Washington Blade, Volume 55, Issue 05, February 02, 2024

Retail King (Photo courtesy of Macy’s)

Macy’s CEO

Jeff Gennette

on coming out, AIDS, retirement — and what’s next, PAGE 10

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Former Council member Brown running for D.C. congressional delegate Says he will be more ‘proactive’ in supporting LGBTQ issues than Holmes Norton

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

Michael A. Brown, who served as an independent At-Large member of the D.C. Council from 2009 to 2013 and emerged as a strong supporter of LGBTQ rights, says he is running in the city’s June Democratic primary for D.C.’s non-voting delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Brown and five other lesser-known candidates are challenging incumbent Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D), who has held the seat since 1991 and announced she is running for re-election for her 18th two-year term in office.

Norton has been a longtime outspoken supporter of LGBTQ rights, and her supporters say she has done all she could to fight anti-LGBTQ amendments and other hostile initiatives introduced by Republican House members in recent years.

Brown told the Washington Blade in an interview last week he has picked up nominating petitions to begin the process of obtaining a required 2,000 signatures to get on the primary ballot. He said he has no disagreements with Norton on the issues facing D.C. in Congress.

“And I have a great amount of respect for her,” he said. “I just think it’s time for a new voice, a new, more aggressive and proactive voice that wants to get into the fight against people that are trying to harm the LGBT community” and the city, he told the Blade “So, my respect for her, again, is tremendous,” he said. “I just think it’s time for a new voice. And with the track record I have with the LGBT community, I look forward to that fight.

And I look forward to their support.”

He points out that he was among those who pushed for D.C. Council legislation legalizing same-sex marriage and strengthening the city’s hate crimes law.

Brown, 57, an attorney, currently works as Senior Adviser

for the D.C.-based international law firm Potomac International Partners, Inc., which specializes in lobbying on behalf of both nonprofit advocacy organizations and corporations.

Prior to his term on the D.C. Council, he worked for three other law firms that engage in lobbying and prior to that he worked as a legislative assistant to former U.S. Rep. Peter Rodino (D-N.J.).

He told the Blade that his longtime experience as a lobbyist on Capitol Hill gives him the inside knowledge of the workings of Congress that he will use for D.C. Most D.C. political observers have said Norton is highly regarded among most D.C. voters, who have re-elected her by lopsided margins and she is expected to win another term once again in office. Some observers say that now, those who run against her most likely want to build name recognition for a future race for the non-voting delegate seat after Norton, who is 86 years old, retires.

In response to a request from the Blade for comment on Michael A. Brown’s decision to run against her, Norton released a short statement.

“I’m running again to represent my District of Columbia constituents for Congress,” she said. “I will be using my valuable seniority to continue to bring home benefits and to make progress on D.C. Statehood where it has passed twice in the House of Representatives.”

Among other things, Brown said he would take a more aggressive approach to fighting efforts by far-right Republican House members to introduce amendments to federal spending bills targeting LGBTQ rights, including those targeting transgender-related issues.

“We as a city seem to sit back and we’re always reactionary,” he said. “I would love to be more proactive about these

Comings & Goings

New Q Street board announced; Varona named top legal educator

By PETER ROSENSTEIN

The Comings & Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our community. We want to recognize those landing new jobs, new clients for their business, joining boards of organizations and other achievements. Please share your successes with us at: comingsandgoings@washblade.com.

Congratulations to the new board of directors of Q Street (the LGBTQ lobbyist association). Having served on its board in the past, I am pleased to see such accomplished people offering to serve today.

The new president is Yesenia Alvarado Henninger of Purple Strategies. She is the first person of color to lead the 20-year-old organization. Congratulations also to Riley Kilburg of Center Forward, elected secretary; and Brad Howard of the Vogel Group, treasurer. Other newly elected board members are Rob Curis of Lowe’s Home Improvement and Stu Malec of Progressive Policy Institute. They join re-elected board members David Reid of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, and Jenny Kane of Altria.

Congratulations also to Anthony E. Varona recognized as one of the 20 most influential legal educators in the nation by The National Jurist. The publication characterizes the 20 featured leaders as “major forces in shaping legal education.” Verona is starting his fourth semester as dean and

professor of law at Seattle University School of Law. He is an award-winning teacher and scholar, and longtime leader in legal education, especially known for spearheading curricular and programmatic innovations in technology and the law, internationalization, and diversifying the legal profession and legal education itself.

Upon receiving this distinction, he said, “This recognition reflects the influence and leadership of my brilliant Seattle University School of Law faculty and staff colleagues, and our extraordinary alumni – so many of them leaders in service of justice – more than it says anything about me. It is a great privilege to be dean of this outstanding law school and a member of this innovative, diverse, and dynamic community.”

Varona is a first-generation college graduate who immigrated as a child from Cuba and whose native language is Spanish; making legal education and the profession more accessible and diverse is a personal mission. In July 2022, Varona became the first Latinx dean of any law school in the Pacific Northwest, and the first openly gay male and Latinx dean of Seattle U Law. He also broke barriers at the University of Miami School of Law, where he served as its first Latinx and openly gay dean. Varona serves as co-chair of the Washington State Bar Licensure Task Force (WBLTF). He has been a leading and sought-after national voice on the im-

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MICHAEL BROWN (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

particular issues. So, maybe these amendments never get put in in the first place,” Brown said, adding, “I would continue to work with Sen. Schumer to block these amendments.” He was referring to Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), who currently serves as Senate Majority Leader.

Brown also acknowledged that his conviction on a federal bribery charge in 2014 after pleading guilty to accepting $55,000 in cash payments from undercover FBI agents posing as officials with a company trying to do business with the D.C. government will surface as an issue in his campaign for the congressional delegate seat. He was sentenced to a 39-month federal prison term before being released in 2017.

The Washington Post has reported Brown’s attorney attributed Brown’s illegal actions to personal financial challenges, including expenses related to a 2011 divorce. At the time of his sentencing Brown apologized for his actions and said he was “caught up in a culture of corruption running rampant in our city,” according to the Post.

“Obviously, people are aware of my history,” Brown told the Blade. “I’ve taken full responsibility for it and paid a price,” he said. “But you know, I’m not perfect. But I’m perfect for this job,” he said, referring to his run for the D.C. congressional delegate seat.

“And obviously I’m looking forward to really fighting hard for statehood and to keep these amendments from popping up related to the LGBT community,” Brown said.

portance of making legal education and the legal academy more diverse. He is the founding co-chair of the Hispanic National Bar Association, and the Association’s Task Force on Law Faculty and Deans.

Michael Kaufman, dean of Santa Clara University School of Law, wrote, “Dean Anthony Varona is an impactful scholar, beloved educator, devoted public servant, and transformative leader, who has worked tirelessly and effectively to expand access, affordability, and equity in legal education and the profession. By his example of remarkable skill, talent, tenacity, and kindness, he has inspired a generation of law students, legal educators, and professionals to follow the trail which he has blazed in building the future of justice for us all.”

The new Q Street board is led by President YESENIA ALVARADO HENNINGER.

ANTHONY E. VARONA

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Alexandria City High School teacher called ‘faggot,’ threatened by students: report Letter to school board says school officials failed to adequately respond

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

An English teacher who identifies as gay reports being verbally and physically threatened at Alexandria City High School and says school officials have failed to adequately respond to the students’ behavior, which he says included hurling the name “faggot” at him.

The teacher, Matthew Henry, who holds a doctorate degree, sent a detailed two-and-a-half-page letter to the Alexandria School Board through its online public comment site describing how he believes he’s facing threats by students.

“In my 13 years at ACHS, a school I love, I have never previously been called faggot to my face,” Henry states in his letter. “I have never been made to feel less than by any student that I can recall due to my sexuality, even if their religion, culture, church, neighborhood, friends or family tells them otherwise,” he wrote.

“Twice now this year, students have used that word toward me simply because I have asked them to go to class,” his letter continues. “Twice within a month’s time: November 13th and December 13th. Twice now,” he states in his letter. “A third time I was physically threatened, though that word was not used.”

He states that on the day he wrote his letter to the school board a student “wondering the halls” asked him a question about a location within the school he was looking for. When Henry responded, another student replied, “We ain’t talkin to you, faggot,” Henry recalls in his letter.

The letter, a copy of which the Washington Blade received from an Alexandria Public Schools spokesperson, has no date on it. But the Alexandria Times, which was the first media outlet to report the story on Henry’s letter

to the school board, reports that the letter was sent early “this year.”

Henry has not responded to a request from the Blade to be interviewed about his report of anti-gay threats from students. His letter also does not say how the students targeting him for harassment learned that he is gay or whether he self identifies as gay at his school.

In response to a request from the Blade, the Alexandria Public Schools sent the Blade a short statement from Julia Burgos, the school system’s Chief of School & Community Relations, which was released in response to media inquiries.

“Please know that safety is a top priority at Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS),” the statement says. “We are dedicated to creating a safe and welcoming environment

for all students, staff, visitors and members of our school community,” the statement continues.

