SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1979
MARYLAND’S LGBT COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER MAY 11 – MAY 24, 2012 VOLUME XXXIV, NUMBER 9 WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
MOVEABLE FEAST
CHALLENGES YOU TO
HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW? KING & QUEEN OF PRIDE 2012 TRANSMODERN FESTIVAL FEEDS ARTISTS AND QUEER CULTURE
PAGE 2 • MAY 11 – MAY 24, 2012
BALTIMORE’S GAY LIFE NEWSPAPER
WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
VOLUME 34, NUMBER 9 • PAGE 3
letter editor’s
Beginner Yoga Sundays at 3:30pm (please arrive a few minutes early) Room 201 at The GLCCB 241 W. Chase St. Cost is $9 As LGBT individuals, our experience in the cyber-speed world around us becomes more integrated and fluid when we regularly create time to center, focus, and enjoy therapeutic activities that “re-boot,” strengthen, and support us. Join Registered Yoga Therapist Tim Hurley (Yoga Alliance Certified E-RYT-500) weekly for Gentle Hatha Yoga at a slower, more human pace and re-encounter your own natural state of integrity and harmony.
Spring: The time for growth and renewal, or simply the season for shedding coats and hats. While I’ve always claimed autumn as my favorite time of year, I get downright giddy on the first warm days of spring. As I shed longsleeves and sit beneath the sun, I swear I can feel the vitamin D seeping in through my pores and rejuvenating both my soul and my previously hidden, embarrassingly pale skin. Of course, other spring days bring only rain. But rain makes the flowers grow. And it’s this kind of growth we’re featuring this issue. Take a look at the gorgeous gardens growing right here in Baltimore, tended by knowledgeable community members with a passion for plants (p. 12). We also have a Q&A with Dietitian Sara McClean who tends Moveable Feast’s vegetable garden, which provides fresh local produce for Marylanders living with HIV/AIDS, breast cancer, and other chronic illnesses. Moveable Feast could use your help—whether you’d like to volunteer in the garden, join the hundreds of cyclists riding in this year’s Ride for the Feast (p. 6), or if you’re able to donate funds—helping Moveable Feast means helping our community. Supporting these guys is not only rewarding, it’s a blast: check out some of the fun on page 22. On a separate note, we’re shaking things up here at Gay Life. Read about our upcoming improvements on the opposite page. Interested in writing for the new Gay Life? Email me at Editor@BaltimoreGayLife.com!
7
CONTENTS outfront
SPEAKING OUT
The appointment and resignation of Mitt Romney’s gay spokesman.
PAGE 5 COMMUNITY
King & Queen of Pride, changes to Gay Life, and the Baltimore LGBT Visitors Guide. PAGE 6 BENEFIT
Join Moveable Feast’s 10th Ride to help feed local HIV/AIDS, breast cancer patients. By Terri Solomon
PAGE 7 FESTIVAL
Transmodern Festival showcases radical art. By Britany Chong
By Rev. Irene Monroe
outgoing PAGE 21 SPOTLIGHT
“So You Think You Can Drag?” with Carmen Carrera. By Daniel McEvily
DATEBOOK
Calendar of Events.
By Rachel Roth
PAGE 8 BINGO TALK
Q&A at the Hippo with Frank & Beans. By Charlie Mumford
afterhours
PAGE 9 DINING OUT
PAGE 22 BSCENE
Rusty Scupper’s nostalgia, vistas, tasty food.
Play for the Feast Fundraiser at Silo Point. Photos By Jay W.
By John Cullen with Marty Shayt
Charm City Volleyball Invitational. Photos By John Kardys
headlinenews PAGE 10 NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL NEWS By Rachel Roth
Maggie Beetz
Editor
ON THE COVER
PAGE 4 • MAY 11 – MAY 24, 2012
FEATURE
PAGE 17 5 THINGS
PAGE 12
Great entertainment this May.
GARDENS!
Moveable Feast’s Ride for the Feast
By Daniel McEvily
FIND US ON FACEBOOK
EEOC ruling brings huge trans protections.
PAGE 18 TRANSMISSIONS
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/GLCCB
www.glccb.org or call 410.837.5445. A portion of the cost is donated back to The GLCCB
firstperson
By Gwendolyn Ann Smith
Guilford, Mount Vernon, Lauraville, and more!
241 W. Chase Street • Baltimore, MD 21201 Phone 410.837.7748 • Fax 410.837.8889 Email sales@baltimoregaylife.com
Maggie Beetz, Editor
Gay Life is a publication of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Community Center of Baltimore and Central Maryland (GLCCB). Gay Life is published every other Friday in Baltimore, Md., with distribution throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Copyright 2012. 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.
Sabre Chase, Advertising
editor@baltimoregaylife.com
M. Cory Burgess, Art Director cory@metroscapemedia.com sales@baltimoregaylife.com 410.837.7748
National Advertising Rep.
Rivendell Media, 212.242.6863
Marty Shayt
Senior Volunteer
Contributors
Britany Chong, John Cullen, Daniel McEvily, Anthony Moll, Rev. Irene Monroe, Charlie Mumford, Rachel Roth, Marty Shayt, Gwendolyn Ann Smith, Terri Solomon
Photographers
terra hiltner, John Kardys, Anthony Moll, Jay W.
Newspaper Committee
Trevor Ankeny, John Cullen, Charlie Mumford, Marty Shayt, Terri Solomon
BALTIMORE’S GAY LIFE NEWSPAPER
outfront COMMUNITY
King and Queen of Pride Pageant to be Held May 19 at Quest BY ANTHONY MOLL Thirty seven years of Baltimore Pride celebrations could not have been made possible without individuals in the community who step up each year to contribute their effort to all of the hard work that goes into the annual celebration. The King and Queen of Pride is a token of recognition offered to those who represent this spirit of Pride in Charm City. The pageant, held this year on May 19, aims to raise awareness and support for Baltimore Pride by selecting local royalty to act as ambassadors for the three day celebration. The contest is also a fundraiser for Baltimore’s annual festivities, raising money for all of the excitement enjoyed each June. Quest in Brewer’s Hill will host the event for the first time ever this year. This new partnership has been made possible by Baltimore favorite and former Queen of Pride Miss Shawnna Alexander, who has been the lead organizer of the event. GLCCB board members and Baltimore Pride organizers will be available during the evening to answer any questions about this year’s Pride celebration and how to get involved. Also attending will be the 2011 King
KING OF PRIDE 2011 JAIMAL “THE CRUCIAL” DIAMOND
and Queen of Pride, Jaimal “The Crucial” Diamond and Sparkle A. Diamond, who will hand down their crowns to the two individuals selected as this year’s winners. Since last year’s victory, the two have spent the last twelve months as representatives of Baltimore Pride at events across the city. This year, contestants for the event will be judged on three categories: outrageous Pride wear, an on-stage interview, and talent. Those interested in competing in this year’s contest can obtain an application at the GLCCB, Tuesdays or Wednesdays between 10am and 6pm. Contestants must be 21 or older and residents of Maryland, and may run for either King or Queen of Pride, regardless of gender. Applications are due by 4pm Friday, May 18. The entry fee is $20. Individuals with pageant questions should contact Shawnna Alexander at shawnna_alexander@yahoo.com. ■
KING AND QUEEN OF PRIDE Saturday, May 19 • 9pm • $7 Quest • 3607 Fleet St. BaltimorePride.org
RAINBOWS & UNICORNS FOR BALTIMORE PRIDE! Dress in your best rainbow and/or unicorn outfit for a chance to win a prize at PWs Sports Bar’s pre-Baltimore Pride party and fundraiser! This party will also include a wet t-shirt contest for the ladies and a wet underwear contest for the men (Entrance fee $10. Winners get $50!) Raffle prizes include tickets to see TV, film, and Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth (of GCB and Wicked) in a rare concert appearance at the Hippodrome Theatre, June 9. Come support Baltimore Pride!
