Washington Blade, Volume 54, Issue 24, June 16, 2023

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

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Hundreds of thousands turn out for D.C. Pride events

Jubilant crowds celebrate weekend events as air quality improved

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

As many as 600,000 or more people turned out for D.C.’s Capital Pride parade and festival along with dozens of other Pride related events over the weekend of une - , according to officials with the Capital ride Alliance, the group that organized the parade, festival, and many of the other events.

“We are about to celebrate Capital Pride 2023, with one of the largest Pride parades in Washington, D.C.’s history,” said Capital Pride Alliance Executive Director yan Bos at a news media briefing on une , minutes before the parade began at its starting point at 14th and T Streets, N.W.

She was referring to the more than 500 anti-LGBTQ bills introduced, with many of them passed, in state legislatures across the country over the past year.

lso speaking at the media briefing was Dame aren Pierce, the British Ambassador to the U.S., who led a British Embassy contingent in the parade.

“Thank you to Washington Pride,” she told the gathering. “We have the honor to have been with the Washington ride for over years as the first embassy to take part, and we’re delighted to see how much it’s grown.”

Levine joined Bos and other Capital Pride Alliance officials as well as mbassador ierce who said this year s Pride events would serve as both a celebration and an act of defiance against the anti- B sentiment rising dramatically across the country.

Activists who have observed D.C.’s Pride parade over the years have said this year’s parade appeared to have attracted more spectators watching the parade along the streets compared to recent past D.C. Pride parades, with crowds five to people deep lining the sidewalks and cheering as parade contingents, including marching bands, passed by.

The parade followed a route from 14th and T Streets, N.W., where it traveled south to Rhode Island Avenue, turned onto Massachusetts Avenue, and turned onto 17th Street, where it reached the Capital Pride block party located on 17th Street between P and Q Streets.

From 17th Street, the parade turned onto P Street and traveled to Dupont Circle, with its contingents traveling halfway around the circle and back onto P Street, where it ended at 21st and P.

tival. Among them were the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the CIA, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The booths set up by those and other government agencies were staffed by LGBTQ employees of the agencies, including the CI .

Like past years, the festival this year included the annual Pride concert and entertainment performances, including drag performances. Among the drag performers was acclaimed D.C. drag performer Donnell Robinson aka Ella Fitzgerald.

The concert included many prominent performers, including Broadway actress Idina Menzel and ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ winner Monet X Change.

In addition to the official events organi ed by Capital Pride Alliance, including the parade and festival, a dozen or more Pride related parties took place over the weekend at local LGBTQ bars and nightclubs. Most of D.C.’s gay bars had long lines of people waiting to get in on Saturday night after the parade, as the packed bars hosted various Pride related events.

Longtime D.C. transgender activist Earline Budd, who was among the Capital Pride honorees and parade grand marshals who spoke at the Saturday media briefing along with Rachel Levine, appeared to capture the spirit of celebration re ected in this year s D.C. ride events.

“I am so honored to be here today,” Budd said. “This is a historical point in our history. We must stand up. We must fight. We must never give up, she said. eace, Love Revolution. Remember that. Peace, Love, Revolution.”

Also drawing a large crowd was the fourth annual Pride on the Pier event that took place on June 10 at the city’s Southwest waterfront Wharf, and that was sponsored by the Washington Blade, the local event organizing company LURe, and the Wharf. The event included a drag show, dance party, and the annual ride fireworks display.

The prediction by weather forecasters of a possible harmful air uality inde due to the Canadian wildfire smoke that had engulfed the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S. several days earlier did not appear to deter the huge turnout at the Capital Pride events over the weekend. By Saturday and Sunday, weather officials said the air quality index dropped to the far less harmful Code Yellow status.

Among those who spoke at the Capital Pride media briefing was Dr. achel evine, the .S. ssistant Secretary of Health and admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, who became the first openly transgender person to be appointed to both positions. Levine was among several prominent LGBTQ people selected by the Capital Pride Alliance to be grand marshals for the Pride parade.

“Pride is a time of hope and change and love and joy,” she told the gathering at the start of the parade. “But it needs to catalyze us to go forth across the country to cataly e more change and to fight against these regressive laws that are being passed, which damage and attack our vulnerable community – attack vulnerable trans youth and their families and attack our LGBTQI+ families, evine said.

Among the parade contingents that drew cheers and e citement from the crowds on the sidelines were oats for D.C.’s professional sports teams including the Washington Nationals baseball team, the D.C. United hockey team, the Washington Commanders football team, the Washington Wizards men’s basketball team, and Washington Mystics women’s basketball team.

Also marching in the parade were D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, who led the parade with a contingent of more than 100 LGBTQ community supporters, and 11 members of the 13-member D.C. Council.

The Council members marching in the parade with their own LGBTQ supporters included D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson (D-At-Large), Anita Bonds (D-At-Large), enyan cDuffie I- t arge , obert White D- t arge , Christina Henderson (I-At Large), Brianne Nadeau (D-Ward 1), Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2), Matthew Frumin (D-Ward 3), Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4), Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5), who is the Council’s only openly gay member, and Charles Allen (D-Ward 6).

Among the marching bands in the parade that drew cheers from the crowds was D.C.’s Eastern High School Marching Band.

Similar to past years, contingents in this year’s parade as well as in the June 11 festival, which took place on Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., between 3rd and 7th Streets, included many prominent local and national LGBTQ advocacy organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign and the National LGBTQ Task Force.

Also, like past years, many U.S. government and local D.C. government agencies set up booths at the Pride fes-

Budd was referring to the official theme of this year s Capital Pride events chosen by the Capital Pride Alliance board – Peace, Love, Revolution.

Capital ride officials prior to the start of the weekend Pride events said the festival was expected to include more than 300 booths with local vendors, businesses, and organi ations.

In a statement released to the Blade on Monday, Capital Pride Alliance says the organization estimates the parade attendance was about 220,000, which it says was similar to the 2022 parade. However, the statement says there were 295 parade contingents this year, “which is the largest number that we’ve ever had, with approximately 23,000 Parade participants,” according to the statement.

“Similarly, the Festival had almost 300 organizations oin us, another increase, which we were able to fit into roughly the same footprint that we have used during past celebrations,” the statement continues. “The attendance on Sunday was about 475,000, also the largest that we have seen,” it says.

“We are extremely pleased with how the Capital Pride Parade, Festival, and Concert came off without a hitch on Saturday and Sunday,” the statement adds.

“We were grateful that speakers on both days, including artists who performed at Sunday’s Concert, emphasized that the LGBTQ+ community is facing challenges around the country and the globe, and that we will meet this moment together by opposing any attempts to roll back our hard-fought rights and any incursions into the lives of the most vulnerable,” the statement concludes.

The fourth annual Pride on the Pier featured the region’s only Pride freworks display on Saturday.

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Brittney Griner to appear at Mystics Pride Night Out Team D.C., Rainbow Families offering tickets for June 16 game

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

Famed lesbian basketball star Brittney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury Women’s National Basketball Association team will be playing with her team in D.C. against the Washington Mystics on Friday, June 16, at the Mystics’ annual LGBT Pride Night Out.

Griner’s appearance at the Entertainment & Sports Arena in Southeast D.C., where the Mystics play their games, will be her first appearance in D.C. since she was released from a prison in Russia after .S. officials said she was improperly arrested in February 2022 for possession of medically prescribed cannabis oil in her luggage.

The Pride Night Out at the Mystics is among a series of Pride Night Out events involving local D.C. professional sports teams in partnership with the D.C. LGBTQ sports organization Team D.C.

Brent Minor, Team D.C.’s executive director, said the group has obtained a bloc of 250 seats for the Mystics-Mer-

Comings & Goings

cury game on June 16 and has provided some of those tickets to the D.C. group Rainbow Families, which is selling tickets to its members.

Minor said Team D.C. is also organizing a tailgate party outside the Entertainment and Sports Arena, located at 1100 Oak Drive, S.E., from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on the night of the game, which begins at 8 p.m. He said food and beverages will be available at the Team D.C. tailgate event.

According to Minor, tickets were still available as of Tuesday at $30 for a ticket to the game and $50 for the game ticket and admission to the tailgate party. Those wishing to attend the party but not the game can purchase a tailgate ticket for $20, he said. Tickets can be purchased directly from Team D.C. by contacting inor at brent@teamdc.org.

“Rainbow Families Members – Don’t Miss This!” a message on the group’s website says. “Attend Brittney Griner’s first game in D.C. since her arrest in ussia. It will undoubt-

County names first B I iaison

By PETER ROSENSTEIN

The Comings & Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our community. We want to recognize those landing new jobs, new clients for their business, joining boards of organizations and other achievements.

Please share your successes with us at: comingsandgoings@washblade.com.

The Comings & Goings column also invites LGBTQ college students to share their successes with us. If you have been elected to a student government position, gotten an exciting internship, or are graduating and beginning your career with a great job, let us know so we can share your success.

Congratulations to Antonio M. Driver who has been named by Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks as the county s first B I iaison. his is a new position created by the Alsobrooks administration. Driver has extensive experience in activism, outreach, program management and operations, and community and social services, within the LGBTQ community.

Alsobrooks said, “We are excited to welcome Mr. Driver to rince eorge s as our new B I iaison. We created this first-ever position after hearing the concerns of our B I community about the lack of such a position within County Government. With Mr. Driver’s background, knowledge, and e pertise, we are confident that he will support our efforts to further connect with our County’s B I community. We strive to be a government that represents all communities and remain committed to ensuring that we meet the needs of all who call Prince George’s home. pon accepting the position ntonio said, It is with great honor that I have been selected and appointed to fill this role. I look forward to bringing my seven years of

edly be an emotional and exciting night,” the group’s message says.

It says ainbow amily members can purchase tickets for the game and the pre-game tailgate party through rainbowfamiliesdc.org.

Griner is a two-time Olympic gold medal winner with the U.S. women’s national basketball team and a six-time Woman’s National Basketball Association All-Star. Earlier this year ime maga ine named her one of the most in uential people in the world.

Griner returned to the U.S. in December 2022 as part of a prisoner exchange worked out between the administration of resident Biden and ussian officials. er release came nine months after she was arrested in Moscow for alleged possession of vape cartridges containing prescription cannabis.

“The Washington Mystics believe in the full inclusion, dignity, and equality for LGBTQ+ people,” the team states on its website page announcing the June 16 Night Out event. “We’re proud to use the platform of sport to empower our players, fans, and staff to use their voices and create a more inclusive environment around the game and in our communities,” the statement says. “Join us for Pride Night, celebrating the diversity of our community. Our game, our way!”

expertise and professional relationships to this role to continue expanding the tremendous effort and work currently being done around getting resources and support to the B I community of rince eorge s County.

