Metro Weekly - 04-02-15 - Bishop Gene Robinson

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APRIL 2, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
METROWEEKLY.COM
APRIL 2, 2015
EDITORIAL
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Randy Shulman
APRIL 2, 2015
Volume 21 / Issue 47
ART DIRECTOR
Todd Franson
POLITICAL EDITOR
Justin Snow
NEWS & BUSINESS EDITOR
John Riley
NEWS
10
SCENE
11
SCENE
12
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
16
CAGLCCS MEGANETWORKING
photography by Ward Morrison
FEATURE
18
OUT ON THE TOWN
24
FREEDOMS SONGS AT FORDS

by Doug Rule
PUBLISHER
Randy Shulman
26
TAYLOR MAC
by Doug Rule
BRAND STRATEGY & MARKETING

Christopher Cunetto
Cunetto Creative
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NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE

Rivendell Media Co.
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LYNDA CARTER
by Randy Shulman
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DISTRIBUTION MANAGER
Dennis Havrilla
LAUGH
by Doug Rule
FOOD
31
EASTER BRUNCH SPOTS

by Troy Petenbrink
PATRON SAINT
Douglas Theuner
STAGE
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY
Todd Franson
BISHOP GENE ROBINSON

by Justin Snow
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
Julian Vankim
SALES & MARKETING
SHEROES OF THE MOVEMENT

CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR
Scott G. Brooks
WEBMASTER
David Uy
MARYLAN MEASURES MARCH FORWARD

by John Riley
SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHERS
Ward Morrison, Julian Vankim
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Christian Gerard, Troy Petenbrink,
Kate Wingfield
RELIGIOUS FIRESTORM
by Justin Snow
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Rhuaridh Marr
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Doug Rule
34
MAN OF LAMANCHA
by Kate Wingfield
PETS
36
PET PEEPS
by John Riley
NIGHTLIFE
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MR. DC EAGLE CONTEST

CLUBLIFE
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EASTER BONNET CONTESTS

by Doug Rule
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LAST WORD
METROWEEKLY.COM
APRIL 2, 2015
Mayor Bowser Bans Government Travel to Indiana

Attorneys chosen to argue for marriage equality before Supreme Court
Pence
Religious Firestorm
The politics of Indianas religious freedom law
by Justin Snow
IKE PENCE LOOKED

like a man with a lot on
his mind.
Standing at a podium
in the Indiana State Library on Tuesday,
Pence shuffled his notes for several seconds before looking up at the throngs of
cameras and reporters gathered to hear
what the Republican governor had to say
about a new law bearing his signature
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APRIL 2, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
that is facing harsh criticism from corporate America to the White House.
Its been a tough week here in the
Hoosier State, Pence said, his heavy
breathing audible to those watching on television. But were going to move forward.
Less than one week earlier, on March
26, Pence signed the Religious Freedom
Restoration Act, sparking backlash that
has only intensified in recent days. The
bill, advocates argue, would open the
door to discrimination and allow business owners to refuse services to LGBT
people by citing their religious beliefs.

Soon after Pence signed the bill
behind closed doors, criticism began to
pour in. Former Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton took to Twitter, stating it was
sad such legislation could become law
in America today and that people should
not be discriminated against because of
who they love. White House press secretary Josh Earnest said the signing of
the bill doesnt seem like its a step in
the direction of equality and justice and
liberty for all Americans. Connecticut,
OFFICIAL HOUSE REPUBLICAN CONFERENCE PHOTOGRAPH
LGBT
News
Now online at MetroWeekly.com
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APRIL 2, 2015
LGBTNews
New York and D.C. all banned nonessential state-funded travel
to Indiana. Parks and Recreation star Nick Offerman canceled an
upcoming comedy show over the law and said all proceeds from
a Wednesday show at Indiana University would be donated to
the Human Rights Campaign. And perhaps most compelling of
all, corporate America flexed its muscles, with CEOs from Apple
to Yelp and Angies List blasting the bill as discriminatory and
threatening to take their business elsewhere.
Was I expecting this kind of backlash? Heavens, no! Pence
said Tuesday. But he also insisted the law does not permit discrimination, all while urging state lawmakers to deliver to him
this week a legislative fix that would make clear the law does
not permit discrimination against LGBT people. This law has
been smeared, he said, blaming a perception problem that has
taken hold across the country thanks to mischaracterizations by
opponents and sloppy reporting by the national press that he
has found deeply offensive.
I dont believe for a minute that it was the intention of the
general assembly to create a right to discriminate and it certainly wasnt my intent, Pence said. I dont support discrimination
against gays or lesbians or anyone else. I abhor discrimination.
But while Pence vowed to fix a bill that he also does not seem
to think needs fixing were it not for national outcry, a number
of Republicans with their eyes on the White House appeared to
have rallied around Pence a bit too early. One day prior, former
Florida Gov. Jeb Bush blamed outrage on a misunderstanding
of the law. If they actually got briefed on the law they wouldnt
be blasting this law. I think Governor Pence has done the right
thing, Bush told radio host Hugh Hewitt.
Were going to need this, Bush continued. This is really an
APRIL 2, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
important value for our country to, in a diverse country, where

you can respect and be tolerant of peoples lifestyles, but allow
for people of faith to be able to exercise theirs.
Other likely candidates for the Republican presidential
nomination, including Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Mike Huckabee,
Rick Perry, Rick Santorum and Bobby Jindal, all voiced their
support for the Indiana law before Pences Tuesday press conference. Former Maryland Gov. Martin OMalley, a potential
candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, called
GOP support of the Indiana law shameful and the Democratic
National Committee blasted Republicans for being stuck in the
past and wanting to move the country backwards an indication that the debate over religious liberty and LGBT rights could
easily spill into the 2016 presidential race.
Indianas religious freedom law is broader than those on
the books in other states. Unlike the federal Religious Freedom
Restoration Act signed by President Bill Clinton in 1993, which
Pence cited numerous times during his press conference, the
Indiana law is explicit in allowing individuals to cite the state
law in lawsuits where the government is not party to the
case. On Tuesday, even White House press secretary Josh
Earnest accused Pence of trying to falsely suggest the Indiana
law and federal law are the same. That is not true, Earnest said.
Moreover, Indiana has no statewide LGBT nondiscrimination protections. Many LGBT-rights advocates have insisted the
only viable fix to the bill, other than full repeal, is for Indiana to
adopt nondiscrimination protections for LGBT people, and a bill
that would do just that has been introduced.
Asked if he would sign into law such protections if they
reached his desk, Pence demurred. While repeating that he
abhors discrimination, Pence said he has never supported
nondiscrimination protections for LGBT people and that it is
not on his agenda. Thats a separate question that ought to be
considered separate from this idea of religious liberty, Pence
said. (When Pence ran for Congress in 2000 his campaign
website stated Congress should oppose any effort to recognize
homosexuals as a discreet and insular minority entitled to the
protection of anti-discrimination laws similar to those extended
to women and ethnic minorities.)
Although Pence would not say Tuesday whether the new law
would allow business owners who provide services to weddings,
such as florists, bakers and photographers, to refuse service to
same-sex couples on the basis of their religious beliefs, it is clear
where his supporters stand. RFRAs are not intended to nor
have they ever been used to deny anyone non-religious goods or
services, said Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research
Council, in a statement. We support such a clarification making
clear RFRA does not impact non-religious goods or services.
With the U.S. Supreme Court set to rule on nationwide marriage equality later this year, the onslaught of religious freedom
bills seeking to erode gains made by LGBT people toward full
equality are expected to continue. Despite the firestorm taking
place in Indiana, other states are moving forward with identical
legislation. Hours after Pence concluded his press conference
on amending Indianas law, Arkansas lawmakers gave final
approval to a religious freedom bill, which Republican Gov. Asa
Hutchinson plans to sign.
Shortly after lawmakers sent the bill to Hutchinsons desk,
Walmart CEO Doug McMillon called on Hutchinson to veto
the bill, stating it threatens to undermine the spirit of inclusion
present throughout the state of Arkansas.
The new frontier in the fight for LGBT equality appears to
have arrived. l
METROWEEKLY.COM
APRIL 2, 2015
LGBTNews
Maryland Measures
March Forward
Insurance coverage for fertility treatments and
transgender birth certificate bills pass
respective houses
by John Riley
HE MARYLAND HOUSE
of Delegates and Senate last
week successfully passed, by
large margins, their own versions of two bills containing pro-equality
provisions that will benefit members of
the Free States LGBT community.
All four bills two from the House
and two from the Senate will now
cross over into the opposite chamber,
where they will again be considered and
voted upon. If passed, both bills will
head to Gov. Larry Hogan for his signature into law.
The first pair of bills, sponsored by
Sen. Cheryl Kagan (D-Montgomery Co.)
and Terri Hill (D-Baltimore, Howard
counties), require insurance companies
to provide coverage for infertility treatments, including in vitro fertilization.
Both measures also contain provisions
that cover same-sex couples seeking to
become pregnant, as well as heterosexual
couples. Both bills passed along largely
partisan lines, with support from mostly
Democrats.
In an interview with Metro Weekly,
Kagan noted that she and her allies collaborated with insurance companies
in drafting the proposed law, as the
insurance companies realized that they
could face potentially costly litigation
defending themselves against charges of
discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender. There is already one
case pending, and more could result if
the issue was not sufficiently resolved,
meaning it was in companies best fiscal
interests to seek clarification as to what
treatments they are required to cover.
I am committed to equal protection
and equal opportunity, Kagan said of
her reasons for sponsoring the bill. Our
state has recognized that marriage can
be between two lesbians, who can also
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APRIL 2, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
have trouble conceiving, and deserve the

same benefits. Policyholders all pay the
same premiums, and they deserve equal
treatment.
Kagan also added that, should the
House and Senate bills pass the opposite
chambers as expected, she is drafting a
letter to Republican Gov. Larry Hogan
and his staff to make sure they understand the policy implications of the bill,
and the fact that it is narrowly crafted
and tailored to address and clarify what
the responsibilities of insurance companies are when it comes to covering infertility treatments.
It seems to me that this governor has
expressed his intent to be open-minded,
Kagan said. It is my hope and expectation that he will sign the bill.
The second pair of bills, sponsored by
Del. David Moon (D-Montgomery Co.)
and Susan Lee (D-Montgomery Co.),
would, if passed, allow transgender individuals to obtain new, unmarked and
unamended birth certificates reflecting
their correct gender. In order to qualify, applicants for a new birth certificate
reflecting their gender and, in some cases,
new name, must submit written proof
from a medical practitioner attesting to
the fact that the person has undergone
medically appropriate treatment for gender dysphoria. The bill does not require
that the individual undergo surgery,
which can be cost prohibitive, particularly for lower-income residents. Moons
bill passed the House, 85-50, with four
Republicans voting in favor. Lees version of the bill passed the Senate 31-16,
with no Republicans voting in favor.
Because the bills are identical in
scope, both are expected to pass in both
houses by similar margins. It will then
be up to Hogan to decide whether to sign
the bills into law or veto them, forcing
the General Assembly to have to override his veto. An override would require
three-fifths of members of both cham-
bers, or 29 votes in the Senate and 85 in

the House.
A spokeswoman for Hogans office
said that the governor is reviewing both
bills, but has not yet taken a position on
either.
Reflecting on the victory of the birth
certificate in the House, Moon, a longtime progressive activist known as the
force behind the Maryland Juice blog,
expressed confidence that he and his legislative allies would prevail, noting that
the political stigma once associated with
LGBT issues appears to be, in his words,
rapidly dissipating.
It is an overwhelming statement that
the transgender and intersex birth certificate legislation passed by veto-proof
margins in both the House and Senate,
Moon said. Though Maryland has proven itself to be forward thinking on civil
rights, we werent sure how this effort
would be received. Remember that this
year nearly 40 percent of our House
members are freshman lawmakers who
had never taken a vote on transgender
issues, let alone any others. The vote
was also bipartisan, as a few GOP House
members joined a supermajority of
Democrats including some representing swing districts in backing this bill.
Passage of the birth certificate bill
would bring Maryland in line with jurisdictions like California, Vermont, New
York City and the District of Columbia,
all of which have Democratic executives. Similar measures have also been
proposed in Connecticut, Hawaii and
Colorado, although any pro-transgender
legislation is likely to die in Colorado due
to the makeup of the state senate, which
is controlled by Republicans. An identical bill to Moons passed in New Jersey,
but was vetoed by Republican Gov.
Chris Christie. Even so, Moon expressed
hope that Hogan would buck his party
and do the right thing by transgender
Marylanders.
Im optimistic that Governor Hogan
will sign this bill into law, Moon said in
a statement. As you may recall, when he
took office in January, Hogan repealed
some of outgoing Governor OMalleys
executive orders but quickly reinstated one that included gender identity in
Medicaid nondiscrimination provisions.
Moreover, since this legislation passed
with veto-proof margins, overturning the
legislatures will on these issues would
serve no purpose other than to play politics with medical privacy and employment discrimination. l
scene
Sheroes of the
Movement at HRC
Thursday, March 19
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with your
smartphone
for bonus scene
pics online!
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
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LGBTCommunityCalendar
Metro Weeklys Community Calendar highlights important events in
the D.C.-area LGBT community, from alternative social events to
volunteer opportunities. Event information should be sent by email to
calendar@MetroWeekly.com. Deadline for inclusion is noon
of the Friday before Thursdays publication. Questions about
the calendar may be directed to the Metro Weekly office at
202-638-6830 or the calendar email address.
SATURDAY, APRIL 4
ADVENTURING outdoors group hikes 7 miles over
gently rolling terrain in Greenbelt Park, MD. Bring
beverages, lunch and a few dollars for fees. Carpool
at 10 a.m. from the College Park Metro. For more
info, David, 240-938-0375. adventuring.org.
BURGUNDY CRESCENT, a gay volunteer organization, volunteers today for Food & Friends and
Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation at Falls Church
PetSmart. To participate, burgundycrescent.org.
LETS KICK ASS (AIDS SURVIVOR SYNDROME)
DC is starting a local movement to address the
THURSDAY, APRIL 2
FRIDAY, APRIL 3
Center Women, a group of The DC Center, holds

CENTER WOMEN GAME NIGHT, an evening of
board games and socialization. All welcome. 7-9
p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
The Family Equality Council and the DC Center

host an LGBT FAMILY DANCE PARTY. Families in
town for the White House Easter Egg Roll are welcome to attend. 6:30-8:30 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW,
Suite 105. To RSVP and for more information, visit
facebook.com/events/1537927479829259.
QUEER FICTION CLASS, a four-week workshop
for aspiring fiction writers led by Sinta Jiminez,

meets at The Writers Center. 6-8 p.m. 4508 Walsh
St., Bethesda, Md. For more information, visit
writer.org.
The TRANS SUPPORT GROUP of The DC Center

holds its monthly meeting. 7-9 p.m. 2000 14th St.
NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
WEEKLY EVENTS
WEEKLY EVENTS
DC LAMBDA SQUARES gay and lesbian squaredancing group features mainstream through
advanced square dancing at the National City
Christian Church, 5 Thomas Circle NW, 7-9:30 p.m.
Casual dress. 301-257-0517, dclambdasquares.org.
ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURAL HEALTH offers
The DULLES TRIANGLES Northern Virginia social

group meets for happy hour at Sheraton in Reston,
11810 Sunrise Valley Drive, second-floor bar, 7-9
p.m. All welcome. dullestriangles.com.
HIV TESTING at Whitman-Walker Health. At the
Elizabeth Taylor Medical Center, 1701 14th St. NW,

9 a.m.-5 p.m. At the Max Robinson Center, 2301
MLK Jr. Ave. SE, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For an appointment call 202-745-7000. Visit whitman-walker.org.
IDENTITY offers free and confidential HIV testing
in Gaithersburg, 414 East Diamond Ave., and in

Takoma Park, 7676 New Hampshire Ave., Suite 411.
Walk-ins 2-6 p.m. For appointments other hours,
call Gaithersburg, 301-300-9978, or Takoma Park,
301-422-2398.
METROHEALTH CENTER offers free, rapid HIV

testing. Appointment needed. 1012 14th St. NW,
Suite 700. 202-638-0750.
SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-5 p.m., by

appointment and walk-in, for youth 21 and younger.
202-567-3155 or testing@smyal.org.
US HELPING US hosts a Narcotics Anonymous
Meeting, 6:30-7:30 p.m., 3636 Georgia Ave. NW.
The group is independent of UHU. 202-446-1100.
WOMENS LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE for young
LBTQ women, 13-21, interested in leadership development. 5-6:30 p.m. SMYAL Youth Center, 410 7th
St. SE. 202-567-3163, catherine.chu@smyal.org.
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APRIL 2, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
free HIV testing, 9-5 p.m., and HIV services (by

appointment). 202-291-4707, andromedatransculturalhealth.org.
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice session
at Hains Point, 927 Ohio Dr. SW. 6:30-8 p.m. Visit

swimdcac.org.
GAY DISTRICT holds facilitated discussion for
GBTQ men, 18-35, first and third Fridays. 8:30 p.m.

