Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Based on the sensational headlines, some might imagine Mexico is a destitute country where every citizen is either a member of drug cartel or racing to get across the border to the U.S. God forbid you actually consider visiting, considering the fear that an evil Latino is waiting around every corner to kidnap you, and, as a predominately Catholic country, there is no love for the gays. More outlaw wasteland than autumn getaway.

The truth, however, is that Mexico is an amazing country with a rich history and culture. Headlines that are often overlooked are the ones about the country's many World Heritage sites, award-winning chefs and internationally recognized museums.

While it has its poverty and drug problems, it also has a rapidly growing middle class and a GDP that ranks Mexico among the Top 15 countries worldwide, just below Canada and Australia.

Crime in Mexico, especially the country's high murder rate, gets a lot of deserved attention, but it's fairly isolated. Rarely do serious crimes involve tourists. Popular destinations such as Belize and the U.S. Virgin Islands actually have higher murder rates per capita.

As for gay-friendliness – as the saying goes – we are everywhere, and Mexico is no exception. Certainly there are parts of the country where gay travelers might feel unwelcome or uncomfortable being out. But any country in the world might claim that sad reality.

A little navigation will direct the gay traveler to the beach resort cities of Cancun and Playa del Carmen on the east coast and Puerto Vallarta on the west coast, where gay men and women have been enjoying beautiful shores for decades. Merida, the capital of the state of Yucatan, and Guadalajara, Mexico's second largest city and the capital of the state of Jalisco, are also popular destinations for tourists and have large LGBT communities.

Notably, a significant sign of Mexico's progression on gay-rights occurred in March when Mexico City, the nation's capital and largest city, approved marriage equality. Mexico's Supreme Court backed the law in August, requiring that Mexico City's same-sex marriages be recognized in all 31 states.

Puerto Vallarta

(Photo by Stan Shebs)

Home to a very visible gay community, Mexico City actually operates a government-sponsored initiative to market the city as a gay-friendly destination.

''I often have guests who are shocked by the amount of culture, history and hospitality in Mexico,'' says Francisco Aguiler, of Gay Tours Mexico. ''From our beautiful beaches and natural attractions, to Aztec and Mayan ruins, to colonial villages and modern urban cities, Mexico has so much to discover.''

Aguiler, who has more than 10 years of experience in the travel industry, believes that visitors who have never been to Mexico or who have concerns about visiting should consider a gay tour. His company, for example, was founded in 1998, making it one of the first LGBT travel agencies in Mexico. Gay Tours Mexico offers group travel to all parts of the country.

Olivia, the world's largest travel company catering to lesbians, has also been offering Mexico for many years. Next up for autumn is a six-night Puerto Vallarta vacation, Oct. 27 to Nov. 8, renting out the beach resort's Hard Rock Hotel. The all-inclusive week starts at $2,299 per person.

Already planning for fall of 2013, Olivia has scheduled a seven-night escape to Club Med Ixtapa. Located on Mexico's Pacific coast, the resort recently underwent a $20 million upgrade that includes refurbished rooms, three resort-exclusive restaurants and a new spa. The all-inclusive, early bird starting price is $1,229 per person.

For the beach boys, Atlantis Events offers Club Atlantis Vallarta Nov. 3 to 10 at Vallarta Palace. Already sold out, however, the best chance to join the fellas is a waitlist. The all-inclusive stay starts at about $1,400.

While these particular trips don't include airfare, getting to Mexico is pretty easy. Connections can get a sun-seeker to Puerto Vallarta, while nonstop flights from Washington Dulles International Airport hit Mexico City via Aeromexico or United Airlines. AirTran Airways offers nonstop service to Cancun from Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. And while American Airlines won't take you from the D.C. area to Mexico nonstop, the airline is offering discounted flights on tickets to Mexico to celebrate 70 years of service to the country.

''I would certainly welcome a midlife crisis,'' deadpans Bob Mould, ''because that would probably get me a shiny car and a couple new tricks.''

Instead, Mould has a shiny new album, Silver Age, on which he beams with renewed self-confidence. Mould attributes the album's vibrancy in part to spending a year with the Foo Fighters, both performing on the band's Grammy-winning album Wasting Light and on its tours of stadiums and festivals worldwide.

Bob Mould

(Photo by Peter Ellenby)

''Just being in that setting where I'm getting up and playing rock guitar with a bunch of guys, in front of 15,000 people, reminds me that I'm actually pretty good at that,'' Mould says, chuckling at his uncharacteristic bit of boasting. ''It made for a really nice setting to write a record like this one.''

Silver Age is as hard-charging as that description makes it sound. It's a decided departure from Mould's last few solo albums, more tempered musically and more reflective lyrically.

''It's a natural reaction to three years of writing an autobiography, and a year of talking about it,'' Mould says of Silver Age's lyrics and referring to last year's See A Little Light: The Trail of Rage and Melody. All that soul searching can leave a man looking for release.

''It was nice to write a three-minute song instead of a three-year book,'' he says. ''It's a little more immediate to just put together a bunch of pop songs.''

Since he last put together a bunch of pop songs, 2009's Life and Times, Mould has moved from D.C. to San Francisco. But D.C. remains the home base for Blowoff, his DJ-driven dance party with Rich Morel, and the party returns to the 9:30 Club this Saturday, Sept. 8, four months before its 10th anniversary. Earlier that evening, Mould will perform, with bassist Jason Narducy and drummer Jon Wurster, tracks from Silver Age as well as, from start to finish, Copper Blue, the 20-year-old album from Mould's former power-pop band Sugar.

''[Silver Age was written] as a complementary piece to that album, something that would be in that signature style,'' he says. ''Loud, melodic, aggressive guitar music.''

Also read: Metro Weekly's review of Silver Age.

Bob Mould performs Saturday, Sept. 8. Doors at 7 p.m. for the concert and 11:30 p.m. for Blowoff. Nightclub 9:30, 815 V St. NW. Tickets are $25 for the concert, $12 for Blowoff. Call 202-265-0930 or visit 930.com.

To an American mind, Thanksgiving can be a cultural touchstone. It's the Rockwellian dinner table. It's the lesbian Tofurky banquet. It's reunions of family and chosen family, road trips and crowded airports.

If you're willing to dump all that, however, autumn – particularly Thanksgiving – is a great time to visit Europe.

Berlin

''So few want to fly on Thanksgiving Day,'' confirms Ben Mutzabaugh, editor of USA Today's ''Today in the Sky'' blog, and a gay resident of D.C. ''It's not a popular time to go to Europe for a lot of Americans.''

But with airlines engaged in a never-ending battle to trim the fat – and seats – Mutzabaugh advises that flexibility wins the day. So much so that a savvy autumn globetrotter might even keep her eye out for seats in the premium cabins.

''If you check frequently, every few days, one day for no reason you'll see business class drop,'' he says. ''I've seen it as low as $1,600. It might have some weird routing, but I would go through Copenhagen or Rome for that, if that's all it took. Especially in the fall, there are some deals to be had.''

Virgin Atlantic

Aside from price, there are other variables in play for the metro-Washingtonian considering a European jaunt. In recent years, those fat-cutting efforts have, for example, prompted some carriers to charge for services – in-flight cocktail? – once included in the ticket price. Without even considering the nickels and dimes, there may also be a world of difference between flying in a regular economy cabin and premium economy cabin, or in an older narrow-body plane versus a spanking-new behemoth.

A quick Orbitz search for a flight from Washington to Paris in economy class over the Thanksgiving weekend shows a range of economy tickets from about $815 to nearly $2,000. Beyond the range of prices, there is a range of airlines, airline alliances (of utmost importance to travelers collecting miles), aircraft, amenities and routes. You might be using any of the metro area's three airports, connecting through Iceland or Canada or Britain, a number of other countries, or even nonstop. You could be crossing the Atlantic in Air France's new and gigantic Airbus 380 double-decker, or in Icelandair's narrow Boeing 757 – or a few other Airbus and Boeing variants.

Virgin's Premium Economy

''Almost every overseas traveler will tell you that the 757 is not the best way to cross the Atlantic,'' says the well-traveled Mutzabaugh. ''Pretty much any wide-body is going to be more comfortable.''

Speaking of comfort, airlines are also cashing in on economy passengers looking for a little bit more, though not prepared to pony up a business-class fare. Even in this premium-economy landscape, there is wide variety. It might be some extra inches of legroom in United Airlines' ''Economy Plus,'' or more legroom, a wider seat and dedicated cabin and check-in with Virgin Atlantic's ''Premium Economy.''

One search engine that includes these intermediate cabins as a search variable is Fly.com. A handy tool for figuring out the difference between seats is Seatguru.com.

''Whether it's worth it really depends on each traveler's preference,'' Mutzabaugh says of the up-sale. ''Some people wouldn't consider flying across the Atlantic if not in business or first class. But some wouldn't pay $50 more for Economy Plus. You have the whole spectrum.''

While figuring out your ride may be daunting, an autumn destination in Europe may be equally confusing. Limited time? You may want to arrive at an airport with easy access to everything. Covering a lot of territory? Try an airport connected to a train station, such as Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

Mutzabaugh puts his money on a German holiday – but he's never far from his signature flexibility.

''I'm a huge fan of Berlin,'' he says. ''It's such a cool city, it's hard to go wrong.''

Then again, he continues, ''If you're looking to travel in fall, one great advantage can be the southern third of the continent. Rome, Madrid, Barcelona…. It probably won't be super hot, but not super cold, either. It may not be the best time to go to the beach, but if you're seeing a city, the lines might be a third to a quarter of what they'd be in the summer.''

And if you just can't stomach the idea of giving up that traditional Thanksgiving, rest assured that it's hard to travel European capitals without bumping into a Hard Rock Café, where – with exceptions – a Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings is on offer. Yes, Virginia, you can have Europe and your turkey, too.

Ask the uninitiated about a gay cruise and plenty of preconceptions come to mind. Some guess that every passenger passes a screening process that includes having appeared in an Abercrombie & Fitch catalog. Others are just so certain that a gay cruise is Sodom on the high seas, where seasickness requires a dose of antibiotics or penicillin.

Imagination is a powerful thing. In reality, there are gorgeously god-like passengers on gay cruises and people do have a tendency to get frisky on a vacation. But there are also grumpy passengers, ugly passengers, bickering couples and those who far prefer sunsets to slings. In a nutshell, passengers on all-gay cruises will likely get out of such vacations whatever they want to get. No two passengers have the same trip.

Those already sold on gay cruises may have their eyes on one cruise in particular this fall. Atlantis Events, which operates both Atlantis charters and the RSVP Vacations brand, is setting sail with its first Halloween cruise, departing Los Angeles Oct. 29 and calling on Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas in Mexico before its Nov. 4 return. For this costumed kick-off, Atlantis has chartered the Carnival Splendor with fares starting at $599 per person – the lowest Atlantis fares ever.

Aqua Amazon cruise

Those gals who've not already booked Olivia's fall cruise have likely missed the boat. Olivia's ''Majestic Alaska Cruise,'' chartering Holland America Line's Zaandam, sets sail Sept. 16 out of Vancouver, British Columbia. As of Sept. 3, there was still limited availability on large inside staterooms for $1,599 per person, based on double occupancy.

On a much, much smaller scale, Houston-based Concierge Travel is offering an all-gay charter aboard the Aqua. How much smaller? The Aqua has 12 cabins. But where the Aqua is going, smaller is better.

''It's the first all-gay Amazon river cruise,'' promises Stephan Roth, a Concierge spokesman. ''It's new for the whole industry.''

