SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1979
MARYLAND’S LGBT COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER APRIL 15 - APRIL 28, 2011 VOLUME XXXIII, NUMBER 7 WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
SPRING
HOLIDAY
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19th Annual Lotta Art Benefit at Silo Point Miss Gay Maryland Events Kick Off at Club Hippo Warm Weather Sports & Rec
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School 33 Art Center’s
19th Annual
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Sat., April 23 Silo Point
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Continuous Cocktail Buffet & Art Viewing begins at 6:00pm Drawing begins at 7:30pm After Party: Sky Lounge, 9pm Lotta Art features juried art from more than 130 artists who have generously donated their work to benefit School 33 Art Center. Each art ticket holder is guaranteed to go home with a work of art in this lottery-style drawing. Supporting Sponsors:
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Media Sponsors:
1200 Steuart Street Baltimore, MD 21230 BUY TICKETS ONLINE @
www.School33.org 443-263-4350
Presented by:
Produced by:
In-Kind Sponsors:
Special thanks to:
BALTIMORE GAYLIFE
4/13/11 8:18 PM
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VOLUME 33, NUMBER 7 PAGE 3
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ter
CONTENTS
letter editor’s
APRIL 15 - APRIL 28, 2011 VOLUME 33, NUMBER 7
I
did not have an especially religious upbringing. My family celebrated Easter this time every year, first with painted eggs and eventually with family dinners at the adults’ table (admittedly clad too often in pastels). But I seldom went to church, either on Easter Sunday or throughout the year. My relationship with organized religion went through stages, but because I was not forced into a pew every Sunday, I did not feel the need to rebel against religious orthodoxy. In fact, I’ve often found church peaceful, and I have a special appreciation for the Latin lyrics of Catholic choirs and their haunting cathedral acoustics. As I began to realize how some religions institutions reject gays and lesbians and discriminate against women, I felt increasingly uneasy about organized religion. Many major religions profess to be based on compassion, while hypocritically favoring tradition over empathy. I found the condemnation of homosexuality irreconcilable with any understanding of compassion. But I didn’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater, to reject all the good that religion has to offer. After all, human beings have turned to religion for answers to age-old questions that science and philosophy have not convincingly solved. The insight and peace that many reap from prayer, reflection, and even worship should be enjoyed by anyone searching for meaning in a world that appears increasingly awry. Today, I still do not attend church services, nor do I have any simple answer when asked about my religious beliefs. But the hostility I once felt toward religion has been assuaged over time through understanding and patience. While religious beliefs are very personal, entire communities can grow out of sacred worship. Religious affiliation was (and often still is) determined by family and locale. But today, in this country, we can choose religious demoninations based on the beliefs, doctrines, and the communities they involve. Fortunately, there are many churches right here in Baltimore that embrace lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. Some even embrace LGBT clergy and followers with equal warmth. This issue of Gay Life highlights some of these places of worship, just in time for spring holidays. Whether you celebrate Passover, or Easter, or some other spirit of spring, I hope you find affirmation and support in whatever path you choose.
14 FEATURE STORY PAGE 13:
Welcoming Communities Celebrate Easter, Passover, and Spring Magick. By Terri Solomon
Out Front PAGE 5 SPORTS: Join local softball, volleyball, and square dancing groups this spring. By Kristi Metzger PAGE 6 AWARDS: Baltimore Pride wins Best Gay Event in Maryland. By Maggie Beetz PAGE 7 CONTEST: Club Hippo hosts Miss Gay Maryland competitions. By Della Mosley PAGE 8 ART: Lotta Art Benefit features cocktail buffet and work by local artists. By Kelly D. McClain
PAGE 9 BOOKS: Nina Revoyr’s “Wingshooters” aims high, hits the mark. By Terri Solomon
Rapper Cazwell Photo by Marco Ovando
VISIT US ONLINE AT BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
PAGE 10 NATIONAL NEWS: By Rex Wockner with Bill Kelley
Out Going PAGE 14: SPOTLIGHT: Holly Hughes comes to GLCCB PAGE 14: DATEBOOK: Calendar of Events
First Person PAGE 15 OP ED: Institute of Medicine releases first ever report on LGBT Health. By Gary Wolnitzek
After Hours PAGE 19 LEATHER TALES: CLAP Weekend Wrap-Up PAGE 19 HUNTER ON THE PROWL By Mark Hunter
Gay Life is a publication of the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Baltimore. Gay Life is published every other Friday in Baltimore, Maryland, with distribution throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Copyright 2011. All Rights Reserved. Gay Life is copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the publisher. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of Gay Life or its publisher.
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STAFF
Maggie Beetz, Editor 241 W. Chase Street, Baltimore, MD 21201 Phone: 410.837.7748 • Fax: 410.837.8889 Email: sales@baltimoregaylife.com
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Headline News PAGE 12 INTERNATIONAL NEWS: By Rex Wockner with Bill Kelley
PAGE 8 MUSIC: Rapper Cazwell on Amanda Lepore, ice cream, and getting his money back. By Mikey Rox
ON THE COVER
PAGE 9 SOCIETY: Moveable Feast fundraisers lead up to main event. By Elizabeth Kenderdine
Maggie Beetz Editor editor@baltimoregaylife.com
Advertising Sales sales@baltimoregaylife.com 410-837-7748
Michael Nguyen Art Director art@baltimoregaylife.com
National Advertising Rep. Rivendell Media 212-242-6863
Marty Shayt Volunteer
Kelly D. McClain Intern
Contributors Ryan Davis, Mark Hunter, Bill Kelley, Elizabeth Kenderdine, Sir Andy Liu, Kristi Metzger, Rev. Irene Monroe, Della Mosley, Mikey Rox, Marty Shayt, Terri Solomon, Rex Wockner, Gary Wolnitzek Photography John Kardys Photography
Newspaper Committee: Trevor Ankeny, Kelly D. McClain, Doug Rose, Craig Wiley
BALTIMORE GAYLIFE
4/13/11 8:19 PM
outfront SPORTS
Spring Sports Warm Up in Maryland W BY KRISTI MEZTER
hether you prefer to hit old man winter out of the park with a little softball or maybe dance those winter blues away, area organizations serve up plenty of opportunities to get out and play this spring. Softball
The Chesapeake and Potomac Softball League (CAPS) has been around for 28 years and provides a friendly place for LGBT people in the Baltimore/ Washington metro area to play, learn and enhance softball skills, and meet new people. Registration is $50 until April 30 and $75 after May 1. Club Hippo and PW’s Sports Bar both sponsor local teams. To join Team Hippo contact Coach Ryan Box at ryanbox@yahoo.com or 443.831.1240. To join PW’s Inferno contact Coach Ed Maginnis at ed.maginnis@gmail.com or 301.785.0139. For more information on D.C. Teams, women’s teams, or other questions call 202.543.0236, visit CAPSSoftball.org or email caps@edowling.com.
WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
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Volleyball
If setting, bumping, and spiking is more your thing the 26th Annual Charm City Volleyball Invitational takes place April 29 through May 1 this year. Charm City Volleyball is excited to offer AA, A, BB, and B divisions. Pool Play will consist of four matches of two games each for all divisions. Double elimination begins on Sunday, April 30. Trophies will be presented to Gold, Silver, and Bronze finishers as well as All Stars and MVPs. The tournament takes place at the Volleyball House, 5635 Furnace Ave., Elkridge, MD 21075. The team fee for a team of 7 is $450. Extra players are an additional $35 per player. The host hotel for the event is the Sheraton City Center for $109/night. For more information or to register visit VolleyBaltimore.org.
Square Dancing Join the Chesapeake Squares April 29 through May 1 for Pass the Ocean, Hon! the 25th Annual “Fly-In” at the Convention Center in Rehoboth Beach, Del. Dance levels will be Mainstream through Challenge 2, including some “Take No Prisoners.” Introductory “Open Houses” are always free to everyone. Registration is $95.