RAINBOWS & UNICORNS QUEEN OF PRIDE 2011 SPARKLE A. DIAMOND
May 17 • 9pm-2am PW’s Sports Bar & Grill 9855 Washington Blvd N • Laurel, MD 301.498.4840 • PWsSportsBar.com
FOR MORE PRE-PRIDE EVENTS VISIT WWW.BALTIMOREPRIDE.ORG WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
Big Changes are Coming to Gay Life!
GAYLIFE Read it. Live it.
Love it.
Beginning with our very next issue, which is also the Gay Life Guide to Baltimore Pride, Gay Life becomes a full color, monthly publication with improved paper quality, double the size, expanded distribution, and extended editorial coverage. With this move we aim to shift away from a newspaper and toward a comprehensive lifestyle publication for Maryland’s LGBT community. We’ll still bring you the great coverage you’ve come to expect from Gay Life—just with more of it! Plus, each issue will be divided into new categories with a greater variation of content, including the following:
including finance, health, career, and educational topics
HIGH LIFE — Fashion, shopping, dining,
To obtain our 2012 media kit, which includes complete pricing information and ad specifications, contact Sabre Chase at 410.837.7748 or Sales@BaltimoreGayLife.com. Our ad sizes remain the same so transitioning should be smooth for existing advertisers. Discounts are available for multiple insertions. Design services are available. ■
live theater, books, art, world travel, and more
SOCIAL LIFE — Nightlife guide, activity calendar, event photos, and other ways to get out and be seen
BETTER LIFE — Self-improvement articles,
Our first monthly issue will be on streets Friday, May 25. Subsequent issues will be available on the final Friday of each month.
Interested in Advertising in the New Gay Life?
GLCCB & Gay Life Publish Baltimore LGBT Visitors Guide
ORDER A FREE COPY AT BALTIMORE.ORG/LGBT-BALTIMORE The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center of Baltimore (GLCCB) published the first annual LGBT Visitors Guide for Baltimore as a result of generous support of Visit Baltimore, the city’s official destination marketing organization. “LGBT newcomers and visitors now have a comprehensive and useful resource for identifying welcoming Baltimore establishments and groups,” said GLCCB Director Gary Wolnitzek. The 60-page, full-color glossy guide includes welcoming attractions, restaurants, shops, and nightlife, and accommodations. Also included are LGBT-friendly activities and sports, social and support groups, plus friendly religious congregations. Readers can also find neighborhood profiles, maps, essential travel and weather information, and a calendar of events detailing a full year of activities across the city. “We are especially excited about the Baltimore figures who graciously agreed to appear in this guide,” said Gay Life Editor Maggie Beetz, who asked a variety of
prominent Baltimoreans to share their favorite local spots. To order a copy of the 2012 Baltimore LGBT Visitors Guide visit Baltimore.org/ lgbt-baltimore. The guide is also available at the GLCCB office in Mount Vernon (241 W. Chase St.), the Baltimore Visitor Center at the Inner Harbor (401 Light St.), and online at BaltimoreGayLife.com. It will be distributed at Baltimore Pride (June 1517), Philly Pride (June 10), and is available through Centerlink, the organization connecting more than 200 LGBT community centers nationwide and abroad. ■
VOLUME 34, NUMBER 9 • PAGE 5
outfront BENEFIT
Moveable Feast Prepares for 10th Successful Ride for the Feast BY TERRI SOLOMON On May 19 and 20, 200 Ride for the Feast cyclists will bike 140 miles from Ocean City, Md. to Baltimore, raising money to feed homebound persons with HIV/AIDS or breast cancer. Ride for the Feast is the largest annual fundraiser for Moveable Feast, according to Ted Blankenship, development director. “Every rider is asked to raise $1,300, which is the cost to feed one client for a year,” said Elana Kanter, events manager for Moveable Feast. The 140-mile trek represents the distance from the local office to the farthest client. Moveable Feast delivers throughout Baltimore City and to 14 counties in Maryland. “We would love to open a satellite kitchen on the Eastern Shore,” said Kanter. “It’s hopefully in our next phase.” But for now, Kanter, Blankenship, staff, and a plethora of volunteers are focused on making the upcoming weekend a success. Volunteers provide support and gear driving, prepare meals, hand out refreshments, cheer on riders, take photographs, and instruct yoga, among other things. Blankenship has participated in the Ride since 2006, when there were about 50 riders. He characterized the event as “a ride, not a race, with riders and volunteers who are passionate about Moveable Feast and its services.” Kanter agreed. “This isn’t a bike race. It’s made for people who want to step out of their comfort zone and help the cause.” “People say, ‘Oh, I could never ride 140 miles.’ But you can. I’m a casual rider, and I bike for transportation, or at the beach. Riders come back for the sense of community. We all cheer each other on,” said Blankenship. Riders are a diverse group. There are LGBT riders, straight riders, a father and son rider (with a mom and son volunteering), partners on tandems, and child riders. While most riders are between 25 and 50 years old, the ages of riders range from 9 to early 60s. Riders form teams, composed of two to 23 people, and train and fundraise together, according to Blankenship. Doug Rose is a team member of the Shirley Temples, and one of the support and gear (SAG) coordinators on the orgaPAGE 6 • MAY 11 – MAY 24, 2012
Photo courtesy of Moveable Feast
nizing committee. He first volunteered as a SAG driver last year, and liked it so much that he came back again this year to coordinate the training of new drivers. “As a person living with HIV, I am very fortunate in that I have relatively good health now and I can provide volunteer time for an event that is meaningful to me,” said Rose. “I know what it’s like to be sick and not have the strength to feed yourself, and I know how important it is to eat nutritious meals to maintain health. Every moment I devote to supporting Moveable Feast is an investment in someone else’s health and quality of life. I work with so many good spirits on a concrete and essential mission.” Saturday is a 100-mile ride from Ocean City to Wye Mills. After an overnight stay at Chesapeake College, Sunday’s ride goes from Sandy Point into Baltimore City and across the finish line at Moveable Feast’s East Baltimore headquarters. All of the money raised goes directly toward feeding Moveable Feast’s clients. ■
RIDE FOR THE FEAST
May 19 & 20 To volunteer contact Elana Kanter 410.327.3420 ext. 11 • ekanter@mfeast.org RideForTheFeast.org BALTIMORE’S GAY LIFE NEWSPAPER
FESTIVAL
The Transmodern Festival Feeds Artists and Queer Culture BY BRITANY CHONG The Transmodern Festival promises radical and experimental art, and who can resist that? The event curators/organizers—Laure Drogoul, Stephanie Barber, Sandylee Triolo, and Rebecca Nagle—are interested in providing a venue for art that doesn’t always have a space. “By representing artists that are underrepresented, Transmodern becomes an alternative space where people don’t just come to interact with the artwork; they interact with each other,” explained Nagle. There are many different events to enjoy at the festival. Highlights include projections on buildings, a prosthetics fashion show, a love parade, and an innovative dinner theater (F.E.A.S.T.). F.E.A.S.T. Dinner Theater will run for three nights. According to Nagle, it will be “an evening of food-based performances and performance-based food.” Artists are making the food and then performing along with the food. Foodies and art-lovers are sure to enjoy this innovative performance. The artists have constructed a massive table that will act as both a stage and serving space. There will be video, experimental music, and servers in costume. Charm City Cakes has even donated cakes for this event. Each night 100 people will eat together at this event, and though participants will enjoy the food, they will also enjoy the sense of community as they dine with so many other people. Nagle describes F.E.A.S.T. as a “big crazy ritual” that asks participants to question the role of the diner, server, and performer. With a focus on audience participation, street art, and performance, other aspects of the festival also push participants to analyze the role of the artist versus the role of the audience. There are also some fairly WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
new artists who will be participating alongside renowned artists. “We present some established and nationally well-known artists, but the festival also has a place for local artists,” said Nagle. The diversity of the artists is comparable to the diversity of the audience. According to Nagle, the event usually attracts many different types of people. In the past, the festival has welcomed many young people, some older people, and even families (especially on Sundays). Each year more people find out about the festival and it grows. The crowd that the event attracts has grown exponentially, and the number of artists has grown as well. Though the Transmodern Performance Festival attracts a very diverse crowd, queers and queer-lovers have a special place at this festival. Carl Marx, a former Baltimorian, will give a lecture on bear culture; he will also be participating in the dinner theater (expect a jump-roping performance). Michael Farley is a participating artist who dances and performs drag. Suzanna Cook is a butch Argentinean whose performance plays with and pokes fun at masculinity. The event has always had queer organizers and artists. Baltimore’s queer community has contributed to Transmodern and helped to shape it. According to Nagle, “Transmodern is a place where the art scene and the queer community hang out together.” ■
TRANSMODERN FESTIVAL
May 17-20 • Various times • $8-31 Alley Oooops • between Franklin & Saratoga Sts. 14Karat Cabaret • 218 W. Saratoga St. Current Gallery • 421 N. Howard St. TransmodernFestival.com VOLUME 34, NUMBER 9 • PAGE 7
outfront BINGO TALK WITH FRANK & BEANS BY CHARLIE MUMFORD AND terra hiltner
It’s our garden issue...