This unique cruise departs Oct. 27 from Iquitos, Peru, for a week in the wilds of Amazonia.

''It's really about experiencing the unspoiled Amazon River wildlife,'' says Roth. ''You'll get to see the freshwater pink dolphins. There's a night trip to see caimans. There are Amazon jungle walks, visits to small villages.'' Prices for this exclusive trip start at $6,250 per person.

Going from full charters to LGBT groups traveling on otherwise mainstream cruises opens up an array of other itineraries for those hoping to sail away this fall. For the die-hard drag devotee, Al and Chuck Travel is offering the ''Drag Stars at Sea: Revenge of the Wench'' Caribbean cruise out of Miami on the Carnival Glory with prices starting at $449 per person.

For those looking for an experience catering to gay black men, Nubian Knights of Atlanta is organizing a group to sail Royal Caribbean International's Brilliance of the Seas, Nov. 10 to 17, out of Miami. Inside cabins have sold out, but outside cabins may be available starting at $989 per person.

Or, say you missed the Atlantis takeover of Royal Caribbean International's Allure of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship. Pied Piper Travel will take a large gay group on the giant ship for a post-Thanksgiving cruise, Nov. 25 to Dec. 2, out of Fort Lauderdale, with prices starting around $650 per person. The tour group is even bringing along Leslie Jordan of Sordid Lives fame for a private show. Del Shores, the man who wrote Sordid Lives, meanwhile, will be cruising with Aquafest on that tour group's 11th annual Halloween cruise – even if this year it's a bit ''post'' Halloween, departing Miami Nov. 10 aboard Norwegian Cruise Line's massive Epic.

''With a private event, we bring celebrity entertainment, all theme parties are private,'' explains Aquafest's Tom Baker, adding that while the Epic holds about 4,000 passengers, he's got to cap his group at 500 people – unless he wants to charter the whole ship. Going as a group instead, he says, allows for exclusive LGBT programming, but at less cost than a full charter. And he's nearly sold out. Baker advises that anyone hoping for availability call Aquafest at 800-592-9058.

''It's a GLBT program at an affordable price,'' says Baker. ''The cost of marketing a charter is huge. We have a much smaller operating cost.''

Nick Baatz, aka Charger Stone, who runs D.C. Bëar Crüe events with his business partner and fiancé, Scott Gunn, is sold. Gunn convinced Baatz to take his first cruise – Aquafest's 10th anniversary cruise in 2011 – and now the couple help promote Aquafest to the bear crowd and have signed up for the 2013 cruise.

''It took me a couple days to settle down,'' Baatz says of his initial cruise experience. ''Even when you go on vacation, you still have your phone, your email. But on a ship, you don't have a choice. You have to stop everything. It's a complete break from everything unless you want to pay astronomical amounts for an Internet package.

''And Aquafest puts on phenomenal parties, tons of special events. We got so well known on the ship, people would stop us. We had straight people trying to get into our events.''

''We will definitely do a cruise every year,'' Baatz adds, this year making it Aquafest's Alaska cruise, Aug. 31 to Sept. 7. ''It's the one time where you don't have a choice but to relax and enjoy yourself. When you're sitting in a hot tub and you don't have to get out for a drink, that's pretty awesome.''

While Baatz plans his fall 2013 Halloween cruise, another fall 2013 cruise deserves a mention, being in that same rare boat as the Amazon cruise. The new Brand g tour company is offering an all-gay Mekong River cruise on the 124-passenger AmaLotus making stops in Vietnam and Cambodia. Pricing for the cruise begins around $2,800 per person.

''It's magical. It's almost overwhelming,'' Brand g's Brian Van Wey says of this cruise. ''It's an absolutely beautiful area of the world. It's completely different than what we as Westerners would experience. The history just predates anything we can imagine.

''The riverboat is a little more similar to the European style. There are very nice amenities. The food is exceptional. This really provides you a way to get to some obscure areas. You can still go out and experience some of this raw nature and come back to comforts you're familiar with.'' 

Autumn may have a different look and feel in different parts of the world – even a different time, depending on the hemisphere – but there are those iconic images, whether from Charlie Brown TV specials, that gruesome series of Halloween movies or a themed ''Angry Birds'' download. We expect turning leaves, acorns, sweater weather and maybe even a scare.

Lost River, W.V., has got it all and a gay sensibility to boot.

The Guesthouse Lost River

''People coming in the fall are definitely looking for outdoor activities, or the fall weather with a nice glass of wine on the deck,'' says Gary Robinson, who with business partner Michael Cooley is a new owner of the Guesthouse Lost River, celebrating its 30th year. ''The pool won't be open, just because of all the leaves that would get into it. All of our buildings have different views of the foliage. From every room – with the exception of one or two – we have a lovely western view. It's just magnificent. We have six fireplaces in the main lodge, one wood-burning. In our two suites, we have gas fireplaces.

''It's a respite from the working world. It's walking in the woods. You can really see the stars, the Milky Way.''

You can almost hear the dry leaves underfoot, smell the cool crispness of a wooded wonderland. As for the Halloween frights, the Guesthouse won't be trying to terrify anyone – though a screening of 2003's Wrong Turn, set in West Virginia, in the Guesthouse game room might do the trick if you really want one – but the venue is offering a little autumn thrill. If space remains, shoot for the Oct. 26 to 28 ''Murder Mystery Weekend.''

''I think it'll be much more campy than scary,'' Robinson grants, adding that for those who would prefer a thrill for the palette, the Guesthouse restaurant won't disappoint.

''We have a new chef who started with us back in April, trained in West Virginia,'' he says. ''We've definitely tried to focus on local, fresh items – a menu that someone with a D.C. palette would really appreciate. Also some Southern favorites.''

The Guesthouse Lost River

Another gay-owned country compound is the Lost River Grill, Motel & Bed and Breakfast, where Larry Curtis serves as general manager. And his Halloween party will likely give the murder-mystery weekend a run for its money.

''We have a very big Halloween party,'' Curtis promises, remembering the grill's bar filled with about 100 revelers at the 2011 spooky do. ''Everyone's in costume.''

Still, the allure of Lost River in autumn is more the great outdoors than late-night horrors. That's what brought Curtis to Hardy County, W.V., though he and his partner live across the county from Lost River, on the other side of the mountains – even if he reckons ''this [Lost River] side is more gay.''

''It's a beautiful place to be,'' Curtis says of Hardy County in fall. ''It's spectacular. The weather is beautiful. Any road you take, you'll find beauty. People are very friendly. For the most part, everyone has a 'live and let live' attitude.''

When it comes to any road, however, Curtis offers a warning. It's nothing along the lines of advice that might have saved those doomed souls in Wrong Turn from the West Virginian inbred, mutated, cannibalistic mountain men. It's really just some sound advice.

''Don't use GPS to get here,'' says Curtis. ''GPS may take you over unpaved mountain roads. And don't come expecting to be entertained all the time. Lost River is a place to come with someone you like, because you're going to be spending a lot of time together.''

It's been a long, hot summer, but now it's time for a change of scenery. What sort of change is up to you. For those who would prefer the summer never end, autumn might mean beach weather – just not here. Trade the highway for the airways, and that's not a problem. Make sure your tray table is in its upright and locked position, and follow the sun.

Or wing your way east for off-season Europe's culture and discounts.

Perhaps you prefer exactly what fall offers in our own neck of the woods. Curl up by the fire in West Virginia, or maybe stroll through Central Park showing off your new Barneys scarf.

Whether you go far or near, there is change in the air.

''Here I am, look at me,'' says local actor MaryBeth Wise. ''I'm proud to be who I am.''

Technically, Wise is speaking for the many unseen, fictional women of all ages and body types who factor into Annie Baker's comedy Body Awareness, now at Theater J. These women have all found some measure of inner strength by posing nude for a straight male artist whose work and outlook shake things up and provoke the play's other three characters to reassess their thoughts about art and sexuality, even human anatomy and psychology.

Wise plays Joyce, a high school teacher and mother to a possibly autistic son. She's also in her first domestic relationship with another woman.

MaryBeth Wise at Theater J.

(Photo by Todd Franson)

''Joyce is discovering herself, discovering her own body, her own identity,'' Wise says. ''And the things that happen in the play force her to go even further and further in terms of, 'What is my own self-image? What is my worth?' She's just so complex, and she goes through such a journey."

Wise herself is in a domestic relationship with a woman – to a fellow actor, the celebrated Sarah Marshall. The couple has been together for roughly nine years. A Silver Spring resident, Wise has lived in the region for over two decades, but that certainly wasn't her intention when she moved here from Miami to get a master's degree in fine arts at Catholic University.

''D.C. is such a rich town and has so many good things happening for it theater-wise,'' she says. It's very welcoming to gays too, she notes. ''There are a lot of actors [here] who are gay and lesbian -- we have a great, open, accepting, wonderful community.''

Wise, who got her start at Olney Theatre, has portrayed a lesbian once before, in Woolly Mammoth's The Mineola Twins, in which she also played a man in the first act. (''I was straight and gay in that show: a gay woman and a straight man,'' she laughs.) But she credits the diversity of what gets staged in D.C. theaters for helping her avoid typecasting. That diversity has also thus far helped keep her from competing with Marshall. ''We're different types,'' she says, adding, ''If we were going for the same roles all the time, I don't know how challenging that would be.''

In addition to her work in local theater, Wise has done voiceover work for the Library of Congress and its program for the blind and physically handicapped. She also occasionally works with Hollywood studios filming in D.C. or Baltimore. Recently she played a reporter in an episode of HBO's Veep. ''Don't blink!'' she says of the ''tiny'' role.

But the theater appeals most to Wise. ''If you like literature and music and sociology, theology, philosophy – it's all in the theater,'' she says.

Wise finds Baker's Body Awareness particularly appealing in the way that it tackles serious subject matter, but always with humor. ''We're fine with you masturbating, Jared,'' is Wise's first line in the play, addressed to her live-in, adult son, who's racking up bills with pornography charges.

''The play manages to ask these big questions, but also just remain human,'' she says. ''It's extremely, extremely funny.''

Body Awareness runs to Sept. 23. The Aaron & Cecile Goldman Theater, Washington, D.C.'s Jewish Community Center, 1529 16th St. NW. Tickets are $35 to $60. Call 202-518-9400 or visit washingtondcjcc.org. '

As gay Republicans headed home at the end of the Republican National Convention last week, many seemed content with how they had been received by straight members of their party in Florida.

Although the GOP had reinforced their opposition to marriage equality with harsh language in the national party platform and by selecting Mitt Romney as their nominee for president, gay Republicans remained optimistic about their future in the party.

R. Clarke Cooper

In a statement released the day after Romney officially became the Republican presidential nominee, Log Cabin Republicans Executive Director R. Clarke Cooper declared ''gay conservatives absolutely have a place within the Republican Party.''

It was a sentiment echoed by GOProud executive director and co-founder Jimmy LaSalvia, who told Metro Weekly in a phone interview from Tampa, Fla., that his organization received a warm welcome from Republican delegates.

Although both groups are confident that the Republican Party will continue to grow more inclusive of gay members, the differences between the GOP's two leading gay camps could not have been more apparent in Tampa.

It began after the committee responsible for drafting the Republican Party's national platform reinforced anti-gay positions with strong language opposing marriage equality and supporting the Defense of Marriage Act.

Members of LCR were on the front lines of the platform debate and attended committee hearings to advocate for inclusive language. Although Cooper called the final platform language, which was approved by delegates at the convention, ''unwise,'' he said he was pleased by the ''solid debate'' over issues like marriage equality.

