Washingtonblade.com, Volume 49, Issue 45, November 9, 2018

NOVEMBER 09,

2018

VOLUME 49

ISSUE 45

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AMERICA’S LGBTQ NEWS SOURCE

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

THE END OF ONE-PARTY RULE, AS DEMOCRATS TAKE HOUSE PAGE 08

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Reeder falls short in race for D.C.Council seat Incumbent city officials win re-election by wide margins

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. lchibbaro@washblade.com Lesbian businesswoman Dionne Reeder, who had the enthusiastic backing of Mayor Muriel Bowser and received a strongly worded endorsement from the Washington Post, lost her race for an At-Large seat on the D.C. Council on Tuesday to incumbent Council member Elissa Silverman.

Reeder and Silverman ran as independents in a six-candidate race for two at-large Council seats, with one of the two seats reserved for a non-majority party candidate under the city’s election law.

Businesswoman DIONNE REEDER lost to incumbent Elissa Silverman.

With Democrats holding all WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY but two of the 13 Council seats, the restriction in the election law meant that a Democrat could only hold one of the two seats but a non-Democrat could hold both seats.

In Tuesday’s election, incumbent Democrat Anita Bonds, a longtime supporter of LGBT rights, came in first place, easily winning re-election to her at-large seat by capturing 44.4 percent of the vote. Silverman came in second place to win re-election with 26.6 percent. Reeder finished third with 14.4 percent of the vote.

Statehood Green Party candidate David Schwartzman came in fourth place with 7.7 percent followed by Republican Ralph Chittams with 2.5 percent and independent Rustin Lewis with 2.5 percent.

With all but one of the city’s 143 electoral precincts counted as of midnight, the D.C. Board of Elections results showed that Reeder came in second place behind Bonds but ahead of Silverman in Wards 7 and 8. She finished in third place in the other six wards, including sections of Wards 1, 2, and 6 thought to have high concentrations of LGBT residents.

In her concession speech at her election night gathering at the Ivy City Smokehouse restaurant and nightclub in Northeast Washington, Reeder urged about 200 cheering supporters not to “feel bad for me,” saying she believes her campaign established an important dialogue and movement to help improve the lives of all city residents.

“I am not going to stop working for this city,” she said, prompting many in the audience to shout, “We love you!” and “Run again!”

With Silverman having a strong record of support on LGBT issues and Reeder being a longtime LGBT rights advocate the issue of LGBT rights didn’t appear to be a factor in the Reeder-Silverman race.

Five other lesser known gay candidates running in Tuesday’s D.C. election, four running under the Libertarian Party banner and one running as an independent lost their races by wide margins. Among them were longtime Libertarian Party activist Martin Moulton, who was among three lesser-known candidates running against Bowser for mayor.

As predicted by virtually all local political observers, Bowser, a strong supporter of LGBT rights, won re-election by capturing 76.2 percent of the vote. Statehood Green Party candidate Ann Wilcox came in second with 9.4 percent of the vote followed by independent Dustin Canter, who received 6.9 percent.

Moulton came in fourth place with 3.4 percent of the vote.

Gay Libertarian Party activist Bruce Majors finished in third place in his race against Democrat Eleanor Holmes Norton for the D.C. Congressional Delegate seat, receiving 1.8 percent of the vote. Norton won re-election with 86.9 percent, coming in far ahead of Majors and Statehood Green Party candidate Natale Stracuzzi, who received 3.8 percent.

Norton, a non-voting member of the U.S. House of Representatives, is considered one of the strongest LGBT rights supporters in Congress.

Two of the gay candidates who ran in Tuesday’s D.C. election drew attention for their status as a married couple. Libertarian Ethan Bishop-Henchman, who challenged Democrat Phil Mendelson for the D.C. Council Chair seat, lost to Mendelson by a margin of 89 percent to 8.4 percent.

His husband, Libertarian attorney Joe Henchman, ran against incumbent Democrat

LO CA L N E W S

Karl Racine for the D.C. Attorney General’s position. Racine won re-election, finishing ahead of Henchman by a margin of 92.8 percent to 3.8 percent.

Gay independent Jamie Sycamore, who challenged Ward 1 Council member Brianne Nadeau, a Democrat, received the highest percentage of votes among all of the gay candidates running in Tuesday’s D.C. election. He received 20.9 percent of the vote compared to Nadeau, who won re-election with 78.2 percent of the vote.

In other D.C. Council races, incumbents Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3), Kenyan McDuffie (D-Ward 5), and Charles Allen (D-Ward 6) won re-election by wide margins against lesser-known challengers. All three are longtime strong supporters of LGBT rights.

Also winning re-election were D.C. “shadow” Sen. Michael D. Brown and “shadow” U.S. Rep. Franklin Garcia. Both are Democrats and LGBT rights supporters. The two positions, which are unpaid and hold no congressional powers, were created to serve as advocates for D.C. statehood.

Reeder, who owns a restaurant in the city’s Anacostia neighborhood, received the backing of the business community, including advocates for small community based businesses like hers. But although she served in the administration of former Mayor Anthony Williams as Williams’ Ward 8 coordinator and worked in other government and private sector positions her lack of citywide name recognition placed her at a disadvantage in her race against Silverman, according to political observers.

Among the issues that dominated the Reeder-Silverman rivalry was the city’s controversial paid family leave statute, which Silverman played a lead role in shepherding through the Council. Bowser was among the faction of city leaders who opposed the legislation on grounds that it used taxpayer money and a special tax on businesses to pay for leave for employees who work in D.C. but live in Maryland and Virginia.

Reeder sided with the mayor’s position, saying the legislation hurts small businesses that provide jobs to a large number of city residents. She said she favored a revised version of the legislation that would focus on city residents and would be less of a burden on small businesses.

Silverman argued that the legislation was needed to help all workers who often face the burden of having to take leave to help ailing parents and other family members in a city with a high cost of living. She positioned herself in the election as a “progressive” and sought to portray Reeder as being captured by business interests.

Although Reeder, if elected, would have become the city’s first LGBT person of color and first LGBT woman to serve on the D.C. Council, her candidacy didn’t appear to draw the support of large numbers of LGBT activists.

Political observers familiar with D.C. voting trends said they view Silverman’s decisive win as another sign that much of the city’s electorate favors candidates perceived as “progressive,” even though Reeder could be viewed as progressive on most issues.

Gay activist Marvin Bowser, the brother of Mayor Bowser and a strong supporter of Reeder, said he considers Reeder to have done well for a first-time candidate for public office.

“For someone who has not held elective office to fall less than 12 points behind an incumbent is not a bad showing,” he said. “So I hope that Dionne remains engaged in the political process, continues to push for the programs that she advocated during her candidacy, and comes back for another run.”

First known trans candidate elected to ANC

Ward 3 community activist and transgender rights advocate Monika Nemeth won election on Tuesday to the Advisory Neighborhood Commission in district 3F06, becoming the first known transgender person to be elected to an ANC seat.

According to the D.C. Board of Election’s final but unofficial count, Nemeth received 56.6 percent of the vote, finishing ahead of incumbent commissioner William Sittig, who received 41.5 percent of the vote.

Nemeth, a member of the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club, the city’s largest local LGBT political organization, was among 30 known LGBT ANC candidates running in the Nov. 6 D.C. election.

Out of those 30 candidates, 23 won their races for ANC seats in six of the city’s eight wards. Sixteen of the 23 candidates that won were unopposed.

One of the LGBT candidates that lost, incumbent 2C01 Commissioner John Tinpe, lost to gay challenger Michael Shankle.

Two other gay ANC incumbents lost their re-election bids – Roger Moffat of 6D05, which includes the Southwest Waterfront neighborhood; and Nick Delle Donne of 2B04, which represents part of the Dupont Circle neighborhood.

Visit washingtonblade.com for a list of the 30 known LGBT candidates running for Advisory Neighborhood Commission seats in Tuesday’s election and the outcome of their races.

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LO CA L N E W S

Democrats win big, make history in Delaware “doesn’t see that” and that he sees “creatures of God.” Carper said in a statement that he will go back to working to protect the environment for future generations, ensure all Americans have access to affordable health care, continue to build an economy that works for every Delawarean, restore and protect the system of checks and balances and to elevate voices that inspire tolerance rather than violence.

“Thank you, once again, for allowing me to serve you,” Carper said. “It is the greatest honor of my life.”

Hogan wins; Washington, Acevero score firsts in Md. Rep. LISA BLUNT ROCHESTER, seen here at a Blade event last year in Rehoboth, was re-elected to the House on Tuesday in a big night for women in Delaware.

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL K. LAVERS

In first, women sweep top state posts

By BLAKE CHAMBERS DOVER, Del. — Democrats on Tuesday won the U.S. Senate, U.S. House, attorney general, auditor and treasurer seats in the Delaware midterm elections.

Sen. Tom Carper was elected to his fourth term as a U.S. senator, Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester won re-election to the U.S. House, Kathleen Jennings was elected attorney general, Kathy McGuiness won her race for state auditor and Colleen Davis was elected treasurer. This election marked the first time Delaware elected a woman for the position of state auditor.

“I am very excited. I’m excited for Delaware,” McGuiness told the Blade. “I’m really thrilled and looking forward to getting to work and really raise the profile and make this office relevant for all Delawareans.”

McGuiness, who has been serving as a Rehoboth Beach city commissioner and is on Delaware State University’s Board of Trustees, said that prior to her win, the office of state auditor had been held by 60 men since 1787.

Rochester echoed McGuiness’ sentiments in her speech at the Delaware Democratic Party’s Election Night party saying that this election was “for the soul of our country.”

She expressed that this election showed that negativity, hate, racism, sexism and any form of prejudice do not work in the United States. In her speech at the event, Jennings said that as attorney general, she would not hesitate to stand up for civil rights, constitutional rights and basic human rights if threatened by the Trump administration.

“Across this state, voters have made clear that we reject the politics of hate, fear and divisiveness. That we want to continue the work started by our founders to form ‘a more perfect union,’” Carper said in a statement. “That we want to expand opportunities for all Americans and ensure the generations that come after us are better than their parents before them.”

Carper was projected to win over his opponent, Rob Arlett, only minutes after polls closed. Carper won by 60 percent to Arlett’s 37.8 percent, with more than an 80,000vote difference.

During the primaries, Arlett made a comment about his opponent, Gene Truono, being openly gay, stating, “I’m married to a woman and he is not” when asked the biggest difference between himself and Truono. He stated that he does not support state laws that legalized same-sex marriage or the Supreme Court decision in favor of marriage equality.

At a University of Delaware debate between himself and Carper last month, when asked if he supported more laws and regulations that protect LGBT students, Arlett said that the U.S. Constitution protects all Americans as written. When asked a follow up question about him raising the issue that Truono was openly gay during the primary and if that coincides with what he said about everyone being American, Arlett said his father-in-law was gay, he has a Realtor who works with him who is gay and that he

State Del. Mary Washington (D-Baltimore City) on Tuesday became the first openly LGBT person of color elected to the Maryland Senate.

Washington in June defeated longtime state Sen. Joan Carter Conway (D-Baltimore City) in the Democratic primary.

Washington ran unopposed in the general election.

Gabriel Acevero on Tuesday became the first openly gay man of Afro-Latino descent Maryland state Sen. MARY elected to the Maryland General WASHINGTON (D-Baltimore City) made history as Assembly when he won his race the first openly LGBT person of color elected to the Maryland Senate. in House District 39.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JDAVIS PHOTOGRAPHY Acevero, who describes himself as a Democratic Socialist, finished in first place with 31 percent of the vote.

“I’m humbled by the trust and confidence the people of district 39 have placed in me and I’m committed to working everyday to better the quality of life for all residents,” he told his supporters on Tuesday.

“We’ve led the country on repealing the death penalty, passing the Dream Act and marriage equality; and we GABRIEL ACEVERO is the first openly gay man can lead again by building a of Afro-Latino descent elected to the Maryland General Assembly. just economy and educating PHOTO COURTESY OF ACEVERO our children to lead it.”

Former NAACP President Ben Jealous lost to incumbent Republican Gov. Larry Hogan in the state’s gubernatorial race by a margin of 56-42 percent.

“Thanks to you, I just became the second Republican governor ever re-elected in the entire … history of our state,” Hogan told supporters in Annapolis on Tuesday night. “Tonight in this deep blue state, in this blue year, with a blue wave, it turns out I can surf.”

In other Maryland races, gay incumbent Dels. Bonnie Cullison, Luke Clippinger and Maggie McIntosh all easily won re-election.

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NATIONAL NEWS

Great expectations as Democrats win back House Pelosi says Equality Act will be a ‘top priority’

By CHRIS JOHNSON cjohnson@washblade.com After a disappointing election night in 2016 and two years of President Trump in the White House, Democrats came back with an important win Tuesday night and were projected to win control of the U.S. House — a victory celebrated by LGBT rights supporters eager to thwart the administration and advance equality measures.

NBC News and Fox News declared at late Tuesday night Democrats would win enough seats on Election Day to take control of the House, marking the first time since 2008 Democrats won a majority of seats in the chamber.

Democrats needed a net gain of 23 seats to win control of the House, but the early call means they could win significantly more as the night progresses.

Meanwhile, CNN declared the Senate would remain in Republicans hands after Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) declared the winner against a Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke. Despite an expected “blue” wave, political observers expected Republicans to retain control of the Senate.

Topping the list for what LGBT rights supporters were expecting from the House with Democrats in control was oversight of the Trump administration’s anti-LGBT policies and advancement of the Equality Act. Sarah McBride, a transgender advocate and spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign, identified the Equality Act as a top priority with Democrats finally in control of the House.