Driver is founder and executive director of SpeakOut, which has designed programs to provide LGBTQ people of color with a space to safely process thoughts, feelings, and emotions in order to strengthen their psychological and emotional fitness. Speak ut works to build a movement that erases the stigma associated with the Black LGBTQ community.

Previously, Driver served as a family support worker for Catholic Charities in Washington, D.C.; a case manager for the Village Care Center in New York City; and as a program manager for the I testing program with the ittsburgh IDS ask orce.

Driver has an Associate of Science in Criminal Justice degree from Ashworth College in Norcross, Ga.; and will earn his bachelor’s in business administration in management from the University of Phoenix this year.

This will be BRITTNEY GRINER s frst ga e in . . since her release ro a ussian prison.

ANTONIO M. DRIVER

Biden hosts largest-ever ride event at White ouse ore than , guests welcomed on South awn

By CHRISTOPHER KANE | ckane@washblade.com

resident oe Biden and first lady ill Biden on Saturday welcomed more than , guests to the largest ride month celebration ever hosted at the White ouse. appy ride onth, the president said from a stage on the South awn. appy ride year, he added, happy ride life.

he Biden- arris administration has more openly- B people working at every level of government than ever before, Biden noted, and we re doing everything we can to advance e uality for the B community.

nities to treat and contain the mpo outbreak, and ending the disgraceful practice of banning gay and bise ual men from donating blood.

Biden said the administration is making B e uality around the world a top priority, such as by reviewing our engagement with ganda following its anti-gay law, the most e treme in the world.

ast December, we felt such pride here on the South awn when I signed the historic espect for arriage ct, which protects the marriages of same-se and interracial couples.

Despite this progress, the president said, real challenges still remain. or instance, he said, When a person can be married in the morning and thrown out of the restaurant for being gay in the afternoon, something is still very wrong in merica. hat s why the Congress must pass and send me the E uality ct.

oining us today are survivors of Club and ulse, Biden said, shootings that highlight the importance of implementing the provisions of the bipartisan gun bill passed last year. e added that work must continue with banning assault weapons.

through whatever a transgender child and their family is going through, Biden said.

But I think we can all agree, he said, if it were you, you d want the space to figure it out with your family and doctor.

So today, I want to send a message to the entire community especially to transgender children. ou aren t alone. ou are heard. ou are understood your president, my entire administration has your back

wo days ago, I announced a series of new initiatives we re taking to protect the B community, Biden said. irst, ensuring your physical safety. Whether you re organi ing a ride parade, running a small business or ust trying to focus at school, you shouldn t have to deal with bomb threats, harassment, and violent attacks.

hat s why the Department of omeland Security with the support of the Department of ustice and Department ealth and uman Services is launching a safety partnership that s gonna provide critical training and support to the community dedicated resources to better protect festivals, marches, community centers and businesses.

s commander-in-chief, I was proud to reverse the ban on transgender mericans serving in the nited States military. I signed historic e ecutive orders e tending civil rights protections for housing, employment, health care, education and the ustice system.

We re combatting the dangerous and cruel practice of conversation therapy and launching a new national strategy to end the I epidemic by , working with commu-

With families across the country facing e cruciating decisions to relocate to a different state to protect their child from dangerous anti B laws, we have to act, Biden said. We have to act as a nation. We need to push back against the hundreds of callous and cynical bills and laws introduced in states targeting transgender children, terrifying families and criminali ing doctors and nurses.

hese bills and laws attack the most basic values we have as mericans that s not hyperbole, said the president. It s a fact.

I recogni e that for a lot of folks across the country, maybe it s not you, your kid, your family member going

ride event marred by trans in uencer topless stunt

resident oe Biden and first lady ill Biden hosted the largest ride month celebration ever held at the White ouse on Saturday, reaffirming the administration s commitment to the B community, but the behavior of one guest sparked controversy into this week.

his behavior is inappropriate and disrespectful for any event at the White ouse, a White ouse spokesperson said on uesday in response to a video in which trans in uencer ose ontoya appeared topless during Saturday s event on the South awn.

It is not re ective of the event we hosted to celebrate B I families or the other hundreds of guests who were in attendance, the spokesperson said, adding, Individuals in the video will not be invited to future events.

White ouse ress Secretary arine ean- ierre echoed those comments during a press briefing uesday, telling reporters hat type of behavior is, as I said, unacceptable. It s

inappropriate, it s disrespectful. nd it really does not re ect the event that we hosted to celebrate the B families.

.S. Sen. arco ubio - la. , appearing on o ews to discuss the indictment of former resident Donald rump on uesday, pivoted to discussing the incident involving ontoya, which he characteri ed as emblematic of a national decline and cultural hysteria.

We had a lady, or man that now claims to be a lady, you know, going topless at the White ouse two days ago at a ride celebration thing, ubio said.

ontoya defended her video on ik ok, insisting that she did not violate any laws.

I fully support the movement and freeing the nipple, she said. y trans masculine friends were showing off their top surgery scars and living in oy, and I wanted to oin them. nd because it is perfectly within the law of Washington, D.C. I decided to oin them and cover my nipples ust

Second, said the president. We re addressing how the growing threat that book bans violate civil rights law when they target B students or students of color and create hostile classroom environments.

hird, we re investing in the future of B kids. ast year we launched a nationwide crisis hotline for B youth who are feeling isolated and overwhelmed, said Biden, who also noted initiatives focused on mental health and combatting homelessness among B youth.

ou set the e ample for the nation and uite frankly for the world, Biden said. ou know, we all move forward when we re together with your oy, your pride, lighting the way.

to play it safe.

I had ero intention of trying to be vulgar or be profane in any way, ontoya said. I was simply living my oy, and my truth, and e isting in my body.

he in uencer did not respond to re uests for comment from the Washington Blade.

CHRISTOPHER KANE

President JOE BIDEN at the White House June 2023 Pride Month reception. (Blade photo by Christopher Kane)

ROSE MONTOYA exposed her breasts on the White House lawn at an event aimed at LGBTQ families. (Screen capture via Rose Montoya YouTube)

Gay, bi men have better heart health scores than straight men: study But lesbians showed poorer results than heterosexual women

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

A report published last month in the Journal of the American Heart Association about a study conducted in France of the heart disease risk factors in more than 169,000 adults found that gay and bisexual men had a lower risk for cardiovascular disease than heterosexual men.

The same study, according to the JAHA report, shows that lesbian and bisexual women had a higher risk of cardiovascular disease such as heart attacks and strokes than heterosexual women.

The report says the French study, which included physical examinations and interviews with 90,879 women and , men in cities, appears to be the first such study to include individuals who self-identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or who declare other non-heterosexual identities.

It says the study used two methods of measuring cardiac health developed by the American Heart Association. One, called the Life’s Simple 7 Cardiovascular Health Score, assesses seven modifiable and actionable cardiovascular health metrics” — dietary intake, physical activity, nonsmoking, body mass index, fasting blood glucose level, blood pressure, and total blood cholesterol.

The second method the study used for assessing cardiac health, the report says, is called Life’s Essential 8, which includes the seven factors used in the first method plus an assessment of an individual’s “sleep health.”

Dr. Keith Egan, an internal medicine physician with D.C.’s Kaiser Permanente Pride Medical Center ,which specializes in primary medical care for LGBTQ patients, called the French study an important development in identifying the need for preventive health care for LGBTQ people.

“It puts us on notice that we need to be paying attention to these cardiovascular risk factors and paying special attention for bisexual and lesbian women to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to help that population optimize their health in each of these aspects to prevent cardiovascular disease down the line,” Egan told

the Washington Blade.

The Journal of the American Heart Association report on the French study, which was released on May 17, offers a possible explanation for why lesbians and bi women were shown to have a higher risk for heart disease.

“The current study found that SM [sexual minority] men had higher cardiovascular health scores than their heterosexual counterparts, whereas the opposite was found in women,” the report says.

“This may suggest that: (1) levels of exposure to stressors, such as discrimination, might differ between sexual minority men and sexual minority women compared with heterosexual individuals; and (2) differences in the available coping resources and resilience to buffer against minority stressors might exist in sexual minority women and sexual minority men,” the report states.

“It is noteworthy that gay or bisexual men had higher LE8 and LS7 scores than heterosexual men, despite their observed psychosocial and socioeconomic disadvantages,” the report continues.

“As the study was conducted in France, universal health care access to most residents may have buffered against the detrimental effects of low socioeconomic status on cardiovascular health access and cardiovascular disease prevention in sexual minority individuals,” the report says.

However, the report says the study found that gay and bisexual men living in rural areas had lower cardiovascular health scores compared to heterosexual men.

The report also points out that while gay and bisexual men had higher heart health scores than heterosexual men and lesbian and bi women had lower scores than their straight counterparts, it also confirmed findings in previous studies that overall, women consistently have higher cardiac health scores and less risk for heart disease than men regardless of sexual orientation.

Egan, the Pride Medical Center physician, said among the important issues the French study raises that can be found in the United States is the potential disparities

faced by LGBTQ people based on discrimination.

“A lot of that is tied back to the overall LGBTQ+ population being less likely to have a primary care provider and less likely to go for a routine screening,” he said. “We see those disparities in other areas like in rates of HIV and rates of STI [sexually transmitted infections] in gay and bisexual men,” Egan said.

“In general, though, if you look at the study, men – both heterosexual and gay men – have lower cardiovascular scores,” he said. “There is an overall higher risk for men in general” regarding cardiovascular disease,” Egan stressed.

“So, what I always say regarding the LGBTQ+ population is that it s really important to seek out and find a primary care provider who is knowledgeable and experienced and open and welcoming to our community, so that you have a relationship with a primary care provider where you can truly be open and tell them all aspects of your life so the provider can then provide help, advice and do proper screening and help reduce these disparities,” Egan said.

The full Journal of the American Heart Association report can be accessed at ahajournals.org.

Homophobe Pat Robertson dies at 93

Anti-LGBTQ Christian-media mogul, televangelist, conservative political activist, and evangelical Southern Baptist minister Pat Robertson died at 93, representatives from his Christian Broadcasting etwork confirmed last week.

public figure who was active in merican politics since the 1960s, Robertson became as known for making Christianity central to the Republican Party as he was for his outrageously offensive comments targeting LGBTQ people as well as Haitians, Black people, Muslims, Jewish people, Buddhists, and many others.

