Washington Blade - January 1, 2016 by RP MEDIA ARCHIVE

JANUARY

2016

volume 47

issue 01

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America’s Gay News Source

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Top 10 local news stories of 2015 A NEW MAYOR, A PAPAL VISIT AND MORE By LOU CHIBBARO JR. lchibbaro@washblade.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF CUNNINGHAM

JOSE CUNNINGHAM

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GAY REPUBLICAN WINS RACE FOR D.C. GOP CHAIR

Jose Cunningham, a local gay Republican activist and prominent GOP fundraiser, won an upset victory in his race for chair of the D.C. Republican Committee in January 2015, beating incumbent chair Ron Phillips by a vote of 74 to 41. Cunningham ran on a platform calling for the DCRC to take more aggressive steps to expand the membership of the D.C. Republican Party and recruit more qualiﬁed candidates for public oﬃce in a city with an overwhelmingly Democratic electorate. The DCRC, which serves as the D.C. Republican Party’s governing body, has been supportive of LGBT rights, including marriage equality, for a number of years, placing it at odds with the national Republican Party. In his role as the DCRC chair, Cunningham has an automatic seat on the Republican National Committee. Among other things, he has said he would push for removing anti-gay language from the national party’s platform at the 2016 Republican National Convention.

KAMENY MEMORIAL UNVEILED A four-year saga surrounding eﬀorts to secure a D.C. memorial site for gay rights pioneer Frank Kameny ended in November with a ceremony dedicating a memorial headstone in his honor at Congressional Cemetery. Four gay members of the Army and one from the Navy stood at attention in full dress uniform as U.S. Air Force General Counsel Gordon O. Tanner, who’s gay, and Congressional Cemetery President

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

The Frank Kameny memorial stone was revealed on Veterans Day at Congressional Cemetery.

Paul Williams unveiled the newly installed Kameny headstone. The headstone along with a footstone bearing the slogan, “Gay is Good,” which Kameny coined in 1968, were placed at a cemetery plot just behind the gravesite of gay Air Force Sgt. Leonard Matlovich. With Kameny’s advice and coaching, Matlovich disclosed he was gay in 1975, becoming the ﬁrst active duty U.S. service member to challenge the military’s ban on gays. The dedication of the Kameny memorial site came just over four years after he died on National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11, 2011. He died of natural causes at his Washington home at the age of 86. D.C. JUDGE CRITICIZED FOR ‘LENIENT’ SENTENCE IN HATE CRIME A D.C. Superior Court judge surprised court observers in August by rescinding an earlier decision to lower the sentence she gave to one of two defendants convicted of committing an anti-gay assault. Judge Yvonne Williams, responding to objections by prosecutors, issued an order vacating her earlier order of July

15 that lowered the sentence for lesbian Christina Lucas, 22, from one year to six months in prison. Lucas and her twin brother, Christopher Lucas, were convicted by a jury following a two-week trial on a charge of aggravated assault while armed with a hate crime designation. The case is the same one in which a grand jury took the unusual step of designating the assault as a hate crime, even though prosecutors didn’t ask it to do so. Judge Williams came under ﬁre from LGBT activists after stating in a post-trial hearing that she didn’t believe the two defendants should receive anywhere near the 15-year prison term recommended by prosecutors because the victim’s injuries were not serious enough. Prosecutors argued that the beating initiated by Christina Lucas and carried out by her brother and other men with them could have resulted in the victim’s death. Williams drew further criticism by LGBT activists when she said she didn’t believe Christina Lucas could be accused of committing an anti-gay hate crime because she’s gay.

‘ RUNAWAY’ JURY REBUKES U.S. ATTORNEY

A former member of a D.C. Superior Court grand jury disclosed in July that grand jurors took the unusual step of handing down a hate crime indictment in an anti-gay assault case after prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office did not recommend that the case be listed as a hate crime. The former grand juror, who spoke on condition of not being identified, said witnesses, including a D.C. police detective and the gay male victim, told the grand jury in August 2014 that then 20-year-old Christina Lucas and her twin brother, Christopher Lucas, knocked the gay male victim to the ground and punched and kicked him while shouting anti-gay names. A police report says witnesses told police that Christina Lucas slashed the victim’s face with a sharp object while he was lying on the ground shortly after calling him a “faggot motherfucker.” A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office said the office was barred by law from commenting on any aspect of grand jury deliberations, which by law must remain confidential. In May 2015, a Superior Court jury found the Lucas siblings guilty of aggravated assault while armed with a hate crime designation following a two-week trial. A judge sentenced the twins to one year in jail and five years of supervised probation upon their release, a sentence that law enforcement sources criticized as too lenient.

G AY CANDIDATES WIN VA. HOUSE, COLLEGE PARK MAYOR RACES

Gay rights attorney and former congressional staﬀer Mark Levine won election in November to a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates, becoming the third out gay member of the Virginia Legislature. On the same day, gay attorney and College Park, Md., City Council member Patrick Wojahn won election as College Park mayor, becoming the ﬁrst gay person to serve as that city’s mayor. Wojahn beat fellow Council member Denise Mitchell in a two-person race for the mayoral post. Levine, a Democrat, ran unopposed CONTINUES ON PAGE 06

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PATRICK WOJAHN

LO CA L N E W S Y E A R I N RE V I E W transgender. OHR said the testing consisted of sending 200 made up cover letters and resumes prepared by OHR to 38 employers that advertised 50 individual job openings. One set of cover letters and resumes were written to give the impression the applicant was a transgender person, with the other set portraying the applicant as cisgender. Details of the study along with its ﬁnding are compiled in a 28-page report called “Qualiﬁed and Transgender: A Report on Results of Resume Testing for Employment Discrimination Based on Gender Identity.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF WOJAHN

in the November general election in an overwhelmingly Democratic district that includes parts of the city of Alexandria and Fairfax County. He won an upset victory in the June Democratic primary in a five-candidate race, finishing ahead of Alexandria government official Craig Fifer, who was considered by political observers to be the frontrunner, by a margin of 27.8 percent to 24.3 percent.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MVP SECURITY

JAMYRA GALLMON

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

RUBY CORADO presents ﬁndings at the Wilson Building on Nov. 13, 2015.

D.C. TRANS RESIDENTS FACE ‘DEVASTATING’ POVERTY

Two studies of D.C.’s transgender community released in November found that similar to other parts of the country, trans people living in the District continue to experience “devastatingly high rates” of poverty, unemployment, employment discrimination and health disparities. The findings of one of the studies, compiled from the largest-ever citybased survey of transgender people, were released in a 116-page report called “Access Denied: 2015 Washington, D.C. Trans Needs Assessment Report.” Among other things, the survey found that 46 percent of the trans people living in D.C. participating in the survey earned less than $10,000 a year, with 57 percent of trans people of color making below $10,000. The second study was conducted by the D.C. Office of Human Rights. It found that 48 percent of employers “tested” by the office appeared to prefer at least one less-qualified job applicant over a better qualified applicant perceived as being

‘G AY PICKUP’ MURDER OF LAWYER AT DONOVAN HOTEL

A D.C. woman who pled guilty in May to second-degree murder while armed for fatally stabbing 30-year-old attorney David Messerschmitt at the city’s Donovan Hotel on Feb. 9 was sentenced in August to 24 years in prison. Jamyra Gallmon, 21, confessed to police that she targeted Messerschmitt for a robbery by pretending to be a man while answering an ad he placed on Craigslist seeking to meet another man for sex. Police and prosecutors said she stabbed Messerschmitt at least seven times in the chest, groin area, arm and back when he attempted to ﬁght back after she entered his hotel room and started to rob him of his possessions. Hotel employees found Messerschmitt’s body in his room several hours after his wife reported him missing. LGBT activists said the case was a sad reminder that closeted gay men married to women sometimes fall victim to a phenomenon that has long plagued out gay men known as gay pickup murders.

TRANS WOMAN NAMED HEAD OF D.C. POLICE GLLU

D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier in March named Sgt. Jessica Hawkins, an out transgender woman, as supervisor of the department’s Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit. Hawkins became the ﬁrst transgender person to hold that position. In an interview with the Blade, Hawkins said she planned to build on what she said was a strong foundation for the unit

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

Sgt. JESSICA HAWKINS heads the GLLU.

begun by her predecessors, including Sgt. Brett Parson. Hawkins assumed her position at a time when some LGBT activists expressed concern that Lanier had reduced the GLLU’s effectiveness by assigning its officers to non-GLLU related duties for as much as half of each work shift. Police officials said the chief had made similar reassignments for members of most other specialized police units due to a shortage of officers brought about by a recent retirement “bubble” in which more officers are retiring than can be replaced by new recruits. “My officers are dedicated,” Hawkins said. “We will make sure that when any GLLU call comes out they are going to respond to it.”

county clerk in Kentucky who refused to issue marriage licenses for same-sex couples on religious grounds, announced that she had met with Francis at the Vatican Embassy. Following a flurry of criticism that the Pope appeared to be condoning anti-gay discrimination by associating with Davis, the Vatican issued a statement saying Davis was part a group of visitors at the embassy and had not been personally invited by the Pope. According to the statement, Grassi and his family members were the only ones directly invited by Francis for a personal audience during the Pontiff’s Washington visit. Grassi said he believes the Pope is making a genuine effort to change the church for the better for LGBT people.

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

Mayor MURIEL BOWSER at State of the District Address on March 31, 2015.

BOWSER TAKES OFFICE, NAMES 5 GAYS TO CABINET

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

YAYO GRASSI and his boyfriend met with Pope Francis.

P OPE’S D.C. GAY FRIEND SPEAKS OUT AFTER PONTIFF’S VISIT

D.C. resident Yayo Grassi, a native of Argentina, made international headlines in September when news surfaced that he and his boyfriend of 19 years met with Pope Francis at the Vatican Embassy in Washington during the Pope’s visit to the United States. Grassi, 67, the owner of a D.C.-based catering business, said he has known and admired Francis since the future Pontiﬀ was his high school teacher at a Catholic school in Argentina. His and his boyfriend’s visit with the Pope drew media attention because it took place shortly after Kim Davis, the

In her first four months in office D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser appointed five out gays or lesbians to cabinet-level positions, including a first-ever appointment of a lesbian as deputy mayor. In April, Bowser named lesbian activist and public affairs lobbyist Courtney Snowden as Deputy Mayor for Greater Economic Opportunity, a newly created position in the Executive Office of the Mayor. The position involves coordinating the city’s efforts to “create pathways to the middle class for residents in every corner of the city,” Bowser said. The other appointees included veteran lesbian activist and media professional Sheila Alexander Reid as director of the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs; gay urban planning specialist David Do as director of the Mayor’s Office of Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs; lesbian housing and homelessness policy expert Polly Donaldson as director of the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development, and gay former city official Matt Brown as director of the Mayor’s Office of the Budget.

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Top 10 national news stories of 2015 CAITLYN COMES OUT, MARRIAGE AT LAST By CHRIS JOHNSON cjohnson@washblade.com It was another historic year of progress for the LGBT community. Below are the Blade’s staff picks for the top 10 stories of the year. gender identity and sex. No Republicans are co-sponsors of the Equality Act in either the House or Senate, which makes passage significantly more difficult as long as the GOP controls Congress. Each of the 170 co-sponsors in the House and the 39 co-sponsors in the Senate are Democrats. The bill has a number of corporate sponsors, such as Amazon, American Airlines, Apple, Facebook, General Electric, General Mills, Google, IBM, Microsoft and Nike.

murders and a federal prohibition on anti-trans discrimination.

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Church of the Pilgrims Presbyterian with rainbow ‘ALL ARE WELCOME’ sign displayed.

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EPISCOPAL, PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES TAKE STEP FORWARD ON MARRIAGE

Major Christian denominations in the United States followed up on the Supreme Court ruling on marriage this year by enacting new policies on samesex couples. The Episcopal and Presbyterian churches changed doctrine to enable clergy to perform same-sex marriages. The Presbyterian Church adoption a resolution saying marriage is a commitment between “traditionally a man and a woman,” while the Episcopal Church omitted references to gender entirely. Meanwhile, the Mormon Church took the opposite approach and issued a policy prohibiting the baptism of children raised by same-sex parents. Thousands of members of the church resigned in protest.

PENTAGON LAYS GROUNDWORK FOR LIFTING TRANS BAN Transgender people remain barred from open service in the U.S. military despite “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal, but the Pentagon took initial steps this year to change the policy. Eﬀorts to undo the medical regulation barring trans people from military service seemed to have stalled out at the beginning of the year. They picked up steam when newly conﬁrmed Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said during his town hall meeting in Afghanistan “suitability for service” should be the only factor in determining whether a transgender person can enlist in the armed forces.

Defense Secretary ASHTON CARTER said the Pentagon would begin a six-month review of the trans ban in July.

In July, Carter announced the Pentagon would begin a six-month review of the policy with the intention of allowing transgender people to serve openly. A Pentagon spokesperson told the Washington Blade the department is on track to produce initial review ﬁndings in January. According to a report in USA Today, the department aims to lift the ban on trans service May 27.

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

Indiana Gov. MIKE PENCE

#6 WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

A Black Trans Lives Matter rally was held in D.C. in August.

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

Sen. TAMMY BALDWIN speaks at a press conference announcing the Equality Act on July 23.

