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CONTENTS

February 4 - february 17, 2011 Volume 33, number 2

letter editor’s

12

H

ello Gay Life readers! My name is Maggie Beetz and I am Gay Life’s new editor. I’m very excited to join the GLCCB team, and I look forward to working with our fantastic crew of writers and photographers to bring you a quality bi-weekly paper.

Some background: I’ve been a professional writer and editor for about 10 years. In this time, I’ve written for a variety of publications, companies, and clients. I grew up in Baltimore, not far from the old Memorial Stadium, and have lived all over the city from Original Northwood to Roland Park, and from Federal Hill to Hampden.

I spent much of my childhood in the very neighborhood I’m now employed; as a Grace & St. Peter’s school student, regular fieldtrips involved walking to the Meyerhoff and the Walters. My earliest memories include lemon sticks at the Flower Mart and storytelling at the Enoch Pratt Free Library. This very neighborhood helped to shape the girl who went on to attend Friends School of Baltimore, Northeastern University in Boston, and Towson University’s Graduate School.

Now I am thrilled to be back in the Mt. Vernon cultural district, working in the GLCCB building, and editing this fine newspaper. I’m especially grateful to be able to combine two of my passions- writing and my hometown. As a long-time LGBT ally, it is sincerely a joy to be here, and I hope that together we can make Baltimore an even better place for the community.

As you can see, we’ve redesigned our newspaper. We certainly hope you enjoy the new look. Do you have questions, opinions, complaints, or praise?

We’d like to hear about it. And as always, we’re happy to consider articles and photos from you. Send me a note at editor@baltimoregaylife.com. In the meantime, have a fabulous February and stay warm!

Out Front

Out Going

PAGE 5 ART: “Material Girls” at the Lewis Museum. By Rose D’Longcroi

PAGE 14 DATEBOOK

PAGE 6 BOOKS: Prof. David Berman’s Gay Autobiographies.

By Terri Solomon PAGE 7 SHOUT OUT: Valentine’s Day

By Ryan Davis PAGE 8 FOOD: Dining Out at Jilly’s

By John Cullen with Marty Shayt

Headline News PAGE 9 NATIONAL NEWS:

By Rex Wockner with Bill Kelley PAGE 10 INTERNATIONAL NEWS:

By Rex Wockner with Bill Kelley

First Person PAGE 16 SPEAKING OUT: Huck Finn’s N-Word

By Rev. Irene Monroe PAGE 17 JUSTIN’S HIV JOURNAL: HIV+ People Need Love Too

By Justin B. Smith

After Hours PAGE 18 Chesapeake Leather Awareness Pride PAGE 18 BSCENE: Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend

Features PAGE 11 Black History Month: Famous LGBT Figures & Local Spots

By Kelly McClain with Mark Douglas

Maggie Beetz, Editor

241 W. Chase Street, Baltimore, MD 21201 Phone: 410.837.7748 • Fax: 410.837.8889 Email: sales@baltimoregaylife.com 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. Copyrighted 2008. 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.

PAGE 4 • February 4 - february 17, 2011

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STAFF

PAGE 12 MD Legislative Agenda: Gay Marriage & Transgender Rights

By Terri Solomon

Michael Nguyen Art Director art@baltimoregaylife.com

Contributors John Cullen, Rose D’Longcroi, Ryan Davis, Mark Douglas, Kelly McClain, Rev. Irene Monroe, Marty Shayt, Justin B. Smith, Terri Solomon, Rex Wockner and Bill Kelley

Marty Shayt Volunteer

Photographers Jay W Photos, shutterpup

National Advertising Rep. Rivendell Media 212-242-6863

Newspaper Committee: Trevor Ankeny, Kelly McClain, Doug Rose, Craig Wiley

Maggie Beetz Editor editor@baltimoregaylife.com

11 ON THE COVER

Chris Williams and Juan McCoy. Photo courtesy of Equality Maryland and Freedom to Marry.

VISIT US ONLINE AT baltimoregaylife.com Baltimore gaylife

2/2/11 6:28 PM

outfront

No two people are alike.

art Renée Stout, The Thinking Room, 2010, mixed media

“Material Girls: Contemporary Black Women Artists” at the Lewis Museum

Heart disease is America’s #1 killer.

By Rose D’Longcroi

W

elcome to Black History Month. Here in Baltimore, the African American community endured segregation and Jim Crow laws, but the impact of the Civil Rights Move-

ment has had a lasting impression on our nine-mile radius.

The Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture has been collecting information on this community’s history and their unique impact on this corner of America. Along with their permanent collections, this museum houses traveling exhibits that reflect this goal.

Dr. Michelle Joan Wilkinson, the museum’s curator, holds the museum to this goal by crafting shows and collections like “Material Girls: Contemporary Black Women Artists,” which will run from February 12 through October 16, 2011.

This collection highlights notable African American artists who use

www.baltimoregaylife.com

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Chase Brexton offers primary care to protect your heart (and all your other parts)

so you can beat the odds.

mixed media to portray their insight into this wild dynamic culture.

Those who have not seen the paper and clay beads created by the women of India or Nigeria, which are sold in Barnes and Nobles and A People United, are especially encouraged to browse the work of these artists. This collection of art focuses on women who use non-traditional items such as hair and rubber tires to augment the typical art materials depicted in the art world.

Visit http://www.africanamericanculture.org/exhibit_special.html to purchase early tickets to this extraordinary exhibit. n

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Volume 33, Number 2 • PAGE 5

2/2/11 6:28 PM

outfront Books

Bergman’s Anthology Illuminates 150 Years of Gay Experience

By Terri Solomon

G

ay American Autobiography, Writings from Whitman to Sedaris, is an anthology I’d been meaning to tackle for a while. Edited by Towson University professor and author David Bergman, the book features life writings primarily from professionals, but also from a handful of writers he characterizes as “not especially literary.”

What the personal stories, letters, and journals have in common is their focus on uniquely gay experiences, such as coming out and same-sex lust and love. The anthology reads chronologically, beginning with the journals of Henry David Thoreau in the mid1800s and ending with a performance piece by poet Justin Chin published in 2005.

In an NPR interview last November, Bergman stated, “I wanted people who made me go— wow.” The wow factor in this collection comes from its breadth as well as the candor of its writings.

As a student, I had studied Thoreau. As a teacher, I had taught his writings to my students, yet I was not acquainted with the celibate who mused “my friend must be my tent companion.” And later, “in the presence of my friend I am ashamed of my fingers and toes. I have no feature so fair as my love for him.”

A subsequent selection is from Claude Hartland (the pen name of a man who wanted to both remain anonymous and examine his improper feelings in 1896, thus his

“clawed heart”) seeking medical help for his sexual “affliction.”

