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Meeting NoVa Health Needs: Northern Virginia's Gay Men's Health Collaborative building a brand that's part health resource, part social club

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Due in part to the state's historically conservative tilt and anti-gay policies that have been enacted in state law, Virginia is often viewed as having a dearth of resources for LGBT people, particularly gay, bisexual or transgender men.

It's that reputation that James Leslie hopes to counter through his work with the Gay Men's Health Collaborative (GMHC), an initiative intended to provide HIV-prevention services and resources to at-risk LGBT residents of Northern Virginia.

Leslie, an HIV-health educator and gay men's health coordinator at Inova Fairfax Hospital, which houses the offices of GMHC, says he wants GMHC to provide the kinds of services for Northern Virginia's LGBT community that nonprofit community health center Whitman-Walker Health does for residents of the District.

Leslie says the need for intervention and prevention services has become increasingly apparent following the late-June closure of the Northern Virginia AIDS Ministry (NOVAM), an organization that provided HIV/AIDS-related prevention and educational services. NOVAM's closure essentially left Northern Virginia without a primary health resource focused on gay men. Leslie also points out that there are very few social opportunities for LGBT people, particularly GBT men, whose rates of infection are higher, to socialize or find support outside of gay bars, most of which are located in the District.

To address those needs, GMHC has adopted a two-pronged approach, facilitating programs geared not only toward HIV-prevention and overall physical health, but building individuals' self-esteem and bolstering their mental and emotional well-being.

On the testing end, GMHC holds its Rainbow Tuesdays Clinic, which provides free, confidential HIV testing and STI screenings on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month, in conjunction with the Alexandria Health Department. GMHC has also held HIV testing at various locations in Northern Virginia, such as Freddie's Beach Bar in Arlington, and Lotus Blooms, an adult boutique in Old Town Alexandria, which will host a testing session from 6 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 21. STI screenings may be offered in addition to HIV testing, if space at those alternative locations permits.

On the social side, Leslie has organized several events for Virginia residents to make new acquaintances through activities in alcohol-free environments. Some "GBT Men's Meetups" or other outings planned for the future include bowling, movie nights, game nights, and visiting a waterpark in Manassas, Va. The social events are intended to provide GBT men the chance to make new friends and build their own social networks and support systems.

"We want to have a space for people outside the city that's not a bar," says Leslie.

GMHC's activities are funded by a grant from the Virginia Department of Health and private donations, and Leslie says he is meticulous about providing regular reports and updates about how he is spending the grant money to carry out GMHC's various programs. He says he hopes the Department of Health will renew the grant as long as he can show the need for such prevention and support services.

GMHC is currently putting together a special project called "Chosen Families," a photo exhibit where LGBT people take pictures of themselves, their partners, their adoptive or biological families, and – in some cases – their friends who act as a "substitute" family, as part of an effort to showcase the diversity of loving, supportive relationships within the LGBT community and reduce the social stigma sometimes placed on LGBT individuals, their families and those on whom they rely for emotional support.

The project is going to be displayed at a Sept. 30 reception at Alexandria's Charles E. Beatley Library in Alexandria. Leslie is in discussions with other libraries to see if they would be interested in housing the photo exhibit on a rotating basis.

"The idea is that the family you're born with isn't always the one that supports you, that's there for you when you need them to be," says Leslie.

GMHC's "Chosen Families" project will debut at a reception at the Charles E. Beatley Library, at 5005 Duke St., Alexandria, Monday, Sept. 30. The reception runs from 6 to 8 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, contact James Leslie at 703-321-2511 or James.leslie@inova.org.

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Change Is Good: Taking time to emphasize the positive doesn't mean turning a blind eye to the world's woes

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Opinion:

My Facebook identity needs a change. For weeks, my profile photo has been the Trayvon Martin stylized black-and-white hoodie. My cover photo is Evgeny Feldman's Associated Press photo of activists in Moscow holding a rainbow banner that reads "Homophobia Is the Religion of Bullies."

I chose the Martin profile picture because as a high school kid in Florida, driving home from work one night, I was trailed by a police officer. All I knew was headlights were following me, and I tried to evade them. There easily could've been an accident as I careened around corners with what I guessed to be some fag-bashing guys from the football team in hot pursuit. After a mile or so, the officer finally turned on his flashing lights. I immediately pulled over, of course. Lucky for both of us no harm had been done, though I certainly would've gotten the blame had there been. I learned then that if you're going to trail someone, you're surely responsible for whatever happens next.

The Moscow protest photo stands as a reminder that LGBT people in Russia are fighting for not just their basic human rights, but their lives. Russia may not be following the lead of Iran and others in executing gays, but authorities have certainly fostered an environment that's made it open season on us.

And now there are fresh wounds on both fronts. Dr. Shiping Bao, the medical examiner who handled Martin's body, last week claimed -- after being fired -- that prosecutors were biased against Martin. Meanwhile, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is reporting that another savage attack on a gay man in Russia may have occurred.

Despite my reluctance to let these images go, I'm moving on in a sense. It's a lesson I learned growing up in the Catholic Church. If I'm faced daily with a disturbing or gruesome image -- in this case, the ever-present death-by-torture Crucifixion -- it becomes impotent. At some point I stopped associating the Crucifixion with a horrific execution, but with weddings, funerals and sleep-inducing sermons.

I certainly don't want to play a part in desensitizing people to the story of Trayvon Martin or to the oppression of the LGBT community in Russia.

Changing out a couple Facebook photos doesn't mean I'm not still thinking about both, of course. Note to Mr. Putin and others: It doesn't mean I'm forgetting. The images, and images like them will come back. I'll always be wearing a hoodie, in a sense, always holding a candle for my peers in Russia – and Saudi Arabia and Uganda and Cleveland – and acting accordingly.

While not forgetting, though, I also have a responsibility to put joy in my life when I can, to not let myself be mired in the masochistic pleasure of never acknowledging the good. The activist who refuses to ever let down her righteousness is little better than the complacent citizen who refuses to ever open his eyes.

The world is full of the horrific. Washington offered plenty of proof of that Monday. Any day of the week, however, we will see homelessness, will hear of another violent attack. There is no shortage of misery and cruelty wherever we look. But there is also no shortage of joy and beauty. For the sake of my own balance, I need to hunt for a bit more of the latter. It's important to me that I declare, however, that I've not forgotten Martin and Russia.

A Gandhi quote comes to mind: "You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty."

And losing one's faith in humanity would be an even greater shame than turning one's back on injustice.

Will O'Bryan is Metro Weekly's managing editor. Email him at wobryan@MetroWeekly.com, or follow him on Twitter @wobryan.

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D.C. Sets First Bi Pride Day: Celebrate Bisexuality Day with local groups as they launch inaugural event

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The District will celebrate its first officially recognized Bisexual Pride Day on Sept. 23 as part of a grassroots effort to be celebrate the bisexual community, often the targets of prejudice from both the straight and gay communities.

