OUT
AN INDEPENDENT VOICE FOR THE LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER COMMUNITIES
Brother, Help Thyself Awards $76k in Grants at Baltimore’s Grand Central
On Saturday, January 30, 2016, at Grand Central in Baltimore, Brother, Help Thyself (BHT), presented its annual grant awards totaling $76,000 to 23 nonpro t organizations serving the LGBTQ and HIV/AIDS communities in the Baltimore / Washington, D.C., metro area. In doing so, BHT eclipsed the $3-millionth grant dollar given since its incorporation in 1978. Entertainment at this year’s reception was provided by Baltimore’s own Audrey Herman Spotlighters Theatre and D.C.’s Different Drummers – former and current grantees respectively. “Our board looks ahead to our grant reception all year-long with great anticipation as the culmination of a year of hard work,” said BHT President Jim Slattery. “Sure, we plan events and raise money, but we truly love nothing more than to give it all away each January.”
Board vice president Andrew McCarty added, “We’ve been at this since 1978, helping close to 200 non-profits support their missions and clients.” BHT also presented four annual community service awards and one new award to the following: • The Billy Collison Award (“to an underdog and grantee”) was presented to the Rainbow History Project, “who proves year after year that so much important work documenting our community can be done with so very little,” BHT noted. • George Dodson Business Award (to a business supportive of the community) was presented to Grand Central for “always being there for the community in which it serves.” • The Founders Award (to a non-pro t,
BY DR. EVA HERSH Dear Readers, Unfortunately, I am writing to let the community know about Baltimore’s newest sexually transmitted infection. Like many “new” sexually transmitted infections (STIs), Shigella exneri is not a new infection. Many of the recently dis- De rigeur covered STIs, like Hepatitis after the C, are infections which have deed been known for decades to be transmitted in other ways before it is realized that they also can be passed on through sex. Shigella is an intestinal bacterial infection that causes severe cramping and explosive diarrhea, which is
sometimes bloody. Some people also have fever, vomiting, or abdominal pain. Until recently, Shigella was known mostly for causing food poisoning and causing diarrhea in international travellers. Clusters of cases of shigella in MSM have occurred in large cities in several countries, but never before in Maryland. The men in these clusters had not travelled internationally and had not been exposed to food poisoning. From tracking the connections between the infected men in each city, it was found that shi-
February 5, 2016 Volume XIII, Issue 22 AIDS Action Baltimore says ‘Thanks’
not necessarily a grantee) was presented to Mary’s House for Older Adults for “starting the conversation in D.C.” • Anthony J. Bachrach Award for Outstanding Service was given to Margaret Cho, who unfortunately could not attend, in recognition of her hosting a fundraiser for
BHT. The new President’s Award was presented posthumously to Pete Deakin, friend of BHT president Jim Slattery, for inspiring him to come-out and ultimately serve his community. Award accepted by Pete’s sisters Bar—continued on page 3
Always Wash Your Hands After…?
gella was being passed on through sex. HIV positive men are at greatest risk of becoming infected, and they can get sicker if they are infected, sometimes needing to be hospitalized for dehydration or blood infection (sepsis). Diarrhea usually starts within a few days after sexual contact with an infected person. Since June, 2015 – for the rst time – a cluster of shigella cases in MSM has been identi ed in Baltimore. How this infection is spreading and how it can be stopped Among MSM, Shigella is usually passed
A new STD puts the sexy in clean
through contact between one partner’s mouth and the other partner’s feces (poop.) Before you tell me you don’t do that, think about this: It only takes a few bacteria to transmit Shigella infection. • After a Shigella infection, the bacteria can remain on the skin of the penis, scrotum, groin area, and butt (not just in the anal area) for weeks after the diarrhea is gone. • In most cases of Shigella, the diarrhea goes away within a week. The person never —continued on page 3
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NEWS // LOCAL ALWAYS WASH YOUR HANDS AFTER...? – continued from page 1 gets medical attention and does not know he has Shigella and can pass it to others. The risk factors for other STI’s also increase the risk of Shigella: • more partners • anonymous sex, including sex parties and on-line contacts • mixing use of alcohol or drugs with sex, especially injected drugs (“slamming”), especially amphetamine (crystal meth, Tina). Treatment Men who develop severe diarrhea within a few days after a sexual encounter should see their primary-care physician or provider for a stool (feces, poop) test to check for Shigella. Most cases of Shigella can be treated with oral antibiotics. In some cases the bacteria is resistant to oral antibiotics, so intravenous (IV) antibiotics must be used. Antibiotics
BROTHER, HELP THYSELF AWARDS – continued from page 1 bara Deakin of New York and Phyllis Breedlove of Virginia. “We couldn’t do half of what we do with-
shorten the illness and also decrease the risk of transmission. For diarrhea from any cause, it’s important to drink plenty of uids to avoid becoming dehydrated. Fluids should not be just water: to maintain electrolyte balance, diluted fruit juices or electrolyte drinks should also be used. Protection Washing hands very well with soap immediately after sex, or applying hand sanitizer, is the single best step to prevent becoming infected. Showering thoroughly as soon as possible after sex is also very helpful. If you cannot shower right away, wash your penis, scrotum, and anus with soap. Consistent condom use, especially with new partners and non-monogamous partners, decreases risk of Shigella and all other sexually transmitted infections. For rimming, always use a dental dam or a cut open non lubricated condom For anal penetration of any type and any amount, use a latex glove or condom The completion of the question in the title is, Always wash your hands immediately after sex, (as well as after going to the bathroom). t
out the leadership and support of the great folks we honored this year, and in years past,” said Slattery. “The board and I are so proud to work alongside all of our grantees, old and new, year after year.” t
2016 BHT Grant Awards AIDS Action Baltimore Capitol Hill Arts Workshop Casa Ruby D.C.’s Different Drummers GLBT Latino History Project HOPE D.C. Heart to Hand HIPS D.C. HopeSprings LGBT Fallen Heroes Fund Metro D.C. Community Center, Inc (The D.C. Center) New Ways Ministry PFLAG – Carroll County PFLAG – Metro D.C. PFLAG – Howard County Rainbow History Project SMYAL (St. Margaret’s Church Vestry) Charlie’s Place Thankful Paws Third Millennium Ensemble Rainbow Youth Alliance Wanda Alston Foundation Washington Renegades Rugby Football Club
$5,000 $1,190 $5,870 $2,380 $3,510 $2,000 $6,350 $11,450 $3,420 $2,850 $1,310 $1,830 $2,110 $2,180 $1,930 $1,450 $4,720 $4,550 $1,500 $380 $3,920 $4,940 $1,160
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BEYOND THE BELTWAY compiled by Jim Becker
Feds indict ex-Rentboy. com CEO on prostitution charge Brooklyn, N.Y. – Jeffrey Hurant, 51, the former chief executive of the male escort website Rentboy.com, was indicted on January 27 on a charge of promoting prostitution with added money laundering charges – charges not previously filed against the company founder in a criminal complaint in August, 2015. The threecount indictment by a federal grand jury in Brooklyn, New York, has outraged gay and civil rights activists. Easy Rent Sys-
tems, Inc., did business as Rentboy.com, and was also named a defendant. However, the indictment did not name six former employees who were arrested along with Hurant in August when authorities seized the gay website. But a spokeswoman for Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Robert Capers did say that a criminal complaint against the former employees remains pending. The case prompted criticism and has some asking why prosecutors are targeting the service after it had operated transparently for nearly two decades. Rentboy.com was founded in 1996. Authorities allege it became the largest online male escort website in the nation and even hosted an annual escorts’ awards show called the Hookies. The website carried disclaimers saying its advertisements for escorts were for companionship and not sexual services. But authorities say Rentboy.com was intended primarily to promote prostitution. Escorts paid at least $59.95 per month and up to several hundred dollars to advertise on Rentboy.com, which attracted 500,000 unique visitors daily and gener-
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ated more than $10 million from 2010 to 2015, prosecutors said. Hurant’s attorney, Michael Tremonte, said he would contest the charges and looked forward to “full vindication at trial.” “The government’s charges against Mr. Hurant are unwarranted. He ran his business openly for nearly 20 years, and it makes no sense to single him out for criminal prosecution,” Tremonte said. Critics of the case also include the New York Times. The newspaper said, in an editorial last August, that prosecutors had not justified shutting down “a company that provided sex workers with a safer alternative to street walking or relying on pimps.” (Seattle Gay News – Shaun Knittel at Sgn.org)
LGBT nonprofit’s bid for top level domain ‘.gay’ denied New York, N.Y. – With claims from the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) that the word “gay” is “not a well-known abbreviation for the community of LGBTQIA people,” the international organization responsible for maintaining the Internet’s global domain system has denied Dotgay, LLC’s community application proposal to operate the .gay top-level domain (TLD). Lexus Nexus search, Google search, global community supporters, and common sense point to “gay” as the best-known abbreviation for the community of LGBT people around the world. Yet in October, 2015, despite support from the National Center for
Dotgay LLC founder Scott Seitz
Lesbian Rights, Human Rights Campaign, International Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA), National
FEBRUARY 5, 2016 • BALTIMOREOUTLOUD.COM
Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, and hundreds of other community organizations, Dotgay received a failing score on a community evaluation performed by the EIU. The EIU was contracted by ICANN, the organization that controls internet names. ICANN is currently reviewing Dotgay’s reconsideration request. Critics say that the EIU has subjected the .gay application to intense review and dismissed the reality of “gay” as a commonly known term. Dotgay, a corporation with a 501c3 foundation arm, submitted its $185,000 application in June, 2012, and is vying against well-financed corporate competitors and domain speculators for operation rights of the .gay, says founder Scott Seitz. Members of the LGBT communities are being urged to email ICANN and the Board Governance Committee to express your concerns with how the EIU evaluated the .gay application: Akram Atallah, president of Global Domains Division (ICANN) – akram.atallah@icann.org; Chris Disspain, chair of Board Governance Committee (ICANN) – ceo@auda.org.au. (Dotgay press release)
Antibiotic resistant gonorrhea a serious concern London, England – Antibiotic resistant gonorrhea is raising concerns in both Europe, where it has already appeared, and in the U.S., where it is feared it will show up before long. In Northern England, 16 cases of what is being dubbed “super gonorrhea” have been reported. U.K. health officials warn that this particular strain may be untreatable. So far, all of the cases seem to have come from heterosexuals. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), men who have sex with men are at particular risk of contracting STDs and are recommended to be screened at least once a year. So, too, are young people aged 15-24. In December, Dame Sally Davies, the U.K.’s chief medical officer, wrote a letter to physicians and pharmacists. “Gonorrhea is at risk of becoming an untreatable disease due to the continuing emergence of antimicrobial resistance,” Davies wrote in the letter, as reported by the Guardian.
