May 2013
BaltimoreGayLife.com
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Maryland Film Festival Iron Crow's Act a Lady
GAYLIFE Read it. Live it.
Love it.
LGBT FAMILIES
GROWING UP WITH SAME-SEX PARENTS
QUEERSON WHEELS BIKES , SKATES AND AUTOMOBILES
AMERICAN IDIOT 'S FAVORITE SON
JARED YOUNG
Baltimore LGBT Visitors Guide
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THERE’S POWER IN OUR PRIDE
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LGBT studies have opened doors (and minds) in leading corporations and organizations, which in turn have recognized the value of their LGBT employees through the establishment of equal hiring policies and domestic partner benefits. This has been a catalyst, leading to sweeping changes in political and social inclusivity.
Beyond simply advertising, though, these companies support us in many ways, including sponsoring community events and funding community-based charities in order to earn our loyalty.
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Taking an annual pulse on market trends through surveys helps demonstrate the LGBT community’s growing power, and influences positive change. Everyone who completes the survey by June 30, 2013 may enter into a drawing to win one of five US $100 cash prizes, or designate a non-profit charity to receive the prize. CMI Community Marketing & Insights Community Marketing, Inc.
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GAY LIFE MAGAZINE
IN THIS GAY LIFE
MAY 2013
HIGH LIFE
7 MD Film Fest By Querin Brown
8 2nd Annual LGBT Visitors Guide Unveiled
Iron Crow Presents Act a Lady By Paige Hunter
9 American Idiot at the Hippodrome
By Frankie Kujawa
REAL LIFE
14 National & International News
By Rachel Roth
BETTER LIFE
20 Queer Health: In the Family
10 LGBT Families: Growing Up with Same-Sex Parents Painting with different brushstrokes still make a family portrait.
By Daniel McEvily
13
SOCIAL LIFE
21 BSCENE: School 33's Lotta Art Show
SPRING SPORTS & REC:
Queers on Wheels
Moveable Feast's Ride for the Feast benefits Marylanders. Bike-friendly Baltimore has a substantial network of trails, an accommodating mass transit system, and a LGBT-supportive cycling community. Charm City Roller Girls' 2013 season is in full swing. The Straight Eights automotive club, based in Baltimore and D.C., boasts more than 170 members.
By Alicia Gabriel
Photos by Bill Hughes
Play for the Feast Benefit Photos by Richelle Taylor
22 Datebook
By Rachel Roth
By Daniel McEvily and Doug Rose
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MAY 2013
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EDITOR’S LIFE
Feeling Proud Can you feel that? There is a familiar and exciting electricity in the air, something fun and fabulous is brewing. That’s right: planning is underway for the annual Baltimore Pride Festival! This year’s weekendlong extravaganza (and all of the exciting pre-Pride parties) includes our reliably fabulous annual events, as well as a few surprises. Pride weekend kicks off with the eighth annual Twilight on the Terrace cocktail party held at Gertrude’s Restaurant and the BMA Sculpture Garden, (Friday, June 14, 7-11pm). Guests will enjoy hors d’oeuvres, a four-hour open bar, music, and dancing. Tickets are available beginning May 1. The fun on Saturday, June 15, begins with the High Heel Race at 3pm, followed by the annual Pride Parade at 3:30pm. This year’s Block Party (5-9pm) will include multiple headliners, gourmet food trucks, and much more. The Sunday Pride Festival in Druid Hill Park offers the great music, food, and activities you’ve come
to expect (June 16, 12-5pm). But this year’s festival will also include something else: the first ever, Baltimore Pride Mass Wedding by Mayor Stephanie Rawings-Blake! The wedding is organized by “We Do Marry in Baltimore,” a new group of activists who have come together to create the mass celebration of marriage equality. We Do includes the Alpha Eta Omega Sorority Inc., Baltimore Black Pride, Beta Phi Omega (Alpha Alpha D.M.V. Chapter), the GLCCB, and SEIU Eastern Regions Lavender Caucus. Learn more at Facebook.com/WeDo. Learn more about all of the Pride events at BaltimorePride.org. Advertise in Gay Life’s Guide to Baltimore Pride! Reserve your ad by the May 19 deadline by contacting Sabre Chase at 410.777.8152 or sales@baltimoregaylife.com.
MAGGIE BEETZ
Editor
ON THE COVER
Jared Young stars in Green Day's American Idiot musical tour as Favorite Son. FACEBOOK.COM/GLCCB • TWITTER.COM/GLCCB • YOUTUBE.COM/THEGLCCB
Maggie Beetz, Editor editor@baltimoregaylife.com M. Cory Burgess, Art Director cory@metroscapemedia.com
GAYLIFE Read it. Live it.
Love it.
241 W. Chase Street Baltimore, MD 21201 410.777.8145 Phone 410.777.8135 Fax sales@baltimoregaylife.com www.baltimoregaylife.com
Sabre Chase, Advertising sales@baltimoregaylife.com National Advertising Rep. Rivendell Media, 212.242.6863 Marty Shayt, Senior Volunteer Contributors Querin Brown, Alicia Gabriel, Paige Hunter, Frankie Kujawa, Dan McEvily, Doug Rose, Rachel Roth
Photographers Bill Hughes, Richelle Taylor Magazine Committee Sharon Brackett, John Cullen, Daniel McEvily, Doug Rose, Emily Salinas, Marty Shayt, Gary Wolnitzek
Gay Life is a publication of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Community Center of Baltimore and Central Maryland (GLCCB). Gay Life is published monthly in Baltimore, Md., with distribution throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Copyright 2013. All Rights Reserved. Gay Life is copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the publisher. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of Gay Life or its publisher.
