Washingtonblade.com, Volume 49, Issue 32, August 10, 2018 by Washington Blade

AUGUST 10,

2018

VOLUME 49

ISSUE 32

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AMERICA’S LGBTQ NEWS SOURCE

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

D.C. church backs ‘shaming’ of LGBT people Baptist constitution links homosexuality to bestiality, incest

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. lchibbaro@washblade.com Capital View Baptist Church, which has been operating in the same Northeast Washington neighborhood since 1927, adopted a revised church constitution last year that says, “shaming and shunning are acceptable Christian responses” to homosexuality, bisexuality, attempts to change one’s sex, and any other form of “ungodly behavior.”

Capital View Baptist Church adopted a constitution last year that says ‘shaming and shunning are acceptable Christian responses’ to homosexuality.

In a development that has raised eyebrows among some in the city’s faith community, the church submitted a copy of its recently revised constitution to the D.C. Superior Court as part of its response to separate lawsuits filed against the church by 15 former members and by D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine. The lawsuit filed by the former members accuses the church of illegally revoking their membership in the church in an internal church dispute. Racine’s lawsuit called on the court to order the church to obey a subpoena the Attorney General’s Office served on the church last year requesting a series of financial documents and CONTINUES ON PAGE 12

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY LOU CHIBBARO JR.

A ‘cage match’ for Trump Rep. Maloney seeks to take on president as first out N.Y. attorney general By CHRIS JOHNSON cjohnson@washblade.com Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.) would be the first openly gay person elected as New York attorney general should he succeed in his campaign for the office — and he sees the role as an opportunity to take on President Trump. In an interview Wednesday with the Washington Blade, the three-term

congressman said he wants to go on offense and after winning the primary on Sept. 13 and the general election would “100 percent” use the office of attorney general to investigate Trump and challenge his anti-LGBT policies. “It’s not just Trump’s business and it’s not just Trump’s own actions,” Maloney said. “It’s the threat posed by the entire administration across a range of federal law and nowhere is that more true than in the area of LGBT equality.” As evidence of hostility from the Trump administration and House Republicans toward LGBT people, Maloney cited Trump’s attempt to ban transgender people from the armed forces as well as efforts to restrict adoption by LGBT couples. CONTINUES ON PAGE 14

Rep. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY (D-N.Y.) is running to become New York attorney general.

SETH’S STORY

BACK TO SCHOOL

MADONNA’S 60!

Georgetown grants scholarship to gay student kicked out by parents.

Checking in with LGBT students at UMD, Howard in our annual special section.

Can chart queen defy the odds and stage a musical comeback?

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LO CA L N E W S

Comings & Goings Uceda takes role at StartOut; Cardon lands at Facebook By PETER ROSENSTEIN The Comings & Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our community. We want to recognize those landing new jobs, new clients for their business, joining boards of organizations and other achievements. Please share your successes with us at comings and goings@washblade.com. The Comings & Goings column also invites LGBTQ+ college students to share their successes with us. If you have been elected to a student government position, landed an internship, or are graduating and beginning your career with a great job, let us know so we can share your success. Congratulations to Tony Uceda who began his job with StartOut as the new development director. StartOut is a national nonprofit organization fostering and developing entrepreneurship in the LGBTQ community. They help members of the community who are trying to start new companies and support LGBTQ entrepreneurs as they grow and expand their existing businesses. Prior to this, Uceda was the major gifts officer with the National LGBTQ Task Force. He previously served as director of mission and program integration with the St. Labre Indian Mission where he oversaw development of education programs TONY UCEDA and outreach initiatives. He received PHOTO COURTESY OF UCEDA his bachelor’s in philosophy from St. Joseph Seminary College, Benedict, La., and a fundraising management certificate from Indiana University. Congratulations also to Nathan A. Cardon who is the new associate general counsel, customer support & quality operations for Facebook. Cardon said his role is to “support the Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality (AR/VR) team, which includes both the Oculus VR unit and the Building 8 unit. I’ll be helping the company work on physical product issues to ensure fun, safe end user experiences and to help ensure product safety and compliance with U.S. and other legal and regulatory regimes.” NATHAN CARDON Prior to joining Facebook, Cardon PHOTO COURTESY OF CARDON was senior regulatory associate with Keller and Heckman LLP in D.C. He represented clients in communications with the government, suppliers, customers and others. He assisted companies in protecting consumer (especially children’s) privacy under Federal Trade Commission Act and other laws, regulations and policies. Before that he served as senior counsel to Commissioner Nancy A. Nord at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. He has also worked with Investigations and White-Collar Defense Attorney Wiley Rein LLP. Cardon is a member of the D.C. Bar and the Virginia Bar and a Certified Information Privacy Professional—U.S. Private Sector and Certified Information Privacy Professional—Europe. He is a member of the Federalist Society. He has co-authored a number of publications, including “A Year of Transition at the CPSC” (Dec. 19, 2017); “Lessons from a Challenge to CPSC Civil Penalty Authority” (Oct. 27, 2017), “Shielded— EU Approves Privacy Pact with U.S., Fee Schedule Proposed” (July 26, 2016). He received his bachelor’s in political science from Brigham Young University and his J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School. He and his husband Flavio have been active members of the D.C. LGBTQ community until their recent move to California.

Del. abandons proposed anti-trans student regulation The Delaware Department of Education announced last week that it will not move forward to finalize the current version of Regulation 225. More than 6,000 comments were made by the public in response to the anti-discrimination regulation. The current version of the regulation said that transgender students in Delaware would be required to ask permission from a parent or guardian before changing their gender identity in school. The original proposal for the regulation would have allowed students to self-identify their gender and race in school without their parents’ knowledge. The current proposal for the regulation received backlash from organizations throughout Delaware, including Equality Delaware, CAMP Rehoboth and the ACLU-DE. One of the main reasons for the backlash was the potential for outing students in unsupportive homes. Kathleen MacRae of the ACLU-DE said, “students should not be forced to choose between abuse at home or basic dignity at school — such as being called by appropriate gender pronouns or being able to use facilities that match who they are — simply because of widespread ignorance about and bigotry against transgender people.” “Recent court decisions have raised important legal questions regarding this issue, and the significant public comments make clear we still haven’t struck the right balance,” said Secretary of Education Susan Bunting in the statement. “For those reasons, we’re not going to finalize the current proposed version of the regulation.” Gov. John Carney also released a statement on the current version of Regulation 225. “Throughout the process of creating this regulation, I carefully listened to the feedback of Delawareans. Secretary Bunting did the same,” said Carney in his statement. “We heard concerns from parents who wanted to ensure they had a say in the decisions schools make regarding their children. We attempted to address those concerns. On the other hand, we heard and understand concerns that have been raised by the LGBTQ community. They are working to protect some of our state’s most vulnerable children.” Carney said that in light of the recent Boyertown decision by the Third Circuit, along with the comments received from across the state, the administration is now considering its next steps for Regulation 225. Carney said he was looking forward to continued discussion with Delawareans, members of the General Assembly and Delaware families on how to make progress and move forward with the regulation. BLAKE CHAMBERS

Delaware Pride Festival to be held Saturday Delaware Pride will hold its annual Pride Festival Saturday, Aug. 11 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Legislative Hall in Dover. This year will mark the 21st anniversary of the event. Admission is free and people of all ages and sexual orientations are welcome. The event will feature DJ Ben and entertainers include the Manhattan Prairie Dogs, Earth Radio, Rainbow Chorale of Delaware, SongBird the Goddess, Kelsea Johnson from The Voice season 14, Sam Tolson, Aunt Mary Pat DiSabatino, Vicky Fischer, Mr. Joey Morgan, Camille Embrace, Derek Deleqúa and J-Line. Past Delaware Pride queens Ashley Lynn, Jenna Tall and Miss Peaches are among the entertainers at the event along with past Delaware Pride newcomers Cherry St. Cartier and Sir.Donyx. Josh Schonewolf will serve as emcee. “The Delaware Pride Festival is the single largest LGBTA gathering in Delaware, and it helps give the community needed exposure and recognition,” says the event’s Facebook page. “Our goal is to promote platforms for expressing dignity and creating a more visible and united LGBTA community.” An after party will be held at Allure Nightclub starting at 9 p.m. Tickets are on sale for $15 at the door and can be purchased for $10 online at somethingpeach.party. BLAKE CHAMBERS

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Georgetown grants scholarship to gay student kicked out by parents Seth Owen’s plight went viral By LOU CHIBBARO JR. lchibbaro@washblade.com Seth Owen, 18, a gay high school senior in Jacksonville, Fla., who was accepted in June to Georgetown University, said he thought his dream of beginning classes at the prestigious college this fall had come to a crashing end. He said his religious parents who pressured him into undergoing conversion therapy last year gave him an ultimatum earlier this year. He would either have to continue to attend the church with his family that was outwardly hostile to gay people or he would have to leave home. “For his own well-being and SETH OWEN will attend Georgetown University in the fall. safety, Seth chose the latter,” said PHOTO COURTESY OF SETH OWEN/GOFUNDME Jane Martin, one of his high school teachers and mentor who created a GoFundMe page to help him pay his first-year college tuition after his parents told him they would not support him any longer. “His parents have refused to support him emotionally or financially because they deem his sexual orientation inconsistent with their religious beliefs,” Martin said in her GoFundMe message. “Throughout this year Seth held his head high and continued to work almost full-time while finishing high school at the top of his class as the covaledictorian,” she said, adding that he was living with friends. She noted that when Georgetown accepted him it provided a financial student aid package based on the assumption that his parents would provide the balance of tuition and other expenses not covered by the school’s financial aid. When Owen’s parents made it clear they would not cover these expenses he learned he would be hit with a $20,000 bill to cover his first year, Martin wrote in her GoFundMe message. “I started to cry because I realized there was no way that I could go to college,” he told ABC News. Accompanied by a photo of Owen dressed in his high school graduation cap and gown with ribbons and metals hanging around his neck to signify his role as valedictorian and student leader, Martin published the GoFundMe page, which asked potential contributors to help raise the $20,000 to cover Owen’s first year expenses at Georgetown. In a development that amazed both Martin and Owen, the GoFundMe effort went viral on social media and was picked up by several local and national TV news outlets as well as newspapers. Since it went online, more than $140,000 was raised by more than 2,500 individual donors as of early this week. In an Aug. 3 statement he released to ABC News, Owen said that Georgetown University officials over the past several weeks reviewed his requests made earlier this year for an “adjustment” of his financial aid package following his parents’ refusal to support him. “Due to their efforts and attention, they were able to adjust my aid package even further. My expected contribution is now $0,” he said. “With these new adjustments, I will be able to attend Georgetown University this fall.” He also said in his statement that he’s considering plans to use the balance of the money raised for him by the GoFundMe campaign, over and above his living expenses related to attending Georgetown, to create a scholarship fund for LGBT students. “At the moment, I am in process of exploring the establishment of a scholarship to help LGBTQ+ scholars who find themselves in the circumstance I was in earlier this year,” said Owen in his statement. “I am looking forward to utilizing the resource of Georgetown to help with this effort,” he said. “Thank you to all of my supporters in Jacksonville and across the globe who have given their time, talents, and financial support to help me make my dream of attending Georgetown University a reality,” his statement says.

LO CA L N E W S

CAMP Rehoboth, Beebe team up for LGBT focus groups Last week, CAMP Rehoboth and Beebe Healthcare partnered to hold focus groups designed to collect information pertaining to the LGBTQ+ community’s health issues and needs and how Beebe could help to meet those needs. Both groups were held at the McCurry Conference Center, with the first group meeting on July 31 and the second meeting on Aug. 2. “After hearing some complaints from community members about how transgender community members were treated, doctors not prescribing PrEP and not wanting to learn about it — we talked with staff at Beebe Healthcare,” said Sal Seeley, the Health Services Director for CAMP Rehoboth. “They were open to hearing about the issues we were having. We have held very successful discussions with them about these issues, and as a result, they proposed these focus groups as a way to understand how LGBTQ+ community members experience was getting services from Beebe Healthcare.” The turnout for the two groups was good, with most of the participants being retirees. According to Jeannie Briley-Wallo, the Patient Experience Director for Beebe Healthcare, the participants were concerned about healthcare in their community. “The community members were encouraged to freely share their thoughts and experiences with the group, good and bad,” said Briley-Wallo. “Most of the attendees reported excellent experiences at Beebe and told us they felt very comfortable and affirmed in our care. We decided to team up because we knew CAMP Rehoboth had many contacts in the community and could help us get people interested in our focus groups.” Seeley said that Beebe Healthcare has been helpful in creating a directory for LGBTQ health providers and that CAMP Rehoboth is working with Beebe to identify doctors who have experience working with the LGBTQ+ community and are aware of the health needs that the community faces. Briley-Wallo said that the information gathered from the focus groups would be used to help educate Beebe Healthcare’s staff on LGBTQ+ patient concerns. Briley-Wallo also stated that she would take some of the suggestions brought up during the focus groups to physician leadership to see if there are additional services that could be provided in the local area that are presently only available in Baltimore, Philadelphia and D.C. BLAKE CHAMBERS

Howard County schools dismisses employee bias claims The Howard County Board of Education has dismissed allegations that some school board members discriminated against three of former Superintendent Renee Foose’s deputies. The Baltimore Sun on Aug. 2 reported Cheryl Brower, a human rights investigator, “found reasonable cause to believe some school board members discriminated against” former Director of Staff Relations Tim Thornburg, former Chief Accountability Officer Grace Chesney and former Director of Communications John White. The Baltimore Sun noted Brower reported two school board members made homophobic comments against Chesney and Thornburg. Foose resigned in May 2017. The Baltimore Sun reported Chesney and White were laid off the following month, while Thornburg resigned. The Howard County Board of Education in an Aug. 3 statement said the allegations “are part of an employment discrimination claim that has no factual or legal basis.” The statement also notes Thornburg, Chesney and White have all withdrawn their complaints. “The complainants’ withdrawal denied the board, and individual board members, the opportunity to vindicate itself,” it reads. “Instead, these reports were leaked to the news media.” “We want the HCPSS (Howard County Public School System) community to know that the complainants’ allegations are false, and that the board categorically disclaims the investigator’s version of events,” adds the statement. MICHAEL K. LAVERS

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D.C. police seek help in investigation of gay murder Victim found shot to death in alley in Southeast

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. lchibbaro@washblade.com

D.C. police are seeking help from the public in their investigation into the July 21 murder of a gay man, who was found shot to death in an alley behind the 1600 block of Minnesota Avenue, S.E. and whose car was reported missing at the time of the murder. Police said in a statement that officers from the Seventh District found D.C. resident Michael Miller, 37, unconscious and showing no signs of life after the officers responded to a call D.C. resident MICHAEL MILLER was found shot to to the scene about 9:15 a.m. on death on July 21. Saturday, July 21. PHOTO COURTESY D.C. POLICE Three residents of the Matthews Memorial Terrace Apartments at 2632 Martin Luther King Ave., S.E., where Miller lived, said Miller was well known as being gay among his neighbors in the building and was well liked by everyone who knew him. “We’re all devastated by this,” said one of the residents, who asked not to be identified. The police statement announcing Miller’s death did not disclose that he was gay. When asked by the Washington Blade whether homicide detectives have obtained information indicating whether Miller might have been targeted because of his sexual orientation, a police spokesperson declined to comment. “There is no further information to provide as this case remains under investigation,” said spokesperson Alaina Gertz, a Public Affairs Specialist with the department’s Office of Communications. D.C. police officials have said in the past that under a longstanding policy the department doesn’t disclose the sexual orientation or gender identity of crime victims unless investigators have evidence indicating the victim was specifically targeted because of his or her sexual orientation or gender identity. Miller’s case is the second known murder of a gay person this year in the D.C. metropolitan area. Sean Anderson, 48, was shot to death on March 2 inside his Anacostia apartment by a man he invited home, according to police charging documents. Southeast D.C. resident Jerome Wilson, 35, has been charged with second-degree murder while armed in connection with Anderson’s death. The police statement on the Miller case says the department is offering a reward of up to $25,000 to anyone providing information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for Miller’s death. “Upon arrival, members located an adult male victim, in an alley, suffering from a gunshot wound,” the statement says. “D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene. The victim displayed no signs consistent with life and remained on the scene until being transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner,” the statement says. The statement adds that in addition to seeking information to help identify one or more perpetrators in the case, detectives from the department’s Homicide Branch are asking for assistance from the public in locating Miller’s car. The vehicle is described as a 2007 dark gray Lexus IS250 four-door sedan, which was reported missing at the time police learned of the murder. Police said the vehicle’s license number is: FN2337. A separate police report of the incident says that upon arrival on the scene officers observed Miller was “suffering from apparent gunshot wounds to the right side of the neck.” The three residents of the apartment building where Miller lived said they don’t know why Miller apparently drove to the area of the 1600 block of Minnesota Avenue, S.E., where his body was found. They speculated that he could have been shot someplace else and taken to the alley. The police report says Miller was found unconscious in the alley directly behind a house at 1605 Minnesota Avenue, S.E. Police have not disclosed whether homicide detectives working on the case talked to nearby residents to find out if they heard the sound of one or more gunshots shortly before the body was found.

