Volume 45, Issue 51, December 19, 2014

DECEMBER 19 2014 VOLUME 45 ISSUE 51 CELEBRATING 45 YEARS AS AMERICAS GAY NEWS SOURCE WASHINGTONBLADE.
COM
Jim Graham reects on 16 years

as D.C. Council member
By LOU CHIBBARO JR.
lchibbaro@washblade.com
The outer reception area of D.C. Council member Jim Grahams
oce suite in the John A. Wilson Building, which serves as the Districts
city hall, is packed with open boxes lled with papers and memorabilia
accumulated during his 16 years in oce.
As Graham, a Democrat and one of the Councils two out gay
members, prepares to leave oce on Jan. 2 he reected on his
CONTINUES ON PAGE 20
We have a crisis on our hands

By CHRIS JOHNSON
cjohnson@washblade.com
EDITORS NOTE: This is the nal installment in
our special yearlong focus on poverty in the LGBT
community. Visit washingtonblade.com for
previous coverage.
The problem of LGBT youth homelessness,

which isparticularly acute this time of year, is
one that Sassafras Lowrey knows all too well.
As a teenager in the early 2000s in semi-rural
Oregon, Lowrey was kicked out of her mothers
The experience of going through lifes issues with people infected with HIV forged what I am about, said
JIM GRAHAM, who leaves oce Jan. 2 after 16 years on the Council.
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY
home after coming out. After living in the home

of adult friends for ve months, she was again
tossed out after they read her journal and
learned she identied as queer, forcing her to
couch-surf among the homes of friends.
I was lucky to have some friends whose
parents were fairly supportive and let me stay
with them, Lowrey said. There really werent
a lot of resources in the area I was from. My
high school never had a homeless youth
before; they didnt really know what to do.
Throughout her experience being homeless,
SASSAFRAS LOWREY said being homeless was a time of real awakening and
understanding.
PHOTO BY SARAH DERAGON/USED WITH PERMISSION
HEROIC STRUGGLE
FOXY FAREWELL
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Sydney mourns death

of gay cafe manager
Tori Johnson in siege.
Black Fox Lounge,

home to many gay
performers, set to close.
A roundup of arming
religious services and
ideas for last-minute gifts.
PAGE 18
PAGE 39
PAGES 33 & 42
02 DECEMBER 19, 2014
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
Wishing You A World of

Glimmer, Hope & Happiness
This Celerbated Season
& Throughout 2015!
Cheers,
The Denny & Leyla Team

www.DLTReaLToRs.com
Downtown office
1509 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20037 ~ 202-464-8400
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
DECEMBER 19, 2014 03
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LOCAL NEWS
Just three years after buying the Duplex Diner, owner Kevin Lee announced its sale
this week.
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY PETE EXIS
Duplex Diner changes owners;

MOVA to close
Duplex Diner, a popular D.C. restaurant and lounge in Adams Morgan that
has catered to a mostly gay clientele since 1998, is changing owners this month
but will remain the same as it has always been for the time being, according to
outgoing owner Kevin Lee.
Lee, a longtime employee at Duplex Diner who bought the business from
original owner Eric Hirscheld in 2011, is selling it now to businessmen Mark
Hunker and Je McCracken, who own the popular Rehoboth Beach restaurants
Eden and Jam Bistro.
They are sure to continue their success at the Duplex, Lee said in a Dec. 13
email sent to customers and friends.
After 13 years of rst being an employee and then owning and operating the
Duplex, I have decided the time is right for me to sell the Diner, he said in his
email.
Lee said he expected the ownership change at Duplex Diner would be
completed by the end of this week.
They have chosen our very own bartender, Kelly Laczko, to be the general
manager and handle the daily operation of the restaurant, Lee said of the new
owners. I am delighted to be handing over the keys into their capable hands.
Added Lee, The customers walking in next week will not notice any change.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, Babak Movahedi, owner of the D.C.
gay bar MOVA, announced on his Facebook page on Saturday that the bar and
lounge currently located at 2204 14th Street, N.W., will be closing Jan. 3 and a
new venue will soon open in its space.
It is with great excitement that I announce the agreement reached between
MOVA and one of the owners of the hottest bar in D.C., BARCODE, Movahedi
said in his Facebook message.
I am even more excited about his future plans for the space as a restaurant
and another upscale lounge, he said. Thank you, D.C., for your patronage over
the past ten years. Our closing party will be on Jan. 3, 2015 with $3 drinks on
everything and $5 martinis while supplies last. Enjoy.
Movahedi opened his message by oering his greetings from Barcelona,
Spain, where he has said he planned to stay for part of 2014.
Movahedi and two business partners rst opened MOVA under the name Halo
in 2004 at 1435 P St., N.W., in D.C.s Logan Circle neighborhood. Around 2007 the
two partners, gay club owners Ed Bailey and John Guggenmos, sold their share
in the business to Movahedi, making him the sole owner of the club. A short
time later Movahedi renamed the club MOVA. In 2010 Movahedi announced
plans to move the bar to a new location. After a short period of being closed,
MOVA reopened in its current location in November 2011.
LOU CHIBBARO JR.
Vandal: THE GLLU IS DEAD!
An internal D.C. police investigation is being conducted over an incident in which an

unidentied person wrote the words THE GLLU IS DEAD!!!!! on a message board inside
the oces of the departments Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit, according to sources
familiar with the incident.
A public police report on the incident says GLLU Ocer Kevin Johnson discovered the
grati message at 10:15 p.m. on Dec. 9 on a dry erase board in the basement of the
GLLU oces at 1369 Connecticut Ave., N.W.
The report says a crime scene ocer from the Second District responded to the scene
and took 14 photographs.
Sources familiar with the GLLU said Lt. Cheryl Crawley, who oversees the GLLU and
three other special liaison units, told GLLU members and other ocers in a Dec. 10
email that the incident was being investigated and changes would be made as a result
of the incident to ensure the safety of GLLU members and the security of the oce.
The sources said Crawley raised the possibility in her email that the GLLU oce could
be relocated to a police facility at 801 Shepherd St., N.W. while the internal investigation
into the incident was taking place.
The Patrol Services and School Security Bureau are among the police divisions that
are based in the Shepherd Street facility, which is in the Fourth District.
Lt. Sean Conboy, a police spokesperson, did not respond to the Washington Blades
request by phone and email for comment on the development. Among the questions
to which Conboy did not respond was whether evidence of a forced entry into the GLLU
oce was found in connection with the grati incident.
The grati incident occurred less than a month after Crawley informed GLLU
members that three of the six GLLU ocers assigned to the GLLU headquarters oce
had been detailed to perform street patrol duties in Chinatown from Nov. 20 to Jan.
3. Sources familiar with the department told the Blade the temporary redeployment
would decrease the units ability to respond to LGBT-related calls.
Theyre essentially out of commission, one of the sources said of the GLLU following
the Chinatown deployment.
D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier has arranged for members of the GLLU and other
specialized police units and divisions to be temporarily detailed to street patrol
duties on a regular basis for many years. But police sources have said the detailing
of GLLU members has occurred at a greater frequency in recent years, making it
increasingly dicult for the unit to carry out its dual mission of helping to investigate
LGBT-related crimes and reaching out to the LGBT community to build stronger
LGBT-police relations.
At least two knowledgeable sources said morale among GLLU ocers is at an all-time
low and some of the units ocers are seeking to be transferred to other assignments.
Tension reportedly was heightened on Dec. 12 when Sgt. Gregory Chandler, a former
administrative aide to Crawley at the Special Liaison Division, which Crawley heads,
suggested in an email that the grati was written by a GLLU member who is killing the
GLLU, sources familiar with the email said.
Chandler reportedly sent his email to members of all of the special liaison units,
including the GLLU.
LOU CHIBBARO JR.
Accused killer of trans woman to plead insanity
A D.C. man charged with rst-degree murder while armed in the February 2012
stabbing death of transgender woman Deoni JaParker Jones plans to plead not guilty by
reason of insanity, his lawyers told a D.C. Superior Court judge on Dec. 12.
Court records show that Judge Robert E. Morin responded by directing attorneys
representing Gary Montgomery, 58, to work with prosecutors to draft a proposed order
asking St. Elizabeths Hospital to conduct a competency examination of Montgomery,
the fourth such examination he has undergone since the time of his arrest two weeks
after the murder took place.
He has been held at St. Elizabeths, a city-run psychiatric hospital, since shortly
after his arrest. In a development that has troubled LGBT activists and Jones family
members, two previous competency exams found Montgomery competent to stand
trial. Last year, Morin, based on the earlier ndings, scheduled a trial for Montgomery
to begin April 4 of this year.
But the judge cancelled the trial date last December after yet another competency
exam found that Montgomery was not competent to stand trial.
The court hearing last Friday, Dec. 12, marked the rst time the defense in the case
indicated it would formally le an insanity plea on Montgomerys behalf.
Morin scheduled another mental observation hearing for March 6 to assess the
ndings of the latest competency exam to be conducted at St. Elizabeths Hospital.
According to D.C. police and prosecutors, Montgomery allegedly stabbed Jones in
the head as she stood at a bus stop near her home at East Capitol Street and Sycamore
Road, N.E. The incident shocked members of the LGBT community who organized vigils
at the site of the stabbing and called for greater eorts to curtail hatred and bias toward
transgender people.
The United States Attorneys oce, which is prosecuting the case, said insucient
evidence existed to classify the killing as a hate crime, a decision disputed by Jones
stepfather, Alvin Bethea.
LOU CHIBBARO JR.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
LOCAL NEWS
D.C.s protest was among the largest in the country last weekend.
Thousands attend D.C. march

against police brutality
Thousands of people on Saturday took part in a march against police brutality
that took place in downtown Washington. National Black Justice Coalition CEO
Sharon Lettman-Hicks and Noel Gordon of the Human Rights Campaign were
among those who spoke at a pre-march rally that took place at Freedom Plaza.
Rev. Al Sharpton of the National Action Network, which organized the event,
marched down Pennsylvania Avenue to the U.S. Capitol alongside family
members of unarmed black men killed by police ocers. The National LGBTQ
Task Force, Freedom to Marry, GetEQUAL and the International Gay and Lesbian
Human Rights Commission are among the LGBT groups that endorsed the
march. Darlene Garner and others aliated with the Metropolitan Community
Church held a large banner during the march that noted their religious aliation.
They also carried signs that read hands up dont shoot, black lives matter and
black LGBT lives matter.
As LGBT people its important that we remember that some of us are black,
some of us are brown, some of us are yellow, some of us are red, Garner told
the Washington Blade as she stood outside the National Theater before the
march. We are everywhere. Our community is not a community without its
people of color.
Rev. Danny Spears of MCC of Northern Virginia in Fairfax agreed. Im here to
support my brothers and sisters in the African-American community to march
against police brutality, he told the Blade. Its a problem thats not new. Its been
going on for far too long. Its far past time for us to stand up and say no more.
The D.C. march is among the largest protests to take place since a Staten
Island, N.Y., grand jury on Dec. 3 decided not to indict Daniel Pantaleo, a white
police ocer who killed Eric Garner in July when he placed him in a chokehold.
A second grand jury in St. Louis County, Mo., on Nov. 25 did not bring charges
against Darren Wilson, a then-member of the Ferguson (Mo.) Police Department
who fatally shot Michael Brown in August. Timothy Loehmann of the Cleveland
Police Department late last month shot Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old boy who was
holding a pellet gun, to death outside a local recreation center. (Continues at
washingtonblade.com.)
MICHAEL K. LAVERS
Hundreds protest ex-gay billboard in Va.

Hundreds of people gathered in Richmond on Sunday to protest a controversial
billboard along Interstates 64/95 that claims homosexuality is a choice.
Bill Harrison, president of the Gay Community Center of Richmond, told the Blade
that straight allies and their children are among the 420 people who posed for a
picture outside his organization. He said the photograph will appear on a billboard that
overlooks Interstates 64/95 later this week.
We look at it as an opportunity, Harrison told the Blade.
The Gay Community Center of Richmond organized the photograph after a billboard
from Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays (PFOX) that features what it describes as
identical twins and claims nobody is born gay appeared along Interstates 64/95 near
the Belvidere Street exit.
PFOX has placed a controversial billboard in support of so-called conversion therapy along
Interstates 64/95 in Richmond, Va.
PHOTO COURTESY OF BRAD KUTNER/GAYRVA.COM
Kyle Roux, a South African model whose picture appears in the PFOX billboard,
described himself as an out and proud gay man during an interview last week with the
Richmond television station WWBT. He also said he is not a twin.
It just seems like theres no place in todays world for an organization that is
promoting this as being some kind of deviant or distasteful lifestyle, because Ive lived
my life openly gay and happy for my entire life, Roux told WWBT.
PFOX declined to comment on the controversy.
MICHAEL K. LAVERS
Gloucester school board adopts anti-trans policies

A Virginia school board last week approved a controversial policy that requires
students to use restrooms and locker rooms that correspond to their biological
genders. The Gloucester County School Board by a 6-1 margin approved the new
regulation during its Dec. 9 meeting.
A copy of the new policy the Washington Blade obtained acknowledges that
some students question their gender identities. It further states the school board
encourages such students to seek support and advice from parents, professionals and
other trusted adults. The new policy also says the school district seeks to provide a
safe learning environment for all students and to protect the privacy of all students.
Therefore it shall be the practice of GCPS to provide male and female restroom and
locker room facilities in its schools, it reads. The use of said facilities shall be limited to
the corresponding biological genders, and students with sincere gender identity issues
shall be provided an alternative private facility.
The ACLU noted the school board approved the new policy after administrators at
Gloucester County High School allowed Gavin Grimm, a transgender boy, to use boys
restrooms.
MICHAEL K. LAVERS
Gay principal red over test scores

Peter Cahall, the principal at D.C.s Woodrow Wilson High School who was praised by
students and city ocials when he came out as gay at the schools Pride Day event in
June, told members of the City Council last week that his contract has not been renewed.
In a letter to all Council members, Cahall said John Davis, the chief of schools, told him
on Dec. 2 that his tenure as principal would end at the conclusion of the current school
year next June because I have not moved the school forward academically based on
student test scores. The decision to not renew my contract is purely capricious and
arbitrary, he said in his letter. School ocials have declined to comment on Cahalls
letter or the decision not to renew his contract, saying all school personnel matters
must remain condential. Cahall couldnt immediately be reached for comment.
LOU CHIBBARO JR.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
Navratilova marries longtime partner

NEW YORK Retired tennis
champion Martina Navratilova
on Dec. 15 married her
longtime partner.
Its
just
really
odd,
Navratilova told BBCs Katty
Kay shortly after she and Julia
Lemigova tied the knot in
Manhattan. Its about time.
Growing up as a gay woman
you just dont ever think about
that.
Navratilova, who won more
than two-dozen Grand Slam
singles and doubles titles
during her professional career,
in 1981 became one of the
MARTINA NAVRATILOVA wed her longtime
rst professional athletes to
partner Julia Lemigova this week.
come out as gay. The Czechborn tennis champion remains
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY
a prominent LGBT rights
advocate.
Navratilova proposed to Lemigova in September during the U.S. Open.
N.Y. Medicaid to cover trans care

ALBANY, N.Y. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the New York State
Department of Health have proposed a new regulation that would allow
coverage of sex reassignment surgery and hormone therapy under the states
Medicaid program.
The proposal would eliminate a 1998 regulation that prevents coverage
of care, services, drugs or supplies rendered for the purpose of gender
reassignment. It would not include other trans-specic health care
We applaud the Cuomo administration for taking this important step, said
Michael Silverman, executive director of the Transgender Legal Defense and
Education Fund. But we call upon it to remove all restrictions for medically
necessary transgender health care.
Nathan M. Schaefer, executive director of Empire State Pride Agenda, also
welcomed the proposal.
After years of advocacy, were thrilled that transgender New Yorkers will nally
be able to access medically necessary health care through Medicaid, he said.
Cuomo last week announced that insurance companies in the state must
cover gender reassignment surgery, hormone therapy and other trans-specic
health care. The New York City Council on Dec. 8 approved a bill that will allow
trans New Yorkers to change the gender on their birth certicates without sex
reassignment surgery.
Black trans woman killed in Georgia