Want to bring along your non-dancing partner? The “Dance Widow” fee is only $15 and gives access to all PTOH events with the exception of Mainstream and higher dancing levels. Other great non-dancing activities include Sunday brunch, door prize raffle, Chinese auction, and the 50/50 raffle. The Breakers Hotel and Suites is the recommended hotel with rates starting at $89 per night. For reservations call 1.800.441.8009. Remember to ask for the Chesapeake Squares reserved block of rooms. For more information or to register visit ChesapeakeSquares.org. n
VOLUME 33, NUMBER 7 PAGE 5
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outfront AWARDS
Baltimore Pride Wins Best of Gay Md. Award BY MAGGIE BEETZ
Baltimore Pride Festival won the R-Group’s Best of Gay Maryland Award for Best LGBT Event of the Year. Also known as the aRGgies, the awards were announced on March 31 via a live Internet radio broadcast hosted by Kevin Walling, National Field Director of No Labels, and Ted Hart, founder of the R-Group, Maryland’s largest gay and lesbian social group. “There are so many people who work hard every year to improve the quality of life for all gay Marylanders, this is why we celebrate them with the aRGies,” said Hart to Gay Life. A record total of 2,407 votes were cast this year. Baltimore Pride has been a staple of the Baltimore gay community since its inception. From small beginnings— about 20 people attended the 1976 rally at Mt. Vernon’s Washington
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Monument—Baltimore Pride has grown into a series of events that lead up to a weekend-long celebration with an estimated 30,000 attendees. Why has Baltimore Pride enjoyed such success? “I think because after so many years it has become ingrained into peoples’ consciousness and is something to look forward to, and plan for, every year. Almost like a holiday,” said Craig Wiley, executive director of the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Baltimore. Other aRGgie Award winners for 2011 include: Grand Central Station (bar); Mt. Vernon Stable (restaurant); Mt. Vernon Fitness (gym); Shawnna Alexander (drag personality); Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler (straight ally); Ron Zimmerman Realty (business or nonprofit); Alex Funk (DJ); Baltimore OutLoud (publication); Baltimore OutLoud Editor Steve Charing (person of the year). n DETAILS: Baltimore Pride 2011, June 17-19. BaltimorePride.org.
BALTIMORE GAYLIFE
4/13/11 8:19 PM
outfront Photo by John Kardys
CONTESTS Miss Gay Md 2009 Sue Nami
Miss Gay Maryland Kicks off at Club Hippo BY DELLA MOSLEY
Pageantry is not just alive and well, it’s taking over Baltimore: Miss Gay Maryland America 2011 kicks off this weekend with three nights of dresses, dancing, and decadence at Club Hippo.
DETAILS: Miss Gay Maryland Review Show, Saturday, April 16, 9:30pm, no cover. Miss Gay Maryland America 2011 Preliminary Night, Sunday, April 17, 7pm, $12. Miss Gay Maryland America 2011 Final Night, Monday, April 18, 8pm. $12. Club Hippo, 1 W. Eager St. ClubHippo.com.
WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
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Catia Lee Love, Nicole DuBois, and CoCo Montrese.
Miss Gay Maryland America is a preliminary competition to Miss Gay America 2012. The winner of this weekend’s competition will advance to compete in the finals in Columbus, Ohio this October.
“What I like most about these pageants is witnessing the networking and meeting folks in the community who give back,” said Frank Simpson, a newcomer to Baltimore but long time drag show fan. “While it is a great chance to party, honoring these individuals’ dedication to the community is what it’s really about.”
L&T Entertainment sponsors the Miss Gay America pageant, whose motto is “where the boys are boys and female impersonation is an art.”
The preliminary rounds of the pageant begin Sunday, April 17. The eleven contestants will be judged on their solo talent, evening gown, and group talent.
The festivities begin Saturday, April 16 at 9:30 p.m. with a review show in the Hippo Video Bar. Miss Gay America 2011 Coti Collins will perform and New York’s DJ Drew G will be spinning. Additional guests include three former Miss Gay America winners
Salisbury resident Corey Passwaters has attended previous Miss Gay Maryland pageants, but this year’s contest holds special significance: “I am looking forward to supporting a couple of my friends this year that vie for the title as well as hanging out with friends
I haven’t seen in a while.” Monday April 18 is the big show during which Miss Gay Maryland America 2011 will ultimately be crowned. With the theme “Putting on the Ritz” the host, former Miss Gay America Nicole DuBois, will pull out all the stops. Scheduled performers include Miss Gay America 2011 Coti Collins, Miss Gay Maryland 2010 Onyx Revlon, and former Miss Gay Americas CoCo Montrese and Catia Lee Love. “I love to watch everyone perform,” said Sherry Billings, who fell in love with these shows after attending Michael Burke’s AIDS benefit ‘Men in Heels’ several years ago. “They look absolutely beautiful and the outfits are amazing. They just really seem to love performing and it shows. It makes the event that much better.” n
VOLUME 33, NUMBER 7 PAGE 7
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outfront ART
MUSIC Photo courtesy Big Machine Media
Ticketholders Take Home Favorite Works from Lotta Art Benefit BY KELLY D. MCCLAIN
Lesbian painter Kelly Walker is a self-taught artist who has been producing work for the past 16 years. “I entered the world of fine art after learning how to manipulate paint mediums as a decorative, faux painter,” said Walker, 35, who landed by chance in Baltimore. “I am completely inspired by the many layers of Baltimore’s artists and surroundings and events and energy.” Walker is one of 120 Baltimore area artists whose work is included at the 19th annual Lotta Art Benefit at Silo Point on April 23. School 33 Art Center, a renowned Baltimore arts institution, hosts the event to raise funds for the support and growth of School 33, including its exhibitions, studio space, and arts education. “Programs like Lotta Art offer a way for artists and the Baltimore community to help keep local art programs alive,” said Paul Frey, a 46-year-old self-taught artist of digital painting, comic-oriented art, and 3D modeling. An information systems developer and Woodberry resident, Frey became involved with the benefit through his partner, School 33’s
exhibitions coordinator. From now until the night of the benefit, visitors can browse through 157 pieces of sculpture, jewelry, photography, print-work, paintings, and fiber-work currently on display. During the benefit, every piece in the exhibition will be given away to an Art Ticketholder. As each ticket number is called randomly, participants can take home their favorite work. “It was very exciting to see someone choose my art during the art lottery,” said Frey who donated art last year. The benefit has been held at Silo Point for the past three years. New this year will be an after party in the Silo Point Lounge. “Come and share a great celebration of art and artists who live in the Baltimore area,” said Randi Vega, director of Cultural Affairs for School 33. “It will give you an opportunity to get to know each artist and their work.” n DETAILS: Lotta Art Benefit, April 23, 6pm. $50175. Silo Point, 1200 Steuart Street. School33.org.
Gay Rapper Cazwell
Cazwell Turns Up the Heat to Break Your Spring Fever Rapper’s new video follows familiar format—and it’s a scorcher BY MIKEY ROX
I
f you were gay with an Internet connection last summer, you remember Cazwell’s sticky-sweet musical treat. How could you not? “Ice Cream Truck,” the gay rapper’s breakout music video, had all the makings of an instant warm-weather hit: an easy beat; splashes of color; and about a dozen sun-kissed cuties who stripped down, stood around and sucked on Popsicles. Just in time for spring, Caz returns with a new video for his latest single “Get My Money Back,” and it follows a familiar format. Sure, the Good Humor truck is replaced with a poker table and the frozen phalluses with ripe bananas, but the boys are still servin’ up a spoonful of sugar. Because, as Caz will show you, it makes more than just the medicine go down. MIKEY ROX: I love when I Wikipedia a celebrity and it tells me what they’re “best known” for. Did you know that you’re famous for your explicit lyrics and collaborations with Amanda Lepore? You OK with that?
Kelly Walker’s paintings are “heavily textured multi-layered but refined abstract landscapes, and horizons.”
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Paul Frey creates “only on the sidelines” and is inspired by comic artists Alex Ross, Jim Lee, and Adam Hughes.
CAZWELL: Yeah, but that Wikipedia probably needs to be updated. [Laughs] I most like being known for the actual singles and videos I drop. I’m sure that will happen in time.
