Metro Weekly - January 19, 2017 by RP MEDIA ARCHIVE

CONTENTS

JANUARY 19, 2017

Volume 23 Issue 35

STATES OF HATE

From Alabama to Virginia, many states around the country are pushing anti-LGBT laws for 2017 By John Riley

DEAR PRESIDENT TRUMP... Letters from the LGBT community to the incoming 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump

BRAIN POWER

Studio’s crack at The Hard Problem sparks rousing intellectual debate with lukewarm dramatic results By André Hereford

OVERTURE p.7 SPOTLIGHT: WINTERSTEPS p.9 OUT ON THE TOWN p.13 WADING INTO ROE p.14 COMMUNITY: SHABBAT FOR SOLIDARITY p.21 THE FEED: STATES OF HATE p.23 COVER STORY: DEAR PRESIDENT TRUMP p.26 GALLERY: JON ARGE p.47 STAGE: THE HARD PROBLEM p.48 MUSIC: THE XX p.50 NIGHTLIFE p.53 SCENE: FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR p.53 LAST WORD p.62 Real LGBT News and Entertainment since 1994

Editorial Editor-in-Chief Randy Shulman Art Director Todd Franson Managing Editor Rhuaridh Marr Senior Editor John Riley Contributing Editor Doug Rule Senior Photographers Ward Morrison, Julian Vankim Contributing Illustrator Scott G. Brooks Contributing Writers Gordon Ashenhurst, Sean Bugg, Frank Carber, Fallon Forbush, Sean Maunier, Troy Petenbrink, Kate Wingfield Webmaster David Uy Production Assistant Julian Vankim Sales & Marketing Publisher Randy Shulman National Advertising Representative Rivendell Media Co. 212-242-6863 Distribution Manager Dennis Havrilla Patron Saint The Obama Administration Cover Illustration “Incoming” by Scott G. Brooks Metro Weekly 1775 I St. NW, Suite 1150 Washington, DC 20006 202-638-6830 All material appearing in Metro Weekly is protected by federal copyright law and may not be reproduced in whole or part without the permission of the publishers. Metro Weekly assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials submitted for publication. All such submissions are subject to editing and will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Metro Weekly is supported by many fine advertisers, but we cannot accept responsibility for claims made by advertisers, nor can we accept responsibility for materials provided by advertisers or their agents. Publication of the name or photograph of any person or organization in articles or advertising in Metro Weekly is not to be construed as any indication of the sexual orientation of such person or organization.

JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

Overture I

Hell to the Chief

NAUGURATION WEEKEND SHOULD BE A TIME OF CELEBRATION. BUT HOW DO YOU CELebrate an incoming president who has the temperament of a schoolyard bully, with skin thinner than a tomato, who tweets derisively at anyone and everyone, including celebrities and civil rights leaders? How do you celebrate an incoming administration that appears eager to disrupt, dismantle and disregard every shred of progress America has made over decades, not merely in the area of LGBT rights but in all realms of life, from climate change to health care? How do you celebrate a leader who clearly values self-interest above all else, who won’t apologize or accept blame, and shows no interest in repairing a nation he helped fracture with hateful, bigoted rhetoric? How do you celebrate a leader who appears to have more regard for the Russians than his own government? You don’t. Nor, however, do you ignore it. The next four years have taken on a significance unlike any other in modern history. And not just for the LGBT community, but for all Americans, including the supporters of Trump who might find their self-delusion dissipating faster than the froth on a cappuccino. I would love to be proven wrong — Donald J. Trump could turn out to be a considered, thoughtful leader — but I doubt it. And so do many others. For this issue, I asked both local and national members of the LGBT community — and a few allies — to express their feelings about the incoming president in letter form. The 32 responses were as varied in their sentiments as they were in their approach — one person even wrote his in the form of verse. It’s doubtful Trump will ever read any of them, but I wish he would. He might learn something. Some are angry, some are bitter, some are fearful, and rightfully so. But others offer the incoming president cautious guidance and advice that he would do well to heed. Only Trump can prove us wrong. But were he truly serious about accepting the highest office in our land, he would have revealed his tax returns or, at the very least, divested himself fully of his company. A very greedy bird has just landed in the ultimate controlling perch, the valiant eagle replaced by a vulture. I’ve lived in Washington through the administrations of Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush One, Clinton, Bush Two and, of course,

Obama. I had hoped to live through a second Clinton administration, and not a shred of doubt remains in my mind that Hillary would have made an amazing, historic, healing president, one who wouldn’t take such obvious glee in tearing apart an already ruptured country. Hillary may not have been able to instantly heal all of America’s wounds, but she would have made an immediate effort, which is more than Trump and his merry band, including Kellyanne Conway, Reince Priebus, Sean Spicer and Mike Pence, all masters of delusion and spin-filled distraction, have done. Their argument — their rationale — is merely that they won. The rest of us need to get over losing. As for the media, we’re all fake news, we’re all crooked. Unless your name is Rush. Or Laura. Or Breitbart. There is an antidote to this reality TV virus called Trump: Democracy. And if it works, everything will (eventually) turn out okay. Because real Americans don’t cower or kowtow. Real Americans emblazon their words of protest with meaning, purpose and resolve. Real Americans believe in the greater good, and not just the one percent. The next four years are going to see Democracy enter a battlefield the likes of which will test it to its fullest extent. It will be, at times, hell. But if it’s hell that Trump wants, then it’s hell Trump will get. Randy Shulman Editor-in-Chief

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Spotlight

Wintersteps

SERGEY APASOV

AUNCHED A DECADE AGO, DISSONANCE DANCE, billed as “D.C.’s only African-American-managed contemporary ballet company,” regularly features works by emerging contemporary choreographers. Through the company’s “New Voices of Dance” program, first announced last summer, choreographers are provided support to develop and premiere new works. The first NVD Selectees — former company dancer Kamali Hill and Kareem Goodwin of Philadelphia — will make their debut as choreographers this weekend in “Wintersteps,” a pro-

gram that also features works by French choreographer Davy Brun and Philadelphia’s Ryan Tuerk, plus several new pieces by founder Shawn Short. “NVD is getting buzz and interest,” Short says. “We are getting applicants from all across the United States.” Most have come from established dancers seeking to become choreographers who hopes the program might become one answer to a question that has long vexed Short: “How can you gain experience as a choreographer if you don’t have access to the tools to grow?” —Doug Rule

Dissonance Dance Theatre presents Wintersteps Saturday, Jan. 21, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 22, at 7 p.m., in the Jack Guidone Theater at Joy of Motion Dance Center, 5207 Wisconsin Ave. NW. Tickets are $15 to $25. Call 202-362-3042 or visit ddtdc.org. JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

Spotlight PILOBOLUS

Washington Performing Arts and CityDance co-present the return of the popular, Connecticut-based athletic dance troupe and the D.C. premiere of Shadowland, an innovative, evening-length multimedia piece following the dreamlike world of a young girl. As seen in a performance last month on Late Night with Stephen Colbert, the dancers use their bodies to form shapes projected as shadows on screens in front of them, and all set to a rhythmic original score by American composer David Poe. Saturday, Jan. 28, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 29, at 2 p.m. GW Lisner, The George Washington University, 730 21st St. NW. Tickets are $25 to $45. Call 202-994-6851 or visit lisner.org.

BSO SUPERPOPS: A TRIBUTE TO OL’ BLUE EYES

Vocalists Ann Hampton Callaway, Tony DeSare and Frankie Moreno join the BSO in a tribute to Frank Sinatra led by Jack Everly. Thursday, Jan. 26, at 8 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Also Friday, Jan. 27, and Saturday, Jan. 28, at 8 p.m, and Sunday, Jan. 29, at 3 p.m. Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, 1212 Cathedral St., Baltimore. Tickets are $33 to $99. Call 410-783-8000 or visit bsomusic.org.

CRYSTAL BOWERSOX

A few years ago, the runner-up on the ninth season of American Idol was all set to make her Broadway debut, playing the role of the pioneering female country star in Always, Patsy Cline. But the show has failed to secure a proper theater on the Great White Way, so the bisexual singer-songwriter continues to tour as a solo artist — that is, when she’s not speaking to children about her experience of living with diabetes for Lilly Diabetes. Saturday, Jan. 28, at 8 p.m. The Barns at Wolf Trap, 1635 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets are $26 to $28. Call 877-WOLFTRAP or visit wolftrap.org.

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Spotlight THE FOUNDER

Michael Keaton stars as Ray Kroc in a drama directed by John Lee Hancock telling the true story of the Illinois salesman who turned a small Southern California burger joint run by Mac and Dick McDonald (John Carroll Lynch and Nick Offerman) into the worldwide burger behemoth known for its Golden Arches. Opens Friday, Jan. 20. Area theaters. Visit fandango.com.

STEPHANIE MILLER’S SEXY LIBERAL COMEDY TOUR

“Now More Than Ever...Outrageous Political Comedy” is the promise of this night of stand-up led by a comedian known from SiriusXM’s Progress channel and the Progressive Voices app. A day after Trump’s inauguration, Stephanie Miller will perform a set alongside real-life best friends and “Afro-Saxons” Frances and Angela, collectively known as Frangela, who have been seen everywhere from Miller’s talk show to The Oprah Show to the film He’s Just Not That Into You, and John Fugelsang, a regular on Bill Maher’s talk shows and host of Tell Me Everything on SiriusXM’s Insight. Saturday, Jan. 21, at 8 p.m. Sidney Harman Hall, Harman Center for the Arts, 610 F St. NW. Tickets are $60 to $85, or $150 for VIP with postshow Meet & Greet. Call 202-547-1122 or visit shakespearetheatre.org.

THE PANCAKES AND BOOZE ART SHOW

An import from Los Angeles, this unusual “underground art show” features the work of over 100 emerging artists plus live body painting, live music, a live art battle and a free pancake bar. Pancakes and Booze is a traveling, Andy Warhol-styled event that former Hollywood cameraman Tom Kirlin started in 2009 and has since brought to over 20 cities, including D.C. twice a year. “When I was in college, the only place that was open after a night of drinking was IHOP,” Kirlin told Metro Weekly in 2015. “I always had this silly idea to make a pancake restaurant with a full bar. So with the art show, I just merged the two ideas together.” Thursday, Jan. 26, at 7 p.m. Big Chief, 2002 Fenwick St. NE. Cover is $5. Call 202-465-4241 or visit pancakesandbooze.com.

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BALTIMORE MUSEUM OF ART

Out On The Town

JOHN WATERS’ KIDDIE FLAMINGOS

Few people could have imagined that John Waters’ lovable 1988 film Hairspray would become a hit Broadway musical and subsequent hit musical film. No one in their right mind would pick his startlingly tasteless Pink Flamingos to be next up for a similar resurgence — though you can’t say Baltimore’s king of camp isn’t trying, albeit modestly. In 2014 he filmed children reading a cleverly modified, G-rated version of the 1972 cult classic. The 74-minute film features kids — mostly his friends’ children — wearing wigs and costumes that evoke the legendary performances of Divine, Mink Stole, Edith Massey and others. Waters has even suggested the new version is “in some ways more perverse than the original.” Closes Sunday, Jan. 22. The Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr. Baltimore. Call 443-573-1700 or visit artbma.org.

Compiled by Doug Rule

FILM TONI ERDMANN

Germany’s official entry for Best Foreign Language Film at this year’s Academy Awards. Maren Ade’s sweet, lighthearted film follows an eccentric, fun-loving father who dons a wacky disguise as a last-ditch effort to make his daughter — a workaholic corporate executive — lighten up and enjoy life more. Sandra Huller and Peter Simonischek star in this fully subtitled film. Opens Friday, Jan. 20. Landmark’s E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW. Call 202-452-7672 or visit landmarktheatres.com.

XXX: THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE

Vin Diesel returns to the big screen as the daredevil operator last seen over a decade ago. Samuel L. Jackson also returns in a supporting role in this battle of four criminals

who control the world’s military satellites. Opens Friday, Jan. 20. Area theaters. Visit fandango.com.

STAGE CHARM

HHHHH Until the day 33-year old trans woman Ariella (Nyla Rose) enters her first etiquette class at The Center, an inner-city organization for homeless and LGBT youth, she’s never met a self-described “tranny” as refined and put-together as her new instructor, Darleena Andrews. Inspired by real-life trans activist Mama Gloria Allen, Darleena quickly sets about introducing her class to the indispensable quality of charm. In so doing, she begins to teach them a vital lesson in how to treat others and, most essentially, themselves with respect and kindness. Given the profound message about the significance of transgender visibility in Philip Dawkins’s impactful, often hilarious drama, it’s of immea-

surable benefit to director Natsu Onoda Power’s production that she chose to cast the utterly charming genderfluid B’Ellana Duquesne in the role of Darleena. Duquesne inhabits the part with tremendous grace and fierceness, brandishing the requisite charisma to win over her charges onstage and in the audience. To Jan. 29. Atlas Performing Arts Center, Lang Theatre, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $20 to $60. Call 202-399-7993 or visit mosaictheater.org. (André Hereford)

COPENHAGEN

Theater J presents Michael Frayn’s Tony-winning play about the historic 1941 meeting between German physicist Werner Heisenberg and Danish physicist Niels Bohr, friends and colleagues who found themselves working for opposing sides in the war to develop the atom bomb. Eleanor Holdridge directs Tim Getman, Michael Russotto and Sherri Edelen. To Jan. 29. The Aaron and Cecile Goldman Theater, Edlavitch DCJCC, 1529 16th St. NW.

Tickets are $19.13 to $64.13. Call 202-777-3210 or visit theaterj.org.

CYMBELINE

One of the later-era, lesser-regarded plays in Shakespeare’s oeuvre, Cymbeline is also one few theater companies stage. Theatre Prometheus’ production puts a lesbian love story at the play’s center, as well as casting more women in its roles. To Jan. 29. Anacostia Arts Center, 1231 Good Hope Rd. SE. Tickets are $20. Call 202-631-6291 or visit theatreprometheus.org.

LIZZIE THE MUSICAL

Yes, that Lizzie, the little Borden girl who was tried for brutally murdering her parents with an axe in Massachusetts in 1892 though later acquitted. Pinky Swear Productions revives the tale in a riot grrrl-steeped show created by Steven CheslikDeMeyer, Tim Maner, and Alan Stevens Hewitt. A feminist tale of sex, rage and murder that shows how little agency women had in Borden’s time. To Feb. 5. Anacostia Playhouse,

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2020 Shannon Place SE. Tickets are $35. Call 202-241-2539 or visit pinkyswear-productions.com.

MACK, BETH

JENNY GRAHAM

Developed through a program of Arlington’s Rose Theatre Co., Helen Hayes-nominated playwright Chris Stezin (What Dogs Do) offers a spin on Shakespeare’s ultimate power couple, retooled for the cyber age. Matt Ripa directs a world premiere production of this sharp modern twist on the classic tale of greed and unbridled ambition as told through a 10-person cast featuring Jennifer J. Hopkins and Andrew Kelleras as a high-achieving couple in a present-day tech business. Previews begin Saturday, Jan. 21, with opening night Tuesday, Jan. 24, at 8 p.m. Runs to Feb. 11. Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church St. NW. Tickets are $45 to $45. Call 202-265-3768 or visit keegantheatre.com.

SOMEONE IS GOING TO COME

WADING INTO ROE

Arena’s latest production looks at the iconic case that reshaped the legality of abortion

ITH TRUMP WINNING, IT SHIFTED THE PLAY,” SAYS DIRECTOR Bill Rauch. He’s discussing Lisa Loomer’s Roe, which has undergone a few changes for its run at Arena Stage in order to “better reflect the current landscape.” But while the script has been tweaked slightly due to the incoming Trump administration and a Republican Party more focused than ever on negatively impacting women’s health care, Roe remains firmly focused on Roe v. Wade and the two key figures behind the landmark 1973 lawsuit. “[Loomer] didn’t want to do a play that primarily dramatized the Supreme Court case,” Rauch says. “She really wanted to focus on the lives of the women at the heart of the case — both Sarah Weddington, the lawyer who argued Roe v. Wade in front of the Supreme Court when she was only 26 years old, and Norma McCorvey, who was the plaintiff who went by the pseudonym Jane Roe. She was just fascinated by these two women and their stories, and how their stories converge and then diverge, and how much it became kind of a metaphor for American society.” There are sweet and touching moments in Roe, particularly in the depiction of McCorvey’s long-term relationship with Connie Gonzales. “That relationship is really the emotional center of the play in many ways,” Rauch says. Eventually, McCorvey was “born again” and renounced her sexuality. “As a gay man myself, that’s one of the most challenging parts of her story,” Rauch says. There are other challenges involved with a play on such a hot button issue as abortion. “It was very important to Lisa that the play include multiple points of view,” Rauch says. “And I think she’s done a really remarkable job of bringing in really disparate points of view. Really remarkable. And people who see the play are always surprised by the multiplicity of viewpoints in it. “They’re also surprised by how entertaining it is,” he adds. “Lisa has a wonderful ear for comedy. As serious and urgent as the issue is, I think it’s a surprisingly entertaining show.” —Doug Rule Roe runs to Feb. 19 in Arena’s Kreeger Theater, 1101 6th St. SW. Tickets are $55 to $110. Call 202-488-3300 or visit arenastage.org.

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Scena Theatre presents an emotionally powerful drama featuring two-time Helen Hayes Award winner Nanna Ingvarsson, David Bryan Jackson, and Joseph Carlson. Robert McNamara directs Jon Fosse’s poetic play about passion, paranoia and jealousy, as a strange couple moves into an isolated, rundown house to be left alone, never fully believing they’ll get their wish. To Feb. 5. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $20 to $35, or $10 in previews. Call 202-399-7993 or visit atlasarts.org.

THE GABRIELS TRILOGY

Richard Nelson’s The Apple Family Plays was a compelling portrait of a fictitious, politically engaged, bipartisan upstate New York family, viewed “in real time” at family gatherings during election periods in the Obama era. Nelson has revived the concept with a different family from the same middle-class neighborhood, viewed at three stages in 2016 in the run-up to the forthcoming Trump era. The Kennedy Center presents the original, heralded New York cast performing the three plays, Hungry, What Did You Expect? and Women of a Certain Age, in repertory to Jan. 22. Theater Lab. Tickets are $49 each show, or $120 for full-day weekend marathons. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

MUSIC AARON TVEIT

In 2010, he portrayed Peter Orlovsky, the partner of poet Allen Ginsberg (James Franco) in Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman’s Howl. Yet Aaron Tveit is far better known for musical theater, on Broadway (Next to Normal, Catch Me If You Can) and on screen (Danny Zuko in Fox’s Grease Live!, Les Miserables). No doubt Tveit will

Cliburn International Piano Competition, joins Strathmore’s resident orchestra for a program led by Piotr Gajewski also including Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8 in G Major. Saturday, Jan. 28, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 29, at 3 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets are $34 to $78. Call 301-5815100 or visit strathmore.org. PHOTO COURTESY OF SUGARLOAF CRAFTS FESTIVAL

NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

SUGARLOAF CRAFTS FESTIVAL IN CHANTILLY

The annual Sugarloaf Crafts Festival is considered one of the top craft experiences in the country, attracting about 170,000 visitors to Maryland’s Montgomery County Fairgrounds every October. But in the past few years the festival has grown into a touring entity and returns for a biannual event at Virginia’s Dulles Expo Center, with more than 250 artisans from around the country offering one-of-a-kind handcrafted gifts in various media — including functional and decorative pottery, sculpture, glass, jewelry, fashion, leather, wood, metal, furniture, home accessories and photography. Gourmet food samples, live music and interactive children’s entertainment will also be on tap. Friday, Jan. 27, and Saturday, Jan. 28, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 29, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dulles Expo Center, 4320 Chantilly Shopping Center Drive, Chantilly, Va. Admission is $8 per day online only, or $10 per day at the door. Call 800-210-9900 or visit sugarloafcrafts.com.

sing songs from those during the pop cabaret he’s developing for his Wolf Trap debut. Saturday, Jan. 21, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 22, at 7 p.m. The Barns at Wolf Trap, 1635 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets are $40 to $55. Call 877-WOLFTRAP or visit wolftrap.org.

BALTIMORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Johannes Debus makes his debut conducting the BSO and pianist Jean-Efflam Bavouzet. The program features Rossini’s Overture to The Barber of Seville, Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2, and Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 — often dubbed “Beethoven’s 10th.” Friday, Jan. 20, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 22, at 3 p.m. Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, 1212 Cathedral St., Baltimore. Also Saturday, Jan. 21, at 8 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets are $33 to $99. Call 410-7838000 or visit bsomusic.org.

CHAISE LOUNGE

The D.C.-based jazz and swing band has been a staple at hip bars around

the area, along with more storied venues such as the Kennedy Center and Blues Alley, as well performing with Natalie Cole and Dizzy Gillespie. Chaise Lounge will bring swing standards as well as original tunes, including those from its most recent album Gin Fizz Fandango. Friday, Jan. 27,, at 8 p.m. Amp by Strathmore, 11810 Grand Park Ave. North Bethesda. Tickets are $25 to $35. Call 301-581-5100 or visit ampbystrathmore.com.

CHRIS URQUIAGA

A native of Silver Spring, the budding Latin pop singer-songwriter recently signed to Akon’s KonLive Distribution record label, which helped nurture the career of Lady Gaga. Urquiaga is also part of Strathmore’s 2017 Artist in Residence mentoring program and will kick off the A.I.R. series of solo concerts. Wednesday, Jan. 25, at 7:30 p.m. The Mansion at Strathmore, 10701 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda. Tickets are $17. Call 301-581-5100 or visit strathmore.org.

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IRVING BERLIN: A SIMPLE MELODY

Though less well-known than fellow musical theater/American Songbook giants George and Ira Gershwin and Cole Porter, Irving Berlin wrote several of Ethel Merman’s biggest standards (including “There’s No Business Like Show Business”), the unofficial second National Anthem “God Bless America,” the Bing Crosby holiday classic “White Christmas,” plus “Cheek to Cheek,” “Puttin’ On The Ritz,” “I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm” — the list goes on and on. Abel Lopez leads a cast of six in this latest InSeries cabaret, written by Bari Biern. Weekends to Jan. 28. Source Theatre, 1835 14th St. NW. Tickets are $22 to $42. Call 202-204-7763 or visit inseries.org.

NATIONAL PHILHARMONIC

Few openings in the piano concerto repertoire equal the mounting tension in the work that established Rachmaninoff’s fame, his Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor. The 26-year-old Chinese Haochen Zhang, 2009 winner of the Van

Gianandrea Noseda, the NSO’s forthcoming music director, leads an Inauguration-pegged “Portraits of America” program, including Stravinsky’s arrangement of the The Star-Spangled Banner, John Williams’ music from the movies Lincoln and JFK, Aaron Copland’s Lincoln Portrait with live narration by Phylicia Rashad, Leonard Bernstein’s Fanfare for the Inauguration of JFK, and George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, featuring pianist Jon Kimura Parker. Thursday, Jan. 19, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 22, at 3 p.m. Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Tickets are $15 to $99. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

THE FOUR BITCHIN’ BABES

Hormonal Imbalance v2.5: A Mood Swinging Musical Revue features highlights from more than 25 years of a comedic music ensemble featuring Sally Fingerett, comedic singer Deirdre Flint and former The Hags singer Debi Smith, plus as revolving fourth member either Nancy Moran or the founding Babe Megon McDonough. In an interview with Metro Weekly a few years ago, Smith summed up the Babes’ songwriting and performing: “We look at life, as it’s happening, usually in a comedic way — [and] through a wacky viewfinder.” Saturday, Jan. 28, at 7:30 p.m. The Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave. Alexandria. Tickets are $35. Call 703-549-7500 or visit birchmere.com.

THE INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS FEAT. NICKI BLUHM

A five-piece band that originated nearly a decade ago in Massachusetts among students at the Berklee College of Music returns to the area a year after the release of latest album Ladies & Gentleman. Friday, Jan. 27. Doors at 7 p.m. 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW. Tickets are $25. Call 202-265-0930 or visit 930.com.

THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA

Washington Performing Arts presents the return of the great orchestra from the City of Brotherly Love under the baton of its new out music director Yannick Nezet-Seguin in a performance of Stravinsky’s Petrouchka and Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 featuring guest Louis Lortie. “The Philadelphia Orchestra

seems to have found its ideal music director,” a New York Times critic raved after a recent performance. Tuesday, Jan. 24, at 8 p.m. Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Tickets are $40 to $110. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

THE SHEATLES

This Friday, Jan. 20, popular lesbian all-covers party-rock band Wicked Jezabel performs at one of its regular haunts in Falls Church. But next Friday, Jan. 27, many of the same women along with a few others will take to the venue to introduce a new covers band, an all-female tribute to the Beatles. Friday, Jan. 27, at 9:30 p.m. JV’s Restaurant, 6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church. Tickets are $12. Call 703-241-9504 or visit jvsrestaurant.com.

DANCE JANE FRANKLIN DANCE

KIMBERLY BARTOSIK/DAELA

New York-based Kimberly Bartosik directs a group of dancers in Ecsteriority4 (Part 2), a work examining power and desire through brief, intense encounters where each impulse is fully and boldly executed. Performance contains some violent imagery. Saturday, Jan. 21, at 8 p.m, and Sunday, Jan. 22, at 4 p.m. Dance Place, 3225 8th St. NE. Tickets are $25 to $30. Call 202269-1600 or visit danceplace.org.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HAMILTON

The Big Meow is a work specially adapted for young audiences from the children’s book by Baltimore’s Elizabeth Spires about an orange tabby taunted by neighborhood felines for his outsized roar. Emily Crews, Carrie Monger, Matthew Rock, Amy Scaringe, Brynna Shank, and Rebecca Weiss perform the work featuring music by local composers Mark Sylvester and Jonathan Matis, with a surf guitar medley arranged by John Kamen and Mark Merella. Saturday, Jan. 28, at 3 p.m. Theatre on the Run, 3700 South Four Mile Run Dr. Arlington. Tickets are $13 in advance, or $15 at the door. Call 703-933-1111 or visit janefranklin.com.

BETTYE LAVETTE

The great, hard-living soul singer Bettye Lavette has been incredibly forthcoming about her many dalliances with women, including in her recent memoir A Woman Like Me. The New York Times touted her as second only to Aretha Franklin among her generation’s greatest — and Lavette is finally getting the credit she deserved when she started in the business decades ago. She continues to tour in support of last year’s Grammy-nominated album Worthy. Wednesday, Jan. 25. Doors at 6:30 p.m. The Hamilton, 600 14th St. NW. Tickets are $20 to $45. Call 202-787-1000 or visit thehamiltondc.com.

SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS

Based in New York, this group seeks to breathe new life into traditional Chinese culture, blending beauty, energy and grace. Dancers in dazzling costumes move in seamless, flowing patterns, while a live orchestra and thunderous drums shake the stage against stunning, otherworldly backdrops. Shen Yun Performing Arts returns to the Kennedy Center for a 2017 version of its Experience a Divine Culture, presented by Falun Dafa Association of Washington, D.C. Remaining performances are Thursday, Jan. 19, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 21, at 1:30 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 22, at 1:30 p.m. Kennedy Center

Opera House. Tickets are $70 to $250. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.

COMEDY HAL SPARKS

Best known as Michael from Showtime’s Queer as Folk, these days Hal Sparks dabbles in various media, from starring on the Disney XD cable channel’s Lab Rats, to performing as lead singer and guitarist for rock trio Zero 1, to guest-hosting and starring on progressive radio stations nationwide. He returns to the area less than a year after his

last visit and will no doubt weigh in on Donald Trump’s swearing in, which occurs before his run of shows. Friday, June 20, and Saturday, Jan. 21, at 7 and 10 p.m., at Arlington Cinema N’ Drafthouse, 2903 Columbia Pike, Arlington. Tickets are $25. Call 703-486-2345 or visit arlingtondrafthouse.com.

READINGS DAVID WOLPE

Named by Newsweek as the most influential rabbi in America, the Senior Rabbi of Sinai Temple in Los Angeles comes to Washington

to engage in a one-on-one dialogue with Tyler Cowen, presented by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Author of Making Loss Matter: Creating Meaning in Difficult Times and author of a weekly column for Time, David Wolpe will discuss his work and worldviews with Cowen, an economics professor at Mason who also writes for Bloomberg View and the economics blog Marginal Revolution. Thursday, Jan. 26, at 7 p.m. Sixth & I Historic Synagogue. 600 I St. NW. Tickets are $15. Call 202-408-3100 or visit sixthandi.org.

JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

JOHAB SILVA: PROFILING: I WANT ORDER

The history of labor practices and concepts of modern-day slavery in various guises is the focus of site-responsive installations and sculptures on display for the 14th Annual DC Artist Solo Exhibition. A native of Brazil, Johab Silva has lived and worked in D.C. for nearly a decade and is currently pursuing his master’s degree at the Corcoran. Silva uses found objects, charcoal, coffee, sound, sugar, and cotton as his primary source materials to explore themes of appropriation, materiality, space and memories. Closes Saturday, Jan. 21. Transformer, 1404 P St. NW. Call 202-483-1102 or visit transformerdc.org.

PERVERSION THERAPY

Malone

THE ANTI-BALL W/ANTIBALAS & FRIENDS

Every night during the week of President Donald Trump’s inauguration, the Black Cat hosts what it’s calling a series of “Counter-Inaugural Events” dubbed “You Can’t Grab This Pussy.” The series culminates in a Planned Parenthood-benefiting concert featuring the funky Afrobeat band Antibalas supporting a lineup that includes Kyp Malone of TV on the Radio, Kimya Dawson, Trixie Whitley, Holly Miranda, Elenna Canlas and Domenica Fossati of Underground Systems, Jeffrey Lewis, Kat Wright, Dia Luna and Stuart Bogie of Superhuman Happiness, Miles Francis, and Teen. Saturday, Jan. 21. Doors at 10 p.m. Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. Tickets are $30. Call 202-667-4490 or visit blackcatdc.com.

JIM RENDON

Upside: The New Science of PostTraumatic Growth explores recent developments in the science of how people recover from traumatic experiences, showing how many survivors thrive not in spite of but rather because of trying experiences. Jim Rendon is a freelance journalist in Silicon Valley who has written for the New York Times Magazine, Smart Money and Rolling Stone. Thursday, Jan. 26, at 6:30 p.m. East City Bookshop, 645 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. Call 202-290-1636 or visit eastcitybookshop.com.

JOHN AVLON

Washington’s Farewell: The Founding Father’s Warning to Future Generations focuses on the message that George Washington wrote as he ended his second term as president, which The Daily Beast editor-in-chief and CNN political analyst argues is still relevant today. A substantive restatement of the country’s founding principles, Washington reminded citizens and future leaders to beware partisanship, debt and foreign wars and advocated for religious pluralism and education and independence, not isolation. Thursday, Jan. 26, at 7 p.m. Politics and Prose, 5015

Connecticut Ave. NW. Call 202364-1919 or visit politics-prose.com.

SMITHSONIAN DISCUSSION: MYTHS, MEMORY AND THE WILD WEST

The Smithsonian’s American History museum offers another “American History (After Hours)” program, this one exploring the story of Buffalo Bill’s “Wild West” and its impact on American culture. A panel discussion includes curators Cecile R. Ganteaume of the National Museum of the American Indian and Ryan Lintelman of the National Museum of American History, plus Michelle Delaney, author of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Warriors, and Jeremy Johnston of the Buffalo Bill Museum. The evening includes an interactive reception with themed appetizers, rarely seen objects brought out of storage, and custom drinks and whiskey tastings by Wigle Whiskey. Thursday, Jan. 26, at 6:30 p.m. Coulter Performance Plaza National Museum of American History, 14th St. and Constitution Ave. NW. Tickets, including food and drink, are $40. Call 202-633-1000 or visit americanhistory.si.edu.

JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

STEPHEN MACKEY

Dream. Build. Believe recounts the impulse decision of Stephen and Shannon Mackey, with no background in farming, to purchase an abandoned cattle ranch in Northern Virginia, start a family, and create Notaviva Vineyards, the world’s first winery to pair wine with music. It’s now nearly a decade old. Wednesday, Jan. 25, at 6:30 p.m. Kramerbooks, 1517 Connecticut Ave. NW. Call 202-387-1400 or visit kramers.com.

EXHIBITS FIRST FOLIO! SHAKESPEARE’S AMERICAN TOUR After a 400th anniversary yearlong tour through spots in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, the Folger Shakespeare Library’s rare, prized collected editions of Shakespeare’s plays is now home in the largest-ever display of First Folios — 18 of them — in a single venue. The exhibit documents the journey and the programming in various site visits. Closes Jan. 22. The Great Hall at 201 East Capitol St. SE. Call 202544-7077 or visit folger.edu.

Through paintings, performance objects and multimedia installations, Perversion Therapy is intended as a celebration of queer bliss and domestic deviance in direct response to the anti-LGBT history and attitudes espoused by the president-elect and members of his cabinet — specifically, conversion therapy. The exhibit features works by interdisciplinary artists Eames Armstrong and John Moletress. Through Feb. 4. Mead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint, 916 G St. NW. Tickets are $15 to $30. Call 202-733-6321 or visit culturaldc.org.

QUEER INTERIORS

Through an initiative commissioning installations and public programs related to its broad Imagining Home exhibit, the Baltimore Museum of Art brought together video and film artist Rahne Alexander and interdisciplinary artist/organizer Jaimes Mayhew with Chase Brexton Health Care’s LGBT Health Resource Center. Queer Interiors features a larger-than-life bed and furnishings, personal artifacts and a multimedia wall display known as the Baltimore LGBTQI+ Home Movie Quilt, which pays homage to Baltimore album quilts and the AIDS Memorial Quilt by presenting a growing, crowd-sourced portrait of the city’s queer communities. Through Aug. 31, 2017. The Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr. Baltimore. Call 443573-1700 or visit artbma.org.

THE GREAT INKA ROAD: ENGINEERING AN EMPIRE

One of the monumental engineering achievements in history, the Great Inka Road is a network of more than 20,000 miles, crossing mountains and tropical lowlands, rivers and deserts, linking the Inca capital Cusco with the farthest reaches of its empire — and it still serves Andean communities today in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile. This exhibition explores the legacy of the Inka

Empire and technological feat of the road, recognized by the United Nations as a World Heritage site in 2014. Through April 2018. National Museum of the American Indian, Independence Avenue at 4th Street SW. Call 202-633-1000 or visit nmai.si.edu.

TURQUOISE MOUNTAIN

PHOTO COURTESY OF ARTISTS MARCOS RAMÍREZ ERRE AND DAVID TAYLOR

The Smithsonian’s Freer|Sackler Museums of Asian Art toasts the rich heritage of Afghanistan with stunning ceramics, jewelry, jali, rugs and more made by young artisans working in a former slum in the country’s capital. Subtitled “Artists Transforming Afghanistan,” the exhibition is named after a decadeold British nonprofit that has helped revive Afghanistan’s proud cultural legacy by turning Murad Khani in Old Kabul into a vibrant cultural and economic center. Through Jan. 29. Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, 1050 Independence Ave. SW. Call 202633-4800 or visiting asia.si.edu.

ABOVE & BEYOND HOME + REMODELING SHOW

Spun off five years ago from the Capital Remodel + Garden Show, this annual January show offers several chances for attendees to solicit advice and services from experts in the field — most notably via the free, first-come, firstserve component called “Ask An Expert.” Speakers this year include Tyler Wisler, a design expert regularly seen on TV home shows and a Pinterest “Pinfluencer” in Home Decor and Men’s Fashion, Alison Victoria, the first female host of Crashers DIY Network and HGTV, Serena Appiah, 2016 Home + Garden Trendsetter of the Year by show organizer Marketplace Events. “Homeowners come to the show because there are experts under one roof all weekend long,” Marketplace Events spokesperson Liz Benkovich told Metro Weekly two years ago. “The exhibitors are all kinds of companies that have to do with remodeling, decorating and home improvement. They range from windows and doors to flooring to siding to roofing, and contractors for closet organization, or if you have an insect issue. For consumers, it’s a timesaver. And a really good opportunity to see what’s new, to get new ideas.” Friday, Jan. 19, and Saturday, Jan. 20, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 22, at 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dulles Expo Center, 4320 Chantilly Shopping Center, Chantilly, Va. Tickets are $10. Call 888-248-9751 or visit homeandremodelingshow.com.

JOHN CLEESE AND MONTY PYTHON & THE HOLY GRAIL

The living comedy legend stops by Strathmore for a screening of the 1975 cult classic film from the

DELIMITATIONS

Organized in conjunction with the Goethe-Institut and its exhibit 2,000 Miles: Divided Land, Common Humanity featuring multimedia narratives and satellite imagery of the U.S.-Mexico border, this exhibit presented by the Embassy of Mexico documents a 2,400-mile-long, site-specific art installation tracing the border that existed between Mexico and the United States in 1821. Today that boundary, developed two decades before Mexico ceded a large chunk of territory including much of what became the American West, only exists on paper in the form of documents and antique maps. By making that border visible through their installation, artists Marcos Ramírez Erre and David Taylor show what Mexico lost and highlight the fact that the U.S. and Mexico have a complicated but shared history and common interests. They suggest that erecting a border wall, for instance, would threaten that. Through Jan. 28. Mexican Cultural Institute, 2829 16th St. NW. Visit instituteofmexicodc.org.

comedy troupe he co-founded. Following the screening is a discussion of Cleese’s life and career plus an audience Q&A, where the event listing notes Cleese seeks “absurd and/or ridiculous questions only, please.” Friday, Jan. 27, at 8 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets are $55 to $165, or $250 for VIP with premium seating and access to a special meet and greet. Call 301-581-5100 or visit strathmore.org.

