JANUARY 31 2014 VOLUME 45 ISSUE 05

CELEBRATING 45 YEARS AS AMERICAS GAY NEWS SOURCE

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

Many disappointed by Obamas speech

No mention of ENDA in State of the Union address
By CHRIS JOHNSON cjohnson@washblade.com President Obama had few words in his State of the Union speech Tuesday night on LGBT issues, disappointing many advocates who had wanted him to address the lack of federal non-discrimination protections for LGBT people. Devoting a large portion of his speech to income inequality, Obama called on Congress to pass other initiatives such as a Voting Rights Act, a measure to ensure equal pay for women and immigration reform and pledged to sign an executive order raising the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour for federal contractors. In the coming months, lets see where else we can make progress together, Obama said. Lets make this a year of action. Thats what most Americans want: for all of us in this chamber to focus on their lives, their hopes, their aspirations. LGBT advocates had been pushing Obama to include in his speech a call to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and a pledge to sign an executive order barring federal contractors from discriminating against LGBT workers.
CONTINUES ON PAGE 13 PRESIDENT OBAMA failed to include a reference to ENDA in his State of the Union address this week.
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

Unique showdown in Maryland

Trans candidate Beyer to challenge gay incumbent Madaleno
By MICHAEL K. LAVERS mlavers@washblade.com Gender Rights Maryland Executive Director Dana Beyer on Thursday announced she will challenge incumbent state Sen. Rich Madaleno (D-Montgomery County) in the 2014 Democratic primary. We are ready for progress, said Beyer in a statement that announced her candidacy. For too long, hardworking Marylanders have waited for economic fairness and equal opportunity. We have asked our elected ofcials to help bring better jobs to our neighborhoods, build stronger schools for our children, x our roads and infrastructure and make quality health care an affordable reality. We are ready to move forward, and thats why Im declaring my candidacy for the Maryland Senate, continued Beyer. Beyer, 61, announced her campaign slightly more
CONTINUES ON PAGE 12 Dr. DANA BEYER this week announced plans to challenge gay Sen. Rich Madaleno in Maryland.
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

BURN
David Grosso endorses Jim Grahams opponent in City Council race.
PAGE 6

NEW N-WORD
Attacks on Sherman as thug reveal societys harsh treatment of black men.
PAGE 17

SOCHI BOUND
Ally Hudson Taylor sees chance for LGBT awareness at Olympics.
PAGE 23

washingtonblade.com 02 JANUARY 31, 2014 LOCAL NEWS

BHT awards $75,000 in grants

Brother, Help Thyself, a local organization that supports LGBT and HIV/AIDS work, awarded about $75,000 in grants to 31 area nonprots last weekend at a reception held at Ziegfelds/Secrets nightclub. Among the grant recipients were: AIDS Action Baltimore, the DC Centers HIV Working Group, DC Rape Crisis Center, Equality Maryland Foundation, Gay Mens Chorus of Washington, Helping Our Brothers and Sisters, HIPS, Latino GLBT History Project, Rainbow History Project, SMYAL and the Wanda Alston Foundation. What really makes this annual event so wonderful, on top of the awarding of the actual checks, is the opportunity for our grantees to network and connect, said BHT President Jim Slattery. They all do such great work and their expertise and best practices are vital to our community and each other. In addition to the grants, BHT presented four annual awards. The Billy Collison Award, BHTs underdog award, was given to Baltimores Hope Springs. The George Dodson Business award went to GayRVA.com. The Founders Award, given to an organization doing great work with little funding, went to Casa Ruby LGBT Community Center. And the Anthony J. Bachrach Award, which recognizes an individual doing outstanding work on behalf of the community, was presented to David Mariner, executive director of the DC Center. STAFF REPORTS

Baltimores GLCCB moving to Waxter Center

BOB WITECK says hes thinking about running for the U.S. House seat in Northern Virginia currently held by Democratic Rep. James Moran, whos retiring.
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO

Witeck mulls run for Congress

Bob Witeck, president and founder of the public relations rm Witeck Communications and a longtime LGBT rights advocate, says hes thinking about running for the U.S. House seat in Northern Virginia currently held by Democratic Rep. James Moran, whos retiring. I would say Im talking to some folks about the idea, Witeck told the Blade on Monday. I would say my chances of doing it are not great but its something I want to consider before I would say absolutely not. Witeck said friends and supporters approached him about running and offered to help raise money for his campaign should he choose to enter the race. As many as a dozen or more Democrats are considering or have announced plans to run for the seat in the 8th congressional district in the Democratic primary in June. The winner of the primary is strongly favored to win the November general election in the heavily Democratic district. Among those expressing interest in running is gay State Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria), whose Senate district includes most of the sections of Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church, and Fairfax County that make up the 8th congressional district. Jay Fisette, chair of the Arlington County Board whos gay, announced last week he isnt running for Morans seat following speculation that he might become a candidate. Im a native of the 8th District, Witeck said. I grew up there. Its my hometown and a community I obviously care about. He said one factor making the race attractive to him is the idea of adding to the ranks of openly LGBT people in Congress. So theres something I would want to give some serious thought to, he said. I think whoever is the nominee is going to be a very good one because we have a eld of very strong people. So to me, getting behind someone is also very likely but at the same time I dont want to rule it out yet. Witeck noted that because so many people are likely to compete for the seat in the primary, garnering a plurality rather than an absolute majority of the vote would be sufcient to win the race. I think it means that individuals who may not be well known politically will have an opportunity to create a base, he said. Among those who have announced they are running for the congressional seat are Don Beyer, the Virginia businessman and former lieutenant governor; Del. Charniele Herring (D-Alexandria), who resigned from her post as chair of the Virginia Democratic Party to make way to run for the congressional seat; Del. Mark Sickles (D-Fairfax); Del. Patrick Hope (D-Arlington); and businessman Bruce Shuttleworth, who lost to Moran in the 2012 Democratic primary. All have records of support for LGBT rights. LOU CHIBBARO JR.

The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of Baltimore and Central Maryland (GLCCB) announced it is nalizing details to move its administrative ofces and program meeting space to the third oor of the Waxter Center building (1000 Cathedral St.) in the Mount Vernon neighborhood. Were overjoyed to nally announce this exciting next step of the GLCCB, said Matt Thorn, the GLCCBs executive director. The Waxter Center is a perfect t for the needs of our organization and the communities we serve. The deal is expected to be completed on Feb. 5. The GLCCBs regularly scheduled program meetings will remain at the 241 W. Chase building until Feb. 9. Beginning Feb. 10, meetings will take place at the Waxter Center. Updates on directions to the new location, access to the building and meeting room numbers will be updated on GLCCBs website (GLCCB.org) and Facebook page (Facebook. com/glccb). STEVE CHARING

obituary

Gay activist Robert Coggin dies at 62

Robert Mitchell Coggin, a longtime D.C.-area resident who played a key role in helping to pass a gay rights law in Montgomery County, Md., in 1984, died Jan. 19 from complications associated with Myotonic Muscular Dystrophy. He was 62. His friends Tanner Wray and Karl Debus-Lopez said Coggin became active in gay rights activities in 1972 when he co-founded the rst gay student group, the Gay Student Union, at the University of Virginia at Charlottesville, where he received a bachelors degree in 1976. Wray and Debus-Lopez said Coggin became the founder of the Suburban Maryland Lesbian and Gay Alliance in Montgomery County in 1982 after becoming a resident of the county. He was a leader in the ght to have Montgomery County, Md., pass a non-discrimination law that includes gays and lesbians in 1984, the two said. Over the years, Robert continued to be active with numerous gay and lesbian rights groups in their efforts to move forward on civil rights legislation. Coggin, who lived in Silver Spring, Md., was born in Danville, Va. He worked for many years for the National Institutes of Health in Maryland as an administrative assistant, Wray and Debus-Lopez said. During his time at NIH, Robert received many awards for his outstanding performance, the two said. Despite the fact that he had a chronic and degenerative illness, Roberts outlook on life was always positive, they said. He enjoyed movies, theater, dinners out with friends, and he was a pioneering crusader in the ght for gay rights in the mid-Atlantic region. Through his estate, Coggin made arrangements to establish a scholarship fund for LGBT students at the University of Virginia, according to Wray and Debus-Lopez. He is predeceased by his parents, Belva Mitchell Coggin and Henry Ernest Coggin, and a brother, William Henry Coggin. He is survived by numerous cousins and friends, including Debus-Lopez and Wray and his former partner Don Crisostomo. A memorial service is being planned for the near future. Donations can be made to the University of Virginia Fund of Charlottesville, Va., under the name Robert Coggin, and to the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Tucson, Ariz. LOU CHIBBARO JR.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

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washingtonblade.com 04 JANUARY 31, 2014 LOCAL NEWS

Herring: Va. should be on right side of history

New attorney general wont defend gay marriage ban
By MICHAEL K. LAVERS mlavers@washblade.com Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring told the Washington Blade last week that he decided not to defend the states samesex marriage ban because he wants to ensure the commonwealth is on the right side of history. This is a key issue that the [U.S.] Supreme Court is going to have to decide, said Herring. If the facts were presented to the Supreme Court, they would strike it down. And its important that Virginia be on the right side of history and on the right side of the law. Herring spoke with the Blade hours after he declared Virginias constitutional amendment that bans same-sex marriage unconstitutional. His ofce subsequently led an ofcial notication with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia that said the commonwealths position in the case that Timothy Bostic and Tony London of Norfolk and Carol Schall and Mary Townley led last year has changed. state played in the countrys founding. He said, however, the state was on the wrong side of the U.S. Supreme Courts 1967 Loving v. Virginia decision that struck down the commonwealths interracial marriage ban and other landmark civil rights cases. Were not going to be on the wrong side of the law this time, said Herring. Herring in 2006 voted against same-sex marriage while in the Virginia Senate. Voters later that year approved the gay nuptials ban by a 57-43 percent margin. I was speaking out against forms of discrimination against people on the basis of sexual orientation, but I did not support marriage equality at that time and I was wrong for that, Herring told the Blade. Almost immediately after that I saw how that vote and how that measure really hurt a lot of people and that it was very painful for a lot of people. Herring said he saw the issue very differently after talking with his family, constituents, friends and neighbors. He added his religion that originally prompted him to oppose marriage rights for same-sex couples helped further shape his position. It takes me to a more equal place and a better place, said Herring. I wouldnt want the state telling my son or my daughter who they can and cannot marry. Republicans and social conservatives blasted the former state senator from Loudoun County. If Mark Herring doesnt want to defend this case, he should resign and let the General Assembly appoint someone who will, said Pat Mullins, chair of the Republican Party of Virginia. There are people who are going to attack me and try to say well its about the duty of the attorney general [to defend the marriage ban], Herring told the Blade. In fact what theyre really upset about is that they disagree with marriage equality. And thats their right, but its not the law. Herrings predecessor, Ken Cuccinelli, vehemently opposed marriage rights for same-sex couples while in ofce. State Sen. Mark Obenshain (R-Harrisonburg), who lost to Herring in last years attorney general race by fewer than than 1,000 votes, also did not support gay nuptials. Im less focused on trying to draw a contrast with my predecessor, Herring told the Blade when asked to comment on Cuccinellis opposition to nuptials for gays and lesbians. I am just making sure I get the law right and fulll my duties as attorney general as best I can and make sure that we come out on the correct side of this legal case.

Were not going to be on the wrong side of the law this time, Virginia Attorney General MARK HERRING told the Blade.
PHOTO BY MDFRIENDOFHILLARY; COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

Having duly exercised his independent constitutional judgment, the attorney general has concluded that Virginias laws denying the right to marry to same-sex couples violates the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, reads the aforementioned document. Herring told the Blade he feels that Virginians can feel proud of the role their

Narrow margins make for big changes in Virginia

With Dems in charge, LGBT advocates now playing offense
By MICHAEL K. LAVERS mlavers@washblade.com Democrats on Monday regained control of the Virginia Senate after state election ofcials certied state Del. Lynwood Lewis (D-Accomack County) narrowly won a recount in the race to succeed Lieutenant Gov. Ralph Northam. Lewis defeated Norfolk businessman Wayne Coleman by 11 votes the Democrat beat his Republican rival by nine votes in the Jan. 7 special election. Congratulations to Lynwood Lewis on his election as the next senator from the Sixth Senate District of Virginia, said Northam in a statement on Monday. I was very pleased to hear that Senator-elect Lewis victory was upheld today during the recount, and I want to also thank Wayne Coleman for running in this special election. Gov. Terry McAuliffe also applauded Lewis. Id like to congratulate Lynwood Lewis for his victory in Virginias Sixth Senate District election and commend complete, said McAuliffe on Monday. I look forward to working with Lynwood and members of both parties in the General Assembly to tackle the challenges facing Virginias economy and communities. With the Senate secured and Democrats sweeping statewide ofces, LGBT advocates are nally seeing momentum in Virginia. McAuliffe this week said he would not appoint a special counsel to defend his states constitutional amendment that denes marriage as between a man and a woman. McAuliffe told state Del. Bob Marshall (R-Prince William County) in a letter that he shares the view that the effective administration of our legal system requires zealous advocacy on all matters before the courts. The governor said Norfolk Circuit Court Clerk George Schaefer and Prince William County Circuit Court Clerk Michle McQuigg, the Alliance Defending Freedom and the Family Foundation of Virginia are vigorously and appropriately defending the state same-sex marriage ban after Attorney General Mark Herring announced he would not defend it. Marshall is among the more than 30 legislators who urged McAuliffe in a Jan. 24 letter to defend the marriage amendment that Virginia voters approved in 2006. Accordingly, I respectfully decline to appoint special counsel in this matter, wrote McAuliffe. In one setback for LGBT advocates, Virginia lawmakers killed a bill that would have extended second-parent adoption rights to gays and lesbians. Members of the Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee by a 6-6 margin struck down the measure that state Sen. Janet Howell (D-Fairfax County) introduced on Jan. 7. By denying passage of the secondparent adoption bill, Senators Wagner, Hanger, McDougle, Black, Reeves and Stosch are simply denying children across Virginia who are being raised by loving lesbian or gay parents the protection and security that having two legal parents would offer, said Equality Virginia Executive Director James Parrish. Todays Senate committee vote against second-parent adoption is just another example of how completely out of touch these senators are with their constituents and the majority of Virginians. They are standing on the wrong side of history. Virginia law currently allows only heterosexual couples and single gays and lesbians to adopt children.

Equality Virginia Executive Director JAMES PARRISH said lawmakers who opposed the second-parent adoption bill are standing on the wrong side of history.
WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

Wayne Coleman for participating in this process with professionalism and respect, said the governor. Former Loudoun County prosecutor Jennifer Wexton last week defeated Republican John Whitbeck and former state Del. Joe T. May in the special election to succeed Attorney General Mark Herring in the state Senate. Wexton ofcially took ofce on Jan. 24. I am glad that the process of lling each vacant seat in the General Assembly is now

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

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washingtonblade.com 06 JANUARY 31, 2014 LOCAL NEWS

McAuliffe links LGBT rights to economic development

Governor speaks at Equality Virginia reception
By MICHAEL K. LAVERS mlavers@washblade.com RICHMOND, Va. Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe on Tuesday said extending marriage and other rights to LGBT Virginians is good for his states economy. Ive got to grow and diversify this economy, McAuliffe told the Washington Blade after he spoke at an Equality Virginia reception at the Library of Virginia. This is what voters elected me to do, and in order to do that weve got to send a message that were open and welcoming to everyone. McAuliffe spoke to Equality Virginia supporters less than a week after Attorney General Mark Herring announced he would not defend a state constitutional amendment that denes marriage as between a man and a woman. Pat Mullins, chair of the Republican Party of Virginia, suggested Herring should resign because he wont defend the states samesex marriage ban. National Organization for Marriage President Brian Brown also said state lawmakers should impeach the attorney general over the issue. A federal judge in Norfolk on Thursday will hold a hearing in a lawsuit that two same-sex couples led last year against the marriage amendment. The ACLU, Lambda Legal and the ACLU of Virginia last August led a class action federal lawsuit on behalf of two lesbian couples from the Shenandoah Valley who are seeking marriage rights in the commonwealth. McAuliffe on Monday told state Del. Bob Marshall (R-Prince William County) that he will not appoint a special counsel to defend the commonwealths same-sex marriage amendment after 30 lawmakers asked him to do so. A Virginia House of Delegates committee on Jan. 24 approved a bill that Marshall and state Del. Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah County) introduced that would allow any state lawmaker to defend a law if the governor and attorney general decline to do so. Lets get to work and do what voters want us to do and help them get jobs, McAuliffe told the Blade, stressing Medicaid expansion and improving the states transportation infrastructure remain two of his administrations top priorities. Lets focus on things that proactively get things done in the commonwealth and lets stop the negative attacks. McAuliffe told Equality Virginia supporters before he spoke with the Blade that Democrats last year swept all three statewide ofces for the rst time in 24 years. His party also regained control of the state Senate after the party won two special elections that lled seats Herring and Lieutenant Gov. Ralph Northam vacated last year after they won statewide ofce. Our ticket as you know was not shy about being out front on the issues that matter to us, said McAuliffe. I talked every day about how Virginia needs to be open and welcoming. McAuliffe backed marriage rights for same-sex couples last February. He repeatedly said during his campaign against then-Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli that the rst executive order he would sign as governor would be a ban on discrimination against LGBT state employees. McAuliffe said he was proud to issue the aforementioned mandate shortly after he took ofce on Jan. 11. Mark and Ralph and I and the state Senate are going to continue to work to make sure that Virginia is open and welcoming to treat everybody with equal respect, said McAuliffe. I need to grow and diversify the economy. We need to do that by making ourselves open and welcoming.

