TOP 10 QUALITIES OF AN LGBTQ SUPER-COUPLE MAY 2015 BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
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Love it.
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IN THIS GAY LIFE 4TH ANNUAL CHARM CITY LGBTQA FILM FESTIVAL
10
Of Girls & Horses
Departments LOCAL LIFE
15
Justin's HIV Journal
5
From the GLCCB Executive Director
by Justin B. Terry-Smith
by Joel Tinsley-Hall
15 TBA by Courtney Bedell Eckler 16 All Tea, No Shade
HIGH LIFE
6 7
It's Morphin' Time
by Wyatt O'Brian Evans
Book Review: SOS, Poems 1961-2013
17
Spiritual In-To-Me-I-See
by Anthony Moll
National & International News
by Rachel Roth
13
Baltimore Local News
by Steve Charing
OUR LIFE
14
with Carlton Smith, Becky
by Frankie Kujawa
REAL LIFE
12
16 out-skirts by Danielle Ariano 17 The W.O.E. Report
Crossing T's by Angela Wren
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by Coach Maq ElĂŠ
BETTER LIFE
18
Top 5 Tips for Achieving Financial Fitness by Amanda Wooddell Wilhelm
SOCIAL LIFE
19
BScene: GLCCB Open House
by Jay W.
20 Datebook by Rachel Roth
GAY LIFE / MAY 2015
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EDITOR’S LIFE
GLBT Community Center of Baltimore and Central Maryland Serving the LGBT Community of Maryland for 35 years
We're Going to the Movies
1000 Cathedral St. • Baltimore, MD 21201 • 410.777.8145 • GLCCB.org
Trans Programs
Women’s Programs
BALTIMORE TRANSMASCULINE ALLIANCE
SILHOUETTE
A support group for trans* men (FTM). 3rd Thursdays - 6:30pm BTMA@glccb.org
TRAN*QUILITY
A support group for trans* women (MTF), but anyone who varies from traditional gender expression is welcome. 2nd & 4th Saturdays - 8pm Tranquility@glccb.org
Recovery ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS LGBTQ-centered AA recovery groups, welcoming to all. Mondays - 7:15pm Thursdays - 8:30pm Saturdays - 6:30pm
NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS Men’s Rap group for men in recovery. Sundays - 11:30am
Health & Wellness BEGINNERS’ YOGA
SILhouette (Spiritually In-tuned Lesbians) is a spiritual community of women who love women desiring to discover, embrace and live as their spiritual-authentic self. 1st and 3rd Tuesdays - 7pm A safe, confidential, and supportive space for LBTQ women of all colors. 2nd, 4th, & 5th Thursdays - 7:30pm WOC@glccb.org Meetup.com/Baltimore-LesbiansOf-Color
Men’s Programs THE MANKIND PROJECT (MKP)
Peer-support group that is open to men of diverse race, background, sexual, and gender expression who consciously and compassionately challenge, mentor, and model the type of growth that honors and celebrates the full-spectrum of the mature male. 1st, 2nd & 3rd Wednesdays 6:45-8:45pm Bmoi1000@gmail.com
Community Programs
HIV & SYPHILIS TESTING
BOOK CLUB
Youth & Young Adult Programs MIXED COMPANY
(QUEER YOUNG ADULT GROUP) A discussion, support, and social group for young adult LGBT identified or questioning individuals and their allies. Tuesdays at 5:30pm
ello Gay Life readers! It’s May—and springtime is finally in the air! As we unthaw from the harsh winter, we are once again providing you with an issue chock full of news, events and opinion pieces! This month, we are featuring the upcoming Charm City LGBTQA Film Festival (May 15–16). Gay Life is once again a media sponsor for this fantastic event, and I’d like to extend many thanks to the team at the Creative Alliance, particularly Gina Caruso, KJ Mohr, and Heather Keating, for selecting a wonderful collection of diverse, unique LGBT films for screening. It’s a wonderful event—and I’m proud that Gay Life is once again involved. Be sure to head over to the Creative Alliance later this month. Also this month—be sure to check out our back page! Baltimore Pride, which is organized by Gay Life’s parent organization, the GLCCB, has announced its headliners for July’s festivities! This year, Pride is bringing the legendary Martha Wash, internet sensation TS Madison, country music It Boy Steve Grand and out rapper Cazwell
WOMEN OF COLOR
Gentle beginners’ yoga with instructor Tim Hurley, RYT. $9 Sundays - 3:30pm FREE and confidential testing from the Baltimore City Health Dept. Wednesdays - 5-8pm
H
A welcoming book club for LGBTQ individuals to discuss a selected reading. Coming Soon Facebook.com/ groups/139583666184199
On the Cover
FACEBOOK.COM/GLCCB • TWITTER.COM/GLCCB • YOUTUBE.COM/THEGLCCB
ADULT SURVIVORS OF CHILD ABUSE (ASCA)
Dan McEvily, Editor
Community based self-help support group designed specifically for adult survivors of neglect, physical, sexual, and/or emotional abuse.
GAYLIFE Read it. Live it.
Thursdays – 6–8pm ASCA-Baltimore@hotmail.com ASCA-baltimore.tumblr.com
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GAY LIFE / MAY 2015
Love it.
2013
GAYLIFE Read it. Live it.
Dan McEvily Editor
The Circle will screen on Saturday, May 16 at 3pm as part of the 4th Annual Charm City LGBTQA Film Festival at Creative Alliance. See page 10 for the full schedule.
Support
The GLCCB is the publisher of Gay Life and the producer of Baltimore Pride
to town. With a lineup like that, there is definitely something for everyone! And speaking of Pride—if you’re interesting in volunteering your time and talents, be sure to send an email to Pride Coordinator Paul Liller at pliller@baltimorepride.org. That’s it from me until June! Enjoy!
Love it.
1000 Cathedral St. Baltimore, MD 21201 410.777.8145 Phone 410.777.8135 Fax sales@baltimoregaylife.com www.baltimoregaylife.com
editor@baltimoregaylife.com
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cory@coryburgess.com Rivendell Media, 212.242.6863
Contributors
Danielle Ariano, Steve Charing, Courtney Bedell Eckler, Coach Mac Elè, Wyatt O’Brian Evans, Frankie Kujawa, Anthony Moll, Rachel Roth, Carlton Smith, Justin B. Terry Smith, Joel-Tinsley Hall, Angela Wren, Amanda Wooddell Wilhelm
Photographers
John Kardys, Samatra Johnson, Asia Kenney, Kelly Neel, Eric Randolph, Richelle Taylor, Jay W.
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 2015. 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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Photo by Steve Charing.
LOCAL LIFE
FROM THE GLCCB EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S DESK
Let's Erase the Lines of Separation G
reetings, Community. The death of Freddie Gray brings to the surface much more than the issue of police brutality. We have a dead 25-year-old man who lived his short life in a neighborhood full of citizens that have been living life on the margins of society for far too long. This is the underlying social issue that I hope we can begin to address as a result of this horrible tragedy. There are many marginalized groups of people defined by geographic location, age, race, gender, sexual preference, and identity not only across this city, but across this state and nation. If we don’t begin to erase those lines of separation, we will continue to see events like those recently in Baltimore and Ferguson. The task at hand is not one that is easy by any stretch of the imagination. We have to tackle things like institutional racism, homophobia, gender inequality‌the list goes on. It is not something one group of people, one organization, or one city can accomplish on its own. But one person or one group of people can plant a seed that will grow and spread throughout the land. The GLCCB is committed to the work
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ahead as we begin to tear down those walls in the community we serve. We have to develop and expand programs that reach out and bring together gay men, lesbian, Caucasians, African Americans, Hispanics, transgender men and women, our seniors, our youth, the homeless, the poor, the middle class, and those with abundant resources. We need to make sure we bring together and support each other and recognize our uniqueness while understanding that does not need to separate us. No matter who we are, we have something to share with someone else. Whether that is our experiences, our resources, our insights, or our time, we simply need to give. If we can plant that seed and be an example to our city, it will grow, it will spread and we will be able to stand together as one through every adversity and come out the other side stronger for it. Will you stand together as one? Joel Tinsley-Hall Executive Director Joel Tinsley-Hall can reached at (410) 777-8145 or at jtinsleyhall@glccb.org.
GAY LIFE / MAY 2015
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HIGH LIFE
It's Morphin' Time by
FRANKIE KUJAWA
“I
t’s morphin’ time!” this month at Awesome Con, Washington DC’s premiere comic con and pop culture convention. Returning to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, the three-day festival heralds many celebrity guests from both film and television. Included on this list is LGBT activist and former Mighty Morphin Power Rangers star David Yost. Yost recently spoke with Gay Life to discuss the festival, his current projects and his enduring relationship with fellow MMPR co-stars.
gression of Billy throughout my time on the series. In the beginning, Trini -- the yellow ranger-- had to translate for him because he was so intelligent, that the others couldn’t understand what he was saying. Then viewers were able to see the progression of him into this young man. I think that resonated with viewers. Many thought ‘maybe I’m awkward at first, but I can still get into martial arts, I can still have friends, I don’t need to be held back.’ And Billy had that strive and desire to succeed.
