Washington Blade, Volume 55, Issue 02, January 12, 2024

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VOLUME 55 ISSUE 02 ADDRESS PO Box 53352 Washington DC 20009 PHONE 202-747-2077 E-MAIL news@washblade.com INTERNET washingtonblade.com PUBLISHED BY Brown Naff Pitts Omnimedia, Inc. PUBLISHER LYNNE J. BROWN lbrown@washblade.com ext. 8075 EDITORIAL EDITOR KEVIN NAFF knaff@washblade.com ext. 8088 SR. NEWS REPORTER LOU CHIBBARO JR. lchibbaro@washblade.com ext. 8079 WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT CHRIS KANE ckane@washblade.com extg 8083 INTERNATIONAL NEWS EDITOR MICHAEL K. LAVERS mlavers@washblade.com ext. 8093 POP CULTURE REPORTER JOHN PAUL KING PHOTO EDITOR MICHAEL KEY mkey@washblade.com ext 8084 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DANIEL ITAI, EDICIÓN CIENTONCE, QUORUM, WDG, STEPHANIE MONDRAGÓN, ISAAC AMEND , TINASHE CHINGARANDE, DUNIA ORELLANA, REPORTAR SIN MIEDO, PETER ROSENSTEIN, MARK LEE, LATEEFAH WILLIAMS, KATE CLINTON, KATHI WOLFE, ERNESTO VALLE, YARIEL VALDÉS GONZÁLEZ, PHILIP VAN SLOOTEN, KATLEGO K. KOLANYANEKESUPILE, KAELA ROEDER, TREMENDA NOTA, ALBERTO J. VALENTÍN, MAYKEL GONZÁLEZ VIVERO, ORGULLO LGBT. CO, ESTEBAN GUZMAN, ANDRÉS I. JOVÉ RODRÍGUEZ CREATIVE DESIGN/PRODUCTION AZERCREATIVE.COM SALES & ADMINISTRATION DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING STEPHEN RUTGERS srutgers@washblade.com ext. 8077 SR. ACCT. EXECUTIVE BRIAN PITTS bpitts@washblade.com ext. 8089 CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING/ADMINISTRATION PHILLIP G. ROCKSTROH prockstroh@washblade.com ext. 8092 NATIONAL ADVERTISING RIVENDELL MEDIA 212-242-6863; sales@rivendellmedia.com For distribution, contact Lynne Brown at 202-747-2077, ext. 8075.

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Mayor invites LGBTQ community to join MLK Day Parade

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bower’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs released a statement last Friday inviting the city’s LGBTQ community and its supporters to join the mayor (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key) in the city’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Walk and Parade scheduled to be held Monday, Jan. 15, along a route in the city’s Anacostia neighborhood.

“The Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs invites you to

walk with us, Mayor Bowser, and fellow LGBTQIA+ community members in the 2024 MLK Holiday DC Annual Peace Walk and Parade on January 15th,” the announcement says.

“Across the nation and the world, Dr. King’s life and legacy is commemorated by a day of service and promoted as A Day On and Not a Day Off,” the statement continues.

“The Martin Luther King Jr. Parade symbolizes the need to continue Dr. King’s work and reinforces the ideas reflected in his works, ‘Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable…every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.’”

The statement adds, “Those who believe in Dr. King’s

message are considered members of the Coalition for Peace and are invited to join the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Parade every year.”

Local LGBTQ activists and members of local LGBTQ organizations have participated in the D.C. King Day parade in past years.

Organizers this year are inviting participants to assemble at 10 a.m. at the R.I.S.E. Demonstration Center at 2730 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., S.E., where the Peace Walk and Parade will begin at 11 a.m.

The Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs has invited those planning to attend to submit an RSVP at this site: https:// forms.office.com/g/apSQmnd3zN LOU CHIBBARO JR.

Gunshots fired outside Reeves Center where DC LGBT Center is located

D.C. police are investigating an incident that took place about 6:40 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 7, in which an unidentified shooter fired multiple rounds from a pistol outside the city’s Reeves Center municipal building where the DC Center for the LGBT Community and the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs are located.

According to a D.C. police incident report, the shooting took place at the intersection of 14th and V Streets, N.W., where one or more bullets “damaged” a first floor Reeves Center window and shattered two windows of the Provision or P 14 restaurant, which is located across the street from the north wing of Reeves Center at 14th and V Street.

The Reeves Center is located at 2000 14th St., N.W. and takes up the space of the entire block on 14th Street between U Street and V Street. Both the DC LGBT Center and the Office of LGBTQ Affairs are located on the building’s first floor, and the DC Center has first-floor windows along 14th Street not far from V Street.

The police report says no victims were found and no injuries were reported. Both the DC LGBT Center and the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs are closed on Sunday.

The area surrounding the intersection of 14th and U

Sunday’s shooting occurred at the Reeves Center.

(Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Street is the site of multiple bars, restaurants, and nightclubs, including the nearby Bunker gay nightclub at 2001 14th St., N.W. The recently opened gay bar Thurst is located just over one block away from the site of the Sunday night shooting at 2204 14th St., N.W.

The police report says investigators found at the scene of the shooting a Taurus G3 9mm pistol, a large capacity ammunition feeding device, and shell casings from bullets fired from the pistol.

Based on an analysis of the pistol and ammunition and the damaged windows, the report says that the unidentified shooter, if apprehended, would be charged with Destruction of Property, Unlawful Discharge of A Firearm, Carrying a Pistol Without a License, Possession of Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device, and Unlawful Possession of Ammunition.

D.C. police spokesperson Officer Makhetha Watson told the Washington Blade police investigators have yet to determine why the unidentified shooter discarded the pistol and ammunition before fleeing the scene and what the motive was behind the shooting. She said investigators were canvassing the area to look for video surveillance cameras that may have captured an image of the shooter.

Anyone with information about the incident that could help the investigation are being asked to call police at 202727-9099.

LOU CHIBBARO JR.

‘Rally for Justice’ protests prosecutors’ response to murder of Md. trans woman The transgender advocacy organization Safe Haven Maryland held a “Rally for Justice: Demanding Accountability for Meghan Lewis,” on Monday outside the Harford County, Md., courthouse to protest what the group believes to be the mishandling by prosecutors of the Dec. 27 murder of Lewis, a beloved transgender woman.

Police in Bel Air, Md., where Lewis lived, said witnesses reported she got into an altercation with a man named Brian Delen, 47, who was delivering food outside her condominium building after he reportedly misgendered her by calling her “sir.”

Police said Lewis allegedly yelled at Delen when he started to drive off in his car. WBAL TV News in Baltimore reports that court documents say Delen then got out of his car, pulled out a gun, and fatally shot Lewis.

The documents say Delen immediately after shooting called 911 and surrendered to police, who found him in possession of a semi-automatic pistol for which he had a valid permit, according to WBAL. The Maryland Safe Haven statement says the group called the rally outside the courthouse at 20 West Courthouse Street in Bel Air to protest, among other things, a decision by prosecutors with the Harford County State’s

Attorney’s Office not to classify the incident as a hate crime.

The statement says Safe Haven Maryland and its supporters at the rally would also be protesting a decision

by Harford County District Court Judge Susan Hazlett to release Delen on his own personal recognizance until at least the time of the next court hearing scheduled for Jan. 25. The judge ordered him to be held in home detention with a GPS monitoring device.

Court records show Delen has been charged with Second Degree Murder, Assault-First Degree, and Firearm Use/Felony-Violent Crime. Some transgender activists have said he should have been charged with First-Degree murder.

In what it describes as a “Demand for Accountability,” the statement declares: • Hold the state’s attorney’s office accountable for not charging the murder as a hate crime, despite evidence suggesting it was motivated by bias or prejudice.

• Call for transparency and an explanation from the state’s attorney’s office regarding their decision-making process.

• Demand a thorough review of the handling of

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the case by law enforcement agencies, including any potential mishandling or negligence in the investigation.

In response to a request by the Washington Blade for comment, the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office released a statement Monday morning saying the case remains under “thorough investigation, to examine all evidence and determine what additional charges are appropriate.”

The statement points out that the State’s Attorney’s Office requested that Delen be held without bail pending trial and questions regarding how the decision was reached to release him on his own recognizance “should be directed to the judiciary,” meaning the judge who made the release decision.

“The evidence in this case will be thoroughly evaluated in the same manner as any case presented to our office for prosecution and as always, the State’s Attorney’s Office remains committed to seeking justice,” the statement concludes.

The Harford County Office of the Public Defender, which is serving as Delen’s defense counsel, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

LOU CHIBBARO JR.

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Reggie Wells, Baltimorean and Oprah’s makeup artist, dies

Reggie Wells loved to recall how he would “beat the face” of celebrities — a positive slang term among makeup artists that meant applying makeup flawlessly to their skin.

And he beat the faces of the best, including Beyoncé, Halle Berry and former first lady Michelle Obama. Oh yeah, and he was also Oprah’s longtime personal makeup artist for 30 years.

Wells’ makeup work took him to South Africa, Australia and the Middle East, but the Baltimore native was equally comfortable transforming the faces of senior members of a retirement community in Park Heights. Wells died Monday after a long illness. He was 76.

The third oldest of seven children, Wells was the son of John Henry Wells, a bus driver, and Ada Wells, who worked as a nurse. He grew up in Baltimore County.

A graduate of Baltimore City College and MICA, Wells became an art teacher in Baltimore in the mid-1970s before moving to New York City, where he pursued his dream of becoming a makeup artist. There, he mastered his craft by working at makeup counters before catching the eye of a fashion editor and eventually working with Glamour, Life and Harper’s Bazaar magazines. But it was at Essence magazine where he did makeup for models and celebrities on more than 100 covers. That work resulted in his work with Winfrey and other major Black female entertainers.

In 1995, he won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Makeup. He was nominated four additional times.

Wells said he was once told by the late Joan Rivers that his makeup was so good his clients looked like they had had plastic surgery.