How does your “garden” grow? BEV
“Quite contrarily.”
DARA
“A well-groomed garden is the only option.”
JAMIA
“Everything must go. The gardener has officially come through.”
CAROL
“Mine is in the shape of the British boy band, One Direction.”
Bingo Talk takes place Wednesdays 8:30pm at Club Hippo’s Gay Bingo hosted by Roger Dimick. Why Frank & Beans? With Roger around you’re not likely to escape without a nickname either.
PAGE 8 • MAY 11 – MAY 24, 2012
BALTIMORE’S GAY LIFE NEWSPAPER
DINING OUT
Rusty Scupper Improves with Age BY JOHN CULLEN WITH MARTY SHAYT
In honor of the 30th anniversary of its opening, the Rusty Scupper invited us to a complementary dinner. We hadn’t dined here in a very long time, but the main restaurant dining room on the second floor with a mix of tables and booths under a rustic beamed ceiling felt much as we remembered. We were seated next to the windows and discovered that the original, memorable view of downtown and the Inner Harbor now included awesome views of the new Harbor East area as well. (Some tables which are three to four rows back from the windows have a more obstructed view.) The wonderful vista comes at a price though with ten starters costing $10–16, soup at $6.50 for a cup, and most entrees in the $23–34 range. We decided to start with a cup of Maryland crab soup and a chopped salad with an order of fried calamari. For entrees, Marty opted for the crab stuffed shrimp ($32) and John ordered the bouillabaisse ($30). Marty’s soup was excellent with evident pieces of crab and a tasty broth. John was disappointed to find that the avocado and bleu cheese featured in the menu description seemed missing from his otherwise average side salad ($8). The entrée-sized platter of calamari (easily shareable by two) earned our “Thumbs Up!” The crisp, un-greasy, parmesan-enhanced crust on the tender calamari was offset by drizzles of two different sauces: a red marinara and a white parmesan-pepper aioli. Marty’s half dozen large shrimp were wonderfully rich with a generous amount of crab stuffing and served with nicely cooked, fresh green beans. John’s bouillabaisse was almost as impressive as the view! A large, deep crock brimmed with shrimp, scallops, mussels, and fish while garlicky crostini provided just the thing to sop up the incredibly tasty soup! For dessert, Marty indulged in an unusual sweet potato cheesecake while John opted for apple walnut upside down pie. The best part of the pie was a scoop of accompanying ice cream; a half-inch layer of rock hard caramel on top remained largely untouched and the apple WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
underneath seemed average. By contrast, the cheesecake proved an inspired combination of sweet potato pie with a rich cheesecake totally and easily earned our “Thumbs Up!” The young man serving us, beyond catching Marty’s eye, provided the kind of polished, attentive service we’d expect at an upscale restaurant. If you’ve got the money, a table right by the windows, and the right dishes, dinner at the Rusty Scupper can prove memorable and well worth the expense. ■
RUSTY SCUPPER
402 Key Hwy. 410.727.3678 • Rusty-Scupper.com Open 7 days for lunch & dinner Sunday buffet brunch ($37) Full bar • No vegetarian entrees Parking garage ($8) Email DiningOut@BaltimoreGayLife.com and find past reviews at BaltimoreGayLife-DiningOut.info
VOLUME 34, NUMBER 9 • PAGE 9
headlinenews NATIONAL
C
A New Directive Requires LGBT Representative
B
D
for Prison Employees
In a groundbreaking move, the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has announced that every federal prison in the U.S. must appoint an LGBT representative to their Affirmative Employment Program. This new position is designed with the specific goal of educating and informing prison employees about LGBT diversity issues. Additionally, each facility must now designate one person as the LGBT Special Emphasis Program Manager, which will ensure that equal opportunity issues and concerns affecting LGBT employees are adequately addressed.
A
Lawmakers Introduce B Missouri “Don’t Say Gay” Bill
A new Missouri bill—House Bill 2015—would bar any instructional material, teaching or extracurricular activities that discuss sexual orientation, unless it is in relation to scientific instruction on human reproduction, according to News-Leader.com. The measure is sponsored by Rep. Steve Cookson, R-Fairdealing, and has the backing of most House Republican leaders and more than a dozen other Republican lawmakers. Majority Floor Leader Tim Jones, a Republican from Eureka and a bill cosponsor, told the News-Leader that the bill signifies that “certain things are appropriate to be taught in schools and certain things are appropriate to be taught at home.” Not all Republican lawmakers are on board. Rep. Zachary Wyatt, a 27-year-old cattle farmer from the rural northern Missouri town of Novinger and former member of the U.S. Air Force publicly announced that he is gay and asked that the bill be withdrawn. Wyatt said in a public statement that the bill was his “motivation” for coming out. “I will not lie to myself anymore about my own sexuality,” Wyatt said during a news conference in Springfield. “I am still the same person that I was when I woke up this morning and I will be the same person when I go to bed tonight. Today I ask you to stand with me as a proud Republican, a proud veteran, and a proud gay man who wants to protect all kids, addressing bullying in our schools.”
C MN Transwoman Accepts Plea Agreement
Chrishaun “CeCe” McDonald, who was charged with felony murder in the second degree after surviving a racist, transphobic assault that left one of her attackers dead, has accepted a plea agreement to a reduced charge of manslaughter in the second degree. McDonald will be sentenced on June 4 under Hennepin County Judge Daniel Moreno to 41 months in prison. The executed sentence will be reduced by one third, for “good time” and credit for the time McDonald has served pending this resolution. The plea agreement comes nearly a year after McDonald was arrested, interrogated, denied adequate medical care for a laceration she suffered during the attack, and held in solitary confinement for a month for being a transgender person. During the pre-trial proceedings, there was a world-wide call for the charges against McDonald to be dropped. Last month, supporters delivered a petition to Hennepin County Attorney Michael Freeman with over 15,000 signatures and dozens of letters of support for McDonald from organizations and prominent individuals from around the globe. Many of those in McDonald’s corner charge Freeman with failing to exercise his professional discretion and take a stand against racism and transphobia by dropping the charges. “With the whole world watching, Freeman’s office consistently chose not to take the opportunity to stand up against racism and transphobia,” Katie Burgess from the Trans Youth Support told reporters after the plea deal was announced. “Freeman himself said, and I quote, ‘the criminal justice system is not built for, nor is it necessarily good at, solving a lot of society’s problems.’” Burgess went on to praise the community for rallying behind McDonald. “Over the past 10 months I have witnessed the legal system isolating and attacking another young trans woman of color in our community, CeCe McDonald,” said Burgess. “And over the past 10 months, I have also witnessed our community say very clearly, ‘you are not alone, CeCe! And we have had enough!’”