Have you ever attended this Awesome Con festival before? Yes! I did the show last year. I really enjoyed it and had a lot of fun.
You’ve mentioned in previous candid interviews that it was a very difficult process to come to terms with your sexuality. Would you say that you are now comfortable in your own skin? [Laughs] God, I would hope so. There are still times where I’m caught off guard from € people’s comments. People still use the “F” word toward me. It sends shivers through my body. I don’t expect it to have an effect on me, but it still does. I’m definitely comfortable with who I am. It hasn’t been the easiest or the quickest journey, but it’s been well worth it.
Based off your Instagram posts and YouTube videos with Amy Jo Johnson, it seems that you continue to stay in touch with your old cast mates. Do you all still maintain camaraderie through the years? I definitely think so. I mean, the six original of us, we went through so much together. It was pretty much our first television series
I think for a lot of people, Billy represents that innocent part of ourselves. He was so smart, and always wanted to fit in. He did fit in, but it was just an awkward way at times. and we had to go through a lot in terms of getting the show off the ground. It was such a success and we always had an amazing chemistry and bond. There are some years where some of us will drop off, but eventually we always get back together. It’s like a little family. At this point, we’re all like brothers and sisters who always get back in touch with each other. Your character of Billy always seemed like the type of character that was relatable to many viewers. Why do you think viewers could relate to him? I think for a lot of people, Billy represents that innocent part of ourselves. He was so smart, and always wanted to fit in. He did fit in, but it was just an awkward way at times. I really hope that audiences saw the pro-
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GAY LIFE / MAY 2015
What is one piece of advice you would give to the LGBT youth of today? To always trust and believe in yourself. There are always going to be people who will make you feel bad about who you are. Whether it is religious groups or those that try to base “facts” in science, there will be people in your life who try to cast doubt. Just trust your heart, trust your mind, and just know that there is nothing wrong with you. Is there one piece of advice you wish you could give to the David of the past? Never let anyone make you doubt how amazing you are. Any current/upcoming projects? I am currently working on a web series that I’m developing. It’s like 12 episodes and I have the basis of the 12 episodes written. And I’m hoping by the end of the year to have them filmed. You have met many, many fans from around the world. What’s been your craziest fan experience? You’d be surprised how many people have had me sign their body and they go get it tattooed. It’s pretty intense to get people
David Yost played Billy Cranston in Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Power Rangers Zeo and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie
asking to autograph on their body. I have so many amazing stories of people coming up to me, especially now that I’ve come out. People who’ve said, ‘Thank you for coming out’ and how it helped them. They tell me that they saw my interviews and see what I’ve put myself through, like conversion therapy. They tell me how much my process has helped them to come out to their families and co-workers. People also tell my co-stars and I stories about how they came from bad homes and they would come home every day and would watch Power Rangers. The show was an escape for them. Those are the stories that mean the most to me.
AWESOMECON
May 29–31 Walter E. Washington Convention Center 801 Mt. Vernon Pl. NW • Washington, D.C. 20001 Awesome-Con.com
BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
BOOK REVIEW
SOS, Poems 1961-2013 by
ANTHONY MOLL
W
e don’t talk about Amiri Baraka, not like we should at least. For a poet whose career spanned the second half of the 20th century, whose work evolved through the rise and fall of several poetic schools and political movements, whose voice offered a musical rage unparalleled, his verse seems too frequently pushed aside to make room for the controversies of his life. Baraka’s legacy is too often that of a firebrand so perilous that governments needed to get involved. Perhaps that is why this collection spanning 52 years of his work is so long in the coming. SOS arranges the poetry of those years chronologically, which seems uniquely appropriate for such a metamorphic figure.
Beginning from his first collection, Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note, this anthology offers a view of the poet’s movement from the experimentation of his early days (then a Greenwich Village hipster known as Leroi Jones) to the fury of his later years (known for being politically deposed from his position as New Jersey’s Poet Laureate). Along the way, Baraka’s poetry dives into and then climbs out of Black Nationalism, and by the time readers get to the poet’s ode to the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, “Somebody Blew Up America,” nearly every poem contains some I-can’t-believe-he-saidthat moment. Yet the collection also illuminates those threads that remain constant throughout
his body of work. Baraka is always musical, incorporating elements of jazz not only in the rhythm of his lines, but through onomatopoeic purrs flourishing his work. Of course, the poet is also deeply personal, and has spent his entire career exploring the meaning of being Black in a racially unjust nation. One reason we don’t talk about Baraka is that it is so difficult to define which poet is to be discussed: the Beat poet who wrote “The god I pray to/ got black boobies/ got steatopygia”? The Black Nationalist who wrote “We must convince the living/ that the dead/ cannot sing.”? Perhaps the radical who asked “who say they good but only do evil/ who the
biggest executioner/ Who? Who? Who?” Surely, there are few figures in the history of poetry who have both been rumored to share beds with the Beat poets and to be called out on barefaced homophobia. Who else can be panned for their misogyny and have their posthumous collection decorated with praise by Maya Angelou and Gwendolyn Brooks? There are few poets, few American artists even, so wholly celebrated and so completely reviled. For that reason, SOS is really a collection of several different poets. Though Amiri Baraka appears alone on the cover, no living thing is static, and the poet, most of all, must continue growing, each time tearing fiercely from its chrysalis.
SOS, POEMS 1961 – 2013
by Amiri Baraka Available Now Grove Press $30 – Hardcover
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After my diagnosis, it took me a while to accept the fact that being HIV-positive is not the end of the world: It’s just the beginning of a whole new way of life. The first meds I was prescribed gave me some bad side effects. But I worked with my doctors to find a new one that was better for me. Now I feel great and my viral count is undetectable. That list of things you wanted to accomplish before you were diagnosed? It’s still possible if you stay in care and work with your doctor to find the treatment that’s best for you.
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GAY LIFE / MAY 2015
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“I’ m here. I’ m living. I’ m happy. So take that, HIV.” Cedric - Baltimore, MD Living with HIV since 2012.
HIV
TREATMENT
WORKS
Get in care. Stay in care. Live well. cdc.gov/HIVTreatmentWorks
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GAY LIFE / MAY 2015
9
Now Playing, Hon!
Tab Hunter Confidential
THE 4TH ANNUAL CHARM CITY LGBTQA
Ready for some movie magic, Charm City style? Creative Alliance will be offering its fourth annual LGBT Charm City Film Festival on May 15-16 at their Patterson Park home. Veteran film curator and film programmer, KJ Mohr, and Creative Alliance Managing Director Gina Caruso both bring years of film and media experience to the Baltimore’s premiere LGBTQA film festival present a diverse showcase of queer storytelling on celluloid. Mohr, who has also been a Program Director for the 26-year-old Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, views practically every queer film that is released and attends film festivals year round. For this year’s festival, she chose the best queer films of the past year that are otherwise
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GAY LIFE / MAY 2015
unavailable, including Bruce LaBruce’s Gerontophilia and Monika Treut’s Of Girls and Horses, which deserve a communal viewing and discussion “Queer film festivals are all about community,” said Mohr. “This festival is not about sitting home alone watching a movie on your computer, nor is it about sitting in a theater with a mainstream audience watching a film that reflects your experiences and not theirs. It’s about queer folks coming together, watching these cutting edge films with friends, strangers, comrades, queer kin, laughing together, crying together, getting turned on together, visiting before the films and discussing afterwards, meeting new people, hooking up, making new friends, seeing old friends.” In addition to this year’s film offerings, the Creative Alliance has partnered with the GLBT Community Center of Baltimore Archive project to present, “Picture It: A Collection of Photographs from the GLCCB Archives.” On view will be historical images as well as dozens of unidentified photographs from the collection. The community is invited to help identify people, places and events in the photographs to ensure their proper preservation and documentation. Also on display will be a selection of posters, apparel, Gay Pride memorabilia, historical documents and other items representing
the history of Baltimore’s LGBT community. The exhibit will run concurrent to the festival in the Amelie Rothschild Gallery.
Friday, May 15 5-7PM — Kick Off
PICTURE IT: A Collection of Photographs from the GLCCB Archives
The Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Baltimore’s (GLCCB) Archives will display a selection of posters, apparel, Gay Pride memorabilia, historical documents representing the history of Baltimore’s LGBT community. You are invited to help identify people, places, and events to ensure proper preservation and documentation of historical images.
6:45PM
OF GIRLS & HORSES (Monika Treut, 2014, Germany, 82 min, In German with English subtitles)
Alex is 16, a misfit, a drop-out, a failure. She uses drugs, cuts herself, and has been sent by her despairing adoptive mother to a farm in northern Germany. At first, Alex hates this remote place and the demanding job of looking after the horses. But under the tutelage of Nina, a 30-something taking a
break from city life and her partner, Christine, Alex gradually comes to form a bond with the animals in her charge. Then Kathy arrives on her summer holiday and brings her own beautiful horse with her. Alex takes an instant dislike to this privileged newcomer. Slowly, the barriers between the two are broken down and Kathy finds herself smitten by the streetwise and energetic Alex. The pair starts horsing around, hanging out on the mudflats, until one weekend, when they’re alone at the farm, things spiral out of control. This coming-of-age story with girls and horses is as simple as its title, gorgeously photographed under the expansive deep skies of northernmost Germany.