Barbara Clark, a member of Advisory Neighborhood Commission 8A whose single member district includes the alley where Miller’s body was found, said she was not aware of any problems or crime related issues associated with that alley. “I have not gotten any complaints about that alley,” she told the Blade. Miller’s apartment building neighbors who spoke to the Washington Blade said a memorial service in honor of Miller’s life was held Aug. 2 at Matthews Memorial Baptist Church, which is located next to the apartment building. A printed program for the memorial service includes a short obituary that says Miller graduated from Ballou Senior High School. It says he worked for more than 10 years as a contractor for the U.S. Department of the Treasury before retiring after suﬀering permanent nerve damage from a work-related accident. The obituary says he diligently cared for his mother, Linda Miller, in the years prior to her passing. He is survived, among others, by two sisters and a brother and his beloved dog, Bear, the obituary says. Anyone with information about this case or the whereabouts of Miller’s missing car is asked to call D.C. police at 202-727-9099.

Religious protesters picket Freddie’s drag show A young woman and young man carrying signs quoting the Bible staged a two-person protest July 28 outside Freddie’s Beach Bar, the Arlington, Va., gay bar and restaurant. Freddie Lutz, owner of the establishment located in Arlington’s Crystal City section, said the two protesters arrived shortly after the bar’s weekly Saturday night drag Two protesters berated customers at Freddie’s show began. He said he quickly recently. went outside and captured PHOTO COURTESY OF FREDDIE LUTZ part of the protest on video with his phone. “You will burn in hell if you don’t repent with this wicked, perverted lifestyle!” the woman protester is heard shouting on the video. “A woman shall not dress like man and a man shall not dress like a woman, for it is an abomination to the Lord,” she yelled at several Freddie’s customers who walked out on the sidewalk to watch the protest. “You need to repent,” the woman protester continued. “The wicked shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven.” Lutz said one of the customers who greeted the protesters and jokingly posed for a photo behind their sign saying “sexual sinners don’t go to heaven” was local filmmaker Fiona Dawson, who’s working on a film about the transgender community. According to Lutz, Dawson was celebrating her birthday on the Freddie’s patio overlooking the sidewalk when the protesters showed up. Among those with Dawson was Amanda Simpson, who became the first openly transgender presidential appointee in 2009 when President Obama appointed her as senior technical adviser to the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security. Lutz said he invited the male protester inside Freddie’s and the two had what Lutz said was a positive dialogue. “I said I just want you to look at this room,” Lutz recounted telling the man. “Everybody’s happy. Everybody’s getting along. I’m very proud of what I’ve accomplished here,” Lutz said he told the young man. “Straight people come in here building bridges and everybody gets along. And I said you can feel the love in this room.” Before the two went back outside Lutz said the man told him “he really appreciated me inviting him into my place.” The protesters, who said they were affiliated with a local church, picketed and chanted religious slogans outside the club for about an hour before leaving. LOU CHIBBARO JR.

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New TSA bill seeks to improve screening for trans passengers Many face humiliating invasions of privacy at airports By CHRIS JOHNSON cjohnson@washblade.com New legislation introduced on Tuesday by Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-N.Y.) seeks to improve the screening process for transgender passengers, who report a high level of invasive practices at security checkpoints. The bill, known as the Screening With Dignity Act, would require the Transportation Security Administration to develop procedures to screen transgender passengers that take into consideration their particular needs. The legislation would require that the TSA begin conducting in-person training of all oﬃcers on the screening procedures for transgender passengers and whenever possible with the participation of

transgender rights groups. Rice said in a statement she introduced the legislation because the transgender community “deserves to be treated with fairness and respect in all aspects of life, including travel. “Maintaining high safety standards and screening all passengers with dignity should not be mutually exclusive,” Rice said. “It is clear that TSA needs to reassess its technological capabilities and improve its screening procedures to be more inclusive and ensure that no American is ever humiliated or discriminated against while going through security.” Rice announced in a statement Monday she’d introduce legislation and a spokesperson conﬁrmed the bill was introduced Tuesday. In the 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey, 43 percent of respondents reported having at least one problem related to being transgender in the past year. One respondent is quoted as saying a TSA agent referred to him as “it” when

he went through screening following gender reassignment surgery, then — after repeatedly being told he wasn’t a man — had to argue with TSA that a male employee needed to do the pat down after being informed a woman would be more appropriate. Another respondent was quoted as saying TSA subjected them to a longer screening as TSA searched their bag, pulled out intimate items and called friends to look and laugh. The respondent reported having “to remove my wig to prove I was the same person” and being “humiliated.” The Screening With Dignity Act would require TSA to conduct two studies within 180 days. The first would evaluate the cost and feasibility of retrofitting advanced imaging technology screening equipment, or developing new equipment, that would operate in a gender-neutral manner. The second study would assess the impact TSA’s screening has on self-identified transgender and gender-nonconforming passengers compared to other travelers.

Further, the bill would codify vital privacy and anti-discrimination rules for travelers on the basis of numerous characteristics, including sexual orientation and gender identity. The legislation has 15 original cosponsors and support from groups like the American Civil Liberties Union, the Human Rights Campaign and the National Center for Transgender Equality. Harper Jean Tobin, director of policy for the National Center for Transgender Equality, said the bill is a crucial step in alleviating the challenges transgender passengers face in TSA screenings. “The TSA is broken, and it has been broken for all travelers for a long time,” Tobin said. “For many transgender people, every vacation or business trip begins with invasive body scans and humiliating patdowns. No more empty promises – the TSA needs to make real changes to both the ineﬀective machines that cause so many false alarms and their training and procedures.”

Lambda Legal CEO resigns amid staff discontent Tiven’s departure comes as org is fighting Kavanaugh By CHRIS JOHNSON cjohnson@washblade.com Amid staff discontent as the organization pursues legal challenges in support of LGBT rights against President Trump, the executive director of Lambda Legal has resigned, the organization announced Friday. In a statement, Tiven — who has served as head of Lambda Legal since 2016 — said she came to the organization “with a mandate to make big changes” and is “proud of how much we’ve accomplished,” but will take on a new position to work on the mid-term elections with the Leadership Now Project, a progressive non-profit of business professionals. “I’m grateful for the experience I’ve had at Lambda, and will remain a strong supporter and donor,” Tiven said. “We need Lambda Legal more than ever, and I’ll be rooting for them.” Tiven’s resignation comes at the same time as Lambda Legal spearheads efforts to stop the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court as well as other Trump judicial nominees. Lambda is also pursuing litigation against Trump’s transgender military ban, which resulted in one of several preliminary injunctions against the policy and is scheduled to go to trial, and a lawsuit against the U.S. military’s ban on service members with HIV. According to Lambda Legal, the executive committee and board will discuss interim

RACHEL TIVEN has resigned as executive director of Lambda Legal. WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

leadership and next steps shortly. Although Lambda Legal continues to have success in court in favor of LGBT rights, Tiven’s resignation comes amid discontent from staffers, who have complained about attrition, an edict-based management approach and cuts to benefits. Last year, the organization voted overwhelmingly to form a union with the Washington-Baltimore News Guild. Lambda had lost key staffers through attrition. One staffer cited more more than 50 departures from the organization since April 1. But Lambda also had key hires, such as Diana Flynn, who came to Lambda as litigation director after serving more than three decades at the civil rights division in the Justice Department. In a June letter to staffers, Nancy Marcus, who served as a senior staff attorney for Lambda, announced her resignation after nearly two years on the job and detailed her discontent with management

practices as “dizzying and disturbing.” “The top-down ever-changing vague edicts and references to new priority lanes and buckets, and the elimination of key work (and positions) from departments and priority areas...along with the elimination of livable retirement and health beneﬁts, merit raises, and the feeling of a supportive and stable work environment have been dizzying and disturbing,” Marcus wrote. “These developments, coupled with the apparent apathy of senior management regarding the exorbitant attrition rate of the past two years, signal that retention isn’t a priority at Lambda Legal. And that, in turn, perpetuates and aggravates the severe attrition and morale problems permeating Lambda Legal.” Key among the concerns Marcus cited in her letter was unhappiness with workers as they continued to leave Lambda. “The truth is that nearly every staﬀ meeting has started to feel like a memorial service as

more and more Lambda Legal employees give up,” Marcus wrote. “Something has to change. And it can. We’ve changed the world for the better; we (you) can make Lambda Legal better too. And maybe, just maybe, that means restoring much of what it used to be not so long ago, not destroying it.” The letter was obtained by the Washington Blade and verified as accurate by several Lambda staffers familiar with the missive. Marcus, who still works as an attorney in the Los Angeles area, told the Blade the failure of leadership at Lambda was squarely on Tiven’s shoulders and the organization should improve after her departure. “When I was referring to senior management, I was really referring to Rachel Tiven,” Marcus said. “I think that Rachel was not a good fit for the organization, but I think the organization is as strong as ever and the problems that I described, I think, are problems that are going to be largely alleviated when Lambda Legal moves forward with new leadership.” Marcus emphasized she wasn’t concerned about remaining management for the organization and had high hopes for Lambda moving forward. “I’m excited about the next chapter for Lambda Legal because it remains an organization filled with brilliant lawyers and advocates for LGBT rights, and I’m looking forward to seeing how their work continues to progress,” Marcus said. A spokesperson for Lambda referred to the Blade to the initial statement when asked for additional context about Tiven’s departure amid staffer discontent.

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Why did Cuba jail a gay environmentalist? Editor’s note: Maykel González Vivero is a contributor to the Washington Blade who is the publisher of Tremenda Nota, an independent e-magazine in Cuba that reports on the country’s LGBTI community and other minority groups and young people. The Institute for War and Peace and Reporting originally published this article. VIÑALES, Cuba — On the morning of May 3 this year, environmentalist Ariel Ruiz Urquiola was working on his ranch in Viñales in western Cuba when two forest rangers approached him. Sirilo Seara Carrasco and Alexander ARIEL RUIZ URQUIOLA under house arrest in Blanco Calzadilla asked to see his Havana. PHOTO BY CLAUDIA PADRÓN permits for cutting down trees and erecting fences on his farm, El Infierno; in turn, Urquiola asked to see their IDs. “One of them, ‘the boss,’ pulled out his penis and started to urinate on my ranch and in full view,” Urquiola later told a Cuban magazine. The 43-year-old environmentalist then refused to show his documents to the two men, whom he called “rural guards” — a term used for the repressive rural police before the 1959 revolution. Urquiola told the rangers he had used the words literally rather than pejoratively. Nonetheless, he was arrested and just five days later, after a summary trial, the Viñales Municipal Tribunal sentenced him to a year in prison. Article 144 of the Cuban Criminal Code establishes that whoever “threatens, defames, slanders, insults, tarnishes or in any other way affronts or offends” a public servant risks a prison term of up to a year. In mid-June, after spending a month and a half in the Provincial Prison of Pinar del Río and in the Correctional Cayo Largo, Urquiola went on a hunger strike. On July 2, having lost more than 30 pounds, he was released for health reasons to serve his sentence under house arrest. He was due back in court on Aug. 1. Urquiola, a biologist, has long been singled out as suspect by the Cuban authorities. The Viñales Municipal Tribunal accused him of “not participating in social and group organizations’ activities in his area of residence” and also of “fraternizing with people of poor conduct.” Several years ago, he spoke out about irregularities in the fishing of endangered hawksbill sea turtle by Cuban companies and more recently publicized the illegal hunting of huitas, a rodent native to the Caribbean. His former employer, the University of Havana, had repeatedly refused Urquiola a teaching position and dismissed him two years ago after a medical commission diagnosed him with a psychiatric illness, although without any in-depth examination. Urquiola’s farm was excluded from a plan to bring electricity to the area, and last year his sister Omara accused two neighbors of storming the property and threatening her at knifepoint. The Urquiola family has maintained it faced such harassment because of its public opposition to illegal hunting, claiming that the authorities had sanctioned the intrusions. Uriquiola was fencing off his ranch to prevent further incidents when the forest rangers visited. Laritza Diversent, the CEO of legal assistance association CUBALEX, said that the charges against Uriquiola were “based on a misunderstanding between the real and historic meaning of the word ‘police’ or ‘rural guard’ for the authorities.” “It has not been acknowledged that he was punished unfairly and if he does not comply with the rules imposed by the judge he can be sent back to prison,” she continued. MAYKEL GONZÁLEZ VIVERO

Nine LGBT activists attacked in Armenia Dozens of people attacked a group of LGBT rights advocates in Armenia late last week. PINK Armenia on its Twitter page said “more than 30 people” attacked nine activists “and beat them” on Aug. 3 in the country’s Syunik Province. The advocacy group tweeted the attack left two of the activists hospitalized. It also said it took local police an hour and a half to respond to the scene. Armenia is a former Soviet republic in the South Caucasus region that borders Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan. Media reports indicate the attack took place in Shurnukh, a village on the ArmeniaAzerbaijan border that is roughly six hours southeast of the Armenian capital of Yeveran. ILGA-Europe in a statement said it is “appalled to hear of this violent hate crime carried out against members of the LGBTQ community.” The Brussels-based group also

pointed out the Aug. 3 attack is the latest in a series of anti-LGBTI incidents that have taken place in Armenia since the beginning of the year. “LGBTQI people are part of Armenian society and should be able to live fully and freely, without fear,” said ILGA-Europe. “We call on local police oﬃcers, national law enforcement agencies and policymakers to ﬁnd the perpetrators, fully investigate this incident without delay and introduce laws to protect LGBTI people against biasmotivated crimes.” MICHAEL K. LAVERS

Participants in the International Visitor Leadership Program visited the Washington Blade oﬃce on Aug. 6. WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL K. LAVERS

Blade hosts State Dept. leadership program participants Eight activists who are participating in the State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program visited the Washington Blade’s oﬃces on Monday. The activists — who are from Argentina, Ghana, Tanzania, South Africa, India, Cambodia, Thailand and Hong Kong — arrived in D.C. over the weekend. They and other program participants will travel to New York; Charlotte, N.C.; Jackson, Miss.; and Montgomery, Ala. before ending their trip in Portland, Ore., on Aug. 24. The Blade has previously hosted program participants from Guinea, Venezuela, Chile and several other countries. MICHAEL K. LAVERS

Tens of thousands attend Jerusalem Pride parade The annual Jerusalem Pride parade that took place last week drew tens of thousands of people. Media reports indicate the parade took place under heavy security. The Jerusalem Post cited a police spokesperson who said four people were arrested “for causing public disturbances in the area during the parade.” Haaretz, another Israeli newspaper, published a picture that shows two police oﬃcers removing an ultra-Orthodox Jewish man from the parade route. An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man stabbed to death Shira Banki, a 16-year-old, during the 2015 Jerusalem Pride parade. The man who killed Banki had just completed a 10-year prison sentence in connection with stabbing three people during the same event in 2005. This year’s parade took place less than a month after the Israeli Knesset passed a highly controversial bill that prevents gay couples from using surrogates. The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem — which the Trump administration now recognizes as the capital of Israel — opened in May. It had previously been located in Tel Aviv, a city on the country’s Mediterranean coastline that is known for its large and visible LGBT community. The Israeli government’s policies toward the Palestinians continue to spark outrage in the country and around the world. MICHAEL K. LAVERS