D Romney Slow to Defend Former Spokesman
The Mitt Romney camp is facing criticism due to the nature of the departure of Richard Grenell, an openly gay man who was to be the presidential hopeful’s national security and foreign policy spokesman, according to BuzzFeed.com. Grenell joined the campaign at the end of April and resigned on May 1, the day he was set to begin work. In his resignation letter, Grenell cited “the hyper-partisan discussion of personal issues” as his reason for leaving the job. BuzzFeed reports that almost immediately after his hire was announced, Grenell became the target of “right-wing culture” warriors like Bryan Fischer, who called his appointment, a “deliberate poke in the eye to the pro-family community.” Romeny did not comment throughout the “conservative uproar,” but his campaign aids told BuzzFeed that as soon as they heard last week that Grenell was thinking of quitting, the campaign aggressively tried to convince him to stay, with six separate senior staffers placing calls to him. After remaining silent for three days, Romney appeared on Fox News the morning of May 4 to say that his campaign does not discriminate in its hiring practices. “[Grenell] is a very accomplished spokesperson, and we select people not based upon their ethnicity or their sexual preference or their gender but upon their capability,” Romney said.
PAGE 10 • MAY 11 – MAY 24, 2012
BALTIMORE’S GAY LIFE NEWSPAPER
BY RACHEL ROTH INTERNATIONAL
B
A
C D
LGBT Activist Convicted of A Russian Promoting Homosexuality
The founder of Moscow’s gay pride movement is the first casualty of St. Petersburg’s new, draconian anti-LGBT legislation. The Los Angeles Times reports that Nikolai Alexeyev was accused of spreading homosexual “propaganda” when he picketed St. Petersburg City Hall in April with a poster that read: “Homosexuality is not a perversion. Perversion is hockey on the grass and ballet on ice.” On May 4, Alexeyev was found guilty and fined $167. The law, which was approved in November 2011, outlawed “publicly spreading information capable to harm the health, moral and spiritual development of under-age persons including forming in them deformed notions of social equality of traditional and nontraditional marital relations.”
B Gay Bar Bans Straight Couples from Kissing
Never Mind, a popular gay bar in Copenhagen, Denmark, has decided that, for the time being, it is unacceptable for heterosexual couples to kiss in the bar. Jobbe Joller, the founder of the LGBT organization Homosocialt Fællesskab, is at the center of this recent incident. According to Pink News, a member in his party was asked by the bar’s bouncer to refrain from kissing her boyfriend while in Never Mind. Joller, who has fought doggedly to end discrimination, was angry at the move and wrote an email to the bar’s owner, Christian Carisen, voicing his concerns. Carisen defended the ban, in an email printed in Pink News, arguing that because the Never Mind attracts a lot of straight clientele, LGBT customers might feel less welcome. “Problems often arise when the girls, late at night, call their straight male friends and think it’s a good idea that they come by and join the party,” he wrote. “They are often quite intoxicated, and most straight guys unfortunately have it a bit difficult with gay men. This often results in a serious situation, which our security people then have to handle.”
C Sixteen-Year-Old ‘Tomboi’ Murdered in Malaysia
The burned body of a gender non-conforming Malaysian teen was found in a palm oil field on May 4. Fridae reports that Nor Ain Shafnie Mohd, described as a “tomboi” had been missing since leaving school on April 3. Her body was found badly burned about 500 yards from her house in the North-Eastern state of Kelantan. Gua Musang Police Chief Superintendent Saiful said the police are still waiting for the coroner report to find out whether she was burned alive or killed before being burned. According to Fridae, six men and two women, ranging in age from 17 to 30, have been questioned about the murder.
Gay Ugandan Seeking Asylum in UK D Wins Small Victory
Felix Wamala, a gay Ugandan seeking asylum in the UK, will not be forced to return home just yet. According to GayStarNews, Wamala’s deportation was scheduled to take place on May 4, but the 41-year-old man’s solicitor was awarded an injunction stating that he could stay at Colnbrook Immigration Removal Center in Slough. Wamala fled Uganda, one of the most notoriously oppressive countries for LGBT people, after being persecuted for his sexuality. He told GSN that he is concerned for his life if he is forced to return. “I don’t know that many people in Uganda who can shelter me and I cannot even see myself passing the airport security,” Wamala said. His status in the UK is still tenuous as the UK Border Agency may still apply for the injunction to be lifted.
SEE MORE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE AT WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM/NEWS WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
VOLUME 34, NUMBER 9 • PAGE 11
THE GARDEN ISSUE Spring has sprung and so have many of the flowers and plants that are gracing local gardens this May. To celebrate, we’re spotlighting three very different gardens from around town. These community members from Guilford, Mount Vernon, and Lauraville let us into their yards to learn a little about their passions and the verdant beauty that results.
Nicholas Piscatelli Real Estate Developer
Neighborhood: Mt. Vernon
Paul Fowler &Radiology Frank McNeil Oncologist and PNC Banker Neighborhood: Guilford
Raised in a small West Virginia town, Paul Fowler grew up gardening. “I’ve been gardening for as long as I can remember, probably since I was 8 or 9. So I’ve been doing it for 35, 40 years.” He learned how to garden by approaching it hands-on as well as by talking to other gardeners. And he seeks opportunities to educate himself: Paul and Frank have gone on several trips that include tours of private gardens. While Frank enjoys the garden—despite his allergies—Paul admits he is the green thumb in the relationship. “It’s a passion; I wouldn’t say it’s a religion, but not far from it,” Paul explained. His passion was part of the reason they choose their current home. “We chose Guilford was because it has a country feel, the neighborhood has mature trees and dePhotos by terra hiltner.
PAGE 12 • MAY 11 – MAY 24, 2012
spite being close to the city feels like we’re way out in the country.” “We grow everything—perennials, annual, vegetables.” While he prefers a freeformed approach for flowers, vegetables require a different skill set. “Vegetables are more structured and formal, which is different for me. The nice thing is that you can be as elaborate as you want—or not.” They enjoy acquiring new and unique plants, and were currently planning a visit to Ladew Topiary Gardens to check out plants not normally found in local garden stores. “I think it’s a compliment when you see something in someone else’s garden that you replicate in your own.” Paul’s advice to new gardeners? “Don’t be afraid. The worst thing that can happen is that it will die, and when winter comes everything dies anyway. I’d also recommend buying small. Smaller, cheaper plants can be easier to keep alive. Also be patient.” Common sense comes into play as well: “We have a fenced-in yard for our dogs; we have to think ahead about where to plant and about what they won’t trample.” ■
When I purchased the property, the side garden was a plot of overgrown grass and rat infestation. The brick wall had collapsed and the cast iron fence was stolen. The Historic Commission gave me permission to restore the wall and railing and to add another three feet to the height. After researching garden architecture and plantings, I designed and installed the present garden with a cast iron fountain, fishpond, brick patio, and walkway. A pergola, hot tub, outdoor kitchen, and pipedin music have been recent additions. A row of 12-inch arborvitae, acting as a property boundary, crepe myrtle, magnolia, and weeping Japanese maple give the space a pleasant view year round, while various annuals give a splash of color in the spring and summer making the garden a private oasis for relaxing evenings and friendly gatherings in the busy downtown area. ■
Photos by Anthony Moll.