The day, which is modeled after several other LGBT-related prides, aims to educate the rest of Washington about issues affecting the bisexual community. According to Loraine Hutchins, a local professor and well-known bisexual activist, this year marks the first official Bi Pride, but local bisexuals have been holding unofficial celebrations since the 1990s.

A representative from Mayor Vincent Gray's (D) office is expected to issue a proclamation declaring the day as ''Celebrate Bisexuality Day,'' in keeping with Gray's record of promoting and defending pro-LGBT initiatives, for which he will be honored at The DC Center's annual fall reception, Sept. 20.

To celebrate Bisexual Pride Day, The DC Center, the city's LGBT community center – in conjunction with D.C. chapter of Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE) and the Alliance of Multicultural Bisexuals (AMBi) – will host a panel discussion with local bisexual activists ABilly Jones-Hennin and Sabrina Sojourner.

Jones-Hennin says he hopes Monday's panel discussion will educate people and help them realize that bisexuals exist across all demographics.

Hutchins adds that, on confidential surveys, more people identify as bisexual than gay or lesbian, particularly among younger groups and among people of color.

''Bisexuals have largely been invisible in the District of Columbia,'' says Jones-Hennin. ''In spite of it being politically correct to say LGBT, people often don't understand – or make crude jokes – when it comes to bisexuality. We are a strong part of the LGBT movement, but when we are ostracized, it ends up pushing us back into the closet.''

The Celebrate Bisexuality Day panel discussion will be held in the first-floor conference room at The Residences at Thomas Circle, 1330 Massachusetts Ave. NW, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., Monday, Sept. 23. For more information, call 202-682-2245 or visit thedccenter.org.

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Coverboy: Noah: Service with a Smile

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Coverboy Interview:

If you like guys with a positive attitude, you'll love Noah. Originally from Bangkok, Noah has been in the United States for three years, where he's enrolled in English classes and is pursuing more schooling with the hopes of one day becoming a chef and opening his own business. He currently works as a bartender at Tsunami Sushi & Lounge.

When he's not working, he likes hitting the gym, making new friends, or stepping into Nellie's or JR.'s for a drink. If you catch him in a dancing mood, he'll likely be at Town or Cobalt. Though a man of few words, Noah always smiles and remembers to be grateful for the opportunities he has been given.

Coverboy: Noah

Coverboy: Noah

(Photo by Julian Vankim)

What's on your nightstand?My phone, iPad and some mail, along with some bills.

What's in your nightstand drawer?Magazines, my watch and my wallet.

Where do you keep the condoms and lube?In my gym bag.

What are your television favorites?Orange Is the New Black.

What was your favorite cartoon when you were a kid?Popeye.

Who's your greatest influence?My mom, because she's always cared for me and been there for me.

Coverboy: Noah

Coverboy: Noah

(Photo by Julian Vankim)

What's your greatest fear?I'm scared of the dark.

Do you sleep with a nightlight on?Yes.

Pick three people, living or dead, who you think would make the most fascinating dinner guests imaginable.Madonna, Anderson Cooper and Alexander McQueen.

What would you serve?Thai food.

How would you describe your dream guy?Someone who's understanding, accepting, clean-cut and tall.

Define good in bed.I like to cuddle and snuggle. Kissing is nice, nothing hardcore.

Who should star in a movie about your life?I can't think of anyone, because my life is so different.

Who was your first celebrity crush?I really didn't have one. I don't follow celebrities much.

Who gets on your nerves?I don't like people who don't listen to somebody else's opinion, and are selfish, arrogant and loud.

If your home was burning, what's the first thing you'd grab while leaving?My phone, my wallet, my bag.

What's your biggest turn-on?I like men with nice upper legs. I think that's really hot.

Coverboy: Noah

Coverboy: Noah

(Photo by Julian Vankim)

What's your biggest turn-off?Somebody hairy.

What's something you've always wanted to do but haven't yet tried?If I had the chance, I'd like to go into space.

What's something you've tried that you never want to do again?Ride a bus for a very long time. I've done that. I'd rather fly.

Boxers, briefs or other?Boxer-briefs.

Who's your favorite musical artist?Madonna or Kylie Minogue.

What's your favorite website?Netflix.

What's the most unusual place you've had sex?In a garage.

What position do you play in the big baseball game of life?I don't play baseball.

But, in a relationship, are you the more aggressive or passive one?I'm the passionate one.

What's your favorite retail store?I like Topman.

Coverboy: Noah

Coverboy: Noah

(Photo by Julian Vankim)

What's the most you'll spend on a haircut?$70.

What about on shoes?$950.

What's your favorite food to splurge with?I have to have seafood.

What's your favorite season?I like spring, because it's the end of the winter and the start of nice weather. Plus, I can see the colors, the flowers starting to bloom.

What kind of animal would you be?A bird, because I would have the freedom to go anywhere.

What kind of plant would you be?An orchid.

What kind of car would you be?A Porsche – classy and nice.

What are you most grateful for?Friends, family, my education and money.

What's something you want more of?Opportunity, equality and freedom.

State your life philosophy in 10 words or less.Be happy.

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Quarter-Century Sentence for Corkins: Gay man who pleaded guilty in Family Research Council shooting gets 25 years on terrorism, AWIK convictions

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Floyd Lee Corkins II, the 29-year old Virginia gay man who pleaded guilty in February to committing the August 2012 shooting at the Family Research Council's (FRC) D.C. headquarters with the intent of carrying out a mass killing, was sentenced Thursday morning by U.S. District Court Judge Richard W. Roberts to 25 years in jail, with five years supervised release after finishing his sentence.

Corkins, of Herndon, Va., originally faced 10 separate charges related to the shooting, but chose to plead guilty to committing an act of terrorism while armed, assault with intent to kill (AWIK), and interstate transportation of a firearm and ammunition. Corkins is the first defendant to be charged and convicted under the District of Columbia's Anti-Terrorism Act of 2002, which prosecutes actions committed with the intent to ''intimidate or coerce a significant population of the District of Columbia or the United States.''

Prosecutors had originally pushed for a 45-year sentence for Corkins on the three charges, while Corkins's lawyer, David Bos, had argued for an 11-and-a-half year sentence, as well as assurances that Corkins would continue to receive mental-health treatment during his time and prison and when placed on supervised release. In his Sept. 10 sentencing memorandum, Bos noted that Corkins had no prior criminal record and had been receiving mental health treatment as a result of suffering from ''auditory hallucinations and having thoughts of killing his parents and conservative right-wing Christians.'' Bos also noted that Corkins had been diagnosed with severe depression with schizophrenic aspects and had been receiving anti-psychotic medication as part of his treatment, but missed a crucial dose on Aug. 14, the night prior to the shooting.

But prosecutors had sought, months earlier, to preempt Bos's requests for a lighter sentence, writing in their April 19 sentencing memorandum: ''Although the defendant appears to suffer from bouts of severe depression and unidentified 'psychosis,' there is absolutely nothing to indicate that the defendant did not fully comprehend what he was planning and sought to accomplish in the shooting perpetrated at the FRC. Instead, the detailed nature of his planning and execution reveal the deliberate and clear-headed manner in which the defendant acted in this case.''

