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One trans woman shot, another had legs run over by car in Northeast November incidents occurred near D.C.-P.G. County border

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

D.C. police say they are investigating a Nov. 1 incident in which a transgender woman was knocked down on a street by a man who backed his car into her and then drove over both of her legs after he was shot in the arm in an unrelated dispute with another person outside an apartment building at 5920 Foote St., N.E. The woman, Latisa Moorman, said she spent a month at Washington Hospital Center recovering from her injuries before being transferred to a rehabilitation center for continued treatment of her injured legs.

Police are also investigating a second incident in which another transgender woman was shot in her “pelvic region” by an unidentified male suspect causing a nonfatal injury on Nov. 29 inside the same apartment building.

The shooting followed an “argument about a sexual act that was performed and payment of money,” according to a D.C. police report.

The victim of the second incident couldn’t immediately be reached to determine if she would like her name to be disclosed.

Moorman, the victim in the first incident, told the Washington Blade a police detective informed her that the man who hit her with his car and drove away has been arrested. She said the detective gave her the name of the arrested man. But the man’s name could not be found in court records and police have not responded to a Blade request to confirm the arrest.

A police report says police were investigating what they listed as separate cases of the shooting that injured the man who drove over Moorman’s legs as well as the incident in which the man who was shot hit Moorman with his car and drove away.

“Both cases remain under investigation and detectives are actively following up on leads, collecting evidence, and interviewing potential witnesses,” D.C. police spokesperson Paris Lewbel told the Blade in an email. “Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, we cannot discuss specific investigative steps that have been taken by detectives,” Lewbel said.

The case of the Nov. 29 shooting of the trans woman inside 5920 Foote St., N.E. and the incident in which Moorman was hit by the car outside that same building took place in a location that trans and LGBTQ activists say is known as an area where female trans sex workers as well as trans women who are not engaged in sex work congregate along Eastern Avenue and nearby side streets.

The Foote Street apartment building where the two incidents took place is located at the intersection of Foote Street, 60th Street, and Eastern Avenue.

Less than a mile away one block off the Prince George’s County side of Eastern Avenue transgender woman Ashanti Carmon, 27, was shot to death on March 30, 2019. That case remains unsolved, with no arrest made.

About 100 people led by transgender activist Earline

Budd held a candlelight vigil one month later in honor of Carmon at the site of where the shooting took place.

Gay D.C. Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Anthony Lorenzo Green, whose district is located near the Eastern Avenue area where trans women hang out, expressed concern that D.C. officials are not adequately addressing the issues related to why trans women are engaging in sex work in that area.

“The angle we come from is the city needs to provide services for Black trans women along this corridor as opposed to constantly trying to arrest them and hoping that will keep them away from Eastern Avenue or away from where they work out of desperation, out of necessity,” Green told the Blade.

“But that has never worked. And we tell them that over and over,” Green said. “These ladies have not been given an opportunity to advance in this city. They’ve been forced to the edges of this city,” he said, adding that the D.C. government “should be bringing social services to that corridor.”

Whitman-Walker awarded $22.5 million for new Max Robinson Center

Funding part of federal COVID ‘Rescue Plan’ passed by Congress

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and an official with the U.S. Department of Treasury announced on Dec. 11 that Whitman-Walker Health has been awarded $22.5 million in federal funds for its recently opened Max Robinson Center facility to expand the facility’s health care and community services operations.

Bowser and Joseph Wender, director of the U.S. Treasury Department’s Capital Projects Fund, delivered the announcement at a press conference at the Max Robinson Center’s new building at the city’s St. Elizabeth’s East Campus in Southeast D.C. Bowser and Wender said the funds were approved by the Biden administration as part of the American Rescue Plan’s Capital Projects Fund, which was created by legislation approved by Congress and signed by President Biden in 2021 to boost the nation’s economy at the time of the COVID pandemic.

The legislation allocated $10 billion under the Capital Projects Fund for states, D.C., territories, and Native American tribal governments to fund projects related to infrastructure, education, and health care monitoring.

“This investment in Whitman-Walker will spur innovation and create new career and care opportunities for our residents – right here on the St. Elizabeth’s East Campus in Ward 8,” the mayor said at the press conference. “We are grateful for this investment from the Biden administration and for recognizing the critical role that Whitman-Walker plays in building a healthier and more equitable D.C.,”

Bowser said.

“And we know that this investment will also spur more research and innovation at the Max Robinson Center, create over 100 new jobs, provide training opportunities for our residents, and create a pipeline of health care talent, which we know we need,” the mayor said.

A statement released by the mayor’s office points out that, among other things, the new funding for the Max Robinson Center will enable it to accept an estimated 10,000 new patients in addition to the 5,000 patients it is currently serving. It says the new funding will also allow the Max Robinson Center to “build two multipurpose community spaces that will support community health and wellness initiatives, as well as 40 examination/consult rooms, 8 dental suites, and 23 group and psychotherapy rooms that will enable expanded telemedicine services.”

In addition, the new funds will enable Whitman-Walker to initiate or expand “workforce training programs, education, and skills in partnership with local universities for D.C. residents interested in administrative and health care roles,” according to the statement.

“The expansion of Whitman-Walker’s Max Robinson Center shows how the Biden-Harris administration’s historic investments are building projects needed to expand access to health, education, and workforce development services,” Wender said at the press conference. He added that the announcement of the new funds for the Max Robinson Center “is a critical part of the president’s commitment to uplifting

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D.C. Mayor MURIEL BOWSER announced on Dec. 11 that Whitman-Walker Health has been awarded $22.5 million in federal funds. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

families and creating an economy that works for everyone.”

Whitman-Walker Health CEO Naseema Shafi and the Whitman-Walker Health System division interim CEO Cindy Lewin also spoke at the press conference and released a joint statement thanking the Treasury Department for its decision to award the funds and thanking the mayor’s office for supporting efforts to bring about the award.

“We are so grateful to the U.S. Treasury and the District of Columbia for this once in a lifetime commitment,” the two said in the statement. “Our new Max Robinson Center is a modern and welcoming health care and research facility built for the purpose of expanding health research and job readiness training for communities with disproportionate health outcomes,” the statement says, adding, “From Max, we will be able to expand care to 10,000 more people annually, be fully prepared for any future health emergency or outbreak and work to eradicate health disparities for resident in Wards 7 and 8 and throughout the city,” the two said.

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Supreme Court to consider abortion pill case

The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to consider a case challenging access to the most commonly used method of abortion in the United States, a medication called mifepristone.

The justices will weigh in on restrictions imposed by the conservative U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, which would prohibit patients from receiving the medication by mail, even for those residing in states where abortion remains legal.

The Supreme Court will take up the issue of mifepristone.

(Photo Credit: Fred Schilling, The Supreme Court of the U.S.)

They will also consider the lower court’s ruling that mifepristone may only be used to terminate pregnancies

up to seven weeks, which underscores the unprecedented nature of this case, the first of its kind to challenge the FDA’s expert judgment on drug products.

It was more than 20 years ago that the agency first concluded mifepristone was safe and effective, determinations that were since reinforced over the years as the drug came into wider usage.

Also on Wednesday the Supreme Court separately and unanimously rejected an appeal from abortion opponents who sought for the justices to revoke the FDA’s approval of mifepristone.

“The Supreme Court has agreed to review the Fifth Circuit’s decision on mifepristone, which threatens to undermine the FDA’s scientific, independent judgment and would reimpose outdated restrictions on access to safe and effective medication abortion,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.

“This administration will continue to stand by FDA’s independent approval and regulation of mifepristone as safe and effective,” she said. “As the Department of Justice continues defending the FDA’s actions before the Supreme Court, President Biden and Vice President Harris remain firmly committed to defending women’s ability to access reproductive care.”

Jean-Pierre added, “We continue to urge Congress to pass a law restoring the protections of Roe v. Wade—the only way to ensure the right to choose for women in every state.”

The press secretary’s statement began by noting how,

“Across the country, we’ve seen unprecedented attacks on women’s freedom to make their own health decisions” as “States have imposed extreme and dangerous abortion bans that put the health of women in jeopardy and that threaten to criminalize doctors for providing the health care that their patients need and that they are trained to provide.”

“No woman should be unable to access the health care that she needs. This should not happen in America,” she said, “period.”

Democratic National Committee National Press Secretary Sarafina Chitika released the following statement to the Washington Blade on Wednesday: “Donald Trump rightfully takes credit for ‘killing’ Roe v.

Wade — and now his party of extremists have been working to ban abortion in every state in America. If Trump’s Supreme Court majority decides to strip away access to mifepristone next year, it will be MAGA Republicans’ latest attack on freedom in their war on a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions.

“As anti-abortion extremists put obstacle after obstacle between women and the care they need, President Biden and Vice President Harris are fighting to protect the right to choose. In every election since the overturning of Roe, voters have sent a resounding message: they want more freedom, not less – and come 2024, Republicans will once again face the repercussions of their unrelenting crusade to strip away our rights.”

