Volume 45, Issue 52, December 26, 2014

DECEMBER 26 2014 VOLUME 45 ISSUE 52 CELEBRATING 45 YEARS AS AMERICAS GAY NEWS SOURCE WASHINGTONBLADE.
COM
Is Jeb a gay-friendly Bush?

Potential 2016 candidate has
mixed record on LGBT issues
By CHRIS JOHNSON
cjohnson@washblade.com
Amid hints that Jeb Bush may hold more moderate views
on LGBT issues than other Republicans expected to seek the
presidencyin 2016, a statewide LGBT advocate inFlorida is calling
on him to clarify whether hed be a friend to the LGBT community
if elected to the White House.
Bush, who served as governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007,
announced last weekin a Facebook message thathes decided to
considera presidential run.
As a result of these conversations and thoughtful consideration
of the kind of strong leadership I think America needs, I have
CONTINUES ON PAGE 12
JEB BUSH has warned the Republican Party against appearing anti-gay.
PHOTO BY GAGE SKIDMORE; COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA
Gray says goodbye

Outgoing mayor highlights
LGBT work in farewell address
By LOU CHIBBARO JR.
lchibbaro@washblade.com
D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray has entered the
nal days of his single term in oce, which
ends with the inauguration of Muriel Bowser
on Jan. 2.
Gray mentioned his administrations
initiatives in support of LGBT equality in
a prominent way in a farewell address at
Dunbar High School last week that drew more
than 400 people, including many of the citys
prominent LGBT activists.
In his two-hour speech Gray said he was

proud of the progress the city has made
under his administration in a wide range of
areas, including a booming economy, lower
unemployment rates, improved test scores
for public school students and dozens of real
estate development projects that he said have
or soon would improve neighborhoods in all
parts of the city.
But for a city to rise together, simply
meeting the basic needs of jobs, housing
and education is not enough, Gray said. We
must strive to treat each other as equals, with
dignity and respect. That is why I have been,
and will continue to be, an outspoken advocate
Im particularly proud of the great strides we have made in ensuring full

equality of the Districts LGBT community, said Mayor VINCENT GRAY.
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY DAMIEN SALAS
GSA
ATTACKED
PARTY LIKE
ITS 2015
MARK YOUR
CALENDAR
PAGE 4
PAGE 25
PAGE 32
Students at Del. high

school claim they are
targeted by administrators.
A guide to D.C.s best

places to celebrate the
arrival of the New Year.
A look ahead at the

biggest events coming
to our area in 2015.
02 DECEMBER 26, 2014
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
Nominations open Jan. 5 for the Blades first-ever Singles Issue on Feb. 13
Help us nd D.C.s top 20 LGBT singles,

then meet them at a party on Feb. 13.
Prizes, speed dating, auctions, drink specials and more.
Nominate yourself or your friends starting Jan. 5 at

washingtonblade.com/singles
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LOCAL NEWS
Del. high school administrators attack GSA

PFLAG, local clergy
supporting students
at Cape Henlopen
By LOU CHIBBARO JR.
lchibbaro@washblade.com
Student leaders of the Gay-Straight
Alliance club at Cape Henlopen High
School in Lewes, Del., say the group and
its faculty adviser have been subjected
to unfair and discriminatory treatment
by the schools principal and assistant
principal in a series of actions over the
past two months.
GSA co-presidents Alli Payne and
Elena Campbell, both seniors, told the
Washington Blade in email messages
and phone interviews that school ocials
appear to be imposing restrictions and
close scrutiny over the group, including
a requirement that they meet just once
every three weeks, that arent imposed
on other student clubs.
The two said between 80 and 100
students regularly attend GSA meetings,
making it among the largest student
groups at the school.
A huge issue that is aecting our group
is the consistent attacks on our adviser,
Martha Pfeier, who consistently only tries
to protect the rights of our LGBT student
body, Payne told the Blade in an email.
In a phone interview earlier this
month, Payne and Campbell said they
were angered and dismayed when they
learned that Pfeier, a teacher who
heads the schools theater department,
had been reprimanded for attempting to
help a GSA member who told Pfeier and
fellow GSA members that he was being
emotionally and physically abused by his
parents because hes gay.
He came to Mrs. Pfeier and said I
need your help, Payne said. And we
were present so thats why we know
of the support Pfeier attempted to
provide him, Payne said.
And she tried to get him in touch with
just someone who could help him, Payne
continued. And they claimed she was
trying to help him run away from home,
which was completely false, Payne said
of school administrators.
Payne and Campbell said a close friend
of the gay student told them later that
the students parents removed him from
school and brought him to Nebraska,
where they enrolled him in a program run
by an anti-gay group to attempt to change
his sexual orientation from gay to straight.
GSA member Bruce Shelton told the
Blade in a separate interview that he
believes he was unfairly suspended when
he verbally defended himself against a
female student who called him a faggot
in class earlier this year. Although the
GSA leaders at Cape Henlopen High School near Rehoboth Beach, Del., say they are being
subjected to discriminatory treatment by administrators.
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY LOU CHIBBARO JR.
student who called him the anti-gay

slur was also suspended on grounds
of disrupting the class by arguing,
the teacher of the class and a school
administrator who was called to the scene
made no attempt to say anti-gay namecalling is o limits and isnt condoned by
the school, Shelton told the Blade.
Shelton, who identies as gay, said
a teacher at the school caused him to
suer considerable emotional distress
when she told him at the time he was a
freshman that he was too young to know
whether he was gay.
According to Shelton, Family and
Consumer Sciences Department teacher
Alayna Aiken approached him during
a break in a school Challenge Day
diversity group session, for which she
served as group leader. He said he came
out as gay to fellow participants in the
group session.
And she told me that I wasnt gay, that
I couldnt know that I was gay and that the
gay lifestyle is one of the most diseaseridden lifestyles there is, Shelton said.
Michael Kelley, director of curriculum
and instruction for the Cape Henlopen
School District, said that Principal Brian
Donahue, upon learning about the
allegation through the Blade, would
investigate Sheltons report of Aikens
comments to him by meeting with
Shelton and Aiken.
Please understand that further
comment on the matter cannot address
details of any possible disciplinary action
against the teacher or the student, as
such would violate their rights to privacy,
Kelley said.
Since the start of the fall semester Payne
and Campbell said they and other GSA
ocers have been summoned to meetings

with Donahue, Assistant Principal Michael
Young and Cape Henlopen School District
Superintendent Robert Fulton.
Youngs request that they meet with
him with less than an hours advance
notice came on the day after the Blade
contacted Donahue and a school district
ocial for comment about the concerns
raised by Payne and Campbell related to
the schools treatment of the GSA.
Young, among other things, pressed
them at the meeting to make changes in
their planned activities for the remainder
of the school year, the students said. At an
earlier meeting to which they were called
by Donahue, the principal admonished
them against promoting their personal
agenda during GSA meetings, Payne and
Campbell told the Blade.
The two said they were troubled by
Donahues suggestion that they were
imposing their own agenda on the GSA
membership, a suggestion they consider
unfair and unfounded.
In another development, Payne said
the administration asked Pfeier to ll
out a form that asked what the GSAs
goals were and why the group would be
helpful to the outside community.
No other group adviser we spoke to was
asked to ll out such a form, and we cant
help but feel attacked by this, Payne said.
Meanwhile, Payne and Campbell said
the school administration has not been
responsive to the GSAs suggestions that
the school improve its response to LGBT
students who report being bullied or
harassed by other students.
Kelley said Donahue expressed the
belief in his meeting with Payne and
Campbell that the GSA is a great group
that can help bring students together and

has added to the positive climate in the
school by educating students and sta.
But he added that Donahue also
cautioned that allowing personal
agendas to emerge could have an adverse
eect on the groups good intentions.
Kelley said the school and the school
district do not believe there is any basis for
claims that GSA adviser Pfeier is under
attack by the school administration.
Concerning the GSA leaders complaints
that the school was requiring them to meet
only once every three weeks, Kelley said
meetings during the school day present
a scheduling challenge because some
students belong to more than one club.
The reins have been pulled on all clubs,
not just the GSA, he said. Most clubs
choose to meet before or after school.
Concerning the schools suspension of
Bruce Shelton, Kelley said, We cannot
comment on a students discipline
record other than to say that appropriate
consequences
are
bestowed
on
students following an investigation by
administration in compliance with Board
[of Education] policy and the student
code of conduct.
Linda Gregory, president of the
Rehoboth Beach-Lewes chapter of
PFLAG, a national group that advocates
for parents and allies of LGBT people,
said several of the Cape Henlopen GSA
members came to a PFLAG meeting
earlier this month to appeal for help in
what they said was the unfair treatment
they and Pfeier were receiving from the
schools administration.
The rst-hand accounts of what is
going on at the high school toward the
GSA ocers and students and adviser
from administration, sta, and other
students were horrically discriminatory
and abusive, Gregory told the Blade.
She said that as word began to spread
about the GSA students plight in the
Lewes-Rehoboth communities, members
of the clergy at a Unitarian Universalist
Church and an Episcopal Church in
Lewes and the Epworth United Methodist
Church in Rehoboth Beach, among other
clergy, contacted Cape Henlopen High
ocials to express concern about the
students complaints.
It couldnt immediately be determined
what school ocials told the clergy
members. But Gregory said GSA
members were pleasantly surprised on
Dec. 19 when the school issued an email
announcement saying the administration
had approved a request by the GSA that
its seniors be allowed to wear rainbowcolored stoles around the shoulders
of their graduation gowns during the
graduation ceremony next June.
CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
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NATIONAL NEWS
DAVID FURNISH and ELTON JOHN legally wed in the U.K. this week.
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY
Elton John, Lance Bass wed longtime partners

LOS ANGELES Two gay celebrity couples married last weekend.
Former NSYNC member Lance Bass married Michael Turchin on Dec. 20 at a
Los Angeles hotel. Entertainment Tonight reported that all of Bass band mates
except for Justin Timberlake, who is on tour, were among those who attended
the couples wedding.
Elton John on Dec. 21 married his long-time partner, David Furnish, on the
ninth anniversary of their civil partnership in England.
The Associated Press reported the couple posted a picture of themselves on
Instagram shortly before they tied the knot.
Same-sex couples have been able to legally marry in England since March 29.
Tweets about slain officers spark controversy

NEW YORK A gay bar in Manhattan came under re after tweets criticizing
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Rev. Al Sharpton in response to the
murder of two police ocers appeared on its Twitter account.
One of the tweets on Boxers NYCs Twitter account described de Blasio as a
loser and urged him to resign following the execution-style killings of Wenjian
Liu and Rafael Ramos of the New York Police Department on Dec. 20 as they
sat in their patrol car in Brooklyns Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood. A second
tweet singled out Sharpton, whose organization, the National Action Network,
has organized protests across the country against police brutality since grand
juries in St. Louis and Staten Island, N.Y., declined to indict white ocers in
connection with the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner.
There is not a place in hell dark enough for you, said the Tweet, referring to
Sharpton. You are the most disgusting human on this planet. Please may your
fate nd you.
Bob Fluet, owner of Boxers NYC, told BuzzFeed that someone obviously
hacked the account.
Boxers NYC later apologized for the tweets.
We would like to apologize to our followers and the LGBT community, it said.
The previous tweets do not reect our view as our account was compromised.
Anti-gay Indiana pastor arrested

SEYMOUR, Ind. An anti-gay pastor faces charges for allegedly making
unwanted sexual advances toward another man.
WLKY, a television in Louisville, Ky., reported that a 27-year-old man told
police that Gaylard Williams, a pastor of the Praise Cathedral Church of God in
Seymour, earlier this month approached his car that was parked near a local
lake and grabbed his genitals when he rolled down his window. The alleged
victim also said Williams wanted him to perform oral sex on him.
Police have charged Williams with battery in connection with the alleged
incident.
Reports indicate Williams church states homosexuality is a sin and that
marriage is between a man and a woman.
WLKY reported that police found gay pornography in Williams car at the time
of his arrest.
A request sent to Associate Justice CLARENCE THOMAS to stay Florida same-sex marriages was
denied.
Supreme Court wont

halt Florida marriages
Justices deny request to stay
weddings beyond Jan. 5
By CHRIS JOHNSON
Same-sex couples may begin marrying
in Florida after Jan. 5 as a result of a
district court ruling striking down the ban
on same-sex marriage in the state, the
U.S. Supreme Court ordered last week.
In a one-page order, the court
announced it has rejected the request
from Florida Attorney General Pam
Bondi, a Republican, to place a hold on
same-sex marriage in the state beyond
Jan. 5 as litigation seeking the right for
same-sex couples to marry in Florida
continues on appeal.
Although the request was submitted to
U.S. Associate Justice Clarence Thomas,
whos responsible for stay requests in the
Eleventh Circuit, the order indicates that
he referred the matter to the entire court,
where the stay was subsequently denied.
However, the order indicates Thomas
and U.S. Associate Justice Antonin Scalia
would have granted the stay for the
continuation of the appeals process.
In August, U.S. District Court Judge
Robert Hinkle ruled against the states
ban on same-sex marriage, known as
Amendment 2, but placed a stay on
his order until 91 days passed after the
appeals process was completed in the
Utah, Oklahoma and Virginia marriage
cases. When the U.S. Supreme Court
refused to review these cases, it set the

date for same-sex couples to be able to
marry in Florida starting Jan. 5.
Bondi tried to extend the stay on the
same-sex marriages as she continued to
defend the law in court, but her requests
were denied by the district court as well as
the U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals,
which ordered the stay to be lifted at the
end of the day on Jan. 5.
In a statement, Bondi said Florida would
acquiesce to the Supreme Courts decision
to allow the stay to expire after Jan. 5 as
initially ordered by the district court.
Tonight, the United States Supreme
Court denied the States request for a
stay in the case before the 11th Circuit
Court of Appeals, Bondi said. Regardless
of the ruling it has always been our goal
to have uniformity throughout Florida
until the nal resolution of the numerous
challenges
to
the
voter-approved
constitutional amendment on marriage.
Nonetheless, the Supreme Court has now
spoken, and the stay will end on Jan. 5.
The refusal from the Supreme Court
to stay same-sex marriages in Florida is
noteworthy because although justices
have denied similar requests to halt
same-sex marriages in Alaska, Idaho,
South Carolina and Kansas, theyve never
done so before in a state where a federal
appeals court has yet to rule on the issue.
The decision with regard to Florida could
be a sign the Supreme Court is ready
to rule in favor of nationwide marriage
equality no matter what the federal
appeals courts decide in the interim.
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NATIONAL NEWS
1 year after Utah, a cascade of rulings on marriage

