Washington Blade, Volume 55, Issue 45, November 08, 2024

Trump’s win is a setback but we are (still) not going back. Complete election coverage,

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D.C. police release photos of suspects in anti-gay attack at 14th & U

In separate case, gay couple attacked on Metrobus on Halloween night

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

D.C. police on Nov. 5 released photos of seven suspects linked to the Oct. 27 assault of a 22-year-old gay man at the McDonald’s restaurant at 14th and U Streets, N.W. that a police report lists as a suspected hate crime.

The police report says the victim, Sebastian Thomas Robles Lascarro, told police as many as 15 people, mostly men and some women, punched him repeatedly in the face and body, with some yelling the word “faggot,” after one of the women criticized him for not saying “excuse me” when he walked past her.

“Thomas was attacked by a mob who used hateful, derogatory language targeting his identity as a gay man,” Lascarro’s husband, Stuart West, said and who noted that Lascarro goes by his middle name Thomas. “This horrifc hate crime left him hospitalized overnight, facing serious physical injuries and emotional trauma,” West said.

In a No. 5 statement, D.C. police said the photos of the suspects were obtained from nearby surveillance cameras. D.C. police chief Pamela Smith told the Washington Blade police investigators were working with McDonald’s offcials to obtain the video recordings from security cameras inside and outside the MacDonald’s.

“Anyone who can identify these suspects or who has knowledge of this incident should take no action but call police at 202-727-9099,” the police statement says. The statement adds that police are offering a $1,000 reward to anyone who provides information that leads to an arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for a violent crime in D.C., including the crime targeting Lascarro.

In a separate incident, FOX 5 News has reported this week that a gay male couple said they were the victims of a violent attack on a D.C. Metrobus on Halloween night, Oct. 31, and the two believe the incident should be listed as a hate crime.

According to FOX 5, Nico Nieves and Roy Capell said the incident took place around 1:30 a.m. after they left a gay bar on U Street, N.W., and boarded a Metrobus.

“They were all hitting us from all different angles,” FOX 5 quoted Capett as saying. “I was in the middle trying to block them and protect my partner from getting hit. I took a lot of punches to the back of the head, he took a lot of punches to his face,” FOX 5 quoted him as saying.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, or WMATA, which operates the Metro bus and subway system, didn’t immediately respond to a request by the Washington Blade for further information on the Metro Police investigation of the incident. The Blade also couldn’t immediately reach Nieves and Capell for comment.

FOX 5 reports that WMATA offcials said the assault occurred after a group boarded the bus at New Jersey Avenue in the city’s Shaw neighborhood.

“A Metro spokesperson indicated that preliminary investigations and video reviews suggested that Nieves and Capell were ‘belligerent and antagonistic’ toward other passengers, which led to a verbal altercation before they were assaulted and robbed of Nieves’s

necklace and watch,” FOX 5 reports.

But the TV news station’s report adds that Nieves and Capell dispute that claim, saying they were “simply being affectionate when a woman began yelling at them.” It further quotes Nieves as saying, “They were just calling us names, questioning why we are gay and f****, bunch of names. They started throwing punches because I said it was none of their business who we are, if I’m gay or not.”

Following a Nov. 4 press conference about security plans for election night activity in D.C. at which Mayor Muriel Bowser and Police Chief Smith spoke, Smith told the Blade police were actively investigating the McDonald’s assault against Lascarro. She also responded to concerns raised by West, Lascarro’s husband, that police did not initially list the attack as a possible hate crime until he contacted police the next day to ask about that.

“We’ve taken the time to review the body worn camera footage from the offcer who conducted the investigation with the victim of that particular crime,” Smith said. “And during that interview there was nothing that was said from the victim that there were any anti-gay or gay or racial slurs being shared with him,” according to Smith.

“We do recognize that often times when individuals go through a signifcant amount of trauma, they may forget details of what may have occurred,” she told the Blade. “But when we were made aware of the fact that there were some homophobic comments being made, we sent out an investigator, a detective, to do that investigation.”

SEBASTIAN THOMAS ROBLES LASCARRO was attacked at a McDonald’s at 14th and U streets. (Photo courtesy Stuart West)

D.C. police released these images of suspects in the McDonald’s attack. Anyone who can identify these suspects should call police at 202-727-9099. (Photos courtesy of MPD)

Gay members of Congress challenge Vance over ‘normal gay guy vote’

GOP vice presidential nominee made comments to Joe Rogan last week

By CHRISTOPHER KANE | ckane@washblade.com

In comments to the Washington Blade last week, two gay members of Congress rebuffed claims by the Republican vice presidential candidate, U.S. Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, that he and former President Donald Trump have “the normal gay guy vote.”

A poll of LGBTQ voters in August by the Human Rights Campaign showed the community overwhelmingly supports the Democratic ticket, led by Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, by a margin of 74-7.5 percent.

Nevertheless, Vance told podcaster Joe Rogan during an interview on Thursday that, “I wouldn’t be surprised if me and Trump won, just, the normal gay guy vote, because, they just wanted to be left the hell alone.”

The senator continued, “Now you have all this crazy stuff on top of it that they’re like, ‘No, no, we didn’t want to give pharmaceutical products to 9-year-olds who are transitioning their genders.’”

Gay U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, told the Blade, “I don’t trust JD Vance on a lot of things, and I sure as hell don’t trust him to know what’s ‘normal.’”

“JD has spent his time as both a candidate and senator attacking the rights of the LGBTQI+ community, and he has no idea what ‘normal gays’ go through because of bullies like him and Trump,” Pocan said. He added, “‘Normal’ gays are like ‘normal’ non-gays — we care about our families and we care about our country. My guess is the vast majority are voting for Kamala Harris because they know what’s at stake for our community and our country.”

Over the phone, U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), a gay co-chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, said the suggestion that “gay people are gonna somehow, en masse, start voting for Donald Trump and JD Vance, who are completely anti-gay, anti-LGBTQ and [have been] saying horrible things about the community” is

“so stupid” and “ridiculous.”

“There might be, like, a handful of these MAGA Log Cabin folks that, quite frankly, are few and far between” the congressman said, referring to the gay conservative group Log Cabin Republicans, “but the support that Kamala Harris has in the gay community is huge” and these voters are going to turn up on Election Day.

GOP vice presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. J.D. VANCE (Ohio) speaks at the Republican National Convention

“And then, of course, this idea that [Vance is] somehow separating out ‘normal,’ regular gay guys,” Garcia said, “shows their complete lack of awareness about our community, what motivates us,” and “the solidarity we have together — we’re a close community; we support each other.”

Comings & Goings

Rehoboth artist to exhibit during Art Basel in Miami

By PETER ROSENSTEIN

The Comings & Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our community. We want to recognize those landing new jobs, new clients for their business, joining boards of organizations and other achievements. Please share your successes with us at comingsandgoings@washblade.com.

Congratulations to Rehoboth Beach artist Gary Fisher who will be exhibiting at Aqua Art Miami, during Art Basel week, Dec. 4 - 8, 2024, with Nepenthe Gallery, booth #226. Fisher says these days he creates primarily in his studio and surrounding gardens in Rehoboth Beach, Del. Prior to that he had a studio on 14th Street, N.W., in D.C. He says he found painting, his passion, in mid-life, after a career as a natural resource and environmental attorney. He got active as a participant in the local art scene in D.C. as a founding member of the Mid-City Artists Group and created and managed

the Gallery in Results the Gym, on Capitol Hill. He also served as the Managing Art Director for the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), and is now an active member of the Rehoboth Art League.

Fisher paints in oils and his artwork ranges from the textural abstract landscape work that has been the focus of his major recent work, to brilliantly colored still life, fgurative paintings and recently he has had an interest in small plein-air paintings inspired from the poppy felds of Provence, and his own beautiful gardens in Rehoboth.

He talks about his art as an expression of the “beauty I see all around me, particularly the coastal environment with its beautiful sunrises and sunsets refecting off the wetlands and bays of Delaware, the gardens around my studio, or the amazing places I travel on my active biking, hiking, and painting trips.”

“Trying to separate us is not going to work in these last few days, it’s completely desperate and just completely out of touch,” he said.

Asked whether he believes the message might appeal to some gay men, or lesbian or bisexual folks for that matter, at a time when trans rights have become a salient political issue, Garcia emphasized that by and large, “Because of our own identity and struggles, we support our members of the trans community and trans families and we understand how diffcult that is for folks.”

“Most of us in the community know people that are trans, have trans friends, have marched for rights with them, have been to fundraisers, raising money for causes, for the community with them,” the congressman said. “So they’re part of our community.”

“We’re not going to allow Donald Trump and JD Vance to try to separate them out,” he said. “I think that is something that conservatives try to do is to somehow say that they’re okay with, you know, the LGB, but not with trans people, and that’s unacceptable to us.”