“To that end, we place a strong emphasis on adherence to our Student Code of Conduct with our students,” it says. “When we are made aware of matters that do not align with our code of conduct, we address them and take appropriate action with those students as warranted,” the statement concludes.

The statement does not say whether school officials have taken action against any of the students who Henry says have threatened him or subjected him to anti-gay name calling.

“Here, we count on the administration and this district to defend us when needed through quick and efficient consequences,” Henry says in his letter. “And I feel like my school and district is letting me down,” he wrote.

“This is why I’m so shaken by this. I am not allowed to defend myself and my instinct is to defend, both myself and others, especially LGBTQ+ students, in all aspects of my life,” he states.

“The world ‘faggot’ immediately alerts me and other LGBTQ+ people that a situation is now dangerous,” Henry’s letter continues. “The response by campus leaders was very unsatisfactory,” he wrote.

“The hallways of this school are an absolute NIGHTMARE,” Henry concludes in his letter. “I love being an educator, I love this school, and teaching is something I think I’m really good at. Many in this building feel the same,” his letter states. “It saddens me that a small group of students in this school is taking that away from us and is forcing many of us to look for off-ramps.”

Md. man guilty of hate crimes targeting same-sex couple Frederick County jury convicts on trespassing, harassment outside victims’ house

By LOU CHIBBARO JR.

MICHAEL DAVID BURNS, 53, a resident of Thurmont, Md., was found guilty of 10 charges.

A Frederick County, Md., Circuit Court jury on Jan. 25 found Michael David Burns, 53, a resident of Thurmont, Md., guilty of 10 charges, including three hate crimes, harassment, and trespassing related to his targeting a same-sex couple who are his neighbors.

A statement released by the Office of the Frederick County State’s Attorney says the conviction came after a three-day trial. The

statement does not disclose the names or gender of the victims.

“The victims, a same-sex couple who are neighbors of the defendant, reported the trespassing and harassment last year directly to the State’s Attorney’s Office,” the statement says. “Beginning in March 2023, Assistant State’s Attorney, Carly Gibson, investigated the case by visiting the home of the victims and reviewing the evidence thoroughly,” it says.

“ASA Gibson’s findings warranted numerous charges, including the defendant’s continually trespassing onto the victims’ property while in possession of a rifle, verbally harassing the victims with hate-based threats, throwing large rocks on the victims’ driveway to prevent them from accessing their property, and physically blocking the entrance to the property,” the statement states.

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It says defendant Burns has been placed on home detention, to be monitored by a monitoring device, until his sentencing, which is scheduled to take place on April 4, 2024.

“Everyone deserves to feel safe in their communities, regardless of race, sexual orientation, faith, or other status,” Frederick County State’s Attorney Charlie Smith said in the statement. “When hateful words turn into hateful actions, the State’s Attorney’s Office will work diligently to protect the public and secure a just outcome,” he said.

“Hopefully, these convictions send a strong message that hate will not be tolerated in Frederick County.”

Frederick County Public Defender Service attorneys Meghana Vodela and Linda Beth Ziet, who court records show served as Burns’s defense attorneys, could not immediately be reached for comment.

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Retail king

Macy’s CEO Jeff Gennette on coming out, AIDS, retirement — and what’s next

By KEVIN NAFF | knaff@washblade.com

Jeff Gennette’s personal and professional journey is a unique one.

Coming out in 1983 to supportive parents. Finding community as an openly gay man in ‘80s San Francisco, watching scores of friends die but ultimately surviving the AIDS plague. Embracing his sexual orientation professionally and excelling as a result. Cultivating a 33-year relationship, marrying, and having a child when adoption and surrogacy were nearly impossible for gay couples. Spending an entire career with the same company and retiring 40 years later as one of the few openly LGBTQ CEOs of a Fortune 500 company.

And not just any company making widgets, but Macy’s Inc., an iconic brand perhaps best known for bringing all of America — red and blue — together each Thanksgiving morning for 97 years at its spectacular parade kicking off the holiday season.

Now, after 40 years at Macy’s, including seven as CEO, that began with a management training program in 1983, Gennette, 62, is sitting down exclusively with the Washington Blade in a conference room in New York and reflecting on all the progress he’s seen the country make on LGBTQ rights and insisting he wants to stay involved in the fight.

“LGBTQ rights are under attack now and I want to be in that arena — and not as a leader of a public company,” he said when asked about his future plans. “Department store retail is not for the faint of heart and my husband and I have been so fortunate. We know our experience is not everyone’s experience and we’re in a position to be able to do something.”

When pressed, Gennette said he’s not yet sure what that looks like but, “I want to be in the fight,” perhaps in the philanthropic and donor space. He and husband Geoff Welch plan to take a few months to think through what’s next and how they might play a role in the LGBTQ movement. “That’s a clear passion of mine,” he said.

Gennette cites two professional accomplishments of which he’s most proud: leading Macy’s out of the retail-killing pandemic with a stronger balance sheet than before COVID; and helping to create the various DEI programs that foster an inclusive, healthy culture at the sprawling company.

“I get a lot of energy from that and will take that into my next chapter.”

His last day at Macy’s will be Friday, Feb. 2 and it’s fitting that his final appointment on his final day is to attend the Human Rights Campaign’s Greater New York Dinner where he will be honored with the HRC Corporate Visibility Award for his “unwavering dedication to bolstering LGBTQ+ inclusivity in business.”

“As the LGBTQ+ community navigates a national state of emergency and faces an onslaught of targeted attacks, having the representation, leadership and support of such dedicated LGBTQ+ advocates fortifies our strength in this fight for freedom and equality,” said Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson in a statement announcing Gennette’s award.

Despite the accolade, Gennette seems uncomfortable with the term “activist” and never would have predicted that he would become an important figure for LGBTQ visibility in corporate America.

“I’m an introvert,” he said, “I never saw myself as a visible

Macy’s CEO JEFF GENNETTE retires effective Feb. 2 after seven years as one of America’s few openly gay CEOs of a publicly traded company. (Photo courtesy Macy’s)

role model. My husband was more of an activist than I was; my head was down doing my work at Macy’s.”

Figures like Gennette have become accidental activists, helping to open minds — and board rooms — to future LGBTQ workers and executives who may never fully understand the challenges faced by previous generations. Chief among those challenges, perhaps, was AIDS. Gennette talks solemnly about those years in ‘80s San Francisco.

“When you lived in the Castro through the ‘80s, it was difficult; you had a community that was just being decimated by the scourge of AIDS and losing friends,” he recalls. “My husband lost his first two lovers to AIDS. Many people I worked with at Macy’s were lost to AIDS, you just couldn’t get away from it. It was a difficult time for all of us.”

Gennette added that living through the worst of AIDS in one of the hardest-hit cities ultimately proved cathartic because of the activism that resulted.

“AIDS shaped my perspective on how a community can come together and influence local, state, and national lawmakers,” he said. “It ushered in a lot of political activity.”

That activity triggered a wave of progress, from affirming state legislation, to out political leaders and celebrities, and ultimately to our first federal legal protections and eventually marriage equality. But the last two years have demonstrated the fragility of all that progress as state legislators across the country have introduced hundreds of bills aimed at rolling back our progress. Our right-wing enemies have tried everything from banning drag shows and LGBTQ-themed books to barring affirming healthcare for trans youth. There’s even a draconian “Don’t Say Gay” law now on the books in Florida that’s reminiscent of Vladimir Putin’s ban on “promoting homosexuality.” Not content with attacking only the LGBTQ community, Florida in January banned all DEI activities at state-funded colleges and universities. Welcome to 2024 America.

How does Gennette view these attacks and setbacks, especially given his own legacy of expanding DEI programs at Macy’s?

“Forward momentum always has consequences and the pendulum always swings back,” he warns. Gennette cites the overturning of Roe v. Wade as an alarming development in efforts to roll back settled law. “This idea about equality I don’t think we’re ever done with it,” he said. “What’s happening with the trans community is a testament to that. We need to stay organized and young people have to be vigilant about that.”

His advice to young people embarking on their careers and applying for their first corporate jobs is to be out and authentic. “You’re never going to show up in your full potential if you don’t. … It’s going to take courage.”

Gennette found the courage to come out in the early 1980s when such pronouncements could mean the end of

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your career and estrangement from family. He was 19 years old and a sophomore in college with conservative but supportive parents. “I had a lot of anxiety about it, I said, ‘I‘m gay,’ — and my mom said, ‘You don’t mean happy.’” His parents were accepting but lamented the presumed loss of grandchildren. Years later, Gennette’s mother would assist in locating a surrogacy program that was open to gay couples, leading to the birth of daughter Judith in 2000.

His mother passed away last October and he describes her as his hero and “most seminal figure in my life — she was a kick-ass pioneer” who carried the PFLAG banner along with Gennette’s father in the San Francisco Pride parade.

Meanwhile, back at Macy’s, Gennette came out to colleagues in his training program. One assistant buyer warned him that “people are talking” and that identifying as openly gay could be a “career killer.” But Gennette ignored the warnings and came out to his boss.