MR: Amanda’s been on the scene for a while. I recently saw a clip of her on “The Joan Rivers Show” with the rest of the Club Kids from the early 1990s. You were just a baby gay rapper then. How did you two connect? CAZ: She asked me to perform for her birthday a few years ago. At the end of the night, I saw her sitting pretty, holding a glass of champagne. I thought she looked so glamorous. I never saw anyone look so perfect holding a glass of champagne. So I went home and wrote “Champagne” for her that night. MR: Do you consider her your muse? CAZ: Yes, and one of my best friends. She’s a very positive person and so humble. I’ve learned a lot from being her friend. I’m very protective of her.
Continued on page 18
BALTIMORE GAYLIFE
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t r
“Wingshooters” Aims High, Hits the Mark
SOCIETY Photo by Leslie Barton
BOOKS Author Nina Revoyr
BY ELIZABETH KENDERDINE
In the next few weeks, several cleverly named teams are hosting fundraisers leading up to the Ride for the Feast.
BY TERRI SOLOMON
Michelle LeBeau, the nine-yearold daughter of an American father and a Japanese mother, stands out in insular Deerhorn, Wis. in 1974. When she is left with her paternal grandparents, Michelle encounters hostility and physical violence from the town’s residents, who regard her as an unwelcome interloper. Michelle’s greatest supporter becomes her grandfather, Charlie, a man widely respected for his skill with guns, people, and baseball. Charlie’s also a bigot, and this complexity of character shapes his relationship with his granddaughter, fondly nicknamed Mikey. “It was my grandfather, the rural, prejudiced white man, the father who refused to embrace his son’s wife, who taught me how to survive as a child of color in America,” says a mature Michelle, reflecting back on Charlie’s lessons in self-defense. But Charlie can’t protect Michelle or Deerhorn from the arrival of the Garretts, an educated black couple from the big city of Chicago. While this precocious narrator realizes there is nothing threatening in either Mr. Garrett, a teacher, or Mrs. Garrett, a nurse, Charlie and his friends find their limited life perspective challenged. Read Nina Revoyr’s “Wingshooters” for its memorable, empathetic protagonist
WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
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Ride for the Feast Teams Raise Fun(ds) and Awareness
Join Team Diet Tribe at Sidebar Tavern for The City That Feeds on Friday, April 15. Featured that evening are the Motorettes, the Matrimonials, and Jacob Panic, along with DJ King Gilbert and DJ Action Pat.
and elegant descriptions of simple pleasures—hitting a baseball, watching a flock of Canada Geese, and riding a bike on a two-lane country road. Lambda Literary Award winner Nina Revoyr reads from “Wingshooters” at the Enoch Pratt Free Library, Central Branch, 400 Cathedral St., on Wednesday, April 20, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. Don’t miss her only Baltimore appearance! Revoyr will be joined by Kevin Holohan, who will read from his comic satire, “The Brothers’ Lot,” and film music composer/former Shudder to Think guitarist Nathan Larson, who will read from his first novel, “The Dewey Decimal System.” n DETAILS: Wingshooters, by Nina Revoyr, Akashic Books, March 2011, Trade Paperback Original, $15.95, ISBN-13: 9781936070718.
On Saturday, April 16, from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., join the Shirley Temples for Play for the Feast. This event at the Game Room at Silo Point will be an evening of fun and games including black jack, poker, foosball, a silent auction, and a 50/50 raffle. Spring is the time of year for garage sales, and Ride for the Feast’s team, Fierce Chicks Rock, is sure to have some great finds. Visit 329 E. 31st Street in Baltimore, near the Waverly Farmers Market on April 23 from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. to support the Fierce
Chicks in their fundraising goal. For the 9th spring in a row, Ride for the Feast is gearing up to take place on May 14-15. This two-day, 140mile bike ride is one of the biggest fundraisers for Movable Feast, a Maryland organization that delivers nutritious meals to homebound patients with HIV/AIDS and breast cancer. The ride begins in Ocean City and ends in Baltimore City. The 140-mile distance represents how far a Movable Feast driver has to go to reach the farthest client. n DETAILS: The City That Feeds, April 15, 8pm, Sidebar Tavern, 218 E. Lexington St. $10, SidebarTavern.com. Play for the Feast, April 16, 8pm, Silo Point, 1200 Steuart St. $15, http://bit.ly/eCafCg. Fierce Chicks Rock Garage Sale, April 23, 8am, 329 E. 31st St. http://bit.ly/fXrhnL. RideForTheFeast.org
Jeffery A. Klug, LCPC Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor 2 Village Square, Suite 211, Baltimore, MD 21210 410 241 4215 JeffKlugCounseling.com
VOLUME 33, NUMBER 7 PAGE 9
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headlinenews F
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Photo by Rex Wockner
C
A
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D Anti-Prop-8 March
NATIONAL
Prop 8: Back to the ballot in 2012? Equality California on April 4 launched a campaign to gauge community support for heading back to the ballot in 2012 to try to undo Proposition 8. Approved by voters in November 2008, Prop 8 amended the state constitution to re-ban same-sex marriage, which had been legal for 4 1/2 months. EQCA said the ongoing federal lawsuit against Prop 8 “could take years to resolve” and so it wants to know what the “community” wants to do.
A
In a case brought by the American Foundation for Equal Rights, represented by famous attorneys Ted Olson and David Boies, a federal district court struck down Prop 8 last summer and issued an injunction barring its further enforcement. However, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals suspended the injunction, and the people who had put Prop 8 on the ballot appealed District Judge Vaughn Walker’s decision. Then a new question emerged: whether ballot-measure sponsors have legal “standing” to appeal a federal court’s strikedown of a state ballot measure. None of the people who were sued in the case -- including California’s previous and current governors and attorneys general -- had or has any interest in defending Prop 8. They consider it to be unconstitutional. The 9th Circuit eventually decided it was unwilling to answer the “standing” question on its own and, in February, officially queried the California Supreme Court on whether ballot-measure proponents have any right under state law to defend their measures when they are struck down. The California Supreme Court has said it will not hear oral arguments on the question sent to it by the 9th Circuit until September at the soonest. “Because legal experts are advising that the Proposition 8 federal challenge could take years to resolve, Equality California is launching a community engagement initiative to start a discussion on whether to return to the ballot in 2012 to repeal the marriage ban or whether to wait for a final decision by the courts,” the group said. “Before making any recommendation, Equality California will survey its membership, hold 10 town halls across the state and an online town hall, conduct a poll of likely 2012 voters, consult with political experts, coalition partners and engage with its members and the LGBT community. Equality California will announce results of polling and analysis by Labor Day.” EQCA Interim Executive Director Jim Carroll said: “We were truly optimistic that the court case to overturn Prop 8 would restore marriage equality by the end of 2010 or early this year, making a ballot measure unnecessary. Despite the amazing work of the dedicated lawyers leading this effort, there is no guarantee how or when the courts will ultimately rule. As a community, we will figure out together whether we wait until the courts rule or whether we repeal Prop 8 at the ballot box.” Town hall meetings are scheduled for May 19 in San Francisco, May 25 in West Hollywood and June 2 in San Diego.
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ENDA to be Introduced Again
Montana Gay-Sex Ban Lives On
Gay U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., said March 30 that he plans to reintroduce the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. It would ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in workplaces that have 15 or more employees. Similar laws exist in 21 states and Washington, D.C., for sexual orientation and in 13 states and D.C. for gender identity. Given that last year’s elections handed control of the House to the Republican Party, the bill’s chances of passage are considered slim.
Montana’s House of Representatives on March 29 failed to muster enough votes to force out of committee a bill that would have decriminalized gay sex by redefining “deviate sexual relations.” The committee had refused to act on the bill, which already had passed the full Senate. The state Supreme Court struck down the deviate-sexualconduct law in 1997, saying, “Having concluded that (the law) constitutes a governmental intrusion into Respondents’ right to privacy, guaranteed by Article II, Section 10 of Montana’s Constitution, and finding no compelling state interest for such an intrusion, we hold that (the law) is unconstitutional as applied to Respondents and other consenting adults engaging in private, same-gender, non-commercial, sexual conduct.” Later, in 2003, the U.S. Supreme Court effectively struck down all gay sex bans remaining in the U.S. Opponents of repealing the Montana law claimed it still could be useful in situations that involve gay sex that is nonconsensual, incestuous, in public, with minors, or for pay.