According to the government's evidence, Corkins, who briefly served as a volunteer receptionist at The DC Center, the city's LGBT community center, purchased a semiautomatic pistol that he later converted from a 22-caliber pistol into a 9-millimeter firearm in Virginia on Aug. 9, 2012, and began planning his trip to the FRC's downtown D.C. headquarters. On the evening of Aug. 14, Corkins returned to the store where he purchased the gun and engaged in shooting practice.

On Aug. 15, Corkins entered the Family Research Council headquarters, posing as a prospective intern. After being allowed into the building, he pulled the pistol from his backpack and pointed it at security guard Leonardo Reno ''Leo'' Johnson, who charged Corkins. The two struggled, with Corkins firing off three shots and striking Johnson in the arm. Johnson eventually subdued Corkins and handed him over to law enforcement officers.

Johnson underwent emergency surgery, in which metal plates were inserted into his arm to allow his shattered bones to heal. Numerous bullet fragments remain in his arm, and he was unable to work for several months. For his actions in protecting the FRC staff, Mayor Vincent Gray (D) awarded Johnson with the inaugural Mayor's Medal of Honor on Oct. 22, 2012.

Once he was subdued, Corkins told Johnson, ''It's not about you,'' but about the FRC's policies. He was heard making remarks such as, ''I don't like these people, and I don't like what they stand for.''

Police later discovered two fully loaded magazine clips, 50 rounds of ammunition, a handwritten list of four socially conservative, anti-gay organizations that included the FRC, and 15 wrapped Chick-fil-A sandwiches on Corkins's person or in his backpack. Corkins told investigators he was an activist and had planned to ''kill as many people as I could'' and smear the Chick-fil-A sandwiches on their faces afterward. Chick-fil-A has received attention for supporting anti-gay organizations through an affiliated foundation. Among other things, Corkins told detectives, ''Chick-fil-A came out against gay marriage so I was going to use that as a statement.''

Corkins also told investigators he had been thinking about perpetrating similar violence for years. He said that had he not been stopped at FRC headquarters, he planned to go to the next organization on his list and carry out a similar shooting there. Corkins also claimed he had gotten the names of the organizations from a list of anti-gay hate groups on the website of the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Following Corkins's sentencing, Ronald C. Machen Jr., the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia; Valerie Parlave, assistant director of the FBI's Washington Field Office; and Metropolitan Police Department Chief Cathy Lanier issued a joint statement praising the sentence.

''A security guard's heroism is the only thing that prevented Floyd Corkins, II from carrying out a mass shooting intended to kill as many people as possible,'' Machen said in the statement. ''Our entire community is thankful to the hero who stood up to this heinous attack. Today's 25-year prison sentence demonstrates the steep price to be paid for turning to violence to terrorize your political enemies.''

''Acts of terrorism, like the one that Mr. Corkins admitted to committing in pursuit of political aim, are horrific events that instill a sense of fear on our community,'' Parlave said. ''The FBI applauds the heroic acts of the security guard who deterred Mr. Corkins from inflicting harm on additional victims. With our law enforcement partners, the FBI will respond to, secure and investigate scenes and bring violent actors to justice.''

In the joint statement, Lanier said, ''I want to commend FRC employee Leonardo Johnson for his heroism and the first responding officers for their quick assessment of the situation, which brought stability and control to the chaos.'' Then, referencing the Sept. 16 shootings that killed 13, including the suspected shooter, at the Navy Yard in Southeast Washington, she added, ''As recent events have shown us, quick thinking and bravery during incidents like this can save many lives.''

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Community Service Likely for ''Heidi Glum'' Defendants: Prosecutors reach deferred-sentence agreement with one of two defendants in June attack on D.C. drag performer

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One of the defendants seen in an online video apparently attacking a local drag performer in a June 23 incident at a restaurant at 14th and T Streets NW has been offered a deferred-sentencing agreement in exchange for community service, according to records from D.C. Superior Court.

Rachel Manna Sahle, 22, of Gaithersburg, Md., appeared in D.C. Superior Court Friday and accepted the deferred-sentencing agreement on a charge of simple assault. Under such an agreement, a defendant agrees to meet certain requirements or obligations in order to avoid serving jail time and to potentially have the charges dropped.

According to D.C. Superior Court records, Sahle will be required to perform community service, submit to regular drug testing, and avoid the victim, Miles DeNiro, who performs as drag personality Heidi Glüm.

Sahle has been scheduled for a deferred-sentencing review in six months, at which point Judge Juliet McKenna will determine if she has been compliant with the terms of her release. Typically, if a defendant has been compliant, a judge may decide to throw out the sentence and dismiss the charge altogether.

The second defendant, Raymone Harding, 28, also of Gaithersburg, has been ordered to return to court Sept. 27. McKenna continued the status hearing to that date to allow prosecutors to determine if Harding is eligible for a similar agreement, which is usually granted to only first-time offenders or those accused of minor crimes. If eligible, Harding's deferred-sentencing agreement would likely mirror Sahle's.

Friday's deferred-sentencing agreement for Sahle comes weeks after the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia advised McKenna that it was considering whether to pursue bias enhancements – known colloquially as ''hate-crime charges'' – to the charge of simple assault against both defendants.

In the video of the attack, which was posted to the site WorldStarHipHop.com, Sahle and Harding are seen hitting and dragging DeNiro by his hair while several bystanders watch at a Manny & Olga's restaurant near the intersection of 14th and T Streets NW. The footage also shows DeNiro bleeding from his head and trying to staunch the wound with napkins as he and the two women shout at each other.

DeNiro later told Metro Weekly that the women were being encouraged to beat him up by several men who were telling them he was a man. He said that the women continued to loiter outside the restaurant and yelled anti-gay slurs like ''faggot'' and ''tranny'' at him when he exited with his order.

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DC Center Announces Fall Initiatives: LGBT community center to expand GLOV's anti-violence work, provide guidance on new D.C. health exchange

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The DC Center, the District's LGBT community center, has announced two new autumn initiatives in the areas of combating anti-LGBT violence and promoting better health.

First, the center's anti-violence program, Gays and Lesbians Opposing Violence (GLOV), will receive a $60,000 grant from the Mayor's Office of Victims Services (OVS) to expand work in addressing bias-based crimes in the District, including providing sensitivity training to members of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), community education, and directing victims of violence to appropriate resources. GLOV will also be collaborating with Helping Individual Prostitutes Survive (HIPS) to expand HIPS's crisis hotline to serve all members of the LGBT community who are victims of violent crimes.

David Mariner

David Mariner

(Photo by Todd Franson)

''On behalf of The DC Center and GLOV's volunteer membership, we are excited to receive increased support from the Office of Victim Services to increase awareness about bias-based violence and better serve the LGBT community,'' GLOV co-chairs Hassan Naveed and Matthew Corso said in a statement. ''We look forward to working with the D.C. government to expand these critical efforts.''

Second, starting Oct. 1 the center will helping uninsured members of the community enroll in private insurance or Medicaid using DC Health Link, the local exchange established in accordance with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). That initiative is part of a partnership with HealthHIV, which received a grant through the DC Health Benefit Exchange Authority.