8:45PM
TAB HUNTER CONFIDENTIAL (Jeffrey Schwarz, 2015, USA, 90 min)
In the 1950s, Tab Hunter was number one at the box office and music charts. He was Hollywood’s most sought-after star and America’s boy next door. Natalie Wood, Debbie Reynolds, and Sophia Loren were just a few of the actresses he was romantically linked to. Nothing, it seemed, could damage Tab Hunter’s career. Nothing,that is, except for the fact that Tab Hunter is secretly gay. Now Tab Hunter’s secret is out. Direct from its World Premiere at SXSW, we meet the real Tab Hunter in this superb documentary, as he shares the whole story of his life as a happy,
BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
healthy survivor of Hollywood’s roller coaster. Interviews with the likes of John Waters, Clint Eastwood, George Takei, Debbie Reynolds, Robert Wagner, and Portia de Rossi, this film entertains as slickly as it informs our notions of queer social history.
The ONLY
FIAT Studio in Baltimore ®
Saturday, May 16 2PM
GALLERY TALK
Join the GLCCB Archives staff for a talk about Baltimore’s LGBT History. Help us ensure proper preservation and documentation of historical images.
3PM
THE CIRCLE (Stefan Haupt, 2014, Switzerland, 102 min, In Swiss German and German with English subtitles)
In 2007, Ernst Ostertag and Röbi Rapp became Switzerland’s first same-sex civil partners after being together for nearly 50 years. Oscar nominated The Circle (Der Kreis) tells their story through a masterful weaving of documentary style interviews and narrative period drama. As Ostertag and Rapp begin to recount their courtship, we are taken back to 1958 where a small group worked underground to publish their magazine and distribute it to over 2000 subscribers, including some in the US. The pair meet at one of the magazine’s famed Autumn Balls where Rapp was performing. What follows is a gorgeous love story, murder mystery, and historical drama, craft-fully detailed by those who lived it.
5PM
OUT IN THE NIGHT
Out in the Night 9:30PM
GERONTOPHILIA
(Bruce LaBruce, 2013, Canada, 90 min)
The ever-provocative Bruce LaBruce is back with a new romantic comedy (of sorts). In this beautifully photographed update of Harold and Maude, 18-year-old Lake has a sweet activist girlfriend, but he really has a fetish for older men—way older, like Mr. Melvyn Peabody. When fate conspires to land him a job at a nursing home where he develops a tender relationship with Mr. Peabody, he discovers that the patients are being over-medicated to make them easier to manage. Lake decides to wean Mr. Peabody off his medication and help him escape, resulting in a humorous and heartfelt road trip that strengthens their bond – and is sexier than you could ever imagine. This year’s festival is presented in partnership with the GLCCB, Gay Life and Equality Maryland.
(Blair Doroshwalther, 2013, USA, 75 min)
A group of young lesbians are accused of being killers after a man threatens to rape them.
7:30PM
QUEER SHORTS!
Hold onto your g-strings, posing pouches and butch boxers, because some hilarious, thought provoking and delectably hot shorts are coming out in this program!
4TH ANNUAL CHARM CITY
LGBTQA FILM FESTIVAL
Friday & Saturday, May 15 – 16 $8-10 • Weekend passes $35-60 Creative Alliance at the Patterson 3134 Eastern Ave. 410.276.1651 CreativeAlliance.org
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REAL LIFE PENNSYLVANIA
OREGON MARYLAND
MEXICO
VIETNAM EGYPT
JAMAICA
National & International News Two MD LGBT measures await governor’s signature MARYLAND
Two pro-LGBT measures remain in limbo after passing the Maryland General Assembly as they undergo review by Gov. Larry Hogan (R), who has not yet decided whether to sign them into law or veto them. The first measure deals with insurance coverage for infertility treatments for female same-sex couples, and the second deals with the issuance of new, unmarked versions of birth certificates for transgender and intersex individuals that reflect their correct name and gender. According to the Metro Weekly, Both measures received the more than the requisite number of votes needed for an override should Hogan veto them.
Presidential candidates have differing marriage equality opinions NATIONWIDE
Republican Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who recently announced his presidential candidacy, said in an appearance on CBS’ Face the Nation that he believes the definition of marriage is a union between a man and a woman
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GAY LIFE / MAY 2015
and said that same-sex marriage was not a constitutional right and should be decided by state legislatures, not the courts. Meanwhile Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee for 2016, provided a statement urging the Supreme Court to rule in favor of same-sex marriage. “Hillary Clinton supports marriage equality and hopes the Supreme Court will come down on the side of same-sex couples being guaranteed that constitutional right,” said Adrienne Elrod, spokeswoman for Hillary for America.
Transgender man leads Men’s Health cover model contest OREGON
A transgender man is winning in popular votes for the 2015 Men’s Health “Ultimate Guy” contest. As of press time, Aydian Dowling of Eugene, Ore. is beating the competition by more than 30,000 votes. Dowling, a video blogger, activist and the creator of a clothing line called Point 5cc, wrote in his contest entry that he tries to find “balance” in his life and said that “as a Transgender Male, having a healthy body and mind is my ultimate goal to find peace within my soul.” If he wins the contest, which is open for en-
by
RACHEL ROTH
tries until June 21, his photo will appear on the cover of the magazine’s November issue. The public votes make up 10% of the final ranking, according to the contest rules and judges select a winner from entries based on a number of criteria including fitness, professional success, healthy lifestyle and how much they give back to their community, according to USA Today.
Updates on religious exemption laws around the nation NATIONWIDE
A rash of states are re-considering religious exemption bills in the wake of that backlash sparked in Indiana and other states. In Maine, Republican Sen. David Burns announced that he is removing his “religious freedom” bill from consideration. State House Majority Leader Jeff McCabe, a Democrat applauded the decision, saying; “Maine people reject discrimination and hate. We believe in the inherent dignity of all people, whatever their background, faith, sexual orientation or gender.” In Louisiana, state Rep. Mike Johnson, a Republican, said he will amend his “religious freedom” bill, which has received criticism over concerns that it could lead to discrimination against LGBT people and minorities. The bill,
a priority in Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal’s legislative agenda, is designed to block the government from punishing a company because of the owner’s view on marriage. A poll released Thursday found the majority of Americans believe businesses should not be allowed to refuse services based on their religious beliefs. The poll was conducted by Reuters/Ipsos and found that more than 50% disapprove of policies allowing businesses to deny services or refuse to hire people based on the employer’s religious beliefs.
Students protest “Anti-Gay Day" PENNSYLVANIA
Students at a Pittsburgh-area high school rallied in support of the gay and lesbian community days after some students organized an “Anti-Gay Day” at the school. Organizers told local news affiliate WXPI Channel 11 News they were gathering in support of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students, but also to protest what they call inaction by the McGuffey School District administration. McGuffey School District Superintendent Dr. Erica L. Kolat said in a statement sent to
Continued on Page 22
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Baltimore Local News
by
Day of Silence march organized by GLSEN Baltimore
GLCCB Grand Re-opening on April 14
LGBTQ Prom Set for Baltimore A prom for high school-aged LGBTQ students and allies in the Baltimore area students and allies has been scheduled for May 15 at Pier 5 Hotel from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Its purpose is to provide a safe and welcoming space for the youth to enjoy their special night. The event, which is titled, “A Night Under The Stars: LGBTQ Prom 2015,” will be hosted by STAR TRACK Adolescent Health Program at the University of Maryland, SMILE Linkage to Care Program of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Connect to Protect, Adolescent Trials Network Youth Community Advisory Board, and GLSEN Baltimore. Appetizers and entertainment including Baltimore’s DJ Rosie will be provided. “The LGBTQ Prom is a result of the need for safe spaces for youth in all aspects of their lives,” said Anastasia Pierron, a member of the event’s planning committee. “While organizations throughout Baltimore are working tirelessly to create and maintain safe spaces for LGBTQ youth, prom is not an aspect currently being addressed in the way we as the LGBTQ Prom Planning Committee would like to. Our goal and hope is to put together an event where youth can enjoy a high school rite of passage in a safe, fun manner, all while being able to be true to themselves,” she said.
The GLCCB’s Grand Re-opening Approximately 100 people attended the official re-opening of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of Bal-
BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
Photo by Lily Velez
timore and Central Maryland (GLCCB) on April 14 at the organization’s new headquarters at the city-owned Waxter Center. The free event included a ribbon-cutting ceremony, food, wine, a DJ, and entertainment provided by drag performer Sabrina Blue. GLCCB leaders discussed new programs as well as the 40th anniversary of Pride. The GLCCB has been located at this venue since February 2014, but because of limitations placed by the city regarding renovations at the GLCCB’s third floor suite, the Center was unable to host an official grand opening until now. At the event, Chuck Bowers, Rick NewtonTreadway, Tim Hurley and Carlton Smith were the announced recipients of Leadership Awards by GLCCB executive director Joel Tinsley-Hall. Demetrius Mallisham, representing the mayor’s office, read a proclamation honoring the Center’s re-opening.