Not always anymore
“Gonorrhea has rapidly acquired resistance to new antibiotics, leaving few alternatives to the current recommendations. It is therefore extremely important that suboptimal treatment does not occur.” The CDC is on the watch for cases here in the U.S. They have echoed the U.K.’s concerns. “Neisseria (N.) gonorrhoeae, the bacteria that causes the STD gonorrhea, has developed resistance to nearly all of the antibiotics used for gonorrhea treatment: sulfonilamides, penicillin, tetracycline, and fluoroquinolones, such as ciprofloxacin,” the CDC says on their website. “We are currently down to one last effective class of antibiotics, cephalosporins, to treat this common infection. This is an urgent public health threat because gonorrhea control in the U.S. largely relies on effective antibiotic therapy. “Given the bacteria’s ability to adapt and survive antibiotics, it is critical to continuously monitor for antibiotic resistance and encourage research and development of new treatment regimens for gonorrhea.” Condoms should be used to protect against the infection, as well as other STDS, such as HIV/AIDS. t (Q-Notes Online- Jeff Taylor at Qnotes.com)
These news notes have been compiled, with permission, from the online version of various newspapers and other web sites. We thank these publications for allowing us to bring you their news stories. Usually the reports have been signi cantly edited and you can read the full story by going to the web site mentioned following the item. Comments are strictly the opinions of Jim Becker and not of Baltimore oUtloUd or Pride Media.
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OUT IN THE VALLEY // LOCAL NEWS
Hagerstown Comes Out in Support of Community Free Clinic BY OUT IN THE VALLEY STAFF WRITER On January 31st, 2016 the Gourmet Goat hosted the seventh annual Wine and Cheese “Silent & Lively” Auction at 28 South Restaurant to benefit the Community Free Clinic of Hagerstown, Maryland. The Community Free Clinic is a nonprofit organization with a small staff and receives no government funding. The clinic is open to all no matter one’s race, gender, orientation, or age. They are fully funded by donations, and every dollar donated provides eight dollars in medical services. The change of date due to the snow did not dent the crowd, which numbered over 100. Attendees were from all walks of life. “We saw families, men, women and children all having fun and supporting this great charity,” said one organizer. Items donated for bid and auction were varied – from jewelry, baskets, and artwork to furni-
“I saw a lot of friendship and laughter during the event,” said one attendee. “The live auction was fun, thanks to the auctioneer. The volunteers were just wonderful making sure all were served and any needs accommodated.” Robin Roberson said, “A special thank
Hosts for the day: the Gourmet Goat’s Steve Cook & Paul Deputy
ture and rugs. “The Gourmet Goat’s Silent Auction has been a very important source of revenue for the clinic. We are proud to partner with the Gourmet Goat and 28 South for this event,” said clinic director Robin Roberson. Kerensa Gray provided live entertainment. All were treated to a drag performance by the Color Purple (Shamya Banx, Staccia Tori Raype, and Lady Sofia Simmone). The ladies put on a wonderful show and all monies they raised were donated.
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you to Steve Cook, Paul Deputy, our donors, and all those who attended our event and our wonderful volunteers.” Greensburg Farms and Food Pro donated the widely-praised food for the event. Total money raised at the time of this publication is over $15,000, with maybe a little more to come. “If you missed this bene t put it on your calendar for next year. It is a worthy cause and bene ts the whole community,” said one participant. Roberson said that she is “looking forward to the 2017 event.” t
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Equality Maryland & FreeState Legal Announce Series of Statewide Listening Sessions BY SAIDA AGOSTINI Following an announcement last month that Maryland’s statewide LGBTQ policy and legal advocacy organizations are merging to form a comprehensive, statewide political and legal advocacy organization, FreeState Legal and Equality Maryland announced today that they’ll host a series of listening sessions across the state. These listening sessions will be an opportunity for community members to engage directly with organizational leaders around the issues that matter most to them, and help FreeState Legal / Equality Maryland shape its vision. The organization today announced the first round of these meetings will take place in Columbia, Salisbury, Chestertown, and Frederick, with future events being organized in Baltimore, Westminster, Montgomery County, and Prince George’s County. These events are designed to solicit feedback from the LGBTQ community on what issues should be prioritized by the combined organization, both in terms of substantive legal and policy issues, as well as which populations with intersecting identities most need barriers removed with the assistance of the newly formed organization. The organization will use information learned in the listening sessions to influence a comprehensive strategic planning process, including rewriting the organization’s mission, vision, name, and brand. The new organizational identity will be unveiled at a celebration event that will take place this summer.
These listening sessions will be co-hosted with regional LGBTQ organizations including the Frederick Center, PFLAG Columbia-Howard County, The Lower Shore Coalition LGBTQ Coalition, and PFLAG Chestertown. On Tuesday, March 15, from 6 to 8 p.m. the Frederick Center will be hosting a listening session so that area residents can join this important conversation to help shape their strategic planning to best serve the priorities of our local communities. Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick (4880 Elmer Derr Road in Frederick) will be the location, and it is open to everyone. The following events have been scheduled: • February 9 – Owen Brown Interfaith Center (7246 Cradlerock Way, Columbia) 7:30 to 9 p.m. • February 23 – Chesapeake College, Higher Education Center (1000 College Circle, Wyes Mill), room 115, 6 to 8 p.m. • March 8 – Community Foundation (1324 Belmont Ave #401, Salisbury), 6 to 8 p.m. • March 15 – Unitarian Universalist Church (4880 Elmer Derr Road, Frederick), 6 to 8 p.m. More sessions will be announced in the coming weeks at Freestatelegal.org. t
OUT IN THE VALLEY er, I also realize that I am kept from earning money if I’m not working, so maybe I should start charging a fee for sitting in their offices. This afternoon’s appointment was with the child cardiology specialist. The baby has some minor heart issues and we want Rev. Kelly Crenshaw to make sure she’s healthy. We showed up on time and there was no one else in the office. I filled out the paperwork at the window, while answering the questions from the receptionist. This was going well. Our good luck continued when we were escorted into an exam room. We didn’t have to This week has been “go to the doctor” wait more than a minute before the assisweek for our family. Between sick kids tant was there to run the preliminary tests. and routine appointments, I have been to And then, our luck ran out. Apparently, too many. Let me be perfectly clear with the hospital had provided the wrong papermy next statement, work regarding pre“I resent the fact that I hate going to the vious test results. doctor’s office. This doctor asked I need to spend several I resent the fact our pediatrician to hours of my time to that I need to spend fax the correct reseveral hours of my port. And, we waitsee the doctor for five time to see the doced. After almost two minutes.” tor for five minutes. hours I called the I think it’s ridiculous pediatrician’s office that I need to take my kid to the doctor ev- and the report was faxed immediately. We ery three months to review a medication spent three hours in that office and saw the that she’s taken for years, with no increas- doctor for a total of ten minutes. Here’s the es in dosage and no side effects. Today, best part. The test results that we waited we drove 45 minutes to get to a specialist all afternoon to receive were poorly writand waited for about 20 minutes to see the ten and inconsistent. So, we ran the tests doctor. The entire appointment lasted less again. The good news is that our little girl than five minutes. We were told to keep is doing well. Her heart issues are not a doing what we’d been doing and come major concern. back in three months. Well, that was worth And, the appointments continue tomormissing school to hear. Not! row, another kid at another specialist. And Our doctors are never on schedule. then, hopefully, we’ll be done for a while. I don’t know if it’s all doctors, but I have Thanks for letting me vent. Rant yet to find one who is able to maintain an over. t on-time reality. I realize that not everyone Rev. Kelly Crenshaw is the mom of 16 adworks to a time clock and I realize that opted kids, two biological kids, and guardian insurance regulations cause the offices of one baby girl and foster mom of dozens. to schedule more and more patients into Feel free to send your parenting questions to the day in order to make money. Howev- her at pastor.kelly@comcast.net.
Parenting OUTloud
Medical Mayhem
Beyond the Ice
Machine L:aura Anderson
Children, Gender Identity, and Books The world is changing around us and young children are filled with questions. Your child or young relative may have encountered a classmate who is gender-expansive, one who might not fit societal norms for gender expression, or you know a child who might have a relative in the midst of transitioning. Perhaps you even know a child who has been experiencing their own feelings of gender dysphoria or confusion. Parents, grandparents, educators, or others looking for ways to address questions about gender identity with young children will find books to be a wonderful entry into meaningful conversations. Read-aloud, think-alouds are a way to share ideas with children through literature. Listed here are some recommended picture books to share with children, preschool through grades two or three. As with all books for children, these should be pre-read by the adult reader, some may provide aspects of the discussion not appropriate for a particular child at a particular time. Read-aloud, think-aloud picture books for young children: I am Jazz by Jazz Jennings (Dial Books, 2014) is the real-life story of a young transgender girl who tells her story about what it means to be trans. At a very young age, she insisted to her confused parents, that she had a girl’s brain in a boy’s body. Hers is a story of love and acceptance and a great way to start the discussion. Herthel, J., Jennings, J. & McNicholas, S. (2014) Meet Polkadot, by Talcott Broadhead (Amazon Digital Services, 2014), is a ctional story of a young non-binary child growing up in a binary gender world. This book, the rst in a series, helps readers to explore the diversity of gender identity and the importance of allies. Broadhead,T., & Spade, D. (2014) Not Every Princess, by Jeffrey and Lisa Bone (Magination Press, 2014), looks at gender roles imposed upon children and how we can embrace and inspire children to chal-
lenge these expectations. An acceptance of diversity modeled for young readers. (2014) All I Want To Be is Me, by Phyllis Rothblatt, (Create Space, 2011) connects with children who may not t gender stereotypes and helps all children re ect upon the diverse ways we express our genders. This book helps build positive attitudes for children wherever they may nd themselves along the gender spectrum. The Royal Heart, by Greg McGoon, (Avid, 2015) is the ctional story of a royal family in a faraway land who has a son – a prince to follow in the king’s footsteps. But on the child’s 16th birthday a revelation is made that rocks the kingdom, a transgender princess! Unconditional love prevails over doubt and fear as we see the importance of family acceptance. A great read for transitioning children and their parents. Red: A Crayon’s Story, by Michael Hall (Greenwillow, 2015): Here is a book that examines one’s own identity without speci cally talking about gender. A blue crayon has been mistakenly labeled as red, and everyone expects the crayon to behave as red crayons do, insisting that he draws red things. No matter how hard he tries, the blue crayon cannot be red – an issue of self-identity which many young readers might nd familiar. The story’s resolution is one of acceptance of one’s self and the courage to be who we truly are. These are just a few of the many books available for young children and their parents. When reading aloud to your children, feel comfortable stopping occasionally to provide a chance for them to express feelings or to consider new questions. During or after the reading pose your own questions: “What do you think might happen next?” or “How does this make you feel?” Or, you might wonder aloud about your own thoughts. Involving children in the reading will help them to process new ideas. Exploring the concepts of gender diversity together will help children feel comfortable in asking their own questions later. More importantly, children who realize that they are not alone and that their parents love and accept them unconditionally will be safer and happier. Books can help make that happen. Next time, we will take a look at some of the books available for older children. t Laura Anderson is an educator, author, researcher, parent, and granddad. Her years teaching in public school classrooms as male provided the foundation for her more recent role educating future teachers. Living female for the past decade, she has come to appreciate the privileges she once held – both male and cisgender – privileges now replaced with the ful llment of living as her true self.
