Washingtonblade.com, Volume 51, Issue 11, March 13, 2020 by Washington Blade

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VOLUME 51 ISSUE 11 ADDRESS PO Box 53352 Washington DC 20009 PHONE 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 JOHN PAUL KING PHOTO EDITOR MICHAEL KEY mkey@washblade.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS PETER ROSENSTEIN, MARK LEE, LATEEFAH WILLIAMS, KATE CLINTON, KATHI WOLFE, RICHARD J. ROSENDALL, ERNESTO VALLE, NICOLÁS LEVY, FELIPE ALFACE, YARIEL VALDÉS GONZÁLEZ, LYNARE ROBBINS, RACHAEL ESPINET, PHILIP VAN SLOOTEN, ESTEBAN GUZMÁN, ALEX COOPER, KATLEGO K. KOL-KES, VICTOR MAUNG 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 ext. 8075. Distributed by MediaPoint, LLC

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Science Thomas Jefferson

Landscape Painting Mastodons

What’s the connection? It all leads back to Humboldt.

Discover how in just six weeks the greatest thinker, explorer and naturalist of his age changed America and American art forever.

Alexander von Humboldt and the United States: Art, Nature, and Culture On view March 20–August 16

The first major exhibition to celebrate the achievements of Native Women artists “Sumptuous, gorgeous, eternal, strange, this art is alive. Be prepared for an encounter with power and joy!” — Louise Erdrich, author

Hearts of Our People: Native Women Artists On view February 21–May 17

AmericanArt.si.edu | SAAM: 8th and F Streets, NW, Daily 11:30 am–7 pm | Renwick Gallery: Pennsylvania Avenue at 17th Street NW, Daily 10 am–5:30 pm Friedrich Georg Weitsch, Portrait of Alexander von Humboldt (detail), 1806, oil on canvas, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Nationalgalerie. Photo credit: bpk Bildagentur / Nationalgalerie, Staatliche Museen, Berlin, Germany / Klaus Goeken / Art Resource, NY. Christi Belcourt (Métis),The Wisdom of the Universe (detail), 2014, acrylic on canvas; Art Gallery Ontario, Toronto; Purchased with funds donated by Greg Latremoille © Christi Belcourt

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Coronavirus risk not much higher for those with controlled HIV By LOU CHIBBARO JR. The risk of people with HIV who are receiving standard of care treatment to control their HIV is not significantly greater than the general public for contracting or becoming seriously ill from the Coronavirus, according to the Chief Medical Officer at D.C.’s WhitmanWalker Health. Dr. Sarah Henn told the Washington Blade that reports coming from China and other parts of the U.S. where the Coronavirus outbreak has begun to take hold show those at highest risk for illness from the virus are people with other chronic illnesses and elderly people, many of whom have an underlying medical condition. “So when I think of people who are at increased risk or high risk for Coronavirus I think of people who are significantly immunosuppressed,” Henn said. “I think of people who are going through cancer chemotherapy, people who are immunosuppressed with medications with a

history of organ transplants, and people with a very low CD4 count and uncontrolled HIV and AIDS.” By a low CD4 count Henn was referring to the number of cells in the body that fight infection and that are suppressed by HIV but that can be restored by antiretroviral drugs available to people with HIV. When used properly, the antiretroviral drugs bring HIV to an undetectable level. “So I think for someone who has a relatively normal CD4 count but is HIV positive and their HIV is well controlled and their viral load is undetectable, I don’t foresee them as being at significantly greater risk for Coronavirus,” Henn said. “For those people there may be a very slight increased risk, but I would expect it to be very slight,” she said. But Henn added, “One thing we should think about is more than one half of our patients living with HIV in the District are over the age of 50. So that in and of itself puts them

at increased risk.” Henn noted that information coming in from China, where the Coronavirus outbreak began, shows that “older individuals tend to experience more severe or are more likely to experience more severe illness” from the Coronavirus outbreak. Henn spoke to the Blade less than a week after Whitman-Walker posted information on its website reiterating advice for avoiding Coronavirus infection released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the city’s Department of Health. Among the steps all people should take, Whitman-Walker recommends, is to wash hands often to avoid getting sick from many types of germs, including the flu; clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and objects like cell phones, door knobs, and work spaces using disinfectant wipes or sprays; stay home if you are coughing and or sneezing; and use a tissue to cover coughs and sneezes

and quickly throw the used tissue in the trash. According to Henn, for healthy people, wearing a mask is not likely to make much of a difference in protecting them from the virus. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser gave similar advice at a news conference she called on March 7, to give an update on what she said were two known cases of people testing positive for Coronavirus in D.C. As of March 8, the number of known Coronavirus cases in the D.C. metro area reached nine. “As you know, over a week ago I signed a mayor’s order that directed funding and personnel to monitor, prepare for and now to respond to the Coronavirus,” Bowser told the news conference. “Our message to D.C. residents continues to be, help us prevent the spread of germs and stay informed,” she said, urging residents and visitors to keep up to date by viewing a special city website, coronavirus.dc.gov.

Capital Pride mum on proposed new parade route Organizers resist push by city to move to Constitution Avenue By LOU CHIBBARO JR. The Capital Pride Alliance, the organization that sponsors D.C.’s annual Capital Pride Parade, Festival and other Pride-related events, has confirmed that it submitted to the city last week a “final proposal” for major changes in the route of this year’s Pride Parade scheduled for Saturday, June 13. “The final proposal was sent in the last week after negotiating options with the Mayor’s Special Event Task Group (MSETG) based on conversations at the Advisory Neighborhood Commissions and input from focus groups, businesses, and organization partners,” Ryan Bos, the Capital Pride Alliance executive director, told the Washington Blade on Tuesday. But Bos said Capital Pride Alliance will not publicly disclose any specifics about the new Capital Pride Parade route until at least the first week of April when he expects the details to be finalized. “Our hope is to have a follow-up meeting with the Task Group before the end of this month,” Bos said. “So our hope would be that in the beginning of April we will be able to plan the roll out informing and educating the community on these changes.” In recent years all major outdoor events involving the closing of city streets have taken place in coordination with both the Mayor’s Special Event Task Group and D.C. police,

who are in charge of carrying out street closings. Bos said requests for changing the parade route by city officials have surfaced in meetings between Capital Pride and representatives of the Task Group, police, and the D.C. Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services. “Because participation and spectator size have increased over the past few years, in 2017 the city began suggesting that the Capital Pride Alliance consider moving the Pride Parade to Constitution Avenue, as that location is easier to manage from the city’s perspective,” Bos told the Blade. “Capital Pride felt very strongly that the Parade should remain within community neighborhoods, even with the challenges presented by increased city fees and requirements,” Bos said. “We used this opportunity to take a fresh look at the existing route.” One unconfirmed report by those involved in discussions with Capital Pride officials was that part of the changes would be to reverse the route so the parade would start where it has ended in recent years at 14th and S Streets, N.W. and end where it used to begin – at 23rd and P Streets, N.W. near Dupont Circle. “That was part of all the different scenarios that we’ve been looking at,” Bos told the Blade.

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“That was definitely part of the conversation.” Bos declined to confirm or deny whether that change has been decided on, saying full details of the new route won’t be announced until next month. He said that for the past three years, the city has required the placement of crowd control fences, which he said are referred to as “bike rack” fencing, along most of the parade route to accommodate larger crowds and larger size floats that have become more common in the parade. According to Bos, the cost of the fencing, which Capital Pride has paid for, has come to more than $40,000 per year in recent years. Bos said the projected total cost in city fees for street closings, security fencing, and other expenses for both the parade and the Capital Pride Festival and concert, set for the day after the parade on Sunday, June 14, is between $300,000 and $400,000. Bos said there are no plans to change the location of the festival and concert, which have taken place in recent years on Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., between 3rd Street, near the U.S. Capitol, and 7th Street. Capital Pride has raised money to cover expenses for the Pride events each year through fundraising activities and corporate sponsors. This year, a coalition of local LGBTQ

A scene from last year’s Pride parade. The route for this year’s parade could change. Washington Blade photo by Robert_Rapanut

organizations has submitted a formal proposal to the D.C. City Council requesting $22.2 million in city funds for LGBTQ-related programs and projects that includes a call to waive all city fees for the Pride Parade and Festival. The Council has yet to finalize its budget for fiscal year 2021. Shortly before resigning from his Ward 2 seat, D.C. Council member Jack Evans introduced a bill to waive city fees for the Capital Pride Parade, festival and other Pride related events.The bill was sent to the Council’s Committee on Business and Economic Development. A spokesperson for the committee’s chair, Council member Kenyan McDuffie (D-Ward 5), couldn’t immediately be reached to determine whether McDuffie plans to take action on the bill.

Va. lawmakers wrap historic session As the 2020 session of the Virginia General Assembly draws to a close, it leaves behind several major pro-LGBTQ measures that include sweeping nondiscrimination protections and ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. “In 60 short days, the most diverse coalition of (Virginia Democrats) to ever control the General Assembly permanently changed the future of Virginia for the better,” tweeted state Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria). “And we’re just getting started.” Equality Virginia Executive Director Vee Lamneck, however, took time to reflect on the rocky path much of this legislation traveled in order to pass. “The legislative successes we saw this ‘We did a lot of important things in the year didn’t happen overnight,” Lamneck General Assembly this year,’ tweeted state told the Washington Blade. “Over the years, Del. DANICA ROEM (D-Manassas). Washington Blade photo by Michael Key Equality Virginia has worked with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to create a safer and more welcoming commonwealth for LGBT people … The combination of pro-equality lawmakers, plus the groundswell of support we’ve seen across the commonwealth have, together, made this moment possible.” Democrats last November regained control of the General Assembly for the first time in more than two decades. State Del. Eileen Filler-Corn (D-Fairfax County) in January became the first female House speaker in Virginia history. The Virginia Values Act, which would add sexual orientation and gender identity to Virginia’s nondiscrimination law, was a top legislative priority in this year’s legislative session. The measure passed in the General Assembly with bipartisan support, and it now awaits Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam’s signature. “We just made Virginia a safer and more fair state for everyone,” said James Parrish, director of the Virginia Values Coalition, a group of state and national LGBTQ advocacy groups that championed the Virginia Values Act, after it’s final passage in the General Assembly. “We’re grateful for the lawmakers, faith leaders, allies, parents, law enforcement officers and people of all political ideologies who worked together to ensure we passed nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ Virginians.” Northam on March 3 signed a bill that will ban so-called conversion therapy for minors in the state. Virginia will become the first southern state to prohibit the widely discredited practice once the bill takes effect on July 1. The General Assembly this year also passed a bill that will repeal Virginia’s statutory samesex marriage ban. Many of the bills that made their way to Northam’s desk this session had to be reintroduced after the previous Republican legislative leadership either killed them or failed to bring them to committee. “We did a lot of important things in the General Assembly this year — #VaRatifiedERA, historic transportation funding, election reforms, LGBTQ equality … Medicaid expansion remains the single most important vote I’ve cast,” tweeted state Del. Danica Roem (D-Manassas). House Majority Leader Charniele Herring (D-Alexandria) on Monday in a statement that House Democrats released said the “House Democratic majority advanced legislation that would impact Virginians’ lives.” Still, success came with controversy as a few state Republicans warned of harm to businesses and the state’s economy from the recently passed legislation. House Minority Leader Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah) and a few members of the House Republican caucus lamented at a press conference in February that “a new and different legacy has begun.” PHILIP VAN SLOOTEN & MICHAEL K. LAVERS

D.C. Council approves gay attorney for liquor board The D.C. City Council voted unanimously on March 3 to confirm Mayor Muriel Bowser’s nomination of gay attorney Edward Grandis to serve on the city’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Board. The seven-member ABC Board is an independent city body that meets weekly to adjudicate, administer, and enforce the city’s alcoholic beverage laws. Among its functions is to approve all applications for new liquor licenses and the renewal of those licenses for restaurants, bars, nightclubs and other establishments that serve alcoholic beverages.

Grandis, who has worked as an attorney in private practice in D.C. since 1992, was scheduled to be sworn in as an ABC Board member at the board’s regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, March 11. In his law practice he has specialized, among other areas, in licensing, permitting, zoning and related legal issues in D.C. and Virginia, including liquor licensing matters before both the ABC Board and the D.C. Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration. He has also served as a policy analyst for the Environmental Policy Center, focusing on federal and state regulations for coal mining. Grandis also served as an elected Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner for Dupont Circle and has provided legal counsel for the Historic Dupont Circle Main Streets Program and the Dupont Circle Merchants and Professionals Association. LOU CHIBBARO JR.

LGBTQ seniors bill receives strong backing at hearing Nine witnesses representing LGBTQ and LGBTQ supportive organizations expressed strong support for the Care for LGBTQ Seniors and Seniors with HIV Amendment Act during a Feb. 19 hearing before the D.C. Council’s Committee on Government Operations. D.C. Council member Brandon Todd (D-Ward 4), the chair of the committee, said he expects the committee to make some changes in the bill at the recommendation of one of the witnesses, D.C. Office of Human Rights Deputy Director Alta Ray, that Todd said would “strengthen and clarify” the legislation. “The committee fully expects as quickly as possible to get this legislation marked up and to the full Council hopefully so that maybe we can even get some of it funded in the fiscal year 2021 budget, which is looming before the city now,” Todd said at the hearing. The bill, written and introduced by Council member Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3) and co-introduced by 10 of the Council’s 13 members, including Todd, calls for amending existing D.C. laws related to city agencies that deal with seniors to specifically address the needs of LGBTQ seniors and seniors with HIV. It also calls for amending the D.C. Human

Council member MARY CHEH wrote the bill that calls for amending existing D.C. laws to specifically address the needs of LGBTQ seniors and seniors with HIV. Photo courtesy of Aimee Custis Photography via Flickr

Rights Act of 1977 to “establish an LGBTQ HIV long-term care bill of rights to establish explicit rights and legal protections for LGBTQ seniors and people with HIV in longterm care.” Several of the witnesses, including Aaron Tax, director of advocacy for the national LGBTQ seniors advocacy group SAGE, told of how LGBTQ seniors have encountered discriminatory treatment and abuse, forcing some to hide their sexual orientation or gender identity at D.C. long term care facilities, including nursing homes. The witnesses said LGBTQ seniors were encountering discriminatory treatment in such facilities even though the city’s existing Human Rights Act bans discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Among other things, the bill requires long term care facilities licensed to do business in D.C. to provide special training on care for LGBTQ seniors and seniors with HIV for caregivers employed at such facilities at least once every two years.

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Aaron Schock finally comes out as gay Aaron Schock, the former Republican congressman who was long suspected of being gay, came out in an Instagram post on March 5. “The fact that I am gay is just one of those things in life in need of explicit affirmation, to remove any doubt and to finally validate who I am as a person,” Schock wrote. “In many ways, I regret the time wasted in not having done so sooner.” Schock, who served in Congress from 2009 to 2015, has been dogged by gay rumors for some time. The congressman resigned amid scandal involving his alleged use of campaign funds and was later indicted in connection with the imbroglio, but all charges against him were dropped last year. As an Illinois Republican, Schock built an anti-LGBTQ voting record. Among his votes in Congress were against “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal and hate crimes protections for LGBTQ people as well as affirmation of the anti-gay Defense of Marriage Act. Under questioning from reporters in a video that later became a meme, Schock infamously replied when asked why he hadn’t come out in favor of samesex marriage, “I just haven’t.” Throughout his time in Congress, Schock denied he was gay (as did his father). After his time Congress, photos allegedly of Schock at Coachella suggesting he was gay emerged on social media. A video also emerged of Schock in Mexico inserting money into the thong of a male dancer. In his coming out post, Schock appears to justify his anti-LGBTQ past as a congressman by reducing LGBTQ rights to marriage equality, saying Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama once opposed it. “That fact doesn’t make my position any less wrong, but it’s sometimes easy to forget that it was leaders of both parties who for so long wrongly understood

AARON SCHOCK came out last week in an Instagram post. Washington Blade photo by Michael Key

what it was to defend the right to marry,” Schock said. Schock in his Instagram post affirms if he were in Congress today he’d “support LGBTQ rights,” but doesn’t seem to drop his affiliation with the Republican Party. Schock was seen attending a fundraiser with President Trump in Beverly Hills two weeks ago, a Republican source familiar with the event told the Blade.

Opponents of FOSTA law win Appeals Court victory In a little-noticed action, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on Jan. 24 overturned a lower court ruling dismissing a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a controversial federal law that holds websites criminally liable if found to “promote” or “facilitate” prostitution between consenting adults. The lawsuit charges that the law passed by Congress called the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017 known as FOSTA violates the First and Fifth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution by criminalizing protected speech and expression and holding someone liable for an action committed before the FOSTA law made it illegal. LGBTQ rights organizations have joined civil liberties and sex worker rights groups in asserting that FOSTA has failed to bring about its intended purpose of curtailing human sex trafficking of adults and minors. Instead, critics say it has resulted, among other things, in internet sites refusing to accept ads from sex workers seeking consenting adults as customers, forcing sex workers to return to the streets where they are subjected to danger. The lawsuit was filed in 2018 by the D.C.-based Woodhull Freedom Foundation, which advocates for decriminalization of sex work; the New York-based Human Rights Watch; and a massage therapist named Eric Koszyk, who says his massage business was wiped out when the FOSTA law prompted Craigslist to bar him from advertising on the site. Others that joined the lawsuit as plaintiffs are the San Francisco-based

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CHRIS JOHNSON

Internet Archives, which serves as a digital “library” of websites that could be charged under FOSTA with promoting prostitution; and a sex worker advocate identified as Jesse Maley. At the request of the U.S. Justice Department, which defended FOSTA against the lawsuit, U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Leon dismissed the lawsuit on grounds that none of the plaintiffs had legal standing to file the suit. Leon upheld the Justice Department’s argument that the organizations and individuals filing the lawsuit were not in actual jeopardy of being prosecuted under FOSTA. In his ruling dismissing the case, Leon did not make a determination of whether or not FOSTA is unconstitutional, only that the plaintiffs didn’t have legal standing to bring the issue before the court. In its Jan. 24 decision to overturn Leon’s ruling, a three-judge panel of the D.C.-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit held that at least two of the plaintiffs did have standing to challenge FOSTA. The judges said the two plaintiffs showed that they could possibly be subjected to criminal prosecution or harmful civil litigation made possible by FOSTA because of their efforts advocating for sex workers. The decision by Appeals Court Judges Judith W. Rogers, Thomas B. Griffith, and Gregory G. Katsas sends the case back to the District Court, where Judge Leon will be required to decide the case on the merits. LOU CHIBBARO JR.