B
DOMA Enforcement in GreenCard Cases Halted, Restarted
C
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on March 28 said it had temporarily suspended enforcement of the Defense of Marriage Act as it applies to U.S. citizens’ foreign same-sex spouses. Then, two days later, the agency said the suspension was over and that it would continue to enforce DOMA against foreigners who seek a green card based on their legal marriage to an American of the same-sex. Opposite-sex foreign spouses of U.S. citizens ordinarily qualify automatically for a green card, but DOMA prohibits the federal government from recognizing any married same-sex couples, including binational ones, as actually married. The brief suspension followed the recent decision by the Justice Department and President Barack Obama to stop defending in court the portion of DOMA that prohibits the federal government from recognizing U.S. states’ same-sex marriages.
Indiana Aims to Ban Same-Sex Marriage in Constitution Indiana’s Senate voted 40-10 on March 29 to send voters a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage and civil unions. The measure previously passed the House of Representatives, but would need to pass both chambers again before it could appear on the ballot in three years’ time. Indiana law already bans gay couples from marrying, but some legislators want to create a stronger ban that would be harder to undo.
D
E
Washington to Recognize Outof-State Same-Sex Marriages Washington has joined the list of states that, while they do not allow same-sex marriage themselves, recognize same-sex marriages that take place in other states and countries. A bill making the change cleared the Legislature on March 30 and headed to Gov. Chris Gregoire for her expected signature. Unlike some other states, however, Washington will recognize same-sex marriages only as domestic partnerships. The state’s domesticpartnership law grants all the state-level rights and obligations of marriage.
F
“While we are pleased with the actions taken by the Legislature today, passage of HB 1649 does not provide LGBT families with legal equality or the dignity they deserve,” said Equal Rights Washington Executive Director Joshua Friedes. NATIONAL NEWS PROVIDED BY REX WOCKNER WITH BILL KELLEY Find complete Headline News at BaltimoreGayLife.com. BALTIMORE GAYLIFE
4/13/11 8:19 PM
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VOLUME 33, NUMBER 7 PAGE 11
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headlinenews Photo by John Hein/ScotsGay
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It was 10 years ago April 1 that the Netherlands became the first nation in the world to let same-sex couples marry, and four couples tied the knot at midnight in the Amsterdam City Council chambers. From left: Gert Kasteel and Dolf Pasker, Helene Faasen and Anne-Marie Thus, Ton Jansen and Louis Rogmans, and Peter Wittebrood-Lemke and Frank Wittebrood.
INTERNATIONAL
10 Years of Same-Sex Marriage in the Netherlands It was 10 years ago April 1 that the Netherlands became the first nation in the world to let same-sex couples marry. Now same-sex marriage is legal in 12 nations, including in five U.S. states and the District of Columbia, and the Netherlands has seen nearly 15,000 same-sex marriages.
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This reporter was present for the first Dutch gay weddings on April 1, 2001, and wrote: “Amid an international media frenzy, the weddings took place at City Hall as the law became effective at the stroke of midnight. Mayor Job Cohen officiated. As Cohen finished his opening remarks at 11:58 p.m., the audience in the City Council chambers began syncopated clapping as they waited for the room’s clock to click over to 12:00. When it clicked, cheers erupted. Cohen read the marriage vows once for each couple and they individually responded, ‘Yes.’ Each couple shook hands, kissed and signed documents which were then signed by the mayor. A reception followed in the City Council foyer and the couples departed in four brightly colored Volkswagen Beetles for a party at a gay club.” In the intervening 10 years, 14,813 of the Netherlands’ 55,000 gay couples have gotten married, according to Statistics Netherlands. Of those couples, 7,522 were female and 7,291 were male. There have been 1,078 same-sex divorces, 734 of them by female couples.
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PAGE 12 • APRIL 15 - APRIL 28, 2011
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Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill Reportedly Dropped Uganda’s Parliament reportedly has dropped consideration of the notorious Anti-Homosexuality Bill that has been pending since 2009. The measure would imprison for life anyone convicted of “the offense of homosexuality,” punish “aggravated homosexuality” (repeat offenses, or having gay sex while being HIV-positive) with the death penalty, forbid “promotion of homosexuality” and incarcerate gay-rights defenders, and jail individuals in positions of authority for up to three years if they fail to report within 24 hours the existence of all LGBT people or sympathizers known to them. Ugandan LGBT activists are not relaxing, however, because in announcing that the bill is being abandoned, a government spokesman added that “most” of the same provisions are contained in another active bill, the Sexual Offenses Bill. No details were provided.
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IGLHRC: LGBT Haitians Ignored in Quake Recovery Efforts According to a report issued March 28 by the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission and Haiti’s SEROvie, “violence and discrimination against (Haitian) LGBT people has increased since the January 2010 earthquake” and their needs during the recovery period have been “completely ignored.”
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“U.N. agencies, private organizations, and governments must recognize the horrible impact of the Haiti disaster on LGBT people,” said Cary Alan Johnson, IGLHRC’s executive director. “While the needs of some marginalized groups are at least acknowledged, LGBT people are completely ignored.” The findings detailed in the IGLRHC/SEROvie briefing
paper are based on more than 50 interviews the groups conducted with LGBT people and representatives of relief organizations, the United Nations and diplomatic missions. For the full document, see tinyurl.com/iglhrchaiti.
ILGA-Europe Launches Major Documentation Project ILGA-Europe — the European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association — has launched a large-scale project to document the advance of LGBT rights and related social changes across the continent. “Rainbow Europe: ILGA-Europe Annual Report on the Situation for LGBTI People in Europe” will appear on the group’s website at the beginning of next year.
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The project will track legislation and policy, statements by politicians and other prominent or influential individuals, law-enforcement activity, court activity, research and polls, LGBTI-movement developments, and other areas. It also will follow all LGBTI-related developments at the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the European Union and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. “For European decision makers, politicians, media, researchers and students this will be an ‘all in one’ annual document providing them with an overview of the situation across Europe,” said Communications Manager Juris Lavrikovs. “We believe this will be a valuable tool to advocacy work on the national level as the advocates at the national level will be able to compare their countries, to measure their national situation and developments to established European standards and consequently build stronger claims and arguments.” The project will rely, in part, on information provided by activists on the ground. Information can be submitted to rainboweurope@ilga-europe.org.
NATIONAL NEWS PROVIDED BY REX WOCKNER WITH BILL KELLEY Find complete Headline News at BaltimoreGayLife.com.
BALTIMORE GAYLIFE
4/13/11 8:19 PM
Photos courtesy First & Franklin Street Presbyterian Church
feel “ostracized, marginalized, oppressed, or discriminated against,” according to Novick. “There’s a human quality which cuts across all races, ethnicities and cultures that is part of the quest to be free and to want to live in dignity.”
Coloring outside the lines at First Unitarian Church
LGBT Community Celebrates the High Holidays of Spring
EASTER, PASSOVER, AND SPRING MAGICK GIVE BELIEVERS HOPE AND SUPPORT By Terri Solomon
“When we think of the blood spilled by Jesus, I can only tie that to the blood of Oscar Romero, the blood of the Stonewall uprising, or the blood of Harvey Milk,” Olson said. He went on to connect Jesus’ struggle to transform the status quo with the current struggles faced by the LGBT community: “Being queer is countercultural and we do it and hope that doing it well is going to encourage everyone else told to color within the lines to disobey and color differently. We can be an army of people connected to each other and struggling for peace.”
Jewish past and present merge at Bolton Street Synagogue As Passover approaches, members of Bolton Street Synagogue, “an open Jewish community, rooted in tradition,” prepare to celebrate this holiday focused on freedom and unity. Long-time member Abe Novick was attracted to Bolton Street because of its focus on full inclusion, regardless of sexual orientation, race, age, or any other category of discrimination.
