Washington Blade, Volume 55, Issue 42, October 18, 2024

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Chefs for Equality returns with 150 pros serving up their best ‘Restaurants

By EVAN CAPLAN

are central to their neighborhoods’

One year after its fabulous post-pandemic re-debut, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation and hospitality veteran, food writer, and lead organizer David Hagedorn are hosting Chefs for Equality on Oct. 21, featuring 150 chefs, bakers, mixologists, sommeliers, and restaurateurs across 50 savory and 20 dessert stations, under the theme “Fully Committed.”

Proceeds from this night of culinary decadence and alacross the country.

Chefs for Equality, however, is more than an annual event.ing days before a consequential election that may decide how inclusive, welcoming, and equity-focused state, local, and national governments will be.

While many industries and companies have pulled back on DEI efforts this year, the restaurant industry has maintained its strong stance on inclusivity. Research from the National Restaurant Association showed that even during

back to their communities. According to the 2023 State of the Restaurant report, “84% of restaurant operators said that since 2020, they’ve made charitable contributions to assist those in need.”

trenched in the communities they serve and Hagedorn says the industry continues to serve in an inclusive way.

even though they have come through the hardest economic challenge they ever faced with the pandemic.”

Hagedorn, who has been part of the organizing committee since the event’s inception, says that the “chef commuin 2012.”

Indeed, even prior to Chefs for Equality, in 1990, Hage-

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

bian Activists Alliance of Washington, announced on Oct. 8 that it has issued ratings for only four of the 10 D.C. Council candidates running in the city’s Nov. 5 general election. Under a policy adopted rates candidates that return uses to determine its rathas also limited its ratings to D.C. Council candidates and candidates for mayor in years when a mayoral race takes place.

incumbent Council members, include Council members Robert

nutrition counseling for people living with HIV/AIDS. Even then, he notes, the industry made an effort to support a highly marginalized community. He continued that the “industry in D.C. continues to support the diversity that is represented

businesses this year, there are more women and people of color represented than ever.”

staff, and family, and, of course, clientele. “We love to eat out and spend a lot of disposable income doing it.”

RaShawn Hawkins, Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s senior director of the Workplace Equality Program, echoed

not only create environments that people are excited and

ter for business.”

and Michael Reginbogin (KNEAD Hospitality), Harley Peet

er (Jane Jane; and on the planning committee), Joy Crump

ticipated for multiple years, underlining their personal and

inated, even though women are integral to the space. As an immigrant woman myself, I have seen how elements of the industry can be oppressive or exclusive, and I have made it my priority to create an inclusive environment in my kitchen.”

rights, and has hosted the longest-running drag brunch in D.C., dating to the 1980s. “As executive chef, I continue to celebrate the community. Working at a restaurant that cham-ant to me. Funnily enough, when I moved to the U.S., I picked up a lot of my English from watching ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race,’

food space in the past, this event truly shows the strength and community that we have here in the DMV. Still, he says, there’s more work to do, like “providing training to staff on cultural sensitivity and inclusive practices to create a more understanding and supportive work environment.”

al chef tables, providing an opportunity to dine with celebrity -

One of the strongest allies, participating chef Masako from Perry’s, said that taking part carries special meaning for

more of an effort for CFE — the food is truly remarkable,” says Hagedorn. “Restaurants are central to their neighborhoods, and I don’t see their support for our community wavering,” Hagedorn concluded.

Felder is running for the seat being vacated by Council memrights supporter who is not running for re-election.

sible score.

the group has based its ratings on issues raised in its candidate

naire this year include asking candidates if they support decriminalizing sex work among consenting adults; removing criminal penalties for possession of drugs that are currently illegal for personal use; increased funding for programs to reduce drug overdose deaths; and “addressing concentrated wealth in the District” by raising revenue “through taxing the most wealthy

Just one of the nine questions on the questionnaire asks

in future years.

issues.

are disproportionately impacted by the lack of affordable hous-people who are most impacted by the failures of our government and community inaction.”

(R-Ward 8).

Council member ROBERT WHITE, seen here with Rayceen Pendarvis, scored a nearly perfect +9 on GLAA’s rating system. (Blade fle photo)

D.C. LGBTQ Harris-Walz group seeks volunteers for phone bank

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

A local group of volunteers organized by gay D.C. State Board of Education member Allister Chang is working with the Kamala Harris presidential campaign to operate a twice-weekly phone bank through which LGBTQ volunteers call voters in swing states to urge them to turn out to vote and to vote for Harris and Tim Walz.

candidate Donald Trump.

ris-Walz campaign win in the key battleground or swing states that are expected to de-

have provided a high-tech platform using the online site called Mobilize to give in-

said volunteers are also given a script to read to voters they call before engaging in a dialogue with the voters.

Comings & Goings

By PETER ROSENSTEIN

The Comings & Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our community. We want to comingsandgoings@washblade.com.

The Comings & Goings column also invites LGBTQ colyour success.

Congratulations to Second Block Hospitality

business partners Lion Gardner, David Gonce, Tyler Townsend, and Bob Suppies

teer for the phone banking in the remaining total of six days on Wednesdays and Satevents.democrats.org/

we are on the right path to keep bringing innovative de-

Local LGBTQ residents are phone banking for KAMALA HARRIS’s campaign. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

2. More amenities, including a pool, fitness center, and restaurants.

3. More peace of mind with additional on-site care should you need it.

Discover more great reasons to choose an Erickson Senior Living®-managed community. Call 1-888-755-7809 or visit DMVSeniorLiving.com for your free brochure.

“Moving was a great decision for me! I feel confident in my future, and I know that my needs will be taken care of.”

—Marge V., A community resident

Congratulations to our very own Ben for winning Best Bartender!!! He brings a lot of heart and humor to Annie’s Paramount Steak House and we are so proud of him!

Love, Your Annie’s Family

Baldwin attacked over LGBTQ rights support as race narrows

Following White House Press Secretary Karine JeanBiden are openly LGBTQ.most circle are White House Communications Director Bernal, and White House Director of Political Strategy

As her race against Republican challenger Eric Hovde tightens, with Cook Political -attacks over her support for LGBTQ rights.

Two recent ads run by the Senate Leadership Fund, a superPAC that works to elect

the Senate.

of a Republican-led bill to ban medically necessary healthcare interventions for transgender youth in the state.

Treatments require parental consent for patients younger than 18, and genital surgeries are not performed on minors in Wisconsin.

The second ad concerns funding that Baldwin had earmarked for Briarpatch Youth Services, an organization that provides crucial services for at-risk and homeless young people, with some programming for LGBTQ youth.

order that would require them to defend a handful of vulnerable incumbents. U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, an Independent who usually votes with the Democrats, Gov. Jim Justice.

White House press secretary in May 2022. She spoke with the Washington Blade for an exclusive interview last spring, shortly before the two-year anniversary of her appointment to that position.

“Jill and I have known and respected Karine a long time and she will be a strong voice speaking for me and this Administration,” Biden said in 2022 when announcing her as press secretary.

that LaBolt was appointed in August to succeed Anita Dunn when she left her role as senior adviser to the president.

As press secretary, Jean-Pierre has consistently advocated for the LGBTQ community — pushing back force-rights and protections.

CHRISTOPHER KANE

Detroit teen arrested in fatal stabbing of gay man Prosecutor says defendant targeted victim from online dating app

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

A 17-year-old Detroit man has beenSept. 24 stabbing death of a 64-year-old gay man that prosecutors say he met through an online dating app.

A statement released by the Wayne Ahmed Al-Alikhan allegedly fatally stabbed home in Detroit before he allegedly took

The statement says police arrived on the scene about 4:04 p.m. on Sept. 29 after receiving a call about a deceased person found in their home. Upon arrival police found Brisentine deceased in his living room suffering from multiple stab wounds, the statement says.

“It is alleged that the defendant targeted the victim on an online dating app because he was a member of the LGBTQ

residence in the 6000 block of Minock Street in Detroit, the defendant stabbed the victim multiple times, fatally injuring in his vehicle,” it says. -

dy by police in Dearborn, Mich., and later

learned that Al-Alikhan was the suspect- -

Alikhan has been charged with felony murder and unlawful driving away in an automobile.

“It is hard to fathom a more planned series of events in this case,” prosecutor Kym Worthy said in the statement. “Unfortunately, the set of alleged facts are far too common in the LGBTQ community,” Worthy said. “We will bring justice to Mr. Brisendine. The defendant is 17 years and 11 months old – mere weeks away from being an adult offender under the law.”

She added, “As a result of that and the heinous nature of this crime, we will seek to try him as an adult.”

has not designated the incident as a hate crime, but said re-der could result in a sentence of life in prison. The spokesper-

disclosing the name of the dating app through which the two men met, but said that would be disclosed in court as the case

proceeds.

Brisendine was found deceased by Luis Mandujano, who lives near where Brisendine lived and who owns the Detroit gay

house on Sept. 29 after Brisendine did not show up for work and his car was not at his house.

Mandujano, who is organizing a GoFundMe fundraising effort for Brisendine, states in his message on the GoFundMe bar.

him to rest,” Mandujano states in his GoFundMe message. “He left the material world in a volatile manner at the hand of to win!”

In response to a Facebook message from the Washington expenses and his “remaining bills.” The spokesperson, who

The GoFundMe site can be accessed here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/stand-against-hate-remember-howard-brisendine?cdn-cache=0

CHRISTOPHER KANE

U.S. Sen. TAMMY BALDWIN (D-Wis.) (Blade photo by Michael Key)

(Photo of

courtesy of the Detroit Police Department; photo of Brisendine via GoFundMe)

Anti-LGBTQ ads dog Democrats in key races as polls tighten Victory Fund’s Sean Meloy speaks with the Blade about recent attacks

By CHRISTOPHER KANE | ckane@washblade.com

Key congressional races and the contest for the White House have become even tighter according to polling data released this week, as Republican campaigns, including former President Donald Trump’s team, targeted their opponents with $65 million in anti-LGBTQ and especially anti-trans attack ads.

With just 20 days until Nov. 5, Sean Meloy, vice president of political programs at the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, spoke with the Washington Blade about how the GOP’s “despicable” paid media strategy is impacting races up and down the ballot.

“This is gonna be the most anti-LGBTQ [election] year probably since 2004, when it comes to presidential rhetoric,” Meloy said.

Many of the LGBTQ candidates supported by his organization are now contending with attacks against their very identities. Among them is incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin of the key swing state of Wisconsin, an out lesbian who made history with her elections to the House

of her life.”

Her reelection is critical for Democrats to retain their narrow majority in the Senate so Vice President Kamala Harris can effectuate her agenda if she wins the White House.

For most of the campaign, Baldwin has maintained a narrow lead over Republican challenger Eric Hovde, but the real estate and banking tycoon polled ahead of her for the

over the weekend by the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Cook Political Report considers their race a toss-up.

in Wisconsin, whether it’s farmers, whether it’s laborers, and, of course, LGBTQ constituents, too,” Meloy said. “I don’t know how you get a better senator than Tammy Baldwin, and I’m not just saying that because she’s probably going to be — knock on wood — our only [out] LGBTQ voice in the U.S. Senate.”