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GAY LIFE MAGAZINE
HIGH LIFE
FILM
I am Divine
15th Annual Maryland Film Fest Expands to 5 Days BY QUERIN BROWN Showcasing Baltimore as a thriving center of film culture, the Maryland Film Festival (MFF) returns for its 15th year of unique and creatively charged cinema. Due to its increased popularity, the festival has for the first time in over a decade, added an additional day to the program. It will span five days beginning on Wednesday, May 8 through Sunday, May 12, primarily showing at the Charles Theater. MFF Board Member, film director, screenwriter, and actor, John Waters has selected and hosted a favorite feature film every year since 1999. Waters’ 2013 MFF Pick is Special Jury Prize winne, Paradise: Faith, an Austrian Drama, directed by Ulrich Seidl.
FRIENDS OF THE FESTIVAL
Film, television, and commercial production played roughly a $5 million role in Maryland’s economy last year alone. When Operations & Development Manager, Rahne Alexander, was asked in what ways besides attendance can the community support the festival she responded: “by becoming a Friend of the Festival.” Friends
of the Festival can enjoy year long perks to include free and advance film screenings as well as discounts on MFF merchandise. Learn more at MD-FilmFest.com/ membership/friends-of-the-festival
I AM DIVINE
Vito (2012 MFF) Director, Jeffery Schwarz returns to this year’s festival with his “bigger than life” story, documenting Divine’s career. Harris Glen Milstead stood over six feet and was an awkward Baltimore teen, often teased and unaccepted. But as drag icon Divine, he would become an international legend. His close friend John Waters gave Divine his pseudonym, calling Divine “the most beautiful woman in the world, almost.” Starring in movies such as Pink Flamingo (1972) and Hairspray (1988), Divine would push every button and limit of society’s definition of beauty. Wearing, saying, and doing whatever he wanted, he amassed a cult following in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Pit Stop
PIT STOP
Currently Texan director Yen Tan would often travel throughout the state, frequenting several “pit stops” during his travels. A combination of curiosity and personal interaction inspired Tan to create Pit Stop’s main characters, Gabe and Ernesto. One is on the rebound from an affair with a married man and the other is still comingling with his ex-wife and daughter. Tan weaves through disappointment, isolation, and complacency as these characters navigate toward each other yearning for romance and connection. Pit Stop premiered at this year’s South by Southwest Festival.
VOICES & VISIONS Before You Know It
BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
The Maryland Film Festival is committed to presenting diverse voices and uncompromising visions of film and video. With this mission MFF also supports non-festival films like:
Sun Don’t Shine (Director: Amy Seimetz) A couple takes a tense and mysterious road trip through the desolate yet hauntingly beautiful landscape of central Florida. Before You Know It (Director: PJ Raval) Documentary: Shines a light on a misunderstood and ignored group of gay seniors. We Always Lie to Strangers (Directors: AJ Schnack, David Wilson) Documentary: Profile of Branson, MO family, community, music and tradition where millions return to experience “old fashioned, traditional values” including two homophobic visitors.
MD FILM FEST
May 8-12 T MD-FilmFest.com MAY 2013
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HIGH LIFE
TRAVEL
ON STAGE
The GLCCB & Gay Life Unveil the 2013 Baltimore LGBT Visitors Guide The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center of Baltimore and Central Maryland (GLCCB) released the second annual Baltimore LGBT Visitors Guide, a result of a strong strategic partnership with Visit Baltimore, the city’s official destination marketing organization. “This year’s publication is a valuable resource for first-time travelers coming to Baltimore, anyone new to Baltimore’s LGBT community, and for those people simply interested in finding welcoming establishments and activities,” said GLCCB interim Executive Director Matt Thorn. “The 2013 LGBT guide showcases the best that Baltimore has to offer, with comprehensive, carefully researched listings that highlight establishments that have proven to be welcoming and safe to our community.” The 68-page, full-color glossy guide includes restaurants, shops, nightlife, and attractions, plus TAGapproved accommodations. Also included are LGBT-friendly activities, social and support groups, and friendly religious congregations. The 2013 guide also includes a new wedding section that lists welcoming venues and vendors. Readers can also find neighborhood profiles, maps, essential travel and weather information, and a calendar of events detailing a full year of activities across the city. “This year’s guide is packed with even more valuable resources and information,” said Maggie Beetz, editor of The GLCCB’s monthly publication, Gay Life. “After we printed the first edition, we learned about so many more businesses
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and organizations that wanted to be included. I’m sure our next guide will be even bigger.” Gay Life also profiled prominent locals to find out where they take their LGBT friends who visit Baltimore. These profiles, found throughout the 2013 Guide, include radio host Anthony McCarthy, rapper DDm, Baltimore Black Pride founder Carlton Smith, artist Kelly Walker, activist Lea Gilmore, Maryland state Delegate Maggie McIntosh, community organizer Monica Stevens, Equality Maryland’s Owen Smith, activist Rebecca Nagel, Iron Crow Theatre Artistic Director Steve Satta, and actor Vincent De Paul. “We are honored to feature a diverse array of out-and-proud Baltimoreans who truly reflect the rich, multi-cultural tapestry that makes Baltimore unique. Their insights point to great local spots that will impress visitors and locals alike,” said Beetz. Find a digital version of the guide by visiting BaltimoreGayLife. com/visitorsguide. To order a physical copy, visit Baltimore.org/ lgbt-baltimore. The guide is also available at the GLCCB office in Mount Vernon (241 W. Chase St.) and the Baltimore Visitor Center at the Inner Harbor (401 Light St.). It will be distributed at Baltimore Pride (June 14-16), and cities throughout the East Coast including Boston, Mass., Providence, R.I., Philadelphia, Penn., and Washington, D.C., and made available through Centerlink, the organization connecting more than 200 LGBT community centers nationwide and abroad.
