washingtonblade.com, volume 47, issue 21, may 20, 2016

8/16/2019 Washingtonblade.com, Volume 47, Issue 21, May 20, 2016

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Senate confirms Fanningto post after long delay

By CHRIS [email protected]

After a delay of nearly eight months, the U.S. Senateconfirmed on Tuesday Eric Fanning as the first-ever openlygay Army secretary.

The chamber approved the nomination, announced byPresident Obama in September, by voice vote with littlefanfare on the Senate floor.

“I’m honored by today’s Senate confirmation and thrilledto return to lead the total Army team,” Fanning said in astatement. “I am looking forward to getting back to workwith [Army Chief of Staff] Gen. [Mark] Milley, and sincerelyappreciative of Patrick Murphy’s work as acting Secretaryover the past several months.”

Never before has the U.S. Senate confirmed an openlygay person as the civilian head of one of the military

New priorities emergeafter long marriage focus


The Obama administration is taking monumentalstrides in favor of transgender rights that may seemunprecedented, but trans advocates have differingtakes on whether these developments represent achange since the start of President Obama’s tenure in

the White House.The new initiatives, unveiled last week, began with

a lawsuit filed by U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynchagainst North Carolina’s House Bill 2, which prohibitstransgender people in the state from using publicrestrooms in schools and government buildingsconsistent with their gender identity. In widely praised

remarks announcing the lawsuit, Lynch comparedthe law to Jim Crow laws, calling House Bill 2 “state-sponsored discrimination.”

At the end of the week, the Departments ofEducation and Justice issued joint guidance informing

schools discrimination against transgender students,including in bathroom use, constitutes a violation ofTitle IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, whichcould result in a loss of federal funds for the state.

Finally, the Department of Health & Human Servicesannounced it had made final a rule prohibiting anti-trans discrimination in health care and insurance.

The rule requires insurance plans to cover transition-related medications, gender reassignment surgeriesand other treatments for transgender people if these

CONTINUES ON PAGE 16

PAGE 12

RETURN TO CUBA

Island celebrates LGBT

progress as Mariela

Castro leads march.

PAGES 23-26

BEACH BOUND

Find out what’s new

in Rehoboth as the

summer season nears.

PAGE 31

FABULOUS!

‘Ab Fab’ is just

one highlight of packed

summer movie slate.

M A Y 2 0 , 2 0 1 6 V O L U M E 4 7 I S S U E 2 1 • A M E R I C A ’ S L G B T N E W S S O U R C E • W A S H I N G T O N B L A D E . C O M

‘I’m honored by today’s Senate confirmation and thrilled to return to lead the total Army team,’ said ERICFANNING.

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY DAMIEN SALAS CONTINUES ON PAGE 14


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02 • MAY 20, 2016 WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

Ask your healthcare provider if GENVOYA is right for you,and visit GENVOYA.com to learn more.

It is important to ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist aboutmedicines that should not be taken with GENVOYA. Do not start anew medicine without telling your healthcare provider.

• The herbal supplement St. John’s wort.

• Any other medicines to treat HIV-1 infection.

What are the other possible side effects of GENVOYA?

Serious side effects of GENVOYA may also include:

• Changes in body fat, which can happen in people taking HIV-1 medicines.• Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger

and begin to fight infections. Tell your healthcare provider if you have anynew symptoms after you start taking GENVOYA.

• Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare providershould do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop newor worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking GENVOYA.

• Bone problems, such as bone pain, softening, or thinning, which may leadto fractures. Your healthcare provider may do tests to check your bones.

The most common side effect of GENVOYA is nausea. Tell your healthcareprovider if you have any side effects that bother you or don’t go away.

What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking GENVOYA?

• All your health problems. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if youhave or have had any kidney, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitisvirus infection.

• All the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-countermedicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Other medicines may affecthow GENVOYA works. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to yourhealthcare provider and pharmacist. Ask your healthcare provider if it is safeto take GENVOYA with all of your other medicines.

• If you take antacids. Take antacids at least 2 hours before or after youtake GENVOYA.

• If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known ifGENVOYA can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare providerif you become pregnant while taking GENVOYA.

• If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do notbreastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescriptiondrugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch,or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please see Important Facts about GENVOYA including important warnings on the following page.

WHAT IS GENVOYA®?

GENVOYA is a 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used totreat HIV-1 in people 12 years and older. It can either be used inpeople who are starting HIV-1 treatment and have never takenHIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their currentHIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines theymeet certain requirements. These include having an undetectableviral load (less than 50 copies/mL) for 6 months or more on theircurrent HIV-1 treatment. GENVOYA combines 4 medicines into

1 pill taken once a day with food. GENVOYA is a complete HIV-1treatment and should not be used with other HIV-1 medicines.

GENVOYA does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. To control HIV-1infection and decrease HIV-related illnesses, you must keep takingGENVOYA. Ask your healthcare provider if you have questionsabout how to reduce the risk of passing HIV-1 to others. Alwayspractice safer sex and use condoms to lower the chance of sexualcontact with body fluids. Never reuse or share needles or otheritems that have body fluids on them.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

What is the most important information I should know

about GENVOYA?GENVOYA may cause serious side effects:

• Build-up of an acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), whichis a serious medical emergency. Symptoms of lactic acidosisinclude feeling very weak or tired, unusual muscle pain, troublebreathing, stomach pain with nausea or vomiting, feeling cold(especially in your arms and legs), feeling dizzy or lightheaded,and/or a fast or irregular heartbeat.

• Serious liver problems. The liver may become large and fatty.Symptoms of liver problems include your skin or the white partof your eyes turning yellow (jaundice), dark “tea-colored” urine,light-colored bowel movements (stools), loss of appetite for

several days or longer, nausea, and/or stomach pain.• You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or serious

liver problems if you are female, very overweight, or havebeen taking GENVOYA for a long time. In some cases, lacticacidosis and serious liver problems have led to death. Call yourhealthcare provider right away if you have any symptoms ofthese conditions.

• Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. GENVOYA is notapproved to treat HBV. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV andstop taking GENVOYA, your HBV may suddenly get worse.Do not stop taking GENVOYA without first talking to yourhealthcare provider, as they will need to monitor your health.

Who should not take GENVOYA?Do not take GENVOYA if you take:

• Certain prescription medicines for other conditions.

_ _ . . _ . -


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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM MAY 20 , 2016 • 03

GENVOYA does notcure HIV-1 or AIDS.

POWER

SHOW YOUR

Take care of what matters most—you. GENVOYA isa 1-pill, once-a-day complete HIV-1 treatment forpeople who are either new to treatment or peoplewhose healthcare provider determines they can replacetheir current HIV-1 medicines with GENVOYA.

:


4/56


MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT GENVOYA

Genvoya® may cause serious side effects, including:

• Build-up of lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious medicalemergency that can lead to death. Call your healthcare provider right away if youhave any of these symptoms: feeling very weak or tired, unusual muscle pain, troublebreathing, stomach pain with nausea or vomiting, feeling cold (especially in your armsand legs), feeling dizzy or lightheaded, and/or a fast or irregular heartbeat.

• Severe liver problems, which in some cases can lead to death. Call your healthcareprovider right away if you have any of these symptoms: your skin or the white partof your eyes turns yellow (jaundice), dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored bowelmovements (stools), loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, and/orstomach pain.

• Worsening of Hepatitis B (HBV) infection. GENVOYA is not approved to treat HBV.If you have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop takingGENVOYA. Do not stop taking GENVOYA without first talking to your healthcare provider,as they will need to check your health regularly for several months.

You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or severe liver problems if you are female,very overweight, or have been taking GENVOYA for a long time.

ABOUT GENVOYA

• GENVOYA is a prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in people 12 years of ageand older who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before. GENVOYA can also be usedto replace current HIV-1 medicines for some people who have an undetectable viral

load (less than 50 copies/mL of virus in their blood), and have been on the sameHIV-1 medicines for at least 6 months and have never failed HIV-1 treatment, andwhose healthcare provider determines that they meet certain other requirements.

• GENVOYA does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. Ask your healthcare provider about howto prevent passing HIV-1 to others.