First gay couple to wed in
state reects on progress
By CHRIS JOHNSON
It was one year ago on Dec. 20, 2013
that a federal judge in Utah ruled the
U.S. Constitution guarantees the right of
same-sex couples to marry in the state,
starting an unprecedented cascade of 35
or so court rulings in favor of marriage
equality over the course of the next year.
First among same-sex couples to marry
in the state were Salt Lake City residents
J. Seth Anderson and Michael Ferguson,
who became an overnight Internet
sensation for broadcasting their wedding
on Twitter. The couple, who spoke with the
Washington Blade on their anniversary,
led the way for 1,300 same-sex couples
to marry before the Supreme Court
temporarily halted any further weddings.
Anderson said what especially sticks
out for the couple one year later was the
complete unexpectedness of the court
ruling at the time, although he had a
feeling immediately afterward the change
was big.
That night, when Michael and I were
walking home I remember distinctly
feeling that the ground felt dierent, the
air felt dierent, that the stars looked
dierent, Anderson said. I could feel
that it was palpable that the world had
shifted, and I remember that very vividly.
In the yearlong period since U.S.
District Judge Robert Shelby determined
the Fourteenth Amendment prohibits
Utah from banning same-sex marriage
in the aftermath of the Supreme Court
decision against DOMA, 26 federal district
judges, four federal appeals courts and a
half-dozen state courts at various levels
followed with similar rulings.
In a handful of the states aected by the
decisions, including Utah, judges refused
to stay their rulings, enabling same-sex
couples to wed almost immediately in
places where laws previously prohibited
same-sex marriage.
Only a handful of courts in this period
upheld bans on same-sex marriage:
A federal court in Louisiana, another
federal court in Puerto Rico and a circuit
judge in Tennessee. The most signicant
of these decisions was the U.S. Sixth
Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in favor of
bans on same-sex marriage in Michigan,
Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee.
Ferguson said the association of Utah
with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, which heavily backed the
passage of Californias now-overturned
Proposition 8, made having the court
ruling there rst among others a major
source of pride.
MICHAEL FERGUSON (left) and SETH ANDERSON were the rst gay couple to be married in Salt
Lake City.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDERSON
It was very gratifying after so many

years of the LDS Church spending
immense amounts of nancial and
political capital to oppress the LGBT
community, there was this poetic, sweet
justice in Utah then being one of the key
states before this burst of acceleration
toward full equality, Ferguson said.
The Utah ruling was distinct not only
because it was the rst federal court
ruling on marriage in the aftermath of
the DOMA decision, but also because it
shattered expectations of what would be
necessary to bring marriage equality to
the most conservative of states.
Evan Wolfson, president of the LGBT
group Freedom to Marry, said the
language in the ruling itself helped propel
other courts to similarly nd a right for
same-sex couples to marry.
The ruling was clear and compelling,
and contained what might be my favorite
line from all of the rulings weve won
over the past couple years: It is not the
Constitution that has changed, but the
knowledge of what it means to be gay
or lesbian, Wolfson said. The case thus
armed our strategy of changing hearts
and minds and building a critical mass of
states and support to create the climate
that would enable the kinds of rulings we
have since seen across the country and
that set the stage for the Supreme Court
win we have always aimed toward and
must keep working for until weve won.
Moreover, Utah same-sex marriages
were unique among others because they
were subject to legal turmoil over the
course of the year.
After the Supreme Court stayed the
weddings, Gov. Gary Herbert announced
the state wouldnt recognize the marriages,
but U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder
announced they would be recognized
for federal purposes. The ACLU of Utah

led litigation seeking to compel Utah to
recognize the marriages, and although
a district court granted a preliminary
injunction in favor of same-sex couples,
which was upheld by the U.S. Tenth Circuit
Court of Appeals, that decision was later
stayed by the Supreme Court.
Finally, the Supreme Court announced
it wouldnt review the decision in favor of
the right of same-sex couples to marry
in Utah, ending the process of appeal
of all litigation and enshrining marriage
equality in the state.
Anderson said he and Ferguson like to
joke all the legal turmoil over the course
of the past year has made it so the couple
is on our third marriage this year.
I remember feeling a sadness really
that we were under such attack for so
many months, and then they couldnt do
that anymore, Andersonsaid. I still think
I need a little bit more distance to fully
understand and comprehend just how
violent that was.
As rulings in favor of same-sex
marriage continued in the year to follow,
public support for same-sex marriage
continued to increase. In March, a
Washington Post/ABC News poll found a
record high of 59 percent of Americans
approve of same-sex marriage, with only
34 percent opposed. Although some
have speculated growth in support for
same-sex marriage is now stagnant, polls
continue to show more than the majority
of the United States backs gay nuptials.
Andrew Flores, public opinion project
director for the Williams Institute at the
University of California, Los Angeles,
said upcoming research from the thinktank currently undergoing scientic peer
review demonstrates the legalization of
same-sex marriage contributes to its rise
in support.
We have been able to nd that the
opinions of residents of states that passed
marriage equality tend to increase their
support for the policy, Flores said. We
suspect that this may be that passage of
the policy may make same-sex marriage
more familiar to people. We have also
found that when these policies pass,
feelings toward lesbian and gay people
also positively change.
But even though the number of
marriage-equality states has skyrocketed
from 19 to 35 over the course of a year,
the number of states that prohibit LGBT
discrimination increased by just one
after Gov. Martin OMalley signed into
law a transgender civil rights measure in
Maryland. Fourteen states with marriage
equality are left with no explicit LGBT nondiscrimination protections for employment,
non-discrimination or housing.
Laura Durso, director of the LGBT
project at the Center for American
Progress, said the expansion of marriage
equality into states without nondiscrimination protections means loving
and committed same-sex couples in
those 14 states can now legally marry and
then legally be red for doing so all on the
same day.
Its for that reason that the Center for
American Progress is among the groups
calling for passing a comprehensive federal
non-discrimination bill with protections
for LGBT people based on employment,
housing, credit, federal programs, public
accommodations and education.
Troy Williams, executive director of the
statewide LGBT group Equality Utah, said
hes unaware thus far of any incidents
of LGBT discrimination in his state as a
result of same-sex couples marrying, but
is on the lookout for such stories.
Although he said he hasnt faced
workplace and housing discrimination,
Ferguson said he feels he has faced
harassment in Utah as a result of his
decision to enter into a same-sex marriage.
I denitely have seen people react
negatively and at-out call me an enemy
to my face and say I have now used the
whole tripe weve heard before this
sacred institution as a political symbol in
order to make a mockery of things they
hold to be sacred, Ferguson said.
The expected culmination of these
rulings is a nationwide decision from
the U.S. Supreme Court in 2015 on
whether the same-sex couples have a
right to marry nationwide. Although the
Supreme Court refused to review rulings
in October from federal appeals courts
in favor of same-sex marriage, that is
expected to change now that the Sixth
Circuit has upheld marriage bans with
its jurisdiction, creating a split among the
circuit courts.
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PORTS OF
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Thursday, January 8
Preview Night
Friday, January 9
Lecture & Luncheon
Saturday, January 1o
Appraisals Lecture
Saturday Soire
The Katzen Arts Center at American University

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Washington, dc
january 911, 2015

45 outstanding dealers guided walks
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the 2015 washington winter show benefits

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NATIONAL NEWS
Holder says Title VII covers anti-trans bias

DOJ cites Macy in asserting
protections in existing law
By CHRIS JOHNSON
Outgoing U.S. Attorney General Eric
Holder announced last week that the
Justice Department supports the idea
that existing civil rights law provides
protections for transgender people
against workplace discrimination.
In a memo dated Dec. 15 and obtained
by the Washington Blade, Holder says he
has determined prohibition on gender
discrimination under Title VII of the Civil
Rights Act of 1964 also bars discrimination
on the basis of gender identity.
After considering the text of Title
VII, the relevant Supreme Court case
law interpreting the statute, and the
developing jurisprudence in this area, I
have determined that the best reading of
Title VIIs prohibition of sex discrimination
is that it encompasses discrimination
based on gender identity, including
transgender status, Holder writes.
The memo, addressed to Department
of Justice component heads and U.S.
attorneys, was sent out after Congress
failed to pass before adjourning this year
any version of the Employment NonDiscrimination Act to enshrine into law
explicit protections on the basis of sexual
orientation and gender identity.
According to a news statement
accompanying the memo, the document
is intended to foster consistent treatment
of claimants and to clarify the Justice
Departments ability to le Title VII claims
against state and local public employers
on behalf of transgender individuals.
As a result of his determination, Holder
says in the memo the Justice Department
will no longer assert Title VIIs prohibition
of gender discrimination does not
encompass gender identity per se
(including transgender discrimination).
It remains to be seen what
consequences the memo will have
on individual claims of transgender
discrimination
in
the
workforce.
Holder says the memo isnt intended
to otherwise prescribe the course of
litigation or defenses that should be
raised in any particular employment
discrimination case.
The application of Title VII to any
given case will necessarily turn on
the specic facts at hand, Holder
writes. My hope, however, is that this
clarication of the Departments position
will foster consistent treatment of
claimants throughout the government,
in furtherance of this Departments
commitment to fair and impartial justice
for all Americans.
U.S. Attorney General ERIC HOLDER says trans

workers are protected from discrimination
under existing law.
The determination marks a shift

from the Justice Departments earlier
interpretation of the law. According to the
memo, the department under the Bush
administration in 2006 stated Title VII s
prohibition of discrimination based on
sex doesnt cover discrimination based on
transgender status in the case of Schroer
v. Library of Congress. The district court
ultimately rejected that position, which
ruled in favor of the plainti.
Holder cites in his memo decisions
from courts that have ruled Title VII
covers discrimination against transgender
people, such as U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court
of Appeals decision in Glenn v. Brumby,
although he acknowledges other courts
havent made the same reading of the law.
Also cited in the memo is the 2012
decision of Macy v. Holder by the
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission,
which
determined
transgender people can sue under Title
VII. Holder also notes President Obama
signing an executive order in July explicitly
prohibiting federal contractors from
engaging in discrimination on the basis
of sexual orientation and gender identity.
It follows that, as a matter of plain
meaning, Title VIIs prohibition against
discrimination because of ... sex
encompasses discrimination founded
on sex-based considerations, including
discrimination based on an employees
transitioning to, or identifying as, a
dierent sex altogether, Holder writes.
Sarah Warbelow, legal director of the
Human Rights Campaign, said in a statement
the Holder memo will aid transgender
workers, who are at a higher risk of facing
discrimination in the workforce.
The decision by Attorney General
Holder to fully embrace the legal
standard set forth in Macy will go a long
way towards advancing equality for the

transgender community, Warbelow
said. Transgender people continue
to face some of the highest levels of
discrimination in the workplace. We are
thrilled to see the Department of Justice
take this important step.
The statement from HRC says the
organization continues to seek explicit,
legislated protections for LGBT people at
all levels of government.
One question is whether the Justice
Department will also interpret the
prohibition on gender discrimination
under Title VII to also cover claims based
on sexual orientation. In response to
pending litigation led by Peter TerVeer,
who says he was red by the Library
of Congress for being gay, the Justice
Department has said he made inadequate
claims to demonstrate he has standing to
sue under Title VII.
The idea that Title VII provides coverage
to workers on the basis of sexual

orientation isnt as rmly established by
courts as the idea that existing law covers
transgender workers.
Nonetheless, EEOC Commissioner Chai
Feldblum has asserted lesbian, gay and
bisexual people can seek relief under
Title VII based on the Macy decision, even
though it only explicitly talks about antitrans bias.
The Washington Blade has placed a
request with the Justice Department to
inquire if the Obama administration is
considering interpreting Title VII to cover
claims based on sexual orientation.
Ilona Turner, legal director for the San
Francisco-based Transgender Law Center,
said her organization is thrilled to see
the U.S. government will no longer say
transgender people are excluded from
protection under the law.
CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
Va. school district restroom policy challenged