The senator has “been the target of hundreds of millions of dollars in attacks, including these anti-LGBT, these anti-trans attacks,” but also of ads “talking about, you know, where she sleeps and who she sleeps with,” Meloy said — messages suffused with the kind of overt homophobia that for decades was considered out-of-bounds in electoral politics.

“The race has absolutely tightened,” Meloy said, and in response Hovde’s campaign is “deploying everything and the kitchen sink, including these anti-trans ads, including the attacks against [Baldwin] and her girlfriend.”

“Even though she was being attacked about her identity, she’s not running from who she is,” he said, pointing to the “wonderful story” she shared on X to honor National Coming Out Day on Friday.

“I think that that is exactly what people want in their congresspeople, what they want in their senators, what they want in their government,” Meloy said. “They want their government to look like the people they represent and people

tens of millions of dollars in ads are attacking them about who they are.”

Baldwin has “done the work, she’s proven herself, she’s built those relationships and helped make sure our community was represented in an amazing fashion, and that’s why so many folks are excited to support her.”

The next 20 days will prove critical, Meloy said, as the “Victory Fund is working with her campaign to make sure that

she gets the resources that she needs in order to combat” the lies and bad-faith attacks from Hovde. He noted a recent rapid response call was organized to help Baldwin through the “anti-trans and anti-LGBTQ ads.”

Victory has “already raised over $300,000,” Meloy said, adding, “I wouldn’t be surprised if [Baldwin is] the candidate that we’ve raised the most for this year,” nor if the fundraising total for her 2024 campaign “is a record number, because

Other Democrats in close Senate races, like U.S. Rep. Colin Allred of Texas, who is running to unseat anti-LGBTQ U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, and U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, who is fending off a challenge from Republican businessman Bernie Moreno, have been targeted with anti-LGBTQ advertising, too.

The ads, riddled with falsehoods, focus primarily on the lawmakers’ support for allowing trans women and girls to compete on sports teams aligning with their gender identity.

In response, Allred cut a commercial in which he says, “I’m a dad. I’m also a Christian. My faith has taught me that all kids are god’s kids. So let me be clear. I don’t want boys playing girls sports, or any of this ridiculous stuff that Ted Cruz is saying.”

Brown’s team also responded to the attack with an ad in stance — that the participation of trans athletes in competitive sports should be decided not by the government but by the individual leagues.

Meloy noted that Victory does not work with non-LGBTQ candidates, so he has limited insight into their campaign operations, but he stressed that while Allred and Brown were criticized by some LGBTQ advocates for appearing to signal a willingness to walk back their support for trans athletes,

protections for the community.

“I think that we know where their hearts are when it comes to believing in not discriminating,” Meloy said, and running against candidates like Cruz means having to dispel “a lot of misinformation, a lot of lies.”

In such circumstances, “sometimes, nuance is not going to be your friend,” he said, adding that the Republican “bigots” who are “using this rhetoric” to weaponize LGBTQ lives and identities in hopes of winning in November must be defeated.

“And then, we as a community need to make sure we hold

the support they received from their LGBTQ constituents — LGBTQ-inclusive nondiscrimination rules across the board, and by codifying into law protections for reproductive rights.

“I think in the end, it’s going to prove not to work,” Meloy added, referring to the GOP’s strategy of “demonizing our community for political points.”

Echoing remarks from other LGBTQ leaders like Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson, Meloy said the Republicans who leveraged anti-LGBTQ/anti-trans attacks in elections last year and in 2022 were mostly unsuccessful.

The strategy has “not been effective in winning swing districts, in winning battleground states, or even in conservative states,” he said. And “if these messages largely don’t work with independent voters,” Meloy asked, “who are they aimed at?”

Trump and other Republican candidates “are starting to bleed some of their base voters, and they need to continue to churn them out,” he said. So, with their transphobic rhet-

oric, the campaigns hope to get their right-wing supporters “foaming at the mouth again” while also reaching and engaging with the kind of disaffected men who are less likely to vote and who may admire anti-trans self-styled contrarians like Elon Musk.

The GOP’s strategy of using “trans lives to win votes” while “lying, all along the way, about those lives to do so” reeks of desperation, he said, while also inhibiting outreach to conservative or independent LGBTQ voters, to the extent that Republican campaigns ever sought to win over these voters

At the same time, the New York Times reported last week that “Republican strategists said the focus on transgender women and girls in sports had been particularly effective with a key group of voters the party has hemorrhaged support from in recent years: college-educated suburban women.”

The conservative Wall Street Journal editorial board agreed, publishing an opinion piece on Sunday that was titled, “Transgender Sports Is a 2024 Sleeper Issue.”

“An ad in Wisconsin says Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin ‘voted to let biological men into women’s sports,’” the authors wrote, while “Hovde gets spontaneous applause when he raises the issue at campaign events.”

with the sports issue relative to their other anti-trans messaging, but stressed that it remains “just the best of a bunch of bad narratives that don’t fully get the job done when it comes to moving folks in a purple district to 50+ one.”

He pointed to last year’s elections in the Virginia Legislature, which saw anti-LGBTQ messaging from Republicans, including attacks focused on the participation of trans athletes in competitive sports.

Nevertheless, Danica Roem won her bid for the state

serve in both chambers of a state legislature. Four of her Democratic colleagues who were targeted for their support of the trans community also won their races. And together,majority in the Virginia State Assembly and the Virginia State Senate.

The vice president is reportedly considering a sit-down with Joe Rogan, whose podcast boasts 17.3 million subscribers and is especially popular among young men. Rogan has repeatedly inveighed against trans athletes participating in competitive sports. “It’s f—ing up women’s sports in a huge way,” he said last summer. “If you care at all about biological women, you should be against that.”

U.S. Sen. TAMMY BALDWIN (D-Wis.) (Blade photo by Michael Key)

Murdered Israeli hostage’s cousin describes family’s pain

Carmel Gat killed in the Gaza Strip in late August

By MICHAEL K. LAVERS | mlavers@washblade.com

TEL AVIV, Israel — Carmel Gat on Oct. 6, 2023, traveled to Be’eri, a kibbutz near the border of Israel and the Gaza Strip where she grew up, to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah with her parents, brothers, and extended family.

Gat and her brother, Alon Gat, planned to go for a run at around 6:30 a.m. the next morning.

“At 6:29, the bombing and the alarms started and the whole family went into the safe room,” her cousin, Shay Dickmann, told the Washington Blade on Monday. “We have this last picture of Carmel with her running clothes on, in which she was later kidnapped, reading a book to Geffen (her young niece.)”

“It is just typically Carmel in this moment of distress when there are rockets around, the rumors start running that there are terrorists inside the kibbutz, she just had the inner power and stability to take care of others and help her niece, her 3 and 1/2 year old niece, try and calm her down,” said Dickmann.

Dickmann said Gat’s mother, Kinneret Gat, left the safe room at about 10:30 a.m. to get some food and water. Her father, Eshel Gat, went to the bathroom.

Dickmann said Kinneret Gat saw Hamas militants from her kitchen window.

“The last thing she managed to do was to warn her husband, Eshel, from the terrorists and shush him with to the toilet and hide himself,” recalled Dickmann. “She didn’t know at that point she saved his life.”

Dickmann said the bathroom in which Eshel Gat was hiding was the one room in the house the militants did not search.

“He was safe, but from the window of the toilet he saw his family taken one-by-one by the terrorists,” Dickmann told the Blade.

She said the last time Eshel Gat saw his wife she was be taken by the terrorists.”

“They came into the kitchen, and they took her,” she said. “They tied her hands and walked her through her own kibbutz barefoot with a bunch of people from Kibbutz Be’eri.”

The militants then put Carmel Gat in a car with two teenagers who were brother and sister.

“The car was moving, driving through the point where Carmel saw her mother lying down on the sidewalk, her head shot and she realized that she saw her mother dead and this is the last thing that Carmel saw when she was taken hostage into Gaza, her beloved one dead,” said Dickmann.

She said her cousin did not know what happened to the rest of her family: Her father, her two brothers, her sister-in-law, Yarden Roman-Gat, and her niece Geffen. Her younger brother, Or Gat, had already left the kibbutz.

The Blade has previously reported the militants placed Roman-Gat, Alon Gat, and their daughter into a car.

Roman-Gat and Alon Gat jumped out of it with their daughter as it approached Gaza. Roman-Gat handed her daughter to her husband because he was able to run faster.

Alon Gat hid with his daughter for 18 hours before

they reached Israel Defense Forces soldiers at Be’eri. He told Gili Roman, his brother-in-law who lives in Tel Aviv and is a member of the Nemos LGBTQ+ Swimming Club, he last saw his wife, Roman’s sister, hiding behind a tree to protect herself from the militants who were shooting at her.

“My brother saw a video on Telegram of Kinneret lying down on the sidewalk with a pool of blood next to her head, said Dickmann, recounting how she and her family learned the militants had murdered Kinneret Gat.

“We started looking for Carmel and for Yarden and for 50 days we didn’t know anything about them,” added Dickmann. “Just imagine we were worried sick and not even knowing if their body might be found here or were they kidnapped alive.”

in November released the two teenagers who had been kidnapped alongside Carmel Gat.

“It was amazing to see how 13 children and women are coming back to us and their families, and they were among them,” said Dickmann. “Unfortunately they discovered that their mother was murdered and at the time they were informed that their father was kidnapped. Today we know that their father was murdered as well. They are orphans.”

“Carmel was with them since the moment that they were put into the car taking them into Gaza and until the moment they were released and they say she was their guardian angel,” Dickmann told the Blade. “She was just keeping them sane in captivity, supporting them. She was handling a diary, writing down songs and sentences to bring their spirits up and she was practicing yoga with them in captivity.”

“This was the most amazing thing that we learned, just having that inner power in this situation. We know that they were starved. We know that they experienced violence there, that they were held in an apartment, in pita bread a day they had to share, and being held against their will, far from their families, not knowing if they are alive or not, but she had the powers to give to others and knowing that Carmel is there, being Carmel, choosing to live, it gave so much hope, and to this hope we were holding on, day-by-day, in the hope that the next day she would be on the list of people realized.”

Hamas on Nov. 29, 2023, released Roman-Gat, along with 11 other Israelis and four Thai nationals. She reunited with her family a short-time later at an Israeli hospital.

“On the fourth day Yarden came back,” said Dickmann. “I can’t even describe the feeling.”

Hamas was supposed to release Carmel Gat on the days.

“Carmel was supposed to be freed on the eighth (day), and she wasn’t, and she was left behind,” Dickmann said. “For us it was devastating, but we also knew that Carmel is holding on to hope, and we were holding on to her hope and we did it in her way.”

Carmel Gat’s family every Friday practiced yoga, “inspired by her, and giving power to others.” They invited other hostage families to speak about a loved one who was in Gaza.

