Baltimore Gay Life September 2013

September 2013

BaltimoreGayLife.com

GAYLIFE Read it. Live it.

Love it.

WIN TICKETS TO SEE

KT TUNSTALL IN CONCERT! SEE PAGE 28

Maryland-bred Author

Mark Brennan Rosenberg Dishes on His Latest Book

Eating My Feelings ALSO... DogFest,

Flamenco, and Dining Out for Life

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SEPTEMBER 2013

GAY LIFE MAGAZINE

BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM

SEPTEMBER 2013

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SEPTEMBER 2013

GAY LIFE MAGAZINE

IN THIS GAY LIFE

SEPTEMBER 2013

LOCAL LIFE

8 Dining Out for Life Celebrates Two Decades of Doing Good

By Ted Blankenship

10 DogFest Returns Oct. 5

By Wendy Goldband

Nominate Your Favorite ICON

11 Otakon 2013 and Storytelling

By Paige Hunter

HIGH LIFE

12 Chesapeake Restaurant

By John Cullen with Marty Shayt

13 Flamenco/Flamenca Examines the Passion of the Dance

By Frankie Kujawa

REAL LIFE

14 National & International News

By Rachel Roth

BETTER LIFE

23 Sept. 27 is National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day 25 I Think Something's Up Down There...

16 GLBT Romance Panel

Authors discuss GLBT characters and romance at Baltimore Book Festival

By Anthony Moll

17 Feelings, Food and Fantasy

An interview with Eating Your Feelings author Mark Brennan Rosenberg

By Frankie Kujawa

By Jill Weaverling

27 Financial Planning After DOMA

By Gary R. Anderson

SOCIAL LIFE

28 Datebook

By Rachel Roth

31 BSCENE: Miss Leon's

Photos by Eric Randolph

BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM

SEPTEMBER 2013

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GLBT Community Center of Baltimore and Central Maryland

EDITOR’S LIFE

Serving the LGBT Community of Maryland for 35 years

241 W. Chase St. • Baltimore, MD 21201 • 410.777.8145 • GLCCB.org

Trans Programs AKANNI

A safe, respectful, confidential environment where all transmen can share their story and their journey.

2nd Tuesdays 6pm • Rm 202 vmillhouse@blacktransmen.org BlackTransmen.org

BALTIMORE TRANSMASCULINE ALLIANCE

A support group for trans* men (FTM).

3rd Thursdays 6:30pm • 1st Floor 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 • Rm 201 Tranquility@glccb.org

Recovery ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS

LGBTQ centered AA recovery groups, welcoming to all.

Mondays 7:15pm Thursdays 8:30pm Saturdays 6:30pm Rm 201

AA—POSITIVELY SOBER

An open meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous, which provides a safe place for those with HIV or other health related issues. All are welcome.

Sundays 6:15pm • Rm 201 jeffreysquibb@yahoo.com NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS Men’s Rap group for men in recovery.

Sundays, 11:30am • Rm 201

Health & Wellness BEGINNERS’ YOGA

Gentle beginners’ yoga with instructor Tim Hurley, RYT. $9 Sundays 3:30pm• Rm 201

HIV & SYPHILIS TESTING

FREE and confidential testing from the Baltimore City Health Dept.

Wednesdays 5-8pm • 3rd Floor

Women’s Programs BALTIMORE FEMINIST READING GROUP

Discussion and reading group for women, trans*, and genderqueer people.

Thursdays 7pm • Rm 202 bmorereadinggroup@gmail.com bmorereadinggroup.wordpress.com

continued in next column u

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SEPTEMBER 2013

Hi, I'm Dan.

NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR WOMEN—BALTIMORE CHAPTER

Bringing about equality for all women.

2nd Wednesdays 6:30pm • Rm 201 BaltNOW99@gmail.com Facebook.com/BaltimoreNOW

Hello Baltimore, and Hello Gay Life readers!

My name is Dan McEvily and I am your new editor. I’m very excited about my new post at Gay Life, and I look forward to working with our superb team of writers, photographers, and designers to produce the most representative, informative and engaging product for Baltimore and central Maryland’s LGBTQ community.

Some of you may have seen my byline pop up in this magazine’s pages over the last year and a half. In March of 2012, my wonderful predecessor, Maggie Beetz, took a chance on a struggling writer and gave me the opportunity to fine tune my writing skills, while also allowing me to interview some amazing public figures (ranging from comedian Margaret Cho to Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake).

She’s been a wonderful editor, mentor, and friend. I wish her all the best and continued success at her new post at Center Stage. She’s certainly left some mighty big shoes to fill…

We’ve got big plans for Gay Life in the coming months — including expanded local coverage, a new website, and several exciting new columnists!

WOMEN OF COLOR

A safe, confidential, and supportive space for LBTQ women of all colors.

2nd, 4th, & 5th Thursdays 7:30pm 1st Floor WOC@glccb.org Meetup.com/Baltimore-Lesbians-Of-Color

WOMEN OUT AND ABOUT

A social group for LBTQ women who want to meet new people while enjoying fun activities.

Meets off-site, dates and times vary BWOAEvents@yahoo.com Groups.Yahoo.com/group/BWOAEvents

Men’s Programs POZ MEN

A free, weekly, peer-led support group for HIV-positive men who have sex with men.

Wednesdays 7-8pm • Rm 202 POZMen@glccb.org

Youth & Young Adult Programs RAINBOW YOUTH ALLIANCE BALTIMORE

A support, social, and discussion group for LGBTQ teens and allies ages 13-19, in partnership with PFLAG Baltimore.

Every Tuesday 7-9pm • 1st Floor RYABaltimore@gmail.com Facebook.com/groups/RYABaltimore

In the meantime, be sure to check out this month’s feature — books!

We have a great interview with Mark Brennan Rosenberg, who is coming to town to give a reading from his latest novel Eating My Feelings. Additionally, writer Anthony Moll previews the upcoming GLBT Romance Writers panel that will be featured at the Baltimore Book Festival later this month.

Speaking of the Book Festival — don’t forget to come down and visit the Gay Life/GLCCB table at this year’s event in Mount Vernon Place September 27-29. We’ll have a large selection of LGBT tombs from our library for sale, including the forgotten 1984 Madame autobiography I recently unearthed from a dusty shelf.

Have a great September, and don’t forget: reading is fundamental!

DAN MCEVILY Editor

ON THE COVER

Author Mark Brennan Rosenberg. Photo by Eric James.

Community Programs

FACEBOOK.COM/GLCCB • TWITTER.COM/GLCCB • YOUTUBE.COM/THEGLCCB

SPIRIT OF UNITY WORSHIP SERVICE

Dan McEvily, Editor editor@baltimoregaylife.com M. Cory Burgess, Art Director cory@metroscapemedia.com

LGBT-inclusive non-denominational Sunday worship service with Pastor Shannon Gresham.

1st and 3rd Sundays 8-10am • Rm 201

Sabre Chase, Advertising sales@baltimoregaylife.com

GAYLIFE

BOOK CLUB

Read it. Live it.

A welcoming book club for LGBTQ individuals to discuss a selected reading.

3rd Mondays 7pm • Rm 202 Facebook.com/groups/139583666184199

The GLCCB is the publisher of Gay Life and the producer of Baltimore Pride

GAYLIFE Read it. Live it.

Love it.

2013

SILHOUETTE

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 • Rm 201

Love it.

241 W. Chase Street Baltimore, MD 21201 410.777.8145 Phone 410.777.8135 Fax sales@baltimoregaylife.com www.baltimoregaylife.com

Matt Favre, Advertising mfavre@baltimoregaylife.com National Advertising Rep. Rivendell Media, 212.242.6863 Marty Shayt, Senior Volunteer Contributors Gary R. Anderson, Ted Blankenship, John Cullen, Wendy Goldband, Paige Hunter, Frankie Kujawa, Dan McEvily, Anthony Moll, Rachel Roth, Marty Shayt, Jill Weavering

Photographers Eric Randolph Magazine Committee Maggie Beetz, John Cullen, Doug Rose, Marty Shayt, Matt Thorn, 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.