Virginia Gov. TERRY MCAULIFFE said he wants to make sure that Virginia is open and welcoming to treat everybody with equal respect.
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY LEE WHITMAN

Ive been in politics too long, Im never surprised anymore, McAuliffe told the Blade when asked whether the way Virginia Republicans and social conservatives have reacted to Herrings announcement came as a surprise.

Grosso backs Graham opponent

Shakeup in Ward 1 race as second challenger drops out
By LOU CHIBBARO JR. lchibbaro@washblade.com Gay D.C. Council member Jim Grahams bid for a fth term in ofce changed dramatically this week when fellow Council member David Grosso (I-At-Large) endorsed one of his opponents in the April 1 Democratic primary and Grahams other primary opponent dropped out of the race. One day after Grosso conrmed he has endorsed Ward 1 Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Brianne Nadeau in the primary, the only remaining candidate in the race, civic activist Bryan Weaver, withdrew from the primary and told the Washington Post he plans to run as an independent candidate for the Council seat in the November general election. That means Graham could face a much tougher one-on-one race in the primary. And should he defeat Nadeau in that race he would likely face another hotly contested race against Weaver in November assuming another big name candidate doesnt enter the November contest. I think its an opportunity for Ward 1 and comment on Grossos backing of Nadeau, Graham released a statement saying he didnt think Grossos endorsement of Nadeau would make a difference in the race. Having a non-Democrat comment on a Democratic primary wont mean much, he said. My opponent is grasping for straws and she got one. Graham has received strong support from the LGBT community in each of his four previous election campaigns for his Council seat. With Nadeau and Weaver having a record of support for the LGBT community, some observers think the LGBT vote could be split between Graham, Nadeau and Weaver. Now that Weaver has dropped out of the primary its less clear how the LGBT vote would come down in a two-candidate race. Many observers believe Grahams more than 30 years of advocacy on behalf of the LGBT community as an activist and Council member and his past role as a leader in the ght against AIDS as head of the WhitmanWalker Clinic will prompt most LGBT voters to stick with him. Both Nadeau and Weaver have cited the Councils decision to reprimand Graham last year over allegations that he violated a city ethics rule by improperly intervening in the contract approval process involving Metro and the D.C. lottery contracts were grounds for voting him out of ofce. Graham has disputed the allegation, saying he favored one contractor over another on grounds it was better qualied for the work. Grosso said that while Graham played an important role as an openly gay member of the Council during his early years in ofce he doesnt think his replacement by a straight Council member would have an adverse impact on the LGBT community. I think weve come to a point in this city where as leaders youd better be accepting of every single human being and who they are as a person, Grosso said. And I certainly hope that whether youre straight or gay you are standing up for that and standing up for all the people in the District. Added Grosso, That doesnt take away from having representation on the Council of every group of individuals in our city. But I think we can do a good job of representing folks ourselves whether youre straight or gay, and thats important to us. Grosso has a strong record of support on LGBT issues. The Washington Post reported that Grosso has recorded a robocall message urging Ward 1 residents to vote for Nadeau thats expected to be released shortly.

D.C. Council member DAVID GROSSO has endorsed Brianne Nadeau over incumbent Jim Graham.
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

the D.C. Council to get a strong, new, goodgovernment voice on the Council, Grosso told the Blade in discussing his decision to endorse Nadeau. I think shes a viable candidate who would step in and do a really good job as a Council member and be a strong ally up here on the Council. When contacted by the Blade for

washingtonblade.com 08 JANUARY 31, 2014 NATIONAL NEWS

Gay journalist attacked in NYC

NEW YORK A New York City man faces a second-degree assault charge for allegedly attacking an awardwinning gay journalist earlier this month. The New York Daily News reported the New York Police Department took Leighton Jennings, 24, into custody on Jan. 28. The newspaper cited NYPD sources who said Jennings attacked Randy Gener, 46, on Seventh Avenue near West 54th Street in Midtown Manhattan early Jan. 17 as he walked home from a party. Gener remains at a local hospital after undergoing brain surgery. Geners sister, Jessica Blair-Driessler, was among the more than 70 people A New York City man faces charges for who attended a Jan. 26 candlelight vigil allegedly attacking RANDY GENER, an near the intersection at which Jennings award-winning gay journalist, earlier this month near Times Square. allegedly attacked Gener. Hed been struggling for work, said WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY Blair-Driessler, according to Gay City News. On top of that, his mother died last year. The guy just cant get a break. Thats what I was thinking. A fund to help Gener pay his medical bills has raised nearly $50,000.

CSAR ZAPATA (left) and HUNTER CARTER said American Airlines personnel at the Medelln, Colombia, airport separated them on Jan. 18 as they checked into their ight to Miami.
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

TSA changes airport security for gay couples

Humiliated spouses separated before ights to U.S.
By MICHAEL K. LAVERS mlavers@washblade.com The Washington Blade has learned the Transportation Security Administration will allow same-sex couples to undergo pre-ight security screenings together in response to two recent incidents with American Airlines personnel at a Colombian airport. Hunter Carter, a prominent same-sex marriage advocate in Latin America who said American Airlines personnel at the airport in the Colombian city of Medelln separated him and his husband, Csar Zapata, as they tried to check into their Miami-bound ight on Jan. 18, received an e-mail from Alec Bramlett, senior litigation attorney for the airline, on Wednesday afternoon. TSA has communicated to our Corporate Security folks that they are working on a technical change to its directive, and that pending that change, we can immediately begin screening same-sex spouses together, wrote Bramlett in the e-mail the Blade obtained from Carter. We are working on communicating this change in procedures to our stations ASAP . A TSA spokesperson conrmed to the Blade last week the agency is working to make clear any confusion in language included in the Aircraft Operator Standard Security Program (ASOP) document that dictates security screenings. TSA policy is for every attempt to be made to accommodate all families traveling together, said the spokesperson. Carter welcomed the announcement. It used to be that discrimination against same-sex couples who are LGBT people wasnt newsworthy, but that has changed, he told the Blade. Today a major corporation and a government agency swiftly changed a legacy policy that was discriminatory and humiliating. Now when Csar and I y we know we will not be ying as second-class passengers but on equal terms with all other married couples as is our legal right. Carter and Zapata are the second samesex couple in less than two months to allege American Airlines personnel at the Medelln airport separated them as they tried to check into their U.S.-bound ight. Ana Elisa Leiderman said an American Airlines ticket agent separated her from her wife, Vernica Botero, and their two small children as they tried to check into their Miami-bound ight on Dec. 13. A third gay couple Toms Georgi and Mark Cline told the Blade they experienced a similar experience on Dec. 1 as they tried to check into their American Airlines ight from Buenos Aires, Argentina, to New York. An American Airlines spokesperson told the Blade on Jan. 10 the company regrets the circumstances that Leiderman faced with her spouse and family while traveling from Colombia to the U.S. The spokesperson added airport personnel in Medelln followed existing security screening rules mandated by the TSA. Georgi provided the Blade an e-mail he received from Stefania Meyer of American Airlines on Dec. 16 that noted, among other things, the company has received a 100 percent score on the Human Rights Campaigns Corporate Equality Index for nine consecutive years.

Pennsylvania couple seeks marriage rights

PHILADELPHIA A married lesbian couple from suburban Philadelphia has led a federal lawsuit against a Pennsylvania law that prohibits the recognition of samesex marriages legally performed in other jurisdictions. Isabelle Barker and Cara Palladino tied the knot in Massachusetts in 2005. The couple moved to Pennsylvania shortly after their wedding when Barker accepted a position at Bryn Mawr College. Barker gave birth to the couples son in 2009. We took on the commitment of marriage in 2005 and have supported each other through lifes ups and down, said Palladino. We think it is wrong for Pennsylvania to void our marriage and treat us as though we are unmarried when we are very much a loving family. Equality Forum, a Philadelphia-based LGBT advocacy group, initiated the lawsuit that was led on Jan. 13 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Mary Bonauto of the Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders is among those who are co-counsel in the case. On behalf of Cara and Isabelle and other legally married same-sex families, we will take this injustice as far as is needed to afrm the nations 226-year-old history of recognizing marriages from sister states, said Equality Forum Executive Director Malcolm Lazin. The American Civil Liberties Union last July led a lawsuit against Pennsylvanias statutory gay marriage ban on behalf of 11 same-sex couples and a widow. State Reps. Brian Sims (D-Philadelphia) and Steve McCarter (D-Montgomery County) and state Sen. Daylin Leach (D-Montgomery County) have introduced same-sex marriage bills in the Pennsylvania Legislature.

Bisexual college football player comes out

SALEM, Ore. A Willamette University athlete on Jan. 27 became the rst known college football player to publicly come out. It is important to me to tell you all that I, Conner Mertens, am bisexual, wrote Conner Mertens on his Twitter page. If that makes you uncomfortable, I refuse to apologize for being who I am. Mertens, who grew up in Kennewick, Wash., further discussed his decision to come out as bisexual with Outsports.com. I hate the stereotypes that go along with liking the same sex, Mertens told the LGBT sports website. You dont have to follow the stereotype to be this way. I made the decision that if I could help anyone else avoid feeling the way I felt, I would. Willamette University in a statement said it fully supports Mertens and respects his contribution to a more humane and just world.

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washingtonblade.com 10 JANUARY 31, 2014 NATIONAL NEWS

ENDA lands new Republican co-sponsor

Grimms support comes amid controversy over threatening reporter
By CHRIS JOHNSON cjohnson@washblade.com A new Republican has signed on as a co-sponsor of the Employment NonDiscrimination Act as LGBT advocates continue to push for a vote in the Republicancontrolled chamber, the Washington Blade has learned. Rep. Michael Grimm (R-N.Y.), who represents Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn in Congress, elected to cosponsor the bill Monday, according to sources familiar with the legislation. Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.), whos gay and lead sponsor of ENDA, commended Grimm for supporting the bill, which would bar employers from discriminating against or ring workers based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. I am happy to welcome Rep. Grimm as the 200th cosponsor of the bipartisan Employment Non-Discrimination Act, Polis said. This is common sense legislation that is supported by a majority of Americans and was passed overwhelmingly by the United States Senate. I look forward to working with Rep. Grimm and all of the co-sponsors on both sides of the aisle to pass this bill and protect all Americans from discrimination in the work place. Grimms ofce didnt immediately hes a co-sponsor of the Safe Schools Improvement Act, legislation that would require schools to develop to policies against bullying, including the discrimination and harassment of LGBT students. But Grimm signs on as a co-sponsor to ENDA as hes facing additional challenges and is being investigated for possible corruption. The House Ethics Committee is deferring an investigation into Grimm for possible campaign nance violations to the Justice Department, which is conducting a criminal probe. The New York Daily News reported earlier this month Grimm may have used donor swapping to skirt fundraising limits. Grimm made headlines this week after he threatened a reporter who was about to ask him about the corruption probe. The incident was caught on video in which Grimm told a NY1 reporter that he would throw him from a balcony and break him in half. The Senate last year passed ENDA on a bipartisan basis by a 64-34 vote. Supporters have said the legislation already has the votes to pass the House, but House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has continually said he opposes the legislation when asked if hell bring it up for a vote. Polis has previously said the best way to encourage Boehner to bring ENDA to a vote is adding additional Republican co-sponsors to the bill. Boehners ofce didnt immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Grimms sponsorship changes things in terms of a possible House vote.

Rep. MICHAEL GRIMM made news twice this week: rst by backing ENDA, then by threatening a reporter in an incident caught on video.

respond to the Blades request for comment on his decision to sign on as an ENDA supporter. Counting Polis, Grimms support brings the total number of sponsors in the House to 201. A total of 218 votes is necessary to pass legislation in the chamber. Grimm is the sixth Republican cosponsor of ENDA. The other ve are Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), Richard Hanna (R-N.Y.), Charles Dent (R-Pa.), Jon Runyan (R-N.J.) and Chris Gibson (R-N.Y.). Elected during the Republican wave in 2010, Grimm is generally looked upon as having an unfavorable record on LGBT

issues. The Human Rights Campaign gave him a rating of 0 in its latest congressional scorecard. A former FBI agent who served in the 1990s Persian Gulf War as a Marine, Grimm is an opponent of same-sex marriage. He expressed his opposition in 2011 when the New York Legislature was preparing to legalize gay nuptials. I believe, by denition, that marriage is between a man and a woman, just as President Clinton did in 1996 when he signed the Defense of Marriage Act into law, dening it as such, Grimm said. Still, beyond his decision to back ENDA,

Anti-gay RNC member wont resign post

Party chair calls on Agema to step down
By CHRIS JOHNSON cjohnson@washblade.com A member of the Republican National Committee whos taken heat for expressing anti-gay views indicated last week he wont resign from his post, despite calls from the head of his party to step down. Dave Agema, a former Michigan state lawmaker, said in a statement on his website that he intends to continue his role representing Michigan on the Republican National Committee in the face of a few strident advocates for homosexual marriage. I have learned much over the last several weeks and will use the lessons learned to improve on my abilities to further the best interests of all people of Michigan, through my role as a proud member of the Republican National Committee, Agema said. I have received great response at packed audiences, drawing voters to the GOP. I fully intend to honor the trust and fulll the responsibilities to those in the Michigan Republican Party that elected me. Agema refused to resign just hours after the RNC announced its chair Reince Priebus and Michigan Republican Party Chair Bobby Schostak have called on him to relinquish his post for the good of the party. The RNC didnt immediately respond to a request for comment on Agemas refusal to step down. The embattled Republican faced criticism for anti-gay remarks, saying via Facebook that Russias anti-gay propaganda law is common sense and posting an article saying gay people are sexually promiscuous, rife with diseases and responsible for half of the murders in the country. But Agemas comments arent limited to anti-gay views. Agema also posted an old online attack piece questioning whether Muslims have contributed anything positive to American society. Prior to Priebus call for Agemas resignation, he faced criticism from gay Republicans and high-prole Michigan Republicans, most notably Betsy Devos, a former Michigan Republican Party chair and signicant party donor. Reps. Candace Miller (R-Mich.), Justin Amash (R-Mich.), Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and Dave Camp (R-Mich) also called on him to step down. Faced with this controversy, Agema was absent during the RNC winter meeting last week and sent in his place former RNC member Chuck Yob. Gregory Angelo, executive director of the Log Cabin Republicans, has also called on Agema to step down and called his deance truly pathetic. If Mr. Agemas views are as popular as he believes them to be, I would ask him to provide one just one individual who is willing to speak up in his defense, Angelo said. To date there have been zero. Renewing his request for Agema to resign, Angelo said if the Michigan Republican is so concerned about his leadership responsibilities he should know that those responsibilities require him to resign and to resign immediately, for the best of the party. In his statement, Agema professes that he could have handled the situation better, but blames others for stirring controversy. My personal beliefs and public statements expressing them as a public gure, has been attacked by a few strident advocates for homosexual marriage seeking to change Republican, Michigan and Americas mores and laws, Agema said. Despite our American heritage of the right to speak freely or perhaps because of it, my personal views on the sanctity of marriage have led to loud and heated statements among some, on all sides of this issue.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

