Washington Blade, Volume 55, Issue 08, February 23, 2024

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D.C. Travel & Adventure Show arrives this weekend, PAGE 14

(Washington Blade photos by Michael K. Lavers)

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Capital Stonewall Democrats host ranked choice voting, open primaries forum

Initiative 83 supporters, opponents attended event at Shakers

BY LOU CHIBBARO JR.

The Capital Stonewall Democrats, one of D.C.’s oldest LGBTQ political organizations, hosted a forum on Monday night, Feb. 19, on the proposed D.C. ballot measure known as Initiative 83, which calls for the city to put in place a ranked choice voting system and for party primaries to be open to all independent voters.

The forum included presentations by one of the leading supporters and a leading opponent of the controversial initiative. Longtime D.C. LGBTQ rights and Ward 8 community activist Phil Pannell, who serves as treasurer of Make All Votes Count DC, the lead organization advocating for Initiative 83, spoke on behalf of the initiative.

3 Democratic Party member and LGBTQ community ally, spoke on behalf of Vote No on Initiative 83, the lead group Brown pointed out that her organization was separate and distinct from the D.C. Democratic Party, which also opposes to prevent the measure from being placed on the ballot. A judge was expected to hand down a ruling on whether the Capital Stonewall Democrats President Michael Haresign, who introduced both speakers, told the Washington Blade after the event, which was held at the D.C. gay bar Shakers, position on Initiative 83. He said that if it does take a position, it would not do so until later this year if the initiative is approved for placement on the ballot in the city’s November

An informal survey of local LGBTQ activists conducted by the Blade shows the LGBTQ community appears divided over Initiative 83, with prominent activists emerging as both supporters and opponents of the measure.

In his presentation in support of Initiative 83, Pannell called ranked choice voting an important electoral reform that has worked successfully in many states and cities across the country. He noted that ranked choice voting serves as an instant, automatic runoff election if no candidate receives at least 50

As proposed, Initiative 83 would allow voters to rank canthis system, if no candidate receives at least 50 percent of the vote during the initial ballot counting process, the candidate

The votes cast by voters who picked that candidate as their top choice would then go to their second-choice candidate.

This process would continue, under the ranked choice system, until at least one candidate emerges with at least 50 percent of the votes and is declared the winner.

The second part of Initiative 83 would allow more than 80,000 D.C. residents who currently choose not to register as a member of one of the local political parties and who are not allowed to vote in a primary, to vote in the city’s primary elections, including the Democratic primary. Political observers point out that the Democratic primary usually decides who will win the general election in D.C, where registered voters

“In terms of ranked choice voting, it’s very basic,” Pannell told the gathering. “You have to start with, do you believe people who are elected should have a simple majority of the vote? If you don’t believe that, I’m not going to be able to

Pannell pointed out that in recent D.C. elections, under the

with some of them winning with just 30 percent or even a little

Calling himself a lifelong, loyal member of the Democratic Party, Pannell criticized party leaders for opposing what he calls broadening the democratic process by allowing all residents to vote in primaries, especially independents, and for opposing a ranked choice voting system that Pannell said also broadens the electoral consensus by requiring that a candidate receive at least 50 percent of the vote to win an election.

he told the forum. “Let’s embrace it. Closed primaries are the

Trial date set for man accused of killing Meghan Lewis Transgender woman murdered outside Bel Air, Md., apartment

By CLARA LONGO DE FREITAS/BALTIMORE BANNER

A Harford County judge on Feb. 14 late afternoon set a jury

transgender woman who was killed two days after Christmas.

Judge Yolanda Curtin is expected to hear the case on May 21.

Brian Delen, who was delivering food the night Meghan -

sion of a crime of violence. He is being held without bond in the Harford County Detention Center.

The killing caused grief and anger in the broader Bel Air for Delen. Those who knew Lewis described her as “sparkly”

and “kind. “While Delen told investigators there was a dispute between the two, friends of Lewis say getting involved in an altercation doesn’t sound like something she would do.

Court documents say Delen, who was delivering food that night, asked Lewis “Are you waiting for food delivery, sir?” He told the police the dispute escalated after he drove away, and Lewis followed him by on foot. He said he got out of his car

taken to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

In February, Lewis texted friend McKenzie Lannon that she lost her sense of safety “forever” after coming out as transgender. Lewis told Lannon and others that her “biggest fear” was that she would be killed for being transgender.

result of closed hearts and closed minds,” he said. “Let’s open the windows and the doors … Let’s change our party for the better and vote for Initiative 83.”

Brown, who also described herself as a loyal Democratic Party member from Ward 3 and a native Washingtonian, disputed arguments by Pannell and his colleagues in support of -

tiative 83 are waging a “propaganda campaign” to confuse voters.

Among other things, she said it’s not an infringement of democracy by requiring people to register for a party to vote in a party primary. All they need to do is register under D.C.’s rapid registration system, vote in a primary, and then withdraw their registration at any time. She also said independent voters, who Initiative 83 supporters say have a right to vote in primaries, often do not agree with the principles of the Democratic Party.

“And normally independents will tell you I’m independent because I don’t believe in Democratic Party values. I don’t believe in Republican Party values. I don’t believe in statehood values,” she told the gathering. “So, the question becomes, is it okay for people who don’t share your values to pick your leaders? There is no other club or organization that allows people who are not members to pick their leaders. It’s just that simple,” she said.

“That’s not disenfranchising you,” Brown added. “You just have to choose whether you want to work within a party to promote their values and issues or not. And if you don’t, that’s okay, that’s your choice. But you just then don’t get to vote until we get to the general election.”

Regarding ranked choice voting, Brown cited studies conducted by independent research organizations, including universities, that she said show it “marginalizes black and brown voters,” voters in low-income neighborhoods, and voters whose native language is not English, many of whom, she

She also disputed claims by ranked choice voting supporters that citizens already participate in a ranked choice system in everyday life, including D.C.’s ranked choice public school lottery system, and public housing system and a ranked choice voting system will be similarly easy to understand.

Brown pointed out that unlike the school lottery or public housing system, where making a mistake will not result in serious consequences, ranked choice voting usually doesn’t

Montgomery County Council Vice President KATE STEWART (Public domain photo)

Signs honoring the ‘sparkle’ of Meghan Lewis are held during a memorial in Bel Air on Jan. 2, 2024. (Photo by Heather Diehl/Baltimore Banner)

House members raise objections to anti-LGBTQ guest chaplain 26 Democrats signed letter

By CHRISTOPHER KANE

A group of 26 House Democrats sent a letter on Feb. 15 to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Rev. Dr. Margaret Grun Kibben, the House chaplain, raising objections to Johnson’s sponsorship of anti-LGBTQ pastor Jack Hibbs as the lower chamber s guest chaplain.

“Hibbs is a radical Christian Nationalist who helped fuel the January 6th insurrection and has a long record of spewing hateful vitriol toward non-Christians, immigrants, and members of the LGBTQ community,” the lawmakers wrote.

The letter asks Johnson and Kibben for an explanation of “the process by which Pastor Hibbs was recommended, vetted, and approved,” along with answers to other questions raised by the members.

A nationally syndicated TV and radio host, Hibbs is the senior and founding pastor of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Chino, Calif., a city located in the western end of San Bernardino County. On its website, the church claims that more than 10,000 adult congregants attend its Sunday service each week.

