mainichi reported that the plaintiff, 50-year-old Tacaquito Usui, a farmer from a rural area of the prefecture of Okayama, legally change his gender without having first undergoing sterilization, after the Supreme Court’s presiding judge Yukihiko Imasaki ruled the requirement unconstitutional this past October.

But while the Supreme Court did issue a ruling on sterilization surgery, the high court is re-evaluating the requirement that a person’s genitals must conform in appearance with those of the gender they identify with.

Usui was assigned as female at birth and has said that he felt uncomfortable being treated as such from a young age.

After becoming an adult, he was diagnosed with gender identity disorder. Usui told reporters the latest outcome “left me feeling society has changed” and that he is “moved by the progress that has been made.”

Additional reporting by Rob Salerno, The BBC, PinkNewsUK, Human Rights Watch, Novaya Gazeta, Agence France-Presse, The Mainichi, Shafaq News, and Euronews 24.

BRODY LEVESQUE

LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • FEBRUARY 23, 2024 • 09

VIEWPOINT

Protecting our future: Standing united against attacks on trans kids LOS ANGELES - As a coalition of LGBTQ+ and allied organizations, we write to address a range of attacks on transgender youth in California. In 2023 alone, states around the country introduced hundreds of bills restricting the rights of transgender young people.

California has long been one of the most inclusive and welcoming places in the nation for LGBTQ+ people, but even we are now facing a distressing surge of threats against the rights and safety of transgender, gender non-conforming, and intersex youth.

The weight of this moment is heavy, and we share the fears and worries expressed by many Californians.

Protecting the rights of every LGBTQ+ person, safeguarding our loved ones, and nurturing an inclusive future for transgender youth are non-negotiable. Our organizations, along with many other partners and allies, have been working tirelessly to address the harm that these attacks have on our youth, and we stand ready to take action whenever and wherever needed to protect our communities.

Nothing is more crucial to us than safeguarding your rights, your loved ones, and your children’s future. We are continuing to actively monitor the proposed ballot measure and stand ready to take any essential action necessary to prevent its advancement.

Together, we will overcome these attacks on our community and pave the way for a California where every individual, regardless of gender identity, can continue to thrive in safety and dignity.

(Courtesy of trans activist Landon Richie)

Across our state, far-right school board members are pushing policies that deny students access to essential historical information about LGBTQ+ people, forcibly out transgender students, and undermine the basic rights of transgender youth to use facilities and participate in school activities aligned with their gender identity. These actions jeopardize the safety of all students and undermine the fundamental values of equality and dignity that should be the bedrock of California schools.

And now, many of these same extremists are collecting signatures to advance a ballot measure that would roll back the rights of all transgender youth in California. Their hateful efforts would strip away vital civil rights protections painstakingly established for transgender youth and their families, including their rights to safely be themselves at school, participate in youth sports, access school facilities consistent with their gender identity, and receive life-saving gender-affirming care.

Coalition Authors: TONY HOANG Executive Director, Equality California JODI HICKS CEO, Planned Parenthood of California BAMBY SALCEDO President and CEO, The TransLatin@ Coalition CAMILA CAMALEÓN President, San Gabriel Valley LGBTQ Center EZAK PEREZ Executive Director, Gender Justice LA KATHIE MOEHLIG Executive Director, TransFamily Support Services ASHLEY MORRIS Organizing Director, ACLU of Northern California AMANDA GOAD Audrey Irmas Director, LGBTQ, Gender & Reproductive Justice Project, ACLU of Southern California TAI’RANCE S. KELLY SR. Founder/CEO, Tranz of Anarchii Inc. TERRA RUSSELL-SLAVIN Chief Impact Officer, Los Angeles LGBT Center IMANI RUPERT-GORDON Executive Director, National Center for Lesbian Rights EBONY HARPER Executive Director, California TRANscends

V O L U ME 08 I S S U E 05

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10 • FEBRUARY 23, 2024 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM

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VIEWPOINT

A father’s grief, a nation’s shame: February 14, 2018 LOS ANGELES, Calif. - The seventeen students and staff who were killed February 14, 2018 in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre in Parkland, Florida are being remembered today, six years later. But for their families and survivors there will always be a hole in their hearts and unassuaged grief over those lost.

The photograph I featured above is a screenshot from a mobile phone video posted to X (formerly Twitter) of one of those 17 lives cut short in that act of pure evil, Alex Schachter, who as his father Max said, “My forever 14-year-old Alex was one of them.”

