Washingtonblade.com, Volume 49, Issue 31, August 3, 2018

AUGUST 03,

2018

VOLUME 49

ISSUE 31

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AMERICA’S LGBTQ NEWS SOURCE

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

LGBT groups ramp up efforts against Trump as elections near

By CHRIS JOHNSON cjohnson@washblade.com With fewer than 100 days remaining before the 2018 congressional mid-term elections, LGBT groups are ramping up efforts to channel the “resist” movement into action and elect a new Congress able to place a check on President Trump.

Chief among those efforts is the Human Rights Campaign’s #TurnOUT campaign, a $26 million effort that seeks to mobilize and get to the polls LGBT rights supporters are seeking to channel the energy of the resist movement into action in the midterm elections.

PHOTO BY MARK DIXON; COURTESY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Parkland survivors touring country to combat gun violence

By KAREN OCAMB

EMMA GONZÁLEZ is touring the country this summer with other Parkland shooting survivors.

BLADE PHOTO BY KAREN OCAMB

LOS ANGELES — Emma González is famous now. She’d rather be enjoying the summer before college hanging out with friends.

But the Valentine’s Day massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., stole away that carefree freedom, morally forcing the survivors to take on the responsibility of doing something about the gun violence that has impacted more than 150,000 students in the two decades since the mass shooting at Columbine High School.

The 18-year-old senior first caught America’s attention as the furious-faced warrior, fighting back tears, chastising politicians beholden to the National Rifle Association.

“All these people should be home grieving. But instead we are up here standing together because if all our government and President can do is send thoughts and prayers, then it’s time for victims to

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be the change that we need to see,” González said at an angry rally at the Federal Courthouse in Fort Lauderdale three days after the shooting. “To every politician who is taking donations from the NRA, shame on you!”

González let loose: “Politicians who sit in their gilded House and Senate seats funded by the NRA, telling us nothing could have ever been done to prevent this: We call BS! They say that tougher gun laws do not decrease gun violence: We call BS! They say a good guy with a gun stops a bad guy with a gun: We call BS!” A string of public appearances followed, helping generate funding for a national March For Our Lives tour to spread the message about gun violence prevention and nullifying the power of the NRA. “ On Feb. 26, Harpers Bazaar published an essay

by González, with photos of her at a Valentine’s Day event one hour before the shooting and another (with hair) decked out for Pride week at school last year.

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LO CA L N E W S

LGBT employees among D.C. workers targeted by hackers

TREA TURNER apologized for anti-gay tweets he sent when he was 18.

PHOTO BY LORIE SHAULL; COURTESY FLICKR

Nats player apologizes for anti-gay tweets

Washington Nationals shortstop Trea Turner issued an apology on July 29, after anti-gay slurs he posted in several tweets in 2011 and 2012 when he was 18 years old and playing college baseball at North Carolina State University resurfaced.

According to media reports, including a report in the LGBT blog Out Sports, Turner used the word “faggot” in four tweets sent in response to messages from acquaintances in which it was unclear whether they were intended as insults or were used in jest.

Regardless of the intent and the fact they were made when Turner, now 25, was a teenager, Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo issued a statement calling the tweets “inexcusable” but noting that Turner has taken full responsibility for his actions.

“There are no excuses for my insensitive and offensive language on Twitter,” he said in a separate statement released by the Nationals. “I am sincerely sorry for those tweets and apologize wholeheartedly. I believe people who know me understand those regrettable actions do not reflect my values or who I am,” he said.

“But I understand the hurtful nature of such language and am sorry to have brought any negative light to the Nationals organization, myself or the game I love,” he said.

News of Turner’s six- and seven-year-old tweets came as a surprise to people familiar with his participation and support of Major League Baseball’s “Shred Hate” anti-bullying program. The Washington Blade reported in its sports issue last month that Turner has worked with gay former MLB player Billy Bean, who coordinates the Shred Hate program, in speaking with school kids about how bullying is harmful and should be stopped.

Earlier this year, Turner appeared in a video public service announcement speaking out against bullying, which has been shown on the large video screen at Nationals Stadium during games.

In a development that started MLB officials, Turner became the third MLB player in the past month discovered to have posted anti-gay tweets in years prior to their joining MLB teams. The other two are Atlanta Braves pitcher Sean Newcomb and Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Josh Hader. In one of his offending tweets Newcomb used a racial slur as well as an anti-gay slur.

“The Nationals organization does not condone discrimination in any form, and his comments do not in any way reflect the values of our club,” Rizzo said of Turner’s tweets. “Trea has been a good teammate and model citizen in our clubhouse, and these comments are not indicative of how he as conducted himself while part of our team.”

LOU CHIBBARO JR.

LGBT D.C. government employees were among possibly thousands of city workers targeted by foreign and domestic hackers last week through a barrage of suspicious emails, according to employees and an official with the D.C. Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO).

“The District of Columbia government received multiple and perhaps coordinated email phishing attacks from overseas and domestic sources on Tuesday, July 24,” said Barry Krucoff, OCTO’s Interim Chief Technology Officer in a statement to the Washington Blade.

Krucoff said his office “took multiple actions to mitigate the attacks, including reporting the events to federal authorities for investigation and potential prosecution.”

He said OCTO also “sent out a communication to all District employees reminding them how to safeguard themselves against phishing attacks.”

Experts in cyber security use the term “phishing” to describe attempts by hackers to trick people into revealing personal or sensitive information that could result in cyber criminals gaining access to bank accounts, freezing users’ computer-based data and demanding a ransom payment to get it back, and other potentially harmful actions.

LGBT employees at D.C. government agencies, who spoke on condition of not being identified, said numerous LGBT employees were among the District workers who received the suspicious emails on July 24. None of them believe they were specifically targeted because they are LGBT. Some of the bogus emails were sent through the email address of other D.C. government workers, sources familiar with the situation said, indicating the hackers were able to get into the email accounts of at least some city workers.

“This was a widespread, non-targeted attempt that did not single out any one person or department in the District government,” Krucoff said in his statement. OCTO spokesperson Nina Liggett said there was no evidence to indicate the hackers targeted specific groups of employees such as LGBT employees.

“Because of the prompt reporting by D.C. government employees, attacks were blocked by the OCTO Security and Messaging Teams,” Krucoff said. “We maintain our monitoring at all times.”

LOU CHIBBARO JR.

‘I Care March’ on Washington planned for Sept. 15

A Facebook page and website surfaced last month to organize and promote an “I Care March” on Washington scheduled for Sept. 15 that organizers say is aimed at challenging the Trump administration by showcasing a wide range of progressive causes.

Organizers say LGBT rights will be an important part of the message projected by the event, which, among other things, will include a rally on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol.

“In Trump’s America, each day there is something to be upset about, to be against,” a statement on the march’s Facebook page says. “We are creating a day to show America, Trump and the world not what we are against, but what we are FOR,” the statement says.

“Because all of us care,” it says. “We care about civil rights. We care about women. We care about black lives. We care about workers’ rights. The environment. LGBTQ rights.

Keeping families together. Common sense gun laws. Freedom of the press. Healthcare.”

The statement adds: “And we care about our democracy. We care about truth. We care about the Constitution. We care about the next Supreme Court Justice, whose vote will be a swing vote that decides what happens to many of these things that we care about.”

Kathie Legg, a D.C.-based political and social media consultant who launched the Facebook page calling for the I Care March, said organizers are hoping to line up some big name speakers, including elected officials known for their strong advocacy for progressive causes. She said one or more representatives of prominent LGBT rights organizations will be invited to speak.

Organizers have applied for a permit for use of the National Mall and the Capitol grounds, but the current thinking is for the event to be limited to a rally at the Capitol rather than an actual march from one location to another.

Among those who have been contacted for suggestions and support is New York City gay activist David Bruinooge, who launched a Facebook page that put in motion the initiative that led to the June 11, 2017 LGBT Equality March for Unity and Pride.

The Equality March drew about 80,000 people to the nation’s capital from across the country and spawned dozens of affiliated marches on the same day in cities and towns across the country as well as in a number of countries in Europe and Asia.

“If you care, the most important thing you can do is commit to marching and tell your friends about it,” the I Care March says on its website, icaremarch.com.

LOU CHIBBARO JR.

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LO CA L N E W S

Rehoboth to elect new commissioners next week 3 candidates vying for two open seats in beach town

By BLAKE CHAMBERS REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. — This election cycle in Rehoboth sees three candidates running for two open seats on the Rehoboth Beach Board of Commissioners.

The three candidates are Pat Coluzzi, Richard Byrne and Gary Glass.

Coluzzi, a lesbian former commissioner of Rehoboth who served from 2007 to 2013, has been a property owner in the town since 1994. She is the founder of Rehoboth Beach Farmers’ Market, a board member of the Center for the Inland Bays and a board member of the Lewes Rehoboth Canal Improvement Association. She is a former board member of Rehoboth Beach Main Street, was named the 2012 Rehoboth Beach Citizen of the Year, serves as president of the Rehoboth Beach Sister Cities Association and had a 30-year career in information technology.

“One of the things I think needs to be addressed is the parking issue in town,” Coluzzi said.

Coluzzi suggested the town needs more bike racks, shuttle buses that go into Rehoboth, a parking garage outside of town, different types of parking permits and other means of transportation.

During her time as commissioner, Coluzzi started the implementation of a Bicycle Master Plan that provided for more locations around Rehoboth to have bike racks, wayfinding and on-road sharrows.

Additionally, she created a plan for scooter parking in Rehoboth and began the process for modernizing payment for parking with ParkMobile.

“I am running for office because I feel I can contribute to making our city better,” wrote Coluzzi in the Cape Gazette. “I have a proven track record of successfully tackling a variety of issues over the years, and after a five-year break, I feel that I am uniquely positioned to address some of the issues that confront our city.”

In addition to finding a solution for parking, Coluzzi is looking to promote a plan that will beautify Rehoboth’s public parks and areas, create a tree ordinance that will preserve the town’s canopy along with providing for the right tree in the right place, foster an environment in which businesses can grow and be successful and create a plan that will make safety paramount for all pedestrians and bicyclists. She considers herself a “Community Candidate” and focuses on bringing the community together, citing her involvement with the Rehoboth Beach Farmers’ Market as one example in which she was able to accomplish this.

PAT COLUZZI is one of three candidates for two open seats on the Rehoboth Beach Board of Commissioners.

PHOTO COURTESY COLUZZI

Glass and his partner, Brian, have had a second home in Rehoboth for about 20 years, and he has been coming to Rehoboth for decades. Glass serves as a member of the Boardwalk and Beach Committee in Rehoboth and as treasurer of the Country Club Estates Property Owners Association. Glass has worked as a cost accounting analyst, been the director of finance for two non-profit associations and holds a bachelor’s in accounting and finance from Louisiana State University.

“I think there needs to be a lot more fiscal management and responsibility of this city,” Glass said.

Glass argues that Rehoboth cannot make rash decisions when it comes to funding.

He questions how much debt the city is willing to take on and says that there needs to be a focus on tomorrow instead of today when dealing with fiscal management.

Glass also lamented exorbitant rent prices for the downtown business community. He says businesses are forced to close, leaving vacant buildings in the downtown area and called for Rehoboth to reinvest in its business community.

When it comes to parking, Glass says that Rehoboth cannot accommodate everyone who comes to visit Rehoboth because it is only one square mile. His approach to the issue is to enforce the rules that are in place and mentions that there are other options, such as parking on Route 1. Glass says the priority for parking should be for those who own homes in Rehoboth.

Other issues Glass seeks to address are the right of LLCs to vote in city elections, the need for an up-to-date storm water run-off system and having a master plan for Rehoboth’s commercial district.

Glass said LLCs should not have the right to vote because he says the community does not know anything about them. Glass also cites an LLC’s ability to avoid paying transfer taxes and how it has been a problem in Delaware. Glass noted that LLCs should own property as a trust or as a person to vote in Rehoboth.

Glass does, however, think that LLCs can

provide insight and valuable knowledge to the community.

“It’s not about what I want, it’s about what we as a community want,” Glass said. “If I’m elected, I want to represent what the people want.”

Byrne and his wife, Sherri Wright, have been coming to Rehoboth for more than 25 years. They became property owners and part-time residents in 2002 and full-time residents in 2009. Their three children and their families also love Rehoboth Beach and come to visit several times each year.

Byrne directed programs in 4-H, Family Consumer Science and Agriculture at two major universities across the states of Minnesota and Maryland. He serves as president of the Sussex Family YMCA Board of Governors, member of the Delaware YMCA Association Board of Directors, immediate past vice president of the Delaware SPCA Board of Directors and president of the Park Place on the Canal Home Owners Association.

Additionally, Byrne serves as chair of the Animal Issues Committee and as a member of the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Trees in Rehoboth.

“Parking policies need to be comprehensive,” Byrne said. “Research indicates that when one change is made, it affects other aspects of the entire parking system, often resulting in unintended consequences.”

Byrne says that it is important the community respects the work of the Parking Advisory Committee, which is looking at ways to manage meters, permits and bike and scooter parking.

Byrne said that a report in the near future

will be vital for future planning on a solution to the issue of parking.

When it comes to neighborhoods and businesses, Byrne says that he will work to insure the quality of life is maintained, infrastructure is maintained and improved, zoning codes are fairly and strictly enforced and that residential zoning is for residential living. For the environment, Byrne is looking to fix the storm water runoff problem, preserve the health of the fresh water lakes, protect and improve the parks, grow the tree canopy, create safer bike lanes and reduce traffic to make Rehoboth more pedestrian friendly. Byrne wants to livestream commissioner and other important public meetings, host informal ‘listening’ meetings, elicit participation on issues, foster communication and be available around town.

“If elected, I commit to working collaboratively with other commissioners, the mayor, city committees, residents and businesses on preserving our neighborhoods, protecting our environment and improving our infrastructure,” Byrne said. “I will listen to people all over the city, take their ideas and concerns to the commission, and communicate back to them about the city’s plans and actions.”

Rehoboth Beach will hold its annual municipal election on Aug. 11 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Convention Center located in the Municipal Building at 229 Rehoboth Ave. For any questions on the election, call 302-227-6181, ext. 108.

Clippinger nominated to chair Md. House Judiciary Committee Maryland state Del. Luke Clippinger (D-Baltimore City) has been nominated to become the next chair of the House Judiciary Committee.