Asked about the Trump campaign’s last-ditch outreach to gay conservatives, Garcia said the “Log Cabin types should look in the mirror and ask themselves what the fuck they’re doing and what the fuck they’re thinking because this is absolutely destructive to anyone that they care about.”

He continued, “this idea that they can still blindly support Donald Trump who wants to overthrow our government, move us backwards, attack our community, install a Supreme Court that will take away our rights — it’s insane, total insanity.”

“That’s why overwhelmingly our community supports Kamala Harris,” Garcia said. “We’ve done a lot of events with the Out for Harris team and get out the vote efforts, and the energy is there, people are excited, gay people are turning out and showing up, and we’re not going to be separated out by weirdos like JD Vance.”

(Blade photo by Michael Key)

GARY FISHER (Photo courtesy Fisher)

LGBTQ candidates win big in D.C. election for local offces

Harris takes 90 percent of vote among city electorate

By LOU CHIBBARO JR. | lchibbaro@washblade.com

As expected, D.C.’s pro-LGBTQ Democratic incumbent and non-incumbent candidates for seats on the D.C. City Council, the D.C. Congressional Delegate seat, and the so-called “shadow” U.S. Senate and U.S. House seats won re-election on Tuesday by a wide margin in a city with an overwhelmingly Democratic electorate. In the race for U.S. president, Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris had 90.4 percent of the D.C. vote as of the 10:53 p.m. vote count, with Republican Donald Trump receiving 6.6 percent and independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. receiving 0.83 percent of the D.C. vote. Kennedy’s decision to withdraw his candidacy and endorse Trump came too late to have his name removed from the D.C. ballot.

Also as expected, Allister Chang, the gay member of the D.C. State Board of Education, which is a nonpartisan body, received 93.49 percent of the vote in his unopposed race for re-election to the Board’s Ward 2 seat. The election results, however, show that one or more write-in candidates received 6.5 percent of the vote.

Chang is one of two D.C. elected offcials other than Advisory Neighborhood Commission members, who is a member of the LGBTQ community. D.C. Council member Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5), who was not up for re-election this year, is the other one.

The controversial D.C. election ballot measure called Initiative 83, which calls for the city to adopt a ranked choice voting system and open primaries in which independents can vote in a party primary, was approved overwhelmingly with 72.6 percent of the vote. The election results as of late Tuesday evening showed 27.3 percent of voters voted “no” on the initiative.

LGBTQ activists were divided over whether to support or oppose Initiative 83, with the Capital Stonewall Democrats, the city’s largest local LGBTQ political group, declining to take a position on the initiative. But one of the group’s longtime members, Ward 8 gay Democratic activist Phil Pannell, served as treasurer of the committee that led the campaign for Initiative 83.

Also winning re-election by a wide margin was D.C. Congressional Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D), who received 80.2 percent of the vote. Challengers Kymore Freeman (Statehood-Green Party) received 6.4 percent, Myrtle Patricia Alexander (R) received 6.3 percent, and Michael A. Brown (I) received 6.2 percent.

Norton, a longtime LGBTQ rights supporter in Congress, is expected to play an important role in defending LGBTQ rights in what appears to be a Republican-controlled Congress, and a Donald Trump presidency.

Among the D.C. Council races, incumbents Robert White (D-At-Large) and Christina Henderson (I-At-Large), won re-election with 62.4 percent and 23 percent respectively. The two were challenged by Statehood Green Party candidate Daryl Moch, who received 7.5 percent of the vote, and Republican Rob Simmons, who

received 6.36 percent.

Under the city’s electoral system, two of the city’s four at-large Council members or candidates run on the same ballot in separate election years, with voters allowed to vote for two candidates in that race. The highest two vote-getters are declared the winners.

In other Council races, Ward 2 Council member Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2) who ran unopposed on the ballot, received 93.4 percent of the vote, with 6.5 percent going to one or more write-in candidates. One write-in candidate, who identifed himself as Rondell Magic Jordan, put up campaign posters near Dupont Circle area gay bars in his race against incumbent Pinto, who is a longtime LGBTQ rights supporter.

Ward 4 Council member Janeese Lewis George (D), who also ran unopposed, received 96.6 percent of the vote, with 3.3 percent going to one or more write-in candidates. In the Council race for Ward 7, in which longtime LGBTQ supportive incumbent Vincent Gray did not run for re-election, Democrat Noah Montgomery, received 92.7 percent of the vote, with Republican Noah Montgomery receiving 5.9 percent.

Ward 8 Council member Trayon White (D), who was indicted earlier this year on a federal bribery charge, won re-election with 76 percent of the vote. Republican challenger Nate Derenge received 14.6 percent of the vote, and one or more write-in candidates received 9.2 percent of the vote.

Democrat Ankit Jain won his race for the D.C. shadow U.S. House seat with 89.9 percent of the vote, with Republican Nelson Rimensnyder receiving 9.2 percent. Incumbent shadow U.S. Representative Oye Owolewa won re-election with 90.7 percent of the vote. Republican challenger Ciprian Ivanof received 8.5 percent.

Along with gay D.C. State Board of Education member Allister Chang’s election victory, At-Large State Board of Education member Jacque Patterson won re-election unopposed with 97.3 percent of the vote. Ward 7 school board member Eboni-Rose Thompson won re-election with 71 percent of the vote, with challengers Toni Crinner receiving 20.1 percent and Charles Boston receiving 7.6 percent.

Ward 8 State Board of Education candidate LaJoy Johnson ran unopposed and received 98.2 percent of the vote. The outcome of the Ward 4 State Board of Education race surprised some observers when incumbent Frazier O’Leary lost to challenger T. Michelle Colson by a margin of 54.2 percent to 44.6 percent.

If the fnal vote counts confrm that Republicans have won control of both houses of Congress and with Trump confrmed as the next U.S. president, D.C. offcials could fnd themselves defending the city’s home rule government consisting of an elected mayor and City Council.

During his election campaign, Trump has hinted that he might take steps to rescind D.C.’s home rule government and restore the pre-home rule form of D.C. government in place prior to the 1970s, in which a commission nominated by the U.S. president and confrmed by Congress runs the day-to-day operations of the city. Congress would have to approve such an action.

ALLISTER CHANG won re-election to the D.C. State Board of Education. (Photo via Twitter)

D.C. Congressional Del. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON (D) easily won another term.

Big wins for Democrats in Md., Va., Del.

Alsobrooks, Blunt Rochester headed to Senate; McBride is frst trans House member

By MICHAEL K. LAVERS | mlavers@washblade.com

Amid the gloom for Democrats on Election Night, there were some bright spots locally, as Angela Alsobrooks and Lisa Blunt Rochester won their U.S. Senate races in Maryland and Delaware respectively, the frst time two Black women will serve in the chamber simultaneously.

Alsobrooks, the Prince George’s County Executive, on Tuesday defeated former Gov. Larry Hogan in the race to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.).

Alsobrooks, a Democrat who defeated her Republican opponent by a 53-45 percent margin, will be the frst Black woman to represent Maryland in the U.S. Senate.

Cardin, U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore spoke to Alsobrooks’s supporters at the Hotel at the University of Maryland in College Park before she took the stage. Alsobrooks’s daughter introduced her.

Alsobrooks in her speech noted “only three” U.S. senators “have looked like me” in the country’s history.

“I want to thank all of those who came before me and made it possible for me to stand here.”

Hogan on X congratulated Alsobrooks “on a hard-fought victory.”

“Tonight, regardless of who you voted for, we can all take pride in the election of the frst Black woman to represent Maryland in the U.S. Senate.”

Meanwhile, Delaware Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester on Tuesday became the frst Black woman elected to represent the state in the U.S. Senate. Blunt Rochester defeated Republican Eric Hansen by a 56-40 percent margin in the race to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.).

Also in Delaware, winning her bid for the state’s at-large seat in the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday, State Sen. Sarah McBride became the frst transgender candidate elected to the U.S. Congress.

With 60 percent of precincts reporting, McBride led with 57.7% compared to 42.3 percent for her Republican opponent John Whalen.

Her win comes at a time when rights and protections for the community are under siege and anti-trans rhetoric has come to defne national electoral politics, animating more Republican attack ads in the 2024 cycle than any topic other than immigration.

“America now has the opportunity to learn what Delawareans have long known — Sarah McBride is a devoted public servant, a bulldog for her constituents, and someone who represents the interests of everyone she serves,” Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson told the Washington Blade.

“As the frst openly transgender person to serve in Congress, her service is a landmark achievement on the march toward equality,” she said. “This historic victory refects not only increasing acceptance of transgender people in our society, ushered in by the courage of visible leaders like Sarah, but also her dogged work in demonstrating that she is an effective lawmaker who will deliver real results.”

Robinson added, “We are so proud of former HRC National Press Secretary and Congresswoman-elect Sarah McBride, excited to see her star rise, and thrilled to have this history-making champion reshaping the halls of Congress.”

