Volume 33, Number 4 by Baltimore Gay Life

SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1979

MARYLAND’S LGBT COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER MARCH 4 - MARCH 17, 2011 VOLUME XXXIII, NUMBER 4 WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM

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HISTORY PLUS: n MD Senate Passes Marriage Bill n

Obama Abandons DOMA Awards Recognize Best of Gay MD

Author Gertrude Stein (1874-1946)

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VOLUME 33, NUMBER 4 • PAGE 3

CONTENTS

letter editor’s

MARCH 4 - MARCH 17, 2011 VOLUME 33, NUMBER 4

was born a woman, but I wasn’t always a feminist. Before I understood the value of gender studies, I took a class called Women’s History in America. That course opened my eyes to fundamental, almost axiomatic, omissions in my otherwise quality education. Unlike previous history classes, I found myself in a setting where the actions of American women were not offered as a postscript to the accomplishments of white men. Instead, the professor re-taught American history with women front and center. I had initially resisted the allure of women’s studies because I did not see value in studying the world through any particular lens. Presented with new evidence, I could only conclude the supposedly objective historical reality that I had been taught was in fact just a patriarchal, Eurocentric lens of its own. This revelation plunged me into the undiscovered country of feminist thinkers and writers – many of whom were lesbians – who had come to this understanding long before I did. Even women’s studies had its flaws; some feminists marginalized African American women, ignored issues pertaining to poor women, or distanced themselves from lesbians. But with more study came a greater understanding of our complete history as humans, a history shaped and defined by many fascinating figures of all possible persuasion. Perhaps one day we won’t need special holidays to celebrate the accomplishments of women and minorities, but rather future history classes will give equal light to these subjects from the start. We don’t gain anything by ignoring (or pretending to ignore) our sexual orientation or gender identity. Baltimore native Adrienne Rich recognized this: “What does it mean that my own work can be respectfully quoted and discussed in the academic classroom and in articles without acknowledging that it is the work of a lesbian?” Therefore, this month, we proudly bring you an issue celebrating some of the exceptional lesbian women who have made a difference in our Baltimore.

9 Out Front

First Person

PAGE 5 AWARDS: ARGY Awards. By Kristi Metzger

PAGE 13 TRANSMISSIONS: Shielded by the Badge. By Gwendolyn Ann Smith

PAGE 5 TALK: Morgan’s Academic Symposium. By Rose D’Longcroi PAGE 6 OBITUARY: Curt Raymond Schaefer PAGE 7 THEATER: Paula Vogle at Single Carrot. By Terri Solomon

Headline News PAGE 8 NATIONAL NEWS: By Rex Wockner with Bill Kelley PAGE 9 INTERNATIONAL NEWS: By Rex Wockner with Bill Kelley

After Hours PAGE 14 LEATHER TALES: ONYX Comes to Baltimore Eagle. By Sir Andy Liu PAGE 18 HUNTER ON THE PROWL: Contests, Events, and Birthdays Galore. By Mark Hunter

Feature PAGE 9: Snapshots of LBT Women in Md History. By Kelly D. McClain

Maggie Beetz, Editor

PAGE 14 JUSTIN’S HIV JOURNAL: You Have HIV… Now What? By Justin B. Smith

Out Going PAGE 15: DATEBOOK

ON THE COVER

Detail of “Portrait of Gertrude Stein” by Pablo Picasso (1905-06), from the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. (Image courtesy Molly Eyres/Wikimedia Commons)

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 • MARCH 4 - MARCH 17, 2011

STAFF

VISIT US ONLINE AT BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM

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 Rose D’Longcroi, Ryan Davis, Mark Hunter, Bill Kelley, Sir Andy Liu, Kristi Metzger, Gwendolyn Ann Smith, Justin B. Smith, Terri Solomon, Rex Wockner Newspaper Committee: Trevor Ankeny, Kelly D. McClain, Doug Rose, Craig Wiley

BALTIMORE GAYLIFE

outfront AWARDS

GLCCB Programs Nominated for 3 ARGIES BY KRISTI METZGER

Kevin Walling and Miss Summer Clearance present Club Hippo & The Phoenix the ARGIE for “2010 Best GLBT/Friendly Bar.”

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

ADVERTISE IN The annual ARGY Awards recognize the best of Gay Maryland, and the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Baltimore (GLCCB) is nominated for three of those awards. Those nominations fall under the categories of GLBT Friendly Business or Non-Profit of the Year, GLBT Newspaper/Publication of the Year (for Baltimore Gay Life) and GLBT Event of the Year (for Baltimore Gay Pride). The ARGIES are presented by RGroup, an organization founded in 2005 by Ted Hart. The group’s mission is to promote gay parties, dining, networking and social events, theater, private shopping nights, and products and services. Their online community now has over 1,500 members.

This year’s competition has already drawn a record number of votes, and is a very tight race among many of the categories. The ballot for the 2011 ARGIES is available by joining RGroup’s online community at www.rgroup.org. Voting is open through March 16.

GAYLIFE! Reach the local gay market! Email us at sales@baltimoregaylife.com to place your classified or display ad.