“Feb. 14, 2018, was the last day I saw my son Alex Schachter alive. “I love you, have a great day in school,” were the last words I said to him. It didn’t occur to me that he could be murdered in his English class,” Max said in an essay published by NBC News last July.

In the terrible aftermath of Parkland as it is colloquially referred to, joining a growing list of mass-shootings similarly referenced by the event’s locale, Alex’s bereaved papa Max founded Safe Schools for Alex, a non-profit whose stated mission is “to provide most current school safety best practices and resources to students, parents, school districts and law enforcement so that all children can learn in a safe environment.”

On its website Max and the family write: Alex Schachter was a special little boy. He was happy and always smiling. He loved sports. Whether it was playing basketball and football or watching his favorite teams the New England Patriots, Boston Red Sox and Boston Celtics he was always ready to talk smack with his friends. His tenacious defense led to several championships on the basketball court.

He worshipped his big brother Ryan. He used to let his little sister Avery play with his hair and give him massages so she could hang out with him and his friends. He used to bond with his older sister Morgan over their love of Japanese TV shows.

Alex’s love of music was constant throughout middle and high school. He followed in his grandfather’s footsteps and played the trombone in middle and high school. His hard work and dedication paid off when his band, the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Eagle Regiment Marching Band became state champions several months before his passing.

Alex is loved and missed every day.”

Before I continue, I will stress that there are 16 other victims, families, all impacted by this horrible event, In fact, according to the Associated Press, these families, their lives, their futures were impacted by the craven evil disregard of the shooter “who calmly told a psychologist why he picked Valentine’s Day: Because no one loved him, he wanted to ruin the holiday forever for anyone associated with the school.”

I’m a Dad, a Granddad, Uncle oh and a ‘Guncle’ to countless young people but not even with all my years as a working journalist having covered these nasty evil events going back to my first, Columbine High School in Littleton Colorado on April 20, 1999, can I truly comprehend the lasting sense of loss and heartache experienced

by Alex’s papa and the other families. I just cannot.

The aftermath of Parkland, in addition to Max’s non-profit, birthed a powerful young people led effortMarch for Our Lives, by Marjory Stoneman Douglas students; Alfonso Calderon; Sarah Chadwick; Jaclyn Corin; Matt Deitsch; Ryan Deitsch; Sam Deitsch; X González; David Hogg; Cameron Kasky and Alex Wind among others.

Ultimately these young people also sent one of their own, a Gen Zer, to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives, the national organizing director for March for Our Lives, Florida Democratic Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost.

The nation’s shame is the fact that every damn mass-shooting spawns efforts to eradicate this vile cancer on America, gun violence, and still these efforts are bull-dozed into oblivion by the powerful gun lobby, which funds the Republican Party and its ongoing campaign to “protect the Second Amendment rights of Americans” aka do absolutely nothing to curtail the violence with common sense laws to reform current gun control.

While I remember and honour the 17 lives lost, it is because I follow Max on social media and advocate for his non-profit that today’s X post from Max just caused me to pause. Folks? Consider Max’s reality sadly shared by all of the Parkland families: Alex would be 20-years-old today and in college most likely and I for one believe he would be marching alongside his schoolmates advocating for real change- not just empty promises and the ever insulting “thoughts and prayers” that populates right wing spaces and the media when these senseless evil events take place.

I’ll close this with one final thought, actually share this image from Max’ Schachter’s essay: BRODY LEVESQUE is the Editor-in-Chief of the Los Angeles Blade and a veteran journalist.

ALEX & MAX SCHACHTER (Family photo)

A photo of the poem Alex Schachter was working on when he was shot and killed inside his classroom, ripped by a bullet.

(Courtesy Max Schachter)

LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • FEBRUARY 23, 2024 • 11

Unseen horrors make ‘Zone of Interest’ a profound cautionary tale There’s not really a “wow” moment in Jonathan Glazer’s “The Zone of Interest” – the UK/Poland-produced film which surprised many observers by winning the prize for both Outstanding British Film and Outstanding Film Not in the English Language at last Sunday’s BAFTA awards – but it could be argued, taken in its entirety, that it constitutes a single, prolonged “wow” moment in itself.

Describing the basic events of the plot, it’s hard to find much drama to talk about; it’s essentially a slice-of-life domestic portrait of a family that has managed to build a life of comfort and prosperity in the pastoral European countryside – thanks to Rudolph (Christian Friedel), the head of the household, who has risen to the height of success in his government job; living in a house next door to the facility he supervises – and of which he is the primary architect – he is able to spend ample time with his children, to whom he is a loving and supporting father, and his wife Hedwig (Sandra Hüller), who proudly rules their domestic life with as much efficiency as he does the workplace over which he presides. It’s a blissful life, until an unexpected promotion requires Rudolph to relocate to another city, sparking turmoil as the family’s happily-ever-after existence is thrown into uncertainty.