ALBANY, Ga. A black transgender woman was shot and killed in the
southwest Georgia city of Albany last weekend.
The Albany Herald reported that Kuyaunnis James faces charges of felony
involuntary manslaughter, possession of a rearm during the commission of
a crime and solicitation of prostitution in connection with the death of Keymori
Johnson. The newspaper cited a spokesperson for the Albany Police Department
who said James fatally shot Johnson shortly after 2 a.m. on Dec. 6.
The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs said Johnson is the 12th
trans woman of color whose murder has been reported to the agency this year.
These include Kandy Hall and Mia Henderson who were killed in Baltimore over
the summer.
At least 12 transgender women of color has been brutally killed in 2014,
and these are only the 12 women that we at NCAVP know about denitively,
there certainly may be more said NCAVP Research and Education Coordinator
Osman Ahmed. We need immediate action on a national level to address the
alarming violence against transgender women, so that in 2015 these community
members are no longer being killed.
NATIONAL NEWS
Lawmakers call on HHS

to drop gay blood ban
FDA says it has no
timetable for decision
By LOU CHIBBARO JR.
lchibbaro@washblade.com
Seventeen U.S. senators and 62
members of the U.S. House sent a joint
letter to Health and Human Services
Secretary Sylvia Burwell on Monday
asking her to take steps to lift the
governments policy of banning gay and
bisexual men from donating blood.
The letter came less than two weeks
after a Food and Drug Administration
advisory committee, which was expected
to make a recommendation on whether
the FDA should change its policy of a
lifetime ban on blood donations from men
who have sex with men (MSM), decided
instead to take a pass on the matter.
The joint letter by the lawmakers
also came on the same day an FDA
spokesperson said the FDA is deliberating
over whether a change in the policy
should be made but it has no timeline
for deciding whether such a change
should be made and what the change
should be.
As you know from our previous
correspondence, we are steadfastly
committed to ending the outdated
MSM blood donation policy and moving
forward with securing the nations blood
supply in a scientically sound manner,
the lawmakers said in their letter.
The letter was initiated by Sens. Tammy
Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Elizabeth Warren
(D-Mass.) and Tom Harkin (D-Iowa),
along with Reps. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) and
Barbara Lee (D-Calif.).
The senators and representatives
note in their letter that last month the
HHS Advisory Committee on Blood and
Tissue Safety and Availability issued a
recommendation calling for dropping
the current lifetime deferral of blood
donations by MSM and replacing it with
a one-year deferral, requiring MSM to be
sexually abstinent for one year prior to
donating blood.
The recommendation to move to a
one-year deferral policy is a step forward
relative to current polices, the letter says,
however, such a policy still prevents
many low-risk individuals from donating
blood. If we are serious about protecting
and enhancing our nations blood supply,
we must embrace science and reject
outdated stereotypes, the letter says.
As such, we urge you to implement a
risk-based blood donation policy for MSM,
Sen. TAMMY BALDWIN (D-Wisc.) was one of

the lawmakers who initiated the letter to HHS.
rather than simply another arbitrary timebased deferral, the letter says.
An FDA spokesperson disputed
assertions by some LGBT activists and
FDA critics that the FDAs claim that it
continues to deliberate over whether to
change the policy but has no timetable
for reaching a decision in eect is a
disguised way of saying no to a change
without doing so directly.
[I]t is misguided for anyone to assume
that the FDA has made a decision when
we repeatedly have said we have not,
said spokesperson Stephanie Yao.
Ryan James Yezak, founder and
director of National Gay Blood Drive,
which arranges for friends and family
members of gay men to donate blood in
place of gay donors who are barred from
doing so, said he was troubled that some
members of the FDAs Blood Products
Advisory Committee misunderstood the
intention of LGBT advocates who are
calling for the blood ban to be lifted.
During the open public hearing, the
many comments advocating on behalf
of LGBT rights were misconstrued by
some committee members as civil rights
activists that lacked consideration for
blood recipients, Yezak said.
This is simply not true, he said. Our
eort is to eliminate discrimination based
on sexual orientation from the deferral
process and to help save lives. We can
accomplish both at the same time while
improving the quality and safety of our
nations blood supply, he said. It isnt one
or the other; the two go hand in hand.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
I love wandering through

Smithsonian museums, eating
on H Street with friends, and going
to shows at Howard Theatre.
Im a
transgender woman
and Im part of DC.
Please treat me the way any
woman would want to be treated:
with courtesy and respect.
Discrimination based on gender identity and
expression is illegal in the District of Columbia.
If you think youve been the target of
discrimination, visit www.ohr.dc.gov
or call (202) 727-4559.
OFFICE OF
GLBT
AFFAIRS
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NATIONAL NEWS
Florida seeks hold on marriages

Appeals court ordered gay
nuptials to begin after Jan. 5
By CHRIS JOHNSON
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi
is calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to
place a hold on same-sex marriages in
her state in the aftermath of a recent
federal appeals court decision ordering
them to begin next month.
In an 18-page ling, Bondi and other
states attorneys lay out their arguments
for why the Supreme Court should issue
a stay on a federal district court ruling
against the ban on same-sex marriage in
her state for the duration of appeal.
It is true that this Court recently denied
certiorari in cases invalidating traditional
marriage laws, Bondi writes. But those
denials came before the Sixth Circuit
established the current circuit split, which
enhanced the need for a decision from
this Court. Because this Court is unlikely
to allow the circuit split to continue, it is
likely that the Court will grant certiorari in
the Sixth Circuit cases.
The U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of

Appeals, which has jurisdiction over Florida,
this month refused an earlier stay request
from Bondi on the district court ruling,
saying same-sex marriage can begin in the
state at the end of the day on Jan. 5.
But Bondi, a Republican whos been
defending the ban in court, writes the
language in the Eleventh Circuit order is
the reason why justices should issue a
stay before it takes eect.
The Eleventh Circuits recent decision
denying a longer stay has created
statewide confusion, with news reports
now suggesting that the end of the stay
will lead to statewide issuance of samesex marriage licenses, even though only
one of Floridas 67 clerks of court is a
party below, Bondi writes. Some clerks
who are not parties to this litigation have
announced that, absent a stay, they will
begin issuing licenses on January 6.
The ling was submitted to U.S.
Associate Justice Clarence Thomas,
whos responsible for stay requests in
the Eleventh Circuit. He can decide the
matter himself or refer the ling to the
entire court.
It remains to be seen what action
Florida Attorney General PAM BONDI has led a stay request in the Florida marriage case.
Thomas or the court will take on the

request. After its refusal to review federal
appeals court decisions in favor of samesex marriage in October, the court denied
stay requests on subsequent rulings
in favor of marriage equality in Alaska,
Idaho, Kansas and South Carolina.
But the court denied stays in Kansas and
Idaho only after the justices to which the
requests were submitted issued temporary
holds. Additionally, unlike the stay requests
previously denied by the Supreme Court,
the Florida ling comes from a jurisdiction

where no federal appeals court has yet to
make a decision on the merits of state bans
on same-sex marriage.
Thomas has expressed discontent
with the way the court has handled the
marriage issue, saying for reasons that
escape me the court hasnt taken up
review of federal appeals court decisions
striking down bans on same-sex marriage
or granted stay requests in the aftermath
of those rulings.
Court denies gender reassignment to inmate

Advocates say case shows
need for more work on
trans visibility
By CHRIS JOHNSON
The Massachusetts Department of
Corrections is acting within its authority
under the U.S. Constitution to deny taxpayerfunded gender reassignment surgery to a
transgender inmate, a federal appeals court
ruled Tuesday in a 3-2 decision.
Writing for the majority, U.S. Circuit
Judge Juan Torruella, a Reagan appointee,
says the state has already taken sucient
steps to care for Michelle Kosilek, who
was sentenced to life in prison for
murdering her spouse in 1990, without
being required to provide her gender
reassignment surgery.
Given the positive eects of Kosileks
current regimen of care, and the DOCs
plan to treat suicidal ideation should it
arise, the DOCs decision not to provide
SRS does not illustrate severe obstinacy
or disregard of Kosileks medical needs,
Torruella writes. Rather, it is a measured
response to the valid security concerns
identied by the DOC.
Joining Torruella in the majority was
Chief Circuit Judge Sandra Lynch, a

Clinton appointee; and U.S. Circuit Judge
Jerey Robert Howard, an appointee of
George W. Bush.
The decision from the full en banc
U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals reverses
an earlier ruling in January from a threejudge panel on the courtthatdetermined
denying the procedure on taxpayer funds
to Kosilek amounted to cruel and unusual
punishment under the Eighth Amendment.
The panel upheld a decision in 2012
from U.S. District Judge Mark Wolf,
whose decision was controversial
even among progressive leaders. ThenU.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren
(D-Mass.) said she didnt think the surgery
was a good use of taxpayer dollars.
After the three-judge panel ruling,
Massachusetts requested and was
granted an en banc rehearing of the case
before the full bench. Oral arguments
took place on May 8.
Massachusetts Public Safety Secretary
Andrea Cabral armed in a statement the
full First Circuit was correct in overturning
the lower court decision.
The First Circuit Court of Appeals ruled
that the medical and mental health care
provided to Kosilek by the DOC did not
violate the Eighth Amendment of the
U.S. Constituion, Cabral said. While we
acknowledge the legitimacy of a gender
identity disorder diagnosis, DOCs appeal

was based on the lower courts signicant
expansion of the standard for what
constitutes adequate care under the
Eighth Amendment, and on substantial
safety and security concerns regarding
Ms. Kosileks post-surgery needs.
U.S. Circuit Judge Ojetta Rogeriee
Thompson, an Obama appointee, and
U.S. Circuit Judge Williams Kayatta,
another Obama appointee, wrote stinging
dissents in response to the majority in the
en banc decision.
Thompson predicted the decision
will not stand the test of time and will
ultimately be shelved much like the
1896 decision of Plessy v. Ferguson,
which upheld segregation, or the 1944
decision of Korematsu v. United States,
which found the internment of JapaneseAmericans during World War II was
constitutional.
I only hope that day is not far in the future,
for the precedent the majority creates is
damaging, Thompson writes. It paves
the way for unprincipled grants of en banc
relief, decimates the deference paid to a
trial judge following a bench trial, aggrieves
an already marginalized community, and
enables correctional systems to further
postpone their adjustment to the crumbling
gender binary.
Aicted with drug and alcohol problems
at an early age, Kosilek in 1992 was

sentenced to life in prison after strangling
her spouse Cheryl McCaul, a volunteer
counselor at a drug rehabilitation facility.
The incident took place following an
altercation that ensued after McCaul
caught Kosilek wearing her clothing.
Kosilek is serving her sentence in
MCI-Norfolk, a medium security male
prison, where she legally changed her
name from Robert to Michelle. She
must receive gender reassignment
surgery
through
taxpayer-provided
funds because, as an inmate in prison,
she lacks access to her own nances for
the procedure. The estimated cost for
male-to-female reassignment surgery is
$7,000 to $24,000.
According to the New England-based
Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders,
which was a co-counsel in the case, Kosilek
was denied gender reassignment surgery
by the Massachusetts Department of
Correctionagainst the recommendations
of multiple doctors, including those hired
by the stateitself.
Jennifer
Levi,
director
of
GLADs transgender rights project, said
she was appalled by the decision, saying
it would deny Kosilek treatment that she
has sought for years.
CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Gay hero killed during Sydney siege

Tori Johnson managed
caf, lunged at gunman
By MICHAEL K. LAVERS
mlavers@washblade.com
One of the two people who died inside
a Sydney cafe during a 16-hour stando
earlier this week was a gay man.
Same Same, an Australian LGBT
website, reported that Tori Johnson, who
managed the Lindt Chocolate Shop in
Sydneys Central Business District, lived
with Thomas Zinn, his partner of 14 years,
in the suburb of Redfern. The Sydney
Morning Herald said Johnson was in a
long-term relationship with Zinn.
Media reports indicate that several of
the 17 people taken hostage inside the
cafe on Monday morning by Man Haron
Monis, a self-described cleric from Iran who
received asylum in Australia in 2001, were
able to escape after Johnson lunged at him.
Police on Tuesday killed Monis during a
dramatic shootout that ended the siege.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported
that Johnson passed away at a local
hospital after he was shot inside the cafe.
Katrina Dawson, a lawyer, also died from

injuries she reportedly suered while
shielding a pregnant friend from gunre.
We are so proud of our beautiful boy
Tori, gone from this earth but forever
in our memories as the most amazing
life partner, son and brother we could
ever wish for, said Johnsons parents in
a statement they released to Australian
journalist Ben Fordham, according to the
Sydney Morning Herald.
Johnsons family also expressed its
heartfelt sorrow for Dawsons family.
The Star Observer, a Sydney-based
LGBT newspaper, on its Facebook page
extended its condolences to Zinn and the
Johnson and Dawson families.
Tori and Katrina were victims of the
Sydney siege, and may both of them rest
in peace, it said. We also hope the other
hostages and their families receive the
full support and love they deserve in this
dicult time.
Our hearts are broken for Toris
partner Thomas, their combined families,
friends and colleagues, Ivan Hinton,
deputy executive director of Australian
Marriage Equality, which advocates for
nuptials for same-sex couples in the
TORI JOHNSON was killed in Sydney this week after reportedly confronting a gunman.
country, told the Washington Blade on

Tuesday. Equally, we share in the loss
of Katrina Dawson. The families of both
will be going through unimaginable shock
and grief.
Hinton described both Johnson and
Dawson as Australian heroes.
It is clear that Tori was an exceptional
Australian, evident in the way in which he
lived his life and, ultimately, by the way in
which it was tragically cut short, Hinton
told the Blade.
Justin Koonin of the Gay and Lesbian
Rights Lobby, a Sydney-based LGBT

advocacy group, compared Johnson to
Mark Bingham, the gay man who fought
back against the hijackers of United Flight
93 on Sept. 11, 2001.
We are deeply saddened by the
death of Tori Johnson, and send our
condolences to his partner, family and
all those who knew him, Koonin told the
Blade. Toris seless act is an inspiration,
and as with Mark Bingham on 9/11 and
many others before, another visible act of
courage by a LGBTI person.
Marine charged with murder of Philippine trans woman