Theater and Transformation: Iron Crow Presents Act a Lady BY PAIGE HUNTER Iron Crow Theatre Company’s latest production, Act A Lady, premiering May 25 (with a preview May 24), is not just a story about a Midwestern town; it’s a story of 18th century revolutionary France, a story about men and women, and a story about transformation and performance. As described by Iron Crow: “When the men of a small Prohibition-era town decide to put on a play dressed in ‘fancytype, women-type clothes,’ eyebrows raise, identities explode, and life and art are forever entangled. A thoughtful and exuberant Midwestern fable. Accompanied by accordion.” According to guest Director Juanita Rockwell, playwright Jordan Harrison was inspired by a 1920s photograph of a young woman helping a man, who is dressed in a woman’s theatrical costume, with his makeup. That snapshot of history caused a flight of fancy and helped to create the play Act A Lady for a commission Harrison was writing for a Minnesota town. Rockwell’s description of the play leads to comparisons with Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and even The Wizard of Oz because these stories are “spaces in between.” These stories incorporate plays within plays, and events that turn the norms of society upside down and inside out. However, once the events end, or characters leave the land of Faerie or Oz, the characters bring those changes with them. They are themselves
changed. Act A Lady delves into this sense of transformation. Act A Lady illustrates the power of transformation, but also the power of art to transform. Therefore, performing this particular play seems perfect for Iron Crow, a company of queer artists of all shapes and sizes, a company of tricksters, of many layers. In the lore of many cultures, the tricksters and the arts open portals to other worlds. They bring fire to humans, negotiate safe passage, see the other worlds, and tell others what truths they have found there.
ACT A LADY
May 25-June 8 • 8pm • $10-15 (June 2 • 7pm) Theatre Project 45 W. Preston St. W443.637.2769 T IronCrowTheatre.com
GAY LIFE MAGAZINE
Mormon-raised Rising Star Visits Baltimore in American Idiot BY FRANKIE KUJAWA
There’s something about the music of Green Day that electrifies countless fans around the world. The band’s rock musical, American Idiot, tantalizes audiences this month at the Hippodrome Theater. The show, which includes music composed by Green Day, centers on the lives of three disillusioned teens whose suburban world is immersed with parental restrictions and scrupulous media overstimulation. Gay Life recently sat down with Jared Young, an LGBT performer who plays ‘Favorite Son’ in American Idiot, to discuss the show’s message as well as his personal journey from Mormon-raised Utah to the artistic freedom of New York City. As an LGBT artist, especially from a very religious part of the United States, can you describe your transition from Utah to New York? I needed to be in a freer environment. I was raised really strict Mormon. I went to Brigham Young University and I had to leave my senior year because you just can’t be gay there. But, also at the same time in my career, I wanted to do more than just stay in Utah. The only option was to move to New York City. Moving to New York was this huge revolution in my life. I was like this country boy trying to chase this dream. It was ok to be gay and follow your dreams as a gay man. The show is like a total ground-breaking rock musical. It basically has all those themes of breaking BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
free and discovering yourself. I relate it to my whole experience of moving to New York and coming out. Can you describe your role as ‘Favorite Son’ in American Idiot? It’s a very fun role. There are three main characters. One of them moves to the city and soon finds himself addicted to drugs, another stays back in the suburban community, and another joins the army because of this army recruiting character. This would be my character. The scene starts out as a commercial with me as this male stripper-esque character who then decides to join the army. It’s really cool. I enjoy the role... When I first moved to New York I saw ten Broadway shows! When I saw [American Idiot] I knew I wanted to be in it. The production quality was great, and I realized this is the show for me. What are some of the important messages to take away from this show? It’s basically about overcoming addiction, and this idea of the intensive media craze that America is. It’s basically what the whole [Green Day] album was about. What I experience every night in the show is to stop watching so much TV and listening to everyone’s opinions. I’ve learned that you just have to live life for what it is. Sometimes, the media can just tear the world apart.
Have you ever been to Baltimore prior to this performance? Oh yeah! From first grade through third grade I lived in Virginia. My father worked at the Pentagon. I have a friend who still lives in Baltimore. Anytime I need a break from the big city, I come to Baltimore. It’s just four hours away so it’s perfect. Can you describe a little about where you see your career heading in the next few years? I went to school for music and I didn’t go for acting or theater. So auditioning in the acting world is…well different. I love musical theater but my true passion is the recording studio. My career goal was always to become a recording artist. I’m sure I’ll stay in New York for three or five years and see how that works out, but I think California is where I want to end up and work in the music industry. Thankfully, Broadway is going that way with pop and rock musicals. Maybe I’ll have a career in New York just a little bit longer. Visit BaltimoreGayLife.com for a link to one of Jared Young’s original songs.
AMERICAN IDIOT
Tues., May 7–Sun., May 12 • $35-120 Hippodrome Theatre • 12 N. Eutaw St. W410.547.SEAT T BroadwayAcrossAmerica.com
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Gita Deane, Maya Deane-Polyak, Devi Deane-Polyak and Lisa Polyak
A View From Inside Painting with Different Brushstrokes Still Make a Family Portrait
What makes a family?