LaSalvia of GOProud was less complimentary, telling Metro Weekly that those who had elevated the platform debate to a public fight had done a disservice to the Romney campaign.

''Log Cabin, by making their public statements, have put a bull's-eye on gay issues and given Tony Perkins and his folks the opportunity to pull out their canon and publicly blast them,'' LaSalvia said after the platform language was revealed in August. ''We knew how this was going to end up. By blowing it up in public, they made a perfect recipe for disaster.''

LaSalvia has stood by his criticisms of LCR's efforts, telling Metro Weekly Aug. 31, ''I do not think a public fight with a very public body slam is helpful to our efforts. Not only is it not helpful to the Romney campaign, it's not helpful to efforts to change the language.''

In an interview with NPR, LCR's programs director, Casey Pick, appeared to agree that LCR's presence at the platform hearings emboldened marriage-equality opponents like Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, who helped write the marriage plank.

"When you back someone into a corner, they fight back twice as hard," Pick told NPR. "We lost. And you could say the social conservatives in our party dropped the hammer harder because we were there."

''It is disappointing that the platform adopted in the early days of the convention will not help to elect Republicans in November because of its aggressive and divisive language on social issues,'' Cooper said, adding that LCR has a place at the table, which they ''intend to use it to build a stronger, more inclusive GOP.''

Jimmy LaSalvia

(Photo by Todd Franson)

GOProud has been quick to criticize LCR's attempts to influence the Republican Party's national platform, further exposing differences between the two leading representatives for gay conservatives and what they view as their ultimate goal.

The two groups have butted heads ever since GOProud was founded in 2009 to counter what they describe as LCR's moderate political positions. This election year has been no different. Whereas LCR focused their efforts on the party platform, GOProud opted to focus their efforts elsewhere.

According to LaSalvia, more than 800 people attended GOProud's party at the convention, Homocon, making it the largest event ever held by a gay organization at a Republican National Convention.

''It sent an important message that gay people are a part of the conservative movement and that the conservative movement does in fact embrace and welcome gay conservatives,'' LaSalvia told Metro Weekly.

Taking a jab at LCR, LaSalvia added that more people attended Homocon than read the Republican Party's national platform, which LaSalvia describes as ''meaningless.''

''Everybody has [out] gay people in their lives now,'' LaSalvia said. ''Republicans aren't any different from anybody else. People are thinking about these issues in a very personal way now.''

Despite differences between LCR and GOProud, both groups agree that LGBT issues are no longer as divisive as they once were.

Indeed, throughout the four-day convention, there was little mention in any of the major speeches about marriage equality, with even social conservatives like Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum choosing to focus more on the economy and jobs.

Romney only briefly mentioned same-sex marriage in his 40-minute acceptance speech, stating that he will ''honor the institution'' of marriage as president.

So far, GOProud has endorsed Romney for president, whereas LCR has not yet announced whether they will officially support Romney.

In Charlotte, N.C., site of the Democratic Party convention from Sept. 4 to Sept. 6, LGBT issues are a more prominent topic.

President Barack Obama's decision to endorse marriage equality, repeal ''Don't Ask, Don't Tell,'' and to stop defending the constitutionality of DOMA has earned him the support of many in the gay community. The convention alone boasts more than 500 LGBT delegates.

Nevertheless, for gay conservatives Obama's support for gay issues is admirable, but does not mean they'll turn that admiration into ballot-box support.

''I'm sure they will be beating the drum on any issue they can think of other than jobs and the economy,'' LaSalvia says of the Democratic National Convention. ''But the reality is most Americans, including gay Americans, are worse off than they were four years ago. This election is much bigger than any other issue. It's about electing a president who can bring our country back and get the economy back on track.''

During the past long weekend – thanks to organized labor – I had a chance to spend about 48 hours in Florida visiting with my mother and meeting her new cat. Those were the highlights.

The lowlight was that the phone kept ringing.

''Oh, it's another political call,'' Dora would say curtly after checking the caller ID. I don't know what tipped her off, or if she was correct in that she would never pick up these suspicious calls, but I'm not surprised by them. Dora is a hot demographic. She's a retired, registered voter in a swing state. Possibly even more curious to the pollsters, she's been registered in Florida as both a Democrat and a Republican. At the moment, she's a registered Republican. It's a leftover from 2010, when she jumped ship so she could vote for Charlie Crist in the GOP Senate primary in hopes of fending off the eventual Marco Rubio win.

We did not, however, talk much about the upcoming election, though I did ask if she and her ''hand and foot'' (a game, I'm told) crowd have been. Nope, not really. They have, however, been talking about 50 Shades of Grey. And Dora also opined a bit about The Villages, the GOP's Central Florida stronghold of seniors ­– not her sort of retirement town. Even with the Republican National Convention in their metaphoric back yard, the election just wasn't a big topic in my mom's 55-and-over restricted condo community.

What Dora and I did talk about was her life, as I continued my effort to record her memories. At 80, there are plenty. She remembers her feelings of despair and confusion when Franklin D. Roosevelt died, as well as sometimes picking up Eleanor Roosevelt's column when the first lady hit a topic that caught her childhood attention. She remembers the jubilation that followed Germany's surrender, as well as the Baltimore swimming pool she went to as a girl, the one with the ''gentiles only'' sign.

Beyond our conversations, I know she's seen so much more. She's lived on Army bases and in foreign capitals. She's lived through the Korean and Vietnam wars. In her lifetime, European colonialism ended. She's divorced. She's been widowed. She's lost a child. She watched the towers fall on 9/11, and remembered that her first husband, since dead, had worked in that burning Pentagon. She can remember a time before any sexual revolution trying to plan her family via the rhythm method, and my dad ripping up her ''flow chart'' when he discovered it under their bed.

The arc of her life has covered plenty of ground, because life just happens. With the passing of time, she could only see more, not less. That's why, again, she's voting for Barack Obama. It wasn't necessarily a given. She's voted, sincerely, for Republicans before. Dora is, after all, a relatively moderate woman. She's pro-choice, but probably doesn't feel too passionately about the union label. She's fiscally conservative and loves a tax break as much as the next retiree.

But it's 2012 and she has a gay son (that's me!) who is legally married to a man. The world she and I live in now is a world away from the one either of us was born into. The son of one of her nieces, my cousin, is a young transman. She probably didn't see that coming, but in commonsense fashion she accepts it as just another part of life and moves on.

Until the GOP does the same – making the tent bigger to accommodate not only gays and pro-choice constituents, but social evolution generally – and becomes a party for the future with a bit more Olympia Snowe and a lot less Todd Akin, it will founder in the past and find that winning yesterday's elections doesn't count for much today or tomorrow.

Will O'Bryan is Metro Weekly's managing editor. Reach him at wobryan@MetroWeekly.com

''We get to do a lot of gay parties or gay events,'' beams Martina Sorbara, singer for the electro-pop band Dragonette. ''I don't know why, what exactly the ingredients are that has made that part of our scene, but we're really lucky to have been embraced so heartily.''

Embraced by the gay community is an understatement. Dragonette has played at Pride events in Toronto and Vancouver, not to mention the Folsom Street Fair in San Francisco and the Ascension circuit party in New York's Fire Island.

Dragonette

(Photo by Kristin Vicari)

And Sorbara has a theory about the band's gay appeal.

''Even though I'm not singing about being gay,'' she says with a laugh, ''it's probably attractive that I'm not some cookie-cutter version of a writhing, sexy girl.''

''I enjoy approaching attraction from a powerful place,'' Sorbara continues. ''Not a degrading or a dominating place, but just like, 'Come here!' I'm not afraid of being sweet or vulnerable, or anything, but that's definitely not all I am.''

Of course, the 33-year-old is the cute, sexy-voiced woman behind last summer's huge club hit ''Hello'' by DJ/producer Martin Solveig. Sorbara started Dragonette with her musician husband Dan Kurtz in 2005 after the two were ''following some whimsy'' playing around with old synthesizers in their basement. Joel Stouffer became the band's third member. The couple has just resettled in its native Toronto after living in London since the band's founding, and before the their collaborations with Basement Jaxx, Cyndi Lauper and Kaskade.

The name Dragonette appealed to Sorbara because it captures what she perceives as the band's style and sound -- a blend of sweet dance with angular punk, creating edgy electronica. ''I liked the contradiction of the dragon [with] the daintiness,'' she says. ''The aggression and the danger with the femininity.'' -- Doug Rule

Dragonette performs Saturday, Sept. 15. Doors at 9 p.m. Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW. Tickets are $16 in advance, or $18 at the door. Call 202-667-4490 or visit blackcatdc.com.

Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe are ready for The Love Boat. As the Pet Shop Boys, the two have even written a song for the outing. Or at least, ''Requiem in Denim and Leopardskin'' echoes 1979's ''Love Boat Theme,'' right down to the cheesy '70s-era synths.

And any potential passenger, beware: You'll do a lot more sleeping than partying on a Pet Shop Boys cruise – if Elysium, the band's 11th studio set, is any guide.

Pet Shop Boys

In fact, it's another nail in the coffin, another argument for Tennant and Lowe just sailing away, never to return to pop land. (As the last track ''Requiem…'' even suggests, Elysium could be the Boys' swan song – ''our last chance for goodbye,'' as Tennant puts it.) Oh yes, Elysium is that bad. Far more than 2009's desultory Yes – or 2002's Release – the Boys, working together for 32 years now, sound almost totally out of ideas. Actually, they're not, a fact they prove on new song ''A Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi,'' the lively electro-pop ditty not included on Elysium but simply as the B-side to the album's first single. By contrast, that first single, ''Winner,'' is the bland, barely winning ballad far more notable for its trans-positive video featuring the London Rollergirls and its transgendered rookie Dirty Diana.

There are momentary glimmers of hope on Elysium, from the dazzling electronic flourishes of ''Everything Means Something" to the sass and sarcasm of ''Ego Music.'' But no track stands strong all on its own, much less up to the duo's pioneering post-disco pop classics such as ''West End Girls,'' ''It's A Sin'' and ''Always On My Mind.'' Album-opener and current single ''Leaving'' may be the most accomplished song here, a simmering synth tune about a couple's dying love that also perfectly captures the immediate predicament of a long-suffering Pet Shop Boys fan. ''Our love is dead,'' Tennant sings, before his despondent words are seconded by a choir. It's something of a sad corollary to the choir that chants happy, early-love expressions on ''Go West,'' the duo's wondrous 1993 Village People cover.

''I can still find some hope to believe in love,'' Tennant further sings on ''Leaving.'' But the joyless Elysium makes the prospect of a listener finding some hope exceedingly difficult. The duo inexplicably aimed to shake things up with this album, its first recorded in the U.S. – and its first with producer Andrew Dawson, who has heretofore chiefly worked as an engineer – not a producer – on albums for Kanye West and Jay-Z. It boggles the mind why they didn't opt to work with überproducer Stuart Price, the man responsible for the band's perfectly realized 2009 tour, not to mention his work producing standout albums by everyone from Madonna to the Scissor Sisters.

''I still quite like some of your early stuff,'' Tennant slyly sings on one track on Elysium. Before that, he actually apologies for the slumbering ''Invisible,'' singing in his wan tenor: ''It's too late, to find an excuse. The party's over and I'm not much use.'' On the insipid ''Breathing Space,'' he says, ''I'm going far, far away. I got to get out.''

Sadly, he speaks the truth.