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U.S. agency seeks to cut LGBTQ protections in union talks NLRB also wants to remove race, sex and religion provisions By CHRIS JOHNSON cjohnson@washblade.com

The National Labor Relations Board is seeking under the Trump administration to axe LGBTQ non-discrimination language — as well as protections based on race, sex and religion — from its union contract with professional attorneys within the U.S. agency as part of collective-bargaining negotiations, according to union representatives. The union, known as the National Labor Relations Board Professional Association, is made up of about 120 attorneys at the NLRB headquarters in D.C. “They’re taking it all out,” one NLRBPA member said. “They’re basically saying it’s duplicative, it’s covered by statute, so we don’t want to do anything through grievance and arbitration. If you think there is discrimination, then you need to a file complaint with the EEOC.” The NLRBPA is pleading with Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) to step in and urge the agency to keep those non-discrimination protections in place within the union contract. Individually, LGBTQ employees with concerns over removal of the nondiscrimination protections also sought to meet with management on the issue, but were rebuffed, union members told the Washington Blade. For the time being, NLRB is required to maintain the non-discrimination protections from the previous contract, even though that contract expired last year. But that situation is expected to change soon. As a result of executive orders signed by President Trump last year, federal employee unions are required to engage in negotiations with their respective agencies to form new contracts. In a pair of letters dated March 5, the NLRPA calls on Raskin and Feinstein to engage in oversight of the agency as it seeks to eliminate those non-discrimination protections. One letter calls the proposal “a giant step backward in the fight to ensure that LGBTQ workers receive equal treatment under the law.” “It is a mark of shame that employment discrimination against LGBTQ employees, including federal employees, has been tolerated for so long, and to callously take any protections away after so long a struggle for equal treatment would be unconscionable,”

one letter says. “In that spirit, we would be most grateful for any oversight of the agency and help that you can provide to defend the workplace rights of our LGBTQ brothers and sisters.” The letters also express other concerns. Among them is NLRB proposing to eliminate a standing joint labor-management Equal Employment Opportunity Committee, a reversal the union says turns “historically a cooperative relationship between management and the union into an adversarial relationship.” The NLRB also proposes to undercut the grievance and arbitration system in other ways, the letter says. Raskin, in a statement to the Blade responding to the letter, said NLRB’s proposed removal of LGBTQ protections is unjust, especially from a U.S. agency charged with enforcing federal labor law. “Trump’s administration has tried from the start to purge all mention of LGBTQ rights from federal law and policy,” Raskin said. “Now, by proposing to eliminate protections for LGBTQ employees from its collective bargaining agreements, the NLRB — which is supposed to be a leader for workplace fairness—becomes the latest perpetrator of the administration’s political assault on equal protection and equal employment rights for the LGBTQ community.” NLRB, according to members of the union, justified its proposed removal of the non-discrimination protections on the basis that employees could seek recourse against discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a federal law that bars discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex and national origin. But that law as it stands affords no protections based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Although the U.S. Supreme Court is considering litigation that will decide whether anti-LGBTQ discrimination is a form of sex discrimination, thus illegal under Title VII, there is no certainty that will happen. Should the Supreme Court rule Title VII doesn’t cover anti-LGBTQ discrimination, NLRBPA attorneys would have no recourse under federal law for LGBTQ discrimination claims. NLRBPA employees — even though they

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The National Labor Relations Board under DONALD TRUMP wants to axe LGBTQ nondiscrimination language — as well as protections based on race, sex and religion — from its union contract with professional attorneys.

work within D.C. — also aren’t covered by the D.C. Human Rights Act. Although the law bars anti-LGBTQ discrimination, the D.C. Human Rights Act doesn’t have jurisdiction over federal entities, such as NLRB. Over the course of contract negotiations, one NLRBPA member said, management was unmoved by the argument LGBTQ nondiscrimination protections are needed in the union contract because the Supreme Court might be against them under Title VII. “There’s a possibility we’re not going to be covered by statute, so we will have no protections whatsoever,” the NLRBPA members said. “And my understanding was the agency response was, ‘We can’t control what the Supreme Court does.” According to the NLRBPA, nondiscrimination protections based on sexual orientation have been part of the NLRBPA contract since 2002 and non-discrimination protections based on gender identity have been part of the contract since 2017. Although that contract was terminated in 2019, the agency remains legally obligated to enforce it until a new contract agreement with the union is reached. “So you can imagine our dismay when we received contract proposals from management eliminating the contractual provisions prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and stating that any ‘prior MOUs, agreements, or settlements executed prior to the latest date below are

not incorporated into this agreement,’” the letters say. Outside of union negotiations, the letter says, a group of LGBTQ employees sought to meet with senior management to discuss concerns over the removal of the non-discrimination language, but were unsuccessful. Adam Naill, an NLRB attorney and NLRB union official, affirmed to the Blade via email a group of LGBTQ employees were denied a meeting with management outside the negotiations. “A number of LGBTQ folks at the agency attempted to meet with NLRB senior leadership to just express their concerns about the proposal and how they’re feeling — frightened and alarmed — about management’s position on this and were rebuffed, senior leadership said they wouldn’t meet with employees about the issue,” Naill said. The NLRB justified denying the meeting, one NLRBPA member said, by giving assurances the agency is committed to LGBTQ equality and saying the meeting would be inappropriate amid ongoing contract negotiations. But the NLRBPA member expressed doubt about that commitment to LGBTQ equality based on attorneys in the workforce overheard making homophobic statements. CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

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Calif. prison system updates policy on trans inmates Advocates say changes don’t go far enough By CHRIS JOHNSON cjohnson@washblade.com

As scrutiny of the treatment of transgender inmates continues to grow, the California prison system has updated its policy on transition-related care, including gender reassignment surgery, although the new guidance is getting mixed reviews at best from transgender advocates. One transgender advocate said the document “appears to contain some important improvements,” but “there are still a few areas where the policy appears problematic or unclear.” Another said the changes “do nothing to change” access to transition-related care for inmates. In defense of the policy, a spokesperson for the California prison system says the new guidance is “expected to improve access to care.” The California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation, which is credited with being the first state prison system to implement any policy granting transgender inmates access to gender reassignment surgery, shared the updated 30-page guidance and a summary with the Blade last week. The new guidelines, developed by California Correctional Health Care Services, dedicate a full page to specific criteria for granting inmates gender reassignment surgery: Persistent gender dysphoria; being at least 18 years old; having continuously used hormone therapy for 12 months; full-time living in a new gender role and keeping any other medical and mental health conditions well-controlled. “Individuals may live successfully as transgender persons without surgery,” the guidelines say. “Gender affirming surgery may be considered for those individuals who are diagnosed with Gender Dysphoria and demonstrate significant distress not attributable to conditions of confinement, mental illness or other factors, but are due to lack of reasonable response to available nonsurgical treatments and there are no available, additional treatments other than surgery that are likely to improve or alleviate their symptoms.” The updated guidelines come after

a review period the California prison system announced when the Blade published data — obtained from a request under California’s Public Records Act — revealing few transgender inmates who requested gender reassignment surgery were granted the procedure. In a letter dated Nov. 8, 2019 to the Blade, the state prison health system reveals 130 inmates requested male-tofemale gender reassignment surgery since the policy was announced, but only seven were granted the procedure in the same time period. Meanwhile, 51 inmates requested female-to-male gender reassignment surgery, but only 10 obtained the procedure. Terry Thornton, a California Department of Corrections spokesperson, told the Blade this week the new policy came out, however, because guidelines “are continually revised to align with community standards and as needed to ensure operational efficiency.” The California prison system isn’t done. Thornton said a supplement to the transgender inmate guide on requests for gender reassignment surgery is currently undergoing a revision, but it’s unknown when that will be complete. The previous policy, established in 2015, was brokered by then-California Attorney General Kamala Harris as a result of lawsuits filed by transgender inmates Michelle Lael-Norsworthy, who was serving time for second-degree murder, and Shiloh Quine, who’s serving a life sentence for first-degree murder, kidnapping and robbery. Both inmates had obtained medical clearance for gender reassignment surgery and sought the procedure, but were denied. (In response to the Blade report last year that few inmates were granted gender reassignment surgery despite the deal Harris brokered — and promoted on the campaign trail — the California Democrat’s presidential campaign said the the policy should be reviewed because anti-transgender bias may be in play. Harris’s Senate office didn’t respond to the Blade’s request to comment on the update.)

MICHELLE LAEL-NORSWORHY and SHILOH QUINE were transgender inmates who sought gender reassignment surgery. (Norsworthy photo courtesy Transgender Law Center; Quine photo courtesy SFINX Publishing: Women of San Quentin)

Ensuring transgender prisoners have access to gender reassignment surgery, which would come at taxpayer expense, has been a controversial issue and may even soon be adjudicated by the U.S. Supreme Court as a result of a case percolating up from Idaho. Transgender advocates, however, have said denying the procedure to inmates is the denial of medical care, which would be cruel and unusual punishment and prohibited under the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. But the key difference in the new California policy seems to be hormone therapy, not gender reassignment surgery. Thornton said the new guidance provides guidelines on hormone therapy for transgender inmates to primary care doctors as opposed to endocrinology specialists, which she said “is expected to improve access to care.” “The new Transgender Care Guide, which more clearly aligns with WPATH criteria, expands its education to

primary care providers and gives a more detailed step-by-step approach to care for transgender men and transgender women,” Thornton said. “This new guide improves education for providers about the terminology and diagnoses related to transgender care.” Thornton added the guidance updates access to hygiene items and clothing for transgender inmates. “All of these improvements will enable primary care providers the ability to more effectively meet the needs of the transgender population,” Thornton said. “CCHCS and CDCR will continue to expand education to providers and patients about transgender care.” Despite the changes, advocates for ensuring transgender inmates have access to gender reassignment surgery were largely unimpressed, saying the guidelines still hamper access to transgender-related care.

CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

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Presidential hopefuls not showing love to LGBTQ media Few ad buys in niche outlets in 2020 campaign By SCOTT STIFFLER

When it comes to covering the concerns of our community, nobody does it better than LGBTQ print and digital media outlets. Readers hungry for in-depth journalism know the value of hearing it from the horseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mouthâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;so why is that lost on the lionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s share of donkeys and elephants? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I personally have reached out to Buttigieg, Biden, Sanders, Warren, and Bloomberg, with no response from anyone about advertising,â&#x20AC;? said Justin Wyse, sales manager for South Florida Gay News, in a Feb. 23 email (before Buttigieg, the gay former mayor of South Bend, Ind., suspended his campaign). Democratic presidential hopefuls may be rebuffing Wyseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s overtures, but PACs sometimes have the paperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s back: The Log Cabin Republicans, he notes, planned to advertise in the two issues prior to Floridaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s March 17 primary. Still, not a single candidate has advertised with the paper in past presidential election cycles, says Wyse. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They all say they support our community, but do they? They sure donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t show it, by their silence.â&#x20AC;? That silence, if broken, could speak volumes, says Rivendell Media president and CEO Todd Evans. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For a million dollars, you could completely saturate the LGBTQ media market. For $100,000, you will get the back cover in most gay print publications in top U.S. markets,â&#x20AC;?Â notes Evans, who places advertisements for the National LGBT Media Associationâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;whose 12 members have a combined weekly print and online reach of approximately 500,000. (The Washington Blade and Los Angeles Blade are members.) Of that niche market, says activist and Philadelphia Gay News publisher Mark Segal, â&#x20AC;&#x153;One of the things we share with the African-American and Latino community is, LGBTQ print is king. When candidates are trying to get to a community, they go in all mannersâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;mailings, targeted social media. So when you go after our votes,â&#x20AC;? says Segal, of LGBTQs, â&#x20AC;&#x153;part of that is advertising.â&#x20AC;? Over the years, says Evans, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have compiled campaigns and reach-outs to the DNC. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve asked for it, even. But theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never done anything on a national scale, to my knowledge, everâ&#x20AC;Ś Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s go back to the

reason companies target LGBTQs: Primarily, for trend-setting. Why wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t you want to carry that into getting yourself more visibility within our community?â&#x20AC;? In anticipation of Pennsylvaniaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s April 28 primary, Segal notes that despite early outreach to Democrats with designs on the White House, â&#x20AC;&#x153;What they all say is, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Get back to us on April 1.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;? (Sanders and Clinton did advertise with the paper in 2016; the former, with a mainstream ad, and the latter, with one designed for LGBTQ+ readers.) Using the National LGBT Media Association as his calling card, this reporter requested comment from the RNC, DNC, and Democratic candidates. Only two campaigns responded. Touting their track record of â&#x20AC;&#x153;locking arms and marching during Prideâ&#x20AC;? as well as attending the National LGBTQ Task Forceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Creating Change Conference and RuPaulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Drag Con, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Team Warren knows the importance of meeting LGBTQ+ voters where they are,â&#x20AC;? said Daniel Lander, Elizabeth Warrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s National Director for LGBTQ+ Outreach, in a Feb. 24 email. This articleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s deadline forced us to call off the search for answers to our reply, in which we asked if the Warren campaign had taken its message directly to the LGBTQ, Hispanic, or African-American press, via paid advertising. Bloomberg campaign rep Natalie Johnson assured, in a Feb. 20 email, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We haveÂ great team members that can speak to this topic.â&#x20AC;? But after a phone call at her behest, â&#x20AC;&#x153;to get a better sense of the interview,â&#x20AC;? it was radio silence after we declined to send a list of questions prior to securing an interview. Past NYC mayor and present billionaire Michael Bloomberg, who dropped out of the race on March 4 after a dismal Super Tuesday showing, did indeed purchased a presence in the LGBTQ press, albeit a general interest ad that appeared as part of a company-wide buy with Schneps Media, whose properties include NYCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gay City News (GNC), a member of the National LGBT Media Association. When we spoke with GCN founding editor-in-chief and associate publisher Paul Schindler, he noted the issue that hit the streets on Jan. 30 had a back page ad from

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Bloomberg. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In his mayoral campaigns,â&#x20AC;? recalls Schindler, of Bloomberg, â&#x20AC;&#x153;he blanketed our newspapers and our digital with ads. He so outspent his Democratic rivals, there was no competition.â&#x20AC;? The Stonewall Democratic Club of NYC and Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn â&#x20AC;&#x153;have endorsed Elizabeth Warren,â&#x20AC;? notes Schindler, â&#x20AC;&#x153;so if Warren remains viable by the time of the [April 28 NY Democratic] primary, I think thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a decent shot those clubs would buy an ad, but not much more than two or three weeks before the primary.â&#x20AC;? (Those clubs, if advertising, wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be bolstering Warren: The Massachusetts senator called it quits on March 5.) Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s good reason, says Schindler, that candidates are absent from the local landscape until their time in the primary sun is at hand. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Unlike other consumer products, they are not â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;on saleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; everywhere at the same timeâ&#x20AC;Ś I want to make it very clear that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m stepping aside from my role as editor, when I say Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m glad theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re spending their money where they are [in battleground states and pre-primary buys]. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not something smart for me to say, businesswise, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a cold political fact.â&#x20AC;? Even colder and considerably more calculated, is the quest to bypass ads altogether, by pricking up LGBTQ+ ears with a compelling sound bite. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Candidates [in 2020] do seem to be a bit more reluctant to tap into niche markets by paying for media,â&#x20AC;? says T.J. Billard, a Ph.D. candidate at the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They tend to focus on the mainstream,â&#x20AC;? or rely on â&#x20AC;&#x153;earned media,â&#x20AC;? i.e., no-cost editorial coverage, as was the case numerous times, notes Billard, when Warren, â&#x20AC;&#x153;just in the course of talking about violence, mentioned transgender women of color. For a general audience, it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do much. But the fact that she said it is going to be news in the LGBTQ press. So by throwing that in, sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s able to assure a certain degree of visibility in the LGBTQ community that requires no [financial] investment.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen the tone shift, now that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in a post-marriage equality era,â&#x20AC;? says public affairs and media professional

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Kenn Campbell, who served as a national advance associate on behalf of the Obama White House, the Office of Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Hillary for America. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Campaigns arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t reaching out as early as they were, and they arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t targeting the LGBT community as aggressively as I think they should be â&#x20AC;Ś I would hope DNC Chair Perez has a [general election] plan for that. But at this point, I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seen any outreach effort.â&#x20AC;? Scott Wazlowski, vice president of advertising for San Franciscoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bay Area Reporter, was in talks with a presidential candidate when we spoke, but under â&#x20AC;&#x153;a fairly comprehensiveâ&#x20AC;? non-disclosure agreement. Wazlowski notes the paperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;strong voting blocâ&#x20AC;? garners advertising from the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Department of Elections â&#x20AC;&#x153;prior to every election in the city and county,â&#x20AC;? as well as advertising from Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, prior to annual Pride celebrations. Even for a paper of BARâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s visibility, notes Wazlowski, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Reaching the right person who makes the decision on who buys media for anything other than a small local campaign is almost impossible.â&#x20AC;? Of the LGBTQ press, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are on the front lines, in terms of our local communities,â&#x20AC;? says Michael Yamashita, president and CEO of BAR Media Inc., and BAR publisher. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think campaigns really appreciate that direct and close relationship we have.â&#x20AC;?