According to The DC Center, 42,000 people in the District are living without health insurance, and LGBT people are less likely than others to have health coverage.

''This is an important opportunity to engage our communities in a conversation about healthcare and for us all to better understand the changes that are taking place in the healthcare system,'' said David Mariner, The DC Center's executive director, in a statement. ''Our goal is to help 300 individuals enroll in a healthcare plan, and to make the process as simple as possible for them.''

For more information on GLOV or the upcoming health-insurance initiative, contact The DC Center at 202-682-2245 or visit thedccenter.org.

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Generating Support for Gender Identity: Williams Institute study highlights need for expanding Maryland's nondiscrimination law

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A study released earlier this month by a nationally recognized think specializing in research related to the LGBT community found that amending Maryland's civil-rights law to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on gender identity statewide would extend existing protections to more than half of all Marylanders. Efforts at such a change in recent years have either been defeated in committee or been denied a vote by the full Maryland Senate.

According to the Williams Institute, which is affiliated with the University of California at Los Angeles Law School, passing a law that prohibits discrimination based on gender identity or expression would cover the 53 percent of Marylanders living in the 20 counties where transgender people may be denied employment, housing, credit or the ability to use public accommodations. That would include approximately 9,200 transgender people who are thought to live in those counties, which include D.C. suburbs in Prince George's, Charles, Anne Arundel and Frederick counties.

''This study highlights that the majority of Marylanders would benefit from a consistent, statewide law that protects against gender identity discrimination,'' Christy Mallory, the author of the study, said in a statement. ''Additionally, a clear and uniform policy could also benefit businesses by eliminating the inconsistency of existing protections in the state.''

Currently, only four jurisdictions – Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Howard County and Montgomery County – have laws prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity or expression in employment, housing, credit and public accommodation. Howard County's law goes a step further, preventing law-enforcement officers from harassing or discriminating against citizens based on protected characteristics, while Baltimore City's law prohibits discrimination in public education and by its health and welfare agencies.

Maryland's state employees are protected by an executive order signed by Gov. Martin O'Malley (D), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity by stating that ''personnel actions'' should be based on ''merit and fitness'' and cannot take gender identity into account.

Advocates for expanded protections for transgender residents have been making many of the same arguments as Mallory for the past eight years, but have been unable to make headway, due in large part to behind-the-scenes maneuvering in the state Senate. In some years, as earlier in 2013, the measure has failed in committee. In other years, it has passed committee but has never received a full up-or-down vote by the upper chamber. In 2011, a similar bill that did not include protections in public accommodations passed the House of Delegates, 86-52, before being killed in the Senate.

Dr. Dana Beyer, the executive director of Gender Rights Maryland, says polling done during Maryland's marriage-equality fight in 2012 showed that two-thirds of the state, including at least 60 percent of Prince George's County residents, support nondiscrimination protections for transgender people. Beyer said the problem is not lack of support for the issue, but the structure of Senate committees.

''We don't have a bill because we had the wrong committee assignments last year,'' says Beyer, referring to a swap orchestrated by Senate leadership that placed Sen. C. Anthony Muse (D-Prince George's Co.) on the Judicial Proceedings Committee and Sen. Victor Ramirez (D-Prince George's Co.) on the Finance Committee in the hope of passing a wind-energy bill, indirectly sinking gender-identity bill.

''All we need is to get it past the [Judicial Proceedings] Committee,'' Beyer says, adding she is sure the bill will pass if given a vote on the Senate floor. Last year, 23 of 47 senators publicly cosponsored the measure, and Sen. Brian Frosh (D-Montgomery Co.) did not cosponsor but voted for the measure in committee, meaning there are at least 24 votes to pass the bill once it is taken up for a vote.

The LGBT-rights organization Equality Maryland has been holding a ''Summer of Supporters'' campaign aimed at recruiting residents from various areas of the state to sign postcards that ask legislators to pass a gender-identity bill, explains Owen Smith, a field organizer for Equality Maryland.

Smith says that since the campaign launched July 1, organizers have collected more than 1,000 postcards and have hundreds more to count. That number, Smith says, does not include postcards collected prior to July. He says that Equality Maryland, one of the member organizations of the Maryland Coalition for Trans Equality, will deliver to individual legislators piles of postcards from constituents asking them to support the bill.

''We want to show every legislator that, regardless of where you live in the state, the people who live here, vote here and pay taxes here want these protections for everyone, and stand behind them,'' says Smith.

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Wanda Alston House Marks Five Years: D.C.'s only dedicated space for homeless LGBT youth reorganizes with new foundation

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Advocates for at-risk LGBT youth will host a reception Oct. 8 to celebrate the formation of the Wanda Alston Foundation and the fifth anniversary of the founding of the Wanda Alston House, the District's sole housing program specifically geared to providing support services to homeless or at-risk LGBT or questioning youth. The namesake Wanda Alston, first director of the Mayor's Office of GLBT Affairs, was killed in 2005.

Since opening, the Wanda Alston House has helped more than 40 youths find permanent housing. The facility houses eight beds, which, advocates note, are the only eight in the entire city dedicated to LGBT youth. This lack of dedicated accommodation for homeless LGBT youth led The DC Center, Washington's LGBT community center, to circulate a petition calling on the D.C. Council to allot more beds for LGBT homeless youth.

The Wanda Alston Foundation was founded this year to help shore up the financial stability of the Wanda Alston House. While the foundation's tax-status application is under review, its fiscal agent is the LGBT community and services center Casa Ruby, and it receives some D.C. government funding.

The foundation has recently formed a nine-person board of directors and elected officers, with Christopher Dyer, director of the Mayor's Office of GLBT Affairs during the Adrian Fenty administration, serving as president. Kevin Brunell, a local LGBT business owner, will serve as vice president; Xion Lopez, a former Wanda Alston House resident, will serve as secretary; and Kurt Vonderan, a local LGBT activist, will serve as treasurer. Brian Watson, formerly of Transgender Health Empowerment, which opened the Wanda Alston House, will serve as Wanda Alston House executive director.

David Mariner, director of The DC Center, which is hosting the celebratory happy hour for the house and the foundation, congratulated all involved.

''They are having an exciting new beginning, and we are happy to do whatever we can to support them,'' he said.

The Wanda Alston House Celebration and Foundation Kick-Off Reception will be held at Mova Lounge, 2204 14th St. NW, on Tuesday, Oct. 8, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Tickets cost $10 each and may be purchased online at thedcenter.org. Donations may also be made directly to wandaalstonhouse.org.

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Ready? Set! No.: No matter how much some people love Hillary Clinton, it is far too early to be focusing on 2016

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Opinion:

Even after a few years of watching it grow, I still find myself fascinated daily by my Facebook feed. The thousand or so ''friends'' I have — those aren't sneer quotes, just acknowledging the hilarity of the idea of my introverted self having an actual 1,000 friends — encompass quite the range of opinions and interests. I regularly bounce from progressive Green Party propaganda to libertarian denunciations of Obama's transgressions, from foodie pics at Le Diplomate to ultra-country recipes calling for Pillsbury and American cheese.