LAWMAKERS INTRODUCE EQUALITY ACT After failing to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act since 1994, lawmakers raised the bar this year for LGBT federal non-discrimination protections by introducing the Equality Act. The legislation, introduced by Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) in the U.S. House and Sen. Jeﬀ Merkley (D-Ore.) in the Senate, would expand the Civil Rights Act and Fair Housing Act to include protections based on sexual orientation,

R ECORD NUMBER OF ANTI-TRANS MURDERS A record number of at least 21 transgender people were killed in the United States this year, raising concerns about the dangers transgender people continue to face. Many of the transgender people murdered were women of color. One of the victims Zella Ziona, 21, was shot multiple times in the head and body behind a shopping center in Gaithersburg, Md., allegedly by her boyfriend Rico Hector LeBlond. Another victim, 66-year-old K.C. Haggard, was killed in Fresno, Calif., after someone driving a vehicle beckoned her over and shot her dead. In response to the violence, members of Congress formed a nine-member bipartisan Transgender Equality Task Force. Chairing the group is Rep. Mike Honda, who has a transgender granddaughter. The task force kicked oﬀ with a congressional forum in which transgender advocates testiﬁed about the need for greater police sensitivity to transgender issues, data collection on transgender

R ELIGIOUS FREEDOM BILLS DEFEATED IN INDIANA, ELSEWHERE Likely in anticipation of the Supreme Court ruling for same-sex marriage, antiLGBT lawmakers in state legislatures throughout the country this year sought to push so-called “religious freedom” legislation to undermine the ruling. Many of the bills, known as Religious Freedom Restoration Acts, would have prohibited the government from penalizing individuals who engage in antiLGBT discrimination based on religious beliefs, such as by refusing wedding services to same-sex couples. The highest profile of the measures came in Indiana and was signed into law by Gov. Mike Pence. Following an outcry from LGBT advocates and the business community, Pence signed a fix into law significantly limiting the scope of the law’s religious carve-out. Of the 78 religious freedom bills introduced this year, six became law and two of those measures were scaled back. Among those that became law were bills in Michigan allowing child placement agencies to refuse services based on religious beliefs and a bill in North Carolina granting magistrates the option of opting out of performing marriages for a six-month period.

H OUSTON DEFEAT JOLTS LGBT MOVEMENT Following a years-long string of victories, the LGBT community CONTINUES ON PAGE 09

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WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

Houston Mayor ANNISE PARKER backed the measure but it was defeated at the ballot.

J A N U A RY 0 1 , 2 0 1 6 • 0 9 Neither a federal appeals court, nor the Supreme Court, would lift the order upon her request for a stay pending appeal. But Davis continued to deny licenses. One of the plaintiff same-sex couples came to her office seeking a marriage license, but she refused to give one to them, citing “God’s authority.” U.S. District Judge David Bunning found her in contempt of court and placed her in jail for several days. Upon her release, she appeared at a rally with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and other supporters who celebrated her defiance. The anti-LGBT Family Research Council awarded Davis its “Cost of Discipleship” award during the annual Values Voter Summit in D.C.

experienced an unexpected setback this year when Houston voters rejected at the polls an LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination ordinance. The measure, known as the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance and backed by lesbian Mayor Annise Parker, would have instituted citywide protections in the nation’s fourth largest city on the basis of 15 categories, including sexual orientation and gender identity. Although initial polls indicated the ordinance would pass, it was defeated by a lopsided 61-39 margin. LGBT rights supporters blamed the loss on anti-trans TV ads aimed at stoking fears about transgender people using the restroom consistent with their gender identity. One ad featured a young girl entering a restroom stall only for a menacinglooking man to follow and slam the door behind them.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NBC

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY LEE WHITMAN

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KIM DAVIS REFUSES TO MARRY GAY COUPLES After the Supreme Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage, one Kentucky clerk made national headlines this year for refusing to comply with the decision on religious grounds. Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis, an Apostolic Christian, closed down marriage operations in her oﬃce, refusing marriage licenses to both same-sex and opposite-sex couples. Couples ﬁled a lawsuit against her, resulting in a district court ordering her to issue licenses.

transgender women making people uncomfortable if they look like a “man in a dress.”

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY DAMIEN SALAS

HILLARY CLINTON and DONALD TRUMP spent 2015 as the frontrunners for their respective party nominations.

KIM DAVIS was widely mocked for her refusal to marry gay couples in Kentucky.

has come to move on, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush called for protections of religious freedom, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker before he exited the race sought a U.S. constitutional amendment against the decision, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said it should be ignored entirely and Sen. Marco Rubio said he’d appoint justices that would reverse the decision. Republicans also made outrageous claims about LGBT people. Ben Carson said prison proves being gay is a choice and Sen. Ted Cruz said the Planned Parenthood shooter may be a “transgendered leftist activist.” Meanwhile, each of the Democratic candidates endorsed the Equality Act and pledged to make LGBT rights of a component of their campaigns and administrations.

LGBT RIGHTS SURFACE AS 2016 RACE KICKS OFF

As the 2016 race for the White House kicked off this year, the issue of LGBT rights distinctly separated Democratic candidates from Republican contenders. The Democratic hopefuls boiled down to Hillary Clinton as the front-running candidate followed by Bernard Sanders and Martin O’Malley. The Republicans had a more sizable group, ending the year with 13 candidates and Donald Trump making headlines for inflammatory statements about immigrants, women, Black Lives Matter activists and Muslims. When the U.S. Supreme Court ruled for same-sex marriage, each of the Democratic candidates embraced it, but all Republicans remained opposed to same-sex marriage, although they had slightly differing takes on the decision. Ohio Gov. John Kasich said the time

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

CAITLYN JENNER came out as trans in an interview with Diane Sawyer.

LGBT rights supporters celebrated on the steps of the Supreme Court in June.

C AITLYN JENNER COMES OUT AS TRANS Amid rising transgender visibility, TV personality and Olympic decathlon gold medalist Caitlyn Jenner publicly transitioned and became the most highprofile transgender figure in the country. For months, media reports and paparazzi photos raised questions about whether Jenner was transitioning. Jenner confirmed that was her intent during an interview with ABC’s Diane Sawyer as she maintained male pronouns and her former name, Bruce Jenner. Jenner revealed herself under her new name in a cover spread for Vanity Fair, which was captioned “Call Me Caitlyn.” Upon receipt of the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at ESPN’s annual ESPYS dinner, Jenner said she could take the ridicule aimed at her, but transgender youth may not be as strong. She also began to star in the reality TV series “I Am Cait,” which focused on her transition and placed her among other rising transgender stars like Laverne Cox of “Orange Is the New Black” and Jamie Clayton of “Sense8.” Although Jenner has sought to draw attention to issues facing the transgender community, she remains controversial because she’s a Republican, is seen as too affluent to represent transgender people and made controversial remarks for which she later apologized about

S UPREME COURT RULES FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY

A decades-long struggle for the LGBT community culminated this year at the U.S. Supreme Court when justices ruled in favor of marriage rights for same-sex couples across the nation. In the 5-4 decision written by U.S. Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy, the court determined state prohibitions on same-sex marriage violate the right to due process and equal protection under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The court accepted the litigation after the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld bans on same-sex marriage in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee, creating a split among other circuit courts that struck down similar prohibitions in other states. On the day of oral arguments, one of the attorneys arguing in favor of marriage rights for same-sex couples was Mary Bonauto, a lesbian attorney who successfully argued for marriage equality in Massachusetts in 2003, making the Bay State the ﬁrst in the country with samesex marriage. The court delivered its historic decision on June 26, the same date 12 years ago when it issued its decision against state sodomy bans and two years ago when it issued the ruling against Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act.

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Top 10 international news stories of 2015 MARRIAGE IN IRELAND, A KINDER POPE GRAB HEADLINES By MICHAEL K. LAVERS mlavers@washblade.com Ireland’s historic referendum that extended marriage rights to same-sex couples, the daughter of Cuban President Raúl Castro promoting LGBT rights and the Islamic State’s continued execution of men accused of sodomy are among the international stories that made headlines in 2015. Here is a look back at the top 10 stories, as ranked by the Blade’s editorial staﬀ. An Egyptian court in January acquitted 26 men who had been charged with “debauchery” late last year during a raid on a Cairo bathhouse. Mona Iraqi, a reporter for a pro-government television station who tipped oﬀ authorities after she was unable to enter the building, in November received a six-month jail sentence for “defaming” those who were arrested.

Gambian President YAHYA JAMMEH

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GAMBIA REJECTS CRITICISM OF LGBT RECORD The Gambian government in 2015 remained deﬁant against continued criticisms of its LGBT rights record. Gambian Ambassador to the U.S. Omar Faye told the Washington Blade in September in response to a Human Rights Watch report that documented human rights abuses in his country that nobody “can say any gay person has been killed” in the small west African nation. He also dismissed criticisms over President Yahya Jammeh’s anti-LGBT rhetoric. Jammeh’s nephew, Alagie Jammeh, earlier this year said he faces life in prison or even death in Gambia because of a pro-gay message he posted to Facebook while studying at the University of California, Santa Barbara. A Gambian court in August acquitted three men who had been charged with “aggravated homosexuality.” Yahya Jammeh owns a $3.5 million mansion in Potomac, Md.

EGYPTIAN MEN ARRESTED IN BATHHOUSE ACQUITTED OF ‘DEBAUCHERY’ The Egyptian government in 2015 continued to face criticism over its LGBT rights record. A court in April ruled the Egyptian Interior Ministry can expel “homosexual aliens” from the country. The decision also said the government can prevent them from returning to Egypt. Egyptian police in February arrested seven “transsexuals” who were part of an alleged “network of debauchery” in Cairo.

PHOTO BY MARIAJONER; COURTESY OF SIKIMEDIA

VLADIMIR PUTIN

L GBT ADVOCATES CRITICIZE TPP DEAL Advocates in 2015 sharply criticized a controversial trade agreement between the U.S. and 11 Pacific Rim countries because it does not include LGBT-specific protections. Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the U.S. and Vietnam would join the Trans-Pacific Partnership if the countries ratify it. Consensual same-sex sexual relations remain illegal in Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore. Brunei in 2014 began to implement a new legal code based on Sharia law that punishes those convicted of homosexuality by stoning them to death. Malaysia’s highest court in February upheld former Deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s conviction under the country’s anti-sodomy law. “TPP fails the test for important LGBT concerns,” said Pride at Work Executive Director Jerame Davis in November after the text of the trade agreement was released.

R USSIA CONTINUES LGBT CRACKDOWN The Kremlin in 2015 continued its crackdown on LGBT rights. A judge in January convicted the founder of a website for LGBT youth of violating the country’s law that bans the promotion of so-called gay propaganda to minors. A U.N. budget committee in March overwhelmingly rejected a resolution sponsored by Russia that sought to overturn Secretary-General Ban Kimoon’s decision to extend spousal benefits to gay U.N. personnel who are legally married. Two Russian lawmakers in October introduced a bill that critics contend would effectively ban gays and lesbians from coming out. A Russian newspaper last month reported U.S. officials ordered a prominent LGBT rights advocate to discredit Kremlin officials. The newspaper based its report on a fake letter between Special U.S. Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTI Persons Randy Berry and Nikolai Alexeyev.

advocacy group, organized. Schlissel, an ultra-Orthodox Jewish man, faces charges of premeditated murder and attempted murder in connection with the attack. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro are among the oﬃcials who condemned the attack. An Israeli court convicted Schlissel of attempted murder and aggravated assault in connection with the stabbing of three people during a 2005 Pride march in Jerusalem. He was released from prison less than a month before the July 30 attack.

ISIS posted images that appear to show blindfolded Syrian and Iraqi men being thrown from buildings.

#5 PHOTO COURTESY OF JERUSALEM OPEN HOUSE

Shira Banki was stabbed to death at a Jerusalem Pride parade.

T EENAGER KILLED DURING JERUSALEM PRIDE An attack on a Jerusalem Pride march on July 30 left a teenager dead and ﬁve others injured. Prosecutors allege that Yishai Schlissel stabbed Shira Banki to death with a butcher’s knife as she took part in the march that Jerusalem Open House for Pride and Tolerance, a local LGBT

I SLAMIC STATE EXECUTES MEN ACCUSED OF SODOMY The Islamic State’s public execution of men accused of engaging in sodomy sparked global outrage in 2015. The Sunni militant group throughout 2015 posted to its website and social media pages images that appear to show blindfolded Syrian and Iraqi men being thrown from buildings with their hands tied behind their backs. The Islamic State has also reportedly beheaded and stoned to death those who have been accused of sodomy. Reports indicate the Islamic State, also known as Daesh, has executed more than 30 men in Syria and Iraq accused of sodomy. The U.N. Security Council in August used its ﬁrst-ever meeting on an LGBTCONTINUES ON PAGE 12

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speciﬁc issue to focus on the Islamic State. “We are all horriﬁed by ISIL’s videos of men being thrown to their death,” said U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power during the meeting.

I N T E RN A T I O N A L N E W S Y E A R I N RE V I E W Cuban President Raúl Castro, in May organized a series of events in Cuba to commemorate the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. Hundreds of advocates from across Latin America gathered in the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa for a conference the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund co-sponsored.

U.S. and Cuba.

PHOTO BY WILLIAM M MURPHY; COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

#2 WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL K. LAVERS

MARIELA CASTRO at IDAHOT rally in Las Tunas, Cuba on May 16, 2015.

LGBT RIGHTS GAIN TRACTION IN LATIN AMERICA LGBT rights advocates throughout Latin America in 2015 celebrated a number of legal and political advances. The Constitutional Court of Colombia in November ruled that same-sex couples can adopt children. The same tribunal in July held a hearing on whether same-sex couples should receive marriage rights in the South American country. The Mexican Supreme Court in 2015 issued a number of rulings that struck down same-sex marriage bans. A Chilean law that allows gays and lesbians to enter into civil unions took eﬀect in October. The Colombian government in June issued a decree that allows transgender people to legally change their name and gender without surgery. Tamara Adrián on Dec. 6 became the ﬁrst openly trans person elected to the Venezuelan National Assembly. Uruguay in November became the second Latin American country to join a U.S. initiative that seeks to promote LGBT rights around the world. Mariela Castro, daughter of

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RANDY BERRY was named special U.S. envoy for the promotion of LGBT rights.