“We did it for weeks, week after week, 40 weeks, that we spoke about the hope, that we were holding the hope, that she was surviving there, waiting for this moment, for the deal that will free her,” said Dickmann.

The Israeli government on Sept. 1 announced

— Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Ori Danino, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Eden Yerushalmi — in a tunnel beneath Rafah, a city in southern Gaza that borders Egypt. The hostages “were shot at close range” by militants on Aug. 29 or Aug. 30 before the IDF could rescue them.

“Carmel survived for 328 days,” Dickmann told the Blade. “She survived, until the day that she was brutally executed by her captors. She survived everything. She survived the tunnels.”

Dickmann said she and her family received a video that showed where the militants killed Carmel Gat and

“The conditions were horrible,” said Dickmann. “They were 20 meters underground, suffocating, moist. It was moldy. They had very little food. The six bodies were found thin and starved.”

blood alongside the tunnels. Dickmann said the bodies also showed signs they had been tied up.

“She survived it all, but she couldn’t survive the bulshot, 328 days from her mother’s same destiny, but Carmel we could save, for 328 days we could save her,” said Dickmann. “We could have made a deal that could have brought her back home alive.”

A poster with CARMEL GAT’s face on it inside a replica of a tunnel in the Gaza Strip that was built in Hostage Square el ael a a l ta t lled he a d f e othe hostages in late August. (Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)

NOVEMBER 5

2024 DC GENERAL ELECTION

VOTING

Monday, October 28 to Sunday, November 3 Vote

Freedom to Marry Global and Council for Global Equality

advocate for marriage equality in countries around the world.

Around the world, campaigns for marriage change hearts and minds

Reducing homophobia and leading to greater acceptance

Right now, there are active campaigns to secure the freedom to marry for same-sex couples in dozens of countries around the world – spanning every continent and a wide variety of political contexts. While each of these campaigns is rooted in unique cultural and political dynamics, they have in common the potential to harness the power of marriage as both a goal and a strategy – leveraging the marriage conversation to change hearts and minds about LGBTQ people. Public campaigns for the freedom to marry are a unique opportunity to demonstrate that LGBTQ people are part of families and have the same need for family recognition as everyone else – helping to bring the needs and rights of LGBTQ people into a more familiar context for the broader public.

Not only does changing public attitudes toward LGBTQ people and their families have immediate, tangible impacts for the community, marriage campaigns have proven

ipation – including increasing overall support for LGBTQ causes, strengthening civic organizations, testing the implementation of new strategies to engage decision makers, training new generations of LGBTQ leaders, and instilling belief in activism, the rule of law, and effecting democratic change.

By familiarizing the public with LGBTQ couples and families and lifting the voices of allies, campaigns for the freedom to marry reduce homophobia and transphobia, leading to greater acceptance. The public conversation about the freedom to marry is uniquely centered on the resonant values of love and family, as well as freedom and dignity, helping non-gay people better understand gay people as individuals with loving relationships and families, just like everyone else. Also, unlike other policy changes, the legalization of marriage for same-sex couples is typically accompanied by strong

after securing the freedom to marry, polling data shows that public support for LGBTQ people continues to accelerate, creating a more inclusive society and enabling political progress on several other fronts, especially those most important to LGBTQ people.

same-sex couples, as well as an increase in support for LGBTQ people more broadly.

and transgender nondiscrimination grew strongly after securing the freedom to marry. Costa Rica went on to enhance hate crimes and second parent adoption laws shortly after the marriage victory.

polling, only 37.4 percent of country residents had previously reported that they believed same-sex couples should be able to marry. However, by May 2023, four years after the marriage victory, the same agency reported that support for marriage had

a large-scale public education campaign centering LGBTQ people, their families, and marriage.

for same-sex couples after two years of their “Sí Acepto” marriage campaign. Support

While the goal of achieving marriage may be a longer journey in countries like Romaniaments in public opinion, paving the way for eventual victories.

Research shows similar gains in other countries where marriage campaigns are active. For instance, behind the efforts of Marriage for All Japan, support for marriage -

Thailand in 2023, one year before the Thai legislature passed marriage legislation with a wide bipartisan majority.

education television ad in late 2023 that featured parents and their LGBTQ children.

cacy efforts in 2023 to allow same-sex couples to adopt children to whom they are not biologically related. The large-scale campaign for the freedom to marry strengthened Taiwanese civil society, enabling sustainable, ongoing progress and paving the way for future victories. Government leaders now cite marriage for same-sex couples as a key

Achieving victory in a change campaign invites civil society organizations to empower leaders and supporters to engage in the democratic process, hold elected leaders accountable, and build the political power they need to make change. Marriage camtactics such as engaging business or faith voices, monitoring and publicizing elected

Global has worked with advocates to share best practices from around the globe and support local leaders as they test and implement these strategies in ways that suit the local context. This type of coordination and skill-sharing among LGBTQ groups within and across regions is exactly what our LGBTQ movement needs more of to succeed and not reinvent the wheel campaign by campaign.

Additionally, each campaign victory sends a positive message of momentum to

orated to export the materials and successes to other Latin American countries working

a result, the impact of the Sí Acepto campaign is felt far beyond the borders of Costa Rica with similarly styled campaigns now active in Guatemala, Panama, Bolivia, and Peru. Progress is powerful and radiates in powerful ways beyond national borders.

Demonstrating impacts beyond the issue of relationship recognition, the overall visibility of LGBTQ people in Romanian society has increased, with the number of people who

While the freedom to marry and the critical protections and fundamental freedom and dignity that marriage brings to LGBTQ couples and their families are important ends in themselves, the public campaigns to secure marriage deliver much more. Marriage is important not just for the tangible and intangible meanings and protections it entails, but also as a strategy to fundamentally change the perception of LGBTQ people, generate momentum and support for further gains, and empower leaders with the skill and political muscle to continue making progress for their communities and their countries. Campaigning for the freedom to marry and the marriage conversation yield meaningful economic and democratic dividends for everyone. Love wins – and we all win.

Zeiger Realty is THE brokerage for equality and diversity.

Stacey is the host of the popular vidCast and podcast, Real Estate and Leisure. Available on youtube and Apple, Spotify and wherever else you listen to your podcasts.

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Music Moves Inside

GRAHAM NASH

OCT 23–26

VIANO QUARTET

CHAMBER MUSIC AT THE BARNS OCT 27

T BONE BURNETT OCT 28 + 29

OVER THE RHINE NOV 2

THE DOO WOP PROJECT NOV 3

JESS WILLIAMSON NOV 7

MARIACHI HERENCIA DE MÉXICO NOV 8

FEB 12 + 13

BEETHOVEN, GLIÈRE, POULENC, REINECKE

CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY OF LINCOLN CENTER

CHAMBER MUSIC AT THE BARNS NOV 10

ABDULLAH IBRAHIM TRIO NOV 13

ELIANE ELIAS NOV 21

CHERRY POPPIN’ DADDIES DEC 6

JOHN HOLIDAY, COUNTERTENOR

CHAMBER MUSIC AT THE BARNS JAN 19

THE DEL MC COURY BAND JAN 21–26

many m e!

PETER ROSENSTEIN

We owe future generations so much better than Trump Vote for Harris and reject the racist, sexist, homophobic pig

The Washington Post recently had two columns relating to Black voters. One column was ‘Harris is trying to reverse a steep decline in Black turnout in Wisconsin;’ and the second column was ‘Obama admonishes Black men for hesitancy in supporting Harris.’ In the column about Obama the former president talks about some Black men who are uncomfortable voting for a woman, and are coming up with excuses. Both these columns could actually be about other groups Trump has insulted over the years, and many men.

cast a ballot in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, part of a sharp plunge in Black turnout in the state since 2012, when President Barack Obama ran for reelection — the largest such drop anywhere in the country.”

gated disaster for the country, and for him?

community. From the day Trump came down his gold escalator in Trump Tower in 2015 to announce he was running for president, he has been out for only one person, himself. He saw run-

vengeance. He said he would be a dictator on day one. Believe him! He has no interest in helping people. Everything he did, and will do if elected again, is to help his rich, white, friends. So, if you are not one of them, you lose. And if you are a rich, white friend, and happen to be gay, you also lose.

charge. The insane thing is most of his cult will also lose. He couldn’t care less about them except and other things he hawks. He got them to invest in his social media platform, and they have now lost nearly every dime they invested. He raises money from them to pay for his personal legal bills.

prices for everything. Small business owners will be paying more to stock their stores. Instead,

help get their business off the ground. Trump wants to give more tax breaks to the rich and large corporations — his friends.

Women already know what Trump has done to them. He brags about it. He took away their

and thrown out of your home on Monday. And we are not sure what his far-right judges may do

Then, if you are a Palestinian, or supporter of freedom and safety for the Palestinian people, which I am, you must know Trump doesn’t want an independent Palestinian state. He moved the American Embassy to Jerusalem, and his company is now negotiating for Trump hotels in Jerusa-

a free and independent Palestinian state. Trump will be much worse for the Palestinian people. regularly for the Blade.

OKTOBERFEST

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Sunday, October 20th 12-3: Bavarian Brunch and Live German Folk Music

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

ISAAC AMEND

is a writer based in the D.C. area. He is a transgender man and was featured in National Geographic’s ‘Gender Revolution’ documentary. He serves on the board of the LGBT Democrats of Virginia. Contact him at isaac.amend35@gmail. com or on Instagram at: @literatipapi.

PrEP in transmasculine people

We need more studies on unique challenges facing trans men

A new article in “Physician’s Weekly” titled, “Q&A: Improving PrEP Access in Transgender Men, Other Transmasculine People” interviewed two leading HIV doctors on a study they conducted to assess how HIV prevention can best be implemented in the transmasculine population. Strangely — or maybe not so strangely — HIV prevention is not examined enough in transgender men and other assigned-femaleat-birth (AFAB) individuals who choose to masculinize and decide to have sex with men. But it’s important, and crucial, to study how the HIV prevention medicine PrEP can best be administered to make sure that all genders are feeling its full and successful effect.

Historically, as mentioned, PrEP has been used to treat cisgender gay men, especially in light of the HIV crisis of the 1980s and 1990s. Since then, groundbreaking treatments have been introduced to lessen HIV loads in patients and prevent transmission of the disease.

Also known as pre-exposure prophylaxis, PrEP was approved in 2012 by the FDA as a leading anti-HIV medication going by the brand name Truvada. It quickly became a popular medicine among gay and trans folk.

As a transgender man myself, there are three things to note when thinking about how PrEP can be better administered and studied in individuals like me.

cessing PrEP because they are unsure how to be prescribed it, who to turn to, and whether it’s socially acceptable to take among their friends. PrEP was traditionally made for cisgender gay men, so its use among that subpopulation is far more varied and spread than its use among transgender men. The happy truth, though, is that PrEP is cheap, if not totally free, and that blood tests required to go on it are also now federally mandated to be free as well.

