washingtonblade.com, volume 47, issue 22, may 27, 2016

8/16/2019 Washingtonblade.com, Volume 47, Issue 22, May 27, 2016

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20 percent of Sanderssupporters intendto back Trump

By CHRIS [email protected]

With only a few states remaining in theDemocratic presidential primary process,many are wondering if and when the partywill unite around frontrunner Hillary Clinton.

According to a recent Washington Post-ABC News poll, 20 percent of Sen. BernieSanders’ supporters say they’ll vote forRepublican Donald Trump in the generalelection over Clinton, indicating the riftbetween Clinton and Sanders may not beeasily healed.

Meanwhile, some LGBT supporters ofSanders are starting to look to Clintonas their next candidate of choice as thegeneral election against Trump looms large.

While several LGBT voters who supportSanders and spoke to the WashingtonBlade identified reasons why they sayClinton is an unsatisfactory candidate, theysay they’re beginning to look to Clintonbecause the prospect of Trump winningthe White House is too frightening.

Rebecca Juro, a transgender New Jersey-based Sanders supporter andradio show host, said she’s “still a staunchSanders supporter” but intends tovote for Clinton if she’s the Democraticpresidential nominee.

“The alternative of Trump is so horrific

IN HER OWN WORDS:VICTIM DETAILS ALLEGEDASSAULT, PAGE 15

Giant Food guard arrested afterejecting customer from store

By LOU CHIBBARO [email protected]

A security guard at the Giant Food store at 3rd andH streets, N.E. spent a night in jail after D.C. policearrested her on a simple assault charge on May 18, forallegedly forcibly ejecting a transgender woman from

the store because she used the women’s bathroom.A police report says the guard, Francine Bernice

Jones, 45, allegedly called trans woman EbonyBelcher, 32, a “he/she faggot” and demanded sheleave the women’s bathroom located near the store’smain entrance.

The report says that when Belcher le ft the bathroomand started to walk toward the main area of the storeto visit a Western Union outlet located within the Giantstore, Jones blocked her path, pushed her toward theexit, and gave her “a final push outside the door.”

Belcher told the Washington Blade at D.C. SuperiorCourt on May 17, where she observed Jones’appearance at an arraignment, that Jones “grabs meby my arms, spins me around grabbing me by myback and pushes me out of the door.”

According to Belcher, while inside one of thebathroom stalls Jones burst into the bathroom andbegan hurling slurs at her.

“I know you’re a man and you’re not supposed tobe using the women’s bathroom,” Belcher quoted

Jones as saying. “They haven’t passed the law yet youfaggot, you he-she,” Belcher quoted her as saying.

“She called me all types of derogatory names. Shehumiliated me and embarrassed me all while I wasusing the bathroom,” Belcher told the Blade.

Belcher said police responded to the scene after she

dialed 911. She said among those responding to thescene was Sgt. Jessica Hawkins, supervisor of the D.C.police LGBT Liaison Unit, who’s a transgender woman.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 15

Full coverage of this year’s celebration.Plus, a look at the status of LGBT people of color on TV.

PAGES 25-30

M A Y 2 7 , 2 0 1 6 V O L U M E 4 7 I S S U E 2 2 • 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

Supporters of Sen. BERNIE SANDERS (I-Vt.) are grappling with how to vote ifHILLARY CLINTON is the nominee.

PHOTOS BY GINO SANTA MARIA; COURTESY OF BIGSTOCKPHOTO CONTINUES ON PAGE 14


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02 • MAY 27, 2016 WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

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Gay delegate headed to Dem. conventionGay Logan Circle Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner John Fanning was the only

one of six gay candidates running to become Hillary Clinton delegates to the DemocraticNational Convention in Philadelphia this summer.

Fanning and the other five gay candidates were among a total of 60 candidatescommitted to Clinton competing for just 13 elected delegate seats at a pre-primaryDemocratic Caucus held on May 21 at the Walter Washington Convention Center.

A seventh gay candidate, Democratic activist and City Council staffer David Meadows,withdrew his candidacy, saying he plans to seek one of five appointed ‘add-on’ delegatepositions up for grabs in June.

According to preliminary results released by the D.C. Democratic Party, whichorganized the caucus, Fanning came in second place behind D.C. Council member JackEvans (D-Ward 2) and ahead of local union leader Jos Williams. The three were among18 male candidates running for three delegate seats in a section of the city deemedDistrict 1, which includes Wards 1,2,6 and 8.

Gay candidates Peter Rosenstein, Gregg Moreland, Richard Lum and Mark Spenglerran and lost their races in that district. Gay candidate James Brexley Wyatt lost his

race as a Clinton delegate candidate in District 2, in which a total of nine candidatescompeted for three male delegate seats.LOU CHIBBARO JR.

Protesters target opening of Clinton D.C. o ce

A gay longtime anti-war activist dressed in drag as Hillary Clinton was among a half-dozen protesters who picketed outside a storefront offi ce on Capitol Hill on May 18 thathosted a reception to mark the opening of one of two Clinton campaign offi ces in D.C.

Among those walking past the protesters as they entered the newly opened campaignoffi ce were D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, D.C. Congressional Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, andD.C. Council member Charles Allen (D-Ward 6). One of the protesters, gay activist DavidBarrows, wore a Hillary mask and a dress as he and the other protesters called Clinton a“war monger” for backing U.S. military efforts in Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries.

The protest was organized by the anti-war women’s group Code Pink.Meanwhile, inside the campaign offi ce, more than 50 Clinton supporters in attendance

cheered Bowser and Norton as the two hailed Clinton’s longstanding support for D.C.statehood and D.C. budget autonomy from Congress.

“She is with us on the issues,” Norton told the gathering. “She said, Eleanor, I’ve alwaysbeen for statehood. We have to show her we mean it on June 14,” said Norton, whowas referring to the city’s June 14 Democratic primary in which Clinton and Democraticchallenger Sen. Bernie Sanders will be on the ballot.

Among the Clinton supporters attending the offi ce opening event were gay Democraticactivists Phil Pannell and Michael Ramirez.

LOU CHIBBARO JR.

‘Salome’ wins big at Helen Hayes Awards

The Washington-area theater scene celebrated its best and brightest on Monday withthe annual Helen Hayes Awards. Like last year, the ceremony was held at the U StreetCorridor’s historic Lincoln Theatre, and once again the awards were given in parallel“Helen” or “Hayes” cohorts, depending on the number of Equity members involved ineach production.

It was a big night for GALA Hispanic Theatre’s “Yerma.” The Helen production pickedup awards for its out director José Luis Arellano Garcí and members of its design teamand cast. The production was also named outstanding ensemble. Penned by the gaySpanish dramatist Federico García Lorca, “Yerma” is the story of a woman’s desperatedesire for a child.

Constellation Theatre Company received seven awards for its production of “AvenueQ,” including outstanding musical (Helen) and outstanding director of a musical,awarded to the company’s artistic director Allison Stockman.

Broadway director Michael Greif won for direction of a musical (Hayes) for ArenaStage’s “Dear Evan Hansen.” The production also took outstanding musical. Otherwinners included the out musical director Jon Kalbfleisch for outstanding music direction(Hayes) for Signature Theatre’s “West Side Story.” Barrett Wilbert Weed won for her takeon Sally Bowles in Signature’s “Cabaret” (Hayes). Best ensemble also went to “Cabaret.”

Dawn Ursula won for her star turn “Queens Girl in the World,” a Hayes production atTheatre J.

Mark Jaster picked up the Robert Prosky Award for outstanding lead actor in a Play(Helen) for Happenstance Theater’s “Impossible! A Happenstance Circus.” Jon HudsonOdom won the James McArthur Award for outstanding supporting actor in a play (also

Helen) for his dynamic work in Forum Theatre’s “Passion Play.”The night’s biggest winner was Shakespeare Theatre Company with a total of 13awards. The lion’s share went to director/adapter Yaël Farber’s “Salomé.” PlaywrightDavid Ives was singled out for STC’s “The Metromaniacs.” The company’s production of“Kiss Me, Kate” (Hayes) also picked up several awards.