BALTIMORE’S GAY LIFE NEWSPAPER
Explore Public Gardens! Sherwood Gardens Located in Guilford, these gardens house 80,000 tulip bulbs annually. Dogwoods, flowering cherries, wisteria and magnolias bloom throughout as well as brightly colored azaleas and old English boxwoods some of which date back to the 18th century. More than six acres in size, Sherwood Gardens has no gates and remains open to the public.
4100 GreeNway
GuilfordAssociation.org/sherwood
Ladew Topiary Gardens Featuring 15 thematic topiary and flower gardens, the Garden Club of America deemed this the “most outstanding topiary garden in America.” Ladew also offers a variety of cultural, educational, and special events throughout the year.
Tina Lazar Teacher
3535 Jarrettsville Pike Monkton, MD
Neighborhood: Lauraville
410.557.9570 • LadewGardens.com
I have a couple flower gardens and a vegetable garden—plus herbs in boxes on my deck. I like them all! I try to spend a little time in my garden every day—it’s a refreshing time for me. I love to plant— HATE to weed! I love the spring, when things start to “show up.” I know what is there but I am always a little surprised. I had my first garden when I bought my first house in 1995. My dad always gardened and I watched him. I like to try something new or different each year, sometimes I add a couple new perennials or try a new veggie. The aphids and slugs are super challenging. To a new gardener I’d say: be patient, compost, till, and in Baltimore, add lime! This year will be a challenge, I need to have back surgery—so not too much will be done, but next year look out! ■
Hillwood Estate<,, Museum AND Gardens Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens, the 25 acre grand estate of Post Cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post, includes twelve acres of formal gardens and grounds surrounded by 13 acres of woodland nestled against Rock Creek Park.
4155 Linnean Ave. Washington, DC
202.686.5807 • HillwoodMuseum.org Photos by terra hiltner.
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Visit Maryland Public Garden Consortium (MPGC) online at MdPublicGardens.org for a complete list. MPGC advocates for Maryland’s public gardens as significant community resources. VOLUME 34, NUMBER 9 • PAGE 13
PAGE 14 • MAY 11 – MAY 24, 2012
BALTIMORE’S GAY LIFE NEWSPAPER
Q&A with Moveable Feast Dietitian Sara McClean How and when did Moveable Feast’s garden come about? The garden started in the spring of 2010 thanks to a collaboration between Moveable Feast and the Duncan Street Miracle Garden. We were looking for a way to incorporate gardening into our organization and were lucky enough to be put in touch with Mr. Lewis Sharpe at the garden who has been amazing to work with.
How do you decide what to grow? We have grown all kinds of crazy things, mostly because we were working with donated seeds and plants the first couple of years. We focus mostly on crops that we use a lot of in the kitchen; tomatoes, bell peppers, herbs, collard greens, kale, chard, spinach, squash, zucchini, and green beans. This year we are also going to try some onions and above-ground container potatoes.
Where is the garden located?
How much does the garden produce?
The garden is located at the intersection of Chester Street and North Avenue in East Baltimore, very near the Moveable Feast offices. It is quite an oasis and has been a community garden for over 20 years.
That’s hard to say. We have tried to weigh produce as it comes in, but don’t really have a firm number. I can tell you it sure seems like we produce boatloads of squash though, and the tomatoes always get away from us, it’s amazing how much they produce.
Why is a garden necessary/important?
Besides providing fresh, organic food to our kitchen to prepare meals for our clients, the garden gives us a space to meet and learn together about food, to enhance our relationships with volunteers and clients, and to get some healthy fresh air and exercise. It also is where we compost the vegetable and fruit scraps from our kitchen to produce compost for our next batch of crops.
WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
Who takes care of the garden?
SARA MCCLEAN AND AMANDA PLANTING SEEDS
Buy plants, garden art, and enjoy fabulous food at the 44th annual Market Day event.
Cylburn Arboretum 4915 Greenspring Ave. May 12 • 8am-3pm • FREE CylburnAssociation.org
Maryland House AND Garden Pilgrimage MHGP.org Historical Society of Talbot County 17 S. Washington St. • Easton, MD
The dietitians take volunteers out to the garden on Friday mornings and sometimes will take groups out on weekends.
May 12 • 10am-5pm • $30
How can people get involved?
The Waverly Mansion 2300 Waverly Mansion Dr. Marriottsville, MD
Email me at smcclean@mfeast.org. We love having volunteers at the garden and of course are always looking for donations of tools/equipment/gift cards, etc.
It has truly been an honor working for Moveable Feast for the three years I’ve been here. It is an exceptional organization and the staff, volunteers and clients are all a joy to work with. We have been providing nutritious meals to people with chronic illness for over 20 years, and we really do live by our mission: to Feed People, Fight Disease, and Foster Hope in our community. ■
How does the garden benefit Moveable Feasts clients?
Market Day
Tour outstanding homes and gardens in Trappe.
What else would you like GL readers to know about the garden and/or Moveable Feast?
Gardens provide connections for people with their food. No one would argue that we live in a very toxic food environment, and that has destroyed many of our vital connections with where food comes from and what role it plays in our physical and emotional nurturance. Gardens can help to heal that on a lot of levels.
GARDEN GOINGS ON!
Moveable Feast delivers nutritious meals to Marylanders living with HIV/AIDS, breast cancer, and other life-threatening conditions. Learn more at MFeast.org/ volunteers/garden_volunteer or by contacting Sara McClean at smcclean@mfeast.org.
Tour Howard County, the county of contrasts.
May 19 • 10am-5pm • $30
Tour the last, authentic “middling planter’s” farmhouse from the late 18th/early 19th centuries.
Anne Arundel County May 20 • 10am-5pm • $30
SARA MCCLEAN WATERING THE GARDEN
VOLUME 34, NUMBER 9 • PAGE 15
PAGE 16 • MAY 11 – MAY 24, 2012
BALTIMORE’S GAY LIFE NEWSPAPER
firstperson 5 THINGS
Pop Culture Round-Up for May BY DANIEL MCEVILY Gay Life is moving over to a monthly format next month, so be sure to check back in June for more robust coverage from the world of entertainment! Meanwhile, here are five things you might want to keep your eye out for.
1 EUROVISION SONG CONTEST May 26 • View online
If you think American Idol is corny, you probably never witnessed the gloriously campy cheesefest that is the Eurovision Song Contest. The contest, now in its 57th year, is one of the world’s longest-running and most watched programs, with an annual audience of 600 million viewers. This year’s show, featuring 42 countries, is being held in Baku, Azerbaijan. While many see Eurovision as a stomping ground for bad pop music, it has launched the careers of several international stars, including ABBA and Celine Dion, who won the contest for Switzerland in 1988. You can watch the final show at www.eurovision.tv.
2 TRESPASSING BY ADAM LAMBERT Available May 15
Speaking of American Idol, former runnerup Adam Lambert is releasing his sophomore studio album on May 15. The album features Lambert collaborating with superstar producers including Pharell Williams, Dr. Luke, and Bruno Mars. Lambert recently told Rolling Stone that Trespassing will be a departure from the classic rock sound from his first effort and will feature a blend of disco, funk, house, and dance-oriented songs. Lyrically, the album celebrates hedonistic abandon as well as exploring the trials of being an openly gay pop star. “I still feel like I’m not welcome,” Lambert tells Rolling Stone. “Pop music feels like high school. There’s the really cool kids, and I’m not one of those!”