“I look forward to the opportunity to work alongside the members of the Judiciary Committee as we start to address criminal justice in a more holistic manner,” said Clippinger in an email he sent to his supporters on July 23. “As a representative of Baltimore City, I understand what a crucial moment it is for our community, and believe we can begin to take a more proactive approach to building a safer Maryland.”

The email also contained a statement from House Speaker Mike Busch (D-Anne Arundel County), who nominated Clippinger for the post.

“Criminal justice policy is evolving more rapidly every year and I am pleased to name an experienced practitioner to lead this committee for the next term,” said Busch. “Luke has proven himself time and again as having the ability to work with people from all backgrounds and bring a common sense, forward-thinking approach to policy issues.”

Clippinger, 45, has represented House District 46 since 2011. He is among the handful of openly LGBT members of the Maryland General Assembly. Clippinger last month won his primary.

MICHAEL K. LAVERS

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

NATIONAL NEWS

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DOJ touts anti-LGBT views at ‘religious freedom’ summit Sessions announces task force to implement guidance issued last year

By CHRIS JOHNSON cjohnson@washblade.com A summit at the U.S. Justice Department this week ostensibly intended to promote religious freedom, including the creation of a Religious Liberty Task Force, often highlighted efforts to enable anti-LGBT discrimination.

At the summit in the Justice Department’s Great Hall, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the creation of the task force to implement “religious freedom” guidance he issued last year.

“The task force will help the department fully implement our religious liberty guidance by ensuring that all Justice Department components — and we got a lot of components around the country — are upholding that guidance in the cases they bring and defend, the arguments they make in court, the policies and regulations they adopt and how we conduct our operations,” Sessions said.

According to the Justice Department, Sessions will serve as chair of the task force, which will be co-chaired by Acting Associate Attorney General Jesse Panuccio and Associate Attorney General for the Office of Legal Policy Beth Williams.

Sessions said a primary mission of the Religious Liberty Task Force will be ensuring Justice Department employees “know their duty is to accommodate people of faith.”

“This administration is animated by the same American view that has led us for 242 years that every American has a right to believe and worship and exercise their faith in the public square,” Sessions added.

The underlying guidance on which the task force is based seeks to allow individuals and businesses to act in the name of religious freedom — often used as an exercise for anti-LGBT discrimination — without fear of government reprisal.

Nowhere in the guidance is there a limiting principle assuring the right to free exercise of religion should be an excuse to engage in anti-LGBT discrimination.

Announcing the new task force, Sessions referenced the Masterpiece Cakeshop case in which a Colorado baker was sued after he refused to make a custom-made wedding cake for a same-sex couple. The U.S. Supreme Court narrowly ruled in his favor based on the facts of his case, citing anti-religion sentiment on the Colorado Civil Rights Commission.

Sessions commended Phillips for having endured an “ordeal faced so gravely,” touting an amicus brief the Justice Department filed on his behalf before the

Attorney General JEFF SESSIONS announced the creation of a Religious Liberty Task Force.

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

Supreme Court. U.S. Solicitor General Noel Francisco also argued in favor of Phillips before justices in oral arguments.

“Let’s be frank: A dangerous movement, undetected by many, but real, is now challenging and eroding our great tradition of religious freedom,” Sessions said at the start of his remarks. “There can be no doubt, it’s no little matter. It must be confronted intellectually and politically, and defeated.”

LGBT rights supporters said in response to the creation of the Religious Liberty Task Force its purpose was to further the Trump administration’s goal of compromising LGBT rights.

Louise Melling, deputy legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union, said the agenda of the Religious Liberty Task Force “isn’t consistent with religious freedom.”

“Religious freedom protects our right to our beliefs, not a right to discriminate or harm others,” Melling said. “Jeff Session’s Department of Justice is again turning that understanding of religious freedom on its head.”

Lucas Acosta, director of LGBTQ media for the Democratic National Committee, said in a statement the task force is “just the latest assault in this administration’s continued campaign against LGBTQ people and our civil rights.”

“By creating this task force, Sessions is establishing a unit dedicated to undermining LGBTQ rights and giving anti-LGBTQ far-right extremists like task force head Jesse Panuccio a taxpayerfunded platform to push their antiequality agenda,” Acosta said. “Rather than ensuring every person has equal

protections and opportunities, Sessions is shamefully doubling down on bigotry.”

But the creation of the Religious Liberty Task Force was just one portion of the summit, which also included the voices of participants who urged a commitment to religious freedom to advance anti-LGBT discrimination.

Archbishop of Louisville Joseph Edward Kurtz, who formerly served as president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said religious freedom is facing challenges that amount to “powerseeking for the purpose of imposing one’s will on others.”

Kurtz cited as an example Catholic adoption agencies being “targeted for closure” for refusing to place children with LGBT families out of religious objections.

“One of the biggest concerns is the ability of our child welfare providers to continue to be able to place children with foster and adoptive families consistent with our teaching,” Kurtz said.

Although no government is actively seeking to close Catholic adoption agencies, they have threatened to shut their doors on their own in the wake of the legalization of same-sex marriage because they feel they’ll be forced to place children with gay couples who marry.

As a result, a growing number or states have enacted anti-LGBT adoption laws allowing taxpayer-funded agencies to refuse to place children with LGBT families over religious objections. House Republicans have inserted an amendment in a pending appropriations bill that would penalize states and localities for having policies barring anti-LGBT discrimination

among adoption agencies.

Phillips, the owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, was himself present at the summit and took part in a panel of individuals who say they are facing challenges to their religious freedom.

Moderating his panel was Justice Department spokesperson Kerri Kupec, formerly a spokesperson for the antiLGBT Alliance Defending Freedom. At a time when that term is used as justification for anti-LGBT discrimination, Kupec said in her introduction of the panel religious freedom is often “housed in scare quotes, as if it’s not a real thing, or even worse, a bad thing, which is tragic.”

Much of Kupec’s questioning of Phillips sought to elicit sympathy for him, which meant his act of refusing to make a custom-made wedding cake for a same-sex couple who entered his store was glossed over as he explained his commitment to his religious views.

In addition to refusing to make a same-sex wedding cake, Phillips said his religious beliefs compel him to close on Sundays, refuse to service Halloween celebrations or make cakes with denigrating messages.

“It’s the message of the cake that I evaluate, not the person who ordered the cake,” Phillips said. “In one instance, I had a man who wanted me to make a cake basically telling his boss that he was a jerk, so I wouldn’t do that, but I’ve also had people asked me to do cakes that would disparage gay people, the gay lifestyle, but I wouldn’t do that either because they’re hurtful cakes.”

As the litigation went forward, Phillips said he received death threats as well as a threat over the phone against his daughter. As a result, Phillips said he wouldn’t allow employees to answer the phone at Masterpiece Cakeshop and would only take calls himself.

Noting the U.S. Supreme Court only takes a few select cases each year, Phillips became emotional when he recalled news that justices had agreed to take up his petition after the state of Colorado ruled against him.

Even though the result of the case was narrowly in his favor and didn’t open up a First Amendment right for anti-LGBT discrimination, Phillips said it was worth the effort.

“True tolerance has to be a two-way street,” Phillips said. “We’re thrilled that the United States ruled in our favor, this ruling solidifying religious freedom in our country, but it’s not just for me, it’s for all us, every American should now be able to live and work freely and according to their conscience without fear of punishment from the government.”

■ CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

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NATIONAL NEWS

FTC mum on ‘historic’ conversion therapy case LGBT advocates say discredited practice is form of ‘consumer fraud’

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. lchibbaro@washblade.com

In a little-noticed development, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission appears to have acted behind the scenes to persuade a Virginia-based “ex-gay” organization to drop its name People Can Change and soften its longstanding claims that its counseling programs can help people “transition away from unwanted homosexuality.”

But the FTC has declined to confirm or deny it took this action in response to a February 2016 consumer fraud complaint filed against People Can Change, Inc. before the FTC by the Human Rights Campaign, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and the Southern Poverty Law Center.

In a joint statement released at the time they filed the FTC complaint, the three groups called the action historic, saying it had the potential to bring about an FTC ruling that could effectively ban conversion therapy performed for a fee throughout the country on grounds that it constitutes consumer fraud.

“It is our position that this is prohibited under the existing Federal Trade Commission Act language as well as under state level consumer protection laws,” said Xavier Persad, HRC’s legislative counsel.

“So yes, it is our position that existing consumer protection laws do prohibit the sale of conversion therapy in the public marketplace because we know that this is an unscientific practice that is thoroughly debunked and rejected by every major medical and mental health organization,” Persad said.

Delaware last week became the 14th state in addition to the District of Columbia to enact legislation prohibiting licensed mental health professionals from engaging in the practice of conversion therapy for minors.

In its preamble, the Delaware law lists 12 prominent U.S. and international mental health organizations that oppose conversion or “reparative” therapy aimed at changing someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity on grounds no evidence exists other than unconfirmed anecdotal reports to show that such efforts have worked.

The organizations cited in the law, including the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, also warned that evidence exists that conversion therapy has caused harmful effects including depression, low self-esteem, substance abuse and

People Can Change, Inc. abruptly ‘rebranded’ to Brothers Road after a complaint by LGBT advocacy groups.

suicidal ideation.

LGBT rights advocates have expressed mixed views on whether the best approach to curtailing conversion therapy is through laws banning licensed practitioners from performing it or by seeking to invoke existing state or federal consumer protection laws to declare the practice consumer fraud.

The consumer fraud approach has the advantage of covering all states, including many “red” states that are not likely to pass a specific law banning licensed professionals from performing conversion therapy. It also has the advantage of covering unlicensed practitioners who are known to perform conversion therapy.

However, LGBT rights attorneys point out that the consumer fraud approach requires that a lawsuit or formal complaint be filed in order to take action against someone engaging in the practice.

Although the consumer fraud approach requires legal action, advocates of that approach have pointed to a study released in January by the Williams Institute, an LGBT think tank affiliated with the UCLA School of Law, which estimates that 20,000 LGBT youth ages 13-17 will receive conversion therapy from a licensed health care professional before they reach the age of 18 in the 41 states that did not ban the practice when the report was released in January.

The report says that 6,000 LGBT youth

ages 13-17 who lived in states that ban conversion therapy would have received such therapy from a licensed practitioner before the age of 18 if their state had not banned the therapy.

FTC spokesperson Betsy Lordan told the Washington Blade last week that the FTC has a longstanding policy of not publicly disclosing any information about complaints it receives or its investigation of complaints unless and until it takes official legal action on such complaints.

“The FTC has not taken legal action against a Virginia company engaged in conversion therapy going by the name People Can Change, Inc.,” she said.

When asked whether the FTC played any role in People Can Change’s decision to change its name to Brothers on a Road Less Traveled, or “Brothers Road” for short, and shut down and re-launch its website with cautiously worded suggestions about whether someone can transition away from “same-sex attractions” – all of which took place shortly after the FTC complaint was filed against it, Lordan declined to comment.

Richard Wyler is listed as executive director and CEO of Brothers on a Road Less Traveled on the group’s IRS 990 finance report for 2016. Wyler did not respond to a phone message and email from the Blade seeking comment.

The old version of the group’s website under the name People Can Change identified Wyler as a certified life coach

and said he “personally experienced enormous transformation from unwanted homosexual attractions.”

The complaint filed against the organization by the three LGBT supportive groups says he founded People Can Change in 2000 and incorporated it as a non-profit corporation in Virginia in 2002.

The IRS 990 report filed in 2016 includes an attached letter to Wyler from the Virginia State Corporation Commission approving Wyler’s application to change the organization’s corporate name.

The letter confirming the name change is dated June 29, 2016 and was sent to an address under Wyler’s name in Barboursville, Va. near Charlottesville.

The letter was sent four months after the FTC complaint was filed against the group under its previous name.

However, the group’s new website says the name was changed in October 2016.

The current website makes no mention of the FTC complaint.

“Why the change?” it asks. “Simply to better communicate who we really are and what we’re really about,” it says.

“We are a brotherhood of like-minded men who – instead of living a gay life or embracing a gay identity – support each other in addressing our same-sex attractions in affirming ways that align with our faith, values, morals and life goals,” the website says.

“In changing our name, we are not backing away from our personal, lived experience that people can and do in fact experience positive changes and growth…

And yes, even our sexual desires, feelings and attractions,” it says.

Jacqueline Grise, a D.C. attorney who is representing the three groups that filed the FTC complaint, said it appears more than a coincidence that People Can Change changed its name and “rebranded” itself not long after the complaint was filed.

“So we don’t know what transpired between People Can Change and the FTC,” Grise said. “While we’ve asked a few times for updates from the agency they can’t really tell you,” she said. “But what we do know is that within several months after we filed our complaint with the FTC People Can Change took down their entire website and all of the content that we had been complaining about as far as being misleading,” she said.

“And now when you get on the website of Brothers Road a lot of the information on there is more subtle as far as whether it is scientifically possible to change or not,” Grise said, adding that all of the claims on the old website that there was scientific evidence that people can change their sexual orientation has been removed.

■ CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

I N T E RNA TI O N A L NEWS

A U G U ST 0 3 , 2 0 1 8 • 1 1

China-Taiwan tensions expected to surface at Gay Games in Paris Taiwan’s capital city.

“Recent events regarding participants from Taiwan and China have elevated the need for the Federation of Gay Games (FGG) to state its position on matters at hand regarding nationality, ethnic origin and political beliefs,” the FGG statement says.

The statement notes that 10,317 participants from 91 countries would be arriving in Paris this week to compete in 36 sports, 14 cultural events, and an academic conference.

“It is a fundamental principle of the FGG that all activities conducted shall be

Some are wondering if LGBT athletes from Taiwan will display their flag at the Gay Games opening ceremonies.

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

Leaders of LGBT sports competition to allow display of Taiwanese flag

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. lchibbaro@washblade.com Leaders of the Gay Games, the international LGBT sports competition set to take place in Paris Aug. 4-12, have released a cautiously worded statement about ways participants can show pride in their teams and countries after news surfaced that China was attempting to prevent Gay Games athletes from Taiwan from displaying the Taiwanese national flag.

The July 25 statement by the Federation of Gay Games came two days after Agence France-Presse reported that Yang Chihchun, president of the Taiwan Gay Sports Development Movement Association, accused China of attempting to pressure the French government and the FGG into banning the display of the Taiwan flag at Gay Games events.

According to the AFP story, which was published in several newspapers in Asia, including the Taiwan News, Yang said his group was notified one week earlier by the FGG that the French government had “expressed concerns” over displaying the Taiwanese flag.