“Voters across the country have helped to pull the emergency brake on the hateful agenda of Donald Trump and Mike Pence, and with a pro-equality majority in the U.S. House and proequality leadership in the U.S. Senate, we’re hopeful that we can see the Equality Act pass through the chamber this Congress,” McBride said. “That would send an important message that the U.S. House of Representatives believes that LGBTQ people should be protected from discrimination throughout daily life.”

Although the Equality Act, which would expand the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to bar antiLGBT discrimination, is unlikely to become law if Democrats control only one chamber of Congress and President Trump is in the White House, McBride said movement in one chamber would be beneficial.

“It would help build momentum for us to pass the Equality Act and have it signed into law by a pro-equality president when a pro-equality president is elected into office in 2020,” McBride said. “It would help to build momentum for state legislatures and more city councils to pass

House Minority Leader NANCY PELOSI (D-Calif.) has signaled the Equality Act will be a ‘top priority’ with Democrats winning the House.

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

inclusive non-discrimination protections.”

Rea Carey, executive director of the National LGBTQ Task Force, said legislation to prohibit anti-LGBT discrimination in Congress has languished for decades and the time has come for action.

“Given that so many LGBTQ people and their families face discrimination in multiple areas of their lives, it is well past time for a federal bill to provide protections, so we will certainly continue working with members of the House to pass federal legislation, to push for passage of the Equality Act and ensure that our community members are finally protected,” Carey said.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has signaled the Equality Act would be a personal priority and she’d assign the legislation a low bill number between 1 and 10 designating the legislation a top priority with Democrats in control of the House.

In terms of the expected timing from LGBT advocates for movement on the Equality Act, the general consensus was as soon as possible, although no specific timeframe was offered.

Mara Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, called the Equality Act the “centerpiece bill” for the LGBT community and said timing for movement should be “sooner rather than later,” but didn’t offer a specific deadline.

Asked when she expects to see movement from the House on the Equality Act, Carey replied, “Yesterday.”

“We will continue to push for the

Equality Act very early on in this next session,” Carey said. “It is past time. We’ve been having this conversation for decades starting really in the 1970s when the first piece of legislation was introduced, but certainly into ENDA, and now the full Equality Act. But it is just well past time for our community to have protections.”

But oversight of the Trump administration’s anti-LGBT policies — such as the transgender military ban, efforts to define laws against sex discrimination to exclude LGBT people and “religious freedom” laws that would enable anti-LGBT discrimination — was also high on the list of priorities for LGBT rights supporters.

Keisling said oversight and accountability of the Trump administration are “by far the most important things” in the next Congress.

“Finally, somebody will be holding President Trump accountable for all his lawless actions,” Keisling said. “So when the Office of Civil Rights at the Department of Education says it will no longer enforce federal civil rights laws, somebody can hold them accountable.

Somebody can hold hearings, somebody can subpoena their records to find out why they’re doing.”

Carey expressed a similar sentiment about the importance of congressional oversight under the Trump administration.

“We’re expecting them to step up,” Carey said. “They should be using their authority to conduct hearings and investigations to stand up for the American people to ensure that this administration is held accountable. We have an unprecedented

lack of transparency, corruption and selfserving actions from this administration, so we expect the House to step up and stand by the American people.”

Carey also said her organization will stand with the House in efforts to preserve the Affordable Care Act, including protections for patients with pre-existing conditions, and efforts to use religious freedom “to discriminate against LGBTQ people and others.”

The Equality Act wasn’t the only piece of legislation important to LGBT rights supporters. Other bills not as high profile but still important to LGBT people were also mentioned.

For the transgender community, Keisling identified the Every Child Deserves a Family Act, which would ban anti-LGBT discrimination in adoption, and the Screening with Dignity Act, which would enhance policies at the Transportation Security Administration for transgender passengers.

Carey said she wants to see companion legislation in the House for the Census Equality Act, which would add questions to the U.S. Census allowing respondents to identify their sexual orientation and gender identity. Currently, a version of the legislation introduced by Sens. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Tom Carper (D-Del.) remains pending in the Senate.

“We know that when our community isn’t counted through the U.S. Census and other federal surveys that it means that valuable and much-needed programming in federal funding is not directed to the needs of our community,” Carey said.

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NATIONAL NEWS

Rep. JARED POLIS (D-Colo.) has become the first openly gay person to win election as governor.

Sen. TAMMY BALDWIN was a top target of Republican donors but prevailed in her re-election effort.

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

Polis becomes first out gay person to win election as guv The LGBT community achieved a major first on Tuesday night when Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) became the first openly gay person to win election as a governor in the United States.

NBC News declared Polis, a Democrat and five-term member of Congress, the winner over his Republican opponent in the Colorado gubernatorial race, State Treasurer Walker Stapleton, shortly after polls closed in Colorado at 7 p.m. local time.

In addition to being the first openly gay person elected governor, Polis — who’s in a relationship with Marlon Reis — is the first person in a same-sex relationship to be elected governor in the United States.

The couple is raising two young children.

Annise Parker, CEO of the LGBTQ Victory Fund, said in a statement LGBT people “have dreamed of the moment when voters would overcome tired stereotypes and elect an openly gay man who stands proudly with his partner and family – and this is that moment.”

“Colorado has undergone a transformation that parallels the changing attitudes in the country at large,” Parker added. “In just 25 years, Colorado went from being labeled a ‘hate state’ for its anti-LGBTQ voter-approved ballot initiative to becoming the first state in the nation to elect an openly gay governor.

This is the evolution we will fight for in states all throughout the country – both red and blue – because we know voters are ready to support authentic, valuesdriven LGBTQ candidates who speak to the issues that matter most. Jared

shattered a lavender ceiling in Colorado, but its effect will extend well beyond the state’s borders.”

In Oregon, bisexual Gov. Kate Brown was re-elected, capturing 49.6 percent of the vote compared to Knute Buehler’s (R) 44.4 percent.

CHRIS JOHNSON

Baldwin wins contentious bid for re-election Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) won re-election Tuesday night to her seat representing Wisconsin in the U.S. Senate, becoming the first out lesbian and openly LGBT person to win re-election to the upper chamber of Congress.

CBS News declared Baldwin, a Democrat, the winner over her Republican opponent, State Sen. Leah Vukmir, shortly after polls closed in Wisconsin at 8 p.m. local time. Baldwin won 55.4 percent of the vote compared to 44.6 for Vukmir.

Meanwhile, in Arizona, bisexual Rep. Krysten Sinema fell narrowly short in her bid for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Jeff Flake.

As of Wednesday morning, her opponent, Martha McSally, led with 49.3 percent of the vote to Sinema’s 48.4 percent.

Annise Parker, CEO of the LGBTQ Victory Fund, said in a statement Baldwin’s re-election was among the LGBT community’s highest priorities and her victory on election night is “phenomenal.”

“Six years ago, Senator Baldwin became a historic first and redefined what is possible for an LGBTQ candidate seeking a career in public service, and tonight’s victory provides a different but equally important political lesson,” Parker added. “It proves that an out LGBTQ

PHOTO BY CHRIS SCHMITT PHOTOGRAPHY

candidate who unapologetically uses their political power to fight for equality can be reelected statewide in the era of Trump, even in a state that Trump won.”

Initially, observers thought the Senate race in Wisconsin, which President Trump won marginally in 2016, would be among the most competitive contests in the country. Political organizations connected to the Koch brothers spent millions in the race in an effort to defeat Baldwin and ran vicious attack ads against her.

But as Election Day approached, voters seem unmoved by the attacks and Baldwin seemed increasingly secure in her seat. With a couple of exceptions, polls showed her leading Vukmir by double digits.

With Vukmir floundering, the Republican resorted to Trump-esque tactics to smear Baldwin. One TV ad declared Baldwin belonged to “Team Terrorist” and Vukmir in a tweet referred to Baldwin as “Princess Painkiller.”

(Vukmir made the insult even though Baldwin’s mother has had a history of battling prescription drug addiction.)

Baldwin’s victory on Tuesday night was the ultimate repudiation of those attacks.

Vukmir had an anti-LGBT reputation as a member of the Wisconsin Senate.

Her record includes support for a 2006 constitutional amendment that banned same-sex marriage in Wisconsin and opposition to an LGBT-inclusive antibullying measure. Anti-LGBT groups supported Vukmir in her campaign for the Senate and held a fundraiser for her in D.C. In contrast, Baldwin, the first out lesbian elected to Congress, has had a longtime record of support for the LGBT community in her previous role as a member of the U.S. House and in her current role as U.S. senator.

As a U.S. House member, Baldwin helped guide toward passage the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act and “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal. After winning election to the U.S. Senate, Baldwin was instrumental in helping push through the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and is a co-sponsor of the Equality Act. Aside from legislation, Baldwin has spoken out both during the Obama and Trump administration on LGBT health issues such as the gay blood ban as well as issues affecting LGBT youth and seniors.

CHRIS JOHNSON

Homophobe Kim Davis ousted in Kentucky The Kentucky clerk who became notorious for refusing to grant marriage licenses to same-sex marriage has lost her bid for re-election as Rowan County Clerk, according to multiple media reports.

According to the Associated Press, Elwood Caudill, the Democratic challenger who sought to unseat Davis, claimed 54.1 percent of the vote compared to the 45.9 percent won by Davis. The Associated Press declared Caudill the winner about an hour after polls closed in Kentucky at 7 p.m.

Davis’ refusal to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples was a nationwide sideshow. After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality, Davis shut down operations at her Rowan County office entirely with respect to marriage licenses.

Six couples that were denied licenses sued her. Despite court rulings against her, Davis refused to issue marriage CONTINUES ON PAGE 12

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NATIONAL NEWS

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licenses, was found in contempt of court and was sentenced to five days in jail.

CHRIS JOHNSON

N.H. sends Pappas to Congress, 2 trans women to state House Democrat Chris Pappas on Tuesday defeated Republican Eddie Edwards in the race to succeed retiring New Hampshire Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter.

Pappas defeated Edwards by a 5345 percent margin with 92 percent of precincts reporting in the state’s 1st Congressional District.

Pappas, a member of New Hampshire’s Executive Council whose family owns a restaurant in Manchester, the state’s largest city, will be the first openly gay member of Congress from the Granite State.

Also in New Hampshire, two transgender women were elected to the state House of Representatives on Tuesday.

Gerri Cannon finished second in the Stafford County District 18, which includes the city of Somersworth, with 21 percent of the vote. Lisa Bunker will represent Rockingham County District 18, which includes the city of Exeter.

Cannon and Bunker will join Virginia state Del. Danica Roem as the only openly trans members of any state legislature in the country once they take office in January.

MICHAEL K. LAVERS

SHARICE DAVIDS won election to Congress.

CHRISTINE HALLQUIST would have been the first openly transgender person elected governor in the U.S. if she won Vermont’s gubernatorial race.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAMPAIGN

PHOTO COURTESY HALLQUIST

Mass. rejects effort to undo trans law

Hallquist falls short in Vt. governor’s race Christine Hallquist on Tuesday fell short in her bid to become the country’s first openly transgender governor.

Hallquist, who is the former CEO of the Vermont Electric Cooperative, lost to incumbent Republican Gov. Phil Scott by a 55-40 percent margin.

Hallquist is the first openly trans person in the U.S. to obtain a major party’s nomination in a gubernatorial race. Virginia state Del. Danica Roem, who is the first openly trans person seated in a state legislature, is among those who campaigned for Hallquist.

MICHAEL K. LAVERS

Davids, lesbian former MMA fighter, wins in Kansas A lesbian attorney in Kansas who formerly was a mixed martial arts fighter has won election to the U.S. House, setting

CHRIS PAPPAS will be the first openly gay member of Congress from New Hampshire.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRIS PAPPAS

her up to become one of the first female Native Americans to serve in Congress.

MSNBC declared Davids, a Democrat, won over Republican incumbent Rep. Kevin Yoder (R-Kansas), a Trump ally, at 8 p.m. local time.

In addition to being a former mixed martial arts fighter, Davids earned her law degree from Cornell University and worked as a White House Fellow during the Obama-Trump transition.

Annise Parker, CEO of the LGBTQ Victory Fund, said Kansas voters “gave the boot to a Trump ally and replaced him with a groundbreaking LGBTQ leader who spoke her truth throughout the campaign.”

“Sharice won the hearts of voters by putting forward a positive and solutionsoriented agenda while explaining how her experiences as a Native American LGBTQ woman influenced her policy

positions and beliefs,” Parker said. “When she earned her law school degree from Cornell, she passed on high-paying corporate jobs and instead worked on economic development issues, and went to live and work on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. This authenticity and commitment to public service resonated with Kansans and will also resonate with lawmakers on Capitol Hill during this next session, when Sharice and other LGBTQ members of Congress will push for legislation that advances equality.”

Davids is one of two candidates running for Congress in 2018 who have become the first female Native Americans elected to the House. The other was Deb Haaland, who won in New Mexico’s 1st congressional district.

CHRIS JOHNSON

Transgender advocates achieved a key victory Tuesday night when voters in Massachusetts agreed to uphold a transgender non-discrimination law antiLGBT groups put up for referendum.

The “Yes on 3” campaign declared victory on Question 3 at 10 p.m., two hours after polls closed in the state at 8 p.m.

As a result, the statute barring anti-trans discrimination in public accommodations, signed into law by Republican Gov. Charlie Baker in 2016, will remain on the books. The vote marks the first time in the United States that voters agreed on a statewide basis to uphold a transgenderspecific non-discrimination law.