“He was the life of the party. He was the one that,

when he walked in the room, everyone was in awe. He could command the room,” said his niece Tasha Jackson, who lives in Albany, Georgia. “He was a storyteller. You OPRAH WINFREY’s longtime were so drawn into makeup artist, Reggie Wells, died the things he said. this week. (Screen capture courtesy YouTube) It was captivating. It allowed you to think you were there at the story. No one could compare to his ability to captivate you.”

But his life wasn’t only glitz and glamour. Wells recalled being physically attacked for being gay when he was growing up and later losing countless friends to the AIDS epidemic of the ’80s and ’90s.

But Wells’ ingenuity was his saving grace, as he had to custom create his own makeup for Black women from foundations and powders made for white skin tones. At that time, no major cosmetic companies made makeup for Black women. It was Wells’ pioneering makeup techniques that caught Winfrey’s eye, he told The Baltimore Sun in 2017.

“It makes me proud to have a family member who has achieved that much and has given that much to women of color. He’s someone I look up to and admire,” his niece said. “I’m devastated as well as happy that he was my uncle. I’m at a loss of words. He was a friend. He was a mentor. He was everybody to everyone. It’s sad, but I’m glad he’s in a better place.”

Caprece Jackson, a Baltimore-based fashionista and

Md. Trans Health Equity Rockingham County Act takes effect removes 57 books from school libraries

Maryland Gov. WES MOORE signed the Trans Health Equity Act into law. (Photo courtesy of Moore’s office)

A law that requires Maryland’s Medicaid program to cover gender-affirming treatments took effect Jan. 1.

Democratic Gov. Wes Moore on May 3, 2023, signed the Trans Health Equity Act. The Maryland Medicaid Administration’s website notes the law covers the following: Hormone therapy and lab testing; voice surgery, therapy and lessons; hair removal and transplants; fertility preservation services; facial surgery and more.

“Maryland Medicaid covers medically needed care that upholds the safety, dignity and respect of transgender and gender expansive people,” says the Maryland Medicaid Administration.

FROM STAFF REPORTS

The Rockingham County School Board in Virginia on Monday voted to “temporarily remove” 57 books from school libraries.

The Daily News-Record newspaper reported Maia Kobabe’s “Gender Queer”, Juno Dawson’s “This Book is Gay” and “All Boys Aren’t Blue” are three of the books that school board members by a 4-1 margin voted to remove. Board members by the same margin also approved updated guidelines for transgender and nonbinary students the Virginia Department of Education announced last July.

Equality Virginia Executive Director Narissa Rahaman has said these guidelines for which Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin asked “single out transgender and nonbinary youth in our schools.”

FROM STAFF REPORTS

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fashion historian, was saddened by the death of Wells.

Jackson said his level of Black excellence shined “as brightly as a Baltimore Son,” and he kept “Oprah camera-ready, flawless, natural way.”

She added: “I appreciated seeing his name in all the major women’s magazines, his trips back to B’more, and attending one of his workshops during the height of his career. It was all so exciting and glamorous.”

Martice Jamar Thomas, a Baltimore-based celebrity fashion stylist and makeup artist, said Wells inspired countless Black creatives in Baltimore and beyond.

“Reggie Wells was one of the very first to brand himself and be as big of a celebrity in his industry as his celebrity client,” Thomas said. “We all looked up to him.”

Ngozi Olandu Young, a celebrity makeup artist whose work includes productions such as “The Watchmen,” “Mare of Easttown” and most recently, “The Color Purple,” said Wells was an “eminent” makeup artist.

“I’ve always felt especially proud that he was from Baltimore. He definitely left his mark on our industry,” she said.

Later in life, Wells returned to Baltimore to be closer to his aging father.

He spent his free time at Weinberg Manor, a senior living residence in Northern Baltimore, offering makeup makeovers to the Black women there — recalling his decades of elevating Black beauty.

“He was always giving back, making sure that everyone felt good about their appearance on a day-to-day basis,” his niece said.

Wells is survived by two older sisters, Priscilla Tingle, who lives in Georgia, and Patricia Banks, who lives in Baltimore, and a younger sister, Orrie Wright, who lives in Perryville. Funeral services have not yet been determined.

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Suspected drunk driver kills Hampton Roads activist

A Hampton Roads activist died on Dec. 30 when a car hit her vehicle in a Norfolk tunnel.

The Virginian-Pilot reported Shelby “Lexus” Riddick-Walker died after Dominique Goodwin’s 2018 Volkwagon Tiguan struck her 2007 Chevrolet Equinox head-on while driving the wrong way inside the Downtown Tunnel.

The newspaper said Riddick-Walker died instantly. Virginia State Police have indicated alcohol may have contributed to the crash.

WAVY, a Hampton Roads television station, said Riddick-Walker previously worked for the LGBT Life Center, which has offices in Norfolk and Hampton. The organization in a Facebook post described Riddick-Walker’s death as a “tragic loss for our community.”

A candlelight vigil in honor of Riddick-Walker will take place at Norfolk’s Waterside Pier on Friday at 6 p.m.

FROM STAFF REPORTS

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New report outlines problems faced by LGBTQ+ nursing home residents Authors recommend supportive policies, training for nation’s 15,000 facilities

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

A recently published academic journal article by two University of Indiana researchers reports on problems faced by LGBTQ+ older adults living in the nation’s nursing homes and recommends actions nursing homes should take to ensure LGBTQ+ residents are treated equitably and without bias.

The article, entitled “Postacute Care and Long-Term Care for LGBTQ+ Older Adults,” was published Nov. 9 in the peer reviewed journal Clinics In Geriatric Medicine. It is co-authored by geriatric physician Jennifer L. Carnahan, a research scientist with the Regenstrief Institute, which is affiliated with Indiana University’s Center for Aging Research and Andrew C. Picket, an elder care researcher and assistant professor at Indiana University’s School of Public Health in Bloomington. Carnahan also serves as an assistant professor of medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine.

“Cultivating an inclusive and LGBTQ+ culturally competent nursing home culture means that all staff and clinicians should receive training specific to working with this group and time should be allocated for this to reduce staff burden,” the article states.

It points out that while some older LGBTQ+ adults fear being forced into the closet while in a nursing home, “they also simultaneously fear unwanted disclosure of their sexual orientation or gender identity status, and their autonomy should be respected either way.”

A new study emphasizes the need for culturally competent care for LGBTQ+ people living in nursing homes.

(Photo courtesy of Bigstock)

The article says there are more than 15,000 nursing homes in the U.S. that provide rehabilitative and skilled nursing care to mostly older adults. It notes that nursing home residents fall into two distinct groups–post-acute care residents who often can return to their own home after recovering from an illness or injury; and long-term care residents who are no longer able to care for themselves. It says that among the long-term care residents in nursing homes, about 50% are living with dementia or another type of cognitive impairment.

According to the article, LGBTQ+ older adults “at a minimum have the same risk of dementia as the general U.S. population, and dementia increases the risk of nursing home admission.”

Among the article’s recommendations is that when new residents are being admitted to a nursing home, whether for short term or long term, “standard practice should be to ask sexual orientation and gender identity questions of

every new resident along with other demographic identifiers.” Doing this “normalizes sexual and gender minority status” and can also “help to reduce the invisibility and health disparities” that LGBTQ+ nursing home residents experience.

“For transgender individuals, the personal care received in nursing homes can be supportive, as intended, or traumatic,” the article states. When nursing home staff provide assistance to transgender persons unable to care for themselves, “such as toileting or bathing, they may become newly aware of a resident’s transgender status,” the article says, adding, “If staff are not prepared for such an unintentional outing and how to react in a supportive manner, they may demonstrate microaggressions.” That type of biased reaction can be psychologically harmful for a transgender resident, the report states.

“We think about younger LGBTQ+ individuals and the challenges and risks of their lifestyles, but older adults in this population are often forgotten,” co-author Carnahan said in a statement. “They’ve experienced many health disparities. As these accumulate over a lifetime, we see the potential long-term ill effects of being from a marginalized population,” she says in the statement.

“More and more LGBTQ+ older adults are comfortable being out with their providers, while many living in nursing homes fear unwanted disclosure of their sexual orientation or gender identity status,” Carnahan says.

“Their autonomy should be respected either way so they can age in an environment where they feel safe, where they feel comfortable and where they are able to live with dignity.”

The article points to a 2018 survey conducted by AARP, which advocates for people over the age of 50, that found most LGBTQ+ older adults, when considering entering a nursing home, “anticipate neglect, abuse, refusal of services, harassment, and being forced back into the closet.”

The article says this fear of abuse and stigmatization may be related to older LGBTQ+ adults’ experiencing anti-LGBTQ+ bias in their younger years.

“Health care workers across disciplines are not well trained in care for LGBTQ+ older adults,” the article says.

“Stereotypes and inadequate knowledge of the LGBTQ+ population are not uncommon among those who care for older adults,” it says. And it says LGBTQ+ residents in nursing homes may also face stigmatization from other residents.

“Training programs that engage nursing home staff in LGBTQ+ cultural competency can remediate staff knowledge and ensure more equitable care,” the article stresses.

In addition to calling for better training, the article includes several other recommendations, including providing legal advice to LGBTQ+ nursing home residents on how best to assign the legal authority to make decisions about their care if they become incapacitated and unable to make those decisions for themselves.

Carnahan said in an interview with the Blade that obtaining legal advice about designating a trusted surrogate to make medical decisions for them if they are no longer able to do that is especially important for LGBTQ+ nursing home residents. In at least some cases, LGBTQ+ people are estranged from their biological families and

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may have chosen families, Carnahan points out. Without having assigned legal health care power of attorney to someone of their choosing, under the laws of most states, the biological family becomes the entity that a nursing home will go to in making these health-related decisions for all residents, including LGBTQ residents.

The article also provides a list of LGBTQ+-related resources for nursing homes and LGBTQ+ older adults considering entering a nursing home. Among the resources on this list is the Long-Term Care Equality Index prepared by the LGBTQ+ organizations Human Rights Campaign and SAGE, an LGBTQ+ elders advocacy organization.

The Index is a document that identifies LGBTQ+-supportive facilities, including residential facilities and nursing homes.