Among the letter’s signatories were the chair and three vice chairs of the Congressional Equality Caucus, U.S. Reps. Mark Pocan (Wis.), Robert Garcia (Calif.), Mark akano Calif. and Becca Balint t. .

The members argued portions of the opening prayer delivered by ibbs on the ouse oor on an. , , that concerned “holy fear” and a call for “repentance” for

“national sins” were references to his anti-LGBTQ theology that also maligns Jews, Muslims, and those who do not share his Christian nationalist worldview.

The letter chronicles evidence of Hibbs’ extreme statements and positions, among them

• Last year, Hibbs launched a campaign that would require schools to forcibly out transgender students, and a month later published a video on his YouTube channel in which he called transgender people a “sexually perverted cult” in “violation of

the word and will of God” who are enacting Satan s anti- od, anti-Christian plan.

• Hibbs characterized same-sex marriage as the crucifi ion of od s word, during remarks to his congregation following the U.S. Supreme Court’s recognition of the nationwide constitutional right to marriage e uality in .

• During public remarks in 2021 and 2022, Hibbs argued that homosexuality and the acceptance of LGBTQ people is evidence that “humanity is living in the ‘last days.’” He has supported conversion therapy and rallied opposition to a California law targeting anti- B bullying in schools.

• Preaching that God was backing the Trump administration, Hibbs attended the rally on the Ellipse that preceded the violent siege of the U.S. Capitol Building on Jan. 6 and subsequently defended the rioters during a radio interview.

The lawmakers also cited procedural objections to Johnson’s selection of Hibbs as a guest chaplain, writing: “Hibbs is not from the district of Speaker Johnson (i.e. the sponsoring member), Speaker Johnson did not deliver a welcoming speech, the prayer was not delivered on the last legislative day of the week, and Hibbs was Speaker Johnson’s second sponsored Guest Chaplain in the span of just a couple months, even though Members are limited to one request per Congress.”

Baltimore County police arrest suspect in rape of transgender woman Jalen Green allegedly targeted victim through dating app

By BRODY LEVESQUE

Baltimore County police announced Feb. 15 they had arrested and charged a -year-old man with first-degree rape, first-degree assault, armed robbery and firearm-related charges in addition to other offenses.

ccording to a statement released by police, alen Green was arrested in connection with a sexual assault that occurred in the block of utty ill venue in arkville on eb. at appro imately p.m.

Investigators say Green targeted a member of the transgender community through a dating app.

According to the charging documents, the victim told officers that reen contacted her for se in e change for money. he victim told officers that reen pointed the

gun at her and demanded money, the documents state, according to WBAL.

Not having any cash, the victim said Green used her phone to send himself $100 in the Cash App and then stole two prescription bottles from the victim. According to police, Green then sexually assaulted the victim at gunpoint and recorded video on his cellphone.

The charging documents state that investigators recovered evidence from the scene, including DNA. A search warrant was being sought to recover potential evidence on Green’s cellphone, the documents state.

Green is being held without bond at the Baltimore County Detention Center.

JACK HIBBS (left) with CHARLIE KIRK (Screenshot/YouTube Charlie Kirk podcast)

JALEN GREEN

(Photo courtesy of the Baltimore County Police Department)

LGBTQ groups drop opposition to Kids Online Safety Act ore than senators now back bill

By CHRISTOPHER KANE

Following changes spearheaded by one of the bill’s sponsors, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), a coalition of seven LGBTQ advocacy groups dropped their opposition to the Kids Online Safety Act.

“We would like to thank you for hearing our concerns about the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and updating the legislation to address potential adverse consequences for B youth, the organi ations said in a letter to Blumenthal s office on eb. .

tional, National Center for Lesbian Rights, National Center for ransgender E uality and the revor ro ect were the signatories.

KOSA would be the strongest piece of big tech regulation passed in decades, imposing a duty of care for social media companies to prevent their products from harming children along with guardrails around their use of features that could worsen depression, bullying, sexual e ploitation, eating disorders and other harms.

Prior to the latest iteration, however, advocates warned the duty of care, coupled with the deputization of enforcement powers to state attorneys general, might facilitate abuses like the suppression of affirming online content sought by B youth.

However, “under the new bill text, the duty of care is clarified to focus specifically on the product design features and components that are used to keep kids hooked on their platforms, often to the detriment of the mental health and wellbeing of kids,” a spokesperson for Blumenthal s office told the Washington Blade.

This applies to “the business model and practices of social media companies, rather than the content that is hosted on their platforms,” they said, covering “features like personalized recommendation systems, nudges, and appearance altering filters that have been shown to harm young people.

Additionally, enforcement is now under the purview of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, a change that the

Ned Price named UN ambassador’s deputy

Former State Department spokesperson is gay

By MICHAEL K. LAVERS

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield has announced former State Department spokesperson Ned Price will manage her D.C. office.

homas- reenfield in a statement to olitico on eb. said rice s udgment and e pertise will be a tremendous asset to me and the entire USUN team.” Price, who is gay, in a post to his personal X account acknowledged his appointment.

“I am grateful to (U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield), (Secretary of State Antony Blinken) and my colleagues across the administration

for the opportunity to help promote America’s interests and values in the U.N. and broader multilateral system together with our allies and partners,” wrote Price.

rice on an. , , became the first openly gay State Department spokesperson. He stepped down in arch in order to become a senior advisor to Blinken.

Price was previously a senior communications official for the National Security Council and worked at the Central Intelligence Agency.

Alito again criticizes Obergefell ruling

spokesperson said will ensure “that there is a uniform standard in the enforcement of the provision, rather than differing interpretations for each state.

The LGBTQ groups wrote that these changes to KOSA collectively “mitigate the risk of it being misused to suppress B resources or sti e young people s access to online communities,” and therefore “if this draft of the bill moves forward, our organizations will not oppose its passage.”

The legislation appears poised to do exactly that. Blumenthal s office issued a press release on eb. announcing the new bill had earned the support of an additional .S. senators artin einrich D- . . , Susan Collins - aine , a ie irono D- awaii , itt omney - tah , a ority eader Chuck Schumer D- . . , .D. ance - hio , ichael Bennet D-Colo. , ommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.), Thom Tillis - .C. , Sherrod Brown D- hio , ngus ing I- aine , Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Jack Reed (D-R.I.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.).

With more than 60 cosponsors, KOSA is on track to pass in the Senate but faces an uncertain future in the U.S. ouse of epresentatives.

Bipartisan momentum to pass the bill, along with other proposed regulations aimed at dominant tech platform companies, reached a fever pitch during the Senate Judiciary Committee’s blockbuster hearing on Big Tech and the nline Child Se ual E ploitation Crisis on an. .

Landmark Supreme Court decision guaranteed marriage equality across country

By CHRISTOPHER KANE

Conservative U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito on eb. renewed his criticism of the landmark ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges that established the nationwide constitutional right to same-se marriage. is remarks came in a -page order that was written in connection with the High Court’s decision not to hear issouri Department of Corrections v. ean inney a dispute over whether a juror’s position that “homosexuality, according to the Bible, is a sin” can be the basis for striking him from an employment discrimination case that was brought by a lesbian.

he con ict, lito argued, e emplifies the danger he foresaw in the Supreme Court’s same-sex marriage

ruling, which was decided by a - ma ority with lito among the justices who dissented.