That might not sound much like the stuff of high tension drama, but Glazer’s movie is hypnotically gripping from start finish, none-

theless – because the setting is German-occupied Poland, 1943, and the Rudolph in question is Rudolph Höss, commandant of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. In that context, the banality of its surface details become the stuff of horror.

Though we never see anything that goes on behind the walls of the notorious death factory that lies mere yards away from the elegantly rustic Höss compound, it’s impossible to ignore; and while no one ever really talks about the “final solution” being perpetrated there, the noises emanating in a constant stream from within it – anguished screams, the roar of massive furnaces, a crackling of gunshots so frequent that locals no longer flinch at the sound – leave little doubt about the atrocities being committed just next door to the petty inconveniences which trouble the Höss family. Yet while some of the younger children may occasionally be a bit unsettled by the environment that surrounds them, it seems to register for most of them as nothing more than an acceptable annoyance – or, perhaps more candidly, a necessary evil – through which they prosper.

Needless to explain, Glazer’s movie – winner of the Grand Prix at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival and nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best International Feature – is about the phenomenon of turning a blind eye to cruelty (and worse) for

12 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • FEBRUARY 23, 2024

the sake of self-interest; and though his film is not a US production, it seems apt that it should rise to prominence as an awards contender here at the start of an election year in which (for many, at least) the moral dissociation it depicts in its fly-on-the-wall document of life lived in convenient denial of an obvious evil feels like a key factor in determining the future of our nation. Yet its power lies beyond the political, confronting us with people we might deem to be monsters – who have, indeed, been branded as such by history – while presenting them in the most relatably human way possible. Knowing what we know about what happened at Auschwitz, we cannot help but be appalled by their indifference, their undisguised bigotry, their sense of privileged entitlement as they get first pick from the belongings of those being murdered with their tacit approval; but as we watch the comfortable banality of their everyday routines – gardening, household chores, the balance between work and family, the leisure time spent hiking in the nearby wilderness or swimming and fishing in the local river – it’s equally impossible not to recognize a bit of ourselves in them all.

And yes, that includes Höss himself, who orchestrated the murder of over a million Jews and others deemed as “undesirable” by the ruling Nazi Reich, and who, in Friedel’s tantalizingly opaque performance, comes across as a man either devoid of a better nature or – perhaps more frighteningly – ignoring it for the sake of a fanatical ideology and personal betterment.

That, perhaps, is the main point of Glazer’s film, which appears eager to present as much of a documentary approach to its subject as possible; while the 2014 novel

by Martin Amis from which he adapted his

screenplay centered on fictionalized characters “based on” the Höss family, the acclaimed-but-relatively-unsung filmmaker discards that layer of pretense to call them by their real names; beyond that, his movie is informed by painstaking research into the real-life records around the events it depicts, including the story of a Polish girl who rode her bike at night into the work grounds surrounding the camp to hide apples for the prisoners on labor duty, which thrusts itself starkly into the film via a stylistic interwoven subplot, and testimony from workers inside the Höss household who were first-hand witnesses to the events dramatized in its story. He even shot the movie in Auschwitz itself – something which, along with the painstaking period detail and sumptuously artful cinematography, lends palpable authenticity to its overall tone.

Also keeping things chillingly real are the performances of Friedel and Hüller, who somehow manage to make us feel something akin to empathy for the two real-life Nazi collaborators they portray; the familiar intimacy they achieve in their scenes together stands in contrast to their darker moments, like discussing a more efficient way of incinerating bodies en masse with the professional detachment of a CEO proposing a new budget-cutting strategy, or threatening a household servant with disposal in the camp for subpar work or perceived subordination. They are at once appalling and recognizable, the perfect avatars for the kind of selective cognitive dissonance that enables tyrants to wreak their twisted ideologies onto the world without regard for the human cost behind it.

There’s no arguing that “The Zone of Interest” isn’t a masterpiece of filmmaking; Glazer, who has consistently helmed under-the-radar gems like “Birth” and “Under the Skin” for over two decades, has found a perfect match of material and vision to create a profound experience in seeing lifeas-it-is in all its ugliness while reminding us that we will be judged by history just as we judge those who came before us. It’s potent, and disturbing despite a calculated effort to keep horrific reality out of sight; it’s also gorgeous to look at, framed in the painterly cinematography of Łukasz Żal, and fascinating even in its simplest moments thanks to Glazer’s keen sense of subtext.