Do NOT take GENVOYA if you:

• Take a medicine that contains: alfuzosin (Uroxatral®), carbamazepine (Carbatrol®,Epitol®, Equetro®, Tegretol®, Tegretol-XR®, Teril®), cisapride (Propulsid®, PropulsidQuicksolv®), dihydroergotamine (D.H.E. 45®, Migranal®), ergotamine (Cafergot®,Migergot®, Ergostat®, Medihaler Ergotamine®, Wigraine®, Wigrettes®), lovastatin(Advicor®, Altoprev®, Mevacor®), methylergonovine (Ergotrate®, Methergine®),midazolam (when taken by mouth), phenobarbital (Luminal®), phenytoin (Dilantin®,Phenytek ®), pimozide (Orap®), rifampin (Rifadin®, Rifamate®, Rifater®, Rimactane®),

sildenafil when used for lung problems (Revatio

®

), simvastatin (Simcor

®

, Vytorin

®

,Zocor®), or triazolam (Halcion®).

• Take the herbal supplement St. John’s wort.

• Take any other HIV-1 medicines at the same time.

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF GENVOYA

GENVOYA can cause serious side effects, including:

• Those in the “Most Important Information About GENVOYA” section.

• Changes in body fat.

• Changes in your immune system.

• New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure.

• Bone problems.

The most common side effect of GENVOYA is nausea.

These are not all the possible side effects of GENVOYA. Tell your healthcare providerright away if you have any new symptoms while taking GENVOYA.

Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health beforeand during treatment with GENVOYA.

BEFORE TAKING GENVOYA

Tell your healthcare provider if you:

• Have or had any kidney, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis infection.

• Have any other medical condition.

• Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

• Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you have HIV-1because of the risk of passing HIV-1 to your baby.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take:

• Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins,and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist.

• Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about medicines that should not betaken with GENVOYA.

HOW TO TAKE GENVOYA

• GENVOYA is a complete one pill, once a day HIV-1 medicine.

• Take GENVOYA with food.

GET MORE INFORMATION

• This is only a brief summary of important information about GENVOYA. Talk to yourhealthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more.

• Go to GENVOYA.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5

• If you need help paying for your medicine, visit GENVOYA.com for program information.

IMPORTANT FACTS

This is only a brief summary of important information about GENVOYA anddoes not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your conditionand your treatment.

(jen-VOY-uh)

GENVOYA, the GENVOYA Logo, GILEAD, and the GILEAD Logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

Version date: November 2015 © 2016 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. GENC0026 04/16

_ _ . . _ . :


5/56

Cuban LGBT group honors Blade

CIENFUEGOS, Cuba — The Cuban Foundation for LGBTI Rights on Wednesday

recognized the Washington Blade for its ongoing coverage of LGBT-specific issues onthe Communist island.International News Editor Michael Lavers spoke on behalf of the Blade during a visit

to the organization’s headquarters in the Cuban city of Cienfuegos.“The Blade is honored to receive this recognition from the Cuban Foundation for

LGBTI Rights,” said Lavers. “The Blade remains pleased to be able to share the stories ofCuban LGBT rights advocates and their efforts with our readers.”

“We’d like to thank the LGBT people of Cuba for sharing their stories with us and theCuban Foundation for LGBTI Rights for this honor,” said Blade editor Kevin Naff. “Thisaward is a reflection of the Blade’s commitment to covering the plight of LGBT peoplearound the world.”

Lavers is currently in Cuba to report on the country’s LGBT rights movement. He alsotraveled to the island in May 2015.

STAFF REPORTS

7 gay candidates seek Clinton delegate seats

At least seven gay men are among the 60 candidates running to become delegates tothe Democratic National Convention pledged to presidential candidate Hillary Clinton atD.C.’s Democratic presidential caucus on Saturday, May 21.

But a modest to strong showing by Democratic presidential contender BernieSanders in D.C.’s June 14 presidential primary could eliminate most if not all of the gaycandidates, who are competing in Saturday’s caucus against 53 other would-be Clintondelegates for just 13 delegate seats.

Under the D.C. Democratic Party’s proportional voting system in presidentialprimaries, the city’s 13 elected delegates and one elected alternate delegate seats

are allocated to competing presidential candidates by the proportion of the vote theyreceive in the primary.

No known LGBT people are among the 12 candidates running in the May 21 caucuswho are pledged to Sanders.

Clinton is considered the strong favorite to win the June 14 D.C. primary. But localpolitical observers say the city’s historically progressive electorate makes it likely thatSanders will receive a significant percentage of the vote.

The known gay candidates running for Clinton delegate positions, according to alist released by the D.C. Democratic Party, are gay Democratic activists John Fanning,Richard Lum, David Meadows, Gregg Moreland, Peter Rosenstein, Mark Spengler and

James Brexley Wyatt. Moreland and Wyatt are partners.All city residents who are registered Democrats are eligible to vote at the caucus,

which will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and again from 9-10:30 p.m. at the city’s Walter

Washington Convention Center. Under Democratic Party rules, city residents canregister as a Democrat at the site of the caucus if they bring proof of residency.

Spengler is the former LGBT outreach director at the Democratic National Committee.Rosenstein is a Blade columnist and Fanning is chair of the Logan Circle AdvisoryNeighborhood Commission. Lum served as a member of the Platform Committee atthe 2012 Democratic Convention.

Many of the other candidates running for the Clinton delegate seats are longtimecommunity activists with significant name recognition. Party activists have long saidthat the key to winning delegate seats at the D.C. Democratic Caucus is to be able tobring or attract large numbers of supporters to the caucus.

The Democratic Party has allocated a total of 45 delegates from D.C. to the DemocraticConvention in Philadelphia this summer. Most are automatic or “super” delegate seatsassigned to party leaders and elected offi cials. Seven are selected by the D.C. Democratic

State Committee after the caucus.Under a non-binding affi rmative action “goal” established by the D.C. DemocraticParty, at least 5 out of the 45-member delegation should be members of the LGBTcommunity. In past presidential election years, the party has appointed LGBT people asdelegates to meet that goal.

LOU CHIBBARO JR.

Capital Pride announces2016 award recipients

HIV/AIDS activist and localentertainment show host RayceenPendarvis, journalist and former TVnews anchor Kathleen Matthews, andveteran transgender rights advocate

Jeri Hughes are among those namedas 2016 recipients of the Capital PrideAlliance’s annual LGBT rights awards.

The organization’s Capital PrideHeroes Award, the EngenderedSpirits recognition, and its Bill MilesAward, named for the group’s latefounding board member, drawattention this year to eight individualsthat have distinguished themselvesas extraordinary advocates and alliesof the LGBT community, Capital Prideoffi cials said in a statement.

The awards will be presented atthe Capital Pride Heroes Gala, whichtakes place at 7 p.m. on June 1 at theCarnegie Library, 901 K St., N.W.

“The Capital Pride Alliance isextraordinarily fortunate to have acommunity with so many individuals,leaders, and activists dedicatedto fighting for and successfullyadvancing LGBTA rights for all of us,”said Capital Pride board president Bernie Delia.

“This year was a particularly diffi cult selection process, with so manyoutstanding individuals from whom to choose,” Delia said. “We are truly gratefuland honored to announce and celebrate these individuals.”

The Capital Pride Alliance, among other things, produces D.C.’s annual CapitalPride Parade and Street Festival.

The Capital Pride Heroes designation was given to these individuals, whose

backgrounds and accomplishments are taken from a Capital Pride pamphlet:• Bishop Allyson Abrams — presiding bishop of the LGBT supportive Pneuma

Christian Fellowship, founder of the Empowerment Liberation Cathedral andsocial justice advocate.

• Kathleen Matthews — LGBT advocate, human rights activist, journalist, TVnews anchor, vice president for Global Communications at Marriott InternationalCorporation, and former Maryland congressional candidate.

• Rayceen Pendarvis — HIV/AIDS activist, host of “The Ask Rayceen Show,”emcee of multiple D.C. Black Pride festivals and events, volunteer, equalityadvocate, and gay Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner.

• Peter Rosenstein — LGBT rights activist, racial justice champion, CEO ofnational healthcare and education related associations, member of multiplenonprofit boards, and co-coordinator of a group advocating for marriage

equality in D.C. He also serves as a Washington Blade columnist.Engendered Spirits honorees recognized for having made significant

contributions to the transgender community:• Julius Agers — “Two-spirited, transgender activist, volunteer for numerous

nonprofit organizations and political campaigns, staff member at the D.C. Fireand EMS Department.”

• Jeri Hughes — “Human rights advocate, volunteer, marriage equality and‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ repeal activist,” longtime advocate for banning employmentdiscrimination against transgender people, and LGBT rights activist.