In 2020, McBride became the frst trans state senator and the highest-ranking trans offcial in the U.S. She sponsored the Healthy Delaware Families Act, which passed in 2022, which allows for paid 12-week leave funded by automatic payroll contributions.

Prior to running for public offce, McBride served as national press secretary for the Human Rights Campaign. She also worked for and became close with President Joe Biden’s late son, Beau, who died of cancer in 2015.

McBride remains close with the president and his family. Biden told the Washington Blade during the paper’s sit-down interview with him in September that he called to congratulate her on winning the Democratic primary contest.

Subramanyam, Vindman win in Va.

Virginia state Sen. Suhas Subramanyam and Eugene Vindman on Tuesday won their respective congressional races.

Subramanyam defeated Republican Mike Clancy in the 10th Congressional District by a 52-48 percent margin. Subramanyan will succeed Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton, who announced last September she would not seek re-election after doctors diagnosed her with an aggressive form of Parkinson’s disease.

Vindman defeated Republican Derrick Anderson in Virginia’s 7th Congressional District by a 51-49 percent margin. Vindman will succeed outgoing Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, who is running for governor.

Incumbent Democratic Congressmen Don Beyer and Gerry Connolly won in the state’s 8th and 11th Congressional Districts respectively.

Republican Congressman Rob Wittman won re-election in the 1st Congressional District. Ben Cline defeated Democrat Ken Mitchell in the 6th Congressional District.

At Blade press time, control of the U.S. House remained undetermined, with dozens of tight races yet to be called.

Dem congressmen win in Md.

Maryland’s Democratic congressmen on Tuesday won re-election in their respective districts.

Congressman Jamie Raskin defeated Republican Cheryl Riley in the 8th Congressional District by a 76-22 percent margin. Congressman Glenn Ivey defeated Republican George McDermott in the 4th Congressional District by an 88-12 percent margin. Congressman Steny Hoyer defeated Republican Michelle Talkington in the 5th Congressional District by a 66-34 percent margin. Congressman Kweisi Mfume defeated Republican Scott Collier by a 79-19 percent margin in Maryland’s 7th Congressional District.

Republican Congressman Andy Harris won re-election in the 1st Congressional District with 63 percent of the vote.

Democrat Sarah Elfreth will succeed U.S. Rep. John Sarbanes, who did not run for re-election, after she defeated Republican Robert Steinberger in the 3rd Congressional District by a 57-40 percent margin. Baltimore County Executive John Olszewski defeated Republican Kim Klacik by a 56-42 percent margin in the race to succeed retiring Congressman C.A. “Dutch” Ruppersberger in the 2nd Congressional District.

The race between Democrat April McClain Delaney and former state Del. Neil Parrott (R-Washington County) in the 6th Congressional District remains too close to call. The winner will succeed Congressman David Trone, who unsuccessfully challenged now-U.S. Sen.-elect Angela Alsobrooks in the race for retiring U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin’s seat.

SARAH MCBRIDE won her race in Delaware, making her the frst transgender member of Congress. (Washington Blade photo by Daniel Truitt)

Prince George’s County Executive ANGELA ALSOBROOKS made history Tuesday becoming Maryland’s frst Black woman senator. (Washington Blade photo by Giuseppe LoPiccolo)

In Memory of Michael E. Flocker

Aug. 2nd, 1963 - Oct. 11th, 2024

Michael E. Flocker of Washington D.C. passed away on Oct. 11th 2024, at the age of 61 years. He will be remembered with much love and missed by his mother, brother, niece and nephew and many of his U.K. relatives. He was predeceased by his father, Dale Price Flocker.

He was born in North Plain eld, New Jersey, and moved to Berlin, Germany, with his family for over 7 years, where his father was a pilot with Pan Am. On returning to the U.S. he lived in Wilton, CT for high school and New York City for college. He also lived in Los Angeles for many years where he pursued acting and singing. He later was hired by America Online and o ered a higher position for AOL in New York City. From there he began writing books, with his rst book, e Metrosexual Guide to Style, achieving a New York Times best seller. All of his books are available on Amazon.

Following his AOL career, Michael started working at NBC’s online division. is led to an on-camera role as an entertainment reporter in New York City on a local station. Eventually, Michael made his way to Washington D.C. where he worked remotely for an online media company called Stacker.

A “Celebration of Life” will be held in Washington D.C. by his many friends on November 16th.

Trump easily wins election, shocking LGBTQ rights supporters

‘Our community is feeling scared, angry, and worried about what’s next’

By CHRISTOPHER KANE | ckane@washblade.com

Former President Donald Trump is now president-elect Donald Trump after winning Wisconsin Wednesday morning, clinching 277 of the 270 necessary electoral votes.

He will return to the White House with a Republican Senate, though control of the U.S. House of Representatives remains in limbo with many key contests too close to call.

Vice President Kamala Harris cancelled a planned appearance at her campaign’s watch party at Howard University, her alma mater, on Tuesday. As of Wednesday morning at 7 a.m., she had not yet conceded the race.

Trump pulled ahead Tuesday night with a major victory in the swing state of North Carolina and a projected win in Georgia that was later made offcial.

He then picked up other major battleground state wins in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

LGBTQ advocacy groups reacted with shock and concern, given the attacks on the community outlined in Project 2025, the right-wing blueprint for his second term.

The Human Rights Campaign released a statement Wednesday morning by its president, Kelley Robinson:

“Like millions of other Americans, we’re heartbroken by the results of the presidential election, as well as the loss of other pro-equality champions across the country. We know our community is feeling scared, angry, and worried about what’s next for them and their families. We see you – there’s no question that we will face more challenges in the years to come in as part of our fght for full LGBTQ+ equality. But our ancestors taught us that resilience is our superpower. Make no mistake – we are not backing down. And we are going to continue to show up for each other and for the march toward progress–no matter what.

“Despite these disappointing results, we see undeniable

proof of hope for the future. Sarah McBride, a trail-blazing champion for Delawareans, will be sworn in this January as the frst ever openly transgender member of Congress. Julie Johnson, a dedicated fghter for civil rights and longtime HRC champion, will be the frst ever LGBTQ+ member of Congress from the South. Emily Randall is poised to become the frst Latina lesbian elected to Congress, and while many races are yet to be called, Senator Tammy Baldwin is on her way to returning to Washington alongside many other LGBTQ+ champions. Marriage equality amendments prevailed with overwhelming support in California and Colorado. And across the country, voters continued to pass ballot referendums protecting access to abortion in the face of an onslaught of misleading transphobic attacks–just the latest example that attacks on the trans community are political losers.”

LPAC, the nation’s only organization dedicated to advancing the political representation of LGBTQ women and nonbinary candidates, responded.

“A victory for Trump and his racist, fascist and misogynist platform is not a victory for America,” said Janelle Perez, executive director of LPAC. “Today, we mourn not only the loss of a true leader, but also the dream that Kamala Harris might be the frst woman, the frst woman of color, and the frst South Asian person to serve as president of the United States. This is a profound loss for the country we believe in—a place where every one of us, regardless of who we are, is treated fairly and our fundamental rights are upheld.”

AIDS United expressed concern about the fght against HIV as a new Republican administration prepares to take over.

“Now, more than ever, we must act with urgency to ensure that President-Elect Donald Trump and Vice-President Elect JD Vance understand that critical services and resources that people living with HIV depend on are not to be compromised,” said Jesse Milan Jr. JD, president and CEO of AIDS United.

The HIV + Hepatitis Policy Institute released a statement by its president, Carl Schmid:

“The American people have spoken and elected Donald Trump and JD Vance as our next President and Vice President. The HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute will work with the new administration on furthering efforts to end HIV and hepatitis in the United States. With proper leadership, policies, and funding, we can end both these infectious diseases.”

Baldwin wins re-election in tight race, as Dems lose Senate

All 9 LGBTQ House members victorious on election night

By CHRISTOPHER KANE | ckane@washblade.com

Just after midnight on Wednesday when the Associated Press called U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer’s (R-Neb.) victory over independent challenger Dan Osborn, and Republican challenger Bernie Moreno’s victory over U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), it became clear Republicans would take control of the U.S. Senate.

Democrats faced an uphill battle to maintain their oneseat majority, and their path narrowed in tandem with Vice President Kamala Harris’s prospects of winning the presidential race as votes were counted Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning.

Close races involving incumbent Senate Democrats in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Nevada, Arizona, and Nebraska had not yet been called as of Blade press time. Republican victories in those contests would give the party a bigger cushion in the chamber, which has been closely divided for the past four years.

Republican U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Rick Scott of Florida were considered vulnerable incumbents, but the former won handily and the latter was called the winner early on Tuesday night.

In one bright spot for Democrats, U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) declared victory over Republican challenger Eric Hovde Wednesday morning, leading him by a margin of 49.4 to 48.5 percent.