CHRISTOPHER KANE

Golden Globe noms include queer themes

HOLLYWOOD – According to Jamie Tabberer of Attitude, the movie May December has been dubbed “Gay Christmas” because it “stars two women beloved by ‘the gays’, as well as for its camp, melodramatic nature.”

Apparently, the movie is also part of “Golden Globes Christmas” as well since both the main actresses, and the film were on the list of this morning’s nominees. (Although in the world of political/strategic/illogical positioning, Julianne Moore is nominated as a “supporting role.” Hello?

If one is the December of the title of the film? Anyway…)

The ambiguity of what works, performers, craftspeople and themes are “LGBTQ” permeates the nomination list from top to bottom. From the aesthetics and principles of Barbie to the eroticism of Saltburn, to the LGBTQ adored diva Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, seek and you can find plenty of queer support and celebration. There are proudly out actors like Lily Gladstone, to ones we wish were queer, who presumably aren’t queer, playing queer characters like Bradley Cooper. There is also the newly outed Billie Eilish singing “What Was I Made For”, which was clearly not to be a proud out queer person for young people to emulate.

Due to the realities of the award show nomination processes, there never is a guiding philosophical eye lending critical thinking to the focus of what and whom is recognized. The process is a popularity vote crap shoot, guaranteed to accidentally produce interesting focus, and inevitable “snubs.” In the case of the Golden Globes, even who is doing the recognizing is still a matter of contention.

In 2021 the Los Angeles Times threw the show into what it calls “a credibility crisis” by revealing that not a single voter in its base was black. The Globes are back now under new ownership, and presumably a broader voter outreach.

Because of this haphazard nature, LGBTQ representation and interest can be equally logjammed and, at the same time, non-existent in spots. While there is not an ounce of queerness in the Male Actor in Musical or Comedy Mo-

tion Picture category, Timothee Chalamet’s gay following notwithstanding, the Male Actor in Drama Motion Picture category has queerness in four out of the six nominations.

The biggest queer takeaway from the nominations could be something incredibly positive and important however.

It is not about what is queer, what characters are queer, what performers are queer, and what gay icons were recognized.

It is about what LGBTQ legacy, history and cultural impact is being immortalized. In this area, the Golden Globes have a chance to shine a spotlight. Clearly, nominee leader Barbie challenges the male toxicity-laden patriarchy of our society. Its Pepto Bismal pink coating covers medicine we need to absorb on a deeper significance level than its lighthearted presentation.

The Globes seek to commemorate three landmarks of LGBTQ history that have cried out to be told, and embraced.

Coleman Domingo plays Bayard Rustin in the film Rustin. America’s Black Holocaust Museum calls Rustin the “unsung architect of the Civil Rights Movement.” He is credited for shaping the movement behind the scenes, hidden for his homosexuality. The movie, and now the Globes’ recognition are now giving him spotlight.

The Lavender Scare was a time in the United States when queer people were literally “frightened to death”, according the National Archives. “Beginning in the late 1940s and continuing through the 1960s, thousands of gay employees were fired or forced to resign from the federal workforce because of their sexuality. The purge followed an era in which gay people were increasingly finding each other and forming communities in urban America.”

This year brought us the Limited Series Fellow Travelers starring Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey. The series and Bomer both received nominations. The series and now the Globe’s recognition bring awareness to an era of queer

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(Golden Globes photo by Michael Buckner/Penske Media)

persecution that needs to be remembered.

Both Jodie Foster and Annette Bening are nominated for Nyad. Diane Nyad was the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage. She did so when she was 63 after numerous failed attempts. The portrayal is inspirational on many levels. Foster and Bening play strong real queer women empowered and determined. Foster historically came out as queer in a Golden Globes speech after years of speculation about her sexuality. Nyad broke misconceptions on expectations around gender abilities, and the limitations of age. In many ways, these women and their enduring strength symbolize the queer movement as a whole. Now there is a movie, and the Globes is calling our attention to it.

In short, it is not really about the personalities nominated, not nominated and the exact identities and labels we can pin on them.

It is about the conversations The Globes, and other upcoming nominations, will inspire us to have.

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HRC warns of the danger of a second Trump term Kelley Robinson says we must ‘take him at his word’

By CHRISTOPHER KANE | ckane@washblade.com

“We have to take him at his word,” Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson told the Washington Blade Wednesday morning during a discussion about how LGBTQ Americans would be impacted if former President Donald Trump is reelected next year.

“They’re saying exactly what his plans are, out loud: Not only is he talking about a federal ban on gender affirming care, he’s talking about federal ‘don’t say gay or trans’ bills; he’s reigniting his work to stack the courts and federal agencies with anti-LGBTQ+ extremists,” she said. “I think we have to listen carefully to what he says.”

Robinson said this includes Trump’s remarks to Sean Hannity during an Iowa town hall last week in which he denied, to the Fox News host, the charge that he would return to the White House as a dictator, “except for day one.”

Trump is testing the waters to gauge Americans’ appetite for extremism, Robinson said. “This is dangerous, I think, when it comes to our issues — but also when it comes to the broader experiment of democracy,” she said, adding, “That is not a joking matter any way, shape or form to have someone in office that is willing to abuse their power for their own personal gain.”

Human Rights Campaign President KELLEY ROBINSON (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

If reelected, he would pose a fundamental threat to the safety and security of LGBTQ people, Robinson said, as evidenced, for example, by his actions during his first term in office and the officials with whom he would surround himself in a second term.

“This is the guy that supported an insurrection on the United States Capitol and is now facing 91 indictments; this is the guy that in Charlottesville, when there was a racist riot taking place, said that there were good people on both sides; this is the guy that has unabashedly supported the kind of violence — and actually, to be honest with you, unleashed so much of it on our community, due to his violent rhetoric and the rhetoric of his supporters and the people around him,” she said.

“He has unearthed an openness around bias, hate, and discrimination that we haven’t seen in a generation; he’s unearthed folks that are willing to go to Target with an AR-15 because they disagree with a T-shirt; he’s unearthed folks that are willing to call into places and threaten the lives of the people there; he’s unearthed folks who are showing up with guns to drag shows and to libraries because of some brunch and some books,” she said.

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Robinson continued, “Because the other thing you’ve got to be clear about is, sure, Donald Trump is a scary, scary person to think of having as president of the United States once again, and the people that he surrounds himself with are equally terrifying.” Names like “Steve Bannon, Stephen Miller; folks that have a history of supporting the the very types of violence that you’re talking about are front of the line.”

“I can’t underscore how dangerous the administration he is contemplating could be,” she said.

Robinson also outlined some of the threats posed by Trump’s potential reelection to the work of government and to the federal judiciary.

Much of this would be perhaps an extension of his efforts during the first term to gut “these federal agencies then put in place extremists at the helm of them to either do nothing and dismantle their ability to be effective in supporting the people of this nation, or to actually do active harm,” she said.

Meanwhile, “he was able to stack the Supreme Court with basically anti-democracy justices that are starting to carry out their will,” Robinson said. “We saw the Dobbs decision come out of the court that he created, [which] overturned Roe v. Wade.

We saw the 303 Creative decision that created a legal loophole for discrimination against LGBTQ+ community. We saw them come after affirmative action and student debt relief. They are showing us what they are planning to do.”

Robinson added, “You don’t have to look much further than the words of these very justices,” noting conservative Justice Clarence Thomas’s stated interest in revisiting the court’s protections for same-sex marriage and revocation of sodomy laws.

“This is very serious,” she said.

Robinson highlighted multiple ways in which the collective power of the pro-equality majority can — and must — be leveraged in the face of these challenges, and repeatedly stressed the underlying need to strengthen American democracy moving forward.

She pointed to gerrymandered district maps that have awarded disproportionate power to far-right extremists in state legislatures, who are responsible for passing legislation targeting vulnerable communities like trans youth.

“The landscape ahead is rough, because we’ve got to do work to course-correct what’s happening at the state level,” Robinson said, while also doing “work to course-correct what’s happening in the federal government by ensuring that we keep a pro-equality majority.”

“We’ve also got to be thinking about the judiciary branch in a meaningful way,” she added.

Robinson stressed that “The people are on our side. Fundamentally, there are more folks that support human rights, common progressive values than there are that do not.”

“Every day, 2,200 LGBTQ+ Americans are turning 18,” Robinson said. “We’re living in a country where we are going to be a huge voting bloc, a huge constituency, politically — and at the same time, where the practices of a representative democracy might be impaired to the point where our numbers no longer influence our political power,” so, “We have to fix that to actually ensure that this is a representative democracy.”

In some ways, it seems anti-LGBTQ conservative Christian organizations are more powerful than ever. The Alliance Defending Freedom, for example, has close ties with Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson (La.) and backed cases like Dobbs and 303 Creative that delivered major victories for the religious right.

Robinson argued that while these groups “still hold an immense amount of institutional power,” which, for sure, presents major challenges, “when you look at our collective power, they are, in fact, on the decline.”