Pemberton allegedly killed
Jennifer Laude in October
By MICHAEL K. LAVERS
Philippine authorities on Monday
charged a U.S. Marine with murder
in connection with the death of a
transgender woman.
The Associated Press reported Emilie
de los Santos of the Olongapo City
Prosecutors Oce told reporters there
was probable cause to charge Marine
Pfc. Joseph Pemberton with murdering
Jennifer Laude in October.
Pemberton and Laude, 26, reportedly
met at a local nightclub on Oct. 11
while the USS Peleliu was docked at the
Subic Bay Freeport, which is adjacent to
Olongapo City on the Philippines main
island of Luzon. Laudes naked body was
later found in a motel bathroom.
Its murder, de los Santos told
reporters after he led charges against
Pemberton as the AP reported. It was
aggravated by treachery, abuse of
superior strength and cruelty.
Laudes death sparked outrage among
Philippine LGBT rights advocates. It also
highlighted opposition to the U.S. military
presence in the island archipelago.
Jennifer has become our martyr, the

symbol of our suering as a community,
Angie Umbac, president of the Rainbow
Rights Project, a Philippine LGBT advocacy
group, told the Washington Blade in late
October.
The Rainbow Rights Project and the
Society of Transsexual Women of the
Philippines are among the dozen Philippine
LGBT advocacy groups that described
the indictment against Pemberton as a
welcome step in the quest for justice for
Jennifer Laude. They nevertheless stressed
in their statement their activism on behalf
of LGBT Filipinos will continue.
The groups stressed the case against
Pemberton is a litmus test for the
Philippine judicial system and whether
it can ensure fair, transparent and
independent investigation and trial not
just for Jennifers killing but for other cases
of anti-LGBT discrimination and violence
in the country. They also highlighted
insensitive media coverage surrounding
Laudes death that continues.
Philippine advocates continue to urge the
countrys lawmakers to approve an LGBTinclusive anti-discrimination measure that
has languished in the countrys Congress
for more than a decade.
Through our grief, we, the members of
the Filipino transgender, lesbian, bisexual,
and gay community shall remain vigilant
Members of Gender and Development Advocates (GANDA) Filipinas take part in a Pride march
in October.
PHOTO COURTESY OF GANDA FILIPINAS
to ensure that Jennifer and her loved ones

are not denied justice, said the advocacy
groups in their statement. We shall also
continue engaging the government to
prevent similar injustices committed to
other members of our community whose
rights and dignity are and have been and
will be violated because of how they identify
and express themselves, who they choose
to love, and for simply who they are.
Marianne Mollmann, director of
programs for the International Gay and
Lesbian Human Rights Commission, told
the Blade she hopes the case against
Pemberton will proceed.
At a minimum, the fact that

prosecutors in the Philippines have
brought a murder charge against the
suspect, Joseph Pemberton, should
be a positive step toward justice and
accountability for this heinous crime,
she said. But it isnt clear at all whether
the case will go forward with guaranteed
due process and transparency, nor do
we know whether an adequate police
investigation was carried out.
Pemberton is being held at a Philippine
detention facility outside of Manila, the
countrys capital. He remains in U.S.
custody pending the outcome of his case.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
LOCAL
LOU CHIBBARO JR. has reported on
the LGBT civil rights movement and the
LGBT community for more than 30 years,
beginning as a freelance writer and later
as a staff reporter and currently as Senior
News Reporter for the Washington
Blade. He has chronicled LGBT-related
developments as they have touched
on a wide range of social, religious, and governmental
institutions, including the White House, Congress, the
U.S. Supreme Court, the military, local and national law
enforcement agencies and the Catholic Church. Chibbaro
has reported on LGBT issues and LGBT participation in
local and national elections since 1976. He has covered
the AIDS epidemic since it first surfaced in the early 1980s.
In June 2011, Chibbaro became the first reporter from the
LGBT press to be inducted into the Society of Professional
Journalists D.C. Professional Chapter Hall of Fame, which
recognizes journalists of distinction who have worked in
the news business for 25 years or longer.
POLITICAL/NATIONAL
CHRIS JOHNSON is Chief Political &
White House Reporter for the Washington
Blade. Johnson attends the daily White
House press briefings and is a member of
the White House Correspondents
Association. Hes worked with the
Washington Blade since 2008 and was a
founding employee of the paper when it
relaunched under local ownership in 2009. Before coming
to the Blade, Johnson covered defense issues for Inside
Washington Publishers and previously wrote for MIRS
newsletter, a Lansing-based publication covering state
political news in Michigan. A Michigan native, Johnson
graduated with honors from the University of Michigan in
2003 with a degree in English and Creative Writing. In 2013,
the Blade was admitted to the White House Press Pool with
Johnson taking the lead in covering the president. This
marked the first time a gay newspaper has been invited to
join ranks of mainstream outlets covering the president.
INTERNATIONAL
MICHAEL K. LAVERS has been a
staff writer for the Washington Blade
since May 2012. The passage of
Marylands
same-sex
marriage
law, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the
burgeoning LGBT rights movement
in Latin America and the consecration of gay New
Hampshire Bishop V. Gene Robinson are among the
many stories he has covered since his career began in
2002. Lavers work has appeared in the EDGE Media
Network, Fire Island News, Village Voice, Huffington
Post and other media outlets. He has also discussed
LGBT-specific issues on the BBC, New York Times,
News Channel 8, WNYC in New York City other
mainstream and LGBT publications. Lavers holds a
degree in journalism and Spanish from the University
of New Hampshire.
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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
COVER STORY
Ill be ne, Graham says before leaving office

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
sometimes-controversial tenure as the

Councils Ward 1 representative in an
interview with the Washington Blade.
Ive got two weeks and two days 16
days left, he said on Monday. Its 16
years, and then I kind of add to that the
15 years at Whitman-Walker. So its 31
years. And I think we had a good run.
Graham was referring to the 15
years he served as executive director
of the Whitman-Walker Clinic, the citys
preeminent private medical clinic serving
people with HIV/AIDS now and in the
early years of the AIDS epidemic.
An attorney, Graham points out that
he served three years prior to becoming
Whitman-Walkers executive director in
the volunteer post of president of the
clinics board from 1981 to 1984. He won
election to his rst of four terms on the
Council in 1998.
I want to be very clear about this
point, he told the Blade. What has
forged my political philosophy, if you will,
has been the experience with WhitmanWalker Clinic working with people who
were desperately poor facing what was
then considered really a death sentence
in the 80s, but facing a life-threatening
disease for sure, without a network of
support, without money in the bank,
without insurance policies, Graham said.
The experience of going through lifes
issues with people infected with HIV forged
what I am about, he continued. So when I
came on the Council I saw it as a continuation
in terms of my work for those who were at
greatest risk and most vulnerable.
Grahams reputation on the Council
as a champion for progressive causes,
including the rights of LGBT people,
tenants and the needs of the diverse
immigrant populations in the ward,
made Graham highly popular among his
constituents.
He won re-election by wide margins
and was considered to have a safe seat on
the Council until a series of developments
beginning in 2009 triggered a urry of
negative press reports and accusations
by critics that he had become mired in
allegations of corruption.
The problems began in September
2009 when Grahams then-chief of sta,
Ted Loza, was arrested by the FBI for a
bribe in an alleged scheme in which he
promised to push for legislation favorable
to the taxi cab industry that was pending
before a committee that Graham chaired.
Graham was never implicated in the
scheme but became the subject of an FBI
investigation that Graham called unfair
and unjustied and which, as Graham says,
came to nothing absolutely nothing.
In a separate development, the citys
newly created Board of Ethics and
Outgoing Council member JIM GRAHAM

was ousted in the Democratic primary by
newcomer BRIANNE NADEAU.
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTOS BY MICHAEL KEY
Government Accountability last year

determined that Graham breached city
ethics rules by asking a developer to
withdraw its bid for a real estate project
on land associated with Metro so that
another developer that Graham said was
better qualied to carry out the project
could win the bid.
In exchange, Graham allegedly oered
to support the original developers bid for
a city lottery contract.
At the initiative of City Council Chair
Phil Mendelson (D-At-Large), the Council
voted to reprimand Graham for his
actions concerning the two developers,
calling them a breach of the Councils
ethics standards.
Graham again insisted he was never
charged with breaking any law, taking any
money, or beneting in any way, saying
his aim was to benet Ward 1, where the
development project was to take place,
by ensuring that the contract went to the
most qualied developer. He has called
his actions a form of political horse trading
rather than anything illegal or unethical.
But he acknowledged in his reections
this week that the combined eect of
the Loza arrest and ethics allegations
led to his defeat at the polls in the April
2014 Democratic primary in which
political newcomer Brianne Nadeau
defeated Graham. She went on to win the
November general election and will be
sworn in as Grahams successor on Jan. 2.
Graham said he has thought about
irony in what seems like some similarities
in his own campaign in 1998 in which he

defeated then-incumbent Council member
Frank Smith in the Democratic primary.
Theres something to be said about
that, Graham said. Ive thought about
that many times. And she ran a very
hard campaign and I had run a very hard
campaign against Smith, he said.
She used the ammunition that was
given to her by the Washington Post
and she used it to good advantage,
he said. I have good feelings about
Brianne Nadeau. I think she ran a skillful
campaign, and there were parallels.
Graham is also quick to point out how
the Washington Post in his view played
a key role in his defeat by, among other
things, publishing 27 separate editorials
critical of him over the ethics allegations.
Twenty-seven yes, 27 in under a
year, which makes me a historical gure,
he said of being the target of a nationally
known newspaper like the Post.
But I really believe that with every door
that closes another door opens, he said.
I have been very comfortable with the
ultimate result and very uncomfortable
with the way in which it was done.
Graham added, I dont want to be
acting like a victim, even though Ive been
victimized through this. I have the option
of doing something dierent. And Ill be
ne I hope. So thats the end story to that.
He declined to elaborate on his future plans.
In looking to his record on LGBT rights,
Graham, among other things, points to his
role as an advocate for the LGBT community
both in legislation and private discussions

with his fellow Council members.
The addition or protection for
transgender people in the citys Human
Rights Act, the enactment into law of the
Mayors Oce of GLBT Aairs rather than
leaving it as an option for a mayor to keep
or disband, and funds for shelter beds for
LGBT homeless youth are among some
of his many pet projects on the Council,
Graham said.
He said that against great odds and
under strong opposition by some of his
fellow Council members, he pushed
through a bill that enabled some of
the gay adult businesses displaced by
the Washington Nationals stadium to
relocate to other parts of the city.
He said he acknowledges that at least
some of those who voted against him in
the April primary were part of the citys
new residents who moved into Ward 1
due to the extensive revitalization and
development projects, including upscale
new condo buildings, that Graham says
he played a key role in bringing about.
Political observers have said some
of the new residents tend to be more
conservative on issues of government
spending and may have viewed Graham
as being too liberal.
I am a liberal, he said. Im very liberal.
I mean Im very liberal in the sense
that I care most about those who need
government help at the greatest degree
and I think there is a responsible role for
government to play in all of that.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
COVER STORY
LGBT youth face crisis of homelessness

which she called a time of real awakening

and understanding, Lowrey said she began
to build community with other LGBT young
people who were without homes.
I very quickly began understanding
my experience within a politicized
context of the epidemic of LGBTQ youth
homelessness and recognizing that while
my experience might have been unique
in terms of what my school was saying,
it was not unique, and I was part of this
large number of teens and young adults
throughout the country that were having
very similar experiences, Lowrey said.
That period of homelessness lasted
throughout most of her senior year in high
school, Lowrey said, until she moved to
Portland, Ore., and was able to rent a room
she could call home. The experience was
a source of literary inspiration for Lowrey,
who later served aseditor ofKicked Out,
a 2010 anthology of stories from current
and formerly homeless LGBT and queeridentied youth.
According to a 2013 report from the
Center for American Progress, estimates
of LGBT people among the homeless
youth population range between 9 and
45 percent, even though the number of
people in the entire U.S. population who
identify as LGBT is in the single digits. The
most commonly cited statistics, provided
by a recent nationwide LGBT Homeless
Youth Provider Survey of organizations
serving homeless youth, estimates that
on average LGBT youth comprise 40
percent of the agencies clients.
Laura Durso, co-author of the report and
director of the LGBT project at the Center
for American Progress, said LGBT youth
homelessness is a signicant problem
because research shows LGBT youths are
overrepresented on the streets.
They are more likely to be victimized
while theyre there, Durso said. I hate
to use the word epidemic, but we are
facing a signicant problem for our young
people, and we dont have the resources
we need to address the problem that
we have now and really work toward
prevention, which will ultimately solve
that problem.
According to the report, few studies
examine the racial diversity of LGBT
homeless youth, but those that have suggest
theyre disproportionately people of color.
In a 2007 survey of homeless youth in
New York City, about 44 percent of lesbian,
gay and bisexual youth in the survey also
indicated they are black, and 26 percent
indicated they are Hispanic, the report
says. Moreover, roughly 62 percent of
the transgender survey respondents said
they were black, and 20 percent said they
were Hispanic, according to the report.
The No. 1 perceived cause of LGBT
Rep. MARK POCAN (D-Wis.) is an original co-sponsor of the Runaway & Homeless Youth Act.
youth homelessness is family rejection

of youths after they come out as LGBT or
families discover their sexual orientation
or gender identity.
Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), an original
co-sponsor of the Runaway & Homeless
Youth Act, said family rejection is the
primary reason so many LGBT youths are
living without permanent homes.
I think theyre still facing discrimination
in their home and problems in school due
to bullying and harassment, Pocan said.
You take those compounding factors
and you end up with a larger number
of homeless youth are from the LGBT
community and because we know whats
causing it, we need to make sure were
creating eective ways to address that.
Family rejection based on LGBT status
is but one factor seen as contributing to
LGBT youth homelessness; experts say
the reasons are complex and may involve
the general persistence of poverty and
employment discrimination.
Jama Shelton, Forty-to-None project
director for the True Colors Fund, said
the reasons are complex, but one cant
really divorce a conversation about
homelessness from a conversation
about poverty and the lack of explicit
LGBT protections at the federal level.
Perhaps if people had access to certain
resources, they wouldnt be homeless,
Shelton said. I do think that its also
important that were talking about poverty
and access to employment protections and
adequate income when were talking about
homelessness, even if the most frequently
cited reason is in some communities
continues to be family rejection.
Among the stories Shelton has heard
of LGBT homelessness stemming from
employment discrimination is from a
shelter provider in Texas, who said shes
working with a young transgender man
who when seeking employment identied
as a man on his paperwork, and when
they processed his documentation, he was
red on the grounds of being deceitful.
Proposed solutions to the problem are

just as varied as explanations for the cause,
although the general sense is additional
funding and legislation would help.
Lowrey said if there was a silver bullet,
wed all have a fast job, but one method
of addressing LGBT youth homelessness
is increasing resources for direct service
providers across the country both
within large, urban environments and
cities as well as rural and suburban
communities.
It would be incredibly benecial just
on a really tangible level, Lowrey said.
There are not enough resources for any
homeless youth, let alone specialized
resources for LGBTQ youth, which
we know are necessary and literally
increasing that funding is the dierence
between a young person having
somewhere to go tonight or not.
The attention that LGBT groups have
paid to the issue, Lowrey said, has grown
in recent years, but is still not enough.
I think theres been a signicantly
increased focus on LGBTQ youth
homelessness, particularly in the past
ve years or so, Lowrey said. But I think
particularly among LGBTQ organizations
and groups, its still not a primary issue
that folks are lobbying around.
Pocan
said
reauthorizing
the
Reconnecting Homeless Youth Act
which was last authorized in 2008 with
his legislation for LGBT youth would be
another step.
Introduced for the rst time last year,
the Runaway & Homeless Youth Act would
prohibit discrimination against LGBT youth
at homeless shelters that receive federal
funds and require grant recipients to have
the cultural competency to serve these
youth. Additionally, the bill would provide
resources to support services for families
struggling with the sexual orientation or
gender identity of their children.
Despite the expanded Republican
majorities in the upcoming Congress
following wins on Election Day, Pocan hopes
the legislation willpass within two years.