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OUT IN THE VALLEY
Health Chat
Debbie Anne
Who Knew? National Condom Month No one ever told me. I’m 61 years old and have been a certified HIV/AIDS nurse for the past ten years and never knew February was National Condom Month. I feel so left out and clueless. So in honor of the month, I decided to get up to snuff and to bring you a little condom trivia. Turns out, there are many meaty little tidbits about condoms. Here goes. According to a Planned Parenthood factsheet, the earliest known depiction of a man using a condom during sexual intercourse is thought to be between 12,000 and 15,000 years old, and was discovered on the wall of a cave in France. It’s estimated that condoms have been used to protect against sexually transmitted infection (STI) since the 16th century and to prevent unwanted pregnancy since the 18th century. Of course, as soon as condoms came into use, they also came under condemnation by moralists. God forbid that humans, endowed with a natural appetite for sexual activity, be able at the same time to enjoy it safely During World War I, other countries provided their soldiers condoms and successfully prevented an epidemic of sexually transmitted infections in their militaries. The U.S., however, stuck in the quagmire of puritanism, opted for a policy of chastity, and experienced an over 75% rate of STIs among its military. Today, we see this same kind of insanity with policies that keep condoms out of high schools, prisons, and
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drug rehab facilities because there’s no sexual contact going on in any of those places, and if condoms were present, they would most definitely cause sexual promiscuity. Talk about clueless. The fact is that there is no correlation between easy access to condoms and increased sexual activity among teens. There is correlation however, between easy access to condoms and increased use of condoms among those already sexually active, and a subsequent decrease in the transmission of STIs. This is a huge public health benefit when taking into consideration that approximately fifty-percent of teens become sexually active during their high school years, and that 50% of STI infections occur among young people age 14 to 25 years and could be prevented by encouraging the use of condoms and making them readily available. The truth is that condoms offer the best prevention of sexually transmitted infections for sexually active men and women. Quite simply, they are little miracles of invention. A great article from Women’s Health, December 2nd, 2014, calls condoms “humble heroes” and “latex lifesavers,” and I have to agree. Enjoy sex, don’t get an infection, what’s not to like? More trivia: The average sexual act last only seven minutes. The consequences of unprotected sex could last a lifetime and even lead to life-threatening conditions like cervical and anal cancer. News flash: condoms are 98% effective in preventing STIs when used consistently and correctly. There is a stringent five-step process to become a certified condom manufacturer, and an approved facility needs to repeat the process every three years. Each and every condom produced in a certified facility is tested to ensure reliability. Trojan even has a great how-to video on their website, check it out to make sure you’re “doing it” right. Then roll one on and enjoy National Condom Month. t Debbie Anne is a public-health nurse with Frederick County Health Department in Frederick, Maryland. In 2014 she was awarded a Governor’s Citation for her work with Marylanders living with HIV/AIDS.
OUT IN THE VALLEY // FAITH
New Light MCC Hagerstown – 30 Years and Going Strong BY REV .KELLY CRENSHAW Thirty years ago. Yes, I said 30 years ago. Thirty years ago, the LGBTQ community came together to try to start a church. The idea was backed by Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC), a denomination that was founded by a gay pastor who wanted to find a way to reach out to those who had been told they weren’t good enough for God. MCC people wanted everyone to know that God loves them, just the way they are. The church brought in a popular evangelist, with a dynamic personality and an incredible singing voice, meeting in a local gay bar. At first, the effort was a great success – people flocked to the services. It seems that as popularity grew, so did the fears of a few local closeted folks, they didn’t want to be found out. So, the effort began to be sabotaged. Eventually, the only ones attending were the evangelist and a bar employee. And then – in April, 1995 – Pastor Ken Ehrke at Open Door MCC in Boyds, Maryland, preached a sermon about his vision of seeing a new MCC community in Hagerstown. And, that set the ball in motion.
“Pastor Ken Ehrke preached a sermon about his vision of seeing a new MCC community in Hagerstown. And, that set the ball in motion.” Less than a year later – in February, 1996 – New Light MCC held its first worship service. Rev. Robert Griffin was called as the first pastoral leader. The church was known for its gay friendly environment and attendance grew. At first, they met in the waiting room of the local free clinic. Eventually, the congregation ended up on West Church Street, in a former automotive business location. They’ve had their struggles. Tenants in an upstairs apartment broke into the church itself and stole electronics. People with closed minds and hearts have confronted the pastors and members a number of times over
the years. And, of course, the logistics of converting a car repair shop into a church was no small task. But, over the years, this church has thrived. Their ministry opportunities have energized them as they served the community. They have fed the homeless, donated money, clothes, toys, and household goods, provided food for their neighbors in need, volunteered with the free clinic, helped build houses with Habitat for Humanity and ministered to those who deal with the challenges of terminal illness by delivering food. And, that’s just touching
Celebrating 30 years
the surface of how they share God’s love with their community. The best part of the ministry is that the church is welcoming to anyone and everyone. No matter who you are, you are welcome there. The congregation has seen many changes over the years. Pastors have come and gone. Members and friends have joined in, moved away or moved on. But, one thing has not changed; the people of New Light MCC have spent the last 20 years providing hope and love to the community. And, that’s not likely to change anytime soon. So, congratulations New Light MCC! Here’s to another 20 years of shining a beacon of hope in a troubled world. t Join New Light as they celebrate their anniversary on Sunday, February 7th. Worship starts at 10:30 am at the church, 40 West Church Street in Hagerstown, Maryland. There is a lunch at the Gourmet Goat immediately after the service, with entertainment provided by Kipyn Martin. For reservations call 301-797-5698 or e-mail newlightmcc@hotmail.com. BALTIMORE OUTLOUD FEBRUARY 5, 2016 • BALTIMOREOUTLOUD.COM t
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OUT IN THE VALLEY // FAITH
Spirit Speaks
Rev. Rob Apgar-Taylor
Confessions of a Racist Pastor I have a confession to make. I am a racist pastor. That’s right, you are reading correctly. I am a racist pastor in the UCC. Now we in the UCC pride ourselves in being open minded and all inclusive. But honestly, this past year has been frustrating for me. And in that frustration there has been growth. Let me explain. As a police chaplain married to an officer, I know in my heart that most police are well-intentioned good men and women. Around 99.1% of all officers are never accused of misconduct. Being a progressive pastor with friends of nearly every color in the rainbow, I also know that racism is a systemic problem and one that manifests itself regularly in some very ugly ways. I also know that I am not always aware of these ways because I, as a middle class, Ivy League-educated white man, don’t experience my world in the same way. But down deep I believe that the “blame the cop” game we have been playing for the past year is only partially correct. Are there cops that act in ways that are violent and illegal? Absolutely. Should they be held accountable? Without a doubt. But there is something else that bothers me. I am convinced that it’s easier for me as a white pastor to focus on corruption in the legal system than to face the reality that said corruption is a symptom not the illness. You see the illness is the systemic, yet unspoken understanding that some people are less valuable than others. This is precisely what we are seeing in Flint, Michigan, with polluted water and sick children. That is what we in the UCC call “environmental racism,” and it rears its ugly head in the neighborhoods of the poor and the at-risk. Landfills, toxic waste dumps and poor schools and health care facilities don’t happen in rich, white neighborhoods like Grosse Pointe, with its 99% white upper-class population and $89,000 median income. That’s the fact. It would never be tolerated. Those lives are too valuable. Others who don’t look and act like the establishment? Not so much.
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So what is my point? All of this, all of the cop talk and water talk and equality talk stems from one spot. And unless we are brave enough to get real and have uncomfortable conversations, we will keep dancing around that point and it will never get better. The reality as I see it is that we live in a racist and classist society. In very subtle and simple ways, this plays out in ways we may never see or intend. But as long as we are unable to talk about our own complicit racism we will focus on “those people” who are the problem. The problem is me. I am a racist. Not in large ways, but in small everyday ways that goes unchecked and unquestioned. I lock my car doors in “certain” neighborhoods – you know the ones, without ever having had a problem or reason to be afraid. I grew up in racism. My dad’s family was in the deep South and I remember getting called home one day and being spanked, literally, for playing with those “n-word” kids down the street. I was never to do that again. In my mother’s New York family, where I was raised, it wasn’t people with African blood but those with brown skin and Latino accents. Whenever a crime was committed, everyone was vocal about their certainty that “the Puerto Ricans” were to blame. “You know how those people are,” my aunt would say. My grandparents “Jewed people down” to get a good deal and got “gypped” when they didn’t get the good deal. Gypsies were stereotyped as pickpockets and thieves. My point is this: as long as we continue to talk about “those people” who are the problem, we will continue to be the problem. It’s not about “Bad Cops” or “Black men committing crimes.” The problem is us. All of us and each of us. I am the problem. And so if I believe these words, I need to own them. I am a racist pastor in the UCC. I can try to be a progressive liberal, but I am lying if I say otherwise. I make very subtle judgements based on race and class: at the grocery store, in the inner city, driving past groups of teens on the street, watching the news. I am not proud of these judgements, but I will never get past them until I own them. And I am sorry to all those people who may not even know the times they have been judged and thought of differently. I am not proud of these words. But hiding behind my progressive faith and pointing at others is not going to get us where we need to be. I need to try harder. I need to do better. We all do. t
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QUALITY OF LIFE
Lesbian Love
Barb Elgin
It All Begins with Self Love Given that February is the month for lovers, I thought it high time to put the focus in this month’s article on the greatest love of all: loving yourself. Whether you are in a relationship or not, selflove is the foundation of your health, wealth and happiness. In fact, more truthfully: self-love is the foundation of your survival. Just ask Whitney Houston, who sang the song, but struggled to make it happen in her cut-short life. So just what do I mean by loving oneself? Of course, you’ll probably agree self-love is not wearing the latest outfits or driving the sexiest car. But it may be part of self-love. If you have your finances in balance and you are buying a better car or perhaps your first car – to improve the quality of your life, then that’s self-love. Improving the quality of your life would mean things like being able to get to a job that pays you better and not having to rely on others and public transportation – which are both time-consuming and often demeaning. However, if you are buying a car that leads you to get behind on payments because the car is beyond your budget, that’s not self-love. Let me give you another example: For close to 15 years I focused almost solely on serving lesbians in my business. I loved it and it was a calling. I’d chosen to be a pioneer, one of the first in my work. But eventually, I had to let that sole focus go – at least for now – about a year ago, because my life – my health and my finances – were out of balance. Self-employment is stressful. I’ll bet most if not all find they can’t do it for most of their working lives. One of the reasons self-employment is so tough in today’s marketplace is that health insurance costs have skyrocketed, for example. And, unless I have money left over at the end of the year I can’t build any retirement savings. I was in this line of work for all of the years of the recent great re-
FAITH cession. Many years I had to dig into my savings rather than add to them! So, this past year, I made several adjustments that seem to indicate to me that I am loving myself more. Yes, there is still work to do, but at least I am now on a healthier, more balanced track. Some ask: are you sad you are no longer running your business as you did? I have to say I haven’t been as sad about it as I thought I’d be. There is some relief actually, or maybe I’ve just been so busy I haven’t had much time to think about all of my feelings. Love – I heard it said years ago, when training to be a couple’s therapist – is a verb! Love is so much more than feelings. Yes, attraction and feelings are important. But here’s the reality: Attraction and feelings wax and wane, but the substance of follow through and commitment through action is what creates results. For example, you may feel like you are healthy right now, but are you? What’s your current BMI? Do you even know what BMI stands for? True self love is lowering your high cholesterol or eating more fruits and veggies and cutting back the red meat. So this Valentines, I hope for you that you take action on that day to love yourself more. Before you drink or eat the sweets, take that brisk walk, or get that massage. Even better, maybe drink some sparkling grape juice instead of alcohol. If you are single and you tend to get down this time of year, plan to address that before February 14th. If you are part of a couple in distress or distant from each other, if you have any positive feelings left about your relationship, get on it right away, before it’s too late. I’m here to support you on your quest for a healthy, wealthy, happy life. Don’t give up, or give in. Give to yourself what you most need (not want) this February and watch your happiness and health grow. t The name Barb Elgin is synonymous with lesbian health, happiness and love. For 15 years now, Barb has traveled all over the U.S., Mexico, and all over the world virtually, meeting and connecting lesbians. Her web site is: Lastinglesbianlove.com. Barb’s other passion is building communities who are healthier, wealthier and happier in mind, body and spirit: Barbelgin.com.