When fellow anti-LGBTQ evangelical televangelist and erstwhile rival erry alwell appeared on his agship television program The 700 Club on the week of September 11, 2001, Robertson replied “I totally concur” when Falwell laid blame for the terror attacks on “the ACLU” along with “the pagans and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays, and the lesbians.”

After the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which established the constitutional right

to same-sex marriage, Robertson warned Christian business that gay customers will “make you conform to them”: “You’re gonna say that you like anal sex, you like oral sex, you like bestiality,” he said. “Sooner or later, you’re going to have to conform your religious beliefs to the group of some abhorrent thing. It won’t stop at homosexuality.”

Likely one of the ugliest hate-mongering statements he made, and which special condemnation was leveled at him, occurred in the aftermath of the June 12, 2016, massacre when 49 LGBTQ people were killed at Pulse, an LGBTQ nightclub in Orlando, Fla., by a shooter who’d pledged allegiance to a radical form of Islam.

Robertson told viewers on his religious 700 Club broadcast the following day that Americans should ust let B people and uslims kill each other

“The left is having a dilemma of major proportions, and I think for those of us who disagree with some of their policies, the best thing to do is to sit on the sidelines and let them kill themselves,” he said.

CHRISTOPHER KANE

new study fnds that lesbian and bi wo en ha e lower heart health scores than straight wo en.

PAT ROBERTSON died last week at . (Screen capture ia outube)

Arraigned in a federal court in Miami on Tuesday, former President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to criminal charges that he jeopardized the security of national secrets and obstructed the government’s efforts to recover classified documents in his possession.

rump appeared at the Wilkie D. erguson r. .S. Courthouse in downtown Miami, where a jury will adjudicate the 37 criminal counts brought against the former president, who remains the frontrunner for the epublican presidential nomination.

Demonstrators gathered outside voiced their support for Trump, while others vocalized their support for the indictment, brought by Special Counsel ack Smith.

he scene re ects the e tent to which the prosecution is politically fraught — an unprecedented legal gambit for a former president, brought by the .S. Department of ustice under the administration of his presumptive rival for the White ouse in ne t year s presidential race.

At the same time, the documents case is not the only area in which rump faces potential legal eopardy.

uthor E. ean Carroll is suing rump for defamation and rape, while New York Attorney General Letitia ames has brought a fraud case against the former president along with three of his children.

A grand jury indicted Trump in March — marking the first time criminal charges were brought against a former president — for an alleged hush money payment to porn actress Stormy Daniels.

ulton County, eorgia District ttorney ani Willis is e pected to announce possible criminal indictments this summer over Trump’s alleged election tampering in the state.

eanwhile, the ustice Department is also probing rump s activities around the an. insurrection and the aftermath of the 2020 election, including a scheme to send fake electors to Congress to overturn the results.

CHRISTOPHER KANE

ocan condemns ouse s anti- B markup of military bill

.S. ep. ark ocan D-Wis. condemned his epublican colleagues inclusion of anti- B provisions in a markup on uesday of the iscal ear ilitary Construction and eterans ffairs appropriations bill.

The congressman, who chairs the Congressional Equality Caucus and serves on the House Appropriations Committee, told the Washington Blade in a written statement, “Republicans are hell-bent on attacking the B community, adding that uesday s markup was no different.

“Republicans adopted an amendment to deny access to medically necessary care to transgender veterans, prohibit pride ags from being own at facilities, and even allow discrimination against B people, ocan said.

“Everyone, especially our veterans who fought and served this country, should have the freedom to access the care and services they need—free from discrimination, he said.

here are million gay and lesbian veterans and more

than , transgender veterans. B veterans have served our country with honor, but today, Republicans demonstrated they have no interest in honoring

B veterans service, ocan said.

Trump pleads not guilty in document theft case ep. itus seeks to re uire .S. to promote B rights abroad

.S. ep. Dina itus D- ev. last week introduced a bill that would re uire the .S. to promote B and interse rights abroad through its foreign policy.

The Human Rights Campaign, the Council for Global Equality, the National Center for Transgender Equality, rgani ation for efuge, sylum and igration , Outright International, Rainbow Railroad and the Trevor Project are among the organizations that support the reater eadership verseas for the Benefit of E uality BE ct. .S. Sen. Edward arkey D- ass. will introduce the bill in the .S. Senate.

itus on uesday told the Washington Blade during an e clusive interview the bill, among other things, would endorse the selective use of e isting sanctions to punish those responsible for murders and other human rights abuses against B and interse people. She also said the measure would re uire the State Department to allow B and interse people to choose their gender marker on passports and other travel documents.

“It’s a way of putting into action our attempts to be a

leader in the area of B rights and to be a leader, not ust at home, but around the world, said itus.

resident oe Biden in signed a memorandum that committed the .S. to promoting B and interse rights abroad as part of the Biden- arris administration s overall foreign policy.

essica Stern has been the special .S. envoy for the promotion of B and interse rights since . She told the Blade in a previous interview the White ouse s continued support of B and interse rights includes marriage equality in countries where activists say such a thing is possible through legislation or the udicial process.

he State Department last year began to offer passports with an gender marker. he .S. gency for International Development and the President’s Emergency Plan for IDS elief has delivered millions of doses of antiretroviral drugs for krainians with I IDS.

.S. mbassador to the . . inda homas- reenfield in arch chaired a . . meeting that focused on the integration of B and interse rights into the . . Security

In Committee, ocan took aim at his epublican colleagues.

“Most of the other provisions in this amendment have very little to do with a MilCon bill,” such as the Republican members language about abortion and gender affirming care, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and apparently, the fear of some cloth banning pride ags at our veterans facilities across the country, the congressman said.

“At some point anti-woke is also anti-sane, and we look ridiculous, ocan said. here is an article in ewsweek magazine in the last 48 hours talking about how all of this anti B I stuff that is going on is e actly out of ladimir utin s playbook.

What we need to remember is there are , ctive Duty people in the military right now who identify as

B I , a million veterans who have served our country who identify as that,” the congressman said, adding that we should be saying thank you.

CHRISTOPHER KANE

Council s work.

Biden, along with .S. Sen. ed Cru - e as others, have condemned the signing of ganda s nti- omoseuality Act that contains a death penalty provision for “aggravated homose uality. he ational Security Council has said it will “evaluate” the law’s implications in terms of .S. aid to the country.

Titus is among the lawmakers who have previously introduced bills that are similar to the BE ct.

She noted the nti- omose uality ct when she spoke with the Blade. itus also discussed epublican-led efforts to curtail B rights in lorida and other states.

“It’s harder, certainly, to get Republicans on board, but I m optimistic, she said when asked if she e pects any epublicans will co-sponsor his bill. he more they hear from their constituents and the more they see the backlash to what some state legislatures are doing and the more they hear from members of their own families, I think that we may get some to oin us in this.

MICHAEL K. LAVERS

Rep. MARK POCAN (Blade photo by Michael Key)

Former President DONALD TRUMP now faces federal criminal charges after his arraignment on Tuesday. (Screenshot/CSPAN)

Millions attend São Paulo Pride

Millions of people participated in São Paulo’s annual Pride parade that took place in the Brazilian city on Sunday.

Congresswoman Erika ilton, a former S o aulo unicipal Councilwoman who is one of two openly transgender women elected to the Brazilian Congress last October, in a tweet said four million people participated in the parade that took place on the city’s Paulista Avenue.

“The world’s best LGBTQIA+ Pride Parade takes to Paulista venue, celebrating and demanding our rights, said ilton.

Everything was beautiful, S o aulo B arade Vice President Renato Viterbo told the Washington Blade on Monday.

MICHAEL K. LAVERS

Ukrainian LGBTQ community center attacked

he e ecutive director of a krainian B and interse rights group on uesday said a group of unknown people attacked one of their community centers.

Insight E ecutive Director lena Shevchenko told the Washington Blade the people who attacked her organiation s community center in utsk, a city in northwestern kraine, destroyed a door at the entrance. Shevchenko also said the assailants destroyed equipment that was inside.

We don t know who it was, said Shevchenko.

Shevchenko told the Blade that she and her colleagues notified the police.

We still don t know how they will ualify this attack, said Shevchenko. We still don t have a law on hate crimes. ussia on eb. , , launched its war against Ukraine.

Insight is among the many Ukrainian advocacy groups that have continued to work inside the country since the war began.

MICHAEL K. LAVERS

Companies pull out of Uganda after anti-gay law signed

he effects of ganda s nti- omose uality ct signed by President Yoweri Museveni late last month are already being felt in the country, even though it has been challenged in court.

Some companies have stopped services that violate the new law, while others have suspended theirs pending the court’s decision. Others have staged boycotts in solidarity with ganda s B community.

DStv is one of the international media companies that has stopped the airing of gay content in the country to comply with the law banning the promotion of homose uality.

The sub-Saharan African video entertainment company owned by MuiltChoice Group stated that it abides by every country s laws in its film and television business of enriching the lives of people in relation to ganda s anti-homose uality law.

“MultiChoice takes into account all laws and regulations under which we are governed and aims to adhere to those set rules in the countries in which we operate, the South frica-based company confirmed to local press the day after Museveni signed the law on May 29.

he nti- omose uality ct contains punitive provisions, such as the death penalty for aggravated homose uality, and a -year sentence for promoting homose uality, which MultiChoice wants to avoid in its programming.

he uman ights wareness and romotion orum, a health-oriented NGO that advocates for equal access to services by all people including B persons, has suspended its work over the anti-homose uality law.

he organi ation through a ay statement said it suspended its malaria, tuberculosis, and I services until the court clarifies the law to avert any prosecution for offering

services to B people.

he board has decided that as seeks an interpretation of these provisions from the constitutional court, it will stop work that the government has formally or informally indicated may be illegal under the new law and other work that we suspect may be interpreted as promotion of homose uality under Section , the statement reads.

ganda s Bureau in anuary listed among the civil society organizations under investigation on allegations of promoting homose uality, which was not recogni ed as an offense before the new law came into effect.

o details were given as to why was being investigated, and this leaves us in the dark as to why we were being investigated, reads the statement by E ecutive Director drian uuko.

The organization is among other petitioners that are challenging the legality of numerous contentious clauses in the anti-gay law including reporting gay suspects to the authorities under Section .