LILLIAN HELLMAN FESTIVAL FREE PROGRAMMING

Leading up to its production of Watch on the Rhine, Arena Stage offers free programming designed to explore and celebrate iconic playwright, author and political activist Lillian Hellman. The

offerings include: Taffety Punk Theatre Company’s reading of Toys in the Attic, Hellman’s last full-length original play, a semi-autobiographical look at a post-Great Depression-era New Orleans family, on Thursday, Jan. 26, at 8 p.m.; a screening of the 1977 film Julia starring Jane Fonda, Vanessa Redgrave and Jason Robards adapted from Hellman’s Pentimento: A Book of Portraits by Alvin Sargent and directed by Fred Zinneman, on Friday, Jan. 27, at 8 p.m.; a reading by Howard University students of The Children’s Hour, Hellman’s best-known and most-produced work, a drama set in an all-women’s boarding school, on Saturday, Jan. 28, at 8 p.m.; and a panel discussion, “Beyond Gender: Inspiring Generations of Female Writers,” featuring contemporary female

playwrights inspired by Hellman, on Sunday, Jan. 29, at 4 p.m. The Kogod Cradle in the Mead Center for American Theater, 1101 6th St. SW. Free but reservations are required. Call 202-488-3300 or visit arenastage.org.

THE ANTI-INAUGURATION

Naomi Klein, Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor and Anand Gopal lead yet another anti-Trump event, this one hosted at the Lincoln on the night of the inauguration and presented by Jacobin Magazine, Haymarket Books and Verso Books. Other speakers to be announced. Friday, Jan. 20. Doors at 7 p.m. Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U St. NW. Tickets are free, but seats available on a first-come, first-served basis. Call 202-328-6000 or visit thelincolndc. com. l

JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

Community

THURSDAY, January 19 The DC Center holds a meeting of its POLY DISCUSSION GROUP, for people interested in polyamory, non-monogamy or other non-traditional relationships. 7-8 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. Visit thedccenter.org.

Weekly Events ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURAL HEALTH

offers free HIV testing and HIV services (by appointment). 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Decatur Center, 1400 Decatur St. NW. To arrange an appointment, call 202-291-4707, or visit andromedatransculturalhealth.org. STUDIOPORTOSABBIA

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice session at Takoma Aquatic Center. 7:30-9 p.m. 300 Van Buren St. NW. For more information, visit swimdcac.org. DC FRONT RUNNERS run-

SHABBAT FOR SOLIDARITY An Inauguration Weekend event brings together people targeted by hostile groups

OR JOSEF PALERMO, THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN NOT ONLY marked the rise of the alt-right, but highlighted some of the most divisive and inflammatory rhetoric in politics, a great deal of it tinged with anti-Semitism. “There was a lot of concern around images seen on social media,” says the director of the Kurlander Program for GLBTQ Outreach and Engagement at the Edlavitch Jewish Community Center of Washington, D.C. “There was a lot of coded language that was used to refer to ‘globalists’ that many in the Jewish community felt were targeted towards our community.” Wanting to address that rhetoric, GLOE and local LGBT synagogue Bet Mishpachah decided to host a panel discussion focusing on how anti-Semitism intersects with homophobia and transphobia, followed by a progressive, egalitarian service and a networking reception where people can make new contacts in the hope of creating strong alliances for upcoming social justice fights. Capitalizing on Bet Mishpachah’s regular Friday night services, as well as the sheer number of people expected to visit D.C. for Trump’s inauguration and the Women’s March on Washington next weekend, the two groups extended invitations to other groups who felt marginalized or targeted by inflammatory rhetoric during the past year, including Latino and immigrant communities, Muslims, African-Americans and people with disabilities. “The idea behind this program was to find solidarity with other communities at a time when there’s...bigotry all around us,” says Palermo. “This is meant to provide an outlet for people to come together and overcome, and not let this type of hate speech pull us apart any further.” —John Riley The “LGBT Inauguration Shabbat: Strengthening One Another” is from 7 to 10 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 20 at the Edlavitch Jewish Community Center of Washington, D.C., 1529 16th St. NW. Visit betmish.org.

ning/walking/social club welcomes runners of all ability levels for exercise in a fun and supportive environment, with socializing afterward. Route distance is 3-6 miles. Meet at 7 p.m. at 23rd & P Streets NW. For more information, visit dcfrontrunners.org.

DC LAMBDA SQUARES gay and lesbian square-dancing group features mainstream through advanced square dancing at the National City Christian Church, 5 Thomas Circle NW, 7-9:30 p.m. Casual dress. 301-257-0517, dclambdasquares.org. DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds

practice. The team is always looking for new members. All welcome. 7:30-9:30 p.m. King Greenleaf Recreation Center, 201 N St. SW. For more information, visit scandalsrfc.org or dcscandals@gmail.com.

The DULLES TRIANGLES Northern Virginia social group meets for happy hour at Sheraton in Reston. All welcome. 7-9 p.m. 11810 Sunrise Valley Drive, second-floor bar. For more information, visit dullestriangles.com.

HIV TESTING at WhitmanWalker Health. 8 a.m.-8 p.m. at 1525 14th St. NW, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Elizabeth Taylor Medical Center, 1701 14th St. NW, and 8 a.m-5 p.m. at the Max Robinson Center, 2301 MLK Jr. Ave. SE. For an appointment call 202-745-7000 or visit whitman-walker.org.

JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

IDENTITY offers free and confidential HIV testing at two separate locations. Walk-ins accepted from 2-6 p.m., by appointment for all other hours. 414 East Diamond Ave., Gaithersburg, Md. or 7676 New Hampshire Ave., Suite 411, Takoma Park, Md. To set up an appointment or for more information, call Gaithersburg, 301-3009978, or Takoma Park, 301-4222398. METROHEALTH CENTER

offers free, rapid HIV testing. Appointment needed. 1012 14th St. NW, Suite 700. To arrange an appointment, call 202-638-0750.

SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-5

p.m., by appointment and walk-in, for youth 21 and younger. Youth Center, 410 7th St. SE. 202-5673155 or testing@smyal.org.

Us Helping Us hosts a NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS MEETING. The group is independent of UHU. 6:30-7:30 p.m., 3636 Georgia Ave. NW. For more information, call 202-446-1100.

WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE for young LBTQ

women, 13-21, interested in leadership development. 5-6:30 p.m. SMYAL Youth Center, 410 7th St. SE. For more information, call 202567-3163, or email catherine.chu@ smyal.org.

FRIDAY, January 20 ADVENTURING outdoors group

hikes 9 miles on the rugged Potomac Heritage Trail, followed by the easier C&O Canal towpath. Bring sturdy boots, beverages, lunch and a $2 trip fee. Meet at 10 a.m. inside the Rosslyn Metro Station by the station attendant’s kiosk. For more information, contact Jerry, 703-920-6871 or email jerryrcowden@gmail.com.

Bet Mishpachah and the Kurlander Program for GLTBQ Outreach and Engagement (GLOE) invite the public to an LGBTQ

INAUGURATION SHABBAT: STRENGTHENING ONE ANOTHER. The event will feature

a panel discussion on the recent rise in anti-Semitic rhetoric and how it intersects with homophobia and transphobia, followed by a progressive, egalitarian Shabbat service and post-service reception. Panel discussion starts at 7 p.m., service at 8 p.m., and reception at 9 p.m. Edlavitch Jewish Community Center of Washington, D.C. 1529 16th St. NW. For more information, visit ejccdc.org.

GAY DISTRICT, a group for

GBTQQI men between the ages of 18-35, meets on the first and third Fridays of each month. Dinner or social outing to follow the meeting. 8:30-9:30 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit gaydistrict.org.

Volunteers are needed to help with the CASA RUBY’S MONTHLY DINNER. Held on the third Friday of each month, in conjunction with The DC Center, the event provides a hot meal to those individuals being housed at Casa Ruby. Homemade or store bought meals welcome. 6:30-7:30 p.m. Casa Ruby, 3530 Georgia Ave. NW. For more information, contact lamar@ thedccenter.org.

SATURDAY, January 21 The DC Center’s HARM REDUCTION GROUP meets monthly on the third Saturday of each month. 3-4 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit thedccenter.org. The DC Center hosts a meeting of KHUSH DC, a support group for LGBTQ South Asians. 1:303:30 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, email board@khushdc.org.

SUNDAY, January 22 Weekly Events BETHEL CHURCH-DC progressive and radically inclusive church holds services at 11:30 a.m. 2217 Minnesota Ave. SE. 202-248-1895, betheldc.org. DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC)

holds a practice session at Wilson Aquatic Center. 9:30-11 a.m. 4551 Fort Dr. NW. For more information, visit swimdcac.org.

DC FRONT RUNNERS running/

walking/social club welcomes runners of all ability levels for exercise in a fun and supportive environment, with socializing afterward. Route will be a distance run of 8, 10 or 12 miles. Meet at 9 a.m. at 23rd & P Streets NW. For more information, visit dcfrontrunners.org.

FAIRLINGTON UNITED METHODIST CHURCH is an open, inclusive church. All welcome, including the LGBTQ community. Member of the Reconciling Ministries Network. Services at 9:30 and 11:00 a.m. 3900 King Street, Alexandria, Va. 703-6718557. For more info, visit fairlingtonumc.org.

JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

FRIENDS MEETING OF WASHINGTON meets for worship,

10:30 a.m., 2111 Florida Ave. NW, Quaker House Living Room (next to Meeting House on Decatur Place), 2nd floor. Special welcome to lesbians and gays. Handicapped accessible from Phelps Place gate. Hearing assistance. quakersdc.org.

HSV-2 SOCIAL AND SUPPORT GROUP for gay men living in the

DC metro area. This group will be meeting once a month. For information on location and time, visit H2gether.com. Join LINCOLN

CONGREGATIONAL TEMPLE – UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST for

an inclusive, loving and progressive faith community every Sunday. 11 a.m. 1701 11th Street NW, near R in Shaw/Logan neighborhood. lincolntemple.org.

METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA services at 11 a.m., led

by Rev. Emma Chattin. Children’s Sunday School, 11 a.m. 10383 Democracy Lane, Fairfax. 703-6910930, mccnova.com.

NATIONAL CITY CHRISTIAN CHURCH, inclusive church with

GLBT fellowship, offers gospel worship, 8:30 a.m., and traditional worship, 11 a.m. 5 Thomas Circle NW. 202-232-0323, nationalcitycc. org.

ST. STEPHEN AND THE INCARNATION, an “interra-

cial, multi-ethnic Christian Community” offers services in English, 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., and in Spanish at 5:15 p.m. 1525 Newton St. NW. 202-232-0900, saintstephensdc.org.

UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SILVER SPRING

invites LGBTQ families and individuals of all creeds and cultures to join the church. Services 9:15 and 11:15 a.m. 10309 New Hampshire Ave. uucss.org.

The DC Center hosts COFFEE

DROP-IN FOR THE SENIOR LGBT COMMUNITY. 10 a.m.-noon. 2000

14th St. NW. 202-682-2245, thedccenter.org.

US HELPING US hosts a black gay

men’s evening affinity group for GBT black men. Light refreshments provided. 7-9 p.m. 3636 Georgia Ave. NW. 202-446-1100.

WASHINGTON WETSKINS WATER POLO TEAM practices 7-9

p.m. Newcomers with at least basic swimming ability always welcome. Takoma Aquatic Center, 300 Van Buren St. NW. For more information, contact Tom, 703-299-0504 or secretary@wetskins.org, or visit wetskins.org.

WHITMAN-WALKER HEALTH

HIV/AIDS Support Group for newly diagnosed individuals, meets 7 p.m. Registration required. 202-939-7671, hivsupport@whitman-walker.org.

TUESDAY, January 24 Queer-identifying women who have survived violent or traumatic experiences and are looking for support are invited to take part in a bi-weekly QUEER WOMEN

WORKING THROUGH TRAUMA GROUP at The DC Center.

Participants are encouraged to do an intake assessment with moderator and social worker Sam Goodwin. 6-7 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, email Sam at samantha@ thedccenter.org. The DC Center’s GENDERQUEER DC support and discussion group for people who identify outside the gender binary, meets on the fourth Tuesday of every month. 7-8:30 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

WEDNESDAY, January 25

Weekly Events

The DC Center hosts a monthly meeting of its HIV PREVENTION WORKING GROUP. 6-8 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC)

THE LAMBDA BRIDGE CLUB

MONDAY, January 23

holds a practice session at Dunbar Aquatic Center. 7:30-9 p.m. 101 N St. NW. For more information, visit swimdcac.org.

GETEQUAL meets 6:30-8 p.m. at Quaker House, 2111 Florida Ave. NW. For more information, email getequal.wdc@gmail.com. NOVASALUD offers free HIV test-

ing. 5-7 p.m. 2049 N. 15th St., Suite 200, Arlington. Appointments: 703789-4467.

meet for Duplicate Bridge. 7:30 p.m. Dignity Center, 721 8th St., SE (across from Marine Barracks). No reservations needed, all welcome. Call 202-841-0279 if you need a partner. l Submit your community event for consideration at least 10 days prior to the Thursday publication you would like it to appear. Email to calendar@metroweekly.com.

theFeed

STATES OF HATE

From Alabama to Virginia, many states around the country are pushing anti-LGBT laws for 2017 By John Riley

S THE NATIONAL PRESS FIXATES ON EVERY action, statement, and tweet from the nation’s incoming 45th president, much of their coverage is unsurprisingly Washington-centric. Donald Trump’s administration — and his propensity to pick fights with anyone who opposes him — is going to continue to generate headlines, not least because of his vows to swiftly attempt to undo much of what was achieved under the Obama administration, LGBT rights included. But as Trump continues to consume news broadcasts and column inches, activists would do well to cut through the noise and start focusing lower down the political ladder. Specifically, the states, as it’s there that LGBT rights are most under attack — especially in states where Republicans control all three branches of government, or where antiLGBT lawmakers have the numbers to override a governor’s veto. Already, lawmakers in a number of states have introduced bills that would undermine same-sex marriages, limit transgender people’s access to restrooms, or protect those who wish to discriminate against LGBT people. We won’t know the full damage until spring (when all state filing deadlines will have been reached), but in the meantime we’ve collated every state where LGBT rights are at risk — and what activists need to be focusing on.

ALABAMA

Alabama will consider two anti-LGBT bills this year. The first allows child adoption or foster placement agencies to discriminate against same-sex parents. If a placement agency did discriminate, the government would be prevented from taking retaliatory action, such as denying it certain tax breaks, revoking its license, or ending any contracts between itself and the agency. The second is a bathroom bill that has received attention for a provision some critics say calls for “bathroom police.” It mandates that establishments providing multi-user, sex-segregated bathrooms must ensure that only people of a specific gender are using them. The bill allows establishments to hire “an attendant stationed at the door of each rest room to monitor the appropriate use of the rest room and answer any questions or concerns posed by users.” Businesses or entities that do not enforce the law can be fined up to $2,000, followed by $3,500 fines for each subsequent instance of noncompliance. Additionally, the bill allows those users who feel aggrieved by the lack of enforcement to sue that business or entity for damages, essentially incentivizing complaints against pro-transgender businesses.

IOWA

Following the 2010 elections, Iowa had a Democraticcontrolled Senate that served as a bulwark against unfettered Republican control of state government. When the Senate finally flipped in 2016, due in part to Donald Trump’s strong performance in the state, Iowa became a place where LGBT rights could soon be under threat. Thus far, Daniel Hoffman-Zinnel, executive director of LGBT rights group One Iowa, says no anti-LGBT pieces of legislation have been introduced. However, some lawmakers have raised the prospect of a “religious freedom” law. It remains hypothetical for now, but with no Democratic majority to keep Republicans in check, there’s little to stop Iowa from becoming hostile to LGBT people. KENTUCKY

Similar to Iowa, Kentucky’s House of Representatives flipped from Democratic to Republican this year. As such, many observers figured that Republican House leaders would push for anti-LGBT bills identical to ones that passed the Republican-controlled Senate last year. To everyone’s surprise, it was Democratic State Rep. Rick Nelson, the Democrats’ losing candidate for state treasurer, who took aim at the LGBT community. In total, Nelson has introduced three bills targeting LGBT rights. One is a “bathroom bill” in the mold of North Carolina’s controversial HB 2 law, and a second “bathroom bill” dealing with schoolchildren, requiring them to use only those facilities that match their assigned sex at birth. Nelson’s third bill would override protections in local town, city, or county ordinances by allowing people with “sincerely held religious beliefs” to deny services to LGBT people — such as baking a cake for a same-sex wedding. Chris Hartman, the director of the Kentucky Fairness Campaign, says Nelson’s proposals would inflict harm on Kentucky’s economy, threatening the loss of major conventions or even the chance to host NCAA college basketball championship games. “If Kentucky lawmakers want to remain focused on improving our commonwealth’s economy, this is exactly the legislation they should avoid,” Hartman says. MISSOURI

Elections certainly do have consequences in Missouri, where Republicans took back control of the governor’s office after eight years. “Last year, during session, we saw a constitutional amendment to allow businesses to deny services to samesex couples for weddings,” says Steph Perkins, executive

JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

theFeed director of PROMO, Missouri’s statewide LGBT advocacy organization. “This year, we’re seeing pieces of that bigger bill in a number of different bills. For example, we’re seeing bills that would expand the definition of what a religious exemption is, so that it’s not just churches or religious organizations that are exempt, but private businesses that are owned by religious organizations, such as Christian bookstores or Catholic hospitals.” PROMO will be fighting against two bathroom bills, one dealing with public buildings and the other with public schools, which restrict transgender people to using facilities that match their biological sex at birth. “When a student is restricted to the bathroom of their birth certificate or their chromosomes or their anatomy at birth, as this bill suggests, it not only means that the student will be singled out and potentially targeted, but it means that a student may not be able to go to school anymore,” says Perkins. “If they’re not allowed to go to the bathroom, they simply cannot be at a place for eight hours. And they certainly cannot be at a place for longer, and participate in extracurricular activities like debate club or sports, things we know that make a really well-rounded human being.” TENNESSEE

“Lawmakers in several states have introduced bills that would undermine samesex marriages, limit transgender people’s access to restrooms, and protect those who wish to discriminate against LGBT people.”

Tennessee’s major antiLGBT legislation this year is Senate Bill 1, an expansion of a law allowing counselors and therapists to refuse treatment to LGBT clients and others who do not conform to their religious or moral principles. But it appears some lawmakers weren’t satisfied with last year’s victory. Now, they’re trying to strengthen the law by forcing mental health practitioners to go against the American Counseling Association’s code of ethics. If passed, the bill would require the board to essentially rewrite a new code of ethics from scratch — with the proviso that counselors must still be able to refuse to treat clients whose sexual orientation or gender identity they find objectionable. Chris Sanders, executive director of the Tennessee Equality Project, says the bill is an example of how the far-

right is “continuing to look for ways to keep our community at arm’s length.” In addition to the expanded counseling bill, Sanders says lawmakers have proposed bills to use the “natural” and “ordinary” definitions of “husband,” “wife,” “father,” and “mother” in the state code, which would have the effect of refusing to recognize the marriages, adoptions, or parental rights of samesex couples raising children. Sanders also expects a bathroom bill restricting transgender people’s access to public restrooms and changing facilities before the end of the filing deadline. Sanders believes the bills are “tests” to see what gains traction, in the hope of eventually obtaining a decision from the U.S. Supreme Court — with justices appointed by President Trump — that would carve out special religious exemptions for social conservatives. “I think ultimately what they’re looking to do is find cases that can get some of these issues back before the court,” says Sanders. “I think they know it’s a long shot, but I think they also know in order to do that, they have to start experimenting now with issues that may be able to get back before the court once they have a more favorable slate of justices.”

JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

TEXAS

Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick wants to impose restrictions on the transgender community in terms of what bathroom they can use. In fact, he wants it so much he’s supporting a bill that will achieve just that. It prohibits local governments in Texas from passing nondiscrimination ordinances that provide public accommodations or restroom protections to transgender individuals. Private businesses are allowed to set their own policies, and those that choose to force transgender people to use the restroom of their biological sex at birth cannot be denied government contracts, special tax breaks, or subject to any fines or penalties. Two other bills in Texas seek to further restrict the types of protections that cities like Dallas, Fort Worth or Austin can extend to certain classes of people. The intent is to gut

theFeed any local LGBT protections. Such protections are a necessity, as Texas state law does not prohibit discrimination against LGBT people. Chuck Smith, the CEO of Equality Texas, says there is talk that Texas lawmakers may introduce yet another bill that would revise the state’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act to allow for discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. “Our existing RFRA was passed when it was actually about protecting religious freedoms. So in that sense, it’s about not allowing government to interfere with an individual’s practice of their faith,” says Smith. “What these news laws are trying to do is allow one person to use their religious beliefs against another individual. So it’s this misuse and retooling of what RFRAs were intended for in the first place.” Another bill getting a lot of press in Texas is a measure that would require teachers and school administrators to notify parents if their children request special accommodations or ask to be treated as a gender different from their biological sex. Whereas before parents had to ask for such information, this bill would penalize school employees who do not proactively report that information to parents. Smith and other advocates say the bill would essentially force teachers to “out” LGBT students to their parents against their will. VIRGINIA

In Virginia, Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) has warned that he will veto any measure that seeks to restrict LGBT rights. Yet some Old Dominion lawmakers seem intent on testing the governor’s willingness to follow through on his threat. Between them, Del. Bob Marshall (R-Manassas) and Del.

Nick Freitas (R-Culpeper) have introduced four anti-LGBT bills, including an HB 2-style bathroom bill dubbed the “Physical Privacy Act” by right-wing propagandists, one that would allow government contractors to discriminate against LGBT people in hiring, a third that would relegate transgender people to facilities matching their biological sex at birth and leave them unable to sue for discrimination, and a fourth that would provide overly broad protections to any “person” — including churches, religious organizations or businesses — who wished to exempt themselves from participating in the solemnization of same-sex marriages. “I think that these bills are cowardly in a lot of ways. I think they are misguided in the least, and bigoted at the most,” says Blaise Davi, a transgender resident of Richmond. “The existence of queer and trans people and the ability for us to access the same rights as anyone else does isn’t affecting anyone’s freedom. The economic and the subsequent emotional stability of queer and trans people is not an infringement on someone’s religious liberties.” The bathroom bill, should it pass under a future governor once McAuliffe leaves office, would be “profoundly dehumanizing” for the transgender community. Davi objects to the argument that such measures are essential to protect women and children from predators skulking about public restrooms. “Transgender people, we’re just trying to go to the bathroom. We’re just trying to get our business done and leave,” Davi says. “Logistically, a bill like this makes planning events, going out into the world as a transgender person, that much harder, an extra hurdle. And it’s dehumanizing, stripping someone of a certain level of dignity. So I think it’s a twofold effect here.” l

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Dear President Trump... Letters from the LGBT community to the incoming 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump Submitted by A. Cornelius Baker, Aisha Moodie-Mills, Alexa Rodriguez, Alicia Garza, Andre Hereford, Ba’Naka, Bernie Delia, Cathy Renna, Chris Allen, Clarence Fluker, Dana Beyer, Danielle Moodie-Mills, David Mariner, David von Storch, Emil de Cou, Eric D. Schaeffer, Rabbi Gil Steinlauf, Holly Goldmann, Jeffrey Manabat, John Guggenmos, Jose Carrasquillo, June Crenshaw, Kate Kendell, Congressman Mark Pocan, Mike Daisey, Mitchell Gold, Nicholas Benton, Rayceen Pendarvis, Rae Carey, Schuyler Bailar, Serge Seiden and Sterling Washington

Dear President Trump, Since the 1700s, my family, both European and African, free and slave, has worked to build this great nation we treasure. As tradesmen and servants in the towns and fields of South Carolina and Georgia, as farmers and merchants in the hills of Alabama, and as laborers, teachers, nurses, and protectors of our safety in Florida, New York and across this country, they have left us a loving inheritance of opportunity and purpose. And like my great-grandfather, Ocie Baker, a century ago during World War I, they have served this nation in wars before and after. The great moment that we observe on your inauguration has been bought by their great faith and sacrifice even at times of despair by many of my ancestors for their own freedom. The experience of my family and that of LGBT people, is what gives me great hope of the progress that lies ahead for the United States. Despite what has been often a brutal history for racial and sexual minorities, the magnificent achievements of the 20th century to end legal segregation, enact voting rights for all people, and to advance the civil rights of Americans regardless of gender, race, creed or sexual orientation in courts, legislatures and society remind us that the winding arc of America bends toward justice. As you are sworn in as the 45th President of the United States, hundreds of us will be in Dallas for the 2017 National African American MSM Leadership Conference on HIV/AIDS and other Health Disparities. The men and women gathered to organize our efforts to end the HIV epidemic and improve the health of black gay men, know too well the horrible deaths and sickness that has resulted from this epidemic during the past four decades — and the indifference of our government in its beginning. They also know the accomplishments in defeating HIV that the creative leadership of our communities have willed into being around the globe. On Inauguration Day, like all others, people around the world are at work honoring the 35 million dead from AIDS and to make prevention, care and treatment available to anyone in need. In its response to HIV, the LGBT community has left a lasting legacy of courage, determination and generosity. Through all our suffering and times of oppression, Black people and Gay people have given more than they have received 26

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and made America stronger in so doing. In standing against the tyranny of oppression, they have given this country its moral voice in the world — along with so much of its art and music and culture. In this time when division threatens the very future of the country we have inherited, my prayer is that you will come to know well the grace, strength and resilience of our people and hear the words of Walt Whitman and Langston Hughes as America sings for justice, dignity and equality. A. CORNELIUS BAKER

Citizen @acorneliusbaker

Dear President Trump, As leader of the nation for the next four years, it is imperative you declare unequivocal support for LGBT equality, and vow to protect and expand our rights while in office. The vast majority of Americans now support equal rights for LGBT people, regardless of party or ideology, race or religion. The widespread acceptance is what makes your appointees especially disturbing, given their almost universal hostility to our community and equality. I urge you direct your Cabinet to maintain agency policies inclusive of LGBT people, and to include our community in policy and decision-making. Your appointees must emulate the example of LGBT elected officials from across the nation, who make the values of inclusion, fairness and justice the foundation of their policy decisions. LGBT elected officials understand the diversity of America, because our community cuts across demographics — we are women, people of color, immigrants, Jewish and Muslim. They understand true leadership is working to improve the lives of all Americans, and that diversity and inclusion is what makes America great. It is these LGBT elected leaders who will hold your administration accountable for embodying those values of inclusion, fairness and justice. LGBT elected officials are unified and energized like never before, and they promise to support you

in efforts to promote equality, or to be your most vocal opponents if you attempt to derail our progress. They will certainly be a strong voice for our community regardless of the path you choose. Mr. President, our movement for equality is a moral one, and the legacy of your administration will be determined in part by your positions on our issues. Leave behind the rhetoric of the campaign and focus on bettering the lives of all Americans. AISHA C. MOODIE-MILLS

President & CEO Gay & Lesbian Victory Institute @AishaMoodMills

Dear President Trump, Mi nombre es Alexa Rodriguez, no soy mexicana, pero si soy salvadoreña. No sé si usted encuentre la diferencia. De igual manera quiero que sepa que soy una mujer Transgénero Latina, VIH positiva, soy inmigrante y cruce la frontera como muchas de

británico en la guerra de independencia, la primera guerra colonial de independencia exitosa. 14 La actual Constitución de los Estados Unidos fue adoptada el 17 de septiembre de 1787. Yo como muchas de mi familia LGBTQ, pero la más vulnerable mis hermanxs Transgénero latinas inmigrantes venimos a buscar la libertad que no tenemos en nuestros países, las personas Transgénero que nacieron en este país, buscamos respeto de la comunidad Hetero-Cisgenero. Mi llamado para usted que al entrar a la casa blanca tenga en cuanta que nosotrxs las personas transgeneros somos profesionales que aportamos mucho a la sociedad. El presidente Obama trabajo de la mano con muchxs de nuestrxs hermanxs sobre todo con Raffi Freedman-Gurspan (Former Senior Associate Director of Public Engagement at The White House Former Outreach and Recruitment Director, Presidential Personnel Office at The White House) Hay mucho por hacer por nuestra comunidad y es su obligación mantener la seguridad de todxs lxs ciudadanos de US, sin importar la raza el color o la nacionalidad. Tenemos los mismo derechos que cualquier otro ser humano. Hay que caminar hacia adelante dejando atrás el racismo y el odio, aprenda a usar de buana manera sus privilegios como hombre blanco y sobre todo como presidente de los USA. Luche pos ser ejemplo no la vergüenza en la casa blanca.

“LGBT elected officials promise to support you in efforts to promote equality, or to be YOUR MOST VOCAL OPPONENTS IF YOU ATTEMPT TO DERAIL OUR PROGRESS.”

Translation

My name is Alexa Rodriguez and I am an HIV-positive TransLatina woman. I may not be Mexican, but I am Salvadoran, and just like many of my TransLatina sisters, I am an immigrant who crossed the southern U.S. border, fleeing the violence of our homelands. My country, like many other countries in Central and Latin America, have and continue to be affected by the actions of the United States Government. Here is a little history lesson for you before you speak about immigrants again: For thousands and thousands of years, indigenous peoples inhabited what is now United States territory. This American Indian population was — Aisha Moodie-Mills drastically reduced after its first contact with European colonizers, being devastated by wars and mis hermanas Translatinas. Huyendo de la violencia de nuestros disease. The United States was founded by 13 British colonies países de origen, mi país como muchos influenciados y afectados along the Atlantic coast. On the fourth of July, 1776, these colpor la influencia de los estados unidos. onies produced the Declaration of Independence, proclaiming U poco de Historia para usted antes de que nuevamente hable their right to self-determination and the establishment of a de las personas inmigrantes: Los pueblos indígenas llevan miles cooperative union. These rebel states defeated the British in the de años habitando lo que hoy es el territorio continental de los Revolutionary War — the first successful colonial war of indeEstados Unidos. Esta población amerindia fue reducida por las pendence. The actual United States constitution was adopted on enfermedades y la guerra después del primer contacto con los the 17th of September, 1787. europeos. Estados Unidos fue fundado por trece colonias britániI, like many within my LGBTQ family and especially as the cas, situadas a lo largo de la costa atlántica. El 4 de julio de 1776, most vulnerable members of this group, Trans Latina immiemitieron la Declaración de Independencia, que proclamó su grants, came to the United States in the search of liberty that derecho a la libre autodeterminación y el establecimiento de una we did not have in our own countries. Transgender people unión cooperativa. Los estados rebeldes derrotaron al Imperio who were born in this country seek the respect of the straight, 28

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cisgender hegemony. Now as you enter the White House I ask you to keep in mind that my Trans Latina community is full of professionals who contribute a lot to society. President Obama worked with many of our sisters and brothers in the community, most notably Raffi Freedman-Gurspan (Former Senior Associate Director of Public Engagement at The White House, Former Outreach and Recruitment Director, Presidential Personnel Office at The White House). There is much to be done for our community and it is your obligation, your duty to maintain the security of all the people living in the United States, regardless of race, color, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation or nationality. We have the same rights as any other human being. Moving forward, it is important to leave behind racism and hate and to learn to use your privileges as a white man and as president of the United States. Please fight on behalf of my community to be an example, and not an embarrassment, in the White House. ALEXA RODRIGUEZ

funeral because we wanted to make sure that your brand of hate didn’t keep us from enjoying the same rights that others in America enjoy. We stood in limbo for years while our rights were debated by the courts. Ultimately, we won. We organized, stayed focused, and fought for the future that we all deserve. When I look at your administration, all I see is this nation moving backwards. A good ol’ boys club, hanging on to the vestiges of a past that is forever in the past. A party that is afraid of change. An endless sea of old white men with a sprinkling of older white women and little to no people of color. I know that you have no intention of making America great — the America you referred to was not great. You will make America make money for you and your friends, and let’s just be honest that this is what you truly care about. You represent America’s past, but you surely do not represent America’s future. And I, for one, will fight like hell to make sure we have a future to look forward to. Sincerely,

Director The Trans-Latina Coalition DMV @Alexafaustino

ALICIA GARZA

Co-creator of the Black Lives Matter network, an organiza tion you and people associated with you, like Rudy Giuliani and David Clarke, have hinted that you would like to desig nate as a domestic terrorist organization. @aliciagarza

Dear President Trump, Like many others, I too was shocked and saddened when you claimed victory on November 8, 2016. I was and am extremely critical of Hillary Clinton, yet I chose to vote for her because you and your administration pose a greater threat to humanity than Hillary Clinton ever could. Unfortunately, I was correct. I worry about the world that my children will inherit with you at the helm. I blame the GOP for supporting you and attempting to legitimize you, and for lacking the integrity needed to stand up and call this and you out for what it is and what you are — a threat to the promise of the America all of you claim to care so much about. When Mike Pence defends your attacks on a civil rights leader, or when Paul Ryan praises your use of social media when you use those tools to shame, bully, threaten and intimidate, it shows me that the problem is much bigger than a difference in values — the problem is a lack of integrity and basic human decency. Fortunately, they will be remembered for being on the wrong side of history, when faced with the opportunity to show the rest of the nation how they would lead and who they would exercise leadership for. I’ve been held hostage by your kind of values before — like with what happened with Proposition 8 in California in 2008. My partner and I got legally married the day of my grandfather’s

“I know that you have no intention of making America great — the America you referred to was not great. YOU WILL MAKE AMERICA MAKE MONEY FOR YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS.” — Alicia Garza

Dear President Trump, Welcome to Washington, D.C.! Not too long ago I also made the move from New York and it’s a transition that takes some getting used to. You haven’t made it clear how much time you intend to spend here but I’m JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

sure you’ll come to understand, if you’re not already familiar, that there’s Washington, the town where you’ve come to work, where Mitch and Ryan are kings of the hill, and your new hotel sits a couple left turns from the West Wing. Then there’s D.C., where Muriel works, the Metro doesn’t always, the Redskins rule, and you can turn right on red (usually). Washington mostly didn’t expect you, D.C. overwhelmingly didn’t vote for you, but we all need for you to try to be a decent president. Operating from within an occasionally unsupportive environment should not feel new to you, as you’ve maintained a notoriously love-hate relationship with New Yorkers, who also overwhelmingly did not vote for you. Advancing the interests of yourself and your family against currents or tides of resistance has been your m.o. for decades, and I respect that. What definitely is new to you is holding an elected office that demands you advance the interests of people who aren’t your family, don’t work for you and might have little to nothing in common with you. As a public servant, you must be an advocate

Americans need your compassion right now, those who voted for you and especially the ones who can’t stand you. It won’t be easy. I wish you well. ANDRÉ HEREFORD

Writer

Dear President Trump, Hey, gurl, hey! Ba’Naka here! I just wanted to reach out and give you a few helpful tips to make your move to Washington as smooth as possible. Ya’ know, just a courtesy from one superficial celebrity to another. Let’s begin! Social Media. As a Drag Queen, my scathing wit, sharp tongue and ability to be incredibly petty has taken me far and garnered the love and respect from dozens of dozens of inebriated fans. However, President Trump, you are no drag queen, despite the many similarities in makeup wiggery and taste level. When addressing social media (or anyone else for that matter, you need to present a sense of professionalism, statesmanship and at least some semblance of sanity. Basically, you need to be “Presidential.” Think more Ronald Reagan, less Archie Bunker. Look I get it, as a drag queen, I get the pleasure of yelling at everyone indiscriminately — it’s fun and it burns calories! From the price of duct tape to the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race, I — Ba’Naka have an opinion on everything and have no issue letting it be known — and that’s okay, because I’m a drag queen. You sir, however, are now the keeper of the highest office in the land. Gurl, you need to pick your fights! Leave Miss Streep alone! Besides being a darling and an icon she is not your concern! You’ve got bigger fish to fry! You gotta keep an eye on your good Judy’s like Miss Russia, Miss China and Madame North Korea. If they are anything like my contemporaries, they are some shady ladies! They will try and snatch your wig and your gig in the blink of an eye. Focus, Queen! You are now our symbol of excellence! You got the crown, you won the pageant (No Tea, No Shade, but we all know that Pag was rigged anyway), now it’s time to act the part. You are working the main stage, honey! Please hold yourself to a higher standard (get off Twitter), and remember to smile, be polite and don’t burn the country down in your first 100 days. Good Luck & Don’t F*ck It Up!

“You gotta keep an eye on your good Judy’s like Miss Russia, Miss China and Madame North Korea. THEY WILL TRY AND SNATCH YOUR WIG AND YOUR GIG IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE.” for, and champion of, Americans who can’t stand you. That’s rough, but it comes with the job that you campaigned for and won. Are you up to that? Can you be so magnanimous? Do you have that much compassion in you? I watched and listened to you during this past campaign, and I didn’t see it. I’ve been paying attention to you as a public figure for much of my adult life, and I’ve never seen it. I don’t see it in a man who brags about grabbing women by their genitals. I don’t see it in a man who defends publicly mocking one person by claiming that he mocks and insults all kinds of people. I don’t see it in a man who spends any amount of time tweeting about his so-called enemies. I don’t see it in your cabinet picks, and certainly not in your choice of running mate. You do seem to understand the value of compassion. In your speech to the Republican National Convention, you vowed to build an administration that is considerate to everyone, adding, “But my greatest compassion will be for our own struggling citizens.” Fine — when will we see that? How long will citizens struggling against poverty, inequality and discrimination have to wait as you publicly demean your detractors, before they see you focus on uplifting us all? Not too long, I hope, because all 30

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Xoxo, BA’NAKA

Duchess of Protocol @BaNakaDev P.S. I’m available for weddings, birthday parties, bar mitz vahs and State Dinners.