And I’m getting better at it. How about you?
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Spiritual View
Rev. Victoria Burson
A Community of Radical Inclusion Some time ago, I wrote an article, “Building a Community for Radical Inclusion.” This issue comes down to what it means to gain access to society, public or private. I often consider my unique individuality – the nature of my being. For myself, there are disparities between who I believe I am and who God says I am. I believe God as it relates to my inner-being, moral ber, and sense of agency that “I am the head and not the tail, above and not beneath” (Deuteronomy 28:13) and that I am “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14), and that God does not make junk. I realize that my distinctiveness makes up who I am and personi es all communities to which I am divinely connected or appointed without any form of inequality. Discrimination in all forms has kept many of us from the company of our fellow human beings. In some aspects, we reside both mentally and physically in communities that perpetually keep us at the edge of society and its margins. Communities are created and come in all forms and modes of understanding: neighborhoods, family, networks, institutions, social locations, and, for my purposes here, most of all churches and communities of faith. The word community comes from the Latin word communitas – a group of people with common interest. According to feminist theology, community means building relationships of sharing and giving. How can people of faith build a community of love, giving, and sharing if we do not open ourselves up to others or to otherness? How can we build authentic relationships if we are not having real conversations around differences and commonalties? We need to learn how to build communities by communicating differently. For it is in the difference we build strength as a community. In Bishop Yvette Flunder’s book Where the Edge Gathers: Building a Community of Radical Inclusion, she alludes to feminist Letty Russell’s ecclesial concept known as the “table principle.” It is an explicit call for
inclusion of all people, particularly those marginalized and exiled to the margins or subject to institutionalized binaries. The ecclesial image of the table principle is a large oval or round shaped setting where there is no pulpit, altar, or front or back seat – all are seated equally and everyone has equal access to the table including the “least.” Flunder states, “In order to create a viable community, hospitality and inclusion are essential… and they must be coupled with accountability and responsibility for the community if it is to be sustained.” Communities survive when intentional engaging takes place. I believe faith and community leaders must put more effort into engaging one another for the common good. Regardless of denomination and/or tradition, we are all called to the same kinds of work – building community! The creation of Christian community among people marginalized by the church and society requires that the community maintain a presence of familiarity while actively ghting and overcoming oppressive and exclusive theologies/teachings. Creating community should re ect a sense of belonging – being part of a much larger world lled with love and acceptance, a safe space that af rms who we are in society. All people have a right to be included. Matthew 25:40b says, “I tell you the truth: when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!” What the text is saying is whatever we do to one another, we have also done to Christ. In essence, how we treat the needy and lowly shows just how much we love Jesus. When we love and respect one another it glori es God. If marginalized folks are unable to nd safe spaces that value their worth then we must create our own communities. Let me say this, oppressive theology of the majority seeks to differentiate marginalized people as enemies of God. Nonsense! Throughout the Gospels, Jesus’s ministry typi es a life of marginality – his own received him not. He constantly challenged the status quo of his day. Jesus hung out with those that many would call the lowly, he broke barriers which kept folks in bondage, crossed lines that excluded people, and loved unconditionally. As a progressive, thinking faith community in the 21st century, we must continue to create a culture of love and acceptance which embodies liberating theologies, languages, and ministries that speak to all people. It must seek to build community and not make the Bible God, but, let God be God in the process of our own unique spiritual development. We are in a season where community is vital, take heed! t
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LIVELY ARTS // OUT ON SCREEN
London Spy
BY CHUCK DUNCAN BBC America, which is known for hit shows that Danny will see the man again, he does like “Absolutely Fabulous,” “Doctor Who,” after almost giving up hope, and he is invitthe “Graham Norton Show,” and “Orphan ed back to the man’s apartment. He introBlack,” is taking a short walk on the wild duced himself to Danny as Alex (Edward side with its new imHolcroft), and after a few cordial port miniseries “London a relationship begins to “A slow-moving “dates,” Spy.” This isn’t a typical develop. But Alex is the polar opJames Bondian type but gripping tale posite of the free-spirited Danny, of spy show, that’s for of love and lies.” with his job in the banking world sure. and his apparent inexperience As of this writing, with another man. two of the five episodes After eight months togethhave aired. In the first episode we meet er, Alex suddenly disappears after Danny handsome young Danny (Ben Whishaw), a reveals one very distressing moment from rudderless gay man in London who spends his past. Danny goes to Alex’s apartment too much time partying and clubbing to fo- and discovers an attic area he had never cus on his life and the world around him. seen before, furnished like something out of After one night of hitting the clubs, Danny Christian Grey’s darkest fantasies. Stunned stands on Lambeth Bridge wondering if his and baf ed by this unknown side of Alex, life has any meaning. A chance encounter Danny also nds a trunk with Alex’s body with a runner who stops to ask if Danny is inside. But he also nds something else, okay leads to something more than either a curious device with numbered dials that of them had expected. he swallows before the police arrive (to reGoing back to the bridge in the hopes trieve later). What could it all mean?
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More excitement than you can pack in a duffel bag
In the second episode, Danny is questioned by the police who do not believe that after eight months together he had never seen the attic or engaged in some of the more fetishistic sexual activities they assume go on in a place like that. And they also tell Danny that Alex is not his lover’s real name. It’s Alastair. And apparently he was a spy. But for whom, and who would murder him and why? Danny has confided in his best friend Scottie (Jim Broadbent) during the entire relationship, but he is beginning to grow suspicious of him. Danny is also summoned to meet with Alastair’s parents, but when greeted by a man and woman who will barely speak to him about their son, he confronts them as not being the parents. His deduction was correct and he is then taken to the real parents’ home. Alastair’s mother Frances (Charlotte Rampling) has a chat with Danny explaining her son’s personality, calling him a genius who could become what anyone wanted him to be, and in Danny’s case he became an attentive lover. Danny refuses to believe anything she tells him, and after being called out, she admits that he’s right about her lies, but Danny still has no idea why everyone is lying to him, or who Alex/Alastair really is. As Danny begins to delve deeper into the mystery, he learns more about his friend Scottie than he ever knew before (as Scottie was always Danny’s “shoulder to cry on”), and he needs to prove to himself that the relationship he had with Alex was real and prepare himself for the truth, possibly risking his own life in the process. “London Spy” will be clocking in at five episodes total, but so far it’s been a very slow burn revealing little details in each episode … and then keeping the audience in the dark as much as Danny is as to who Alex really was, and not knowing who Dan-
ny can trust. With Scottie’s past, and a smear campaign in the press, Danny’s life has gotten a whole lot more complicated than he’s used to dealing with. So far, the production has been top notch with some engrossing writing that will keep you riveted even as the story unfolds very slowly (and the first episode really takes its time but grabs you in the last few minutes). The two veterans of the supporting cast, Broadbent and Rampling, give terrific performances, both doing just enough subtle things to make the viewer question their motives and their honesty with Danny. The star, though, is Whishaw, with his boyish good looks that let him convincingly play a twenty-something slacker (at 36). Whishaw lets us see that Danny is damaged goods right from the start, but he’s also such an endearing young man that it’s not hard to believe Alex became so smitten with him. You also become invested in Danny’s grief when he discovers Alex’s body, and you want him to run as quickly as he can from Alastair’s parents because of the ominous feeling that hangs over their home. Whishaw has been active in the acting world since 1999, but it was his performances in Cloud Atlas and Skyfall (as gadget man Q) that really brought him attention to wider audiences. He’s recently appeared in The Danish Girl, Spectre, and In the Heart of the Sea (as Herman Melville). Getting more exposure on “London Spy” can only increase the openly gay actor’s profile. He certainly makes “London Spy” a very watchable program as we root for Danny to solve the mystery and find peace and happiness within himself. The series airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. on BBC America, and you can catch up with episodes on demand. t
LIVELY ARTS // PERSONALITIES
The Year of Years BY GREGG SHAPIRO Gay lmmaker Andrew Haigh (Weekend, HBO’s Looking) goes straight, so to speak, with his lm 45 Years (Sundance Select / IFC Films), based on the short story by David Constantine. Over the course of the week prior to Kate (Charlotte Rampling, who received an Oscar nomination for her performance) and Jeff’s (Tom Courtenay) 45th anniversary party, the couple’s marriage is potentially jeopardized following the arrival of a letter. What could possibly be in that letter, you ask? It turns out that in the early 1960s, just a few years before Kate and Jeff were married, Jeff was involved with a woman named Katia. While on a hike near a glacier in Switzerland, Katia died in a fall, but her body was never recovered. However, due to climate change conditions, it is discovered, preserved in ice. Anything that Kate knew about Katia prior to the arrival of the letter was sketchy. Soon, she will learn more than she ever wanted to know. Some of it coming directly from Jeff, who is greatly affected by the news; some will come from Kate’s own snooping in the attic. Already shaken from the revelation, Kate is unprepared for the biggest discovery she will make about Katia. Haigh, who has a gift for creating cinematic intimacy (see the aforementioned Weekend), is at the peak of his skills here. The relationship, with all of its cracks showing on the faces of the couple, feels livedin and genuine. The use of music is also quite effective. Rampling’s subtle embodiment of Kate is simply breathtaking. But if you watch 45 Years expecting emotional reworks, you’ll be disappointed (they’re British, after all). I spoke with Haigh about 45 Years shortly after the Oscar nominations were announced in January 2016. Gregg Shapiro: 45 Years is based on the short story by David Constantine. What was it about the story that made you want to adapt it into a screenplay and lm? Andrew Haigh: First of all, it was the central idea at the heart; this body being found perfectly preserved and how this past breaks through into the present and disrupts the relationship. I read the story after I was nishing up with and editing Weekend. It felt like a bookend to that lm in many
ways. It was another way to explore identity within relationships and how we understand ourselves within relationships and how fragile that can be. GS: I’m glad you mentioned Weekend. Your rst two full-length features G r e e k Pete and Weekend dealt with q u e e r subject matter. What was the appeal of making a lm about straight characters such as 45 Years? AH: It’s so dif cult when you make gaythemed lms – it was never my intention to only make lms about gay characters. If you started to make a lm about two men who have been together for 50 years, there are a lot of different things that that lm has to become about. This wasn’t the lm to do that. There were other things I wanted to look at that in many ways would have been overshadowed by it being about two gay people. Really it was about just approaching it from a different angle. GS: Was there ever a point when you considered making Kate and Jeff a same-sex couple? AH: I don’t think so. No, never. Obviously, they weren’t in the original short story. That would have changed what the story became. It would become about something else. Inevitably, telling a story about two people who have been together for 45 years – if it was two men it would have been a very different story. Forty- ve years ago [laughs] it was not easy for two men to get together and have a relationship. GS: 45 Years, like Weekend, is a very intimate lm, with two characters as the primary focus. What do you like best about working in that kind of close atmosphere? AH: It’s a way for me to focus in on what’s important; to focus in on close details about relationships. Relationships are important to all of us. They de ne our lives; they de ne what we do with our lives. It makes sense to me to explore those kinds of things. Keeping it simple and keeping the focus tighter allows, for me anyway, (the opportunity) to explore more interesting things. GS: The big news about 45 Years this week is that Charlotte Rampling, who
Andrew Haigh
An interview with filmmaker Andrew Haigh