“Our logical conclusion is that China protests to the French government or otherwise this would not have happened,” AFP quoted Yang as saying. “We hope the FGG can resist pressure,” AFP quoted him as saying.

An FGG spokesperson told the Washington Blade on July 28 that the French government has not asked the FGG or the Paris Gay Games host

organization to place any restrictions on the display of the Taiwan flag.

China has considered Taiwan to be a part of the nation of mainland China since 1949, when leaders of the then Republic of China fled to the island of Taiwan after losing a civil war to the communist revolution led by Mao Zedong, whose People’s Republic of China gained full control of the mainland.

In the years since then China has tolerated Taiwan’s separate government but has insisted it be considered a territory of China and has threatened military action in recent years if Taiwan becomes overly aggressive in exercising its independence.

China’s sensitivity over Taiwan surfaced in another way this past week when American and United Airlines became the latest in a long list of international airline companies to accede to China’s demand that they stop listing Taiwan as a separate country in their flight schedules and websites. The Washington Post reported the airlines acted in response to threats

by China to impose economic sanctions on them related to the lucrative aviation market to Chinese cities.

With that as a backdrop, separate contingents of 69 LGBT athletes from China, 50 from Hong Kong, and 28 from Taiwan were expected to arrive in France to participate in the Gay Games. The FGG last year chose Hong Kong as the host city for the 2022 Gay Games, marking the first time the Gay Games will be held in Asia.

Although Agence France-Presse reports that the Taiwanese contingent requested in their application to participate in the Gay Games that they be listed as being from their “country” of Taiwan, the FGG has listed their place of origin as “Taipei,”

inclusive in nature, and that no individual shall be excluded from participating on the basis of sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, athletic/artistic ability, physical challenge, age, health status, nationality, ethnic origin, or political belief(s),” the statement says.

“No flags are provided to participants in any events, and no national hymns are played during regular events; exception being host country national anthems at the opening ceremony,” the statement continues.

■ CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

Caribbean countries hold first-ever Pride parades Activists in Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados last month held their countries’ first-ever Pride parades.

Hundreds of people took part in a Pride parade in the Trinidadian capital of Port of Spain last weekend.

Many of the participants were holding Pride flags as they participated in the event. Newsday, a Trinidadian newspaper, reported a health fair took place in a local park named after former South African President Nelson Mandela before the parade.

“The visibility we share here, today, is going to shine a light on the issues that LGBTI people face, that so many people want to stifle and keep us in the closet and don’t want to deal with to find the kind of solutions we are looking for,” Kennedy Maharaj, chief administrative officer of the Silver Lining Foundation, a Trinidadian advocacy group, told Newsday.

More than 100 people took part in Barbados’ first Pride parade that took place Bridgetown, the island’s capital, on July 22.

Donnya Piggott, executive director of Barbados-Gays, Lesbians and All-Sexuals Against Discrimination (B-GLAD), a Barbadian LGBTI advocacy group, told the Blade in an email the Royal Barbados Police Force provided “excellent security.”

Piggott also described the parade as “an incident free event full of allies, LGBTQ community and a diverse group of Barbadians from all backgrounds.”

Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago are among the countries in the Englishspeaking Caribbean in which consensual same-sex sexual relations remain criminalized.

A judge on Trinidad and Tobago’s High Court in April struck down the country’s sodomy law. Three LGBTI rights advocates in Barbados in June filed a lawsuit with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights against the island’s colonialera statute that criminalizes consensual same-sex sexual relations.

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights in January issued a landmark ruling that recognizes same-sex marriage and transgender rights.

The Organization of American States in 1979 created the Costa Rica-based court in order to enforce provisions of the American Convention on Human Rights. January’s ruling is legally binding in Barbados and the 19 other countries in the Western Hemisphere that recognize the convention.

“We have finally reached a point in our country where we can have an open LGBT pride event that speaks to how far we have come as a country, as a society and more so, as a people,” Maharaj told Newsday after the Port of Spain Pride march. “That is what we value as success here, the fact that we can be out an open and have this kind of event, that is what we are banking on.”

Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination Guyana, an LGBTI advocacy group in Guyana, organized the South American country’s first-ever Pride parade that took place on June 2. J-FLAG, a Jamaican LGBTI advocacy group, is organizing a series of Pride events in the country’s capital of Kingston that are scheduled to begin on Tuesday.

Consensual same-sex sexual relations remain criminalized in both countries.

MICHAEL K. LAVERS

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

1 2 • A UGUST 0 3 , 2018

NEWS

With elections nearing, LGBT groups ramp up efforts against Trump CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

the estimated 10 million Americans who identify as LGBT and 52 million Americans who support pro-LGBT policies.

Leading the effort is Geoff Wetrosky, the campaign director for HRC Rising who came to the organization last year after serving as national campaign manager for the AFL-CIO with more than a decade of experience.

In a briefing with the Washington Blade last week, Wetrosky said the campaign is engaging HRC members and calling on them to volunteer and put together a training curriculum “to make sure that we’re strengthening our political organizing muscles.”

Additionally, HRC is touting its doubling of staffers to 130 — the hiring of another 45 organizers and the deployment of 50 more to join the 35 already on the ground — to contribute to get-out-the-vote efforts.

“I’ve referred to some of them as the cavalry,” Wetrosky said. “They go where the fight needs to be fought at any given moment. They cover large regions of the country. They do live out in the field, but they’re responsible for several states, and if there’s a legislative battle or particular election that’s competitive, then they go to that state and work on that race.”

Wetrosky called the 2018 elections “a historical moment for the LGBTQ community” at a time when — unlike in decades past — support for LGBT rights will drive people to the polls in opposition to Trump.

“We’re now at a point where we can no longer be used as a wedge issue to turn out anti-equality voters in support of antiequality candidates,” Wetrosky said. “That is an outdated playbook.”

As evidence that opposition to LGBT rights is a losing position for candidates, Wetrosky pointed to the defeat in 2016 of North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory, who signed into law the anti-trans House Bill 2, the loss in Alabama last year of Roy Moore, whose call to disregard the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling for same-sex marriage nationwide animated his political career. Both candidates were running as Republicans in traditionally “red” states, but were unable to achieve victory.

Meanwhile, support for same-sex marriage, once an unpopular concept, has reached 67 percent, and popularity of non-discrimination laws that would protect LGBT workers is even higher.

“That level of support across demographic groups would have been unthinkable just a few years ago,” Wetrosky said.

The #TurnOUT campaign has identified six states — Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — on

Sen. TAMMY BALDWIN is a top target of Republicans. Three new polls show her leading potential opponents.

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

which to focus its efforts.

The commonality in each of these states is elections for seats in the U.S. Senate. Political candidates Jacky Rosen in Nevada and Kyrsten Sinema in Arizona offer the chance for pickups to claim seats formerly held by Republicans. (Sinema would also be the first openly bisexual person elected to the U.S. Senate.)

In the four other states, U.S. senators who support LGBT rights — Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) — are defending their seats. Baldwin, the first out lesbian elected to the U.S. Senate, is seeking reelection against efforts to unseat her by the Koch brothers, who have already spent around $10 million in the effort and are likely to spend more.

Those six states, Wetrosky said, also offer opportunities beyond the races for U.S. Senate, such as statewide contests to become the next governor, attorney general and secretary of state, as well as two dozen congressional races and races for seats in the state legislature.

Chris Sgro, a spokesperson for HRC, said victories in those elections will be key to halting the Trump administration and the anti-LGBT policies it has enacted.

“The road to pulling an emergency break on Trump and Pence runs through the six HRC Rising states,” Sgro said. “The Senate races there, key House races there, and subsequently the road to altogether stopping Donald Trump and ending his presidency runs though the 81 electoral votes in those states.”

Baldwin’s race in Wisconsin could be a nail-biter. The good news for her in three separate polls was she had a sizable lead over either of her potential Republican opponents — Leah Vukmir and Kevin Nicholson — that in some cases was

double-digits. The Aug. 14 primary in Wisconsin will decide which Republican Baldwin will face.

The flip side is that in 2016 Democratic candidate Russ Feingold had the same lead over Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) before ultimately losing to the incumbent. (It was the second time Feingold lost to Johnson in a U.S. Senate race. The Republican ousted Feingold from the seat in 2010 during the Republican wave that year.)

Moreover, buried in one of the three polls — one conducted by Marquette University — was other revealing information: Baldwin was viewed unfavorably by 43 percent of Wisconsin residents, slightly more than 41 percent who viewed her favorably. An additional 15 percent said they didn’t know her enough to form an opinion.

As reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Baldwin’s opponents will likely see those numbers as an opportunity to define her for Wisconsin voters and continue massive spending on TV ads in the effort to unseat her.

Other LGBT groups are joining in the effort to encourage LGBT people to head to the polls on Election Day to vote against Trump in the name of LGBT rights.

The LGBT media watchdog group GLAAD is unable to endorse specific candidates as a 501(c)3 designated non-profit, but is nonetheless undertaking efforts.

Chief among them is GLAAD’s “Amp Your Voice” LGBT youth voter engagement campaign, which seeks to focus on increasing LGBTQ youth turnout for the midterm elections.

Additionally, GLAAD during Pride month sent a traveling billboard throughout the country reading, “GLAAD is Counting: 75 Attacks on our community, 1 every 6 days since January 2017, It’s Time to Stop,” to encourage awareness and voter turnout.

Sarah Kate Ellis, CEO of GLAAD, said the participation of LGBT youth and allies will be crucial to achieving change in the upcoming election.

“Young people in this country are at the forefront of articulating the connection between the perilousness of their rights and safety under the Trump administration and the power of their own voices to create change.” Ellis said.

“GLAAD’s ‘Amp Your Voice’ campaign will further empower young people, especially LGBTQ youth and allies, in their leadership roles.”

For LGBT rights supporters who are seeking to back Republicans who support LGBT rights, you would have to turn to Log Cabin Republicans.

Gregory Angelo, president of Log Cabin Republicans, said his organization’s political action committee will largely base its support for candidates in 2018 on co-

sponsorship of the Fair & Equal Housing Act, LGBT housing non-discrimination legislation introduced by Rep. Scott Taylor (R-Va.).

“Our main legislative push in this 215th Congress has been Congressman Taylor’s Fair & Equal Housing Act, and the priorities of our PAC will largely be aligned with supporting those Republican members of Congress who co-sponsored this historic legislation,” Angelo said. “Generally, our efforts will be geared toward assisting incumbent allies.”

HRC didn’t respond immediately Wednesday to a follow-up email request on whether it had endorsed any Republican candidates in 2018. In years past, the organization has faced criticism from progressives for endorsing Republican candidates, such as former Sen. Mark Kirk in Illinois in 2016. (HRC ended up dropping that endorsement in favor Tammy Duckworth after racially charged comments from Kirk.)

Wetrosky cautioned that supporters of LGBT rights seeking change in the congressional mid-term elections can’t just talk about Trump’s anti-LGBT policies, but also policies that have hurt Muslims, immigrants and other marginalized groups.

“There’s always more that we can do,” Wetrosky said. “But there’s also been a recognition that we need to go beyond self-identified LGBTQ voters and talk about our issues because somebody being anti-equality is a motivating factor in turning out our voters as well.”

What will LGBT supporters seek after victories in the mid-term elections? Wetrosky said HRC won’t just stick it to Trump, but work to advance LGBT rights.

“We’re not building political power just for the sake of having political power,” Wetrosky said. “We want to use it to advance equality. There’s so much still to be done. We know from polling the public understands that marriage wasn’t the end of our movement’s work to achieve full legal equality. There’s still so much more to do that’s at the federal level and the state level.”

In the event Democrats take control of the U.S. House, Sgro said a top priority of HRC would be advancement of the Equality Act, comprehensive legislation that would prohibit anti-LGBT discrimination in every aspect of federal civil rights law.

But that all depends on victories on Election Day. Despite the efforts to achieve change in 2018, Wetrosky cautioned the anticipated “blue” wave may fizzle out if Trump opponents aren’t energized.

“If we don’t make sure the wave is large enough, the wave will crash right into the sea wall,” Wetrosky said.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

NATIONAL NEWS

A U G U ST 0 3 , 2 0 1 8 • 1 3

Gays active in March for Our Lives movement CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

“My Name is Emma González. I’m 18 years old, Cuban and bisexual. I’m so indecisive that I can’t pick a favorite color, and I’m allergic to 12 things. I draw, paint, crochet, sew, embroider—anything productive I can do with my hands while watching Netflix. But none of this matters anymore,” she wrote. “What matters is that the majority of American people have become complacent in a senseless injustice that occurs all around them.”

González next caught America’s attention on March 24 at the “March for Our Lives” rally in Washington, D.C., the main rally of about 800 student walkouts and rallies around the country. Head held high, tears streaming down her face, she stood before thousands of marchers and millions watching on TV. “Six minutes and 20 seconds with an AR- 15 and my friend Carmen (Schentrup) would never complain to me about piano practice,” she said, a catch in her voice.

“Aaron Feis would never call Kyra ‘Miss Sunshine.’ Alex Schachter would never walk into school with his brother Ryan.”

González went on, naming the names of those shot dead that Feb. 14. And then she stopped. For 6 minutes and 20 seconds—the time it took for the shooter to kill 17 people and wound 15 others—she stood silently, letting the confused crowd gradually absorb what that silence signified, filling the silence in their own imaginations with the screams of terror that must have accompanied the gunshots. Many wept.

“Fight for your lives before it’s someone else’s job,” she said before leaving the stage.

“One final plug: Get out there and vote.”

The Parkland students’ 20-state summer bus tour, March For Our Lives: Road To Change, stopped in NRA-loving towns to have civil conversations with gun-lovers, noting that they do not want to take away guns, but create common sense regulations to prevent gun violence. The tour hit Los Angeles in July and included a meeting with Mayor Eric Garcetti, who pledged to work with high schools and colleges for a voter registration drive on Sept. 25.

But the town hall at the California African American Museum on July 19 illuminated another aspect of Emma González. The Parkland students served as a draw but they also shared their platform with coalition partners and expanded the discussion to guns used during domestic violence, suicide and police shootings.

And Emma González listened. When a question was asked of the panel, she reached for the microphone, paused,

‘Get out and vote. If you can’t vote then register other people to vote,’ says EMMA GONZÁLEZ.

