Washingtonblade.com, Volume 53, Issue 04, January 28, 2022 by Washington Blade

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D.C.’s Capital Pride to resume ‘large-scale’ outdoor events Organizers say one of the largest ever parades and festivals set for June By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

“The concert may end but the dancing will continue,” the message says. “Enjoy the electronica sounds of an international DJ sensation while you

Capital Pride Alliance, the group that organizes D.C.’s annual LGBTQ Pride events, has announced on its website that it plans to resume the city’s Pride Parade and Festival in June 2022 that traditionally has attracted tens of thousands of participants after canceling the two events in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID pandemic. “The Capital Pride Alliance is excited to announce the highly anticipated return of our annual large-scale outdoor Pride Celebration in June 2022!” the group says on its website. “Registration for the Capital Pride Parade on June 11, 2022, and the Capital Pride Festival on June 12, 2022, will be open soon,” the website message says. Ryan Bos, the Capital Pride Alliance executive director, told the Washington Blade

Street on Pennsylvania Avenue, with the sun setting on the U.S. Capitol.”

upcoming outdoor events in June. He said an updated announcement with more details The Capital Pride website message focuses on the parade and festival. “Join the LGBTQ+ community for the return of the historic Capital Pride Parade,” the the evolution of the LGBTQ+ neighborhoods in Washington, DC, while respecting the “Be prepared to experience one of the largest Pride Parades to ever take place in the United States Capital,” the message adds. The message says the Pride Festival will resume at its traditional location on “Enjoy a full day of entertainment on three stages, food, drink and advocacy with over 300 exhibitors,” the website message says. “The Festival is the largest annual event in the national capital region,” the message continues, adding that the Capital Pride Concert will also return this year at its usual locations at the site of the festival. “You will experience entertainment on three stages, from international headliners to our best local regional LGBTQ+ talent,” according to the Capital Pride website message. It says concert performances will take place from 12-10 p.m. And a “Capitol” Sunset Dance Party will take place at the festival site from 8-10 p.m.

Happy days are here again? Scenes like this from 2019 could be back in 2022.

city’s COVID-related restrictions on the number of people allowed to attend outdoor events as well as indoor

number of COVID infections began to decline. But as the number of Omicron variant cases of the COVID virus increased dramatically in the fall of 2021, the mayor (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

of vaccination as a condition for admission to the establishments. Bowser, however, has said the city was not considering resuming restrictions on the number of people allowed in establishments such as restaurants and bars or outdoor stadiums. for admission to the Pride festival and parade as well as some of its planned indoor events. With the number of Omicron related COVID cases beginning to drop in the past two weeks in D.C. and the surrounding suburbs, the prospect of a resumption in restrictions on the number of people allowed to assemble at outdoor events like the Pride Parade and Festival appears to be less likely.

bar shooting dies in prison

One of the worst bias attacks targeting LGBTQ community By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

A man sentenced to four consecutive life terms in prison for the September 2000 shooting at a gay bar in Roanoke, Va., in which one man lost his life and six others were wounded, died of natural causes on Jan. 15, according to the Virginia Department of Corrections. A spokesperson for the Department of Corrections told WSLA 10 TV News that Ronald Edward Gay died Correctional Center, a state prison where he had been the time of the shooting that a middle-aged man later Café, a popular gay bar, on the night of Sept. 22, 2000. According to an account by an eyewitness to the incident who spoke last week with the Roanoke Times newspaper, after ordering a beer and standing next to the bar for a short time, Gay reached into the long trench a round “straight into the chest of 43-year-old Danny Overstreet, a beloved regular patron at the Backstreet Café, died at the scene of the shooting. Six others, who

witnessed the shooting were left emotionally scarred, the Roanoke Times reported. In the weeks following the shooting, news media outlets, including the Washington Blade and the local police that Gay told police he went to Backstreet bitter after years of being taunted and teased for his last name of “Gay.” The Roanoke Times reported that, among other things, Gay told police “God told him to do it” and that he once wrote that there was an evil inside of him telling him “to shoot or have no rest.” Gay later pleaded guilty to multiple charges against him, including murder. On July 23, 2001, he was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences in prison for the shooting incident and the murder of Overstreet. The Backstreet incident in Roanoke was considered by LGBTQ rights advocates and others to be one of the worst incidents in which LGBTQ people were targeted for a shooting until the June 2016 shooting at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., in which 49 people died and 53 more were wounded in a mass shooting by 29-year-

but they and many others who were present and 0 6 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • JANUARY 28, 2 0 2 2 • LO CA L NE WS

Ronald Edward Gay died while serving life sentences for attacking a Virginia gay bar. (Washington Blade clipping from Sept. 29, 2000)

after a three-hour standoff, told police in a phone call from inside the nightclub after the shooting began that he swore allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State in

attack. The Roanoke Times reported that the shooting incident at Backstreet Café prompted LGBTQ residents and allies to gather in the days and weeks after the incident for the streets of downtown Roanoke to honor the life of Overstreet and to urge Congress to pass federal hate crimes legislation, the newspaper reported.

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Complaint says building technician subjected to abuse by supervisors By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

The D.C. Court of Appeals is currently deliberating over Chief Building Engineer and Acting Building Operations Manager of the D.C. Courts. The lawsuit and appeals court briefs say Vaughn accused Carter of consuming an alcoholic beverage at one of the court buildings where Carter was

June 2019 from his job as a building maintenance technician at three buildings where the D.C. Superior Court and D.C. Court of Appeals are located has legal grounds to contest

Vaughn recommended to the court system’s acting director of capital projects and facilities management that Carter be terminated from his job on grounds of violating

the D.C. government as the main defendant in the case on grounds that it plays a role in the funding of the D.C. Courts system and was responsible in part for more than eight years of discrimination and abusive treatment to which Carter was subjected on the job.

drugs or alcohol on court property while on duty.

ground and was an act of unlawful discrimination on

lawsuit on procedural grounds without addressing any of Carter’s allegations of discrimination. Superior Court Judge William M. Jackson stated in a correctly stated in a motion seeking the dismissal of the case that Carter’s lawsuit failed to plead a viable cause of action on two grounds.