plays Kate, has been nominated for a Best Actress in a Leading Role Oscar. What does that honor mean to you? AH: It’s incredible! When we were making the lm – it’s not a big lm, it doesn’t have a huge amount of money behind it – to get this is incredible. I’m incredibly happy for Charlotte. She’d never been nominated before. It’s fantastic for her to be nominated. Also, it’s amazing for the lm. It means that more people will get the chance to see the lm because there will be more talk about it. That’s fantastic. It’s certainly not anything I ever would have imagined happening for the lm when I was thinking about making it. It’s wonderful! It’s really special. GS: Was Charlotte who you always had in mind to play Kate? AH: When I write, I don’t like to have people in mind. I try not to do that. But then the minute we had the script that we felt was ready, we started talking about casting and all that kind of thing. Very quickly Charlotte was in our minds. We sent it to her early on. The most important thing is casting. It’s so dif cult. You have to feel like you’ve got the right person. There are so many things that go into making that decision; their past work, the idea of that person, their acting ability, everything. I felt like Charlotte was the perfect person to play this. She has a very interesting combination of intense strength as a person, but also a vulnerability behind that. I really liked that. In a lm about knowing and not knowing, I think Charlotte is the perfect person to portray that. GS: What was it like working with a powerhouse duo such as Rampling and Tom Courtenay? AH: Obviously I was nervous before I started [laughs]. They’ve worked with some great directors. They’re incredibly experienced. It was a really lovely process, actually. I think it made me realize that it doesn’t
matter how many lms you’ve done, when you’re starting a new one, you’re all at the starting point again. You’re all trying to gure out what the lm is, what the best way is to do this. It’s very important for me that these things are collaborative. It was collaborative right from the start. It was a really great experience. GS: Will we ever see more of Russell and Glen from Weekend? AH: [Laughs] I don’t know about that. I was thinking at one point that if Looking had continued that I would like to see Russ and Glen just sitting at the bar in the background somewhere in San Francisco. So you felt like something had happened in their future – not that you would know what happened. (But) once I feel like a story is completed the idea of going back there is a dif cult one for me. GS: I’m glad you mentioned Looking. I’m sure that you hear this a lot, but I was very disappointed that HBO didn’t give your series Looking the chance that it deserved. On the whole, was it a good experience for you? AH: Yes, it was a great experience. I loved making it. I loved being with the cast and crew. It was pretty much the same cast and crew for three years. We were certainly like a little family for a while. We got to nish it off – the movie is coming out, I hope, on HBO in April. I feel like we got to end it in a way that we’re all happy with. That’s good. It does have an ending, which is nice. GS: Have you started working on or thinking about your next project? AH: Yes. I have a project that will hopefully be shooting in the summer in Portland, Oregon. It’s a different project, I would say. It’s not so much a relationship drama. It’s a bit more epic than what I’ve done before, but it’s still a singular protagonist point of view story. I’m excited about it. t
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LIVELY ARTS // SCREEN SAVOR
Based on Queer, True Events BY GREGG SHAPIRO The late Nigel Finch’s 1995 lm Stonewall, based on Martin Duberman’s acclaimed book with a screenplay by Ricki Beadle Blair, might have been awed, but it’s a far better movie than the new Stonewall (Lionsgate / Roadside Attractions), directed by gay director Roland Emmerich, featuring a disappointing screenplay by gay playwright Jon Robin Baitz. Even before its release, the lm was creating a stir because of the supposed lack of minority representation within the cast. In all honesty, that’s small potatoes in comparison to the way that the lmmaker doesn’t think that the subject of the Stonewall Inn is compelling enough on its own. Instead, it’s bogged down by the story of a gay kid escaping small-town Indiana to come to the big, bad city to be who he is. He’s cute, but he’s just not that interesting. In June 1969, with homosexuality still against the law and classi ed as a mental illness, fresh-faced lost sheep Danny (Jeremy Irvine) arrives in New York’s West Village with a hastily packed suitcase and big plans for attending Columbia University in the fall. He left his rural Midwestern home earlier than planned after his homophobic high school football coach father discovered that Danny and the team’s star player Joe (Karl Glusman) have been huddling together off the eld. Landing in Sheridan Square, near the Stonewall Inn, Danny meets trans hustler Ray (Jonny Beauchamp), a.k.a. Ramona, and his queer crew, including the legendary Marsha P. Johnson (Otoja Abit), and gay rights advocate Bob Kohler. Swept up in the scene, Danny has a variety of new, exciting, and terrifying experiences – including being paid for sex, bar raids, getting beaten up by cops, and being romanced by hot gay activist Trevor (Jonathan Rhys Meyers). With his future plans becoming increas-
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ingly fuzzy – his Columbia scholarship is at risk of being rescinded because he left school early and his father is in control of his paperwork – Danny is torn. Does he join Ray and the world of the streets or follow Trevor and
“ Stonewall includes a fascinating section about the bar’s bouncer / manager Ed Murphy, who procured hustlers for high profile folks such as a cross-dressing J. Edgar Hoover.” his activist circle, including Frank Kameny of the Mattachine Society? Of course, the night of the June 28, 1969 Stonewall raid changes his life forever. To its credit, Stonewall includes a fascinating section about the bar’s bouncer / manager Ed Murphy (Ron Perlman), who procured hustlers for high pro le folks such as a cross-dressing J. Edgar Hoover. Because of his mob and pimping connections and blackmail activities, Murphy is presented as the main focus of Deputy Seymour Pine’s (Matt Craven) primary motivation for raiding the bar. The biggest problem is that we’ve seen some of this little-lost-gay-lamb swept-up-inthe- moment storytelling before in the aforementioned 1995 Stonewall movie. The bummer is that the history of the Stonewall bar itself gets buried in the excess. Maybe someone somewhere will nally make a movie about the Stonewall that is deserving of the title. As they say, the third time’s the charm. DVD bonus features include four featurettes and the theatrical trailer. t
LIVELY ARTS // QMUSIC
Queer Throughout the Year BY GREGG SHAPIRO Lesbian singer / actress / comedian / writer Lea DeLaria has been challenging our preconceived notions of what an entertainer is for more than 25 (!) years. Queer folks probably knew her rst as a raunchy comedian of the highest order (“whack a butt plug,” anyone?) and will also remember her from the gay movie Edge of Seventeen, as well as her show-stopping performance on Broadway in On the Town. Of course, once we heard her sing, we knew exactly what she was born to do. Over the course of her rst three musical albums, DeLaria left her distinctively jazzy mark on show-tunes, standards and punk classics. On House of David (Ghostlight / Razor & Tie), DeLaria turns her lez-laser focus on the songs of David Bowie. From the dazzling album cover (a respectful nod to Bowie’s Changesonebowie comp) to her inspired interpretations of “Golden Years,” “Fame,” “Suffragette City” (featuring Janis Siegel of Manhattan Transfer), the dramatic “Modern Love,” the out of this world “Life on Mars,” and especially the aptly swinging “Boys Keep Swinging” (which deserves to be a hit!), the house that Lea built is sturdy and architecturally interesting. There is always something heartbreaking about a posthumous release. The Mean Days (307 Knox), the second album by queercore trio 8 Inch Betsy, is a good example. Lead singer and main songwriter Meghan Galbraith, who died in 2015 at the age of 35, and band-mates Eli Burke and Melissa Thomas, had a raw energy that owed as much to punk rock and riot grrrl esthetics (“Meant To Mean,” “Uh Oh,” “Avenue,” “Get In The Van,” and the title track) as it did to straightforward classic rock and roll (“So Dark,” “I Will Never Go Home,” “Arise,” and “Grotesque”). Galbraith’s passing is a loss, but at least we have The Mean Days by which to remember her. Lesbian singer / songwriter Ana Egge had the distinction of being Ani DiFranco’s opening act during a series of fall 2015 tour dates. Those fortunate enough to be at those shows were able to experience Egge performing some of the songs from her luminous new album Bright Shadow (Grace / Parkinsong). Egge’s previous release, 2011’s mental illness concept album Bad Blood, was produced by Steve Earle, and continued to incorporate a country accent in Egge’s folk tunes. That trend persists on Bright Shadow on which Egge is backed up by modern American trio the Stray Birds. Now married and a mother, Egge also suffered the loss of her own mother, to whom she pays glorious
tribute on “Rock Me (Divine Mother).” The wistful “Dreamer” celebrates Egge’s own motherhood and her fragrant cover of Dolly Parton’s “Wild owers” blooms beautifully. Other standouts include “Fifth of July,” “Maps of the Moon,” and “The Ballad of Jean Genet.” The recon gured domestic re-release of pansexual and androgynous Héloïse Létissier’s eponymous debut as Christine and the Queens (Atlantic / Neon Gold / Because) addresses the gender issue right off the bat with “iT,” on which she sings “I’ve got iT / I’m a man now / and there’s nothing you can / to make me change my mind.” Létissier, who sings in English and French, incorporates synthesizers throughout, but “this ain’t no disco.” The closest we get to (modest) dance beats are in “Safe and Holy” (in which she declares, “As I dance, I am safe and holy”), the euphorically off-center “Tilted,” and “Science Fiction.” The album’s centerpiece, a duet with Perfume Genius on “Jonathan” is extraordinary in its dramatic subtlety. Bradford Cox, queer front-man of the Atlanta dream pop band Deerhunter (and also of Atlas Sound), and Will Toledo a.k.a. Car Seat Headrest are part of the growing ranks of out musicians who are forever changing the face of queer music. The songs on Deerhunter’s Fading Frontiers (4AD) range from idiosyncratic indie rock (“Snakeskin,” “Breaker”) to exotic experimentation (“Leather and Wood,” “Ad Astra,” “Living My Life”) and are never boring. Cox and company know how to get and keep our attention, as when he sings, “My friend’s dad got bored/changed his sex and had no more,” in “All the Same.” The head-on collision that is Car Seat Headrest’s Teens of Style (Matador) is as melodic as it is noisy. A chronic sonic delight that might take a few listens to sink in, but once it does, you won’t be able to stop listening. Standout numbers include “Times To Die,” “The Drum,” “Something Soon,” “Oh! Starving,” and “Strangers.” Telling a lover to leave “nothing but the radio on” is a clever turn of phrase and one that has been used in songs by gay sax man Dave Koz and country dude Gary Allan. Perhaps the most successful application of the wordplay can be found in lesbian singer / songwriter Maia Sharp’s seductive “Nothing But the Radio On,” the catchy opening cut on her new disc The Dash Between the Dates (E-One). Sharp, whose father is songwriter Randy Sharp, has been writing songs for others (Cher, Dixie Chicks, Lizz Wright and Bonnie Raitt) as well as for herself (she released her rst album almost 20 years ago)
A Great Big World Image
for quite some time and continues to develop into a rst-rate performer of her own compositions. “You’re Alive” is a great pop tune deserving of a wide audience. The brilliant “Little Bottles” has the potential to become a country standard as it celebrates sorrowfully drinking yourself into oblivion on an airplane. That’s legendary gay backing vocalist Arnold McCuller on the soaring “Phoenix” and the aforementioned Wright on the stunning “You Know Where I’ll Be.” Now that Glee and The Sing-Off are no longer on TV, does that mean that the a cappella craze has come to an end? Probably not, because Pitch Perfect and its sequel were both box of ce hits and there is, no doubt, a sequel in the works. That’s good news for a cappella quintet Pentatonix who, after putting out a number of self-released discs, nally got around to releasing its eponymous full-length major-label debut on RCA. On its previous EPs, Pentatonix, featuring openly gay member Mitch Grassi, focused on its interpretations of songs by others, with an original tune thrown in here and there. With Pentatonix, the group focuses mainly on original collaborations, the most of appealing of which include “Sing,” “Rose Gold,” “Can’t Sleep Love,” and “Take Me Home.” Oh, the dreaded sophomore slump. Making matters worse for A Great Big World, the duo made up of Ian Axel and openly gay Chad King, is a thinly disguised apology in the liner notes. The pair’s 2014 debut Is There Anybody Out There? came at a time when oth-
er similarly pop-oriented acts such as Fun., Barenaked Ladies and Ben Folds, appeared to be otherwise occupied (or distracted). The hit singles “Say Something,” a Grammy-winning duet with Christina Aguilera, and “This Is The New Year,” as well as “Everyone Is Gay,” held great promise. “Hold Each Other,” the rst single from AGBW’s new album When The Morning Comes (Epic / Black Magnetic) has the same queer spirit as Mary Lambert’s “She Keeps Me Warm.” It’s one of a few songs that while immediately catchy, don’t quite live up to what we expected. Part of the problem is that most of the songs were written by committee; too many cooks, etc. All is not lost, songs such as “Oasis,” “One Step Ahead,” “Kaleidoscope,” and the title track all have redeeming facets. Nothing else sounds (or looks) like Arca (a.k.a. gay producer and musician Alejandro Ghersi). A skittering, glitched up aural assault that is alternately soothing and startling; the 20 songs on Arca’s second album, the suitably named Mutant (Mute) make Aphex Twin sound like Lawrence Welk. It’s the kind of musical experience that will send listeners crate-digging for their LP of the Liquid Sky soundtrack. As you might imagine, some songs are more accessible than others, including the title tune, “Front Load,” “Enveloped,” “Alive,” “Soichiro,” “Vanity,” and “Anger.” t A Great Big World performs on March 4 at U Street Music Hall in Washington, D.C. and on March 8 at World Cafe Live in Philadelphia.