Bolton Street Synagogue traditionally holds a Second Night Seder, an orderly, sacred meal, with significant foods such as matzoh and salt water representing various aspects of the early Jewish journey out of bondage. This year’s Seder will be on Tuesday, April 19, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Novick believes the Passover story “lends WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
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He knows closeted religious leaders as well as straight ministers who would not be supported in affirming gay members. But since the principles of Unitarian Universalists begin with “affirming the inherent worth and dignity of every human being,” LGBT individuals are welcome as leaders, staff, and members. First Unitarian Church of Baltimore will celebrate a humanistic Easter service on Sunday, April 24 at 11:00 a.m. They have also celebrated Seder in the past, when members of Jewish heritage expressed interest. Rev. Olson describes Unitarians as “seeing the Easter event in poetical and ethical terms” rather than literal ones.
What do we believe?
His wife, Ling, was born in Hong Kong. In some synagogues, both she and their children would not be considered Jewish, disqualifying them from full membership. “There is no tier system of membership here,” said Novick. “No one is made to feel unwelcome. It’s important not to feel that you are a second-class citizen.”
Rev. David Carl Olson, minister of First Unitarian Church of Baltimore, proudly identifies as a gay minister with Rev. David Carl Olson. Photo by Lloyd Hugh Allen this welcoming congregation. “It was important to be in a religious movement that allows me to be fully present in who I am,” said Olson.
Welcoming all at Grace United Methodist Church
Window designed by founding member Walter Schwarz, who lived through Kristallnacht (1938), the night Nazis shattered the windows of German synagogues and Jewish-owned businesses. Courtesy Bolton Street Synagogue
itself to the larger times we live in,” despite its ancient roots. “Passover is very relevant to what we’re seeing today on a global scale, with whole regions of the Middle East trying to come out of oppressive regimes, such as in Egypt,” he said. The holiday should touch those who
Dr. Emora T. Brannan, senior pastor at Grace United Methodist Church, has a very tolerant congregation, he Dr. and Mrs. Brannan of Grace United Methjokes, because they odist Church. Photos by Paul Redline have tolerated him for the past 20 years. However, last October the church publically declared its tolerance by joining the Reconciling Ministries Network, a group advocating full inclusion of all persons and the removal of exclusionary language from the Methodist Book of Discipline. While the official motto of the Methodist church VOLUME 33, NUMBER 7 PAGE 13
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is “Open hearts, open minds, open doors,” Brannan believes the exclusionary language of official church policy contradicts this statement. “We’re trying to make this [motto] a fuller reality by our actions of reconciliation, and by being welcoming to all, with no distinctions,” Brannan said. Grace United Methodist Church will have Easter services on Sunday, April 24, at 8:30 and 10:00 a.m. “We feel that the witness of the whole gospel is inclusive,” said Brannan. “We’re celebrating that.”
Leading the way at First and Franklin Street Presbyterian Church Rev. Dr. Alison Halsey has been pastor of First and Franklin Street Presbyterian Church for 10 years. The Members of First & Franklin find a welcoming home. Photos courtesy First church has & Franklin Street Presbyterian Church been inclusive and welcoming to persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities since 1980. At that time, the leadership body “made a statement that we would accept and ordain gays and lesbians in positions of leadership,” according to Halsey. This meant that LGBT individuals could serve as pastors, elders, or deacons at First and Franklin. The official Presbyterian denomination still has “a prohibition in the Book of Order” which excludes gays and lesbians from leadership roles. However, Halsey is hopeful that this year, when each presbytery, or church area in the United States, is asked to vote on lifting the discriminatory rule, a majority will do so. Approximately half of the 180-member congregation at First and Franklin identify as members of the LGBT community. Halsey characterizes it as “a church concerned about issues of equality,” citing their friend of the court brief on behalf of the plaintiffs when the 2007 Marriage Equality Bill was before the Maryland Court of Appeals. First and Franklin Street Presbyterian Church will have their Easter service on Sunday, April 24, at 10:30 a.m. Breakfast is at 9:00 a.m. followed by a 9:30 a.m. Easter egg hunt for kids, many who come from two moms or two dads, according to Halsey. “Jesus said nothing about homosexuality. He embraced everybody, so we embrace everyone. We celebrate the resurrection and the good news that Christ died for all of us,” Halsey said. PAGE 14 • APRIL 15 - APRIL 28, 2011
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Evolving spiritually with Keepers of the Holly Chalice Jim Scroggs, a witch in the local coven Keepers of the Holly Chalice, was drawn to this “strange” religion more than 20 years ago. “I heard about these guys who would take the Christmas tree out into nature after December 25 so it would be happy. I thought, what’s strange about that?” said Scroggs. Scroggs had been raised a fundamental Southern Baptist, and coming out as a gay man in the early 1980s coincided with A Wiccan alter at the edge of the his search for a woods. Photo courtesy Jim Scroggs more inclusive religious community. The coven was primarily gay and lesbian when Scroggs joined. Although membership has diversified, the Keepers of the Holly Chalice remain “an accepting spiritual path.” “Being part of a magickal working group allows each member to grow, to support each other, and to challenge each other to continue evolving spiritually,” Scroggs said, when asked about the benefits of his Wiccan community. “Our covens are rooted in the Western Magickal tradition, and follow a nature-based spirituality.” Keepers of the Holly Chalice is one of eight covens in a Wiccan religious organization called the Assembly of the Sacred Wheel. On Saturday, April 9, all eight covens participated in Spring Magick, a day of workshops culminating with a ritual celebrating the horned god Cernunnos. “Three priestesses called him into one of the priests. He spoke to us, called us to dance, and gave us advice for how to live our lives and re-enchant the world with magick,” Scroggs said.
“We are the church” at Metropolitan Community Church of Baltimore Rev. Dr. Y.M. Dozier, intentional interim specialist pastor, has been at the Metropolitan Community Church of Baltimore (MCC Baltimore) since October 2010. MCC Baltimore “is a Christcentered, Bible-believing church dedicated to serving the community,” said Dozier. “Everyone is welcome regardless of their class, race, age, gender, sexual orientation, or faith tradition.”
MCC Baltimore is probably the only local faith community that began with a 1972 worship service at the YWCA, celebrated by gays and lesbians. Their stated purpose is “proclaiming God’s love to the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, and transgendered communities and anyone who is willing to walk with us in our journey of faith.” “One’s sexual orientation is honored, celebrated, and respected within the context of God creating us all,” Dozier said. The Resurrection Sunday (Easter) service on Sunday, April 24, at 10 a.m. will be in keeping with this “gift of hospitality and welcome.” It will feature a blend of traditional and charismatic worship.
Compassionate spirit at Episcopal Cathedral of the Incarnation Rev. Sara Lynn Shisler, canon for Christian formation at the Episcopal Cathedral of Rev. Sara Shisler and Bishop Mary the Incarnation, Glasspool at Shisler’s Deacon Ordi- has served her nation, June 2010. Glasspool is the faith community first openly lesbian and partnered since July 2010. Bishop in the Episcopal Church. She and her partner, Heather, experienced first-hand the church’s compassionate spirit when they first arrived in Baltimore. “They received me as their new priest with love and warmth and have welcomed Heather into the worshipping congregation,” Shisler said.
WELCOMING FAITH orGANIZATIONS BEIT TIKVAH
BOLTON STREET SYNAGOGUE
CATHEDRAL OF THE INCARNATION
CORPUS CHRISTI CHURCH
FIRST AND FRANKLIN STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF BALTIMORE
GRACE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
The 900-member congregation displays a diversity that reflects Jesus’ inclusive message. “If you were to worship at the Cathedral, you would see all kinds of people from all walks of life—people of all ages, races, and orientations,” said Shisler. “We believe this is important because the church is meant to be representative of the Body of Christ, which includes all.” The Episcopal Cathedral of the Incarnation will celebrate Easter Sunday on April 24, with services at 8 and 10:30 a.m. For Rev. Shisler, Easter is about celebrating “love incarnate in the person of Jesus the Christ and the love of God incarnate in all of us today.” She hopes members take away a message of “hope and new life” from the Easter season. “We remember that yes, there is death and suffering in this world that we all experience, but we know that is not the end of the story. The LGBT community needs to hear this good news as much as anyone.” n
KEEPERS OF THE HOLLY CHALICE, COVEN ASSEMBLY OF THE SACRED WHEEL, WICCAN RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH OF BALTIMORE
UNITY FELLOWSHIP CHURCH OF BALTIMORE
BALTIMORE GAYLIFE
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firstperson
No two people are alike.