Dear President Trump,

Throughout history, from ancient times to the present, members of the LGBT community have proudly and honorably participated in every facet of public and private life, serving the wider community and sharing our many talents. For much of that time, we did so while hiding our true identity, without the benefit of any societal support, and often under the threat of outright hostility. Happily, over the last fifty years, we have moved from being shunned and invisible to being out and able to joyously and openly share who we are with family and friends. Every year, often in June during Pride month, we take that celebration of the dignity we feel every day and share it with the larger community. Although these events now have a more festive tone to them because of the great advances that have occurred, nonetheless, the protests against intolerance from which they originated, remain at the heart of the annual commemorations, even up to today. During your recent presidential campaign, you said that while in office you intend to protect the members of the LGBT community from foreign threats specifically aimed at LGBT people. That is certainly a worthwhile goal. We hope that you will also protect us domestically from those in our country who would either harm us outright through violence or by passing discriminatory laws aimed at making LGBT people second-class citizens and thus depriving us of the basic rights enjoyed by the majority of Americans. The many and diverse members of the LGBT community have survived — and thrived — in times of great difficulty and danger. We derive strength from that diversity and acknowledge that our struggle is informed by and joined with others in the civil rights community. We have withstood daunting challenges with intense determination. We possess, individually and collectively, the power to persevere and endure in the face of adversity. We appreciate those who have taken up our cause, become allies, and ultimately helped us. Because there is work still to be done, we ask you to support our journey to full equality. Nevertheless, we will continue to move forward — we’ve done it before and we will do it again. Not only is equal treatment under the law our right as American citizens, but we have come too far and made too much progress to ever turn back now. Stand with us.

To be honest, even using that title made me queasy, but on January 20 it will indeed be part of American history and our reality. I believe you have done nothing to earn it and have only increasingly demonstrated a dangerous and un-American set of principles, values and intentions. I am not a gambler, but I imagine I am feeling what someone in one of your failed casinos felt when rolling the dice or watching the roulette wheel spin — uncertainty, fear, bracing for loss because in your gut you believe the house always wins.

“Since the election you and your surrogates have continued to demonstrate that A VOTE FOR YOU WAS NOT DISSIMILAR TO A HATE CRIME.”

Sincerely, BERNIE DELIA

President of the Board of Directors Capital Pride Alliance, Inc.

— Cathy Renna

Since the election you and your surrogates have continued to demonstrate that a vote for you was not dissimilar to a hate crime. My relatives on my father’s side in Italy were stunned and fearful when the results came in. “Should have learned from our mistake electing Berlusconi,” they joked. But there is another Italian leader you are much more similar to, and we should heed the history lesson of their past. My father grew up in Italy when Mussolini was in power. As we know, he ruled the country constitutionally as Prime Minister from 1922 to 1925, then dropped all pretense of democracy and set up a legal dictatorship. Now, I wouldn’t compare you to Hitler. Yet. So if the shoe fits, it would be a Dolce and Gabbana. Because when people talk about a potential constitutional crisis, this is what I believe they are alluding to. But this is something you will never achieve. Because I believe in the core values of America and our constitution and we, as a nation, would never let this happen. Like Congressman John Lewis, the civil rights hero and icon you dismissively berated when he called your presidency illegitimate, we will march. We will resist. We will stand up and say no, not in our America. My daughter is about the same age as Barron. What kind of world will she grow up in? Will it be one that considers her “less than” your child? Not if I can help it. In his second inaugural speech, Barack Obama said, “We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths, that all of us are created equal, is the star that guides us still, just as it guidJANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

ed our forbearers to Seneca Falls and Selma and Stonewall.” I am not alone in being guided by that star that our great President of the last eight years alluded to, a star that will get us through this next period of American history like no other, one that will test us but also one we will face undaunted. CATHY RENNA

LGBTQ Activist Principal, Target Cue @cathyrenna

Dear President Trump, Congratulations on becoming the 45th President of the United States of America!

anything else. Continue to enforce the executive order that bans LGBT discrimination with federal contractors, and work with Congress to pass similar a nationwide bill. As an accomplished dealmaker, lead Congress toward fixing our healthcare system to actually become affordable for all Americans. Find common ground to create more jobs, enact fair regulations that protect Americans but don’t strangle small businesses, and craft a tax code that encourages businesses to stay and leaves more money in our pockets. Guide our leaders to break the gridlock in Washington, modernize our military with 21st century technologies to combat new and growing cyber threats, and accomplish what leaders from both sides have been unable to do and reign in our astounding national debt. On the world stage, make smart deals that continue to promote our ideals, collaborate with our allies so that power vacuums don’t form and allow extremists to advance and grow, and achieve peace at home and abroad by projecting strength and tactful diplomacy. There are many of us supporting you starting on day one, but others will need more convincing. Overwhelm our country with such great leadership so that when you leave office, the world will anxiously await your guidance in your biggest best seller of all time: The Art of Governing.

“OVERWHELM OUR COUNTRY WITH SUCH GREAT LEADERSHIP so that when you leave office, the world will anxiously await your guidance in your biggest best seller of all time: The Art of Governing.” — Chris Allen Against the odds, many polls, and obstacles from every direction, you stunned the world by rewriting (and retweeting) the old campaign book with new tactics, a keen grasp and understanding of effective, modern communications, and strategic voter targeting. While your victory on November 8th was historic and monumental, a much greater task of bringing our divided country together lies ahead. Your business acumen and mastery of deal-making are great strengths to help you achieve this for our country and all Americans. As a Republican, continue to set an example for other Republicans regarding their views on LGBT issues as you did in your convention speech in Cleveland when you said, “As your president, I will do everything in my power to protect our LGBTQ citizens from the violence and oppression of a hateful foreign ideology.” Supporting our community and making sexual orientation a non-issue within the GOP is the direction our party needs and is consistent with our party’s principles of limited government and individual liberty. As a businessman, continue to remind states that anti-LGBT laws are bad for business as you did when North Carolina passed HB2. Lead by example, as you did in your personal businesses, by hiring and appointing the best qualified people regardless of 32

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Good luck and best wishes, CHRIS ALLEN

President DC Log Cabin Republicans @DCLogCabin

Dear President Trump,

You will hear us. You will hear the voices of millions of Americans who oppose your narrow worldview, shallow rhetoric and proposed policies that benefit those who have the most, while hurting the most vulnerable. Our voices will not be made silent. We are not afraid. We are resilient. We are empowered. We are determined. We stand in truth. We stand on the right side of history. We stand on the backs of those who stood before us. We stand as a beautiful representation of the diversity of our already great nation. We know that you thought you could dissuade us. We know you thought you could divide us. We know that you thought shadows would prevail. You thought wrong. There is no such thing as Trump’s America. There is only the United States of America. Your single election didn’t wipe out hundreds of years of our history and its progress. Your election only reminded us that we must be remain forever vigilant. We will continue to push ahead and embrace the idea that our democracy can only work at its best when every citizen is genuinely heard, understood and engaged. Americans who believe in true equality, freedom, liberty and opportunity for all, have much work to do. And we are up to the task. We will organize. We will demonstrate. We will litigate. We

will agitate. In city halls, in state capitals, in the Capitol Building and in front of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, you will hear us. We will rise as one. WE the people will preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. Your Fellow Countryman, CLARENCE J. FLUKER

in poor shape — don’t push your luck. Take your cake and go home and enjoy it. Don’t struggle for the approbation of those, Democrats and Republicans alike, who are in on the con. You’ll never get it. Don’t destroy the work of millions to satisfy your own ego. If you do, you’ll soon find the pleasure is an empty one. Salvage the joy of your revenge, and save this country that helped you become the man you are today from a descent into hate and misery. DANA BEYER, M.D.

Former Obama Appointee @CJFluker

Executive Director Gender Rights Maryland @DanaBeyerMD

Dear President Trump, We’re all aware that few expected you to win on Election Day. One could say that the only one more surprised than the rest of us is you. You haven’t prepared for the job, arguably the most important in the world. You’ve undertaken no efforts to divest, to put your business holdings, if any were viable, in a blind trust. You didn’t bone up on foreign or domestic policy, leaving that for the running mate. You’ve treated this leveraged buyout, hostile takeover as a reality show. You have no qualifications for the job, as you’ve hardly read anything for the past sixty years. Your character hasn’t changed, as remarked by those who knew you in military school. You’ve no experience in government, working in coalitions, or building support for policy. You’ve never served your country, or given back anything to the system that allowed you to become a celebrity. You are a rupture in the history of presidential qualifications and the expectations of the citizenry the president is supposed to lead. Given that you’ve now taken the celebrity culture as far as it can go, and given that there are tens of millions of people in this country alone who are counting on being able to continue to live their lives with an understanding of the rules they’ve played by throughout their lives, I respectfully ask that you resign your position. All our intelligence agencies have seriously called your patriotism into question, as your actions and those of your advisers may very well amount to treason. You cannot escape the taint of that treason, just as Hillary could not escape the taint of corruption with which what’s left of the Republican Party saddled her beginning in 1992. During the past seventy years, when the United States was much more united than today, this country struggled to become a more perfect union, and tens of millions of people found hope in being themselves and working to live to their full potential. Women, African-Americans, the LGBT community, immigrants from Latin America, Africa and Asia — all have worked to become a part of the tapestry of American society, just as your forebears did. They deserve the opportunity to continue their lives in peace and with hope. Please spare us the coming constitutional crisis and global chaos. You won a dirty election, but you won. You’re an old man

Dear President Trump, As a black lesbian American, who is the grateful child of immigrants that sacrificed and struggled to leave their homeland of Jamaica in the 1970s, to rebuild their dreams in this great nation,

“You are a rupture in the history of presidential qualifications. Given that you’ve now taken the celebrity culture as far as it can go, I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOU RESIGN YOUR POSITION.” — Dana Beyer

I remain incredibly disturbed by your thoughtless words against the communities I am proud to represent. Sir, your unfounded and dangerous comments about immigrants in this nation as well as the black community are unbecoming of any person that seeks to be the president for ALL Americans. Immigrants and people of color built this country off of their backs — and did so under the domestic terrorism of slavery, Jim Crow and now the indentured servitude that too many new immigrants to this country must face as they battle unrelenting racism and xenophobia. This country’s creed of “We the People” will not be undone by one man or one administration that seeks to roll back progress because they believe that people that don’t look like them, love like them, or worship like them are less than. This country is already great because of its diversity, acceptance and willingness to strive towards our highest ideal of becoming a more perfect JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

union. We can’t find perfection in discrimination, hostility and hatred — that is not who America is at its core. Know this, sir: I will work tirelessly over the next four years to ensure the safety and freedom for all people — the documented and the undocumented, the straight and the LGBTQ, the Muslim and the Jew — we are America and we are great because we believe in our fundamental ability to progress in the face of

of us, including myself, come from a small town and know the struggles they face first hand. Others follow one of the finest American traditions coming from other countries to seek new opportunities, much like my own mother did more than fifty years ago. I have never felt more of an American than I have living right here in Washington, D.C. Not because of the monuments, or the Congress, but because of the people — my neighbors. My Washington, D.C. is where Ben Ali, a Muslim immigrant from Trinidad, came with virtually nothing and over time built Ben’s Chili Bowl, one of our city’s most iconic restaurants. This city is a place where homeless LGBTQ youth arrive from other parts of the country with little more than a bus receipt, and have the opportunity to rebuild their lives thanks to the work of folks like Ruby Corado at Casa Ruby. My city is a place where undocumented residents can get a limited purpose driver’s license, — David von Storch where asylum seekers and refugees find sanctuary, and where transgender residents can get gender-affirming care. Most importantly, Washington, D.C. is a place where we strive to live together in peace. We are not perfect, but it is here, working with the local community where I feel we are closest to that perfect union where everybody — yes, everybody — has a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This is the daily work of our fine city, and frankly for me and for countless others, this is what makes America great. I might add, we do it all without a vote in Congress (it’s called taxation without representation and it’s not fair). I hope you take the opportunity to learn from your new neighbors, but if not, please know that we will not be divided. I consider an attack on any one of our fine citizens an attack on all of us, and I know other community leaders feel exactly the same way. We don’t know if you will go through with pushing for a Muslim registry. We don’t know if you will go through with your threats to start deporting undocumented residents on Day One of your Presidency. We don’t know how many of the executive orders protecting individuals from discrimination will be rolled back. What I do know is that we will resist. I know the “bubble” I live in is growing bigger every single day. And I know that ultimately, we will win.

“YOU’VE SHOWN US WHO YOU ARE BY THE COMPANY THAT YOU KEEP. You are no friend of ours, and anyone who says otherwise is buying the orange fool’s gold you are peddling in the form of $26 cocktails at your new Trump Hotel.”

evil. We will continue to make certain that America remains the beacon on the hill and symbol of democracy by continuing to fight tirelessly for our inalienable rights. I urge you sir, to read more and tweet less. Education is at the core of any great nation and those that close their minds to the wonders of the world and the great people of all colors, religions, and groups that make it go around will petrify in their close-mindedness and become obsolete. If you choose to work with us, we will find ways to work with you. If you continue on the path that you outlined during the campaign than know that you will face opposition at every turn. The choice is yours to make, sir. Sincerely, DANIELLE MOODIE-MILLS

Advocate, Writer and Strategist Politini Media @DeeTwoCents

Dear President Trump, Soon you will be living (part time?) in Washington, D.C., where Hillary Clinton won more than 90% of the vote, and where, not surprisingly, you will not find many fans. There are those who would suggest, of course, that Washington, D.C., is just another urban bubble, ignorant of the realities of small town America. I can assure you, however, that this is not the case. Many 34

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DAVID MARINER

Executive Director The DC Center @DavidMarinerDC

Dear President Trump,

own, landed in the most powerful seat in the land.

Trying to figure out where you really stand on LGBT issues, or any issue for that matter, is a vexing process. You say on 60 Minutes, for example, that marriage equality is settled law, yet every name you have mentioned as a possible nominee to the Supreme Court views our community as perverted and deserving of no rights to anything except perhaps to conversion therapy paid for with funds diverted from HIV treatment programs. Your Cabinet choices almost to a man (there are a few women — Senator Mitch McConnell’s wife was a smarmy homage to that shining example of cooperation and character that now presides over the U.S. Senate) abhor according any rights to our community or respecting those rights we have fought for far too long to achieve. So while you’re busy tweeting the nonsense that has earned you the distinction as the most unpopular incoming President in modern U.S. history, your Cabinet will no doubt be creating and implementing policies that are likely at every corner to attack us, marginalize us and and demean who we are as human beings. As such I don’t believe anything you say, except for some reason I can’t quite explain, I do believe that your 3 a.m. tweets reflect the inner-workings of your third-grade bully’s soul. So, while I could go on and on pleading for you to stand up for what you’ve said about those LGBT rights you believe are fair and just, I won’t bother. You’ve shown us who you are by the company that you keep. You are no friend of ours, Mr. Trump, and anyone who says otherwise is buying the orange fool’s gold that you are peddling in the form of $26 cocktails at your new Trump Hotel in my hometown. Every single day when I get out of bed, I will do my best not to get distracted by your childish prattling and insidious gas lighting. At times my better angels will try to find something positive in the words you read from the TelePrompTer that Kellyanne Conway so artfully crafts. Yet while you and the Republicans in control of Congress drink from that false cup of mandate that makes you drunk with power and hubris, the seeds of our discontent have been firmly sown. I do have just one request. Please don’t come to Adams Morgan, Dupont Circle, Logan Circle, Shaw, NE, SW, SE or anywhere adjacent. We will try to be civil but it’s a really big ask. When you go out, I’d recommend Georgetown. It’s not Mar a Largo, but it’s the best we can offer. Enjoy your stay in our town. We are ever-hopeful that in no time you will return full-time to your gilded tower of excess in New York in whose escalators you descended from the heavens to burnish your brand and somehow, through no fault of your

Welcome to D.C.! DAVID VON STORCH

President, UA Companies VIDA Fitness, Bang Salon, Capitol City Brewing Co. @davidvons

“The day after you won the election, your spirit was in the man who approached my partner and me as we walked down the street holding hands, AS HE PANTOMIMED GUNNING US DOWN WITH A SEMI-AUTOMATIC WEAPON.” — Rabbi Gil Steinlauf

Dear President Trump, I am a musician. Music is what I know best and may be the only thing I know well. Music saved me during a difficult and even dangerous time in the early years of my life. Orange County, California was not the easiest place to grow up gay in the 1970s. Being adrift, like many during their teens, I was especially sensitive to nearly daily taunting, name-calling, and ridicule because I was a mixed-race, gay youth. After spending years trying to hide my true self from others (and even me) I came across my own personal “life preserver,” and a very unlikely one at that — my high school band room. With my fellow nerds and geeks I finally found my voice and acceptance and, most of all, I found music. Although the taunting never stopped outside of the band room, it seemed to sting less knowing that I could find refuge in music. Those years of refuge, supported by my wonderful teachers and friends, have never left me. I have been lucky enough to have made a life in music and throughout my career the most fulfilling experiences I have had as a conductor have been to bring music to young people and, above all, to the most vulnerable around us, including other racial and sexual minorities. Music cannot put food on the table JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

or employ thousands of people, but I know from first-hand experience that music has a positive influence on the lives of all Americans. Music is at the center of every milestone event, be it a birthday, a wedding, national mourning, or a spiritual gathering. Music, even in its most basic form (e.g., the birthday song or “Now I know my ABCs”), can entertain millions. Music can also give a voice to the voiceless, and, in my case, save a life by providing a refuge to a developing young, gay musician. Every time I speak to young people about the power, joy and fun of music, I tell them that they — or anyone — can have a voice. We need to become a singing nation, and less a shouting one, once again. In the words of James Johnson, “lift every voice and sing.” And if by doing so we save one vulnerable child or a forgotten, lonely soul we are that much closer to fulfilling that glorious promise to become a more perfect union. Vilification and vitriol have no place in the arts, just as they have no place in American life. To date, it seems that mere “words” have not unified this great country. Perhaps it time to give the arts a chance. EMIL DE COU

Music Director Pacific Northwest Ballet emil@pnb.org

Dear President Trump, Over the course of decades in America, the one thing that has brought a divided country together has been the arts. The arts are a vessel that brings ideas to life, introducing each

a melting pot of immigrants founded with the principle of free speech. As President Kennedy said, “I see little of more importance to the future of our country and of civilization than full recognition of the place of the artist. If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him.” ERIC SCHAEFFER

Artistic Director/Co-Founder Signature Theatre

Dear President Trump, As a Jew, as a rabbi, as a gay man, I have something to say to you: you don’t know me, but I know you. We have met, in fact, many times. We have met in this lifetime, and across countless generations. In my lifetime, I have heard your hateful words and felt your contempt in the expressions of bullies and mean-spirited children who taunted me and beat me and called me “faggot” in the hallways and classrooms of my junior high school. The day after you won the election, your spirit was in the man who approached my partner and me as we walked down the street holding hands, as he pantomimed gunning us down with a semi-automatic weapon. My Jewish people know you so very well. In fact, we tell the story of you at our Passover seders. In the Haggadah, we read how you rise up in each and every generation — either to destroy us literally, or to destroy everything that we stand for. And what is it that we stand for? “You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him...You shall not ill-treat any widow or orphan...” (Exodus 22:21-22). The stranger, the widow, the orphan — these represent all the people in society who are vulnerable, who do not have privilege. In our time, that list extends to black people, to LGBTQ people, to Muslims and to immigrants, to Jews, to women, to the disabled. I know you so well, Mr. Trump, because in every generation, you hate and seek to destroy us for exactly the same reason: deep down, you are afraid of us. We threaten — John Guggenmos everything that you understand about yourself. For you, life is a nightmare where you cannot feel the nearness of Divine love, no matter how much wealth and acclaim and privilege you hoard, no matter how many of us you attack for the momentary relief of feeling powerful at the expense of the less powerful. But I also know one more thing about you, Mr. Trump. In every generation, you may rise up to extraordinary power. You may wreak terrible destruction. But you always fall. Always. You see, the power of Divine love lives with us “strangers, orphans and widows.” And that Divine love is the only real power there

“As I’ve watched the footage of you mocking the reporter, again and again, I WONDER WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF PRESIDENT OBAMA HAD OPENLY MOCKED A DISABLED REPORTER DURING HIS CAMPAIGN?”

of us to different, and sometimes challenging, points of view. They help us begin conversations and understanding about different people, different ideas and different ways of thinking altogether. They provide a safe place where no one is judged while thoughts and ideas are exchanged. Songs can move us, words can change us and music notes can stir our soul. I hope the next four years we can use art to heal, accept different points of view and grow as a country that continues to be 36

JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

is. And that love will give us strength to organize, to stand tall and proud, and to resist you. Sorry to break this news to you, Mr. Trump. Sorry that your power and privilege shuts your eyes and covers your ears to the truth. But we have been around the block with you for thousands of years, and it always ends the same way. Enjoy your power grab and your rampage of hate — yet again. And when Love and Justice vanquishes your regime of intolerance once more, I only ask that you try to remember, once and for all, that it was never us whom you needed to fear. It was your own hardened heart — feeling powerless and closed off to the world — that you projected onto us and called “enemy.” But whether or not you are capable of learning this lesson, we are here. We are stronger than you can imagine. And we are ready for you.

have used your wife to do the same. (If your “record” repeats itself, will she still be your wife in four years?) I’m asking you to think before you talk, and to get the hell off Twitter. You’ve made this country a joke. We’re the laughing stock of the world. I know you’re a smart man, but you have no filter. And that’s your weakness. Can you keep America great? I don’t think it’s broken. Listen to experienced politicians from all the parties, and change your cabinet. We shouldn’t be working against each other — we need to work together to keep this country great. Everything is so black and white with you. You can’t treat policies and politics like you treat Rosie O’Donnell. This isn’t a tabloid paper anymore — welcome to the real world. The joke is over, and the jokes will be on you. HOLLY GOLDMANN

Executive Producer Capital Trans Pride @holly_goldmann

Sincerely, GIL STEINLAUF

Senior Rabbi Adas Israel Congregation, Washington, D.C. @gsteinlauf Dear President Trump, Rabbi Steinlauf’s words here represent his views only, and he does not speak on behalf of Adas Israel Congregation.

