OUT
AN INDEPENDENT VOICE FOR THE LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER COMMUNITIES
Living, Surviving, Thriving: HIV Long-Term Survivors
BY BILL REDMOND-PALMER Before the disease even had a name, June 5, 1981, was the beginning of HIV/AIDS awareness. On that day, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a notice about cases of a rare pneumonia affecting several young gay men living in Los Angeles, noting that two had since died. For this reason in 2014, June 5 was chosen as the date for National HIV LongTerm Survivor Awareness Day (NHLTSAD). This year marks 35 years since that fateful date, as well as 15 years since the introduction in 1996 of the first highly-active antiretroviral therapies (HAART). This year in Baltimore, the Creative Alliance and Celebration of Community are partnering to host a community event to celebrate NHLTSAD that will include the screening of Desert Migration, the first comprehensive documentary film about
HIV, aging, and long-term survivors. The film screening will be followed by a panel discussion made up of HIV long-term survivors and health-related professionals, who will share their personal experiences and answer questions. (Note that an American Sign Language interpreter will be on hand.) Desert Migration profiles the story of a group of 13 men who, after losing their friends, jobs, and health to HIV/ AIDS, were forced to create new lives in new places that were better suited to their financial and physical needs – in this case, Palm Springs, California. Most went there to die. None expected to thrive. All of them are HIV long-term survivors (HLTS).
Death sentence annulled... but what next?
BY JIM BECKER On May 19th the gay community suffered another blow to its institutions when the Baltimore City Board of Liquor License Commissioners voted 2 to 1 to close The Drinkery, a Mount Vernon institution for more than 44 years. The Drinkery is the third Mount Vernon gay bar to close in the past year. With only two gay bars remaining, it is quite a stretch to continue to call Mount Vernon a Gayborhood! After hearing the testimony and reviewing other evidence,
May 27, 2016 Volume XIV, Issue 2
The longest-term survivors are the pre-HAART HLTS, who acquired HIV in the 1980s and 1990s, before the advent of HAART. Other HLTS are those who tested positive after 1996 and have been living with HIV for over ten years. Pre-HAART and post-HAART survivors are generally considered to be separate cohorts with overlapping but different medical and psychosocial needs. Another important part of the HLTS community are the survivors who’ve remained HIV-negative – including the lovers, caretakers and frontline healthcare workers. While they remain uninfected, their lives were turned upside down by the communal and individual trauma caused by the AIDS epidemic. Their needs have often been overlooked, even though taking care of their psychological health is crucial to
Liquor Board Seeks to Shut The Drinkery
Liquor Board Commissioners Albert Matricciani, Jr., and Dana P. Moore voted to deny the license renewal. Commissioner Aaron Greenfield voted in favor of renewal of the license. All three are new commissioners appointed by Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and City Council President Jack Young last month. Commissioner Moore previously served on the board from 2014 to 2015. The Mount Vernon Belvedere Improvement Association, represented by the Community Law Center, filed a protest to The Drinkery’s application to renew
44-year-old community institution vows fight
The Drinkery says it will contest Liquor Board decision
them remaining HIV negative. “I was interested in the idea of what happens when you are told, repeatedly, that you are going to die,” said Daniel Cardone, writer and director of Desert Migration. “You watch all of your friends die and you wait for your own death, but then it doesn’t happen and you realize that what —continued on page 5
its license. Rebecca Witt, the Community Law Center attorney that represents the association, presented the testimony of four Mount Vernon residents and two police officers in support of the protest. The witnesses were: Mark Henderson and Allison Flynn of the 200 block of West Read Street, Michael Pugh, formerly of the 200 block of West Read Street, Jason Curtis of the Belvedere and Baltimore Police Officers Matt Covell and Jeff Hooper. Other people attended the hearing in support of —continued on page 8
WHAT IS GENVOYA®? GENVOYA is a 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in people 12 years and older. It can either be used in people who are starting HIV-1 treatment and have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements. These include having an undetectable viral load (less than 50 copies/mL) for 6 months or more on their current HIV-1 treatment. GENVOYA combines 4 medicines into 1 pill taken once a day with food. GENVOYA is a complete HIV-1 treatment and should not be used with other HIV-1 medicines. GENVOYA does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. To control HIV-1 infection and decrease HIV-related illnesses, you must keep taking GENVOYA. Ask your healthcare provider if you have questions about how to reduce the risk of passing HIV-1 to others. Always practice safer sex and use condoms to lower the chance of sexual contact with body uids. Never reuse or share needles or other items that have body uids on them. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION What is the most important information I should know about GENVOYA? GENVOYA may cause serious side effects: • Build-up of an acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious medical emergency. Symptoms of lactic acidosis include feeling very weak or tired, unusual muscle pain, trouble breathing, stomach pain with nausea or vomiting, feeling cold (especially in your arms and legs), feeling dizzy or lightheaded, and/or a fast or irregular heartbeat. • Serious liver problems. The liver may become large and fatty. Symptoms of liver problems include your skin or the white part of your eyes turning yellow (jaundice), dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored bowel movements (stools), loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, and/or stomach pain. • You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or serious liver problems if you are female, very overweight, or have been taking GENVOYA for a long time. In some cases, lactic acidosis and serious liver problems have led to death. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any symptoms of these conditions. • Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. GENVOYA is not approved to treat HBV. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV and stop taking GENVOYA, your HBV may suddenly get worse. Do not stop taking GENVOYA without rst talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to monitor your health. Who should not take GENVOYA? Do not take GENVOYA if you take: • Certain prescription medicines for other conditions.
It is important to ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about medicines that should not be taken with GENVOYA. Do not start a new medicine without telling your healthcare provider. • The herbal supplement St. John’s wort. • Any other medicines to treat HIV-1 infection. What are the other possible side effects of GENVOYA? Serious side effects of GENVOYA may also include: • Changes in body fat, which can happen in people taking HIV-1 medicines. • Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to ght infections. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking GENVOYA. • Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking GENVOYA. • Bone problems, such as bone pain, softening, or thinning, which may lead to fractures. Your healthcare provider may do tests to check your bones. The most common side effect of GENVOYA is nausea. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that bother you or don’t go away. What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking GENVOYA? • All your health problems. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you have or have had any kidney, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis virus infection. • All the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Other medicines may affect how GENVOYA works. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist. Ask your healthcare provider if it is safe to take GENVOYA with all of your other medicines. • If you take antacids. Take antacids at least 2 hours before or after you take GENVOYA. • If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if GENVOYA can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking GENVOYA. • If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088. Please see Important Facts about GENVOYA including important warnings on the following page.
Ask your healthcare provider if GENVOYA is right for you, and visit GENVOYA.com to learn more. 2t
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GENVOYA does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS.
SHOW YOUR
POWER
Take care of what matters most—you. GENVOYA is a 1-pill, once-a-day complete HIV-1 treatment for people who are either new to treatment or people whose healthcare provider determines they can replace their current HIV-1 medicines with GENVOYA.
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IMPORTANT FACTS This is only a brief summary of important information about GENVOYA and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.
(jen-VOY-uh) MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT GENVOYA
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF GENVOYA
Genvoya® may cause serious side effects, including:
GENVOYA can cause serious side effects, including:
• Build-up of lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious medical emergency that can lead to death. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these symptoms: feeling very weak or tired, unusual muscle pain, trouble breathing, stomach pain with nausea or vomiting, feeling cold (especially in your arms and legs), feeling dizzy or lightheaded, and/or a fast or irregular heartbeat.
• Severe liver problems, which in some cases can lead to death. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these symptoms: your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice), dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored bowel movements (stools), loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, and/or stomach pain.
• Worsening of Hepatitis B (HBV) infection. GENVOYA is not approved to treat HBV. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking GENVOYA. Do not stop taking GENVOYA without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months. You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or severe liver problems if you are female, very overweight, or have been taking GENVOYA for a long time.
ABOUT GENVOYA
• GENVOYA is a prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in people 12 years of age and older who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before. GENVOYA can also be used to replace current HIV-1 medicines for some people who have an undetectable viral load (less than 50 copies/mL of virus in their blood), and have been on the same HIV-1 medicines for at least 6 months and have never failed HIV-1 treatment, and whose healthcare provider determines that they meet certain other requirements.
• GENVOYA does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. Ask your healthcare provider about how to prevent passing HIV-1 to others.
• Those in the “Most Important Information About GENVOYA” section. • Changes in body fat. • Changes in your immune system. • New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure. • Bone problems. The most common side effect of GENVOYA is nausea. These are not all the possible side effects of GENVOYA. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking GENVOYA. Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with GENVOYA. BEFORE TAKING GENVOYA Tell your healthcare provider if you:
• Have or had any kidney, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis infection. • Have any other medical condition. • Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. • Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you have HIV-1 because of the risk of passing HIV-1 to your baby. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take:
• Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist. • Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about medicines that should not be taken with GENVOYA.
Do NOT take GENVOYA if you:
• Take a medicine that contains: alfuzosin (Uroxatral®), carbamazepine (Carbatrol®, Epitol®, Equetro®, Tegretol®, Tegretol-XR®, Teril®), cisapride (Propulsid®, Propulsid Quicksolv®), dihydroergotamine (D.H.E. 45®, Migranal®), ergotamine (Cafergot®, Migergot®, Ergostat®, Medihaler Ergotamine®, Wigraine®, Wigrettes®), lovastatin (Advicor®, Altoprev®, Mevacor®), methylergonovine (Ergotrate®, Methergine®), midazolam (when taken by mouth), phenobarbital (Luminal®), phenytoin (Dilantin®, Phenytek®), pimozide (Orap®), rifampin (Rifadin®, Rifamate®, Rifater®, Rimactane®), sildenafil when used for lung problems (Revatio®), simvastatin (Simcor®, Vytorin®, Zocor®), or triazolam (Halcion®).
• Take the herbal supplement St. John’s wort. • Take any other HIV-1 medicines at the same time.
HOW TO TAKE GENVOYA
• GENVOYA is a complete one pill, once a day HIV-1 medicine. • Take GENVOYA with food. GET MORE INFORMATION
• This is only a brief summary of important information about GENVOYA. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more.
• Go to GENVOYA.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5 • If you need help paying for your medicine, visit GENVOYA.com for program information.
GENVOYA, the GENVOYA Logo, GILEAD, and the GILEAD Logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. Version date: November 2015 © 2016 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. GENC0026 04/16
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NEWS // LOCAL HIV LONG-TERM SURVIVORS – continued from page 1 you were told was wrong. You’re not dying. At least, not in the foreseeable future. So, now what?” “From my observations,” continues Cardone, “HIV is now regarded as easily treatable, something people in the 1980s died from. Yes, the AIDS crisis was horrible, but that’s over now, right? That only people in Third World countries die of AIDS, right? Anyone who’s reading this will know that the only easy part of being HIV-positive is the act of swallowing a single pill. But try swallowing handfuls of pills, day in, day out. Try dealing with the side effects, too numerous and amorphous to coherently categorize when combined with the complications of aging. Everyone experiences deterioration of the body as they age, but this is clearly accelerated by HIV and the medications designed to suppress it.” “The film is a crucial addition to the AIDS artistic catalog because the gay community is only now beginning to process and devote resources, artistic and otherwise, to the long-term effects of the early AIDS crisis and the walking wounded who survived,” said Mark S. King, on his HIV blog “My Fabulous Disease,” in a review of the film. The film is produced by Marc Smolowitz, co-founder of the non-profit HIV Story Project, which addresses the pandemic via film and other media (Hivstoryproject.org/ hsp). NHLTSAD “is such an amazing event because it helps those both in and out of the medical community acknowledge and celebrate the lives of some truly incredible people,” said Dr. John Vaz, director of HIV and infections disease services at Chase Brexton (Mount Vernon). “Long-term survivors are an incredibly diverse group of people, but the one thing they have in common is that they are in fact survivors. Most have weathered great loss and isolation especially in the early years of the epidemic. They have witnessed and played an important part in the transition of HIV from the early days of fear, misinformation, and stigmatization to where we are today with better treatments and more information. In fact, one of the things I’d like to celebrate about this community in the U.S. is that they not only advocated for themselves in their immediate communities but for all affected by HIV through other communities and cultures in the world who perhaps had nowhere to make their voices heard.” “In the quest for the end of AIDS, the lives and experiences of those longest af-
fected by the epidemic must be prioritized, not minimized or ignored,” said Tez Anderson, a long-term AIDS survivor and the founder of Let s Kick ASS, an organization dedicated to supporting HLTS, and fighting the challenges of AIDS Survivor Syndrome, a type of post traumatic stress. “It is now time to become fully engaged elders, teachers, and leaders. We’ve learned valuable lessons about survival and community empowerment that implores us to share it with the world. The first decades of our adulthood were overwhelmingly consumed with illness, death, and fear. Now it is up to us to ensure that the next decades are the best they can be.” Let’s Kick ASS are the originators and lead organizers of NHLTSAD. For more information, visit Facebook.com/AIDSSurvivorSyndrome and Letskickass.org. The National HIV Long-Term Survivor Awareness Day Celebration event will be held on June 5th, 2016, at 6 p.m. at the Creative Alliance (3134 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore). Call 410-276-1651 for more info or visit Facebook.com/Creativealliance or Creativealliance.org. Tickets are free, however best to reserve in advance online at Creativealliance.org/events/2016/ desert-migration. The film will be followed by a reception. To view the trailer and learn more about Desert Migration, visit Facebook.com/DesertMigration or Desertmigrationmovie.com/home. Together with Celebration of Community and the Creative Alliance, the event is co-sponsored by 11 other community organizations, some of whom will be hosting information tables before and after the event. The mission of Celebration of Community (Facebook.com/celebrationofcommunity), the organization spearheading the event, is to promote HIV/AIDS awareness, build community, and support empowerment of those affected. For more information about NHLTSAD, visit Facebook.com/HIVLongTermSurvivorsAwarenessDay and Hltsad.org. t Bill Redmond-Palmer is a longtime community advocate for HIV/AIDS, interfaith, and queer-related issues. Have a great community news story idea? Email redmondpalmer@baltimoreoutloud.com.
