PRIDE GUIDE 2017 FALL EDITION

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Together is beautiful.

We celebrate the power and beauty of working together. It’s why Wells Fargo works with national and local organizations that serve the LGBT community to strengthen their impact. And it’s the reason we work with you — to help you realize your potential, and succeed financially.

Celebrating 30 years of standing together with the LGBT community. wellsfargo.com/standingtogether

© 2017 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. IHA-21095

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CUPCAKE VINEYARDS IS A PROUD SPONSOR OF

© 2017 Cupcake Vineyards, Livermore, CA 4

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DIVERSITY CREATES A RAINBOW OF

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At Food Lion, we are committed to Diversity and Inclusion in all aspects of our business, including workplace, marketplace, suppliers and communities. We believe the bonds that all families share should be honored and respected. It’s a fundamental part of who we are.

Proud sponsor of Richmond Pride

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VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2017

Love wins.

No matter who you are or who you love.

Capital OneÂŽ is proud to sponsor Virginia PrideFest.

Capitalone.com/inclusion

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Find Financial Confidence at onUp.com

©2017 SunTrust Banks, Inc. ONUP and the onUp logo are trademarks of SunTrust Banks, Inc. All rights reserved.

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VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2017

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P R I D E VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2017 WWW.VAPRIDE.ORG/PRIDEFEST

JAMES MILNER CONTENTS PRESIDENT OF VIRGINIA PRIDE 18 VIRGINIA PRIDE BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRIDE GUIDE 2017 PRODUCED

BY INKWELL VENTURES 14 LETTER FROM GOVERNOR TERRY MCAULIFFE, JOHN REINHOLD LT GOVERNOR RALPH S. NORTHAM PRESIDENT & ATTORNEY GENERAL MARK HERRING DREW NECCI EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 16 LETTER FROM MAYOR LEVAR STONEY R. ANTHONY HARRIS CREATIVE DIRECTOR 26 FIREWORK AWARD: GOVERNOR TERRY MCAULIFFE JOE VANDERHOFF SALES DIRECTOR 28 RODNEY LOFTON STRIVES TO BRING MORE DIVERSITY TO STEVEN ANDERSON DIVERSITY RICHMOND JASON CELESTE MARIEA TERRELL 36 SIDE BY SIDE: NEW NAME HELPS ADVERTISING LGBTQ YOUTH ORGANIZATION FACE NEW CHALLENGES SARA WHEELER JOHN LE 44 MONUMENT CITY MUSIC SHARES PHOTOGRAPHERS THEIR PRIDE THROUGH THE POWER OF SONG FACEBOOK.COM/VIRGINIAPRIDE TWITTER.COM/@VA_PRIDE 52 CENTRAL VIRGINIA LGBTQ INSTAGRAM/VAPRIDE ELDERS: ARE THEIR UNIQUE NEEDS #RVAPRIDE #VAPRIDE BEING MET? #VIRGINIAPRIDE2017 SOCIAL 60 DANICA’S QUEST: PROVING FACTS STILL MATTER AS VA’S FIRST PRINTED LOCALLY BY OPENLY TRANSGENDER CANDIDATE CONQUEST GRAPHICS 70 THE RVA TRANS & NON-BINARY COMMUNITY SPEAKS 80 VA PRIDEFEST MAP & PRIDEFEST 2016 VENDOR LIST

PUBLISHED 2017 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH INKWELL VENTURES PUBLISHER OF RVA MAGAZINE & GAYRVA

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PRIDEFEST 2017!

Dear Friends — On behalf of the board of directors of VA Pride, it is my pleasure to welcome you to Pridefest 2017! We have worked very hard to create an event that will be fun, safe and memorable and hope you will enjoy all the day has to offer.

It is no secret that 2017 has been difficult for our LGBTQ community. We have seen our rights threatened and our ability to live freely and serve this nation openly and honestly questioned at the highest levels of our government. After years of progress, we now are struggling to hold the line to ensure we don’t go backwards. It’s hard.

But Pridefest can be an outlet for us all to come together to celebrate our hardwon freedoms and to commit ourselves to the fight that lies ahead to protect them. Let’s use it as a demonstration of all that is good, strong and powerful about our community. Let’s use it as an opportunity to learn from and about each other. Let’s use it as an opportunity to support one another.

Our 2017 Firework Award recipient has been a strong supporter of the LGBTQ community. Governor Terry McAuliffe, who is approaching the end of his term, has been the most LGBTQ-friendly governor in the history of our Commonwealth.

His first act as governor was to sign an executive order banning discrimination in state employment based on sexual orientation or gender identity. He has opened the Governor’s Mansion to our community with an annual Pride Month reception and has used his veto power to prevent anti-LGBTQ legislation from ever becoming law. He convened an LGBT tourism commission tasked with finding ways to make Virginia a more inviting and welcoming place to visit for LGBT travelers. He was the first governor in history to attend a Pride event in Virginia and will be with us here again today. We are grateful for his friendship, his leadership, his advocacy and his commitment to equality.

Pridefest means different things to different people. To some, it’s a celebration.

To others it’s a protest, of sorts. For many, it is a rare opportunity to be able to express themselves fully, openly and honestly in public—to be who they are—in a safe space.

We encourage you to celebrate Pride in any way you choose. This is your event.

Be who you are. Be what you are. Love who you love. Live Free. Live Proud.

In community,

James R. Millner II President, VA Pride

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VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2017

VIRGINIA PRIDE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

JAMES MILLNER

STEPHANIE BROWN

MAUREEN SCOTT

REV. KENNY CALLAGHAN

RICH FORRESTER

BRANDON HORTON

ZAKIA MCKENSEY

JON MELVIN

BRIAN REACH

ALEXSIS RODGERS

NIDA SHAH

JAMIE THOMSON

PRESIDENT

TREASURER

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VICE PRESIDENT

SECRETARY

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VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2017

Dear Friends — We are pleased to extend a warm welcome to everyone attending PrideFest 2017. Over the course of our administration, we have been proud to participate in this incredible celebration of the LGBTQ community many times.

PrideFest demonstrates Virginia’s diversity by uniting members of the LGBTQ community and allies. Thank you for your efforts to advance equality for all Virginians.

Every day we work to make Virginia open and welcoming for all.

Together, we have worked diligently to protect LGBTQ rights – from banning discrimination in public employment to fighting for marriage equality.

We know that more work remains ahead of us, as attacks on human rights persist. We remain steadfast in our commitment to blocking attacks on the rights of LGBTQ people to live freely.

For today, let’s celebrate the extraordinary progress, persistence, and pride of Virginia’s LGBTQ community, and recommit ourselves to a Commonwealth and a country where equality reigns.

Thank you for all that you do to make our Commonwealth the best place to live. Best wishes for another successful PrideFest.

Sincerely,

Terence R. McAuliffe Dr. Ralph S. Northam Attorney General Mark Herring

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VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2017

Fellow Richmonders: Most unfortunately, 2017 has been a rough and tumultuous year for friends and loved ones who identify as LGBTQ. In addition to the uncivil and shocking assault upon LGBTQ Americans by the 45th US president, over 100 ant-LGBTQ bills have been introduced by state legislatures just this year. It is infuriating, embarrassing and disheartening all at the same time.

Nevertheless, Richmond stands with our LGBTQ neighbors and family. As I made clear in my immigration directive, in response to other backward steps taken to how we treat those among us, our city will protect and promote policies of inclusion for all our residents, regardless of their national origin, immigration or refugee status, race, color, creed, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation or sexual identity.

So long as I am mayor, Richmond will not be a city where LGBTQ members of our community are targeted or threatened by identity politics. Such actions are counter to building the One Richmond I advocate: a diverse, inclusive and welcoming city for all.

Our diversity is a strength, not a weakness, and our LGBTQ community is a vital part of our thriving city. We will therefore do everything we can to ensure our local laws and policies protect our residents from the politics of exclusion, while offering support to our communities targeted by hate, ignorance and government-sponsored discrimination.

My first act as mayor was to officiate the marriage of a same sex couple, friends who have as much a right to marry or love who they want as anyone else. I now call upon our General Assembly to answer this civil rights call and to enact state laws to prohibit housing, education, public accommodations and employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

I also call upon them to pass legislation to address school bullying, hate and bias crimes based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Now is also the time to step up to the plate and ban insurance exclusions for transgender healthcare and to provide transgender-inclusive health benefits to state employees.

This is how we can right the wrongs inflicted upon the some that affect us all, and Richmond will lead the way in Virginia. Together we will send a message of inclusion and equality to the White House and across our great nation.

With love,

Levar M. Stoney BE SAFE, BE HAPPY, BE PROUD!

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CONGRATS TO GOVERNOR TERRY MCAULIFFE, WINNER OF THE 2017 VIRGINIA PRIDE FIREWORK AWARD! The Firework Award recognizes individuals who are catalysts for change for the Virginia LGBTQ community. In their life or work, they are the spark that ignites or contributes to efforts towards making our world fairer and more just for all of us.

discrimination in public employment. He has vetoed legislative attacks against our community that are morally wrong and economically harmful. He has focused on attracting LGBTQ visitors to the Commonwealth by making Virginia open and welcoming to all.

“Terry McAuliffe is the boldest and most outspoken advocate for the LGBTQ community that Virginians have had in 26 office,” James Millner, the Governor’s President of Virginia Pride said. “We are proud to recognize Governor McAuliffe for his leadership in the fight for equal rights for all Virginians.”

“Protecting the rights of LGBTQ Virginians is essential to building an open and welcoming economy – and that’s what we’ve worked hard to do throughout this administration. I am honored to receive the 2017 Firework Award, and I am so grateful for Virginia Pride’s work promote diversity in every corner of our Commonwealth” said Governor McAuliffe

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Rodney Lofton Strives to Bring More Diversity To Diversity Richmond If you know Rodney Lofton, chances are it’s through his work at Diversity Richmond. He’s only been involved at Diversity for about a year and a half, but he’s gotten a lot done since he arrived, and he has a whole lot of other big plans he’s still setting into motion. Lofton’s mission at Diversity is to bring a new viewpoint and some advanced ideas to one of Richmond’s most important LGBTQ institutions. So far, he’s making good progress.