Dear President Trump, I’m a Trans woman from New York City who has lived in D.C. the past 19 years. I never felt you were a serious candidate for POTUS. So, initially, I didn’t pay it much attention. I should have. I never disliked or despised you. But you were always in the center of some tabloid fodder. Coming of age in the early ’90s, I recall you being critical of President Clinton for not making LGBT rights easy in the workplace. You said you didn’t care what someone was, as long as they did a good job. You defended an outed Canadian Trans contestant in one of your pageants a few years back. And you even commented that the “bathroom bills” were a joke at a press conference with your family. Pardon my impoliteness, but you have diarrhea of the mouth. And I’m not sure I trust your decisions. Your cabinet appointees are a joke — literally looking like a rogue’s gallery. I truly worry about war and international relations. I worry about my international friends who live in the states, both documented and undocumented, and I worry about the rights of minorities, who as a group are quickly becoming the majority. I try to see the good in you. But you’ve thrown your ridiculous choice for VP under the bus to cover for your antics. And you

As an improbably-formed drag a cappella comedy troupe birthed at the height of the devastating AIDS crisis, The Kinsey Sicks witnessed the right wing’s willingness to ignore and devalue us, rob an entire community of our rights, and use fear as a political weapon. We see it coming again, and we hope that you can hear us. In fact, in the spirit of the listening that’s been encouraged between the left and the right, we invite you to our next show, Things You

“This election has changed the way I look at my neighbors, family and friends. I AM SUSPICIOUS OF WHO WOULD HAVE VOTED AGAINST MY VERY EXISTENCE.” — June Crenshaw Shouldn’t Say, and see how much we do listen, that we actually share your lack of filter, taste, and shame. Unlike you, however, we’ve been using and will continue to use those qualities to transform outrage into our art: ribald humor, wicked satire, and over-the-top drag, all in glorious four-part harmony. Okay, we admit that you and those who love you will probably not like the show, but we sincerely believe that, as the President of all of us, you should listen to what we and our comJANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

munity have to say. And, if afterwards, you still don’t like it, we encourage you to denounce us on Twitter, as there is no higher honor (and besides, we can use the sales). Enjoy the show! Just remember: no refunds.

icy road.” It was painful at best, but you could take a note from George Bush, your fellow Republican, and try to be a humble and dignified public servant. I didn’t believe in George Bush’s vision of America, but I respected the office and the man. Your campaign, possibly aided by the Russians and WikiLeaks Sincerely, was incredibly rough, and the country is deeply polarized and divided as a result. While I acknowledge you were elected JEFF MANABAT President, you lost the popular majority by three million votes aka “Trixie” and won by less than one percent in a handful of states in the For The Kinsey Sicks electoral college. So don’t act as if you won. The majority of America’s Favorite Dragapella® Beautyshop Quartet Americans don’t agree with you. Nevertheless, Mr. Trump, you will be president of all Americans — not just the minority that voted for you. You will be president to my Muslim spouse and Muslim in-laws, and all the Muslim Americans; and the black lives movement and the entire Community of color; to Colin Kaepernick, who you said looked like a third grader on the playground while he peacefully showed his right to peaceful protest; to the transgendered community who needs protection in every state in the country to have basic bathroom rights and freedom from harassment in employment, fair housing and healthcare; to all the small business owners you screwed and refused to pay for work they did for you; to everyone you ever boldly harassed with a lawsuit; to all the people that you could have — Congressman Mark Pocan helped by actually donating money to charity instead of lying about it including your own foundation; to Khiz and Ghazala Khan, the POWs, Dear President Trump, to Senator John McCain and all the suffers from PTSD; to the families of disabled and to Serge Kovaleski, and to every women This letter has been incredibly difficult for me to write. I wanted of sexual assault and every woman you called a dog, pig, slob, to write something positive and inspirational, and that somehow Miss Piggy or rated as a four and to the other women you openly we’re all in this together. But I didn’t vote for you and I don’t mocked, from Rosie O’Donnell and Elizabeth Warren to Ruth feel as hopeful with the prospect of change that you’ve con- Bader Ginsburg and Hillary Clinton. veyed is coming. A great number of injustices will occur because You’ll also be the President to President Obama, even though you’ve given license to them. I wish you understood the genuine for years you pursued the birther rhetoric. And to all the concerns of millions of Americans are serious and what you’ve Mexican Americans you demonized and their children and to all shown us is a dangerous tendency to disregard the truth, bend of the immigrants and naturalized citizen’s. You’ll be President the rules, and encroach on our personal freedoms instead of to our rich history of immigration, the institution of freedom of protecting them. History is a massive steamroller that crushes in the press and to the truth itself. agonizing slow motion, and this is happening to everyone — even You’re the fresh outsider and will now hold the same office the winners of this political season, though they don’t yet see it. as Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Lincoln, Roosevelt, FDR, JFK, I watched in your first press conference how you couldn’t Johnson, and Obama. Congratulations. You’re the President. resist making fun of Senator Lindsey Graham one last time. Two Now act like it and serve us well. days prior, you couldn’t resist taking a swipe at Meryl Streep. Further, saying, “For the 100th time, I never ‘mocked’ a disabled Sincerely, reporter” — all I can say, Mr. Trump, is that all of our eyes didn’t JOHN GUGGENMOS suddenly stop working, and we did see what you desperately wish didn’t happen. As I’ve watched the footage of you mockAmerican, Small Business Owner, George Washington ing the reporter, again and again, I wonder what would have and University of Wyoming alumni, ANC commissioner, happened if President Obama had openly mocked a disabled Son to Republican parents Lloyd & Carolyn Guggenmos, reporter during his campaign? What would you have done then? proud Hillary supporter, not congressionally represented As I watched that press conference, I thought back to how District of Columbia resident, proudly serving the gay night Tucker Carlson once described George Bush’s public speaking life community of Washington, D.C. for 27 years skills, “as painful as watching a drunk old man walk across a very @johnguggenmos

“I will continue to advocate every day for full equality and I sincerely hope you will keep true to your word and JOIN ME IN THIS FIGHT.”

JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

Dear President Trump, Kellyanne Conway recently said that those that did not vote for you (the majority of Americans) should try to see what’s in your heart. The irony of her request is, of course, that ever since you declared your candidacy, what’s in your heart has been evidently clear. I’m assuming all the stuff you stated during the campaign and after your election has come straight from that heart. But soon you will be the POTUS and I wonder about the following: How discriminatory will your administration be against the LGBT community? Will you go along with Right Wing Republicans in Congress and sign into law the First Amendment Defense Act, thus enshrining discrimination into our constitution and adversely affecting the lives of every LGBT person in our country? Will your Justice Department and the judges you appoint try to take away the rights that we have gained? Those rights, incidentally, are not special rights, as some continue to label them. Deportations, wall building, Muslim ban and draconian registries will affect thousands of our LGBT brothers and sisters. And repealing the Affordable Care Act is an outright act of cruelty against the most vulnerable. In regards to these issues I’m actually curious to see what’s in your heart.

Despite this, your presidency will probably have the least impact on my life and well-being. You see, sir, my fear is not for me. It is for our most vulnerable population. I am outraged and dismayed by the harm that will be caused to our LGBTQ youth, especially our LGBTQ homeless youth. I am afraid for

“I’m hoping that the gravity of your new position sinks in, that you find compassion in your heart and mind, and that YOU CHANGE YOUR APPROACH AND STOP SETTING AN EXAMPLE THAT EMPOWERS BULLIES.”

JOSE CARRASQUILLO

Freelance Theatre Director and Educator

Dear President Trump, Sixty nine days ago, you were elected to become our next president. Since then, I have experienced a lot of feelings, but the main one has been that of dismay. This election has changed the way I look at my neighbors, family and friends. I am suspicious of who would have voted against my very existence. I am scared and unsettled. I don’t know what to expect or what to do to ensure my safety or well-being. My trust in the very process that I have participated with since I was 18 doesn’t feel reliable or trustworthy. The really horrible thing about my situation, Mr. President, is that I am probably one of the privileged ones. Yes, I am black and lesbian. Yes, your campaign rhetoric targeted me as a woman, as a person of color and as an LGBTQ person. Yes, your hateful and hurtful platform directly undermined the work around equality, diversity and inclusion that I have personally been dedicated to for many, years. Your cabinet selections have shown that you are committed to doing harm to a large portion of the American population.

— Mitchell Gold our undocumented sisters and brothers — especially our undocumented LGBTQ sisters and brothers. I am afraid for the many black and brown kids that have to live in a country that currently doesn’t honor or respect their existence. I have so many friends and family with little or no hope in the system, with little or no hope in their future. I am so worried about how to continue to make progress towards full equality for us all. It feels as though this election has taken away my ability to be effective in my community. You know, Mr. President, I have to be honest. I am not being completely forthright. Although everything I have shared is true, it’s not the complete story. My fear is also for me. I have been sent into a tailspin and I don’t know what to do to stop the panic within me. I have been stunned and silenced for sixty nine days, and that scares me more than anything you can threw at me. My silence has shown me just how vulnerable I really am and it has been shocking to me. I am holding my breath and bracing for the worst. Fortunately, I can’t stay in the position for much longer. In fact, sixty nine days has been too long. Mr. President, I don’t want to fight you for the next four years. I don’t want to be on heightened alert or scrutinize every word you say or every action you take. But, sir, that is exactly what I plan to do. JUNE CRENSHAW

Interim Executive Director The Wanda Alston Foundation @junecrenshaw

JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

Dear President Trump, As you embark upon the next four years, you have an opportunity that no other President has had — to put an end to our nation’s toxic culture war over LGBT people. In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples have the same freedom to marry as other Americans. That ruling was the culmination of decades of struggle by LGBT people to win equality and respect for our families and our lives. Today, across our country, same-sex couples can protect their families, LGBT young people can grow up without the devastating stigma of being treated as outlaws or outcasts, and businesses no longer have to waste time and money navigating a confusing patchwork of conflicting state laws treating gay and straight families differently. Increasingly, however, those gains are under a senseless and destructive attack. In virtually every red state, a vociferous minority of state officials and legislators are seeking to reignite a culture war over LGBT people by introducing so-called “bathroom bills” and sweeping exemptions to anti-discrimination laws that prey on unsupported fears about LGBT people. This backlash has already caused significant economic and social harm. In North Carolina alone, the enactment of a radical anti-LGBT law has roiled the state, leading to multiple lawsuits,

ways yourself, perhaps you can understand something of the fear and despair this backlash is generating for LGBT people. In a way that may be unique in our nation’s history, you have the power to reach across partisan lines and put these issues behind us, once and for all. By opposing divisive anti-LGBT bills, you can bring the backlash against LGBT equality in state legislatures to an end. By embracing policies that support LGBT youth, you can save lives and keep them in their families and schools. And by insisting upon fair treatment of LGBT people, you can model a truly new era in our nation’s politics and ensure a legacy that will endure. KATE KENDELL

Executive Director National Center for Lesbian Rights @katekendell

Dear President Trump, The LGBT community has made great strides under President Obama, but your incoming Administration’s radically conservative advisers and the Republican Party’s anti-LGBT platform gives me grave concerns that this progress will be undermined. During your presidential campaign, you stated you were a supporter of LGBT rights. As an openly gay Member of Congress, I urge you to live up to your claim to be a president for all people, including LGBT Americans. There are many individuals in the LGBT community who fear that their rights will be taken away under your Administration. Their fears are warranted. You, yourself, have made some troublesome promises to roll back gains our community has made. You have vowed to abolish all of President Obama’s executive orders, including one that protects LGBT federal workers from discrimination and another that allows transgender students to use the bathroom according to their gender identity. You — Nicholas Benton have also previously pledged to sign the First Amendment Defense Act into law, which would allow healthcare providers, businesses, landlords, and others the right to legally discriminate against LGBT people under the guise of religious freedom. Not to mention, you have selected individuals with horrible records on LGBT rights to serve in your Administration. Vice President Mike Pence signed a bill into law that allowed businesses to refuse service to LGBT people as governor of Indiana in 2015. Your nominee for Attorney General, Senator

“You appear to be advancing a hostile takeover of our core democratic institutions by a foreign power that prefers authoritarian tyranny. As such, you, sir, are A GRAVE DANGER TO THIS NATION.” millions of dollars of lost revenue as businesses cancel contracts and relocate new ventures, and the loss of countless opportunities for increased understanding between LGBT people and their families, friends, neighbors and coworkers. We cannot afford to see this turmoil spread to other states. And yet, already in 2017, legislators in multiple states have introduced similarly divisive anti-LGBT bills, with no end in sight. As someone who has long been deemed an outsider in many 40

JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

Jeff Sessions, has opposed every major piece of legislation to expand LGBT rights that has come before him in Congress. Potential Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos has a long family history of donating money to anti-LGBT groups including one that supports conversion therapy. Lastly, your Chief Strategist Steve Bannon, as the former head of Breitbart News has published headlines tying the LGBT community to ISIS. The LGBT community has fought difficult battles for equal rights and our struggle for equality continues. LGBT men and women can now openly serve in the military, same-sex couples can legally marry, and federal contractors can no longer discriminate against LGBT employees. This progress should not be undone. Together, we must fight to make sure employers cannot discriminate against anyone on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. This injustice extends to the majority of states in our nation, and the absence of a federal law makes the LGBT community incredibly vulnerable. This is just one of many equality issues we need to address. I will continue to advocate every day for full equality and I sincerely hope you will keep true to your word and join me in this fight. Sincerely, MARK POCAN

U.S. Representative for the Second District of Wisconsin @RepMarkPocan

Donald:

And when that happens we will celebrate. There will be parties and we will make a joyous noise. I have never celebrated someone else’s death, but I will celebrate yours. And in time, I promise you, I and many others will dance on your grave. This is not a threat — don’t send your goons for me. I wish you well. Live as long as you wish. We will outlast you. MIKE DAISEY

Author and Working Artist @mdaisey

Dear President Trump, It’s honestly hard for me to live with the fact that you are now the highest-ranking official in America and will wield great

“Maybe I could help you with some outreach in the community. My rates are very reasonable if you would like me to HOST AN LGBTQ SOIREE AT THE WHITE HOUSE.”

I don’t see any reason to address you with names and honorifics that you’ve never earned and don’t deserve. Your family name is a lie, made up as your family immigrated to America. It has never occurred to me to strip someone of the office in my speech, but you have crossed the bar and I won’t grant you it here. All that is left is Donald. You’re a coward and a crook. We all know that already — it’s been amply documented. You’ve bragged about sexually assaulting women — we’ve all listened to you. You’re a small and pathetic man who gets off on bullying — we watched you in debates and press conferences. You have succeeded in amplifying your voice so loudly for so many years that there is no period of adjustment — we all already know your worth, and we have rejected you. The majority of voters rejected you. The majority of Americans don’t want you. This city is overwhelmingly embarrassed by your presence. None of us respect you. You’ll never make us kneel. We will never treat you as our leader. You have lived a long life. But no matter how long you live, we’re watching you. And one day, no matter how rich you are or how much you tweet, you assuredly will die, just as we all will.