The public at large has clearly moved
signicantly, Pocan said. And this is an
issue that it shouldnt be a left or right
issue. If someones a homeless youth,
weve got to make sure that they get
the care and protections that they need,
especially given these statistics. And I
would hope that as society has moved,
we can get elected ocials to move a
little bit and try to make sure that we can
amend this act.
Shelton said communities should
include youth in their Point-in-Time
count, which is a count of sheltered
and unsheltered homeless persons on
a single night in January required by
the Department of Housing & Urban
Development.
Additionally, Shelton said shes part of
a program sponsored by HUD and other
federal agencies called the the Lesbian,
Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning
(LGBTQ) Youth Homelessness Prevention
Initiative, which consists of developing
and implementing a plan for LGBTQ youth
homelessness prevention and intervention
in two communities: Hamilton County,
Ohio, and Harris County, Texas.
I dont think people have to wait until
the implementation is done and the
ocial data is released, Shelton said. The
plans for those communities are going
to be made available really soon and
communities can start planning now.
Another organization, Covenant House
International a privately funded child
care agency that oers shelter to more
than 1,900 homeless youth every night
in 27 cities across the United States,
Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras
and Nicaragua announced last month
a partnership with the True Colors Fund
to expand the overall number of beds
dedicated to homeless youth, including
LGBT youth.
But Shelton saidthekey thing to keep
in mind is collaboration because service
providers and LGBT community centers
cant do it alone and need help from
schools, child welfare systems, the police
and other places that come into contact
with LGBT youth.
I think now is the time to think outside
of the box and be bold, Shelton said. We
have a crisis on our hands in terms of the
future of the LGBT community and our
movement.
If youre struggling with homelessness
in D.C., here are three organizations that
can help:
The D.C. Center for the LGBT
Community: 2000 14th St., NW, #105;202682-2245; thedccenter.org
The Wanda Alston House: 202-4658794; wandaalstonhouse.org
Casa Ruby: 2822 Georgia Ave., N.W.;
202-355-5155; casaruby.org
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
BALTIMORE NEWS DIGEST
GLCCB elects new

board members
BILL REDMOND-PALMER
weekdays_blade.pdf
12/16/14
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY STEVE CHARING
The board of directors of the Gay,

Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender
Community Center of Baltimore and
Central Maryland (GLCCB) elected a
new president and re-elected the vice
president and treasurer during the
annual election meeting on Dec. 8.
Long-time activist and former GLCCB
2:25board
PM
member William J. Bill Redmond-
Palmer was elected unanimously to

succeed outgoing term-limited President
Michael McCarthy. Chris Adkins was reelected as vice president as was Daniel
Moore as treasurer. The board is seeking
a secretary to ll a vacancy resulting from
the departure of Gilles Stromberg.
During McCarthys two years since he
was elected in February 2013, there were
major changes within the GLCCB. The
most important of these developments
was the sale of the building on Chase
Street, held by the Center for more than
Morning Edition
Marketplace Morning Report
BBC Newshour
The Diane Rehm Show

The Kojo Nnamdi Show
All Things Considered
Marketplace
C
three decades, and the eventual move of

the headquarters last winter to the third
oor of the Waxter Center on nearby
Cathedral Street.
In addition, there were several
dierent executive directors running
the operations during this period.
Previous executive directors Matt Thorn
and Kelly Neel resigned; Joel TinsleyHall is currently at the helm. There was
also a controversial shift of the Pride
celebration last June to the Artscape area
several blocks north of the familiar Mount
Vernon venue for both Pride days.
From these changes, as well as
long-standing complaints, the GLCCB
was under re from a portion of the
community, which complained about a
perceived lack of transparency regarding
decision-making and nances as well as a
lack of diversity and inclusivity.
Since a turbulent town hall meeting
held last July, eorts were undertaken to
address these problems, which included
public disclosure of nancial statements,
posting the by-laws online and holding
open board meetings.
Redmond-Palmer has worked as an
advocate on behalf of people living with
HIV/AIDS and has written numerous
articles for local publications to shine a
spotlight on local LGBT organizations. He
has worked in leadership and advocacy
organizations in the LGBT community for
nearly 20 years, including serving on the
GLCCB board of directors for six years in
the early 1990s.
Pride 2015 dates,

venue uncertain
CM
MY
CY
CMY
More Than
a Soundbite
are you listening?
Listen at wamu.org
The GLCCB discussed possible dates

for the upcoming 2015 Pride celebrations
at its Dec. 8 board meeting. Executive
director Joel Tinsley-Hall announced
that the third weekend in June the
traditional timeframe for Baltimore Pride
will not be available for this years
event, which is being billed as the citys
40th anniversary Pride celebration.
The African-American Festival is taking
place during that weekend, and city
ocials told Tinsley-Hall that there are
insucient police resources to adequately
cover both events on the same day. The
board is focusing on other possible dates,
such as June 6-7, June 26-27 and July 25-26,
depending on availability from the city.
Moreover, a change in the location
is being considered, but that will be
determined after a date is ultimately
chosen. Members of the LGBT community
as well as business leaders have been
urging GLCCB ocials to return the
Pride block party to its former location
at Charles and Eager streets in Mount
Vernon and not return to the Artscape
footprint. Others prefer the less
congested area that served as the Pride
festival last year.
STEVE CHARING
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Researchers are hopeful that an HIV vaccine is within our reach.
Key HIV breakthroughs in 2014

To mark the end of the year, Hungton Post published a roundup of HIV/
AIDS-related breakthroughs that occurred in 2014. Among them: Researchers
are studying several injectable drugs that can suppress the virus for months at a
time, ending the need for a daily pill.
In addition, Hungton Post noted that researchers are making progress
toward a possible vaccine. Harvard medical school professor Todd Allen, Ph.D.,
uses genome sequencing to study how the virus interacts with the immune
system. Allen is hopeful that development of an HIV vaccine is within our reach,
HuPo reported.
In other news, more communities are turning to circumcision as a way to
prevent HIV infection, the site noted.
CDC reports syphilis spike in gay men

ATLANTA Syphilis is rapidly spreading among gay and bisexual men in the
United States, leading to the highest new case numbers reported in two decades,
while other common sexually transmitted diseases appear to be under control,
a federal study found on Tuesday according to Reuters and other news outlets.
In 2013, the number of syphilis infections reported to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention rose by more than 10 percent to 17,535 cases, according
to the agencys annual report card on diseases commonly spread through sexual
contact.
That is the most syphilis cases since 1995, the CDC said, with men having sex
with men accounting for 75 percent of infections, Reuters reports.
The report also found that gonorrhea transmission was stabilizing, while new
cases of Chlamydia declined from the levels seen in 2012, the article said.
Federal health ocials called for better screening of syphilis, which can lead to
blindness and stroke if untreated. Half of the men with syphilis are also infected
with HIV, according to the CDC, which recommends at least annual tests for men
having sex with men.
Men having sex with anonymous partners may require more frequent
screenings, such as every three to six months, CDC reps said, calling for more
awareness among medical professionals, the Reuters article said.
New insurance coverage for Ala. gay couples
www.WashingtonianPlasticSurgery.com 888-903-2362
MONTGOMERY, Ala. Alabamas largest insurer now oers spousal coverage

to legally married gay couples in order to comply with a federal rule that
insurance companies must treat married couples the same regardless of sexual
orientation, the Associated Press reports.
A spokeswoman for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama said the company
began oering same-sex spousal coverage for underwritten plans in early 2014,
in response to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services regulations that
prohibit health insurers from discriminating in health plan coverage on the basis
of sexual orientation, the AP article said.
The state of Alabama does not currently recognize same-sex marriages and
has a ban on gay marriage written into the Alabama Constitution. However,
the Department of Health and Human Services issued guidelines in March
reiterating that same-sex couples, who were legally married in any of the states
that currently authorize gay marriage, are entitled to the same coverage as
straight couples, the article said.
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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
VIEWPOINT
Cutting holes in the law

Opposition to faith-based
legal exemptions is about
equality, not payback
RICHARD J. ROSENDALL is a writer and activist.

Reach him at rrosendall@starpower.net.
Im sorry, but we dont serve your kind here.

This overt discrimination is something
that leading gay libertarians, who otherwise support marriage equality, think
should be legal for wedding photographers, bakers and other business owners
to say to gay couples. (The libertarian side
lost when the U.S. Supreme Court declined
to hear the Elane Photography case.) They
believe that government, as much as possible, should leave people alone.
It is true that government regulation can
go too far, hampering businesses and treating adults like children who need constant
supervision. One can easily compile horror
stories portraying an out-of-control nanny
government. I would say that generally,
government should protect us not from
ourselves but from one another. When
your cigarette smoke invades my airspace,
Generally, government should protect us not

from ourselves but from one another.
or your gun obsession endangers schoolchildren, or you try to impose your faiths
thou shalt nots in the public marketplace,
then we are headed for trouble.
An upstate New York couple that rents
facilities on their farm for weddings was
ned $13,000 under the states Human
Rights Law in August for turning away a lesbian couple. David Boaz of the Cato Institute tweeted sarcastically on Dec. 9, Lets
go around ning everyone $13,000 to show
the need for tolerance. Stephen H. Miller of
IGF CultureWatch criticized it as payback.
Pardon me, but discriminators are not
the aggrieved party. This is not about provoking discrimination to seek punishment
for homophobes. Most gay people simply
want to go about their business without being degraded and denied service. But nes
are a means of enforcement. A prohibition
without penalties is merely a suggestion.
The Michigan House of Representatives
recently passed a bill modeled on the
1993 federal Religious Freedom and Restoration Act, which featured in the Hobby
Lobby case. The Michigan measure may
allow emergency medical technicians to
invoke sincerely held religious beliefs in
refusing to serve LGBT people.
Where will religious demands in daily
EDITORIAL CARTOON
commerce end? If you view conscience

clauses only in terms of gay families, the
problem might seem limited. But what
about people who object to interracial
marriage or to second or third marriages
after divorce? Assuming that gay conservatives are motivated by more than axe
grinding against gay liberals, why does
their solicitude for the religious right appear reserved for gay-related cases?
If an anti-gay Christian receives legal
exemptions, why should a Christian Scientist parent opposed to modern medicine not be exempt from child welfare
laws? Why should a Muslim devoted to
the subordination of women (which, to be
fair, is disputed within Islam) not invoke
Sharia Law? Satanists, amusingly, have
already responded to a Ten Commandments monument at the Oklahoma state
capitol by demanding equal placement of
a monument to the demon Baphomet.
Whether you are an EMT who deplores
gender nonconformity, a pharmacist who
anathematizes birth control, a county clerk
who opposes gay marriage, or a police ofcer whose faith forbids interracial marriage, you should separate your beliefs
from your duties or nd other work. To call
this intolerance on my part is to turn the
truth on its head. None of those prospective customers is trying to change your beliefs; they just want to be treated the same
as others. (I should note that libertarians
do not object to non-discrimination laws
as applied to government; they object to
imposing them on private businesses.)
To keep from swirling into chaos, we must
resist letting individuals cut holes in the law
to reect their personal list of abominations.
Unacknowledged privilege lurks at the heart
of the demand for faith-based exemptions.
Put the shoe on the other foot, and it may
dawn on people that their intolerance can
come back to bite them.
Living in a diverse society obliges us
to put up with one anothers dierences.
Getting clever and insisting that your difference requires intolerance of mine will
not do. I will not be a second-class citizen,
wondering in this shop whether my marriage will be recognized and in that drugstore whether my prescription will meet
with the pharmacists approval.
America is fractious and fragmented
enough in the ordinary course of things.
To preserve civil society, we cannot permit
ad hoc exclusions from equal protection.
Copyright 2014 by Richard J. Rosendall.
All rights reserved.
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VIEWPOINT
Lily, we salute you!

Tomlin receives well-deserved
Kennedy Center honor
KATHI WOLFE is a writer, poet and regular

contributor to the Blade. She can be reached
through this publication.
All of us who love Lily Tomlin are smiling. On Dec. 7, Tomlin, 75, was awarded
a Kennedy Center honor. The star-studded award ceremony, where Tomlin,
along with Tom Hanks, Sting, Al Green
and Patricia McBride, was honored for
her contributions to art and culture, will
be broadcast on CBS on Dec. 30. Tomlin,
who stars with Jane Fonda in the Netix
series Grace and Frankie due out next
year, is the rst out lesbian to receive a
Kennedy Center honor.
In a career spanning half a century, the
Emmy-, Grammy- and Peabody-winning
Tomlin has received many distinguished

awards from a special Tony in 1977 for
her one-woman Broadway show Appearing Nitely to the Kennedy Centers
Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in
2003. The Kennedy Center honor is, perhaps, the most prestigious honor to be
bestowed on Tomlin.
President Kennedy understood that
our art is a reection of us not just as
people, but as a nation, it binds us together, President Obama said at a White
House East Room reception before the
gala performance. Songs and dance and
lm express our triumphs and our faults,
our strengths, our tenderness.
Some of us grew up with Tomlin, who
became a cultural icon after getting her
rst big break and burst of fame when
she joined the cast of the TV show Rowan & Martins Laugh-In. At that moment,
her many characters, especially, Ernestine, the snotty telephone operator (now
bureaucratic health care plan employee)
and the truth-telling child Edith Ann, became part of our zeitgeists DNA.
Weve watched her perform in movies
from Robert Altmans Nashville to (the
so funny that its feminism doesnt beat
you up) 9 to 5 to Admission. Weve

laughed and choked up as she portrayed
memorable TV characters from Kay
Candice Bergens foil on Murphy Brown
to Deborah, President Bartletts secretary on The West Wing to Fionas mom
Putsy Hodge on Web Therapy.
But what endears Tomlin to me, and I
bet many other life-long Tomlin acionados, is the multitude of characters that
she has brought to life on record albums,
TV specials and, most notably, in her two
Broadway shows Appearing Nitely and
The Search for Signs of Life in the Intelligent Universe, written by her wife Jane
Wagner. Tomlins characters range from
the teenager Agnus Angst, to Trudy, the
homeless woman whos simpatico with
extraterrestrial beings, to grandparents
Lud and Marie who cant stop talking
about cake to lounge-lizard Tommy Velour to Southern inspirational singer Sister Boogie Woman.
These creations arent caricatures. Theyre
written with Wagners extraordinary skill
and performed by Tomlin with her amazing
talent from the depths of her being.
Like many, but particularly, LGBT
people and others whove been outsid-
ers, my life was changed by Tomlins art.

Growing up in an often sexist, homophobic world, I found in her work a universe
where women didnt cower before men;
and where compassion, eccentricity and
humor ruled. Legally blind, Id seen only
a few disabled characters who werent
sappy victims or creepy villains, before
encountering Tomlins character Crystal,
a spirited quadriplegic in a wheelchair
with the goal of hang gliding o Big Sur.
Tomlins art gave me and so many others
the courage to be ourselves.
In 1976, I accidentally met Tomlin when
she performed at a small theater in a
town near New Haven, Conn., at a benet
for Jimmy Carter in the 1976 presidential
campaign. Somehow, Id gotten a cheap
ticket to the show and, getting lost looking for the bathroom, found myself in
Tomlins dressing room. Most stars would
have kicked a fan like me out, or maybe
even called security. Not Tomlin. She
graciously oered me some wine, asked
where I was from and didnt snicker when
I stammered that I was from Connecticut.
Over the decades, Tomlin has shown this
humanity in her life and in her art.
Lily, we salute you!
INSIDE LGBT WASHINGTON
Tis the season to help others

Give as generously as you
can to charities that make a
difference
PETER ROSENSTEIN is a D.C.-based LGBT rights

and Democratic Party activist. He writes regularly
for the Blade.
Getting into the feeling of the holiday

season can be dicult when reading the
headlines each morning. There is ISIS beheading another innocent; grand juries
failing to indict shooting suspects; and
thinking about the havoc that a Republican Congress will try to create next year.
So lets try to think of the many good
things that happened in the past year
and focus on those and what we can do
to make things better. After all, isnt the
holiday season about giving thanks and
spreading joy in the world?
I nally got into the holiday spirit while

attending the Rockin the Holidays concert presented by the Gay Mens Chorus
of Washington (GMCW) at the Lincoln
Theatre. It was a joyous evening of beautiful music that couldnt help but lift your
spirits. Under the leadership of new artistic director Thea Kano, it was the best
Christmas program I have ever heard
them perform. There is no question that
many in the audience were motivated by
the handsome and articulate executive
director, Chase Maggiano, to donate to
the educational work of the Chorus and
to support the new GenOUT Chorus, the
rst LGBT youth chorus in Washington.
The Chorus experience helped bring on
the holiday spirit and it made me want to
continue to enjoy the feeling. So last Sunday
found me at the 11 a.m. service at Foundry
United Methodist Church. Even a nice Jewish boy like me felt welcome at Foundry and
Ive always looked forward over the years
to hearing a sermon by its recently retired
senior pastor, Dean Snyder. This was the
rst time I attended a service and heard the
new Pastor, Ginger Gaines-Cirelli.
Having had the pleasure of meeting her
previously at the home of a good friend
and church leader, Paul Hazen, it wasnt

surprising her sermon, Come, Lovely Soul,
was thought provoking. But it was the music performed by the Foundry Choir and
Orchestra that was the real treat and kept
the holiday spirit alive. That afternoon, at
the invitation of my good friend Rob Marus,
who is a member of the Chancel Choir,
found me at the Candlelight Carols 2014, a
beautiful program of instrumental brass, a
Handbell Choir, organ music and songs at
the First Baptist Church of the City of Washington, D.C. In that beautiful church the
sounds of their choirs couldnt help but lift
the spirits of everyone there.
Music has a way of making you feel better. It doesnt change the world we live in
but it lifts the spirit and gives renewed hope
that with hard work we can change things
to make life a little better for everyone.
It reminded me that part of celebrating the holiday season is not only getting out and protesting the inequality of
our justice system or demanding that
Congress recognize those of us living in
D.C. as full citizens but it is the time we
should think about making a donation,
large or small, to those charities that are
working to make our world a little bit bet-
ter. After reading this you still have time

to make those donations and deduct
them on your 2014 taxes so the government is actually contributing a percentage of what you give.
My donation list this year will include
not only GMCW but Whitman-Walker
Health, MetroTeen AIDS, SMYAL, Us Helping Us, UNICEF, the Shakespeare Theatre
Company Education Program, The Holocaust Museum and the Southern Poverty
Law Center among others.
It isnt who you choose to give to that is
important but rather that you give. Each
one of us has a favorite charity or cause
that means something special and its the
time of year that you should give as generously as you can because the people
helped by those charities depend on us
and our neighbors.
As 2014 comes to a close it is sometimes a little hard to feel optimistic because of all that is going on in the world.
But if you want to get into the holiday
spirit, which always brings a sense of joy
and optimism, then take the time to listen
to some music. Whether it is in a house
of worship or a concert or just turning up
the iPod, it does make a dierence.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
We get it you procrastinated.