BLADE PHOTO BY KAREN OCAMB

and then deferred to the community panelist. It was as if González and the Parkland students were modeling a different approach to public encounters: be authentic, have facts in hand, truly listen to the other person, and reply as a “human person.”

González talked about coping and their intention to connect.

“I’m a mess and I’m messy,” she said in an interview after the panel. “I’m very, very bad at organizing myself…We do eat whenever we get to restaurants. But we don’t think about eating as much, especially because the topics we’re talking about kinda take appetites away and like sadness fills your stomach more than food can. But then you smell food and you’re like rrrr I need that.”

“It’s hard to get enough food in the day and hard to get enough sleep at night,” González said, “because we have like 19hour workdays, essentially. And we ride the bus. We ride the bus a lot and it’s

easy to sleep on the bus but it’s not a full night’s sleep, you know what I mean? It’s choppy and blocked up.”

Meeting with people who have faced gun violence is “an incredible experience” but “it’s hard and it’s sad to know that so many people are affected by gun violence. And of course we knew that they were. But hearing it is a whole different experience.

“We share our experiences as they share theirs—but it’s also incredibly healing to know that you’re not alone,” González said. “That’s the number one rule after you lose someone is go to somebody else, go to the people around you, be with the people that you love.

And as you can see in ‘Big Hero 6,’ that doesn’t always happen. A lot of people push away the people around them because they feel like they’re alone.

“In our case, all we could do was be with the people around us because they were the only people who knew what we had

gone through,” she said. “I wanted to be around my family because I knew that they wanted me to be with them and they wanted to know that I was safe and they wanted to hold onto me like that. But I wanted to be with the people at my school who had experienced that. I wanted to be with my friend who had sat next to me the whole time. It’s a different sort of connection and because of that, it’s easier for us to connect with the people around the country because we know, we’ve all experienced the same thing.”

González noted that LGBT people are heavily involved in the March For Our Lives movement. “A lot of the people in our organization are LGBT+ so we bring it up in discussions and we make sure that people in the LGBT community are present in discussions,” she said.

“I do believe, personally, that like we have brought those topics to light in conversation [but] the solutions that we have will directly affect and support the LGBT community.”

González said she feels like she’s been threatened “generally,” as much as in the context of conservative verbal attacks on the Parkland survivors.

“Anything is up for grabs to anybody around, ya know?” she said. “Like I’m a female. I’m a short female. I live in Florida.

I’m Cuban and I have family members that live with me. I have survived a school shooting and I speak out politically and I’m bisexual—and all of these things are not desirable things to the people who are in power and especially the people who are getting money from other people who are in power.

“But I’m an 18-year-old girl, at the end of the day,” González said. “I’m a human person and so are the people that I work with. And a lot of times, we either get put on a pedestal or we get treated like we’re untouchable, like we’re not human, we’re undefeatable. But a bullet could take down any of us just as much as anybody else. And it’s statistically more likely to happen nowadays.

“But I mean, like we’re all the same and we all have the same amount of potential,” she said. “Anybody could have done what I had done. I didn’t even know what I was doing at the time. I looked back and saw what had happened. I did not think forward at all. None of that was like an intentional kaboom that had happened, it just did.”

Most importantly: “Get out and vote. If you can’t vote then register other people to vote. Get people to the polls, make sure that people who need to vote, can vote,” González said, adding a plug for their merchandise. “Buy the shirts on our website because they can register people to vote. Electronics are lovely, lovely.”

Keep your promise to protect each other.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

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H E A LT H N E W S

Queer teens fatter than straight counterparts

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CHICAGO — Rates of obesity and inactivity are higher among LGB youth vs. their straight counterparts a new study has found, HealthDayNews reports.

Study author Lauren Beach, a postdoctoral research fellow at Northwestern University’s Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing said LGB youth suffer from worse mental and physical health.

Researchers analyzed data from nearly 351,000 high school students in the United States and found that LGB female students were 1.6-2.1 times more likely to be obese than straight female students, HealthDay reports.

Compared to straight students, LGB students reported about one less day per week of physical activity, were 38-53 percent less likely to meet physical activity guidelines, and averaged 30 more minutes of sedentary activity each school day, HealthDay reports.

The study was published July 23 in the journal Pediatric Diabetes.

LGB youth may be less likely to be physically active due to stress, according to Beach.

“Many of these youth might be taking part in sedentary activities — like playing video games — to escape the daily stress tied to being (LGB),” she said in a Northwestern news release. “Our findings show that minority stress actually has a very broad-ranging and physical impact.”

Cultural and environmental factors may also play a role, HealthDay reports.

“Previous research has shown that body image and standards of beauty might be different among (LGB) compared to heterosexual populations,” Beach said, according to HealthDay. “We know very little about the physical environments of (LGB) youth. Are these youth less likely to live in areas that are safe for them to be active? We just don’t know.”

Teachers, parents and physicians should work together to ensure LGB youth stay healthy, Beach said. She noted that family support and identity affirmation, developing positive feelings and a strong attachment to a group, are associated with better health among LGB youth, HealthDay reports.

Employment, health care more out of reach for LGBTs

BOSTON — Sexual minorities are less likely to be employed or to have health insurance than their straight peers, a new U.S. study suggests according to Reuters.

They are also more likely to report being in poorer health and having a lower quality of life, according to the results published in the online journal BMJ Open.

The study authors suspect these differences from straight peers come down to bias, Reuters reports.

“Previous research has shown that nearly half of all sexual minorities experience employment discrimination in their lifetime, which can lead to disparities in health insurance coverage, and ultimately to health-related quality of life,” said lead author Brittany Charlton, an assistant professor at Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, Reuters reports. “Our findings highlight the ubiquity of sexual orientation inequalities in the employment and health care systems.”

Earlier research that compared cohabiting straight and same-sex couples found that sexual minorities were more likely to be out of work and to be uninsured than their straight counterparts. Charlton and her colleagues wanted to see if those findings held up in a broader sample, Reuters reports.

Researchers analyzed responses from nearly 10,000 participants aged 18-32 taking part in an ongoing study that began in 1996 when the first group enrolled was 9-14 years old. A second wave of participants aged 9-16 years was enrolled in 2004, Reuters reports.

Along with a host of lifestyle, health and environmental factors, researchers collected A D V E R T I S I information N G P R Oabout O F sexual identity and orientation in annual surveys, Reuters notes.

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10 ways Trump is attacking LGBT rights Ignore the tweets, focus on the assault on our Democratic norms

KEVIN NAFF is editor of the Washington Blade and can be reached at knaff@washblade.com.

Keeping track of the endless Trump scandals is a Sisyphean task: As soon as you fully dissect one anti-Democratic transgression, the rock rolls back down the hill as our faux president torches another American norm.

Attacking the free press, embracing murderous dictators, retaliating in the pettiest of ways against critics, enforcing an overtly racist ideology, demonizing longtime allies and late night tweets ridiculing everyone from Oprah and Meryl to Trudeau and Merkel. The list goes on.

Sadly, too many of us are taking the bait and wasting time and resources playing along with social media posts of our own responding to Trump and his enablers. Mainstream cable news outlets have devoted endless hours of pearlclutching commentary to all the tweets.

Instead, we should remain focused and resist being distracted by the sideshows.

They are a smokescreen intended to hide what’s really going on, which is a systematic dismantling of the U.S. government.

And it’s happening across agencies, from the State Department to the Department of the Interior. As Trump tweets, his sycophants roll back environmental regulations, abandon treaties, gut healthcare.

And make no mistake that Obama-era LGBT protections are in the crosshairs.

The Blade chronicles these attacks on a near daily basis so it’s hard to keep up.

Here’s a primer on what’s been going on while you were vacationing this summer, in no particular order. #10 Abandoning LGBT people in need around the world. The State Department used to advocate on behalf of LGBT

rights in hostile countries. Now we have Trump kowtowing to Vladimir Putin behind closed doors. Do you think he raised the issue of Chechnya’s anti-gay crackdown in that meeting? Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) recently told the Blade that there is no policy in place that addresses the needs of LGBT immigrant children the Trump administration has separated from their parents. Where the United States once strived to set the example for equality, we now inspire autocrats in other countries to crack down on their press and suppress the rights of minorities. Our example matters. The bully pulpit is real. And it’s being used to embolden dictators and to green-light attacks on free speech and assembly. #9 Undermining LGBT adoption rights.

A House committee just last week approved an amendment that would allow taxpayerfunded adoption agencies to deny placement to LGBT families over religious objections. The measure would empower the secretary of health and human services to withhold 15 percent of federal government funds from states and localities if they penalize adoption agencies for acting on their religious beliefs in child placement decisions, as the Blade reported. #8 Pushing federal workers back into the closet. As we reported, in a letter dated June 28 to Defense Secretary James Mattis, eight House Democrats expressed concern about lack of formal recognition of Pride this year, saying the Pentagon is “backing away from supporting and celebrating” LGBT service members and Defense Department employees. That issue crops up across the government. Where federal workers were proudly out and happy to talk to us about their Pride plans during the Obama years, now they are largely afraid to talk on the record. Trump and his anti-LGBT cronies like Attorney General Jeff Sessions have cast a shadow of fear across the government. The Justice Department, meanwhile, hosted a Pride event for its LGBT attorneys and law enforcement officials — but for the first time in 11 years, the ceremony wasn’t held in the building’s Great Hall. It was closed to media and attendees were too afraid to talk about it afterwards. The Small Business Administration removed LGBT references from its website, even though the agency won a prestigious award from Harvard

PHONE

University for its groundbreaking outreach to LGBT entrepreneurs during the Obama years. When the SBA reached out to me to assist in putting together its Pride celebration, I declined citing the removal, which was later reversed after much protest, including from the NGLCC. And for the second year, Trump declined to issue a proclamation recognizing June as Pride month. #7 Stacking government panels with anti-LGBT zealots. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell named Tony Perkins, president of the notoriously anti-LGBT Family Research Council, to a two-year term on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. Perkins, whose organization was long ago labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, presided over a three-day “religious freedom” conference the State Department held last week in D.C. The event brought together some of the most bigoted homophobes of the far right, granting them the prestige and legitimacy of being endorsed by the U.S. government. #6 Banning the Pride flag. A Republican lawmaker in the U.S. House has introduced legislation aimed at barring U.S. embassies from flying the Pride flag.

Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.) introduced the measure last week, which seeks to “prohibit the flying of any flag other than the United States flag over United States diplomatic and consular posts, and for other purposes.” The State Department didn’t respond to the Blade’s inquiries on the matter. Will our openly gay ambassador to Germany, Ric Grenell, have anything to say about this effort? Although it’s not a Trump initiative, make no mistake that the anti-LGBT forces of the far right and their supporters are now unleashed thanks to Trump and the base tone he has set for the country. #5 Undoing bias protections for trans people. The Trump administration has asserted that transgender people aren’t covered under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bars sex discrimination in the workplace. In addition, Sessions has rescinded Obama-era guidance requiring schools to allow transgender kids to use the restroom consistent

CONTINUES ON PAGE 17

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Democratic socialism won’t sell in America Ocasio-Cortez should focus on winning her race

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

The dictionary definitions of socialism are 1: any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods; 2: a system of society or group living in which there is no private property b: a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state and a stage of society in Marxist theory transitional between capitalism and communism and distinguished by unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done.

That is not the socialism some politicians are talking about. The dictionary explains the difference between socialism and what some today are calling democratic

socialism as: “In the many years since socialism entered English around 1830, it has acquired several different meanings.

It refers to a system of social organization in which private property and the distribution of income are subject to social control, but the conception of that control has varied, and the term has been interpreted in widely diverging ways, ranging from statist to libertarian, from Marxist to liberal. In the modern era, “pure” socialism has been seen only rarely and usually briefly in a few Communist regimes. Far more common are systems of social democracy, now often referred to as democratic socialism, in which extensive state regulation, with limited state ownership, has been employed by democratically elected governments (as in Sweden and Denmark) in the belief that it produces a fair distribution of income without impairing economic growth.”

This is the definition Bernie Sanders referred to during his presidential campaign when talking about the Swedish system he likes. Now after a winning primary campaign by Alexandria OcasioCortez we are hearing more about the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) who refer to her and Sanders on their website. They claim to be “the largest socialist organization in the United States.”

Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez’s arguments remind me of the quote from Mario Cuomo: “you campaign in poetry and govern

in prose.” To me that often means you don’t give any details for the promises you espouse in the campaign and then find yourself unable to meet those promises when you are elected. It is difficult to find an honest politician willing to explain the incredible difficulty and cost of fulfilling their promises. A recent New York Times column on New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio reported “midway through his fifth year in office, Mr. de Blasio has disappointed some of his most loyal backers, who point to a range of issues, from criminal justice reform and homelessness to the protection of immigrants, where the mayor has fallen short of his promises.”

In actuality, de Blasio, once their favorite progressive, knew the state, unions, the City Council and a host of other interests would not just bend to his rhetoric.

The same can be said about Bernie Sanders who campaigned on free college for all and universal healthcare yet knew those things wouldn’t happen even had he been elected.

Today Democratic Socialists have a new hero in Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

They have her traveling the country espousing their policies. She got upset when Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) explained “policies too far to the left can’t win in Midwestern states.” Ocasio-Cortez showed her naiveté by suggesting because Sanders won some Midwest prima-

ries it showed Duckworth was wrong. Any seasoned politician understands primary voters of the far left might win a primary but don’t represent the majority of the electorate. Maybe a woman, also a military hero, who won a Senate seat in the Midwest would know that electorate better than Ocasio-Cortez.

I support Ocasio-Cortez as the Democrat in her New York Bronx/Queens district. She might consider she won because her more seasoned opponent forgot Tip O’Neil’s first rule, “all politics is local.” She might want to stay in her District, which hasn’t even elected her, at least pretending their needs are her top priority. Hopefully she won’t forget them in the haze of fame before she is even elected.

We know the basic issues for voters are healthcare, education and the economy.

We also know the founders of our country set up a government with checks and balances forcing our elected officials to compromise to get things done.

Democratic Socialism doesn’t seem like a compromise position Americans will accept in more than a possible few very left leaning Districts. So let’s not fall into the trap that it’s a good label for the Democratic Party to adopt if we really hope to defeat Republicans in November and take back Congress, state legislatures, and governorships.

V I E WPO I N T

Here are 10 ways Trump is targeting LGBT rights CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16

with their gender identity. #4 Attacks on trans health. The Trump administration plans to roll back an Obamacare rule barring health care providers from denying treatment to transgender people, including gender reassignment surgery. #3 Advocating for “religious liberty.”