complaining to his superiors about his illicit mistreatment

KARL RACINE

briefs charge. “These acts and omissions caused Mr. Carter loss of

Courts’ Comprehensive Personnel Policy does not provide a remedy for employment discrimination allegations. Jackson not provide a private right of action for employees to seek monetary damages in a lawsuit related to discrimination. pointed out that Carter’s lawsuit was invalid because under an internal administrative complaint alleging employment

indicated the D.C. Courts’ personnel policies legally “mirror”

began working in the court system’s building maintenance department in January 2010 as an out lesbian prior to his transition as a male. At that time Carter already had 15 years of experience in the lawsuit says. treatment toward Carter increased dramatically in 2015 when Carter informed his then-supervisor Emanuel Allen that he would be taking a short period of leave to undergo gender reassignment surgery. Upon his return to work after

“For the six months between Carter’s Family Medical all building maintenance workers and that they considered

“The acts of one or more of Mr. Carter’s superiors alleged intent and were done with the intention to cause Mr. Carter

discrimination allegations. Among the names appearing

said he would try to determine whether the court system’s building maintenance department would respond to a Blade request for comment on the Carter lawsuit and its department engaged in anti-transgender discrimination.

says. This prompted Carter to withdraw his administrative

why Allen did this Allen refused to provide an answer and threatened to issue a poor work performance evaluation against Carter if he continued to question the overtime denial decision. When Carter returned from his surgery and presented

based on false and misleading information provided by the

Carter as “he-she” in the presence of fellow employees as

cases will likely mean a ruling would not take place before June of this year.

in Carter’s favor could not result in monetary compensation for lost wages or other legal remedies that Carter called for

court system buildings. Carter viewed his treatment by Allen dismissal be reversed and the case be sent back to D.C. be argued and presented before a jury. under consideration by the Court of Appeals supporting and opposing the contention that the D.C. Courts’ personnel rules allow a remedy for Carter’s discrimination claims.

Carter’s behalf in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia claiming the discrimination Carter faced violated his constitutional rights. He said he is hopeful that the D.C.

discrimination lawsuit in the U.S. District Court within three

was subjected to a hostile work environment by supervisors

Congress created the D.C. court system as a federal entity in 1970 at the time it created D.C.’s home rule government. The U.S. president appoints all judges. The D.C. Council

supervisors or fellow employees. One supervisor blamed Carter’s alleged hostile behavior on the testosterone treatment that Carter was undergoing as a routine part of

the D.C. government along with Congress funds the court system. The system is run by a Joint Committee on Judicial

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By CHRIS JOHNSON | cjohnson@washblade.com In the wake of the NCAA changing its policies regarding transgender athletes and state legislatures advancing new legislation against trans inclusion in school sports, as conservative activists found a way to challenge LGBTQ rights in a way that was

to keep the language, which appears to have the effect of allowing the sports division

South Dakota Republican Gov. KRISTI NOEM has targeted trans athletes. (Blade screenshot via Forbes YouTube)

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LGBTQ groups stop short of criticizing Sinema for Bisexual senator rebuffs Biden on voting rights proposal By CHRIS JOHNSON | cjohnson@washblade.com

Despite an out bisexual being among two Democrats responsible for thwarting President Biden’s call to advance voting rights, LGBTQ groups that supported Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) stopped short of criticizing her directly for impeding legislation at the top of progressives’ wish lists. Although the change being sought was limited to voting rights legislation, the refusal from Sinema Sen. KYRSTEN SINEMA (D-Ariz.) has declared

which requires 60 votes to move

opposed to a simple majority, effectively put a stake in the heart of the legislative agenda for Democrats, including any possibility of enacting LGBTQ civil rights legislation like the Equality Act. The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s leading LGBTQ group, declined to identify Sinema by name in an organizational statement provided by a spokesperson via email in legislation. “The core of our democracy is the right to vote,” the statement says. “The United States Senate must act on legislation to protect that right now, including passage of federal voting rights and voting protection legislation. Without its essential safeguards guaranteeing that the voices of all voters — including LGBTQ+ Black, Brown and other minority voters — will be heard at the ballot box, we cannot ensure that any other right, even those currently enshrined in law, will be protected in the years to come.” The closest the statement comes to criticizing Sinema, without actually doing so, is actions are required, including changes to Senate rules, to ensure a majority to pass this essential legislation.” The Human Rights Campaign endorsed Sinema in the past as a candidate for U.S. Senate and hosted her as a special guest for fundraising and promotional events. It should be noted, JoDee Winterhof, HRC’s senior vice president of policy and political affairs, once worked for Sinema as chief of staff. Asked whether HRC’s position was informed by Winterhof’s past work, the Regardless of who they have worked for, we continue to believe that it is necessary for the Senate to take whatever actions are required, including changes to the Senate rules, to pass federal voting reform.”

Kierra Johnson, executive director of the Task Force, said she’s been “asking questions because Sen. Sinema is known for being a supporter of so many pieces of progressive legislation and culture change related to queer people and women’s civil and human rights.” “I want to see better and more, right?” Johnson said. “Yes, we should be working to build bridges across the aisle, across political ideology, but for me, the question is if the pathway forward?” Johnson added Sinema “owes it to the people who have supported her over the years Asked whether the Task Force has done any outreach to Sinema, Johnson said the organization is “in the process of trying to meet with her folks” and looking at ways to bring to her voices from LGBTQ movement community leaders.

however, appeared to have new strength after Biden’s speech in Georgia making a plea for reform based on the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and the restrictive voting law passed in that state. legislation. “I would say that the president’s view, as you heard him say yesterday, is that we’re going to continue to press to get this done moving forward,” Psaki said. “And that means questions and some who are skeptical.” Psaki pointed out Biden ended up having the meeting with Sinema despite her engaging.” The LGBTQ community, as with any issue, isn’t uniform in thinking Sinema should be that LGBTQ groups should criticize her for being obstructionist. One LGBTQ strategist, who agreed to talk on condition of anonymity, outright rejects perspectives cannot be trampled by majoritarianism.” “Portraying an LGBTQ woman as a gender and sexuality traitor shows a deep working families, vulnerable populations and LGBTQ rights is grounded in the belief it follows she would be against a change in decades of Senate precedent that would prioritize hyper partisanship over persuasion.” Biden’s speech in Georgia may have been more of an attempt to excite the progressive