PATRICK FOLLIARD

Town nightclub building soldto developer

A developer specializing in building upscale apartment buildings has purchased

the building at 2009 8th St., N.W., which is the current home of the popular gaynightclub Town Danceboutique, according to the Washington Business Journal.

The publication says deed records show that the Jefferson Apartment Grouppaid $25 million for four parcels of land between V Street and Florida Avenue,N.W., that includes the Town building and an adjacent parking lot.

It says another real estate development firm, Bristol Capital Corp. of Bethesda,Md., sold the building and surrounding land to the Jefferson Group after it boughtthe properties in 2004 for $7 million. The steep appreciation in the value of theproperty was said to be a sign of how a once warehouse and industrial sectionof the city along Florida Avenue is rapidly being transformed into a sought-afterresidential and entertainment enclave.

Town released a statement on Wednesday that says the club will remain openfor “years to come.” The statement reads:

“Since 2007, Town Danceboutique has operated in the Shaw neighborhoodat 2009 8th Street NW. In that time, and after considerable investments in

our neighborhood by many people including ourselves, Shaw is now one ofWashington’s most thriving and desirable parts of the city.

“Understandably, because of that popularity, there has been an interest inthe real estate that Town currently occupies. In fact, the building has been soldin previous years and we have had multiple landlords since we have been inoperation. Now, the building has been sold once again. This sale was not asurprise to us and we have a great relationship with our new landlord who isexcited to have us as their tenant. We also enjoy solid lease terms and we intendand fully expect to be throwing parties in our current location for years to come.”

Representatives of Jefferson Apartment Group declined to comment, and itsintentions for the site are unknown, the Washington Business Journal reports.But the Journal says the development company typically develops apartmentbuildings with retail shops on the ground floor on the land it acquires.

News of the sale of the Town building comes less than a year after the ownerof the building in which the gay nightclub Ziegfeld’s-Secrets is located, in thecity’s Buzzard’s Point section, sold that building to a developer. The sale followedapproval by the city of the construction of a new soccer stadium across thestreet from the Ziegfeld’s-Secrets building.

Ziegfeld’s-Secrets owner Alan Carroll has said the developer that bought thebuilding doesn’t expect to displace or evict his club for four or five years sincethe property is not on the footprint of the soccer stadium.

LOU CHIBBARO JR.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

04 • MAY 27, 2016 LOCAL NEWS

The building at 2009 8th St., N.W., which is home to Town, was sold.

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY


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Drinkery patrons accusedof disorderly conduct

By STEVE CHARING

The recently appointed Baltimore CityBoard of Liquor License Commissionersvoted not to renew the liquor license ofThe Drinkery, a mainstay of the MountVernon neighborhood since 1972, at ahearing on May 19. The vote was 2-1.

The establishment, on the corner ofPark Avenue and Read Streets billed itselfas a gay bar and a dive bar.

After listening to nearly three hoursof testimony, Commissioners DanaPeterson Moore and Albert J. Matriccianiruled in favor of the protesters; AaronGreenfield voted against.

About 15 people who backed the effortto prevent the license renewal and twodozen in support of The Drinkery attended

the hearing at City Hall. Among thosepresent who supported the protesters wasBaltimore City Councilman Eric Costello whohad filed written testimony opposing thebar’s license renewal. City Council PresidentBernard C. “Jack” Young also submitteda letter supporting the protesters. JasonCurtis, the former president of the MountVernon-Belvedere Association, was amongthose who testified against The Drinkery.

According to charges on the petitionwith 35 validated signatures: “Patronsare often disorderly and disruptive

as they leave the premises; patronsregularly loiter and litter on the sidewalkssurrounding the premises; patronsengage in violent altercations insidethe establishment that spill out into thesurrounding neighborhood; drug activityoccurs both in and on the periphery ofthe establishment; and patrons discardtrash throughout the community.”

Melvin J. Kodenski, who representedThe Drinkery at the hearing, movedto dismiss the case based on a lack ofspecificity to these charges but was

overruled by the chair, Matricciani.Mark Henderson, who identified

himself as gay man who lives near theestablishment on Read Street, said that“management let the place go and that[management] doesn’t care about thenoise and violence.” Henderson specifiedloitering and bringing drinks outside andsaid he contacted the owner, FrederickAllen to help with the problems to no avail.

Michael Pugh, who is also gay and liveson the same street as The Drinkery, testifiedthat prostitutes, drug dealers and johnshang outside the bar during the day but itbecomes a “pirates’ cove” of intense activityat night. He added there was a need to“clean up blood, condoms, and vomit” on adaily basis. Pugh said there was “horrendousnoise” at closing and people come out of the

bar with glasses and bottles.Two Baltimore City Police offi cers

testified that they had responded toa number of complaints of disorderlyconduct and assaults but admitted undercross examination by Kodenski thatno arrests had ever been made insidethe bar based on any complaints. Theyproduced City Watch photos of a knifefight in the street outside the bar but didnot establish that the individuals involvedwere connected to The Drinkery.

On behalf of The Drinkery, Mark S.Fosler, chief inspector for the BaltimoreCity Liquor Board, testified that only three311 complaint calls were received by hisoffi ce and those complaints were notsubstantiated.

Other patrons testified that anyarguments inside the bar had beenhandled by staff and that the issue ofpeople hanging outside the bar was dueto the non-smoking policy inside bars.Anthony Pressley, a regular customerwho is African-American, said he neversaw a fight or broken bottles as allegedby the protesters. He suggested there is aracial motivation to the bar’s opposition.

Kodenski produced a petition ofsupport for The Drinkery with more than500 signatures and a host of awards andcitations given to Allen, the owner, byelected offi cials over the years.

Allen, 87, disputed the accusations.He had been a resident in an apartmentabove the bar for more than 40 years.

Allen said beverages are sold only in cans,not bottles. In his 44 years associatedwith The Drinkery, Allen testified thatthere had been no arrests inside the barand that he cannot be held responsiblefor actions taking place on a city street.

Commissioner Moore, in voting for theprotesters, stated, “What matters are thefacts” and cited “contempt by the ownertoward the community.”

Kodenski told the Blade he will appealthe decision.

“The Drinkery was a melting pot foreveryone to meet and have a great time,”RJ Ladd, a frequent patron of the bar, toldthe Blade. “It will be dearly missed by usall as it was one of the last remaining gaybars in Baltimore.”

Barry Smythers-Wieczorek dies at 34 Beloved hairstylist remembered as caring, generous

By LOU CHIBBARO [email protected]

Barry Smythers-Wieczorek, 34, a D.C. hairstylist,

sports enthusiast and advocate for AIDS-relatedcauses, died May 21 in Washington. Friends saidhe took his own life.

“It is with a heavy heart that we announce

that on Saturday afternoon our beloved friendand family member Barry Smythers sent himselfhome to heaven,” a message posted by friendson a Facebook page says.

Father Rich Vitale, a priest at D.C.’s Church ofthe Holy City and longtime friend of Smythers-Wieczorek, called Smythers-Wieczorek a warmand caring person who “touched the lives ofevery single person he met.”

Vitale said in addition to his role as a popularhairstylist at the Logan 14 Aveda Salon and Spa on 14th Street, N.W., Smythers-Wieczorek was an avid participant in the city’sgay sports scene, especially the Stonewall Kickball Club.

He said Smythers-Wieczorek also was active with the AIDS LifeCycle bicycle riding events, which raise money for AIDS-

related causes.According to Vitale, Smythers-Wieczorek was born and raised in La P lata, Md. Smythers-Wieczorek’s Facebook page says he

graduated from Henry E. Lackey High School in Indian Head, Md.On Facebook, Smythers-Wieczorek wrote that an important milestone in his life happened in 2007, when he met Thomas

Wieczorek, to whom he became engaged in 2009 and married in 2011.Molly Ryan, manager of the Logan 14 Aveda Salon and Spa, said Smythers-Wieczorek attended the Graham Webb

International Academy of Hair in Arlington, Va., and became a licensed hair stylist in 2007 or 2008. She said he worked at otherD.C. hair salons before joining the staff of Logan 14 in 2015.