Lofton’s recent promotion to deputy director at Diversity is not only a big step for him, but for Diversity as a whole. “I’m the first African American in the history of the organization to be hired in a senior management position,” he says. His initial involvement with the organization came about when he joined the board of directors in 2015. “At that time, it was the Gay Community Center of 28

Richmond. I knew about the programs and services, but not a lot,” he says. “There were only a couple queer people of color [involved when] I joined the board.” This gave Lofton an immediate goal: “To focus on the diversity!” he quips, smiling.

“One of the challenges we’ve had is really bringing communities of color to Diversity, letting them know they have a place at the table,” he explains. “Some will beg to differ and say there are no issues about race within our community. But we have issues about race, gender; we have gay men who don’t like lesbians, lesbians who don’t like gay men, gay men who have issues with the whole trans spectrum...

But in the South, we’re very polite. We don’t really talk about those issues because it makes us uncomfortable to face our own prejudices.”

VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2017

Lofton sees Diversity’s goals as not just to continue following the organization’s original vision, but also, he explains, “Expanding to be inclusive of all aspects of our community. Making it so that everyone feels welcome, and they know Diversity is a safe space.”

In particular, he has made quite a few efforts to build bridges across racial divides in the Richmond LGBTQ community. “One thing that I’m really proud of is what we did this past February for Black History Month,” he says. “We decided to do Black LGBTQ History Month. So we kicked off a month long celebration of everything black and bold within the LGBTQ community.”

At the time Lofton originally became part of the Diversity staff, he had just ended his tenure as executive director of the Renewal Projects, an organization that sponsored retreats for people living with HIV and AIDS. “It was an incredible organization that had been around for about 25 years,” he says. “Unfortunately, [as] with a lot of HIV/AIDS service organizations, the funding just wasn’t there. Now that folks are living much longer and healthier lives as the results of the medication and treatment options, funders were just looking for the next disease of the day, so to speak.”

These struggles have not ended, and Lofton is keenly aware of that fact.

“These are some of the worst times I’ve seen,” he says. “But you have to hold on to hope. That’s the one thing that keeps me going, that I know that things are gonna get better. Is it going to be in my lifetime? Maybe, maybe not. [But] I’m hopeful.”

This lack of funding unfortunately led to the end of the Renewal Projects, but for Lofton, there was a silver lining. “It actually came at a good time because with their closing, [Diversity Richmond president and executive director] Bill [Harrison] asked me if I would come in and help out until they found a program coordinator.” Taking on the position initially as an interim fill-in, Lofton eventually earned a permanent spot as program coordinator, and within a year, had been promoted to deputy director. Clearly, he was doing something right.

The month’s events included the first Black And Bold Awards Gala, as well as a variety of lectures and panel discussions, including VCU’s Dr. Ravi Perry addressing black queer politics, a T-Gurls Rock discussion about issues relating to life as a trans woman of color, and a lesbian women of color panel.

There was also a ceremony recognizing National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day on February 7th, held at the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia. This program dovetails not only with Lofton’s current goals with Diversity Richmond but also his extensive background in HIV/AIDS-related non-profit advocacy work.

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Lofton may not be involved in HIV/AIDS advocacy work as directly now as he once was, but he still follows the issue very closely, and wishes it would still get the kind of attention it once did. “No one ever has to test positive [for HIV] again,” he says.

“We know that. It’s just that simple. But we also know every nine minutes someone tests positive for HIV. Richmond has one of the highest rates of hiv infection. And communities of color, specifically young MSMs [men who have sex with men] of color, are disproportionately affected.”

The concern he feels over the issue shows through in his voice as he continues. “The CDC estimates that one of every two black gay men will be diagnosed with HIV in their lifetime. That’s 50%.

That’s really bad.” He points out that these numbers aren’t that well-known, because facts like these aren’t currently making headlines. “Folks will tell you that until [HIV/AIDS] is more of a white man’s disease again, it’s gonna be buried on page B9 of the Metro section instead of the [front page]. But there are organizations here in the city of Richmond that are continuing to do the work despite those challenges.”

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During his time at Diversity Richmond, Lofton has made sure that his own organization is one of the ones doing that work. He’s particularly proud of United Voices: Raising Awareness Through Song And Word, the program Diversity Richmond and The Renewal Projects joined forces to create for National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day in 2016.

“It was an opportunity for African Americans, gay or straight, who were living with AIDS to share their stories,” he explains. “Because of the stigma that’s still associated with the disease, they were very uncomfortable standing up and sharing their stories with the masses, so we approached it by having celebrity storytellers to share the stories. We had African American male heterosexual preachers who shared the stories, and Senator McEachin was one of our storytellers as well. We also reached out to local church choirs and musicians to share songs of hope and celebration.”

Lofton remembers a particularly poignant moment during this event, when he spoke to a young man whose story had been read by a pastor. “There was one young man who came over and said, ‘Rodney, I never thought my journey as a gay man living with HIV would be turned into a sermon.’ He was so moved by how much that pastor was invested in his story.”

Lofton hopes to reach other communities of color as well. “I’m working to get a group together from the Latinx community,” he says, referencing the upcoming National Hispanic Heritage Month, beginning on September 15. “We’re a little late this year, but [I’m] making sure we represent and recognize the contributions of the Latinx community for National Hispanic Heritage Month next year.”

Lofton’s contributions to Diversity have made a big impact on the organization as a whole, and Diversity’s President and Executive Director, Bill Harrison, is very appreciative. “Rodney is a true gift to Diversity Richmond,” he says. “In his short time as deputy director, he has opened many doors for us.

Rodney’s orchestration of LGBT Black History Month and the establishment of our relationship with the Black History Museum, we believe, was the first such in the nation. Through Rodney’s work we are reaching more people than ever before. He is tireless in his efforts to serve the LGBT community and we are so excited to have him on board.”

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When asked about his broader goals for Diversity’s future, Lofton envisions the sort of full service LGBTQ community centers that exist in some of the biggest cities in the United States. “The LGBT Center in LA, or the Center On Halstead in Chicago, for example,” he elaborates. “It would be wonderful to have a facility like that, meaning not necessarily some skyscraper where on the third floor you have lesbian services and fourth floor you have MSM services, and so on, but a center that reflects and represents the community.”

As a self-admitted history buff, he also hopes to showcase the city’s LGBTQ history. “Walking into Diversity, I want you to be immersed in the rich history and those who paved the way for us to live out and be proud,” he says. “To understand what has been done with and on behalf of other community members to make our struggles visible and affirmed.

The fear of being fired because you were LGBTQ, but recognizing that there were [people] who said the hell with that, I have to live my life.”

These struggles have not ended, and Lofton is keenly aware of that fact. “These are some of the worst times I’ve seen,” he says. “But you have to hold on to hope. That’s the one thing that keeps me going, that I know that things are gonna get better. Is it going to be in my lifetime? Maybe, maybe not. [But] I’m hopeful.”

With all of the struggles the LGBTQ community currently faces, Lofton recognizes how great a need Richmond has for a supportive community center.

“I’m just hopeful that the community will know that Diversity is a safe space, is your community center,” he says. Lofton’s proud of the many LGBTQ support groups Diversity provides space for, as well as their continued attempts to reach out to different communities within the city, but he recognizes that this is only the beginning. “We’re doing some great things,” he says at the end of our conversation.

“We’d love to do more.”

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John MacLellan Photos & Design

RICHMOND TRIANGLE PLAYERS PROUDLY PRESENTS OUR TH 25 ANNIVERSARY SEASON 2017–2018 THE RECENT OFF-BROADWAY SMASH HIT ABOUT A FORGOTTEN TIME AND PLACE

THE VIEW UPSTAIRS

by Max Vernon AUGUST 9 – SEPTEMBER 2, 2017

THE SEX FARCE WITH GENDER POLITICS ON ITS MIND

CLOUD 9

by Caryl Churchill.

SEPTEMBER 20 – OCTOBER 14, 2017

THE WACKY HOLIDAY HIT RETURNS!

THE SANTALAND DIARIES AND SEASON’S GREETINGS

by David Sedaris, adapted by Joe Mantello.

NOVEMBER 15 – DECEMBER 16, 2017

THE NEW TESTAMENT TOLD IN A RADICALLY NEW WAY

CORPUS CHRISTI

by Terrence McNally.

Presented as a part of the city-wide Acts of Faith festival JANUARY 31 – FEBRUARY 24, 2018

THE PROVOCATIVE CHRONICLE OF AMERICA’S DEADLIEST PLAGUE

THE NORMAL HEART

by Larry Kramer.

APRIL 18 – MAY 12, 2018

THE MUSICAL LEGEND CELEBRATES THE DANCER IN US ALL

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by James Kirkwood, Nicholas Dante, Edward Kleban and Marvin Hamlisch.

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The 2017-18 Season Is Supported In Part

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Side By Side: New Name Helps LGBTQ Youth Organization Face New Challenges photos by John Le

You undoubtedly know Side By Side. However, you may know them under another name. The group originally known as ROSMY, Richmond Organization for Sexual Minority Youth, started back in 1991, and has been carrying on their mission to support and advocate for LGBTQ youth in the Central Virginia area ever since. Those of us grew up in the 90s surely remember their TV commercials, which sent positive messages out to “gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth,” and offered a phone number that those youth could call anytime and receive support.

ROSMY certainly established a strong record of support for young LGBTQ people over their first 25 years of operation. However, as the years went on, the name itself became less and less relevant to their overall mission. “We had been in Charlottesville since 2011, and we’d just started a pilot program in Petersburg, so the Richmond part of ROSMY didn’t really fit anymore,” says Side By Side executive director Ted Lewis (who uses they/ their pronouns). “And the ‘sexual minority youth’ part... it’s somewhat of a dated term,” they continue.