America's a funny place in cross section.

Ready for Hillary Clinton for President

No, not so much.

But while I enjoy watching the parade, there's one thing from the past few months that continually sticks in my craw. Not anti-gay stuff — those people get booted from my list at roughly the same speed with which Johnny Weir spouts stupid quotes. No, it's the ''Ready for Hillary'' folks who are trying my patience.

To be clear, because I must before a horde of Hillary-ites shows up outside my door, I don't harbor some hatred for Hillary Clinton. I opposed her in 2008 pretty vociferously but I found myself admiring her stint as secretary of state. I stand by my opinions at that time though, because I am deeply uncomfortable with the increasingly dynastic tone of American politics. We've had two Bushes and there's always a danger of another one of those popping up at any moment. Once we've had two Clintons, our political cults of personality will begin yearning for Chelsea. Then we could come back around to the Obamas, with a first lady and two cool daughters waiting in the wings.

I supported Barack Obama in 2008 because I believed he would be better on rolling back the overreach of executive power that reached fearsome levels under Bush-Cheney. And as disappointing as Obama has been overall — with some notable exceptions — I don't see how anyone could reasonably believe Clinton would have been better. In short, if the progressive Democrats I see getting ''Ready for Hillary'' are looking for some change of course then Clinton isn't the ship to take.

But the broader and more important point here is that it's 2013, people. We have three more years until the next presidential election and about two more years before we start suffering the long, soul-deadening slog through Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. It is beyond too early for Democrats to be engaging in this effort to make Clinton the ''inevitable'' candidate for the White House (a position she's held before and we all saw how that turned out). To her credit, Clinton sees this problem herself, telling New York magazine, ''This election is more than three years away, and I just don't think [the speculation is] good for the country.''

Given the current situation in Washington, with the wilder fringes of the Republican Party throwing an entire governing system into chaos and economy-destroying threats, I think Democrats have better things to focus on than 2016. Don't think that having Clinton in the White House would break the fever of the irrational Obama haters — they'll rediscover their Clinton-hating ways in a flash.

And a lot can happen in three years (again, see the 2008 Democratic primary season). Clinton isn't the only woman in the Democratic Party; I'm perplexed that more progressives getting ready for Hillary aren't making noise for Elizabeth Warren, who's cutting her own interesting and effective path through the Senate. Vice President Joe Biden supposedly has his eye on the rung above him, which would be entertaining in that special Biden way even if I hope he chooses not to.

Anyway, don't make up your mind yet. In 2013, the best approach is to be ready for anything.

Sean Bugg is editor emeritus of Metro Weekly and the executive director of the Next Generation Leadership Foundation. Follow him on Twitter @seanbugg or email him at seanbugg@gmail.com.

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Schwartz Opens Her Home to PFLAG: Area politicos host benefit for PFLAG Metro DC chapter's 30th anniversary

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Former D.C. Councilmember Carol Schwartz (R-At large), Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett (D) and Jay Fisette, vice chair of the Arlington County Board, will be hosting an event celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Metro D.C. chapter of Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) on Tuesday, Oct. 1.

The fundraising party, which will be held at Schwartz's Kalorama home, is dedicating all proceeds to support PFLAG's local efforts to promote LGBT equality.

''They asked me to be one of the regional co-chairs, and I gladly said yes, because I've been a member of PFLAG for at least 20 years,'' says Schwartz. ''I think it's a wonderful, worthwhile organization.''

Schwartz, who had an extensive pro-LGBT record during her time on the D.C. Council, said that when PFLAG began it was a ''cutting-edge'' concept, but is now fully embraced by the community. Schwartz added that her own ties to the group have strengthened throughout the years. Originally, she started out as a straight ally, or ''friend'' of PFLAG, but later became a more fully fledged member after her daughter, now married to a woman, came out as bisexual.

''A few years ago, when I used to march in the Capital Pride parade, one of the groups that received much enthusiasm was PFLAG,'' says Schwartz. ''I think the community appreciates a group that says, 'We support you and we love you.'''

PFLAG Metro DC's 30th Anniversary Party, at the home of Carol Schwartz, 2029 Connecticut Ave. NW, runs 6 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 1. Tickets, $30, may be purchased online at pflagdc.org or by calling 202-638-3852.

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Community Loses Past GLAA President: Barrett L. Brick, 59, dies of cancer after years of deep community involvement

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This time last year, Barrett L. Brick was being honored by Immigration Equality with the group's Global Vision Award as a ''consistent voice in speaking out on behalf of LGBT immigrant families.'' From the former Soviet Union, to Argentina, to the State Department, Brick was a consistent voice, indeed.

That voice, however, was silenced Sunday, Sept. 22, when Brick, 59, died of cancer, his husband Antonio Ruffini at his side. It had been a long-term illness that Brick often mastered, still making appearances and otherwise taking part in Washington's LGBT community, which he did so much to build. Brick's interest in global LGBT issues, after all, was only one interest of the man who had a great enthusiasm not only for social justice, but for science fiction, soccer, the stars and his Jewish faith. And the Immigration Equality honor was hardly isolated, with Brick recognized as a Rainbow History Project ''Community Pioneer'' and by the nonpartisan Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance of Washington, D.C. (GLAA), with its 2000 Distinguished Service Award, among other plaudits.

Barrett Brick

Barrett Brick

Ward Morrison/File photo

''He was really multidimensional,'' says Ruffini, a South African, whom Brick met at the 1999 World Science Fiction Convention in Melbourne, Australia. Until Brick's illness began to dictate the couple's plans, there was hope of the two settling into retirement in Johannesburg, where Brick would often visit. ''Coming to South Africa was getting away from D.C., a break from the politics. We'd go and see local soccer matches. He had his little telescope that he used to bring over.''

With that telescope, in Ruffini's garden, Brick enjoyed new celestial vistas of the Southern Hemisphere. The two also explored the country together and Brick, past president of D.C.'s Bet Mishpachah congregation for LGBT Jews and past executive director of the World Congress of Gay and Lesbian Jewish Organizations, found more intimate ways to express his faith.

''It's all fairly Orthodox,'' Ruffini, also Jewish, says of South Africa's Jewish community, noting there is no equivalent of Bet Mishpachah in Johannesburg, but that the two marked the High Holy Days together, making new traditions. ''I think Barrett enjoyed that, the different experience.''

Still, so much of Brick's life, with much of his career spent working as an attorney with the Federal Communications Commission, was focused on getting things done. His activism surely occupied as much time as his other interests, as evidenced by his three years as GLAA president, for starters.

''Barrett stepped forward and did things,'' says current GLAA President Richard J. Rosendall, a regular opinion writer for Metro Weekly and longtime friend of Brick's. ''He transformed belief and advocacy into direct action, approaching people and getting the ball moving. Barrett focused on the issues and would work with whomever he had common ground. He was always building bridges. GLAA is very significantly one of his legacies.''