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NEWS

D.C. Baptist church backs ‘shaming and shunning’ for LGBT people CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

information related to its status as a nonprofit corporation under D.C. law. A Superior Court judge on Tuesday ordered the church to turn over the documents that Racine said were needed for an investigation by his office into a complaint by a citizen that the church was violating the District’s Nonprofit Corporation Act by allegedly engaging in financial improprieties. An attorney representing the church stated in a letter to Racine’s office in February that the complaint appeared to have been made by one of the “disgruntled former members” whom the church legally and properly expelled and whose allegations about financial improprieties are baseless. The Washington Blade obtained a copy of the church’s constitution from the public court records after someone who saw it alerted the Blade to its provision on “shaming and shunning.” That provision is part of one of 10 “articles” of the constitution that address a wide range of issues, including the church’s governing structure, by-laws, membership rules, and its spiritual beliefs and rites. The language supporting “shaming and shunning” falls under the constitution’s Article VII, which consists of the church’s Christian Code of Conduct. “Every Member, Attendee and Participant at Church Events should be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity while on church premises,” the article states. “Hateful,

D.C. Attorney General KARL RACINE has ﬁled suit against a D.C. Baptist church related to its status as a non-proﬁt. PHOTO COURTESY OF RACINE CAMPAIGN

harassing, intimidating, mocking behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual or group of individuals at Church Events is to be repudiated and is not considered in accord with Scripture nor the Doctrines of the Church,” the article says. “Yet, Shaming and Shunning are acceptable Christian responses to the outward practice of any form of ungodly behavior such as sexual immorality (adultery, fornication, homosexuality, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, transgender, or any attempt to change one’s sex, or disagreement with one’s biological sex, and/or engagement in any other such) described in the Bible as sinful, and are considered oﬀensive to God and man,” the constitution’s article states. It adds, “All persons employed by the Church and serving the Church in

any capacity, as Members, Volunteers, Interns, Apprentices, etc., should agree with the Christian Code of Conduct and conduct themselves accordingly.” The article concludes by declaring that the church believes “marriage to be a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife, and the word ‘spouse’ refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a human being (homo sapien), husband or wife.” It says marriages “outside these parameters” will not be performed by a minister aﬃliated with the church or on church property and any person who “knowingly participates in such a rite shall be dismissed forthwith.” Rev. Dr. John T. Fowler, Capital View Baptist Church’s pastor since 2003, did not respond to a phone message and email from the Blade seeking comment on the

church’s policies on shaming LGBT people. Attempts to reach the attorney representing the church in its defense against the two lawsuits were unsuccessful. However, that attorney, H. Robert Showers, argued in a letter in February to the D.C. Attorney General’s Office that the church is exempt from the jurisdiction of the court in both the Attorney General’s case and the lawsuit by the former members. He said the exemption stems from the U.S. Constitution’s Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment, which protects religious institutions on matters involving internal church affairs. “We respectfully submit that the Office of the Attorney General should recognize that the government does not have the legal authority to take up the fight of the church’s former members,” Showers stated in his letter. “The Free Exercise Clause of the Frist Amendment prohibits it.” Racine’s office disputed that assessment in its court filings, saying the Constitution’s religious freedom provisions don’t cover a church’s obligations on civil matters such as its status as a non-profit corporation. Rev. Abena McCray-Peters, pastor of D.C.’s Unity Fellowship Church, which has a mostly LGBT membership; and Rev. Elder Dwayne Johnson, senior pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of Washington, which also has a largely LGBT congregation, didn’t respond to a Blade request for comment on Capital View Baptist Church’s shaming policy.

Biden launches campaign promoting LGBTQ acceptance ‘As You Are’ emphasizes importance of supporting youth By BLAKE CHAMBERS The Biden Foundation on Tuesday introduced “As You Are: A Family and Community Acceptance Campaign,” aimed at boosting the acceptance of LGBTQ youth by their families. The family and community acceptance campaign will collect personal stories from LGBTQ young people, siblings, parents, educators and social service providers among others to educate and inform about the potential harms associated with family and community rejection along with the importance of accepting, aﬃrming and supporting of LGBTQ youth. “While we must continue working to pass laws and implement policies that protect LGBTQ youth across the spectrum of their lives, laws and policies are not

enough,” said Emily Hecht-McGowan, the Biden Foundation’s director of LGBTQ Equality. “We must also change hearts and minds, and we know that personal stories are the single best tool we have to do that.” On the “As You Are” page on the Biden Foundation’s website, a YouTube video can be viewed featuring Vice President Biden, Amit Paley, Shéár Avory, Cyndi Lauper, Sarah Mikhail, Clara Yoon, Wade Davis, Geena Rocero and Hecht-McGowan speaking out on the importance of the campaign and issuing a call to action for people to share their stories. An online questionnaire is on the page for those looking to share their experiences with family and community acceptance and/or rejection. The questionnaire also asks those who are answering why family and community acceptance is important to them. The Biden Foundation is looking to share these stories in the hopes that they will “serve to inspire, to create communities, to heal families and to change the broader culture to ensure a

bright future for all LGBTQ young people.” “Family acceptance can save lives. Gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth are more than four times more likely than their straight peers to attempt suicide. And 40 percent of transgender and gender nonconforming adults report having attempted suicide at some point in their lives, most of them before the age of 25,” said Paley, the CEO and executive director of The Trevor Project, in a statement. “That’s why it is so important to support LGBTQ youth and let them know that they are not alone.” In a tweet from the Human Rights Campaign calling on people to share their story with the “As You Are” campaign, the organization noted that only 13 percent of LGBTQ teens reported hearing positive messages in school and that no one should be made to feel ashamed and afraid of who they are. The “As You Are” campaign’s website has been shared by Vice President Biden’s oﬃcial Twitter as well, using the hashtag #AsYouAre and

saying that LGBTQ youth should never have to face being rejected by those who love them. Biden has been a notable advocate of LGBTQ issues, saying that transgender equality is “the civil rights issue of our time” in the foreword of Human Rights Campaign National Press Secretary Sarah McBride’s memoir and saying the government would continue to ﬁght for the rights of the LGBT community after the Supreme Court’s ruling on same-sex marriage in 2015. “The Foundation was established in early 2017, to build upon Vice President and Dr. Biden’s lifelong commitment to the fundamental principle that everyone deserves to be treated equally and to live with dignity,” Hecht-McGowan told the Blade. “Now more than ever is a time to stand up and ﬁght for these ideals and to make sure that LGBTQ young people know that they are supported and valued and that they too have a fair shot at the American dream.”

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In adults with HIV on ART who have diarrhea not caused by an infection IMPORTANT PATIENT INFORMATION This is only a summary. See complete Prescribing Information at Mytesi.com or by calling 1-844-722-8256. This does not take the place of talking with your doctor about your medical condition or treatment.

What Is Mytesi? Mytesi is a prescription medicine used to improve symptoms of noninfectious diarrhea (diarrhea not caused by a bacterial, viral, or parasitic infection) in adults living with HIV/AIDS on ART. Do Not Take Mytesi if you have diarrhea caused by an infection. Before you start Mytesi, your doctor and you should make sure your diarrhea is not caused by an infection (such as bacteria, virus, or parasite).

Possible Side Effects of Mytesi Include:

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Enough is Enough Get relief. Pure and simple. Ask your doctor about Mytesi. Mytesi (crofelemer): • Is the only medicine FDA-approved to relieve diarrhea in people with HIV • Treats diarrhea differently by normalizing the flow of water in the GI tract • Has the same or fewer side effects as placebo in clinical studies • Comes from a tree sustainably harvested in the Amazon Rainforest What is Mytesi? Mytesi is a prescription medicine that helps relieve symptoms of diarrhea not caused by an infection (noninfectious) in adults living with HIV/AIDS on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Important Safety Information Mytesi is not approved to treat infectious diarrhea (diarrhea caused by bacteria, a virus, or a parasite). Before starting you on Mytesi, your healthcare provider will first be sure that you do not have infectious diarrhea. Otherwise, there is a risk you would not receive the right medicine and your infection could get worse. In clinical studies, the most common side effects that occurred more often than with placebo were upper respiratory tract (sinus, nose, and throat) infection (5.7%), bronchitis (3.9%), cough (3.5%), flatulence (3.1%), and increased bilirubin (3.1%).

For Copay Savings Card and Patient Assistance, see Mytesi.com

Should I Take Mytesi If I Am: Pregnant or Planning to Become Pregnant? • Studies in animals show that Mytesi could harm an unborn baby or affect the ability to become pregnant • There are no studies in pregnant women taking Mytesi • This drug should only be used during pregnancy if clearly needed A Nursing Mother? • It is not known whether Mytesi is passed through human breast milk • If you are nursing, you should tell your doctor before starting Mytesi • Your doctor will help you to decide whether to stop nursing or to stop taking Mytesi Under 18 or Over 65 Years of Age? • Mytesi has not been studied in children under 18 years of age • Mytesi studies did not include many people over the age of 65. So it is not clear if this age group will respond differently. Talk to your doctor to find out if Mytesi is right for you

What Should I Know About Taking Mytesi With Other Medicines? If you are taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicine, herbal supplements, or vitamins, tell your doctor before starting Mytesi.

What If I Have More Questions About Mytesi? For more information, please see the full Prescribing Information at Mytesi.com or speak to your doctor or pharmacist. To report side effects or make a product complaint or for additional information, call 1-844-722-8256.

Please see complete Prescribing Information at Mytesi.com. NP-390-17

• Upper respiratory tract infection (sinus, nose, and throat infection) • Bronchitis (swelling in the tubes that carry air to and from your lungs) • Cough • Flatulence (gas) • Increased bilirubin (a waste product when red blood cells break down) For a full list of side effects, please talk to your doctor. Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or does not go away. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

RELIEF, PURE AND SIMPLE

Mytesi comes from the Croton lechleri tree harvested in South America.

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Rep. Maloney seeks to take on Trump as ﬁrst out N.Y. att’y gen’l CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

House Republicans have inserted an amendment in major spending legislation that would penalize states and localities for passing non-discrimination policies prohibiting adoption agencies from discriminating against LGBT families. The proposal closely tracks new state laws across the country enabling taxpayer-funded adoption agencies to refuse placement to LGBT homes out of religious objections. Maloney, who’s raising children in a same-sex marriage, said the anti-LGBT adoption efforts strike close to home. “The Trump administration has families like mine in the crosshairs, and you better believe I’m going to use every tool I have fight back and to get on offense,” Maloney said. During his three terms in the House, Maloney has had success in protecting LGBT rights despite Republican control of the chamber. In the final years of the Obama administration, the New York congressman played a lead role in stripping from defense legislation an amendment submitted by Rep. Steve Russell (R-Okla.) that would have undermined President Obama’s executive order against antiLGBT workplace discrimination among federal contractors. Last year, Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.) introduced an amendment that would have barred the U.S. military from paying for transition-related care for transgender troops, but the measure fell short of passage. Maloney said he “successfully got” the 24 Republicans who voted against the measure to make the decision to vote against it. “We’ve been playing some good defense, but it’s time to get on offense and start winning again,” Maloney said. “I’m sick of the Democratic Party playing defense.” In addition to seeing opportunities to take on Trump in court, Maloney said he sees his potential victory as a win for LGBT visibility. “It’s so important that we prove that we can succeed at every level of the political process, and there’s no substitute for having a seat at the table,” Maloney said. “I certainly see that every day as the first openly gay member of Congress from New York. That’s even more true when we’re talking about statewide office, particularly in a big state like New York. It will be a game changer for LGBT participation in politics at the senior level.” In recent years, the New York attorney general has used the office for highprofile investigations of Trump and his properties, including Trump University and the Trump Foundation. Asked if he thinks the New York attorney general has the authority to dissolve Trump’s businesses if wrongdoing is

found, Maloney said a variety of drastic consequences could unfold. “The fact is the attorney general has sweeping authority in the area of business crime and consumer fraud,” Maloney said. “So, if you are talking about Trump University, yeah, you could take that thing apart because of the wrongdoing they engaged in. Likewise, depending on the wrongdoing you can prove on the business side, there can be very drastic consequences for a business that’s breaking the law.” Some possible consequences Maloney cited are massive fines and criminal charges “depending on what the facts and evidence show.” In the wake of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo opening the door for a criminal referral against the Trump administration should such action be needed, Maloney said the attorney general “would have extraordinary authority even beyond what exists in current law to investigate Trump’s businesses for criminal wrongdoing.” “It’s time for real accountability from Donald Trump…on his use of his charity for his own greedy purposes, he’s used things like Trump University to defraud students seeking an education and in every area of his business where he has been getting away with murder for years,” Maloney said. “Now, you have to prove that, and you have to do real work like a lawyer. It can’t just be some political crap. It has to be following the facts and the law, but there’s every reason to believe there’s a lot more work to do and that will be a top priority in my office.” Maloney also said he’s prepared to join other state attorneys general, such as California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, in litigation against Trump’s ban on transgender military service. The lawsuits have already resulted in court injunctions against enforcement of the policy. “Working together with them, we have done a lot already to stop that stupid policy,” Maloney said. “I just mentioned the Hartzler amendment. We showed there are not the votes, even in the Republican Congress, to do that crazy anti-gay crap anymore, and attorneys general have played a critical role in defending the constitutional rights of transgender service members.” Maloney pursues the office of New York attorney general after he has secured the Democratic nomination to run for re-election to represent New York’s 18th congressional district in the U.S. House. In the event he wins the Democratic nomination to run for attorney general on Sept. 13, Maloney said New York law provides for local Democratic committees to choose a new candidate to run for a congressional seat. Despite the fact that Trump won a majority of the vote of New York’s

18th congressional district in the 2016 election, Maloney said he’s confident a non-incumbent Democrat will be able to pull off a victory. “The good news is we’ve got the weakest opponent I’ve ever faced,” Maloney said. “We’re in the best cycle in at least 12 years for Democrats, so we’re going to hold that seat. I haven’t stopped caring about that.” Maloney’s dual campaigns for attorney general and the 18th congressional district resulted in a lawsuit filed by his Republican opponent for the congressional seat, Jimmy O’Donnell, seeking to remove him from the ballots for both races. But on Tuesday, the groups behind the lawsuit announced after a court hearing they would drop their challenge to Maloney’s run for attorney general, and instead focus on invalidating his run for re-election to Congress. Maloney said the news that he would be allowed to remain on the ballot to run for New York attorney general was a victory. “We always knew that was a loser, and so, we beat him in court yesterday, so there are no challenges remaining to my race for attorney general,” Maloney said. “We will be on the ballot on Sept. 13.” Maloney’s competitors for the Democratic nomination in the Sept. 13 primary are public advocate Letitia James, Fordham Law professor Zephyr Teachout as well as former Cuomo and Hillary

Clinton aide Leecia Eve. The winner will face Republican Keith Wofford. Early polling has shown the race is wide open. A Quinnipiac poll last month found 42 percent of New York Democrats are undecided. James has support from 26 percent, followed by Maloney at 15 percent, Teachout at 12 percent and Eve at 3 percent. Although Maloney has a record of work as a three-term member of Congress, he may face a challenge from his opponents with less experience promising to shake things up. After all, Rep. Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.) was defeated in an earlier recent primary in New York by challenger Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez even though Crowley had a significantly greater war chest. Maloney scoffed in response to the suggestion that progressive voters may be more attracted to his competition in the race for attorney general, saying, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “I think the fact is that the Democrats I’ve talked to want something real and different,” Maloney said. “They’re sick of the same old shit, they’re sick of people phoning it in, they don’t want a bunch of political bosses and insiders telling them who’s going to hold political office. They want something new. They want a new Democratic Party that has some backbone and some energy behind it, and that’s what I’m offering.”

Verizon donates $250,000 to PFLAG

The international telecommunications company Verizon presented a check on Monday for $250,000 to PFLAG, which advocates for families and allies of LGBT people, at the group’s headquarters in Washington. PFLAG said in a statement that the donation came at the conclusion of a month-long campaign by Verizon in support of PFLAG that included the release of a moving video available for broadcast that captures LGBT young people coming out to their parents. “We are proud to support PFLAG in their important work in helping unite LGBTQ individuals and their families,” said Mario Acosta-Velez, Verizon’s Director of State Government Aﬀairs and National President of GLOBE of Verizon, an LGBT employee resource group. “This contribution is the latest demonstration of our longstanding commitment to support the LGBTQ community and equality,” Acosta-Velez said. “PFLAG has been providing support to LGBTQ people and their families and allies for 45 years,” the group said in its statement released on Monday. “The PFLAG chapter network – currently 400+ chapters strong and growing every year – covers the entire United States, including Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, and recently added a chapter on a military base in Germany,” the group said. “Thanks to Verizon’s generosity, we will grow and strengthen the PFLAG chapter network, connect and keep families together, further family acceptance and ally activation, and reinforce our chapters’ ability to be a powerful source of peer-to-peer support, education, and advocacy in their communities,” said Jean Hodges, president of the PFLAG National Board of Directors. “We are grateful for Verizon’s generosity in continuing the next 45 years of PFLAG’s work,” Hodges said. LOU CHIBBARO JR.