3 GLEE SEASON FINALE Fox • 8pm • May 22
The third season of the popular show comes to a close on May 22 and promises to bring a mix of closure and cliffhangers for the kids of McKinley High’s New Directions. As the seniors prepare for graduation and life after high school in the final episode, the cast promises viewers that the fate of each character will be addressed. “Each one of them has a little special part of the episode devoted to them,” Jane Lynch said in a recent interview with ET Online. “It’s really fun and it’s a beautiful script.”
START OF SUMMER 4 THE REALITY PROGRAMMING
With scripted dramas going into reruns for the summer, networks are rolling out plenty of reality show fare to keep viewers tuned in. NBC’s America’s Got Talent returns for a seventh season on May 14. The show, which features an assortment of performers competing for the $1 million prize, welcomes first-time judge, shock-jock Howard Stern. Meanwhile, ABC’s Duets premiers on May 24. The show stars Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, Robin Thicke, and Jennifer Nettles as mentors who search for singers to duet with them as they perform in front of a live studio audience. Also on May 24, Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance? comes back for its eight season, where Nigel Lythgoe and the adorably kooky Mary Murphy helm the judging panel to help select “America’s Favorite Dancer.”
5 ECUPID
DVD Release May 15
This writer usually gives a critical side eye to films released by TLA, but we’re going to give eCupid a shot, if only to see the fabulous Morgan Fairchild. The story follows Marshall, played by Houston Rhines, who is frustrated in his seven year relationship. In a search for a new life, he downloads a mysterious app that gives him everything he thinks he wants. Whacky chaos ensues as he learns to be careful for what he wishes for, because he just might get it. Check out Gay Life’s interview with eCupid Director JC Calciano (Baltimoregaylife.com /item/433-ecupid-director-interview) ■ Each issue, we will reach our hand in the pop-culture hat and draw out five things that amuse, horrify, befuddle and amaze us and present it for your reading pleasure.
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VOLUME 34, NUMBER 9 • PAGE 17
firstperson TRANSMISSIONS
The Rules Have Changed BY GWENDOLYN ANN SMITH If you happen to be transgender, then you have a reason to celebrate: the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently ruled that an employer who discriminates against a transgender job applicant or employee due to said person’s gender identity is practicing sexual discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This, in a word, is huge. Let me give a bit of background. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was initially penned to stop discrimination against women and African Americans in this county. Specifically, it halted racial segregation in public accommodations, schools, and employment, while also putting an end to unequal requirements to vote between the races. It was a difficult bill to pass, with “Southern Bloc” senators, led by South Carolina’s Strom Thurmond, holding a 54-day filibuster. Title VII prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, as well as against any individual because of their association with another individual of a particular race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. It also prohibits discrimination against people in an interracial marriage. Over the years since its passage, some of these classes have been expanded or interpreted in ways to fit their times. In the 1970s, for example, sexual harassment was inter-
preted as being included, and bills in 1967, 1978, and 1990 added pregnancy, age, and disability to the covered protected classes under Title VII. It was in 1974 that the first attempt at adding “sexual orientation” to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was attempted. It failed. In 1994, a new bill came out, focusing specifically on employment rights. This bill, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), has been going in and out of Congress ever since, but has yet to reach the president’s desk. Further, ENDA has been a hot button issue since 1994, with its initial lack of transgender inclusion, then, later, a history that sounds more like Lucy Van Pelt holding the football for Charlie Brown in the Peanuts comic: transgender people would be included, or promised to be, only to be dropped from the bill when it was considered politically expedient. At this time, ENDA is nowhere. Congress is deadlocked on practically every bill that reaches the floor, and a “hot button” bill like this is simply not going to fly during an election year. President Obama, who did pledge to sign ENDA if it reached his desk, has nevertheless decided to not sign an executive order that would have banned discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals who worked with or aspired to work with federal contractors.
Yet now, in the midst of all the doom-andgloom about President Obama not signing on, with an ENDA that is clearly not going to happen in the short term regardless of its inclusion of transgender individuals, we see this ray of hope from the EEOC. No, not a simple ray of hope: more like a 2,000,000,000 candlepower searchlight. The ruling was a simple one: a transgender woman, Mia Macy, applied to work with the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. After a background check laid bare the details of her transition, she was informed that the position was “no longer available.’ The ATF later hired another, nontransgender person for the position. This is not the first ruling that works in our favor: the 1989 Price Waterhouse c. Hopkins added gender discrimination to the definition of “Sex” under Title VII. It also barred “sex stereotyping,” the requirement that employees match common stereotypes of their gender, such as women wearing skirts and heels to work. Price Waterhouse has been used in many cases for transgender people—but the Macy case comes with a greater visibility thanks in large part to the EEOCs decision. Further, while the EEOC has previously ruled to the contrary, the Commission has essentially overturned those decisions with the Macy ruling. The decision in Macy v. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives may finally turn the tide from Ulane v. Eastern Airlines in 1980. That case—a transsexual pilot who was terminated due to her transition—was also tried based on the Civil Rights
Act of 1964. She won, only to have the case overturned on appeal in 1985. This, coupled with other, similar cases, builds a growing library of case law for transgender workplace protections under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as well as the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. These, in turn, will likely lead to similar victories, and even more case law, largely cementing transgender protections under Title VII. It is, nevertheless, not perfect. It is just as likely that a later EEOC could make another 180-degree turn, perhaps under a future LGBT hostile administration. Or something else could come down the line, akin to recent attempts to allow “religious exemptions” for employers and others to legally discriminate. In short, this does not protect all as well as the passage of a fully inclusive ENDA would. That said, this is a moment to celebrate. It is another step forward toward preserving the rights of Americans regardless of their gender identity or expression. This is a decision beyond federal employees and federal contractors, and can affect us all. It can indeed lead to a sea of change in policies in companies all across the United States, and the ability to challenge those who refuse to provide equal rights to their transgender employees or applicants. It is good news for all of us. ■