“It was a big relief to acknowledge that to my boss,” he said. “It was like a weight lifted off my proverbial shoulders. I didn’t see senior executives that were gay, but I did see myself in the culture [of Macy’s] … It was a company that did right by disadvantaged communities even then in 1984.”

Gennette’s experience wasn’t the norm for corporate workers in the 1980s (or even today) and he acknowledges that the retail sector was more accepting. And Macy’s, in particular, proved a progressive home and played a key role in shaping the kind of executive he would later become.

“I don’t know that I would be a CEO today if not for that formative experience,” he said. “You’re on the pulse of pop culture and fashion and being gay was a part of my identity, but it wasn’t my full identity and I give Macy’s a lot of credit. I don’t know that I would be where I am if I’d been at a different company.”

Indeed different companies are responding to the recent attacks on the LGBTQ community in different ways. Bud Light faced a boycott last year after a promotional stunt with transgender TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney caught the intolerant eye of Kid Rock. Sales plummeted and parent company AB InBev’s stock fell 20 percent. The company responded by distancing itself from Mulvaney, which led to a boycott call from the LGBTQ community. Meanwhile, retailer Target faced a boycott over its wide selection of Pride month merchandise. The company responded by moving Pride merchandise from displays at the front of stores to less prominent locations in the back, which triggered criticism from LGBTQ advocates.

Gennette said the Target incident had no impact on Macy’s, which offered its own Pride merchandise despite the boycott risk.

“It’s when you flip and succumb to pressure that you get yourself sideways,” he said, noting that, “It always comes back to your core values. We had Pride merchandise at the front of our stores and we were participants in Pride parades around the country.”

Further, Macy’s executives are always paying attention to what’s happening politically and culturally in case they need to respond. When the Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade was leaked, Macy’s decided it would support any employees who had to travel out of state for abortion care.

Other recent events have prompted internal discussion and response.

“George Floyd put us on notice about being vocal about our internal programs and how you use your CEO voice to be true to what you’re doing internally,” Gennette said. “With respect to Macy’s, our core values of inclusion and giving back, we’re always looking for a more inclusive future for all.

We do a good job of taking the pulse of where things are — conservative and liberal voices — and anticipate what could be coming that we need to react to.”

CONTINUES ON PAGE 12

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Brother of former Israeli hostage returns to D.C.

Yarden Roman-Gat, her husband, Alon Gat and their 3-year-old daughter, Geffen, were visiting her in-laws in Be’eri, a kibbutz that is near the border of Israel and the Gaza Strip, on Oct. 7, 2023.

Hamas shortly after 6 a.m. launched a surprise attack against communities in southern Israel from the Palestinian enclave it governs. Four militants placed Roman-Gat and her family into a car with two other Be’eri residents. They jumped out of it as it approached Gaza.

Roman-Gat handed her daughter to her husband and they ran away.

The group the U.S. has designated a terrorist organization held Roman-Gat hostage in Gaza until her release on Nov. 29. Her brother, Gili Roman, a gay teacher and member of Israel’s Nemos LGBTQ+ Swimming Club who lives in Tel Aviv, returned to D.C. last week.

“She’s doing well,” Roman told the Washington Blade on Jan. 18 during an interview at a hotel near Union Station.

Roman-Gat spoke to “60 Minutes” less than a month after her release. Roman shared with the Blade details about his sister’s time in captivity.

He said she was alone, with three men guarding her.

“For 53 days she was observed and subjected to the will of three guys,” said Roman. “We are relieved because she was not abused, and we know that other people were abused and violently treated. This is not her case, but it was still a very traumatic experience.”

Militants on Oct. 7 killed her mother-in-law and kidnapped her sister-in-law, Carmel Gat, who remains in Gaza.

Roman said his sister learned militants had murdered her mother-in-law when she overheard “a very small” part of a song on Israeli radio that had been dedicated to her.

“This is how she found out that she had been mur-

dered, that her sister-in-law is still a hostage,” Roman told the Blade. “Since they didn’t talk about her daughter and her husband, she concluded that they are alive.”

He said the men who held his sister hostage were members of Hamas and were religious. Roman told the Blade that some of them had university degrees and they explained to Roman-Gat why she had been kidnapped.

“She was a tool of war,” said Roman. “They told her many times it is not about Gaza and it’s not about Palestine. It’s not about the Palestinians.”

“The only reason that they’re keeping her is for the global fight for Islam, is a sort of global jihad,” he added.

“Of course, they do not expect to get a Muslim empire, now. She’s just a tool in the long run ambition of them to have a Muslim empire around the world. This is pretty harsh, and they constantly told her that. This is the kind of extremism that she lived in and had to protect herself (from.)”

Roman said they also forced his sister to wear a hijab.

“She said it became her only shield,” he told the Blade.

Roman said his sister didn’t realize she was going to be released until shortly before it happened. Roman told the Blade the militants wanted her to change out of the hijab she had been wearing and to appear happy, but “she wasn’t willing to do that.”

Roman-Gat reunited with her daughter, husband and her family at a Tel Aviv hospital a few hours after her release.

“It was super exciting,” recalled Roman. “It’s like the birth of somebody you already know … it was very, very moving.”

The Israeli government has said Hamas militants killed roughly 1,200 people on Oct. 7, including at least 260 partygoers and others at an all-night music festival in Re’im, a kibbutz that is a few miles southwest of Be’eri.

Carmel Gat is among the roughly 130 people who Hamas continues to hold hostage in Gaza.

The Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry says more than 25,000 people have died in the enclave since the war began. Israel after Oct. 7 cut electricity and water to Gaza and stopped most food and fuel shipments.

Roman told the Blade that many Israelis do not feel safe in their own country.

“We are all feeling so fragile,” he said.

GILI ROMAN in D.C. on Jan. 18. (Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)

Roman said his sister thinks that “somebody could take me” when she is on the street.

“I told her I feel exactly the same thing … like somebody can take my family and I will not see them for 100 days and I will not see them anymore,” Roman told the Blade.

He also pointed out more than 100,000 people have been displaced from southern and northern Israel since Oct. 7.

MICHAEL K. LAVERS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

Macy’s CEO reflects on 40 years of working for iconic company

That commitment manifests in several marquee DEI programs at Macy’s, including S.P.U.R. Pathways: Shared Purpose, Unlimited Reach, which the company describes as a “multiyear funding program to advance entrepreneurial growth, close wealth gaps, and shatter systemic barriers faced by diverse-owned and underrepresented businesses.” The program, created in partnership with Momentus Capital, has invested $30 million in underrepresented businesses and entrepreneurs, Gennette said.

“We’re not taking our foot off the gas.”

The proactively progressive approach of Macy’s begs the question: Do we need more CEOs from underrepresented communities? And why aren’t there more openly LGBTQ CEOs of Fortune 500 companies?

Gennette is confident that the future will bring much more diversity to America’s board rooms and C-suites.

“We’re at the beginning of our journey still,” he said.

“There will be more [out CEOs] in the coming years. I have a lot of interest in increasing LGBTQ presence in board rooms. There’s so much talent out there ready to become the next CEOs, it’s something I think about — how can I contribute in retirement to help on this question?”

Before he jumps into a role in LGBTQ advocacy, Gennette plans to take some time off with husband Geoff. The two met at Gennette’s 30th birthday party in California.

“He showed up at the party and maybe it was the blue Speedo or the sonorous voice but we started dating from that point.”

The two committed to each other in a 1995 ceremony, long before the advent of marriage equality. They’ve been together ever since, living in five states and nine cities.

At the end of our conversation, Gennette agreed to a game of rapid fire.

• On the future of American malls, Gennette predicts there will be fewer of them but that they will be vibrant and offer a different mix of hospitality, eateries, and retail. “They will stand the test of time.”

• On Macy’s collaborator Martha Stewart, Gennette describes her as “a huge talent … authentically a purveyor and tastemaker on so many subjects. It comes across in all her work and programming.

She’s an inspiration … Macy’s had a rocky relationship with her over the years but she has been an icon.”

• On Cher, who performed at last year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Gennette said “she’s awesome, lovely, friendly, open to her fans and is authentically herself. She was aces.”

• On what keeps him up at night, Gennette cited

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his 24-year-old daughter’s wellbeing. “She was interning in a company and got a job offer so I’m resting easier now. She’s ready to strike out on her own, she’s on her way.”

• And on his successor as Macy’s CEO, Tony Spring, Gennette calls him “a fantastic leader; he’s ready and has the right intelligence, experience, judgment, and temperament to take Macy’s to the next series of growth. He has the chance to do what he did for Bloomingdale’s to Macy’s.” He noted that Spring has spent 10 month transitioning into the new role and that he has “the team and strategy and support of the board.”

The Macy’s board recently rejected a $5.8 billion takeover bid after laying off more than 2,300 employees and closing five stores. Shares of Macy’s closed last week up 4 percent after a report that private equity firm Sycamore Partners is interested in taking Macy’s private. Gennette declined to comment on those recent developments but he remains bullish on the future for Macy’s.

