CONTENTS

MAY 18, 2017 Volume 24 Issue 3

7 MIND FULL
A new musical at Creative Cauldron
tackles Alzheimers

By Doug Rule

ACTIVIST FOR LIFE

Raffi Freedman-Gurspan, who will be honored this
weekend by the Trevor Project, made history as the
first out transgender White House staffer.

Interview by John Riley

Photography by Todd Franson
24
31 GODS AND MONSTER
With Alien: Covenant, Ridley Scott answers the age-old
question, which came first, the facehugger or the egg?

SPOTLIGHT: MIND FULL p.7 OUT ON THE TOWN p.10

By Randy Shulman

EGGED ON: FIVE LESBIANS EATING A QUICHE p.11

COMMUNITY: CHEERS TO CHARITY p.19 FORUM: PRIDE: PROTEST AND PROGRESS p.22
FORUM: CAPITAL PRIDE CAN AND MUST DO BETTER p.23 COVER: ACTIVIST FOR LIFE p.24
TRUTH CELEBRATION: CAPITAL TRANS PRIDE p.29 FILM: ALIEN: COVENANT p.31
STAGE: TIMON OF ATHENS p.33 STAGE: MASTER CLASS p.34 STAGE: THE FATHER p.35
NIGHTLIFE p.37 SCENE: DC LEATHER PRIDE MEET & GREET p.37 LISTINGS p.39
SCENE: DC LEATHER PRIDE REBEL HEART p.44 LAST WORD p.46

Real LGBTQ News and Entertainment since 1994

Editorial Editor-in-Chief Randy Shulman Art Director Todd Franson Managing Editor Rhuaridh Marr Senior Editor John Riley Contributing Editor Doug Rule
Senior Photographers Ward Morrison, Julian Vankim Contributing Illustrator Scott G. Brooks Contributing Writers Andr Hereford,
Sean Maunier, Troy Petenbrink, Kate Wingfield Webmaster David Uy Production Assistant Julian Vankim
Sales & Marketing Publisher Randy Shulman National Advertising Representative Rivendell Media Co. 212-242-6863 Distribution Manager Dennis Havrilla
Patron Saint Rita Hester Cover Photography Todd Franson

Metro Weekly 1775 I St. NW, Suite 1150 Washington, DC 20006 202-638-6830
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2017 Jansi LLC.

4 MAY 18, 2017 METROWEEKLY

 Spotlight
KEITH WATERS, KX PHOTOGRAPHY
Mind Full
I
DONT KNOW HOW SHES DOING IT, MARVELS
Stephen Gregory Smith. I created a near-impossible
thing for an actor to memorize. Smith is talking
about Florence Lacey, star of Kaleidoscope, a new musical
co-written with his longtime collaborator (and partner),
composer Matt Conner. The show centers on an aging
stage diva struggling with early signs of Alzheimers.
Lacey, who replaced Patti LuPone in the original
Broadway production of Evita, told Smith she considers
this her most challenging role yet. She has to memorize
a series of monologues and speeches that are all variants,
that twist and turn in different ways, he says. And shes
also the driver of the evening. Theres a supporting cast
around her, but if she loses her place, [everything] will
be derailed.
Kaleidoscope runs to May 28 at ArtSpace Falls Church, 410 South Maple Ave. in Falls Church, Va.
Tickets are $20 to $30. Call 703-436-9948 or visit creativecauldron.org.
Lacey first pitched the shows idea to Conner when
the actress was starring in Signatures Nevermore, also
written by the duo. She thought that Alzheimers was
something that had not really been touched on yet at
that time, Conner says. A decade later, Kaleidoscope is
the third of five new musicals commissioned by Creative
Cauldron.
The show has already had an impact beyond sim-
ply the composition or the staging. Weve had a lot of
talkbacks after the show where a lot of people have said
its very cathartic, Smith says. They saw their parents
again, or their grandparents, and it kind of gave them
peace to see, perhaps, where they were in their mind, or
what they were experiencing. Its been a beautiful jour-
ney so far. Doug Rule
MAY 18, 2017 METROWEEKLY 7
 Spotlight
FRONTIER
The Washington Ballet premieres a commission
by choreographer Ethan Stiefel, featuring music by
Adam Crystal performed by the Washington Ballet
Orchestra conducted by Martin West. Inspired
by President John F. Kennedy and his aspirations
for America to be a leader of artistic, cultural and
intellectual excellence, Stiefels work is performed
as part of a JFK Centennial Celebration program
also including works by Antony Tudor and Sir
Frederick Ashton. Thursday, May 25, and Friday,
May 26, at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, May 27, at
1:30 and 7:30 p.m. Kennedy Center Opera House.
Tickets are $25 to $140. Call 202-467-4600 or visit
kennedy-center.org.

LP
With shades of Gwen Stefani, this lesbian singer/song-
writer to Rihanna and Christina Aguilera has been
generating long-overdue buzz of her own with her most
recent two albums and prominent play on Orange Is
The New Black. The 9:30 Club presents an intimate con-
cert with opening acts Josiah and the Bonnevilles and
Lauren Ruth Ward. Sunday, May 28, at 6 p.m. U Street
Music Hall, 1115A U St. NW. Tickets are $15. Call 202-
588-1880 or visit ustreetmusichall.com.

NORTHERN VIRGINIA
FINE ARTS FESTIVAL
More than 200 artists from around the nation will take part in this
26th annual event drawing over 30,000 people and organized by
the Greater Reston Arts Center. In addition to artworks in a variety
of media, from painting to photography to jewelry, the festival also
includes performances and family art-making activities. Saturday,
May 20, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, May 21, from 10 a.m. to 5
p.m. Reston Town Center, 11900 Market St. Reston. Suggested dona-
tion of $5 provides festival program with dining certificates inside.
Call 703-471-9242 or visit restonarts.org.

8 MAY 18, 2017 METROWEEKLY

TIMOTHY WHITE

Out On The Town

WHOOPI GOLDBERG
A rare opportunity to catch the comedy and acting legend in an intimate setting for her thought-provoking commentary
including a Q&A with the audience. From The Color Purple and Ghost to The View today, Goldberg has shown her ver-
satility as an actress, comedian and talk show host and is part of the elite group of artists who have won Grammy, Oscar,
Golden Globe, Emmy and Tony Awards. Saturday, May 27, at 8 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane,
North Bethesda. Tickets are $65 to $130. Call 301-581-5100 or visit strathmore.org.

Compiled by Doug Rule

FILM
DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: THE
LONG HAUL
Apparently enough people watched
the first three films in this series to
generate a small profit. Not enough
for the main cast to stick around for
a fourth film, mind you, so theres
an entirely new group of actors on
board to... ummm... write diaries?
We have no idea what these films
are about. David Bowers directs
Jason Drucker, Owen Asztalos,
Charlie Wright, Alicia Silverstone
and Tom Everett Scott. Opens
Friday, May 19. Area theaters. Visit
fandango.com. (Rhuaridh Marr)
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY 2
Guardians maintains the scrappy,
jokesy, lovable nature that made the
first film such a huge success and
such a breath of fresh air compared
with the slightly stale, formulaic
nature of Marvels other franchis-
es. With its bold colors, brilliant
soundtrack and wonderful array of
performances, it was a necessary
jolt of adrenaline to the cinematic
superhero canon. But three years
and a bigger budget later, the orig-
inality has diminished. Whats here
isnt fresh, though its still very pal-
atable. Now playing. Area theaters.
Visit fandango.com. (Rhuaridh
Marr)
PARIS CAN WAIT
Eleanor Coppola, Francis Ford
Coppolas wife, makes her narra-
tive feature debut at 81 with a film
inspired by her life, starring Diane
Lane as Coppola and Alec Baldwin
as her barely seen husband. Opens
Friday, May 19. Area theaters. Visit
fandango.com.
TWIN PEAKS:
FIRE WALK WITH ME
The American Film Institute offers
a 25th anniversary screening of the
prequel motion picture to cult
TV series Twin Peaks, tied to the
new season debut on Showtime
on Sunday, May 21. Its screening
as one of the first films in a two-
month Directed by David Lynch
retrospective. Titles still to come
include Blue Velvet, Wild At Heart,
and Mulholland Drive widely
considered Lynchs cinematic mas-
terpiece. Friday, May 19, at 1:30
and 9:15 p.m., Monday, May 22, at
9 p.m., and Wednesday, May 24,
at 9:30 p.m. AFI Silver Theatre,
8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring.
General admission is $10 for mat-
inee, or $13. Call 301-495-6720 or
visit afi.com/Silver.
STAGE
BUILDING THE WALL
Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright
Robert Schenkkan (The Kentucky
Cycle, All The Way) imagines a
future where President Trump is
able to persevere with his plans to
barricade the southern U.S. border.
Building The Wall focuses on a his-
torian interviewing the supervisor
of a private prison as he awaits
sentencing for carrying out a policy
that has escalated into a violent
and chaotic mess, with millions of
undocumented immigrants round-
ed up and detained in overflow-
ing private prisons and makeshift
incarceration camps. Michael Dove
directs Forum Theatres produc-
tion, part of a National New Play
Network Rolling World Premiere.
Opens Thursday, May 18, at 8 p.m.
To May 27. Silver Spring Black Box
Theatre, 8641 Colesville Road. Call
301-588-8279 or visit forum-the-
atre.org.
HIR
Shana Cooper directs Taylor Macs
audacious, uproarious black come-
dy billed as a kitchen-sink drama
covered in glitter. The story focus-
es on an Iraqi war veteran who
returns to his childhood home
and discovers that his family has
transformed, from a formerly timid
mother out to subvert the patri-
archy, to a sister who is now a
genderqueer anarchist, to a father
who now wears clown makeup.
Emily Townley and Mitch Hebert
are part of the cast. Previews start
Wednesday, May 24, at 8 p.m. Runs
to June 18. Woolly Mammoth, 641
D St. NW. Call 202-393-3939 or visit
woollymammoth.net.
IN THE HEIGHTS
The U.S. Spanish-language pre-
miere of Hamilton creator Lin-
Manuel Mirandas first Broadway
hit sizzles with the kind of
urban energy you would expect
from its setting in Manhattans
Washington Heights neighbor-
hood. Performed in Spanish with

10 MAY 18, 2017 METROWEEKLY

 English surtitles. Extended in a
sold-out run to May 28. GALA
Theatre, 3333 14th St. NW. Tickets
are $40 to $60. Call 202-234-7174
or visit galatheatre.org.

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim
Rices rock opera about Jesus
gets a sleek, modern makeover
in a Signature Theatre produc-
tion helmed by Joe Calarco and
starring Nicholas Edwards. The
cast includes Signature standouts
Natascia Diaz as Mary, Sherri L.
Edelen as King Herod, and Bobby
Smith as Pontius Pilate. To July 2.
Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell
Ave., Arlington. Call 703-820-9771
or visit sigtheatre.org.

MACBETH
The provocative Tony-nominated
director Liesl Tommy (Eclipsed)
helms a production of the Bards
exploration of murderous ambition,
fiendish equivocation, and a love
of terrifying intimacy. Shakespeare
RJ PAVEL

Theatre Company regular Jesse

J. Perez takes on the titular role
alongside Nikkole Salter as Lady
MacBeth. With Naomi Jacobson,

EGGED ON
Tim Getman and David Bishins.
To May 28. Sidney Harman Hall,
Harman Center for the Arts, 610 F
St. NW. Call 202-547-1122 or visit
shakespearetheatre.org.
In Monumental Theatres new comedy, five women celebrate
THE ARABIAN NIGHTS
their love of quiche Ten years ago, Constellation
Theatre Company launched its first

D
season with a production of Mary
URING THE FIRST COUPLE WEEKS, WE WOULD ALL JUST DIE Zimmermans entrancing adapta-
laughing, director Jimmy Mavrikes says about Five Lesbians Eating a tion of The Arabian Nights. Now,
Founding Artistic Director Allison
Quiche. The characters are very serious about quiche and dont realize they Arkell Stockman closes out the 10th
are speaking in any sort of innuendo whatsoever. This is their lives. They love quiche. anniversary season by revisiting
They want to celebrate it. And its not anything more for them. the companys roots and reimagin-
ing the show, once again with live
The trick is for the actors to perform Evan Linder and Andrew Hobgoods work,
music by Tom Teasley. Veronica del
set in the closeted, claustrophobic mid-1950s, in full-on deadpan, truly celebrating Cerro leads the ensemble as famed
their common bond over eggy tart. Not that the play, which features audience-led storyteller Scheherazade. To June
improv, is all about quiche. In a turn of events, Mavrikes explains, careful not to 4. Source, 1835 14th St. NW. Tickets
$20 to $45. Call 202-204-7741 or
give away critical details, something big happens, and they all decide to become the visit constellationtheatre.org.
people that they truly are.
Its not the kind of play that youre used to, where youre just sitting down in the THE HUNCHBACK
OF NOTRE DAME
theater and watching the characters come to life on stage, he continues. Its really a
Synetic Theaters Founding Artistic
show where the audience gets to be part of it and actually gets to be a character in the Director Paata Tsikurishvili brings
show. The cast does a really great job of including the audience into their sisterhood. his mind-bending, cinematic style to
The play is produced by Monumental Theatre Company, co-founded by Mavrikes, Victor Hugos gothic, heartbreaking
epic relayed, like many Synetic
Michael Windsor and Beth Amann a few years ago. We realized that we really want- productions, in wordless fash-
ed to celebrate millennial art and millennial artists, he says. A lot of times its hard ion, stripped of Hugos dialogue.
for a new performer or a new playwright or a new choreographer to get in the door. Vato Tsikurishvili is Quasimodo,
Phillip Fletcher is Frollo, and Irina
Its definitely different for everybody. There are some people who are successful
Kavsadze is Esmeralda. In previews.
right out of college. But there are also some people who need a little push or a little To June 11. Synetic Theater, 1800
step that theyre not getting elsewhere. And those are the people that we see things South Bell St., Arlington. Tickets
in, that we think other people should see things in, and want to celebrate them in our are $35 to $60. Call 800-494-8497
or visit synetictheater.org.
shows or do their shows. Doug Rule
THE TEMPEST
Marylands Port Tobacco Players
offers a community theater produc-
Five Lesbians Eating a Quiche runs to Monday, May 22, in Lab I
tion of Shakespeares final work,
at the Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $30. adding gender-swapping to put
Call 202-399-7993 or visit monumentaltheatre.org. women in a place of power and