The DC Center, 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. 202682-2245, gaydistrict.org.

testing. Appointment needed. 1012 14th St. NW,
Suite 700. 202-638-0750.
needs of HIV long-term survivors in the D.C. area.

The group meets at The DC Center. 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more information,
visit thedccenter.org or letskickass.org.
WEEKLY EVENTS
ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURAL HEALTH offers
free HIV testing, 9-5 p.m., and HIV services (by

appointment). 202-291-4707 or andromedatransculturalhealth.org.
BET MISHPACHAH, founded by members of the

LGBT community, holds Saturday morning Shabbat
services, 10 a.m., followed by Kiddush luncheon.
Services in DCJCC Community Room, 1529 16th St.
NW. betmish.org.
BRAZILIAN GLBT GROUP, including others interested in Brazilian culture, meets. For location/time,
email braziliangaygroup@yahoo.com.
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice session at
Hains Point, 972 Ohio Dr., SW. 8:30-10 a.m. Visit
swimdcac.org.
DC FRONT RUNNERS running/walking/social
club welcomes all levels for exercise in a fun and

supportive environment, socializing afterward.
Meet 9:30 a.m., 23rd & P Streets NW, for a walk; or
10 a.m. for fun run. dcfrontrunners.org.
DC SENTINELS basketball team meets at Turkey
Thicket Recreation Center, 1100 Michigan Ave. NE,

2-4 p.m. For players of all levels, gay or straight.
teamdcbasketball.org.
DIGNITYUSA sponsors Mass for LGBT community,

family and friends. 6:30 p.m., Immanuel Churchon-the-Hill, 3606 Seminary Road, Alexandria. All
welcome. For more info, visit dignitynova.org.
PROJECT STRIPES hosts LGBT-affirming social
GAY LANGUAGE CLUB discusses critical languages and foreign languages. 7 p.m. Nellies, 900 U St.
NW. RVSP preferred. brendandarcy@gmail.com.
SMYALS REC NIGHT provides a social atmosphere for GLBT and questioning youth, featuring
dance parties, vogue nights, movies and games.
More info, catherine.chu@smyal.org.
IDENTITY offers free and confidential HIV testing
SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-6 p.m., by

appointment and walk-in, for youth 21 and younger.
Youth Center, 410 7th St. SE. 202-567-3155, testing@smyal.org.
SUNDAY, APRIL 5
group for ages 11-24. 4-6 p.m. 1419 Columbia Road

NW. Contact Tamara, 202-319-0422, layc-dc.org.
in Takoma Park, 7676 New Hampshire Ave., Suite

411. Walk-ins 12-3 p.m. For appointments other
hours, call 301-422-2398.
ADVENTURING outdoors group hikes 11.4 strenuous miles with 1600 feet of elevation gain to Sugar
Knob Cabin and the Big Schloss rock outcrop on
Great North Mountain by the Va./W.V. border.
Bring beverages, lunch, sturdy hiking boots, bug
spray, and about $15 for fees. Optional dinner in
LGBTCommunityCalendar
Front Royal, Va. on the way back. Carpool at 9 a.m.
from the East Falls Church Metro Kiss & Ride lot.
Contact Jay, 415-203-7498. adventuring.org.
WEEKLY EVENTS
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF
CHRIST welcomes all to 10:30 a.m. service, 945 G
St. NW. firstuccdc.org or 202-628-4317.
HOPE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST welcomes
GLBT community for worship. 10:30 a.m., 6130 Old

Telegraph Road, Alexandria. hopeucc.org.
Join LINCOLN CONGREGATIONAL TEMPLE

UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST for an inclusive,
loving and progressive faith community every
Sunday. 11 a.m. 1701 11th Street NW, near R in
Shaw/Logan neighborhood. lincolntemple.org.
The DC Center hosts its monthly VOLUNTEER

NIGHT. Activities include sorting through book
donations, cleaning, safe-sex kit inventory and other
duties. Pizza provided. 6:30-8:30 p.m. 2000 14th St.
NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
WEEKLY EVENTS
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice session
at Hains Point, 927 Ohio Dr. SW. 7-8:30 p.m. Visit

swimdcac.org.
DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds practice, 6:30-8:30
p.m. Garrison Elementary, 1200 S St. NW. dcscandals.wordpress.com.
GETEQUAL meets 6:30-8 p.m. at Quaker House,

2111 Florida Ave. NW. getequal.wdc@gmail.com.
KARING WITH INDIVIDUALITY (K.I.) SERVICES,
3333 Duke St., Alexandria, offers free rapid HIV

testing and counseling, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. 703-823-4401.
testing. No appointment needed. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. 1012

14th St. NW, Suite 700. 202-638-0750.
METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH OF

NORTHERN VIRGINIA services at 11 a.m., led by
Rev. Onetta Brooks. Childrens Sunday School, 11

a.m. 10383 Democracy Lane, Fairfax. 703-691-0930,
mccnova.com.
NATIONAL CITY CHRISTIAN CHURCH, inclusive

church with GLBT fellowship, offers gospel worship,
8:30 a.m., and traditional worship, 11 a.m. 5 Thomas
Circle NW. 202-232-0323, nationalcitycc.org.
NEW HSV-2 SOCIAL AND SUPPORT GROUP for
gay men living in the DC metro area. This group
will be meeting once a month. For information on
location and time, email to not.the.only.one.dc@
gmail.com.
ST. STEPHEN AND THE INCARNATION, an
interracial, multi-ethnic Christian Community

offers services in English, 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., and
in Spanish at 5:15 p.m. 1525 Newton St. NW. 202232-0900, saintstephensdc.org.
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF

SILVER SPRING invites LGBTQ families and indi-
viduals of all creeds and cultures to join the church.

Services 9:15 and 11:15 a.m. 10309 New Hampshire
Ave. uucss.org.
UNIVERSALIST NATIONAL MEMORIAL

CHURCH, a welcoming and inclusive church. GLBT
Interweave social/service group meets monthly.

Services at 11 a.m., Romanesque sanctuary. 1810 16th
St. NW. 202-387-3411, universalist.org.
MONDAY, APRIL 6
BRUHS (BOOK READING UPLIFTS HIS SPIRIT)
literature and cinema discussion group, holds its

monthly meeting, this time focusing on poetry as
part of National Poetry month. Performances welcome, please arrive early to sign up to perform. All
welcome. 6 p.m. MLK Library, 901 G St. NW, Room
A-5. For more information, visit facebook.com/
BRUHSDC.
METROWEEKLY.COM
APRIL 2, 2015
13
NOVASALUD offers free HIV testing. 5-7 p.m. 2049 N. 15th St., Suite 200,
Arlington. Appointments: 703-789-4467.
SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-5 p.m., by appointment and walk-in, for
youth 21 and younger. Youth Center, 410 7th St. SE. 202-567-3155 or
testing@smyal.org.
The DC Center hosts COFFEE DROP-IN FOR THE SENIOR LGBT
COMMUNITY. 10 a.m.-noon. 2000 14th St. NW. 202-682-2245, thedccenter.org.
US HELPING US hosts a black gay mens evening affinity group. 3636 Georgia
Ave. NW. 202-446-1100.
WASHINGTON WETSKINS Water Polo Team practices 7-9 p.m. Takoma
Aquatic Center, 300 Van Buren St. NW. Newcomers with at least basic swimming ability always welcome. Tom, 703-299-0504, secretary@wetskins.org,
wetskins.org.
Whitman-Walker Health HIV/AIDS SUPPORT GROUP for newly diagnosed
individuals, meets 7 p.m. Registration required. 202-939-7671,
hivsupport@whitman-walker.org.
TUESDAY, APRIL 7
The DC RECOVERY NETWORK, a program of the Campbell Center, meets at
The DC Center. 7-9 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. More info, contact Misha,
misha@thecampbellcenter.org.
WEEKLY EVENTS
ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURAL HEALTH offers free HIV testing, 9-5 p.m.,
and HIV services (by appointment). 202-291-4707, andromedatransculturalhealth.org.
ASIANS AND FRIENDS weekly dinner in Dupont/Logan Circle area, 6:30 p.m.
afwash@aol.com, afwashington.net.
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice session at Takoma Aquatic Center, 300
Van Buren St. NW. 7:30-9 p.m. swimdcac.org.
DC FRONT RUNNERS running/walking/social club serving greater D.C.s
LGBT community and allies hosts an evening run/walk. dcfrontrunners.org.
THE GAY MENS HEALTH COLLABORATIVE offers free HIV testing and STI
screening and treatment every Tuesday. 5-6:30 p.m. Rainbow Tuesday LGBT
Clinic, Alexandria Health Department, 4480 King St. 703-746-4986 or text 571214-9617. james.leslie@inova.org.
HIV TESTING at Whitman-Walker Health. At the Elizabeth Taylor Medical
Center, 1701 14th St. NW, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. At the Max Robinson Center, 2301
MLK Jr. Ave. SE, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For an appointment call 202-745-7000. Visit
whitman-walker.org.
THE HIV WORKING GROUP of THE DC CENTER hosts Packing Party,
where volunteers assemble safe-sex kits of condoms and lube. 7 p.m., Green
Lantern, 1335 Green Court NW. thedccenter.org.
IDENTITY offers free and confidential HIV testing in Gaithersburg, 414 East
Diamond Ave., and in Takoma Park, 7676 New Hampshire Ave., Suite 411. Walkins 2-6 p.m. For appointments other hours, call Gaithersburg at 301-300-9978 or
Takoma Park at 301-422-2398.
KARING WITH INDIVIDUALITY (K.I.) SERVICES, at 3333 Duke St.,

Alexandria, offers free rapid HIV testing and counseling, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
703-823-4401.
METROHEALTH CENTER offers free, rapid HIV testing. Appointment needed.
1012 14th St. NW, Suite 700. 202-638-0750.
OVEREATERS ANONYMOUSLGBT focused meeting every Tuesday, 7 p.m.

St. Georges Episcopal Church, 915 Oakland Ave., Arlington, just steps from
Virginia Square Metro. For more info. call Dick, 703-521-1999. Handicapped
accessible. Newcomers welcome. liveandletliveoa@gmail.com.
14
APRIL 2, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-5 p.m., by appointment and walk-in, for youth
21 and younger. Youth Center, 410 7th St. SE. 202-567-3155, testing@smyal.org.
SUPPORT GROUP FOR LGBTQ YOUTH ages 13-21 meets at SMYAL, 410 7th
St. SE, 5-6:30 p.m. Cathy Chu, 202-567-3163, catherine.chu@smyal.org.
US HELPING US hosts a support group for black gay men 40 and older. 7-9
p.m., 3636 Georgia Ave. NW. 202-446-1100.
Whitman-Walker Healths GAY MENS HEALTH AND WELLNESS/STD
CLINIC opens at 6 p.m., 1701 14th St. NW. Patients are seen on walk-in basis.
No-cost screening for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. Hepatitis and
herpes testing available for fee. whitman-walker.org.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS, a workshop for D.C. crime victims, holds an hour-long
presentation on criminal, civil and Title IX/university rights of victims of sexual
assault, stalking, domestic violence or physical assault, sponsored by Casa Ruby
and the Network for Victim Recovery. 6-7 p.m. Casa Ruby, 2822 Georgeia Ave.
NW. For more information, visit casaruby.org, nvrdc.org or contact Eric Perez,
202-682-2245 or eric.perez@thedccenter.org.
THE LAMBDA BRIDGE CLUB meets for Duplicate Bridge. 7:30 p.m. Dignity
Center, 721 8th St SE, across from Marine Barrack. All welcome. No reservation
needed. 703-407-6540 if you need a partner.
RAINBOW RESPONSE, a coalition of people dedicated to combating LGBT
intimate partner violence, meets at The DC Center. 6-8 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW,
Suite 105. For more information, visit rainbowresponse.org.
WEEKLY EVENTS
AD LIB, a group for freestyle conversation, meets about 6:30-6 p.m., Steam, 17th
and R NW. All welcome. For more information, call Fausto Fernandez,
703-732-5174.
ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURAL HEALTH offers free HIV testing, 9-5 p.m.,
and HIV services (by appointment). 202-291-4707, andromedatransculturalhealth.org.
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice session at Hains Point, 927 Ohio Dr. SW.
7-8:30 p.m. Visit swimdcac.org.
DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds practice, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Garrison Elementary,

1200 S St. NW. dcscandals.wordpress.com.
HISTORIC CHRIST CHURCH offers Wednesday worship 7:15 a.m. and 12:05
p.m. All welcome. 118 N. Washington St., Alexandria. 703-549-1450, historicchristchurch.org.
HIV TESTING at Whitman-Walker Health. At the Elizabeth Taylor Medical
Center, 1701 14th St. NW, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. At the Max Robinson Center, 2301
MLK Jr. Ave. SE, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For an appointment call 202-745-7000. Visit
whitman-walker.org.
IDENTITY offers free and confidential HIV testing in Gaithersburg, 414
East Diamond Ave. Walk-ins 2-7 p.m. For appointments other hours, call
Gaithersburg at 301-300-9978.
JOB CLUB, a weekly support program for job entrants and seekers, meets at
The DC Center. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105. 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. More info, www.
centercareers.org.
METROHEALTH CENTER offers free, rapid HIV testing. No appointment

needed. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. 1012 14th St. NW, Suite 700. 202-638-0750.
NOVASALUD offers free HIV testing. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. 2049 N. 15th St., Suite 200,
Arlington. Appointments: 703-789-4467.
PRIME TIMERS OF DC, social club for mature gay men, hosts weekly happy
hour/dinner. 6:30 p.m., Windows Bar above Dupont Italian Kitchen, 1637 17th
St. NW. Carl, 703-573-8316. l
METROWEEKLY.COM
APRIL 2, 2015
15
scene
CAGLCCs 7th
Annual LGBT Mega
Networking & Social
Event at Town
Wednesday, March 25
scan this tag
with your
smartphone
for bonus scene
pics online!
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
WARD MORRISON
16
17
Bishop
Gene
The Christian trailblazer reflects on what was and whats next
for faith and himself
INTERVIEW BY USTIN SNOW PHOTOGRAPHY BY TODD FRANSON
GENE ROBINSON DIDNT SET OUT TO MAKE HISTORY.