Specifically, lito raised concern in his statement that “Americans who do not hide their adherence to traditional religious beliefs about homosexual conduct will be ‘labeled as bigots and treated as such’ by the government.’”

“The opinion of the court in [Obergefell] made it clear that the decision should not be used in that way,” the justice wrote, “but I am afraid that this admonition is not being heeded by our society.”

U.S. Supreme Court Justice SAMUEL ALITO speaks at a conference in D.C. in December 2023 (YouTube screenshot)

GLAAD, GLSEN, Human Rights Campaign, PFLAG Na-

U.S. Sen. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D-Conn.) (Washington Blade fle photo by Michael Key)

Former State Department spokesperson NED PRICE, center, speaks at the LGBTQ Victory Institute’s International LGBTQ Leaders Conference in D.C. on Dec. 3, 2022. (Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)

Greek lawmakers approve marriage equality bill

reece is first Christian rthodo country to allow same-se couples to marry

By MICHAEL K. LAVERS

Lawmakers in Greece on Feb. 15 approved a bill that extends marriage and adoption rights to same-sex couples.

he ssociated ress reported out of the members of the reek arliament voted for the bill that Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ center-right government wrote. reece will become the first rthodo Christian country to allow same-sex couples to legally marry, even though the reek Church strongly opposed the bill.

his is a milestone for human rights, re ecting today s Greece — a progressive, and democratic country, passionately committed to European values,” said Mitsotakis in an X post.

Challenges to St. incent and the renadines sodomy laws dismissed

reedom and e uality

By MICHAEL K. LAVERS

are worth fighting for

A judge on St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ top court on eb. dismissed two cases that challenged the country’s sodomy laws.

wo gay men from St. incent, the country s main island, in challenged laws that criminali e consensual same-se se ual relations. igh Court ustice Esco Lorene Henry on Friday dismissed the two cases.

Sean acleish, one of the two plaintiffs who lives in the U.S., expressed disappointment in the decision.

“I am disappointed with the judge’s ruling and will be discussing our options with my legal team because freedom and e uality are worth fighting for, acleish told the Washington Blade on eb. in an email.

eshua Bardoo, a lawyer who founded E ual ights, ccess and pportunities S , a incentian advocacy group, said eb. is a sad day for B rights in Saint incent and the renadines.

“Internationally and regionally, laws similar to those challenged in these cases have been declared unconstitutional and in violation of the rights of B persons, said Bardoo in a press release the Eastern Caribbean lliance, a regional B rights group, issued. “These archaic and draconian colonial laws, though not

strictly enforced, symbolically denigrate B persons as second-class citi ens in their own country and perpetuate prejudice and stigma against them.”

utright International E ecutive Director aria S din also critici ed the ruling.

he re ection of the bid to decriminali e same-se conduct in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a huge disappointment and significant setback for B rights in the country, said S din. We urge the government to reconsider its position and take meaningful steps towards ensuring the full protection and dignity of all citi ens, regardless of their se ual orientation or gender identity.”

ntigua and Barbuda, St. itts and evis, Barbados and rinidad and obago in recent years have decriminali ed consensual same-se se ual relations. he Inter- merican Commission on uman ights in ruled amaica must repeal its colonial-era sodomy law. he country s Supreme Court last year ruled against a gay man who challenged it.

(Bigstock photo)

Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

(Photo by byvalet/Bigstock)

D.C. Travel and Adventure Show to highlight LGBTQ travel Event to take place this weekend at the Convention Center

By SEBASTIAN FORTINO

This weekend D.C. welcomes travel enthusiasts and adventure seekers looking to fi nd their ne t destination. The ticketed event is open to travel professionals and consumers alike. It s the fi rst time the event comes to the nation’s capital.

ne may wonder why B travelers need a pavilion of their own. Ed Salvato, a consultant for the organization hosting the event, is a travel professional who is an educator in tourism, hospitality and marketing at ew ork niversity recently spoke with the Washington Blade.

endors, suppliers, destinations, marketing companies, airline marketing companies, etc. when they think of travelers the image that probably comes to mind is heterose ual couples. aybe . kids, Salvato said.

ost likely able-bodied, and maybe white.

Gay travelers, however, may feel compelled to ask, Will I be comfortable with my same-se partner at your resort, destination, venue? Or “I’m traveling with my same-se atino partner and he s a little younger, and will he be welcome at your resort

“The idea you know that, if I send an email or ask that the response can come across as defensive, h, everyone is welcome here, e plained Salvato.

any community members may be familiar with this response. any also may not have found the response to be true. A city or destination may come off as being liberal due to its politics. But what about that particular hotel you booked in the ne t town over

“It should be, ‘Oh, everyone is welcome here! What are your needs and concerns? What can we do to make you feel comfortable?’ That to me makes me want to visit the destination, Salvato said.

The point of the pavilion can go larger than just B individuals. It also re ects the diversity, e uity and inclusion of other individuals.

In reality, Salvato says, everyone travels with uni ue characteristics, some hidden, some not so hidden. Two Black travelers, a traveler in a wheelchair, solo women. A family coming up to me and asking where they can go for a family reunion which includes a bi-racial lesbian couple. A grandmother wanting to send her son and his husband on safari, where will they be safe and welcome hat kind of thing.

There is also the stereotype of the gay couple being rich, white, living in an elite neighborhood in a city, and traveling fre uently.

“But that’s not really the case. We’ve got a lot of

Chuck and Bobs out there. et s say, Chuck is an accountant, Bob is a public school principal, they live in Jersey somewhere, almost all their neighbors are straight, they may have a child they adopted together. Where can they go as a family on their vacation and feel comfortable

The LGBTQ pavilion will be an inclusive space. But, of course, Salvato e pects there s going to a touch of whimsy for which our community is known.

“At a recent event, we had three bears promoting an event in ort auderdale. really cool bear event.

s Salvato earlier e plained he once saw camels as part of a vendor display and photo opportunity, this reporter was confused.

Trained bears! Indoors?

o. embers of the gay, male bear community.

li lcara ellisca, the consul for ourism ffairs with the ourism ffi ce of Spain, e plained why the country is consistently ranked one of the best international destinations for LGBTQ tourists.

“Spain is already widely known as one of the most

B -friendly destinations on the planet, but it is important to continue communicating and e plaining this to all our potential visitors. Spain is a very diverse and heterogeneous country but sometimes, he e plained. “LGBTQ travelers know only the most important spots. But we want to gradually publicize other destinations that may be interesting for LGBTQ travelers. In any case, we are happy to know the e tremely positive perception that all LGBTQ travelers have of our country and the desire they have to visit us. And that’s why we will be at the D.C. Show, to help travelers to fulfi ll their wishes.

