Baltimore OUTloud • April 1, 2016

OUT

AN INDEPENDENT VOICE FOR THE LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER COMMUNITIES April 1, 2016 | Volume XIII, Issue 26

Pressure Mounts on North Carolina Over Anti-Gay Law from Staff reports Equality North Carolina and Human Rights Campaign released a letter March 29th from dozens of business leaders from across the country calling on North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory and the state’s General Assembly to repeal provisions in the anti-gay HB-2 that passed the state legislature last week.

The letter – signed by dozens of CEOs from across the U.S., including Apple’s Tim Cook and Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg – comes only a day after Georgia Governor Nathan Deal announced he would veto anti-LGBT legislation in Georgia after facing pressure from a broad chorus of advocates and companies. On Thursday morning, Equality NC Executive Director Chris Sgro and the HRC will deliver the letter personally to Governor McCrory’s office. Sgro and the HRC have also requested a meet-

Singers of Potamac Fever

ing with the governor on Thursday in order to discuss the impact this new law has on LGBT North Carolinians.

HB-2 eliminates existing municipal non-discrimination protections for LGBT people and prevents such protections from being passed by cities in the future. The legislation also requires transgender students in public schools to use toilets and other facilities inconsistent with their gender identity, putting $4.5 billion in federal funding under Title IX at risk. It also compels that policy in state buildings, including in public universities. Lawmakers passed the legislation in a hurried, single-day session last Wednesday, and Governor McCrory quickly signed it into law.

“Discrimination is bad for North Carolina, bad for America, and bad for business,” said HRC President Chad Griffin.

“These business leaders are speaking out because they know this attack on [LGBT] North Carolinians isn’t just morally wrong – it also puts their employees, customers

North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory

and North Carolina’s economy at risk. For the sake of all North Carolinians, Governor McCrory and the General Assembly must act now to repeal this heinous attack on fairness and equality.”

“North Carolina’s place as a business leader in the South is based on fairness, inclusion, and diversity,” said Equality

NC’S s Sgro. “HB-2 does not represent North Carolina values, and it weakens our competitive edge. We are glad to see our business community in the Old North State standing up against discriminatory measures like this. Governor McCrory made a mess of our state last week, and our busi—continued on page 3

Three Choirs, Tiffany Windows

By Shirley Parry Three of the Mid-Atlantic region’s best LGBT choral groups will perform at an LGBT Choral Celebration on Sunday, April 3rd, 2016 at 3 p.m. at Brown Memorial Park Avenue Presbyterian Church (1320 Park Avenue in Bolton Hill, Baltimore).

Singing in this spectacular concert are Baltimore’s New Wave Singers; Potomac Fever, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington’s 14-member “tight harmony” ensem-

ble; and Philadelphia’s SheWho, a feminist women’s ensemble. Each group will perform individually, and then they will come together at the concert’s conclusion in a “mass chorus” piece. The Tiffany Series is sponsoring this concert.

Tickets are $15 ($5 for students) and are available at Browndowntown.org and at the door. A free reception will follow the event. Parking and shuttle service will be available. Information: 410-523-1542.

—continued on page 3

An LGBT choral celebration at Brown Memorial

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news // LOCAL Pressure Mounts on North Carolina Over Anti-Gay Law – continued from page 1 nesses are leading the charge to repair our state to a place of fairness.”

North Carolina has the unfortunate distinction of becoming the first state in the country to enact a law targeting transgender students, even after similar proposals were rejected across the country this year – including a high-profile veto by the Republican Governor Dennis Daugaard of South Dakota. North Carolina school

Where North Carolina legislatures do their mischief

districts that comply with the law will now be in direct violation of Title IX, subjecting the school districts to massive liability and putting an estimated $4.5 billion of federal funding from the U.S. Department of Education, as well as funding received by schools from other federal agencies, at risk. This section of House Bill 2 offers costly supposed solutions to non-existent problems, and it forces schools to choose between complying with federal law – plus doing the right thing for their students – or complying with a state law that violates students’ civil rights.

The state becomes the third in the nation to prohibit cities from passing non-discrimination laws that protect LGBT people. t An HRC press release contributed to this report.

Three Choirs, Tiffany Windows – continued from page 1 New Wave will sing “How Can I Keep from Singing,” “What Matters” (Randi Driscoll), “River in Judea” (John Leavitt), and “The Awakening” (Joseph M. Martin).

“It’s wonderful to be able to sing in this Tiffany Series event during our 30th anniversary,” says Lili Velez, president of New Wave Singers. “In Baltimore, we’re a well-kept secret despite our national recognition.” In July the 60-member choir will be performing at Gala Chorus’s Denver

Festival 2016, the “international Olympics” of LGBT choral festivals, featuring groups from throughout North America, Europe, South America, Africa, and Australia.

Potomac Fever’s program includes songs like “Run to You” (the Pentatonix), “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” (Queen), “Hide and Seek” (Imogen Heap), and “Stray Cat Strut.” The group recently added vocal percussion as an accompaniment to several of its pieces. Potomac Fever has sung at the White House and the vice president’s residence. In the middle of their most recent White House performance, news came that the Supreme Court had just ruled in favor of marriage equality.

“We took off our suits, threw on our t-shirts, and ran to the Supreme Court, where we joined the members of the Gay Men’s Chorus who were there singing on the Supreme Court steps,” remembers Robert T. Boaz. “It was such an emotional moment.”

SheWho will sing “Harbor Me” (Sweet Honey in the Rock), “My Images Come” (Rebel Voices/Malaika), “Crushes” (Alix Dobkin), “Menopause” (Judith Palmer), and “We’ve Got the Power” (a South African song). In addition to regular gigs in the Philadelphia area, they perform at women’s music festivals and as part of the Bryn Mawr Twilight Concert series. Their first CD, The Earth Will Turn Over, was nominated for an OutMusic award for “Outstanding new recording by chorus or choir.”

Brown Memorial’s Associate Pastor, Tim Hughes, who is gay, is “thrilled that the concert is happening at the church.”

“Given Brown Memorial’s historical commitment to equality, this is totally in keeping with our values and who we are,” he said.

Pastor Andrew Foster Connors agrees.

“It’s a joy to celebrate the gifts of LGBT artists within the walls of the church and reinforce our core beliefs that we are all children of God,” he said. “Brown Memorial has a long history of standing in solidarity with the LGBT community in the struggle for justice, and we are particularly excited to share the beauty of our church space with this community of singers.”

“I love the Tiffany windows!” exclaimed New Wave’s Lili Velez. And in fact, the beauty of Brown Memorial’s sanctuary is breathtaking. Eleven original Tiffany stained glass windows help make the sanctuary of this 1870 church “the most magnificent interior space in Baltimore City,” according to the City Paper. The Tiffany Series is named for this unparalleled collection, which includes two of the largest windows Tiffany made. t

Mark Miller Comes to Grace UMC Since 1999, Mark Miller has travelled to cred Songs & Social Justice in which the every part of the country delighting con- participants from the afternoon’s choral gregations with the power and joy of mu- workshop will perform, along with congresic making. He believes that gational hymns and music music can change the world. presented by Mark Miller.

He also believes in Cornel A free will offering will be West’s quote that “Justice is available at the concert what love looks like in public.” for those who would like Mark is associate profesto support the Love Your sor of church music and comNeighbor Coalition and poser-in-residence at Drew its work at General ConUniversity in Madison, New ference. To be part of this Jersey, and is a lecturer in event Please RSVP via the practice of sacred music email to chris@graceunitat Yale University. He is also edmethodist.org. the minister of music of Christ On Sunday May 1st, Church in Summit, New JerMark Miller will preach sey. and lead music at Grace Prof. Mark Miller On Saturday, April 30th, Church’s 8:30 and 10 Mark will lead a choral worka.m. worship service for shop at Grace United Methodist Church its Reconciling Sunday celebration. For (5407 North Charles Street) from 3 to 5 more information, contact George Kahl p.m. A supper will be provided for work- at george@graceunitedmethodist.org shop participants. There is a suggested or Chris Schroeder, Minister of Music at fee for the workshop and dinner of $20. At Grace United Methodist at chris@gra7 p.m. there will be a concert entitled Sa- ceunitedmethodist.org. t

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news // LOCAL

Chatting with DeRay Mckesson: Mayoral Candidate

By Jacob Pierce On a recent foggy morning, I sat down at Dovecote Café with DeRay Mckesson – Baltimore mayoral candidate, activist with Black Lives Matter, and co-founder of Campaign Zero. We talked about the upcoming April 26th election and his proposals on policing, health-care, homelessness, and LGBT issues.

A Baltimore native, Mckesson has worked since 1999 in such roles as chair of Youth as Resources and Bmore Safe & Sound. “I think I’ve been committed to issues of justice and specifically with children, youth and family for half of my life,” he says. Mckesson later became involved with Teach for America, working in under-served communities and living for a time in Minneapolis.

“It was all faith,” he says, that lead him to go to Ferguson from Minneapolis during the Ferguson, Missouri, uprisings during the summer of 2014 following the police killing of un- DeRay Mckesson armed teenager Michael Brown. Mckesson saw it all unfold on the news and then drove nine hours to St. Louis without making any arrangements.

“Worst case scenario,” he wagered, “I will sleep in my car and will figure it out.” He eventually found fellow college alumni to stay with.

With police vs. the citizens of Ferguson unfolding on the national stage, Mckesson got a front-row view. “This is not the America I know.” Mckesson said, “It was in that moment I became a protester. It was driven by a feeling like ‘This can’t be the way it rolls in America.’”

“The traditional pathway to politics -- and the politicians who follow it -- hasn’t lead us to the transformational change that the city deserves,” Mckesson declares, adding that someone with his background working the front-lines on issues such as education and youth development, safety, health and housing and neighborhoods is what’s needed now.

Mckesson proposes to “redistribute an

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increasing portion of the police budget to invest in expanding employment and educational opportunities” the community and implementing better “accountability and oversight,” as well as decriminalizing low-level offenses such as loitering.

Policing, he says, has a dual role: prevention and response once crime happens.

“Prevention work is work that police can’t do alone.” he says. “The prevention piece is about strong schools, it’s about making sure we have strong families [and] making sure people have jobs. Safety is more expansive than policing.”

In terms of safety and health within the LGBT community, McKesson sees the need for better “safe spaces” to fix homelessness and improve health-care options.

Many shelters have no compassion or acceptance for especially transgender people.

He favors LGBT-only private housing options

for the homeless until there can “be a cultural change” within Baltimore to incorporate everyone. Mckesson says he wants to, “ensure that staff at homeless shelters and residential units are trained inclusively and culturally” to meet the needs of the community.

Also an important concern of the community is health care in which continued funding is challenging along with HIV education and prevention. Mckesson seeks to expand full insurance benefits and extend the network of community-health providers to “build the capacity of health providers to effectively meet the needs of LGBT residents,” adding that the infrastructure is already in place, if underfunded: “There are so many people already doing the work.” Mckesson plans to target those with limited access to health-care and ease the burden of the federal mandate to have insurance. “You’re not going to be in debt if you’re making safe choices,” he says. t

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Advance Medical Directives Will Protect Your HealthCare Decisions

By Alex Kent If you became unable to speak, who would make your medical decisions? That’s the question being raised throughout the county on April 16th.

That date marks the ninth annual National Healthcare Decisions Day, a nationwide event promoting the importance of healthcare choices and advance care planning.

This day is a reminder for us all to take steps to ensure that our wishes are followed in times of crisis.

Advance medical planning is of particular importance to the LGBT community, because our support systems frequently fall outside of traditional “family” structures. The friends and loved ones you rely on and know best may have little power to speak for you when you need it most, unless you take specific steps ahead of time.

“If you do not have a health care proxy or an advance directive set up, and you’re not married, a parent or sibling would be in charge of your health care decision making,” said Bethany Henderson, program manager of the SAGECAP (Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders – Caring and Preparing) program at Chase Brexton Health Care’s LGBT Health Resource Center. “And if there’s no family available, these decisions could end up being made by doctors who never met you in a conscious state.”

There are two important ways to protect yourself: you can make your own decisions in advance and put your wishes into formal documents known as advance directives, and you can use an advance directive to designate a Health Care Agent who will make medical decisions on your behalf.