“He just truly was someone to light up any room he walked into,” Ryan said. “He was just so generous and thoughtful witheverybody,” she said. “His clients had such an amazing relationship with him. He was passionate about his craft. He wasinspirational and a leader to others within our salon.”

Ryan said Smythers-Wieczorek was also highly committed to social justice and public health causes, including fundraisingfor AIDS prevention efforts, public education and research.

“He definitely brought that passion to his co-workers and he got everybody involved with fundraising,” she said.“He was just pure joy and love and just a wonderful, wonderful person,” Vitale said. “He will be missed terribly because he

was just so loved.”A celebration of life/memorial service for Smythers-Wieczorek was scheduled to take place on May 25 at Church of the Holy

City followed by a funeral Mass.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

06 • MAY 27, 2016 LOCAL NEWS

BARRY SMYTHERS-WIECZOREK (left) with husband TOM WIECZOREK.

PHOTO COURTESY OF FACEBOOK

Longtime Baltimore gay bar loses liquor license


7/56


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Compromise unravels,leaving HB2 intact


Amid reports a potential compromisewas in the works over North Carolina’santi-LGBT law in which Charlotte wouldrepeal its LGBT non-discriminationordinance, such a move now seemsunlikely in the aftermath of the removalof the issue from the Charlotte CityCouncil agenda Monday night.

Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Robertsaffi rmed at the start of the city councilweekly meeting discussion wouldn’ttake place on the ordinance, whichstate lawmakers cited as the reason for

enacting House Bill 2.“There will be no discussion item

or action item on HB 2 tonight on ouragenda,” Roberts said. “I have beentalking to council members and othersthroughout this day. Collectively, weconcluded that discussion of HB 2 by thecity council tonight would not be helpfulin advancing a solution to ongoingchallenges of HB 2.”

LGBT advocates had urged the CharlotteCity Council to resist repealing its ordinance,which was nullified by House Bill 2, amid

calls to do so as part of a compromiseopenly suggested by Charlotte ChamberCEO Bob Morgan. Under the compromise,after Charlotte repealed its LGBT non-discrimination ordinance, the statelegislature would undo HB 2.

Later in the meeting, RepublicanCharlotte City Council member KennySmith proposed a resolution to placerepealing the ordinance on the agenda forWednesday. The proposal failed 7-4, thesame vote in which the council approvedthe resolution in February. It appears

based on that vote the city council won’tact to repeal its ordinance in the future aspart of any compromise.

Smith had stern words for includingHuman Rights Campaign PresidentChad Griffi n, whom he blamed for theestimated $567 million in loss of businessto the North Carolina as a result of HB 2.

“I just want to go offi cially on the recordsupporting the chamber in criticizingthe HRC for the language they usedtowards them to imply they’re bigotswhen they’re in their mind working for away to expand LGBT rights throughoutour community,” Smith said. “It’s easy forChad Griffi n to come down here and waghis finger. He lives in, I think, Washington,D.C. He doesn’t have to live through theconsequences of our inaction.”

Charlotte City Council member LaWanaMayfield, a Democrat, spoke out againstrepealing the ordinance during themeeting, saying the responsibility totake action rests squarely with the statelegislature that enacted HB 2.

“We didn’t have any business tellCharlotte, ‘You know what? Y’all passedthis ordinance, so we’re leaving,’” Mayfield

said. “No. In fact, we had business lined upto come immediately after we passed ourordinance. It wasn’t until weeks later thatour General Assembly passed legislationthat was sweeping that business said,‘You know what? That is not where wewant to take our employees because wecare enough about our employees thatwe want them to be protected.’”

Signed into law by North CarolinaGov. Pat McCrory after a single day ofdeliberation by the state legislature,HB 2 undoes all pro-LGBT city non-

discrimination ordinances in the state,including the one recently enacted inCharlotte, and prohibits transgenderpeople from using public restroomsin schools and government buildingsconsistent with their gender identity.

Prior to the vote, the council heardremarks from individuals seeking to meetpublic statements, which Monday nightincluded national and local LGBT advocates.

Among them was Griffi n, whoreferred to HB 2 as a “nightmare” andsaid responsibility rests solely on thelegislature to correct it.

“There is only one entity to blame, thereis only one governor who signed HB 2 andthere is only one solution to the nightmarethat he created, and that is a full andcomplete repeal of HB 2,” Griffi n said.

Estefan not ready to perform in Cuba

MIAMI — Gloria Estefan last week said she is not ready to perform in Cuba,even though the U.S. has normalized relations with her homeland.

“I personally would find it very tough to go there,” she said in a video the Rockand Roll Hall of Fame released on May 18.

Estefan was born in Havana. Her family fled to Miami after Fidel Castro toppledthen-President Fulgencio Batista in the 1959 Cuban revolution.

Estefan said during the clip that Juanes, a Colombian singer, invited her toattend a concert he gave in Cuba. She acknowledged the Rolling Stones “had agreat concert” in Havana in March, but stressed “she cannot get on a stage with

a million Cubans in front of me and not say something.”“I also wouldn’t want to cause any violence,” she said. “I don’t want to end up

in jail. I don’t want to look at Che Guevara watching me while I sing ‘Mi Tierra’and ‘Cuba Libre,’ which is a joke, and leave and leave the people in the samesituation as they are.”

Estefan and her husband, Emilio Estefan, attended a Family Equality Councilgala in New York earlier this month. The Cuban-born singer was the grandmarshal of the 2014 Miami Beach Gay Pride parade.

Anti-trans bill dies in Okla. House

OKLAHOMA CITY — A bill that would have required school districts to

provide separate bathrooms to students who object to sharing them with theirtransgender classmates has died in the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

The Associated Press reported members of a House committee voted 10-10 onwhether to advance Senate Bill 1619. The tie vote ensured the measure’s defeat.

“We are proud of the fair-minded legislators who stopped this madness at theCapitol, but this bill should have never been proposed in the first place,” saidTroy Stevenson, executive director of Freedom Oklahoma, a statewide LGBTadvocacy group.

The May 24 vote took place less than a month after the Justice Departmentfiled a lawsuit against North Carolina over House Bill 2, which prohibits transpeople from using public restrooms consistent with their gender identity andbans municipalities from enacting LGBT-inclusive non-discrimination measures.

Prominent journalist writes about trans son

LAS VEGAS — A prominent political reporter in Nevada has written about histransgender son’s transition.

Jon Ralston wrote on May 23 that his son Jake began taking testosteroneabout six months ago “to begin the process of becoming who she really is.”

“This week, Maddy went to court, bravely told a judge why she wanted to be amale and wanted her birth certificate changed, too,” wrote Jon Ralston, referringto his son by his birth name. “After the hearing, when it was finally real, when hecalled me, I don’t think I have ever heard my kid sound so happy. And he wantedthe story told.”

“When I get home later this week, I will see someone offi cially named JakeRalston for the first time,” he added. “And one thing I know for certain: It will belove at first sight.”

Jon Ralston published his piece less than a month after SAVE, a South FloridaLGBT advocacy group, released a PSA that features U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen(R-Fla.), her husband and their trans son, Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

08 • MAY 27, 2016 NATIONAL NEWS

GLORIA ESTEFAN said she would find it tough to return to Cuba.

PHOTO BY S BUKLEY; COURTESY OF BIGSTOCKPHOTO

Charlotte won’t repeal its ordinance as partof a compromise to undo House Bill 2.