Currently, there are outstanding health centers like Whitman-Walker in D.C. that serve as almost free clinics to provide drugs like PrEP and other HIV treatment. Places like Whitman-Walker should continue to thrive without limits.

The second issue concerning PrEP in transmasculine people is the fact that the drug was initially designed to treat cisgender men, and transgender men were female at birth. There are enough studies that prove or disprove how more effective or less effective PrEP is in individuals who were assigned female at birth. The effectiveness of certain medications on any individual does, sometimes, become affected by what gender they were born with. More studies need to be done to show the

men.

Another issue to note is the epidemic among trans men of embarrassment surrounding being on PrEP and talking about gay issues. Currently, it is entirely socially

many sometimes — shame others into being attracted to men. It’s perfectly OK to be a gay trans man, or to be gay in any way, shape, or form for that matter.

Scientists should consider the above issues when studying transmasculine people who want to go on PrEP. They should study how hormone replacement therapy — including the injection of testosterone — could interfere with the effectiveness of PrEP. They should study how many of us are embarrassed to go on PrEP but still need it to protect our health. They should study how trans men choose to socialize with other gay men and have sexual encounters with men — be it through Grindr, Tinder, or some other dating platform.

While PrEP was designed for those assigned male at birth, its implications vary widely across all genders and even sexual orientations. New research has even indicated that HIV is sometimes more prevalent, or exists at the same rate, among the straight population in Washington, D.C., and nationwide. As a result, studying PrEP is all the more important. PrEP should be designed and investigated as a non

Best of LGBTQ D.C. 2024

The Blade’s annual review of your favorites in food, nightlife, and more FROM STAFF REPORTS

Once again the Blade is proud to celebrate the best in our local community, from activists to pizza.

With nearly 5,000 nominations and 35,000 votes, this was the biggest year yet for our annual friendly competition, our 23rd year organizing this contest. Stephen Rutgers coordinated the voting; Michael Key took the photos, including the cover shot. This year’s contributing writers are: Lou Chibbaro Jr., Chris Kane, Kevin Naff, Joe Reberkenny, Tinashe Chingarande, Clinton Engelberger, Erkki Forster, Joey DiGuglielmo, Evan Caplan, and Patrick Folliard.

This year’s Local Hero Award, which is the only award voted on by Blade staff, goes to the tireless June Crenshaw, a ubiquitous presence in our local community who does life-saving work.

Local Hero: June Crenshaw

empowerment of LGBTQ youth who are experiencing homelessness.

Since 2016, Crenshaw has served as executive director of the Wanda Alston Founda-

LGBTQ youth in the D.C. metro area.

The Alston Foundation says in a statement that under Crenshaw’s leadership, the organization provides two to six years of shelter, case management, connection to medical and mental health care, development of life skills, and employment and school

ness of the prevalence of homelessness among LGBTQ youth and the trauma they ex-

grams that create a safe and welcoming environment for LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness,” it says.

“She educates, trains, and motivates her staff and volunteers to ensure a consistent vision and optimal organizational performance,” the statement continues. “She has tripled the organization’s budget and, after 13 years of operations, opened the second location and a Counseling Center that focuses on supporting queer folks impacted by Intimate Partner Violence,” it says.

Crenshaw took on additional responsibilities in 2022 when a D.C. Superior Court judge appointed the Alston Foundation to serve as the city’s receiver for the LGBTQ community services center Casa Ruby, placing the Alston Foundation in full control of operating.

Crenshaw also serves as co-chair of the organizing committee for World Pride 2025, the international LGBTQ Pride celebration that D.C. will host, and which will take place

be engaged with the community advocating around resources for queer organizations to be able to serve and support our community members. So, real strong advocacy around the D.C. budget and making sure resources come to organizations like the Wanda Alston Foundation, but other organizations as well.”

A native of Oklahoma, Crenshaw earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Tulsa in 1984, the year she moved to D.C. where she became world.

Washington Service Bureau, Inc., before working from 1994 to 2012 as a supervisor and later as project manager for Coventry Healthcare, Inc., a Bethesda-based national health insurance company that became part of the Aetna health insurance corporation. since 2007 as chair of the board of directors of the Rainbow Response Coalition, a D.C.based coalition of local LGBTQ groups that provides training and education to address the issue of intimate partner violence in the LGBTQ community.

D.C. LGBTQ supportive healthcare provider from 2006 to 2016, and as a board member of the Whitman-Walker Foundation from 2017 to 2022.

From 2013 to 2020 she served on the board of directors of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ advocacy organization. And from 2007 to 2015, she

“Although I’m no longer on board of the Human Rights Campaign, I’ve stayed very in-

volved in a lot of the work that’s done there,” she said regarding her current endeavors.

mala Harris becomes our next president and threats against our community are minimized,” Crenshaw said. (Lou Chibbaro Jr.)

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Spain Flamenco Arts & FECACE (Spain) SER.RANA

Choreographed & performed by Sonia Franco NOV 7 - 10 |DC PREMIERE

Flamenco Aparicio Dance Co. LO MEJOR DE EDWIN

Choreographed & directed by Edwin Aparicio NOV 15 - 17

Marc López & Monserrat Martínez (Spain) INTIMATE FRIENDS OF FLAMENCO

NOV 22 - 23 |WORLD PREMIERE

Best Of LGBTQ DC 2024 continued

FOOD & DRINK

Best Coffee Shop: Tatte Bakery & Café

Multiple locations

tattebakery.com/washington-dc

Editor’s Choice: Three Fifty Bakery and Coffee Bar

After snagging the Editor’s Choice award two years running, Tatte now claims the Best Coffee Shop spot. Boston-based Tatte blanketed D.C. with its Mediterranean-inspired breakfasts, pastries, and coffees beginning in 2020. There are now more than a dozen around the DMV, serving seasonal brunches, craft drinks, and a welcome spot for people watching and catching up on emails.

Best Outdoor Dining: Le Diplomate

Best Restaurant: Tabard Inn

1739 N St., N.W. tabardinn.com

Editor’s Choice: Pineapple & Pearls

1601 14th St., N.W.

lediplomatedc.com

Editor’s Choice: Hank’s Oyster Bar

Snagging several Best Brunch awards and winning the Editor’s Choice for Best Outdoor Dining last year, “Le Dip” has myriad fans for all meals. Its American take on a Parisian Bistro has proven popular over the past decade, now a cornerstone of the 14th Street corridor. Beloved for its bread basket, meaty cheeseburger, mussels, and more, its outdoor sheds took over an entire half-block of 14th Street, now a perma-

sipping aperitifs.

Best Brunch: Perry’s Drag Brunch

perrysam.com

1811 Columbia Rd., N.W.

Editor’s Choice: City Tap Dupont Drag Brunch

Celebrated for its long-running brunch (and winning the title in 2021), Perry’s Drag Brunch is raucous and fabulous. Hosted only on Sundays (two seatings), this event treats guests to eclectic food like eggs, yakisoba, tater tots, and tiramisu. Perry’s recently picked up a new chef, Masako Morishita, who won the 2024 James Beard Award for Best Emerging Chef. The restaurant also just debuted a Japanese breakfast.

Best Local Brewery: Red Bear Brewing Company

209 M St., N.E. redbear.beer

Editor’s Choice: DC Brau

One of the oldest hotels in Washington, D.C., the Tabard Inn opened in 1922 in the style of an English manor and has been oozing charm ever since. While not gay-owned, it’s become a welcoming gathering space for LGBTQ locals and visitors, owing to its geography in Dupont Circle, eccentric nature, somewhat hidden locale, and diverse staff and clientele. The restaurant, started as a tea room, is full of art and warmth, and places a focus on Mid-Atlantic cuisine.

Having taken home Best Brunch, Best Neighborhood Bar and Best Local Brewery awards in the past, this year, it’s back to win the Local Brewery award. This gay-owned venue in the District hosts drag shows, trivia, and stand-up performances, among other events. It pours beers with suggestive titles like “Hefe Don’t Preach,” “OktoBEARfest,” or “Tall, Dark and Nutty,” to name a few. Its festive drag brunch, running monthly, pulls out all the stops with its themes, like Broadway, Chromatica Ball, and goth. Desiree Dik serves as host.

Best Local Distillery: Republic Restoratives Distillery

1369 New York Ave., N.E. republicrestoratives.com

Editor’s Choice: Cotton & Reed

Winning this title in 2021 and 2019, Republic Restoratives is women-owned, community-led, and made in the District. Republic’s vodka, Civic Pride, was created out of

ganizations or efforts that directly harm LGBTQ people. It recently created and then quickly sold out bottles of “Madam” a bourbon-rye whiskey on whose label VPOTUS Kamala Harris’s smiling visage is featured.

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

(Photo courtesy Le Diplomat)

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Best Burger: Duke’s Grocery

Multiple locations

dukesgrocery.com

Editor’s Choice: Lucky Buns

Best Of LGBTQ DC 2024 continued

The 2021 and 2023 winner, Duke’s Grocery serves burgers with a British accent. With locations in Dupont Circle, Woodley Park, Navy Yard, and Foggy Bottom, this restaurant serves guests hearty portions of bar food. The burger has landed it on a whole bunch of lists, from Zagat to the Washington Post. Besides its famed Proper Burger, it also has a salmon, Impossible, and Wagyu burger. The Dupont location was closed for a year, undergoing a renovation, and recently reopened to royal fanfare.

Best Ice Cream/Gelato: Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams

jenis.com

Multiple locations

Editor’s Choice: Van Leeuwen Ice Cream

14th Street thoroughfare because of lines out the door. Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams has and fruit crumble. It scooped up the award last year and the year before, as well. There are locations in Arlington, Alexandria, Bethesda, Navy Yard, Yards Park, and McLean.

Best Pizza: Andy’s Pizza

eatandyspizza.com

Multiple locations

Editor’s Choice: We the Pizza

Slicing and saucing in the New York tradition, Andy’s Pizza serves up pizza from stone ovens crafted from long-fermented dough, Wisconsin mozzarella, and California tomatoes. Andy’s boasts seven spots across the area, including one in Shaw near popular gay bars. Op-

white sauce, but the whole pies come in a range of options, including a Buffalo crispy chicken and a vegan pie with plant-based cheese.

Best LGBTQ-Owned Business: KNEAD Hospitality

Multiple locations

kneadhd.com

Editor’s Choice: A Tour of Her Own Gay couple and business partners Michael Reginbogin and Jason Berry co-founded KNEAD Hospitality & Design in 2014. The restaurant group has birthed eateries like Mi Vida, Gatsby, Succotash, and several others. “We want people to eat with their eyes,” said Berry in a 2021 interview with the Blade.