Persons who report the suspects are guaranteed state benefits like protection from punishment as whistle-blowers.

he harsh law on B people has also impacted the once busy .S.-funded I IDS treatment center in ampala, the gandan capital, because patients fear the police will identify and arrest them.

he new law criminali es consensual same-se se ual relations with life imprisonment while transmitting I , which falls under the law s aggravated homose uality provision, carries the death penalty.

The deserted clinic always received a minimum of 50 patients daily for I IDS preventive services like condoms and antiretroviral therapy. Service providers are therefore

concerned over a potential spike in I IDS cases. he clinic has been instrumental in the fight against I in the country where . million people live with the virus and , annual deaths from the disease, according to the latest figures by ganda s IDS Commission.

ukoma wa gugi, a .S.-based enyan author and professor of English literature at Cornell niversity, has boycotted an invite he received from akerere niversity, ganda s premier university, to give a public lecture in ugust.

Wa gugi, a son of the globally-celebrated enyan writer gugi wa hiong o, said he decided to boycott lecture in solidarity with LGBTQ people in Uganda on grounds that the nti- omose uality ct curtails freedom of e pression.

“The anti-gay bill passed in Uganda is gratuitous in its cruelty, said ukoma. It criminali es the human body, speech, thought, intent, literature, music and language. In short, it criminalizes culture itself while claiming to be protecting African culture.

e reiterated that the new law censures him from sharing his works such as his poem supporting B fricans, thus con icting with his artistic honesty and integrity. Wa Ngugi noted that forbidding people’s gender identity should not be tolerated since it is like outlawing humanity.

ow does ust being who are you become illegal Should we not be protecting and celebrating our se ual diversity ukoma posed.

e accused useveni of leading the country to the wrong path of anti-decoloni ation through the anti-gay law. Wa Ngugi also likened Uganda’s decision to criminalize homose uality to what is happening in lorida where being gay, or Black, or an immigrant or woke is an anathema.

MICHAEL K. LAVERS

Insight’s community center in Lutsk, Ukraine, was attacked on June 13. (Photo courtesy of Olena Shevchenko/Insight)

The annual São Paulo Pride parade took place on June 11. (Photo courtesy of Paulo Guimarães / Pinguim Pictures)

OUR OUTSIDE BIERGARTEN IS OPEN!

M

DINNER: LUNCH: HH:

WED - SUN 3 - 10PM WED - FRI 11:30 - 2:30PM WED - FRI 2 - 6PM

JOHN E. LAZAR

It s been three years since I retired and formally transferred residency to a condo in Wilton anors, la., spending seven months in the warmer climes of South lorida and five months in my condo in ogan Circle. Initially, the B environment of Wilton anors and Washington, D.C. paired well. his year, everything changed in lorida with the passage of anti- B legislation and policies thanks to ov. on DeSantis and the epublican super-ma ority in the state legislature. During the spring lorida legislative session, I oined volunteers from E uality lorida and the Dolphin Democrats lobbying on behalf of our community.

here is no way of sugar coating the perilous times that we loridians and mericans living elsewhere are e periencing, for the B community and for supporters of our constitutional democracy. hese bills in the state ouse and Senate are draconian Criminali ing ender ffirming Care bill for transgender youth SB , Don t Say ay B E pansion bill B , akeover of igher Ed bill B , and there are others.

I find it difficult to fathom why a parent providing healthcare to their child would be labeled a child abuser and have the child removed from custody of that parent and why any health-related professional would be charged with a felony think medical doctor, nurse practitioner, counselor, pharmacist . ne courageous Democratic legislator asked the author of this bill why a parent providing permission for a blood transfusion, for e ample, to save a child s life but in opposition to a oint custody parent, who for religious reasons ob ects to the treatment, is not deemed a child abuser nor are medical staff charged with a felony in the latter e ample. he response was inade uate and insulting to one s intelligence.

B youth have a right to access books affirming their families and their se ual identification. arents have the right to be open about their B families as do straight families of B parents have considered moving out of state and of B youth say state laws restricting the rights of B young people negatively impacted their mental health. his is an attempt to erase the members of B families and push them back into the closet.

he akeover of igher Education bill prohibits public universities and colleges spending regardless of source, on programs that espouse diversity, e uity and inclusion, which help B and minority students thrive. his bill would defund and effectively eliminate multi-cultural student centers, Black student unions and ride centers not re uired by federal law.

I did hear that some of the epublicans are uncomfortable with some of these bills but because they have been coerced by the governor to support his agenda, that they have no other option but to be in lockstep with their party does this playbook sound familiar . What is the current political climate to stop these bills from passage errible he epublicans en oy a super-ma ority standing. he Democrats on various committees that discussed these bills have tried to attach amendments to lessen the harsh impact but their amendments failed.

Courageous B youth, parents, adults and allies of the B community provided verbal testimony that was absolutely heart wrenching. In some cases, the epublican chairs of these committees limited testimony to ust seconds

ow that I am back in D.C. for the summer and celebrating ride month, I am thankful that Capital ride can provide me emotional respite. But I will be thinking of my friends and community in South lorida who will be celebrating ride in Wilton anors. he mayor and City Commissioners are moving ahead with plans for full participation by all members of the B community, drag ueens, too, in ride celebrations. But there is trepidation also that DeSantis may be looking for an opportunity to replace the Wilton anors ayor and City Commissioners for a perceived violation of the newly passed legislation. ou may be pondering ne t steps. Some may speculate that it is time to move out of state. But where do you think you can move his playbook is already being replicated in other states and there are more in the offing. We have to organi e and fight for our rights and those of our B brothers and sisters and our B allies. We have done so in the past and will continue to do so in the present as well as in the future. he choice is ours to make.

is former Ward 2 committeeman to the D.C. Democratic State Committee and past financial resource director of the lorida Democratic B Caucus.

Should gay retirees ee anti- B repression in lorida

DeSantis s attacks must inspire us to fight back

is a longtime B rights and Democratic arty activist. e writes regularly for the Blade.

C resident elley obinson declared C s first-ever national state of emergency for B mericans. he uman ights Campaign issued a ational Warning and uidebook to Ensure Safety for B esidents and ravelers. I congratulate them for doing this. We are certainly in dangerous times for the community. It is unfortunate we oin the frican- merican community, women, and the ewish community, as well as other minorities, all under fire from the right-wing in our country and around the world.

In the declaration, C said, he sharp rise in anti- B measures have spawned a di ying patchwork of discriminatory state laws that have created increasingly hostile and dangerous environments, the reason for this emergency declaration. It issued a downloadable guidebook for the B community, including health and safety resources, a summary of state-by-state laws, know your rights information, and resources designed to support B travelers, as well as those already living in hostile states. his is all good. But in my opinion, they left out talking about the most powerful tool we have if we are to have any hope of turning all this around the vote.

I recently had the pleasure of meeting obinson at an event where the book S , he ife and imes of Barney rank, author Eric rner, and Barney spoke. lso there supporting Barney and our community were gay Congressman ark akano D-Calif. and brilliant Congressman amie askin D- d. , among others. fter listening to Barney, who still has a very positive view of the future based on where the B community has come over the years, I asked obinson about the one thing I felt was left out of her important emergency declaration. While she didn t disagree, she told me that was intentionally left out of this declaration. She talked about young people, some of the people this was directed at, needed to be brought along before we talked to them about voting.

She and I will disagree on this. I think anytime we send anything out that we e pect to go viral, as they e pect this to do, whether it s to our friends, allies, or members of the community, we need to tell them in a loud and clear voice, we only win with our E It cannot wait as there are elections across the nation in and then of course the presidential and congressional elections in . In the same way epublicans are taking away a woman s right to control her own body, epublicans are taking away the right to live in safety for the B community, to live as who we are born to be.

We can and should protest, and take to the streets. But if we don t vote we will lose. We had a million-women s march in Washington, D.C. on anuary , and still oe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court. court Donald rump appointed. We had , in the streets of Washington demanding gun control after the arkland shooting, and yet we cannot get real gun control through Congress.

What we must do anytime we declare an emergency, is e plain to people, especially young people, who are the future, what voting means and can do for them. ow all our udges are either appointed by the people we elect, or elected directly by us. ow state legislatures passing all these abhorrent bills are elected. Without legislators who support us, or udges who will support our freedoms, we will continue to lose and suffer.

C ends the emergency declaration with the words, It s also incumbent on our allies across the country to stand with us and make it clear that they will not sit idly by while e tremists attack and malign B people and our families. We ll fight tooth and nail to ensure the safety and dignity of every B person is respected and protected, without e ception. I agree, but the way our allies will most effectively stand with us is not ust oining us in the streets, or writing letters, or calling legislators, but in the voting booth. hat is the same way we will support women, frican mericans, and other minorities. We need to have massive voter registration drives across the nation. We need to make it clear to all who still care about decency and personal freedom the only way to ensure those things is with your E

C issues state of emergency but forgets to ask us to vote rotests are fine but won t stop the anti- B attacks

Member FDIC. Sandy Spring Bank and the SSB logo are registered trademarks of Sandy Spring Bank. © 2023 Sandy Spring Bank. All rights reserved.

BRIAN GAITHER

is a gay writer and activist living in suburban Houston. He is on Twitter @briangaither.

Ted Cruz, the junior senator from Texas, is a weasel, an ever-chirping Republican weasel. He says and does only things that serve his ambitions. His recent statement denouncing Uganda’s latest attack on LGBTQ people is no exception and should be judged in that context.

Though a weasel, Cruz is no idiot. The Texas electorate is constantly changing, with a thousand people arriving in the Lone Star State each day. Four of its cities now rank among America’s 10 largest. And while those cities are reliably Democratic, the weasel knows the suburbs are critical to his efforts to keep his office when he faces re-election next year.

So, amid the onslaught against LGBTQ people coming from Republicans in Austin, Cruz has used the plight of LGBTQ people abroad to make the claim that we should be protected against the actions of a hostile government.

e tweeted, his ganda law is horrific wrong. ny law criminali ing homoseuality or imposing the death penalty for aggravated homose uality is grotes ue an abomination. ALL civilized nations should join together in condemning this human rights abuse.”

For a statement on our basic human dignity, it could have been worse, and reasonable people should agree with this sentiment. But once it’s recognized to be the very thing a weasel would say to make himself appear enlightened to Texas suburbanites without being excessively “woke,” it’s both piddling and pathetic.

Cruz has consistently sought to limit our ability to live visibly and peacefully in merican society. While critici ing the government of ganda, he has nonetheless advocated positions before our own government that are fully aligned with the explicitly anti-LGBTQ platform and agenda of the Republican Party of Texas. He has used his power to work against same-sex marriage. He has opposed passage of the E uality ct. nd he espouses notions of religious freedom as ustification for overt discrimination.