GAY LIFE MAGAZINE

BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM

SEPTEMBER 2013

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LOCAL LIFE

Dining Out for Life Celebrates Two Decades of Doing Good

BY TED BLANKENSHIP Twenty years ago in Baltimore, a fundraising event started to help fight AIDS in the community. Today, Dining Out for Life is still going strong and still serves same purpose — to encourage people to Dine Out and Fight AIDS. Dining Out for Life will take place on Thursday, September 19 at restaurants across Baltimore and throughout the surrounding counties. The idea is simple — eat at a participating restaurant and at least 20 percent of your check will be donated to Moveable Feast. You don’t even have to purchase a ticket. You just have to pay for dinner (or lunch or breakfast) and a portion of your bill will help support Moveable Feast’s life-saving work in the community.

For 24 years, Moveable Feast has been providing free, nutritious meals to our neighbors who are homebound and living with a critical illness. When Moveable Feast was founded, they served meals to people who were living with HIV/AIDS in Baltimore City. Over the years, they’ve expanded to serve many more people who are sick, while still serving those living with HIV/AIDS. Now, in addition to serving residents living in Baltimore, they also provide meals

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SEPTEMBER 2013

to those living in the five surrounding counties and nine counties along the Eastern Shore of Maryland. All of their services are free, provided to people who are living in poverty, and who are often isolated. Ten years ago, they expanded their services to women living with breast cancer and over the past few years they’ve began serving people living with other forms of cancer, with diabetes, and those who are homeless.

In addition to the nutritious meals that Moveable Feast provides, they also have three dietitians on staff that provide dietetic counseling to their clients and offer nine different diets, depending on the clients’ needs.

Last year, Moveable Feast provided 575,000 meals to over 3,400 individuals in Maryland. Their funding comes from government and foundation grants, direct gifts, the support of the community, and events.

Dining Out for Life has become one of Moveable Feast’s two signature events and their longest running fundraiser. It is also a national event that has helped raise millions of dollars for AIDS service organizations all across the country.

There is something for every appetite and every budget. From great breakfast

and lunch places that serve the downtown business crowd, like Boheme Café; to pizza places like Bagby Pizza in Harbor East; and fine dining like Brewers Art right in Mt. Vernon — there is a great variety offered. Several restaurants donate 50% of all their business from that day to Moveable Feast, including Brewers Art, Gertrude’s at the Baltimore Museum of Art, Woodberry Kitchen, and Clementine. Wherever you decide to dine that evening, please be sure and make a reservation well in advance as places will quickly fill up.

One restaurant that has participated for all 20 years of the event has been the Mt. Vernon Stable. They’ve been a loyal supporter of Moveable Feast and Dining Out for Life and are the only local restaurant that has participated every year.

Every year, for the last 10 years, if you visit the Stables during Dining Out for Life, you’ll see Moveable Feast volunteer, Shana Challmes. Shana volunteers as an ambassador, working to fill the restaurant with her friends and family and acting as an informal host throughout the evening. Shana greets diners, thanks them for dining out for life and also shares information about Moveable Feast. She

works hard to raise additional funds for Moveable Feast from the diners in the restaurant and always makes it a personal goal to raise more funds than at any other restaurant. This is an important evening to Shana.

“It’s one day a year that I know I can make a difference. This is a wonderful cause, and I work that much harder for those that are in need,” said Shana. She plans to raise even more money this year in recognition of her tenth anniversary and she also plans on celebrating. Please join her at the Stables and don’t forget that diners who donate, or sign up for Moveable Feast’s mailing list, are also entered into a drawing to win an iPad and other prizes.

Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of Dining Out for Life. Dine Out at a participating restaurant on Thursday, September 19th and help Moveable Feast to continue their life saving work in the community.

DINING OUT FOR LIFE

Thursday, September 19 — Dine Out, Fight AIDS at participating restaurants T DiningOutForLife.com

GAY LIFE MAGAZINE

Beginner Yoga With Yoga Therapist Tim Hurley

Sundays at 3:30pm (please arrive a few minutes early) Room 201 at The GLCCB 241 W. Chase St. Cost is $9 www.glccb.org 410.837.5445 A portion of the cost is donated back to The GLCCB

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SEPTEMBER 2013

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Nominate Your Favorite ICON!

LOCAL LIFE

DogFest Returns Oct. 5

BY WENDY GOLDBAND, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS, BALTIMORE HUMANE SOCIETY Mark your calendar and be sure to attend Baltimore Humane Society’s DogFest featuring Paws on Parade Walkathon on Saturday, October 5 for the entire family! DogFest, a dog day extravaganza for pets and pet lovers is the event’s sixth year celebrating the love of dogs and benefiting animals in need of care and refuge at the 365-acre no-kill shelter. Enjoy Paws on Parade’s 1-mile or 1.6-mile trail walk through Baltimore Humane Society’s beautiful 365-acre wildlife sanctuary. Then join the fun and excitement at DogFest!

Thousands of people are expected to gather on the grounds of Baltimore Humane Society in Reisterstown for a fundraising walk and to participate in games, contests, demonstrations, and kid activities. This event is not just for people, though. It’s also for the dogs!

This is the opportunity for pet lovers to watch Rover knock down 10 pins in a game of bowling! Enjoy the antics of dogs trying to find their owners in a game of Hide ‘n Seek or playing Musical Sit ‘n Stay. Dog owners can have their pet tested for the AKC Canine Good Citizenship Award or get some information at the Ask the Vet and Ask the Trainer Booths.

Decide for yourself if the celebrity judges make the right call for the Best Costume contest, Best Trick, or Best Kisser while 101.9 FM radio personality, Fran Lane emcees. Watch Shakespeare scenes performed about our furry friends or challenge your own dog with an agility course!

There’s even swimming for dogs!

Sit back while enjoying a delicious treat from one of the many food vendors and get some hearty chuckles as every

type dog imaginable parades by in their best costume regalia. Stroll around the 365-acre wildlife preserve and explore the various vendors and information booths.

And of course, come inside the kennels and meet the many dogs and cats who are staying at the Baltimore Humane Society’s no-kill shelter while waiting to find their forever homes.

Form a Team for Paws on Parade and multiply the fun and the fundraising! A Team is simply a group of friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, etc. that choose to walk together! Four to twenty people may form a Team. Each member must raise a minimum of $35 and the Team as a whole must raise at least $300. Every Team chooses their own Team name and should elect a lead “alpha dog” to represent the group! Teams can even design their own fundraising page to raise awareness and pledges!

All walkers get a free DogFest t-shirt and free admission to DogFest. Don’t miss it! Beat the lines. Register for the walkathon or buy your tickets ahead of time at www.DogFest.org!

DOGFEST FEATURING PAWS ON PARADE WALKATHON

Baltimore Humane Society 1601 Nicodemus Rd. Saturday, October 5 • 10am-5pm $10 (kids in strollers & animals free) T DogFest.org

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SEPTEMBER 2013

Baltimore Black Pride’s Annual “ICONS We Love” Awards is accepting nominations through September 9.

Submit your nomination for any person who has actively impacted the African American Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgendered (AA LGBT) community in Baltimore City and Baltimore County.

Nominees and award winners will be recognized and honored for their contributions to the growth and advancement of the AA LGBT Community at our annual Cultural Affair Fundraiser on October 6.

Nominees must be: ¡¡ 18 years of age or older ¡¡ residents of Baltimore or Baltimore County or have a minimum of six months providing service to the AA LGBT community in Baltimore City or County.

Nominees may be: ¡¡ groups, organizations (non-profit/for-profit), companies, or agencies ¡¡ people of any gender and/or sexual orientation (as long as service is provided to AA LGBT) Icons can be nominated in the following categories:

COMMUNITY

Those who have greatly impacted the AA LGBT community through various community events including community service and volunteer work. Services may include providing transportation/food to HIV/ AIDS gay patients, joining and volunteering in AA LGBT nonprofit organization committed to making positive changes.

ENTERTAINMENT

Persons in the entertainment industry including, journalists (newspaper, online news, local city papers, TV news), media (TV, radio, local paper, bloggers) and social event planners/ promoters who utilize their influence to bring to our community information concerning and impacting the AA LGBT community.

HEALTH

Persons in or out of the medical field who use their background/ skills/influence to raise health awareness within the AA LGBT community. Health awareness includes STI/STDs, men and women’s health, LGBT family health, and mental health.

POLITICAL

Persons who use their political influence or position to maintain and provide the AA LGBT with tools and resources that will aid in the progression of equality. Political issues include gay marriage, hate crimes, the military, human rights, and equality.