DOWNLOAD THESE: ''Leaving,'' ''Ego Music''

WHILE THE PET SHOP BOYS SAIL AWAY to a state of irrelevant torpor, Bob Mould sounds more invigorated than he has in a decade, or more. In fact, as Mould explains in an interview with Metro Weekly, Silver Age was intended as a companion to Copper Blue, his record-selling, 20-year-old debut with the power-pop band Sugar. The blistering, bewitching new set starts out with the hard-charging, guitar rocker ''Star Machine,'' and only really lightens up a few momentary times in 38 minutes. ''Never too old to contain my rage,'' the pioneering post-punk rocker sings on the full-throttle title track, which features Jason Narducy's thundering bass guitar work that recalls Nirvana, just one of many bands that Mould – in Sugar or in his original band Husker Du – influenced.

But Mould's rage here is expressed mostly through the music, not the lyrics. After a couple introspective albums, including 2009's brilliant Life and Times, as well as his autobiography, Mould decided to keep his Silver Age lyrical focus mostly just on the surface, without delving too deep into his life or observations. First single ''The Descent'' focuses on a protagonist whose ''descent has now begun, all the music left undone. My world, it is descending.'' But in truth, musically this is Mould at his most melodic and angular, as well as cathartic; it's nothing if not ascendant.

And to think that comes before the colossal ''Fugue State,'' which gallops with serious heat from buzzing bassist Narducy and banging drummer Jon Wurster as Mould sings about the need to escape and move on. ''Everywhere I go,'' he sings in his normal octave, before scaling up to finish the thought with a cry: ''I'm not breathing.''

But Mould is certainly breathing new life into his music career.

DOWNLOAD THESE: ''Star Machine,'' ''The Descent,'' ''Fugue State''

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Maryland Del. Emmett Burns Jr. (D-Baltimore Co.) has written a letter to Steve Bisciotti, the owner of the Baltimore Ravens football team, asking Bisciotti to ''inhibit'' Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo over his advocacy of marriage equality.

In the Aug. 29 letter, posted online by Yahoo! News, Burns, a Baltimore-area minister who is known for his anti-gay stances and voting record in the Maryland General Assembly, asked Bisciotti to ''take the necessary action'' and order Ayanbadejo to ''cease and desist'' from actions expressing his support for marriage equality.

Emmett C. Burns, Jr. (Maryland Delegate for West Baltimore County)

''As a Delegate to the Maryland General Assembly and a Baltimore Ravens Football fan, I find it inconceivable that one of your players, Brendon Ayanbadejo, would publicly endorse same-sex marriage, specifically, as a Ravens Football player,'' Burns wrote. ''Many of my constituents are appalled and aghast that a member of the Ravens Football Team would step into this controversial divide and try to sway public opinion one way or the other.''

Burns also said that most Ravens fans oppose same-sex marriage and feel the debate has no place in football, telling Ayanbadejo to ''concentrate on football and steer clear of dividing the fan base.''

Bisciotti and the Ravens have refused to comment on Burns's letter, telling The Washington Post only that such a letter exists. It does not appear that Ayanbadejo will be censored or reprimanded.

In response, Ayanbadejo took to Twitter, tweeting, ''Football is just my job it's not who I am. I am an American before anything. And just like every American I have the right to speak!!!''

Ayanbadejo, who has almost 16,000 Twitter followers, frequently uses the social-media platform to share his views concerning social or political news, often engaging other Twitter users in conversation. Ayanbadejo most recently tweeted about the Democratic National Convention and speeches given by first Lady Michelle Obama and President Barack Obama, offering his perspective on things like energy independence and his tax bracket.

In terms of his advocacy for marriage equality, Ayanbadejo appeared in a 30-second commercial for the Marylanders for Marriage Equality campaign, the coalition of groups seeking to uphold Maryland's recently passed marriage equality law. He has also offered to donate two tickets to the Ravens' home opener as part of a fundraiser for Marylanders for Marriage Equality. The organization is trying to raise money for efforts encouraging Maryland voters to approve Question 6, a Nov. 6 referendum that, if approved, would uphold the marriage-equality law and make Maryland the seventh state to allow same-sex marriage.

This is not Burns's first time to express outrage over same-sex marriage. He was one of only two Democrats who voted, along with every House Republican delegate, in favor of a failed resolution to impeach Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler (D) after Gansler issued an opinion in 2010 that Maryland law would allow gay and lesbian couples legally married in other states to have their relationships recognized in Maryland. After President Obama expressed support for marriage equality in May, Burns condemned the president's remarks and said he would not be supporting Obama's candidacy and predicted the president would lose re-election.

A spokesman for the Marylanders for Marriage Equality coalition was not immediately available for comment.

Sleepwalk With Me

This much is obvious about comedian Mike Birbiglia: The guy knows how to brush off trauma. After taking a leap through a second-story window of a motel while sleepwalking – a jump that landed him in a hospital with the diagnosis of a rare, dangerous sleep disorder – Birbiglia didn't lick his wounds. He worked.

The incident, which nearly killed him, became fodder for his burgeoning career as a comic storyteller. In a segment on This American Life, during a critically acclaimed off-Broadway run, and even in the pages of a bestselling memoir, Birbiglia related his plate-glass hurdle to the waning days of a terminally ill relationship that was sabotaged by his overwhelming immaturity. Broadly put, that semiconscious swan dive shaped Birbiglia – physically, artistically, commercially – into the man he is today. And now he's put it all on film.

Of course, a thin wall of fiction borders reality in Sleepwalk With Me. Gone is Mike Birbiglia, baby-faced aspiring comic; say hello to "Matt Pandamiglio," an aspiring comic with a baby face. Matt loves Abby (Lauren Ambrose), as he has since their college years, but she's ready for a mature relationship. She wants marriage. She wants kids. She wants to build a life – an adult life – with him. While Matt is pleasant and boyishly charming, husband and father he is not. (He compares loving her to eating "pizza-flavored ice cream.") He's an adult baby, content at suckling his status quo.

Although Sleepwalk With Me candidly inspects how that immaturity can sour a relationship, it's no stranger to flaws of its own. Birbiglia, who also directed and co-wrote the film, can't (or won't) escape his self-centered trappings as a monologist. Consider this: Sleepwalk With Me is the product of thousands of hours Birbiglia spent shaping, editing and performing this story for an audience. It's been part of his professional life for years, and his personal life for magnitudes longer. He knows every beat and turn of what happens. He's tailored the story to convey emotions for the ideal comedic and dramatic effects. But, it's still his story. These are only his emotions. What about everyone else?

Even Birbiglia recognizes this. Before one particularly scummy moment, an older, wiser Matt turns to the camera with an appeal from beyond the fourth wall: "Remember: You're on my side." This aside – apart from being one of the funniest, strongest ties between Sleepwalk and its patron saint, Woody Allen – signals an unexpected empathy for a woman he loved but to whom he wasn't prepared to commit. (It's ironic, sure, but it's empathy all the same.) Birbiglia is acknowledging the pain he caused, critiquing his own story with a reminder that it's not the only story. If you've ever hurt someone – I mean, really tore someone's heart out – you understand how profoundly significant this moment can be. It transcends solipsism.

Sleepwalk With Me is strongest at these moments, when Matt's passion for comedy reaches detente with compassion for the people he's hurt. The Pandamiglio facade falls, leaving in its place a real, tender sorrow about the cost of adulthood. A heart was broken, a relationship splintered, and the man who caused it must grapple with that. Now, it's a part of his story.

Sleepwalk With Me is a sly, funny movie, rife with Mike Birbiglia's familiar brand of charming neurosis. Nevertheless, his real accomplishment isn't making us laugh. It's skewering himself when he knows we won't.

Sony brought its A-game to IFA 2012, one of the world's largest electronic trade shows held annually in Berlin. It also brought its B, C and D-games, too. In fact, Sony pretty much brought an entire alphabet of game, so stocked with announcements was its IFA press conference, covering almost every major tech consumable category. Essentially, the company has delivered an entire brewery of alcohol to a BYOB house party.

Samsung, meanwhile, took a hands-on approach to its IFA press event -- literally, as all of its major announcements involved touch input of some variety. Phones, tablets, laptops, cameras -- Samsung left few stones unturned as it unveiled numerous devices it's bringing to market to tempt buyers. And what temptations they are.

Phones

Sony announced three new smartphones to its crowded but appealing line-up of handsets -- the Xperia T, V, and J. The T is the new top dog, sporting a 4.6-inch 1280x720 Mobile Bravia Engine-powered display, a dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm processor, a 13-megapixel camera (because 8 megapixels are so very last year), NFC capability and, Playstation certification for Sony's Android PlayStation games. The V is a curious mid-ranger, whose standout feature is iPx5/7 water resistance. So, drop it in a puddle and it'll keep on truckin'. Throw it in a pool and we'll ask what you were thinking, but it should still fare well down to about three feet. The V comes with a 4.3-inch 1280x720 display, the same 1.5 GHz dual-core as its big brother and the same 13MP camera.

The smallest of the three is the J. Aimed at budget-conscience but style-aware buyers, it makes do with a 4-inch display, a singe-core 1GHz processor, and a very 2009 5MP camera. However, it's a slender 9.2mm thick, and comes in black, gold, white and pink, so matching it to your equally fashion-conscience outfit should be a cinch. The T launches in the next month, with the V and J before the end of the year.

Samsung confirmed a successor to last year's surprise hit, the Galaxy Note "phablet," with the Galaxy Note II. Forget the S3, this is the greatest phone in the Korean firm's line-up. Last year's Galaxy Note surprised many, with journalists lauding the screen, the processor, the battery life and the overall performance of the handset, but many snubbing it for its size. As it turns out, that size is exactly what caused the Note to outperform Samsung's expectations, selling 10 million units worldwide.

So the Note II has some big shoes to fill -- and it seems to, featuring appreciable jumps in specs. It increases screen size from 5.3 to 5.5 inches, with Samsung's HD Super AMOLED display outputting a 1280x720 resolution, signifying the change from 16:10 to 16:9. At just 9.4mm thick, the Note also includes a larger 3100mAh battery, which promises faster charging times. The increase in juice should also help power the 1.6GHz quad-core Exynos processor. There's Samsung's 8MP camera at the rear, and a 1.9MP front-facing affair for video calls and self-portraits.

Samsung also announced the ATIV S, the world's first Windows Phone 8 device. The beautiful handset, which eschews plastic construction in favor of brushed aluminum, benefits from the hardware updates in Windows Phone 8, and sports the same 4.8-inch 1280x720 HD Super AMOLED display as the Galaxy S3. It's a beautifully crafted handset that befits its premium status.

Tablets

Last year's Tablet S from Sony was a curious device. Launched alongside the Tablet P, it was the more conventional of the two, but sported Sony's unique magazine-style chassis, designed to mimic the feeling of holding a folded magazine. It was a great design, but the humdrum specs and plastic build ensured it never reached the stature of Apple's iPad.

Enter the new Tablet S. This time it bears Sony's Xperia branding, tying it to its smartphone cousins. In terms of specs, it's sadly more of last year's humdrum, although it does feature a metal casing and boasts some strong app selections from Sony, including access to the company's vast music and video vaults (for a price).

The more interesting of Sony's tablets is the newly unveiled VAIO Duo 11, Sony's first touchscreen model for the upcoming Windows 8. It's a hybrid PC, with the 11.6 inch, 1080p touchscreen sliding back to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard. That sliding screen features a digitizer, a boon for artists and fervent note-takers, as it allows for the use of a stylus. Inside, the Duo 11 matches the best of the Ultrabook crowd, with Core i3, i5 and i7 CPUs, 128 or 256GB SSDs, wireless NFC, GPS, and front and rear HD cameras. It's expected to launch near the October 26 release of Windows 8.