12 MAY 18, 2017 METROWEEKLY

 give the show a different, increas-
ingly relevant feel. Rachel Wallace
stepped up to direct the romantic
comedy, full of magic, music and
mayhem, in memory of Jim Kleyle,
who died a month after being
selected for the task. Closes Sunday,
May 21. Port Tobacco Players, 508
Charles St., La Plata, Md. Tickets
are $15 to $18. Call 301-932-6819 or
visit ptplayers.com.
ULYSSES ON BOTTLES
The culmination of its second sea-
son, Mosaic Theater Company
presents the 2017 Voices From a
Changing Middle East Festival in
the 50th year since the Six Day War
and the start of the Occupation.
The festival launches with Israeli
playwright Gilad Evrons poet-
ic and poignant allegory about an
Israeli-Arab ex-teachers attempts
to sail into Gaza on a raft made
of plastic bottles. Serge Seiden
directs Michael Kevin Darnall as
Ulysses, an anonymous school-
teacher locked in an Israeli prison
for a fanciful attempt to smuggle
Russian literature to the children
of Gaza, and Matthew Boston as an
attorney assigned to defend him.
Sarah Marshall, Elizabeth Pierotti
and Chris Genebach round out the
ensemble cast of Ulysses on Bottles,
as translated by Evan Fallenberg.
Pay-What-You-Can Preview is
Thursday, May 18, at 8 p.m. Opens
Monday, May 22, at 7:30 p.m. To
June 11. Atlas Performing Arts
Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are
$20 to $60. Call 202-399-7993 or
visit mosaictheater.org.
MUSIC
AUDRA MCDONALD
Already showered with more Tonys
than any other actress in Broadway
history and shes only 46! Residence, the local alto singer has
McDonald comes to Strathmore to
show off the range of productions
shes been in, from The Gershwins
Porgy and Bess to Ragtime to Master
Class to, most recently, Lady Day at
Emersons Bar and Grill, the Billie
Holiday tribute shell revive in
Londons West End this summer.
Also known from her work on TV,
principally as a lead character on
ABCs Private Practice, McDonald
long ago adopted a Twitter han-
dle that reflects her staunch sup-
port for marriage equality @
AudraEqualityMC. Certainly, Im
a child, a product of what came
because of civil rights, she told
Metro Weekly. Without civil rights
I certainly wouldnt have been able
to do half the things Ive done. And
so I feel its just my duty to do
whatever I can to help push it along
to get marriage equality for every-
body. Friday, May 26, at 8 p.m.
Music Center at Strathmore, 5301
Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda.
Tickets are $45 to $105. Call 301-
581-5100 or visit strathmore.org.
14 MAY 18, 2017 METROWEEKLY
BON IVER
Bon Iver has always sounded like
the soundtrack to a northern win-
ter. The band, the brainchild of
Justin Vernon, invokes cold, quiet
expanses and snowbound wilder-
ness. In a sea of talented folk art-
ists, Vernons falsetto stands out
as distinct, packed with emotion
and uniquely affecting. Bon Ivers
sighing, haunting songs have long
been treated as perfect background
music, the sort you might listen to
while studying, or hear playing at an
inoffensive volume in a half-crowd-
ed Starbucks. But there has always
been a colder, darker element as
well, a starkness that reflects the
projects origins in a snowed-in
cabin. Bon Ivers songs are known
to return frequently to themes of
loneliness and heartbreak, and on
their third full-length album, last
years 22, A Million, Vernon takes
those nagging feelings and brings
them forward, giving us all of the
chill and very little softness or com-
fort. Wednesday, May 24, at 8 p.m.
Merriweather Post Pavilion, 10475
Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia,
Md. Tickets are $46 to $75. Call
800-551-SEAT or visit merriweath-
ermusic.com. (Sean Maunier)
FIFTH HARMONY
Dubbed Americas most popular
girl group by Rolling Stone, the
former X Factor contestants come
to Wolf Trap to perform from their
catchy repertoire of hits including
Work From Home, Worth It
and Thats My Girl. Saturday,
May 27, at 8 p.m. The Filene
Center at Wolf Trap, 1551 Trap
Road, Vienna. Tickets are $35 to
$65. Call 877-WOLFTRAP or visit
wolftrap.org.
LENA SEIKALY
A former Strathmore Artist-in-
won lots of praise in the past few
years, with Duke Ellingtons biog-
rapher John Hasse touting her as a
major league young talent in jazz.
She returns with her band to D.C.s
top jazz club for another tribute
to the First Lady of Song, aka
Ella Fitzgerald. Tuesday, May 23,
at 8 and 10 p.m. Blues Alley, 1073
Wisconsin Ave. NW. Tickets are
$22, plus $12 minimum purchase.
Call 202-337-4141 or visit bluesal-
ley.com.
NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY
CONCERT
Now in its 28th year, this concert
on the U.S. Capitol grounds, airing
live on PBS, features the National
Symphony Orchestra led by Jack
Everly performing patriotic classics.
Joe Mantegna (Criminal Minds)
and Gary Sinise (CSI: New York)
co-host for the 12th year, and Colin
L. Powell also returns for a special
tribute to our men and women in
uniform. Other featured perform-
ers this year include Laurence
Fishburne, Renee Fleming, Vanessa
Williams, Aulii Cravalho, Scotty
McCreery, Five for Fighting, John
Ortiz, Christopher Jackson, Ana
Ortiz, Ronan Tynan and Russell
Watson. Sunday, May 29, at 8 p.m.
U.S. Capitol Building, West Lawn.
Free. Call 202-467-4600 or visit
pbs.org/memorialdayconcert.

NATIONAL PHILHARMONIC
Piotr Gajewski leads the orchestra,
the National Philharmonic Chorale,
the Strathmore Childrens Chorus
and soloists in Carl Orffs rous-
ing masterpiece Carmina Burana
featuring one of the most versa-
tile musical pieces in the entire
Western canon. You know the one,
the opening section O Fortuna,
which has been the soundtrack for
movies, ads, video games and sports
and other social events. Saturday,
May 20, at 8 p.m. Music Center at
Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane,
North Bethesda. Tickets are $48
to $86. Call 301-581-5100 or visit
strathmore.org.
PREAKNESS INFIELDFEST:
SAM HUNT, ZEDD
Before the 142nd running of the
Preakness Stakes comes music, this
year headlined by one of Nashvilles
newest superstars, Sam Hunt, and
young German electronic-dance
music producer Zedd on the Mug
Stage. The smaller DeKuyper Stage
will feature Baltimores own Good
Charlotte and the Nashville duos
Locash and High Valley. Saturday,
May 20. Starting at 7 a.m. Pimlico
Race Course, 5201 Park Heights
Ave., Baltimore. Tickets are $100
in advance, or $110 day-of, or $155
for access to new The Mug & Vine
Lounge with separate bar, private
restrooms and picnic lounge. Call
877-206-8042 or visit preakness.com.
SIMONE BARON
As part of its 2017 Artist-in-
Residence mentoring program,
Strathmore offers solo concerts
of its up-and-coming artists. Next
up is a hybrid jazz/classical vocal-
ist and accordion player who is
reimagining the possibilities of her
instrument and collaborating with
everyone from dancers to puppe-
teers to visual artists. Baron cur-
rently performs in a chamber/jazz
ensemble with fellow Strathmore
AIR participant Ethan Foote.
Wednesday, May 24, at 7:30 p.m.
The Mansion at Strathmore, 10701
Rockville Pike, North Bethesda.
Tickets are $17. Call 301-581-5100
or visit strathmore.org.
DANCE
CHOREOGRAPHIC INSTITUTE
DANCE LOFT ON 14
Artistic Director Vladimir Angelov
and Operations Director Diana
Movius, co-founders of Dance
Loft on 14, end the venues inau-
gural year with a thesis dance con-
WASHINGTON JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL
Now in its 27th year, the festival presents traditional film screenings as well as related
cultural and educational programs at six different theaters. Six films at this years fes-
tival are Rated LGBTQ, exploring sexuality, gender and identity on screen: Cabaret,
the hit 1972 adaptation of the stage musical classic starring Joel Grey and Liza Minnelli,
which screens Sunday, May 21, at 7:30 p.m., at the Edlavitch DCJCC, and Saturday,
May 27, at 12:30 p.m., at AFI Silver Theatre; Family Commitments, an outrageously
quirky comedy about a Jewish-Arab same-sex wedding, in its Mid-Atlantic Premiere
Saturday, May 20, at 8:45 p.m. at Landmark E Street Cinema, and Saturday, May 27, at
6:30 p.m., at Edlavitch DCJCC; In Between, Maysaloun Hamouds remarkable feature
debut about three Arab-Israeli women sharing an apartment in the vibrant heart of
Tel Aviv and struggling with contemporary and traditional pressures, which screens
Wednesday, May 24, at 8:15 p.m., at Landmark E Street Cinema, and Sunday, May 28, at
1:45 p.m., at AFI Silver Theatre; The Freedom to Marry, a riveting ride through history
with Evan Wolfson and Mary Bonauto, who led the push for one of the most successful
civil rights campaigns in modern history, screening on Sunday, May 21, at 5:15 p.m. at
AFI Silver Theatre, and Wednesday, May 24, at 7:15 p.m., at Edlavitch DCJCC; The
Guys Next Door, a lyrical documentary about the bonds between a straight family and
their gay neighbors, screening Sunday, May 21, at 6 p.m., at Landmark Bethesda Row
Cinema, and Monday, May 22, at 6:15 p.m., at Landmark E Street Cinema; and Uncle
Howard, a paean and an elegy to Aaron Brookners uncle and the film he made about
his friend William S. Burroughs before his premature AIDS-related death, screening
on Sunday, May 21, at 4:15 p.m., at Landmark Bethesda Row Cinema, and Monday, May
22, at 8:45 p.m., at Landmark E Street Cinema. Festival runs to Sunday, May 28. Tickets
are $14.95 for regular screenings. Visit wjff.org.
cert of four world premiers from elements as it explores non-tra- followed by A Body in Fukushima
2016-2017 choreographers Nancy ditional venues and responds to lecture and photo demonstration.
Flores-Tirado (Apotheotik), Therese the innate characteristics of each Free. Call 202-269-1600 or visit
Gahl (Spectra), Shira Klinger (Dis) specific place. At the core of each danceplace.org.
(onnect) and Asami Seki (Bare Soul) variant is Otake alone on a color-
featuring 30 professional and local ful futon, projecting and exploring JANE FRANKLIN DANCE
performers. The first performance solitude, gaze, fragility and inti- Named in honor of its late board
on Saturday, May 20, at 6 p.m., is macy. A MacArthur Genius Grant president, the Charlotte Hollister
followed by a short graduation cer- winner with her performance part- Annual Gala is the spring fundrais-
emony and reception for the Icon ner Takashi Koma Otake, the New er for this suburban Virginia-based
Smart Class of 2017. Also Sunday, York-based Japanese artist comes to company featuring performances by
May 21, at 7 p.m. Dance Loft on 14 D.C. via Dance Place to perform her company dancers with live origi-
Theater, 4618 14th St. NW 2nd Floor. solo work twice outside. Saturday, nal music by guitarist and banjoist
Tickets are $15 to $20. Call 202-621- May 20, at 11 a.m. Farmers Market Mark Sylvester. Includes silent auc-
3670 or visit danceloft14.org. on the Arts Walk at Monroe Street tion, light supper and wine tasting.
Market, 716 Monroe St. NE. Also Sunday, May 21, at 6 p.m. Arlington
EIKO OTAKE Saturday, May 20, at 7 p.m. 3225 Arts Center, 3550 Wilson Blvd.
A Body in Places incorporates both 8th St. NE, concluding in Dance Tickets are $70 through Saturday,
performative and non-performative Places Cafritz Foundation Theater, May 20, $80 at the door, or $100 for