Best Local Winery: Chester Gap Cellars

chestergapcellars.com

4615 Remount Rd, Front Royal, VA 22630

Editor’s Choice: t t e

Located in Virginia, a small estate winery located outside Front Royal, Chester Gap is gay-owned and welcomes LGBTQ visitors for valley vistas and vintages. The owners — Jeff Seese and Travis Patton — also have an AirBnb so you can stay the evening, enjoy

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Best Drag Queen: Destiny B. Childs

Runner-up: Bombalicious Eklaver

Destiny B. Childs came onto the local drag scene in 2003 performing at a variety show. In 2003, as manager of Freddie’s Beach Bar, she was drafted into drag duty as

hostess and show director for Freddie’s Follies and soon after started performing at -

2007, Miss International Gay Rodeo 2007, Miss Gaye USA 2008, Miss Gaye America

She’s also been a longtime mainstay as hostess of the Capital Pride concert and has

Childs (Ric Benavides outside drag) says she “works hard to ensure all members of

Best Drag King: Molasses

Runner-up: King Flirty Xperience

In a Vox explainer video, King Molasses described themselves as “the sweetest, stickiest drag king you’ll ever meet.” Molasses fuses different elements of traditional Nigerian fashion with a southern cowboy aesthetic to deliver electric performances that leave

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Best Of LGBTQ DC 2024 continued

Best

Transgender Performer: ndiana B nes

Runner-up: Brooke N Hymen

Indiana Bones describes her drag persona as “very femme, very pop star-esque” and “an extension of my femininity.”

Known outside drag as Adriana Emilia, she says, “I love looking and feeling beautiful while lip syncing to the main pop girls.”

Bones, a trans woman, performs all over the D.C. area including Wednesdays at Kiki, weekends at either Nellie’s drag brunch or City Tap House Dupont. She’ll also be at a new venue HER Diner. She has been in the hospitality industry for about a decade but is “taking a break”

Follow her on @theonlyindiana on Instagram for show

Best Drag h : reddie s llies

Freddie’s Beach Bar 555 S. 23rd St. Arlington, Va. freddiesbeachbar.com

Editor’s Choice: SHOOK at Shaker’s Freddie’s Beach Bar is the place to be for the gays who love happy hour. Along with amazing food and drinks, the restaurant also offers vibrant karaoke nights, piano nights, and thrilling games like beach blanket bingo. Anyone who’s been there can attest to Freddie’s being the place to be after work, blazer off, tie untied, heels

Freddie’s hosts various drag shows each month. The main event is Freddie’s Follies every Saturday night at 8 p.m. The current cast is Destiny B. Childs, Sasha Adams

Best Local Artist presented by Wild ide edia: ey nna nes

Runner-up: Haus of Bambi

Washington native Keyonna Jones is passionate about

art, community advocacy, and entrepreneurship. With a background in journalism and a master’s degree in sci-

As the founder of Congress Heights Arts and Culture Center, Jones has been instrumental in bringing new and necessary artistic experiences to the East of the River community in D.C. She also serves as board chair of The Creative School, showcasing her commitment to youth, education and creativity.

Jones, a lesbian, is also a skilled tattoo artist, published fashion stylist, talented photographer, graphic designer, and gardener.

Best Live Music in D.C. presented by Wild Side Media: The Anthem

901 Wharf St., S.W.

Editor’s Choice: 9:30 Club

Since opening its doors in October of 2017, The Anthem has earned its place among the DMV’s best music venues.

Located on the Wharf, the cavernous 57,000-squarefoot venue, which cost $60 million to build and has a movable stage and backdrop that allows capacity to vary from 2,500 to 6,000, is not intimate. Far from it. It’s big with shows ranging from seated to general admission. Entrance lines can move swiftly or slowly. But once in, the space offers good acoustics and decent sightlines, and there are lots of clean bathrooms and multiple bars for drinks and food.

The Anthem adds a vibrancy to the Waterfront. It’s Metro accessible and has lots of nearby, but pricey, parking. Upcoming acts include Latto, Zayn, and the B-52s who are slated to perform on Halloween night.

Best Theater presented by Wild Side Media: Kennedy Center

2700 F St., N.W.

Kennedy-center.org

Editor’s Choice: Arena Stage

For many DMV residents, the historic Kennedy Center serves as a portal to the performing arts. The Center presents diverse artists, including numerous LGBTQ voices, across all of its programming, whether it be theater, opera, dance, the symphony, comedy, hip hop, or jazz.

And the Social Impact division recently had SMYAL as one of its Culture Caucus members. And lately the Center has even been hosting drag brunches at its Roof Terrace Restaurant. The Kennedy Center made its public debut on Sept. 8, 1971, with a gala opening performance featuring the world premiere of a Requiem mass

honoring President Kennedy, a work commissioned from the legendary composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein. Its vast interior spaces include the Eisenhower Theatre, Opera House, Concert Hall, and assorted smaller venues.

Its Broadway Center Stage series brings some incredible Broadway talent, including fabulous queer stars, which currently includes Beanie Feldstein, Noah Galvin, Kevin McHale, and Nina White in “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.”

Best Live Music Outside of D.C.: Wolf Trap

1551 Trap Rd.

Vienna, Va.

Wolftrap.org

Editor’s Choice: Merriweather Post Pavilion

Set on 117 acres of rolling hills and forest in Vienna, Va., Wolf Trap ranks high for outdoor entertainment.

Arvind Manocha, the out president and CEO of Northern Virginia’s Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts for more than a decade, understands his platform and what comes with it. For him that means promoting diversity and queer inclusion.

Over the past two years, Wolf Trap has presented “Out & About,” an annual two-day outdoor music festival spotlighting LGBTQ artists and vocal allies. With the new musical event, Manocha and his programming team are coalescing entertainment and visibility.

Featuring big queer names like Brandi Carlisle, Rufus Wainwright, and Be Steadwell, etc. Comfortably out for some time, Manocha regularly attends Wolf Trap performances and donor events with his husband Gideon Malone. And for some pre-Valentine’s Day fun, Titus Burgess, the queer comedian, singer, and actor who is best

series “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” is booked for Feb. 12.

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Best Of LGBTQ DC 2024 continued

Best Theater Production: ‘Macbeth,’ Shakespeare Theatre Company

610 F St., N.W. Shakespearetheatre.org

Editor’s Choice: “Fat Ham,” Studio Theatre

If there was a hot ticket in D.C. last season, Shakespeare Theatre Company’s (STC) “Macbeth” was it.

Among the Bard’s shortest and most popular tragedies, “Macbeth” typically comes with a built-in audience. But in directing the classic, STC’s artistic director Simon Godwin didn’t take any chances. He packed the production with talented star power including stage and screen star Ralph Fiennes (“The English Patient”) as the eponymous Scottish general and Olivier Award-winner Indira Varma (“Game of Thrones”) who played the monumentally ruthless Lady Macbeth.

Prior to coming to Washington in April of 2024, the greatly anticipated production enjoyed successful runs in Liverpool, Edinburgh, and London. Here, STC took its contemporary and satisfying take on “Macbeth” to a former BET soundstage in Brentwood, transforming the massive empty space into a war-scorched set perfect for scenes both large and intimate.

Best LGBTQ Bar: Crush

2007 14th St., N.W.

crushbardc.com

Editor’s Choice: Little Gay Pub

Although Crush is one of the newest LGBTQ bars in the district, the weekly line around the block shows weekend after weekend that the 14th Street dance bar is the place to let loose, enjoy a cocktail, and live out your dancing queen fantasy. Its walls covered with nostalgic posters of pop divas and vinyl records of the latest playlist mainstays show that Crush is a sanctuary of dance.

ing’s greatest invention since surround sound: disco balls. Its list of signature cocktails includes the Kamala Kolada, Miora Rosé, and ever-popular orange and grapefruit crushes.

Its owners Stephen Rutgers and Mark Rutstein, who formerly operated the Cobalt Dance Bar, have come together to “create a new entertainment space that bridges the gap of labels” in the nation’s capital.

Best Bartender: Ben Oursler, Annie’s

1609 17th St., N.W. anniesparamountdc.com

Runner-up: Jared Keith Lee, Crush It makes sense that a restaurant like Annie’s Paramount Steakhouse with such an vaunted history in Washington’s LGBTQ scene would have the most voted for bartender, and this year’s honor goes to Ben Oursler.

Oursler has helped Annie’s stay the special LGBTQ institution D.C. queers have loved for decades by slinging drinks and smiles to everyone who comes in. His infectious attitude and spirit help make Annie’s a place of year-round celebration.

Best Local DJ: DJ Matt Bailer

Runner-up: DJ Heat

If you have visited any gay bars over the past few years, there’s zero chance you haven’t seen, heard, and danced to the musical stylings of DJ Matt Bailer effortlessly mixes the trendiest artists, like Chappell Roan, with classic hits like “YMCA” to create a sound that is uniquely Bailer. It is hard to stand on the

as his funky beats interlock with tried-and-true staples -

is a testament to not only his dedication to the craft, but also to the D.C. LGBTQ com-

including the 2024 voted best LGBTQ bar Crush, Kiki, Pitchers, and the wildly popular ‘90s dance party Peach Pit at DC9.

Best Neighborhood Bar: Number Nine

1435 P St., N.W.

numberninedc.com

Editor’s Choice: Larry’s Lounge

seating, handsome bartenders who remember your order, and polished vibe, it makes sense that Number Nine was voted best neighborhood bar. The bar being a hot spot for Stonewall sports events, their collection of non-stop iconic music videos, and daily twofor-one drink deals keep the crowds coming. Don’t forget to grab a mint Lifesaver (and copy of the Blade) from the giant bowl out front before you sit down, sip, and relax with your friends for the night.

(Photo by Marc Brenner)

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

9pm-Thursdays10/24,11/7,1/14,&11/28

Best Of LGBTQ DC 2024 continued

Best Happy Hour presented by ABSOLUT: Crush

2007 14th St., N.W.

crushbardc.com

Editor’s Choice: JR.’s Bar & Grill Newcomer Crush made the Blade’s Best Of list twice this year. The bar’s fun nostalgic dance theme gets people in the door, but the happy hour is what keeps them there. Each weekday from 5-8 p.m. Crush offers $7 premium drinks, $9 craft cocktails (including their namesake orange crush), and half-priced draft beers.

Best Outdoor Drinking: Little Gay Pub

1100 P St., N.W. thelittlegaypub.com

Editor’s Choice: Kiki

D.C. may not be known for our year-round perfect weather, but the queer community in the city has always fancied outdoor spaces that offer comfortably cute places to sip and share with friends. Logan Circle’s Little Gay Pub was voted this year’s best outdoor drinking spot as it has an enclosed awning, picnic tables with rainbow parasols, and iconic red telephone box mural that makes the bar impossible to miss.

Best LGBTQ-Friendly Bar: Dacha Beer Garden

1600 7th St., N.W. and 79 Potomac Ave., S.E. dachabeergarden.com

Editor’s Choice: Stoney’s

Although not owned by a member of the LGBTQ

a gay bar, you will consistently see groups of D.C.’s LGBTQ community hanging out at Dacha Beer Garden drinking boots of beer and enjoying a selection off the beer garden’s extensive menu. With its giant murals of gay icons Elizabeth Taylor at the Shaw location and Jackie Onassis in the Navy Yard spot, it’s easy to see

Best LGBTQ Bar Outside the District: Freddie’s Beach Bar

555 23rd St. S Arlington, Va. freddiesbeachbar.com

Editor’s Choice: Baltimore Eagle

it opened more than 20 years ago. Serving classic cocktails and a full menu, its famous Sunday Buffet Brunch, and daily events including drag shows, bingo, and karaoke, it straight friendly restaurant and bar” outside of the District.