“2016 was the first year in which the majority of the youth we saw identified as transgender in some way.

‘Sexual minority’ doesn’t really encompass gender identity, so it was, for that reason, time to get a new name.”

However, the new name was not intended to signal any sort of new direction for the group. “I don’t think we are necessarily fundamentally changing what we do,” Lewis says. “We’re trying to get better at what we do.” All of the basic programs that ROSMY always offered are still available, and are if anything stronger than ever. You might expect that that old phone number from the TV commercials has long since gone the way of the pay phone and the land line. However, nothing could be further from the truth.

“We do still have our youth support line,” says Lewis. “It’s still an old-school phone number, and it’s available 24-7.” The line puts callers in direct contact with Side By Side during regular business hours, and 36

the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance answers after hours. “[They] also run the LGBTQ partner abuse line, so their operators have been trained to work with the community,” Lewis says. “They’ve got crisis intervention counseling.”

However, as you might expect from today’s modern internet-savvy youth, calling a phone support line isn’t typically the first response to a crisis. “Youth don’t usually call that line for crises, they usually call [because] they just want to talk to somebody,” Lewis explains. “We have a lot of questions about relationships on that line,” they add, laughing.

However, that’s not to say that today’s LGBTQ youth are facing any less serious issues than they have in the past. “2017 has been a particularly difficult year,” Lewis tells us. “We do a youth survey every six months. From October 2015 to April 2017, the number of youth that were actively suicidal increased by 11%. We’re already talking over 50%, so that’s pretty dramatic. The number of youth who said they always felt unsafe in school has doubled since the beginning of this year.”

There is a positive flip side to the struggles LGBTQ people of all ages are enduring, though. “Because there’s a so much more hostile political climate out there for LGBTQ folks in general and transgender people in particular, the folks who have somewhat been on the fence have now said, ‘We’ve gotta get off the fence and be more supportive to LGBTQ youth’,” Lewis says. “So that has been a bright side.”

Having originally worked with youth ages 14-20, the organization has recently expanded to working with middle school children ages 11-14. “Our middle school program just started in 2013 and it’s our fastest growing group,” says Lewis. “We average about 25 youth at that group now per week, which is actually even higher than some of our other youth programs.” Children under 14 require their parents’ permission to take part in any after-school activities, and therefore all of the middle school youth coming to Side By Side have parents who have approved in advance of their participation.

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“We run a parent discussion group for our middle school parents,” Lewis says. “One of the things that we are fairly clear with parents about is that family support or rejection is the lynchpin to youth being happy and healthy. So even if you don’t get it, even if you don’t fully understand it, even if you’re not OK with it, there’s still ways to be supportive of those young folks. We try to find ways for parents to do that in whatever way is good for them.”

training with not only their staff but also their bigs, which is what they call their mentors,” Lewis says.

The group even has some surprising clients on their list. “At the end of this year we will have trained every sworn police officer in Richmond City,” Lewis adds. “We provide training at no cost to any youthserving agency or school. If they are not a youthserving group, we usually charge them, but it’s a pretty reasonable rate.”

The very fact that so many parents are involved and supportive of their children’s participation in Side

By Side activities shows a significant evolution in the average parent’s attitude towards LGBTQ issues since the group’s formation in 1991. “What we see here over the years is more and more parents being accepting, at least on a bare minimum level,” Lewis says. “I’d say the majority of families we work with, at least one parent or guardian is supportive. We often find parents who are at least in the space of ‘I’m gonna accept my kid no matter what.’ Sometimes when they’re faced with the reality of what that means, though, it takes a little time to catch up with their youth.”

As previously mentioned, Side By Side has also expanded in a geographic sense. Having begun to serve Charlottesville youth between 14 and 20 years of age in 2011, the group added a group for Charlottesville middle school kids at the end of 2016.

They’ve also started a pilot program at Petersburg High School, which is thus far their only group that meets during the school day. The group may expand even beyond these cities at some point, but right

Side By Side’s main focus, as it has been all along, is on youth support groups. The groups focus on unique problems LGBTQ youth face, using curriculum developed in-house to teach coping strategies and positive identity development. “The vast majority of our youth are actively suicidal, so we spend a lot of time talking about coping strategies,” Lewis says. With the aforementioned spike in suicidal ideation reflected in the group’s recent surveys, Side

By Side have taken additional steps to ensure that youth in crisis have help available to them on site.

“We have two in-house clinicians who see youth for free,” Lewis explains. “Youth get up to six sessions with a licensced counselor, so they get the chance to talk out whatever they need to, in a more in-depth therapeutic way. That counseling provides an extra layer of support and protection for our folks in Richmond.”

This expansion in services offered is only one of the ways Side By Side has recently increased their reach. In recent years, the group has become more and more involved in training school teachers and counselors, as well as other youth-focused agencies, including Richmond’s chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters. “[Big Brothers Big Sisters] are making sure that their programs are LGBTQ friendly, so we do 38

“..the number of youth that were actively suicidal increased by 11%.

We’re already talking over 50%, so that’s pretty dramatic...” now that’s up in the air. “Right now we’re focused on the Central Virginia area with our youth programs.

We offer training, though, throughout the entire state,” Lewis says, mentioning training they and other Side By Side representatives have done in such widespread Virginia communities as Alexandria, Roanoke, and Norfolk. “We recognize that are not a ton of resources in the commonwealth for LGBTQ youth,” they say. “There are some volunteer-based youth organizations in Northern Virginia, in Norfolk, in Roanoke, so we try to connect with them when we can.”

Most importantly, though, Side By Side is making every effort to extend their support into as many different areas under the LGBTQ umbrella as possible. “Our youth of color group is brand new as of this year, because we realized that LGBTQ youth of color had very different experiences than their white peers, and they needed a space to talk VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2017

that out,” Lewis says. “I think all of our youth in our LGBTQ youth of color group also come to other groups. It’s just an additional layer of support.”

Meanwhile, as the LGBTQ youth Side By Side sees have included greater numbers of trans-identified youth, their services have shifted to focus more and more on the specific problems trans and gender nonconforming youth face. One obvious change from decades past is the increase in youth who come out as transgender at younger ages. “8090% of our middle schoolers are trans-identified,” Lewis says. This sort of identity can be controversial in some circles, but Lewis sees these concerns as somewhat unfounded. “Most research shows that we actually understand our gender identity as young as three. It’s whether or not we have the words to express that, and whether or not people believe us.

One of the things I think has shifted is that parents are more open to listening to their youth at younger ages. Parents are at least open to the idea that my kid’s exploring gender, that maybe what they were assigned at birth isn’t how they identify.”

Lewis sees the current discussion around trans identities as focusing too strictly on issues related to medical transition, such as hormone replacement therapy and sexual reassignment surgery. “There’s also social transition. Using a preferred name, or using a pronoun that’s different than what you’re used to, is a form of transitioning in a way, but it’s not medical transition,” they explain. “Part of [the conversation] is trying to calm parents, to say, when your child says they’re transitioning or your child wants to affirm their gender publicly, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they want you to grant them surgery tomorrow.”

That said, medical interventions of various sorts do have their place. In discussing the needs of transidentified youth with their parents, Side By Side focuses on age-appropriate medical interventions.

“Hormone blockers simply delay puberty. For some of those youth, that could be really helpful for them,” Lewis explains. “A lot of it is finding ways for both youth and parents to feel comfortable if the youth chooses to transition socially or medically. We do think that honoring where youth are and letting them lead the charge, with appropriate boundaries in terms of their identity, is the best way to go. They know who they are, we’ve just gotta listen to them.”

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There’s definitely a line of thinking around transgender children that says we shouldn’t let them transition too young, because it might just be a phase they’re going through, and they’ll change their mind later on. Lewis doesn’t consider this a significant concern in most cases, though. “We haven’t seen any youth who has transitioned medically or socially, who has gone back,” he says. “There are some times where we’ve had youth who understand they are not the gender with which they were assigned, and when they learn about the unlimited possibilities of gender and the different terminology, they may say, actually, I’m more of a non-binary identity. But they’re still very clear that ‘this is how I want my body to look.’ So that doesn’t change.”

“That’s more in the exploring phase,” they continue.

“When a youth gets to a point where they want to transition, they’ve often had lots of conversations with lots of different people--including mental health professionals, in order to get letters [of approval], to medically transition. While some of our youth are on testosterone, or androgen blockers and estrogen, the majority of them who are on any sort of medical intervention are on blockers. The minute you remove the blockers, it starts puberty, so it’s really just delaying--it’s not necessarily doing irreversible medical intervention. If the concern is, ‘What if they change their mind?’ Well, hormone blockers allow them to change their mind.”

After over a quarter-century in continuous operation, Side By Side has definitely reached a point where their original name and mission statement can no longer encompass the breadth of their work. But if anything, they’re more vital to the LGBTQ community than ever, doing more to protect and advocate for LGBTQ youth than they have ever done before. At a time when the LGBTQ community is facing a lot of different challenges, many of which are particularly difficult to youth, their work is more essential than ever. And with the help of a supportive community, the group plans to take things even further in the coming years. “While we’re seeing this increase in youth in crisis, and we’re seeing a much more hostile environment, our friends and allies are coming out of the woodwork to be supportive,” Lewis says. “We’re grateful for the help.”

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Monument City Music Shares Their Pride Through the Power of Song Unlike some larger choruses from bigger cities, such as the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington DC, the choruses that exist under the Monument City Music banner have never identified themselves as specifically LGBTQ. The group, which brings us the Richmond Men’s Chorus and the Richmond Women’s Chorus as well as the brand-new mixed-gender chorus known as the Noteables, includes nonLGBTQ members in all of its ensembles. However, for the folks in charge at Monument City Music, their connection with the LGBTQ community is one they’re interested in deepening and strengthening.