Winners will be announced on Thursday, March 31 during the RGroup Awards ceremony at Spotlighters Theatre. In addition to the awards portion of the evening, patrons will also enjoy cabaret acts by local GLBT performers, as well as a wine cash bar and light fare reception. Tickets for the awards ceremony can be purchased online. A portion of each ticket sale will benefit Spotlighters Theatre. n

TALK

MSU & BMore Proud Host Academic Symposium BY ROSE D’LONGCROI

The Women and Gender Studies Program of Morgan State University has partnered with BMore Proud to present their first academic symposium on sexuality, gender, race and ethnicity on March 12. This day-long event includes more than a dozen presenters including keynote speaker, Dr. Antonia Randolph. She has researched aspects of social culture, race, and the role of the African American male in rap music and his effect on this community. She will discuss the topics covered in her book tentatively titled “The Wrong Kind of Different: Race, Ethnicity and the Meaning of Diversity in American Schools,” to be released in 2012. WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM

Morning and afternoon sessions will tackle issues such as the razor thin lines placed on gay men who embrace their female affinity and the topic of STDs in the lesbian community. Other topics include how same-sex marriage affects women, social minorities and citizenship, and violence within the LGBT community. A roundtable discussion will be centered on developing LGBT studies programs for higher education institutions. n

DETAILS: Academic Symposium: Intersections: Sexuality, Gender, Race and Ethnicity.” $10-25. Saturday, March 12, 9am-4:30pm. Morgan State University, 1700 E. Cold Spring Ln. University Student Center Rooms 210 and 212. Call Claudia Leight at 443-885-3130.

Book by Larry L. King and Peter Masterson. Music and lyrics by carol hall. Produced by special arrangement with samuel French.

March 18 – 20 Lisner auditoriuM

for tickets call 202.293.1548 or visit gmcw.org Season Sponsors Steve Herman & John DiBenedetto

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Proud Sponsors

Presenting Sponsors Jim & Barbara Tozzi

VOLUME 33, NUMBER 4 • PAGE 5

outfront OBITUARY

Architect and Champion of Aging Landmarks Dies Curt Raymond Schaefer, an architect and advocate for rejuvenating aging Baltimore landmarks, died Sunday, January 16, 2011, of complications from the flu at his home on East Mount Vernon Place. He was 51. Mr. Schaefer was born in Bad Cannstatt, Germany, where his father was stationed in the military. He was raised in Camp Hill, Pa., graduated Cedar Cliff High School, and earned his Bachelor of Arts in architecture from Temple University in 1985. Mr. Schaefer was employed at the Baltimore architecture firm, Kann Partners, where he served as a project

manager and studio team leader, working with on the preservation of the Druid Park Conservatory, The Lab School on the old Goucher College Campus, and two Enoch Pratt Free Library branches. Other projects included, the renovation of area schools, as well as commercial and hotel buildings, including the old Hotel Junker (E. Fayette St.), the Oldtown National Bank, and the Title Guarantee Building (St. Paul St.). Mr. Schaefer spent his summers in Rehoboth Beach, Del., where he shared a home. Survivors include his mother, Ingeborg Rehklau Schaefer of New Cumberland, Pa.; two sisters, Susan K. Schaefer of New Cumberland, Pa. and Karen R. Jenkins of Huntington, Ind.; many friends and work associates. n

DETAILS: A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 5, at 3pm at First and Franklin Street Presbyterian Church, 210 W. Madison St. Memorial contributions may be made to Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Attn: Membership Department, 6 Herndon Ave., Annapolis, Md. 21403 www.cbf.org.

Tom Goss

Mara Levi & The Pushovers

= Awesome! Tom Goss returns to Baltimore with a new album "Turn It Around" on Sunday, March 20 at 7 pm at the GLCCB for a CD release party. Joining Tom for this fun performance will be the allgirl, all-awesome The Pushovers. Tickets are $12, at TomGossMusic.com/tickets.

PAGE 6 â&#x20AC;˘ MARCH 4 - MARCH 17, 2011

BALTIMORE GAYLIFE

outfront THEATER

“The Long Christmas Ride Home” Reveals Simple Truths about Love and Loss Vogel’s play opens March 16 at Single Carrot Theatre BY TERRI SOLOMON

sion of three children—Rebecca, the oldest at 12, full of adolescent angst; Stephen, struggling with his feelings while “watching boys;” and Claire, the youngest “golden girl.” Over the course of the play, the mute puppeteers grow into speaking adult characters. The narrators are called simply “Man” and “Woman” and begin the play as omniscient. However, according to the script, “as the play goes on, they dwindle into parents, frozen in time in the front seat of the car.” These parents have struggles as well: the father is having an affair with a younger woman, and the mother is trapped in a dishonest marriage.

Single Carrot Theatre began in 2005 at the University of Colorado with 22 students meeting in a conference room. They had one purpose—”to make the community a better place through art.” The ensemble traveled 1,700 miles to Baltimore in 2007 to take up residence in the city’s developing Station North Arts and Entertainment district. Now nine company members strong, Single Carrot is in its fourth season, and has garnered strong reviews for its innovative productions and classical reinventions. “The Long Christmas Ride Home” by Pulitzer Prize-winning lesbian playwright Paula Vogel is the theater’s eighteenth main season show. “It’s built for discussion, which I really like,” Director Jessica Garrett told Baltimore Gay Life. “[Vogel’s] words are so beautiful.” The brief play details the life-long effects of one traumatic holiday journey on a family of five. It incorporates Bunraku-style Japanese puppets, each operated by the actor playing the adult ver-