OP ED
GLCCB Welcomes Historic Report and Recommendations on LGBT Health and Well-Being BY GARY WOLNITZEK
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uring National LGBT Health Week (March 28-April 1) the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a report entitled “The Health of
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People: Building a Foundation for Better Understanding.” This is the first time that a report of this size and scope has acknowledged a wide range of health disparities within the LGBT community. The same week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published recommendations to improve the health and well-being of the LGBT community. These recommendations, and actions already taken by HHS, are wide-ranging, from hospital visitation rights to anti-bullying initiatives to increasing research in LGBT health disparities. In addition, the IOM and HHS are calling upon researchers to actively engage LGBT individuals in health studies. By collecting data on the LGBT population, researchers will be better able to identify and understand health conditions that affect our community. In the past, few resources were dedicated to researching health issues that affect the LGBT community. This scarcity of research yields an incomplete picture of LGBT health status and needs, which is further fragmented by the tendency to treat sexual and gender minorities as a single homogeneous group, said the committee that wrote the IOM report. The IOM report provides a thorough compilation of what is known about the health of each of these groups at different stages of life and outlines an agenda for the research and data collection necessary to form a fuller understanding. “It’s easy to assume that because we are all humans, gender, race, or other characteristics of study participants shouldn’t matter in health research, but they certainly do,” said IOM Committee Chair Robert Graham, professor of family medicine at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. “It was only when researchers made deliberate efforts to engage women and racial and ethnic minorities in studies that we discovered differences in how some diseases occur in and affect specific populations. Routine collection of information on race and ethnicity has expanded our understanding of conditions that are more prevalent among various groups or that affect them differently. We should strive for the same attention to and engagement of sexual and gender minorities in health research.” The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center of Baltimore and Central Maryland commends the efforts of the Institute of Medicine and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to bring to the forefront the issues that affect the health and well-being of the LGBT community. These two documents will further provide LGBT advocates and organizations the ability to make the case for investments to expand research and programs in order to address the unique needs of our community. To view the IOM Report on LGBT Health visit IOM.edu/Reports. To view the HHS Recommendations visit HHS.gov.
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the CENTER Page Welcome
Here is our schedule of free or low-cost support groups, meetings, and services. Unless otherwise noted, all events are held at the Center: 241 W. Chase Street, Baltimore. Please call (410) 837-5445 for more information or visit www.glccb.org. PROGRAMS FOR EVERYONE
TRANSGENDER PROGRAMS
ACHIEVE, CULTIVATE, & EDUCATE (ACE) SERIES ACE classes provide learning opportunities for the LGBT community in a safe and affirming environment to enhance and enrich community members’ lives! Interested in teaching? Contact us at info@glccb.org or (410) 837-5445
GENDER IDENTITY GROUP (GIG) A support group for transgender, gender queer, or anyone who varies from traditional gender expression. Meets the 2nd Saturday, 8:00 p.m. room 201 Email GIG@glccb.org or visit www.transmaryland.org
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS Every Monday, 8:30 p.m. Every Thursday, 8:30 p.m. Every Saturday, 6:30 p.m. Room 201. Visit www.baltimoreaa.org for information, resources, and other meeting locations and times.
GIG: Baltimore Trans-Masculine Alliance (BTMA) GIG’s FTM support group meets the 4th Saturday, 6 p.m. room 202 Email BTMA@glccb.org or visit www.transmaryland.org
AA - POSITIVELY SOBER Alcoholics Anonymous open meeting centered on living a sober and healthy lifestyle. Focus is on HIV+ and health related issues affecting sobriety. Meets every Sunday, 6:00 p.m. Room 201 Contact Dave at BmoreDave@gmail.com BEGINNERS’ YOGA SUNDAY afternoons, 3:30 p.m in room 201. Gentle beginners’ yoga with instructor Tim Hurley, RYT. $9.00 per person. Walk-ins WELCOME! HIV & SYPHILIS TESTING with the Baltimore City Health Department Wednesdays 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. 3rd Floor SCA - Sexual Compulsives Anonymous Every Tuesday, 7:00 p.m. Room 202 NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS Sunday Men’s Rap - Meets every Sunday at 11:30 a.m. in room 201. Visit www. na.org for information, resources and other meeting locations and times. PRIDE IN THE ARTS The GLCCB presents art receptions and movie screenings that showcase local LGBTQ talent. Check out the GLCCB’s calendar at www.glccb.org for upcoming Pride in the Arts events. Artists interested in submitting work for exhibit or screening contact us at info@glccb.org.
MEN’S PROGRAMS MEN LIKE ME Open support group for adult males who love other men. Come discuss issues of coming out, homophobia, relationships, etc. in a safe and supportive space. The objective is to empower participants to take better care of themselves and each other. Facilitated by a licensed clinician. Meets the 2nd and 4th Monday of every month, 6:00 p.m. room 201 Email Shane at MenLikeMe@glccb.org POZ MEN Peer support group for all HIV+ men. Meets EVERY WEDNESDAY, 7:00 p.m. room 202 Email POZMen@glccb.org
GIG: Tran*quility GIG’s MTF support group meets the 4th Saturday, 8:00 p.m. room 201 Email tranquility@glccb.org or visit www.transmaryland.org GIG: Partners of Trans People Group (PTP) A support and resource group for anyone in a relationship with a transgender person. Meets every 4th Saturday, 8 p.m. room 202 Email ptp@glccb.org
WOMEN’S PROGRAMS PEARLS OF WISDOM (POW) A coming out/peer support group for ALL womyn of the LBTQ community, engage in open and Anonymous/Confidential dissusions on relationships, families, self-identity, coming out, peers, deceit, and more! While visiting POW, you will experience mixed emotions of womyn from a variety of age groups and backgrounds from feminine to transgender. Meets the 1st and 3rd Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. room 202 For more information, contact “Q” at POW.Lesbian@yahoo.com WOMEN OF COLOR A collective group committed to providing a safe, confidential, and supportive space for lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning women of all colors. Meets the 2nd, 4th & 5th Thursday, 7:30 p.m. room 202. Email WOC@glccb.org WOMEN OUT AND ABOUT Social group for lesbian, bisexual, and transgender women who want to meet new people doing enjoyable activities. For more information on planned activities contact Ms. Kelly at BWOAEvents@ yahoo.com
YOUTH & YOUNG ADULT SUFFICIENT AS I aM (SAIM) A supportive group for youth and young adults 24 years of age and under. Youth are welcome to drop-in and try out this successful, long-running program which features a rap group, special activities, speakers, trips! Meets every Saturday, room 201 at 12:00 p.m. Email SAIM@glccb.org Part of the GLCCB’s mission is to provide quality support services, appropriate facilities and professional resources for the development and well-being of individuals and groups. While the GLCCB is committed to positive and enriching experiences for all who use its services, the group descriptions listed, content, and the views expressed are those of the facilitators or organizers and do not necessarily reflect those of the GLCCB. The GLCCB is a 501(c)(3) organization.
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BALTIMORE GAYLIFE
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outgoing SPOTLIGHT
Holly Hughes Brings Her Dog and Pony Show to GLCCB
H Event Info Holly Hughes in “The Dog and Pony Show”* Co-presented by Iron Crow Theatre Company and the GLCCB Fri., Sat., Apr. 29, 30 at 8pm; Sun., May 1 at 2pm Pride in the Arts, 214 W. Chase St. Tickets: $10-15
olly Hughes’ new solo performance piece is described in the press materials as “a blend of autobiography, animal behavior and bald-faced lies” and “a comic/ poetic meditation on a midlife crisis in the key of canine.” In “The Dog and Pony Show (Bring Your Own Pony),” the self-described lesbian thespian has taken a “real job” at a prestigious university and acquired a small pack of dogs. Now she asks herself: what is the sound of one lesbian clapping? (Could it be barking?)