YOUTH

Persons who aid in raising the awareness of AA LGBT youth including providing services and assisting with youth LGBTQ awareness programs, youth suicide assistance programs, and youth bullying awareness programs.

Download the “ICONS WE LOVE” nomination form at BlackPrideBaltimore.org/icons. html and email completed forms to BmoreBlackPride@ yahoo.com.

Nominations must be received

by September 9.

GAY LIFE MAGAZINE

Otakon 2013 and Storytelling

BY PAIGE HUNTER Otakon 2013 has come and gone, and as some of us prepare for the new school year, a new job, preparing for the upcoming Book Festival, or even just waiting for the leaves to turn, what can a Japanese animation and culture convention teach us?

Tell your own story.

This year, Otakon 2013’s highlights included voice actor and mythology lecturer Crispin Freeman; fashion and cultural ambassador Takamasa Sakurai; musical guests like Home Made Kazoku, Chiaki Ishikawa, Yoko Kanno; and guests from the U.S. and Japanese animation industries. It comes down to finding the strength to tell your story.

Storytelling and finding your own narrative sounds like feel-good therapy – and it has been used in therapy to great effect – but let’s break this down: Narratives are your own, but draw on many influences and archetypes.

Joseph Campbell wrote about how the power of myth helps us make sense of our experiences. Myth does not have to explain just natural phenomena, like

BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM

rainbows or storms. They can help us make sense of our own experiences also. Some therapists use this and other ideas to help people reframe their stories from one in which someone never feels useful, to celebrating their own choices and cunning.

There are plenty of tools for this, from spiral notebooks, journals, libraries, and even video games. Tutorials on video game programming, such as Ren’Py, teach you programming in Python while learning to create a narrative-based visual novel.

With mythology and narrative, certain characters and settings seem timeless. All cultures have a version of “once upon a time” — whether it’s the Japanese “a long

time and place ago,” or the nerdy “a long time ago, in a galaxy far far away.” Ragsto-riches stories appear in songs like “99 Problems” by Jay-Z; in the Grimm fairy tales; Dickens’ stories; the musical My Fair Lady; and the film Rocky. Trickster stories range from tales of Anansi to Coyote to the malicious hulijing foxes of China.

There is power in story. Bards in Irish tradition were also keepers of news and of precedent in law, as they traveled from place to place and knew the traditions and great deeds around the land. Storytellers became historians as well as entertainers.

Griot/jeliya in areas like Burkina Faso, Gambia, Mali, northern Nigeria, and others were long treated with respect and reverence for their skill. Modern storytellers can be found everywhere, from relatives to dancers to filmmakers.

We are the stories we tell ourselves.

If we change our stories, or recognize that yes — our story is our own to write, even if we borrow from our elders or family or the culture we grew up with — we have power, and we can change.

SEPTEMBER 2013

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HIGH LIFE

DINING OUT

Chesapeake Restaurant

BY JOHN CULLEN WITH MARTY SHAYT Marty, who ate at the original “Chesapeake” restaurant thirty years ago, wondered why the new restaurant, which opened in June 2013, used the same name when it obviously has nothing in common with the one that closed — ­ other than a shared location. Much smaller than the original, it has a small, somewhat formal dining room and a large lounge with a long bar. In the lounge, windows allow for watching commuters or theater-goers passing by on Charles. Adjacent to the bar are small tables and larger half-circle banquette seating. The lounge — even only partly full — was disturbingly noisy.

The menu — not available online — is pretty limited. Eclectic starters include some bar snacks ($4-$6: pickled veggies, crostini, beer nuts, fried smelts, and hushpuppies) and pricier appetizers (chicken liver pate, charcuterie, clams steamed in Natty Boh, and Pork Belly paired with peach puree, cauliflower and peanuts). Questionably, a $21 single crab cake is billed as a hot appetizer. There are just two sandwiches ($15 burger and $12 Oyster poor boy), three salads (Caesar ($9), smoked rockfish ($12) and a garden salad ($12). Eight entrees range from $18 vegan tomato farotto (aka risotto) to $33 New York strip steak.

We started by sharing some hush puppies and beer nuts. The hush puppies were very good with a surprising hot, spicy bite with a complementary pimento cheese sauce; the nuts included some unexpected oyster crackers, but otherwise could have been from a can of mixed nuts. For the main course, Marty opted for the Oyster Poor Boy (and learned that “bayonaise” is mayonnaise with Old Bay seasoning), our friend Tom decided on the burger (which included choice of cheese), and John tried the roasted chicken ($22) touted by our personable waitress as her favorite.

Marty’s poor boy looked impressive with a half dozen fried oysters lined up on large sub roll and a heaping pile of hot fries; he liked it. Tom’s burger (though it arrived well-done when he had requested medium) looked impressive but wasn’t PAGE 12

SEPTEMBER 2013

anything special, and no better than burgers he’s had for $5 -$7 less. John’s entrée included two chunks of chicken decorated with two roasted baby carrots, some blackeye peas and carrot puree. The chicken was plain, but tasty, and the carrot puree was an unexpectedly good accompaniment.

An otherwise forgettable fluffy dinner roll was saved by some butter and “made here” peach jam. Service was attentive and friendly and enhanced our meal.

We decided to share the summer peach cake (all desserts are $9), which was recommended by our waitress. The inch square piece of gooey butter cake enhanced with some peach jam surrounded by slices of fresh peach with a scoop of sweet corn (who knew?) ice cream and got a “Thumbs Up!” from all of us. Afterwards, we encountered unexpected lines at the one-man-at-a-time men’s room (Geez!

What if the restaurant was busy instead of mostly empty?)

Leaving the Chesapeake around 8 pm, the restaurant was barely a quarter full.

Right next door, Tapas Teatro was bustling and had almost no empty tables. The striking contrast seemed easy to explain.

Date night couples going to The Charles or Single Carrot Theater aren’t eager to pay $50 (plus tax and tip) for a couple of nondescript burgers and beers and a single shared dessert at the Chesapeake. If the new Chesapeake doesn’t wake up to the fact that it’s in artsy Station North, and not upscale Harbor East, we’re afraid that it will meet the fate of its defunct namesake.

THE CHESAPEAKE

1701 N. Charles St. W410.547.2760 TTheChesapeakeRestaurant.com Open 7 days a week for dinner 5-11pm Brunch on Sunday • Full bar Limited vegetarian options On-street Parking Email DiningOut@BaltimoreGayLife.com and find all prior reviews at BaltimoreGayLife-DiningOut.info.

GAY LIFE MAGAZINE

ON STAGE

Flamenco/Flamenca Examines the Passion of the Dance

BY FRANKIE KUJAWA Flamenco, the fiery dance-style that evokes deep feelings of passion and raw emotion, is an art form that continues to captivate audiences on the world stage year after year. With their emotional intensity, lightning-fast footwork, and technical intricacy, flamenco dancers work tirelessly to showcase their mastery of their art.

Washington, D.C.-based dancer Edwin Aparicio is considered to be one of the most sought after flamenco performers in the United States. Aparicio, who will be appearing at the Creative Alliance Sept. 13, recently spoke with Gay Life about the art of flamenco dancing, toying with gender roles in dance, and the stereotypes facing an openly gay performer.

Congratulations on your recent marriage to your partner.

Is it safe to assume that the dance floor was quite full at your reception?

Oh, absolutely! There was a lot of flamenco dancing because [my partner] loves the dance, as well.

What does flamenco mean to you?

Well flamenco for me, as of now, means my way of life. It’s somewhat cliché to say, but it’s true. Flamenco, for me, is everything.

How did your journey to become a flamenco dancer begin?

Well, it started back in high school when I was about 16. Interestingly enough, I was trying to get away from gym class! I was a puny kid and I didn’t want to play football or soccer. My guidance counselor came in and said that there were too many people in our gym class, and asked if anyone wanted to leave. [Laughs] I raised my hand right away, and soon found out the other class was ballet. I had already committed, so that’s how I got into dancing in general.

And after that, would you say that the dancing bug had bitten you?

After senior year, I went part time to my high school and part time to an art school without my mom’s permission. I forged her signature…that was the bad boy in me at the time. [Laughs] I started taking dances in that school to the point I did auditions.