SCREEN CAPTURE COURTESY OF WRAL

Charlotte balks atrepealing LGBT ordinance


9/56


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10/56

‘The most anti-gay nomineein recent memory’


Conservatives are hailing Donald

Trump’s choices for potential nomineesto the U.S. Supreme Court, but a quicklook at the names reveals jurists with ahistory of anti-LGBT positions.

Trump this week revealed a list of 11individuals he would consider nominatingto fill the seat of the late U.S. Associate

Justice Antonin Scalia.The individual on Trump’s list who has

the worst anti-LGBT reputation is U.S.Circuit Judge William Pryor, who sits onthe U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.Upon his nomination to the court in2004 by President George W. Bush, theLGBT group Lambda Legal dubbed him“the most demonstrably anti-gay judicialnominee in recent memory.”

In 2002, Pryor as an attorney co-authored a friend-of-the-court brief in the

case of Lawrence v. Texas urging justicesto uphold state bans on sodomy, whichwould have the effect of enabling jail timein some states for gay people who engagein consensual sex.

The 36-page brief says a court rulingagainst state sodomy laws must “logicallyextend to activities like prostitution,

adultery, necrophilia, bestiality,possession of child pornography, andeven incest and pedophilia.”

“Laws teach people what they shouldand should not do, based on theexperiences of their elders,” the briefsays. “The States should not be requiredto accept, as a matter of constitutionaldoctrine, that homosexual activity isharmless and does not expose both theindividual and the public to deleteriousspiritual and physical consequences.”

But as a judge on the EleventhCircuit, Pryor in 2011 joined a surprisingdecision in the case of Glenn v. Brumby,which determined anti-trans workplacediscrimination amounts to genderdiscrimination under current law.

Also among Trump’s list of potential

judicial nominees is U.S. Circuit JudgeDiane Sykes, an appointee of PresidentGeorge W. Bush who sits on the U.S.Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

In 2006, she issued an opinion inChristian Legal Society v. Walker thatdetermined college groups are entitled toreceive public university funding even if

they engage in anti-LGBT discrimination.The lawsuit was filed by the ChristianLegal Society chapter at Southern IllinoisUniversity School of Law after the deanrevoked the group’s offi cial status, andtherefore access to school funds, becausethe chapter precluded membership tothose who engage in sexual conductoutside marriage, which includes gaypeople.

Sykes concluded the Christian LegalSociety didn’t engage in discriminatoryconduct because it made an exception toinclude gay people who refrained entirelyfrom having sex.

“The same is true of unmarriedheterosexual persons: heterosexualpersons who do not participate in orcondone heterosexual conduct outside

of marriage may become CLS members;those who engage in unmarriedheterosexual conduct and do not repentthat conduct and affi rm the statementof faith may not,” Sykes said. “CLS’smembership policies are thus based onbelief and behavior rather than status, andno language in SIU’s policy prohibits this.”

Also on the list is Minnesota SupremeCourt Justice David Straus. As reportedby The Advocate, Straus was in the courtmajority in a case that overturned adecision to change the ballot for an anti-gay marriage amendment to make itclear it would prohibit gay couples frommarrying.

Lawmakers wanted the ballot titleto be “Recognition of Marriage SolelyBetween One Man and One Woman,” butSecretary of State Mark Ritchie insteadselected “Limiting the Status of Marriageto Opposite Sex Couples.” Althoughthe court reversed the ballot title to thelawmakers’ choice, voters defeated theamendment in 2012.

� CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

A taste of Trump’s anti-LGBT judicial picks

Trump also fails to answerTrans United Fund


A newly formed pro-transgenderpolitical action committee has sent outa questionnaire to each of the major2016 presidential candidates — but onlyDemocratic candidate Bernie Sandershas responded.

The Trans United Fund, launchedin April with the goal of building thetransgender community’s political power,sent out a questionnaire to campaignsfor both Hillary Clinton and Sanders.Although the Clinton campaign initiallysignaled it would answer the questions,the campaign has yet to return thequestionnaire, the committee says.

Monica Roberts, a Houston-basedadvisory member of the Trans United Fund

presidential endorsement committee,chided Clinton for neglecting to respondto the survey, saying off-the-recordcommitments from political candidates ontrans rights are no longer suffi cient.

“We believe that the secretary is achampion on trans rights issues and areperplexed by the campaign’s reluctance tofollow through and go on the record withstating that commitment,” Roberts said.“We believe it’s important - not just for us -but also for our community, our allies and

the people like myself who enthusiasticallyvoted for you in the various primarycontests - to have the benefit of responsesfrom both candidates.”

The 15-page questionnaire prepared

for the candidates covers a range oftransgender issues, seeking candidate’spositions on transgender employment aswell as access to transition-related healthcare, education and housing.

In his responses, Sanders affi rmssupport for trans rights in each of theseareas. Additionally, he volunteers aproposed executive order requiringall federal employees to have accessto workplace facilities consistent withtheir gender identity and to establish an

interagency working group to increaseopportunities for the trans community.

The candidate also recommits himselfto fighting HIV/AIDS in response toquestions on the epidemic and pledges towork to reform state HIV criminalizationlaws, which to varying degree penalizethe transfer of HIV.

Sanders identifies as his greatestachievement for transgender peoplehis role in enacting the Affordable CareAct, which he says secured $11 billion toexpand the network of Federally QualifiedHealth Centers to assist minoritycommunities like transgender people.

But Sanders didn’t respond to all ofthe questions. One on whether he hasemployed a transgender person to workfor him in a government and businesscontext, and another on whether hesupports the legalization of sex workwere left unanswered.

Many of Sanders’ answers reflect hisresponses during an interview last year

with the Washington Blade in which hepromised to make transgender peoplevisible in his administration and becamethe first presidential candidate to endorseopenly transgender military service.

It’s unclear why the Clinton campaigndidn’t respond to the questions. TheClinton campaign didn’t respond to theWashington Blade’s request to provide anexplanation for why responses weren’treturned.

Bamby Salcedo, advisory member

of the Trans United Fund presidentialendorsement committee, echoed the callfor the Clinton campaign to complete thequestionnaire.

“The trans community is under attack,and in order for us to make a credible,and impactful endorsement, we need acommitment from our leaders on issuesthat make life or death differences fortrans people,” Salcedo said. “That is whywe created a survey that included keyissues like violence and HIV as well asnon-discrimination and bullying. Webelieve - and we believe the secretarybelieves - that these are political issues.And that’s why we’re holding firmthat both candidates should honortheir commitment to complete thequestionnaire and let our community andour allies know where they stand.”

In her LGBT platform, Clinton says she’llmake trans issues a priority, includingprotecting transgender people fromviolence, streamlining identity documents

and investing in law enforcement trainingfor interactions with LGBT people.Clinton also made HIV/AIDS a prominentcomponent of her campaign, has metwith HIV/AIDS activists and has called forend to HIV criminalization laws.

The Trans United Fund also sent aquestionnaire to presumptive Republicanpresidential nominee Donald Trump.According to the political actioncommittee, Trump also didn’t respond tothe questionnaire.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM


Sen. BERNIE SANDERS (I-Vt.) responded to atrans group’s presidential questionnaire

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

Sanders responds to trans questionnaire — but not Clinton


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12/56

Gay man spent five yearsin prison for fake ID

By MICHAEL K. [email protected]

TAVERNIER, Fla. — It was breezy,yet sunny Sunday afternoon at HenryHarris County Park in the Upper FloridaKeys. Coconut palm trees lined the calmwater in which a few dozen people —mostly young children and their Spanish-speaking relatives who were watchingthem — were swimming. The firstlandmass that one would reach if he orshe were to have sailed directly southfrom this point of land would be a groupof islands near the Cuban city of Sagua laGrande, which is less than 150 miles awayon the other side of the Florida Straits.

Life couldn’t be any more differentfor those who live on this side of the

treacherous body of water that has takenthe lives of untold numbers of Cubanswho sought a better life in the wake of the1959 revolution.