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Keep your promise to protect each other.

Diarrhea still a problem for people with HIV SAN FRANCISCO — Diarrhea rates among people with HIV is still a problem and the rates — about 18 percent experience it — have not changed over time, according to a report presented by Napo Pharmaceuticals Inc. presented at the 22nd International AIDS 2018 Conference in Amsterdam in July. The analysis of data from the National Institute of Health (NIH) includes findings from 38 U.S. clinical trials from 2008-2016 in about 21,000 patients. Napo is a health company that develops gastrointestinal prescription products from rainforest plants. Newer antiretroviral drug therapy has helped but many in the patient population still suffer. Rates varied based on the type of therapy the person was prescribed, such as the recent post-combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) development. Key results of this analysis showed: • trial subjects received a variety of antiretroviral therapies • 21 of the trials studied enrolled naïve (never had treatment) subjects; 11 enrolled treatment experienced subjects who were undetectable in a “switch” strategy, and five enrolled subjects as treatment experienced failing their current regimen; one study had two arms — one naïve and one experienced (switch); • The weighted average of reported diarrhea incidence in those who received interventional regimens vs. those who received comparator regimens was 17.50 percent and 17.88 percent, respectively; • The weighted average of reported diarrhea incidence was significantly higher for naïve subjects vs. experienced subjects: 19.72 percent vs. 13.74 percent, respectively. These findings are consistent with a 2014 survey that revealed that approximately 20 percent of subjects reported diarrhea/loose stools at the time of their visit to their HIV health care provider.

Cocaine, heroin more popular among LGB teens

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BOSTON — LGB teens are at least twice as likely as their straight peers to use illegal drugs like cocaine, ecstasy, heroin and methamphetamines, a U.S. study suggests, according to a Reuters article. Previous research suggests that stressors related to being closeted or coming out and being rejected by family or friends could contribute to an increased risk of substance use among sexual minority teens, senior study author John Ayers of San Diego State University in California told Reuters Health. Those unsure of their sexual orientation were also included in the study. For the new study, researchers looked at data from roughly 14,703 high school students who had been surveyed about their lifetime and prior-month use of 15 different substances, including illegal drugs as well as tobacco, alcohol and prescription drugs that weren’t given to them by physicians, Reuters reports. SPEAK WITH OUR PREPLANNING ADVISOR, Overall, LGB teens were 12 percent more likely than other teens to report any JAMIE ARTHURS AT (202) 966-6400 OR EMAIL substance use in their lifetimes and 27 percent more likely to report substance JAMIE.ARTHURS@DIGNITYMEMORIAL.COM use in the previous month, the study found. LGB youth were more than three times more likely to try heroin or methamphetamines at least once, and more than twice as likely to try ecstasy or cocaine, the study also found, according to Reuters. Stressors faced by LGB teens, such as stigma and isolation, “may make drugs foolishly appear attractive as a coping mechanism,” Ayers told Reuters by email. 5130 Wisconsin Ave. NW • DC • (202) 966-6400 • www.JosephGawlers.com “Even experimentation with these harder drugs can derail a teen’s future.” The vast majority of teens didn’t use illegal drugs, regardless of sexual ADVERTISING orientation, researchers report in the American Journal of Public Health. PROOF ISSUE DATE: 10.26.12 SALES REPRESENTATIVE: BRIAN PITTS (bpitts@washblade.com) For example, 6.6 percent of LBG teens had used heroin in their#1lifetimes, compared with 1.3 percent of straight youth. And, 8.6 percent of LGB adolescents REVIEW AD FOR COPY AND DESIGN ACCURACY. Revisions must be submitted within 24 hours of the date of proof. Proof will be considered final and will be submitted for publication if revision is not submitted within 24 hours of had used methamphetamines compared with 2.1 percent of other teens, the date of proof. Revisions will not be accepted after 12:01 pm wednesday, the week of publication.Brown naff pitts REVISIONS omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) is not responsible for the content and/or design of your ad. Advertiser is Reuters reports. Marijuana was more common, used at some point REDESIGN by half of responsible for any legal liability arising out of or relating to the advertisement, and/or any material to which users can link through the advertisement. Advertiser represents that its advertisement will not violate any criminal laws or TEXT REVISIONS any rgihts of third parties, including, but not limited to, such violations as infringement or misapporpriation of any LGB youth and almost 38 percent of other teens. copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret, music, image, or other proprietary or propety right, false advertising, unfair IMAGE/LOGO REVISIONS competition, defamation, invasion of privacy or rights of celebrity, violation of anti-discrimination law or regulation, Teen drinking and smoking were even more common. Almost NO 72 REVISIONS percent or any other right of any person or entity. Advertiser agrees to idemnify brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the ADVERTISER SIGNATURE washington blade) and to hold brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) harmless from any and all By signing this proof you are agreeing to your contr of LGB teens had tried alcohol in their lifetimes, as had 63 percent of straight liability, loss, damages, claims, or causes of action, including reasonable legal fees and expenses that may be incurred washington blade newspaper. This includes but is no by brown naff pitts omnimedia llc, arising out of or related to advertiser’s breach of any of the foregoing representations payment and insertion schedule. and warranties. youth. With cigarettes, 47 percent of LGB youth said they had smoked at least once, as did 31 percent of straight teens, Reuters reports. Just over 11 percent of adolescents in the study identified as a sexual minority: 2 percent were lesbian or gay, 6 percent were bisexual; 3.2 percent identified as questioning, Reuters reports. Smaller studies, however, have suggested that sexual minority youth are at greater risk for alcohol and other drug use, “and this large national study strengthens this understanding,” said Kimberly O’Brien, a researcher at Boston Children’s Hospital and Free estimates Education Development Center and a psychiatry instructor at Harvard Medical School, according to the Reuters article.

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Rudy on a ledge From the Time cover to defending Trump is a long way down

RICHARD J. ROSENDALL is a writer and activist. Reach him at rrosendall@starpower.net.

In late 2001, when then New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani was chosen as Time’s Person of the Year, his cover photo shoot was done on the roof of what was once called the RCA Building, later the GE Building, still later the Comcast Building. This grand Art Deco widow of a skyscraper, passed from one well-heeled partner to the next like the Countess De Lave in George Cukor’s film “The Women,” is better known as 30 Rock, which must make the folks at Comcast feel like cucks, to use a term favored by trolls. There Rudy stood, high above Rockefeller Plaza, when photographer Gregory Heisler, looking to create an iconic image, asked America’s Mayor to step up onto the parapet. Rudy was game, not to mention an opera lover with a drag fetish, so he got in touch with his inner Tosca and hopped onto the ledge. Imagine if a sudden wind had kicked up as Hizzoner stood there grinning on the edge of oblivion with his back to lower Manhattan. In that awful event we would not now be able to marvel at his novel legal defenses of Trump from the couch at Fox and Friends across Sixth Avenue. Instead of a horrifying plunge, Giuliani simply reverted to his familiar smallness. His intemperate attacks on the Justice Department despite being a former federal prosecutor, and his unhinged rant at the 2016 Republican Convention, suggest that his shining moment after the 2001 terrorist attacks was past retrieval. His harshness as mayor; his posthumous smear of unarmed Haitian, Patrick Dorismond, who was shot by police in March 2000 after rebuffing an undercover drug sting; his callousness in informing his wife of their separation via television; and his bizarre attempt to remain in office past his term—all suggest that his inspiring performance on 9/11 (which obscured his own mishandling of security concerns)

RUDY GIULIANI has gone from 9/11 hero to crazed defender of the indefensible Donald Trump.

was at best a decent interlude. Defending another bully is more consistent with his squalid record. Rudy desperately tries to convince us not to believe our lying eyes. While his mad client takes credit for an economic turnaround actually led by his predecessor, and calms his nerves amid the Paul Manafort trial with a riﬀ about rigged witch hunts, our nation clings to reality like someone on an

Incidentally, does 3D printing of AR-15s count as a blow for freedom of the press? Trump’s $12 billion bailout for farmers hit by his trade war is like a guy who steals your car, ties a big bow around the tires, and makes a gift of them to you. He gives himself a ‘10’ for his hurricane response in Puerto Rico, which he barely recognizes as part of the United States. His EPA says rolling back greenhouse gas emis-

‘We are in a golden age of gaslighting.’ out-of-control roller coaster. It is open season for mischief. As I write, Lawrence O’Donnell is at 30 Rock with the Empire State Building behind him, just like Rudy all those years ago. The QAnon conspiracy nuts have constructed wild narratives on less. As a cable news viewer, I cannot decide whether I am happier with CNN reporter Jim Acosta rebuking Sarah Sanders over calling journalists enemies of the people, or with Jeff Flake galavanting off to Zimbabwe when Mitch McConnell needed him in Washington to confirm right-wing judges. As an impenitent newspaper writer, I am wondering how I look in the glow of my iPad to the ICE police scanning through my blinds for undocumented immigrants. You can find conspiracies everywhere with enough determination and credulity.

sion standards will save lives. We are in a golden age of gaslighting. Meanwhile, Robert Mueller quietly continues his Russian investigation despite 45 saying he’s conﬂicted over a dispute involving golf club fees. You would think Trump makes things up. Inhabiting one’s own reality can bring swift and brutal correction in the case of, say, someone high on drugs believing he can ﬂy, or an executive ignoring an engineer’s safety concerns about a Space Shuttle rocket. The consequences for an inadvertent confession by tweet, or a fading attorney ineptly defending a charlatan, may take a bit longer. But they will surely come. A clown can’t dance on a ledge forever. Copyright © 2018 by Richard J. Rosendall. All rights reserved.

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Making D.C. gays nice again, Minnesota style Let’s commit to expanding our social cliques By BLAKE NARENDRA Most of us have been there. You see someone walking toward you on 14th Street. The human reaction that is expected when you see someone you even vaguely know is a polite smile, maybe you even stop and chat. But for too many gays, that basic human response does not occur. As your paths are about to intersect on 14th, you outstretch your gangly arm or ready a wry smile to say “howdy-ho neighbor.” At the moment of truth, though, he walks straight past you as if you were Patrick Swayze from “Ghost.” “Minnesota Nice” is not always alive and well in much of the D.C. gay ﬁefdom. So what makes gay D.C. diﬀerent from our straight brethren who inhabit the same city? And what makes D.C. gays different from say Brazilian gays apart from the cut-line of our swimsuits or the size of

our parades? First, unlike straights, our ﬁrst awkward dance to Limp Biscuit did not occur in the 6th grade unless it was with a member of the opposite sex. We didn’t exercise poor judgment by buying two tickets to “Jurassic Park Lost World” with our ﬁrst boyfriends. If we saw Lost World, it was with a girl who was on an accelerated puberty

and bees” talk from our parents, and our 5th grade health teacher explaining, at great pains, the ins and outs of same sex love-making. But that is at a cost. We started on what was a lonely place in high school, where we may have tried to lower our voices an octave or two, or bruh out by joining in “locker room” talk. Some of us even played golf. Yes, golf.

We who were socially ostracized by others are now often guilty of ostracizing those most like us.

track, several feet taller than us. In short, except for the brave few among us who spoke their truth and came out as teenagers, many of us entered college or even the start of our careers without the level of romantic socialization that our straight brothers and sisters enjoyed. We may have been spared the “birds

This was all an elaborate disguise in order to ﬁt in. Today, in D.C., that feeling of being alone on an island has been replaced with an embarrassment of riches: gays are in bloom, they are everywhere, even at Navy Yard. Faced with this bounty and still remembering the feeling of not being completely accepted in our earlier years, some of

have us “have done unto others, as they have done unto us.” We who were socially ostracized by others are now often guilty of ostracizing those most like us. So where does this leave us? First, let’s commit to not pretend to not pretend to see one another. No, that does that mean you have to make knowing eyes to every gay person walking past you, but you can ﬂash a thumbs up, a double-cheek kiss if you’re feeling Euro, or at least a faint smile. Second, let’s commit to expanding our social cliques. No, that does not mean you oﬀer to host a secret Santa gift-exchange with a perfect stranger, but it does mean that even those with fewer than 1,000 Instagram followers may still make a killer friend. We can all do better, myself included. We can show that we are community of several shades, not one that is known, from time to time, of throwing it.

BLAKE NARENDRA is a D.C.-based writer.

I N S IDE LGB T W A S HING TON

Huckabee Sanders briefs the enemy Bizarre times as press sec’y backs Trump’s attacks on media

PETER ROSENSTEIN is a D.C.-based LGBT rights and Democratic Party activist. He writes regularly for the Blade.

Since she wouldn’t agree the media are not the ‘enemy of the people’ you have to believe Sarah Huckabee Sanders thinks she is regularly brieﬁng the enemy from a podium in the White House. She clearly forgets she actually works for the people, we pay her salary. It is quite bizarre! You have to wonder how far we have fallen for this to happen here in the United States of America. We are a country built by immigrants now trying to build a wall to keep them out. A country known

for its free press now labeling them the enemy of the people. A nation once respected around the world now with a president consorting with our enemies and alienating our friends. While I have my problems with the media of which I am a very small part it is crucial we maintain a free and robust press if our country is to thrive. Yes, there are problems and mistakes are made by even the most dedicated members of the press. Yet it is the press that keeps us informed and serves as a check on government. The rise of 24-hour cable news, both left and right, has dumbed down the American public. Filling all that air time often involves endless repetition and a whole lot of nonsense spouted by a host of talking heads. Many of them seemingly having nothing much to say but keep talking to get paid. Where once what were called clickbait headlines, a headline meant to grab attention, were limited to gossip pages today they are used by major news outlets like the Washington Post and New York Times to get online readers. When it comes to cable channels clearly some are worse than others. Fox News is

simply an echo chamber for the lies coming out of the White House. The Washington Post has documented more than 3,000 false or misleading claims made by Trump since he became president and we hear those same lies on Fox News. Then there is Morning Joe with Mica Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough on MSNBC. They appear to be trying to make up for helping to elect Trump by attacking him, leading viewers to wonder: Who are the real Joe and Mica? Things have become so weird the president’s press secretary is being defended by her daddy. Sarah’s father, Mike Huckabee, washed-up right-wing politician and pundit, tweeted an attack on a CNN reporter who aggressively questioned his daughter. Huckabee “derided little Jim Acosta,” a White House correspondent for CNN. In one tweet, Huckabee referred to his daughter as “the WINDSHIELD” and Acosta as “the BUG.” In another tweet, Huckabee wrote: “Jim Acosta suﬀers severe nose bleed from the elevation of his high horse. Taken to safe space and provided with Play Dough, a popsicle, pictures of a pony to color and a puppy.” I would think Huckabee Sanders, sup-

posedly a smart and professional woman, might want to tell her father his idiotic tweets demean her as much as anyone when he tries to defend her as if she were still a little girl needing his protection. But then we live in crazy times when it comes to all the families in the White House. The reason Huckabee Sanders was questioned on this was because the president’s daughter in an interview had contradicted her father and along with saying the low point in the White House came when families were separated at the border, she opined she does not believe the media are the enemy of the people despite what her father said. Daddy then said he agreed with her for a few minutes in the afternoon saying it’s ‘fake news’ that is the enemy of the people. That lasted until he again changed his tune a few hours later at one of his outrageous rallies charging up the die-hard Trump supporters. Huckabee Sanders, you missed an easy opportunity to sound like you aren’t a puppet on strings, being controlled by a deranged president on strings, controlled by Vladimir Putin.