Samuel M. Steward’s Chapters from an Autobiography details his desire to sleep with Lord Alfred Douglas in 1937 because Douglas had slept with Oscar Wilde. When Steward, in his twenties, finally gets Douglas, age sixty-seven, into bed, he is linking himself through sex to Wilde, a name that “had a magic all its own for us who had to live without the benefits of liberation or exposure of our wicked lives.”

An excerpt from the memoir Young Man from the Provinces gives insight into Alan Helms, who in the late 1950s was both a Rhodes Scholar finalist and “the most famous piece of ass of [his] generation,” according to author Edmund White.

More modern entries delve into riskier territory—rape, physical abuse, sex with a twin brother, the complications of AIDS, and suicide. Yet the inclusion of contemporary writers such as Michael Klein, David Wojnarowicz, David B. Feinberg, and Essex Hemphill never feels gratuitous.

Instead, this variety of gay experience reveals the commonality of men who are Hispanic, Jewish, Chinese, black and white, and who are artists, writers and performers. In their own words, these men unflinchingly detail their private histories.

In doing so, they are shedding light on a larger history that has been mainly unread, until now. n

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Saturday, February 12, 2011 Johns Hopkins University Register now @ www.bmoreproud.org

PAGE 6 • February 4 - february 17, 2011

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Baltimore gaylife

2/2/11 6:28 PM

Shout Out:

VALENTINE’S DAY

CELEBRATE valentine’s day at the

By RYAN DAVIS

V

alentine’s Day in the post-industrial era seems to be inherently outmoded. All the production it takes to churn out cards, toys, candy, and so on and so forth for one day, for the so-called “Hallmark Holiday,” adds ammo to the “greener, smarter” agenda of progressives and liberals. Really though, tons of teddies- both the ones to cuddle and the ones to wear - are discarded each year, along with heaps of other V-Day expendables. Not to even mention the commonly ironic half-hearted thought behind the gifts. No wonder a strong opposition has risen to this gratuitous consumerism- The Anti-V-Day avengers!

O! Ne’ertheless, let not our hearts be dampened! Valentine’s Day also has an inherently ardent potential to serve as a day of commemoration for the ones who bring love into our lives or the ones who simply allow us to love at all. So, from this perspective, Gay Life asked community members what they have to say when thinking of their loved ones. Here are their responses:

bma!

A Night of Romance SUN, Feb 13 ❤ 6-9:30 PM Surprise your sweetheart with… ❤ Twilight tours of romantic masterpieces ❤ Card making with champagne ❤ Live jazz ❤ Light hors d’oeuvres & desserts $35 per couple (Only $25 for Members!)

enjoy an aphrodisiac prix fixe dinner at Gertrude’s!

Call 410-889-3399.

More…

Create a soulful connection with Couples Yoga $60 per couple

“Merrit, I love you so much and I’m so happy you’re in my life!”

-Melissa Roesner, Customer Service Representative

“WHERE ARE YOU?!?”

- Mike Arreaga, MICA Student

“I Love my friend Ron Bibb, aka Yukie! He is gonna take the pastry world by storm! Watch out world! BIG HUGS!” - Rick Jones, Public Relations (Self-Employed)

“Sunshine Joy & Blue Thickness, together filling lush tables, bless this house with love things.”

- Zo Braxton, Locktician

“A universal day for intimate relationships just doesn’t make sense to me!”

- Summer Blake, UB Law Student

www.baltimoregaylife.com

GL_V33_N2_cw_mb(FINAL).indd 7

Visit ARTbMA.ORG to purchase tickets.

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February 26, 2011 8:00 p.m.

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“To my best friend: thank you for midnight phonecalls and moral support! Love you!”

- Julian Thompson, Towson Student

Tickets: $12 online, $15 at the door. www.glccb.org or (410) 837 -5445

One Night Only!

Volume 33, Number 2 • PAGE 7

2/2/11 6:28 PM

outfront Dining out

Jilly’s By john Cullen & Marty Shayt

T

he palm trees in front of Jilly’s tip you off that this isn’t just another restaurant on Pikesville’s equivalent of “Main Street.” Inside, a mix

of tables and booths on three levels and at least a dozen LCD TV’s all under an unfinished ceiling of exposed rafters contribute to a noisy and raucous joint that’s casual, appealing, and friendly.

Jeffery A. Klug, LCPC Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor 2 Village Square, Suite 211, Baltimore, MD 21210 410 241 4215

JeffKlugCounseling.com

The reasonably priced menu offers a dozen starters ($3-10), several homemade soups ($3-$6), a half dozen salads ($8-$14), a couple dozen sandwiches & burgers ($4-$9 which include fries), and a surprising number of entrees under $10 (as well as steaks and crab cakes $15-$20). Our group of four asked our waitress what appetizer she’d like, and she recommended the Super Nachos ($9) so heartily that the four of us decided to share an order of them. Marty decided on a Bison Burger, John opted for the Chef Salad ($8), while our friends Tom and Paul ordered the Chicken Pot Pie ($9) and the Smoke House Burger ($9 – Paul took advantage of an unusual option to get a baked potato instead of fries).

The super-sized bowl of nachos proved more than ample for the four of us and arrived with chili, cheese sauce, diced tomatoes, and salsa over a bed of chips. The nachos got a “thumbs up” from all of us. Marty’s bison burger arrived topped by fried onions and BBQ sauce with a side of fries; it proved too much for Marty to finish off. John’s salad arrived in a deep bowl with tossed greens topped with grape tomatoes, turkey, ham, bacon, and egg wedges – with ranch dressing on the side as requested. It

PAGE 8 • February 4 - february 17, 2011

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was delicious and a bargain for the money. Paul’s burger arrived topped with gouda cheese, bacon, fried onions, and smoked tomato sauce along with his baked potato; it was big and delicious and hit the spot. The biggest hit was the Chicken Pot Pie - it arrived looking impressively homemade in a large oval chafing dish with a side dish of fries! Tom found it chock full of pieces of chicken breast and veggies under a flaky pastry top. Half of the pot pie got packed up (and made for a great lunch). Our waitress kept an eye on us checking in to fill drinks and making sure all was well. She did her best to tempt us with dessert, but between the nachos and the large portions, we had no choice but to pass.

Jilly’s reasonably priced food was surprisingly good and exceeded our expectations.

Combined with the casual, boisterous feel of the place and its friendly staff, Jilly’s earned a “thumbs up” from both of us. We’ll be back to try more of their food (and maybe sample more of the 20+ different beers on draft!)

BASICS: Jilly’s (Pikesville); 1012 Reisterstown Rd; 410-653-0610; Open 7 days/week; breakfast, lunch & dinner from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (11:00 p.m. on Fri/Sat); full bar; veggie options; menu at http://bit.ly/dL2Fgf n Baltimore gaylife

2/2/11 6:28 PM

headlinenews Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese

NATIONAL

Supremes Squash Last-Ditch Effort to Undo D.C. Marriage Law The U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 18 refused to hear an appeal by anti-gays hoping to force a voter referendum on the law that legalized same-sex marriage in the District of Columbia.