JANUARY 31, 2014 11

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washingtonblade.com 12 JANUARY 31, 2014 NEWS

GLSEN warns of school to prison pipeline for youth

New federal guidance on discipline disparities excludes LGBT youth
By LOU CHIBBARO JR. lchibbaro@washblade.com The Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network, a national group that advocates for LGBT youth in the nations schools, says LGBT students and youth of color have long been disproportionately impacted by overly harsh school disciplinary practices. In a statement released earlier this month, GLSEN praised a new Obama administration initiative to discourage elementary and secondary schools from administering student discipline based on race or other discriminatory grounds. But the GLSEN statement notes that the initiative issued jointly by the Department of Education and the Department of Justice doesnt specically reference LGBT youth, raising concern that overly harsh disciplinary practices will continue to funnel LGBT students into what education experts call a school to prison pipeline. This so-called pipeline, education reform advocates say, refers to students who land in the criminal justice system, including prison, after being repeatedly suspended or expelled from school. Reform advocates, including GLSEN, have argued that alternative disciplinary approaches should be employed to ensure school safety without overly relying on suspension and expulsion as punishment. GLSEN has pointed to numerous cases where LGBT students are suspended or countless youth of a chance to get an education and forced many of them out of school and into the criminal justice system, she said. She added, While the omission of the specic challenges facing LGBT youth is disappointing, we are pleased that the guidelines focus on prevention and intervention strategies by supporting developmentally appropriate and proportional responses to school discipline that encourage and reinforce positive school climateWe encourage the Departments to examine the extent and effects of discipline disparities among LGBT youth and to provide leadership and guidance to ensure that school discipline practices do not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. An example of what LGBT activists called biased school treatment of LGBT youth took place in November when a female transgender student at Hercules High School in Contra Costa County, Calif., was arrested and charged with battery for ghting with three other straight female students. The transgender student said a ght broke out between her and her classmates, which was captured on video, after she defended herself from repeated taunts and harassment from the three girls. Activists noted that all four students were suspended from the school for ghting but the transgender student, Jewlyes Gutierrez, 16, was the only one arrested and charged in the incident. The school and the Contra Costa County District Attorneys Ofce have declined to disclose the reason that Gutierrez was prosecuted in the case while the others were not, saying the matter is pending in juvenile court and they are prohibited form discussing cases involving a minor. GLSEN has said studies have shown that LGBT youth disproportionately experience bullying and harassment in schools. The group cites a 2010 study published in Pediatrics, the ofcial journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, showing that LGBT youth experience a signicantly higher level of disciplinary action in schools along with youth of color than do heterosexual youth and whites. In response to a call from the Blade, a spokesperson for the Department of Education said she would make inquiries on why the joint DOE-DOJ school guidance document didnt include specic reference to LGBT youth, but did not immediately respond. In a Jan. 8 press release announcing the guidance document, DOE and DOJ said the school discipline guidance initiative was aimed at helping states, school districts, and schools develop practices and strategies to enhance school climate and ensure those policies and practices comply with federal law. The press release noted that federal law currently prohibits schools from engaging in discrimination based on race and disability. President Obama and most heads of federal departments and agencies in the Obama administration have said that although Congress has yet to pass federal legislation to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, federal agencies would do what they could to put in place policies to protect LGBT people from discrimination.

Ending discriminatory practices in school discipline is one of the most critical civil rights issues facing K-12 education today, said GLSEN Executive Director ELIZA BYARD.
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

expelled for ghting back after being targeted for bullying and violent attacks by other students. Ending discriminatory practices in school discipline is one of the most critical civil rights issues facing K-12 education today, GLSEN Executive Director Eliza Byard said in the groups statement. GLSEN commends the Departments of Education and Justice for these longoverdue guidelines that will help to erode decades of policies that have robbed

Beyer to challenge Madaleno for Maryland Senate

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

than a week after Madaleno introduced a bill that would ban discrimination against transgender Marylanders. Madaleno, who is gay, reported to state campaign ofcials on Jan. 13 he has more than $36,000 on hand. Beyer on the same day reported her campaign has roughly $364 in the bank. Im extremely proud of my record of accomplishments, Madaleno told the Blade as he discussed the three terms he has served in the state Senate since Montgomery County voters rst elected him to the chamber in 2006. Im condent voters who have elected me three times in the past will re-nominate me in June. Carrie Evans, executive director of Equality Maryland, which endorsed

Madalenos re-election campaign late last year, told the Blade the Montgomery County Democrats strong record of accomplishments go beyond the LGBT communities. He works passionately and effectively for his constituents and indeed for all Marylanders, said Evans. We are condent the voters of District 18 will convincingly send him back to Annapolis. Beyer is a former member of the Equality Maryland board of directors. Lisa Polyak, who stepped down as chair of the Equality Maryland board in 2012, also defended Madaleno. Although Dana has been a tireless advocate for transgender equality locally and nationally, she doesnt possess the seniority or relationships that can advance priorities of LGBT citizens of Maryland, Polyak told the Blade.

Evans said having another LGBT candidate challenging our endorsed candidate will divert the limited resources that we earmarked to help our friends in other races who supported Marylands same-sex marriage law in 2012. She also described Beyers announcement that comes less than a week before the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee hearing on the trans rights bill as ironic. Some might say the timing of her announcement only serves to distract and potentially diminish our chances of passing the bill, said Evans. Since this is our top legislative priority in 2014 and transgender Marylanders should not have to continue to wait for inclusion in the state anti-discrimination laws, Equality Maryland hopes it does not. Beyer in 2010 challenged Democratic

incumbent state Del. Alfred Carr (D-Montgomery County) to represent portions of Montgomery County that include Chevy Chase and Kensington in the Maryland House of Delegates. She was among the 11 openly transgender delegates to the 2012 Democratic National Convention. The retired eye surgeon was a senior assistant to Montgomery County Councilwoman Duchy Trachtenberg. Beyer also chairs the Freedom to Work board of directors. I ask for your support and your vote, she said in her announcement statement. In return I promise to be the progressive champion Montgomery County sorely needs. Beyer would become the rst trans person elected to the Maryland Legislature if she wins in November.

washingtonblade.com NATIONAL NEWS JANUARY 31, 2014 13

Obamas State of the Union light on LGBT issues

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

Obamas continued decision to withhold the LGBT executive order became more pronounced after he promised during his speech to take executive action if Congress doesnt pass legislation, and enumerated a specic plan to boost the minimum wage through executive order. That raised questions about why he hasnt done the same for LGBT workers. What I offer tonight is a set of concrete, practical proposals to speed up growth, strengthen the middle class, and build new ladders of opportunity into the middle class, Obama said. Some require congressional action, and I am eager to work with all of you. But America does not stand still and neither will I. So wherever and whenever I can take steps without legislation to expand opportunity for more American families, thats what Im going to do. But Obamas speech wasnt completely devoid of references to the LGBT community. The president identied marriage equality as one of those issues with which the White House is partnering with mayors, governors and state legislatures on throughout the country. Further, he said the administration pursues a robust foreign policy because we believe in the inherent dignity and equality of every human being regardless of categories like sexual orientation. Obama also said America values equality under law in his speech, which is of importance as courts decide the issue of marriage equality. Nonetheless, the speech fell short of what LGBT advocates were calling for, prompting disappointment. Chad Grifn, president of the Human Rights Campaign, responded to the presidents failure to address LGBT issues in his speech with criticism, a striking change in tone from the organizations usual praise of Obama as a strong ally. The presidents message tonight failed to address the needs of LGBT workers looking for a fair shake in this economy, Grifn said. Not only was there no call for the House to pass a federal law to protect LGBT workers nationwide, President Obama also sidestepped his commitment to take action where Congress has left off, leaving out an order prohibiting discrimination by federal contractors. Grifn added Obama missed a real opportunity to commit in the State of the Union to executive action to address anti-LGBT discrimination for the millions of Americans employed by federal contractors. The absence of ENDA was particularly noteworthy because just months ago, for the rst time in history, the Senate approved the measure on a bipartisan basis, leaving the House as the only

obstacle toward passage. Although the president made no mention of ENDA during his speech, the White House included the legislation as part of a fact sheet distributed to reporters prior to the address, identifying LGBT non-discrimination as an issue on which the administration is continuing to work with Congress. Today, federal law prohibits employment discrimination based on race, sex, religion, and disability, the fact sheet states. Its time to add sexual orientation and gender identity to that list, so that no American worker can lose his or her job simply because of who they are or who they love. After noting that the Senate last year passed ENDA by a bipartisan vote, the fact sheet says Obama renews his call for the House to do the same. Other advocates said they would continue to push Obama on the executive order despite the presidents exclusion of the directive from the State of the Union address. Tico Almeida, president of Freedom to Work, said Obamas pledge to issue an executive order on minimum wage was great news because it means theres an opportunity for Obama to sign an executive order against LGBT discrimination. Its disappointing ENDA did not make it into the State of the Union, Almeida said. But no matter what was omitted from this one address, we can still make 2014 a year of action for LGBT workplace protections by pushing the House of Representatives to allow an ENDA vote and pushing the president to keep his promise of the federal contractor executive order. Rea Carey, executive director of the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, gave Obama mixed reviews after previously calling on him to use the word transgender and address immigration reform during his speech in addition to LGBT workplace protections. The president is right to urge Congress to x our broken immigration system this year, the creation of more jobs, equal pay for women, and the restoration of the Voting Rights Act, Carey said. We are also pleased that the president is using his pen like he said he would to move things forward: in this instance by signing an executive order to increase the minimum wage for federal contract workers. However, he must go further and sign an executive order that bans discrimination against the same contract workers who are LGBT. Carey noted some of the workers who are set to receive pay raises because of the minimum wage executive order are vulnerable without the executive order for LGBT workplace non-discrimation. The irony is that some LGBT federal contract workers will get a pay raise but they could still be red for who they are and

President Obamas State of the Union included a threat to take executive action to pursue an increase in the minimum wage for federal contractors, but no similar pledge to bar anti-LGBT discrimination among the same contractors.
WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

who they love, Carey said. The longer the president waits the more damage LGBT people will face; discrimination is a painful reality that is too often the lived experience of LGBT people. The president has to act when Congress wont. Gregory Angelo, executive director of the Log Cabin Republicans, took issue with the speech as a whole, not simply for Obamas handling of workplace issues. For a moment, I thought the news accidentally re-ran last years State of the Union, because all I really saw was more of the same, Angelo said. In the midst of a stagnant economy, understated unemployment, and ballooning debt, the only new ideas presented by the president involved using a pen and a phone to push a liberal agenda for which hard-working Americans have no appetite. Coming off a victory in which Rep. Michael Grimm (R-N.Y.) agreed to sign on as a cosponsor of ENDA, Angelo also criticized Obama for his lack of attention in the State of the Union to LGBT non-discrimination in the workforce. While the presidents calls for a more equal nation are welcome, there is a profound irony in the absence of any mention of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act for LGBT workers tonight, and likewise in the presidents threat to exercise unilateral executive actions with the explosive potential to ignite class warfare, while at the same time remaining silent on signing a common-sense Executive Order barring federal workplace discrimination: an empty promise to LGBT Americans that stands unfullled after six years, Angelo said. Shin Inouye, a White House spokesperson, defended the speech by saying it wasnt a comprehensive list of all of the presidents positions or priorities. The president has long supported ENDA, and its inclusion in our fact sheet reects the presidents belief that Congress

needs to act, Inouye said. Among the guests seated behind rst lady Michelle Obama in her box during the speech was Jason Collins, a former Washington Wizards center who made headlines last year after coming out as gay. Following the speech, lawmakers who spoke to the Washington Blade on Capitol Hill said they noted the absence of ENDA in his speech, but felt assured by the presidents leadership. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) said she thinks the minimum wage executive order will be a down payment on an LGBT directive the president will issue at a later time, but took issue with the lack of any mention of ENDA. I would love to have seen a mention, and I dont think I saw, other than a passing mention of the LGBT community, Norton said. I think the way to have done it, frankly, would have been with ENDA, because ENDA is overwhelmingly supported by the American people. Its already been supported by the Senate. Its ripe, so I am disappointed that that did not occur, but Im heartened that hes going to move, and, frankly, I think we can get ENDA out of here in the next year or two. Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), one of seven openly gay members of the U.S. House, said he was condent Obama would take executive action to protect LGBT workers based on his previous actions. I tell you, 2013 was one of the gayest years in the history of human kind, and this president has used his executive orders already in how hes interpreted the Supreme Court decisions, the way hes applied in the ruling in the Windsor case, in ways that have been very favorable, Takano said. Hes done that through executive orders and interpretations, so hes already used his executive order in the gayest way possible. So, I have hope that hell continue to do so.

washingtonblade.com 14 JANUARY 31, 2014 BALTIMORE NEWS DIGEST

Free tax services offered

Several organizations have partnered to provide free tax preparation services to low-income members of the LGBT community. FreeState Legal Project, Inc., which offers free legal services to the LGBT community; the Baltimore CASH Campaign, an organization

that works to increase the nancial security of low-income individuals and families; Chase Brexton Health Care; and PNC Bank, which is funding the project, are providing this service. We viewed the project as particularly important this year, following the achievement of marriage equality because LGBT families may now be subject to different rules and benets under federal and state tax

laws, Aaron Merki, executive director of FreeState Legal told the Blade. Free tax services are available every Thursday through April 4 from 3-6 p.m. at the First Floor Community Room, Chase Brexton Building, 1111 N. Charles St., Baltimore. Those interested in signing up for free help ling 2013 taxes should contact FreeState at 410-625-5428 for an appointment.

New website for trans youth

A new website, trans*youth@ md (theme.wordpress.com/credits/ transyouthmd.wordpress.com/), has been established to answer legal questions posed by trans youth and their parents. The site was created by FreeState Legal, Inc. in partnership with local Maryland chapters of PFLAG. FreeState provides legal services to low-income members of the LGBT community. The website, which is still under development, offers such resources as: laws about legally changing name and gender; the steps to change name or gender on ofcial documents, like Social Security cards, drivers licenses, and passports; rules about signing up for Selective Service if one is trans; and civil rights. However, the website does not provide information about the medical or psychological aspects of transition, although it displays links to additional resources that might be able to provide some answers. We want to help parents gure out what they have to do, what they can do to protect their children, Catherine Hyde, the transgender coordinator for PFLAG- Howard County and a member of PFLAGs national board of directors, told the Baltimore Sun.

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Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day set

The Prevention and Health Promotion Administration under the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has tapped Feb. 7 as National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. Its an HIV testing and treatment community mobilization initiative for blacks in the U.S. There are four specic focal points: Get Educated, Get Tested, Get Involved and Get Treated. Baltimore-Towson had the sixth highest estimated HIV diagnosis rate of any major metropolitan area: 33.8 diagnoses per 100,000 population during 2011. National estimates suggest that there are approximately 6,250 Marylanders who are HIV positive and are unaware of their status. PHPA is asking organizations around the state to indicate if they are planning any events or activities in observance of this day. The purpose for this request is to include these events in the Awareness Day 2014 Events Calendar currently being developed by the Administration. Information should be sent today to carmi.washington-ood@maryalnd.gov. STEVE CHARING

Tours of newsroom, studios and community space. Meet WAMU hosts, reporters and staff. Light refreshments.

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washingtonblade.com HEALTH NEWS JANUARY 31, 2014 15

stie competition over HIV drugs when it quadrupled the price of the drug Norvir in 2003, the article said. The judge overseeing the trial permitted the exclusion during jury selection when Abbott exercised its right to keep certain individuals off the jury. When questioned, the man said he had a male partner and had lost friends to AIDS, Bloomberg reports. Permitting a strike based on sexual orientation could send the false message that gays and lesbians could not be trusted to reason fairly on issues of great import to the community or the nation, a three-judge appellate panel in the U.S. Court of Appeals wrote last week.