W HITE HOUSE PROMOTES LGBT RIGHTS ABROAD Promoting LGBT rights overseas remained a cornerstone of President Obama’s foreign policy in 2015. The State Department in February appointed Randy Berry as the special U.S. envoy for the promotion of LGBT rights. The career Foreign Service officer has traveled to Uganda, Honduras, Lebanon and more than 20 other countries since he officially assumed his post in April. Obama in July highlighted LGBT rights during a press conference with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta in his country’s capital of Nairobi. The American president also met with Kenyan LGBT rights advocates. Secretary of State John Kerry in August during his meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak raised the case of a leading opposition figure who is serving a five-year prison sentence after his conviction under the country’s antisodomy law. The White House in May said LGBT rights were a factor in the normalization of relations between the

I RISH VOTERS APPROVE MARRIAGE RIGHTS Ireland in May became the ﬁrst country to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples through a popular vote. The referendum passed by a 62-38 percent margin. “It is about removing discrimination,” said Irish Prime Minister Edna Kenney in an interview with NBC News. President Michael Higgins in August oﬃcially amended the Irish Constitution to codify the referendum results. The Irish Presidential Commission on Oct. 29 formally signed a law that extended marriage rights to same-sex couples. Marriage for gays and lesbians became legal in the country on Nov. 16.

P OPE FRANCIS BRINGS HOPE TO LGBT CATHOLICS Pope Francis in 2015 maintained his largely moderate tone toward LGBT issues. The pontiﬀ in February said during a Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica that the church cannot “condemn anyone for eternity.” A transgender man from Spain in January had a private audience with the pontiﬀ at the Vatican. Francis in March met with gay, trans and HIV-positive prisoners in the Italian city of Naples. Francis in September during his trip to the U.S. and Cuba reiterated the Catholic Church’s position on marriage. The

PHOTO BY JEFFREY BRUNO; COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

POPE FRANCIS has struck a more moderate tone on LGBT issues than his predecessor.

Vatican downplayed the pope’s meeting with Rowan County (Ky.) Clerk Kim Davis, who refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples because of her religious beliefs. Catholic bishops in October reiterated the church’s opposition to marriage rights for same-sex couples in the ﬁnal draft of their long-awaited report on the family. Francis in January said during his trip to the Philippines that “ideological colonization” seeks to “destroy the family.” A Chilean newspaper in September published emails between two cardinals that showed they conspired to block the nomination of a gay man to a papal sex abuse commission. LGBT Catholics in November criticized Francis for not publicly speaking against Uganda’s AntiHomosexuality Act while in the African country.

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I N T E RN A T I O N A L N E W S Y E A R I N RE V I E W

Top 10 Blade stories online HERE’S WHAT CLICKED WITH READERS IN 2015 By KEVIN NAFF knaﬀ@washblade.com The year 2015 brought an avalanche of LGBT-related news, but the Supreme Court’s marriage ruling wasn’t the most popular story online. Below are the top 10 stories by web traﬃc at washingtonblade.com of 2015.

#10

“GAYS BOYCOTT URBAN OUTFITTERS” The retailer was assailed for selling a T-shirt that included an image of a pink triangle, similar to the insignia gays were forced to wear in Nazi concentration camps.

audience with the pontiﬀ that took place at his oﬃcial residence.

“COURT STRIKES DOWN ALABAMA BAN ON SAME-SEX MARRIAGE” A federal judge in Alabama struck down a state ban on same-sex marriage in January, ruling against a prohibition on gay nuptials on the basis that it violates the Fourteenth Amendment.

“ MOST-ELIGIBLE LGBT SINGLES” In February, the Blade produced its ﬁrstever “most-eligible singles” issue along with a party at Town where patrons could meet the winners. It proved a popular issue and the story ranked #5 for the year in terms of traﬃc. You know what that means: Watch for it again next month.

service organization was once again Craig Shniderman of D.C.’s Food & Friends. He made $433,896 in 2013.

“ GAY ACTIVISTS UNHAPPY WITH CLINTON REMARKS ON DOMA” A number of LGBT rights activists criticized Hillary Clinton in October, claiming she engaged in historic

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DAVID MESSERSCHMITT was found stabbed to death at the Donovan Hotel on Feb.

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Sgt. SHANE ORTEGA is considered the ﬁrst openly transgender person to serve in the U.S. military.

“ARMY SOLDIER BECOMES FIRST OPENLY TRANS PERSON IN U.S. MILITARY”

An Army helicopter crew chief became the ﬁrst person considered to serve in the U.S. military while being openly transgender after coming out in April. Sgt. Shane Ortega, 28, who was stationed at Wheeler Airﬁeld in Hawaii, talked about his commitment to the U.S. military in a statement to media outlets despite the ban on allowing openly trans people to serve.

“TRANSGENDER MAN’S PRIVATE AUDIENCE WITH POPE FRANCIS” A transgender man from Spain had a private audience with Pope Francis at the Vatican in January. Hoy, a Spanish newspaper, reported that Diego Neria Lejárraga and his ﬁancée had a private

“MURDER OF LAWYER IN D.C. HOTEL PROMPTS CONCERN AMONG ACTIVISTS” The mystery surrounding the murder of 30-year-old D.C. attorney David Messerschmitt, who was found stabbed to death on Feb. 10 in a downtown hotel room hours after his wife reported him missing, captured the attention of activists who monitor anti-LGBT violence.

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RAND PAUL opposes marriage equality.

“ RAND PAUL SAYS SAME-SEX MARRIAGE ‘OFFENDS’ HIM AND OTHERS” Rand Paul said in March that affording the distinction of marriage to same-sex couples “offends myself and a lot of other people.” “I’m for traditional marriage,” Paul said. “I think marriage is between a man and a woman. Ultimately, we could have fixed this a long time ago if we just allowed contracts between adults. We didn’t have to call it marriage, which offends myself and a lot of people.”

“ HOW MUCH DO LGBT ORGANIZATION LEADERS MAKE?” The Blade’s occasional special project on the salaries of LGBT movement leaders is always a popular read and never fails to generate controversy. The project takes months to research and assemble, as some groups aren’t forthcoming with their ﬁgures, while others ﬁnd creative ways to pay their executives from multiple funding sources, making it tricky to arrive at a correct number. The highest-paid leader of an LGBT rights or HIV/AIDS

revisionism during an appearance on “The Rachel Maddow Show” when she said DOMA was a means to stop the enactment of a U.S. constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. The Blade story exploded after Matt Drudge linked to it prominently from the top of his popular site.

“ EXCLUSIVE: I INTERRUPTED OBAMA BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE HEARD” President Obama admonished a protester, Jennicet Gutierrez, for interrupting him at a White House Pride event in June. She was criticized by some in the LGBT community for attacking a pro-LGBT president and responded in an op-ed published exclusively by the Blade. “I was fortunate to be invited to the White House to listen to President Obama’s speech recognizing the LGBTQ community and the progress being made. But while he spoke of ‘trans women of color being targeted,’ his administration holds LGBTQ and trans immigrants in detention. I spoke out because our issues and struggles can no longer be ignored,” she wrote.

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2015 YEAR IN PHOTOS

l-r, top to bottom

DAVID GERARD won the Mr. Mid-Atlantic Leather 2015 title on Jan. 18.; SHANGELA of RuPaul’s Drag Race performed at Town Danceboutique on Feb. 25.; an LGBT contingent marched in the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade for the ﬁrst time on March 15.; marriage equality advocates rallied in front of the Supreme Court building during oral arguments in the Obergefell v. Hodges case on April 28.; the 2015 Black Pride Cultural Arts and Wellness Festival was held on the Francis-Stephens Educational Campus on May 24.; opponents of extending marriage rights to same-sex couples gathered outside of the Supreme Court on June 25.

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Out rapper Cazwell performed at the 2015 Baltimore Pride Festival on July 25.; a Black Trans Lives Matter rally was held on Aug. 25 in Franklin Square.; the sixth annual 17th Street Festival brought bands, performers and booths to Kameny Way on Sept. 12.; the 29th annual High Heel Race brought costumed competitors and thousands of spectators to 17th Street on Oct. 27.; a wreath-laying ceremony was held for LGBT veterans at Congressional Cemetery on Nov. 11.; the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington held its holiday show, ‘ReWrapped,’ at Lincoln Theatre over two weekends in December.

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Looking back, looking ahead Let’s hope 2016 brings defeat of ISIS and Hillary as president

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

As we sing “Auld Lang Syne” and lift our glasses of Champagne for the last time in 2015, let us take a moment to look back at the past year and hope for good things in 2016. The past year saw both heartache and joy. Heartache for all those impacted by the brutality of ISIS. From beheading of hostages to the attack in Paris. From the slaughter of innocents in San Bernardino by radical ISIS sympathizers to the murders and fear ISIS is responsible for instilling in so many peace-loving Syrians who are ﬂeeing by the millions to places where they hope to feel safe.

The year 2015 also gave us the clown car of candidates running in the Republican primary for president. Donald Trump will say anything to instill fear in the American people. He appears to have adopted Fascism, modeling himself after Mussolini and the early years of Hitler, calling to ban immigrants based on religion and supporting a registry of all Muslims in the country. Sen. Marco Rubio said the issue of marriage equality is not settled law; Ben Carson doesn’t know much of anything but says God wrote our Constitution; Gov. Chris Christie says he is friends with the deceased King Hussein of Jordan; and Sen. Ted Cruz is the current incarnation of Sen. Joseph McCarthy. We must never forget the heartache of the church massacre in Charleston, S.C., and the shooting in Colorado Springs at Planned Parenthood and remember all the other shootings of innocents around the nation and our inability to pass reasonable gun control. The shootings of young black men by police that are encouraging people to speak out under the banner of the Black Lives Matter movement and bring the need E DIT OR IA L C A R T OON

for justice reform into the presidential election contest was another important story of 2015. Good things happened as well last year. The economy continued to grow and the unemployment rate is the lowest in years. On June 26, we saw samesex marriage become the law of the land when the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 it was protected by the Constitution. The Obama administration had major successes, first negotiating a deal with Iran to put off any chance of their having a nuclear bomb for 15 years; and most recently achieving an agreement signed by nearly 200 nations committing them to lowering planet-warming green-house gas emissions to ameliorate the most drastic impact of climate change. On the lighter side, Bryce Harper won the National league MVP and some of us truly enjoyed the video of his posing for ESPN The Magazine’s 2015 Body Issue. The year 2016 will be a year of change in America and the world. As the war on ISIS continues, let’s hope the United States will lead a coalition that will defeat them. There will be a presidential election in November but ﬁrst we will spend the next 10 months hearing candidates’ debate and challenge each other. Republican candidates will try to outdo each other with outrageous comments and we can only hope the level heads in the party, if any still exist, will prevail. My hope is Hillary Rodham Clinton will win the Democratic nomination. Then Sen. Bernie Sanders will do for her what Hillary did in 2008 for Barack Obama, and join her in Unity, N.H., urging all his supporters to unite behind her candidacy to elect the first woman president of the United States. He will remind his supporters if a Republican wins there is no chance of accomplishing anything he campaigned for. This year will not be an easy one for the world. There will continue to be terrorist attacks and innocent people will die as the world debates how to respond to radical jihadists. But it may be the year decent people around the world begin to band together to fight the evil that exists. I wish all Blade readers peace, good health and happiness throughout the year.

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VIEWPOINT

JANUARY 01, 2016 • 19

2015: Year of the arsonist Historic progress met the usual backlash

RICHARD J. ROSENDALL is a writer and activist. Reach him at rrosendall@starpower.net.

“Set the motherfucker on ﬁre!” That recent call by a Donald Trump rally-goer concerning a black protester, with another attendee yelling “Sieg heil,” illustrates the viciousness fueling Trump’s presidential campaign. If you take this lightly, Google “lynching.” It is not just that what happened in Europe in the last century could happen here; what happened here could happen again. Trump’s incitements, and those of his rivals, do not just pander to intolerance, they spray gasoline on the ﬁre. Hate-spewing demagogues were not the year’s only newsmakers, but they produced its most dangerous legacy. The demons they unleashed cannot easily be tamed. But the haters cannot win the general election unless the rest of us allow it. Before we head

back into battle, let us review some positive developments of 2015, though with cautionary notes. The landmark victory for nationwide marriage equality in Obergefell v. Hodges, which President Obama celebrated by lighting the White House north front in rainbow colors, inspired opponents to switch tactics by pushing “religious freedom” laws (better dubbed “religious supremacy”) to continue their antigay attacks. The Equality Act represented a new approach to LGBT anti-discrimination legislation, but stood no chance in a Republican-controlled Congress. Gay Black Lives Matter activist DeRay Mckesson and several colleagues launched the smart, well-designed Campaign Zero policy website. The U.S. Department of Labor strengthened its guidance to protect its transgender employees. The Departments of Justice and Education supported Virginia trans student Gavin Grimm’s successful eﬀort to use the boys’ restroom. On the downside, the antitrans panic that overturned the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance revealed a weakness in making our case that recalled the 2008 Proposition 8 debacle in California. Caitlyn Jenner’s coming out as a transgender woman brought more visibility to the trans equality struggle, but the blend of her conservatism and blindness of privilege drew plenty of barbs. It is worth remember-

ing that our struggle is not about personalities. We should resist pointless arguments like whether she deserved Glamour’s Woman of the Year award. Alas, those who hurl “men in dresses” slurs got an assist from Jenner, who used the expression herself. A private intervention by experienced trans activists might be in order. In healthcare, CDC data show that pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) taken daily reduces sexually transmitted HIV infection risk by more than 90 percent. But CDC also reports a nearly 87 percent increase in new HIV infections among black and Latino gay and bisexual youth. At-risk populations must be informed about and provided this life-saving treatment. LGBT cultural visibility continued with ﬁlms like Carol and The Danish Girl, and with the Broadway triumph of Fun Home, based on the graphic memoir by Alison Bechdel. Jennifer Hudson made “I Still Love You,” a beautiful music video with an interracial gay theme. The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington made an historic trip to Cuba. President Obama’s even-tempered persistence led to diplomatic breakthroughs on blocking Iranian nuclear weapons, combating climate change, and resuming diplomatic relations with Cuba. Irish voters strongly approved marriage equality, rejecting admonitions by the Catholic Church. Free and Equal, a United Nations campaign for LGBT

equality, highlighted the cost of homophobia and transphobia. LGBT people from Colombia to Uganda continued to face violent repression. On Veteran’s Day, LGBT veterans and other activists dedicated Frank Kameny’s memorial stone in Congressional Cemetery, four years after the gay rights pioneer’s death. Also honoring the past was a rejuvenated Mattachine Society of Washington, originally founded by Kameny, now led by Charles Francis and dedicated to “archive activism.” (Note: I am the group’s secretary.) One of its 2015 discoveries was a document in the Reagan presidential library showing that Nancy Reagan refused to help her friend Rock Hudson get admitted to a French hospital when he was dying of AIDS in 1985. Gathering and preserving evidence is as crucial in documenting our past as in moving forward, as with the D.C.-area needs assessment study released in November by the DC Trans Coalition. Like African Americans, women, immigrants, and religious minorities before us, LGBT people have faced a backlash ever since we ﬁrst stood up for ourselves. Organizations come and go, and the focus of our eﬀorts changes; but the work of democracy continues. Copyright © 2015 by Richard J. Rosendall. All rights reserved.