The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Virginia have led a federal
complaint against a local school district over its controversial policy requiring students
to use restrooms and locker rooms that correspond to their biological gender.
The complaint the ACLU led with the Educational Opportunities Section of the
Justice Departments Civil Rights Division states the policy the Gloucester County
School Board approved by a 6-1 vote on Dec. 9 violates Title IX that prohibits
schools that receive federal funds from discriminating on the basis of sex.
The biological gender policy at GCPS (Gloucester County Public Schools)
singles out transgender students for disparate treatment based on their
transgender status, reads the complaint.
The school board approved the controversial policy after administrators at Gloucester
County High School allowed Gavin Grimm, a trans boy, to use boys restrooms.
The ACLU in its complaint says Grimm had been able to use restrooms
consistent with his gender identity and expression since late October with no
disruption of any kind at the school during the ensuring month.
To our knowledge, not a single student complained to school ocials or
expressed discomfort with Gavin using the boys restrooms on campus, reads
the complaint.
The complaint notes the school board approved its policy after it received
complaints from parents.
The biological gender restroom and locker room policy, and the experience
of having his use of the bathroom be the subject of public debate, has made
school an unwelcoming place for Gavin, it reads. Beginning on December 10,
2014, school ocials have prevented Gavin from using the boys restroom and
required him to travel to a unisex restroom in the nurses oce instead. As a
result, Gavin is once again stigmatized and isolated from his peers whenever he
has to use the restroom.
Randy Burak, chair of the Gloucester County School Board, on Monday
declined to comment on the complaint.
Kim Hensley is the only member of the board who voted against the policy.
She told the Washington Blade earlier this month it violates the civil rights of
transgender students by denying them equal access to school facilities. Hensley
added she feels the policy could jeopardize the districts federal funding.
Gloucester County Public Schools can protect the privacy rights of all students
and still comply with Title IX by retrotting bathrooms to make sure that there
are only stalls in the boys and girls bathrooms, she told the Blade. This would
be a fast and cost eective way to address community concerns.
MICHAEL K. LAVERS
washingtonblade.com
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Mariela Castro urges U.S. to end embargo against Cuba

relations in Cuba will bring many changes
in benets for all Cubans.
Isel Calzadilla Acosta of the Network of
Lesbian and Bisexual Women in the city
of Santiago de Cuba and Argelia Fellov
Hernndez of the Network of Lesbian
Bisexual Women in Havana both told the
Blade during separate interviews at the ILGA
World Conference they feel the embargo
has adversely aected LGBT Cubans.
It aects our children, our neighbors,
our parents in the area of medicine, said
Fellov. The blockade aects a lot.
Francisco Rodrguez Cruz, a gay Cuban
blogger who writes under the pen name
Paquito el de Cuba, on his Facebook page

described Wednesday as a historic day.
He nevertheless remained critical of U.S.
policy toward the Communist island.
I dont want to be a party pooper, but
what was announced does not change the
goals of domination that are intrinsic to
the U.S. and the hegemonic system that its
government represents, said Rodrguez.
Florida Congresswoman Ileana RosLehtinen and U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio
(R-Fla.) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) are
among those who have sharply criticized
Obama over his decision to normalize
relations between the U.S. and Cuba.
Egyptian men face trial after arrests at bathhouse
MARIELA CASTRO ESPN (right) speaks with LGBT rights advocates attending the ILGA World
Conference in Mexico City in October.
PHOTO COURTESY OF FRANCISCO RODRIGUEZ CRUZ/PAQUITO EL DE CUBA
Normalized relations
dream come true for
LGBT rights supporter
By MICHAEL K. LAVERS
mlavers@washblade.com
The daughter of Cuban President Ral
Castro said supporters of human rights
should urge the U.S. to end its embargo
against her country.
Those who support human rights in
Cuba should end the embargo, Mariela
Castro Espn told CNNs Christiane
Amanpour during an interview from
Havana, the Cuban capital. It is an
impediment for our development.
Amanpour during the interview
referred to Mariela Castros public
advocacy in support of LGBT Cubans,
though Castro did not specically discuss
those eorts.
She defended the 1959 Cuban
Revolution that toppled then-President
Fulgencio Batista and brought her uncle,
Fidel Castro, to power.
The Cuban Revolution is a project and
historic experiment precisely to achieve
justice and social equity that guarantee
all human rights, Mariela Castro told
Amanpour. We are working under this
idealwe have many challenges however
that the people have identied in their
open discussions. They have identied
many solutions and we will keep working
toward them.
Mariela Castro spoke with Amanpour
a day after President Obama announced

the U.S. would normalize relations with
Cuba following the release of Alan Gross,
a subcontractor with the U.S. Agency
for International Development who had
been in a Cuban prison for ve years.
I am very happy and I feel that it
is a dream come true, said Mariela
Castro. The normalization of relations is
something for which we have wished for
many years.
Mariela Castro specically thanked
Obama during her interview with
Amanpour, noting the release of the last
three of the so-called Cuban Five who
had been in a Florida prison for more
than a decade after their convictions on
espionage-related charges.
I congratulate President Obama for
his courage, said Mariela Castro. I really
wanted President Obama to make history
as the U.S. president that broke the
embargo and more freed the Cuban Five.
Cuban LGBT rights activists aliated with
the National Center for Sexual Education,
which Mariela Castro directs, this week
stressed normalized relations between
their country and the U.S. will have a
positive aect on their advocacy eorts.
Work on these issues has already
taken place in Cuba, Yosvanys Fonseca
Aguilar of the Network of Young People
for Health and Sexual Rights, who
attended the International Lesbian Gay
Bisexual Trans Intersex Association
(ILGA) World Conference in Mexico City
in October, told the Washington Blade
on Wednesday. The normalization of
The trial of more than two-dozen men who were arrested earlier this month
at an Egyptian bathhouse on charges of debauchery and perversion began
this week.
Agence France-Presse reported that many of the 26 defendants were crying as
they entered the Cairo courtroom. The news agency said police ocers pushed
them inside a metal cage where they remained during the proceedings.
I am innocent, said one man as he wept, according to Agence France-Presse.
I was in the hammam (the Arabic word for bathhouse) for therapy, I swear in
the name of Allah.
The news agency quoted a second defendant who said police ocers beat
us every day and forced us to sleep on our stomachs. Agence France-Presse
further reported the men arrested inside the bathhouse underwent so-called
anal tests to determine whether they are gay.
The Dec. 7 raid on the bathhouse in Cairos Ramses neighborhood sparked
outrage among activists who have long been critical of Egypts LGBT rights record.
The State Department in response to the raid condemned any discrimination
against individuals based on their perceived sexual orientation or gender
identity. Its statement did not specically refer to the raid.
Neither the State Department nor the U.S. Embassy in Cairo returned the
Washington Blades request for comment.
Mona Iraqi, a reporter for the program ElMestakhaby, which means The
Hidden in Arabic, on Al Kahera Wal Nes, a pro-government television station,
came under re for reportedly tipping o authorities after she and a cameraman
tried to enter the bathhouse.
One of the pictures that Iraqi posted to her Facebook page appears to show
her inside the bathhouse lming with her cell phone the men who were detailed.
She described the facility as the biggest den of group perversion in the heart of
Cairo before her program broadcast video of the raid.
In last weeks episode we disclosed a den for sex tracking among groups in
a public place in downtown Cairo, said Iraqi in a follow-up segment that aired
last week. The disaster was not only that there is sex tracking, but also there
is no health awareness of any kind which has major consequences.
The segment contains several audio clips of telephone conversations between
men who claim those inside the bathhouse do not use condoms when having
sex. It also shows detained men wearing only their underwear as police remove
them from the bathhouse while Iraqi lms the scene with her cell phone.
The segment also contains clips of men who said they would either kill those
inside the bathhouse or burn it to the ground.
Over the last two weeks Ive been facing systematic smear campaigns, said
Iraqi; referring to international media outlets, human rights organizations and
political activists.
She also defended her decision to enter the bathhouse and lm those who
were inside during the raid.
Im a documentary lmmaker, said Iraqi. My job is to observe and document.
MICHAEL K. LAVERS
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
COVER STORY
Jeb Bushs mixed record on LGBT issues

all sorts of forms, it doesnt have to take
the one that I think should be sanctioned
under the law.
The general consensus seems to bethat
Jeb Bush would be more LGBT friendly
than his brother, former President
George W. Bush, who made the Federal
Marriage Amendment a cornerstone of
his 2004 re-election campaign.
Ric Grenell, a gay Republican strategist
who worked briey on the Mitt Romney
presidential campaign, spoke generally
about the importance of a change in
leadership for the country when asked

how he thinks LGBT people should
perceive a Jeb Bush candidacy.
The U.S. is at a crossroads and our future
isnt guaranteed, Grenell said. Every great
civilization has lasted roughly 250 years.
The Democrats are dividing us and killing
the economy through political correctness.
We need a president that wont apologize
for American ideals and strength. We need
someone that will put Americans back to
work.There are a few Republican governors
that would make an ideal president.
The U.S. is at a crossroads and our future isnt guaranteed, warned gay GOP strategist RIC
GRENELL.
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01
decided to actively explore the possibility

of running for President of the United
States, Bush wrote.
Bush also said in January he plans to
establish a political action committee to
help
me
facilitate
conversations
with citizens across America and to
support people and initiatives aiming to
expand opportunity and prosperity for
all Americans.
The name of the former Florida
governor is but one that has emerged
as a potential presidential candidate
that on the Democratic side includes
Hillary Clinton and Elizabeth Warren and
on the Republican side includes Chris
Christie, Rand Paul, Bobby Jindal and
Marco Rubio.
Bush has made remarks about the
Republican Partys relationship with LGBT
people that puts him at odds with social
conservatives seeking to maintain the
partys anti-LGBT positions.
During a keynote speech at the
2013 Conservative Political Action
Conference,Bush warned against an antigay image for the Republican Party.
Way too many people believe
Republicans are anti-immigrant, antiwoman, anti-science, anti-gay, antiworker, and the list goes on and on and
on, Bush said. Many voters are simply
unwilling to choose our candidate
even though they share our core beliefs
because those voters feel unloved,
unwanted and unwelcome in our party.
Nadine Smith, executive director of
Equality Florida, said Bush wasnt an ally
to LGBT people when he held oce and
should arm whether comments like
these mean hes changed his views.

In recent years he seems to be
trying to strike a dierent tone without
committing to any actual change when it
comes to discrimination, Smith said. If
he does jump into the presidential race
hell have to clarify his positions on a
range of issues.
In 2002, Bush made what was
considered to be a homophobic joke
when he implied during a meeting with
Republican lawmakers two sisters under
arrest in the case of a missing child were,
in fact, a lesbian couple.
As [Geralyn Graham] was being
arrested, Bush was quoted as saying,
she told her co-workers, Tell my
wife Ive been arrested. The wife is
the grandmother, and the aunt is the
husband. Bush reportedly used his
ngers to make quotation marks as he
emphasizedthe word grandmother.
Seemingly unaware a reporter with
Gannett Regional Newspapers of Florida
was in the room, Bush reportedly
said,Bet you dont get that in Pensacola.
Ten years later after he had left oce,
Bush made decidedly dierent comments
about LGBT people. Although he stopped
short of endorsing marriage equality, he said
during an interview with Charlie Rose in 2012
that gay parents who are raising children well
should be held up as an example.
I dont think people need to be
discriminated against because they dont
share my belief on this, and if people
love their children with all their heart and
soul and thats what they do and thats
how they organize their life that should
be held up as examples for others to
follow because we need it, Bush said.
We desperately need it and that can take
Baltimore Pride will be held July 25-26, 2015.
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY
Baltimore Pride moves to July

Organizers of Baltimore Pride announced this week that the 40th annual event
will be moved to July next year. The block party will be held Saturday, July 25 in
Mount Vernon, marking a return to its traditional location after a controversial
move this year to an area farther north. The festival moves to Sunday, July 26,
returning to Druid Hill Park.
The location change for 2014 proved unpopular with many attendees, some
of whom complained at a town hall event held by the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and
Transgender Community Center of Baltimore.
For more information or to volunteer, visit baltimorepride.org.
STAFF REPORTS
FreeState Legal to hold will planning party

FreeState Legal Project, a Baltimore-based legal advocacy organization, will
host a Will Power Party to oer an opportunity for low-income members of the
Maryland LGBT community to meet with an attorney to receive free advice and
counseling regarding estate planning. Participants will prepare a simple will,
power of attorney, and advance directive.
The Will Power Party will take place on Jan. 14 at 6:30 p.m. at the FreeState Legal
Project oces at the Chase Brexton Mt. Vernon location: 1111 N. Charles St. in
Baltimore. FreeState is asking that clients call ahead to reserve an appointment
at 410-625-5428.
Any attorney who is interested in providing pro-bono assistance is invited to
contact us, said Rebecca Simpson, sta attorney.
For more information about FreeState Legal Project, visit freestatelegal.org.
STEVE CHARING
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
COVER STORY
Gray highlights LGBT issues in farewell address

of full equality for all District residents

particularly for immigrants and those in
the LGBT community, he said.
And Im particularly proud of the great

strides we have made in ensuring full
equality of the Districts LGBT community,
Gray said. For example, we launched the
rst-ever District government-sponsored
Bowser names lesbian as head of Dept. of Housing

D.C. Mayor-elect Muriel Bowser
announced last week that she will
nominate Polly Donaldson, an out
lesbian and recognized expert in
aordable housing and homelessrelated programs, as director of the
citys Department of Housing and
Community Development.
The cabinet-level appointment
requires conrmation by the City
Council, an action that virtually all
political observers believe the Council
will take shortly after it begins its 2015
session.
POLLY DONALDSON talks to reporters
Bowser announced the nomination
after Mayor-elect Muriel Bowser named
her as director of the D.C. Dept. of
at a Ward 8 town hall meeting
Housing and Community Development.
organized by her mayoral transition
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY LOU CHIBBARO JR.
team and held at the Thurgood
Marshall Public Charter School in
Anacostia.
Polly has more than two decades of experience overseeing and managing
aordable housing and homeless service programs, Bowser said. She is a
smart, committed public servant who has what it takes to help give the residents
of the District of Columbia a fresh start.
The mayor-elect noted that Donaldson has served for the past two months as
co-chair of the mayoral transition teams Aordable Housing Committee.
Bowser also noted that in accepting her oer to head the citys housing
department Donaldson will be giving up her current job as executive director
since 2004 of Transitional Housing Corporation, a widely acclaimed non-prot
organization that provides services to homeless people and develops programs
for transitioning them into permanent homes.
We are so excited that Polly has accepted, said Bowser. Polly will be leaving
a job that I know she loves.
I am so deeply honored and humbled to be asked to serve in this role,
Donaldson said. Housing is my passion aordable housing even more so.
Donaldson, 57, was accompanied at the event by her wife, Susan Rees, and
teenage daughter, Florence. She said she and her family live in Mt. Pleasant.
Biographical information released by the transition team says that prior to
beginning her job as director of Transitional Housing Corporation, Donaldson
worked for 17 years in the international community development eld in
senior management positions with several organizations. Among them were
International Education, Partners of the Americas and The Center for Democracy.
She has also served in the past as chair of Advisory Neighborhood Commission
1E in Mt. Pleasant.
In her next round of appointments Bowser was expected to name her choice
for director of the Mayors Oce of GLBT Aairs, a position currently held by
Sterling Washington, who was appointed by outgoing Mayor Vincent Gray.
Bowser has said during her campaign for mayor that she is committed to
include in the citys annual budget no less than $100 million in funds to create
aordable housing. She has said shes also committed to strengthening city
programs to curtail what observers have said is the growing number of homeless
families in the city.
Donaldson told reporters after the Ward 8 town hall meeting that Bowser,
among other things, wants her to improve the eciency of the department and
its wide range of programs for addressing homelessness.
LOU CHIBBARO JR.
Transgender activist JERI HUGHES cheered as Mayor Vincent Gray enumerated the LGBTrelated initiatives he said were among his administrations accomplishments.
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY PETE EXIS
transgender employment initiative under