Bill Miles Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service:• Chelsea Bland — “Labor union and LGBTQ rights activist, volunteer co-

producer at Capital Pride for Volunteers, LGBT committee chair for the Offi ceand Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 2, and freelance

photographer.”• Michael Creason — “Volunteer sign language interpreter for Capital Prideand multiple LGBT organizations, nationally certified sign language interpreter,and producer at Capital Pride for Accessibility.”

LOU CHIBBARO JR.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

LOCAL NEWS MAY 20, 2016 • 05

RAYCEEN PENDARVIS is among thisyear’s Capital Pride honorees.

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY


6/56

Manager accused ofassault, shoutinganti-gay slurs

By LOU CHIBBARO [email protected]

The D.C. Offi ce of Human Rights hasfound probable cause that the Starbuckscoffee shop at Dupont Circle discriminatedagainst a gay male couple based on theirsexual orientation and based on theHispanic race of one of the two men.

The action by the OHR, whichis considered a civil version of anindictment, is based on a complaint

filed by Michael Campbell, 31, and AngelRivera, 23, that Starbucks managerChristian Lokossou subjected them to aharrowing confrontation during their visitto the Starbucks at Connecticut Avenueand R Street, N.W. on May 18, 2014.

Separate complaints filed by each ofthe two men charge that Lokossou starteda verbal confrontation with Campbellpossibly after seeing him and Rivera kissone another as they placed their orderwith another employee.

Minutes later, both complaints state,

Lokossou chased after them as they leftthe store, shouting anti-gay slurs at thembefore bumping into Campbell with hisshoulder and chest as startled customersseated in an outdoor patio looked on.

“You are fucking with the wrong oneand I will break your neck you little fag,and I will break your spic boyfriend’sneck as well,” the two complaints quoteLokossou as saying.

In a 15-page Letter of Determination ofprobable cause in Campbell’s complaint,OHR Director Monica Palacio says an OHR

investigation that included interviews withseveral witnesses considered to be impartialfound that Campbell established a “primafacie” case that discrimination occurred.

“OHR finds probable cause tobelieve that Respondent discriminatedagainst Complainant on the basis ofhis sexual orientation on May 18, 2014when Respondent’s Manager orderedComplainant to leave the establishment,called Complainant a ‘faggot,’ andthreatened to harm him,” the letter ofdetermination states.

“OHR [also] finds probable causeto believe that Respondent retaliatedagainst Complainant by banning himfrom Respondent’s store after he fileda complaint with OHR alleging thatRespondent was discriminated on the

basis of his sexual orientation on May 18,2014,” the letter states.

In a separate 10-page Letter ofDetermination in Rivera’s complaint,Palacios states, “OHR finds probable causethat Respondent discriminated againstComplainant on the basis of his race (Hispanic)and sexual orientation (homosexual).”

Palacio’s letter adds, “The record,including disinterested witnessstatements, indicate that Respondent’smanager called Complainant a ‘spic’ and

a ‘fag,’ while threatening Complainantand his partner with physical violence,which resulted in Complainant receivingservices in a markedly hostile mannerwhile he was patronizing Respondent’sstore on May 18, 2014.”

At the time Campbell and Riverafiled their complaints, a Starbucksspokesperson told the Washington Bladethe company was investigating the claimsmade by the two gay men but it has alongstanding policy of never commentingon pending litigation.

But the spokesperson, Laurel Harper,added, “At Starbucks we want all of ourcustomers to have a positive experience.We have zero tolerance for discriminationand take this type of accusation seriously.”

According to a summary of Starbucks’position on the case stated in Palacio’s findingof probable cause, Campbell acted in a hostileway toward Lokossou during a January 2011incident in which Lokossou claims Campbellshouted obscenities at him when he closedthe Starbucks store earlier than the normalclosing time due to a snowstorm.

With that as a backdrop, Starbucksclaims that Campbell was the aggressorin the 2014 incident, Palacio states in herprobable cause finding.

� CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

Comings & GoingsHonor for Corado; new post for Nosanchuk

By PETER ROSENSTEIN

The Comings and Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our com-munity. We want to recognize those landing new jobs, new clients for their business, join-ing boards of organizations and other achievements. Please share your successes with usat [email protected].

Congratulations to Roosevelt University student DanFlave-Novak, for winning a prestigious fellowship. “Dan’sgroundbreaking PsyD dissertation looks at body imagein the gay community. He will have the rare honor ofbecoming one of only nine U.S. Veterans Administrationpost-doctoral fellows to be trained beginning later thisyear in helping veterans with LGBTQ mental healthissues,” according to a press release.

“I’m very excited to be a part of this new initiativewhich will allow me to make a difference in the lives ofveterans who have recently begun to identify as LGBTQin the VA system,” Flave-Novak said. “I believe it will be agreat opportunity for me to have influence and an impact

on how the VA system works with LGBTQ veterans nowand in the future.” Dan will be spending his year as a post-doctoral fellow at the Milwaukee VA Medical Center.

Flave-Novak has been a doctoral student since 2011in Roosevelt’s nationally recognized PsyD program.He trained in several psychology and counselingdepartments, including Chicago’s Howard BrownCenter, one of the largest LGTBQ health organizationsin the nation. He worked for many years for Ohio Rep.Sherrod Brown in Washington, assisting in the fight torepeal “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.”

Congratulations also to Matt Nosanchuk who joinedthe State Department as Senior Advisor in the Offi ce of

Religion and Global Affairs in the Offi ce of the Secretary.Nosanchuk has served President Obama in severalpositions prior to starting at the State Department. Mostrecently he was the President’s Liaison to the American

Jewish community in the Offi ce of Public Engagementand also served as Director for Outreach on the National Security Council. Duringthe first three years of the administration, Nosanchuk was Senior Counselor in theCivil Rights Division of the Justice Department, where he was the point person onLGBT issues and worked on challenges to the Defense of Marriage Act that led to theSupreme Court’s historic decision in United States v. Windsor.

Nosanchuk was born in Windsor, Canada, grew up in the Detroit area andwent to college and law school at Stanford. Since moving to Washington, he hasworked in the private, public, and non-profit sectors, including on Capitol Hill

on the House Judiciary Committee Minority Staff, and as Counsel for Sen. BillNelson of Florida. In 2013, he received the American Bar Association’s inauguralStonewall Award in recognition of his professional contributions to advancingLGBT civil rights and the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award for hiswork on the Defense of Marriage Act litigation.

Congratulations also to Ruby Corado, who will be honored along with theLGBTQ women of the Obama administration at the Astraea Lesbian Foundationfor Justice 2016 Fueling the Frontlines dinner.

Born in El Salvador, Corado fled to the United States at age 16 when theSalvadoran Civil War erupted. She eventually moved to Washington, D.C. Self-identifying as a “D.C. Humanist-Transgender woman” Corado has spent morethan 20 years advocating for the inclusion of transgender, genderqueer, andgender non-conforming gay, lesbian, and bisexual people in mainstream society.

In 2004, she founded Casa Ruby in D.C. Last year, Corado told NPR, “Most of thepeople who come to Casa Ruby don’t have a family that accepts them, or that lovesthem for the most part. So we have a family here, and it is the concept of a chosenfamily.” Casa Ruby now has three homes, which include housing for homeless youthand adults, food service, job training, and medical and employment advocates.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

06 • MAY 20, 2016 LOCAL NEWS

DAN FLAVE-NOVAKPHOTO COURTESY OF FLAVE-NOVAK MICHAEL CAMPBELL and ANGEL RIVERA

accuse a Starbucks manager of anti-gayharassment.


Probable cause found inD.C. Starbucks bias case

MATT NOSANCHUKPHOTO COURTESY OF NOSANCHUK

RUBY CORADOWB FILE PHOTO


7/56

Earnest says ‘higher stakes’due to national security


White House Press Secretary JoshEarnest defended on Monday theongoing review of the ban on transgendermilitary service, citing “higher stakes”for implementing transgender access to

the armed forces as a result of nationalsecurity reasons.Earnest made the remarks in response

to a question from the Washington Bladeon why the administration shouldn’t applythe same standards to the military fortransgender access that it has done for healthcare, education and bathroom use throughmilestone pro-trans initiatives last week.

“I think that we have long acknowledgedeven on LGBT issues that relevant tothe LGBT community that ensuring theeffective implementation of policies atthe Department of Defense has higherstakes than it may in other governmentagencies,” Earnest said. “We’re talkingabout our basic national security.”

Earnest recalled Defense Secretary AshtonCarter has declared support for allowing

capable people to serve in the militaryregardless of transgender status andPresident Obama has echoed that sentimentthrough the White House.