Vellisca, and his organization, are also using this appearance at the pavilion to celebrate the 2026 Gay Games, which are being held in Valencia.

he audience comes largely from the nited States, she said. “We also want to be there to communicate this event and provide information about it.

ellisca s booth will also entice guests to come eperience Spain through a raf e of Spanish gastronomy.

f course, there are also destinations which are normally welcoming centers for the community. One state in particular which some LGBTQ travelers may be wary of heading due to some recent press: Florida, which has come under scrutiny due to the Don t Say ay law.

any would-be tourists have stated they wouldn t

spend their travel dollars in the Sunshine State. But that’s a blanket statement that will potentially harm gay-friendly destinations and gay-owned businesses.

owns like Wilton anors, ad acent to ort auderdale, and Key West come to mind known as they are for gay guest houses, nightclubs and dining options.

ichelle irre, who represents the aples, arco Island, Everglades Convention and Visitors Bureau, will not be at the D.C. event but was at a recent New York event representing Florida’s West Coast.

he C ravel avilion was ama ing and well planned! While thousands came by our booth, we spoke directly to over , B attendees with a genuine interest in our area, she stated.

Clearly she wants gay travelers to reali e her destination is and continues to be welcoming.

We collected hundreds of names for our newsletters, distributed standard visitor guides, LGBTQ guides and so much more collateral from weddings to golf and arts and culture, we had very little leftover. Looking forward to ne t year, she said.

Aaron Tabor and his husband David Ardelean, the fi rst gay couple married in Everglades City, la., met in Wilton anors. hey found their way back to abor s hometown located near aples on the lorida eninsula’s West Coast. They later became stewards of the arkway otel and arina of Chokoloksee, as they are avid outdoorsmen, they were saddened to learn so many LGBTQ tourists were swearing off the Sunshine State due to the controversies coming from allahassee.

iving authentically, we openly invite and affi rm all of our guests regardless of their individualisms, the couple shared. olitical theater can be dramatic sometimes, but this doesn’t need to stand in the way of the enriching travel e periences we offer guests as the gateway to the great southwestern lorida outdoors.

heir motto is, uss less, fi sh more to entice B travelers to still come to Florida they hosted a booth at the New York show. For the D.C. event: Timothy Kelley, the arkway otel and arina anager will be on site at the booth to e plain and engage visitors along with a travel voucher sweepstakes along with some really cool swag giveaways.

his is a ticketed event taking place on eb. - at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. To learn more, visit ravelShows.com and look under Shows to book one or two day tickets to the event.

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

It is both fascinating and depressing, that groups like Our Revolution, which Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) began in 2016 to screw Hillary Clinton, are still out there screwing other Democrats.

They are currently trying to defeat President Biden in the Michigan primary. They couch what they are doing as trying to in uence what resident Biden is doing about the Israel/Hamas war.” But, reality is, any headline attacking Joe Biden, is helping Donald Trump, no matter how you try to sugarcoat it. Joe Biden will not make foreign policy based on the far-left wing of the Democratic Party. They have every right to speak out, and Sanders was even willing to hurt our national security by voting against Biden’s bill for aid to Ukraine and Israel, and a number of other allies. The bill even includes humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza. Sanders is an embarrassment. But if he doesn’t speak out against ‘Our Revolution’ he is also a hypocrite, as he claims to support Biden. Thankfully, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer did speak out, urging people to vote for Biden in the primary.

rying to in uence a change in policy is fine, and speaking out for what you believe is great. But if you don’t look at the global perspective, and at all the possible repercussions of your actions and words, you are not very smart. Remember, on the issue of a a, if you want to support the alestinian people, then having rump in office is far worse than Biden. Trump claims to be best friends with Netanyahu, he moved the American embassy to Jerusalem, he will totally abandon Gaza and the Palestinian people. So, if that is what you want in the White House, then attacking Biden so he loses a primary, and then by either voting for a third party, or staying home, for the general election, that is what you will get.

The Democratic Party can learn a lot from Tom Suozzi’s win in a swing district in New York, in the special election to replace expelled former Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.). Counter to what some are saying, how he ran the race is important. He managed to turn the immigration issue around against his Republican opponent by tying her to Trump, and the MAGA Republicans who today want to leave the border open. He used the issue of abortion by highlighting his position as a pro-choice candidate, against an opponent who was pro-life. He also told the district he was willing to work with Republicans when necessary to get things done. He told the voters he understood the founding fathers set up a government requiring compromise, not on your principles, but on ways to move forward what you believe in. Yes, he is a moderate, but then so are the vast majority of Americans.

It is clear we live in difficult times. he issue of Biden s age is being blown out of proportion, and the media are helping to do that. Every Democrat needs to read, talk about, and share, the recent column from the New York Times, “We’re Thinking About Biden’s Memory and Age in the Wrong Way.” It talks about, and explains, how we all begin to lose memory of certain things starting at the age of 30. How not remembering a name, or a date, doesn’t in any way indicate an inability to think about and work on important and complex issues.

We also have to understand how far off polls can be, and often are, these days. What we as Democrats need to do to win this election is stick to what we know people respond to. That includes talking about Republicans wanting to restrict a woman’s right to health care, and control of her own body. It means we talk about how Trump wants us to abandon NATO, and has even encouraged Putin to invade our allies. He has no problem with Putin taking as much land as he wants. We need to remind people about how Trump staged a coup, which thankfully failed, and remind voters he will try again if we reelect him. We need to play the tape of him saying he wants to be a dictator, and will use the Department of Justice to get even with his enemies. How electing him will mean the end of our democracy.

Democrats can win the presidency, and the Congress, if we stick together. Divided we will fail, and Trump will be in the White House.

ERIN REED is a trans woman and researcher who tracks anti-LGBTQ+ legislation around the world. Reed also is a social media consultant and public speaker.

EVAN URQUHART is the founder of Assigned Media and a community manager at Slate.

Readers deserve better than misinformation about trans care New York Times article on de-transitioning ignores science

(EDITOR’S NOTE: A copy of this article was submitted to the New York Times for publication in response to Pamela Paul. It was rejected, citing an internal policy on opinion pieces responding to New York Times columnists.)

Opinion columnist Pamela Paul recently published a deeply misleading 4,500-word article on gender-affirming care and de-transitioners in the ew ork imes.

While readers may be excused for taking her article as a fair representation of the science surrounding that care, transgender journalists like us immediately recognized the hallmarks of misinformation we routinely hear from right-wing groups whose mission is to oppose care for transgender people.

Within hours of the publication of Paul’s story on de-transitioners, we published responses that quickly went viral, appearing on academic listservs, professional networks, and Twitter threads discussing the issue. Now, Paul has responded to our journalistic criticism directly by dismissing us as “activists,” a label that does not accurately describe the work she is responding to.

While activism in a just cause is a noble pursuit, and one of us, Erin Reed, has proudly worn that hat at times, another of us, Evan Urquhart, is a professional journalist with a decade-long career in the industry who has never participated in organizing or activism of any kind. Regardless, the word “activist” was used by Paul to create doubt about the professionalism and reliability of our journalistic work, and as such is equally misapplied for both of us.

Paul claims that “we don’t know” how many transgender people de-transition. Although she is correct that studies on de-transition have limitations, as virtually all studies do, Cornell University reports that transgender regret ranges from 0.3% to 3.8% in a review of over 72 studies.

Criticizing Paul for portraying regret as high is not “activism,” especially when she misleadingly states in her original article that “Studies show that around eight in 10 cases of childhood gender dysphoria resolve themselves by puberty” – numbers derived from decades-old data using outdated diagnostic guidelines that con ated effeminate gay minors with transgender youth, among other issues.

Notably, these numbers originally stem from Ken Zucker, whose clinic was shut down after an independent review determined his practices were akin to “reparative” (conversion) therapy.