This is a common theme now, as the far right often pivots from overtly anti-LGBT statements, which don’t play well with independent voters, to their favorite code term for anti-LGBT bias, “religious liberty.”

The White House in June hailed as a win for religious freedom the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in favor of a Colorado baker who refused to serve a wedding cake to a same-sex couple. #2 Trans military ban. A federal appeals court recently reaffirmed an injunc-

tion barring the Trump administration from enforcing its cruel and discriminatory transgender military ban. That’s good news, but the move sets up a potential showdown at the Supreme Court. So far, the Trump administration is mum on its next steps. #1 Anti-LGBT judicial appointments.

Last November, New York Times reporter Linda Greenhouse wrote a column about the “conservative plan to weaponize the federal courts.” She cited a 37-page plan written by Northwestern University law professor Steven G. Calabresi, founder and board chair of the conservative Federalist Society, in which he declared their intention: “undoing the judicial legacy of President Barack Obama.”

To that end, we have Neil Gorsuch and now Brett Kavanaugh likely headed to the Supreme Court. But while the mainstream media are focused on Kavanaugh, there are scores of lower-level judicial appointees moving toward con-

firmation, many of whom have disturbing anti-LGBT records. Mark Norris, for example, was nominated by Trump for a seat on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Tennessee. Norris served for 17 years as a member of the Tennessee Senate, where he advanced anti-LGBT legislation as Senate majority leader. A lawyer who defended Prop 8 in court is nominated for a seat on the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah.

And so on.

These attacks, as reported by the Blade, have occurred in just the last few months. They will only increase as the midterms approach and Trump needs more red meat to feed his brainless base of bigots and rednecks. This motley crew was aptly described by Hillary Clinton as “deplorables.” They disdain education, ignore hypocrisy and racism and even basic facts, in defense of a bloated con man who will stop at nothing to line

his pockets and those of his equally corrupt family and friends. Congressional Republicans in their blind allegiance to Trump have lost the moral authority to criticize any Democrat for any behavior for a generation. They have cast their lot with a wannabe demagogue and are in bed with the murderous Putin, whom they admire for his zero-tolerance of dissent and diversity.

There is one way out of this mess: Everyone offended by it must vote in November and again in 2020. Sadly, a new poll suggests that only 28 percent of millennial-aged voters plan to vote this year.

You can march every weekend in protest and launch a million petitions on change. org, but if you don’t vote then the deplorable one-third of Americans who still support Trump will win again.

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O U R BU SI N E SS MA T T E RS

Events yield less fiscal benefit to D.C. than thought Inaugurations, festivals and sports produce modest, if any, economic gains

MARK LEE is a long-time entrepreneur and community business advocate. Follow on Twitter: @MarkLeeDC. Reach him at OurBusinessMatters@gmail.com.

A couple hundred thousand people turn out for a protest in the nation’s capital.

Large-scale festivals, such as the annual LGBT Pride festivities, take over city thoroughfares. Signature sports events and playoffs fill arenas. Quadrennial presidential inaugurations are held.

The city must be rakin’ in the cash, right?

According to a recent D.C. government study, not so much.

In fact, when the extra costs associated with accommodating such events are factored in, the District may not economically benefit.

The D.C. Office of the CFO late last year conducted an analysis to quantify the fiscal yield from special events. Prior to this evaluation, there had been no local government appraisal. Instead, an assortment of fiscal policy groups and academic institutions had taken a look – producing widely variant evaluations, ranging from the spectacularly profitable to either insignificant positive or negative contributions.

The financial action is focused on sales tax revenue, which is both the benefit and measure of the economic impact of special events.

The Office of Revenue Analysis study first examined events drawing more than 250,000 people to the city, establishing that number of participant in-flow attendance as a baseline. What the report found was that the fiscal benefit accruing to the city as a result of special events and protest demonstrations was much less than some had projected and largely negligible.

Presidential Inaugurals were the most financially beneficial and, notably, appear to not be affected by the relative size of the spectator crowd that assembles on the National Mall or along the parade route. All inaugurations produce greater financial gain than any other type event, averaging a surprisingly modest accrual of $3.05 million in

supplemental sales taxes for every inauguration over the past few decades. That figure increases for all inaugurals in recent years, but remains well below prevailing estimates – and by a significant amount.

Sizable special events held in D.C. contribute a tiny amount of actual direct economic benefit. The agency’s report characterizes this financial impact by saying it “is analogous to a drop in a bucket.” Even inaugurations, the biggest benefactors of the bunch, produce only 0.026% of the city’s operating budget for a year.

Examining sports playoff events with fewer attendees than the quarter-million threshold actually produced a negative estimate of net economic gain, suggesting that smaller events of all types result in similar or make, at best, a negligible financial contribution to the local economy.

Most surprising was that large political protests yield very little in the way of economic boom to local businesses or the District’s tax coffers, and less than the benefit acquired from inaugurations.

The report attributes this small economic accrual to the city from even the largest protests as a result of a “crowding-out” effect. This phenomenon takes place when hundreds of thousands of daily commuters, as well as met-

ropolitan area residents intending to spend money in the city, do not enter the District due to workplace closings or to avoid crowds and transportation bottlenecks.

In those instances, spending by nonresident protestors – modest in amount regardless – is negated by the lack of cash being conveyed by local or area residents who would normally be spending money in the District but are dissuaded by the stress of accessibility.

Another factor is most big demonstrations consist largely of residents. Others traveling to D.C. to be a part of political marches, whether suburban or from outside the area, are in-andout without spending much money locally.

In addition, the costs associated with hosting these events partially negates the benefit or transforms into economic loss due city costs for increased security, emergency services, streetscape cleanup and police deployment.

Although the overall economic benefit of special events, parades, festivals and political events may be small, they enrich both the city and local history in ways not measurable by coin.

It’s also a reminder of the value of local enterprise contributing to the D.C. economy every single day.

VIEWPOINT

LGBTQ Israelis should embrace solidarity with Palestinians Full equality requires all forms of discrimination to be eliminated

By KHELIL BOUARROUJI LGBTQ Israelis are fed up with the contempt hurled at a marginalized minority. Last week, Aguda — the nation’s premier LGBTQ organization — called for the nation’s very first queer general strike last Sunday.

A few days prior, Israel passed a basic law (the equivalent of a constitutional amendment) forsaking the old formula of a “Jewish and democratic” state with an ethno-nationalist definition of Israel as the “nation-state of the Jewish People.” The new law declares national self-determination a right “unique to the Jewish people” and “omits any mention of democracy or the principle of equality.” Arabic, formally an official language, has been downgraded to a “special status.”

Palestinian citizens of Israel, a fifth of the population, already face over 65 discriminatory laws from housing to marriage. Unlike other discriminatory laws, however, the nation-state law constitutionally enshrines their second-class status.

It wasn’t the only discriminatory law passed last week. The day prior to the “nation-state”

vote, the Knesset voted to deny surrogacy rights to gay couples. A cacophony of Israeli LGBTQ protest erupted culminating in the strike. While some protesters expressed broad support for equality, others did not directly link the two bigoted acts passed by the legislature. The omission of any vocal solidarity with Arab citizens could not have been an oversight given the proximity of the votes and the religious-nationalist coalition behind both acts. Regrettably, it fits a pattern among LGBTQ leaders in Israel.

While some LGBTQ Israelis harbor racism toward Palestinians (indeed there is an openly gay member of the ruling, right-wing Likud party), much of the LGBTQ community refuses to express solidarity with Palestinians fearing it would set back the gay rights movement inside Israel if gay activists are perceived as “Arab lovers.” An LGBTQ movement that openly condemns the occupation would certainly encounter more pushback than a movement that toes the nationalist line, but the lack of solidarity is morally bankrupt and self-defeating.

The bet on a succession of right-wing governments (drifting further right every election), aligned with religious fundamentalist parties, will never pay off. Of the 17 pro-LGBTQ bills introduced in the Knesset since 2013, only one of them has passed. As recently as 2016, the Knesset voted down

“proposals to recognize a bereaved widower in same sex couples … a bill banning conversion therapy … a bill to recognize a same-sex marriage contract and ... a bill to train health professionals to deal with gender and sexual inclination issues.” The day before the bills were voted down, the Knesset approved a symbolic gesture recognizing LGBT Rights Day. That same year, the Ministry of Tourism announced a $2.9 million publicity campaign to promote gay tourism in Israel, meanwhile the government funded Israeli LGBT organizations at one tenth that amount. These two toothless acts demonstrate that when it comes to the gays, the Israeli government is less interested in our well-being at home and more concerned with how to market us in its Brand Israel propaganda, portraying the country as liberal in a cynical gambit to distract from its horrific occupation, a policy known as “pinkwashing.”

Complicity has served to alienate many LGBTQ Israelis from their peers around the world. The decision of Tel Aviv’s LGBTQ film festival to accept state funding, and thus avoid any films and panels critical of Israeli policies toward Palestinians, prompted a queer boycott. The excuse “but Palestine isn’t a gay issue” won’t do. Every human rights struggle should be of concern to LGBTQ individuals still fighting for our human rights; nevermind the obvious fact that gay Palestinians

also suffer under occupation. The silence of most LGBTQ organizations is shameful.

Not all are so servile toward the Israeli government. A courageous minority — echoing the radical spirit of Stonewall and ACT UP — raise the banner “No pride in occupation” and stage their own Pride parade, in opposition to the de-politicizing of Pride. They understand that their liberation is interwoven with equal rights for the Palestinians and that full equality can only be secured once all forms of discrimination have been eliminated.

Instead of seeing their cause as distinct, Israel’s LGBTQ movement should embrace an intersectional struggle for queer and Palestinian liberation and support universal equality. They could start by forming a partnership with alQaws, the queer Palestinian activist group. It is no coincidence that a stronger American gay rights movement emerged after the successes of the Civil Rights Movement that amplified the values of fairness and equality, which post-Stonewall gay activists could reference with more resonance among the general public. If the right-wing is voting against them anyway, LGBTQ Israelis have little to lose and much to gain if they join the global BDS movement to support equality for all Israelis and Palestinians.

Khelil Bouarrouj is a junior fellow at the Institute for Palestine Studies.

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21

ANDREW CUCCARO as Dr. Frank N. Furter in ‘The Rocky Horror Show.’

PHOTO COURTESY CLEAR SPACE

New take on ‘Rocky Horror’ CLASSIC CAMP MUSICAL PUSHED FURTHER IN CURRENT REHOBOTH PRODUCTION

By GRACE PERRY Traditional theater draws a clear line between the actors and the audience, discouraging engagement between the two; however, this is just one of many conventions the beloved cult classic “The Rocky Horror Show” breaks.

This summer at Rehoboth Beach in Delaware, Clear Space Theatre Company

presents the 1970s science-fiction musical that has captivated audiences of all ages over the past four decades. The show runs until Sept. 1. A special Aug. 11 midnight performance is slated to include props for the audience provided by the theater.

Founded in 2004 and based in Rehoboth Beach, Del., Clear Space

Theatre Company is a non-profit cultural organization dedicated to providing not only professional theater productions but also arts education to Southern Delaware.

The theater stages approximately 150 shows each year, attracting around 15,000 guests.

David Button has worked with Clear

Space for the last 13 years and is currently in his fifth year as artistic director. Though he had always “admired ‘Rocky’ from afar,” Button truly fell in love with the show after performing in a rendition of it after college. He chose the musical for CONTINUES ON PAGE 32

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Q U E E RY : 2 0 Q U E ST I O N S F O R CH RI S J A Y

C HRI S JAY PHOTO COURTESY JAY

By JOEY DiGUGLIELMO joeyd@washblade.com Chris Jay’s photography career began rather inauspiciously. They (Jay’s requested pronoun) started doing family portraits at JCPenney.

“I was hooked ever since,” they said.

Jay has just started a new venture, a photo project called The Queerbook in which they’ll travel the country taking photos of queer performers of all types — burlesque, drag kings and queens and more, which Jay started shooting about five years ago.

“I decided I needed to do something big to compile and give form to my work and from there, the idea to create a book developed,” the 38-year-old Columbia, Md., native says.

A previous job as a school photographer helped inform the project.

“I wanted to see if I could create a school picture day experience for queer performers,” Jay says. “Performers are so much more than some of us realize.”

The first shoot was held in Baltimore in June. Jay will go to Pittsburgh in early September, then Philadelphia, Seattle, New York and any other city whose performers want to be part of it. It got launched with a Kickstarter campaign and small donations from friends. Jay plans to shoot through 2019.

The project will also encompass podcasts, video interviews and social media to raise awareness of the importance of queer performers and their role in “the advancement of our community.” Jay’s wife Sydney will do the writing. Find out more or make a donation at thequeerbook.com or facebook. com/thequeerbook2019.

Jay also produces shows, works in graphic design, plans events, is active in LGBT advocacy and has a weekly podcast “Coffee with Chris.”

Jay identifies as gender-nonconforming and lives in Baltimore and enjoys watching TV and YouTube videos in their spare time.

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

Since I was 18 and the hardest person to tell was my mom because I didn’t want her to be disappointed.

Who’s your LGBT hero?

I don’t have a hero. I think we are all putting in work to better our communities.

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

The best place to party was the Hippo.

I loved that place. So sad it isn’t around anymore.

Describe your dream wedding.

I had my dream wedding in October of last year. We had a drag and burlesque show and it was catered by Popeyes.

What more could I ask for?

What non-LGBT issue are you most passionate about?

Gun control What historical outcome would you change?

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

Weezer’s cover of “Africa” by Toto On what do you insist?

I insist that people treat one another with respect and understanding that none of us are perfect.

What was your last Facebook post or Tweet?

“If I did a live stream telethon to raise money for The Queerbook who would come through and be on the show?”

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

“The Ups and Downs of a Black Queer Creative” If science discovered a way to change

sexual orientation, what would you do?

Protest What do you believe in beyond the physical world?

I believe that our thoughts are guided by things beyond our understanding. I think the universe has a plan for us as long as we follow our paths.

What’s your advice for LGBT movement leaders?

Make sure your platform is inclusive.

I mean really inclusive. Allow people to learn and voice their thoughts and opinions as they can help guide your movement. It isn’t easy; there are a lot of intersections of our community who really feel unheard because they don’t fit in any major labels.

What would you walk across hot coals for?

My wife.

What LGBT stereotype annoys you most?