Best Museum: National Gallery of Art

6th St. and Constitution Ave., N.W. nga.gov

Editor’s Choice: National Museum of African American History & Culture

tures, decorative arts, photographs, prints, and drawings, the gallery showcases mas-

45-minute self-guided tour. The gallery’s stunning architecture –– with one building in neoclassical and the other in modern style –– is worth the visit alone. Admission is free,

COMMUNITY

Best Local TV/Radio Personality: Kidd O’Shea Runner-up: Chuck Bell, NBC4

fake radio shows in his bedroom he would later play for his friend on a cassette tape during their drive to school.

Personality award.

and radio staple for the D.C. community.

She said the recognition was long overdue given how much the community adores O’Shea.

segments with his friends who owned camcorders. After meeting a neighbor who was what he did.

station that played gospel music Sunday morning at 7 a.m.”

pushing buttons and answering phones but eventually worked his way up. O’Shea said he’s grateful to be pursuing a career where sharing your personal life

open.

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Best Of LGBTQ DC 2024 continued

“Coming up through radio, that’s really how you make that connection is being honest and open,” he said. “If I met you at a bar on a Friday night, I would tell you the same story that I tell you the next morning on the radio or TV.”

up about his identity on air on a Milwaukee radio show he co-hosted called the Kidd and Elizabeth Show.

After former President Barack Obama endorsed gay marriage in 2012, O’Shea casually offered his thoughts on the endorsement “as a gay man” with his co-host Elizabeth Kay.

“Listeners were like, ‘I think Kidd just said he’s gay,’” he said. “That was a really important moment in my career, because while I wasn’t hiding it, I was still not revealing completely who I was. And once I did, people understood my relationship better with my co-host.”

Shortly after that segment, a 17-year-old boy called into the show to get advice about coming out to his parents.

The next day, the boy called back to tell them he did it and everything went great.

“[It’s worth it] if just one person feels more comfortable by waking up and seeing me on television and being like, ‘Oh, I’m not alone, I’m not different,’” O’Shea said. “I think that visibility is just so important.”

Waters said O’Shea and the GMW team’s appeal to the community that people see on screen is what they see in real life.

sumed he would be a “buttoned-up entertainment reporter.” But when she got to know him, she realized he was authentic and attracted to the simple things in life.

“You give him vodka soda, the same meal every week at Annie’s and a good conversation,” Waters said. “It’s crazy, because he travels the world and gets to do all of these different excursions and experiences for the show. But I think he values being with us most and in our community in D.C., having a good time.”

It’s the vibrant and supportive D.C. community that O’Shea said keeps him grounded in the area.

portive coworkers –– I’m going to keep riding this one as long as I possibly can,” O’Shea said. (Clinton Engelberger)

Best B Q ent: Ca ital ride

2000 14th St., N.W.

capitalpride.org

Editor’s Choice: de

What’s D.C. without Capital Pride — the crown jewel of all Pride events in the nation’s capital? Not only does this yearly event attract tens of thousands of attendees from all over the world, it is a celebration of the color and vibrancy the D.C. LGBTQ scene has to offer. And 2025 promises to be the biggest year yet for Capital Pride as the city prepares to host World Pride, which is expected to bring 2 million visitors to D.C. in May and June.

Best Pride Outside of D.C: Baltimore Pride

baltimorepride.com

Editor’s Choice: Annapolis Pride

One of the buzziest events of the summer, Baltimore Pride is a showcase for the beauty of Baltimore’s LGBTQ scene. It features a parade and festival with plenty of diverse vendors and a less corporate vibe than many other urban Pride celebrations.

Best Clergy: Bishop. Thomas Wieczorek

Runner-up: Rev. Ashley Goff

Thomas Wieczorek’s popularity as a longstanding clergy member andparish of St. Mary’s National Catholic Church of North America prompted his fellow priests and bishops in 2022 to elect him as an auxiliary bishop. Rather than a breakaway version of the Roman Catholic Church, Wieczorek describes the National Catholic Church of North America as an independent Catholic Church that ordains married, LGBTQ clergy and “welcomes

a weekly virtual church service via Facebook Live to meet the needs of what he calls an active community that offers sacraments including baptism,

safety director, and city manager. As if that were not enough, he is an owner and partner

the U.S. and Canada and is the father of two and grandfather of seven.

Best use rshi : i th

600 I St., N.W. sixthandi.org

Editor’s Choice: et opol ta o t h h o a h to This historic synagogue is a non-denominational, non-membership, non-traditional Jewish congregation. It is one of the oldest synagogues in the city and is well-known for hosting many lectures, concerts, and art exhibitions for the general public.

Most Committed Activist: Rayceen Pendarvis

Runner-up: Ashley Smith

Rayceen Pendarvis has once again been selected as Most Committed Activist in the role of longtime event moderator, emcee, entertainer, and LGBTQ rights advocate. Pendarvis be-ure in the local LGBTQ community as host of the “Ask Rayceen Show,” a liveyear run from 2012 to 2021. Pendarvis has also served as an elected D.C. Advisory Neighborhoodple fundraisers, Pride celebrations, arts and other events. In June of 2021, the D.C. Council unanimously approved a resolution recognizing Pendarvis’s accomplishments that it said made D.C. a better city. And that same year, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser issued a mayoral proclamation recognizing the contributions of Pendarvis and the “Ask Rayceen Show.”

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

(Photo courtesy Thomas Wieczorek)

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Best D.C. u li ial: Christina enders n

Runner-up: Japer Bowles

bian Activists Alliance in her 2020 election

Best ateur rts eague: t ne all B e Logan Circle., N.W. stonewallbocce.leagueapps.com

Editor’s Choice: DC Gay Flag Football

Best Daytri : nna lis

Editor’s Choice: Harpers Ferry

Best B Q ial r u : ay en s Ch rus ashingt n 1517 18th St., N.W. gmcw.org

Editor’s Choice: DC Gay Girls Plus

Best al r essi nal rts ea : ashingt n irit

washingtonspirit.com

Editor’s Choice: DC United

Best n r t: smyal.org

Editor’s Choice: Capital Pride Alliance

CONTINUES ON PAGE 52

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

(Photo courtesy Washington Spirit)

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

(Photo courtesy John Jack)

Best Of LGBTQ DC 2024 continued

Best LGBTQ Community Center Outside of D.C.: CAMP Rehoboth

37 Baltimore Ave. Rehoboth Beach, Del. camprehoboth.org

Editor’s Choice: Pride Center of Maryland CAMP Rehoboth is an invaluable LGBTQ+ community center serving southern Delaware and beyond that is committed to fostering inclusivity for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. Founded in the 1990s as a response to backlash against growing queer visibility in Rehoboth Beach, the organization has since become an essential force in building a safer, more accepting community. Describing itself as “an oasis and a voice for members of the LGBTQ+ community,” CAMP Rehoboth continues to look ahead with its strategic plan, “Pride in Progress,” which focuses on expanding its programs and services beyond Rehoboth Beach to maximize its impact. The center has also published Letters from CAMP Rehoboth, a free monthly newsletter chronicling LGBTQ+ life in the area, since its founding.

Best Local Website/Social Media Account: Washingtonian Problems

Editor’s Choice: Queer Talk DC

From challenges on the Metro to crime in the DMV, local elections, and cool things to do when you’re entertaining out-of-town guests, Washingtonian Problems spotlights the best — and, often, the worst — that our Nation’s Capital has to offer.

BUSINESS

Best Local Businessperson: Freddie Lutz, Freddie’s Beach Bar Runner-up: Russwin Francisco, Bite the Fruit

the same building in which the iconic Café Italia was located and where Lutz began his career in the restaurant business in the 1970s as the Maitre’d. In October of 2021, Lutz opened a Freddie’s Beach Bar and Restaurant in Rehoboth Beach, Del. Lutz has referred to Freddie’s in Arlington and Rehoboth as “straight friendly” gay bars, where he has said everyone supportive of the LGBTQ community, especially those considered allies, are welcome. The entertainment offered at Freddie’s, including karaoke, drag bingo, and highly popular drag shows, have drawn large crowds. Also drawing crowds have been the LGBTQ community events such as fundraisers that Freddie’s

Among the many honors and awards received by Lutz and Freddie’s Beach Bar was the 2017 Arlington County Human Rights Commission’s Human Rights Award honoring Freddie’s for its “outstanding accomplishments” in advancing human rights.

now Federico’s.”

Best Medical Provider: Whitman-Walker Health

Multiple locations whitman-walker.org

Editor’s Choice: AIDS Healthcare Foundation

Whitman-Walker Health has been serving D.C. since 1973.

Named after Walt Whitman, who once lived in Washington, and Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, a physician who worked in D.C. during the Civil War before she became a women’s rights activist, Whitman-Walker was one of

Whitman-Walker’s mission has expanded to include legal services and general medical and dental care for LGBTQ Washingtonians and the city’s residents as a whole.

D.C. and around the world.

Best Lawyer: A.J. Singletary

Runner-up: Amy Nelson air and climate law, policy and transactions as a lawyer with Van

He represents renewable energy developers, power plant operators, vehicle and engine manufacturers, policy institutes and related clients on matters including strategic direction related to environmental law and policy, air quality permits under the Clean Air Act, regulation of vehicle emissions, new and existing climate change laws and regulations and offshore wind development.

a mental health advocate and shares his experiences being bipolar and sober to reduce stigma

Freddie Lutz, the owner of Freddie’s Beach Bar and Restaurant in the Crystal Cityport of the LGBTQ community and community business development in the section of Arlington where Freddie’s is located known as National Landing. In 2018, Lutz opened his second business in Crystal City, Federico’s Ristorante Ital-

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

(Photo courtesy AJ Singletary)

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Best Of LGBTQ DC 2024 continued

Best Dentist: Dr. reg ry artin DD

5454 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.

gregorymartindds.com

Runner-up: Dr. Rob McKernan, Big Gay Smiles & Whitman-Walker Health

Dr. Gregory Martin and his team are committed to creating an environment where everyone feels respected, heard and valued. They deliver dental care comprehensively, scientifically, and cosmetically to focus on the mouth/body

Dr. Martin’s comprehensive approach offers a full complement of modern, digital and precise dentistry adjacent to a complete suite of pioneering state-of-theart medical grade aesthetics ensuring that oral health goes far beyond the smile.

free tattoo removal for all patients, one of many extras available. Dr. Martin is a native to the D.C. area and a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Dentistry.

Best Private School: Barrie School

13500 Layhill Rd.

Silver Spring, Md.