Paula Vogel is the only playwright Single Carrot Theatre has produced twice, with the exception of original works. “The Baltimore Waltz” was produced in 2007. “We love that she’s from the area. It’s always nice to have that Maryland touch in every show. I think what’s most appealing is that in our company we like different types of theatre. She scratches everybody’s itch more than any other playwright I can think of,” said Garrett. And although the adult Stephen and Claire both have same-sex loves and lusts, Garrett has never considered “The Long Christmas Ride Home” a gay play. “You don’t get a lot of love story in the show,” she explained. “It seems to be more about what happens when love is lost with parents and siblings. So will Baltimore theater-goers embrace a play with simple language, a basic plot, and puppetry? Garrett believes they will. Local patrons, she said, “are really adventurous, and ready for any type of show—classics, originals, or experimental theater. n

DETAILS: “The Long Christmas Ride Home” by Paula Vogel, directed by Jessica Garrett at Single Carrot Theatre, 120 W. North Ave. (Load of Fun Bldg.), March 16-April 17, Thurs.-Sat. 7:30pm, Sun. 2:30pm, $10-20, 443-844-9253, SingleCarrot.com. WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM

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VOLUME 33, NUMBER 4 • PAGE 7

headlinenews NATIONAL

Obama and Justice Dept. Refuse to Defend DOMA in Court ‘Sexualorientation classifications should get heightened scrutiny’ The section of DOMA that the government is abandoning reads: “In determining the meaning of any Act of Congress, or of any ruling, regulation, or interpretation of the various administrative bureaus and agencies of the United States, the word ‘marriage’ means only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife, and the word ‘spouse’ refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife.”

President Barak Obama. Photo by Rex Wockner

President Barack Obama and the U.S. Justice Department announced Feb. 23 that they no longer will defend the Defense of Marriage Act in various ongoing lawsuits against the ban on federal recognition of states’ same-sex marriages because the ban is unconstitutional.

A second part of DOMA purports to give the 50 states cover to refuse to recognize other states’ same-sex marriages. Holder said that the Justice Department’s defenses of DOMA Section 3 up until this point occurred in federal circuits where binding precedents “hold that laws singling out people based on sexual orientation, as DOMA does, are constitutional if there is a rational basis for their enactment.” Rational basis is a less-demanding standard of legal review than heightened scrutiny.

Maryland Senate Passes Same-Sex Marriage Bill Maryland’s Senate passed a bill to legalize same-sex marriage Feb. 24. The vote was 25-21. “This is a historic and proud moment in Maryland’s history,” said lead sponsor Sen. Rob Garagiola. “I am ... confident that the Free State will realize full marriage equality in 2011.” The bill now is being debated in the House of Delegates, where the vote could be close. Gov. Martin O’Malley has vowed to sign the bill if it arrives on his desk. Maryland has a system similar to the one that was used in Maine to overturn the Legislature’s legalization of same-sex marriage there in 2009. If enough voter signatures are collected, a recently passed law can be subjected to a voter referendum and canceled out. The earliest that such a measure could appear on a Maryland ballot is November 2012.

NH Residents Oppose Repeal of Same-Sex Marriage New Hampshire residents overwhelmingly oppose plans by some legislators to attempt to repeal the state’s 2009 law that legalized same-sex marriage, according to polling data released Feb. 9. The Granite State Poll, sponsored by WMUR-TV and conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, found that only 29 percent of New Hampshire adults support repeal, 62 percent oppose repeal, and 9 percent are neutral on the matter or lack an opinion.

Indiana Legislature Targets Same-Sex Couples The Indiana House of Representatives passed a measure Feb. 15 to send to voters a constitutional amendment that blocks recognition of same-sex marriages and any status similar to marriage. House Joint Resolution 6, which passed 70-26, states: “Article 1 of the Constitution of the State of Indiana is amended by adding a new section to read as follows: ... Only a marriage between one (1) man and one (1) woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Indiana. A legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage for unmarried individuals shall not be valid or recognized.” PAGE 8 • MARCH 4 - MARCH 17, 2011

Hungary’s Budapest Metropolitan Court on Feb. 18 overturned city officials’ refusal to grant permission for this year’s gay pride parade. Photo courtesy Andy Harley, UK Gay News

INTERNATIONAL

Court Overturns Budapest Pride Ban Hungary’s Budapest Metropolitan Court on Feb. 18 overturned city officials’ refusal to grant permission for this year’s gay pride parade. The city’s ban came after organizers sought to extend the route of the June 18 march to an endpoint in Parliament Square. Officials claimed the new route would disrupt traffic and disturb an ongoing photo exhibit outside the Parliament Building. A coalition of local organizations along with pan-European LGBT groups and Amnesty International had harshly criticized the ban, and pride orga-

UN Shuns ILGA Again The Non-Governmental Organizations Committee of the United Nations’ Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on Feb. 4 again rejected a request for consultative status from the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association aka ILGA. The committee voted to take “no action” on the request and to reconsider it in May. Seven nations supported moving to an actual vote on granting ILGA the status to access U.N. meetings, deliver oral and written reports, contact country representatives and organize events at the U.N. They were Belgium, Bulgaria, India, Israel, Turkey, Peru and the United States.