“There’s no need for me to restate my long-standing support for the 60-vote threshold to pass legislation,” Sinema said. be pushed from the middle towards the extremes,” adding that she doesn’t support that outcome and “Arizonans do not either.” but ultimately rejected the changes proposed by the caucus. In contrast to the relatively muted response from LGBTQ groups, other civil rights it would no longer support Sinema for re-election over her position on voting rights. Sinema to white moderates who half-heartedly supported his father’s work. “History will not remember them kindly,” the younger King said, referring to Sinema LGBTQ Task Force, which said the senator should be coming up with alternatives to 1 2 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • JANUARY 28, 2 0 2 2 • NAT I O NA L NE WS

this point in his presidency. any declarations about withholding an endorsement when asked by the Washington Blade.

her record as it relates to equality will of course be a primary consideration for whether she receives our endorsement. That board vote would take place, if she applies for Imse added as a U.S. senator Sinema is not currently up for election because after

Fla. House committee passes ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill

A Republican-majority Florida House Education & Employment Committee passed HB 1557, the Parental Rights in Education bill, colloquially referred to as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill advancing the measure to the full House. HB 1557 and its companion Senate bill SB 1834, would ban classroom discussions about sexual orientation and gender identity in schools, erasing LGBTQ identity, history, and culture — as well as LGBTQ students themselves. The bill also has provisions that appear to undermine LGBTQ support in schools and include vague parental LGBTQ-identifying students to their parents without their consent. youth who learned about LGBTQ issues or people in classes at school had 23% lower odds of reporting a LGBTQ students across Florida, forcing many back into the closet by policing their identity and silencing important discussions about the issues they face,” said Sam Ames, Director of Advocacy and Government Affairs at The Trevor Project. “LGBTQ students deserve their just like their peers.” In an email to the Blade, Brandon J. Wolf, press secretary for Equality Florida noted, “Gov. DeSantis’ march toward his own personal surveillance state continues. Today, the Don’t Say Gay bill, a piece of legislation to erase discussion of LGBTQ people from another component of an agenda designed to police us no mistake — LGBTQ people are your neighbors, family members, and friends. We are a normal, healthy part of society and we will not be erased.” Chasten Buttigieg, the husband of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, criticized Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over the bill. “This will kill kids,” he tweeted. “You are purposefully making your state a harder place for LGBTQ kids to survive in.”

BRANDON WOLF (L) speaking with Florida Gov. RON DESANTIS (R) at the Pulse memorial in 2019. Wolf criticized DeSantis over the state’s so-called ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill. (Photo courtesy of Wolf)

youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, including more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth. Consult on behalf of The Trevor Project, 85% of transgender and nonbinary youth — and two-thirds of all LGBTQ youth (66%) — say recent debates about state laws restricting the rights of transgender people have

negatively impacted their mental health. When asked about proposed legislation that would require schools to tell a student’s parent or guardian if they request to use a different name/pronoun or if they identify as LGBTQ at school, 56% of transgender and nonbinary youth said it made them feel angry, 47% felt nervous and/or scared, 45% felt stressed, and more than 1 in 3 felt sad. BRODY LEVESQUE

GOP-led Council to repeal LGBTQ law in Pa.

The council of the central Pennsylvania borough of Chambersburg will

last October that safeguards residents against discrimination based on their sexual orientation, ethnicity or gender identity. Opposition to the ordinance is led by newly installed borough council on council we think we got a mandate from the people,” he said. “People we talked to when we were campaigning did not like this ordinance at all. I don’t know what the vote will be, but I have a pretty good idea.” municipal election, which ushered in a 7-3 Republican majority. The ordinance, which extends protections against discrimination to gay, transgender or genderqueer people in employment, housing and public accommodations, was passed in October by the then-Democratic majority “I don’t know of any reasons for repealing it other than a political move,” said Alice Elia, a Democrat and the former Chambersburg borough council president. “This issue should not be politicized. It’s an issue of justice and

having equal protection for everybody in our community. It shouldn’t be a political or a Democratic or Republican issue. This should be something we are all concerned about.” redundant. He points out that Pennsylvania’s Human Relations Commission handles discrimination complaints from residents across the state. ordinance can make someone do. The most they can hope for is that the committee request the two parties to sit down with a counselor or mediator and talk about it. Quite frankly there is nothing that compels them to. There’s no teeth in this.”

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is one of the 27 states in the nation that have no explicit statewide laws protecting people from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in employment, housing and public accommodations. FROM STAFF REPORTS

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Lesbian couple murdered, dismembered in Mexico Authorities in the Mexican border city of Ciudad Juárez last Sunday found the dismembered bodies of a lesbian couple along a local highway. The dismembered body parts of Julissa Ramírez and Nohemí Medina Martínez were found in plastic bags that had been placed along the Juárez-El Porvenir Highway. married women lived in El Paso, Texas, which is across the Rio Grande from Ciudad Juárez. Authorities said relatives last spoke with Ramírez and Medina on Saturday afternoon. A source in Ciudad Juárez with whom the Blade

JULISSA RAMÍREZ

NOHEMÍ MEDINA MARTÍNEZ

(Photo via Facebook)

“were lesbian women” and their murder was “very violent.” Members of Comité de la Diversidad Sexual de Chihuahua, an LGBTQ rights group in the state of Chihuahua in which Ciudad Juárez is located, and Chihuahua Gov. María Eugenia Campos Galván are among those who have expressed outrage over the women’s murders. Comité de la Diversidad Sexual de Chihuahua on Wednesday also urged local and