It’s a question that, when asked, will provide a slew of different answers. As the debate over marriage equality wages on in the realm of public opinion, national media, and most recently in the U.S. Supreme Court, both sides of the issue have used the definition of family as a base for their arguments. However, in all the news stories, research reports, and rallies, one set of voices are rarely heard: the children whose families are so often being debated. For Devi and Maya, who live in Baltimore with their mothers Lisa, an environmental engineer, and Gita, an educator, the answer seems a fairly straightforward one. “I feel lucky to have two loving parents just like any child would,” said Devi, 13. “I really feel no different than any other child being raised by a mother and a father,” said Maya, 16. “I love my moms and I think they’ve done a really good job raising me.” According to a recent report released by the Williams Institute, a think tank
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By Daniel McEvily
affiliated with the UCLA Law School, it is estimated that more than six million American children and adults have an LGBT parent. Devi and Maya note that the advantages of being raised by two mothers far outweigh any negative impacts people may assume. “I have gotten to experience what it is like to be part of a social justice movement and through it all, I have found my own voice,” says Maya. “My parents have taught me the valuable lesson that if I feel strongly about a certain issue, I should stand up and fight for my cause.” “I get the advantages of two women that I can always turn to who understand how I feel,” Devi added. “Plus, I also get to have two last names!” For Devi having two moms has been largely a non-issue for most of her friends. “We just continue our conversation because having two mothers as opposed to a mother and a father doesn’t really need to be explained,” she said. Any tensions, it seems, come from
parents who don’t approve of Devi’s family portrait. In the past, some parents have forbidden their children from visiting Devi’s home, or accepting gifts. “I once had a friend who had to throw away a hat I knitted for her because her parents didn’t want her to get anything from a child who had two moms,” she said. Maya attributes being raised with a strong support system and accepting community to curtailing problems from people who don’t accept her family. “From my neighbors, to my parents’ friends, to my classmates and teachers at school, everyone has been so welcoming and accepting of my family’s differences,” she said. She noted a single negative encounter during the third grade in which someone reacted negatively to her family’s different makeup. “I was on the playground with my best friend in third grade who turned to me while we were playing and told me that I did not know how much I was missing out on by not having a father,” she said. Both girls get many questions from
their peers, which they are happy to answer. “I have been asked many times how I differentiate between my moms,” Maya noted. “Lots of people want to know what I call each one. Some ask how I was conceived, and other want to know if I have a father and if my mother and father are just divorced.” While curiosity abounds, questions from their friends are always respectful and caring. “They care that my family is being treated fairly and were very happy to hear when my parents got married,” Devi said. “They are comfortable with asking me questions about my family just like I might ask about theirs.” In reflecting on her family, Devi’s hopes the world will become a more accepting place for families that may be perceived differently. “A ‘traditional’ family isn’t the only kind of family that is seen as normal. Families come in all different arrangements, and whether you have one parent, four parents, or two, you should be treated no differently,” she said. GAY LIFE MAGAZINE
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MAY 2013
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SATURDAY, JUNE 15TH Panera Bread (in Canton) 3600 Boston Street
Meet at 8:45am • Run starts at 9am • Brunch at 10am
www.baltimorefrontrunners.com
Join Baltimore Frontrunners on Saturday, June 15th for our Annual Pride Run! Baltimore Frontrunners is a running/walking group for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals and their friends. All levels of runners and walkers welcomed, including your four-legged friends! Questions? Email us at baltimorefrs@yahoo.com
BALTIMORE PRIDE’S MOST PHYSICALLY FIT CHALLENGE Come join us this year in Baltimore Pride’s 1st annual Most Physically Fit Challenge, hosted by Elite Fitness Tours. Exercise your way through a timed course that will test your total body strength and cardiovascular endurance. The contestant with the best time will win a $300 cash prize and bragging rights for 1 year as Baltimore’s most physically fit. To sign-up, simply visit ELITEFITNESSTOURS.COM/BOOKINGS and click on the Courses button. Admission: $20.00
EXERCISE YOUR WAY THROUGH BALTIMORE Elite Fitness Tours offers a unique exercise experience in which participants can visit Baltimore and simultaneously explore local landmarks while getting their workouts.
IT’S THE PERFECT WAY TO EXPLORE, LEARN, AND GET FIT ALL AT ONCE! Gift Certificates and Discounted Prepaid Packages Available
BOOK ONLINE AT ELITEFITNESSTOURS.COM OR BUY TICKETS AT THE BALTIMORE VISITOR CENTER Sponsored by
Also like us at www.facebook.com/elitefitnesstours PAGE 12
MAY 2013
GAY LIFE MAGAZINE
SPRING SPORTS & REC
QUEERS ON WHEELS
Photo courtesy of Doug Rose.
Ride for the Feast Kicks Off 11th Annual Journey This Month By Daniel McEvily
While April showers bring May flowers, for Maryland’s cycling enthusiasts, it also brings one of the highlights of the Maryland cycling calendar—Moveable Feast’s annual Ride for the Feast. Now in its 11th year, Ride for the Feast is a two-day, 140-mile bike ride, spanning from Ocean City to downtown Baltimore. This year’s event will be held May 11 and 12. The purpose of the Ride is to raise money for Moveable Feast, a nonprofit organization that provides lifesaving, nutritious foods for low-income Marylanders living with HIV/AIDS, breast cancer, and other life-threatening conditions at no cost. The distance of the ride represents how far a Moveable Feast driver must travel to deliver to its farthest client. Founded in 1991, Moveable Feast delivers meals to clients and their families in Baltimore City, the five surrounding counties and all of the counties on the Eastern Shore. Additionally, the group provides nutrition counseling, transportation services for clients to attend medical appointments, and a 12-week culinary training program. Moveable Feast
operates with the help of nearly 5,000 volunteers who contribute over 22,000 hours of service. The power of Moveable Feast and the Ride can be seen in their impressive numbers. In 2011, Moveable Feast delivered almost a half million meals to its clients in the 14 Maryland counties it serves and over 200,000 meals to Baltimore shelters, serving a total of 3,371 clients. Fundraising goals for each rider is set at $1,300, which represents the cost of feeding each Moveable Feast client for the year. All money raised for the Ride goes directly back to the group’s client services. Ride for the Feast is the groups largest source of
funding after federal and state grants. The first day covers 100 miles of the ride, from Ocean City to Wye Mills, with the second day wrapping up with a 40 mile ride from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to Moveable Feast’s downtown Baltimore headquarters. The event will culminate with an awards ceremony. While the big event launches off every May, Ride for the Feast is a round the year endeavor. Organizers offer weekly training rides, orientations, seminars, social events and fundraising support.