Portugal Approves ProTrans Policies Portugal’s Parliament on Feb. 17 approved a law making life easier for transsexuals. Within a couple of weeks, those who want to change their name or legal sex can go to a civil registry office with medical proof of

nizers went to court to block it. “Hungary currently holds the presidency of the European Union and surely is sending the wrong signal about the union’s respect of human rights of all,” said Evelyne Paradis, executive director of the European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association. “Indeed, such a blatant denial of the right to free and peaceful assembly goes against the EU fundamental principles of democracy and respect of diversity.”

“gender identity disorder” and officials must process the changes within eight days. There is no requirement of sex-reassignment surgery as a prerequisite to making the changes. Alterations in the Marriage Registry, however, can be made only with written consent of the spouse or ex-spouse, and changes to a birth certificate of an individual’s adult child require the child’s approval.

Irish Support Same-Sex Marriage Sixty-one percent of the Irish support legalization of same-sex marriage, according to a new Irish Independent/ Millward Brown Lansdowne survey. Only 27 percent oppose it. Support is strongest among young people, women, Labour voters, and Dubliners. It is weakest among people over 65 and farmers. Ireland has a civilpartnership law that provides same-sex couples with many of the rights and obligations of marriage, but gay campaigners say separate is not equal.

FIND COMPLETE HEADLINE NEWS AT BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM. NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL NEWS PROVIDED BY REX WOCKNER WITH BILL KELLEY

BALTIMORE GAYLIFE

In a pamphlet titled “Twenty-One Love Poems” (1977), Rich openly expressed her love for another woman. As the poem frankly reveals the ups and downs of the women’s relationship, it not only documents a significant part of the poet’s life, but it also educates readers, of all orientations about the realities of relationships:

Claribel Cone, Gertrude Stein, Etta Cone 1903

Snapshots Women’s HistoryMonth

of LBT Women in Maryland History

BY KELLY D. MCCLAIN

n March 1911, more than one million women and men attended rallies in Europe to campaign for women’s rights to work, vote, be trained, hold public office, and to end discrimination against women. As this movement to demand equality for women expanded globally, March 8 became recognized annually as International Women’s Day. But until the 1970s, “Women’s History” was unheard of as a subject of study in most American public schools—or even among most American people. The concept of women’s history was introduced to the general American public in 1978, when a group of California educators designated the week of March 8 “Women’s History Week” in Sonoma County public schools. The week of celebrations and commemorations was so successful that it was soon replicated in other school districts across the country. By 1980, the celebrations were so widespread that President Jimmy Carter issued a Presidential Proclamation declaring the week of March 8 “Women’s History Week.” The following year, in 1981, Congress established a national Women’s History Week by passing a Joint Resolution cosponsored by Maryland’s own Senator Barbara Mikulski (along with Sen. WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM

Orrin Hatch of Utah). In 1987, Congress designated the month of March as Women’s History Month in perpetuity. Today, Women’s History Month is an important time to recognize all women of significance, including lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LBT) women who have made history in the past, as well as those who are making history today. Jodi Kelber-Kaye, a professor of Gender and Women’s Studies at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), says several women with historical connections to Maryland come to her mind this time of year. For example, poet, author, and feminist Adrienne Rich was born in Baltimore in 1929. Rich came out as a lesbian in 1976.

XVI Across a city from you, I’m with you, just as an August night moony, inlet-warm, seabathed, I watched you sleep, the scrubbed, sheenless wood of the dressing-table cluttered with our brushes, books, vials in the moonlight— or a salt-mist orchard, lying at your side watching red sunset through the screendoor of the cabin, G minor Mozart on the tape-recorder, falling asleep to the music of the sea. This island of Manhattan is wide enough for both of us, and narrow: I can hear your breath tonight, I know how your face lies upturned, the halflight tracing your generous, delicate mouth where grief and laughter sleep together. In her 1980 essay, “Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence,” Rich addressed two important issues: “first, how and why women’s choice of women as passionate comrades, life partners, co-workers, lovers, tribe, has been crushed, invalidated, forced into hiding and disguise,” Rich wrote. “[A]nd second, the virtual or total neglect of lesbian existence in a wide range of writings, including feminist scholarship.” Today, the essay is considered one of the groundbreaking lesbian studies texts in America. Another literary lesbian who can claim Maryland as her home state is Sylvia Beach, who was born in Baltimore in 1887. Her family moved to New Jersey while she was still a child, and later expatriated to France when her father was appointed Assistant Minister at the American Church in Paris. While in Paris in 1917, Beach met Adrienne Monnier, who became Beach’s lover and close friend throughout the rest of her life. Inspired by Monnier’s bookshop and lending library, Beach opened a similar shop on Paris’s Left Bank. The shop, called Shakespeare and Co., offered English language books and became an important center for American and English expatriate writers during the 1920s. Beach