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NEWS // LOCAL
Honoring LGBT Elders’ Journeys
LGBT community activists, event honoree and community activist Louise Parker Kelley offered the following. “We did what most people never do. We changed the world. Watch for opportunities to do the same: the revolution is not over and you BY BILL REDMOND-PALMER can lead this one!” On May 17th, 2016, the LGBT Health ReIn recent years, the LGBT community source Center (LGBTHRC) of Chase Brex- has made significant strides toward broadton Health Services (CBHS) celebrated er acceptance and equality. These would the inaugural “National Honor Our LGBT not have been possible without the many Elders Day” (NHOLED) with a multimedia older LGBT people who fought for them, showcase honoring the contributions of some quietly, some in the spotlight, all conolder members of Baltimore’s LGBT com- tributing to the freedom and equality the munity. community currently enjoys. The LGBTHRC has worked in the past Despite that progress, three million year to develop numerous programs and LGBT people in the U.S. are ages 55 and support groups to support LGBT elders older, and face some challenges which and their caregivers. The establishment are unique, as well as many which disproof the NHOLED seeks to acknowledge portionately affect and honor all the LGBT elders. Forty important contribupercent of LGBT tions that elders in elders worry they the community have may receive infemade to the commurior health care if nity and the world. they come out to “ W h e t h e r their providers, one through everyday in three live alone, authenticity or out40% note their supright activism, LGBT port networks have elders have helped become smallimprove the lives of er over time, and all LGBT people,” many experience said Nate Sweeney, discriminations in executive director Honorees Jean-Michel Brevelle housing and longof the LGBTHRC. and Monica Yorkman term care environ“We are thrilled to ments. be able to have this day to celebrate and These and other challenges are outthank LGBT elders for all their contribu- lined in Out and Visible (Lgbtagingcenter. tions to the community.” org/resources/resource.cfm?r=695), a reThe event included the unveiling of port on the experiences and attitudes of portraits of Jean-Michel Brevelle and Mon- LGBT older adults, ages 45 to 75, pubica Yorkman, two local elders, that will lished by SAGE (Services and Advocacy be added to To Survive on This Shore, a for GLBT Elders), the country’s largest and national Transgender and Gender-Variant oldest organization working in this area. older adult art exhibit currently installed at “The LGBT Health Resource Center is CBHS. View the collection at Tosurviveon- so thrilled to continue to work with SAGE to thisshore.com. bring attention and support to Maryland’s The unveiling was followed by a LGBT elders,” said Sweeney. “In this comscreening of five digital stories of local ing year, we look forward to strengthening LGBT elders, created by students as part and expanding our partnerships with aging of the UMBC Digital Storytelling Project. service providers to create a larger netThe final portion of the NHOLED program work of supports and services available to honored each of the seven elders high- people. NHOLED is not just about celelighted earlier in the evening. brating the past; it is about acknowledging The importance of “coming out” to the that we owe our elders the best for their struggle for LGBT equality was a common futures.” theme of the evening. “Coming out to my For more information about the LGBwhite Catholic boss got an apology for THRC and its programs and services, visit the gay jokes!” said event honoree Louis Facebook.com/chasebrexton.lgbt and ReHughes, co-founder of the GLBT Com- sourcecenter.lgbt.Other resources include munity Center of Baltimore and Central Lgbtagingcenter.org, and Sageusa.org. t Maryland. When asked what piece of adThe writer is Baltimore oUtl oUd comvice they might offer future generations of munity outreach liaison
Chase Brexton Health Hosts 2nd Annual ‘Charm Ball’ Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning actress S. Epatha Merkerson will receive the American Icon award at Chase Brexton Health Care’s Charm Ball 2016. For 17 years, Merkerson was best known to the nation as Lieutenant Anita
its services, Chase Brexton provides critical support to meet its patients’ everyday needs, including transportation to appointments, utilities, food, the cost of co-pays and more. As a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), Chase Brexton provides quality health care regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. Last year, at the inaugural Charm Ball, more than 300 guests raised $125,000 to support Chase Brexton. This year’s event will be held on September 17th, 2016, at the B&O Railroad Museum. The evening will include cocktails, dinner, dancing, entertainment and a special mobile auction. Tables at the event will be decorated to reflect the vibrant and iconic neighborhoods of Baltimore. Tickets and more information are available at Charmball.com. t
S. Epatha Merkerson
Van Buren on NBC’s hit legal series “Law & Order.” The actress has a long list of credits from the Broadway stage to the big screen, and currently appears on the NBC drama “Chicago Med.” Merkerson is also a fierce health advocate and diabetes awareness ambassador. The Charm Ball is an annual event held to support Chase Brexton Health Care’s delivery of compassionate, quality care in the communities it serves. Among
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NEWS // LOCAL LIQUOR BOARD SEEKS TO SHUT THE DRINKERY – continued from page 1 the protest but did not testify. There were also letters in opposition to the license renewal including from City Council President Jack Young and Councilman Eric Costello. Councilman Costello was present but did not testify. Mr. Allen, who has been associated with The Drinkery as general manager or owner for the past 44 years, was represented by attorney Melvin Kodenski. In addition to the testimony of Mr. Allen, Mr. Kodenski called as witnesses, Chief Liquor Board Inspector Mark Fosler, bar patrons Anthony Pressley, Derrick Sellman, and Thomas Idoux, and Read Street neighbor and attorney Abraham Hurdle. `The witnesses against renewal of the license, three of them gay men, complained of noise, loitering, fighting, and an unwillingness of the management of the bar to do anything about it. Mr. Henderson stated, “The management, specifically Mr. Allen, has let the place go. He has pretty much said to the neighboring community that he doesn’t care about the noise, the acts of violence that occur inside and immediately outside The Drinkery.” Mr. Curtis, past president of the Mount Vernon Belvedere Improvement Association for 14 years and current chair of the association’s Safety Committee, said the association received so many complaints in the area of The Drinkery that the benefits’ district spent $30,000, to install City Watch cameras there. Although he testified that he had never spoken to Mr. Allen, he said that Mr. Allen is very difficult to work with. Mr. Pugh said he and his partner stopped staying at his house near the bar because of the activities associated with the bar. He described The Drinkery “as kind of a dive bar. It has always been that,” and that “at night it becomes like a pirates’ cove out in the street. People flood into The Drinkery and flood out absolutely smashed. It is dangerous.” Officer Covell said that the police get more calls to The Drinkery then any other Mount Vernon establishment, mostly for assaults or disorderly conduct, but admitted that no arrest had occurred
inside the bar. Officer Hooper testified about several specific incidents this year, including a stabbing on March 12th that occurred in the street outside of the bar. He also admitted he had made no arrests inside the bar. Chief Liquor Board Inspector Mark Fosler testified that The Drinkery file includes only three complaints over the past year and all were unsubstantiated. Anthony Pressley testified that he has been a “happy customer” of The Drinkery who goes to the bar three to four times a week and has never seen a fight. He refuted many of the claims made by those protesting the renewal. “They painted an ugly picture. It is not what they painted at all.” He also suggested that the change in the bars demographics may be a reason for the protesters concerns, “It used to be an all-white establishment and it has become quite diverse and I think that some of the problem with the Mount Vernon Association is that they don’t like the diversity that is taking place in this gay bar.” Patron and former Drinkery employee Mr. Sellman testified that he is “not blind” to situations that occur but management acts to address problems that arise inside the bar when they occur. Mr. Idoux, also a customer, said that management does its “due diligence to make sure incidents don’t get out of hand. He said that the incidents at The Drinkery happen, “No more than any other bar I have visited.” Mr. Allen testified that he has never had an arrest inside the bar in 44 years and had never been before the Liquor Board for a protest of the renewal of his license or for a violation. He said he has had security cameras for 20 years, long before the city did. He also said that he is considering hiring a company to provide security on Thursdays through Sundays. He said he has been active in the community and received awards and citations including from former Governor Martin O’Malley. He testified that 562 people had signed a petition in support of the license renewal. He said that he plans
“It used to be an allwhite establishment and it has become quite diverse and I think that some of the problem with the Mount Vernon Association is that they don’t like the diversity that is taking place in this gay bar.”
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to transfer the license to his granddaughter in the near future. He said that he has no control of the people in the street unless it occurs right outside the bar. He said that he never received any complaints and the community association never reached out to him about their concerns. In explaining her decision to support the protest, Commissioner Moore said that she heard both sides and is aware of the different demographics but that doesn’t matter. The facts are what matter and there have been numerous incidents associated with The Drinkery and some contempt for the community on the part of the owner. She said that there are so many documented complaints and what is most compelling to her is that Mr. Allen takes no responsibility for the bar after 12:30 p.m. each day. She also found the photos of the knife fight very compelling. Commissioner Matricciani said that this is a very tough case, because there isn’t a strong record to support the protest. It comes down to credibility. Although there is no record of harm inside the bar, he said you can’t ignore the outside, “you can’t put blinders on.” The board must look at a bar’s impact on the neighborhood. On the whole he said that this is a very difficult choice but he sustains the protest. Commission Greenfield was struck by the lack of specific complaints and proof from the Commission concerning the 311 calls. He said he, too, was concerned about Mr. Allen’s lack of concern for the community. But because of the long history of Mr. Allen not having been before the board for violations, he would approve the license renewal. However, he notes that “Where there is smoke there is fire” and Mr. Allen needed to do much more. Jim Williams, co-publisher of Baltimore
OUTloud, expressed shock at the board’s decision to close The Drinkery. He said, “The Drinkery has been a Mount Vernon institution for decades and an important gathering place for the gay community. It has also been a strong supporter of the LGBT communities, including this newspaper and a true community partner throughout the years. I am very sad that this has occurred and hope that ultimately the license will be renewed.” Jabari Lyles, president of the board of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of Baltimore, commented to Baltimore OUTloud on the Liquor Board’s decision, “It is so disappointing to see safe spaces for our community be yanked away like this. The activity surrounding The Drinkery has never matched the debauchery that takes place in Federal Hill or Canton Square on weekend nights. Let’s get to what is really happening here. We need to mobilize all peoples in our diverse community and demand more political power.” Some in the community see this as a form of racism. The Drinkery’s customers are predominantly African-American. All of the witnesses that testified against the renewal of the license are white. At the Liquor Board hearing, Anthony Pressley testified that the change in the bars demographics may be a reason for the protesters concerns, “It used to be an all-white establishment and it has become quite diverse and I think that some of the problem with the Mount Vernon Association is that they don’t like the diversity that is taking place in this gay bar.” Mr. Allen has filed a motion asking the commissioners to reconsider their decision. If the motion is denied, he plans to appeal. t
BEYOND THE BELTWAY compiled by Jim Becker
Clinton campaign in Mass. nixes two transgender delegates Boston, Mass. – A couple of weeks ago, Diego Sanchez and Holly Ryan received email messages from a representative of Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign named Charlie Baker, who was in charge of selecting delegates from Massachusetts to support the former secretary of state at the upcoming Democratic convention in Philadelphia. Citing a need to “consider diversity and inclusion goals” set forth by the Democratic Party, Baker
Diego Sanchez
told Ryan and Sanchez that they had been deemed ineligible to be considered for delegate positions allotted to the Clinton campaign. “I am writing to inform you that, unfortunately, your name will not be eligible to be entered into nomination for one of these positions,” the email said. At a time when the fight for transgender equality has taken center stage in the Commonwealth and across the nation, Ryan and Sanchez were the only two transgender Democrats who had applied to be Clinton delegates. Neither made the cut. Sanchez, a long-time former aide to Rep. Barney Frank, was a delegate to the 2012 Democratic National Convention. Ryan was just re-elected to a seat on the Democratic State Committee, the governing body of the Massachusetts Democratic Party, reserved for a transgender woman and serves as a human rights commissioner in Newton. “Of all things I expect to happen to me in 2016, the last would be what Charlie
Baker, a Democratic operative, wrote me: that I – an older, openly transgender man of color, Latino, adopted immigrant, loyal, active and contributing Democratic Party leader, the first openly trans person to serve on the DNC platform committee and first as a senior Capitol Hill staffer – am not diverse enough,” Sanchez said. Though he describes his rejection by the Clinton campaign shocking and hurtful, it has not shaken Sanchez’s faith in Hillary Clinton. .A spokesperson for the Democratic National Committee told Bay Windows that 14 transgender delegates were elected to the 2012 national convention. In 2000, only one transgender delegate was elected and the number has increased steadily since, the spokesperson said. (Bay WindoWs – Kevin Franck at Baywindows.com)
Charlotte City Council discusses concessions on HB2 Charlotte, N.C. – Charlotte City Council members have been meeting with members of the North Carolina General Assembly over HB2 and the expanded Charlotte ordinance that prompted it. This has sparked concern among the LGBT community that a compromise is in the works, possibly including a symbolic repeal of the expanded ordinance. HB2 overrode all non-discrimination ordinances in the state, rendering them invalid. The council’s two Republicans, Ed Driggs and Kenny Smith, were joined by Democrats James Mitchell and Mayor Pro Tem Vi Lyles, both of whom voted for the expanded ordinance. Driggs and Smith voted against. Sources told the Charlotte Observer talks did not stop there and outlined a possible outcome of these meetings: Charlotte would rescind the anti-discrimination ordinance the city passed in February, along with others that have been rendered invalid by state law. Council members could call it a “cleaning up” of ordinances that have no power. The General
Assembly would then repeal and replace HB2 – or at least key parts of it and perhaps allow cities to craft ordinances making sexual orientation a protected class, as Charlotte did, so long as local voters approved the measure in a referendum. The compromise is a product of discussions that began with council members who want to save Charlotte from HB2 boycotts – including the 2017 NBA All-Star Game. Now LGBT rights organizations are responding, thanking the Charlotte City Council for doing what was right in expanding the non-discrimination ordinance and asking them not to back down and cut a deal with the NCGA. MeckPAC, an LGBT rights group, released a statement on Friday saying they were “unwavering” in their support of the city council and Mayor Roberts for standing “on the right side of history.... While we encourage an open exchange of ideas and information, we will not condone any endeavor that endangers or results in the repeal of the Charlotte non-discrimination ordinance”. (Q Notes Online – Jeff Taylor at Qnotes.com)
Trans employee of Phoenix Target store post goes viral Phoenix, Arizona – The recent controversy surrounding Target was set in motion following the retail giant’s April 19th statement saying, that they “welcome transgender team members and guests to use the restroom or fitting room facility that corresponds with their gender identity.” In response to the conversation sparked by the statement, local trans activist and Target employee Maxwell Jamison posted a bathroom selfie with the attached caption to his Facebook account April 27th. Within two weeks his post had 10,212 shares, 4.1K comments, and 34K likes. Jamison, who has worked for Target for a year describes himself as a 24-year-old queer trans man with an activist heart. He said, “I am proud of my trans and queer identity and like to use my platform to educate others and advocate for equal rights for my fellow trans brothers, sisters and gender-nonconforming siblings.” He noted, “When Target announced their policy... never would I have dreamt of the calamity that would follow. The store that I work in,
on the outskirts of Phoenix, received dozens of calls from guests who were swearing at our team members and managers that they would never shop at our store again [and] that we should change the policy. Many people came in to demand to speak to our store manager in person, a scene I watched play out more than a dozen times while I was on shift. What many of these people did not understand was that Target’s transgender friendly restroom policy has been in effect for years, and was only announced publicly in response to the North Carolina bill as a form of solidarity to the company’s trans employees and shoppers.” Jamison said he made the post so that he could work through a lot of internalized frustration after having to listen to hundreds of uneducated conversations about the bathroom policy and what rights transgender people deserve to have. His original intended audience was just his Facebook friends, but after posting, a few of them asked if it was okay that they shared it and he said yes, “ and the rest was history.” He said, “The most surprising result of my Facebook post was the amount of attention that it received, and the messages of love and support that I got from people of every walk of life. I had a multitude of parents reach out to me and thank me for sharing my story, that I was an influential person to their children who were transitioning and afraid they would never be able to find jobs.” t (echo magazine – K.J. Philip at Echomag.com)
These news notes have been compiled, with permission, from the online version of various newspapers and other web sites. We thank these publications for allowing us to bring you their news stories. Usually the reports have been signi cantly edited and you can read the full story by going to the web site mentioned following the item. Comments are strictly the opinions of Jim Becker and not of Baltimore oUtloUd or Pride Media.