Blade contributor released from ICE custody Yariel Valdés González endured inhumane conditions during 11-month detention By MICHAEL K. LAVERS mlavers@washblade.com FERRIDAY, La. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on March 4 released from its custody a Washington Blade contributor from Cuba who won asylum in the U.S. This reporter picked up Yariel Valdés González at River Correctional Center, a privately run ICE detention center in Ferriday, La., shortly after 2 p.m. The two arrived in nearby Natchez, Miss., less than 30 minutes later before driving to New Orleans where they spent the night in the French Quarter. Valdés visited Bourbon Street and had drinks at Cafe Lafitte in Exile, which is one of the country’s oldest gay bars, while watching this year’s Super Bowl halftime show during which Shakira and Jennifer Lopez performed. Valdés then danced at Oz, a nearby gay nightclub. Valdés and this reporter on March 5 flew to Miami International Airport where he reunited with his aunt and uncle. “I really feel that I am alive now,” Valdés told the Blade on Sunday from the Miami suburb of Cutler Bay where he now lives with his aunt, María Valdés and his uncle, Julio Valdés. “It is a wonderful feeling to feel free and to be able to take control of your life and above all knowing that you will not be persecuted again because of your ideas or your work.” Valdés, 29, entered the U.S. on March 27, 2019, through the Calexico West Port of Entry between California’s Imperial Valley and Mexicali, Mexico. He asked for asylum based on the persecution he suffered in Cuba because he is a journalist. ICE transferred Valdés from California to the Tallahatchie County Correctional Facility, a privately run detention center in Tutwiler, Miss. Valdés was held at the Bossier Parish Medium Security Facility in Plain Dealing, La., for roughly eight months before ICE transferred him to the River Correctional Center. This reporter visited Valdés on Feb. 1. Judge Timothy Cole last September granted Valdés asylum, but the ruling was appealed to the Virginia-based Board of Immigration Appeals, which the

Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review oversees. The Board of Immigration Appeals on Feb. 28 dismissed the challenge. Valdés shackled during ICE transports Valdés interviewed a number of LGBTQ asylum seekers with whom he was detained. He also documented the harsh conditions he experienced while in ICE custody. “The American dream to live in absolute freedom; safe from the threats, persecution, violence, psychological torture and even death the Cuban dictatorship has imposed on me because of my journalistic work fell apart in my hands as soon as I arrived in Louisiana,” wrote Valdés in an article the Blade published last July 9. “The Cubans here who are also seeking protection from the U.S. government welcomed me to the Bossier Parish Medium Security Facility with an ironic surprise. They opened their arms and told me, “Welcome to hell!” Valdés since his release has begun to reveal additional details about his time in ICE custody. He told the Blade his hands, legs and waist were shackled each time ICE transported him to another detention center. One of these trips was a flight from California to Mississippi. It takes roughly five hours to drive between Tallahatchie County Correctional Center and Bossier Parish Medium Security Facility. River Correctional Center is nearly 200 miles southeast of Bossier Parish Medium Security Facility. Valdés said guards at Bossier Parish Medium Security Facility, where he was detained for eight months before his transfer to River Correctional Center, subjected him and other detainees to racist and xenophobic abuse. Valdés also told the Blade that ICE protocol requires detainees who are sick to be placed in solitary confinement. Deputies at Bossier Parish Medium Security Center last Aug. 2 used force against detainees who were protesting

YARIEL VALDÉS GONZÁLEZ in Miami Beach, Fla., on March 6. (Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)

their prolonged detention and sprayed pepper spray. Valdés confirmed these accounts during a series of messages he sent to the Blade on that day. He told the Blade in one message via an app to which detainees have access through a private company that “all the deputies came here and said they don’t care if we didn’t eat.” Valdés also said more than 20 detainees had been placed in “the SHU because they began to scream ‘freedom’ and make noise.” Valdés said guards removed microwaves and televisions from detainee dorms as a form of collective punishment. He also told the Blade that air conditioning units periodically did not work, even on days when the outside temperature was well over 90 degrees. ICE earlier this year ended its contract with Bossier Parish Medium Security Facility. Mother Jones last month reported a private company that ICE uses to inspect its detention centers found the use of force on an unconscious detainee during the Aug. 2 incident “was a clearly inappropriate application of force.” “It has been an exhausting fight,”

Valdés told the Blade. “But this country has opened its doors to me because justice exists and because true democracy will no longer be just a utopia for me,” he added. Valdés since he arrived in Florida has begun the process of applying for a Social Security number. He spent several hours on South Beach with this reporter on Friday afternoon after having breakfast with Tony Lima, the chief operating officer of Arianna’s Center, a South Florida-based organization that serves transgender women. Valdés on Sunday went to a supermarket and department store with his aunt. He said they ate at a Kentucky Fried Chicken before they returned home. “The only thing I want to do now is to start over again from scratch, getting rid of everything negative in my life in order to focus on my new future and on all of the opportunities that I have in this country with the support of the thousands of people who have shown their love and solidarity with me,” Valdés told the Blade.

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CANNABIS CULTURE

Two-thirds of Latinos back legalizing marijuana SANTA MONICA, Calif. — More than two in three U.S. Hispanic adults support legalizing marijuana, according to nationwide polling data compiled by the digital media firm H Code. Pollsters surveyed a nationally representative sample of over 1,300 English- and Spanish-speaking U.S. Hispanic respondents. Sixty-eight percent of those polled said that they are favor of legalizing marijuana in the United States. That percentage is consistent with other nationwide polls of U.S. adults, such as those here, here, and here, finding that two-thirds of respondents believe that the adult use of cannabis ought to be legal. By contrast, prior polls of Hispanic-only voters had often reported that Latinos were less likely than the general population to express support for legalizing cannabis.

Smoking cannabis is most popular method of ingestion SEATTLE — Adults who consume cannabis are most likely to smoke it, according to data compiled by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence. Researchers analyzed data from over 6,100 adult cannabis consumers in 12 states. Ninety-one percent of respondents acknowledging having smoked herbal cannabis, with 59 percent reporting that inhalation “was their only mode of marijuana use.” By contrast, only 25 percent of respondents reported having ever used cannabis-infused edible products, and only 20 percent reported ever having vaporized cannabis. Five percent of subjects reported exclusively consuming marijuana edibles, and two percent said that they only vaped cannabis. The data is consistent with prior studies, such as those here and here, showing that the majority of people who self-report consuming cannabis do so by methods that involve smoking the substance.

Medical cannabis is Maine’s 3rd largest economic market AUGUSTA, Maine — Patients purchased an estimated $112 million worth of medical cannabis-related products in 2019, according to newly released Maine tax data. The annual revenues related to medical cannabis are more than the total revenues generated by the sales of blueberries, maple syrup, apples, herring, and oysters combined. Only the state’s lobster industry and potato industry bring in more annual revenue. Some three-quarters of the revenue generated from medical cannabis (85.3 million) came from sales by caregivers to patients. Although the state’s medical cannabis access program has been operational for some two decades, Maine officials only began tracking caregiver-related tax revenue in February of 2019. Licensed retail adult-use marijuana sales are anticipated to begin in June. Cannabis Culture news in the Blade is provided in partnership with NORML. Visit norml.org for more information.

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PETER ROSENSTEIN

is a regular contributor to the Blade and winner of the 2014 Stonewall Chapbook competition.

Over the moon about Buttigieg In these bleak times, I’ve stopped streaming “The Golden Girls.” Between the coronavirus, Trump, transphobia, and homophobia, even Bea Arthur doesn’t make me smile. Yet, Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaign from its launch last April until its end days before Super Tuesday made my face light up and put a bounce in my step. Even when I thought that he had problems connecting with people of color or had been sexist toward the female presidential candidates in the debates. I’d wager that I’m far from alone – that many in the queer community were joyful about Buttigieg’s presidential bid. Why were so many of us over the moon about Buttigieg? Because he made history! Buttigieg was the first`out gay presidential candidate to be in a campaign debate for a major political party. Fred Karger, a Republican, was the first openly gay presidential candidate, Chris Johnson reported in the Blade. But Karger wasn’t allowed in debates. “History is the nightmare from which I’m trying to awake,” Stephen Dedalus says in James Joyce’s “Ulysses.” But, Joyce wasn’t gay and he didn’t know Buttigieg. Buttigieg’s campaign was so historic for so many LGBTQ folk that we may want to bask in this sweet dream forever. You don’t often get to see history being made in real time. Yet, watching Buttigieg launch his presidential bid was as historic as seeing Obama become the first black president. Today, we have queer judges, bishops, teachers and football players. We can marry who we love. Grandmas love Ellen’s TV show. Grandfathers come out to their sons. Jared Polis, the governor of Colorado, is openly gay. Even so, when we can be fired in over half of the states in this country simply for being queer and far too many LGBTQ kids are bullied in schools – Buttigieg’s campaign for the highest office in the land was awe inspiring. Back in the day, when I was growing up in the 1960s in Southern New Jersey,

I wouldn’t in my wildest dreams have imagined that an openly gay man would have run to be president of the United States. Few of us knew any LGBTQ people (if we did, they were closeted). Then, “queer” was what you called “perverts,” not what you proudly called yourself. As I’ve written before in the Blade, at that time an out queer person leading a city, letting alone running for president, “would have seemed more improbable than flying cars. (We’d seen flying car’s on the ‘Jetsons.’).” I don’t believe in voting for anyone just because they’re queer. I don’t know if I’d have voted for Buttigieg. He dropped out before I voted on Super Tuesday. I do know that from the get-go, I respected Buttigieg for his intelligence, decency, military service and thoughtfulness about how a more just society could be created. Above all, there was his husband Chasten. I’m not saying that all LGBTQ folk should rush to get married. Or that being married is superior to being single. But, that being said, Buttigieg talking about his marriage and Chasten chatting about falling in love with Buttigieg was a powerful and prideful message to hetero and queer Americans. Some of the reaction to Buttigieg’s campaign (Rush Limbaugh’s homophobic comments) didn’t surprise me. Yet, I was surprised by (though perhaps, I shouldn’t have been) by the sniping against Buttigieg from our community. I’m talking about the flak he got for not being gay enough – for being married and a person of faith. I don’t believe that LGBTQ people, politicos or not, need to be married or religious. We should be who we want to be. But, telling one another that we’re not queer enough is toxic. It’s important to hold queer politicians and candidates accountable for their political views and policies. Carping at Buttigieg’s perceived lack of gayness is eating our own. Rather than sniping at each other, let’s celebrate Buttigieg’s historic moment.

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

Joe Biden for president He will put the genie of hate released by Trump back in the bottle After Super Tuesday, the logical and wise choice for Democrats is to vote for former Vice President Joe Biden as our nominee. In the spirit of full disclosure in November 2018 I wrote we shouldn’t have anyone over 70 on the ticket. Yet we must respect that voters have spoken and the choices they have left us at this time are two white men nearing 80.

If one looks superficially at the two men left standing after a long primary battle both are infinitely better choices than the racist, sexist, homophobic pig now in the White House. Bernie Sanders is a firebrand who has stuck to a script for his 30 years in Congress but without any record of success. He recently suffered a heart attack on the campaign trail and now refuses to release his medical records. Then there is Joe Biden, with a nearly 50-year record of service in the Congress, an apparently healthy man with an overall record of moving the nation forward. There are some glaring flaws like his handling of the Clarence Thomas hearings and his vote on the Iraq war, and during the current campaign he obviously has had some trouble remembering specific facts and figures. No one is perfect. However, looking a little closer at both candidates and their campaigns allows one to recognize without a doubt which is the far superior candidate to run against Donald Trump. That man is Joe Biden. This is a singular election and contrary to what people have said about previous ones for many this one may actually be the most important election of our lifetimes. We have a president who is creating chaos in the nation and the world. While people are digesting some of the outrageous things he is doing, he is riding roughshod over our Constitution and in the process destroying our democracy.

People are on edge and they want a president who will restore normality and calm. That will become even clearer in the near future with Covid-19 threatening to override all other issues. They want a president who will move us forward without calling for a revolution. Biden will be that president. Biden has a record of accomplishment in Congress. He passed the Violence against Women Act; fought the NRA to pass the Brady bill, which Sanders voted against five times, and managed to also fight the NRA and pass a ban on assault weapons. What Biden promises is a steady movement forward on healthcare with a public option, a fight for free community college, moving forward on climate change and a way forward on gun control with plans that could actually be passed. Biden recognizes we must ensure the economy will work for everyone, which it doesn’t now. I want Biden to name a younger woman of color as his vice president and to commit to championing the next generation of diverse leaders. And I want him to say unequivocally that he understands the biggest existential threat to our world is the climate crisis. Biden also has the best chance of putting the genie of hate Trump released back in the bottle. He understands we must always call out white nationalists, neo-Nazis, racists, sexists and homophobes who with Trump in the White House were given permission to destabilize our country. For all these reasons and more I have concluded Joe Biden is the candidate who is best able to move us forward in these difficult times, and to restore some sanity in our nation and in our dealings with the rest of the world. He is best able to head a ticket giving us the chance to keep the House of Representatives and a fighting chance to take back the Senate and rid us of ‘Moscow Mitch.’ I urge my fellow Democrats, independents and rational Republicans to join me in voting for Joe Biden. CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

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MARK LEE

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

D.C. now has data for nightlife reform For the first time in D.C. history, the District government has assembled comprehensive data on the financial contribution of the nightlife business sector. Two weeks ago, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser released a 72-page in-depth commissioned report. This impressively detailed survey, titled “Economic Impact of D.C.’s Nightlife Industry,” is an exhaustive examination of the city’s largest local private-sector small-business category and hometown fiscal powerhouse in an attractive magazine-style format. The numbers are startling: 65,000 jobs. 2,359 establishments, a three-fold expansion in 12 years – with 1,276 restaurants, bars, and nightclubs holding an alcohol license and representing a net increase of 200 such venues in only the past four years. A whopping $7.1 billion annual economic contribution. $3.16 billion paid in wages and benefits. $562.3 million in direct city tax revenues alone, representing $1,789 in funds for each D.C. household, with the local revenue benefit increasing to $796 million per year when including property taxes. The fiscal impact of the broader hospitality sector is actually even greater. Toss in hotels and add an auxiliary array of nightliferelated secondary economic contributors not included and the numbers grow from startling to staggering. More than money, however, is the diverse cultural vitality and popular community amenities provided by the city’s nationally unique independent small-business nightlife sector. Approximately 96 percent of alcohollicensed bars, restaurants, and nightclubs are locally originating establishments and not the franchise chains or national corporations common elsewhere. These socializing spaces enliven and define city neighborhoods. Residents clamor for the integration of dining, drinking, dancing, and entertainment venues near their homes and point with pride to those both close by and across town. Convoluted and complex licensing and regulatory procedures, however, threaten all of that. Peppered throughout the report are stark warnings about the many variable challenges confronting nightlife businesses. Primary among them is the arcane method and manner businesses must traverse in order to open and operate, and is an embarrassment for a city striving for modern

efficiency and world-class stature. Fully half of the nearly one-in-five nightlife venues surveyed identify the byzantine regulatory approvals and alcohol licensing processes as the biggest barriers to entry and obstacles to success. The tight-margin engines of local employment, city revenues, and community life face extraordinary costs and delays in licensing protocols. Competitive disadvantages resulting from arbitrary operating limitations due to an out-of-balance community approval scheme is the cause. Advisory neighborhood commissions now broadly attempt to impose small-area specific restrictions inconsistent with common licensing benefits. They no longer even pretend to offer rationale, merely pumping out paper forms with nothing more than checked boxes of presumptive problems not in evidence. Incredibly, it’s an abuse of legal intentions tolerated by the ABC Board and city alcohol agency. Among many egregious examples are those in the newly vibrant Wharf area of ANC-6D and the long-established U Street nightlife area of ANC-1B. Like others, these advisory commissions have adopted a policy of filing protests opposing both new license applications and venue renewals unless able to coerce cookie-cutter limitations contrary to equitable citywide rules and resulting in competitive disadvantages. ANCs, so-called “citizens associations,” and ad-hoc groups of merely five-or-more random residents know businesses refusing to succumb incur huge costs and long delays. The displaced operators of Town nightclub seeking to open a new location faced protests by six entities. Despite recognized stature as respected long-time nightlife professionals, they finally won a high-profile licensing battle six weeks ago that spanned a half-year and cost tens of thousands of dollars – so they can make a major neighborhood investment in restoring a derelict abandoned building. Mayor Bowser, her administration’s yearold nightlife liaison office, and the D.C. Council must conjure up the courage to challenge and constrain these anti-business bullies and act to reform and repair the regulatory process. If they fail to do so, the city’s next nightlife report will detail the diminishment of the enterprise this one celebrates.

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TV’s big paradigm shift Apple, Disney, others lock horns with Netﬂix as streaming wars intensify — what does it mean for the LGBTQ consumer? By JOEY DiGUGLIELMO joeyd@washblade.com

ALEXIS BLEDEL as Emily, a lesbian character, in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ on Hulu. (Photo courtesy Hulu)

Streaming content — whether we’re talking about music or movies/TV — is, of course, nothing new. But on the movie/TV side, it’s ramping up to unprecedented levels. The New York Times compares it to the great entertainment industry disruptions of yore — silent films going to “talkies” in the ’20s, TV in the ’50s and the double whammy of cable TV and VCRs in the ’80s, which radically shifted the way consumers viewed content. Netflix started streaming movies and shows in 2007 and dominates the field with 166 million subscribers worldwide and a $12 billion budget for new content. Until now, the main old school media conglomerates — Disney, NBCUniversal

and WarnerMedia — stayed out of it while Netﬂix (“Stranger Things,” “The Crown”), Amazon Prime Video (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Fleabag”) and Hulu (“The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Veronica Mars”) battled it out. The old companies now realize they’ll have to adapt to survive. Disney Plus launched Nov. 12 for $6.99 a month offering content from Disney, Pixar, the “Star Wars” franchise, Marvel movies, reruns of “The Simpsons” and about 7,500 episodes of old Disney shows. WarnerMedia will launch HBO Max for $14.99 per month in May with 10,000 hours of available content such as “Friends,” “South Park, old Warner Bros. movies, CNN documentaries,

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“Sesame Street” and more. And Peacock, NBCUniversal’s imprint, will boast 15,000 hours of available content including reruns of “The Ofﬁce,” “Frasier,” “Saturday Night Live,” Universal movies, a reboot of “Battlestar Galactica” and gobs more. It’s slated for an April 15 rollout. Others are taking the can’t-beat-‘emjoin-‘em approach. FX on Hulu launched March 2 boasting its shows such as “Mrs. America,” “Better Things,” “Dave” and “Fargo” now available there. And Quibi, set to launch April 6, is focusing on shortform mobile video. Founder Jeffrey Katzenberg is said to have spent more than $1 billion for short-form episodes of shows like a Steven Spielberg horror series “Spielberg’s After Dark” and “Kill

the Efrons,” a survival reality series starring Zac Efron and his brother. Apple, of course, is no longer content to sit on the sidelines either. Apple TV Plus launched Nov. 1. That makes the likely big players Netﬂix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Disney Plus, Apple TV Plus, HBO Max and Peacock, but that’s just for starters. There are, according to the New York Times citing data from Parks Associates, 271 online video services in the U.S. some of the more obscure ones offering highly curated content. For every mainstream one, such as ESPN Plus or NFL Sunday Ticket for sports, there’s a bounty of niche options like Crunchyroll and Hidive for anime, Hi-Yah! for martial arts or GAIA for yoga-themed content.

Netflix’s dark side?