You want something fast, memorable and fun but dont want to make it
look like you just swung by the Hickory Farms stand at the local mall.
We got you covered.
Furry friends deserve a special gift just

like everyone else. Eco-friendly pet
store the Big Bad Woof (117 Carroll
St., N.W.) has toys and essentials with
a socially conscious twist. Keep things
festive with a box of Holiday Buddy
Biscuits, treats shaped like gingerbread
men with gingerbread avor, for $6.45.
thebigbadwoof.com. (Washington Blade
photo by Mariah Cooper)
A spot thats easy to miss or might

be more extensive than you realized
is the delightful (and gay friendly!)
Beadazzled (1507 Connecticut Ave.,
N.W.; beadazzled.net) just steps from the
Dupont Circle North Metro stop. Handmade necklaces from Guatemala are
shockingly reasonable for the quality and
everything from baby booties to scarves
to colorful change purses are available.
You can select beads to make something
yourself, buy a kit that has everything
your recipient will need to make his or
her own project or choose from a wide
array of hand-made items. (Washington
Blade photo by Joey DiGuglielmo)
Better Banking.
memBer owned.
When you dont know what to get but

want something quirky and fun, try
Franklins General Store (5123 Baltimore
Ave., Bladensburg, Md.). Franklins has
something for anyone on your list from
toys and candy to random knick-knacks.
They also sell beer and wine like its
Mommys Time Out wine that comes in
moscasto, pink and pinot grigio for $8.79
each. Franklinsbrewery.com. (Washington
Blade photo by Mariah Cooper)
Ulta Beauty has variety perfume gift packs

for fragrance brands like Coach and Marc
Jacobs. Pick up a Daisy by Marc Jacobs
rollerball perfume set that includes Daisy
and Daisy Dream for $44. For a location
near you visit, ulta.com. (Washington
LOWER Loan Rates HIGHER Savings Rates

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
Last-minute can still be a big gift that will

keep giving all year long. Belmont TV
(4723 King Street, Arlington, Va.) oers
competitive pricing on the best upscale
electronic brands and oers free home
theater consultation to give your home
the full-theater HiFi experience. Your
recipient may never leave his or her
couch again! Call Je at 703-671-8500
or e-mail je@belmonttv.com. (Photo
courtesy Belmont)
HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
Lush Cosmetics has Christmas-themed gift

sets available. Themes include Secret Santa
and the Night Before Christmas with prices
varying. The sets are already wrapped and
have to/from tags. One gift set includes
soap, shower gel and a snowman shower
jelly for $29.45. For a location near you,
visit lush.com. (Washington Blade photo by
Mariah Cooper)
Second Story Books (12160 Parklawn Dr.,

Rockville, Md.) has the perfect selection
of out-of-the-ordinary gifts. The store has
numerous shelves of used, rare and outof-print books as well as a vintage record
collection and a selection of antiques.
Located in Rockville and Dupont Circle
(2000 P St., N.W.), the Rockville location
is having a 40 percent o sale everything
in the store. While the Dupont location is
charming and well-stocked, if you want to
spend hours looking for just the right nd,
the cavernous Rockville location is worth a
visit. Secondstorybooks.com. (Washington
intrigue decadence style
the Mansion on O | 10 p.m. - 1 a.m.
online reservations only: omansion.com/nyeball
photo: pbj pictures
New Years Eve

Masquerade Ball
Cakelove (1506 U St., N.W.) is great for

grabbing a last-minute sweet treat. Flavors
like toee crunch and red velvet are
available as well as vegan options. Pick up a
large cake for $49.50, a small cake for $29.50
or get as many cupcakes as you want for
$3 each. Cakelove.com. (Washington Blade
photo by Mariah Cooper)
RA READY
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
Logan 14 saLon spa/med spa

haircuts, body waxing, laser hair removal
1314B 14th St. NW WDC 20005 202.506.6868 Logan14salonspa.com

Choralarts.org | 202.244.3669
Love DC Public
Library? This
holiday, give a
gift that gives
back to the city
that you love.
A Capital Christmas
Choral arts annual holiday ConCert
December 15 24 | KenneDy center concert Hall
Traditional Christmas Concerts with a Twist
Choral arts Chorus with the Pan american symphony orchestra

Pedal steel, acoustic, and electric Guitars played by Jeff skunk
Baxter (12/15) and Michael Bard (12/20, 12/21, and 12/24)
holiday songs, Canciones, and a Carol sing
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HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
P.S. is a monthly
subscription service.
One handpicked book
will be delivered to
your door each
month for six or
twelve months.
If you love books and are
looking for new ways to
find your next great read,
this program is for you.
Q&A
What comes in each
P.S. package?
One handpicked book.
One letter from a bookseller
extolling the virtues of said
book. One piece of
Kramerbooks swag, i.e.
temporary tattoos, vintage
bookstore paraphernalia,
surprises!
If you really want something quick and

easy, pick up a few gifts at Whole Foods
while doing your Christmas meal shopping
at the same time. They have a surprisingly
large collection of soaps, candles, bath
salts and more. (Washington Blade photo
by Joey DiGuglielmo)
OK, we cant guarantee that these exact

items will still be there, but if you want
to induce some pop culture nostalgia,
youre sure to nd something vintage and
fun on the antique market. One of our
favorite D.C.-area spots and its huge!
is the Mount Vernon Antique Center
(8101 Richmond Highway, Alexandria).
Its easy to nd and has plenty of parking.
(Washington Blade photo by Joey
DiGuglielmo)
For the sports fanatic, give the Nationals

Baseball Racing President Toms Holiday
Gift Pack. Each pack includes three
games and a free racing president Tom
ornament. See popular teams like the
Cardinals, Phillies, the Mets and more
play the Nationals. Gift packs start at $50
depending on specic games and seats.
Nationals.com/holiday.
Barnes & Noble (many D.C.-area

locations) isnt just for books and these
reproductions of vintage toys arent
just for kids. With several possibilities in
the $10-20 range, these delights from
Ridleys will help you learn to juggle,
perform magic tricks, make animals out
of balloons and much more. (Washington
Another spot brimming with ideas for

the young or young at heart is Sullivans
Toys & Art Supplies in Tenleytown (4200
Wisconsin Ave., N.W.) which has everything
from educational toys, games, arts and
craft projects and whimsical novelties
like these puppets, available in every kind
of beast or fowl (almost!) that you can
imagine. Prices vary. Parking is tricky there
but the Tenleytown Metro is within walking
distance. Its worth the eort. (Washington
What types of books

will I receive?
All paperbacks, generally
new. Mostly fiction, with
perhaps the occasional
literary non-fiction.
Can I give P.S. as a gift?

Yes! You are an amazing
friend or loved one to give
P.S. as a gift. Way to go, you!
Can I sign myself up?

Absolutely. You deserve it!
How much does it cost?

6 Month Subscription: $150
12 Month Subscription: $300
Ready to sign up? E-mail
ps.kramerbooks@gmail.com
1517 CONNECTICUT AVE. NW

202.387.1400 // KRAMERS.COM
Moleskine (3029 M St., N.W.) has a popup shop in Georgetown until January
when its owners will look for a more
permanent location. The Italian company
sells planners, journals, writing utensils
and much more. In addition to the
entire Moleskine collection in one place,
the Georgetown store features the
(MOLESKINE)RED #OneREDDay Special
Edition Collection, which includes a large
hard cover notebook, a pen, a luggage tag
and planner. Moleskine sends 5 percent
of the retail price of the items directly to
the Global Fund to ght AIDS. moleskine.
com (Photo courtesy Moleskine)
And nally, for the person who truly has everything, consider giving a donation
to the D.C. Public Library in his or her honor. Details at dcplfoundation.org.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
This holiday season
let our certified

packing experts pack
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Holiday Happiness brought to you by
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transit, youll be reimbursed for your packing and shipping costs and your items value (the lesser of actual value, repair or replacement cost in accordance with the UPS
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4201 Wilson Blvd #110
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Arlington, VA 22203
one coupon
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centers are independently owned and operated. 2014 The UPS Store, Inc.
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by The UPS Store FREE PARKING with Purchase
The
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*If your package, packed by The UPS Store center associates using new materials purchased by you and shipped via UPS on that centers account, is damaged or lost in
transit, youll be reimbursed for your packing and shipping costs and your items value (the lesser of actual value, repair or replacement cost in accordance with the UPS
Tariff/Terms and Conditions of Service). At participating locations only. Restrictions and limitations apply. See center for details or visit http://www.theupsstore.com/
products-services/packaging-shipping/Pages/guarantee.aspx
The UPS Store locations are independently owned and operated by franchisees of The UPS Store, Inc. Copyright 2014 The UPS Store, Inc. MS410_1791014
BALLSTON
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a space to enjoy French cuisine with a great wine selection

& craft cocktails in a vintage attic dcor, a cozy atmosphere
with intimate ambiance on the vibrant H street corridor
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502 H street Ne I wasHINgtoN, dc 20002

202.544.5999 I www.legrenierdc.com
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St. Marks Episcopal Church, Capitol Hill
Blue
Christmas
Service
A worship service of
comfort and hope
for those who
feel blue at Christmas.
Afterwards, an opportunity
to share soup & bread
and fellowship.
Sunday, December 21, 2014

at 4:00 P.M.
Sponsored by the LGBTQ Outreach Group
Rockville United Church
of Rockville United Church
355 Linthicum Street
Rockville, MD 20851
Conversation, Not Conversion

Wherever you are on your faith journeyWhatever you believe or
dont believeBaptized or notWe welcome you to join us.
SUNDAY SERVICES
301-424-6733
www.rockvilleunitedchurch.org
Christmas is a time for new beginnings.
Come join us in celebration.
Holy Eucharist9 am, Sermon Seminar10 am

11:15 amHoly Eucharist and Sermon
5 pmContemplative Eucharist
CHRISTMAS SERVICES
December 24, Christmas Pageant 4 pm,

Christmas Eve Festival Holy Eucharist 9:30 pm
December 25, 10 am Holy Eucharist
The Rev. Paul Roberts Abernathy, Rector
The Rev. Rebecca Justice Schunior, Associate Rector
St. Marks Episcopal Church: Worship | Education | Outreach | Arts
3rd & A Sts. SE, Washington, DC 20003 | 202.543.0053 | www.stmarks.net
Bethesda Presbyterian, 7611 Clarendon Rd., Bethesda MD bethesdapresbyterian.org

Capitol Hill Presbyterian, 201 4th St. SE, Washington, DC capitolhillpreschurch.org
Clarendon, 1305 N Jackson St., Arlington VA clarendonpresbyterian.org
New York Avenue, 1313 New York Ave. NW, Washington, DC nyapc.org
Oaklands, 14301 Laurel Bowie Rd., Laurel, MD oaklandspres.org
Pilgrims, 2201 P St. NW, Washington, DC churchofthepilgrims.org
Rockville United, 355 Linthicum St., Rockville, MD rockvilleunitedchurch.org
Takoma Park, 310 Tulip Ave., Takoma Park, MD takomaparkpc.org
United Christian Parish, 11508 North Shore Dr., Reston, VA ucpreston.org
Western, 2401 Virginia Ave. NW, Washington, DC westernpresbyterian.org
Westminster, 400 I St SW, Washington, DC westminsterdc.org
All members of More Light Presbyterians/Open Doors Chapter
opendoorsmlp.org
Celebrate Christmas with Us!

Sunday, Decemer 21
7 PM Longest Night Service Wesley UMC*

Join us Sundays
in January
Celebrate at Foundry
Into the Hundred Acre Woods
Metropolitan Memorial
Sunday, December 21, 2014 at 9:30 & 11:00 AM

Celebrate the season with Foundrys children as they tell the
Christmas story. Witness angels, shepherds, kings, and even talking sheep,
as together we experience the best Christmas pageant ever!
Celebrating 200 Years
Help us commemorate the historic visit of President Roosevelt and British
Prime Minister Churchill with the re-enactment of their Christmas 1941 visit
#1
to Foundry during our 11:00 AM service. Stay afterwards for PROOF
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with our historic guests.
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Building Bridges
Wesley UMC*
5 PM Family Service
7 PM Candlelight & Communion Wesley UMC*
7:30 PM Candlelight & Communion
10:30 PM Prelude Music
11 PM Traditional Candlelight Service with Music
Sunday, Decemer 28
9 & 11:15 AM Service of Lessons & Carols

11AM Kwanzaa Service with
Malcolm X Drummers Wesley UMC*
* 5312 Connecticut Ave. NW
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ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM VOLUME 45 ISSUE 51 DECEMBER 19 2014 PAGE 39
Black Fox Lounge, though gay owned, had a

mixed clientele.
PHOTO BY VLADYSLAV REKHOVSKYY
Gay-owned nightspot
to close Dec. 31
By SANTIAGO MELLI-HUBER
Nestled discreetly on the north side of
Dupont Circle is Black Fox Lounge, if only
until the end of the month. The bar and
restaurant will close its doors Jan. 1 after
ve years of operating as a relaxed space
for mature clientele.
Citing economic diculties as the

reason for the closure, co-owner Russwin
Francisco attributed a decrease in foot
trac in Dupont to a business boom on
14th Street. As a result, Francisco said
he and owner Jim McGlade cant sustain
the lounge.
We found ourselves not able to meet
rent, he says. The biggest mistake was ...
when we rst signed the lease, we agreed
to a rent that was really crazy and we
knew better.
When Black Fox Lounge opened

on Dec. 15, 2009, the vision was, in
Franciscos words, to oer a more
sophisticated alternative to the people
of Dupont Circle. Though the bar is gayowned and welcomed gay and straight
customers alike, it is not ocially a gay
bar, as Francisco considers them pass.
I think most GLBT folks are more
comfortable now hanging out with their
straight friends at not necessarily gay
places, he says. I think it will be more
and more like that.

Today, Black Fox serves as a space for
artists of all stripes to perform, including
Aaron Myers, the artist in residence.
Myers was the Lounges rst
performer, who walked in on Black Foxs
third day of business and started playing
the baby grand piano. Since then, hes
performed 146 shows on the rst and
third Friday of each month. His farewell
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
QUEERY: 20 QUESTIONS FOR REV. JOHN BEDDINGFIELD
REV. JOHN BEDDINGFIELD

How long have you been out and who
was the hardest person to tell?
I came out to myself in 1988 and to my
parents and brother the next year. My
parents were the hardest to tell, not so
much because they were unaccepting,
but because of my own expectations
about trying to please everyone.
By JOEY DiGUGLIELMO
joeyd@washblade.com
Being an out rector at an LGBT-arming church does have an ever-so-slight
downside when some visitors assume its the churchs main calling card.
Rev. John Beddingeld, rector at All Souls Memorial Episcopal Church (2300
Cathedral Ave., N.W.; allsoulsdc.org) for the last seven years, recalls a recent
incident when a straight visitor asked him if she was welcome there.
She said her friends told her this was a gay church and she wasnt sure if
shed t in, says Beddingeld, a 50-year-old Charlotte, N.C., native. I felt just
a twinge of discomfort with that because whomever you are, theres a place
for you here and hopefully well be able to say that about every church. Its
a safe space for everyone.
Though he says hes never gone over the roster member by member,
he guesses roughly half of the 150 average Sunday parishioners are LGBT.
Beddingelds predecessor was also gay and the church has long been known
as a welcoming parish.
Beddingeld calls the upcoming Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services
daunting, yet really joyful. On Christmas Eve, a 4 p.m. childrens Mass will
be held. Lessons & Carols is at 7 p.m. A half-hour of carols starts at 10:30 p.m.
just before the 11 p.m. high Mass. A low Mass is on Christmas Day at 10 a.m.
Its challenging because you do have people who may not attend church
very often and theyre expecting to hear something life changing, he says. I
just have to remember that its not about me. If I get out of the way and let
God do what God wants to do, it will be ne.
Beddingeld lives with his husband Erwin de Leon in Woodley Park. He
enjoys gardening, cooking and collecting North Carolina face jugs in his
free time.
202.747.2077
Whos your LGBT hero?