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OUT IN THE VALLEY
Parenting OUTloud
Rev. Kelly Crenshaw
Unsafe at School Recently, it was brought to my attention that a child in our community was being targeted. This teenager wasn’t being targeted by bullies or even gang members. This kid was being targeted by school administrators. And, what’s worse, is that it seems as if the targeting began shortly after this young woman became friends with another teen – a transgender teen. Many of our schools these days teach acceptance and diversity. They punish those who discriminate. However, the behavior of local teachers and administrations often shows a different point of view. This young woman – let’s call her Ashley – is a sophomore at a Frederick County high school. I mention the county because it’s the policies of that particular Board of Education that are coming into question. Ashley, is not one of the popular kids. Her friends are in the fringe of society. They don’t play football or soccer. They aren’t on the cheerleading squad. None of them will be prom king or queen. In fact, Ashley’s friends are more like the majority of us. They are average kids, getting average grades and just trying to get through school without too much drama or trauma. They could be your kids or mine. First the group was accused of being drug addicts. Ashley’s mom took this very seriously. Ashley was taken to a doctor to be thoroughly tested and evaluated for drug use. All testing revealed that Ashley was not using drugs. Her mom was relieved and reported the findings to the school. I should point out that Ashley has always made good grades. In fact, the school had no reason to suspect that Ashley was doing drugs except for that someone told them that she was. Ashley’s mom hoped that this would be the end of any ridiculous drug claims. And, it was, for several months. Then, one day, the school received an anonymous report that there was a strange smell coming from the girls’ restroom. There was a three hour time frame identified as suspicious. Administrators, eager to find out
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the reason, consulted video tape. Ashley was observed entering the restroom, going into a stall, was heard to cough, flushed a toilet and then was observed leaving the restroom. First of all, don’t even get me started on how creepy I think it is that they are not only watching the restrooms, but are able to listen to what goes on in there. But, what is even more interesting to me is that this was the sum total of the evidence against Ashley. There wasn’t any smoke coming out of the stall. She didn’t seem to be in there for an inordinate amount of time. She coughed. Coughed! Anyway, the administrators decided to take things into their own hands. They called Ashley to the office and proceeded to search her. I guess they were looking for drugs. An administrator patted her down, reportedly with a closed hand. (That claim was later denied by the same administrator.) They had her pull her top up to her bra line so that they could see her bare midriff. She was asked to pull her bra away from her body and shake it. She reported feeling uncomfortable as her breasts bounced and shook. Then, Ashley was asked to pull her waistband away from her body while administrators looked to see if anything fell out. Nothing did. All that resulted was that two grown women made one young teen feel extremely uncomfortable. No parents were called until after the search. No police were contacted, despite their belief that Ashley was in possession of illegal substances. When the mom was finally told, she asked that no other searches be done unless she was notified in advance. When, a few months later, another anonymous reports indicated that Ashley was in possession of illegal hall passes, there was another search. And, you
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guessed it, no prior notice was given. This time, when Ashley’s mom complained to the school, she was told that the searches were done according to Frederick County Public School policy and were, therefore, completely legal. My questions to the Board of Education include: If you suspect a teen of having illegal substances, why wouldn’t you want the police to search in a way that is legal for evidentiary purposes? Why would you risk setting up your administrators to be charged with sexual abuse for participating in these types of searches? If you’re worried about a teen having a weapon, why wouldn’t you want trained officers there to handle any potential dangerous situations? Many of my friends has responded that they are glad this wasn’t their child. But, you know what? It could be your child or mine. It could be any of our sons or daughters. We teach our children to obey authority figures. But, in this case, the authority figures were out of line. This situation was not handled appropriately. My heart hurts for Ashley and her friends. I’m sorry they are being made to feel unsafe in their school, by the very people who are supposed to keep them safe. I’m sorry they don’t feel free to express themselves. I’m sorry that, just because they are different than someone else, they are made to feel like criminals. And, I’m sorry that nobody seems to want to hear their side of the story. Are you listening, Frederick County? You’re hurting our kids. Stop hiding behind your policies and listen to the voices of the children. t Rev. Kelly Crenshaw is the mom of 16 adopted kids, two biological kids, Guardian of one baby girl and foster mom of dozens. Some are lesbian, some gay, some
straight, and some bisexual. Kelly founded a K-12 day school where kids could have a safe, bully-free environment for learning. She is co-owner of a counselling agency that works with children and their families. Send your parenting questions to her at pastor.kelly@comcast.net
OUT IN THE VALLEY // BRIAN’S BRAIN
Finding Pride Pride season is upon us, an exciting season of fun, parties, and celebrations for the LGBTQ community. This is a time for us to be proud of who we are, to gather and show ourselves in public, and to let the world know that we are here in numbers too big to ignore (thank you, Helen Reddy). In many ways Pride can be like a vacation from our daily lives, giving us the opportunity to fully embrace ourselves without wondering what people outside our community think of us. I like to think that Pride helps us connect with others in our community, transforming us from individuals to members of a group. Just like a ock of birds, we become less vulnerable when surrounded by our allies. It is with the support of our allies that we are able to truly y free in ways that we cannot alone. That said, we are not birds. We may be members of the same ock, but each of us is different. Our community is comprised of individuals of different backgrounds, ages, races, ethnicities, values, etc. Sometimes the only thing we have in common is identi cation with the LGBTQ community. These differences mean that
Pride does not mean the same thing to everyone. As a feeling, pride can be a tricky concept. Some of us were taught that pride is a sin to be avoided; others believe that we should be unconditionally proud of who we are. Expressing pride can be even more dif cult as it often requires balancing the sharing of strong personal feelings with self-imposed modesty. Nobody likes a braggart, so we often downplay how proud we really are of ourselves and our accomplishments because that’s what society tells us to do. Society plays a big part in pride. Every day we are exposed to in uences that tell us that we should not be proud of who we are. We are told we will be happier and better if we buy a product or change something about ourselves. If we let them, these in uences can make us feel shame – the opposite of pride. We are told that in order to be proud of ourselves we must meet standards that are often unattainable. How many times have you felt bad about yourself because of the way you look, the car you drive, the clothes you wear, the place
you live? If you’ve felt this way even once, you’re not alone. Every person struggles with these feelings from time to time. It’s normal. When these issues come up, I like to gently remind people that this is post9/11 America; we’re all damaged goods. We live in a society that seems to discourage pride. This is especially true for the LGBTQ community. The issues affecting our community are often used as political theater, distracting the public from more important issues. Each discriminatory, hateful message is a reminder that there are those in this country who view us as dangerous deviants to be monitored and controlled. It’s hard to be a proud swan when the world says you’re just an ugly duckling. Even so, pride is possible because pride is personal. We can toss out the standards and expectations of others and take pride in
the perfectly imperfect people we are. Pride festivities give us the chance to come together and contribute our own unique colors to the LGBTQ rainbow. My indigo may be different than your chartreuse, but they are each beautiful and have a place in the rainbow. Pride gives us a chance to publicly celebrate what we are, rather than dwelling on what we are not. We can support and celebrate ourselves, each other, and our differences. We can take pride in knowing that we, as individuals and a community, are surviving in a world that isn’t always kind to us. We can take pride in the courage it takes to become part of the LGBTQ community. We can take pride in knowing that our struggles are making the world a safer, more inclusive place for others. These are all things to be proud of. I know I am, and I hope you are, too. t
“As a feeling, pride can be tricky. Some of us were taught that pride is a sin to be avoided. Expressing pride requires balancing sharing strong personal feelings with modesty. Nobody likes a braggart.”
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OUT IN THE VALLEY // HEALTH
Health Chat
Debbie Anne
Some Love for My Brothers
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For all of my brothers out there, I’m sending some love to you over the next three issues because June is Men’s Health Month. Now there are lots of topics you can cover for Men’s Health Month – such as sexual health, cardiovascular health, prostate health, etc., but I’m not going to any of those usual suspects. I want to talk to you about mental health because it’s one of the most neglected areas of health for everyone, but particularly for men. The Men’s Health Network has a great little book titled “Your Head – An Owner s Manual.” It’s full of insightful information about how what’s going on in your head “affects everything” from mood to sleep to relationships and work performance, and practical information about what you can do about it. Mental-health problems can devastate your life, but you don’t have to white-knuckle through without help, and having a problem with anxiety, stress, or depression doesn’t make you “crazy,” it just makes you human. It’s estimated that one in ve Americans will have some kind of mental health illness in their lifetime, and that estimate is much higher for anyone who has suffered some type of trauma, which is the case for many LGBTs who have been kicked out of their homes or who have been bullied or discriminated against. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is all too real for many LGBTs, and that’s part of why the suicide rate for young gay and trans individuals is much higher than for the general population. Depression is a medical condition, not just the feeling of sadness or hopelessness. In fact, the bad feelings we think of when we think of depression are just a symptom. Depression usually also involves an imbalance of the natural “feel good” chemicals in your body and brain. These chemicals can become out of balance through the experience of certain circumstances like losing someone you love or going through a dif cult time in your life, but they can also beBALTIMORE OUTLOUD
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come unbalanced for no apparent reason at all, like you’re ne one day and the next day you’ve got a black cloud hanging over your head. So, how do you know if you should seek medical help? Here’s one way to tell: If you’ve been feeling down every day for more than two weeks, and at the same time, you’re not enjoying the things you usually do, then you may need assistance. You can also take an online screening at Adaa.org/iving-with-anxiety/ask-and-learn/screenings/screening-depression. This will give you some insight, and you can print out the results and talk to your doctor about them. You can also try a few things on your own to try to turn your brain chemistry back around. 1) Get some exercise, 20-30 minutes at least four times a week. If you have physical limitations, always check with your health-care provider to make sure the form of exercise you want to try is safe for you, but exercise has been shown in some studies to be very effective in reversing the chemical imbalances behind depression. 2) Force yourself to do something you enjoy. Go to a funny movie. Take a nature hike. Laughter and spending time in a natural setting are nature’s way of restoring the mind and soul. 3) Spend time with someone who is upbeat and makes you feel good. This should be someone who is sensitive to how you feel, but who also helps you see life from the sunny side. Don t spend time with other people who are depressed unless they have recovered and can give you some good tips on what helped them. If you seek medical help, your provider will most likely suggest medication, talk therapy, or a combination of both. Keep in mind that you may only need medication or therapy for a period of time. You and your doctor will make those decisions together. If you feel so badly that you are thinking of death and of ending your life, I urge you right now to call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline- available 24 hours a day: 1-800-273-8255 Over the next two issues I will also talk about anxiety disorders and dealing with stress. In the meantime, here’s where you can nd the Men’s Health Network Booklet: Menshealthnetwork.org/library/ownersmanual.pdf. t Debbie Anne is a Public Health Nurse with Frederick County Health Department in Frederick, Maryland. In 2014 was awarded a Governor s Citation for her work with Marylanders living with HIV/AIDS.