Blade contributor nominated for GLAAD Media Award A Blade contributor who wrote about his time in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody has been nominated for a GLAAD Media Award. GLAAD last week announced it nominated Yariel Valdés González in the Outstanding Print Article category for Blade published last July. Valdés, 31, on March 27, 2019, asked for asylum in the U.S. because of the YARIEL VALDÉS GONZÁLEZ persecution he suffered as a journalist in (Blade photo by Michael Key) Cuba. Judge Timothy Cole in September 2019 granted Valdés asylum, but ICE appealed his decision to the Board of Immigration Appeals. Valdés remained in ICE custody until March 4, 2020. Valdés currently lives in Wilton Manors, Fla., with his boyfriend. MICHAEL K. LAVERS

state authorities to investigate whether the murder was a hate crime. “People of sexual diversity are questioned, including their existence through heteronormative discourse,” said the group in a statement. “They have the right to a life free of violence in which they exercise all their rights, in addition to living without fear or fear of rejection and aggressions that can unfortunately escalate to hate crimes.” the nine women who have been reported killed in Ciudad Juárez since the beginning of the year. Personas de las Diversidades Afectivo Sexuales, an LGBTQ rights group in Ciudad Juárez, and feminist organizations on Thursday organized a protest during which participants demanded local, state and federal authorities do more to end to violence against women in the city. The press release that announced the Nohemí and Yulissa, a lesbian couple who was found in Juárez-Porvenir Highway,” it reads. MICHAEL K. LAVERS

Botswana to abide by decriminalization ruling Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi on Monday said his government will abide by a ruling that decriminalized consensual same-sex sexual relations in his country. ruling against sections of the Botswana Penal Code that criminalized homosexuality. The Botswana government appealed the High Court ruling. The Lesbians, Gays and Bisexuals of Botswana (LEGABIBO), a Batswana LGBTQ rights group that challenged the criminalization law with the support of the Southern Africa Litigation Center, to meet with him at his “We demand and expect anybody to respect the decisions of our court,” Masisi told LEGABIBO members, according to Agence France-Presse. Botswana remains one of only a handful of countries that have decriminalized homosexuality. MICHAEL K. LAVERS

Global Equality Caucus hires former El Salvador Assembly candidate based on sexual orientation and gender identity has hired a gay man who ran for the El Salvador National Assembly last year. Erick Iván Ortiz will oversee the Global Equality Caucus’ work throughout Latin America. Argentina, Brazil and Peru. Two events that are scheduled to take place in Mexico City in efforts in the region. “The idea at the end of the day is to confront the threats from anti-rights groups that Salvadoran capital of San Salvador. Ortiz, who is a member of Nuestro Tiempo, a new Salvadoran political party, received openly gay man elected to the country’s legislative body if he had won. MICHAEL K. LAVERS 1 4 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • JANUARY 28, 2 0 2 2 • I NT E R NAT I O NA L NE WS

ERICK IVÁN ORTIZ

(Photo courtesy Iván Ortiz)

JANUARY 2 8 , 2 0 2 2 • WA S HI NGTO NB L A D E.CO M • 1 5

PETER ROSENSTEIN

is a longtime LGBTQ rights and regularly for the Blade.

+ Largest LGBT owned title company + Billions of dollars in transactions closed annually + 7 in house attorneys + Residential & commercial transactions + + Licensed in DC, DE, MD, NJ, VA & WV OUR OFFICES:

I write this column as a Democrat. One who’s afraid our democracy is at risk and believing the Republicans in Congress are taking us to the abyss and leading a retreat on all the progress we have made in the areas of civil and human rights over the last 50 years. There are three choices American voters have in the 2022 Democrats up and down the ballot. The second is to vote for Republicans, and the third is to stay home. If you believe LGBTQ rights, women’s rights, civil rights, DACA, and voting rights are crucial issues to move forward, then choosing ting off your nose to spite your face.’ We are seeing a spate of attacks on the president from various interest groups saying “he didn’t do enough or speak out enough on my issues.” In the LGBTQ community it’s the cover of last week’s Washington Blade and James Finn’s colgives short shrift to all Biden has done through Executive Orders, regulation and the hiring of countless members of paign recently highlighted in praise of the president.

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ban on transgender military service; having the Department Department make changes to passport gender markers to include intersex and non-binary people; have the administration form an interagency working group to focus on the safety, inclusion, and opportunities for transgender perpresident’s Cabinet and had Dr. Rachel Levine, a transgen-

BETHESDA, MD 4800 Hampden Lane 2nd Floor Bethesda, MD 20814 Phone: 301-469-1925 Fax: 202-518-9301

admiral. In his column, Finn counters his own claim Biden speak-

Democrats up and down the ballot.” augurated, the country has been in the midst of a pandemamount of his time dealing with and speaking about COVID. and still are, getting sick and dying. While he was doing this, over $3.1 trillion to help the American people. This included using reconciliation, and the infrastructure bill, which got ican economy a boost, which it did. It included more than Americans in need. It also had $350 billion earmarked for emergency funding for state, local, territorial, and tribal governments to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The infrastructure bill “included among other things $312 billion for roads, bridges, public transit, airports, ports, waterways and other transportation-related needs and $266 billion for items including improvements to the power grid and developing broadband internet access for most Americans.” In his recent press conference, Biden agreed that without all of them but at the same time will work with Congress to try to get some of his Build Back Better bill passed in smaller chunks. Even that won’t be easy. But he committed to conpresident since Franklin Roosevelt. Democratic hands and adding to Democratic numbers in

COLUMBIA, MD

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should be out in the community at a minimum explaining to Democrats and independent voters who support more progressive issues, including all those who understand how important it is to act now on climate change, “if you want to get anything on your issue done in the next two years of the

Republican won’t vote to change it. Then Finn tries to speak for the LGBTQ community and threatens, “We won’t vote for Biden again.” First, Joe Biden’s name is not on the ballot in 2022. Yes, he will have a clear impact on the elections and understands that. During his recent press conference he said he would be “on the road” talking about the positive things he and the Democratic Congress have accomplished and why voting for Democrats is so important to all he still wants to accomplish. It is my fervent hope Finn and others like him in various communities understand instead of attacking Biden at this time they

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Biden supports.

ocrats for not doing enough and changing tactics to focus on attacking Republicans who are doing nothing and worse are committed to taking us backwards on a host of issues including Roe v. Wade, voting rights, civil rights and LGBTQ

defeat.