It also is not “activism” to point out that it is misleading to use citations that do not back up key arguments. For instance, in both the original article and her response to us, she claims there is data to support that “detransition rates are higher than transgender advocacy groups suggest,” suggesting first that the scientific data on this topic was produced by advocacy groups when it was not, then citing a study of military prescriptions which did not examine de-transition at all.

Instead, this study looked at the use of Tricare, the military insurance plan, for hormone therapy prescriptions. Because there are do ens of reasons why one would not fill hormones through Tricare, such as Trump’s trans military ban (which occurred during the study) or the desire for privacy and the use of Planned Parenthood clinics, it does not support “higher rates” of detransition at all, nor does it purport to do so. She likewise neglects to mention that the authors themselves state that our findings are likely an underestimate of continuation rates.

If we are accused of activism in our published responses to Pamela Paul, it is only fair to apply that label to her and some of the sources she uses as well.

For instance, Pamela Paul claims that “The Society for Evidence-Based Gender Medicine” is one of the most reliable nonpartisan organi ations dedicated to the field. She relies on non-reviewed journal letters to the editor from this group in her original essay and response to us on multiple occasions as evidence of her claims.

However, what she does not reveal is that according to the Southern Policy Law Center, SE has received significant funding from the same sources that support the partisan lliance Defending Freedom and the Heritage Foundation, organizations known for drafting anti-trans legislation. SEGM is closely linked with anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ extremist groups, a connection mapped out by the SPLC’s analysis. Its founder, William Malone, was part of an anti-trans working group in 2019 where members asserted that “god’s will” is being enacted through passing trans bans. In this group, he stated, “It might take years, but we’re going to get them.” If that is not activism, what is?

Paul seeks to dismiss our criticisms of her misinformation about trans care as activism, but readers deserve better. They should be aware that every major medical organization in the United States supports gender-affirming care due to the evidence behind it.

Girls Rock! DC empowers young people through music, social justice

Operating at the intersection of art and activism

By AMBER LAENEN

Girls Rock! DC, an organization operating at the intersection of art and activism, is dedicated to empowering young people through music and social justice education.

Since its founding in October 2007; Girls Rock! DC has been creating a supportive, inclusive and equitable space that centers around girls and nonbinary youth, with a special emphasis on uplifting Black and Brown youth. At the core of Girls Rock! DC’s mission is a unique approach to music education, viewing it through a social justice and equity lens.

“It’s a place where people can come explore their interest in music in a safe environment, fi gure out their own voice, and have a platform to say it, Board ice Chair Nicole Savage said.

This approach allows D.C.’s young people to build a sense of community and explore their passion for social change through after-school programs, workshops and camps.

The organization’s roots trace back to the fi rst rock camp for girls in August 2001 in Portland, Ore. Similar camps have emerged worldwide since then, forming the International Girls Rock Camp Alliance. Girls Rock! DC is a member of this alliance, contributing to the larger community’s growth and advocacy for inclusivity in the music industry.

Girls Rock! DC’s annual programs now serve more than 100 young people and 20 adults, offering after-school programs and camps. Participants receive instruction on the electric guitar, the electric bass, keyboards, drum kits and other instruments or on a microphone and form bands to write and perform their own original songs. Beyond music, the program includes workshops on underrepresented histories in the music industry, community in ustice issues and empowerment topics that include running for offi ce and body positivity.

Girls Rock! DC is also more than a music education organization; it’s a community where individuals can embark on a transformative journey that extends beyond their initial participation as campers. Many start their Girls Rock! DC experience as enthusiastic campers, learning to play instruments, forming bands and expressing their creativity in a supportive environment. The organization’s impact, however, doesn’t stop there. This inspiration leads them to volunteer and intern within the organization.

The unique progression from camper to volunteer or intern, and eventually to a full- edged role within the organi ation, e emplifi es irls ock DC as a place where growth is not confi ned to a single week of camp but e tends into an ongoing, impactful journey. It’s a testament to the organization’s commitment to nurturing talent, empowering individuals and fostering a lifelong connection with the values for which Girls Rock! DC stands.

One of the highlights of Girls Rock! DC is its summer camp, where kids between 8-18 learn to play instruments, form bands, write songs and perform in just one week. iggins shared a poignant moment from a showcase,

“To see them go from, like, crying a little bit about how scared they were to going out on the stage and performing their little hearts out was so sweet, said iggins.

Nzali Mwanza-Shannon, another youth leader, agreed that the camp is the highlight of the program.

“The summer camp, I’ve met so many friends, and it’s always kind of scary coming up to the end, but after we get to perform and everything, I’m so grateful that I’ve gotten the opportunity to perform and meet new people and be so creative and do it all in a week, said wan a-Shannon.

“I’ve been playing shows in the D.C. music scene for about six years, and I feel like irls ock DC is the perfect amalgamation of everything that I stand for, said Outreach Associate Lily Mónico. “So many music spaces are male dominated and I think there is a need for ueer femme youth in music.

The organization’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is evident not only in its leadership but also in the way it creates a safe space for queer and nonbinary individuals. Language is a crucial component, and Girls Rock! DC ensures that both campers and volunteers embrace inclusivity.

It is a very open and creative space, where there s no udgment, adyn iggins, one of the youth leaders, emphasi ed. It is the fi rst time for a lot of us, to be in a space where we re truly able to be ourselves.

In creating a safe environment, Girls Rock! DC implements practices that include name tags with preferred names and pronouns, along with pronoun banners that help kids understand and respect diverse identities.

It s really cool to watch these kids understand and ust immediately get it, said iggins.

Forty-three young people who showcased their original songs and DJ sets at D.C. s legendary Club attended the fi rst irls ock DC camp in . hey performed to a crowd of 700 enthusiastic fans. The organization since then has grown exponentially, with each passing year bringing more energy, vibrancy and fun to the camp experience.

Since the pandemic, however, the organi ation has struggled fi nancially, e periencing a funding shortage as well as reduced growth in attracting new members.

Augusta Smith, who is a youth leader and a member of the band Petrichor, expressed concern about the potential impact on the unique and friendly environment that Girls Rock! DC provides.

“We’ve kind of been really slow and barely making enough money. And this year, we re having a funding shortage, said Smith.

The impact of Girls Rock! DC extends beyond musical skills, fostering leadership, self-expression and a passion for social change through creative collaboration and community power-building. Mwanza-Shannon hopes to be a part of Girls Rock! DC for a long time,

I want to keep on meeting new people, said wan a-Shannon. I want to keep on being able to perform at these different places and have different e periences.

Youth leaders of Girls Rock! DC (Blade photo by Michael Key)

Tony Thomas brings ‘Tempestuous Elements’ to DC

Ann Julia Cooper play will be at Arena Stage through March 17

Tony Thomas isn’t shy about his talent. The accomplished choreographer says, “With every show I work on, the artists continue to grow. They leave wanting to keep moving and to expand that part of their artistry.”

Over the years, he’s successfully carved out a niche as a choreographer of plays with music and/or movement. For many of these “playsicals” as he whimsically dubs them, his creative credit reads “choreography consultant.”