OUT IN THE VALLEY // FAITH
Spirit Speaks
Rev. Dr. Rob Apgar-Taylor
What if Christianity Was Actually About Love? Last time I began a discussion about what it means to be a Progressive Christian. I want to spend these next several issues looking at this in more detail. Today I want to focus on God and Jesus. So often our understanding of God is based on literalism – which leads to fear, guilt, and shame. Progressive Christianity teaches that God is the source of all knowing, a creative spirit that yearns for relationship between Cre-
“I like the Native American term ‘Great Spirit’ to talk about God. God is that Creative Spirit, that Energy puts all things into motion and moves through us all.” ation and Creator. When people tell me they don’t believe in God, I tell that I don’t believe in the traditional God either. And yet I’m a pastor? That sparks some very interesting conversations! I don’t believe in a literal, personi ed God who looks like an old, white man sitting on a throne ready to dole out blessings and curses based on our behavior and his mood. That is far too literal for me and frankly, that’s the kind of misrepresentation that has led to the persecution and exclusion of many people in the church’s history. If God is male than those who are female are not created as fully in God’s image. If God is white, than neither are people of color. If God is heterosexual it’s the gays who are out. You get my point. Here’s what I believe is the truth. God is not any of this and God is all of this. God is the creative spirit that moves and breathes among us. God is not a person, nor is God a gender
or race. That is an anthropomorphic representation that we used to describe something that is in reality “wholly other.” I like the Native American term “Great Spirit” to talk about God. God is that Creative Spirit, that Energy puts all things into motion and moves through us all. God is that spirit which beckons each of us to the common good, to compassion, justice, and peace. What God is not is an angry grandfather who delights in punishing evildoers. I don’t believe in a pissed-off God who demanded a blood sacri ce to satiate some heavenly, narcissistic self-indulgence. If God gets angry, we all pay. If God gets pissed, somebody has to suffer. Better Jesus than me. I used to believe that. Many of us did, some still do. I have come to understand the person of Jesus as an expression, not of God’s anger but of the immensity of God’s love. It is the nature of the Divine Spirit to be in relationship. God seeks relationship with us and for us to be in relationship with each other. Even scientists will attest the relational nature of creation and our world. The world needs healthy relationships. People need healthy relationships! Jesus taught us about what it means to be in relationship with God and each other. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus (in my spirituality) was not about appeasing an angry God, but about God demonstrating through human esh, what it looked like to live that kind of relationship. Jesus was a model of this, he was a wisdom teacher who taught about compassion, justice, inclusion, and love – and he was also a sacrice, One who taught us what it means to give ourselves in love for each other. How much differently would I approach the world if this was the basis for my theology? Instead of “Get your life right with God before you burn in hell!” (what I call Fire Insurance Theology) I approach those around me with dignity and respect. “You are God’s beloved. You were lovingly and wonderfully made. You are worthy of healthy, holistic relationships that make you a better, more loving person. Does this mean we are perfect and never do things that harm our relationships? Of course not. Those are the things we Christians call sins. And in time I need to deal with those. I need to address my temper, my resentments, and my sel shness. But instead of starting with those (guilt/shame based), Progressive Christians begin at the beginning. I am loveable and loved. So are you. You were wonderfully made in the image of Divine love, and nothing you do will ever take that away. t Dr. Rob Apgar-Taylor is pastor of Grace United Church of Christ, Frederick, and Veritas United Church of Christ, Hagerstown. BALTIMORE OUTLOUD MAY 27, 2016 • BALTIMOREOUTLOUD.COM t
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OUT IN THE VALLEY // FAITH
Education in Focus
didn’t give up on them. Jesus went around preaching his message of love to all who would listen. After Jesus’s death and resurrection, it fell to the disciples to further his message. It was amazing to hear the stories of their successes and defeats. It was discouraging to hear how hard they worked only to be jailed and abused. And, it was encouraging to hear about the wonderful people they encountered who found Jesus’s way of love to be the key to finding happiness in their own lives. We learned that even the early Christians had church struggles. The disciples wrote letters to help them learn to be bet-
BY REV. KELLY CRENSHAW For many congregations, learning about God and God’s message is an important part of ministry. New Light MCC is no exception to that concept. New Light has offered many different educational opportunities through the years. Whether it’s learning about scripture or information that is specific to the LGBTQ community, New Light is there. We have helped to educate the Washington County community about transgender-specific issues, providing a list of service providers that are LGBTQ friendly. We advocate for teens in our area schools and are called upon to provide contact information for those with questions about legal rights or discrimination issues. And, of course, we offer Bible study and other scripture-based training. Recently, our co-pastors offered a course called “The Bible in Six Weeks.” It was a fast-paced bible study that helped us see the Bible as New Light MCCers congregate a complete work, not simply as individual pieces of scripture, or even as familiar sto- ter examples of the faith. Through their ries. We were able to look at the Bible in stories, we found better ways to work with our own congregation and our struggles. its entirety. It was an intense study. We covered And, even though our study was a quick many books each week. We discovered one, it was a strong lesson about history that the Old Testament is filled with sto- and faith. Leaning about God’s love for us is an ries of war, laws, and heritage. When the people obeyed God, they won battles and ongoing process. But, this thing we know: were successful, but when they disobeyed God loves all of us. God doesn’t look at God, their luck ran out. We learned about sexual orientation or gender. God loves us the ancestors of Jesus himself. And, we all. And, we believe it’s always worth our found a lot of laws that made perfect sense time to learn more about love. t For more info about New Light contact at the time, but quickly became outdated, one of the co-pastors at 301-797-5698 or even for Jesus and his contemporaries. And then, we read the New Testament. newlightmcc@hotmail.com. The New Testament taught us that Jesus’s mission and ministry was all about love. He didn’t come in like the warrior king the Jewish people expected. Instead he socialized with outcasts and talked about forgiveness and love. We heard how the people’s confusion and we learned that Jesus
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THINKING OUTLOUD
Pointing it Out
By Sage Piper
D. Watkins and the Different Sounds of Hope This week marks the birthday of LGBT leader and hero Harvey Milk, who would be turning 86 had he not been gunned down 38 years ago by Dan White in San Francisco, along with then-mayor George Moscone. Just a year before, Milk had made history when he was elected to serve as a San Francisco City Supervisor and became one of the rst openly LGBT elected of cials in the country. Milk, who actively envisioned a world where all people, regardless of sexual orientation, race, or gender identity were treated equally, is famous for stating, “Hope will never be silent.” I thought about Harvey Milk and the often meandering progress of hope as I sat listening to local author D. Watkins on a rainy evening in Baltimore this week. Watkins was on the stump promoting his second book, The Cook Up: A Crack Rock Memoir, and his presentation was markedly different that I had expected. Watkins presents as a product of the hard streets of Baltimore, ready to save his city -but not in the way you might think. He starts off announcing that this is his third event of the day, but brushes away his fatigue with words of thanks to those gathered, those who care enough to engage. Then he proceeds to talk about “what I really care about” – the fact that he had spent the day at City College giving out 225 copies of his books to young people. He describes how excited they were, and he is honored that
they care about his book. His eyes shine when he describes learning what they like and how they are going to take things to the next level. It quickly becomes clear what D. Watkins’ mission is – getting the young people of Baltimore to be excited about themselves. “It’s about them,” he says. D. Watkins survived life on the streets in Baltimore’s drug world. And he’s out there sharing his story. But he isn’t obsessing on it. As it turns out, he’s focusing on what got him out, and that is the writing. His individual story is now just a means to his ends. “Writing has transformed me,” he said, “the reading and the writing.” And he’s determined to use his platform as a writer to reach the generation coming up, and the generation after that. He’s using his energy to work with educators who put books into the hands of young people. “We didn’t get a lot of books that spoke to us,” he says about his own youth. “I didn’t know there were professional writers and artists, and I wasn’t writing when I was 15.” He recalls the rst real book he ever read, the re it lit in him which burns still. He spends his days honing his craft, constantly asking himself how he can improve, be a better storyteller. His advice to young writers is to read and write every day, to need it as much as food and sleep. He has a stack of letters from kids, but it’s next to the stacks of rejection letters that he received when he was rst started out. Building on his platform as a writer means everything to him. Determined to use where he is to help create the new generation of thinker, Watkins has his plan all worked out. First he works hard to create language that is accessible to those who aren’t educated and sell his work to publishing companies so they can get to where they need to be. Then
it’s working with teachers to get them into the hands of young people - so they can relate, seeing a picture on the back cover that looks like them. If the book is full of people of stories who don’t speak for them, then they are not represented in the narrative. And then, the seeds of self-love are not there. “That’s where my heart is,” he smiles. So he goes to schools and engages with all the kids he can, and he gets them to read. Watkins does not believe that his past life on the street needs to dictate the rest of his life. “Redemption,” his inspirational grandmother told him, “is a real thing. It’s not how you start but how you finish. And when you are lost, every direction is right.” You have to start somewhere. Watkins doesn’t glamorize the drug life, but he doesn’t demonize D. Watkins
those who get caught up in it – those who don’t know anything else, who don’t have the mentors or opportunities to go in different directions. That’s where he comes in. “The work I do,” Watkins says, “it’s not going to happen overnight. The system’s been in place for hundreds of years. I may not see the result.” As a writer, he wants to create the lane for other writers. “I’m just one guy,” he says, “There are so many stories and voices. I just want to be a person who passes the rod.” Here’s his profession of hope: “They’re going to be better writers than me.” Watkins concedes that it is difficult to get people who are successful to stay and live in Baltimore. He is determined to stay, to help others to build. He believes that everyone who has success needs to be a mentor, to lend a hand so that someone else can achieve further success. For him, it’s through writing. “I’m not about police/community relations,” he says. “Writing – that’s what I know.” That’s how he is determined to build relationships, to reach young people – using his platform as a writer so they can get more attention. “I’m fighting it that way,” he smiles. This is the kind of hope Harvey Milk was talking about. t
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QUALITY OF LIFE
Lesbian Love
Barb Elgin
Love: Cherry on My Sundae I don’t know about you, but as a career-focused, family-oriented, happily single woman who just turned 55, dating hasn’t been on the top of my list. It’s true. I’ve been living a “too-full life” that I’ve both worked hard to create and gotten used to – and, for the most part, I am satis ed. I’m one of those ever-positive people who has recently been experimenting with the art of growing where I’m planted. I’ve already conquered worlds and pursued my dreams. I’ve own and I’ve crashed. Now I’m content to land and savor what I have. and that’s been working really well for me. For example, one of the big reasons I moved back to Baltimore was to re-establish relationships with friends and especially family. And to start planning for a nancially-secure retirement. Awfully practical compared to my younger self! Being single as I live it now has been pretty much drama free. I like that. I like not being infatuated with someone or being lost in a relationship I can’t seem to extricate myself from, even if it is unhealthy for me. I don’t even think I want to be in any relationship that is a lot of work to maintain. Over time I’ve observed the ongoing dramas families and couples go through and I nd myself saying more often these days “I’m so glad that phase of my life is over.” Actually, I am quite surprised I feel this way. After all, I’ve always prided myself as a romantic. But hopeless romantic no more. Indeed, since becoming an adult, along
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THINKING OUT LOUD // MARK MY WORDS with the rapid changes I’ve experienced happening in general in society, I’ve seen love relationships shift dramatically too. I used to believe, for example, that I couldn’t live without a committed relationship that lasted till I left this earth. So far, reality has proven otherwise. When it comes to love, I know that I am running out of time to “get it right.” This is not pressure. I’ve never “gotten love wrong.” Both of my long-term relationships were incredible learning experiences. But when it comes to nding love again, I would imagine the love I want next time around is more than anything else: joyful and fun. A proverbial “cherry on the top of my sundae.” I recognize now too how much pressure making it work or even living together can put on two individuals in a couple. Yes! I think it’s wise – for example – for everyone considering living together either before marriage or instead of marriage to consider keeping separate residences if that is best for them rather than feel they must merge households, too. Maybe merging hearts is enough. We can talk more in depth about that issue in a future article if you want. Coincidentally, I’ve been toying with a particular dating site over the past several months or so, using the free version. Today they offered me a discount to become a paid member and I said yes! It feels right. So, I guess I am ready to take it to the next level. I can’t wait to tell you more about my online dating adventures in future articles. I of course will be very discreet; I don’t want to identify anyone. Stay tuned! t Barb Elgin, MSW, is a Certi ed Singles Coach who has been coaching and counseling single, dating, and coupled lesbians for over 25 years. If you re interested in connecting with other women-who-love-women in healthy social and travel environments that combine fun and learning, join Barb s complimentary email list here: Lastinglesbianlove.com/lesbiansocial-and-travel-withheart.
MAY 27, 2016 • BALTIMOREOUTLOUD.COM
You Asked, I Answered BY MARK SEGAL This week’s column is (mostly) not about Donald Trump. Instead, as I do from time to time, I asked my Facebook friends to suggest topics. So here goes: Anne Marguriet and Cathie Gansert suggested: “How can rights be decided by states? The Republicans think each state should decide if they’ll allow LGBT use the correct bathroom.” Very good point. It’s the same discussion that we’ve had since the start of this nation. Who has the power: the states or the federal government? That question has, in some ways, been answered by the U.S. Supreme Court. When states abuse their power, the federal government must step in to protect citizens’ rights. So, any candidate who pushes states’ rights (as Trump does), ask them what they’ll do about LGBT rights in North Carolina. Jayson A. Messner wants to know: “Why are some LGBTQ people supporting Adolf Trump, even after he commented on trying to take away some LGBTQ rights if he becomes president?” We at PGN have been unable to nd a local LGBT person who is supporting Trump. To my national audience, if you’re out there, we’d love you to write an op-ed about why you support him. It’s always good to allow free space for those who disagree with you! I’m sure they’re out there, but very few and far between. I personally think any LGBT person who supports candidates who would take away our rights must be self-loathing. Jeff Sotland suggested: “A perspective on how some within the Republican party may be changing on LGBT rights.” This is a great observation. The presumptive Republican nominee for president, not surprisingly, has tried to have it both ways, but his “allow the state to decide” stance makes it clear that LGBT rights would be rolled back if he was
elected. Most Republicans are keeping pretty quiet on the subject, since they’ve seen a tectonic shift in public-opinion polls in recent years, with the majority of the country strongly supporting equality. Just note the long list of prominent Republicans who come out in support of the LGBT community, starting with the nation’s rst Secretary of Homeland Security, Tom Ridge. Among the more-than 300 Republicans who signed on to a brief calling on the Supreme Court to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide were 23 current and former Congressmembers and senators, as well as seven current and former governors. But here’s the rub: The Republican platform still has a provision that marriage equality must be overturned. Evan Sorg said: “The importance of the presidential election on the Supreme Court (notably, recent LGBT victories) and how Bernie affects Clinton’s chances by staying in (and potentially contributing to electing Trump, and thus, conservative justices).” Excellent point. The likelihood is high that any justices Trump would appoint would not only be opposed to marriage equality but could also roll back other successes our community and our allies have had. Beckie Schatschneider brought up: “The need for more school districts to implement policies in support of their trans and gender-nonconforming students.” There’s an easy answer: Make our trans children/teens feel welcomed and create an atmosphere where they can learn and not feel disenfranchised. This column was not supposed to be a Donald Trump column … but we go where your questions lead us.t Mark Segal is publisher of PhiladelPhia gay neWs. His new memoir and then i danced is out now. Follow him at Facebook.com/MarkSegalPGN or Twitter.com/PhilaGayNews.