ISAAC AMEND

is a Yale graduate and participant in National Geographic’s‘Gender Revolution’ documentary. He also is a member of the LGBT Democrats of Virginia. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @isaacamend.

America’s strange obsession with marital affairs Politicians on both sides excoriated for cheating It is no secret that Americans hold their politicians in contempt over extramarital affairs. When politicians cheat on their spouses, the whole country seems to erupt, cast judgment, and even ask for Indeed, judging politicians for having affairs seems to be a fetish that the American public can’t seem to drop. During the Clinton era, Americans couldn’t get enough of Monica Lewinsky’s affair as an testimony that invaded her privacy. Kenneth Starr, almost perversely, investigated Clinton’s blow job in the Oval, with many calling on Clinton to resign the presidency. More recently, in February 2020, Rep. Ilhan Omar was exposed for having an affair with Tim Mynett, a staffer on her team and chief fundraiser. Omar’s then husband walked in on Mynett and Omar dressed in pajamas in their Washington living room. Omar was relentlessly attacked by the right for her mistake. In 2009, former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford was caught cheating on his wife with Maria Chapur, an Argentinian journalist. As a result of the press leaking the affair, Sanford had to stand at a podium and seek forgiveness for his mistake from the public. Sanford subsequently engaged in sorrowful interviews with the Associated Press and other outlets, in an effort to be forgiven by South Carolinians. What America needs to come to grips with is the fact that cheating politicians should be the least of our worries. We need to accept that politicians are human, just like us. In fact, studies show that a decent amount of adults in America commit adultery. A study by the Initiative for Family Studies revealed in 2018 that 20% of men and 13% of women have had sex with someone other than their spouse during their marriage. But, in all likelihood, these numbers might be higher, as adults are reluctant to confess that they’ve sinned. When the public lambasts politicians for cheating, they are wasting taxpayer dollars. Instead of working on actual policy issues, self-defense. Additionally, adultery is not, in the grand scheme of things, the should be concerned about real, dangerous issues at hand — like government corruption, homelessness, the pandemic’s effect on the closure of small businesses, expensive health care, and hefty student loans. Americans should care about more than frivolous sex scandals. cials accountable for adultery, when it happens in inappropriate circumstances. Sex with minors and nonconsensual sex are two places to start. when former New York Rep. Anthony Weiner sent lurid texts to a 15-year-old girl. But America needs to let go of its punishment of those who commit adultery in a normal context. Politicians make mistakes. But so do we.

KATHI WOLFE

a writer and a poet, is a regular contributor to the Blade.

DeSantis doesn’t want racism, LGBTQ topics taught in schools It’s horrifying to hear Fla. guv invoke Dr. King to push discrimination

Sometimes, when the news comes on your screen, you think: this must be from Satit’s all too real. That’s how I felt when I heard about the Stop W.O.K.E Act. I’m not making this up or Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has introduced the Stop the Wrongs to Our Kids and Employees Act (a.k.a. the Stop W.O.K.E Act) to the Florida Legislature. DeSantis, like many Republican politicos nationwide, including Virginia’s new governor Glenn Youngkin, is a good culture warrior. Months ago, Florida, like some other states, banned the teaching of critical race theissued an executive order prohibiting the teaching of “inherently divisive concepts, including Critical Race Theory.” Never mind that critical race theory hasn’t been taught in our country’s elementary, middle, or high schools. It’s a theory taught to graduate students. It says that historically laws and policies have created systemic racism. But that wasn’t not good enough for DeSantis. The Stop W.O.K.E. Act would take things even further. If passed, the legislation, “will give businesses, employees, chilpress release. “The Stop W.O.K.E. Act will be the strongest legislation of its kind in the nation,” the press release said, “and will take on both corporate wokeness and Critical Race Theory.” DeSantis wants us to believe that he’s on the side of the angels – that he wants to make the world more just. To prove how righteous he is, DeSantis talked about the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., the Washington Post reported. “You think about what MILK stood for,” he told an audience in Wildwood, Fla. “He said he didn’t want people judged on the color of their skin, but on the content of their character.” “You listen to some of these people nowadays,” DeSantis said, “they don’t talk about that.” It’s horrifying and enraging to hear DeSantis quote the words of King, a civil rights icon who inspired many to work for racial justice. DeSantis was using King’s work as part of a culture war against everything King stood for. “I was right about ‘The Politics of the English Language,’” George Orwell, the author of “1984” who taught us about “Newspeak,” is saying to himself, “this is more Orwellian than even I would have imagined.” Unfortunately, if passed, the Stop W.O.K.E. Act, would have even more draconian consequences than polluting the language. DeSantis has decided to follow the examanyone who helps a woman obtain an abortion. the right to sue if they think critical race theory is being taught in schools or workplaces. This should set off alarm bells for everyone, Black, white, hetero, LGBTQ+ — from parents to teachers to authors to students. seek redress from their supervisors or human resources departments. worry whether about your neighbor or co-worker would sue you if they felt you were If you’re LGBTQ, you should be especially concerned. In plain, non-Orwellian English: Republican politicos know that some folks don’t want to learn about our country’s history of racism or about LGBTQ sexuality, gender identity, culture and history. We can’t afford to throw up our hands on this. Let’s do all we can to prevent the erasure of racism and LGBTQ culture from the teaching of our country’s history. V I E WP O I NT • JA NUA RY 2 8 , 2 0 2 2 • WA S H I N GTO N B L A D E.CO M • 1 7

Baltimore DJ on using music as a bridge to combat discrimination Admiral on Jan. 28 By TINASHE CHINGARANDE

A Baltimore DJ will conclude a month of performances in Baltimore and Washington,

spent between her mother’s house in Baltimore City and her father’s house in the

DJ DEEZY has hosted multiple events in D.C. and Baltimore. (Photo by Carlos Polk from We Dream Photography and Studios)

from her management. performance, lifted the crowd from its seats and crowd because I can relate to many different

Centering community because DJs who inhabit other identities aside

us all, and you’ll forget about your original DMV, she has also made appearances in

people who are different can attract audiences and succeed. doing the same thing as me, but why aren’t we getting

and played a set for the crowds tailgating around her. While entertaining them, she distributed her residency at the Baltimore Eagle.

