Washington Blade, Volume 54, Issue 51, December 22, 2023

What constitutes queer history?

D.C.’s Slowe-Burrill House raises tantalizing questions about the past, PAGE 08

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Ebbin ‘analyzing’ proposal for new Caps/Wizards sports complex in his district Gay state senator hasn’t made a decision on proposed $2 billion facility

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

The proposal by Monumental Sports & Entertainment owner Ted Leonsis and supported by Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin to move the Washington Capitals hockey team and Washington Wizards basketball team from D.C.’s Capital One Arena to a new $2 billion sports and entertainment complex in the Potomac Yard section of Alexandria would be in the district of gay Virginia State Sen. Adam Ebbin.

The new proposed Capitals/Wizards sports complex in Virginia lies in Sen. Adam Ebbin’s district.

(Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)

Ebbin, a Democrat whose 39th senatorial district includes parts of Alexandria, Arlington, and Fairfax counties, won election to his Senate seat in 2011 after having served in the Virginia House of Delegates for eight years.

The Potomac Yard neighborhood is located adjacent to Richmond Highway, also known as Rt. 1, just south of the Crystal City section of Arlington, which is host to the new East Coast national headquarters of the corporate giant Amazon.

A longtime advocate for LGBTQ issues in the Virginia General Assembly, Ebbin is quick to point out that both the General Assembly and the Alexandria City Council must approve the proposed sports complex before it is finalized, and he plans to carefully study the proposal and its ramifications for his constituents.

“I will evaluate it closely,” he told the Washington Blade in a Dec. 14 interview. “It’s certainly a major boost to the Potomac Yard-Alexandria-Virginia economy,” he said.

“But there are also some transportation challenges that have to be weighed very seriously,” he points out, noting the proposed deal includes funding of up to $200 million for transportation improvements Supporters of the proposal point out that the project would be located next to the recently opened Potomac Yard Metro station and many of those attending games would be expected to travel by Metro. But Alexandria city officials note that the small size of the Potomac Yard station would have to be greatly expanded to accommodate the thousands of people arriving to attend Capitals and Wizards games.

The sports complex proposal calls for 2,500 parking spaces in an underground garage and additional above ground parking is also planned.

Despite these plans, some critics of the proposal say a large influx of people who will arrive by car will cause major traffic backups that could spill over into the nearby residential neighborhoods.

“I’m going to be analyzing the proposal very closely, weighing the tremendous economic development potential against any community concerns that arise, particularly in the area of transportation,” Ebbin said.

“And I’m going to be looking to learn more about how the $200 million transportation improvements will be spent and whether that is adequate and how it would benefit my constituents,” he told the Blade.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and the D.C. Council have come under criticism from local sports fans and local business advocates who say the mayor and Council failed to take adequate steps to work out a deal with Monumental Sports & Entertainment owner Leonsis to keep the two teams in D.C. Critics point out that the loss of the two teams will cre-

ate a major economic blow to the Chinatown-downtown D.C. area where the Capital One arena is located as well as an economic blow to the city as a whole.

Bowser and City Council Chair Phil Mendelson (D-AtLarge) dispute claims that they failed to take adequate steps to keep the two teams in D.C. They say the city did all it could, given its financial constraints, to offer Leonsis a $500 million deal to keep the two teams in D.C. But critics say the offer was too little too late, and the mayor and most but not all Council members ignored Leonsis’s outreach to Virginia officials over a year before the Potomac Yard deal was announced last week.

When asked by the Blade what message he has for D.C. sports fans, including his D.C. LGBTQ friends who may be upset over the potential loss of their hometown teams, Ebbin said he did not think they are losing the two teams.

“This isn’t my deal. It’s a deal that I’m evaluating very carefully for community benefit and benefits for the commonwealth and for the city [of Alexandria],” Ebbin said.

“So, I don’t really have a comment as to or if the hockey fans will have to ride a few more stops on the Metro or for the basketball fans who would have to ride a few more stops on the Metro,” he continued.

“I know fans are very invested in their team’s location,” he said. “But it is not like they’re moving to Arizona or even to Fairfax County. We’re still within the DMV,” Ebbin said.

“But again, I haven’t made any final decision,” he concluded. “I recognize that this is a big catalyst and that it could have a total economic impact of over $12 billion over the next several decades. And transportation is a big part of the planned development. But I’m looking forward to learning more.”

Although the Potomac Yard proposal appeared to draw support from Alexandria city officials and many local Northern Virginia sports fans, a group of Alexandria residents on Dec. 13 began circulating a petition strongly opposing the project on the website change.org.

The website, which as of Dec. 17 claimed 164 people signed the petition, says the project would ruin their communities and “put taxpayer money into billionaire pockets.”

U.S. Senate staffer fired after filming gay sex act in hearing room A gay staffer for U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) is no longer employed by the U.S. Senate, his office told the Washington Blade in a statement on Saturday, which followed reports that he had filmed amateur pornography in the workplace.

“We will have no further comment on this personnel matter,” Cardin’s office said.

The Daily Caller, a right-wing site founded by former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, uploaded video and still images last Friday that purported to show leaked cell phone video of the staffer engaged in gay sex in a Senate hearing room of the Hart Senate Office Building, which is not in the U.S. Capitol building.

Shortly thereafter, unverified posts on X and multiple

conservative or right-leaning news outlets identified him as an aide working in Cardin’s office. The 80-year-old lawmaker announced in May that he would not seek reelection next year.

The staffer later issued a statement on LinkedIn that appeared to deny the allegations: “This has been a difficult time for me, as I have been attacked for who I love to pursue a political agenda,” he said.

The statement continued, “While some of my actions in the past have shown poor judgement, I love my job and would never disrespect my workplace. Any attempts to characterize my actions otherwise are fabricated and I will be exploring what legal options are available to me in these matters.”

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The Blade has not independently verified the video posted to social media.

The Washington Free Beacon reported the staffer had published other pornographic images and video content on X, with an account that used a pseudonym but was public.

Earlier this week, this same staffer was accused by Republican U.S. Rep. Max Miller, who is Jewish, of aggressively confronting him over the conflict in Israel — charges he also denied in his LinkedIn post.

“As for the accusations regarding Congressman Max Miller,” he said, “I have never seen the congressman and had no opportunity or cause to yell or confront him.”

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Will the Slowe-Burrill House become a National Landmark?

Process raises questions about what constitutes LGBTQ history

By CJ HIGGINS

higher education, and led initiatives to foster interracial understanding with white colOn Oct. 5, 2020, the Slowe-Burrill House was put on the National Register for Historic lege alumnae. Slowe was the first Black member of the National Association of Deans Places for its association with Lucy Diggs Slowe, most recognized for her work as the of Women, where she endlessly fielded her white peers’ concerns with racial matters first Dean of Women at Howard University, where she served from 1922 until her death on campus. And Slowe served on the national board of Young Women’s Christian Asin 1937. sociation, which gave her the connections she needed to go on a cross-country tour of Even before her appointment at Howard, she boasted an extraordinary vitae. As an colleges to talk about race relations among college women. undergraduate at Howard, she was a founding member of the first sorority for AfriBut if Slowe’s impact on women’s and African-American history on a national level is can-American women. After graduating valedictorian of her class, and earning her masundoubtable, things are less clear when it comes to her mark on LGBTQ history. Slowe’s ter’s at Columbia University, Slowe took a position teaching at the Armstrong Manual relationship with Burrill was a private matter, and not one she sought to advertise on High School in D.C., where she so impressed the school board that they appointed her the national stage. If Slowe’s house becomes a national landmark, will it still be as the to found the first-ever junior high school for African Americans in the national capital Slowe-Burrill House? Or just the Slowe House? region.

That question arose early in Ferentinos’s work with Kathryn Smith, the National HisAs Tamara Beauboeuf-Lafontant describes in her book-length study of Slowe’s deantoric Landmarks Coordinator for the Capital Region. On an early draft for the nominaship, “To Live More Abundantly,” Slowe’s tenure at Howard was defined by her advocacy tion, Dr. Ferentinos got the feedback that perhaps Slowe wasn’t really a national figure for what she called the “New Howard Woman” in her inaugural address to the students, in LGBTQ history, and that they should be focusing on other criteria of national siga woman who was “of extreme culture and refinement.” She worked tirelessly, often at nificance. But Ferentinos, who made it clear she does not speak for the National Park odds with the administration, to encourage the women of Howard to pursue the social Service, vehemently disagreed. “I said to sciences, not just the liberal arts thought to [Kathryn Smith], I feel so strongly that this befit future mothers, and to explore careers property is significant to LGBTQ history. outside of teaching, which was, as Slowe What this feedback is telling me is that I described, “the only occupation which is haven’t done a good enough job yet. I’m open to them with few handicaps.” Slowe willing to do a couple extra rounds of reviwas unsatisfied with the absence of womsion … in order to do this right because it is en’s housing on campus, which she argued really important.” was necessary as a “laboratory for practical As Dr. Ferentinos sees it, LGBTQ history education in human relationships,” and oris often simply figured as a history of pochestrated funding from Congress to build litical activism, which excludes the huge three new dormitories for a Women’s Camnumber of folks who managed to carve out pus. Slowe was so successful in her projects a professional life while leading a life as that, as one student reported, “we spoke LGBTQ, however private it may have been. among ourselves of our dean, not as Dean And if she’s ever going to get a chance to Slowe but as Dean Swift.” nominate someone who represents this Given Slowe’s remarkable life, and the broader vision of LGBTQ history, it’s Slowe.