the Department of Employment Services
Project Empowerment Program.
Added Gray, In 2012, we launched
a groundbreaking, rst-in-the-nation
Transgender and Gender Identity Respect
Campaign. It was designed to increase
understanding for transgender and
gender-non-conforming people, curtail
discrimination and violence and increase
reporting of discrimination to the Oce
of Human Rights.
He said later that year he was proud
to have signed the citys Youth Bullying
Prevention Act and appoint a Bullying
Prevention Task Force, which created
a Model Bully Prevention Policy for the
entire city.
With several of the LGBT activists in the
audience, including transgender activist
Jeri Hughes, rising to their feet to cheer,
Gray mentioned these additional LGBTrelated initiatives he said were among his
administrations accomplishments:
I was proud to sign into law the
JaParker Deoni Jones Birth Certicate
Equality Act, which allows people
undergoing gender transition to receive
a new birth certicate more accurately

reecting their gender identity.
I signed the Marriage Ociant
Amendment Act, which allows couples to
be married by ociants other than just a
religious celebrant, judge, or designated
clerk. He noted this new law gave him and
other city ocials authority to perform
marriages and the rst such marriage he
performed was for a same-sex couple.
Earlier this year my administration
guaranteed health care equality to
residents who are transgender by
requiring health insurers to follow the
science and recognize gender dysphoria
as a medical condition. This means
all individual and group policies must
cover medically necessary treatment for
gender dysphoria a monumental and
nation-leading step forward in protecting
the health of the Districts transgender
residents.
Gray lost his re-election bid to D.C.
Council member Muriel Bowser (D-Ward
4) in the citys April 1 Democratic primary.
Bowser, who won the general election in
November, is scheduled to be sworn in as
Grays successor on Jan. 2.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
HEALTH NEWS
Anal cancer awareness campaign underway

NEW YORK A new campaign dubbed Behind Closed Drawers from the
National LGBT Cancer Network and Tusk and Dagger is working to raise
awareness surrounding anal cancer, Hungton Post reports.
Its eorts are working to create a directory of free and low-cost LGBT-friendly
anal cancer screening facilities throughout the country.
Organizers hope to raise funds by asking people to text 41444 to UNDIES and
make a donation. They hope to spread the word by having social media users post
a photo of themselves in underwear with the hashtag #BehindClosedDrawers.
A growing number of physicians and health activists recommend that all
men who have sex with men, especially those who are HIV-positive, be tested
every one-to-three years depending on their immunological well-being and
CD4 count, organizers said in a statement. They suggest that HIV negative
individuals be tested every three years. This work is important, because most
people know little about anal cancer, have never been tested for it, and dont
know that screening tests exist.
LGBT Colorado teens face challenges
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ST. FRISCO, Colorado LGBT high school students in Colorado face more
physical and mental health challenges than their straight counterparts according
to results of the Healthy Kids Colorado Survey, the Summit Daily reports.
It found teens there are six times more likely to attempt suicide, ve times
more likely to be forced into sex, three times more likely to smoke cigarettes and
twice as likely to smoke marijuana, binge drink and be bullied than their straight
peers, the Daily reports.
The survey also showed LBG young people were less likely to be engaged in
school or have someone to turn to with their problems.
Cassie Comeau, a counseling psychologist and the clinical coordinator for the
Summit School Based Health Center, said these problems are also concerns in
Summit County.
Were not a super progressive culture or community with these issues, she
was quoted as having said in the Summit Daily.
We do see bullying that takes on a gender-specic tone or a sexual-orientationspecic tone, and that can be really detrimental to youth, she said.
In the survey, girls reported experiencing higher rates of bullying on school
property and electronically than boys. Those who identied as gay, lesbian
or bisexual were bullied at rates two to three times higher than those who
identied as straight.
One in 10 Colorado high school students reported being bullied in the past
12 months because someone thought they were gay, lesbian or bisexual. Of
the students who self-identied as gay, lesbian or bisexual, half reported being
bullied because others thought they were gay, lesbian or bisexual, the Summit
Daily article said.
Chinese man wins conversion therapy case

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In a substantial victory for gay rights advocates in China, the Haidian
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District Peoples Court ordered the Xinyupiaoxiang Counseling Center in the

southwestern city of Chongqing to pay about $560 for costs incurred by the
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Keep your promise to protect each other.
Health benets
of winter sports
Region rich with
snowboarding,
skating options
While Im not the biggest fan of ice

hockey, I did give it a try last winter
and was surprised how much I liked it.
One of the things I liked most was the
camaraderie and team spirit. Theres
something about having a common goal
and trying to get the puck into the net
that gets your heart pumping and the
calories burning. Even the novice ice
hockey player burns 400-600 calories
per hour.
More then just burning calories, ice
hockey like snowboarding is great for
working your legs and activating your core
because you have to stay balanced while
changing direction at a moments notice.
Additionally, ice hockey mimics HIIT (High
Intensity Interval Training) in which the
activity is done in short amounts of time.
The average play in hockey lasts 30-60
seconds. In turn, this type of exercise has
a myriad of health benets from reducing
risk of heart disease to cholesterol and
insulin sensitivity.
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So where can you practice scoring
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instructors and adult ice hockey leagues,
Kettlers is the place to go. Check out its
website at kettlercapitalsiceplex.com.
While you may be thinking that gure
for 24 months*
skating is not that dierent from ice
hockey in terms of exercise, there are
just enough dierences to make it a
worthwhile endeavor of its own. One of
the major dierences between ice skating
and most other winter sports is that its
a low impact sport and is easy on your
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So where can you practice your gure
Minutes from Rockville, Columbia, Laurel and D.C.
eights? During this time of year there are
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BUCKY MITCHELL grew up in Pennsylvanias

Amish country and says many of the exercises
in his regimen are derived from the kinds of
movement Amish men and women use in
their daily chores. Mitchell, whos gay, believes
in a fun, challenging workout that results in
weight loss, more muscle and a stable core.
Find him online at theamishtrainer.com.
As the snow begins to y and the cold

weathers sets in, we tend to hunker down
and hibernate during the winter months.
But this year, think about changing
up the pattern and start exploring the
benets of winter sports. Here are a few
of my favorite winters sports, why they
are good for you and where you can do
them around the D.C. Metro area.
Snowboarding tops my list as one of
the best winter sports you can do to keep
active and in shape. First and foremost,
snowboarding is fun. Racing through
the snow, picking up speed, thinking
that you are conquering this great big
mountain when you only just conquered
the beginners hill. Believe it or not, that
fun feeling in your body has everything
to do with your tness and well-being.
Snowboarding
releases
endorphins
that are responsible for making you feel
happy and less anxious. The more you
snowboard, the better you will feel.
Snowboarding is also a great overall
workout. Not only does it activate your
quads, hamstring and calves muscles,
it also does a phenomenal job at
strengthening the muscles in your feet
and ankles. Moreover, your core and
abs get a great workout because they
constantly have to do the work of keeping
you balanced or changing direction while
on the board.
So where can you practice your
snowboarding tricks? One of my favorite
places, which is only about a 90-minute
drive outside of D.C., is Whitetail Ski
Resort in Mercersburg, Pa. Check out the
website at skiwhitetail.com/winter.
Serving the LGBT Community

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
OUR BUSINESS MATTERS
D.C. doesnt shine for everyone

Unaffordable housing
costs now major
motivator for moving
seeking a place to connect with others.

Drawn from nearly everywhere, with the
Midwest and the South strongly represented, the District proved a welcoming
home for such new arrivals.
public amenities and decidedly more

cutting-edge. Less crowded, competitive
and complicated, the District was ideal
for adventurous locals and transplants
alike looking to discover passions, begin
It now takes a sleigh full of money to survive, let

alone thrive, in D.C. and neighboring environs.
MARK LEE is a long-time entrepreneur

and community business advocate. Follow
on Twitter: @MarkLeeDC. Reach him at
OurBusinessMatters@gmail.com.
Luminous bejeweled Christmas trees

dotting Washingtons public spaces are a
tting metaphor for the city this holiday
season. D.C. has never before been so
shiny as the glimmering ornaments or so
sparkling as the brightest lights.
Masked by the tinsel and obscured by
the twinkle, however, is a metropolis of
both enormous disparities and an excruciatingly high cost of living. Behind the
glitter and gloss the trunk of the tree is
more brittle than apparent and Santas
not-such-a-secret is burdened boughs
beneath all the glitz.
Early in its four-decade modern history, D.C. joined a small handful of other
locales as a primary destination for gays
and lesbians in search of an identity and
A much dierent place than today, noteworthy for its dysfunctional government
and disorganized civic infrastructure,
transplants joined those already here or
native to the metropolitan area. The citys
evolutionary development sparked by the
advent of self-government mirrored the
ground-level creation of community for a
diverse gay assemblage.
Housing was plentiful and aordable,
the cost of living reasonable with jobs
readily available. A relatively easy-going
economic environment allowed for the
exploration of avocations, occupations
and creative pursuits alongside a quest
for camaraderie and enjoyment. Anything, and everything, seemed possible,
embraced by a demographic with an acclimation toward pursuits as small business owners, entrepreneurs, independent professionals and those engaged in
creative enterprises and artistic ventures.
Washington was a decidedly less polished place, grittier and rough-edged,
but with copious cultural assets, plentiful
EDITORIAL CARTOON
careers or build businesses, coalesce in

central neighborhoods, establish identities and forge connections both personal
and collective.
The past decade of rapidly accelerated
growth and development has brought great
change to the city and surrounding region.
Per capita income in D.C. is the highest in the
country when compared to states. Six of the
areas counties are among the 10 wealthiest
and the Greater Washington area has the
highest median household income of the 25
largest metropolitan areas.
While incomes have soared for some
the price of local living has skyrocketed
for all. Housing costs have shot up astronomically, now the highest in the country,
and are unaordable for individuals or
households unable to keep pace. Measured against all 50 states, nowhere is the
relative value of a dollar lower.
It now takes a sleigh full of money to
survive, let alone thrive, in D.C. and neighboring environs. For those with high-paying jobs earning incomes well above the
rest of America, its a wonderful life.
For some, including among the 10 percent of LGBT District residents, the city has
begun to lose its luster in the rat race of
making ends meet. For others, the nancial
requirements have simply grown too great.
Nationally, millennials aged 25-to-34
along with the middle class have undertaken a nascent exodus to cities where
housing costs are lower and the levies of
living less extreme. Expensive places like
Washington oer increasingly limited opportunities for those choosing alternative
endeavors or who are of more modest
means. In recent years and at a quickening pace, inland lower-cost heartland cities oering employment opportunities
have grown 2.5 percent more than those
in high-cost coastal regions.
Now dispersed throughout D.C. often
by economics yet beneting from full
integration in a city bestowed with the
achievement of full equality, lesbian and
gay residents are among the house-poor
who struggle with elevated costs. Some
have moved to less expensive parts of
town, while others have decamped for the
outer rings of suburban, or even exurban,
areas. Others have simply bid farewell.
D.C. has become a shimmering new
town that doesnt shine for everyone.
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INSIDE LGBT WASHINGTON
Vince Gray leaves us a stellar city

D.C. is a better place to
live, work, play because of
outgoing mayor
PETER ROSENSTEIN is a D.C.-based LGBT rights

and Democratic Party activist. He writes regularly
for the Blade.
Politics isnt for the faint of heart. There

are often hurt feelings after elections, both
those of the candidate and their supporters. But good politicians understand their
egos matter less than what is done for the
people they want to serve. The goal must
always be a good and eective government
that serves to protect its citizens, educate
its children, and provide help for those who
cannot speak for themselves and those our
system may have failed in the past.
My support for Vince Gray in the Democratic primary was based on friendship and
government doing a good job in those ar-
eas. While it was sad when he lost I felt 100

percent comfortable in supporting Muriel
Bowser in the general election. Those of us
who participate, the voters, make those decisions with every election.
My support for Bowser, a friend and a
savvy and intelligent woman, thus far has
proven right. She has recognized the good
things that Vince Gray is leaving her and
stepped up to the plate working with him
to ensure that his legacy will include a new
soccer stadium. She did it in a way that was
honest and kept her commitment to those
who elected her. She has made excellent
appointments starting with Rashad Young
as City Administrator. She followed that up
naming Brenda Donald as Deputy Mayor
for Human Services, Jennifer Niles as Deputy Mayor for Education and Polly Donaldson as Director of Housing and Community
Development. She is surrounding herself
with quality individuals like Beverly Perry
as senior adviser and Michael Czin as communications director. She convinced John
Falcicchio to become her chief of sta. He
follows one of the best people ever to occupy that job, Christopher Murphy, chief of
sta to Mayor Gray.
So on Jan. 2 when Grays term ends and
Muriel Bowser takes the oath of oce, she

will be ready. Some wonder what kind of
city she will inherit. From nearly every perspective the District of Columbia is a better
place to live, work and play because Vince
Gray was mayor.
The citys nances are stable with a rainy
day fund of more than $1.7 billion. We have
bond ratings of AA the best they have
ever been, meaning lower borrowing costs.
Bowser is keeping Chancellor Kaya Henderson, appointed by Gray, because she has
done such a good job and the new mayor
is committed to seeing that reform moves
forward and student test scores continue
to rise in every ward. She has reappointed
Cathy Lanier as chief of police. Lanier has
proven again and again that she is a leader
and can work across all eight wards. Consequently she is the public ocial who gets
the highest positive ratings from residents
across the city. The delivery of services to
our youth and seniors is being handled
more eciently than ever and thousands
more are getting good healthcare for the
rst time ever.
Gray has worked 20 hours a day for the
people of the District. He was out around
the city more than any previous mayor vis-
iting with constituents in all eight wards.