“It is clear that the voters have spoken and our campaign has won,” she said in a statement. “The people of Wisconsin have chosen someone who always puts Wisconsin

frst, someone who shows up, listens, and works with everyone to get the job done.”

Serving as the frst openly LGBTQ senator following her election in 2012— as well as the frst non-incumbent LGBTQ member elected to the House, where she represented Wisconsin’s 2nd Congressional District from 1999 to 2013 — Baldwin was targeted with homophobic and anti-trans attack ads by her Republican rival, businessman Eric Hovde, during the 2024 cycle.

A critically important voice for the community, Baldwin was instrumental in the Senate’s passage of the Respect for Marriage Act in 2022, which codifed legal protections for married same-sex couples.

Following the departure of U.S. Sens. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) and Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) in January, Baldwin will be the only LGBTQ voice in the chamber.

The LGBTQ Victory Fund, which works to elect LGBTQ candidates for public offce, likely spent more on Baldwin’s

race than any other contest this year, the organization’s vice president of political programs told the Washington Blade last month.

Incumbent U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) on Tuesday defeated Republican Hung Cao. Kaine beat Cao by a 54-46 percent margin.

9 LGBTQ House members projected to win

While many U.S. House races are still too early to call and control of the chamber remains in limbo, the nine openly LGBTQ members, all Democrats, either won reelection or were projected to win as of Wednesday morning.

The contests were called for U.S. Reps. Mark Pocan (Wis.), Becca Balint (Vt.), and Ritchie Torres (N.Y.), whose seats were considered safe, and for U.S. Reps. Angie Craig (Minn.), Sharice Davids (Kan.), Chris Pappas (N.H.), and Eric Sorensen (Ill.), who were heavily favored to win but faced slightly more competitive races.

U.S. Reps. Mark Takano and Robert Garcia of California were lapping their Republican opponents by double-digit margins, with just over half of the votes counted in their respective congressional districts by Wednesday morning.

Pocan chairs the Congressional Equality Caucus while the other eight serve as co-chairs.

Now that voters have sent Donald Trump back to the White House along with a Republican Senate, the work of LGBTQ members of Congress will become critically important.

DONALD TRUMP will return to the White House after an easy win on Tuesday. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

U.S. Sen. TAMMY BALDWIN won a close race for a third term. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

More than 35 trans, genderqueer

candidates compete across U.S.

‘I’ve always said that trans people make the best natural politicians’

By HENRY CARNELL

When Jennifer Williams was collecting signatures for her frst political campaign in 2022, people told her, a transgender woman, “I think you would do an awesome job, but you got no chance to win.”

Their hesitancy was not unfounded. Williams won her seat on Trenton, N.J.’s City Council by a single vote.

This round she is running unopposed with broad community support. She attributes this to the fact that she got her job done. “Things have gone so well,” she says, “I think I delivered on everything I wanted to do.”

Williams is not the only trans candidate who has already secured a place in political offce for the upcoming cycle. Kim Coco Iwamoto made history in Hawaii as the frst person in U.S. history to defeat an incumbent House speaker in a Democratic primary—in addition to being the frst out transgender elected offcial in Hawaii’s history. (Since there is no other challenger, Iwamoto is the representative-elect).

Vered Meltzer, the frst openly transgender individual to hold elected offce in Wisconsin, elected originally in 2014, continues his tenure as a City Council Member in the City of Appleton, after winning in April. Helen Grant, a genderqueer/non-binary candidate in Oklahoma, won their race for Norman City Council in February.

Sarah McBride won Delaware’s at-large congressional district, becoming the nation’s frst out trans congressional

THE CANDIDATES

Abigail Salisbury, non-binary/Genderqueer candidate running for Pennsylvania House of Representatives

Race Status: Won (Uncontested)

Aime Wichtendahl, trans woman running for Iowa House of Representatives

Race Status: Won

Alfred Twu, genderqueer/non-binary candidate running for Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board in California

Race Status: Unknown

Alicia “Liish” Kozlowski, non-binary candidate running for Minnesota House of Representatives

Race Status: Won

Amber Fellows, genderqueer/non-binary candidate running for Ypsilanti City Council in Michigan

Race Status: Won

Ambureen Rana, genderqueer/non-binary candidate running for Maine House of Representatives

Race Status: Unknown

Ashley Brundage, trans woman running for Florida House of Representatives

Race Status: Lost to incumbent Karen Gonzalez Pittman (R). In a social media post following the results, Brundage wrote “Together, we’ve laid a foundation, and I look forward to seeing it grow.”

Brian Cina, non-binary/genderqueer candidate running for Vermont House of Representatives

Race Status: Won (Uncontested)

Brianna Titone, trans woman running for Colorado House of Representatives

lawmaker.

Across the nation, 35 other transgender, non-binary, and genderqueer candidates are running for offce in their local communities. The Blade will be tracking all races as results come in, in addition to providing insight from interviews conducted with many of the candidates in the weeks leading up to Election Day.

Identity information—transgender man, transgender woman, non-binary, and genderqueer—comes from the LGBTQ Victory Fund and FUTR (Families United for Trans Rights).

Candidates emphasize that their identities do not always ft within simple labels. Minita Sanghvi, a candidate for the New York Senate, says, “I present as a butch lesbian and I often don’t feel like I am cisgender.” She explains that she sees gender as a continuum. “I see myself as gender diverse or genderqueer because I am not transgender either.”

When asked about top issues, the candidates repeatedly cited topics other than anti-LGBTQ bills. The focus of the campaigns varies race to race depending on local needs, such as poverty alleviation, improving emergency services, reproductive freedom, gun safety, and infrastructure.

Many did cite their unique perspective as a trans person making them a better politician. It is not simply about the importance of having diverse voices in the legislature; rather

Race Status: Won (Incumbent)

Brion Curran, genderqueer/non-binary candidate running for Minnesota House of Representatives

Race Status: Won

DeShanna Neal, genderqueer/Non-Binary candidate running for Delaware House of Representatives

Race Status: Won (Incumbent)

Eleanor Moreno, genderqueer/non-binary candidate running for Grand Rapids School Board in Michigan

Race Status: Won

Emma Curtis, trans woman running for Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council in Kentucky

Race Status: Won

Evelyn Rios Stafford, trans woman running for Washington County Justice of the Peace in Arkansas

Race Status: Won

Jo Miller, transgender non-binary candidate running for Woodbury City Council New Jersey

Race Status: Won (Incumbent)

Joshua Query, genderqueer/non-binary candidate running for New Hampshire House of Representatives

Race Status: Lost

Leigh Finke, trans woman running for Minnesota House of Representatives

Race Status: Unknown

Leslie Blackburn, genderqueer candidate running for Lodi Township Trustee in Michigan

Race Status: Won

Lisa Middleton, trans woman running for Califor-

it is about resiliency and creativity.

“I’ve always said that trans people make the best natural politicians,” says Alfred Twu, a candidate running for the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board. “We’re already used to getting personal attacks, nothing really phases us, and we’re even used to explaining our life story to random people.”

“We have a lot to contribute because we have to follow a journey of self-discovery,” says Williams. “Along the way, we really look at how people are affected by the government, negatively and positively, what the role of government should be, and how precious our liberties and freedoms are.”

It doesn’t hurt that being an openly trans public servant leads to greater acceptance and understanding of the LGBTQ community.

“I am very proud to have the opportunity to give people a visual example as to what a transgender person actually looks like, and what we do day in and day out when we have responsibility serving the people that elected us,” says Lisa Middleton, a trans woman running a competitive race for the California State Senate in a slightly red-leaning district.

“The more that we show that we can lead and we can deliver as representatives of our fellow citizens, I think that’s going to change hearts and minds faster than anything else,” says Williams.

nia State Senate

Race Status: Too close to call at Blade press time with Middleton leading 50.1-49.9

Lorena Austin, genderqueer/non-binary candidate running for Arizona House of Representatives

Race Status: Leading at Blade press time

Mari Cordes, genderqueer candidate running for Vermont House of Representatives

Race Status: Won (Incumbent)

Marielle De Leon, trans woman running for San Juan Municipal Legislature in Puerto Rico

Race Status: Unknown

Mel Manuel, transgender non-binary candidate running for US House of Representatives in Louisiana

Race Status: Lost to incumbent Steve Scalise (R). In response, Manuel told the Blade “We’re going to unseat Jeff Landry in 2027 but we need to start working now. Remember, Louisiana is not a red state. We have more registered Democrats than Republicans. So don’t give up hope. If we work together we can absolutely take our state back. We’re not going back, Louisiana. Not now. Not ever.”

Minita Sanghvi, genderqueer/non-binary candidate running for New York State Senate

Race Status: Lost

Nathan Bruemmer, trans man running for Florida House of Representatives

Race Status: Lost to incumbent Linda Chaney (R).