For example, she said, “the number and proportion of evangelical voters is actually declining, year over year” while “our collective power is increasing, which I think is what’s creating this very crisis that we’re in — you’re up against folks who have held power in this country for the last 400 years.”

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Bill would protect LGBTQ-owned businesses from discrimination

A bicameral bill introduced last week by U.S. Sens.

Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), along with U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) would require financial institutions to collect data on access to credit and capital by LGBTQ-owned businesses.

The legislation would thereby allow regulators to better identify and potentially remedy instances of anti-LGBTQ discrimination in these areas.

CNBC reported in June that a study by the Movement Advancement Project found LGBTQ-owned businesses encountered more rejections than non-LGBTQ-owned businesses that applied for funding, amid a tightening of lending standards across the board.

Specifically, the bill would “clarify that Section 1071 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank) requires financial institutions to collect the self-identified sexual orientation and gender identity of the principal owners of small businesses, in addition to their sex, race, and ethnicity,” according to a press release by Padilla’s office.

Sen. ALEX PADILLA (D-Calif.) introduced the measure last week. (Max Huskins/Los Angeles Blade graphic)

The California senator said, “With anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and hate crimes on the rise, LGBTQ+ business owners continue to face persistent and unjust barriers to financial success,” adding that “LGBTQ+-owned small

businesses are a cornerstone of local economies, and they deserve equitable resources to help them grow and thrive.”

Padilla’s press release notes the legislation “would also add a definition for businesses owned by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex individuals to the ECOA statute.”

Additionally, “The legislation also includes a Sense of Congress confirming that sexual orientation and gender identity are already covered under the ECOA (including the current data collection requirements)” while clarifying “that the sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity of the principal owners of a business should be collected as three separate forms of information.”

The Congressional Equality Caucus, Ali Forney Center, Center for American Progress, Destination Tomorrow, Drag Out The Vote, Human Rights Campaign, Immigration Equality Action Fund, InterAct, and New Pride Agenda have backed the bill.

CHRISTOPHER KANE

HHS secretary meets with LGBTQ leaders, orgs

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary XAVIER BECERRA (Screen capture/YouTube)

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra hosted LGBTQ leaders and organizations for a meeting on Monday featuring senior staff at the agency, “to build on the progress made in advancing health and human services equity for the community,” according to a press release.

Specifically, HHS said, the discussion concerned efforts to “increase access to health care, secure non-discrimination protections, and increase access to behavioral health for the LGBTQI+ community.”

Becerra highlighted actions including measures to improve Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) data collection to better identify disparities; investments in research to address health disparities; support for youth, including through issuance of the new ASPE brief with best practices for “the needs and well-being of LGBTQI+ young people in their programs and communities”; and regulations intended to protect against anti-LGBTQ discrimination.

CHRISTOPHER KANE

Supreme Court upholds Washington conversion therapy ban

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday allowed Washington State to continue enforcing its ban on conversion therapy for minors, another blow to the dangerous and discredited practice of endeavoring to change a patient’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

With a 6-3 vote declining to hear a challenge brought by the anti-LGBTQ Alliance Defending Freedom, the Supreme Court allowed the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit’s decision protecting the law to remain in effect.

Conservative Justices Brett Kavanaugh, Samuel Alito, and Clarence Thomas voted to take up the case, with Thomas writing a five-page dissent in which he argued “licensed counselors cannot voice anything other than the state-approved opinion on minors with gender dysphoria without facing punishment.”

“In recent years, 20 States and the District of Columbia have adopted laws prohibiting or restricting the practice of conversion therapy,” Alito wrote in a brief dissent. “It is beyond dispute that these laws restrict speech, and all restrictions on speech merit careful scrutiny.”

“This is a huge victory, albeit by the narrowest of margins given that three justices would have taken the case,” Shannon Minter, legal director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), told the Blade in a

statement reacting to Monday’s decision.

“It is chilling that the dissents focused on transgender youth and appeared to endorse conversion therapy to prevent them from being who they are,” he said, adding, “Now that we have been given this reprieve, we must do everything possible to educate the public about the terrible harms of conversion therapy for all LGBT youth, including those who are transgender.”

NCLR represents one of the litigants in the case, Equal Rights Washington, which was involved in defending the law — which allows providers to discuss conversion therapy with patients younger than 18 or recommend that it be administered by a religious counselor, but prohibits licensed therapists from performing it.

Major scientific and medical groups as well as LGBTQ and other civil rights organizations support conversion therapy bans for minors, which have passed in 22 states and D.C. according to the Movement Advancement Project.

Judge Ronald M. Gould, writing for the three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit, argued in his decision on the case challenging Washington’s ban that, “States do not lose the power to regulate the safety of medical treatments performed under the authority of a state license merely because those treatments are implemented through speech rather than through scalpel.”

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Gould noted that Brian Tingley, a family counselor and advocate for conversion therapy who challenged the law, was still able to communicate about conversion therapy, express his personal views on the subject to his patients, practice conversion therapy on adults, and refer minors to counselors not licensed by the state.

“For decades,” wrote Washington state Attorney General Robert W. Ferguson in a brief, “this court has held that states can regulate conduct by licensed professionals, even if the regulations incidentally impact speech.”

“Conversion therapy,” he added, “puts minors at risk of serious, long-lasting harms, including increased risks of suicide and depression.”

“The Supreme Court has allowed a lower court’s ruling on Washington state’s ‘conversion therapy’ ban to stand—a decision that should have been status-quo and not at all controversial,” Cathryn Oakley, senior director of legal policy at the Human Rights Campaign, told the Blade in a statement.

“But given the recent decisions of this Court, today’s ruling is an important victory as we fight to protect the rights and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ youth across the country,” Oakley said. “Thank you to NCLR for fighting so tirelessly everyday to safeguard these hardfought rights.”

CHRISTOPHER KANE

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Moroccan groups criticize continued anti-LGBTQ crackdown

Moroccan advocacy groups have criticized continued attacks against the country’s LGBTQ community.

A minor on Nov. 15 was sentenced to six months in prison for being gay (Photo by Dagobert1620/Bigstock) and fined close to $200.

According to TALAY’AN NGO, the young boy from Ouarzazate endured a traumatizing assault and rape for more than three years at the hands of a “muezzin,” an authority figure in a mosque. This “muezzin” was found guilty of indecent assault and rape of a minor and received an 8-year sentence. The court nevertheless sentenced the minor to prison time.

“While the ‘muezzin’ received an 8-year prison sentence for his actions spanning over three years, the minor’s sentence is both alarming and unacceptable,” said TALAY’AN NGO. “Already deeply traumatized by the violence he endured, he was sentenced to six months in prison and a fine of 20,000 dirhams (approximately $200) after being accused of being gay.”

TALAY’AN NGO also said the incident mirrors myriad challenges the country’s LGBTQ community is facing.

“This incident isn’t isolated, it mirrors the broader challenge of outdated laws in Morocco that criminalize the LGBT+ community,” said the group. “That’s why we strongly call for the immediate release of the minor survivor. It’s a travesty of justice that a child, already traumatized by assault, faces further harm due to outdated laws.”

Due to the country’s deep cultural and religious beliefs, those who identify as LGBTQ or activists are often harassed and victimized.

Consensual same-sex sexual relations remain criminalized in Morocco. Those who are convicted of homosexuality face up to three years in prison and a fine. Activists also face stigma and repression, making it difficult for them to openly advocate on public platforms.

Lewd or unnatural acts with a person of the same sex is illegal under Article 489 of the Moroccan Penal Code. In addition, those who are in a same-sex relationship or are of sexual orientation that does not conform to the penal code can be punished from anything between six months to three years imprisonment and receive a fine ranging from $20-$200.

Nassawiyat, another Moroccan advocacy group, says, Article 489 should be repealed.

“The repeal of Article 489, which currently prevents the LGBTQ+ community from openly expressing their health-

care needs will foster an inclusive environment and allow the community full access to medical assistance,” said the group. “Furthermore, anti-discrimination laws should be implemented that put in place legal recourse which safeguard and protect the LGBTQ+ community from discriminatory practices in Morocco. This proactive measure will send a strong message, discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity is not tolerated and must have appropriate legal consequences.”

Nassawiyat also said comprehensive data collection initiatives should be implemented to better understand the conditions and challenges facing the LGBTQ community.

“By producing more detailed reports, policymakers and healthcare professionals can make informed decisions and formulate strategies that better meet the needs of the community,” said Nassawiyat.

Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi in August said he had grave concerns over the growing influence of gay people on society, arguing serious consequences may arise as a result of the LGBTQ community’s continued presence. Ouahbi also argued those who identify as LGBTQ have more influence, which can even affect the economic well-being of the country.