GSAs reduce suicide risks study nds

Blue Cross and Blue Shield canceled family insurance policies it sold last month to gay and lesbian couples in North Carolina.

N.C. insurer drops gay, lesbian couples

CHARLOTTE, N.C. Blue Cross and Blue Shield, the states biggest health insurer, has canceled family insurance policies it sold last month to gay and lesbian couples in North Carolina under the Affordable Care Act, the Charlotte News Observer reports. The insurer canceled policies of 20 couples some who were legally married in states that recognize gay marriage and encouraged them to reapply for separate insurance policies as unmarried individuals. The couples received calls from Blue Cross in mid-January, several weeks after they purchased their family health insurance, and were told their family coverage was invalid, the article said. Blue Cross strategy has stung same-sex couples and gay-rights advocates because the nonprot insurer offers domestic partner benets to its own employees. Blue Cross insurance plans offered by large companies in North Carolina also include health benets for employees and their same-sex partner, the News Observer said. The problem is traced to terminology in Blue Cross policies that dene spouse as opposite sex. North Carolina insurance law does not prohibit selling coverage to gay couples, but Blue Cross was legally bound by the restrictive contract language in its individual plans, said Kerry Hall, spokeswoman for the N.C. Department of Insurance. Blue Cross has vowed to update the language in 2015.

BRITISH COLUMBIA Students at Canadian schools that have gay-straight alliances (GSAs) are less likely to have suicidal thoughts and to attempt suicide according to a new study from the University of British Columbia, Health Canal reports. This is true for both LGBT and straight students, researchers found. LGBT youth and straight students in schools with anti-homophobia policies and GSAs had lower odds of discrimination, suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts, primarily when both strategies were enacted, or when the polices and GSAs had been in place for three years or more, Health Canal reports. Published in the International Journal of Child, Youth and Family Studies and funded by the Canadian Institute of Health Research, the study drew on data from the British Columbia Adolescent Health Survey to test the link between school policies and programs, discrimination due to perceived sexual orientation and suicidal thoughts and attempts, the article said.

Many factors at work in high trans suicide rates

LOS ANGELES A new study released Tuesday explores in more depth the reasons behind disproportionately high suicide rates for transgender people, the Los Angeles Times reports. In a study three years ago, it was found that 41 percent of people who are trans or gendernonconforming have attempted suicide, nearly nine times the national average. Researchers from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law dug deeper into those ndings from the National Transgender Discrimination Survey. Among the ndings reported in the Times: Among those who had become homeless because of their gender identity, 69 percent said they had attempted suicide. 64 percent of those turned away by doctors had attempted suicide. Nearly two-thirds of respondents who had been the victims of domestic violence at the hands of a family member had attempted suicide. Those who were out as trans or said others could usually tell they were trans were more likely to have attempted suicide than those who could usually pass. Even transgender people at comparatively low risk were still much more likely to have attempted suicide than the general population, they wrote, with lows often ranging from 30-40 percent. Transgender and gender-nonconforming people who had gotten graduate degrees, for instance, had a lifetime risk of attempting suicide of 31 percent lower than less-educated transgender people, but still high, the Times reports.

Gay juror removed from AIDS drug trial

SAN FRANCISCO A San Francisco court ruled last week that a case against an AIDS drug company will get a new trial after it was determined that the company improperly excluded a gay man from the jury, Bloomberg reports. In 2011, an Oakland jury ordered Abbott Laboratories to pay GlaxoSmithKline $3.5 million for breaching a drug agreement, though Abbott was cleared of charges that it sought to

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Queen Latifah cant change, even if she tried

Singer/actress presides over gay weddings from the closet
EDITORIAL CARTOON

KEVIN NAFF is editor of Washington Blade and can be reached at knaff@washblade.com.

Spoiling an otherwise beautiful moment during Sundays Grammy Awards marriage ceremony was the presence of Queen Latifah, who presided over the mass nuptials on live TV. Included among the 33 pairs that were married during the telecast were many gay and lesbian couples. It was a momentous spectacle the weddings of gay and lesbian couples being celebrated on a nationally televised awards show while the crowd cheered and cried. The times have certainly changed from the days when LGBT people were rendered invisible in pop culture. But Latifahs involvement illustrates just how far we still have to go toward full equality and true mass acceptance. Latifah is a closeted singer/actress, a fact conrmed over the years by several colleagues and personal friends and in photos snapped by paparazzi of Latifah with her partner. Her presence on that stage was bafing. Was it a tacit acknowledgement that shes gay? Does she think its enough for her to

EDITORIAL EDITOR KEVIN NAFF knaff@washblade.com ext. 8088 FEATURES EDITOR JOEY DIGUGLIELMO joeyd@washblade.com ext. 8081 SR. NEWS REPORTER LOU CHIBBARO JR. lchibbaro@washblade.com ext. 8079 NEWS REPORTER CHRIS JOHNSON cjohnson@washblade.com ext. 8083 NEWS REPORTER MICHAEL K. LAVERS mlavers@washblade.com EDITORIAL INTERN MARIAH COOPER PHOTO EDITOR MICHAEL KEY mkey@washblade.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS PETER ROSENSTEIN, MARK LEE, LATEEFAH WILLIAMS, KATE CLINTON, KATHI WOLFE

CREATIVE DESIGN/PRODUCTION AZERCREATIVE.COM

make carefully scripted pro-gay appearances without having to actually come out? Why do we keep rewarding closet cases when there are so many other openly LGBT people deserving of attention and praise? Bring out Wanda Sykes, Melissa Etheridge, k.d. lang, Ellen DeGeneres or Neil Patrick Harris to do the honors. The irony of that Grammy moment was glaring: a beautiful hit song celebrating same-sex love and the unions of gay and lesbian couples introduced and presided over by a closeted lesbian.

Its akin to the farce of President Obama granting an exclusive interview announcing his historic support of marriage equality to Robin Roberts, who at the time was also in the closet. There are plenty of openly LGBT journalists who should have been given that honor. How can we expect average LGBT Americans to come out when some of the wealthiest and most successful among us like Latifah continue to cower in the closet? Queen Latifah cant change, even if she tried.

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FEEDBACK
The following was submitted as a letter to the editor.

Theres something very exciting taking hold in my home state of Maryland. State Del. Heather Mizeur (D-Montgomery) has tapped into the same progressive energy that propelled Bill de Blasio to the mayors ofce in New York City and Elizabeth Warren and Tammy Baldwin to the U.S. Senate. Six months ago, Heather invited me to join her on probably the hottest August afternoon of the summer. She was speaking at a house party in Baltimore City. With the oppressive heat, I was expecting to meet a dozen or so interested voters. When we arrived we were greeted by over a hundred progressive activists eager to hear Heathers vision for our state. For nearly two hours Heather

tackled tough issues from marijuana decriminalization, to ghting for a fracking moratorium, slashing middle class taxes and campaigning against an unnecessary juvenile detention center in Baltimore City. Heather has the momentum and her vision is resonating with voters. In a recent survey polling likely Baltimore City voters, Heather and her running mate, Pastor Delman Coates, scored a huge upset coming in second and only three percentage points behind frontrunner Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown and his running mate, County Executive Ken Ulman (32 to 29 percent). Maryland, despite being a progressive powerhouse, has never elected a female chief executive and no state in the nation has ever elected an openly

LGBT governor. With the opportunity to shatter both of those barriers, national organizations are quickly coming to the aid of the Mizeur/Coates campaign. In the last month alone, Heather earned the support of EMILYs List, the National Organization for Women, Feminist Majority and was recently announced as one of the top Women to Watch in 2014 by MSNBC. Five months is an eternity in electoral politics and if Heather continues to tap into the same progressive energy that propelled de Blasio, Warren, Baldwin and others, we are going to witness a tremendous victory for our community in June. Kevin Walling, candidate for Maryland House of Delegates from Montgomery County.

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washingtonblade.com LIFE IN THE INTERSECTION JANUARY 31, 2014 17

Thug is the new N word

Sherman incident shows how harshly society judges black men
negative light have taken its place. Thug is at the top of the list. The most common slur you hear thrown at young African-American men these days is thug. There is nothing overtly racial about the word thug, so people believe they can use it with impunity. Merriam Websters dictionary denes thug as a violent criminal or as a brutal rufan or assassin. Yet, time and time again we see it hurled at African Americans, without a second thought, by people ranging from talking heads on cable news shows to commenters replying to articles in major newspapers. While occasionally it may be used to describe someone accused of a violent act, it is often used to describe any young, African-American man that does not conform 100 percent to so-called traditional mainstream culture. Even when it is used to describe someone who is accused or convicted of a crime, it still is usually used only when describing African Americans or other people of color. The most recent example of using the word thug to demean an AfricanAmerican man is in response to an emotional interview after the NFC Championship game by Seattle Seahawks star cornerback Richard Sherman. I have loved Richard Sherman for a while because of his intelligence and passion. The Richard Sherman I have seen in the past has been extremely intense on the eld and intelligent and insightful in interviews. Despite his well-deserved reputation as a trash-talker, he usually comes across very well in interviews. So while I was initially slightly taken aback by the interview (partially because I have seen how well he can communicate), I was disappointed, though sadly not surprised, at how people who had never heard of him before his comments were so quick to label this Stanford graduate and former high school salutatorian a thug because of one emotional interview. I was also amazed that his remarks were blown so widely out of proportion and were viewed so extensively outside of the sports media. All of a sudden, people who have never watched a football game in their lives were opining about Shermans actions and his character. The one silver lining in this situation is that it may open dialogue about present-day racism. My friends and I have often used the phrase thug is the new n-word among each other, when expressing frustration with its overuse toward young, African Americans. Im sure many other African Americans have had this same conversation with their friends and relatives long before the Richard Sherman incident. However, when Sherman expressed this sentiment in an interview a few days after the big media restorm, many Americans heard this viewpoint for the rst time. [I]ts an accepted way of calling someone the N-word nowadays, Sherman said. Its like everybody else said the N-word and they said thug and theyre like, thats ne. I get tired of hearing NBA players, who have never harmed anyone, referred to as thugs because they are African-American men with tattoos or brash, cocky athletes referred to as thugs simply for being African-American men who lack humility. While it would be nice to eliminate the word thug, if we dont address the sentiment that allows Americans to see criminality in any action by an African-American man that they disagree with, then stigmatizing another word wont matter. My hope is that people will learn from the Sherman incident and make a point not to be so quick to judge and disparage someones character, but I wont hold my breath.

LATEEFAH WILLIAMS biweekly column, Life in the Intersection, focuses on the intersection of race, gender and sexual orientation. She is a former president of the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club. Reach her at lateefah4@hotmail.com or follow her at twitter @lateefahwms.

Many people want to pretend that we live in a post-racial society, but for many people of color, particularly African Americans, this is the furthest thing from the truth. While overt racism is shunned, more subtle forms have taken its place. One example of this is the use of language. It is now universally accepted that the N-word is a derogatory racial slur. Most people agree that the word is offensive and do not use it (at least not in public). However, other words that are meant to marginalize, offend and cast African Americans in a

COMMUNIKATE

Change is coming to homoerotic world of NFL

2013 saw great strides in combating homophobia in sports
RSVPed their regrets weeks ago. Much has been made of Colorado and California, two states with legalized marijuana, thus The Stoner Bowl. Weve seen the effects on tennis players at the Australian Open of whatever is the polar opposite of the polar vortex: passing out, cramping, vomiting, dehydration, Sharapovas barks at only a raspy .02 decibels. But apparently the Aussie organizers were unable to see the signs and ordered play to continue. I have already ordered one of those neat ice vests for the summer! We can only hope that the Polar Vortex Redux that is again sitting over the Northeast will be gone by Super Bowl game day. But 2013 saw a remarkable thaw in the hard-packed perma-frost of homophobia in sports. What was once a glacial pace of change is moving as fast as actual glaciers are moving now. Organizers and fans can see the effects. According to OutSports, in 2013, 77 athletes came out in their sports. Not in sad memoirs 40 years later. LGBT organizing through the Sports Projects Collaboration at NCLR and straight allies organizing through campaigns like You Can Play, to name just two, make playing out less of a career death wish. Football is one of the last bastions of homophobia in sports. It is also one of the most brute, blunt, homoerotic of sports. Especially if you are watching on a friends 120-inch plasma at-paneled TV. Cup-less is in. Ive always thought players wear facemasks so they cant kiss. But change is happening in the NFL, even if it can only be gauged by the resistance to it. Stories of locker room bullying, columns rationalizing those reigns of terror and harassment of straight players who speak out in support of LGBT causes are yellow ag infractions in the monolith of maleness. As more and more players come out during their playing careers, I look forward to the coverage. Sports commentators pride themselves on knowing what a player is thinking just by looking at them. They are sports clairvoyants. You know what hes thinking as he leans over his putter, Jim? Hes thinking hes got to make the putt, to make the cut, so he has a chance at the prize money, which he desperately needs for an operation for his four-yearold. If he is thinking that, he will not make the putt. Why not sign up for Affordable Health Care? But what if the golfer is an out-andproud gay man? The sportscaster is a bit wary, perhaps clueless. You know what hes thinking as he leans over his putter? He pauses, looks worriedly to Jim, Is putter OK? Jim nods. He continues, Hes thinking, Look at the color of these shoes! They looked ne at the hotel. They totally ght with the putting green! I cant wait. After the Stoner Bowl confetti settles, and the Metlife zeppelin leaking NJ hot air pot vape, heads back to its mooring, the coverage turns to the Olympic Games in Sochi with Billie Jean King and other gay athletes leading the U.S. delegation in the opening ceremonies. Despite all evidence to the contrary, Putin has assured LGBT athletes they can have a safe, relaxed time if they dont talk to the children. All bets are off post-Olympics. Again the resistance matches the change we make.

KATE CLINTON is a humorist who has entertained LGBT audiences for 30 years. Her monthly column appears exclusively in the Blade. Reach her via kateclinton.com.

The Super Bowl High Holy Days approach, signaling the end of the Concussion Season. Unless youve been under a rock, and I say that with some envy, you know the game between the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks will take place in Metlife Stadium in New Jersey, unless theres another trafc study from Gov. Conehead. The Jets and the Giants

washingtonblade.com 18 JANUARY 31, 2014 INSIDE LGBT WASHINGTON

Why I support Vincent Gray for mayor

It is not in his DNA to lie or cheat
in government, including current Council members, have made millions being paid for their inuence in ofce. Grays time in politics and government, only 13 years out of a long career, was full time and didnt include looking for sources of outside income. By every measurable indicator his administration has been successful. So for those who will consider voting against the mayor based on supposition and innuendo, which is all there is regarding his personal role in his 2010 campaign, it would be my hope they take a second look before casting their ballot. They might just reconsider voting for him in the primary and ensuing election based on the health of the city. The District is moving in the right direction in every area including public safety; education reform; and scal stability. Moreover his administration is doing everything possible to improve the lives of the residents of every ward. The continued success of a city means giving credit to those who came before. Mayor Gray, along with starting new initiatives in the areas of employment and economic development; upping the level of service delivery; education reform and strengthening the safety net; has built on the positive initiatives begun under former Mayor Anthony Williams. That progress continued under former Mayor Adrian Fenty, elected overwhelmingly in 2006. He continued the reforms that Williams began and added his signature accomplishment, wresting control of the education system and placing it in the mayors ofce. He did that with the help of then Council Chair Vincent Gray. His chosen chancellor, Michelle Rhee, made great strides in reforming the system but after three years was under re for how she worked, or didnt work, with the community and her desire for personal publicity. While the Fenty administration made continued improvements in delivering city services it also spent down the citys reserve fund by $600 million leaving the District at serious risk for lower bond ratings. Gray became mayor at the time the nation was coming out of a recession and had the opportunity to make great strides in a fairly short time. He used all those opportunities. He continued education reform with Kaya Henderson as chancellor, and in 2013, based on national tests, the children of the District improved more than children in any other urban district. Gray authored and introduced the bill for universal pre-K education when he was Council Chair and that has resulted in some of the great strides our children are making. Gray inherited an underfunded reserve and worked to rebuild the Districts scal solvency. He has been wildly successful while at the same time improving the delivery of city services. Because Gray rebuilt that reserve to $1.6 billion he was able to keep the D.C. government open during the federal shutdown. Then working with Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, he ensured that the District is now exempt from federal shutdowns through 2015. Gray is the rst mayor to not only stand up to the federal government but along with some members of the Council and brave citizens sit down for their beliefs. He led an act of civil disobedience and again showed what he is made of as a person. Another indication of the man is that Gray has been the most supportive elected ofcial the LGBT community has ever had. He has lost friends because of his principled stands but never hesitated to speak openly about his support for the community.
CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

PETER ROSENSTEIN is a D.C.-based LGBT rights and Democratic Party activist. He writes regularly for the Blade.