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LIVELY ARTS // OUT ON SCREEN
More Than Just Nice BY CHUCK DUNCAN It’s not very often that a movie comes along that warrants repeat viewing, but Shane Black’s newest, The Nice Guys, is a film that demands repeat viewing. And that’s a good thing, because the film is so densely packed with good stuff that you are certain to have missed little things here and there. The story takes place in a perfectly realized seedy and smog-choked 1977 Los Angeles. Private investigator Holland March (Ryan Gosling) gladly takes money from people to search for missing loved ones, who are most often already dead (and he knows that). But he accepts a case to “find” a young woman he knows for sure died in a horrific car accident (that opens the film) two days earlier. Another investigator, Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe), is hired out by people to persuade others to stop bothering them, usually with a set of brass knuckles to the kisser. Healy is hired by a young woman to
The Nice Guys is Great!
persuade March to stop looking for her, but this is where things get a bit convoluted by a case of mistaken identity that opens up a whole new can of worms involving the porno industry and ... the real-life Federal lawsuit against Detroit auto makers for conspiring to delay anti-smog devices (catalytic converters, specifically) on cars. Only Shane Black could take some arcane piece of legal history that most have either forgotten or don’t even know about today and make it a pivotal plot point of a movie. And how this case ties in with the porn industry and the two investigators makes for one of the most entertaining movies of the year so far. It would actually be pointless to even try to explain the intricacies of Black’s plot because The Nice Guys is just something you have to see for yourself to enjoy the experience. Besides the script and Black’s direction, the cast is a well-oiled machine. Crowe and Gosling act almost as a reverse Abbott and Costello, with the heavier-set Healy playing the straight man to the thinner March (in one scene, March has a blatant Lou Costello panic moment when he
Designated driver on the right
accidentally comes across a dead body). Crowe’s Healy is a very matter-of-fact kind of guy and nothing really fazes him, and the actor plays the part to perfection, especially when he has to juggle not only keeping March out of trouble (after the two realize their cases are related and team up), but appoints himself a guardian to March’s daughter Holly (a terrific Angourie Rice), an apple who doesn’t fall far from the tree, but with a few more smarts than her dad. Speaking of her dad, Ryan Gosling is a revelation. The actor is more well-known for his intense, dramatic roles, but he has shown a bit of a comic flair in the past. This time he goes all out for the physical and verbal comedy the role requires, but he never becomes a caricature. His March is actually a bit pathetic in the way he knowingly cheats people, usually the elderly, out of their money, and then drinks it all away (13-year-old Holly usually acts as his chauffeur). But March also has a dark past when it is revealed what happened to his wife, why he and Holly live in a rental home that she hates, and why Holly spends more time in an empty lot reading than she does at home. Gosling captures all of the nuances of his character and treads a fine line of going over the top, but always reigns himself back in before crossing that line. Black has packed the film with so much
visual and verbal humor that it’s easy to miss a lot of plot points. He’s also got some big names in smaller roles – Matt Bomer, Kim Basinger, Keith David, Yaya DaCosta – but they shine just as brightly under his direction. And classic TV fans may even recognize Buck Rogers himself – Gil Gerard – in a small role near the end of the film at the car show (interestingly, I met Gil Gerard when he made an appearance at a Baltimore car show when Buck Rogers in the 25th Century was on the air). The period detail and music choices are also right on the money. It’s only May and there is still quite some time to go before the end of the year, but I am confidently going to say The Nice Guys will end up on my Top Ten list of favorite movies of 2016 (and quite possibly Top Five). I’m not sure how a film that’s going to require audiences to actually pay attention to the plot and dialog is going to play to the summer crowds, but I sure hope the film is a financial success because it would be great to see these two characters tackle another case. A bit of movie trivia: While The Nice Guys is a Warner Bros. film, watch the billboards on Hollywood Boulevard and you’ll see at least three Universal films on display – Smokey and the Bandit, Jaws 2, and Airport 77. t
“Private investigator Holland March (Ryan Gosling) gladly takes money from people to search for missing loved ones, who are most often already dead (and he knows that).”
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LIVELY ARTS // SCREEN SAVOR
Senior Moments
BY GREGG SHAPIRO The unrated DVD of Dirty Grandpa (Lionsgate) opens at the funeral of reserved corporate lawyer Jason’s (Zac Efron) grandmother. Her death was cancer-related, but stoner cousin Nick (Adam Pally) thinks she was murdered. Following the funeral service where Jason’s self-absorbed fiancé Meredith (Julianne Hough) does a pisspoor job of comforting him, Jason is recruited to drive grandpa Dick (Robert DeNiro) from Atlanta to Boca Raton. Off to a bad start, beginning with Jason walking in on Dick masturbating, followed by the insult of having to drive Meredith’s pink convertible Mini (which Dick refers to as the “giant labia,” “the Dildomobile,” and other choice names). Dick appears intent on shocking Jason every opportunity he gets, including disapproving of the way his grandson abandoned his dream of being a photographer and traveling the world. Dick thinks because Jason is an attorney at his father’s law firm it gives him the right to call him names (such as “Alan Douche-o-witz”) and assault him in other ways. But things change in a big way when, at a diner, Shadia (Zoey Deutch), a former classmate of Jason’s, recognizes him. Shadia, Lenore (Aubrey Plaza) and gay pal Bradley (out actor Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman) are on their way to Daytona Beach and invite Jason and Dick to tag along. Single for the first time in 40 years, Dick wants to “fuck until” his penis “falls off” and asks Jason to be his wingman, not a cockblocker. In other words, it’s all downhill from there. Oscar-winner DeNiro has been cussing up a storm in movies for more than 40 years, so it’s not surprising (or all that entertaining) to hear him spewing expletives. What’s different is the nasty tone which is simply ugly. Sure, the sight of a practically naked Zac Efron, as well as an often shirtless dumb jock/villain named Cody (Jake Picking), are things of beauty. But all of it, especially the drug humor, wears thin pretty quickly. DVD bonus features include audio commentary as well as a couple of featurettes.
Filmmaker Atom Egoyan is well-known for making films that aren’t easy to watch (see The Sweet Hereafter) and Remember (A24) is no exception. Oscar winners Christopher Plummer (Beginners) and Martin Landau (Ed Wood) play Zev and Max, respectively, two Jewish residents of a senior housing community facility. Zev, still observing the mourning period following his wife Ruth’s passing, suffers from dementia. Max is confined to a wheelchair and on oxygen from COPD. However he still has his wits about him and sends Zev on a mission of great importance to both men. Max tells Zev that they are the last living survivors of their Auschwitz prison block, and Zev is the only man who can still recognize the face of Otto Wallisch, who goes by the alias Rudy Kurlander, the Blockführer who killed their families. Zev slips out of the senior community and into a taxi with only an envelope containing a multi-page precise instructional letter from Max, a train ticket to Cleveland, and a few hundred dollars in cash. After a stop at a pawn shop to purchase a gun, Zev begins his incredible journey by train and bus in which he meets a series of men named Rudy Kulander. Some of the men still live with family members; others are nearing the ends of their lives in long-term care facilities. One, who was a gay concentration camp survivor, elicits an unexpected response from Zev. In his search to find Otto/Rudy, Zev has an especially terrifying encounter in Boise, Idaho (so much for Silver Alerts, right?) with John (Dean Norris), the anti-Semitic sheriff son of a deceased Nazi memorabilia collector. The confrontation results in Zev wetting his pants, a reaction that could easily occur amongst audience members. Nevertheless, Zev perseveres until he comes face to face with the one Rudy who reveals an utterly shocking and surprising secret about Zev and his quest. Calling the unforgettable Remember riveting is an understatement. DVD special features include audio commentary by director Egoyan, writer Benjamin August, and producer Robert Lantos, as well as a pair of featurettes. t BALTIMORE OUTLOUD MAY 27, 2016 • BALTIMOREOUTLOUD.COM t
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LIVELY ARTS // PERSONALITIES
Picture Perfect BY GREGG SHAPIRO It’s been ve years since country diva Lorrie Morgan released a new studio album. If you’ve been waiting patiently, your persistence is about to be rewarded with not one, but two new albums from Morgan. The rst, Letting You Go... Slow (Shanachie), is a fabulous mix of covers of classic tunes (“Ode To Billie Joe,” “Lay Lady Lay,” “Is it Raining at Your House?”) with newer selections (“Slow,” “Something About Trains,” the Morgan original “How Does it Feel”), that is a most welcome return. The second album, A Picture of Me (Goldenlane) takes an unusual approach to the greatest-hits concept with all-new recordings of some of Morgan’s most beloved songs, alongside cover versions of some of her personal favorites. I spoke with Morgan about the new albums and more before she embarked on a concert tour. Gregg Shapiro: Lorrie, I d like to talk about your new album Letting You Go… Slow from the outside in, beginning with the retro album cover and hairstyle. I love it and it immediately brought Tammy Wynette to mind. Was that the intention? Lorrie Morgan: [Laughs] It wasn’t to bring Tammy to mind. Bridget Bardot was the actual inspiration. We wanted it to be a classy album shoot. Not your typical, “Okay, smile! Here we are!” album cover. When you open it up, some it’s a little sexier than most. That’s how I wanted to do it. I said, “You know what? I want to do this while I’ve still got it. I don’t know how long I’m going to keep it [laughs].” GS: On the back cover there s a picture of you and your dog Weezy. Would you please say something about your dogs? LM: Well, I could say a lot! I’m a big animal lover. Weezy was our little rescue pit. We’ve had him for about six-and-a-half years now. We also have another pit that a friend of mine gave me from Louisiana. I’m glad we got her because Weezy was getting to the point where he was just bored, laying around. We brought Puddin’ in and it gave him new life. She’s brought out a lot of the puppy still in him. I have two Great Pyrenees. All of the dogs’ names are taken from movies. Abigail is from Abby Normal in Young Frankenstein. Ray, my biggest Pyrenees get his name from Ray Gibson in Life. Except for Weezy, he’s named for a rapper. I didn’t name him – he already had his name
when I got him. GS: Being a country music legacy, the daughter of the late George Morgan, do you feel like you had a personal or professional responsibility to continue your family s music tradition? LM: No. I don’t feel like I have that responsibility. Thank God that it became a love of mine. I didn’t feel responsible. I don’t feel that today it’s my job to carry that on. If I didn’t love it, I wouldn’t be doing it. If I hated it, I’d get out. Responsible or not, I’m at the age now where I’m not going to do this because I’ve got to carry on my dad’s name. I’m at the age now where if I don’t still love it, I’m out! Right now I’m at the stage where I’m loving it. GS: Letting You Go… Slow is mainly an album of cover versions, some of which will be familiar to listeners. How do you approach covering a standard in order to make it your own? LM: You approach it very graciously. The rst thing you realize is that you’re not competing with the original, you’re paying tribute to a song you love. If you look at it from that perspective… I would never try and outdo a Vern Gosdin cut. Never. You couldn’t do it. If you try and say, “We’re going to make it better than Vern,” it’s not going to happen. I loved Vern Gosdin. He was a very dear friend of mine, one that I miss all the time. It’s just my way of saying, “Vern, this is a badass song and I want to record it.” Same way with the Patsy Cline song “Strange.” I’ve loved it since I was a little girl. Nobody can compete with Patsy. You might as well go out and sing to the forest; nobody’s going to listen. People call them cover tunes. They are, but it’s my way of saying, “I want to sing your songs, because I love y’all. I loved the way you did it.” That’s all – no competition there. GS: What was the thought behind including one original, the album closer “How Does it Feel”? LM: Kris Kristofferson told me, “Don’t you ever record an album without one or two of your songs on it.” I will always remember
An interview with Lorrie Morgan
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those words. Since I was told that, every album has one of my songs on it [laughs]. “How Does it Feel” was a heartfelt and true to life song that I wrote. That song was cautiously and quickly written and it meant a lot to me. GS: You include a wonderful and respectful rendition of “Ode to Billie Joe.” What do you think it was that was thrown off the Tallahatchie Bridge in the song? LM: I guess I think it’s what everybody thinks. If you look at the song in perspective, had she been seeing Billie Joe for a long time? If that’s the case, it could have been a baby. But in the timeline of the song, it doesn’t really give it time to be a baby. So, I don’t know. GS: Maybe somebody burned dinner and they hurled it off the bridge.