V I E W PO I N T

The alarming trend of Title IX waivers Religious colleges obtain license to discriminate against LGBT students By ADELE KIMMEL In the name of religion, 27 colleges and universities across our nation have received a “blessing” to discriminate against students and employees based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Pardon me, but how the hell did this happen? Several news outlets, including the New York Times, have recently uncovered that, since 2014, the U.S. Department of Education has granted these schools exemptions from Title IX, the federal civil rights law that prohibits sex discrimination in all schools that receive federal funds. And nine more waiver applications are currently pending. Title IX permits schools “controlled by a religious organization” to claim an exemption from parts of the law that “would not be consistent with the religious tenets” of the organization. Waiver applications were relatively rare in the last several decades, but increased

dramatically in the last year, after the federal government began to interpret Title IX’s prohibition against sex discrimination as applying to discrimination against LGBT individuals. And the Supreme Court’s decision legalizing samesex marriage earlier this year undoubtedly added fuel to this growing fire. The uptick in waiver applications is a concerted effort by Christian schools to ban LGBT students and staff without fear of legal liability. The Column, a non-profit LGBT media group, recently found that conservative Christian groups are also hosting trainings and providing sample documents for schools to use when seeking exemptions from Title IX based on their “sincerely held religious beliefs” about LGBT people. These schools want to expel transgender and other people who don’t conform to gender stereotypes. And they do not want to house legally married same-sex couples. Though LGBT individuals are the primary target, they are not the only group in the conservative Christian crosshairs. Other targets include unmarried pregnant women and women who have had an abortion. And our federal tax dollars are subsidizing

this targeted discrimination. The 27 schools that have obtained waivers from Title IX’s nondiscrimination mandate received nearly $130 million in federal research grants and student aid last year. The whole point of Title IX is to ensure that schools receiving federal funds provide equal educational opportunities regardless of sex. No federally funded school should get a license to discriminate. If a school plans to exclude students and staff based on gender identity, sexual orientation, or pregnancy status, it should do so on its own dime. Not mine. Or yours. To fix this problem, Congress would have to amend Title IX to remove the exemption for educational institutions controlled by religious organizations. In the meantime, discrimination victims should be challenging religious schools’ efforts to obtain exemptions from Title IX when the schools aren’t really “controlled” by religious organizations, where the exemption sought is overly broad, or where the school can’t show a conflict with the “specific tenets” of the religious organization. Religious liberty is not an excuse to discriminate. The Supreme Court’s decision in Hobby

Lobby—which held that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act required giving Hobby Lobby a religious exemption from the contraceptive coverage mandate of the Affordable Health Care Act—raised the specter of a religious exemption from anti-discrimination laws. But the majority decision attempted to quell those concerns and did not provide businesses with a free pass to flout anti-discrimination laws in the name of religion. More recently, when the Supreme Court held in Obergefell that same-sex couples have an equal protection right to marry, local government officials—like the now infamous county clerk, Kim Davis—had to enforce that right regardless of whether it was consistent with their personal religious beliefs. Schools that receive federal money should likewise be required to enforce Title IX’s nondiscrimination mandate regardless of their religious tenets. And, if you ask me, discrimination is not a Christian tenet. ADELE KIMMEL is senior attorney at Public Justice. She is a national expert on school bullying litigation and spearheaded Public Justice’s Anti-Bullying Campaign.

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The year’s biggest A&E moments CAITLYN, ‘CAROL,’ ‘STONEWALL’ AND MORE By JOEY DiGUGLIELMO joeyd@washblade.com #10 NEIL PATRICK HARRIS JUST SO-SO AT THE OSCARS After successful stints hosting the Tonys and Emmys, expectations were high in February when long-time out actor Neil Patrick Harris hosted the 87th Academy Awards, becoming the first openly gay man (Ellen hosted the year before) to take on the tough assignment. Showing off a remarkably fit physique, he lampooned a scene from “Birdman” by appearing on stage in tighty-whities, a move that drew mixed reviews. The New York Times said overall he was “bland.” Time said he was “glum and low energy.” Viewership was down 16 percent, the lowest rating in six years according to Variety. Harris told Huffington Post later he doubts he’ll ever do it again. “I don’t know that my family nor my soul could take it,” he said in that interview. After a white-hot run of successes in recent years, Harris fumbled in 2015. His fall NBC show “Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris,” a live TV variety series, was cancelled in December after just eight episodes. #9 RETURN OF MADONNA AND JANET In March, Madonna released her 13th studio album “Rebel Heart.” Despite a massive leak, it debuted solidly at No. 2 on Billboard (121,000 units) and received generally better reviews than her previous two releases. Her “Rebel Heart Tour” opened in September with strong reviews and sales. Janet Jackson returned in October with her 11th album “Unbreakable,” her first new studio project in seven years. With 116,000 units, the album was No. 1 on the Billboard albums chart the week it debuted and garnered strong reviews. The “Unbreakable World Tour” kicked off in August in Vancouver with several fast sell-outs. After taking December off, she

this award) Tambor also won a Globe and later an Emmy as well. The show’s second season premiered in December. It’s been renewed for a third. It has an impressive 98 percent freshness rating on critical roundup site Rotten Tomatoes. #6 ‘GLEE’ SIGNS OFF

PHOTO BY ANNIE LEIBOVITZ FOR VANITY FAIR

Meet CAITLYN JENNER

goes back out Jan. 9 in Denver and plays Baltimore on Feb. 29 and D.C. on March 1. It’s her first tour since 2011 and marks a return to arenas after playing smaller venues last time. Despite the buzz and media interest, U.S. radio continued to mostly ignore the singers. On the Hot 100, a chart the two dominated in the ‘80s and ‘90s, Janet’s first single “No Sleeep” made it only to No. 67. She found more success on the Adult R&B chart, where the single spent a record 10 weeks at No. 1. The title cut was the second single and didn’t chart. Neither did Madonna’s first single “Living for Love” or second single “Ghost Town.” Both singers had some success (Madge always manages a No. 1 dance hit for practically everything she releases) on other Billboard charts. Madonna’s third single “Bitch I’m Madonna” peaked at No. 84 on the Hot 100. #8 ‘HAMILTON’ HITS BIG ON BROADWAY With a score “rooted in hip-hop but also encompassing R&B, jazz, pop, Tin Pan Alley and the choral strains of contemporary

Broadway,” as the New York Times put it, “Hamilton,” which opened on Broadway in August, is this year’s monster hit where it’s turned the notion of the “Great White Way” on its head with a cast of mostly black and Latino actors playing the founding fathers. Based on a 2004 biography of Alexander Hamilton, the show has drawn raves for its ability to “redefine what an American musical can look and sound like,” as the Times wrote. Out actor Jonathan Groff plays King George III, a nice change of pace for him after HBO’s “Looking” ended its second and last season in March. #7 ‘TRANSPARENT’ GOES THROUGH THE ROOF “Transparent,” the hit Amazon Studios show that tells of Maura Pfefferman’s (Jeffrey Tambor) transition process and the effect it has on her family, went through the roof this year. In addition to the Golden Globe for Best Television Series — Musical or Comedy (the first time a streamed show has taken

Although it wound down with more of a whimper than a bang, “Glee,” the hit Fox series that debuted in 2009 and told of the ups and downs of the William McKinley High School glee club, the show, created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan, deserves praise for its brave handling of LGBT issues. From out cast members Jane Lynch, Chris Colfer and Alex Newell to its sensitive handling of LGBT storylines, the show was an awards magnet winning four GLAAD Media Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series, six Emmys, four Golden Globes and a bounty of other accolades. Ratings had fallen steadily in recent years after a second season high. #5 DANNY PINTAURO COMES OUT AS HIV POSITIVE Although he’d been out of the pop culture limelight, former “Who’s the Boss?” and “Cujo” actor Danny Pintauro, who’d been out for years, told Oprah on an episode of her show “Oprah: Where Are They Now?” in September that he’s been HIV positive for 12 years. Although initially embraced for his candor, Pintauro later drew criticism for saying on “The View” that he believes he contracted the virus through oral sex, a possibility HIV experts said was highly unlikely. He later told the Blade at the AIDS Walk CONTINUES ON PAGE 35

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QUEERY: 20 QUESTIONS FOR ADAM IMMERWAHR

How long have you been out and who was the hardest person to tell? I started coming out in sixth grade and ﬁnished in eighth. I recall it was hard to tell my older brother, but it was a non-event because he totally already knew. I guess when you’re younger brother comes out in the same school as you, the word gets around!

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

ADAM IMMERWAHR By JOEY DiGUGLIELMO joeyd@washblade.com Theater J has a new artistic director. Adam Immerwahr started last month from the McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, N.J., where he lived for about 10 years. He arrives at an interesting juncture for the famed Jewish Community Center theater, which drew heavy media attention last year about this time when long-time artistic director Ari Roth was fired (the official reason given was “insubordination”; he claimed artistic censorship; he’s now busy at his new company Mosaic). Immerwahr says the proceedings were not a major concern for him. “I wasn’t here … so I don’t have much to say about it,” says the 33-yearold Swarthmore, Pa., native. “There was an extensive search process … which gave me ample opportunity to ask questions. … I feel confident that all involved are eager to see Theater J remain a bold, imaginative, political, personal and joyful theater that engages with some of the most pressing issues of our time.” Immerwahr’s priorities are, “that we be a theater of joy and delight placing artistic excellence above all else.” He also says he’s “utterly elated” to join the theater. Immerwahr is looking for an apartment in the Dupont or Logan areas. He’s in Capitol Hill for now. He’s single and enjoys cooking and bike riding in his free time.

Who’s your LGBT hero? Trans activist, author, performer and sex educator Kate Bornstein. She is one of the bravest people I’ve ever met. But my second choice would be performer-raconteur Taylor Mac, who goes by the gender pronoun “Judy.” Mac is changing the way we view gender, performance and culture with each of Judy’s shows. What’s Washington’s best nightspot, past or present? Come on, I’ve only been here for two weeks! So far, my favorite bar/club has been Town, but I’ve also visited Trade, Nellie’s and Number 9. Of course, most nights you can ﬁnd me at Theater J. Describe your dream wedding. I’m in showbiz and put on events for a living. I’d want something really laid back. Just a handful of people and a civil marriage. What non-LGBT issue are you most passionate about? Climate change. If the earth keeps getting warmer, nothing else will matter. What historical outcome would you change? The destruction of the library of Alexandria. So much knowledge was lost. What’s been the most memorable pop culture moment of your lifetime? At my last job, I was on the producing team that commissioned and premiered Christopher Durang’s “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike.” When our production, which starred Sigourney Weaver and David Hyde Pierce, transferred to Broadway and won the Tony Award for best play, that was pretty unforgettable. On what do you insist? Wearing a tie to work every day. You gotta dress the part. What was your last Facebook post or Tweet? On Facebook: “And then there was that day you gave a terriﬁc pre-show speech but you felt like the audience was distracted. They were paying attention to something else. And

you realized later that your fly was open.” If your life were a book, what would the title be? “An Eater’s Guide to Vegan Junk Food” If science discovered a way to change sexual orientation, what would you do? That would be terrific. I can think of a few straight men whom I would be more than happy to convert. Scientists should start working on that immediately. Oh wait, you meant change sexual orientation from straight to gay, right? Why would they work on the other direction? What do you believe in beyond the physical world? Data-driven decisions and strategic thinking. What’s your advice for LGBT movement leaders? Now that we have gay marriage, let’s not forget about the struggles that still face our community, particularly for queer people of color and the trans communities. What would you walk across hot coals for? A farm-to-table vegan restaurant that served good cocktails What LGBT stereotype annoys you most? Ugh. All of them. What’s your favorite LGBT movie? I don’t really have one. I don’t watch a lot of LGBT movies (or really movies of any kind). I spend enough time in theaters. What’s the most overrated social custom? Holding doors for others. It’s inefficient more often than not and I just hate playing the door-holding one-upmanship dance. What trophy or prize do you most covet? The ig Nobel prize, which is given for achievements that first make people laugh, then make them think. What do you wish you’d known at 18? That no matter the choices I made, my life direction would be shaped as much by luck as anything else. Why Washington? This is a town with an incredible, vibrant and diverse theater community. Though rarely touted, the arts are thriving in this city. I couldn’t be happier to be surrounded by such visionary, talented, creative and fearless colleagues.

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Nominations open Jan. 4 for the Blade’s Singles Issue on Feb. 12 Help us find D.C.’s top 20 LGBT singles, then meet them at a party on Feb. 13 at Town Danceboutique.