MAY 18, 2017 METROWEEKLY 15

 READING
& DISCUSSION
JEFFREY GOLDBERG, ABDULLAH
ANTEPLI
Jews and Muslims in America:
Political Challenges and Moral
Opportunities is this years focus
at Sixth and I through its annual
offering The Ten: An Alternative
Shavuot Experience. Atlantic
Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg
and Imam Abdullah Antepli discuss
Jewish-Muslim relationships today
and consider new solutions to dif-
ficult topics while studying ancient
texts together. Monday, May 22,
at 6:30 p.m. Sixth & I Historic
Synagogue. 600 I St. NW. Tickets
are $15 in advance, or $18 day-of
event. Call 202-408-3100 or visit
sixthandi.org.
PETER DORAN
Breaking Rockefeller is an incredi-
ble tale of how ambitious oil rivals
Marcus Samuel, Jr., and Henri
Deterding joined forces to topple
the Standard Oil empire in the late
19th Century. Doran, a vice pres-
ident for research at the Center
for European Policy Analysis in
Washington, is also responsible
for the History of Oil podcast.
Tuesday, May 23, at 6:30 p.m.
Kramerbooks, 1517 Connecticut
Ave. NW. Call 202-387-1400 or visit
kramers.com.
RICHARD DAWKINS
World-renowned evolutionary biol-
ogist and bestselling author discuss-
es science, secularism and current
events in this Center for Inquiry
KHANH LE: WHILE WE WAIT presented conversation with fellow
evolutionary biologist and author
Cultural DC presents works by a D.C. inter-
Jerry Coyne. Wednesday, May 27,
disciplinary artist motivated by Syrian ref- at 7 p.m. GW Lisner, The George
ugees and immigration issues to develop a Washington University, 730 21st St.
NW. Tickets are $29. Call 202-994-
mixed-media photography series reflecting
6851 or visit lisner.org.
on his personal experiences waiting with his
Vietnamese family for permission to immigrate EXHIBITS
to the U.S. in the late 80s. The resulting works
are a mix of abstract and identity-based art. On AN AMERICAN DIPLOMAT IN
1820S RUSSIA
display through June 3. Flashpoint [Gallery],
Friends and Fashion paints a capti-
916 G St. NW. Tickets are free. Call 202-315- vating picture of diplomatic life in
1310 or visit flashpointdc.org. An Artist Talk early 19th century St. Petersburg,
based on an album of watercol-
will be held on Sunday, May 21, at 1:30 p.m., on
ors assembled by the family of
the Third Floor of the Smithsonian American politician and statesman Henry
Art Museum, 8th and F Streets NW. Middleton. The collection was
acquired by Hillwood in 2004 and
conserved in 2015, but this marks
the first time the fascinating set is
presented in its entirety. To June
VIP including first access to Silent Citizens Brigade, from New York 11. Hillwood Estate, 4155 Linnean
Auction. Call 703-933-1111 or visit and Los Angeles, riffs on D.C. and Ave. NW. Suggested donation
janefranklin.com. audience-members alike. The bri- is $12. Call 202-686-5807 or visit
gade has many famous alumni, HillwoodMuseum.org.
COMEDY including Amy Poehler and Ed
Helms. Sunday, May 21, at 7 p.m.
Sixth & I Historic Synagogue. 600 I
UPRIGHT CITIZENS BRIGADE St. NW. Tickets are $20 in advance,
Like the funniest extroverts at the or $25 day-of show. Call 202-408-
party, the improv troupe Upright 3100 or visit sixthandi.org.
16 MAY 18, 2017 METROWEEKLY
JUN KANEKO
In conjunction with its spring pro-
duction of Madama Butterfly, the
Washington National Opera pres-
ents ceramic sculptures by the
Japanese-American visual artist
and painter, who also served as
the productions set and costume
designer. The installation includes
pieces from two of Kanekos sculp-
ture series: Heads, large, neutral
forms that are instantly recogniz-
able as human yet loaded with a
vast array of traditions and associ-
ations, and Dangos, or mound-like,
freestanding works that have been
molded into an intriguing fami-
ly of different shapes reflecting a
wide range of expression. Closes
Monday, May 22. Kennedy Center
Hall of Nations. Free. Call 202-467-
4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
MARCIA COPPEL: CONNECT/
DISCONNECT 2
A former speech pathologist,
Coppel was inspired for her new
series of paintings by a sign she
saw at an outdoor cafe in Mexico,
Talk to Each Other. We dont have
Wi-Fi. Some of the whimsical, col-
orful works in the show feature
people talking to each other in cafes
and at the beach, others are in their
own worlds, floating in the air as
well as sitting under umbrellas, and
some are seated in a group with no
interaction. Meet the Artist event
Saturday, May 20, from 1 to 3 p.m.
On exhibit through May 28. Gallery
B in Touchstone Gallery, 901 New
York Ave. NW Call 202-347-2787 or
visit touchstonegallery.com.
MARTI JONES DIXON: VALLEY OF
THE DOLLS
Though she never became a major
star, Dixon was signed to two
different major labels, A&M and
RCA, in the 80s. She has long since
returned to her first love: visual
art. Miss Pixies the quirky 14th
Street vintage furniture store
presents a new series by Dixon,
inspired by Jacqueline Susanns
1966 bestseller and the cult film it
spawned a year later. On display
through May 31. Miss Pixies, 1626
14th St. NW. Call 202-232-8171 or
visit misspixies.com.
ONE LIFE: BABE RUTH
The National Portrait Gallery
presents the first exhibition in
its One Life series devoted to a
baseball star. Featuring more than
30 objects, including prints and
photographs of Ruth in addition
to personal memorabilia and select-
ed artifacts of advertising that he
endorsed, this exhibition looks at
the legend of Babe Ruth and his
legacy as one of the first sports
superstars to become a marketable
brand all to himself. Closes Sunday,
May 21. National Portrait Gallery,
8th and F Streets. NW. Call 202-
633-8300 or visit npg.si.edu.
YUMMM! THE HISTORY,
FANTASY AND FUTURE OF FOOD
One of the quirkiest museums
around celebrates its 21st birthday
with a playful visual feast featur-
ing works by 34 artists focused
on humankinds relationship with
food. Food-centric paintings, sculp-
tures, embroideries, installations,
and films are part of this explora-
tion of the serious creative vision
needed to reinvent how a planet
of an estimated 9.6 billion people
will eat in the year 2050. Runs to
Sept. 3, 2017. American Visionary
Art Museum, 800 Key Highway.
Baltimore. Tickets are $15.95. Call
410-244-1900 or visit avam.org.
FOOD AND DRINK
NOPA KITCHEN+BAR: $70
WEEKEND DINNER FOR TWO
MENU
Across from the Smithsonian
American Art Museum in Penn
Quarter, this 160-seat American
brasserie, part of the same family as
Rasika, Bibiana and the Oval Room,
should already be on your shortlist
for brunch. On Sundays between
11 a.m. and 3 p.m., each diner can
choose between an appetizer and
entree or sandwich, as well as a spe-
cial mimosa or bloody Mary, for $28
to $30 each (or $38 with bottomless
classic mimosas). Now Executive
Chef Matt Kuhn is working to get
Nopa on your radar earlier in the
weekend as well, with a new dinner
menu focused on composed dish-
es designed for couples, whether
lovers or close friends, reasonably
priced at $70 for two, before tax
and tip. Though the menu chang-
es weekly, regular options include:
Nopa Spring Mixed Grill, with bites
of quail, fennel sausage, ribeye, red
prawns and grilled asparagus, plus
garlic custard and ramp salsa verde;
Crispy Chesapeake Soft Shell Crabs,
three jumbo crustaceans served
with Old Bay sweet corn and crab
succotash, smoked new potatoes
and pickled ramps; and the stand-
out Maine Lobster Bake, a whole
lobster with Old Bay-seasoned kiel-
basa, local clams and red prawns,
and sides of roasted sweet corn,
pee-wee potatoes and smoked
tomato butter. Available exclusive-
ly on Fridays and Saturdays during
dinner service, 5 to 11 p.m., subject
to availability. Nopa Kitchen+Bar,
800 F St. NW. Call 202-347-4667 or
visit nopadc.com. l
MAY 18, 2017 METROWEEKLY 17
 Community
Weekly Events

ANDROMEDA
TRANSCULTURAL HEALTH
offers free HIV testing and HIV
services (by appointment). 9
a.m.-5 p.m. Decatur Center,
1400 Decatur St. NW. To
arrange an appointment, call
202-291-4707, or visit androm-
edatransculturalhealth.org.

DC AQUATICS CLUB practice

session at Takoma Aquatic
Center. 7:30-9 p.m. 300 Van
Buren St. NW. For more infor-
mation, visit swimdcac.org.

DC FRONT RUNNERS run-

KZENON - SHUTTERSTOCK

ning/walking/social club
welcomes runners of all ability
levels for exercise in a fun and
supportive environment, with
socializing afterward. Route
distance is 3-6 miles. Meet at
7 p.m. at 23rd & P Streets NW.
For more information, visit
dcfrontrunners.org.

CHEERS TO CHARITY
A Dacha Beer Garden happy hour raises funds for vulnerable LGBTQ people
DC LAMBDA SQUARES gay
and lesbian square-dancing
group features mainstream
through advanced square
dancing at the National City
Christian Church, 5 Thomas

W
Circle NW, 7-9:30 p.m. Casual
E [HAVE] A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH DACHA, SAYS CYNDEE CLAY, dress. 301-257-0517, dclamb-
the executive director of HIPS. It started last year, when Dacha Beer Garden dasquares.org.
hosted a fundraising happy hour for the organization to help finance initiatives DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds
that serve sex workers, the LGBTQ homeless, and transgender individuals. practice. The team is always
We were able to raise $1,300 with Stonewall Dodgeball for our HIV/Hepatitis C testing looking for new members. All
services, she says. We had a great turnout, including a bunch of people who were just welcome. 7:30-9:30 p.m. King
Greenleaf Recreation Center,
there to drink, who became part of our happy hour. 201 N St. SW. For more infor-
Clay is hoping for similar success on Tuesday, May 23, when Dacha once again hosts mation, visit scandalsrfc.org or
HIPS Pride Season Kickoff happy hour. All proceeds from the event go toward HIV/STD dcscandals@gmail.com.
testing, sex worker outreach initiatives, HIPS Peer Education program, and transportation The DULLES TRIANGLES
costs for clients expenses that the various grants that HIPS receives from government Northern Virginia social
agencies and nonprofits are unable to cover. group meets for happy hour at
Admission to Dacha is free, but patrons who make a suggested donation of $10 will receive Sheraton in Reston. All wel-
come. 7-9 p.m. 11810 Sunrise
a wristband that makes them eligible for extended happy hour drink specials until 8 p.m. Valley Drive, second-floor bar.
Dacha is a wonderful space, and its going to be a wonderful day, Clay says. Its a great For more information, visit
time to meet the HIPS family and support a worthy cause, while having some great food and dullestriangles.com.
drinking some great beer. John Riley HIV TESTING at Whitman-
Walker Health. 8 a.m.-8 p.m. at
HIPS Pride Season Kickoff fundraiser is Tuesday, May 23, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Dacha Beer 1525 14th St. NW, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
Garden, 1600 7th St. NW. Visit hips.org or call 202-232-8150. at the Elizabeth Taylor Medical
Center, 1701 14th St. NW, and 8
a.m-5 p.m. at the Max Robinson
Center, 2301 MLK Jr. Ave.
SE. For an appointment call
THURSDAY, May 18 The DC Center holds a meet- NIGHT at Agora Restaurant. 202-745-7000 or visit whit-
ing of its POLY DISCUSSION The Center will honor the man-walker.org.
SAGE and AARP hold an GROUP, for people interested Youth Advocate of the Year and
INTERGENERATIONAL in polyamory, non-monogamy Youth Champion of the Year, IDENTITY offers free and
DINNER at The DC Center as or other non-traditional rela- and will host a silent auction confidential HIV testing at
part of a movement aimed at tionships. 7-8 p.m. 2000 14th and raffle, as well as free appe- two separate locations. Walk-
building and strengthening St. NW, Suite 105. Visit thedc- tizers, champagne, and happy ins accepted from 2-6 p.m.,
connections between different center.org. hour drink specials. Tickets are by appointment for all other
generations within the LGBT $20 online, and $25 at the door. hours. 414 East Diamond Ave.,
community. 7-9 p.m. 2000 14th The DC Center hosts its annual 6-8 p.m. 1527 17th St. NW. For Gaithersburg, Md. or 7676
St. NW, Suite 105. Visit thedc- YOUTH WORKING GROUP tickets and more information, New Hampshire Ave., Suite
center.org. RECEPTION AND AWARDS visit thedccenter.org. 411, Takoma Park, Md. To set