“Macy’s serves a big tent — red states, blue states — everyone in America has been touched by someone who’s gay and that activism is changing hearts and minds,” he said. “We serve a diverse nation and standing for that is good for profitable business.”

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Elton John, Taupin to receive Library of Congress prize

The Library of Congress announced on Jan. 30 that it has named singer and songwriter Elton John and Bernie Taupin, John’s longtime songwriting lyricist, as 2024 recipients of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.

A Library of Congress spokesperson said the prize will be presented to John and Taupin at an invitation-only concert on March 20 at D.C.’s DAR Constitution Hall that will be broadcast on PBS stations nationwide on April 8 at 8 p.m.

“Elton John and Bernie Taupin have written some of the most memorable songs of our lives,” said Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden in a statement announcing the prize. “Their careers stand out for the quality and broad appeal of their music and their influence on fellow artists,” Hayden said. “More than 50 years ago, they came from across the pond to win over Americans and audiences worldwide with their beautiful songs and rock anthems.”

Hayden added, “We’re proud to honor Elton and Bernie with the Gershwin Prize for their incredible impact on generations of music lovers.”

The statement notes that John and Taupin began their collaboration of more than 50 years in 1967, when John was a young piano player who started writing music and

Taupin had just begun as a lyricist.

“Their process seems simple,” the statement says.

ELTON JOHN and Bernie Taupin are the 2024 recipients of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.

(Screenshot courtesy of YouTube)

“Taupin writes lyrics and sends them to John who goes to work at the piano and creates a song. The results of their enduring partnership have been simply incredible.”

“Your Song,” “Tiny Dancer,” “Rocket Man,” “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me,” and “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” are just a few songs they wrote together that became timeless standards,” the statement says. “Not to mention the fun they had with “Bennie and The Jets,” and “Crocodile Rock,” which became their first No. 1 single in the U.S. in 1973.”

The statement says the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song was created in recognition of the legendary American songwriting team of George and Ira Gershwin. It is “the nation’s highest award for influence, impact and achievement in popular music,” according to the statement.

John, who is gay and who has been a longtime supporter of LGBTQ rights, established the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992, which has raised more than $565 million for HIV/AIDS grants that have funded more than 3,000 projects in more than 90 countries to care for people with HIV/AIDS and provide education and HIV prevention programs, the statement points out.

LOU CHIBBARO JR.

Sinema spent more than $200,000 on private jets

U.S. Sen. KYRSTEN SINEMA (I-Ariz.) (Blade photo by Michael Key)

Over the past four years, bisexual U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) has spent more than $200,000 in taxpayer funds on private jet travel, a sum that exceeds her yearly salary but does not constitute illegal conduct because senators are granted about $4 million per year to cover payroll, travel, supplies, and other work expenses.

The figure was calculated and first reported by The Daily Beast, which revealed in May 2023 that Sinema had spent significant amounts of her 2024 reelection campaign cash on air travel and lodging in locations where she ran in marathons or participated in triathlons.

Sinema has also spent more than $560,000 on security during her time in office, a figure that far exceeds what most members spend on this expense. Many on the left were outraged by her opposition in 2021 to President Biden’s Build Back Better Plan — to such an extent that the then-Democratic senator was ambushed in the bathroom at Arizona State University.

She is running to reclaim her seat in the Senate against the Republican candidate, Kari Lake, a far-right former television news anchor, and Democratic U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego (Ariz.).

CHRISTOPHER KANE

Fla. DMV: ‘Misrepresenting’ gender on driver’s licenses is fraud

According to a letter obtained by the Blade this week, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has rescinded a policy that allowed transgender individuals to update the gender marker on their driver’s licenses.

The letter, written by Deputy Executive Director Dave Kerner, states that gender will be interpreted as “biological sex.” Furthermore, the letter declares that any person “misrepresenting” their gender marker would be guilty of fraud, facing civil and criminal penalties and revocation of licensure.

The letter, apparently sent out on Jan. 26, asserts that “gender” is synonymous with “biological sex,” and argues that gender identity is “neither immutable nor objectively verifiable.” It suggests that permitting trans individuals to update their gender markers on their driver’s licenses would “prevent the state from enforcing its laws.” These laws include bans on trans individuals using the bathroom of their gender identity and laws targeting adult medical care.

The move marks a significant escalation and seems to have been initiated unilaterally by the department.

This action is in line with other unilateral measures tak-

en by the executive branch in Florida and other states.

These include the Florida Board of Medicine’s ban on trans care, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s directive through the Board of Education to ban trans bathroom usage in schools, and Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s efforts to target adult trans care via the rule-making process. However, none of these examples previously involved driver’s licenses. If upheld, Florida would become the first state to prohibit driver’s license changes under criminal penalty for trans individuals.

The ramifications of this rule could be far-reaching.

All trans individuals in the state with Florida driver’s licenses not aligning with their “biological sex” might immediately be in possession of a fraudulent license.

The state could seek to suspend or revoke the licenses of trans individuals under this policy. Moreover, during traffic stops involving trans individuals, they could face legal challenges with police officers if the officers believe the driver’s license “misrepresents” their “biological sex.”

State Rep. Anna Eskamani appeared to confirm that computer systems were no longer accepting gender changes at FLHSMV offices.

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This development coincides with the consideration of two bills in Florida that aim to prohibit driver’s license changes through the legislative process: House Bills 1233 and 1639. These bills could require all Floridians to sign “biological sex affidavits” when renewing or updating their driver’s licenses. The policy could be a strategy to deter trans Floridians, aware of the bills, from quickly updating the gender marker on their driver’s licenses before their passage. Notably, Florida driver’s licenses typically have long expiration periods, often lasting eight years post-issuance.

Under this policy, trans individuals in Florida could face considerable challenges in daily life. Many have already left the state, and of those remaining, 80 percent reportedly wish to leave. This policy could instantly criminalize trans individuals who drive in the state with updated gender markers. It would compel trans people to disclose their identity in any situation requiring a driver’s license. Additionally, it would provide Florida a means to enforce its bathroom laws, which criminalize trans individuals for using bathrooms that align with their gender identity in many public spaces.

ERIN REED

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Garcia, House Dems pressure DoD over discharged LGBTQ veterans

U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), joined by U.S. Reps.

Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) and Chris Pappas (D-N.H.), wrote a letter last week urging U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to expedite action on assisting LGBTQ service members who were discharged other than honorably under discriminatory policies like “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

The congressmen, all of whom are gay, are members of the Congressional Equality Caucus, which is chaired by Pocan.

“Advocates and historians have estimated that since World War II until repeal, some 114,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines were discharged because of who they loved — many with less than honorable discharges that endangered future job prospects, home ownership loans, educational opportunities, and health and disability veterans’ benefits,” the letter says.

“Now, the Department of Defense has the responsibility to uplift LGBTQ+ veterans who were previously degraded because of their sexuality.”

The lawmakers’ letter asks Austin to provide information to facilitate implementation of the Department’s decision, last year, to (1) review records for service members who were discharged under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” (2) forward cases to their respective secretaries to consider correction through the service boards, and (3) reach out to veterans to make sure they are kept up to speed throughout the process.

Among the information sought from DoD by March 1 is current figures of “applications received to correct the records of individuals charged under DADT or a similar previous policy, total applications relief granted, total applications requests denied, and the respective percent-

U.S. Rep. ROBERT GARCIA (D-Calif.)

(Screen capture: YouTube/MSNBC)

ages for granted and denied.”

CHRISTOPHER KANE

Meta urged to make platforms safer for LGBTQ users in Middle East, Africa

The parent company of Facebook and Instagram is facing calls to improve the safety for LGBTQ people on its platforms in the Middle East and North Africa.

Human Rights Watch, Social Media Exchange (SMEX), INSM Foundation for Digital Rights, Helem in Lebanon and Damj Association in Tunisia have initiated the #SecureOurSocials campaign, which emphasizes the need for transparency from Meta.

The campaign, inspired by Human Rights Watch’s “Digital Targeting and Its Offline Consequences for LGBT People in the Middle East and North Africa” 2023 report, sheds light on the digital threats faced by the LGBTQ community. The report revealed that security forces in countries like Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Tunisia exploit platforms such as Facebook and Instagram to target and harass LGBTQ people, leading to offline consequences like arbitrary detention and torture.

Rasha Younes, acting LGBT rights deputy director at Human Rights Watch, urged Meta to be a global leader in making social media safe for everyone. The #SecureOurSocials campaign aims to engage Meta for increased transparency and accountability, urging the company to publish meaningful data on user safety investment, especially in the Middle East and North Africa.

LGBTQ people that Human Rights Watch interviewed reported severe real-life consequences; including job loss, family violence, forced relocations and mental health issues due to online targeting on Facebook and Instagram. The

campaign calls on Meta to address harmful content, be more responsive to user complaints and enforce policies consistently.

The main goals of the #SecureOurSocials campaign include: • Protecting the safety of users • Addressing online targeting • Consistent enforcement of policies • Investment in user safety • Human rights integration “Governments and tech companies share the responsibility for protecting human rights, especially for LGBT individuals.”said Younes.