“But smooth and effectiveimplementation of this policy is notinsignificant,” Earnest said. “And whatSecretary Carter and the other servicesare conscientiously moving forward to dois to figure out the best way to settle on apolicy and implement it effectively and asexpeditiously as possible, and that’s what

they continued to work on.”The Pentagon review of the 1980s-era banon transgender military service, ordered byCarter in July, has apparently stalled out,leading to frustration among transgenderadvocates. Last week, Carter said at theAir Force Academy the implementation oftrans service is “complicated,” although thegoal to allow openly transgender troops toserve remains in place.

The Washington Post over the weekendreported the delay in implementingopenly trans service is the result ofdisagreements among offi cials. Amongthe reported issues is how long thePentagon should require transgenderpeople to wait after transitioning their sexbefore being allowed to join the military.

Acting Pentagon personnel chief

Peter Levine is quoted in the article asestimating it will take “months, but nota large number of months” to addressremaining details for implementingopenly trans service.

In defense of the joint guidance fromthe Departments of Education and Justicelast week assuring transgender studentsaccess to restrooms in schools, Earnestsaid Obama was “regularly updated” onthe process of creating the document.

Earnest said he wouldn’t go into details

about conversations Obama has withCarter, but added on the trans militaryban “it’s fair for you to assume that inthose conversations the president is keptappraised, as necessary, of the progressof this review.”

Asked if Obama would call on Carter tomove forward with the completion of thetrans military review during an upcomingmeeting scheduled Monday at the WhiteHouse, Earnest gave a categorical “no.”

“Again, I’m not going to walk through

the agenda for their meeting, but thepresident continues to have confidencethat the Department of Defense ishandling this review as conscientiously asthey should,” Earnest added.

Eric Pahon, a Pentagon spokesperson,said the working group Secretary Carterset up to examine transgender militaryservice “continues to meet and deliberate.”

“This is a very complicated issuewith health care, individual and Servicereadiness, and cost implications,” Pahonsaid. “All must be taken into accountbefore a final decision is made.”

Pahon said when the workinggroup completes the review, policyrecommendations will be staffed withinthe Pentagon and presented to thedefense secretary for a decision.

White House defends review of trans military ban

Gonzales enactedgender-neutralbathroom ordinance

By MICHAEL K. [email protected]

Family is important to gay Santa FeMayor Javier Gonzales.

He grew up in what he described tothe Washington Blade during a telephoneinterview on May 11 as a traditionalfamily in which the “idea of relationshipswas men and women.” Gonzales proudlypointed out that he has two “beautiful”daughters with his ex-wife, but he saidthere was something missing.

“I struggled,” he said.Gonzales in 2014 became the first

openly gay person elected mayor of NewMexico’s capital city.

The New Mexico native, who is the firstmember of his family to graduate fromcollege, previously served two terms onthe Santa Fe County Commission. He wasalso a member of the New Mexico Stateand New Mexico Highlands UniversitiesBoard of Regents.

Gonzales’ most recent position was vice

president of corporate responsibility andsustainability for Rosemont Realty, whichpromotes energy effi cient offi ce buildings.

“To say it’s special doesn’t give it an

adequate word or enough to say howI feel about it,” Gonzales told the Blade,referring to his historic election. “It wasreally incredibly personal.”

Gonzales noted his parents were“always very, very good about showingrespect and not talking ill of anyone whowas gay.” He also told the Blade that two

of his cousins passed away from HIV.Gonzales came out to his family

between 2010 and 2012, joking it was“a very long coming out process.” Hispartner, who has four children of his own,also “came out very late in life.”

Gonzales didn’t fully come out as gayuntil he decided to run for mayor.

“It wasn’t until I made the decision torun that I came out to the community andto the state,” he said.

One of the first things that Gonzalesproposed upon taking offi ce was agender-neutral bathroom ordinance.

The measure has subsequently goneinto effect, but Gonzales conceded thatit sparked a backlash among someSanta Fe residents. He noted he receivedcomments that included the ordinancewas able to pass because voters hadelected a gay mayor.

“They were nasty,” said Gonzales. “Theywere brutal.”

Gonzales has also spoken extensivelyabout income inequality, child hungerand climate change since taking offi ce.He told the Blade that longer droughtcycles have had an adverse impact on theforests that surround Santa Fe.

“There’s a recipe for disaster whendrought cycles go on longer and you

have timber up in our watershed,” saidGonzales, referring to the increased riskof wildfires.

Gonzales spoke with the Blade two daysafter the Justice Department filed a federalcivil rights lawsuit against North Carolinaover House Bill 2 that bans transgenderpeople from using bathrooms consistentwith their gender identity and prohibitsmunicipalities from enacting LGBT-inclusivenondiscrimination ordinances. The state’sgovernor, Pat McCrory, earlier that day suedthe Justice Department over its deadline tostop enforcing the controversial law.

“As far as we’ve come as a countrywhen it comes to equality for gays andlesbians, we are nowhere near when itcomes to the transgender community,”said Gonzales. “I get it. I understand whenpeople don’t know something they tendto instantly move toward fear.”

“The Republican Party stokes thatfear by telling flat out lies,” he added. “It

becomes very conflicting for people.”Gonzales is up for re-election in 2018.He told the Blade that he has not made

any decisions about whether to run foranother term. Gonzales added, however,that he loves “being mayor of my city.”

“There’s an enormous opportunity todevelop policy for all our citizens,” he said.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

NATIONAL NEWS MAY 20, 2016 • 07

JAVIER GONZALES is the first openly gayperson elected mayor of Santa Fe, N.M.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MATT ROSS

Santa Fe’s gay mayor advances progressive agenda

Defense Secretary ASHTON CARTER hasdeclared support for allowing capablepeople to serve in the military regardless oftransgender status.



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Throughout my 32 years of heroin addiction, HIV treatment wasn’t a real priority. But after getting clean in rehab,

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what treatment has done for me, it’s the hope they need at a critical time. Now, as a musician and Sunday school

teacher, I’m able to reach out to my community and share the benets of my experience.

“HIV, you didn

’t take

my hope, and you won’t

take my life.”

Vernial - Washington, DCLiving with HIV since 1987.


9/56


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10/56

‘Seat at table’ calledimportant force againstanti-LGBT laws

By LOU CHIBBARO [email protected]

Leaders of the Gay & Lesbian Victory

Fund told several hundred peoplegathered in Washington for the group’sNational Champagne Brunch on May 15that electing openly LGBT candidates topublic offi ce is an important means ofstopping dozens of anti-LGBT bills pendingin state legislatures across the country.

The annual brunch, which serves as afundraiser, marked the 25th anniversaryof the founding of the Victory Fund.Offi cials noted that the group was createdto advance the cause of LGBT equality byrecruiting, training and raising money tohelp elect LGBT people to public offi ce onthe local, state and national levels.

Aisha Moodie-Mills, who was namedpresident and CEO of the Victory Fund alittle over a year ago, told the gatheringat the Omni Shoreham Hotel that she had

hoped this year’s brunch would continuethe celebration of the Supreme Court’sdecision last June legalizing same-sexmarriage throughout the country.

“So here we are, on the eve of celebratingthe year anniversary of marriage equalitynext month,” Moodie-Mills said. “But arewe partying like we thought we’d be?” sheasked. “No – the LGBT movement isn’t

giving high fives right now.”Added Moodie-Mills, “Because, aswe say where I’m from in Jersey, we areliterally ‘guarding our grills and knucklingup’ to fight off the 200 anti-LGBT bills thatare being introduced in states all aroundthe country.”

She noted that most of the so-called“bathroom bills” introduced in statelegislatures this year are targetingtransgender people in what she called“hate-filled attacks designed to derailthe basic rights we just secured lessthan a year ago, as well as attempts todehumanize transgender people in someof the most ridiculous ways possible.”

Moodie-Mills and other speakers atthe Victory Fund event noted that stateswhere openly LGBT people have been

elected to their respective legislaturesare less likely to pass anti-LGBT laws,including the so-called “bathroom”measures requiring trans people touse public bathrooms that match theirgender at birth.

“We will achieve victory for all byelecting people in the pockets of thiscountry where equality has been slow to

arrive – regions like the South, the RustBelt and the Midwest,” said Moodie-Mills.“And we won’t declare victory until LGBTpeople are fully represented in every runof our government – from the schoolboard, to the statehouse, to one day eventhe White House.”

There are currently more than 450“out and proud” LGBT elected offi cialsin offi ces ranging from ci ty and towncouncils, state legislatures, the U.S. Houseof Representatives and one U.S. Senator– Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), according toinformation released by the Victory Fund.