Many people do some combination of the two. Maryland also utilizes a form called the Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment to inform emergency responders of your wishes during a medical crisis. These forms are free, and do not require the use of a lawyer or notary to complete them.

Chase Brexton’s SAGECAP Program

is offering a Lunch and Learn workshop on Thursday, April 14th to discuss these important options. Presented by the Howard County Department of Aging, this workshop will inform attendees of their legal rights and the importance of securing advance directives before an emergency arises. Participants will be able to complete their advance directives immediately through a step-by-step process during the workshop.

The workshop is free and open to adults of all ages in the LGBT community, as well as anyone caring for an LGBT adult. Lunch is provided. The workshop will take place on Thursday, April 14 from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Chase Brexton Health Care’s Mt. Vernon Center (1111 North Charles Street). Please RSVP to lgbt@chasebrexton.org or call 410837-2050 x1216.

The SAGECAP Program is always available to assist members of the community with these and other important life-planning issues. For more information, please contact Bethany Henderson, SAGECAP Program Manager, at the phone number above or visit the LGBT Health Resource Center of Chase Brexton Health Care at 1111 North Charles Street.

The theme of this year’s National Healthcare Decisions Day is “It always seems too early, until it’s too late.” Please don’t put off these important steps until it’s too late – protect yourself now by putting your advance directives in place. t The author works with SAGE (Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders). For more information, visit Resourcecenter.lgbt and Nhdd.org

beyond the beltway compiled by Jim Becker

LGBT Republicans ask where Trump stands on our issues Dallas, Texas – If any word describes the 2016 Republican presidential race, it’s “unpredictable.” A year ago, establishment candidates like former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie were seen as frontrunners. Instead bombastic outsiders Donald Trump and Texas Senator Ted Cruz lead the pack.

Unpredictable also describes Trump. And

Donald Trump

that’s what worries Gregory Angelo, president of the national LGBT Republican group Log Cabin Republicans. “Prior to January, his opinions lead me to believe he would be no harm on LGBT issues. Perhaps he could be an ally if president,” Angelo said of Trump. “But in January he said he would ‘strongly consider appointing a Supreme Court justice who is against [or would reverse] marriage equality.’”

Now Angelo’s organization is running a series of advertisements challenging Trump, asking him where actually does he stand on marriage equality and LGBT nondiscrimination. The video highlights past announcements by Trump supporting LGBT rights, such as an interview on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, in which the candidate accepts the legitimacy of last year’s landmark marriage equality ruling Obergefell v.

Hodges. He said then, “the decision’s been made, and that is the law of the land.”

“The candidate has taken documented stands on both sides of the marriage equality debate. In fact, in the past, it seemed as if Mr. Trump would be the most pro-gay presidential candidate in the 2016 GOP field. All voters – including especial-

ly gay Republicans and allies – deserve to know unequivocally if Mr. Trump would be a friend or a foe to the LGBT community in the White House,” Angelo said. “The question remains where he now stands in this pivotal phase of the process.” The advertisements also highlight the Donald J. Trump Foundation’s donations to the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network and Gay Men’s Health Crisis in 2012 totaling $30,000. Those were charities chosen by contestants on Trump’s reality NBC show Celebrity Apprentice.

Richard Socarides, a Democratic political strategist and writer who worked in the Clinton administration said, “Trump is the very essence of inconsistency. Even if he articulated where he stood on LGBT rights now, I’m not sure we could have any confidence that he would not change his mind next week, next month, or next year. He is all over the place.” (Dallas Voice – James Russell at Dallasvoice.com)

Marquez Tolbert, 21, suffered second- and third-degree burns after anti-gay attack

help them.

Fulton County jail records show that Blackwell remains in jail and faces two charges of aggravated battery. Public records show that he previously served time for an aggravated assault in the early 1990s. Blackwell reportedly said of his victims, “They’ll be alright, it was just a little hot water on them.” (New York Daily News at Nydailynews.com/news/national/gay-couple-suffers-severe-burns-boiling-water-attack-article-1.2567442)

Gay couple severely burned Supreme Court in boiling water Obama care case may implicate attack College Park, Georgia – The New York LGBT rights Daily News reports that a gay couple in Georgia suffered horrendous burns after a violent homophobe allegedly threw boiling water on them in bed. Marquez Tolbert, was sleeping over at the apartment of Anthony Gooden, both 21, when Martin Blackwell – the boyfriend of Gooden’s mother – scalded them awake two days before Valentine’s Day. Marquez Tolbert, 21, suffered secondand third-degree burns after he and Gooden were scalded with boiling water. Tolbert said he was in the hospital for ten days and had to have skin taken from his thighs to his back. Gooden was only able to come home from the hospital nearly a month after the incident and at one point had been induced into a coma.

The couple says that there was no fight before the attack and that they “had no idea of the hatred he held in his heart.”

“Get out of my house with all that gay,” Blackwell allegedly said. A GoFundMe page set up to pay for medical expenses said that at one point Gooden had been induced into a coma. The page says that they were forced out of the apartment by Blackwell, and went door to door before eventually finding someone who would

Washington, D.C. History may repeat itself in the LGBT community as the U.S. Supreme Court considers the case of Zubik v. Burwell, the latest challenge to the Affordable Care Act over contraception care. The court heard oral argument last week and the justices appeared evenly split. The case represents a consolidation of seven court challenges. Bishop David A. Zubik of Pittsburgh is the lead petitioner.

Religiously-affiliated schools, hospitals, and nonprofits are challenging the Affordable Care Act requirement that they notify the federal government if they don’t want to provide coverage for birth control to their employees or students. In those cases, insurers must step in to provide free, prescribed birth control. These institutions say they are still complicit, through the notification process, in enabling people to receive birth control.

“A number of state legislatures do take their cues from what happens at the federal level in the Supreme Court,” said Rea Carey, executive director of the National LGBTQ Task Force, during a conference call March 21st. “Immediately after Hobby

Lobby, we saw repercussions in the LGBT community.” Carey said the 2014 Hobby Lobby decision, which ruled family-owned corporations could deny contraception coverage based on religious beliefs, prompted the Indiana legislature to take up debate for a “religious-freedom” bill that was seen as a way to deny services to LGBT people.

“In Indiana, we saw echoes of Hobby Lobby language,” Carey said. “LGBTQ people can’t afford this growing trend of religious exemptions.”

Carey was joined on the call by Sara Hutchinson Ratcliffe, domestic program director for Catholics for Choice; Brigitte Amiri, senior staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union; the Rev. Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans Unit-

ed for Separation of Church and State; and Ann Marie Benitez, senior director of government relations with the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health. Amiri of the ACLU said it’s not the opt-out form that triggers the coverage, but the Affordable Care Act. Carey expressed concern that a company might also use a religious exemption to avoid covering the cost of pre-exposure prophylaxis, called PrEP, which is a daily pill regimen shown to be effective in preventing HIV. Caitlin Conyngham, who works on PrEP programs at Philadelphia FIGHT, has described PrEP “like birth control for HIV.” “This is a profoundly harmful interpretation of religious freedom,” said Hutchinson Ratcliffe of Catholics for Choice. t (Philadelphia Gay News – Paige Cooperstein at Epgn.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 significantly 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

Parenting OUTloud

Rev. Kelly Crenshaw

SpringBreak Fun For lots of parents, Spring Break is a time for travel. School is out for the week and the kids are getting restless in the increasingly warm weather. My family has spent Spring Break in a number of places. We’ve gone to the beach in warmer weather, to visit family and even to Disney World.

We are used to traveling. The kids have a 45 minute commute to their school.

Grandpa and their cousins are an hour away. We even drive 30 minutes to get to church each week. Our kids are used to keeping themselves entertained in a moving vehicle. They bring books or handheld games. So, when we start off on longer trips, we’re well prepared. Everyone knows

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to grab something fun.

One of the longest was a trip to Florida about ten years ago. We drove to Tampa where we picked up six of the kids we later adopted. Then, we drove everyone to Disney. Because the Florida kids were still in foster care, we were required to provide some very specific housing for our vacation. So, we rented a large house. We had

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a blast. The house was set up for kids, with a game room and pool. We had lots of bedrooms so everyone could spread out. There were plenty of distractions to keep them all entertained, even when we weren’t at the parks.

And then, we started home. The fun was over. The new brothers and sisters had to stay in Florida for a time. Everyone was a little bit depressed and it was a long drive.

I don’t know about you, but I get bored on long trips.

So, there is no doubt in my mind that the kids will, too. They can’t get up and move around for long periods of time. They are sitting shoulder to shoulder in tight quarters. They can’t even escape that one sibling who is particularly annoying that day. It’s agony. Or, at least it can be.

If we’re preparing to leave on a long car ride, we’ve been known to leave at night.

The hope being that the kids will sleep the entire way. Most of the time it works, but if you have a child that won’t sleep in the car, then it can be a problem the next day when little Billy or Susie is grumpy.

My main tactic is to keep them entertained. New coloring books and crayons, small building sets, and a series of new videos are among my favorites. And, each kid gets his or her own bag of goodies. I try to limit the sugary treats, leaning more

toward healthy options. In my experience, the kids get a little more energetic with the extra sugar, so if you plan to go that route, make a few extra stops to give the kids time to work off that energy. Of course, that stopping thing only works if you’ve driving. It’s kind of difficult to pull the airplane over to the side of a cloud so the kids can get out and run around for a bit.

Once you get to your destination, don’t put away those distractions.

A strange bed, different schedule and unfamiliar foods can cause more anxiety for a child. And, don’t forget that an overly tired kid can go from zero to meltdown in seconds. Make sure to bring a favorite toy, stuffed animal, or blankie. Those familiar items can make any hotel seem Having fun like home. yet?

And, if nothing else, make the trip an adventure. Stop to see the local culture. Take your time and enjoy the journey. These are the memory making times that you will always cherish.

Happy travels. t Rev. Kelly Crenshaw is the mom of 16 adopted kids, two biological kids, guardian of one baby girl and foster mom of dozens.

She will be answering your questions about parenting, as well as sharing stories of her parenting adventures. Feel free to send your parenting questions to her at pastor. kelly@comcast.net

out in the valley

Beyond the Ice

Machine L:aura Anderson

Books on the Transgender Experience for Parents & Professionals There are a growing number of resources for parents and professionals working with transgender children and adults. In a future article we will examine some of the more prominent websites and blogs. Here (though not an exhaustive list) we look at some of the books currently available that have proven to be particularly useful.

Transgender 101: A Simple Guide to a Complex Issue by Nicholas M. Teich (Columbia University Press, 2012) As the title implies, a primer for those totally unfamiliar with transgender issues.

True Selves: Understanding Transsexualism – For Families, Friends, Coworkers, and Helping Professionals by Mildred L. Brown and Chloe Ann Rounsley (JosseyBass, 2003) has helped countless transgender people come out to their families and friends. Although published over a decade ago, it remains an important and useful resource that encourages love and acceptance.

Supporting Transgender and Gender-Creative Youth: Schools, Families, and Communities in Action by Elizabeth J. Meyer (editor) and Annie Pullen Sansfaçon (editor), (Peter Lang, 2014) This collection of essays provides well-researched support and knowledge for those dedicated to providing a safe environment for gender diverse youth.

Trans Bodies, Trans Selves: A Resource for the Transgender Community by Laura Erickson-Schroth (editor), (Oxford University Press, 2014) The terms “transgender” and “gender expansive” can take on so many interpretations for each of us.

This book addresses the huge diversity within the trans community. A comprehensive work for transgender people by transgender and genderqueer authors that offers

insight into our world – for one another, and for others.

Transgender Rights and Politics: Groups, Issue Framing, and Policy Adoption by Jami Kathleen Taylor (editor), Donald P. Haider-Markel (editor), (University of Michigan Press, 2014) is an examination of the politics of transgender rights through empirical research on trans advocacy and the implementation of trans public policy.

Transgender Family Law: A Guide to Effective Advocacy by Jennifer L. Levi (editor), (Author House, 2012) addresses the challenges and legal issues of being in a family relationship and coming out trans. Effective legal representation of transgender clients is aided through this work.

The Transgender Child: A Handbook for Families and Professionals by Stephanie A. Brill and Rachel Pepper with foreword by Dr. Norman Spack (Cleis Press, 2008) Parents and educators will benefit through the thorough approach – practical, comprehensive, and actually fun to read! As an educator, if I could afford just one book on this list, this would be my choice! (Although published in 2008, the essence of providing support for our children as depicted here will never be outdated.)