Students, Allies Break the Silence in Mount Vernon Over 35 area high school and college students as well as supporters marched through Mount Vernon on April 17 to end the annual Day of Silence with a loud scream. The event was coordinated by the Baltimore chapter of GLSEN—the Gay, Straight & Straight Education Network. The Day of Silence is a day in which people of all sexual orientations and gender identities who support LGBT rights take a vow of silence to recognize and protest the silence that LGBT people face each day and to spread awareness for LGBTQ issues especially bullying.
STEVE CHARING
According to Anne Stoner, an ally who represented PFLAG-Westminster/Carroll County at the event, the march began at the Washington Monument and proceeded up Charles Street. “We paused at intersections to make sure passersby saw our signs. We were greeted by horns, waves, peace signs and the sign language word for love,” Stoner said. “We ended in front of the [Waxter Center where the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of Baltimore and Central Maryland (GLCCB) has its headquarters] with those wearing tape on their mouths ripping the tape off and broke our silence with a group scream.” Prior to the scream, Lili Fox Vélez, the president of the New Wave Singers of Baltimore, sang a chorus of “Everything Possible” by Fred Small, and then the march’s participants screamed to break their silence. Jabari Lyles, the Co-Chair & Education Manager for GLSEN Baltimore, was pleased with the turnout and diversity for this third GLSEN-led Day of Silence event. “There were all different ages, races, sexual orientations and occupations. There were students, teachers, social workers, parents, friends, health professionals, legal professionals. Teachers and students from Baltimore City College, Reach! Partnership School, Bryn Mawr School, Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women, and even Anne Stoner from Carroll County PFLAG came out to show support,” he said.
JHU Students Vote ‘No’ Against Chick-fil-A By a vote of 18-8, a resolution (http://issuu.
Photo by Steve Charing
com/thecollegefix/docs/a-resolution-regardingthe-sgas-opi) by the Student Government Association (SGA) at Johns Hopkins University requested that administrators reject any current or proposed plans for a Chick-fil-A restaurant on or near the campus. Stating that allowing a restaurant from the Atlanta-based franchise would be a “microagression” towards the campus community including “visiting prospective and current students, staff, faculty, and other visitors who are members of the LGBTQ community or are allies,” the SGA said that university officials should pick “other non-discriminatory options” and rule out any “current and future Chick-fil-A development plans” if searching for new dining vendors on campus. There have been no concrete indications that the university was negotiating with Chick-fil-A for a place on the campus, but some students were concerned about construction that is in progress. At the heart of the vote against Chickfil-A is the opposition by CEO Dan Cathy towards marriage equality and his funding of organizations dedicated to maintain “traditional marriage.” Though the company had taken some steps to avoid the controversy, students at Hopkins were taking no chances. “The reason the resolution occurred at this time was essentially student concern,” explains John Hughes, Community Liaison, Diverse Sexuality And Gender Alliance (DSAGA). Hughes said that he had with other students their concerns.
Continued on Page 22
GAY LIFE / MAY 2015
13
C R O S S I N G
You’ve been evicted, Clarence.
HELLO?
We don’t want you and your T friends parading around in costume and imposing your political agenda on everyone.
T's
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a tea part rally to attend.
By ANGELA WREN
Protect What Matters
YOU’LL HAVE THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE.
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Lee Carpenter
A Maryland attorney to the LGBT community • • • • •
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GAY LIFE / MAY 2015
MAY 12–24 • HIPPODROME THEATRE BaltimoreHippodrome.com • 800.982.ARTS
BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
OUR LIFE JUSTIN’S HIV JOURNAL
Reflections
TRANSMISSIONS
Boy Meets Girl
(and everything in-between)
by COURTNEY BEDELL ECKLER
Michelle Hendley stars as Ricky in Boy Meets Girl
by JUSTIN B. TERRY-SMITH
H
IV affects different communities in different ways and—as we saw earlier this month—so does discrimination and police brutality. I am a black man who is well spoken and educated. I don’t dress like I’m going to a 2 Chainz concert every day, but I have been stopped by and interrogated by the police. When I was a younger, I wondered why I was a target. I didn’t understand until I saw statistics that showed black men are more likely to do more time in the justice system than men from any other race who commit the same crime. It hurts me time and time again when I see riots on television from the outrage of injustice that the people of Baltimore have to endure day in and day out from the police. Does this outrage really surprise me? In one word – No. However, that doesn’t mean that I condone it. Baltimore is still trying to rebuild from the riots of 1968, so pillaging and burning would seem to be illogical. I see people on Facebook commenting with statements like, “Let them burn down their own shops. They will only complain about it tomorrow when they have nothing at the end.” I do NOT ask that you condone this behavior, but you have to understand why they are upset. This has been going on longer than most of you have been alive. Think about the people that have to endure
Justin B. Terry-Smith MPH is a noted HIV and gay civil rights activist and the creator of ‘Justin’s HIV Journal,” a popular blog in which he shares his trials and tribulations of living with HIV. A U.S. Air Force veteran, Justin resides in Laurel, Md. with his husband, Dr. Philip Terry-Smith and their son Lundyn. Presently Justin is working towards earning his Doctorate in Public Health. Visit his main Web site at www. justinbsmith.com. He welcomes your questions at jsmithco98@ hotmail.com.
Photo by Don Harris, Don Harris Photographics, LLC © 2011. All Rights Reserved.
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this kind of harassment, which are predominantly Black/African American. When I drive or walk down the street I’m a constant target for this type of harassment. Earning my Master’s in Public Health, I learned why Black/African Americans are more affected with HIV, and this kind of discrimination has a lot to do with it. When we ask Black/African Americans to trust the government with public health issues, how in the hell can we do this when we can’t even trust the same people who are supposed to be protecting. You cannot simply ask a whole race of people to forget hundreds of years of murder, segregation, and discrimination that they still feel the physical, emotional and mental effects from today. Those feelings often lead to self-esteem issues, which trickles on down to some of the public health problems Black/African Americans are having today. You think after the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiments from 1932 to 1972 by the U.S. Public Health Service to study the natural progression of untreated syphilis in rural African-American men in Alabama people can trust that. It has been this way since the beginning of time. WAKE UP AMERICA —THE STRUGGLE IS REAL!!!!
E
ric Schaeffer, writer/director of the small independent film Boy Meets Girl, has created a big hit at LGBT film fests across the country that plays to rave reviews. Its theatrical opening was in NYC on Feb. 6 and will continue its theatrical run primarily at art houses—but I believe it will garner much more attention before long. It’s a traditional style romantic comedy but with one exception; it stars the beautiful first-time actress Michelle Hendley as Ricky, a small town Kentucky transgender woman. Michelle has broken new ground as the first a transgender actress to star as a transgender woman in a feature film. Eric Schaeffer’s script is funny, thought-provoking, and deals with the subject sensitively. For a straight cisgender guy he gets it surprisingly right. He apparently did his homework by contacting a number of transgender women to learn what he could before he began writing. When I spoke to Michelle she said she had to him out with some of the technical aspects that he just wasn’t getting quite right. Boy Meets Girl is about relationships so the main theme is universal, but in dealing with LGBT aspects it becomes a bit more complex. I won’t go into too much detail to avoid a spoiler alert. But, I will say that Ricky is pre-op and despite being a beautiful girl she is not afraid to top a straight cisgender girl who finds her alluring. Ricky has never been with a woman before but she is open to trying new things. It sounds a little pornographic but it really isn’t—it’s a typical rom-com but with “something extra” and it is handled with good taste. The most entertaining and intelligent scene is after Ricky has slept with her new female friend and she and her best friend (since 6th grade) discuss what “labels” to apply to each of the sexual partners. For e.g., is the cisgender girl a lesbian because she is sleeping with girl—even if the girl is a pre-op transgender girl? But if she was penetrated by then trans girl then isn’t it just hetero sex? But then if Ricky is just a girl (albeit with something extra) it can’t be hetero sex. He old friend says if there is a phallus and it is put into a vagina then it’s just “good old hetero sex.” Then
Ricky asks him if during sex a girl has ever stuck a finger—or two—up his bum because a finger is a bit like a phallus anyway! But he says “it matters who’s attached to the end of it.” And round and round they go in a hilarious examination of the silliness of trying to attach labels and define sexuality. The main theme of this film ends up being fluidity, both in gender and in sexuality—and it is handled with intelligence and humor. Because this past 12 months has been described as “Year of the Trans” and transgender issues are the hottest thing in the media these days, this film is right on the cutting edge and deserves all the attention it is getting. That Michelle Hendley is a gorgeous actress makes the film that much more of a must see and helps to challenge preconceptions of transgender women. Eric was determined to use a trans-actress for his film and he only found Michelle by luck through her low-tech web series documenting her transition— which only began four years ago. She had never before acted in a film but she has received rave reviews. When we spoke she said she has plans to move to NYC to pursue an acting career, so in time we may be seeing more of her. I hope so. Our country is becoming a friendlier place for transgender women and men. Films like this and TV shows like Transparent and Orange is the New Black are adding to the level of acceptance and understanding. I hope the trend continues so we will see more films like Boy Meets Girl!