Jodi Kelber-Kaye

became known for providing writers and artists, among other things, food and housing, and she acted as an agent for various authors, including Ernest Hemingway, Ezra Pound, T.S. Eliot, and James Joyce. She published Joyce’s novel “Ulysses,” which is considered one of the greatest modern novels. Her bookstore continues to operate in the same Paris location today. Beach also associated with Gertrude Stein, who spent many years in Baltimore. Born in nearby Allegheny, Pa., in 1874, Stein moved to Baltimore after the death of her parents in order to live with her uncle, David Bachrach. Here Stein attended regular salons hosted by the famous sisters, Dr. Claribel and Etta Cone, who had a strong interest in art. While it is not certain that either of the sisters was lesbian, neither ever married and rumors consequently persist. However, the sisters’ division of domestic chores became a model for Stein’s relationship later in life. Stein left Baltimore in 1893 to study at Radcliffe College, and then went on to study marine embryology in Massachusetts. She returned to Baltimore in the late 1890s to spend two years studying at Johns Hopkins medical school, where she specialized in brain anatomy. Instead of finishing her degree, though, she left for Paris in 1901. In Paris, Stein also came to know Alice B. Toklas, who became Stein’s lifelong partner and companion. Stein and Toklas became benefactors, collectors, and promoters for many of the Cubist and other modernist artists in Paris at the turn of the century. Remembering evenings at the Cone sisters’ apartments on Eutaw Street, Stein and Toklas began to hold regular salons at their home for guests that included artists, writers, musicians, and other bohemians. When the Cone sisters came to Paris in 1905, Stein introduced her friends from Baltimore to Pablo Picasso, and later to Henri Matisse. With Stein’s guidance, the Cone sisters began to collect works

VOLUME 33, NUMBER 4 • PAGE 9

by these groundbreaking artists. Today, Baltimoreans can view many of these masterworks in the Cone Collection at the Baltimore Museum of Art. Stein was also the author of many poems and several books. One of her most controversial books was “Q.E.D.,” which was not published until four years after her death in 1974. The book expresses a very intimate, lesbian nature. Her best-known work is “The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas” which is actually Stein’s own autobiography. It provides significant details about the lives the women led together during their years in Paris. Making History Today Maryland women continue to advance the rights and express the needs of the lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities today. Kelber-Kaye mentions fellow academic Dr. DeRionne Pollard, the nation’s first out African-American woman college president. In August 2010, Pollard was selected out of 50 applicants to preside over Montgomery College, where she oversees the education and student services for 60,000 students across three campuses. Maryland’s LBT women are also breaking barriers in the political realm. Maggie McIntosh is the first out lesbian to serve in Maryland’s General Assembly. A member of the House of Delegates since1992, McIntosh represents Maryland’s 43rd legislative district, in Baltimore City. She is the chair of the Environmental Matters committee and a member of several committees: Rules and Executive Nominations, Legislative Policy, Special Committee on State Employee Rights and Protections, and Joint Legislative Work Group to Study State, County and Municipal Fiscal Relationships. In 2010, Dr. Dana Beyer ran for the second time to seek elected office in the Maryland House of Delegates. Had she been elected, she would have been the first transgender woman to serve a state-

PAGE 10 • MARCH 4 - MARCH 17, 2011

Dr. Dana Beyer

level office in Maryland. While Beyer has spent much of her career as a medical doctor, she has a lengthy history of public service and community activism. Among other accomplishments, she served as the Senior Assistant to atlarge Montgomery County Councilman Duchy Trachtenberg. When Montgomery County’s landmark gender identity civil rights protections were threatened, Beyer helped to found Basic Rights Montgomery, which successfully prevented an overturn of the law. Also notable today is Dr. Mary Washington, the first out African American lesbian to be elected to state office in Maryland. Washington also represents District 43 in Maryland’s House of Delegates. In fact, Washington is only the second African-American lesbian to serve in any state-level office (Simone Bell was the first, in Georgia’s House of Representatives). Washington also has a long history of advocacy work and community service in Baltimore. Of course, women today continue to face challenges and inequalities in their careers, in politics, and in public life. However, thanks to the rich history and many accomplishments of Maryland’s LBT women, the next generation has a solid point of departure from which they may continue their progress toward equality for all women and an end to all forms of gender discrimination. n Additional research and reporting for this article was provided by Mark Douglas.

BALTIMORE GAYLIFE

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.

WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM

VOLUME 33, NUMBER 4 • PAGE 11

outgoing

Thursday, March 10

Women of Color: LBTQ support group for women of color. GLCCB 241 W Chase St. GLCCB.org Info: WOC@glccb.org

Friday, March 11

A Year of Victory Benefit Gala: (See article on left.) 7pm. $10. Cork Gallery, 302 E Federal St., 4th Fl. MissionTix.com

Abdu “Ali” Eaton, founder of EatonThis.com (Photo by Christy Zuccariniy)

Music of the Emerald Isle: A classy Celtic celebration. Thru Mar 13. 8pm. $15-61. Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, 1212 Cathedral St. BSOmusic.org Compleat Female Stage Beauty: In this lively, sexy comedy, mischief abounds when King Charles II decrees that women can perform on stage. 8pm. $17. Fells Point Corner Theatre, 251 S Ann St. FPCT.org

Saturday, March 12

Event Info

Intersections: Sexuality, Gender, Race and Ethnicity: (See article, p. 5) 9am-4:30pm. FREE for undergrads; $10-25 for others. Morgan State University Student Center, 1700 E Cold Spring Ln. http://bit.ly/hQFMi7

Year of Victory Benefit Gala Friday, March 11, 7 p.m. Cork Gallery 302 East Federal Street Tickets: $10 at the door

Gender Identity Group (GIG): Support group for transgender, gender queer, or anyone who varies from traditional gender expression. 8pm. FREE. GLCCB 241 W Chase St. TransMaryland.org Info: GIG@glccb.org

SPOTLIGHT

Year of Victory Gala to Celebrate Social Progress

Moveable Feets: Dance party fundraiser for Team BikeCurious, cyclists participating in Moveable Feast’s Annual Ride; featuring DJ John Eaton and The Degenerettes. 8pm. $12-20. Metro Gallery, 1700 N Charles St. TheMetroGallery.net

Rehab: Monthly dance party from the ladies of SHE Productions. 9pm. $5. Sappho’s, 1001 N Charles St. CentralStationPub.com

“I think it’s important that the GLBT [community] see a conscious blog that they can relate to,” says Eaton. “EatOnThis.com is all about diversity and bringing people together.”