Despite previous engagements with Meta, concerns raised by Human Rights Watch said its concerns have not been adequately addressed.

The #SecureOurSocials campaign provides solutions for Meta to ensure the safety of LGBTQ users and urges the company to disclose its annual investment in user safety in the region. It also emphasizes the responsibility of social media companies to respect human rights with nondiscrimination and privacy policies and freedom of expression.

Mohamad Najem of SMEX outlined key recommendations directed at Meta, addressing the urgent need to safeguard user rights, particularly for the LGBTQ community.

Najem underscored the importance of including rights, nondiscrimination and privacy policies and freedom of expression in Meta’s policies. He called for measures to avoid

infringing on human rights, systematic handling of issues and the identification and addressing of human rights impacts stemming from their services.

The recommendations further urged Meta to respect the right to freedom of expression, protect against unauthorized access to personal data and consider the specific experiences of discrimination and marginalization, particularly those faced by LGBTQ people in the Middle East and North Africa.

“Meta needs to ensure that it respects the rights of people, especially when it comes to unauthorized access to their personal data,” added Najem.

Najem highlighted Meta’s struggles with content moderation, pointing out overenforcement and underenforcement issues. The insufficient investment in human content moderators and heavy reliance on automation were identified as undermining Meta’s ability to effectively address content targeting LGBTQ individuals.

Meta’s role in mitigating human rights abuses against LGBTQ individuals on its platforms is highlighted, with the campaign demanding accountability and transparency in policy application. Governments in the Middle East and North Africa are also urged to respect and protect the rights of LGBTQ people, promoting non-discriminatory laws online and offline.

A Meta spokesperson has not responded to the Washington Blade’s request for comment.

AMBER LAENEN

Nearly one-third of Gen Z identifies as LGBTQ: report

New data from the Public Religion Research Institute shows 28 percent of Generation Z adults who are between 18-25 identify as LGBTQ. This significant increase in self-identification among Gen Z highlights a positive shift in the societal acceptance of LGBTQ individuals, setting the stage for a more inclusive and diverse future.

The findings, based on PRRI polling and focus groups conducted between August and September, not only sheds light on the evolving landscape of sexual orientation identification, but also suggests that younger generations are increasingly comfortable and empowered to openly embrace their sexuality and gender identity.

The study reveals that 16 percent of millennials, 7 percent of Generation X, 4 percent of baby boomers and 4 percent of the Silent Generation identify as LGBTQ. This stark generational difference underscores the ongoing positive transformation in societal attitudes toward the

LGBTQ community.

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson

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emphasized the significance of LGBTQ visibility and Gen Z’s role in fostering change.

“Whether at the polls, in marches and rallies, or online, LGBTQ+ visibility matters and Gen Z is a force for change,” she said.

Robinson further highlighted the political consequences of anti-LGBTQ attacks, noting LGBTQ youth who are turning 18 will influence elections.

With nearly 30 percent of Gen Z adults identifying as LGBTQ, the LGBTQ community is rapidly becoming one of the fastest-growing voting blocs in the country. This demographic shift is poised to reshape the American electoral landscape, with projections indicating that the LGBTQ voting bloc could constitute nearly a fifth of all voters by 2040. This voting bloc is expected to wield substantial influence, permanently transforming and reshaping the political landscape in the United States.

AMBER LAENEN

Apply for 2024

JOURNALISM FELLOWSHIP Are you interested in LGBTQ+ Journalism?

The Blade Foundation is excited to open the application process for a spring reporting fellowship. We are looking for an aspiring D.C. based college-age journalist interested in covering D.C.-area LGBTQ+ students. The fellowship runs for 12 weeks starting March 2024 with a $2,500 stipend.

FELLOWS WILL BE PAIRED WITH A BLADE EDITOR FOR MENTORING AND REPORTING ASSIGNMENTS. This reporting fellowship is focused on D.C.-area LGBTQ+ students in the District and what programs and opportunities are available to help them succeed.

It is funded by a generous grant from the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs.

TO APPLY, send a letter of interest, resume, and links to three writing samples (preferably published clips) to Kevin Naff, knaff@washblade.com. No phone calls.

Application deadline Feb 9, 2024

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KATHI WOLFE

a writer and a poet, is a longtime Blade contributor. Her new poetry collection is ‘The Porpoise In The Pink Alcove.’

Still seeing red over Oscars’ pink snub

What’s to blame for failing to nominate ‘Barbie’ director?

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Hi, I’m Seeing Red Barbie.

It’s awards season. The Oscar nominations are in. Once again, I and many other movie fans, are bemused — ticked off by the Academy of Motion Pictures’ nominations.

Especially, its snubs of “Barbie,” one of the most fun, queer, and feminist movies, if not ever, at least, in recent memory.

As others have pointed out, “Barbie” is, particularly for queers, women and others discovering themselves in the face of stigma and bigotry, “The Wizard of Oz” of the 2020s.

Hearing that Greta Gerwig wasn’t nominated for Best Director, though “Barbie” not only received the Oscar nom for Best Picture, but broke the Hollywood record for highest-grossing Hollywood movie directed by a woman, felt like a sucker punch to me.

I wasn’t alone.

Many online wondered: did the movie direct itself? Should Stereotypical Barbie have been nominated for Best Director?

This wasn’t the only “Barbie” snub.

Though it’s one of the best crafted, most beautiful looking films (who will ever forget its vivid pinkness?), “Barbie” didn’t get the Oscar nom for cinematography or editing.

Here’s another thing that hit us “Barbie” aficionados hard: Margot Robbie, (Stereotypical Barbie) wasn’t nominated for Best Actress. Ironically, Ryan Gosling (Ken) received the Best Supporting Actor nom.

I don’t mean to be too much of a curmudgeon. The Oscars are always entertaining.

There were some fab Oscar noms. Some were historic. There were even a fair number with a queer quotient. In a cultural climate of increased anti-queerness, I don’t dismiss this as mere entertainment.

The highlights of the Oscar noms for me include: One of my favorite movies of 2023, “Maestro,” the biopic about bisexual composer Leonard Bernstein’s marriage to Felicia Montealalegre was nominated for Best Picture. Casey Mulligan, received the Best Actress nomination for playing Felicia (who seems just as important, if not more so, as Leonard in “Maestro”).

Queer ally Annette Bening was nominated for Best Actress for playing the title role in the queer-centric “Nyad.” Jodie Foster

was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for playing Nyad’s best friend. I loved “Nyad,” with its queer vibes.

Lily Gladstone made history. She was the first Native American to be nominated for Best Actress (for “Killers of the Flower Moon”).

Gay actor Colman Domingo was nominated for Best Actor for his portrayal of gay civil rights hero Bayard Rustin in “Rustin.”

This movie illuminates Bayard Rustin’s life and role in queer history in ways that no textbook ever could.

But these bright spots don’t mitigate the Academy’s snubs of “Barbie.”

True, “Barbie,” which earned more than $1.4 billion in ticket sales, received eight Oscar nominations. In addition to Best Picture, and Gosling’s Best Supporting Actor nom, two of the film’s fun songs “What Was I Made For” and “I’m Just Ken” were nominated for Oscars. America Ferrera (Gloria) received the Best Supporting Actress nomination.

As others have noted, a woman Justine Triet, was nominated for Best Director for the wonderful film “Anatomy of a Fall.”

Even so with “Barbie,” it’s hard not to feel that sexism wasn’t at work. And maybe a bit of subtle snubbing of queerness.

Since the Oscars began, only three women have won the Best Director Oscar.

“Barbie” is a brilliant movie. It dazzles you with its pinkness, costumes, and music.

Women, girls, queer folk, and even discerning hetero fans take in a funny, non-preachy send-up of the male gaze, perfect bodies, red-meat masculinity and girly-girly femininity. Complete with Sugar Daddy Ken and Kate McKinnon as Weird Barbie. Along with trans actress Hari Nef as Doctor Barbie.

What could be more queer than that?

There are only so many slots for Best Director nominations. But I can’t help but wonder at Gerwig’s omission. Were Academy voters offended by Gerwig’s taking on the male gaze in “Barbie?” Did they ignore Robbie because the movie had such a queer quotient?

Was “Barbie” just too pink, too girly, to get the leading Oscar nods, that a blue, boy picture would receive?

It’s water under the dam now. But, like Kay Thompson in the fab 1957 Hollywood musical “Funny Face,” we can “think pink.”

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F E B R UA RY 0 2 , 2 0 2 4 • WA S H I N GTO N B L A D E.CO M • 1 9

PETER ROSENSTEIN

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

After N.H., Biden vs. Trump rematch is underway 2024 outcome should mirror what happened in 2020

Based on the New Hampshire vote, the general election has begun. With Trump winning the Republican primary over Haley by 11% and President Biden winning 65% of the vote as a write-in candidate in the Democratic primary, the time has come for all the other candidates to graciously, or not, drop out. Nikki Haley, though she has zero chance to win, and will get crushed in South Carolina, has vowed to stay in. The two jokes on the Democratic side, Phillips, and Wilkinson, will likely do the same if they think they can make some money out of it. Despite that, we know it is now a replay of Trump vs. Biden, which I predict will have the same outcome. The media will continue to do everything they can and look at every nuance, and make a big deal of it. They want ratings and readers. Listening to Van Jones and David Axelrod babble on CNN, will get incredibly boring, very quickly.