National Park Service’s registration of her It is well known that at the end of her house as a historic site in recognition of career, Slowe had a protracted fight with that life, one would be forgiven for wonderthe president of Howard University, Moring why the site is titled the “Slowe-Burrill decai Johnson. Despite having arranged in House” after both Slowe and her life parther contract to live off-campus, as all male ner, Mary Burrill. While the National Regisdeans did, Johnson was intent on forcing The Slowe-Burrill House was put on the National Register for Historic Places. ter nods to Burrill’s career as a teacher and Slowe to live on campus, so that she could playwright, it makes clear her historical sigbetter supervise the students — and from a shanty next to the college dump. Slowe nificance is primarily as Slowe’s partner. The title of the site is less in recognition of Burrill fought Johnson to defend her contract right up until her death. While Slowe was dying herself than of Slowe and Burrill’s same-sex relationship at a time in which it would have from pneumonia in her bed, instead of appointing an interim dean, Johnson issued her been especially risky for a public figure like Slowe. While Slowe and Burrill were able to an ultimatum: report to work or be replaced. Burrill refused to answer the demand, and frame their partnership within 19th century ideals of romantic friendship, those ideals a replacement was named. Slowe died a month later, on Oct. 21, 1937. were coming under increasing scrutiny by the 20th century, which saw the pathologizing As Beauboeuf-Lafontant describes it in her book, this story is yet another example of women’s intimate relationships in the growing medical discourse around sexuality. of Slowe’s fight for gender equality, to have the rights and privileges afforded to male Now the Slowe-Burrill House is up for nomination as a National Landmark at the next deans. But while Beauboeuf-Lafontant makes no mention of the role Slowe’s relationmeeting of the National Historic Landmark Committee this spring. Dr. Susan Ferentinos, ship with Burrill played in this tale, Ferentinos thinks it was a central factor. “There are a specialist in LGBTQ public history, was contacted by the National Park Service back in memos that could seem very innocent [to] a historian who is not trained in LGBTQ 2016 to help identify potential landmarks related to LGBTQ history. Ferentinos noticed history,” Ferentinos explained. There would be a memo, for instance, asking Slowe to there was a particular absence of LGBTQ landmarks in D.C., and put together a shortlist give an account of the financial hardship the move would cause her. “It could seem like of sites including the Slowe-Burrill House. Ferentinos has been working through that list a bureaucratic crossing of Ts,” Ferentinos said. “Or it could be read as calling her bluff. It since, most recently preparing a national landmark nomination for the Furies Collective, wouldn’t cause her a financial hardship, it would cause her partner a financial hardship.” which the Blade reported on in November.

Kathryn Smith reported being satisfied with Ferentinos’s revisions of the nomination, But the bar for a National Historic Landmark is far higher than for the National Register but was cautious about predicting whether or not they would succeed. “We are supof Historic Places. Only 3% of items on the National Register earn a further designation portive of the arguments she’s making, but it will ultimately be up to the NHL [National as a National Historic Landmark, and the priority for federal funding that goes with it.

Historic Landmark] committee to determine and to make the recommendation as to Will the Slowe-Burrill House meet that higher bar? whether this argument will stand.” At stake here is more than just Slowe. Is LGBTQ hisOne way a site gets approved is by association with a nationally significant figure, tory just the history of figures who publicly advocated the rights of queer people? Or is and Lucy Diggs Slowe certainly has the national standing required. As Dean of Women, it also the history of those who worked to build whatever life they could, no matter how her work extended far beyond the campus of Howard University. Slowe established the private they kept it?

National Association of College Women, an alumnae organization for Black women col(CJ Higgins is a postdoctoral fellow with the Alexander Grass Humanities Institute at lege graduates across the country. Under her leadership, the organization raised money Johns Hopkins University.) to help young Black women attend college, worked to institutionalize gender equity in

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A remembrance of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor by the gay couple she married Late legal legend made history when she officiated wedding of Trammell, Serkin

By DAWN ENNIS

It’s been a little over a decade, but the memory of their wedding day in 2013 is fresh in the minds of Jeffrey Trammell and his love of 46 years, Stuart Serkin. The setting was the lawyer’s lounge of the U.S. Supreme Court. Their officiant was retired Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, who died earlier this month.

“She couldn’t have been more delightful,” recalled Trammell in an interview with the Washington Blade about that very special Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013, when these lawyer lobbyists from Florida tied the knot and made LGBTQ history.

Of all days, the couple got stuck in a funeral procession amid the typically notorious D.C. traffic, as they made their way from Logan Circle to the iconic white marble building.

They arrived 20 minutes late. Trammell wore a wingtip on one foot, and a black sneaker on his other, broken foot.

“She gave me a hard time about being a little late and wearing a shoe that was not appropriate for a wedding,” he said. “That was quite common for her, a sort of disarming sense of humor.”

The Arizona native was the epitome of “down-to-earth,” Trammell said.

“Her style was such that you were completely at ease, she had the capacity to connect with people,” he said. “I think it’s one reason she was very popular in Washington and internationally, very sought after as a speaker and a member of the boards because she was anything but aloof. She was very common-sense, down-to-earth and had a good sense of humor. So, you enjoyed being around her.”

Trammell had met O’Connor before. In 2011, he was elected rector at his alma mater, William & Mary, as the first out gay board chair of a major university in the United States. O’Connor was serving as the university’s chancellor, while also maintaining an office she kept at the high court, even after retiring in 2005.

“So, I went to see her at the Supreme Court,” said Trammell. “I thanked her for her vote on Lawrence v Texas, and I told her that she made my partner and me no longer felons in our own country.”

O’Connor argued in that 6-3 ruling by the Supreme Court on June 26, 2003, that a Texas statute banning consenting gay adults from engaging in sexual acts violated the 14th Amendment. Exactly 12 years later, same-sex marriage was legalized nationwide by the Supreme Court, on June 26, 2015, in the landmark decision in Obergefell v. Hodges. The vote was 5-4 in favor, with O’Connor’s successor, far right conservative Justice Samuel Alito, voting in dissent.

Of course, by then, Washington, D.C. had long embraced marriage equality, ever since March 3, 2010. And

in 2013, after being partners for more than three decades, the two lawyers decided it was finally time to get hitched.

“Stuart and I wanted to get married, so I asked her. And she said, ‘Sure,’” said Trammell.

If that seems like it was too easy, it’s important to note these guys were well known in the District.

In addition to Trammell & Company, the lobbying firm he and Serkin managed, Trammell had been a staff member at the House of Representatives and the Senate, served on the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund Board of Directors, Human Rights Campaign Board of Advisors, on the LGBT Victims Remembrance Project for the U.S. Holocaust Museum and was Senior Advisor for LGBT Outreach and for Business Outreach on Al Gore’s 2000 presidential campaign.

He also worked on John Kerry’s presidential campaign in 2004 and Hillary Clinton’s 2016 bid for the White House.

JEFFREY TRAMMELL and STUART SERKIN were married by retired Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor in 2013.

Both retired now, Serkin was a prominent legislative attorney in Washington. He met Trammell in 1977 in a bar exam class in Florida. Trammell grew up in Blountstown, Fla., where he led his basketball team to the state championship, was named High School All-American and won a basketball scholarship to William & Mary, where he served as the captain of the men’s basketball team.

Even with their illustrious resumes, they did not expect that their wedding would become front-page news.

“There was an AP reporter around who saw what was going on and wrote an AP piece. And by the time we got home, I went online to see there were stories all over the country,” he said. “It was interesting to see some of the backlash from the very conservative religious folks who opined that she had violated God’s will. I’m sure she never bothered to read things like that because she never minded controversial subjects. There was a lot of positive cover-

age, but it’s a reminder that there are detractors out there.”

Their wedding even made The New York Times. But as it turns out, Trammell, Serkin and O’Connor were upstaged by none other than RBG. “’Keep it quiet’,” Trammell said a journalist friend had advised him, after they had set the date, booked the officiant and the historic venue. “’Maybe you will be the first one married in the building!’” But their wedding wasn’t the first in that landmark, nor the first officiated by a justice. “[Ruth Bader] Ginsburg, RBG, beat us by a few days when she married one of her former clerks.” That was the first samesex wedding inside the Supreme Court building. “So, we were number two,” said Trammell.

As The Washington Blade reported in September 2013, Ginsburg was the first Supreme Court justice to officiate at a same-sex wedding, when Kennedy Center President Michael M. Kaiser married his partner, economist John Roberts. Trammell and Serkin can at least claim they are the first same-sex couple to be married by a retired Supreme Court justice, a conservative one at that.

O’Connor was a life-long Republican from Arizona, appointed by Ronald Reagan in 1981. Following her death at age 93 on Dec. 1 from complications related to advanced dementia and a respiratory illness, Trammell reflected on this famous person he got to know, whose opinions over the years showed she had evolved.

“She grew and learned, and she was a great listener,” he said. “A lot of people think to have been a member of the court means they listen to people. You know, politicians don’t survive if they don’t have their ear to the ground and learn from what’s going on in society. I would venture that that was a factor in her growth in support of our community during those years. And I think it’s a logical extension that she eventually grew on other issues, too, on abortion and affirmative action.”

Of all the memories of O’Connor, Trammell said it was her personal touches on their wedding day that stand out.

“She had vows that she had used before when she married people and those were slightly modified to reflect we were a same-sex couple. It was just terrific,” said Trammell.

“She was sharp as a tack. She was 83 at that point and had a cane she used to walk. But there was no indication of any future challenges with dementia.”

He said after officiating what turned out to be the first gay wedding inside the Supreme Court, O’Connor spent some quality time with the newlyweds.

“She signed our marriage license and spent time with us.

And she just couldn’t have been nicer. I mean, you couldn’t ask for anything and anyone in that sort of position to be more down-to-earth and warm and friendly.”

O’Malley confirmed to head Social Security Administration Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley was confirmed last week as the commissioner of the Social Security Administration in a 50-11 vote.

“Martin O’Malley’s extensive career in public service — including as mayor of Baltimore and governor of Maryland — has been underscored by transparency, accountability and progress. He will bring these same values to the Social Security Administration,” said U.S. Sen.

Ben Cardin. “Social Security is a critical insurance policy that tens of millions of working Americans pay into every year so that benefits can be there when they are older, disabled or leave young children after death. Martin is a dedicated public servant who understands what Social Security means to our seniors, disability and survivor beneficiaries, and I am proud to support his confirmation as Social Security Commissioner.”

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President Joe Biden nominated O’Malley as commissioner of the Social Security Administration in July.

O’Malley will run one of the biggest social programs in the nation and grapple with the surrounding uncertainty over its funding. Roughly 70 million people — including retirees, disabled people and children — receive Social Security benefits.