Gender Born, Gender Made: Raising Healthy Gender Nonconforming Children

by Diane Ehrensaft (The Experiment, 2011) How is gender shaped by our environments? How much of gender is inherent in our being? And in a society that adheres to the gender binary, how can parents of young children who question their own assigned identities best support their children? Tough issues addressed in this important work.

Transitions of the Heart: Stories of Love, Struggle and Acceptance by Mothers of Transgender and Gender-Variant Children by Rachel Pepper (Cleis Press, 2012) is a collection of stories from mothers who have experienced the joys and difficulties of having a transgender child. For those parents feeling alone and isolated, this book will definitely help bring support and reassurance.

Other authors to consider include Janet Mock, Jennifer Finney Boylin, Joan Roughgarden, Susan Stryker, and Leslie Feinberg.

Please keep in mind that society’s understanding of the transgender experience is constantly evolving. Works prior to 2013 may use the term “gender identity disorder” which has since been replaced with “gender dysphoria” in medical circles. Other terminology and trans theories are changing at a rapid pace as the influx of published research into transgender issues is increasing. However – providing love, acceptance, and support through these books to those around us will remain timeless! t

Just a

Thought Brian George Hose

Driving Mr. Daisy Last time I wrote about my relationship with my father and our unspoken agreement not to discuss my sexuality. The purpose was to maintain our relationship, but over time the agreement began to interfere and limit our exchanges. I made this realization before taking my father to Wisconsin to visit my brother’s family and to meet their new baby. I wondered if this trip signaled that it’s time to change the agreement.

The topic was still on my mind during the fourth day of our trip together. I was taking my father on a four-hour drive along the Mississippi River, the only destination in the Midwest he wanted to see. We drove through an eagle sanctuary and he counted them, pointing to each one as we passed. I never took my eyes off the winding road, but made small exclamations as though I had seen the twin eagles soaring as he had described.

My father is getting older and in recent years has had a number of significant health concerns. I had known going into the trip that my job was to take care of my father, to make the difficult trip as easy as possible for him.

I was prepared to do the driving, to get him through airport security, and to remind him to take his pills. I had accepted that this would be a working vacation for me and knew that I would need to down melatonin by the wee fistful to endure my father’s sleep apnea and horrendous snoring.

We’re a lot alike, my father and I. To reference Melissa Manchester, we Don’t Cry Out Loud. Knowing this, I took precautionary measures to make sure he was ok. I found reasons to stop every hour to give him time to stretch his legs. I bought an extra bottle of water in case he needed to take his pills; a granola bar in case he got hungry. All these supplies were stowed safely in my backpack, which soon resembled an adult diaper bag: I had become the parent and he had become the child.

Driving along the Mississippi, my father

counting eagles beside me, I began to wonder what parenting had been like for him.

When my father was my age, my brother was old enough to ride in the car and babble and point excitedly out the window. Did my father feel the same amusement listening to his son’s chatter that I was feeling? Did he take precautionary measures, too? Did he invent reasons to pull over to encourage bathroom breaks, knowing that the bladders of toddlers are notoriously unreliable? I’m sure he did, and in that moment I felt I finally had a glimpse of what it was like to be him.

We were transcending the agreement.

As we drove, listening to FM radio, I thought about our agreement. I thought of the pushing and pulling, of the things we said and did that we would take back if we could.

My thoughts were interrupted when my father excitedly pointed to the sign of a fast food chain restaurant. After several days in the Midwest he was tired of new things and wanted something familiar. We pulled over.

What followed was the culinary equivalent of synchronized swimming. Half looking out the window, we ate in perfect sync.

The burger was put down in favor of fries, followed by a clearing of the throat and a sip of fountain soda.

This cycle repeated until the food was gone and our meals ended at the exact same time. I realized that, despite our differences, we are a part of one another and always will be.

He is a part of me just as I am a part of him. No agreement, secret, or discomfort can ever change that. We are family. He is my father; I am his son. There’s no escaping it. After years of flying solo, we had somehow found our way back together, two men with beards eating lunch in perfect sync along a river while eagles soared overhead. t

BALTIMORE OUTLOUD april 1, 2016 • baltimoreoutloud.com t

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out in the valley

Health Chat

Debbie Anne

What is ‘Public Health’ Anyway?

I am a nurse, but I have never worked in a hospital or a doctor’s office; I never really wanted to. Hospitals are full of the drama of emergency rooms, operating rooms, of pediatrics and oncology and obstetrics. No thank you! I opted for public-health nursing instead. While other nurses take care of individual patients, I do that plus I help to take care of an entire community, too. That is public health, and we will be celebrating our unique work this year April 4th to 10th during Public Health Week.

My specialty and certification is in HIV; my role at Frederick County Health Department is to provide direct care to individuals living with HIV as well as to provide HIV testing and counseling services.

I also work to reduce the incidence of new infections in our community by providing HIV prevention education and referral services.

The motto of public health is threepronged: Promote, Protect, and Prevent.

To this end, those of us in public health collaborate with other organizations and agencies to ensure the highest safety of the public. This can be anything from inspecting restaurants for food safety, to planning to prevent an Ebola outbreak in the country, or to conducting a mass immunization clinic to prevent an H1N1 Influenza (Swine Flu) epidemic. It can also be working with the local school board to develop and implement programs to prevent childhood obesity or working with local employers to promote workplace safety.

Each local health department is structured differently depending on the health issues that directly impact that particular population and that are not addressed in the private sector. For instance, In Frederick County, there aren’t enough infec-

// spirit speaks tious disease practitioners to provide care for everyone here living with HIV. When there aren’t enough resources in the private sector to meet the needs for a specific health service, and that health issue left unaddressed could have an impact on the community, then it is up to public health providers, typically the local health department, to step in and manage the issue.

How a local health department is structured can also depend on the funding that is available. During the 2008 economic crisis, when state revenues decreased dramatically, our health department’s funding was cut by 42%, and nearly a third of our nursing staff was laid off. Unfortunately, when budgets are cut, so are services to the public. Eight years later, we still have not recovered from those cuts, and we no longer have an in-house family planning or STI clinic.

Because health department nurses are employed by the state, the recession has meant that we have not had the usual cost-of-living adjustments over the past eight years, and in several years, our pay was actually cut. And that is on top of the fact that Community Health Nurses have the lowest pay scale of all types of nursing. Still for some of us, there is no other kind of nursing we’d rather do.

There will be some really hot topics in public health in 2016. Probably the most noteworthy is our country’s heroin epidemic. If you don’t know it already, we are in big trouble in regards to heroin. We are facing what may be the most devastating drug problem of the past century. Stay tuned to Health Chat for a future article devoted to this public health crisis. Another hot topic is health equity. This is a look at the difference that income, education, race, and access to quality care have in quality and quantity of life. For the less fortunate, these things mean 15 years less in life expectancy.

Did I infer that there was not as much drama in public health as in a hospital?

Well maybe that’s wrong – there’s just a different kind of drama. For me, public health is both fascinating and rewarding.

It’s kept this nurse happy to come to work each day in the last 13 years.

You can find more information about public-health initiatives here: Apha.org. t Debbie Anne is a public health nurse with the 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.

The motto of public health is three-pronged: Promote, Protect, and Prevent.

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april 1, 2016 • baltimoreoutloud.com

Easter Traditions

By Rev. Kelly Crenshaw Most churches have traditions. You know the kind I mean. It might be the way people are expected to dress for services. Do they wear jeans or suits? Are Easter hats the norm? Or maybe, it’s more about the activities. Do they have an egg hunt for the kids? Or, a community breakfast following the sunrise service?

Sometimes, however, churches have traditions that are not quite so expected. Over the years, I’ve run across a number of traditions that seem perfectly normal to the congregation in question, but a little different to the average outsider. For example, there is the congregation that will only sell whole pies at their Fall Festival and practically attacks anyone who suggests they sell slices of pie. Or, the congregation that begins each Palm Sunday service with a complicated song, never meant for congregational singing, that is sung with energy and gusto by everyone there. And, of course, there is the congregation that begins each Easter Sunrise Service in the graveyard, where it gives all new perspective to “Up from the grave he arose…” I have to admit that the first time I attended that church’s Easter worship service, I got a little nervous as I stood in that misty cemetery singing about Jesus rising from the dead.

New Light MCC is no different from these congregations in many respects. Over the past 20 years, they have developed their own unique approaches and traditions. One such tradition happens at Easter. At the end of the service, each person is asked to take a plastic Easter egg.

I realize that doesn’t sound very unique. I

would be willing to guess that there are many churches that hand out plastic Easter eggs on Easter Sunday morning. And, like many of those, New Light includes a small piece of candy in each of the eggs. Again, not an original thought.

But, as the folks are enjoying the sweet treat, they usually notice a little slip of paper in their egg. The paper may say something like “paper towels” or “dish soap.” These are not so subtle hints to help the church replenish its own pantry. After all, it takes money to provide the little necessities.

Sometimes, visitors are confused about the meaning of those slips. But, after a short explanation, they respond positively.

But, that’s not all. Sometimes, the slips of paper ask for an act of service. They ask for people to visit a nursing home, read the announcements for the week or even preach a sermon.

This is the unique part.

I love that this congregation is able to ask its members and guests to reach outside of themselves to serve the church and community. Ministry is more than just getting together once a week to sings hymns and hear a sermon. Ministry reaches out beyond the walls of the church and goes into the community. Sometimes, reaching out means doing something outside of your comfort zone to make each Sunday’s worship experience happen. And other times, it means taking time out of your day to show some love to someone who needs it.

Most of all, it’s the hope that every person will recognize that they are responsible for contributing to the needs of the church and the community at large. Faith is not about what you can take from God, but more about how your eyes are opened as the result of that faith. And sometimes, it takes weird little traditions to make us see that truth. t For more info about New Light contact one of the co-pastors at 301-797-5698 or newlightmcc@hotmail.com.

quality of life

My Fabulous

Disease

By Mark S. King

The Challenging Web Series That Travels from ‘Unsure’ to ‘Positive’ In the gorgeous and sometimes maddening web series “Unsure/Positive,” we follow the life of a Boston gay man, Kieran, literally from the moment he gets his HIV-positive test result. Kieran’s journey in the six-episode first season (available for $3.99 on Vimeo) covers some difficult terrain – shame, disclosure, sex and drugs – and many HIV-positive guys and our friends will identify with it.

This is poz-adjacent art that is absolutely worth your time and a few bucks, most particularly because it doesn’t beg for your affections. It is messy and sad and hilarious and sometimes impenetrable. Like life.

I must also mention that this series contains a five-minute conversation about crystal meth that might be the best writing on the topic I have ever witnessed on the screen. For anyone with an addiction background or who is trying to understand someone with one, those few moments alone are worth your time.

I spoke with series creator, writer and star Christian Daniel Kiley, and he is every bit as earnest and enthusiastic as one might hope a young new talent might be. We chatted about the show, bad gay movies, John Updike quotes, meth-driven orgies, and the fact something in his show absolutely pissed me off.

First of all, “Unsure/Positive” is beautiful. It has the production value of network television. I want to challenge you on some of it and we”ll get to that, but there is artistry and a story here that is immediate and compelling. And the emotional payoff in the final episode blew me away.

Mark, stop making me blush! And thank you for saying so. We were very careful to keep the production values high, because we wanted to make something with the potential to go mainstream.

You succeeded. And no need to be modest! You’re doing your thing, Christian.

Part of the reason that the show looks so good is because we threw all the money we raised right at the screen. The downside to that is we didn’t budget in a dedicated publicist. So our show has polish, yes. But at this point we’re reaching only a fraction of our potential audience.

You wrote, produced and starred in “Unsure/Positive,” and I’m assuming the storyline of a newly diagnosed gay man is very close to your personal one. Why was your own story something you felt so strongly about telling?

Well, after I was diagnosed in 2007, I made a choice not to tell anyone about it. My friends were in the dark, my family was in the dark. Where it took (lead character) Kieran three months to come out of the closet, it took me more like three years. I think the post-diagnosis anxiety and depression – once I had recovered from it enough to see it for what it was – was actually the most damaging aspect of testing positive for me.

A writer, maybe John Updike, once said that a writer must believe their life is interesting.