Nominate yourself or your friends starting Jan. 4 at washingtonblade.com/singles

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

24 • JANUARY 01, 2016

CALENDAR / OUT & ABOUT

‘Fillmore Flashback: ‘80s vs. ‘90s Dance Party’ with Biz Markie is Saturday, Jan. 2 at 8 p.m. at the Fillmore Silver Spring. WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY JOEY DIGUGLIELMO

TODAY PHOTO COURTESYOF DC SHORTS

D.C. Shorts hosts comedy festival D.C. Shorts presents “Laughs,” a screening of comedic films and live standup performances, at the U.S. Navy Memorial Heritage Center (701 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.) in the Burke Theater on Friday, Jan. 8 and Saturday, Jan. 9. Comedians performing will be Katherine Jessup, Naomi Johnson, Matty Litwack, Tok Moffat, Issac Hirsch and Mike Finanzzo. There will be two showcases with films and stand-up comedy. Comedians and films vary by showcase. Both days there will be a showcase at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. One of the films, “Myrna the Monster” (shown here) tells of a woman from the moon slowly adapting to life on earth. This 15-minute short is part of “Show A” in the festival. Tickets for one showcase are $20. For both showcases, tickets are $30. For more information, visit laughs.dcshorts.com.

Teddy & the Bully Bar (1200 19th St., N.W.) hosts a disco brunch with DJ Freddie today from 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. There will be bottomless mimosas and seasonal brunch plates. For more details, visit teddyandthebullybar.com. The D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.) hosts a trans support group meeting tonight at 7 p.m. The facilitated group discussion is open to all members of the community including partners, friends and allies. For details, visit thedccenter.org

SATURDAY, JAN. 2 Burgundy Crescent, a gay volunteer organization, volunteers for Food and Friends (219 Riggs Rd., N.E.) today from 8-10 a.m. Volunteers will chop vegetables and pack groceries. Donuts and coﬀee will be provided To volunteer, email jonathan@burgundycrescent.org. For more details, visit burgundycrescent.org.

SUNDAY, JAN. 3 Perry’s (1811 Columbia Rd., N.W.) hosts its weekly Sunday Drag Brunch today from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The cost is $24.95 for an all-you-can-eat buﬀet. For more details, visit perrysadamsmorgan.com.

MONDAY, JAN 4

PHOTO COURTESYOF REEL AFFIRMATIONS

Steamy ’Triangle’ to be screened Reel Aﬃrmations screens “Triangle,” a web series, at the Human Rights Campaign Equality Center (1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.) on Friday, Jan. 8 at 7 p.m. “Triangle” tells the story of a man caught in a love triangle with two other men. The screening will premiere two episodes from season two. There will be a question-and-answer session hosted by Rayceen Pendarvis with the cast from the show. A catered reception with cocktails will follow. Tickets are $25. For more details, visit reelaﬃrmations.org.

The D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W..) hosts coffee drop-in hours this morning from 10 a.m.-noon for the senior LGBT community. Older LGBT adults can come and enjoy complimentary coffee and conversation with other community members. For more information, visit thedccenter.org. Us Helping Us (3636 Georgia Ave., N.W.) holds a support group for gay black men to discuss topics that affect them, share perspectives and have meaningful conversations. For details, visit uhupil.org.

TUESDAY, JAN. 5 Freed Bodyworks (1337 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.) hosts Unicorn HoofCamp:

Road Map 2016, a goal workshop, in the Feinberg Room tonight from 7-10 p.m. The workshop will teach strategies on how to make goals for the new year into a reality. Tickets are $20 in advance and $30 at the door. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit hoofcamp2. bpt.me. SMYAL (410 7th St., S.E.) hosts a rap group, a support group for LGBT youth, today from 5-6:30 p.m. For more information, visit smyal.org. Genderqueer D.C. holds a discussion group at the D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.) at 7 p.m. tonight. The group is for anyone who identiﬁes outside of the gender binary as bigender, agender, genderﬂuid or any label outside of cisgender. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 6 Bookmen D.C., an informal men’s gay literature group, discusses “Tennessee Williams: Mad Pilgrimage of the Flesh,” a biography of Williams, by John Lahr at the Cleveland Park Library (3310 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) tonight at 7:30 p.m. All are welcome. For details, visit bookmendc. blogspot.com. Touchstone Gallery (901 New York Ave., N.W.) hosts a preview for its new gallery exhibit “Before They Are Gone” by Leslie Johnson from 11 a.m.-6 p.m.. The exhibit is a mixed media installation with more than 2,500 ceramic art pieces that represent the number of African elephants killed each month. The exhibit runs in Gallery C through Jan. 31. For more information, visit touchstonegallery.com.

THURSDAY, JAN. 7 Northern Virginia Pride hosts Pride on the Rocks at Marble and Rye (2501 Columbia Pike., Arlington, Va.) today at 6 p.m. Team trivia will start at 7:30 p.m. with Marble and Rye gift certiﬁcates for prizes. Happy hour specials will include $5 house wines, $5 canned beers, $2 oﬀ draft beers and $5 rail drinks. For more information, visit facebook.com/novapride.

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presented by

Thursday, January 7 Preview Night Friday, January 8 Lecture & Luncheon Saturday, January 9 Appraisals • Lecture • Jazz Night The Katzen Arts Center at American University Washington, dc

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

26 • JANUARY 01, 2016

YIR: EVENTS

The year ahead: 2016 Our guide to the big D.C.-area LGBT events coming soon By JOEY DiGUGLIELMO joeyd@washblade.com Details are pending for some events, especially those later in the year. Keep reading the Blade throughout 2016 for updates. • Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend is Jan. 15-18 at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill (400 New Jersey Ave., N.W.). Details at leatherweekend.com. • Pride Reveal is Jan. 20 at 10:30 p.m. Details coming soon. Visit capitalpride. org for more. • The Helen Hayes Award nominees will be announced Jan. 25 at the National Theatre. Details pending on the ceremony, usually held the first week in April. Check back later at theatrewashington.org. • Brother Help Thyself grant/awards reception is Jan. 30 at Grand Central (1001 N. Charles St.) in Baltimore. Details at brotherhelpthyself.org. • Reel Affirmations has screenings scheduled throughout the year starting with “Out in the Night” on Jan. 30. Details and 2015 passes available at reelaffirmations.org. • No word yet on Wig Night Out, an annual Point Foundation benefit. In 2015, it was Jan. 31. Keep reading the Blade for details or visit pointfoundation.org. There’s also a Wig Night Out Facebook page. • Scarlet’s Bake Sale is Feb. 7 from 1-7 p.m. at the D.C. Eagle (3701 Benning Rd., N.E.). This year’s theme is “show us your true colors.” This year’s charity is PETSD.C., which provides pet care to animal lovers with HIV/AIDS. A new scholarship program is being started for college juniors and seniors. There’s a Facebook page with more information. • Equality Virginia’s Day of Action is Feb. 9 in Richmond. Details at equalityvirginia.org. • The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington ensembles Potomac Fever and the Rock Creek Singers play the Barns at Wolf Trap (1635 Trap Rd., Vienna, Va.) on Jan. 30 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $45. The ensembles also perform “The Way We Were” Feb. 12-13 at Atlas Performing Arts Center’s Lang Theatre (1333 H St., N.E.). “Boots, Class & Sass” is March 12 and March 19-20 at Lincoln Theatre (1215 U St., N.W.). “Carmina 35” is May 8 at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.). Full details and ticket info at gmcw.org. • The CAMP Rehoboth Chorus kicks off its 2016 season with “Sassy, Brassy and Classy: Songs with Attitude!” Feb. 12-14 at the Epworth United Methodist Church (19285 Rd. 271, Rehoboth Beach, Del.). Details at camprehoboth.com. • The Blade’s “Most Eligible Singles” party is Feb. 11. The issue comes out Feb. 12.

Scarlet’s Bake Sale returns Feb. 7, one of many perennial D.C. gay events. WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY PETE EXIS

• The Lavender Languages & Linguistics Conference returns to Washington Feb. 12-14. Details at american.edu. • “Glamour, Glitter & Gold: the D.C. LGBT Center Oscar Gala” is always held on Oscar night, slated for Feb. 28.Details soon at thedccenter.org. • The Blade’s spring arts special issue comes out March 4. • CAMP Rehoboth Women’s FEST is April 7-10. Details at camprehoboth.com. • The Equality Virginia Commonwealth Dinner is April 16 in Richmond. Details at equalityvirginia.org. • The Victory Fund National Champagne Brunch is April 17 in Houston. No word yet on a D.C. version. Details at victoryfund.org. • Dining Out for Life, a Food & Friends beneﬁt, is usually around the third week in April. No details for 2016 yet announced. Look for more information soon at foodandfriends.org. • The Gay & Lesbian Activists Alliance has its 45th anniversary reception and annual Distinguished Service Awards April 21 at the second ﬂoor event space at Policy Restaurant and Lounge (1904 14th St., N.W.). Look for an announcement soon at glaa.org. • Cherry is April 21-24 at various locations. Details at cherryfund.org. • Gay Day at the Zoo is usually in early

May. Details soon at gaydayatthezoo.com. • No information yet, but Youth Pride is usually held the first weekend of May in Dupont Circle. More information soon at youthpridedc.org. • The Blade’s annual Return to Rehoboth issue comes out May 20. • Trans Pride is tentatively set for May 21. Organizers are considering extending the event to May 22 as well. Details at capitaltranspride.org. • D.C. Black Pride weekend is May 2730. Details at dcblackpride.org. • The Capital Pride Heroes Gala is June 1. Details at capitalpride.org. • The Capital Pride interfaith service is tentatively set as June 7. Details at capitalpride.org. • A Capital Pride opening party is June 10. • If trends continue, the fourth annual Charm City LGBT Film Festival will be in late May. More information soon at creativealliance.org. • The Latino GLBT History Project just elected new officers and no dates have been announced for the 10th annual D.C. Latino Pride events. The organization usually has several things planned the first and second week in June. More info soon at latinoglbthistory.org. • Team D.C. always has several Night Out events planned throughout the year. No information yet on 2016 games.

• Capital Pride culminates with the parade on June 11 and festival June 12. Many events run in the preceding days. Details at capitalpride.org. • The date has changed in recent years but in 2015, the Al Sura White Attire Aﬀair was July 18. More information soon at alsura.org. • Baltimore Pride moved to late July this year. Block Party on Saturday, July 23 and festival on Sunday, July 24.. Details at baltimorepride.org. • The Blade’s annual Summer in the City issue coms out July 8. • The OutWrite LGBT Book Festival is Aug. 5-6. Details at outwritedc.org. • The Blade’s fourth annual sports edition will be out Aug. 19. • No information yet, but the Rehoboth Sundance event is usually held Labor Day weekend. More information soon at camprehoboth.com. • The Blade’s fall arts edition is out Sept. 9. • The seventh annual 17th Street Festival will likely be Sept. 10 based on scheduling patterns in previous years. Check later at 17thstreetfestival.org. • The D.C. Shorts Film Festival is Sept. 8-18. Details at dcshorts.com. • The Imperial Court of Washington holds its Coronation V “Gala of the Americas” Sept. 10 at the Marriott Metro Center (775 12th St., N.W.). The Court also holds many other events throughout the year. Details at impnerialcourtdc.org. • The annual queer music and arts festival PhaseFest is in late September. More information soon at phasefest.com. • The Human Rights Campaign national dinner is in October though the weekend varies from year to year. Details soon at hrcnationaldinner.org. • Baltimore Black Pride is usually the second week of October. Details later at baltimoreblackpride.org. • The Walk to End HIV is always in late October. More information soon at aidswalkwashington.org. • The Blade’s annual Best of Gay D.C. issue is Oct. 21. The release party will be held Oct. 20. • The High Heel Race is Oct. 25 on 17th Street. • The Equality Maryland Signature Brunch is usually in November. More details soon at equalitymaryland.org. • The 19th annual SMYAL fall brunch will be held in mid-November based on previous scheduling patterns. Check back later at smyal.org. • Transgender Day of Remembrance is Nov. 20. Details at thedccenter.org.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

YIR: BOOKS

JANUARY 01, 2016 • 27

‘Loneliness’ and beyond Scandal, historical intrigue and surprise among year’s best books By TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

As you look back over your year, there are a lot of things you notice. You had fun — probably more than once. You had some really great meals with really great friends — also probably more than once. And in my case, there were books — definitely more than one. More than 300, but here are my top picks of 2015. FICTION I always loved author John Boyne’s books; in fact, “The Absolutist” is one of my top five ever. But “A History of Loneliness” has to be right up there. In this book, a priest explains his relationship with a colleague who always seems to be moved around from parish to parish. What’s wrong will slowly dawn on you, but our narrator is a little slower on the uptake. What happens will make you want to crawl into bed and cry for an hour. In “One Night” by Eric Jerome Dickey, a woman who has nothing left to lose meets a man who has everything in life. She needs money. He decides that he needs her and they embark on a one-night stand that’s almost unbearably taut. I loved the mixture of this book: psychological, erotic and sass. Also tightly written is “The Magician’s Lie” by Greer Macallister. It’s the story of a small-town sheriff who finally captures a killer who’s been on the loose for some time. She’s a slippery one — an illusionist — and

Among the year’s best books are the harrowing ‘A HISTORY OF LONELINESS’ for ﬁction and ‘Dead Wake,’ a heart-pounding true story of the sinking of the Lusitania.’ ‘HISTORY’ COVER COURTESY FARRAR, STRAUS AND GIROUX; ‘DEAD WAKE’ COVER COURTESY CROWN PUBLISHERS

he hopes she’ll offer a confession. Instead, she tells him a story. The sheriff doesn’t know what’s lie and what’s not — and neither will you in this wrap-you-up tale with an ending you totally won’t see coming. Remember what it was like to be a kid? You’ll revisit it again in “My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry” by Fredrik Backman, the story of a 7-yearold who loses her grandmother. Else is precocious, Granny was her only real friend and she was somewhat of a rascal. And as proof of that, before she dies, Granny leaves Elsa with an assignment. Part fantasy, part childhood, all charming, this book from the author of “A Man Called Ove” is a wonderful winner. “The Hired Girl” by Laura Amy Schlitz might be found on the young adult section of your bookstore or library, but I definitely thought it was more of an adult novel. It’s the story of a teenager who leaves her family because her father is abusive, and she moves to Baltimore to become a housemaid. It’s 1911, she’s Catholic, but her new employers

are Jewish and the learning curve is steep. There’s adventure, heartbreak, romance and history here — and yes, you can still share it with your favorite teen. NON-FICTION You may find “Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania” by Erik Larson on other Best Of lists this year, for a reason. This is a historical account of the sinking of a ship but there’s more: Larson is known to tease a story out, adding small side notes and spinning off in ways that enhance the tale he’s telling. That makes for a fascinating, heart-pounding true account you won’t want to put down. “Bobby Wonderful: An Imperfect Son Buries His Parents” by Bob Morris made me laugh, and it made me cry a small creek. It’s the story of Morris’ mother, her life and her death, and the relationships she had with her family. It’s also a gay man’s love letter to his very supportive Mom, and it definitely lives up to its name: it’s wonderful.