— Rayceen Pendarvis

power over the lives of victims of bullying. I’m hoping that the gravity of your new position sinks in, that you find compassion in your heart and mind, and that you change your approach and stop setting an example that empowers bullies. In the rural area where I live, and where the company I cofounded employs more than 600 people at our factory alone, I’ve seen first-hand the pain bullies cause, from taunting meeker-looking folks on the street to abuse in the home to the words anti-LGBT clergy use to coerce innocent LGBT kids into attempting the impossible task of changing the way they were created. Because of this, for over a decade I’ve worked to end bullying of LGBT people through Faith in America, the nonprofit I co-founded to educate people about the harm religious-based bigotry causes. JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

Through Faith in America, and the many, many smart and caring people who support us, we’ve made incredible progress that benefits all Americans—helping to create true comfort for all at home, in the workplace, and in the world. Highlights of FIA’s work include educating at the Southern Baptist Convention, guiding clergy of many faiths in understanding the extreme harm they cause so that they reject misguided religious teachings, developing our LGBT Mental Health Project, and working with the Family Acceptance Project. I won’t stand by and watch our country take even one step back from the gains we’ve made. LGBT people of all ages have experienced so much pain through lack of understanding or being thought of as an “issue” instead of individuals. My hope is to meet with you and Vice President Pence to get a very special book I edited into your hands — one I’ve shared with many in politics, religion, and education. Entitled CRISIS: What Everyone Should Know About Growing Up Gay, it shares all-tootrue heart-wrenching stories of those abused and rejected sim-

okay, but in limited doses. MITCHELL GOLD

Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams Home Furnishings @MGBWHome Co-Founder, Board Co-Chair Faith in America @faithinamerica

Dear President Trump,

Like the courageous civil rights champion U.S. Rep. John Lewis, I do not consider your presidency to be legitimate. As Rep. Lewis, the great ally of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., stated this week, the overwhelming evidence confirmed by U.S. intelligence agencies of interference by a foreign power hostile to the U.S. in favor of your election last fall has severely flawed that outcome. Moreover, the manner of your seeking the presidency and your ongoing behavior since being declared the winner underscore this grievous concern. Still sadly, most of your Republican colleagues in Congress have shamefully embraced this sorry development to already advance legislation that will eliminate health care coverage for 22 million Americans. Since the election of President Obama, our first African-American president, in 2008, you and your Republican allies, along with the so-called “Alt-Right” radical white supremacist fringe, have worked tirelessly to erode President Obama’s power and influence through brazen and callous appeals to racism, the very lowest and most degraded of dispositions, antithetical to the moral standards required to preserve our precious and tenuous democracy. You spearheaded a high-profile “birther movement” to discredit the president by the same means that AfricanAmericans have been unfairly disenfranchised throughout history. Your behavior was as shameful then as it is now. But it is about far more than your personal immo— Rae Carey rality. Indeed, you appear to be advancing a hostile takeover of our core democratic institutions by a foreign power that preply for being themselves. I believe it can help take you both from fers authoritarian tyranny. As such, you, sir, are a grave danger using the Presidency as a bully pulpit to making it a platform that to this nation. With the American revolution and miraculous success craftempowers everyone. If you will change and be a President for ALL the people, ing a Constitutional democracy that has endured stormy times a guiding light of empathy and wisdom, and an upholder of to survive two centuries and two score years later, the abiding the separation of church and state, then I’m certain I can animating spirit of America has been an openly-embraced defertolerate the gaudy style of your NYC residence and various ence to the benefit of all in equal measure. Our founding mothers properties. I’d even be willing to help you make them better. and fathers, emboldened as they were by the universal aspiraAnd help with the White House. Design tip: shiny brass is tions of the Great Enlightenment of their century, were keenly

“While your tweets are headline news, we view them as harmful distraction away from what really matters: FREEDOM, JUSTICE AND EQUITY FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS NATION.”

JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

attuned to this sensibility, and written between all the lines of their brave actions and words has been an almost otherworldly optimism that informed their testaments to the shared and equal values of all human beings, most recently extended to my LGBT brothers and sisters. There is no America without such an animating generosity of spirit guiding her. This spirit is the polar opposite of a disposition seeking advantage over others by exploitation through politics or business as you represent. NICHOLAS F. BENTON

cash and credit cards. I want to welcome you, your family, and everyone who will be moving to our city while you are president. I too have been known to be a risk taker and a trouble maker, so we might get along wonderfully. Much like you, I also like the Twitter, so as the kids say, hit me up in the DMs. RAYCEEN PENDARVIS

Emcee, Entertainer, Activist @RayceenHRH

Publisher & Editor The Falls Church News Press Dear President Trump, Author Extraordinary Hearts: Reclaiming the Central Role of Gay Sensibility in the Progress of Civilization

Dear President Trump, My name is Rayceen Pendarvis. Since I’m known as the Goddess of D.C., and you are going to be living and working here, I thought it would be appropriate for us to be properly introduced. I was never on Celebrity Apprentice, nor have I hosted or attended any of your events. Perhaps this will soon change. I know how to get to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, and I have some beautiful frocks I could wear for a state dinner, the Easter Egg roll, or a casual stroll through the Rose Garden. I am a lifelong Washingtonian. I was here before gentrifying, when D.C. was truly Chocolate City and was much different than it is now. I’ve seen presidential administrations, mayors, councilmembers, and various scandals come and go. I saw my city enact marriage equality long before the Supreme Court ruled on it. I’ve known many members of the armed services who worked at the Pentagon and various military bases in the region who lived their lives in fear before the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” I’ve seen marches, rallies, and riots. My city has a rich history and is constantly changing. From Lincoln Heights to Georgetown, from Takoma to Anacostia, there is so much taking place in this vibrant city, I couldn’t even begin telling you. I hope that you and members of your administration can appreciate this city and all of its diversity. There are people from many nations, who have various religions and philosophical views, differing incomes and educational backgrounds, and are of every hue. Washingtonians use various terms to define their sexual orientations, and some of us are transgender, genderqueer, nonbinary, or, like me, are gender-blenders. I have had the honor of hosting some of our wonderful annual LGBTQ events in the city, including Capital Pride, DC Black Pride, OutWrite LGBT Book Festival, Reel Affirmations International LGBTQ Film Festival, and more. I host The Ask Rayceen Show, a free monthly event which returns on March 1 at our new venue, the HRC Equality Center. (Did I mention my other moniker is “Queen of the Shameless Plug”?) Maybe I could help you with some outreach in the community. My rates are very reasonable if you would like me host an LGBTQ soiree at the White House. I am also a nail technician, so when Melania is in town, I could help her find the perfect color for whatever the occasion requires. I’m located in a lovely nook at VSL Hair Design which can accommodate members of her Secret Service detail. I accept

We are LGBTQ people and we are resilient. Having lived in Washington, D.C. since 1989, I’m used to the passing of the presidential baton from one party to another with opposing policy arguments and the requisite bipartisan banter. I’ve watched the ever-increasing polarization of American political parties, but your actions during the campaign and in these days leading up to Inauguration have demarcated an altogether different era. And while your tweets are headline news, we view them as harmful distraction away from what really matters: freedom, justice and equity for the people of this nation. LGBTQ people and our families are part of every community in this nation and we are standing together. We stand with non-LGBTQ people. We resist your attempts through words or actions to dehumanize any of us, to discriminate against any of us just because of who we are. We have each other’s backs — an attack on any community is an attack on us all. If Muslims are attacked, we stand together. If Black people are attacked, we stand together. If Jews are attacked, we stand together. If transgender people, or immigrants, or women are attacked, we stand together. If government workers are attacked, we stand together. If people with disabilities are attacked, we stand together. Welcome to Washington. We are watching. REA CAREY

Executive Director National LGBTQ Task Force @rea_carey

Dear President Trump, You probably don’t know who I am, But I stand for everything that scares the shit out of you. My mother is an immigrant, I am a mixed-race child, My best friend is a gay woman, And I am a transgender man. You probably think this means I am the opposite of you, The antithesis. But I, too, am a son, A brother. I, too, have a mother, a father. You have fought your entire life to be a leader, To stand tall and proud of yourself and what you believe in. So have I.

JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

I spent the morning wondering what I would do if your administration Took away My Rights. Would I still be able to go to school? To compete on my swim team as a transgender athlete? To go to the bathroom in peace? Maybe. But maybe not. Still, I know that we, The beaten down, the marginalized — The people of color, the LGBTQ community, women, disabled people, Muslims, immigrants — The list goes on, We have fought for decades, centuries, even, For our right to live peacefully and truthfully. From emancipation, To women’s suffrage, To Martin Luther King, Jr., To the Stonewall Riots, And the marriage equality act, We have always, somehow, lived through to today. And each and every one of us is living proof that our survival is possible. We are here today. And we will be here tomorrow. So let’s work on making America Great. Not “Again,” Because there is no part of American history To which any black person would want to return, In which any queer person would care to live, During which any woman would feel free, So, not “Again.” But simply: Make America Great. Because, Mr. President, You have the power to change the world. And you have already started. And it is up to you To lead this country to greatness. Because we will never stop fighting for our Life, our Liberty

and our pursuit of Happiness. We will never step down. We are headstrong and proud, Just like you. So we will not hide. This is not a time To be small, To turn our heads in shame or cower in fear. This, Mr. President of the United States of America, Is a time when to stand tall and united, in our stubborn pride, And grow together. SCHUYLER BAILAR

First Men’s NCAA D1 Transgender Athlete Harvard University @pinkmantaray on Instagram @sb_pinkmantaray on Twitter

Dear President Trump, In 1985 I wrote a college paper on the theater of politics by examining the 1980 televised presidential debate between Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter. As a Political Science Major who was also studying acting, I wanted to understand how our political system was becoming increasingly performative with television as the medium. Many of us at the time were horrified that a B-movie actor could harness the power of television as well as Mr. Reagan. Given the power that television had in 1980, it should come as no surprise that a reality TV show and social media celebrity has become President. Unfortunately, this all feels eerily familiar. But Reagan was old-school. His use of TV was all about acting — about projecting a warm, trustworthy personality through the cameras to our screens. He was just good at that role. You have turned the election — and now our entire public life — into a reality TV show. No acting necessary. During the primaries any candidate who played by the traditional rules was eliminated from the show, and we ate it up with a spoon. As President-elect you’ve had to introduce the latest round of contestants — “cabinet appointments,” each one clearly cast for the entertainment value of their confirmation hearings. As a theater director, I’ve marveled at your ability to control the focus and keep us entertained. Like a good reality TV show, we’re disgusted, but we just can’t stop watching. But how long can you as the ringmaster keep this circus going? And what happens at the end? What’s the season finale you’re planning? And meanwhile, what damage will you inflict on — Schuyler Bailar real people while we’re all distracted by the highwire act? For me, and many of my peers, Reagan’s warm,

“I stand for everything that SCARES THE SHIT OUT OF YOU.”

JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

trustworthy TV persona was vile mask that refused to address a deadly epidemic, broke unions, gave tax cuts to the rich, and spent billions on the military. Our TV addiction had real and deadly consequences. As a theater practitioner, I’m always telling myself that the reason live theater never dies out completely is something to do with community. As isolated and screen-addicted as we are, we still need community. We will always enjoy being together in a dark room as actors tell a story. It goes back to our human origins. I’ve got 11 people staying at my house for the Women’s March coming from all over. This weekend we’ll be renewing real community bonds — in protest — that will eventually overtake the Reality TV nation we’ve temporarily become. Sadly, I can’t blame you, Mr. Trump. You’re just a bit of casting genius. You’re the flavor of the month. We’ll soon tire of you. And our real bonds of community will remain. But again, what damage will you inflict as the wheel of fortune turns on you? Tune in next week to find out.

that we have inherited for future generations and thank the President for his actions. It’s worth noting that as he achieved these historic environmental protections, the economy grew and unemployment fell, despite detractors’ claims that going green would kill the economy and jobs. With respect to killing jobs, the Republican-controlled Congress would undermine Americans’ health and destroy myriad jobs if it repeals the Affordable Care Act. You support such an effort, even though your party has no viable plan to replace it. According to a December 2016 Kaiser Family Foundation poll, more Americans support expanding the ACA or leaving it as is than support repeal or scaling it back. Listen to the people by expanding it or at least leaving it alone! You will soon learn that campaigning is easier than governing. As your presidency begins, I pray that you heed Dr. King’s words from a 1964 speech at Oberlin College: “It’s always the right time to do the right thing.” As President, you will have countless opportunities to do the right thing. Your campaign and transition have overwhelmingly played

Sincerely, SERGE SEIDEN

Theater Maker Washington, D.C.

Dear President Trump,

“I’ve marveled at your ability to control the focus and keep us entertained. LIKE A GOOD REALITY TV SHOW, WE’RE DISGUSTED, BUT WE JUST CAN’T STOP WATCHING.”

I’m writing to you as the nation reflects on the legacy of an American hero — the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. — and am aware of the stark contrast that your upcoming presidency presents. After all, your campaign rejected so much of King’s vision for America by appealing to the unwarranted fears many Americans hold about immigrants, multiculturalism, and the nation’s recent gains towards equality. The optimist in me would love to be pleasantly surprised by your presidency because it means the country would continue moving towards progress. Specifically, I’d like to see your Justice Department pursue federal hate crimes charges against domestic terrorists who violate Americans’ civil rights under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Both of President Obama’s Attorneys General took this seriously, which I as a Black gay man truly appreciated. By contrast, Senator Sessions, your pick for Attorney General, voted against the act. Leadership is important and nominating Sessions sends the message that bigotry is once again acceptable in America. Also, your flip-flopping on climate change has been nauseating. By contrast, the outgoing President has been a leader on this issue. When faced with a Congress that refused to act on this most critical of issues, President Obama ratified the Paris Climate Accord, established a Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and issued executive orders that would protect the environment. As a person of faith, I believe in protecting the natural resources

— Serge Seiden

to the worst of our nature, but you can change that. It would be wise to do so. Remember, your Electoral College victory and popular vote loss have galvanized progressives, and we will pressure our representatives to vote according to America’s interests, not yours. Moreover, there are enough Democrats, Independents, and Republican allies in the Senate to thwart the worst of your agenda. STERLING WASHINGTON

Consultant, Musician Former Director, Mayor’s Office of GLBT Affairs @straws73

The opinions expressed in the above letters are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of their organizations and this magazine, its staff and contributors. JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

Gallery

Jon Arge

Hand-cut Color-Aid paper assemblages, clockwise from top left: Aloha - 10” x 10” x 1”, Johnnie Ganems - 8” x 8” x 1/2” Chockablock! - (detail) 5 1/2” x 5 1/2” x 1”, The Prescription Shop Pharmacy - 8” x 8” x 1/2” Arge gladly accepts commisions facebook.com/JonArge JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

TERESA WOOD

Stage

Brain Power

Studio’s crack at The Hard Problem sparks rousing intellectual debate with lukewarm dramatic results By André Hereford

COMPELLING EXERCISE IN SCIENTIFIC AND MORAL DEBATE that finds time for theories about hedge funds, human behavior, even the Optogenetics of mice, Tom Stoppard’s The Hard Problem ( ) just barely develops meaningful emotional stakes in its story of Hilary (Tessa Klein), a young neuropsychology researcher pursuing the nature of consciousness. Perhaps it’s only appropriate that a drama concerned with parsing what scientists refer to as “the hard problem” — that is, how to distinguish between the brain and the mind — would lean towards a certain coolness. To be sure, profound emotions are at play, as Hilary, in line for a position at the vaunted Krohl Institute for Brain Science, struggles with deep self-doubt and insecurity, haunted by a devastating event from her past. The action opens on Hilary mid-argument with her rakish university colleague, Spike (Kyle Cameron), as they playfully debate game theory via the Prisoner’s Dilemma. An avowed materialist, Spike argues the rational side between self-serving betrayal and altruistic devotion, while Hilary posits that relationships, past history, and feelings ultimately determine action. During the discussion, Hilary happens to be seated on her bed, and Spike happens to admit his ulterior motives in agreeing to assist her with her research. Thus, from the start, director Matt Torney’s staging serves Stoppard’s clever use of the couple to illustrate the dichotomies in question. In Studio Theatre’s well-acted production, Klein and Cameron banter warmly as

JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

Hilary and Spike, thoroughly credible as scientists and university colleagues who become friends then lovers, in spite of, or perhaps because of, their many, thorny differences in opinion about the greater mysteries of life and death. But their relationship isn’t the story here. Hilary is hired at Krohl, soon becoming a favorite of her boss, Leo (a marvelous Martin Giles). Leo runs the Krohl Institute’s neuropsychology division, apparently the least favored of the various science, technology and financial concerns overseen by venture capitalist Jerry Krohl (David Andrew MacDonald). Leo will challenge Hilary to deliver “something sexy” for their division, some earthshaking research to advance their field and arrest Jerry’s attention from his funds and investments, which are suddenly flailing as the impending financial crisis mounts. Oh right — it’s the early to mid-aughts here in Hilary’s world. Although one can understand Stoppard’s intention in combining what he originally conceived as two separate plays — one about the so-called

TERESA WOOD

hard problem, the other about the financial crisis — ultimately, the juxtaposition adds an undercurrent of anger and topicality, but not much else. The notion that financial markets, as sensitive and volatile as any living thing, exhibit no biases or preferences, certainly fits here. Markets don’t respond to feeling, they just are. But yet again, markets aren’t the story. The play is most gripping in its portrayal of the intricacies and intrigues of conducting and publishing research in an environment where good science can suffer due to the sort of petty jealousies, overreaching ambitions and flat-out duplicitousness that fuel seasons and seasons of royal court dramas. However, there are no heads on the actual chopping block, no real danger lurking in the shadows. Yes, Hilary’s painful past rears its head bringing her more doubt and sorrow, and Klein’s performance enacting the depth of that sorrow feels raw and real, as does her blossoming relationship with a new research assistant, Bo (Nancy Sun, in a

well-modulated turn). So why do the proceedings lack any prevailing sense that, whatever happens, Hilary will wind up any less okay than how she started? At least audiences will have the hard problem to consider on their way out the door. l

To Feb. 19 at Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW. Tickets are $20 to $85. Call 202-332-3300 or visit studiotheatre.org.

JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

LAURA COULSON

Music

A Place in the Sun

For their third album, famously introverted The xx embraces a brighter, more daring sound By Sean Maunier

HE XX HAS ALWAYS PRESENTED A BIT OF A PARADOX. THEIR CEREBRAL brand of electronica often seems best suited to wandering an empty, unfamiliar city in the early hours of the morning, and yet the London-based trio have nonetheless found themselves selling out huge venues and even headlining summer festivals. Not bad for a band better known for playing with silence and space than turning out club-ready pop hits. I See You (HHHHH) is the band’s first release since 2012, and the intervening years have not been wasted. They’ve retained much of the hazy dream-pop quality of their self-titled debut, while largely avoiding the pitfalls that marred their second album. Rather than retreating even further into their brooding, atmospheric aesthetic, The xx have instead opened up, with more adventurous production and a refreshing willingness to tweak and experiment with their style. Their more energetic sound probably owes much to Jamie Smith’s 2015 solo dance album In Colour, but while the group has borrowed from their frontman’s brief diversion into EDM, they have done so selectively. The album’s tracks are still allowed to unfold gradually and deliberately, albeit with more bounce. Also notable is the foregrounding of of Romy Madley Croft, who now sings with a self-assurance that matches that of her childhood friend and co-vocalist Oliver Sim. While her breathy,

JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

almost whispered vocals all but defined the band’s first two albums, her lyrics for I See You soar rather than drift, most strikingly on the plaintive “Brave For You.” The subtle yet expansive sound that marked their earlier albums is still there, but on I See You, it is brighter, bolder, and far more energetic. The horn section that announces the opener, “Dangerous,” is the first sign that this is a decidedly more extroverted band than the one we saw on their 2010 debut. With its sharp hooks and grinding, glitchy bass lines, “Dangerous” is a tough act to follow, but the blaring horns give way almost effortlessly to the bright piano, synth and steelpan of “Say Something Loving.” On both tracks, Madley Croft and Sim play off each other to great effect, going back and forth, trading quips and finishing each other’s thoughts with hairline precision and a chemistry rare in pop. Their lyrics are more personal than ever before, hinting at both vocalists’ experiences with loss, grief, heartbreak and addiction. Smith’s

expertly layered arrangements lend the album a palpable intensity that creeps up slowly in the background, building and unfolding so organically it’s easy to miss until it has completely washed over the song. Their songs remain tinged with shades of yearning and regret, but this time around there is also a sense of confidence, even defiance. As always, Smith’s production is precise and meticulous — the band is arguably as well-known for their perfectionism as for their introversion. A few tracks in, however, the album noticeably begins to lag and meander with “Performance” and “Replica.” While Smith received praise for his ability to blend disparate elements together to create a sense of nostalgic abandon on In Colour, he does not replicate his success the second time around. Some of the elements that imparted a warmth and familiarity to Smith’s dance music sound out of place on I See You. “On Hold,” for instance, is anchored by a Hall & Oates sample that comes across as an awkward afterthought tacked onto an otherwise decent single. Despite losing their footing somewhat during the album’s midsection, The xx still delivers enough solid songwriting

to keep I See You interesting. The final two tracks are especially good. “I Dare You” is suffused with a tense and uneasy intimacy, and sees Madley Croft and Sim at their very best. “Test Me,” meanwhile, is a sparse and haunting closer whose instrumentals nod back to the album’s first track. No longer triumphant this time, the single horn is grim, uncertain, and lingers in the background. As the instrumentals distort, dissipate and eventually fade out, an album that came in loud and brash literally goes out with a whine, as if to remind us that they are not ready to give up on the dark just yet. For all this album’s innovation, it would be wrong to say that The xx have reinvented themselves. While they remain a cautious and reserved group at their core, they have matured and acquired a confidence that has allowed them to push their own boundaries and explore new directions, all while retaining the sultry, nocturnal sound that has defined them up to this point. Despite its imperfections, I See You manages to find the elusive space between introversion and stark, honest emotion, a space The xx seems born to occupy. l

I See You is available for sale at Amazon.com and on most streaming services, including Spotify.

JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

NightLife Photography by Ward Morrison

JANUARY 19, 2017 â&#x20AC;¢ METROWEEKLY

Scene

DrinksDragDJsEtc... Thursday, January 19

Prize • Doors open 10pm, 21+ • $5 Cover or free with college ID

9 1/2 Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm • Multiple TVs showing movies, shows, sports • Expanded craft beer selection • Music videos featuring DJ Wess

DC EAGLE Doors open at 8pm • Strip Down Thursdays Happy Hour — Shirtless guys drink $2 off all drinks, 8-10pm • Jock or underwear gets $2 off all drinks, 10pm-2am • Free Shot of Captain Morgan Cannon Blast at 10pm • No Cover • 21+

COBALT/30 DEGREES Happy Hour: Tops Down $6 Top Shelf, Bottoms Up $3 Rail, $3 Bud Light, 4-9pm • Stonewall Darts Party • Locker Room Thursday Nights • $3 Rail Drinks, 10pm-midnight, $5 Red Bull and Frozen Virgin Drinks • DJs Sean Morris and MadScience • Best Package Contest at midnight, hosted by Ba’Naka & Kristina Kelly • $200 Cash

FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR Crazy Hour, 4-7pm • Karaoke, 8pm GREEN LANTERN Happy Hour, 4-9pm • Ladies Drink Free Power Hour, 4-5pm • Shirtless Thursday, 10-11pm • DJs BacK2bACk

Freddie’s Beach Bar - Saturday, January 7 Photography by Ward Morrison See and purchase more photos from this event at www.metroweekly.com/scene

NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR Beat the Clock Happy Hour — $2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm) • Buckets of Beer $15 • Drag Bingo NUMBER NINE Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm • No Cover SHAW’S TAVERN Happy Hour, 4-7pm • $3 Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon, $5 Rails and House Wines & Half-Priced Pizzas • $4 Heineken and Coronas, 5pm-close TOWN Love Trumps Hate Rainbow Bash, 9pm • Featuring DJ Keenan Orr and DJ Tim Jackson • $10 Cover • 21+

TRADE Doors open 5pm • Huge Happy Hour: Any drink normally served in a cocktail glass served in a huge glass for the same price, 5-10pm • Beer and wine only $4 ZIEGFELD’S/SECRETS All male, nude dancers • Shirtless Thursday • DJ • 9pm • Cover 21+

Friday, January 20 9 1/2 Open at 5pm • Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm • Friday Night Videos with DJ Chord Bezerra, 9:30pm • Expanded craft beer selection • No Cover

COBALT/30 DEGREES All You Can Drink Happy Hour • $15 Rail and Domestic, $21 Call & Imports, 6-9pm • Gays Against Guns GAG Ball, 10pm • $6 Grey Goose all night • Two 30-minute open bars featuring Grey Goose, 11-11:30pm and 1-1:30am • DJ MadScience upstairs and DJ Keenan Orr • $10 cover 10pm-close • 21+

GREEN LANTERN Happy Hour, 4-9pm • $5 Smirnoff, all flavors, all night long • Friday Night Videos: George Michael Tribute, 9pm-2am • Featuring VJ Tre • 21+

DC EAGLE Doors open at 8pm • Happy Hour, 8-10pm — $2 off everything • MAKK, Mid-Atlantic Kennel Korps, on Club Bar — Trainer Social and Puppy Mosh • DJ Theo Storm spinning in the Exile, 10pm-3am • 21+

NUMBER NINE Open 5pm • Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm • No Cover • Friday Night Piano with Chris, 7:30pm

FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR Crazy Hour, 4-7pm • Karaoke, 8pm

NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR DJ Matt Bailer • Videos, Dancing • Beat the Clock Happy Hour — $2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm) • Buckets of Beer $15

SHAW’S TAVERN Inauguration Day Brunch, 11am-3pm • Happy Hour, 4-7pm • $3 Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon, $5 Rails and House Wines & Half-Priced Pizzas

JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

TOWN Patio open 6pm • DC Bear Crue Happy Hour, 6-11pm • $3 Rail, $3 Draft, $3 Bud Bottles • Free Pizza, 7pm • No cover before 9:30pm • 21+ • Drag Show starts at 10:30pm • Hosted by Lena Lett and featuring Miss Tatianna, ShiQueeta-Lee, Riley Knoxx and Ba’Naka • DJ Wess upstairs, DJs BacK2bACk downstairs following the show • GoGo Boys after 11pm • Doors open at 10pm • For those 21 and over, $12 • For those 18-20, $15 • Club: 18+ • Patio: 21+ TRADE Doors open 5pm • Huge Happy Hour: Any drink normally served in a cocktail glass served in a huge glass for the same price, 5-10pm • Beer and wine only $4 ZIEGFELD’S/SECRETS Men of Secrets, 9pm • Guest dancers • Ladies of Illusion Drag Show with host Ella Fitzgerald • Doors at 9pm, Shows at 11:30pm and 1:30am • DJ Don T. in Secrets • Cover 21+

JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

Saturday, January 21 9 1/2 Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 2-9pm • $5 Absolut & Tito’s, $3 Miller Lite after 9pm • Expanded craft beer selection • No Cover • Music videos featuring various DJs COBALT/30 DEGREES Drag Yourself to Brunch at Level One, 11am-2pm and 2-4pm • Featuring Kristina Kelly and the Ladies of Illusion • Bottomless Mimosas and Bloody Marys • Happy Hour: Tops Down $6 Top Shelf, Bottoms Up $3 Rail, $3 Bud Light, 4-9pm • Ladies Night: Million Women March Party, 10pm • Doors open 10pm • $5 Cover • 21+ DC EAGLE Doors open at 8pm • Happy Hour, 8-10pm — $2 off everything • Daryl Wilson presents Delta 2.0, 10:30pm-5am, 3rd Floor Exile • $10 Cover • Tickets available at the door • 21+

FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR Drag Queen Broadway Brunch, 10am-3pm • Starring Freddie’s Broadway Babes • Crazy Hour, 4-7pm • Freddie’s Follies Drag Show, hosted by Miss Destiny B. Childs, 8-10pm • Karaoke, 10pm-close GREEN LANTERN Happy Hour, 4-9pm • $5 Bacardi, all flavors, all night long • 495 Bears presents Bears Can Dance, 9pm-close • No Cover NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR Guest DJs • Zing Zang Bloody Marys, Nellie Beer, House Rail Drinks and Mimosas, $4, 11am-5pm • Buckets of Beer, $15 NUMBER NINE Doors open 2pm • Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 2-9pm • $5 Absolut and $5 Bulleit Bourbon • THIRSTY, with DJ Chord Bezerra, 9:30pm

SHAW’S TAVERN Brunch with Bottomless Mimosas, 10am-3pm • Happy Hour, 5-7pm • $3 Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon, $5 Rails and House Wines & Half-Priced Pizzas TOWN DC Rawhides host Town & Country: Two-Step, Line Dancing, Waltz and West Coast Swing, $5 Cover to stay all night • Doors open 6:30pm, Lessons 7-8pm, Open dance 8-10:30pm • #ThanksObama: Music of the Obama Years, featuring DJ Wess, upstairs • DJs BacK2bACk spin music and video downstairs • Drag Show starts at 10:30pm • Hosted by Lena Lett and featuring Tatianna, ShiQueeta-Lee, Riley Knoxx and Ba’Naka • Cover $12 • 21+ TRADE Doors open 2pm • Huge Happy Hour: Any drink normally served in a cocktail glass served in a huge glass for the same price, 2-10pm • Beer and wine only $4

ZIEGFELD’S/SECRETS Men of Secrets, 9pm-4am • Guest dancers • Ladies of Illusion Drag Show with host Ella Fitzgerald • Doors at 9pm, Shows at 11:30pm and 1:30am • DJ Don T. in Ziegfeld’s • DJ Steve Henderson in Secrets • Cover 21+

DC EAGLE Doors open at noon • Happy Hour, 12-6pm — $2 off everything • $2 Bud and Bud Light Draughts all day and night • The DC Eagle Pizza Party (no anchovies) • Free slice of pizza with each drink while supplies last • No Cover • 21+

Sunday, January 22

FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR Champagne Brunch Buffet, 10am-3pm • Crazy Hour, 4-7pm • Karaoke, 8pm-1am

9 1/2 Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 2-9pm • Multiple TVs showing movies, shows, sports • Expanded craft beer selection • No Cover COBALT/30 DEGREES Happy Hour: Tops Down $6 Top Shelf, Bottoms Up $3 Rail, $3 Bud Light, 4-9pm • No H8 Photo Shoot • Homowood Karaoke, hosted by Robert Bise, 10pm-close • 21+

GREEN LANTERN Happy Hour, 4-9pm • Mama’s Trailer Park Karaoke downstairs, 9:30pm-close NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR Drag Brunch, hosted by Shi-Queeta-Lee, 11am-3pm • $20 Brunch Buffet • House Rail Drinks, Zing Zang Bloody Marys, Nellie Beer and Mimosas, $4, 11am-close • Buckets of Beer, $15

NUMBER NINE Pop Goes the World with Wes Della Volla at 9:30pm • Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 2-9pm • No Cover SHAW’S TAVERN Brunch with Bottomless Mimosas, 10am-3pm • Happy Hour, 5-7pm • $3 Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon, $5 Rails and House Wines & Half-Priced Pizzas TRADE Doors open 2pm • Huge Happy Hour: Any drink normally served in a cocktail glass served in a huge glass for the same price, 2-10pm • Beer and wine only $4 ZIEGFELD’S/SECRETS All male, nude dancers • Decades of Dance • DJ Tim-e in Secrets • Doors 9pm • Cover 21+

Monday, January 23 9 1/2 Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm • Multiple TVs showing movies, shows, sports • Expanded craft beer selection • No Cover COBALT/30 DEGREES Happy Hour: Tops Down $6 Top Shelf, Bottoms Up $3 Rail, $3 Bud Light, 4-9pm • Monday Night’s A Drag, featuring Kristina Kelly • Doors open at 10pm • Showtime at 11:30pm • $3 Skyy Cocktails, $8 Skyy and Red Bull • $8 Long Islands • No Cover, 18+ DC EAGLE Doors open at 8pm • Happy Hour, 8-10pm — $2 off everything • Endless Happy Hour prices to anyone in a DC Eagle T-Shirt • Monday Madness: Free Pool All Night and Day • $1 Bud and Bud Light Draughts all night • No Cover • 21+

JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR Crazy Hour, 4-7pm • Singles Night • Karaoke, 8pm GREEN LANTERN Happy Hour all night long • Open Mic Night Karaoke, 9:30pm-close JR.’S Showtunes Songs & Singalongs, 9pm-close • DJ James • $3 Draft Pints, 8pm-midnight NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR Beat the Clock Happy Hour — $2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm) • Buckets of Beer $15 • Texas Hold’em Poker, 8pm • Dart Boards NUMBER NINE Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm • No Cover SHAW’S TAVERN MLK Day Brunch with Bottomless Mimosas, 11am-3pm • Happy Hour, 4-7pm • $3 Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon, $5 Rails and House Wines and HalfPriced Pizzas • Trivia with Jeremy, 7:30pm

TRADE Doors open 5pm • Huge Happy Hour: Any drink normally served in a cocktail glass served in a huge glass for the same price, 5-10pm • Beer and wine only $4

Tuesday, January 24 9 1/2 Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm • Multiple TVs showing movies, shows, sports • Expanded craft beer selection • No Cover COBALT/30 DEGREES DJ Honey Happy Hour: Tops Down $6 Top Shelf, Bottoms Up $3 Rail, $3 Bud Light, 4-9pm • SIN Service Industry Night, 10pm-close • $1 Rail Drinks all night FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR Crazy Hour, 4-7pm • Karaoke, 8pm

GREEN LANTERN Happy Hour all night long, 4pm-close

Wednesday, January 25

GREEN LANTERN Happy Hour all night long, 4pm-close

NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR Beat the Clock Happy Hour — $2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm) • Buckets of Beer $15 • Karaoke and Drag Bingo

9 1/2 Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm • Multiple TVs showing movies, shows, sports • Expanded craft beer selection • No Cover

NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR SmartAss Trivia Night, 8pm and 9pm • Prizes include bar tabs and tickets to shows at the 9:30 Club • $15 Buckets of Beer for SmartAss Teams only • Bring a new team member and each get a free $10 Dinner

NUMBER NINE Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm • No Cover • After 9pm, $3 Absolut, Bulleit & Stella SHAW’S TAVERN Half Priced Burgers & Pizzas, 5pm-close • $5 House Wines & Sam Adams Drafts, 5pm-close TRADE Doors open 5pm • Huge Happy Hour: Any drink normally served in a cocktail glass served in a huge glass for the same price, 5-10pm • Beer and wine only $4

JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

COBALT/30 DEGREES Happy Hour: Tops Down $6 Top Shelf, Bottoms Up $3 Rail, $3 Bud Light, 4-9pm • $4 Stoli and Stoli Flavors and Miller Lite all night • Wednesday Night Karaoke, hosted by India Larelle Houston, 10pm • No Cover • 21+ FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR Crazy Hour, 4-7pm • $6 Burgers • Drag Bingo Night, hosted by Ms. Regina Jozet Adams, 8pm • Bingo prizes • Karaoke, 10pm-1am

NUMBER NINE Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm • No Cover SHAW’S TAVERN Happy Hour, 4-7pm • $3 Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon, $5 Rails and House Wines and Half-Priced Pizzas • Piano Bar with Jill, downstairs, 8pm TRADE Doors open 5pm • Huge Happy Hour: Any drink normally served in a cocktail glass served in a huge glass for the same price, 5-10pm • Beer and wine only $4

ZIEGFELD’S/SECRETS All male, nude dancers • Shirtless Night, 10-11pm, 12-12:30am • Military Night, no cover with military ID • DJ Don T. in Secrets • 9pm • Cover 21+

Thursday, January 26 9 1/2 Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm • Multiple TVs showing movies, shows, sports • Expanded craft beer selection • Music videos featuring DJ Wess COBALT/30 DEGREES Happy Hour: Tops Down $6 Top Shelf, Bottoms Up $3 Rail, $3 Bud Light, 4-9pm • Stonewall Darts After Party • Locker Room Thursday Nights • $3 Rail Drinks, 10pm-midnight, $5 Red Bull and Frozen Virgin Drinks • DJs Sean Morris and MadScience • Best Package Contest at midnight, hosted by Ba’Naka &

JANUARY 19, 2017 â&#x20AC;¢ METROWEEKLY

Kristina Kelly • $200 Cash Prize • Doors open 10pm, 21+ • $5 Cover or free with college ID DC EAGLE Doors open at 8pm • Strip Down Thursdays Happy Hour — Shirtless guys drink $2 off all drinks, 8-10pm • Jock or underwear gets $2 off all drinks, 10pm-2am • Free Shot of Captain Morgan Cannon Blast at 10pm • No Cover • 21+ FREDDIE’S BEACH BAR Crazy Hour, 4-7pm • Karaoke, 8pm GREEN LANTERN Happy Hour, 4-9pm • Ladies Drink Free Power Hour, 4-5pm • Shirtless Thursday, 10-11pm • DJs BacK2bACk NELLIE’S SPORTS BAR Beat the Clock Happy Hour — $2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm) • Buckets of Beer $15 • Drag Bingo

JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY

NUMBER NINE Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm • No Cover SHAW’S TAVERN Happy Hour, 4-7pm • $3 Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon, $5 Rails and House Wines & Half-Priced Pizzas • $4 Heineken and Coronas, 5pm-close • Paint Nite, Second Floor, 7pm TRADE 1410 14th St. NW Doors open 5pm • Huge Happy Hour: Any drink normally served in a cocktail glass served in a huge glass for the same price, 5-10pm • Beer and wine only $4 ZIEGFELD’S/SECRETS All male, nude dancers • Shirtless Thursday • DJ • 9pm • Cover 21+ l

LastWord. People say the queerest things

“Progress is never completely linear. But it is hard to walk back on some of these things. ”

— Secretary of the Army ERIC FANNING, speaking with CBS News about the future of LGBT inclusion in the army under the Trump administration. Fanning referenced Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, noting that fears about ending it didn’t come to pass. “Nothing changed today because my neighbor, my son, my shipmate, whatever it is, came out,” he said.

“At a moment when civil rights are threatened, we are deeply grateful to this president for a decision that may very well have saved this woman’s life. ”

— MARA KEISLING, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, thanking President Obama for commuting the 35-year prison sentence of transgender woman Chelsea Manning. Manning, a former Army private, was convicted of leaking classified information on the civilian casualties of war to Wikileaks.

“Log Cabin Republicans has always condemned Manning’s actions, and consistently stood against efforts by the left to elevate Manning as a paragon of the LGBT community.

”

— GREGORY T. ANGELO, president of the Log Cabin Republicans, in a statement reacting to the commutation of Chelsea Manning’s sentence. “Chelsea Manning is no hero,” Angelo said, “and the commutation of her sentence is appalling.”

“The LGBT Community was mostly responsible for birthing my career and I am deeply indebted to you.” — Singer and actress JENNIFER HOLLIDAY, in an open letter on The Wrap explaining her decision not to perform at Donald Trump’s inauguration. Holliday said she did not realize that many of her fans, including the LGBT community, were still reeling from the results of the election. “You have loved me faithfully and...provided me with work even though my star had long since faded,” she wrote.

“I fully embrace equality,

and I believe in the innate value of every single human being.

”

— BETSY DEVOS, President-elect Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Education, responding to a question from Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) about donations made by her family to anti-LGBT groups that push the practice of conversion therapy. “All students, no matter their age, should be able to attend a school and feel safe, and be free of discrimination,” she added.

JANUARY 19, 2017 • METROWEEKLY