“Not everyone in the chorus is LGBTQ, but I think of it as LGBTQ and allies,” says Richmond Women’s Chorus director Erin Wind. “Of course it’s not a requirement, I’m not going to ask before you join, but I would say that it is largely an LGBTQ chorus.” For Richmond Men’s Chorus director Joshua Wortham, staying away from strictly defining the group’s membership was an important choice. “Music breaks down barriers. It’s a language that can speak to so many people,” he says. “To me our name presents a more inclusive offering. I think a chorus that is LGBTQ-affiliated or ally-connected gives voice to advocacy in a different way. It allows us to present unity. There’s such a beauty in the parallel of uniting our voices as one in a common theme and message, and at the same time uniting the community.”

Founded in 2001, the group was somewhat inspired by the devastation brought about by the events of September 11. “There was a strong desire to come together and create a chorus for the men in the community to strengthen each other,” explains Wortham. “We have so many talented singers, and this was a great chance to leverage that and bring that strength together.” The Richmond Men’s Chorus was the first ensemble created by Monument City Music, and it was joined several years later by the Richmond Women’s Chorus. This year sees a third group, the Noteables, join the roster.

“In the holiday concert, the men’s chorus and the women’s chorus team up for some pieces, but this is our first designated mixed chorus,” says Wortham.

“Not all the members are LGBTQ, but part of their purpose is to have a stronger message in the gay 44

community.” The Noteables will do this by focusing more closely on music that comes from the LGBTQ community. “I think the Noteables will devote a bit of their repertoire to lgbtq composers and lyricists, songs that make statements along those lines,” Wortham says.

The Noteables also present an opportunity for Monument City Music to reach people they couldn’t reach before. “It’s hard when people want to get the Men’s Chorus to come, but their venue doesn’t allow for a chorus of 45 people to line up on risers, have a piano, and still [fit] an audience for their event,” says Wortham. The Noteables, whose membership is expected to top out around 12, are able to avoid this potential pitfall. “So the Noteables are also a vessel for us to share Monument City Music’s larger message with a small portable group.”

The Noteables are not the only way in which Monument City Music is trying to increase their outreach to the LGBTQ community. Their season will also include performances at both VA PrideFest and the first-ever Petersburg Pride, which both Wortham and Wind are looking forward to. “I’m really excited about singing in Pride, because I think it incorporates the fact that we are an LGBTQ chorus,” says Wind.

Wind is brand new to Monument City Music, having signed on as Richmond Women’s Chorus director just before the current season, and she also hopes to bring a stronger emphasis on LGBTQ-oriented content. “I’m going to focus on the LGBTQ aspect of things by doing more music that’s catered toward that demographic,” she says. “There’s a choral website that has music geared toward gay choruses, so I might utilize that a bit.”

The ability to do LGBTQ-focused content is something Wortham cherishes about directing the Richmond Men’s Chorus. “In our most recent concert, we sang ‘Glenda & Laurie,’ which told the story of a lesbian couple that never quite got to be together,” he says. “That’s an incredible opportunity.

I work with several other choirs, and that’s something that would never be part of their repertoire.”

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when he’s not directing the Richmond Men’s Chorus. “I’m a full time church musician,” he says.

“That’s my day job, if you will.” Having worked at Chesterfield United Methodist Church as their choir director for the past 13 years, Wortham’s seen the congregation’s attitudes towards LGBTQ issues change significantly.

“When I started at this church I was not out, and I’m still not fully out at church,” he says. “I feel like God has used me at the church to help people become ok with the whole gay thing. There are folks there who, 13 years ago, would not have been supportive.

They’re in a new place, and I feel like that’s been part of my purpose in being there. I earned their love and their respect, and then in time as our relationship grew, they saw that this was not a barrier but just one aspect of who I am.”

When the opportunity to direct the Richmond Men’s Chorus became available, Wortham had some reservations. “Church music is my love and my passion,” he says. “So I was a little reluctant because of my church affiliation. What did that step mean for my career and my ministry?” He also wasn’t sure he could even do the job. “When I heard them perform, they just sounded so great--blew me away,” he says.

“I thought, ‘I’m not even worthy to be a member of this group’.”

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Despite all the trepidation, though, his time with Richmond Men’s Chorus has brought a lot of positive things to Wortham’s life. “It’s been a place to network,” he says. “A few of the guys have become part of my church choir, and some of the guys have come to do special music at the church.

I’m hoping in the next year or so, the Men’s Chorus will actually come perform at a worship service. We continue to cross those lines.”

One very personal way Wortham has crossed those lines came during the Men’s Chorus performance at The Byrd Theatre in May. “I proposed to my partner of eight years,” he says. “That was a really public exciting moment in front of our audience, and that was a time when some of my church folks found out something they didn’t know about me.” However, Wortham has no regrets. “I was ready for that to be out there. I’m not broadcasting it or waving it in their faces, but I don’t want to hide who I am and who I love, because I think it’s a great relationship.”

Wind’s history with choir direction is a shorter one.

“I was a music education major, for choral music.

I went on to grad school for vocal performance, then I moved back here,” she says. “This is my first choir of my own, but I have done some student teaching, and directed some choirs in college.” For Wind, her first directorial position offers several opportunities. “I want to make it more community 45

oriented. If I can, I want to work with other groups, and collaborate. I don’t know how much of that I’m going to do in the first year, because there’s so much going on, but that’s my goal.”

Both Wortham and Wind would like to see Monument City Music’s mission refined and given greater focus this year and in coming years.

“We’ve had this mission statement for a number of years: to educate, entertain, inspire, and unite our communities,” Wortham says. “That’s been sort of broad and generic, and we’re trying to refocus.” Wind has similar goals. “I’m trying to figure out what that really means, and what communities we’re uniting.

If you don’t have a very specific niche, then it’s hard to figure out what it is that we as a community group believe in. It’s really hard to find supporters if [they] don’t know what [you] believe in.”

Wortham has high hopes for the refinement process, and expects to see positive results. “I think it’s going to help focus our concerts, our marketing, our approach to everything we do, so that it’s more purposeful,” he says. “I’m excited to see what’s going to come of that. It’s a conversation that’s long overdue. We’ve been sort of content with the existing mission, and there’s beauty in it, but I think our mission could be greater than that.”

For now, though, the three ensembles under the Monument City Music banner are focusing on their 2017-2018 season. “We’ll be gearing up primarily for our holiday concert, that’s our first big shebang,” says Wortham. “The holidays are so stressful for people on so many levels--shopping, the chaos, family dynamics, the whole bit. We just want to give people a chance to escape and have their spirits lifted a little bit, get out of the chaos for a few moments.” This year’s holiday concert will feature the debut of The Noteables, as well as an extensive holiday-themed repertoire from both the Men’s and Women’s Choruses. “Then we’ll all join up for the last few songs in the program,” says Wortham. “Go out with a bang.”

As it has for the past few years, the Monument City Music holiday concert will take place at Ginter Park Presbyterian Church. “The church has been very supportive,” Wortham says. “They’re LGBTQfriendly, so they’re kind to us, and we pay to tune the piano.” However, Wortham has a more ambitious desire for 2018’s holiday concert. “I’m hoping to 46

move it to The Byrd next year,” he says. “We did our May concert at The Byrd and it was fantastic.

We were behind that antique gold curtain while the organ was playing--we got Bob Gulledge to play.

There was just this electricity waiting for the curtain to rise. When that curtain went up, we knew we were exactly where we were supposed to be.”

While both choruses have large ensembles--around 45 for the Richmond Men’s Chorus, and 25 to 30 for the Richmond Women’s Chorus--they are always looking for more people to join up. “Folks can join on at any time as long as there’s time for them to prepare for a concert,” says Wortham.

“My viewpoint is that singing is for everyone,” Wind says. “For me, not having auditions is really important. I think a lot of people don’t sing because they think they can’t, and they don’t realize it’s something that can be learned.”

Wortham has a similar take. “Audition’s sort of an aggressive word, it turns people off,” he says. “It’s really just a little vocal interview to say, do you match pitch? I test music reading ability, but it’s not a limiting factor. Many of the guys on the chorus don’t read music.”

The ensembles aren’t just looking to grow in numbers, either. “We’re eager to continue to grow as a chorus in size and our vocal strength, and our impact in the community,” says Wortham. “Our concerts are great, but we want to reach a larger audience, share our message and our music.”

Wind’s focus is slightly different, but she has the same ultimate goal. “I want to focus on what we sound like, how we can unify as a group and better communicate the message that we have. We do lack that connection a little bit, and I’m hoping with our new initiatives that that’s something we’ll be able to strengthen.”

With the strength of their resolve and the power of their voices, their success seems all but assured.

Pay attention, Richmond--Monument City Music is ready to take center stage.

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Central Virginia LGBTQ Elders: Are Their Unique Needs Being Met? Everyone worries about aging, but for members of the LGBTQ community, there are additional concerns that might never enter the mind of the average straight cis person. Between concerns about lowered quality of health care from providers who may be homophobic, and the possibility of increased isolation and loneliness due to strained family relations or lack of local community, there are a lot of additional issues that face LGBTQ elders once they’ve passed retirement age.

Here in Richmond, there’s a growing need for attention to these specific concerns, as there are potentially as many as 18,000 older LGBTQ adults living in the Central Virginia area. However, investigations into the current state of play for LGBTQ elders in the Richmond area reveal that solutions are not as simple as one might hope.

“The big concern now is that after Stonewall, all these older adults worked so hard to come out of the closet to pave the way for us, and now they’ve got to go back into the closet for fear of getting really crappy health care,” says Jay White, Director of Advancement for Jewish Family Services (JFS) and an adjunct Professor of Gerontology at VCU. White is currently in the midst of a year-long project, put together in conjunction with Senior Connections, The Capital Area Agency on Aging, and funded by a grant from Diversity Richmond.