Ride for the Feast
May 11 & 12 • MFeast.org
Velo Baltimore By Doug Rose
Bike-friendly Baltimore has a substantial network of trails, an accommodating mass transit system, and a LGBT-supportive cycling community. Popular annual events include Moveable Feast’s Ride for the Feast (April/May), American Visionary Art Museum’s Kinetic Sculpture Race (May), and Tour dem Parks, Hon! (June). Friendly Bike Party Rides (evenings) and Fam-
ily Bike Party Rides (days) provide monthly explorations of the city’s streets and are open to all. The following are some LGBT-friendly businesses that offer bicycle rentals, sales, and/or service—plus one business for people who prefer not to pedal. For extensive information, visit Bmore Bikes: Baltimore Bike Community Blog at BmoreBikes.com.
BIKE SHOPS Baltimore Bicycle Works 1813 Falls Rd. 410.605.0705 BaltimoreBicycleworks.com
Joe’s Bike Shop 723-B S. Broadway 443.869.3435 JoesBikeShop.com
Twenty 20 Cycling 725 W. 36th St. 443.759.5620 Twenty20Cycling.com
Joe’s Bike Shop 5813 Falls Rd. 410.323.2788 JoesBikeShop.com
Light Street Cycles 1124 Light St. 410.685.2234 LightStCycles.com
Velocipede Bike Project 4 W. Lanvale St. 410.244.5585 VelocipedeBikeProject.org
BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
Charm City Roller Girls' 2013 Season in Full Swing
SEGWAY TOURS AND RENTALS Segs in the City 207 S. Albemarle St. 800.734.7393 SegsintheCity.com
This league is quick to point out that Charm City Roller Girls are vastly different from the roller derbies of yesteryear. With over 150 athletes, the group boasts a diverse body of activists, mothers, teachers, artists, writers, and more. “Every skater brings something indispensable to the league, and together we plan to make roller derby the most exciting thing to hit Charm City since the crab cake,” their website says. Formed in 2005, the league is a part of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association, the governing body for flat track roller derby, and is a grassroots effort. Run entirely by league skaters and members, the Charm City Roller Girls are often ranked in the top fifteen teams in the country. The league is comprised of four intraleague teams: The Mobtown Mods, The Junkyard Dolls, The Night Terrors, and Speed Regime. The four teams bout each other at DuBurns Arena in Canton. Additionally, the league features two interleague teams, The Charm City All Stars and Female Trouble, a B-Team. A typical bout will see more than 1,000 people in attendance to watch. CharmCityRollerGirls.com
Straight 8s Auto Enthusiast Club If cars are more than just a mode of transportation to you, it may be time that you check out the Straight Eights. The Straight Eights is one of the oldest lesbian and gay car enthusiast clubs in the U.S. Based in Baltimore and Washington, D.C., and boasting more than 170 members, the Straight Eights is one of the largest chapters of the Lambda Car Club International (LCCI), America’s largest organization for gay and lesbian car enthusiasts. The club welcomes car fans of all makes and models — from vintage to contemporary fare. The group’s name came at the suggestion of a member shortly after the group was formed over 30 years ago. Originally a term describing the engines with the cylinders in a single row, its irony and double meaning appealed to the group and stuck. The Straight Eights meet for monthly events, tours and activities and actively participate in Baltimore, Chesapeake, and D.C. Prides every year. Straight8s.net MAY 2013
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REAL LIFE
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL NEWS
BY RACHEL ROTH
CANADA NEW YORK
CALIFORNIA
WASHINGTON, D.C. NEW ZEALAND TEXAS
ZAMBIA
URUGUAY
Ariz. Tries to Pass Trans “Bathroom Bill” ARIZONA
An Arizona House panel approved a measure that would prohibit transgender people from using public bathrooms of the gender with which they identify. The bill, which passed 7 to 4 along party lines, will protect business owners from civil or criminal liability if they ban from restrooms people whose gender presentation doesn’t match their birth gender. According to the Huffington Post, the legislation was prompted by the recent passage of a Phoenix, Ariz. anti-discrimination ordinance that would allow transgender people to use their preferred restroom. The bill will now go to the House to be put to a vote.
Texas Trans Student Wins Prom Battle TEXAS
A transgender high school student in Texas will be allowed to wear a dress to prom. In February, Tony Zamazal was told by a Spring High School administrator that wearing a dress would be “unacceptable.” Zamazal then asked the principal, who said she would have to consult the school board because it would be a “community decision.” The ACLU then wrote a letter to the principal explaining that both federal law and the U.S. Constitution protect Zamazal’s right to wear a dress to prom. The school district PAGE 14
MAY 2013
responded to the letter, affirming that it will allow Zamazal to attend the prom in the formal clothing of her choice.
Kolbe Urges LGBT Immigration Reform
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Former Arizona Congressman Jim Kolbe is urging the Senate Judiciary Committee to add gay and lesbian partners to a comprehensive immigration reform bill, according to the Politico. Kolbe is the second openly gay Republican in Congress. His partner of eight years is a Panamanian native. They were forced apart for a year when his visa expired because the federal government doesn’t grant any legal status to gay couples.
NHL Tries To Make Sports Better
NEW YORK
The National Hockey League (NHL) and the NHL Players Association (NHLPA) announced a partnership with You Can Play—an organization dedicated to tackling homophobia in sports. According to USA Today the NHL and NHLPA worked together to form the official partnership with the hopes of reducing casual homophobic language in locker rooms and creating a more inclusive community in all levels of hockey.