Though it may sound odd, “Rain: A Natural and Cultural History” by Cynthia Barnett put me in a good mood when I read it — maybe because it was as refreshing as its subject. Here, Barnett writes about all aspects of that stuff that falls from the sky – historically, culturally and meteorologically speaking — and she sprinkles readers with facts, disasters and sunshine. This book simply made me happy, which is why it’s on this list. As a lover of all things scandalous, I found “Good Mourning: A Memoir” by Elizabeth Meyer with Caitlin Moscatello to be absolutely delicious. After Meyer lost her father, a high-powered lawyer, she realized that she was rather fascinated with death, just a little bit. So she marched into one of Manhattan’s premiere funeral homes, asked for a job and ended up being a funeral planner (think: services that are anything but dead). I loved this book for its behindthe-scenes peeks and for the tales that only an insider can tell. There’s a tie for the last slot on this nonfiction list: I loved “Rosemary” by Kate Clifford Larson for its jaw-dropping look at history, the Kennedys and power gone wrong. I also couldn’t put down “Lights Out” by Ted Koppel, a cautionary, scarethe-daylights-out-of-you book on what could happen if our electric grid and internet infrastructure are attacked by terrorists.

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2 8 • J A N UA RY 0 1 , 2016

A RT S & CU LT U RE

HOT HITS & HIDDEN JEWELS From CultureCapital.com YOUR LINK TO THE ARTS IN METRO DC

THEATRE

Bad Jews Thru Jan 17. Studio Theatre. 202-332-3300. studiotheatre.org.

Joshua Harmon’s savage comedy about family, faith, and legacy follows three cousins and their verbal battle royale over a family heirloom.

New York Opera Society Jan 3. National Gallery of Art. 202-737-4215. nga.gov.

The New York Opera Society’s Viennese New Year Concert will include two performances by ballroom dancers Rudeger Homm and Ekaterina Kanevskaya, as well as excerpts from the operettas Die Fledermaus and the Merry Widow.

Jerusalem 3D Thru Mar 31. National Geographic. 202-857-7000. nglive.org.

Through breathtaking aerial footage, eye-opening personal stories and remarkable historical perspective, Jerusalem 3D takes viewers inside the heart of the ancient city in ways never seen before. After being granted special permission in the region’s strict no-fly zone, filmmakers were able to capture the first-ever large format aerial footage of the Old City and throughout the Holy Land.

Twelve Years That Shook And Shaped Washington: 1963-1975 Thru Oct 23. Smithsonian Anacostia Museum. 202-633-4820. anacostia.si.edu.

The exhibition looks at the emergence of gay rights movement in the District among the social movements of that period. Featured are several photos of gay rights protests held at the White House and other local sites. Also on view are copies of early mimeographed issues of DC’s ﬁrst gay paper, The Gay Blade (now the Washington Blade), founded in 1969 and an early newspaper dispenser box. PHOTO COURTESY OF STUDIO THEATRE

Buy Discount Tickets

Bright Star. Thru Jan 10. Matilda the Musical. Thru Jan 10. Shear Madness. Ongoing. The Kennedy Center. 202-467-4600. kennedy-center.org. The Neo-Futurists: Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind. Thru Jan 3. Woolly Mammoth. 202-393-3939. woollymammoth.net. Guys and Dolls. Thru Jan 10. Olney Theatre. 301-924-3400. olneytheatre.org. West Side Story. Thru Jan 24. Signature Theatre. 703-820-9771. signature-theatre.org. As You Like It. Thru Jan 17. Synetic Theater. 866-811-4111. synetictheater.org. The Gospel of Lovingkindness. Thru Jan 3. Wrestling Jerusalem. Jan 6-Jan 24. Mosaic Theater Compay at Atlas. 202-399-7993. mosaictheater.org. A Very Pointless Holiday Spectacular. Thru Jan 2. Pointless Theatre at Mead Theatre Lab. 202-733-6321. pointlesstheatre.com.

MUSEUMS National Gallery of Art. The Serial Impulse at Gemini G.E.L. Thru Feb 7. Power and Pathos: Bronze Sculpture of the Hellenistic World. Thru Mar 20. Celebrating Photography at the National Gallery of Art: Recent Gifts. Thru Mar 27. Louise Bourgeois: No Exit. Thru May 15. 202-737-4215. nga.gov. National Archives. Spirited Republic: Alcohol in American History. Thru Jan 10. 202-357-5000. archivesfoundation.org. Museum of Women in the Arts. Free January Community Day & Makerspace. Jan 3. Esther Bubley Up Front. Thru Jan 17. Pathmakers: Women in Art, Craft, and Design, Midcentury and Today. Thru Feb 28. Womanimal: Zine Art by Caroline Paquita. Thru May 13. 202-783-5000. nmwa.org. Kreeger Museum. Lament: Emilie Brzezinski. Thru Nov 19. 202-337-3050. kreegermuseum.org. Prince George’s African American Museum. Now: A Photographic Survey of Prince George’s County, Maryland. Thru Jan 31. 301-809-0440. pgaamcc.org. National Geographic. Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology. Thru Jan 3. Pristine Seas: The Ocean’s Last Wild Places. Thru Mar 27. Photo Ark. Thru Apr 11. 202-857-7000. nglive.org. Sandy Spring Museum. Resident Artists Open House. Jan 2. 301-774-0022. sandyspringmuseum.org.

GALLERIES Strathmore. The 82nd Annual Exhibition of Fine Art in Miniature. Thru Jan 3. Joseph Craig English A Lifetime of

Printmaking, A Local Landmark. Thru Jan 3. 301-581-5100. strathmore.org. The Art League Gallery. Kathlyn Avila: No Ordinary Woman. Thru Jan 4. Solo Preview 2016. Jan 6-Jan 24. Muted. Jan 5-Jan 31. 703-683-1780. theartleague.org. BlackRock. Mariah Anne Johnson: Site-speciﬁc installation and works on paper. Jan 7-Jan 30. Brad Blair: A Breed of Their Own: Ceramic and mixed media sculptures with drawings on paper. Jan 7-Jan 30. 301-528-2260. blackrockcenter.org. JCCNV. Sands of Time: Ancient Techniques Modernized. Thru Feb 8. 703-323-0880. jccnv.org. District Architecture Center. The Awards Show. Thru Jan 9. 202-347-9403. aiadac.com. Gallery Neptune & Brown. Wolf Kahn - America’s Printmaker: Monotypes and Editions. Thru Jan 9. 202-986-1200. neptuneﬁneart.com. Glen Echo Park. Holiday Art Show & Sale. Thru Jan 10. 301-634-2222. glenechopark.org. VisArts at Rockville. Brian Davis: Uncoupled. Thru Jan 10. Ben Piwowar: Against Weather. Jan 6-Feb 14. Thanasi Papapostolou: Eikona/Image. Jan 6-Feb 14. 301-315-8200. visartsatrockville.org. Zenith Gallery. Figuratively Speaking. Thru Jan 9. Great Moments in Art. Thru Jan 30. 202-783-2963. zenithgallery.com. DCAC. Pressure Points. Thru Jan 10. Singles Faire: Intimate Gestures. Thru Jan 31. 202-462-7833. dcartscenter.org. Flashpoint Gallery. Maggie Evans: Human Hierarchies. Thru Jan 9. 202-315-1305. culturaldc.org.

AND MORE... Inside Signature with MaryJoanna Grisso and Sean Ewing. Jan 7. Signature Theatre. 703-820-9771. sigtheatre.org. Literary Evening: A Conversation with Greg Marzullo. Jan 5. Arts Club of Washington. 202-331-7282. artsclubofwashington.org. Twentieth Annual Iranian Film Festival: Tales. Jan 2. The Night It Rained, or the Epic of the Gorgan Village Boy. Jan 2. Risk of Acid Rain. Jan 3. National Gallery of Art. 202-737-4215. nga.gov. Political Animals in the Voting Booth: The Science Behind Illogical Choices: Evening Program with Book Signing. Jan 6. A Brief History of Creation: Science and the Search for the Origin of Life: Evening Program. Jan 7. The Smithsonian Associates. Ripley Center. 202-633-3030. smithsonianassociates.org. Thursdays at La Luna (In Spanish). Jan 7. Teatro de la Luna at Casa de la Luna. 703-548-3092. teatrodelaluna.org.

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30 • JANUARY 01, 2016

YIR: THEATER

A highly royal year Out actors shine in wide spate of area productions By PATRICK FOLLIARD

The year in theater was rife with firsts and reprises, political intrigue, laughs and strained relations. And a lot of it was LGBT related. Last winter, acclaimed out actor André De Shields played Stool Pigeon, a street preacher, in Arena Stage’s compelling production of August Wilson’s “King Hedley II.” At 69, De Shields was finally acting in one of the late great Wilson’s plays. “Because we were contemporaries and both African American, people are surprised to hear it took so long. I’d wanted to, but had simply been given the opportunity,” De Shields said. The story of an ex-con who against all odds returns to his old neighborhood attempting to rebuild his life by selling stolen refrigerators to finance a business venture, “King Hedley II” is the ninth play in Wilson’s 10-part play cycle set in Pittsburgh’s hardscrabble Hill District. De Shields who created the title role in “The Wiz” on Broadway in 1975 enjoyed playing Stool Pigeon. “He is the fool. And like the fool in ‘King Lear,’ Pigeon is the conscience of the king and an outlier. I love to play an outlier.” He also noted an absence of gay characters in Wilson’s cycle. “I’m not condemning him. I’m reporting. His plays are relentlessly heterosexual, and that’s cool.” Another out actor found a great role on D.C.’s waterfront this year. Long before playing Hollywood boy toy Spike in Arena’s production of Christopher Durang’s Chekhovinspired comedy “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” Jefferson Farber had his sights set on the showy role, seeking out new productions and auditioning when he could. Ultimately cast in his own back yard, Farber was terrific as the self-absorbed, frequently shirtless aspiring actor. The year offered up varied crown heads. In

JEFFERSON FARBER shows oﬀ his wares in Arena’s hit ‘Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike.’ PHOTO COURTESY ARENA STAGE

the cold of winter, Folger Theatre presented Peter Oswald’s sharp and celebrated new translation of German playwright Friedrich Schiller “Mary Stuart” (1800), the enthralling drama about the decades-long rivalry between England’s Queen Elizabeth I and her ill-fated cousin Queen Mary of Scotland. The compelling production was helmed by esteemed director Richard Cliﬀord (the longtime partner of actor Sir Derek Jacobi). Out actor Holly Twyford superbly assayed Elizabeth in all her vain but insecure and wily glory. And in the heat of the summer, Synetic Theater, the award-winning movementbased company located in Crystal City, remounted its playful, sexy and silent adaptation of Shakespeare’s comedy “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Painted blue from top to toe, out actor Alex Mills reprised his memorable turn as mischievous sprite Puck. And Helen Hayes Award-winning actor Philip Fletcher played Oberon, the Fairy King, locked in sexually charged battle with his queen, Tatiana (Irina Tsikurishvili). The year included some Broadway royalty too. In February, Chita Rivera brought her

fabulous one-woman show to Mclean’s Alden Theatre. The 80-something triple threat seriously wowed audiences with the songs (and dance) she made famous in shows like “West Side Story,” “Bye, Bye, Birdie,” “The Rink,” “Chicago” and “Kiss of the Spider Woman.” The politics on stage imitated life, well, sort of. Woolly Mammoth premiered gay playwright Robert O’Hara’s “Zombie: the American,” a wild and convoluted new dark comedy inspired by an after-hours visit to the White House. Part science fiction and part Jacobean drama, “Zombie” is set in America 2063 — the East has been lost to great floods and the White House has relocated to Mount Rushmore where its residents are America’s first openly gay president (Sean Meehan) and his unfaithful first gentleman (James Seol) who’s having an affair with a complying clone. Out actor Sarah Marshall played the president’s glowering secretary of state. Signature Theatre’s out artistic director Eric Schaeffer staged “The Fix,” a reworked but still predictable pop-rock musical chronicling the woes of a fictional American political

dynasty. “The Book of Mormon’s” Mark Evans played the family’s square-jawed prodigal scion at odds with his mother fiercely ambitious mother (Christine Sherrill) and closeted gay uncle (Lawrence Redmond). Gala Hispanic Theatre mounted a searing, modern-feeling of out playwright Federico García Lorca’s “Yerma” helmed by out Spanish director José Luis Arellano García. Mabel del Pozo passionately assayed the title character, a childless Andalusian peasant raging against the oppression of a loveless marriage and repressive society. Handsome out actor Eric Robledo played Juan, the cold husband that Yerma’s father chose for her. This year introduced the ambitious and successful Women’s Voices Theater Festival, designed to spotlight the scope of new plays being written by women and the range of professional theater being produced in the area with more than 50 local professional companies presenting at least one world premiere of a play by a female playwright throughout September and October. Shakespeare Theatre Company contributed “Salomé” (more royal strife!), adapted and gorgeously staged Yaël Farber. Farber drew on ancient biblical and pagan texts, as well as Oscar Wilde’s landmark mystery play to create her provocative, exceedingly watchable piece. Olney Theatre Center’s offering was the dramedy “Bad Dog” by out playwright and TV writer Jennifer Hoppe-House. Out actor Holly Twyford played flawed but likable Molly Drexler, a writer who after 10 years clean and sober falls off the wagon and drives her Prius into the home she shares with her wife. When her fairly dysfunctional family gathers with suggestions on how Molly might fix herself, things go from bad to worse. Imagine that.