Once an actor who danced a lot, he’s now passionate about helping other actors do the same. Currently, he’s serving as choreographer and associate director for the world premiere production of “Tempestuous Elements,” at Arena Stage’s in the round Fichandler space. Penned by Kia Corthron and staged by Psalmayene 24, it’s the true-life story of Ann Julia Cooper (played by Gina Daniels), a Black principal at D.C.’s historic M Street School who, against all ulum.

WASHINGTON BLADE: Is this a D.C. story?

TONY THOMAS: In part. It’s more a story of its time. Anna understood she was poised to be somebody, but still feel the pushback. Superintendent White doesn’t approve of the classic curriculum she’s created for Black students. Hers

By PATRICK FOLLIARD

is a turn of 20th century Black middle-class life with high tea seen as human beings. It’s an opportunity to really be somesystemic way.

BLADE: And how does choreography work within a play?

THOMAS: With plays, I need to demonstrate the choreography. The actors want to see it. It’s not like with dancers when we speak the same vocabulary.

I realize energy is one of my selling points. I’ll be 45 in April and apparently my turns and jumps are still on point.

BLADE Is there a difference between beautiful movement and not just actor movement?

THOMAS: There’s a difference. With “Tempestuous Elements,” I taught them a little ballet, warmed them up and imbued them with the dignity needed for the story they’re about to tell. Some of the cast already move like dancers while others understand tempo. When choreographing plays with movement, you have to trust the actors.

BLADE: Is that tough for a trained dancer?

THOMAS: No, not really. I have a concert dance background — ballet, modern, jazz — and have studied with Debbie Allen, Shawn Cosby and Mike Malone. I don’t expect that level of training from actors. I like the freedom to move and put their characters into it. They’re not like ten concert dancers who need to look like one person. They are moving as characters — students, different adults.

BLADE: For a decade, you stepped away from showbiz?

THOMAS: I stopped in my mid-20s. I turned Ailey down twice. Then I went to art school and pursued a degree in interior architecture at Academy of Art University in San Francisco.

BLADE: And you returned theater?

THOMAS: Now I do both theater and interior architecture, but in 2012 friends dared me to come along on an audition for the Broadway “West Side Story.” Well, I did and I booked a national tour. That got me back in the business. Not long after, I played Richie in “A Chorus Line” at Olney Theatre. And around 2015, I did “The Shipment” with Psalm, and ever since I’ve done all of the choreography and movement for his plays.

BLADE: Tell me how you connect with “Tempestuous Elements”?

THOMAS:

tors to come to this production with that in mind, and to let that warm their hearts as we developed this original piece.

shuttling back and forth from D.C. to New York, and I took that from my mom who was an actor, singer, and dancer. I watched her teach, dress as a clown and put on parties for kids, and there were all sorts of performance-related things that I learned from her.

BLADE: And does that continue?

THOMAS: Oh yeah. Increasingly, I enjoy being the process. I’ve grown past the point of just coming in and doing my job. I feel more invested. More and more, I want to be part of the creation process.

“Tempestuous Elements” Through March 17

Arena Stage | 1101 Sixth St., S.W. $56-$95 | Arenastage.org

UPCOMING PERFORMANCES

MNOZIL BRASS

Jubilee

Sunday, Feb. 25 at 3 p.m.

Celebrating 30 years of slapstick comedy and musical virtuosity

THE PEKING ACROBATS

Sunday, Mar. 10 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Amazing feats that need to be seen to believed!

VIRGINIA OPERA MADAMA BUTTERFLY

Saturday, Mar. 16 at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Mar. 17 at 2 p.m.

One of opera’s most beloved works

TRINITY IRISH DANCE COMPANY

Sunday, Mar. 24 at 7 p.m.

Traditional Irish step dance fused with contemporary movement

TONY THOMAS (Photo courtesy of Tony Thomas)

MNOZIL BRASS

THE PEKING ACROBATS

nseen horrors make one of Interest a profound cautionary tale

There’s not really a “wow” moment in Jonathan Glazer’s “The Zone of Interest” – the UK/Poland-produced film which surprised many observers by winning the pri e for both utstanding British ilm and utstanding ilm ot in the English anguage at last Sunday s B awards but it could be argued, taken in its entirety, that it constitutes a single, prolonged wow moment in itself.

Describing the basic events of the plot, it s hard to find much drama to talk about it s essentially a slice-of-life domestic portrait of a family that has managed to build a life of comfort and prosperity in the pastoral European countryside thanks to udolph Christian riedel , the head of the household, who has risen to the height of success in his government ob living in a house ne t door to the facility he supervises and of which he is the primary architect he is able to spend ample time with his children, to whom he is a loving and supporting father, and his wife edwig Sandra ller , who proudly rules their domestic life with as much efficiency as he does the workplace over which he presides. It s a blissful life, until an une pected promotion re uires udolph to relocate to another city, sparking turmoil as the family s happily-ever-after e istence is thrown into uncertainty.

hat might not sound much like the stuff of high tension drama, but la er s movie is hypnotically gripping from start finish, nonetheless because the setting is erman-occupied oland, , and the udolph in uestion is udolph ss, commandant of the uschwit -Birkenau concentration camp. In that conte t, the banality of its surface details become the stuff of horror.

hough we never see anything that goes on behind the walls of the notorious death factory that lies mere yards away from the elegantly rustic ss compound, it s impossible to ignore and while no one ever really talks about the final solution being perpetrated there, the noises emanating in a constant stream from within it anguished screams, the roar of massive furnaces, a crackling of gunshots so fre uent that locals no longer inch at the sound leave little doubt about the atrocities being committed ust ne t door to the petty inconveniences which trouble the ss family. et while some of the younger children may occasionally be a bit unsettled by the environment that surrounds them, it seems to register for most of them as nothing more than an acceptable annoyance or, perhaps more candidly, a necessary evil through which they prosper.

eedless to e plain, la er s movie winner of the rand ri at the Cannes ilm estival and nominated for five scars, including Best icture and Best International eature is about the phenomenon of turning a blind eye to cruelty and worse for the sake of self-interest and though his film is not a .S. production, it seems apt that it should rise to prominence as an awards contender here at the start of an election year in which for many, at least the moral dissociation it depicts in its yon-the-wall document of life lived in convenient denial of an obvious evil feels like a key factor in determining the future of our nation. et its power lies beyond the political, confronting us with people we might deem to be monsters who have, indeed, been branded as such by history while presenting them in the most relatably

By JOHN PAUL KING

human way possible. nowing what we know about what happened at uschwit , we cannot help but be appalled by their indifference, their undisguised bigotry, their sense of privileged entitlement as they get first pick from the belongings of those being murdered with their tacit approval but as we watch the comfortable banality of their everyday routines gardening, household chores, the balance between work and family, the leisure time spent hiking in the nearby wilderness or swimming and fishing in the local river it s e ually impossible not to recogni e a bit of ourselves in them all. nd yes, that includes ss himself, who orchestrated the murder of over a million ews and others deemed as undesirable by the ruling a i eich, and who, in riedel s tantali ingly opa ue performance, comes across as a man either devoid of a better nature or perhaps more frighteningly ignoring it for the sake of a fanatical ideology and personal betterment.