Biden got serious quickly announcing his senior adviser, Mike Donilon, and Deputy Chief of Staff to the White House, Jennifer O’Malley Dillon, will move to the campaign shortly. O’Malley Dillon will lead the re-election campaign, overseeing its electoral headquarters, and Donilon will be responsible for shaping the primary political strategy. Both were leaders, helping Biden win in 2020. John Kerry will also join the campaign.

Biden needs to continue what he and Harris began in Virginia last week and focus on what people have gut feelings about — ensuring women have the right to control their own body, and healthcare; and saving our democracy. Those are the two issues Democrats will win on. Those issues will win both the Congress and the presidency. Thank you, Nikky Haley, and Chris Christie, for giving Democrats great material for ads against Trump. Haley will continue to do that as long as she stays in the race.

Smart campaigns fight as if they are 20 points behind, and Democrats must do that.

They need to focus on every state where abortion is on the ballot, and need to tie every local candidate to Trump’s bragging he alone is responsible for repealing Roe v. Wade.

There must be a focus on the seven states that will make the difference in the Electoral College. Biden needs to win three of them, which is eminently doable. In Pennsylvania he is ahead by over 7% and leads in Wisconsin. In Michigan, the Auto Workers endorsement will help, and Arizona and Nevada are winnable.

There is the long list of Biden’s successes to tout. If the economy keeps heading in the right direction, that will resonate positively with voters. If Reuters’s reporting is right and “US consumer sentiment races to 2-1/2-year high; inflation expectations ease” that’s good for the president. If Congress can pass a border bill, which now seems possible despite right-wing Republicans, and left-wing Democrats, along with Donald Trump opposing it, Biden gets credit for signing that bill. Then there are the tapes of Trump mixing up his words and speaking gibberish. Trump calling Jan. 6 insurrectionists, “hostages.” His using Hitler’s words when talking about immigrants. All of this will turn off the voters he needs — independents and suburban, college educated, voters. New Hampshire showed they are not Trump’s voters. It will be a very nasty campaign. Anything to do with Trump is.

Then there are the 91 counts he is indicted on.

Democrats must avoid self-inflicted wounds like the accusation that Georgia AG Fani Willis engaged in an affair with a lawyer working on the case against Trump. Norm Eisen, who was special counsel to the House during its first impeachment of Trump, suggests it will not hurt the case against Trump, but it is a distraction. When a man gets involved with a woman inappropriately, they say, ‘Why can’t he just keep it in his pants.’ I am not sure what you say when a woman does it. But then we do want full equality.

In down ballot races since 2018, Trump’s endorsement is the kiss of death. I think, and pray, we see that again. That’s good news for Senate candidates like Sharrod Brown (D-Ohio), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), all running for reelection and Democrats need them to win. Being a MAGA candidate, opposing abortion rights, and insisting the 2020 election was stolen, has not gone over well in previous elections and it won’t in 2024. Only Trump’s cult will buy it.

So, the general election has begun. If Democrats are smart, and stay positive, Biden and Harris will win.

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Two nonprofits partner to support local LGBTQ military youth Blue Star Families, MMAA launch ‘Safe Spaces for Belonging’ meet up

By PHILIP VAN SLOOTEN is an outgrowth of ending that time of serving in siTwo of the nation’s largest nonprofits supporting lence,” said Julie Riggs, executive director of the Sheimilitary families have joined forces to provide newla and George Casey National Capital Region Chapter ly relocated LGBTQ military youth and their families of Blue Star Families. She’s also the wife of a retired safe meeting spaces, fun activities and vital resources Navy service member and the mother of two queer about affirming services available across the district. teens who are former military youth. “In contrast, we’re Blue Star Families, a community-based nonprofit proud of all service and proud to have queer kids.” supporting military-connected families, has partnered While the Safe Spaces program is currently only with the Modern Military Association of America, the available in D.C., Riggs said she hopes to see it exnation’s largest organization serving LGBTQ military pand across the country. The program falls under the and veteran communities, to form “Safe Spaces for Blue Star Families’ larger Campaign for Inclusion iniBelonging,” a monthly meet up for queer military tiative. youth and their families to meet local LGBTQ youth Under the initiative, last year Blue Star Families partand allies while adjusting to their new environment. nered with Howard University and The Chamberlain “Military life is inherently transitory,” said Cathy Project to host a panel symposium at Howard recogMarcello, assistant director of programs for MMAA nizing the 75th anniversary of military desegregation. and the mother of a transgender military youth. “Every The initiative also covers the position of Angie time LGBTQ military youth move, they have to come Cherikos, the Lockheed Martin National Capital Reout again – and they move often before graduating gion DEPLOY (Diversifying and Expanding the Pipeline from high school. We want them to know they’re not of Leadership) Fellow at Blue Star Families. Cherikos alone and give them literally a space where they beis a recent college graduate who describes herself as long.” a former “military brat” who grew up in the D.C. area.

Past events, programmed for youth aged 13-19 who While she only came into her queer awareness within identify as LGBTQ or ally, have included an inaugural the past two years, she always felt different and closeresource fair at MLK library, pronoun button making, ly aligned herself with the LGBTQ community. rock climbing and a virtual trivia night. Events are “It can be frustrating not knowing where to go and open to all area LGBTQ-affirming youth to foster conhow to integrate into the communities I identify with,” nections and help integrate queer military youth into Cherikos explained. “I wanted to ease that experience their new communities. for others.”

Marcello noted military moves have been particuAs a queer person of color, Cherikos said she wantlarly stressful for queer military youth over the past ed to ensure the Safe Spaces program reached out few years. More than 500 anti-LGBTQ bills were introand connected to diverse communities. duced in 2023 alone, according to the Williams InstiShe pointed out the generational trauma inflicted tute. on her age group was not just from the rise in anLGBTQ youth with at least one parent in the military ti-LGBTQ legislation, but also from a variety of issues reported significantly higher rates of mental health impacting different groups in different ways, includchallenges and suicide risks than their peers, according the protests and national reckoning in the wake of ing to the Trevor Project, due to deployment separaGeorge Floyd’s murder, rising gun violence, and the tions and fears of harm for the service member, in advisible impacts of climate change. dition to stress related to potential moves.

Cherikos said one way for her generation to work “We’ve got military families in these states right now through this trauma was to connect and support each with family members who do not have equal rights unother when they can. der the law,” Marcello said. “The family programming In February, Safe Spaces is meeting up for a Valthat we do is in response to the emergence of these entine’s Day cookie decorating event in Arlington, anti-LGBTQ laws.” where Cherikos said a goal is to open up conversaMilitary parents attending Safe Spaces events with tions about who they’re dating or to encourage selftheir queer youth receive information on LGBTQ-spelove in an affirming environment. A yoga and mindcific resources across the district and can ask quesfulness event is scheduled for March in Georgetown. tions, such as if continuing their child’s transition care Each event helps queer military youth learn and exwould be considered “abuse” under local laws, withplore the area while sharing experiences with their out risking their positions or security clearances. new friends.

“Don’t Ask Don’t Tell [the repealed LGBTQ open “One participant said the hardest part of his transervice ban] happened during my lifetime, and this

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CATHY MARCELLO is assistant director of programs for MMAA and the mother of a trans military youth.

ANGIE CHERIKOS is a fellow at Blue Star Families.

sition was not the hormones or anything like that, it was moving from D.C. to Tennessee and not seeing anyone who looked like him,” she said. “So, if you see someone who looks like they just need one friend, use opportunities like this to be that friend for them.

That’s how you make an impact. That’s how you make change happen.”

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By TINASHE CHINGARANDE

Friday, February 02

Tuesday, February 06

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

GoGay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Social” at 7:00p.m. at The Commentary. 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.

Universal Pride Meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom.

This group seeks to support, educate, empower, and create change for people with disabilities. For more details, email andyarias09@gmail.com.

GoGay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Social” at 6 p.m. at Hide Tide Lounge. This event is ideal for meeting new people and making new friends in a casual, facilitated environment. Admission is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Saturday, February 03 LGBTQ People of Color Support Group will be at 1 p.m. on Zoom. This peer support group is an outlet for LGBTQ People of Color to come together and talk about anything affecting them in a space that strives to be safe and judgment free. For more details, visit thedccenter.org/poc or facebook.com/centerpoc.

GoGay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This 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.

Sunday, February 04 AfroCode DC will be at 4 p.m. at Decades DC. This event will be an experience of non-stop music, dancing, and good vibes and a crossover of genres and a fusion of cultures. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

GoGay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Coffee” 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.