On April 1, I will cast my ballot for Vincent C. Gray for mayor. It was an easy decision for me but may not be for many other voters. The open investigation surrounding his 2010 campaign is entering into many peoples decision. I am convinced that the majority will come to the same conclusion and believe the mayor when he says he has done nothing illegal. I choose to accept his apology. One look at his life, not just the politician, and you must conclude it is not in his DNA to lie or cheat. Grays life has been spent working for those who couldnt ght for themselves and he dedicated himself to the non-prot eld eschewing the money track. Many

OUR BUSINESS MATTERS

Stop counting cranes its embarrassing all of us

D.C. mayoral opponents foolishly argue credit for construction boom
holds with children decide to relocate to the District for the quality and performance of the citys hyper-costly public school system. Uh-huh. The real question they should be asking themselves and challenging one another over is how they might best get out of the way so that the number of cranes might actually proliferate. The irony is that a shift in focus to eliminating the citys infamously arcane obstacles to development, density, and business and economic growth would have real benets. Improvement in those arenas would provide more needed housing that would allow continued population growth, mitigate upward pressure on housing prices to improve the citys affordability, create more jobs particularly for low-skill and entry-level workers most in need, and expand the citys tax base to generate the public monies ofcials are so wont to lust over and freely spend. Outdated zoning laws, obtuse development restrictions and obsessive approval regulations the city has largely retreated from xing instead proposing only modest and inadequate revisions inching forward at painfully slow pacing are no help, either. Why arent voters hearing any bold proposals for reform in these areas? The time-consuming and costly hurdles that developers must surmount, and the outsized powers of interference wielded by tiny groups of objectors and special interest citizens associations, exact extraordinary delays incurring exorbitant costs that also encumber nance sourcing. Parking build-out requirements alone add tens of thousands of dollars to the cost of both residential and commercial units. This further inates sale prices and rents in an already housing-expensive city and inhibits growth in the number of locally originating small businesses. To sit down with local developers and owners of small and moderate sized community businesses to discuss the impacts of counterproductive city regulations and counterintuitive processes is instructive. It does, however, require packing a lunch and bringing a seat cushion the tales theyll tell are not only frustrating to absorb, they take a while to recount in full. Try not to get them started on detailing the cumbersome and complex regulatory administration by an improved yet still languid and unsympathetic city government bureaucracy that too often appears to delight in exacting pain for pleasure. Otherwise, bring a lantern, too. This little chat will run long and late. In a city brimming with national politicians who suffer from more-than-adequate delusions that government is the source and provider of all things good, it is to be expected that local candidates are drinking from the same well of hallucinogenic liquid. That, however, doesnt make obsessive crane counting appear any less foolish. Mayor Vincent Gray deserves much of the lets-play-this-game blame on this. As is all-too-natural for incumbent politicians, independent market development progress occurring on ones watch is commonly embraced for political benet. The mayor often exalts in a current tally of the exact number of cranes jutting skyward across the city at any given moment. He tasks an executive staffer to keep contemporaneous count. Less forgivable are Grays re-election challengers righteously claiming either greater personal responsibility or assigning credit to prior administrations. Some among the four D.C. Council members challenging Gray in the April 1 Democratic primary have more of a tendency to do so, but they all engage in this gamesmanship to one degree or another. Instead of counting cranes candidates, how about telling us how youre going to improve the business and development environment in our city. Thats what were counting on.

MARK LEE is a long-time entrepreneur and community business advocate. Follow on Twitter: @MarkLeeDC. Reach him at OurBusinessMatters@gmail.com.

Counting the private sector construction cranes hovering over the city in recent years has become a sort of political blood sport in D.C. Arguing over ascribing political responsibility for them is one of the sillier debates in an otherwise lackluster mayoral campaign. Embarrassing, too, because the answer is simple. D.C. politicians dont deserve much credit for them. It makes as much sense as believing theyre also due homage for recent and continuing population increases. As if people move here for the high taxes. Or house-

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

JANUARY 31, 2014 19

Gay PA

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The Second Annual University of Pennsylvania Law School Lambda Symposium

Join us on February 14 for panels on employment discrimination, conversion therapy, juvenile detention, and pending marriage equality cases. Judge Nitza Quiones Alejandro (Eastern District of Pennsylvania), our nations first openly lesbian and Latina federal judge, will deliver our keynote address.

February 14, 2014 | 9 am to 5 pm University of Pennsylvania Law School 3501 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA

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20 JANUARY 31, 2014

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JA NU AR YS PE CIA LS !

2012 CC 4dr Sdn DSG Sport

Sale Price: $18,995*

2011 GTI 2dr HB Manual

Sale Price: $17,695*

VW Certified One Owner Car*

2012 VW CC Sport just traded fron orignal owner. Fully equipped; 2.0T FSI Engine, 6-speed DSG Automatic Transmission, Leahter, Automatic Headlamps, Heated Seats, Touch Screen Radio w-6-disc in-dash CD Player, Bluetooth, Power Seats and more. One owner, clean CarFax, Maryland Inspected and VW Certified. Comes with an additional 24 month/24K mile full coverage warranty.

VW Certified One Owner Car*

201 1 VW GTI just off lease. Origianlly sold and serviced by Martens. Nicely equipped; 2.0T engine, 6-spd manual transmission, power windows & locks, keyless entry, heated mirrors, cruise control, fog lamps, anti-theft alarm, Sirius satellite radio and much more. One owner, clean CarFax, Maryland Inspected and VW Certified. Comes with an additional 24 month/24K mile full coverage warranty.

2012 Beetle 2dr Cpe DSG 2.0T Turbo

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2013 Touareg 4dr VR6 Sport

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2012 VW Bettle Turbo Coupe-former VW Company car. Nicley equipped; 2.0T Turbo Engine, 6-speed DSG Automatic Transmission, Bluetooth, Heated Seats, Cruise Control, Fog Lamps, Media Device Interface, Keyless Entry, 8-Speaker Sound System, Alloy Pedals, Rear Spoiler and more. One owner, clean CarFax, Maryland Inspected and VW Certified. Comes with an additional 24 month/24K mile full coverage warrant.

VW Certified One Owner AWD*

201 3 VW Touareg Sport with 22K miles. Nicely equipped; VR6 engine, Automatic, AWD, Leatherette, Heated Seats, Dual Zone Climate Control, Touchscreen Radio w/6-Disc CD Player, 8-Way Power Front Seats, Power Liftgate, Bluetooth, Fog Lamps, Bi-Xenon Headlamps and much more. One owner, Clean CarFax, Maryland Inspected and VW Certified. Comes with an additional 24 month/24K mile full coverage warranty.

2010 Jetta Sedan 4dr Auto Limited

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2010 VW Jetta Limited just off lease with only 20K miles. Nicely equipped; Sunroof, Auto, Leatherette, Heated Seats, Aluminum Wheels, Power Windows & Locks, Keyless Entry, Bluetooth and much more. One owner, clean Carfax, Maryland Safety Inspected and VW Certified. Comes with a 24 month/24K mile full coverage warranty from date of purchase.

201 3 VW Touareg Sport with 1 5K miles. Nicely equipped; VR6 engine, Automatic, AWD, Leatherette, Heated Seats, Dual Zone Climate Control, Touchscreen Radio w/6-Disc CD Player, 8-Way Power Front Seats, Power Liftgate, Bluetooth, Fog Lamps, Bi-Xenon Headlamps and much more. One owner, Clean CarFax, Maryland Inspected and VW Certified. Comes with an additional 24 month/24K mile full coverage warranty.

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22 JANUARY 31, 2014

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Center for the Arts

GREAT PERFORMANCES AT MASON

20132014 SEASON

Visit us at cfa.gmu.edu

Peter Nero

Music of the Heart

Saturday, February 15 at 8 p.m. Since the 1960s, Peter Nero has warmed the hearts of audiences around the world with his dazzling musical gifts and personable style. Join himat this most romantic time of yearfor an engaging concert that celebrates the music of romance as he plays pieces from a range of composers such as Leonard Bernstein, Andrew Lloyd Weber, the Beatles, Mozart, and more. $30, $52, $60
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Mark Morris Dance Group

Saturday, February 22 at 8 p.m. Sunday, February 23 at 4 p.m. Always with live music, Morris brilliant choreography will be on show on our stage with Italian Concerto, set to Bachs Italian Concerto in F major, the D.C. area premiere of A Wooden Tree, set to the music and words of Ivor Cutler, Jenn and Spencer, set to Henry Cowells Suite for Violin and Piano, and Crosswalk, set to the Grand Duo Concertant for clarinet and piano by Carl Maria von Weber. Saturday, $23, $38, $46 Sunday, $23, $38, $46

Max Raabe & Palast Orchester

The Golden Age
Sunday, March 2 at 4 p.m. Youre in a popular Berlin nightclub back in the 1920s-1930s. The smooth, impeccably dressed crooner with the silky voice is singing the current cabaret hits backed by the very ne orchestra Irresistible elegant fun! Featured in Vogue before their Carnegie Hall appearance this past October, Max Raabe and Palast Orchester classically trained and serious about the music, but not themselves present a delightful concert quite unlike anything youve experienced before! $23, $38, $46 ff
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ff = Family Friendly performances that are most suitable for families with younger children

Tickets

888-945-2468 or cfa.gmu.edu

Located on the Fairfax campus, six miles west of Beltway exit 54 at the intersection of Braddock Road and Rt. 123.

RARE MEDIA RELATIONS OPPORTUNITY WITH NATIONAL LGBT ORGANIZATION

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is seeking a dynamic and results-driven Media and Public Relations Director with an outstanding track record of delivering national and specialist target media hits. Working closely with the Director of Communications, the position will help lead the organizations outreach to the media and inuencers in the media. This position will be based in Washington, D.C. with some travel. The Task Force is the countrys premier social justice organization ghting to improve the lives of LGBT people, and working to create positive, lasting change and opportunity for all. Please submit a cover letter describing your interest in being a member of the Task Force staff, a resume addressing your experience and qualications relevant to the position responsibilities and three examples of your work. If possible, please submit the names, afliations and contact information for three references. Applications submitted via e-mail for this position should be directed to hr@theTaskForce.org; please write Media and Public Relations Director in the subject line. No phone calls, please.
The Task Force is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, disability, personal appearance, family responsibility, political afliation or any other status protected by applicable law. Women, transgender people, veterans and people of color are encouraged to apply.

A R T S A N D E N T E R TA I N M E N T W A S H I N G T O N B L A D E . C O M V O L U M E 4 5 I S S U E 0 5 J A N U A R Y 3 1 2 0 1 4 P A G E 2 3

Athlete Ally founder sees opportunity for LGBT awareness at Olympics

By KEVIN MAJOROS Hudson Taylor, founder of Athlete Ally, has been granted a visa for travel to Russia where he intends to raise awareness for LGBT rights during the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, which will be held from Feb. 7-23. Athlete Ally has partnered with the Principle 6 campaign, which uses the language of the Olympic Charter to allow athletes and fans to speak out against discrimination during the Sochi Games without violating Russian anti-gay laws or the Olympic ban on political speech. Principle Six is based on a convention of the IOC charter that states that any form of discrimination on the basis of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with the Olympic movement. On Jan. 21, the rst Sochi-related anti-gay arrest occurred when a Russian gay rights advocate waved a rainbow ag during the Olympic Torch relay. The Blade caught up with Hudson Taylor, a straight ally, wrestling champion and coach (at Columbia University), before he departs for Russia. WASHINGTON BLADE: What was the thought process behind planning a trip to Sochi? HUDSON TAYLOR: I think Sochi gives us an enormous opportunity to raise awareness about whats going on in Russia. And, what better way to do that than to be actually on the ground and ensure that this is a conversation that is taking place. I talked to the Athlete Ally board and weighed the risk and reward of going and I think we all agreed that the importance of the moment made it such that I needed to go. BLADE: With all the vague guidance and broad interpretations coming from Russia, where is the line between raising awareness and staging a protest? TAYLOR: For the Principle Six campaign we thought long and hard about the appropriate line. We are trying to make sure that athletes know that they can show support for Principle Six or the Olympic Charter. This is a way to show the world that discrimination has no place in sports and that the Olympic charter is opposed to what

is going on in Russia. As long as we stay true to what the Olympic movement and the Olympic values are all about, we shouldnt violate Russian law and we shouldnt put athletes in a position to violate the Olympic Charter. BLADE: Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter is written for the specic purpose of eliminating advertising, demonstrations and propaganda from the stadiums, venues and other competition areas. Since the athletes wont be able to wear Principle 6 clothing at their venues, what is the plan for exposure of the clothing line? TAYLOR: Where we have an opening to raise awareness is on how athletes speak out across social media. My hope is to engage athletes to wear Principle 6 clothing or to tweet photos of the language of Principle 6 out to their fans. Its a great opportunity because social media is technically not an Olympic venue and it can be used to reach every corner of the world. BLADE: American Apparel and Idea Brand were behind the manufacturing and branding of the Principle 6 clothing line. Where are the prots being donated? TAYLOR: All of the prots will be donated to All Out and Athlete Ally. We in turn will be donating the proceeds to Russian-based LGBT organizations. BLADE: What about the new hand gesture that has been popping up on social media? It consists of the peace sign on one hand and laying the pointer nger of the opposite hand on top of it to form a triangle. Will that be considered propaganda? TAYLOR: The more opportunities an athlete has to speak out, the better. I think the hand gesture would denitely be construed as propaganda if it is used in the venues or on the medal stands. However, it is another viable and alternative way to speak out by posting it on social media. BLADE: What will your itinerary consist of during your trip to Sochi? TAYLOR: I will be in Sochi from Feb. 3-9 and I imagine that most of it will consist of reporting and commentating within the Olympic venues. I will probably take a day to visit one of the protest zones just to see what is going on and to ensure that I can report on it.
CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

HUDSON TAYLOR started his LGBT advocacy work during his college wrestling career. He eventually started blogging about homophobia in sports and became a vocal advocate for gay rights.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ATHLETE ALLY

washingtonblade.com 24 JANUARY 31, 2014 QUEERY: 20 QUESTIONS FOR BRANDON MONTGOMERY

BRANDON MONTGOMERY
How long have you been out and who was the hardest person to tell? About ve years. The hardest person to tell was my wife. The second hardest were my kids who were pretty young at the time, though in the end they were the quickest to accept and adapt to it. Whos your LGBT hero? I admire the unsung heroes who stand up for what they believe, battle bullying and discrimination and show the rest of the world that being is gay is normal. But if I have to pick someone, it would be Harvey Milk. Whats Washingtons best nightspot, past or present? Im old. Best nightspot to me is home with friends and Stevan dishing dirt but I really enjoy the Green Lantern hot men, not boys and all very friendly. Its what I imagine the gay Cheers would be like. Describe your dream wedding. Well, I had the big fancy formal one in my previous life. But, if I were to marry again, my dream wedding would include Stevan and me on a beach, with my children, friends, family, lots of laughter, dancing and Champagne. What non-LGBT issue are you most passionate about? Equality. Gay or not. I think it is the basis for anything that gets me all riled up. What historical outcome would you change? Thats a toss-up between the hanging chad in Nov. 2000 and the assassination of Lincoln. Both were horric. Whats been the most memorable pop culture moment of your lifetime? Wow, Ive had so many meeting Adam Levine at a Super Bowl party where he performed and meeting and chatting with Prince, at a Grammys after party. Watching the New York City premiere of The Kings Speech with my Academy Award-winning producer and friend and chatting and being caddy with Leslie Jordan. On what do you insist? Be honest. Be bold. Be compassionate. What was your last Facebook post or Tweet? Photo of snow in backyard: Peaceful day of constant snow. Looking out bedroom window. Expect 7 when done. As a gay man thats pretty much average of snow for one day. If your life were a book, what would the title be? Me Talk Pretty One Day If science discovered a way to change sexual orientation, what would you do? Why change perfection, just because you can? What do you believe in beyond the physical world? Well, Im Episcopalian. Catholic-lite. Whats your advice for LGBT movement leaders? Be honest. Be bold. Be compassionate. What would you walk across hot coals for? My children. And to sing and dish with Kristin Chenoweth What LGBT stereotype annoys you most? Straight acting thats ridiculous. Really, what does that mean? Whats your favorite LGBT movie? A Single Man. However the one that most impacted me emotionally wasnt a movie, but the play The Normal Heart. Whats the most overrated social custom? Thank you notes. What trophy or prize do you most covet? The ring Stevan gave me. Its funny, we had the girls in the car and singing like fools to Single Lady, and he put a ring on it. Awe What do you wish youd known at 18? That life would be good being gay. Life would be tough being gay or playing straight. In the end it doesnt matter, life is tough but make the best of it. Why Washington? Its an incredible city lled with history, culture and inspiring leaders creating social and world change right in your midst. Not to mention the gays are beautiful and its an easy gateway to the Caribbean and Europe!