LM: That’s what I think! It just went over. GS: How did you go about selecting new songs, such as “Jesus & Hairspray,” “Spilt Milk,” and “Something about Trains” for the disc? LM: It wasn’t hard because these songs were great. This is my rst new album in more than ve years. I’ve held onto “Spilt Milk” for at least 12 years. Very luckily, Liz Morin, here in Nashville, pitched me those songs, “There’s Something About Trains” and “Jesus & Hairspray,” last minute. When I heard, [sings] “There’s just something about trains,” I said, “Say no more, I’ll take it. I want it.” I have a lifelong respect and wonderment about trains, I always have. I held onto (Letting You Go…) “Slow” for about three years. My daughter-in-law (Ashlee Hewitt) wrote that. She’s now with the group Post Monroe
that’s getting some pretty good recognition here in Nashville. She was my bandleader for about three years and she wrote that song. I said, “Ashlee, if you love me, you’ll let me hold that song until I’m ready to record.” And she did. That’s probably going to be my next single. “How Does it Feel” is the current single and we’re getting a lot of great airplay, a lot of good response. I’m totally shocked because we really didn’t go in with this album with radio in mind at all. We went in with this album strictly for me and my fans’ pleasure. GS: A Picture of Me, your second album to be released this year, consists of re-recordings of a number of your songs, including “Something In Red,” how did this concept come about? LM: I don’t frickin’ know, to be honest! My manager said that a record label in California wanted to a side album and re-record the old songs and re-release it have it out there as a greatest hits (disc). We also recorded some I’d never recorded (before), a couple Tammy Wynette songs and a Dottie West song. Things that I really love. It’s a greatest hits re-sung. They went into the studio in California and cut all of these tracks and sent them to me in Nashville and I put my voice on them. It’s a special offer kind of album for fans who come to the show, or they can buy it online. GS: In 1992, at my friends Allison and Gay s commitment ceremony, “Something in Red” was the one they chose for their rst dance, and it’s the song they dance to every year on their anniversary. Are you aware of a following in the LGBT community? LM: I wasn’t aware until we did a gay pride street party (festival) in South Carolina in 2014 and they hired me to sing. I could not believe the people at that stage that knew every word to every song. I want to tell you, it’s the best we’ve ever been treated at a show. These people were so nice. I can’t tell you. I guess maybe I did know (about it) because I have a very good, close gay friend. He calls me Larry. He says, “Larry, you have no idea the people that love you out there.” I’m glad I don’t because I’d have a head as big as my swimming pool if I did [laughs]. I do have a lot of gay friends in my fan club. I have this one fella who, if he hears anything bad about me, he’ll call me on my cell phone. I might not hear from him for a year and then he’ll call me and say, “Girl, I’ve got to tell you, I took up for you today” [laughs]. He’s hilarious. GS: I m glad you ve been embraced in that way. It s fantatstic. LM: Me, too! There’s not a prejudiced bone in my body, my friend. t
LIVELY ARTS // QMUSIC
Even More Solos and Sides BY GREGG SHAPIRO Before she was Anohni, she was the androgynous Antony Hegarty of the celebrated chamber cabaret act Antony and the Johnsons. As if to make the transition complete, with the exception of Anohni’s unique vocal style, very little on her solo debut album
Hopelessness (Secretly Canadian) bares any resemblance to what came before. The focus here is on electronics and experimentation which, in a way, softens the blow of the some of the subject matter in songs such as “4 Degrees” (climate change), “Drone Bomb Me” (warfare), “Watch Me” (abuse), “Execution” (threats from abroad), “Obama” (political dissatisfaction), and so on. Not quite as visceral as, say, Transgender Dysphoria Blues by Against Me! (led by trans musician Laura Jane Grace), Hopelessness is nevertheless an inspiring new chapter in Anohni’s story. Much occurred between the release of Gwen Stefani’s second solo album and her new one This is What the Truth Feels Like (Interscope). Stefani ended one relationship and started another. She also regrouped with her No Doubt band-mates and released an album, and became a TV personality, too. The dozen songs on Truth, co-written with gay songwriter Justin Tranter and his songwriting partner Julia Michaels and others, sound like she’s trying to bring
us (and herself) up-to-date. After everything she’s been through it’s not surprising that the disc is something of a downer. Misery loves company, so anyone who’s experienced heartbreak will nd something to relate to in “Truth” and “Used to Love You,” for example. The bubbly “Make Me Like You” is the only song that sounds like the kind of hit we’re used to from Gwen. Often mythologized as the “godfather of punk,” Iggy Pop has been making music for more than 50 years, as a member of psychedelic rock band The Stooges as well as being a solo artist. On Post Pop Depression (Loma Vista), his 17th solo album, Pop’s joined by what amounts to a band, led by Josh Homme and Dean Fertitia of Queens of the Stone Age and Matt Helders of Arctic Monkeys. More new wave than punk (like his late 70s albums with the recently departed David Bowie), songs such as “Gardenia,” “American Valhalla,” “Sunday,” “Chocolate Drops,” and “German Days” rank among Pop’s best and most memorable work. You might recognize Kristin Kontrol (a.k.a. Kristin Welchez ), who also goes by Dee Dee, as the lead singer of the Dum Dum Girls. Her solo debut, X-Communicate (Sub Pop) is an accessible set of 80s new wave inspired electro-pop. A few of the songs, including the title cut and “Skin Shed,” are custom-made for club play. In fact, “X-Communicate,” has Tea Dance diva written all over it. While others – such as “White Street,” “(Don’t) Wannabe,” “Going Thru the Motions,” and “Drive the Night” – do a sensational job of inspiring nostalgia in listeners, whether you remember the 1980s or not. Possessing too much talent and energy to be contained in Squirrel Nut Zippers or his band Andrew Bird’s Bowl of Fire, Andrew Bird has stuck to being his own man for most of the 21st century. Are You Serious (Loma Vista), Bird’s latest solo ight
has the string play we expect from him and his violin, as well as his trademark whistling (check out “Chemical Switches” and title tune, for example). Additionally, there is an increasing accessibility – and dare it be said, commercial energy – at work. This comes through especially on “Puma” and “Roma Fade.” “Bellevue” is a deceptively simple and honest love song and Bird’s duet with Fiona Apple on “Left Handed Kisses” shouldn’t be missed. Not surprisingly, Clairy Browne (of Clairy Browne and the Bangin’ Rackettes) has stepped out on her own in sky-high heels for her solo debut Pool (Vanguard). Browne, who sang a duet with RuPaul on his track “Born Naked,” sounds poised to cash in on the Adele and Andra Day followers who want something just a little sassier. She serves it up to hot and fresh and wet on the title cut, “Love Song To The World,” “Califalling For You,” “F.U.B.,” “Birthday Suit,” and the dance
track “With You.” Dive in, y’all! Zayn (Malik) of One Direction didn’t too badly for himself on Mind of Mine (RCA), his solo debut. For example, the rst single “Pillowtalk” was a certi able hit. If Zayn also wants to put the One Direction chapter of his career (and youth) behind him, he’s headed in the right direction here. A more sophisticated album than might expect from a former member of 1D, songs such as “Befour,” “Rear View,” “Fool for You,” and “Lucozade” bode well for his future. Love Letter For Fire (Sub Pop) is a lovely collaboration by Iron & Wine’s Sam Beam & Jesca Hoop. A folky affair that works to the bene t of both, with Beam and Hoop’s voices complementing the other. Beam grounds Hoop on songs such as “Soft Place to Land,” “We Two are the Moon” and “Bright Lights and Goodbyes.” Hoop occasionally gets Beam to cut loose with the best examples of the latter being the delightful “Chalk it Up to Chi,” as well as “Valley Clouds” and “Midas Tongue.” t
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LIVELY ARTS // BETWEEN THE BOOK COVERS
Pride and Summer 2016 Reading
BY GREGG SHAPIRO Poetic license – Now in its second printing, a remarkable achievement for a book of poetry, Night Sky With Exit Wounds (Copper Canyon Press, 2016), the full-length debut collection by lauded gay poet Ocean Vuong, is not only deserving of all the praise it has already received (including a Whiting Award), but much of the acclaim that is sure to follow in its wake. Award-winning lesbian writer and educator Julie Marie Wade seamlessly merges the poetry and memoir realms of her work in Catechism: A Love Story (Noctuary Press, 2016), resulting in a dazzling collection of poetic essays about loving others and learning to love oneself. Poetry by Jeff Mann, Trebor Healey, Alan Martinez, Mark Ward, Daniel Allen Cox, Jonathan Lay, Miles Grif s, Stephen Mead, and a collaboration by Elizabeth J. Colen and Carol Guess, are among the selections found in Not Just Another Pretty Face (Beautiful Dreamer Press, 2016), ed-
ited by Louis Flint Ceci. Fictional forays – Taking place in the 24 hours in and around the time that Rasa, “a gay man living in an unnamed Arab country,” is outed by his grandmother, putting his life, his boyfriend Taymour’s life and the lives of others in jeopardy, Saleem Haddad’s debut novel Guapa (Other Press, 2016), is a welcome introduction to a new literary voice. The late Jackie Collins often included gay characters in her beach-read novels, including Dante, the gay brother of Lucky Santangelo. The “ever-powerful” Lucky is the main focus of Collins’s nal novel The Santangelos (St. Martin’s Press, 2016). 19th century literary heroine George Eliot (born Marian Evans), who wrote novels such as Middlemarch and The Mill On the Floss, under a male pseudonym in order for her work to be taken seriously, is the subject of The Honeymoon (Other Press, 2016) by Dinitia Smith, about the author’s brief, late-in-life marriage to the consider-
Books for beach & bungalow
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ably younger John Walter Cross. Miss Beadle, Mary X, and Me,” details Arriving in time for the 2016 political Stewart’s 50-year career in movies and on season, The Pink Bus (Lethe Press, 2016) television, including roles in Little House on by journalist and critic Christopher Kelly, the Prairie, Eraserhead and Twin Peaks, takes us on a journey through Texas Senate and her friendships with Joni Mitchell and candidate Patrick Francis Monaghan’s life, others. following an assassination attempt during a Long out of print, Blue Days, Black campaign stop. Nights (Lethe Press, 2016), Oscar-nomiY/A? OK! – The Great American nated screenwriter Ron Nyswaner’s (PhilWhatever (Simon & Schuster), the third Y/A adelphia) brutal memoir of his decline into novel by gay writer Tim Federle, described drugs and sexual obsession has been reisas a “winning testament to the power of old sued with an introduction by director Jonamovies and new memories,” introduces us than Demme and an epilogue by Nyswaner. to 16-year-old Quinn who, in the midst of With the lengthy subtitle, “Writers mourning the death of his sister just might Re ect on Love, Longing, and the Lastbe falling in love. ing Power of Their First Celebrity Crush,” David Levithan, no stranger to collabo- co-editors Cathy Alter and David Singleration (see Nick & Norah’s In nite Playlist, ton’s Crush (William Morrow, 2016) feafor example), teams up with Nina LaCour tures contributions by queer writers such for the novel You Know Me Well (St. Mar- Richard McCann (on Bette Davis), Shane tin’s Grif n, 2016), a “friends at rst sight” Harris (on Mark Hamill) and Roxane Gay story told in alternating chapters about (on Almanzo Wilder) and straight writers Mark and Kate. including Jodi Picoult (on Donny Osmond), Born of Y/A author Kody Keplinger’s Steven King (on Kim Novak) and James “love of female friendship,” her fth nov- Franco (on River Phoenix). el Run (Scholastic Press), features bi Bo If having four lesbian moms isn’t inspiand sheltered Agnes, who go on the run ration enough for a memoir such as Queerand encounter a series of life-changing ex- spawn in Love (She Writes Press, 2016), periences that only deepens their unlikely then Kellen Anne Kaiser’s own personal friendship. journey, including a stint in the Israeli army Set about 100 years into the future, The and the challenges of maintaining a heteroChronicles of Spartak: Rising Son (Ju- sexual romance certainly qualify as fodder. bilation Media, 2016) by “soldier, A memoir about teacher, journalist, state legislator, Kevin “raising a gender creliterary commissioner” Steven A. Mumford ative child from toddler Coulter, is the rst in a series told to adult,” My Son Wears “through the eyes” of 16-year-old Heels (Wisconsin, 2016) athlete Spartak Jones. by Julie Tarney begins The memoir s the thing with the chapter “How Do – Baptist pastor’s son Garrard You Know I’m a Boy?,” a Conley’s Boy Erased: A Memoir question she was asked (Riverhead Press, 2016) is about by her then two-year-old his family’s inability to come to son Harry in the early terms with his being gay, leading 1990s, and follows the to the writer spending time at the author on her quest for soul-crushing ex-gay Christian answers. ministry formerly known as Love Necessary non- cIn Action, and how he survived the expe- tion – Kevin Mumford, a professor of history rience. at the University of Illinois at Champaign-UrElectronic music legend and activist bana is the author of Not Straight, Not Moby (aka Richard Melville Hall), a longtime White (University of North Carolina Press, friend of the LGBT community who counted 2016) , subtitled “Black Gay Men from the out DJs including the late Frankie Knuck- March on Washington to the AIDS Crisis.” les and Danny Tenaglia among his closest In Fair Play (Akashic / Edge of Sports, associates, tells his story in Porcelain: A 2016), Cyd Zeigler, “one of the foremost Memoir (Penguin Press, 2016). experts on LGBT issues in sports,” writes Co-written by actress Charlotte Stew- about “how sports have transformed for art with Andy Demsky, Little House in the LGBT athletes,” including Michael Sam, BritHollywood Hills (BearManor Media, 2016), ney Griner, Jason Collins, John Amaechi, subtitled “A Bad Girl’s Guide to Becoming Billy Bean, and Fallon Fox. t
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B’MORE IN THE KNOW
PEOPLE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD
‘Toruk – The First Flight’ Brings The Healing Hands of Magic of Avatar to Baltimore Jeffrey Grabelle BY FRANKIE KUJAWA Cirque du Soleil’s “Toruk – The First Flight” soars into Baltimore this month bringing with it a stunning cavalcade of vivid characters from the world of Avatar. The mythical tale, set thousands of years before the events in James Cameron’s Academy Award-nominated lm, tells the story of Ralu, Entu, and Tsyak who must search out Toruk in order to save the sacred Tree of Souls from a natural catastrophe. Baltimore OUTloud recently chatted with Toruk acrobat Dustin Walston about the upcoming performance. “Audiences can expect that, unlike other Cirque du Soleil Dustin shows, this one has a linear Walston storyline. You get to follow the three main characters through their journeys. It really creates an immersive world that audiences can enjoy through the many multimedia projections.” Texas-native Walston began his acrobatic training in power tumbling at age 15 and continued competing through college. He rst began working with Cirque du Soleil in “Chris Angel – Believe” at Luxor in Las Vegas. “My role [in “Toruk”] centers around the ve tribes in the story. I’m in three of those tribes. The rst tribe is similar to that in the movie Avatar. The second tribe is very reserved and noble. The nal one is a very raw, warrior-like tribe.” Walston continued, “This is a very grounded, creaturely show. The cast had to really be into the character movements. You can be an acclaimed gymnast, but you have to be into the character movements, as well. From the creation process there are a lot of classes in how nature-focused our performance had to be. We practiced animal movements ranging from having increased hearing to an increased sense of smell. We incorporated the use of piercing eyes that can see in the dark.” Walston also commented on the physical training that went into a show of this caliber. “The conditioning was also very important. It’s an arena show and there
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is a lot of running space. This performance is very much cardio.” Toruk brings the experience of being in such a vividly, colorful world to the audiences. “The show is one that uses a lot of multimedia.” Walston explained. “There’s a lot of projection. The arena is mostly a grayscale for these projections to be placed on. When turned on the audience’s environment is constantly changing. One minute you can be in a garden and the next moment you are part of the sky. It’s so vivid and so high-quality.” Walston also expressed his excitement