Navigating the deluge So much is now available, though, that consumers are overwhelmed. Although it’s changed some in recent years, one of the long-running complaints of cable TV or Dish satellite subscribers was having to pay for hundreds of channels they never watched. Well, now with streaming, the argument goes, they no longer have to. Just subscribe to the services you want. But it’s not that simple. Say you subscribe to Netflix and Hulu but then everybody starts buzzing about “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” winning a bunch of Emmys and being must-see TV and you’re faced with major pop culture FOMO. And if you have cut your cable subscription, as 5.5 million did in 2019 alone, what do you do when there’s a major event like the Olympics, the Academy Awards or the Super Bowl that none of the streaming services have the rights to? (The presidential debates, for example, are easy to stream for free online.) And what if you have one of those deals where your phone, home internet and cable are all under one umbrella like Xfinity in the D.C. market and it’s not as easy to get out of? At some point, viewers will have to make a choice, much as they did between VHS or Beta 30 in the ’80s, and not all the companies getting into the game will be successful as consumers are only willing to pay so much — $44 the Wall Street Journal reports citing its own polling — for about 3.6 streaming services (one in five plan to cut the cable cord within the year, the Journal reports). Gay entertainment writer/guru Greg Hernandez says it’s “a new frontier” for pop culture fans. “There’s so much more content, the sky’s the limit,” he says. “And that’s why this seems unprecedented. It feels like the biggest beneficiaries are the consumers. They have so many choices now. They’re being courted with really quality content from all the top stars, the best actors are going for roles on shows that are being streamed, so I think the

Huge industry behemoths often have well-documented dark sides from Walmart’s predatory pricing, Facebook’s shady information sharing, Amazon’s anticompetitive/monopolistic behavior and Google’s recent wave of ﬁring employees — a few of whom are transgender — who dared to call the company out on what

they considered unethical practices, as the New York Times reported last month. So surely Netﬂix has a dark side too, right? Brian Wright, Netﬂix’s VP of original series, insists not. “I’ve worked in so many places in Hollywood and this is by far the most

collaborative group of people I have ever come across,” he says. “It’s a place where that kind of palace intrigue and backstabbing is not tolerated and honestly is called out. … It’s absolutely a high-performance culture here, but we like to avoid the brilliant jerks. One of our key tenets is selﬂessness.”

consumer is the biggest beneﬁciary. It’s nice to be courted and nice to have so much of the top talent ﬂocking to this form.”

of the way we consume our content,” he says. “In some ways, we are more than ever in the driver’s seat with TV executives and music artists catering to our short attention spans, our schedules and our price points. In other ways, we’re spoiled brats imprisoned by our voracious appetites. And if not us, certainly the next generation of iPad-trained kids.” Chun canceled cable about three years ago because it was simply cheaper to pay for streaming. He had Xﬁnity internet and cable and got tired of

the hikes — it started at $75, jumped to $116, then $139 and he said, “Enough.” Similarly, his parents’ Xfinity bill in Philadelphia hiked from $150-187. He now subscribes to AT&T TV, which comes with HBO GO, and Amazon Prime. The latter two are $63.60 per month (higher because they offer more of a hybrid experience with live TV and On Demand). Amazon Prime is $13 per month. He used to have Netflix but not currently. And yes, he says there are times there’s something he wants to watch on another service. “Often you’ll hear buzz about a show on social media but then realize it’s on the one you just cancelled,” he says. “For example right now, I’m curious about ‘The Circle’ on Netflix. There was a time that I would switch my services on and off, chasing the premiere of shows such as ‘Game of Thrones’ on HBO or the return of ‘Love’ on Netflix. But now there are just so many good shows that I just end up choosing one that I’m interested in on one of the services I have.” There are ways around the dilemma, too. “If there’s a show I really want to watch and don’t have paid access to, I can often find a streaming site — likely illegal — to binge watch it. Sometimes the quality suffers or the streaming lags, but it’s good enough. Or I’ll binge watch in spurts when I’m at my friend’s house who has different streaming options. It seems like I’m never without options … and someone is always entering the market with lower costs.” “People share passwords with friends,” Hernandez says. “There are ways to see what you want to see.” Kenya Hutton, another gay Washington TV fan, subscribes to Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime in addition to his $165 monthly Xfinity bill, which he plans to keep. He says despite all that, there’s still a dearth of representation. “It would be great to see more quality LGBTQ programming from people of color,” Hutton says.

Cutting the cable cord? For Matt Chun, a gay Washington man who early in his career worked at ABC, the current system is both a blessing and a curse. “Digital and social media trends have changed just about everything in terms

Netﬂix headquarters in Hollywood. The company dominates the streaming industry and has more LGBT representation than its rivals, according to GLAAD. (Photo courtesy Netﬂix)

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Where are all the queer shows? There’s voluminous queer content on the major platforms. Four years ago, GLAAD started gathering data on streaming original series for its annual “Where We Are on TV” survey and the numbers have mostly gone up every year since then. For the most recent survey, released last November, GLAAD found 109 regular LGBT characters on original scripted series on Amazon, Hulu and Netflix, the three platforms it monitors. That was an increase of 34 from last year’s tally. There are also 44 recurring LGBT characters, up from just seven the previous year. Gay male characters make up 42 percent, lesbians 30 percent, 14 percent bi women and nine percent bi men. The one dip was in trans characters at seven percent, down four percentage points from the previous year. That’s likely a hiccup, GLAAD’s Megan Townsend, lead author of the report, says as shows such as “Transparent” and “Orange is the New Black” have ended and some shows she knows of in development with trans characters haven’t yet launched. “I think maybe that was just a oneoff year,” Townsend, who’s bi, says. “The bigger problem will be if this becomes a trend.” The 109 LGBTQ characters on the streaming platforms compares to 90 on scripted shows on broadcast TV networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and The CW) and 121 on scripted primetime cable shows. So while it’s not as if there’s a deluge of LGBTQ characters and storylines on the streaming shows, it’s right up there in the same league as the network and cable shows. Some might even argue it’s a tad underwhelming when you consider streaming has unlimited volume potential whereas network and cable have limited daytime/prime time hours to program. Of Amazon, Hulu and Netflix, Netflix had the most LGBTQ characters as has been the case every year streaming has been included in the GLAAD survey. So if queer representation on original streaming shows is your main interest, Netflix, home to “Grace and Frankie,” “Tales of the City” and the new RuPaul series “AJ and the Queen,” not to mention reality juggernaut “Queer Eye” (not counted in the GLAAD report) is your best bet. So how did Netflix end up being the industry leader and also the best at LGBTQ representation? Brian Wright, Netflix’s vice president of original series: young adults/family, says the GLAAD report and other industry report cards are important, but the representation just happened on its own.

“I’m happy to report that it all truly comes out of an organic process,” Wright, who’s gay, says. “It’s about finding incredible storytellers and letting them do their best work. There’s no additional layer of, ‘Well, can you make this person this or that person that?’ We don’t have to do that because it’s already there in the storytelling, in the fabric of these shows. I would say that this great result we’re seeing with GLAAD is just a result of us attracting incredible talent to reflect the world back to the world.” Wright has been with Netflix for six years and says there’s strong queer representation among its employees. Comparable, he says, to what he

that there’s a gay person or people that are central to the story.” There are, however, even gayer (albeit smaller) options. Dekkoo, which started in late 2015, offers movies and TV — both original and non — geared toward gay men for $9.99 per month. “When we launched, we had no delusions of grandeur or trying to beat Netflix or even pretending we could play in that field,” says Brian Sokel, Dekkoo president who, ironically, is straight having started the platform with his gay business partner Derek Curl. “But what we realized is that we could fill a void that was missing in the marketplace and

driving the queer cinema universe.” “You can ﬁnd gay stuff on all the main platforms,” he says. “It just depends on the user and what they’re looking for. The casual viewer could go on Amazon or Netﬂix and say, ‘Oh great, there’s a gay movie to watch.’ But for the person who’s really passionate about queer cinema where that’s not gonna cut it for them, that’s why we exist.” Sokel declined to share how many subscribers Dekkoo has. WOW Presents Plus (World of Wonder) is $3.99 per month after a seven-day free trial and offers “all things drag” with “UNHhhh,” “Werq the World” and “RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 12” (also on VH1). WOW Presents Plus media department did not respond to multiple requests for comment this week from the Blade. Looking ahead

FELIX MARITAUD in ‘I Am Jonas,’ a Netflix original movie about a passionate gay teen romance. Netflix is not only the industry dominator, it has the most queer content overall. (Photo courtesy Netflix)

experienced at previous jobs with Viacom, Disney and Lifetime — “I’ve bounced around the Hollywood gauntlet,” he says. He oversees shows such as “Stranger Things,” “13 Reasons Why,” “Fuller House,” “The Umbrella Academy,” “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina” and the Ryan Murphy Netﬂix shows, the latest of which, “Hollywood,” launches in May. He says the industry gatekeepers at Netﬂix — those with the power to greenlight a pitch — are more unencumbered than their counterparts in network. “We don’t have a lot of handcuffs,” he says. “We’re not handcuffed by advertising considerations, we’re not handcuffed by a conservative standards and practices group. … We hear pitches all day long and we go toward the ones that are the most pure in vision and where we feel like, ‘Wow, this person has a story to tell and they totally understand what it is in their bones.’ It’s just not uncommon

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probably do it very well and operate as a complementary service that’s allinclusive for one type of audience.” He says the big platforms are analogous to Blockbuster Video 20 years ago. “I remember going there years ago and being bummed out because the selection was one geared to the largest, most homogenous audience possible,” he says. “You wouldn’t ﬁnd any really deep selections of any genre, you really were just scratching the surface. That’s what made On Demand and Netﬂix, back when it was DVD by mail, so great was that suddenly you found this individual, independent content and all this incredible stuff you didn’t even know existed.” Don’t go to Dekkoo looking for major titles like “Moonlight” or “Love, Simon.” Dekkoo, which is about 10 percent original content, Sokel says, is for the “queer independent fare that is really

So where’s it all headed? Is network dying a long, slow death? How does Netflix plan to stave off the competition? Wright says the beauty of the new paradigm — Netflix is seven years into its original content creation — is the chance for non-U.S. content to take off and have a global impact. He cites “Money Heist” (“La casa de papel”), a crime drama/ thriller from Spain (part four with eight new episodes drops April 3), as a strong example. “It’s become massive,” he says. “I don’t believe in a pre-Netflix world that would have connected with millions of joyful fans all over the world. I think that’s a trend that we’re gonna see continue.” He says his company always knew competitors would emerge in time. As for how long streaming and broadcast can co-exist, he says it’s “anyone’s guess.” “I think that streaming is absolutely from a behavioral and technological perspective, it’s so good for the consumer and consumer control is something that’s more and more gonna be considered as the stakes keep moving forward. There are gonna be a lot of different choices out there and we just want to be the that people continue to feel is a must have.” Chun enjoys all the options and still binge-watches certain shows, but says as a consumer, he has no strong opinions about streaming usurping traditional TV. “I’m a bit numb and agnostic to it all,” he says. “Mergers are happening and Emmys are being won and I’m just like, ‘Alright, maybe I’ll check you out but I’m already bored thinking about the effort it would take and all my funds are tied up with multiple ‘cheap’ subscriptions. Oh yeah, and we haven’t even talked about porn yet.”

WRITTEN BY ANTOINETTE NWANDU DIRECTED BY PSALMAYENE 24

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and critic writing about feminist theory and contemporary art for 30 years. Noack is non-monogamous and says the term lesbian ﬁts her best, though she’s had relationships wth other genders besides women as well. She’s been in one primary relationship for 10 years. She also has two children and a grandchild. She lived most of her life in her native Germany but also had stints in Berkeley, Calif., England, Vienna/Austria and other spots. Noack lives on the cusp of Shaw and Eckington. She claims no hobbies but says she enjoys sleep and sex in her free time. How long have you been out and who was the hardest person to tell? The hardest person to tell was my mother, when I was 18. I asked her to cut off my hair, to very, very short, and afterwards, I told her that I loved women. In retrospect, I am embarrassed at myself, because I involved her almost intimately in my act of coming out without giving her much of a choice. Who’s your LGBTQ hero? We don’t need another hero. But there are people that I aspire to. Yvonne Rainer, for instance, who coined the term “the mind is a muscle.”

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

QUEERY: Ruth Noack The Corner at Whitman-Walker curator answers 20 queer questions By JOEY DIGUGLIELMO joeyd@washblade.com

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The Corner at Whitman-Walker, a new art space at 14th and R streets, N.W., is making bold gestures right out of the gate. This isn’t just pretty stuff to admire as you wait for your appointment. “When We First Arrived …” includes about 100 works by visual artists who made their pieces by responding directly to testimony from children being detained at the U.S. border. Two artists, Mary Ellen Carrol and Lucas Michael, put the word out. The works have been donated and will be sold with proceeds going to activist groups working along the U.S.-Mexico border. The show is up through March 29. “I suggested we show this work as an exhibition in D.C. at the beginning of the election year two miles from the White House,” says Ruth Noack, executive director and curator for The Corner, who arrived in Washington in November to take the position. “It needed to be done,” the 56-yearold Berlin native says. “The voices of the children need to be heard. Moreover, the artists are all really good, most of them well known in contemporary art. When do you get a chance to show art of that quality in a new space?” Noack calls the current border situation a “humanitarian crisis of untenable proportion.” Noack studied art history and started making exhibitions in 1994, which she has continued. She has also been an author

What LGBTQ annoys you?

stereotype

most

I try not to get annoyed ever. I guess, for my European taste, the mainstreaming of the LGBTQ label is a bit annoying. I don’t like how it ties into consumerism. Isn’t making a brand of yourself buying into capitalism in a way that might not be best for everyone? What’s your proudest professional achievement? My sketch exhibition “Sleeping with a Vengeance, Dreaming of a Life,” which opened in Athens in 2018, then went on to shapeshift in Prague, Beijing and Stuttgart. Its transformations are to be continued. What terriﬁes you? Losing my otherness and my outsider’s perspective as I am also trying to assimilate. What’s something trashy or vapid you love? High heels. Unfortunately, I cannot walk in them very well, but then again, high heels are worn to be taken off, ain’t they? What’s your greatest domestic skill? Eating. (Well, I love cooking too.) What’s your favorite LGBTQ movie

or show? “Born in Flames” by Lizzie Borden (1983) What’s your social media pet peeve? The permanent short circuiting of complexity. (It seems I have just outed myself as social-media-averse.) What would the end of the LGBTQ movement look like to you? Stasis. A movement that does not challenge its own racist preconceptions and its own classist fallacies every day is not worth its salt. What’s the most overrated social custom? I wouldn’t know. I break the rules all the time, often accidentally. I am by nature a conformist with a radical streak. I’ll serve napkins of the finest linen yet refuse to iron them. What was your religion, if any, as a child and what is it today? To me, religion should stay in the private sphere. It’s the only “don’t ask, don’t tell” I will accept. What’s D.C.’s best hidden gem? The Corner at Whitman-Walker, of course. What’s been the most memorable pop culture moment of your lifetime? Dancing for days (and nights) at the Carnival in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil. What celebrity death hit you hardest? I would not want to compare, but the brutal murder in 2018 of famous Greek drag queen and HIV activist Zackie Kostopoulos (aka Zackie Oh) was an alltime low. If you could redo one moment from your past, what would it be? Maybe the time I told the girl I had a serious crush on that though her shoes were very ugly she could pull it off. Needless to say, we never got together. What are your obsessions? I am obsessed about my creative process. Finish this sentence — It’s about damn time: … we started acting on climate change. What do you wish you’d known at 18? How to have good sex, obviously. Why Washington? Its people. It’s always about people, isn’t it?

MA R CH 1 3 , 2 0 2 0 • WAS H IN GTO N B LAD E.CO M • 3 3

Whirl, twirl, hiccup and sing New York City Ballet to perform works by Robbins, Balanchine and more By PHILIP VAN SLOOTEN

This spring the D.C. area renews itself with performances of both timeless classics and modern themes. Works from around the world move audiences with concepts ranging from an Algerian’s take on toxic masculinity to Dutch dancers who just can’t sit still. Cultures blend in this season’s harvest of dance. The New York City Ballet performs at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) March 31-April 5. Tickets start at $29 to experience this world-renowned dance company perform an ever-expanding repertoire. The program includes performances of George Balanchine’s “Haieff Divertimento” and “Stravinsky Violin Concerto,” Justin Peck’s “Principia,” Jerome Robbins’ “Firebird” and more. More information is available at kennedycenter.org. The Washington Ballet performs “Swan Lake” April 9-19 at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.). Tickets start at $25 for this tragic love story of a prince and a swan highlighted by lush design and intricate choreography by Julie Kent and Victor Barbee. Visit washingtonballet. org for more information on this and other performances. The Joy of Motion Dance Center presents its resident company MXDC’s performance of “The Fate of Choice” April 18-19 at the Jack Guidone Theater (5207 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.). This performance pairs contemporary dance with multimedia while exploring the themes

of free will vs. determinism. An artistic and philosophical audience discussion follows the performance. Tickets will soon be available at motionxdance.org. “Pokon: An Unstoppable Game of Growth,” tumbles across the Kennedy Center stage (2700 F St., N.W.) April 2426. Three performers from the Dutch dance company De Dansers whirl, twirl, hiccup and sing in a mesmerizing performance for children and adults alike. This event is a perfect show for people who like to ﬁdget, ages 5 and up. Tickets start at $6 for school groups at kennedy-center.org. Kyle Abraham’s A.I.M runs the stage May 1-2 at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.). Tickets start at $25 for this rich, cultural perspective of today’s dance community. Abraham won a 2010 Bessie Award for Outstanding Performance in Dance and a MacArthur “genius grant” in 2018. His company A.I.M., displaying his visceral choreography, has shared the stage with the New York City Ballet and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. More information is available at kennedy-center.org. The Bowen McCauley Dance Company presents “Something Borrowed,” a dance piece accompanied by Arlington’s National Chamber Ensemble, Saturday, May 2 at 7:30 p.m. at the Gunston Arts Center (2700 South Lang St., Arlington, Va.). Tickets and more information will be posted soon on bmdc.org.

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“Coppelia,” performed by the Washington Ballet, runs May 13-17 at the Warner Theatre (513 13th St., N.W.). Coppelia is comedic ballet about an eccentric scientist who creates a mechanical doll that becomes the obsession of young man with a fiancee. Tickets start at $25 at washingtonballet. org. The Scottish Ballet performs “The Crucible” May 13-17 at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.). Scotland’s national dance company performs Arthur Miller’s classic political allegory set against the Salem witch trials. Tickets start at $29 at kennedy-center.org. The Bolshoi Ballet performs “Romeo and Juliet” June 2-7 at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.). Russian dancers immerse themselves in Shakespeare’s drama choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky and danced to Prokofiev’s lush, cinematic score. Tickets start at $59 at kennedy-center.org. JoyFest, the annual Joy of Motion Dance Festival, comes to the Jack Guidone Theater Sunday, June 7. This free youth dance event showcases over 750 youth dancers in grades one-12 from across D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Student dancers perform a variety of genres to include ballet, flamenco, hip hop, jazz and more. More information will be available at joyofmotion.org.

Cherry turns 25 next month The Cherry Fund celebrates its 25th anniversary April 16-20. Flawless, the main event, will feature Shane Marcus, Micky Friedmann and Sagi Kariv at the Washington DC Entertainment & Sports Arena (1100 Oak St., S.E.). Tickets and details at cherrydc.com. D.C. Lambda Squares holds its LGBT square dancing club night every Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at National City Christian Church (5 Thomas Circle). Details at dclambdasquares.org. And Queer Tango six-week initiation classes are held Fridays at 7:30 p.m. at Balance Gym (1339 Green Ct., N.W., third ﬂoor) March 20-April 24. Details at tangomercurio.org.