Kasey Suffredini, “Yes on 3” campaign co-chair and president of strategy at Freedom for All Americans, said in a statement Massachusetts “made history, both for our transgender neighbors who call this state home, and for transgender people across this nation.”

“From the very early days of this campaign, we have been clear that this is about dignity and respect for all people,” Suffredini said. “We have shattered broken stereotypes of what it means to be transgender, proven that nondiscrimination protections are about more than just restrooms, and debunked the myth – once and for all – that protecting transgender people compromises the safety of others.”

The victory in Massachusetts for transgender advocates was expected. Polls in the weeks before Election Day showed a supermajority of Massachusetts residents were in favor of upholding the law.

But that didn’t stop anti-LGBT groups CONTINUES ON PAGE 14

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1 4 • NO VE MB ER 0 9, 2018 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

Massachusetts voters upheld a transgender non-discrimination law.

WASHINGON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

from fear mongering about the law allowing sexual predators in public restrooms. The “No on 3” campaign had a central message of fear-mongering about public safety and unveiled a TV ad depicting a male sexual predator in the women’s bathroom.

Despite the claims of those groups, the idea transgender non-discrimination will enable sexual assault is unfounded. In fact, a study from the Williams Institute, at the University of California, Los Angeles, found non-discrimination protections have increased safety in public restrooms.

In response to the fear-mongering, the “Yes on 3” campaign ran ads depicting the personal stories of transgender people in Massachusetts and the importance of the non-discrimination law to them.

The victory in Massachusetts represents a turning point this year for transgender advocates, who were previously stymied by efforts to undo transgender non-discrimination laws when anti-trans groups stoked fears about sexual predators in the bathroom.

After a referendum in Houston in 2015 reversed the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance, LGBT advocates sought to alter their strategy by spreading the personal stories of local transgender people.

Consequently, voters upheld a similar non-discrimination ordinance in Anchorage, Alaska, when it was placed on the ballot this year. The win in Massachusetts is the second such victory this year.

The increasing number of victories for transgender advocates throughout the country will likely make anti-trans groups more hesitant to place transgender rights on the ballot and seek to stoke fears about transgender people for political gain.

The results in Massachusetts also stand in contrast to efforts within the Trump administration to restrict transgender rights and define the term sex under

NATIONAL NEWS

federal non-discrimination laws to exclude transgender people.

Masen Davis, CEO of Freedom for All Americans, said in a statement the victory “illuminates the path forward amidst a particularly dark time for transgender Americans across the nation.”

“This victory is a reminder that broad majorities of Americans support treating transgender people with dignity and respect — and that attempts at the federal level to allow discrimination don’t reflect the values held by most Americans,” Davis said.

CHRIS JOHNSON

Lesbian Angie Craig ousts anti-LGBT lawmaker in Minn.

A lesbian candidate running for a U.S. House seat in Minnesota has unseated an anti-LGBT lawmaker, making her the first openly gay mother in Congress.

At a around 8:15 p.m. local time, major media outlets declared Angie Craig, a business executive who’s also mother, the winner in her bid to unseat Rep. Jason Lewis (R-Minn.) and represent Minnesota’s 2nd congressional district.

Lewis has an anti-LGBT history as a radio host before he came to Congress, according to a Buzzfeed News report. In 2013, Lewis said gay rights activists were “shredding the Constitution,” and samesex parents “could harm the kid.” Lewis further argued singling out gay couples with discriminatory marriage bans was acceptable, just as rapists and speeding drivers could be targeted by criminal laws.

Annise Parker, CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund, said Craig’s victory means Minnesota “chose an authentic, solutions-oriented business leader to replace a divisive antiLGBTQ demagogue – sending a powerful message to all incumbent legislators who attack LGBTQ people and other communities in hopes of political gain.

“Angie will bring a unique and important perspective as the only openly LGBTQ mother in Congress, and her presence will humanize our lives and families for her congressional colleagues,” Parker said.

It was Craig’s second attempt at running for the seat. Craig made an earlier attempt in 2016, but came up short in the year in which President Trump was elected to office.

CHRIS JOHNSON

Shalala to succeed Ros-Lehtinen in Florida Democrat Donna Shalala on Tuesday defeated Republican María Elvira Salazar in the race to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.).

Shalala defeated Salazar by a 52-46 percent margin.

ANGIE CRAIG

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

DONNA SHALALA will succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) in Congress.

PHOTO COURTESY WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Shalala, the former Health and Human Services secretary during the Clinton administration who was president of the University of Miami from 2001-2015, in August defeated openly gay state Rep. David Richardson (D-Miami Beach) in the Democratic primary in Florida’s 27th

congressional district.

Ros-Lehtinen, who was born in Cuba and has a transgender son, is among Congress’ most vocal supporters of LGBT rights. Ros-Lehtinen announced her retirement in 2017.

MICHAEL K. LAVERS

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

I N T ERNA TI O N A L NEWS

Migrant caravans spark concern among El Salvador LGBT groups SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador — A group of men, women and children with their backpacks and other things they needed for a long trip left Plaza del Divino Salvador del Mundo in the Salvadoran capital at around 8 a.m. on Oct. 28.

They were part of a caravan that formed with the ultimate goal of reaching the U.S. The Salvadoran government has asked people not to risk their lives on such a trip, but more than 300 people decided to ignore the plea and replicate the caravan of Hondurans that left the city of San Pedro Sula on Oct. 13.

“Stand with the people who will participate in this caravan. Let people A Salvadoran trans advocacy group has issued know where you are so others know,” this advisory that urges LGBTI Salvadorans not reads a message that was published on to join migrant caravans to the U.S. a Facebook page on Oct. 24. “It is easier for everyone to arrive in groups.”

“There are people from across the country,” it says. “El Salvador emigrates for a better future.”

This page was created on Oct. 16, and it is administered by a person who has not been identified. The page encourages people who want to leave the country to create and join groups on social media to find out about groups in their areas that would travel with the caravan.

This situation has sparked concern among different activists and civil society groups, including LGBTI organizations that are part of the LGBTI Salvadoran Federation.

COMCAVIS Trans, a transgender advocacy group, published an advisory that warns members of the LGBTI community not to migrate.

“TO MIGRATE is a RIGHT, but doing it in an illegal way carries high risks, especially for LGBTI people,” says the COMCAVIS Trans advisory that it posted to its Facebook page.

“Some LGBTI people migrate to improve their economic conditions, since in El Salvador many LGBTI people, especially transgender women, face clear discrimination in employment,” COMCAVIS Trans Executive Director Bianca Rodríguez told the Blade.

“There is a lot of concern over their personal safety, gangs who target them, cruel treatment and abuse of power on the part of police officers and soldiers.”

The advisory, among other things, mentions an LGBTI person should not expect to receive refuge in the U.S. because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. It also emphasizes the U.S. government has said anyone who enters the country illegally will be detained and be processed for deportation.

Liduvina Magarin, vice minister of El Salvador’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, declared the government would provide “escorts” to the group of Salvadoran migrants with the sole purpose of keeping families informed so they make responsible decisions and not put the lives of children at risk on the migratory route.

But another group of people gathered at Plaza del Divino Salvador del Mundo on Oct. 31 to form a second caravan with the same goal of seeking a better future for their families.

“If it is normally dangerous for us in our daily lives, this risk triples in the caravans,” Aldo Peña of Hombres Trans HT, an advocacy group for trans men, told the Blade. “Not only are they violated or will be violated at the borders by the authorities or become victims of crimes, but they will also be victimized by those who are part of the caravans.

“I would not go to possibly die on the road,” added Peña. “They (migrants) must remember that their families will continue to experience the injustices of this country if they leave.”

Camila Portillo, a trans activist, for her part told the Blade that “we must not stop the dream of emigrating for a better future, if, for example, the government and the country does not guarantee socio-economic development for the LGBTI community.”

People with the first caravan had reached Mexican territory as of this week and families provided them shelter in which they were allowed to remain together. They also received medical assistance, food and access to baths and showers.

ERNESTO VALLE

N O V E MBE R 0 9 , 2 0 1 8 • 1 5

New U.N. LGBTI watchdog talks progress, backlash BRUSSELS — The U.N.’s new LGBTI rights watchdog delivered the closing keynote address at ILGA-Europe’s annual conference that took place in Brussels from Oct. 24-27.

“This movement represents enormous strength, but it is a movement that involves so much pressure and requires self-awareness and the ability to take care of yourself so that you can care and look out for others,” said Victor MadrigalBorloz in his speech that he VICTOR MADRIGAL-BORLOZ, the U.N.’s LGBTI gave on Oct. 27. rights watchdog WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY LYNARE ROBBINS More than 550 LGBTI activists and allies attended the conference.

The conference’s theme, “politics for change, from words into action,” was announced as a forum to promote change by “putting out a loud call to politicians, institutions, partners and allies.”

Madrigal-Borloz elaborated on his concern for LGBTI activists when he told the Blade during an exclusive interview before his speech that “everywhere in the world there is enormous progress with legal standards, however, there has been backlash and human rights defenders must be vigilant.” He also discussed the symbiotic relationship between populism and anti-gender backlash when asked about some of the global challenges the LGBTI community currently faces.

“They feed off of each other because equality can be exploited by populist narratives,” added the independent expert. “Where populism is flourishing there seems to be a surge of backlash against LGBTI communities.”

Madrigal-Borloz discussed what he feels LGBTI communities can do in response to this backlash.

“People need to be informed, so it’s critical for LGBTI people to get their stories out there since stories allow people to connect,” he said.

Madrigal-Borloz warned the less visible stories are currently those of women who live in the intersections of discrimination.

“It is important to know the names of Sylvia Rivera and Marsha Johnson,” he said.

In addition to the importance of promoting LGBTI people’s personal stories, the global data on the number of existing LGBTI populations helps secure the understanding they are everywhere. In an effort to heighten visibility and awareness, the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights pursues a working relationship between human rights interests and the private sector through a set of business standards that many Fortune 500 companies promote in collaborations with regional and national LGBTI chambers of commerce.

“Visibility is a priority for LGBTI communities in every region,” Madrigal-Borloz told the Blade.

The U.N. Human Rights Council last December named Madrigal-Borloz to succeed Vitit Muntarbhorn, an international law professor from Thailand who resigned because of health reasons.

Madrigal-Borloz, a Costa Rican jurist who was previously the secretary-general of the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims, says there is a “synergy going on with human rights in the world.”

With a strong background working to support torture victims globally, Madrigal-Borloz also discussed the practice of so-called conversion therapy.

“I think there is a fair deal of evidence linking conversion therapy with an assumption that there is something deeply pathological about sexual orientation and gender identity,” he said.

He added that complete evidence gathering on the side of the victims to identify the extent of damage created by conversion therapy is needed because it is key to understanding if conversion therapy can be qualified as torture.

LYNARE ROBBINS

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

16 • N OV E M B E R 09, 201 8

Spirit of the

Season 2018

H E A LT H N E W S

Bullying follows students into workplace: study MANCHESTER, England — About one in three LGB individuals who are bullied at school will have similar experiences in the workplace later in life, according to new research by Anglia Ruskin University.

The study, published in the Manchester School journal, approached 400 LGB individuals retrospectively about their experience at school, and also asked them about bullying at their current workplace.

It found that 35.2 percent of gay/bisexual men who had experienced frequent school-age bullying experience frequent workplace bullying. Among lesbians, the figure was 29 percent.

When describing their experiences at school, 73 percent of gay men said they were either constantly, frequently or sometimes bullied. Just 9.9 percent said they were never bullied. Among lesbians, 59 percent experienced constant, frequent or occasional bullying. The mean age of participants was 37, meaning their school years would have been approximately between 1985-1997.

The research also examines job satisfaction. Most gay men said they were “dissatisfied” with their job (56 percent), while this was also the most common answer for lesbians (47 percent).

“This study suggests that bullying may be a chronic problem for LGB individuals, which continues from school to the workplace,” said study author Dr. Nick Drydakis of Anglia Ruskin University. “This could be for a number of reasons — school-age bullying could be more likely to lead to low self-esteem, a difficulty in forming trusting relationships or a greater risk of poor mental health. Factors like these may make it more likely they will experience bullying in the workplace later in life.”

Lesbians treated differently in health care

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NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. — According to a new study that used data from the National Survey of Family Growth 2006-2015, lesbians were less likely to report receiving a birth control prescription or birth control counseling compared with straight women.

However, they were more likely to report having received sexually transmitted infection (STI) counseling, testing or treatment, after adjusting for sexual partners in the past 12 months. In a clinical setting, lesbians were less likely to report receiving birth control counseling at a pregnancy test and lesbian women without recent male sex partners were less likely to report receiving counseling about condom use at an STI-related visit compared with heterosexual women.

The findings regarding sexual and reproductive health care disparities among women are reported in an article published in Journal of Women’s Health, a peer-reviewed publication from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.

Bethany Everett, PhD, University of Utah (Salt Lake City), and colleagues from the University of Wisconsin (Madison) and the University of Chicago investigated sexual orientation disparities in the use of sexual and reproductive health services and receipt of contraceptive counseling in clinical settings in the past 12 months. In the article titled, “Do Sexual Minorities Receive Appropriate Sexual and Reproductive Health Care and Counseling?” the researchers also explored whether having male sex partners influenced sexual minority women’s use of sexual and reproductive health services and the types of sexual health information that they received.