That said, however, be warned: “The Zone of Interest” is not a film for the faint of heart.

While it offers no visual horrors to disturb your sleep, the existential terrors it evokes are impossible to ignore. If you’re up for the challenge, it’s an artistic experience to be relished; if you’re not, it might be best to give this one a pass.

JOHN PAUL KING

NOTICE

INVITING SUBMITTALS FOR WATERBUS SERVICE The Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors is seeking a qualified and experienced operator that can both operate and supply five vessels needed to provide the WaterBus service in Marina del Rey. The proposed contractor will also be required to store, maintain and operate two County-owned vessels to supplement the WaterBus service. Selection of a contractor will be based on the qualifications and price of the submitted proposals for performing the requested work.

The deadline for submitting proposals is 5:00 p.m., March 12, 2024.

Proposers submitting proposals must have a minimum of five years’ experience providing a water bus or similar transportation service and be able to provide five vessels for the WaterBus service. The County may require additional minimum qualifications.

Further information regarding the Request for Proposals (RFP) is available at: https:// doingbusiness.lacounty.gov/.

To view and print a copy of the RFP, please visit: http://beaches.lacounty.gov/request-for-proposals/.

The County reserves the right to cancel the RFP and to modify any and all terms and conditions of the RFP, including minimum qualifications. For further information, email Jean Dao at Contracts@bh.lacounty.gov.

CN104328 03-15-2024 Feb 23, 2024

THEATER

Tony Thomas brings ‘Tempestuous Elements’ to DC Tony Thomas isn’t shy about his talent. The accomplished choreographer says, “With every show I work on, the artists continue to grow. They leave wanting to keep moving and to expand that part of their artistry.”

Over the years, he’s successfully carved out a niche as a choreographer of plays with music and/or movement. For many of these “playsicals” as he whimsically dubs them, his creative credit reads “choreography consultant.”

Once an actor who danced a lot, he’s now passionate about helping other actors do the same. Currently, he’s serving as choreographer and associate director for the world premiere production of “Tempestuous Elements,” at Arena Stage’s in the round Fichandler space. Penned by Kia Corthron and staged by Psalmayene 24, it’s the true-life story of Ann Julia Cooper (played by Gina Daniels), a Black principal at D.C.’s historic M Street School who, against all odds, fights for her students’ rights to an advanced curriculum.

WASHINGTON BLADE: Is this a D.C. story?

TONY THOMAS: In part. It’s more a story of its time.

Anna understood she was poised to be somebody, but still feel the pushback. Superintendent white doesn’t approve of the classic curriculum she’s created for Black students.

Hers is a turn of 20th century Black middle-class life with high tea and much finery. More importantly, Black people are being seen as human beings. It’s an opportunity to really be someone, but the fight isn’t over. People are boxed in another systemic way.

BLADE: And how does choreography work within a play?

THOMAS: With plays, I need to demonstrate the choreography. The actors want to see it. It’s not like with dancers when we speak the same vocabulary.

I realize energy is one of my selling points. I’ll be 45 in April and apparently my turns and jumps are still on point.

BLADE Is there a difference between beautiful movement and not just actor movement?

THOMAS: There’s a difference. With “Tempestuous Elements,” I taught them a little ballet, warmed them up and imbued them with the dignity needed for the story they’re about to tell. Some of the cast already move like dancers while others understand tempo. When choreographing plays with movement, you have to trust the actors.

TONY THOMAS (Photo courtesy of Tony Thomas)

BLADE: Is that tough for a trained dancer?

THOMAS: No, not really. I have a concert dance background — ballet, modern, jazz — and have studied with Debbie Allen, Shawn Cosby and Mike Malone. I don’t expect that level of training from actors. I like the freedom to move and put their characters into it. They’re not like ten concert dancers who need to look like one person. They are moving as characters — students, different adults.

14 • LOSANGELESBLADE.COM • FEBRUARY 23, 2024

BLADE: For a decade, you stepped away from showbiz?

THOMAS: I stopped in my mid-20s. I turned Ailey down twice. Then I went to art school and pursued a degree in interior architecture at Academy of Art University in San Francisco.

BLADE: And you returned theater?