MAY 18, 2017 METROWEEKLY 19

 up an appointment or for more
information, 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. To arrange an
appointment, call 202-638-0750.
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.
Us Helping Us hosts a NARCOTICS
ANONYMOUS MEETING. The
group is independent of UHU.
6:30-7:30 p.m., 3636 Georgia Ave.
NW. For more information, call
202-446-1100.
WOMENS LEADERSHIP
INSTITUTE for young LBTQ
women, 13-21, interested in lead-
ership development. 5-6:30 p.m.
SMYAL Youth Center, 410 7th St.
SE. For more information, call 202-
567-3163, or email catherine.chu@
smyal.org.
FRIDAY, May 19
GAY DISTRICT, a group for
GBTQQI men between the ages of
18-35, meets on the first and third
Fridays of each month. Dinner or
social outing to follow the meeting.
8:30-9:30 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW,
Suite 105. For more information,
visit gaydistrict.org.
The DC Center hosts a TRANS
AND GENDERQUEER GAME
NIGHT on the third Friday of the
month for an evening of card and
board games and fun. 7-9 p.m. 2000
14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more
information, visit thedccenter.org.
Volunteers are needed to help
with CASA RUBYS MONTHLY
DINNER. Held on the third Friday
of each month, in conjunction with
The DC Center, the event provides
a hot meal to those being housed
at Casa Ruby. Homemade or store
bought meals welcome. 6:30-7:30
p.m. Casa Ruby, 3530 Georgia Ave.
NW. For more information, contact
lamar@thedccenter.org.
Weekly Events
BET MISHPACHAH, founded by
members of the LGBT community,
holds Friday evening Shabbat ser-
vices in the DC Jewish Community
Centers Community Room. 8 p.m.
1529 16th St. NW. For more infor-
mation, visit betmish.org.
DC AQUATICS CLUB holds a prac-
tice session at Howard University.
6:30-8 p.m. Burr Gymnasium, 2400
6th St. NW. For more information,
visit swimdcac.org.
20 MAY 18, 2017 METROWEEKLY
PROJECT STRIPES hosts LGBT-
affirming social group for ages
11-24. 4-6 p.m. 1419 Columbia Road
NW. Contact Tamara, 202-319-
0422, layc-dc.org.
SMYALS REC NIGHT provides a
social atmosphere for LGBT and
questioning youth, featuring dance
parties, vogue nights, movies and
games. For more info, email cather-
ine.chu@smyal.org.
SATURDAY, May 20
CHRYSALIS arts & culture group
sees exhibit on early Impressionist
painter Frederic Bazille at the
National Gallery of Art. Free. All
welcome. Meet at 11:30 this morn-
ing past security inside the 4th &
Pennsylvania Avenue entrance of
the East (New) Building. Lunch
in Cascades Cafe follows. Craig,
202-462-0535. craighowell1@ver-
izon.net.
CHRYSALIS arts & culture group
holds bi-monthly Potluck Social in
members home in suburban Md.
Plans for early summer museum
visits and out-of-town excursions
will be reviewed. Meet at 7 p.m. in
the Kiss & Ride lot on the east side
of Georgia Avenue at the Glenmont
Metro Station. For transportation
and food coordination, contact
Kevin, 571-338-1433. kgiles27@
gmail.com.
KHUSH DC, the group for LGBTQ
South Asians, hosts a monthly
meeting at The DC Center. 1:30-3
p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105.
For more information, visit face-
book.com/khushdc.
The DC Center hosts a month-
ly LGBT ASYLEES SUPPORT
MEETING AND DINNER for LGBT
refugees and asylum seekers. 5-7
p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105.
For more information, visit thedc-
center.org.
The DC Center hosts its month-
ly LGBTQ HARM REDUCTION
SUPPORT GROUP FOR
SUBSTANCE USE on the third
Saturday of each month. 3-4:30
p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105.
For more information, visit thedc-
center.org.
Volunteers are welcomed and
encouraged to help out with
CAPITAL TRANS PRIDE at Studio
Theatre from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. 1501
14th St. NW. Visit capitalpride.org/
events/capital-trans-pride.
Weekly Events
BRAZILIAN GLBT GROUP, includ-
ing others interested in Brazilian cul-
ture, meets. For location/time, email
braziliangaygroup@yahoo.com.
DC AQUATICS CLUB holds a prac-
tice session at Montgomery College
Aquatics Club. 8:30-10 a.m. 7600
Takoma Ave., Takoma, Md. For more
information, visit swimdcac.org.
DIGNITYUSA sponsors Mass for
LGBT community, family and
friends. 6:30 p.m., Immanuel
Church-on-the-Hill, 3606 Seminary
Road, Alexandria. All welcome. For
more info, visit dignitynova.org.
GAY LANGUAGE CLUB discusses
critical languages and foreign lan-
guages. 7 p.m. Nellies, 900 U St.
NW. RSVP preferred. Email bren-
dandarcy@gmail.com.
SUNDAY, May 21
ADVENTURING outdoors group
holds Spring Social at members
home in suburban MD. For more
details, visit adventuring.org.
Join CAPITAL TRANSPRIDE for
its TWEET (Transgender Worship.
Engaged. Empowered. Together.)
transgender-centered religious
service, featuring Rev. Kenneth
King. 2 p.m. New Hope Baptist
Church, 309 E St. NW. For more
information, visit facebook.com/
capitaltranspride.
Weekly Events
BETHEL CHURCH-DC progressive
and radically inclusive church
holds services at 11:30 a.m. 2217
Minnesota Ave. SE. 202-248-1895,
betheldc.org.
DIGNITYUSA offers Roman
Catholic Mass for the LGBT
community. All welcome. Sign
interpreted. 6 p.m. St. Margarets
Church, 1820 Connecticut Ave.
NW. For more info, visit dignity-
washington.org.
FAIRLINGTON UNITED
METHODIST CHURCH is an open,
inclusive church. All welcome,
including the LGBTQ commu-
nity. Member of the Reconciling
Ministries Network. Services at
9:30 and 11:00 a.m. 3900 King
Street, Alexandria, Va. 703-671-
8557. For more info, visit fairling-
tonumc.org.
FRIENDS MEETING OF
WASHINGTON meets for worship,
10:30 a.m., 2111 Florida Ave. NW,
Quaker House Living Room (next
to Meeting House on Decatur
Place), 2nd floor. Special welcome
to lesbians and gays. Handicapped
accessible from Phelps Place gate.
Hearing assistance. quakersdc.org.
HSV-2 SOCIAL AND SUPPORT
GROUP for gay men living in the
DC metro area. This group will be
meeting once a month. For infor-
mation on location and time, visit
H2gether.com.
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. lincol-
ntemple.org.
METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY
CHURCH OF WASHINGTON, D.C.
services at 9 a.m. (ASL interpret-
ed) and 11 a.m. Childrens Sunday
School at 11 a.m. 474 Ridge St. NW.
202-638-7373, mccdc.com.
RIVERSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH,
a Christ-centered, interracial,
welcoming-and-affirming church,
offers service at 10 a.m. 680 I St.
SW. 202-554-4330, riversidedc.org.
UNITARIAN CHURCH OF
ARLINGTON, an LGBTQ welcom-
ing-and-affirming congregation,
offers services at 10 a.m. Virginia
Rainbow UU Ministry. 4444
Arlington Blvd. uucava.org.
UNIVERSALIST NATIONAL
MEMORIAL CHURCH, a welcom-
ing 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, May 22
Weekly Events
DC AQUATICS CLUB holds a
practice session at Dunbar Aquatic
Center. 7:30-9 p.m. 101 N St. NW.
For more information, visit swim-
dcac.org.
GETEQUAL meets 6:30-8 p.m. at
Quaker House, 2111 Florida Ave.
NW. For more information, email
getequal.wdc@gmail.com.
NOVASALUD offers free HIV test-
ing. 5-7 p.m. 2049 N. 15th St., Suite
200, Arlington. Appointments: 703-
789-4467.
The DC Center hosts COFFEE
DROP-IN FOR THE SENIOR LGBT
COMMUNITY. 10 a.m.-noon. 2000
14th St. NW. For more information,
call 202-682-2245 or visit thedc-
center.org.
US HELPING US hosts a black gay
mens evening affinity group for
GBT black men. Light refreshments
provided. 7-9 p.m. 3636 Georgia
Ave. NW. 202-446-1100.
WASHINGTON WETSKINS
WATER POLO TEAM practices 7-9
p.m. Newcomers with at least basic
swimming ability always welcome.
Takoma Aquatic Center, 300 Van
Buren St. NW. For more informa-
tion, contact Tom, 703-299-0504
or secretary@wetskins.org, or visit
wetskins.org.
WHITMAN-WALKER HEALTH
HIV/AIDS Support Group for
newly diagnosed individuals,
meets 7 p.m. Registration required.
202-939-7671, hivsupport@whit-
man-walker.org.
TUESDAY, May 23
The DC Centers GENDERQUEER
DC support and discussion group,
for people who identify outside the
gender binary, meets on the fourth
Tuesday of every month. 7-8:30
p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105.
For more information, visit thedc-
center.org.
The DC Center hosts a meeting
of HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS
GROUP FOR GAY AND BI MEN.
6-7 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite
105. For more information, visit
thedccenter.org.
Weekly Events
ASIANS AND FRIENDS weekly
dinner in Dupont/Logan Circle
area, 6:30 p.m. For more informa-
tion, email afwash@aol.com, or
visit afwashington.net.
DC AQUATICS CLUB practice
session at Takoma Aquatic Center.
7:30-9 p.m. 300 Van Buren St. NW.
For more information, visit swim-
dcac.org.
DC FRONT RUNNERS running/
walking/social club welcomes run-
ners of all ability levels for exercise
in a fun and supportive environment,
with socializing afterward. Route
distance is 3-6 miles. Meet at 7 p.m.
at Union Station. For more informa-
tion, visit dcfrontrunners.org.
DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds prac-
tice. The team is always looking for
new members. All welcome. 7:30-
9:30 p.m. King Greenleaf Recreation
Center, 201 N St. SW. For more
information, visit scandalsrfc.org or
dcscandals@gmail.com.
OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS
LGBT 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. liveandletli-
veoa@gmail.com.
SUPPORT GROUP FOR LGBTQ
YOUTH ages 13-21 meets at
SMYAL. 5-6:30 p.m. 410 7th St.
SE. For more information, contact
Cathy Chu, 202-567-3163, or cath-
erine.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.
WEDNESDAY, May 24
The DC Center hosts a monthly
meeting of its HIV PREVENTION
WORKING GROUP. 6-8 p.m. 2000
14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more
information, visit thedccenter.org.
THE LAMBDA BRIDGE CLUB
meet for Duplicate Bridge. 7:30
p.m. Dignity Center, 721 8th St., SE
(across from Marine Barracks). No
reservations needed, all welcome.
Call 202-841-0279 if you need a
partner.
Weekly Events
AD LIB, a group for freestyle con-
versation, meets about 6-6:30 p.m.,
Steam, 17th and R NW. All wel-
come. For more information, call
Fausto Fernandez, 703-732-5174.
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC)
holds a practice session at Dunbar
Aquatic Center. 7:30-9 p.m. 101 N
St. NW. For more information, visit
swimdcac.org.
FREEDOM FROM SMOKING, a
group for LGBT people looking
to quit cigarettes and tobacco use,
holds a weekly support meeting at
The DC Center. 7-8 p.m. 2000 14th
St. NW, Suite 105. For more infor-
mation, visit thedccenter.org.
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.
JOB CLUB, a weekly support pro-
gram for job entrants and seekers,
meets at The DC Center. 6-7:30
p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105.
For more info, www.centercareers.
org.
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. More
info, contact Carl, 703-573-8316.
WASHINGTON WETSKINS
WATER POLO TEAM practices 7-9
p.m. Newcomers with at least basic
swimming ability always welcome.
Takoma Aquatic Center, 300 Van
Buren St. NW. For more informa-
tion, contact Tom, 703-299-0504
or secretary@wetskins.org, or visit
wetskins.org. l
Submit your community event for
consideration at least 10 days prior
to the Thursday publication you
would like it to appear. Email to cal-
endar@metroweekly.com.
MAY 18, 2017 METROWEEKLY 21
 Forum
PRIDE:
PROTEST AND PROGRESS
By Ryan Bos
I
T WOULD BE EASY TO TURN THE RECENT
discussions surrounding LGBTQ+ Pride into a
politicized argument between different camps,
but that would be unfair to the staff, boards, and
thousands of volunteers across the United States
who help put on Pride and the millions of people
who participate in those events. It would also be
unfair to LGBTQ+ people, who have long been
marginalized, are increasingly under threat, and
bring critical concerns that our movement must
grapple with all stemming from the diversity of
LGBTQ+ communities and intersectionality of the
many issues that affect us.
Our community is like no other, representing
a microcosm of our culture in all its rich diversi-
ty, cutting across age, race, gender identity, cul-
ture, economic status, political views, abilities, and
every other identity. It is our greatest asset, but
also can present immense challenges.
Instead, it may be useful to look at where we
share common ground. As hard as it may be, lets
put away our assumptions and focus on what we
know. My hope is that collectively and collabora-
tively we can undertake this work so that together
we can be more powerful and successful. I also
hope we share common goals, such as equality
for all and a safe world in which to live, work, and
thrive. Our paths may differ but our destination is
the same.
We know this year is different, for obvious
reasons. People are scared and traumatized, and
our internal struggles are manifesting themselves
in ways that we must all appreciate and examine
as we approach Pride 2017 and beyond. If we do it
right, our impact as a community will be powerful,
positive, and permanent.
No one person, organization, or community
owns Pride, and we all have the right to experi-
ence it in our own way. One of our primary respon-
sibilities is to create opportunities that allow indi-
viduals to experience Pride in the way they feel
most comfortable. This provides space for protest
through marches, celebration, education, laughter,
Ryan Bos is the Executive Director of the Capital Pride Alliance, which produces Capital Pride. What are
your thoughts on Capital Pride? Have your say at metroweekly.com/forum.
22 MAY 18, 2017 METROWEEKLY
and simply being present and visible.
This year people can show up to the Capital
Pride Parade, in solidarity with organizations they
affiliate with to proclaim they have pride, they can
show up for The Equality March for Unity & Pride
to protest existing and potential actions against
our community, and the Capital Pride Festival
where they will have the opportunity to engage
with over 200 organizations that do much needed
work every day.
Pride is an individual experience, born of pro-
test and rooted in acknowledging and celebrating
who we are unapologetically. We need all types
of protest to create change. Admittedly, our move-
ment has a long way to go to be more inclusive, and
we need to work together across issues as much
as possible. After the repeal of Dont Ask Dont
Tell and the victories for marriage equality, it was
immediately clear that we had to devote even more
energy and resources to other, less visible issues,
from LGBTQ+ youth homelessness to national
employment protections for LGBTQ+ people to
safety issues for the trans community and others
who are most vulnerable and marginalized.
As Executive Director of the Capital Pride
Alliance, I affirm my commitment to work with our
Board of Directors, volunteer leadership, and our
LGBTQ+ partner organizations on the concerns
addressed at our recent Community Dialogue that
directly impact our Pride activities, but also our
greater LGBTQ+ community in the national capital
region and beyond. For example, we are already
working with community leaders to have trans
queer youth, one of our most marginalized and
threatened communities, lead our 2017 parade.
For Pride 2017 in the nations capital, my goal
is for us to come together in celebration and pro-
test, to be visible and show the nation and the
world that our community represents the best of
America. The real America, made up of incredibly
diverse, different, and proud people who believe in
the principles and values of social justice, equality
and community. l
 Forum
CAPITAL PRIDE CAN AND
MUST DO BETTER
By Angela Peoples
P
RIDE ORIGINATED AS A COMMEMORATION
of the Stonewall Riots a groundbreaking
moment of rebellion against state violence,
with trans women of color and low income folks at
the forefront.
Today, Pride has become an institution.
Corporations eager to market their products to afflu-
ent LGBTQ people have stepped in to provide funds
that promise to make each coming Pride celebration
larger, more elaborate, and more expensive than ever
before. In exchange, corporations and state institu-
tions get to wrap themselves in the rainbow flag and
showcase their allyship. But in pursuing bigger and order and blue lives matter are being used to
and better, Capital Pride has abandoned the prin-
ciples of freedom, liberation, and self-determination
that make Pride a tradition worth celebrating.
Today, Capital Pride colludes with forces that
actively oppress large swaths of the LGBTQ and two
spirit community. Last year, our parade included
members of the Federal Bureau of Prisons; weapons
manufacturers and border securitization contrac-
tors; banks that profit from mass incarceration and
pipelines that desecrate indigenous land; and people
who helped Donald Trump get elected and today
serve in his administration. Corporations that spend
millions of dollars lobbying for policies that keep our
people impoverished and imprisoned do not belong
in Pride.
Ironically, Capital Pride has also come to include
the police the very entity responsible for the vio-
lent raids on Stonewall that started it all. The pres-
ence of uniformed police officers in Pride makes it
fundamentally unsafe and unwelcoming to members
of our community who face discriminatory policing
like that which drove our ancestors to rebel at
Stonewall every day.
Celebrating police officers as allies without
addressing the vast injustices carried out by the
police as an institution puts Capital Pride on the
wrong side of a critical issue. LGBTQ people
especially those who are black, trans women, immi-
grants, undocumented, Muslim and Latinx have
been at the forefront of fights to end mass incarcera-
Angela Peoples is the Executive Director of GetEqual and a member of the No Justice No Pride Coalition.
What are your thoughts on Capital Pride? Have your say at metroweekly.com/forum.
tion, police violence, and disruptive deportations for
years. Whether Pride is a protest or a celebration, by
welcoming these law enforcement agencies, Capital
Pride is turning their backs on these efforts.
Certainly there are some LGBTQ police offi-
cers, and some do genuinely seek to do well by
our community. But those individuals experiences
cannot erase the fact that choices made by the MPD
have pushed D.C.s incarceration rate off the charts,
allowed officers to harrass and kill members of our
community, and left young LGBTQ people to die
in our jails. At a time when dog whistles like law
intimidate and further criminalize black and brown
people, and the abuse of trans women by police is
well-reported, we must demand more from institu-
tions who want to share in our Pride.
How can Pride stand for any of us, if it doesnt
stand for the most marginalized members of our
community? Capital Pride has been asked on many
occasions to recognize this fact by rejecting spon-
sorship from Wells Fargo and other harmful corpo-
rations, not partnering with police and immigration
enforcement, and making their leadership struc-
ture more representative of D.C.s queer and trans
community. These actions would demonstrate that
Capital Pride is about something more important
than big crowds, glitter, and consumerism. These
actions would demonstrate that Capital Pride stands
for justice for all LGBTQ people. So far, Capital Pride
has refused to take action.
Whether or not Capital Pride decides to adhere
to our demands and return Pride to the people, the
community that has come together under the banner
of No Justice No Pride is not going away. Across
the country, a movement is growing rapidly within
the LGBTQ community. Lines are being drawn
between those who value their own comfort, secu-
rity and privilege, and those who recognize that the
pursuit of justice and freedom for LGBTQ people is
inseparable from the pursuit of racial, economic, and
social justice for all. Its time for all of us especially
Capital Pride to choose a side. l
MAY 18, 2017 METROWEEKLY 23
Activist
for Life Raffi Freedman-Gurspan, who will be honored
this weekend by the Trevor Project, made history
as the first out transgender White House staffer.
Interview by John Riley Photography by Todd Franson