hat, perhaps, is the main point of la er s film, which appears eager to present as much of a documentary approach to its sub ect as possible while the novel by artin mis from which he adapted his screenplay centered on fictionali ed characters based on the ss family, the acclaimed-but-relatively-unsung filmmaker discards that layer of pretense to call them by their real names beyond that, his movie is informed by painstaking research into the real-life records around the events it depicts, including the story of a olish girl who rode her bike at night into the work grounds surrounding the camp to hide apples for the prisoners on labor duty, which thrusts itself starkly into the film via a stylistic interwoven subplot, and testimony from workers inside the ss household who were first-hand witnesses to the events dramati ed in its story. e even shot the movie in uschwit itself something which, along with the pains-

taking period detail and sumptuously artful cinematography, lends palpable authenticity to its overall tone. lso keeping things chillingly real are the performances of riedel and ller, who somehow manage to make us feel something akin to empathy for the two real-life a i collaborators they portray the familiar intimacy they achieve in their scenes together stands in contrast to their darker moments, like discussing a more efficient way of incinerating bodies en masse with the professional detachment of a CE proposing a new budget-cutting strategy, or threatening a household servant with disposal in the camp for subpar work or perceived subordination. hey are at once appalling and recogni able, the perfect avatars for the kind of selective cognitive dissonance that enables tyrants to wreak their twisted ideologies onto the world without regard for the human cost behind it.

here s no arguing that he one of Interest isn t a masterpiece of filmmaking la er, who has consistently helmed under-the-radar gems like Birth and nder the Skin for over two decades, has found a perfect match of material and vision to create a profound e perience in seeing life-as-it-is in all its ugliness while reminding us that we will be udged by history ust as we udge those who came before us. It s potent, and disturbing despite a calculated effort to keep horrific reality out of sight it s also gorgeous to look at, framed in the painterly cinematography of ukas al, and fascinating even in its simplest moments thanks to la er s keen sense of subte t.

hat said, however, be warned he one of Interest is not a film for the faint of heart. While it offers no visual horrors to disturb your sleep, the e istential terrors it evokes are impossible to ignore. If you re up for the challenge, it s an artistic e perience to be relished if you re not, it might be best to give this one a pass.

SMAKAYA MCCRAVEN

Fri, Feb 23 – Tonight!

DAKHABRAKHA

Fri, March 1

LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO

Fri, March 8

ARTURO SANDOVAL PEDRITO MARTINEZ

Sun, March 10

NICKEL CREEK

Thu, March 14–Sold out!

EMMET COHEN

LIVE FROM EMMET’S PLACE WITH SPECIAL GUESTS JAZZMEIA HORN, BRUCE HARRIS AND STACY DILLARD

Fri, March 15

RHIANNON GIDDENS

Mon, March 18–Limited tickets!

PAT METHENY DREAM BOX TOUR

Wed, April 3

SONA JOBARTEH

Sun, April 7

From Top: Rhiannon Giddens by Francesco Turrisi/Ebru Yildiz, Emmet Cohen by Gabriela Gabrielaa, Pedrito Martinez, Makaya McCraven by Sulyiman, Arturo Sandoval by Lonnie Timmons III, Sona Jobarteh, Dakhabrakha by Vitaliy Vorobyov, Ladysmith Black Mambazo

New book chronicles founding of gay-owned Falls Church News-Press

ick Benton emerged as ma or in uencer and nurturer of local talent

FROM STAFF REPORTS

The History Press released a book by D.C.-area journalist Charlie Clark in October entitled, “The Life and Times of the Falls Church News-Press” (a 192 page paperback).

The News-Press was founded in 1991 by journalist and gay activist Nicholas Benton and has published more than 1,700 consecutive weekly editions since serving the inside-the-beltway Northern Virginia suburb of the City of Falls Church, a mere seven miles from the White House.

In its masthead, the News-Press says of itself, “Since 1991, an award-winning LGBT-owned general interest community newspaper.” It has been named the Business of the Year twice and Benton the Person of the Year by the Falls Church City Council. These are selected excerpts from the Clark book:

“Its founder, Nicholas F. Benton, is a native Californian, college baseball player, degreed master of divinity, gay activist and journalist born “with printer’s ink in his veins” – or so he suspects. He launched the Falls Church Newsress largely as a one-man band. But with un agging energy, he emerged as a ma or in uencer and talent nurturer.

“Benton knows the key players, hosts frequent parties and can be see walking the streets and dining at eateries that make Falls Church homey. In editorials written every week by Benton himself, the editor strives to protect the city’s prize schools by pressing for property tax revenues and favoring development in the occasional battles with traditionalists who treasure the residential village. He made his mark on zoning disputes over how to tastefully attract commercial development. News-Press news sections combine small-town intimate coverage – plenty of photographs of smiling residents lined up for the camera – with exclusive accounts of action by the city council and the school board (at whose meetings Benton is sometimes the only member in attendance)....

“Some say it’s a miracle that Benton’s close-to-home news organ – backed neither by inherited wealth nor corporate investors – has survived three decades, given the current death knells for local news outlets…. The book you hold relays the tale of how Benton pulled things off. He takes virtually no vacations (beyond a few weekends). He pays staff writers (and offers health insurance) rather than engaging too many volunteers. He hires and mentors high school students. He gives the paper out for free and publishes letters that criticize. He donates to charities and cultivates youth readers by boosting high school and Little League sports, holiday parades, scouting and local history. His team covers charities, efforts to aid the homeless, published authors, theater productions, demands for low-income housing, struggling small businesses, gay rights and wars over parking. And Benton invites the public to his

office parties..

“The News-Press is one of the things that make Falls Church special,” Mayor Dave Tarter told me as this book was in preparation. “The paper reinforces and enhances the sense of community of shared experiences” in covering stories that the Washington Post would not make space for. “It is a labor of love for Nick Benton, and it shows. Whether you love it or hate it, everyone reads the NewsPress...”

Benton enrolled at the acific School of eligion in Berkeley (class of 1969). This brought him to the University of California s agship school at the height of the antiwar, civil rights and student power protests, a time when the smell of the national guardsmen’s tear gas was familiar on campus. Benton was awarded his master of divinity diploma cum laude on June 13, 1969 (it is framed and displayed today in the ews- ress office. e worked as a youth min-

ister for three years at seminary but never pursued that as a career. He would later consider his newspaper ownership a close substitute to ministry…

“Benton remained in the Bay Area and worked for the famous alternative weekly, the Berkeley Barb, enjoying the freedom to publish on counterculture subjects from women’s liberation to rock music…While at the Barb Benton also came out as gay, just before the 1969 Stonewall iot in ew ork s reenwich illage that launched the gay right movement. His articles, he later wrote, “promoted the notion that fully actualized, gay liberation had the potential to be socially transformative.” He penned the editorial for the first edition of the ay Sunshine newspaper, and he coproduced a pair of issues of his own edgling gay newspaper, the Effeminist…

“… By 1987, he had incorporated his own news service…It became the context for his decision in early December 1990 to launch the News-Press. He would pull it off by charming volunteer labor and combining it with his own seven-days-a-week style. Another secret to Benton’s success he is frugal. here were no desks in the office, just boards and folding chairs. “Editor in Chief Nick Benton is too modest to blow his own horn, wrote reader obert O. Beach in a letter published in March 1998. “But he deserves tremendous credit for the vital contribution the News-Press makes to our community.”

“Environmental consultant and history activist Dave Eckert goes further. “The News-Press became the focal point of Falls Church,” he said in 2022. “Nick Benton wanted to do good journalism, get readers and advertisements, but in many ways the paper brought the city together. And in many ways it drove it apart.”