I think Updike also said something like “willingness to risk excess on behalf of one’s obsessions, is what distinguishes artists from entertainers.” Although I actually don’t think that artists and entertainers are mutually exclusive labels.

I’m furiously Googling for more John Updike quotes, as you clearly are doing as we speak, so I give up.

I just found this one: “He skates saucily over great tracts of confessed ignorance.”

That’s Updike, referring to another author.

My first grade teacher wrote on my report card that I “skipped nicely to music.”

Now I wish she had said I “skipped saucily.” Either way, she had me pegged.

I’m surprised she didn’t say you “skipped gaily.”

Shut up. You don’t know me. Anyway, I have this theory that “gay art” typically sucks. Gay movies are usually not very good, gay plays can be awful, and even gay restaurants have better cruising than cuisine. And we’re supposedly the most creative people in the world! Maybe we become self-conscious or something. Is that fair?

Yeah. I’ve seen a lot of pretty bad stuff in the LGBT section of Netflix. But you have to consider the exceptions, like Tony Kushner. On the other hand, Eating Out is like, worse than Tyler Perry movies. Then you’ve got something like “The Outs,” a very popular web series that my friend Adam Goldman produced.

I was going to mention Eating Out but I didn’t want to trash anything specifically. God, you’re such a hater.

I’m not a hater, Mark! I swear! I just hate things, like, when appropriate.

go as far as to say that, had I not stumbled upon your internet presence back in the day, my show wouldn’t have gotten made in Kieran’s best friend and confidant Allie the first place. is played by the marvelous actress Amy DeShooting the scene (of men using meth Paola. together) was one of the You mentioned how most incredible experienctough it has been to not es in my life. I mean, here I only produce “Unsure/Posiam, a former user, explaining tive,” but for it to find an auto a roomful of actors and dience. Okay, I guess some crew exactly how meth orgies idiot blogger that says “gay amongst gay men go down, art sucks” doesn’t help and finding real catharsis in very much. But this series doing that and maintaining absolutely deserves an aumy professional wherewithal. dience. Where the hell are I feel so much more in control they? of my addiction and recovery It’s been a struggle, yeah, after putting myself through to grow our audience. The those paces. audience we have so far is My sponsor would slap very engaged. I get emails my face and ship me off to and texts every few days from rehab if I even considered Kieran someone new who watches recreating a meth sex party, of ‘Unsure/Positive’ the show and wants to reach even a fictional one. out. We make that pretty easy Well, I certainly underon our website. And that is, stand that. I was never a without a doubt, awesome. But It’s also a “heavy” meth user, as I understand it, but slow burn, and there’s no budget for pub- I was in deep enough that it ruined a few licity. years of my life. Still, you”d be surprised I also have a theory that people, even what confronting your triggers can do to HIV-positive people, see a series about HIV disarm them, at least for someone like me. and think “let’s put a pin in that, yeah? We Trust me, I don’t need to be testing could watch the new John Oliver.” I do that my triggers, even to disarm them. I’m a all the time. true addict, to the bone.

Your show shares some creative Fair enough. bandwidth with another web series with a gay HIV-positive lead, the musical Moments after his test result, Kieran comedy “Merce.” The similarities end already feels the self-consciousness of the there. “Merce” is a lowbudget romp with newly diagnosed. enormous heart and silly giggles.

Let me tell you what bothered me beI really love “Merce”! It’s funny, “Merce” fore I tell you what infuriated me. I felt was released while I was still in post-pro- like Kieran moped around too long after duction for my show, and it sort of took the testing positive. I wanted to slap him. I wind out of my sails when (“Merce” creator) wanted him to open up to friends. But Charles Sanchez beat me to the punch with then, when he finally does, it is so emoan HIV-positive protagonist. I actually asked tional and traumatic for him to admit that Charles to consider a crossover – doing a I got all choked up. Who the hell wants cameo as Merce, out on a date with Kieran. to admit they just tested HIV-positive in We’re always thinking of ways to expand 2016? Someone testing positive today is laugh potential in season two! treated like a personal disappointment Speaking of big laughs, Kieran in and a public health failure. So your sto“Unsure/Positive” has a history with ryline made me check myself. the drug crystal meth. Personally, I’m I’m glad to hear that the series made you grateful the topic continues to crop up, reconsider your original impression of Kierin books like Lust, Men and Meth, in an. I think he’s a character who, for better new actions from ACT UP New York, and or worse, is a depressive. It was, for the reDanny Pintauro has been writing about cord, a deliberate choice to make Kieran so his own meth history. I was a meth train ambivalent that an audience would question wreck for so long. Its grip on our gay whether they like him. But (poz activist hottie) friends is just so heartbreaking and it Jack Mackenroth, for example, told a friend hasn’t let up at all. of mine that he only watched the first couple Well, Mark, I must say that I have drawn of episodes and then he stopped because he a fair amount of inspiration from your previ- thought the character was a jerk. t ous writings about your addiction. I would Read more at Marksking.com BALTIMORE OUTLOUD april 1, 2016 • baltimoreoutloud.com t

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THINKING OUTLOUD

No, Margaret Cho –Vigilante Killing isn’t Cool

by George Williard Margaret Cho’s call for women to kill their rapists was treated with the general adulation that Gregg Shapiro showed for the Korean-American performer in his interview (Baltimore OUTloud, March 4, 2016). But Cho’s widely publicized celebration of vigilante killing of men and boys accused of sexual misconduct should not pass without condemnation and consideration of history.

For a century, the U.S. saw thousands of lynchings, overwhelmingly of black males, most often occasioned by sexual accusations involving white females. In 1955, for instance, 14-year-old Emmet Till was killed while visiting Mississippi from his native Chicago, after allegedly wolf-whistling at a white woman on the street. He was beaten and shot to death, the boy’s face so mutilated his corpse was unrecognizable.

Emmet Till should have haunted Cho and Shapiro as they discussed Cho’s song “Kill Your Rapist.” Or the dozens of contemporary echoes of such killings: such as the murders by neo-Nazis of Gretchen Parker and her husband Charles in 2014 because in July, 2013, because Charles was listed on the sex-offender registry. Or the case of Wil-

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liam Elliot, 24, who was shot to death on his doorstep by a vigilante in Corinth, Maine, in April 2006. Four year earlier, Elliot had been convicted of consensual sex with his girlfried, because she was a few days shy of her 16th birthday.

Cho’s sloganeering is especially dangerous because on the question of rape, history has come full circle. Rape traditionally meant Lynched at 14: forced penetration of Emmett Till female, with all the consequences that entails: her loss of reproductive control, the risk of an unwanted and fatherless child. But today, just as in the lynching South, “rape” is a category ballooningly flexible. “Rape” as mooted today in courtrooms or on Oprah can refer to sexual approaches involving merely touch. Or sex acts without an explicit prior verbal agreement. Or sex agreed to at night but regretted the next morning. Or sex while participants’ judgments were clouded by

april 1, 2016 • baltimoreoutloud.com

drink. Or merely statutory violations where the sex was consensual but ages crossed a legal borderline.

Cho exemplifies “rape” as a catchall for bad or retrospectively unwanted acts motivated by desire.

She claims hyperbolically that she was raped “continuously” while a teenager by age-mates.

She says a family friend raped her from the time she was five to the time she was 12.

Really? Even in that most problematic of cases, was it repeated forced vaginal penetration, the sense of rape that powers the word’s gut-punch?

Or was it touching she didn’t like? Don’t the distinctions matter?

No one condones getting sex – or a grope – by violence, threat, coercion, or simply without consent.

The laws today could not be tougher on this issue. But neither do we need to gild the lily and pretend that an act of unwanted touching or a nude video can ever be worse than murder, where the guilty face no lifetime scarlet letters and often lesser punishments. Victims of such violations – and violations they are – in no way earn the overheated moniker “survivor.”

Feminism’s conceit is that sexuality is the domain where violence achieves its most pernicious form.

That conceit has been eagerly taken up by Western states, who are now essentially feminism’s global sponsor.

You can be sure the U.S. gets something in return when it wins emergency powers to combat pretend problems such as “sex trafficking” at Rentboy.com. What it gets, in part, is a pass and cover for the boundless killing America has unleashed in nation after nation that made the mistake of choosing its own course – consider Syria, Libya, Nicaragua, or Yemen.

Unwanted sex that Cho says she suf-

fered can win her instant publicity in retelling after retelling. Alleged priestly fondles from decades back – intrinsically unprovable – have unleashed billions of dollars of lucre to lawyers and claimants evincing varying levels of truth-telling and avariciousness.

But who bothers exploring the clear connections leading from Hilary Clinton’s support of the overthrow of leftist Honduran President Manuel Zelaya in 2009 to the murder this past March 2nd of activist Berta Cáceres, who was fighting destruction of her people’s land by corporate interests pushing a hydro-power dam? (Bit.ly/1LYEmqV) Or who revisits the hundreds of thousands of Central American peasants killed by U.S.-sponsored death squads over the last decades to their authors in Washington? It’s a pattern as old as imperial conquest: The British warmed public opinion to the killing of more than 100,000 Indians during the Sepoy Rebellion in 1857 by stories of natives sexually violating wives and daughters of colonists.

Cho claims her call for killing rapists is just metaphorical, that she condones violence against no one.

But her words betray her. If skeptics of mob violence campaigned for Cho’s assassination, she’d take little comfort if they added sotto voce that it was all tongue-in-cheek.

The rule of law places on us difficult demands: to cede right of retribution to the state, to disavow vendetta, to presume innocence of the accused, to demand proof beyond reasonable doubt, to show mercy. The feminist and LGBT movements have triumphed in the fight for equality in significant part by working via the law. In the hubris of victory, some who were deemed sex criminals just a generation ago see the rules of civilization as a ladder now to be simply kicked away, like the scaffold at a hanging. In her righteousness and blood-lust for retribution on today’s sexual miscreants and outlaws, Margaret Cho exemplifies how many LGBTers have gone over to the side of the jeering, blood-thirsty mob at an execution. The history of queer resistance to injustice demands better of us than that. t

“No one condones getting sex – or a grope – by threat, coercion, or simply without consent.

But neither do we need to gild the lily and pretend that an act of unwanted touching or a nude video can ever be worse than murder, where the guilty face no lifetime scarlet letters and often lesser punishments.”

quality of life

Open Wide ask Dr Eva

Dr Eva Hersh

Some Adult Vaccines Dear Dr. Eva, My medical provider suggested that I should have a tetanus shot. Aren’t these only for kids? I am in my 40s.

No Shots Please

Dear NSP, Many people think that vaccines are only for kids, but that’s not true. There are several vaccines recommended for adults.

Tetanus vaccination is recommended for any adult who has not had a tetanus vaccination in the last ten years. Repeat tetanus vaccination is recommended every ten years. There’s a lot to know about this so let’s start with some basics: Q) Do all vaccinations protect against viral diseases?

A) Most vaccines protect against viral diseases, but there are some vaccines that prevent bacterial diseases. tetanus (lockjaw), pertussis (whooping cough), Pneumococcal infection, Diphtheria, and Meningococcal meningitis are all bacterial diseases which can be prevented by vaccination.

Q) True or False? Tetanus is caused by rusty nails.

A) Sort of true. Tetanus is caused by

a bacteria called Clostridium tetani. These bacteria are very common in dirt and in manure. The bacteria gets into the body through a deep wound. Tetanus infection can be caused by an injury with a nail, or a long splinter, or a piece of glass or metal that has been contaminated with the bacteria.

Q) What happens to a person who is infected with tetanus?

A) Tetanus causes muscle spasm.

The muscle spasm is most severe in the jaw, so the person can’t open their mouth or swallow. Other symptoms include fever, severe muscle contractions throughout the body, and finally inability to breathe because of over-contraction of the muscles of breathing. At that point, the person must be placed on a mechanical breathing machine (ventilator) or they will die. In the U.S., one in five people who are infected with tetanus will die. In the developing world, because vaccination is much less available and more people live in rural areas where they have contact with soil and manure, there are many more cases of tetanus. In the developing world, there are 150,000 cases of tetanus each year, and each year 75,000 of the people who become infected die of tetanus. Many of those who die from tetanus in the developing world are newborn infants who were infected with tetanus when the umbilical cord was cut with an unclean knife.