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D.C. resident, computer services manager Nicholas Apostal dies at 75 Pursued travel, literary endeavors, Gay Games competition with husband Jim Marks

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

Nicholas Apostol, a computer services manager for prominent D.C. law firms for about 30 years before retiring in 2006 when he enjoyed travel and spending time in homes in New England and Florida with his husband James Marks, died Dec. 2, 2023, in a hospice care facility near the couple’s home in Ft. Lauderdale. He was 75.

Marks said the cause of death was complications associated with a rare neurological disorder known as Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, for which he was diagnosed in 2018.

A write-up by Marks says Apostol was born in Annapolis, Md., on June 23, 1948, where he grew up. He graduated from Annapolis High School and spent a year at Roanoke College in Virginia before attending American University in D.C., where he received a bachelor’s degree in business specializing in computer science, according to Marks’s write-up.

The write-up says his first job in D.C. was with the Math-

ematics Association of America before spending the rest of his career working at various law firms, including the prominent firms Steptoe and Johnson and Akin Gump. Marks said Apostol’s duties at the law firms included managing the computer systems that kept track of clients’ billing and other client-related records.

Marks said he and Apostol met in 1979 and became a couple in November 1980. He said the two were legally married in New London, Conn., in March of 2009. When they moved to D.C.’s French Street, N.W., their household expanded to include Brian Baker, with whom they lived for the next 25 years, Marks says in his write-up. “Nick referred to the relationship as a nontraditional family unit,” Marks wrote.

The three took several trips together, according to Marks, including a trip to San Francisco and a trip to Amsterdam to participate in the 1998 Gay Games, the international LGBTQ sports competition, where Apostol ran in a six-kilometer race.

Apostol served as a board member of the Lambda Literary Foundation at the time of its founding in 1996 and assumed the role of chair of its board in 1997, Marks wrote.

Marks said Apostol also played a “small behind the scenes role” in providing financial support for D.C. lesbian activists Jane Troxell and Rose Fennel to enable them to purchase the lesbian bookstore Lammas.

“Although not outgoing, he possessed the knack of becoming friends with work colleagues and as a result he enjoyed a diverse circle of friends,” Marks says in his write-up.

After joining Marks in spending the winter months following his retirement in the Fort Lauderdale area in Florida, he and Marks bought a condo in Fort Lauderdale in early 2013 and moved there in the fall of that year, Marks wrote. The couple bought a condo in Northampton, Mass., in 2015, where they enjoyed spending the summer months.

Following his 2018 diagnosis of the neurological disorder, Marks said Apostol was able to take a trip one year later in 2019 to Japan to visit the gardens in Kyoto and other cities and towns in that region. Marks said in his write-up that the effects of Apostol’s illness, which causes damage to the nerves that control eyesight and the muscles of the throat, prevented him from distant travel in the following years.

“Nick remained active, working with physical and occupational therapists up until a month before his death,” Marks wrote. He entered hospice care on Nov. 28 after being diagnosed with pneumonia, with Marks and his sister at his bedside during most of his remaining days, according to Marks.

Apostol is survived by his husband James Marks, his sister Georgia Yeatras, his sister-in-law Wilda Apostol, his longtime friend Brian Baker, numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins and many friends from the D.C. area and around the country, according to Marks.

Karl Frisch sworn in with banned books

Fairfax County School Board member Karl Frisch was sworn into office on Dec. 13 as the newly elected chair during the board’s regular meeting session.

Currently the board’s vice chairman, Frisch won reelection last month by more than 30 points and received a larger share of the vote (67 percent) and more total votes than in 2019, when he secured more votes than any school board candidate in Providence District history.

Frisch was elected as the board’s Providence District representative in 2019, becoming the board’s first openly gay member. Since assuming office, Frisch has been a vocal advocate for LGBTQ rights and the American Civil Liberties Union, Capital Pride, FCPS Pride and other organizations have recognized him for it.

Following Dec. 13’s oath of office, the new board remains not only entirely Democratic but also diverse like the community it serves, with one Black member, one Hispanic member, two Indian American members, one Korean American member, three LGBTQ members, and three immigrant members. Additionally, women are the board’s

majority, with seven members.

Frisch was sworn in on a stack of the five LGBTQ-themed books most frequently banned by other school systems.

Those books included “Lawn Boy,” “Gender Fairfax County School Board member KARL FRISCH Queer,” “Flamer” and taking the oath of office “All Boys Aren’t Blue,” on Dec. 13, on a stack on all of which have been LGBTQ books banned in other school systems. criticized and flagged (YouTube FCPS YouTube screenshot) by other schools for sexual content. His action mirroring that of newly appointed Central Bucks Board of School Director Karen Smith in Bucks County, Pa. Unlike other her newly sworn fellow board members who placed their hands on the more traditional Bible, Smith opted to use a stack of books on LGBTQ themes and

race that had been banned by the previous board.

In a short speech, Frisch told the audience gathered in the auditorium: “Fairfax County residents want safe and inclusive schools with exceptional, well-compensated educators and equitable access to the rigorous academic and enrichment opportunities every student needs to succeed.

I am grateful for the trust Providence District families have placed in me, and with tonight’s oath, I commit to standing strong for these values and advancing these priorities with my new and returning colleagues.”

Conservatives and right wing Christian groups expressed dismay and anger over Frisch’s actions.

The Convention of States, a far-right political action group, said: “Frisch has emerged as an enemy to one of the most fundamental rights in human society — a parent’s right to educate their kids according to their values. But more than that, by openly promoting pornography in a K-12 school, he has crossed a line that should be universally condemned.”

BRODY LEVESQUE

Comings & Goings

Blade contributor Kathi Wolfe wins poetry honor

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.

Congratulations to Kathi Wolfe on being awarded the 2024 Poetry Award by the William Meredith Foundation. Her poems read like the screenplay of a life that has faced many challenges with humor and courage.

The manuscript “The Porpoise In The Pink Alcove” was selected by members of the Foundation for its expert craft and originality. Wolfe’s poems are heralded for their wit, pathos, and compassion. The Meredith Award is for book production and distribution, and “The Porpoise In A Pink Alcove” is now available, on Amazon, from Forest Woods Media Press, and Poet’s Choice Publications.

Wolfe’s collections include: “Love and Kumquats” (BrickHouse Books, 2019) and “The Uppity Blind Girl Po-

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ems” (BrickHouse Books, 2015), winner of the Stonewall Prize. Her work has appeared in Poetry, the New York Times, and other publications. Wolfe was a 2008 Lambda Literary Emerging Writer Fellow. She has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Her poem “Tasting Braille” was the Poetry Foundation Poem of the Day in 2021, and her poem “Mind’s Eye” is part of the Poetry Foundation’s Disability Poetics Collection. Wolfe is a longtime contributor to the Washington Blade. She won a 2023 Dateline Award from the Society of Professional Journalists.

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Pope Francis approves blessings for same-sex couples

Pope Francis has said priests can now bless same-sex couples The Associated Press reported the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith on Monday released a new document that elaborates on a letter Francis sent earlier this year to five cardinals who urged him to reaffirm church teaching on homosexuality.

Francis in the letter the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith released in October suggested priests could offer blessings to same-sex couples under some circumstances “if they didn’t confuse the blessing with sacramental marriage.”

“Ultimately, a blessing offers people a means to increase their trust in God,” reads the document the Vatican released on Monday, according to the AP. “The request for a blessing, thus, expresses and nurtures openness to the transcendence, mercy and closeness to God in a thousand concrete circumstances of life, which is no small thing in the world in which we live.”

New Ways Ministry, a Maryland-based organization that

ministers to LGBTQ Catholics, described the Vatican’s announcement as “a Christmas gift to LGBTQ+ Catholics.”

“It cannot be overstated how significant the Vatican’s new declaration is,” said New Ways Ministry in a statement. “Approving blessings for same-gender couples is certainly monumental.”

The Vatican’s tone toward LGBTQ issues has softened since Francis assumed the papacy in 2013.

Francis has publicly endorsed civil unions for same-sex couples, and has said laws that criminalize homosexuality are “unjust.” Church teachings on homosexuality and gender identity have nevertheless not changed under Francis’s papacy.

Francis earlier this year told a newspaper in his native Argentina that gender ideology is “one of the most dangerous ideological colonizations” because “it blurs differences and the value of men and women.”

The pope was the archbishop of Buenos Aires when Argentina’s marriage equality law took effect in 2010.

Francis was among those who vehemently opposed

POPE FRANCIS

(Photo by palinchak via Bigstock)

the statute before then-President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner signed it.

MICHAEL K. LAVERS

Biden impeachment inquiry opens without evidence of wrongdoing

House Republicans last week opened an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, the next step of a formal investigation that, so far, has failed to yield evidence of any impeachable offense.

President JOE BIDEN speaks at the HRC National Dinner The 221-212 vote on Oct. 14, 2023. along party lines (Blade photo by Michael Key) marked one of the last pieces of legislative activity before the holiday break, sparking the denouncement of many Democrats who characterized the move as a political stunt.

Biden, for instance, issued a statement in which he said congressional Republicans are “focused on attacking me with lies,” instead of addressing such pressing matters before Congress as Israel’s war against Hamas, Ukraine’s struggle against Russian aggression and economic chal-

lenges at home.

“We need to continue our progress on the economy and make sure inflation keeps going down and job growth keeps going up,” the president said. “That means avoiding self-inflicted economic crises like a government shutdown, which Republicans in Congress are driving us toward in just a few weeks because they won’t act now to fund the government and critical priorities to make life better for the American people.”

“There is a lot of work to be done,” Biden said. “But after wasting weeks trying to find a new Speaker of the House and having to expel their own members, Republicans in Congress are leaving for a month without doing anything to address these pressing challenges.”

“I wake up every day focused on the issues facing the American people — real issues that impact their lives, and the strength and security of our country and the world,” he added. “Unfortunately, House Republicans are not joining me. Instead of doing anything to help make Americans’ lives better, they are focused on attacking me with lies. Instead of doing their job on the urgent work

that needs to be done, they are choosing to waste time on this baseless political stunt that even Republicans in Congress admit is not supported by facts.”