Paul Bixler, trans woman running for Liberty Elementary School District #25, Governing Board in Arizona

Race Status: Unknown

Precious Brady-Davis, trans woman running for Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board of Com-

missioners

Race Status: Won

Remy Drabkin, genderqueer/non-binary candidate running for Mayor of McMinnville, Oregon

Race Status: Unknown

Serenity Johnson, trans woman running for Radcliff City Council in Kentucky

Race Status: Lost

Terra Lawson-Remer, genderqueer/non-binary candidate running for San Diego County Board of Supervisors in California

Race Status: Leading at Blade press time but too close to call as of Wednesday morning

Veronica Pejril, trans woman running for Indiana State Senate Race Status: Unknown

Vivian Smotherman, trans woman running for Colorado State Senate

Race Status: Lost to incumbent Cleave Simpson (R), who Smotherman thanked for “keeping this campaign focused on the people and issues rather than hate and fear.” In a statement Smotherman also noted: “America was built on hard work, and I’m confdent we did everything we could, with the resources we had, to win this race. Even though we have come up short, I’m proud of what we have achieved.”

Xavier Johnson, genderqueer/non-binary candidate running for Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board Commission in California

Race Status: Leading at Blade press time but too close to call as of Wednesday morning

Zooey Zephyr, trans woman running for Montana House of Representatives

Race Status: Won

KEVIN NAFF

is editor of the Washington Blade. Reach him at knaff@washblade.com

Trump’s

These are frightening times for those of us on the target list of Project 2025, the blueprint for Donald Trump’s second term that he secured in landslide fashion on Tuesday. Many of us are wondering how this could happen again. Kamala Harris is one of the most qualified presidential candidates to run in our lifetime. She ran against a 34-times convicted felon who staged an insurrection against the government and who faces a sentencing hearing in just three weeks for his crimes. A man who was twice impeached, who courts Vladimir Putin’s attention and approval, and who was found liable for sexual assault. Despite that last fact — and Trump’s bragging about overturning Roe v. Wade — 44 percent of women voters supported him, far more than the polls and pundits predicted. Those polls turned out to be pretty accurate and Harris was brought down by lingering concerns over the economy and the toll inflation has taken on lower and middle class Americans. Sure, sexism and racism played a role in this, but too many of us live in a bubble, insulated from the everyday concerns of disaffected blue collar Americans. While many of us crowed about last week’s Wall Street Journal lead story on the booming U.S. economy being the envy of the world, voters in the former “Blue Wall” states were struggling to put food on the table. When you can’t feed your family, you’re not going to vote for the incumbent vice president.

So what’s next? We’ve seen this movie before. Trump will appoint a series of sycophants to run the government; he will undermine the federal workforce and try to fire as many longtime civil servants as he can. He will have a compliant GOP-majority Senate to rubberstamp his Cabinet and judicial appointees. He will probably ban transgender service members from the military on day one. The list goes on.

“The next conservative President must make the institutions of American civil society hard targets for woke culture warriors,” Project 2025 begins. “This starts with deleting the terms sexual orientation and gender identity, diversity, equity and inclusion, gender, gender equality, gender awareness, gender-sensitive … out of every federal rule, agency regulation, contracts, grant regulation and piece of legislation that exists.”

Indeed, Project 2025 seeks to send us all back to the closet. But, as Harris rightly intoned throughout her short campaign: We are not going back.

The good news — and there is some — is that voters for the first time elected two Black women to the U.S. Senate to serve at the same time, Angela Alsobrooks in Maryland and Lisa Blunt Rochester in Delaware. Sarah McBride becomes our nation’s first out transgender member of Congress. She’s a formidable figure and will be an important voice for trans equality in the face of Trump’s inevitable attacks. At this writing, control of the House hasn’t been decided. If the Democrats can manage to flip it, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, a capable strategist, becomes the face of our resistance.

We need our LGBTQ allies and advocacy groups more than ever. If you have the resources, donate to Lambda Legal and other legal groups gearing up for the many battles ahead, including over marriage equality. (Some more good news on that front, as California voters overwhelmingly approved Prop 3, which will enshrine marriage rights in the constitution of our largest state.) Volunteer your time with your local equality group, especially if you live in a state like Florida with draconian anti-LGBTQ laws on the books.

No one said being part of a social justice movement would be easy. Sometimes pioneers in these fights don’t live to see the end of the road. Now’s the time to double down on hard work, determination, and compassion, especially for the trans community, which sadly will take the brunt of the incoming attacks. Those of us who are a bit older need to reassure younger voters and activists that their efforts this time are not in vain. Harris’s meteoric ascent to the top of the Democratic ticket and the incredible campaign she ran will make it easier for the next woman to run. That final, ultimate glass ceiling will fall in our lifetime.

So for now, take a breath. Hug the dog. Take a walk in the woods, whatever you need to refocus. Four years is a blip and will fly by. The Democratic bench is deep. And the march toward full equality for our community is unstoppable. Setbacks are inevitable but we learned a long time ago that love wins. So fight on.

MARCUS DAVIS

is the director of integrated technology at the Movement for Black Lives, where he oversees cybersecurity, and digital infrastructure to support nationwide movement building and community empowerment.

A call to action for trans rights

Our existence is non-negotiable

Over the past four decades, I’ve witnessed a transformation in our society that once seemed unimaginable. As a child of the 80s, being transgender meant living under a constant shadow of fear, with violence and exclusion always nearby. But we fought back. We organized, we carved out spaces where trans people could live with more freedom.

This fight for recognition and safety has been long and arduous. In 2002, New York passed the Sexual Orientation Non-Discrimination Act (SONDA), but transgender people were deliberately left out — a painful compromise that left us exposed. I remember the mixture of hope and frustration during those years, as I attended my first community meetings and rallies. Our focus shifted to passing the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA). Each legislative delay was a stark reminder that our rights were not a priority. For Black trans people like myself, the stakes were even higher, as we navigated multiple layers of discrimination without legal protection.

GENDA finally passed in 2019, but that victory came after years of being told our safety and dignity were negotiable. Now, as anti-trans laws sweep the country, I feel that familiar shadow looming again. These bills banning gender-affirming care, forcing schools to out trans students, and criminalizing our existence aren’t just policy decisions — they’re calculated efforts to erase us, to drive us back into fear and silence. The darkness we thought we’d escaped is closing in, and this time, it’s targeting our youth.

As a trans person working at the forefront of racial justice with the Movement for Black Lives, I have witnessed how anti-trans laws amplify the oppression already faced by the most vulnerable members of our community. This fight is more than a cause for me, it is about protecting the lives and futures of my community, my family, and myself. Here I want to simply say: To every trans person feeling the weight of these laws, feeling isolated or afraid; You are not alone. You are part of a legacy of resilience, of beauty, of revolution. Your life is precious, your identity is valid, and your future is worth fighting for. Together, we will weather this storm. Together, we will build the world we deserve — a world where every one of us can stand in the fullness of our identities, unafraid and unapologetic. Our freedom is bound up together, and together, we will win.

Our survival depends on our ability to understand these threats and mobilize against them. Knowledge is our weapon, and action is our shield.

Imagine Aisha, a 14-year-old trans girl in South Carolina, navigating a school system shaped by current anti-trans laws. Under H.3730, passed by the Republican-controlled House and signed into law by the Republican governor, Aisha’s daily life at school has become a minefield. Each day, she enters a classroom where

her teachers are legally bound to deny her identity. The simple act of asking to be called by her chosen name could trigger a mandatory report to her family, exposing her to rejection and isolation at home. Even her allies, teachers who might have offered comfort, are forced into silence, unable to provide the affirmation and protection she so desperately needs. The school, once a place of potential, has become a space of fear and surveillance. Now imagine Aisha is also Black. The weight of these laws compounds with the systemic racism she might also be facing. For Aisha, each classroom can become a minefield where both her gender and racial identities can be scrutinized or challenged. These laws don’t just isolate; they amplify existing prejudices, embolden discrimination, and silence allies. They broadcast a clear message to students like Aisha: You are not welcome here. For Aisha and thousands of trans youth like her, healthcare isn’t just about feeling seen — it’s a lifeline. Gender-affirming care, particularly puberty blockers, gives young trans people the time and space to explore their identities safely, delaying the permanent physical changes that come with puberty. This care offers trans youth the gift of a pause, preventing the distress of their bodies developing in ways that don’t align with their gender. But across the country, these lifelines are being cut. In states like South Carolina, laws banning puberty blockers for minors are leaving young people trapped in bodies they cannot recognize or accept.

For young people like Aisha, the barriers to care are even more devastating. Already navigating a healthcare system rife with racial bias, Black trans people often struggle to access affirming care. Now, with these bans, even that limited access is being stripped away. Without puberty blockers, Aisha is forced to endure the changes of puberty that feel alien and distressing, deepening her sense of isolation. These laws don’t just deny treatment — they send a message that her identity is something to be punished, not supported.