Tuesday, March 15

ext Friday, Abdu “Ali” Eaton, creator of the effervescent EatOnThis.com, will host the Year of Victory Benefit Gala at Cork Gallery in Greenmount West. In addition to celebrating the blog’s bold coverage of LGBTQ fashion, music, and art, this event will recognize the outstanding work of Trans United Baltimore, founded by the incomparable Sandy Rawls.

Gay rapper DDM Midas, Amy Reid of In Every Room, and rapper and filmmaker TT the Artist will perform live. On view will be fashion by noted designer Bishme Cromartie and art by Duox Duox. Proceeds will benefit Sandy’s House, Baltimore’s first homeless shelter and transitional house strictly for the LGBTQ community, slated to open in the fall of 2011. – R.D.

DATEBOOK Friday, March 4

Female Trouble + Pink Flamingos: You Be Cinema presents a John Waters double-feature. 7pm. $4. University of Baltimore Student Center, Performing Arts Theatre, 21 W Mt. Royal Ave. Tix: eTix.com

Saturday, March 5

Sex, Lies, and the Ugly Truth: Youth conference focusing on health and wellbeing for women and girls. 8:30am-3pm. FREE. Sheraton Baltimore City Center Hotel, 101 W Fayette St. WhyWomenCryConference.com Pearls of Wisdom: Peer support group for ALL womyn of the LBTQ community, including all age groups and backgrounds, from feminine to transgender. 11am-1pm. FREE GLCCB 241 W Chase St., Rm. 202. GLCCB.org Info: POW.lesbian@glccb.org “Intolerance: Love’s Struggle Through the Ages”: Anne Watts & Boister provide a live “soundtrack” to D.W. Griffith’s 1916 silent cinematic masterpiece. 7pm. FREE. MICA Brown Center, Falvey Hall, 1301 W Mount Royal Ave. MICA.edu Celebration of the Arts: Aaron Maybin’s Project Mayhem Charitable Fund partners with the BSO to present a night of art, music, and great food to benefit youth arts programs. VIP reception, 7pm; general, 8pm. $75-125. Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, 1212 Cathedral St. CelebrateArt2011.eventbrite.com PAGE 12 • MARCH 4 - MARCH 17, 2011

Onyx Mid-Atlantic Club Night: Party with People of Color who enjoy the leather lifestyle. Baltimore Eagle, 2022 N Charles St. TheBaltimoreEagle.com

Monday, March 7

Irene Hardwicke Olivieri: Lecture by painter of female figures and animals, influenced by the “mysterious workshop of nature.” Noon. MICA Brown Center: Falvey Hall, 1301 W Mount Royal Ave. MICA.edu

Tuesday, March 8 MARDI GRAS

Howard County PFLAG and Rainbow Youth Alliance: View the film “Bullied,” then discuss. 7:30pm. FREE. Owen Brown Interfaith Center, 7246 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, PFLAGmd.org

Wednesday, March 9

3rd Annual CAGLCC: Capital Area Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce LGBT networking and social event. 6:30pm. FREE. Town Danceboutique. 2009 8th St NW, Washington, DC, MegaNetworkingDC.com BINGO!: Features cash prizes and progressive jackpot. Hosted by Roger Dimick. Proceeds benefit GLCCB. 8:30pm. Club Hippo, 1 W Eager St. ClubHippo.com

Sunday, March 13

SPRING FORWARD! DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME BEGINS

Night Out for “Snow Falling on Cedars”: Join the LGBT community for a pre-show cocktail hour, complimentary hors d’oeuvres, and David Guterson’s riveting WWII story. Bar tips benefit a local charity. FREE members; $5 for non-members. Door at 6:30; show at 8pm. Center Stage, 700 N Calvert St. CenterStage.org

Wednesday, March 16

BINGO!: Features cash prizes and progressive jackpot. Hosted by Roger Dimick. Proceeds benefit GLCCB. 8:30pm. Club Hippo, 1 W Eager St. ClubHippo.com “Stick Fly”: Lydia R. Diamond’s funny, moving, and poignant play about the complex reactions of an affluent African-American family when one son brings a white girlfriend to the family’s vacation home. Thru April 17. 7:30pm. $30-42. Everyman Theatre, 1727 N Charles St, EverymanTheatre.org

Thursday, March 17 ST. PATRICK’S DAY

“Jazz”: Marion McClinton’s adaptation-in-progress of Toni Morrison’s epic novel, set in jazz-age Harlem, gets a staged reading. Audience feedback welcome. Thru Mar 20. $10. Play Lab Series, Center Stage, 700 N Calvert St. CenterStage.org Lush at Mist: Hot ladies’ night at Baltimore’s sexiest upscale megaclub. Drink specials. 21+. 9pm. $5 before 10pm; $10 after. Mist, 124 Market Place MistBaltimore.com