“For almost two years, the National Organization for Marriage and the Alliance Defense Fund, along with Bishop Harry Jackson, have fought a losing battle to shamelessly harm gay and lesbian couples in D.C. who seek nothing more than to share in the rights and responsibilities of marriage,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “The D.C. Council and mayor courageously made marriage equality a reality last year, and the courts have since upheld the rights of D.C. residents to govern ourselves and take the necessary steps to eliminate discrimination in our community.”

The appeal challenged a ruling by the D.C. Court of Appeals in which it upheld a D.C. law that bans ballot measures proposing any kind of discrimination already prohibited by the D.C. Human Rights Act. The Court of Appeals said putting the district’s same-sex marriage law to a vote would discriminate against D.C. gays and lesbians.

“With today’s decision from the Supreme Court, marriage equality opponents have reached the end of their legal wrangling,” said HRC. “The D.C. Board of Elections, Superior Court, Court of Appeals and now the U.S. Supreme Court have rejected their meritless and tired arguments that they should be permitted to impose a discriminatory ballot measure on D.C. voters.”

Hospitals now must recognize gay couples Federal regulations that protect same-sex couples in hospital settings nationwide took effect Jan. 18.The rules, which apply to all hospitals receiving Medicaid or Medicare funds — nearly every hospital -- require hospitals to recognize same-sex couples under visitation policies. They also prohibit discrimination based on gender identity.

HUD to ban LGBT discrimination The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development proposed regulations Jan. 20 to ensure that its programs do not discriminate against LGBT people.

“This is a fundamental issue of fairness,” said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. “With this proposed rule, we will make clear that a person’s eligibility for federal housing programs is, and should be, based on their need and not on their sexual orientation or gender identity.”

The proposals now move to a “public comment” phase.

HUD also is conducting a first-of-its-kind national study of discrimination against LGBT people in the rental and sale of housing.

“These are critically important reforms given that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people remain particularly vulnerable in seeking or retaining housing due to widespread bias, discrimination and a lack of housing protections,” said National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Executive Director Rea Carey.

“These reforms will go a long way toward ending an injustice that has had such a profound and far-reaching negative impact on people’s lives.”

Court’s “historic decision honors the intentions of everyone involved in bringing these children into the world, and provides those children with the protection of having two legal parents from the moment of their birth.”

Carey noted that HUD “plays a major role in lowincome housing programs and the private mortgage market.”

A bill to authorize a public vote on amending the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage, domestic partnerships, civil unions and all other recognition of same-sex couples was introduced in the Iowa House of Representatives Jan. 19.

Connecticut men win birth-certificate case The Connecticut Supreme Court on Jan. 5 forced the state Department of Public Health to list a gay male couple as parents on the birth certificates of their twin boys who were delivered by a gestational surrogate. Shawn and Anthony Raftopol will receive corrected birth certificates for their kids.

“As a couple, we chose to create a family,” said Anthony Raftopol. “We assumed the responsibility for bringing them into the world, with the understanding that we would love, support and nurture them in every way. In other words, to be what parents are supposed to be.”

Bill seeks to end same-sex marriage in Iowa

The measure would have to pass the Legislature in two consecutive General Assemblies, then could appear on the ballot in 2013.

“This bill intends to forever strip basic protections from loving and committed gay couples,” said One Iowa Executive Director Carolyn Jenison. “Now is the time for Iowans to come together and send a clear message to their legislators that discrimination has no place in Iowa’s Constitution.”

The group is urging an immediate response from activists. See tinyurl.com/4sam5cf.

Iowa is one of five states, plus the District of Columbia, where same-sex marriage is legal.

Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders Senior Staff Attorney Karen Loewy said the state Supreme National News provided by Rex Wockner with Bill Kelley

www.baltimoregaylife.com

GL_V33_N2_cw_mb(FINAL).indd 9

Volume 33, Number 2 • PAGE 9

2/2/11 6:28 PM

headlinenews The Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement’s chief executive, the Rev. Sharon Ferguson, added: “Peter and Hazel Bull may well have sincere convictions about the nature of marriage – this ruling does not deny them these convictions. But if you are running a business you must make your services available to all without discrimination ... and excluding people, especially when our scriptures are full of exhortations to welcome the stranger ... is no way to defend and uphold Christian values.”

Buenos Aires Bears clubhouse attacked

Ulrike Lunacek, co-president of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBT Rights

INTERNATIONAL

Euro MPs Blast Lithuanian Bill The European Parliament on Jan. 19 called on Lithuania’s Parliament to reject a proposed law that would punish “public promotion of homosexual relations” with a fine of up to $3,900.

The Euro Parliament also called on Lithuania to review existing laws that ban gay information from any place where a minor could possibly see it, censor mentions of sexual orientation in advertising, and exclude gay protections from the nation’s educational equal-opportunity policy.

Homophobes attacked the Buenos Aires Bears clubhouse Jan. 15, shouting anti-gay abuse, throwing rocks and bottles at members, and burning a mattress and garbage up against the entrance, local media reported. Several bears reportedly were injured by projectiles when they ventured back outside to put out the fire. Police arrived and ended the attack but made no arrests.

Representatives of the club filed a complaint with the National Institute Against Discrimination, Xenophobia and Racism, which vowed to help them pursue criminal charges for property damage, personal injury and attempted murder.

Spain’s same-sex marriage law could face repeal effort

Ulrike Lunacek, co-president of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBT Rights, said: “We need to educate people – including children and youth – about the different forms of sexuality that have always existed in every culture, everywhere in the world, including in Lithuania. Hiding facts from young people generates fearful attitudes, prejudice and hate, something Europeans stand united against.”

The head of Spain’s opposition Popular Party has said he may work to repeal the 2005 law that legalized same-sex marriage if the party wins the elections at the beginning of 2012, which is a possibility.

Brit gay couple win hotel case, Christians must pay damages

“I don’t like (same-sex) marriage and I believe it’s not constitutional,” Mariano Rajoy said in a recent interview.

A British gay couple, Martyn Hall and Steven Preddy, who are in a civil partnership, will receive $2,872 each in damages from Cornwall hotel owners Peter and Hazelmary Bull, Christians who refused to rent them a room with a double bed. The ruling was handed down Jan. 18 by the Bristol County Court, which found that the Christians violated the nation’s ban on discrimination based on sexual orientation.

He said any legislative action would come after a decision is issued in a long-delayed Constitutional Court case challenging the law, and if the people of Spain support repealing the law.

In court, the couple claimed they hadn’t discriminated based on sexual orientation because they also refuse to rent such rooms to unmarried heterosexual couples.

In an interview, veteran gay activist Jordi Petit said he isn’t overly concerned about Rajoy’s threat.

Gay leader Peter Tatchell commented: “People of faith should not be permitted to use religion as an excuse to discriminate against other people. ... If the court had ruled that the Bulls were allowed to ban gay couples from sleeping together in the same room, it would have opened the floodgates to a deluge of similar religiousmotivated claims for exemption from the equality laws.”