F
ROM AN EARLY AGE, RAFFI FREEDMAN-
Gurspan was destined to become political-
ly involved. Raised in the tradition of Reform
Judaism, the child of two social workers has
always seen it as her lifes mission to stand up
and fight for equality. At 14, she was a full-fledged
gay rights activist, protesting harmful budget cuts outside of the
Massachusetts State House.
Equal treatment and justice for those that are vulnerable
in society was always just at the forefront of my childhood, and
made me decide early on that I wanted to be involved in social
justice work, she says. I didnt know at the time, of course,
what that would exactly be.
As an adult, Freedman-Gurspan worked for the Massachusetts
Transgender Political Coalition while it was trying to convince
lawmakers to pass a nondiscrimination law protecting trans-
gender residents. From there, she worked for State Rep. Carl
Sciortino (D-Medford) as his legislative director, becoming
the first openly transgender person to hold that position in the
Massachusetts House of Representatives.
Freedman-Gurspan later moved to Washington to work for
the National Center for Transgender Equality, and once again
made history when she was hired by the Obama administration,
becoming the first out transgender White House staffer.
My parents often joke, Where did you get this political thing
from? she says. My mom was a bureaucrat, but I just fell in
love with legislating and policy advocacy work.
On the day of this interview, Freedman-Gurspan, now the
director of external relations for NCTE, had just returned from
an impromptu rally across from the White House. NCTE and
other LGBTQ groups were protesting a pending executive order
that was expected to allow anti-LGBTQ discrimination under
the guise of religious freedom. (President Trump later signed a
different order.) Reflecting on the protest, Freedman-Gurspan
particularly hones in on the words of one speaker, who said, If
you think that theyre not coming for you, youve got to be out of
your mind.
I think thats the thing for the gay community, in particular,
to remember 10 years ago, they were coming after us, and they
still are, she says. I look at it in the context of being a Jew Im
reminded lately of just how much anti-Semitism is out there. Its
the same thing for the gay community and the queer community
at large, to say, Look, just because we have these rights doesnt
mean that people dont want to come after us.
Freedman-Gurspans work on a multitude of issues affecting
the LGBTQ community has earned her a wealth of praise, and
recently, the Trevor Project announced it will honor her with its
Outstanding Public Service Award at its Night Out for Trevor
benefit on Friday, May 19.
Raffis whole career has been about lifting up transgender
folks, says Amy Loudermilk, the Trevor Projects director of
Government Affairs. Particularly transgender people of color...
who often struggle with suicidal ideation. Raffi was really well-
versed in suicide, she really understood the issues. She did a
lot for our cause, which tends to go a little unnoticed in the
community. She worked hard with HHS and SAMHSA to make
sure they heard from the community about their mental health
needs, challenges, and access to care. And she did that around