Samsung is getting into the Windows 8 swing of things, with three slates showcasing the updated OS, including the 10.1-inch ATIV Tab, one of the new ARM-powered Windows RT slates, which runs a custom version of the Windows 8 OS designed for the low-power SoC hardware. For those who prefer their tablets with full-fat Windows 8, Samsung has the new Series 5 and Series 7. The Series 5 is the budget option, with a 1366x768, 11.6-inch screen, but the more delectable is the Series 7. It too has an 11.6-inch screen, but with a Full HD 1920x1080 resolution. It's also much more powerful, packing an Intel Core i5 processor paired with 4GB of RAM. The Series 5 and 7 will be available at Windows 8's launch on October 26.

TVs

Sony is jumping on the 4K bandwagon with the announcement of its new Bravia KD-84X9005. In layman's terms? An 84-inch LCD TV pumping out content at 3840x2160 resolution. The gorgeous set includes Sony's X-Reality Pro Engine to ensure perfect picture quality, as well as a 10 Unit Live Speaker system. It's also 3D-enabled, and will automatically upscale 3D content, which at this resolution means Full-HD images to both eyes -- as opposed to current 1080p 3D TVs which deliver a 540p image to each eye and combine to make a Full-HD image.

It's not strictly television, but Sony quietly announced its new HMZ-T2 Personal 3D viewer. The headset is a wearable 3D display, giving users a pair of 0.7-inch 3D capable displays utilizing OLED technology to create a Retina-shaming 1280x720 resolution across 1.4 combined inches of screen. Pricing and availability are as yet unannounced, but don't expect it to be cheap. Do expect it to be awesome, though, and likely available in time for the holidays.

Cameras

Think Android, and you're unlikely to think of a dedicated camera. Tablet, smartphone, even TV, but camera? Well, yes, actually. At IFA, Samsung announced the EK-GC100 -- or Galaxy Camera -- an Android Jelly Bean device with a huge 4.8-inch, HD Super Clear LCD display with a 1280x720 resolution. The screen dominates the back of the camera, while on the front, you'll find a 16MP 1/2.33-inch BSI CMOS sensor. Samsung isn't aiming the device at die-hard photographers, but its 21x optical zoom, f/2.8-5.9, 23-480mm lens should ensure that the resulting images are unlikely to disappoint. It comes as part of Samsung's SMART range of cameras, and features WiFi, 3G and 4G radios, microSD card access and a 1650mAh battery. The Galaxy Camera launches this October.

The NEX-5R, meanwhile, is Sony's new mid-range compact, featuring a Sony-developed 16.1 megapixel Exmor APS HD CMOS sensor, identical in size to those found in conventional DSLRs. Low-light sensitivity is touted as ISO 25,600, and the 5R features Sony's Fast Hybrid AF autofocus technology, which combines phase-detection and contrast-detection to "ensure speedy, accurate autofocus in any shooting situation."

In a first for a Sony mirror-less camera, the 5R, launching in October, also features WiFi -- the go-to tech for cameras at the moment -- and introduces Camera Apps, which are designed to enable different shooting modes and styles to further content creation. They will also allow for on-device editing and retouching, with apps being developed to give photographers greater personalization of their photos. Video comes in 1080/60p, and the camera boasts 10fps continuous shooting with autofocus tracking. DLNA is also included, gifting further options to share your holiday snaps with family, or show your friends that really cool flower you just had to get a black and white macro snap of.

Read expanded versions on both Sony and Samsung's offerings at our new technology and gaming blog, Technocrat. Go to metroweekly.com/technocrat. Sign up for email alerts at metroweekly.com/join.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The 2012 Democratic Convention proved to be reflective of the country's ''melting pot'' moniker in multiple ways. The number of LGBT delegates is historical and record-breaking: 486 in total and from every state in the country – a dramatic upswing from the 288 on board for the 2008 convention.

''When you consider what it has been like in the past, it's amazing,'' said Barbara Casbar Siperstein, the first transgender member of the Democratic National Committee and a ''super delegate'' from New Jersey who participated in selecting Charlotte as the site for the convention. ''This year is the first time there have been so many delegates from the trans community, so it makes it an especially historic moment for us.''

DNC director of constituency outreach, Brian Bond, left at lectern, stands with transgender DNC committee member Babs Siperstein. Dr. Dana Beyer is immediately right of Siperstein

(Photo by David Lari/QNotes)

In total, there are 13 openly trans delegates. Several took time to speak directly with QNotes. Here's a look at who they are and some of their thoughts on President Obama, Charlotte, their role in the convention and their hopes for the future:

Dr. Dana Beyer

Beyer is a retired eye surgeon and the executive director of Gender Rights Maryland. She admits the recent passage of Amendment One was a disappointment, but it doesn't diminish her respect for Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. ''I know that Mecklenburg County and other metropolitan areas voted no, so I don't think Amendment One makes Charlotte any less progressive than it was.'' Beyer spoke of President Obama with reverence: ''He's done more for the LGBT community than any previous president. I can't be anything but grateful to this administration.''

Kylar William Broadus

As an African-American transman, Broadus feels his role as a Missouri delegate is unique. ''Overall, my part of the community is relatively invisible. People don't even realize we're out there. I think my presence allows us to address issues regarding race and increases visibility for transmen.''

Of Obama, Broadus said, ''He has led us through one of the most difficult times in American history. I think we owe him another four years to repair the damage by the previous administration that took them eight years to create.''

Janice Covington

A Charlotte resident since 1973, Covington is the chair of TransCarolina, a sitting member of the HRC Carolinas steering committee and a busy LGBT activist (since 1990). She's proud of her election as a delegate, because it required her to cross cultural differences. It was a strategy that paid off: ''I think a lot of the people who voted for me had never even seen anything like me before,'' she joked. ''But they got to know me, they came to like me and then they elected me. Afterwards we all hugged and cried together. It was a great time.''

Covington is confident North Carolina will eventually have to overturn Amendment One, her state's constitutional amendment banning marriage equality. ''It will take some time and we'll have to get a Democratic majority again, but I know we can accomplish it if we all work together.'' She also said she hopes to run for the U.S. Congress in the future.

Amy Hunter

Michigan delegate Amy Hunter is from Kalamazoo. She runs Equality Michigan Pride PAC, and is extremely happy with the accomplishments President Obama has made for the LGBT community and for the country as a whole. ''The broader conversation about equality for all of us makes for a compelling narrative,'' Hunter said in the pages of The Detroit News.

Cris Land

This was Land's first DNC. He's a resident of Columbia County, Ore., and the chair of the Columbia County Democratic Central Committee. In addition to numerous other responsibilities as a trans activist and a member of the Democratic Party, he also works as a management consultant. ''I am honored to go to Charlotte as a trans man elected as a Congressional District Delegate," he noted on the Trans United for Obama website.

Daria Lynn Lohman

From Arizona, Lohman was an alternate delegate, though that didn't make her experience in Charlotte at the DNC any less exciting. ''This is my first National Convention and I am very excited to be here,'' she wrote on Trans United for Obama. A resident of Phoenix, she is a Vietnam Veteran and active in PFLAG.

Arthur Murillo

A delegate from San Francisco, Murrillo's credentials are impressive. He was elected as a delegate to the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Democratic National Conventions and his campaign experience includes work for President Obama, Hillary Clinton and John Kerry.

Lesley Rebecca Phillips

An at-large delegate from Massachusetts, Phillps attended the '04 and '08 conventions as a volunteer. She also confirmed that she attended the 1964 convention (for President Lyndon Johnson) while still a student. In 2008 she was one of the first transgender individuals to be elected to the Democratic State Committee in Massachusetts.

Marissa Richmond

An at-large delegate from Nashville, Tenn., Richmond also serves as the president of the Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition. In 2008, she was the first transgender individual to win an election in that state. This past March, she was re-elected to a third term. For President Obama, she is full of praise: ''He's done a good job with the economic challenges he was handed when he took office. He's an intelligent and thoughtful man, truly with the best of intentions for all Americans. He deserves our support for the next four years.''

Diego Manuel Sanchez

Sanchez is another at-large delegate from Massachusetts. He has been active in the Democratic Party since 1988 and works as a staffer for openly gay Congressman Barney Frank. On the Trans for Obama site, he wrote, ''As a lifelong active Democrat, I'm honored to be working for victorious elections of Democrats everywhere, including President Obama, to lead our country towards LGBT and other equality.''

Jamie Dianne Shiner

A resident of Green Bay, Wis., this was Shiner's first opportunity to serve as a delegate and her first Democratic National Convention. She was happy to confirm her active involvement with Fair Wisconsin, an effort to fight that state's anti-marriage amendment, and her work for the Obama Campaign in 2008. On a personal note, she hopes to get elected to the Democratic National Committee in the near future.

Barbra Casbar Siperstein

Siperstein is an executive committee member of the DNC and the deputy vice chair of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee. In addition to being the president of the New Jersey Stonewall Democrats, she's a published author, small-business owner, veteran and a grandparent. She holds one particularly important distinction: In 2009 she was appointed and confirmed as the first transgender member of the Democratic National Committee.

Sipperstein was impressed with Charlotte and how the convention was handled. ''There are a lot more delegates at this convention than at any other city previously,'' she offered. ''What I've seen so far has been tremendous.''

As for the man she is here to support, Sipperstein said, ''Considering what he started with – he was left a mess – I'm definitely impressed with his accomplishments. We have work to do, but I'm confident the country will realize we can't return to the past.''

Melissa Sklarz

A delegate from the state of New York, Sklarz was recently elected president of the Stonewall Democratic Club of New York City. In 1999, she became the first transgender person elected to office in New York when she became the judicial delegate for the 66th Assembly District. In her biography on Trans For Obama, she touts the importance of transgender individuals coming out: ''Trans political power can increase with increased trans visibility.''

Meghan Stabler

A delegate from Texas, Meghan Stabler is a business executive, transgender advocate and LGBT activist. Another noteworthy fact: She's a member of Obama's 2012 LGBT Leadership Circle. Born in England, today she is an American citizen and was very excited about the friendly Charlotte residents she encountered during the convention. She's effusive about her support for President Obama and the importance of winning this election. ''This isn't about one singular issue,'' Stabler said. ''Who wins this election will set the tone of this country for the next 20 years because they'll be appointing the next judges to the Supreme Court. That's why it's paramount we rally to support our president.''

Democratic National Convention coverage provided by Metro Weekly and QNotes, the leading LGBT community newspaper of North Carolina, based in Charlotte.

The Marine accused of fatally stabbing a fellow Marine in a possible hate crime in the District's Southeast Barracks Row neighborhood April 21 rejected a plea offer this morning, meaning the case against him will move forward.

Michael Poth, 20, of Southeast D.C., who faces a charge of second-degree murder while armed, rejected a plea offer from the government under advisement from his lawyer, David Benowitz. Under the offer, Poth would have pleaded guilty to the charge of second-degree murder while armed and been sentenced to a term of no less than 12 years in prison, possibly longer depending on sentencing guidelines set forth by the presiding judge and agreed to by the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Appearing before Judge William Jackson in D.C. Superior Court this morning, Sept. 7, Poth, through his lawyer, David Benowitz, rejected the plea offer and was scheduled for an Oct. 19 Innocence Protection Act (IPA) hearing, where the defense could decide if they want to ask for DNA testing to prove whether or not there is forensic evidence implicating Poth.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia has previously stated it is not pursuing DNA testing in order to make its case against Poth. Poth remains held without bail as he awaits his scheduled trial, which is set to begin Feb. 19, 2013.