The consequences are deadly. Transgender youth already face alarmingly high rates of mental health challenges, with studies showing that over half of trans teens have seriously considered suicide. Yet, access to gender-affirming care dramatically reduces this risk. According to research from the Trevor Project, trans youth who receive gender-affirming care are significantly less likely to attempt suicide compared to those who want care and are unable to access it. Lawmakers who strip away this care are not just endangering the well-being of these young people, they are pushing them toward life-threatening crises. For Black trans youth, who often lack strong support networks, the denial of care can push them to the edge. This is not just a political debate — it’s a matter of survival.

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Queer writer reflects on assault, drug use, more in ‘Mean Boys’

An interview with Geoffrey Mak

By GREGG SHAPIRO

Queer Chinese American writer Geoffrey Mak takes the personal essay to new, and sometimes unsettling, heights, in his book “Mean Boys: A Personal History” (Bloomsbury, 2024). Described as a “memoir-in-essays,” Mak, the gay son of an evangelical minister, takes readers on his volatile and visceral personal journey, which includes the techno clubs of Berlin, various illicit substances, his sexual assault, and ultimately an examination of mass-murderer Elliot Rodger. Mak generously made time for an interview in advance of his November appearance at the Miami Book Fair.

BLADE: In the author’s note for your book “Mean Boys: A Personal History,” you said, “I wrote most of these essays for the Internet,” and that awareness of your readership extended to “what they wanted to hear, and what they were wearing.” Is that still your target audience or were you looking to expand it with the book?

GEOFFREY MAK: If I could go back in time and inspire my 26-year-old self to keep writing, I would say, “Babe, in 10 years, you’ll get everything you’ve ever dreamed of, just online-only.” I still see the natural habitat of the personal essay; yet the internet has a tendency for fragmentation and bubbles. When I decided to write a book at a mainstream press, I thought a lot about how a book—unlike a painting—is a mass-produced object, which makes it a more democratic medium, almost humble. I thought a lot about the opportunity to reach readers in Idaho or Oregon or Arkansas, and, in fact, I now get emails or Instagram DMs from readers in all those states. I wanted to explore universal themes that anyone can relate to, such as the wages of status in a high school cafeteria, or the process of forgiving one’s own father.

BLADE: You also mentioned James Baldwin and Joan Didion, as well as Ed White, Hilton Als, and Alan Hollinghurst, among others. How important are these writers to you in your work?

MAK: I love that you called him Ed, because he is Ed. Each of those writers gave me something that is a part of me. Baldwin: conviction. Didion: cadence. White: self-mythology. Als: voice. Hollinghurst: sex.

BLADE: Another writer, Wesley Yang, is featured prominently in the “Identity Despite Itself” essay. Do you know if he’s aware of being the essay’s subject? If so, has he told you how he feels about it?

MAK: Marco Roth, a friend, was one of the founding editors of n+1, and commissioned and edited Wesley Yang’s remarkable essay, “The Face of Seung-Hui Cho” when it came out in 2008. After Marco read my book, he sent it to him. In Marco’s view, I had at last given Yang his due: taking him as seriously as he deserved, which is something any writer should be flattered by. And I did take him seriously, calling him into account for his internalized Asian racism and transphobia. As to what Yang actually thinks, I have no idea. Can you believe it: Not a single person I wrote about in the book has reached out to me about it?

BLADE: In “My Father, The Minister,” you address religion, not only as the son of a religious leader but also as a

gay man. Religion continues to make headlines, whether it’s the role it’s playing in the 2024 election, the ongoing sexual abuse scandals in the various churches, or the war in Gaza. What role, if any, does religion play in your life at present?

MAK: I pay close attention to the religious life of this country. Two-thirds consider themselves religious. A lot of what I read disturbs me, nothing is surprising to me. I was heartened when, earlier this year, the United Methodist Church rescinded a ban on gay clergy. It was a rare victory because sexual difference remains the greatest divisive factor in American churches today. The articulation of the queer, Christian subject might be my highest priority as a writer today. (Out of all my essays, I consider “California Gothic” my greatest work.) I don’t participate in organized religion, but I still study the Bible and read queer theology, particularly the work of Marcella Althaus-Reid and Linn Tonstad, major influences of mine. I count theologians as some of my closest friends. I was actually just emailing with the writer Garth Greenwell about how 4th-century apophatic theology has parallels with queer theory today. I’m currently writing a novel about a transfemme protagonist who finds her way to God. I’m quite serious. Sometimes, I dream that if this whole writer career doesn’t pan out, I might go to Divinity School.

BLADE: You also write honestly about your drug usage in “Mean Boys.” There’s a line in the “California Gothic” essay that reads: “After psychosis, and after addiction, I knew that whether I would recover came down to a single test: Could I find grace in the ordinary?” Where are you now on that journey?

MAK: I happen to be sober now, but I have cycled through periods of limited drug use and sobriety since I finished that essay. I belong to a harm reduction community that keeps me accountable to my self-stated goals. For several years, I have had a buddy system, which differs from a sponsor relationship because it’s non-hierarchical, with a friend I’m extremely close with—we regularly check in with cravings, take stock of our weekly stressors, talk about books. If we ever call the other, we know to drop whatever we’re doing and pick up, because it’s an emergency. One night, he called me when he relapsed on meth, and I ran straight to his apartment, we flushed out the syringes, and cried in each other’s arms until the sleeping pills kicked in. Since then, he’s been sober for almost two years. Recently, I’ve been talking to him about “junk time,” which are the late-night brain rot hours when I can’t read and crave drugs the most. I need to start finding grace in the ordinariness of junk time. Thanks for the reminder.

BLADE: What was involved in your decision to write about the aftermath of your sexual assault in the essay “In Arcadia Ego?”

MAK: OK, so the first section of that essay originated as a Facebook post. People reached out with caring words, although the writing partly explored my reaching a limit with caring words. The material was so raw that I put it down for at least a few years. After I had some distance from my own assault, I picked up the essay again and suddenly realized I was bored of my own pain. It wasn’t going

to teach me anything, because suffering isn’t a university. I wanted to party, so I wrote about that. Nothing about this was virtuous or wholesome or dignified. I got fucked up and screamed with my gays on the dance floor like sorority girls at a bachelorette party. In a previous era, you had a party to commemorate an occasion. My friends and I partied for no reason; the party justified itself. Life is like this, too. You never need a reason.

BLADE: Was the lengthy, titular essay that closes out the book, the first essay written for the book, and therefore the inspiration?

MAK: It was the last essay I finished. In fact, we delayed the release date of the book because I couldn’t finish it. It’s my most original writing and original thinking. It’s also not for everyone.

BLADE: In the “Mean Boys” essay, you write about the ultimate mean boy – mass-murderer Elliot Rodger. Did that essay begin as being about Rodger or did that come later?

MAK: This was one of the first essays I wrote where I didn’t outline it or know where it was ending up in advance. I started with an image—the Lacoste polo with the popped collar—and just kept writing. It’s meandering, because that’s how I wrote it, working through the innate turbulence of each paragraph until a door appeared into the next paragraph. I eventually found my way to Rodger. There was a time I thought I could write the essay without reading the manifesto, until I realized, c’mon, I was being chicken, I had to read the manifesto. Once I finished it, I knew I had to rewrite the entire essay.

BLADE: Have you started writing or thinking about your next book project?

MAK: I’m working on a novel about degenerate ravers in Berlin. While the UK and Germany have novels about raving, America curiously doesn’t have one. So, I decided to write one.

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Second City brings ‘Dance Like There’s Black People Watching’ to D.C.

‘The full spectrum of Blackness and queerness represented’

The Second City, Chicago’s famed improv proving ground, makes a timely return to Woolly Mammoth with “Dance Like There’s Black People Watching,” a humor-loaded and sharp show especially tailored to D.C.

Breon Arzell who’s Black and gay, has been a part of Second City and “Dance Like There’s Black People Watching” since 2022, frst as choreographer and now as both cast member and choreographer. He says although the show is highlighting Black culture, it’s geared for everyone. In short, “if you don’t know about [Black culture], learn about it; and if you’re a part of it, come celebrate with us.”

He adds, “There are some things Black audiences will instantly get and appreciate more. But there’s something for everyone to enjoy. It’s rooted in joy and comedy.”

Performed by six talented and versatile Black actors, the show consists of sketches derived from improvisation, audience participation improv, monologues, songs, and rap solos.

As the title suggests, Arzell’s choreography is a vital part of what’s happening on stage, too. The dance (inspired by TV’s “In Living Color” and its unforgettable Fly Girls) peppers the show’s 90 minutes with bursts of backup and transitional moves.

“Dance Like There’s Black People Watching” was created and premiered in Chicago, and it was “very Chicago,” says Arzell, adding “there were some references that wouldn’t have worked here, so we slotted in some D.C. specifc things including political references and there’s a cast member [Julius Shanks II] who’s currently in his senior year at Howard University. He shouts out the school.”