To sum it up: if you live in the U.S., it’s very unlikely you’ll be infected with tetanus. Your risk may be higher if you are a farmer, a gardener, a construction worker, or for any reason come in regular contact with soil or manure. It’s very easy to prevent tetanus with a single shot every 10 years. If you do happen to become infected, you will be terribly ill and may die. People believe in

the one in one hundred million possibilities they may win the lottery: they should also believe in the one in ten million chance they could get tetanus, and take the simple step needed to prevent it: get vaccinated.

Some Other Adult Vaccines, very briefly • Influenza vaccine: vaccination is recommended once a year for everyone, of all ages, to prevent infection with influenza.

In the US, 226,000 people are admitted to hospitals every year because of influenza.

There is no live virus in the flu vaccine. This is why you cannot get the flu from receiving the flu vaccine. Get vaccinated each Fall when new vaccine is available.

• Pneumonia vaccine, called Pneumovax: Prevents Pneumococcal infection, which causes many of the most severe cases of pneumonia each year, as well as other infections including meningitis and septicemia, also called “blood poisoning.”

There are tens of thousands of deaths from pneumococcal disease in the US each year.

Over 18,000 of these deaths are in people age 65 and older. Pneumovax is given in a two dose series: First vaccination at age 65, second dose five years after the first dose.

The first dose should be given earlier for people who have sickle cell anemia, HIV,

diabetes, kidney disease, or have had their spleen removed, because all these conditions damage the immune system.

• Shingles vaccine, called Zostavax: Recommended as a single dose for everyone over age 60. This vaccine prevents shingles, a painful and sometimes recurrent rash caused by the herpes zoster virus. The shingles rash can cause painful nerve damage that can last for many years and is difficult to treat.

• Pertussis vaccine: Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a severe viral pneumonia which in the old days was called, “the 90 days’ cough.” Most people receive a series of pertussis vaccinations in childhood, however the immunity decreases over time. The first adult dose of tetanus vaccine, which is usually given at age 24 or older, should also include pertussis vaccine. This combination vaccine is referred to as “TdaP”, the T for tetanus and the P for pertussis. Only one dose of TdaP is needed in adulthood. After the single TdaP dose, plain tetanus vaccine (Td) should be given every ten years to protect against tetanus. t Eva Hersh is a Baltimore family physician. Send your comments and questions to her by email at dreva@baltimoreoutloud.

BALTIMORE OUTLOUD april 1, 2016 • baltimoreoutloud.com t

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quality of life

Ask

Dr. J

Janan Broadbent, Ph.D.

Secrets of the Mind & Heart Did you ever pull an April Fool’s day prank and to your dismay, discover something unexpected? Sometimes that is a good thing, but sometimes it is not. Honesty and transparency are part of the foundation for a solid relationship and they foster trust. However, there is always a teeny tiny part of our minds and hearts that we may not share with anyone. You may be familiar with what is called the Johari Window. The Johari Window was created by two American psychologists, Joseph Luft (1916–2014) and Harrington Ingham (1916–1995) in 1955 (hence the title, Johari) and is a technique used to help peo-

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BALTIMORE OUTLOUD

ple better understand their relationship with themselves as well as with others.

Quadrant 3 is where secrets lie. The size of each quadrant varies from one person to another so that if you are too secretive, Q3 will be larger and the others smaller. Or if you take pleasure in sharing thoughts, beliefs, and opinions, Q1 would be bigger. There is no right or wrong way to be, other than we know that open and truthful disclosure reduc- Quiz on Monday es stress, allows people to come to terms with their behavior and promotes healthy relationships. Many cultures and religions encourage such confessions of transgressions. If one is unable to find a person or a forum to do this, expressive writing is another venue. The key is to be honest with oneself. Basically, talking or

april 1, 2016 • baltimoreoutloud.com

writing about a powerful event helps us to understand it better and even to reframe it so the anxiety that may come from the am-

biguity is lessened.

Back to relationships. I find that there are couples that want to know every detail about their partner. This works if both people want the same thing. It brings on conflicts when they differ on this expectation. The topic gets intense when prior re-

lationships are included in this soul-baring.

Some want to know every gory detail about what happened in previous lives and then starts a comparison war. Do you find me as attractive as Mary or John? Should we go the same places you went with the previous partner? Did you do this or that with her/him? This kind of discussion can cause many arguments and basically poison a relationship. At the heart of the conflict is insecurity and lack of trust, in one’s self to start with and then with the partner. How to deal with this regardless of which end you are encountering?

First, take a look at yourself. What are your expectations from the partner? Once you are clear on these, then sit down and have an open and calm conversation. See if you can agree with mutual values and expectations. Make a list, separately, of what is important in any connection and then compare the lists without judging each other. Declaring one way as right and another as wrong creates dissonance. Use that as a staring point to examine your beliefs and challenge each other rationally. If you keep butting heads on this and cannot come to an agreement, it may be time for an independent third party to mediate.

Happy April Fool’s to all! t

BALTIMORE OUTLOUD april 1, 2016 • baltimoreoutloud.com t

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Lively Arts // out on screen

Better Than You’ve Heard

by Chuck Duncan You’ve probably already seen many of the reviews, quite a few of them bad, so I am going to buck the trend here and say right off the bat that I enjoyed Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. Is it perfect? No. Does it have some story issues? Yes. Is it a tra vesty of filmmaking that some people would have you believe? Not at all. There are just some people out there who have been lying in wait to trash this movie, and no matter how good it is, they’re not going to say a kind word about it.

I don’t follow the comics, I don’t have any long-held connection to the characters except through various incarnations in movies and TV shows. The Zack Snyder / Henry Cavill Superman is not the Christopher Reeve Superman, or the Lois & Clark Superman. Not even the Bryan Singer Superman. Snyder’s Man of Steel took Superman to a darker, grittier place, bringing the character into a more realistic world, a world that faces terror attacks from our fellow humans on a daily basis that is more the norm than the exception, and the arrival of an alien who could either be our savior or our destruction touched a bad nerve in a lot of hardcore fans who only want Superman to be a benevolent protector. This movie is not going to change those minds.

Batman v. Superman picks up right in the middle of the very controversial battle from Man of Steel between Superman and Zod that angered so many fans of the character. As the city of Metropolis is being destroyed, we see Bruce Wayne trying to save the people who work for him as his building is being destroyed. With all of the death and destruction around him, Wayne makes it his mission to rid the earth of the alien scourge that is Superman, because if there is one being from beyond the stars who could destroy the planet, there have to be others as well.

That is really the basic plot of the film which serves as a sequel to Man of Steel and sets up not only a Justice League movie, but stand-alone films featuring other DC Comics characters including The Flash, Cyborg, Aquaman and Wonder Woman.

Wonder Woman, aka Diana Prince, also features heavily in this film as a mysterious woman trying to recover an item of hers in the possession of Lex Luthor. Luthor is also a pivotal character, collecting data on meta-humans for his own nefarious purposes as well as being the real driving force be-

hind the Batman/Superman face off.

So let’s get into the good and bad of the movie. Many people just hate the Lex Luthor character because of his twitchy, manic persona. I attribute that to the casting of Jesse Eisenberg, who is always twitchy and manic in every role he plays. The also don’t like this Lex because he’s not the “traditional” interpretation of the character.

I’ll justify this by pointing out that this is basically a Lex origin story within this particular cinematic universe, and he doesn’t really become the Lex we expect until the end of the movie.

I’m okay with this characterization.

Many also hate the Superman character, or at least this version of him. Most versions of the character have been grounded in a more idealistic world where the worst threat was a comical Lex Luthor and his henchmen Otis and Miss Tessmacher. We live in a world today where people fly airplanes into buildings and blow themselves up in concert halls and subway stations, where political candidates want to propose banning all immigrants (aliens) from crossing our borders. How would the world react to a being from beyond this planet with powers of great destruction at his fingertips? Exactly the way they react in the movie. Some would worship him as our savior, one who could solve the terrorist problem with one hand behind his back, and others would see him as someone who could enslave us all as more of his kind arrived. I don’t have a problem with this depiction of the character or how people react to him.

I just wish Snyder would put a little more of that classic character to work, having him do interviews with the Daily Planet so he isn’t so feared. I also think they made a huge mistake of having Lois know the Clark/Superman connection so quickly in the first movie, but this isn’t a ditzy Lois who is fooled by a pair of glasses. Without that bit of mystery and seeing both characters as more than just one-dimensional, I can see why people don’t like this particular interpretation. It doesn’t bother me that much, but there is room for improvement.

What I didn’t think worked particularly well with Superman was the subplot that involved Lois going to the Middle East for a story, almost being kidnapped, people dying (the film has quite a large body count), and Superman being pinned for the deaths.

It really made no sense because Lois was there and she had a crucial piece of evidence that she only brought to the attention of one person (who preferred to keep it classified), but that evidence would have cleared Superman. As it stands, this event is constantly referenced as a reason to fear

Batman v.

Superman: Dawn of Justice

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Actually not just tired clichés

Superman, and when he finally agrees to speak at a Congressional hearing, that moment is taken away from him (and us) in a terrorist attack (which, at least, is not also pinned on him). It was just a clunky plot device to further one of the characters’ agenda. That is my biggest problem with the movie.

What’s great is Ben Affleck. After all the snarky comments about Affleck’s casting, he completely steals the movie. Some of the past actors have made good Batmans or good Bruce Waynes, but it’s rare to find someone who can pull off both roles believably ... and Affleck nails it. He makes Bruce Wayne his own, an older, wiser Wayne who has already battled a rogues gallery of colorful characters (a preserved Robin costume tagged with Joker graffiti a painful reminder of that past) who makes it his mission to protect his city and his planet from the alien menace. Affleck’s Batman is also a darker, grittier, more violent creation, perhaps even more so than Christian Bale’s take. This Batman would be right at home in Snyder’s Watchmen cinematic universe. If I have any complaint about Affleck, it’s that he’s a bit too bulked up, making him look almost overweight when he’s just wearing a business suit. My one other minor issue is that even though there is a 25 year age difference between Jeremy Irons and Affleck, this version of Alfred (which I found entertaining) seems much too young to have raised Bruce after

the murder of his parents. I did like Alfred’s world-weary attitude and his banter with Bruce/Batman, and I’m more than a little stoked now for more Affleck Batman movies.

Then there’s the issue of the mysterious woman who steals something from Wayne as he is stealing something from Luthor.

You have to have been living under a rock to not know this is Diana Prince, aka Wonder Woman. They do keep her identity under wraps for quite some time – too long for some people – but I liked the build-up to when we finally see her in action with Batman and Superman.

Some criticized the trailer for ruining that particular moment, but audiences still go wild for that one shot of the three of them for the first time (again, people just love to nitpick). Of course, the introduction of Wonder Woman also lays the groundwork for the other superheros who are glimpsed briefly although not as integral parts of this story.

(Well, except maybe for one of them.)

That leaves us with what the title of the film promises – Batman fighting Superman. They do, finally, and it’s a pretty brutal battle but it’s also over pretty quickly ... which is more than you can say for the movie. We already know Jena Malone’s character has been completely excised from this version of the movie, but it could still use some tightening up particularly when Snyder indulges himself in very slow pan and tilt shots, like when the camera tilts slooooooooooooowly up to the sky to reveal the Bat Signal. But with an even longer version headed to home video (with an R-rating), movie-goers should be thankful that this version is only two-and-a-half hours long.

On the technical side of things, production design, costumes, makeup and special effects are all top notch and I have to give a special shout out to Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL for a pounding, sometimes a bit too bombastic, score. A bit much in some places but still a great driving force with the visuals.

Is Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice the best superhero movie ever made? No. I think it can be argued that Captain America: The Winter Soldier is at the top of that heap, but it’s miles better than Avengers: Age of Ultron which just copied too much of the first Avengers film beat by beat. Will you like Batman v. Superman? That’s entirely up to you. Go in with an open mind, take it for what it is, and perhaps you’ll come out appreciating the cinematic universe DC and WB are trying to build. t

BALTIMORE OUTLOUD april 1, 2016 • baltimoreoutloud.com t

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Lively Arts // between the book covers

Spring 2016 Bookcase

By Gregg Shapiro Spring is here and with the change in seasons comes new life in bloom. Nowhere is that truer than on the shelves of your local bookseller where a virtual garden of new titles is just waiting to be picked.