Training for oncologists offers LGBT guidelines NEW ORLEANS — An interactive online LGBT cultural competency training program for oncologists may be improve LGBT-related knowledge and clinical practices. This is the preliminary result of a pilot study of oncologists in Florida, supported by a grant from the Florida Academic Cancer Center Alliance, which was presented at the 11th AACR Conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved, held Nov. 2-5 in New Orleans.

The training program, OncoZine reports, was developed via an interdisciplinary collaboration between investigators at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in Miami; the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute in Tampa; and the University of Florida Cancer Center in Gainesville.

Because a cancer diagnosis may leave an LGBT patient with no choice but to face a system that, historically, has not been very kind to their community, the expectation is that a broader online training may help change attitudes and medical practice.

Such training may facilitate the disclosure of sexual or gender identity which may help LGBT patients with cancer overcome assumptions made by their care team about their identity.

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1 8 • N O VEMB ER 0 9, 2018

IN S IDE L G B T W ASH I N G T O N

VOLUME

49

ISSUE

45

ADDRESS

PO Box 53352 Washington DC 20009 PHONE

Looking to 2020 Democrats need coherent message, younger candidates to win

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

The midterm elections are finally over and people can begin to breathe again.

The results are as many anticipated, the Republicans held on to the Senate and Democrats took the House. Not what I hoped for but half a loaf is better than nothing and seeing so many more women elected is something to cheer for.

What Democrats need to do now is show the electorate what they will do if they retake the Senate and the White House in 2020. We will need a national platform to run on and it has to be able to be delineated in a few short sentences.

It is clear the electorate is still divided and we still have a disgusting despot in the White House, a man who sees good in white nationalists and Nazis. One whose ex-wife once said he had a book containing the speeches of Hitler in his nightstand.

So there is a complicated dance about to play out in the Congress. Democrats

need to cobble together legislation on infrastructure, immigration, taxes and gun control as well as some fixes to the ACA, pass those bills and send them to the Senate. If they die a slow death there at least Democrats will be able to say in 2020 “If you elect us and give us the entire Congress and the White House this is what you can expect.”

The question for some Democrats is can we move beyond the call for impeachment? Can we focus instead on oversight of federal agencies and hold to account the sleaze that Trump has brought into the administration to run his agencies?

That kind of action makes sense. We have to do it smartly not with rafts of subpoenas but with intelligence.

The Democrats have a good lineup as chairs of each committee. My choice for speaker is Nancy Pelosi. While there is some discussion and concern about her age and representing the past, there is not another man or woman in the House today that is being spoken of as a serious alternative. Pelosi has proven she is a brilliant strategist. But I would like to see Pelosi take the position and immediately begin to develop a young leadership team that is diverse and strong and look to handing over the speakership to one of them in 2020 when she will turn 80.

Feel free to call me ageist. While not having chosen a candidate I will support in 2020 my choice is a ticket with candidates under 70. All we have to do is look at our history of winning the White House to see it replete with young vibrant candidates: Kennedy, Carter, Clinton and Obama.

E DIT OR IA L C A R T OON

The search for the next candidate officially begins now. We must as a party ensure a fair hearing for women and minorities in the mix of candidates we choose from during the primary season.

My desire for a younger leader on the ticket means I don’t want to see Biden, Sanders, Kerry, Clinton or Warren on it.

It is time Democratic elders use their experience, wisdom, and fundraising prowess to help the next generation. When we win, the next Democratic president should definitely consider them for Cabinet positions, ambassadors and use them as advisers; but it is time for them to step off center stage.

If we want to continue to generate interest among millennials and those who have sat out previous elections we need to find the candidate that with their knowledge and campaigning ability excites the electorate. I have no doubt we will find that person in the next year and a half as they are forged by getting through a tough primary campaign. After his close loss to Cruz in Texas, Beto O’Rourke must be in the mix.

The criteria for a Democratic primary candidate must be that they are a registered Democrat. There will be candidates who campaign on a more moderate platform and others on a more progressive one. Some will think the way to go is to promise things that can’t be accomplished. It will be important the candidate is someone who clearly understands our government works on compromise. That we can and should have lofty goals but also understand it often takes one step at a time to reach them. As President Obama has said, “Better is good.”

My belief is that candidates like Stacey Abrams in Georgia (whose race is still to be decided as I write this) and Andrew Gillum in Florida, who lost, represent our winning candidates in the future — candidates who can expand the electorate.

I want to congratulate some of the winners: Muriel Bowser on her reelection as mayor and Elissa Silverman on her reelection as Councilmember-at-Large in D.C.; Jared Polis, the new governor of Colorado; and Tammy Baldwin on her reelection to the Senate. Congratulations also to my friend Kathy McGuiness for her win as state auditor in Delaware. There are many races still undecided as I submit this column but my congratulations to every LGBTQ+ candidate, both those who won and those who put themselves out there and may have lost, you all deserve our thanks.

202-747-2077 E-MAIL news@washblade.com INTERNET washingtonblade.com PUBLISHED BY Brown Naff Pitts Omnimedia, Inc. PUBLISHER LYNNE J. BROWN lbrown@washblade.com ext. 8075 EDITORIAL EDITOR KEVIN NAFF knaff@washblade.com ext. 8088 FEATURES EDITOR JOEY DIGUGLIELMO joeyd@washblade.com ext. 8081 SR. NEWS REPORTER LOU CHIBBARO JR. lchibbaro@washblade.com ext. 8079 NEWS REPORTER CHRIS JOHNSON cjohnson@washblade.com ext. 8083 REPORTER & INTERNATIONAL NEWS EDITOR MICHAEL K. LAVERS mlavers@washblade.com POP CULTURE REPORTER MARIAH COOPER PHOTO EDITOR MICHAEL KEY mkey@washblade.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS PETER ROSENSTEIN, MARK LEE, LATEEFAH WILLIAMS, KATE CLINTON, KATHI WOLFE, RICHARD J. ROSENDALL, HELEN PARSHALL, ERNESTO VALLE, NICOLÁS LEVY, BUNMI JOHNSON CREATIVE DESIGN/PRODUCTION AZERCREATIVE.COM SALES & ADMINISTRATION DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING STEPHEN RUTGERS srutgers@washblade.com ext. 8077 SR. ACCT. EXECUTIVE BRIAN PITTS bpitts@washblade.com ext. 8089 ACCT. EXECUTIVE JOE HICKLING jhickling@washblade.com ext. 8094 CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING/ADMINISTRATION PHILLIP G. ROCKSTROH prockstroh@washblade.com ext. 8092 NATIONAL ADVERTISING RIVENDELL MEDIA 212-242-6863; sales@rivendellmedia.com For distribution, contact Lynne Brown at 202-747-2077, ext. 8075. Distributed by MediaPoint, LLC All material in the Washington Blade is protected by federal copyright law and may not be reproduced without the written consent of the Washington Blade. The sexual orientation of advertisers, photographers, writers and cartoonists published herein is neither inferred nor implied. The appearance of names or pictorial representation does not necessarily indicate the sexual orientation of that person or persons. Although the Washington Blade is supported by many fine advertisers, we cannot accept responsibility for claims made by advertisers. Unsolicited editorial material is accepted by the Washington Blade, but the paper cannot take responsibility for its return. The editors reserve the right to accept, reject or edit any submission. A single copy of the Washington Blade is available from authorized distribution points, to any individual within a 50-mile radius of Washington, D.C. Multiple copies are available from the Washington Blade office only. Call for rates. If you are unable to get to a convenient free distribution point, you may receive a 52-week mailed subscription for $195 per year or $5.00 per single issue. Checks or credit card orders can be sent to Phil Rockstroh at prockstroh@washblade.com. Postmaster: Send address changes to the Washington Blade, PO BOX 53352 Washington, DC 20009. The Washington Blade is published weekly, on Friday, by Brown Naff Pitts Omnimedia, Inc. Individual Subscriptions are $195 per year for 52 issues (only $3.75 per issue mailed to you USPS). Rates for businesses/institutions are $450 per year. Periodical postage paid at Washington, D.C., and additional mailing offices. Editorial positions of the Washington Blade are expressed in editorials and in editors’ notes as determined by the paper’s editors. Other opinions are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Washington Blade or its staff. To submit a letter or commentary: Letters should be fewer than 400 words; commentaries should be fewer than 750 words. Submissions may be edited for content and length, and must include a name, address and phone number for verification.

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What to do when you’re tired of being constantly enraged Women are finding bold ways to make social change

KATHI WOLFE, a regular contributor to the Blade, was the winner of the 2014 Stonewall Chapbook Competition.

As I write, it’s the night before Election Day 2018. If the Republicans keep control of the Senate and the House, many of us will feel angry and helpless. Especially, if we’re queer, people of color, disabled or otherwise marginalized. If the Democrats take back the House, we’ll breathe a sigh of relief. There’ll be a check on the Trump administration. Yet, we’ll still be overwhelmed.

Why do so of us many feel so mad and so helpless? Because, though things were so bad, we couldn’t imagine they’d get worse. Yet the unimaginable happened.

Last month, pipe bombs were sent to George Soros and prominent Democratic leaders across the country. A white su-

premacist shot two black people in a Kroger supermarket in Jeffersontown, Ky. Eleven people were killed and others wounded in a shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue.

Last weekend, a man who’d made racist and misogynistic videos on YouTube killed two people in a yoga studio in Tallahassee, Fla. Did I mention the Kavanaugh confirmation hearings or the Trump administration trying to take away the civil rights of transgender people? Then, there’s Trump deploying 15,000 troops to combat a nonexistent immigrant “invasion.” With Trump sowing divisiveness and winking at racism, anti-Semitism and misogyny, it seems nearly impossible to combat prejudice and hate.

“I feel angry all the time,” a Washington, D.C. friend told me, “what can we do to change anything?”

“It’s exhausting to be constantly enraged,” a New York friend said to me, “you feel like giving up.”

This fall, I’ve been reading two books – “Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women’s Anger” by Rebecca Traister and “The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers” by Maxwell King — that offer some ways in which we can channel our rage and despair.

In “Good and Mad,” Traister, a New York

magazine columnist, highlights the role that women’s anger has played in the struggle for social justice in the United States – from the suffragette movement to abolitionism to labor unions to the civil rights movement to the LGBTQ rights movement to the current #MeToo moment.

Women’s anger hasn’t been validated historically or today, Traister says. It “has rarely been acknowledged as righteous and patriotic when it has originated with women,” she writes, “though women have often taken pains to mimic or reference the language and sentiments of America’s founding while making their own angry demands for liberty, independence and equality.”

Recently, listening to Trump’s misogynistic tweets and knowing that the Supreme Court will likely gut abortion rights, many women (even some men, I’d wager,) have felt a “Thelma and Louise” level of fury. Released a few months before the Anita HillClarence Thomas hearings, the film, starring Susan Sarandon as Louise and Geena Davis as Thelma, shows Louise shooting the man who rapes Thelma. Thelma and Louise ended up driving off a cliff, and we don’t want to commit violence.

Working for social change – from running for office to volunteering for a can-

didate or non-profit to making art to engaging in civil disobedience – is a way of transforming anger into action.

Still, it’s hard to feel even a shred of hope. The problems of our community and country from racism to worries about LGBTQ rights being eroded can feel overwhelming. Where do you, as just one person, begin to work for change?

I’ve been thinking of Fred Rogers, a.k.a Mister Rogers because he lived in the Pittsburgh neighborhood, Squirrel Hill, where the recent synagogue shooting occurred. Rogers wasn’t a political activist. Though he got angry, he didn’t speak out loudly against injustice. Yet, in many ways, he quietly fought against prejudice and championed inclusion. Rogers, an ordained Presbyterian minister, was a parishioner at Pittsburgh’s Sixth Presbyterian Church. “It was known in part for welcoming gay and lesbian parishioners, a position that was wholeheartedly supported by Fred Rogers.”

Rogers told us to “look for the helpers.”

This is good advice for channeling our anger. We can’t be Mister Rogers. Our problems from climate change to transphobia can’t be easily fixed. But we can look for the helpers – from first responders to our families to ourselves.

O UR B US I NES S MATTER S

Pondering D.C.’s voting age as voting is underway Local legislators to decide eye-rolling 16-year-old voter eligibility

MARK LEE is a long-time entrepreneur and community business advocate. Follow on Twitter: @MarkLeeDC. Reach him at OurBusinessMatters@gmail.com.

It’s a dreary rainy day in D.C. as local voters, and those across the country, head to the polls to cast Election Day ballots in local, state and federal races.

Early voting has been significant in many jurisdictions throughout the nation and even in the increasingly low-turnout District, although to a lesser degree.

Despite not much being at stake on the D.C. ballot, some reports are that voting is above recent levels and is presumably due to voters simply sending a symbolic signal of opposition to the occupant of

the White House downtown. Many District residents, after all, pay closer attention to, and fret more over, other-place campaigns and national issues than hereat-home candidates and local matters.

At filing deadline, it’s too early to know how large turnout will be either here or elsewhere and the outcomes, of course, are pending.

While awaiting the national, regional and local results – including in the essentially sole competitive hometown contest for the set-aside D.C. Council At-Large seat reserved by law for a non-majority-party usually-pseudo-independent candidate – pondering local electoral-related voting matters seems alternately appropriate.

A D.C. Council committee last week prompted widespread local eye-rolling of which celebratory legislative sponsors seem to be blissfully unaware. A bill advanced to the full Council that would allow those as young as 16 years of age, or who will be 16 years old by the time of the general election, to vote in both primary and general elections.

Initiated by Council member Charles Allen, the bill would permit roughly 11,000 resident 16- and 17-year olds to vote not only for local candidates, but also for federal candidates including those running

for president. The District would become the solitary jurisdiction in the country to allow the latter.