A 2010-11 Guggenheim Fellow, Hughes received two Village Voice OBIE awards for her performance work; the anthology “O Solo *BRING YOUR OWN PONY Homo: The New Queer Performance” that she co-edited with David Roman won a Lambda Book Award in 1999. Hughes rose to infamy in 1990, when she became one of four dissenting performance artists that the NEA de-funded under pressure from the religious right. More information is available at HollyHughesPerformance.com. – R.D.
DATEBOOK Monday, April 18
The City That Feeds: (See article, p. 9) 8pm. $10. Sidebar Tavern, 218 E. Lexington St. SideBarTavern.com
TAX DAY
Saturday, April 16 Baltimore Connect 2 Wellness Community Fair: Free health screenings, health insurance enrollment, employment assistance, and more in honor of National Minority Health Month. FREE. 10am-5pm. Coppin State University, Arena Concourse, Physical Education Complex, 2500 W. North Ave. 410.951.3000. MensHealthNetwork.org Charm City Rollergirls: Speed Regime vs. Mobtown Mods and Charm City Roller Girls B-more B-nanas vs. Rocky Mountain Roller Girls Contenders. 5:30pm. DuBurns Arena, 1301 S. Ellwood Ave. CharmCityRollergirls.com Play for the Feast @ Silo Point: (See article, p. 9) 8pm. $15. Silo Point, 1200 Steuart St. http://bit.ly/eCafCg Miss Gay Maryland America in Review Show: (See article, p. 7) 9pm. Club Hippo, 1 W. Eager St. ClubHippo.com
Sunday April 17 MGMA 2011 Preliminaries: (See article, p. 7) Club Hippo, 1 W. Eager St., ClubHippo.com Reservations: 410.493.7946. Trans Film: “Unraveling Michelle” Award-winning transgender documentary from IndieSunday. 6pm. $5. Frank & Nic’s, 511 W. Pratt St. Facebook.com/indiesunday1
PASSOVER BEGINS Putting on the Ritz: Miss Gay Maryland America 2011 Finals: (See article, p. 7) Club Hippo, 1 W. Eager St. ClubHippo.com Reservations: 410.493.7946. Full Moon Underwear Party: Free clothes check and drink specials for all who take off their pants and stay a while. Baltimore Eagle, 2022 N. Charles St. TheBaltimoreEagle.com
Tuesday, April 19 Night Out at Center Stage: Pre-show cocktail hour, featuring complimentary hors d’oeuvres for LGBT patrons seeing “Crime & Punishment.” Bar tips benefit local charities. Free for subscribers; $5 for non-subscribers. 6:30pm door; 8pm show. Center Stage, 700 N. Calvert St. CenterStage.org Hunx & His Punx: Queer punk band fronted by former member of Gravy Train performs. With guests Shannon and the Clams, Personal and The Pizzas, and the Barreracudas. 10pm. $8. Golden West Café, 1105 W. 36th St. GoldenWestCafe.com Tix: Sonarbaltimore.com Grand Central’s Karaoke Contest Finals: Prizes range from $125-500. Hosted by Nikki Cox. 10pm. Grand Central Station, 1001/1003 N. Charles St. CentralStationPub.com
Wednesday, April 20 Nina Revoyr Reads from “Wingshooters”: (See article, p. 9). 6:30pm. FREE. Enoch Pratt Library Central Branch, Poe Room, 400 Cathedral St. PrattLibrary.com COBALT Awards Ceremony: The UB LGBT law student advocacy group OutLaw recognizes community members who
WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
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BINGO!: Hosted by Roger Dimick. Cash prizes and progressive jackpot. Proceeds benefit GLCCB. 8:30pm. Club Hippo, 1 W. Eager St. ClubHippo.com
Thursday, April 21 “One Flea Spare” opens: Social roles and the boundaries that describe them are set into chaos in 17th C. London. Thru May 7. Strand Theater Company, 1823 N. Charles St. StrandTheaterCompany.org Lush at Mist: Ladies’ night at Baltimore’s sexiest upscale megaclub. 21+. Door, 9pm. $5 before 11pm; $10 after. Mist, 124 Market Pl. MistBaltimore.com Friday, April 22 Earth Day Lady Gaga vs. Madonna vs. Rihanna: DJ Lil’ E brings back her uber-popular party. All ages. 8:30pm. $12. Rams Head Live, 20 Market Pl. RamsHeadLive.com
Saturday, April 23 Fierce Chicks Garage Sale: (See article, p. 9). 8am-1pm. 329 E. 31st St. http://bit.ly/fXrhnL Significant Others, Family, Friends, and Allies of Trans (SOFFA-T): Support and resource group for anyone who’s close with a transgender person. 4pm. FREE. GLCCB 241 W. Chase St. GLCCB.org Info: ptp@glccb.org Lotta Art Event: (See article, p. 8) Fine art, appetizing food, and great fun! More than 120 national visual artists donate their works for this fundraiser, which supports School 33 Art Center. 6pm. $50-175. Silo Point, 1200 Steuart St. School33.org Tilted Torch “The Bipolar Show”: Sweet, sinister, and seductive performances by Miss Joule, Malibu, Miss Saturn, and Ariel. With boy-lesque by Paco Fish and femme-cee Shortstaxx. $11-16. Creative Alliance, 3134 Eastern Ave. CreativeAlliance.org
Sunday, April 24 EASTER SUNDAY
Monday, April 25
Friday, April 15
A World of Female Impersonation: Benefits the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Door, 8:30pm; Show, 10pm, $8-30. Club Hippo, 1 W. Eager St. ClubHippo.com
have made strides working toward LGBTQ equality. 6pm. $5-10. Bogomolny Room, University of Baltimore Student Center, 21 W. Mt Royal Ave. Info: Alice Young, kayoung12@me.com
Equality Forum 2011 begins: Week-long civil rights summit with more than 40 programs, parties, and special events. Thru May 1. FREE. Various Locations, Philadelphia, PA.EqualityForum.com
Wednesday, April 27 “Pride and Sexuality” opens: Exhibition to engage the MICA community in discussion about definitions, expressions and interpretations of pride and sexuality. Reception, 5-7pm. Thru Apr 29. MICA, Brown Center: Rosenberg Gallery, 1301 W Mt Royal Ave. fyi.MICA.edu BINGO!: Hosted by Roger Dimick. Cash prizes and progressive jackpot. Proceeds benefit GLCCB. 8:30pm. Club Hippo, 1 W. Eager St. ClubHippo.com
Thursday, April 28 Peer Pressure: Gay and gay-friendly takeover party in Fells Point with DJs Lemz and Aisle-K. 9pm. The Get Down, 701 S. Bond St. Facebook.com/PeerPressureMD
Friday, April 29 “Pass the Ocean Hon” Weekend 2011: Chesapeake Squares host their annual fly-in with four fabulous callers, great dance space, snacks, games, and Sunday brunch. Thru May 1. $15-95. Convention Center, Rehoboth Beach, DE ChesapeakeSquares.org For additional details and more events, please visit the NEW Gay Life calendar online at BaltimoreGayLife.com/Events
EMAIL YOUR EVENT INFO TO CALENDAR@BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM Compiled by Ryan Davis and Mark Douglas VOLUME 33, NUMBER 7 PAGE 17
4/13/11 8:19 PM
Continued from page 8
MR: You’ve released a couple relatively popular songs—“All Over Your Face” and “I Seen Beyonce…”—but none of them compare to the amount of buzz that last summer’s sugar fix, “Ice Cream Truck,” built. Did you have any idea that it would be so successful? CAZ: Absolutely not. I wrote the song for the movie “Spork.” I decided to make a video really fast in time for summer, just to keep my name out there. I didn’t really think too much about it before I did it. Maybe that’s the trick. We shot the whole video in my East Village apartment. I painted my walls Mexicana Rose. The premise of the video is 12 hot guys crammed in a New York apartment without air-conditioning—so we’re all hanging out in our boxer shorts. I also wanted to dedicate the video to the hot Latino boys that hang out in my ’hood shirtless in the summertime. MR: The song is catchy, of course, but it’s the video that really piqued people’s interest— to the tune of 3 million YouTube hits. Do you think it had anything to do with those scantily-clad, greased-up go-go boys? CAZ: Um, yeah. But it’s cute, easy to like, and the song is not challenging at all. Perfect summer song. To me, it’s the same ingredients of your basic hip-hop video—except I’m exploiting hot guys instead of hot girls. These are the kind of guys that I like to look at; apparently I’m not the only one. MR: You’ve just released a new single— complete with video—called “Get My Money Back.” I don’t want to ruin it for anybody, but there are some similarities between this video and “Ice Cream Truck.” Have you, uh, found your niche? CAZ: You mean hot boys? Sure. It wasn’t that much of a brainstorm. I work in clubs and we use hot boys