The unanimity of the GOP conference’s vote came despite reports of possible holdouts. U.S. Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.), for instance, who is not seeking reelection, told Politico’s Olivia Beavers he was convinced only by assurances that the vote was on whether to open an inquiry, rather than whether to impeach the president.

Additionally, the House GOP caucus has been more factious than ever before in recent history, with votes on measures like the National Defense Authorization Act, the annual defense spending bill, deepening intra-party grievances that some members have aired publicly.

U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), for instance, took aim at the newly elected GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), accusing him of colluding with Democrats on the bill, and blaming him for the removal of extreme riders that were added by conservative members, several of which attacked the LGBTQ community.

CHRISTOPHER KANE

DNC slams Trump on anniversary of Respect for Marriage Act

The Democratic National Committee slammed former President Donald Trump and other Republicans for their positions on marriage equality in a statement last Wednesday, on the one-year anniversary of President Joe Biden’s signing the Respect for Marriage Act: “After Donald Trump appointed and celebrated farright extreme judges who were willing to undermine 50 years of precedent and rip away Americans’ freedoms, one year ago today President Biden signed the historic Respect for Marriage Act into law – landmark legislation that reaffirms that love is love and protects every American’s freedom to marry in the face of attacks from the

President JOE BIDEN signs the Respect for Marriage Act (Blade photo by Michael Key)

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MAGA movement,” said DNC National Press Secretary Sarafina Chitika.

“When Donald Trump, Mike Johnson, and 2024 MAGA Republicans continue to villainize the LGBTQ+ community, they are showing us who they are – and we must believe them,” she said, adding, “The choice next November couldn’t be more clear: President Biden’s plan to pass the Equality Act and ensure rights and freedoms for all Americans, or Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans’ agenda to undermine our freedoms, harbor hate, and enable discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community.”

CHRISTOPHER KANE

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KEVIN NAFF

is editor of the Washington Blade.

Reach him at knaff@washblade.com

‘Moderate’ Republicans complicit in GOP slide to Trump cult status Liz Cheney is latest to see the light too late

It would be funny to watch all the pearl-clutching by so-called “moderate” Republicans now that the GOP has completed its devolution into MAGA cult status, if only it weren’t all so sad and damaging to our democracy.

Everyone from former RNC Chair Michael Steele to right-wing extremist Liz Cheney has apparently seen the light and turned their backs on their former party. Better late than never, I suppose, but where were all these newly sensible voices when they could have prevented this sad state of affairs?

The stakes couldn’t be higher in 2024, as Cheney warned recently in a series of panicky TV interviews hawking her new book. She’s right that the future of the American experiment is on the line in the next election. It’s too late for America to ever reclaim “shining city on a hill” status again, given our weekly mass shootings and xenophobic attitudes toward immigrants.

Gone are the Republican glory days of being tough on crime and welcoming to migrants, as Ronald Reagan once was. Today’s GOP demonizes immigrants and uses them as props in a cynical show of “strength,” shipping poor families in buses to progressive blue cities. And the GOP’s “tough on crime” talk is just that — empty sloganeering with no action on gun reform.

We may not be that shining city, but we could cling to some semblance of respect in the world by again rejecting Donald Trump’s ignorance, racism, and criminality. And the Republican voices that are warning against Trump’s efforts at a second term are welcome, but they are late and themselves contributed to this sorry state of affairs.

The same Republican “moderates” now trashing Trump also embraced Sarah Palin, the vapid and woefully unqualified vice presidential nominee, and George W. Bush, a war criminal who killed untold thousands in an unprovoked war in Iraq and destroyed the U.S. economy in the process. Bush was a particularly unserious figure who lacked intellectual curiosity and had no business serving as president. But the GOP enablers cynically ignored that and rallied around the simpleton who had name recognition and deep pockets, unconcerned about elevating someone so out of his depth to the presidency.

Cheney, meanwhile, made headlines for years opposing marriage equality despite having an out lesbian sister. Although she belatedly evolved and told CBS News in 2021 that “I was wrong” on the issue, she later voted against the Equality Act. Cheney also opposes abortion rights and voted to repeal Obamacare. She voted in line with Donald Trump’s positions 93 percent of the time from 2017-2021, according to FiveThirtyEight. She voted for Trump for president in 2020.

Many of today’s prominent conservative commentators — everyone from Michael Steele to Bush flack Elise Jordan to right-wing extremist lawyer George Conway — now bashing Trump contributed to our current crisis by lowering the bar and promoting unqualified figures like Palin for the highest offices in the country.

The GOP’s efforts started decades ago by routinely demonizing education (college graduates are “elitist”) and erecting barriers to voting access. The result: a washed-up reality TV show host and ‘80s relic won the presidency by appealing to the worst instincts and prejudices in his supporters. In the process, Trump has validated the bigoted, racist, homophobic, sexist, transphobic, xenophobic views of millions. They are now open about their hatred and racism and the result can be seen in skyrocketing rates of hate crimes reported by the FBI, elevated domestic terror threats, and the hundreds of state bills targeting the LGBTQ community.

So-called “moderate” Republicans helped us down this path but now what? Notably, even Liz Cheney stopped short of endorsing President Biden’s re-election, even though that is literally the only way to stop Trump. Will the “moderates” reclaim their party? Not likely given Trump’s overwhelming lead in the primary polls. Will they start a new party of traditional conservatives? No, because that would doom all Republicans’ chances of winning a national election. And so they whine and complain about a status quo that they helped to create.

They write books and belatedly trash Trump on talk shows. But it’s too late. They dreamed of breaking the Democratic Party’s traditional lock on white, non-college-educated, rural voters.

They got their wish and now they’re stuck with those voters and their guns, racism, and love for authoritarians like Putin.

Our only hope is an 81-year-old president who’s about to be impeached and whose approval number sits at 38 percent less than a year from Election Day. It’s not morning in America any longer. Sadly, the sun is quickly setting on our great American experiment.

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is a longtime LGBTQ rights and Democratic Party activist. He writes regularly for the Blade.

Fix the border, but don’t hold aid to Ukraine and Israel hostage It’s frightening to watch Republicans walk away from our allies

Republicans haven’t been able to pass legitimate immigration reform, and neither have Democrats. Now Republicans want to hold aid to Ukraine and Israel hostage to these previous failures. Shame on them!

There is no question we need to deal with the border, and immigration. We need to stop the illegal immigration and up the number of people we allow to legally immigrate.

We are at full employment in our country, and we need the workers. The immigrants that want to come to the United States want to work, and make a better life for themselves, and their families. So let us take that premise and work with it.

No immigrant asking for asylum should be admitted without also being granted a work permit. We should insist they work, and that way we will also be able to keep track of them as they wait for their court case to come up. We can take out taxes from their paychecks, and start to take out Social Security as well. If they do get asylum, and are granted a green card, and eventually citizenship, they will be ahead of the curve. We can do that in this country.

But the reality is this won’t suddenly happen and end up in legislation. So, let’s not pretend it will, and hold up aid for Israel and Ukraine. By their actions it seems most Republicans haven’t any clear understanding of what is at stake if we let Putin win. Judging by the polls it is clear many of the American people don’t either. In the age of the three-minute attention span, you would think you could count on those whose business it is to know, the Congress, but clearly that isn’t the case.

I am not a foreign policy expert, but at least I read the papers, follow the international news, and listen to those who are. Those like Fiona Hill, former Trump national security council member; Secretary of State Antony Blinken; and national security team experts like Jake Sullivan, and Jon Finer. They make the clear case if we allow Putin to win in Ukraine, he won’t stop there. He will move on in Europe and then the United States will have the obligation under NATO to not only send money, but to send our young men and women to war. Xi Jinping of China will feel empowered to move on Taiwan as well. All of that is fairly easy to see if Republicans would just open their eyes and stop playing politics with our national security, and in essence, our children’s lives.

If we abandon Ukraine now, and for whatever the reason don’t stay the course, Putin and Xi will win. It seems Trump poisoned the well and convinced Republicans to find a way to screw things up, and walk out on our allies. We saw how he used the slogan + Largest LGBT Founded Title Company ‘America First,’ which today is simply a way to say to the rest of the world ‘screw you.’ But + Over 20 Years of Local Experience today we cannot pretend our enemies can’t reach us. Their missiles can. We are no longer A D V E R T protected ISING P O O F We are a part of this world and if we abrogate our leadership, and byRdistance. + Top Washington Business Journal Ranked Title Company ISSUE DATE: 171208 SALES REPRESENTATIVE: don’t use our power, we will lose both in the long run. + Residential & Commercial Transactions It is both frustrating, and frightening, to watch Republicans toss away our freedoms as REVIEW AD FOR COPY AND DESIGN ACCURACY. Revisions must be submitted within 24 hours of the date of proof.

Proof will be considered final and will be submitted for publication if revision is not submitted within 24 hours of the if they mean nothing. As if all the men and women who fought for our country, in many + In-Home & In-Office Refinance Settlements date of proof. Revisions will not be accepted after 12:01 pm wednesday, the week of publication.Brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) is not responsible for the content and/or design of your ad. Advertiser is wars, mean nothing to them. To watch them support a man who tried to stage a coup, responsible for any legal liability arising out of or relating to the advertisement, and/or any material to which users can link through the advertisement. Advertiser represents that its advertisement will not violate any criminal laws ONS and wants us to turn our backs on our allies around the world. It makes no sense at all, or any rgihts of third parties, including, but not limited to, such violations as infringement or misapporpriation of any copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret, music, image, or other proprietary or propety right, false advertising, O REVISIONS unfair competition, defamation, invasion of privacy or rights of celebrity, violation of anti-discrimination law or yet here we are.