He kept a schedule that would be tough
for a man half his age. Watching him with
constituents it was clear he gained energy
from those contacts. He is what sometimes
these days is too rare, a politician who really cares about the people he serves.
Vince Gray worked to make our city better for the LGBT community in many ways
and did so not only because he knew intellectually it was right but because that is
where his heart is. He ensured healthcare
for transgender individuals; he fought
against hate crimes and stood with the
community at vigils when someone was
hurt; he performed the rst same-sex marriage at City Hall. His administration took
on the ght against HIV/AIDS and we are
seeing fewer new cases and those who are
identied are getting immediate care.
As Bowser takes over, she is being handed a city in the best shape it has ever been
in. She will make her mark by seeing it continue to grow and working to ensure those
who benetted the least from the renaissance of the city will now be able to fully
participate. She will work to ensure that everyone, no matter the circumstance of their
birth, has the tools they need to succeed.
MOMBIAN
LGBT parents and our children in 2014

Courts, pop culture score
victories for our families
By DANA RUDOLPH
Did 2014 bring LGBTQ parents and our
children closer to equality? Most visibly, it
was the year that marriage equality spread
to most of the U.S. a great thing for many
families, but certainly not all that happened.
Marriage, of course, opened up legal and
nancial benets, as well as a sense of fairness and inclusion, to tens of thousands of
children being raised by same-sex couples.
It also brought with it an expansion of parenting rights in some states. In Virginia, for
example, married same-sex couples may
now do second-parent adoptions or jointly
adopt. Utah and North Carolina will now issue amended birth certicates to same-sex
couples wanting second-parent adoptions.
We should remember, however, that marriage and parental rights are not identical. Different-sex parents do not need to be married
in order to be recognized as legal parents,
and neither should same-sex parents. The
Idaho Supreme Court recognized this in February, before marriage equality became legal
there in October, when it ruled that a person

can petition for a second-parent adoption
even if the two adults are not married.
Parents gave back to the marriage equality struggle, too. Many of the plaintis in the
marriage equality cases were parents, and
most of the judges in those cases weighed
the interests of children very heavily. Many
cited a passage from the U.S. Supreme
Courts June 2013 Windsor decision noting
that marriage inequality humiliates tens of
thousands of children now being raised by
same-sex couples.
The 7th Circuits Richard Posner focused
clearly on this angle, writing that while the
cases were formally about discrimination,
at a deeper level they are about the welfare of American children.
He then gave us the snarkiest statement
from any marriage case this year: The only
rationale that the states put forth with any
convictionthat same-sex couples and
their children dont need marriage because
same-sex couples cant produce children,
intended or unintendedis so full of holes
that it cannot be taken seriously. Heterosexuals get drunk and pregnant, producing
unwanted children; their reward is to be allowed to marry. Homosexual couples do not
produce unwanted children; their reward is

to be denied the right to marry. Go gure.
Marriage aside, we should not forget other types of cases that impacted our families.
The New Hampshire Supreme Court ruled
in July, for example, in the case of a biological mother trying to deny parental rights to
a former partnera type of case we have
seen too many of over the years. The court
ruled that a non-biological mother is the legal parent of her daughter, and has the right
to seek custody after a breakup.
All was not progress, however. A lesbian
teacher at an all-girls Catholic school in Michigan said she was red in August when the
school cited a policy permitting ring over
lifestyle or actions directly contradictory to
the Catholic faith. School administrators
were concerned that her pregnancy through
assisted reproduction was nontraditional,
she said. Ironic for a church founded on a
nontraditional pregnancy.
And in a puzzling decision, Brooklyn Surrogates Court Judge Margarita Lpez Torres
ruled in January that a married two-mom
couple were already both legal parents to
their child, so the non-biological mother
could not do a second-parent adoption. Second-parent adoptions, however, are recom-
mended by most LGBTQ family law experts

even for married couples, since they give a
non-biological parent and child a more secure legal connection in jurisdictions that
dont recognize the parents marriage.
It was also a good year for mainstream
visibility. Iconic brands Coca-Cola and Chevrolet featured gay dads in television commercials during the Olympics. Honey Maid
(Nabisco), Marriott, Starbucks, Target, and
General Mills Canada also ran commercials
or online video campaigns featuring samesex parents.
On the screen, the Amazon Web series
Transparent gave us the story of an older
parent coming out as transgenderand
has been nominated for two Golden Globe
awards. ABC comedy Modern Family continues to show us gay dads as part of a wider
network of extended family.
All in all, then, it was a pretty good year
for both LGBTQ family rights and visibility,
though weighted toward the same-sex parents among us. It sets the stage for an even
more impressive 2015.
DANA RUDOLPH is the founder and publisher
of mombian.com, a GLAAD Media Awardwinning blog and resource directory for LGBT
parents.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM VOLUME 45 ISSUE 52 DECEMBER 26 2014 PAGE 25
No shortage of New Years

Eve party options in
D.C. and beyond
By MARIAH COOPER
Looking for a party on New Years Eve?
There are plenty of options in our annual
roundup.
Vita Lounge (1318 9th St., N.W.)
presents Unleashed 2015, a ladies New
Years Eve celebration, with DJ Mim,
DJ Lady Mysterious and DJ Jrel. Suttle
Thoughts will perform live music. There
will also be drinks, food and a Champagne
toast at midnight. Doors open at 9 p.m.
and the party goes until 3 a.m. Advance
tickets are $20. For more details, visit
facebook.com/unleasheddc2014.
The V D.C. holds a New Years Eve
edition of Glitther at Zebra Lounge (3423

14th St., N.W.) from 9 p.m.-3 a.m. Music
will be provided by DJ Deedub. From 9-11
p.m. there will be $3 PBRs, $5 Fireball
shots and half-priced pizza. Arrive early
and receive free glitter packets. There is
no cover charge. For more information,
visit facebook.com/thevdcevents.
Pure Lounge (1326 U St., N.W.) hosts
Ladies for Ladies New Years Eve Bash
from 9 p.m.-4 a.m. There will be free Jack
Daniels Tennessee Honey drinks. Hors
doeuvres, complimentary Champagne
party favors and a complimentary
Champagne toast at midnight will also
be provided. Dress code is chic and
preferably black. Music will be a mix of
house, hip-hop, reggae and more. Theory
will give a live performance. Advanced
tickets are $15. For more information and
to purchase tickets, visit deejayindia.com.
The Mansion on O Street (2020 O St.,

N.W.) presents a New Years Eve dinner
from 7-9 p.m. and masquerade ball
from 10 p.m.-1 a.m. The dinner will have
gourmet food and desserts. The party will
have a DJ, chocolate fountain, popcorn,
kissing booth and a treasure hunt for
prizes. In between explore more than 60
of the 100 mansion rooms. There will also
be a Champagne toast a midnight and
a big screen television to watch the ball
drop. Tickets are $95 for the dinner, $125
for the party or $200 for both the dinner
and the party. For more information, visit
omansion.com.
Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) presents New
Years Eve with doors opening at 9 p.m.
There will be a drag show at 9:30 p.m.
featuring performances by BaNaka, Shiqueeta, Epiphany, Peaches and hosted by
Lena Lett. DJ Nikno will spin tracks for the
night. VJ Back2back will play the top music

videos of 2014. The Town Gogo Boys will
also perform. Tickets are $25. For more
details, visit towndc.com.
Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) presents New
Years Eve 2015: A Night at Studio 54 from
9 p.m-4 a.m. There will be a midnight
countdown, Champagne toast, party
favors and noisemakers. VIP tickets are
$85 and include an all-night open bar
with a Veuve Clicquot Champagne toast
at midnight. General admission tickets
are $20 and include a free Champagne
toast at midnight. Recording artist Debby
Holiday will give a live performance. DJ
Madscience, DJ Keenan Orr and DJ Sean
Morris will play music all night long. Miss
Cyon Flare will host the night. For more
details, visit cobaltdc.com.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
QUEERY: 20 QUESTIONS FOR JASMINE ANDREWS
JASMINE ANDREWS
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY
By JOEY DiGUGLIELMO
joeyd@washblade.com
To say that Jasmine Andrews feels comfortable living and working among
women would be an understatement.
Having moved to Bualo, N.Y., at age 19 to be with a long-distance girlfriend,
Andrews discovered a network of queer women and started playing in an allgirls queer band, the Cunning Stunts.
They were a real mix of artists, says the Fresno, Calif., native. From
painters to movie editors to music instructors to burlesque dancers or kings
for the local lesbian bar these women really set my life in the right direction.
Andrews, who has lived in the D.C. area for four years, DJs and tends
bar at Phase 1 both at its Eastern Market and Dupont Circle locations (the
latter of which is only open for special events). Look for her at the Dupont
location (1415 22nd St., N.W.) for Scene: the New Years Eve Extravaganza on
Wednesday night, a joint event from the Scandal (a monthly womens party
that Andrews also works) and LURe. It will be a huge event DJ Rosie will spin,
the DystRucXion Dancers will perform as well as the famous D.C. Kings. And of
course a midnight Champagne toast is planned as well (at the original Phase 1
in Eastern Market will be the Solid Gold party; both are on Facebook).
Andrews works by day at Hampton Inn and Suites. She and partner, Kate,
live in Northeast Washington. She enjoys constantly nding ways to motivate
myself to have a passionate, full life.
202.747.2077
How long have you been out and who

was the hardest person to tell?
Fifteen years and telling my mom
was the hardest part. I actually told her
boyfriend and then asked if he could tell
her for me. Moms can be scary.
Whos your LGBT hero?

Anyone whos able to give themselves
strength and power being who they aspire
to be and nding a way to share it with
others inspiring them to do the same.
Whats Washingtons best
nightspot, past or present?
Past or present, Phase 1 Eastern
Market wins hands down.
Describe your dream wedding?
My dream wedding would be big and
full of love surrounded by family, friends
and wedding crashers. I would love if my
dress was a mix between Brandys dress
in Cinderella and Jennifer Connellys
dress in the movie Labyrinth. Big giant
trees dressed with twinkling lights.
Walking down the aisle seeing my Taurus
waiting there for me, waiting to share
our lives together will be just a magical
experience. Oh what a dream!
What non-LGBT issue are

you most passionate about?
Bullying and violence against police.
What historical outcome

would you change?
Honestly I would change nothing. You
never know, changing one small thing
could literally change everything.
Whats been the most memorable

pop culture moment of your lifetime?
In 1997,HBO broadcast Janet Jacksons
The Velvet RopeTour: Live at Madison
Square Garden. Life changing!
On what do you insist?

Love and honesty
What was your last Facebook
post or Tweet?
Thoughts & prayers to the families &
fellow ocers of the two#NYPDocers

shot and killed today (12/20/2014) in the
line of duty. Horric and heartbreaking.
If your life were a book,
what would the title be?
The Girl Who Loved Kurt Cobain
written by Stephen King.
If science discovered a way
to change sexual orientation,
what would you do?
Not a darn thing.
What do you believe in
beyond the physical world?
Another world. Same people going in
dierent paths.
Whats your advice for LGBT

movement leaders?
Keep educating others and yourself.
What would you walk

across hot coals for?
Pure happiness
What LGBT stereotype
annoys you most?
That every lesbian relationship
supposedly has a butch and a femme,
because someone has to be the man
and someone has to be the woman.
Whats your favorite LGBT movie?
High Art
Whats the most

overrated social custom?
Texting
What trophy or prize

do you most covet?
Bingo. I win lots of money playing
bingo.
What do you wish youd known at 18?
Let people love you. Continue to be
yourself and let others in.
Why Washington?
I had nowhere else to go and now I
never want to leave.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
THEATER
LIVE
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
YELLOW
DUBMARINE
W/ JAMISON AND DOUBLE O SOUL
FRIDAY
DEC 26
A BOB MARLEY
TRIBUTE WITH
JUNIOR MARVINS
WAILERS
W/ PRESSING STRINGS
DEC 27
SATURDAY
PHOTO BY JASON TANG PHOTOGRAPHY; COURTESY OF WOOLLY MAMMOTH
Famous Puppet Death Scenes is cleverly staged with a wide array of beautifully crafted puppets.
SUN, DEC 28
START MAKING SENSE:

TALKING HEADS TRIBUTE
TUES, DEC 30
OLD 97s W/ VANDAVEER

WED, DEC 31
NEW YEARS EVE WITH

OLD 97s W/ VANDAVEER
Woolly show cleverly

explores death
By PATRICK FOLLIARD
Nothing like 80 minutes of charmingly
told stories that all end in death (by
accident, suicide or murder) to keep you
in the holiday mood.
But in the case of Famous Puppet
Death Scenes (now at Woolly Mammoth)
it especially works. Funny, poignant and
visually pleasing, this cleverly rendered
puppet show for grownups compellingly
addresses lifes big mystery not love,
but the eternal dirt nap in a way thats
not the least bit depressing.
Created and performed by the Old
Trout Puppet Workshop, Death Scenes
22, quaintly titled brief vignettes unfold
without a glitch. Highlights include
The Ballad of Edward Grue which
recounts in several minutes the demise
of an eccentric young man (played by a
gorgeously made, antlered puppet) who
enjoys traversing the forest disguised as
a deer. That is until a hunter takes him
down with a single bullet.
Then
theres
The
Swede
of
DoneyLargen that ris on Swedens high
suicide rate. The Cruel Sea continues
the Scandinavian melancholy refrain with
a mans isolation and deadly dark winter
at the shore. And The Last Whale says
it all with an enormous, lone blinking eye
that slowly closes forever.
Costumed as vintage undertakers, the
bearded puppeteers (Nick Di Gaetano,
Viktor Lukawski and Pityu Kenderes) are
sometimes seen expertly manipulating
the workshops exquisitely made puppets.
Occasionally they come out from behind
the deco puppet theater and play parts
in the scenes, amusingly expressing the
frustration and resignation associated
with the meeting of ones maker.
The shows host is Nathaniel Tweak,
a wild-haired old puppet who shares
his philosophy on death and the great
beyond in the most calm and reective
Glckliches Neues Jahr!
THURS, JAN 8
ways. In his nal scene, the desiccated
NEW YEARS EVE
WILLIE WATSON W/ ELLE KING
Tweak is gently carried o by a rather
Two
3-Course
Fixed Price Menus
FRI, JAN 9
frighteningly countenanced but caring
$39
and $45
grim reaper. Its sweet and aecting.
PAUL BARRERE & FRED
OPEN AT 5PM
But humor is the thread line of this
TACKETT OF LITTLE FEAT
NEW YEARS EVE & NEW YEARS DAY
W/ THE NEW ORLEANS SUSPECTS
piece. In recurring themed scenes titled
The Feverish Heart, an amusing puppet
M-Th 11:30aM-10pM F-saT 11:30aM-11pM
best described as a squat Spaniard
suN. bruNch 11aM-3pM / diNNer 3-10pM
repeatedly does his darnedest to outwit
322 Mass. ave. Ne 202.543.7656
death here personied as an outsized
THEHAMILTONDC.COM
st but never succeeds. The shows
message remains unchanged: Despite our
best eorts, death always wins in the end.
Originally staged by Tim Sutherland,
Death Scenes oh-so cleverly brings
Muppets, puppets, Fisher Price-ish
barnyard-themed gurines and other
objects to life in the most believable
ways. A humongous storybook opens to
reveal a painting of an idyllic home that
isnt what it seems. There are shades of
illustrator Edward Goreys dryly macabre
sensibility and a bit of the creativity and
whimsy of New York-based puppet auteur
Basil Twist, who enjoyed a retrospective in
Washington several seasons back. But this
Happy Holidays from
puppet show is entirely its own creation.
Our Family To Yours!
Founded in 1999, the Old Trout Puppet
Workshop is based in Calgary, Canada. Its
EL TAMARINDO...Serving Adams Morgan for Over 30 Years
mission is to make puppet theater that
is appealing to both children and adults.
1785 Florida Ave. NW 18th & Florida Ave. 202.328.3660 eltamarindodc.com
Death Scenes was initially inspired
by the workshops 2004 production of
SALES REPRESENTATIVE: JERYL PARADE (jparade@washb
Pinocchio in which the title character PROOF #1
killed Jiminy Cricket with a hammer. The
REVIEW AD FOR COPY AND DESIGN ACCURACY. Revisions must be submitted within 24 hours of the date of
will be considered final and will be submitted for publication if revision is not submitted within 24 hours of
reaction to the death scene was so strong,
A DREVISIONS
V I C E M E D I A T I O N Lproof.
I Tdate
IProof
Gof proof.
A
T Revisions
I O N will notAbePaccepted
P E A after
L S12:01
pmCwednesday,
O L L AtheBweek
OR
A T I O N naff pitts
the
of publication.Brown
that workshop members were prompted
REDESIGN
can link through the advertisement. Advertiser represents that its advertisement will not violate any criminal laws or
TEXT REVISIONS
to produce a show entirely focused on
competition, defamation, invasion of privacy or rights of celebrity, violation of anti-discrimination law or regulation,
puppet deaths scenes.
AD
NO REVISIONS
By s
Death Scenes is entertaining and
wash
paym
and warranties.
fast-paced, as eeting as life itself. Its
onslaught of untimely demises may inure
you to death or at least quell the anxiety
FAMILY | ESTATE PLANNING | EMPLOYMENT | IMMIGRATION
surrounding the nal exit. At least enough
COMPLEX LITIGATION | CIVIL RIGHTS | LGBT | ADOPTION | BUSINESS
to let you enjoy a puppet show.
cafeberlindc.com
Feliz Ao Nuevo
Before the Party & After the Party

TOP OFF THE HOLIDAY
WITH OUR INFAMOUS
MARGARITAS OR SANGRIAS
Serving Our COmmunity fOr 31 yearS
FAMOUS PUPPET DEATH SCENES

Through Jan. 4
Woolly Mammoth Theatre
641 D Street, N.W.
202-393-3939
woollymammoth.net
Silber, Perlman, Sigman &tilev, P.a.

AT TO R N E YS AT L AW D C | M D | VA
3 0 1 . 8 9 1 . 2 2 0 0 S P - L aw. C o m
7 0 0 0 C a r r o l l av e n u e S u i t e 2 0 0 t a k o m a P a r k m d
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
THE GUIDE TO ARTS & CULTURE
HOT HITS & HIDDEN JEWELS

FROM CULTURECAPITAL.COM
YOUR LINK TO THE ARTS IN METRO D.C.
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.
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 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.
Chinese Menu: Mini Menu Marathon
and Holiday Party. Dec 27. DCAC.
202-462-7833. dcartscenter.org.
FAMOUS PUPPET DEATH SCENES

THRU JAN 4. WOOLLY MAMMOTH.
202-393-3939. WOOLLYMAMMOTH.NET.
Performed by one of Canadas most treasured theatrical troupes, this

thoroughly Woolly holiday extravaganza is a feast for the eyes, mind, and soul
that has delighted audiences across the continent.
AN IRISH CAROL
DEC 26-DEC 28. KEEGAN THEATRE AT THEATER J.
703-892-0202. KEEGANTHEATRE.COM.
Featuringa cast of veteran Keegan company members,An Irish Carol is a modern

fable, told with the biting humor and incisive candor of its Irish playwright.
EL GRECO: A 400TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

THRU FEB 16. NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART.
202-737-4215. NGA.GOV.
The Gallerys seven paintings by El Greco are joined here by three others from
Dumbarton Oaks and The Phillips Collection in Washington, and The Walters
Art Museum in Baltimore.
A JAZZ NEW YEARS EVE: BRANFOR D MARSALIS

DEC 31. KENNEDY CENTER.
202-467-4600. KENNEDY-CENTER.ORG.
Ring in 2015 with Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Branford Marsalis, a

2011 NEA Jazz Master and Tony Award nominee, and his quartet--one of the
leading jazz groups working today.
PHOTO COURTESY OF WOOLLY MAMMOTH THEATRE COMPANY
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
THEATRE
12/3/12 9:22 PM
DANCE
and Drawings, 18001925. Thru Feb 1.

Modern American Prints and Drawings
from the Kainen Collection. Thru Feb 1.
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.
202-337-3050. kreegermuseum.org.
Museum of Women in the Arts.
Picturing Mary: Woman, Mother, Idea
- Exhibition. Thru Apr 12. Doris Lee:
American Painter and Illustrator. Thru
May 8. 202-783-5000. nmwa.org.
GALLERIES
Ensemble Galilei. Dec 28. National

Gallery of Art. 202-737-4215. nga.gov.
New Years Eve at the Kennedy Center
with Ozomatli. Dec 31. NSO.
Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600.
kennedy-center.org.
Family of Praise. Dec 26. Holiday
Vaudeville. Dec 27 & 28. Zan McLeods
Celtic Holiday. Dec 29. Sweet Heaven
Kings. Dec 30. Williamsburg Salsa
Orchestra. Dec 31. Millennium Stage.
Kennedy Center. 800-444-1324.
kennedy-center.org.
Rebirth Brass Band. Dec 27. Gospel
Brunch with the Harlem Gospel Choir.
Thru Dec 28. Holiday Groove featuring
Bela Dona, Black Alley & Secret
Society. Dec 28. Sammy Adams. Dec
29. New Years Eve 2015: Masquerade
Ball at The Howard Theatre. Dec
31. Howard Theatre. 202-803-2899.
thehowardtheatre.com.
Strathmore. 81st Annual Exhibition of

Fine Art in Miniature. Thru Jan 4. Time
After Time. 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.
The Art League Gallery. Whitney
Staiger: Friend Me. Thru Jan 5. 703-6831780. theartleague.org.
Washington Project for the Arts at
Capitol Skyline Hotel. Hothouse Video:
Fantastic Voyage. Thru Jan 9.
202-488-7500. wpadc.org.
Reston Community Center. La Lumiere
DuBois. Thru Dec 31. 703-476-4500.
restoncommunitycenter.com.
JCCNV. Synesthetic Landscapes:
Photographs by Andy Ilachinski. Thru Feb
9. 703-323-0880. jccnv.org.
Torpedo Factory Art Center.
5x5(x5). Thru Jan 18. 703-838-4565.
torpedofactory.org.
DC Arts Center. In the Moment. Thru Jan
4. 202-462-7833. dcartscenter.org.
Arlington Artists Alliance. Watercolor
Excellence: PVW at 40 Years. Thru Jan 2.
December Members Exhibit. Thru Jan 2.
571-483-0652.
arlingtonartistsalliance.org.
Arts Harmony Hall Regional Center.
Our Very Own III: Prince Georges Parks
and Recreation Employee Art Exhibition.
Thru Jan 2. 301-203-6070.
arts.pgparks.com.
Publick Playhouse. Luis Peralta. Thru
Jan 5. 301-277-1710. arts.pgparks.com.
MUSEUMS
AND MORE...
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. From
Neoclassicism to Futurism: Italian Prints
Film Series: Athens Today: The Daughter.

Dec 28. Film Series: Morality and Beauty:
Marco Bellocchio: The Eyes, the Mouth.
Dec 27. National Gallery of Art. National
Portrait Gallery. 202-737-4215. nga.gov.
The Nutcracker. Thru Dec 28. The

Washington Ballet. Warner Theatre.
202-397-7328. washingtonballet.org.
Kwanza Triple Play. Dec 27.
Smithsonian Anacostia. Fort Stanton
Recreation Center. 202-633-4844.
anacostia.si.edu.
Kwanza, Kwanza!. Dec 28.
Publick Playhouse. 301-277-1710.
arts.pgparks.com.
MUSIC
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
DINING
PHOTOS BY KRISTEN HARTKE
Santas Little Helper, the Flirtatious Elf and Tea and Crumpet.
Getting through the

Christmas season one
cocktail at a time
By KRISTEN HARTKE
Its still the Christmas season, which
means our thoughts turn, naturally,
to David Sedaris and the SantaLand
Diaries.
Published in 1997, the story chronicles
the authors sojourn as an elf at Macys
Herald Square, in which he writes, I
arrived in New York three weeks ago
with high hopes. ... In my imagination
Id go straight from Penn Station to the
oces of One Life to Live, where I would
drop o my bags and spruce up before
heading o for drinks with Cord Roberts
and Victoria Buchannon, the shows
greatest stars. ... But instead Im applying
for a job as an elf.
Spending the day in a uniform that
consists of green velvet knickers, a
yellow turtleneck, a forest-green velvet
smock, and, of course, a bedazzled
perky stocking cap means that even the
happiest of elves probably needs a drink
or two at the end of a long day
herding thousands of cranky families
through the Candy Cane Maze and past
the Magic Tree to Santas House. If youre
Sedaris, working under the elf name of
Crumpet, you may need to increase
that quantity, so weve provided three
cocktails to help ease the pain. Welcome
to the SantaLand Cocktails.
Santas Little Helper

Most of the Santas are pretty nice
guys, but Crumpet hates getting stuck
with Santa Santa, who takes himself too
seriously. Santa Santa said Oh, Little Elf,
Little Elf, come sing Away in the Manger
for us. It didnt seem fair that I should
have to solo, so I told him I didnt know
the words. Santa Santa said Of course
you know the words. Come now, sing! So
I sang it the way Billie Holiday might have
sung it if shed put out a Christmas album.
2 ounces silver or white rum
1.5 ounces cranberry-ginger
(recipe below)
.5 ounce Maraschino liqueur
Wedge of fresh lime
juice
Make the cranberry-ginger juice by

putting a 1-inch piece of fresh ginger in
a blender with a cup of cranberry juice.
Liquify, then strain to remove any chunks
of ginger. The juice can be refrigerated
for two weeks.
To make the cocktail, put the rst three
ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice,
shake well, and strain into a Cosmopolitan
glass. Squeeze fresh lime over the top
and serve immediately.
The Flirtatious Elf

Romance in SantaLand is inevitable,
and an elf from Queens named Snowball
enjoys a dangerous game of leading on

both Santas and elves. Snowball is handsdown adorable ... Yesterday we worked
together as Santa Elves and I became
excited when he started saying things like
Id follow you to Santas house any day,
Crumpet! It made me dizzy, this irtation.
2 ounces gin
1 teaspoon pine syrup (recipe below)
1 large spoonful lemon sorbet or
granita
chilled Prosecco or sparkling wine
To make the pine syrup: take a few
teaspoons of clean pine needles (you
can use the ones from your Christmas
tree as long as no preservative chemicals
were added to the tree-stand water) and
put them in a saucepan with a half-cup
of water and about 1/4 cup sugar. Let
simmer over low heat until thickened,
about 30 minutes, then strain out pine
needles and cool completely. Can be
refrigerated for up to two weeks.
For the cocktail: Mix the gin and pine syrup
together in the base of a champagne coupe,
then add a spoonful of the sorbet and top
with chilled Prosecco or sparkling wine.
Tea and Crumpet

On Crumpets last day in SantaLand
Christmas Eve all hell breaks loose,
meaning hell need a warming tipple to
top o the experience. I witnessed a
stght between two mothers ... Parents

in long lines left disposable diapers at the
door to Santas house. It was the rowdiest
crowd I have ever seen and we were short
on elves. ... It was time to be a trouper,
and I surrendered completely.
2 ounces warm apple cider
2 ounces rye whiskey or brandy
1 teaspoon Earl Grey syrup (recipe
below)
Fresh orange peel, for garnish
To make the Earl Grey syrup: Brew
a cup of Earl Grey tea, then simmer
in a saucepan with 1/2 cup sugar
until thickened. Cool completely and
refrigerate for up to two weeks.
To make the cocktail: Combine the
warm apple cider, whiskey or brandy,
and Earl Grey syrup in a heat-safe mug or
glass. Twist the orange peel over the top
and drop in just before serving.
If youve never listened to Sedaris
reading aloud from the SantaLand
Diaries, which is really the best way to
experience his totally ironic commentary,
you can nd clips (and a full version on
Christmas Eve) of him reading it before a
live audience at the BBC (bbc.co.uk).
KRISTEN HARTKE is managing editor of Edible