I met a flamenco dancer who taught me the dances. It wasn’t like ballet, and at first I wasn’t sure if I would stay with flamenco because I liked ballet so much. I eventually became more and more intrigued by the complexity of flamenco.

Do you find it a struggle being

BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM

Photos by Lonnie Tague.

openly gay, considering that flamenco is considered such a masculine dance style?

Oh, absolutely! When I went to Spain the first few times, I found that the environment was very machismo. It’s very conservative, even to today. Some things are changing, but I did find it very shocking that they are a very insular community. I did find adversity at first, but once I started working with people; there was a certain amount of respect that I found. They accepted me as an artist first and then as a human being. So there is that mutual respect, but at first it was kind of hard.

Your performance at the Creative Alliance, Flamenco Aparicio Dance Company presents Flamenco/Flamenca is set to explore themes of gender in flamenco. Could you explain how your performance does this?

Well in flamenco, and in the performance, there are certain dances that are very rigid and done only by men, as well as certain ones only done by women. I’m trying to break the barrier. In one of my solos, there are certain moves that were specifically only for women. To the audience it’s going to seem like another dance, but in the flamenco culture that I grew up in, it’s a bit of a shock. Men are going to be using

shawls which are traditionally a woman prop. The men will still dance as the men would, though.

You have performed many times in the past in Baltimore. Do you enjoy performing here?

I love Baltimore! Audiences are always very warm, and it’s always a sold-out performance. I’m really looking forward to being there again!

What are your goals for the future?

I actually want to continue with this type of performance for the future. I just want to create more awareness in flamenco.

Being gay is something that’s not really touched on in the flamenco world. It’s not that gay people aren’t there, but people don’t really talk about it. I feel like sometimes that I’m with my parents, like we all know it’s there, but we don’t talk about it.

My goal is pretty much to break that taboo that there are no gay people in all gay dances or performance, because let’s face it, we’re out there.

FLAMENCO/FLAMENCA

Friday, Sept. 13 • 8pm Creative Alliance at the Peterson 3134 Eastern Ave. W410.276.1651 T CreativeAlliance.org

SEPTEMBER 2013

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REAL LIFE

NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL NEWS BY RACHEL ROTH

MINNESOTA

RUSSIA

PENNSYLVANIA

FRANCE

WASHINGTON

MARYLAND CALIFORNIA MONTENEGRO

LOUISIANA HAITI JAMAICA

VATICAN CITY ZIMBABWE

WikiLeaks Whistleblower sentenced to 35 years, comes out as transgender FT. MEADE, MD

WikiLeaks whistleblower U.S. Army private Bradley Manning was sentenced to 35-years in prison on August 21 for violations of violations of the Espionage Act. The following day, Manning came out as transgender.

Manning announced her decision in a written statement provided to NBC's Today show, asking supporters to refer to her by her new name and the feminine pronoun. The statement was signed “Chelsea E. Manning.”

“As I transition into this next phase of my life, I want everyone to know the real me. I am Chelsea Manning. I am a female. Given the way that I feel, and have felt since childhood, I want to begin hormone therapy as soon as possible,” Manning said in a statement.

Manning's defense attorney David Coombs told Today in an interview that he is hoping officials at the military prison in Fort Leavenworth, Kan., will accommodate Manning's request for hormone therapy, the Huffington Post reported.

Manning, an Army intelligence analyst from Crescent, Okla., digitally PAGE 14

SEPTEMBER 2013

copied and released battlefield reports and State Department cables while working in 2010 in Iraq. Manning also leaked video of a 2007 Apache helicopter attack in Baghdad that mistakenly killed at least nine people, including a Reuters photographer.

Gender-nonconforming host sues TV network

CALIFORNIA

B. Scott, a transgender style correspondent for Black Entertainment Television (BET) is suing the network’s parent company — Viacom — for discrimination, wrongful termination, and distress.

Scott alleges that she was told to change her outfit at last month’s BET Awards to a more “conservative,” men’s suit, put her long hair back in a ponytail, and not to wear heels. She claims that even after she complied, she was replaced with another correspondent.

BET apologized in a statement to the press, calling the whole incident “mere miscommunication,” but Scott dubbed it a “non-apology.”

“Let’s be clear — I’m suing BET and Viacom for a true public apology and to be fairly remunerated for the time lost, humiliation, and emotional distress this entire situation has put me through,” she explained on her website.

Scott is seeking $2.5 million.

MD sees first openly gay gubernatorial candidate MARYLAND

Heather Mizeur, a progressive Democrat and a member of the House of Delegates from Montgomery County, Md. has officially announced that she will run for governor in 2014. She is the state’s first openly gay candidate for the office, and if elected, she will be the first female to serve.

Gay men targeted arrested under invalid law LOUISIANA

Gay men in Louisiana have been arrested for consensual sex under an invalid sodomy law. According to The Advocate, at least a dozen men since 2011 have fallen victim to an undercover, East Baton Rouge Parish operation to ensnare men who, “merely discussed or agreed to have consensual sex with an undercover agent.”

The U.S. Supreme Court struck down the anti-sodomy law a decade ago, and District Attorney Hillar Moore III told The Advocate that his office refused to prosecute all of the cases because his assistants found no crime had occurred.

Moore went on to say that he intends to meet with Sheriff ’s Office investiga-

tors to discuss the implications of the Supreme Court ruling.

Wash. Gay candidate makes run-off WASHINGTON

Seattle is a step closer to electing its first openly gay mayor.

GayPolitics.com reported that Sen. Ed Murray, a champion of Washington’s new marriage-equality law, received the most votes in a mayoral primary in July. He’ll face incumbent Mayor Mike McGinn in a runoff election in November

Trans people face significant discrimination in military NATIONWIDE

A new study from the Williams Institute found that transgender people military personnel face discrimination during and after service, despite the fact that they serve at a rate double the general population.

While congressional legislation does not prohibit transgender people from military service, the military’s medical code lays out regulations that can prevent transgender people from joining the military or serving openly.

GAY LIFE MAGAZINE

Among the data collected, researchers found that trans veterans are more likely to experience the following: ¡¡ Lost a job due to anti-transgender bias and/or to have not been hired for a job; ¡¡ Been harassed and to have survived physical and sexual assault at work; ¡¡ Experience homelessness at a rate nearly three times higher he general population lifetime rate of homelessness.

The study used data that was collected through the National Transgender Discrimination Survey (NTDS), which was conducted by the National Center for Transgender Equality and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

Transgender woman to run for Congress MINNESOTA

Paula Overby of Eagan, Minn., announced that she plans to run for Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional district in 2014.

Overby was born male but identifies as a woman, making her the first openly transgender Minnesotan to run for Congress.

The 59-year-old political newcomer acknowledged her gender identity could become a “polarizing issue,” but said she does not want it to be the focus of her campaign, reported the Pioneer Press.

County defies state law PENNSYLVANIA

Officials in Montgomery County, Pa., has begun issuing marriage licenses to samesex couples, despite a state law banning the practice. A spokesman for Gov. Tom Corbett, a Republican, said the local register of wills is not empowered to ignore state laws. It remains unclear whether Corbett’s office will launch a legal challenge to invalidate the licenses. As of press time, 100 licenses have been issued.

Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, a Republican candidate for governor, is standing behind his anti-gay comments.

He reportedly said that homosexuality is “against nature” and “harmful to society.”

According to the Washington Blade he is also seeking to reinstate a ban on sodomy, with an “anti-child predator’s law.” In June, Cuccinelli petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a lower court’s ruling earlier this year that struck down the commonwealth’s anti-sodomy statute.

Cuccinelli’s Democratic opponent, Terry McAuliffe, supports marriage equality, and said that the AG’s comments could hurt Virginia’s ability to attract businesses.

BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM

Russian laws problematic for 2014 Olympics

RUSSIA

The upcoming Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia are drawing ire across the US due to the country’s draconian anti-gay legislation.

As previously reported, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has already announced that the Pride House — which is exclusively for LGBT athletes and their families — will not be in the Olympic Village in and effort to protect gay and lesbian athletes.

Additionally, IOC President Jacques Rogge said while the Russian government provided written re-assurances that the anti-LGBT propaganda law will not apply to the Olympics Thursday, some elements are “still too unclear to pass judgment.”

Cause for concern are the comments made by Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, who insisted that Olympic athletes would “have to respect the laws of the country” during the Sochi Games.