Assuming that because someone is masculine, they want to date someone more femme.

What’s your favorite LGBT movie?

“But I’m a Cheerleader” What’s the most overrated social custom?

Networking. People really think they’re more important than they are in those situations.

What trophy or prize do you most covet?

My crown for Baltimore’s King of Pride 2018. It has been a life-changing year.

What do you wish you’d known at 18?

That I have more power than I know.

Why Baltimore?

Baltimore is the realest city I have ever lived in. What you see is what you get.

No bullshit.

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clear space theatre company

6 Great Shows, 6 Days A Week!

R

LATE NIGHT show with the

the

Delaware Comedy Theatre For more information and tickets, please visit:

www.ClearSpaceTheatre.org Or call

302.227.2270

20 Baltimore Ave. (Beach Block) RB, DE 19971

Jun. 26 Thru Sep. 1

CHECK WEBSITE FOR LISTINGS.

WELL-STRUNG This program is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com. Clear Space Theatre Company, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

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2 4 • A UGUS T 0 3 , 2018

O U T & A BO U T

By ABBY WARGO

PHOTO COURTESY RAINBOW THEATRE PROJECT

‘Closet’ comedy Rainbow Theatre Project presents “In The Closet,” a gay comedy, at the D.C. Arts Center (2438 18th St N.W.) from Aug. 16Sept. 15. This is the show’s world premiere.

The show was written by Siegmund Fuchs, a Washington lawyer who specializes in litigation for the Department of Justice, and is directed by H. Lee Gable, Rainbow Theatre’s artistic director. The play follows four gay men in different stages of life.

The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at rainbowtheatreproject.org. The show is not appropriate for children. For more information, visit facebook.com/events.

PHOTO COURTESY CAPITAL ONE ARENA

Shakira plays D.C. Aug. 11 Shakira (“Hips Don’t Lie”) performs on her “El Dorado” world tour on Sunday, Aug. 11 at Capital One Arena (601 F St. N.W.).

The concert was rescheduled from Jan. 16. It begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets will be honored for the new date or refunded at the point of purchase. Tickets range from $80-800 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster. There is a two-ticket limit for the front row package and an eightticket limit on all other offers. For more information, visit facebook.com/events.

Chillin’ in white PHOTO COURTESY RAMW

Tasty summer specials Metropolitan Washington’s annual Summer Restaurant Week is coming Aug. 13-19 with $22 brunch, $22 lunch and $35 dinner specials at many restaurants throughout the region.

Hundreds of restaurants throughout the region participate each year. Bar Pilar, Cork Wine & Market, Little Coco’s, Masa 14, The Park at Fourteenth, Ghibellina and The Pig are a few of the 14th St./Logan-area businesses on board for this year.

Full details and reservations at ramw.org.

The D.C. Eagle (3701 Benning Rd. N.E.) hosts Distrkt C Winter White on Sunday, Aug. 11 from 10 p.m.-6 a.m. Music will be provided by DJ Twisted Dee Martello.

White attire is suggested.

Tickets are $25 with a $3 fee at distrktc. ticketspice.com. The White Combo Pass, which includes admission to LA Fantasy’s White Sunset from 5-10 p.m. at The Living Room (1008 Vermont Ave. N.W.) in addition to Winter White, is $35 with a $4 fee. For more information, visit distrktc.com.

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A U G U S T 03, 2018 • 25

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WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

Talking books, nabbing deals OutWrite LGBT book festival, Dog Days sidewalk sale this weekend

By JOEY DiGUGLIELMO joeyd@washblade.com It may be the dead of summer, but there’s still plenty to do with two major gay events in Washington this weekend — #OutWrite2018, an annual LGBT book festival (Aug. 3-5) and Dog Days, the 19th annual sidewalk sale, which covers about 25 blocks branching out from the 14th and U Street N.W. area.

OutWrite kicks off tonight (Friday, Aug. 3) with “Laughing Out Loud,” a literary comedy showcase with Michelle Tea, hosted by Chelsea Shorte and featuring Anthony Oakes and Camille Roberts.

It’s at Ten Tigers Parlour (3813 Georgia Ave., N.W.) at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door. Details at thedccenter.org/events/lauging-out-loud.

Saturday is a day packed with seminars (three generally running simultaneously) including “Between Worlds,” “Love Lines & Life Lines” and “Mining Trauma for Your Writing” (all at 10 a.m.); “Like Copper On Their Tongues,” “Writing Nonbinary Characters” and “Lessons in Unlearning (at 11 a.m.); “On a Pale Horse,” “Worldbuilding for Experts & Beginners” and “Oceans of Salt & Longing” (at noon); and many more throughout the afternoon.

Several writer workshops are scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 5 including “Writing as a Team” (10 a.m.), “How to Pitch Your Book”

(noon), “Dialogue in Fiction” (noon) and more.

Authors scheduled to appear throughout the day include John Copenhaver, Tahirah Alexander Green, Tom Wilinsky, Jen Sternick and more.

All events Aug. 4-5 are free and open to the public and will be held at the Reeves Center (2000 14th St., N.W.). Full details at thedccenter.org/outwrite.

The Dog Days Sidewalk Festival bills itself as D.C.’s “best laid-back adventure.”

Always held the first weekend in August each year, it attracts about 20,000 visitors to the retail center along the 14th and U Street N.W. corridors where retailers between Thomas Circle and Florida Ave., and from U Street from 7th-17th streets offer sales.

A kickoff party is tonight (Friday, Aug. 3) from 6-8 p.m. at Miss Pixie’s (1626 14th St., N.W.) where its 20 percent-off sale will be in effect.

Participants include big chains such as J.Crew (1618 14th St., N.W.), La-Z-Boy (1328 14th St., N.W.) and Room & Board (1840 14th St., N.W.) to gay-owned shops like Mitchell Gold+Bob Williams (1526 14th St., N.W.), Flowers on 14th (1712 14th St., N.W.), Logan Hardware (1734 14th St., N.W.) and more.

Most restaurants in the region get in on the fun as well including Ben’s Chili Bowl (1214 U St., N.W.), Barcelona Wine Bar (1622 14th St., N.W.), Rice (1608 14th St., N.W.), et. al. as well as the gay sports bar Nellie’s (900 U St., N.W.), Gallagher & Graham Fine Spirits (1939 12th St., N.W.), Cork & Fork (1522 14th St., N.W.) and more.

A full list of participating retailers is online at dogdaysdc.com.

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2 6 • A UGUS T 0 3 , 2018

A RT S & CU LT U RE

This Week in the Arts provided by CultureCapital.com DANCE Energizers Creative Arts Camp Concert 2018. Thru Aug 3. Dance Place. danceplace.org.

Leah Glenn Dance Theatre. Aug 5.

Dance Place. danceplace.org.

MUSIC Angélique Kidjo’s Remain In Light and Femi Kuti and The Positive Force Aug 7. Wolf Trap. wolftrap.org.

In her newest project, Angelique Kidjo reinterprets The Talking Heads’ classic album, Remain in Light (1980), adding electrifying rhythms, African guitars, and layered backing vocals. Cross-pollinating the West African traditions of her childhood in Benin with elements of American R&B, funk, and jazz, Kidjo is nothing short of exhilarating and transcendent.

Signature Theatre - Open House Aug 5. Signature Theatre. sigtheatre.org.

Kick off the upcoming season with Signature’s Annual Open House. Starting at noon, come enjoy free performances every fifteen minutes, special ticket offers, raffles and a grand finale concert. There are concerts, games and crafts all day.

The Second City’s Generation Gap Thru Aug 12. The Kennedy Center. kennedy-center.org.

From the Greatest Generation to the latest generation, the sketch show follows three families on a satirical crash course spanning miscommunications, careers, dating, and more.

Free Community Day Aug 5. National Museum of Women in the Arts. nmwa.org

Visit us on Community Day for the museum—take this opportunity to explore the current exhibitions as well as our collection. What’s on view: Heavy Metal—Women to Watch 2018 showcases contemporary artists working in metal, engaging with the fluidity between “fine” art, design and craft. Bound to Amaze: Inside a BookCollecting Career celebrates the vision of Krystyna Wasserman, curator emerita, who assembled NMWA’s collection of more than 1,000 artists’ books.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WOLF TRAP

THEATRE Hamilton. Thru Sep 7. Kennedy Center. kennedy-center.org.

Irish Twist on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Thru Aug 12. Quotidian Theatre Company at Old Round House Theater. quotidiantheatre.org.

NSO Verdi’s Rigoletto with Wolf Trap Opera. Aug 3. NSO at Wolf Trap. kennedy-center.org.

Sizzlin’ Summer with Robbie Schaefer: All My Songs Are True (and Other Lies I Love To Tell You). Aug 3 – Aug 4. Signature Theatre - Open House. Aug 5. Signature Theatre.

sigtheatre.org.

The Bridges of Madison County.

Aug 4-Sep 2. Keegan Theatre. keegantheatre.com.

The Color Purple. Thru Aug 26.

Kennedy Center. kennedy-center.org.

The Pirates of Penzance. Thru Aug 17. H.M.S. Pinafore. Aug 4-Aug 19.

Olney Theatre. olneytheatre.org.

The Story of the Gun. Thru Aug 5.

Woolly Mammoth. woollymammoth.net.

Theory of Theories. Aug 3-Aug 11. DC Arts Center (DCAC). dcartscenter.org.

HANSON STRING THEORY with NSO. Aug 4. Bryan Adams. Aug 5. Disney’s Broadway Hits Featuring Broadway Stars Live In Concert with Wolf Trap Orchestra. Aug 9. Wolf Trap. wolftrap.org.

Jazz in the Garden: Son Del Caribe.

Aug 3. National Gallery of Art. nga.gov.

Kara and Matty D. Aug 5. The Alden at McLean Central Park. mcleancenter.org.

Live from the Lawn: Erin & The Wildfire. Aug 8. Strathmore. strathmore.org.

National Chamber Ensemble at Lubber Run. Aug 3. Hardway Connection at Lubber Run. Aug 4.

Arlington Cultural Affairs at Lubber Run. arlingtonarts.org.

Sizzlin’ Summer with Iyona Blake: Life Lessons. Aug 3. Sizzlin’ Summer with Bligh Voth: No Really I’m Not Crazy. Aug 4. Signature Theatre. sigtheatre.org.

Summer Concerts on the Lawn: Trifilio Tango Trio. Aug 9. Grupo Rebolú. Aug 8. Homegrown: Grupo Rebolú. Aug 8. Library of Congress. loc.gov.

The US Naval Academy Band Wind Trio. Aug 5. Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic Association at The Lyceum. wmpamusic.org.

U.S. Army Blues Jazz Ensemble at Lubber Run. Aug 5. Arlington Cultural Affairs at Lubber Run. arlingtonarts.org.

MUSEUMS Dumbarton Oaks. Outside/IN: Martha Jackson Jarvis at Dumbarton Oaks.

Thru Sep 2. doaks.org.

Folger Shakespeare Library. Form & Function: The Genius of the Book. Thru Sep 23. folger.edu.

Kreeger Museum. Reinstallation of the Permanent Collection. Thru Dec 31. kreegermuseum.org.

Library of Congress. Letters to Lyrics: Alexander Hamilton at the Library of Congress. Thru Aug 21. Drawn to Purpose. Thru Oct 20. loc.gov.

National Archives. Remembering Vietnam. Thru Jan 6. archivesfoundation.org.

National Gallery of Art. Sharing Images: Renaissance Prints Into

Maiolica and Bronze. Thru Aug 5.

Jackson Pollock’s Mural. Thru Oct 28. nga.gov.

National Geographic. National Geographic: Exploration Starts Here.

Thru Jan 1. Titanic: The Untold Story.

Thru Jan 6. nglive.org.

National Museum of Women in the Arts. Heavy Metal—Women to Watch 2018. Thru Sep 16. Bound to Amaze: Inside a Book-Collecting Career. Thru Nov 25. nmwa.org.

Smithsonian Anacostia Museum.

Your Community, Your Story: Celebrating Five Decades Of The Anacostia Community Museum, 1967-2017. Thru Jan 6. Bridging the Americas: Community and Belonging from Panama to Washington, DC. Thru Jan 31. anacostia.si.edu.

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian. Lincoln’s Contemporaries. Thru May 19.

Champions. Thru May 19. npg.si.edu.

GALLERIES African American Civil War Memorial and Museum. 20th Anniversary Celebration: Hubert Jackson & Curtis Woody. Thru Sep 30. zenithgallery.com.

DC Arts Center (DCAC). Judging Me Judging You. Thru Aug 12. dcartscenter.org.

District Architecture Center. 2018 Professional Awards of the Potomac Chapter, ASLA. Thru Aug 31. Beyond Practice: Watercolors by David Cox, FAIA. Thru Aug 31. aiadac.com.

Dupont Circle. First Friday Dupont Circle Art Walk. Aug 3. dupontcirclemainstreets.org.

Dupont Underground. 20/20: Double Vision. Thru Aug 28. dupontunderground.org.

Gallery Underground. “POWER OF NATURE” Juried Exhibition. Thru Aug 31. arlingtonartistsalliance.org.

Glen Echo Park. Design Domain: Contemporary Furniture and Inspired Decor. Aug 3-Aug 26. Organic Growth: Meaghan Busch and Annalisa Leonessa. Aug 3-Aug 26. Art Walk in the Park: First Friday of every month thru September. Thru Sep 7. glenechopark.org.

Goethe-Institut. 1968: A Time of Uproar in Europe and the US. Thru Aug 24. goethe.de.

Hill Center. Hill Center Galleries Regional Juried Exhibition. Thru Sep 22. hillcenterdc.org.

Korean Cultural Center DC. K-Arts Exhibitions: Expanding Spacetime: Works by Chae Eun Rhee and Sky Kim. Aug 3-Sep 4. koreaculturedc.org.

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A U G U S T 03, 2018 • 27

19 TH ANNUAL SIDEWALK SALE

SHOP THE HEART OF DC!

dog days AUG. 4–5

IMAGE COURTESY ATRIA

The ‘Goddess’ within?

Laughs come later in new comedic memoir

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.

Even before he was born, Guy Branum was a wrong-place-wrong-time kind of person.

As depicted in his new memoir “My Life as a Goddess,” his parents had married because of an unexpected pregnancy before he came along and that may’ve had something to do with it.