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New book is essential LGBT classroom resource ‘READING THE RAINBOW’ DEMONSTRATES INCLUSION, DIVERSITY FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

Family Building through: • Adoption • Donor Agreements • Surrogacy

By DANA RUDOLPH

As the hot days of August try to tempt us into laziness, another influence pulls at many of us parents — the increasingly loud Serving the LgBt coMMunity for ALMoSt 20 yeArS. noW in Dc, MD & vA! voice in the back of our heads that says school will soon be starting for our children. 827 Woodside Parkway • Silver Spring, MD 20910 Can we fit in one more trip to the beach or to p: 301.221.9651 • f: 240.491.9551 visit family? What’s on the school supply list? jfairfax@jenniferfairfax.com • www.jenniferfairfax.com For LGBT parents, back-to-school time can also bring worries about whether our children will have their family structure and identities supported. Will the school and classroom climate be safe and welcoming? Will they find a community of supportive peers? Will the curriculum reflect families like theirs? It can all be a bit overwhelming. For those seeking advice and assistance, I’ve updated my annual annotated list of LGBT back-to-school resources at mombian.com. I want to focus here, however, on my favorite new educational resource of the year, for it offers a wonderful model of what is possible in LGBT-inclusive education. “Reading the Rainbow: LGBTQ-Inclusive Literacy Instruction in the Elementary Classroom” (Teachers College Press and GLSEN), by Caitlin Auto Accidents - Medical Malpractice - Defective Products L. Ryan and Jill M. Hermann-Wilmarth is a slim (160-page) volume to help elementary school English language arts (ELA) teachers introduce or deepen classroom discussions around LGBT identity and gender. It’s full of practical tips and ideas backed by curricular standards and classroom experience. But even if you’re not a teacher A D V E R T I (or SIN G Panother R O O Fsubject), it may provide teach ISSUE DATE: 02.11.16 SALES REPRESENTATIVE: PHIL ROCKSTROH (prockstroh@washblade.com) much food for thought. Its brilliance lies in the way it offers tools for teachers who may have REVIEW AD FOR COPY AND DESIGN ACCURACY. Revisions must be submitted within 24 hours of the date of proof. Proof will be considered final and will be submitted for publication if revision is not submitted within 24 hours of varying degrees of experience or comfort in the date of proof. Revisions will not be accepted after 12:01 pm wednesday, the week of publication.Brown naff pitts NS omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) is not responsible for the content and/or design of your ad. Advertiser is addressing LGBT topics and in showing how responsible for any legal liability arising out ofBoard or relating to the advertisement,Writer/Author/Lecturer, and/or any material to which users GN Lawyer of the Year, Certified, can link through the advertisement. Advertiser represents that its advertisement will not violate any criminal laws or EVISIONS any rgihts of third parties, including, but not limited to, such violations as infringement or misapporpriation of any classrooms could become more inclusive copyright, patent,Action trademark, trade secret, music, image, or other proprietary or adjustable propety right, false advertising, unfair Class Chairman, Reasonable fees, Practicing /LOGO REVISIONS competition, defamation, invasion of privacy or rights of celebrity, violation of anti-discrimination law or regulation, even in schools resistant to such topics. or any other right of any person or entity. Advertiser agrees to idemnify brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the ADVERTISER SIGNATURE SIONS Virginia DC, from any and all washington blade) and to hold brownin naff Maryland, pitts omnimedia llc (dba the washingtonand blade) harmless By signing this proof you are agreeing to your contract obligations with the Ryan each have liability, loss, damages, claims, or causes of action, including reasonable legal fees and expenses that may be incurred washington blade newspaper. This includes but is not and limited to Herman-Wilmarth placement, by brown naff pitts omnimedia llc, arising out of or related to advertiser’s breach of any of the foregoing representations 4 Progressive Lawyers on Staff, Published Feminist on Staff,payment and insertion schedule. years of experience teaching in elementary and warranties. Former Senate and House of Representatives Aid, Art classrooms, although they now hold positions Collector in higher education. They draw not only from their own experiences, but also from those of three other teachers whose classrooms they have studied (and in some instances, co-taught in) for several years. Ryan and Herman-Wilmarth are white lesbians as is one 1310 L Street, NW, Suite 800 of the teachers; the others are allies. I wish this Washington, DC 20005 panel had been more diversity —teachers of color and transgender teachers would have aaronlevinelaw.com

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added important perspectives — but they nevertheless provide a starting point as well as allies’ ways of looking at the intersections of gender, race and other identities. By including LGBT people and ideas in classrooms, the authors explain, teachers provide students with “new windows and mirrors of the world around them.” The authors oﬀer many examples of how their panel of teachers helped students use inclusive texts to better understand their own lives or the lives and situations of others. Along the way, students practiced language arts skills, such as learning multiple meanings of words, using more nuanced vocabulary and crafting arguments. At the same time, the authors caution that a single LGBT-inclusive book cannot show the full range of LGBT lives and indeed, the number of such books for elementary-age readers is still limited, particularly in showing LGBT people who are not white, suburban or partnered. For this reason, and because some teachers may still ﬁnd it challenging to overcome (unwarranted) parental and administrative concerns about LGBTinclusive books, Ryan and Herman-Wilmarth also explore how to “queer,” i.e., “mess up and complicate,” traditional categories related to bodies, gender, sexual orientation and love, even when not explicitly reading or talking about LGBT people. Classrooms can explore ideas of gender expectations, for example, even in books without LGBT characters. The authors acknowledge that this approach can, if mishandled, lead to the ongoing silencing of LGBT identities, but as a supplemental approach, it may begin to shift students’ understanding, especially in places where discussion of clearly LGBT characters may not yet be possible. I chose to highlight this book because we deserve something positive to start the school year. I don’t want to minimize the challenges we may face, individually and collectively, but I hope we take heart, knowing that such resources exist. DANA RUDOLPH is the founder and publisher of Mombian (mombian.com), a GLAAD Media Award-winning blog and resource directory for LGBT parents.

B A CK TO S CH O O L

Gay Howard student says much work remains

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MICRO-AGGRESSIONS, TOKEN SUPPORT AMONG CHALLENGES FOR CAMPUS LGBT GROUP By GRACE PERRY Justin Calhoun chose Howard University in part to escape the homophobia he grew up with in the Mississippi Delta. However, he continues to face oppression for being gay at the D.C. HBCU (historically black colleges and universities); now, it’s just on a micro rather than macro scale. When Calhoun was deciding which college to attend, he knew he wanted to go somewhere where his peers “aﬃrmed and understood” him and his gay identity. He thought Howard would oﬀer a “safer, more progressive” environment than Morehouse (an all-male HBCU in Atlanta) or a state school in Mississippi. The junior, political science major is all too familiar with homophobia thanks to growing up in Ruleville (a small town in northern Mississippi with about 3,000 residents) with parents who are still struggling to accept his gay identity. “I’ve come out to my mom three times, and there will be a fourth time,” Calhoun says. “Each time, my mom has basically lied to herself and been really in denial about it. … After I come out, she always says, ‘I can’t wait till you get a wife and kids.’” Although Calhoun has known since second grade that he is gay, he didn’t start coming out to his friends till sixth grade, and even then, he intentionally didn’t come out to his parents because he knew they wouldn’t be accepting. However, one of Calhoun’s teachers approached his parents independently without his knowledge. “When my parents found out, we had a long talk, and I eventually admitted I was gay,” Calhoun says. “My parents immediately started crying; my dad walked out of the room and said, ‘That’s some bullshit.’ … Several days after that, there were some prayer sessions, prayer warriors, people coming in the house to pray and lift the corners of the house from the evil spirit that was me.” Beyond social stigma and rejection, Calhoun was also concerned about his physical safety because of recent events near his hometown in Clarksdale, Miss., where Marco McMillian, an openly gay candidate running for mayor, was

PHOTO COURTESY CALHOUN

JUSTIN CALHOUN overcame extreme homophobia in his native Mississippi before relocating to Washington for college.

found murdered at age 34. Although there remains no evidence proving the murderer was motivated by McMillian’s sexual orientation, the event still shook up the LGBT community, making many queer Mississippians like Calhoun frightened and uneasy. “My dad said, ‘Is this what you want to happen to you? Because that’s basically what you’re asking to happen; you’re gonna die if you keep acting gay.’ So he told me to go to school and tell all my friends I was straight ‘or else,’” Calhoun says. “I never really questioned the ‘or else,’ but I was very aware of what that could possibly mean in terms of physical violence.” Now at Howard, Calhoun is far from closeted. “I’m very loud about being gay at Howard and actually most places I go, except my parents’ home. I just don’t like being quiet about it.” He joined CASCADE (Coalition of Activist Students Celebrating the Acceptance of Diversity and Equality), the campus’ LGBT group, which Calhoun describes as “the hub for all queer activism on campus,” at the end of his freshman year and became the president last semester as a sophomore. The group currently has 16 advocacy interests for next school year, such as

the creation of an LGBT resource center, which would institutionalize queer spaces and Black Gayze, a magazine which will champion and explore the lives of queer students at Howard. CASCADE has also placed trans and gender-non-conforming folks at the forefront of their advocacy with its gender-neutral bathroom initiative. Currently, only one building on Howard’s campus has gender-neutral restrooms, Frederick Douglas Memorial Hall. However, the hall is currently under renovation until 2020, meaning the campus functionally has no genderneutral restrooms anywhere on campus. CASCADE hopes to designate at least two such restrooms in all student buildings (dormitories, cafeterias, academic spaces, etc.) by December and at least two in all administrative buildings by April 2019. Calhoun says Trump has in some ways beneﬁtted queer activism at Howard since his election two years ago. “I think Trump has been a beneﬁt in that people are realizing how emboldened people feel now and they’re starting to hear their views and people want to make sure they’re not on that side of history, so people have been trying to be politically correct,” Calhoun says. Yet Calhoun says there remains a lot of

passive partnership on campus. “There’s no resistance (to our agenda). I think the only resistance is silence,” Calhoun says. “A lot of people like to partner with LGBTQ organizations on campus … (but) being intentional with these (queer) groups means talking to them year round and caring. It means funding them. It means partnering with them on long-lasting partnerships. It means coming to their meetings. It means showing the initiative that you care outside of a one-time event that maybe attracts 10-20 people.” Calhoun says this lack of “initiative” and “intentionality” contributes to microaggressions he and other queer students continue to experience. However, he also says these micro-aggressions are partially due to the black community’s historic relationship with the church. “Howard is supposed to be this safe space where black students can come and explore their identities safely in this microcosm of black creativity and exploration,” Calhoun says. “And that’s cute for one type of student, mainly cis hetero students. But for queer students, that’s not at all the reality … (partially) because of black people’s relationship with the church and (how) the church has had a long history of saying that queerness is wrong. Because of Howard’s history with all of that, the campus has a lot of micro-aggressive oppression.” One day, Calhoun hopes to start his own nonproﬁt catered to black, queer people in the South, ﬁlling a void he himself experienced growing up. Until then, he hopes to see Howard continue advancing queer rights and voices on campus. “I would like to see more queer voices and yes I would like to see them represented, but mostly I would like them to be visible … (for example) in classrooms where I see a black, queer teacher talking about their black, queer experience just as they would their black experience now,” Calhoun says. “I just want it (queerness) to be integrated into (the community’s) everyday thoughts and actions, so that students know and feel radical acceptance.”

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UMD advocates for trans inclusivity PRONOUN CAMPAIGN, TRUMP WARINESS AMONG LGBT ISSUES By MARIAH COOPER MCOOPER@WASHBLADE.COM While transgender representation has become more prominent in popular culture, practices for transgender and non-binary inclusion aren’t part of everyone’s daily life. Shige Sakurai, acting director of the LGBT Equity Center at University of Maryland, College Park, hopes to change that. Sakurai, who identifies as non-binary/agender, some staff members and a few students created a planning committee to kickstart a pronouns campaign on campus. The vision grew into a much bigger project that became known as #TransTerps which launched last September. The #TransTerps campaign works towards “identifying, disseminating and implementing good practices for transinclusion,” Sakurai says. The LGBT Equity Center was faced with the challenge of how to share information and positively impact a campus community of an estimated 50,000 people including faculty, staff and students. On a campus this large, it was important to create ways people could use tools to spread awareness in each of their departments or student groups. One campaign initiative was to educate on the use of pronouns. Thousands of stickers, buttons and business cards with preferred pronouns were made. The LGBT Equity Office created a video that says a person’s pronouns don’t always match their perceived gender. Instructors who wish to incorporate pronoun information into the classrooms can also use sample syllabi provided by the LGBT Equity Office. Multiple versions of the syllabi are available ranging from educating on identities and others simply focus on respecting people’s names and pronouns. University of Maryland also started its own Pronouns Day in 2016. The LGBT Equity Office partnered with various groups locally, nationally and internationally to create the first International Pronouns Day which will be held on Oct. 17. More than 96 different organizations including dozens of campuses will participate in the day. There is a list of ideas on the pronounsdays.org website including

PHOTO COURTESY SAKURAI

SHIGE SAKURAI helped launch a pronoun campaign at the University of Maryland at College Park

using the #PronounsDay hashtag, posting your pronouns on social media, organizing events and more. Other initiatives in the #TransTerps campaign are inclusive restrooms and signage and webinars. Events are oﬀered throughout the year such as gender inclusivity in the classroom, discussion luncheons on what it’s like to be a transgender student, and fun activities such as arts and crafts. Sakurai says the campaign has been received positively on campus from people of all identities. “We’re deﬁnitely hearing from people that are actively sharing pronouns or asking pronouns which is new for them,” they says. “So I haven’t seen backlash to that because no one is really required to do any of these things. We’re encouraging people to get involved and to adopt these good practices but by and large our campaign is not focused on things

that are supposed to be mandatory. It’s focused on things that are supposed to be opportunities and people seem pretty excited about that.” Even though University of Maryland has been striving toward being a more welcoming environment for everyone, Sakurai says some students have been worried about the Trump Administration rolling back protections for the transgender community. “That has been cause for concern when we see something like Department of Justice and Department of Education retracting guidelines on trans-inclusion that causes questions even on our campus,” Sakurai says. “People are saying, ‘Oh, should I be doing something diﬀerent?’ and we have to tell them, ‘No, nothing has changed. The law hasn’t changed. No court decisions have changed anything. It’s just these guidances. We have our own state and

campus protections.’ It’s certainly been an issue since Trump has taken office and it’s caused a lot of concern. It certainly impacts our students.” In addition to the informational resources available through the LGBT Equity Office, students who need support for more “high stress situations” about the current political climate can participate in support groups offered by the counseling center. There is both a general LGBT support group and a group specifically for students involved in advocacy who have concerns about these anti-LGBT policies. Sakurai’s dedication to helping the LGBT community doesn’t stop on campus. During Trump’s inauguration weekend, they decided to create the website mypronouns.org. The website gives information and resources on what a person’s preferred pronouns are and how people can learn to respect them. They also became the first person issued a gender-neutral driver’s license in the United States. Sakurai says they had been seeking non-binary documentation for some time and after consulting with the name and gender legal clinic at Whitman-Walker and lawyers at the National Center for Transgender Equality, they were able to discuss options with the director of the DMV. The DMV had announced in 2016 it was planning on creating a gender-neutral option but with the help of Sakurai, Whitman-Walker and the National Center for Transgender Equality, the option was able to be implemented. Sakurai received their ID with a gender-neural identifier of “X” in June 2017. Sakurai hopes that movements like this can continue on campus and beyond. “One thing that’s important to us is we’re trying to change the climate,” they says. “I think that doing that requires folks that are excited and seeing how this improves the campus climate, not just for trans people, but for everyone. It suggests that we want to be in this environment and that we care about each other and that we want to be inclusive. I think that it’s an opportunity for people to engage in something positive in the workplace and in their classrooms.”

W A SH I N GTO NB LAD E.C OM

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The ‘Will & Grace’ reboot returns for its second season (10th total; an 11th has been announced as well) on Thursday, Oct. 4. It’s one show LGBT critics are most looking forward to. PHOTO COURTESY NBC

TV critics take on the fall lineup Even the cable reruns are gay now By SUSAN HORNIK

than ever before, gay television critics have their hands full, in a constant state of binge watching all the new and returning series. At The Television Critics Press Tour last week in Beverly Hills, the Blade talked to gay television critics about their favorite shows. Malcolm Venable, senior writer, TVGuide.com MALCOLM VENABLE

PHOTO COURTESY OF VENABLE

LOS ANGELES — With more broadcast, cable and streaming network programs

This fall, I’m excited about the return of “The Deuce,” where the divine Maggie Gyllenhaal this season will be giving less blowjobs in dirty theaters and producing porn in 1970’s New York City. Last season, the series ﬂirted with

depictions of gay sex and here’s to hoping that this season will take those flirtations even further, by showing more same-sex porn and what happens when authorities try to clamp down on it. Like everyone else with a pulse, I’m also keen to see what ways the Pearsons of “This Is Us” will be making us cry again — I suspect it’s only a matter of time before they push a grandma down a flight a steps or punt a puppy across a football field. Though Denis O’Hare is highly unlikely to return as William’s partner unless the show is going to depict some kind of dead person/alive person romance, we can probably count on some type of LGBTQ

representation … or at least more Beth. I need more Beth. I’m also giddy with anticipation for another season of “The Good Place.” It’s a show that never fails to make you happy. Of course “Will & Grace” comes back again this fall too, and, like a fabulous queen who has faithfully applied moisturizer with SPF every day, this show is aging really well. “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” in its ﬁnal season, promises to be bonkers, and though they’re both animated, “She-Ra” and “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” both on Netﬂix, promise to bring more kick-ass CONTINUES ON PAGE 34

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Q U E E RY : 2 0 Q U E ST I O N S F O R G RE G O RY CE N D A N A

G RE G O RY C E ND ANA How long have you been out and who was the hardest person to tell? For me, coming out has been and continues to be an ongoing process. One of my big brothers and a mentor, Jose Antonio Vargas, describes it as “letting people in.” The hardest people to tell were my parents (John and Maria) and I came out to them in 2009 with my sister Jessica by my side.