DC and writes about cocktails at goodbooze.
wordpress.com. Her elf name is Twinkie.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
OUT & ABOUT
By MARIAH COOPER
GAY BASH. WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY
TODAY
PHOTO BY TACY JUDD
Out folk duo to honor

Hank Williams
Lesbian folk duo Cathy Fink
and Marcy Marxer perform a
tribute to Hank Williams at the
Birchmere (3701 Mount Vernon
Ave., Alexandria, Va.) Sunday at
7:30 p.m.
The duo have won a Grammy
for their childrens album Bon
Appetit and for Celebration: A
Tribute to Ella Jenkins. The 18th
annual Hank Williams Tribute
Show will feature other performs
like Robin and Linda Williams,
Claire Lynch, Rickie Simpkins,
Mark Schatz and Dave Chappell.
Tickets are $29.50. For more
information and to purchase
tickets, visit birchmere.com.
D.C. Bear Crue hosts a faux New

Years Eve party at Town (2009 8th St.,
N.W.) tonight. Doors open at 6 p.m. and
entry ends at 9:30 p.m. There will be a
countdown to zero at 10 p.m. There will
be $4 Bud Light and Bud Light Platinum
bottles, $4 draft pints, $8 draft pitchers
and free pizza at 7 p.m. Drink specials are
until 11 p.m. For more information, visit
facebook.com/bearhappyhour.
Women in Their 20s, a social discussion
group for lesbian, bisexual, transgender
and all women interested in women,
meets today at the D.C. Center (2000 14th
St., N.W.) from 8-9:30 p.m. All welcome to
join. For details, visit thedccenter.org.
SATURDAY, DEC. 27
Town hosts (2009 8th St., N.W.) CTRL:
Snowed In tonight from 11 p.m.-close.
DJ Je Prior, DJ Adam Kousarri-Amin and
Pocket Gays will play music for the night.
The drag show starts at 10:30 p.m. Popular
artists like Robyn, Kylie Minogue, Beyonc,
Charli XCX and many more will be played.
For more details, visit towndc.com.
Black Cat (1811 14th St., N.W.) hosts
its end-of-the-year Gay Bash tonight at
10 p.m. Performances by Tess OTura,
Champagne Supernova, Salvadora Dali,
Rumor Millz, Pussy Noir, Heidi Glum
and many more. Dean Sullivan, Donna
Sullivan and Natty Boom will spin tracks
for the night. There will also be a traveling
drag ea market with dresses, shoes
and accessories for sale. Doors open at
10 p.m. Shows are at 11:30 p.m. and 1
a.m. Cover is $10. For more details, visit
blackcatdc.com.
Green Lantern (1639 Green Ct., N.W.)

hosts Naughty Santa Underwear Party
tonight at 9 p.m. Drink specials are $5
Fireballs and $5 Smirno drinks in all
avors for any men in their underwear.
There will also be a $5 Bacardi buet bar
wide. DJ Darryl Strickland will provide music
for the night. There is no cover. Admission
limited to guests 21 and over. For more
details, visit greenlanterndc.com.
SUNDAY, DEC. 28
Burgundy Crescent, a gay volunteer
organization, volunteers today for the
Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation
at the Potomac Yards PetSmart (3351
Jeerson Davis Hwy., Alexandria, Va.)
from 12:15-3:30 p.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.
Perrys (1811 Columbia Rd., N.W.) hosts
its weekly Sunday Drag Brunch today
from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The cost is $24.95
for an all-you-can-eat buet. For more
details, visit perrysadamsmorgan.com.
Nellies Sports Bar (900 U St., N.W.) hosts
a drag brunch today with two shows
at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. For more
information, visit nelliessportsbar.com.
MONDAY, DEC. 29
The D.C. Center (2000 14th 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.
TUESDAY, DEC. 30
D.C. Bi Women hosts its monthly
meeting in the upstairs room of Dupont
Italian Kitchen (1637 17th St., N.W.) from
7-9 p.m. tonight. For more details, visit
thedccenter.org.
Overeaters Anonymous, an LGBTfocused meeting, will meet at St.
Georges Episcopal Church (915 Oakland
Ave., Arlington, Va.) tonight at 7 p.m.
Newcomers welcome. For details, call
703-521-1999 or 703-307-9517.
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 31
Cadys Alley (3330 Cadys Alley, N.W.)
hosts its holiday bazaar today starting at
11 a.m. Popular fashion and home dcor
brands will be on sale such as Ikkon, Pico
Vela, Kim Schalk, Elaine B. Jewelry and
more. Admission is free and all ages are
welcome. For more information, visit
cadysalley.com.
THURSDAY, JAN. 1
Zoolights, a holiday light attraction,
has its last day at Smithsonians National
Zoo (3001 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) from
5:30-9 p.m. Admission is free. For details,
visit nationalzoo.si.edu.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
BOOKS
Compelling Soldier
not just another
coming-out memoir
TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER has been reading

since she was 3 years old.She lives in Wisconsin
with two dogs and 12,000 books. Reach her at
bookwormsez@yahoo.com.
Sometimes, you just want to be left

alone to do your work and live your life.
Other times, as in the new book
Soldier of Change by Stephen SnyderHill, you need to stand up and speak out.
Growing up in small-town Ohio,
Stephen Snyder-Hill says hed always felt
this darkness I couldnt understand.His
mother also noticed it, but he couldnt
explain to her that he loathed himself.
When people say that being gay is a
choice, he writes, I always remember
trying to unchoose it. That didnt work,
though he spent his teen years trying to

be like other guys, trying to work through
the shame he felt.
Nearing graduation, he started thinking
about joining the military. He came from a
long line of soldiers and enlisting seemed
like a good way to pay for college. He was
rst stationed in Germany, then went to
Iraq as a re-support specialist. That
was where he started journaling and
where, following a friendly-re near-miss,
decided he was going to nally start
living my life for myself.
That included embracing his sexuality.
After leaving the army, Snyder-Hill
began the slow process of coming out
and he started feeling like maybe my
purpose on this earth was to be exactly
who I am. He graduated from college
and, realizing that he missed the military,
he re-upped just before Dont Ask Dont
Tell went into full eect.
Knowing that the military would,
in essence, force him to become a
professional liar, Snyder-Hill kept quiet
about his sexuality. He endured indirect
taunts from fellow soldiers and he learned
to hide his love of and marriage to another
man. Finally, fed up and coincidentally
thought might change things.

And, he says, I hit send.
Soldier of Change succeeds not just
because of what author Stephen SnyderHill says, but also the way he says it.
Reading this book is kind of like having
a beer with a buddy. Its chatty rather than
stuy with a bit of brevity sprinkled here
and there, yet Snyder-Hills outrage comes
through loud and clear as he takes his story
further, writing about life as a gay man
during DADT days, his activism and the
work hes done on behalf of gay and lesbian
soldiers. It has a genuine feel to it.
Soldier is an important story to read
if you need to know where LGBT rights
have been and whos brought them
forward. Its also one to enjoy if you want
an informal, easy-to-like memoir. Even in
this post-DADT time, Soldier of Change
is a book to call for.
IMAGE COURTESY OF POTOMAC BOOKS
presented with a chance to ask a question

of the 2012 Republican candidates in a
national debate, he crafted a query he
SOLDIER OF CHANGE: FROM THE CLOSET

TO THE FOREFRONT OF THE GAY RIGHTS
MOVEMENT
By Stephen Snyder-Hill, foreword by George
Takei
Potomac Books
$22.95
198 pages
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
2015 EVENTS
Theres never a dull moment in the D.C. gay world. Major groups both local and national have packed the calendar with dances, dinners, parties, concerts and more all throughout 2015.
The year ahead: 2015
Our guide to the big D.C.-area

LGBT events coming soon
By JOEY DiGUGLIELMO
joeyd@washblade.com
Set reminders in your iPhone or tear out
this page and stick it on your fridge. Use
whatever method works for you, but dont
forget these dates! Keep reading the Blade
throughout the year for updates.
The Academy of Washington has
its Zodiac Finals at La Cabana (3614
14th St., N.W.) on Jan. 4. The group
also has several other contests and
events throughout spring. Details at
theacademyofwashington.com.
35 Years of D.C.s Dierent
Drummers is Jan. 5 at Lutheran
Church of the Reformation (212 East
Capitol Street, N.W.) at 7 p.m. Details
on Facebook (dcdd.org was under
construction at Blade press time). The
group will hold several other concerts
throughout the year.
Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend is
Jan. 16-19 at the Hyatt Regency Capitol
Hill (400 New Jersey Ave., N.W.). Details
at leatherweekend.com.
Pride Reveal is Jan. 22 at 10:30 p.m.
Details scant as of Blade press time. Visit
capitalpride.org for more.
Brother Help Thyself grant/
awards reception is Jan. 24. Details at
brotherhelpthyself.org.
G.Life 2015: a Pop-Up Expo, a
CAGLCC (Capital Area Gay & Lesbian
Chamber of Commerce) is Jan. 24
Washington Marriott Wardman Park
(2660 Woodley Road, N.W.) from 10 a.m.5 p.m. The groups awards event is usually
around April 25 but a 2015 has not yet
been announced. Details at caglcc.org.
Reel Armations has screenings
scheduled throughout the year starting
with Out in the Night on Jan. 30.

Details and 2015 passes available at
reelarmations.org.
No word yet on Wig Night Out, an
annual Point Foundation benet. In 2014,
it was the rst weekend of February.
Keep reading the Blade for details or visit
pointfoundation.org.
Equality Virginias Day of Action
is Feb. 3 in Richmond. Details at
equalityvirginia.org.
No date set yet for Scarlets Bake
Sale at the D.C. Eagle but based on
scheduling trends in past year, it will
probably be Feb. 7. Details are iy
because of the Eagles upcoming move.
It has to be out of its long-time New York
Ave., N.W. location by Jan. 31. Its moving
to 3701 Benning Road, N.E. Visit dceagle.
com for updates.
The Gay Mens Chorus of
Washington presents its Love Rocks!
show Feb. 12 and 14 at New York Ave.
Presbyterian Church. The Chorus has
several other shows planned throughout
the year such as When You Wish
and Born This Way in mid-May and,
of course, its 2015 holiday show in
December. Details at gmcw.org.
The Lavender Languages &
Linguistics Conference returns to
Washington Feb. 13-15. Details at
american.edu.
Glamour, Glitter & Gold: the D.C.
LGBT Center Oscar Gala is Feb. 22.
Details at thedccenter.org.
The Victory Fund National
Champagne Brunch is April 19 at
11 a.m. at the Marriott Marquis (901
Massachusetts Ave., N.W.). Details at
victoryfund.org.
The Helen Hayes Awards are April 6
at the National Building Museum. Details
at theatrewashington.org.
The Equality Virginia
Commonwealth Dinner is April 18 in
Richmond. Details at equalityvirginia.org.

Dining Out for Life, a Food & Friends
benet, is usually around the third
week in April. No details for 2015 yet
announced. Look for more information
soon at foodandfriends.org.
Also in late April is the Rainbow
Families D.C. family conference. Look
soon for more information on the 2015
event at rainbowfamiliesdc.org.
The Gay & Lesbian Activists
Alliance has its annual awards
tentatively set for April 22. Look for an
announcement soon at glaa.org.
Comedian Judy Gold will headline the
CAMP Rehoboth Womens FEST April
9-12. Details at Camprehoboth.com.
Cherry is April 16-19 at various
locations. Details at cherryfund.org.
Gay Day at the Zoo is May 3. Details
at gaydayatthezoo.com.
No information yet, but Youth Pride
is usually held the rst weekend of May
in Dupont Circle. More information soon
at youthpridedc.org.
The 53rd annual Gay Golden Boy
Awards for the Academy of Washington
are May 16 at Town (2009 8th St. N.W.).
Details at theacademyofwashington.com.
Trans Pride is tentatively set for May
16. Details at capitaltranspride.org.
The Capital Pride Heroes Gala is
May 21. Details at capitalpride.org.
D.C. Black Pride weekend is May 2125. Details at dcblackpride.org.
If trends continue, the fourth annual
Charm City LGBT Film Festival will be
in late may. More information soon at
creativealliance.org.
The Capturing Fire Queer Spoken
Word Summit & Poetry Slam is June
4-6. Details at capturingre.org.
Capital Pride is set for June 5-14.
Details at capitalpride.org.
The Capital Pride interfaith service
is June 9. Details at capitalpride.org.
A major change is in store for

Baltimore Pride this year, which is
slated for July 25-26. More information at
baltimorepride.org.
The OutWrite LGBT Book Festival is
July 31-Aug. 2. Details at outwritedc.org.
The date has changed in recent
years but in 2014, the Al Sura White
Attire Aair was in early August. More
information soon at alsura.org.
No information yet, but the
Rehoboth Sundance event is usually
held Labor Day weekend. More
information soon at camprehoboth.com.
The D.C. Shorts Film Festival is
Sept. 10-20. Details at dcshorts.com.
The Imperial Court of Washington
holds its Coronation IV Gala of the
Americas on Sept. 12. The Court also
holds many other events throughout the
year. Details at impnerialcourtdc.org.
Also in mid-September will likely be the
sixth annual 17th Street Festival. Check
later at 17thstreetfestival.org.
Gay Day at Hillwood is also
in mid-September. Details later at
hillwoodmuseum.org.
The annual queer music and arts
festival PhaseFest is in late September.
More information soon at phasefest.com.
The Human Rights Campaign
national dinner is Oct. 23. Details at
hrcnationaldinner.org.
The Walk to End HIV is always in
late October. More information soon at
aidswalkwashington.org.
The High Heel Race is Oct. 27 on
17th Street.
The Equality Maryland Signature
Brunch is usually in November. More
details soon at equalitymaryland.org.
The D.C. Center Women Beaujolais
Nouveau Party is Nov. 19. Details at
thedccenter.org.
Transgender Day of Remembrance
is Nov. 20. Details at thedccenter.org.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Last years Rumpspringa Brightest Young Things party at the S.W. Arts Club on Dec. 31, 2013.
Gay clubs gearing up

for New Years
Green Lantern (1335 Green Ct., N.W.)