SAGE, based in New York City, arranges for LGBTQ+-supportive training for older adult residential facilities across the country and designates facilities that SAGE believes are LGBTQ+ supportive as “SAGECare credentialed” facilities, which are listed in the Long-Term Care Equality Index.

“It is the case now that in almost all states there are one or more elder care facilities that have been trained throughout our SAGECare program,” SAGE CEO Michael Adams said in a recent interview. “But it’s nowhere near where it needs to be,” he said. “It needs to be that there are welcoming elder care facilities in every single community in this country” for LGBTQ+ elders.

The article by elder care researchers Carnahan and Picket reaffirms Adams’s claim that most U.S. nursing homes don’t have the type of LGBTQ+ supportive credentials advocated in the SAGECare program. The two stress in their article the need for all nursing homes to take steps to train their staff on LGBTQ competency issues.

“Yes, that’s what I would like to see,” Carnahan told the Blade. “I would like more nursing homes and assisted living and even senior communities to embrace cultural competency and embrace the SAGE designation,” she said.

Carnahan said a common impediment to nursing homes providing LGBTQ+-related training is it is sometimes difficult to set aside the time to do that because of the busy and often stressful work involved in operating a nursing home. “Working in a nursing home is very hard work. I’ve done it,” she said.

“What leadership really needs to do is to say this is important enough to me that I’m going to set aside a couple of hours where you don’t have critical duties and they just want you to participate in this cultural competency training,” Carnahan concludes. “And that’s what really needs to happen.”

The journal Clinics In Geriatric Medicine has a policy of not releasing articles it publishes to the public who are not paid subscribers to the journal until one year after an article has been published. Additional information about the topic of LGBTQ+ nursing home residents can be found on these sites from the Regenstrief Institute: https://www.regenstrief.org/article/culturally-inclusive-care-lgbtq-nursing-home-residents/ https://www.regenstrief.org/article/carnahan-inclusive-long-term-care-video/

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Queer nominees leave empty handed from disastrous Golden Globes

On the road toward a very ‘straight and narrow’ Oscar night?

By JOHN PAUL KING

By now, even if you didn’t watch them, you probably already know that Sunday night’s presentation of the 81st Annual Golden Globe Awards was pretty much a debacle.

From its tense first few minutes, when host Jo Koy (seriously, how many people had to say “no” to the job before they got to Jo Koy?) took his opening monologue rapidly past “irreverent” to “disrespectful” as his audience squirmed uncomfortably, it was clear that the evening’s attempt at a free-wheeling but good-natured roast of Hollywood disguised as an awards show was not going to go as planned.

Koy’s efforts at snark were met with palpable hostility from the celebrity crowd, most of whom looked like they would rather be anywhere else but in the audience at the Beverly Hilton, and things just got worse from there.

We could go on about the lackluster, often tone-deaf writing, or the poorly conceived “stunt pairings” of stars as presenters, or the general sloppiness that made the show feel precarious from beginning to end, but fortunately, there’s no need for us to relive all that here. The reason you’re reading this (since this is the Blade, after all) is to find out about the “queer take” on the Golden Globes; unfortunately, the only queer one we can offer is that there really was no queer take on the Golden Globes.

Going into the ceremony, which, as always with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s annual awards show, bestowed the organization’s honors for both film and television, there were only a handful of out queer acting nominees. Two of these competed in a single category (Best Male Actor in a Motion Picture Drama): Colman Domingo, nominated for his star turn in the title role of “Rustin,” and Andrew Scott, who was up for his widely acclaimed performance in Andrew Haigh’s ethereal gay ghost story, “All of Us Strangers.” Both lost the award to Cillian Murphy, the star of Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.”

The other out nominee in the film acting categories, previous four-time Golden Globe winner Jodie Foster, was competing in the Best Supporting Female Actor in Any Motion Picture for her performance in the Netflix biopic “Nyad,” but she lost to Da’Vine Joy Randolph of Alexander Payne’s “The Holdovers.”

On the TV side, out gay performer Matt Bomer, nominated as Best Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or TV Movie for Showtime’s queer historical romance “Fellow Travelers,” lost to Steven Yuen in the Netflix smash, “Beef.”

Natasha Lyonne - who identifies as straight but has always been open about her bisexual attractions - was up for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy Series as the star of “Poker Face.” That award went instead to Ayo Edebiri of “The Bear.”

It’s true that Billie Eilish - who was nominated alongside brother Finneas O’Connell for co-writing Best Original Song nominee “What Was I Made For?” from “Barbie,” an award that they went on to win - has identified publicly as being attracted to both males and females, something she recently reasserted in a Variety interview (before following up with an Instagram post commenting that “literally who cares” about her sexuality), so at least there was one winner from the queer community during the evening.

As for the movies and shows themselves, several of the nominated titles included queer characters and themes, with Best Picture nominees “Maestro” (about bisexual composer/conductor Leonard Bernstein) and “May December” (from pioneering “New Queer Cinema” filmmaker Todd Haynes) as the most obvious examples. Both films received multiple nods; neither walked away with a single win. In the TV division, several queer-oriented shows, from “Fellow Travelers” to “The Last of Us” to “Ted Lasso,” lost in their respective categories, and “Wanda Sykes: I’m An Entertainer,” the out lesbian comedian’s Netflix special nominated for

MATT BOMER was one of a few queer nominees but lost the Golden Globe. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

the newly added Best Standup Performance category, lost to former Golden Globes host Ricky Gervais’ “Ricky Gervais: Apocalypse.”

There were few queer moments of note, in fact, during the event, though the presence of trans “Euphoria” star Hunter Schaefer onstage as a presenter was a welcome nod to inclusion. A more positive spin can be found by acknowledging the show of diversity - an issue around which the Golden Globes has long been criticized, deservedly - among the winners. Several acting wins went to Black performers (Randolph, Edebiri) and performers of Asian descent (Yuen and “Beef” co-star Ali Wong), while Lily Gladstone became the first indigenous American performer to win a Golden Globe as Best Leading Female Actor (Motion Picture Drama) for “Killers of the Flower Moon.” We can only be thrilled for these well-deserved wins.

Still if the Golden Globes are - as they’ve long been considered - the official “kick-off” of Awards Season and an important (if not always accurate) indicator of the likeliest big contenders at the subsequent (and more prestigious) ceremonies to follow over the next few weeks, it looks like we might be on the road toward very “straight and narrow” Oscar night.

The complete list of nominees and winners can be found at the Golden Globes website.

New study shows ‘genetic underpinnings’ of bisexuality University of Michigan findings show link to risk-taking

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

A new study conducted by University of Michigan researchers and published Jan. 3 in the journal Science Advances identifies genetic variations linked to human bisexual behavior and found that genetic characteristics associated with bisexuality are also linked to risk-taking behavior in males.

A statement released by the University of Michigan announcing the study says its findings may answer at least in part the longstanding question by evolutionary biologists of how the genes associated with same-sex behavior have persisted in humans because “same-sex sexual behavior does not result in offspring.”

The study was conducted by University of Michigan Professor and evolutionary biologist Jianzhi Zhang and co-author and U.M. graduate student Siliang Song.

“The U.M. researchers analyzed data from more than 450,000 participants of European ancestry in the United Kingdom’s Biobank database of genetic and health information,” the university’s statement says. “Participants responded to a questionnaire that included the question, ‘Would you describe yourself as someone who takes risks?’”

According to the university statement, “The U.M. analysis revealed that male heterosexuals who carry the genetic variants associated with bisexual behavior, which are known as BSB-associated alleles, father more children than average.

Furthermore, men who describe themselves as risk-takers tend to have more children and are more likely to carry BSB-associated alleles.”

Alleles are said to be matching genes, one from a person’s biological mother and the other from the biological father.

The statement says the two researchers also analyzed and compared the genetic makeup of both bisexual behavior and exclusive same-sex behavior, which they list as eSSB. “When they compared the genetic basis of bisexual behavior to the genetic basis of eSSB, they found them to be significantly different,” the statement continues. “They found that eSSB-associated genetic variants are correlated with fewer children, which is expected to lead to a gradual decline in their frequency over time,” it says.

“However, the authors stress that their study looks at the genetic underpinnings of same-sex sexual behavior and not the behaviors themselves, which are affected by both genetic and environmental factors,” says the statement. It says the authors point out that the proportion of UK Biobank study participants reporting same-sex sexual behavior has risen in recent decades, mostly likely due to societal acceptance toward same-sex behavior.

In their study, the authors estimate a person’s bisexual behavior is influenced by genetics at about 40 percent and by

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environmental factors by about 60 percent.

“In addition, the authors say their new results ‘predominantly contribute to the diversity, richness, and better understanding of human sexuality. They are not in any way intended to suggest or endorse discrimination on the basis of sexual behavior,’ they wrote,” the University of Michigan statement says.

But an article about the study in Science Magazine says scientists and experts in the field of genetics have had mixed reactions to the study, with some questioning its reliance on the data from the UK Biobank surveys and others expressing concern that its claim that bisexuality is linked to risk-taking could perpetuate longstanding bias against bisexuals and gay men.

The Science Magazine article reports that psychologist Michael Bailey of Northwestern University, who has studied factors that influence sexual orientation, believes the study is “based only on self-reported past sexual behavior of the UK Biobank participants, and not on other aspects of sexuality, such as sexual orientation or feelings.”

Other experts in the field of genetics and human behavior, however, believe the study sheds valuable light on the issue of bisexual and exclusive same-sex behavior.

The full study can be accessed at science.org.

A Workplace That Transcends the Ordinary

Benefits commence on the first of the month followWhen you start your workday, do you want to walk ing 30 days of employment. On-site perks include comthrough the doors and enter an environment where plimentary use of the community’s fitness center and talents are nurtured, passions are pursued, and possipool, free parking, and a free meal. bilities abound? In Mather’s newest venture in Tysons, Located on Westpark Drive near Tysons Galleria, The Virginia, all of this is part of an award-winning culture Mather offers apartment homes ranging in size up to within their luxury community called The Mather.