PHOTO BY BILL MOREE; USED WITH PERMISSION

By JOEY DiGUGLIELMO joeyd@washblade.com The work to ensure people of color, LGBT folks and women have seats at the proverbial table is ongoing. It’s why Gregory Cendana started the consulting firm Can’t Stop! Won’t Stop! with his friend Carmen Berkley in 2009. The group exists so that historically marginalized communities feel empowered within campaigns, organizations and the world to “make social and cultural change, work and live in inclusive and nurturing spaces and break down systemic barriers to socio-economic and societal freedom,” Cendana says. The group has many components from campaign strategies, the arts, immigration issues, training and facilitation, strategic planning, conferences and more. “We have to work twice as hard to be seen, heard and trusted for our experiences,” Cendana, 32, says. “In the political space, our views are often ignored or put to the side. If people accept that we are the experts of our own experience, this world would be such a different place.” Cendana works full time with Can’t Stop! Won’t Stop!, its only full-time employee. He was named a Capital Pride hero in June for his efforts. Contact him at gregory@cswsconsulting.com. Born in Guam, raised in Saramento, Calif., Cendana came to Washington 10 years ago for work and served in non-profit management for 10 years with the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance and president of the United States Student Association. He’s in a relationship with Terrence Ford and calls himself a “proud resident of southeast/Ward 8.” Cendana enjoys dancing, singing karaoke and trying new recipes in his free time.

Who’s your LGBT hero? It’s important to lift up our ancestors and the people who helped pave the way. In that spirit, I’d like to name Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera. A more recent hero of mine is Janelle Monae, leader of the #free@$$mothaf*cka movement! What’s Washington’s best nightspot, past or present? Larry’s Lounge was a nice pregame or nightcap spot when I used to live in the gayborhood and I enjoyed going to Apex for a dance party. Describe your dream wedding. I haven’t thought too much about my dream wedding. I do know that I’d be surrounded by all the people I love and there will be spirits a ﬂowing, laughs a ringing and bootys a shaking. What non-LGBT issue are you most passionate about? Immigration. Families are being separated and detained. Children are being abused by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and border patrol. Families belong together and free in communities. What historical outcome would you change? The number of people killed by the AIDS epidemic. What’s been the most memorable pop culture moment of your lifetime? Seeing the success of “Pose,” a show that has the largest cast of transgender actors (ﬁve!) ever to appear as series regulars on a scripted show. It’s been renewed for a second season and if you haven’t started watching, I highly recommend it. On what do you insist? Being my most authentic self, living my best life and paying it forward. What was your last Facebook post or Tweet? A birthday wish to President Obama along with a photo of he and I together.

If your life were a book, what would the title be? “Greg Living His Best Life: A Can’t Stop/ Won’t Stop Memoir” If science discovered a way to change sexual orientation, what would you do? Nothing. I believe everything happens for a reason and I am happy the way I am now. What do you believe in beyond the physical world? There is a heaven and a hell. What’s your advice for LGBT movement leaders? Don’t conﬂate access with power. Center the most marginalized and disproportionately impacted. Ensure you are opening doors for others. Stay humble and consider yourself lifelong students. There’s always something more to learn. Remember, no one is free until we are all free. What would you walk across hot coals for? A glass of ice water and ice cream on a hot and humid day in D.C.! To be in a Missy Elliott music video or performance! What LGBT stereotype annoys you most? That we are all promiscuous — not that there’s anything wrong with that. What’s your favorite LGBT movie? “Five hundred twenty-ﬁve thousand six hundred minutes…” (in my best “RENT” voice) What’s the most overrated social custom? Standing for the national anthem. #StandWithKap #TakeAKnee What trophy or prize do you most covet? People say that I’m a baby whisperer. I like to think of it as being the cool guncle. What do you wish you’d known at 18? My worth. Not all heroes wear capes and even if they do, doesn’t mean they are. Why Washington? It’s a place with rich history and people who come from diverse backgrounds and viewpoints. I’ve met and worked with people from across the country and globe. There are many opportunities including many things that don’t require money or special access. And as a concert goer, D.C. or a place close by is usually on the tour list.

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The plight of ‘Cameron Post’ New teen dramedy explores horror of conversion therapy camp By BRIAN T. CARNEY “The Miseducation of Cameron Post,” which opens in D.C. theaters on Friday, is a powerful exploration of resistance, female desire and the horrors of conversion therapy. The film premiered in January at the Sundance Film Festival where is was awarded the festival’s highest award, the Grand Jury Prize. Directed by out filmmaker Desiree Akhavan, and based on the popular teen novel by Emily Danforth, “Miseducation” is the story of Cameron Post (played by Chloë Grace Moretz), a lesbian teen who is beginning to explore her sexuality. Cameron is outed when she and her girlfriend Coley (Quinn Shephard) are discovered having sex in the back seat of a car on prom night. Cameron’s evangelical family quickly whisk her away to “God’s Promise,” a conversion therapy camp run by Dr. Lydia Marsh (Jennifer Ehle) and her brother Reve. Rick (John Gallagher Jr.), an ex-gay who is one of his sister’s success stories. Cameron quickly befriends Jane Fonda (Sasha Lane of “Hearts Beat Loud”) and Adam Red Eagle (Forrest Goodluck) and the three quickly (and ironically) discover the power of gay solidarity. Akhavan read the novel years ago and loved it. “After I made my first film,” Akhavan says, “I gave the book to my writing/ producing partner Cecilia Frugiuele and said, ‘One day we’ll make this.’ Cecilia read the book, got the rights, and said, ‘We’re doing this next.’” But the year-long adaptation process was not easy. “The first draft was very loyal to the book,” Akhavan recalls, but the script just wasn’t working. “We wondered why the script wasn’t as compelling as the novel and tried to find the kernel of excitement that made us want to make the book into a movie in the first place. What we finally realized was that we missed the tone of the book — that blend of teen comedy with drama and pathos mixed in.” Moretz says she was drawn to the script “by a multitude of things. First and foremost,” she says, “it was a really naturalistic depiction of being a young gay person and meeting other gay people for the first time and realizing you are not alone. That was really refreshing.” The actress was also drawn to the script’s take on the timeless female coming-of-age tale. “It’s the age-old story of becoming a woman, struggling against a society that

PHOTO COURTESY FILMRISE

FORREST GOODLUCK, SASHA LANE and CHLOE GRACE MORETZ in ‘The Miseducation of Cameron Post.’

wants to tell you you’re not allowed to speak up and that you’re not allowed to have an opinion and you’re supposed to sit there and look pretty. It’s about finding your power and your confidence and realizing you can speak. It’s not just about being gay, it’s about being a teenager and becoming a woman.” Beyond that, she says, “the script was written impeccably; Desi and Cecilia wrote it so that everything flowed in a beautiful manner. It was just up to us to let it breathe. It walked this really delicate line between comedy and sadness and also not demonizing religion. The Marshes are misguided but they’re not necessarily malicious. They’re trying to do their best. … It comes down to the queer female lens of Desi and how she was able to do all those things at once. I hadn’t been seen that before.” Both director and star were excited about shooting the passionate sex scenes that were central to telling Cameron’s story. As a feminist filmmaker, Akhavan wanted to honestly capture the power of female sexuality. “There’s not much communicated on screen about the female experience and about women and intimacy and lust,” she says. “I think women should feel empowered to want and to desire and to fuck.” So, when it came time to shoot the pivotal car scene, Akhavan decided to let Moretz and Shephard rehearse the scene on their own. “I had storyboards I had sketched and I had ideas in my head, but once we got there, I said, ‘Fuck it, just let them do it.’” Moretz appreciated Akhavan’s handsoff approach. “In every sex scene I’ve done in the past, I was terrified about how it was going to be handled,” Moretz says. “With this, I knew what my intentions were and I knew that Desi would handle it correctly. This was the first time I felt that way and I’ve been doing sex scenes since I was 16. “

The result was amazing. “It was the most spectacular moment I’ve ever had in front of a monitor, Akhavan says. “The girls were so in it, both the joy and the lust and then the distraught

horror of being caught. It was all in real time and mostly plays in one shot.” “As a ﬁlmmaker,” Akhavan says, “I really live to shoot sex scenes. There’s no greater joy for me.”

REVIEW: ‘Cameron Post’ deftly balances comedy, drama Set in 1993, “The Miseducation of Cameron Post” stars Chloë Grace Moretz as Cameron, a teenager who lives with her conservative aunt after losing both parents in an automobile accident. While attending her high school’s homecoming dance, she is caught making out with another girl in the backseat of a car. She quickly finds herself being sent off to a remote “summer camp” in the Montana wilderness where residents are PHOTO COURTESY THE COLLABORATIVE subjected to counseling designed to realign their sexual orientation. DSIREE AKHAVAN Cooperative at first, she finds kindred spirits among the other teens and attempts to settle in for the duration; but as she becomes more aware of the psychological damage being inflicted on her fellow campers, she begins to realize that this ostensibly loving environment is a dangerous fraud. The film initially creates an almost comedic tone, allowing us a few sly chuckles over the excessively wholesome atmosphere of the camp and the obvious denial of its “ex-gay” counselors. As the story progresses however, the layers begin to peel back. Moretz is excellent in the title role, riding an intelligent wave of thoughtful writing that is worthy of her talents. Sasha Lane and Forrest Goodluck, as Cameron’s camp friends, bring authenticity and wry humor to their roles. In fact, the only character that fails – appropriately – to elicit audience sympathy is the camp’s overseer, Dr. Lydia Marsh. In the hands of two-time Tony-winner Jennifer Ehle, she is perhaps the most coldly sanctimonious screen villain since Nurse Ratched. “The Miseducation of Cameron Post” is not a flashy piece of cinema; Akhavan, in directing her second feature, has rightly chosen to tell the story straightforwardly, letting the fine acting and writing carry the weight. JOHN PAUL KING

2 6 • A UGUST 1 0 , 2018

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Left behind Girlfriend resents being excluded from upcoming vacation

This whole thing makes me feel like I don’t mean that much to her. Am I overreacting to her leaving me alone for a week while she goes on vacation with her friends? MICHAEL REPLIES:

MICHAEL RADKOWSKY, Psy.D. is a licensed psychologist who works with gay individuals and couples in Washington. He can be found online at michaelradkowsky.com. All identifying information has been changed for reasons of conﬁdentiality. Have a question? Send it to michael@michaelradkowsky.com.

DEAR MICHAEL, My girlfriend is planning a vacation week around Labor Day with six of her gal pals from college and I’m not invited. We’ve been dating for almost a year and had already been together for eight months when they started planning this trip. I really feel she should have invited me to come along. It’s not that I’m jealous or worried anything will happen with one of the other women. I know they’re just friends. I just feel really excluded. We’ve been getting increasingly serious and have been talking about moving in together when my lease is up in December. So I think it’s right that we should be spending most of our time together, especially vacation, which we don’t get that much of. Kathy says that she’s not using that many vacation days and we still have plenty of time to go away together. But I think she’s missing the point. I’d love to spend a week at the beach relaxing with her at the end of summer. And why doesn’t she want me to hang out with her and her friends? She said none her friends are bringing their signiﬁcant others. But her friends are all straight, so it makes sense not to have any guys at a gals-only weekend. Having me there would be a diﬀerent story. I told her that, and she replied that she wants a vacation alone with her friends and having me there would change the dynamic. I don’t get it. I know these women are extremely important to her so this would be a great opportunity for me to get to know them and vice versa. If I’m her girlfriend and this is a serious relationship, what better time for all of us to meet? Supposedly Kathy is out to all her friends but part of me wonders if she is not comfortable bringing me because I’m a woman. Kathy says that’s ridiculous and insulting to her.

Don’t push your girlfriend to do something she doesn’t want to do. This is Kathy’s life and her friend group. She’s telling you that she wants a vacation alone with her friends. Respect this. Many people want their own space at times, even when they are in relationships. While there’s a popular idea that couples should be practically joined at the hip, doing “everything” together feels smothering to a lot of folks. You and Kathy are two different people, so it’s inevitable that you aren’t always going to agree on the right way to live. There is no one right way. If you want to be in a generally happy relationship, strive to accept this. If you try to convince Kathy that she’s wrong and you are right, you will likely damage your relationship. When you tell your romantic partner how to conduct her life or try to guilt her into doing something she doesn’t want to do, she is bound to become resentful. Yes, I get that you are disappointed. But it’s not Kathy’s job to do your bidding so that you’re never let down. Relationships don’t mean that your girlfriend always strives to please you. It’s Kathy’s job to behave thoughtfully toward you and to honor what she believes is important to her. Sometimes, inevitably, this will mean that she doesn’t do what you want her to do. When this happens, it’s your own job to find a way to tolerate the disappointment. Given that you’ve been contemplating moving in together, I gather that Kathy is usually caring and attentive. How about putting your focus on what you love and appreciate about her, rather than theorizing about her reasons for excluding you from this vacation or coming up with justifications as to why she should do things your way? I understand that you don’t like being left on your own, but no significant other is always going to be by your side. So you’ve got to get better at tolerating the inevitable. For starters, work on keeping your mood positive and staying engaged with life while Kathy is on vacation with her friends. Getting better at this will make you a stronger and more resilient girlfriend. No surprise, the stronger and more resilient you are, the more appealing a partner you will be. Also, you will be a lot more fun to be in a relationship with if you plan an upcoming getaway just for the two of you, instead of moping or being resentful.

E: 01.13.2017

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O U T & A BO U T

By ABBY WARGO

CALL FOR RESERVATIONS

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Melba Moore readies D.C. engagement M-TH 11:30AM-10PM • F-SAT 11:30AM-11PM SUN. BRUNCH 11AM-3PM / DINNER 3-10PM

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Melba Moore will perform at Blues Alley (1073 Wisconsin Ave. N.W.) on Aug. 17-19. Moore, a Tony Award-winning R&B singer, has been performing for almost five decades. She has been nominated for four Grammys and has had 11 top-10 hits on the Billboard charts. She will perform two shows a night at 8 and 10 p.m. Tickets are $35 and are non-refundable. There is a $12 food and beverage minimum per person that is not included in the ticket price. Seating is first-come, first-served and begins at 6 and 9:45 p.m., respectively. No photography is allowed during the performance. To purchase tickets, visit bluesalleylive.com.

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Don we now our white attire The ladies of LURe host BARE’s ninth annual White Party at Cobalt (1639 R. St. N.W.) on Saturday, August 18 from 10 p.m.-3 a.m. DJs Rosie and Keenan will spin and the DystRucXion dancers will perform. There will be a wet T-shirt contest. T-shirts will be provided, but participants must bring their own towels. Sign-ups are on the top ﬂoor with DJ Rosie, and can be done individually or with one other person. Winners will be determined by crowd applause and will receive cash prizes. Entry is $7 before midnight and $10 after. Guests must be 21 or older with a valid ID.

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The August edition of Queer Grrrl Movie Night is at Republic Restoratives (1369 New York Ave. N.E.) on Friday, Aug. 17 at 7 p.m. The film is a documentary about Marsha P. Johnson in honor of her birth month. The transgender activist was influential in the Stonewall uprising of 1969. The movie will start at around 8, but guests are encouraged to arrive around 7 for drinks and to find a seat. It will be a picnic-style screening and snacks and food are allowed. No outside drinks will be allowed, but there will be a bar. The movie night is ADA accessible and will be shown with captions. All are welcome and the event is free. Look for the event on Facebook for details.