“It’s not a given that Rajoy will head the PP in 2012,” Petit said. “And they said the same thing years ago about

the laws on divorce and abortion, then when they won the election, they didn’t do anything. Beyond that, many important PP mayors have married homosexual couples.”

IGLHRC worried for Cameroon activists The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission says it is deeply concerned over recent threats to LGBT rights defenders in Cameroon.

The organization said that Alice Nkom, chairperson of the Association for the Defense of Homosexuality, has been threatened with arrest by state officials and with violence from segments of civil society.

Harassment of Nkom and the organization has mounted since Jan. 4 when local media reported that the group will receive a grant from the European Union for “support and training for sexual minorities.”

The harassment has included a fatwa from the Coalition of Cameroonian Youth, televised denunciations of Nkom and the group by representatives of the Communications Ministry and the Bar Association of Cameroon, police cars parked outside the group’s offices for hours on end, and Minister of External Relations Henri Eyebe Ayissi’s reportedly urging the EU to cancel the grant.

U.S. Embassy seeks investigation of Honduran killings The U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa has urged the Honduran government to “vigorously investigate” five murders of LGBT people that took place since Dec. 18.

The embassy expressed “great concern” about the killings and said “the protection of Honduran law extends to all citizens regardless of sexual orientation.”

The government must “take all necessary steps to protect LGBT persons, who are among the most vulnerable to violence and abuse in Honduras,” the U.S. officials said.

According to the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, there have been at least 31 murders of Honduran LGBT people since the nation’s coup d’état in 2009.

INTERNational News provided by Rex Wockner with Bill Kelley PAGE 10 • February 4 - february 17, 2011

GL_V33_N2_cw_mb(FINAL).indd 10

Baltimore gaylife

2/2/11 6:28 PM

Lea Gilmore

BALTIMORE

CELEBRATES BLACK HISTORY MONTH

By KELLY D. MCCLAIN

I

magine having a price tag on your forehead. An African-American man could be sold for less than $400 during the slave trade in the early 1800s. An African-American woman was worth less than $300.

Consider receiving little to no pay for a full-day’s work while suffering in extreme heat or cold, not having any rights to speak up for and not having choices. No Starbucks, no movies, no restaurants, and definitely no openly same-sex intimacies.

Lea Gilmore has lent her voice, literally and figuratively, to advocacy for the underserved of the world and made a huge difference.

Gilmore is a highly sought after lecturer who frequently speaks on the history of African-American music, civil and human rights, and women’s rights.

“As an African-American, I am immensely proud of all of the amazing accomplishments of LGBT AfricanAmerican leaders, politicians, activists, mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers,” she said.

As a former deputy director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland and program director for the Association of Baltimore Area Grantmakers, Gilmore has testified before local, state, and federal commissions on issues ranging from immigration laws to the civil rights and liberties of women of color. Appointed by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, she served for several years as a member of the Maryland Advisory Board to the United States Commission on Civil Rights.

“I am grateful and honored to be a member of the Maryland Black Family Alliance (MBFA), an organization of allies dedicated to working for fairness, justice, and equality for all black families, including those headed by same-sex households,” she said.

“As African Americans, we more than most know that discrimination is wrong,” Gilmore said. “Our faith and our experiences are the motivations for wanting everyone one of us to be equal spiritually, socially, and legally.”

Gilmore is a classically trained pianist and an

award-winning blues, gospel and jazz singing civic activist currently serving on the Board of Trustees for the Public Justice Center, The Creative Alliance of Maryland, and the ACLU of Maryland.

The History of Black History Month In 1926, it began as Negro History Week. It was changed to Black History Week in 1972, and then evolved into Black History Month (also sometimes referred to as African-American Heritage Month) four years later. The birthdays of both President Abraham Lincoln (February 12) and Frederick Douglass (February 14) precipitated the month of February being chosen by the Father of Black History, Dr. Carter G. Woodson.

President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which abolished slavery in America’s confederate states. Frederick Douglass was an escaped slave who became one of the foremost black abolitionists and civil rights leaders in the nation.

Dr. Woodson (1875-1950), a son of former slaves, noted historian, author, world traveler with a Harvard Ph.D., had a dream of seeing Black History recognized in mainstream America. He believed that “the achievements of the Negro properly set forth will crown him as a factor in early human progress and a maker of modern civilization.”

Dr. Woodson believed that publishing scientific history would transform race relations by dispelling the wide-spread falsehoods about the achievements of Africans and peoples of African descent.

LGBT icons from Black history include (from the top): nventor George Washington Carver (1864-1943), jazz vocalist Ethel Waters (1896-1977), i anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960), blues singer Bessie Smith (1894-1937), writer and activist James Baldwin (1924-1987), choreographer Alvin Ailey (1931-1989) and U.S. Representative Barbara Jordan (1936-1996).(Photos courtesy Equality Forum and Wikimedia Commons.)

continued on page 16 www.baltimoregaylife.com

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Equality Maryland Executive Director Morgan Menses-Sheets lobbies for marriage equality.

The transgender community is hoping to pass antidiscrimination legislation this year. Photographed here is Sharon Brackett.

Last year, both bills did not make it out of their committees. However, Polyak believes there is a voting majority in the Senate, and is “cautiously optimistic” about the bill getting through the House Judiciary Committee, chaired by Delegate Joe Vallario (D-27A). “It is our goal to get the marriage bill voted out of committee in both chambers.” The bill would then go to the full floor of the chambers for a vote.

Is 2011 the Year that Changes Maryland’s Legislative Landscape?

Civil marriage and gender identity are main concerns for LGBT community

By TERRI SOLOMAN

A

s local lawmakers head back to Annapolis, two bills have gained momentum with advocacy groups and the LGBT community. The Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act (House Bill 175/Senate Bill 116) and the Gender Identity Anti-Discrimination Act (formerly House Bill 1022/Senate Bill 583) have significant ramifications for LGBT individuals who lack the benefits of legally recognized marriage and transgender men and women who are not currently protected under Maryland’s anti-discrimination law.

The Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act “alters a provision of law establishing that only certain marriages are valid in this State.”

This bill changes the language of existing Maryland law from “a man and a woman” to “two individuals who are not otherwise prohibited from marrying.”

Lisa Polyak, a board member of Equality Maryland since 2008, knows how difficult the struggle has been for marriage equality. She and her partner were the lead plaintiffs in previous marriage litigation, ending in 2007 with the Maryland Court of Appeals deciding PAGE 12 • February 4 - february 17, 2011

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against constitutional protections for civil marriage.

This bill, sponsored by Majority Leader Kumar Barve (D-17) and Delegate Keiffer Mitchell (D-44) in the House and by Majority Leader Rob Garagiola (D15) and Senator Rich Madaleno (D-18) in the Senate, has “an emphasis on religious freedom,” states Polyak.