Baldwin, who spoke to the May 15brunch through a video recording, saidshe was hopeful that many more outLGBT candidates would win election topublic offi ce this year.

So far this year, the group has endorsedabout 65 out LGBT candidates, includingone – Jim Gray of Kentucky – who’srunning for the U.S. Senate, and anotherfour running for U.S. House seats.

Victory Fund offi cials note that thereare currently five openly gay members ofthe U.S. House and one bisexual woman,Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.).

Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), one of thegay House members, drew loud cheerswhen he told the Victory Fund brunchgathering on Sunday that if just one moreLGBT person wins election to the Housein November “we will be the gayestCongress in history – that we know of.”

Valerie Jarrett, senior adviser toPresident Obama, wasn’t on the offi ciallist of speakers at the event. She drewloud applause when she was introducedand walked to the podium.

Citing what she called Obama’s strongrecord of support for LGBT rights duringhis nearly eight years in offi ce, Jarrett saidshe was especially proud of the president’sdirective requiring states to comply withcourt rulings holding that anti-transgenderdiscrimination violates existing federal law.

Victory Fund honors LGBT lawmakers at brunch

Earnest calls effortundermining Obama’sEO ‘perverse’


Ahead of an expected vote in theU.S. House on major defense spendinglegislation, the White House is makingclear it “strongly objects” to a provision inthe bill that would undermine PresidentObama’s executive order against anti-LGBT workplace discrimination amongfederal contractors.

The White House Offi ce of Management& Budget unveiled this week its Statementof Administration Policy, a formal documentoutlining the administration’s position onlegislation pending before Congress, on thefiscal year 2017 defense authorization bill,

which could come to a vote on the Housefloor as soon as Wednesday. The 17-pagedocument signals President Obama wouldveto the bill.

The administration objects tonumerous provisions in the $583 billionpackage, including an amendmentinserted by Rep. Steve Russell (R-Okla.)last month during committee markupthat would undercut Obama’s executiveorder against anti-LGBT discrimination.

“The bill also continues unwarrantedrestrictions regarding detainees atGuantanamo Bay, would prevent theUnited States from fulfilling its obligationsunder a treaty, and includes non-germanepolicy riders, such as those underminingthe Endangered Species Act as well

as public land management statutes,and those that would make it easierto discriminate on the basis of sexualorientation, which have nothing to do withnational defense,” the statement says.

Under a heading titled, “Exemptionsto Civil Rights Laws,” the statementelaborates on the White House oppositionto the provision, known as Section 1094,and says the administration “stronglyobjects” to it.

“This Administration is committedto promoting equal employmentopportunities for all Americans regardlessof who they are or who they love while atthe same time preserving longstandingsafeguards in the law for religiousliberty, including the religious exemptioncodified in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of1964,” the statement says. “In authorizingcertain Federal awardees to discriminatein Government-funded jobs, section 1094represents a step in the wrong directionfor our country that will keep qualifiedAmerican workers from being able to hold

jobs funded by the American people.”Under questioning from Washington

Blade on Tuesday, White House PressSecretary Josh Earnest declined to sayexplicitly whether Obama would veto thedefense authorization bill over the anti-LGBT language alone, but hinted that wasthe case, calling the provision seeking toenable discrimination “perverse.”

“The president has on a number ofoccasions protected his ability to use thatexecutive authority in his negotiationswith Congress because we know thatthere are some in Congress, who forreasons that seem rather perverse to me,believe that the president shouldn’t betaking actions to prevent discrimination,”Earnest said.

Earnest said predicting whetherCongress will ultimately remove the

provision before sending the bill toObama’s desk is diffi cult, but added theonus is on the Republican-controlledCongress to take that action.

“After all, this is their responsibility,right?” Earnest said. “Republicanshave a strong majority in the Houseof Representatives. Republicans havea strong majority in the United StatesSenate. So, ultimately, it’s Republicans whoneed to carry the weight of figuring outhow to ensure that our national securityprofessionals, and our men and womenin uniform have the authority and fundingthat they need to protect the country.”

The amendment would require thefederal government when contractingwith religious organizations to affordthem exemptions consistent with the CivilRights Act of 1964 and the Americans withDisabilities Act. Since neither of those lawsprohibit anti-LGBT bias, the amendmentwould enable religious organizations

doing business with the U.S. governmentto discriminate on the basis of sexualorientation or gender identity.

Because the measure would havethe force of law, it would overrule theexecutive order signed by PresidentObama in 2014 prohibiting contractorsdoing more than $10,000 a year inbusiness with the U.S. government fromengaging in anti-LGBT discriminationagainst employees.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

10 • MAY 20, 2016 NATIONAL NEWS

White House Press Secretary JOSH EARNESTconveyed opposition to the anti-LGBTamendment in the House defense bill.


White House objects to anti-LGBT defense bill


11/56



12/56

Mariela Castromarches withsupporters in Matanzas

By MICHAEL K. [email protected]

EDITOR’S NOTE: Blade reporter Michael

Lavers is in Cuba all week covering eventsrelated to the International Day Against Ho-mophobia and Transphobia. For more storiesand photos, visit washingtonblade.com.

MATANZAS, Cuba — Hundreds ofpeople on Tuesday took part in a marchin the Cuban city of Matanzas thatcommemorated the International DayAgainst Homophobia and Transphobia.

Mariela Castro, daughter of CubanPresident Raúl Castro who directs thecountry’s National Center for SexualEducation, and Wilfredo Labiosa, an

American LGBT rights advocate wholives in Puerto Rico, were among thosewho took part in the march that begannear Matanzas’ waterfront and ended inParque de la Libertad in the center of thecity. Tico Almeida, the Cuban Americanpresident of Freedom to Work who hasfamily in Matanzas, also participated withsome of his relatives.

March participants carried large Cubanand rainbow flags, banners in supportof Mariela Castro and handwritten signsin support of LGBT-specific issues and

against the U.S. embargo against Cuba asthey slowly made their way to Parque dela Libertad. They also chanted “socialismyes, homophobia no” and other slogansthat included “down with homophobia”and “down with transphobia.”

Mariela Castro said to those who gatheredin Parque de la Libertad after the march thatall forms of discrimination “against exploitedhuman beings are the same.”

She highlighted efforts to combathomophobia and transphobia on theCommunist island before leading the

crowd in a chant of “long live the (Cuban)revolution.” Mariela Castro was holding asign that read, “I am included! No to theU.S. embargo!” as she spoke.

Many of those who took part in themarch were also holding the same signsagainst the U.S. embargo.

Frank Zamora, a 40-year-old gay manfrom Matanzas, carried a hand-writtenposter that read “revolution and socialism isdiversity” while holding a small rainbow flag.He told the Washington Blade before themarch began that it was important for himto take part “to demonstrate to those peoplewho don’t accept social diversity for onereason or another that we are all the same.”

“We have the same rights,” said Zamora.“The Cuban constitution pertains to all of us.”

Yusleidy, who did not provide the Blade

with her last name, described the marchas “beautiful” and “historic” as it passedby her apartment building. She watchedit from her balcony with her aunt, hercousin’s young son and a baby.

“It is very important,” Yusleidy told the

Blade. “This event shows that the Cubanpeople are very united.”

Tuesday’s march was among thehundreds of events around the worldthat marked the International DayAgainst Homophobia and Transphobia,which commemorates the World HealthOrganization’s decision to declassifyhomosexuality as a mental disorder. Transactress Candis Cayne was among those whotook part in an International Day AgainstHomophobia and Transphobia march onSaturday in Havana that the National Center

for Sexual Education organized.Mariela Castro’s uncle, Fidel Castro,sent thousands of gay men and othersdeemed unfit for military service to laborcamps known as Military Units to AidProduction in the years after the 1959revolution. The Communist country’sgovernment also forcibly quarantinedpeople living with HIV/AIDS in state-runsanitaria until 1993.

Cuba decriminalized consensual same-sex sexual relations in 1979. Fidel Castromore than three decades later apologizedfor sending gay men to labor camps

— which were known by the Spanishacronym UMAP — during an interviewwith a Mexican newspaper.

Mariela Castro’s supporters credit herwith championing LGBT-specific issues in

the country.Mariela Castro, who is a member of the

Cuban Parliament, voted against a gay-inclusive workplace discrimination bill in2013 because it did not include genderidentity. She has also publicly spoken insupport of nuptials for gays and lesbians,although the Cuban constitution still definesmarriage as between a man and a woman.