Courtney Bedell Eckler is the author of a Gay Life advice/insight column that covers all aspects of transgender life ranging from the practical aspects of transitioning, to employment, family, and social concerns. She hopes that, through the column, her insight, knowledge, and experience as a transgender woman will help others in their quest for wholeness. Have a question? Trying to solve a problem? Want some feedback? Let Courtney know about it by emailing advice@baltimoregaylife.com.
GAY LIFE / MAY 2015
15
OUR LIFE ALL TEA, NO SHADE: DISHIN’ WITH THE DUCHESS
New AIDS Walk/Run on May 3 by CARLTON
SMITH, AMY TIGNANELLI and BECKY FRANK
Hey Family, What’s going on in my gayborhood this month? Well, here’s the tea! Did you know that Chase Brexton Health Care is starting a new AIDS Walk and Run on May 3. This is the first attempt of an event of this capacity since HERO AIDSWALK, back in September 2008. Chase Brexton was founded in 1978 as a gay men’s health clinic. The clinic has evolved from a small organization serving only the gay community into a multifaceted health center offering a continuum of a diverse and medical center for underserved community. It’s so important to support this noteworthy cause because many individuals who are HIV positive depend on the support of people like you to raise awareness for those fighting HIV/ AIDS. Did you know that, according to the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, there are 7,400 Marylander who are unaware that they are HIV-positive. We as community members must continue to fundraise, because the money we raise at events such as AIDS Walk-Baltimore will help support programming and a higher quality of life for people living with HIV/AIDS, including mental healthcare, substance abuse treatment, and HIVtargeted case management. To ramp up to the big day, I spoke to Amy Tignanelli and Becky Frank from Chase Brexton Health Services to shed a little light into the event.
Why did you decide to re-ignite an AIDS Walk in Baltimore?
Since the last AIDSWALK in 2008, HIV/AIDS is the 4th leading cause of death in Baltimore and we need to do something about it. A Walk event will help raise awareness of this issue and will bring the HIV/ AIDS community together.
How will the AIDS Walk and Run proceeds assist the community?
The funds raised from the AIDS Walk & Run Baltimore will go toward the purchase of an HIV mobile medical van. This will allow our staff to get out into the communities more to provide more screen-
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GAY LIFE / MAY 2015
OUT-SKIRTS
On Gordon's Pond by DANIELLE ARIANO
I
Becky Frank, Carlton Smith and Amy Tignanelli
ing and testing for AIDS and to increase education on this disease. What is the date and time for AIDS Walk and Run? The Walk & Run is Sunday, May 3rd at the Maryland Zoo. Registration starts at 7:00 am, the event starts at 8:00 am. There is a registration fee of $25 for the Walk and this will give the participant access to the Zoo the entire day. It makes for a great family outing.
Are there any prizes?
We ask that everyone set a goal of raising $100. Everyone who raises $100 will get an event t-shirt. Other prizes include an event hoodie, polo shirt, and fleece jacket. There will be trophies for the fastest runners and a traveling trophy for the corporate team who raises the most money.
How can people participate?
You can register at www.baltimoreaidswalk.org or call 410837-2050 ext. 1034 for more information. You can register as an individual or start a team or you can become a sponsor of the event.
Do you have any words of encouragement for our audiences?
We encourage everyone to step up and help us revive this event. Every dollar we raise will have an impact and every conversation will help someone.
t’s May! That means two things: 1. We’ve made it through the long winter. 2. It’s beach season. In that vein (as well as in a shameless plug for my soon to be released eBook Getting Over the Rainbow), I’m sharing an excerpt that recounts my first visit to the hallowed grounds of Gordon’s Pond circa May of 2000: “Have you been to Gordon’s Pond?” Joy asked. “No? Is that a bar?” I asked naively. I’d known Joy for all of ten minutes. She’d sidled up to the barstool next to me and asked if I was new around here. I was, in fact, new and the literal “here” to which she referred was Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. I’d told her yes and she tilted her head in response as if sizing me up. I got the feeling she could tell how new I was to this whole scene. That summer I’d rented a house with some old college roommates in Dewey Beach, but I had no interest in hanging out there, so I’d ventured over to Rehoboth and braved my way into one of my first gay bars, The Beach House. “No, it’s not a bar,” Joy said, rolling her eyes. She grabbed a free tourist map of Rehoboth from a nearby stack and asked the bartender for a pen. “It’s a beach,” she said as her pen began moving across the page. “All women.” I looked at the sheet where she was drawing a map. “You go all the way down First Street, follow it over the little bridge, keep going.” When the pen stopped moving there was a perfect sketch of the route I was to take. “All women?” I asked incredulously. “All women. You really should go. It’d be good for you.” That weekend, I ventured over to Gordon’s Pond where I paid the entrance fee and drove into the parking lot, grabbed my backpack and began walking over the large dune. When I got to the other side, I stood for a moment trying to take it all in. There were women everywhere. There were young women with red Solo cups dancing on the sand; there were black women, white women; old women; fat women; women with mullets; women who wore sports bras in lieu of a bikini tops; women strolling down the beach hand in hand; women kissing in the ocean. There were tattooed, pierced women and plain-Jane women, women with families, women playing paddleball and even a group of athletic-looking women in the middle of a serious game of tackle football. There were women with their shorts hiked too high,
women with rainbow umbrellas, manly women, feminine women, women in cowboy hats and baseball caps, women with shaved heads and women with long, flowing hair. Holy shit, I thought. I’ve found the promised land. And that, my friends was my first impression of Gordon’s Pond, a place that has grown near and dear to my heart over the past fifteen years. If you are thinking about making your first trip for the upcoming Memorial Day Weekend (which is when the population of ladies who love ladies swells to peak proportions), here are a few tips on what to pack: ¡¡ Cargo shorts (You know you own them. One pair tan, one pair camo.) ¡¡ A pair of good, dark sunglasses (There will be a lot to look at, and you will want cover for your eyes.) ¡¡ Dress wear for the evening (a.k.a. jeans) ¡¡ Cooler for the beach (This can double as a dance platform, after all the beer from inside has been consumed.) ¡¡ IPod and speakers (For the cooler dancing.) ¡¡ Sunblock (Everybody will know you’re a rookie if you show up later at the bar with a red glow. You will also likely to pass out from dehydration.) ¡¡ Beach chair and large beach blanket (If you don’t want people creeping right up on you, you’re going to have to make yourself look big. These days, my friends and I throw kiddie toys around our chairs and blankets, which usually serves to ward off evil spirits or the loud vulgar type. Also, my friends’ kids like to play with them.) ¡¡ Binoculars (You will want an up close view of the unwitting straight family who comes to Gordon’s Pond and slowly realizes that they’re not in Kansas. There’s one every year.) If you do head to Gordon’s Pond, be sure to find me and say hello. I’ll be wearing boardshorts and a bikini.
Danielle Ariano is a writer and cabinetmaker. Her work has been featured in North Dakota Quarterly and on Huffington Post and Baltimore Fishbowl. She lives in Lutherville, Md. with her wife and their three dogs. When she is not writing or building, you can usually find her at the beach surfing. Find out more at www.danielleariano. com or follow her on Twitter @dariano19.
BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
THE W.O.E. REPORT
The Top Ten Qualities for LGBTQ SuperCouples, Part One by
WYATT O’BRIAN EVANS
S
ome time ago, “Tyler” and “Terrance,” two of my best buddies, ended their seven-year relationship. Their split was rather nasty. So I asked myself, “Is there a particular recipe for nurturing and preserving a successful, lasting LGBTQ relationship?” To get the answer, I consulted an expert: certified personal love coach Brian Rzepczynski, columnist for The Gay Love Coach. To answer my questions, he stated, “No. One of the beauties of being gay is that we can create our own definitions of what constitutes an ideal relationship for ourselves as we are not hampered down by restrictive gender roles and norms like our heterosexual counterparts. Each couple develops their own unique partnership that works for them.” The Gay Love Coach added, “That being said, there are some universal qualities that can promote a more solid and functional relationship over the long haul for partners seeking long-term connection and happiness.” Then, Rzepczynski gave his top ten qualities of LGBTQ “Super-Couples.” The first five are: They share compatible interests and philosophies of life. “It’s important that partners have similar interests and hobbies to share in common
to build experiences with together, but it’s also essential to have some differences as well to complement each other. This helps to keep the mystery and intrigue alive in the relationship that exists with contrast.” They openly communicate with each other and stay engaged in each other’s lives. “This involves direct and honest dialogue about the mundane aspects of life to the serious thoughts and feelings that get triggered as a part of relationship dynamics. The partners create a climate in their home where each feels safe and comfortable sharing vulnerable aspects of themselves with each other and are attuned to each other’s needs.” They manage conflict productively. “Healthy gay couples recognize that conflict is an inevitable and normal part of a relationship, seeing these ‘rough spots’ as opportunities for growth and positive change in their partnership. They deal with their anger in constructive ways. They are open to compromise and sacrifice and always keep a teamwork stance in negotiating their differences.” They have a balanced lifestyle comprised of both individual and couple identities. “In relationships it’s important to have time devoted to nourishing the relationship and also to focus on individual interests and pursuits. Too much ‘couple identity’ causes both partners to feel suffocated. Too much ‘individual identity’ creates a feeling of being disconnected and living as roommates.” Check back next month for the final five qualities!