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YIR: FILM

JANUARY 01, 2016 • 31

Gay content up in banner year ‘Carol,’ ‘Danish Girl’ triumph; ‘Stonewall’ tanks By BRIAN T. CARNEY Two-thousand-fifteen was a banner year for LGBT filmgoers. There were several outstanding indie and mainstream releases, great LGBT offerings at local festivals, the unveiling of several new screens and a few disasters to chuckle over. As the dust begins to settle on a fabulous year in queer cinema, two movies clearly rise to the top. Directed by gay auteur Todd Haynes and starring Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, “Carol” tells the story of a lesbian couple battling homophobia in 1950’s New York. Directed by British filmmaker Tom Hooper and starring Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander, “The Danish Girl” tells the story of courageous trans pioneer Lili Elbe, a European woman who underwent gender reassignment surgery in the 1930s. Both movies feature excellent adapted screenplays (Phyllis Nagy and Lucinda Coxon respectively), sumptuous period design and lush soundtracks. Both movies include outstanding performances by strong supporting casts (Sarah Paulson in “Carol;” Amber Heard, Matthias Schoenaerts and out actor Ben Whishaw in “The Danish Girl”). And, both movies are already racking up serious awards and nominations, a wonderful breakthrough for LGBT films. Several other outstanding movies, all dealing with trans issues, also deserve special attention. “From This Day Forward,” is a thoughtful and moving documentary by straight filmmaker Sharon Shattuck. Shattuck’s father came out as transgender when she was in high school. As Shattuck prepares for her own wedding, she examines how her parents’ supportive marriage has changed over time. On the narrative front, “Boy Meets Girl,” written and directed by Eric Schaeffer, tells the uplifting story of a young trans woman learning to embrace her dreams. “Tangerine,” written and directed by Sean Baker (with Chris Bergoch), has gotten great reviews from both straight and gay critics and audiences. Baker deserves applause for handing a difficult dark comic tone with confidence and style, as well as for getting great performances out of his neophyte actors and using fascinating innovative camera techniques. There were also several fine documentaries released in 2015. “Best of Enemies,” which remembers the gay-baiting debates between Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley, Jr. during the 1968 Republican Convention, has been short-listed for Oscar consideration as Best Documentary. There was also HBO’s “Back On Board: Greg Louganis,”

Director TODD HAYNES and star CATE BLANCHETT on the set of ‘Carol.’

JULIANNE MOORE and ELLEN PAGE in ‘Freeheld.’ PHOTO BY PHIL CARUSO, COURTESY LIONSGATE

PHOTO COURTESY THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY

TOM HARDY as gangster twins Reggie (gay) and Ronnie (straight) Kray in ‘Legend.’

Writer and director XAVIER DOLAN on the set of ‘Mommy.’

PHOTO COURTESY UNIVERSAL PICTURES

“Do I Sound Gay?” and “Tab Hunter Confidential,” as well as Draper Shreeve’s delightful “Queer City,” a rich portrait of contemporary LGBT life in New York. 2015 was also the year that finally introduced D.C. audiences to queer Canadian filmmaker Xavier Dolan. At age 26, the wunderkind from Quebec has already won several awards at Cannes and at other major film festivals around the world. “Mommy,” his first English-language film, featured explosive performances and his unusual use of a 1:1 (square) aspect ratio. Sadly, there were a number of serious misfires as well. “Stonewall” and “Legend” turned fascinating historical incidents into cinematic messes. The failures of “Nasty Baby” and “The D Train” (which centers on the unhappily consummated bromance between James Marsden and Jack Black) hinted that hipsters lack the necessary self-awareness to make effective satire. It was also a great year for D.C.’s film festivals. Filmfest D.C. made an unexpected return in April and is slated to be back in 2016. After an absence of several years, the weekend-long Reel Affirmations Film Festival made a triumphant return at the recently restored Tivoli Theatre, supplementing the excellent monthly offerings of RA XTRA. In June, AFI Docs, now under the leadership of openly gay Director Michael Lumpkin, celebrated a wide variety of

documentary films, including several outstanding films on queer themes. In addition to including LGBT shorts in almost every program, the very popular D.C. Shorts Festival, led by out filmmaker Jon Gann, also included a great evening dedicated to LGBT shorts this year. Now in its third year, the Middleburg (Virginia) Film Festival offered Washington filmgoers sneak peeks at several Oscar contenders and the chance to mingle with Hollywood luminaries such as Catherine Hardwicke and Lee Daniels, the openly gay director of “The Butler” and Fox’s “Empire.” Hopefully, the continued popularity of these festivals will encourage other local film festivals to screen more LGBT films. D.C. indie filmgoers also enjoyed the addition of several new screens in 2015. In addition to operating the popular Bethesda Row Cinema and the E Street Cinema in downtown DC, the Landmark Cinema chain reopened the West End Cinema in Foggy Bottom and opened the Atlantic Plumbing Cinema in the U Street Corridor. Two local Angelika Film Centers (the Pop Up in D.C.’s Union Market and the Mosaic in Fairfax, Va.) also supported a variety of indie filmmakers, as did the new ArcLight Cinema in Bethesda. AFI Silver in downtown Silver Spring continued to be a reliable home for queer cinema. Their indie, world and mainstream screenings included several

PHOTO COURTESY ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS

LGBT titles, and their various foreign showcases included such queer delights as the lesbian romances “Sand Dollars” and “The Summer of Sangaile.” The clever staff at AFI also included a special showing of “Tangerine” on Christmas Eve, they day on which the movie is set. Finally, 2015 also offered a number of excellent mainstream films that featured strong, independent and quirky female leads. Charlize Theron was fierce as Imperator Furiosa, the disabled hero of the visually stunning “Mad Max: Fury Road;” she literally and figuratively left Tom Hardy (as Max) in the dust. In a nod to Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, Bryce Dallas Howard did everything Chris Pratt did in “Jurassic World,” but in a pair of serious heels. “Freeheld” told the moving, inspirational and cautionary real-life tale of Laurel Hester and Stacie Andree (Julianne More and Ellen Page), the lesbian couple who won a landmark decision against homophobic county commissioners in 2006. There was also Amy Schumer (“Trainwreck”); Meryl Streep (“Ricki and the Flash”); Melissa McCarthy (“Spy”); Toni Collette and Drew Barrymore in Catherine Hardwicke’s transcendent “Miss You Already,” which also featured an outstanding performance by Jacqueline Bisset; and, of course, Lily Tomlin as an irascible lesbian in Paul Weitz’s pleasantly astringent “Grandma.”

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

32 • JANUARY 01, 2016

YIR: MUSIC

An ‘Epic’ year for music Ear-bending wonders turn up in unexpected places By CHRIS GERARD It’s been another great year for new music in 2015. That may not be reflected in the Top 40, which is arguably in its sorriest state since the survey began in the mid ‘50s, but it’s true nonetheless. There are plenty of great artists making top-notch music, many of whom are operating under the radar of mass consciousness. Here are my picks for the 10 Best Albums of 2015 #10 PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING — ‘THE RACE FOR SPACE’ “The Race for Space” is a novel concept — British duo Public Service Broadcasting sets the U.S. and Soviet space race to a trippy, electronic-rock soundtrack, with all the vocal samples consisting of dialog recording during the actual historical events. The album covers the triumphs and disasters — the kinetic “Go!”, for instance, is the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing, and the harrowing “Fire in the Cockpit” is a chilling account of the Apollo 1 disaster of 1967. One need not be enamored by the history of the space race to enjoy this album. “The Race for Space” is meticulously crafted, expansive and ultimately fascinating headphones music that offers new surprises on every listen. #9 BRANDI CARLILE — ‘THE FIREWATCHER’S DAUGHTER’ Together with collaborators Tim & Phil Hanseroth, Brandi Carlile has created an album of terrific songwriting and musicianship that touches on multiple genres — rock, country and folk are blended seamlessly. The magnificent opener “Wherever Is Your Heart,” the gorgeous ballad “Wilder (We’re Chained),” the haunting “The Stranger At My Door,” and a sublime cover of the Avett Brothers’ “Murder in the City” are all standouts. “The Firewatcher’s Daughter” hasn’t caught on with a large audience, which is a shame — it’s an album that richly deserves to be heard. #8 NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING BIRDS — ‘CHASING YESTERDAY’ “Chasing Yesterday” is easily the finest postOasis album by either of the ever-feuding Gallagher brothers. Noel Gallagher — always the premier songwriter in the group — has never been better, as he delivers one killer track after another. That old swagger is still there, as is his innate sense of melody and songcraft. High points include the opener “Riverman,” “In the Heat of the Moment,” and the epic finale “Ballad of the Mighty I.” Gallagher has never sounded better as a vocalist and his production work is spot-on. With “Chasing Yesterday,” Noel Gallagher has thrown down the gauntlet and proven that he

Kamasi Washington’s ‘The Epic’ is one of the best albums of the year — nothing short of a modern jazz/funk masterpiece. IMAGE COURTESY BRAINFEEDER

is a major artistic force outside of his former supergroup. We’ll see if brother Liam is ever able to do the same. #7 ALGIERS — ‘ALGIERS’ The debut album by Atlanta, Ga.-based Algiers is a sonic marvel that blends rock, post-punk and soul with a palpable sense of darkness, dread and foreboding. The trio is led by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Franklin James Fisher, who is an absolute powerhouse on tracks like “Blood,” “Irony. Utility. Pretext” and “Black Eunuch.” The album is hard to fit into one confining label. It’s psychedelic soul that runs headlong into Echo & the Bunnymen and Joy Division with a trip through gospelcountry along the way. “Algiers” is as exciting and innovative a debut album as you’ll ever hear, and it’s going to be fascinating to see how this massively talented young trio develops on future projects. #6 FATHER JOHN MISTY — ‘I LOVE YOU, HONEYBEAR’ “I Love You, Honeybear” is the second album released by former Fleet Foxes member Josh Tillman under the name Father John Misty. It’s a sublime collection of brilliantly conceived folk-rock with a lush and rich production. The tracks are built upon acoustic guitar and piano, then enhanced with gleaming string and brass arrangements burnished with richly arranged harmony vocals. Tillman creates a massive wall of sound in which he envelops his incisive pieces inspired by various aspects of his personal life. The sardonic “Bored in the USA” is an example of Tillman’s prowess as a lyricist. He captures the essence of many American lives with a few acerbic lines delivered over a derisive laugh-track: “They gave me useless education, and a subprime loan on a craftsman home. Keep my prescriptions filled, and now I can’t get off but I can kind of deal.” Tillman is an ace songwriter with a keen sense of melody and a resoundingly powerful voice; it’s a beguiling combination.

#5 LAURA MARLING — ‘SHORT MOVIE’ British singer-songwriter Laura Marling was nominated for the prestigious Mercury Music Prize for her last album, 2013’s “Once I Was an Eagle,” but her latest release is even stronger. Marling has tended to stay within the realm of folk, but on “Short Movie” she expands her sound with fuller arrangements and a more alternative/rock vibe on some songs. She’s a songwriter of incredible wit and dexterity, as is evident by stellar tracks like the quirky “Gurdjieff’s Daughter,” “Warrior” and “Howl.” Marling’s voice is crisp and clear, a bit of a mix between Suzanne Vega and Joni Mitchell but with added richness. Worth checking out is the “Director’s Cut” of “Short Movie” which includes several excellent bonus tracks. #4 KENDRICK LAMAR — ‘TO PIMP A BUTTERFLY’ Kendrick Lamar’s third album “To Pimp a Butterfly” is an an invigorating and challenging listening experience packed with thrills and surprises. Lamar collaborates with some of the best creative minds in the business, including Flying Lotus, Pharrell Williams, Sounwave and Thundercat. The complex vocals are inventive, the grooves are razor-sharp and the songs are loaded with memorable hooks. “To Pimp a Butterfly” is heavily rhythmic throughout, with elements of funk, R&B, rock and jazz all percolating to create an intoxicating brew. Standouts include the energetic first single “i,” the ultra smooth and funky “How Much A Dollar Cost” and the album’s emotional centerpiece, the provocative “The Blacker the Berry” on which Lamar spits out the lyrics with a manic intensity over the tight rhythm. There’s much for the listener to digest on “To Pimp a Butterfly” — exciting and innovative, it’s an example of hip-hop at its very best. #3 SUFJAN STEVENS — ‘CARRIE & LOWELL’ “Carrie & Lowell” is an intimate collection

of heartbreaking pieces inspired by the recent death of Stevens’ mother Carrie. Stevens’ whispery vocals float nebulously over a spectral acoustic guitar and piano accompaniment. “Death with Dignity” sets a gently somber mood, waxing and waning between nostalgia and anguish. A deeply felt sense of loss permeates every song. “Should Have Known Better” and “Fourth of July,” with its grim repeated refrain “We’re all going to die,” are particularly powerful. The album feels raw, like a fresh personal wound, but with the protective distance of someone who can only express his emotions through a wall of detachment to protect himself from completely falling apart. “Carrie & Lowell” is spellbinding — a touching tribute, an aching reflection on abandonment and forgiveness and a haunting farewell. #2 STEVEN WILSON — ‘HAND. CANNOT. ERASE.’ Progressive rocker Steven Wilson, best known for his work in Porcupine Tree, released his breathtaking double album “Hand. Cannot. Erase” early in 2015 to raves. The album is a song cycle that explores human frailty, isolation and loneliness, and how we approach life in the face of these struggles. It was inspired by the story of a young woman who died in her apartment in a major city and was not discovered by friends or family for over three years. The music is immaculately performed by the virtuoso Wilson and his uber-talented collaborators and makes use of sudden shifts in dynamics for dramatic impact. Long, beautiful instrumental passages give way to sudden bursts of molten hard-rock played with machine-like precision. It’s an album of heart and beauty, but also of unspeakable sadness. Particularly notable is the heartrending “Routine,” one of the finest and most powerful pieces of music to emerge in 2015. #1 KAMASI WASHINGTON — ‘THE EPIC’ Never has an album been more aptly named. Saxophonist extraordinaire Kamasi Washington wasn’t satisfied with the notion of easing into his recording career. His debut album is three discs and not a moment is wasted. Washington’s brand of kinetic jazz is a must for fans of the genre, but even if you’re not into jazz it’s hard not to be blown away by the razor-sharp musicianship on “The Epic.” Washington and his band — especially drummer Ronald Bruner, Jr. — are on fire throughout the set. The vast scope of the album, the audaciousness of the musicians and Washington’s electrifying talent make “The Epic” the single most vital must-hear album of 2015. It’s nothing short of a revelation — a modern masterpiece of jazz/funk.