“She has demonstrated to the wholeworld that Cuban society is changing,”Zamora told the Blade.

Jhonny Santopé in 2011 became thefirst trans person to legally change theirgender in Cuba. He told the Blade afterthe march that Mariela Castro and the

National Center for Sexual Education,which is known by the Spanish acronymCENESEX, allowed him to receive freesex-reassignment surgery through thecountry’s national health care system.

“This is very important because I didnot have any resources, I did not have a

way to do it,” said Santopé.Independent Cuban LGBT rightsadvocates have questioned this policy,noting only a few dozen people have beenable to receive sex-reassignment surgeriessince they became available in 2008.

U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.),a Cuban-born Florida Republican with atrans son, is among Mariela Castro’s mostprominent and vocal critics. IndependentCuban LGBT rights advocates have alsocriticized Mariela Castro over a host ofissues that include her lack of responseto a petition campaign in support of

marriage rights for same-sex couples onthe Communist island.

Mariela Castro made no mention ofthe marriage campaign during Tuesday’smarch or in her remarks afterwards.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

12 • MAY 20, 2016 INTERNATIONAL NEWS

A march to commemorate the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia took place in Matanzas, Cuba, on May 17.

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL K. LAVERS

Cuba marks global day against homophobia

JHONNY SANTOMÉ, the first trans Cuban to legally change gender, takes part in eventsin Matanzas, Cuba, that commemorated the International Day Against Homophobia andTransphobia.

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL K. LAVERS


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services. Fanning has under the Obamaadministration served on the civilianside of each of the military services atthe Pentagon and was chief of staff to

Defense Secretary Ashton Carter.LGBT advocates have said the

confirmation makes Fanning the highest-ranking openly gay person in the U.S.government. Other appointees who mayhold claim to that distinction are FredHochberg, chair of the U.S. Export-ImportBank, or U.S. Chief Technology Offi cerMegan Smith.

Prior to the vote, Sen. Pat Roberts(R-Kansas) had held up the confirmationby placing a hold on the nominee. Thelawmaker, who has a long anti-LGBT

voting record in the Senate, said hebased his hold on Obama’s plan to closethe detention facility at GuantanamoBay, citing concern detainees would berelocated to Ft. Leavenworth in Kansas.

In a statement on his website, Robertssaid he lifted his hold on the nominationbased on assurances he received fromthe Obama administration and Congress,and insisted his action wasn’t based onFanning’s character.

“I look forward to voting for Mr.Fanning who has always had my supportfor this position,” Roberts said. “My holdwas never about his courage, characteror capability, but rather about ournation’s security if the detainees weremoved to Ft. Leavenworth. I believe EricFanning will be a tremendous leader forthe Army, including those who serve at Ft.Leavenworth and Ft. Riley in my state.”

Roberts said he received assurancesfrom Deputy Defense Secretary RobertWork on May 10 Obama won’t senddetainees to Ft. Leavenworth, althoughthe plan to close the detention facilityremains in place.

“I take Deputy Secretary Work at hisword,” Roberts said. “He understands thesignificant and costly changes that wouldneed to be made at Ft. Leavenworthto change the post’s mission. He

understands the myriad of challenges thatFt. Leavenworth poses after reviewingearlier analyses. Most importantly, heunderstands the legal restrictions onfunding to move the detainees to Ft.Leavenworth by January 20, 2017.”

Roberts also cited in pending majordefense spending legislation languageprohibiting the closure of GuantanamoBay without a plan approved by Congress.

“Looking at the task before theadministration, it is increasinglyimprobable that they can jeopardizeour national security by bringing high-value terrorists and their associatedrisks to an American community like Ft.Leavenworth, Kansas,” Roberts said.

A similar situation regarding Obama’schoice of Army secretary has occurred

before. In 2009, Roberts and then-U.S.Sam Brownback placed a hold on thenomination of John McHugh for Armysecretary over concerns about closingGuantanamo Bay. The White House gaveassurances it wouldn’t relocate terroristdetainees to Ft. Leavenworth and thesenators lifted their hold, allowing theSenate to confirm McHugh.

Among those pushing for Senateconfirmation of Fanning was SenateArmed Services Committee Chair JohnMcCain (R-Ariz.), who sought to initiatea vote on the nomination last month,but was blocked by Roberts. On theSenate floor, Roberts indicated the 2009assurances are no longer satisfactory,citing concerns about having “no statuteof limitations.”

A source familiar with the Fanningnomination said McCain sought tocompel Roberts to lift his hold on theFanning nomination, which led to his votefor confirmation.

McCain also initially objected to movingforward with the Fanning nomination,citing concerns the nominee’s role as

acting Army secretary contravened theVacancies Act. After Fanning steppedaside from the position, McCain alloweda committee hearing and vote on thenomination to take place.

Matthew Thorn, executive director ofthe LGBT military group OutServe-SLDN,said the Senate confirmation of Fanningwas “long overdue” because the nomineewas more than qualified to become Armysecretary.

“Eric’s sexual orientation has absolutelyno bearing on his ability to do this job;nor was it the reason for his nomination,”Thorn said. “But this milestone of having

an openly gay individual in this high-level position within the Department ofDefense will help to continue to set a toneof understanding and respect for the

LGBT community throughout the armedservices.”

Thorn said the Fanning confirmation is“not the last stand for the LGBT militarycommunity,” but a significant milestonebecause it represents progress for LGBTpeople.

“As we approach the fifth anniversaryof the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’Secretary Fanning now becomes the

highest-ranking LGBT offi cial in theadministration,” Thorn said. “That is atestament to President Obama and thisadministration’s priorities and vision.”

Fanning confirmed as first openly gay Army secretary

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM


Sen. JOHN MCCAIN (R-Ariz.) praised Eric Fanning as eminently qualified to lead the Army.


Clinton calls for end toHIV/AIDS ‘once and for all’

Democratic presidential candidate

Hillary Clinton called for an end to the HIV/AIDS epidemic “once and for all” in remarksbefore a meeting with a group of HIV/AIDSactivists last week.

According to the Clinton campaign,the candidate met with a diverse grouprepresenting more than 70 leaders andorganizations in the HIV/AIDS communityat the Hillary for America headquarters inBrooklyn, N.Y. Among the discussion topicswere tackling the epidemic in the U.S. andglobally, fighting discrimination againstHIV/AIDS and working together with HIV

and AIDS experts and advocates to achievean “AIDS-free generation.”

In public remarks before the meeting took place, Clinton called for additionalresources to confront HIV/AIDS both within the United States and overseas.

“We do have the tools to end this epidemic once and for all, but we needto rededicate ourselves to fighting HIV and AIDS, and leaving no one behind,”Clinton said. “That means continuing to increase research and expanding theuse of medications like PrEP. It means capping out-of-pockets expenses anddrug costs, and building on President Obama’s National HIV and AIDS Strategyto increase the number of people on HIV treatment worldwide.”

Clinton also called for the reform of state HIV criminalization laws, whichcontinue in various forms to criminalize perceived exposure to HIV in 32 statesregardless of the actual risk of transmission.

Activists said in a statement 20 representatives took part in the meeting andpresented Clinton a policy document that, among other recommendations,seeks to increase U.S. funding in the global AIDS response by $2 billion by 2020.According to activists, that would double the number of people on treatmentdirectly supported by the United States to more than 30 million people by 2020.

According to the statement from HIV/AIDS activists, Clinton didn’t commit tothis target, but agreed to make public treatment and funding targets for theglobal AIDS program. Activists have asked the candidate to release these targetswithin 30 days.

Hilary McQuie, who attended the meeting as director of U.S. policy andgrassroots mobilization for the HIV/AIDS group Health GAP, said the next presidentmust increase the momentum in the global AIDS effort by increasing funding.

“We are at a crossroads in the AIDS response,” McQuie said. “If we scale upaccess to treatment and prevention programs within the next five years, we will

curb the spread of HIV and see the end of the pandemic as we know it by 2030.If we choose to continue business as usual, we will see rising infection rates andmillions more preventable deaths in the coming decades.”

CHRIS JOHNSON

HILLARY CLINTON called for an endto the HIV/AIDS epidemic last week.



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plans cover similar services to non-transgender people with other medicalconditions.

The trans focus of these initiativesstands in contrast to more gay-centric progress earlier in the Obamaadministration, such as efforts to repeal“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and ensure

marriage rights for same-sex couplesnationwide. Support for trans rights wasoften done in the context of initiativesin favor of LGBT community writ-large,such as Obama’s support at the start ofhis administration for a trans-inclusiveEmployment Non-Discrimination Act andhate crimes protections legislation.