“It will in no way obligate a religious leader to go against their sacraments or religion, and includes specific protections for religious members. This is asking that the same courthouse marriage that is available to opposite sex couples be available to same sex couples.”

The Gender Identity Anti-Discrimination Act will be sponsored by Delegate Joseline Pena-Melnyk (D21). It defines gender identity as a “gender-related identity, appearance, expression or behavior of an individual regardless of the individual’s assigned sex at birth.” This legislation adds gender identity to anti-discrimination protections already granted on “the grounds of race, sex, age, color, creed, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation or disability.” Discrimination would be “prohibited in the areas of employment, housing, credit and public accommodations.”

When the original anti-discrimination legislation was passed in 2001, one of the ways it got through was by removing the word “transgender” and only adding “sexual orientation.” Delegate Maggie McIntosh (D43) sees this legislation as a way to rectify that decision.

“I’ve been a longtime supporter of both civil marriage and transgender rights,” she states. “Last year we saw increased support and understanding. The committee had a good hearing on it. I’m very hopeful that it will go through.”

“It’s a bill that we have worked on for several years.

We are invested in it, and hope there will be some momentum from marriage equality,” says Melissa Goemann, legislative director of the ACLU of Maryland. “Support is growing for the transgender equality bill. It’s an area where people have needed to be educated.”

“One of the problems we had in the past was we could not get it [Gender Identity Anti-Discrimination Act] brought to a vote. It’s about making incremental progress. A vote on the full floor would be an amazing thing,” states Polyak.

But misunderstanding, personal beliefs, and the social connotations of words such as “marriage” and “transgender” are not the only obstacles to the passage of these pieces of legislation.

“The General Assembly is going to have to deal with an incredible revenue shortfall, an estimated 1.4 billion, in this coming year,” according to Dr. David Baltimore gaylife

2/2/11 6:28 PM

Heather Moyer and Amy Sens with their daughter Anne (Courtesy of Freedom to Marry)

Lynda Dee, lawyer and executive director of AIDS Action Baltimore, urges supporters of the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act to “have a back-up plan. Sometimes you have to compromise.”

One such compromise could look promising to those weary of the marriage equality debate. State Senator Allan Kittleman (R-9) has stated he will sponsor legislation legalizing civil unions in Maryland. This bill would “preserve the sanctity of marriage” and give same-sex couples all the rights and benefits of a marriage—but without the dreaded “m” word.

Morgan Meneses-Sheets, executive director of Equality Maryland, quickly responded to this announcement. While the proposed bill “claims to offer equal recognition for loving and committed gay and lesbian couples and their families, civil union falls short of ensuring the meaning and critical safety net that only marriage can provide. I don’t see the bill having a lot of traction because neither opponents or supporters are interested in talking about civil union in Maryland. It’s marriage or bust. We are not going to accept anything less.”

Goemann agrees: “We [the ACLU] are looking for marriage equality. Separate is not equal. We do not feel this would be an adequate resolution…with civil unions there would be practical problems because they may not fall under marriage protections, with much of the language and statutes specific to marriage in our state.”

According to Dr. Haltiwanger, the LGBT community would be negatively impacted if services and programs are cut.

And Meneses-Sheets is already looking ahead. “We will work hard to pass this [marriage bill], and we will work hard to defend it. We are in this for the next couple of years. Once we win, we are already preparing for our opposition to try to gather signatures to put this on the ballot. We really need the community to stand behind us if this goes to the ballot in November 2012. This is a marathon, not a sprint.”

But before any marathon is complete, it has to be run, step by step, mile by mile. The focus of Equality Maryland and other civil rights groups for the next 90 days is to get both bills through their respective committees, and to the floor for an affirmative vote.

With the election wins of several supportive senators, victory may be just around the corner.

“This is the year for gender identity and marriage equality. Legislative leaders have been educated. They are messaging affirmatively in the press,” declares Polyak. She remains optimistic about the chances for both bills in the upcoming General Assembly and ends with a call to action for our community.

Haltiwanger, director of clinical programs and public policy at Chase Brexton Health Services. “There either has to be an increase in revenue or a cut in spending, and the Governor wants to do it without a revenue increase.”

As a psychologist who works with policy and advocacy at both the state and federal level, Haltiwanger recognizes the connection between marriage and physical and mental well-being: “Marriage is a health issue. In terms of access to health insurance, it can have an impact on mental health. It’s an emotional challenge. As healthcare providers, we support change because we see how patients are impacted by not having equal treatment.” Goemann echoes this sentiment, stating, “It’s stigmatizing to not have the same title as other couples have.”

Haltiwanger cautions that “if programs are cut that www.baltimoregaylife.com

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allow Chase Brexton to treat uninsured members of the LGBT community,” a community that is already estimated to be “twice as likely to be without health insurance coverage” will be “painfully impacted.”

“This is the year that we need constituents to turn out. They need to see that we are invested in obtaining equal legal protection under the law, just like any other citizen.”

What does Haltiwanger recommend? “Let your elected representatives know that you are open to a balanced approach, rather than an approach that only considers cuts to services. Any increase is hard, but the alcohol tax, for example, has not been increased for many years. The last time Maryland increased the alcohol tax, most of us were not old enough to drink a cocktail yet.”

Want to get involved? The Annual Equality Maryland Lobby Day begins at 4:30 p.m. on February 14 in Annapolis. Participants will meet at the State House for training and a rally. Then, from 6-8 p.m., regional group meetings with your senators and delegates will give you time to tell your legislators why you support the Gender Identity and Marriage bills.

Although raising certain taxes, even in combination with cuts to services, is an unpopular move in a time of economic uncertainty, compromise may be key not only to balancing our state budget, but also to the marriage equality bill.

Why not spend V-Day with 1,000 members of your community who are passionate about the issues? You can RSVP for this event and receive email updates at EqualityMaryland.org. n

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outgoing datebook

Wednesday, February 9

Publishing Black: Paul Coates and Natalie Stokes-Peters discuss the history of Black Classic Press and the future for black writers, readers, and books. 6:30pm. FREE. Poe Room, Enoch Pratt Free Library, 400 Cathedral St. PrattLibrary.org

HIGHLIGHT

BINGO!: Weekly event hosted by Roger Dimick features cash prizes and progressive jackpot. Proceeds benefit GLCCB. 8:30pm.

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

Thursday, February 10

Sex at the Zoo: Open bar, hors d’oeuvres, live music, and a VIP presentation on “jungle love.” 6pm. 21+. $80/ea, $130/couple.

The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, Mansion House Porch, 1876 Mansion House Dr. MarylandZoo.org Women of Color: LBTQ support group for women of color.