hosts a New Years Eve celebration starting
with a happy hour from 4-9 p.m. After 9
p.m. there is a $5 cover. The night will
include party favors, a Champagne toast
and coee and donuts at 1 a.m. For more
information, visit greenlanterndc.com.
Ziegfelds/Secrets (1824 Half Street,
S.W.) has extended hours on New Years
Eve with 20 New Years babies in their
birthday suits, the Ladies of Illusion,
party favors, Champagne and a cash
balloon drop. The rst show starts at
10:30 p.m. Details at secretsdc.com.
Cher impersonator Steven Andrade
will perform at Freddies Beach Bar (555
South 23rd St., Arlington, Va.). Tickets are
$35 and include, hors doeuvre buet,
Champagne toast, party favors and a $5o ticket for New Years Day brunch. More
information at freddiesbeachbar.com.
U Street Music Hall (1115 U St., N.W.)
hosts a New Years Eve celebration
from 10 p.m.-4 a.m. Nadastrom, Gent
and Jawns and Jen Lasher will perform.
Tickets are $10. All tickets will be sold
at the door. For more information, visit
ustreetmusichall.com.
Jardenea (2430 Pennsylvania Ave.,
N.W.), located inside the Melrose
Georgetown Hotel, will oer a special
ve-course dinner and wine pairing for
New Years Eve. Menu items include
roasted opal cauliower bisque, mustard
mopped domestic lamb chop, dusted
Hawaiian sea bass and more. For dessert,
enjoy their hazelnut chocolate cake with
salted caramel mousse. For reservations,
call 202-955-6400.
Caring Communities presents Charm
City Countdown Moulin Rouge New
Years Eve at the North Baltimore Plaza
Hotel (2004 Greenspring Dr., Timonium,

Md.). There will be multiple party areas,
specialty bars, food, drink, casino
gambling and much more. VIP tickets are
$159 and include two exclusive dining
areas, two exclusive entertainment
areas, upgraded party favors and
expanded seating. Main Event tickets
are $109. For more information, visit
charmcitycountdown.com.
Gigi Holliday presents Zou Zou New
Years Eve Burlesque Revue: Nouveau
Riche at Anacostia Arts Center (1231
Good Hope Rd., S.E.) at 7 p.m. Holliday
will host the night. Performances will be
by Chicava Honey Child, Deanna Danger,
Nona Narcisse, Cherie Sweetbottom,
Buster Britches and many more. Ticket
includes one drink ticket. Beer and wine
are $4 and Champagne is $5. VIP tickets
are $60 and include front row seats and a
swag bag. Main event tickets are $45. For
details, visit studioholliday.com.
Grammy-winning
Latin
band
Ozomalti performs at the Kennedy
Center (2700 F St., N.W.) at 8:30 p.m. The
band will perform alongside members
of the National Symphony Orchestra
and will be led by NSO Pops Conductor
Steven Reineke. After the performance,
guests are invited to enjoy dancing and
balloon drop in the Grand Foyer. The
Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra and Craig
Gildner Big Band will perform. Tickets
are $55. For details, visit kennedycenter.org.
Policy (1904 14th St., N.W.) hosts a
New Years Eve dinner at 5 p.m. and party
at 8 p.m. All dinner guests will receive a
complimentary glass of Champagne and
there will be a special menu. The party
is $20 and includes a Champagne toast
at midnight and party favors. For more
information, visit policydc.com.
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
REALESTATE
Year of the Millennial

Young buyers value
passion, sharing
and discovery
By VALERIE M. BLAKE
The National Association of Realtors is
telling us that 2015 will be the Year of the
Millennial Homebuyer.
For some of us Boomers, just the whisper
of the word Millennial is enough to have us
breaking out in a cold sweat and barricading
ourselves inside the nearest assisted living
facility. We are often dazed and confused by
the very sons and daughters who have set
up housekeeping in our basements.
As I read articles about marketing to
Millennials, brush up on the latest technology and watch my younger clients in
pursuit of home ownership, I am struck
by how similar our values really are.
Boomers are said to value justice, integrity, family, practicality and duty. These
qualities are honorable and critical for a
society to function, but they dont really
make us sound like a bunch of fun-loving,
creative, folks who are going to conquer
the world, do they?
On the other hand, Millennials, were
told, value happiness, passion, diversity,
sharing and discovery. Are these values

really so dierent from chants of, If it
feels good, do it and Make love, not
war or support of civil rights and womens rights, communal living and the technological advancements of the 60s that
spawned the Internet and were part of
my cultural heritage?
There are plenty of dierences, of course.
Where I took on debt as a way of life
(Theres nothing I cant aord!), their
debt is more likely to be from educational
pursuits than from the purchase of expensive toys.
Where I took calculated nancial risks
(The greater the risk, the greater the reward!), they are more conservative and
judicious with their funds, preferring not to
overspend on a home so they have opportunities to enjoy the things in life that fuel
their passions and make them happy.
Where I relied primarily on the counsel
of industry professionals for major purchases, they have volumes of information literally at their ngertips through the
Internet, social media and web reviews,
making them extremely savvy consumers.
In a world where the average real estate agent is 56 years old and Millennial
buyers are predominantly in their mid20s to mid-30s, we can easily fall into a
quasi-parental role. (And what Boomer
ever wanted to be told anything by their

parents back in the day?)
To avoid that, we need to be mindful of
three guiding principles.
Its all about the experience. When I lived
overseas I used to travel frequently. Sometimes I had a specic agenda and sometimes I went somewhere just to be able to
say Id been there. My own age group never
understood the concept of travel without a
purpose, just for the experience.
My Millennial clients are concerned
about the overall home buying experience. The right agent can make it ecient, customer-oriented and fun. The
wrong one can end up with a horrible
Yelp review.
Dont dictate, educate. Although these
clients may be the same age as our own
children, we must remember that they
are adults, capable of making their own
decisions given the appropriate education about the nancial, procedural and
emotional aspects of buying a home.
They come to us with a pretty clear picture of what they want and why, but I nd
that we still need to provide additional
information to both enhance and counteract what they have learned online, especially if we have to illustrate that HGTV
does not mirror real life.
Communication is easier than it seems.
I bought my rst computer in 1989, a

pager in the mid-90s and a cell phone in
1997. Since then, I have eFaxed, DocuSigned, Dotlooped, Facebooked and even
Skyped a few times.
I have certainly tried to keep up with
the Joneses, or more accurately, the Joneses grown ospring, but have found that
the simplest way to communicate with
Millennial clients is to ask which method
they prefer and then use what they suggest. Problem solved for the most part.
Where Im still struggling is with voicemail, which seems to be fading from use.
The part of my upbringing that says its
polite to leave a message for someone
who is unavailable is hard to shake.
So while were waiting to see if the NAR
is right about the homebuyers of 2015, I
encourage our seasoned agents to learn
more about the needs and values of our
younger clients. I also invite Millennials
to continue to educate us about ways in
which we can provide exceptional customer service.
Just leave me a voicemail with your
thoughts.
VALERIE M. BLAKE can be reached at 202-2468602 or Valerie@DCHomeQuest.com. Each Keller
Williams Realty oce is independently owned
and operated. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Dwellings with
Mis pellings
s
SELLERS:
Did you know that discounted/poor

marketing is paid for out of your home equity?
Let my proven full service marketing plan
work for you to achieve top dollar for your
home.
Use my experience and free buyer

representation to your advantage. Dont make
one of your largest investment decisions without competent guidance. Call, email, or text
Weicherts #1 Agent in Arlington today, he
would love to talk with you.
Rot iron railings.
(Ive seen them rust,

but never rot.)
BUYERS:
DAVE LLOYD & ASSOCIATES 703-593-3204 WWW.DAVELLOYD.NET
Dupont Circle Office 202.243.7700 (o)

202.246.8602 (c) Valerie@DCHomeQuest.com
www.DCHomeQuest.com
Valerie M. Blake
Associate Broker, GRI
WASHINGTONBLADE.COM
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Takoma Park near Metro.Licensed
professionals.Insurance
reimbursable.Washington
Therapy Guild. Call 202-483-2660.
washingtontherapyguild.com.
LGBTQ AFFIRMING THERAPY at
Dupont Circle Individuals, couples,
families, adolescents. Over 15
years serving the community. Mike
Giordano, LICSW. 202/460-6384
mike.giordano.msw@gmail.com.
www.WhatIHearYouSaying.com.
COUNSELING FOR GAY MEN.
Individual/couple counseling w/
volunteer peer counselor. Gay Mens
Counseling Community since 1973.
202-580-8861. gaymenscounseling.
org. No fees, donation requested.
EMPLOYMENT
LOCKER ROOM ATTENDANTS
NEEDED! The Crew Club, a gay mens
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Please call Richard at (202) 319-1333.
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BULLETIN BOARD
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yahoo.com or
301-832-2036.
FULL SERVICE LAW FIRM

Representing the GLBT community
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estate planning, immigration,
employment. (301) 891-2200.Silber,
Perlman, Sigman & Tilev, P.A. www.
SP-Law. com.
ADOPTION & ASSISTED
REPRODUCTIVE Law Attorney Jennifer
Fairfax represents clients in Maryland
& D.C. interested in adoption or ART
matters.301-221-9651,JFairfax@
jenniferfairfax.com.
LIMOUSINES / DRIVERS
HEATING / COOLING
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740LI Luxury Sedan Service; Hourly,
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800-455-2471.
PETS & SUPPLIES
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special someone? Loving
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kittens waiting to meet
you. Feline Foundation
703-920-8665. Application
& adoption fair schedule
online at www.ffgw.org.
PHOTOGRAPHY
STEVE OTOOLE PHOTOGRAPHY
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weddings & dating photos for the
internet. Call (703) 532-3031. www.
steveotoolephotography.com.
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MAID TO CLEAN. Gay owned.
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FERNANDOS CLEANING:
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Quality plumbing & drain jobs
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pruning, insect & disease diagnosis,
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Angies List Award Winner 09, 10,
11, 12.
PLACE YOUR CLASSIFIEDS ONLINE
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TREATMENTS
CUSTOM WINDOW TREATMENTS
Blinds, shades and more. Free
home shopping. Serving the LGBT
community for over 25 years. Call
Andy at Environmental Concepts
Design. 202-397-7909.
SHARE / DC
ADAMS MORGAN/DUPONT CIRCLE
available now. Non-smoker, semifurnished, own BR. Shared use of
W/D, kitchen. $850/month+$850
security deposit. Carol (202) 2656809.
GWM w/ 2 cats has cozy fully
furnished room available in NE DC.
No Pets, no children, non-smoker
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SHARE / VA
WOODBRIDGE,MBR single-family
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month.703-798-3955.
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naked. Bruno $70 per hr.
301 580-2716.
EROTIC SWEDISH MASSAGE
healthy clean cut guy, 61, 160 lbs,
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masseur (former) Custom bodywork!
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stress relief in private studio. 4 Hand
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only. Holiday Special $79.00 SPECIAL
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located near 395 & King St. Plenty of
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priv. studio just 15 min from DC

inArlington. Plenty of Parking.Same
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DECEMBER 26 2014 VOLUME 45 ISSUE 52 CELEBRATING 45 YEARS AS AMERICAS GAY NEWS SOURCE WASHINGTONBLADE.

Is Jeb a gay-friendly Bush?

PHOTO BY GAGE SKIDMORE; COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

Gray says goodbye

In his two-hour speech Gray said he was

Im particularly proud of the great strides we have made in ensuring full

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY DAMIEN SALAS

Students at Del. high

A guide to D.C.s best

A look ahead at the

02 DECEMBER 26, 2014

Help us nd D.C.s top 20 LGBT singles,

Nominate yourself or your friends starting Jan. 5 at

DECEMBER 26, 2014 03

OUR BIGGEST FLOOR SAMPLE SALE OF THE YEAR...

Sheffield Blade Dec 26.indd 1

04 DECEMBER 26, 2014

Del. high school administrators attack GSA

student who called him the anti-gay

ocers have been summoned to meetings

that can help bring students together and

DECEMBER 26, 2014 05

06 DECEMBER 26, 2014

Elton John, Lance Bass wed longtime partners

Tweets about slain officers spark controversy

Anti-gay Indiana pastor arrested

Supreme Court wont

refused to review these cases, it set the

DECEMBER 26, 2014 07

AFTER CHRISTMAS SALE

a unique Furniture shopping experience come to

room and Family room Furniture.

HAMILTONS NEWEST ITALIAN LEATHER SECTIONAL

TRANSITIONAL WOOD-BASE SOFA

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AMERICAN MADE MID-CENTURY MODERN SOFA

PROMO CODE: 1226 Sale prices good thru 12/29/14

08 DECEMBER 26, 2014

1 year after Utah, a cascade of rulings on marriage

It was very gratifying after so many

for federal purposes. The ACLU of Utah

DECEMBER 26, 2014 09

WWS2015Ads_Blade_9.75x5.625_Press.qxp_Layout 1 12/16/14 11:57 PM Page 1

The Katzen Arts Center at American University

january 911, 2015

the 2015 washington winter show benefits

eugene boudin, yacht basin at trouville-deauville (detail), ca. 1895/1896,

For tickets & info: washingtonwintershow.org or 2o2.248.7159

10 DECEMBER 26, 2014

Holder says Title VII covers anti-trans bias

U.S. Attorney General ERIC HOLDER says trans

The determination marks a shift

way towards advancing equality for the

to workers on the basis of sexual

Va. school district restroom policy challenged

DECEMBER 26, 2014 11

Mariela Castro urges U.S. to end embargo against Cuba

Paquito el de Cuba, on his Facebook page

Egyptian men face trial after arrests at bathhouse

a day after President Obama announced

12 DECEMBER 26, 2014

Jeb Bushs mixed record on LGBT issues