Editor’s Choice: Burgundy Farm Country Day School

Barrie School bills itself as a “progressive independent school that inspires excellence, intrinsic motivation and responsibility through innovation in learning.”

With students starting at 3 months of age through grade 12, the Silver Spring, Md.based school features a 45-acre campus that boasts an “extraordinary learning environ-

Best Real Estate Agent: Stacey Williams-Zeiger, Zeiger Realty

10300 Sweetbriar Pkwy Silver Spring, Md. zeigerrealty.com

Runner-up: Taylor Carney, Compass

Best Real Estate Group: Bediz Group, Keller Williams

1918 18th St., N.W. bediz.com

Runner-up: e a ea o pa

Bediz Group is a team of nine real estate agents with Keller Williams, one of the larg-exceptional work. It offers a comprehensive suite of real estate services and is here to

Best Med Spa: ProMD Health

1003 K St., N.W. promdhealth.com

Editor’s Choice: o e a e t d o This spot provides anti-aging treatments, Botox and hormone therapy for patients in the D.C. area. This place is a state-of-theart medical facility specializing in non-surgical aesthetic treatments and procedures to help patients look younger and feel younger. Whether your goals are prevention, treating a skin concern, looking like you did 10 years ago, or feeling like you did 10 years ago, ProMD Health has something for everyone.

Zeiger Realty real estate offers brokerage services in Maryland, the District of Columbia, Virginia, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. This award-winning company doesn’t only

(Photo courtesy Barrie School)

( Photo by Denis Largeron, Photo courtesy of Williams-Zeiger)

(Photo courtesy ProMD Health)

(Photo courtesy Gregory Martin)

Best Of LGBTQ DC 2024 continued

Best Hotel: Conrad

950 New York Ave., N.W. conradwashingtondc.com

Editor’s Choice: Eaton DC

A self-described “unexpected urban oasis,” this hotel is where you go to experience modern luxury in D.C. With an art-forward approach to contemporary luxury, Conrad invites guests to experience D.C. through the lens of a local resident of the District and enjoy the culture and color that makes our nation’s capital one of the most incredible

Best Tattoo Parlor: Tattoo Paradise

2444 18th St., N.W.

tattooparadisedc.com

Editor’s Choice: att attoo

This popular tattoo spot has been serving the D.C. area since 2003. The artists here pride themselves on providing exceptional tattooing and body piercing services. The team consists of skilled in-house tattoo artists combined with a roster of talented guest tattooers from all over.

Best Adult Store: Bite the Fruit

1723 Connecticut Ave., N.W. btfonline.store

Editor’s Choice:

What’s Your Pleasure D.C.

The age of pleasure never ends and where else to grab the best tools than here? Bite the Fruit is a peerless adult boutique shop of provocative apparel and sexual furnishings. As the store itself says, “Play like nobody’s watching!”

Best Car Dealership: BMW of Fairfax

8427 Lee Hwy, Fairfax, VA bmwoffairfax.com

Editor’s Choice: DARCARS

Looking for a sleek, classy car that’ll get you all the compliments? BMW of Fairfax has got you covered. Not only do the car dealers here provide great customer service and

Best Fitness or Workout Spot: VIDA Fitness

Multiple locations

daft e o

Editor’s Choice: [solidcore]

With amenities like private personal training sessions, classes taught by nationally accredited coaches, state-ofthe-art equipment, and the exclusive Penthouse Pool, Vida Fitness is understandably one of the DMV’s most known gyms. Vida Fitness is more than just a gym; it’s a community hub for LGBTQ individuals looking to stay active. Its inclusive environment -nections alike.

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

(Photo courtesy Bite The Fruit)

(Photo courtesy Vida Fitness)

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

(Photo courtesy Conrad Hotel)

Best Of LGBTQ DC 2024 continued

Most LGBTQ-Friendly Workplace: Whitman-Walker Health

1525 14th St., N.W. whitman-walker.org

Editor’s Choice: Stratus Firm

Whitman-Walker Health, the 2023 winner of the “Medical Provider” category, is not only dedicated to patient care but also to the well-being of its employees. Located at Logan Circle, the organization is a pillar in D.C.’s LGBTQ community, known for offering stigma-free healthcare and legal services.

organizations to respond to the HIV/AIDS crisis in the city, Whitman-Walker continues to lead through the Whitman-Walker Institute, which emphasizes education and advocacy, while housing a research center pursuing breakthroughs in HIV treatment and prevention. Employees

Best Home Furnishings: Miss Pixie’s

misspixies.com

1830 Columbia Rd., N.W.

Editor’s Choice: GoodWood

Whether you’ve just moved to D.C. and need to furnish your apartment or you’re searching for that perfect addition to your “whatnots,” Miss Pixie’s is the go-to spot. The home furnishing store is packed with chairs, tables, couches, bookshelves, paintings, vases, photos, magazines, offering anything “Victorian to yesterday with a bit of midcentury and shabby chic thrown in” that might fancy up your living quarters. This year, Miss Pixie’s relocated from 14th Street back to Adams Morgan, a return to the neighbor-

map of Rehoboth Beach or a charming table-and-chair set for your balcony. Items are affordably priced and new treasures arrive every Thursday and Friday.

Best Pet Business or Veterinarian: City Dogs

1832 18th St., N.W. city-dogs.com

Editor’s Choice: District Dogs

Whether your furry friend needs a quick haircut, a fun day at daycare, or an overnight stay while you’re away, City Dogs has it all covered. Locally owned and operated, City Dogs offers a loving, cage-free environment with experienced staff. Their services include grooming, daycare, and boarding, with convenient drop-off and pick-up options. Daycare is especially helpful for new puppies and recently adopted rescue dogs, with City Dogs providing attention and socialization while you’re at work. Dogs are grouped by size and play style, with smaller, gentle pups and seniors in one room, and larger, more energetic dogs in another, ensuring a safe and playful experience for every pet.

Best Alternative Transportation: Metro

wmata.com

Editor’s Choice: Capital Bikeshare

Thanks to its exceptional Metro system, D.C. is one of the few cities in the U.S. where

Stations are not only clean but also feature the iconic concrete arch, with warm, calming lighting enhancing your commuting experience. It’s easy to travel across the greater D.C. area: You can get from Nationals Park to U Street, or from Arlington to Dupont Circle, in under 20 minutes. And for areas not directly served by the MetroRail, the extensive MetroBus network provides excellent connectivity. This combination gives D.C. one of the best public transportation systems in the country.

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Best Of LGBTQ DC 2024 continued

Best Salon/Spa: Logan 14

1314 14th St., N.W.

logan14salonspa.com

Editor’s Choice: Salon Quency

After eight consecutive wins in this category, Logan 14 was voted Most LGBTQ-Friendly Workplace in 2023, but it reclaimed the Best Salon/Spa title this year. Logan 14 offers a wide range of beauty and wellness services, describing itself as “a sanctuary in the middle of busy Washington, D.C.” About 75 percent of its skilled in haircuts, coloring, bridal services, rejuvenating massages and skincare

removal. Logan 14 exclusively uses Aveda products, due to its environmentally conscious manufacturing. With a focus on inclusivity and exceptional service, Logan 14 continues to be a beloved destination for beauty and wellness in the heart of the city.

REHOBOTH BEACH

Best Rehoboth-Area Bartender: Doug Moore, Starboard

2009 DE-1

Dewey Beach, Del.

thestarboard.com

Runner-Up: Zack West, Nalu

Anyone who’s been to the Starboard in Dewey Beach knows Doug Moore, the ev-Moore, who’s gay, has worked at the ‘board for 17 years, starting in 2007 in the gift shop, then moving to serving, then to bartending. He helped to open the Shark Tank, the Starboard’s year-round bar located at the front of the sprawling complex, in 2008 and says that since then, “crushes have taken over.”

He has seen a lot of change in 17 years as the area has become “a lot more year round down here, which we love. People are moving here and retiring here so it’s amazing. More people are discovering what a great destination the Delaware shore is.”

de-stigmatize substance abuse.

Moore, who recently turned 40, is single, lives in Rehoboth, and enjoys beach volleyball. He grew up in Bear, Del., and graduated from the University of Delaware. He

days a week, so stop by and say hello.

“We are come one come all at the Starboard,” he enthuses. “You’ll see everyone from six-month-old babies to a group of gay guys for Sunday brunch to bikers next to nuns next to senior week partiers. We put on a good time and everyone is there to have fun.”

Best Rehoboth Drag Queen: Magnolia Applebottom

Runner-up: Roxy Overbrooke -

ning this category multiple times, including last year. She is a tireless performer, taking the stage at venues across Rehoboth Beach and even across Delaware. At Diego’s she presides over the popular Splash party, which took this year’s award for Best Rehoboth Drag Show. In addition to her inventive costumes and witty banter, Magnolia sings live, which has endeared her to audiences all year long. In addition to her regular duties at Diego’s and Blue Moon, she’s headlined Salisbury Pride for three years and co-head-

CONTINUES ON PAGE 64

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

(Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

(Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)

Celebrate Native American Heritage Month with museum programs in Washington, DC, and online.

Mvskoke Etvlwv: The Muscogee People Festival

Friday and Saturday, November 1–2, 10 AM–5:30 PM

Honoring Native Veterans | Monday, November 11, 10 AM–5 PM

Native Cinema Showcase 2024

November 22–29, 12 AM–11:59 PM ET, daily | On demand

Native American Heritage Day

Honoring Zitkala-Ša with Hoop Dancer Starr Chief Eagle

Friday, November 29, 11:30 AM, 12:30 PM, 2 PM, and 3 PM

Plan your trip today to gain a whole new perspective. AmericanIndian.si.edu | @SmithsonianNMAI Appreciate the vibrant

Photo courtesy of Starr Chief Eagle

Best Of LGBTQ DC 2024 continued

Best Rehoboth Drag Show:

Splash Party with Magnolia Applebottom at Diego’s

37298 Rehoboth Ave.

Rehoboth Beach, Del.

Diegosbarnightclub.com

Editor’s Choice: Drag Brunch at the Pines

Magnolia extends her winning streak to this category, edging out the competition, which is stiff in Rehoboth. Whether she’s celebrating Pride or covering Whitney Houston and getting the customers dancing, Mags gives it her all and Rehoboth readers have responded with two resounding wins this year.

Best Rehoboth-Area Live Show: Pamala Stanley at Diego’s

37298 Rehoboth Ave.

Rehoboth Beach, Del.

Diegosbarnightclub.com

Editor’s Choice: Games with Magnolia at Blue Moon

Best Rehoboth Outdoor Dining: Purple Parrot

134 Rehoboth Ave.

Rehoboth Beach, Del. ppgrill.com

Editor’s Choice: Aqua

The gay-owned Purple Parrot celebrated its 25th anniversary this year and it remains a local institution. The bar and restaurant, which serve American cuisine always focused on being a welcoming space for all. Co-owner Hugh Fuller told the Blade earlier this year that this is one of the reasons why the restaurant has had such a lasting im-

“Back in the ‘90s up, the amount of straight crossdressers that would come were like, ‘Oh, are we allowed to come in? Are we welcomed into a place like that?’ And we were like ‘Everybody that walks on this planet is welcome here!’” Fuller said. “Those are the kinds of things, you know, where people just felt comfortable. They would get stared at out on the street, but inside they would walk around and feel like they were in their own skin. It was just really cool to see.”