Wyatt O’Brian Evans is a journalist, radio personality (“The Wyatt O’Brian Evans Show,” PapiChuloRADIO.com), advocate, instructor, motivational speaker, and author of the new novel, Nothing Can Tear Us Apart—RAGE! (Gay/ethnic). You may visit Wyatt at his on line home, WyattEvans.com. Follow him at The Wyatt O’Brian Evans Official Fan Club on Facebook, and on Twitter at @MisterWOE.
BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
SPIRITUAL IN-TO-ME-I-SEE (SPIRITUAL INTIMACY)
Flip the Switch! by COACH MAQ ELÈ
I
n February, I started taking a ceramics course. I was amazed at how much I liked throwing clay on the wheel; or as my friends like to reference it, “that scene in Ghost with Patrick Swayze and Demi More.” Throwing clay on the wheel feels like I am meditating; it requires me to silence the chatter in my head, to center myself, and to be present in the right now moment. In fact, on those days when my clay flops or does not turn into what I am intending, it is because I am scattered, in a hurry or not allowing the clay to flow through my hands. Most wheels spin in a counterclockwise direction, which is intended for those who are right-handed. All of the manipulations to the clay are positioned with the right-hand as the dominate hand. Well, I am left-handed and, as you might imagine, I have had some challenges with throwing my clay on the wheel. To be “successful” in this class I did what I have done my entire life: I have accommodated to living in a right-handed world; I forced myself to learn how to throw right-handed. The other day, I threw one of my best projects and was having a challenge with trimming the bottom. Trimming the bottom requires that you hold the cutting tool in the 4 o’clock position on the wheel. This was counterintuitive for me, as I wanted to hold it in the 8 o’clock position; doing so with the wheel spinning in the counterclockwise direction would result in me damaging my piece. I mentioned this to the studio assistant, and she said, “Just Flip the Switch!” REALLY?! I thought to myself, after
all of this time, all I had to do was flip the switch to turn the wheel clockwise?! You would have thought the heavens opened and angels were flying around the room when I flipped the switch. Most of the challenges I was facing as a potter were now eradicated. I can’t help but wonder how much stronger I would be as a potter if I had only “flipped the switch” back in February. This experience has me thinking, where else in my life do I need to “flip the switch?!” So, my love, where do you need to “flip the switch” in your life? In other words, where are you adjusting yourself to fit in? Where are you accommodating and denying the truth of who you are? Where are you stuck, not growing, and need to change directions? If you’re waiting for someone to give you permission to do so, here it is…. FLIP THE SWITCH!! BE-LOVED! ~Coach Maq
Coach Maq Elè is a certified Spiritual Life and the facilitator for the GLCCB group SILhouette (Spiritually In-Tuned Lesbians). For more information about Coach Maq and SILhouette please visit Maqele.com. To contact Coach Maq with your coaching questions email CoachMaq@baltimoregaylife.com.
GAY LIFE / MAY 2015
17
BETTER LIFE
GET PREPPED ON PREP: A TOWN HALL MEETING ON PRE-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS
Join us to learn more about PrEP and about the newest, exciting data on PrEP for men who have sex with men and transgender people. NEW DATE WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2015 TIME 6:30 PM TO 8:00 PM LOCATION CHASE BREXTON HEALTH CARE 1111 NORTH CHARLES STREET | BALTIMORE, MD 21201 FOOD & REFRESHMENTS WILL BE PROVIDED
HOSTED BY AIDS Action Baltimore & Chase Brexton Health Care SPONSORED BY: Center for Black Equity - Baltimore, FreeState Legal Project, GLCCB, Johns Hopkins Center for AIDS Research, Baltimore OUTloud, & STAR TRACK, University of Maryland School of Medicine
THE
BROADWAY TENORS IN CONCERT
Benefitting the Edward A. Myerberg Center
GAY LIFE / MAY 2015
AMANDA WOODDELL WILHELM
W
ith beach season just around the corner, many of us are starting to focus on developing a springtime fitness regime that will get is us maximum shape. Although focusing on diet and exercise this time of year is a great thing, it’s also the right time to develop a financial fitness program. Monthly financial planning is vital, and should not be overlooked. In fact, a study from National Foundation for Credit Counseling found that two out of five Americans don’t even have a monthly budget. This can be costly to you in the long run, and can impact everything from college savings to retirement planning. Here are the top 5 monthly financial planning tips that will get you into top shape:
Define Your Spending Priorities Decide what is important (i.e., mortgage and other living expenses), then cut the least critical items from your budget.
Thursday, June 4 7:00 PM
Track Your Expenses Start by looking at your checkbook or online bank statements and see where excess spending is occurring. You may be surprised at how much money you are spending on non-essential items.
Tickets: www.myerberg.org/broadway or call (410) 358-6856.
18
by
An enchanting evening of favorite hits featuring three of Broadway’s most talented, award-winning tenors.
Baltimore Hebrew Congregation 7401 Park Heights Ave Baltimore, MD 21208
Thanks to our media sponsors:
Top 5 Tips for Achieving Financial Fitness
Keeping older adults active, engaged and healthy regardless of their ability to pay.
Buy Income and Expense Tracking Software Install Quicken on your computer, or set up an account at Mint.com. These programs can tell you when bills are coming up and help analyze your overall spending behavior. Put Your Savings on Autopilot If possible, automatically divert a portion of each paycheck into your savings account.
In a short amount of time, you will see your savings increase with minimal effort. Find the Right Financial Advisor The right financial advisor can help you correctly assess your monthly budget situation, and build out the best plan. Of course, there are other ways to get financially fit, which can also be very simple. These include brewing your own coffee at home, packing your own lunch, avoiding cash machine fees by staying in your banking network, and taking fewer trips to the drycleaner. They say that it takes 21 days to form a new habit. With the right discipline and approach, it is possible to become financially fit in less than a month. When this new behavior fully kicks in, you will experience the best part about financial planning: peace of mind. Start getting into tip-top financial shape today.
Amanda Wooddell Wilhelm is a Manager at SC&H Financial Advisors, the Personal Financial Planning practice at SC&H Group, which is an audit, tax, and consulting firm based in Sparks, Md. To learn more about SC&H Group, visit www.scandh.com. Note: Securities offered through Triad Advisors, Inc. Member FINRA, SIPC. Investment Advisory Services offered through SC&H Financial Advisors, Inc. SC&H Financial Advisors, Inc. and Triad Advisors, Inc. are unaffiliated entities.
Dynamic aging. Exciting choices.
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SOCIAL LIFE BSCENE
Grand Re-opening of The GLCCB
by
JAY W.
BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
GAY LIFE / MAY 2015
19
SOCIAL LIFE
Datebook
by
RECURRING & ONGOING EVENTS
Sundays Baltimore Farmers’ Market & Bazaar Every Sunday 7am-Noon Jones Falls Expressway Holliday & Saratoga Sts. PromotionAndArts.com Dog Hikes with the Doctor First Sunday of the month 11am-Noon • $2 Baltimore Humane Society 1601 Nicodemus Rd. • Reisterstown BMoreHumane.org Metropolitan Community Church Services Every Sunday 9am and 11am MCC Baltimore • 401 W. Monument St MCCBaltimore.org League of Women Bowlers Every Sunday 4:30pm AMF Marlow Heights Lanes 4717 St. Barnabas Rd. • Temple Hill LeagueOfWomenBowlers2@verizon.net Rise Up, Honoring Women’s Spirituality Fourth Sundays 12:45-2:15pm First Unitarian Church of Baltimore 1 W. Hamilton St. FirstUnitarian.net Westminster PFLAG Monthly Mtg. Third Sundays 7pm St. Paul’s United Church of Christ 17 Bond St. • Westminster PFLAGWCC.org Heterosexual Friendly Gay Brunch First Sunday Frederick’s on Fleet • 2112 Fleet St. FredericksOnFleet.com ASGRA Monthly Trail Ride First Sundays 10:30am • $25-30 Piscataway Stables 10775 Piscataway Road • Clinton ASGRA.org Charm City Volleyball: Competitive Play Every Sunday 10am-1pm • $7 Volleyball House 5635 Furnace Ave. • Elkridge VolleyBaltimore.org Service of Worship First Sundays 10:30am First & Franklin • 210 West Madison St. FirstFranklin.org Service of Worship Every Sunday 10am Brown Memorial Park Avenue Presbyterian Church • 1316 Park Ave. BrownDowntown.org
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GAY LIFE / MAY 2015
RACHEL ROTH
Mondays Interfaith Fairness Coalition Mtg. Fourth Mondays 7:30pm Contact info@ifcmd.org to confirm meeting location IFCMD.info PFLAG Howard County Parent Forum Third Mondays 7:30pm Owen Brown Interfaith Center 7246 Cradlerock Way • Columbia PFLAGMD.org Senior Pride: Discussion Group for Women 55+ Monday evenings Chase Brexton Health Services Call 410-837-2050, ext. 2428 for details www.bit.ly/SeniorPride
Tuesdays Howard County PFLAG Monthly Mtg. Second Tuesdays 7:30pm Owen Brown Interfaith Center 7246 Cradlerock Way • Columbia PFLAGMD.org Karate-Dō (LGBT-friendly classes) Every Tuesday 5:30-7:30pm Johns Hopkins Homewood Campus Bob Remington — MDShoto@aol.com Csskshotokan.com Meditation Group Every Tuesday 6:15-7:45pm First Unitarian Church of Baltimore 1 W. Hamilton St. FirstUnitarian.net PFLAG Baltimore Co. General Mtg. Fourth Tuesdays 7pm Towson Unitarian Universalist Church 1710 Dulaney Valley Rd. PFLAGBaltimore.org
Rainbow Youth Alliance of Baltimore City 1st, 3rd & 5th Tuesdays 7-9pm The GLCCB • 1000 Cathedral St. RYABaltimore@gmail.com Facebook.com/groups/RYABaltimore Teen Program at JCC Second Tuesdays 6pm Owings Mills JCC 3506 Gwynnbrook Ave. JoinTeens.org Trans Parents Forum, Baltimore Co. Third Tuesdays 7-9:30pm Towson Unitarian Universalist Church 1710 Dulaney Valley Rd. PFLAGBaltimore.org
Wednesdays Charm City Volleyball: Social Play Every Wednesday 6:30-9:30pm • $3-30 Mt Royal Recreational Center 137 McMechen St. Living Well with HIV Support Group Every Wednesday 10:30am Institute of Human Virology 725 W. Lombard St. Jacques.umaryland.edu/support.html Spiritual Development with Rev. Sam Offer Every Wednesday 7pm Unity Fellowship Church of Baltimore 4007 Old York Rd. UFCB.org GEM: Gender Empowerment MD Every other Wednesday 7pm Equality Maryland • 1201 S. Sharp St. Owen@EqualityMaryland.org Senior Pride: Discussion Group for Men 55+ Wednesday evenings. Chase Brexton Health Services Call 410-837-2050, ext. 2428 for details www.bit.ly/SeniorPride Support Group for Transgender Adults Third Wednesday 7:30pm Owen Brown Interfaith Center 7246 Cradlerock Way • Columbia hoctytransgroup@gmail.com
Parents of Transgender Kids Fourth Tuesdays 7:30-9pm Owen Brown Interfaith Center 7246 Cradlerock Way • Columbia cvhyde@gmail.com PFLAGBaltimore.org
Thursdays
Rainbow Youth Alliance of Baltimore County 2nd & 4th Tuesdays 7-9pm Towson Unitarian Universalist Church 1710 Dulaney Valley Rd. RYABaltimoreCounty@gmail.com
HIV Support: Substance Abuse & HIV Every Thursdays 2-3pm Institute of Human Virology 725 W. Lombard St. IHV.org
Rainbow Youth Alliance of Howard County 2nd & 4th Tuesdays 7:30pm Owen Brown Interfaith Center 7246 Cradlerock Way • Columbia 410.280.9047 rya_leaders@hotmail.com
Karate-Dō (LGBT-friendly classes) Every Thursday 5:30-7:30pm Johns Hopkins Homewood Campus Bob Remington — MDShoto@aol.com Csskshotokan.com
Fridays HIV Support: Just Between US Every Friday 11am-Noon Institute of Human Virology 725 W. Lombard St. IHV.org
Saturdays Baltimore Frontrunners Every Saturday 8:45am • Brunch 10am Panera Bread, 3600 Boston St. BaltimoreFrontrunners.org HOPE DC Monthly Brunch First Saturdays 11am Rosemary’s Thyme Bistro DC 1801 18th St. NW • Washington, D.C. HopeDCSocials-owner@yahoogroups.com In the Company of Women First Saturdays 10am-Noon First Unitarian Church of Baltimore 1 W Hamilton St. FirstUnitarian.net
DATEBOOK
Friday, May 1 FlowerMart at Mount Vernon Flowers, food, and fun! FREE • 11am-8pm • Thru May 2 Mount Vernon Park & Washington Monument • 699 N Charles St. FlowerMart.org BSO Presents: Pokémon: Symphonic Evolutions Feat. all-new musical arrangements from Pokémon • $29-69 • 8pm Meyerhoff • 1212 Cathedral St. BSOMusic.org Burlesque with The Bearcat Boas A night of sexy, saucy, cabaret from the Twisted Knickers • $12-15 • 9pm • 21+ Black Cat 1811 14th St NW • Washington, DC BlackCatDC.com 4,000 Miles A grandmother and grandson find common identity. $10-59 • 8pm • Thru May 24 Center Stage • 700 N. Calvert St. CenterStage.org Miss Gay Maryland US of A At Large A new queen is crowned • 10pm Club Hippo • 1 W. Eager St. ClubHippo.com Levi & Leather Leather or Bear attire gets you a discount. Fridays 8pm Grand Central • 1001 N. Charles St. CentralStationPub.com
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Saturday, May 2
Saturday, May 9
Sunday, May 17
Kinetic Sculpture Race A race of epic proportions! FREE • 10am-6pm American Visionary Art Museum 800 Key Hwy KineticBaltimore.com
Trouble in Stubble 2: Sausage Fest A rowdy romp presented by Trixie Little. $20-26 • Shows at 7 & 10pm • Thru May 10 Creative Alliance at The Patterson 3134 Eastern Ave. CreativeAlliance.org
International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) DayAgainstHomophobia.org
Carnivale at the Cabaret Feat. Kings of Crownsville • $15 • 6pm Cabaret at Germano’s • 300 S. High St. GermanosPiattini.com
Elvis Through The Years Feat. George Gray and the Elvis Experience • $35-58 + fees • 8pm The Hippodrome • 12 N. Eutaw St. France-MerrickPAC.com
Romeo & Juliet The tragic story of star-crossed lovers. $15-36 • 8pm • Thru May 10 Chesapeake Shakespeare Company 7 S. Calvert St. ChesapeakeShakespeare.com
Tuesday, May 12
Sunday, May 3
Night OUT: Marley A night at the theater and pre-show happy hour for LGBTQIA patrons • $10-39 • 6:30pm Center Stage • 700 N. Calvert St. CenterStage.org
Drag Wars RuPaul’s Drag Race meets The Voice. $7-10. 9pm. Every Sunday. Grand Central • 1001 N. Charles St. CentralStationPub.com
Dirty Dancing opens The class tale of Baby and Johnny live on stage. $25-95 + fees. Thru 5/24. 8pm The Hippodrome, 12 N. Eutaw St. France-MerrickPAC.com
Wednesday, May 6
Wednesday, May 13
Ben Folds with yMusic • $45 • 7pm Rams Head Live! • 20 Market Place RamsHeadLive.com
Sex, Drugs and Sea Slime: Celebrating our Ocean’s Oddities The National Aquarium Lecture Series. FREE • 6:30pm National Aquarium • 501 E. Pratt St. Aqua.org
Open Men’s Meeting Peer-support group that honors the mature male. FREE • 6:30-8:45pm • Meets weekly. GLCCB • 1000 Cathedral St. Contact: Bmoi1000@gmail.com
Thursday, May 7 WTMD First Thursdays Concerts in the Park The kick-off features Kopecky, Marah, Strand of Oaks • FREE • 6:30-9:30pm Canton Waterfront Park • Boston St. WTMD.org 98 Rock the Dock Summer Concert Series Feat. Baltimore’s hottest local bands. FREE • 6pm Hard Rock Cafe Baltimore • 601 E. Pratt St. HardRock.com/Cafes/Baltimore
Friday, May 8 Wizard of Oz Sing-A-Long Represent the Lollipop Guild and everyone else! $29.50-49.50 + fees • 7pm The Hippodrome • 12 N. Eutaw St. France-MerrickPAC.com
Thursday, May 14 Marley opens Based on the life and music of Bob Marley. $19-69 • 8pm • Thru June 14 Center Stage • 700 N. Calvert St. CenterStage.org
Saturday, May 16 Mi Casa Tu Casa: Miss Gay Maryland 2015 Honoring Miss Gay America 2015 Miss Gay Maryland 2014 • $12-15 • 6pm Club Hippo • 1 W. Eager St. ClubHippo.com Paula Poundstone From NPR’s “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me.” $20-30 • 7:30pm Amoss Center — Harford Comm. College 401 Thomas Run Rd. • Bel Air Harford.UniversityTickets.com 5K Cross Country Run at Baltimore Humane Society Benefits the Humane Society. $35-40 • 7pm Baltimore Humane Society 1601 Nicodemus Rd. • Reisterstown BMoreHumane.org
Monday, May 18 HIV Vaccine Awareness Day AIDS.gov Giant Monster Monday Movies & drink specials • 8pm-Midnight The Wind Up Space • 12 W North Ave. TheWindUpSpace.com
Tuesday, May 19 National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day AIDS.gov
Thursday, May 21 Baltimore Rock Opera Society (BROS) Rock Opera 6-Pack A collection of six one-act rock operas. $15-25 • Show times vary • Thru 5/31 Creative Alliance at The Patterson 3134 Eastern Ave. CreativeAlliance.org
Friday, May 22 Gallagher’s Reunion Ladies Event Monthly 9pm Club Hippo • 1 W. Eager St. ClubHippo.com
Saturday, May 23 Brew at the Zoo Live music, live animals, and beer. $49-55 • 1-7pm • Thru 5/24 Maryland Zoo • 1876 Mansion House Dr. MarylandZoo.org
Friday, May 29 Noches Acústicas Romantic, sexy, and late-night performances with Alma Saldaña • 9pm • FREE Marquee Lounge • 3134 Eastern Ave. CreativeAlliance.org
Saturday, May 30 No Scrubs: 90s Dance Party w/DJs Will Eastman & Brian Billion. $15 • 9pm Rams Head Live! • 20 Market Place RamsHeadLive.com
LLS Drag Show Benefit The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) has partnered up with Club Hippo in historic Mt. Vernon to raise money to help cure blood cancer. On Friday, May 22, 2015 the LLS will be holding a drag show benefit featuring some of Baltimore’s finest ladies of drag, hosted by Miss Hippo herself, Dimitria Blackwell. Dimitria and a few of her fierce friends will also be dragging out two straight men who will then perform the final act of the night. This guarantees to be an amazing evening with lots of laughs and outstanding performances. Please join us in having a great time while raising money for a great cause.