ADVERTISER SIGNATURE regulation, or any other right of any person or entity.Locations Advertiser agrees to idemnify brown naff pitts omnimedia S llc (dba the washington blade) and to hold brown naff pitts omnimedia llc (dba the washington blade) harmless By signing this proof you are agreeing to your contract obligations with the One clear: We are not educating our populace. Our children have no underfrom any and all liability, loss, damages, claims, or causes of action, including reasonable legal fees and expenses washington blade newspaper. This includes but isthing not limited is to placement, that may be incurred by brown naff pitts omnimedia llc, arising out of or related to advertiser’s breach of any of the payment and insertion schedule. foregoing representations and warranties.Bethesda, MD standing of the world. Whether it is the dynamics of power, or our relationship to Russia Washington, D.C. Columbia, MD McLean, VA and China, or the history of the Middle East. They get their news from social media and it seems so do our Republican members of Congress. districttitle.com They think if they have millions of followers on Facebook and Instagram, that equates Licensed in DC, DE, MD, NJ, VA & WV with success. Yes, we have some Democrats who are just as guilty of that. It is my hope reason will, in the long run, prevail. That we will fund Ukraine and Israel, at the same time we work to do something about our border, just not make one hinge on the other. If we can’t do this we are in serious trouble, and I am afraid for our future.

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Tips to avoid alcohol during the holidays mbrace benefits of sobriet durin Christmas, New Year’s

The period before Christmas and New Year’s Day can seem like a black hole of overindulgence in food and drink. It can account for some of the highest rates of alcohol consumption. It seems like an endless temptation, and people are offering you drinks.

Even social drinkers can face a barrage of temptations to drink more than they usually do. Fortunately, there are practical tips you can use to politely decline the offer to drink, whether you’re in your golden years, middle-aged, or young, you can still enjoy the holiday season to the fullest.

Generally, gender and sexual minority populations are more likely to drink excessively compared to heterosexual and cisgender people. Christmas and New Year’s can add a lot of stress, especially for anyone who has a rocky relationship with their family, which can lead to excessive alcohol use.

The key to success in avoiding overindulgence with alcohol is to practice saying no to alcohol; whether it is a legitimate reason or a wild made-up excuse, it all works.

You can try saying, “No thank you,” “I’m driving tonight,” “I’ve got a workout planned tomorrow morning,” “I’m embracing a healthier lifestyle,” “I have to be at work early tomorrow,” or “I’m taking medication that doesn’t mix with alcohol.”

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There are also light-hearted approaches to consider, such as “No thanks, I become belligerent when I drink,” “Before I accept, I should warn you I brought a guitar with me,” or “A few more of these and I’ll be ready to describe my unpublished memoir to you.”

The goal of saying no or having a cut-off is to feel empowered by what you say, and practicing saying the words in advance can make a huge difference.

Another successful alternative is to bring your own non-alcoholic beverages. This can be the perfect time to try some holiday mocktails and make non-alcoholic drinks. For many of us, having a drink in hand makes us feel more comfortable in social situations.

It also makes it less likely that someone else will pressure us to drink alcohol. It can also help when avoiding relatives or friends who push you to drink.

Finally, it is essential to know when to leave a party. Most people have experienced holiday parties or family functions that have gotten out of control. Giving ourselves permission to leave early is OK, and this can be a huge relief.

Most importantly, when it comes to holiday parties, drinking alcohol should feel like a choice and not an obli ation. here are man benefits to bein sober durin hristmas and New Year’s, such as creating new memories you can actually remember. It can also usher in a new set of traditions for you and your loved ones and rekindle the nostalgia of the holidays.

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Celebrate the season with affirming religious services Array of options to mark Christmas, Shabbat, Kwanzaa FROM STAFF REPORTS The holidays are here and the D.C. area is home to plenty of LGBTQ-affirming options for celebrating Christmas, Shabbat, and Kwanzaa. (This list is not meant to be all-inclusive, as many churches and synagogues in the area are affirming.)

JEWISH SERVICES

Hanukkah ended Dec. 15, but the area’s affirming synagogues offer Shabbat services during the holidays. Bet Mishpachah is Washington’s Egalitarian Synagogue embracing diverse sexual and gender identities, founded in 1975 by members of the LGBTQ community. Shabbat services are held every Friday evening at 8 p.m. both in-person and virtually at the Edlavitch Washington DC Jewish Community Center (EDCJCC), located at 1529 16th St., N.W., Washington, D.C. The entrance is on Q Street. Join Bet Mish on Dec. 25 for a movie and dinner at a local Chinese restaurant. Details at betmish.org Ohr Kodesh Congregation (8300 Meadowbrook Lane) offers Shabbat services at 5 p.m. on Dec. 22 in the chapel and via livestream. The office is closed on Christmas Day. Visit ohrkodesh.org for more information.

CHRISTMAS SERVICES

Augustana Lutheran Church (2100 New Hampshire Ave., N.W.) will host events throughout the weekend. Advent 4 – Sunday, Dec. 24, 10:30am worship with eucharist in English; Christmas Eve – Sunday, Dec. 24, 2:30 p.m. Nordic Christmas Eve; 7 p.m. Misa Navidad at St. Luke Lutheran Church; 10 p.m. lessons and carols; Christmas Day, 10 a.m.

Service of the Word on Zoom visit www.augustanadc.org.

Lutheran Church of the Reformation (212 E. Capitol Street, N.E.) will host services on Advent Sundays at 8:30 and 11 a.m., and Christmas Eve services at 5 and 10 p.m. For more details, visit reformationdc.org.

Metropolitan Community Church of Washington D.C. (474 Ridge St., N.W.) will host Christmas Eve services at 10 a.m. and Christmas Day services at 5 p.m.with candles (in-person only). For more details, visit mccdc.com.

Dumbarton United Methodist Church (3133 Dumbarton St., N.W.) will host a Christmas Eve service at 11 a.m. For more information, visit dumbartonumc.org.

National City Christian Church (5 Thomas Circle, N.W.) will host a Christmas Eve worship at 9 and 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. with candlelight communion. For more details, visit nationalcitycc.org.

Christ Church on Capitol Hill (620 G St., S.E.) will host Christmas Eve services at 9 and 11 a.m., and 4:30, 6:30, and 10:30 p.m. The late service features Christmas pageant and carols. For more details, visit washingtonparish.org.

Saint John’s Episcopal Church (340 O St., N.W.) will host a pageant service at 4 p.m. and another service at 8 p.m. with a choral prelude at 7:30 p.m. There will be a Christmas Day service at 10 a.m. For more details, visit stjohnsgeorgetown.org.

Washington National Cathedral (3101 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.) will host a webcast of gospel Christmas service at 6 p.m. on Dec. 22. In-person passes are no longer available.

Christmas Eve services at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. are also only available online as passes are no longer available. The Christmas Day service at 11:15 a.m. doesn’t require advance passes. For more details, visit cathedral.org.

Seekers Church (276 Carroll St., N.W.) will host a Christmas Eve service at 5 and 9 p.m. For more details, visit www.seekerschurch.org.

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church (301 A St., S.E.) will have Christmas Eve pageant at 4 p.m. The Gay Group AA meets at 6 p.m. For more details, visit stmarks.net.

St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church (1830 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) will host Christmas Eve services starting with a prelude at 4:30 p.m. and Christmas Day services at 6 p.m. For more details, visit stmargaretsdc.org.

KWANZAA

Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ (3845 South Capitol St., S.W.) will host a Kwanzaa service on Dec. 31 at 10 a.m. The service will feature reflections by seven members of Covenant on the principles of Kwanzaa. For more details, visit cbuccdc.org.

The Annual Umoja Candle-lighting Ceremony and Umoja Celebration by LCPAN will be held on Dec. 26, including Duval African Students Association Dancers, spoken

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Washington National Cathedral is home to numerous Christmas services. (Blade file photo by Michael Key)

word, and more. Dinner Sales & African Marketplace sponsored by LCPAN, at Northeastern Presbyterian Church, 2112 Varnum St, N.E. Call 202.529.3635. Parking available in lot beside church on Eastern Ave. Program starts at 6 p.m.

The DC Kwanzaa Planning Committee is the coordinating committee for Kwanzaa celebrations throughout the Greater Washington DC Metropolitan Area. Visit their site at kwanzaadc.org for a range of local events.

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CALENDAR |

By TINASHE CHINGARANDE

Friday, December 22

Tuesday, December 26

Trans Support Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This group is intended to provide emotionally and physically safe space for trans people and those who may be questioning their gender identity/expression to join together in community and learn from one another. For more details, email supportdesk@thedccenter.org.

Women in their Twenties and Thirties will be at 8 p.m. on Zoom. This is a social discussion group for queer women in the D.C. area. For more information, join WiTT’s closed Facebook group.

Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a support group for people who identify outside of the gender binary, whether you’re bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know that you’re not 100% cis For more details, visit www.genderqueerdc.org or Facebook.

GoGay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Social” at 6 p.m. at HiTide Lounge. This event is to make new friends and enjoy the evening. Admission is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Saturday, December 23 Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. Guests are encouraged to come enjoy brunch with other LGBTQ+ folk.. Admission is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Black Lesbian Support Group will be at 11 a.m. on Zoom. This is a peer-led support group devoted to the joys and challenges of being a Black Lesbian. For more details, email supportdesk@thedccenter.org.

Sunday, December 24 “AfroX Sundays: Real Music, Real People” will be at 10 p.m. at Saint-Ex. Guests can check out the latest sounds of Afrobeats, Amapiano, AfroHouse, SOCA, Kompa, Dancehall, Reggae, and great music. Music will be by DJ Mambo and special guests DJs. The event has free entry all night and more details are available on Eventbrite.

AfroCode DC will be at 4 p.m. at Decades DC. This event will be an experience of non-stop music, dancing, and good vibes and a crossover of genres and a fusion of cultures. Tickets cost $40 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

Monday, December 25 Merry Christmas! See the Blade’s roundup of LGBTQ-affirming religions services in separate calendar.

Wednesday, December 27 Asexual and Aromantic Group will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a space where people who are questioning this aspect of their identity or those who identify as asexual and/or aromantic can come together, share stories and experiences, and discuss various topics. For more details, email supportdesk@thedccenter.org.

“Ladies First Ladies Night! Women’s History Month Edition” will be at 7:00p.m. on Lydia on H St. This event is a ladies’ wine and dine night with DC’s top women DJs in rotation. Admission is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

OUT & ABOUT Christmas and comedy?

You need Queermas!