Transgender Rights Bill Passes Canadian House CANADA
The Canadian government is on track to passing legislation that would make violence against transgender people a hate crime. According to the Ottawa Citizen, the bill— which would add protections to trans people under the Canadian Human Rights Act— narrowly passed the House of Commons and will head to the Senate for a vote in the upcoming months. It is unclear what will happen to the New Democrat Party-backed bill (NDP) once it reaches the Senate floor.
New Zealand, Uruguay Set to Legalize Marriage Equality
NEW ZEALAND & URAGUAY
New Zealand is set to become the next nation to legalize same-sex marriage, just one week after Uruguay. If the laws in both countries are enacted, the number of countries allowing the practice will total 13. New Zealand’s Parliament —the last hurdle before a bill can become a law—voted 70-44 in favor of The Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill. In a video posted by the Parliamentary TV, those in attendance can be seen breaking into song when the bill passed. The crowd sang Pokarekare Ana, a traditional love song written in 1917, and considered by some to be the
unofficial national anthem. Uruguayan lawmakers voted early last month to legalize gay marriage. As of press time, the bill had not been signed into law, but according to the Associated Press, Uruguayan President Jose Mujica is expected to put it into effect. The bill, which passed by an overwhelming majority of present members of the Chamber of Deputies, includes a provision stating that gay and lesbian foreigners are able to come to Uruguay to marry. Uruguay joins Canada and Argentina as the only three countries in the Americas that allow gay marriage.
Zambian Activist Headed To Trial
ZAMBIA
A gay-rights advocate and HIV activist has been granted bail after being imprisoned for nearly a week in Zambia. According to Pink News, Paul Kasonkomona was arrested following a live television appearance in which he called for same-sex relationships to be decriminalized in the African nation. Kasonkomona was ordered to pay 5,000 kwacha ($929.40) and his trial will begin on May 15. Kasonkomona’s lawyers are suing for unlawful detention, stating that he was kept in police custody for more than 48 hours before being charged. Find more LGBT news online at
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MAY 2013
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BETTER LIFE
QUEER HEALTH
LGBT Family Health: A History Project BY ALICIA GABRIEL WITH MEG MCMANUS, CRNP Family. Everyone has one. Some of us wish we didn’t. Others can’t imagine life without them. From genetics to the environmental factors that influence our health and well-being, that family we wish we didn’t have, or the one we’re glad we have, affects our health. The goofy uncle who taught you how to tell a bad joke, that comforting grandmother who was the only one who didn’t treat you differently after you came out, and that grumpy dad for whom yelling was the only form of communication—all made an impact on your health. Your partner, your children, too, affect your health.
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MAY 2013
Genetics are out of our control—we’re born with certain predispositions. Environmental factors can be in our control— once we’re old enough to choose. But all those childhood influences still have an impact on us as adults. The National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among many others, have studies that directly correlate childhood familial environment to health issues throughout a person’s life. Though LGBT families are not always completely biologically related, the way that we live and the health choices we make, as well as our genetic makeup, af-
fect our future health and the future of our families. So, it’s important for each family member to collect a health history to help our providers to understand what we’re at risk for and help us to make the health choices we need to make to prevent developing certain diseases and other health issues. So, take a beat—or two—and use the
form below to help you keep a record of your and your family’s health history. To make a complete document, the Surgeon General has a nifty, secure, online tool for you at FamilyHistory.hhs.gov. For more information, talk with your provider about your family health history and what you both need to know for your healthy life ahead.
GAY LIFE MAGAZINE
SOCIAL LIFE
BSCENE
LottaArt Benefit at Silo Point April 20 PHOTOS BY BILL HUGHES
Play for the Feast April 20 PHOTOS BY RICHELLE TAYLOR
BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
MAY 2013
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SPOTLIGHT
SOCIAL LIFE
DATEBOOK
TUESDAY, APRIL 30
BY RACHEL ROTH
FRIDAY, MAY 3
THURSDAY, MAY 9
“Pass the Ocean, Hon” 2013
27th Annual Fly-In. Thru May 5 City of Rehoboth Beach Convention Center • 229 Rehoboth Ave. Rehoboth Beach, DE ChesapeakeSquares.org
“Protect and Defend” Honors LGBT Service Members Every May, Protect and Defend—a nonprofit organization for LGBT police, fire, and military service members—comes together for National Police Week to hold fundraisers and a special memorial service for LGBT police officers killed in the line of duty. Events kick off Friday, May 10, 6-9pm, with Dollars for Donuts at Town Danceboutique, the largest gay dance club in Washington, D.C. For $10 guest get donuts, a drink, and live entertainment from Tom Goss. Proceeds benefit the LGBT Heroes Memorial Fund. “The fundraiser is to raise money in order to identify and honor those LGBT heroes who have given their life while protecting others around them,” Goss told Gay Life. “We are all indebted to these individuals.” On Saturday, May 11, 3-6pm, they hold their Copcakes for a Cause, a wine and dessert tasting event with a silent auction and music by DY Keith Hoffman. This event, held at the Brixton, raises money for the Concerns of Police Survivors, an organization that supports the families and co-workers of the officers killed in the line of duty. On Sunday, May 12, they host an It Gets Better Videotaping with local gay officers followed by a group dinner and dance at Freddies Beach Bar. This year the Memorial Service will honor Master Corporal Sandy Rogers, a lesbian officer from Aiken, S.C., who was killed in the line of duty last year. Her partner of 20 years, Francis Williams, is also a police officer. The service will be held on May 13, 1pm, at Dupont Circle.