24 MAY 18, 2017 METROWEEKLY

t
the country, which was really amazing. It had never been done
before, and has really helped us.
For her part, Freedman-Gurspan is motivated by her concern
for those who will be affected by policy decisions.
Its going to sound cheesy, [but] I care about people, she
says. Theres so much suffering in the world, and if I can
help alleviate that, I feel like, as we say in Hebrew, Ive done
a mitzvah.
METRO WEEKLY: Tell me about your background and childhood.
RAFFI FREEDMAN-GURSPAN: Im adopted from Honduras. I grew
up outside of Boston in the town of Brookline, and went to public
schools. I was raised by two social workers, my parents, Marian
and Stan. They really instilled this value of social justice.
I got involved very early on with activism, in particular
around the LGBT community, because I came out pretty early.
I came out when I was 12, initially as gay, and got involved
with our high school Gay-Straight Alliance. At the time, there
was state funding for certain projects for GSAs. Then, when
acting governor Jane Swift cut that funding, one of my first
protests was at the age of 14 going in front of the statehouse in
Massachusetts and demanding that that funding be restored.
MW: What happened after you graduated from high school?
FREEDMAN-GURSPAN: I went to St. Olaf College in Minnesota. I
was a political science major. I also have a hobby of Norwegian
culture. I speak the language, so thats partially why I went to St.
Olaf. It was also at St. Olaf where the values of service and stew-
ardship of oneself in the service of others were instilled in me.
MW: When did you transition?
FREEDMAN-GURSPAN: In college. I got involved once I knew that
trans rights were behind in terms of LGB and Q. After I gradu-
ated from college, I moved back to Massachusetts. At that point,
Massachusetts did not have any state protections for trans folks.
That gets at the root of how I landed into the trans movement in
Massachusetts.
MW: Tell me about your two coming outs, both as gay and trans-
gender. What was the reaction?
FREEDMAN-GURSPAN: I think people knew. I wasnt exceedingly
feminine when I was a little boy, but I played with Barbies. I
danced. I wasnt into rough-and-tumble sports. Also, I was a
premature baby, so [I had problems with] fine motor skills and
vision. I was not going to be a football player by any means, so
they werent shocked. I think at that young age, they were con-
cerned about bullying. This was 1999 and only a few years after
Matt Shepard had been killed. Thinking about it now, it really
was a different world.
My parents, my good friends, and my community have always
been very clear: that they love me unconditionally. But when I
came out again, so to speak, trans was new. It was literally 10
years ago, in 2007, when I came out. It wasnt as accepted and
it was difficult at points, I think, for my family to really digest
the understanding that their son was becoming their daughter.
[But] by no means was I kicked out. Quite the reverse. I think it
was about protecting me and making sure this is what I wanted.
They wanted me to [realize], Look, its part of your identity, but
youre so much more than that.
MW: What was it like living in Minnesota, which at the time was
one of the few states with a transgender rights law?
FREEDMAN-GURSPAN: I was cognizant of the fact that upon
graduation and my decision to go back to Massachusetts, I would
be leaving a state that had protections to one that had none. In
terms of how it actually played out, my college, even though its
26 MAY 18, 2017 METROWEEKLY
a private college, respected the law and they knew my rights.
Its hard to say I experienced the benefits of protection because
I was in a small town, on a small college campus. It wasnt like I
was running around Minneapolis.
I did actually apply for a job that I didnt get with the state of
Minnesota, and I came to my interview having transitioned. At
that point, not all my documents were changed and they were
really good about it. Part of it, I think, is because they knew they
couldnt discriminate against me. I was confident in the fact of
heres how the law applies and I know my rights.
MW: Then you moved back to Massachusetts. At what point did
you get seriously involved in activism?
FREEDMAN-GURSPAN: Almost immediately. Its funny, I came
back without a plan, like many college graduates. This was right
after the recession. It was a dicey time. Having transitioned
and having literally left a state that had protections, being the
daughter of two progressive-leaning social workers, they were
always Get involved! I picked up the phone and called
Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition and spoke with
Gunner Scott, whos now my dear, dear friend, and sent him my
resume. He says that my call struck him because here I was, this
22-year-old kid, saying, I really want to help and Im interested
in policy.
My work with Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition
became a passion. It became everything that I was looking for, in
the sense that it was a small organization. Gunner was involved
in high-level conversations with the sponsor of the bill that
would ultimately enfranchise us, and [was involved in] legisla-
tive strategy meetings, and I just fell in love with it.
MW: How long were you there for?
FREEDMAN-GURSPAN: I was with them for about a year and a
half. It was unpaid the entire time, although I got some summer
stipend from the Equality Federation. I left them in June 2011,
when I got hired by Carl Sciortino as his legislative staffer.
I did everything for him, because I was his single staffer. The
reps, if theyre not in a leadership position, they at least can get
one staffer. I handled constituent services. I handled legisla-
tive strategy. I wrote speeches for him. I dealt with the media
for him. I scheduled him. I knew everything. I was just joking
with someone the other day that I would literally wake up in
the morning and say, Okay. What does Carl have to do today?
before I even thought about myself.
MW: Lets talk about the evolution of the trans rights bill in
Massachusetts. Lawmakers had a particularly hard time support-
ing protections in public accommodations.
FREEDMAN-GURSPAN: I wasnt there at the start, but the original
bill was filed in 2007. I think that sometimes Massachusetts
is misunderstood as a liberal bastion and everyone is left, and
it actually isnt. In fact, there are some very, very conservative
parts of the state, and it just so happened at the time that we
were lobbying for the bill we had pretty conservative-leaning
[Democratic] leaders. The chair of the Judiciary Committee,
where the bill was being housed, was very uncomfortable with
the bathroom scenario. He understood everything else, but it
was bathrooms and locker rooms. In fact, the 2011 bill didnt
have public accommodations, because leadership just was not
ready to go there.
A lot of what Ive learned from that experience is that
[the instinct of] leadership, in particular in the House of
Representatives, was to protect their members. In Massachusetts,
its a two-year cycle for everyone. Everyones up at the same time
and so leadership was just so paranoid that they would be cost-
ing their members their seats. This was right after the 2010 Tea
Party surge. All of thats going on.
I think also because, again, looking back at it, people didnt
know transgender people. They didnt get it. It seemed, having
to use the Yiddish here, farmisht. It was all jumbled to them. I
remember we would have these conversations with colleagues
who were having some difficulties. We dont want to discrim-
inate, but its the bathroom piece. Its the locker room piece.
Im hearing from womens or conservative groups, and so we
would get womens groups and healthcare providers and trans
youths themselves to come in and talk to these legislators and
really explain [that] Were talking about me, a living, breathing
person and that all these fears that the opposition is painting are
blatantly wrong. Indeed, we need these protections because we
are the victims of so much intolerance.
I was very disappointed that we couldnt do the full bill in
2011, but we made a decision at the time that we were going
to go ahead with all the protec-
tions that we got, except for pub-
lic accommodations. Im pleased
Theres been an explosion
that last year, they finally passed
that bill and Governor Baker of trans children that have
come out very young.
signed it, even though he also had
to evolve in his understanding of
trans issues.
Unfortunately, they have a Most of the school systems want to do the right thing.
ballot initiative. The opposite side
is really hell-bent on repeal. Im hopeful that because of the
larger exposure of trans issues on the national scene across
the world, frankly that the electorate in Massachusetts has
changed.
MW: After the 2011 bill passed without public accommodations,
were you ever accused of selling out the transgender community?
FREEDMAN-GURSPAN: Yes. Thankfully, the decision came to the
trans people involved in this whole process. It was myself and
Gunner Scott and a couple of other folks in a large conference
room with our coalition partners, and everyone just turns to us
and says, What do you want to do?
I remember tearing up. We had waited so long and it wasnt
clear how much longer we would have to wait and the feeling
was, Lets get 95 percent of what we want. In particular, the
employment protections, because of the unemployment in the
community, and the housing protections, because of the home-
lessness in the community, and education [protections] with the
kids. We justified it to ourselves that we were still helping the
majority of the community. It was a Faustian bargain, for sure.
Some people certainly criticized us, but the majority of the com-
munity understood and said, Yes, well take it.
MW: What needs to be done to convince voters to support the public
accommodations law in the 2018 ballot initiative?
FREEDMAN-GURSPAN: They absolutely need to go into the small
communities. Theyre going to focus on Boston, of course. I dont
even know what the statistic is, but I think about one-third of
the population is in the greater Boston area. But they have to
go out to western Massachusetts. They have to go to the Cape
and the islands. Barnstable County, Worcester County, Cape
Ann. All of Bristol County from Fall River, going all the way
in a little loop to Agawam is Republican districts. Or you have
Blue Dog Democrats, more conservative-leaning, usually from
working-class neighborhoods.
What were trying to do here at National Center for
Transgender Equality is getting local trans people to talk about
their experience, to tell their stories. We dont use this as much
in Massachusetts as we probably should, but coalition work with
faith communities, with faith groups. Obviously, Massachusetts
is a very Catholic state, but there are LGBTQ-leaning Catholic
organizations. Of course, in Massachusetts there is also is huge
Unitarian Universalist community. I think going to all these
different communities is going to require a lot of work, but Im
hopeful that were dealing with a different public. Were dealing
with a public that actually has now seen information about trans
people, for better or for worse. Caitlyn Jenner certainly opened
the conversation for many people who might not otherwise have
been aware. What 16-year-old isnt watching the Kardashians?
MW: Has Caitlyn Jenner harmed or helped the transgender com-
munity?
FREEDMAN-GURSPAN: I think that she has helped open the con-
versation. Im not about beating up on her, to be very clear, but
in her own decisions and actions, there are things that I probably
wouldnt have done, but shes also in a different world than me
as a celebrity, as someone whos wealthy and obviously someone
who is Republican.
To me, this is not a partisan or class issue. Trans people are
everywhere. Caitlyn has had to learn a lot about that. I think
we certainly try and educate her, be supportive where we can,
but she doesnt work for us. Shes not the president of the trans
community. I understand that a lot of people have reservations
about her, but my attitude is that shes part of our community,
just like everyone else.
MW: You made history as the first openly trans person to work
in the White House. What was your role in President Obamas
administration?
FREEDMAN-GURSPAN: I had two titles. I started out as an out-
reach and recruitment director for presidential personnel and
then in January 2016, I was asked to take on the role of LGBT
liaison in the Office of Public Engagement. It was awesome. My
colleagues were so amazing. At that point, this was at the tailend
of the administration. A lot of institutional values and structures
were in place by then, around not only diversity, but also about
opportunity. In particular, my first job was to recruit folks to
work for the administration, and it was made very clear that we
wanted people from a diversity of backgrounds and talents. To
be an ambassador, so to speak, for the administration, and collect
folks to come work for us was really thrilling and exciting.
When I was LGBT liaison, I was involved with almost every
issue that came across the presidents desk because, ultimately,
a lot of it was about building public support. If it was something
around energy or healthcare, of course, it was about how are
we going to interface this with the LGBT community. I worked
with very talented, brilliant people who knew what they were
doing and really wanted to make sure that we were inclusive of
everyone, and not just LGBTQ people. We did fantastic work
around people with disabilities. We had a Muslim liaison, first
time in the history of the White House. I worked a lot with our
military liaison in the veterans community. It was just a lot of
fun.
MW: Was it the inclusive attitude fostered by the Obama adminis-
MAY 18, 2017 METROWEEKLY 27
tration that made it fun? of course, do folks like Priebus and Bannon. I think they have, for
FREEDMAN-GURSPAN: Yes. It was also the real diversity that decades now, built relationships with these right-wing groups.
was in there and that it wasnt tokenized. If you think about it, This is classic favoritism to me. Theyre rewarding some folks
in particular around women of color, we had amazingly talent- that they are friends with.
ed women of color in key influential positions: Valerie Jarrett, In this world of alternative facts, I feel like if we called them
Cecilia Muoz, Susan Rice. So to have role models and, as we out on it, theyd be like, No, were not hiring people like that.
would say, getting stuff done. It was a great working environ- Its like, Yes, you are. I dont know why, other than thats who
ment. I never once woke up and said, I dont want to go to work theyre friends with and thats who they want to help, and those
today. I actually wanted to be there. I wanted to be around are their values.
those people. Also, I think it was MW: Does the president know what he is doing, or is he
because of the timing. We were not thinking of the consequences of hiring these people?
coming to the end of the adminis- Trumps the president, he FREEDMAN-GURSPAN: I really dont know. Im just
tration. Everything mattered. We makes the decision, but like you. I read the Post and others, in terms of what
needed to get as much as we could people think is happening in the Oval Office. Having
done. And so to be part of that, and I think hes worked there I wasnt briefing the president, like
to do it on behalf of the LGBT com-
munity, was such an honor. getting a lot Kellyanne Conway does but understanding the
structure of the White House, my sense is that hes
MW: What is the biggest thing
President Trump has done to hurt of bad advice getting information from multiple people. Of course,
Trumps the president, he makes the decision, but I
the trans community?
FREEDMAN-GURSPAN: The rescind-
from his think hes getting a lot of bad advice from his coun-
selors.
ing of the student guidance. Also,
this impending executive order is
counselors. MW: Lets talk about your involvement with the Trevor
Project.
an abomination, but in particular, FREEDMAN-GURSPAN: It goes back to my parents.
the rescinding of the guidance sends such a horrible message Childrens mental health has been an area of interest to me. My
not only just legally, but ethically to our nations school systems, mom works for the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health
which came to the federal government and said, Please help in Childrens Division. Im very proud of Massachusetts being
us. a state that has really worked to destigmatize mental illness
Theres been an explosion of trans children that have come and have parity with insurance coverage for treatment. Its an
out very young. Most of the school systems, most of the admin- LGBTQ issue and, as you know, the high levels of suicide and
istrators, they want to do the right thing. In Tulsa, they might mental health issues and alcoholism in the community are real.
not necessarily know how to do that and so they came to What Trevor does, I think, is incredible, because they bring
the federal government [seeking help]. Justice and Education what some people might see as completely separate issues
did their guidance. It was fair-minded. It was pragmatic. together and really humanize it and say this is a queer issue and
To be very clear, it was not a mandate, although, of course, they actually, we need to be dealing with this in our own way.
said, If you do discriminate, though, your federal funding could One of the things that is clear is that not all of our mental
be at risk. health service providers are necessarily LGBTQ-competent.
Most of [the guidance] has been misconstrued. I saw some- Trevor, of course, has their lifeline and there are other support
thing out there, some rumor that this required all bathrooms services. They also do some training of other providers to under-
to be gender-neutral. Of course, it didnt do that. What it really stand queer competency. That is so important. I was familiar
did for kids is it gave them and their parents an assurance that with them before the White House, and certainly when I was in
they have rights, that they were protected, and that there are the White House. We actually had some briefings on substance
common-sense ways to deal with a childs transition. At the end abuse and mental health issues. [Director of the White House
of the day, this is about every child having the opportunity I Office of National Drug Control Policy] Michael Botticelli was a
would argue the human right to get an education in safety and great person to talk about the opioid issues with, and so Trevor
in an environment where they can grow and learn. was a partner for us.
MW: Have you had any communication with anybody from that MW: What does it mean to receive an Outstanding Public Service
administration on the guidance? Award from the Trevor Project.
FREEDMAN-GURSPAN: No. Unfortunately, it is such a changed FREEDMAN-GURSPAN: My understanding is its a recognition
reality, not only for NCTE, but for all the advocacy organizations of my work, and in particular, when I was at the White House,
out there. There was a channel of communication, with folks advocating on their behalf, and on queer childrens mental
like me in the White House, LGBT liaisons. There were people health issues.
in the Civil Rights Divisions at Education and Justice and, of Im very touched, very humbled by that. I am also happy to
course, theyve just appointed very conservative people to run lend my public support for an organization that, I think, now
those bureaus, so no. We have no lines of communication and more than ever is exceedingly critical to keep around and have. l
thats exactly why we were literally outside the White House
and trying to scream at them. The Trevor Projects A Night Out for Trevor gala is Friday,
MW: There are many anti-trans and anti-gay figures in the new May 19, from 7:30-10:30 p.m. at Hotel Monaco, 700 F St. NW. The
administration. Is there a message behind those appointments? after-party is at Duplex Diner, 2004 18th St. NW. For more infor-
FREEDMAN-GURSPAN: I think its pandering to a population that, mation on the Trevor Project, visit thetrevorproject.org.
first of all, financially assisted this president to get into power. I
also think a lot of this is the vice president. I think the vice presi- For more information on the National Center for Transgender
dent yields an enormous amount of power behind the scenes, as, Equality, visit transequality.org.