John Boswell, historian and author
of Christianity, Social Tolerance, and
Homosexuality (1980), who died in
1994. I remember nding that book on
the shelf of Lambda Rising Bookstore
as I was driving through D.C. while
attending seminary in New Jersey.
The book was foundational to my selfunderstanding and deepened my own
sense of vocation (and I had a huge
crush on the author based on the book
jacket photo).
Whats Washingtons best

nightspot, past or present?
National Cathedral for Evensong (but
I dont think thats what you mean).
If I went out these days, Id probably
be most comfortable somewhere like
Nellies. I like the mix and the casual
atmosphere.
Describe your dream wedding.
Already had it: Easter Monday, April
5, 2010, under the silk and plastic rose
arch in the D.C. Marriage Bureau Chapel.
After 11 years with Erwin, it still felt like a
dream to be married legally.
What non-LGBT issue are
you most passionate about?
Helping people realize that God is
much bigger than any person or churchs
attempt to control, dene or name;
and at the same time, inviting people
to experience spiritual life as an everexpanding adventure and surprise.
What historical outcome

would you change?
The Second Amendment (protecting
the right to keep and bear arms) would
not have passed.
Whats been the most memorable pop
culture moment of your lifetime?
Beginning a conversation with Dame
Judi Dench because I mistook her for a
parishioner.
On what do you insist?

Strong coee.
What was your last

Facebook post or Tweet?
An invitation for people to join us for a
retreat at church.
If your life were a book,
what would the title be?
Progress Not Perfection
If science discovered a way to change
sexual orientation,
what would you do?
Id be angry that science wasted
resources on such a thing rather than
focusing on curing disease or ending
hunger.
What do you believe
in beyond the physical world?
The spiritual world is within and
beyond the physical and runs on love.
Love never ends. The Episcopal Church
allows me to use traditional concepts
to frame a progressive faith that is
Catholic in spirituality (Mary, saints and
sacraments), but with a Protestant edge
(encouraging of all people to ordained
positions, critical approach to scripture
and a progressive sense of Gods action
in the world). Just ask and Ill tell you
more.
Whats your advice for LGBT

movement leaders?
Keep looking and listening for those
on the periphery we can always add
more letters to the movement, if need
be.
What would you walk

across hot coals for?
My faith and your freedom to disagree
with me.
What LGBT stereotype

annoys you most?
The stereotype that we are overly selfcentered and self-indulgent.
Whats your favorite LGBT movie?

My Beautiful Laundrette
Whats the most overrated

social custom?
Big, expensive weddings.
What trophy or prize
do you most covet?
My vegetable plot at the Melvin Hazen
Community Garden.
What do you wish youd known at 18?

Fear goes away when I ask enough
people for input and help.
Why Washington?
The perfect mix of challenging work,
great colleagues, good friends and
proximity to family.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
THEATER
A Perfect Holiday Gift!
PHOTO BY JOAN MARCUS
KYLE DEAN MASSEY in Pippin.
Physical part requires

strenuous training
says out actor
By PATRICK FOLLIARD
Any actor will tell you some roles
require more preparation than others.
Theres not a gymnastic bone in my
body, says Kyle Dean Massey. But that
didnt stop the Broadway actor from
tackling the title character in Diane Paulus
Tony Award-winning revival of Pippin.
Unlike previous versions of the 1972
musical, this production (now playing at
National Theatre) takes place in a circus
tent and incorporates lots of ashy Cirque
du Soleil-like moves.
When I started rehearsal, the
acrobatics trainer asked if Id ever done
back ips. I told him no, says Massey,
33. Then he asked about somersaults.
I told him sure, and did my idea of one.
He wasnt impressed. So lets just say I
started out at square one and have been
training ever since. Now Im doing diving
somersaults o a guys shoulders.
Pippin is the story of a young prince
trying to nd his place in the world.
Nominally set in the Middle Ages, its a
play within a play acted by a troupe of
itinerant performers. His character, says
Massey, is an everyman for every person
in the audience, for everyone trying to
make sense of their lives. With music and
lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Godspell,
Wicked), the score includes hits like
Magic to Do and Corner of the Sky.
The original Bob Fosse production
was a darker animal than the current
touring production, Massey says. Im a
more optimistic Pippin. I have bouts of
disillusionment with family expectations,
religion and government I go through
all of that in the show. But at the end of
the day I feel there is something good out
there. I think 72 might have been more
a time of dissatisfaction and malaise
onstage and o.
Todays tour includes John Rubinstein,
the actor who created the part of the
Pippin on Broadway, as Pippins father

Charlemagne, king of the Holy Roman
Empire, and Hollywood spawn Lucie
Arnaz as Pippins frisky grandmother
Berthe who encourages her grandson
to indulge in the pleasures of the esh.
Reportedly, Arnaz sings part of her big
number hanging upside down. The
experience, says Massey, is an incredible
blend of the past and whats current.
Massey grew up listening to the original
cast recording of Pippin.
Id play the cassette tape in my car,
he says. I rst found it at the library
one of the few places in Jonesboro,
Ark., where you could nd Broadway
recordings. Still, it was never a show I
imagined myself doing. It felt like one of
those crazy musical from the early 70s. It
has some great songs but it didnt have a
life outside of that for me.
After receiving an masters degree
in musical theater from Missouri
State University in 2004, Massey set
on conquering Broadway. Hes played
princely Fiyero in Wicked o and on
(both on Broadway and on tour), Thalia in
Xanadu and Gabe, the spectral son of a
bipolar mother, in Next to Normal. His
transition to Pippin happened quickly:
My contract with Wicked ended on a
Sunday and I went into rehearsal for
Pippin on a Monday. These are what
actors call Champagne problems. Believe
me, Im not complaining.
Life on tour is tricky though, say the
New York-based actor. Its easier when
youre younger and dont have ties to
where you live, he says, and harder when
youre older and more established. Hes
in a relationship but prefers to keep the
details private. When my ex and I broke
up, it took a year for me to get his name
o my Wikipedia. It was the worst. So, Im
a little more discreet now.
CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
PIPPIN
Through Jan. 4
The National Theatre
1321 Pennsylvania Ave NW
thenationaldc.org
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OUT & ABOUT
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GOSPEL
BRUNCH
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SUNDAY DEC 21
10am & 12:30pm
ALLEN
TOUSSAINT
QUARTET:
A NEW ORLEANS CHRISTMAS
MONDAY
DEC 22
By MARIAH COOPER
FRI, DEC 26
YELLOW DUBMARINE
W/ JAMISON AND DOUBLE O SOUL

SAT, DEC 27
A BOB MARLEY TRIBUTE WITH

JUNIOR MARVINS WAILERS
LGBT-friendly Christmas services
SUN, DEC 28
Christmas Eve
W/ PRESSING STRINGS
START MAKING SENSE:

TALKING HEADS TRIBUTE
TUES, DEC 30
OLD 97s W/ VANDAVEER
THEHAMILTONDC.COM
So You Can Relax & Enjoy Your Life

Specializing in...
Auto, Home, Renters, Motorcycle, Boat, Life,
Health, Annuities, Disability & Long Term
Care Insurance. Business General Liability &
Workers Compensation, E&O, EPLI, Condo &
Apartment Association Policies.
Jonna S. Wooten, Agent
8148 Electric Avenue
Vienna, VA 22182-5230
703.560.7804
jonna.wooten.loy3@statefarm.com
jonnawooten.com
Se habla espaol.
The Christ Church on Capitol Hill (620 G St., S.E.) has a Christmas Eve service
at 10:30 p.m. with a choral prelude starting at 10 p.m. For more details, visit
washingtonparish.org.
Foundry United Methodist Church (1500 16th St., N.W.) holds two Christmas
Eve services. The rst is for children and family from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in Fellowship
Hall. The second is a lessons and carols service from 8-9 p.m. in the sanctuary.
For details, visit foundryumc.org.
Saint Johns Episcopal Church (1525 H St., N.W.) holds a childrens
Christmas pageant and Holy Eucharist service at 4 p.m. A choral prelude and
Festive Holy Eucharist service will be at 8:30 p.m. For more information, visit
stjohnsgeorgetown.org.
Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church (3401 Nebraska Ave.,
N.W.) has a family service at 5 p.m., candlelight and communion service at 7:30
and candlelight at 11 p.m. Details at nationalchurch.org.
St. Marks Episcopal Church on Capitol Hill (3rd and A streets, S.E.) has a
family service at 4, carols at 9:30 and Festival Eucharist at 10 p.m. Visit stmarks.
net for details.
Dumbarton United Methodist Church holds a child-friendly Christmas Eve
worship service at 5 p.m. Christmas Eve worship will be at 9 p.m. Rev. Mary Kay
Totty will lead both services. For more information, visit dumbartonumc.org.
Metropolitan Community Church of Washington (474 Ridge St., N.W.) holds
a Christmas Eve service from 8-9:30 p.m. For more information, visit mccdc.com.
Seekers Church (276 Carroll St., N.W.) holds a Christmas Eve service with
lessons and carols tonight at 7:30 p.m. Visit seekerschurch.org for more details.
Washington National Cathedral (3101 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.) has carols by
candlelight with Rev. Mariann Buddle and Rev. Gary Hall at 6 p.m. Festival of the
Holy Eucharist service is at 10 p.m. Passes are required for both programs. Visit
Nationalcathedral.org for more details.
National City Christian Church (5 Thomas Circle,N.W.) holds a Christmas Eve
service from 7-9 p.m. Visit nationalcitycc.org for more information.
Rockville United Church (355 Linthicum St., Rockville, Md.) holds Christmas
Eve services at 5 and 8 p.m. There will be a Christmas music prelude at 7:30 p.m.
For more details, visit rockvilleunitedchurch.org.
Several Presbyterian churches in the region are part of More Light
Presbyterians, an LGBT-arming group. Visit opendoorsmlp.org for more
information.
Christmas Day
Washington National Cathedral (3101 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.) holds the
Festival Holy Eucharist service today at 11 a.m. Christmas Day service of
lessons and carols is at 4 p.m. A Christmas organ recital follows at 5:15 p.m. No
passes are required for any of the days programs. For more information, visit
nationalcathedral.org.
Saint Johns Episcopal Church (1525 H St., N.W.) holds a Christmas morning
service from 10 -11 a.m. For more information, visit stjohnsgeorgetown.org.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BIRCHMERE
Christmas John Waters style

John Waters brings his one-man show A
John Waters Christmas to the Birchmere
(3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria, Va.)
Monday (Dec. 22) at 7:30 p.m.
Waters, a Baltimore native, brings his
version of Christmas with a rapid-re
monologue that focuses on his view of
holiday traditions. Filled with humor,
Waters gives his take on holiday gift
cards, fruit baskets and other holiday
staples like Santa Claus.
Tickets are $49.50. For details, visit
birchmere.com.
Toy drive to lift holiday spirits

Walter Lundy hosts his fourth annual
Red-Themed Toy Drive Party at the Local
Celebrity Banquet Hall (8579 Landover Rd.,
Hyattsville, Md.) Sunday from 7 p.m.-1 a.m.
Guests wear red and donate toys to
needy children in the Washington area. In
past years, Lundy, who is gay, and others
have gone to the homes of these children
to personally deliver the toys. Families
who will benet from the drive include
those from the D.C. Department of Human
Services Strong Families program, the
Prince Georges Department of Children
Services, the Hubbard Place and more.
For more information or to make a
donation, e-mail dc1911md@yahoo.com.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
ADVICE
Girlfriends indelity
mars Christmas plans
MICHAEL RADKOWSKY, Psy.D. is a licensed

psychologist who works with gay individuals
and couples in D.C. He can be found online
at personalgrowthzone.com. All identifying
information has been changed for reasons
of condentiality. Have a question? Send it to
Michael@personalgrowthzone.com.
DEAR MICHAEL,
A few weeks ago, my girlfriend
confessed to me that she cheated while
on a business trip. This is especially
painful because we had just celebrated
our third anniversary. Jen seems very
contrite and I want to forgive her, but
right now I am hurt and angry.
The problem is that we had planned
to go home to my parents for Christmas
and now I dont want her to come. Its too
soon to just move on and have a merry
Christmas.
But if I dont bring her, Ill have to
explain to my parents what happened
and Im afraid it will poison their feelings
toward Jen. I dont think theres any way I
can keep this a secret from them.
My parents were not happy when I
came out and its taken them a while to
get comfortable about my relationship.
It was a really big deal when they invited
both of us home this year and Im mad
that Jen screwed up this opportunity.
Whether I take Jen home or not, both
options seem to suck. Advice?
MICHAEL REPLIES:
Both of your options have serious
downsides. Fortunately, there are other
ways to approach your situation.
Point one: Youre too old to be sharing
everything with your parents. As an adult,
its your job to gure out what you want to
do, what you want to share and what you
consider to be your personal business.
Like Jen, you would be wise to develop
stronger boundaries.
Im curious why you think you must
discuss Jens indelity with your parents.
Given their response to your sexual
orientation and your relationship, they
seem like a poor source of support. I
understand that youre struggling right
now. Keep in mind that going to others
who take a stance about what you should
do gets in the way of you guring out how
best to proceed. I suggest you nd some

healthy ways to soothe yourself. Consider
activities such as exercise, journaling,
time with a companion animal or close
friend, meditation or yoga. If you want
to speak with a friend, choose someone
who wont take sides or trash Jen.
Although I advocate that you not drag
your parents into this, it also isnt your job
to present the appearance of a awless
relationship to them or to anyone else.
A lot of same-sex couples believe that
they have to show the world that gay
relationships are healthy by hiding any
discord or problems. Of course, gay
relationships can be as strong as any
other, but all relationships have ups and
downs. Remember not to put pressure
on yourself to come across as having a
perfect partnership.
Point two: Get clear about why you
dont want Jen to come home with you
for Christmas. If you really believe that it
would be too painful to spend time with
her right now, then take a break and go
home without her. Making this choice will
give you a bonus opportunity to get better
at setting a boundary with your parents
if they press you for more details about
Jens absence than you want to provide.
But dont leave Jen in town because
you want to punish her. Sticking it to your
partner is always a bad move. You dont
want retaliation to be a weapon of choice
in your relationship when either of you is
displeased or hurt.
Point three: It is absolutely possible
to heal your relationship after an aair.
If you both want to move forward as
a closer, stronger couple, Jen will have
to understand what contributed to her
stepping out and what she must do
to avoid cheating again. And you will
benet from understanding her aair in
the larger context of your relationship.
While youre not responsible for her
behavior, spouses often play some
role in a partners indelity, whether by
being distant or hostile or simply by not
addressing some red ag theyve noticed
and are scared to bring up.
Ultimately, you will also have to decide
if you are willing to forgive Jen, because
if you dont, your relationship will go
nowhere. Forgiveness means letting go
of anger and resentment and accepting
what happened. Forgiveness usually
takes time, so dont rush yourself.
Tackling the hard stu with Jen will be
more dicult than giving her the cold
shoulder, but will be far more benecial
in the long run. If you and Jen decide to go
forward, I hope you will be motivated by
knowing that crises in relationships can
lead to tremendous growth.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
THE GUIDE TO ARTS & CULTURE
HOT HITS & HIDDEN JEWELS