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JANUARY 01, 2016 • 33

Victories at home and abroad Local LGBT sports leagues enjoy banner year By KEVIN MAJOROS

The new year is shaping up to be huge for the Washington Scandals Rugby Team. In May they had to Nashville for the Bingham Cup. PHOTO COURTESY THE TEAM

It was another stellar year for the LGBT sports teams of Washington. The strength of the sports community can be seen in the performances of the athletes when they travel nationally and internationally to compete. The social aspect of the community continues to expand as many of the teams are sharing mixers and the athletes are crossing over to other sports. The Washington Scandals Rugby Football Club continued their path of competing in tournaments and arranging matches with other rugby clubs. This fall they traveled to Charleston, S.C.; New York City and Atlanta. In May, the Scandals will go to Nashville for the Bingham Cup. It was a great ﬁrst year for D.C. Pride Volleyball League as they completed their ﬁrst two seasons of their competitive league and hosted open play on Wednesday nights. They also hosted the Rehoboth Beach Open and Presidents Pride Cup tournaments. The D.C. Gay Flag Football League had another great year wrapping up two more seasons, traveling to tournaments and hosting Beach Bowl in July in Rehoboth Beach, Del. In October they will host Gay Bowl XVI and welcome teams from all over the country. The District of Columbia Aquatics

Club again hosted the Maryland Swim for Life open water race, the Columbus Classic and traveled to the EuroGames in Stockholm, Sweden where they won 125 medals. In August they will travel to Edmonton, Canada for the International Gay & Lesbian Aquatics Championships. Ski Bums spent 2015 skiing and snowboarding in powder around the United States and other parts of the world. International trips in 2016 include New Zealand, Japan, Italy and British Columbia. National trips to Montana, New York, Vermont, Oregon and Montana are also being booked. This year’s D.C. day trip will be announced soon. Chesapeake and Potomac Softball sent multiple teams to the Gay Softball World Series in Columbus, Ohio in August where the D.C. Union team took third place. They also continued to provide league play in the open division and women’s division. They hosted their annual MAGIC Tournament and traveled to New Orleans; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Providence, R.I.; and Orlando, Fla., for more tournament action. The D.C. Strokes Rowing Club continued with multiple rowing programs and hosted the 22nd annual Stonewall Regatta bringing about 400 rowers to D.C. The Strokes raced sprints and head

races throughout the year and had a great showing at the U.S. Masters Rowing Championships in August in Camden, N.J. The Capital Tennis Association hosted Capital Classic XXIII and the event was once again live streamed on the CCE Sports Network. The group continues to host 20 leagues across four seasons and players have been traveling to tournaments around the world on the Gay & Lesbian Tennis Alliance World Tour The Federal Triangles Soccer Club continued to host their annual tournaments, the Women’s Indoor Cup, the Rehoboth Beach Classic and the Turkey Bowl along with the Summer of Freedom soccer league. The squads also traveled to tournaments and in August they sent two teams to the 2015 IGLFA North American Championship II in Verona, Wis., and won in the championship match. This year’s United Night OUT at RFK Stadium, which is co-hosted by the Triangles, drew 500 members from the LGBT community. Women’s full tackle football with the Washington Prodigy is a part of the Team D.C. Night OUT series. The Prodigy plays in the Independent Women’s Football League and competes against teams along the eastern seaboard. The D.C. Sentinels continue to host the Washington D.C. Gay Basketball League

along with pickup games twice a week. They also traveled to tournaments in Chicago, San Diego and Dallas. Stonewall Sports offered league play in four different sports, Stonewall Kickball, Stonewall Bocce, Stonewall Darts and Stonewall Dodgeball. Stonewall Kickball traveled to Las Vegas for tournament action and this past July hosted the Stonewall Kickball Summer Tournament. The Washington Wetskins water polo players hosted the Columbus Day Classic tournament and also traveled to various tournaments throughout the country. They also traveled to the EuroGames in Stockholm, Sweden where they took fifth place in the competitive division. The D.C. Front Runners hosted the third annual Pride Run 5K drawing about 1,200 runners as part of the Capital Pride events. They continue to offer their walk, run and racing series and several of their runners competed throughout the region in races. The Capital Area Rainbowlers Association continues to host nine fall/ winter leagues along with three summer leagues. Along with hosting their annual Capital Holiday Invitational Tournament, the bowlers traveled the region competing in tournaments.

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A R T S & EN TE RTA I NMENT

DE C E M B E R 18, 2015 • 41

Year’s topFairies A&E moments Smoke charm on ‘ Wild Winter ’

international women’s football (i.e. soccer) world championship, it was not just a CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27 triumph for the United States women’s in October — he was on hand to accept national soccer team, the tournament an award — that he didn’t mean he knew was a watershed moment for out athletes that definitively but that it was his “best MARC BROUSSARD “MAGNOLIAS & MISTLETOE” with 18 publicly out players on the field guess” as to how he contracted HIV. for various countries including the U.S.’s “Magnolias & Mistletoe”TANKS is the first holiday album Louisiana-based Marc Broussard #4 ‘STONEWALL’ Jillian by Ellis (coach), Ali Krueger, Megan and he brings his trademark husky vocals andRapinoe bluesy and bayou vibe to a stellar Abby Wambach. collection of In standards twothe originals. stray far from the traditional “While thetoo men’s professional game August and when public Broussard got its doesn’t arrangements holiday staples Holy Night,” First has “The beenChristmas reluctant Song” to be and fully“The inclusive first look at of“Stonewall,” this “Oyear’s Noel,” allowing his powerhouse voice to shine over the stripped-down instrumentation. and supportive of anyone within the dramatization of the 1969 New York LGBT Broussard the album two superb game original ballads, “When Christmas Comes who identifi es as LGBT, it’s generally riots fromcloses director Rolandwith Emmerich Along” and “Almost Christmas.” “Magnolias Mistletoe” that was clearly a labor of lovemore and football is much (“Independence Day”), the trailer was & regarded Broussard’s genuine heart and sincerity come through in every track. accepting of women who are lesbian or widely trashed for slickly whitewashing bisexual,” said Lindsay England, head of the watershed moment for gay rights. JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA “BIG BAND HOLIDAYS” Just a Ball Game, an organization that Upon its September release, critical works to end anti-LGBT bias in soccer, in consensus was extremely negative in Famed jazz trumpeter Wyntonpress Marsalis musical director for New York City’s Jazz at Out Sports interview. both the gay and mainstream withis thean Lincoln Center Orchestra and on “Big Band Holidays” he leads the uber-talented Wambach, who treated mediacollective interest a wide spate of reviews condemning the though a fresh and lively parade of holiday favorites. Particularly noteworthy is the in her 2013 marriage to Sarah Huffeightman filmmaker’s decision to center the events minute on “What Childwhite is This?” featuring the acclaimed vocalist McLorin Salvant. bemusedly, retiredCécile in December with aroundtake a fictional hunky character Washington, D.C.-based singer RenéIrvine) Marie is fantastic on her two tracks, playful on too many accolades anda wins totake count, (played by straight actor Jeremy “Zat You, Santa Claus?” and an of “I’ll BeOlympic Home For Christmas.” “Big including two gold medals and a and reducing trans women andelegant peopleperformance of Band is a joyous presentation of the Orchestra their exhilarating best. ranking inatthis year’s Time magazine’s 100 color Holidays” to the sidelines. most influential people of the year. Although Emmerich said he was SHARON JONES & THE DAP KINGS “IT’S A HOLIDAY SOUL PARTY” intrigued by the issue of LGBT youth #1 THE WORLD MEETS CAITLYN JENNER homelessness, a Vanity Fair critic said does likemost Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings and they prove it heNobody managed to old-school take “one soul of the once again charged on their fiperiods rst seasonal collection Party.” was in Soul many waysThe thealbum year is ofaptly Cait politically of the last “It’s aItHoliday named, as the always-tight Dap Kings deliver their smokin’ hot retro R&B vibe and Jones and few would argue she is anything but century” and make it into a “bland, facile expertly vamps her way through classics and Tired of the same old person boring theoriginals. most prominent transgender coming-of-age story.” Some 11 activists renditions? out Jones & the Dap Kings wildly hoppin’ take on “White in on thetheir country. called for anCheck LGBT boycott of the movie. Christmas,” or the smoldering groove they deliver on “Funky Drummer Boy.” “It’s a The OlympicLittle champion who found a The film cost about $17 million to make Holiday be entertaining festivesecond revelers for of years toas come. wind fame patriarch of reality with partSoul of itParty” self-fiwill nanced by Emmerich. show “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” It bombed at the box office. According to RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE “CHRISTMAS QUEENS” came out officially as transgender in an IMDB, its U.S. gross as of October was just April Diane Sawyer interview on ABC’s short of $200,000. Some of the most memorable contestants from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” serve up holiday “20/20” and was first seen as Caitlyn in a realness “Christmas of nervy andstory naughty nuggets #3on BIG YEAR FOR Queens,” LGBT FILMa collection lavish cover andChristmas fashion spread in certain to delight fans of the show. Sharon Needles’ version of “Jingle Bells” the July punk-rock issue of Vanity Fair. is priceless, Jiggybeen Caliente is hilarious Christmas.” Fame delivers a Her (what else?) Miss reality show “I Am There’ve and always LGBT movies on “Ratchet lovely retro take on the dreamy Queens” offthe ers asummer campy respite Cait” debuted over on E! but even just a few years ago, “Toyland.” most of “Christmas from thecontent same old perennials we hear every if that wasn’t and has year. beenAnd renewed for a enough, second the gay wasearnest in smaller indie fare RuPaul also released a new holiday CD this year, “Slay Belles,” so sashay away to your season (no premiere date for season two with a token mainstream release like favorite retailer and grab them both. That announced yet). It’s enjoyed decent if “Brokeback Mountain” here or there. hardly rapturous ratings and reviews and is no longer the case. THE BRIAN SETZER ORCHESTRA “ROCKIN’ RUDOLPH” has been noted for a more serious tone With “Freeheld,” the Julianne Moore than that of the “Kardashians.” project about a woman’s fight to have Iconic Straybenefi Cats’tsfrontman andtoguitarist Brian Setzer swings and rocks hisviews, way Jenner’s long-held Republican her pension transferred her through seasonal gems on diagnosed “Rockin’ Rudolph,” the third albumendorsement with his big especially her holiday half-hearted domestic12 partner after being band “Rockin’ to Around Christmas is a natural for Setzer, and “Here of Tree” same-sex marriage for one, have with orchestra. terminal cancer; “The The Danish Comes Santa Claus” stands out as well. Perhaps the most surprising is his atmospheric induced winces on several occasions Girl,” the Eddie Redmayne vehicle that take “Carol of the of the versions of activists. that classic in speaking ages. “Rockin’ LGBT After at a finds on him starring as Bells,” trans one pioneer Lilibest from Rudolph” starts right back up from where “Boogie Woogie Christmas” and “Dig That luncheon in Chicago in November, Jenner Elbe; to “Carol,” the Todd Haynes-helmed Crazy Christmas” left off,Highsmith with fun festive and plenty ofin groove. — camera crew tow — was confronted film based on a Patricia novel,energy by an angry mob of trans protesters who LGBT themes in major films were no SMOKE FAIRIES “WILD WINTER” said she was a “disgrace.” Their basic beef longer token occurrences. was that the 65-year-old Cait has enjoyed For something a bit different and more contemplative, indie-pop such a life British of privilege that duo sheSmoke could Fairies’ collection “Wild Winter” is defi nitely not the kind of stuff you might #2 seasonal U.S. WOMEN’S SOCCER TEAM never fully understand their plight. To her hear at Macy’s. dreamy tracks are made forJenner late nights andthem. candlelight while OUTThe AND10 PROUD credit, engaged the wind roars outside and the snow piles deep.InCrystalline gleam over a bedshe of an early vocals episode of her show, hazy keyboards the to darkly “Snowglobe “Three Kings” seemed to grasp Blizzard,” the import of her role When the U.S.and beatguitar Japanon in July take beautiful and the wonderfully atmospheric title-track Winter” is ahope different kind of holiday and said, “I just I get it right.” the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the “Wild album, but after all the frivolity and exuberance it’s the perfect antidote for chilling at home after the party is over. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

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