According to charging documents, Poth allegedly crossed paths with 23-year-old Philip Bushong of Camp Lejune, N.C., and a male companion in the 700 block of 8th Street SE as the two were leaving a local bar. The men exchanged words, with Poth threatening to stab Bushong and calling him a ''faggot'' before stabbing him.

Marines who saw Bushong stabbed and detained Poth told police they observed a bloody knife clipped to Poth's pants pocket. Poth later tested positive for artificial marijuana, also known as ''spice.''

Video footage from surveillance cameras around the Barracks Row area, shown at a May 16 preliminary hearing, showed Poth walking in the area, acting erratically and brandishing an object believed to be a knife. The footage also showed Bushong, who was straight, embracing his companion, who is gay, at an earlier time when Poth was passing by.

LGBT-rights organizations are taking aim at one of the conservative movement's most high-profile and controversial events of the year.

Thousands of social conservatives will convene in Washington Sept. 14 to 16 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel for the Values Voter Summit. Organized by the anti-gay Family Research Council and co-sponsored by the American Family Association – which has linked homosexuality to the Holocaust – the annual political conference is defined by its opposition to gay rights and support for ''traditional values.''

The FRC's demonization of LGBT people and their relationship with the conference, which was first held in 2006, has prompted seven left-leaning LGBT advocacy organizations to urge elected officials invited to speak at the conference to reconsider their decision to attend.

In a Sept. 7 letter sent to 15 of the nearly 70 confirmed speakers, the Southern Poverty Law Center, Faithful America, Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Human Rights Campaign, National Black Justice Coalition, National Council of La Raza and People For the American Way Foundation urged invited elected officials not to share the stage and lend their credibility to an ''organization that spreads demonizing falsehoods about other people.''

According to SPLC President Richard Cohen, the message is simple: ''Public officials should not lend the prestige of their office to groups that spread demeaning and false propaganda about other people.''

Republican vice presidential candidate and Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan and House Majority Leader Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) are among those confirmed to address the three-day conference. A spokesperson for Cantor confirmed he will speak as planned. Ryan's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Other confirmed speakers include Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), Gov. Jan Brewer (R-Ariz.), Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), Gov. Bob McDonnell (R-Va.) and Bishop Harry Jackson, one of the loudest voices against marriage equality in the District. Cardinal Timothy Dolan had been advertised as a speaker, but last month the Archdiocese of New York said Dolan received no formal invitation and would not be attending.

According to Faithful America Director Michael Sherrard, Dolan's decision not to attend came after nearly 20,000 people signed a Faithful America petition urging him to boycott the event.

During a conference call earlier today, representatives for the seven LGBT groups emphasized that their criticism of the FRC is not based on the group's opposition to marriage equality, but a long history of painting gay people as ''sick, vile, incestuous, violent, perverted and a danger to the nation.''

''We think that it's remarkable that elected officials like Paul Ryan and Eric Cantor are lending their credibility to an event with these sponsors and these participants,'' said People For the American Way Foundation President Michael Keegan. ''They clearly think they can get away with it. But if people know more about the people behind the Values Voter Summit, these politicians are going to have to explain themselves.''

It was a sentiment echoed by HRC Vice President Fred Sainz, who said it was inappropriate for mainstream politicians who are responsible for advocating for the best interests of all their diverse constituents to appear at an event ''hosted by a group that actively works to banish LGBT people to the outskirts of society.''

''The Family Research Council isn't some policy shop that attempts to find constructive solutions to problems facing our society,'' Sainz added. ''The only thing FRC advocates for is the demonization of those who do not fit into their narrow worldview. They are a hate group that actively spreads blatant lies about LGBT people – with absolutely no regard for the impact of their harmful rhetoric.''

The FRC has been pushed into the public spotlight since Floyd Lee Corkins II, a volunteer at The DC Center, D.C.'s LGBT community center, allegedly walked into FRC headquarters Aug. 15 and shot a security guard in the arm because of the group's political views. Corkins has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, which include assault with intent to kill.

In the aftermath of the shooting, FRC President Tony Perkins attempted to link the SPLC, which has labeled the FRC a ''hate group'' for their demonization of LGBT people, to the shooting.

Perkins said Corkins was ''given a license to shoot an unarmed man by organizations like the Southern Poverty Law Center that have been reckless in labeling organizations as 'hate groups' because they disagree with them on public policy.'' He has also linked President Barack Obama to the shooting.

Nevertheless, SPLC has not backed off their accusation that the FRC spreads hate. In the past, Perkins has labeled pedophilia a ''homosexual problem'' and FRC Executive Vice President Jerry Boykin, who is a retired Army general and scheduled speaker at the summit, has labeled the SPLC an ''evil'' and ''dangerous'' group that is an ''anti-American, anti-Christian, anti-Semitic, Marxist organization.''

Asked by Metro Weekly if he is concerned the FRC will use the letter as a means to further the organization's identity as the victim of political progressives, Cohen said he hopes the mainstream media will draw attention to what the FRC actually stands for rather than the public face Perkins portrays.

''They're trying to make a false equivalency,'' Cohen said. ''I just hope the media makes the distinction.''

It's a reflexive statement that has effectively passed into cliché, but when gay Republicans say that gay people aren't ''single-issue'' voters they have a point, well illustrated by the fact that a quarter of LGBT voters sided with John McCain in 2008. Some in our community prioritize or think about issues in a way that makes them more comfortable with the GOP than with Democrats. Fair enough in a free country.

But the unstated point of the cliché is that LGBT people who vote Democratic are monolithically single-issue — or, worse in the minds of many conservatives, far-left liberals simply ticking off items on a menu provided by Move On and Daily Kos. Unsurprising and pretty much the language both ends of the political spectrum use to define their opponents.

That's not a prelude to a false-equivalence column where I find ways to go on about how the right and left wings are equally craven. We can leave that for CNN and The Washington Post. It's just the frame I have for my own already declared support for President Obama, which, despite how much I write about gay things — it is my job, after all — isn't completely contingent on the president's LGBT record.

Yes, political progress for our community has been amazing over the past four years, to the point that the 27 percent of LGBT McCain voters should seriously consider switching. But in terms of my own support, those successes are not the entirety of my reasons for supporting the president.

There are other things equally important to me. I want a government that pursues rational economic policies. I want a foreign policy predicated on diplomacy and engagement, that avoids reckless wars. As a small-business owner, I want a healthier economy that spurs business growth and lets me hire employees and provide adequate benefits. I'm a ''small c'' capitalist who believes in the shared responsibilities of society.

Not long ago, this would have made me a run-of-the-mill establishment Republican. In these days of right-wing irrational ideology, it makes me a solid Democratic vote. Two recent moments really clarify this for me.

First was Paul Ryan's Sunday interview on Face the Nation. Mitt Romney and Ryan claim that they can balance the nation's debt by cutting taxes and eliminating tax ''loopholes.'' Implied in a claim that you can reduce the deficit through closing loopholes is the idea that you know some loopholes that should be closed. But asked to name one, Ryan refuses, going as laughably far as to say that he didn't want to have the debate over loopholes in public but in Congress. Ah, courage!

As entertaining as it is to see Ryan self-destruct his ''truth-telling'' reputation, it's appalling to see a candidate for a major party lie so blatantly.

The second thing was Romney's wildly misguided insertion of his weirdly smiling face into the aftermath of the murder of U.S. diplomats in Libya. The falsity of Romney's attack is well documented elsewhere. But it's the craven nature of his attack that fills me with dread that this man still has some chance of being president. He possesses the right to criticize the administration's foreign policy; he lacks the judgment to at least wait until we get the bodies of our dead home before launching a desperate attack by press conference.

I keep wanting to believe that the decline of the Republicans as a serious political party — rather than a warmongering, nativist party that promises people the world while promising they won't have to pay for it — would have to hit bottom sooner rather than later. But Romney and Ryan are showing that for a shot at the White House they'll always be ready to take it down another notch.

Sean Bugg is the co-publisher of Metro Weekly. You can reach him at sbugg@MetroWeekly.com or follow him on Twitter, @seanbugg.

If your idea of a little something extra is WAMU's thoughtful Kojo Nnamdi, you're in luck this season. He'll be hitting all sorts of topics at the University of Maryland. If your tastes run a bit edgier, there's plenty of Joey Arias to be had at L'Enfant Cafe, or take in Margaret Cho in Annapolis. Or finally get to the bottom of the difference between a plain ol' olive and a really good olive oil when Ina Garten comes to Sixth & I Historic Synagogue.

AFI SILVER THEATRE

8633 Colesville Road Silver Spring 301-495-6720 afi.com/Silver

Ballet In Cinema: Bolshoi Ballet's La Sylphide – A simulcast from Russia offering a production of one of the oldest surviving romantic ballets, dating to 1836 (10/13, 10/15) Opera In Cinema: Teatro Comunale di Bologna's L'Italiana in Algeri – Simulcast of Rossini's opera in a production starring Anna Maria Sarra and Michele Pertusi (10/14) Ballet In Cinema: Nederlands Dans Theater's Move to Move (10/19) Ballet In Cinema: La Scala Ballet's L'Altra Meta del Cielo (10/21-22) Opera In Cinema: Opera on Sydney Harbour's La Traviata – Simulcast of Verdi's famous opera in a production starring Emma Matthews and Jonathan Summers (11/3, 11/8) Ballet In Cinema: Royal Ballet's Swan Lake – Black swan and white swan go at it in this, the classic ballet by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with music by Tchaikovsky (11/4-5) Opera In Cinema: Teatro Regio di Torino's Un Ballo in Maschera – Another Verdi opera, a production starring Gregory Kunde, Gabriele Viviana and Oksana Dyka (11/6)

THE ALDEN

McLean Community Center 1234 Ingleside Ave. McLean, Va. 703-790-0123 aldentheatre.org

Hot Club of San Francisco's Cinema Vivant – Guitar-heavy ''gypsy jazz'' group performs while screening silent films by pioneering stop-action animator Ladislas Starewicz, plus one by original live-action animator Charley Bowers (11/17) Dick Gregory – African-American comedian, who got his start alongside Bill Cosby and is credited with helping change how white Americans perceive black comedians, talks of his work with Martin Luther King Jr. in observance of the late civil rights leader's birthday (1/19/13)

ARLINGTON CINEMA N' DRAFTHOUSE

2903 Columbia Pike Arlington 703-486-2345 arlingtondrafthouse.com

TJ Miller – Comic actor from Get Him to the Greek, who could be the twin straight brother of Chelsea Lately's Fortune Feimster (9/15) Dave Foley – The Kids in the Hall and News Radio star comes to town for stand-up (9/21-22) Cool Cow Comedy Showcase – A 60-minute comedy show every Thursday night ThreeGuysOn's The Final Draft – Popular comedy podcast offers stand-up every Friday night Open Mic Stand-Up Comedy – A free-for-all every Saturday night

BARNS AT WOLF TRAP

1645 Trap Road Vienna 703-255-1900 wolf-trap.org

America's National Parks: Through the Artist's Lens, Volume 2 – Wolf Trap Opera Company vocalists and pianist perform songs paired with the nature photography of Wolf Trap's Terre Jones (2/15/13) Broadway's Next H!t Musical – Improvisers invent a new Broadway musical smash on the fly, based on audience suggestions, whip-smart accompaniment and razor-sharp talent (4/12-13/13) 28th Annual Evening of Comedy – Nationally recognized comedians perform side-splitting stand-up (5/3-4/13)