For the junior senator from Texas, there is only one acceptable way for LGBTQ people to e ist as consenting adults who engage in gay se in their own bedrooms. This is reductive. Cruz and his ilk are pedantic in their obsession over what we do with specific parts of our bodies, how we do it, and how much we re allowed to express ourselves in public before we make them uncomfy. Texas Republicans, Cruz included, make no distinctions among gay cowboys, drag queens, and trans athletes. o them we re all the same, and everything about us is inherently se uali ed because that’s how they need us to be perceived. Lacking the capacity to consider us as fully formed human beings who transcend our sexuality, they will always resort to labeling us as “perverts,” and “groomers”

Don t be fooled by the weasel. Cru wants us confined to our bedrooms. e s to affirm the right of gay men to bugger each other there so long as we don t hold hands in a restaurant and don’t publicly exchange vows of commitment to one another and don t ask someone to bake us a cake for the occasion. Defining our entire lives by “what we do in our bedrooms” is a deliberate effort to justify panic, bigotry, harassment, and violence against us.

Cruz is a greater threat to LGBTQ people than are Uganda’s barbaric laws. He’s an instigator of the homophobia that threatens us each day in this country, and most especially in the state he represents in the U.S. Senate. His myopic and prurient view of queer life means medical practitioners who provide trans-related care are leaving Texas and families with trans kids are being forced to relocate as well. It means books are being banned from local libraries while armed protesters turn out to intimidate the patrons of businesses hosting drag shows. It means his principles are empty and even a reasonable statement of support for B people in ganda rings hollow.

Ted Cruz is a weasel and his chirping about Uganda is not serious political discourse. It is, instead, an opportunistic ploy to soften his image for a percentage of suburban voters in Texas, recently arrived, who don’t already know the sort of weasel he is. He cares about their votes, and nothing else.

Ted Cruz is a weasel, Uganda notwithstanding Senator is a greater threat to LGBTQ people than any country’s barbaric laws

DC D to premiere B documentaries ilm festival will take place in downtown D.C. from une -

By ISABELLE KRAVIS

new fi lm festival is coming to D.C. this month.

he DC D fi lm festival will take place unein downtown D.C. with screenings and panels for fi lm buffs of all kinds.

he festival will host the D.C. premieres of new B documentaries accompanied by talks from more than fi lmmakers and sub ects.

DC D is taking over a spot in the D.C. fi lm festival scene that was left empty when I Docs merged with os ngeles-based I est. Sky Sitney, DC D s co-founder, saw a need for a new D.C.-based fi lm festival, which became the inspiration for DC D .

What s interesting about the festival is we re not taking up brand new space that s never e isted before and inserting ourselves into an already crowded festival landscape, Sitney said. What we re doing is we re fi lling a genuine void of something that used to be there and isn t.

Sitney said that while the DC D team didn t set out to have a specifi c number of B fi lms on the festival s roster, many of the B fi lms were chosen simply because of how meaningful they were.

We didn t set out with an agenda of we must have a certain uota of fi lms representing different things and I love that, Sitney said. I feel like the fi lms that are in the lineup that represent ueer stories truly came organically, because these were the most compelling and most e ceptional fi lms in the season.

B fi lms premiering at the festival include okomo City , ueendom , he Dads , n , Breaking the ews , It s nly ife fter ll , Will ou ook at e and ow o Carry Water. Screenings will take place at the artin uther ing r. emorial ibrary, the Edlavitch ewish Community Center, Cafrit all or Eaton Cinema.

ttendees can purchase tickets to individual screenings or passes to the whole festival. anels and networking events are free to attend but reserving tickets is recommended.

(Poster courtesy of Marga Varea)

Baltimore Pride to feature high heel race, parade, festival

Lost River celebration also set for this weekend

By ISABELLE KRAVIS

Baltimore Pride will kick off this Saturday under the theme of “One Heart, One Love, One Pride.”

Events on Saturday, June 24 will start with the Baltimore High Heel race at noon. The race will start at th and Charles Streets and the finish line will be at 23rd Street. Immediately following the race will be the Baltimore Pride Parade, which begins at North Charles and 33rd Street, passes through Wyman ark and finishes at a block party on Charles Street between North venue and rd Street.

The block party is the “largest LGBTQ event in Maryland” according to Baltimore Pride and will be headlined by rapper Remy Ma. The party will also feature local vendors, DJs, and food.

Weather is expected to be hot all week, with highs in the 80s and little cloud coverage. Some rain is expected on the day of the parade. Approximately 100,000 attendees are e pected.

June 17 marks the return of Lost River Pride in West Virginia following a pause during the coronavirus pandemic. Lost River Pride is organized “exclusively for charitable and educational purposes,” and works to support the LGBTQ community in West Virginia.

The Lost River Pride festival will be hosted on June 17 from 12 p.m.-5 p.m. at the Lost iver armers arket. he festival is still seeking vendors, sponsors, and volunteers. Weather is expected to be sunny with clear skies and temperatures in the 70s.

Scenes from last year’s Baltimore Pride.

(Washington Blade photos by Linus Berggren)

CALENDAR |

Friday, June 16

GoGay DC will host “LGBTGQ+ Speedfriendingl” at 7 p.m. at Puro Gusto Cafe. This event is ideal to make new friends in the LGBTQ community and enjoy the bottomless happy hour specials at Puro Gusto. Admission is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Live In Your Truth Programs will host “LIYT Nights & Drag Duels” at 6:30 p.m. at Veterans Plaza. This event is a live entertainment series featuring live music, comedy performances, choreographed dance, and more. There will also be an artists’ pop-up, adult beverage garden, STI and health screenings, and health awareness and education resources. or more details, visit Eventbrite.

Saturday, June 17

Virtual Yoga Class with Charles M. will be at 12 p.m. online. This is a weekly class focusing on yoga, breathwork, and meditation. Guests are encouraged to RSVP on the DC Center’s website, providing your name, email address, and zip code, along with any questions you may have. A link to the event will be sent at 6 pm the day before.

LGBTQ People of Color Support Group will be at 1 p.m. on Zoom. LGBTQ People of Color come together and talk about anything affecting them in a space that strives to be safe and judgment free. There are all sorts of activities like watching movies, poetry events, storytelling, and just hanging out with others. For more details, visit thedccenter.org/poc or facebook.com/centerpoc.

South Asian LGBTQ Support Group will be at 1:30 p.m. on Zoom. This peer support group is an outlet for South sian-identified B individuals to come and talk about anything affecting them. It’s a secure, judgement-free environment to discuss relationships, sexuality, health, well-being, identity, culture, religion, or anything that is on your mind. For more details, email supportdesk@thedccenter.org.

Unmatched Athlete to host Pride event for youth

Unmatched Athlete will host “Union Collective Pride: Youth Climbing” on Saturday, June 17 at 12 p.m. at Movement ampden.

This event will also serve as a fundraiser for Unmatched Athlete, and all attendees will receive a complimentary free raf e ticket for a chance to win our ids ri e ack. ids between the ages of five and years will climb from 12-2:30 p.m. Youths between 13 and 18 years will climb from 3-5 p.m. Adults 19 years or older interested in climbing will pay a discounted $19 that goes directly to Movement Hampden.

For more information, visit Eventbrite.

Sunday, June 18

By TINASHE CHINGARANDE

Wednesday, June 21

“Center Aging Pride Theater Outing” will be at 3 p.m. at the Mosaic Theater Company of DC at Atlas Performing Arts Center. Guests will attend a showing of “One in Two,” a play by award-winning playwright Donja R. Love. o S , visit the DC Center s website.

“Largest LGBTQIA+ Singles Flamingle” will be at 7 p.m. at THRoW Social DC. Guests can enjoy signature cocktail and wine specials, food, games, and live music while mingling with single people in the local LGBTQ community. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Monday, June 19

Center Aging Monday Coffee and Conversation will be at 10 a.m. 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, visit the Center ging s acebook or witter.

Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a support group on Zoom for people who identify outside of the gender binary, whether you’re bigender, agender, gender uid, or ust know that you re not cis. or more details, visit www.gender ueerdc.org or acebook.

Tuesday, June 20

Bi Roundtable Discussion will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This event is an opportunity for people to gather in order to discuss issues related to bisexuality or as bi individuals in a private setting. For more details, email supportdesk@ thedccenter.org.

Pride on the Patio Events will host “LGBTQ+Social Mixer” at 5:30 p.m. at Showroom. This is a weekly cocktails and dinner social mixer for the LGBTQIA community in rederick, aryland. or more details, visit Eventbrite.

OUT & ABOUT

Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and 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.

Prince George’s County Memorial Library System will host “Pride Bingo” at 7 p.m. at Pizzeria Paradiso. The event will be hosted by drag king Ricky Rosé and guests are encouraged to come enjoy an unforgettable evening of laughter, excitement, and fabulous prizes. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Thursday, June 22

DC Anti-Violence Project Open Meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. The DC Anti-Violence Project seeks to assist victims of anti-LGBT violence by advocating on their behalf, encouraging reporting, and providing a community of support. For more information, visit Facebook or Twitter.

Punk artist to host album release party in D.C.

Punk and rock musician GLUNCEIN will host a debut album release party on Saturday, June 24 at 6:30 p.m. at The Lane.

GLUNCEIN’s album is called “Intergalactic Love Story,” and guests are encouraged to attend in their best intergalactic attire. Food will also be provided. To RSVP, visit the event’s website.

‘Union Collective Pride: Youth Climbing’ will be held June 17.

‘Out & About’ brings Brandi Carlile, other LGBTQ artists to Wolf Trap

Two-day, three-stage event features family-friendly acts

By PATRICK FOLLIARD

Arvind Manocha knows a gay man working in the arts isn’t exactly a unicorn, but as the out president and CEO of Northern Virginia’s Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts for 10 years, he also knows his platform comes with responsibility.

“I can remember days when visibility was a fraught notion and looking upward to find e amples of leadership I could identify with, wasn t easy, says anocha. oday, he’s comfortably out and he regularly attends Wolf Trap performances and donor events with his husband Gideon Malone.

e t weekend, Wolf rap is presenting ut bout, a two-day une and , three-stage music festival spotlighting LGBTQ artists and vocal allies. With the new musical event, Manocha and his programming team are coalescing entertainment and visibility. Along with headliner out folk-rock superstar Brandi Carlile, the festival’s terrific lineup includes ola, ucius, ufus Wainwright, Celisse, Brandy Clark, ake Wesley ogers, Bad oves, h e Dead, and children s acts lphabet ockers and a y sh.