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

By JOEY DiGUGLIELMO joeyd@washblade.com The Pride group within the Department of Homeland Security may sound big it has about 500 members but Brandon Montgomery, its president, says its really not when you consider that the department employs about 250,000 people. Just like in the military, theres a lot of stigma people have to overcome, Montgomery says. I think giving people in the federal law enforcement world a sense of belonging is paramount. Every employer that can offer that kind of support should do so. Montgomery has been with the DHS a little over seven years and has served in several departments. Now hes a public affairs ofcer and liaison for lm, TV and multimedia producers who need information on the department. The 47-yearold San Antonio native moved to Washington about 10 years ago when his exwife was pursuing a doctoral degree and got transferred. Married 19 years, he divorced in 2010 and later started a relationship with his current partner, Stevan Johnson. They have joint custody of his two daughters, Katherine and Claire (14 and 8 respectively), and live together in Silver Spring. Montgomery enjoys Broadway, museums, reading, movies and cooking in his free time.

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JEFF CALHOUN knew his career as an actor was best left behind when the thought of performing made him ill. Hes had a long career in directing since then.

Gay director ghts obstacles to realize theatrical visions

By PATRICK FOLLIARD Despite his great vitae, Broadway director Jeff Calhoun says hes always doubtful about each new project. Its a miracle that any show is made, really. Along the way, so many things come up that seem absolutely insurmountable, he says. With his current production, the musical Violet now playing at Fords Theater, he had reason to be skeptical. As a Fords associate artist, Calhoun plays a role in selecting what works hell direct. He and Fords Artistic Director Paul Tetrault both liked the 1997 musical Violet. Based on Doris Betts The Ugliest Pilgrim, Violet is the story of a disgured womans journey across the still mostly segregated early 1960s South in search of a televangelists healing miracle. Along the way, Violet meets two young soldiers (one black, one white) who help her realize her own beauty and strength. While Calhoun and Tetrault agreed that Violet could be the ideal Fords spring musical, other decision makers werent on board. According to Calhoun, they were concerned about language, the interracial romance, but mostly that the show didnt have an instantly recognizable name like Hello Dolly! Of course, we were disappointed, says Calhoun who lives in Manhattan with his husband. But then Paul [Tetrault] saved the day by moving Violet to the winter slot where demands for economic success arent as tough as those placed on spring musicals. I commend Paul for sticking to his guns and producing the show despite the challenges. Typically associated with his splashier gigs like the hit musicals Newsies and Disneys High School Musical, Calhoun likes the quieter, more introspective productions too. Violet is one of these. Its not like other love stories. Dont expect to see two spotlights hit the boy and the girl

and to hear violin tremolos as they break into a love song, says Calhoun. Every scene is a surprise. Some embrace that and others are challenged by that. Violets score (music by Jeanine Tesori [Caroline, or Change] and lyrics by Brian Crawley) is equally unusual. An amalgam of blue grass, gospel, country and rock, the score, says Calhoun, is sophisticated rural. Its also, he attests, one of the most thoughtful, beautifully composed scores hes encountered. For prior efforts at Fords Deaf Wests Big River, Shenandoah and most recently The Civil War Calhoun, 52, drew on New York talent. But Violets cast is comprised entirely of locals: Erin Driscoll in the title role and James Gardiner and Kevin McAllister play the soldiers. Its no longer necessary to look outside of D.C., he says. The talent pool here has gotten that good. Calhoun grew up near Pittsburgh playing football and tap dancing. He dropped out of Northwestern University to tour with Tommy Tunes The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. A year later he was cast in the chorus of Broadways My One and Only starring Tune and Twiggy. For two weeks late in the shows run, he stepped in to understudy for his vacationing mentor Tune, and then never acted again. I wasnt good enough, he says matterof-factly. Before every performance Id get physically ill. I knew I was fooling audiences and it had to stop. So I closed the door on that and moved on. His passion for directing blossomed at Deaf West Theatre, a Los Angeles company dedicate to blending spoken and sung English and American Sign Language together on-stage to give audiences a compelling storytelling experience.
CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM VIOLET Through Feb. 23 Fords Theater 511 Tenth St, N.W. $20-62 202-347-4833 Fordstheatre.org

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washingtonblade.com 26 JANUARY 31, 2014 OUT & ABOUT

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PHOTO BY TONY POWELL; COURTESY OF ARENA STAGE

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Kathleen Turner makes singing debut

Mother Courage and Her Children starring Kathleen Turner, opens at Arena Stage (1101 6th St., S.W.) tonight at 8 p.m. and runs through March 9. Mother Courage, played by Turner, struggles to keep her family and business together during the war. The story combines politics and satire while incorporating more than 10 pieces of original music with Turner making her singing debut. Previously Turner performed at Arena in a production of Red Hot Patriot: The KickAss Wit of Molly Ivins. Tickets range from $50-99. For more details and to purchase tickets, visit arenastage.org.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ADAS ISRAEL

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Gay issues and religion subject of Tuesday lecture

LGBT activist Jay Michaelson speaks about LGBT social justice and religious life in America at Adas Israel Congregation (2850 Quebec St., N.W.) Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. Michaelson draws from his best-selling book God vs. Gay? The Religious Case for Equality to address religious tolerance and compassion in 21st century religion, Jewish cases for LGBT equality and shifting views on LGBT social justice. Michaelson is the author of ve books and 200 articles focusing on sexuality, religion and law. He has been featured on CNN, NPR and in the New York Times. Admission is free. For more details, visit adasisrael.org.

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PHOTO BY TRACI J. BROOKS; COURTESY OF MCP

Mens wear pop-up shop in Baltimore

Saint Harridan brings its Pop-Up Shop Tour to Embassy Suites Baltimore Inner Harbor (222 St. Paul Pl., Baltimore) tonight from 7-9 p.m. Saint Harridan is a fashion line that designs mens suits for women and transmens bodies. The line started in December 2012 after a Kickstarter campaign was created. Suits and dress shirts are available for purchase off the rack or made-to-measure. Admission is free. The shop is also open Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. For details, visit saintharridan.com.

202-588-1186 for delivery to limited area

La Cage aux Follies at Alden Theatre

The McLean Community Players present the opening of La Cage aux Folles at the McLean Community Centers Alden Theatre (1234 Ingleside Ave., Mclean, Va.) tonight at 8 p.m. The show runs through Feb. 16. The Tony Award-winning musical follows Georges, the owner of a drag nightclub in San Tropez, and Albin, the clubs star, as they work through their sons impending marriage to the daughter of a conservative politician. The McLean Community Players perform both musical and dramatic productions throughout the year. Tickets range from $18-20. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit mcleanplayers.org.

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washingtonblade.com MUSIC JANUARY 31, 2014 27

Fight Fat this Winter

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

JEFF BUHRMAN conducting the Gay Mens Chorus of Washington.

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Long-time Gay Mens Chorus artistic director to resign at seasons end
By JOEY DiGUGLIELMO joeyd@washblade.com Jeff Buhrman is going out with a bang his nal show with the Gay Mens Chorus of Washington, where hes been artistic director for the last 13 years and involved with for more than 25, will be A Gay Mans Guide to Broadway at the Kennedy Center in May. The Chorus announced his impending departure last week. He will remain artistic director emeritus through the end of 2014. A search committee has just formed to nd his successor, which, in a perfect world, theyd like to have in place by summer, though theyre not rushing. Well see how it goes, says Chase Maggiano, in his rst year as the Choruss executive director. We could imagine having an interim director if we feel the need to, but well see. Its a time of signicant change for the Chorus. Maggiano succeeded David Jobin last year. Emery Grant, former director of marketing and communications, also left last year. Longtime choreographer Craig Cipollini has been doing more marketing work in recent months. The Chorus, whose membership varies between about 225 and 250 singers, employs four full-time employees and two part time. It has an annual operating budget of about $1.1 million. Its in its 33rd season. Everyone involved says Buhrman will leave big shoes to ll. I heard the Chorus several times back in the 80s and 90s and then went through a period between about 2000 and 2007 where I didnt, says Mark Hegedus, a member since 2008. I heard them again in 2007 and was really blown away by the musicality of the ensemble. Thats what convinced me to

audition. I could just really hear how much improvement there had been under Jeff Buhrmans leadership. 1150 18th Street, NW, Suite 130 I Washington, DC I have only worked with him a short E-mail us: benchgym@aol.com time but he and I get along really well, Website: www.benchgym.com Magianno says. He has a strong personal connection with the singers and has Like us on Facebook. kept the music at a really high level. Hes denitely set the bar very high. Thea Kano, a straight ally and the Choruss associate music director (she also directs the Rock Creek Singers, a smaller ensemble of GMCW singers), says she and Buhrman have enjoyed an absolute partnership. Weve joked since day one we must have been separated at birth, Kano says. Our priorities at any given rehearsal may be slightly different his number one might be my number three or something but at the end of the day weve always had the same vision and its been a phenomenal partnership. Im not sure how rare that is, but its denitely been a gift. The only person not saying much about the decision is Burhman himself. When reached by phone, he asked for time to consider how he wanted to answer % questions, then did not return follow-up calls If your economy needs some stimulation, by Blade press time. A press release issued by the Chorus last week did not address Ill show you how to make your car insurance ADVERTISING Burhmans reasons for stepping down. dollars work harder. a good neighbor, PROOF ISSUE DATE: 01.31.14 SALES REPRESENTATIVE: BRIANLike PITTS (bpitts@washblade.com) I think maybe he and#1 his husband, Roger, want to try some different things, State Farm is there. CALL FOR A QUOTE 24/7 REVIEW AD FOR COPY AND DESIGN ACCURACY. Revisions must be submitted within 24 hours of the date of proof. Proof will be considered nal and will be submitted for publication if revision is not submitted within 24 hours of Hegedus says. I certainly get that. the date of proof. Revisions will not be accepted after 12:01 pm wednesday, the week of publication.Brown naff pitts REVISIONS omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) is not responsible for the content and/or design of your ad. Advertiser is Maggiano says its a good time for the responsible for any legal liability arising out of or relating to the advertisement, and/or any material to which users REDESIGN can link through the advertisement. Advertiser represents that its advertisement will not violate any criminal laws or TEXT REVISIONS Chorus to think about where it wants to any rgihts of third parties, including, but not limited to, such violations as infringement or misapporpriation of any copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret, music, image, or other proprietary or propety right, false advertising, unfair IMAGE/LOGO REVISIONS competition, defamation, invasion of privacy or rights of celebrity, violation of anti-discrimination law or regulation, go next. The Chorus has always seen or any other right of any person or entity. Advertiser agrees to idemnify brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the ADVERTISER SIGNATURE NO REVISIONS washington blade) and to hold brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) harmless from any and all By signing this proof you are agreeing to your contr itself as advocates for LGBT rights liability, loss, damages, claims, or causes of action, including reasonable legal fees and expenses that may be incurred washington blade newspaper. This includes but is n by brown naff pitts omnimedia llc, arising out of or related to advertisers breach of any of the foregoing representations payment and insertion schedule. and warranties. simply a group that spreads its message in musical ways. Weve had a lot of conversations about what it might be like to expand our direction and really be a voice of equality for all communities, he says. That doesnt mean well be any less gay. But being gay is not a big deal anymore in a place like Washington so I could imagine ways we could play that up more and have fun with P090102 04/09 State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, State Farm Indemnity Company, Bloomington, IL it. Its a great opportunity for us.

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washingtonblade.com 28 JANUARY 31, 2014 THE GUIDE TO ARTS & CULTURE

HOT HITS & HIDDEN JEWELS

F R O M C U LT U RE C AP I TAL .C OM Y O U R L IN K T O THE ARTS I N ME TR O D.C.

THEATRE
Peter and the Starcatcher. Thru Feb 16. Shear Madness. Thru Jun 30. Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600. kennedy-center.org. Richard III. Thru Mar 9. Folger Theatre. 202-544-7077. folger.edu. Violet. Thru Feb 23. Fords Theatre. 800-982-2787. fords.org. Tribes. Thru Feb 23. Studio Theatre. 202-232-3300. studiotheatre.org. The Young Lady from Tacna. Feb 6-Mar 9. GALA Hispanic Theatre. 202-234-7174. galatheatre.org. Seminar. Feb 5-Mar 2. Round House Bethesda. 240-644-1100. roundhousetheatre.org. How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Thru Feb 23. Olney Theatre. 301-924-3400. olneytheatre.org. The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik: Deep Sea Explorer. Feb 6-Feb 9. Artisphere. 703-875-1100. artisphere.com. The Best Man. Thru Feb 22. Keegan Theatre. 703-892-0202. keegantheatre.com. Yellow Face. Feb 5-Feb 23. Theater J. 800-494-8497. theaterj.org. Twelfth Night. Thru Feb 16. Synetic Theater. 703-824-8060. synetictheater.org. Dyskolos. Thru Feb 2. Ambassador Theater. Anacostia Arts Center. 703-475-4036. aticc.org. Bang the Drum Slowly. Thru Feb 1. American Century Theater. Gunston Theatre Two. 703-998-4555. americancentury.org. Scapin. Thru Feb 16. Constellation Theatre Company. Source Theatre. 202-204-7741. constellationtheatre.org. The Old Masters. Thru Feb 9. Washington Stage Guild. Undercroft Theatre. 240-582-0050. stageguild.org.

MUSEUMS
Corcoran Gallery of Art. Recent Acquisitions: American Art from the Johns Collection. Thru Feb 9. Question Bridge: Black Males. Thru Feb 16. NOW at the Corcoran Mia Feuer: An Unkindness. Thru Feb 23. Alex Prager: Face in the Crowd. Thru Mar 9. American Journeys Visions of Place. Thru Sep 21. 202-639-1700. corcoran.org. Folger Shakespeare Library. Shakespeares the Thing. Thru Jun 15. folger.edu. Fords Theatre. Abraham Lincoln and the Technology of War. Thru Jul 6. 202-347-4833. fords.org. National Gallery of Art. Heaven and Earth: Art of Byzantium from Greek Collections. Thru Mar 2. The Dying Gaul: An Ancient Roman Masterpiece from the Capitoline Museum, Rome. Thru Mar 16. 202-737-4215. nga.gov. National Geographic. Lions, Tigers, and Bears. Thru Feb 2. Women of Vision. Thru Mar 9. One Cubic Foot. Thru Mar 31. A New Age of Exploration. Thru Jun 8. 202-857-7000. nglive.org. Museum of Women in the Arts. New York Avenue Sculpture Project: Chakaia Booker. Thru Mar 1. Judy Chicago: Circa 75. Thru Apr 13. Workt by Hand: Hidden Labor and Historical Quilts. Thru Apr 27. 202-783-5000. nmwa.org. The Phillips Collection. Van Gogh Repetitions. Thru Feb 2. Jean Meisel: 50-65 Horizon Line. Thru May 4. 202-387-2151. phillipscollection.org.