3,300 square feet; luxury amenities include a fitness The highest level of hospitality imbues The Mather’s center featuring an exercise studio and indoor pool, elegant amenity spaces, thoughtfully curated food and multiple restaurants, a bar, outdoor event terraces with beverage offerings, and innovative model of next-level catering opportunities, a full-service spa, and three service. acres of green space. Services include reception and A Life Plan Community for those 62 and better, The concierge, valet parking, shuttle and driver services, Mather stands ready to welcome residents in early 2024, resident engagement and programming, housekeepand is well underway with recruiting top talent who ing, and maintenance. share a passion for creating an atmosphere that tranThe Mather is seeking hospitality professionals to provide Mather, with three senior living communities in Illinois scends the ordinary. That stems from the unique values exceptional service in its restaurants, fitness center and spa, and and Arizona, is certified as a Great Place to Work and reof its parent organization—inclusive, resilient, bold, and more—all in a luxury setting and supportive atmosphere. ceived a Nation’s Best and Brightest in Wellness Award impactful—and its vision to change the way society views from the National Association for Business Resources aging. Mather, an 80+-year-old not-for-profit organizafive years in a row, for promoting employee well-being, worksite health, and wellness. tion, has a history of retaining dedicated team members for years, by helping them The Mather is hiring for an array of positions to provide hospitality and exceptional learn new skills, develop their careers, and eliminate barriers to personal fulfillment. service; it ultimately will have a total of 100+ full- and part-time team members—all Raj Radke, vice president and general manager of The Mather, explains, “Our misfocused on creating unique opportunities and meaningful moments for residents, colsion of creating Ways to Age Well extends to all team members. We support their perleagues, and guests. sonal well-being with a supportive culture, valuable on-the-job perks, opportunities to “We’re seeking team members from high-end hotels and resorts who share our learn and advance, and a competitive benefits package.” Highlights of that package dedication to making a difference and creating luxury experiences,” says Raj. “We’re include building a team that will push the envelope in curating elevated engagements that - a generous paid time off program embrace a vibrant culture for residents and team members alike.”

- excellent medical and dental benefits If you’re interested in joining the team at The Mather, or know someone who is, - tuition reimbursement browse open positions at themathertysons.com/jobs.

- annual reimbursement for self-care items and experiences

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LEGAL SERVICES

HHS wins praise for rescinding parts of Trump ‘conscience rule’

The National Center for Lesbian Rights on Tuesday issued a statement praising the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for rescinding “the the most harmful aspects” of the Trump-era “conscience rule.”

The policy, which passed in 2019, was blocked by three federal courts and never implemented. It would have allowed healthcare providers to deny care based on religious objections.

“The revised rule,” NCLR Federal Policy Director Julianna Gonen said, “is premised on the recognition that a proper balance must be struck between respecting conscience and ensuring that people get the health care they need.”

Gonen noted the persistence of discrimination against

LGBTQ patients, adding “this new rule is a welcome development that will help protect our community.”

The final rule released on Tuesday

by HHS reverses provisions of the previous policy under which federal funding would be stripped from facilities that required providers to administer care over which they had religious-based objections.

Namely, this largely meant abortions, contraception, and gender-af-

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary XAVIER BECERRA (Public domain photo)

firming treatments.

“Some doctors, nurses, and hospitals, for example, object for religious or moral reasons to providing or referring for abortions or assisted suicide, among other procedures,” the agency wrote. “Respecting such objections honors liberty and human dignity.”

Likewise, HHS said, “patients also have rights and health needs, sometimes urgent ones.”

CHRISTOPHER KANE

Republican AGs ask court to hear case on school gender guidelines

A coalition of 17 Republican state attorneys general filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to hear a case challenging a school district’s gender policy guidelines, which allow students to use names, pronouns and restrooms or facilities consistent with their gender identity while prohibiting parental notification without the student’s consent.

The brief, led by West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey and filed on Jan. 4, opposes the decision by the

4th U.S. Court of Appeals, which found the parents challenging the guidelines did not have standing to sue the school board in Montgomery County, Md. “This egregious policy completely sidesteps parents’ rights and severs them from having involvement in their child’s physical, emotional, mental and social well-being,” Morrisey said in a press release announcing the move.

“Any time any organization or institution seeks to hide what they do when our children are in their care, it’s a huge

red flag,” he said. “Why would a school board encourage students to keep secrets from their parents?”

Advocates warn mandatory notification is effectively forced outing, which violates students’ constitutional right to privacy. The practice can also be dangerous; according to the 2015 Transgender Survey, 10 percent of trans people encounter physical violence from a family member and 15 percent are kicked out of or run away from their homes.

CHRISTOPHER KANE

DOJ supports gender-affirming care in correctional facilities

Assistant Attorney General KRISTEN CLARKE (Photo courtesy DOJ/YouTube)

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Civil Rights filed a statement of interest on Monday in connection with a lawsuit before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia concerning the administration of gender-affirming care in correctional settings.

According to a press release from the agency, the statement “explains that gender dysphoria falls within the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)’s definition of ‘disability’ and affirms that correctional institutions cannot deny medically appropriate care for people with gender dysphoria, no matter their particular circumstances, consistent with the Eighth Amendment.”

“We are committed to ensuring constitutional conditions

inside our jails and prisons so that those detained inside these facilities, including people with gender dysphoria can live safely and receive needed medical care,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke.

“The U.S. Constitution requires that people incarcerated in jails and prisons receive necessary medical care, treatment and services to address serious medical conditions,” she said.

The case before the federal court addresses claims by an incarcerated transgender woman that she was denied necessary medical care — including surgeries recommended by four clinicians and consistent access to hormone therapy.

CHRISTOPHER KANE

Ohio guv bans gender transition surgeries for minors

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced last week that he has signed a far-reaching executive order that bans gender transition surgeries for anyone under the age of 18 in the state.

“Although I vetoed Substitute House Bill 68, I stated clearly in my veto message that I agreed with the General Assembly that no gender transition surgeries should be performed on anyone under the age of 18 and I directed agencies under my purview to draft rules to ban this practice in Ohio,” the governor told reporters.

DeWine also told reporters that he had spoken with families ahead of his veto, and said none of them advocated for transition surgery for their children.

“There’s a broad, broad consensus against surgeries for minors, so let’s put that into a law so we can move on and talk about other things,” the governor said.

The governor also announced that he was requiring state health officials to implement rules that included transgender Ohioan adults. The rule would require a comprehensive care plan for trans adults and children

that ensures they see an endocrinologist, psychiatrist and bioethicist.

That portion of the governor’s remarks prompted a fast rebuke from LGBTQ advocacy groups and trans activists.

Shannon Minter, the legal director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights, told the Washington Blade in an emailed statement: “Governor DeWine should be applauded for attempting to prevent a legislative override of his veto of a complete ban on medical care for transgender youth. That said, he has made a grave mistake by proposing restrictions on adult care. Adults must be free to make decisions about their own lives. There is no place for governments to tell adult transgender people how to live or what healthcare they undergo. What DeWine has proposed is dangerous government overreach and it must be stopped at all costs.”

Journalist Erin Reed noted that “these restrictions would all but eliminate trans care, slowing it to a trickle.”

“There are only two states in the United States that

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have imposed similar restrictions on adults to what DeWine is calling — Florida and Missouri. Missouri was a disaster for the two weeks it was in effect, but it got overturned in court. Florida has seen massive trans adult healthcare losses,” Reed said, adding: “Even if the restrictions are as simple as closing down Nurse Practitioners from providing care, like Florida did, that was disastrous as it led to a massive glut in care and kicked most trans adults off. MOST adult care is done via NPs. Especially in underserved areas.”

The governor told reporters that he’s not aware of any complaints filed with the Ohio Medical Board over pop-up clinics. But he said he’s concerned that there are facilities prescribing hormones without counseling, the Columbus Dispatch reported.

“As I spent time looking at this and listening to people, it’s clear that the most important part is the mental health counseling,” DeWine said. “It needs to be lengthy, and it needs to be comprehensive.”

BRODY LEVESQUE

JA NUA RY 1 2 , 2 0 2 4 • WA S H I N GTO N B L A D E.CO M • 1 5

MORGAN PHILBIN

is an associate professor in the UCSF Department of Medicine, and a Public Voices Fellow on homelessness with the OpEd Project in partnership with the UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative.

Progressive states must become safe havens for adolescents

ore oun people eein areas with discriminator policies

JOIN US FOR RESTAURANT WEEK! JANUARY 17TH-21ST DINNER: WED-SUN 3-10PM LUNCH: WED-FRI 11:30-2:30PM HH: WED-FRI 2-6PM

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t should come as no surprise that the new spea er of the . . ouse of Representa tives is anti iven the escalation of such sentiments across the nation. urin the 2 2 le islative session more than anti bills were introduced across 4 state houses more than 2 of these tar eted trans ender and non binar people particularl outh. s of u ust 2 2 more than bills had passed ma in it the worst ear on record for ri hts. hat happens when these discriminator policies force people to move to more supportive enclaves which also have some of the most e pensive housin in the countr and hi hest per capita rates of homelessness his uestion is particularl salient for adolescents and oun adults who often lac social familial and financial support. iscriminator bills include those that limit ender affirmin care re uire schools to notif parents about children s preferred pronouns and lorida s infamous on t a a bill. n 2 2 nearl trans ender adolescents a es live in states that have banned access to healthcare sports or school bathrooms one third of trans en der outh live in states where ender affirmin care is banned or severel limited. tates li e alifornia ashin ton ew or and assachusetts ran hi h on e ualit and continue passin bills to stren then ri hts e. . all ender re strooms trans ender adolescents privac foster care . hese states also have e pen sive housin mar ets and hi h levels of homelessness. hile supportive policies are imperative to counteract the discriminator le islation enacted nationwide pro res sive states must also develop policies and pro rams to support adolescents who are bein forced to move there to access healthcare and maintain their ph sical and mental wellbein . his can include set aside fundin for outh specific housin subsidies and services and the further inte ration of housin a encies ov ernment services and communit or ani ations that serve adolescents. e must ensure that outh who ee to more inclusive states can build a health and full life without fear of housin insecurit .