The project, a cultural proficiency workshop for healthcare workers and those who provide services for the aging, is based around the documentary Gen Silent. This 2010 documentary, directed by Stu Maddux, follows the struggles of six LGBTQ elders in the Boston area who must decide whether they must go back into the closet in order to get good quality health care.

“We first premiered the documentary when it came out in 2010, at Richmond Triangle Players,” White explains. “We had two sold-out showings when it first came out, and there’s such a big interest in sexual orientation, gender identity, and aging, we thought we would use it as a platform to teach about person-centered care.” The cultural 52

proficiency training program that accompanies the film as part of this presentation was developed at VCU’s Department of Gerontology by White and fellow VCU Gerontology professor Tracey Gendron.

“Since then, myself and other members of the Department of Gerontology have been traveling all over the state working in assisted living facilities, skilled nursing facilities, [and] adult aid communities,” White says. “We give this presentation whenever somebody asks us to because it’s such an important topic.” The Diversity Richmond grant has enabled White and JFS to team up with Senior Connections and present this cultural proficiency training to the general public. “We just really want to open it up more to broader audiences,” he says.

Mainly, though, the audience this presentation most needs to reach is still those who work in elder care and aging services on a day to day basis.

“People up in the administrative office may say absolutely, we have sexual orientation and gender identity in our non-discrimination policies and in our employment non-discrimination policies, but they’re not the ones giving the care,” White says. “A lot of the people who are doing the care in assisted living facilities or home care tend to be from less educated lower socioeconomic statuses, so [they] may have pretty strong religious affiliations, and they don’t necessarily have the same educated and progressive attitudes about sexual orientation and gender identity.”

In some places, White also sees a dismissive attitude to the concerns of LGBTQ elders. “One of the things we hear is ‘Well, I can give care to anybody. Because you’re old, you need the same kind of care as any other older person,’” he says.

“We know that that’s not accurate. Just because you’re old doesn’t mean you need any less of a unique care plan than anybody else. [And if] you’re going to be in my space, in my personal environment, in my home, in my room, you really need to know a little bit about me.”

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He hopes to open people’s minds by forcing people to challenge their own assumptions on this topic. “We want to get people talking about how, just because you’re giving care to someone of a particular chronological age, it doesn’t mean they’re don’t require or demand the unique care that somebody 30 years younger would get.”

However, White does think it’s oversimplifying the issue to even talk of LGBTQ elders as a single group. “We [should] differentiate between sexual orientation and gender identity, because it’s not the same thing for everybody,” he says. “My sense is that a lot of the folks I’ve given training to are fine with gays and lesbians, [but] may not have had an experience with a trans elder yet. So I think we’re in a wait and see mode.” Unfortunately, White doesn’t really see many resources available for trans elders in the local community. “You’ve got people who are coming out as trans later in life, and you’ve got a lot of things working against you--gender identity, chronological age, and

“A lot of the people who are doing the care in assisted living facilities or home care tend to be from less educated lower socioeconomic statuses, so [they] may have pretty strong religious affiliations, and they don’t necessarily have the same educated and progressive attitudes about sexual orientation and gender identity.”

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transitioning later in life. The resources are pretty thin right now.”

Ultimately, it seems the sort of care trans elders get depends heavily on their income level. Those without sufficient resources to pay out-of-pocket for transition-related expenses may have trouble obtaining trans-related health care. For example, Medicare does cover gender reassignment surgery (GRS). However, the issue for Central Virginia trans people on Medicare is being able to find a doctor willing to perform their GRS who also takes Medicare. This was the problem local resident Joan Michelle King faced when she transitioned in her early 70s. “There are surgeons who will accept Medicare,” she says. “I found two, [but] none close.”

In order to actually obtain GRS through Medicare, King would have to pay for extensive travel, as well as accommodations during preparation for and convalescence from the surgery--which can take up to a month. In the end, it wasn’t a step she was willing to take. “I haven’t gotten it--partly by choice,” she says. Overall, she’s happy with the transition-related health care she’s received through Medicare. “I have found Medicare very good except for GRS. Otherwise I have never had any problems with getting medical care.”

However, the lack of local access to GRS remains a significant stumbling block for trans elders in the Central Virginia area.

White feels that focusing solely on health care still doesn’t capture the full scope of the issues LGBTQ elders face. “In the LGBT community there are higher instances of disease and lower socioeconomic status that might lead to frailty,” he says. “But actually, most older adults are just fine. We just happen to hear the stories about the frail ones.”

To White, there’s another key issue that is often overlooked. “I think social isolation and loneliness is the most important thing,” he says. “LGBT elders are much more likely to be isolated and alone.

They’re much more likely to be disenfranchised from family, have thinner social networks, not have the socioeconomic opportunities to do a lot of connecting and traveling. It’s not aging that’s a plague, it’s loneliness.”

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This is the sort of situation that SAGE (Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders) exists to ameliorate. A Central Virginia chapter of SAGE existed under the auspices of Diversity Richmond, and still shows up on their website if you do a google search.

However, a quick inspection of the page shows that it hasn’t been updated for years. “It’s not that it wasn’t well-received, it’s just that when you’re trying to do programming for LGBT elders, you’ve gotta do different programming for L, G, B, and T,” says White. “It’s really difficult to have a unifying message when you have such a diverse audience.

You’d have one group of volunteers who’d want to do one thing, one group of volunteers who’d want to do another thing, and people just weren’t on the same page.”

White mentions established local groups like Prime Timers Central Virginia and the James River Transgender Society (JRTS) as possible avenues for more focused LGBTQ elder support. But even these aren’t perfect solutions. “Prime Timers is pretty much for gay men, and JRTS tends to be more of a youth focused community,” he says.

“Maybe in the future it would be a good time to pursue the SAGE affiliation again, but we just weren’t ready for it here.”

Former SAGE Central Virginia steering committee member Roland Winston doesn’t think this tells the whole story. He points to the extensive requirements for SAGE chapters as part of what doomed the organization in Richmond. “You need to do a certain amount of social events per month, a certain amount of educational events per month, and have a certain amount of relationships with local elected officials,” he says.

Winston, a tireless community advocate who has worked extensively on issues related to LGBTQ elders in the Richmond area, currently sits on the board of the Greater Richmond Senior Center, which he joined in order to bring the issues of LGBTQ seniors to the attention of the Richmond elder community at large. “It’s a work in progress,” he says. Winston felt that the main issue SAGE’s Central Virginia chapter faced was lacking networking services for those in need.

On LGBTQ+ Aging to help local LGBTQ elders find health care professionals who will provide them with top quality health care. “There is some LGBTQ cultural proficiency training taking place for local health care providers and those who wish to sell services to the aging,” Winston says. “But there’s no way for community members to find out about it.” Winston hopes the VA Council On LGBTQ+ Aging will be able to develop a registry of which local businesses offering health care and other services to elders have received LGBTQ cultural proficiency training.

However, Winston is not content to merely create a registry; he hopes to have VA Council On LGBTQ+ Aging become one of the leading providers for such cultural proficiency training in the area. He cites his own extensive cultural proficiency training in LGBTQ issues, and notes that covering the subject thoroughly and well sometimes requires digging deeper. “You have to ask the right questions,” he says. “At the SAGE launch meeting five years ago, one of the questions asked of some lesbians working in elder care was, ‘Is your facility welcoming to lesbians?’

They assured us it was. Then they were asked, for example, ‘On the intake forms women fill out, does it ask about their husband rather than their spouse?’ They hadn’t thought of that.”

One thing becomes clear when talking to anyone working on issues related to LGBTQ elders here in the Richmond area: things are not where they could be. While many recognize the importance of LGBTQ-related cultural proficiency training for elder care workers, there are some gaps that still need to be filled before local LGBTQ elders can be certain of receiving top quality health care. And for those who struggle with loneliness and lack of familial connections, the resources they seek are not necessarily available. Concerns like these may not weigh too heavily on those who are not approaching retirement just yet, but it’s only a matter of time before they take on a great deal of importance for all of us.

GENSILENT.COM

Winston’s latest project, co-founded with local LGBTQ activist Robyn Deane, seeks to address this need. Winston and Deane created the VA Council 54

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Central Virginia's Local Affiliate of the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce www.RichmondBusinessAlliance.com info@richmondbusinessalliance.com

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Danica’s Quest: Proving Facts Still Matter As VA’s First Openly Transgender Candidate STORY photos by SARA WHEELER

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If you know anything about Danica Roem, it’s probably that she’s the transgender woman running for the 13th district’s seat in the House Of Delegates. Her opponent, incumbent Bob Marshall, has largely made his name by sponsoring bills with a religious conservative bent, including quite a few anti-LGBTQ bills over the past few years. And it might seem like an obvious motivation, for a trans woman to run against the delegate responsible for last year’s failed HB 1612, a copycat of North Carolina’s notorious HB2 “bathroom bill.” However, if you actually talk to Danica Roem, the main reason she’ll cite for her campaign is the terrible traffic on Prince William County’s Rt. 28.

“My mom busted her ass for years, and still does, commuting up and down 28 every day to go to her job at Dulles International Airport,” Roem says.

“Thousands of District 13 residents get stuck on 28 every single day. Delegate Marshall’s legislative priorities are more concerned with where we go to the bathroom than how his constituents get to work.” As she says this, Roem and I are conversing over Italian food at a restaurant in Prince William County. Even on a Sunday evening, quite a bit of traffic is traveling up and down Rt. 28--I can see it out the window as we talk. The significance of our meeting place is not lost on me. Neither is her use of the word “we”--as a fellow trans woman, I know all too well how galling it can be to have people attempt to legislate away your civil rights.

Our status as trans women is not the only thing Roem and I have in common--we also both come from a background in journalism. Roem caught the newspaper bug early. “My introduction to newspapers happened when I was a kid,” she says.

“My grandfather was always reading the newspaper, and I picked that up from him. He had to drop out of school in 9th grade because his mother died when he was 12 years old. During the great depression he had to support his younger brothers. He would carry 50 lb blocks of ice in the summer and 50 lb bags of coal in the winter. The only formal education he had from 9th grade on was reading books and newspapers, and he did both voraciously.”