Words and pictures Stonewall Book Award-winning straight author Kirstin Cronn-Mills teams up with illustrator/comic book artist E. Eero Johnson for Original Fake (Putnam, 2016), a youngadult novel with graphic panels for readers of all ages about Frankie’s attempt to make his own mark in a family of attention grabbers.

With a foreword by Boy George, Damien Frost’s Night Flowers: From Avant-Drag to Extreme Haute Couture (Merrell, 2016) features artist/photographers stunning portraits of the “loose-knit community of drag queens and kings, club kids, alternative queer, transgender, and gender-queer people, goths, artists, and cabaret, burlesque and fetish performers who bloom at night and burn bright among the neon lights of inner-city London.”

Golden Girls Forever (Harper Design,

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2016), subtitled An Unauthorized Look Behind the Lanai, is Jim Colucci’s reverent “complete, first-ever Golden Girls retrospective,” inviting readers inside the “wicker wonderland,” including exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes stories and photos, making it an essential companion to the enduring sitcom.

Commissioned by the Arcus Foundation, award-winning photographer Jenny Papalexandris’ photo book Five Bells (The New Press, 2016), illustrates what “Being LGBT in Australia” means through images of weddings, family get-togethers, the LGBT Mardi Gras parade and more.

Books of love Read Love Wins: The Lovers and Lawyers Who Fought the Landmark Case for Marriage Equality (William Morrow, 2016)

by Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter Debbie Cenziper and Jim Obergefell, the “definitive account…of the dramatic and previously unreported events” leading up to Obergefell v Hodges, the milestone case regarding the legalization of same-sex marriage, before it’s made into a movie with a

april 1, 2016 • baltimoreoutloud.com

screenplay by Chris Weitz.

Love Unites Us: Winning the Freedom to Marry in America (The New Press, 2016), edited by Kevin M. Cathcart and Leslie J. Gabel-Brett, includes essays by Evan Wolfson, Paula L. Ettlebrick, Mary L. Bonauto, the ACLU’s Matt Coles, as well as a foreword by Eric Holder.

Books of life In Architecture’s Odd Couple (Bloomsbury Press, 2016), the lives and careers of two quirky but brilliant 20th century architects, Frank Lloyd Wright and openly gay Philip Johnson, described as possessing “restless creativity, enormous charisma” and a penchant for being outspoken, are examined by writer Hugh Howard.

Lita Ford, who as a member of all-female rock group The Runaways, shared the stage with queer music marvel Joan Jett, and later went on to have a successful solo career, tells her story in the memoir Living Like a Runaway (Dey Street, 2016), featuring a foreword by Dee Snider of Twisted Sister.

“Is there an unforgettable song that changed your life?” is the question that NPR’s “All Songs Considered” host and creator Bob Boilen posed to queer artists such as Carrie Brownstein, Michael Stipe (of REM), Courtney Barnett, St. Vincent, Jonsi (of Sigur Ros), as well as straight musicians including Leon Bridges, Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco), David Byrne, Lucinda Williams and Cat Power, for his book Your Song Changed My Life (Morrow, 2016), and the answers are nothing less than fascinating.

The late country music and honky-tonk superstar George Jones, who received his Kennedy Center Honors alongside Barbra Streisand in 2008, is profiled Rich Kienzle’s book The Grand Tour: The Life and Music of George Jones (Dey Street, 2016).

New novel ideas Said to encompass “the full spectrum” of gay life, through “the disco era into the age of AIDS,” Our Young Man (Bloomsbury, 2016) by prolific gay literary legend Edmund White, tells the tale of handsome Guy, a Frenchman who becomes the toast of the fashion world and Fire Island.

Some Go Hungry (Kaylie Jones Books/ Akashic, 2016) by J. Patrick Redmond is a gay murder mystery that takes readers from Miami Beach, Florida to Fort Sackville, Indiana, as Grey Daniels “struggles to live his authentic, openly gay life” amidst the fundamentalist Christians in his hometown.

In Case of Emergency: Break Glass

(Queens Ferry, 2016), three novellas by poet and fiction writer Sarah Van Arsdale, goes “from the far-flung to the far gone,” to answer questions about identity and relationships.

The GJS II (Quote Editions, 2016) of the title of Lambda Literary Award-winner Shawn Stewart Ruff’s third novel is Griffin Jewells Saunders II, the man at the center of this Clinton-era thriller promising “tabloid intrigue, high-fashion passion and murder.”

Award-winning gay writer Paul Russell’s second novel, Boys of Life (Cleis Press, 1992/2016), about “country boy” Tony’s journey from Kentucky to New York to an “inside wet cell” has been reissued for readers who might have missed it the first time around.

In Without Annette (Scholastic Press, 2016), writer Jane B. Mason’s Y/A debut, girlfriends Josie and Annette attend Brookwood, an esteemed boarding school far from home, where they must face a series of unexpected challenges that threatens everything, not least of which is their relationship.

A combined work of mystery fiction and semi-autobiographical memoir, David Goes Home (Hamaca Press, 2016), subtitled “Growing Up Gay In the Dust Bowl,” follows the title character’s “nightmarish search for the murderer of his hometown sheriff” and what he learns about the residents his Oklahoma birthplace.

Set in a time before there were openly gay jazz artists such as Patricia Barber, Gary Burton, Andy Bey, Terri Lyne Carrington or Lea DeLaria, The Jazz Palace (Anchor, 2015/16)

by Mary Morris, now in paperback, takes readers back to 1920s Chicago where two musicians, Jewish Benny and African-American Napoleon, “navigate the highs and lows of the Jazz Age.” As more and more queer folks choose to be parents, childbirth becomes an increasingly common occurrence and Eleven Hours (Tin House, 2016) by Pamela Erens, depicts the process through the eyes of two women, in-labor Lore and pregnant nurse Franckline. t

DECADENT.”

BEN BRANTLEY

Featuring

RANDY HARRISON from Showtime’s

QUEER AS FOLK

2016 National Tour Cast of Roundabout Theatre Company’s CABARET. Photos by Joan Marcus.

DIVINELY, DANGEROUSLY

Andrea Goss, Randy Harrison, Tommy McDowell and the 2016 national touring cast of Roundabout Theatre Company’s CABARET. Photo by Joan Marcus

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19

Lively Arts // screen savor

Based on Queer, True Events

By Gregg Shapiro Based on a true story (as well as the Oscar-winning doc short of the same name), Freeheld (Summit) begins with a 2002 headline-making New Jersey drug bust by detectives Laurel (Julianne Moore) and her partner Dane (Michael Shannon). Laurel, who has been on the force for more than 20 years, is good at her job, but less successful with her personal life. Intent on making lieutenant, Laurel is forced to stay closeted.

It’s hard for Laurel to go out socially and still maintain her privacy, however she still finds time to mingle with her people, at a volleyball game in Pennsylvania, for instance, where she meets mechanic Stacie (Ellen Page). She’s a control-freak with Farrah Fawcett-by-way-of-New Jersey hair. Nevertheless, Laurel agrees to go to a gay bar with Stacie. It’s a momentous occasion in many ways – Stacie gets Laurel to dance; Laurel scares off would-be homophobic muggers, and she runs into Belkin (Luke Grimes), a fellow closeted cop. Laurel and Belkin agree to keep the other’s sexuality a secret.

These set-up scenes, including those in

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which Laurel and Stacie’s relationship develops into something long-lasting, are sluggish, awkward, and preachy. Almost everyone who will see Freeheld knows all about the subject of LGBT discrimination, especially since the film takes place within this century. The message of someone who goes above and beyond on the job and then is discriminated against in the workplace because they are queer is a familiar story.

It’s sad to say, but it isn’t until Laurel is diagnosed with late-stage lung cancer that Freeheld comes fully alive. Even though Laurel and Stacie went to Village Hall and registered as domestic partners long before she falls ill, Laurel’s request to make Stacie the recipient of her pension benefits is repeatedly denied by the board of all-male council members known as Freeholders. Following a front-page story about Laurel, gay lawyer and Garden State Equality activist Steven (Steve Carrell) gets involved and history is made in the case.

Freeheld won’t do much for New Jersey’s image. The screenplay by gay writer Ron Nyswaner (an Oscar-nominee for Philadelphia)

april 1, 2016 • baltimoreoutloud.com

is more than a little problematic, but the acting is decent, especially by Page and Moore.

DVD special features include the aforementioned Academy Award-winning short, audio commentary with Moore, Page and director Peter Sollett, and a pair of featurettes.

The late Nigel Finch’s 1995 film Stonewall, based on Martin Duberman’s acclaimed book with a screenplay by Ricki Beadle Blair, might have been flawed, 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 film 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 filmmaker 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 classified 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 field.

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 increasingly 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 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 profile 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-upin-the- 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 finally 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 // personalities

Marriage Material Girl

By Gregg Shapiro In the world of comedy, specifically lesbian comedy, Cameron Esposito is the new reigning queen. This is especially true now that Lea DeLaria wants to be a serious actress and singer. Esposito, whose delivery sounds like a cross between Tig Notaro and Paula Poundstone, and her trademark asymmetrical haircut, has them rolling in the aisles on her new stand-up comedy special Marriage Material, debuting March 24th on the new NBC comedy channel Seeso. Filmed in front of a live and enthusiastic hometown audience at Chicago’s Thalia Hall mere days before her wedding to fellow comic Rhea Butcher, Esposito skillfully demonstrated why she’s an in-demand performer. I spoke with Cameron about the special and her career in February 2016.

Gregg Shapiro: In the realm of comedy, Chicago is known first as the home of improv and then as a place for standup. Did you put in your time in the im-

prov scene or did you go directly into stand-up?

Cameron Esposito: I got my start doing improv in Boston during and after college, then moved back to my hometown Chicago, an improv Mecca and never did improv again. I’m ten years into stand-up and have definitely found my home.

GS: It’s interesting that while you were in college in Boston that you did improv there, in a city that is well-known for its standup comedy scene. Did you partake in the stand-up comedy scene when you lived there?

CE: I did the opposite. Only improv in Boston. Only stand-up in Chicago. Well, stand-up and whiskey and thin crust pizza.

That’s right, thin crust [laughs] in Chicago.

GS: You talk about going to Catholic school in your show Marriage Material, which was filmed at Thalia Hall in Chicago. Were you a class clown?

CE: Nope. Total jock. Three sport ath-

lete, captain of the swim team, into reading and committed to Student Government. But I was a big wacky. Like very friendly and wore lots of weird belts.

An interview with comedian Cameron Esposito

GS: You include social commentary in Marriage Material, on subjects such as guns, marriage and body shaming, to mention a few. How do you see the

role of comedy when it comes to social issues?

CE: I believe comedy is one of the best ways to process pain and inequality. It puts folks at ease in a way that creates real dialogue and movement on issues that, if approached directly, would trigger knee-jerk emotional responses. But, also, comics really just talk about what they’re interested in and I’m Cameron most preoccupied with workEsposito ing for social change.

GS: You make reference to your haircut and I wanted to ask you to say a few words about Chicago comedians, such as you and Emo Phillips, and hair.

CE: Emo still sports his classic cut, which is beautiful to behold in person, My wife and fellow comic, Rhea Butcher, is known for her David Lynch-esque [hair] as well. But other than us, Chicago stand-up is kind of a sea of beards and glasses.

Well, a lake, I guess. A lake of beards. t Browse to Baltimoreoutloud.com for the complete intereview!

BALTIMORE OUTLOUD april 1, 2016 • baltimoreoutloud.com t

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quality of life

The Law & You

Lee Carpenter

Getting Married Getting advice from a lawyer about whether to get married is a little like getting advice from a poet about whether to buy a dishwasher. He might give you an interesting take on the matter, but when it comes to what’s really important about the decision, he is pretty much useless.

Now that marriage is available to same-sex couples all across America, many are asking whether the legal benefits make getting married a smart move. In many cases, these couples have been together for years or even decades. Factors like compatibility, shared goals, and a sense of commitment are already well established. With those out of the way, shouldn’t legal concerns be the primary factor in deciding whether to tie the knot?

Marriage does confer important legal benefits.

Married couples often pay less in income and death taxes than their unwed counterparts.

They enjoy preferential treatment from Social Security, Medicare, and the military. They can even be prevented from having to testify against each other in court.

But before deciding whether the legal advantages are worthwhile, it’s worth considering why the benefits of marriage even extend into the realm of public policy.