For the first two years I kind of pushed back against the
moniker that would always get used about me in headlines and
such the gay bishop, Robinson says.
In 2003, Robinson was elected the first openly gay bishop
in the Episcopal Church a move that not only divided the
Episcopal Church and broader Anglican Communion, but signaled the shifting views on homosexuality taking places in
churches around the globe. Death threats against him and his
family poured in. During his consecration as the Episcopal
bishop of New Hampshire, there was fear someone might set off
a bomb and Robinson wore a bulletproof vest under his robes.
Robinson, however, came to realize he wasnt just the bishop
of New Hampshire. His role as the gay bishop presented him
an opportunity that, until that moment, had never been made
available to anyone before.
I realized I had been given this remarkable opportunity and
for me not to seize that opportunity was incredibly selfish, he
says. And so rather than fight it, I decided that I would make
the most of it, that I would take every opportunity it gave me.
Robinson retired in January 2013 and has since relocated to
Washington, D.C. Hes published a book on the religious case for
same-sex marriage, writes a regular column for The Daily Beast
and continues to preach a worldview where religion and LGBT
equality are not mutually exclusive. Hes also single and dating.
Now a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress (CAP),
he has set his sights on exposing the religious rights new obsession: anti-LGBT religious freedom legislation.
Its just been this fulfilling joy to have played a role in
our collective liberation. It doesnt get any better than that,
Robinson says. To this day, I dont know why this turned out to
be me. But it did turn out to be me and I was not going to waste
it. I was going to use it for all of us as best I could.
And at 68-years-old, hes not done yet.
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APRIL 2, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
METRO WEEKLY: How would you describe your childhood?

GENE ROBINSON: I grew up really, really poor and yet my parents,
who were fairly uneducated, wanted me to go and see and do

everything the world had to offer. So I was the first person on
either side of my family to go to college or certainly to get a
graduate degree. I never dreamt that I would wind up being a
bishop in the Episcopal Church having grown up in a fairly fundamentalist congregation in rural Kentucky. I never could have
dreamt myself to being where I am today.
MW: What faith were you raised?
ROBINSON: Disciples of Christ. Its a denomination not known
very well on the east coast. It came out of one of the great awakenings when Kentucky and Ohio were the frontier and so it went
westward from there but it never turned around and came east.
The only church here is right on Thomas Circle National City
Christian. Thats Disciples of Christ.
It was very conservative. Its not a particularly conservative
denomination at all but my family and every family in the church
I grew up in were tobacco farmers and so it was a particularly
conservative congregation of the Disciples.
I went to college at the University of the South, which is
known better by its other name, Sewannee. Its actually owned
by the 20 or so southern dioceses of the Episcopal Church, so
thats where I became an Episcopalian. And then went to seminary in New York City in Chelsea before it became Chelsea
and then was married to a woman for 14 years, had two
daughters.
MW: When did you come out?
ROBINSON: When I was 39. About a year and half later I met
Mark and was with him for 27 years. In the last two years that
has ended and Ive moved to Washington and started a whole
new life, really. Whole new set of friends, whole new work. On
the stresser scale its just about everything except losing a loved
METROWEEKLY.COM
APRIL 2, 2015
19
one. New job, new house, sold a house, bought a house, all that
kind of stuff.
MW: In college you werent studying religion.
ROBINSON: I wasnt. I was pre-med. I had always wanted to be a
pediatrician, partly because I just adored my own pediatrician.
But when I got to college, I realized it wasnt the science of medicine I was interested in, it was the people. And I thought, Why
would I spend that many years doing that stuff I dont even like
just to get to people?
MW: What attracted you to the ministry?
ROBINSON: Id always been really involved in church and had
always toyed with the idea of going into the ordained ministry.
So at that point I thought that might be a good thing. I actually
majored in American Studies and history and then went to seminary right from college.
MW: And what led you to become an Episcopalian?
ROBINSON: In many ways, the Episcopal Church and the Disciples
Church understanding of Christianity and what it means to be a
Christian are very similar, but the two things that the Episcopal
Church added to what the Disciples were doing was the liturgy,
which was beautiful, and this sense of history. I was fascinated
by this notion of apostolic succession. The bishops had hands
laid on them who had hands laid on them all the way back to the
apostles. Little did I know that I would actually be one of those.
MW: Did you meet your wife while at seminary?
ROBINSON: I took a year off of seminary and went to serve as
the Episcopal chaplain at the University of Vermont and met
her then. Shared with her all my relationships had been with
men, that Id been in therapy twice a week for two years to get
over that and thought that I was ready for a relationship with a
woman. I told her that within two weeks of meeting her. And
then about a month before the wedding, I broke down in tears
and said, Im really fearful this might raise its ugly head at some
point in the future. And she said, Well, if it does I think we love
each other enough that we will handle it. And 13, 14 years later
we did. She remains a dear friend. She was one of my presenters
at my consecration as a bishop.
MW: Did you think you were gay or that you just had a problem?
ROBINSON: Oh definitely it was a problem. I wanted to be married,
I wanted a family, but mostly what I wanted was to be normal,
as awful and as wonderful as that can be. I can remember the
first time making love with a woman. It was very exciting, not
because of the sex but because I felt normal. Which is not a really
good reason to be having sex with someone! [Laughs] But you
have to understand I grew up in a time when gay didnt mean
what we mean it to mean, and homosexuality was spoken about
in whispers, if at all. It was a problem to be solved.
MW: Did that have to do with your faith?
ROBINSON: Oh, sure. Absolutely. Which is why I have pretty much
spent my whole life both reinterpreting scriptures to LGBT
people for their comfort and to the church for their learning in
hopes of changing their minds. And Ive had some success in
that.
MW: How did you and your wife deal with you being gay?
ROBINSON: For a very long time, it was a part of me. But I became
increasingly aware that this wasnt just a part of me, this was
me. And I think being 39 was instrumental here because I can
remember thinking, If I dont change this now, Im going to live
the rest of my life this way. And I dont think I can do that and I
know I dont want to do that.
It was really frightening. So coming out meant not just coming out to my wife and friends, but coming out to my bishop. And
the only thing I was certain of was that I would never be able to
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APRIL 2, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
work in the church again ever. Anywhere.

My bishop [New Hampshire Bishop Doug Theurner] was new
and I went to him and told him the whole story and he wound
up hiring me as his assistant. And at that time I was the only
openly gay person on any bishops staff in the American church.
It was an incredibly courageous thing for him to do, and he was
the most thoroughly heterosexual man I have ever known. The
man didnt have a gay bone in his body and he would often call
me into his office and say, Come in here. I have some questions
about your people. So we got into this your people thing and
I would talk about his people. But he was justice minded in all
kinds of ways and understood long before much of the gay community, which wasnt a community at that point, that this was
going to be the human rights issue of our generation.
MW: How did your family and friends take it when you came out?
ROBINSON: Everybody was shocked. Often, I think when we come
out a common thing is, Oh, I knew that a long time ago. That
was not the case with me. And my marriage with my wife Boo
was like everybodys model for what a marriage ought to be. So
it was quite shocking to people and quite surprising. And absolutely horrifying to my parents, which is all chronicled in the
first documentary that Im in, For the Bible Tells Me So.
When I went home to Kentucky to tell them, I was not at
all sure my father was going to allow me to stay in the house
that night. It was very tense. Had it not been for my mother,
who would have loved me if I were a serial killer, I think he
would have thrown me out. And mercifully, they both lived
long enough my mom died three years ago and were about to
celebrate my dads 90th birthday in May to go on that journey
themselves.
One of the most common mistakes I think we make, it takes
us years to get to the point of coming out to ourselves and coming out to our friends and we forget thats day number one for
people who didnt know that before. We sort of expect them
to catch up on all the years of work weve done right out of the
starting gate, so I think good advice for people coming out is to
remember thats day one for them thinking about this. And my
parents had enough time to work through that, fall in love with
my partner Mark, they were there for my consecration and for
our civil union and all that.
MW: How did meeting Mark change your life?
ROBINSON: I met him on the beach in Saint Croix. It sounds
like an advertisement for a travel agency or something, but I
should go back now that Im single again. [Laughs.] We were
both on vacation and in this funny turn of events he lived here
in Washington on Capitol Hill and worked for the Peace Corps.
We dated for about a year and a half before he moved to New
Hampshire.
MW: When did you enter into your civil union?
ROBINSON: We did what many states did, which was approve civil
unions first and then two years later marriage. That was 2008
and I was about to go to England for the big worldwide conference of bishops that happens every ten years and I had begun to
get death threats again. I had a couple of years of near constant
death threats right after I was elected bishop and consecrated.
But they had sort of slowed down a bit and then when the conference was coming up I was getting lots of death threats from
England. And frankly, we were going to wait until marriage was
possible but given that potential danger I wanted him to be protected as much as possible. And so we had our civil union about
a month before I left for that conference.
MW: Whats it like to get a death threat?
ROBINSON: Its both really real and also surreal. On the one
hand, its just an astounding thing to

handle a piece of paper with gloves
on because all these things had to go
to the FBI. They did the old B-movie
thing of cutting letters out of newspaper and then gluing them on to
make a message. And the message
has a picture of me and Mark from
the newspaper and the letters spell
out Ive got a bullet for each of your
heads when you least expect it.
That gets your attention. You
learn to live with it, but for me the
way I learned to live with it was my
faith. What I believed then, what I
believe now is no matter what happens God loves me beyond anything
I can comprehend and at the end of
the day that wins. So if I were to die
a violent death or if I die in my own
bed at home at age 95, either way Im
going to be okay. I didnt want to die,
but my faith gave me the courage to
sort of set that aside and to understand I was doing what Gods
will was for me was as best as I could understand it. I mean,
nobody knows what Gods will is and we should all be careful
of anybody who says they do, but as best as I could figure it out,
this is what God wanted me to be doing. And if that was the case
then okay, bring it on.
Mark and I had to decide whether or not we were going to
let this rule our lives. We lived in a wooden glass contemporary
house in the woods. We did not own a curtain anywhere in the
house and this was right about the time the abortion doctor
[Barnett Slepian] in New York was shot through his kitchen
window. We could have been shot through all but about one
room of our house. And you just have to decide that to give into
that lets them win.
A lot of them, I think, arent actually trying to shoot you,
theyre trying to ruin your life. And if you let them ruin your
life, they win. I had to have 24-hour security between the time
I was elected in June [2003] and the consecration in November,
and it was hot and heavy then. And it was also serious because
if they had shot me during that period of time they would have
kept me from being a bishop. After I was consecrated, they still
could kill me, but they couldnt stop my being a bishop. So that
was particularly serious.
MW: It seems so hypocritical that these are presumably religious
people who are threatening you with violence.
ROBINSON: We dont know. We never caught them. But the irony
is beyond description, right? Religion, which is supposed to be
all about love and to contemplate doing something like that, or
even contemplating causing that kind of fear in someone is an
incredibly hateful and invasive and violent thing to do, never
mind actually trying.
The last really serious thing that happened was after the
president-elect invited me to the opening prayer at the inaugural
event in 2009. About two weeks after that were back at home in
New Hampshire and we get a call from the Vermont State Police
and they say, Weve got a guy in custody who came through our
town so angry that he shot the windows out of an empty parked
police cruiser. And when we caught up to him, sitting next to
him in the passenger seat he had pictures of you and Mark. He
had scrawled across them Save the Church, Kill the Bishop. He
I wanted to be married, I
wanted a family, but mostly what
I wanted was to be normal. I can
remember the first time making
love with a woman. IT WAS VERY
EXCITING, NOT BECAUSE OF
THE SEX BUT BECAUSE
I FELT NORMAL.
has MapQuest maps to your house and had a sawed-off shotgun
and tons of ammunition. And we think he was on his way to blow
your head off.
They couldnt charge him with anything related to us but
fortunately he had driven up from Connecticut and had crossed
state lines with an illegal weapon, so it was a federal guns charge.
He got out of jail about a year ago.
MW: Do you still worry about the threat of violence?
ROBINSON: No, I dont. As every day passes, the threat of that gets
less and less. And I think since I retired its less a problem to
people. They had ten years of my being a bishop to do something
and so Im a little more removed from the church. And we have
an openly lesbian and partnered bishop as well. The times have
changed, right?
When I was consecrated in 2003, it was like the world
exploded. My picture was on the front page of every newspaper
around the globe. Ten years later, Mary Glasspool has already
been consecrated and the first openly gay Lutheran bishop was
consecrated in Los Angeles Mary and I went to his consecration to show our support. It didnt even make the LA Times and
it happened in LA! So, thats ten years. Thats another way of
looking at the progress weve made in ten years. Its not just
about marriage, its not just about this or that, it was just not that
big a deal.
MW: Tell me how you became a bishop?
ROBINSON: Its important to know how it happens in the Episcopal
Church as opposed to the Methodists or especially the Roman
Catholics or the Lutherans. Its not decided by some small committee in a back room somewhere, smoke filled or not. Each
diocese when theres a vacancy, when a bishop is retiring or
whatever has an open search process. A committee receives
names. Any ordained priest from around the world can be
nominated by anyone and their job is to then narrow that list
down until there are roughly four to six candidates. And then
those people are brought to the diocese to meet with all kinds
of people and there are four forums held all around the diocese
and anybody can ask any question about anything. Based on how
they experience you, the delegates to the convention gather and
elect. To be elected bishop the clergy and the laity vote separately and you have to get a majority of both on the same ballot.
METROWEEKLY.COM
APRIL 2, 2015
21
So you vote, and then they post how many votes each person got
and if your candidate didnt get very many or whatever then you
switch to your second choice and so on and so on until there is a
majority in both the laity and the clergy on the same ballot.
Sometimes itll go six, 12, 15 ballots. In my case, I was elected
on the first ballot by the clergy and was shy only six votes, I think
it was, in the laity. After that was posted it was clear where it was
going to go. It was quite an amazing day. One of the symbols for
the Holy Spirit is wind and breath and many, many people in New
Hampshire remember that day as one of the most powerful religious and spiritual experiences of their life. When the announcement was made that I was elected, we were inside a large
church and there was a rush of wind through the whole church.
of bishops and the house deputies both have to consent. And it