Rosendall shared some thoughts he penned shortly after Brick's death, writing, ''Barrett's contributions were many and varied. He was an early voice for inclusion of the faith community in LGBT movement strategizing – decades before that was a key part of our strategy for marriage equality in D.C. As a science-fiction fan, he helped organize a Gaylaxicon convention. As a soccer fan, he helped organize a gay football world cup. He often led services at Congregation Bet Mishpachah, and worked to build bridges between gay Jews and Muslims.

''Just in the early 1990s, he pressed successfully for gay inclusion in the State Department's annual country human rights reports, pressed for gay inclusion in the Holocaust Memorial Museum, and intervened personally with the president of Argentina on behalf of a gay rights group there.

''At a personal level, he was a close collaborator and sounding board for virtually every issue I worked on as a leader of GLAA. He was smart and wise and funny, and was very good at keeping things in perspective.''

Rosendall adds that Brick did much of this work in a signature style that was unassuming, yet impressively effective.

''He didn't particularly promote himself. He was so stoical and uncomplaining,'' says Rosendall, recalling a quote that seems to fit perfectly: ''There's no limit to what you can accomplish if you don't need to get credit for it.''

Ruffini also points to that sort of modesty that leaves many thinking of Brick as refreshingly gracious, mentioning that few knew Brick graduated Columbia Law School as ''one of the top graduates, if not the top.''

That was just one of the things Ruffini got to know of Brick as the two began a long-distance relationship following the 1999 conference. After that Australian week, during which Ruffini found himself immediately attracted to Brick's intellect, he was entirely uncertain there was more to come. Back home in Johannesburg, however, he received a card from Brick, was sparked an email correspondence of sometimes several messages a day. Then, some months later, a trip with the American Bar Association had Brick headed to London. Ruffini was able to coordinate work travel of his own, and the two reunited and realized that there was something deeper than simply an intellectual attachment. That love led to the two being married in South Africa in 2009.

Ruffini says that while the two made plans for Brick to retire in South Africa, illness demanded otherwise. Still, today, as Ruffini executes his responsibilities as widower, his many trips to Washington to visit Brick have helped to build a supportive circle of friends.

''I've been traveling to D.C., so I've gotten to know a couple of people,'' Ruffini says on his way to New Jersey for Brick's funeral, traveling with a few of them. ''Some of them have become friends of mine, as well. People are really being great.''

Details for a Washington memorial service honoring Barrett L. Brick will be added to this story, as well as to glaaforum.org, once announced.

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Special Events Calendar:

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Sunday, Sept. 29

The Laramie ProjectPay-What-You-Can preview performance7:30 pm.Tickets on sale 5:30 p.m., limit two per customer, cash onlyFord's Theatre511 10th St. NW202-347-4833fordstheatre.org

Monday, Sept. 30

"With Malice Toward None: Judy Shepard, a Mother's Response to Hate"Judy Shepard and Cokie RobertsFree7 p.m.Ford's Theatre

Friday, Oct. 4

Matthew Shepard Is a Friend of Mine premierePost-screening discussion with filmmaker Michele Josue$167:30 p.m.Washington National CathedralMassachusetts and Wisconsin Avenues NW202-537-6200nationalcathedral.org

Sunday, Oct. 6

Forum with Judy Shepard, Jane Clementi, Joshua Deese and the Very Rev. Gary Hall10:10 a.m.Washington National CathedralSpecial service of Holy Eucharist with prayers for LGBT youth11:15 a.m.Washington National CathedralTen Years Later reading$87:30 p.m.Ford's Theatre

Monday, Oct. 7

Jonathan Capehart Jonathan Capehart

"With Charity for All: Lives Changed by Hate"Dave O'Mallery, former Laramie Police commander; Billy Rowles, former Jasper, Texas, sheriff; and members of KhushDCModerated by Jonathan Capehart, The Washington PostFree7 p.m.Ford's Theatre

Wednesday, Oct. 9

DC Bëar Crüe attends The Laramie Project7:30 p.m.20 percent discount code "Partner"Ford's Theatre

Thursday, Oct. 10

The Laramie ProjectFaith Night performance and discussion, with the Very Rev. Gary Hall$12-$33.657:30 p.m.Ford's Theatre

Friday, Oct. 11

Post-performance Candlelight Vigil with Dennis Shepard; the Rev. Dwayne Johnson, Metropolitan Community Church of Washington; members of the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington10:15 p.m.Ford's Theatre

Sunday, Oct. 20

Ten Years Later reading$87:30 p.m.Ford's Theatre

Monday, Oct. 21

"To Bind up the Nation's Wounds: Communities Respond to Hate"Tony Banout, Interfaith Youth Core; and Patrice O'Neill, The Working Group/Not In Our TownModerated by Michele Norris, NPRFree7 p.m.Ford's Theatre

Friday, Oct. 25

The DC Center/GLOV attend The Laramie Project$507:30 p.m.$75 with pre-show reception6 p.m.Ford's TheatreTickets at thedccenter.org

Monday, Oct. 28

"To Achieve and Cherish a Just and Lasting Peace: Envisioning a World Beyond Hate"With youth from Split This Rock, and Supporting and Mentoring Youth Advocates and Leaders (SMYAL)Free7 p.m.Ford's Theatre

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Transformational Faith: Washington National Cathedral remembers Shepard and Clamenti by ''Honoring LGBT Youth''

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In marking these 15 years since the death of Matthew Shepard, Ford's Theatre has partnered with a number of other entities. Some of the partners have obvious ties to the tragedy, such as the Matthew Shepard Foundation and the Human Rights Campaign. Others, less so. The Washington National Cathedral may be a case in point.

Arguably the country's most prominent Episcopal church, the cathedral is offering a weekend of events Oct. 4 to 6, remembering not only Shepard, but also Tyler Clementi, an 18-year-old Rutgers University freshman who committed suicide in 2010 after an episode of anti-gay cyberbullying.

''For too long, LGBT people have been ostracized by or unwelcome in faith communities who have used the Bible like a weapon,'' said the Very Rev. Gary Hall, dean of the cathedral, in a statement announcing the ''Honoring LGBT Youth'' weekend. ''Washington National Cathedral is a house of prayer where all are welcome, and where all people can experience God's boundless love and grace.''

This is not Hall's first stand in support of LGBT rights. Prior to coming to Washington, Hall, a straight ally, advocated for marriage equality and the inclusion of LGBT people in the ministry of the Episcopal Church as rector of churches in Michigan, Pennsylvania and California.

Earlier this year, following the legalization of same-sex marriage in nearby Maryland, the cathedral, under the guidance of Hall, announced it would perform same-sex marriage rites. The cathedral also held a prayer service in support of marriage equality on the eve of the U.S. Supreme Court's June decisions in the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and Proposition 8 cases, which returned marriage equality to California and allowed for federal recognition of same-sex marriage.

Hall says the weekend is not just a time to remember Shepard and Clementi, but an opportunity to talk about LGBT youth, their safety and how to make America and the world safe for people to live their lives and express their identities.