E-mail WOC@glccb.org for info. 7:30pm. FREE. GLCCB, 241 W. Chase St. GLCCB.org

Friday, February 11

Mainstream Square Dancing Class Weekend: Learn the basic level of modern square dancing with Baltimore’s premier club for LGBT and straight dancers. 7pm. $85-90. Zion Lutheran Church, City Hall Plaza, 400 E. Lexington St. ChesapeakeSquares.org BMORE PROUD Committee 2010 (left to right): Mariela Pinedo (Johns Hopkins University), Shawn Orchowski (Towson University), Sarah Hammel (TU), Sean Lawlor (TU), Connie Calderon (TU).

Local Students Convene for LGBTQA Leadership Event at JHU

By RYAN DAVIS

Event Info BMORE PROUD Intercollegiate LGBTQA Leadership Summit Saturday, February 12, 9am-10pm Levering Hall, Johns Hopkins University Homewood Campus www.BmoreProud.org

F

ast on the heels of Creating Change, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force’s national conference on LGBT equality, the BMORE PROUD Queer College Coalition provides an opportunity for local LGBTQA students to share information and develop leadership skills.

“Personally, I want a venue in which we can teach students how to become activists and encourage the younger generation to stand for their rights because we need a voice,” said Conference Co-Chair Ray Delgado. This year’s keynote speakers include U.S. Marine veteran and Human Rights Campaign spokesperson Eric Alva and world-renowned poet and performance artist Staceyann Chin.

The BMORE PROUD coalition encourages involvement on campuses, between campuses, and off-campuses in the larger Baltimore community. Current members include UMBC, Towson University, MICA, Morgan State University, and Johns Hopkins University. Additional information is available at: www.bmoreproud.org.

Friday, February 4

The Gonzales Cantata: American Opera Theatre presents this opera buffa scripted entirely from Senate Judiciary Hearings and Alberto Gonzales’s resignation speech. On a double bill with Purcell’s classic “Dido and Aeneas.” $20-30. 8pm. Through Feb 13. Theatre Project, 45 W. Preston St. TheatreProject.org Deep in the Game: Cexman, Schwarts, Mark Brown present Vockah Redu and the Cru w/DJ BeesKnees (Live New Orleans Bounce). $3 before 11/$5 after. Club Hippo, 1 W. Eager St. ClubHippo.com

Saturday, February 5

Charm City Roller Girls Tryouts: Bring your helmet, protective pads, mouth guard, and skates. 10:30am-12:30pm. Skateland Northpoint, 1111 Northpoint Rd. CharmCityRollergirls.com PAGE 14 • February 4 - february 17, 2011

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Girdles, Garters and Gossip, Vol 2: Rain Pryor and Meshelle host this Black History month themed night of comedy. 7pm cocktails, food. 8pm show. $13-18. The Patterson, 3134 Eastern Ave. CreativeAlliance.org Miss Gay Baltimore 2011 Funhouse: Hosted by Josie Foster and Tatiyanna Voche. 10pm. $8-9. Club Hippo, 1 W. Eager St. ClubHippo.org Application/info: 410.247.7118

Saturday, February 12

Material Girls: Contemporary Black Women Artists: (See article, p. 5) 10am-5pm. $8. Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St. AfricanAmericanCulture.org BMORE PROUD Intercollegiate LGBTQA Leadership Summit 2011: (See article left) 9am-10pm. Levering Hall, Johns Hopkins Homewood Campus. BmoreProud.org Tassels & Champagne: Glamourous striptease from the ladies of Gilded Lily Burlesque. 7:30 & 10pm shows. $15-100. The Patterson, 3134 Eastern Ave. CreativeAlliance.org HollaBack Baltimore Web Site Launch Party: Introducing an online community where victims of street harassment find empowerment by sharing their experiences. $5 suggested donation. 8pm. Metro Gallery, 1700 N. Charles St. TheMetroGallery.net Valentine’s Day Aphrodisiac Dinner: Select from special threeor four-course prix fixe menu. Reservations required. Through Feb 14. Gertrude’s, Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Drive. 410.889.3399 Rehab: Monthly dance party from the ladies of SHE Productions.

9pm. $5. Sappho’s, 1001 N Charles St. CentralStationPub.com

Onyx Mid-Atlantic Club Night: Night of brotherly association with People of Color who enjoy the leather lifestyle. 9pm.

Baltimore Eagle, 2022 N. Charles St. TheBaltimoreEagle.com DJ C-Dubz: Club pop re-mixes, electro-pop, and funky house.

10pm. Club Hippo, 1 W. Eager St. ClubHippo.com

Tuesday, February 8

Howard County PFLAG: Equality Maryland’s Executive Director Morgan Meneses-Sheets discusses the upcoming Lobby Day in Annapolis. 7:30pm. FREE. Owen Brown Interfaith Center, 7246 Cradlerock Way, Columbia. PFLAGmd.org

BLADeaf Club Night: Join the world’s first local deaf leather organization for fellowship and fun. 9pm. Baltimore Eagle, 2022 N. Charles St. TheBaltimoreEagle.com

Sunday, February 13

Treasures of Heaven: Approx. 135 medieval reliquaries covered in gold and silver and embellished with gems and semiprecious stones. Through May 15. 10am-5pm. The Walters Art Museum, 600 N. Charles St. TheWalters.org A Night of Romance: Guided tour of romantic art pieces, plus champagne, treats, live jazz, and card-making starting at 6:15 p.m. $25-35 per couple; join Couples Yoga at 7pm for extra $5-25.

Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr. artBMA.com

Baltimore gaylife

2/2/11 6:28 PM

2/5

Charm City Roller Girls Tryouts at Skateland Northpoint, (Photo by Al Aumuller)

2/4

The Gonzales Cantata at Theatre Project, (Photo by US Dept. of Justice)

2/8

EQMD’s Morgan Meneses-Sheets at Howard County PFLAG

2/18

Chris Jericho at Enoch Pratt Central Library, (Photo by jorgebueno)

2/10

Sex at the Baltimore Zoo, (Photo

by Berlin Zoo)

Laura June, Ph.D. Licensed Psychologist

Monday, February 14 ST. VALENTINE’S DAY

$10 after. Mist, 124 Market Place MistBaltimore.com

Equality Maryland Annual Lobby Day: (See article, p. 12) 5-9pm. Lawyers Mall and the General Assembly, Annapolis EqualityMaryland.org

Full Moon/Blackout Combo Party: Clothes check, $2 two rail drinks and $1.75 drafts for those in underwear. 9pm. Baltimore Eagle, 2022 N. Charles St. TheBaltimoreEagle.com

Red Party: Wear red for $2 rail drinks; $1.50 drafts. Baltimore Eagle, 2022 N. Charles St. TheBaltimoreEagle.com

Friday, February 18

Wednesday, February 16

BINGO!: Weekly event hosted by Roger Dimick features cash prizes and progressive jackpot. Proceeds benefit GLCCB. 8:30pm.