She decided from a young age that being a journalist was her calling in life. “I graduated from St Bonaventure University in 2006 with a BA in journalism and mass communication,” she says.

“Mass comm meant nothing to me, I was just going BE BE SAFE, SAFE, BE BE HAPPY, HAPPY, BE BE PROUD! PROUD!

to be a journalist.” Returning to her hometown in Prince William County, Roem got a job writing for the Gainesville Times, which she continued to do for the next nine years. With a full-time staff of only two people, this job gave her the leeway to work from home, which she did while also holding down two other full-time jobs--first covering federal and state politics for the National Journal’s Hotline, then writing for Yoga Alliance, a nonprofit organization.

Working from outside the office at the Gainesville Times gave her a lot of leeway to broaden her focus and take on other projects, but this could easily translate to taking on too much. “I never had a quality issue at Gainesville [Times],” she says.

“What I did have an issue with was punctuality.

Hitting a deadline when you have two full time jobs, plus running band, while running a mobile yoga studio. I was way past overextended.”

The constant need for more projects into which to pour creative energy had a good deal to do with the secret she’d been keeping for a long time. She’d known that she was transgender since she was a child, but, she says, “I was still presenting as male.

I had hair down to here.” She indicates the length of her current long, flowing tresses. “But being in a metal band certainly presented a nice guise for that.

It’s a very easy way to explain it for people who I didn’t want to have that discussion with.”

Eventually, though, she had to have the discussion with herself. “Gender dysphoria is like a hand that grips around your neck and slowly clenches over time, to the point where you can’t breathe anymore and you have to do something about it,” she says. In 2012, she sought therapy, and eventually received clearance to begin hormone replacement therapy at the end of 2013. However, she waited quite a while before fully revealing herself to her coworkers. “By March 2015, there was no hiding it anymore,” she says. “But I was still using my old byline, because I hadn’t changed my name yet.”

Roem wanted to wait until her legal name change had come through before she altered her byline. “I [didn’t] want there to be any ambiguity with our readers,” she explains. As it turns out, no one really seemed to care. “Which, let me tell you,” she says.

“Sometimes in the trans world, apathy is great.

Sometimes you can’t ask for much more.” The lack of concern over her gender identity fit with her 61 61

experiences working in journalism. Her previous boss at the Gainesville Times, who was a lesbian, had taught her how to be an LGBTQ journalist. “What my boss taught me through her own actions was to do your job and shut up,” she says. “In journalism you have to get stuff done. Your gender identity isn’t really that important. You’re a disinterested neutral third party observer; you’re not the subject.”

It was her time as a third party observer, and her desire to get to the core of the issues she’d been reporting on for so long, that led Roem to get involved in politics. “All we care about is vetted facts in the newsroom,” she says. “I don’t come from a background of BS and spin. I come from a background of accountability, transparency, and truth-telling.”

She credits her familiarity with public policy issues, gained over a decade of covering the same issues for two different newspapers, as the best reason for her to hold public office. “Every single public policy issue we deal with here in the 13th district, I covered as a reporter,” she says. “My familiarity with the issues is going to directly affect how I view legislation and the things I will focus on, which is why I think I’d be a really good delegate.”

This experience has also given her a close-up look at the work of her opponent in the 13th district, Bob Marshall. “If he were successful, I wouldn’t be running against him,” she says, then begins citing plentiful facts and figures to back up her point.

“When you look at the 15 house bills he proposed this year, he lined up multiple co-sponsors for one. Guess which one.” I guess that it was an anti-LGBTQ bill.

“There were actually four anti-LGBTQ bills proposed

by Delegate Marshall this year,” she responds, laughing sardonically. “It was the bathroom bill. HB 1612. Not one of his other 14 house bills had more than one co-sponsor on it. And what did he have to show for it? Only one of his 15 house bills passed.”

She isn’t done elaborating on Marshall’s ineffectiveness. “In the last two years, 68 of his 71 bills died. This is someone who is in a 2-to-1 legislative majority party, sixth in seniority, and the dean of the Prince William county delegation to the General Assembly. He has no committee chairmanships to show for it, and he has the futility rating of a freshman member of the minority party.

The district voters think he put in a lot of bills, so he’s working hard. There’s a difference between working hard and getting stuff done.”

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Roem contrasts Marshall’s current record with the legacy of a politician from the same area. “Chuck Colgin’s one of my legislative role models. He was a Democrat, the Senate Finance Committee chair, also a Budget Conference Committee member. He wielded enormous power. You drove on the Prince William County parkway today; you drove on Chuck Colgin’s legacy. In Prince William County, we have an expectation that if you’ve accrued seniority like that, you deliver on infrastructure. I look at [Colgin] and think, that is how you’re supposed to do your job.”

Roem may model herself after Colgin to an extent, but she recognizes that he had weaknesses too.

“Chuck Colgin wasn’t perfect on LGBT rights,” she says. “He didn’t come around on our issues until very very late in his career. [He] was the last antiabortion Democrat as well. And yet, I still say he’s my legislative role model even if I disagree with him on certain social issues, because he delivered results by focusing on core quality of life issues.”

Quality of life issues are Roem’s raison d’etre as a candidate, and she has a lot to say about them.

“Traffic, jobs, and schools” is somewhat of a mantra for her, and she elaborates on her feelings about them at length, at one point providing a detailed analysis of every traffic light on Rt. 28 in Prince William County that contributes to the gridlock in her district. “The whole concept here is eliminating traffic lights, replacing them with overpasses,” she says. “You have to fix your existing infrastructure first.”

And this brings her back to her opponent, Delegate Bob Marshall. “Delegate Marshall votes against transportation funding, like HB 2313 from 2013,” she points out. “If you spend time crafting four antiLGBT bills, five abortion bills, an anti-pornography bill, a bill saying ISIS is bad that he couldn’t even get the Republicans to pass, that means you’re not focused like a laser on the core quality of life issues-traffic, jobs, and schools--that we have to deal with here in the 13th district.”

Roem has plans for dealing with all of these core issues, as well as some other infrastructure issues that may not have even occurred to the average voter.

In the midst of a detailed discussion about decaying water pipes in the city of Manassas Park, she says, “Not a single person in Manassas Park is gonna vote for me because of water infrastructure. But they all VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2017

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fundamentally need it.” It’s issues like these, the non-glamorous ones that nonetheless affect the day-to-day life of residents in her district, that Roem seems to care the most about. “[Infrastructure] doesn’t get the headlines that everything else does, but it directly affects your day to day existence,” she says. “That’s why I focus on it.”

And then suddenly, she pivots the discussion back to the issue that is usually brought up first in conversations about her. “I say all this,” she says.

“And I’m transgender. What I’m trying to get across here is that transgender people have a lot of good ideas for water infrastructure, transportation, education, throughout public policy and government.

Not just on bathroom bills. And when we’re able to destigmatize who we are as people, we’re able to contribute our ideas as equals at the table. That is important.”

As Roem sees it, this issue gets at a fundamental right all citizens of this country should enjoy. “When you are lacking in access, when you [can’t] present an idea that can be turned into public policy, simply because of your gender, then you’re being robbed of the American dream. Our ideas have merit, our ideas are worth consideration too, and representation matters. When bills about gender identity come out, and there are no out trans people in the legislature to speak to them, you’ve completely discounted the most obvious thing you could have as evidence.

And now you’re [discussing the issue] based on hypotheticals, based on nothing. Yes, we can contribute to gender identity debates. We can talk about our health care needs. And we can talk about water infrastructure in Manassas Park.”

This brings up another frustration she has with her opponent. “For Delegate Marshall to call us gender confused... what greater act of certainty is there to declare yourself transgender when you know that you live in a society where you’re opening yourself up to potential physical and mental harm?” she asks.

“Even knowing all of the stigmatization and singling out that I’m about to face, I still would rather go through that than continue living as someone who I am not. It shouldn’t take someone to reach the point of attempted suicide before the health insurance companies actually consider gender dysphoria a health care need that we have to deal with. It’s extremely offensive, and it’s deadly, for people to say otherwise. Delegate Marshall likes to say it’s BE SAFE, BE HAPPY, BE PROUD!

cosmetic--it’s not. It’s mandatory. He says that it’s elective procedures. No. Your doctor wouldn’t be authorizing it if it was elective.”

She pivots to the issue that has thrown the spotlight on transgender people most recently. “But doesn’t that make you ineligible to serve in the military?

Let’s go through this.” She takes out a bottle of prescription medication. “This is what I take. 3 mg estradiol, 50 mg spironolactone.” She puts four pills in her mouth, takes a sip of water, and swallows them. “There. I can go about the rest of my day without an issue. It takes about 5 seconds to complete the process. For 15,500 transgender military members, many of whom will pursue HRT, many of whom already do... that’s it! Their abilities don’t change, their leadership and readiness don’t change. We’re ready and able to serve--let’s do this.”

For the next couple of months, Roem will be focusing all of her energy on “doing this”--specifically, defeating Bob Marshall and becoming the new Delegate for Virginia’s 13th district. While her idealistic attempt to fund her campaign entirely on donations of $500 or less had to fall by the wayside, her extensive door-knocking efforts within her community was a core component of her win against three other candidates in the Democratic primary.

“The one thing that saved us was our door knocking operation,” she says. “Our field numbers were way, way beyond what the other candidates had.” She intends to keep those numbers high, right through to election day, leaving notes that include her personal phone number for anyone who isn’t home when she knocks.

Whether discussing the rights of the LGBTQ community or infrastructure issues that affect the Prince William County community, Roem’s concern for issues that affect herself and others around her is always palpable. Her history as a journalist, a trans woman, and a community advocate all comes into play as part of her candidacy. Ultimately, though, it’s the same concerns that motivated her career as a reporter that drive her now. “One of the things I hope and believe in as a reporter running for office is that in this day and age, facts still matter,” she says.