DANIEL ITAI

Jordanian government targeting LGBTQ activists

ty forces’ intimidation tactics and The government of Jordanian unlawful interference in LGBT orKing Abdullah has systematically ganizing have driven activism furtargeted LGTQ rights activists and ther underground and forced civil coordinated an unlawful cracksociety leaders into an impossible down on free expression and asreality: severe self-censorship or sembly around gender and sexualfleeing Jordan.” ity, Human Rights Watch said in a Three activists said the Amman report released earlier this month. governor interrogated them after In its Dec. 4 report, HRW docuthey preemptively cancelled the mented cases in which Jordan’s screening of a film depicting gay General Intelligence Department men. Two LGBTQ organization di(GID) and the Preventive Security rectors said that because of offidepartment of the Public Security KING ABDULLAH cial intimidation, they were forced Directorate interrogated LGBTQ (Photo courtesy of the Jordanian Embassy in the U.S.) to close their offices, discontinue activists about their work, and intheir operations in Jordan and flee timidated them with threats of viothe country. lence, arrest and prosecution, forcing several activists to One activist said Preventive Security officers made him shut down their organizations, discontinue their activities sign a pledge that he would report all his venue’s activiand in some cases, flee the country. ties to the governor. Another activist reported being tarGovernment officials also smeared LGBTQ rights activgeted online while social media users called for him to ists online based on their sexual orientation, and social be burned alive. media users posted photos of LGBTQ rights activists with One of the few LGBTQ rights activists who has remessages inciting violence against them. mained in Jordan described her current reality: “Mere“Jordanian authorities have launched a coordinated ly existing in Amman has become terrifying. We cannot attack against LGBT rights activists, aimed at eradicating continue our work as activists, and we are forced to be any discussion around gender and sexuality from the hyperaware of our surroundings as individuals.” public and private spheres,” said Rasha Younes, senior More recently, in October 2023, an LGBTQ rights activLGBT rights researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Securi-

ist said he was summoned for investigation by the intelligence agency. During the interrogation, the activist said intelligence officers searched his phone, intimidated him and threatened him with a travel ban, while asking personal questions about his sexual orientation and sexual relations with other men. After three hours of questioning, the activist said the officers told him he could leave.

“They [Jordanian authorities] invest in intimidation to destroy our minds and isolate us,” the activist said. “Their tactic is to target us mentally, leaving no evidence of our torment behind.”

Jordan’s constitution protects the rights to nondiscrimination (article 6), the right to personal freedom (article 7), and the right to freedom of expression and opinion (article 15).

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Jordan is a state party, provides that everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression, assembly and association. The ICCPR, in its articles 2 and 26, guarantees fundamental human rights and equal protection of the law without discrimination.

The U.N. Human Rights Committee, which interprets the covenant, has made clear that discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity is prohibited in upholding any of the rights protected by the treaty, including freedom of expression, assembly and association.

BRODY LEVESQUE

French bill acknowledges persecution of gays

Legislation that was introduced last month by the gay Socialist Sen. Hussein Bourgi to acknowledge the French state’s responsibility in the criminalization and persecution of gay men between 1945 and 1982 was adopted.

However, the section of bill that called for compensation of the victims of French homophobic laws, in effect during that period by offering them a lump sum of €10,000 ($10,752.75) was not approved.

Speaking with various French media outlets, Bourgi, who authored the bill, said: “It is high time to bring justice to the living victims of legislation which served as the basis for a politics of repression with brutal and punishing social, professional and familial consequences.”

The legislation won the backing of Justice Minister Éric Dupond-Moretti in President Emmanuel Macron’s government. However, Dupond-Moretti agreed with the

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removal of the compensation provision by the right-wing and center senatorial majority. Dupond-Moretti justified this choice noting concerns over “legal difficulties,” telling French magazine Le Monde that “putting into practice” of this compensation measure “appears extremely complex” due to the difficulty of providing proof of an old conviction and its execution.

BRODY LEVESQUE

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KATHI WOLFE

a poet and writer, is a regular Blade contributor. Wolfe is the winner of the 2024 William Meredith Award for Poetry. Her most recent collection is ‘The Porpoise In The Pink Alcove’ (Forest Woods Media Press).

Norman Lear’s legacy resonates among queer viewers Thank you for provoking, entertaining, and inspiring us

You know we all will die.

Yet, every so often, someone dies who you thought would live forever. Even if they lived for more than a century, and you felt like they knew your family, though you and your family never knew them.

That’s how I, along with so many others, felt when we heard that TV writer and producer Norman Lear, who transformed American media and culture, died at the age of 101 on Dec. 5 at his Los Angeles home.

Lear, who produced “All in the Family,” “The Jeffersons,” “Good Times,” “One Day at a Time” and other groundbreaking TV shows in the 1970s, never slowed down.

This was fortunate for the millions of viewers who were moved, provoked, surprised, and entertained by the many memorable characters he created from Archie Bunker to Maude to George Jefferson.

Lear’s TV series were especially meaningful to queer people.

Before Lear, families and characters in TV sitcoms were sometimes funny, gentle, unintentionally camp and/or delightful: from the Ricardos in “I Love Lucy” to June and Ward Cleaver in “Leave It to Beaver” to Paul Lynde in “Bewitched” to Rob and Laura in “The Dick Van Dyke Show.”

But the families and situations on these shows were sanitized. You never heard a toilet flush. Comedy was rarely used to address anything political or provocative. Characters didn’t talk about race, the Vietnam War, or the emerging second wave of the feminist movement.

You rarely saw queers on sitcoms. Certainly not in positive ways. LGBTQ folk are still not adequately represented in movies or TV. The movie “Happiest Season” produced a frisson of delight and discomfort when it began streaming on Hulu in November 2020.

I was thrilled to finally see a lesbian couple kiss and meet the parents in a holiday movie on a mainstream streaming service (that even had an homage to “It’s a Wonderful Life”). A relative told me that she was fine with “gay people,” but she didn’t like seeing them kiss in “Christmas movies on TV.” Yet though there’s a long way to go, things are indescribably better now than they were when Lear’s pioneering series aired in the 1970s.

Then, 50 years before “Nyad,” “Rustin,” “Bros,” “Fire Island,” “Queer as Folk” and “Fellow Travelers,” nearly all of the queers you saw on screen were sick, dead, or in jail.

That didn’t do much for your self-esteem if you were LGBTQ. Being queer was illegal in many states. You could be fired from your job for being queer. And people would have wondered what planet you were on if you’d have said you were going to marry your same-sex lover. You were lucky if you could talk at all to your family about your sexuality.

In this landscape, Lear’s shows were often an oasis. His shows never pretended that being queer would be easy – that everything would be OK. But they did provide some hope that even bigots like Archie Bunker might come to see queers in a more human light.

To honor Lear, I watched “Cousin Liz,” just one of the episodes of his shows that positively depicted queer folk.

“Cousin Liz” was an episode of “All in the Family.”

As I watched, I remembered how freeing it was when I first saw the show in the 1970s.

In the episode, Edith’s cousin Liz has died.

At her funeral, Edith and Archie learn that Liz was lesbian and meet Veronica, who was her lover. At first, Archie insists that Veronica give Liz’s tea set, which was an heirloom in Edith’s family, to him and Edith. When Veronica refuses, Archie threatens to out her at her job. Edith makes Archie see that this would hurt Veronica and that he wouldn’t be “that mean.” Archie, though reluctantly, and saying Veronica needs a man, lets Veronica keep the tea set.

This may not seem radical today. But in the 1970s, it was revolutionary. The idea that a lesbian lover could not only talk openly to a family member at a funeral but ask to keep a family heirloom was breathtaking.

In 1981, to combat the religious right, Lear founded the progressive advocacy group People for the American Way. Peter Montgomery, who is gay and based in Washington, D.C., is research director for People for the American Way. Lear “understood the threat of [the religious right’s] divisive rhetoric and authoritarian agenda earlier than most,” Montgomery emailed me.

Lear was wholeheartedly supportive of LGBTQ equality, he added. “Norman was thrilled when Dan and I got married in 2012,” Montgomery said, “and at his invitation we spent our honeymoon at his family’s lovely farm in New England.”

Thank you for provoking, entertaining, and inspiring us. Rest in peace, Norman Lear.

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PETER ROSENSTEIN

is a longtime LGBTQ rights and Democratic Party activist. He writes regularly for the Blade.

The world is upside down

Abandoning Ukraine, cowardly university presidents, and more

White House interns speaking out against the president and vice president, doing it anonymously, and sharing their letter with the media. Republicans in Congress voting against aid to Ukraine to the glee of Putin. University presidents refusing to say advocating genocide against a community is harassment and unacceptable. We live in an upside-down world.

Who the hell do those White House interns think they are? Publicly attacking the president, and doing it anonymously, is outrageous. They send a letter attacking the president and claiming they speak for the American people. They write “they are not the decision makers of today, but aspire to be the leaders of tomorrow. And we will never forget how the pleas of the American people have been heard, and thus far ignored.”

Again, if this is how they act, they will never be the leaders of tomorrow. Egos run amok. I believe in freedom of speech, but let these interns learn standing behind your speech, is just as important as making it. Hiding who they are shows a lack of guts and intelligence. I would suggest if they are so upset with the office, and the president, they should leave. This is a stunt and shows the White House hired the wrong interns.