Amid calls to change the venue of the 2014 games, President Obama told talk show host Jay Leno that he was cancelling a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in part due to the deteriorating human rights conditions for LGBT people in Russia. However, Obama — along with the British Athletes Commission — oppose a total boycott of the games.

Call him Progressive Pope

VATICAN CITY

Pope Francis made headlines again last month when he said, “Who am I to judge a gay person?”

According to the Wall Street Journal, the Pope’s comments about homosexuality came in the context of a question about gay priests.

Francis, when asked how he would respond to learning that a cleric in his ranks was gay, though not sexually active, responded by saying, “Who am I to judge a gay person of goodwill who seeks the Lord? You can’t marginalize these people.”

The pontiff ’s beliefs are in stark contrast to those of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, who formally barred men with what the Vatican deemed “deep-seated” homosexuality from entering the priesthood.

Find more LGBT news online at

BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM

New service: breastfeeding for gay, male parents

FRANCE

A French woman is making waves after offering to rent her breasts to gay fathers so that their infants can breast feed.

Reuters reports that the woman offered her services for $130 per day online.

“I am a young mother in perfect health, a trained nurse of 29, and I am renting my breasts to milk-feed infants,” she wrote.

Selling breast milk is illegal in France— as is surrogacy for same-sex couples—but the CEO of e-loue says its lawyers believe offering breastfeeding as a service is not.

France legalized same-sex marriage and adoption by gay parents in May.

President Mugabe threatens violence to gays

ZIMBABWE

July has been a busy month for Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, who has made a number of incendiary comments about lesbians and gays. Mugabe initially said that gays and lesbians who don’t conceive children should be arrested. Now, he is threatening to behead them.

During a campaign rally in Mutar, Mugabe reportedly said that the African nation would never accept homosexuality under any condition. He also said he plans to “ruthlessly deal with homosexuality,” saying lesbians and gays are “worse than pigs, goats and birds.”

“If you take men and lock them in a house for five years and tell them to come up with two children and they fail to do that, then we will chop off their heads,” he told thousands of Zanu PF supporters.

Thousands protest marriage equality HAITI

More than 1,000 people turned up in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince to protest a proposal to legalize same-sex marriage in the Caribbean nation.

The Huffington Post reported that protestors who carried anti-gay signs and sang songs, including one in which they threatened to burn down parliament if its members make same-sex marriage legal.

The demonstration, which was organized by several religious groups — including one calling itself the Haitian Coalition of Religious and Moral Organizations — came two days after watchdog groups held a news conference to condemn what they say is an increase in threats against homosexuals in the country.

Opponents attack Montenegro Pride MONTENEGRO

Montenegro’s first-ever Pride event was marred by violent anti-LGBT protests.

According to the Associated Press, several hundred people threw rocks and bottles and shouted, “Kill the gays.” Police intervened, detaining more than 20 people, and the event was ultimately able to continue.

While Interior Minister Rasko Konjevic praised the police for preventing “more serious clashes,” the incident might be a roadblock to Budva’s bid to becoming a member of the European Union.

The country is attempting to improve its human rights record, and Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic reiterated in Parliament that his government “supports protection of human rights for all people without difference.”

Trans teen beaten, killed by mob

JAMAICA

A Jamaican teenager was beaten, stabbed, shot, and run over by a car when he showed up at a street party dressed as a woman.

Dwayne Jones, 16, spent much of his short life being tormented for his effeminate mannerisms, according to the AP. His father apparently kicked him out of his home when he was 14 and he dropped out of high school because was mercilessly teased. As of press time, no one has been charged with his death.

Jones’ death underscores the dangerous reality for LGBT people in the Caribbean country — one that some U.S. advocates call the most hostile of the Americas. For instance, the AP cites a 150-year-old anti-sodomy law fuels the rampant antigay sentiment, which has driven the gay community way underground.

However, Jones’ death may prove to be a harbinger for change. Dane Lewis, executive director of the Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals & Gays, told the AP that there are increasing “pockets of tolerance” on the island because people like Jones have helped bring the island’s gay and transgender community out of the shadows.

Additionally, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller’s government has vowed to put the anti-sodomy law to a “conscience vote” in Parliament, and promised during her 2011 campaign that only merit would decide who got a Cabinet position in her government. By contrast, former Prime Minister Bruce Golding said in 2008 that he would never allow homosexuals in his.

SEPTEMBER 2013

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GLBT ROMANCE PANEL Featured at Book Fest

By Anthony Moll GLBT Characters and Romance Panel Baltimore Book Festival • Mt. Vernon Place Saturday, September 28 • 7 p.m.

BaltimoreBookFestival.com

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SEPTEMBER 2013

Moderator: Laura Kaye Panelists: Stephanie Burke, Andrew Grey, Treva Harte, Brien Michaels, Jeri SmithReady, Damon Suede

Baltimore Book Festival, the annual Mt. Vernon tradition that brings tens of thousands of readers, writers and book folks of all sort to the gayborhood, addresses this trend with a panel dedicated entirely to the genre, the Maryland Romance Writers stage. This year, the festival will bring popular regional and national authors of romance together for a panel addressing the queering of this beloved genre, “LGBT Characters and Romance.”

Same-sex romantic fiction is a strange and beautiful creature. When people talk LGBT romance, they most often speak of male on male (M/M) romance — to wit, while many of the panelists include bisexual, lesbian and trans* characters in their stories, the majority of the LGBT titles from these authors focus on M/M connections.

Interestingly, the common perception among lovers of this genre is that these stories are largely read and written by women, straight women in particular.

Stephanie Burke, panelist and author of numerous M/M and M/F romance and erotic romance novels, speaks of this phenomenon in voyeuristic terms.

“I myself find the fire of a man going after his chosen mate exciting,” says Burke. “[S]eeing two hot, virile men, muscles bulging, bodies sweating, chests heaving for their male partner — that is something we don’t see too often, or even portrayed in a positive way.”

Of course, writing for this audience makes fiscal sense too: Romance Writers of America estimates that only around 9 percent of romance readers are male.

This isn’t to say that LGBT romance

is entirely for women; Damon Suede, also scheduled to speak at the panel, has written critically on the problem of fetishizing the gay male identity and the constant presence of the “Alpha Male” trope in these stories.

Another panelist, Andrew Grey is eager to dig into this troubling homogeny. “I’m looking forward to discussing how more diversity and realism can be brought to character types that most of the time follow very set tropes,” says Grey. “I firmly believe that everyone should be able to see themselves in a story, and that means the person who isn’t the alpha hero or the big quiet type of guy, but everyone.”

These questions of audience and authorship are among the topics to be addressed by the event’s moderator Laura Kaye. A romance author herself, Kaye will also discuss issues like where GLBT romance fits in an industry that is evolving its perspective on same-sex romance.

“In terms of where gay romance fits into the larger culture of romance writing, I think there are several different issues: where and how it gets categorized or shelved, how the market perceives it, and how writers perceive it,” explains Kaye. “A lot of gay romance continues to struggle with being categorized as erotic romance, whether or not the heat level justifies the categorization.”

Despite their differences, there are some topics on which these authors agree.

Burke and Grey cite similar reasons for getting into writing GLBT romance: happy endings.

“I love the idea of gay stories with a happy ending,” says Grey. “Up until [a] point I’d read only stories with depressing endings and had given up on gay literature altogether.”

The panel is poised to be an interesting discussion, not only of the authors and their work, but of the genre itself. Of course, for those who are eager to tear into something new and steamy, the authors will have their works for sale at the festival both before and after the discussion.

Photo by Renee Hollingshead.

Photo by Edwin Remsberg Photography.

In an industry under attack, romance still reigns as queen.

Despite dramatic changes in the publishing industry over the last several years, romance remains the bestselling genre of fiction books, a trend that continues to explode thanks to books like last year’s erotic breakout hit, 50 Shades of Grey.

Stephanie Burke

Laura Kaye GAY LIFE MAGAZINE

I

t’s always refreshing when a book comes along that captures humor, sarcasm, and a deep love for daytime and prime-time soap vixens. Author Mark Brennan Rosenberg‘s new book, Eating My Feelings, accomplishes that and more. Rosenberg will be in Baltimore this month at Johns Hopkins University’s Barnes & Noble to promote his latest work. Readers will relish in his foul-mouthed, sassy tales of overeating, growing up with a crazy family, and overcoming adolescent struggles. Gay Life recently spoke with Rosenberg, who discussed his new book, his love for Baltimore Orioles’ Chris Davis, and why Melrose Place’s Amanda Woodward would give Dynasty’s Alexis Carrington a run for her money.