Hall also hopes the weekend will call attention to international LGBT issues, particularly the criminalization of homosexuality in countries where the dominant religion is the Anglican faith. Episcopalians, Hall says, as a branch of Anglicanism, have a duty to reach out to their fellow Anglicans and promote respect for LGBT human rights.

''The more publicly we stand with LGBT folks and for LGBT youth, I think that helps the conversations in other churches,'' says Hall. ''A lot of the damage that is done to kids is done by their pastors in churches where, for doctrinal reasons, they consider homosexuality a sin. I think that one of the things we can do, as probably the most visible church in America, is for us to say, 'It's okay for you to be lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. God loves you as you are, and we're a place where you can celebrate and own your identity,' helps other faith communities raise that issue in their churches.''

Despite progress within the Episcopal Church, Hall says, his church is still undergoing an internal debate about expanding the definition of marriage to include same-sex couples. While the church allows same-sex marriage rites to be performed, for example, it still defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

Regardless of how the Episcopal Church and others are progressing – or not – with regard to LGBT equality, Hall hopes the upcoming events at the Washington National Cathedral will demonstrate to LGBT youth that they are not alone, that whatever hardships they face will get better, and that they have a network of support, not only from healthy LGBT adults, but also straight allies.

''Where I think the Christian community needs to go, if we really believe that God made human beings in God's image, if we really believe that God loves and accepts people as they are, then we really believe not only that its okay to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, but that the sexual orientation of each person is a gift and part of their unique identity that they are called to live out,'' Hall says. ''It's not something you have to grudgingly come to terms with. It's something you actually need to learn to accept and celebrate.''

For more information about the Washington National Cathedral's ''Honoring LGBT Youth'' events Friday, Oct. 4, to Sunday, Oct. 6, call 202-537-6200 or visit nationalcathedral.org.

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From Wyoming to Washington: Marking 15 years since the murder of Matthew Shepard, Ford's Theatre builds a month of programming around ''The Laramie Project''

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Setting the Stage

TWO YEARS AGO, under the guidance of artistic director Paul Tetreault, Ford's Theatre launched the Lincoln Legacy Project to annually build programming that educates and engages on topical issues, all centered on a particular theatrical production. In 2011, the project debuted with Parade, the play by Alfred Uhry dramatizing the 1913 trial of a Jewish factory superintendent in Georgia accused of raping and murdering a 13-year-old employee. Ford's complemented the staging with discussions of anti-Semitism, of relationships between African-American and Jewish communities in the South, and other points of interest stirred by Parade.

The next year, Ford's chose Trey Ellis and Ricardo Khan's Fly, based on the World War II experiences of African-American pilots. This 2012 iteration included an exhibit, The Test, in Ford's new Center for Education and Development across from the theater on 10th Street, detailing the training of these pilots and the racism they faced.

Now, Ford's is turning to Matthew Shepard, the 21-year-old gay man beaten, tied to a fence and left to die in Laramie, Wyo., 15 years ago. And it's all coming together at a time when the basic narrative is again being challenged. In 2009 it was Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) calling the hate crime a ''hoax.'' Today, it is Stephen Jimenez's new book, The Book of Matt, claiming that methamphetamine rather than bigotry was central to Shepard's murder, for which Aaron McKinney – who attempted to use the dubious ''gay-panic defense'' – and Russell Henderson were convicted. Clearly this is a story that is tightly woven into the American cultural fabric. It's a true story that has changed a family, a town and a nation forever. How fitting, then, for Ford's Theatre, the spot where President Lincoln was shot, to focus its third Lincoln Legacy Project program on The Laramie Project, the play by Moisés Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theater Project, exploring the reactions of the people of Laramie to the murder that made their home the nexus of national debate on hate crimes, on LGBT equality, on American values.

As with Parade and Fly, the programming goes far beyond the staging of the play itself. There will be Monday-night discussions, Sunday readings of the companion play Ten Years Later, an exhibit featuring many of the thousands of letters sent to the Shepard family, a candlelight vigil and more.

''The formula we've worked with, including this year, is we create this community conversation around the piece,'' Tetreault explains. ''It is an event. It is a huge event. … It would be nice for Ford's to just put on The Laramie Project. But why? Why just do that? Why stop there? We have a platform in Ford's Theatre, in Abraham Lincoln, in his legacy, in this education center. We have a platform to create a dialogue for Americans to talk about these issues.''

Finding Direction

Matthew Gardiner

Matthew Gardiner

(Photo by Christopher Mueller)

MATTHEW GARDINER KNOWS knows exactly where he was when he learned of the murder of Matthew Shepard in October 1998. Fourteen at the time, he was seated in the backseat of his parents' car, fighting with his twin brother, James. Their mother was in front listening to the radio as they sat parked, waiting for their father to return from an errand. Then, their mother turned in her seat to face her sons – particularly Matthew. She was crying.

''It doesn't matter who you are, I love you no matter what,'' the 29-year-old Gardiner says, repeating his mother's words. ''I started to listen to what they were talking about on the radio, and they were talking about Matthew Shepard.''

''It had both a positive and a negative effect on me," he continues. "The positive effect was the words that came out of my mother's mouth stayed with me till I came out. The negative was being a 14-year-old and hearing about the attack on a young gay man. It delayed my coming out. It was terrifying to a young, gay kid to think that could happen to someone. Or that could happen to me.''

Today, Shepard's murder is again influencing Gardiner's life. Gardiner, associate artistic director at Arlington's Signature Theatre, is stepping into Ford's Theatre to direct this production of The Laramie Project. And while Gardiner has directed serious, intense material before, this play brings its own challenges, both technical and emotional.

''Laramie is a series of monologues,'' Gardiner says. ''There are very few moments in the play when people are actually engaging with other people on the stage. The challenge is, when it's a play about a community, how do you create a community? How do you make this group of actors feel like a community when they're never looking at each other? We spend a lot of time in rehearsal when I'll say, 'Okay, turn to this person and deliver this monologue. Now turn back out. And all of a sudden, it irises things down, it becomes very specific. It's a different thing when you're saying this monologue to a woman instead of a man. It's a different thing when you're saying this monologue to somebody in their 50s, as opposed to someone in their 20s. So it's a lot of figuring out what are your opinions and who are you talking to. When it starts to feel like we're talking to a wall again, we turn back to the person and we try to find what it is like to actually speak to another person onstage and not just deliver another monologue.''

The emotional punch, however, seems to have been the greater challenge, at least when rehearsals began.

''Those early rehearsals were hard,'' Gardiner readily admits. ''Everybody would end rehearsal in tears. At some moment, we were like, 'We cannot do this for three-and-a-half weeks.'''

Gardiner and his cast may have managed to find ways to create some personal distance from the material as they continue to master it, yet there is no getting around the gravity of not only the play itself, but the monumental nature of staging this play in this theater, representing the living residents of Laramie to audiences that will range from Shepard's family – even if Matthew's mother, Judy Shepard, finds it possibly unbearable to sit through a full staging – to a range of D.C. luminaries, marking this sad but important anniversary.