It’s opening in D.C. at an undeniably hot time, and there’s no guarantee that election results will be settled anytime soon. Arzell says, “We know nothing will be wrapped up neatly with a bow. We have contingency plans depending on how things go and how that might play into the material.”

Any queer aspects to the show? “Oh, it’s so gay in a lot of ways,” he says without hesitation. “I don’t shy

By PATRICK FOLLIARD

ARZELL (Photo by Ian McClaren)

away from queerness at all and I make sure it’s infused in my character work.”

For instance, during songs he changes lyrics, mostly pronouns, and intention. Also, his costuming is gender fuid and close to his preferred real life masc-femme style.

And his funniest bit? He says it’s his praise dance, “a good old Black church moment. It’s very fun, comes out of nowhere, and audiences love it.”

While based in the Windy City, Arzell, 41, is no stranger to Woolly Mammoth. In both 2022 and 2023, he memorably acted in “Ain’t No Mo’” and “Incendiary,” respectively.

“I’m an actor frst and foremost,” he says. “I was a theater major in college [Miami University in Oxford, Ohio] but choreography sort of just happened to me. I’ve always had an affnity for movement. As a kid growing up in Detroit, it was me dancing in front of the TV doing a little show for company. I was that little chubby Black kid.

Watching videos when MTV actually was music television, he learned to dance and developed a vision. Now with regard to professional employment, choreography is on par with acting. His “absolute jam” is acting in a show that he’s also choreographed. Beyond the comedy and the fun, says Arzell, are the perspective and inclusiveness that come with the work and its troupe of players.

“As Black people we’re not a monolith; there’s not a specifc way to operate as a Black person in this world. And the same goes for queer people.

“At Woolly, you’ll see the full spectrum of Blackness and queerness represented.”

‘Dance Like There’s Black People Watching’ Through Dec. 22

BREON

The queer Catholic appeal of ‘Conclave’

A-list cast delivers powerful take on papal election

By JOHN PAUL KING

If you are anywhere in the Queer rainbow and you grew up as a Catholic, it’s possible — if not likely — that your relationship with that religious institution might be, to put it mildly, conficted.

Though there are voices within the church establishment today that endorse offcial acceptance of LGBTQ people and support their equality, for most of its history that has not been the case. Yet, it has also represented a sort of sanctuary for queer people who could avoid the otherwise socially mandated expectations around sexuality and gender by excluding themselves from the conversation — through ordainment into the service of the church and the convenient vow of celibacy that came with it.

While such a path may not be appealing to most queer spiritual seekers today, the church still looms large in the psyche of those brought up in its traditions, and revelations about the vast record of sexual abuse that has taken place behind its sanctifed veil have only complicated things further. That’s one reason why the queer appeal of “Conclave” — the buzzy screen adaptation of Robert Harris’s 2016 novel from director Edward Berger — cannot be denied; perhaps, in some fctionalized story about the inner workings of the church at its highest level, some resolution might be found to the centuries-old struggle between sexuality and religious faith.

Packed into a brisk two-hour running time, it wastes not a single frame in conveying its narrative, which chronicles the election of a new Pope after the sudden death of the old one and explores the labyrinthine politics that underlie that highly secretive process. Tasked by his role as Dean of the College of Cardinals to preside over it all is Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), a stoic thinker whose recent resignation from his position over a crisis of faith was rejected by the late pontiff himself; nevertheless committed to conducting the titular proceedings — and hoping to advance the progressive vision of his church’s future represented by popular candidate Cardinal Bellini (Stanley Tucci) — he tackles his responsibilities with a full sense of commitment.

It’s a task that will require all his unbiased wisdom to complete. In direct opposition to Bellini is Cardinal Tedesco (Sergio Castellitto), a reactionary traditionalist who wants to return the church to the policies of its ancient past, with more “centrist” candidates Tremblay (John Lithgow) and Adeyami (Lucian Msamati) bringing additional layers of political nuance to the voting process. With the various contenders trying to manipulate the outcome in their

favor and an unforeseen infuence rising in the form of newly appointed Cardinal Benitez (Carlos Diehz), Lawrence must set aside his worldly concerns and seek the guidance he needs not only from his keen intellect and understanding of human nature, but from the very faith he struggles with, as well.

Constructed like an old-fashioned potboiler, a mystery set in the halls of power and woven through with political intrigue and private ambition, “Conclave” plays like the kind of classic Hollywood “prestige” movie guaranteed to stir liberal sentiments while couching them in a socially aware yet entertaining yarn. Like most dramas set within a religious context, it invites speculation about the “hidden hand” of the Almighty behind the story, providing an entry point for audiences seeking reassurance about their beliefs in the midst of all the skullduggery, and even delivering an ending that allows the devout to remain steadfast to their faith; it blends philosophical and intellectual sophistication into the kind of thriller which, like the stylized “whodunnits” of Agatha Christie, unearths all manner of human corruption behind the pomp and decorum of a fercely protected status quo as it inexorably works its way to a clever and satisfying fnish — shepherded by Lawrence, standing in for the more worldly “master detectives” created by Christie and other authors of her genre thanks to his sharp intellect and shrewd observational skills. As such, it inevitably provides the expected twists, hidden secrets, and clandestine alliances through which the “mystery” will eventually be traced, and while we can’t

always see where it’s headed, it steeps us in a comfortable familiarity that feels predictable anyway.

Still, that’s not entirely a bad thing; the sum effect of “Conclave” rises far above its generic structure, and makes it easy to forgive its tendency toward formula-dictated storytelling. That’s partly due to Berger’s direction, which sculpts the movie’s overall impact through its meticulous attention to detail, immersing us in its world with a near-tactile depiction of the rarifed Vatican environment — aided immeasurably by the exquisitely moody cinematography of Stéphane Fontaine, who delivers a richly intimate yet tantalizingly dark setting immersed in the kind of deep shadows that seem to invite conspiracy — while putting an unwavering focus on the internal narrative of its characters and the sometimes murky motives that drive them. It’s also thanks to the screenplay by Peter Straughan, which crafts those characters as much through what they choose not to say as by what they do, while skillfully using them to explore culturally-relevant themes about the corrupting infuence of power and the antiquated prejudices that still hold sway within its cloistered walls.

Most of all, however, the flm’s ability to grip us and draw us in rests upon its actors, most particularly Fiennes, already an odds-on favorite for this year’s Best Actor Oscar, who gives a career-best performance as Lawrence, turning a character who might easily seem too good to be true into a layered, relatable “Everyman” that has our instinctive loyalty from the frst moment we meet him. Tucci, Lithgow, and Msamati all have standout moments, and

Diehz shines as the quiet and unassuming Benitez — but it’s Isabella Rossellini who almost walks away with “Conclave” with her largely silent performance as a Vatican nun who says very little but sees and hears everything.

All this A-list quality certainly succeeds in making Berger’s movie into an engaging, intelligent, and visually impressive piece of populist cinema; and even if its twisty-and-interconnected plot developments sometimes stand out as a little too apt to be believable, its strong points far outweigh those mainstream “compromises.” Still, what likely has made “Conclave” into the frst must-see title of awards season is more about what is happening offscreen rather than off. Much of the Papal election it portrays refects hard-tomiss parallels with the real-life presidential election (which, at the time of this writing, had yet to take place), from the sharp divide between progressive ideals and regressive conservatism to the entrenched misogyny, racism, and homophobia that inserts itself into the process everything about this fctional Catholic thriller reminds us of the American political campaigns of 2024. And as for specifc relevance for queer audiences, we don’t like spoilers — but we can venture to say that at least a few of the flm’s surprise developments have a profound resonance with LGBTQ concerns.

Of course, that might not be enough by itself to add this one to your watchlist; but there’s enough food for thought to be found in it that it is worth your while, no matter what.

“Conclave” is now playing in theaters.

RALPH FIENNES and STANLEY TUCCI star in ‘Conclave.’ (Image courtesy of Focus Features)

New book follows 7 trans kids coping with modern political attacks

Author Nico Lang delivers fne work of journalism

By TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

In great-grandma’s day, they hooked.

They were high-topped and dainty, too, to show off a tiny, cheeky-but-demure ankle beneath long skirts. These days, though, they Velcro, tie, strap, or you just slip your toes into whatever you put on your feet. You gotta wear your shoes but, as in the new book “American Teenager” by Nico Lang, you wish someone would walk a mile in them first.

Seven-hundred-plus.

That’s how many anti-gay, anti-trans bills were presented to state legislatures around the country last year, many aimed at minors. As if being a teenager isn’t hard enough. With this in mind, Lang shadowed seven trans kids, to find out how they and their families cope with our current political landscape.

Fifteen-year-old South Dakotan Wyatt is in 10th grade. He knows that the lawmakers in his state “will just keep turning up the boil” on trans bills and it makes him physically sick. When Lang asked Wyatt to describe himself, Wyatt couldn’t do it, as if, says Lang, he was “still in transit, not yet arrived.”