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Spotty spring concert season Unusually short on queer acts; several top shows sold out By THOM MURPHY This spring sees a number of prominent acts come to the District, including Billie Eilish, Patti Smith and Niall Horan, as well as some exciting upand-coming performers. Chris Thile, folk artist from Nickel Creek and host of the radio variety show “Live From Here,” will perform Saturday, (March 14) at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.). Tickets are available at ticketmaster.com. The Irish women’s group Celtic Women also have a concert Saturday night at the Hippodrome Theatre (12 N. Eutaw St., Baltimore). Tickets are available beginning at $65 from ticketmaster.com. Classic rock group Styx will be in concert at the Warner Theatre (513 13th St., N.W.) on Tuesday, March 17 at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $55 on ticketmaster.com. Billie Eilish, who won ﬁve Grammy awards in 2020, has a sold out show at Capital One Arena (601 F St., N.W.) on Wednesday, March 18. Ally Brooke, one of the members of the group Fifth Harmony (“Worth It,” “Work from Home”), will come to Maryland for a solo concert on Thursday, March 19 at 8 p.m at Baltimore Soundstage (124 Market Pl., Baltimore). General admission tickets are available from ticketmaster.com for $27.50. Singer-songwriter and author Patti Smith comes to the District on Saturday, March 21 with her daughter Jesse Paris Smith. The concert will be at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.). Tickets start

at $143 and may be purchased from ticketmaster.com. Actress and singer Mandy Moore, who just released her ﬁrst album in 11 years, entitled “Silver Landings,” will be coming to Washington for a show at Warner Theatre (513 13th St., N.W.) on Thursday, March 26 at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $30.50 and may be acquired at livenation.com. Singer Kat Edmonson will be back on Thursday, March 26 at 8 p.m. for a show at The Hamilton (600 14th St., N.W.). General admission tickets can be found for $40 at ticketmaster.com. On Saturday, March 28 Radiohead lead singer Thom Yorke (along with Canadian sound artist Sarah Davachi) will be in Virginia for a show. The concert will take place at the Eaglebank Arena (4500 Patriot Circle, Fairfax, Va.) at 8 p.m. Tickets are available exclusively from ticketmaster.com and begin at $45.50. Rosanne Cash plays the Birchmere (3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria, Va.) for back-to-back sold-out shows March 31-April 1 at 7:30 p.m. English rock artist John Waite, who released the 1984 memorable hit “Missing You,” later re-recorded as a duet with country-bluegrass Alison Krauss, is coming for a concert on Friday, April 3 at 8 p.m at The Barns At Wolf Trap (1645 Trap Rd., Vienna, Va.). Tickets range from $37-47 and may be purchased from the venue at wolftrap.org. Be Steadwell performs at City Winery (1350 Okie St., N.E.) Sunday, April 5 at 6 p.m. Tickets are $15 to hear this

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MIKA brings his ‘Revelation Tour’ to Washington in May. (Photo via Mika/Instagram)

D.C.-based singer-songwriter perform a blend of soul, a capella and folk music she calls queer pop. Visit citywinery.com for more information. The Beach Boys will be performing in the District on Tuesday, April 7 at 8 p.m. at The Anthem (901 Wharf St., S.W.). Tickets start at $57 and may be purchased at ticketmaster.com. Sinead O’Connor, who’s bi, plays The Birchmere April 7. It’s sold out. On Tuesday, April 14 Vanessa Carlton plays a show as a part of a tour tied to the release of her new album, “Love Is an Art.” The concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. at the Birchmere (3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria, Va.). General admission tickets are available for $29.50 from ticketmaster.com. Country singer Martina McBride will be in town on Thursday, April 23 at 8 p.m. at the Warner Theatre (513 13th St., N.W.). Tickets start at $45 and are available from livenation.com. On Monday, April 27 Former One Direction member Niall Horan is bringing his “Nice To Meet Ya Tour” to Washington for an 8 p.m. show at Capital One Arena (601 F St., N.W.). Tickets may be acquired at ticketmaster.com and

start at $29.50. Former “American Idol” contestant David Archuleta (best known for his 2008 hit “Crush”) is returning for a concert at City Winery (1350 Okie St., N.E.) on Monday, May 4 at 8 p.m as a part of his “Ok, All Right Tour.” Tickets may be purchased directly from the venue at citywinery.com and start at $28. Another former “American Idol” contestant Chris Daughtry is coming to Maryland with the Daughtry Acoustic Trio on Tuesday, May 5 at 8 p.m. The concert will be held at The Modell Lyric (140 W. Mt. Royal Ave., Baltimore). Tickets start at $65 and may be purchased at ticketmaster.com. Out popster Mika plays the Lincoln Theatre (1215 U St., N.W.). May 5. It’s sold out. Consolation prize if you missed out: he has a new album “Live from Brooklyn Steel” just out that was recorded last year. Boyz II Men is slated to perform Sunday, May 10 at 8 p.m. at The Theater at MGM National Harbor (101 MGM National Ave., Oxon Hill, Md.). Tickets may be purchase starting at $59 at ticketmaster.com. CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

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STEFAN ALEXANDER, LADY GAGA, MAX and INDIGO GIRLS are among artists prepping spring album releases. (Photos courtesy Michael George, Mighty Real Agency, Donovan PR and Jeremy Cowart respectively)

Adam, Sam, Rufus, Gaga and more Uber-queer spring brings spate of highly anticipated new albums By THOM MURPHY The excitement for upcoming new music releases is palpable and much of the blame can be pinned on Lady Gaga. The surprise release of her single “Stupid Love” foregrounds her new album “Chromatica,” which will be released in April. But that’s not the only musical event worth our attention in the coming months, although it’s certainly the biggest. Today (March 13) Niall Horan releases his album “Heartbreak Weather.” This is the second solo album by the former One Direction member, who has continued to put out successful hits, including “Slow Hands” and “This Town,” after the boy band’s split up. Saturday, March 14 sees the release of the queercore band Middle-Aged Queers’ debut album, “Too Fag For Love.” On Friday, March 20 Adam Lambert is set to release his fourth studio album, entitled “Velvet.” The fantastically talented Lambert, who has toured with Queen+Adam Lambert (comprised of original members of Queen with Lambert serving as lead vocalist), remains something of a gay icon since appearing on “American Idol” in 2009. On the same day, “ALICIA,” Alicia Keys’ latest album, will be released. So far three singles have been released from the new album, “Show Me Love,”

“Time Machine” and “Underdog,” which was released earlier this year along with a new music video. The pop-punk boyband 5 Seconds of Summer (or 5SOS) will release its fourth studio album, “Calm,” on March 27. Touring early on with One Direction, the group has continued to made their own way well after One Direction dissipated. So far they have released four singles, including the popular “Easier,” which has nearly 200 million streams on Spotify. Also on March 27, Sufjan Stevens will release “Aporia,” his first full album in five years. That isn’t to say that the Brooklynbased singer has not been busy in the meantime. His music is everywhere lately. He has worked on the soundtrack for a number of recent film projects, including Luca Guadagnino’s 2017 “Call Me By Your Name.” And the song “Chicago” from his fantastic 2005 album “Illinois” serves as the theme for Ryan Murphy’s Netflix show “The Politician,” starring Ben Platt. Vanessa Carlton is expected to release her sixth studio album, “Love Is An Art,” on the same day. It’s unlikely there’s a single person who doesn’t know “A Thousand Miles,” her monster hit. In fact, her debut album “Be Not Nobody” (2002) is the only one of albums to enjoy major success. Carlton has nevertheless continued to produce music.

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On April 3, Nina Simone’s album 1982 “Fodder On My Wings” will be rereleased widely in digital and physical format. It offers a chance to become reacquainted with one of the iconic R&B singer’s lesser-known albums. Queer New York-based artist Stefan Alexander releases his sophomore EP “Cry Again” on April 3. The highlight of the spring album releases is without a doubt Lady Gaga’s “Chromatica” on April 10. Nearly every project she has been involved in has been a success, including her starring role alongside Bradley Cooper in “A Star Is Born” (2018). The song “Shallow,” sung by Gaga and Cooper, won Best Original Song at the Golden Globes and Oscars. But if the new single “Stupid Love” is any indication, “Chromatica” will be something of a return to an earlier iteration of Gaga, something more akin to the musical style of “Born This Way” (2011) than to the more experimental “Art Pop” (2013) and “Joanne” (2016). Her highly limited spring tour isn’t coming to Washington. Peggy Lee’s centennial year is being celebrated with various events. “Ultimate Peggy Lee” drops April 17 and features a 57-year-old unreleased track. On April 24, Rufus Wainwright’s new album “Unfollow The Rules” will be released. In anticipation of the

new record, the gay singer-songwriter released singles “Damsel In Distress” and “Trouble In Paradise” earlier this year. Indigo Girls release their new album “Long Look” on April 24, their ﬁrst since 2015. They’ve reunited with producer John Reynolds who produced their ’99 album “Come On Now Social.” They play Rehoboth May 2. Sam Smith, a gay artist who recently came out as non-binary, will release “To Die For” on May 1, a follow-up to the widely successful “The Thrill Of It All” (2017) and “In The Lonely Hour” (2014). Four singles have been released thus far, including “Dancing with a Stranger” and the eponymous “To Die For,” released earlier this year. The ’80s rock band The Psychedelic Furs will put out a new album, entitled “Made Of Rain,” also on May 1. The group, which continues to tour the world, has enjoyed renewed interest after their hit song “Love My Way” from the 1982 album “Forever Now” was featured in “Call Me By Your Name.” Additionally, ’90s rocker Alanis Morissette will release her ninth studio album, “Such Pretty Forks in the Road,” on that day. It’s her ﬁrst album since “Havoc and Bright Lights” in 2012. CONTINUES ON PAGE 54

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Galleries galore David Amoroso, Delita Martin, Volkmar Wentzel among artists in current exhibitions By MICHELLE SIEGEL

AGNES MOOREHEAD as Endora on ‘Bewitched.’ Painting by David Amoroso from his exhibit ‘Raised by TV on display now at Artists & Makers Studios. (Image courtesy Amoroso)

Local gay artist David Amoroso pays homage to ’70s TV with his exhibit “Raised by TV” at Artists & Makers Studios (11810 Parklawn Dr., Rockville, Md.) featuring paintings of Agnes Moorehead (“Bewitched”), Florence Henderson (“The Brady Bunch”), Fred Rogers (“Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood”), Bea Arthur (“Maude”), the cast of “The Jeffersons,” the cast of “Charlie’s Angels,” Carol Burnett, Jean Stapleton (“All in the Family”), Mary Tyler Moore and more. The exhibit runs through March 26. Amoroso also displays his work in the back room at Miss Pixie’s. The Teresa Lozano Long Gallery of the National Museum of Women in the Arts (1250 New York Ave., N.W.) displays “Delita Martin: Calling Down the Spirits” through April 19. This exhibit contains seven large prints of black individuals, which Martin created and decorated using a variety of

Clockwise from top: FARRAH FAWCETT, JACLYN SMITH and KATE JACKSON, the original cast of ‘Charlie’s Angels.’ Painting by David Amoroso from his exhibit ‘Raised by TV on display now at Artists & Makers Studios. (Image courtesy Amoroso)

means in order to “create a new iconography for African Americans based on African tradition, personal recollections and physical materials.” Admission is $10 for adults, with discounts for students and seniors. Members and those 18 and under enter free. The American University Museum at the Katzen Art Center (4400 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.) exhibits both the paintings of late AU Professor Emeritus Robert Franklin Gates (in a showing titled “Paint What You See”) and the work of late National Geographic photographer Volkmar Wentzel through May 24. The AU Museum is open to the public and admission is free. The National Gallery of Art (6th and Constitution Ave., N.W.) hosts “True to Nature: Open-Air Painting in Europe, 1780–1870” through May 3 in the inner tier of the ground ﬂoor of its West Building. This exhibit features around 100 oil sketches of

‘Soul Keeper,’ a 2016 gelatin printing, acrylic, conté, hand stitching and decorative papers on paper by Delita Martin. (Photo by Joshua Asante; courtesy National Museum of Women in the Arts)

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landscapes across Europe, created by artists among the likes of Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot, John Constable, Simon Denis, Jules Coignet and André Giroux. Admission is free. CulturalDC presents “Rendition” by Zoë Charlton at CulturalDC’s Mobile Art Gallery in Union Market (5th and Neal St., N.E.) through March 22. According to CulturalDC, this collection of sculptures and assorted artwork “addresses cultural identity, race, commodity and cultural tokenism.” Admission is free. The Phillips Collection (1600 21st St., N.W.) showcases “Moira Dryer: Back in Business” through April 19, describing the assortment of paintings and sculptures as “the ﬁrst comprehensive museum exhibition to consider the early work of Moira Dryer.” Admission to this exhibit and other ticketed exhibits is $12 for adults, with discounts for students and seniors. Museum members

‘Yellow, Pink, Blue and Purple,’ a work by Carl Alexander in display at Zenith Gallery. (Image courtesy Zenith)

and those 18 and under enter free. Zenith Gallery’s Upper Northwest Gallery (1429 Iris St., N.W.) displays “Carl Alexander: The Last Washington Color School Painter” through March 21, on which day a closing reception will be held from 2-6 p.m. Alexander studied under famous artist Morris Louis as an early member of the Washington Color School movement, which went on to become world-renowned. Admission is free. Hillwood Museum (4155 Linnean Ave., N.W.) exhibits “Natural Beauties: Exquisite Works of Minerals and Gems” through June 7. The items presented in this showing “are crafted from materials like jade, agate, onyx, rock crystal, amethyst, jasper, malachite and lapis lazuli.” Suggested donation is $18 for adults, with lesser amounts requested of seniors, college students and children ages 6-18. Children under 6 and Hillwood members are not asked to donate. The National Gallery of Art (6th and Constitution Ave., N.W.) hosts “Raphael and His Circle” through June 14 in Gallery 22 on the ground floor of its West Building. The gallery celebrates the 500th anniversary of the artistic great’s death with a display of 25 artworks, including four drawings and five paintings by Raphael himself. Admission is free. The Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery (17th and Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.) presents “Hearts of Our People: Native Women Artists” through May 17. The Renwick Gallery refers to this exhibit — a collection of more than 80 artworks crafted through varied means throughout history — as “the first major thematic show to explore the artistic achievements of Native women.” Admission is free. CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

Celebrate Women’s History Month with the National Portrait Gallery FEATURED EXHIBITIONS:

One Life: Marian Anderson through May 17, 2020

Women of Progress: Early Camera Portraits through May 31, 2020

Storied Women of the Civil War through March 13, 2022 PLUS:

The painting Orange Disaster (Linda Nochlin) by Deborah Kass through fall 2021 THE CELEBRATION WILL CONTINUE WITH:

Birthright by Maren Hassinger Sunday, June 7, 2020, 1:00 p.m. a performance art commission for the National Portrait Gallery’s IDENTIFY series

Her Story: A Century of Women Writers opening July 10, 2020

8th and F St. NW • Washington, DC 20001 • npg.si.edu #myNPG • @Smithsoniannpg Photo: Maren Hassinger by Grace Roselli. Pandora’s BoxX Project.

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‘Till’ we meet again Ambitious Mosaic trilogy on lynching victim part of daring spring theatrical season By PATRICK FOLLIARD

With spring comes a rush of exciting theater. Options abound. Through April 12, Arena Stage (1101 6th St., S.W.), presents out Cuban-American playwright Eduardo Machado’s “Celia and Fidel.” Machado’s new play imagines a conversation between Cuba’s most inﬂuential female revolutionary and its most notorious political leader in a contest between morality and power. Arena’s out artistic director Molly Smith directs. Details at arenastage.org. Ford’s Theatre (511 10th St., N.W.) is marking spring with “Guys and Dolls” (March 13-May 20), composer Frank Loesser’s classic 1950s musical comedy drawn from Damon Runyon’s slangy short stories set in Prohibition-era Broadway. Peter Flynn directs. Details at fordstheatre. org. At Signature Theatre (4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington), out artistic director Eric Schaeffer stages “Camille Claudel” (March 24-April 19), a world premiere by librettist Nan Knighton and composer Frank Wildhorn. In turn-of-the-century Paris, groundbreaking artist and freethinker Camille struggles to shake the shadow of the powerful men in her life — a famous overbearing brother, and her lover, genius sculptor Auguste Rodin. The cast includes Broadway’s Teal Wicks in the title role and handsome Hugh Panaro as Rodin. Also, at Signature, out theater practitioners, playwright Norman Allen and director Joe Calarco, reunite for a reprise of “Nijinsky’s Last Dance” (April 14-May 24). Famed early 20th century Russian ballet great Vaslav Nijinsky inhabits characters from his past, as “he journeys from his Imperial Ballet School acceptance at age 10, to his relationship with mentor and lover Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev, to

his innovative choreography that shocked a world in tumult from the Great War.” Details at sigtheatre.org. Tyson’s 1st Stage (1524 Spring Hill Rd., Tysons, Va.) presents out composer William Finn’s inspiring and funny musical “A New Brain” (March 26-April 19). Based on Finn’s experience with a life-threatening brain condition, it’s the story of frustrated young composer Gordon Schwinn (Aaron Bliden) whose scary brush with mortality leads him to discover the healing power of art. Russell Rinker plays Gordon’s boyfriend Roger. Details at 1ststagetysons.org. At Theater J (1529 16th St., N.W.), Naomi Jacobson repeats her star turn as sexpert Dr. Ruth Westheimer in Mark St. Germain’s “Becoming Dr. Ruth” (March 27-April 19). Out director/actor Holly Twyford stages the one-woman play. Details at theaterj.org. Olney Theatre Center (2001 OlneySandy Spring Rd., Olney, Md.) presents “The Humans” (April 1-May 3), the brilliant family drama by out playwright Stephen Karam. Winner of the 2016 Tony Award for Best Play, Karam’s play puts the spotlight on an unraveling, working class family as they gather for Thanksgiving in one of the adult daughter’s dingy new apartment in Manhattan’s Chinatown. Aaron Posner directs. Details at olneytheatre.org. D.C.’s Mosaic Theater Company (Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St., N.E.) plans an ambitious world premiere staging of a three-play cycle following the life and legacy of Emmett Till, the young AfricanAmerican boy whose lynching in part set off the civil rights movement. “The Till Trilogy” (April 1-June 21), written by Ifa Bayeza and directed by Talvin Wilks, consists of “The Ballad of Emmett Till,” “That Summer in Sumner” and “Benevolence.” The cast