A previous attempt three years ago by Allen to lower the local voting age went nowhere, but this time a bare sevenmember majority of the Council is cosponsoring the bill. The proposal is considered highly likely to be approved, and for passage to occur in the next month prior to the end of the current two-year legislative session.

National law does not prohibit such a move, only specifying that the voting age may not be set higher than 18 years old.

Three nearby Maryland towns – Takoma Park, Hyattsville, and Greenbelt – permit minors to vote in municipal elections, along with Berkeley, Calif.

D.C. would become the only place to allow those younger than 18 years of age to vote in federal contests and the largest municipality to allow residents 16-and-over to vote.

Proponent arguments include deference to 16-year-olds being permitted to work a job, and drive a car. They cannot, however, legally drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, partake of marijuana, or purchase or use vaping products. Minors require parental permission to enter into a range of business

arrangements or contractual transactions and conduct numerous other activities.

There is mention of a “trickle-up” effect whereby voting minors encourage parents and other adults to also vote. It is argued that the earlier a person begins voting the likelier they will become habitual voters.

While those are admiral objectives and possible benefits of allowing minors to vote, the notion is preposterous. Voting should be a conveyance commensurate with adulthood, and adult-like responsibilities and rights.

What is most perplexing, however, is that legislators are moving to do this while they continue to avoid more pressing and important matters of electoral fairness.

What’s the sense of letting minors enjoy the franchise but prohibit those who are independents – nationally more than a majority of younger voters – from equitable participatory privilege?

In D.C., “non-partisan” registrants unaffiliated with a political party are not allowed to vote in the city’s increasingly antiquated “closed-primary” system.

Sure, go ahead, extend voting rights to those with hardly a wick or any whittle of worldly experience in the real world. But don’t then tell them, like actual adults are told, ‘hey, we were only kidding.’

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GARRARD CONLEY (left) with actor LUCAS HEDGES, who plays him in ‘Boy Erased.’

PHOTO BY KYLE KAPLAN; COURTESY FOCUS FEATURES

Survival story ‘Boy Erased’ director hopes new film will be death knell for ‘reparative’ therapy

By BRIAN T. CARNEY “Boy Erased” director Joel Edgerton was so smitten by the book the new movie is based on, he hunkered down during a vacation and started crafting the script before the movie rights had been secured.

To say it went well would be an understatement; the project quickly jelled with the kind of heat creative types know

can’t be forced.

“In the quiet of a hotel room in Budapest where I had gone on holiday, I sort of secretly started working on the script,” Edgerton says during a break two weeks ago at Virginia’s Middleburg Film Festival where “Boy Erased” was screened.

I thought I was going to write a couple of

scenes. Two weeks after that, I had a rough draft, and two weeks later, after careful polishing, I had a finished draft.”

“Boy Erased,” based on the horrors of gay conversion therapy camps, opens in D.C. theaters Nov. 9.

A recent study by the Williams Institute concluded that nearly 700,000 Americans

have been subjected to conversion therapy. Half were adolescents.

Conversion therapy, also known as reparative therapy or “pray away the gay,” is a pseudoscientific intervention to change a person’s sexual orientation CONTINUES ON PAGE 33

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

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22 • N OV E M B E R 09, 201 8

F I LM

I like staying in shape, listening to Adele, and shopping in Friendship Heights with my mom and sisters.

I’m a transgender woman and I’m part of DC. Please treat me the way any woman would want to be treated: with courtesy and respect.

Discrimination based on gender identity and expression is illegal in the District of Columbia.

If you think you’ve been the target of discrimination, visit www.ohr.dc.gov or call (202) 727-4559.

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PHOTO COURTESY SHURKA

MATHEW SHURKA says conversion therapy is flourishing in places people would not expect.

‘Boy’s’ veracity Makers of new film took care to make ‘Erased’ as realistic as possible

By JOEY DiGUGLIELMO joeyd@washblade.com Mathew Shurka knows first-hand the horrors of “conversion” therapy. Despite what he says were good intentions on the part of his parents, five years of the practice he calls “particularly cruel and damaging” with a licensed therapist who claimed he could make gay people straight took a heavy toll.

Shurka now works as an anticonversion therapy activist with the Born Perfect Campaign. He’s co-founder and strategist for the project that’s part of the National Center for Lesbian Rights. Based in New York, he’s one of four full-time staff members working on the project.

Shurka knew “Boy Erased” author Garrard Conley years before he wrote his memoir which has been adapted into the movie of the same name (see review on page 33). Shurka and the Born Perfect team were involved throughout the making of the film as consultants to ensure accuracy and sensitivity.

“They really kept us in the conversation the whole time,” Shurka says. “Myself and two other representatives were on the set in, we gave feedback on the script through each round of edits, and then actually involved in the editing rooms.

Every time they did a big round of edits, they wanted to make sure it would still make sense to a viewer who’s never even heard of conversion therapy. And then also down to the marketing and stories of survivors. They really kept us in the conversation the whole time.”

Shurka says seeing a major screen production devoted to the topic and being involved in its creation has been powerful.

“I contemplated suicide for two years,” the 30-year-old New York native says.

“Conversion therapy was a trauma that I survived and it altered my life forever so to be part of this movie has been really surreal.”

Shurka’s work with the campaign involves keeping tabs on where conversion therapy-related legislation is in the works throughout the country. It’s still legal for minors in most of the U.S. Shurka visits states considering bans and works with regional LGBT groups to ensure passage. He’s not a lobbyist but says his personal story as a survivor gives him credibility with legislators. The campaign was launched in 2014.

Shurka says conversion therapy is alive and well in the U.S. and flourishing in places people might not expect.

“There’s actually a concentration of it in Los Angeles and New York which people can’t even imagine,” he says. “Think, ‘Oh yeah, it’s in Arkansas, that makes sense,’ but actually the biggest organizations are in big cities. … In Los Angeles, they’re in Orange County or in L.A. proper, they’re in urban areas and we’ve seen new ones open in Manhattan in the last two to three years. They’re disguised as therapists and they use different terminology. They sell it as a form of addiction and are very sneaky about it.”

Shurka says that although 2018 has been his organization’s most successful year, 2019 is “looking scarier than ever.”

He says “Boy Erased” provides unprecedented exposure for the issue.

“I think this has great potential to shift or transform hears and minds,” he says.

Find out more about the Born Perfect Campaign at nclrights.org/born-perfect.

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BOOKS

N OV E M B E R 09, 2018 • 23

琀栀攀

Trans and back New memoirist tells of gender transition that didn’t work out

一䄀䬀䔀䐀 夀伀䜀䄀 䴀漀渀搀愀礀猀 ☀ 眀攀搀渀攀猀搀愀礀猀

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TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER has been reading since she was 3 years old. She lives in Wisconsin with two dogs and 12,000 books. Reach her at bookwormsez@yahoo.com.

猀愀 琀甀爀搀愀 礀猀 最爀愀戀 愀 ␀㔀 漀昀昀 挀愀爀搀 愀琀 吀刀䄀䐀䔀 昀愀挀攀戀漀漀欀⸀挀漀洀⼀琀栀攀挀爀攀眀挀氀甀戀

my life was heading.”

Belovitch was Natalia when he realized that he was “feminine-inclined,” but Natalia had to go.

Toward the end of this totally frank memoir, author Brian Belovitch says that if it wasn’t for the AIDS epidemic, his “story would be as common as salt.”

Readers may find that arguable, since “Trans Figured” goes well beyond that.

Beware, though, that it’s going to put you through the wringer.

Belovitch is completely open about the abuse he experienced and his recounting can be graphic. Beware where you read this book, because it contains nudity inside.

Also know that nostalgia for the 1970s may hit you but that’s going to include a breathlessly steep plunge into memories of cocaine, promiscuity and epidemic.

Still — without giving too much away — there’s a happy ending to this memoir, one that manages to educate readers as it oddly entertains them with stories of times past. It’s a happy ending welldeserved and well-told and, considering the overall uncommonness of “Trans Figured,” it fits.

‘TRANS FIGURED: MY JOURNEY FROM BOY TO GIRL TO WOMAN TO MAN’

By Brian Belovitch Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. $24.99 232 pages

HANDMADE HOLIDAYS

or

PHOTO COURTESY SKYHORSE PUBLISHING

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ap o

It’s not a good fit.

You saw it and loved it, but now you know the truth: it’s too small or too large.

Too brassy or too muted. It’s the wrong color or the wrong neighborhood or just not you. It doesn’t fit because maybe, as in the new memoir “Trans Figured” by Brian Belovitch, it’s the wrong gender.

In his family of almost all boys, Brian Belovitch stood out because he lacked something his brothers had in abundance: hypermasculinity. Belovitch was soft and “chubby” with curls and long eyelashes and was often mistaken for a little girl as a preschooler, which was just fine with him. He enjoyed his femininity, even though he knew that it would get him a beating — if not from his brothers, then from his father.

Even as a young child, Belovitch says, he was overly curious about sex and especially about the male body.

He recognized early that girls held “no interest” but boys were another matter.

He was in fourth grade when he had his first sexual encounter, with a slightly older male classmate.

By his early teens, Belovitch had discovered alcohol and shoplifting. He’d run away a few times and visiting gay clubs near his Rhode Island home was, for him, a natural next step. After a traumatic coming-out to his family, he moved in with a man he considered his first real friend; it was through Paulie that Belovitch met a community of trans women.

And that was when “Natalia” was born with “great joy.”

She was beautiful, sexy, “my own special creation,” says Belovitch of himself as a trans woman. As Natalia, she was the toast of New York, a model and actress thanks to hormones, silicones, pilfered clothing and a desperate need for love. Belovitch got married as Natalia, and divorced; she led him to prostitution, heroin, cocaine, alcohol, HIV and an attempted suicide.

He was Natalia when he reached out to friends and sought therapy. As Natalia, he took “a … look at the direction in which

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Q U E E RY : 2 0 Q U E ST I O N S F O R J A Y BA RBE R

J A Y B A RB ER

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

By JOEY DiGUGLIELMO joeyd@washblade.com Local party promoter Jay Barber met D.C. event guru and hostess Rayceen Pendarvis at a town hall event at HRC in 2015 and found instant mutual admiration.

“She and (her team) are so amazing,” Barber says. “They do so many wonderful things for this community. I love their passion and genuine ability to make you feel like you’re part of a larger family community.”

Barber doesn’t really consider herself an actor, but she’ll play one for Rayceen. At “Rayceen, Fix Me Up!,” a pre-holiday mixer event on Thursday, Nov. 15, she’ll perform in the opening skit. This free event will be held at the Shaw Neighborhood Library (1630 7th St., N.W.) from 6-8 p.m. This “ice breaker” event is for LGBT people and allies seeking “new friendships and social connections.” Details at askrayceen.altervista.org.

Barber, a Detroit native, came to D.C. five years ago “on a whim.” She identifies as trans and uses all pronouns. Follow her on Instagram at @ jaywalkingdc.

“I had heard great things about D.C. from friends and family, so I decided to see if I would like it and then like turned into love,” she says.

Barber works by day with Jay Walking Productions, which creates “safe spaces for the LGBT community to party and come together.”

She’s single and lives in Chinatown. Barber enjoys art exhibits, watching friends perform, D.C. events, traveling and relaxing with music at home in her free time.

How long have you been out and who was the hardest person to tell?

I have been out since 2006 and the hardest person I had to tell was my brother. I was so nervous. When I told him, he laughed and said I knew that.

Who’s your LGBT hero?

Lourdes Ashley Hunter, the executive director of Trans Women of Color Collective, a grass-roots initiative based in Washington, D.C. Her story will blow your mind.

What’s Washington’s best nightspot, past or present?

I would have to say Wicked Bloom Mondays at Wicked Bloom D.C. This is a shameless plug. I promote that event and I meet some of the most amazing people every Monday.

Describe your dream wedding.

On an island somewhere with all my favorite people in the world having the biggest island party together.

What non-LGBT issue are you most passionate about?

I’m most passionate about young people. I would like to see more concern toward helping young people be the best versions of themselves possible.

What historical outcome would you change?

I would have changed the outcome of the chicken wars of the 1960s. Consumers lost in the battle of governments and most Americans had no idea.

What’s been the most memorable pop culture moment of your lifetime?

When Common was invited to read poetry at the White House.

On what do you insist?

Compassion and empathy for fellow humans.

What was your last Facebook post or Tweet?

Be the reason someone smiles today. Or drinks, or masturbates — whatever works.

If your life were a book, what would the title be?

“We Out Here”

If science discovered a way to change sexual orientation, what would you do?

I would do nothing. I’m happy with my sexual orientation. It has taken time to accept who I am and I am happy.

What do you believe in beyond the physical world?

I believe we don’t know.

What’s your advice for LGBT movement leaders?

I don’t have any advice. I ask them to show people what they are capable of doing for the LGBT movement.

What would you walk across hot coals for?

Love What LGBT stereotype annoys you most?

The U-hauling stereotype comes up too much.

What’s your favorite LGBT movie?

“The Women of Brewster Place.”

Oprah Winfrey was the star. It’s really not a LGBT movie, but it was the first time I saw lesbians on television and I didn’t even really understand what that was. It made me smile then and I knew I had found a part of me.

What’s the most overrated social custom?

Food. We tend to make every occasion about food.

What trophy or prize do you most covet?

My scholarship to college.

It changed my life.

What do you wish you’d known at 18?

Sometimes the greatest things are on the other side of fear.

Why Washington?