Monday, February 05 Center Aging Monday Coffee and Conversation will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. LGBT Older Adults — and friends — are invited to enjoy friendly conversations and to discuss any issues you might be dealing with.

For more information, visit the Center Aging’s Facebook or Twitter.

Queer Book Club will be at 6:30 p.m. on Zoom.

This month’s reading is “Gideon the Ninth” by Tamsyn Muir. For more details, email supportdesk@thedccenter.org.

Wednesday, February 07 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.

Center Aging: Women’s Social and Discussion Group will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This group is a place where older LGBTQ women can meet and socialize with one another. There will be discussion, activities, and a chance for guests to share future event recommendations. Visit the DC Center’s website to RSVP.

OUT & ABOUT Are you passionate about LGBTQ history?

The Rainbow History Project’s volunteer groups will meet on Saturday, Feb. 3 at 12:30 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library.

Volunteers gather to share LGBTQ+ history, exchange status updates, work on projects, brainstorm future plans, and invite prospective volunteers to get involved.

This event is free and more details are on Eventbrite.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with the gals “Fresh Face’s Galentine’s Brunch” will be on Sunday, Feb. 4 at 1 p.m. at Mission Dupont Circle.

This will be a day of food, drinks, and good vibes.

Guests will be able to dive into confidence-building conversations, enjoy medical-grade skincare insights, and grab fabulous giveaways.

This inclusive event celebrates love in all its forms, and welcomes gals, theys, and gays, and aims to build a community centered on self-love.

Tickets start at $45.99 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

Thursday, February 08 The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email supportdesk@thedccenter. org or call 202-682-2245.

Virtual Yoga Class with Charles M. will be at 12 p.m. online. This is a weekly class focusing on yoga, breathwork, and meditation. Guests are encouraged to RSVP on the DC Center’s website, providing your name, email address, and zip code, along with any questions you may have. A link to the event will be sent at 6 p.m. the day before.

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Galentine’s Brunch will be on Sunday, Feb. 4.

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THEATER

A busy Billie Krishawn focuses on ‘Sea Mink-ettes’ at Woolly Mammoth Queer actor juggles theater with philanthropic work

By PATRICK FOLLIARD Striving to be perfect isn’t alien to actor Billie Krishawn. And that’s not unhelpful in playing Shanteé, an intense competitor on the HBUC dance scene in Vivian J.O. Barnes “The Sensational Sea Mink-ettes,” now making its world premiere at Woolly Mammoth Theatre.

Directed by Taylor Reynolds, the dramedy puts the spotlight on an HBCU six-woman dance team as they prepare for their high-stakes homecoming performance. The strain to get it right is tremendous as they deal with team dynamics, choreography, their outside lives and some unusual circumstances.

Never having attended an HBCU college, Krishawn wasn’t familiar with dance teams. But that’s all changed now. “What they do appears effortless; everything is sharp and crisp, perfectly done. I love that energy,” she says.

“I also love playing my character’s many relatable aspects,” adds Krishawn who identifies queer/pansexual.

“Shanteé is team captain, and one of two alfa girls in the group, the one who takes herself seriously.

“She’s very put together on the outside and works very hard to get it right. There’s something beautiful about that effort, but there are also the dangerous bits. It can be hard to be that guarded; to only show up as the perfect version of yourself is unsustainable.”

“Sea Mink-ettes” marks Krishawn’s debut with Woolly Mammoth. It’s also her introduction to the play’s Virginia born author. She recalls a moment in the audition process when the room was filled with about 60 Black women. “It was a wonderful, empowering moment. It continues to be like that. I’m grateful.”

The graceful actor has always been drawn to the arts: “Visual arts were my first love, followed by music — violin and choir — and then poetry in middle school.”

For high school, Krishawn’s mother pushed her to apply to the Duke Ellington School of the Arts something she’d wanted for herself, but it hadn’t worked out. The rising freshman agreed provided she study singing, but her mother demurred, “you’re very dramatic, you need to do theater.” Fortunately for local audiences, mother prevailed.

At Duke Ellington, Krishawn found her theatrical bearings, and continued to pursue theater at Drew University, a small liberal arts college in Madison, N.J. A busy professional career ensued.

The two-time Helen Hayes Award winner (“The Till Trilogy” at Mosaic Theatre Company, “Blood at the Root” at Theatre Alliance) is also a passionate activist.

As a kid, she obsessively rented two favorite films from Blockbuster: “Ruby Bridges” and “Selma, Lord, Selma,” both about the civil rights movement. Later she extensively documented BLM protests with her camera, and more recently, has become focused on community care activism.

As founder of the DC Theatre Community Care page, Krishawn had created a mutual aid page run with the un-

BILLIE KRISHAWN (Photo by DJ Corey Photography)

derstanding that, “we will all give when we can and take when we need.” The group centers specifically around Washington’s theater community.

“Life shouldn’t have to be so hard. Especially during times when we’re all trying to keep our heads above water.”

In 2020, she launched The SoSu Series, a safe space to highlight the work of Black, Indigenous women (cis and trans) and non-binary people of color working in the D.C. theater scene through a sequence of video interviews.

The artists interviewed talk about their personal artistic ventures while also engaging in conversations around the untold struggles of being a woman or non-binary in an often-unwelcoming atmosphere.

She’s partnered with Woolly Mammoth to do a clothing swap and is now working with Studio Theatre to offer free workshops surrounding dance, navigating intimacy in life

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and art, and even a tax preparation.

Krishawn gets a lot done, but for the moment, she’s focusing on the show.

“There’s so much about ‘Sea Mink-ettes’ that appeals to everyone regardless of race, gender, sexuality. Perfection can be beautiful, but holding ourselves to those unrealistic levels keeps us from having human moments. We are just as fierce in all the moments.

“You gotta be that boss bitch, but you need rest at times too,” she adds.

‘The Sensational Sea Mink-ettes’ Through March 3

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FILM

For queer film nominees, look to GLAAD, not Oscar Annual awards highlight performances you may have missed

By JOHN PAUL KING this fluffy rom-com follows Bea and Ben (Sydney Sweeney and Glenn Powell), who – after Hollywood awards season is a bleak time for new releases, simply because most of a fumbled first date – find themselves thrown together at the destination wedding of the offerings being highlighted on our screens – both big and small – are literally last their own siblings (Alexandra Shipp and Hadley Robinson) and forced to make nice with year’s news. Even so, it’s a welcome chance to catch up on some of the titles we may each other for the sake of the happy couple. We won’t lie: it’s neither deep nor terribly have missed before a nomination or two earned them a place in the spotlight they might insightful, but it has its heart in the right place, not to mention a lesbian wedding at the not have gotten the first time around. center of its premise, and the eminent watch-ability of its two charismatic stars does the Unfortunately, the competition roster for Oscar — as well as many of the other big rest of the heavy lifting required to make it an enjoyable, love-affirming romp. award bodies — is woefully short on movies where LGBTQ characters and themes are MOVING ON: Written and directed by Paul Weitz, this revenge comedy reunites iconplaced front and center. Don’t get us wrong: There are quite a few historic nominations ic “Grace and Frankie” co-stars Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin as two estranged BFFs who in this year’s mix for queer talent and content. Still, if we’re searching for the year’s best bury the hatchet in order to get even with the husband of a recently deceased friend. in queer and queer-inclusive cinema, we have to look elsewhere — and that, of course, The material doesn’t always match the level of talent brought to the table by its legendmeans GLAAD. ary leading ladies, but their chemistry more than makes up for the gap, making this one The nominees for GLAAD’s 35th Annual Media Awards, presented since 1990 to a surefire hit for a movie night on your couch. “honor media for fair, accurate, and inclusive representations of LGBTQ people and isARISTOTLE AND DANTE DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE: From the bestsues,” were announced on Jan. 17, in the wake of the organization’s acceptance of the selling YA novel by Benjamin Alire Sáenz comes this endearingly hopeful film adaptaiconic Governors Award at the 2023 Emmys Ceremony for its decades of unwavering tion from Aitch Alberto, in which a pair of Tex-Mex teens in El Paso (Max Pelayo, Reese advocacy and the positive impact it has made in normalizing a queer presence in mainGonzales) grapple with cultural expectations and gender norms as they come to terms stream television entertainment; its picks for the year’s best film offerings, though they with their attraction for each othhave been (unsurprisingly) overer – and, for a refreshing change shadowed by the Academy Award of pace, this time their immediate nominations that were announced families are mostly in their corner. a week later, embody the kind Like many queer-themed indie of cinematic excellence we love gems, this one shines brighter while also ensuring that LGBTQ than its mainstream-produced stories and experience are not compatriots simply by virtue of erased from the cultural narrative not having to care about alienat– and it’s that last bit that makes ing audiences still wrapped up in watching them feel just a little bit homophobic traditions and bemore like lending your support liefs - making it more of a mustwhere it’s truly needed. see for LGBTQ viewers than most That’s why we’re taking the time of the year’s higher-profile offerto highlight some of the titles ings that can be found there. Some of JOYLAND: Shortlisted but ultithem - “All of Us Strangers,” “The mately passed over for nominaColor Purple,” “Knock at the Cabtion in Oscars’ Best International in” and “Blue Jean,” among a few Feature category, Pakistani filmothers – we’ve reviewed previmaker Saim Sadiq’s drama cenously, but we’d love to focus your ters on a low-income family that attention on some of the “hidden is rocked when the father (Ali Jungems” that more or less came jera) takes a job in an erotic dance and went without the kind of fantheater and becomes infatuated fare they truly deserved. Because with his transgender co-star (Alina it’s a long list (GLAAD divides its Khan). Addressing hardline culmovie categories to reflect widetural norms about sexuality and and limited-release films, as well STERLING K. BROWN in ‘American Fiction.’ gender roles, it was predictably as differentiating between narrasubject to censorship and controtive, documentary, theatrical and versy in its native country – but nevertheless managed to emerge on the world stage (it streaming/made for television productions) we really only have room to point out the took both the Jury Prize and the Queer Palm awards at the Cannes Film Festival) as a ones we consider the “cream of the crop.” But we encourage you to check out the full prime example of cinema’s ability to “speak truth to power” in a way that transcends the list of nominations on the GLAAD website for more. And since the awards also cover moral outrage leveled by those unwilling or unable to accept its message. television, literature, comics, and journalism (yes, the Blade is a previous winner!), there’s ORLANDO, MY POLITICAL BIOGRAPHY: Nominated in the Documentary category, plenty to explore even if your tastes run toward other forms of media than the movies. this audacious work of cinematic activism from Paul B. Preciado brings together trans Included alongside the aforementioned titles among the nominees are: and nonbinary performers of all ages in an exploration of Virginia Woolf’s century-hopAMERICAN FICTION: Also up for a few Oscars, this satirical look at race in America ping novel “Orlando,” the tale of a young Elizabethan nobleman who morphs into a from writer/director Cord Jefferson delivers a tongue-in-cheek narrative about a Black woman halfway through the story. Illuminating his own transformation through the auauthor (Jeffrey Wright) who adopts the pseudonym and persona of a wanted felon to thentic voices of the players he brings together, the director captures a universal conmake a point about the way Black stories are accepted in the white American mainnecting thread among the trans and gender-non-conforming talent he enlists for his stream, only to achieve success beyond anything he’s written under his own name. It’s film, daring to suggest that the “norms” enshrined by mainstream culture are ultimately a delicate balance between plausible premise and farfetched conceit, but Jefferson political constructs opposing the natural flow of individual self-actualization. It’s a powmakes it work, thanks to a likable performance by Wright, and scores extra points with erful argument, making for a not-to-be-missed gem of a movie. his treatment of a secondary plotline in which the author’s newly out-of-the-closet brothThe GLAAD Media Awards will be presented, across two ceremonies, on March 14 er (Oscar-nominated Sterling K. Brown) embraces his life as a gay man. and May 11, 2024.