Feelings, Food and Fantasy Maryland-bred Author Dishes on Latest Book

So you are originally from Maryland.

How excited are you to return?

By Frankie Kujawa

I absolutely love Baltimore! I’m like the biggest Baltimore advocate in the world. It’s so not like D.C., which I can’t stand. Baltimore is such a blue-collar town.

I love the Orioles. I’m not such a big fan of the Ravens, but I love the Orioles. I love Chris Davis! I would love to sleep with him and everyone else on the Baltimore Orioles.

So what is it that you love about Baltimore?

You make many references to the prime-time dramas of the 1980s and ‘90s in your book.

So I have to ask, who would win in a verbal battle — Dynasty’s Alexis Carrington or Melrose Place’s Amanda Woodward?

I don’t know because I have just rediscovered Melrose Place again on Netflix. I have been reliving the f***ing glory days of Amanda Woodward. Her jabs were so mean but said with a smile on face. That makes me really relate to her! I’ve met Joan Collins in real life. She’s the nicest person in the world, and I heard Heather Locklear is too. Alexis Carrington was more of a vicious bitch, but because of age, I think that Amanda would win.

I’d like to tell them it gets better, but we both know that’s a lie. [Life] just changes. No matter the society we live in, people lie to you if they say you won’t get bullied your whole life. Gay men are even bullies sometimes to each other. With the internet, you can say something mean to someone and get away with it. As you get older, your coping skills get better and you realize it doesn’t matter what people say about you. One of the smartest things someone told me was when I started going to Alcoholics Anonymous five years ago. My sponsor said, “What other people think of you is none of your business.”

When you’re younger, you put a lot of stock into what others think about you. Then when you get into college, you realize you don’t care anymore. It doesn’t matter if you’re gay, straight, black or white in high school — everyone gets bullied. Unfortunately it toughens you up. It bothers me that more people aren’t realistic about it.

In Eating My Feelings, you are explicit about your childhood and life growing up.

What inspired you to write about it?

It’s so funny. When you write a book of essays, you don’t have to write it from beginning to end. I first wrote about the $50 dollar diet, in which my parents paid me to lose weight. [The diet] was originally called ‘Eating My Feelings.’ That was the inspiration for this book. I knew I wanted to write about that because I used to tell that story, and people thought I was lying. People thought it was so funny that my parents actually paid me to lose weight.

Will we hopefully see another book from you in the future?

Yes! I’m actually finished with the next book. I’m meeting with my agent next week to revise and fine tune it. I want to work on it a bit more so it’s perfect. The next book is ridiculously fun. You know what they say, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” «

What did your family think of your stories?

I gave that diet chapter to my dad, and he thought it was hysterical. He called and said it was one of the funniest books he had ever read. It’s very interesting to hear what people are saying. There are a few ties to Baltimore and D.C., though I don’t really care about what people in Washington, D.C. think.

Eating My Feelings

Photo by Eric James.

Who were your role models growing up?

BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM

I have not met Susan Lucci, but we are getting dangerously close. From my first book tour [Blackouts and Breakdowns], I took a cardboard cut-out of her around the country like Flat Stanley. I wrote an article about her new Lifetime show Devious Maids for The Huffington Post and she reposted it on her Twitter feed.

You’re also very honest about being overweight and lonely. What advice would you give to the younger Mark Rosenbergs that are out there struggling with the same thing?

I know Baltimore very well. When my parents separated, my mom lived in a suburb of D.C., but my dad lived in Owings Mills. I had an event in Baltimore for my last book tour. People from my high school came up.

It’s so nice to see the community in Baltimore. It’s great because it’s relatively small, but it’s so nice. The Hippo and Grand Central are both so much fun.

Pretentiousness just doesn’t exist. People are laid back and just want to have a good time. Everywhere else, whether it’s New York City, Los Angeles or D.C., people think they’re on a fashion runway, or on their cell phone.

Baltimore isn’t like that. [Laughs] The fact I’m speaking at Johns Hopkins is hysterical because I never would have been accepted to go to school there.

All My Children’s Erica Kane was my role model, but also [Melrose Place’s] Amanda Woodward. I was obsessed with Melrose Place. I was obsessed with Alicia Silverstone in Clueless, too. I loved the Disney princesses and Julie Andrews — you know, your general gay-boy idols.

You talk in your book a lot about Erica Kane.

Have you ever had the opportunity to meet Susan Lucci?

Book Tour Monday, Sept. 16 Johns Hopkins University Barnes & Noble 3330 St. Paul Street 410.662.5850

SEPTEMBER 2013

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SEPTEMBER 2013

GAY LIFE MAGAZINE

BETTER LIFE

QUEER HEALTH

Sept. 27 is National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day — Get Tested!

The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) will observe National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NGMHAAD) on September 27 by providing stigma free opportunities for Men Having Sex with Men (MSM) to receive HIV testing services, education, and linkage to care. This year is the fifth year to raise awareness among MSM that the HIV epidemic is still present and that men who have sex with men are still at high risk of becoming HIV-positive.

“Early detection and scientific advances have helped to extend the lives of Marylanders who are living with HIV,” said Dr. Joshua M. Sharfstein, DHMH Secretary. “We encourage residents to get tested for HIV and know their HIV status early.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1.1 million Americans are living with HIV. As of December 31, 2011, nearly 28,200 Marylanders were diagnosed and living with HIV/AIDS; 30.1 percent of the people who tested positive said they believe they became infected through MSM, and 24 percent of the adult/adolescent cases in Baltimore City indicated exposure via MSM. An estimated 6,250 people in the state are infected with HIV and still do not know it.

“Local HIV testing efforts led to the identification of 1,311 newly diagnosed cases in Maryland in 2011, the most recent year in which data is available. Of those diagnosed, 52 percent were MSM; 67 percent of the MSM were African American and 51 percent of the MSM were between the ages of 20 and 29 years,” said Deborah McGruder, Director of DHMH’s Infectious Disease Bureau (IDB). “We are extremely concerned BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM

about MSM exposures which were the leading cause of HIV cases from 1981 to 1987, and from 2009 to the present. IDB staff will continue to work to support public and private agencies with HIV education, testing, care and treatment services.”

MSM are encouraged to know that other sexually transmitted diseases such as syphilis make it easier to acquire HIV or transmit the virus. In addition, alcohol, sharing IV drug needles and multiple sex partners may also increase risk of exposure. All MSM should practice safer sex behaviors, including using condoms, and testing regularly.

The IDB will host a Community Forum to address HIV testing, care and treatment services available for young MSM. The event will be held at the Enoch Pratt Central Library located at 400 Cathedral St. in Baltimore from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, September 27, 2013.

In observance of NGMHAAD, DHMH will also unveil a new HIV testing site locator mobile app and support free HIV testing. To locate a testing site in your area, look at the map on the opposite page, text your local ZIP code to KNOWIT (566948), visit http://hivtest. cdc.gov or scan the QR code below.

SEPTEMBER 2013

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SEPTEMBER 2013

GAY LIFE MAGAZINE

BETTER LIFE

QUEER HEALTH

I Think Something's Up Down There...

BY JILL WEAVERLING, COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR REVIEWED BY TYLER CORNELL, CRNP In our December 2012 article, “What’s Up Down There?” we discussed an often overlooked, but very important, part of the female anatomy — the cervix. This month, we’d like to continue that discussion; because, well, a lot can happen down there.

SCREENINGS AND PREVENTION

The best way to ensure your cervix’s health is to have regular Pap tests, also known as Pap smears. Pap tests check for changes in the cells of the cervix. While it’s always best to talk with your health care provider about what’s best for you, we suggest women start having Pap tests at the age of 21 and every three years thereafter unless otherwise instructed.

Because Pap tests are not performed annually, it is also a good idea to have an exam to screen for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and review preventative health needs with your provider once a year.

CERVICAL CELL CHANGES

Cervical cell changes that cause abnormal Pap test results are very common and most often NOT related to cancer. These include: inflammation (redness and swelling); an infection (bacterial, viral, or yeast); growths, such as benign (noncancerous) polyps or cysts; and changes in hormones that occur during pregnancy or menopause. However, ones caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV) are of special concern.