“Queermas: A Jolly Gay Comedy Show” will be on Saturday, Dec. 23 at 7 p.m. at As You Are. This event will be a night of laughter and celebration with a lineup of hilarious and self-deprecating LGBTQ comedians, guaranteed to have you laughing all night long.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

Looking for some Christmas cheer?

Queers Upstairs will host “A Holiday Queer Party” on Thursday, Dec. 28 at 7 p.m. at Aliceanna Social Club.

This event will be an exclusive evening of dancing, networking, and fun. It will also be an inclusive space where everyone can be their authentic selves and celebrate the beautiful diversity within the Baltimore LGBTQ community.

Admission is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Thursday, December 28 Transmasculine Social Hour will be at 6 p.m. at Red Bear Brewing Co. This event is primarily for those that are transmasculine, but you’re welcome to bring a friend and partner of any gender. Admission is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

“Grown and Sexy” will be at 8 p.m. at Ocean Lounge.

This in-person event is all about letting loose and feeling fabulous. Get ready to dance the night away to the hottest tunes from the 90s and beyond, mingle with like-minded individuals, and enjoy a vibrant atmosphere that screams “grown and sexy.” Whether you’re single, in a relationship, or just looking for a good time, this event is for you. Tickets cost $5 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

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Merry Christmas and Happy Kwanzaa from all of us at the Washington Blade! (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

One Church, Two Chapels — Welcoming You to Worship with Us This Christmas

December 24

10:30 a.m. Fourth Sunday of Advent with Holy Eucharist Rite II 4:40 p.m. Christmas Prelude with Choir and Brass 5:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Festival Holy Eucharist Rite II with Full Choir and Brass 8:40 p.m. Christmas Prelude with Choral Ensemble and Brass 9:00 p.m. Christmas Eve Festival Holy Eucharist Rite II with Brass

Immanuel Chapel

11:00 a.m. Christmas Day Holy Eucharist with Organ and Carols Zabriskie Chapel 8:00 a.m. First Sunday After Christmas with Holy Eucharist Rite I Zabriskie Chapel 10:30 a.m. First Sunday After Christmas with Holy Eucharist Rite II Immanuel Chapel January 7, 2024 8:00 a.m. The First Sunday After Epiphany with Holy Eucharist Rite I Zabriskie Chapel 10:30 a.m. Children’s Epiphany Pageant with Holy Eucharist Rite II followed by a Cookie Immanuel Chapel Party in the Welcome Center December 25 December 31

Immanuel Chapel

Zabriskie Chapel

3737 Seminary Road, Alexandria, VA

3606 Seminary Road, Alexandria, VA

(On the grounds of the Virginia Theological Seminary)

ALL Are WELCOME

at Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill!

Episcopal / Anglican www.ICOH.net (703) 370-6555

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THEATER

‘The Seafarer’ puts unexpected spin on going home for the holidays A feeling-filled yuletide yarn at Round House

By PATRICK FOLLIARD Irish dramatist Conor McPherson’s dark comedy “The Seafarer” puts an unexpected spin on home for the holidays. Playing at Round House Theatre through New Year’s Eve, this 2006 work deals in matters of redemption, second chances, and unpleasant relations versus utter estrangement.

It’s the day before Christmas and Sharky Harkin (Chris Genebach) has returned to the rundown family house in a coastal town north of Dublin to help care for his older brother Richard (Marty Lodge), who’s recently lost his vision due to a liquor-fueled freak accident. Sharky, no stranger to drinks, is currently on the wagon.

The cast of The Seafarer at Round House Theatre. (Photo by Margot Schulman Photography)

The action begins when Richard, passed out on the tatty living room couch after yet another sightless night of heavy drinking, is awakened by the sounds of sober Sharky busily collecting empty bottles and other assorted detritus. Sharky suggests disheveled, foul-smelling Richard submit to assisted ablutions, but the senior sibling refuses, firmly convinced a good wash can wait until Christmas morning.

Just then, Richard’s longtime drinking buddy Ivan (Michael Glenn) stumbles down

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from an upstairs bedroom. Hungover from the night before, he’s unable to find his glasses without which he can’t find his way home.

McPherson wastes no time delving deeply into family dynamics. Despite the newness of the brothers’ reunion, they quickly fall back into their usual fraternal patterns, a clearcut case of pot meet kettle. Crabby Richard enjoys nitpicking Sharky’s myriad deficiencies and describing him as an inveterate bar brawler and the bane of their late mother’s existence. Sharky – so long as he’s not drinking – lets it pass.

After a merry afternoon of pub-crawling, the trio (Richard and Ivan happily drunk, and Sharky still white knuckling it) return to the house where a stormy Christmas Eve means more drinking, a lit tree slumped against the wall, a game of poker, and the promise of a meal that probably won’t materialize.

In a typically shady move, Richard has invited Sharky’s sporty, Versace clad archnemesis Nicky (Maboud Ebrahimzade) to join them for cards. Nicky soon shows up with a new acquaintance called Mr. Lockhart (Marcus Kyd), a suited and booted mix of superciliousness and amiability. (Ivania Stack is spot on with costume design.)

As the night grinds on, Sharky learns this isn’t the first time he’s met Lockhart. In fact, 25 years ago, they shared a jail cell. They also played cards. The deal was if Sharky won, he’d go free, but if he lost, Lockhart (i.e. Satan himself) would own his soul. Apparently, Sharky won, but the catch is he promised Lockhart a future round of cards with the same stakes.

Skillfully staged by Ryan Rilette, Round House’s strong production of the Olivier and Tony Award-winning modern classic features a solid, all-male cast of six familiar Washington actors. Their world is brought to life by Andrew R. Cohen whose shabby set hints at lost respectability and order. Sound designer Kenny Neal suggests a stormy night while Max Doolittle’s lighting ushers in a sunny Christmas morning. Cards consultant Ryan Phillips keeps the poker game real.

Throughout varying degrees of drunkenness, the actors move without exaggeration; their equally naturalistic banter, peppered with loads of “eejits” and “bollocks,” is spoken in recognizably Irish accents.

There are lyrical passages too, especially Lockhart’s monologues including a chillingly memorable description of a solitary and claustrophobic hell.

Alcohol is the sixth character in the play, always just a pour away, always there to numb the pain, to push away bad memories and self-loathing. And McPherson knows of what he writes. Before getting sober, he struggled with alcohol; in 2001, a bout with pancreatitis landed him in the hospital, a seminal moment that proved a life-changing second chance.

“The Seafarer” is a feeling-filled yuletide yarn, funny and sad. There’s even a Christmas miracle of sorts, an ostensibly mundane stroke of luck better ascribed to Saint Anthony, the patron of lost things, than jolly old Saint Nick, but of the season just the same.

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FILM

A rich ‘Color Purple’

New film a musical based on the Broadway show, not a Spielberg remake

By JOHN PAUL KING Alice Walker’s 1982 novel “The Color Purple” never needed a Steven Spielberg film adaptation to become a cultural touchstone - it had already achieved that before the director’s 1986 movie version made it to the screen – but it didn’t hurt, either.

Making stars of Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey in the process, Spielberg’s film – his foray into “serious” cinema – brought Walker’s epistolatory tale of early 20th-century Black life in Georgia to the attention of new audiences. Setting aside modern attitudes about Black narratives being interpreted by white storytellers, it was undeniably a “watershed moment,” when a seminal piece of Black literature – one that “spoke truth to power” while transcending notions of race, gender, and sexuality and asserting the rich cultural heritage of Black Americans – became part of mainstream consciousness.

FANTASIA BARRINO stars in ‘The Color Purple.’

That all happened nearly 40 years ago, but neither Walker’s book nor the multi-Oscar-nominated film it inspired have faded from public memory – and now, the latest evolution of the material that started it all has reached movie screens, just in time to become a must-see Christmas event for families across America. However, despite the impression one might get from watching the trailers, which largely evoke key moments from the Spielberg film, it’s not a remake.

Instead, “The Color Purple,” releasing on Christmas Day to join the fray for 2023’s “awards season” race, is a new iteration of Walker’s book, a stage-to-screen adaptation of the Tony-winning 2006 Broadway musical – originally crafted by playwright Marsha Norman with score and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray – penned by screenwriter Marcus Gardley. Again, the impression one might get from watching the film’s trailers, which downplay the movie’s identity as a musical

to the point that many audiences will be surprised when its characters start singing, doesn’t exactly convey that information to anyone who isn’t already “in the know.”

Still, it’s not the movie’s fault if Warner Brothers, true to form for big-ticket Hollywood studios since at least the early 1970s, tried to hedge its bets in promoting the latest attempt at a blockbuster movie musical, and we can hardly blame them – the success rate for such films, in terms of both critical and audience acceptance, has been hit-ormiss for decades. No matter how much talk one may hear of the genre making a comeback, it’s never really happened. For every Oscar-winner like “Chicago,” there’s an embarrassing dud like “Dear Evan Hansen,” and that’s not even counting the inevitable controversies over the merits of original musicals like “La La Land,” which are typically derided by purist fans even as they garner acclaim from critics and industry insiders. But though it excises several songs from the stage original’s playlist (while adding a few new ones, a common ploy for Hollywood adaptations angling for an Original Song Oscar, with Siedah Garrett stepping in to replace the late Willis), the film is unapologetic about being a musical from its very first frames, and therefore rises above the politics of publicity to fully inhabit the artistic space in which it was intended to exist.

In the hands of director Blitz Bazawule (aka “Blitz the Ambassador”), a Ghanaian director (“The Burial of Kojo,” Beyonce’s “Black is King”) whose artistic monikers also include author, visual artist, rapper, singer-songwriter, and record producer, “The Color Purple” is a stylistic homage that pays tribute to the nostalgic glory of classic Hollywood while remaining firmly rooted in a contemporary aesthetic. To put it more plainly, the film’s many musical set-pieces borrow heavily from iconic Golden Age movies – think choreographed flights of fancy evoking seminal creators from Busby Berkeley to Gene Kelly to Bob Fosse – yet present them in a milieu more closely related to a modern music video. The eloquent choreography (by Fatima Robinson) exists outside the film’s period setting, incorporating movement rooted as much in modern dance as in the traditional styles that might seem (for some) more fitting to the material, and the music to which it is set often feels closer in spirit and execution to present-day R&B than the old-fashioned gospel-and-blues influences we might expect.