2 2 uman Ri hts ampai n urve amon 4 adults nationwide as ed if people would move have alread moved awa or have ta en steps to move from a state that passed a ender affirmin care ban hirt four percent of adults and of trans ender and non binar adults said the would move. hile some adolescents have parents with the financial means and desire to leave discriminator states not all are so luc some oun adults must move on their own even without social and financial support. urrentl of the homelessness popula tion and of those e periencin unsheltered homelessness are in alifornia it also has the second hi hest avera e home price and third most e pensive rental prices in the countr . oun people are disproportionatel represented amon homeless outh. hile of adolescents nationwide are the constitute 4 of all home less adolescents nearl 4 of trans ender oun adults report a histor of homeless ness and housin instabilit . have wor ed with adolescents for nearl 2 ears and have seen the det rimental impact that discriminator policies have on all aspects of their health. hile people ma ar ue that these oun people should remain in their home state adolescents in discriminator environments are more li el to e perience bull in poor mental health housin and emplo ment discrimination and ph sical violence. hese outcomes cause poor health and are also nown ris factors for homelessness and housin instabilit . his su ests that the recent and continued uptic in discriminator policies will continue to force adolescents and oun adults to ee discrimina tor states while simultaneousl puttin them at ris for housin instabilit . or more than ears states li e alifornia ew or and ashin ton have been a refu e for individuals who felt unsafe in their homes cities and states. am proud to live in a state li e alifornia that has historicall welcomed individ uals. s voters we must demand policies and pro rams that e tend this welcome to oun people who are currentl under attac . o ma imi e their health and ive them the future the deserve we must ensure that housin and related services are available and affordable to adolescents and oun adults eein discrim inator states.

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PETER ROSENSTEIN

CAREW PAPRITZ

is an educational thought-leader, literacy advocate, and award-winning author of the inspirational book, ‘The Legacy Letters.’

Gratitude and the insurrection — the sweet and bitter

Last musings on third anniversary of attack on Capitol

How do they go together: gratitude and insurrection? Like a warmed sweet apple pie with vanilla ice cream, combined with Brussels sprouts, broccoli, or asparagus. They don’t. They really don’t. Why even consider such a strange combination? Because the start of this New Year is this strange combination, so unlike any other.

We are, as a country and a people, caught in this strange vortex of wanting to bring gratitude and happiness to our lives at the start of this year while trying to understand, dismiss, re-write, absorb, regurgitate, and figure out what the anniversary of one of the momentous days in our republic means to us. And gratitude and insurrection happen to collide as we all are trying to contemplate what this new year means to us.

I’m a glass-half-full sort of guy. I have learned in my years that without trying to bring hope or happiness into the world, I’m subtracting from the world.

But being positive is more than Alice-in-happyland. I believe it’s about doing. People talk about practicing gratitude, which implies almost warming up to do the act. I say, “Do gratitude.” Walk your talk and add happiness to the world. Add joy and smiles, and good deeds, and whatever else comes under the guise of gratitude.

Did you know that doing a good deed can add more than 30% happiness to your daily life? And can even make you 10-20% less depressed. Wow. What if we did two good deeds, or three, or four? Heck, we might have just found one of the keys to immortality — living a positive life.

I’ve travelled much of the world and the one thing I hear over and over again about Americans is how annoyingly positive and outgoing we are. How much we believe in ourselves, and our can-do and creativity. I love hearing this because I am both sentimental and bullish on the American spirit.

As the New Year awakened, it dawned upon me why so many people seem to have a cloud over them. Sometimes it’s just a wisp, for others, a rainstorm. Too many of us are living, not in the world of optimism, but of fatalism. That the world is scary, bad, angry, and it’s going to end at any moment — that’s it’s totally against us, and somehow we have to fight back with every bit of anti-optimism possible.

This fatalism reminds me so much of when losing a football game. I love football. I love watching it and being bored by it. And yelling at the TV and sighing constantly. And when my team loses, it sucks. And I can blame the weather, the refs, the defensive or offensive line, the coach — you name it. And when we lose, we might whine about it for a while, and bitch and moan and thrash about, but ultimately, we let it go. Because the game goes on and everyone understands that this is part of the game of football — or life. And every new game is a new possibility to win, or prevail, or give it your best shot. It’s so American to believe in picking yourself up, dusting yourself off, and trying again. That’s called hope and possibility, and that’s when we are at our very best.

To lose is a part of life. It’s what makes the getting back up again so powerful. To overcome with possibility and hope. It’s what inspires us to be great in our lives, and in our country.

But the opposite of hope and possibility is not. And that is the game I do not play because hope and possibility do not invite anger and ingratitude. It does not welcome scheming and connivance, that there’s always something or someone out to get you — and that you have to get back at them first. It does not cheer for incivility and cuddle up to violence. It does not spread rumor, nor tell us lies that make us believe that a blue sky is polka-dot pink, or that gravity is a conspiracy.

And behind this cloud of negativity that is so prevalent nowadays is an entire industry whose sole job is keep everyone agitated, and pissed-off, and constantly begging for a fight. The “hate machine” is alive and well, and it makes its living off of stirring the pot. How do you fight a machine that churns out hatefulness, every moment of every day?

Start the New Year again, reminding yourself that possibility and hope are a way of life. Try your best to seek the positive in everything you do, remembering that a glass half full continues to become fuller, and that glass half empty eventually evaporates.

Walk your talk and “do” gratitude daily and whenever you see the opportunity.

Spread happiness like the honey that it is. That being good to others is really a golden rule that never feels like a rule. That the game of life is better played as the best of who we are. And that any and all of this pursuit of happiness is a much better way to start our new lives in this New Year.

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

Truman surprised in 1948 — Biden will do the same in 2024 Democrats should stop listening to early polls and focus on the positive

The History website tells us; “In one of the greatest upsets in presidential election history, Democratic incumbent Harry S. Truman defeats his Republican challenger, Governor Thomas E. Dewey of New York, by just over two million popular votes. In the days preceding the vote, political analysts and polls were so behind Dewey that on election night, long before all the votes were counted, the Chicago Tribune published an early edition with the banner headline ‘DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN.’” “Harry Truman was thrust into the presidency by Franklin D. Roosevelt’s death in 1945. Approaching the 1948 presidential election, he seemed to stand a slim chance of retaining the White House. Despite his effective leadership at the end of World War II and sound vision in the confused postwar world, many voters still viewed Truman as an ineffectual shadow of his four-term predecessor. He also antagonized southern Democrats with his civil rights initiatives. Most were sure that Dewey would take the White House.”

The same scenario will happen in 2024.

If this election is between Trump and Biden, then young, old, Black, white, gay, and straight, will vote for Biden. While some may hold their nose, they will come out, and they won’t vote for Trump.

I think reading and writing doom-andgloom headlines and comments about this election by and about Democrats, is something Republicans want us to do.

They want us to read the headlines about some of the polls without looking at the internals. It is the internals from most of the current polling that show Trump will not win. Whether it is the New York Times /Sienna polls, the Washington Post poll, or even the recently released USA Today/Suffolk University poll, they mean practically nothing at this stage of the campaign. We know there are a plethora of issues that will have an impact on this election 10 months from now. They include whether Trump gets convicted on any of the 91 counts he has been indicted on; what the state of the economy is six months from now; what is the status of the Ukraine war and the Israel/ Hamas war; and whether any other war or international incident starts between now and the election.

We know our country is divided. That won’t change between now and the November election. The divisions have

reached a point where the presidential election will be decided based on the electoral college votes of maybe seven states: Michigan, Arizona, Nevada, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Unfortunately, we can predict the results in all the others. No matter who the Republican candidate is, they will not win California or other Northwest states. Nor will they win New York and most Northeast states. Democrats will not win the Deep South. While this is a tragic state of affairs, it is reality at the moment.

Two things today are clearly in Democrats’ favor, and we can thank Donald Trump for both: the abortion issue and the threat to our democracy. He is responsible for overturning Roe v. Wade, and tried to stage a coup on Jan. 6, 2021. Had one, or both of those things not happened, this would be a very different election. The Biden campaign has nearly 10 months to make their case on these issues and the positive state of our economy. The president made a great start on this in Valley Forge, Pa., with a strong speech on how Trump would destroy our democracy. We know the majority of the nation including women (they are a majority on their own), the LGBTQ community, and African-American community, all have something to fear from Trump, and any Republican president.

So let us stop the doom and gloom headlines. Each of the columns following those headlines have good things for the Biden/Harris campaign buried in them, including the recent one in the Washington Blade. I urge everyone who knows they will vote for Biden, or knows they would never vote for Trump, to start your conversation on the election with something positive about Democrats. It is important to stop highlighting the negatives; Republicans will do enough of that on their own.

Just remember what happened in 1948 and know Democrats have a real chance to win both sides of Pennsylvania Avenue.

Then let’s have the conversation about what they can do when that happens: Work toward passage of the Equality Act, guarantee women full equality and control of their bodies; forgive some student loans; and fight for policies to battle climate change. Then everyone must accept a third-party candidate will not win.

CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

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527 N Boardwalk #420, Rehoboth Beach, DE | MLS: DESU2049970

23084 Narrows Lane, Lewes, DE | MLS: DESU2052868 | $965,000

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Do chains and whips excite you?

Mid-Atlantic Leather returns this weekend

By EVAN CAPLAN when capacity is reached or when sale times end. MAL Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend returns to Washing2024 Day Passes will be available for purchase, while supton, D.C., Jan. 13-15, taking place at the Hyatt Regency plies last, on site at the Hyatt Regency Washington beginWashington on Capitol Hill. MAL, as it is known, is a weekning on Friday, Jan. 12. Passes get you inside the hotel end-long event that attracts thousands of participants lobby and the Exhibit Hall, but they don’t give entry to the from around the region and country. It is celebrating its official MAL events and contests, which cost extra. Unlike 49th anniversary. in previous years, all three-day weekend passes will now MAL features a host of events, including an exhibitor include access to the Mr. MAL contest taking place in the hall, the Mr. Mid-Atlantic Leather Contest, and various Ballroom Sunday afternoon, Jan. 14. other parties, both inside and outside the hotel.