It took a while, and C ID complicated things a lot, but finally the pu le pieces came together, says anocha, and we re really looking forward to showing off all that Wolf rap has to offer with this family-friendly event.

Comprised of various venues the mainstage ilene Center, Children s heatre-inthe Woods, and the Barns set on acres in ienna, a., Wolf rap was established in 1966 and remains the only national park dedicated to presenting the performing arts. And like any performing arts center serving an increasingly diverse community, over time, needs concerning art, music, and style change tremendously.

When he took the helm in , anocha uickly noted the increasingly diverse communities making their homes in the area Whether uerto ican, Indian and South Asian, or LGBTQ+, we needed to reach out. It’s important for us to be a mirror

to the society around us, and anticipate the changes they d like to see.

fter booking his first Indian megastar in , he recalls meeting people who said “I’ve lived here for years and I ve never been her before because I didn’t think there was anything here for me. That same year, he booked obyn, a Swedish pop star with a huge gay following.

e says, his effort makes me feel we’re creating traditions for people that will last long into the future.

Manocha grew up in Warren, Ohio, the son of Indian immigrants. e graduated with honors from Cornell University and earned his master’s degree as a Marshall Scholar from the University of Cambridge. After grad school he came out to his parents, both progressive academics who wholeheartedly supported his revelation.

e adds that unlike the reaction a lot of his Indian and South Asian peers received, his parents told him that their biggest wish was for him to find someone he loves and who loves him and to be happy.

rior to taking on his current high-profile gig, he honed his e pert programming and operations management skills at the ollywood Bowl in os ngeles. here, like here, he worked hard to make the overall experience as pleasing as possible for performers and audiences alike.

At Wolf Trap, the newly improved and very accessible backstage, draws accolades from touring performers. ecently oe won, a cellist in the vett Brothers, described Wolf Trap’s backstage as one of the best in the business, noting its great catering, wellness room, ping pong, and old school arcade games.

In addition to features like front orchestra seating reconfiguration, Wolf rap recently inaugurated picnic decks overlooking the meadow with a big nod to accessibility. And now they’re involved in a multi-year effort to invest in dining, the picnicking, the ingress and egress, more accessibility, and the beauty of new structures. “I believe if you’re going for an art experience in nature the things around you need to be complementary to the natural landscape, adds anocha.

“Looking forward, there’s always a list of things to do. If you reach the end of that list perhaps, you re not suited for the ob, he says. Communities and e pectations change. What people wanted ten years ago is different from they want today. Because so much of what Wolf Trap offers is a public good, I feel an obligation to give people what they want.

‘Out & About Festival’

June 24 and 25 | Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts

1551 Trap Road, Vienna, Va. | Wolftrap.org

ARVIND MANOCHA is the out president and CEO of Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts.

(Photo by Tony Powell)

Blue ean e plores impact of legislated homophobia on personal freedom

our-de-force is the timeliest film out there this ride month

By JOHN PAUL KING

ride is a celebration, but even in a ride month filled with tangible triumph on the political front, it’s important to remember that hate and homophobia that seem to be ever-percolating under the surface of society, ready to bubble over as soon as things get hot enough – which is why filmmaker eorgia akley s Blue ean might ust be timeliest piece of cinema out there this une, despite the fact that it takes place three-and-a-half decades in the past.

Set in the northern UK city of Newcastle in 1988, as Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government is on the brink of passing Section a series of laws prohibiting the promotion of homose uality , it takes its title from the name of its lead character, ean osy cEwen , who works as a gym teacher at a secondary school. Divorced and closeted, her se uality is known only to her safe community of friends – but the new legislation, with its potential impact on her career and livelihood were she to be e posed, causes her increasing an iety about keeping her queer life secret.

When a new student named ois ucy alliday turns up in class and then later at the gay bar where ean is hanging out with her lesbian crew, including her girlfriend iv errie ayes things reach a critical breaking point for ean. hough a connection forms with ois, who is desperately in need of a mentor to help her through her ueer growing pains, she tries to keep her distance all the while lying to her family and her work friends to avoid sociali ing with them, terrified of any accidental revelations.

It’s an untenable situation, and things begin to fall apart in her personal life with the defiantly out-and-proud iv. Finally, an incident between Lois and a classmate named Siobhan ydia age forces ean to make a choice either stand up for the truth and risk e posure or go along with the official narrative to preserve her own safety at the epense of a student – and fellow queer person – who trusts her.

Borrowing a page from Britain s gritty ew Wave of the early 1960s, by way of the aloof, observational style of later filmmakers like erence Davies and ndrew aigh, Blue ean takes aim at the impact of homophobic oppression by focusing on the effect it has upon a single individual. ean is not a person who still grapples with her se ual identity, but the very real possibility of having her life destroyed for it causes her to act against her own better nature. s presented by akley, it s a character study that illuminates the dilemma created when we are forced to camou age our authentic selves for the sake of self-preservation it boils down to a con ict between our survival instinct and our need for self-actualization, fear for our own safety pitted against solidarity with our own community and compassion for others who fall into the crosshairs of bigotry. It’s not pretty – yet at the same time, our empathy cannot help but hold space for ean, even when her choices are at their most cowardly. fter all, when pitted against each other in a fight to merely survive, how many of us can say we wouldn’t act out of the same self-serving motivations.

Does her status as a victim of political and social op-

pression e cuse her for her reluctance to be visible, when others around her – including her own partner and a student half her age choose a more defiant path hat s a matter of sub ective opinion, and it s scarcely the point. What matters is that her choices come not from an internal desire to adhere to the status quo but from a not-unfounded fear of having a life she s worked hard to build for herself be torn down for reasons over which she has no control. In a world that accepted her for who she is, there would be no reason to even consider pretending to be something else. he fault lies not in some weakness of character, but in the closed-minded stigmatization imposed by a culture designed precisely to make her conform to the social norm .

Even so, many audiences might find Blue ean a frustrating affair because of its lead character’s reticence to do the right thing not ust by her community but by her girlfriend and and stand with those around her who are willing to challenge the prevailing pressure by being out. hat s an easy perspective to take in a time and place where acceptance is the prevailing attitude – even if location is a deciding factor in deciding where to spend that summer gay-cation in large swaths of the country and the globe but ean s uandary is undoubtedly much more relatable for those who live outside the urban centers where queer havens are common enough to be taken for granted. Besides, a haven is all well and good, but a paycheck places arguably higher on the hierarchy of needs, and in ean s reality, that s the overriding weak spot that curtails any effort she might wish to make toward living a more authentic – and ethical – life.

oing a long way toward making akley s movie which

is, by the way, her feature film directorial debut achieve its big-hearted goal of invoking empathy for those still trapped by personal circumstance in a closeted e istence, cEwen gives a devastating, savvy, and deeply genuine performance in the central role her ean is relatable, sympathetic, and understandable throughout, no matter how much we might wish for her to step up to the plate. It’s a tour-de-force, and a window into a mindset that, while it might not hold quite so much real power in the world of today than it might have done in Britain, continues to throw obstacles in our path every step of the way. If not for the single-minded purpose that comes through in akley s screenplay and directorial clarity, Blue ean would belong completely to her; as it is, her performance is still a riveting and deeply insightful portrait of someone trying to act as if everything is fine while the house around her is being burned to the ground by people who want to legislate her and her kind out of e istence. et s face it, we can all find some semblance of commonality in that. s to how it all turns out, we re obviously not going to spoil any of that – though we will mention that the movie doesn’t end with the same angry-but-hopeless resignation left by so many like-minded films. Beyond that, all we can say is that Blue ean never succumbs to the temptation of udging the past by the standards of the present and since it doesn t take much imagination to recogni e the similarity between hatcher s Section and lorida s Don t Say ay law, it also doesn t take much to see how akley s movie which won the eople s Choice ward at the enice ilm estival and was nominated for a B as utstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or roducer strikes a chillingly apropos note in merica today.

ROSY MCEWEN in ‘Blue Jean.’

By KATHI WOLFE

lane

Being ary yler oore, a new, hour- minute, documentary, directed by ames dolphus, airing on B platforms, is a valentine to oore. It s impossible to resist its charms, and there s some saltiness in the midst of its sweetness. Seeing and hearing if only in brief clips alerie arper, Cloris eachman, Betty White and other ueer icons talk about, hang out with and act with oore is well worth the watch. s are the moments when oore forthrightly says what s she s thinking. Such as when she takes down David Susskind, a s talk show host.

oore, who died at in , starred in he Dick an Dyke Show and he ary yler oore Show, two of the greatest sitcoms. She received a special ony for her role in the Broadway play Whose ife Is It nyway and was nominated for an scar for Best ctress for her work in rdinary eople.

o many women and ueers, oore was a feminist and or a ueer icon.

he documentary opens with oore s take-down of Susskind. In a clip from a interview, Susskind asks oore blatantly se ist uestions. e bemoans the fact that, in his view, married women don t listen to their husbands. fter putting up with his condescension, oore speaks up. Betty riedan, author of he eminist ysti ue has it right, she tells Susskind. Women, oore says, should be a human first, a woman second, and wives and mothers third.

here isn t a narrator for Being ary yler oore. his is, at first, disconcerting. But, though the documentary might have benefitted from having a narrator, it doesn t lack coherence. hrough archival footage of televised interviews of oore with ona Barrett and Dinah Shore and audio, along with a few video clips of colleagues, friends and family talking about and interacting with oore, we re given a window into oore s life and career.

It s fun to see clips of oore singing and dancing with Dick an Dyke. If you grew up watching he ary yler oore Show, the documentary s clips from the show will bring back fond memories. hose who ve never watched will come away with an appreciation of why their moms and grandmas loved the series. Watching oore toss her beret in the air in the clip from he ary yler oore Show credits, I recalled what a lifeline ary ichards was for second wave feminists.

hough a loving portrait, the documentary doesn t leave out oore s struggles with alcoholism or how dysfunctional her family was when she was a child.

oore married Dr. obert evine in . evine, who was her husband until her death, was a producer of the documentary. Because of this, the documentary has charming home movies of oore with her dogs and at her bridal shower where Betty White takes part in roasting the bride to be .

he documentary notes oore s superb portrayal in rdinary eople of a cold, angry and grieving mother, and of a paraly ed woman in Whose ife Is It ny Way. oing from the sublime to the campy, there s a clip of oore with Elvis resley in the movie Change of abit.