Make your own fettuccine The Hill Center (921 Pennsylvania Ave. S.E.) hosts Kitchen 101: Pasta Making on Thursday, Aug. 23 from 6:30-8 p.m. Chef Wendi James will lead the pastamaking workshop. Participants will make fettuccine and cheese ravioli along with a tomato and basil sauce and a garlic parmesan sauce, all from scratch. Participants are asked to bring an apron. Registration is $49 which includes wine or beer. To register and for more information, visit hillcenterdc.org.

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A U G U S T 10, 2018 • 29

PHOTO COURTESY LIVE NATION

MADONNA in her ‘Rebel Heart’ era in 2015. The singer turns 60 next week.

Madonna’s 60th Despite records, legendary hitmaker faces uphill radio battle By JOEY DiGUGLIELMO joeyd@washblade.com Interestingly Madonna and the Billboard Hot 100 chart are both turning 60 this month and the industry Bible has announced she’s the all-time pop chart queen with 57 entries and 12 no. 1 hits (Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson are in second and third place respectively). The numbers are impressive — Madonna holds the record for most top 10 hits of all acts with 38 and she’s had 46 no. 1 hits on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart, more chart toppers than any act has ever accumulated on any Billboard chart. That’s the good news. The bad news is that despite consistently putting out solid material in the last 10-15 years, her chart dominance has waned considerably with only one of her last seven singles even cracking the Hot 100 (“Bitch I’m Madonna” made it to no. 84 in 2015), an unthinkable track record compared to her ‘80s and ‘90s heyday. Her last U.S. top-10 hit was “Give Me All Your Luvin” in 2012; her last no. 1 was “Music” in 2000. But how much of it is — as Madonna has claimed — ageism? Do the men (Springsteen, Paul McCartney, U2) with new material fare any better than women (Stevie Nicks, Cher, etc.)? The short answer is not really. The only time McCartney has had hits in the last 30 years were his high-charting collaborations with Kanye West, Rihanna, et. al. (“FourFiveSeconds made it to no. 4 and “All Day” to no. 15, both in 2015.) And are the numbers even relevant, as the Washington Post has suggested, now that Billboard records are constantly being broken as the agency continues shuﬄing its methodology to factor streaming into the popularity equation? One particularly eyebrow-raising shattered record happened last year when Nicki Minaj passed Aretha Franklin

for most Billboard Hot 100 hits of any female artist, amassing 73 chart entries since 2010 alone. She pulled off this astounding feat because she’s such a ubiquitous guest artist (occasionally with Madonna): 32 of her entries are as lead artist; she’s “featured” on the other 44. Billboard didn’t count Minaj, Franklin et. al. for its latest proclamation with Madonna on top. For all Hot 100 genres among women, Madonna comes in fifth behind Rihanna, Taylor Swift, Franklin and Minaj. Fans have been concerned as far back as 2006 when they launched an “End the Madonna on U.S. radio Boycott” aimed at Clear Channel Communications after her “Confessions” singles failed to generate much interest. It hasn’t improved. Madonna herself cried foul in 2015 when Great Britain’s BBC Radio 1 declined to play her then-new single “Living for Love.” And in a 2016 speech in which she was named Woman of the Year at a Billboard Women in Music awards ceremony, she said in the world of music, “To age is a sin. You will be criticized, you will be vilified and you will definitely not be played on the radio.” That pop music and the Hot 100 has always pretty much been a young person’s game is a fairly accepted music industry truism. Look at any female pop singer going back to the days of Connie Francis (53 Hot 100 entries), Brenda Lee (48) or Dionne Warwick (56) — none of them were having major hits into their 50s and 60s. Despite a major comeback in her 40s, Tina Turner’s chart power slipped as she got older. Even Cher’s 1998 hit “Believe,” often cited as an example of what’s possible for older women artists, was a bit of a fluke. When it hit no. 1 on the Hot 100 in 1999, she was 52 and became the oldest woman to have a no. 1 hit. But that was 20 years ago and only two of the 16 singles she’s released since then have even cracked the Hot 100, the highest (“Strong Enough”) at no. 57. Like Madonna, she’s fared much better on the dance chart. ■ CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

3 0 • A UGUST 1 0 , 2018

CA LE N D A R

E-mail calendar items to calendars@washblade. com two weeks prior to your event. Space is limited so priority is given to LGBT-speciﬁc events or those with LGBT participants. Recurring events must be re-submitted each time.

By ABBY WARGO

TODAY Woof! Happy Hour is at the D.C. Eagle (3701 Benning Rd. N.E.) from 5-11 p.m. tonight. Free pizza is available at 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 5 p.m. and no cover charge is needed before 9:30 p.m. Rail/ well drinks are $4 until 11 p.m., Bud Light bottles are $4 until 10 p.m., draft beers are $4 until 10 p.m., and draft pitchers are $9 until 10 p.m. Parking is limited. Bear Happy Hour, hosted by D.C. Bear Crue, is tonight at UPROAR Lounge and Restaurant (2009 8th St. N.W.) from 5-10 p.m. Drink specials are available until 10 p.m. Rail cocktails and draft pitchers of Bud Light and Shock Top are all $5. Free appetizers will be handed out throughout the evening. LezLink Happy Hour is tonight from 6-9 p.m. at XX Crostino (1926 9th St. N.W.). The event is a safe space for queer women and is free. For more information, visit facebook.com/events and search “LezLink Happy Hour August.” GAMMA, a support group for gay and bisexual men, meets tonight at Luther Place Memorial Church (1226 Vermont Ave. N.W.) from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Meetings are also held in Vienna, Va., and Frederick, Md. For more information, visit gammaindc.org. Women in their 20s and 30s meets tonight at 8 p.m. at the D.C. Center (2000 14th St. N.W. Suite 105). The social discussion for queer women in D.C. meets on the second and fourth Friday of each month and is welcome to all, including newcomers. Following the meeting, members go out to dinner nearby.

SATURDAY, AUG. 11 AGLA hosts Afternoon Jolt today at Rappahannock Coﬀee Shop (2406 Columbia Pike, Arlington, Va.) today from 2:30-5:30 p.m. The event is a coﬀee social and attendants are invited to bring friends. For more information, visit facebook.com/events and search “AGLA Afternoon Jolt.” Pride Outside and the Latino GLBT History Project host a Latinx LGBTQ History Tour today at 3 p.m. outside the SunTrust Bank on the corner of Columbia Rd. and 18th St. N.W. The tour is a mile’s walk, so comfortable walking shoes and water are suggested. Historian Jose Gutierrez hosts the bilingual free tour that highlights various historical Latinx LGBT locations in D.C. Cobalt (1639 R St. N.W.) hosts VIBES: White Party from 4-9 p.m. tonight. This is the second installment of three monthly queer day parties. Guests must

PHOTO COURTESY ZENITH

Works by Bernie Houston, Hubert Jackson and Ibou N’Diaye on display at Zenith Gallery Aug. 15-Sept. 1.

be 18 years or older. It is hosted by Beaux Banks and Ariel Von Quinn. Keenan Orr and DJ Honey are DJ-ing. Jaymes Mansﬁeld is a special guest. This Free Life, a campaign that works to prevent and reduce tobacco use among LGBT young adults, is featured. There is no cover charge for guests who RSVP early online at tﬂ.events. Shakira performs at the Capital One Arena (601 F. St. N.W.) tonight at 9 p.m. Her D.C. performance on her “El Dorado” world tour is rescheduled from Jan. 16. Tickets range from $80-1,000 and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com. Distrkt C’s Winter White party is at the D.C. Eagle (3701 Benning Rd. N.E.) tonight from 10 p.m.-6 a.m. Twisted Dee Martello is DJ-ing. White attire is suggested. Tickets are $28 at distrktc.ticketspice.com/winterwhite-2018. The White combo pass, which includes admission to LA Fantasy’s White Sunset from 5-10 p.m. at The Living Room (1008 Vermont Ave. N.W.), is $39.

SUNDAY, AUG. 12 The D.C. Front Runners’ Distance Run is this morning from 9 a.m.-noon at the Taras Shevchenko Monument (22 and P St. N.W.). The running route distance is 8-12 miles. For more information, visit dcfrontrunners.com. Lambda Sci-Fi, an LGBT group for sciﬁ, fantasy, and horror fans, meets today at 1:30 p.m. with a social following at 2. Members are asked to bring a snack or non-alcoholic beverage to share. For location or more information, visit lambdasciﬁ.org.

MONDAY, AUG. 13 Washington Restaurant Week begins today and runs through Aug. 19. Brunch and

lunch are $22 and dinner is $35. Over 250 restaurants in the D.C. area are participating this year. For a list of participating restaurants or to book a reservation, visit ramw.org/restaurantweek.

TUESDAY, AUG. 14 Inside Out LGBT Radio Show is today from 2-3 p.m. on WPFW 89.3. Listeners are invited to call in and let their voices be heard. After the live show, it will be available on iTunes and Google Play as well as archived by WPFW. For more information or to stream live, visit wpfwfm.org. Gaymer Trivia hosted by D.C. Gaymers is at Cobalt (1639 R. St. N.W.) tonight from 7-11 p.m. A prize raﬄe will be available and tickets are one for $1 or 15 for $10. Donations to go toward more prizes and administrative fees are accepted during the event. Cash, credit and Venmo are accepted. For more information, visit facebook.com/events and search “Gaymer Trivia.”

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 15 Zenith Gallery (1429 Iris St. N.W.) presents the “Expressing Humanity: Historical, Spiritual, & Symbolic” today and through Sept. 1. Works by Bernie Houston, Hubert Jackson and Ibou N’Diaye are featured and the exhibit explores how nature can be turned into ﬁne art. The gallery is open WednesdaySaturday from noon-6 p.m. or any time by appointment. For more information and to see other exhibits that are featured, visit zenithgallery.com. Grrrls* Night is at the Wunder Garten at NoMa (1101 1st St. N.E.) tonight from 6-9 p.m. The event is hosted by Metro D.C. Democratic Socialists of America, and is a

space for women, transgender people of all genders, and femmes to come together and socialize or discuss socialism. New members are welcome. There is a full bar and the venue dog- and childfriendly. Lawn games and materials and instructions for making red rose pins will be provided. Donations will be accepted. The Tom Davoren Social Bridge Club meets tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Dignity Center (721 8th St. S.E.). No partner is needed to attend. For more information, call 301-345-1571. Karaoke is at the D.C. Eagle (3701 Benning Rd. N.E.) tonight from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Karaoke night is every Wednesday.

THURSDAY, AUG. 16 Express Yourself! Madonna’s 60th Birthday Flow Yoga is tonight from 6-7:05 p.m. at 405 Yoga D.C. (1000 Florida Ave. N.E.). The flow yoga session will be accompanied by the music of Madonna. For a chance to win a $100 gift card or additional swag, dress in a Madonna outfit or musical era. Any drop in, class pack or membership can be used. Drop in passes are $19 at clients.mindbodyonline.com. The Nice Jewish Boys’ Summer in the City Happy Hour is tonight from 7-9 p.m. at TRADE (1410 14th St. N.W.). Extended happy hour specials are available until 10 p.m. For more information, visit facebook. com/events and search “Nice Jewish Boys Summer in the City Happy Hour.” Rainbow Theatre Project’s play “In the Closet” opens tonight at the D.C. Arts Center (2438 18th St. N.W.) at 7:30 p.m. The show runs until Sept. 16. The show, written by Siegmund Fuchs, a litigation lawyer for the Department of Justice, follows four gay men at different stages in their lives. Tickets are $35 at brownpapertickets.com.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

T H E A TER

A U G U ST 1 0 , 2 0 1 8 • 3 1

PHOTO BY ROSALIE O’CONNER; USED WITH PERMISSION

ROBERT PERDZIOLA has returned to his native Pittsburgh despite not feeling he ﬁt in there as a child.

‘Passion’ for design Ballet, theater costume creator thrives on challenge By PATRICK FOLLIARD After 33 years in New York City, out costume designer Robert Perdziola and his longtime partner packed up and moved to Perdziola’s native Pittsburgh. “We left a two-bedroom co-op in Chelsea and now live in a 1906 Tudor revival home with seven fireplaces,” he says. “We found the house by accident and couldn’t stop thinking about it. I really enjoy mopping the floors and polishing the wood.” Despite a fondness for hearth and home, Perdziola is often on the road, either designing costume and sets for the American Ballet Theatre in New York or working on operas in Europe. He also spends significant time here in Washington designing costumes for theater. Over the years, he’s won three Helen Hayes Awards for costume design and dressed stars like Dixie Carter and Elizabeth Ashley for Shakespeare Theatre Company productions. More recently he put D.C.’s Holly Twyford in a stunning scarlet gown for her memorable turn as Desiree Armfeldt in Signature Theatre’s “A Little Night Music.” Perdziola, 57, is back in D.C. this summer designing costumes for Signature’s upcoming production of “Passion,” the Tony Award-winning one-act musical with

music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. Based on Ettore Scola’s ﬁlm “Passione d’Amore” (adapted from the novel “Fosca” by Iginio Ugo Tarchetti), the 1860s Italy-set story revolves around handsome soldier Giorgio’s intense relationship with his colonel’s cousin, the homely, ill-yetemotionally voracious, Fosca. Natascia Diaz, who is starring as Fosca opposite Claybourne Elder’s Giorgio, says “(Perdziola) is divinely sensitive and astute. He’s very attuned to the person wearing his idea of what they should wear. While he gives a nod to the period, the clothes are not tethered to an uber realistic rendition. The production has a dreamlike quality. I wear two gowns through the show, it’s not a runway show. He keeps them as representational as possible while focusing on the forces at play in the story.” WASHINGTON BLADE: You have a longtime working relationship with D.C. theater. Has it been gratifying? PERDZIOLA: Yes, I love working here. Washington is loaded with type A people and they love to listen. It’s a smart audience and they pay attention. When a play is a big hit in Washington, you can still get tickets whereas a hit musical in New York is always sold out. In a town like D.C., I feel like the spoken word is more valued. BLADE: Are you typically asked to

design for a certain type of show? PERDZIOLA: Yes. I haven’t done much of what’s considered modern. It doesn’t interest me that much. Not to say that I’m not in touch with the present. I’m very much in touch with the present. But when I can do things through a past prism, it’s more interesting to me. Many costume designers simply have a better knack for the present day and they do it super well. Those jobs aren’t offered to me usually. However, if I’m offered to do anything by Sondheim, I’ll probably do it. I love the music and the lyrics that much. I did my first Sondheim at Signature Theatre, “Follies,” and followed with “Into the Woods,” “Merrily We Roll Along” and “A Little Night Music.” BLADE: When did you first aspire to be a costume designer? PERDZIOLA: I began drawing clothes as a child. But I grew up in Pittsburgh, a very bluecollar town loaded with sports, and I was very out of place. What I did was not something that little boys did. By the time I entered elementary and high school, I tried to bury the costume interest. In college things became different. I was part of a drama program and I was liberated. Later I went to New York and was even more liberated. When I applied to both Carnegie Mellon University’s art program and drama program, the drama program accepted me immediately. The fine arts program accepted me too, but they looked at my portfolio of Barbra Streisand

and Liza Minelli portraits and said I needed to get in touch with reality. They suggested I draw my family. So that was the end of that. I entered the drama program. BLADE: Any shows you’d like to do but haven’t yet? PERDZIOLA: I really wanted to do “Gigi” at Signature. But it was promised to someone else. BLADE: Beyond talent, what’s the secret to your great success? Energy? PERDZIOLA: I take my work very personally. Sometimes it gets to me and I need to pull back and go running and work out my frustration. I’m a stickler for doing it right. Maybe that’s what brings me back to it. You do something and complete it, and then you think perhaps that wasn’t exact enough so you’re willing to enter the arena again and make the best thing you’ve ever done. Maybe it’s that sort of drive rather than just energy. These days, I know what I can handle. I can’t work past nine at night any more. I need to go home and see my dog and my partner. And cook. I must do the things that make me content. ‘PASSION’ Aug. 14-Sept. 23 Signature Theatre 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington $40-104 703-820-9771 Sigtheatre.org