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VAUGHN RYAN MIDDER as Emmett Till in Mosaic Theater Compay’s ‘The Till Trilogy.’ (Photo by Iwan Bagus)

includes out actors Vaughn Ryan Midder as Emmett and Jaysen Wright. Details at mosaictheater.org. At Quotidian Theatre Company (The Writer’s Center, 4508 Walsh St., Bethesda, Md.) out actor David Dubov plays uptight, judgmental Pastor Manders in Henrik Ibsen’s masterpiece “Ghosts” (April 3-26). Details at quotidiantheatre.org. In Penn Quarter, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company (641 D St., N.W.) presents Paola Lázaro’s new work “There’s Always the Hudson” (April 6-May 3). T and Lola, a pair of sexual abuse survivors who meet through a support group (played respectively by talented out actor Justin

Weaks and Lázaro, the drama’s author) make a pact to exact revenge on everyone who’s hurt them. Jess McLeod directs. Details at woollymammoth.net. April is Broadway at the Kennedy Center with the 50th anniversary production of “Jesus Christ Superstar” (April 14-26), the rock opera with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. Also slated is the infectiously fun, Broadway musical classic “Bye Bye Birdie” (April 23-27). Details at kennedy-center.org.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 54

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Novels, bios, kids’ books and more From ‘Rust Belt Femme’ to ‘Confessions of a Gay Priest,’ spring memoirs weave compelling sagas By MICHELLE SIEGEL FICTION Set on a reservation in northern Minnesota, “This Town Sleeps” by Dennis E. Staples (Counterpoint, March 3) chronicles the story of Marion, a Ojibwe man who enters a relationship with a white, closeted former classmate and investigates the murder of a young Ojibwe basketball star. Staples drew from his own cultural background to write this novel, which “Finding Hope in the High Country” author Pam Houston promises “will haunt you with the beauty, despair and hope of the characters whose lives it bears witness to.” In “Under the Rainbow” by Celia Laskey (Riverhead Books, March 3), a group of LGBT social activists move to the ﬁctional town of Big Burr, Kansas — which has recently been labelled “the most homophobic town in the U.S.” — as part of a grand plan to make a dent in its closeminded culture. Newcomers and longtime residents struggle to see eye to eye in Laskey’s novel, which “Mostly Dead Things” author Kristen Arnett describes as “a timely look into what it means to be queer in spaces that aggressively refuse you.” For what The White Review calls an “inventive and heady mixture of Spanish and English,” check out “Fiebre Tropical” (Amethyst Editions, March 4) by Juli Delgado Lopera, a San Francisco-based Colombian author. Delgado Lopera’s

novel stars a 15-year-old Colombian immigrant named Francisca, whose move to Miami becomes complicated when she wades into evangelicalism to get closer to a pastor’s daughter. This entry comes with a trigger warning for sexual assault, but if you are looking for trans representation, you’ll ﬁnd it in “Somebody Told Me” by Mia Siegert (Carolrhoda Lab, April 7). In Siegert’s novel, which “How We Fall” author Kate Brauning describes as a “heart-wrenching and hopeful look at faith, gender and sexuality,” 17-year-old Aleks/Alexis — still processing their own traumatic experience — strives to uncover the identity of a priest they overheard confess to molesting a parishioner. “The Subtweet” by Vivek Shraya (ECW Press, April 7) explores the relationship between struggling musician Neela and web sensation Rukmini, which devolves when Neela — jealous of how far Rukmini has gotten by covering her song — vents her frustrations on Twitter. “Buffy Sainte-Marie: The Authorized Biography” author Andrea Warner calls Shraya’s novel “a smart, funny, incisive, heart-crushing interrogation of art, race, friendship, social media and the music industry.” DC and Marvel fans seeking solid LGBT representation may want to try “The Extraordinaries” by TJ Klune (Tor Teen, May 5), which Kirkus Reviews describes as “hilarious, sweet and absolutely super.”

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Klune’s novel follows a popular fanﬁction author named Nick as he bonds with his best friend and fawns over a local superhero. Non-binary folks can look forward to “Vanishing Monuments” by John Elizabeth Stintzi (Arsenal Pulp Press, May 5), which centers on Alani Baum, a middleaged, non-binary photographer and teacher who is compelled to reconnect with their ailing estranged mother. Their emotional journey in search of closure is described by musician and poet John K. Samson as “a beautiful puzzle of place and belonging, identity and vocation, duty and love.” “Felix Ever After” by Kacen Callender (Balzer+Bray, May 5) focuses on Felix, a black transgender boy who doesn’t know what love feels like until his plan to get revenge on an anonymous transphobic bully goes awry. “Red, White & Royal Blue” author Casey McQuiston touts Callender’s novel as “refreshingly real” in its portrayal of “queer kids who live and breathe and swear and love and make messy mistakes.” In “Boys of Alabama” by Genevieve Hudson (Liveright, May 19), Max — a German expat ﬁnding his niche in America’s Deep South — becomes intrigued by his goth physics classmate and the lore that surrounds him. “Whip Smart” and “Abandon Me” author Melissa Febos describes Hudson’s novel as “a

love song to outsiders of all kinds, a queer love story about the ways we ﬁnd to heal ourselves and each other, and proof that there can be magic amid the burdens of masculinity.” Set in the Manhattan neighborhood of Little Syria, “The Thirty Names of Night” by Zeyn Joukhadar (Atria Books, May 19) details the personal journey of a closeted Syrian American transgender boy, chronicling his hunt for a new name, the real reasons behind his mother’s death and the revolutionary truths linked to the name “Laila Z.” The author of “The Atlas of Reds and Blues,” Devi S. Laskar, breaks the novel down as “part ghost story, part history, part art, all magic.” NON-FICTION If you’re looking to further educate yourself on LGBT issues, check out “Bodies and Barriers: Queer Activists on Health,” edited by Adrian Shanker with a foreward by Rachel L. Levine and an afterword by Kate Kendall (PM Press, March 1). This compilation of essays from 26 LGBT activists, according to National LGBTQ Task Force Executive Director Rea Carey, serves to “shine a spotlight on how and why good health care for LGBTQ people and our families is such a challenge.” CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

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Cinematic spring Regional filmfests, family-friendly fare and long-delayed ‘The Hunt’ By BRIAN T. CARNEY In this hotly contested election year, it seems appropriate that the spring movie season kicks off with “Slay the Dragon,” a hard-hitting documentary about gerrymandering. Directed by Chris Durrance and Barak Goodman, the film opens today. While there are some great theatrical releases on the schedule, the spring cinematic calendar in the region is dominated by several outstanding film festivals that showcase a wide variety of movies from the United States and around the world. The Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital, which showcases films that promote a message of urgent action on climate, runs through March 22. While the schedule does not include much LGBT content, it does include the legal ecothriller “Dark Waters” from queer auteur Todd Haynes (“Carol”). The closing night film is the world premiere of “Jane Goodall: The Hope,” a celebration of the renowned anthropologist. A full schedule is available at dceff.org. Running March 26-29, the Annapolis Film Festival features an unbeatable combination of gorgeous scenery, delicious seafood and great films. As of press time, the schedule for 2020 has not been announced, but full details will be released at annapolisfilmfestival.com. Running April 23-May 3, Filmfest D.C. (filmfestdc.org) squeezes 80 films from 45 countries into 11 days for one great celebration of international cinema. The festival always spotlights exciting LGBT films. This years entries will include the Polish film “Black Mercedes,” a detective story set in Nazi-occupied Warsaw that hinges on secret identities; “The Capote Tapes,” an American documentary about the famous gay author directed by former Obama White House staffer Ebs Burnough; and the short film “There You Are” by the talented Lisa Donato, which will run as part of the Lunafest program. Throughout the spring, Reel Affirmations, D.C.’s international LGBTQ

film festival, will host monthly screenings at Landmark’s E Street Cinema. Information will be available at thedccenter.org/ reelaffirmations. With a board of directors that incudes John Waters and an advisory board that include Edward Norton and Barry Levinson, the Maryland Film Festival (mdfilmfest. com/festival) features an amazing variety of films, including a special screening hosted by Waters himself. This year’s festival runs April 29-May 3 with movies and events taking place in a variety of Baltimore locations. Finally, JxJ is a multi-disciplinary arts project that encompasses the Washington Jewish Film and Music Festivals. Running May 7-24, the hybrid arts programming will again include the popular “Rated LGBTQ” films. Movies will be screened throughout the Metro D.C. area, including the new state-of-the-art cinema at Cafritz Hall in the Edlavitch D.C.-JCC. The full schedule will be announced at the end of March at jxjdc.org. Meanwhile, the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in downtown Silver Spring (afisilver.afi.com) continues to present an unbeatable combination of contemporary independent films from across the country and around the globe, as well as carefully curated collections of classic films from Hollywood and the international cinema. Upcoming special engagements include a memorial retrospective on the groundbreaking and genre-bending French filmmaker Agnes Varda (March 20-April 21); “Welcome to the Bong Hive: A Bong Joon Ho Retrospective” (March 28-April 23), a sampling of works by the Academy Awardwinning director of “Parasite” that includes the enigmatic “Snowpiercer” starring queer icon Tilda Swinton; and a collection of historic silent films (with live musical accompaniment) from the Fox Film Corporation, including the classic “Sunrise: A Story of Two Humans” directed by the great gay German filmmaker F. W. Murnau (“Nosferatu”). CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

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DANIEL CRAIG in ‘No Time to Die.’

(Photo by Nicola Dove; courtesy United Artists Releasing)

DAKOTA JOHNSON and TRACEE ELLIS ROSS in ‘The High Note.’ (Photo by Glen Wilson; courtesy Focus Features)

BETTY GILPIN in ‘The Hunt.’ (Photo courtesy Universal Pictures)

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Something old, something new on TV ‘Little Fires Everywhere,’ ‘Feel Good,’ ‘Lazy Susan’ among debuting queer series By BRIAN T. CARNEY The spring television season will be a chance for LGBT fans to say goodbye to some old favorites and to try out some interesting new broadcast and streaming movies and shows. After 11 successful seasons, the ABC sitcom “Modern Family” is going off the air April 8. The extended eccentric Pritchett clan included gay attorney Mitchell (played by out actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson) and his husband Cam (Eric Stonestreet), a flamboyant teacher and football coach. A spin-off series is reportedly in the works, but it’s not clear whether or not Cam, Mitchell and their adopted daughter will be involved. On April 9, the ground-breaking NBC series “Will & Grace” will shutter after 11 seasons (eight in its initial run and three in revival). Although some LGBT audiences objected to what they considered stereotypical characters, the series made huge strides in the representation of gay people on the small screen. Other shows with significant LGBT characters that are scheduled to end this spring include “Empire” on Fox (May 12), ABC’s “How to Get Away with Murder” (May 14) and “Supernatural” on the CW (May 18). The final episode of the award-winning comedy “Schitt’s Creek,” written by and starring out artist Daniel Levy, will air on Pop TV and the CBC on April 20. Netflix has not yet announced when it will air the final season of the popular show. Netflix is also ending “GLOW” and “Dear White People” although final air dates have not yet been announced. ABC is shutting down “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” sometime this year. Meanwhile, the spring television season is off to a horrific start with “Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street.” The documentary examines the homoerotic overtones and homophobic reception of the 1985 thriller “Nightmare on Elm Street

2: Freddy’s Revenge” and features out actor Mark Patton who starred in the controversial (and campy) horror classic. The movie has dropped on several streaming platforms and may get a theatrical release. Also underway is the darkly comic “These Thems” which explores the intersectional issues facing marginalized communities. The show features queer, trans and nonbinary actors playing queer, trans and nonbinary roles and every crew member identiﬁes as a member of a marginalized group. PBS will run a 50-minute documentary March 27 about nationally renowned Chef Patrick O’Connell and his empire The Inn at Little Washington in small town Virginia. “The Inn at Little Washington: a Delicious New Documentary” follows the gay-owned Inn’s “quirky cast of characters on their journey to obtaining a third Michelin star.” Over on Dekkoo (and other platforms), “Strange Hearts” examines the unexpectedly interconnected lives of three queer characters from wildly different backgrounds. Created by Kevin James Thornton, the web series premiered March 12. Out writer and actor Lena Waithe joins the cast of “Westworld” when it returns to HBO for season three on HBO on March 15. Set at the intersection of the near future and the imagined past, the acclaimed series is set in a Wild West theme park where human-like androids fulﬁll the fantasies of the human guests. On March 16, the six-episode miniseries “The Plot Against America” premieres on HBO. Based on the novel by Philip Roth and starring John Turturro, Zoe Kazan and Winona Ryder, the show depicts an alternative history where xenophobic populist Chares Lindbergh defeats Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1940 presidential election and turns the United States towards fascism. CONTINUES ON PAGE 54

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KERRY WASHINGTON and REESE WITHERSPOON in ‘Little Fires Everywhere.’ (Photo by Erin Simkin; courtesy Hulu)

BLAIR UNDERWOOD and OCTAVIA SPENCER in ’Self-Made.’ (Photo courtesy Netﬂix)

QUA HARPER ROBERTSON in ‘Stranger Hearts.’ (Photo courtesy Dekkoo)

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Symphonies, opera, Gay Men’s Chorus and more on spring slate Out British pianist Stephen Hough to play, present essay book mid-April By PHILIP VAN SLOOTEN

“P r i s m,” composer Ellen Reid’s surreal and haunting opera exploring the trauma of sexual abuse and the problems of memory in its wake, will be performed today and Saturday at the Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.). Tickets are $29 at kennedycenter.org. Washington National Opera has two current productions. Mozart’s “Don Giovanni,” continues through March 22 at the Kennedy Center Opera House (2700 F St., N.W.). Tickets range from $45-299. And Saint-Saen’s “Samson and Delilah” runs through March 21. “Blue,” a new opera by Jeanine Tesori and Tazewell Thompson about the death of a young black man by a white police ofﬁcer, is slated for a March 15-28 production. SHIFT: a Festival of American Orchestras runs March 24-28 with the Jacksonville Symphony (its music director Courtney Lewis is gay) performing March 24, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra March 25, Knoxville Symphony Orchestra March 27 and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra March 28. The National Symphony Orchestra, as usual, has several upcoming concerts. Russian pianist Denis Kozhukhin will

perform the Grieg Piano Concerto April 2-4, Louis Langree conducts Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto with gay pianist Stephen Hough April 16 and 18. The British-born Hough, who now lives in Australia, will also promote his new book of witty essays “Rough Ideas: Reﬂections on Music and More” (one essay is dubbed “Gay pianists: can you tell?”) at Politics & Prose (5015 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) on Sunday, April 19 at 1 p.m. It’s free to attend. Details at politics-prose.com. Back to the NSO, Conductor Laureate Christoph Eschenbach returns to conduct an all-French program, including Ravel’s famous “Bolero,” April 23-25. Queer organist Cameron Carpenter will perform Poulenc’s “Organ Concerto” all three nights. All performances are in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Details and tickets at kennedy-center.org. Not classical but quick side note, since it is at the Kennedy Center — TV icon Lynda Carter (“Wonder Woman”) will give her annual concert on Saturday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the Terrace Theater. This year’s show is calld “The Human & Divine Tour” and features her daughter, Jessica Carter Altman. Tickets are $65-110.

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Openly gay pianist STEPHEN HOUGH performs with the National Symphony Orchestra April 16 and 18. (Photo by Sim Canetty-Clarke)

On Saturday, March 28, the Choral Arts Society of Washington presents “Music by Women on a Mission” with performances at 4 and 8 p.m. at Live! at 10th & G (945 G St., N.W.). Artistic Director Scott Tucker will be joined by guest conductor Gisele Becker for a program by women composers. Tickets are $30 at choralarts.org. Also in the only “loosely” classical vein, Congressional Chorus presents its cabaret show “Vogue: Return to the ‘90s” March 21-22 at Church of the Epiphany (1317 G St., N.W.). Tickets are $39-49 ($19 for students). Details at congressionalchorus.org. Washington Concert Opera performs Verdi’s “Simon Boccanegra” on Sunday, April 5 at 6 p.m. at Lisner Auditorium (730 21st St., N.W.). Its 2020 Gala: an Evening with Offenbach is Wednesday, May 13 at 6 p.m. at the Embassy of France (401 Reservoir Rd., N.W.). A variety of ticket packages are available. Details at concertopera.org.

Way more pop leaning but still of note, The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington will perform its new show “Genderosity” this weekend (see page 56 for details). It will debut a new choral work by Broadway vet Andrew Lippa “Unbreakable” in early June. The Washington Bach Consort, under gay direction, has a bounty of spring performances in its Director’s Series, Chamber Series and Noontime Cantata Series. Full details at bachconsort.org. D.C. Different Drummers, an LGBT ensemble, offers its “Precious Moments” concert (its annual symphonic band spring concert) on Saturday, April 4 at 7 p.m. at Church of the Epiphany (1317 G St., N.W.). Thea Kano of the Gay Men’s Chorus will join as guest conductor. La Voix Live 2020, an evening of music and laughter with the D.C. Different Drummers ensembles is Friday, April 17. Details at dcdd.org.

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MOZART AND MENDELSSOHN

SUN, MAR 29, 3 PM

DAVID FRAY

Marin Alsop, conductor • David Fray, piano David Fray performs Mozart’s youthful masterpiece, Piano Concerto No. 9. Marin Alsop and the Orchestra bring to life Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel’s Overture in C Major, Felix Mendelssohn’s joyous “Italian” Symphony and a world premiere and BSO commission from composer Anna Clyne. MOVIE WITH ORCHESTRA

THE WIZARD OF OZ

THU, APR 16, 8 PM

Scott Terrell, conductor Enjoy The Wizard of Oz on the big screen, and follow the yellow brick road with Dorothy and her friends as the BSO performs the Academy Award-winning score. There will be a pre-concert talk in the lobby at 6 pm with Todd Hitchcock, the AFI Silver Theatre’s Director of Programming.

HOLST THE PLANETS

SAT, APR 25, 8 PM

PETER OUNDJIAN

Peter Oundjian, conductor • University of Maryland Concert Choir, Edward Maclary, director Celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope with a captivating performance of Holst’s The Planets, complete with projected Hubble photos. MOVIE WITH ORCHESTRA

STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK – IN CONCERT

FRI, MAY 8, 8 PM

Nicholas Hersh, conductor After the destruction of the Death Star, the Rebel Alliance is under attack. Jedi Master Yoda teaches Luke Skywalker the ways of the force in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back as the BSO performs John Williams’ unforgettable score live. PRESENTATION LICENSED BY DISNEY CONCERTS IN ASSOCIATION WITH 20TH CENTURY FOX, LUCASFILM LTD., AND WARNER /CHAPPELL MUSIC. © 2020 & TM LUCASFILM LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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JACK EVERLY

Jack Everly, conductor • Baltimore Choral Arts Society, Anthony Blake Clark, director You’ll hear the most popular Broadway hits of this dynamic composer and lyricist duo, including selections from My Fair Lady, Camelot, Gigi and Brigadoon, performed by three exciting vocalists along with the BSO.