Exhibitor Hall

A level down from the lobby, in the ballroom level, the exhibitor space has grown this year, after a smaller set of vendors in 2023. There will be upwards of 30 exhibitors, including local shops like Bite the Fruit, New York-based shops like Rubio Leather, as well as national brands.

Vendors supply visitors with a range of leather and other goods, like harnesses, jockstraps, collars, footwear, accessories, T-shirts, fetish items, rubber items, athletic gear, body and sex products, and more.

New this year as part of the Exhibitor space is the Nasty Pig PEP Rally, working with The D.C. Department of Health. The event is designed to shine a light on DoxyPEP, a treatment recently approved by the CDC to prevent the spread of STIs, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. It follows last year’s initiative, where Nasty Pig turned its booth into an Mpox information space, also partnering with DC Health. At the “Nasty Pig PEP Rally,” representatives from Nasty Pig will be onsite to connect attendees with medical professionals from DC Health who can provide information about and prescribe DoxyPEP. “Our decision to stop selling our clothing at Mid Atlantic Leather in order to team up with DC Health to provide our customers and fans with access to education and information about their sexual health along with onsite treatments was an easy one to make. We are so excited to head to MAL and have fun while keeping our customers safe and making them feel seen and supported,” said David Lauterstein, CEO and founder of Nasty Pig, in a statement.

Mr. MAL 2024

The Mr. Mid-Atlantic Leather Contest is open to gay males over 21. The winner participates as a contestant in the International Mr. Leather (IML) Contest in Chicago during Memorial Day Weekend 2024. Contestants are scored in the following categories: Interview & Pre-judging, Attitude and Personality, Jock Strap stage presentation, and formal leather stage presentation. Judges will assess attitude, presence, and confidence in all judged events. Centaur MC donates proceeds from entry tickets to a charity; this year’s beneficiary is SMYAL.

MAL Entry

Passes are required to enter the hotel. Weekend packages, which included access to the hall and all hotel-based events are sold out. Attendees will have to buy specific passes (one, two, and three days). Three-day passes cost $45; single day pass for Friday or Saturday costs $20; and single day pass with contest entry is $30.

Note that day pass sales are subject to hotel capacity and there’s no guarantee of access if in line to get a pass

KINETIC Parties

This year, as in the past, the party promoter KINETIC Presents is working with MAL Weekend to produce four official dance parties with seven international DJs. All MAL “Full Weekend Package” pass holders have access to the discoVERS Sunday Closing Party. Otherwise, parties require additional cover charges.

Managing Partner of KINETIC Presents, and owner of Bunker, Zach Renovates, says, “This year’s KINETIC: KINK main event features massively upgraded production on stage, for a unique experience partygoers will have never seen before at Echostage.”

Event Name: BOOTCAMP

Date: Thursday Jan. 11 (10PM – 3AM) Venue: BUNKER Summary: Get geared up and show how you’re willing to get down. Can you endure basic training with the beats of Joshua Ruiz? Bump, grind and mingle with your fellow recruits at this kickoff to the weekend’s debauchery.

Event Name: UNCUT XL

Date: Friday Jan. 12 (10PM – 4AM) Venue: Republiq Hall Summary: UNCUT XL takes over all three massive rooms at REPUBLIQ Nightclub. With DJs Onyx and international superstar GSP providing the rhythm to keep you moving all night. Be sure to cruise the labyrinth of extended play zones waiting for you to unleash your most intimate fantasies.

Event Name: KINETIC: KINK (10PM – 4AM)

Date: Saturday Jan. 13 Venue: Echostage Summary: Do chains and whips excite you? Show off your best gear and fetish-wear for MAL’s colossal main event. Featuring superstar international DJ’s Abel and Alex Acosta as they each make their Echostage debut.

Be prepared for wild performances, live fetish acts, and a surprise appearance by performers who will whip the audience into submission.

Event Name: discoVERS

Date: Sunday Night Jan. 14 (10PM – 4AM) Venue: SAX Summary: Official MAL closing party. International DJs Dan Slater and Alexis Tucci spin an unforgettable night of jubilant disco and house music. A special appearance by the provocative Boomer Banks and additional surprise performances will be seamlessly integrated into the high-energy sounds throughout the night. Boomer says, “Sunday night will be a fluid mix of my sexy bangin body where I celebrate brown queerness WOOF.”

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Scenes from last year’s MAL Weekend.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

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CALENDAR |

By TINASHE CHINGARANDE

Friday, January 12

Monday, January 15

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.

Women in Their Twenties and Thirties will meet at 8 p.m. in person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community and also on Zoom. This is a social discussion group for queer women in the Washington, D.C. area. For meeting updates, join WiTT’s closed Facebook group.

GoGay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Happy Hour” at 7 p.m. at Dupont Italian Kitchen. 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.

Glowblow will host “Mushie Monday” at 5 p.m. above Mi Casita Bakery. Guests are encouraged to come out and enjoy a psychedelic experience with the world’s best guide.

Tickets start at $10 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

Saturday, January 13 Genderqueer DC will be at 11 a.m. on Zoom. This is a support group 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 details, visit www.genderqueerdc.org or Facebook.

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.

Sunday, January 14 AfroCode DC will be at 4:00p.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 cost $40 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

GoGay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Coffee & Conversation” at 12 p.m. at As You Are. 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.

Tuesday, January 16 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.

There will be a game night at 6 p.m. at Mixxed/Be You in Adams Morgan. Guests can choose from an extensive collection of games like Jenga, Connect Four, Uno to name a few. Admission is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Wednesday, January 17 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.

House of Sonique will host “The Mouse Trap: Navigating Boundaries and Building Connections Through Rope” at 7 p.m. at Green Lantern. This is a captivating monthly event designed to explore the art of rope play in a safe, educational, and inclusive setting. Admission is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Thursday, January 18 Virtual Yoga with Charles M. will be at on Zoom. This is a free weekly class focusing on yoga, breathwork, and meditation. For more details, visit the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s website.

OUT & ABOUT Shiloh Baptist to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Shiloh Baptist Church will host “Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service” on Monday, Jan. 15 at 8:30 a.m. by volunteering in the community.

The church will prepare welcome baskets for Bethany House and Guest House along with winter baskets for Jefferson Houston. There will be engaging programming for various rehabilitation and healthcare facilities in the community.

Breakfast and instructions will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the church’s sanctuary and the day’s activities will start at 9 a.m.

Guests are encouraged to drop off items in the Worship Center vestibule by Jan. 15. For more details, visit Eventbrite.

El Techo hosts Queer Sundays brunch starting Jan. 21 El Techo announced it is hosting a new Queer Sundays brunch event every Sunday starting Jan. 21 at noon. The space boasts a heated and enclosed Instagrammable rooftop.

The event will be hosted by local drag performer Tara Hoot, who will be joined by rotating out queer DJs each week. Bottomless brunch is $45 and includes margaritas, Bloody Marys, mimosas and Tecates with an entrée.

British musical invasion set for Rehoboth Beach In 1813, the British invaded the town of Lewes in Sussex County, Del. In 2024, the CAMP Rehoboth Chorus is opening its 14th season by bringing a British musical invasion to Delmarva, celebrating British rockers and balladeers from the past 60 years, from the Rolling Stones and Beatles through the Spice Girls and Adele, according to a press release. Concert dates are Presidents’ Day weekend, with evening performances on Feb. 16 and 17, and a Sunday matinee Feb. 18. The Chorus performs at Epworth United Methodist Church, 19285 Holland Glade Road in Rehoboth Beach, Del. Tickets are available at camprehoboth.com.

If you like British music, CAMP Rehoboth Chorus is paying tribute with special shows next month.

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THEATER

Honoring GALA Theatre’s Rebecca Read Medrano From a neighborhood playhouse to a D.C. Latino stronghold

By PATRICK FOLLIARD Awards are part and parcel of the theater world. And that’s a good thing.

The Victor Shargai Leadership Award (VSLA), presented annually by Theatre Washington, recognizes individuals, groups, or institutions whose outstanding service and creative leadership have strengthened the Washington, D.C.-area theater community.

Established in 2021 by Theatre Washington and retired community development banker Craig Pascal in honor of Pascal’s late husband, the VSLA isn’t static. Far from it.

Shargai was D.C. theater’s biggest fan. For many years, he supported the scene – actors, institutions, theaters both big and small – with time, energy, and, not insignificantly, money.

Shargai also served as a long-time chair and member of the Theatre Washington board of directors and played a huge role in shaping the Helen Hayes Awards.

Pascal explains, “Because Victor was such a do-er, we wanted to have something ongoing beyond a tribute to acknowledge his leadership. We want the VSLA to serve as a spur in future leadership. There are lots of challenges in today’s theater; we hope current and future leaders will rise to those challenges.”

On Jan. 22, the VSLA will be presented to Rebecca Read Medrano, co-founder and executive director of GALA Hispanic Theatre since 1976.

Despite enjoying a raft of honors in recent years, Medrano says it’s never been about the awards. It’s always about getting the work done. And there’s been plenty of work.

For almost five decades, Medrano and her late husband Hugo Medrano (GALA co-founder and artistic director) grew GALA from a neighborhood playhouse to a D.C. Latino stronghold with a national presence.

With its many education and outreach programs, GALA has impacted the lives of thousands of young people in D.C. and the body of work from “essential translations of classic work to world premieres from emerging Latinx artists,” has entertained and enlightened a huge swathe of Latino theater-

goers as well as non-Spanish speaking aficionados who (thanks to translated surtitles) have been exposed to works they might otherwise have never known.

Like everyone else who met him, Medrano has a Shargai memory. She recalls how he delved into the experience and energy of GALA without worrying about the language barrier, and how he eschewed GALA’s big opening nights, REBECCA READ MEDRANO (Photo courtesy of GALA Theatre) preferring the matinees attended mostly by students.

He enjoyed their reactions and trusted their insights.

Community has always been at GALA’s core, says Medrano, 75. In the beginning they were mistaken as a community theater. They weren’t, and soon proved you could be a Helen Hayes-winning professional company and also deeply invested in the community.