LLS Drag Show Benefit
Friday, May 22 • 10pm Club Hippo 1 W. Eager St. $10 Cover www.facebook.com/ events/423537041154365
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Email Editor@BaltimoreGayLife.com
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GAY LIFE / MAY 2015
21
National & International News
Continued from Page 12
WPXI that an investigation into the “AntiGay Day” — which followed the school’s observance of GLSEN’s “Day of Silence” are ongoing and encouraged anyone with information to come forward.
Mexican Supreme Court rules against marriage ban MEXICO
The Mexican Supreme Court on announced it had found a law banning same-sex marriage “discriminatory.” The ruling is in response to a petition for legal recourse that a gay couple filed against the Sinaloan family code in April 2013. According to the Washington Blade, the judges who considered the case posted a “strongly-worded” statement the court posted to its website justifying their decision. The contested provisions are clearly discriminatory because the relationships in which homosexual couples engage can fit perfectly into the actual fundamentals of marriage and living together and raising a family,” reads the statement.
Baltimore News
Continued from Page 13
“When I spoke to the SGA at their meeting, they were largely already in agreement that development of a Chick-Fil-A near campus should be avoided. Their debate was over whether a resolution was necessary,” he said. “Some senators thought the SGA should instead protest in a reactionary manner if the University ever does consider a Chick-Fil-A, but most agreed it was better to make a proactive resolution to communicate the SGA’s objections to the administration now.”
Black Gay Men and Depression to be Discussed at GLCCB Black gay men face daunting challenges from inside and outside their own communities. Frequently, these men are forced to deal with these issues in silence because in many circumstances, the African-American culture provides pressure on black same gender loving men to stay in the closet thereby denying these men the right to live their lives to the fullest. As a result of these pressures, a number of black gay men become depressed, and they think they’re alone—a state of mind that can have serious consequences. Depressed Black Gay Men (DBGM), a non-profit organization, is dedicated to raising awareness of depression and in the process, attempting to change and save lives. DBGM (dbgm.org), based in New York City, asserts
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GAY LIFE / MAY 2015
Vietnam might add rights for trans people in civil code VIETNAM
Vietnam’s ministry of health is finalizing draft amendments to the civil code that will likely acknowledge transgender people for the first time. At present, Vietnam doesn’t allow sex reassignment surgery, but Gay Star News reported that nearly 1,000 of its citizens had done the surgery abroad and are now living in the country. Nguyen Huy Quang, head of the ministry’s legal department, said they were still collecting opinions on the issue but he personally preferred to “address the fact and solve it,” adding “this is the right to live with their true gender,” he told a news conference on 14 April. Legislators will discuss the proposed changes next month.
Court upholds government’s power to ban LGBT people from entering country
that the interior minister has the power to protect “the general benefits, religious values, social morals of society and to prevent the spreading of social ills.”
Obama addresses LGBT rights in Jamaica visit JAMAICA
During a recent trip to Jamaica, President Barack Obama on evoked LGBT rights as he commended the work of LGBT advocate Angeline Jackson at a town hall with young leaders. Presently, consensual same-sex acts are a crime in the Caribbean county and violence against LGBT people runs rampant. According to the Advocate, activists has hoped Obama would not ignore rampant abuse of LGBT people while visiting Jamaica, saying “Every mickle mek a mockle” — a Jamaican proverb that translates approximately to “every little bit counts.”
EGYPT
An Egyptian administrative court in Cairo ruled Tuesday to uphold the power of the interior minister to deport people accused of homosexuality. According to a judgment obtained by BuzzFeed News, the court ruled
that a black gay man dealing with depression should know that it is treatable and he need not suffer in silence; he is not alone. As part of DBGM’s program is the documentary titled, You Are Not Alone. It consists of interviews with black gay men, mental health professionals, and religious leaders (Christian and Islamic). The film explores many of the underlying social factors that contribute to high rates of depression among black gay men. You Are Not Alone also opens up discussions on the critical issues affecting many black men and black gay men who go through life hiding their depression, which can contribute to unsafe sexual activity because they are unconcerned about the consequences, elevated drug use, and even death by suicide. This film will be presented at the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Community Center of Baltimore and Central Maryland (GLCCB), 1000 Cathedral Street, 3rd Floor, Baltimore, MD 21201 on May 16 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The event, which is free, is called “Black Gay Men & Depression” and is being co-sponsored by the GLCCB and The Center for Black Equity. You Are Not Alone was created and produced by Guyanese-born journalist and founder of DBGM Antoine Craigwell, who is expected to appear at the event. The reenactments were directed by triple NAACP Image Award winner Stanley Bennett Clay. Clay listened to the interviews, wrote a script and directed re-enactments of the stories he heard. He moved the film from being a staid production of “talking heads” into, as he says,
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“some Hollywood thrown in.” According to the film’s website, yana-thefilm.com, “While the film maintains the hard hitting edge of a documentary, it gently blurs the line between what is and what could be, moving into the realm of a docudrama, and illuminating through examples, many of the underlying issues black gay men are dealing with, but never talked about. This film breaks a taboo in the black community; it exposes the raw truths behind the silent pain many black gay men experience and live with.” For Lonnie Walker, 43, the new program coordinator for the GLCCB, this issue is personal as he had been diagnosed with depression. “I have since seen the film twice before and cried both times, but in the times that I’ve seen it, it wasn’t nearly enough people in the audience who needed to see it,” Walker said. “I could count on one hand how many people were in attendance and at the rate of a lot of destructive behavior that some of us as black gay men practice whether it be [hookup sites and apps] Jack’d, Adam4Adam, Grindr and a host of other things we do to cover up what we really feel.” Walker adds, “There is always a back story to why we do what we do, and I felt now that I’m in a position I can help some people to start a dialogue about this topic, and in order to let the healing begin, one needs to be transparent.” This presentation will provide a good opportunity for the GLCCB to raise awareness of mental health issues within the LGBTQ communities. “We’re hoping to highlight how the intersections of race and masculine gender
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constrain the use of mental health services,” says Chris Adkins, GLCCB Board President. “We also hope to bring attention to the fact that black men suffer from depression and often forego care for a variety of reasons from affordability of care to a lack of culturally competent care providers. Also, there is a reluctance to engage with white providers who might be uneasy at discussing the implications of racism in daily life and other cultural beliefs that support men being silent in the face of their own suffering,” explains Adkins who has been educated on mental health and public health needs of racial/ethnic minority populations. Walker also sees this event as a step in the right direction for the GLCCB. “This demonstrates that we are here, we are for the community, and we are determined to give the community more than just a Pride event and a paper,” he points out. “We are here to educate, advocate and protect what we love, and that’s being LGBTQ.” He admits his “life has been a mask” and cites the late 19th century poem, “We Wear the Mask” by African-American poet Paul Laurence Dunbar as a good explanation. It is about oppressed black Americans forced to hide their pain and frustration behind a façade of happiness and contentment. Walker’s personal situation will be the subject of the panel discussion following the film. For more information, contact the GLCCB at 410-777-8145 or visit the event’s Facebook page https://www.facebook. com/events/449132451919474/.
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