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all the time to get heads to come to a party. It was second nature. A lot of people seemed to be attached to particular boys in the last video, so we brought them all back for this one too. MR: Where do you find these guys? The boys don’t look like that at the parties I go to. CAZ: Clubs. All these boys dance at the club where Marco Ovando and I work. Most of us are friends and hang out and travel together. MR: I’m jealous, and your new best friend. P.S. You’re lookin’ pretty fine in the vid, too. Do you fancy yourself a sex symbol? CAZWELL: Yes. [Laughs] No, I’m playing. You have to look good on camera. I can’t have these dudes with 12 packs next to me if I have a highfructose-corn-syrup stomach, ya know what I’m sayin’? I actually got a trainer for “Get My Money Back.” I know it sounds corny, but if you love what you do and have some passion in your life you’ll tend to look sexy. MR: Duly noted. What’s next? Are you gonna make us melt again this summer? CAZ: Right now I’m working on a couple possibilities for the summer single. Haven’t narrowed it down yet. “Get My Money Back” is kind of dark, so I’m already eager to make a super-colorful video. You can expect a decent amount of skin. n Mikey Rox is an award-winning journalist whose work has been published in more than 100 publications in North American and Europe, including CNN.com, The Examiner newspapers, The Advocate, reFRESH magazine, and EdgeOnTheNet.com, among many others. He currently lives in New York City with his husband and their two dogs. Mikey can be reached at mikey@paperroxscissors.com.
Laura June, Ph.D. Licensed Psychologist Psychotherapy for Individuals and Couples Imago Relationship Therapy Stone Mansion 4901 Spring Garden Dr. Baltimore, MD 21209 Ph 410-235-7899 laura.june@comcast.net www.drlaurajune.com
PAGE 18 • APRIL 15 - APRIL 28, 2011
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afterhours HUNTER ON THE PROWL! BY MARK HUNTER
Here for your entertainment, I prowled the streets of Baltimore & beyond to see what I could find for you! On Friday March 18, I wondered out to PW’s Sports Bar & Grill in Laurel for a drag show to benefit Mr. Frankie Jay (Mr. DE International 2011) to compete in Iowa in April. Performers included Miss Sasha Chalet, Miss Ada Buffet, and Miss Shawnna Alexander. It was a night of entertainment and fun for all! The next night at The Rowan Tree, Miss Shawnna Alexander celebrated her birthday with a drag show and karaoke. The show consisted of many friends and family including Robbie Alexander, Miss D’Marje, and Blu Alexander. Surprise guests included: Betty (David Jones) & DJ John Eaton, Leather Sir John & boy John and special guests, Miss Cheaneka Green & Miss Bobbi Martin. This was one of Miss Shawnna’s best birthdays and I had the honor of being a part of it!
Anastacia Amor held a Benefit Fundraiser Show for Miss Gay Maryland 2011 March 27 at PW’s Sports Bar with entertainers Miss Stephanie Micheals, Miss Brooke Lane, Miss Onyx D. Pearl, Miss Jada Bee, Miss Cha’nel Van Cartier Couture, and Miss Shawnna Alexander! Wow, it’s already April: where has the year gone? Friday the 1st held a drag show at PW’s with a very special appearance by Miss Bille Ross along with Ada Buffet, Miss Phoenix Bloomingdale, Regina Jozet Adams, and Miss Kendra Lattimore. If you’ve never been to PW’s, they have good food, a pool table, and events throughout the week. The Rowan Tree hosted a drag benefit/ fundraiser show April 2 for Miss Cha’nel Van Cartier Couture to compete at Miss Gay Maryland 2011. The Rowan Tree might be small, but puts on a great show! Please be safe while you are out and about and until next time boys & girls, see you when Hunter is on the Prowl!
LEATHER TALES
C.L.A.P. Weekend a Success The second annual Chesapeake Leather Awareness Pride Weekend was a weekend to remember! It got off to a rousing and energetic start with the Meet & Greet hosted by C.O.M.M.A.N.D., M.C. at the Triple L, Friday, March 25. The night featured 50-50 raffle giveaways, open shine time for the Community Bootblack Contestants, and awesome music! The centerpiece of the weekend was the Mid-Atlantic LeatherSIR / Leatherboy / Leather Woman / Community Bootblack 2011 Contests on Saturday. Bright and early, 10 judges, eight staff members, and five contestants converged on the Hippo for the interview portion of the contests. From there the doors opened to the public, and the rest of the contests began! Everything started off with the DC boys of Leather Honor Guard and a rousing rendition of both the Canadian and American National Anthems by Northeast LeatherSIR 2009 Sir Marco Rosato. Co-emceed by International Mr. Leather 2009 Jeffrey Payne, Baltimore’s Queen of Comedy Shawnna Alexander, and Sign Interpreters Debbie Jones and Meredith, the afternoon hummed along between moments of comedy and touching reminiscence. In a special presentation by Hooker & Boys, David “pug” Spellman was made an Associate Member. And as a touching surprise, Mark “spanky” Bialous was honored as an Honorary Mid-Atlantic Leatherboy and Honorary Member of Hooker & Boys. Interspersed through the requisite flurry of Jock / Hotwear, Formal Image & Speech, and On-Stage Fantasies, we had stellar performances by Shawnna Alexander, Sir Marco Rosato, and Maryland Mr. Drummer 2001 Rodney Burger. BALTIMORE GAYLIFE
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After moving step-aside speeches by Mid-Atlantic LeatherSIR 2010 Sir John Krikorian, Mid-Atlantic Leatherboy 2010 boy anthoney perkins, Mid-Atlantic Leather Woman Val Sherrill, and Mid-Atlantic Community Bootblack 2010 Boy Andersen, Hooker & Boys proudly presented the 2011 Mid-Atlantic Leather Family: Mid-Atlantic LeatherSIR 2010 Sir John Krikorian (who honorably accepted the appointment since there were no LeatherSIR contestants), Mid-Atlantic Leatherboy 2011 boy andy, Mid-Atlantic Leather Woman 2011 Morgaine, and Mid-Atlantic Community Bootblack 2011 Leo Mason. Congratulations! Kudos to Sir John, boy anthoney, Val, and Boy Andersen for making through your title year! Thank you for all that you do and continue to do for the community! Later Saturday night was a reception hosted by M.A.U.L. at the Triple L. featuring a uniform theme and a jail cell lock-up for naughty (or not naughty enough!) folk—a perfect way to wind down from the events of the day. Sunday was the Victory Party and a Kinky Karnival to boot! Both floors of the Play House Studios & Gallery were converted to an adult carnival area with games and rides befitting the Leather Community. With a cocktail lounge run by the DC boys of Leather and co-hosted by F.I.S.T. of Baltimore and DC and the ShipMates Club, it was an afternoon of fun and frivolity for the attendees with the monies raised going to charity. With people attending from all over the country and Canada, the second annual Chesapeake Leather Awareness Pride Weekend was a weekend of fun, fraternity, and community building. If you were there, you would agree. And if you weren’t, mark your calendars for next year! WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM
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