I met Samuel, a 23-year-old man, atCabaret Las Vegas, an unoffi cial gay clubin Havana’s Vedado neighborhood, on myfirst night in his country. I was completelyexhausted from lack of sleep, but weimmediately hit it off and he gave me hisphone number before I walked the blockto the house in which I was staying.

Samuel and I met again at Cabaret Las

Vegas on Sunday night, and it becameimmediately clear that he was going tobe my Cuban BFF during this reportingtrip. I returned to Havana on May 19 and Ionce again returned to Cabaret Las Vegaswhere Samuel, his friends and I watcheddrag queens, cabaret singers and dancersperform while drinking a bottle of Cubanrum with a Sprite-like soda and RedBull. The four of us had what can onlybe described as a wonderful time in theCommunist island’s capital city for thebetter part of three hours. We did the

same thing the following night, eventhough a car was picking me up at 5 a.m.to drive me to José Martí InternationalAirport to return to the U.S.

I learned a lot about Samuel in theweek that I was in Cuba.

He traveled to Denmark with a groupof fellow dancers when he was 10 yearsold. Samuel recently earned a degree,but only makes the equivalent of $17 amonth. He also spent five years in prisonfrom the age of 16 because he was caughtusing a fake ID to try to get into a disco.

Samuel is only one of the myriad storiesI have heard from Cubans who clearlydeserve better from their government.

The woman who drove me to theairport on Saturday morning with herteenage son in the backseat of her car is

a pharmacist who makes less than $100a month on her state salary. She is also afriend of the woman who ran the housein which I stayed while in Havana.

I gave the pharmacist the $25 that I hadpreviously agreed to pay her, knowing itwas better to do so before arriving at theairport because of surveillance cameras.She told me shortly after we drove awayfrom the house to say that I was her “friend

who didn’t know much about Cuba” if thepolice stopped the car for any reason. Thepharmacist then proceeded to criticize theCommunist island’s government for therest of the drive to the airport that tookabout half an hour.

She specifically mocked the country’spublic health system that Cubans canaccess for free, saying it barely meetspeople’s most basic needs.

The Cuban people are genuinely amongthe warmest and most welcoming people Ihave ever had the good fortune of meeting

in my travels outside the U.S. They deservebetter than what their government hasgiven — or not given — them.

The aforementioned reality remainedwith me throughout my trip to Cuba.It remains with me on this side of theFlorida Straits.

The Cuban people, including thosewho openly support the Communistisland’s government, welcomed me totheir beautiful island with open arms.We danced together. We drank a lot ofvery good and very inexpensive rum.We learned from each other against

the backdrop of the normalization ofdiplomatic relations between our twocountries. I also saw first hand thestruggles they must confront on a dailybasis in order to maintain the most basic

standards of living and personal dignity.Samuel and I said goodbye to each

other at around 3:30 a.m. on Saturday. Iwatched him walk away into the night with

a plastic bag of things that I didn’t need tobring back to the U.S. with me: An extraroll of toilet paper from the house in whichI stayed, a half-used bottle of sunscreen,a pack of AA batteries, the Cuban cellphone that I bought at the state-runtelecommunications store earlier in mytrip, an unopened tube of Neosporin, a boxof Band-Aids, an old belt and some moneyto help him buy a fan for the apartment inwhich he lives with his mother.

I then walked to Havana’s oceanfrontpromenade, which was a couple of blocksaway from my house and from where

I said goodbye to Samuel. There werehundreds of young Cubans partyingalong the iconic Malecón, but I could havebeen there by myself as I silently gazedout into the Florida Straits.

I deliberately played Cuban-born GloriaEstefan’s song “Cuba Libre” on my iPodwith headphones in my ears as I sat thereand thought about my week in Cuba that

was about to come to an end. Three linesfrom that song particularly resonated withme in those few moments as I thoughtabout Samuel and the other Cubans who Ihad met over the last seven days.

No puedo olvidar Eres parte de mi Tequiero ser feliz

I cannot forget You are part of me Iwant for you to be happy

Samuel called me on my cell phonewhile I was in my hotel room in MiamiBeach to make sure that I had arrivedsafely in the U.S. The call lasted about 30seconds before he abruptly hung up.

I wish nothing more than for Samueland all of the wonderful Cuban friends thatI made while in their country to be happy,to be to live their lives with dignity and tobe able to control their own destiny.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

12 • MAY 27, 2016 INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Henry Harris County Park in Tavernier, Fla., on May 22.WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL K. LAVERS

A glimpse into another side of Cuba

A woman watches a march in Matanzas, Cuba, commemorating the International Day AgainstHomophobia and Transphobia on May 17, from the balcony of her apartment.

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL K. LAVERS


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14/56

to contemplate that even the possibilityof no progress on the issues I care mostabout is more attractive than the damagethat might be done to our movementshould Trump be elected,” Juro said.

Nonetheless, Juro said she remainsconcerned about Clinton because of lingeringquestions about whether the candidate will

remain committed to her stated policies onceelected to the White House.

“I’m more than a little concerned thatwe’ll see the same thing from Clinton ontrans equality as we did from Obama: Lotsof progressive-sounding promises madeduring the campaign, but no credibleaction taken until several years later,”

Juro said. “In addition, while Sanders hasbeen consistent with his support for fullequality for all LGBT people for manyyears, it’s only during this election cyclethat Clinton has positively declared her

support for true LGBT equality. To me,that makes her a bit too late to the partyto be able to trust fully.”

Clinton enjoys an overwhelming leadin the Democratic presidential primary,having secured 2,287 delegates comparedto Sanders’ 1,490. Despite now beingunable to win the Democratic nominationby claiming states that have yet to holdprimary contests, Sanders has saidhe’s basing his continued run on urgingsuperdelegates in the states where hewon a majority of the vote to switch their

allegiance from Clinton to him.Sanders has made clear he intendsto continue his candidacy through theCalifornia Democratic primary on June7, when a motherlode of 476 delegatesare up for grabs, up until the DemocraticNational Convention in July.

Wayne Besen, a gay rights supporterknown for working against “ex-gay”therapy who voted for Sanders in theprimary, said all Democrats should unitebehind Clinton in the aftermath of theCalifornia primary.

“I am a strong supporter of BernieSanders,” Besen said. “At this point,however, it would take a miracle forhim to win the nomination. After theCalifornia primary all Democrats shouldunite behind Hillary Clinton. The stakesare simply too high. For those who areholding out I have four words: DonaldTrump. Supreme Court.”

Many prominent LGBT rights advocateshave declared their support for Clinton.LGBT organizations that have endorsedClinton include Equality California, theHuman Rights Campaign and the Equality

PAC. The Washington Blade endorsedClinton earlier this month.

Stampp Corbin, a gay San Diego-basedClinton supporter and publisher of SanDiego LGBT Weekly, said he expects the

Clinton campaign to welcome Sanders’supporters with open arms.

“I understand the Sanders supportersfighting until the end, it is very similar tothe Clinton supporters in 2008,” Corbinsaid. “When I was the National Co-Chairof the Obama LGBT Leadership Council,I welcomed the Clinton supporters whenthey came home. I would expect thatthe Sanders supporters will also comehome this year. I mean is there reallyany other alternative for actively involveddemocratic voters? If you really care

about our country, Trump, or not voting,is not an option.”The tension in the Democratic primary

piqued earlier this month during a highlycontentious Democratic Party stateconvention in Nevada. Although Sandershad more slots than Clinton, Nevada StateDemocratic Party Chair Roberta Langeawarded more delegates for Clinton atthe national convention because theSanders campaign only filled 78 percentof his available slots. The result inspiredconsternation directed at the state partyamong Sanders supporters, which madenational headlines.

In addition to being booed at theconvention, Lange later faced deaththreats. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.),a Clinton supporter, was booed off thestage and later said she feared for her life.Accusations emerged Sanders supportersreacted violently at the convention, butthey have denied any violence took place.