BLACK CAT

1811 14th St. NW 202-667-4490 blackcatdc.com

Dr. Who Happy Hour – One episode of Dr. Who and drink specials every Friday, for free Hellmouth Happy Hour – One episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and drink specials every Saturday, for free

THE BIRCHMERE

3701 Mount Vernon Ave. Alexandria 703-549-7500 birchmere.com

Raven's Night 2012 – Belladonna & Bohemian Belly Dance present a twisted cabaret in time for Halloween (10/20) Kate Clinton – Lesbian comic stops in the swing state two weekends before the election for a show she's calling All Fracked Up! (10/26) Paula Poundstone – Longtime standup comic, self-proclaimed "virginish" and "asexual," is these days usually the funniest person on NPR's amusing weekend news quiz show Wait Wait… Don't Tell Me! (11/17) A John Waters Christmas – The gay filmmaker returns for his annual show (12/10) Four Bitchin' Babes – ''Jingle Babes'' edition (12/14-15) Suzanne Westenhoefer (2/1/13)

BUSBOYS AND POETS

2021 14th St. NW 202-387-POET busboysandpoets.com

Tuesday Night Open Mic Poetry – Wide-ranging topics and speakers for two hours every Tuesday The 11th Hour Poetry Slam – Opportunity for poetry lovers to enjoy the competitive art of late-night performance poetry Sunday Kind of Love Open Mic Poetry – Featuring emerging and established poets in an open-mike segment Story League Story Contest – Every third Wednesday of the month brings ''story shows,'' or collaborative story-performing exercises in which storytellers get guidance on honing their craft; the best wins $100 SPARKLE Queer Open Mic – Queer-friendly, queer-focused reading series, hosted by Regie Cabico and Danielle Evennou (9/26, at 1025 5th St. NW location) Nine on the Ninth Open Mic Poetry – The 9th of every month, at 9 p.m.

CLARICE SMITH PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

University of Maryland College Park 301-405-ARTS claricesmithcenter.umd.edu

Creative Dialogue: The Scientific Method and the Creative Process – WAMU's show host extraordinaire Kojo Nnamdi moderates a brainy panel of artists and scientists, including UMD professors Bill Dorland and Hasan Elahi and choreographer Liz Lerman, exploring the cognitive spaces where art and science meet (9/18) Creative Dialogue: Creativity and the Elder Artist – Another brainy panel moderated by Kojo Nnamdi, this time focused on studies that suggest the aging process can be slowed down by older adults engaging in creative activities (10/16) Creative Dialogue: Writing and Celebrating in the African-American Tradition – Kojo Nnamdi hosts still another panel, this one focused on Christmas and holiday traditions in communities of the African diaspora (11/26) Health Holiday Soul Food Alternatives with Chef Kenny Clay – Executive chef of Clyde's of Gallery Place cooks up samples and shares recipes in this event co-sponsored by Prince George's County Memorial Library System (12/3-4) Creative Dialogue: A Conversation about Women and Resistance – Kojo Nnamdi strikes again, this time with a panel on the tensions women across cultures face in public demands and private desires (4/1/13) Creative Dialogue: Considering the Human Condition: On Behalf of Nature – Doesn't Kojo Nnamdi get tired of talking? He returns to moderate a panel discussing how science, art and spirituality can influence the way we are living on the planet (4/29/13)

DAR CONSTITUTION HALL

1776 D St. NW 202-628-1776 dar.org/conthall/

Kathy Griffin (10/19) Shaq's All Star Comedy Jam (11/3)

DC IMPROV

1140 Connecticut Ave. NW 202-296-7008 dcimprov.com

Neal Brennan – Co-creator of Comedy Central's Chappelle's Show (9/13-16) John Caparulo – Regular funny, schlubby comedian on Chelsea Lately (9/20-23) DC Improv Comedy School Cast – A night of improv comedy starring the house-grown troupe (9/21, 10/17, 10/26) Mitch Fatel (9/27-30) Tom Papa (10/4-6) Erin Jackson – As seen on Last Comic Standing and The Ellen DeGeneres Show (10/7) Jason Weems (10/11-13) Ari Shaffir (10/19-21) Jim Breuer (10/26-28) Bob Marley -– Not that Bob Marley (11/14-18) Donnell Rawlings (11/23-25) Dave Attell (11/29-12/2) Paul Mecurio (12/5-9) Alonzo Bodden (12/13-16) Loni Love – The best guest panelist on Chelsea Lately returns to the DC Improv, courtesy of Santa Claus (12/19-22) Adam Ferrara (12/28-31) Huggy Lowdown and Chris Paul – From Magic 102.3's Tom Joyner Morning Show (1/17-20/13)

FOLGER SHAKESPEARE LIBRARY

201 East Capitol St. SE 202-544-7077 folger.edu

Elizabethan Garden Tours – Docents offer tours of the Folger garden, inspired by herbal references in Shakespeare's plays and also incorporating plants popular in his time, plus a knot garden and Shakespearean statues by American sculptor Greg Wyatt (9/19, 10/17) Yale Series of Younger Poets: Carl Phillips and Eduardo C. Corral (9/17) Jeffrey Eugenides – Pulitzer Prize-winner for Middlesex reads from his new novel, The Marriage Plot, a 21st century variation on Jane Austen, focused on a love triangle among three college students (9/24) Early Music Seminar: LONDON – Folger's artistic director Robert Eisenstein offers insight into composers and their world (9/26) Deborah Harkness: The Experience of Early Modern London – UCLA professor and expert on Elizabethan London discusses what it would have felt like to move around and through the early modern city (9/27) Poets on Politics: Nikky Finney, Brian Turner and Kwame Dawes – One week before Election Day the O.B. Hardison Poetry Series explores the role of politics in the literary landscape today (10/30) Peter Sis – MacArthur fellow and Caldecott award winner and a seven-time honoree by The New York Times Book Review for Best Illustrated Book of the Year (11/2) Ricky Jay – One of the world's great sleight-of-hand artists and author speaks on topic of ''Deception'' (11/8) Robert Stone & Lauren Groff: Authors will speak about ''the idealism and aftermath of utopian aspirations'' (11/12) Stephen Landrigan & Qais Akbar Omar: Shakespeare in Kabul (11/16) The Anthony Hecht Poetry Prize: Mark Strand & Chris Andrews (11/19) Emily Dickinson Birthday Tribute: Kay Ryan (12/3) The PEN/Malamud Award: James Salter (12/7) Shakespeare's Birthday Lecture 2013: Andrew Hadfield – University of Sussex professor offers a lecture titled ''Graymalkin and Other Shakespearean Celts'' (4/8/13) Folger Gala – The venue's most important fundraiser of the year (4/11) Shakespeare's Birthday Open House – Jugglers, jesters, musicians and actors all re-create the time and stories of Shakespeare for this party, complete with a birthday cake and tour of the reading rooms (4/21)

FORD'S THEATRE

511 10th St. NW 202-397-7328 ticketmaster.com

History on Foot Walking Tours – Actors playing characters from Civil War-era Washington lead two weekend morning tours through downtown D.C.: ''A Free Black Woman: Elizabeth Keckly'' focuses on a confidante to first lady Mary Todd Lincoln, while ''Investigation: Detective McDevitt'' follows a detective investigating the Lincoln assassination (McDevitt runs now through October; Keckly is by appointment) Tuskegee Airmen: Dreaming of Skies to Conquer – Free panel discussion with airmen discussing the history and influence of the group on the American military, civil rights and related issues (10/1) Counting the Brave and the True – Free panel discussion exploring diversity in the armed forces and how it relates to the Civil Rights Movement and contemporary issues (10/8) Brig. Gen. Tammy Smith & David Hall: Staying the Course – Free panel discussion exploring the future of the armed forces with the first openly gay officer of flag rank in the U.S. military and a former Air Force cadet captain and flight commander discharged under ''Don't Ask Don't Tell'' (10/15)

GALA HISPANIC THEATRE

3333 14th St. NW 202-234-7174 galatheatre.org

Cine Mexicano: Primer Ciclo: La pantalla comica – Cinema Tropical's Carlos Gutiérrez curates this film series, part of GALA's Arteamerica programming with the Washington Performing Arts Society, of landmark Mexican comedic films, including the lucha libra films of the '60s to directors Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal of today (10/12-14) Saulo Garcia in Entrada Gratis – Raucous Colombian comedian and commentator pokes fun at the little white lies we all must learn to live with in this stand-up directed by Yoshvani Medina and presented by Arteamerica (12/7-8) Fiesta de los Reyes Magos – GALA's traditional Three Kings celebration (1/6/13)

HILLWOOD MUSEUM & GARDENS

4155 Linnean Ave. NW 202-686-8500 hillwoodmuseum.org

Gay Day – Activities at the 11th annual Gay Day at Hillwood include an LGBT family garden party with Rainbow Families DC, "Punch on the Portico," exclusive peeks into rooms not usually open to the public, vintage cars from Straight Eights, and performances by singers from the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington and DC Lambda Squares (9/15) Nuit de la Mode (Night of Style) & Art All Night – Hillwood teams up with Alliance Française de Washington and Art Soirée for an evening of fashion, culture and art (9/22) Hands-on Workshop: How to Get Your Orchid to Rebloom (10/13, 10/20) Spooky Pooch Howl-o-ween Celebration – This one's gone to the dogs (10/27) Fabulous Wreath Workshop (12/1, 12/15) Russian Winter Festival (12/8-9) Fabergé Egg Family Festival – Festive Russian folk music and storytelling and a centuries-old egg-rolling game, plus workshop to decorate your own Fabergé-inspired egg (3/23-24/13)

JOE'S MOVEMENT EMPORIUM

3309 Bunker Hill Road Mount Rainier, Md. 301-699-1819 joesmovement.org

Thrill The World 2012 – A worldwide event honoring the music of Michael Jackson, featuring dancing zombies thrilling spectators in time for Halloween (10/27) Ayanna Gregory – Daughter of the Struggle is an autobiographical one-woman show by a daughter of civil-rights activist Dick Gregory (11/10) Va Va VOOM – Local alternative performance artists offer a night of burlesque, comedy and daring feats, all over booze and finger foods (12/15)

JOSEPH MEYERHOFF SYMPHONY HALL

1212 Cathedral St. Baltimore 410-783-8000 ticketmaster.com

Baltimore Speakers Series: President Bill Clinton (10/16) Baltimore Speakers Series: Jeannette Walls – Journalist for New York, USA Today and MSNBC and author of bestselling memoir The Glass Castle (10/30) Bill Engvall – Blue-collar comedy (11/9) Baltimore Speakers Series: Lisa Ling – A former cohost of The View, Ling is known for her passionate and in-depth coverage of difficult international stories (11/27) Louis C.K. (12/31) Baltimore Speakers Series: P.W. Singer – Currently a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a preeminent specialist on 21st century warfare (1/15/13) The Intergalactic Nemesis: Live Action Graphic Novel, Book One: Target Earth – An uproarious and nostalgic look back at the glory days of radio plays, rolled into one very modern stage performance (1/18/13) Baltimore Speakers Series: Erskine Bowles – Former Clinton White House chief of staff and president of the University of North Carolina system who most recently served as co-chair of the bipartisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform (2/4/13) Baltimore Speakers Series: Vincente Fox – Former president of Mexico (3/19/13) Baltimore Speakers Series: Nando Parrado – A Uruguayan rugby player, one of 16 survivors of a plane crash in the Andes Mountains that inspired the movie Alive (4/16/13)