to explore Baltimore during his time in town. “Since we go to so many new cities we usually have the rst three days off. That’s when I go through and try to immerse myself with the city. Since I’m gay, I try to go to different places that are part of the LGBT community. It’s so much fun going to some of the gay clubs in the area. My gay cast mates and I go out and either the club is really fun or really boring. Either way, we always have fun. I am really looking forward to see what Baltimore has to offer.” t
MAY 27, 2016 • BALTIMOREOUTLOUD.COM
BY JOE GARVEY Did you know that Jeffrey Grabelle’s gentle hands can heal your mind, body and spirit? This Chicago native resides in Mount Vernon just a few doors down from AIDS Action Baltimore (AAB), where he has worked as their of ce manager since 1989. At ten, Jeffrey began his musical career studying the clarinet and cello. By 17, he discovered his passion for the viola da gamba, a bowed, fretted and stringed instrument, popular in the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Surprisingly, Jeffrey did not receive his B.A. from Northeastern Illinois University in music, but in psychology. In 1977, Jeffrey moved from Chicago to Washington, D.C., and then to Baltimore in 1978, enrolling in a two-year master’s program in counseling psychology at Loyola University. However from 1981 to 1983, Jeffrey studied early music at Amsterdam’s Sweelinck Conservatorium. This time frame also marked the onset of the AIDS epidemic that compelled Jeffrey to return. “Back then,” Jeffrey recounted for Baltimore OUTloud, “They called AIDS the gay cancer.” He emphasized that “guides” or “spirits” led him to return. “I was meant to be here.” Upon his return, Jeffrey wanted to do something to help people with HIV/AIDS and decided to participate in the Study to Help the AIDS Research Effort (SHARE) in 1984. Fortunately for him, he tested negative for HIV. “I have many memories,” Jeffrey acknowledged, “and we can’t forget the people who are not here.” Both AAB and Jeffrey will not forget Scott Stamford, who died from AIDS in the 1980s. The Scott Stamford Memorial Fund is one of the mainstays of AAB’s Emergency Financial Assistance Program, a fund that pays for emergency rent, utilities, and medical bills. Before Lynda Dee incorporated AAB in 1987, Jeffrey re ected that she, Garey Lambert, and Pat Moran were at the forefront of Baltimore AIDS activism, raising funds for the now defunct Health Education Resource Organization (HERO). During the ensuing 29 years, Jeffrey has witnessed AAB’s evolution from a one-man of ce where he made clippings of AIDS resources for dissemination, to the empowering advocacy it is today. Now Jeffrey’s healing hands are busily helping prepare life-saving grant proposals, working with men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender individuals through PrEP (Pre-exposure Prophylaxis) UP and Transpeople Empowerment in Action (Project TEA Time), and coordinating with other AIDS-related agencies and health organiza-
tions, such as the Center for Black Equality-Baltimore, the GLCCB, Johns Hopkins Center for AIDS Research, University of Maryland’s Star Track Adolescent Health Program, and Chase Brexton Health Care. Over the years, Jeffrey pointed out that AAB’s focus has remained steadfast: “AAB still provides services for people with HIV, and it helps prevent people from getting HIV.” He credits this faithfulness to founding board member and Executive Director Lynda Dee. “There is no one like Lynda Dee. She is a tireless advocate-activist for HIV treatment today. I admire
Jeffrey and Mr. P., his co-worker
her commitment.” Unbeknown to many people, Jeffrey is a Reiki Master, practicing a Japanese form of alternative medicine. “Reiki is a form of non-invasive energy work,” he explained, “basically directing energy, like the laying on of hands without the religious af liation. Touch is healing.” Additionally, for the past 13 years Jeffrey has worked as a licensed massage therapist, having attended the Holistic Massage Training Institute in Baltimore. Jeffrey is a Renaissance man: intelligent, knowledgeable, and compassionate, appearing frequently as a guest artist with the Peabody Renaissance Ensemble and the Peabody Consort. Regardless of location, wherever Jeffrey’s gentle hands perform, he is focusing his positive energy in a holistic approach that heals body, mind, and spirit. t For more information about AAB s services, contact Jeffrey at 410-837-2437 or Aidsactionbaltimore.org.
THINKING OUTLOUD
My Fabulous
Disease By Mark S. King
Into the Desert, After the Bomb BY MARK S. KING Daniel Cardone’s essential but relentlessly grim documentary about longtime AIDS survivors, Desert Migration, is fascinated with the bodies of the gay men it pro les. The film begins with lingering shots of each of the subjects as they begin their day. It follows them through their routine, some of them naked, as they prepare breakfast, shower, shave, meditate. Their faces peer directly at us – a few of them handsome, all of them weathered – in high definition close-up. We are being asked to study them closely. Look at the skin, the camera is saying, the muscles, the sags, the piercings, the facial wasting, the extended stomachs, the dis gurement, the open wounds. Desert Migration does not want us to turn away from what the gay plague of 30 years ago has wrought in the here and now. It’s an almost clinical look at the after-effects of a catastrophe, like the documentaries that examine Hiroshima survivors decades after the bomb. Desert Migration documents the results of a speci c pilgrimage that became popular among gay men who were dying of AIDS decades ago: relocating to Palm Springs from major cities in the West, Los Angeles in particular. Once there, their fates and often their fortunes were reversed with the arrival of new medications in the mid-1990s. They experienced the emotional whiplash of renewed health in a world they had settled on leaving, as well as the unexpected nancial burden of an extended lifespan. The lm is a crucial addition to the AIDS artistic catalog because the gay community is only now beginning to process and devote resources, artistic and otherwise, to the longterm effects of the early AIDS crisis and the walking wounded who survived. That said, director Cordone doesn’t make it easy for us. The is an unyielding melancholy that permeates the lm. The men pro led are almost uniformly isolated or at least wistful. The languid pace of the storytelling is underscored by Gil Talmi’s ethereal original music,
a slow pulse of electronica, like a dry desert breeze. The men all speak of searching for purpose in the desert after having resigned to die there. They come from various levels of money and privilege, including some who outlived their bank accounts, and they are not without the sociological trappings of gay men – meaning, a xation on self-image and the pursuit of sexual or romantic partners. “In this town, being 60, I’m chicken,” says one. Several of them are battling the aging process mightily with trips to the gym and a regimen of steroids (“All the best looking guys have HIV,” one of the men advises), all while the Palm Springs gay clothing stores mock them with windows filled with slender mannequins, dressed in tiny and unforgiving speedos. More than one of them debates whether or not they would have reached their current level of spirituality, of self-love, if they had not come face-to-face with their own mortality so young. “I don’t know if my life would have such richness if I wasn’t positive,” one of them wonders. The real star of the lm may be Austin Ahlborg’s sumptuous cinematography, which makes the most of the desert landscape, often contrasting the men’s esh and blood with endless vistas of withered brush and rock. Throughout the city of Palm Springs are hundreds of acres of modern, silently whirling windmills. The lm focuses on them like a fetish, their propellers turning round and round, and the more Desert Migration returns to these monuments the more they appear to be clocks, ticking away, time always turning, slowing for no one. The image repeats itself, in shots of rotating ceiling fans and mechanical sculptures turning this way and that. Time is always moving, and it is unstoppable. Tick Tock. There is so much in Desert Migration that will be familiar to gay men of a certain age, from the brutal to the romantic. Living life in ve year increments, the sudden loss of friends, the confusion, the great love affairs cut short, the lives hijacked by drug addiction after having survived AIDS. There is comfort in identifying with these men, for those who need to, even if the lm limits itself to their shared calamity. After more than an hour of bleak pronouncements – and exactly one shot of someone laughing in the entire lm – it becomes clear that lmmaker Cardone is almost exclusively xated on the tragic aspects of these men’s stories. It’s easy, maybe even lazy, to reduce AIDS survivors to their profound loss and a struggle for meaning in their later years
(which, come to think of it, is a lifelong riddle everyone must contend with, after all). Where is the joy? A brief dinner party suggests the good humor these men surely must incorporate into their lives, but otherwise lmmaker Cardone sticks to his theme of isolation and distress. “I just think that I’m Windmills diabolique
very tired,” one of the men says, after unsuccessful attempts at connection and romance. “I just don’t know how much longer I even want to ght.” “The optimistic ones survive,” one of the more privileged men offers, as night descends and he lowers the drapes of his con-
do, nely appointed with a leather sofa and a gleaming Judy Garland movie poster. Another subject begins the evening by welcoming a sex partner to warm up his sling. Optimism and escapism have their utilities. Another man takes comfort in his own loneliness and solitude. “You’re a lot more free when you don’t believe much and you don’t have any hope,” he says, in an existential moment that might depress Sartre. “If you’re holding on to hope, then you’ve still got something in the way of enjoying what is.” After all this, I wished to God that one of these guys was shown performing in musical theater or binge watching RuPaul’s Drag Race. The lm draws to a close in the darkness of the desert, as our day with these men ends. Throughout the mountain passes surrounding Palm Springs, out there in the dark, those windmills are surely still twirling. They continue to spin, marking time, without regard for the riddles of life or the trials of gay men. t desert migration will have a free screening on Sunday, June 5th, at 6 p.m. at Creative Alliance, in honor of National HIV/AIDS Longterm Survivors Awareness Day. Reserve tickets by calling 410-276-1651.)
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QUALITY OF LIFE
Open Wide ask Dr Eva
Dr Eva Hersh
When Every Season is Allergy Season Dear Dr. Eva, In your last column you talked about hay fever. Well, I have hay fever-type symptoms, but I have them just about all year round! Is it still caused by allergies when it’s continuous like this? My primary care provider advised me to have my basement (which is moist) mold-proofed, but it turns out that costs several thousand dollars, which is not possible for me. What else could help? Always Stuffy
Dear Always, There are two types of chronic rhinitis, seasonal and perennial (constant). Some people have both kinds. My last article discussed seasonal allergies. This article covers perennial rhinitis. What are allergies? Allergic reactions happen when a person’s immune system incorrectly identifies something the person has breathed in, touched, or eaten as a dangerous foreign invader. Allergies that cause stuffy nose, sneezing, or drippy nose are a reaction to a chemical breathed in through the nose. Allergic reactions are similar to the body’s defense against infection. The chemicals that cause allergic reactions are called allergens. Mast cells, which are white blood cells located in the skin and mucus membranes, respond to the “invasion” by releasing chemicals called cytokines. Histamine is the main cytokine that makes allergy sufferers miserable. Histamine causes itchy feelings in the nose, eyes, and throat and increases blood flow in the nose, which causes nasal congestion. What causes perennial rhinitis? Perennial rhinitis is caused by allergies, just like seasonal rhinitis (hay fever.) The dif-
ference is that, unlike hay fever, perennial rhinitis is caused by allergies to things that are present year round. Dust mites, mold, mildew, cockroaches, and animals are the most common causes of perennial rhinitis. Your primary care provider’s suggestion assumes you are allergic to molds or mildew, which grow in damp areas. Even if that is correct, there are less expensive ways than mold ablation to deal with the problem (see below.) If you are allergic to mold and mildew, you should notice worsening of your symptoms after spending 30 minutes or more in the basement. Because these allergens do not have a particular season, and because many people with perennial rhinitis are allergic to more than one allergen, it is difficult to tell which allergens are causing a person’s perennial rhinitis. Blood tests for allergies, called RAST testing, are often the first step in identifying what a person is (and is not) allergic to. Skin testing is more accurate, but it is uncomfortable and expensive. Skin tests are generally done only when environmental controls (see below) and medications are not effective enough. Managing perennial allergies (when specific cause is not known) Environmental controls: • Vacuum frequently (at least every three days), especially in the bedroom, using a HEPA filter vacuum. HEPA means “High Efficiency Particulate Air.” This will decrease dust mites and animal dander. Dust mites are microscopic insects which live on shed flakes of our skin. Dander, fine flakes of skin that animals continually shed, is the cause of animal allergies. Mice and rats can trigger allergies just as cats and dogs can. Even if you aren’t aware of living with mice or rats, setting some traps is a good idea. • If you do have furry pets, it is best to keep them out of the bedroom, and especially, off the bed. • After a few years, a large amount of the stuffing of pillows and mattresses is replaced by dust mites. Buy encasements for pillows and mattresses. Encasements are zippered covers made of plastic or a tightly woven material (pore size less than 6 microns). Encasements keep dust and dust mites away from the nose. • Change the sheets
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at least weekly and the pillowcases every few days. Wash and dry all your bedding on “hot” to kill dust mites. • As much as possible, remove fabrics from the bedroom. Remove curtains and use window blinds that can be dusted with a damp cloth to remove dust and dust mites. Remove any loose rugs and if possible, remove carpet. • Use high quality filters on your air heating/cooling system. Change the filters every month. • If there are cockroaches in your home, professional extermination is very important. Cockroaches can cause asthma as well as allergies. • If your symptoms get worse in the basement, minimize the time you spend there. If your washer/dryer are downstairs, consider bringing them upstairs. Allergy Medications Antihistamines, nasal steroid spray, and decongestants are the three pillars of allergy medications. • Steroid nasal spray is the most effective treatment for overall control of allergy symptoms. One nasal steroid spray, (triamcinolone, brand name Flonase) is now available over the counter. Several others are available by prescription. Read the instructions carefully. Especially pay attention to the diagram showing how to hold your head to get the medication to the correct part of the nose. Don’t be concerned that this is a steroid: it works only in the nose and does not absorb into the bloodstream. Nasal steroids are effective but they can take as long as a week to relieve symptoms. If a nasal steroid is effective, it should be taken daily. Nasal steroids must be taken continuously to work. Nasal steroids interact with some HIV medicines. If you are taking HIV medicines, check with your doctor before trying nasal steroids. • For daytime control of congestion, decongestants, in pill or nasal spray form, are often helpful. Pseudoephedrine is the commonest over the counter decongestant. It is most effective to take it in time release tablets, which last 12 or 24 hours. Decongestants in any form should not be taken if you have ever had problems with high blood pressure. Nasal spray decongestants should not be taken for more than three days at a time. If taken longer, they can cause rebound nasal congestion. t Eva Hersh is a Baltimore family physician. Please send questions and comments to her by e-mail at dr.eva@baltimoreoud.com
QUALITY OF LIFE
Ask
Dr. J
Janan Broadbent, Ph.D.