LGBT POLICE WEEK
May 10-13 Various locations, Wash., D.C. T on.fb.me/ZCiDu8
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MAY 2013
Wine Tasting
FREE • Every Friday. 5-8pm Spirits of Mt Vernon Wine Shop 900 N. Charles St. SpiritsOfMtVernon.com
SATURDAY, MAY 4
Baltimore Black Pride’s “A New Era: The Reveal”
Red carpet event includes live entertainment, cocktails & apps, and a briefing on Black Pride Week 2013. FREE * 8pm-12am (Happy Hour begins at 6pm) The Museum Restaurant and Lounge 924 N. Charles St. Facebook.com/OfficialBaltimoreBlackPride
WEDNESDAY, MAY 1 Gay BINGO!
Cash prizes and progressive jackpot. Drink specials, appetizers, and raffles. Every Wednesday 8:30pm Club Hippo • 1 W. Eager St. 410.547.0018 • ClubHippo.com
THURSDAY, MAY 2
Michael Feinstein: The Gershwins and Me
50 Shades! The Musical
The hilarious parody. $15-45 • 8pm Hippodrome Theatre • 12 N. Eutaw St. 410.547.SEAT • France-MerrickPAC.com
R.I.P. V.I.P.
Experimental Fashion Event. $7 • 6 & 9pm 2640 (St. John’s Church) 2640 St. Paul St. MICA.edu
Women’s Law Center Wine & Chocolate Event
Eat desert first. $25-40 • 6:30-8pm University of Baltimore Student Center 21 W. Mt. Royal Ave. WLCMD.org
Dyke Army: Paintball!
Transmodern Festival
Unique, experimental art highlighting women, minorities and the LGBT community Various locations • Thru May 5 TransmodernFestival.com
Baltimore NOW Happy Hour
All feminists welcome. 6pm • Howard’s of Mt. Vernon 900 Cathedral St.
Hip Hop Night at Club Hippo
Get your dance on every Thursday. Reduced cover before 11pm Club Hippo • 1 W. Eager St. ClubHippo.com
Ambassador of the Great American Songbook. $63-140 • 7:30pm The Lyric • 140 W. Mt Royal Ave. TheLyricOperaHouse.com
MAP’s Curators’ Incubator
Opening reception. FREE • 6-8pm Maryland Art Place • 8 Market Pl. MDArtPlace.org
FRIDAY, MAY 10 Leather Library
Meet the traveling Carter Johnson Collection. Thru May 12 GLCCB • 241 Chase St. LeatherLibrary.org
Room 17B
Family-friendly event. $30 • Noon Route 40 Paintball Park 11011 Pulaski Hwy. • White Marsh LadyJaqe@hotmail.com
Inspired by Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin. $10-20 • 8pm • Thru May 12 Theater Project • 45 W. Preston St. TheatreProject.org
MONDAY, MAY 6
SATURDAY, MAY 11
Karaoke with Nikki Cox at Grand Central
Sing your heart out every Monday and Tuesday night. Grand Central Nightclub 1001/1003 N. Charles St. GrandCentralPub.com
TUESDAY, MAY 7 Showtune Video Madness
Sing out! FREE • Tuesdays • 7:45pm Club Hippo • 1 W. Eager St. ClubHippo.com
Butchers Hill Flea Market & Craft Fair
A day of fun & bargain hunting. FREE • 9am-3pm • Thru May 12 Patterson Park (Eastern and S. Linwood Aves.) ButchersHill.org
SUNDAY, MAY 12 Mother’s Day Prime Timers
Talk on sexuality in early America. FREE • 6pm St. Marks Lutheran Church St. Paul & 20th. Sts. PTBalto.org
GAY LIFE MAGAZINE
WEDNESDAY, MAY 15 POZ DC Happy Hour Mixer
7pm • Green Lantern 1335 Green Court NW • Washington, DC HopeDC.org
THURSDAY, MAY 16 ArtWalk 2013
Preview party. $30 • 6pm Cohen Plaza • 1303 W. Mount Royal Ave. MICA.edu
FRIDAY, MAY 17 International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia
RECURRING & ONGOING EVENTS
SUNDAY, MAY 19 Baltimore Museum Week
Discounts and behind-the-scenes opportunities. Various locations Baltimore.org/MuseumWeek
SUNDAYS
HIV Vaccine Awareness Day
AIDS.gov
Preakness Infield Fest
Feat. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis & Pitbull. $50-70 • 8am Pimlico • 5201 Park Heights Ave. Preakness.com
MAC Mother’s Day 1/2 Marathon & Relay
To benefit local women’s shelters. $55-85 • 8am NCR Trail • 1042 Freeland Rd. • Freeland MacWellness.com
Masters Benefit Art Sale
Annual art sale Noon-4pm Studio Center • 131 W. North Ave. MICA.edu
Parents of LGBT Kids, Baltimore City
Westminster PFLAG Monthly Mtg.
Trans Parents Forum, Baltimore Co.
Touring new album. $45 • 8pm • 2nd show May 23 Rams Head On Stage 33 West St. • Annapolis RamsHeadOnStage.com
Rise Up— Honoring Women’s Spirituality
PFLAG Baltimore Co. General Mtg.