The government supports marriage because marriage promotes cohesion and stability in society. It encourages people to put down roots and become more engaged members of their communities. For couples with children, marriage also helps to foster households where the kids can thrive in a protective and nurturing environment.

Just as marriage is good for society, it is good for the couples who enter into it.

Statistics show that married couples tend to live longer, healthier, and happier lives than those who remain single.

This sense of happiness often begins with the wedding itself. Even couples who

have been together for years may experience an outpouring of excitement at what is seen as a new beginning. They could hear unexpected expressions of welcome from each other’s families. And they may find that their well-established relationship suddenly feels different – more intimate, more loving, and more joyous.

As the traditional marriage service puts it, marriage shouldn’t be “taken in hand unadvisedly, lightly, or wantonly.” But neither should the right to get married be taken for granted. The LGBT community fought hard for the freedom to marry. By exchanging wedding vows, gay and lesbian couples can now better themselves by joining this venerable institution.

And it’s an institution that could use our help. The divorce rate in America has leveled off in recent years, but only because fewer couples are getting married in the first place. An interesting aspect of this trend is that couples who do walk down the aisle tend to be better educated and more affluent than those who remain single.

The expense of staging a wedding may be part of the reason. Modern marriage has been called a luxury good, and with the average cost of a wedding running above $25,000, it’s easy to see why. Many couples who can’t afford lavish nuptials are simply forgoing marriage altogether.

This is one area where the LGBT community is taking the lead. Many gay and lesbian weddings are taking place in quiet parks and urban apartments, in courthouse chapels and leafy backyards. The focus is on celebrating love and commitment rather than throwing a grand party.

And these marriages are destined to last.

New research shows that the more two people spend on their nuptials, the more likely their marriage is to end in divorce. In other words, long marriages often begin with frugal weddings.

The best reasons to get married aren’t legal. They are deeply personal and affect a couple’s emotional and social well-being. By all means consult a lawyer to help you take full advantage of the law. But first, find the right person, fall in love, and commit yourselves to staying together, come what may. 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.

What it really means

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quality of life // LYNDA does the law

The Skinny on DUI and DWI Cases in Maryland

By Lynda Dee This is the first in a series of three articles on drunken driving arrests. This article will focus on the court aspect of these cases. The next two articles will cover Motor Vehicle hearings resulting from DUI/ DWI arrests.

There have been many changes and much harsher penalties provided by new DUI/ DWI laws in recent years that will have an important impact on your case both in court and at Motor Vehicle Administration hearings. DUI/DWI cases are serious business and have received a great deal of publicity in recent years.

Because judges have come under much scrutiny from groups like Mothers Against Drunk Drivers, these cases are taken much more seriously with much stiffer sentences being imposed. An experienced attorney can provide invaluable services to you if you have been charged with an alcohol-related offense.

It is important to contact an attorney of your choice as soon as possible after your arrest as there are specified time limits to request MVA hearings that will ensure that your license is not suspended. What happens in court may also affect your right to drive in Maryland and may also result in an MVA hearing after a conviction. It is also important to be represented by an experienced attorney at MVA hearings because the MVA can suspend or revoke driver’s license for blood alcohol content (BAC) level over or equal to .08 or for DUI/DWI convictions for people 21 and over. I will cover MVA hearings in depth in the next two articles on this topic.

While the MVA has authority over your privilege to drive, courts have the power to incarcerate you. Most DWI/DUI cases also involve fines and varying levels of probation terms.

In Maryland, a person may not drive, or even attempt to drive, while under the influence of alcohol or drugs or alcohol and drugs. There are also other alcohol-related offenses you may be charged with, including Driving while Impaired. New lower blood alcohol level designations may make it unlawful to drive after consuming even two drinks in a short period of time.

There are a number of alcohol-related offenses. There are different penalties for various charges. For example, the maximum penalty DUI penalties are one year in jail and/or a $1,000 fine. For a second offense, the maximum penalty is two years and/or a $2,000 fine; and three years and/or a $3,000 fine for a third or subsequent offense.

The maximum DWI penalties are two months in jail and/or a $500 fine. For a second offense, the maximum penalty is one year in jail and a $500 fine; and three years in jail and a $3,000 fine for a third or subsequent offense.

Points will also be assessed against your driving record after an alcohol-related conviction for a first or subsequent conviction. As preciously stated, convictions will always result in MVA hearings where you will have to submit evidence in order to prevent your license from being suspended or revoked.

A person who is convicted of driving while under the influence within five years after a prior conviction for the same offense is subject to a mandatory minimum penalty of not less than five days of incarceration in either jail or a rehabilitation center and not less than ten days for a third or subsequent conviction within five years. An experienced attorney can help you find an appropriate rehabilitation center that may help you to avoid a stiffer sentence.

DUI/DWI cases are misdemeanors and are usually tried in the District Court unless you are a repeat offender or other aggravating circumstances are involved. If you are a repeat offender, it may be advisable for you to “pray a jury trial” and have your case moved to the circuit court. Just because you request a jury trial does not mean you need to ultimately proceed by way of a jury trial once your case is in the Circuit Court. This strategy is often used to get the chance at a better judge so as to obtain a better outcome for your case.

In either the District or the Circuit Court, these cases will proceed by way of a plea or a full blown trial. You may often be able to arrange a mutually agreeable plea bargain. But that doesn’t mean you should automatically roll over and decide to take a plea. You should discuss your case with a competent attorney before deciding how to proceed.

Outcomes in these cases range from A to Z. Some cases are winnable. But in some instances, trials are not appropriate because there are no viable defenses or witnesses. For example, some defendants may not remember what happened.

District Court trials are less expensive than Circuit Court trials. Jury trials are the most expensive. Each case is very different. It is crucial to decide how to proceed only after discussing the specifics of your particular case with an experienced attorney that you trust to provide you with honest information.

No matter how you decide to proceed in court, it is always advisable to be prepared with an alcohol evaluation from a certified alcohol counseling program. If you are not assessed as a problem drinker, attendance at alcohol education classes before court will often help ensure that the court will agree to “probation before judgment” (PBJ) verdict which will avoid points on your driving record if this is your first alcohol-related offense.

If the evaluation indicates that you are a problem drinker, alcohol treatment before court can also help secure a “PBJ” if this is your first offense. If this is not your first offense, alcohol treatment before court is even more essential to a better outcome and may prevent the court from sentencing you to jail time.

If you are convicted, alcohol evaluations and education and/or treatment programs are imposed in virtually all cases. It is always better to be prepared with your own evaluation and education or treatment program when you go to court.

It is often easier to obtain reports and schedule classes with your own counseling

program than one imposed by the court. An experienced attorney can help you locate a certified alcohol counseling agency that is convenient for you.

DUI/DWI cases are more serious than ever and can have far-reaching future consequences on your privilege to drive in Maryland and across the entire country. Be sure you discuss your case with an attorney as soon as possible after your arrest so that you can comply with the very short time limits set by the MVA to request hearings.

If you cannot afford a private attorney, you may qualify for representation by the Public Defender’s (PD) Office, but eligibility determinations for the PD take time too.

If you need a PD, be sure to contact the PD’s Office in your jurisdiction immediately.

It’s always best not to drink and drive.

The life you save may be your own, but if you are arrested, don’t compound the situation by not dealing with your case immediately and responsibly. You may end up in jail or suffer drastic consequences to your driving privileges for years to come. t

BALTIMORE OUTLOUD april 1, 2016 • baltimoreoutloud.com t

23

Out on Campus

A Personal Reflection on North Carolina

By Roger E. Hartley I am a newcomer to Baltimore. I joined this fantastic city and the University of Baltimore with my family last June. Prior to becoming the dean of the College of Public Affairs, I was a professor and director of the Masters of Public Affairs program at Western Carolina University (WCU). We lived in this quite progressive and gorgeous city of Asheville, North Carolina, which has a substantial LGBTQIA population and is the headquarters of the Campaign for Southern Equality (CSE). If you don’t know CSE, you should really read about them (Southernequality.org ). They have been fighting the battle for LGBTQIA rights on the front lines with love and a healthy dose of challenging discriminatory laws and protest.

They are among the most impressive civil rights organizations I have ever known and are known for bringing couples together in Southern cities to ask (and be denied) a marriage license. They are heroes who raised awareness and also paved the way for legal challenges.

All of this to say, that I am stunned and outraged about the passage of HB2 in

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North Carolina. My friends in North Carolina and at CSE are battling back hard. The national backlash to this discriminatory law has been swift and likely lasting. I wanted to take a few minutes though to relay what makes this law personal to me. Like most things that we remember forever, it is about a person I met, got to know, and who rubbed off on me.

I once had a student at WCU named Josh. He was kind, smart and full of life.

Josh was my new advisee and a student in my MPA program in my first year at WCU. We talked about his career goals a bit and I discovered that he valued equality for all and wanted to dedicate his career to change. He talked to me about a career in diversity and inclusion in universities and, generally, we talked about his future. I was excited and I encouraged him.

I came to find out that he was very well liked by other students and grew up in the country outside of Winston-Salem.

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Later that same year, our program and students were devastated to learn that he took his life. I learned shortly after from some of his friends that he was transitioning and that his new name was to be Alice. Josh believed for most of his life that he was a woman.

I didn’t know this. He was just a nice kid in my program.

He was not a predator or a weirdo as the law suggests. He was not anything but a sweet guy to me.

I attended his funeral and met his family who were also struggling with the change. It was clear that they loved their son soon to be daughter. At the funeral I watched a mother dance for him and then with the deepest of pain, call out Josh’s name to the heavens. Her pain was unbearable and it is among the most moving moments I have ever experienced.

I know that many readers of this fantastic publication know very much how this feels. To others who do not, put yourself in Alice’s head. Which bathroom does she go to? When faced with a society that is not welcoming, does Alice go to the men’s room and risk what might be in store there?

Think of the loss of dignity.

The new North Carolina law requires that a transgendered person go to the bathroom of their genetic birth. The law does a lot more than target transgendered individuals. It includes an outright reversal of over 15 city ordinances (and prevents future ordinances) that end private employer discrimination against LGBTQIA people. The law is much deeper than some describe it and used fear of transgendered people to pass it and perhaps bring out conservative voters this fall. Worse, the state legislature called a special session to pass this law with little notice and would not release the bill to be read. There was 30 minutes of debate allowed on short notice. The vast majority of democrat legislators walked out of the session, it passed, and Governor McCrory signed it. That is a whole lot of effort and special attention to people like my student Josh.

So the law has been passed and our nation is reacting. This isn’t the first time.

The same North Carolina legislature not so long ago placed Amendment 1 on the ballot in North Carolina which allowed the voters to constitutionally “protect” traditional marriage. It was a Super Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) that also ended state benefits

My friends in North Carolina and at CSE are battling back hard.

to same-sex couples. There was strong reaction. A Campaign for Southern Equality lawsuit and several other lawsuits ended Amendment 1 in a North Carolina federal district court. Public opinion changed, and marriage for all was made legal by the US Supreme Court. There has been some great progress in North Carolina, but then this law.

While Alice had warm and supportive friends at WCU, Alice faced a society (and likely family members) that were not accepting. I’ll never stop believing that if people made it just a little easier on her that she might be with us today.

In the state-by-state battles that make up this culture war, I sure wish for all of us to see the hope and change that comes from backlash to the law that is occurring now. I hope very much that we think of Alice and that more people stand up to make things at least a bit easier. t Roger E. Hartley is dean of the College of Public Affairs and Professor of Public and International Affairs at the University of Baltimore.

quality of life

Violet’s Vet

Dr. Tony Calo

Sundays in the Park with Violet Warmer weather is approaching. In this household, this means frequent trips to the park. Violet, Daisy, and Henry all love going. It’s a chance to take a ride in the car, to see and be seen, to enjoy the weather.

Going to the park is great on all levels. Like any good outing though, even one as simple as a trip to the park takes preparation.

Here are the essentials according to Violet. First and foremost, make sure everyone going to the park is healthy. The dogs should be up to date on their vaccines, have full heartworm prevention, and flea and tick prevention, and should be free of any signs of illness. This will help keep

your dog and the other canines visiting the park as healthy as possible.