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tour DJ and play her sets around the world.

audiences in bars and clubs around the country while

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CALENDAR |

By TINASHE CHINGARANDE

Friday, January 28

Friday Tea Time and social hour for Older LGBTQ+ adults will be at 2 p.m. on Zoom. Feel free to bring your beverage of choice. For the Zoom link or more information, contact Justin (justin@thedccenter.org). Trans Support Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This support group is intended to provide emotionally and physically safe space for trans* people and those who may be questioning their gender identity/expression to join together in community and learn from

Saturday, January 29 The DC Center’s “Facilitator Training” will be at 11 a.m. in-person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community and online on Zoom. Group leaders and facilitators that operate support groups within the DC Center, as well as those interested in becoming a facilitator, Go Gay DC’s “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” will be at 10 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This event is ideal for those who want a good deal on brunch and conversation with other LGBTQ folk. For more information, visit Eventbrite.

Sunday, January 30 AfroCode DC will be at 3 p.m. at Decades DC. This event is an experience of non-stop music, dancing, and good vibes with a crossover of genres such as hip-hop, afrobeats and soca. Tickets are $60 and available on Eventbrite.

Monday, January 31 Center Aging Coffee Drop-In will be at 10 a.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community and online on Zoom. LGBT Older Adults — and friends — are invited to enjoy friendly conversations and to discuss any issues you might be dealing with. For more information,

CAKE Society Co to host community planning meeting Co will host a LGBTQ community planning meeting on Thursday, Feb. 3 at 5:30 p.m. at Shaw Neighborhood Library. This event will teach guests how to support the LGBTQ community through events and initiatives centered around social equity, justice, and activism. There will be discussions about how to make a positive impact on the LGBTQ community and how to work through community building and partnerships. For more event details, visit Eventbrite.

Ryan McClure to lead LGBTQ jam jam for LGBTQ improvisers on Saturday, Jan. 29 at 3 p.m. at the Washington

Tuesday, February 01 Center Aging: Women’s Social and Discussion Group will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This group is a place where older queer women can meet and socialize with one another. Guests are encouraged to register as this is a new recurring program at The DC Center and the organization wants to ensure its success by staying in touch with attendees. Guests not interested in registering who still want to “Estate Planning Tools with Murray Scheel” will be at 3 p.m. on Zoom. Scheel will walk guests through the process of taking care of the end-of-life planning business that needs taking care of in one’s golden years. To register for this event, visit this link.

Wednesday, February 02

OUT & ABOUT

This event is a fun, low-stress environment where guests can connect and engage with fellow improvisers in a supportive environment. Jams are a great place to be silly, practice a skill, and/or connect with new and old friends over the collaborative world of yes-and. Tickets cost $20 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

Job Club will be at 6 p.m. in-person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community and online on Zoom. The Job Club is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email centercareers@thedccenter.org or visit www.thedccenter.org/careers. BookMen DC will be at 7:30 p.m. on Zoom. This is an informal group of men who are

Thursday, February 03 API Queer Support Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. The support group for the Asian Queer Society DC) and AQUA (Asian Queers United for Action). For more information, email The DC Center’s Food Pantry Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. To be fair with who is receiving boxes, the program is moving to a lottery system. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5 p.m. if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email supportdesk@ thedccenter.org or call 202-682-2245. 2 0 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • JANUARY 28, 2 0 2 2

Go Gay DC’s LGBTQ+ Community Brunch will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant.

The Friendly, Affordable Alternative to DC!

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At 15, restored ‘Shortbus’ is still a movie ahead of its time Depictions of real sex among actors raised eyebrows By JOHN PAUL KING

When it debuted in 2006, John Cameron Mitchell’s “Shortbus” – which this month receives a special 15th anniversary re-release in the form of a sumptuous new 4K restoration – was described by Variety as being “unquestionably the most sexually graphic American narrative feature ever made outside the realm of the porn industry.” That description arguably still holds true, and it was not hyperbole. Mitchell, fresh

would-be cast members – whether they were trained actors or not – who were open to the experience of performing in sexually explicit material, then collaborated with the chosen players over a two-and-a-halfyear process of improvisational workshops to create the story nally started rolling, the cast had already developed a level of emotional and physical intimacy that allowed them to deliver unprecedented authenticity. Almost all the sex scenes were un-simulated – and indeed, according to Mitchell, all but one of the many orgasms that take

Though we haven’t quite reached a cultural place where the freewheeling and permissive sexuality it depicts has been fully embraced by all, many of the then-arcane sexual concepts it presents – polyamory, BDSM, “pegging” – no longer carry the same sense of transgressive danger they once did in the mainstream cultural imagination. More importantly, the attitude of sex-positivity it champions has become far more widespread in our modern world, thanks in no small part to the increased visibility and acceptance of “non-traditional” sexual practices in popular media. There’s also an unexpected – indeed, almost eerie – resonance to be found in the ses with which its characters resignedly grapple. This is particularly notable in the secretly depressed James (Dawson’s sensitive portrayal of his mental health struggles provides the emotional heart of the movie), but any of the characters could easily be transplanted into the 2022 and seem just as much at home. For all that looming heaviness in the air, though, “Shortbus” remains as refreshingly upbeat and unexpectedly joyful as it was 15 years ago – and that’s not just because of the sex. Mitchell, in talking about making the

bus” would garner a lot of attention 15 years ago for its bold approach to onscreen sex, constill largely considered a taboo in the mainstream. What’s surprising is that it generated relatively little outrage or backlash from the conservative crowd. There were detractors, of

seek to be erotic.”