FRIDAY, MAY 24
MONDAYS
Chris Hardwick
Senior Pride: Discussion Group for Women 55+
Every Sunday 9am and 11am MCC Baltimore • 401 W. Monument St MCCBaltimore.org
National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
AIDS.gov
Third Sundays 7pm St. Paul’s United Church of Christ 17 Bond St. * Westminster PFLAGWCC.org
WEDNESDAY, MAY 22 10,000 Maniacs
Fourth Sundays 12:45-2:15pm First Unitarian Church • 1 W. Hamilton FirstUnitarian.net
Host of Web Soup performs live. $25 • 8pm Rams Head Live • 20 Market Pl. RamsHeadLive.com
Capital Pride Celebration 2013
Pride in the capitol. Thru June 9 • Washington, DC CapitalPride.org
We Dance to the Beat
Female indie/pop artists. 9pm The Ottobar • 2549 N. Howard St. TheOttobar.com
Baltimore Bike Party
The biggest party on two wheels! FREE • 7pm Washington Monument • Mount Vernon BaltimoreBikeParty.com
Private Lives Opens
Have an event perfect for our readers? Send us all the details!
CALENDAR@ BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
Deadline is the 15th of the month preceding the event. Subject to available space.
BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
Every Tuesday 6:15-7:45pm First Unitarian Church • 1 W. Hamilton FirstUnitarian.net Photo by Mac Brown.
The chanteuse, raconteur and actress performs. $10-15 • 8pm The Patterson • 3134 Eastern Ave. CreativeAlliance.org
Noel Coward’s comedy. $17-22 • 8pm Vagabond Players • 806 S. Broadway VagabondPlayers.org
Act a Lady Opens
Life & art are forever entangled. $13-18 • 8pm • Thru June 8 Theatre Project • 45 W. Preston St. IronCrowTheatre.com
Parents of Transgender Kids
Fourth Tuesdays 7:30-9pm Owen Brown Interfaith Center 7246 Cradlerock Way • Columbia cvhyde@gmail.com • PFLAGBaltimore.org
WEDNESDAYS
Charm City Volleyball: Social Play
Meditation Group
Mink Stole & Her Wonderful Band
Fourth Tuesdays 7pm Towson Unitarian Universalist Church 1710 Dulaney Valley Rd. PFLAGBaltimore.org
PFLAG Howard County Parent Forum
TUESDAYS
FRIDAY, MAY 31
Third Tuesdays 7-9:30pm Towson Unitarian Universalist Church 1710 Dulaney Valley Rd. PFLAGBaltimore.org
Living Well with HIV Support Group
Third Mondays 7:30pm Owen Brown Interfaith Center 7246 Cradlerock Way • Columbia PFLAGMD.org
THURSDAY, MAY 29
Third Tuesdays 7-9pm The GLCCB * 241 W. Chase St. cvhyde@gmail.com * PFLAGBaltimore.org
Interfaith Fairness Coalition Mtg.
Second Mondays 3-4:30pm First Unitarian Church • 1 W. Hamilton IFCMD.info
Pay what you can preview. 8pm • Baltimore Theatre Project 45 W. Preston St. IronCrowTheatre.com
Legendary soprano performs. $55-95 • 8pm Strathmore • 5301 Tuckerman Ln. Strathmore.org
Emmy Award-winning comedian, Vicki Lawrence. $75-155 • 21+ Rams Head On Stage 33 West St. • Annapolis RamsHeadOnstage.com
Every Monday evening Chase Brexton Health Services 410-837-2050 ext. 2428 • Bit.ly/SeniorPride
Act a Lady
Underground Railroad: An Evening w/ Kathleen Battle
Vicki Lawrence & Mama, A Two Woman Show
2nd & 4th Tuesdays 7:30pm Owen Brown Interfaith Center 7246 Cradlerock Way • Columbia 410.280.9047 • rya_leaders@hotmail.com
Metropolitan Community Church
DayAgainstHomophobia.org
SATURDAY, MAY 18
Rainbow Youth Alliance of Howard County
Rainbow Youth Alliance of Baltimore City
1st, 3rd & 5th Tuesdays 7-9pm The GLCCB • 241 W. Chase St. RYABaltimore@gmail.com Facebook.com/groups/RYABaltimore
Teen Program at JCC
Second Tuesdays 6pm Owings Mills JCC • 3506 Gwynnbrook Ave. JoinTeens.org
PFLAG Howard County General Mtg. Second Tuesdays 7:30pm Owen Brown Interfaith Center 7246 Cradlerock Way • Columbia PFLAGMD.org
Every Wednesday 10:30am Inst. of Human Virology • 725 W. Lombard Jacques.umaryland.edu/support.html Every Wednesday 6:30-9:30pm • $3-30 Mt. Royal Rec. Center • 137 McMechen St. VolleyBaltimore.org
Spiritual Development with Rev. Sam Offer
Every Wednesday 7pm Unity Fellowship Church • 4007 Old York UFCB.org
GEM: Gender Empowerment MD
Every other Wednesday 7pm Equality Maryland • 1201 S. Sharp St. Owen@EqualityMaryland.org
Senior Pride: Disc. Group (Men 55+)
Every Wednesday evening Chase Brexton Health Services 410-837-2050 ext. 2428 • Bit.ly/SeniorPride
THURSDAYS HIV Support: Substance Abuse & HIV Every Thursday 2-3pm Inst. of Human Virology • 725 W. Lombard IHV.org
FRIDAYS
Parents of Transgender Kids
HIV Support: Just Between US
Rainbow Youth Alliance of Baltimore County
SATURDAYS
Second Tuesdays 7-9pm Towson Unitarian Universalist Church 7246 Cradlerock Way • Columbia cvhyde@gmail.com • PFLAGBaltimore.org
2nd & 4th Tuesdays 7-9pm Towson Unitarian Universalist Church 1710 Dulaney Valley Rd. RYABaltimoreCounty@gmail.com
Every Friday 11am-Noon Inst. of Human Virology • 725 W. Lombard IHV.org
Baltimore Frontrunners
Every Saturday 8:45am • Brunch 10am Panera Bread • 3600 Boston St. BaltimoreFrontrunners.org
Find all GLCCB programs at GLCCB.org. MAY 2013
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