Friday, March 18

The Long Christmas Ride Home: (See article, p. 7) Thru Apr 17. 7:30pm. Single Carrot Theatre, 120 W North Ave. SingleCarrot.com

E-MAIL EVENT INFO TO: CALENDAR@BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM Compiled by Ryan Davis with Mark Douglas BALTIMORE GAYLIFE

firstperson TRANSMISSIONS

Shielded by the Badge BY GWENDOLYN ANN SMITH

n unnamed transgender woman went to the San Antonio,TX police station in 2010. Some time before she visited the station, a police

officer, Craig Nash, has picked her up for prostitution. It would seem, according to investigators, that Officer Nash did not take her directly to the lockup. Instead, after cuffing her, he told her to lie down in the back seat and drove her to a remote location. Once there, Nash forced her to commit sexual actions on him. He then dropped her off near a school back in town. Once she was dropped off, it was a local bus – not Nash’s squad car – that took her to the police station. There, a rape kit was used, showing that Nash did indeed leave his DNA on the victim. Later, GPS records would place his squad car at the scene at the time the acts occurred. A second person has since come forth, claiming to have also been sexually assaulted by Nash back in 2008. And in another incident, from 2009, Officer Nash had a complaint filed against him by the Texas Civil Rights Project. In the complaint, it was alleged that Nash had threatened witnesses with arrest after responding to a domestic assault. Nothing apparently ever came of this complaint. Nash has since lost his badge, and is behind bars for his crime -- but this is where things get muddy. You see, in spite of very clear evidence of his crime, Nash was allowed to enter into a plea agreement. In exchange for pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of “official oppression,” the prosecutor agreed to not pursue felony charges for sexual assault. More than this, the prosecutor would not even pursue charges the 2008 case. Nash will serve one year in jail for his crimes. He could even get time off for good behavior. Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., a transwoman named Chloe Moore was verbally and physically assaulted. In response, Moore pepper-sprayed her attacker. Undeterred, he chased her, forced her to the ground, and pulled out his badge. His name is Officer Raphael Radon of the Washington, D.C. police department. Radon was off-duty. WWW.BALTIMOREGAYLIFE.COM

Two other police officers responded to the scene, and determined that Radon was indeed at fault, and may have even committed a bias-based assault. Yet these two officers were not allowed to charge Radon thanks to Police Captain Michelle Williams. She interceded in the affair, insisting that Moore be charged for assault while Radon goes free. Internal affairs is investigating, but meanwhile Moore is still the one facing charges. Finally, in Philadelphia, members of a police advisory committee are seeking yet more information about the killing of Nizah Morris. Morris died in December of 2002, the victim of a skull fracture. Shortly before this, police had given her a “courtesy ride.” The committee has sent letters to District Attorney R. Seth Williams and Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey, requesting more materials, including “any and all 911 tapes, transcripts or other documents or materials” regarding the murder. The police have had a long history of stonewalling in this case, and declared their own records lost in 2008 - hence why the commission is now trying to get the district attorney’s own copies of the records. When I was young, I was taught that the police were here to protect us from the bad guys. My family would watch Dragnet or Adam-12, huddled around the glow of the household television. On my bookshelf was a copy of the children’s book, “Policeman Dan.” My schools would have days where the County Police would come over, educating us about safety, and encouraging us to report suspicious activity in our

“The police have had a long history of stonewalling in this case, and declared their own records lost in 2008.” town. From my earliest days, everything conspired to teach me that the police were the good guys. Maybe if I was not transgendered I could still live with that belief. Frankly, I’d like to live in a world of heroes swooping in to save the day, protecting us from all of society’s so-called ills. Yet what happens if the guy with the badge isn’t the good guy at all, and clearly does not want to protect you? In each of the above cases, it is at least likely – if not downright obvious – that the officers acted inappropriately. Nash’s victims were sexually assaulted, and he used his position as a police office to commit his crimes. Officer Radon allegedly assaulted a transgender woman before getting a face full of pepper spray, then used his badge to further assault her.

What of Nizah Morris? We may never know the whole story. Philadelphia activists and others have spent the better part of a decade pointing out the few facts in this case, noting that Morris was healthy when she got into the police car, yet had severe head trauma a few minutes after getting out. Could a random assault have happened between the few moments she got out and when she was found? Yes -- but Occam’s razor would suggest otherwise. In both Nash and Radon’s cases, the officers got off with reduced sentences or no charges at all. While there is still the matter of an internal investigation in the latter incident, it’s plenty likely it will end up with Radon still with the badge he hides behind. n Gwen Smith longs for the Lone Ranger. You can find her at www.gwensmith.com. VOLUME 33, NUMBER 4 • PAGE 13

firstperson

afterhours

JUSTIN’S HIV JOURNAL

LEATHER TALES

You Have HIV… Now What? Mid-Atlantic Chapter of ONYX comes to Baltimore Eagle

BY JUSTIN B. SMITH

started writing about my personal experience with HIV because I thought it might help others who have been infected with the disease.