BALTIMORE OUTLOUD FEBRUARY 5, 2016 • BALTIMOREOUTLOUD.COM t
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QUALITY OF LIFE
New Prep Data on Transgender Women from the IPREX Study BY ATTORNEY LYNDA DEE Researchers from the University of California in San Francisco (UCSF) unearthed new information about PrEP usage in transgender women by taking an innovative look at the new IPREX study data. The IPREX study was a 2010 French Canadian study in mostly negative gay and bisexual men that was the first to show the positive effect of emtricitabane plus tenofovir fumarate – which is combined in one pill known as Truvada – for HIV prevention. No such efficacy was found in transgender women because their initial numbers were too small to make any definitive findings. Only 29 people were initially identified as transgender women. This new data is the first separate analysis of transgender women that has ever occurred in a PrEP trial. Before IPREX, no other randomized controlled trial – the gold standard for making definitive conclusions – has ever specifically looked at PrEP in transgender women. This is a large step forward for transgender women who have one of the highest rates of HIV infection. A review of 22 studies indicated that approximately 28% of transgender women are HIV
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infected in the U.S. The IPREX study enrolled 2,499 gay and bisexual men (men who have sex with men or MSM), and transgender women in Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, South Africa, Thailand, and the U.S. between 2007 and 2009. Because the initial results of the IPREX randomized study demonstrated that once daily Truvada prevented the risk of HIV prevention by 92% in people who actually took Truvada regularly, IPREX was extended to a non-randomized, an open-label extension study that was ended in 2013. This means that everyone who wanted Truvada in the open label study received it. Blood levels of Truvada were measured to prove adherence. No one in the open label study who took Truvada at least four times per week became HIV infected during the study. A new, more sophisticated method for determining who was transgender identified 339 transgender women, which was 310 more than was originally indicated in the first IPREX study report. Fourteen percent of the 339 transgender study participants were classified as transgender women. Of this number 29 (1%) identified
FEBRUARY 5, 2016 • BALTIMOREOUTLOUD.COM
as women, 296 (12%) identified as trans or travesti and 14 (1%) identified as men, but reported taking feminizing hormones. Of this number, 192 participated in the open label extension, 79% of whom opted to take Truvada. The study showed that when compared to MSM, transgender women reported much higher rates of sex work (64% v. 38%), condomless receptive anal sex (86% v. 55%), sexually transmitted diseases during the past six months (38% v. 24%), and over five sex partners during the past three months. Transgender women had lower Truvada blood levels and were less likely to take Truvada consistently. Unlike results in MSM, there was no correlation in the consistency of Truvada use for trangender women who engaged in condomless anal sex. In the MSM population, those who engaged in condomless anal sex were more adherent to PrEP. None of the 11 transgender women who became HIV infected during the initial trial had Truvada blood levels which means they were not taking their PrEP. Two transgender women who received PrEP during the open label extension became HIV infected. In the open label study, transgender women were half as likely as MSM to have Truvada blood levels that indicated that they took Truvada at least four times per week (18% v. 36%). Transgender women who took feminizing hormones were less likely to have either detectable or sufficient Truvada blood levels. The good news is that just like MSM, transgender women who had blood levels indicating that they took Truvada four times per week did not become HIV infected. Truvada was generally well-tolerated with moderate or severe side effects rarely reported. There was no difference in adverse events in transgender women who took Truvada versus those who did not. Decreases in bone mineral density that may occur with Truvada use were less apparent in transgender women than in MSM. Researchers surmised that this may be the result of less Truvada use or a protective effect of feminizing hormones. There was also no evidence of liver toxicity. Transgender women with consistent
Truvada drug levels appeared to be protected, according to UCSF investigator Robert M. Grant, MD. Grant who stated that while the numbers of transgender study participants were still too small to draw firm conclusions, there was strong evidence pointing to PrEP efficacy. As the trans community has long known, researchers surmised that even though PrEP seems to be effective in trans women, they have more and different barriers to PrEP use. Thus, PrEP studies for trans women should be specifically designed and tailored to their needs, rather than simply using the same studies that are designed for MSM or simply including trans women within the MSM studies as if they had the same issues and risk factors. UCSF researcher Madeline B. Deutsch, MD, also acknowledged that transgender women face institutional barriers like the lack of legal protections against discrimination resulting in difficulties in employment and income inequality that cause lack of adequate food and housing. She further stated that transgender women definitely need an HIV prevention tool that they can control and which they can use without their partners’ knowledge or consent. Dr. Deutsch also explained that one of the important reasons transgender women do not take their PreP is because they are afraid it will interfere with their gender affirming hormones. She pointed out that feminizing hormones are a higher priority than PrEP. It is perfectly clear from the UCSF findings that we need much further study in this arena. When trans women use PrEP, it appears to work, but to increase awareness, encourage continued PrEP use programs and foster research participation, interactions need to take place in safe, gender-affirming environments. The integration of PrEP and gender-affirming services – including feminizing hormone services as well as the development of distinct PrEP delivery programs for trans women that are specifically designed to support trans women, and that do not lump them together with MSM programs and studies – are essential to PrEP use and adherence. We are finally headed in the right direction. Stay tuned for the latest on PrEP for HIV prevention. t
QUALITY OF LIFE
The Law & You
Lee Carpenter
When Love Taxes At this time of year, as W-2s, 1099s, and other tax forms start to arrive in the mail, many same-sex partners are facing a new obligation – filing their income taxes as a married couple. Preparing taxes has never been fun, but the law now makes it easier than ever for gay and lesbian couples who are legally married. Back when same-sex marriage laws varied from state to state, and the federal government did not recognize gay unions at all, filing as a married couple was an ordeal. Couples who lived in states that recognized their unions might have had to prepare four tax returns – a “phantom” joint federal tax return that was never filed but
that had to be prepared in order to determine the couple’s state taxes, a joint state return, and two individual returns with the federal government, which restricted the de nition of marriage to opposite-sex couples. What a difference a Supreme Court ruling makes. In the wake of the high court’s decisions in United States v. Windsor and Obergfell v. Hodges, same-sex marriage is now legal nationwide at the state and federal levels. As a consequence, couples who have tied the knot can take pleasure in checking the “married” box on their state and federal tax returns. To determine whether a couple is married, the IRS looks to their marital status as of December 31st of the tax year in question. So couples who were wed anytime last year are considered married for the whole year. Once two people have exchanged vows, filing their taxes as “unmarried” is no longer an option. But most couples will enjoy a “marriage bonus” in the form of a lower combined tax bill. Returns can be set up as “married filing jointly” or “married filing separately,” and
each option has its pros and cons. Most couples will come out ahead by ling jointly. The tax bracket for joint lers is twice the amount for couples who le separately. As a result, ling jointly can lower their combined tax bill if one spouse earns signi cantly more than the other. In certain circumstances, however, ling separately can be the smarter choice, especially if one partner came to the marriage with a signi cant tax debt. A joint ling can put the paid-up spouse on the hook for the other spouse’s outstanding tax bill. The IRS can even seize any tax refund each year until the debt is satis ed. Another factor in determining whether to le jointly or separately is the deductions the couple plans to take. When a married couple les separately, they both have to use the standard deduction or they both have to itemize. As a consequence, having more deductions to work with will provide them with better options for minimizing their tax liability. For example, in addition to customary
deductions like mortgage interest, charitable contributions, and real estate taxes, a couple may have unusually high medical expenses in a given year. Quali ed medical costs can be claimed as itemized deductions if they exceed a certain percentage of the person’s adjusted gross income. The spouse who incurred the expenses may be able to exceed the deduction threshold if the couple submit separate returns. Couples in the higher tax brackets who earn roughly the same amount may see their tax bill increase under the “marriage penalty.” The penalty affects a minority of married couples, but it can be signi cant. Two people who are contemplating marriage should ask a tax professional whether they will have to pay more. Taxes may be the last thing a couple thinks about when deciding whether to marry. But as so many couples say on their wedding day, they take each other for richer or poorer. t Lee Carpenter is an associate attorney at the law firm Semmes, Bowen & Semmes and can be reached at 410-576-4729 or lcarpenter@semmes.com. Learn more about LGBT estate planning at Mdlgbtestateplanning.com. This column offers general legal info, not specific legal advice.