Why not? This city is absolutely amazing, if you let it be.

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A RT S & CU LT U RE

This Week in the Arts provided by CultureCapital.com Stage. encorestage.org.

Virginia Opera: Don Giovanni. Nov 10-Nov 11. Mason’s Center for the Arts. cfa.gmu.edu.

Road Show. Thru Nov 18. Improv Wars. Thru Dec 10. Three’s Comedy.

Thru May 16. DC Arts Center. dcartscenter.org.

DANCE Billy Elliot the Musical Thru Jan 5. Signature Theatre. sigtheatre.org.

All 11-year-old Billy wants to do is dance. While the 1984 miners’ strike squeezes his family and splits his town, Billy’s passion for ballet first divides, then ultimately unites, the community—and changes his life in extraordinary ways.

Danish String Quartet Nov 12. Washington Performing Arts at Sixth & I. washingtonperformingarts.org.

The DSQ are passionately committed to sharing folk music from their home country, as heard on two highly popular albums of old Nordic melodies and dances, Wood Works and Last Leaf. In a program focused solely on this music, the Danes’ crystalline sound shines through on moving ballads, energetic jigs, and everything in between.

Full Circle Comedy Nov 14. Dupont Underground. dupontunderground.org.

Make plans to attend premiere night of Dupont Underground’s Full Circle Comedy, raucous year-round comedy programs featuring the best in stand-up comedy and improv, presenting top comedians from DC, and other comedy capitols across the country. DC’s Dominic Rivera hosts “opening night” which features headliner Franqi French.

Film Screening: Howard Nov 15. Library of Congress. loc.gov.

This new biopic gives fresh insight into the life and work of Howard Ashman, the lyricist for beloved musicals and films including The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast and Little Shop of Horrors. Behind-the-scenes footage chronicles his work in the months before his untimely death due to complications from AIDS.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SIGNATURE THEATRE

THEATRE A Christmas Carol. Nov 15-Dec 30.

Ford’s Theatre. fords.org.

Actually. Thru Nov 18. Theater J at Arena Stage. theaterj.org.

Anastasia. Thru Nov 25. Kennedy Center. kennedy-center.org.

As You Like It. Thru Dec 2. Keegan Theatre. keegantheatre.com.

Beetlejuice. Thru Nov 18. National Theatre. thenationaldc.org.

Heisenberg. Thru Oct 25. Signature Theatre. sigtheatre.org.

Elf: The Musical. Nov 9-Jan 6. Olney Theatre. olneytheatre.org.

Illyria, or What You Will. Thru Nov

18. Avant Bard at Gunston Arts Center. wscavantbard.org.

King John. Thru Dec 2. Folger Theatre. folger.edu.

Mary Poppins Jr.. Nov 9-Nov 11.

BlackRock. blackrockcenter.org.

The Maltese Falcon. Nov 10. Dupont Underground. dupontunderground.org.

Shear Madness. Thru Nov 25.

Kennedy Center. shearmadness.com.

The Agitators. Thru Nov 25. Atlas. mosaictheater.org.

The Fall. Thru Nov 18. Cry It Out. Nov 14-Dec 16. Studio Theatre. studiotheatre.org.

A Sidewalk Stroll. Thru Nov 9. Encore

Bill Shannon. Nov 10-Nov 11. Dance Place. danceplace.org.

Malavika Sarukkai: Thari—The Loom. Nov 9-Nov 10. Kennedy Center. kennedy-center.org.

The New Chinese Acrobats. Nov 9.

Strathmore. strathmore.org.

XIV Fuego Flamenco Festival: REDITUM. Thru Nov 11. GALA Hispanic Theatre. galatheatre.org.

MUSIC Kassia Music Collective. Nov 10.

Kreeger Museum. kreegermuseum.org.

Alarm Will Sound. Nov 9. Library of Congress. loc.gov.

Chamber Music Concert. Nov 11. DC Concert Orchestra Society at Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church. dcconcertorchestra.org.

Concert: Tapestry Lessons of Darkness: Armistice Day 1918. Nov 11. National Gallery of Art. nga.gov.

Concert: Yi-yang Chen, piano. Nov 15. Embassy Series at Arts Club. embassyseries.org.

Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience. Nov 10. Danika & The Jeb. Nov 15. BlackRock. blackrockcenter.org.

Do Re Mi, les amis. Nov 10. Alliance Française. francedc.org.

Edgar Meyer, Zakir Hussain & Bela Fleck. Nov 10. Washington Performing Arts at GW Lisner Auditorium. washingtonperformingarts.org.

Expect the Unexpected: Jazz & Comedy Night. Nov 13. Dupont Underground. dupontunderground.org.

Gil Shaham, violin & Akira Eguchi, piano. Nov 15. Washington Performing Arts at Strathmore. washingtonperformingarts.org.

Heath Quartet. Nov 15. Strathmore. strathmore.org.

HSC Presents! Master Performance

by The Heritage Signature Chorale.

Nov 11. Heritage Signature Chorale at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. heritagesignaturechorale.org.

Josanne Francis, steelpan musician.

Nov 9. Washington Performing Arts at Dupont Underground. washingtonperformingarts.org.

National Veterans Day Concert. Nov

11. Washington National Cathedral.

NSO: Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3. Nov 15-Nov 17.

Fortas Chamber Music Concerts: Escher String Quartet. Nov 14. WNO: Silent Night. Nov 10-Nov 25. Kennedy Center. kennedy-center.org.

Ronnie Spector & The Ronettes. Nov 9-Nov 10. Nicole Atkins. Nov 14. Alan Doyle Band with Whitney Rose. Nov 15. The Barns. wolftrap.org.

Trisha Gene Brady Workshop & Concert. Nov 10. Arts on the Green at Arts Barn.

This is SamulNori. Nov 14. Korean Cultural Center DC at Bethesda Blues and Jazz Supper Club. koreaculturedc.org.

Trio Karénine: Joie De Vivre.

Nov 10. Dumbarton Concerts at Dumbarton United Methodist Church. dumbartonconcerts.org.

MUSEUMS Katzen Arts Center. Jim Sanborn Without Provenance: The Making of Contemporary Antiquity. Thru Dec 16. american.edu.

Anderson House. A Revolution in Arms: Weapons in the War for Independence. Thru Mar 24. societyofthecincinnati.org.

Dumbarton Oaks. Juggling the Middle Ages. Thru Feb 28. doaks.org.

Folger Shakespeare Library.

Churchill’s Shakespeare. Thru Jan 6. folger.edu.

Library of Congress. Echoes of the Great War: American Experiences of World War I. Thru Jan 1. Baseball Americana. Thru Jun 29. loc.gov.

National Archives. Remembering Vietnam. Thru Jan 6. archivesfoundation.org.

National Gallery of Art. Exhibition: The Chiaroscuro Woodcut in Renaissance Italy. Thru Jan 20. nga.gov.

National Geographic. Tomb of Christ.

Thru Jan 2. Titanic: The Untold Story.

Thru Jan 6. nglive.org.

National Museum of Women in the Arts. Opening Party: Rodarte. Nov 9. nmwa.org.

Smithsonian Anacostia Museum.

Your Community, Your Story: Celebrating Five Decades Of The Anacostia Community Museum, 19672017. Thru Jan 6. anacostia.si.edu.

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian. UnSeen: Our Past in a New Light, Ken Gonzales-Day and Titus Kaphar. Thru Jan 6. npg.si.edu.

Postal Museum. My Fellow Soldiers Letters from World War I. Thru Nov 29. postalmuseum.si.edu.

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D I N I NG

N OV E M B E R 09, 2018 • 27

Comfort food Mason Dixie offers ‘biscuits for misfits’

By EVAN CAPLAN It’s the holy grail of the biscuit: flaky and fluffy and coyly flaxen. It’s redolent of butter, adorably asymmetrical as it puffs in the oven.

And in the case of Mason Dixie Biscuit Co., the pillows of dough are just as much (politically) rainbow as they are golden.

That’s thanks to the three co-owners, who opened the company’s brick-andmortar location in Shaw last month (1817 7th St., N.W.). Two gay men and a woman of color are at the helm, disrupting the concept of Southern food.

“We’re out and proud business owners,” says co-owner and founder Ayeshah Abuelhiga, “and excited to change the paradigm within the restaurant business.”

Not only does Mason Dixie have its shop, it also sells its biscuits at 2400 locations around the country — biscuits that are preservative-, GMO- and hormone-free, and made from real butter and buttermilk.

But before it became a big biscuit business, Mason Dixie had humble beginnings.

Coming from a hospitality background and having grown up around Southern food, Abuelhiga saw a gap in the fast-casual boom in 2014 (looking at you, shuttered Taylor Gourmet), envisioning an affordable lunchtime fried chicken space. Shopping around her idea, she connected with coowner Jason Gehring, a celebrated D.C. pastry chef who had recently managed the opening of Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken.

After successfully navigating a Kickstarter campaign, they secured a pop-up in Dolcezza’s gelateria workshop in Northeast a few months later. Gehring formulated a biscuit recipe almost overnight and on opening day, the line stretched for blocks.

The biscuits were going like hotcakes.

Soon after, Mason Dixie moved into one of the original stalls in Union Market, selling out of sandwiches early each morning. But customers kept requesting the biscuits themselves.

That’s when Ross Perkins comes in, the third co-owner. Boasting a background in the Peace Corps and in finance, he brought the business acumen to craft a strategy to run an award-winning national frozen biscuits company.

After shuttering the stand in Union Market in 2016 and operating a shortlived drive-thru, the trio wanted to take the biscuits to the community that supported them and found the new space in Shaw.

The slim menu focuses on buttermilkbrined fried chicken. Mornings bring egg sandwiches and afternoons offer pulledpork sandwiches and all-vegetarian sides.

The ruler of the roost, however, is the Classic Fried Chicken biscuit sandwich, a mouthful of a dish, topped with bacon, smothered and

PHOTO BY EVAN CAPLAN

Biscuits, gravy, butter and fried chicken are heavy on the menu at Mason Dixie.

dripping in honey and hot sauce.

As dedicated as Mason Dixie is to crafting homey Southern food, the restaurant’s website displays its dedication to diversity, claiming to sell “biscuits for misfits.”

Both Gehring and Perkins are gay and say half the staff identify as LGBT. “While the likes of other gay-owned or supportive bars continue to open in Shaw, we are bringing a gay-owned restaurant to the neighborhood and are excited to be a part of that,” Abuelhiga says.

Perkins is on the board of Capital Pride; the business donates food and hours to organizations like SMYAL and HRC. “The restaurant and larger foodservice industry is still heteronormative and dominated by straight white male culture,” Abuelhiga says, “and we feel there are times that we can’t be as open about who we are.”

Running a Southern food store, they expected to be met with some resistance.

But one look at the humming brunchtime business and it’s clear that hasn’t been the case.

On Sundays, “groups of gay men and ladies coming from church sit side by side,” Abuelhiga says.

Most customers don’t realize Mason Dixie, slinging fried chicken, is a gayowned business. “This leads to interesting conversations, about what that means and how that may affect the store,” she says.

But by making the food approachable and the atmosphere inclusive, it’s become a community space.

The restaurant itself is bright and airy, featuring murals from local artists group No Kings Collective, in bold shades of blue and pink, including a ceiling painting stating, “BUTTER.” Retro, diner-style stools and booths line the walls, and a hand-spun milkshake machine whirs behind the coffee bar.

The space also hosts a test kitchen for Gehring to churn out new biscuit flavors.

In some ways, the shop is a microcosm of Shaw, a traditionally African-American neighborhood with a growing gay community. Even though it’s a new business, “it’s not another corporateowned franchise cashing in on the changing demographics,” Abuelhiga says.

Beyond serving biscuits and gravy, theirs is a story “at a time when we could use more gay power and inspiration,” Perkins says.

“It’s chicken with a mission,” Abuelhiga says.

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28 • NOV E M B E R 09, 2018

O U T & A BO U T

Branding products to promote your business.

By MARIAH COOPER

PHOTO BY MATHU ANDERSON; COURTESY DC EAGLE

PHOTO COURTESY MURRAY & PETER

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“A Drag Queen Christmas: The Naughty Tour” brings “RuPaul’s Drag Race” fan favorites to the Warner Theatre (513 13th St., N.W.) on Sunday, Nov. 18 at 8 p.m.

Alyssa Edwards, Monét X Change, Farrah Moan, Aja, Trinity Taylor (seen here), Raja, Latrice Royale and Naomi Smalls will give holiday-themed performances.

Miz Cracker hosts the show. Tickets range from $20-50. Doors open at 7 p.m.

For more information, visit dragfans.com.

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Trans Day of Remembrance is Nov. 20 The 18th annual Transgender Day of Remembrance will be observed at the Metropolitan Community Church of Washington (474 Ridge St., N.W.) on Tuesday, Nov. 20 from 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Transgender Day of Remembrance was founded by transgender activist Gwendolyn Ann Smith in response to the murder of Rita Hester, a Massachusetts transgender woman whose case has still not been solved. Smith started Remembering Our Dead, a web project that memorialized people lost to antitransgender violence. Since then, the day has evolved into remembrance events all over the world. ASL interpretation will be available. The space is also wheelchair accessible.

For more details, visit mccdc.com.

Eagle preps for anniversary weekend The D.C. Eagle (3701 Benning Rd., N.E.) celebrates its 47th anniversary with events Nov. 16-18.