Snapchat Anyone? So I keep reading about studies that show Snapchat appeals to people below a certain age and seems complicated to those above it. Anyone reading this – what is your opinion? Email me at the address below. What this started me to ponder is the question of how this activity and the significance of the concept of time affect our relationships. A sense of “temporariness”? No permanence? We can say and do things and ask our partners to forget what was said or done? We don’t want to take the time to listen? Or consider the consequences of a flip remark? Our sense of time has evolved to a much faster pace. As an age trend, as one gets older, time seems to go faster. Remember how the summer vacation when you were in school seemed like it was eight months long? How do you treat the time you invest in your relationship? I have come to know relationships where people are deliberate about the time they spend together, plan it, and choose activities to make it joyful. I also know people who really do not value the time together for a variety of reasons but still stay together. I encourage you to take a look at what you do with your partner(s). Without ignoring the fact that some personalities need more space and alone time and some want less, if one does not “like” the time togeth-
er, is there a connection? Notice I used the term “like.” Often I hear people say that they love so and so but then they go on to describe all the qualities they don’t like about the person. What is it that you love then? Is that an automatic response? A politically correct statement? Or the verbalized portion of denial? Denial that the relationship is not going well?… I am convinced that the influence of the electronic age and the internet has affected our sense of time, by promoting a faster and more immediate lifestyle. We can order things with a click, swipe left or right to pick a date, send messages that are so right at the moment but unlike email, if we regret hitting send, can disappear. All of this impacts a relationship and our expectations of it. Many an argument ensues when a text message is not immediately returned. Conflicts emerge if a phone call is not answered. To be fair, these kinds of developments have to do with basic trust or lack thereof. Or basic insecurity and how that shows up in seeking reassurance all the time. I want to be clear that any relationship where there is no disagreement is not necessarily a healthy one. The basic building block of a connection is acceptance of the partner. But that is just one building block. Then you have to add the mortar of good communication skills and the solid structure of caring about your own self and the other. “The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and not to twist them to fit our own image. Otherwise we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them.” – Thomas Merton t
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QUALITY OF LIFE
The Law & You
Lee Carpenter
The Worldly Goods When someone dies, the task of settling the person’s estate descends upon the personal representative. Being appointed a personal representative, or “executor,” is an honor that includes a broad range of responsibilities. This person must be part administrator, part accountant, and part diplomat! Depending on the complexity of the estate, the process can drag on for years, or the estate can be opened and closed the same day. In either case, the personal representative may want to begin with a phone call to an estates and trusts attorney for guidance. The attorney can simply point the personal representative in the right direction during a single consultation. Or the attorney can assume some or all of the duties of the personal representative, making the process less burdensome. The challenge for most people who settle an estate is that they do this only once in their lives and therefore have to “learn on the job.” Here is an overview of the steps involved: 1) Secure the home. If a house is sitting vacant as a result of the death, it is important to protect the property and its contents. Any valuables should be removed and kept in a safe place. Windows and doors should be locked and the alarm set, if there is one. If other people have keys to the house, consider having the locks changed. Mail should be forwarded to the personal representative, and a trusted neighbor should be asked to keep an eye out for any packages or fliers left at the door. 2) Locate the will. To open the estate, you will need the original will – not a photocopy. Once located, the will should to be filed with the Register, even if the decedent had no assets. (If there is no will, the person has died “intestate” and the assets will be distributed according to Maryland law.) Upon opening the estate, the personal representative will receive “Letters of Administration,” putting him or her in charge of
the estate. A tax ID number can then be obtained and an estate checking account opened. 3) Notify agencies of the death. Banks and brokerage houses should be notified of the death, as well as insurance, credit card, and utility companies. If the person received Social Security or other government benefits, notify the agencies that provided them. 4) Marshal the assets. Prepare an inventory of the estate assets, including cars and household items, as well as real estate (whether in Maryland or elsewhere), bank accounts, CDs, investment portfolios, and life insurance policies. The inventory must include the date-of-death value of each item and be filed with the Register of Wills. Determine whether any of the assets name a beneficiary or have a co-owner. Those that do may be “non-probate” assets, which will transfer to the beneficiary or co-owner directly and are not part of the probate estate. 5) Run the numbers. Creditors of the deceased have six months to make claims against the estate, and these will be paid from the estate account. Estimate the amount of cash needed to pay the claims and any taxes, and as necessary, arrange for any assets to be sold for distribution. 6) Deal with taxes. A personal tax return for the portion of the year the decedent was living is due by April 15 of the following year. For bequests to anyone who is not a close family member, Maryland’s ten-percent inheritance tax will apply. Maryland or federal estate taxes may be due on larger estates. And finally, during the administration of the estate, federal and state income tax returns must be filed for the estate’s income and expenses. 7) Make distributions. Once an accounting showing all estate activity has been filed and approved, it is time to distribute the remaining assets to the beneficiaries. The personal representative’s job is then complete. t Lee Carpenter is an associate attorney at the law rm 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 speci c legal advice.
How to settle an estate
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QUALITY OF LIFE
Violet’s Vet
Dr. Tony Calo
A Little More About Emilio Now that I shared the story of Emilio’s personal history of how he came to live with me, I can dive deeper into the history of the playful and loyal Devon Rex. Despite their appearance, the Devon did not come from outer space. It is a story that begins, as you might guess, in the countryside of Devonshire, England. Devonshire is a county in the southwest of England. In a town called Buckfastleigh there lived a woman named Miss Beryl Cox. In 1959, Miss Cox found a torti and white female cat that she adopted and brought into her home. The cat soon afterward had a litter of kittens. One of the kittens had a striking difference from the others – he had a curly coat. The kitten
was given the appropriate name of Kirlee. The father of the kitten was believed to be a curly-coated tomcat that was living wild in abandoned tin mines along the edge of the town. Multiple attempts were made to catch the tom cat but he was too elusive. This left Kirlee as the sole curly-coated cat in Devonshire that was domesticated. It is important to note that Kirlee was special not just because of this unusual coat, but also because of his nature. He was particularly smart, playful, and loyal. These are all features that have endured, making the Devon such a unique breed. There was much interest in this kitten because of his unique physical characteristics. Ten years prior to finding Kirlee, a wavy coated cat had been observed in Cornwall. A cat enthusiast there was working to understand the curly coated cats and to develop them into a breed which would later become the Cornish Rex. Miss Cox had contacted the cat enthusiast that was developing the curly coated cats. The mutation that had caused Kirlee’s wavy coat was thought to be the same as the one found in the Cornish cats. He was brought from his home in Devonshire to be bred with several of the curly coated queens. To everyone’s disappointment, all of the
kittens that were fathered by Kirlee had straight hair. It was later determined that the mutation found in the Cornish Rex and that found in the Devon Rex were completely different. The job of creating more curly coated kittens was therefore up to Kirlee alone and thus he is the founding father of the breed. Kirlee was brought back to Devonshire. He was bred with local queens. Kittens that were born curly were kept in the breeding program. Through careful selection and record keeping, it was determined that the wavy coats were a result of a simple recessive gene which later became known as Gene II Rex (the mutation that allowed the Cornish cats to have their curly hair was given the name Gene I Rex). The Devon Rex became a fully recognized breed by the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy in 1967. In 1968, the Devon made its way across the Atlantic Ocean to America. Mrs. Marion White became aware of the Devon Rex while stationed in England on a military post. Mrs. White became entranced by the appearance and the character of these adorable kittens. Two cats were brought back to America by Mrs. White and she founded a breeding
program in Texas. The popularity of these cats quickly grew and the Devon Rex was fully recognized by the Cat Fanciers Association of America in 1979. They are currently a much sought-after breed. In 2014, the Cat Fancier’s Association named them the 12th most popular cat breed in America. When buying from
Very (inter-) special
reputable breeder, it is not uncommon for kittens to cost between $800 and $1,500. That is unless, like me, one just falls into your lap. t Please e-mail your stories and questions to violetsvet@baltimoreoutloud.com.
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LEATHER LINE
Leather
Line
Rodney Burger
Tw ist ed Sisters If you’ve attended any major leather function you’ve seen them. Hairy, burly men dressed in nuns’ habits with white face paint and colorful make-up on their often bearded faces. Who are these guys? At January’s Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend they were working the doors of the ballroom and checking for wristbands that allowed admission into the Leather Cocktails event. What is their story? I must admit that as often as I have seen them, I really didn’t know what they were all about. So I did some research and learned a little bit about these twisted sisters in our community. Picture this: San Francisco in the late 1970s. Hundreds of thousands of gay people have poured into the city’s Castro District transforming this former Irish Catholic neighborhood into the center of the gay universe and changing the political and culture climate of the City by the Bay. At the same time religious leaders begin to take more of an interest in politics as folks like Anita Bryant and Jerry Falwell’s Moral Majority attack homosexuality as a sin and a plague on the
nation. The Castro District is invaded by preachers and evangelists who preach to the masses about the immorality of their ways. On Easter weekend in 1979, three men dressed in nuns’ habits that they had purchased from a convent in Iowa appear on the scene. They’re not female impersonators and have not bothered to shave their facial hair, arms, or chest. When asked what they’re doing, they reply that they’re attending the Sound of Music. The juxtaposition of these men in campy drag gathered with the ministers creates a sensation. They begin to show up at other events, such as the annual Castro Street Fair. By August of 1980 over a dozen men have joined their “Order,” calling themselves the Sister of Missionary Positions. They’ve become a force in the community by heckling the preachers and chasing them off. In October of 1980 the Sisters decided to host a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Community Church’s Cuban Refugee Program and put on a combiSheer nation bingo game nunsense and Salsa dance. On the morning of the event an article appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle about a church fundraiser being organized by these “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.” The event was a big hit and raised over $1,500. But something much bigger happened that after-
“San Francisco in the late 1970s: Hundreds of thousands of gay people have poured into the city’s Castro District transforming this former Irish Catholic neighborhood into the center of the gay universe.”
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Momentarily pausing from perpetual indulgence
noon, an LGBT community service organization was born that now has groups not just in the U.S. but all over the world. In 1982 as the AIDS crisis was taking hold in the Castro, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence were on the frontlines handing out condoms and educating the public. Sister Florence Nightmare (a.k.a. Bobbi Campbell, who really was a registered nurse) and Sister Roz Erection (a.k.a. fellow nurse Baruch Golden) put together a pamphlet called “Play Fair!” which is thought to be the rst handout that promoted safer sex. Bobbi Campbell even appeared on the cover of Newsweek for all of his outreach and community service. Joining the Sisters is very much like pledging a leather club. Members may be of any sexual orientation or gender. Applicants start by attending meetings, learning the history, and helping with fundraisers and events. After being approved by the Order, the pledge or “postulant” as they are called is allowed to begin to join the Order. He will continue to work in the background for six months. He is not allowed to wear nun’s attire but would be asked to dress in something “festive.” If the Order approves
of the postulant and he has a sponsor, he is promoted to “novice.” A novice is allowed to wear a white veil and whiteface makeup. He will continue to work and help plan events. After another six months a vote will be held regarding his acceptance into the Order. Even in 2016 the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence continue to anger the pious rightwing and on Easter Sunday held their 37th annual Hunky Jesus and Foxy Mary Contest in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. One Facebook comment reads: “Please repent for your sins!” All those many years ago the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence wrote a mission statement that still rings true today: “The Sisters have devoted ourselves to community service, ministry, and outreach to those on the edges, and to promoting human rights, respect for diversity, and spiritual enlightenment. We believe all people have a right to express their unique joy and beauty and we use humor and irreverent wit to expose the forces of bigotry, complacency, and guilt that chain the human spirit.” To that I add – Amen Sisters! You can learn more about the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence online at TheSisters.org. You can also nd our local Washington, D.C., Order here: Facebook.com/DCSisters. t
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