His father’s parents were cold and distant and that seemed to extend to Branum’s relationship with his Dad. Branum’s mother was a peacekeeper, going along to get along. And his sister, well, Branum barely writes about her, other than her troubles.

He was raised in a California farming community, for which he has little good to say. It was a country-bumpkin kind of existence but Branum found a deep love for words; they soothed him, although his large vocabulary made him stand out, often negatively. Most of his childhood likewise had its ups and downs: he grew up watching old sitcoms on TV, traveling with the family and watching the adults around him. That included an uncle who was a heavy drinker, and Branum’s father, whom he says he never really knew how to please. He couldn’t wait to escape.

He was in elementary school when he figured out that he was attracted to boys but he couldn’t be gay, right? Except he was, and when his father pushed him into playing football at age 12, Branum knew he had to use caution. Locker rooms and still-closeted, still-questioning boys are not always a good mix.

He was in college when he gained a Secret Service file and acceptance for his gayness.

His mother cried when he came out. His father clumsily learned to accept it.

Today, Branum makes his living doing stand-up comedy and writing for comedy shows, but that’s just a smidge of what he soapboxes about in “My Life as a Goddess.”

Indeed, there’s a lot of lecturing going on here, and while author Guy Branum is surely knowledgeable, pages and pages on topics only peripherally relevant to his life story feel too much like, well, like an interminably long high school class. It’s a good guess that that’s not why readers would want this book.

Surprisingly, there’s not much of what readers would expect here, either. Instead of the humor you might anticipate in a book by a stand-up comedian, Branum tells tales of isolation and frustration with his growing-up situation. It’s told well, it gives readers inspirational insight to his life, and the humor kicks in at the back half of the book but by then, it’s pretty safe to say that you may not be in the mood to laugh.

Overall, read this book for the memoir and not the mirth. “My Life as a Goddess” tells a good life story but as for humor, that may be just a myth.

‘MY LIFE AS A GODDESS’

By Guy Branum Atria $26 288 pages

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2 8 • A UGUST 0 3 , 2018

CA LE N D A R

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

The seventh annual Chesapeake Bay Balloon and Wine Festival is today, Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. at Triple Creek Winery (11138 3 Bridge Branch Rd., Cordova, Md.). There will be 25 hot air balloons with tethered balloon rides and flights available. The festival is kidfriendly. Live entertainment, food and craft vendors, and Triple Creek wines will be featured. Tickets include balloon glow, which will take place each evening, a tasting of six different wines, a wine glass and more. Adult tickets are $31 Friday, $36 Saturday and $16 Sunday. Children ages 6-15 are $5 each day, and children 5 or younger are free. To purchase tickets, visit balloonfestival.ticketspice.com. No refunds are available for tickets. For more information, visit triplecreekwinery.com.

Bear Happy Hour is at UPROAR Lounge and Restaurant (639 Florida Ave. N.W.) tonight from 5-10 p.m. Hosted by D.C. Bear Crue, all are welcome and are invited to “come as you are.” Rail cocktails and draft pitchers (Bud Light and Shock Top) are $5 until 10 p.m. Free appetizers will be handed out throughout the night and food will be available for purchase. For more information, visit facebook.com/events.

The D.C. Eagle (3701 Benning Rd. N.E.) hosts Woof! Happy Hour tonight from 5-11 p.m. There is no cover charge until 9:30. After 9:30, only guests 18 and over will be admitted. There will be free pizza at 7:30. Drink specials include $4 Rail/Well drinks until 11, $4 Bud Light bottles and all draft beers until 10, and $9 draft pitchers until 10. Parking is limited and guests should not park in front of the bar by the strip mall to avoid being towed. For more information, visit facebook.com/events.

OutWrite 2018, an LGBT literature non-profit festival, hosts its kickoff event “Laughing Out Loud” tonight at Ten Tigers Parlour (3813 Georgia Ave. N.W.) from 6:30-9:30 p.m. This evening of literary comedy with Michelle Tea is hosted by Chelsea Shorte and features sets by Anthony Oakes and Camille Roberts. The event is on the second floor of the building and is only accessible by stairs. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. They can be purchased at thedccenter.org

SATURDAY, AUG. 4

Yoga Garden is at The Midlands (3333 Georgia Ave. N.W.) today at 10 a.m. There will be a one-hour vinyasa flow session followed by drinks. Tickets are $16.82 with tax and include yoga and Dogfish Head beer. They can be purchased through Eventbrite. For more information, visit facebook.com/events.

City Winery (1350 Okie St. N.E.) hosts World of Rosé on the Rooftop today

IMAGE COURTESY TOUCHSTONE GALLERY

A work by Japanese artist Yuki Hiyama on display this month at Touchstone Gallery. An opening reception for the show is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 4 at 3 p.m. at the gallery.

from 2-5 p.m. The event is general admission for guests 21 and over. Led by City Winery’s beverage director Vanessa Phillips, over 50 sparkling and still Rosé examples will be poured from each major wine-producing region. There will be different tasting stations all around the rooftop. Tickets are $45 and can be purchased at citywinery.com.

Gay Latino Tropical Night is tonight from 10 p.m.-3 a.m. at Cobalt (1639 R St. N.W.). Hosted by Rumba Latina, the night will feature drink specials and is jungle-themed.

For more information, visit gogaydc.org.

SUNDAY, AUG. 5

SUBMERGE: a summer Pride pool party is today from 2-8 p.m. at the Embassy Row Hotel (2015 Massachusetts Ave. N.W.) on the rooftop. There will be a pool and a full bar. Tickets are $18 for pre-sale and $25 at the door. They can be purchased through Eventbrite and are non-transferable and non-refundable.

Tickets include drink specials and towel service. DJ RVSSLL will be spinning.

Seating and cabanas will be limited. All are welcome and the event will be body positive, inclusive and respectful of diversity. The rooftop is ADA wheelchair accessible. For more information, visit facebook.com/events.

Busboys and Poets (14th and V St. N.W.) hosts *SPARKLE*, a queer open-mic poetry reading, tonight from 8-10 p.m.

Regie Cabico, producer of international queer poetry slam “Capturing Fire” and National Poetry Slam award-winning spoken word poet, hosts. The cover charge is $5. Tickets can be purchased on the day of the event at busboysandpoets. com or in the bookstore (cash only). Ticket purchases are limited to four per person, and guests must have their wristbands on to enter the event. No refunds are offered.

For more information, visit gogaydc.com.

Freddie’s Beach Bar and Restaurant (555 S. 23rd St., Arlington, Va.) hosts a Zodiac Drag Contest tonight from 8-10 p.m. The monthly amateur drag competition is hosted by Ophelia Bottoms. No cover charge is necessary to watch, but contestants will accept tips. The winner receives the zodiac sign title for the date and will be judged by audience applause. Tonight’s winner will be dubbed Miss Leo 2018 and will receive $50 and a slot in the final competition next May. For more information, visit freddiesbeachbar.com.

MONDAY, AUG. 6

D.C. Gay Board Gamers Group meets tonight from 6-9 p.m. at Soho Tea and Coffee (2150 P St. N.W.). Gamers are welcome to bring a game to share and are encouraged to patronize the host coffee shop. There is a $1 fee for attendance.

For more information, visit meetup.com.

TUESDAY, AUG. 7

The Congressional Chorus is holding tenor and bass auditions today at the chorus offices (733 8th Street N.W., Suite G303), one block away from the Gallery Place Metro stop. To reserve an audition time, contact David Simmons at dsimmons@congressionalchorus.org.

The D.C. Center (2000 14th St. N.W.) hosts a safer sex kit packing party tonight from 7-9 p.m. The HIV Working Group will be packing safe sex kits for distribution at LGBT spaces around D.C. Volunteers are welcome. For more information, visit gogaydc.org.

Prime Timers, a social group for older gay and bi men, meets tonight at 7 p.m. at Hi-Tide Lounge (101 N. Union St., Alexandria, Va.). Details at gogaydc.org.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 8

The Big Gay Book Group meets tonight at 7 p.m. at Trio Bistro (17th and Q St. N.W.), near the Dupont Circle Metro.

The members will be discussing Stephen McCauley’s “My Ex-Life.” Newcomers are always welcome to attend. For more information and to RSVP, email biggaybookgroup@hotmail.com.

The Lambda Bridge Club meets tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Dignity Center (721 8th St. S.E.), across from the Marine barracks, to play duplicate bridge. No reservations are needed and newcomers are welcome.

For a partner, call 202-841-0279.

Lez Read, a lesbian book group through Politics and Prose Bookstore and Coffeehouse (5015 Connecticut Ave. N.W.), hosts a lesbian book discussion tonight from 7:30-10 p.m. The meeting will be in The Den, the coffeeshop downstairs from the book store. The group reads a wide variety of books on lesbian and queer themes by lesbian or queer-identifying writers. It is not necessary to have read the book in advance before attendance.

For more information, visit meetup.com.

THURSDAY, AUG. 9

The Highwaymen’s Hot Jock Night is at the D.C. Eagle (3701 Benning Rd. N.E.) tonight from 9 p.m.-12:30 a.m. There will be a Hot Jock Contest with prizes like tickets to events, jocks, toys and hankies.

Draft beer at the club bar is $3 and Jell-O shots are $2 or three for $5. For more information, visit facebook.com/events.

The Capital Area Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce has its Chamber Connect event tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the Graham Hotel in Georgetown (1075 Thomas Jefferson St., N.W.). State Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Va.) will attend and provide remarks. Details at capitalareagaylesbain chamberofcommerce.com.

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M USI C

A U G U S T 03, 2018 • 29

“RAVISHING TO BEHOLD” – THE NEW YORK TIMES

Sondheim’s Tony Award®-winning musical of obsession and desire PHOTO COURTESY POLYVINYL

Aussie folk band shines on ‘Phantastic’ debut album Quirky, catchy album captures feeling of summer

By THOM MURPHY It’s not an easy thing to capture summer in an album — carefree attitudes, warm weather, nostalgia, alcohol, romance and breakups. But the new self-titled debut album from Phantastic Ferniture comes pretty close. The quirky Australian group, led by Julia Jacklin, has created pop-y, garage rock-inspired record that feels as though it was made for the lulls of midsummer.

The Sydney-based band formed in 2014 as a collaboration between friends and fellow songwriters Julia Jacklin (lead vocals), Elizabeth Hughes (guitar), Ryan K Brennan (drums) and Tom Stephens (bass), all of whom have solo projects.

Jacklin, who performed an NPR Tiny Desk Concert last year, already has a loyal following in the folk music scene and was recently featured in Love Letters Zine, a magazine focusing on “femme/nonbinary people in music.”

The band’s bizarre name is a playful misspelling of Australian furniture retailer Fantastic Furniture, but don’t be fooled by the goofy moniker: “Phantastic Ferniture” is a seriously good record and a refreshing break from the summer dance-pop tunes. Exploring the strangeness of adolescence and early adulthood, it’s both reflective and fun, equal parts nostalgia and exuberance.

And the group has already reached well over 200,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, a significant feat for any band on a just-released debut record.

The album opens with the song fittingly titled “Uncomfortable Teenager.”

Opening on a catchy guitar and bass riff, Jacklin sings of a teenager who is “waging a war on all of the things that your mother worked hard for.” Jacklin’s strong alto takes center stage, supported by robust

garage rock sound.

The music marks a departure from Jacklin’s solo work, which tends to have sparser accompaniment and a mellower sound. Her 2016 debut album “Don’t Let The Kids Win” is also excellent. But what’s remarkable about the Phantastic Ferniture project is that it has a cool, raw, rock feel without compromising the rich, powerful vocals that define Jacklin’s solo work. It’s like going to a house show, except it’s actually good.

The single “Bad Timing,” about a breakup caused by a cheating partner, is one of best songs on the album. The refrain puts it quite smartly: “Maybe it’s not the timing/ maybe we were never meant to be.” The music video shows the band performing in a retro living room with potted ferns covering their faces as they dance around the room, a lighthearted wink at the band’s spelling of Fern-iture. But despite all its playfulness, the music is solid. Jacklin sings the verses and ad libs more and more until reaching the final chorus, which is carried by her bandmates.

“Fuckin ’n’ Rollin” is the album’s bawdy lead single and is another superb track.

With their typical penchant for word play, the band’s appeal to “rockin’ ’n’ rollin’” is recast as an explicit assertion of their youth.

The song “Parks” is the most musically sophisticated on the album. The rhythm alternates between half time and regular meter, so that the song occasionally feels as though it’s going at twice as fast before returning to the slower groove, giving it a psychedelic tinge.

“Mumma y Papa” is a good example of the album’s effect as a whole: A strong vocal lead and harmonies over relatively simple guitar and drum parts in an alternating meter that somehow sounds completely natural. Rather than be limited by rigid sense of the music, one has the sense the band rides over the musical peaks and valleys without forcing anything.

passion Six weeks only!

August 14 – September 23 Pride Night: September 7 703 820 9771 | SigTheatre.org

PFLAG promotes the equality and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered persons, their families and friends through: • Support to cope with an adverse society.

• Education to enlighten an ill-informed public.

• Advocacy to end discrimination and secure equal civil rights.

Trained facilitators lead the Arlington Support Group and confidentiality is maintained. For further information about the Arlington Support Group, contact us at arl.pflag@gmail.com.

Our groups meet on the second Sunday of each month, from 3 – 4:30pm at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Arlington, at George Mason Drive & Route 50.

A.L.Y. is a group for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, and Questioning Youth and Allies in grades 7-12. Our goal is to give LGBTQ youth a safe place to gather. Trained facilitators lead the youth group. Confidentiality maintained. For more info, contact: aly.pflagdc@gmail.com.

Our Washington DC Chapter of PFLAG may be reached at 202-638-3852.

We also host private events LINCOLN Restaurant 1110 Vermont Ave., NW Washington, DC 20005 www.lincolnrestaurant-dc.com

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P H O T O S BY D O U G H O RN

Sunday was karaoke night at Freddie’s Beach Bar and Grill in Arlington, Va.

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A U G U S T 03, 2018 • 31

PHOTO COURTESY SUNDANCE SELECTS

Writer ANDREW SOLOMON and his father HOWARD in ‘Far from the Tree.’

Familial ties Differences between parents, children explored in new doc

By BRIAN T. CARNEY Openly gay writer Andrew Solomon (best known for “The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression”) has a simple but powerful dream for the new documentary “Far from the Tree” which opens today (Friday, Aug. 3) at the Landmark Bethesda Row Cinema.

“I’d like it to diminish the isolation of people who are different,” he says.