DAV ID R O U S S E VE . R E AL I TY: STAR DUST T HR O U GH F EB 1 . C L AR I C E SMI TH. 3 01-405-A RT S . C L A R ICES M ITHC E NTE R .UM D .E D U. Choreographed, written and directed by David Rousseve, Stardust follows an African American gay urban teenagers dreams, misgivings and challenges. I M PO S S IBL E! A HAP P E NSTANC E C I R CU S T HR O U GH F EB 9 . ROUND HOUSE SI LVER S PRING. 2 4 0 -6 4 4 -1 1 0 0. ROUNDHOUSE THE ATRE.ORG. In a kaleidoscopic homage to classic circus characters and images, Happenstance Theater applies virtuosic theatricality to a circus of the imagination. VA N GO GH RE P E TI TI ONS T HR U F EB 2 . THE P HI L L I P S C OL L E C TION. 202-387-2151. P H IL L IPS C O L L E C TI ON.ORG . Final weekend. Featuring 35 paintings and works on paper and examples of 13 repetitions, the exhibition is the rst to focus on van Goghs repetitions--a term the artist used to describe his practice of creating more than one version of a particular subject. Q U EER L IT ERATURE WORK SHOP FEB 3. THE WRITERS CENTER. 301-654-8664. WRITER.ORG. The Queer Literature Workshop will focus on gay, lesbian, transgender, and queer issues and themes in ction and poetry. While working to improve nesse in form, poetics, and content, this class will also analyze the work through the sensibilities and culture of the LGBT community.
IMAGE COURTESY OF CLARICE SMITH PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

GALLERIES
1200 First St. NE. NoMa Lobby Project. Thru Feb 22. wpadc.org. Artisphere. Alicia Eggert: Everything You Are Looking For. Thru Feb 2. Lina Vargas: Portable Places_Permanent Spaces. Thru Feb 2. 703-875-1100. artisphere.com. Gallery plan b. Figures & Vistas / Works by Gordon Binder and Joyce McCarten. Thru Feb 16. 202-234-2711. galleryplanb.com. Goethe-Institut. Linger On! Photography from Saxony-Anhalt. Thru Jan 31. 202-289-1200. goethe.de. Joan Hisaoka Gallery. A Window into the Minds Eye. Thru Mar 15. 202-483-8600. smithcenter.org. The Art League Gallery. Abstract Expressionism Revisited. Thru Feb 3. 703-683-1780. theartleague.org. Zenith Gallery. The Powerful Strokes of Robert Freeman. Thru Mar 1. 202.783.2963. zenithgallery.com.

DANCE
Mariinsky Ballet: Swan Lake. Thru Feb 2. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Feb 4-Feb 9. Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600. kennedy-center.org. The Jazz/Blues Project. Thru Feb 2. The Washington Ballet. Sidney Harman Hall. 202-362-3606. washingtonballet.org. Moonlight Tangos [Luna de Tangos]. Feb 1. Teatro de la Luna. NRECA Conference Center. 703-548-3092. teatrodelaluna.org.

MUSIC
Benjamin Hochman, piano. Feb 1. WPAS. Kennedy Center. 202-785-9729. wpas.org. The Spring Quartet: Jack DeJohnette, Joe Lovano, Esperanza Spalding, Leonardo Genovese. Feb 1. WPAS. Warner Theatre. 202-785-9730. wpas.org. Haifa Symphony Orchestra of Israel. Feb 1. GMU Center for the Arts. 888-945-2468. cfa.gmu.edu. Schooner Fare. Jan 31-Feb 1. David Crosby. Feb 3-Feb 6. The Barns at Wolf Trap. 877-965-3872. wolftrap.org.

AND MORE...
David O. Stewart and Manil Suri. Feb 2. Whose Life Is It, Anyway?: The Literary Biographers Craft. Feb 4. Folger The Writers Center. 301-654-8664. writer.org

washingtonblade.com ADVICE JANUARY 31, 2014 29

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You could be subconsciously thwarting yourself on the partner quest

MICHAEL RADKOWSKY, Psy.D. is a licensed psychologist who works with gay individuals and couples in D.C. He can be found online at personalgrowthzone.com. All identifying information has been changed for reasons of condentiality. Have a question? Send it to Michael@personalgrowthzone.com.

DEAR MICHAEL: Im a well-educated man in my 50s, successful, healthy and active, with a handful of good friends. Ive always wanted a life partner and it hasnt happened. It hasnt even come close to happening. Looking back, there are two guys with whom I wish things might have worked out. My most successful romantic relationship was with a man who lived in another country, so I could only see him a few times a year for short periods. He said up-front that he was basically straight and that I was one of only two guys in his whole life hed ever been with. He was a workaholic, so it didnt seem to bother him that I wasnt around. I saw him under those conditions for a decade until he met a woman he wanted to marry, a few years back. Now there isnt even anyone on the horizon. How do I stop wanting to have a life partner? I cant make it happen. Ive spent decades trying to let it happen and frankly, I know its just not going to happen. But I still want it. Ive done the friends of friends route, the ad in the newspaper route, the dating site route, the chatting someone up in the gay bookstore route, etc. If theres a way to try that I havent attempted, I dont know what that way is. Maybe Im just fooling myself, but I think Id have everything if I had a special someone in my life. How do I stop wanting something I know isnt going to happen? MICHAEL REPLIES: Its difcult to stop wanting something that you want. The best you can do is strive

to create a rich and satisfying life, as youve windowwears.net done, while accepting the existential reality that none of us will get everything we would like, no matter how much we might yearn. Regarding your yearning for a close romantic relationship, my educated guess is that you actually have mixed feelings about letting that happen. You chose to spend about a third of your adult life in a quasi-relationship with a workaholic guy who lived in another country and told you he was straight. Before you give up on the possibility of having a relationship, it is well worth your taking a close look at what may be getting in your way. If you were my client, I would Custom Made: want to know: Solar Shades Honeycomb Shades Draperies Wood Blinds By being alone, what might you be Roman Shades Plantation Shutters And More protecting yourself from? Who may have let you down in a big way earlier in life, leaving you unwilling to risk being hurt again? How might it serve you to think that situations and people may become something theyre not? What might be appealing about pining for something you dont have, although you say that you wish to stop doing so? Starring Jasmine Guy and the Avery Sharpe Trio If you want a shot at a future relationship, also look at how you think about yourself and potential romantic partners. Notwithstanding all you say youve tried in order to nd a mate, you spent 10 years on an unavailable guys back burner. So, I encourage you to wonder: How do you feel about yourself? What do you think you have to offer as SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8 a partner? 8 PM Do you believe that you really deserve 301-277-1710 to have what you say you want? 301-277-0312/tty ADVERTISING Is it possible that you are rejecting men PROOF ISSUE DATE: 01.03.14 SALES REPRESENTATIVE: JERYL PARADE (jparade@washblade.com) who are interested in you?#1 That you are $55/VIP Seating drawn to men who reject you? Early Entrance, Pre-Show Reception REVIEW AD FOR COPY AND DESIGN ACCURACY. Revisions must be submitted within 24 hours of the date of proof. Proof will be considered nal and will be submitted for publication if revision is not submitted within 24 hours of I also suggest you consider whether $40/General Admission the date of proof. Revisions will not be accepted after 12:01 pm wednesday, the week of publication.Brown naff pitts REVISIONS omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) is not responsible for the content and/or design of your ad. Advertiser is you have a special afnity for supposedly responsible for any legal liability arising out of or relating to the advertisement, and/or any material to which users REDESIGN can link through the advertisement. Advertiser represents that its advertisement will not violate any criminal laws or TEXT REVISIONS straight men. Although I have data on any rgihts of third parties, including, but not limited to, such violations as infringement or misapporpriation of any copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret, music, image, or other proprietary or propety right, false advertising, unfair IMAGE/LOGO REVISIONS competition, defamation, invasion of privacy or rights of celebrity, violation of anti-discrimination law or regulation, only one of your signicant relationships, or any other right of any person or entity. Advertiser agrees to idemnify brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the ADVERTISER SIGNATURE NO REVISIONS A captivating production for everyone washington blade) and to hold brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) harmless from any and all By signing this proof you are agreeing to your contr I wonder if you may be harboring some liability, loss, damages, claims, or causes of action, including reasonable legal fees and expenses that may be incurred washington blade newspaper. This includes but is n NY Amsterdam News by brown naff pitts omnimedia llc, arising out of or related to advertisers breach of any of the foregoing representations payment and insertion schedule. and warranties. less-than-positive feelings toward openly Lively...motivating and entertaining gay men, at least as potential romantic/ DaytonDailyNews.com sexual partners. If so, youre vastly "A theatrical gem" increasing your odds of winding up Arizona Daily Star without a mate. None of these questions have easy or quick answers. Therefore, if any of them resonate with you, please look for a good PUBLICK PLAYHOUSE therapist to help you gure out how to 5445 Landover Road, Cheverly, MD 20784 301-277-1710 increase the likelihood of nding a special 3 Blocks Inside Baltimore/Washington Parkway on Rte. 202 Free On-Site Attended Parking arts.pgparks.com guy for your future. I wish you the best.

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E-mail calendar items to calendars@washblade. com two weeks prior to your event. Space is limited so priority is given to LGBT-specic events or those with LGBT participants. Recurring events must be re-submitted each time.

TODAY Nellies Sports Bar (900 U St., N.W.) hosts Kickoff featuring DJ Matt Bailer tonight from 10 p.m.-closing. For more information, visit nelliessportsbar.com. Bachelors Mill (1104 8th St., S.E.) holds a happy hour from 5-7:30 p.m. tonight with all drinks half price. Music begins at 11 p.m. Enjoy pool, video games and cards. Admission is $5 after 9 p.m. Must be 21 and over. For more details, visit bachelorsmill.com. Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) hosts Bear Happy Hour tonight from 6-11 p.m. There is no cover charge and admission is limited to guests 21 and over. For more information, visit towndc.com. The Dollars for Dainty Burlesque Show, a fundraiser for performer Dainty Dandridge to continue her LGBT health research in Washington, is tonight with two performances. Doors open at 8:45 and 10:45 p.m. at the Black Cat (1811 14th St., N.W.). Tickets are $15 (blackcatdc.com). For ages 21 and up. SATURDAY, FEB. 1 Burgundy Crescent, a gay volunteer organization, volunteers today for the Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation at the Falls Church PetSmart (6100 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church, Va.) at 11:45 a.m. Participants will be paired with a dog on a leash to walk around and play with. Wear casual clothes. For more information, visit burgundycrescent.org. The fth annual Wig Night Out is at Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) tonight from 8-11 p.m. Wear your wig and support the Point Foundation, which provides scholarships and mentoring for LGBT college and graduate students. Doors open at 8 p.m. There is a $10 suggested donation with all donations beneting

Point Foundation. Admission is limited to guests 21 and over. For details, visit towndc.com. Town (2009 8th St., N.W.) presents Funkytown tonight at 10 p.m. The dance party features music from three decades of disco, new wave and synth pop-dance. Cover is $8 from 10-11 p.m. and $12 after 11 p.m. Drinks are $3 before 11 p.m. The drag show starts at 10:30 p.m. Admission is limited to guests 21 and over. For details, visit towndc.com. Stadium Club (2127 Queens Chapel Rd., N.E.) presents Ladies Day today from 3-9:30 p.m. Admission is $15 before 5 p.m. and $15 after. There is a cash bar, drinks specials and a food menu. For details, visit stadiumclubdc.com. SUNDAY, FEB. 2 Celebrate Groundhog Day at Dupont Circle Park (9 Dupont Circle, N.W.) today at 7:30 a.m. Groundhog Phil will predict if there will be six more weeks of winter or an early spring. There will be live music, dancers, a puppet show and more. For more information, visit dupontfestival.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 buffet. For more details, visit perrysadamsmorgan.com. Kabin Lounge (1337 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) hosts Sunday Funday Happy Hour today from 6-10 p.m. Rail drinks are $5, Stoli cocktails are $7 and Long Island drinks are $9. No cover all night. For details, visit kabindc.com. MONDAY, FEB. 3 La-Ti-Do, a spoken word/musical theater cabaret performance group, performs at Black Fox Lounge (1723 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) tonight from 8-11 p.m. Farrell Parker, Liz Hallacy and Christopher Harris are the musical artists-in-residence performing. Admission is $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Doors open at 7:55 p.m. For details, visit blackfoxlounge.com. The D.C. Center (1318 U St., N.W.) hosts

PHOTO COURTESY OF MENDOZA

REGIE CABICO, left, and DON MICHAEL MENDOZA, directors of LaTiDo. Its next installment is Monday at Black Fox Lounge.

coffee drop-in hours this morning from 10 a.m.-noon for the senior LGBT community. Older LGBT adults can come and enjoy complimentary coffee 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 affect them today, share perspectives and have meaningful conversations. For details, visit uhupil.org. Nellies Sports Bar (900 U St., N.W.) hosts poker night tonight at 8 p.m. Win prizes. Free to play. For more information, visit nelliessportsbar.com. TUESDAY, FEB. 4 SMYAL (410 7th St., S.E.) hosts a Rap Group today from 5-6:30 p.m. Discuss stressful issues like school, bullying, getting into college or nding a job in this support group. For more details, visit smyal.org. Green Lantern (1335 Green Ct., N.W.) hosts its weekly FUK!T Packing Party from 7-9 p.m. tonight. For more details, visit thedccenter.org or greenlanterndc.com. WEDNESDAY, FEB. 5 Bookmen D.C., an informal mens gay literature group, discusses Times Square Red, Times Sqaure Blue by Samuel R. Delany, a non-ction account of Delanys sexual adventures in Times Squares pornography movie theaters, at Tenleytown Library (4450 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.) tonight at 7 p.m. All are welcome. For details, visit

bookmendc.blogspot.com. Opera on Tap, a concert that features local opera singers performing in a nontraditional setting, presents Love is in the Air at Black Fox Lounge (1723 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) tonight at 8 p.m. Tickets are $12. For details, visit operaontap.org/dcmetro. The Tom Davoren Social Bridge Club meets tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Dignity Center (721 8th St., S.E.) for social bridge. No partner needed. For more information, call 301-345-1571. THURSDAY, FEB. 6 The Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia presents the opening of the third annual ReelAbilities: Disabilities Film Festival at the Spectrum Theatre (1611 N. Kent St., Arlington, Va.) tonight at 7 p.m. with the lm Come As You Are. The festival runs through Feb. 13. Eighteen lms are screened at 19 venues in the greater D.C. area. Ticket prices and location venues vary. For more details, visit reelabilties.com/ greaterdc. Rude Boi Entertainment hosts Tempted 2 Touch, a ladies dance party, at the Fab Lounge (2022 Florida Ave., N.W.) Doors open at 10 p.m. Drink specials $5 and vodka shots $3 all night. No cover charge. Admission limited to guests 21 and over. For more details, visit rudeboientertainment. wordpress.com. SMYAL (410 7th St., S.E.) provides free and condential HIV testing drop-in hours today from 3-5 p.m. For more information, visit smyal.org.

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REAL ESTATE

JANUARY 31, 2014 33

Is your home ready for every generation?