Being ary yler oore is insightful about the impact of he ary yler oore Show on women. It s disappointing that it includes little on the impact the series had on ueers. iring in the decade after Stonewall when portrayed B people as criminals, sick or sissies, the series was one of the first on to depict being gay in a positive light. he documentary has no clip of the episode y Brother s eeper.

In that episode, broadcast when being ueer was illegal in most states, hyllis s brother Ben visits her. hyllis says, I m so relieved, when she learns Ben won t marry hoda, her nemesis, because he s gay.

What is a family asks oore as ary ichards in a clip featured in the documentary, but people who care about you his line has spoken to generations of ueers. Despite my uibble with its ueer uotient, this documentary is a keeper. t a time of backlash against women s reproductive freedom and B rights, Being ary yler oore is both relevant and entertaining.

he rainbow ags, the parades and confetti, this time of year makes you want to celebrate ride month in any way you can. So why not grab one or all of these great books about B history and life

irst of all, if you re heading out out of state, out of town, out on the town, grab “The Pride Atlas” by aart e ensen Chronicle Books, . his big, gorgeous book offers uni ue, special, e citing ideas for travel this month and for the rest of the year.

So you love dancing on sand, in a club, or on the street ine dining is your thing, and browsing small shops sounds like your idea of a dream. hen this book will open your eyes to places to do all of the above, and more best of all, many of these fabulous spots are almost right outside your door. If you re making travel plans at all in , this is the book to take with you.

So what s up with the ne t generation of B kids In “Young Queer America: Real Stories and Faces of LGBTQ+ Youth” by a well oth, foreword by Isis ing Chronicle Books, . , it s almost like seeing the future.

r how about this ou can think of this book as a series of mini-biographies, full of advice and positivity but also pain and struggle and lots of open, honest peeks at what it s like to be a gay, lesbian, or trans kid pre-teen to young adult in today s world. ou ll see their ourney so far and their hopes, which, in a way, makes this book a compass for tomorrow, and don t we all want that now

Sometimes a little steam is all you want for your ride month, and “Dykette” by enny ran Davis olt, . will be what you want. When -somethings Sasha and esse are invited on a mini-vacation with a wealthy lesbian couple in a remote, private area, the plan for the getaway is obvious made even more so by the presence of a third couple of women, known to the younger pair.

It doesn t go well.

art romance, part steam, this may be the beach read you want this ride month.

nd finally, you can t have ride without paying homage to the gay icons who ve gone before you, and in “Game Show Confdential” by Bo e adleigh yons ress,

. , you ll read about game show hosts and history, scandals and salesmanship, gaffes and greats including the irrepressible aul ynde, who adleigh calls he ing of the ingers. here s a wealth of information inside this book, and plenty of nostalgia, making it great en oyment for anyone who spent summers in front of a rotating fan and a television, playing along in your grandma s living room.

nd, of course, if you still need more books for ride, your favorite librarian or bookseller is the person to ask. hey ll know what you need to read to stay informed, stay entertained, and have the best ride you can have, so ag these books now.

Celebrate ride month with these new books

ravel, youth, pop culture and more

By TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

Being ary yler oore a relevant, entertaining look at beloved icon

Despite lacking ueer content, new doc is a fun walk down memory

A selection of titles available for Pride month.

Native Pride Extravaganza

Friday, June 23

7 p.m. | Free 1 Bowling Green, NYC

Celebrate this year’s NYC Pride “Strength in Solidarity” at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in New York.

Enjoy an evening of dynamic and fun performances that showcase the rich diversity of the Indigenous LGBTQIA+ community. Landa Lakes (Chickasaw) hosts an extravaganza of dance, music, and humor featuring fellow Indigenous drag performers Sage Chanell (Shawnee/Ponca/Otoe/Lakota Sioux), Lady Shug (Diné [Navajo]), and Papi Churro (Coahuiltecan/NahuaOtomi). The evening’s events will be soundtracked by DJ Jonray (Laguna/ Acoma Pueblo).

More details at s.si.edu/43F71uC

AmericanIndian.si.edu

Capital Pride Parade Annual LGBTQ rights march draws

tens of thousands

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

The 2023 Capital Pride Parade wound through the streets of N.W. Washington, D.C. on Saturday, June. 10.

Capital Pride Festival and Concert Headliners

included Idina Menzel, Debbie Gibson

The 2023 Capital Pride Festival and Concert was held on Pennsylvania Avenue near the U.S. Capitol on Sunday, June 11. Headliners at the concert included Idina Menzel, Hayley Kiyoko, Rina Sawayama, Monét X Change, Debbie Gibson and Shanice.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

Pride weekend

Beyond the Parade and Festival: parties, fireworks,

The Capital Pride Parade and Festival were not the only Pride events this weekend. The DC Frontrunners held the annual Pride Run 5K at Congressional Cemetery on Friday. The Capital Pride Alliance held its I fficial ride pening arty at Echostage on Friday. The Washington Blade and the Ladies of LURe joined forces to produce the fourth annual Pride on the Pier party complete with a fireworks show sponsored by the eonard- it oundation.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

Range Rover

Riding in style: BMW X7, Jaguar F-Pace,

These SUVs are loaded with luxury

By JOE PHILLIPS

The Pointer Sisters. The Jonas Brothers. Gay throuples. Sometimes good things come in threes.

Same for this trio of SUVs, all loaded with luxury. My husband Robert and I took each of these vehicles on weekend forays, encountering pleasant surprises along the way.

BMW X7

$78,000

MPG: 21city/25 highway

0 to 60 mph: 5.8 seconds

P S ippy resh aceli t ashy cabin

S ight third row clunky controls costly options

IN A NUTSHELL: Sassy on the outside, but comfy—almost overly so—inside. My test car, the base-model BMW X7 xDrive40i, boasted a strong six-cylinder engine and velvety transmission. The destination: Maryland orchards to score some fruit and veggies. Along the way, Robert and I traversed myriad freeways and backroads. We also spotted one fine ass ack, the donkey who roams the fields at one of our favorite roadside stops. As for our tushes, the seats in the X7 are supportive but not as fully bolstered as in other sport-tuned SUVs. Ditto the suspension, which can handle speed bumps at twice the posted speed limit. The new widescreen dashboard is stunning, but searching for infotainment functions while driving wasn’t easy. Better to use the steering-wheel controls—except, uh, the HVAC system can only be accessed via the touchscreen. Bummer. Still, it’s hard to overstate just how enjoyable this car actually is. Opening the panoramic sunroof was a blessing after last week s wildfire smoke had us in lockdown. nother plus: The self-park feature, which meant we could people-watch instead of stressing out over trying to fit into parking spaces at ride events.

JAGUAR F-PACE

$54,000

MPG: 22 city/27 highway

0 to 60 mph: 6.9 seconds

P S Sporty handling sua e looks lots o storage

S bit noisy inside pokey base odel so so reliability

IN A NUTSHELL: Redesigned a few years ago, the F-Pace is Jaguar’s best-selling model. As with all Jags, there’s no shortage of sharp styling, with a Porsche-esque front and Lexus-like rear. Those sweptback seats, especially in the supercharged SVR trim level, would make a Formula 1 driver salivate. While the SVR ($90,000) is nice, my test car was one step down but still plenty fast: the R-Dynamic S ($67,000). I hit 60 mph in a mere 5.5 seconds, much quicker than the sluggish base model. All trims have minimalist but upscale interiors. Bucking the trend of a single widescreen dash, the F-Pace has two displays: One for the gauge cluster and the other for infotainment. Both are easy to read, but as with many high-end infotainment systems, you’ll need a crash course in how to use it. Luckily, there’s no learning curve when simply driving the F-Pace. This time, the Virginia mountains were calling, so Robert and I headed for the hills. It’s a testament to Jag engineering how fun and responsive this SUV was as we inched through congestion, barreled down I-66 and whipped along rural switchbacks.

LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER

$110,000

MPG: 18 city/26 highway 0 to 60 mph: 5.5 seconds

P S Sci f styling silky s ooth ride oo ing lu ury

S inor ous so e uirky electronics pricey

IN A NUTSHELL: Fully redesigned last year, the latest Range Rover is from another world. The curved fascia and wraparound headlights remind me of RoboCop, or at least the dude s space-age cyborg helmet. nd the refined cabin, especially with the deluxe “executive” package, is a generation ahead of its time: reclining rear seats with power footrests, tray tables that electronically deploy to swivel into place, and a 1,600watt Meridian stereo with—count ’em!—35 speakers. The mini-fridge in the second row is placed vertically instead of horizontally (to better hold a bottle of bubbly and two chilled glasses, of course . nd for the first time, a third row is now available. mong the various trim levels is a new plug-in hybrid with 48 miles of electric range. As for overall handling, it s beyond me how an almost , -pound beast can dance through traffic like a lightweight roadster. And potholes and rumble strips? Pfft, they weren’t even noticeable when recently heading to the beach. But, alas, luxury comes at a price: A fully loaded Range Rover can top $220,000.

BMW X7

JAGUAR F-PACE

LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER

+ Studio, one- and two-bedroom apartment homes, featuring open floor plans

+ Gourmet kitchens, including quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances

+ Hardwood-inspired flooring and spa-inspired baths

+ Washer and dryer in each apartment

+ TWO Resort-style saltwater pools with cabanas

+ TWO Rooftop bars with lounge seating

+ TWO Clubrooms with billiards

+ TWO Conference and co-working spaces

+ TWO Fitness centers

+ Pet-friendly and pet-free living options

+ Garage parking available for all residents

+ 1.5 blocks to New Carrollton Metro and Amtrak

+ Monthly social resident events

Spring maintenance tips for rental property owners Focus on pest control, windows, roof repairs, and more

By

SCOTT BLOOM

Spiking hot temperatures, suddenly cooler than normal weather, pollen everywhere. You probably already were already thinking about this but it might be time to conduct an annual check outside of your property to see what preventative maintenance is required or improvements are needed on your rental properties. And knowing that those late afternoon summer rains will be beginning soon enough, start off right by making sure that the exterior of your rentals are protected.

Here are some key areas of property care you might want to act on before summer arrives.

Yards, Lawns, and Patches

Spring yard work may be easy to overlook as a landlord. Particularly if you have asked your tenants to take care of the exterior and maybe even have it written into your lease, that does not mean there are not some items that go beyond normal maintenance. It is good practice to do a full evaluation of the vegetation on the outside of the home in the early spring and fall to catch opportunities for improvement.