Then we have three college presidents — from Harvard, University of Pennsylvania, and MIT — who couldn’t find the simple answer to the question, “Does calling for the genocide of the Jewish people publicly on campus constitute harassment, and is it unacceptable?” All three responded it would depend on the context. What crap! Calling for genocide of any people, anywhere, is wrong, be they Jewish, Muslim, African American, or anyone else. My thought is they were afraid of their shadow, which is sad for any college president. They have since made mealy-mouthed apologies because it seems their jobs are at stake. U Penn President Liz Magill has already resigned. The others could follow.

The Israel/Hamas war has clearly stoked strong passions on all sides. I understand that. But that is no excuse to accept either Islamophobia, or anti-Semitism, in this country. We need to condemn both with strong words and actions. Freedom of speech does not prevent colleges, or places of business, from setting guidelines on what is acceptable speech. We cannot have Jewish or Muslim students on our campuses afraid for their lives. We cannot accept Palestinian students in Vermont being shot for who they are. These young men stayed in the United States, where they are going to school, because their families thought it would be safer than coming home to the West Bank for the holidays. In New York, a man fires a rifle outside a synagogue on the first night of Hanukah while yelling “free Palestine!” These acts must be punished and should be deemed hate crimes.

We can debate the Israeli response to the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack. But you must accept it is unconscionable to just attack the Israeli response, if you don’t first accept Hamas began this on Oct. 7 saying they did so to start a war. Thus, they must share responsibility for what is going on in Gaza today. Hamas refuses to release the hostages they took, including old women, and children, or even let the Red Cross see if they are still alive. They committed unthinkable atrocities in Israel on that day, and did so to many people who actually supported the Palestinian people.

I am frustrated when listening to students talk about the history of the land that is currently Israel, with no understanding of that history. They do not recognize the Palestinians were offered their own state when Israel was formed in 1948. Some claim that Palestinians are the indigenous people of the land. But that neglects that both Jewish and Palestinian narratives claim ancient historical connections to the land, and archaeological evidence points to the presence of various peoples in the region over millennia. The region historically known as Palestine has been inhabited by various civilizations, including the Canaanites, Philistines, Israelites, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, and others. The ancient Israelites, who are considered the ancestors of modern Jews, are said to have settled in the region around 1200 BCE. So where are we today? I believe Israel must come back to negotiate a new pause in the fighting. Hamas must agree to release those hostages they still have. Israel must allow ample food, water, and medical supplies, into Gaza. But to find any lasting peace we must recognize Israel can never be expected to negotiate peace with a terrorist organization whose stated mission is their annihilation.

BOGDAN GLOBA

is president and co-founder of QUA – LGBTQ Ukrainians in America, a former assistant to the Human Rights Committee chair in the Verkhovna Rada (2014-2016) co-founder and CEO of Fulcrum (2012-2016), an LGBTQI+ organization.

Ukrainian government leaving LGBTQ community behind

Country saw years of progress before war began

“It’s not the right time.”

This is the most frequent response received when advocating for the LGBTQI+ community, but the truth is it is never a suitable time for changes or progress, or even for a discussion about human rights for minorities such as LGBTQI+ people.

Since the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 and the Ukrainian Republic regained independence, a lot of progress was made. For example, Ukraine was the first country out of the post-USSR ones that decriminalized punishment for homosexuality (the Soviet Union criminalized homosexuality with seven years of imprisonment or labor camp detention.)

In addition, following the Revolution of Dignity, when the Ukraine’s Parliament passed progressive anti-discrimination bills, later they passed the amendment to the labor code that protects from discrimination in the workplace based on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI). An important note: The new amendment to the labor code is still the most advanced in Europe, as many countries have adopted legislation protecting discrimination based on sexual orientation without including gender identity. Even the judicial branch made some contributions. Ukraine’s constitution in Article 24 bans discrimination in general; at the same time, it doesn’t have SOGI in the list, but instead has an open list. In May 2014, after two decades, the Supreme Specialized Court of Ukraine wound down legislative debates and published a constitutional review that interpreted the constitution as banning any form of discrimination, including based on SOGI. Unfortunately, since 2016, Ukraine’s Parliament has stopped making any legislative progress towards equality for LGBTQI+ people, and all changes have moved to the government executive level. But, even though Ukraine has changed a lot culturally and politically, among the biggest and most crucial puzzles remains unsolved — samesex marriages or, a bare minimum for the gay community, civil partnership.

The biggest roadblock to same-sex marriage in Ukraine is the constitution.

Back in 1996, when the first version of the constitution was written, Ukrainian MPs limited the institution of marriage only to men and women, preventing any marriage debates for generations. The mission to change the constitution means the LGBTQI+ movement needs to elect a supermajority in the Verkhovna Rada (300 MPs out of 450) three times, the Constitutional

Court needs to approve changes, and the president needs to sign the bill.

Other examples of stalled progress make the situation look even more bleak.

Bill 5488 was introduced in May 2021 as part of a long-term affiliation process with the European Union, and part of an Action plan for National Human Rights Strategy and many U.N. resolutions, including recommendations from the U.N. Human Rights Council. This bill would change the Criminal Code to clarify language in Article 161 to add hate crimes protections for LGBTQI+ persons and other marginalized groups.

Unfortunately, the bill was dead on arrival and never voted on in the Parliament, even though it would provide protection from hate crimes not only based on sexual orientation and gender identity, but also based on race, religion, color, language, gender and disability and many more. Broadening protections against hate crimes has broad support overall. Following threats on KyivPride’s march in 2016, even the Orthodox Church of Ukraine made a statement declaring the physical attack unacceptable.

Until now, the Ukrainian Parliament held down the “last fort” of traditional family values and didn’t move forward with legislation that included SOGI. Meanwhile, LGBTQI+ Ukrainians continue to lose trust in their government’s ability or desire to protect them.

Only this year, the Human Rights Ombudsman reported 17 cases of hate crimes based on SOGI and only one verdict in the court.

Human rights organizations may report hundreds more hate crime cases every year (Ukraine human rights organization Nash Mir Center reported 186 documented hate crimes based on SOGI in 2020), but still, without adopting Bill 5488 or similar legislation, there won’t be an effective system preventing these hate crimes and providing justice for minorities and marginalized groups.

Another existential challenge for the LGBTQI+ community will be adopting a civil partnership bill (as same-sex marriage is realistically not possible in the coming decades). “Preserving the institution of marriage” only for straight families, but letting same-sex couples have civil recognition, could let Ukraine join the ranks of other democratic and progressive countries, while appeasing some of the conservative sector’s demands. In most European countries, a civil partnership law was the middle step before same-sex marriages were fully recognized.

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Invitation to ‘Dance’: An interview with writer Andrew Holleran

Groundbreaking novel reissued in new paperback edition

By GREGG SHAPIRO For countless gay men of a certain age, and many othBLADE: Music and dancing play a significant role in ers in generations that followed, Andrew Holleran’s 1978 “Dancer From The Dance.” You mention a variety of songs debut novel “Dancer From The Dance” is held in the highand artists in the novel. Were the songs that you chose est regard. Groundbreaking, humorous, sexy, and tragic, personal favorites of yours that you wanted to include by with “Dancer From The Dance” Holleran paved the way name, or were they songs that were simply popular in the for the gay literary boom of the early-to-mid 1980s that clubs at the time? continues to this day. In other words, 45 years after its HOLLERAN: Those were all songs I heard played in the original publication, Holleran’s essential novel is as releclubs at the time, they still give me goosebumps. vant as ever. In late 2023, following the 2022 publication of “The Kingdom of Sand,” Holleran’s fifth work of fiction, BLADE: “Dancer From The Dance” opens with a series “Dancer From The Dance” was reissued in a new paperof letters between two friends, one of whom is writing a back edition featuring an introduction by gay writer Garth novel. The letters are very funny, as well as still timely. For Greenwell (author of “What Belongs to You”). Holleran example, the line “the young queens nowadays are utterwas gracious enough to answer a few questions after his ly indistinguishable from straight boys.” Also, the mention appearance at the 2023 Miami Book Fair. of sex work in the novel, and how that has in a way morphed into the age of Only Fans.

BLADE: Andrew, since “Dancer From The Dance” was HOLLERAN: It’s funny, I just had dinner with a 24-yearfirst published in hardcover in 1978, it has been reissued old man who told me circuit parties are back (or perhaps in a few different paperback editions. Do you have a fanever went away) when I asked what young gay men were vorite among the paperback editions’ cover art? doing for sex now. In other words, everything changes so ANDREW HOLLERAN: For sentimental reasons, I supthat it remains the same. pose it would have to be the first, a Bantam paperback, white, with a shirtless young man in blue jeans looking BLADE: Speaking of timeliness, the subject of Malone’s out at us with a sweater tied around his neck — a model death at the beginning of chapter one, and the narrator who, I heard, was alarmed that being on the cover might going through the dead man’s clothes, feels prescient in make people think he was gay. terms of what was to follow for many gay men beginning a few years later in the early 1980s. Does it feel that way BLADE: The new Harper Perennial reissue of “Dancto you, too? er From The Dance” includes an introduction by Garth HOLLERAN: I don’t know where that opening came Greenwell. How does it feel to be a writer who now has from, since at the time nobody had ever heard of or could a reissued book with an introduction written by another have imagined AIDS. But in retrospect, it seems a bit eewriter? rie.