Obama’s foreign policy failures and weak leadership on the world stage, my ability to speak clearly and forcefully on the issues has been greatly diminished by the hyperpartisan discussion of personal issues that sometimes comes from a presidential campaign. I want to thank Governor Romney for his belief in me and my abilities and his clear message to me that being openly gay was a non-issue for him and his team.” Grenell was a veteran Republican communications strategist when President George W. Bush, in 2001, appointed him as his Director of Communications and Public Diplomacy for the U.S. Permanent Representative to the U.N. Before coming to the U.N., Grenell served as a spokesman for several Republican officials: N.Y. Governor George Pataki, San Diego Mayor Susan Golding, Michigan Rep. Dave Camp, and South Carolina then-Rep. Mark Sanford before elected governor. As a
party loyalist, who has been on the Republican scene for decades, no one would have fathomed a party backlash against Grenell. “Romney picks out & loud gay as a spokesman. If personnel is policy, his message to the pro-family community: drop dead,” Bryan J. Fischer, Director of Issues Analysis for the American Family Association, and conservative radio talk show host tweeted. Contrary to Fischer’s beliefs Grenell, he is very much a family man. He and his partner have been together for nearly a decade. Fischer’s fears is that Grenell’s a proponent for marriage equality, but he’s only publicly critical of LGBTQ Democratic leaders’ and Obama’s lukewarm strategy toward winning it. For example, in a March 16 op-ed titled “Gay Dems excuse Obama’s failings for party invitations” in the Washington Blade, Grenell
Gwen Smith wants to thank the Transgender Law Center for their actions in the Macy case. You can find her on the web at GwenSmith.com
SPEAKING OUT
Romney’s Gay Fall Guy Grenell BY REV. IRENE MONROE The presumptive Republican presidential nominee, Mitt Romney, likes to play it safe. Romney avoids controversy, by any means necessary—even if he has to lie, flip-flop for, or somersault. When the news hit on the evening of April 19 that Richard Grenell, an openly gay Republican, was appointed to be Romney’s national security and foreign policy spokesman, anti-gay GOP criticism erupted. The elephant that sits neither quietly nor invisibly in the GOP’s room is that the Republican Party is just as gay as the Democratic Party—just more closeted. Grenell would have been the party’s first out presidential campaign spokesman, signaling PAGE 18 • MAY 11 – MAY 24, 2012
a shift in broadening its appeal to Republican moderates and LGBTQ voters. Instead, we witnessed the continued anti-gay stronghold of the GOP’s social conservatives. Less than a fortnight after his appointment to the campaign, Grenell abruptly resigned on May 1, embarrassing not only the Romney camp, but also the party’s growing anti-homophobic contingent. In a statement obtained by Right Turn, Jennifer Rubin’s commentary from a conservative perspective in The Washington Post, ����� Grenell stated: “I have decided to resign from the Romney campaign as the Foreign Policy and National Security Spokesman. While I welcomed the challenge to confront President
CONTINUED ON PAGE 23 BALTIMORE’S GAY LIFE NEWSPAPER
WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
VOLUME 34, NUMBER 9 • PAGE 19
PAGE 20 • MAY 11 – MAY 24, 2012
BALTIMORE’S GAY LIFE NEWSPAPER
outgoing Photo by Traver Rains Photography
E M A I L YOUR E V E NT INFO TO C ALENDAR @B ALT I MO R EGAY LI F E.CO M
SPOTLIGHT
BY DANIEL MCEVILY
Gold Rush Gala: Dress up and get down to music by The Moonlighters, grub, drink all firewater you can handle, and support the local arts. $50-60. 7pm. Single Carrot Theatre, 120 W. North Ave., SingleCarrot.com The Legwarmers: From the Simmons electronic drum kit to the checkered vans and skinny ties - the Legwarmers are the Eighties you remember. $17. 7pm. Rams Head Live, 20 Market Pl., RamsHeadLive.com
Sunday, May 20 Westminster PFLAG Monthly Meeting: Support group Q&A for parents of LGBT children. FREE. 5pm. St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, 17 Bond St., Westminster, PFLAGWCC.org
Monday, May 21
“I’m Hip!”: Matt Howe brings an eclectic mix of show tunes, standards and comedy songs. $10. 8pm. Black Fox Lounge, 1723 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC, MattHoweSings.com
PFLAG Howard County Parent Forum: Support group Q&A for parents of LGBT children. Meets on the third Monday of each month. FREE. 7:30-9pm. Owen Brown Interfaith Center, 7246 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, PFLAGMD.org
Wednesday, May 16
Tuesday, May 22
BINGO!: Come for happy hour, stay for Bingo. Cash prizes and progressive jackpot. Enjoy drink specials, appetizers, and raffles all night. Hosted by Roger Dimick. Proceeds benefit The GLCCB. 8:30pm. Club Hippo, 1 W. Eager St., 410.547.0018, ClubHippo.com
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: Thrilling premieres, new productions, and longtime favorites. $20-80. 7:30pm. Thru 5/23. The Lyric, 140 W. Mt. Royal Ave., LyricOperaHouse.com
Film Trivia Night Happy Hour: FREE. 5-8pm. Wind-Up Space, 12 West North Ave., TheWindupSpace.com
Rainbow Youth Alliance of Howard County: A support group for LGBTQ teens and allies. RYA is a safe place to ask questions, find mutual support, and learn information pertinent to their lives. FREE. Owen Brown Interfaith Center, 7246 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, 410.280.9047, rya_leaders@hotmail.com, PFLAGMD.org
Yappy Hour: Wine, cheese, and four-legged friends… as well as those on two. FREE. Camp Bow Wow, 7165 Oakland Mills Rd., Columbia, CampBowWow.com
RuPaul’s Drag Race Alum Headlines EQMD Drag Event
Transgender Issues Working Group: Meets every other Wednesday. Registration required. FREE. 7pm. Equality Maryland, 1201 S. Sharp St., Owen@ EqualityMaryland.org
Rainbow Youth Alliance of Baltimore County: A support group for group for LGBTQ teens and allies. FREE. 7:30-9:30pm. Towson Unitarian Universalist Church, 1710 Dulaney Valley Rd., Lutherville, RYABaltimoreCounty@gmail.com, PFLAGBaltimore.org
Carmen Carrera, from LOGO TV’s RuPaul’s Drag Race and RuPaul’s Drag U, will be appearing at Club Hippo on May 20 to perform and judge Equality Maryland’s “So You Think You Can Drag?” event. The event, modeled after popular competition style reality television shows like American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance?, is awarding $500 split between the best female and male performers. Interested participants (over 21) can register on EqualityMaryland.org. The competition will consist of talent, costume, and interview portions. Seated with Carerra on the judging panel will be local singer and activist Lea Gilmore, Mark McLaurin of SEIU 500, and Deputy Chief from the Mayor’s office, Kaliope Parthemos.
Murder on the Vine: A wine tasting turns into the site of a grizzly murder. Play armchair detective to solve whodunnit! $50. 6:30-9pm. The Manor Tavern, 15819 Old York Rd., Monkton, WhoDunnItForHire.com
PFLAG Baltimore County General Meeting: Support group Q&A for parents of LGBT children. FREE. 7pm. Towson Unitarian Universalist Church, 1710 Dulaney Valley Rd., Lutherville, PFLAGBaltimore.org
Event Info SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DRAG?