In conversation, it always becomes evident that Medrano credits her success to wedded teamwork.

“Hugo had a gift of moving into a community and absorbing and opening doors. Whatever GALA’s location — 18th Street or Park Road, or the current Tivoli location in Columbia Heights — he connected with the community around whether political exiles from Chile, neighborhood Black poets, or later immigrant communities from Central America. He created programs that reflected their realities,” says Medrano.

According to Theatre Washington’s out president and CEO Amy Austin, “So many are capable of leadership. It takes an energy and a desire; a wanting to be the person who solves the problem or creates community where they don’t see it exists or create stronger bonds.

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“Leadership comes in many ways and we’re not rigid in categorizing that,” adds Austin. “Last year’s VSLA recipient Paige Hernandez is an amazing interdisciplinary artist whereas Rebecca shows vision about how everyone makes community.”

Easily identified by a shock of trademark orange hair, Medrano, originally a dancer who graduated from Smith College, is perpetually in motion. She can often be found working the GALA lobby, engaging everyone from small children to avuncular diplomats, seamlessly switching from Spanish to English. Other times she’s in the office banging out the grant applications that have and continue to bring the GALA vision to fruition.

From a distance, it seems Medrano hasn’t skipped a beat since her husband’s passing in May 2023. GALA has kept its season going and hired an excellent new producing artistic director, Gustavo Ott. But naturally, feelings remain raw: “I miss him so much. I have to believe he’s still here. That keeps me going.

“It’s a lot about moving forward and creating the next generation. You follow and lead, and you lead and you follow. If we’re an inspiration, I hope it’s a good one and it gives new leaders something to hang on to. It adds to the happiness of your life when you have community.”

Sometimes when running GALA got especially tough, she would complain to her stepmother who’d reply, “You could have married a dentist.”

“That’s something I could never have done,” says Medrano.

The event will take place on Jan. 22 at the Atlas Performing Arts Center (1333 H St., N.E.) and will begin with the announcement of nominations for the 2024 Helen Hayes Awards followed by the Victor Shargai Leadership Award presentation to Rebecca Medrano.

The Victor Shargai Leadership Award Jan. 22 | Atlas Performing Arts Center 1333 H St., N.E. | Theatrewashington.org

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TV

Rough and sexy ‘Open To It’ explores lighter side of polyamory Take a break from prestige cinema and enjoy this new TV series

By JOHN PAUL KING With Hollywood’s big awards season launching into full swing, January tends to be a month all about the movies – especially for people whose job it is to see them all and write about them. It’s a pleasure, of course, if you love cinema; but let’s face it, most of the award-hopeful films getting the spotlight as the new year turns tend to be pretty serious stuff. Everybody needs a break from that, once in a while.

That’s why we’re happy to take a brief pause from the whirlwind of “prestige cinema” to take a look at something that doesn’t feel quite so heavy, and the fact that it’s available in small doses on your screen-of-choice at home – via queer streaming service OutTV – makes it even more appealing. Oh, and it’s also sexy, which doesn’t hurt.

Cut from a similar cloth as some of the edgier “wacky sitcoms” enjoyed by Gen X-ers and Millennials in their younger years – but with a spicier, more diverse flavor to bridge the three-decade gap in our cultural evolution and infuse things with a more Gen-Z-friendly perspective – and assembled as a long-form narrative told in short (about 10 minutes) installments, “Open To It” is the creation of writer/actor/director Frank Arthur Smith. He stars as Greg, a previously repressed gay man now living the dream in West Hollywood as half of a loving, committed relationship with his partner, Cam (Tim Wardell). Though Cam (a self-proclaimed “former slut”) is happy to have settled into comfortable monogamy, Greg is curious to explore the more free-wheeling sexual lifestyle he denied himself in the past. The solution, of course, is for the couple to experiment with the possibility of opening up their relationship, which is where we meet them as the first episode starts: anxiously awaiting the arrival of Princeton (Jason Caceres), a sexy twink they met on Grindr and invited to join them for their first-ever threesome.

Since we already mentioned the word “wacky,” it’s probably not too hard to guess that things don’t go quite as smoothly as planned. Instead of a hot, steamy evening of pushing their sexual boundaries, the two experience a farcical disaster that, for most of us, might be considered a worst-case scenario. That, of course, establishes a formula that more or less repeats in each successive episode, as the show’s plucky lead couple determinedly keeps trying to expand into the brave new world of polyamory despite one hilariously awkward sexual debacle after another, complicated even further by the persistent Princeton, who wants more in spite of the lessthan-ideal circumstances of their first encounter, and the well-meaning but intrusive couple next door (Elsa Aran-

da and Reggie Thomas as, respectively, a bisexual wildchild and her prudish lesbian partner), whose efforts to be supportive somehow all seem to have the opposite result. Add to this mix Cam’s overprotective Drag Mother (Laganja Estranja), and you have a recipe for queer comedy of the most chaotic kind.

Beginning its life on the film festival circuit, where the first few episodes made the rounds and became an audience favorite, “Open To It” racked up millions of online views, prompting OutTV to pick it up as a series — and affording Smith and his crew the budget to complete the rest of the season. With that in mind, it’s not a surprise that the opening handful of episodes are a little rough around the edges, though it doesn’t take long before you see the actors gaining confidence and relaxing into a natural rhythm. Even in their clunkiest moments, though, these early chapters manage to convey the blend of over-the-top (and definitely NSFW) absurd humor and cheerfully unfettered sex-positivity the show is going for with its comedy-of-errors storyline, and that’s enough to make us want more, and watching both the players and the characters they portray develop helps the second half of the season blossom further into itself.

In the show’s press material, Smith says his idea for the series came from his weariness over shows about queer life with “self-sabotaging protagonists” and “a downtrodden tone,” which often tended to take something of a judgmental tone about “polyamorous or otherwise non-monogamous relationships.”

“I wanted to make a sex- and relationship-positive show that normalized gay JOY,” he says. “Sexy swingers, monogamous married couples, people having a ‘50 Shades of Grey’ tie-up night — all are welcome and celebrated in the world of ‘Open To It.’” Whether or not the series succeeds in “normalizing” anything, it certainly makes a determined effort to depict it. It’s a show about sex, centering on characters exploring their sex lives, and it’s not afraid to take us as far as broadcast standards will allow. That boils down to LOTS of sex scenes, some of them looking almost as if they could be judiciously-cropped excerpts from somebody’s OnlyFans content, which might seem more gratuitous than they are if everything else in the show felt like an excuse to show lots of sex – but, perhaps surprisingly, it doesn’t.

While the show (and its main characters, for the most part) may seem fixated on sex, its progression leads inevitably to an exploration not just of the mores and manners of a polyamorous world, but of navigating

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a relationship through it. And while things may seem drawn in broad, cartoonish strokes in the first episodes which have dropped since the show’s OutTV premiere on January 2, developments as the season progresses turn characters that might seem at first like stereotyped caricatures into more complex, unexpected, and refreshingly open-minded individuals, all learning - or maybe, making up - the rules as they go along.

TIM WARDELL and FRANK ARTHUR SMITH explore polyamory.

It’s that willingness to go deeper — all while keeping things light and as near to ridiculous as possible without becoming pure anarchy — that ultimately helps “Open To It” pay off. To be sure, the writing, especially early on, sometimes borders on the clunky and contrived, more nervous exposition than tone-setting introduction, and the tropes it embraces (more in fun than as reinforcement) about queer “types” and relationships might occasionally be off-putting to viewers looking for a more nuanced approach. Yet in the end, and in surprising ways, the show finds a way forward that promises to expand each of its queer “stock” characters — the repressed gay child acting out sexually as an adult, the too-good-tobe-true sexy-but-smart boyfriend, the tough-loving and “tea”-spilling drag queen, the opposites-attract cliché of the lesbian couple next door — into more fully fleshedout, complex individuals.

With three more episodes in post-production, and “much more to come,” according to Smith, it appears we’ll have a chance to watch that process continue. And while it may not be the kind of slick-and-polished fare that bigger-budget streaming services use to attract queer viewers, there’s something about its raw-and-unvarnished quality that makes it feel a lot more sincere than most of them — even it doesn’t make the cut when the next “awards season” rolls around.

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BOOKS

‘The Risk It Takes to Bloom’ offers plainspoken inspiration An accessible trans coming-out story

By TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER fortable in women’s clothing than in men’s attire. To Willis, the The catalogs should start arriving soon. drag troupe had begun feeling like family. She settled into life If you’re a gardener, that’s a siren song for you. What will as a gay drag performer, because that was the “language” she you put in your pots and plots this spring? What colors will you had. have, what crops will you harvest? It never gets old: put a seed And then one day, while talking on the phone with an onno bigger than a breadcrumb into some dirt and it becomes again off-again boyfriend, something important hit Willis, dinner in just weeks. All it needs, as in the new memoir “The hard.

Risk It Takes to Bloom” by Raquel Willis, is a little time to grow.

“I think I’m a woman,” she told him. “I’m a woman — I am.”

The last time Raquel Willis remembers being completely Sometimes, it takes a while to understand the person you safe and loved without strings attached was at age five, at a really are. Half a book, in this case, because “The Risk It Takes talent show. Shortly afterwards, some elders began telling to Bloom” is quite wordy: author Raquel Willis tells her story in Willis to speak with “a particular brand of clear,” to move difexcruciating detail, and it can get rather long. ferently, to act differently. Willis was a Black boy then, and that And yet, the length allows for clues that readers can follow, was how her father worked against his son’s “softness.” to truly see the woman, the activist and writer, who penned Willis didn’t know the truth about herself then, but other this book. But is that enough to attract readers? What sets this boys did. So, eventually, did the girls, as a grade school Wilbook apart from other, similar books by star-powered Black lis “gravitated... toward” them. Young Willis prayed for God to trans women? “just make me a girl” but the bullying that had already begun The answer lies in the approachability of its author. only got worse.