BALTIMORE OUTLOUD FEBRUARY 5, 2016 • BALTIMOREOUTLOUD.COM t
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QUALITY OF LIFE // LYNDA DOES THE LAW
k
New Prep Data on Transgender Women from the IPREX Study
t
t e
y o
a
n
/
I
BY ATTORNEY LYNDA DEE Researchers from the University of California in San Francisco (UCSF) unearthed new information about PrEP usage in transgender women by taking an innovative look at the new IPREX study data. The IPREX study was a 2010 French Canadian study in mostly negative gay and bisexual men that was the first to show the positive effect of emtricitabane plus tenofovir fumarate – which is combined in one pill known as Truvada – for HIV prevention. No such efficacy was found in transgender women because their initial numbers were too small to make any definitive findings. Only 29 people were initially identified as transgender women. This new data is the first separate analysis of transgender women that has ever occurred in a PrEP trial. Before IPREX, no other randomized controlled trial – the gold standard for making definitive conclusions – has ever specifically looked at PrEP in transgender women. This is a large step forward for transgender women who have one of the highest rates of HIV infection. A review of 22 studies indicated that approximately 28% of transgender women are HIV
infected in the U.S. The IPREX study enrolled 2,499 gay and bisexual men (men who have sex with men or MSM), and transgender women in Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, South Africa, Thailand, and the U.S. between 2007 and 2009. Because the initial results of the IPREX randomized study demonstrated that once daily Truvada prevented the risk of HIV prevention by 92% in people who actually took Truvada regularly, IPREX was extended to a non-randomized, an open-label extension study that was ended in 2013. This means that everyone who wanted Truvada in the open label study received it. Blood levels of Truvada were measured to prove adherence. No one in the open label study who took Truvada at least four times per week became HIV infected during the study. A new, more sophisticated method for determining who was transgender identified 339 transgender women, which was 310 more than was originally indicated in the first IPREX study report. Fourteen percent of the 339 transgender study participants were classified as transgender women. Of this number 29 (1%) identified as women, 296 (12%) identified as trans or
e
n d
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BALTIMORE OUTLOUD
FEBRUARY 5, 2016 • BALTIMOREOUTLOUD.COM
travesti and 14 (1%) identified as men, but reported taking feminizing hormones. Of this number, 192 participated in the open label extension, 79% of whom opted to take Truvada. The study showed that when compared to MSM, transgender women reported much higher rates of sex work (64% v. 38%), condomless receptive anal sex (86% v. 55%), sexually transmitted diseases during the past six months (38% v. 24%), and over five sex partners during the past three months. Transgender women had lower Truvada blood levels and were less likely to take Truvada consistently. Unlike results in MSM, there was no correlation in the consistency of Truvada use for trangender women who engaged in condomless anal sex. In the MSM population, those who engaged in condomless anal sex were more adherent to PrEP. None of the 11 transgender women who became HIV infected during the initial trial had Truvada blood levels which means they were not taking their PrEP. Two transgender women who received PrEP during the open label extension became HIV infected. In the open label study, transgender women were half as likely as MSM to have Truvada blood levels that indicated that they took Truvada at least four times per week (18% v. 36%). Transgender women who took feminizing hormones were less likely to have either detectable or sufficient Truvada blood levels. The good news is that just like MSM, transgender women who had blood levels indicating that they took Truvada four times per week did not become HIV infected. Truvada was generally well-tolerated with moderate or severe side effects rarely reported. There was no difference in adverse events in transgender women who took Truvada versus those who did not. Decreases in bone mineral density that may occur with Truvada use were less apparent in transgender women than in MSM. Researchers surmised that this may be the result of less Truvada use or a protective effect of feminizing hormones. There was also no evidence of liver toxicity. Transgender women with consistent Truvada drug levels appeared to be protected, according to UCSF investigator
Robert M. Grant, MD. Grant who stated that while the numbers of transgender study participants were still too small to draw firm conclusions, there was strong evidence pointing to PrEP efficacy. As the trans community has long known, researchers surmised that even though PrEP seems to be effective in trans women, they have more and different barriers to PrEP use. Thus, PrEP studies for trans women should be specifically designed and tailored to their needs, rather than simply using the same studies that are designed for MSM or simply including trans women within the MSM studies as if they had the same issues and risk factors. UCSF researcher Madeline B. Deutsch, MD, also acknowledged that transgender women face institutional barriers like the lack of legal protections against discrimination resulting in difficulties in employment and income inequality that cause lack of adequate food and housing. She further stated that transgender women definitely need an HIV prevention tool that they can control and which they can use without their partners’ knowledge or consent. Dr. Deutsch also explained that one of the important reasons transgender women do not take their PreP is because they are afraid it will interfere with their gender affirming hormones. She pointed out that feminizing hormones are a higher priority than PrEP. It is perfectly clear from the UCSF findings that we need much further study in this arena. When trans women use PrEP, it appears to work, but to increase awareness, encourage continued PrEP use programs and foster research participation, interactions need to take place in safe, gender-affirming environments. The integration of PrEP and gender-affirming services – including feminizing hormone services as well as the development of distinct PrEP delivery programs for trans women that are specifically designed to support trans women, and that do not lump them together with MSM programs and studies – are essential to PrEP use and adherence. We are finally headed in the right direction. Stay tuned for the latest on PrEP for HIV prevention. t
The good news is that just like MSM, transgender women who had blood levels indicating that they took Truvada four times per week did not become HIV infected.
QUALITY OF LIFE
Ask
Dr. J
Janan Broadbent, Ph.D.
Dead End or Cul-deSac with Roundabout? Have you had a time when you didn’t know what to do about a relationship? It wasn’t bad enough to end it, but it wasn’t good enough to keep at it? Sort of like treading water? So you focus on other issues in your life such as work, friendships, special projects, and the like? This is the state of affairs I refer to in the title of this piece. Not easy at times to sort through where one is, emotionally, in the joint venture. If you were driving, and got to a dead end, you would back out and
find another route. If it is a cul-de-sac, there is a roundabout that allows you to get going in the reverse direction but without backing out. When you have a connection to a person, it is not always easy to figure out how and if to go. Here is an example of a couple I know. Both people felt attracted to one another – good connection, much romance, great intentions – and they moved into one place. Eventually, differences started to appear and bother each. One was very close to his family; the other was estranged from his son. One wanted all the time together; the other wanted more time with the family. Of course, the family person’s loved ones started to pick up on the conflict and had their own feelings going. It had reached a point where one wanted to move out to his own place (which he had retained) but the other stated he needed his partner. That created an emotional dilemma of not wanting to abandon someone one cared for.
What would you do if you were one of these people? It is easy to say: Hey, no guarantees in any relationship. You want to leave, leave then! Yes, that is easy to say but not always easy to do. You have had good times together; you have formed bonds all around. So the matter becomes of being able to determine if this is a cul-de-sac or not. If you have read Scott Peck’s classic book, The Road Less Traveled, you know that relationships go through stages. When the situation above is happening, it is time to do work. That work would be either on your own (if you leave the partner) or with him/her (if you stay together). Anything in life that is worth having requires work. Here is a tip: Imagine what life will be like for you with the partner gone. Relief? Freedom? Or sadness? Disappointment? Missing all that you had together, which could include material things as well? Then, imagine what it would be like with the partner, on
one hand, if you leave everything as it is and try to ignore the disenchantment; and on the other hand, if you communicate with one another and do the work of repairing and revitalizing the connection? Only you can make this choice because it is your life. Your values, beliefs, your past experiences, what you have taken from the family you grew up in, will all come together to make such a choice. It is extremely important not to have any regrets about your decision, so take the time to weigh the options and the consequences. May you enjoy smooth sailing... t
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QUALITY OF LIFE
Tech
Talk
David Sugar
Building a Website So you’ve started a new business and you are looking at ways to advertise your business. One idea is to build a website. Here are some things to think about. Probably the most important part is to consider who you are building your website for, who is your audience. What they would like to see? Do you want your audience to continue to come back to the site for continual fresh updates? Or is your site more static, just laying out what your company does? So a static versus a site that is constantly updated is a key thing to consider. Static sites typically won’t get many return visitors, whereas if you constantly update your site there’s a better chance to get visitors returning. Another consideration is how involved or technical you want your site to be. Maybe you just want one of those one page websites that you can put together yourself through one of
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these website tools online. Yes the page will look somewhat generic but with this option you can get a website online in a matter of minutes. Maybe you want a site that will have a number of different pages, which allows you to easily update each page and collects customer information in a database. Another important consideration in building your site is cost. The more detailed and involved the site is the higher the cost. When looking for someone to design your website consider that there are programmers and designers. Programmers can write the code for your website while designers will determine what you see visually and help build the graphics. If both visual and the technical aspect of the site are important to you, then be prepared to pay more than if you use a more generic site. Consider whether you want your site to be responsive. This means that your site should be viewable on a number of different devices and should resize based on the device. Many of the online website building tools provide some tools to make your site responsive these days depending on the tool that you are using. While these are just a few things to consider when building your website make sure you do your research before starting to build the site. If you aren’t happy with the nished product redesigning your site will be a lot more costly than if you do the research at the beginning. t E-mail your tech questions to outloudtech@gmail.com.