FROM CULTURECAPITAL.COM
YOUR LINK TO THE ARTS IN METRO D.C.
THE NUTCRACKER
THRU DEC 28. THE WASHINGTON BALLET.
202-397-7328. WASHINGTONBALLET.ORG.
Replete with swirling snowakes, cherry blossoms and historical characters,

including George Washington as the heroic nutcracker, TWBs The Nutcracker has
become a tradition for generations of family and friends to celebrate the holidays.
HOLIDAY FOLLIES
THRU DEC 23. SIGNATURE THEATRE.
703-820-9771. SIGNATURE-THEATR E.ORG.
Tune that piano to the key of glee for a jolly festivity featuring special guest
performers, buckets of cheer and all your cherished yuletide tunes.
GOSPEL BRUNCH WITH THE HARLEM GOSPEL CHOIR

THRU DEC 28. HOWARD THEATRE.
202-803-2899. THEHOWARDTHEATRE.COM.
The Choir brings its experience of the Black Church to the U Street district in a
foot-stomping, hand-clapping show for fans from around the world. Includes
homestyle all-you-can-eat Southern buet.
THE COLORS OF CHRISTMAS: BRYSON, STUDDARD,

HOLLIDAY, DAYNE
DEC 19. STRATHMORE.
301-581-5100. STRATHMORE.ORG.
Peabo Bryson is joined by Tony Award winning singer Jennifer Holliday,

pop diva Taylor Dayne, and American Idol-winner Ruben Studdard for an
unforgettable evening of pop hits and Christmas favorites.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WASHINGTON BALLET
Count Down to the New Year with

CultureCapitals Holiday Cheer!
From the traditional to the offbeat, from family to adults
onlyweve gathered all the events here, under Holiday
Cheer. The Countdown begins now & continues thru
New Years Day. Go to CultureCapital.com.
YO U R L I N K T O T H E A R T S I N M E T R O D C
Blade_HolidayCheer_4.75x2.68_v3.indd 1
12/3/12 9:22 PM
THEATRE
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor
Dreamcoat. Thru Jan 4. Shear Madness.
Ongoing. Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600.
kennedy-center.org.
Diner. Thru Jan 25. Signature Theatre.
703-820-9771. signature-theatre.org.
Famous Puppet Death Scenes. Thru
Jan 4. Woolly Mammoth. 202-393-3939.
woollymammoth.net.
The Nutcracker. Thru Dec 28.
Round House Theatre. 240-644-1100.
roundhousetheatre.org.
Bad Jews. Thru Jan 4. Terminus. Thru
Jan 4. Studio Theatre. 202-332-3300.
studiotheatre.org.
A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story of
Christmas. Thru Dec 28. Olney Theatre.
301-924-3400. olneytheatre.org.
A Kodachrome Christmas. Dec 19Dec 21. The Alden. 703-790-0123.
mcleancenter.org.
The Intelligent Homosexuals Guide to
Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to
the Scriptures. Thru Dec 21. Theater J.
800-494-8497. theaterj.org.
A Christmas Carol. Thru Jan 1. Fords
Theatre. 800-982-2787. fords.org.
Beauty and the Beast. Thru Jan
11. Synetic Theater. 866-811-4111.
synetictheater.org.
DANCE
Culture Shock Holiday Showcase. Dec
19-Dec 20. Dance Place. 202-269-1600.
danceplace.org.
Step Afrika! Magical Musical Holiday
Step Show. Thru Dec 22. Atlas.
202-399-7993. atlasarts.org.
Chloe Arnolds Syncopated Ladies: Live
in DC. Dec 19. Howard Theatre.
202-803-2899. thehowardtheatre.com.
Cherish the Ladies: Celtic Christmas.
Dec 21. BlackRock. 240-912-1058.
blackrockcenter.org.
MUSIC
Thomas Circle Singers. Dec 20.
Alexandria Kleztet. Dec 21. National
National Gallery of Art. 202-737-4215.
nga.gov.
Handels Messiah. Thru Dec 21. NSO.
Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600.
kennedy-center.org.
A Renaissance Christmas. Thru Dec
23. Folger Consort. Folger Shakespeare
Library. 202-544-7077. folger.edu.
Welcome to the Winter: Holiday
Party. Dec 19. The DC Christmas Bash!
Featuring Oneway Boobe & Ethan
Spalding. Dec 20. Howard Theatre.
202-803-2899. thehowardtheatre.com.
Lloyd Dobler Efect: Holiday
Experience. Dec 20. BlackRock.
240-912-1058. blackrockcenter.org.
Handels Messiah. Dec 20-Dec 21.
National Philharmonic. Strathmore.
301-581-5100. nationalphilharmonic.org.
Vienna Boys Choir: Christmas in
Vienna. Dec 20-Dec 21. GMU Center for
the Arts. 888-945-2468. cfa.gmu.edu.
MUSEUMS
National Gallery of Art. Captain
Linnaeus Tripe: Photographer of India
and Burma, 18521860. Thru Jan 4. A
Subtle Beauty: Platinum Photographs
from the Collection. Thru Jan 4. Degass
Little Dancer. Thru Jan 11. El Greco: A
400th Anniversary Celebration. Thru Feb
16. 202-737-4215. nga.gov.
Folger Shakespeare Library. Decoding
the Renaissance. Thru Mar 1. folger.edu.
National Archives. Making Their Mark:
Stories Through Signatures. Thru Jan 5.
202-357-5000. archivesfoundation.org.
National Geographic. Food: Our Global
Kitchen. Thru Feb 22. Spinosaurus: Lost
Giant of the Cretaceous. Thru Apr 12. Sea
Monsters 3D & Flying Monsters 3D. Thru
Apr 1. National Geographic.
202-857-7700. nglive.org.
Kreeger Museum. Emilie Brzezinski: The
Lure of the Forest. Thru Dec 27. 202-3373050. kreegermuseum.org.
Museum of Women in the Arts.
Picturing Mary: Woman, Mother, Idea.
Thru Apr 12. Doris Lee: American Painter
and Illustrator. Thru May 8.
202-783-5000. nmwa.org.
Prince Georges African American
Museum and Cultural Center. Works
by Amira Rasayon. Thru Dec 19. Sharing
Our Stories. Thru Dec 31. 301-809-0440.
pgaamcc.org.
GALLERIES
Strathmore. Time After Time. Thru Jan
4. 81st Annual Exhibition of Fine Art in
Miniature. Thru Jan 4. 301-581-5100.
strathmore.org.
DCCAH. Full Spectrum: The Prolic
Master within Los Mailou Jones. Thru Jan
30. 202-724-5613. dcarts.dc.gov.
BlackRock. Ron Loyd & Jodi Walsh. Thru
Dec 19. Michele Hoben. Thru Dec 19.
301-528-2260. blackrockcenter.org.
The Art League Gallery. Whitney
Staiger. Thru Jan 5. 703-683-1780.
theartleague.org.
Neptune Fine Art. Out of Bounds. Thru
Dec 20. 202-338-0353.
neptuneneart.com.
JCC of Greater Washington. ARTsy
Holiday Boutique and Craft Show. Thru
Dec 23. 301-881-0100. jccgw.org.
JCCNV. Photographs by Andy Ilachinski.
Thru Feb 9. 703-323-0880. jccnv.org.
Joan Hisaoka Gallery. Urban Bungalow.
Thru Dec 20. 202-483-8600.
smithcenter.org.
Gallery plan b. Year-End Group Show.
Thru Dec 24. 202-234-2711.
galleryplanb.com.
Gallery Underground. Watercolor
Excellence: PVW at 40 Years & December
Members Exhibit. Thru Jan 2.
571-483-0652.
arlingtonartistsalliance.org.
Publick Playhouse. Luis Peralta. Thru
Jan 5. 301-277-1710. arts.pgparks.com.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
SPORTIN IN D.C.
PHOTO BY KEVIN MAJOROS
Team D.C. lines up for the opening ceremonies of the 2014 Cleveland/Akron Gay Games which
kicked o a week which resulted in $52.1 million of increased economic activity to the region.
Cleveland/Akron still
enjoying boost from
August event
By KEVIN MAJOROS
Sitting in a region that has been tagged
the Rust Belt and possessing a nickname
that has been hard to shake (the mistake
on the lake) it was obvious to everyone
that Cleveland was going to have a hard
time drawing athletes and spectators to
the 2014 Cleveland/Akron Gay Games.
Thankfully, the LGBT masses came
anyway and experienced rsthand what
the region has to oer as arts, sports, food
and nature were in abundance. Cleveland
has been experiencing a renaissance
period of late and was recently voted
into the third spot of Americas most
underrated cities for millennials.
According to the 2014 Gay Games
Economic Impact Study, released this
month by two Kent State University
professors, the economic impact from
the Gay Games, held Aug. 9-16, for the
Cleveland/Akron region was $52.1 million.
The Games attracted roughly 20,000
people from around the world, with
about 7,000 being competing athletes.
Approximately 75 percent of those who
participated or attended were from
outside of the Cleveland/Akron area.
The two Kent State economics
professors who completed the study,
Shawn Rohlin and Nadia GreenhalghStanley, used a regional input-output
multiplier model to measure the impact.
Rohlin used the same model to
measure the economic impact of running
marathons and the 2013 National Senior
Games that were held in Cleveland.
The National Senior Games are a similar
type of multi-sport event and in 2013,
they drew about 25,000 athletes and
spectators to the area but the economic
impact was much lower at $36 million.
There could be several reasons for the
larger result from the Gay Games, Rohlin
says. The Gay Games held people in town

longer with their opening and closing
ceremonies, the athletes were younger
and there were people in town from other
countries, unlike the National Senior Games.
The Team D.C. athletes were among
the many who were unsure as to whether
they wanted to spend the entire week in
Cleveland. As the opening ceremonies
and the rst few days of competition
unfolded, several of the Team D.C.
athletes returned home.
Many of those same athletes returned
to Cleveland a few days later, unable
to resist the lure of the Games and
the welcoming feel of the city that was
hosting them.
We are one of the smallest cities to
host the Gay Games and were able to
provide a more intimate response from
the local community, says Tom Nobbe,
executive director of Gay Games 9. The
atmosphere was ripe for people to have
a good time along with the competitions.
Among the factors driving the numbers
from the economic impact study was
the direct spending gures by non-locals
which accounted for $38 million. Direct
spending is factored from expenditures of
non-local guests and participants at hotels,
restaurants, car rentals, bars and so forth.
Both Cleveland and Akron received a
huge economic boost and according to the
survey results, both cities can expect longterm rewards from hosting the event.
For Akron, the Flair Fest, which was
headlined by the Indigo Girls, was such a
success that it will return next year. The
International Gay Rodeo Association also
expressed a desire to return to Akron.
In Cleveland, the streets are lled with
vendors selling, Return of the King, LeBron
James T-shirts and this past summer it was
announced that the city would host the 2016
Republican National Convention.
The renaissance is clearly in full swing.
Cleveland is still feeling the afterglow
of the Gay Games, Nobbe says.
Everyone just fell in love with the place
and we expect them to come back.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
CALENDAR
E-mail calendar items to calendars@washblade.

com two weeks prior to your event. Space is limited so priority is given to LGBT-specic events
or those with LGBT participants. Recurring
events must be re-submitted each time.
TODAY
Ziegfelds/Secrets (1824 Half St., S.W.)
hosts Growl, a bear night, tonight at 8 p.m.
There will be a free buet and drink specials.
There is no cover charge from 8-10 p.m. For
more details, visit secretsdc.com.
Black Cat hosts Grab My Junk:
Resolutions and Regrets tonight at 9
p.m. The national touring show is part
burlesque and part game show. The
night will be hosted by Jonny Porkpie and
Scott Rayow. Jo Boobs Weldon will star.
Tickets are $15. For more information,
visit blackcatdc.com.
Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) hosts Bear
Happy Hour tonight from 6-11 p.m.
There is no cover charge and admission
is limited to guests 21 and over. For more
information, visit towndc.com.
Number Nine (1435 P St., N.W.) hosts a
happy hour today from 5-9 p.m. All drinks
are half price. Admission is free. For more
information, visit numberninedc.com.
Gay District meets at the D.C. Center
(1318 U St., N.W.) tonight from 8:30-9:30
p.m. The facilitated group discussion
covers building understanding of gay
culture and personal identity and
awareness of community events for
LGBT men between the ages of 18 and
35 in the D.C. area. For more details, visit
thedccenter.org or gaydistrict.org.
This evening at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday
and Sunday at 5:30 p.m., the StageCoach
Theatre Company at Oatlands Historic
House and Gardens (20850 Oatlands
Plantation Lane, Leesburg, Va) presents
The Gingerbread Chase, a holiday
production about Ginger, a cookie
who feels plain at a bakery known for
its beauty. Oatlands, a 360-acre selfsupporting National Trust Historic Site
and National Historic Landmark, is
decorated for the holidays and features
tours, an arts and craft show (Dec. 30)
and more throughout the month. Visit
oatlands.org for details. Its located six
miles south of Leesburg.
SATURDAY, DEC. 20
Green Lantern (1335 Green Ct., N.W.)
hosts Bears Can Dance, a leather holiday
dance party, tonight from 9 p.m.-2 a.m.
DJ Jerey Eletto will provide the music.
There will also be free Santa hats. For
details, visit greenlanterndc.com.
The Latino GLBT History Project
hosts its holiday fundraiser at MOVA
Lounge (2204 14th St., N.W.) from 7-9
p.m. tonight. Light appetizers will be
served. Cover is $15. For more details,
visit facebook.com/latinoglbthistory.
Drag performer Summer Camp
performs at Town (2009 8th St., N.W.)
tonight at 10:30 p.m. DJ Chord will also
PHOTO COURTESY OF TOUCHSTONE GALLERY
Resting Ballet Dancer by Paula Lantz is on display now at Touchstone Gallery.
be playing the top songs of 2014 upstairs.