HPV is a common virus transmitted through direct genital skin-to-skin contact or by the virus traveling on hands or sex toys, and is the main cause of cervical cancer. For most women, HPV will go away on its own.

But when it doesn’t, the HPV infected cells become precancerous, and if not detected and treated early, can develop into invasive cancer of the cervix. Women under the age of 27 can help prevent this by getting an HPV vaccine, which contains the 4 strains of HPV most often linked with genital warts and cervical cancer.

PAP TEST RESULTS

If you’ve gotten your Pap test and your results BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM

Cytological specimen showing cervical cancer specifically squamous cell carcinoma in the cervix. Tissue is stained with pap stain and magnified.

Courtesy of the National Cancer Institute.

were normal. High five! You will not be due for another Pap test for three years! If they were not normal — showed cell changes in your cervix — first off, high five for going to get your Pap test! Second, don’t be scared, you are not alone. In fact, more than 3 million women a year receive these same results.

FOLLOW-UP AND TREATMENT

If your Pap test showed just minor changes or was unsatisfactory (not enough cells were collected), your provider will most likely have you repeat the Pap test. Otherwise, the most common follow-up test for an abnormal result though is a colposcopy.

During a colposcopy, diluted white vinegar is applied to the surface of your cervix, which causes abnormal cells to turn white. Your provider will then use a colposcope, which has a bright light and a magnifying lens, to look at your cervix from outside the body.

If the colposcopy finds abnormal tissue in the cervix, your provider may perform a biopsy to remove some of the cells for testing.

The results will then determine if you require additional treatment. If diagnosed, there are several ways to treat it depending how far it has progressed: surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. An early diagnosis of cervical cancer is key to treatment — again, get that Pap test!

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SEPTEMBER 2013

GAY LIFE MAGAZINE

BETTER LIFE

FINANCE

Financial Planning After DOMA: What You Can Do

BY GARY R. ANDERSON In June, the Supreme Court ruled Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional. Thus, the federal government can no longer deny benefits to same-sex married couples in states where those marriages are legally recognized. These benefits are substantial, and include income tax, estate and gift tax, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and the Family Medical Leave Act. The DOMA decision creates unique financial planning opportunities for same-sex families. Consider discussing your income tax strategies, current estate plan and benefit access with an advisor to help your family achieve its financial goals.

Married couples should first consider how they file income tax returns at the state and federal level. Previous to the Supreme Court ruling, same-sex married couples could not file joint federal returns. With the ruling, these couples can now file joint state and federal income tax returns, but should examine the pros and cons. Joint returns follow a more favorable rate schedule (see chart below), which is an advantage for couples with one high earner and one lower earner. Joint filing may be a disadvantage when both spouses are high earners as their combined income could push them into a higher tax bracket. Married couples cannot file using the individual rate schedule, but can file using a “married filing separate� schedule, which is not as favorable as the former. It’s best to calculate both ways in order to make the best filing decision.

There may also be opportunities for refunds by filing amended returns for prior years.

Refund opportunities for clients need to be examined on a case by case basis. If you and your spouse filed individual returns in years

past, consult with a tax-planning CPA. Same-sex married couples are also now eligible for the unlimited Federal and Maryland spousal Estate and Gift tax deductions. This means that there is no estate tax for any amount left to a surviving spouse, including life insurance benefits. Previously, same-sex spouses were subject to a Maryland estate tax- up to 16% (above a $1 million exemption). Spouses can now make unlimited gifts to each other during their lives. This may simplify the estate planning process for same-sex families and create new estate planning strategies. Couples need to review their wills, insurance policies, retirement plan beneficiaries, and estate plans to be sure they are taking advantage of these favorable laws.

For couples who both marry in Maryland and reside in Maryland, these new benefits are substantial. However, there is still uncertainty for families who live in a state that does not recognize same-sex marriage, because many federal benefits are determined by the state of residence/domicile.

For federal government employees, the Office of Personnel Management has determined that same-sex married couples will qualify for all spousal federal benefits regardless of state of domicile. However, non-federal employees may not get the same benefits, such as Social Security spousal benefits, Medicare, Medicaid and the Family Leave Act. At press time, these benefits are still determined by the state of residence. There is also no directive to indicate how the federal government will handle joint tax filing from states that do not recognize same-sex marriage.

There are obviously still questions to be answered. But same-sex married couples, particularly in Maryland and the District of Columbia, should revisit their tax strategy and estate plan for new opportunities.

Gary Anderson is a Principal at Glass Jacobson, a CPA/Wealth Management firm with offices in Owings Mills and Rockville, Maryland. Mr. Anderson specializes in total family wealth planning with focus on estate planning, retirement planning and tax strategy.

Securities by licensed individuals offered through Triad Advisors, A registered Broker/ Dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC.

2013 Income Tax Rates for Individual Filers

Taxable Income Levels

10%

$0 to $8,925, plus

15%

$8,925 to $36,250, plus

25%

$36,250 to $87,850, plus

28%

$87,850 to $183,250, plus

33%

$183,250 to $398,350, plus

35%

$398,350 to $400,000, plus

39.6%

Over $400,000

2013 Income Tax Rates for Joint Filers

Taxable Income Levels

10%

$0 to $17,850, plus

15%

$17,850 to $72,500, plus

25%

$72,500 to $146,400, plus

28%

$146,400 to $223,050, plus

33%

$223,050 to $398,350, plus

35%

$398,350 to $450,000, plus

39.6%

Over $450,000

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SEPTEMBER 2013

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SPOTLIGHT

SOCIAL LIFE

DATEBOOK BY RACHEL ROTH

Recurring & Ongoing Events

SUNDAYS Baltimore Farmers’ Market & Bazaar Every Sunday 7am-Noon Jones Falls Expressway Holliday & Saratoga Sts. PromotionAndArts.com 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

KT Tunstall to Perform at Lincoln Theatre British Singer-songwriter KT Tunstall makes a stop on her North American fall tour at the Lincoln Theatre in Washington, D.C. Sept 28 in support of her recently-released album Invisible Empire // Crescent Moon. British music journal Uncut hailed the record, describing it as “a beautiful, rather brave album, and by far her best.”

Tunstall, whose music is a fusion of folk, blues, and British funk-rock, has enjoyed commercial and critical success since her breakthrough in 2004, garnering rave reviews, a BRIT Award, and a Grammy Award nomination.

KT TUNSTALL WITH BRIAN LOPEZ

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

MONDAYS

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 Parents of Transgender Kids Fourth Tuesdays 7:30-9pm Owen Brown Interfaith Center 7246 Cradlerock Way • Columbia cvhyde@gmail.com PFLAGBaltimore.org Rainbow Youth Alliance of Baltimore County 2nd & 4th Tuesdays 7-9pm Towson Unitarian Universalist Church 1710 Dulaney Valley Rd. RYABaltimoreCounty@gmail.com 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 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

Saturday, Sept. 28 $35 • 7:30pm Lincoln Theatre 1215 U St., NW Washington, D.C. T TheLincolnTheatre.org T Buy tix at bit.ly/ktglccb

Interfaith Fairness Coalition Mtg. Second Mondays 3-4:30pm First Unitarian Church of Baltimore 1 W. Hamilton St. IFCMD.info

Teen Program at JCC Second Tuesdays 6pm Owings Mills JCC 3506 Gwynnbrook Ave. JoinTeens.org

PFLAG Howard County Parent Forum Third Mondays 7:30pm Owen Brown Interfaith Center 7246 Cradlerock Way • Columbia PFLAGMD.org

Trans Parents Forum, Baltimore Co. Third Tuesdays 7-9:30pm Towson Unitarian Universalist Church 1710 Dulaney Valley Rd. PFLAGBaltimore.org

Please visit BaltimoreGayLife.com for a chance to win a pair of tickets to see Tunstall at her upcoming show in D.C.!

Senior Pride: Discussion Group for Women 55+ Monday evenings Chase Brexton Health Services 410-837-2050 ext. 2428 www.bit.ly/SeniorPride

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SEPTEMBER 2013

WEDNESDAYS

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 410-837-2050 ext. 2428 www.bit.ly/SeniorPride

THURSDAYS HIV Support: Substance Abuse & HIV Every Thursdays 2-3pm Institute of Human Virology 725 W. Lombard St. IHV.org 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

Charm City Volleyball: Social Play Every Wednesday 6:30-9:30pm • $3-30 Mt Royal Recreational Center 137 McMechen St.