KENNEDY CENTER

202-467-4600 kennedy-center.org

Jason Moran, David Alan Grier and Dr. Charles Limb – ''All in the Timing: A Discussion of Comedy and Jazz'' features a discussion about improvisation, the creative process and the intersections of comedy and jazz (11/10) Yvonne Caruthers's Virtuosos ''R'' Us – National Symphony Orchestra cellist guides participants through the building blocks of a concerto: ossias, rubato and cadenzas (1/14/13) Saul Lilienstein: Becoming Mozart – Musicologist traces the evolution of Mozart, from wonder child of Salzburg to final years of artistic triumph in Vienna (3/4/13) Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings the Band – Explore the Arts offers a screening followed by a discussion of Carol Bash's new documentary on the life and legacy of renowned jazz pianist, composer and arranger, as well as namesake of the Kennedy Center's concurrent Women in Jazz Festival (5/18/13)

L'ENFANT CAFE AND BAR

Joey Arias

2000 18th St. NW 202-319-1800 lenfantcafe.com

SpeakEasy: The Bar d'O Reunion w/Joey Arias, Sherry Vine and Raven-O – Singing drag star Joey Arias kicks off another round of his select Sundays event, featuring a three-course dinner and cabaret, with two other singing divas who got their start at the legendary former West Village venue Bar d'O (9/16) SpeakEasy: Joey Arias and Lady Bunny – The extremely funny Bunny, founder of Wigstock, returns to D.C. only a month after performing with Town's drag queens (9/30) HRC Dinner After-Party with Paddy Boom – Former Scissor Sisters drummer will spin a retro style of music and even factor in live percussion for a party after the national HRC dinner (10/6) SpeakEasy: Joey Arias & His Band – Noted jazz bassist helps fill out Arias's bottom (10/14) SpeakEasy: Joey Arias and Flotilla DeBarge – Expect a spooky good time right before Halloween; heck, might as well even dress up for the occasion (10/28) Joey Arias & Friends (11/11) Mike Albo & Margo Gomez Make Queer Comedy – New York nightlife comedy darlings tag-team for a night of bright, brash, hilarious, gay hijinks (11/18) Speakeasy: The Holiday Cabaret feat. Joey Arias and Flotilla DeBarge – Be on the lookout for mistletoe (12/9)

LISNER AUDITORIUM AT GWU

730 21st St. NW 202-994-6800 lisner.org

Jeffrey Brown & Scott Simon: Searching for Civil Dialogue in a Divided America – PBS NewsHour senior correspondent and NPR Weekend Edition Saturday host discuss how to break through the current partisan political fervor in an event co-sponsored by GW's Graduate School of Political Management and School of Media and Public Affairs (9/20) Bill O'Reilly – yes, ''Papa Bear,'' as Stephen Colbert fake-lovingly calls him (10/6) Salman Rushdie – In Joseph Anton: A Memoir, the Booker Prize winner recounts the nine years he lived under constant police protection – and a code name – while the Iranian government had a fatwa out on his life for writing the novel The Satanic Verses (10/8)

NATIONAL BOOK FESTIVAL

National Mall 3rd and 7th Streets NW loc.gov/bookfest

President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama are honorary chairs once again for the National Book Festival, now in its 12th year. The Library of Congress organizes the event featuring the nation's best and best-selling authors discussing their work and interacting with fans. This year's festival is especially notable for the rare inclusion of a book on LGBT life, Christopher Bram's Eminent Outlaws: The Gay Writers Who Changed America, a complement to this year's overall theme (and current Library of Congress exhibition), ''Books That Have Shaped America.'' Others in this year's lineup include: Douglas Brinkley, Donna Britt, Thomas Friedman, Steve Inskeep, Jeffrey Toobin, Eric Weiner, Daniel Yergin, Julie Nixon Eisenhower, Walter Isaacson, Tony Horwitz, Chris Matthews, Stephen L. Carter, Patricia Cornwell, Mario Vargas Llosa, Junot Diaz, Jeffrey Eugenide (9/22-23)

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC LIVE!

Grosvenor Auditorium NGS Headquarters 1600 M St. NW 202-857-7700 nglive.org

The Arab Table – Jordanian author May Bsisu explains the traditions and occasions surrounding her most delectable dishes contained in her recipes book, followed by a sampling (9/18) 2012 All Roads Film Festival – Showcasing indigenous- and minority-culture film, photography and music (9/17-11/18) The Longest Way Home – The actor Andrew McCarthy – yes, the former ''brat packer,'' is also now a travel writer, and he talks about how exploring the world has helped him find ''the courage to settle down'' (9/21) Sky Caves of Nepal – Climber Peter Athans, climber/photographer Cory Richards and archaeologist Mark Aldenderfer discuss their explorations of a treasure-laden cave complex in a crumbling sandstone cliff in remote Nepal (10/4) Cultures on the Edge – A former assistant to Ansel Adams, Chris Rainier offers a new book that illuminates present-day societies vulnerable to powerful changes (10/5) Solar System Exploration @ 50 – Bill Nye, ''the Science Guy'' and a distinguished panel of leading NASA scientists celebrate our planetary discoveries (10/24) What Makes a Society Successful: A Look at Human and Chimpanzee Communities (12/11) Irish Christmas in America (12/15)

PATRIOT CENTER

George Mason University 4500 Patriot Circle Fairfax 703-993-3000 patriotcenter.com

Disney on Ice presents Rockin' Ever After (10/17-21) tobyMac w/Special Guests (12/7) Sesame Street Live: Can't Stop Singing (12/13-16)

RAM'S HEAD ON STAGE

33 West St. Annapolis 410-268-4545 ramsheadonstage.com

Margaret Cho – Queer comedian's new standup show, Mother, offers an untraditional look at motherhood and strong women, and surely – hopefully – will include Cho riffing on her own mother (9/25) The Living Corpse: Screening + Signing – Capital Comics presents Buz Hasson and Ken Haeser, creators of the underground hit graphic novel, now featuring a computer-animated adaptation (9/29) Paula Poundstone (12/8)

SIXTH & I HISTORIC SYNAGOGUE

600 I St. NW 202-408-3100 sixthandi.org

Wyclef Jean – Hip-hop/soul artist discusses his new memoir Purpose: An Immigrant's Story (9/20) Bleus & Brews: A Seasonal Beer and Cheese Tasting with the Beer Activist – Chris O'Brien, author of Fermenting Revolution: How to Drink Beer and Save The World, teams up with Adam Smith of Cowgirl Creamery for this hoppy and cheesy event (10/11) Mock The Vote: Pre-Election Comedy Showcase – Jordan Carlos, Stephen Colbert's black friend ''Alan'' on The Colbert Report; Jeff Kreisler, head writer for The War Room with Jennifer Granholm; and Lee Camp, contributor to The Onion, form a comedic SuperPAC for this event hosted by Brian Parise (10/13) Daniel Smith – Author explores his 16-year struggle with anxiety in Monkey Mind: A Memoir of Anxiety (10/15) Zadie Smith – Author most recently of the tragi-comic novel NW (10/18) Ina Garten: In Conversation with Bonnie Benwick – The Barefoot Contessa and The Washington Post food editor talk shop (10/31) Why Women Still Can't Have It All – A panel discussion with The Atlantic's Anne-Marie Slaughter, Hanna Rosin and James Bennet (11/5)

SPEAKEASYDC

240-888-9751 speakeasydc.com

Unraveled w/Washington Improv Theater – Local storytelling juggernaut SpeakEasyDC teams with local improvising masters WIT to bring a mash-up of true stories and improvisation, unraveling the possibilities lurking inside each story (9/22, Atlas) Paranormal Activity: Stories about Hauntings, Clairvoyance and Alien Abductions (10/9, Town Danceboutique) Story Showdown – A Price Is Right-themed ''storytelling game show'' competition hosted by Rob Parker (real-name Kevin Boggs) (11/2-3, Dance Place) Rock The Vote: Stories about Popularity, Power and Scandal (11/13, Town) Sucker for Love (2/14-16/13, Dance Place) SpeakeasyDC's You Make Daddy Cry: Stories about Being a Father (6/15/13, Dance Place)

STRATHMORE

5301 Tuckerman Lane North Bethesda 301-581-5100 strathmore.org

Fran Lebowitz and Frank Rich: A State of the Union Conversation – Cultural satirist and legendary New York critic and essayist engage in a lively onstage conversation focused on themes from the presidential election race (10/19, Music Center) David Sedaris – The famous gay satirist and hilarious essayist reads from some of his favorite works and takes questions from the audience (10/23, Music Center) Symposium: Unified Elements of Tattooing – Paul Roe of British Ink on H Street NE leads a discussion on the art of the tattoo, from ancient Egypt to today, a complement to Strathmore's tattoo-heavy ''Skin'' exhibit (10/27, Mansion) Billy Collins & Mary Oliver – Former U.S. poet laureate, dubbed ''the most popular poet in America'' by The New York Times, reads from his humorous and witty poetry alongside a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet sharing excerpts from her latest project, A Thousand Mornings (10/28, Music Center) Luma Theater – Spectacular light show offering inspired, whimsical, funny and awe-inspiring creations (2/23/13, Music Center)

THE STATE THEATRE

220 North Washington St. Falls Church 703-237-0300 thestatetheatre.com

$5 Comedy Night – A cheap night of standup (9/21) Steve Solomon – My Mother's Italian, My Father's Jewish & I'm in Therapy (10/14) Andres Lopez – Comedy (10/17) An Evening of Comedy: Johnny Rizzo and Jane Condon (10/23)

VERIZON CENTER

601 F St. NW 202-628-3200 verizoncenter.com

Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain Tour – Fresh from guest hosting Chelsea Lately, the cute, diminutive comedian is on the up and up (10/20) 54rd Annual Washington International Horse Show (10/23-28) Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey: Dragons (3/21-24/13)

WARNER THEATRE

513 13th St. NW 202-397-SEAT warnertheatre.com

Lewis Black – Black is back, back in Black, for hometown crowds reaching election-fever pitch (9/27-29) Eckhart Tolle – German-born Canadian once called the ''most spiritually influential person in the world'' (10/4) Maz Jobrani (10/6) Anjelah Johnson – Best known for her work on MADtv (10/13) The Price Is Right: Live Stage Show (10/25)

WEST END CINEMA

2301 M St. NW 202-419-FILM westendcinema.com

Ballet In Cinema: Nederlands Dans Theater's Move to Move – An evening of four contemporary dance masterpieces that The New York Times raves ''if you see one live performance this year [this] is the one to see'' (9/24, 9/29) Opera In Cinema: Opera on Sydney Harbour's La Traviata – Opera Australia performs on a floating stage under the stars in a production directed by Francesca Zambello (10/1, 10/6) Ballet In Cinema: Bolshoi Ballet's La Sylphide (10/8, 10/20) Opera In Cinema: Teatro Regio di Torino's Un Ballo in Maschera – What's more timeless than a tale of a politician in love with somebody else's wife? A new production of Verdi's opera stars Gregory Kunde as the amororous Riccardo (10/29, 11/3) Ballet In Cinema: Royal Ballet's Swan Lake – Probably the greatest of all romantic ballets, Anthony Dowell offers a definitive production of the classic with music by Tchaikovsky and choreography by Petipa (11/5, 11/10) Opera In Cinema: La Scala's Siegfried – Daniel Barenboim conducts a new production from Wagner's Ring Cycle (11/12, 11/17) Opera In Cinema: Royal Opera House's Le Nozze di Figaro – David McVicar's wonderfully illuminating production of Mozart's classic (12/3, 12/8)