Ideas for making life easier on aging parents
By JOSH BAKER Planning for multigenerational living has been on the rise in recent years. With life expectancies increasing and early baby boomers entering their golden years, this trend is expected to continue. As a result, many of todays remodeling projects focus on creating spaces that are adaptable to evolving life circumstances. Depending on your familys needs and homes characteristics, there are several approaches for preparing your home for multigenerational living: 1. Adding a comfortable space. A selfcontained guesthouse or in-law suite offers the most privacy for all generations. Including a full bathroom and kitchenette, as well as a separate entrance in this space, allows an older family member to retain their independence and privacy. Adding a small sitting area allows the occupant to entertain guests without feeling as if theyre intruding. When planning, be sure to incorporate extra storage space, as it can be difcult for some folks to part with their belongings, particularly those that hold sentimental value. Finally, because family time is important, its nice to ensure the homes main kitchen is sufciently sized and a comfortable gathering area is accessible. 2. Getting smart with existing space. If you dont have the room for an addition, either on your lot or in your budget, reworking the existing space and incorporating elements of universal design can help with the transition. One cost-effective solution to consider is a residential elevator. An existing closet space or other small area can be retrotted to accommodate the elevator, if existing space is at a premium, a small addition just large enough for the elevator shaft can be built. This can give family members with mobility issues access to more areas of the home. Recent empty nesters might repurpose their childrens rooms on the upper level to accommodate the needs of aging parents, or a small suite might be planned in a nished lower-level. If an elevator isnt an option, a cozy second master suite might be created from a seldom-used room on the rst oor, such as an ofce or den. 3. Incorporating universal design. Whether youre reconguring space thats already there or adding on, there are various ways to design a home with accessibility in mind. Widening hallways and doorways can help ease maneuverability issues for family members who use a wheelchair or walker. A spacious, roll-in shower with grab bars and a hand-held showerhead is ideal in the bathroom. Adding a comfort height toilet, the height of the average chair, is helpful for those who have joint or balance concerns. Planning some sinks and countertopsat lower heights in the bathroom or kitchen can offer seated individuals easier access and greater autonomy. Given the wide variety of xtures, nishes, and accessories available, a little careful planning can help you to achieve a home that is both stylish and accessible. An added benet of a well-planned reno-

Adding an elevator to your home can ease mobility challenges for aging parents.

vation to accommodate senior parents is the space will already be access-friendly if you decide to remain in the home and agein-place. Even if you dont intend to have someone living with you full time, having a home that offers visit-ability, a movement that has grown increasingly popular in the accessible design community, provides a

safe and comfortable environment for all visitors and loved ones.
Josh Baker is founder and co-chair of BOWA, an award-winning design and construction company specializing in luxury renovations, remodels and additions in the greater Washington, D.C. area. BOWA has more than 25 years of experience and has been honored with 170 local and national awards. For more information, visit bowa.com or call 703-734-9050.

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DiFrancescos commitment to clients places her at pinnacle of success

By MARK LEE Fresh from a Sirius/XM Radio appearance last Saturday, longtime community personality Francki DiFrancesco fast personies the passion fueling her successful career. The knowledgeable local mortgage banker at Apex Home Loans had nished discussing new lending regulations and was eager to talk the trade. Facts and gures, however, arent what propelled the 45-year-old Certied Mortgage Planning Specialist (CMPS) to the pinnacle of her profession. That came with dedication and an instinct for customer service rst honed as a popular local bartender and womens nightlife event producer. If you cant trust your bartender, she jokes, whom can you trust? Working back-in-the-day at former nightclub Tracks and prior restaurant-lounge Trumpets on Dupont Circles 17th Street taught the value of an attentive ear and art of personal condences. Mortgage lending is more than just loan rates, she explains, people need to feel comfortable along the way. Assisting a client should feel like Im sitting in their living room, says DiFrancesco, adding that her goal is to always bring information on how to best structure a purchase or renance a loan. Its one of lifes most important nancial decisions, DiFrancesco emphasizes, and it should be with a trusted adviser who understands their situation and future nancial goals. In her earliest days in the business, clients would pick up mortgage documents at her bar at Trumpets. I was their friendly gay mortgage banker, DiFrancesco recalls. Back then, client couples didnt want to explain their relationship to a stranger in order to acquire joint on title status and develop survivor arrangements, she explains. I was one of the rst to handle same-sex couple loans. DiFrancesco, now a long-established Senior Mortgage Banker at Apex Home Loans headquartered in Rockville, Md., is a top producer at the award-winning rm. Apex was recently named Best Small Business of the Year in Montgomery County following national recognition as among the Top 100 Mortgage Companies in America. Last year she handled 133 home loans totaling more than $45 million, highest volume by other than rm principals. Mission success at Apex, however, isnt calculated in dollars its measured in customer satisfaction. Her recently launched Franckis Rock Bottom Rates Facebook page provides testimonials. While mortgage processing

FRANCKI DIFRANCESCO, who once worked at Tracks and Trumpets, is a local mortgage banker at Apex Home Loans.
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oftentimes ranks alongside undergoing a root canal, DiFrancescos client commendations prove it can be otherwise. Credited with making it easier than buying a refrigerator, plentiful praise reaps a steady stream of referral and repeat business. Both individual borrowers and real estate agents laud her attention to the details leading to inking nal documents. DiFrancesco services D.C., Maryland, Virginia and Rehoboth Beach as a direct lender. Thats an important distinction, she points out, allowing for an expedited process and independent underwriting brokers cant provide. There arent many who can handle all the steps, noting her additional certications throughout Delaware and New Jersey, with Pennsylvania and Florida licensing pending. Many banks dont do business with brokers, she notes, they prefer to deal with mortgage bankers. We understand the local market and know our clients. We provide personalized service, handle credit vetting and hold the initial note. That level of customer relationship speeds up the process, allows us to shop for better rates among banks and provides the best solution for borrowers. Having raised two children with a former partner, DiFrancesco will soon share her Gaithersburg, Md., home with Dr. Tammy Anderson, a University of Delaware sociology professor. They met several years ago at a Mautner Project benet while DiFrancesco was relaxing at her house in Rehoboth. Home is the place we feel most secure, where memories are made, DiFrancesco says. Her clients quickly discover she loves helping them acquire theirs.
MARK LEE is a long-time entrepreneur and community business advocate. Follow on Twitter: @MarkLeeDC. Reach him at OurBusinessMatters@gmail. com.

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JANUARY 31, 2014 35

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FULL SERVICE LAW FIRM Representing the GLBT community for over 30 years. Family adoptions, 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.

MASSAGE / CERTIFIED
ROSSLYN/ADAMS MORGAN Improve your workouts and refresh your body. Massage available in Rosslyn Sun-Wed, 301-704-1158 and at TuSuva, Adams Morgan Thur-Sat 202-299-9005 (ask for Gary). http://www. mymassagebygary.com/ Gary 301-704-1158. ITS NICE TO BE KNEADED! For quality, consistency & trust; choose an experienced, intuitive masseur. For appts. 703-402-6698. You wont regret it! BEST MASSAGE BY male certied therapist. Soothing Swedish; deep-tissue; stress & pain release. Safe Atmosphere in Annandale, VA, almost right off I-395. Days/Eve/Wkend. In/ Out calls. Hotels welcome. Call Marval (703) 568-6348. WATERFALLS WELLNESS CENTER Individualized skin & body care. All-natural & organic products, Sports, Deep Tissue, Swedish, Therapeutic & Reexology. Skin Conditioning, Facials, Detox & Hair removal services. Male or Female, Experienced CMTs. 10am-7pm, Seven days a week. 703.672.1613 call for appointment. www. waterfallswellnesscenter.com

Send coupon with message, photo & check payable to: Washington Blade P .O. Box 53352, Washington, DC 20009 or email photo, greeting and phone number to: classieds@washblade.com
NAME __________________________________________ DAYTIME PHONE ________________________________ AMT. ENCLOSED ________________________________ ADDRESS _______________________________________ _________________________________________________ MESSAGE _______________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________
Clip and submit with payment to Washington Blade, P .O. Box 53352, Washington, DC 20009 ATTN: Classieds or email classieds@washblade.com with contact info, photo and message. Please print clearly. Washington Blade is not responsible for errors due to illegible handwriting. If mailed, it must be in our ofce by Monday, February 10. If you would like your photo returned, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope or photos will be available at the Washington Blade ofce in Washington, DC.

LGBTQ AFFIRMING THERAPY at Dupont Circle Individuals, couples, families, adolescents. Over 15 years serving the community. Mike Giordano, LICSW. 202/4606384 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. CHANGES ARE EASIER WITH HELP . Small, private practice group of experienced, caring therapists. Safe, condential setting. Ofces in Woodley Park & Takoma Park near Metro. Licensed professionals. Insurance reimbursable. Washington Therapy Guild. Call 202-483-2660. www.therapyguild.net.

PETS & SUPPLIES

ADOPT AN ADORABLE PUPPY OR DOG All-breed, non-prot rescue. 100% volunteer run. Donations welcome & needed. www. aforeverhome.org. LOOKING FOR THAT special someone? Loving vet-checked cats & kittens waiting to meet you. Feline Foundation 703-920-8665. Application & adoption fair schedule online at www.ffgw.org.

EMPLOYMENT
$22/hour companion/driver/cook for old woman. See ad on Blade website for details and how to respond. NATIONAL GAY & LESBIAN TASK FORCE is hiring a Media & Public relations director. See their display ad in this issue or online. LOCKER ROOM ATTENDANTS NEEDED! The Crew Club, a gay mens naturist gym & sauna, is now hiring Locker Room Attendants. We all scrub toilets & do heavy cleaning. You must be physically able to handle the work & have a great attitude doing it. No drunks/ druggies need apply. Please call Richard at (202) 319-1333. from 9-5pm, to schedule an interview.

PHOTOGRAPHY
STEVE OTOOLE PHOTOGRAPHY Fine Art Photographer for portraits, weddings & dating photos for the internet. Call (703) 532-3031. www.steveotoolephotography.com.

COUNSELING
A MINDFULNESS-BASED MENTAL HEALTH PRACTICE specializing in a holistic approach to anxiety, depression, careers, & relationships. 20 years experience helping people identify & overcome impediments to a fullling life, satisfying careers, & healthy relationships. Jonathan Kirkendall MA LPC, 202.550.3589, www.dclpc.com.

WEDDINGS
CANTOR JINNY - YOUR Wedding Your Way. Well work together nding the right vows, blessings, & expressions to make the ceremony ow with your personal touch. Cantorjinny@gmail.com 703-282-6505.

JANUARY 31, 2014 37

Hi, My two daddies rescued me about 7years ago. I am a 9yr old ShihTzu-Terrier mix, but my daddies say mostly terrier as I am a very feisty dog. I love people/children/dogs/cats & ducks very much and we live down by the Waterfront. My daddies have been together for 50yrs....and I think I overheard them talking about being married on February 6th somewhere in DC, like the Courhouse. Thanks Priscilla Carcaldi-Walsh
If you would like to have your pet in the paper, please send a photo and description to ewommack@washblade.com.

CLEANING
TOO NEAT GUYS INC. Residential & Commercial cleaning in DC & Northern VA. Over 20 years experience, gay owned, licensed, bonded & insured. Email: tooneat@ comcast.net, (703) 622-5983. FERNANDOS CLEANING: Residential & Commercial Cleaning, Reasonable Rates, Free Estimates, Routine, 1-Time, Move-In/ Move-Out. (202) 234-7050, 202-486-6183. MAID TO CLEAN. Rated #1 in Metro DC. Gay owned. Serving DC/VA. DC & VA (703) 299-0101. Visit www.maidtoclean.com.

SHARE / MD
COLLEGE PARK room w/ large closet, computer access, bus & metro 5 to 10 mins away. $700.00/mth, incl. utils. Call Kit 240-6043843. ROOM 2 RENT $200.00 a week, utilities included. Call - 301-503-4263

SHARE / VA
FULLY FURNISHED ARLINGTON includes all utilities + cable & wi-, Full kitchen access & a fully equipped gym. Perfect location minutes from Columbia Pike, South Glebe Rd. & Rte. 50. Walking distance to both Metro and Art bus stops. Must like dogs. $750.00/month. Call Raymond 202-705-3727.

REAL ESTATE
GALE STORM TEAM - Realtors The Realtors you refer to your Friends & Family! Looking to sell or buy a home? Call us! 202-355-4316. www.gayrealtors.us.com. Licensed in DC, MD & VA.

MOVERS
OUR GUYS AROUND TOWN MOVERS. Professional Moving & Storage. Let Our Guys Do The Heavy Lifting. Mention the Blade for 10% off of our regular rates. Call today 202.734.3080. www.ourguysatmovers.com.

SALE / MD
COLLEGE PARK METRO$344,000 4-LEVEL Brick Split-Level ! 3 Bedrooms,3 Bathrooms, Huge Deck! Garage! Party Room! Fireplace! Gourmet Kitchen! Photos Available ! LARRY PERRIN REALTOR (301) 983-0601 LJPerrin@aol.com.

HOME SERVICES
TWO POOR TEACHERS Kitchen & Bath Remodeling in Northern VA. Call for free estimate! Two Poor Teachers at 703-969-1179.

GAITHERSBURG $750,000 Splendid Contemporary built 2000. 6 Big Bedrooms ! 3 - 1/2 Bathrooms ! Gourmet Kitchen Overlooks Fireplace / Family Room! Basement Party Roomfeaturing 2 more Bedrooms ! Garage ! Photos Available ! LARRY PERRIN REALTOR (301) 983-0601 LJPerrin@aol.com

NEARBY GETAWAYS
AVALON CLOTHING OPTIONAL Resort Open House on 2/28/14. An all day affair. No ground fees. Guest must register at the ofce upon arrival. All facilities open to guests. Food & drinks available for purchase at the bar & dining room. Tours of the resort can be arranged when checking in. A limited number of lodge rooms may be available for overnight guests at a special rate. Conveniently located, minutes away from Paw Paw, WV. We are a full service resort with indoor & outdoor pools, hot tubs, sauna, sports plex, & casino open year round, that you can enjoy for an hour, a day, or a weekend. Visit Avalon Resort to relax with or without clothes in our private, secluded & beautiful 140 acre wooded resort. Check our website for up-to-date event information & free day pass. www.avalon-resort.com. 304947-5600.

PJ McTAVISH & CO. ROOFING Repairs, New Roof, Gutter Cleaning. Licensed Bonded Insured. See our display ad in this issue. 301-476-8551. BRANCHES - FULL SERVICE Tree Expert Company. Certied Arborists, pruning, insect & disease diagnosis, treatment & removal. 301-589-6181. www.BranchesTreeExperts. com. Angies List Award Winner 09, 10, 11, 12.

SHARE / DC
CAPITOL HILL (2-1/2 blocks eastern mkt) small bright furn/unfurn BR share w/ 3 gay friendly men, $700+utilities. Available immediately. Pete 202-544-5688.

38 JANUARY 31, 2014

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

202.747.2077
MENS PERSONALS
ATTRACTIVE, ITALIAN, GWM, 40s Inshape. Seeking down to earth guy for dating & more. Have many varied interests. Serious replies only. Call 202-306-0288. BLACK MALE TOP seeks black or latino male bottom, 50 - 65 yrs with whom to celebrate the holidays as friends with benets. Please call 202-251-0091. RAPE ME, BEAT me, enslave me, og me, dirty me. Use all your sadistic lust on my body. It is why I exist. Me: pig bottom submissive, 58, 5 1/2 cut, Big white butt, fairly hairy. mature. You: horny aggressive top master. Pluses: bear, black or latino, hung long and thick. Work me over in my condo. I have lots of toys. I need it bad. Jack 301-982-0690. WM 55 240#S white hair ISO WM, 40-55 62+ 250#s+ for dating, etc call 301-503-4263. MARK GUNNELL, ERIC Schnell, Wesley Matthews, I knew you in the 80s and would like to reconnect. Please call 301-503-4263. MASSAGE SILVER SPRING est 2004. Where some of the nicest guys in town come for one of the best massages in town...sensuous erotic naked. Days/ Evenings $70 one hour..parking/metro BRUNO 301 580 2716. EROTIC SWEDISH MASSAGE - healthy clean cut guy, 61, 160 lbs, Dupont Circle, massage table, noon to 1:00 a.m., indulge your body. $70 for 1 hour. Bill 202-728-0238. AFFORDABLE MASSAGE BY friendly & intuitive Latin male, in relaxing, priv. studio just 15 min from DC in Arlington. Plenty of Parking. Same day appts, 703-401-9093 or a2006mx@yahoo.com. THE MAGIC TOUCH: Swedish, Massage or Deep Tissue. Appts 202-486-6183, Low Rates, 24/7, In-Calls.

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1321 14TH STREET NW WASHINGTON DC 20005 202.319.1333