The result is both thrilling and jarring, an inspiring example of what can happen when a traditionally white mainstream genre is appropriated and reimagined by a rich and vibrant postmodern generation of blended ethnic bonds with the boldness and skill to make it their own – which, in the heightened sensitivity of our divided age, might be a step too far for some viewers, but seems to capable of breathing fresh life into the long-lamented

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musical genre, if such a thing were possible.

Yet between its many musical interludes, Bazawule’s film equally invests itself in the dramatic narrative, emulating a host of “realistic” cinematic influences beyond Spielberg’s contribution. This goes a long way toward getting us invested in the story and characters, especially given the beyond-expectation performances of the cast.

Reprising the role she first played on Broadway, Fantasia Barrino creates a Miss Celie that puts the stress on under appreciated intelligence rather than indoctrinated ignorance, giving us a different but no-less-compelling take on the character than Goldberg’s iconic turn, and Danielle Brooks (“Orange is the New Black”), also returning to her stage role, commands her every moment onscreen as the iron-willed Sofia. Taraji P. Henson, as free-spirited blues singer Shug Avery, captures the indomitable self-confidence and iron will that makes her a catalyst for more than one character’s change of heart, and Colman Domingo’s Mister succeeds at humanizing his toxicity sufficiently to clear a path for our empathy; in smaller but no-less-essential roles, Corey Hawkins and R&B singer H.E.R. (Gabriella Wilson) shine brightly enough to make their presence felt among the rest of the heavy-hitters, and up-and-comer Halle Bailey scores big as the long-separated sister that serves as a lifeline throughout Celie’s struggles.

All these stellar performances, coupled with a solid directorial vision from Bazawule, not to mention the non-ambiguous queerness with which it comports itself (the romance between Celie and Shug is allowed to blossom much more fully that we are shown in the Spielberg original), gives us ample reason for us to recommend “The Color Purple” – but we must also add a disclaimer that might be more a commentary on the stage musical than on the film derived from it.

Simply expressed, one can’t help but feel that there’s a disconnect between the sparse-but-richly-imagined prose that makes Walker’s book so compelling and the florid sentimentality of its translation into the musical format. The songs, while they might ring true as appropriate within the concept, never sufficiently illuminate what we are shown by the drama; they seem, at times, disconnected from everything else, a blatant appeal to our emotions rather than an integrated part of the whole. This is a particular problem for a film clearly rooted in the intertwined music and history of the Black culture it ostensibly tries to emulate.

Even so, such scholarly nitpicking is immaterial for most of our readers; while it may not deliver the most cohesive of musical conceits, it pulls off most of what it needs to, and for anybody who loves musicals as much as we do, that’s more than enough.

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BOOKS

‘Fabulist’ chronicles the many lies of George Santos New book a reminder to always follow the money

By TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER Feel that little tug?

It’s probably nothing to worry about, it’s not important. It’s just that someone’s trying to pull your leg, to make you believe something that’s not true or doesn’t exist. Just a little tug, right above your ankle, no problem. You might not even notice it unless, as in “The Fabulist” by Mark Chiusano, the wool’s pulled over your eyes, too.

A little more than four years ago, Mark Chiusano first spoke with former Rep. George Santos over the phone for a newspaper story, and red flags popped up immediately. Says journalist Chiusano, Santos kept offering conflicting stories about this or that in their initial interview and other, later, conversations featured uncomfortable inconsistencies. Soon, any contact with Santos began to have “an uneasiness to it.”

There was a reason: spinning stories, as it turned out, was something Santos had been practicing since he was young, and he was really good at doing it.

Santos was so good at tale-spinning that, while reporting on Santos, Chiusano watched as highly experienced detectives and other professionals accepted Santos’s lies as truth, though many of his stories were verifiably false. He was so well-practiced at lying, Chiusano says, that eventually, Santos’s habit of telling rich childhood whoppers grew into a talent for creating giant cons, including the biggest one of all: running for public office, and all that it entailed.

In politics, Chiusano notes, Santos was “suddenly surrounded by rich people” and they weren’t just random gullibles to cold call.

“Now,” says Chiusano,” they were at his fundraisers, or on his call

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lists.”

It’s been said that to know the story, follow the money but that’s not easy when you’re trying to understand George Santos.

But let’s be clear, though: it’s not author Mark Chiusano’s fault here. The trail of allegations, cons, drag shows, pants-on-fire, money-grabbing, and tall tales is a long and convoluted one (or more), and it nearly requires a mathematical diagram to untangle. The difficulty lies in the lies that, as recounted in “The Fabulist,” are unrelenting, astounding, and (let’s be honest), ridiculous in flashing neon, which makes them almost ruefully funny in their brazenness.

Shake your head. Go on.

At just about every page, you’ll ask yourself how this ever happened at a time when claims can so very easily be fact-checked.

Absolutely, this will lead to a thick air of disbelief in the sheer amount of cons that “George and Anthony and Devolder and Santos” is said to have pulled off – and one way or another you’re likely going to have emotions about that.

On that subject, Chiusano cautions readers not to be armchair psychologists. Indeed, while you’ll note a bit of extrapolating in what you’ll read here, Chiusano seems mostly facts-only neutral, outside of his author’s note and introduction.

Readers may marvel at that, and the Herculean effort that might have taken.

Followers of politics and readers who’ve been watching the saga of George Santos will devour “The Fabulist.” If you love a good, romping head-shaker, pull this one off the shelves.

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ADVICE

How to keep your hands on the steering wheel of your life

Pay attention to yourself and strive to pause before you act

By MICHAEL RADKOWSKY going on inside, you have more power over your response.

What do you do when your partner snaps at you, big time, Also in that pause, strive to calm yourself as best you can. after you’ve already had a hard day? Do you snap back, which This will give you some bandwidth to focus on how you may feel great in the moment, but might lead to a rotten evewould like to respond, rather than simply reacting. ning? Or do you find some way to calm yourself and see if Of course, calming yourself is hard to do when you’re anxyou can stay connected? ious or angry. Yet there are many ways to calm down even What do you do when your friends all seem to have a a little, including taking strong opinion about a short break from the insomething important to teraction to collect your you and you strongly disthoughts, or taking some agree with them? Do you slow, deep breaths. One speak up and risk their powerful way to get a grip censure? Or do you stay is to remind yourself, “I’m silent, go along with the likely to respect myself a crowd, perhaps keep your lot more if I can do what I friends, but betray your think is right.” beliefs?

Now your mind may What do you do when be calm enough to think someone close to you about how you want to represses you to take some spond. Yes, screaming may action that you wouldn’t sometimes be the way to respect yourself for doing? go, but escalating a perDo you disappoint them, sonal conflict usually takes or disappoint yourself? us nowhere good.

Many of us lack any sort Here’s a question to ask of plan or guiding philosControl your temper but set boundaries when dealing with conflict. yourself, not only in these ophy for how we would moments, but all the time: handle character-defining “What would it mean for me to be a spouse/parent/friend/ moments under pressure. Instead, we react, out of fear or person whom I admire?” Answering this question gives you anxiety or anger. a standard you can aspire to reach and that you don’t want My view is, our lives go better when we’re thoughtful to sink below. about how we respond to the hard stuff. When we do what A related point especially for couples, but with wide apwe believe is right, even when doing so is difficult, we tend plicability: Many people come into my office certain that it’s to respect ourselves—and like ourselves better. the other person’s fault that things go awry. I always tell them There’s a name for this approach: Differentiation—the abilthat no matter whom they think “started it,” it is each of their ity to hold your own shape and behave in a way that your jobs, individually, to hold themselves together and respond respect even when there’s outside pressure not to. from the best in themselves.

Holding a differentiated stance means staying as calm as This means striving to avoid being the “winner.” Here’s you can in tough situations. It means standing up for what an alternative: Be generous whenever possible; while also you believe is important even when there are consequences. maintaining a boundary when it’s important to you, and acIt means operating with integrity. Differentiation is a necescepting the other person’s having boundaries that are imsary ingredient for any solid relationship, including romantic portant to them. And remember: We all have to tolerate, be relationships, friendships, being a parent, and being adult close to, and live with people who are very different from us sons and daughters to our parents. in important ways.

Aspiring to hold a differentiated stance is always worthStriving to be well-differentiated helps us develop into while, though it is not always achievable and is definitely stronger and more resilient people. The more we work at not a steady state. Something or someone (often someone responding in ways that we admire to our challenges and close to us) will frequently press our buttons and throw us difficulties, the better we get at dealing with all the stuff that off. That’s just the way life goes. My advice when this haplife throws at us, which makes this ride more tolerable, interpens: don’t get discouraged. Differentiation is more a jouresting, and even enjoyable. ney than a destination.

And when we can look at the challenges we face as giving How can you get better at keeping your hands on the us strength and helping to give our lives meaning, our chalsteering wheel of your life? You start by paying attention to lenges may become easier to bear. yourself and striving to pause before you act. Yes, it is almost Wishing you a good new year. that simple.

(Michael Radkowsky, Psy.D. is a licensed psychologist who Viktor Frankl wrote, “Between stimulus and response, works with couples and individuals in D.C. He can be found there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our online at michaelradkowsky.com. All identifying information response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” has been changed for reasons of confidentiality. Have a quesIn that pause, ask yourself why you’re having the reaction tion? Send it to michael@michaelradkowsky.com.) you’re having. When you have some understanding of what’s

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Equality NoVa Holiday Party

Virginia LGBTQ organization honors Sen. Favola (Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

The LGBTQ organization Equality NoVa (formerly known as the Arlington Gay & Lesbian Alliance) held a holiday party at The Commentary in Arlington, Va. on Saturday, December 16. Virginia state Sen. Barbara Favola and the Alexandria LGBTQ Task Force were honored with the organization’s annual Equality Awards.