On Friday, Nov. 16, drag superstar Willam will perform during the Birds of Prey Drag Show. Ba’Naka hosts the party. Brooklyn Heights, Iyana Deschanel, Sasha Adams Sanchez and Bambi Ne’Cole Ferrah will also perform. DJ Icy Funk will spin tracks for the evening. Show starts at 10 p.m. Tickets are $15. VIP meet and greet tickets with Willam are $30.

On Saturday, Nov. 17, there will be a cookout and auction. Tickets are $10.

Later, there will be the annual Mr. D.C. Eagle and the first ever Ms. D.C. Eagle contest and victory dance. Tickets are $15. On Sunday, Nov. 18 is the victory cookout. Tickets are $10. Afterwards, guests can hop on the Sunday Evening Bus Crawl to help show off the new Mr. and Ms. D.C. Eagle at local D.C. bars.

Tickets are $15. Weekend ticket packages are also available.

For more information on events and ticket pricing, visit dceagle.com.

Rams Head Annapolis offers drag brunch Annapolis Pride presents Drag Brunch at Rams Head On Stage (33 West St., Annapolis, Md.) on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 12:30 p.m.

Performers include Ganivah C. Diamond, M’ara Diamond, Kandi Pop, Sarah Nade, Jazmen Diamond and Prynce Sephora. Victoria Bohmore and Shawnna Alexander host the brunch.Tickets are $20 and includes admission only. Food and beverages are sold separately. 50 percent of proceeds will benefit Annapolis Pride.

Attendees must be 18 and over.

For more details, visit ramsheadonstage.com.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

F I LM

N OV E M B E R 09, 2018 • 29

“A magnificent score of hard to resist sing-along classics … the quintessential American musical.”

— HuffPost

PHOTO COURTESY AMAZON STUDIOS

JESSICA HARPER took a crash course in German for the ’Suspiria’ remake.

‘Suspiria’ redux Veteran actress from ’77 film returns for remake cameo

By BRIAN T. CARNEY Actress Jessica Harper is well-known to LGBT movie fans for her appearances in classic Hollywood movies and in some classic camp movies as well.

She’s in the new version of the classic horror movie “Suspiria” directed by openly gay director Luca Guadagnino (“Call Me By Your Name”), but she is perhaps best known for starring in the original version of the movie, directed by Italian director Dario Argento in 1977.

In the Argento version, young American dancer Suzy Bannion (Harper) travels to Freiburg, Germany to study at the Tanz Dance Academy. Following a series of gruesome murders, Suzy discovers that the Academy is run by a coven of witches.

She manages to kill their leader and flee.

In their 2018 “homage” to the Argento movie, Guadagnino and American screenwriter David Kajganich (who also wrote the script for Guadagnino’s queer 2015 drama “A Bigger Splash”) move the action to the Markos Dance Academy in West Berlin in 1977. They also rewrote the ending and added the character of Dr. Jozef Klemperer, a psychiatrist who is suspicious of the women who run the academy.

That’s where Jessica Harper comes back into the story.

“Luca and David wanted me to be in their movie because they thought it would be really fun to have a reference to the original film,” Harper says. “They initially thought of casting me as one of the witches, but they wanted me to play something separate and special. There was the role of Anke, Dr. Klemperer’s wife, but David reminded Luca that the role was in German.”

Harper continues, “When Luca called to pitch me the role, he asked if I could do it in German. I said absolutely. They cast me and I went running off to Berlitz to learn German. I didn’t speak any German, but I wasn’t going to tell them that.”

Harper enjoyed working with Guadagnino. “Luca had a very specific

and powerful vision,” she says. “He was very generous about allowing me the time I needed to get to where I was going emotionally. There was a lot to accomplish in that short scene.”

Besides creating the characters of Suzy and Anke, Harper has created a number of iconic roles on television and in the movies.

Her first film role was in the camp classic “Phantom of the Paradise” (1974) directed by Brian De Palma and costarring Paul Williams. Harper is still grateful to De Palma for casting her in that movie. “It was my first movie ever and I was nervous and unskilled. I just didn’t know how to behave in front of the camera. He was very helpful and gentle and generous with me. That was an ideal way to start a film career.”

Harper also made her cinematic mark in two cult classic movie musicals. Following in the wake of Susan Sarandon, Harper played Janet Majors in “Shock Treatment” (1981), the sequel to the “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Later that year, she starred in “Pennies from Heaven” with Bernadette Peters and Steve Martin.

Other movie appearances include two Woody Allen movies, “Love and Death” (1975) and “Stardust Memories” (1980); My Favorite Year (1982) and “Minority Report” (2002).

Harper also won a Cable Ace Award in 1991 for her role as Garry’s wife on season four of “It’s Garry Shandling Show.”

In addition to press junkets and festival appearance for “Suspiria,” Harper is working on a new venture: a podcast called “Winnetka,” named after her hometown in Illinois. She describes the show as a “family saga in 10 episodes with stories of me and my five siblings growing up in the 1950s and 1960s and dealing with our difficult father, the cultural turbulence of the era and a surprising revelation about our family history.” “Winnetka” will launch in February.

Looking back on her history with “Suspiria,” Harper says, “It’s a great gift to be able to come back to similar subject matter treated very differently by two masterful directors. I just feel extremely lucky to have to have made that circle.”

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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

3 0 • N O VEMB ER 09, 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.

TODAY Chorus D.C. presents Fancy, a dance party featuring music by DJ Shane Marcus, at Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) tonight from 10 p.m.-3 a.m. DJ Shane Marcus hails from New York City and is known for mixing house music. Tickets are $10.

Price increases to $15 at 10 p.m. on the day of the event. For more information, visit cobaltdc.com.

The D.C. Eagle (3701 Benning Rd., N.E.) hosts Pup Night tonight from 8 p.m.3 a.m. Pups and handlers are invited to enjoy drink specials, kibble and a mosh area. Drag show begins upstairs at 10:30 p.m. For more details, visit dceagle.com.

Gamma DC, a support group for men in mixed-orientation relationships, meets at Luther Place Memorial Church (1226 Vermont Ave., N.W.) tonight from 7:309:30 p.m. The group is for men who are attracted to men but are currently, or were at one point, in relationships with women. For more information, visit gammaindc.org.

Touchstone Gallery (901 New York Ave., N.W.) presents new exhibits through Dec. 2. “The Healing Power of Art” is on display in Gallery A featuring Touchstone artists who transform negative perceptions into positive artwork. “N • S • E • W” by Gale Wallar is on display in Gallery B which showcases contemporary realism through a variety of genres.

Gallery C displays “Fresh Take” by Amy Sabrin which shows landscapes featuring watercolors. Admission is free. For more details, visit touchstonegallery.com.

SATURDAY, NOV. 10 Singer Bright Light Bright Light performs at Union Stage (740 Water St., S.W.) tonight at 6:30 p.m. Loi Loi and Sub-Radio open the show. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $15. For more information, visit unionstage.com.

Distrkt C presents Jockstrap & Harness Night at the D.C. Eagle (3701 Benning Rd., N.E.) tonight from 10 p.m.-6 a.m. DJ Morabito will play music. For details, visit distrktc.com.

Green Lantern (1335 Green Ct., N.W.) hosts Freeballers, an underwear-free dance party, tonight from 10 p.m.-3 a.m.

DJ Back2back will spin tracks. Clothes check available. For more details, visit greenlanterndc.com.

The New Orchestra of Washington, Washington Master Chiorale, Musica Viva NY and featured artist Joseph Turrin perform “End of the War to End All Wars” at the Church of the Epiphany (1317 G St., N.W.) today at 5 p.m. The performance commemorates the end of World War I with music based on texts by war poets and features works

PHOTO COURTESY TOUCHSTONE

‘Federal City Rooftops,’ a work by Gale Wallar, is on display at Touchstone Gallery.

by composers Holst and Ravel who were affected by World War I. Tickets are $40. For more information, visit neworchestraofwashington.org.

SUNDAY, NOV. 11 The annual wreath laying for LGBT veterans will be held at the grave of Sergeant Leonard Matlovich at Congressional Cemetery (1801 E St., S.E.) today at noon. Matlovich came out in 1975 making him the first out service member. The ceremony will honor all LGBT individuals who have served the U.S. as soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen and coast guardsmen. For more details, search “Annual Wreath Laying for LGBT Veterans” on Facebook.

Flash (645 Florida Ave., N.W.) hosts Flashy Veterans Day Weekend, a dance party, tonight from 10 p.m.-5 a.m. Bar is open until 4 a.m. DJ Twin and DJ Sean Morris will spin tracks on the main floor until 5 a.m. Cover is $20 for the main floor and roof deck. Access to the first floor is free. For more information, visit facebook.com/flashydc.

The D.C. Chamber Musicians perform their season opening concert at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church (301 A St., S.E.) today at 3 p.m. The group will perform Beethoven String Quartet Op. 18 and No. 4; Schubert Piano’s Trio D. 898 and Paul Juon “Miniatures.”Admission is free but there is an optional ticket registration to ensure a seat. For more details, visit dccos.org.

Comedian Elizabeth McCain performs her one-woman show “A Lesbian Belle Tells” as part of Charm City Fringe Festival at 322 N. Howard St., Baltimore. A ticket and a button is $15. Tickets without a button are $10. Buttons give attendees discounted ticket prices to all festival

events. For more information, charmcityfringe.com.

visit

MONDAY, NOV. 12 D.C. Cocktail Week kicks off today through Nov. 18. Guests can enjoy cocktails and bites for one price at participating restaurants including Allegory, Circa, City Winery, District Commons, Founding Farmers, Iron Gate and more. For a complete list of participating restaurants and for more information, visit dccocktailweek.com.

TUESDAY, NOV. 13 JR.’s Bar (1519 17th St., N.W.) hosts Straight Up Paula Abdul Tribute Night tonight from 9:30 p.m.-midnight. VJ Jason Royce will play Abdul’s biggest hits as well as other music videos from the ‘80s and ‘90s. There will also be drink specials and a contest to win two tickets to see Abdul at the MGM National Harbor on Dec. 2. For more details, visit facebook.com/jrsbardc.

DC Stonewall Kickball League team Knock a Pitch Out hosts drag bingo at Nellie’s Sports Bar (900 U St., N.W.) today at 3 p.m. Proceeds will be donated to a non-profit organization. Admission is free. Seating is first come, first served. For more information, search “Drag Your A** 2 Drag Bingo” on Facebook.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 14 The Health Working Group meets at the D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.) today at 6:30 p.m. to discuss transgender health and wellness. The group will discuss existing data on transgender health and wellness and the work of partner organizations to promote transgender health. For more details, visit

thedccenter.org.

Nellie’s Sports Bar (900 U St., N.W.) hosts its first ever Miss Nellie’s Pageant tonight from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Brooklyn Heights and Chanel Devereaux host the event. Sasha Adams Sanchez, LaBellela Ziah, Iyana Deschanel, Bambi Nicole Ferrah, Gigi Cougture, Whitney GucciGoo and more will perform. Prizes include $1,000 cash, a $600 Absolut prize package, a $600 Red Bull prize package and more.

Email brooklynheightsdrag@hotmail. com to apply or for more information.

The D.C. Eagle (3701 Benning Rd., N.E.) hosts karaoke hosted by D&K Sounds tonight at 9 p.m. There will be $3 rail cocktails and domestic drafts and $4 wines. For more details, visit dceagle.com.

The Lambda Bridge Club meets tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Dignity Center (721 8th St., S.E.) for duplicate bridge. No reservations required and new comers welcome. If you need a partner, call 703407-6540.

Big Gay Book Group meets at Trio Bistro Restaurant (1537 17th St., N.W.) tonight at 7 p.m. to discuss “Tinderbox: The Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation” by Robert W. Fieseler. Newcomers welcome. For more details, visit biggaybookgroup.com or email biggaybookgroup@hotmail.com.

THURSDAY, NOV. 15 The D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.) hosts its monthly poly discussion group tonight at 7 p.m. People of all different stages are invited to discuss polyamory and other consensual non-monogamous relationships. This event is for new comers, established polyamorous relationships and open to all sexual orientations. For details, visit thedccenter.org.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

T H E A TER

N O V E MBE R 0 9 , 2 0 1 8 • 3 1

PHOTOS BY MATTHEW MURPHY AND TERESA WOOD RESPECTIVELY

ALEX BRIGHTMAN (left) and SOPHIA ANNE CARUSO in ‘Bettlejuice.’ HOLLY TWYFORD (left) and MEGAN GRAVES in ‘King John.’

‘John’ works; ‘Beetlejuice’ disappoints Rarely performed Bard work shines in current Folger production

By PATRICK FOLLIARD There’s some new theater in town.

At the National Theatre, it’s the world premiere of the Broadway-bound musical “Beetlejuice”; and another fresh offering, “King John,” a rarely produced Shakespeare work, is playing at Folger Theatre on Capitol Hill.

“King John” (set at the start of the 13th century, it’s the earliest of the Bard’s historical plays) is the story of politics. It explores greed, “Commodity,” power and familial relationships. Folger’s energetic, vibrant production staged by Aaron Posner — his 20th at the Folger — moves fast and tells a complex, busy story remarkably lucidly.

The plot involves the fight for the English thrown following the death of Richard the Lion Heart. While the ostensible inheritor of the crown, Richard’s brother King John (Brian Dykstra) grasps firmly to power, bolstered by his famously ambitious mother Eleanor of Aquitaine (Kate Goehring), others angle to replace the monarch including Constance (out actor Holly Twyford), the widow of John’s older brother. Backed by France, Constance struggles to snatch the crown for her young son Arthur (Megan Graves). War and murder ensue.