Solomon traces the roots of the film to “Defiantly Deaf,” an article he wrote for the New York Times Magazine in 1994.

“When I was working on that article,” Solomon says, “I learned that most deaf people are born to hearing parents and that those parents try to get them to function in the mainstream world as much as possible. They often discover deaf culture in adolescence and it comes as a great revelation to them.”

Solomon realized that this experience was similar to the experiences of LGBT people who are coming out. He observed it in other situations and started to see a pattern.

After a decade of research and interviews, Solomon revealed the patterns he discovered in his bestselling 2012 book “Far from the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity.” Coming in at 962 pages, the book is an emotional and thoughtprovoking investigation of how parents deal with children who are different from themselves. These differences include sexual orientation and gender identities as well as other social and intellectual differences and cognitive and physical disabilities. He also talked to rape victims who have decided to keep their children and the families of criminals.

Solomon even includes a chapter on his own fraught coming-out process.

“I thought that the perspective of a gay man on all of these forms of difference would be a valuable one. When I was growing up, being gay was a crime, a sin, an illness. Now it’s an identity. The life I have now was unimaginable when I was a child.”

He adds, “I wanted the idea of the extraordinary transformation that has taken place in the lives of gay people over the last 50 years to stand as a model for the other kinds of transformation that I was investigating.”

In the end, Solomon realized that parents dealing with a wide variety of challenges end up having a great deal in common.

“If you think you have something in common with everyone who’s had to deal with a child who astonishes or surprises, who disrupts their parent’s expectations, then you’re dealing with most parents in the world. Our differences unite us,” he says.

The journey from page to screen started when straight ally Rachel Dretzin read the rave review of the book on the cover of the New York Times Book Review.

The acclaimed filmmaker and mother of three says, “I’ve made many films about families and about children and about growing up, so I’m kind of drawn to that matter to begin with. I read the book immediately and then I read it again and was really just possessed by the idea that I needed to make a film out of it.”

Once she got the job, Dretzin started her work by interviewing dozens of families for possible inclusion in the movie (only Solomon and his father Howard and the Kingsley family appear in both the book and the movie).

“We were looking for families that spoke to some of the themes in the book,” Dretzin says. “We were looking for families that were in the middle of something we could follow.”

Ultimately Dretzin decided to follow the stories of the Allnutt family, whose son Jack was diagnosed with autism; Leah Smith and Joseph Stramondo, a married couple with dwarfism who are trying to conceive a child; Loini Vivao who attends the Little People of America convention for the first time; and the Reese family, whose son Trevor has committed a crime.

Now that “Far from The Tree” is getting national distribution, both Solomon and Dretzin are at work on new projects.

Solomon is starting research for a new book about our expanding definitions of family. Dretzin says she is “leaping into a very different world, a six-part limited series about the assassination of Malcom X.”

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3 2 • A UGUS T 0 3 , 2018

A RT S & E N T E RT A I N ME N T

The cast of ‘The Rocky Horror Show’ in Rehoboth Beach.

PHOTO COURTESY CLEAR SPACE

Cast had 3 weeks to master ‘Rocky Horror’ production CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

Clear Space this summer with the hope that it would challenge both audience members and tradition.

“I was looking for … something that I thought the community would really enjoy,” Button says. “Something that was slightly off kilter, something that was 100 percent different than everything else we were doing in the season, something that would push some boundaries.”

Although Button began casting for the summer season in January, the cast did not start formal rehearsals until June 4 — just three shorts weeks before opening night on June 26. During those three weeks, the cast worked six days a week and 12 hours a day on not only “Rocky Horror” but also the company’s two other summer productions, “Mary Poppins” and “Footloose.”

This summer’s cast consists of 13 professional actors alongside additional community performers, with Andrew Cuccaro playing the lead role of mad scientist, Dr. Frank N. Furter (“Frank”). The 23-year-old Syracuse native previously performed “Rocky Horror” senior year in college in a supporting role, so when Button offered him the role of Frank, he

was eager to explore the show through the eyes of another character.

“Seeing the show from the perspective of this character, the mad scientist, who’s leading this group of people definitely gave me a boost of confidence I hadn’t seen before,” Cuccaro says. “It was fun to see what I could do on stage.”

In addition to being a mad scientist, Frank is also a self-proclaimed “sweet transvestite.” As a gay actor, Cuccaro says there is “so much power” for him in playing such an “iconic” queer role.

“I’ve watched the movie quite a few times in preparation for this,” Cuccaro says. “I knew there were certain things that Tim Curry (original film actor for Frank) does in his genius that people want, and there are certain things that I can bring to it artistically that are different because I don’t think people go to the theater to just go through the motions that someone else created.”

As director, Button has also been walking this line between tradition and nuance, calling Clear Space’s production “‘Rocky with bling.”

“Everyone knows what they’re coming to see, so why not challenge them and push the boundaries just a little more?”

Button says. “‘Rocky’s’ already a very

sexually driven show, and we made it 100 times what it normally is … we asked, ‘How can we surprise the audience a little more than they thought we would?’”

The original “Rocky Horror” film gained international fame not only for its cult following but also its audience participation, with movie goers dressing up as characters and interacting with the actors on screen. To this day, attendees throw toast, toilet paper, confetti and more at appropriate moments throughout the film. Although the live musical rendition at Clear Space does not feature flying toast or toilet paper, audience members are encouraged to yell and interact with actors in “call outs,” breaking tradition with conventional theater.

“This show feels so immersive with the audience calling out at you,” Cuccaro says. “(There are) so many opportunities to get involved in the show that other shows don’t really give you…(and) with call outs, it’s a new relationship with the audience every night.”

Button echoes the importance of the relationship between the actors and the audience.

“It gives us this amazing opportunity to break the fourth wall and engage with the audience in many ways,” Button says.

“(And) it offers more freedom to the cast.”

Beyond simply the presence of audience interaction, Button has also been excited by the diversity of the audience members themselves, saying, “It has been such a different audience for us, so many more young folks. … It’s been wonderful to see a diverse group of ages coming to the theater.”

Button sees “Rocky” as an embodiment of Clear Space Theatre’s goals, and he hopes audience members see the show as the intersection between its two artistic endeavors: “integrity and risk.”

“The show says everything about our mission,” Button says. “It says we’re going to give you a solid, great production with amazing actors and scenic and costume design, but we’re also going to challenge you, we’re going to take you out on a limb and we’re going to show you how risky we can actually be and how far we can take you with us.”

‘THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW’ Clear Space Theatre Company 20 Baltimore Ave. Rehoboth Beach, Del. June 26-Sept. 1 7:30 p.m. $17-32 clearspacetheatre.org

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PHOTO BY EVAN CAPLAN

Chef MIKKO KOSONEN (left) with his boyfriend and business partner ROB WING.

Bold Nordic flavors Out chef unveils new Mikko Nordic Foods

By EVAN CAPLAN Chef Mikko wants you to know: when it comes to Nordic cuisine, use sparingly and carry a big fish.

Mikko Kosonen, the chef and owner behind his eponymous restaurant, Mikko Nordic Foods (1636 R St., N.W.), is something of an ambassador for Nordic foods, especially of his home country, Finland.

Kosonen is well-versed in the vocabulary of diplomacy, having served the last 15 years as executive chef to the Ambassador of Finland, which he did with dexterity and a liberal helping of lingonberries, the Nordic answer to superfood.

Earlier this month, Kosonen, along with business partner (and boyfriend of 20 years) Rob Wing, opened up their own shop on R Street, just off 17th.

The building, which the duo managed to purchase to house their store, is unmistakable. It’s grandly swathed in the colors of the various Nordic flags, bold red and Baltic blue and a touch of white, to match the bold flavors that star inside

(chefmikko.com).

Kosonen has a history of being in the kitchen. He was raised at his grandmother’s side in her farmhouse and spent summers working in a family restaurant. Later, he attended the Helsinki Culinary School, honing his craft.

He eventually landed in Washington and has called it home for more than two decades, having watched the city prosper and grow. But after his time at the Embassy, while also running a catering company out of Union Kitchen that plated grand affairs within diplomatic circles, it was time for him to turn the world on to more fans.

Nordic food, Kosonen says, is “unique in its simple, yet versatile, presentation.”

While he may plead minimalism, evident in the smooth blonde-wood bar and low-slung tables recalling midcentury-modern design, his dishes are anything but unassuming.

Proteins cured, smoked and pickled, take up most of the menu, adorned with salt-ofthe-earth accoutrements like mushrooms, berries, whole grains and roots.

The café, open all day, begins service in the morning with a foundation strong enough for a Valhalla army. Enter to an aromatic display of gooey cinnamon rolls and cardamom-

laced sweet buns, as well as hearty sevenseed bread spread thick with jams of lingonberry, blackcurrant, gooseberry and cloudberry. The café also bakes its own breads, Nordic crisps and almond tarts.

In the afternoons and evenings, lunch and dinner mean an array of Danishinspired open-faced sandwiches. One of these is the Nordic version of a millennial favorite: the shrimp salad Skagen, also known as shrimp toast. Other options include triple-cheese on rustic-style bread, as well as a mild gravlax with egg, a touch of mustard, egg, a micro dill sprig on rye, a dish that would have no trouble making friends at a corner Jewish deli.

As for entrees, Mikko sears his trout over an open flame, and sets it beside seasonal vegetables. He also crafts saucy meatballs in a lingonberry demi-glace that put IKEA’s to shame, and roasts mini root vegetables (parsnips, carrots, yellow beets) straight from a rainbow fairytale garden.

Yet bringing this food to D.C., mixing American and Nordic, was a challenge.

“Some of the specialties I was worried people would not understand or like,” he says, “but I had no reason for concern. American food is familiar with sandwiches, though the ingredients are

slightly different.”

One item that turns American food on its head? The Swedish surf-and-turf hot dog, which, we are told, is all the rage in Stockholm today. This singular vista produces a boiled hot dog, halved, nestled unceremoniously in a potato bun, festooned with a crown of creamy shrimp salad. It sits lording over a side of greens that looks to be attempting to flee yet is crushed by the weight of its mashup-meal companion.

Kosonen’s personal favorite takes the form of Baltic herring, served alongside wild mushrooms and berries.

“I love my fish to be cooked on an open fire,” he says, with a touch of salt. All they need is a couple new potatoes, “maybe some fresh mushrooms and some wild berries from a forest of Finland.”

As for opening up in Dupont, “It feels great to offer my food to the general public and as I live here in Dupont it feels even better to open a business here and cook for my community and neighbors.”

And now that Café Mikko has received its liquor license (just last week) it will start serving select craft aquavit-based cocktails. It’ll surely pair well with shrimp and sausage.

3 4 • A UGUST 0 3 , 2018

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REALESTATE

5 tips for selecting the best offer Take emotion out of it and remain flexible

By SHERRI ANNE GREEN You’ve worked hard to get your home ready for sale. You’ve staged it properly, kept it spick-and-span, kept beds made and clothes out of site. Buyers came through on private tours and via open house events.

And now, you have an offer, or several! No matter the number of offers in hand, you’ll need to review each one carefully. Every offer has its strengths and drawbacks. There rarely is a perfect offer, but there is usually at least one that is a great option with which to work. Here are five tips that can assist you as you evaluate.

1. Know the process. When you receive an offer you can accept it, reject it outright, or you can work to negotiate some of the terms so the offer is more favorable to your needs. Keep in mind that all offers are negotiable. If you get an offer that meets your needs, you don’t have to negotiate. But, when you receive an offer that is less than satisfactory, keep in mind that may not be the final answer from the buyer. Negotiate! Returning a response offer asking for modified terms is called a counteroffer. Once the potential purchaser receives your counter, they then have the same right: accept, reject, or negoti-

Negotiations can take time, but stay calm and remember it’s a business decision.

ate back. This can go on for a couple of rounds. I recently finished a negotiation period that lasted four days. In the end, we came to terms that were agreeable to both parties. Negotiations can take time and you need to be prepared not to get the last word. The goal is to reach terms

acceptable to both parties.

2. Don’t take it personally. When you get into the negotiations, it can be tempting to reject a counter outright. I recently had a client say, “They didn’t counter with what I expected, so I don’t want to negotiate further.” That’s a missed opportunity.

Just because your first counter didn’t get the response you wanted, it doesn’t mean you can’t find agreeable terms. Being “right,” or getting the last word, in a negotiation process should not be your goal.

Selling your home can be emotional. But truly it is a business transaction. If you can set your emotions aside and treat it as a business deal, you will have a much better process and outcome.

3. Think about your bottom line. In advance of reviewing any offer, have a heartto-heart with yourself and your agent to decide what terms are most important to you. If closing by a certain date is important, you may need to be flexible on price, or vice versa. Decide what you can, and will, be flexible on so that when the times come to negotiate you are prepared.

4. Review every term. Some sellers immediately zero in on the price. They ignore all of the other terms of the offer.

They see the price and let that guide their decision. You have to evaluate all of the terms of every offer—not just price. Yes, the offered purchase price is important, but so are the other terms. Is the amount

of earnest money the buyer proposes adequate? Is there a lender pre-approval or pre-qualification letter included? Are they asking for a home inspection and multiple repairs? Do they want a home warranty, too? With each term of the offer you need to ask yourself: Is this a deal breaker, or can I be flexible on this point to reach the ultimate goal of selling my house?

5. Think outside the box. Receiving an offer with unacceptable terms can open the door to creativity. Talk with your agent and see if they can discover what is important to the buyer. With that information in hand, is there is a way to structure the deal to meet both of your needs? Perhaps the buyer needs to move quickly, for example, but you have nowhere to go. Maybe a bit of a higher price would give you the cash you need to rent temporary housing until you close on your new place.

The most important things to remember while reviewing offers is to remove your emotions, think in terms of a business deal, and remain flexible.

Sherri Anne Green is an award-winning Realtor with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage having earned the prestigious International Sterling Society Award. Focusing on custom, data-driven marketing and client service, she provides impeccable, high-touch service tailored to her clients’ unique situation. She can be reached via phone or text at 202-798-1288, sherri.green@cbmove.com, on Facebook: facebook.com/SherriAnneGreen/, or on Instagram: SherriAnneGreen.

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VALERIE M. BLAKE, Associate Broker, GRI, Director of Education & Mentorship Dupont Circle Office • 202-518-8781 (o) • 202.246.8602 (c) Valerie@DCHomeQuest.com • www.DCHomeQuest.com

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