Much like Obama’s “evolution” beforehe announced in 2012 he supports same-sex marriage, observers might assume asimilar evolution in support of trans rights.

Jillian Weiss, a transgender advocate

and law professor at Ramapo College,said of the Obama administration “therehas been a change in emphasis on transrights” that has become manifest in thenew initiatives.

“While there have been somemilestones on federal trans rights thepast seven years, trans rights havegenerally taken a backseat to other LGBissues and marriage equality.” Weiss said.“The current initiative regarding HB2 andthe Title IX guidance represent a seachange in the level of endorsement of

transgender rights. Certainly the extensivestatement given by Attorney GeneralLynch regarding the administration’slevel of commitment to trans people isunprecedented. Trans rights are nowfront and center in a national way thathas never before occurred.”

Mara Keisling, executive director of theNational Center for Transgender Equality,nonetheless said pro-trans initiativeslike the ones seen last week havebeen happening all along and counted100 victories since the start of the Obamaadministration.

“I guess it’s a little bit of evolving inone sense,” Keisling said. “At first, earlyin the administration, we were nervousabout being too public about stuff, andthe Obama administration was certainlynervous about being too public aboutstuff, and nobody is all uptight about thatanymore. So they were doing the reallygood work, but none of us were willing tohave a public fight about it on Fox News.”

As evidence of earlier initiatives ontrans rights, Keisling pointed to theState Department decision allowing

transgender people to change thegender marker on their passports andthe Department of Housing & UrbanDevelopment’s rule prohibiting anti-LGBTdiscrimination in government-sponsored

housing. In 2011, the Department ofEducation issued a “Dear Colleague”warning schools about discriminatingagainst students that was similar to theguidance last week.

Keisling recalled in 2009, transadvocates were upset Obama’smemorandum on LGBT rights called onfederal agencies to implement benefitsfor same-sex couples without mentioningtransgender people, but added thatconcern ended up being unfounded.

“We were all kind of worked up aboutit,” Keisling said. “It turned out to beone of the most important things thathappened because the agencies did goback and analyze it and start doing stuff.And just the president saying, ‘I supportdoing stuff for LGBT people turned out tobe a huge, huge deal.’ And that was bothsexual orientation and gender identityearly on.’”

Any sort of change may be the result ofmajority support in the American publicfor transgender rights. A recent CNN/ORCpoll found 57 percent of Americans opposerestrictions on transgender bathroomuse, compared to the 38 percent whosupport them. A broader 75 percent werein of favor laws assuring equal protectionfor transgender people in employment,housing and public accommodations.

White House Press Secretary JoshEarnest said Tuesday he wouldn’tdescribe the new pro-trans effortsas either reflecting society or anadministrative decision, but more of aresponse to Republicans enacting stateanti-LGBT laws.

“From conservatives, you basically haveseen the suggestion that they haven’treally put forward a specific suggestionfor how they believe that the rules shouldbe applied,” Earnest said. “The best

that they seem to have come up with is

suggesting that birth certificates shouldbe examined before anyone can enter apublic bathroom. So that doesn’t makesense. That certainly is an indication thatthey are much more interested in politicsthan they are in actually trying to solvethe problem.”

Earnest also denied the efforts ontransgender rights are a way for theadministration to make up on theperceived slow progress on LGBT rightsbecause of Obama’s 2012 endorsementof same-sex marriage.

“I think that at every stage, it’s thisadministration that fought for andsuccessfully ended ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’”Earnest said. “It’s this administrationthat declined to continue defending theDefense of Marriage Act as litigationcontesting that law wound its waythrough the courts. So, again, I think asit relates to this issue, it is clear that it’sRepublicans who are seeking a politicaladvantage and an administration that isseeking to offer tangible, practical adviceto school administrators who are seekingto protect the safety and dignity of everystudent at their school.”

A Wall Street Journal op-ed this weekhad another take on the pro-transinitiatives, saying the joint guidance forschools amounts to President Obamaseeking to ignite a “culture war” ahead ofthe 2016 presidential election.

“The Obama administration’spreoccupation with sex, whether in thesophomore year or the fourth grade,raises questions about whether thefederal bureaucracies know at all whatthey are doing on anything resembling

the merits,” the Journal writes.Earnest slammed the Wall Street

Journal for its criticism of the guidance,saying he doesn’t think the piece “standsup to a lot of scrutiny.”

“I don’t make a habit of reading the

editorial page of the Wall Street JournalI think for obvious reasons, but I didhappen to take a look at it today, and Inoticed that the editorial also noted thatsomehow Democrats appeared to beobsessed with sex, which I thought wasa rather amusing observation on theirpart because it’s Republicans who have,for example, passed this HB2 law in NorthCarolina,” Earnest said.

Even with the pro-trans initiativesunveiled last week, trans advocateshave more on their agenda they want

to see from the Obama administration,such as the finalization of a proposedrule from the Department of Housing &Urban Development making clear anti-trans discrimination is prohibited andending immigration detention for transundocumented immigrants, who faceeither solitary confinement or harassmentand assault while in detention.

One high-profile item that remainsis lifting the 1980s-era ban prohibitingtransgender people from serving openlyin the armed forces. Defense SecretaryAshton Carter announced last year thePentagon would conduct a review ofthe policy, but that effort has seeminglystalled out, leaving questions aboutwhether the ban will remain in place atthe end of the Obama administration.

Sue Fulton, president of the LGBTmilitary group SPARTA, said the time hascome for the Obama administration topull the trigger and implement openlytrans service.

“I think if transgender service membersin places like North Carolina and Mississippiand Texas were able to be open, that would

change the dynamic in those states,” Fultonsaid. “I don’t know what the hold up is ingetting transgender military service. We’veanswered every question they’ve asked,and we’re just waiting.”

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01Obama delivers major wins for trans rights

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM


MARA KEISLING said pro-trans initiatives like the ones seen last week have been happeningsince the start of the Obama administration.


Trans advocates have differing views onwhether PRESIDENT OBAMA has evolved on

trans rights.



17/56


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‘House Father’ in ballroom community murderedAntonio Buckson, 38, was found

dead by Baltimore Police earlymorning on May 8. He was shotmultiple times and was pronounceddead at the scene by medics. Theshooting took place at the 600 blockof N. Decker Avenue, according to aBaltimore Police statement.

Sources told the Blade thatBuckson was also known as TonyKaran, the one-time “father” of the

Baltimore chapter of the House ofKaran, a longstanding house in theballroom community. Houses, alsocalled “families,” are LGBTQ groupsthat band together under a “housemother” or “house father.” People“walk” or compete for prizes andtrophies at events known as balls.

“The entire house and ballroomcommunity is an indigenouscommunity’s response 40 years agoto African-American families puttingtheir kids out because they were

gay,” said Mark McLaurin, a long-timefriend of Buckson. “They formed families of their own and call them houses andthey named them after fashion designers. They travel all around the countrycompeting against each other at these events called balls.”

McLaurin spoke fondly of Buckson. “Tony was a prominent and well-knownand much beloved figure in the house and ballroom and young black LGBTcommunity.”

Community activist Merrick Moses hopes that Buckson’s death will shed lighton the fact that black gay people are not immune to street violence in Baltimore.“Sometimes our LGBT communities forget that black queer and trans folk are inthese communities struggling,” Moses told the Blade.

Investigators believe Buckson was outside in the block when he was shot byan unknown suspect. Homicide detectives are asking anyone with information

on this incident to call Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7Lockup.

Frederick Pride festival set

An expected crowd of 5,000 and more than 100 organizations will beparticipating in the fifth annual Frederick Pride festival. The event takes place onSaturday, June 25 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Carroll Creek Linear Park in historicdowntown Frederick.

Bands, drag, DJ, dancing and more live acts will take place at the amphitheateras well as at the Market Street venue. Organized youth sports and craft activi tiescompliments of The Frederick Center Youth Group will be available.

“We are thrilled to be celebrating our fifth anniversary of Frederick Pride,”Kristopher Fair, the recently elected board chair of The Frederick Center, toldthe Blade. “Planners are hard at work with huge surprises organized this year.Be sure not to miss this pivotal event for the region and state.”

Admission is free, and families and allies are welcome. For more information,visit thefrederickcenter.org/frederick-pride.

New Wave Singers spring concert on tap

The New Wave Singers of Baltimore will conclude its 30th season with twoperformances of the spring concert, “A Tapestry of Song.” Founded in 1985, NewWave is a mixed chorus that performs around Maryland and the nearby region.