ANYONE BUT YOU: Loosely inspired by Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing,”

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SPORTS

Lia Thomas challenges trans swimming ban Court of Arbitration for Sport confirms proceedings began last September

By DAWN ENNIS The title says it all: “Thomas v. World Aquatics.” It might as well be “Lia Thomas versus the world,” given the global pushback against transgender athletes. But this case, confirmed last week by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, is specific to the organization that in June 2022 banned trans swimmers from competing in elite women’s competitions, as the Blade reported at the time.

Although only announced now, the CAS statement published last Friday reveals arbitration proceedings began confidentially last September. News of the challenge was first published by the U.K. news outlet, The Telegraph.

According to the CAS, Thomas’s attorney — Carlos Sayao of the law firm Tyr, based in Toronto — conceded that “fair competition is a legitimate sporting objective and that some regulation of transgender women in swimming is appropriate.”

But then Tyr went on to argue why the CAS should declare the World Aquatics policy is “unlawful, invalid, and of no force and effect.”

“Ms. Thomas submits that the Challenged Provisions are invalid and unlawful as they discriminate against her contrary to the Olympic Charter, the World Aquatics Constitution, and Swiss law including the European

LIA THOMAS (YouTube screen capture)

Convention on Human Rights and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women; and that such discrimination cannot be justified as necessary, reasonable, or proportionate to achieve a legitimate sporting objective.”

Sayao is himself a former elite-level competitive swimmer who won a silver medal for Canada at the World University Games in 2001 and also competed in the 2002 Commonwealth Games and the 2003 World Aquatics Championships.

He told The Telegraph the World Aquatics’ policy changes constituted a “trans ban.”

“She’s bringing the case for herself and other trans women to ensure that any rules for trans women’s participation in sport are fair, proportionate and grounded in human rights and in science,” Sayao stated to the Telegraph.

Thomas is now a law student at Drexel University who swam for the University of Pennsylvania women’s team after starting her gender transition in 2019.

She was crowned the first trans NCAA Division I individual champion after winning the 500-yard freestyle at the Swimming and Diving Championships in Atlanta in March 2022.

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SMYAL for the New Year

Annual fundraiser for LGBTQ youth services organization held at Red Bear Brewing (Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

The LGBTQ youth services organization SMYAL held the “SMYAL for the New Year” party at Red Bear Brewing Company on Thursday, January 25.

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REAL ESTATE

Selling your home as-is suggests you haven’t kept up with the maintenance.

Pros and cons of selling a home ‘as-is’ Take the time to fill out a disclosure form — it’ll pay off

By JUSTIN NOBLE

When selling your home, be it a single family home, condo, co-op, tiny home, birdcage etc., you are provided a document, in most jurisdictions, called a Sellers Disclosure, which you are to fill out. Each jurisdiction is different with how to do so – but for this discussion, let’s assume that all things are equal and as such, when handed that seller’s disclosure document, you are to fill it out in its entirety.

This document goes over the home from top to bottom. I am talking about roof.

How old is the roof? How many layers of shingles? What type of shingle? Do you know of any issues with the roof? If so, what kind of issues? Were any repairs made to the roof? If so, what and when? Now, let’s move on to the HVAC system. What kind of heating system are we looking at? How old is the system? How is the system fueled?

Are there current issues with the system? Have there ever been any issues with the system? Etc. etc. You get the picture, right?

This Seller’s Disclosure document goes on, again, from the roof, the walls, the electrical, the plumbing, the windows, the foundation, drainage, underground storage tanks, pools, driveway cracks, sidewalk cracks, wells, septic tanks, public sewer, easements, arial rights, and on and on depending on your jurisdiction there could be even more items added. When speaking to an attorney the best rule of thumb when it comes to Sellers Disclosures is Disclose, Disclose, Disclose. I know what you’re saying to yourself: This seems like an awful headache and I only like getting headaches from cheap Champagne from bottomless mimosas at brunch. While I disagree with you on that — I do believe that filling out these disclosures are, indeed, a headache, however I also believe that the alternative of an “as-is” sale is also a nightmare. Let me explain.

If you forgo filling out a Sellers Disclosure you can sell your home in “as-is” state and by doing so you warrant nothing in your home. That means you are claiming you know nothing about this home. By doing so that means that you aren’t letting the buyer know that you just spent $15,000 on the brand new roof two years ago and that it comes with a 25-year transferable warranty, that you just replaced the

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dishwasher last year, that you have a brand new sump pump in the basement and French drain system to mitigate drainage issues that occurred when you purchased the home five years ago. Instead - by you simply staying silent - you are essentially inferring that your home is not lovingly cared for and as a result you could receive lower than market offers on your home, which has in fact been lovingly cared for and tended to by you and your significant other - because let’s face it - queer folk tend to over improve their homes — that’s just a fact.

There are no easy ways out in real estate here folks, especially when speaking about Sellers Disclosures forms. Be as specific as possible and disclose, disclose, disclose. The best time to do an “as-is” sale is when an estate sale is involved and you literally know nothing about the property – however when you have lived in the home and know everything there is to know about the home - it is always best, even in states in which you have the ability to disclaim, take the time to properly fill out a disclosure form on your home to educate the next recipient of your lovingly cared for piece of real estate – so that they are ready to keep the legacy of those memories alive for generations to come.

If you ever have any questions about real estate specific forms or how a possible transaction might look – be sure to ask a well qualified Realtor such as myself.

JUSTIN NOBLE

is a Realtor with Sotheby’s international Realty licensed in D.C., Maryland, and Delaware for your DMV and Delaware Beach needs. Specializing in f irst-time homebuyers, development and new construction as well as estate sales, Justin is a well-versed agent, highly regarded, and provides white glove service at every price point. Reach him at 202-503-4243, Justin.Noble@SothebysRealty.com or BurnsandNoble.com.

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Date of first publication: January 26, 2024 Name of newspaper and/or periodical: Daily Washington Law Reporter, Washington Blade /s/ Alaina Wright, Signature of Petitioner Erica Gloger, Attorney Griffin & Griffin LLP, 1320 19th Street, NW, #800, Washington, DC 20036 (202) 530-7161 A True Test Copy Nicole Stevens, Register of Wills Clerk of the Probate Division

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