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CFO Services Group provides financial guidance for small businesses

‘We look for clients that are doing good work’

By OMARI FOOTE Manuel ‘Manny’ Cosme started CFO Services Group to help growing businesses and nonprofits get their finances on track.

After three years of serving as chief financial officer for the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Washington D.C., Cosme decided that it was time to step into his own venture.

“We focus on helping small businesses and nonprofits manage their money and really hit their financial goals,” said founder and CEO Cosme.

CFO Services Group primarily works in bookkeeping but also provides services with accounting, payroll management, budgeting and more.

CFO Services is for the budding business that can’t afford a full-time CFO, but also can’t afford to lose any more money without professional financial support.

“We look for clients that are doing good work,” said Paolo Zambrana, Community Engagement Leader at CFO Services. “We really appreciate good work in the community because we do that as well.”

In 2020, they helped more than 700 businesses fill out PPP loans pro-bono.

“The reason why a lot of MANUEL ‘MANNY’ COSME minority-owned businesses didn’t apply was because it was confusing,” said Zambrana.

So all of CFO Services Groups accountants hopped on Zoom and answered hundreds of questions for small business owners to ensure they applied correctly.

Earlier this year, they hosted a three-month cohort in partnership with Howard University and City Financial to help 300 minority-owned businesses gain financial literacy.

This work encouraged them to create a non-profit specifically for small minority-owned businesses.

The non-profit component of CFO Services will be called CFO Aid and hopes to be up and running in the new year.

In addition, they hope to expand their work beyond D.C. and work with national clients in need of financial support.

If you or someone you know is in need of financial services, visit their site and schedule a free consultation.

“It’s like therapy session 101, trust me, we have heard it all,” said Zambrana.

REAL ESTATE

Looking for holiday gifts? How about real estate?

D.C. offers everything from a $12,000 parking space to $32 million mansion

By VALERIE M. BLAKE

‘Tis the season for giving. You have purchased, wrapped, and possibly delivered the annual endowment of socks and underwear. You have perused your children’s Christmas wish list and fought the Battle of Target.

You have guessed about sizes or taste in literature, knowing that Amazon honors returns. You have armed yourself with a plethora of gift cards, but what do you get for that person who has everything?

How about some real estate?

Granted, it won’t fit down the chimney with Santa and inventory in the DMV has been limited for far too long, but we’re getting ready to turn a corner into 2024. Our military families are finally on the move again. The FBI has identified a location in Prince George’s County for a new office building, which, when built, may prompt some employees who live in Virginia to shift their residences to Maryland.

You can count on both Amazon and businesses along the Dulles technology corridor to shift personnel and we may also be seeing some new faces on the Hill as political campaigns ramp up. What’s more, the Federal Reserve Board didn’t raise interest rates this quarter and may be looking to lower them in 2024.

So, let’s start small. You can purchase a surface parking space in 16th Street Heights for $12,000, recently reduced from $15,000. Alternatively, you can buy a two-car, tandem, covered spot for $85,000, provided you live at The Gateway Georgetown Condominium.

Interested in getting in on the ground floor of affordable housing? Then Congress Heights may fit the bill.

There, you can get a 725-square-foot, two-bedroom condo with original parquet floors for $69,000, or choose a detached, 3-level, 3-bedroom, 2 bath Cape Cod in need of a basic facelift for only $299,000. Its kitchen awaits your design choices for renovation.

Would you like a pied à terre near the Kennedy Center instead? There’s a 696-square-foot, one-bedroom condo available in Foggy Bottom for less than $400,000. Need something closer to the Hill? Treat yourself to a slightly

smaller, one-bedroom condominium along the H Street Corridor close to numerous restaurants and the Whole Foods grocery store for only $166,000 and change.

If you need a home to rent out to students at Georgetown and George Washington Universities, then the possibilities include 3-4-bedroom rowhouses in Georgetown, priced from $2-2.5 million. If you’d rather provide shared housing for congressional representatives, a 6-bedroom, 3.5 bath beauty on the SE Hill can be had for only $1.8 million. Cocaine and orgies are extra.

Consider the gift of real estate this holiday season.

If being a multi-unit landlord is your goal, Congress Heights comes up again, with several 4-unit buildings available between $600,000 and $700,000. On the high end, you can choose a mint condition, 4000 SF quadraplex near Whole Foods in Logan Circle for under $2.8 million.

(NOTE: It seems that if your neighborhood has a Whole Foods grocery, then it has hit the big time in popularity and often, in price. It used to be that simply having a Starbucks within a block or two garnered the same cachet.)

Now, let’s talk luxury. If you hate yard work, there’s a 2,000-square-foot condominium with sweeping river views in Georgetown, renovated with every conceivable amenity and technological update, for just under $4.5 million. Not enough glitz and glam? You can also Put on the Ritz in Georgetown if you purchase a 6,400-squarefoot, 5-bedroom, 5+ baths condo overlooking the Potomac for a little more than $11 million.

If you need something a bit more financially reserved, the SW quadrant of D.C. features 4,400 square feet of new construction in 3-bedroom condo with multiple bathrooms and walls of glass overlooking the Washington Channel in the $8 million range. Think of all the money you’ll save on parking when dining at The Wharf.

If you’re pulling out all the stops, check out the Berkley neighborhood for the most expensive and expansive home in D.C. For only $32 million, you can enjoy more than 16,000 square feet of luxury, a 2-story sports court with spa, a cinema room, or choose a bottle from the floor-to-ceiling, temperature-controlled wine display for your next fundraiser. Even the grounds are a tribute to sculpture and precision.

But unless Santa Claus brings you a stocking full of gold bars, James M. Goode’s coffee table book, Best Addresses ($49.67), or his follow-up, Capital Houses ($157.99) are gift options that bring us back to real estate reality for the time being. These coffee table books may not have the same distinction as the homes described and photographed within, but at least they will fit down the chimney.

VALERIE M. BLAKE

is a licensed Associate Broker in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia with RLAH Real Estate / @properties.

Call or text her at 202-246-8602, email her via DCHomeQuest.com, or follow her on Facebook at TheRealst8ofAffairs.

B US I NE S S • DE C E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 2 3 • WA S H I N GTO N B L A D E.CO M • 3 5

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PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY

MASSAGE

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Low key private spot near Rosslyn. Fri-Mon, 12-9. text 301-704-1158 or visit

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SEEKING CARPOOL RIDE

to MCC DC from Takoma Park, DC, 20012. Expenses for gas.

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Academy of Hope

Adult Public Charter School REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Developer for Student Information System (SIS). The Academy of Hope Adult Public Charter School located in Washington, DC requests proposals for Developer for Student Information System (SIS). Proposals are due January 5th, 2024. You can find the detailed request for proposal and submissioninformation at https://aohdc.org/jobs/

HIRING FAIR THE POTOMAC SCHOOL,

PLACE YOUR AD ONLINE AT:

WASHINGTONBLADE. COM/CLASSIFIEDS! If you need assistance, please email the text & image to: classifieds@washblade.com or call 202-747-2077 x 8092 leave a message!

in partnership AISGW and East Ed, invites all teachers and administrators interested in careers in independent schools to the 12th annual Diversity Hiring Fair held on Saturday, February 3, 2024 at The Potomac School in McLean, VA. Registration for candidates is free and bag lunches will be provided.

For more information and to register, please visit: potomacschool.org/dhf.

CLEANING

FERNANDO’S CLEANING Residential & Commercial Cleaning, Reasonable Rates, Free Estimates, Routine, 1-Time, Move-In/ Move-Out 202-234-7050 or 202-486-6183

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.

HANDYMAN

BRITISH REMODELING

Local licensed company with over 25 years of experience.

Specializing in bathrooms, kitchens & all interior/exterior repairs.

Drywall, paint, electrical, wallpaper, roofing & siding.

Trevor 703-303-8699 LEGAL SERVICES

ADOPTION, DONOR, SURROGACY legal services. Catelyn represents LGBTQ clients in DC, MD & VA interested in adoption or ART matters.

MODERN FAMILY FORMATION Law Offices, Slattery Law, LLC.

240-245-7765

Catelyn@ModernFamilyFormation.com

LIMOUSINES KASPER’S LIVERY SERVICE Since 1987. Gay & Veteran Owner/ Operator.

Lincoln Continental Sedan!

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RENT / DC Brookland/Catholic University SPACIOUS ONE BEDROOM

Updated well appointed one bedroom No pets. street parking.

Washer dryer in unit. Call or text owner for apptmt to view. $1,639. + gas & electric. 202-498-1065 3 8 • WA SHIN GTO N BLADE.COM • DECEMBER 2 2 , 2 0 2 3 • C LA S S I F I E D S

RENT / MD

BEAUTIFUL HYATTSVILLE Large 1929 Sears Vallonia. Wonderful garden. Garage & off-street parking. Friendly neighbors.

Walk to great schools, Metro and MARC. $3300/month, long-term preferred. Email: allison.in.hyattsville@gmail.com.

RENT / VA

Arlington, VA

DUPLEX FOR RENT

750 square feet two floors. top floor - bedroom, office, bathroom. main floor - kitchenette, living room. No pet, no children. partially furnished. first and last month rents plus security deposit. This place is good for one person only. Just two miles East of Ballston metro. Please contact hoktax@yahoo.com for more info.

MEN FOR MEN

SPEND CHRISTMAS w/ ME!

Gay Guy, 62 would like to share an intimate friendship/relationship with a nice warm Gay guy. I’m a down to earth, easy going, compassionate, emphatic, passionate, brave, loyal and driven Human Rights Activist in Takoma DC. Spend Christmas with me. Cell/text anytime: Two40-Two73-8221.

“Scammers Beware”

BODYWORK

THE MAGIC TOUCH

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CHRISTMAS EVE Music.

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DE C E M B E R 2 2 , 2 0 2 3 • WA S H I N GTO N B L A D E.CO M • 3 9

Baltimore

2510 Saint Paul St, FL 1 (833) 243-7411

Capitol Hill

650 Pennsylvania Ave SE, Ste 310 (833) 243-7411

K Street

2141 K Street NW Ste 707 (202) 293-8680

Temple Hills

4302 Barnabas Rd, Ste B (833) 243-7411