Sunday, May 20 • Doors 6pm (21+) $15-50 • Free for performers Tickets available via Equality Maryland: www.equalitymaryland.org/events/so-you-think-you-can-drag Club Hippo • 1 W. Eager St. • 410.576.0018 ClubHippo.com • EqualityMaryland.org
Thursday, May 17 Rainbows & Unicorns: (See article p.5) $10. 9pm-2am. PW’s Sports Bar, 9855 Washington Blvd N., Laurel, PWsSportsBar.com Family Weekend: FREE. Thru 5/19. Washington, DC, Contact Steve Majors, 202.664.0079, smajors@familyequality.org, FamilyEquality.org Speakers Series: J. Susan Isaacs discussing the life and work of Amalie Rothschild. FREE. 7pm. Maryland Art Place, 8 Market Pl., MDArtPlace.org State of the Re:Union Live featuring Al Letson: Stories of real people coming together to make their communities a better place. $10-20. 8pm. Thru 5/20. Theatre Project, 45 W. Preston St., TheatreProject.org
Friday, May 18 HIV Vaccine Awareness Day: BeTheGeneration.nih.gov
DATEBOOK BY RACHEL ROTH Friday, May 11 Who Killed Don Giovanni?: The Figaro Project unveils the truth of his tragic demise. $5-10. 7:30pm. Thru 5/12. Lucy & Vernon Wright Theater, 21 W. Mount Royal Ave., TheFigaroProject.com
Night of 1000 Dylans: Singer/songwriters celebrate Bob Dylan’s 71st birthday with an evening of his songs. $11-16. 7:30pm. The Patterson, 3134 Eastern Ave., CreativeAlliance.org Riotous Youth Presents Twelfth Night: Maryland Shakespeare Festival’s longstanding educational program for youth ages 10 through 18 presents a 1920s, jazzy take on the Bard’s romantic comedy of errors. $10. Thru 5/19. Cultural Arts Center, 15 W. Patrick St., Frederick, MDShakes.org
Parents of Transgender Kids Support Group: Support Group and Q&A for parents of Transgender kids. Meets on the 4th Tuesday of every month. FREE. 7:30-9pm. Owen Brown Interfaith Center, 7246 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, cvhyde@gmail.com, PFLAGBaltimore.org
Wednesday, May 23 “The Adventures of Buckskin Jack: The Legend of the Fully Grooved Axe”: The long-awaited Baltimore premier of the locally produced original musical comedy is here. The film tells the story of the Robin Hood of the American Colonies. Benefit the homeless shelter Project Plase. 7pm. Charles Theater, 1711 N. Charles St., BuckskinJack.com Baltimore NOW: Re-activated National Organization of Women chapter invites all to 2nd meeting. Discussion items include NOW Convention, ERA, Marriage Equality, and Reproductive Rights. Refreshments and handouts. 6:30pm. The GLCCB, 241 W. Chase St., 702.655.2146, harmonylouise3@gmail.com BINGO!: Come for happy hour, stay for Bingo. Cash prizes and progressive jackpot. Enjoy drink specials, appetizers, and raffles all night. Hosted by Roger Dimick. Proceeds benefit The GLCCB. 8:30pm. Club Hippo, 1 W. Eager St., 410.547.0018, ClubHippo.com
Thursday, May 24 DC Black Pride: Through May 27. Washington, DC. DCBlackPride.org Are You Ready for Marriage?: Join Shelly Webb and Jen Lloyd, Imago Educators and partners of 14 years for an evening of fun, helpful, skills-based relationship training. FREE. 6:30-8:30pm. The GLCCB, 241 W. Chase St., GLCCB.org
Ruined: The story of Mama Nadi, a shrewd businesswoman in a land torn apart by civil war. $10-17. Thru 6/3. Fells Point Corner Theatre, 251 S. Ann St., FPCT.org
You Can’t Take It With You: Opening night of George S. Kaufman & Moss Hart’s madcap comedy classic. $45. 8pm. Thru 6/17. Everyman Theatre, 1727 N Charles St., EverymanTheatre.org
Saturday, May 12
Saturday, May 19
Baltimore Frontrunners: Running/walking club for LGBT individuals and friends. Assemble 8:45am, run 9am. Reassemble for brunch 10am. Panera Bread, 3600 Boston St., BaltimoreFrontrunners.org
Capital TransPride: The annual celebration of the transgender community, supporters, and allies. Westminster Presbyterian Church, 400 St. SW, Washington, DC, CapitalPride.org/transpride
ApocoLez NOW!: Join the Charm City Kitty Club as a Super Lez from another galaxy reveals women’s fullest potential! $10-15. 8pm. The Patterson, 3134 Eastern Ave., CreativeAlliance.org
Half Marathon &Relay to benefit House of Ruth: MAC celebrates Mother’s Day with its 8th annual half marathon and two-person relay to benefit The House of Ruth. 8am. NCR Trail, 1042 Freeland Rd., Freeland, MACWellness.com
Young Frankenstein: The classic Mel Brooks movie is ALIVE. $45-65. 3pm. Thru 5/13. The Lyric, 140 W Mount Royal Ave., LyricOperaHouse.com
It’s Simple and All True: Conversation, food, music, spirits, and art. A selection of drawings from Sidney Pink’s new series will be on exhibition and the William Goffigan Jazz Trio performs. 2-10pm. 1336 West 41st St., SidneyPink.com
Balt. School for the Arts Senior Exhibition: The strongest work is selected from each senior’s jury, and tends to be experimental, personal and conceptual in nature and demonstrates the high level of achievement seniors’ attain before moving on to college. FREE. 4pm. Baltimore School for the Arts, Zamoiski Barber Segal Gallery, 712 Cathedral St., BSFA.org
Baltimore Men’s Chorus presents Time & Elements: Sometimes campy, sometimes crazy, heartfelt, and poignant, Baltimore’s oldest gay chorus brings songs about primal forces. Post-show performance with Amy Willis in the Marquee Lounge. $1015. 8pm. The Patterson, 3134 Eastern Ave., CreativeAlliance.org
Wine Tasting: Get your weekend started off right with complimentary tastings of wines from around the world. Discounts on bottles included in tastings. FREE. 5-8pm. Fridays. Spirits of Mt. Vernon, 900 N. Charles St., 410.727.7270, SpiritsOfMtVernon.com
Dar Williams w. The Milk Carton Kids: Fans of folk music can’t miss these performers. $35. 6 & 9pm. Rams Head On Stage, 33 West St., Annapolis, RamsHeadOnStage.com “The Consistency of Motion”: Check out Kelley Walker’s new solo art show while enjoying free food and wine! FREE. 7-11pm. Silo Point, 1200 Steuart St. WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
Harford Rainbow Society Dinner: Join the Harford Rainbow Society for an Italian dinner. 6pm. Sapore Di Mare, 504 Joppa Farm Rd., Joppa, HardfordRainbow@ gmail.com
Friday, May 25 LGBT Muslim Retreat: Workshops, interactive sessions, salaat (prayer), creative writing, zikr (remembrance), art, reflections from the Quran and the Prophet’s life, poetry, song, and muraqabah (silent meditation). Thru 5/28. Philadelphia, PA. LGBTMuslimRetreat.com
VOLUME 34, NUMBER 9 • PAGE 21
afterhours BSCENE
SEE MORE ON BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
PLAY FOR THE FEAST BENEFIT FOR MOVEABLE FEAST AT SILO POINT ■ APRIL 21 PHOTOS BY JAY W
CHARM CITY VOLLEYBALL INVITATIONAL ■ APRIL 27 PHOTOS BY JOHN KARDYS
PAGE 22 • MAY 11 – MAY 24, 2012
BALTIMORE’S GAY LIFE NEWSPAPER
firstperson SPEAKING OUT
challenged LGBTQ leaders for not taking a no-holds-barred stance with Obama. “Last summer, President Obama reiterated his opposition to gay marriage in New York City one day before New York politicians passed marriage equality for their state...The president and his political advisers surely must have calculated the consequences for taking such a timely stand. And they must have decided there was more benefit to opposing gay marriage than supporting it.... There are Republicans and other Democrats more supportive of gay equality issues than Obama—and some just as tepid—so why are gay leaders putting all their trust into a man that isn’t performing?” Hard-nosed social conservatives, like Fischer, are worried about Grenell’s public endorsement of same-sex marriage—the very antithesis of Romney’s and Republican platforms. And with a right-wing organization like National Organization for Marriage (NOM) endorsing Romney, and whose key objective is courting black churches for their strategic 2012 election game plan to drive a wedge between LGBTQ voters and African
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American voters, Grenell can be perceived by some Republican homophobes as a potential and future flip-flopper. For example, in The National Review online, Matthew J. Franck wrote: “Suppose Barack Obama comes out—as Grenell wishes he would—in favor of same-sex marriage in his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention. How fast and how publicly will Richard Grenell decamp from Romney to Obama?” While the Romney camp attempted to do damage control concerning Grenell’s resignation, it did nothing in terms of a public statement supporting its appointment of Grenell during the political dust-up. During the two weeks of Grenell’s position in the post, Grenell was neither publicly put out to comment on national security matters nor was he used on press foreign policy conference calls. It has always been clear that Romney is neither a friend nor an ally to the LGBTQ community. But it is also evident that Romney is neither a friend nor ally to those LGBTQ Republicans who would work on his behalf to get him elected. ■
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VOLUME 34, NUMBER 9 • PAGE 23