Now, I want to touch on what people who have been newly infected might want to explore. First things first: IT IS NOT THE END OF THE WORLD. You can survive and live a good, long life with HIV. Just think of HIV as the dinner guest that will NOT leave the party; as irritating as that guest may be, you MUST tolerate him/her. You’ve likely cried over and over again about having HIV, and I’m sure there are a lot of things going on in your mind. For example: “Am I going to die?” ANSWER: No, you are not. “Can I still have children?” ANSWER: Yes, you can. “What are my friends going to say?” ANSWER: If they are your TRUE friends they will stick by you. If they don’t I wouldn’t call them friends at all. “What is my family going to say?” ANSWER: This is going to be different for everyone. I personally had an okay experience, even though someone told my family before I did. There will be tears with family and friends, but I’ve learned you have to show them that you’re not afraid, because fear of the unknown can spread like wildfire. Show them that you are strong, and I bet they will be strong with you. Now what? Step 1: Go see a doctor. This is one of your only defenses against HIV. Only by visiting your doctor will you learn what your counts are. By counts, I mean your Viral Load and CD4 count. The Viral Load is how much of the vi-

rus is in your blood. Your CD4 count will tell you how many helper cells you have to help your body fight HIV. These numbers are vital to let your doctor know when you might have to go on medications. Some people do not have to go on medication at first, some can avoid medication for years, and a small number of people, called “ E l i t e Controll e r s , ” d o n ’ t have to go on medication ever. Step 2: Take care of yourself. Once on medication, you may need to change your diet. HIV medications may make your body go through some changes. For example, when I got on medication it elevated the level of cholesterol in my body, in part because I was already genetically predisposed to high cholesterol. So now I watch what I eat and stay away from things that can heighten my cholesterol levels. I admit I do treat myself to the occasional cheeseburger or steak, but it’s my diet, and the same is true for you. Exercise helps as well. You might want to take up yoga, Pilates, or some other means of exercise. Step 3: Think of this as the start of a new life. It’s also time to think about cherishing every moment and everyone in your life who is positive and affirming. TAKE YOUR TIME AND DO NOT LET HIV GET YOU DOWN.

BY SIR ANDY LIU, MID-ATLANTIC LEATHERSIR 2008

Just when we thought we were all done with snow, Mother Nature says, “Not just yet!” But fret not, the colder climes just means going out in head-to-toe Leather! And on Sunday, March 6, the place to go will be the Baltimore Eagle where the MidAtlantic Chapter of ONYX will be hosting a bar night. “What is ONYX?” you may be asking yourself. From their website: “ONYX is an organization formed and operated by People of Color who enjoy the leather lifestyle. ONYX sets as its’ goal, to provide an informational and social organization to address issues specific to people of color who chose to project the positive aspects of the leather lifestyle and support our community and economic initiatives. Support, spirituality, safety and saneness are keys to attaining our goals.” The Mid-Atlantic Chapter of ONYX is centered in the Washington, D.C. /Baltimore area and includes Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Virginia. ONYX prides itself on being the national fraternity for gay and bisexual men of color in the Leather lifestyle. So come on out and party with the men of ONYX. The weather may be cold outside, but the temperature inside the Baltimore Eagle promises to be quite the opposite! Until next time, remember, be kind to yourselves, each other, and practice random acts of kindness! You can reach Sir Andy Liu, Mid-Atlantic LeatherSIR 2008, at FloggerTales@aol.com. n

DETAILS: Mid-Atlantic Chapter of ONYX Bar Night at The Baltimore Eagle. March 6, 10pm. ONYXmidAtlantic. com or TheBaltimoreEagle.com.

HUNTER ON THE PROWL!

Contests, Events, and Birthdays Galore BY MARK HUNTER

I hope everyone has been healthy and have not gotten this 24-hour stomach bug that got me. Thankfully, I am back to my old self and doing great! But as a result, I missed the Miss Gay Baltimore 2011 contest at Club Hippo on February 11. I understand the contest was amazing and that Miss Cha’nel Van Cartier Couture was crowned Miss Gay Baltimore 2011, with Miss Sasha Chalet as 1st alternate! Saturday, February 12 was Mid Atlantic Leather-Sir John’s birthday celebration at the new Triple L Bar where many people came to join in the celebration. On Sunday, February 13, my family and I attended a co-ed baby shower for local couple, Stephanie Tom and Andrea Vanier, at the Mongolian Grill in Columbia. We all had a great time and good food. Stephanie is 37 weeks pregnant, so we are on pins and needles awaiting their new addition to the family! The Mariner Club in Martinsburg, W.Va., held the Miss Queen of Hearts 2011 contest on Feb 18. At the end of the night, Miss London Bacall was crowned Miss Queen of Hearts 2011 with our own Miss Anastacia Amor as 1st alternate. On February 19, The Rowan Tree held a benefit for Miss Victoria Blair. The show was emceed by Steven Jackson and Miss Shawnna Alexander, and the many entertainers included Eve D’mure, Marketta Minett, Miss Victoria Blair, Arorrah Blair, Shateesah Alexander, and Miss Gay Baltimore 2011 Miss Cha’nel Van Cartier Couture. It was a great show and great night for Miss Victoria Blair. I would like to wish a very special birthday to my dear friend Jessie, and a happy first birthday to my grandson, Bubba: Happy Birthday Buddy! Pictures will be in the next issue! Until next time boys and girls, I bring you Hunter on the Prowl! n

PAGE 14 • MARCH 4 - MARCH 17, 2011

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VOLUME 33, NUMBER 4 • PAGE 15