PAUL DAWSON and PJ DEBOY in ‘Shortbus.’

“pornography,” and it was banned in some foreign markets with draconian censorship laws regarding sexual content; nevertheless, thanks to Mitchell’s established reputation as an artist and the enthusiastic response it received at the Cannes Film Festival, the movie managed a reasonably widespread release across major markets in the United States without raising too many eyebrows, meeting with a mostly favorable response from both critics and audiences – at least the audiences who weren’t too squeamish to go and see it. Those who did quickly found themselves drawn into the lives of a collection of young (Sook-Yin Lee), a sex therapist who has never had an orgasm, and her attentive but increasingly bewildered husband Rob (Raphael Barker), whose own sexual needs are not being met, either; there’s Jamie (PJ DeBoy) and James (Paul Dawson), a former child TV star and his ex-hustler boyfriend who are looking to open up their relationship to others, and Caleb (Peter Stickles), a voyeuristic neighbor who lives vicariously through stalking a professional dominatrix frustrated over her inability to make emotional connections. Along with other sexual pilgrims of the New York underground scene, they come together at Shortbus, a weekly “salon” dedicated to art, music, politics, and polysexual carnality. At the time of its initial release, “Shortbus” felt for many – perhaps even most – like a glimpse into another world, an erotic utopia where sexual freedom and experimentation were not only “normal” but incorporated into a holistic view of life and used as a valid avenue for achieving personal growth. Seen today, what strikes the viewer most is just how far ahead of its time Mitchell’s purposefully transgressive movie really was. 2 2 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • JANUARY 28, 2 0 2 2

(Photo courtesy of Oscilloscope Laboratories)

the fact that movies were exploring sexual frankness again, as some had in the ‘60s and

most of the new ones were so grim and humorless. Sex seemed just as connected to negativity as it was for, say, Chrisitary environment where sex was the scariest thing imaginable, which, of course, made would be sexually frank, thought-provoking, and, if possible, funny.” True to that goal, “Shortbus” feels for most of its running time like a light-hearted a buoyant sense of humor to the movie that pervades even when they’re not onscreen, and the colorful community of background characters – including an Ed Koch lookalike City” – provide a constant stream of memorable comedic moments throughout. There’s even an overtly farcical sequence involving a remote-control orgasmic egg, which would not seem at all out of place in a 1960s screwball comedy from Blake Edwards. Still, to downplay the sexiness of “Shortbus” would be to ignore its most enduring gender, including extended scenes of three-ways, orgies, rimming, cunnilingus, fellatio,

help us get over it. sometimes sex itself gets a bad name. To some today, any kind of sex on screen is exploitation… Let’s not let our need for safety and justice boomerang us back to our default American Puritanism. Sex between consenting respectful adults is one of the great joys and mysteries of our lives. No need to panic. “Let’s just lie back and think of each other.”

A fascinating tale of Paris and literature in early 20th century If you love books and sexual freedom you’ll adore ‘The Paris Bookseller’

By KATHI WOLFE In LGBTQ bars, men dance with men and women kiss women. In artistic neighborhoods, straight people dine and drink with their queer friends. Queer couples and throuples are among the leaders of the avant-garde. Yet, there’s some repression. Books are ‘The Paris Bookseller’ banned. By Kerri Maher You might think such c.2022, Berkley | $26 | 336 pages goings-on can only be found in a present-day gayborhood or cultural hotspot. But, this isn’t just a 21-century tableau. It was the scene a century ago in Paris where queer and hetero artists and writers, together, created some of the most acclaimed writing of the 20th century. At the center of it all was Sylvia Beach and her bookshop Shakespeare and Company. “The Paris Bookseller,” a new novel by Kerri Maher, brings us into the creative, diverting world of Paris from 1917 to 1936. Many titans of modernist art and literature thrived there (often before they were famous) – from Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas to Ernest Hemingway to Ezra Pound to Andre Gide to Paul Valery to James Joyce. Some were French. Others were American, British, Irish, or Canadian expats.

Sylvia Beach, a bookish American lesbian, who loved Paris, writers, books, and especially, her bookshop, was the friend, librarian, sometimes publisher, hand-holder – den mother – of this community.

War I, she did arduous farm work in Touraine, France. But Paris had captured Beach’s heart. “Nothing compared to Paris,” Beach thought on her return to the City of Light, “not knocking on doors with Cyprian and Holly and Mother for the

Much has been written about Joyce, Stein, Hemingway and their gang. But comparatively little has been written about Beach, who lived from 1887 to 1962. Beach lived openly for years with her lover and business partner Adrienne Monnier, and published Joyce’s groundbreaking novel “Ulysses,” which had run into censorship. “The Bookseller” is a fascinating tale of the day-to-day life of Shakespeare and Company, the cultural hub, that nurtured the post-World War I generation of writers and artists. Told from Beach’s point of view, the novel brings us inside Beach’s solar plexus as she delights in cafes and literary readings; strokes Joyce’s cranky ego and, later, with Monnier, faces the economic hardships of the Depression. Beach was born in Baltimore. Her father was a Presbyterian minister and her mother supported women’s suffrage. Beach had two sisters – Holly and Cyprian, an actress who was also a lesbian. In 1901, Beach moved with her family to Paris when her father was appointed assistant minister of the American Church in Paris. She lived in Princeton, N.J., for a time when her father was a minister there. She then lived in Spain and worked for the Red Cross’ Balkan Commission of the Red Cross. As a volunteer in World

kiss with her classmate Gemma Bradford; not winning the praise of her favorite teachers.” If you like novels that make your heart pound with tension every nano-sec, “The Paris Bookseller” may not be the book for you. There are no severed heads. Gertrude Stein takes a few digs at Beach. There’s some snark. Monnier and Beach privately refer to Joyce as the “crooked Jesus” because he can be so annoying. But no knives are taken out. Yet, “The Paris Bookseller” in its cozy, elegant way has more than its share of drama. It feels relatable to today – when increasing numbers of books are being banned. Because being gay has been decriminalized in France since the French Revolution, LGBTQ people could live openly in post World War I Paris. Yet there was a backlash against this freedom. “Ulysses” was banned because it was thought to be obscene. Against this backdrop, a century ago, on Feb. 2, 1922, Beach published “Ulysses.” Maher deftly engulfs us in the exaltation, joy, pain, and and publishing his masterpiece. freedom and censorship battles, you’ll adore “The Paris Bookseller.”