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

Thursday, February 17

Drinking Up the Pieces: One-man show directed by Rain Pryor is a dramedy about one man’s solution to life’s tribulations. Through Feb 20. 8pm. $10-20. Theatre Project, 45 W. Preston St. TheatreProject.org Lush at Mist: Hot ladies’ night at Baltimore’s sexiest upscale megaclub with unbeatable drink specials. 21+. 9pm. $5 before 10pm;

Wrestler Chris Jericho Book Signing: Meet the author of Undisputed: How to Become the World Champion in 1,372 Easy Steps. 7pm. FREE. Enoch Pratt Free Library, Central Branch, 400 Cathedral St. PrattLibrary.org

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

Reasons to be pretty: Fuzz Roark directs Neal Labute’s play. Through March 6. 8pm. $10-15.

Fells Point Corner Theatre, 241 S. Ann St. FPCT.org Approaching Zanzibar: A typical nuclear family’s roadtrip has as many ups and downs as the terrain in this absurdist comedy by Tina Howe. Through March 13. 8pm. $1620. Spotlighters Theatre, 817 St. Paul St. Spotlighters.org Compiled by Ryan Davis and Mark Douglas

E-MAIL EVENT INFO TO: CALENDAR@BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM www.baltimoregaylife.com

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continued from page 11

Baltimore’s Black History

children at Peale Museum.

Since the city of Baltimore was founded in the early 1700s, Blacks have been a major presence. Black Baltimoreans, enslaved and free, worked in the many East Baltimore industries, particularly shipping and ship building, which made Baltimore a center of commerce during the 18th and 19th centuries.

In 1912, the Arch Social Club lounge and restaurant, the first social club for African-Americans on the east coast, was opened. It is Baltimore’s oldest African-American social club and still features Old School, live R&B, Jazz, and Top 40 dance music.

Baltimorean sites & figures that represent a history for African-Americans The Maryland Historical Society has been serving Maryland by preserving its heritage and is the state’s oldest cultural institution since 1844. It contains a number of artifacts relating to black history in Baltimore.

Morgan State University, an HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) originally founded in 1867, became a public institution in 1939. On campus, the James E. Lewis Museum of Art houses a collection of African-American artwork.

Founded in 1900, Coppin State College, also an HBCU, was originally set up to offer one-year training courses for African-American elementary school teachers. By 1938 the curriculum was lengthened to four years and the college could grant Bachelor’s of Science degrees. Fanny Jackson Coppin, the black woman who, born a slave in Washington, D.C., gained her freedom and eventually became a pioneer in teacher education.

She was one of the first black women to earn a degree from a major U.S. college, a bachelor’s degree in 1865 from Oberlin College in Ohio.

In 1892, The Afro-American Newspaper was founded by a former slave, John H. Murphy, Sr. By 1922 the newspaper had evolved from a church bulletin into the most widely circulated black newspaper along the eastern coast as well as being the longest running African-American, familyowned newspaper in the United States.

The Eubie Blake National Museum and Cultural Center is the named after James Hubert “Eubie” Blake. He was born the son of a former slave and was known to have attended the first free public school for black

Nine aspiring Black actors and actresses formed Arena Playhouse, Inc. in 1953. It is the oldest continuously operating African-American owned community theater in the country.

WJZ-TV Baltimore’s Channel 13 made national history when Oprah Winfrey became the first AfricanAmerican woman co-anchor and reporter in the country in 1976.

The Great Blacks in Wax Museum opened in 1988 with over 100 life-sized and life-like wax figures and scenes, including Malcolm X, Sojourner Truth, Langston Hughes and a full scale model of a slave ship.

Camden Station, part of the Oriole Park, was part of Harriett Tubman’s Underground Railroad.

In 2005, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland AfricanAmerican History and Culture opened. It is the East Coast’s largest African-American Museum.

The Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park, located in Fells Point, honors both Frederick Douglass and Isaac Myers and highlights the founding of the Chesapeake Marine Railway and Dry Dock Company, as well as the establishment of an AfricanAmerican community in Baltimore in the 1800s.

Of the 1,711,363 million AfricanAmericans accounted for in the state of Maryland in 2008, a quarter (410,540) live in Baltimore City. Baltimore has many outlets in which to celebrate the historical mark left by our AfricanAmericans ancestors, pristinely preserved for future generations. We would never know who we are or where we came from without them. n Thanks for Lea Gilmore for use of parts of her bio and the photo from her website: www.leagilmore. com. The statistical data was gathered from the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture’s Annual Report 2008-9.

www.baltimoregaylife.com PAGE 16 • February 4 - february 17, 2011

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firstperson Speaking out

Huck Finn’s N-Word: Preserving Artistic Integrity or Ethnic Property Rights?

By Rev. Irene Monroe

A

s Americans we have a hard time talking about race in this country when the n-word is not involved. And when this epithet is, predict-

ably, we behave schizophrenically.

And much of the kerfuffle is about who’s staking a claim on its use.

in contextualizing the use of racist language.

The now recent kerfuffle concerning the n-word is focused on Samuel Langhorne Clemens’, known fondly to us as Mark Twain, New South Books edition of the 1885 controversial classic “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.”

Gribben’s intent in substituting the epithet with the word “slave” is to make the book user-friendly for a certain school-age group so that a teachable moment on the inflammatory use of racial epithets can be civilly addressed and analyzed in a learning environment.

However, because of an often volatile reaction to Twain’s use of the n-word in “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” we miss not only the intended lesson but also the beauty of the story and the bonding that takes place between Huck (the protagonist) and Jim (an adult enslaved African American who escaped from slavery) because both are runaways trying to reach freedom.

In a combined effort to rekindle interest in this Twain classic, and to tamp down the flame and fury the n-word engenders both from readers who come across the epithet 219 times in the book, Mark Twain Scholar Alan Gribben, an English professor at Auburn University in Alabama, proposed the idea that the n-word be replaced with the word “slave.”

“The n-word possessed, then as now, demeaning implications more vile than almost any insult that can be applied to other racial groups. There is no equivalent slur in the English language. As a result, with every passing decade this affront appears to gain rather than lose its impact. Even at the level of college and graduate school, students are capable of resenting textual encounters with this racial appellative,” Gribben writes in the introduction of the new edition.

I think for grade school and middle school students, the word should be removed. I remember reading the text as a sixth grader at a predominately white public school in Brooklyn and suffering mightily from both the teacher’s inability to contextualize the text and from my classmates’ insensitivity concerning the epithet. But several years later, unfortunately, I experienced “deja vu all over again” with this text. This time, I was a first-year student at Wellesley College and suffering mightily, because of the professor’s ineptitude

I am troubled, however, in this recent kerfuffle concerning the n-word by how many of us African Americans, in particular, go back and forth on its politically correct use. Let’s do a walk down memory lane: In December 2006, we blamed Michael Richards, who played the lovable and goofy character Kramer on the TV sitcom “Seinfeld” for using the n-word. The racist rant was heard nationwide and shocked not only his fans and audience that night at the Laugh Factory in West Hollywood, but it also shocked Americans back to an ugly era in U.S. history.