We worked all night on that first issue, Benton recalled, ‘and as the deadline approached, as dawn began to break on March 27, we looked out our second-story windows to see that the cherry blossom trees on North Virginia Avenue had blossomed overnight. That was our sign to press ahead.’

“After the proverbial all-nighter, his team of three drove to Gaithersburg, Md., to the Comprint Co. plant to witness the maiden print run. ‘When the press bell rang and everything started to move, it was a very special moment,’ Benton remembered. ‘As the papers started chugging onto a conveyor belt, I couldn’t help but stand on a box and loudly exclaim, ‘Let every tyrant tremble!’ The noise of the press drowned me out so that only a couple of pressmen gave me funny looks.’

“Back in Falls Church, young O’Brien had walked the streets crowing, ‘Have you heard the news? Come March 28, Falls Church is going to have its own newspaper!’”

Cupid’s Undie Run

Scantily-clad joggers face freezing temperatures for a cause

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

Cupid s ndie un, an annual fundraiser for neurofibromatosis (NF) research, was held at Union Stage and at The Wharf DC on Feb. 17.

ta season tips for landlords crucial period for investors to assess financial standings

By SCOTT BLOOM

For many landlords, March can be a stressful time due to the upcoming deadlines to file annual ta returns. he year prior to April is a crucial period for property investors to assess their financial standings, ensure compliance with ta regulations, and take advantage of available ta -saving strategies. s a housing provider, understanding the intricacies of the ta code and how it impacts landlords can significantly impact your bottom line.

Deductions for Rental Property Owners

One of the advantages of being a landlord in the United States is the ability to deduct numerous e penses related to the rental which can significantly reduce your ta able income. Do not overlook this benefit as it is the federal government’s incentive to promote the development and ownership of rental property. Schedule E of the federal form organi es the financial results of the rental property from the ta year and is how you report it to the I S. If you ualify as a real estate professional under I S guidelines, you may be able to deduct rental real estate losses against your other income, reducing your overall ta liability. ere are some key deductions to consider

• Mortgage Interest: Landlords can deduct the interest paid on mortgage loans for rental properties. Keep detailed records of your mortgage payments and ensure that the loan is used to ac uire, improve, or maintain the property. he lender delivers a form form to owners of the property to make it easier to claim this deduction.

• Property Expenses: rdinary and necessary epenses related to the property can be deducted. his includes all e penses getting the property ready to rent, charges for finding tenants, management fees, repairs, preventative and on-going maintenance, utilities, dues, etc. omeowner insurance premiums and real property ta es can also be deducted and if they are paid to the lender in escrow who in turn pays those bills for you. hose payments will be located on your annual escrow report from the lender or on the form . Even travel e penses incurred for property-related purposes may be deductible from rental income.

• Professional Services: If you do not manage your rental properties yourself, any fees paid to property management professionals such as my firm, an accountant you may have, or real estate attorneys you retain are deductible. hese e perts should also be able to help you navigate the comple ities of ta on income generated by owning and renting out residential real estate.

• Depreciation: Depreciation is a non-cash deduction that allows you to account for the wear and tear of your rental property over time. Even though you are not recording this as an e pense that you pay for, the I S provides for a declaration of depreciation epense to recognize that assets lose their value over time. here are specific guidelines for depreciating different components of your property, such as buildings and appliances or capital improvements made.

Depreciation: A Valuable Beneft to Landlords Depreciation is a powerful ta -saving tool that deserves special attention. It allows you to allocate a portion of the

property s cost over its useful life, thus reducing your taable income. o make the most of depreciation, consider the following

he odified ccelerated Cost ecovery System

C S is the method used by the I S to determine depreciation deductions. C S tables to calculate depreciation accurately are located online and individual residential properties depreciate at a rate of . each year for . years. ote that only buildings and contents are depreciated. ou cannot depreciate the land value.

ake sure to maintain good records of the property s original purchase cost, all ac uisition fees and charges paid, improvements over time, and other e penses that can be depreciated. hese records may be harder to locate if you have lived in the house as owner occupant for some time.

ll of this information will be needed to set up your depreciation schedule whether you do it yourself or rely on a ta preparation professional. astly, be aware of the recapture ta . If you sell a rental property for a profit after having claimed depreciation e penses, you may need to pay recapture ta on the accumulated depreciation deductions. roper planning can help minimi e this ta liability.

Tax Preparation Tips for DC Landlords

If someone else collects your rental income for you, they will deliver to you a form - ISC. he income reported should match the gross income you receive over that ta year, not the net income after e penses. his is a common misunderstanding. ll rental related e penses can be deducted from the reported gross income.

If your rental income includes subsidi ed rental payments from the DC ousing uthority, you will be sent a form - ISC. If your manager also issues a form on your ta ID, then it needs to be reconciled in your ta return to inform the I S and to avoid double reporting and ta ation of rental income.

Every year owners with rental property in the District of Columbia need to file ta returns with the DC ffice of a and evenue . It is important to keep your ta filings current as it can create a roadblock in the future to renew your business license or do other business with the District

government if you need a clean hands certificate.

D- form is filed to report rental income, even if you do not earn other income in the District. ou must also file a ersonal roperty a return - , even if you have no personal property at the rental. he latter filing can be done online within minutes as a ero dollar return in your y aDC portal. C has instructions if you need help.

If you wish to file an e tension so that your DC ta es are filed later in the year, use form - and file it on time.

E If you e pect to have ta due for when you file the D- , you must pay the estimated amount at the time of filing the e tension. ailure to do so or failure to pay the right amount, will result in fines and penalties.

avigating ta season as a property investor or landlord re uires careful planning, attention to detail, and a good understanding of the ta code. Deductions, depreciation, and ta -saving strategies are essential tools that can help you ma imi e your return on investment and minimi e your ta liability.

s arch arrives and ta filing begins, consider consulting with a ta professional to ensure you are making the most of these opportunities. With the right approach, you can make ta season a financially rewarding time for your real estate investments rather than a burden..

his article was written with publicly available information and is not to be considered as professional ta advice. tapayer should always consult a ta professional to determine if the ideas and strategies presented in this article apply to their situation.

Note: Tax deadlines may vary based on individual circumstances, state residency, and tax situations. Always verify deadlines with the relevant tax authorities and consult with a tax professional if needed.

SCOTT BLOOM

is owner and Senior Property Manager of Columbia Property Management. Bloom founded Columbia Property Management in 2012. CPM’s goal is to provide a powerful, personal level of service to clients. For more information and resources, go to columbiapm.com

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2024 ADM 000039

Marshall Peckham, Name of Decedent Notice of Appointment, Notice to Creditors and Notice to Unknown Heirs

Emily Champlin, whose address is th St E, pt , Washington, DC was appointed ersonal epresentative of the estate of arshall eckham who died on uly , without a Will and will serve without Court supervision. ll unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. b ections to such appointment shall be filed with the egister of Wills, D.C. th Street .W., Building , rd loor, Washington, D.C. , on or before ugust , . Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the egister of Wills or to the egister of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before ugust , , or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within days of its publication shall so inform the egister of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: February 9, 2024

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s Emily Champlin, Signature of etitioner

th St E, pt , Washington, DC -

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