At the top of the show, before King John speaks his first lines, the cast presents a foreword especially crafted

for this production. The zippy prologue charmingly serves two purposes: It both acquaints the audience with the plot of this seldom-performed play, and equally important, it gives an idea of the many players and factions involved in this politically complicated and dangerously fraught time.

King John is typically considered the classic villain, but Dykstra gives a nuanced take. Sometimes he’s clumsy (the king repeatedly stumbles over his thrown usually just after making a significant statement, and sports a badly tailored suit), but his sometimes-clownish ways belie a merciless killer’s instinct. He’ll do anything for power.

The design team is quietly successful.

Andrew Cohen’s deceptively simple set consists of an unadorned wooden crown hanging over a similarly constructed throne, entirely in tune with the production’s feel of raw politics. And Sarah Cubbage’s dark costumes crowd the stage with a take on Edwardian clothes: Bowlers, sack coats, vests and dusters, for the men and longish skirts for the women.

Twyford is marvelously emotionally driven as Constance. And Kate Eastwood Norris delivers a terrific performance as Philip the Bastard, a character who actually acts and thinks and acts like an authentic person. Wearing trousers and black boots, Norris cuts a fine figure as the ambitious wag on the royal scene.

This pleasing part is so sharply drawn and lovingly penned, it makes o’ne wonder why the play isn’t performed more often?

“Beetlejuice” adapted as a stage musical is everything Tim Burton’s 1988

quirky screen horror comedy wasn’t: It’s loud, grating, excessively lewd, hard to follow, overworked and at three hours (twice the length of the film) too long.

Naturally, in adapting screen to stage changes are made, but unfortunately the book by Scott Brown and Anthony King is a disappointment.

The gist here is that six months after the death of his wife, real estate developer Charles Deetz (Adam Dannheisser) and his depressed goth daughter Lydia (Sophia Anne Caruso) leave Manhattan for a rambling country house. In tow is Lydia’s dim life coach and Charles’ love interest, Delia (the funny Leslie Kritzer).

The house’s previous owners, a saccharine couple played by Kerry Butler and Rob McClure, are dead but have taken up residence in the attic. They’d like to reclaim their home but they aren’t scary enough to scare off he new owners.

Lydia is thrilled to find ghosts upstairs.

In an effort to send her father and Delia packing, Lydia seeks the aid of Beetlejuice (Alex Brightman), a raunchy, wise-cracking demon con artist who styles himself as a freelance bio exorcist who claims he can get rid of the living.

The longwinded second act goes further astray, most pointedly when young Lydia temporarily shares digs with Beetlejuice. During this time, they rather mean-spiritedly terrorize country neighbors and various delivery men. It doesn’t add much to the tale.

The part of Otho, played so memorably by out actor Glenn Shadix in the movie, is no longer an affected interior designer/ medium. Otho has been downgraded to Delia’s silly guru who appears on

the scene accompanied by a squad of bewigged Warholesque acolytes with whom we’re repeatedly reminded he enjoys group sex.

Eddie Perfect’s original score, loaded with power ballads, sung soliloquies and some big numbers, is performed by a golden-throated cast. The show boasts Broadway talent with big voices including a good showing of Tony winners.

Film fans will welcome familiar bits including the “Day O (The Banana Boat Song)” dinner party scene and afterworld appearances by the charred dead football team, a green- skinned “Miss Argentina” working reception and the big game hunter with the shrunken head.

Also, there are some rather marvelous puppets of ghost-killing sand snakes and some dangerous, anthropomorphic abstract sculpture. But it’s not enough.

“Beetlejuice” is better enjoyed as a quirky onscreen ghost story than a musical comedy. And again, the show’s humor — potty-mouthed, adolescent and mostly unfunny — is a letdown.

‘KING JOHN’ Through Dec. 2 Folger Theatre 201 E Capitol St., S.E. $30-85 202-544-7077 folger.edu ‘BEETLEJUICE’ Through Nov.18 The National Theatre 1321 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. $54-114 800-514-3849 thenationaldc.com

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3 2 • N O VEMB ER 0 9, 2018

P H O T O S BY MI CH A E L KE Y

Venues throughout D.C. hosted watch parties for the mid-term elections on Tuesday.

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A R T S & EN TE RTA I NMENT

N O V E MBE R 0 9 , 2 0 1 8 • 3 3

LGBT personnel well represented on ‘Boy Erased’ crew CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

through medical or spiritual interventions.

Although the practice has been discredited by every major medical association, conversion therapy is still legal in 36 states (only 14 states and the District of Columbia have outlawed the practice).

One of the survivors of conversion therapy is Garrard Conley. As a 19-yearold college student in Arkansas, he was outed to his parents by a closeted classmate. His mother and his father, a Baptist minister and car salesman, gave him an ultimatum: He could either attend “Love In Action,” a conversion therapy program, or be shunned by his family, friends and community. Under duress, Conley enrolled.

Conley eventually wrote a memoir about his experiences called “Boy Erased: A Memoir of Identity, Faith and Family,” published by Penguin Random House in 2016.

“I didn’t write a word of the memoir for 10 years,” says Conley, who also spoke to the Blade at the film festival. “I was too angry or too upset or totally in denial about what had happened to me. It felt like something to be really embarrassed about. It was incredibly hard to write the real truth and not rely on tricks or overly intellectualizing the experience and to show myself as someone who was susceptible to those ideas.”

Like other survivors of conversion therapy, Conley was also dealing with the effects of his experience on his long-term psychological health. “I was looking at some blogs of survivors of conversion therapy.

People were describing instances of not being able to touch their partner for several months or having a sudden loss of sex drive because they feel ashamed. Those were all the things I’d been experiencing over the years. They definitely contributed to a lot of break-ups.”

One of the early fans of the book was Kerry Roberts-Kohansky, who eventually became a producer of the film. She passed the book along to Edgerton, an Australian actor and filmmaker, who was instantly smitten by the book.

“From the moment I put the book down, I knew that somebody had to make it into a movie,” Edgerton says.

Eventually, Edgerton would write the screenplay, direct the movie and play Victor Sykes, the leader of the Love in Action program. At first, the writer/director/actor was reluctant to get involved with adapting the memoir into a screenplay.

“I didn’t feel qualified quite simply because I’m not a member of the LGBT community,” he says.

But Edgerton had strong ties to the community through his work as a straight ally. He says his political awakening came when he starred as Richard Loving in the film “Loving” (2016). Richard and Mildred Loving were arrested in 1958 for violating

Author GARRARD CONLEY and his mother MARTHA on the set of ‘Boy Erased.’

PHOTO BY KYLE KAPLAN; COURTESY FOCUS FEATURES

Virginia’s law against interracial marriage.

The appealed all the way to the Supreme Court and the 1967 ruling in their favor struck down all state laws banning interracial marriages.

The Loving decision served as a precedent in the 2015 Supreme Court decision in Obergefell V. Hodges decision which legalized same-sex marriages in the United States.

Edgerton says working on that film “impregnated me with the idea of fighting injustice. It got under my skin and I found myself getting political. I got in touch with LGBT organizations and individuals and became involved in the fight for marriage equality in Australia.” (Same-sex marriage was legalized in Australia in 2017.)

“Joel is now an honorary member of the community,” Conley says.

Edgerton finally met with Conley in a Brooklyn café on a cold afternoon in February 2017.

“I thought it was important to share every draft with Garrard,” Edgerton says.

“I asked him about casting. I needed his permission and approval and his eyes on everything during shooting and during the editing process as well.”

“We felt connected every step of the way,” Conley says.

Edgerton and Conley also thought their collaboration would help “Boy Erased” reach a wider audience.

“It felt like Joel was the person to drive the story of conversion therapy into the mainstream and to target the people around LGBT people,” Conley says. “I didn’t see that as incompatible with the project of my book. Because it’s memoir, by its very nature it’s a queer narrative.

It’s from me. The fact that Joel is straight helped us in many ways to think about how this would affect people like my parents who need to hear things in a language they’ll understand.”

Edgerton says working on the screenplay gave him important insights into both Conley’s parents and the staff at Love in Action.

“I had come to the book assuming that the people that sent their kids there were hateful people, that the people that worked at the facility were hateful, profiteering people,” Edgerton says.

“But I realized that they were actually doing what they were doing out of love.

Given the information they had and the belief system that they lived within, they thought they were trying to help.

Everyone was trying to help. The perfect

irony of the situation was that Garrard didn’t need any help.”

Edgerton and Conley also wanted to include members and supporters of the LGBT community in the film. Lucas Hedges, who plays “Jared Eamons” has recently publicly discussed his same-sex attractions.

Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe, who play Jared’s parents, are LGBT allies and both have played queer characters during their long careers. Tony Award-winning actress Cherry Jones plays a doctor who assures Jared that he is perfectly normal and discusses her own struggle to balance her religious beliefs and her scientific beliefs.

Gay Canadian filmmaker Xavier Dolan and out singer Troye Sivan play two of the members of Jared’s therapy group and Sivan also wrote the moving song “Resurrection” for the soundtrack. Other members of the support group are played by conversion therapy survivors who used their own narratives as backgrounds for their characters.

Finally, gay producer David Joseph Craig also plays one of the Love in Action staff members.

Conley and Craig have also created a new podcast that will be released in conjunction with the movie. “UnErased” will tell the full story of the conversion therapy movement in the United States though interviews with its creators, critics and survivors.

“Boy Erased” tells a deeply personal story,” Conley says. “‘UnErased’ tells the whole story. ‘UnErased’ will usher our queer stories into the permanent archive of American history where they have always belonged.”

Strong cast, solid tone make for meaningful ‘Boy’ While “The Miseducation of Cameron Post,” this year’s other gay conversion camp movie, took a comedic approach, “Boy Erased” is given the kind of serious dramatic approach the subject matter deserves.

For many, especially at a time when the words “sincerely held religious beliefs” are widely seen as code for bigotry, it’s a bit of a hard sell to see parents who ship their kids off to such places as blameless; but it helps that in ‘Boy,” they’re played by two of the finest screen actors of their generation. Russell Crowe, who submerges himself completely in his role, exudes a quiet strength clearly founded on sincerity, however misguided the principles behind it may be; and Nicole Kidman, superb as always, radiates innate kindness.

As for Lucas Hedges in the title role, he continues a run of performances that is fast making him one of the standout young actors in Hollywood. This is his largest role to date, placing the burden of the film essentially on his shoulders, and he proves himself more than capable of carrying it.

In supporting roles, Edgerton himself plays the program’s “ex-gay” director, in a solid and surprisingly likable performance; Flea (bassist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers) is a strong standout as a menacing staffer who puts a face on the ugly homophobia which underlies the entire concept of conversion therapy; and out pop star Troye Sivan has a memorable scene as a program participant who shares his savvy and surprising truth in a private moment with Hedges.

JOHN PAUL KING

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REALESTATE

Advantages of buying a home in winter Less competition, lower inventory typical this time of year

By JOSEPH HUDSON Why buy a home in winter? Well, usually there is less competition in the winter – sellers are more likely to accept a buyer’s terms. There might be lower inventory in the winter, but then again by the time spring rolls around, houses start getting four, five, six or even more offers.

So looking to buy a home in winter is kind of like getting on the highway before (or after) rush hour. What I tend to see is a surge in interest in my homebuyer seminars in January – everyone decides at one time to make a New Year’s resolution, and then usually many of those people find themselves in highly competitive home purchasing situations. Then you can add in the fact that your interest payments are tax deductible if you buy a home before the end of the year.

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The snow is coming, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t advantages to buying in this slower time of year.

PHOTO BY ONEPONY; PHOTO COURTESY OF BIGSTOCK

drafty? Does the basement seem musty or damp? Does the paint on the windowsill look like it got wet and is starting to peel?

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Joseph Hudson is a Realtor with The Oakley Group at Compass. He can be reached at 703587-0597 or Joseph.hudson@compass.com.

A Nightmare on Elm Street: There’s a cloud on the title – will the buyer still be able to close?

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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MICHAEL K. LAVERS

International News Editor Blade employee since 2012 My work as a reporter for the Washington Blade allows me to give visibility to LGBTI people in this country and around the world. I have covered the impact that President Trump’s immigration policy is having on LGBTI communities in Central America, Mexico and the U.S. Southwest. I have also profiled LGBTI communities in the Deep South, and continue to cover Hurricane Maria’s impact on members of Puerto Rico’s LGBTI community. This coverage has never been more important than it is today. I am honored to have your continued support.

Me llamo Michael Lavers y soy editor de los temas internacionales del Washington Blade. Estoy muy honrado de tener la oportunidad para proporcionar a nuestros lectores una cobertura innovadora de temas LGBTI en América Latina.

Tenemos un equipo de corresponsales y colaboradores en países como Cuba, El Salvador y Chile. También viajo regularmente a Puerto Rico, Centroamérica y Colombia para reportar sobre los temas LGBTI. Esta cobertura es más importante que nunca. Sigo agradecido por su continuo apoyo.

YOUR TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION SUPPORTS THE WORK OF THE BLADE FOUNDATION, A 501(C)3 DEDICATED TO FUNDING ENTERPRISE JOURNALISM PROJECTS ON LGBTQ ISSUES.

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“

I love wandering through Smithsonian museums, eating on H Street with friends, and going to shows at Howard Theatre.

I’m a transgender woman and I’m part of DC. Please treat me the way any woman would want to be treated: with courtesy and respect.

Discrimination based on gender identity and expression is illegal in the District of Columbia.

If you think you’ve been the target of discrimination, visit www.ohr.dc.gov or call (202) 727-4559.

OFFICE OF

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