turned out I got two-thirds majority in both houses. Then it was
just a matter of planning the consecration and doing it.
MW: What do you remember of the consecration?
ROBINSON: Its a beautiful, old ceremony. Every bishop who is
there gathers around you and lays hands on your head or on
the shoulders of someone who can actually reach you and they
make you a bishop. We didnt know what was going to happen.
Actually, we spent well over $100,000 just on security bomb
sweeping dogs, metal detectors. I had become friends with
Max Mutchnick, the creator and executive producer of Will &
Grace, and he paid for most of my security. Mine was a little
diocese that didnt have a lot of money to throw around and no
big endowment or anything, and we knew we
needed where my family was staying to be basically sealed off and guards and all that stuff. We
had cops on horseback. It was crazy. And Fred
Phelps and the Westboro Church showed up,
about 50 of them.
This took place in a hockey rink. Every seat
is a good sight line, which means you can be
killed from any seat. The guy dressed up like
a deacon that was beside me during the whole
service was like an armed tank. He wasnt a deacon. Under his vestments he had guns and all
kinds of stuff and we had this plan that if shots
were fired or a bomb went off or whatever, if I
was still alive he was to get me out. And then
we had a place designated that I would be taken
to if I was still alive and three bishops were to
go there from the crowd of bishops and a photographer was set to go there, so that if I was
still alive those three it takes three bishops to
lay hands on you to make you a bishop could
consecrate me and we would have a photograph
of it to prove it so nobody would get to see it but
the consecration itself would not be foiled.
They typed my blood and Marks blood so
they could start triage on the way to the hospital. And my kids were there and my older
daughter had just had our first grandchild, who
by then was close to three months old. So we
put her dad, my son-in-law, and Morgan, the three-month old,
in the furthest away skybox so he could watch what was going
on, but would probably be safe if a bomb went off. We just didnt
know. But nothing happened.
MW: And once it was done you just went to work?
ROBINSON: [Laughs.] Yeah.
MW: How did you approach the role of being this historic figure?
ROBINSON: [Laughs.] Well you know, Id never done it before!
You dont get any ramp up time. I just felt so grateful for my own
journey and the joy which I had come to believe in for my being
gay and for my self acceptance but also my firm belief that God
loved me gay. I just felt this tremendous burden, opportunity,
debt to be paid back to the gay community.
MW: What led you to retire?
ROBINSON: I was 65 and a half years old, so I qualified for
Medicare and Social Security and all of that. Actually, I never
considered retirement until Mary Glasspool was elected bishop
[in Los Angeles]. If my leaving would have meant there was no
openly gay bishop in the house of bishops, I would never have
retired. So when she was elected and I was at her consecration,
for the very first time I thought, You know, I dont always have
God rarely, if ever, appears

in a cloud in the sky with a big
thundering voice. Look for God
in the people who love you for
who you are because God is
much more likely to speak that
way. THEY COULD VERY
WELL BE SPEAKING THE
MESSAGE THAT
GOD WANTS.
Everybody felt it. It was really spooky. And it was amazing.
MW: What happened after the election?
ROBINSON: After the diocese elect, then the wider church has
to consent to that election. Up until this point, that was a completely pro forma process. It was just like nobody gave it any
thought. But of course there were a lot of people who didnt
think New Hampshire should have elected me and so all of a
sudden this pro forma process became a real one. At the general convention, which happened in late July [2003] after my
election in early June, we all went to convention and there are
normally 10 to 12 representatives of the media there who cover
the convention, which is usually not making a lot of news. There
were 435 registered media people there. So Im sitting on the
floor of convention because Im still a layperson at this point and
over here on the side, because theyre not allowed on the floor,
I see a phalanx of thirty photographers with telephoto lenses a
yard long all aimed at me.
I had round the clock security some of the best looking
guards that you could possibly imagine. [Laughs.] I was brought
in all the back ways. It was just dangerous. It was totally up in
the air whether I was going to be consented to. Again, the house
22
APRIL 2, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
to do this. Id literally never thought it before. I could retire! But

if I retire what will I do?
So I came to Washington. I had been doing part-time work
for the Center for American Progress and I had gotten to know
Winnie Stachelberg at HRC and she was of course now at CAP
and shes just really wise and smart. I went to talk to Winnie
and said, You know Washington like the back of your hand,
you know various groups that are working, can you think of
any places that I might fit in to do this sort of thing? And she
basically said, Uh, yeah, why dont you
come here? So thats why Im at CAP.
Mark and I were going through this
decision about whether or not to be separated and divorced. We divorced and I
decided to leave everything I knew and
move here. Im about to be 68-yearsold and Im making a whole new set of
friends. Just everything is new. Its a
little scary because I couldve stayed in
that marriage and everything wouldve
been all neat and tidy and planned out
until I drop dead, but it was another one
of those moments of if I dont make this
change now I wont.
MW: At CAP Ive seen youre working on
the religious freedom issue.
ROBINSON: The religious liberty thing is
where all of the religious rights money
and time and energy is going. They realized theyve lost the marriage battle, so
now theyre trying to accomplish what
they couldnt through the ballot box and
so on and find ways to exempt themselves from nondiscrimination laws.
The other thing Im working on
that Im really excited about is, it
occurred to me that we have done the
Biblical and theological work related to gay and lesbian people
but weve not done that for transgender people and for gender
identity. So Im convening this group of mostly transgender
theologians and Biblical people and ministers and so on and
were going to shape the skeleton for a theology of gender
identity and then I will write up from that, give it back to
them and well make that available through all kinds of church
networks and Jewish networks and anyone can use it. Sort of
trying to head off the pass, if you will, the objections that will
come when finally the homosexuality thing is resolved and
were now moving onto transgender.
I think we are right to be doing what were doing, which is
working for a federal omnibus bill for nondiscriminatory protections. We will be told that that would be more possible and
quicker without transgender people being included and I think
we have understood that is completely unacceptable. So it could
be a five to ten year project, certainly its not going to happen
with this congress. But I think thats where our work lies next.
MW: The Presbyterian Church just voted to recognize same-sex
marriage. Do you think all Christian denominations will ever be at
a point where they embrace marriage equality?
ROBINSON: My thinking is that the mainline denominations will
be first, the conservative evangelicals will be second and the
Roman Catholic Church will be last.
I love this pope, hes just a great guy from all accounts and
his heart certainly seems to be in the right place. But nothing has
really changed but tone. And weve made a lot out of that change
of tone because the tone has been so bad for so long. It feels
bigger than it really is. But the official teaching of the Roman
Catholic Church is that we are intrinsically disordered. That has
not changed. And until it does, Im just going to say about this
pope, so far so good. It just needs to go a lot further than tone.
MW: Whats your message to LGBT youth who are in religious households who might not see how their faith and who they are mix?
ROBINSON: The first thing I would say is dont ever confuse
They did the old B-movie thing of

cutting letters out of newspaper to
make a message. And the message
has a picture of me and Mark from
the newspaper and the letters spell
out IVE GOT A BULLET
FOR EACH OF YOUR HEADS
WHEN YOU LEAST
EXPECT IT.
church or religion with God. God never gets it wrong and religious institutions often do and it often takes them decades or
even centuries to figure it out. And while theyre figuring it out
God is loving those whom God will love, which is everyone.
Your church or even synagogue may be doing a cruel and hurtful
thing, but God does not want that to be happening.
The second is, scripture is actually not a simple thing to read
and understand and there are many ways of understanding it.
Your church or you may not have heard about some of them,
which turn out to be more scholarly and more appropriate than
other ways.
Third, I would say God rarely, if ever, appears in a cloud in
the sky with a big thundering voice, so look for God in the people
who love you for who you are because God is much more likely
to speak that way. So, if you have friends and adults who are telling you that you are loved just the way you are, that also could be
coming from God so dont discount that as them only being your
friends or your Aunt Tilly or your grandmother who seems to
love you a whole lot more than your parents do. They could very
well be speaking the message that God wants. And when you get
out in the great big world you can find a lot of support, even in
the religious community.
God Believes in Love: Straight Talk About Gay Marriage (Vintage)
sells for $15 and is available at Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com
and other online retailers. l
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APRIL 2 - 9, 2015
Compiled by Doug Rule
SPOTLIGHT
ALLAN GURGANUS AND ELIZABETH STROUT
The PEN/Faulkner Foundation hosts a reading and

conversation with these novelists known for portraying local life in America and the ways in which
sense of place intersects with sense of self. Most
notable is Gurganus, known for his works exploring
gay identity, including the first work of fiction featuring a gay character published in the New Yorker
41 years ago. Tuesday, April 7, at 7:30 p.m. Folger
Theatre, 201 East Capitol St. SE. Tickets are $15. Call
202-544-7077 or visit folger.edu.
SCOTT SUCHMAN
AMANDA PALMER
Singular Sensation
Freedoms Song at Fords Theatre is a dont miss,
only-in-Washington kind of show
REEDOMS SONG IS THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE PRODUCTION STAGED AT

Fords Theatre to directly reference the box in which President Lincoln was shot.
Obviously not every show at Fords could do this and no other show Ive seen
there in recent years has. (Chalk it up to the assassinations sesquicentennial.) But maybe
more should? As demonstrated in both this musical and James Stills drama The Widow
Lincoln, its a poignant, awe-inspiring device, one that helps you better appreciate the singular, only-in-Washington experience.
Youll appreciate that fact well before the sound of a gun stuns the cast silent and
youll grasp the shows utter-Washingtonness the moment it starts, as the clarion voice of
Nova Y. Payton rings through the historic theater as the shows Storyteller. Youll sense it
again when Kevin McAllisters rich basso voice makes you feel every ache of the Fugitives
Father, How Long? With a 21-person cast, including many of D.C. theaters very best
Tracy Lynn Olivera, Stephen Gregory Smith and Chris Sizemore among them Freedoms
Song could be a dog of a show and still youd feel grateful for the opportunity to have seen it.
Six years ago Fords staged a different version of the work, with lyrics by Jack Murphy
and a book by Gregory Boyd and Frank Wildhorn based on historical letters, blandly called
The Civil War. The show was panned. I never saw it, but I also wasnt eager to hear another
Wildhorn score after catching his schlocky, embittered Jekyll & Hyde.
Mercifully, Freedoms Song is refined and thoroughly reinvigorating, from its stirring,
American blend of folk, country, gospel and blues, to the affecting and well-realized incorporation of Lincolns writings and speeches. The production team, led by director Jeff
Calhoun, suitably inserts Lincoln into the mix the outlines of his White House office is
the centerpiece of Tobin Osts evocative set.
Even with some tweaks in character development, Freedoms Song remains more of a
stylized, impressionistic revue than a straightforward, narrative musical. It makes a strong
impression so strong that you might want to see it a second time, to catch anything you
missed. Because ultimately, its a cant miss kind of show. Doug Rule
Freedoms Song (HHHHH) runs to May 20 at Fords Theatre, 511 10th St. NW. Tickets are
$20 to $69. Call 800-982-2787 or visit fordstheatre.org.
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APRIL 2, 2015
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At the Lincoln Theatre, this ballsy bisexual rocker

will perform selections both from her solo career,
including the smart and spunky 2012 glam-rock
set Theatre Is Evil, as well as from her days as
the piano-pounding leader of the cabaret-punk duo
the Dresden Dolls. But the show is not called An
Evening with Amanda Fucking Palmer for nothing: The focus is as much on discussion of her book
published last year, The Art of Asking, based on a
TED talk and focused on the importance of asking
for help when you need it. Saturday, April 4, at 8 p.m.
Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U St. NW. Tickets are $35. Call
202-328-6000 or visit thelincolndc.com.
BILLIE HOLIDAY TRIBUTE CONCERTS
Next week marks the 100th anniversary of this

Baltimore-born jazz legend, and two concerts have
been programmed as a special toast, both featuring
local jazz singer Integriti Reeves. The first, on the
actual day of Holidays birth, is a free performance of
Holiday staples with Reeves and her sextet. Tuesday,
April 7, at 6 p.m. Kennedy Center Millennium Stage.
Free. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
Two days later, Reeves performs a tribute with fellow Artist-In-Residence alums at Strathmores new
venue Amp. Local chanteuse Lena Seikaly organized
this tribute, The Music of Lady Day, also featuring
vocalists Rochelle Rice and Christie Dashiell, who
will be accompanied by saxophonist Elijah Jamal
Balbed and pianist Mark G. Meadows. Thursday,
April 9, at 8 p.m. Amp by Strathmore, 11810 Grand
Park Ave. North Bethesda. Tickets are $12 to $20.
Call 301-581-5100 or visit ampbystrathmore.com.
BLUEHEART REVIVAL
Hill Country BBQ presents a concert by this fivepiece blues-rock jam band, formed in Washington a
couple years ago. The group, according to its official
biography, aims to reflect the desperation of the
blues, the joyous love of soul music, the rebellious
nature of rock and roll, and the sweet sounds of
Americana. A tall order to be sure, but washing it all
down over beer and barbeque will no doubt aid the
cause. Saturday, April 4, at 9:30 p.m. Hill Country,
410 7th St. NW. No cover. Call 202-556-2050 or visit
music.hillcountrywdc.com.
COUNTDOWN TO YURIS NIGHT
Intended as a holiday for space, this annual event

celebrates the worlds first manned space flight by
Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin in the most nonscientific of ways: A zany night of visual art, perfor-
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APRIL 2, 2015
25
Pop Cultured
Taylor Mac explores history and community through pop music
mance and music. Presented by a group of offbeat

artists and entertainers known as Astro Pop Events
(A.P.E.), the event returns to Artisphere this year.
Saturday, April 11, starting at 9 p.m. Artisphere, 1101
Wilson Blvd. Arlington. Tickets are $25 in advance,
or $30 day of show. Call 703-875-1100 or visit artisphere.com.
JAY LENO
A year after receiving the Kennedy Centers Mark

Twain Prize for American Humor, Jay Leno returns
for a one-night-only performance of stand-up as part
of the venues new Comedy series. Wednesday, April
8, at 7 p.m. Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Tickets
are $49 to $135. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedycenter.org.
KIYOMI OF HUNTER VALENTINE AT SCANDAL
Billing itself as D.C.s hottest new monthly womens party, Scandal at Comet Ping Pong in Upper
Northwest is certainly doing its part to live up to
the hype. For the next party, promoters Sasha Lord
Presents have recruited a lesbian reality-TV star,
who is also the lead singer of a popular all-women
hard rock band. That would be Kiyomi McCloskey
of regular PhaseFest-headlining band Hunter
Valentine, which was featured on Showtimes The
Real L Word a few years back. Kiyomi performs a
live acoustic set bookended by selections from DJ
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APRIL 2, 2015
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VESS PITTS
AYLOR MACS THE 20TH CENTURY CONCERT:

Abridged is not cabaret. Its not, strictly speaking, even
a revue of the past centurys most popular songs.
The New York-based artist, who performs in genderambiguous conceptual drag, calls it a performance art concert [presenting] my subjective history of popular music....
Sometimes theyre songs that nobodys heard of, or that
werent that popular from their decade but were popular in a
small community.
Community is what its all about. I wanted to make
a show that was about how community is built through
deterioration and imperfection. Macs inspiration, albeit
indirectly, was the impact of the AIDS epidemic on the gay
community. The California native was barely a teenager
when he went to an AIDS walk in San Francisco in 1986. It
was the first time Id ever experienced queer agency or the
queer community, and it was the first time Id ever seen an
out homosexual before thousands of them. It was a profound experience for Mac, who now identifies as gender
queer and lives with his longtime same-sex partner, yet it
was also a deeply poignant one. I was exposed to that community because it was deteriorating individuals dying from
a disease en masse.... So I decided to make a show that was a
metaphorical representation of that.
Mac picked Laura Branigans Gloria to represent the
1980s, a rather chipper song for a not-so-chipper decade. And
its that kind of contrast that Mac is going for. We bring in this
very cheese-ball song and we make it a little more complex
by talking about serious issues from the era.
In 2016, Mac is planning a marathon all-day concert in New
York, accompanied by two-dozen musicians and other guest
artists, for a fuller review of American history as seen through
a pop music revue starting in the 1770s. The whole idea is Im

supposed to be falling apart while I perform a 24-hour concert
with an audience, he says. What happens as a result of going
through an experience like this together? Doug Rule
Taylor Mac performs Saturday, April 11, and Sunday, April 12,
at 8 p.m., at The Clarices Kogod Theatre at the University of
Maryland in College Park. Tickets are $25. Call 301-405-ARTS
or visit theclarice.umd.edu.
Lez Rage pre-show and DJ Deedub post-, when the

performance space in the back becomes a dance floor,
but management has promised the entire venue
will be reserved for the ladies. Friday, April 3, at 10
p.m. Comet Ping Pong, 5037 Connecticut Ave. NW.
Tickets are $15 for show and dance party, or $12
for just the dance party. Call 202-364-0404 or visit
cometpingpong.com.
Bill, about a real-life transgendered jazz musician

from the past. This time around shes offering a more
traditional concert in support of her new album My
Weekly Reader, which is a little lighter than her previous sets more lilting in a Brazilian jazz kind of way
yet every bit as quirky. Thursday, April 9, at 7:30
p.m. Jammin Java, 227 Maple Ave. E. Vienna. Tickets
are $20. Call 703-255-3747 or visit jamminjava.com.
NEW YORK CITY BALLET
SPLENDOR & SURPRISE:

ELEGANT CONTAINERS, ANTIQUE TO MODERN
Founded in 1948 by George Balanchine to be a distinctly American ballet company, the New York City
Ballet honors its legacy in its return to the Kennedy
Center through two different programs accompanied
by the ballets orchestra. The first, 20th Century
Classics, features three of Balanchines most iconic
ballets including the first he choreographed in the
U.S., Serenade, set to Tchaikovsky. Meanwhile, 21st
Century Choreographers features works by Peck,
Ratmansky, Martins and Wheeldon. Performed in a
weeklong repertory beginning Tuesday, April 7, at
7:30 p.m. To April 12. Kennedy Center Opera House.
Tickets are $25 to $109. Call 202-467-4600 or visit
kennedy-center.org.
NELLIE MCKAY
Last summer, this longtime straight LGBT ally and

eccentric jazz/folk/musical theater artist toured performing her original musical revue A Girl Named
The Hillwood Museum presents a special exhibition

featuring more than 80 remarkable boxes, coffers,
chests and other containers that reveal the ways in
which cultures have contained their most treasured
items and everyday objects over the past four centuries. Now to June 7. Hillwood Estate, 4155 Linnean
Ave. NW. Suggested donation is $12. Call 202-6865807 or visit HillwoodMuseum.org.
STAGE
A BRIGHT ROOM CALLED DAY
The local, female-driven theater company Nu Sass

Productions offers an intimate staging of Tony
Kushners insightful drama, about a group of German
liberals slowly drowning in the rising Nazi tide of
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APRIL 2, 2015
27
Wondrous
Woman
Lynda Carter returns to the Kennedy Center with an
all-new evening of song
the 1930s. Angela Pirko directs a production of this

living room play all of it takes place in a single
room as part of a new Small Batch Audience Series
experiment by Nu Sass. The audience, only 20
people per show, will be situated around and next
to the cast in a push for greater immediacy and total
immersion into the world of the play. Closes this
Sunday, April 5. Caos on F, 923 F St. NW. Tickets are
$20. Visit nusass.com.
ARDEN OF FAVERSHAM
Brave Spirits Theatre presents this riff on Elizabethan

plays, incorporating actual Shakespearean passages,
as a housewife plots with her lover and two incompetent hit-men to murder her husband. Dan Crane
directs the production from the four-year-old Brave
Spirits, which focuses on staging dark, visceral, intimate productions. Opens Friday, April 3, at 8 p.m.
To April 18. Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H
St. NE. Tickets are $20. Call 202-399-7993 or visit
atlasarts.org.
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APRIL 2, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
number and a Sam Smith cover, among others in the

90-minute set.
Carter is well-known for her outspoken remarks
about LGBT equality. Its just a matter of civil rights,
she says. And women have been dealing with it for a
long time, you know? We still dont have an equal rights
amendment. And you get that blowback with them
saying Well, women have all the equal protection. Why
do they need an amendment? Well, obviously we do
because we dont get paid the same. -- Randy Shulman
Lynda Carter performs Long-Legged Woman on
Saturday, April 4, at 7:30 p.m. at the Kennedy Center
Terrace Theatre. Tickets are $25 to $75. Call 202-4674600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
THE ORIGINALIST
Molly Smith directs an Arena Stage world premiere

of John Strands play about one of the biggest enemies to the LGBT cause and civil rights in general: Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Its hard
to get excited about this one, although no doubt
four-time Helen Hayes Award winner Edward Gero
will do Scalia justice. The play is performed in the
Mead Centers Kogod Cradle in a new three-quarter
thrust configuration. To April 26. Mead Center for
American Theater, 1101 6th St. SW. Call 202-4883300 or visit arenastage.org.
VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE
Arena Stage offers the first production of this comedy

since it won the Tony Award for Best Play last year.
Aaron Posner, most recently known for his Chekhovinspired plays Stupid Fucking Bird and Life Sucks (or
the Present Ridiculous), directs Christopher Durangs
sendup of Chekhov full of wit and savage humor with
a cast including Signature star Sherri L. Edelen as
well as Jefferson Farber. Opens in previews Friday,
April 3. To May 3. Arena Stage Mead Center for
American Theater, 1101 6th St. SW. Call 202-4883300 or visit arenastage.org.
MUSIC
ASAKO TAMURA
Fresh from her London debut in Madama Butterfly

at Royal Albert Hall, this Japanese soprano presents
a free recital of Japanese songs, Kokoro: Japanese
Melodies from the Heart, at the Kennedy Center, copresented by the Embassy of Japan and the National
Cherry Blossom Festival. Monday, April 6, at 6 p.m.
Kennedy Center Millennium Stage. Free. Call 202467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
BIZ MARKIE: FILLMORE FLASHBACK
The Clown Prince of Hip-Hop, as MTV once called

him, will relive his glory days, hosting and spinning for the second 80s vs 90s Dance Party at
the Fillmore Silver Spring and presented by radio
station Hot 99.5. Local cover bands New Romance
(the 80s) and Heres To The Night (the 90s) join
Markie, a Maryland resident known for Just A
Friend. Saturday, April 4, at 8 p.m. Fillmore Silver
Spring, 8656 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. Tickets
are $15.50. Call 301.960.9999 or visit fillmoresilverspring.com.
TODD FRANSON
OU WOULDNT THINK LYNDA CARTER WOULD HAVE A

favorite video game, but she does.
Probably Skyrim or Fallout, she says.
It should come as no surprise, of course, that both titles are
produced by Bethesda Softworks, which is owned by her husband
Robert Altmans ZeniMax Media. But Carter isnt sitting around all
day attached to a video game controller.
I dont really know how to work all those things, she laughs,
calling it a generational thing. She does note, however, that shes
frequently done work for Bethesda, starting with The Elder Scrolls
series, in which she provided vocal work for female nords and orcs.
You do get to help create the character, says Carter, on the
phone from a hotel lobby in Nashville. But the writing itself is just
really good. And because its a role-playing game, they dont write it
like a movie. The player can make it go the way they want to go.
Since her days as Wonder Woman, which ran for three seasons on
ABC and CBS and for which she became iconic, Carter has had a long
career as a singer and recording artist. In fact, she started as a singer.
Ive been earning a living singing since I was 14, says the stunning
63-year-old. I didnt make the jump from acting to singing. I made
the jump from singing to acting. And shes continued singing,
even though she could have retired from the grind of rehearsal and
touring years ago.
The truth is, my kids are grown, my husband works -- what am I
going to do all day? she laughs. For the past several years, Carter has
brought to the Kennedy Center a one-night-only performance of her
own songs and standards, a smorgasbord of blues, rock, country and
pop. This years show, entitled Long-Legged Woman, features a
song by the same name written by Carter. Its a pretty cool, amusing
song, she says, adding that shell also be performing a Texas swing
FOLGER CONSORT
In conjunction with the Folger Librarys current exhibition, the resident early
music ensemble offers a scientific and satirical exploration of Baroque masterpieces with Ships, Clocks and Stars: Music of Telemann and Other Baroque
Masters. Telemanns amusing suite based upon Gullivers Travels is one of the
standouts, as is Clerambaults fiery, graceful cantata Orphe, a vivid retelling of
the story of Orpheus and Eurydice. Soprano Yulia Van Doren is also featured.
Friday, April 10, at 8 p.m., Saturday, April 11, at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday,
April 12, at 2 p.m. Folger Theatre, 201 East Capitol St. SE. Tickets are $37. Call
202-544-7077 or visit folger.edu.
RAURY
With a sound and a style kind of a like an edgier, blues-ier Pharrell Williams or
more precisely like Williams work in the rock/hip-hop group N*E*R*D Raury
is a 17-year-old Georgia-born singing rapper wiser than his years. The 9:30 Club
presents this concert by the Indigo Child, who has cited influences as diverse
as Phil Collins, Kid Cudi and Coldplay. Friday, April 3. Doors at 7 p.m. U Street
Music Hall, 1115A U St. NW. Tickets are $15. Call 202-588-1880 or visit ustreetmusichall.com.
THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA
Among the many orchestras it has presented over the decades, Washington
Performing Arts has enjoyed the most enduring relationship with this orchestra,
led by its dynamic music director Yannick Nzet-Sguin. The conductor leads
the symphony in one of his signature works, Rachmaninoffs Symphony No. 2 in E
Minor, during a program that also features 19-year-old Polish-Canadian prodigy
Jan Lisiecki, who will perform Griegs Piano Concerto in A Minor. Tuesday, April
7, at 8 p.m. Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Tickets are $35 to $105. Call 202-4674600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
DANCE
BOWEN MCCAULEY DANCE
D.C.s premier contemporary dance company, per the Washington Post, teams
up with country/punk pioneers Jason and the Scorchers for the world premiere
of Victory Road, a journey of hope, tragedy and triumph. The band performs on
stage with the company for an electrifying performance about a boy who leaves
his hometown dreaming of becoming a music star in the 1980s. Friday, April 10,
and Saturday, April 11, at 7:30 p.m. Kennedy Center Terrace Theater. Tickets are
$40 to $45. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
and Indian Americans. Through Aug. 16. National Museum of Natural History,
10th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Call 202-633-1000 or visit mnh.si.edu.
CONFLUENCE: CONSIDERING THE ANACOSTIA
Photographs of the Anacostia River are presented in an exhibit at the Anacostia

Arts Center and featuring the work of National Geographic freelance photographer
Becky Harlan, local gallery artist David Allen Harris, wildlife and conservation
photographer Krista Schlyer, and documentary-style photographer Bruce McNeil.
The exhibit coincides with the first-ever Anacostia River Festival, which will serve
as the closing event of the National Cherry Blossom Festival and take place in the
nearby Anacostia Park on April 12. Through May 1. Anacostia Arts Center, 1231
Good Hope Road SE. Call 202-631-6291 or visit anacostiaartscenter.com.
FORDLANDIA: THE LOST CITY OF HENRY FORD
The Art Museum of the Americas presents the first in a series on megalomania
by British artist Dan Dubowitz, who took photographs a few years ago revealing
what became of the large chunk of land that Henry Ford bought in the Brazilian
rainforest just before the Great Depression. This was a delusion of grandeur
Ford was hoping to create a rubber-producing community, solely focused on
work that may have flopped royally, but it did succeed in encouraging other
wealthy tycoons as well as poor local gold-diggers to plunder the rainforest
to try other ways of making a profit. Dubowitz toured and photographed the
deserted Fordlandia a few years ago, and the new photos are contrasted by those
from Fords minions taken in the 1930s. To May 1. Art Museum of the Americas,
Organization of American States, 1889 F St. NW. Call 202-370-0149 or visit
AMAmuseum.org to schedule an appointment.
ONCE THERE WERE BILLIONS
Once There Were Billions: Vanished Birds of North America documents those
species of birds weve lost on this continent over the past two centuries, from
the puffin-like great auck to the Carolina parakeet to the heath hen to the passenger pigeon, not to be confused with the commonplace carrier pigeon. Through
October. National Museum of Natural History, 10th Street and Constitution
Avenue NW. Call 202-633-1000 or visit mnh.si.edu.
ORCHIDS:
INTERLOCKING SCIENCE AND BEAUTY
Orchids: Interlocking Science and Beauty is the 20th annual orchid exhibition
presented by the U.S. Botanic Garden and the Smithsonian Gardens. Featuring
HELANIUS J. WILKINS & ERIC REBOLLAR/REBOLLAR DANCE
Award-winning choreographers join forces for an evening of dynamic contemporary dance that pushes boundaries and includes two D.C. premieres: Wilkins
Everything for the First Time, performed by 25 dancers from the Pennsylvaniabased Slippery Rock University Dance Department, and Rebollars Cyborg Suites.
The Joy of Motion Youth Dance Ensemble joins to perform a work-in-progress
of Wilkins Turning Tables. Saturday, April 11, at 8 p.m. The Sprenger Theatre at
Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $25. Call 202-399-7993
or visit atlasarts.org.
READING
ROBIN GIVHAN
The Battle of Versailles is the debut book by the Washington Posts Pulitzer Prizewinning fashion critic and centers on a fashion show organized as a fundraiser in
1973 that changed the rules of the game by incorporating black models. Givhan
reads from her book at the Busboys & Poets in D.C.s Takoma neighborhood.
Tuesday, April 7, at 6:30 p.m. Busboys & Poets, 234 Carroll St. NW. Call 202-7260856 or visit busboysandpoets.com.
RON ROSBOTTOM
When Paris Went Dark evokes daily life in a city under Nazi occupation, written
using a variety of sources (memoirs, diaries, letters, interviews, photographs,
films) by this professor at Massachusettss Amherst College. Wednesday, April
8, at 6:30 p.m. Kramerbooks, 1517 Connecticut Ave. NW. Call 202-387-1400 or
visit kramers.com.
GALLERIES
BEYOND BOLLYWOOD:
INDIAN AMERICANS SHAPE THE NATION
Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center presents this ambitious and colorful exhibition on the second floor of the National Museum of Natural History,
exploring the heritage, daily experiences and diverse contributions of Indians
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APRIL 2, 2015
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several hundred colorful flowering plants on any

given day, the focus is on how new ideas, technologies and inventions are changing the way we study,
protect and enjoy orchids. Through April 26. First
Floor in the Special Exhibits Hall, National Museum
of Natural History, 10th Street and Constitution
Avenue NW. Call 202-633-1000 or visit mnh.si.edu.
RANDALL LEAR:
RUMINATE MY RAINBOW TREES
A graduate of the MFA program at American

University, multimedia artist Randall Lear creates
whimsical works combining painting, sculpture and
installation, grounded in architectural space and
forms. Through April 12. Adah Rose Gallery, 3766
Howard Ave. Kensington, Md. Call 301-922-0162 or
visit adahrosegallery.com.
IGOR DMITRY
ROBERT CWIOK: ENVELOPING TIME
Laughters End
Studio Theatres Laugh provokes mostly groans from its

slapstick antics
JUST WANT TO LAUGH, PLAYWRIGHT BETH HENLEY HAS BEEN

quoted as saying.
That may well be, but her latest work, Laugh, fails to incite any such reaction.
Best known for her Southern tragicomedies, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning
Crimes of the Heart and her dark, Off-Broadway hit The Jacksonian, Henley decided
to switch tracks and create a pure comedy.
Perhaps she succeeded on some personal level with Laugh, but it just doesnt
work onstage. I didnt laugh out loud or otherwise once during the world premiere run of her new play at Studio Theatre. Certainly, itll fare well with those who
have a fetish for slapstick, and can tolerate the shows excesses of physical comedy,
rudimentary wordplay, puns, and downright groan-inducing pranks and jokes. But
it was too much when she stooped to having characters toss cream pies in each others faces.
Henley was inspired to take the childish, clownish route to comedy after watching
some old movies, both silent films and vaudeville. That century-old era of Hollywood
becomes the setting for the play, once lead character Mabel plots an escape from her
Wild West existence. David Schweizer directs this misbegotten production, whose
few redeeming qualities include a game cast. Helen Cespedes is as charming as she
should be playing Mabel, who transforms herself into Masha, a Hollywood leading
lady originally from Bulgaria. Creed Garnick is particularly adept at pratfalls, playing
the cowardly, clumsy Roscoe with a heart of gold, who tries in vain to win Mabels
affections. And among the remaining four actors, each taking on various roles, Jacob
Ming-Trent is particularly skilled at a brand of physical comedy slightly sharper than
the average, certainly more so than whats written for him to play.
Wayne Barker, a Tony Award-nominated composer (Peter and the Starcatcher), is
also just off-stage the whole show, playing mostly original music on the piano when
hes not serving as narrator, establishing each scene with a few choice words.
Its a fine setup, but the payoff in laughter, or even genuine entertainment, just
isnt there. Doug Rule
Laugh (
) runs to April 19 at Studio Theatre, 14th and P Streets NW.
Tickets are $44 to $88. Call 202-332-3300 or visit studiotheatre.org.
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APRIL 2, 2015
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A painter and collage artist, Robert Cwioks work

consists of several discrete chapters woven with
strong elements of continuity emerging, evolving,
fading away and reappearing. It often takes a second
or third look at his paintings to reveal the details
what the letters stand for, or what is inside an envelope. Through April 12. The Athenaeum, 201 Prince
St., Alexandria. Call 703-548-0035 or visit nvfaa.org.
SHIPS, CLOCKS & STARS:

THE QUEST FOR LONGITUDE
The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich,

England, assembled this exhibition focused on the
difficulty in determining longitude at sea and including various timekeepers and astronomical tables, plus
paintings from Captain Cooks Pacific voyages. Now
to Aug. 23. Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 East
Capitol St. SE. Call 202-544-7077 or visit folger.edu.
ZEN, TEA AND

CHINESE ART IN MEDIEVAL JAPAN
Well-known expressions of Japanese culture have

their roots in Chinese arts and ideas, from Buddhism
to tea to ink painting. The Smithsonian Institutions
Freer Gallery of Art offers an exhibition featuring
Chinese and Japanese paintings, lacquer ware and
ceramics from the 13th through the 19th centuries.
Through June 14. Freer Gallery of Art, Jefferson
Drive at 12th Street SW. Call 202-633-1000 or visit
asia.si.edu.
ABOVE AND BEYOND

SPARKLE QUEER OPEN MIC
Every month the 14th and V location of Busboys &

Poets hosts Sparkle, the queer-friendly, queerfocused reading series featuring LGBT-dedicated
poets started by Regie Cabico. Cabico serves as
the events emcee with Danielle Evennou. Sunday,
April 5, at 8 p.m. Busboys & Poets, 2021 14th St. NW.
Cover is $5. Call 202-387-POET or visit busboysandpoets.com.
THE PANCAKES AND BOOZE ART SHOW
An import from Los Angeles, this unusual underground art show features the work of over 75
emerging artists plus live body painting, live music,
a live art battle and an all-you-can-eat pancake bar,
as well as brews on tap at Penn Social the space
that a couple years ago was known as the Riot Act
Comedy club. Pancakes and Booze is a traveling,
Andy Warhol-styled event that former Hollywood
cameraman Tom Kirlin started in 2009 and has since
brought to over 20 cities. Thursday, April 9, at 8 p.m.
Penn Social, 801 E St. NW. Tickets are $5. Call 202697-4900 or visit pancakesandbooze.com. l
food
Ping Pong Dim Sum
Scrambled Easter Eggs

A round-up of 14 restaurants
serving fantastic Easter brunches
PHOTOS COURTESY PING PONG DIM SUM
by TROY PETENBRINK
RUNCH, THAT HIGHLY SOCIAL AND TYPIcally boozie weekend meal, is extremely popular
among Washingtonians. A portmanteau of breakfast
and lunch, meals typically combine the best parts
of breakfast with the alcohol of lunch and maybe some food
items (we stop noticing after the second mimosa). This Easter
Sunday, typically one of the restaurant industrys busiest days, if
youre in the mood for brunch youd better be making your reservations soon. Thankfully, weve got a bounty of local restaurants
with special Easter Sunday brunch offerings that still have tables
available (as of going to print seriously, get those reservations
in now, folks).
701 RESTAURANT
Located at the U.S. Navy Memorial Plaza, 701 Restaurant is

offering a special three-course brunch menu from 11 a.m. to 3
p.m. Prepared by executive chef Benjamin Lambert, standout
dishes include: Golden Beets with cocoa crumble, kumquats,
goat cheese, tamarind and vinaigrette; Carrot Salad with paneer,
pumpernickel crumble, mint and turmeric honey vinaigrette;
Skuna Bay Salmon with mustard sptzle, kale and pomegranate; Roasted Lamb Leg with fregola almonds, green Harissa and
sheeps milk yogurt; and Carrot Pasta with braised rabbit ragout,
fennel pollen and ricotta salad. For dessert, the options include
Buttermilk Panna Cotta with strawberries and Fig Vin Cotto;
Caramelized Rice Pudding Tart with tropical fruit and chamomile sorbet; and Rhubarb Crisp with lemon curd ice cream. The
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APRIL 2, 2015
31
price is $45 per person for adults and $22.50 for children 10 and
under. For more information, call (202) 393-0701 or visit 701restaurant.com.
ARCURI
Glover Parks Arcuri is offering a special American-Italian

three-course, prix fixe menu from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Among the
brunch favorites prepared by executive chef Richard Jones will
be Arcuri Insalta with honey crisp apple, pecans, dried cherries
and sherry; Roasted Beets with ricotta, hazelnuts and lemon;
Frittata with red pepper, zucchini and Caprino cheese; Soft
Scramble with prosciutto and ricotta toast; and Lemon Ricotta
Pancakes served with blueberries. To end the meal on a sweet
note, guests may select a dessert, including Chocolate Mousse,
Sicilian Cannoli, Fried Apple Pie, or the popular Ice Cream
Sundae. The meal is priced at $30 per person and includes
unlimited mimosas. For more information, call 202-827-8745 or
visit arcuridc.com.
BIBIANA OSTERIA-ENOTECA
Downtowns Bibiana Osteria-Enoteca has its newly appointed

executive chef Jake Addeo preparing a special three-course,
prix fixe menu, which includes a choice of antipasti followed
by a secondi and a tasting of Italian desserts to share. The
menu includes popular favorites such as Carciofi (shaved raw
artichokes, arugula, parmigiano-reggiano and prosciutto),
Burrata (creamy mozzarella, baby beets and pistachio pesto),
Torta Pasquale (a traditional Easter pie stuffed with braised
kale, cheese fonduta and hardboiled egg), and Ricotta Cavatelli
(sheeps milk ricotta dumplings, morel mushrooms, taleggio
fonduta and black truffle). Dessert is designed to be shared
and includes Pastiera Napoletana (classic Neapolitan ricotta
and barley tart with orange gelato), and Cannoli alla Siciliana
(sheeps milk ricotta, chopped chocolate, Amarena cherries and
pistachios). Bibianas Easter feast will be available from 11 a.m.
to 4 p.m. and is priced at $50 per person. For more information,
call 202-216-9550 or visit bibianadc.com.
CHEF GEOFF
All four of the Chef Geoffs locations in D.C., Maryland and

Virginia and its sister restaurant Lias in Chevy Chase are
offering a special brunch dish for Easter Sunday. In addition to
the regular a la carte menu, guests can select the Brown Sugar
& Dijon Glazed Ham that comes with an apricot orange sauce,
mashed sweet potato casserole with pecan streusel and grilled
asparagus. Brunch items start at $7.95. For more information,
visit chefgeoff.com.
CITY TAP HOUSE
City Tap House, Penn Quarters craft beer-centric restaurant, is

celebrating with specials that will be available in addition to its
regular a la carte brunch menu from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Standouts
include Chocolate & Caramelized Banana Crepe served with
candied walnuts and mascarpone whipped cream, and Shrimp
& Grits, prepared with creamy Georgia grits, shrimp, Andouille
sausage, charred scallion beurre blanc and farm eggs. To end the
meal on a sweet note, guests can enjoy a complimentary dessert buffet featuring a chocolate fountain with fresh fruit and
marshmallows, and a selection of seasonal pastries. The Easter
Bunny will be making a guest appearance delivering candy to the
children. Brunch prices range from $5 to $26. For more information, call 202-733-5333 or visit citytaphousedc.com.
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DAIKAYA IZAKAY
Penn Quarters popular 90-seat Daikaya Izakay is introducing fun, flirty egg dishes on Easter Sunday to its popular
brunch menu available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Highlights include
Merengue with seasonal berries, Fried Jidori Egg with caviar
and bottarga, Onsen Tamago Egg with hazelnuts, browned
butter and dashi potato, an Ambrosia Salad, and Miso-Honey
Glazed Carrots with rabbit sausage. These new egg-centric
dishes are priced from $7 to $12. For the perfect pairing, beverage director Jamie MacBain has created the Sol Invictus, named
after the sun god of the later Roman Empire and a patron of soldiers. The cocktail is priced at $14, and is made from a combination of Japanese whisky, Bndictine, green chartreuse, egg yolk
and Peychauds bitters. For more information call 202-589-1600
or visit daikaya.com.
ET VOILA!
This classic, Belgian-French bistro, located in the heart of

Palisades, will showcase festive holiday specials in addition
to the regular brunch and dinner menus on Sunday, April 5th.
Guests at Et Voila! will want to order show-stopper dishes from
Executive Chef/Owner Claudio Pirollos menu, including the
Lobster Salad Ligeoise with small potatoes, fresh green beans,
colonnata and Old Xrs sherry vinegar; Braised Lamb Shank
with romaine, gnocchi and artichoke la barigoule; or Skate
Wing Meunire served with crushed potato and ramps. For the
perfect ending, guests can enjoy Chocolate Easter Eggs made of
brioche crumbs, warm chocolate foam and apricot gele, served
on a nest of rice cooked in milk and pistachio. Et Voila! will be
open during its normal hours on Sunday, April 5th with brunch
from 11 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. and dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. Specials
are priced from $12 to $32 each. Featured bottomless cocktails
are available for $9. For more information, call 202-237-2300 or
visit etvoiladc.com.
THE HAMILTON
Located downtown at the corner of 14th and F streets, The

Hamilton is serving its full brunch menu with Easter specials.
Guests can enjoy executive chef Anthony Lombardos Asparagus
and Coddled Egg with hollandaise and parmigiano; Breakfast
Sliders, buttermilk biscuits, house smoked ham, scrambled eggs
and goat cheese; Sauted Calamari with fresh ginger, Fresno
chili, rosemary, tomato, served with a squid ink crostini; and
Bangers & Mash, English style sausage with caramelized onions,
mashed potatoes, duck egg and white bread. The Easter Bunny
will be making an appearance at The Hamilton to give out candy,
hugs, and provide photo opportunities for young diners. The
Easter brunch is served from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the dining
room. The Hamilton Live will also be offering its popular Gospel
Brunch on Easter Sunday, with three performances throughout
the day at 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. For more information,
call 202-787-1000 or visit thehamiltondc.com.
J. PAULS RESTAURANT
The iconic J. Pauls Restaurant, located in the heart of

Georgetown, offers diners a chance to enjoy modern American
cuisine in a fun and friendly atmosphere. For Easter Sunday,
guests of the old-fashioned dining saloon can enjoy seasonal specials, available in addition to the regular a la carte brunch menu
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Standout dishes from executive chef Tom
Crenshaws Easter menu include the JP Scramble, comprised of
scrambled eggs, spinach, onions, cheddar cheese and potatoes,
served with fresh fruit and toast; Steak & Eggs, an 8 ounce New
York strip, served with two sunny side up eggs, potatoes and
fresh fruit; Chicken & Waffles, boneless fried chicken breast,
cinnamon-vanilla waffles and warm maple syrup; and Green
Eggs & Lamb, pan seared rack of lamb, served with a deep fried
potato pancake, two over-easy eggs and chimichurri sauce.
Prices range from $16 to $20 each. A complimentary dessert
buffet will feature an array of treats including cheesecake, carrot cake, brownies, a fondue station, Easter eggs, assorted breads
and muffins, and seasonal fruit. For more information, call 202333-3450 or visit jpaulsdc.com.
LUPO VERDE
Lupo Verde, located in the bustling 14th Street corridor, will

celebrate the Italian holiday called Pasquetta, which translates
to Little Easter and is traditionally celebrated the day after
Easter Sunday. Throughout Italy it is customary to go for a
picnic with friends on this national holiday. Lupo Verde will
be celebrating this tradition the day before Easter, from noon
to 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 4th. The featured menu items are
available exclusively on the restaurants gated 40-seat patio.
Dishes will include Slow Roasted Pork and Porchetta Panini,
Homemade Apple and Pork Sausages, Domestic Lamb, Spinach
and Anchovy Pizza, as well as Farmers Market Panzanella Salad
and Homemade Pasta. The cost is $25 per person, or $12 for
children under 12. Beverages are sold separately, and include
Montepulciano DAbruzzo and Falanghina for $9, Peroni Nastro
Azzurro and Atlas Brew Works for $6, and bottomless soda
or tea for $3. For more information call 202-827-4752 or visit
lupoverdedc.com.
NOPA KITCHEN + BAR
Lamb with piquillo peppers, favas, lemon and mint. For dessert,
guests can indulge in Frozen Local Strawberry Souffl with basil
and cracked black pepper; Ricotta Bomboloni with lemon curd,
burnt caramel and bourbon ice cream, and Chocolate Hazelnut
Mousse with coffee ice cream. The meal is priced at $55 per person, or $75 per person with wine pairings. For more information,
call 202-463-8700 or visit ovalroom.com.
PING PONG DIM SUM
Ping Pong Dim Sums Dupont Circle and Chinatown locations

are planning a very colorful Easter brunch. In addition to dining
on the restaurants all-you-can-eat East West dim sum menu,
which includes interesting dishes such as Chicken & Green Tea
Waffles, guests can have fun dying their bottomless mimosas.
The restaurant will be providing small bottles of food dye to
diners so they can color their drinks in festive Easter colors. The
price for the brunch with mimosas is $39. For more information,
visit pingpongdimsum.us.
ZAYTINYA
At Penn Quarters Zaytinya, head chef Michael Costa has prepared a special $35 prix fixe brunch available from 11 a.m. to
4 p.m. Easter Sunday. The menu welcomes the warm weather
with classic Zaytinya dishes alongside springtime brunch items,
including Spring Pea Tzatziki with pistachios, Greek yogurt and
mint; Mayiritsa, a traditional egg and lemon soup with lamb
neck, smoked lambs liver and caramelized onions; and SpitRoasted Lamb Shoulder Hash with Cretan barley rusks, feta
and avgolemono sauce. Zaytinya will also be offering its special brunch menu on Sunday, April 12, in recognition of Greek
Easter. For more information, visit zaytinya.com. l
nopa Kitchen + Bar, Ashok Bajajs American brasserie located

in Penn Quarter, is showcasing garden fresh vegetables, select
meats and fish prepared with a touch of French influence on
Easter Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Prepared by newly appointed executive chef Matt Kuhn, standout dishes on the a la carte
menu include Slow Roasted Berkshire Pork Belly with crispy
West Coast oysters, soft polenta and a maple-ximenez agrodolce;
Red Watercress & Spring Vegetable Salad with breakfast radishes, English peas, rainbow carrots, fennel, and egg 63, served with
a warm Guanciale vinaigrette; and Slow Roasted Lamb Loin with
black garlic gnocchi, feta mousse, rainbow chard, morels and
green chickpeas. Pastry Chef Jemil Gadea has a number of exciting desserts on the menu, including Cardamom and Szechuan
Pepper Crumb Cake with elderflower scented poached rhubarb,
lychee ice cream and poppy seed crumble. The menu prices
range from $12 to $27 each. For more information, call 202-3474667 or visit nopadc.com.
THE OVAL ROOM
The Oval Room is offering a special three-course, prix fixe

Easter menu, specially crafted by newly appointed executive
chef John Melfi, which will be served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Guests will be delighted with dishes such as English Pea Veloute
with lemon, mint and crme frache; Hamachi Crudo with avocado, spring lettuce, heart of palm and a ginger soy vinaigrette;
House-made Pappardelle with rabbit ragout, peas, chanterelles
and marjoram; Lemon Ricotta Ravioli with English peas, spring
onions and farm butter; Crispy Skin Salmon with honey cap
mushrooms, fava beans, preserved lemon and spring garlic; Pan
Seared Swordfish with olives, green almonds, piquillos, green
garbanzo humus; Roasted Organic Chicken with cheddar grits,
pickled ramps and bacon ravagot, as well as the Roasted Leg of
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APRIL 2, 2015
33
stage
The Shakespeares Man of La

Mancha is not as family-friendly
as you might expect
by KATE WINGFIELD
NTERPRETING THE MUSICAL THEATER VERSION

of Man of La Mancha takes some finesse.
Though most know it as the iconic tale of an elderly
knight battling imaginary monsters to the tune of several enduring songs, it also wins the least-likely-to-be-seen-in-amusical award for suggesting, in no uncertain terms, a ruthless
gang-rape. Its true: the same musical that gave the world The
Impossible Dream also delivers a 16th century version of Big
Dans tavern.
Aficionados of the genre will already be nodding smugly, but
anyone raised solely on the family-friendly film will be mightily
surprised. Put another way, you might want to think twice about
bringing that niece with the ponytail and the patent-leather
shoes to the musical version at least this production by the
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APRIL 2, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
Shakespeare Theater Company.