Charging that the Democratic NationalCommittee has treated him unfairlyduring the presidential primary and theprocess is “rigged,” Sanders has endorsed

the primary candidate challengingDNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultzfor her U.S. House seat representingFlorida’s 23rd congressional district. Herchallenger is Tim Canova, a law professor

who shares Sanders’ worldview and seeksto break up Wall Street.

Seth Barkman, a gay Baltimore residentand co-owner of MiY Home furniturestore, is among the Sanders backers whosaid his support remains unwaveringand blamed the DNC for his candidate’scurrent standing.

“My support for Bernie Sanders is oneof principle and those don’t change justbecause of the powerful influence of theDNC,” Barkman said.

Barkman added even if Sanders decides

to drop out of the race, the movementthe candidate created will continue.

“I will continue to support him andother forward-thinking progressivesuntil big money is no longer in control ofour political system,” Barkman said. “Mymorals won’t change if he decides to dropout. I hope he does not.”

Barkman said it’s “tough to say”whether he’ll vote for Clinton in thegeneral election if she’s the nominee.

“I will never vote for Trump, ever,”Barkman said. “I will not vote for Hillaryeither if her political platform becomesless progressive and she starts sounding

like a moderate Republican in thegeneral election.”

Will Democrats unite after primaries? CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM


WAYNE BESEN voted for Bernie Sandersin the primary, but said all Democratsshould unite behind Hillary Clinton after theCalifornia primary.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL MURPHY; COURTESY OF BESEN

Biden commends gay West Point cadet

Vice President Joseph Biden praised on Monday a gay West Point cadet in thegraduating class of 2016 who has the distinction of being both first captain andclass president.

Biden commended the cadet, E.J. Coleman, at the U.S. Military Academy atWest Point, New York, where the vice president spoke at a graduation ceremony.

“Ladies and gentlemen, E.J. Coleman, your First Captain and Class President, isonly the third cadet in the history of West Point to hold both those roles,” Bidensaid. “His name will live alongside John J. Pershing and Pete Dawkins, as the onlyother two. And not long ago, he took the lessons you have learned here aboutbeing authentic to heart, and had the courage to publicly come out to [WestPoint Superintendent] Gen. [Robert] Caslen.”

The vice president recalled “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal under the Obamaadministration in 2010, which he said “ended the politics of discriminationagainst LGBT members.”

“Six years ago, E.J. would have been discharged from the Army, and we wouldhave lost an incredible talent,” Biden said. “Thanks for your courage, E.J., for yourleadership. I expect we’re going to hear big things from you, pal.”

Despite “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal, openly transgender service members

are still barred from the armed forces as a result of medical regulation.“We can’t afford to leave the talents of any individual on the sidelines,” Biden

said. “The needs are too great. Our challenges are too large.”CHRIS JOHNSON


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Superior Court Judge Renee Raymondordered Jones released on personalrecognizance pending a July 21 statushearing on the condition that Jones stayaway from Belcher and not attempt inany way to establish contact with her.

“You must remain at least 100 yardsaway from her – the length of a football

field,” Raymond told her. Raymond alsoordered Jones to undergo drug testingto determine whether she should enter adrug treatment program.

Jones’ attorney, Joel Davidson, toldthe Blade after the court arraignmentthat neither Jones nor he would have animmediate comment on the case.

Giant Food spokesperson Jamie Millertold local media outlets that Jones wasemployed by a private security companyunder contract with Giant.

“As this matter involves a third party

that provides security services forGiant and there’s an ongoing criminalinvestigation, all inquiries related to theincident at the H Street Giant should bedirected to the local police for a commentat this time,” Miller said in a statement.

Transgender activists familiar with the casesaid they were alarmed that an incident likethis would surface in D.C., where the city’scomprehensive Human Rights Act bansdiscrimination based on sexual orientationand gender identity and expression.

Veteran D.C. transgender advocate

Earline Budd, an offi cial with the LGBTsupportive social services group HIPS,said the Giant security guard’s action mayhave been fueled, in part, by the widelypublicized anti-trans bills surfacing instate legislatures across the country,including North Carolina.

Budd said she was especially troubledthat the security guard told Belcherseveral times during the altercation thattransgender people weren’t protectedunder D.C. law.

In a statement to the Blade, MonicaPalacios, director of the D.C. Offi ce ofHuman Rights, said the right of transpeople to use the bathroom that reflectstheir gender identity is fully protectedunder the Human Rights Act’s publicaccommodation provision.

“The District’s law is clear: transgenderand gender non-conforming peoplemay at all times and in all circumstancesuse the bathroom they believe is mostappropriate given their gender identityand expression,” Palacios said.

“Although we cannot comment on aspecific incident because a complaint

of discrimination could be filed withour offi ce, the transgender communityshould know D.C. law protects them fromdiscrimination and they should neverbe denied access to the appropriate

bathroom while in the District,” she said.“HIPS is outraged to hear that a

transgender woman was assaultedyesterday by a security guard as sheattempted to use the restroom in ourlocal Giant store,” HIPS said in a statementreleased on Thursday by Budd and thegroup’s executive director, Cyndee Clay.

“As an organization, we offer services,support, and advocacy to transgender

women every day and witness theimpact of compounded oppression,

discrimination, and transphobia,” thestatement says.

The statement adds that discriminationagainst trans people is not limited tobathrooms, but also surfaces in medicalfacilities, jobs, on the streets, and in housing.

“To address this issue, HIPS calls forexpansive cultural competency trainingof all employees in the District, includingGiant and the security company involved

in this incident,” the statement says.The police report says Jones was placed

under arrest and charged with simpleassault, a misdemeanor, at the scene andtaken to the First District Police Stationfor processing. Court records show shewas held in custody overnight beforebeing taken to court on Thursday.

Like others taken to court after spendingthe night in jail, Jones was escorted intothe arraignment courtroom while boundwith handcuffs and leg chains, which were

removed by U.S. Marshalls after JudgeRaymond ordered her released.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

N.C. flap likely played role in Giant Food incident

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

LOCAL NEWS MAY 27, 2016 • 15

The full text of the Blade’s interview with Ebony Belcherfollows.

Washington Blade: Can you describe what happened andhow the incident at the Giant supermarket started?

Ebony Belcher: I went to the Giant to originally go to theWestern Union but I had to use the restroom. So while goinginto the Giant to use the Western Union — because thereis a Western Union there — Francine observed me when Iwalked into [the store], she spoke to me. She acknowledgedme. I acknowledged her back.

I asked a Giant employee, where was the restroom? Soshe directed me to the restroom. She said I had to walkaround the corridor past customer service to the walkway-breezeway area. Once I entered the restroom – I was in therestroom for about a minute and then all of a sudden the

door comes flying open and I hear someone just talking.And the individual starts stating that this is ridiculous, thisis getting out of hand. I know you’re a man and you’re notsupposed to be using the women’s bathroom. They haven’tpassed the law yet you faggot, you he-she. She called meall types of derogatory names. She humiliated me andembarrassed me all while I was using the bathroom.

I say ma’am, are you seriously talking to me? She said yesI’m talking to you. You know I’m talking to you, you man. AndI said oh God, ma’am; can I just get a little privacy in usingthe restroom? She said no, you’re lucky I’m letting you usethe bathroom. I said OK. I continued to use the restroom. Iwashed my hands. I exited the restroom.

Blade: When she first came into the bathroom were you

in a stall?Belcher: When she first came in the bathroom I was

in the stall. And the whole time I was in the stall she hadthe entrance area to the bathroom door open. She washollering, calling obscene gestures and names while I wasin the restroom. I said ma’am can I at least – she said no. SoI left the restroom. I made a left to go to the Giant to go usethe Western Union. And as I was exiting the restroom shegrabs me by my arms, spins me around grabbing me by myback and pushes me out of the door.