“I am banking my candidacy on the idea that vetted facts are more important than bullshit. And you can quote me on that.

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The RVA Trans & Non-binary Community Speaks When we think of the LGBTQ community, it can be easy to to assume that our struggles are the same.

While banding together for solidarity purposes, since our communities overlap in so many ways, is always a good idea, we can’t let that blind us to the differences in our struggles. In particular, recent developments in the political arena throw a spotlight on the different circumstances transgender people are forced to cope with.

At a time when all but the most right-wing fringes of American discourse see gay, lesbian, and bisexual people as respectable members of the community who deserve civil rights, transgender and nonbinary people still face discrimination, harassment, and violence in their daily lives, just for being themselves. Politicians have no problem using their trans constituents as a wedge issue to divide and conquer.

The difficulties facing any trans person living openly today were even visible as I worked on this article.

Some of those who participated were only willing to do so anonymously; others I spoke to ultimately chose not to participate at all. From trans people who have chosen not to disclose their status to coworkers for fear of job loss, to non-binary people who must choose to pass for cisgender in order to avoid discrimination, many of the people quoted within this piece face real consequences if their identities are even made public.

Therefore, while it’s disappointing that most people who argue over the civil rights of trans people have never met or talked to a single openly trans or nonbinary person, it can’t be too much of a surprise.

For that reason, it seems more important than ever to give the trans and non-binary community of the Richmond area a chance to speak for themselves.

We asked three simple questions of a dozen different trans and non-binary Richmonders. In their responses, they express their fears, voice their concerns, and in spite of everything they have been through and still must deal with, show their pride.

--Marilyn Drew Necci

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HOW DOES YOUR GENDER IDENTITY IMPACT YOUR DAILY LIFE?

“It’s a struggle for basic recognition on every level of interaction. The language of erasure is as insidious as walking this earth every day. It is in the innocuous way we think we are speaking to one another. It is perpetuated by people we love, who both actively and obliviously participate in trans erasure of the people they love. If you try to tell someone else what their gender ‘really’ is, then you are not loving someone.” --Ray, non-binary “There are many days that I wish I could walk out of the house after waking up and throwing some clothes on, but unfortunately that is never the case. I have to concern myself about what I see in the mirror, and how others are going to see me throughout the day. If I have stubble I have to shave, if I have five o’clock shade I have to cover my face in makeup, if my real hair looks like a mess I need to throw on one of my wigs. It’s a process every day and it gets to the point of being exhausting. And because of these daily steps I have to do, it means more money is coming out of my pocket.”

--Kristina, trans woman “Gender impacts my life constantly, more so because of outside influence. I’d never given much thought to how my gender presentation changes so much from day to day, or how jarring that is for people to see, because I’ve just always been this way.” --Levi, nonbinary/trans masc “Being non-binary affects my daily life in multiple ways [due to] dysphoria and struggling with wanting to present more ‘masculine’ some days, ‘feminine’ other days, or even both at the same time. I worry about not being queer enough or trans enough to be valid. It doesn’t matter what people think at the end of the day; I love who I am and since realizing my gender I’ve become so much more comfortable with myself.” --Lil Cal, non-binary “I don’t like to think about my gender identity. It causes me great stress. I used to be very dysphoric, and so I took hormones (T). Turns out I’m very sensitive to hormones (both T and E). My emotions VIRGINIA VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST PRIDEFEST 2017 2017

were crazy. I couldn’t handle it. Since I quit, I try to make peace with how I am. There was this one time, because my voice is very deep (sans testosterone) and my face is very androgynous, I was mistaken for a trans woman. I was talking to this guy at a bar.

He started to feel threatened, getting freaked out, which freaked me out. The only way I could calm this guy down was to tell him I took testosterone for a year. Then he was like, ‘Alright, alright,’ and I got the fuck out of there.” -- ”Agent Mulder,” non-binary “In my late teens and early 20s, I was exploring my identity a lot in my drawings and paintings. I would do many self-portraits of myself as a ‘man,’ or where there were two of me—presenting both feminine and masculine within one piece of artwork.

At the time, I didn’t know what it meant. It took me years to figure out it was because I feel both feminine and masculine. I am constantly being told I am someone who I don’t feel I am, and that can be really disorienting at times, although I have a lot of privileges passing as cis and straight--which I’m very aware of, and think is always important to mention.” -- anonymous, non-binary “I’m very privileged that most people I interact with on a daily basis, coworkers and strangers alike, aren’t aware of my trans status. It’s nice to go through the day and be who I am, no questions asked. And really, that’s the goal of transition, isn’t it? It is, however, impossible to ignore the impact of being able to pass through the world being seen as who you’ve always felt yourself to be. There is a night and day difference between how people respond to me now and how they did when I was still presenting as male. Prior to transition, every interaction with others bummed me out a little. I felt like I had to filter out so much of who I was that by the end of the day I felt almost invisible.

It’s lovely to finally be seen.” --Sara, trans woman “Sometimes people call me ‘ma’am,’ sometimes ‘sir,’ sometimes they can’t decide on one so they alternate until I react. Sometimes it changes when I speak. Some guys will speak at me with a familiarity that they don’t express with other women or femmes, like I’m one of the bros. Sometimes I have a difficult time discerning genuine compliments from pity. Sometimes it’s work maintaining the resolve to assert my identity outside of my immediate social sphere, and sometimes it falters.”

--Sophia, trans woman

BE BE SAFE, SAFE, BE BE HAPPY, HAPPY, BE BE PROUD! PROUD!

“I’m only out to a handful of close friends. Those who don’t know probably just think I’m a kinda weird dude. It can make outer presentation a challenge, as the degree to which I feel trans tends to fluctuate.

Around the house it’s not a problem; I live alone so I can dress as femme or masculine as I feel. It’s when I have to go out in public and I’m feeling more feminine that it can be difficult to find a suitable balance. I have to wear something that I feel comfortable in, while not attracting unwanted attention. It means I have to constantly be self-aware. It can get exhausting at times.” -- anonymous, trans woman “When I dress in a way that makes me feel good, I feel like the stares pierce my body. Thousands of holes being drilled into my very being. Maybe I’m more sensitive than others, but I’ve tried for so long to accept or ignore that people are going to stare at people with a gender they don’t understand, and it hasn’t gotten much easier. I am treated far more like a human when I am wearing shorts and a shirt as opposed to a dress.” -- Walter, non-binary

WHAT’S ONE THING YOU WISH PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD ABOUT LIFE AS A TRANS/NON-BINARY PERSON? “That we aren’t sick, or confused, or looking for attention. I wish people realized how hard it is to be honest about your identity in a world that doesn’t even try to understand. I wish they understood how emotionally taxing it is to constantly wonder if your queer and trans friends are gonna get home safe; if they’re gonna make it through this round of depression alive. It can be so exhausting.”

-- Emily, non-binary “People need to understand that we really are no different then they are. We have a different history but we want the same things in life as they do. How we identify gender-wise defines what we are, but not who we are. We are people. Human beings that are trying to, and deserve to, live our lives as the person we were meant to be.” -- Keri, trans woman “I wish more people knew how hard it is being trans.

It takes an emotional and physical toll on one’s body and mental health. It cost an excessive amount to be able to feel whole, and most people don’t have the opportunity to continue forward.”

--Kristina, trans woman

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“I wish people understood that the way I view myself as a nb is still a trans experience. I’ve gotten a lot of people who would be and are accepting of binary trans folks, but I get a lot of pushback.

I feel like I have to dress a certain way when I tell people that I’m trans masc/nb or they won’t take it seriously. I love makeup, flowers, getting my nails done, yes. But I’m still a boy... a really pretty one.”

--Levi, non-binary/trans masc ““It’s important to realize that we’re not a monolith.

I’ve heard a lot of people say things like, ‘Well, my trans friend said this, so…’ or ‘most non-binary people don’t care about pronouns so whatever.’ We all have different experiences, and we’re all growing and learning (and unlearning). Please don’t be surprised if you hear conflicting things. I know it can be confusing but just sit back and listen if you want to learn. Don’t invalidate another’s experience.”

--Lil Cal, non-binary “That being non-binary is real and is a legitimate gender. Often, people think we’re in a phase and I know I am not in a phase. This is something I have felt my entire life, I just didn’t have the language for it until now.” -- anonymous, nonbinary “Practice restraint upon meeting a trans/nonbinary person. Learning and asking us questions might be interesting for you but it’s not conversation most of us want to have when we’re trying to chill. Being trans is personal. Those of us who don’t ‘pass,’ in order to feel comfortable socializing, [have to] out ourselves, which might make it seem not very personal, but it is.” -- ”Agent Mulder,” nonbinary

us and those out to legislate us out of existence bored to tears within twenty minutes. If the aforementioned parties would take the time to get to know us, they would find it far easier to relate to and understand us than they had ever imagined.”

-- Sara, trans woman “When trans people speak up about being respected, it’s not because we are seeking attention, but so that we may even begin to take part in the discourse on level ground with other participants. When a trans person corrects you on their name, or pronoun, it is so that they can focus on a conversation or task at hand without bottling up the disregard for their own being and having it rattle about in their mind, creating anxiety and other distractions. When we speak up about covering bases concerning trans and queer rights in community spaces, it is because we have to advocate for ourselves in order to ensure our own survival and livelihood.” -- Sophia, trans woman

WHAT’S AN ASPECT OF YOUR LIFE THAT YOU’RE PROUD OF THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR GENDER? “I’m lucky to have the opportunity to impact the lives of children every day. I’m proud that I’m able to create a safe place for them in my classroom, where they can explore their own identities without fear of judgement. I think I’ve gotten pretty good at handling tough conversations with them, and making sure they leave our space feeling good about themselves.” -- Emily, non-binary

“Every day feels like a matter of life and death. It is often terrifying. It is constantly exhausting. I want people to have empathy and compassion. We are just trying to exist and it isn’t easy.”