Cover is $8 from 10-11 p.m. and $12 after
11 p.m. Doors open at 10 p.m. Admission
is limited to guests 21 and over. For more
information, visit towndc.com.
The Ladies of Lure present BARE, a
holiday dance party, at Cobalt (1639 R St.,
N.W.) tonight from 10 p.m.-3 a.m. DJ Keenan
Orr will play upstairs and DJ Rosie will play
music on the lower level. The Grinch will be
at the party handing out gifts such as free
drinks and gift cards. Admission is limited
to guests 21 and over. For more details,
visit facebook.com/lurewdc.
Burgundy Crescent, a gay volunteer
organization, volunteers today for the
Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation at
the Falls Church PetSmart (6100 Arlington
Blvd., Falls Church, Va.) at 11:45 a.m.
today. You will be paired with a dog on a
leash to walk around and play with. Wear
casual clothes. For more information,
visit burgundycrescent.org.
SUNDAY, DEC. 21
Chick Chat, a lesbian 50-and-over
singles group, hosts a free rap group
social at Red Emmas Caf and Bookstore
(30 W North St., Baltimore) at 2 p.m. To
RSVP, email woernerc@yahoo.com.
Tulas Cabaret performs a farewell
show at Black Fox Lounge (1723
Connecticut Ave., N.W.) tonight a 8 p.m.
Tulas Cabaret has been performing
shows at Black Fox Lounge every
Sunday night for the last ve years.
For more details, visit facebook.com/
tulascabaret.
The Beltway Bears holds its annual
holiday party at the Tiber Island Community
Room (490 M St., S.W.) today at 3 p.m.
Food will be provided but feel free to bring
your own side dishes, alcohol, desserts or
other drinks. For more information, visit
beltwaybears.com.
MONDAY, DEC. 22
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 24
The D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.)

hosts coee drop-in hours this morning
from 10 a.m.-noon for the senior LGBT
community. Older LGBT adults can
come and enjoy complimentary coee
and conversation with other community
members. For more information, visit
thedccenter.org.
Us Helping Us (3636 Georgia Ave.,
N.W.) holds a support group for gay black
men to discuss topics that aect them,
share perspectives and have meaningful
conversations. For details, visit uhupil.org.
Nellies Sports Bar (900 U St., N.W.)
hosts poker night tonight at 8 p.m. Win
prizes. Free to play. For more information,
visit nelliessportsbar.com.
Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) presents its
new drag show Mondays are a Total Drag
tonight at 11 p.m. The night will be hosted
by Kristina Kelly and the dierent queens
will perform. There is no cover. Doors open
at 10 p.m. Drink specials are $3 Skyy vodka
cocktails and $8 Skyy vodka and Red Bull
drinks. For more details, visit cobaltdc.com.
The Mansion on O Street (2020 O St.,

N.W.) hosts a Christmas Eve dinner
today from 5:30-8 p.m. and a separate
desserts portions from 7-10 p.m. The
dinner is a gourmet holiday buet for $50.
The desserts portion is $30. After eating,
shop the mansions annual Christmas Eve
sale to get that last-minute gift. There will
also be a Christmas ornament contest.
Bring in your homemade ornament to
receive a one-time $10 gift certicate and
to be entered into a drawing for a $50 gift
certicate. For details, visit omansion.com.
Burgundy Crescent, a gay volunteer
organization, volunteers for the Saint
Elizabeths Hospital holiday party (1100
Alabama Ave., S.E.) today from 9:30
a.m.-1 p.m. Volunteers will decorate,
serve the buet, carol and socialize with
patients. Visitor orientation is at 9:30
a.m. and party starts at 10 am. There is
a buet lunch at noon and coee and
cookies will be provided throughout the
morning. Wear something red and bring
photo ID. For more information, visit
burgundycrescent.org.
TUESDAY, DEC. 23
Genderqueer D.C. holds a discussion
group at the D.C. Center (13181 U St.,
N.W.) at 7 p.m. tonight. The group is for
anyone who identies outside of the
gender binary as bigender, agender,
genderuid or any label outside of
cisgender. For more information, visit
thedccenter.org.
Touchstone
Gallery
(901
New
York Ave., N.W.) presents the exhibit
Observations by Paula Lantz. Lantz
uses bold colors and design in abstract
paintings set in everyday life. The exhibit
runs through Dec. 28. For more details,
visit touchstonegallery.com.
THURSDAY, DEC. 25
Washington National Cathedral
(3101 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.) holds the
Festival Holy Eucharist service today at
11 a.m. Christmas Day service of lessons
and carols is at 4 p.m. A Christmas
organ recital follows at 5:15 p.m. No
passes are required for any of the days
programs. For more information, visit
nationalcathedral.org.
Saint Johns Episcopal Church
(1525 H St., N.W.) holds a Christmas
morning
service
from
10-11
a.m. For more information, visit
stjohnsgeorgetown.org.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
AUTOS
INFINITI QX70
Iconic Cherokee is back,

Outback gets reboot
By JOE PHILLIPS
With the holidays, what better way to
trek kin and cargo than in a comfortable
crossover. Add some wicked styling, and
er, well youll also be hauling sass.
JEEP CHEROKEE
$24,000
Mpg: 21 city/28 highway
0-to-60 mph: 9 seconds
After a 12-year hiatus, the iconic Cherokee
is back, albeit with Pygmalion-like changes.
Gone is the boxy styling, replaced with
softer edges, slit-eyed headlamps and a
seven-slot grille that gently cascades over
the hood. Built on the same platform as the
sporty Dodge Dart, the Cherokee is quiet
and civilized on everyday commutes. But
take it o-road or through a nasty patch of
potholes, and that rugged Jeep DNA kicks
in. Four trim levels, each with choice of
either a basic four-cylinder or revved-up V6.
Alas, cargo room is sorely lacking, but the
barebones interior has been spruced up
with high-end materials and an easy-to-use
infotainment system with large touchscreen.
KIA SORENTO
$25,000
0-to-60 mph: 8.3 seconds
Rened. Reliable. Roomy. Its hard not
to like the Sorento, one of the few midsize
crossovers with optional third-row seats.
As with the Cherokee, there are two engine
choices here, as well as front- or all-wheel
drive. For 2015, a stier chassis means
better cornering and handling. And there are
tons of standard features, along with primo
options: power liftgate, panoramic sunroof,
ventilated seats and 10-speaker, surroundsound stereo. Fold down the rear seats, and
cargo space doubles to a whopping 72.5
inches. For crossover lovers, this is often
a top pick especially the high-test SX-L,
with chrome wheels, xenon headlights and
heated steering wheel. If Santa didnt have a

sleigh, hed likely drive a Sorento.
SUBARU OUTBACK
$26,000
0-to-60 mph: 9 seconds
Dont expect any coal in your stocking
if you drive the popular Outback. A new
redesign oers more cabin space, gas
mileage and tech features. It may look
smaller than the Kia Sorento, yet both have
similar cargo room. High ground clearance
provides great visibility on the road. Inside,
the hard plastic has been replaced with
nicer trim, including elegant faux wood and
a felt-lined glove box. The nav screen lets
you zoom in and out using your ngertips,
similar to a smartphone or tablet. All-wheel
drive is standard, as are hill-start assist
and hill-descent control. And an EyeSight
safety system applies the brakes if there
are pedestrians or stopped vehicles ahead,
and it warns if the car ahead drives o and
youre still sitting at the light day-dreaming.
INFINITI QX70
$46,000
0-to-60 mph: 7.2 seconds
Inniti rebadged its entire lineup, so the
FX37 is now called the QX70. For Inniti
fans, this is no big deal. For everyone else,
its confusing. But look past the name
change and theres plenty to like and
a few things to dislike here. Styling is
A-plus, echoing the sleek design of Inniti
sport sedans. Ditto the quick steering and
braking. You can almost picture Chris Pratt
behind the wheel as he guards the galaxy.
But the swoopy rear end leaves cramped
quarters for back-seat passengers and
little cargo space. Still, theres plenty of
pep here, even with the V6 (only speed
demons will pine for the V8). Another plus:
While all the crossovers here come with
the latest safety gear such as blindspot monitoring, lane-departure warning
and more this is the only one with a
360-degree, birds-eye view to help you
park almost anywhere.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
PHOTOS BY DAMIEN SALAS
The LGBTQ youth organization SMYAL held a fundraiser, SMYAL for the Holidays, at Local 16 on Dec. 11.
S W I M AT H O M E
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
ENDLESS POOLS
THE TREADMILL FOR SWIMMERS
LA-TI-DO, a bawdy cabaret, was a Black Fox staple for three years.
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY VALDYSLAV REKHOVSKYY
Black Fox was home to

many gay performers
show is Friday (Dec. 19). In addition to

being the Lounges rst performer, he
will also perform there on New Years
Eve as Black Fox Lounges last performer
(details at blackfoxlounge.com).
Myers, who was considered for ve
categories of the 56th Grammy Awards
and can be found on iTunes, says he will
miss having a safe space ... to evolve and
be creative.
When you eliminate a venue [for artists]
from the landscape, it creates a huge void.
Where will these voices be heard now?
D.C. is not really bustling with other venues
where artists can come for free.
Monday night (Dec. 15) marked
Black Fox Lounges fth anniversary, a
bittersweet occasion, considering the
imminent closing. The evening included
the last La-Ti-Do show at that location, a
weekly staple that had been at Black Fox
Lounge for three years. A combination
of musical theater and spoken word,
Mondays holiday-themed show featured
acts ranging from a four-part harmony of
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas to
a mother/daughter duos Jewish-themed
poems, including the daughters ode to
her pubic hair titled My Hanukkah Bush.
La-Ti-Do, hosted by DonMike Mendoza
and Regie Cabico, will live every Monday
night at James Hobans Irish Restaurant
& Bar (1 Dupont Circle, N.W.), though
Mendoza, who is also the executive
artistic director, says [La-Ti-Do] wouldnt
be what it is now without Russwin, Jim
and Black Fox Lounges support.
Black Fox Lounge has been a special
place for a lot of artists, he says.
A point of pride for him was seeing the
caliber of artists grow, but the memory
that stands out in Mendozas mind
was when Nova Y. Payton, whom he

describes as a powerhouse performer,
participated in La-Ti-Do. The night she
performed is one of my top moments.
La-Ti-Do debuted in January 2012 after
Francisco approached Cabico about
performing to help drum up business on
Monday nights, a typically slow night.
Another long-running show, Tulas
Cabaret, will see its nal show at Black
Fox Lounge on Sunday (Dec. 21). The
weekly drag shows Farewell to the Black
Fox will bring back the groups greatest
hits before the cabarets closure.
Andre Hopfer, known professionally
as Tula, laments the fact that small
businesses struggle to survive.
Sadly, that whole strip of Connecticut
Avenue has suered greatly since areas
like 14th Street have become so popular,
Hopfer says.
We always had a great mixed crowd
of gay and straight people, and because
of the close proximity to the Washington
Hilton, quite often a nice crowd of
international guests.
Shows would often have a dierent
theme, from disco to country, to keep
audiences from seeing the same act each
week. In addition to featuring a regular
cast, Tulas Cabaret was also open to new
performers to showcase their talent.
Leon
Hargraves,
who
performs
regularly as Chris Monroe, thinks of the
Black Fox as a home away from home.
Hargraves says hes fortunate to be
part of a wonderful cast of very talented
people. Hopfer is exploring venue
options for the show to continue.
As their next venture, Francisco (also
considering a return to teaching) says
they may open a new establishment, but
not before they regroup and learn from
their mistakes.
THE ENDLESS POOL HAS A SMOOTH, ADJUSTABLE CURRENT FOR

SWIMMING, EXERCISE, REHAB, AND FAMILY FUN.
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A M E R I C A S L E A D I N G G AY N E W S S O U R C E
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
REALESTATE
Predictions for 2015 in real estate

A look at whats to
come in the D.C. market
By TIM SAVOY
Lets be honest about the 2014 real estate market: It wasnt exactly the greatest
year for growth in Washington. As of the
end of November this year, the number
of units sold in D.C. has increased 4.13
percent. Sure, growth is always great, but
when compared to the same time last
year, the area had seen a 14.14 percent
increase in total real estate units sold
compared to 2012; albeit, 2013 was a
year that was overall much more productive than 2012, perhaps explaining the
sluggish 2014.
As we look forward to 2015 it is essential to associate the mild 2014 as an
indicator for the positive direction the
D.C. market will turn next year. Nationwide, the National Association of Realtors
(NAR) predicts that the number of sales of
existing single-family homes will increase
by 5.8 percent in 2015 with the median
price rising by 5.2 percent. Compared to
the current D.C. climate, this is already
an increase in the percent change from
2013 to 2014 (assuming an average over
4.2 percent growth through the years
end). However, when shifting from the
national market to the D.C. market, many
analysts predict that the local market will
be one of the top markets in the country
for 2015 due in large part to the equity
that has been built up through a market
with limited inventory than comparably
size metro areas.

Besides a greater growth in the number of properties sold, other indicators
will likely continue to recover in 2015.
Overall, 2014 saw a near 14 percent decrease in the average days on market for
all properties (from 43 days in 2013 to 37
days in 2014). Due to a market that will
likely surpass the national growth, it may
be safe to assume this decrease in average days on market will continue. Furthermore, with a more balanced market
between the buyer and the seller, we can
expect much more equitable deal making
across the board according to Coldwell
Bankers top agent James Braeu. This
means good news for new buyers to the
market as D.C. has often been associated
much more with a sellers market.
What about the individual, taste-specific market trends for real estate in D.C.?
According to the MLS, the greatest appreciation for home purchases in the city
has been outside of the downtown area.
From the Southwest Waterfront to Cleveland Park to Hillcrest (the area with the
greatest appreciation), home values are
generally appreciating more outside of
the traditional downtown neighborhoods
(though this trend has been predicted
for years because of a limited inventory
in the most urban settings). Another predictor of this growth in a more suburban
setting is the presence of a boomer generation upgrading from a 1-2 bedroom
condo to a much more spacious singlefamily home. As predicted by Michael
Marriott and Stanton Schnepp, two of
Coldwell Bankers top real estate agents,
While up on the roof deck where memries are

made and the futures so bright that we gotta wear
shades, Ill offer advice on your housing crusade
as we sit sippin vodka and pink lemonade.
VALERIE M. BLAKE, ASSOCIATE BROKER, GRI, SRES
Valerie@DCHomeQuest.com
www.DCHomeQuest.com
The Realst8 of Affairs
Keller Williams Capital Properties 202.243.7700
sellers are cashing in on their condominiums equity and taking advantage of low
interest rates in order to purchase a feesimple house. Their new mortgage is normally equal in value to their condo when
factoring in the cost normally associated
with a condo fee.
Now, what about paying for your next
home? One standout in 2014 was truly
the drop in interest rates. From January
of this year, rates were averaging at or
around 4.3 percent. Over the course of
the year, the national interest rate has
dropped for most to at or below 4 percent. For 2015, rates are predicted to increase sometime in the next six months
and continue this cycle for the next two

years. Thus, for buyers hoping to lock in a
great low rate on a mortgage, the time to
buy is truly in 2015.
In summary, perhaps it is somewhat
safe to have optimism for the 2015 real
estate market when compared to our
mild 2014. With the D.C. area among
many analysts top markets for 2015, the
area should see above-average growth
throughout the calendar year compared
to a somewhat average 2014.
Tim Savoy is a real estate agent with Coldwell
Banker Residential Brokerage, Dupont Circle.
Reach him at 202-400-0534 or timothy.savoy@
cbmove.com.
Happy Holidays
from Dave Lloyd & Associates

SELLERS: Did you know that discounted/
poor marketing is paid for out of your home
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E: 10.24.14
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
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301-832-2036.
COUNSELING
LGBTQ AFFIRMING THERAPY at
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mike.giordano.msw@gmail.com.
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KASPERS LIVERY SERVICE BMW
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Volume 45, Issue 51, December 19, 2014

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DECEMBER 19 2014 VOLUME 45 ISSUE 51 CELEBRATING 45 YEARS AS AMERICAS GAY NEWS SOURCE WASHINGTONBLADE.

Jim Graham reects on 16 years

We have a crisis on our hands

The problem of LGBT youth homelessness,

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

home after coming out. After living in the home

Sydney mourns death

Black Fox Lounge,

02 DECEMBER 19, 2014

Wishing You A World of

The Denny & Leyla Team

DECEMBER 19, 2014 03

04 DECEMBER 19, 2014

DECEMBER 19, 2014 05

06 DECEMBER 19, 2014

DECEMBER 19, 2014 07

Duplex Diner changes owners;

Vandal: THE GLLU IS DEAD!

An internal D.C. police investigation is being conducted over an incident in which an

Accused killer of trans woman to plead insanity

08 DECEMBER 19, 2014

Thousands attend D.C. march

Hundreds protest ex-gay billboard in Va.

Gloucester school board adopts anti-trans policies

Gay principal red over test scores

DECEMBER 19, 2014 09

10 DECEMBER 19, 2014

Navratilova marries longtime partner

N.Y. Medicaid to cover trans care

Black trans woman killed in Georgia

Lawmakers call on HHS

Sen. TAMMY BALDWIN (D-Wisc.) was one of

DECEMBER 19, 2014 11

I love wandering through

Show your support! Spread word of the #TransRespect

12 DECEMBER 19, 2014

Keep your promise to protect each other.

Wills & Trusts

(240) 778-2330 (703) 536-0220

Serving the LGBT Community

Serving Our COmmunity fOr 31 yearS

FAMILY | ESTATE PLANNING | EMPLOYMENT | IMMIGRATION

Silber, Perlman, Sigman &tilev, P.a.

SALES REPRESENTATIVE: BRIAN PITTS (bpitts@washblade.com)

By signing this proof you are agreeing to your contr

PERSONAL INJURY PROBATE

2141 P STREET NW SUITE 103

The Gale STorm Team

DECEMBER 19, 2014 13

Florida seeks hold on marriages

The U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of

Thomas or the court will take on the

the Florida ling comes from a jurisdiction

Court denies gender reassignment to inmate

Chief Circuit Judge Sandra Lynch, a

identity disorder diagnosis, DOCs appeal

at an early age, Kosilek in 1992 was

18 DECEMBER 19, 2014

Gay hero killed during Sydney siege

Katrina Dawson, a lawyer, also died from

country, told the Washington Blade on

Rights Lobby, a Sydney-based LGBT

Marine charged with murder of Philippine trans woman