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Hodge-podge Many D.C. queer events don’t ﬁt in our regular spring arts categories — here’s the catch all By PHILIP VAN SLOOTEN The Mx. Virginia Leather Contest presented by the Imperial Court of Washington, D.C. is March 13-15 at Fallout (117 N 18th St., Richmond, Va.). More information on this and other events, visit impoerialcourtofwashingtondc.org. “Genderosity” performed by the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington runs March 14-15 at the Lincoln Theater (1215 U St., N.W.). Tickets start at $25 for this gender-bending musical experience. For tickets and details, visit thelincolndc.com. The Planet: L Word Dance Party is at DC9 (1940 9th St., N.W.) Saturday, March 14 at 11 p.m. Tickets are $5 on Eventbrite for this party featuring DJ Magic. Visit Eventbrite for details. CO/OP presents Sunday Service: a special beneﬁt for Ba’Naka on Sunday, March 15 at 4 p.m. hosted by DJ Chord at Service Bar (928 U St., N.W.). Ba’Naka, one of Washington’s most famous drag queens, is hospitalized in critical condition. Proceeds will go toward her medical/recovery expenses. Look for the event on Facebook for details. LezLink DinnerD8: Masc for Fem 40-50 hosted by LezLink Singles Club is Friday, March 20 at 7:30 p.m. at O-Ku Sushi D.C. (1274 5th St., N.E.). Tickets are $10 on Eventbrite for this dinner date event for fems interested in dating masculine womxn aged 40-50. More information is available on Eventbrite and Facebook events. The Queer Queens of Qomedy perform Sunday, March 22 at 5 p.m. at Magooby’s Joke House (9603 Deereco Road, Lutherville Timonium, Md.). This year’s show features the lesbian triple threat of Paris Sashay, Jen Kober and Poppy Champlin. General admission

A beneﬁt for local drag legend BA’NAKA will be held this weekend. (File photo courtesy Town)

tickets are $30 on poppycockprod.com. The Queer Women of Washington Awards is Thursday, March 26 at 6:30 p.m. at the Eaton hotel (1201 K St., N.W.) and is hosted by the D.C. Mayor’s office of LGBTQ Affairs. This free event celebrates Women’s History month as well as women who are making history every day in the district. Registration for this free event is available on Eventbrite. Queer Night hosted by Lipstick Nights is Thursday, March 26 at 8 p.m. at El Techo (606 Florida, Ave., N.W.). Visit Facebook events for details. The annual Blossom Kite Festival is Saturday, March 28 on the grounds of the Washington Monument, near 15th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W. The public is invited to this free event which runs from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. The D.C. LGBTQ Health and Wellness Festival hosted by the D.C. Center is Saturday, March 28 from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. at the D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W.). This inaugural event features yoga, meditation, HIV/STI testing and more. Visit thedccenter.org for more information on this free event. “The Ask Rayceen Show” returns Wednesday, April 1 with its annual #AskRayceen Mini Ball at 7 p.m. (reception at 6) at HRC Equality Center (1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.). It’s free. Guests are Vjuan Allure, guest emcee Kirk Pressley and announcer Krylios. The show continues the ﬁrst Wednesday of each month through November. Details at askrayceen.altervista.org. Dining Out for Life, the annual Food & Friends beneﬁt is Thursday, April 2. Details at foodandfriends.org. The National Cherry Blossom

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Festival Parade is Saturday, April 4 at 10 a.m. This annual event runs for 10 blocks along Constitution Avenue and is filled with balloons, floats, marching bands and more. Tickets start at $20 at nationalcherryblossomfestival.org. The Victory Fund has its National Champagne Brunch on Sunday, April 5 at the Grand Hyatt Washington (1000 H St., N.W.) at 11 a.m. Details at victoryfund. org. Petalpalooza is Saturday, April 11 from 1-9 p.m. at the Capitol Riverfront (355 Water St., S.E.). This event features music, art and fireworks. More information is available at nationalcherryblossomfestival.org. Pretty Boi Drag Presents #OpenKingNight Saturday, April 11 at 8 p.m. at Le Mondo (406 N. Howard St., Baltimore). This event is for folx who want to try the drag king art in a safe and fun environment. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Visit openkingnight. com for tickets and details. The LGBT Mega Networking and Social Event hosted by the Equality Chamber of Commerce D.C. is Wednesday, April 15 at 6:30 p.m. at City Winery (1350 Okie St., N.E.). This 12th annual networking event is an opportunity to recruit, mix and make employment connections. Registration is free at eccdc.biz. Team D.C. has its Night of Champions Awards Dinner on Saturday, April 18. Details at teamdc.org. The GLSEN Day of Silence to illustrate the silencing and erasure of LGBTQ students is Friday, April 24 from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. The day of silence is traditionally followed by a day of discussion about LGBTQ history,

events and personal experiences. More information and resources are available at glsen.org. The Georgetown French Market returns April 24-26 for a free event located along Wisconsin Avenue between O Street and Reservoir Road. The route includes bikeshare stations for visitors to enjoy the scenic shopping venue ﬁlled with boutiques, antique stores, salons and more displaying discounted wares. For more information, visit georgetownfrenchmarketdc.com. “Haters Roast: the Shady Tour 2020,” featuring vets of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” plays the Lincoln Theatre (1215 U St., N.W.) April 25 at 8 p.m. with Brooke Lynn Hytes, Trinty the Tuck, Thorgy Thor, Silky Nutmeg Ganache, Farrah Moan and more. Tickets on sale at dragfans.com. CAMP Rehoboth’s Women’s FEST is April 29-May 3. Deetails at camprehoboth.com. We the People continues its May Is? … All About Trans series of events all month. This year’s theme is “Living, Loveing & Being Trans!” It kicks off with a trans summit at MCC Church on May 1. Full details at mayistransdc.com. Awesome Con is May 1-3 at the Convention Center. Details at awesomecon.com. Gay Day at the Zoo hosted by the National Zoo (3001 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) is Sunday, May 3 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Visit thedccenter.org for details on this annual event. The sixth annual SMYAL Cornhole for a Cause has been moved to May 9. Details at smyal.org or look for it on Facebook. CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 38

Hayley Williams, lead singer of the pop rock group Paramore (the song “Misery Business” was one of their most popular), will release her ﬁrst album as a solo artist on May 8, entitled “Petals For Armor,” following after the EP “Petals for Armor I,” which was released in February. MAX’s new album “Colour Vision” drops May 22. He’s straight but has headlined at Capital Pride as an ally. In addition to the ofﬁcially scheduled releases, there is still a number of possible

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 42

With inimitable physicality, Synetic Theater (1800 South Bell St., Chrystal City) presents a radically reimagined version of Calderon’s Spanish classic “La Vida es Sueno” (April 22-May 17) starring out actor Alex Mills. Next, Helen Hayes Awardwinning out actor Phillip Fletcher plays Florinda in the farce “Servant of Two Masters” (June 20- July 12). Details at synetictheater.org. At Rep Stage (10901 Little Patuxent

releases. The French singer Christine and the Queens recently the EP “La vita nuova.” And we might also expect a forthcoming album from transmasculine artist Jakk Fynn, who released his debut EP, entitled “Cancelled” back in February. Hope remains for new music from The Dixie Chicks, Rihanna, Adele and Cardi B. Janet Jackson has announced a summer U.S. tour and teased new music but nothing concrete yet album wise. There’s lot of cool stuff slated for release on vinyl, too. Among highlights: • Whitney Houston’s eponymous debut

album is out in a 35th anniversary edition on “peaches-and-cream”-colored double vinyl with a deluxe booklet for $70. • ABBA “Live at Wembley Arena” is a triple-LP set out today. • Perfume Genius’s ﬁfth album “Set My Heart on Fire Immediately” is out on double “Coke-bottle green” vinyl May 15. And there are several cool releases planned for Record Store Day (April 18): • Britney’s “Oops! … I Did it Again (Remixes and B-sides)” • Destiny’s Child’s “Say My Name” on 12”

picture disc • Two k.d. lang albums debut on vinyl — “Drag” and “Angel With a Lariat” • Bob Mould’s “Circle of Friends,” music from the concert ﬁlm, debuts on vinyl for the ﬁrst time • Robyn’s eponymous debut makes it vinyl debut on double LP • Sam Smith’s cover of Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love” gets a 12” picture disc release • Tegan and Sara’s “Tonight in the Dark We’re Seeing Colors” on “violet with black splatter” vinyl

Pkwy, Columbia, Md.), out director Rick Hammerly is helming “Dames at Sea,” (April 30–May 17), a takeoff on legendary Busby Berkeley’s kaleidoscopic musicals. The 1968 Off-Broadway hit follows young Ruby as she taps her way from midwestern anonymity to B stardom. Music by Jim Wise. Details at repstage.org. Later this spring, Studio Theatre (1501 14th St., N.W.) presents “Fun Home” (May 13-June 21) the marvelous queer comingof-age musical set against life in a funeral home. Based on the graphic memoir by out cartoonist Alison Bechdel (ﬁrst known

for the long-running comic strip “Dykes to Watch Out For”) the marvelous, Tony Award-winning work boasts music by Jeanine Tesori and book/lyrics by Lisa Kron. Studio’s David Muse directs. Details at studiotheatre.org. At Rorschach Theatre (Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St., N.E.), Jenny McConnell Frederick directs Georgette Kelly’s “F*ck la vie d’artiste,” (May 22-June 14). Set in France in 2005, it’s the story of an aspiring French-Moroccan artist, who ekes out a living giving tours of the room where Vincent Van Gogh died. But when

Vincent’s ghost begins to speak to her, she ﬁnds herself torn between her art and her love interest, an American woman named Avery. Details at rorschachtheatre.com. And at Spooky Action Theater (1810 16th St., N.W.), it’s gay playwright Jordon Harrison’s “Maple and Vine” (June 4-28). While forsaking cell phones and sushi for cigarettes and chicken à la king, two miserable 21st century urbanites seek salvation via an idealistic community that exists in a permanent state of 1955. Stevie Zimmerman directs. Details at spookyacitontheater.org.

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Generous support of the SHIFT Festival is provided through a matching grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; by Dr. Gary Mather and Ms. Christina Co Mather; and by The Centene Charitable Foundation. SHIFT is supported in part by Betsy and Robert Feinberg, the National Endowment for the Arts, Galena-Yorktown Foundation, Tom Gallagher, and the Irene Pollin Audience Development and Community Engagement Initiatives. The performance by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is made possible in part by Susan S. Angell. His Excellency Santiago Cabanas, Ambassador of Spain, is the honorary patron of this engagement. The performance by the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra is made possible by Jeanne Weaver Ruesch, and The Honorable Mary V. Mochary and Dr. Philip E. Wine.

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presents

Song Lang

In Vietnamese With English Subtitles

Set in 1980s Saigon, well before the U.S. embargo on Vietnam was lifted in 1994, SONG LANG depicts a gritty underworld whose only source of brightness comes from the gorgeous stage productions of a local opera troupe. A hunky, brooding debt collector forms an unlikely friendship with the charismatic lead actor of the struggling company, and their friendship, to their surprise, awakens feelings in both men. “Song Lang” is a percussion instrument used to control tempo and phrasing in Vietnamese modern folk opera. In the Vietnamese lan-

guage, it also means “two men.” It is the perfect homonym for a nearly perfect film. This film is an outstanding achievement for first-time feature director Leon Le—who also voices the part of the lead actor in the opera! To date, this film has racked up 25 awards in a wide variety of categories: best narrative feature, screenplay, cinematography, production design, costume design. Festivals in Asia have also recognized newcomer Lien Bahn Phat, who makes his acting debut in this film as the debt collector Dung ‘Thunderbolt,’ as a rising star.

Screening at E Street Cinema | 555 11th Street NW

Thursday March 26th at 7pm

Tickets available at www.reelafﬁrmations.org

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TRAVEL

Spring fun in the valley of the sun Phoenix has good dining, weather, sites and gay life By BILL MALCOLM

I have been to Phoenix four times in recent years but could never find the gayborhood. Indeed, the local travel guide said they didn’t have one. Wrong. You will find it at 7th Avenue near Melrose in midtown. You will not need a rental car if you stay and play in Midtown and use the Light Rail to get around. Spring is the perfect time to visit. The desert is in bloom. Temperatures are in the 80s. You will wonder why you don’t move here. WHAT TO DO The Desert Botanical Garden features a great display of native cacti. You can reach the garden and the nearby Zoo via a light rail/bus connection. The Garden is located In Papago Park just northeast of the Airport. After a hike through the gardens, continue on the light rail east to Tempe, home of the beautiful Arizona State University campus. There are lots of restaurants and shops in downtown Tempe which is very walkable. Work out at the LA Fitness, Camelback at 7th Avenue. It’s where the boys are. Phoenix’s Pride Parade Festival is scheduled for April 4-5 (phoenixpride. org). It’s the 40th anniversary of Pride here. Don’t miss the new arts district just north of downtown. NIGHTLIFE Make your first stop Stacy’s at Melrose (4343 7th Ave.). Sunday night is the drag show, Stacy’s Follies. It’s packed. Nearby is the Pat O’s Bunkhouse (4428 N. 7th Ave.) which is also a lot of fun. The lesbian owned bar, Boycott Bar

(430 N. 7th Ave.), welcomes everyone. Charlies (727 W. Camelback) has fun karaoke and two-for-one specials on Tuesdays. Wear your cowboy gear. WHERE TO EAT The Wild Thaiger (2631 Central) has great Thai food. The Mexican restaurant at 7th Avenue at Osborn, Mi Patio, is also very good. Durant’s Fine Food is a Phoenix tradition (also on Central). GETTING THERE I took American to Phoenix and Southwest home. I don’t like the new uncomfortable Southwest seats, especially on long flights. But the staff is friendly and they don’t charge a ticket change fee or bag fee. Fares can be lower on American (which has a huge hub here) and the service is better. (And the seats are more comfortable.) From Sky Harbor, hop on the Valley Metro Light Rail (44th Street Station) for the short ride to downtown or midtown. Rental car or Uber not needed. WHERE TO STAY I stayed at the Extended Stay Midtown (Metro stop Osborn at Central). It’s a doable walk (or bus ride) to the gayborhood and there’s a 24-hour Walgreens nearby if you need anything. The Ramada is another option as is the Wyndham. I would recommend also The Clarendon but they charge a “resort fee” (which I avoid). Other hotel options include the

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The Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix. (Photo by Bill Malcolm)

new Cambria Hotel in the Arts District. Downtown has a lot of great hotels. I like The Sheraton and the Residence Inn. Downtown too is very walkable and a short light rail ride up to the bars. FOR MORE TRAVEL TIPS Phoenix has two excellent LGBT publications. Ion Arizona Magazine (ionaz.com) is one. See its navigation map for a listing of the bars and other attractions. Echo Magazine is the other publication (echomag.com). It, too, has a great map of Phoenix bars. Phoenix NewTimes is a new weekly and also lists lots of stuff to do. The fabulous Arizona Highways has ideas of where to visit around the state.

Head up to the Grand Canyon National Park or Sedona if you have time or down to Tucson. Arizona is an amazing and beautiful state. Phoenix is a great city and is surprisingly gay-friendly. It’s the New West. You can’t beat the spring weather. You may want to even move here. Bill Malcolm has lived in Phoenix once but currently resides in Indianapolis. His syndicated LGBTQ value travel column runs in publications from Charlotte to Los Angeles. He focuses on affordable vacations which utilize pubic transit and he tries to go where the locals go. He does travel writing as a hobby although he thanks Visit Phoenix for their travel tips and recommendations.

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CALENDAR public is invited to bring a friend and a snack or just make a donation. For more information, visit hips.org.

TODAY Color Me Womxn hosted by Real Talk D.C. and Whitman-Walker Health is today at 5 p.m. at the Congress Heights Arts and Culture Center (3200 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., S.E.). This event is an art show in honor of National Womxn and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. Visit whitman-walker.org for more information. The Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art (1050 Independence Ave., S.W.) screens “Vive L’Amour” by Tsai Ming-liang tonight at 7 p.m. This film explores the erotic longing of a harried real estate broker, her street vendor lover and an eccentric loner in this often-silent film. For more information on this free event, visit asia.si.edu. An Evening at the Embassy of Ethiopia (3506 International Drive, N.W.) features a live Ethiopian dance presentation as well as art displays, an open bar, a buffet and an evening of dancing to a DJ spinning modern hits. Tickets for this 8 p.m. event are $59 on thingstododc.com. “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Season 12 Viewing Party with JaxKnife is tonight at 8 p.m. at TRADE (1410 14th St., N.W.). This event features games, free drinks and music by Wess the DJ. Visit tradebardc.com for more information. GLO underwear dance party returns tonight at 10 p.m. to the Green Lantern (1335 Green Ct., N.W.). Admission is $5 and includes a free clothes check. Resident DJs Phoenix Rise and Jake Maxwell (UltraPub) spin tunes for this all-night event. For details on this and other events, visit greenlanterndc.com. Friday the 13 at TRADE kicks off at 10 p.m. Hosted by Jane Saw, this event features entertainment by Pussy Noir, JaxKnife and music by Dvonne. For more information, visit tradebardc.com. Desiree Dik’s: OddBall March Madness is 10 p.m. tonight at Slash Run (201 Upshur St., N.W.). Creative queer artists perform during this Friday the 13th show hosted by Desiree Dik. There is a $5 cover for this event. For details, visit slashrun.com. The Birds of Prey Drag Show and Dance Party hosted by the D.C. Eagle (3701 Benning Rd., N.E.) is tonight at 10 p.m. Free tickets are available on Eventbrite. It’s Daddy Night at UPROAR Lounge (639 Florida Ave., N.W.) tonight at 10 p.m. There is no cover charge for this 21-and-over event. Visit uproarlounge.com for more information.