28 MAY 18, 2017 METROWEEKLY

 ness and the smile on her face, and her just
being who she was that whole day.
Bianca Rey, an executive producer for
Capital Trans Pride, enjoys the sense of
accomplishment she feels when she hears
positive feedback from attendees.
I remember at last years Pride, when
we were at Studio Theatre at the evening
social event, watching everybody from the
sidelines, she says. Listening to their
conversations about what a good time they
had made me feel that all of the planning
and all of the meetings we had for Capital
Trans Pride were worth it. It was worth-
while that I made even one person happy
that day.
A significant portion of Capital Trans
Pride is dedicated to educational work-
shops dealing with issues important to the
transgender community, such as obtain-
ing health insurance coverage, advice on
changing ones name and gender marker,
and information on legal rights.
This years event also features a resource
fair, on-site HIV testing and counseling
by community health center Whitman-
Walker, a screening of MAJOR!, a Reel
Affirmations documentary about the life
of transgender activist Miss Major Griffin-
Gracy, and an open mike talent showcase,
hosted by Rayceen Pendarvis.
Transgender advocate Gavin Grimm,
whose lawsuit protesting his local school
boards bathroom policies led to the first
pro-transgender ruling from a U.S. appeals
court, will give the keynote address at lunch.
It was two years ago, when the various
workshops began to be filled to capacity,
that Holly Goldman, also an executive pro-
WARD MORRISON

ducer of the event, realized Tran Pride had

taken on a life of its own.
Wanzer
I think that this year is going to be
the last year that its going to be a one-day
event, she says. Weve already outgrown

Truth Celebration
Capital Trans Pride allows D.C. trans folk to celebrate their identity in
Studio Theatre I had to turn people away
this year. I have a six-deep waiting list.
Goldman believes that part of what
makes Capital Trans Pride so special is that
a safe space and a loving environment By John Riley the day is a truth celebration.
Were not protesting, were not put-

T
ting our hardships and our problems out
HE MOST MEMORABLE CAPITAL TRANS PRIDE WOULD HAVE TO BE THE there. Were not pretending they dont
first, says SaVanna Wanzer, who cofounded the event in 2007. There was this exist, but for one day, were putting them
sense that the community had waited so long, and wed received the greatest aside and celebrating the fact that were
gift. Wanzer, who sits on the board of Capital Pride, highlights Trans Prides transfor- trans and that were all the same, and that
mation station, where a team of hair stylists and makeup artists help attendees change we love each other. Whether its someone
their outward appearance to match their gender identity. who transitioned 40 years ago, or someone
The moving part is when they look in the mirror and see the person that they want who transitioned the day before, thats
to be, Wanzer says. We had one lady last year, where it was the first time she had ever what makes it special. It really, truly is for
dressed up as a woman and been around other people. You should have seen the happi- everyone. l

Capital Trans Pride is Saturday, May 20, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW. For more information,
visit capitalpride.org/events/capital-trans-pride or facebook.com/capitaltranspride.

MAY 18, 2017 METROWEEKLY 29

20TH CENTURY FOX
Movies

Alien, has been revealed. While each of

the two prequels tell their own story, and

Gods and Monster

With Alien: Covenant, Ridley Scott answers the age-old question, which
while Covenant is vastly more gory, vastly
more action-packed, vastly more frighten-
ing and unnerving than the boring dredge
pile that was Prometheus, it still only gives
came first, the facehugger or the egg? By Randy Shulman us an inch when what we really want,
what we really need, is a mile.

I
Walk into Alien: Covenant without hav-
T IS ETERNALLY PERPLEXING TO ME WHY FILMMAKERS CHOOSE TO ing seen at least Prometheus, if not the
endure the creative duress of prequels. While the lure of exploring an origin story original Alien, and youll find yourself lost
is clearly compelling, allowing a filmmaker to bring greater depth and understand- in a thicket of nuance. Covenant shares
ing to previously created subject matter, it must also be like trying to jam a square peg remarkably similar DNA to Alien, and the
into a round hole. Sometimes, it works witness what Francis Ford Coppola achieved new film is littered with references to the
with Godfather, Part II and sometimes it doesnt (yes, George Lucas, were looking at 1979 classic, including a tough-minded
you), even though the intent is to create a chronology for future generations to watch a heroine, a possibly duplicitous synthetic,
story from the very beginning to the very end. a dulcet-voiced mother, and even, at one
The problem with a prequel, however, comes with alignment. A good sequel point, a familiar drinking bird. But these
advances a premise, taking it in new, unexpected directions. Prequels, on the other are details the real similarity is in the
hand, are tethered to and constrained by the original subject matter. Theyre stuck on a telling: Covenant might as well be Alien
pre-defined track that, no matter how many swerves and detours are taken, must wind with a special effects facelift.
up at exactly the right spot, lest continuity suffer. The plot goes something like this: The
Wrenching a narrative into place takes effort. And creativity. And, it would seem, Covenant is a massive and gorgeous
time. Lots and lots of time. No longer can anything be achieved with just one film. Now colonization ship toting several thousand
we need two, or three, or, in the case of the Alien franchise, god knows how many. All frozen humans and embryos to a far off
I know is, director Ridley Scott isnt getting any younger. And neither are we. It would world, presumably to get away from an
be nice to see this saga wrap up before were all dead. Earth ravaged by climate change deniers,
And yet, by the time Alien: Covenant ( ) has ended, and revealed its (some- Republicans, and any remaining Trump
what unsurprising) secrets, you realize that, much like 2012s Prometheus, only a tiny progeny. The ship is tended to by a placid
shred of information, leading to the events of the ill-fated voyage of the Nostromo in synthetic named Walter, an upgrade from

MAY 18, 2017 METROWEEKLY 31

the previous films David who has had creativity and emotion
stripped from his programming. Hes like an efficient, talking
microwave with flesh. When the ships core crew of 15 are jolted
out of a peaceful cryosleep by an accident, they unearth a sig-
nal emanating from a habitable planet 70 years closer than their
true destination, and the captain chooses to investigate. Because
thats always a good idea, right?
Once on the planet, the crew encounters a being who inevi-
tably poses that timeless question: which came first, the facehu-
gger or the egg?
Covenant exhibits signs of how the prequels will, at some
point, match up with Alien mythology, and the web is already
frothing over whats going to happen next. But after youve seen
Covenant, consider this: is Ridley Scott thumbing his nose at the
mythology James Cameron advanced in Aliens, his sublime 1986
sequel to the original? No matter. People will one day watch the
series from start to finish and devise a drinking game from the
inconsistencies that arise.
Heres whats good about Covenant: The set-pieces are effi-
cient, thrilling works of art, and are flanked by several quietly
unnerving, terrifying sequences, even though none rise to the
level of Alien, which featured an insidiously slow pacing that
ripped through the seams at the end, producing a third act of
unprecedented intensity as Sigourney Weavers Ripley franti-
cally struggled to escape both a ferocious, unstoppable xenom-
orph and a massive ship set to self-destruct all while trying
to save a cat.
Another similarity between the original Alien and Covenant
Alien: Covenant is rated R for intense gore. Opens Friday, May 19, at area theatres. Visit Fandango.com.
32 MAY 18, 2017 METROWEEKLY
lies in the formation of the crew. Theyre not exactly as memora-
ble as the crew of the Nostromo, but they have that same rag-tag
camaraderie that makes space travel so much fun for everyone.
Katherine Waterston brings stoic resolve to the movies hero-
ine, Daniels, though shes hardly iconic. Danny McBride adds
rumpled zip to the ships pilot, Tennessee, and Billy Crudup is
a scene-stealer as a religious zealot who ends up on the wrong
side of an egg. The rest of the cast is fodder, and are pretty much
dispensed with, one by one. The crew is made up of couples,
which gives their deaths greater weight, and Scott has seen fit
to include a gay couple in the mix. Its nice to watch how qui-
etly and matter-of-factly the couple is revealed. Theyre here.
Theyre queer. Theyre alien food.
Walter is portrayed to majestic, frequently unsettling effect
by Michael Fassbender, who, in the movies opening moments,
also appears as the unhinged earlier model, David.
Alien and its sequels focused on the creature as the perfect
life-form. But with Prometheus and Covenant, Scott explores the
idea of how that perfect life-form came into being. The notion
was hinted at in Prometheus, as we met the Engineers, a race
whose horrific, life-mutating virus is key to Covenants ultimate
premise. Its the stuff of Frankenstein and Island of Dr. Moreau,
so well-trod it feels culturally trampled. Which is why perhaps
it would have been better to not try to explain the original
film in the first place. In doing so, Scott has stripped his 1979
groundbreaking film of all its mystery, and supplanted it with the
worlds oldest cliche: Somebody decides to play god and ends up
creating a monster. l
TERESA WOOD
Stage

serious work.

Greek Myths
Folgers Timon grapples with a challenging play, while MetroStage
offers an engaging Master Class By Kate Wingfield
In this rendering, Timon is seen first as
a successful businessman, but beneath his
well-groomed exterior lies an unsettled,
neurotic soul. Whether it suggests latent
mental illness or a psyche too sensitive
for his world (or both), it makes for a val-
iant attempt at explaining the plays long

L
second-half, in which Timon is lost in a
IKELY CO-WRITTEN WITH THOMAS MIDDLETON, SHAKESPEARES wilderness, both literal and psychological.
Timon of Athens (HHHHH) is something of an odd, uneven play. It starts with Does it work? Not wholly. Part of the
the promise of gratifying comeuppance the wealthy Timons realization that problem lies with the play itself and its
his supposed friends are the kind that disappear when the money runs out. But there is unconvincing transitions, but it is also
little more, and certainly no real exploration, before Timon is angrily serving up (liter- the challenge of sustaining the sense of
ally) a communal rebuff. The play then changes tone, pivoting to Timons angry self-ex- the executive gone semi-mad. Peakes is a
ile from Athens, where he continues to be visited by users and a few compatriots. There nuanced and understated actor and it works
is never much of a catharsis other than his evolving conclusion that humanity sucks. to great effect in the first part of the play in
Timon never quite endears himself enough to be tragic, nor do his enemies truly interpreting Timon as a (secretly) socially
get their just desserts, unless you count a significant dry-cleaning bill. Subplots about awkward and nave man, blind to his false
the political health of Athens and Timons friend Alcibiades, ably played by Maboud friends. But his extroversion first with
Ebrahimzadeh, hang largely unresolved. Ultimately, it feels like some kind of morality the confrontational banquet and then the
play that deflates into a long-winded, anatomy of a bagman. assertive self-exile make for a harder sell.
It cant be easy to stage, but thats probably why the unstoppable folks at Folger took Given the concept, it might almost have
it on. They do like a challenge, and they know how to rise to it. made more sense to give him a corporate
In this case, Tony Ciseks cleverly evocative set moves the action into the future, tower in which to cloister himself.
suggesting efficiencies that have eroded personal contact, perhaps to the kind of dys- Sustaining Timons feverish state of
topian levels that could explain Timons rejection of his world. And it is in explaining maddened disillusion during the second
this man that director Robert Richmond and Ian Merrill Peakes, in the title role, do the half of the play is another challenge. Its a

MAY 18, 2017 METROWEEKLY 33

long haul and, in trying to keep it compelling, Peakes must walk
a tightrope: too low-key and it may fail to compel, but overplayed
and it gnaws at the scenery. This is where director Richmond must
be the decider, and a tad more reigning in would have worked bet-
ter. Peakes is a wonderful actor and his less is always more.
Bringing a nice counterweight to Peakes agitated Timon, is
Eric Hissom as Apemantus, a philosophical acquaintance who
plays witness to Timons faithless friends and his subsequent
meltdown. Hissom, a master of Shakespearean phrasing, offers
the perfect blend of a man bemused, cynical and contemptu-
ous of Timons world. The other standout here is Antoinette
Robinson as Flavius, Timons faithful servant. Quietly pained
by what she sees, Robinson brings an emotional cohesion to the
uneven play.
If the play itself cant quite deliver the pathos or gratification
of full-blooded Shakespeare, this production of Timon delivers
something with its own unique value: a genuinely engaging the-
atrical grapple with a challenging piece.
IN HIS ODE TO OPERA singer Maria Callas and the tutelage
she gave at Juilliard toward the end of her career, Terrence
McNallys Master Class (HHHHH) is certainly fascinating.
Delivered almost in monologue, Callas veers between ruthless
dissections of her three opera students, reflections on the art
form, and deep reveries on her personal and professional life.
Whether it accurately reflects the real Callas is debatable: those
Master Class runs to June 11 at MetroStage, 1201 North Royal St., Alexandria. Tickets are $55 to $60.
Call 800-494-8497 or visit metrostage.org.
Timon of Athens runs to June 11 at The Folger, 201 East Capitol St. SE. Tickets are $35 to $75. Call 202-544-7077 or visit folger.edu.
34 MAY 18, 2017 METROWEEKLY
who have heard the recordings of her master classes say not.
However, if taken as impressions of a life and as a contemplation
of not just opera, but all kinds of human endeavor, it is uniquely
thoughtful.
Needless to say, the lead requires not just stamina but a
strongly credible presence. In Metro Stages production, Ilona
Dulaski creates a memorably feisty Callas as she holds forth in
class and in her reveries. To her credit, it does not feel at all like
an impersonation. She is less convincing in her recreations of
Aristotle Onassis bullying her submissive Callas somehow
doesnt quite jibe with the woman who could survive being
booed at the Met. But this is quibbling. Overall, Dulaski paints
her memorably big and bold.
Of the three young students, a charismatic, if slightly wood-
en, Daniel Noone sings Tenor Tony with attractive gusto and
some pleasing high notes. Ayana Reed is convincing as Second
Soprano Sharon, who nearly bottles out of performing. She sings
with exciting promise and attractively urgent expression. Emily
Honzel gives her First Soprano Sophie an array of charming
expressions as she struggles to interpret the music, and sings
with precision and sweetness. Delivering a bit of deadpan is a
nicely understated Michael Sharp as Stagehand, while Joseph
Walsh brings warmth (and skill) to Manny, the Accompanist.
This is an intimate, evocative portrait of a still somewhat
mysterious star of another age. Seeing it in the intimacy of the
Metro Stage is an engaging treat. l
TERESA WOOD
Stage

shes Anne (Erika Rose) actually is his

Daddy Issues
daughter or a different person altogether,
a stranger. Still sharp and cantankerous,
and anchored in the reality of his charm-
ing Paris apartment, Andr is increasingly
The right actor for a brilliant play, Ted van Griethuysen leads a affected by his minds steep decline. His
wonderful production of The Father By Andr Hereford thoughts flicker heedlessly, like the strobe
lights racing over and around set designer