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Janet Jackson doc premieres this weekend

Remembering 10 times iconic singer was there for LGBTQ community FROM STAFF REPORTS

Iconic singer Janet Jackson, a longtime LGBTQ ally, unveils her long-awaited documentary simply titled “Janet” on Friday, Jan. 28. It concludes the following night; each installment is two hours long. creating the documentary, which airs at 8 p.m. both nights on A&E and Lifetime networks. It was produced by Jackson and her brother Randy Jackson and it’s timed to commemorate the 40th anniversary of her 1982 debut album. ly about her brother Michael and the 2004 Super Bowl incident, including the news that Justin Timberlake reached out and asked her to join him during his widely panned 2018 Super Bowl return performance. Prior to the pandemic, Jackson announced a new studio album and tour titled “Black Diamond,” but both were postponed due documentary airs. “Musically, what I’ve done, like doing ‘Rhythm Nation’ or doing ‘New Agenda’ or doing ‘Skin Game,’ creating those bodies of work with Jimmy and Terry, I feel like I’ve laid a certain foundation,” Jackson tells Allure magazine in a new cover story this month. “I would hope that I’d be able to continue if I choose to. You know what I mean? But only time will tell.” As Jackson’s legion of queer fans awaits this weekend’s premiere, the Blade takes a look back at 10 times Janet was there for the LGBTQ community.

1. “The Velvet Rope” project.

In 1997, Jackson released her critically acclaimed sixth studio album “The Velvet Rope,” an introspective and deeply personal collection of songs that touched on her depression, but also tackled LGBTQ issues. On the track “Free Xone,” she spoke out forcefully against pronouns in the love song, prompting speculation about her sexual orientation. But it was her international No. 1 hit “Together Again” that continues to resonate with LGBTQ fans. An upbeat, joyful dance song, it was conceived as a tribute to Jackson’s friends who died of AIDS.

2. GLAAD award.

In 2008, Ellen DeGeneres presented Jackson with the Vanguard Award at the 19th annual GLAAD Media Awards. GLAAD’s president said, “We are delighted to honor Janet Jackson at the 19th annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles as such a visible, welcoming and inclusive ally of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Ms. Jackson has a tremendous following inside the LGBT community and out, and having her stand with us against

3. Ebony magazine interview about her sexuality.

In 2001, Jackson gave an interview to Ebony magazine in which she was asked about her

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sexual orientation. “I don’t mind people thinking that I’m gay or calling me gay,” she said. “People are going to believe whatever they want. Yes, I hang out at gay clubs … I go where the music is good. I love people regardless of sexual preference, regardless of race. No, I am not bisexual. I have been linked with dancers in our group because we are so close. I grew up in a big family. I love being affectionate. I love intimacy and I am not afraid to show it.”

4. Video support for It Gets Better, Trevor Project.

er appeared on CNN’s “Larry King Live” to promote awareness of alone, but you’re not,” she said in the video. “I can relate because I was one of those kids who internalized everything.” ’s two-part, four-hour documentary debuts this weekend. (File photo by Shilla Patel)

5. “State of the World Tour.”

Jackson’s LGBTQ support continued in 2017. Her tour’s opening sequence highlighted a range of problems facing the world, from famine and war to police brutality and included a call for justice and for LGBTQ rights.

6. “The Kids.”

Jackson has always employed a diverse crew of professional dancers for her videos and tours. Some of her closest friends and collaborators over the years have been prominent out gay and lesbian choreographers, singers, dancers, makeup artists and designers. She lovingly refers to her backup dancers as “the Kids.” In 2004, Jackson performed for a packed audience at Pride Dance NYC at Pier 54.

8. “Will & Grace” cameo.

In 2004, Jackson made a memorable cameo on “Will & Grace,” judging a dance-off between Jack and another dancer. In 2005, Jackson was honored by both the Human Rights Campaign and AIDS Project Los Angeles for her work raising money for AIDS charities. In 2006, Jackson granted an exclusive interview to the Washington Blade. It was one of the rare times she touched on the Super Bowl controversy and her brother Michael’s acquittal on child molestation charges, telling Blade Editor Kevin Naff, “I got all of that out of my system, that’s not what I’m feeling right now. I wrote about [those controversies] but I didn’t choose to put it out there on the album.” In the interview, Jackson also reiterated her support for marriage equality, said she’d never had a sexual relationship with a woman and revealed that she’d never met Madonna.

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By JEFF HAMMERBERG The use of a trust in estate planning isn’t just for the wealthy.

The goal of effective estate planning is to allow you to transfer your property – including your money, home, and other assets, to your family, or those

when someone dies – but it can also be helpful if the creator of the trust suddenly

these tools allows you, as a homeowner, to specify who you would like to be the

mind that if you become unable to communicate or act on your own behalf, your home and other assets will be managed in accordance with your wishes by

While a will is certainly an essential estate planning tool, increasingly, many a trust is a legal creation in which the creator can place money, possessions, property, and other assets that the creator wishes to be given to particular using trusts to ensure that they have greater control over who will receive their

who will take over the management of the trust in the event of either death or

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protect your home and other assets placed in the trust from being seized by

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37 L STREET SE

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Compass is a licensed real estate brokerage that abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. All measurements and square footages are approximate. This is not intended to solicit property already listed. Compass is licensed as Compass Real Estate in DC and as Compass in Virginia and Maryland. 1313 14th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 | 202.386.6330 availability of such units and requirements for registration in the Inclusionary Zoning program.

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RENT / DC

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