HOLLERAN: It’s an honor, though I never read things like that for fear of learning things about my writing I BLADE: I’ve been streaming the gay-themed “Fellow don’t want to know.

1 8 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • DECEMBER 1 5 , 2 0 2 3

Travelers” miniseries on Hulu. I know that you are a movie buff, so if “Dancer From The Dance” was adapted as a miniseries or movie, who would you like to see as Malone and Sutherland?

HOLLERAN: I do love movies, but since the pandemic, I’m out of it as to current actors.

BLADE: “Dancer From The Dance” is being reissued at a time when book banning is popular among (mostly illiterate) conservatives. Have any of your books been banned?

HOLLERAN: Alas, no.

BLADE: What would it mean to you to be banned?

HOLLERAN: Publicity [laughs].

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FEATURE

The Blade’s local holiday gift guide Area businesses offer array of last-minute ideas for everyone on your list

FROM STAFF REPORTS There have been many memorable books published If you’re tired of giving your money to Jeff Bezos this year and reviewed in the Blade — everything from and Amazon and you’re still searching for last-minlong-awaited biographies by Barbra Streisand and ute gifts, try shopping local. D.C. is home to plenty Britney Spears to the true stories of “Hitchcock’s of small businesses offering an array of gift ideas this Blondes” to our own editor Kevin Naff’s first book, holiday season. Here are some of our favorites.

“How We Won the War for LGBTQ Equality — And How Our Enemies Could Take It All Away.” If you’re Supon Phornirunlit is the award-winning art direclooking for books, skip Amazon and shop at one of tor and designer behind D.C.’s Naked Decor. He is D.C.’s many independent bookstores like Busboys & the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from Poets (multiple locations), East City Bookshop (Capthe Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Washington. itol Hill), the stalwart retailer Kramers in Dupont CirWith more than 1,000 design awards under his belt, cle, and Second Story Books (Dupont Circle), one of the graphic designer is focused on creating striking the largest used and rare bookstores in the country. home accessories.

Kramers offers curbside pickup and local delivery in Christmastime in D.C. tea towel. This 20x28” tea an hour or less via Postmates or Uber Eats. towel from Naked Decor makes a great gift and souD.C. also has a queer bookstore, Little District venir of D.C. travels and at just $14 it won’t break the Books, which “curates stories to represent the full bank. nakeddecor.com spectrum of LGBTQIA+ identities and aims to uplift local authors, independent publishers, and increase Another tea towel option from Naked Decor is the access to queer literature.” Visit them at littledistrictwhimsical Giant Octopus at Potomac River design books.com or in-person on Barracks Row. also available on a tote bar.

For the chocolate lover on your list, Jinji Chocolate in Baltimore offers responsibly sourced, handcrafted treats. No need to drive to Charm City, as the Jinji website offers everything from chocolate-covered coffee beans ($6) to a dark truffle gift set ($8). But our favorite is the liquid dark chocolate in a to-go pouch for use in hot or cold drinks, pastries, or as a mid-day pick-me-up. The perfect stocking stuffer for just $8. jinjichocolate.com.

For unique home decor gift ideas, check out D.C.’s GoodWood, carrying furniture, artwork, textiles, and more. We especially like the lithograph artist proof ($165) for a striking addition to anyone’s entryway.

The store also offers plenty of lower-cost gift options like jewelry, candles, and perfumes. goodwooddc. com The popular Salt & Sundry with two locations (Union Market and Logan Circle) also offers plenty of home decor and food items that make great gifts.

There’s something for everyone here, from candles and quirky ornaments to soaps and throws. But our favorite is the collection of craft cocktails, including the Ski Week option, which makes 12-15 cocktails with chocolate chunks, marshmallows, vanilla, and cinnamon ($32).

Of course, if you’re looking for decor gifts, the always fabulous Miss Pixie’s never disappoints with its eclectic collection of home goods (MissPixies.com or 1626 14th St., N.W.).

For literally thousands of gift ideas from local merchants and purveyors, visit Shop Made in DC (shopmadeindc.com or brick-and-mortar locations in multiple neighborhoods). Shop Made in DC is a retail initiative with a mission to grow D.C.’s makers and artists. As the first store dedicated to only Made in DC products, four locations in Georgetown, Union Market district, the Wharf and Canopy Embassy Row, are home to more than 200 makers and nearly 5,000 MADE IN DC products including apothecary, apparel, art, furniture, jewelry, home decor and stationery, according to its website. Our favorites for a fun and easy gift for just about anyone: holiday gift boxes with everything from chocolates to cocktails to coffees.

Prices range from just $29 up to $86.

Naked Decor - Christmastime in D.C. tea towel

Naked Decor - Giant Octopus tea towel

Jinji Chocolate

GoodWood

Salt & Sundry - Ski Week Cocktails

Miss Pixie’s

My Name Is Barbra

Shop Made in DC - Holiday Gift Box

KAREEM QUEEMAN is known for custom cakes and Southern classic desserts that ‘give you that nostalgic feeling.’

A look at the interior of the original 9:30 club.

One of our perennial favorites at the Blade is D.C.’s own Mr. Bake. Whether you need a dessert for your holiday party or a gift for the sweet tooth in your life (Cake Jars), Kareem Queeman has you covered. (MrBakeSweets.com) Finally, if giving experiences is your thing, surprise your loved one with tickets to a show or concert at one of D.C.’s dizzying array of theaters and concert venues. From smaller venues like the new Atlantis, a near replica of the original 9:30 Club, to the Capital One Arena and Anthem, you’ll find everything from up-and-coming acts to the biggest pop stars on the planet coming to town in 2024.

Happy shopping and remember to shop local and support D.C.’s small businesses.

(Book cover image courtesy of Viking)

(Photo courtesy Queeman)

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(Photo public domain/Library of Congress)

Friday, December 15

CALENDAR |

Center Aging Friday Tea Time will be at 2 p.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. For more details, email adam@thedccenter.org.

GoGay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Social” at 7 p.m. at Puro Gusto. This event is ideal for meeting new people and making new friends in a casual, facilitated environment.

Admission is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Saturday, December 16 LGBTQ People of Color Support Group will be at 1 p.m. on Zoom. This peer support group is an outlet for LGBTQ People of Color to come together and talk about anything affecting them in a space the strives to be safe and judgment free. For more details, visit thedccenter. org/poc or facebook.com/centerpoc.

GoGay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including Allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

By TINASHE CHINGARANDE

Sunday, December 17

Tuesday, December 19

AfroCode DC will be at 4 p.m. at Decades DC. This event will be an experience of non-stop music, dancing, and good vibes and a crossover of genres and a fusion of cultures. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

GoGay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Coffee & Conversation” at 6 p.m. at Federico Ristorante Italiano. Guests are encouraged to come enjoy an evening of Italian-style dining and conversation with other LGBTQ+ folk on the enclosed front patio. Admission is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Bi Roundtable Discussion will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom.

This event is an opportunity for people to gather in order to discuss issues related to bisexuality or as Bi individuals in a private setting. For more details, visit Facebook or Meetup.

Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This event is for people who identify outside of the gender binary, whether you’re bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know that you’re not 100% cis. For more information, visit www.genderqueerdc.org or Facebook.

Wednesday, December 20

Monday, December 18 Center Aging Monday Coffee and Conversation will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. LGBT Older Adults — and friends — are invited to enjoy friendly conversations and to discuss any issues you might be dealing with. For more information, visit the Center Aging’s Facebook or Twitter.

Queer Book Club will be at 6:30 p.m. on Zoom. This club meets on the fourth Monday of the month to discuss queer books by queer authors. For more details, email supportdesk@thedccenter.org.

Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email centercareers@thedccenter.org or visit www.thedccenter.org/ careers.

Thursday, December 21 Poly Group Discussion will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group is designed to be a forum for people at all different stages to discuss polyamory and other consensual non-monogamous relationships. For more details, email supportdesk@thedccenter.org.

OUT & ABOUT What’s Christmas without drag?

organizations, and allies who have made significant strides in advancing LGBTQ+ rights and promoting inclusivity.

Tickets start at $200 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

“A Diva Christmas Drag Show” will be held Friday, Dec 15 at 8 p.m. at the Hamilton Live.

Guests are encouraged to enjoy a 120-minute revue of the world’s top legends and female impersonation at its very best.

There will be special appearances by Capri Bloomingdale as Whitney Houston, Dorselle Phinn as Britney Spears, Delila B. Lee as Chaka Khan, Kabuki Bukkake as Cardi B, and many more.