THOMAS: Now I do both theater and interior architecture, but in 2012 friends dared me to come along on an audition for the Broadway “West Side Story.” Well, I did and I booked a national tour. That got me back in the business. Not long after, I played Richie in “A Chorus Line” at Olney Theatre. And around 2015, I did “The Shipment” with Psalm, and ever since I’ve done all of the choreography and movement for his plays.

BLADE: Tell me how you connect with “Tempestuous Elements”?

THOMAS: Who was your first teacher? We asked the actors to come to this production with that in mind, and to let that warm their hearts as we developed this original piece.

I grew up as a child actor doing TV, film and theater shuttling back and forth from D.C. to New York, and I took that from my mom who was an actor, singer, and dancer.

I watched her teach, dress as a clown and put on parties for kids, and there were all sorts of performance-related things that I learned from her.

BLADE: And does that continue?

THOMAS: Oh yeah. Increasingly, I enjoy being the process. I’ve grown past the point of just coming in and doing my job. I feel more invested. More and more, I want to be part of the creation process.

PATRICK FOLLIARD

“Tempestuous Elements” Through March 17

Arena Stage | 1101 Sixth St., S.W. | $56-$95 | Arenastage.org

BOOKS

New book chronicles founding of gay-owned Falls Church News-Press

The History Press released a book by D.C.-area journalist Charlie Clark in October entitled, “The Life and Times of the Falls Church News-Press” (a 192 page paperback).

The News-Press was founded in 1991 by journalist and gay activist Nicholas Benton and has published more than 1,700 consecutive weekly editions since serving the inside-the-beltway Northern Virginia suburb of the City of Falls Church, a mere seven miles from the White House.

In its masthead, the News-Press says of itself, “Since 1991, an award-winning LGBTowned general interest community newspaper.” It has been named the Business of the Year twice and Benton the Person of the Year by the Falls Church City Council. These are selected excerpts from the Clark book: “Its founder, Nicholas F. Benton, is a native Californian, college baseball player, degreed master of divinity, gay activist and journalist born “with printer’s ink in his veins” – or so he suspects. He launched the Falls Church NewsPress largely as a one-man band. But with unflagging energy, he emerged as a major influencer and talent nurturer.

“Benton knows the key players, hosts frequent parties and can be see walking the streets and dining at eateries that make Falls Church homey. In editorials written every week by Benton himself, the editor strives to protect the city’s prize schools by pressing for property tax revenues and favoring development in the occasional battles with traditionalists who treasure the residential village. He made his mark on zoning disputes over how to tastefully attract commercial development. News-Press news sections combine small-town intimate coverage – plenty of photographs of smiling residents lined up for the camera – with exclusive accounts of action by the city council and the school board (at whose meetings Benton is sometimes the only member in attendance)....

“Some say it’s a miracle that Benton’s closeto-home news organ – backed neither by inherited wealth nor corporate investors – has survived three decades, given the current death knells for local news outlets…. The book you hold relays the tale of how Benton pulled things off. He takes virtually no vacations (beyond a few weekends). He pays

staff writers (and offers health insurance) rather than engaging too many volunteers.

He hires and mentors high school students.

He gives the paper out for free and publishes letters that criticize. He donates to charities and cultivates youth readers by boosting high school and Little League sports, holiday parades, scouting and local history. His team covers charities, efforts to aid the homeless, published authors, theater productions, demands for low-income housing, struggling small businesses, gay rights and wars over parking. And Benton invites the public to his office parties..

“The News-Press is one of the things that make Falls Church special,” Mayor Dave Tarter told me as this book was in preparation. “The paper reinforces and enhances the sense of community of shared experiences” in covering stories that the Washington Post would not make space for. “It is a labor of love for Nick Benton, and it shows.

Whether you love it or hate it, everyone reads the News-Press...” “…Benton enrolled at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley (class of 1969). This brought him to the University of California’s flagship school at the height of the antiwar, civil rights and student power protests, a time when the smell of the national guardsmen’s tear gas was familiar on campus. Benton was awarded his master of divinity diploma cum laude on June 13, 1969 (it is framed and displayed today in the NewsPress office. He worked as a youth minister for three years at seminary but never pursued that as a career. He would later consider his newspaper ownership a close substitute to ministry…

“Benton remained in the Bay Area and worked for the famous alternative weekly, the Berkeley Barb, enjoying the freedom to publish on counterculture subjects from women’s liberation to rock music…While at the Barb Benton also came out as gay, just before the 1969 Stonewall Riot in New York’s Greenwich Village that launched the gay right movement. His articles, he later wrote, “promoted the notion that fully actualized, gay liberation had the potential to be socially transformative.”

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