GAY LIFE MAGAZINE

Datebook

THURSDAY, SEPT. 5

TUESDAY, SEPT. 10

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 18

SUNDAY, SEPT. 1

Frat Boy Thursdays Every Thursday 9pm-2am Grand Central • 1001 N. Charles St. CentralStationPub.com

Night OUT at the Theater Feat. “Animal Crackers” • $19-39 • 8pm Centerstage • 700 N Calvert St. CenterStage.org

National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day AIDS.gov

Baltimore Grand Prix Three-day “Celebration of Acceleration.” $5-750 • Thru Sept. 1 Downtown Baltimore GrandPrixofBaltimore.com MD Renn Fest Rain or shine • $7-120 • 10am-7pm Select Dates Thru Oct. 20 1821 Crownsville Road • Annapolis MarylandRenaissanceFestival.com Summer SHORTS A dance concert • $10-15 • 8pm The Patterson • 3134 Eastern Ave. CreativeAlliance.org “All in the Timing” Closing Night Six one-act comedies • $15 • 2pm Fells Point Corner Theater 251 S. Ann St. FPCT.org

MONDAY, SEPT. 2 Spot Light Mondays Drink specials & drag shows! • 9pm-2am Club Hippo • 1 W. Eager St. ClubHippo.com 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

First Thursdays Concerts in the Park • FREE • 5:30-845pm West Mt. Vernon Park WTMD.org Hip Hop Night at Club Hippo Get your dance on every Thursday.

Reduced cover before 11pm.

Club Hippo • 1 W. Eager St. ClubHippo.com

FRIDAY, SEPT. 6 Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf Opens $15-20 • Thru Oct. 6 Spotlighters Theatre • 817 Saint Paul St. SpotLighters.org Chocolate Happy Hour Weekly chocolate-fest • 6:30pm Ma Petite Shoe • 832 W. 36th St. MaPetiteShoe.com CONGREGATE Opening Reception Art + Faith + Community • FREE • 5pm MICA Graduate Student Center 131 W. North Ave. MICA.edu Wine Tasting FREE • Fridays 5-8pm Spirits of Mt Vernon Wine Shop 900 N. Charles St. SpiritsOfMtVernon.com

Men’s Naked Yoga Every Monday 6:30-7:30pm • $18 Vitruvian Gallery, LLC 734 7th St., SE • 2nd floor • Wash., D.C. VitruvianGallery.com

The Whistling Mortician Whistle ‘til yer dead. $12-22 • 8pm • Thru Sept. 8 Theater Project • 45 W. Preston St. TheaterProject.org

TUESDAY, SEPT. 3

Hippo Karaoke Star Monthly karaoke competition. $2 • 10pm-2am Club Hippo • 1 W. Eager St. ClubHippo.com

Showtune Video Madness Sing out Louise! • FREE • Tuesdays 7:45pm Club Hippo • 1 W. Eager St. ClubHippo.com Showdown Trivia Competition Hosted by John Woods • 9:30pm Club Hippo • 1 W. Eager St. ClubHippo.com

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 4 Gay BINGO! Every Wednesday 8:30pm Benefits House of Ruth.

Club Hippo • 1 W. Eager St. ClubHippo.com Animal Crackers Opens Marx Brothers classic gets a zany new revival • $19-59 • 8pm • Thru Oct. 13 CENTERSTAGE • 700 N Calvert St. Centerstage.org Nick Offerman: American Ham $46.20 • 8pm Lyric Opera House 140 W. Mount Royal Ave. LyricOperaHouse.com

BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM

SATURDAY, SEPT. 7 Murder at the Masquerade A Murder Mystery Dinner. $45 • 7pm • Thru Oct. 26 Ikaros Restaurant • 4805 Eastern Ave. Grimprov.com BSO’s Gala Concert Feat. Pink Martini • $50-75 • 6:30pm Meyerhoff • 1212 Cathedral St. BSOMusic.org 1814: The Rock Opera The world’s first rock opera about the War of 1812 • $15-20 • 8pm • Thru Sept. 8 The Patterson • 3134 Eastern Ave. CreativeAlliance.org

SUNDAY, SEPT. 8 Street Beat Festival Party in the streets! • FREE • 11am-7pm S. Charles & Cross Sts. • Federal Hill HistoricFederalHill.org

THURSDAY, SEPT. 12 Measure for Measure Opens Shakespeare’s story, steeped in cabaret culture • $40-100 • 7:30pm • Thru Oct. 27 Lansburgh Theatre 450 7th St. NW • Washington DC ShakespeareTheatre.org

Robert Randolph & The Family Band Touring Lickety Split • $25 • 7pm Rams Head Live • 20 Market Place RamsHeadLive.com Wear It Out Wednesdays Fashion showcase & cocktail hour.

FREE • 6-9pm B’more Bistro • 222 St. Paul Pl. WearItOutBaltimore.com

SATURDAY, SEPT. 14

SATURDAY, SEPT. 21

The Shindig Festival Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Dropkick Murphys and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones headline all-day concert.

Noon • $48.50–$125 Carroll Park • 1500 Washington Blvd.

TheShindigBaltimore.com

Strut Your Mutt Doggie-themed festival • FREE • 9am-1pm Blob’s Park 8024 Max Blobs Park Rd. • Jessup StrutYourMutt.org

Art Filipino: Works by Master Artists Opening reception • FREE • 2-4pm Asian Arts & Culture Center, Room 2037 Towson University Towson.edu/AsianArts Fresh Thoughts Sustainable Dining Events Oyster-themed dinner hosted by Ryleigh’s Oyster House • $79-90 • 6:30-9pm National Aquarium • 501 East Pratt St. Aqua.org The Legwarmers The ultimate ‘80s cover band! $18.50 • 7pm • 21+ Rams Head Live • 20 Market Place RamsHeadLive.com BHT Gay & Lesbian Night at Kings Dominion Benefitting Brother, Help Thyself. $31.99-61.99 • 8pm Kings Dominion 16000 Theme Park Way • Doswell, VA BrotherHelpThyself.org SHE Productions Presents REHAB 2nd Saturday of Every Month 9pm • $5 • 21+ Grand Central Disco and Sapphos 1001 N. Charles St. Facebook.com/SheProductions

MONDAY, SEPT. 16 Mark Brennan Rosenberg Reads Passages from Eating My Feelings FREE • 7pm JHU Barnes & Noble • 3330 St Paul St.

TUESDAY, SEPT. 17 Constitution Day Symposium: Bars and Stripes Forever Inequalities and Incarceration in America, Feat. David Simon • FREE • 7pm Brown Center’s Falvey Hall 1301 W. Mount Royal Ave. MICA.edu

Scotty McCreery American Idol winner • $35 • 7pm.

Rams Head Live • 20 Market Place RamsHeadLive.com “We Dance to the Beat” Female indie/pop artists • 9pm The Ottobar • 2549 N. Howard St. TheOttobar.com

THURSDAY, SEPT. 26 Crab Bash 2013 Award-winning chefs compete. $35-40 • 6-9pm B&O American Brasserie • 2 N. Charles St.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 27 National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day AIDS.gov My Brother’s Keeper Baltimore Black Pride, Inc. hosts a forum with faith organizations on HIV service access. • Free • 9am–2pm Eubie Blake National Jazz & Cultural Ctr. 847 N. Howard St. Ke$ha Make the most of your night • $45 • 6:30pm Pier Six Pavilion • 731 Eastern Ave. PierSixPavilion.com Baltimore Bike Party The biggest party on two wheels!

FREE • 7pm Washington Monument • Mount Vernon BaltimoreBikeParty.com Baltimore Book Festival Celebration of the literary arts.

FREE • Noon-8pm • Thru Sept. 29 Mount Vernon Place • Mount Vernon BaltimoreBookFestival.com

Have an event perfect for our readers? Send us all the details!

CALENDAR@ BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM

SEPTEMBER 2013

PAGE 29

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SEPTEMBER 2013

GAY LIFE MAGAZINE

SOCIAL LIFE

BSCENE

Miss Leon's Drag Pageant PHOTOS BY ERIC RANDOLPH

BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM

SEPTEMBER 2013

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