-- Walter, nonbinary

“I am so proud that I have been able to help others navigate through difficult times in their lives. I look at all sides of what issues they are confiding in me, and try to come up with an action plan that can help them stay on a positive path, to reduce the anxiety and stress being caused by these issues.”

-- Keri, trans woman

“I think there’s a big misconception that being trans is the focus of our lives, rather than merely being a single aspect of who we are. Until the surge in antitransgender legislation over the past several years, I hadn’t thought much about being trans in a while.

It’s not that I deny it or have any desire to hide, but I’m too busy finally enjoying life, as well as dealing with the rigors of daily life that everyone faces. The banality observed in the actual daily lives of most trans people would make those who misunderstand

“I’m proud that I have found someone that loves me for me. Growing up, I feared that I would never be able to experience a normal relationship. I’m proud that I have a good paying job; I’m proud that I’ve lost a lot of weight that I had as a child. But my gender has affected me all of my life, so truthfully I’m proud that I’ve gotten as far as I have.” -- Kristina, trans woman

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“I’m finally who I’d always imagined I’d be. I know that if my past self met me now, I would be so impressed. I come from a rough home life, I’m a dumpster fire of emotions, I have a laundry list of mental and physical illnesses, but I’m finally authentically myself, and I’m so so proud of that.”

- Levi, non-binary/trans masc “I have a very fulfilling career that allows me to help people in the event of a catastrophe. I’m proud that I have such a desire to keep learning and a desire to help my community. There’s a lot of things that need to be fixed on in this city and society a whole, and I want to work as much as possible to make changes.”

--Lil Cal, non-binary “I’m really proud of myself for fighting depression as well as I have, that I can see the light at the end of this super long fucked up tunnel. I’ve been making art, but I’m making it when I’m sober most of the time now, and I’m starting to enjoy it again. I’m getting those pleasure beacons firing by themselves again. I think that’s pretty fucking awesome.”

-- ”Agent Mulder,” non-binary “My passion is working towards social justice through art. It gives my life meaning and purpose, and allows me to use the skills I have within activism.

My work has focused on combating sexual violence while empowering survivors, elevating the voices of and commemorating queer folks in the midwest and on the east coast, and within the last couple of years, I’ve been working with incarcerated youth in Richmond with ART180.” -- anonymous, non-binary “Being a multi media designer, artist, and music maker has always been my entire life. When I’m not working on one of my 50 passion projects, I’m riding my wave in a dedicated creative team developing someone else’s. I love that. Communalist production really burns my wick. I need to build up my community like I need air to breathe.”

-- Ray, non-binary “I’m a very handy person by nature; my first therapist once called me a ‘Jill of all trades’ and I wear that with pride. Due to largely being raised by my grandparents and their 1950’s style of parenting, if I wanted to build, make, paint, or take something apart, I was more than welcome to. As long as what I wanted to do didn’t cost much money, I was free to follow the creative path I wanted. More often than BE SAFE, BE HAPPY, BE PROUD! BE SAFE, BE HAPPY, BE PROUD!

not, that path led me directly to my grandfather’s shop behind the house. Once, someone gave my grandmother a birdhouse that was built to resemble an old country church. Before it could even be put up, the roof panel fell off. It didn’t take me long to volunteer to fix it. Not only did I repair the roof, but I also built pews and a pulpit for the birds from scrap wood I found. It was a weird little kid thing to do, but that lust for fixing and being creative has assisted me throughout my career and my life in general.”

--Sara, trans woman “Creating, and sharing music and art with the many talented people I’ve met and befriended in Richmond’s robust DIY scene has been very fulfilling. Having an avenue and platform for selfexpression allows me to connect with others in ways that are both rewarding and validating. I have to thank local collectives like Ice Cream Support Group, Great Dismal, Soft Web, and Animal for helping me to find an audience and other creatives who make me feel seen for my value and vision.

Their work elevates the voices of artists often drowned out by homogeny, or who feel alienated from scene institutions, and provide space for new voices to emerge. I’ve grown leaps and bounds as an artist and individual thanks to the friends I’ve made among their ranks, and the access to resources that they’ve facilitated.” -- Sophia, trans woman “Everything I have accomplished, everything I own, has been a direct result of gender. Had I not figured out how to overcome all the depression, anxiety, and other mental issues that my gender identity has been the core of, I would not have survived this long. I’m proud of the independent life I have built for myself. I’m proud of my ability to keep on trudging along no matter how hard things get.”

-- anonymous, trans woman “It’s hard to write about something in my life that is completely separate from my gender and my performance of my gender, because it’s all interconnected in one way or another. Through struggle, you find your strength. The universe has brought me together with some incredible people and I am proud to be who I am.”

-- Walter, non-binary

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Embracing Diversity We’re building a culture where our employees feel included, appreciated and encouraged to contribute. We know that it takes diverse experiences and perspectives to foster innovation and bring ideas forward that will drive our continued success.

Altria salutes Gay Pride Virginia. Because we know that what makes us different can make us all stronger.

Take a closer look at Altria.com. Š

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OUR PRIDE IS UNLIMITED AND SO IS OUR SUPPORT T-Mobile stands with its LGBTQ employees and customers who continue to fight for equal rights for all. Join us as we march and celebrate together in the name of unity and equality.

#UnlimitedPride

T-Mobile and the magenta color are registered trademarks of Deutsche Telekom AG. ©2017 T-Mobile USA, Inc.

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ORANGE B Q94 LUCKY 13 TATTOO KMI INSURANCE LASIK PLUS LGBT DEMOCRATS PLANNED PARENTHOOD HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN RICHMOND CITY POLICE DEPT WE THE PEOPLE CLOTHING FCKH8 STEWIE’S GOT PRIDE SAFE HARBOR & YWCA MCGUIRE’S VA HOSPITAL CHURCH OF THE HOLY COMFORTER STATE FARM SIERRA CLUB

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FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF VA IMPERIAL COURT OF WASHINGTON DC SOUTHERNERS ON NEW GROUND LA DIFF LIBERTARIAN PARTY OF VA INVASIVE QUEER KUDZU WHO AM I IF YOU’RE NOT YOU? IT WORKS GLOBAL WALKER & SON JEWELERS RICHMOND TRIANGLE PLAYERS PRIME TIMERS OF CENTRAL VA ONE SOUTH REALTY RICHMOND BUSINESS ALLIANCE YELLOW B DOMINION DIVERSITY THRIFT AARP VIRGINIA TOURISM CORPORATION VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY THE CHANGE PROJECT MCC RICHMOND SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION RICHMOND WINDOW VIRGINIA NORML SIDE BY SIDE BONAY KODESH RICHMOND SHERRIFF DEPARTMENT ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION RVA VAPES AAPCO SNAGAJOB

VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2017

BLUE GREEN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY POLICE HELPING HANDS HENRICO COUNTY POLICE DEPT RICHMOND TRANSFORMERS SEAPLANE SHIRTS SUNTRUST VSDVAA STATEWIDE HOTLINE

PURPLE ALTRIA YMCA EQUALITY VIRGINIA PFLAG OF RICHMOND VA ANTI-VIOLENCE PROJECT ELEPHANT AUTO & KING OF POPS AMTRAK ALLIANZ VISIT NORFOLK

FOOD

FOOD LION MONUMENT CITY MUSIC ACLU GLSEN RICHMOND JAMES RIVER TRANSGENDER SOCIETY ST. MARK’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH TABOO TREEHUG TRADING COMPANY UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST EQUALITY VCU VIRGINIA POLYAMORY T-MOBILE ST. JOHN’S UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST VENTURE RICHMOND & PLAN 9 RICHMOND PHOTOBOOTH COMMON GROUND - U OF R DEPT OF HISTORIC RESOURCES GREATER LOVE MINISTRIES BONAVENTURE SUZETTE MORRISON HEALTH BRIGADE ORANGE RVA EMBRACE TREATMENT FOSTER CARE

NADER’S HAPPY EMPANADA ASIAN TASTE MELLOW MUSHROOM GREEK AND MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE RED CARYTOWN BURGERS AND FRIES MOBILE INK POD WESTRAY’S FINEST ICECREAM LULAROE ROYAL CREAMERY T-MOBILE ESPRESSO A GO GO

BE SAFE, BE HAPPY, BE PROUD!

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Kenny Brown & Jesse Smith present

RICHMOND TATTOO AND ARTS FESTIVAL Sept. 29th - Oct. 1st, 2017

Featuring InkMaster’s KELLY DOTY,

TATU BABY, CHRISTIAN BUCKINGHAM and many more!

WEEKEND ENTERTAINMENT • Live Tattooing, Art & Music • Pinup, Beard, Airsex & Tattoo Competitions • Burlesque & Variety Shows • Fire Performances • Family Friendly Sunday

DOUBLETREE BY HILTON HOTEL 1021 Koger Center Blvd.

Richmond, VA 23235

RichmondTattooConvention.com 84

VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2017

BE SAFE, BE HAPPY, BE PROUD!

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VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2017

FALL EXHIBITIONS:

SEP 16, 2017 - FEB 11, 2018

Wayne White: Monitorium Small Works, Tall Tales Toobz Muir: Misshapen Demise Disposable Film Festival

BE SAFE, BE HAPPY, BE PROUD!

Art world phenomenon, Wayne White (set and character designer for Pee Wee’s Playhouse) explores a unique perspective on the 1862 Battle of Hampton Roads through gigantic props, puppets, lighting and sound. Small Works, Tall Tales features nine Virginia artists who infuse their work with sharp wit and a complex interpretation of our world.

Logo by Wayne White

VirginiaMOCA.org | Virginia Beach

TH E ART OF NOW 87

we’re prou d to SUPPO RT PRIDE FEST 2017

4 N . T H O M P S O N S T R E E T | R I C H M O N D, VA

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8 0 4 -3 5 9 -7 5 2 5 | E L LWO O DT H O M P S O N S .CO M VIRGINIA PRIDEFEST 2017