In July 2008, we heard the Rev. Jessie Jackson use the n-word referring to Obama. And Jackson using the word not only reminded us of its history, but also how the n-word can slip so approvingly from the mouth of a man who was part of a cadre of African American leaders burying the n-word once and for all in a mock funeral at Baltimore gaylife

2/2/11 6:29 PM

Justin’s HIV Journal

HIV+ People Need Love Too

By Justin B. Smith

“The notion that it is acceptable for African Americans to refer to each other using the n-word while considering it racist for others outside the race, unquestionably sets up a double standard.” the 98th annual NAACP’s convention in Detroit in 2007.

tio ad absurdum argument, since language is a public enterprise.

And in 2009, Dr. Laura Schlessinger ended her radio show a week after she broadcast a five-minute-long rant in which she used the n-word 11 times.

The n-word is firmly embedded in the lexicon of racist language that was, and still is, used to disparage African Americans. However, today the meaning of the n-word is all in how one spells it. By dropping the “er” ending and replacing it with either an “a” or “ah” ending, some think the term morphs into one of endearment. But, many slaveholders pronounced the nword with the “a” ending, and in the 1920s, many African Americans used the “a” ending as a pejorative term to denote class differences among themselves.

In 2003, the NAACP convinced Merriam-Webster lexicographers to change the definition of the n-word in the dictionary to no longer mean African Americans but instead to be defined as a racial slur. And, while the battle to change the n-word in the American lexicon was a long and arduous one, our culture’s neo-revisionist use of the n-word makes it even harder to purge the sting of the word from the American psyche.

The notion that it is acceptable for African Americans to refer to each other using the n-word while considering it racist for others outside the race, unquestionably sets up a double standard.

The notion that one ethnic group has property rights to the term is a reducwww.baltimoregaylife.com

GL_V33_N2_cw_mb(FINAL).indd 17

Too many of us keep the n-word alive. It also allows Americans to become numb to the power this racial epithet still has, thwarting the daily struggle many of us embrace when trying to ameliorate race relations.

I think Gribben’s is trying to do that with his edition of Huck Finn. n

S

o we rang in the New Year for 2011 with people kissing and hugging in Times Square, at private parties, and in the privacy of their own

homes. Some of these relationships may have already ended, and some

will last for a lifetime. Which one are you looking for?

People who are HIV positive people are sometimes at a disadvantage when it comes to love. Many of us are looking for it and will continue to look for it for a lifetime. But let me ask you this: Are you holding yourself back from love?

I have a good friend who complains to me constantly about his ongoing trek to find love. He tells me his trials and tribulations about trying to find a man. He is a HIV positive gay man. One problem that he runs into constantly is that when he tells his prospective suitor that he is HIV positive, the suitor runs away saying, “I’m sorry I can’t date you because I like my health” or “How can we have sex with you being sick?” Well this is a shock to him and my friend cries about it constantly. He cries because he doesn’t feel that he is wanted by anyone.

I often tell people that the attitude with which you approach things is how you make out in the end. If you go into something looking for a perfect relationship you might be disappointed. Being HIV positive is not easy

at all. If you’re positive you might feel unwanted and unloved, but you are NOT. There are plenty of men and women out there who can and will love you for who you are inside, and will not reject you for the disease that you carry.

To all the negative people who refuse to date someone who is positive, I ask you this: Out of all the men and women you have had sex with, you’re going to tell me that not one of them was HIV positive, especially here in the Baltimore/DC area? Did you even ask when their last HIV test was? Or what the results were? All in all statistics don’t mean a lot to me, BUT chances are you have had sex with a HIV positive person and have not known it. BUT when a truly genuine person comes along, do you reject them because they are infected with HIV? Love them for the honest person they are. After all, that is one of the first conversations I had with Dr. Philip B. Terry-Smith, when we first met at a bar about five years ago. And now he is my husband.

THINK ABOUT THAT. Volume 33, Number 2 • PAGE 17

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afterhours bScene

Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend photos by shutterpup

CHESAPEAKE LEATHER AWARENESS PRIDE 2011 Hooker & Boys presents the 2011 Mid-Atlantic LeatherSIR/Leatherboy Community Bootblack and Leather Woman Contests as part of Chesapeake Leather Awareness Pride (C.L.A.P.) Weekend 2011 (March 25-27, 2011)!

The Mid-Atlantic LeatherSIR/Leatherboy/ Community Bootblack and Leather Woman 2010 Contests’ weekend will take place Friday, March 25 through Sunday, March 27, 2011. The afternoon contests and show will take place at 1pm on Sunday, March 27 at The Club Hippo (1 W. Eager St.), $20.00 per person.

The LeatherSir / Leatherboy / Leather Woman Contestants will vie for the Regional Titles, competing on stage in Formal Leather Image, Leathersex Fantasy scene, and Physique/Jockstrap segments (Leatherwoman has hot wear). This year’s contest theme is “Military” and Contestants must incorporate this theme into their Fantasy scene. The Bootblack Contestants will be judged on Bootblack Leather Image, on-stage Speech, Interview and Skill. As always, there will be events all weekend long, sponsored by Leather/Levi Clubs from around the Mid-Atlantic Region, so there will definitely be more events and information to follow! Stay tuned!

CALL FOR CONTESTANTS! The LeatherSIR / Leatherboy contest is open to Gay Leathermen residing in; The Leatherwoman Contest is open to all Lesbian Leatherwomen residing in; The Boot Black Contest is open to all Bootblacks regardless of gender identification or sexual orientation residing in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington D.C., Maryland, New York City and Long Island, NY. Even if you or someone you know might not yet be ready to commit, anyone whose curiosity about competing is piqued, is encouraged to contact the contest producers (see below) with questions and comments. You must be 21 years old or older to compete or attend.

The winners of Mid-Atlantic LeatherSIR / Leatherboy and Community Bootblack 2011 will advance to compete at the International LeatherSIR / Leatherboy and Bootblack 2011 Contest weekend, July 28-July 30, 2011 (the same weekend as Dore Alley!!) in San Francisco, California. (See www.LeatherSIR.com for more information.)

The winner of Mid-Atlantic Leather Woman 2011 will advance to compete at ABW for American Leather Woman (www.AmericanBrotherhood.com), International Ms. Leather (www.IMsL.org) or IDL for International Ms. Deaf Leather (www.InternationalDeafLeather.org).

The Mid-Atlantic LeatherSIR / Leatherboy / Community Bootblack and Leather Woman Contest Weekend 2011 is produced by Hooker & Boys. To contact the producers, email Rik at hookernboys@ comcast.net or call 410-366-5312. To donate to the Prize Package or to become a sponsor, email Jason Sentz at jmsentz@yahoo.com or call 443-362-0046.

PAGE 18 • February 4 - february 17, 2011

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Volume 33, Number 2 • PAGE 19

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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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