The menu includes crab cakes, burgers, quesadillas, and more, along with special prime rib and German cuisine nights. The vibe is decidedly beachy in the Biergarten

Best Rehoboth Coffee Shop: Crystal Restaurant

37300 Rehoboth Ave., Ext. 1

Rehoboth Beach, Del.

Editor’s Choice: Rise Up

Crystal is a new winner in this category, beloved for its diner vibe and affordable, delicious breakfasts, the perfect hangover cure after a long night next door at Diego’s. You can certainly pay more for a satisfying plate of eggs, bacon, and hash browns, but

What can we say about Pamala Stanley that we haven’t said before? The Blade crowned her “Queen of Rehoboth” years ago for a reason. She’s played multiple venues in town over the years but her latest residency at Diego’s feels like a return to the good old days of the Blue Moon, with its indoor-outdoor stage, room for dancing, shirtless shot boys, and over-the-top party vibe. She packed Diego’s all summer with her longstanding Sunday night dance party and added a Broadway piano show on Monday nights, both of which will continue through the holidays. Pamala is true talent, wowing crowds with her voice and somehow managing to remember the lyrics to everything from Janet Jackson to Johnny Mathis. We simply can’t imagine the town without her.

(Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

(Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

(Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

(Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

Best Local Brewery!

Tuesday: Drag Bingo

Monday: District Trivia

Wednesday: Red Bear’s Trivia Every Week!

Best Of LGBTQ DC 2024 continued

Best Rehoboth Restaurant: Blue Moon

35 Baltimore Ave.

Rehoboth Beach, Del.

Bluemoonrehoboth.com

Editor’s Choice: Henlopen City Oyster House

This category has grown more competitive in recent years with the arrival of The Pines, Drift, and Bodhi Kitchen, all within a stone’s throw of the iconic Moon. The proprietors of Second Block Hospitality Group, which owns those three popular spots, even won Restaurateurs of the Year from the Delaware Restaurant Association earlier this month. But the Blue Moon is standing strong and is beloved by Blade readers for its longevity, year-round entertainment, and, of course, its food. The popular Tast-

ing Tuesday returned last month and runs through the off-season, offering discounted three-course dinners with wine pairings. Sunday brunch remains among the best in town. A visit to Rehoboth simply isn’t complete without a stop at the Moon.

Best Rehoboth Real Estate Agent:

Lee Ann Wilkinson

16698 Kings Highway A Lewes, Del.

Leeanngroup.com

Runner-up: Andy Staton

This category was closer than in recent years, but Lee Ann Wilkinson stays on top for an unprecedented seventh consecutive year. Maybe we should name this award after her?

Wilkinson, of Berkshire Hathaway, earlier this year celebrated a major industry award after being named No. 1 in total sales volume for the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Network. She’s an LGBTQ ally and the coming down for the summer until my family moved here full-time from Norristown, outside of Philly. We had always been gay-friendly. We never thought about it. My

The gay population was always welcome.”

Three of Wilkinson’s four daughters work for her and she told the Blade she has no plans to retire anytime soon. So we could see the family in this category again.

Best Rehoboth Business: Diego’s

37298 Rehoboth Ave.

Rehoboth Beach, Del.

Diegosbarnightclub.com

Editor’s Choice: Aqua Bar & Grill -

popular with LGBTQ crowds. Owners Darryl and Joe -ceptional job of programming the non-stop entertainment, including drag shows, world-renowned DJs, and the aforementioned Pamala Stanley. The bartenderslate-night dancing and remains popular at happy hour and, of course, on Sundays.

Thanks to our sponsors!

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

(Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

By JOHN PAUL KING

COOPER KOCH and NICHOLAS ALEXANDER CHAVEZ star in ‘Monsters.’

Franklin County Pride

Fifth annual LGBTQ celebration held at Wilson College

The 2024 Franklin County Pride Festival was held on the campus of Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pa. on Sunday, Oct. 13.

(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)

Uncertainty everywhere: the ups and downs of real estate

With rates declining, we’re ready to get off this roller coaster once and for all

By DAVID BEDIZ

It’s an election year, after a once-in-a-century pandemic, and the country has an uncertain future; for many of us, it feels like its own existence is hanging in the balance. With so much uncertainty in the air, few people would think of real estate at this moment, right?

Perhaps. But for a large group of buyers and sellers actually entering the market now, after waiting years for rates to fall, it seems as good a time as any to join the froth of a bubbling market. To be clear, the frothiness is not felt everywhere, nor for every type of home, so once again, uncertainty seems to be the word of the day and the overall mood in the air.

Sept. 19, 2024 was a date that sellers, buyers and most of all Realtors had circled on their calendars, waiting with breathless anticipation as the promise of a Federal Reserve cut in the overnight lending rate (the “prime” rate) was all but promised by chairman Jerome Powell in the preceding weeks and months. Speculation abounded as to whether it would actually happen though, since Powell had previously promised rate cuts throughout 2022 and “at least three” in 2023—only to play the Lucy role with her proverbial football over and over again, never actually reducing rates by even a skosh.

Those in the know would barely venture an optimistic guess as to whether it would truly happen, and the optimistic few that said “this time, this time it has to happen” would only commit to the cut being a quarter point.

In the weeks before the meeting, mortgage lenders saw that interest rates offered in the open market to consumers actually did fall, which was an indication that market players themselves were more optimistic than the pundits, and had “baked in” the portended rate cut already.

But when Powell made the announcement, he didn’t just give us the football, he gave us a touchdown — with a half-point reduction. Realtors rejoiced; sellers said “sell,” buy-

give the grim news: apparently, the market had baked in too high a rate cut already—

and rates actually went UP instead.

So, Lucy turned out to be there all along, not pulling the football back with the hands of Powell, but with the so-called “invisible hand” of market dynamics. Sellers, buyers, and Realtors alike sighed with disappointment, as we then anticipated a season with less froth after all.

All that said, the numbers are actually pretty good in local real estate. While days on market for closed single family homes, condos, and co-ops is up to an average of 23 in Washington, D.C., from their lows of 11 in 2020, median prices this year are actually hovering right near their all-time highs in 2021 of $671,000, down just 0.9% to $664,500.

The resilience of the housing market is buoyed by strong single-family home sales in upper Northwest D.C. which seems to have bidding wars for almost every property; those in the business will certify that condos, especially in more transitional areas, are suffering in the meantime.

Many of our clients with the slower-moving properties are turning to renting them instead, which has caused a higher inventory of rental properties, in turn resulting in some softening in rental prices from their peaks in 2022. So for many sellers, landlords, and agents, this year has felt like a slow one no matter which way we turn.

To navigate these twists and turns of an ever-surprising real estate landscape, it helps to turn to experienced advocates, especially those that have weathered a similar storm before. Our team, for example, has helped our clients through the relatively painless market slowdowns in 2005 and 2007, and of course through the world-changing market crash of 2008, and then the drastically uncertain times during COVID.

From my perspective though, it has been the post-COVID time of high interest rates that is the most challenging of my whole career, and the most frustrating for some of our clients. I think we can all agree that we are ready to get off this roller coaster once and for all—and to not ever want to ride it again.

DAVID BEDIZ

is team leader and a 20-year veteran agent at the Bediz Group, LLC. Reach him via www.bediz.com or 202-642-1616.

The real estate market has resembled a roller coaster for years now, especially since the pandemic.

MASSAGE

MASSAGE FOR MEN

Private studio near Rosslyn/Courthouse, weekends (Fri-Mon), 12-9. Text Gary @301-704-1158 or visit www.mymassagebygary.com

BULLETIN BOARD

Academy of Hope

Adult Public Charter School REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

AI IMPLEMENTATION

The Academy of Hope Adult Public Charter School in Washington, DC is requesting proposals for AI Implementation. See full RFP for details and submission information at https://aohdc.org/get-involved/ 24/7/365

MEDIACENTER

$39.00 p/hour. The DMV’s one and only Trans owned Media & Broadcasting Centre. Schedule Meetings in our 10 person executive suites with dual 85” displays, 3 TV Broadcasting / Recording Studios, 2 Podcasting/Vidcasting Studios, 1 Dressing & Makeup Room, Dual Editing Bays,Recording Studios, Dual Master Control Rooms (1 TV, 1 Music) Large Green Room, Watch Parties, Event Parties, Corporate Meetings, Kitchen

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

need

please email

or call

CLEANING

HANDYMAN

BRITISH REMODELING

Local licensed company with over 25 years of experience. Specializing in bathrooms, kitchens & all interior/exterior repairs. Drywall, paint, electrical, wallpa- per roofn sidin . 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 Offces, Slattery Law, LLC. 240-245-7765

Catelyn@ModernFamilyFormation.com

LIMOUSINES

KASPER’S LIVERY SERVICE Since 1987. Gay & Veteran Owner/ Operator. Lincoln Nautilus! Proper DC License & Livery Insured. www.KasperLivery.com 202-554-2471

MOVERS AROUND TOWN

MOVERS & STORAGE

Local | Long Distance

Residential | Commercial Licensed & Insured

Packing | Moving | Unpacking

Ask about the Blade discount! Call oday . .

www. ro nd ownMo ers.com

FOR RENT / DC

LO C CL CO . C

CHARMING HOUSE NW DC

enovated bric house uiet street, 3BR, 2 2 ½ BA, modern kitchen, frpl, hardwood oors central air washer dr er alarm system, video cameras, exposed brickface, backyard W/deck, cable access, dntwn, St. Prkg, near Logan Circle & Convention Ctr, 1 ½ blocks from metro, no smokers or pets, Avail immed. 4 mo util. iew te t call 2 2 4 or email li a hahoo.com for Open Information.

MEN FOR MEN LONE WOLF

Older WM Wolf seeks long-term hookups with older WM bears. Wolf packs rubbers. lonewolf proton.me

ISO, HOT BI-RACIAL handsome, tall, hung, dude to bottom for me. You won’t be disappointed. Sincere replies only. answer call or text after 9 pm. 240-457-1292

BODYWORK

THE MAGIC TOUCH Swedish, Massage or Deep Tissue. Appts. Low Rates, 24/7, In-Calls.

Place your ad today at as in

PUBLISHES LEGAL NOTICES including probate, small estates & foreign estates. Public notices are re uired to be published in newspapers of general circulation because these venues (now both print & online) reach the largest number of people in the community, while offering an easily archivable verifable outlet to ma e sure the notice was published when & how it was intended. Further, newspapers display notices in the context of other news & information that people in the community read. Newspapers & their associated websites are the appropriate forums for notices that affect citizens & the general public. Ask the court to publish yours in the Blade. The courts will take care of the set-up process. Another way to support your LGBTQ newspaper!