For example, you may choose to trim overgrown trees or shrubs. They can become eyesores and potentially impact the structure of the home (think ivy growing on the brick). If they overhang or otherwise encroach on the public spaces (sidewalks) the city may issue a violation notice.

Take care to trim greenery such as tree branches growing into the house, overhanging the roof and growing up the facade. This will help prevent prolonged wet conditions but also eliminates paths for pests and rodents to access the structure.

Grass and weeds can grow quickly as the weather turns warmer and particularly if we get a lot of rain. You want to make sure the grass is being cut regularly. And as a reminder, in DC the care of the tree box in front of the home, that area situated between the sidewalk and the street is the homeowner’s responsibility. And the city may also issue violations for this if it is not being cared for.

Pest Control

Early May in the District brought a lot of rain, and so your tenants may already be “bugging” you. Insects love to come to visit at this time of year and in the fall. Several are seasonal and may cause concern when they first arrive i.e., ants, garden beetles) but they usually subside in a matter of weeks.

You can treat insects year-round and in many instances store bought methods are sufficient. In tougher cases, you can consider a professional company. Some even offer a mosquito reduction service for the summer months at affordable rates. The simple non-toxic option against mosquitoes is placing a fan outdoors. bree e interrupts their ight and keeps them off of you.

Gutters, Roof Repair, and Windows

Check in with your drain downspouts and any roof gutters for an accumulation of leaves and debris. We had some very powerful storms blow through, and you were probably hoping that all that gunk got cleared away. Clogged drainage pipes can cause backups. he over ow from those can result in water damage which you can avoid if you take some preventative steps. For example, consider installing low-cost downspout extenders that provide a simple solution to guide rainwater away from the property foundation.

Roofs are particularly vulnerable to the wind that accompanies storms. You should ensure that there are no loose or missing shingles on the roof, that your ashing isn t damaged, all chimney hoods or vents are intact and that there are no gaps causing leaks into your home. Flat roofs should not

contain standing water and look for properly sealed seams in the roofing material.

Windows can also be a source of leaks during heavy rains. Take the opportunity to check the caulking around them, ensure the mortar above them is in good shape on brick exteriors and shore up the mechanisms if they are not weather tight. While at it, you can wash the windows or have them cleaned by professionals less expensively than you might think.

Detectors / Monitoring Systems

If you do not use the New Year’s Day holiday as a reference point for an annual change of batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, consider it now. These safety devices are critical life savers and need to have their batteries changed regularly. Consider replacing them with a ten-year sealed battery model. If the detectors are already more than ten years old, consider getting new smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. And remember if you have a wood-burning fireplace, attached garage or any fossil fuel-burning appliances or equipment in the rental, you will need carbon monoxide detectors.

Air Conditioning

As early spikes in high temperatures reminded us, D.C. residents know the value of a working air conditioning system in summer. Now’s your chance before it gets consistently hot to make sure the system is well maintained, functional and not at the end of its useful life.

Check the exterior compressor for heat pump systems for leaves, weeds, grass, or overgrown shrubbery getting in the way. You want to make sure that there’s enough open space within a few feet and on top of the system so that the air ows properly, ensuring the system is operating as efficiently as it can.

our heating and cooling systems benefit from regular servicing. Consider getting a maintenance contract with an HVAC company that will perform the maintenance twice a year for you and they offer benefits like priority scheduling during busy times and discounts on repairs.

I know it seems that these arrangements might not pay off, however, equipment is no longer built to last 30 years and even changing air filters regularly can significantly reduce breakdowns and service calls. Clean filters e tend the life of your HVAC system because they enable your system to not have to work as hard pulling air through the unit.

Professional Inspections

Consider having a professional test the energy efficiency of your windows, doors, and the insulation in your attic. These tests can help you identify ways to improve the energy efficiency of your home and save money throughout the year.

In summary, check for any cracks and water intrusion areas around your property. Inspect the foundation and replace any rotting wood. Scrape and repair any chipping or peeling paint and re-caulk around windows and doors to discourage water from finding entry. If you find areas of softwood that have gaps or trails, it is best to have those areas inspected for termites and other wood destroying insects. Inspection is a one-time cost but can highlight areas for action you may not consider on your own.

Recommendations

If you need any recommendations for service providers, our sister company Koti Property Services can help. Reach out to Jennifer or Demetrius at (202) 681-5191. www.KotiPropertyServices.com.

Home Inspection All Star

Phone: (202) 999-8595

Website: https://homeinspectionallstar.com/washington-dc

Home Inspection All Star is a national company that provides home inspection services in Washington DC and surrounding areas. They offer a variety of inspection services, including full home inspections, pre-listing inspections, and new construction inspections.

Pillar To Post Home Inspectors

Phone: (202) 455-6581

Website: https://pillartopost.com

Pillar To Post Home Inspectors is a national franchise that provides home inspection services in Washington DC and surrounding areas. They offer a variety of inspection services, including full home inspections, pre-listing inspections, and new construction inspections.

Inspections Plus

Phone: (301) 972-8531

Website: https://inspectionsplusguru.com

Inspections Plus is a local company that provides home inspection services in Washington DC and surrounding areas. They offer a range of inspection services, including full home inspections, pre-listing inspections, and new construction inspections.

ProTec Inspection Services

Phone: (301) 972-8531

Website: https://www.protec-inspections.com

ProTec Inspection Services is a local company that provides home inspection services in Washington DC and surrounding areas. They offer a variety of inspection services, including full home inspections, pre-listing inspections, and new construction inspections.

Pest Control Alternatives with DC-area Service

Ehrlich Pest Control

Phone: (800) 837-5520

Website: https://www.jcehrlich.com

PestNow

Phone: (703) 665-4455

Website: https://www.pestnow.com

Orkin

Phone: (877) 250-1652

Website: https://www.orkin.com

American Pest

Phone: (301) 891-2600

Website: https://www.americanpest.net

SCOTT BLOOM

is senior property manager and owner of Columbia Property Management. For more information and resources, visit www.ColumbiaPM.com.

Spring means it’s time to tackle maintenance projects around your rental property.

PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY PUBLIC NOTICE

DEPARTMENT OF SMALL AND LOCAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AND PRELIMINARY FINDING

Re-Registration of The Dupont Circle Business Improvement District

Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to section 19 of the Business Improvement Districts ct of , effective ay , D.C. aw - D.C. fficial Code § 2-1215.18) (“Act”), the Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD) will hold a public hearing on the re-registration of the Dupont Circle Business Improvement District.

The public hearing will be held at 9:00 am on Thursday, June 29, 2023 in Suite 850N, 441 4th Street, NW, Washington, D.C.

DS BD Director risti Whitfield has informed the Dupont Circle Business Improvement District that the filing criteria set forth in D.C. fficial Code 2-1215.18 have been met and their application is otherwise in conformity with the Act.

The BID application is available for review by the public during normal business hours on weekdays at Connecticut venue, .W., Suite in the offices of the Dupont Circle Business Improvement District; and online at https://dslbd. dc.gov/noticeofpublichearing.

DSLBD invites the public to testify at the public hearing. Witnesses should bring a copy of their written testimony to the hearing. Additional written statements may be submitted by e-mail to Lincoln.lashley@dc.gov or mailed to: Lincoln Lashley, DSLBD, 441 4th Street, NW, Suite 850N, Washington, DC 20001. The public hearing record will close ten business days following the conclusion of the hearing, or Thursday, July 13, 2023 before 5:00 p.m. Persons submitting written statements for the record should observe this deadline.

MASSAGE REFRESH YOURSELF

Massage for active adults. Private studio near Rosslyn. Fri-Mon, 12-8. text 301-704-1158 or visit http://www.mymassagebygary.com

BULLETIN BOARD

ACADEMY OF HOPE

ADULT PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL NOTICE OF INTENT TO ENTER Sole Source Contract

The Academy of Hope Adult Public Charter School located in Washington, DC intends to enter a Sole Source Contract with Task Human, Inc. for Staff Wellness Support Services. ou can find the details and contact information at https:// aohdc.org/get-involved/jobs/

Tell ‘em,

“I saw your ad in the Blade”!

CLEANING

FERNANDO’S CLEANING

Residential & Commercial Cleaning, Reasonable Rates, Free Estimates, Routine, 1-Time, Move-In/Move-Out

202-234-7050 / 202-486-6183

HANDYMAN BRITISH REMODELING

Local licensed company with over 25 years of experience. Specializing in bathrooms, kitchens & all interior/exterior repairs. Drywall, paint, electrical & wallpaper. Trevor 703-303-8699

LEGAL SERVICES

ADOPTION, DONOR, SURROGACY

legal services. Jennifer represents LGBTQ clients in DC, MD & VA interested in adoption or matters. 240-863- 2441

JFairfax@Jenniferfairfax.com

LIMOUSINES

KASPER’S LIVERY SERVICE

Since 1987. Gay & Veteran Owner/Operator. Lincoln Continental Sedan! Proper DC License & Livery Insured. www.KasperLivery.com

202-554-2471

MOVERS

PROFESSIONAL MOVING & STORAGE

Let Our Movers Do The Heavy Lifting. Mention the Blade for 5% OFF of our regular rates. Call today 202.734.3080

www.aroundtownmovers.com

BODYWORK

THE MAGIC TOUCH

COUNSELING

COUNSELING FOR LGBTQ

People Individual/couple counseling with a volunteer peer counselor. GMCC, serving our community since 1973.

202-580-8661

gaymenscounseling.org

No fees, donation requested.

SHARE & PERSONAL ADS ARE FREE! PLACE YOUR AD ONLINE AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM/CLASSIFIEDS AND THE AD PRINTS FREE

Swedish, Massage or Deep Tissue. Appts. Low Rates, 24/7, In-Calls. 202-486-6183

SOLSTICE SATURDAY: Joe Tohonnie Jr. and the Apache Crown Dancers

Saturday, June 24 | 1–8 p.m. | Free | National Mall

Celebrate the summer solstice at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian with song and dance featuring Joe Tohonnie Jr. and the Apache Crown Dancers (White Mountain Apache) from Whiteriver, AZ.

Performances: 1-2 p.m., 3-4 p.m., and 6-7:30 p.m., and will be also livestreamed at AmericanIndian.si.edu/livestream.

The ImagiNATIONS Activity Center will stay open until 7 p.m. Food and drink will be available for purchase for most of the evening.

Solstice Saturday is held in association with Hofstra University’s Department of Physics and Astronomy. Hofstra University’s Astronomy Festival on the National Mall takes place Saturday, June 24, 6–11 p.m., across from the National Air and Space Museum.

AmericanIndian.si.edu