I said ma’am do you know I work for the HRC? She said Idon’t give an F who you work for. They didn’t pass the law. I

knew you were a man when you first walked into the Giant.You had no right coming into the female’s bathroom. I saidma’am I didn’t pass myself as a transgender woman. I saidI have I.D. I’m legally a woman. She said I don’t care what

you are. You are not supposed to use the female’s restroom.They did not pass the law yet.

And upon her pushing me all the way out of the Giant,

a Giant employee was at the doorway the whole time shewas making those derogatory slurs while I was using therestroom. She was invading my privacy, my personal space,my human rights. It was totally embarrassing and I felthorrible about that. And just now I had to use the restroom.I was distraught going into the restroom in public placesnow because of this incident. I don’t know whether or notsomeone is going to come behind me and try to attack meagain for using the restroom because that’s who I am.

Blade: You mentioned you are working at HRC. When didyou start there?

Belcher: I started working at HRC — Human Rights

Campaign — on Friday of last week. Blade: Are you with a particular department at HRC?Belcher: I’m in the canvassing department. We’re raising

money for the Equality Act, to try to get the Equality Actpassed in Congress. And when I told her she said I don’t givean F--- who you work for.

Blade: After you were pushed out of the store were you

on the street?Belcher: No, when she pushed me out of the door – I’m

sorry, as she was pushing me out of the door – out of theGiant – I said ma’am, do you know I have Parkinson’s disease?I said I battle with walking every day and you pushed me – Ialmost fell and once I got out of the door I got in my truck,my van, and I pulled off and I went around the corner. Andwhile I was driving around the corner I dialed 911. I reachedthe dispatcher.

And then the police offi cers came. They were nice to me.They assisted me in the whole situation.

Blade: And they interviewed you?Belcher: They interviewed me. Blade: Did the police LGBT Liaison Unit people come?Belcher: Yes. [Sgt.] Jessica Hawkins [supervisor of the

LGBT Liaison Unit], she came.

Blade: And after that –Belcher: And they advised me that I was in the right to go

into the restroom.

IN HER OWN WORDS: Victim details alleged assault


16/56

‘Honor Our LGBT Elders Day’ a success

While some local LGBT organizations have focused their mission on LGBTQyouth, the LGBT Health Resource Center (LHRC) of Chase Brexton Health Carehas recognized the need to address the rapidly aging LGBT population.

The organization launched a program last September called SAGECAPBaltimore to improve care for older LGBT individuals who often live alone.SAGECAP is an initiative that will provide resources, education and support forinformal, unpaid LGBT caregivers in the community.

Most recently, LHRC decided to pay homage to LGBT elders by launching thefirst-ever National Honor Our LGBT Elders Day on May 17. The inaugural event,

which featured multi-media tributes, including portraits of LGBT elders adorningthe walls, took place in and around the community room at Chase Brextonwhere more than 70 attended.

The goal of this occasion was to acknowledge the lives of older LGBT adults whochanged the tide in our society and hear their stories, said Nate Sweeney, executivedirector of LHRC, at a ceremony prior to unveiling portraits of two elder transgenderindividuals. Monica Stevens and Jean-Michel Brevelle were honored for their work inraising awareness of the plight of transgender individuals in Maryland.

In addition, several other elder LGBT individuals were honored throughdigital storytelling as a result of a partnership between LHRC and the Universityof Maryland Baltimore County who sought to record the life stories of olderLGBT adults. Those featured included Louise Parker Kelley, Lou Hughes, BreezyBishop, Ken Gault and Greg Grenier.

The presentations were followed by an LGBT Elder Day pinning ceremonywhere commemorative pins were given out to mark the event.“We were absolutely thrilled that the LGBT Health Resource Center of Chase

Brexton Health Care was able to launch National Honor Our LGBT Elders Day,”Sweeney told the Blade. “It is so easy to get caught up in all the work of LGBTQequality and miss the chance to stop and think about all those who have workedin the years before us.”

Sweeney pointed out how LGBT elders paved the way for progress. “Some ofour elders were at the forefront of the fight, and some quietly lived their truths,sharing their identity with friends, families and coworkers,” he said. “Both ofthese narratives have changed what life is like today, and we as a communityneed to show our gratitude by making sure those who came before us can livetheir truth in their elderhood.”

Community activist Merrick Moses agreed. “We have to celebrate our elders.Unfortunately, many young people don’t know the deep and rich history ofBaltimore’s LGBTQ communities. Our elders deserve honor, love and respect.”

This celebration will occur every May 17.

Baltimore police to meet with community

The Baltimore City Police Community Collaboration Division and the BaltimoreCity Police Commissioner’s LGBT Advisory Board have invited members of theLGBT community to a meeting on June 1.

Sgt. Kevin Bailey, the LGBT liaison for the Baltimore Police Department who isscheduled to attend, said the police want to have an open conversation with theLGBT community and to discuss reporting crime. The advisory board also wants to

hear from the community. The last such gathering occurred nearly two years ago.The meeting will take place from 6-8 p.m. at the community room of Chase

Brexton Health Care, 1111 N. Charles St.STEVE CHARING

Nate Sweeney addressing National LGBT Elders Day attendees.

PHOTO BY AARON CAHALL

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

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17/56


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18/56

Lesbians less likely to seek medical services

TEL AVIV — LGBT women ask for medical services less than straight women,and when they do ask for such services they may well encounter a humiliatingattitude and lack of understanding on the part of medical staff, according to arecent Israeli study on LGBT women’s use of medical services, Haaretz reports.

Dr. Ruth Gophen conducted the study with her colleague Dr. Gal Wagner ofTel Aviv’s Gan Meir Clinic.

“In recent years research has been published around the world that showsLGBT women request less medical services, but no such study had beenconducted in Israel until now,” Haaretz quoted Gophen as having said. “Ourstudy shows that although the awareness of the issue in Israel is growing andimproving, LGBT women may still encounter an insulting and hurtful attitude on

the part of the medical staff while receiving medical services.”These are some of the findings of a study conducted of some 1,100 women,

in advance of the Talking About Health With Pride conference, which will be heldas part of the International Health Conference on Women’s Health, being heldthis week under the auspices of the Tel Aviv municipality’s Tel Aviv Pride Festival,along with the Tel Aviv Municipal LGBT Community Center and Gan Meir Clinic,Haaretz reports.

Some 1,100 women of all ages, including 582 LGBT women and 518 straightwomen participated.The study showed that LGBT women request significantlyfewer medical services, including checkups by gynecologists. Only 9 percent ofstraight women have never been examined by a gynecologist, while the figure istwice as high, 185, for LGBT women.

Partly as a result, LGBT women undergo fewer essential tests such as

mammography to diagnose breast cancer and Pap smears to find cervicalcancer, compared to straight women. Half of bisexual women and 32 percentof gay women have never had a Pap smear, compared to only 24 percent ofstraight women. In addition, only 71 percent of bisexual women have a regularfamily doctor, compared to 81 percent of straight women and 80 percent of gaywomen, Haaretz reports.

The differences do not end with just the frequency of medical tests andcheckups, but also point out an at times humiliating attitude toward the womenin the LGBT community. The study found that 15 percent of LGBT women whorequested medical services reported suffering from an insulting attitude onthe part of the medical staff, and 17 percent of LGBT women reported theyencountered a lack of knowledge on the part of the medical staff concerningtheir sexual orientation or identity, the Haaretz article notes.

A higher percentage of transgender women reported their doctors refused totreat them or would only address them as men, the article said.

PrEP trial study underway in Australia

NEW SOUTH WALES, Australia — A new PrEP trial study kicked off last weekin Australia to test pre-exposure prophylaxis for its effectiveness as an HIVprevention measure, ABC News Australia and other outlets report.

The Expanded PrEP Implementation in Communities (EPIC-NSW) study aimsto increase understanding of the potential for PrEP to drive down new HIVinfections in the country’s New South Wales region.

More than 1,100 men in New South Wales have signed up to trial a new HIVdrug, which doctors have said may help dramatically decrease the number ofinfections.