Tickets start at $20 and can be purchased on The Hamilton’s website.

Women’s Art Project coming to Rehoboth

Maryland celebrates its LGBTQ champions The Maryland LGBT Chamber of Commerce will host the “LGBTQ+ Champions Awards Gala” on Friday, Dec. 15 at 6 p.m. at Hilton Baltimore BWI Airport.

This event will celebrate the achievements and contributions of LGBTQ+ champions. It will also honor individuals,

Rehoboth Beach plays host to the Women’s Art Project next month. (Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Gay Women of Rehoboth (GWOR.org) announced a weekend-long event: The Women’s Art Project, to be held Jan. 12-14, 2024. The event will feature music, games, and dancing, including guitarist Yasmin Williams and comedian Jessica Kirson. Tickets are available at the GWOR website (gaywomenofrehoboth.org). Select hotels are available at a discounted price.

The weekend line-up includes Nashville star Sarah Peacock, the Dina Hall Band, Saxtress Pamela Williams, the Gem Fatales, E’lissa Jones, Be Steadwell, Vici Martinez, and more.

Tickets can be bought as a weekend pass at $110 or $75/Friday and Saturday each. Poker, bingo, and cornhole are separate charges. Sunday is a free day and begins with a salute to women veterans and first responders and concludes with a cornhole tournament.

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THEATER

Queer, Black student navigates intergenerational trauma in ‘Fat Ham’ Studio production inspired by ‘Hamlet’

By PATRICK FOLLIARD

GAELYN D. SMITH, MATTHEW ELIJAH WEBB, and MARQUIS D. GIBSON (front) (Photo by Margot Schulman)

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They say Juicy is soft. He’s been called other things too – generally miserable, not a people person, etc. – but since he was a kid, he’s mostly been called soft, a risky label in a family made up of dangerously violent men.

As the central gay character in “Fat Ham,” out Black playwright James Ijames’ Pulitzer-winning, dramedy currently enjoying an extended run at Studio Theatre, Juicy (Marquis D. Gibson), a queer, chunky, Black college student, navigates a world of intergenerational trauma. He’s there to show how a young gay man might react differently to what life throws at him.

Inspired by Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” “Fat Ham” takes place in real time at a backyard barbeque in the American South rather than the dark corridors of Elsinore castle. Like the melancholic Danish prince, Juicy (a nickname nod to his thick build) is visited by the ghost of his murdered father Pap (formidably played by Greg Alverez Reid) who demands that his son avenge his death.

Despite arriving in a ghost costume straight out of Charlie Brown, Pap isn’t playing.

Once he pulls off the sheet, he lays out his plans to Juicy: “I want you to catch that hog brother of mine by the snout and gut that motherfucker.” But Juicy, newly empowered by the boundaries that come with death, isn’t quick to comply.

Meanwhile, the barbeque party celebrating the hasty marriage between Juicy’s fun-loving mother Tedra (Tanesha Gary) and his bullying Uncle Rev (also Greg Alverez Reid), just a week after Pap’s death, is heating up. Gathered for the party are Juicy’s unconditionally supportive straight pal Tio (the charismatic Thomas Walker Booker), an uproarious, preternaturally horny stoner. Also on hand, are Rabby (Kelli Blackwell), a lively church lady with a past, and her children: Opal (Gaelyn D. Smith), a rebellious lesbian who likes girls and guns but not dresses, and Opal’s inscrutable Marine-on-leave brother Larry (Matthew Elijah Webb). hile uic is sort of oin with the ow he s made it clear that he has ero interest in the famil barbe ue business. Rather than slau hterin pi s and standin over a amin grill, he’s studying human resources online at Phoenix University – a pursuit that considering his general disdain for people, strikes his relations as kind of crazy. True, he can come off robotic, sullen and withdrawn, but it’s for his own protection. Over the years he’s learned that authentic self-revelation is fraught with peril.

Though not out, he does give off some sartorial clues (compliments of Danielle Preston), including a penchant for trendy sheer sleeves and a glam top emblazoned with a beda led mama s bo across his chest. is few friends are fine with whatever and his mother loves him and accepts his sexuality, sometimes a tad cringingly so.

Director Taylor Reynolds skillfully balances broadly done comedy with poignant lyrical passages sensitively acted, especially the scenes featuring a measured Gibson as Juicy opposite Webb’s intriguingly layered take on uniformed Larry. Reynolds also helms a topnotch desi n team. i ht and sound in oo im and inan Rafi afar respectivel fill Jean Kim’s homey, sunlit backyard set with spooky shadows and unexpected moments of joy.

Born in 1980, Ijames is a self-described church gay, meaning he grew up in the South, at a time when being really into church was a thing. He’s brought those experiences to his characters, especially the older women and gay men, and here smartly combines his past with Bard-related touches like asides to the audience, verbatim soliloquies, sly references for instance oric is a nei hborhood fi ture who s recentl died from an overdose and interestingly queering a few characters loosely drawn from those found in “Hamlet.”

In the fast-paced “Fat Ham,” ultimately there isn’t a lot of time for brooding. Things change including Juicy who perhaps isn’t as soft as his people once thought.

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FILM

The haunting – and haunted – queer love of ‘Strangers’ Haigh’s vision makes this one of the best films of the year

By JOHN PAUL KING were, despite their tragic death in a car crash 20 If you’ve read any “Best Of Queer Cinema” article years earlier. Incredulous though he may be, he written since 2011, you’re almost certainly familiar embraces the chance to reconnect with them, but a with Andrew Haigh’s “Weekend,” even if you’ve nevpotential new beginning at home with one of his few er seen it. A sexy but poignant tale of two men who neighbors – the handsome but palpably sad Harfall in love during a one-night stand, it’s regularly ry (Paul Mescal) – might just be jeopardized by his ranked at or near the top when critics update their growing obsession with dwelling in the literal past. lists of such things, and for good reason. It’s romantic Based on the 1987 novel “Strangers” by Japanese without being sentimental, intelligent without being author Taichi Yamada, Haigh’s film becomes a more emotionally distant, and – most important of all – it personal expression by relocating the setting to Lon“gets” contemporary gay love in a way that makes it don and reimagining the central character as a gay a touchstone for a generation of queer viewers who screenwriter. The scenes involving Adam’s interaccame of age in the aftermath of the AIDS years. tion with his parents were even shot in his own childThat generation is now more than a decade oldhood home. He also chose to downplay the story’s er, and so is Haigh, whose reputation as a filmmaker supernatural leanings in favor of a more esoteric has only been bolstered in the interim by critical acPAUL MESCAL and ANDREW SCOTT in ‘All of Us Strangers.’ approach to the narrative; these are not the gloomy, claim for subsequent films and his creation of HBO’s terrifying ghosts we meet in a horror story, but fully “Looking,” the short-lived and controversial queer self-aware shadows of humanity whose only intention is to enact the redemptive compleseries that nevertheless found enough loyal fans to warrant a movie-length finale after cantion they were prevented from achieving by their fate. Far from being mournful specters cellation. Now, with his latest big-screen effort, the British writer/director delivers another anchored in the sorrows of the past, their purpose seems dedicated to helping everyone stylishly composed melancholy romance. But though it may be true to introspective form, involved, living or otherwise, move onward toward an always-uncertain future. Indeed, there it also reflects the inevitable shifting of perspective that comes with middle age, and while is nothing about them that suggests a lack of life, if not for the inescapable fact of their its meditations have much to do with the beginnings and endings of love, its focus expands deaths – something easy to dismiss as irrelevant given the vibrant reality of their presence. beyond those finite moments to explore the things that linger and become eternal – or at However, there’s more mystery to the story than a pair of friendly ghosts. Like many of the least, feel to us as if they are. year’s best films, the impact of “All of Us Strangers” depends greatly on a gradual revelation If that description sounds to you a little like the basis for a ghost story, you’re not wrong. of details that would inevitably lose their power if they were known in advance, and though “All of Us Strangers” – releasing on Dec. 22 – centers on Adam (Andrew Scott), a lonely we wouldn’t exactly categorize it as a movie with a “twist” ending, it’s still better left to per40-something Londoner living in a new-but-nearly empty London block of high-rise flats, sonal experience to discover the deeper secrets that lie beyond the premise we’ve already whose current project conjures painful memories of his parents. Traveling to his childhood divulged. Suffice to say that, in crafting its not-so-spooky narrative, it places more emphasis home, he finds Mum and Dad (Claire Foy and Jaime Bell) still living there exactly as they on hope than on haunting – though it suggests that the two may be inextricably linked, despite all our assumptive instincts to the contrary – and leaves us feeling uplifted rather than unsettled. To put it another way, we can safely offer the clue that, in the blurred and nebulous reality inhabited by Haigh’s movie, the boundaries of time, space, and physical existence seem less important than the bonds that are formed by our souls, for want of a better word.