Next, it is important to have a quick checklist of things to have on hand. This list should include a collapsible water bowl and bottled water, an extra leash, and a portable canine first-aid kit. If appropriate, a pet-safe insect repellent may come in handy. Also have a lot of poop bags. Always bring several more than you think you need just in case. These are all portable and will fit comfortably in small backpack. The next thing is to make sure that you have a comfortable ride. Connor and I have a large hatchback in which the back seats fold down.

Because this car is literally “for the dogs” that back seat is always down. The floor is surfaced with a rubber lining for easy cleanup and a large orthopedic dog bed for comfort. All three dogs fit comfortably and they each have plenty of room to lay down. Taking leashes off while driving is important because leashes can get caught or tangled leading to a neck or leg injury. If you don’t have a similar vehicle, and your dog has to ride in the back seat, using a pet safety belt is indicated but not all safety belts are created equal. Furthermore, there is no standardized testing or safety ratings for such products so do your

homework before buying. A good resource is the Center for Pet Safety’s 2013 evaluation of car safety harnesses (Centerforpetsafety.org/test-results/harnesses/2013harness-crash-test-videos).

Once at the park, and safely parked, leashes can be secured. The leashes, of course, should not be flexi-leashes for the safety and comfort of the dogs, the dog walker, and everyone else at the park (refer to the previous article regarding this issue). You are now ready for your adventure.

The parks that we frequent all have some sort of walking path or trail. We keep to the trail so that we don’t get lost. We also make sure that we very aware of the surroundings. Largely, this means knowing who else is around you. Happily, all of our dogs are both people- and dog-friendly.

This makes it easy for us if someone wants to stop and meet the pack.

It is, of course, courteous and safest to ask before approaching an unfamiliar dog, but not everyone abides by this standard so we have to be prepared. Although our pack likes meeting new humans, they do not like being approached too quickly or too loudly. Asking first gives us a chance to introduce the dogs to their new admirers in calm and friendly manner.

Having happy and social dogs also makes it easier for us if someone brings another dog nearby. Again, a calm meeting in a well-controlled situation with other friendly dogs leads to better park experience for all involved.

We do have to be aware however, that not everyone at the park likes dogs. Because of this, we don’t let Violet, Daisy, or Henry go up to a person unless they ask if they can pet them. Just as important is realizing that not every dog is happy to meetand-greet our pack.

Once again, we steer clear of other park goers unless they ask to say hi. This avoids interfering with the park experience for people that do not like dogs. Although this may seem logical, not all dog owners are aware that not everyone loves their pooch as much as they do.

Violet and I have witnessed too many times, dogs running up to humans that are either afraid or do not want to be bothered by canine companionship even if it of the best intentions. To keep your trip happy, it is best to prevent unwanted interactions.

By being prepared and paying attention, bringing dogs to your neighborhood green space will be a walk in the park. t Please e-mail your stories and questions to violetsvet@baltimoreoutloud.com.

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Lively Arts

The Beauty of Our Basilica

By Harvey O Baltimore has long been known as a city of firsts. In 1743 we had the first professional sports organization in the U.S., the Maryland Jockey Club. In 1797 the USS Constellation was the first US war ship to capture an enemy vessel. Thomas Moore invented the first electric refrigerator in 1803. In 1816, Baltimore was the first city to illuminate its streets with hydrogen gas powered street lights. We opened the first dental college in the world in 1840. In 1878 we started the first Animal Humane Society for an-

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imal welfare. In an effort to get literature to the masses, Enoch Pratt started the first public library system with branches in 1884. The first photograph of earth from space was produced at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in 1946. Frank Robinson was the first baseball player to be named MVP in both leagues in 1966. And in 1975 native born Elizabeth Seton was the first U.S. citizen to be canonized as a saint.

Another of these “first” achievements was the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Cathedral Street at West Mulberry Street.

It was the first cathedral constructed in the U.S. The cathedral ranks as a Minor Basilica, is a National Shrine, Marian Shrine, National Historic Landmark, and Co-Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

After the adoption of the U.S. Consti-

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tution, Catholic Church leaders wanted to build a cathedral to celebrate their right to worship publically.

John Carroll, the country’s first bishop and later the Archbishop of Baltimore, wanted a design that was uniquely “American.” He wanted it to be designed in the neoclassical style. Benjamin Henry Latrobe heard of Carroll’s plans and offered his services as architect. It was the custom of early British architects to donate their professional services to non-profit institutions. Known for his strength in the neoclassical style, Latrobe (America’s first professionally-trained architect and later honored as the “Father of American Architecture”) had recently completed his work on the U.S. Capitol building with Thomas Jefferson and drew some inspiration from that work.

A site was selected on a hill overlooking Baltimore’s Harbor as the center of the country’s first archdiocese, from which two-thirds of the U.S. Catholic dioceses can trace their heritage.

Construction began in 1806. The building was consecration on May 31st, 1821, when the central dome was completed.

The cathedral floor plan was designed using the European tradition of the Latin cross basilica plan. This plan combines a longitudinal axis with a central domed space. Latrobe skillfully combined these two elements to provide the obvious Christian symbolism of the cross-shaped body with the beauty and divinity of the domed space. A pair of towers with Saracenic domes sit just behind the classical Greek portico of the main facade. The building appears as an oblong structure, but once inside, the dominate feature is a grand domed space. Latrobe had planned a large dome with a lantern on top, but he ultimately went with the suggestion of his friend, Thomas Jefferson, and used a double-shell dome with 24 skylights. Latrobe understood the importance of light and its place in the Cathedral. He used the half-concealed skylights to illuminate Basilica extrordinaire!

the crossing to create a celestial effect.

For the exterior, he chose a metamorphic rock called gneiss from Ellicott City. The silver-gray rock has striation of light and dark silicates that creating a visual texture to the walls.

The structure underwent a remarkable $34 million renovation for its 200th anniversary that restored the building to the architect’s original vision. Years of neglect and renovations had “darkened” the feel of the interior. The skylights had been boarded up, in part to stop leaks as well as to block light from air raids during wartime.

Stained glass windows had been installed, walls were painted darker colors.

This was all reversed. Mechanical and safety systems were updated. Restored, clear glass windows and open skylights let in the sunlight. Soft yellow, blue, orange and white paint reflect that light throughout. Retrofitted dark marble floor and wood After the makeover

pews were replaced with white marble and white painted pews.

The restored Basilica is breathtaking. It is a marvel for the eyes and the spirit. Baltimore may struggle for top billing in a lot of area, but a remarkable monument like this can make me look past a lot of shortcomings. The Basilica is open to the public for worship and tours. See their website at Americasfirstcathedral.org for additional information. t

Real estate

A Light, or a Train?

By Wayne Curtis One of the barriers that home buyers in our region are facing right now is that we don’t have enough houses for sale. We’ve had a shortage of houses in our selling inventory for several years, and the Maryland Association of Realtors’ Housing Statistics for January 2016 show that nearly every jurisdiction in the state has fewer properties in “inventory” this year than at the same time last year. The problem has been growing.

In fact, housing inventory has been low since the end of the Great Recession. Most analysts have felt the reason fewer homeowners were selling their homes was that the financial crisis reduced property value so much that many people couldn’t sell without taking a huge loss. The wave of foreclosure sales and “short sales” between 2009 and 2014 drove down prices even further. At the peak of that wave, in the first quarter of 2012, 31.4% of homeowners in the U.S. owed more on their house than they could sell it for, the classic definition of being “under water” in your house.

There does seem to be a light at the end of this long tunnel. Last month, Zillow released a study of the housing market, finding that “only” 13.4% of homeowners are still “under water,”

compared to 16.9% in February 2015. Those rising prices, while a result of the tight inventory, have actually started to promise a cure for the disorder by steadily reducing that percentage.

As more buyers come back into the real estate market, our tight inventory will cause home prices to rise slowly as nice new listings disappear quickly, usually at or over list price. Fewer homeowners will be “under water” as the prices rise more. So, as this cause-effect spirals outward, growing families can sell their starter home and move into a bigger one. In turn, that allows “empty nesters” to sell the big house and move into something smaller and easier to maintain during their retirement years. That normal cycle of home ownership in the U.S., which nearly came to a halt five years ago, should continue to strengthen at a faster rate in 2016.

Interest rates have remained very low so far, despite the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes, because the housing market has been so sluggish, so fragile. If we see significant growth and strengthening of housing activity this year, you can expect those low rates to finally start to rise.

For those of us who labor in the housing sector, this trend is welcome. It’s been a while coming. We’re all optimistic that light at the end of the tunnel isn’t another train! t

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leather line

Leather

Line

Rodney Burger

Exploring the Unknown At the recent mayoral forum on LGBT issues put on by the GLCCB, I was very surprised when two of the candidates stated that they had no knowledge of the LGBT community. After all we live in the information age. Did these candidates think that “search engine” is something one does when shopping for a used car? It made me think what would happened if I knew nothing about Maryland’s leather community and just Googled “Maryland leather community.” What would I learn? Well, here is the answer.

The first link that comes up is for Mr. Maryland Leather. I learn that a person has been selected for this title since 1991 and that the titleholder is sent to Chicago each May to compete for the title of International Mr. Leather. I also discover that the contest is put on by a leather club that is based in Baltimore and is called COMMAND, MC. This brings me to the second link: COMMAND, MC. Their website tells me that the name of this club is an acronym

Parade of Colors

and stands for Corps of Men Making a Noticeable Difference Motorcycle Club and that the organization was founded in 1988 with the motto that: “Lifestyles are a personal choice based on respect for individuals.” Not only does this social organization produce the Mr. Maryland Leather Contest but they also raise money for many LGBT-related charities.

Next I am directed to an extremely well written article, “Life in Leather,” that appeared in the January 14th, 2010, issue of Metro Weekly. By Yusef Najafi, Will O’Bryan, and Dough Rule, this piece is a series of short interviews with members of the area’s leather community. (I am proud to say that I personally know each of the persons interviewed for this piece and consider many of them to be dear friends.) The article includes comments from the “First Lady of Leather” Mary Elizabeth Boyd, Mr. Double L Leather 2003 Patrick Grady, International Leatherboy 2002 Jose’ Gutierrez, Ms. Baltimore Eagle 2003-2004 Joansie Kokindo, D.C. Mr. Drummer 2000 Alexander Satorie-Robinson, Mr. Maryland Leather 2010 Justin B. Terry-Smith, Ms. Capital Pride Leather 2009 Jackie Thompson, and many more. The article is a wonderful introduction to the area’s leather community and local leather community leaders.

The next three links are to articles I have written for Baltimore OUTLoud – don’t you love the internet? I have been very proud to write this column every two weeks for over 13 years. I haven’t missed an issue yet. This newspaper and our local leather community means too much to

Area leather titleholders

me. Moving on, I am taken via a link to the Leather Journal. Now I’ve been directed to a newspaper that has been around since May, 1987 and is devoted entirely to the leather community. There is a directory of leather clubs, a calendar of nationwide events, information about the Pantheon of Leather Awards, and both national and international news about the leather community. The reader has now discovered just how big the leather community really is!

The next link brings me back to Maryland and gives me the website for the soon to reopen Baltimore Eagle, Maryland’s iconic leather bar.

Following that is a very interesting article published by the National Institutes of Health, “HIV in the Leather Community – Rates and Risk-Related Behaviors.” Per this report, leathermen are 61% more likely to be HIV-positive than non-leathermen due to decreased condom use.

You can’t do a Google search without finding our good friends at Wikipedia. I am next directed to a Wikipedia page that provides all kinds of information on “Leather Subculture.” We learn that the gay male

leather community can be traced back to post World War II biker culture and that the Satyre biker club of Los Angeles, founded in 1954, was the first gay biker club.

Being a part of the leather subculture is not all fun and games as our next link tells us when we open the website for the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom.

This Baltimore based organization is “committed to creating a political, legal, and social environment in the U.S. that advances equal rights for consenting adults who engage in alternative sexual and relationship expressions.” Although there have been advances in the fight for rights in the LGBT community, the kink community is whole different story.

So with just a few clicks of a mouse we have learned about leather titleholders, leather clubs, local folks that are very much involved in the leather community, reference publications, the start of the leather subculture, and the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom. How could anyone stand up and say, “I don’t know anything.” The information is out there. One only has to take a second and Google it. t

“So with just a few clicks of a mouse we have learned about leather titleholders, leather clubs, local folks that are very much involved in the leather community.”

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