The first performance of “A Tapestry of Song” will be held at 7 p.m. onSaturday at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 1900 St. Paul St. in Baltimore. The

second performance will be held at 4 p.m. on Sunday at Grace United MethodistChurch, 5407 N. Charles St. Tickets are $20, and available at newwavesingers.org, from members of the chorus or at the door.

STEVE CHARING

ANTONIO BUCKSON, 38, was founddead on May 8.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BALTIMORE POLICE

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

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Gay Southern men hit hardest by HIV

NEW YORK — In several Southern U.S. cities, more than 25 percent of men whohave sex with men have been diagnosed with HIV according to a report from EmoryUniversity researchers presented this week, ABC News reports.

Gay and bi men in Columbia, S.C.; El Paso, Texas; and Jackson, Miss.; have the highestinfection rates and the South is home to 21 of the 25 metro areas with the highest MSMHIV rates, ABC News reports.

“This is really the first time we’ve been able to examine the HIV infection burden ...at such fine levels of geography,” Eli Rosenberg, assistant professor of epidemiology atEmory’s Rollins School of Public Health, said during a news conference according to theABC article.

The analysis provides “new evidence” of a growing disparity between the HIV epidemicin the South relative to the rest of the U.S., but it’s unclear whether this says more about

rising transmission rates in the South, or public health successes in other regions.Overall, gay and bisexual men are more than 57 times more likely to be diagnosed

with HIV than other men in the U.S., the study authors said according to the ABC article.“Where HIV is most a problem are places that are failing gay men,” said George Ayala,

executive director of the Global Forum on MSM and HIV, a leading advocacy group thatwas not involved in the report, ABC reports.

Where health systems fail, according to Ayala, is in the process of identifying people whohave HIV and immediately linking them with care. Gay and bisexual men may be more likelyto face additional barriers such as poverty and stigma, he said according to ABC.

Sexual fluidity more common in women: studyLONDON — Women’s sexuality is far more fluid than that of men, perhaps a result of

evolutionary design, according to a new theory, London’s Daily Mail reports.Evolutionary psychologist Dr. Satoshi Kanazawa proposes that sexual fluidity arose

in women as a mechanism for “reducing conflict and tension among co-wives inpolygamous marriages.”

Being sexually fluid would have allowed women to have sex with their co-wives whilestill successfully reproducing with their husband, the theory suggests, and thus hasreproductive benefits, the Daily Mail reports.

In the new proposal, published to Biological Reviews, Kanazawa explains thatsexuality differs between men and women. People of both genders have been knownto be sexually fluid, but studies have found that this is more common in women.

The researcher from London School of Economics and Political Science analyzedthe National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) to determine thedifferences between sexual fluidity in men and women. The study measured sexual

orientation of American youths in four “waves,” following them for more than 10 years.In the third wave, when respondents were between 18 and 28, they measured self-identified sexual feelings, among a given set of labels – 100 percent straight, mostlystraight, bisexual, mostly gay, 100 percent gay. In Wave IV, when respondents werebetween 25 and 34, they were asked to describe sexual identity, the Daily Mail articlesaid.

With this information, the researcher was able to construct measures of “adult sexualattraction.” The analysis revealed that women are more fluid in all of the proposedfacets.

The study also confirmed his predictions, including one which proposed that womenwho experience increased levels of sexual fluidity have a larger number of children andthat women who experience marriage or parenthood early in adult life also experienceincreased levels of sexual fluidity.

The researcher says this suggests that women’s sexual fluidity may have beenevolutionarily selected as one method for facilitating polygynous marriages, in which ahusband can have more than one wife, according to the Daily Mail article.

N.H. Senate bans ‘conversion’ therapyCONCORD, N.H. — Republican and Democratic lawmakers in the New Hampshire

Senate reached agreement last week on a bill to ban gay “conversion” therapy on minorsafter a debate over religious freedom nearly derailed the effort, NECN, an NBC affi liate,reports.

Both the Senate and House have now approved a bill barring licensed counselors fromengaging in the practice with anyone under age 18. The chambers passed bills includingslightly different language, which means they’ll need to reach agreement before sendingthe legislation to Gov. Maggie Hassan’s desk, NECN reports.

Hassan, a Democrat, praised the Senate’s passage of the bill, saying it sends animportant message to young people that they can be whom they are.

The bill passed on a voice vote after a key amendment cleared with support of all 10Democrats and six Republicans, the NECN article said.

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An election-year flight fromreason and reality

Positions of authority have a way of in-flating people’s sense of their own power.For example, Donald Rumsfeld mighthave been a great defense secretary if hisrefusal to hear bad news were an effec-

tive war strategy. Lacking the magic pow-er to alter reality by ignoring it, the besthe could hope for was to be far enoughfrom his and his cohorts’ gratuitous car-nage and havoc to fondle his PresidentialMedal of Freedom in safety.

Hillary Clinton benefits from greaterwillingness to acknowledge past mis-takes. “I got it wrong,” as she writes ofher 2002 Senate vote authorizing mili-tary action in Iraq, is not something youhear from Dick Cheney. People like himconsider it unmanly to admit a mi stake.

How ironic, then, for the GOP to suffer ahostile takeover by someone consumedwith his manhood. After years of ped-dling obstructionist nonsense on mat-ters from climate to healthcare to trans-portation, Republicans are outfoxed bysomeone better attuned to the mobthey nurtured.

It is, after all, not just politicians who

have fought reality and, as they imagine,finally won out over it. A phenomenonlike Donald Trump is impossible withoutsusceptible voters. “It’ll be great, believeme,” is not a serious statement of yourintentions except maybe to an ambitiousreality show contestant. The presidency,

as Barack Obama points out, is not a re-ality show. Trump is unfazed, defendinghis foreign affairs cred by citing a beautypageant he held in Russia.

Meanwhile, red state governors likePat McCrory of North Carolina exploit themoment with their own demagoguery.Thus the spate of rash laws that baseless-ly treat transgender people as predators.Republicans are as cavalier about otherpeople’s lives as if they were droppingan anvil in a cartoon. (They’re not bad.They’re just drawn that way.)

The stakes in this election were power-fully illustrated last week by the federalDepartments of Justice, Education, andHealth and Human Services, which took aseries of landmark actions to defend therights of transgender people. DOJ notablyinvoked the science of gender identity inits May 9 civil rights lawsuit against NorthCarolina’s notorious House Bill #2.

Contempt for science has become acornerstone of Republican policy on awide array of issues. It is as if ritual in-cantation will make America’s religious

and ethnic diversity vanish, gay folk stopdoing the thing that makes Jesus puke (inthe words of Sister Mary Ignatius), andthe rules of international banking changeto accommodate Trump’s reckless prom-ise of a deal to reduce America’s debt.

But reality does not seek our approval.Stoking intolerance will not reverse de-mographic trends. Trampling the Estab-

lishment Clause will not erase religious di-versity. Medical quackery will not turn gaypeople straight or trans people cisgen-dered. Toying with the world financial sys-tem will not make us more secure. Theseactions can, however, do great harm.

Fittingly enough in this era of con-

tempt for experts, Trump turns out tohave posed as his own publicist in 1991to boast to reporters of his popularitywith women. This same fraud now posesas a champion of the disaffected workingclass despite his voters having a medianhousehold income higher than Clinton’svoters.

The opportunist will not be defeatedby an army of snipers hiding behind com-puter screens. To halt the flight from rea-son, we must convince people to seize theopportunities of change instead of cling-

ing to phantoms. We are part of a multi-generational struggle rooted in the beliefthat embracing our diversity is ultimatelymore powerful than fearing it. If we de-mand instant perfection, we neglect ourwork in favor of fantasies. We need tried-and-true habits of perseverance and co-operation, not magical thinking.

Keeping her head while all about herare losing theirs and blaming it on her,Secretary Clinton gradually emerges asthe grownup in the room, showing hergrasp of policy and her willingness to lis-

ten last week in a meeting with HIV activ-ists. Her toughness is held against her bysexists like the SiriusXM Progress calleron May 13 who accused her of 50 felonieswithout naming one. Quit the race so wecan win, the losers demand of her. Timefor a reality check.

Copyright © 2016 by Richard J. Rosendall.

All rights reserved.

ADDRESSPO Box 53352Washington DC 20009

PHONE202-747-2077E-MAILnews@washblade.comINTERNETwww.washingtonblade.com

washingtonblade.com, volume 47, issue 21, may 20, 2016

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