Near Birmingham, Rhydian is a good student at the Magic City Acceptance Academy, the only school in the South that specifically welcomes LGBTQ students, and he enjoys the deep love and support of his parents and grandmother. But he’s frustrated: Rhydian’s been waiting for months for top surgery, which has been put on hold for reasons that are political.

Mykah identifies as gender-fluid, Black, and bi-racial and they desperately dream of a future performing career. In Houston, Ruby’s beloved church held a re-naming ceremony for her when she turned 18. Seventeen-year-old trans boy Clint is Muslim, and has managed to avoid scrutiny from his Chicago mosque.

Jack, along with her mother and nonbinary sibling, Augie, were homeless before their mother finally managed to find housing; in the meantime, Jack lost her health care. And in Los Angeles, Kylie has health care, support, friends, and an activist mother.

She has advantages that most trans kids can only wish for –and she knows it.

Acne. Peer pressure. Social media. Being a teen has always been difficult, even without anti-LGBTQ legislation. In this fine work of journalism, author Nico Lang shows how a handful of kids in one group are coping with governmental policies and life in general.

Hint: you can expect the unexpected.

“American Teenager” shows the highs and lows of being a teen with the added stress of politics included – and here, the individuality inside the ordinary is striking and wonderful. Lang is careful to show how these are just typical kids – good-hearted, smart, funny, sarcastic – and it rings throughout each profile how much the discrimination they endure affects their lives and relationships. That’s a clarion call, absolutely, but readers who can see between the lines will also enjoy this book’s humor, it’s compassion, and the sheer joy of meeting decent, thoughtful teens.

Parents will like this book for its candor, and that goes doubly for adults who love a trans kid. Start “American Teenager” and before long, you’ll be hooked.

‘American Teenager’

By Nico Lang

c.2024, Abrams Press | $30 | 288 pages

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Celebrating 29 Years of service to my clients and my community!

Birthdays at JR.’s

Drag queens celebrate at local establishment (Washington

Citrine, Andromeda and Silver Ware Sidora celebrated their birthdays at JR.’s Bar with a drag show on Saturday, Nov. 2.

Blade photos by Michael Key)

Monday

Assuming a VA Loan

Program available to eligible service members, veterans, and their families

By VALERIE M. BLAKE

A VA loan is a mortgage loan guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and is available to eligible service members, veterans, and, in some cases, their families. The VA doesn’t directly lend money; instead, it provides a guarantee on loans made by approved lenders. This guarantee enables lenders to offer favorable terms and less strict requirements than conventional loans, also allowing the loan to be assumed by a subsequent buyer.

Currently, we are seeing renewed interest in the assumption of VA loans from buyers seeking a lower interest rate from what is currently available on the market. In fact, I represented sellers involved in such a transaction earlier this year.

While often a slow and paper-intensive process, an assumption of the seller’s loan balance, interest rate, and length of loan can lead to substantial savings for borrowers, as well as a reduction in up front settlement fees.

Assuming a VA mortgage, however, is not without its complexities and potential pitfalls. Here’s a closer look at the pros and cons of assuming a VA mortgage to help you decide if it’s the right choice for you.

Advantages of a VA Mortgage Assumption

Lower Interest Rates . If the seller has a VA loan with a rate that’s lower than offered in the current market, the buyer could beneft signifcantly. Assuming an older VA loan with a lower rate could mean long-term savings on monthly payments and total interest paid over the life of the loan.

No Down Payment Required . Assuming a VA mortgage typically means that this no-down-payment feature can be transferred to the buyer, assuming the lender allows it.

No Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI). With conventional loans, a downpayment of less than 20% triggers the addition of PMI. VA loans do not require PMI, so assuming a VA loan can help the buyer avoid this expense and can make monthly payments more affordable.

Other Reduced Costs . Since the mortgage is simply being transferred from the seller to the buyer, certain fees associated with originating a new loan may not apply.

Expanded Loan Limits . A seller with full VA entitlement (no outstanding VA loans) and is otherwise qualifed can purchase a home without a down payment for up to $766,550 nationwide (2024 fgures) and up to $1,149,885 in certain highcost areas, including DC and several counties within the suburbs of Maryland and Northern Virginia.

Disadvantages of a VA Mortgage Assumption

VA Entitlement Tied Up . While most assumptions take place between buyers

and sellers who are veterans or active-duty military, if the new buyer does not have VA loan eligibility, the seller’s entitlement remains with the assumed loan until it’s paid off or refnanced. This can limit the seller’s ability to obtain another VA loan in the future while continuing to be liable for the original loan balance if the buyer defaults; therefore, most sellers will only agree to assumptions by others who have VA eligibility.

Equity Gap Requirement . When assuming a VA loan, the buyer must pay any difference between the contract price and the loan amount. Many lenders do not allow a second mortgage with an assumption, so this is often paid in cash. For example, a buyer assuming a $550,000 loan on a home with a contract price of $600,000 will need $50,000 plus applicable closing costs to assume the loan.

Fees and Other Costs. Although closing costs are generally lower in an assumption, there are still fees involved, including a VA funding fee of 0.5% of the loan amount for assumptions, which may add to the upfront cost.

Qualifcation Process . The seller must make a written request to the lender to begin the process. After preliminary approval by the lender’s Assumption Department, the buyer must demonstrate VA eligibility, if applicable, and submit a loan application and supporting documents needed to meet the lender’s credit, income, and debt-to-income requirements. The assumption can take anywhere from 30 days to a year to complete, depending on the lender, the buyer’s situation, and the complexity of the loan. On average, it takes 60 days to close; the transaction I participated in took 100 days from contract ratifcation to settlement.

Assuming a VA mortgage can be a great fnancial move if the interest rate on the existing loan is lower than current rates and if the buyer has the cash to cover any equity gap; however, it’s essential to weigh the eligibility requirements, the potential cash needed upfront, and any liability issues carefully. Consulting with a lender and possibly a fnancial advisor is always wise when considering the many ways to buy a home.

VALERIE M. BLAKE

is a licensed Associate Broker in DC, MD & VA with RLAH Real Estate / @properties. Call or text her at 202-246-8602, email her at www.DCHomeQuest.com, or follow her on Facebook at TheRealst8ofAffairs.

Buying a house and considering a VA loan? Here’s what you need to know.

MASSAGE

MASSAGE FOR MEN

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BULLETIN BOARD

Academy of Hope

Adult Public Charter School REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

STRATEGIC PLAN

Academy of Hope Adult Public Charter School (School) and Academy of Hope Foundation (Foundation) is requesting proposals from strategic planning consultants. See full RFP for details and submission information at https://aohdc.org/get-involved/jobs/. Proposals are due 12/16/2024.

LOST SILVER RING

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including probate, small estates & foreign estates. Public notices are required 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 & verifiable outlet to make 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!

509 LLOYDS LN, ALEXANDRIA, VA 22302 | OFFERED AT $3,295,000

The rural feel of this in-town country estate is unequaled! A quick 10 minutes to DCA this opportunity has all of the details you were looking for! Located on genteel Lloyd’s Lane in the City of Alexandria, VA this almost ½ acre property is luxuriously outited with flower beds and a koi pondwhere the living is as excitng outside as it is in! Remote, secure and serene- the entre property features wood plank fencing accessible through remote gates. The sleepy front porch welcomes you to the extraordinary and charm-filled interior. There are high ceilings, vintage pine floors, glass doorknobs, and custom details throughout. Built in 1997 this property has a 1925 aura with boundless comfort and an exceptonal floorplan for entertaining. The owner has designed each detail and the outcome is astounding. Incredible flow for entertaining- and comfort for calm privacy! Yet this residence is longing to host another wedding! The main floor features a thirty-foot art gallery foyer, high ceilings and formal spaces including separate living and dining rooms with gas fireplaces. The eat-in updated white

kitchen with quartz island is sparkling and overlooks the rear deck/ garden. Atached is the pantry/ mudroom/ laundry and a warm and pleasant family room with fireplace. The study has a wet bar and a powder room is close by. Upstairs is the Primary Suite with a foyer that connects two bedrooms (or office), two baths and a 14 x 12 walk-in closet! There are two more bedrooms and a full bath on this level. Further on the next floor is another bedroom suite, an enormous play room/ studio and full bath. The finished lower level is home to unprecedented storage, another bedroom suite with full bath (nanny, in-law) with a separate exterior entrance, a separate laundry and additonal recreaton room perfect for games and/or a screening room. The circular stone driveway can park a dozen or so cars. This prime setng is perfect to let the dogs and children run! And it’s hard to believe this divine slice of life is in the middle of the city! With that said- it is very convenient to multple private and public schools and with close locality to Old Town Alexandria and Washington, DC.

Dr. Conor Grey, Do

Shane Hodges, PharmD