A
Debra Booths cleverly specific scenery.
STARK DRAMA TILTED ACUTELY TOWARDS THE DROLL HUMOR OF Not entirely unaware, Andr rails in
its octogenarian title character, The Father (HHHHH) also offers a walloping his fog against the painful loss of clarity
dose of what feels like the truth. Florian Zellers illuminatingly dark and pierc- and agency. Van Griethuysen, in a round-
ing comedy translated from its original French by Christopher Hampton is brutal ly sympathetic portrayal, makes sublime
but not cold in its honesty. It handles an audience much like the daughter at its center, comedy of the mans rancor and befuddle-
Anne (Kate Eastwood Norris), handles her mercurial, elderly father, Andr (Ted van ment, without a hint of parody. Beautifully
Griethuysen) with firm directness, guided by warmth and patience. rendering Andrs layers of confidence
A lightning wit and devilish flirt, Andr has just scared off his latest housekeep- gradually torn away by confusion van
er/personal caretaker, Isabelle. Though never seen in the play, the young womans Griethuysen, abetted by director David
absence is felt by Anne, who believed she finally had found the person who could be Muses powerful staging and transitions,
nurse, companion, and lion tamer to tend to her dad on a daily basis, thus enabling Anne persuasively relays Andrs shaky, shifting
to focus on managing her own life. point of view.
Andr was certain that the girl was stealing from him, and had taken to setting traps Andr cant trust his memories, or rec-
around the house to prove his suspicions. So Anne brings in a new girl, Laura (Caroline ognize all the faces around him, and, in
Dubberly), who seems competent and serene in equal measure. Finally freed from some what seems like a moment, a decade might
responsibility, Anne can move forward with less guilt, and consider taking a big step pass. Its humbling, horrifying, and utterly
with her boyfriend, Pierre (Manny Buckley). Or was it Antoine (Daniel Harray)? true, whether stood on Annes or Andrs
From one moment to the next, Andr isnt certain if Anne is still married to that side of the line. Zellers play taps into the
pesky Antoine, or if Antoine is Pierre, or if the woman standing before him saying universal fear of getting old, as well as the

MAY 18, 2017 METROWEEKLY 35

 almost any era, but he feels partic-
ularly representative of a certain
great or Greatest generation, old
enough to have lived through the
last world war, yet with perhaps
more vivid memories of those
great times (for some) that fol-
lowed.
Andr and his male peers in
20th century middle and upper-
class society had it good and simple
for a dozen or more years, until the
flames of societal revolution were
lit before their very eyes. Propelled
by technology, change that had
been gradual suddenly hurtled for-
ward at breakneck speed, and now
at every turn, they see new, unfa-
miliar faces, and hear languages
and voices they dont recognize as
TERESA WOOD

being like their own.

associated anxiety of needing to be strong enough, fit enough, and
in this world rich enough, to care for someone whos gotten old.
The Father also taps into the frisson of generational disso-
nance now roiling culture and politics and shaping elections
in nations across the globe. Andr could be an 80-something of
The plays subtle comments on
the reactionary ways of our cul-
tures elders are drawn out into the open here by the smart,
diverse casting of the ensemble. Its just one more way that
Studios well-appointed and splendidly acted production suc-
ceeds in expressing the wealth of truth and wisdom in this
inspiring, heartbreaking, and absolutely terrific play. l

The Father runs until June 18, at Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW. Tickets are $20 to $85.
Call 202-332-3300, or visit StudioTheatre.org.

36 MAY 18, 2017 METROWEEKLY

NightLife Photography by
Ward Morrison

MAY 18, 2017 METROWEEKLY 37

 Scene
DC Leather Pride Meet & Greet at Green Lantern
Thursday, May 11 / Photography by Ward Morrison
See and purchase more photos from this event at www.metroweekly.com/scene

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Tuesday,
Happy Hour: Tops Down $6
Top Shelf, Bottoms Up $3 Wes Della Volla at 9:30pm Decades of Dance DJ $6 Top Shelf, Bottoms Singalongs, 9pm-close May 23
Rail, $3 Bud Light, 4-9pm Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on Tim-e in Secrets Doors Up $3 Rail, $3 Bud Light, DJ James $3 Draft Pints,
Stonewall Kickball any drink, 2-9pm No 9pm Cover 21+ 4-9pm Monday Nights 8pm-midnight 9 1/2
Closing Party Homowood Cover A Drag, featuring Miss Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
Karaoke, hosted by Robert Kristina Kelly Doors NELLIES SPORTS BAR drink, 5-9pm Multiple
Bise, 10pm-close 21+ ROCK HARD SUNDAYS
@The House Nightclub
Monday, open at 10pm Showtime
at 11:30pm $3 Skyy
Beat the Clock Happy Hour
$2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
TVs showing movies,
shows, sports Expanded
DC EAGLE 3530 Georgia Ave. NW May 22 Cocktails, $8 Skyy and Red $4 (7-8pm) Buckets of craft beer selection
Doors open at 12pm Diverse group of all Bull $8 Long Islands Beer $15 Texas Holdem No Cover
Happy Hour, 12-6pm $2 male, all nude dancers 9 1/2 No Cover, 18+ Poker, 8pm Dart Boards
off everything $2 Bud Nonstop on three stages, Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any BALTIMORE EAGLE
and Bud Light Draughts 9:30pm-close Intimate drink, 5-9pm Multiple DC EAGLE NUMBER NINE 2022 N. Charles St.
all day and night setting $12 Cover For TVs showing movies, Doors open at 8pm Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any 410-200-9828
Highwaymen TNT Cookout, reservations, call 202-487- shows, sports Expanded Happy Hour, 8-10pm $2 drink, 5-9pm No Cover Happy Hour, 5-9pm, all
5-8pm No Cover 21+ 6646 rockharddc.com craft beer selection off everything Endless liquors, beers and wines
No Cover Happy Hour prices to any- SHAWS TAVERN up to 50% off Well
FREDDIES BEACH BAR SHAWS TAVERN one in a DC Eagle T-Shirt Happy Hour, 4-7pm $3 Bomb Shots $4 all Day
Champagne Brunch Brunch with Bottomless BALTIMORE EAGLE Industry Mondays Free Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon, thebaltimoreeagle.com
Buffet, 10am-3pm Crazy Mimosas, 10am-3pm 2022 N. Charles St. Pool All Night and Day $5 Rails and House Wines
Hour, 4-7pm Karaoke, Happy Hour, 5-7pm $3 410-200-9828 $1 Bud and Bud Light and Half-Priced Pizzas COBALT/30 DEGREES
8pm-1am Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon, Happy Hour, 5-9pm, all Draughts all night No Trivia with Jeremy, 7:30pm DJ Honey Happy Hour:
$5 Rails and House Wines liquors, beers and wines Cover 21+ Tops Down $6 Top Shelf,
GREEN LANTERN & Half-Priced Pizzas up to 50% off TRADE Bottoms Up $3 Rail, $3 Bud
Happy Hour, 4-9pm Micro Brew Draft/Bottle FREDDIES BEACH BAR Doors open 5pm Huge Light, 4-9pm SIN Service
Mamas Trailer Park TRADE Mondays $4 all day Crazy Hour, 4-7pm Happy Hour: Any drink Industry Night, 10pm-close
Karaoke downstairs, Doors open 2pm Huge thebaltimoreeagle.com Singles Night Karaoke, normally served in a cock- $1 Rail Drinks all night
9:30pm-close Happy Hour: Any drink 8pm tail glass served in a huge
normally served in a cock- glass for the same price, FREDDIES BEACH BAR
NELLIES SPORTS BAR tail glass served in a huge GREEN LANTERN 5-10pm Beer and wine Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Drag Brunch, hosted by glass for the same price, Happy Hour all night long only $4 Karaoke, 8pm
Shi-Queeta-Lee, 11am-3pm 2-10pm Beer and wine Open Mic Night Karaoke
$20 Brunch Buffet only $4 with Kevin, 9:30pm-close GREEN LANTERN
House Rail Drinks, Zing Happy Hour all night long,
Zang Bloody Marys, Nellie 4pm-close
Beer and Mimosas, $4,
11am-close Buckets of
Beer, $15

MAY 18, 2017 METROWEEKLY 41

 NELLIES SPORTS BAR
Beat the Clock Happy Hour
Wednesday,
$2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm), May 24
$4 (7-8pm) Buckets of
Beer $15 Karaoke and 9 1/2
Drag Bingo Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm Multiple
NUMBER NINE TVs showing movies,
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any shows, sports Expanded
drink, 5-9pm No Cover craft beer selection
After 9pm, $3 Absolut, No Cover
Bulleit & Stella
BALTIMORE EAGLE
SHAWS TAVERN 2022 N. Charles St.
Half-Priced Burgers and 410-200-9828
Pizzas, 5-10pm $5 House Happy Hour, 5-9pm, all
Wines and $5 Sam Adams liquors, beers and wines
up to 50% off Domestic
TRADE Bottles are $3 all day
Doors open 5pm Huge thebaltimoreeagle.com
Happy Hour: Any drink
normally served in a cock- COBALT/30 DEGREES
tail glass served in a huge Happy Hour: Tops Down $6
glass for the same price, Top Shelf, Bottoms Up $3
5-10pm Beer and wine Rail, $3 Bud Light, 4-9pm
only $4 $4 Stoli and Stoli Flavors
and Miller Lite all night
Wednesday Night Karaoke,
hosted by India Larelle
Houston, 10pm-close No
Cover 21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm $6
Burgers Drag Bingo
Night, hosted by Ms.
Regina Jozet Adams, 8pm
Bingo prizes Karaoke,
10pm-1am
42 MAY 18, 2017 METROWEEKLY
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour all night long,
4pm-close
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
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm No Cover
SHAWS TAVERN
Happy Hour, 4-7pm $3
Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon,
$5 Rails and House Wines
and Half-Priced Pizzas
Piano Bar with Jill, down-
stairs, 8pm
TRADE
Doors open 5pm Huge
Happy Hour: Any drink
normally served in a cock-
tail glass served in a huge
glass for the same price,
5-10pm Beer and wine
only $4 l
 Scene
DC Leather Pride Rebel Heart at The DC Eagle - Friday, May 12
Photography by Ward Morrison
See and purchase more photos from this event at www.metroweekly.com/scene

44 MAY 18, 2017 METROWEEKLY

 LastWord.
People say the queerest things

Discrimination towards trans Texans is

one shameful top priority.
GLAAD CEO SARAH KATE ELLIS, in a tweet responding to Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) telling Dallas Morning News that pass-
ing an anti-transgender bathroom bill is one of his priorities. Abbott apparently wants lawmakers
to approve the bill before the end of May.

Youre becoming who youve always been.

How wonderful is that?

A new card by HALLMARK, designed for a transgender person undergoing their transition. It is our goal to be inclusive rather
than exclusive so that our products appeal to the widest range of people who wish to communicate
and connect with one another, Hallmark told PinkNews.

Darebin Council will fly the rainbow flag

until the Marriage Act is changed so that Australians are able to marry,
regardless of who they are or who they love.

KIM LE CERF, mayor of Darebin, Australia, pledging to keep a rainbow flag flying outside the citys council offices until Australia
legalizes same-sex marriage. The council also approved $20,000 in grants for the local LGBTQ community.

If you argue spirit and purpose of marriage is offspring, then

marriage has to be banned
for, for example, retired people or infertile heterosexual couples, too.

Germanys LIBERAL ISLAMIC ASSOCIATION, in a statement advocating for the legalization of same-sex marriage in the country. They
justified their support by citing the Qurans lack of gender specifics when discussing marriage, saying: In the Arabic original the
Quran does not talk of man and woman, but uses the word azwadsch, which means pair.

To me, queer is like to each his own.

Its not our problem. Wherever you fall, whatever you dig, its good if nobodys getting hurt. Its good.

KEVIN BACON to Out.com about what queerness means to him. He added, Whats wrong with love? Whats wrong
with love in all of its forms? After being told that he has a large gay following,
Bacon said, Thats awesome, Im happy to hear that.

46 MAY 18, 2017 METROWEEKLY