BALTIMORE OUTLOUD FEBRUARY 5, 2016 • BALTIMOREOUTLOUD.COM t
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QUALITY OF LIFE
Violet’s Vet
Dr. Tony Calo
What Kind of Dog is That? Violet loves to go places especially places with lots of people to lavish attention on her. She is always a star at an art fair, a park, or at gay pride. One of things that Connor and I encounter as her parents is the question of heritage. We encounter questions such as “What kind of dog is that?” and “Is that a Boston Terrier?” This just happened a few hours ago at the park. We took the dogs to play in the snow and a woman stopped by to inquire about our little Violet, asking her breed. We explained that she is French Bulldog. It was at this moment that I realized not many people fully know about this magical little breed of dog. Violet and I conferred about this and we felt that she should act as goodwill am-
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bassador for the breed. So where did the French Bulldog come from? The breed was developed, as one might expect, from the English bulldog. The English Bulldogs were initially used for bull baiting in England in the early 1800s. Thankfully, the Cruelty to Animal Act of 1835 outlawed this practice. With no more need for the dogs to participate in this sport, they found their way into a totally different role as companions. In those roles, the English Bulldog was crossbred with terriers and Pugs to make them more compact and more fashionable. This eventually led the development of the Toy Bulldog. Around the same time, lace workers from Violet waiting for us at the top of the stairs Nottingham, England, were these dogs being exported from England to displaced by the Industrial Revolution. These skilled workers lost their France. The breeders in England, howevjobs to machinery. The lace workers began er, would send the smaller, less desirable to resettle in France. They brought several dogs that had faults (such as big, bat-like small dogs, such as the Toy Bulldog, along ears). While in France, there may have with them during their migration. The Toy been even further crossbreeding with loBulldog became increasingly popular as a cal Rat Terriers and Pugs. The Toy Bulldog companion to the lace workers, resulting in morphed further into breed unto itself and became known as the Bouledogue Francais. In American today, they are known as the French Bulldog. In the early 1900s, the Bouledogue Francais was an extremely fashionable dog at all levels of French society. The dogs could be found living with posh high society ladies and amongst prostitutes in brothels. They were loved and admired by one and all. From this history, it is evident that the breed was made for the primary role of being a human companion, which brings me to the French Bulldog of today. These little dogs are continuing to live up to the role of best friend. They are affectionate, playful, and incredibly loyal. They are also incredibly cute, with their round dark eyes and big bat-like ears. Who doesn’t want cuteness in a companion? Another amazing quality is that these dogs are funny. I do not think there is one hour that goes by without a Violet-induced belly-laugh. In addition, to these attributes, Frenchies are ideal for modern living. They do not require as much as space or exercise as other popular breeds such as Labrador Retrievers or German Shepherds. This makes them ideal for apartment or condo dwelling. Their short coats are easy to maintain which keeps grooming to a minimum. In many ways, these little guys are perfect. This isn’t to say that there are no shortcomings to these shorties. Fenchies are intelligent. This can go hand and hand
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with being stubborn and headstrong. Being smart allows them realize that they are so cute that it can lead to being spoiled, a sense of entitlement to do what they want when they want. This can lead to dif culties with house training. Starting early with training and being rm and consistent is a must with this breed. French Bulldogs, like other purebred dogs, can have health issues that they may be predisposed to. These include upper airway disease called brachycephalic syndrome. This occurs in other short-faced little dogs such as Pugs and Boston Terriers. The short faces, small noses, and compact throats can lead to breathing issues that may require surgery to correct. Orthopedic issues are another common problem. Short and stout legs can result in slipping of the knee caps called patellar luxation. Like the breathing issue, this condition may need surgery to x. Violet has had both of these conditions and has required the surgery to address the issues. Spinal issues such as slipped discs, intervertebral disc disease, also occur with some frequency. Skin issues, ocular issues, and certain cancers are prevalent in the French Bulldog. The advantages of the French Bulldog far outweigh the down sides. The charm and the cuteness that they exude win out in the end. Their many attributes have resulting in a cultural phenomenon like no other breed. The French Bulldog has quickly risen amongst the rate of most popular breeds. According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), the French Bulldog ranked 54th in the year 2003. In 2009, they were the 24th most popular breed. In 2014, they were ranked the ninth most popular breed of all purebred dogs. This is one of the quickest climbs in AKC history. Finally, French Bulldogs are extremely popular amongst the jet set. Lady Gaga is never far from Asia, her loyal little Frenchie. In every picture of High Jackman out and about, adorable Dali is right beside him. Russell Tovey’s, of HBO’s “Looking,” Frenchie is almost equally as famous thanks to Mr. Tovey’s Instagram account. Finally, there is Violet. This little girl has come a long way in her life, she has a lot to say, and she is one of the best things that could have happened to her family. She is the embodiment of what it means to be French and what I mean to be a bulldog. t Please e-mail your stories and questions to violetsvet@baltimoreoutloud.com
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QUALITY OF LIFE
The Washington Monument in Mount Vernon
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BY HARVEY O It is not unusual to have a monument dedicated to George Washington in your city or town, but what is unique is if that monument was the rst ever erected in his honor. This is the case with The Monument located in the center of the public squares in Mount Vernon Place in Baltimore City. American architect Robert Mills was selected as the winner of an architectural competition in 1814 for his design of The Monument (Mills was also the designer of the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., completed in 1888). The cost of construction was to be $100,000. Mills’s featured George Washington standing on top of a lantern-like feature that sits upon an oversized doric column. This whole feature rests on top of a square structure that acts as gallery space and houses historic information. The entire structure stands at 178 foot 6 inches. Construction of began on July 4th, 1815, and was complete in 1829. The nal design was signi cantly simpli ed from the original submission due to fears of cost overrun, and is very similar to the column featured in the Place Vendôme in Paris, France. The statue of Washington depicts him resigning his commission as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and was carved by Italian-born sculptor Enrico Causici. Washington resigned his commission in the Maryland State House on December 23rd, 1783. Inside The Monument are 227 steps that rise from the gallery space to the lantern BALTIMORE OUTLOUD
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above the column, with views out to the city. The original location was Courthouse Square on Calvert Street, but it was moved to the current location on land donated by John Eager Howard after residents near Courthouse Square feared a natural disaster could topple the tall column onto their homes. From the moment construction began, the site was not only busy with construction but also with curious visitors. Unlike today’s restrictive construction sites, it appears visitors were allowed inside and out. In 1817, President James Monroe was one of those visitors. The marble used to construct the Monument came from three Baltimore County quarries. The base used stone from General Charles Ridgely’s quarry, the column and other details from Scott’s quarry, and the statue from the quarry of Mrs. Frances D. T. Taylor. In the 1830s, additional features were added to the structure. One such feature was eight bronze inscriptions mounted to the facade of the base that described signi cant events in Washington’s life. Additionally, doors to the gallery space and stucco to the interior walls were added. The doors were built of wood but painted to resemble bronze. In 1838, a cast iron fence was erected Monumental! around the base. It was designed by Mills and contains symbolic references to Maryland and the strength achieved through the union of the original 13 colonies. In June of 2010, The Monument was closed. The structure was showing signs of deterioration with rusting steel and crumbling mortar. Originally the closure was meant to be for a short period of time for repairs to be made, but ended up becoming a full-on $5.5 million restoration. The restoration was complete in time for The Monument’s 200th anniversary, and it was reopened and rededicated on July 4th, 2015. The location of the Washington Monument was incorporated into the four public squares of Mount Vernon Place when the street layout around it were formalized in 1831. The Monument and parks comprise the Mount Vernon Place National Historic Landmark District. This Historic District is in turn within the Mount Vernon neighborhood of Baltimore, and the Baltimore National Heritage Area. t
Leather
Line
Rodney Burger
Bouncing Back from the Blizzard I hope that everyone is starting to recover from the record snowstorm that hit our area on January 22nd and 23rd. I am sure that many in the leather community joined me in being thankful that the blizzard did not arrive a week sooner, as thousands of leather folks were arriving in Washington, D.C., for the annual Mid-Atlantic Leather weekend. In my last column I wrote about how big MAL was this year; had the storm come earlier, I would have been writing about how all those leather folks from all of the country got stuck in airports and made MAL the smallest ever. Judging by all the great pictures I saw on social media last week, I know that I was not the only one who had a wonderful time at MAL 2016. In between all the photos I also read some very interesting comments about leather protocols not being respected at events. When one walks into the lobby of a hotel hosting one of the big leather functions you are confronted with a sea of leather folks – or are you? I am often reminded of a young man I saw in Chicago. He was trying on a leather harness in the middle of the vendor mart at International Mr. Leather. As he admired himself in the full-length mirror I overheard him remark to his friend, “I really like the way I look in this – but I don’t know. It’s $150 and I would only get to wear it once a year.” Not every attendee at these big leather events is a member of the leather community. They have no idea about old guard traditions, power relationships, or a leather lifestyle. For them the event is a circuit party with costumes where they can come dressed as their favorite member of the Village People or God forbid all of them at once! They buy themselves a collar and a jock and they are ready for the ball. After all one can buy a football jersey, go to the game, but still not know anything about the rules of the sport. Many of the young people at the hotel do not attend any of the scheduled events, may not even know what MAL is all about – they are just there for a good time. There
is nothing wrong with that. At some point in time every serious member of the leather/ kink community found himself on the outside looking in. Then there came a time when we took a step forward. We joined a leather club or in many cases met an older member of the community who mentored us. One is going to encounter inappropriate behavior towards true collared boys, puppies, and slaves at these gatherings. We can be upset by it, feel disrespected, or use the opportunity as a chance to teach someone a little bit about leather protocols. When my Sir Steve was Mr. Maryland Leather 2007, he did fetish demos not at the local leather bar, but at the go-go boy bar. Those young men knew nothing about leather, were afraid to go to a leather bar, Mr. Maryland but were intrigued by it. Sir Leather 2016 Steve taught them a little Eli Onyx about ogging, electrical play, and respect. Some of those young guys are now members of the leather community. In fact several became popular leather titleholders, and one even became president of a leather club. I for one am happy to see so many young people at MAL. It gave me faith that the leather community will continue to evolve and grow and with a little education and mentoring, MAL in ten years could be even more fantastic. I enjoy those big leather events, but there is also another side of the leather community that makes me feel good – helping others. One organization that has been doing this since 1978 is Brother Help Thyself. Founded by four leather clubs, BHT continues to raise money and contribute to the LGBT community in Baltimore and Washington. On Saturday, January 30 BHT held their annual grant reception at Grand Central in Baltimore. During the two hour event hosted by COMMAND, MC, and wonderfully emceed by COMMAND member, and BHT vice president, Andrew McCarty, 23 organizations received a total of $76,000 in donations. Members from Centaur MC, DCBC, SIGMA D.C., Spartan MC, ASGRA, Chesapeake Bay Bears, Renegades, Defenders MC, Beltway Bears, and other clubs who make up BHT took turns presenting the checks. The diverse group of recipients included the D.C. Center, Heart to Hands, LGBT Fallen Heroes Fund, Washington Renegades Rugby Club, PFLAG D.C.,
AIDS Action Baltimore (who have received a grant for the past 28 years), Thankful Paws, Rainbow History Project, Rainbow Youth Alliance, D.C. Different Drummers, PFLAG Carrol County, PFLAG Howard County, Hope D.C., Capitol Hill Art Workshop, and others. Entertainment was provided by past grant recipients 2nd Independence Jazz Combo, who played while everyone was enjoying a beverage and a buffet from Ale Mary’s of Fells Point. During the program cast members from the Spotlighters Theatre performed numbers from two future productions: Evita and Tick, Tick … Boom! It was a feel good afternoon. BHT has now given out over $3 million to area charities.
I returned to Grand Central on Sunday, January 31st to support Mr. Maryland Leather 2016 Eli Onyx and his fundraiser for the HIV Smart Campaign. There was a silent auction, Jell-O shots, 50/50 raf e, and photographs were taken as part of the HIV awareness project. The place was packed and I enjoyed seeing many friends from D.C., Harrisburg, and the Mid-Atlantic area. Not only was it a fun afternoon, but $1,031 was raised and 19 people took advantage of the BESURE on-site HIV testing, which I understand was a record number for an event. As I get ready to escape the snow and attend the SECC Leather weekend in Florida, I want to inform you of a few leather events coming up soon in this area: The leather community will be gathering at the D.C. Eagle on Sunday, February 7th for the annual Scarlet’s Bake Sale. This year’s auction will bene t PETS D.C. and a new scholarship fund being started by the Scarlet’s Foundation for college juniors and seniors. The auction will start at 3:30 p.m. On Friday, February 12th the ShipMates will be kicking off the Valentine’s Day weekend with a bar night at The Loft at Grand Central. The fun starts at 10 p.m. Saturday, February 13th will be a big night at The Bike Stop in Philadelphia as the Philadelphians MC and The Bike Stop present the Mr. and Ms. Philadelphia Leather 2016 Contest. Make sure you bring your cellphone to the contest because the audience will be able to vote online. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the contest is at 8 p.m. Since there is limited seating on the third oor, TV monitors will broadcast the contest on every oor of the bar. After the contest the Philadelphians MC will host a dress code enforced “Gear-Up” party. The snow is melting fast. It is time to come out of hibernation and party with the leather community. Not only will you have a great time, meet new people, and shake off those winter blues, but you will also help raise money for a good cause. Do you want to build a leather man? t
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