Willis tells her tale with a more anchoring feel, more downShe changed schools and things were no better; meanto-earth, like she could have lived up the street from you or sat while, her father tried “even harder to correct who I was bein the last row of your high school algebra class. You could’ve coming.” Friends and online friends were encouraging and known her. You could know someone like her. Or Willis could supportive, offering her courage to come out to her mother, be you. who thought it was “a phase.” Her father was angry, then acIndeed, this book might hold plainspoken inspiration for cepting. Other family members took Willis’s news in stride. anyone who needs it. If that’s you, get “The Risk It Takes to It was going to be OK. More than OK, in fact, because Willis Bloom,” find a chair, and plant yourself. was introduced to drag, and she started to feel more com-

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‘The Risk It Takes to Bloom: On Life and Liberation’

By Raquel Willis

c.2023, St. Martin’s Press | $29 | 384 pages

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DINING

D.C.’s Restaurant Week is back with expanded pricing structure ‘More dining options to customers at a variety of price points’

By EVAN CAPLAN The wintertime culinary highlight is back: Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) Winter Restaurant Week returns Monday, Jan. 15, through Sunday, Jan. 21.

The big news: Restaurant Week is expanding its pricing structure. Participating restaurants can offer multi-course brunch (including on Jan. 15, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day) and lunch menus for $25 or $35 per person. Dinner menus now run for $40, $55, or $65 per person. And again, many restaurants will also offer cocktail and wine (and non-alcoholic) pairings, giving diners various ways to drink (or not) along with their meals.

RAMW President & CEO Shawn Townsend said that the new “menu prices have been added to the promotion to allow more restaurants to participate and have these participants offer more dining options to customers at a variety of price points that fit every budget.”

More than 250 restaurants across the city, Maryland, and Northern Virginia are participating this year.

Sabores, and Makers Union; first-time Maryland participants include Charley Prime Foods in Gaithersburg and several Milk and Honey locations.

RAMW is highlighting the H Street, N.E., neighborhood (which this author noted is struggling in his 2023 D.C. Dining Year in Review) through the participation of an overflowing handful of new (Ethiopic, Granville Moore’s, Irregardless, Paste & Rind, Pow Pow, The Queen Vic, Sospeso, and Sticky Rice) and returning (Mozzeria, Maketto, Stable, and Sticky Fingers Diner) spots. In fact, H Street is home to the only two vegan restaurants participating, Sticky Fingers and Pow Pow. To support LGBTQ-run restaurants, diners could visit Hank’s Oyster Bar (Dupont Circle and on the Wharf), owned by Jamie Leeds. Gay-owned KNEAD Hospitality + Design is involving its restaurants in the promotion. The group’s restaurants include Gatsby, Mi Vida, The Grill, and more.

The “RW-To-Go dinner meals,” a program popular during the pandemic, has ended.

As Restaurant Week was originally created for people to dine-in, “we would love for people to get out and enjoy meals in restaurants,” said an RAMW representative.

Some spots are offering additional deals, extended timelines, and other options.

For example, Buena Vida Gastrolounge and Ambar are extending promotions through Jan. 28.

Winter Restaurant Week is also offering a Diner Rewards Program. Participants are entered into prizes for each Washington Restaurant Week cycle, including gift cards, cookbooks, and event tickets.

“Restaurant week is important because it brings people together, boosts the economy, and puts a spotlight on all of the wonderful restaurants in the region,” says Townsend.

The Washington Blade held a short interview with two restaurateurs: one returning, and one new (responses have been edited for space and clarity).

Returning restaurant: Trummer’s. Responses by Stefan Trummer, owner.

BLADE: Why is your restaurant participating in Winter Restaurant Week?

TRUMMER: We are excited to offer our guests a fun menu to encourage diners to try both our lunch and dinner experience. We haven’t participated in RW since before COVID and it feels right to get back on track with this promotion.

BLADE: What do you like about the promotion?

TRUMMER: Restaurant Week often attracts new guests to the restaurant. It gives us a chance to meet some new diners and offer our menus to a wider audience.

JAMIE LEEDS’s ever-popular Hank’s Oyster Bar is among venues participating in Restaurant Week. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

A non-comprehensive list of new restaurants: • Latin-inspired Flora at luxe Wharf hotel Pendry • Modern Malaysian restaurant Makan in Columbia Heights • Mita in Shaw, a showstopping vegetarian restaurant that opened less than a month ago • Ceibo in Adams Morgan, a unique Uruguayan restaurant that opened in October • Code Red in Adams Morgan, a halfway hidden mood-lit speakeasy-style spot • Mercy Me at Yours Truly Hotel, which just debuted a new menu • Little Black Bird, a cozy wine bar • Michelin-starred Xiquet DL in Woodley Park, where the everyday tasting menu runs a cool $265 • Big-name celebrity chef Jose Andres’ blockbuster new restaurant The Bazaar.

In NoVa, there are also a few first-timers, including Ingle Korean Steakhouse,

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BLADE: Tell us something unique and specific about your restaurant TRUMMER: Trummer’s is a modern bistro in a beautiful historic building and town.

Each room of the restaurant offers different experiences from the bar with specialty cocktails and a massive whiskey list to the Winter Garden with bright airy dining or the Wine Room with a large picture window looking into our expansive wine cellar.

New restaurant: Fireclay. Responses by Frank Gray, executive chef at the Hotel Washington.

BLADE: Why is your restaurant participating in Winter Restaurant Week?

GRAY: Fireclay at Hotel Washington is a newcomer to the downtown D.C. gastronomy. It is joining the rooftop bar, Vue at the Hotel Washington. (Formerly POV at W Hotel). This is Fireclay’s inaugural Restaurant Week and we want to showcase all it has to offer.

BLADE: What do you like about the promotion?

GRAY: It gives newcomers such as Fireclay extra exposure in the D.C. market alongside some of the best restaurants in D.C. BLADE: Tell us something unique and specific about your restaurant?

GRAY: It is a “kissed by fire” food and beverage concept. All dishes and drinks have a component of smokiness and the majority of dishes are finished in wood burning Argentine-style ovens.

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REAL ESTATE

Few home décor materials possess enduring allure of leather A symbol of quality, craftsmanship, and luxury

By VALERIE M. BLAKE

Think back. Do you remember your mother or grandmother having a set of leather-topped nesting tables with gold embossed borders and spindle legs? Ours were from the ‘50s and were part of our living room décor for years.

Few materials possess the enduring allure of leather.

For centuries, this remarkable material has woven itself into the fabric of human history and cultures as a symbol of quality, craftsmanship, and luxury.

From its earliest roots in ancient civilizations to its prominent place in contemporary design, leather products are a testament to both the talent of skilled artisans and the appeal of natural materials. In exploring the multifaceted world of leather, we uncover not just a material, but a unique blend of versatility and durability that has solidified its place in our homes, memories, and imaginations.

Leather has carved a niche in home décor, transcending over the years from purely functional to a symbol of refinement and elegance. Its use within domestic spaces spans centuries, offering a versatile canvas for interior design.

From furniture upholstery to accent pieces and accessories, leather has firmly established its presence, adding a touch of richness and character to homes worldwide.

One of the most prevalent and impactful uses of leather in homes is through furniture. Leather sofas, armchairs, and recliners are known for their lavishness and comfort.

The richness, scent, and texture of leather have a distinct appeal, elevating the ambiance of any room.

Whether it’s a Chesterfield sofa exuding old-world charm or a sleek, contemporary sectional, leather furniture has an aura of sophistication while being resilient against everyday wear and tear. Leather’s natural ability to adapt and evolve, developing a unique patina over time, ensures that these pieces not only last, but also acquire character as they age.

Beyond furniture, leather extends its influence into various home accessories, enhancing both practicality and style. Leather accents such as cushions, throws, and rugs bring warmth and natural materials to spaces, effortlessly blending with different decorating styles.

In contemporary interior design, leather wall coverings have emerged as a statement option, adding depth to walls and imparting a sense of opulence. These coverings, available in various finishes and colors, create focal points or accent walls, transforming spaces with their tactile appeal.

Leather has been used in home décor for years.

Leather is seen wrapping headboards and tabletops, providing a luxurious and long-lasting alternative to wood or fabric. It can also be used in architectural elements such as door panels, cabinetry, and countertops, though the more textured your countertops, the harder they’ll be to clean. In the same vein, leathered countertops chip and scratch more easily than their shiny counterparts; however, they may be perfect for the person who wants an outré designer kitchen but prefers restaurant dining or Door Dash to cooking a splendiferous meal at home.

Have you considered acoustic leather tiles? They stay cool in summer, stay warm in winter, and absorb sound.

Be ready to shell out some cash, though. The average cost of leather floors ranges from $15 to $50 per square foot, depending on the pattern and finish. Installation, however, costs about the same as any tile flooring.

Additionally, leather finds its way into smaller items like

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magazine holders, trays, and coasters. Such accessories serve as understated features, tying together different design components within a space. Even leather cabinet or dresser knobs and pulls can be found at a small cost.

The appeal of leather in home décor goes beyond its eye-catching look; its practical advantages also make it a popular choice among homeowners. Leather’s resilience and ease of maintenance contribute significantly to its desirability.

Unlike many other materials, quality leather ages gracefully, gaining character instead of showing signs of wear.

Simple care routines, such as periodic conditioning, ensure its longevity, making it an investment that endures for generations. Leather’s hypoallergenic properties and resistance to dust mites also make it a practical choice for households, especially for individuals with allergies or sensitivities.

For those averse to using animal hide, we have “Vegan Leather.” You can select from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyurethane (PU), made from synthetic materials, petroleum, and other chemicals. Better still, there are plantbased versions, made with cactus, mushroom, cork, pineapple, and grapes.

Whether real leather or a simulated version, its ability to blend functionality, ease of care, and aesthetic appeal makes it a perfect choice for interior design, adding a touch of class and ageless charm to living spaces.

But for your chaps, harnesses, and formal attire during Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend events, choose authentic leather. It breathes better in a confined, hot environment than the artificial stuff.

VALERIE M. BLAKE

is a licensed Associate Broker in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia with RLAH Real Estate / @properties.

Call or text her at 202-246-8602, email her via DCHomeQuest.com, or follow her on Facebook at TheRealst8ofAffairs.

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