The Kirby Institute’s trial, which aims to recruit 3,700 men, involvesparticipants taking PrEP. In 2014, 70 percent of HIV transmissions in Australiaoccurred between men who had sex with other men, according to the AustralianFederation of AIDS Organizations, ABC reports.

PrEP is yet to be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme but theTherapeutic Goods Administration recently licensed one brand of the drug,Truvada.

Professor Sharon Lewin of Melbourne’s Doherty Institute told ABC she hopesthe NSW trial will help the drug become more accessible to Australians.

“The benefits are absolutely huge,” she told ABC News. “In other countries,particularly in the U.S., they’ve demonstrated that as you introduce Truvada forprevention they’ve seen a dramatic reduction in new HIV infections. We still have

a thousand new HIV infections a year in Australia and we would be hoping to seea dramatic decrease in that number.”

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Read your labelsLots of processed stu that’s badfor you is lurking in ‘healthy’ food

Choosing healthy foods is a toughtask.

Sure we know that we should beeating more veggies, drinking morewater and eating lean meats likechicken, turkey and fish. But whatabout all those foods with labels

that tell us they are healthy? With aplethora of health marketing labelslike low fat, high fiber, dairy free,sugar free, organic, GMO free and

all natural, it can get confusing to figure out if something is really good for us orif the companies are just trying to sell us the product.

I’ve come up with a few rules to consider whenever buying healthy foods tokeep you on the nutritional straight and narrow.

Sugar filler: A general rule, whenever a food company highlights that theirbrand is low in one thing, it’s probably high in another thing. Many foods thatare sold as low fat, low salt or low cholesterol also end up being low flavor. Foodcompanies substitute that flavor loss by increasing the grams of sugar in eachserving.

Some of the biggest culprits are granola bars and juices. Granola or oats can behealthy, but many of the granola bars we find packaged in the grocery stores havebeen processed and pumped with as much as a day’s worth of sugar per serving.Check out the nutrition facts on the back of the label to make sure your granolabar has nine or less grams of sugar and does not have high fructose corn syrup. Ifyou’re up for it, be brave and take a Sunday afternoon to make your own granola.You’ll learn how easy it is to make and you’ll know exactly what’s in your food.

When it comes to juice, even when it’s 100 percent all natural, it’s basicallyliquid diabetes in a bottle. Fruit juice without the fiber that comes with the fruitis pretty deadly. The fiber that goes along with the fruit helps to keep the bloodsugar down, but when you’re drinking straight juice, your body takes in way toomuch sugar.

Also know that all natural only means that the food does not contain artificial

colors, flavors or synthetic substances. It doesn’t mean that it’s organic,unprocessed or even good for you. If you’re a juice consumer, check out the juice percentages on the bottle. Many juices contain less than 10 percent actual juice and the rest is filled with sugar and additives. If you’re craving juice, just eata piece of fruit.

Got milk?: I feel like every week I hear of more and more people who aregoing diary free. Now don’t get me wrong — I’m a big fan of limiting your cow’smilk intake for a whole host of reasons (which I have written an entire previousarticle on), but I do think we have to investigate all the nutrition facts of thepopular dairy alternatives.

The most popular alternative to dairy is soy milk, which packs in more proteinthan cow’s milk, but studies have associated soy milk and soy consumption withelevated estrogen levels and thus a higher risk of breast cancer in women. Ina few cases a high soy diet in men has been linked with gynecomastia or theformation of man breasts. That’s always been enough for me to say, “Bye soy!”

The newest on the scene of mainstream dairy alternatives is almond milk. Atfirst glance, almond milk is perfect: it’s high is omega 6’s, rich in antioxidants, lowcalorie and tastes good. The biggest issue to watch out for with almond milk iswhat food manufacturers are adding to it. Most almond milk brand’s originalflavors contain seven-10 grams of sugar per serving and the vanilla or chocolateflavors contain 16-20 grams of sugar.

When selecting almond milk, choose the unsweetened milk option with zerograms of sugar. There’s also a thickening additive called carrageenan, which hasbeen loosely linked to ulceration and inflammation in the digestive tract. Thoughthe Food and Drug Administration differentiates that there are two different typesof carrageenan and that only the safe kind is allowed in food, some nutritionistsrecommend staying away from almond milk with this additive entirely. You should

make sure your dairy alternatives are GMO-free and low in sugar.Thoroughly examine the nutrition facts on foods before purchasing anything

that catches your eye. Remember — food manufacturers are out to makemoney, not to make you healthy. The best foods don’t come with labels.

GERARD BURLEY is a D.C.-based personaltrainer. Reach him via @CoachGFit or [email protected].

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20/56

When neighbors could getalong despite diferences

One warm morning in late August 1992,I was walking down the narrow path fromour house to the street in our denselypopulated little neighborhood in Ptown.I heard my neighbor, a retired fishermanyell, “Kitty! Hey Kitty!” All the old Portu-guese guys called me Kitty.

Peter trundled over to meet me at thefence. He was in his daily uniform: an an-cient blue Carhartt onesie, mesh AGWAYcap and work boots. He was a bit out ofbreath. He leaned on the fence. “Did youhear the fight last night? They were go-

ing at it. Can’t believe you didn’t hear it.Calling each other effi n this and effi n that.You effi n liar. Must have been those twoover there.”

He pointed to a neighbor’s house. I

tried to picture them fighting – one wom-an was the town’s pay-per-view astrolo-

ger, the other a landscaper who plantedaccording to the lunar phases. I asked,“What time was the fight?” He said, “Oh,had to be 10:30, 11.”

And I realized who it was. It was the fi-nal night of the Republican National Con-vention in Houston. A fire-breathing PatBuchannan had kicked off the conventionwith his “Culture War” speech, about thegays and the peasants with the pitchforksstorming the castle. The party nominee,George Bush, was wrapping up the meet-ing of the Bundestag with his acceptance

speech.

“Oh Peter it was us! We weren’t fight-ing. We were screaming at George Bush.We had the windows open. Sorry.”

Peter seemed to doff his hat, “I agree,Dahlin,” and waddled back to oiling hislawn mower.

In 1998, Peter and his wife of 50 years,a beloved seamstress in town, died within

a day of each other and left their smallhouse to their son. Tom was always sweet

to us for being good neighbors to his par-ents. He kept an eye on our house whenwe were on the road. Once when I gotback from a road trip at 2 a.m., I parkedthe car and tiptoed by their open win-dows. I heard him in his room say to hiswife in her room, “Kate’s home.”

Chronic back pain from a serious accidentmade him a night owl, a sports fan and po-litical junkie. He was always watching someBoston sports team or Fox News on TV. De-spite his limitations, he managed to work inhis garden. Like his father, he grew gorgeous

lilies and outrageous vegetables.

We talked a lot over the fence. Wefaux-fought about Boston and New Yorkteams. He was mostly open-minded

about the gays. To us anyway. We couldtalk town and state politics but after sev-eral awkward tries, we steered clear ofnational politics. Party politics were a no-try zone.

In 2008, when John McCain announcedhis running mate, Tom couldn’t resistcoming over and gloating about SarahPalin. My dear partner did not share hisenthusiasm for “Dan Quayle in a pony-tail.” They had words in the driveway. Af-ter a half-day cool-down, they apologized.His peace offering was zucchini. Ours wasmint chutney.

But the truce bugged me. At the be-ginning of the next summer I proposedan experiment to Tom. For the summerI would watch only Fox News and listento Rush Limbaugh. He would watch onlyMSNBC and listen to NPR. We would tryto keep open minds.

I don’t think I suggested we build a firepit so we could sit out on our lawn chairs,talking late on autumnal evenings. I didsuggest he think it over and get back tome. He didn’t need to think it over. Hesaid that he didn’t think he could physi-

cally do it. I detected a touch of regret. OrI was projecting.

As this Memorial Day signals the begin-ning of summer, I realize those were thegood old days.

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washingtonblade.com, volume 47, issue 22, may 27, 2016

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