What that means, of course, is that viewers who prefer a more straightforward narrative, grounded in the commonly shared experience most of us agree to call reality, might well find Haigh’s metaphysical (and metaphoric) conceit a step too far to accept the ideas it proffers about the enduring impact of love – and the heartbreaks with which it goes hand in hand – on our lives. But even if one cannot quite get on board for the transcendent leaps the * filmmaker asks us to make within his autobiograph-ish parable of grief and reconciliation, it’s hard not to be won over by the tenderness of the love story that serves as both counterSpecial, limitedpoint and bookend to the inevitable sorrow that permeates it. In depicting the burgeoning time offer! romance between Adam and Harry – two men, a generation apart, attracted to each other by a mutual recognition of sorrow and broken-ness – Haigh manages to capture an irreSAVE 34% Reg. Price $37.99 sistibly pure sense of heartfelt connection. It’s the kind of love we all dream of finding, and thanks to the sweetness and empathy with which it is delivered, it may well convince even the most cynical audiences to believe in the possibility of its existence.

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DE C E M B E R 1 5 , 2 0 2 3 • WA S H I N GTO N B L A D E.CO M • 2 7

AUTOS

Car crazy: Nissan Altima, Suburu Impreza Gas-to-electric timing isn’t happening as quickly as we expected

By JOE PHILIPS Cars are out. Sport-utes are in. And electric vehicles will replace internal-combustion vehicles tomorrow. Eh, not so fast.

Doing everything possible to lower emissions and save the planet is a good thing, of course. But the gas-to-electric timing isn’t happening as quickly as many of us expected — or hoped. EV sales have stalled for various reasons: expensive sticker prices, higher interest rates, lingering range anxiety and a limited charging network. It will take time for those issues to shake out.

As for the car-versus-SUV debate, some drivers like me still like being able to opt for a sedan or hatchback. That’s especially true when a traditional car checks all the boxes: style, comfort, handling, eco-friendly and affordable. Luckily, both cars here do just that.

NISSAN ALTIMA $27,000 MPG: 27 city/40 highway 0 to 60 mph: 8.0 seconds Cargo room: 15.4 cu. ft.

cameras, but the resolution here could be crisper.

Overall, it’s hard to ignore such responsive steering and solid build quality, along with the quiet cabin and high reliability ratings. Oh, and expect Altima pricing to get even lower as the eventual end date nears.

SUBARU IMPREZA $25,000 MPG: 27 city/34 highway 0 to 60 mph: 7.8 seconds Cargo room: 20.4 cu. ft.

SUBURU IMPREZA

NISSAN ALTIMA

PROS: low price, high safety score, enjoyable to drive CONS: tepid acceleration, some cheap plastics, limited production IN A NUTSHELL: Looking at the Nissan sedan lineup, you can say sayonara to the full-sized Maxima. (Well, at least the gas-powered version. This flagship nameplate is returning in 2025 as a much-anticipated EV.) Ditto the itty-bitty Versa, which will be discontinued in two years.

As for the compact Sentra, its future is secure (at least for now) thanks to robust sales.

Then there’s the midsize Altima, which is set to follow the same fate as the Maxima and Versa, despite having similarly strong sales as the Sentra.

But wait! After a week testing the Altima, I found plenty of reasons to buy one before they’re gone.

This sedan is large enough to carry up to five passengers and scads of cargo, but small enough to park almost anywhere. There’s also affordability: Only 8% of new vehicles are less than $30,000. And at $26,000, the base-model Altima is about half the average price of a new car—which is a whopping $48,000.

As for gas mileage, the Altima averages 40 mpg on the highway, which ain’t shabby.

Same with the many standard features: keyless entry, push-button ignition, three USB ports, satellite radio and more. Notable options include heated steering wheel, 12.3inch touchscreen, nine-speaker Bose stereo and heated side mirrors with turn-signal indicators. One minor glitch: Nissan offers one of the best 360-degree birds-eye backup

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PROS: updated this year, full of features, surprisingly roomy CONS: low ground clearance, bit noisy inside, no more sedan IN A NUTSHELL: To better compete against the onslaught of SUVs and pickups, the Subaru Impreza has been redesigned this year. Gone is the sedan, but what remains is one hot hatchback. With a wider grille, bolder wheel arches and stiffer chassis, there’s now an edgy tuner-car vibe.

Fold down the back seats and — voila! — the stowage capacity more than doubles to 56 cubic feet. Plenty of storage in the console and door pockets, as well. Each of the center-console cupholders can hold 32-ounce containers, so fewer stops at Starbucks.

And even the rear cargo area has water-bottle holders—a bonus during roadside stops or tailgating events.

Those dual 7-inch displays in the base model are fine but, well, a bit meh. Better to opt for the enhanced 11.6-inch vertical touchscreen, like those found in higher-end vehicles from Lexus and Volvo.

I test drove the performance-oriented RS trim level, which boasts more power, spiffy wheels, paddle shifters, wireless smartphone charging pad, and heated wipers and side mirrors. Options include sunroof, power driver’s seat and 10-speaker Harmon Kardon sound system.

The list of safety gear is equally fine, with adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, forward collision warning with automatic braking, evasive-steering assist and more. My favorite: adaptive LED headlights that swivel when turning the steering wheel to give better illumination in curves. Those LEDs also perform a razzle-dazzle light show when first turned on.

One quibble: interior road noise, which is a bit more than expected. But then, hey, you get to enjoy more of that sexy engine growl.

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REAL ESTATE

Trade off between inventory and interest rates for homebuyers Navigating the dilemma of when to make a purchase

By JEFF HAMMERBERG

In the ever-evolving world of real estate, homebuyers face a constant dilemma: When is the right time to make the big purchase? One of the most critical considerations is the interplay between available inventory and prevailing interest rates.

Currently, the market offers an intriguing trade off for prospective buyers: purchasing a home now with increased inventory and decreased competition, with the possibility of refinancing if and when rates come down, or waiting for rates to come down with prices in many areas on the rise.

The Current Landscape

As of December 2023, the housing market is experiencing a unique combination of factors that has created a window of opportunity for savvy homebuyers. These factors include: Increased Inventory: In recent months, there has With high interest rates, buyers been a notable upare seeing less competition and tick in housing invenfewer offers on homes. tory. More homes are available for sale, offering a broader selection for potential buyers.

Decreased Competition: While demand remains strong, the frenzied bidding wars seen in the past have somewhat subsided. Buyers are facing less intense competition, which can lead to more favorable purchase terms.

Interest Rate Uncertainty: Interest rates are in a state of flux, and experts have varying predictions about their future direction. Some anticipate rates may decrease in the coming months, while others foresee a gradual increase.

Advantages of Buying Now

More Options: With increased inventory, buyers have a wider range of properties to choose from, allowing them to find a home that better matches their preferences and budget.

Negotiating Power: Reduced competition can give buyers more negotiating power, potentially leading to better purchase terms and pricing.

Locking in Equity: Purchasing now allows buyers to start building equity in their homes, which can be a valuable long-term investment.

Advantages of Waiting for Rates to Come Down

Potential Cost Savings: Waiting for interest rates to drop can lead to significant cost savings over the life of a mortgage. Even a modest decrease in rates can result in lower monthly payments and substantial long-term savings.

Improved Affordability: Lower interest rates can make homes more affordable, potentially allowing buyers

3 0 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • DECEMBER 1 5 , 2 0 2 3 • B US I NE S S

to purchase a larger or more desirable property without stretching their budget.

Reduced Refinancing Risks: By waiting for rates to come down before buying, buyers can avoid the complexities and costs associated with refinancing. They can secure a favorable rate from the outset.

The trade-off between inventory and interest rates in the current housing market presents an intriguing opportunity for homebuyers, but there’s also a competing view to consider. While purchasing now offers advantages like increased inventory and reduced competition, waiting for rates to come down has its merits too, primarily the potential for significant long-term savings and improved affordability.

Ultimately, the decision hinges on your personal financial situation, risk tolerance, and long-term goals. As with any real estate decision, careful consideration and consultation with a GayRealEstate.com real estate professional is crucial.

Whether you choose to buy now or wait for rates to drop, it’s essential to make a well-informed decision that aligns with your unique circumstances and aspirations.

JEFF HAMMERBERG

is founding CEO of Hammerberg & Associates.

Reach him at 303-378-5526 or via GayRealEstate.com.

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROBATE DIVISION 2023 ADM 001209 Date of Death 07/31/2013 Name of Decedent: Sara Satterthwaite

Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs

Neil Robert Froemming, whose address is 521 8th Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Sara Satterthwaite, who died on July 31, 2013 with a Will and will serve without Court Supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of the decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, DC, 515 5th Street, NW, Building A, 3rd Floor, Washington, DC 20001, on or before 06/01/2024. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or to the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before 06/01/2024, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: December 01, 2023 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Daily Washington Law Reporter, Washington Blade /s/ Neil Robert Froemming, Signature of Petitioner 521 8th Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 (202) 491-7174 A True Test Copy Nicole Stevens, Register of Wills

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