And thats the point about finesse.
Only writer Dale Wasserman could have explained why he felt
a gang-rape would work in his otherwise quite fanciful musical
which, though it offers a bit of pathos, is largely humorous even
hokey. If perhaps it serves a certain purpose in highlighting the
delusions of Don Quixote, it is one heavy-handed way of doing so.
Its a problem that must be addressed with care or it stands to
throw the entire production off balance.
Here, unfortunately, director Alan Paul does not get it right.
One minute we are in a quaintly-rendered world in which Don
Quixote is bouncing around on a horse fashioned from a bucket
and mop and the next we are watching a woman being by turns
mauled, spread-eagled, gagged and kicked. As the suspension
bridge of belief collapses, the questions fall like cars: how offensive is this going to get? Will there be nudity? What does this
have to do with Don Quixote? When in Gods name is this scene
going to end?
Although she is rolled off-stage before the deed itself is perpetrated, its a long sequence that mars a production, one that
would otherwise have been a charming evening of storytelling,
humor, passionate song (delivered with live music), and spirited
choreography.
Of course, one might argue that rape should ruin a mood. But
SCOTT SUCHMAN
Tilting at Windmills
lets distinguish by artistic intent.

In the 1979 Italian film Traffic Jam, the viewer is lulled into
the quiet comedy of an enormous tailback in which the frustrated drivers eventually get out of their cars and begin to mingle.
There is a long period of humorous, satirical observation until
it suddenly all goes horribly dark when a young man is knocked
unconscious and his girlfriend raped. The descent from comic
civility into soul-crushing barbarism is painted with careful
intent. The themes are clear, the effect most powerful.
But in this dramatic context, such intensity simply does not
work. If it is Pauls intent to address issues of sexual violence
(or a ham-fisted attempt to fit in with popular cultures graphic
ways), it goes against the very nature of the story and its largely
light-hearted telling.
In this musical theater version (as opposed to the novel),
the poet/actor Cervantes and his companion Sancho have
been thrown into prison by the Spanish Inquisition. The other
inmates are about to rob them of their possessions when
Cervantes convinces them to allow him to plead his case through
a performance. The prisoners agree and Cervantes, now in character, begins the story of Don Quixote, a man addled by too many
books on chivalry into believing he is a knight on a mission.
As the play-within-a-play unfolds, the prisoners gleefully
take on roles, raiding Cervantes theatrical truck for their costumes and somehow magically knowing their many lines. Don
Quixote plies his delusional quest until he meets Aldonza, seeing her, not as the prostitute she is, but rather as his pinnacle
of womanly honor. Just as the hard-bitten Aldonza softens
toward Quixotes chaste attentions, she is raped by the men at
the inn where she works. Thus it is Wassermans stark illustration of the contrast between how Don Quixote sees her and the
reality of her life.

But in the context of the larger, gentler and comedic whole,
Wassermans bad idea should be scaled back into mere suggestion. And though director Paul doesnt do this, he does deliver
on the bigger picture. Carrying the title role in the spirit of the
family-friendly musical is Anthony Warlow, giving his Cervantes
the portent of an old-movie actor and his Don Quixote the doddery wit of a crowd-favorite. As a singer, Warlow keeps it in
character, hits his notes and delivers as genre-required. As his
sidekick Sancho, Nehal Joshi gets it largely right with a good feel
for slapstick and comic persona.
Walking the highwire of her directors choice is Amber Iman
as Aldonza. With a captivating voice that works the lower notes
with seismic depth and the higher ones with rich sweetness, she
is the reason to hear this musical. Her Aldonza is a charismatic
take on a familiar stock character: the take-no-prisoners AfricanAmerican woman. Its an interesting update and it allows for
some contemporary comedy.
Other standouts are Rayanne Gonzales, for injecting a good
dose of physical comedy and an appealing soprano, Dan Sharkey
for offering an extra layer of wit to his Innkeeper, and Robert
Mammana for a Dr. Carrasco pleasingly poised in voice and
manner. Credit must be given to the ensemble, in particular
Ceasar F. Barajas, for bringing the clever and cohesive choreography to life (if all too vividly in one instance).
So go for the charm and the music. There may be no intermission but there is, without doubt, a shocking interlude.
Man of La Mancha (HHHHH) runs to April 26. Sidney Harman
Hall, Harman Center for the Arts, 610 F St. NW. Call 202-547-1122
or visit shakespearetheatre.org/MWLaMancha. l
METROWEEKLY.COM
APRIL 2, 2015
35
pets
Gus Elfvings Pet Peeps helps

city dwellers shoulder the
responsibilities that come
with pet ownership
by JOHN RILEY
US ELFVING REMEMBERS THE DAYS HE

was doing overnights for doggy daycare and walking dogs odd side jobs to make a living and pay
the rent.
I was working at the Container Store part-time, for about
two years or so, Elfving recalls. And one day my manager
called me and said, Gus, do you work here anymore? And I said,
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APRIL 2, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
Yes. And he said, Because you havent worked here for two
months. And I was like, Really? I had been getting assigned
shifts, but I was getting them covered, because I was so busy
with my pet sitting and dog walking. It dawned on me that I
could support myself. I was so fearful that I wouldnt be able to
make a living, but I realized that for two months I had been supporting myself, all on my own.
Spurred by that realization, and by a growing number of
referrals, mostly by word-of-mouth from satisfied clients,
Elfving branched out and founded his own bootstrap startup,
with very little capital and a strong work ethic.
I put effort and energy and a lot of time and work into it
because I believe firmly in bloom where youre planted, which
is a concept that just means to try to be successful wherever you
are, whatever youre doing, he says.
Nine years later, Elfving serves as Top Dawg for Pet Peeps,
a professional pet care services agency that caters primarily to
the urban professional class in D.C.
We provide services in the home to pet owners in the D.C.
area, because we feel that in the home is where the pet is safest
JAVIER BROSCH
Professional Pet Sitters
and most comfortable, typically speaking, Elfving says. D.C.

is full of very hard-working people focused on their careers, so
our passion is helping make sure pet ownership is possible for
everyone.
The bulk of Pet Peeps business deals with dog walking and
pet sitting, although the business also provides other services
like private in-home boarding for when owners have extended
out-of-town trips or vacations and pet taxi services, such as
transporting canines and felines to the veterinarian for checkups when owners cant get off work, or to other homes, as in
the case of an ex who may live outside of the District who has
joint custody.
Lets say you live in D.C., and your ex lives in Fairfax,
Elfving says. And you dont have a car, but the dog is going to
the exs house. So you can take a cab with your dog most cabs
will allow you to out to your exs house, but then youll have
to take a cab back. So it might be easier just to have us take the
dog there for you.
About 75 percent of the business is dog-centric, with roughly
one-in-five services pertaining to cats, and the remainder a
variety of other pets, which can include lizards, birds, and
turtles, but primarily consists of a rather large number of rabbits, Elfving says.
For seven years, Elfving ran Pet Peeps out of his home, with
occasional staff meetings held at a public venue like the old
Caribou Coffee at 14th Street and Rhode Island Avenue NW.
The small company has since moved its headquarters to a rented
office in the renovated WeWork building, inside the old Wonder
Bread Factory, in the citys Shaw neighborhood. From there,
Elfving directs a staff of 16 other individuals, mostly independent contractors or interns, who carry out the various services
which can range from $10 to $100, on average.

Contractors are largely chosen based on their availability and
location, with certain dog walkers and pet sitters catering to certain neighborhoods, Elfving says. The contractors can be available at any hour during the day or night, but owners must first
set up an appointment in advance. All contractors are required
to pass an evaluation analyzing their skill set and knowledge of
pets prior to being hired by Pet Peeps. They also must undergo a
background check and be certified in either Red Cross Pet First
Aid or Pet Tech, which deals with first aid and CPR for animals.
Primarily, though, Elfving has been able to establish a foothold in the District through availability, not only in terms of his
contractors work hours, but by being one of the first pet care
service agencies to operate in the District prior to its relatively
recent and rapid pace of gentrification. And longevity has
its payoffs: about 95 percent of Pet Peeps business takes place
in the District, even though the business is also licensed in
Maryland and Virginia.
Even when nobody wanted to come in and provide services
in the District, we were here, he notes. There were only a
handful of businesses that did these types of services in the
District. There were some huge businesses out in Northern
Virginia, but they wouldnt dream of coming into the District. It
was just too dangerous and not appealing.
And now?
Now, we have to beat them back with a stick, he says,
laughing.
For more information on Pet Peeps, or to make an appointment for
pet care services, contact 202-232-PETS (202-232-7387) or visit
petpeeps.biz. l
METROWEEKLY.COM
APRIL 2, 2015
37
NIGHT
LIFE
LISTINGS
THURS., 04.02.15
9 1/2
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm Multiple
TVs showing movies,
shows, sports Expanded
craft beer selection No
Cover
ANNIES/ANNIES
UPSTAIRS
4@4 Happy Hour, 4pm-7pm
$4 Small Plates, $4 Stella
Artois, $4 House Wines,
$4 Stolichnaya Cocktails,
$4 Manhattans and Vodka
Martinis
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Happy Hour: $6 Call
Martini, $3 Miller Lite, $4
Rail, $5 Call, 4-9pm $3
Rail Drinks, 10pm-midnight,
$5 Red Bull, Gatorade
and Frozen Virgin Drinks
Locker Room Thursday
Nights DJs Sean Morris
and MadScience Ripped
Hot Body Contest at midnight, hosted by Sasha
J. Adams and BaNaka
$200 Cash Prize Doors
open 10pm, 18+ $5 Cover
under 21 and free with
college ID
DC EAGLE
Eagle Hour: Men in any DC
Eagle shirt drink free rail
and domestic, 9-10pm
Mid-Atlantic Kennel Korps
on Bar
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm
Shirtless Thursday,
10-11pm DJs BacK2bACk
JR.S
$3 Rail Vodka Highballs, $2
JR.s drafts, 8pm to close
Throwback Thursday featuring rock/pop retro hits
METROWEEKLY.COM
39
40
APRIL 2, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
scene
Mr. DC Eagle Contest
Saturday, March 21
scan this tag
with your
smartphone
for bonus scene
pics online!
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
WARD MORRISON
NELLIES SPORTS BAR

Beat The Clock Happy Hour
$2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
$4 (7-8pm) Buckets of
Beer $15 Drag Bingo
NUMBER NINE
drink, 5-9pm No Cover
TOWN PATIO
Open 5pm No Cover
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
All male, nude dancers
Shirtless Thursday DJ
Tim-e in Secrets 9pm
Cover 21+
FRI., 04.03.15
9 1/2
Open at 5pm Happy Hour:
2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm
Friday Night Videos with
resident DJ Shea Van Horn
VJ Expanded craft beer
selection No cover
ANNIES
4@4 Happy Hour, 4-7pm
Martinis Upstairs open
5-11pm
COBALT/30 DEGREES
All You Can Drink Happy
Hour $15 Rail &
Domestic, $21 Call &
Imports, 6-9pm Guys
Night Out Free Rail
Vodka, 11pm-Midnight, $6
Belvedere Vodka Drinks
all night Watch your
favorite music videos with
DJ MadScience in the
lounge DJ Keenan Orr
on the danceoor $10
cover 10pm-1am, $5 after
1am 21+
DC BEAR CRUE
@Town Bear Happy
Hour, 6-11pm $3 Rail,
$3 Draft, $3 Bud Bottles
Free Pizza, 7pm Hosted
by Charger Stone No
cover before 9:30pm 21+
DC EAGLE
Bear Happy Hour: Going
Back to the Wild, 6-10pm
Extended Happy Hour
prices until 10pm Coat
check open Onyx on
Club Bar
$3 (6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm)
Buckets of Beer $15
FREDDIES BEACH BAR

Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm
TOWN
Drag Show starts at
10:30pm Hosted by Lena
Lett and featuring Miss
Tatianna, Shi-QueetaLee, Epiphany B. Lee
and BaNaka DJ Wess
upstairs, BacK2bACk
downstairs Doors open
at 10pm For those 21 and
over, $5 from 10-11pm and
$10 after 11pm For those
18-20, $12 all night 18+
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm
Otter Den DC presents
Otter Crossing: Murder
Ballad Featuring music
by dAddy Punk and rock
performances from Studio
Theatres Murder Ballad
cast members $5 Cover
after 10pm $5 Stoli, $4
Fireball shots, $3 Bud
$5 Smirnoff, all avors, all
night long 21+
JR.S
Buy 1, Get 1, 11pm-midnight Happy Hour: 2-for1, 4-9pm $5 Coronas, $8
Vodka Red Bulls, 9pm-close
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
DJ Matt Bailer Videos,
Dancing Beat The Clock
Happy Hour $2 (5-6pm),
NUMBER NINE
Open 5pm Happy Hour: 2
for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm
No Cover
TOWN PATIO
Open 5pm No Cover,
5-10pm, $5 from 10-11pm
and $10 after 11pm (enter
through Town)
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
All male, nude dancers,
hosted by LaTroya Nicole
Ladies of Illusion with host
Kristina Kelly, 9pm DJ
Steve Henderson in Secrets
VJ Tre in Ziegfelds
Cover 21+
SAT., 04.04.15
9 1/2
$5 Absolut & Titos, $3
Miller Lite after 9pm
Expanded craft beer selection No Cover
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Drag Yourself to Brunch at
Level One, 11am-2pm and
2-4pm Featuring Kristina
Kelly and the Ladies of
Illusion Bottomless
Mimosas and Bloody Marys
Happy Hour: $3 Miller
Lite, $4 Rail, $5 Call, 4-9pm
Drink specials all night
$5 cover after 10pm 21+
DC EAGLE
Potomac MC on Club Bar
- ARISE
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Diner-style Breakfast
Buffet, 10am-3pm Crazy
Hour, 4-7pm Freddies
Follies Drag Show, hosted
by Ms. Destiny B. Childs,
8-10pm Karaoke, 10pmclose
METROWEEKLY.COM
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm DJ
Darryl Strickland presents
Rewind Request Line: The
Best Hits of the 80s and
90s Doors open, 9pm
$5 Cover after 10pm
Open Rail Vodka, 9-10pm
$5 Bacardi, all avors, all
night long
JR.S
$4 Coors, $5 Vodka highballs, $7 Vodka Red Bulls
NELLIES
Guest DJs Zing Zang
Bloody Marys, Nellie Beer,
House Rail Drinks and
Mimosas, $4, 11am-5pm
Buckets of Beer, $15
NUMBER NINE
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on
any drink, 5-9pm No
Cover DILF Daddy Party,
9:30pm-close Featuring
DJ Douglas Sullivan $3
Miller Lite, $5 Titos and
Bulleit bourbon, 9pm-close
APRIL 2, 2015
41
TOWN
DC Rawhides host Town
& Country: Two-Step, Line
Dancing, Waltz and West
Coast Swing, $5 Cover to
stay all night Doors open
6:45pm, Lessons 7-8pm,
Open dance 8-10:30pm
Men from Mars Dance
Party featuring DJ Kidd
MAX from Season 7
of RuPauls Drag Race
Music and videos downstairs with DJ Wess Drag
Show starts at 10:30pm
Hosted by Lena Lett and
featuring Miss Tatianna,
Shi-Queeta-Lee, Epiphany
B. Lee and BaNaka
Doors open 10pm Cover
$10 from 10-11pm, $12
after 11pm 21+
TOWN PATIO
Open 2pm No Cover,
2-10pm, Cover $10 from
10-11pm, $12 after 11pm
(enter through Town)
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
Men of Secrets, 9pm
Guest dancers Ladies
of Illusion with host Ella
Fitzgerald, 9pm DJ Steve
Henderson in Secrets
DJ Don T. in Ziegfelds
Doors 8pm Cover 21+
SUN., 04.05.15
9 1/2
TVs showing movies,
Cover
COBALT/30 DEGREES
$4 Stoli, Stoli avors
and Miller Lite all day
Homowood Karaoke, 10pmclose No Cover, 21+
DC EAGLE
Barbecue and Beer Blast
$2 off pitchers of beer
all day
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Champagne Brunch Buffet,
10am-3pm Crazy Hour,
4-7pm Karaoke, 8pm-1am
42
APRIL 2, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm $3
Smirnoff, all avors, all
night #SundayFunday
upstairs Wear your favorite sports jersey upstairs
and get free Smirnoff,
6-7pm Bears Can Party
featuring DJ Jeff Eletto,
6-10pm Mamas Trailer
Park Karaoke, 9:30pm-close
JR.S
Sunday Funday Liquid
Brunch Doors open at
1pm $2 Coors Lights &
$3 Skyy (all avors), all day
and night
NELLIES
Drag Brunch, hosted by
Shi-Queeta-Lee, 11am-3pm
$20 Brunch Buffet
House Rail Drinks, Zing
Zang Bloody Marys, Nellie
Beer and Mimosas, $4,
11am-close Buckets of
Beer, $15
NUMBER NINE
Pop Goes the World with
Wes Della Volla at 9:30
pm Happy Hour: 2 for
1 on any drink, 5-9pm
No Cover
TOWN PATIO
Open 2pm No Cover
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
Decades of Dance DJ
Tim-e in Secrets Doors
8pm Cover 21+
MON., 04.06.15
9 1/2
Multiple TVs showing
movies, shows, sports
ANNIES
4@4 Happy Hour, 4-7pm
Martinis
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Happy Hour: $2 Rail, $3
Miller Lite, $5 Call, 4-9pm
Drag Show hosted by
Kristina Kelly Doors open
at 10pm, show starts at
11pm $3 Skyy Cocktails,
$8 Skyy and Red Bull No
Cover, 18+
FREDDIES
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour All Night Long,
4pm-close Michaels
Open Mic Night Karaoke,
9:30pm-close
JR.S
Happy Hour: 2-for-1, 4-9pm
Showtunes Songs &
Singalongs, 9pm-close
DJ Jamez $3 Drafts
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
$2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
Beer $15 Poker Texas
Holdem, 8pm Dart
Boards
NUMBER NINE
No Cover
TOWN PATIO
Open 5pm No Cover
TUES., 04.07.15
9 1/2
Multiple TVs showing
movies, shows, sports
ANNIES
Stella Artois, $4 House
Wines, $4 Stolichnaya
Cocktails, $4 Manhattans
and Vodka Martinis
COBALT/30 DEGREES
SIN Industry Night
Half-price Cocktails, 10pmclose
FREDDIES BEACH BAR

Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour All Night Long,
4pm-close
JR.S
Underground (Indie Pop/Alt/
Brit Rock), 9pm-close DJ
Wes Della Volla 2-for-1,
all day and night
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
$2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
Beer $15 Karaoke and
Drag Bingo
NUMBER NINE
No Cover Safe Word: A
Gay Spelling Bee, 8-11pm
Prizes to top three
spellers After 9pm, $3
Absolut, Bulleit & Stella
TOWN PATIO
Open 5pm No Cover
WED., 04.08.15
9 1/2
TVs showing movies,
Cover
ANNIES
Stella Artois, $4 House
Wines, $4 Stolichnaya
Cocktails, $4 Manhattans
and Vodka Martinis
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Wednesday Night
Karaoke downstairs, 10pm
$4 Stoli and Stoli Flavors
and Miller Lite No Cover
21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm $6
Burgers Drag Bingo
Night, hosted by Ms.
Regina Jozet Adams
Bingo prizes Karaoke,
10pm-1am
METROWEEKLY.COM
GREEN LANTERN
Drafts all night long Boys
of HUMP upstairs, 9pm
JR.S
Trivia with MC Jay Ray,
8pm The Queen, 10-11pm
$2 JRs Drafts & $4
Vodka ($2 with College I.D./
JRs Team Shirt)
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
SmartAss Trivia Night, 8pm
and 9pm Prizes include
bar tabs and tickets to
shows at the 9:30 Club
$15 Buckets of Beer for
SmartAss Teams only
Bring a new team member
and each get a free $10
Dinner
NUMBER NINE
TOWN PATIO
Open 5pm No Cover
APRIL 2, 2015
43
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
Shirtless Night, 10-11pm,
12-12:30am Military
Night, no cover with
military ID DJ Don T. in
Secrets 9pm Cover 21+
THURS., 04.09.15
9 1/2
TVs showing movies,
Cover
ANNIES/ANNIES
UPSTAIRS
4@4 Happy Hour, 4pm-7pm
Martinis
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Happy Hour: $6 Call
Martini, $3 Miller Lite, $4
Rail, $5 Call, 4-9pm $3
Rail Drinks, 10pm-midnight,
$5 Red Bull, Gatorade
and Frozen Virgin Drinks
Locker Room Thursday
Nights DJs Sean Morris
and MadScience Ripped
Hot Body Contest at midnight, hosted by Sasha
J. Adams and BaNaka
$200 Cash Prize Doors
open 10pm, 18+ $5 Cover
under 21 and free with
college ID
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm
Shirtless Thursday,
10-11pm Featuring music
by DJs BacK2bACk
DC EAGLE
Throwback Thursday Ted
on the Bar, Peter on the
Boot Black Chair Eagle
Hour: Men in any DC Eagle
shirt drink free rail and
domestic, 9-10pm
NUMBER NINE
FREDDIES BEACH BAR

Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm
44
APRIL 2, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
JR.S
$3 Rail Vodka Highballs, $2
JR.s drafts, 8pm to close
Throwback Thursday featuring rock/pop retro hits
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
$2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
Beer $15
TOWN PATIO
Open 5pm No Cover
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
Shirtless Thursday DJ
Tim-e in Secrets 9pm
Cover 21+ l
WARD MORRISON
EOPLE WEAR THEIR

Easter bonnets to
church, you know?
David Perruzza
says. And JR.s is located
on Church Street, so it
makes it fun.
Of course, the bonnets
youll see this weekend
at the 17th Street bar
wont be at all like those
you might see in a congregation. Toake just two

examples, favorites from
the 20 years Perruzza has
been hosting JR.s Easter
Bonnet Contest: A topper
in which one rabbit would
mechanically bump another
from behind, and a Golden
Showers one featuring a
bunny on top peeing a
yellow stream leading to a

puddle of gold on the front.
Another bonnet that
has previously been seen
at JR.s is a frilly purple
one worn by Freddie Lutz,
owner of Freddies
Beach Bar in Crystal City.
Inspiration for Lutzs most
famous Easter cap came
from a childhood friends
JR.s Easter Bonnet

Contest is this Sunday, April
5, at 7 p.m. sharp at 1519
17th St. NW. Call 202-3280090 or visit jrsbar-dc.com.
Freddies Easter Bonnet
Brunch is Sunday from 10
a.m. to 4 p.m. at 555 South
23rd St. in Arlington. Cost
is $25 to eat, with reservations necessary. Call 703685-0555 or visit freddiesbeachbar.com. l
METROWEEKLY.COM
APRIL 2, 2015
45
JR.s and Freddies offer annual Easter bonnet contests
CLUBLIFE BY DOUG RULE
Easter Tops
lesbian wedding. I went to

her wedding and they had
these purple and lavender
poofs all the way down
the aisle, explains Lutz,
who talked his friend into
letting him re-purpose the
poofs for a different kind of
ceremony: He now wears
it every year at Freddies
Easter Bonnet Brunch
though not the whole time.
I usually do a little bonnet
fashion show myself, Lutz
says, laughing, I change
just like Diana Ross.
This Sundays Easter
brunch at Freddies lasts
six hours an hour longer
than usual and those
donning bonnets can enter
a contest to win bar gift
cards in amounts of $150,
$100 and $50, announced
later that day. Of course
I stole the idea from my
good friend Eric Little at
JR.s, Lutz concedes about
his contest, which has
taken place practically since
the bar opened 15 years
ago. Naturally, mad-hatters
could enter both contests,
since the JR.s event, 28
years after Little started it,
is set for 7 p.m. Sunday,
with the winner fetching
$250 in cash.
In fact, every year there
is a lot of overlap between
the two contests, even
among those at the very
top. Perruzza won Freddies
contest six years ago, and
more recently Lutz donned
his bonnet at JR.s. No,
I didnt win but I came
close.
I believe this is a clarification but

its also a fix.
Indiana Gov. MIKE PENCE, responding at a press conference to a nationwide backlash against his state for signing the Religious
Freedom Restoration Act into law. The law grants business owners the right to discriminate against LGBT customers due to its
vague language, something Pence hopes to clarify in additional legislation which will apparently make it clear that this law does
not allow businesses to deny services to anyone.
These bills rationalize injustice by pretending to

defend something
many of us hold dear. They go against the very principles our nation was founded on.
Apple CEO TIM COOK, who is openly gay, in an op-ed for Washington Post regarding his and Apples opposition to
religious freedom bills.
We got Bruce Jenner, who will be here doing some musical performances.
Hes doing a his-and-her duet all by himself.
Actor and singer JAMIE FOXX, while hosting the iHeartRadio Music Awards in Los Angeles. Foxx joked about Jenner, who has
been widely rumored to be transitioning from male to female, adding Look. Im just busting your balls while I still can. Foxxs
comments fell flat with both audiences and viewers, who vented their frustration on social media, CNN reports.
I love it. I dont discriminate against any fans. Fans are fans, and
gay men are great.
Actor SCOTT EASTWOOD (son of Clint), speaking with PrideSource about the attention he receives from gay fans. I support
gay marriage and the whole bit. I think everybody should be able to be with who they want to be with.
My dad is the same way, he added.
I dont think Ive ever used the word gay rights, because
I dont really believe in rights based on your behavior.
Senator RAND PAUL (R-Ky.), in a 2013 video uncovered by Buzzfeed. Pauls spokesperson for his 2016 Senate re-election
campaign stated to Buzzfeed that What he is saying in this video is that he does not classify rights based on behavior,
but rather recognizes rights for all, as our Constitution defines it.
46
APRIL 2, 2015
METROWEEKLY.COM
METROWEEKLY.COM
APRIL 2, 2015
47

Metro Weekly - 04-02-15 - Bishop Gene Robinson

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2

OUT ON THE TOWN

FREEDOMS SONGS AT FORDS

BRAND STRATEGY & MARKETING

NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE

EASTER BRUNCH SPOTS

BISHOP GENE ROBINSON

SALES & MARKETING

SHEROES OF THE MOVEMENT

MARYLAN MEASURES MARCH FORWARD

2015 Jansi LLC.

MR. DC EAGLE CONTEST

EASTER BONNET CONTESTS

Mayor Bowser Bans Government Travel to Indiana

IKE PENCE LOOKED

people by citing their religious beliefs.

OFFICIAL HOUSE REPUBLICAN CONFERENCE PHOTOGRAPH

Now online at MetroWeekly.com

important value for our country to, in a diverse country, where

have trouble conceiving, and deserve the

bers, or 29 votes in the Senate and 85 in

SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THIS EVENT AT WWW.METROWEEKLY.COM/SCENE

Center Women, a group of The DC Center, holds

The Family Equality Council and the DC Center

QUEER FICTION CLASS, a four-week workshop

for aspiring fiction writers led by Sinta Jiminez,

The TRANS SUPPORT GROUP of The DC Center

ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURAL HEALTH offers

The DULLES TRIANGLES Northern Virginia social

HIV TESTING at Whitman-Walker Health. At the

Elizabeth Taylor Medical Center, 1701 14th St. NW,

IDENTITY offers free and confidential HIV testing

in Gaithersburg, 414 East Diamond Ave., and in

METROHEALTH CENTER offers free, rapid HIV

SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-5 p.m., by

free HIV testing, 9-5 p.m., and HIV services (by

DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice session

at Hains Point, 927 Ohio Dr. SW. 6:30-8 p.m. Visit

GAY DISTRICT holds facilitated discussion for

GBTQ men, 18-35, first and third Fridays. 8:30 p.m.

HIV TESTING at Whitman-Walker Health. At the

needs of HIV long-term survivors in the D.C. area.

free HIV testing, 9-5 p.m., and HIV services (by

BET MISHPACHAH, founded by members of the

DC FRONT RUNNERS running/walking/social

club welcomes all levels for exercise in a fun and

DC SENTINELS basketball team meets at Turkey

Thicket Recreation Center, 1100 Michigan Ave. NE,

DIGNITYUSA sponsors Mass for LGBT community,

PROJECT STRIPES hosts LGBT-affirming social

IDENTITY offers free and confidential HIV testing

SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-6 p.m., by

group for ages 11-24. 4-6 p.m. 1419 Columbia Road

in Takoma Park, 7676 New Hampshire Ave., Suite

St. NW. firstuccdc.org or 202-628-4317.

HOPE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST welcomes

GLBT community for worship. 10:30 a.m., 6130 Old

Join LINCOLN CONGREGATIONAL TEMPLE

The DC Center hosts its monthly VOLUNTEER

at Hains Point, 927 Ohio Dr. SW. 7-8:30 p.m. Visit

DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds practice, 6:30-8:30

p.m. Garrison Elementary, 1200 S St. NW. dcscandals.wordpress.com.

GETEQUAL meets 6:30-8 p.m. at Quaker House,

3333 Duke St., Alexandria, offers free rapid HIV