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

32 • A U G U S T 10, 2018

Show and tell

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Maybe you’re among the unenlightened. Flea-infested hookups don’t make you smile. You don’t genuflect before Beyoncé. Don’t worry. Dive into “I Can’t Date Jesus,” a debut essay collection by writer Michael Arceneaux. You’ll emerge laughing out loud at post-hookup fleas and worshiping Beyoncé. Literary mavens talk of “original,” “wryly humorous” and “insightful” authors the way politicos spit out talking points. Yet with Arceneaux, no other words will do. What else can you say when a book’s dedication alone makes you check your privilege while laughing? “Once an old high school classmate told me … in Houston that I would end up working in Burger King,” Arceneaux writes, “because I had majored in journalism. This book is dedicated to dummies like that who don’t know when to shut the hell up.” “Also: pay fast food workers livable wages,” he adds. Arceneaux, born in 1984, raised in Houston and a Howard University graduate, is a black, Southern queer man. His funny, spot-on work has been published and heard widely. Arceneaux’s bio is dizzying. He’s a regular contributor to sites from Essence to Into to the Root, and has written for publications from The New York Times to The Washington Post to Vogue to NPR’s Code Switch to Buzzfeed to Comedy Central Online. His fans enjoyed his political and pop culture commentary on his humor blog The Cynical Ones. Essence magazine called Arceneaux one of the top #BlackTwitter voices. He’s been featured on media outlets from MSNBC to NPR to BET to Viceland. It’s no wonder that Arceneaux aficionados are happy to see “I Can’t Date Jesus,” a compilation of 17 of his essays, in a book. There’s the pleasure of not only reading his pieces in book form but of learning more about Arceneaux’s personal life. The volume is a memoir and commentary on being a black, Southern, queer, recovering Catholic chock full of biting, often hilarious takes on politics and pop culture. Arceneaux grew up in a working-class family. His dad drank too much and abused his mom. His mother loved him, but believed that homosexuality goes against the teachings of Christianity and the church. Even at age 5, Arceneaux, though he didn’t have a name for it, knew he liked boys. When he and another little boy at the daycare center found that their tickling game is “fun,” Arceneaux got

PHOTO COURTESY ATRIA

MICHAEL ARCENEAUX brings dead-pan humor and self-deprecation to his new book of essays.

nervous. “Fun came at a price, however,” Arceneaux writes, “if you were caught.” Once Arceneaux was caught behind the playground pulling his pants down in front of another boy (who responded in kind). “It was like show and tell: the remix,” he writes. “I knew that I had enjoyed what I was doing, but I also knew that others — namely my parents — wouldn’t share my enthusiasm.” At age 6, Arceneaux learned what his feelings for other boys could be called. But, it wasn’t a Mister Rogers teachable moment. His Uncle Daniel (his dad’s brother) died of AIDS. In response to Daniel’s death, his father said “Fuck that faggot.” “That slur is what will always hit me in the pit of my stomach,” Arceneaux writes. “More important, this is how I learned how being diﬀerent could lead to your demise.” Coming out for him was a long process involving awkward attempts at sex, running away from and then greeting his Howard classmates at a gay Pride parade and Beyoncé. Why is Beyoncé his “lord and garroter?” Because, Beyoncé, who like him went to Welch Middle School in Houston, is “home” to Arceneaux. “Beyoncé’s stance on remaining exactly as she’s always been no matter what is happening around her,” he writes, “has instilled in me the strength to remain the Gulf Coast ratchet bird I am.” Arceneaux writes about the personal and the political — from racism to marriage equality to Madonna to Donald J. Trump — with David Sedaris’ blend of humor and pathos and James Baldwin’s dazzling, lacerating honesty. Woe to any white editor who tries to box him into writing about “black homophobia, AIDS, sexual racism.” You leave “I Can’t Date Jesus” wanting more and that’s a good thing. ‘I CAN’T DATE JESUS: LOVE, SEX, FAMILY, RACE AND OTHER REASONS I’VE PUT MY FAITH IN BEYONCÉ’ By Michael Arceneaux Atria $17 256 pages

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S P O RTI N ’ I N DC

A U G U ST 1 0 , 2 0 1 8 • 3 3

Promotion time Longtime male cheerleader joins rigorous Ravens squad

The final tryout took place at the Under Armour practice stadium and was a grueling session of throwing stunt after stunt with every girl on the team. Jackson made the cut and was sent for the group picture. “I have cheered for so many cheer organizations and the Baltimore Ravens are loving, kind and supportive of everyone on our team,” Jackson says. “From the moment you walk in until the moment you leave, it is serious but also so much fun. Practices are hard and safety is a focus. After each training session, we do two-and-a-half hours of CrossFit.” The Baltimore Ravens had their first preseason home game against the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday, the first game for Jackson as a Baltimore Ravens Cheerleader. He was hoping the moment brought back the same feelings he had in college. “The Ravens have a marching band and I am looking forward to hearing the band music blowing, throwing stunts and that feeling of doing something you love in front of thousands of people,” Jackson says. “I am hoping for the same chills I got when I was a West Virginia Mountaineer.”

By KEVIN MAJOROS Luke Jackson has been involved in every aspect of competitive and recreational cheerleading. Originally from West Virginia, Jackson was a varsity cheerleader with West Virginia University for four years, cheered internationally in co-ed competitions and has coached throughout his career. After moving to the D.C. area with his husband Andy, Jackson stepped into a leadership role with Cheer D.C., which utilizes cheerleading to promote spirit and elevate acceptance and equality for the LGBT community. He is also coaching at South County High School. The only aspect missing was professional cheerleading and earlier this year, Jackson was selected to the Baltimore Ravens Cheerleading team. The Ravens remain as the only NFL team to have a co-ed stunting team. The squad consists of 35 women who perform stunts and dances along with 23 men

PHOTO BY KEVIN MAJOROS

LUKE JACKSON (front and center) says his work with Cheer D.C. was a good launching pad for a slot on the Baltimore Ravens Cheerleading team.

who perform stunts. The Ravens Cheerleaders perform multiple types of stunts that range from three bases and a ﬂyer to individual partner stunting. To get back into top shape, Jackson put himself through intense training leading up to his tryout. “A typical session was running on the treadmill, throwing a training partner, running back to the treadmill and then throwing her again,” Jackson says.

The tryouts for the Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders are a four-step process. On day one, Jackson threw one stunt with a female cheerleader and was invited back. On day two he was paired with a veteran cheerleader for safety reasons and performed more stunts, tumbling and an interview session. He highlighted his work with Cheer D.C. during the interview and received positive feedback. Day three was another 20-minute interview.

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3 4 • A UGUS T 1 0 , 2018

A RT S & E N T E RT A I N ME N T

‘The Crown,’ ‘Schitt’s Creek’ among anticipated TV returns CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23

women to the small screen and give lots of queer fangirls new crushes to obsess over.

JIM COLUCCI

PHOTO COURTESY OF COLUCCI

Jim Colucci, freelance television critic, author of “Golden Girls Forever” and “Will & Grace: Fabulously Uncensored” Of all the new and returning fall shows, the thing I’m most excited about is, from both an overall and LGBT perspective, is a classic: “Will & Grace.” The show returned last fall, just when the world needed it again, as the current administration regularly threatens LGBT rights. After all, this was a show that in 1998 — eons ago, as far as LGBT rights go — captured the world’s hearts and minds and showed the humanity of gay and lesbian characters. That, plus the show has always been one of the wittiest, campiest, yet most-touching sitcoms ever on TV. Now that it’s back for a second “rebooted” season, things are changing. Will’s mom is engaged to Grace’s dad, Jack has a new steady boyfriend and the show and its cast is becoming more diverse. One of the things that stood out most to me when I wrote my book, “Will & Grace: Fabulously Uncensored” is when the show’s creators, Max Mutchnick and David Kohan, told me they enjoyed deliberately “writing themselves into a corner” with the cliﬀhanger of every season. It challenged them as writers in determining how to proceed with the next season’s storylines, and therefore ultimately made the show deeper and better. Last season’s cliﬀhanger sure did force some changes and I can’t wait to see how those play out.

BRENDAN HALEY

PHOTO COURTESY OF HALEY

Brendan Haley, contributing writer for pride.com As we can expect the forthcoming season three of “The Crown” to debut a brand new cast, it’ll be exciting to see the developments in one relationship in particular, both performance and story wise, Princess Margaret (Helena Bonham Carter) and her bisexual ex-husband Antony-Armstrong Jones (Ben Daniels). Antony’s sexuality played a key role in last season’s drama, depicting the harsh judgements that LGBT people faced in the 1960s. Also, obviously I anticipate the return of “Will & Grace” this coming fall season, knowing several new comedic additions are in store, including the legendary Chelsea Handler, and the talents of Brian Jordan Alvarez (Estefan). Where the landscape of TV show reboots can sometimes plateau, “Will & Grace” has not only come back harder than where it left oﬀ in 2006, it has thrived in a new era of entertainment, receiving nominations for both Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress (Megan Mullally) and Guest Actress (Molly Shannon) in a Comedy Series.

FRANK DECARO

PHOTO COURTESY OF DECARO

Frank DeCaro, writer/comedian I’m most excited for the ﬁfth and ﬁnal season of “Gotham.” I’ve been obsessed with this lush, twisted, delicious, funny, gorgeously costumed, and perversely sexy “Batman”- origin story since its debut. What’s not to love? Pansexual girl gangs! Erotic tension between the Penguin and the Riddler! A hunky Mr. Freeze with an enormous freeze gun! Watching it makes me happier than a queer in Arkham, and, hold on to your Batpole, this is one series that is sure to go out with a bang!

HUNTER INGRAM

PHOTO COURTESY OF INGRAM

Hunter Ingram It’s only been a few months since Pop’s “Schitt’s Creek” wrapped its fourth season, but the Canadian import has left a maple leaf-sized hole in my heart waiting until season five to arrive in 2019. Lucky for us Schittheads, the Catherine O’HaraEugene Levy-fronted comedy series saved the final episode of its 13-episode order for a Christmas special, set to arrive in December. The series has matured from its fishout-of-water roots into a genuinely uproarious laugh riot with undercurrent of heart and family, and I can’t wait to see what they do with “Schitt’s Creek” holiday special. Family dinner at Cafe Tropical? Some carolling from Jazzagirls? If nothing else, David and Patrick, TV’s most underrated gay romance, better find themselves under some mistletoe. Eight seasons in, FX’s “American Horror Story” has hit some scary-good highs and frustrating lows. Many of the former came in its first and third seasons — “Murder House” and “Coven,” respectively — meaning September’s crossover season between the two installments comes with ultra-high expectations. The tease of a return to L.A.’s deadliest house and a visit from a few of Miss Robichaux’s Academy’s finest already has my spine tingling. But the addition of the Drama Queen herself, Joan Collins, and the lingering hope for more surprise faces (Jessica Lange, perhaps?) make this the most highly anticipated “AHS” in years. Don’t let us down, Ryan Murphy! Netflix’s churns out so much original content, it’s easy to lose things amongst the deluge. But one thing I’ve kept my eye on is Cary Fukunaga’s “Maniac,” a trippy limited series about a questionable drug trial, starring Emma Stone and Jonah Hill. It was first announced two years ago and since then, the drip-drip of pictures and promises it’s happening have kept me thirsting for more. With the recent announcement that it will arrive Sept. 21 and a psychedelic teaser to boot, this one has already grabbed my attention. And that’s even without our first glimpses of costars Justin Theroux and Sally FIeld.

Movie stars on the small screen rarely have the same shock value as it had at the dawn of Peak TV. But Julia Roberts is an exception. The Oscar winner is taking on her ﬁrst series regular (let’s not forget that stellar guest spot on “Friends” in 1996) with Amazon’s “Homecoming,” an adaptation of the popular podcast (Nov. 2). No one doubts Roberts’ talents, but how do they translate to episodic television, let alone a character-driven half-hour thriller that’s already a go for two seasons. I’m ecstatic about the potential, and not just because she ﬁnally lands “My Best Friend’s Wedding” costar Dermot Mulroney as her boyfriend.

DENNIS PASTORIZO

PHOTO COURTESY OF PASTORIZO

Dennis Pastorizo, TV Host, Host of LATV Network’s The Zoo Shows like “The Big Bang Theory,” “The Voice” and “Dancing with the Stars” seem like they’ve been on forever and are here to stay, so I don’t feel as much anticipation for their premieres. I am, however, thrilled to see the new “Magnum P.I.” with Jay Hernandez. I’m usually wary about remakes but he‘s a hunk and the locations look amazing. Speaking of remakes and reboots, I’m excited to see what the new season of “Murphy Brown” will look like. The show’s been off for 20 years and I’m wondering if its core audience will return and how much more can be done with the characters. And although I never cared for “Last Man Standing” on ABC, I want to see how long it will last on FOX. Original episodes are currently running on Antenna TV, but if it isn’t available on a streaming service beforehand, I don’t know how much hype can be built around the premiere or if viewers will remember important plot points, given Antenna TV is nowhere near as accessible or popular as Netflix or Hulu. “The Conners” is definitely going to be must-see-TV, at least for its first episode, because we all want to know what will happen to Roseanne’s character. Only time will tell if she is indeed the glue that kept everything together in that show or if her supporting cast is strong enough to

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Selling your home in the fall Who says spring is the best time to list? By SUE GOODHART Most homeowners who are planning to sell their homes in the not-too-distant future think it is best to wait until the spring market to list their homes. Conventional wisdom is that more buyers are looking in the spring months and so the odds of selling your home in the fall at your desired price are better. Not so fast. Allow us to break down why selling your home in the fall, especially THIS fall, may be the wiser move. 1. SERIOUS BUYERS. People need to move at all times of the year, due to such transitions as a job relocation or life change. The people looking in the fall are not lookie-loos, but serious house hunters. While yes, there may be fewer buyers in the fall market than in the lightning fast spring market, there are more SERIOUS buyers looking in the fall than in any other time of the year. 2. INTEREST RATES ARE ON THE RISE IN 2018 & 2019. Interest rates usually go up in the spring so financially savvy buyers are out there looking now. Furthermore, the Fed has said recently that it intends to raise rates twice more in 2018 and perhaps three more times in 2019. It’s certainly possible to see mortgage

There are numerous advantages to listing your home in the fall. PHOTO BY SEANPAVONEPHOTO; PHOTO COURTESY OF BIGSTOCK

rates above 5 percent before the year is over should the Fed follow through with these plans. This will affect the overall market, but it will especially affect moveup buyers, many of whom have mortgage rates around 3% if they purchased 6-8 years ago. A change to a mortgage of 3% to 5% will be a huge jump for many. 3. LESS INVENTORY. The best of all reasons for selling now is that fewer houses are listed in the fall months so buyers

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have fewer homes from which to choose. A smaller housing inventory means that odds of a buyer wanting YOUR home increase (and could even turn into a multiple offer situation). The inventory of available homes is very low in our area and has been for well over a year now. Since few sellers like to put their homes on in August there is pent-up demand. THE BOTTOM LINE: If you are considering selling your home in the fall, please

reach out now to get started. We’ve helped hundreds of sellers over our 25 years of experience and would love to help you, too. SUE GOODHART is with Compass Real Estate. In 2017, the Goodhart Group helped 120 clients achieve their real estate goals. Led by Sue and Allison Goodhart, they have been named a Top Agent by both Washingtonian and Northern Virginia magazines. Allison can be reached at 703-362-3221 or allison@thegoodhartgroup.com.

It’s Complicated: A would-be home seller is confronted with the twists and turns of the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA). VALERIE M. BLAKE, Associate Broker, GRI, Director of Education & Mentorship Dupont Circle Ofﬁce • 202-518-8781 (o) • 202.246.8602 (c) Valerie@DCHomeQuest.com • www.DCHomeQuest.com

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GREAT PERFORMANCES AT MASON 2018/2019 SEASON

The Manhattan Transfer

Featuring the American Festival Pops Orchestra

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Friday, October 12 at 8 p.m.

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L.A. Theatre Works

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Sunday, October 14 at 7 p.m. This performance is also at the Hylton Performing Arts Center on Sun., Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. Information at HyltonCenter.org.

Family Friendly performances that are most suitable for families with younger children

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DUPONT CIRCLE UPDATED STUDIO w/ BALCONY IN FABULOUS LOCATION. Full-size kitchen, large windows, quiet, pet friendly building. Vacant and ready for new owner. $263,500. Contact Liz at 301-408-8794 or email: liz.borissow@ longandfoster.com.

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