K St., N.W.). Tickets start at $25. This event is designed to be women-centered, relaxing and celebratory shopping experience. For tickets and information, visit eventbrite.com. A Love Letter to “Hairspray” is today at 2 p.m. at JR.’s bar (1519 17th St., N.W.). Local LGBTQ performers including Geneva Confection, Vagenesis, Citrine and more come together to celebrate this classic musical. Visit jrsbar-dc.com and its Facebook event page for more information. The Gay Men’s Chorus performs “Genderosity” at the Lincoln Theatre (1215 U St., N.W.) tonight at 8 p.m. This glamrock performance features over-the-top costumes, dancers and more in a musical celebration of gender expression. The show will also be performed Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets start at $25 on gmcw.org. The Saint Patrick’s Day “Lucky You” Underwear Party is tonight at 9:30 p.m. at UPROAR Lounge (639 Florida Ave., N.W.). The Highwaymen TNT host a night of greenthemed leather, underwear and drinks. For more information, visit uproarlounge.com and the event’s Facebook page. Deviant Events (1348 H St., N.E.) hosts a circuit party tonight at 10 p.m. Deviant is a body-positive nightlife experience for and by queer people of color. Harnesses, crop tops and other scandalous dress are encouraged. Tickets are $30 on Eventbrite. The Planet: L Word Dance Party is tonight at 11 p.m. at the DC9 (1940 9th St., N.W.). General admission tickets are $5 on Eventbrite. DJ Magic at this 21-and-up event. Visit dc9.club for details.

Saturday, March 14

Sunday, March 15

Made by aSHE: a MakeHER Marketplace and FundraisHER is today from noon-6 p.m. at the Eaton D.C. (1201

What’s the Tea? A Celebration in Honor of Black Women is today from 1-3 p.m. at Lady Camellia (3261 Prospect St., N.W.).

The Gay Mens Chorus of Washington performs its new show ‘Genderosity’ this Saturday (at 8 p.m.) and Sunday (at 3 p.m.). (Blade file photo)

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St. Pat’s Drag Bingo is tonight at 7 p.m. at Nellie’s Sports Bar (900 U St., N.W.). This Casa Ruby Fundraiser features Brooklyn Heights and Sasha Adams performing as well as drink specials and a 50/50 raffle. More information is available at nelliessportsbar.com. The Queer Caucus Happy Hour hosted by the Metro D.C. Democratic Socialists of America is today at 7 p.m. at Red Bear Brewing (209 M St., N.E.). All queer, trans and nonbinary folks and their allies are invited. Visit redbear.beer for more information.

Wednesday, March 18 Tickets start at $35 on Eventbrite. This event hosted by the Garden Collective celebrates stories of success featuring black women during tea at elegantly decorated tables. For more information, email info@gardencollective.com. A screening of Netflix’s limited series “Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker” is today at 2 p.m. at the National Portrait Gallery (8th and F streets, N.W.). The first episode will be followed by a panel discussion on Walker’s fight for social change. Walker’s 1914 portrait will be on display as well. For more information on this free event, visit npg.si.edu. CO/OP presents Sunday Service benefiting Ba’Naka today at 4 p.m. at Service Bar (928 U St., N.W.). This kickoff event is for one of D.C.’s own drag performers currently recovering in ICU. Guests are encouraged to wear a wig while helping to pay her medical expenses. Visit servicebardc.com for venue information. Dinner N Drag is tonight at 8 p.m. at Shaw’s Tavern (520 Florida Ave., N.W.). Kristina Kelly and a cast of drag artists perform. Email shawsdinnerdragsow@gmail.com to reserve a table.

Monday, March 16 The MOTH D.C. StorySlam: Celebration is tonight at 8:30 p.m. at City Winery (1350 Okie St., N.E.). Participants are to prepare a five-minute story about festivities to include anything from Coming Out to a graduation party. Tickets are $15 on themoth.org.

Tuesday, March 17 HIPS Volunteer Open House is tonight at 6 p.m. at the HIPS office (906 H St., N.E.). The

Team D.C. Spring SportsFest is tonight at 6 p.m. at Room and Board (1840 14th St., N.W.). There is no cover charge for this event which includes free raffles for sporting events tickets and more. For more information, visit teamdc.org. Trans/Nonbinary Allyship in Feminist Spaces hosted by the American University Student Government Women’s Initiative (4400 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.) is tonight at 6 p.m. This educational workshop discusses gender inclusivity with an emphasis on advocacy for transwomen. Visit wi.ausg.org for more information. BOOKMEN D.C., an informal men’s gayliterature group, discusses “The Collected Works of Joe Brainard” tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the D.C. Center (2000 14th St., N.W., Suite 105). All are welcome to this public event. More information is available at bookmendc. blogspot.com. Jukebox Heroes featuring Dragula’s Louisianna Purchase is tonight at 9 p.m. at JR.’s bar (1519 17th St., N.W.). The public is invited to this show which starts at 9 p.m. and runs until midnight. Visit jrsbar-dc.com and its Facebook event page for details.

Thursday, March 19 LGBTQ Social in the City! Hosted by Go Gay D.C. is tonight at 7 p.m. at the Embasy Row Hotel (2015 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.). This social networking event is free to attend but registration is encouraged at eventbrite. com. BloominGays returns to the Boundary Stone (116 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.) tonight at 9 p.m. This event promotes LGBTQ community in the Bloomingdale area with $5 drinks and a chance to meet new people. For more information, visit bloomingays.com.

culture capital MUSIC

Genderosity Mar 14-Mar 15. Gay Men’s Chorus at Lincoln Theatre. gmcw.org. It’s all about gender identity and being fabulous! Gay Men’s Chorus present an all-new glam rock spectacle celebrating the phenomenal spectrum of gender expression.

Christylez Bacon & Nistha Raj Mar 19. Strathmore at The Mansion. strathmore.org. Grammy-nominated hip-hop artist Christylez Bacon is known for his beat-boxing, rhyming, and storytelling skills. This collaboration with violinist Nistha Raj offers a contemporary take on classical Hindustani music. Together, Bacon and Raj create something totally fresh.

Monuments — Beethoven at 250, Part II Mar 15. Chiarina Chamber Players at Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church. Chiarina.org. Commemorating Beethoven’s 250th birthday, Chiarina presents his six trios for violin, cello and piano, in two concerts. These pillars of the piano trio repertoire redefined the genre. The two programs take us on a fascinating journey from the brilliant early works to the depth of the timeless Archduke trio.

Check It Mar 19. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian. npg.si.edu. Join the Portrait Gallery’s Teen Museum Council for a screening of “Check It,” a documentary about an LGBTQ teen group in Washington, D.C. It will be followed by a discussion touching upon the portrait of a Check It member featured in the museum’s exhibition “The Outwin 2019: American Portraiture Today.”

THEATRE Ada and the Engine. Thru Apr 5. Suddenly Last Summer. Thru Apr 5. Avant Bard at Gunston. wscavantbard.org. Blue. Mar 15-Mar 28. Don Giovanni. Thru Mar 22. Samson and Delilah. Thru Mar 21. WNO at Kennedy Center. kennedy-center.org. Easy Women Smoking Loose Cigarettes. Thru Mar 29. Signature Theatre. sigtheatre.org. Inherit The Windbag. Thru Mar 29. Mosaic Theater Company at Atlas. mosaictheater.org. John Lloyd Young. Mar 14. Wolf Trap at the Barns. wolftrap.org. Shakespeare Behind the Scenes. Mar 18. Folger Theatre. folger.edu. The Amateurs. Thru Apr 5. Olney Theatre at Mulitz-Gudelsky Theatre Lab. olneytheatre.org. The Spitfire Grill. Thru Mar 22. Arts on the Green at Arts Barn. gaithersburgmd.gov. The Wanderers. Thru Mar 15. Theater J at EDCJCC. theaterj.org.

DANCE

Manassas Ballet Theatre: Les Sylphides and More. Mar 13-Mar 15. Hylton Center. hyltoncenter.org. Teen Nights: Prince George’s Best Dance Crew Competition. Mar 13. Publick Playhouse. arts.pgparks.com.

Agora Dance with Sound Impact. Mar 15. National Gallery of Art. nga.gov. American Roots Concert Series: Foghorn Stringband. Mar 17. Hill Center. hillcenterdc.org. Arabesque Marouan Benabdallah. Mar 14. Tabea Zimmermann, viola | Javier Perianes, piano. Mar 18. Takács Quartet. Mar 17. Library of Congress. loc.gov. Atlas Presents Jazz: Jamie Baum & Short Stories. Mar 14. Atlas. atlasarts.org. Casey Abrams. Mar 18. AMP. ampbystrathmore.com. Christian Douglas. Thru Mar 25. Strathmore. The Mansion at Strathmore. strathmore.org. Direct Current: Camila Meza and the Nectar Orchestra. Mar 14. The Amours. Mar 19. Kennedy Center. The Reach @The Kennedy Center. kennedy-center.org. Kronos Quartet. Mar 13. Washington Performing Arts at GW Lisner Auditorium. washingtonperformingarts.org. Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Mar 16-Mar 17. Rodney Crowell. Mar 19. Wolf Trap. Aoife O’Donovan. Mar 13. Wolf Trap at the Barns. wolftrap.org. Sarod and Tabla Concert with Soumya Chakraverty and Debu Nayak. Mar 14. Gandhi Memorial Center. gandhimemorialcenter.org. St. Patrick’s Day Celebration. Mar 13. The Washington Chorus at Strathmore. thewashingtonchorus.org. Terry Riley’s Sun Rings. Mar 13. Choral Arts Society at GW Lisner Auditorium. choralarts.org. Thalea String Quartet with Michelle Cann, Piano. Mar 14. Dumbarton Concerts. dumbartonconcerts.org. The Chieftans. Mar 19. Mason’s Center for the Arts. cfa.gmu.edu. Tony Bennett: The I Left My Heart Tour. Mar 15. Strathmore. strathmore.org.

MUSEUMS AU Museum at the Katzen. Communicating Vessels: Ed Bisese, Elyse Harrison, Wayne Paige. Thru Mar 15. Good Form, Decorum, and in the Manner: Portraits from the Collections of Washington Print Club Members. Thru Mar 15. american.edu. Anacostia Neighborhood Library. Right to the City @Anacostia Neighborhood Library. Thru Apr 20. anacostia.si.edu. Dumbarton Oaks. A Nobility of Matter: Asian Art from the Bliss Collection. Thru Jun 1. doaks. org. Library of Congress. Shall Not Be Denied: Women Fight for the Vote. Thru Sep 1. Comic Art: 120 Years of Panels and Pages. Thru Sep 12. loc.gov. National Archives. Rightfully Hers: American Women and the Vote. Thru Jan 3. archivesfoundation.org. National Geographic. WOMEN: A Century of Change. Thru May 1. Becoming Jane. Thru Sep 7. nationalgeographic.org. National Museum of Women in the Arts. Delita Martin: Calling Down The Spirits. Thru Apr 19. Graciela Iturbide’s Mexico. Thru May 25. nmwa.org. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian. In Mid-Sentence. Thru Mar 29. Teen-led Tours. Thru May 9. npg.si.edu. The Kreeger Museum. Objects from the Studio: The Sculptor’s Process. Mar 17-May 23. kreegermuseum.org. Woodridge Neighborhood Library. Right to the City @Woodridge Neighborhood Library. Thru Apr 20. anacostia.si.edu.

GALLERIES ArlingtonArtistsAlliance.The Divine Feminine Exhibition.Thru Mar 28.arlingtonartistsalliance. org. Arlington Arts Center. Winter 2020 Exhibitions. Thru Mar 28. arlingtonartscenter.org. CHAW. The all-media exhibit Rhythm and Blues. Thru Mar 14. Carol Antezana Exhibit, recipient of CHAW’s 2020 Darkroom Artist Residency. Thru Mar 28. chaw.org. Del Ray Artisans. Tell Me a Story. Thru Mar 29. delrayartisans.org. Glen Echo Park. Advocacy & Activism Through Art. Thru Mar 15. Sarah Salomon: Solitudes. Thru Mar 15. glenechopark.org.

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What do you pay attention to? Artist Candice Breitz uses multichannel video installations to examine privilege, visibility, and shrinking attention spans in an information economy that fetishizes celebrity and thrives on entertainment. TICKETS AT ARTBMA.ORG/TLDR MARCH 15—JULY 12, 2020

THE BALTIMORE MUSEUM OF ART This exhibition is generously sponsored by The Alvin and Fanny B. Thalheimer Exhibition Endowment Fund and The Hardiman Family Endowment Fund. Candice Breitz. Still from TLDR. 2017. Featured: Gabbi, Emmah, Jowi, Connie, and Nosipho Vidima. Courtesy of Goodman Gallery (London), Kaufmann Repetto (New York) + KOW (Berlin).

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THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE BAND WA S H I N G T O N , D . C .

Colonel Don Schofield, Commander and Conductor

Last year’s Pink Tie Party.

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

SMYAL for Spring coming March 21 SMYAL for Spring 2020 is Saturday, March 21 at 2 p.m. at Pitchers (2317 18th St., N.W.). Tickets are $25 in advance online and $30 at the door. SMYAL invites the public to welcome warmer days while spending an afternoon raising funds for D.C.-area LGBTQ youth. This year is also a celebration of Hexagon’s 65th anniversary show run. This comedy revue also features music and political satire. The admission cost includes drink specials, rafﬂe prizes and more. For details on this 21-and-up fundraiser, visit smyal.org.

Pink Tie Party returns A Pink Tie Party hosted by the National Cherry Blossom Festival is Friday, March 20 at 7 p.m. at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center (1300 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.). General admission tickets are $225 on Eventbrite. This event, presented by All Nippon Airways, is a kickoff to spring in D.C. with live music, an open bar and a silent auction featuring exclusive celebrity memorabilia. The party also includes over-the-top blossoming fashions designed by local artists decorating local models. Local restaurants, including Gerrard Street Kitchen D.C., Barley Mac, Texas Jack’s Barbecue, Central Michel Richard, Pappe D.C. and more cater the event. For more information, visit nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/pink-tie-party.

2020 FREE CO N C E R T

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Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah-Drag A Disney Drag Extravaganza hosted by Desiree Dik is Saturday, March 21 at 9 p.m. at Red Bear Brewing (209 M St., N.E.). The public is invited to sing their favorite Disney tunes with performers Bombalicious Eklaver, Bratworst, Charlemagne Chateau, Citrine and Sweet Pickles all dressed as Disney princesses, villains and more. For more information on this and other events, visit redbear.beer and dcbeer.com.

Coming soon: Nina West The D.C. Eagle (3701 Benning Rd., N.E.) hosts Hard Candy with Nina West Monday, March 23 at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $30 on Eventbrite. Guests are invited to a meet and greet with West prior to the 9 p.m. showtime. This 18-and-over event is hosted by Chicki Parm and features performances by Crystal Edge and Druex Sidora. West, an actor, singer and activist, rose to national fame by placing sixth on the 11th season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” where she also won Miss Congeniality. For tickets and information, visit ninaeagledc.eventbrite.com.

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LGBTQ Equity Reception The National Association of County LGBTQ Leaders & Allies held a reception on Super Tuesday at Pitchers. Speakers included Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.), Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), Rep. Abby Finkenauer (D-Iowa) and Rep. Mark Pocan (D- Wis.). Washington Blade photos by Michael Key

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The art of the (real estate) deal

Taking your home from sanctuary to de-cluttered product By VALERIE M. BLAKE This week, the Blade celebrates art. Unfortunately, I don’t draw or paint. Sculpting and blowing glass are beyond my capabilities. I can’t dance (don’t ask me) and my photography and videography skills are limited to tapping on my phone. I will admit to playing the Bad Lounge Singer (à la Bill Murray in the early years of “Saturday Night Live”) as an introduction to a community theater production held in the meeting room of a church in Artesia, N.M., population 11,301. The church ladies made us take all the swear words out of the script. I’ve learned over the years that there are lots of ways in which helping people buy and sell real estate imitates art. We are ﬁrst captivated by architecture: the symmetry of a Colonial house, the proportion and geometry of Renaissance homes, Victorian buildings featuring towers, turrets and ornate fretwork, or the futuristic mid-century designs of Frank Lloyd Wright, to name just a few found in the DMV. It is said that art is in the eye of the beholder, so it is understandable that your home becomes something you appreciate and even love, your sanctuary. You weave the tapestry of your life as you settle into a comfortable routine in a familiar environment. If the bed isn’t made or the dishes aren’t washed, who cares? It’s just you and whoever lives there with

It is said that art is in the eye of the beholder, so it is understandable that your home becomes something you appreciate and even love

you. So, when it’s time to trade up, leave the area, or downsize, your real estate agent asks you to think of your home as a product. No longer your cocoon, it must be de-cluttered, primped, polished, and dressed in the latest fashion, all while smelling fresh as a daisy. Based on their knowledge of what’s trending, what’s passé, and what buyers are looking for, soliciting (and then

REALTOR®speak Country Kitchen

Translation: Blue ducks with ribbons will haunt your dreams 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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following) your agent’s advice is essential to ensure a quick sale and possibly turn a house sale into a house auction with multiple offers. For example, panting walls in a neutral palette will show off the features of your home and allow for an explosion of color (I’m sick of the term “pop of color”) on accent pieces. You’ll have to give up that fabulous purple wall and, although wallpaper is starting to make a comeback, it’s more likely that the paper on your walls today is more reminiscent of 1970 than that of 2020. Stagers are experts in turning your home into a living piece of art using color, proportion, texture, and threedimensional spatial organization. This makes an empty house look warm and inviting. A stager can sometimes work with your own furnishings to create an equally appealing vignette as well. While not a ﬁne art, cooking is also artistry. Instagram pictures of food won’t substitute for the ﬂavors of the real thing, so just as the presentation of a meal should delight the eyes, the presentation of your house should also enhance the senses.

Even if they don’t cook often, most buyers say they want a “gourmet kitchen.” The term has become as hackneyed as a pop of color so determining what constitutes “gourmet” in someone’s mind can be difficult. To me, a gourmet kitchen echoes a mixed media piece: a hardwood floor creates the underlying palette, while large swaths of white are reminiscent of kitchen cabinets. The artist then follows with a nod to sculptured stone and wisps of metallic are strategically added last. Literature worms its way into real estate as well. I’ve seen fliers that rival the Great American Novel and descriptions written using the alliteration of Edgar Allen Poe. Professional photography reveals your home in its best light, and you can now see virtual furniture placement and walk through a house on your iPad, thanks to the graphic arts. Consider the open house sign-in sheet. Gone is the fountain pen with which your name could be written in calligraphy in favor of a tablet with no soul. Sadly, the art of calligraphy will be relegated to wedding invitations as instruction in cursive writing leaves our schools. And then comes the pièce de resistance: the art of negotiating a contract. Like an intimate pasodoble, two agents approach each other and then retreat, inching closer and closer until finally they move as one and the dance concludes with cheers and applause from the audience. So, as you visit local galleries, attend auctions, browse online sources, or just accompany your out-of-town friends to one of D.C.’s fabulous museums, remember that art isn’t just in your home – it is your home.

Valerie M. Blake

is a licensed Associate Broker in D.C., Maryland and Virginia and Director of Education & Mentorship at RLAH Real Estate. Call or text her at 202-2468602, email her via DCHomeQuest. com, or follow her on Facebook at TheRealst8ofAffairs.

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