''I can't let myself think that way,'' says Gardiner. ''Otherwise, all of my decisions and choices will be hindered. All I can do is honor the voices in the play and do my best in that. There are just a lot of people that are committed, who believe that this story is still important to tell, both for Matthew Shepard and the community of Laramie, Wyo. – and for the gay, lesbian, bi and transgender community of D.C. There are a lot of people we feel it's important for. I try not to get stressed out about all of what's around it.''

Exhibiting an Outpouring

Paul Tetreault

Paul Tetreault

(Photo by Scott Suchman)

WHILE GARDINER AND his cast and crew prepare the stage production, others have given attention to the complementary exhibit now open in Ford's Center for Education and Development, Not Alone: The Power of Response. Almost by accident, the nature of the exhibit was a sort of gift from Judy Shepard.

Months ago, in late winter, Tetreault was sitting in a conference room in the center, discussing with Judy Shepard the programming that would revolve around The Laramie Project. Sitting at the same table where the two spoke, he tells the story these months later.

''I said, 'We have this gallery space downstairs and we'd really like to do something great with that,''' Tetreault recalls telling Judy Shepard. ''And she said, 'Well, you know, we have these letters. After Matthew's beating and murder, we got over 10,000 letters and cards. They're in the basement of our home in Casper and no one's ever seen them. You can have access to those.'

''That meeting, in this room, is where that exhibit was born. We sent a team of four people to Casper, Wyo., shortly after that.''

Heading that team was Tracey Avant, Ford's curator of exhibitions, who found herself in a somewhat surreal setting, standing in a storage room off the Shepards' finished basement, facing several boxes of correspondence and other materials related to Matthew Shepard's death and the response it generated – a very sizable response.

''They had these tubs, bins stacked up with the materials,'' Avant explains of her expedition to Casper. ''We knew going in there would be about 10 of these bins filled with letters. Someone had gone through them when they got donations and things like that, but they weren't organized in any particular way.''

Avant and her team set to work there in the Shepards' basement, reading the letters, making high-resolution digital scans, keeping an eye on what might be appropriate for an exhibit back in Washington.

The most surprising find, Avant says, wasn't in anything they discovered, but what they did not.

''The biggest thing I took away from this experience is that when these things happen, you realize that more people are compassionate and caring and understanding than not,'' she says. ''In the course of these 10,000 letters, they probably received less than a handful of hate mail, which to me was shocking. I would've assumed that there would've been a lot more.''

There was also something notable in that this sort of experience is rare for a curator, says Avant, with the ''history'' in question still relatively recent, still actually unfolding.

''These people are alive, we spent time in their house,'' Avant says of Dennis and Judy Shepard. ''That is a really unusual experience. And they are the most amazing and warm people, welcomed us into their home. You go into a situation like that with trepidation. You don't want to impose. They've invited you to do this, but you're in their home, their personal space. So to be able to work with material like this, that you have a real human connection with, especially doing history exhibits, it's rare that you have that kind of modern history. I'd never had an opportunity to do that. It's been pretty emotional and amazing.''

What Ford's has created as a result is also emotional and amazing, with letters suspended behind glass in a space that is otherwise unassuming, with only a few benches. Avant says this is the first exhibit that's prompted the center to leave boxes of tissues on those benches. But some letters will likely elicit a strong response – maybe not the two from Bill Clinton, or some of the other similarly stately messages, but certainly those written by children or just everyday people compelled to respond with some positive action to the hate and violence that killed Matthew Shepard.

Avant mentions one of her favorite examples.

''There was a young woman who wrote from New York shortly after, saying that she was going to start this tennis tournament, this 'Tennis Jam,' and send the proceeds,'' Avant says. ''Then we have her follow-up letter from almost a year later when she sent the proceeds. She actually managed to follow through, do the tennis jam, and send the money from that.''

New Yorkers – particularly tennis-loving LGBT New Yorkers – might recognize that event as the Metropolitan Tennis Group's Matthew Shepard Memorial Tennis Jam, marking its 14th year Oct. 13.

Letters aside, however, there is another element of the exhibit, one standalone feature that is equally as powerful. And it was also Judy Shepard's suggestion. Tetreault, in his discussions about the exhibit with Judy Shepard, pointed to the bare wall running the length of the room opposite the display of the letters. She suggested a photograph: ''Where Matthew Lay Dying,'' by Jeff Sheng. As visitors walk into the exhibit space, they face an expansive vista of snowy plains, wooden fencing in the foreground. The view is simultaneously beautiful and terrifying, sharing the point of view from where Matthew Shepard was tied to that lonely fence.

With these elements paired, one imagines Ford's will be replacing those boxes of tissues with some regularity.

''This exhibit is revelatory,'' says Tetreault. ''This is something that no one else has ever seen before. These have been in Dennis and Judy's basement for 15 years. Judy created the exhibit, I just executed it. It was her idea. It is extraordinary.''

A Legacy for the Future

THE LINCOLN LEGACY Project is essentially Tetreault's brainchild, one for which he says there was great support among Ford's Theatre backers. And from the start, he knew he wanted The Laramie Project to be part of it.

''I've kind of had The Laramie Project on my radar since we started the Lincoln Legacy Project three years ago,'' he shares. ''I knew I wanted to do a project, a piece that centered on gay issues, on gay-rights issues and what those were. That leaves you a realm of things. Then thinking about Laramie and thinking about the 15th anniversary and how that plays out. I thought that was a great time for us to look at that.''

He points to Jason Collins, the gay basketball player who chose to wear a ''98'' jersey as a memorial to the year Matthew Shepard was killed, and to the work of the Matthew Shepard Foundation as contemporary elements that remind him of the importance of the crime 15 years on, and the importance of revisiting it with the Lincoln Legacy Project.

Tetreault adds that this third iteration is evidence that the project's expected five-year run at the time it was launched has given way to new ideas of making it ever richer, and with no end in sight.

''We've stopped using the term 'five-year.' We think it will just be an ongoing program, because we've got issues,'' he says, smacking the table for emphasis. ''This country has issues that it needs to talk about. If they're not going to talk about them in the town square, I'm going to talk about them on the Ford's Theatre stage.

''There's no shortage of subjects we need to talk about. The question is making sure you find a quality piece of theater that fits at the center to have that dialogue. If you can't do high-quality work at the center, you'll lose anyone's interest in following the conversation. You have to do the highest-quality work at the core, and then you can actually have a dialogue.''

The question of that dialogue prompts two further points from Tetreault. One is his understanding of his audience. Pointing to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), for example, as a regular Ford's Theatre attendee, Tetreault says that Ford's offerings have the opportunity to influence America's leaders, to perhaps challenge some negative ideas and encourage positive ones. At the same time, he points to the challenge of taking Ford's Theatre's content and moving beyond the confines of geography, enabling all Americans – if not a global audience – to join the discussion. Live-streaming a post-show interview with Judy Shepard is one of Ford's steps in that direction.

What Tetreault seems most passionate about, however, is his dedication to honoring Abraham Lincoln. The Lincoln Legacy Project is by no means an effort in name only.

''The mission of Ford's Theatre is to carry on the legacy of Abraham Lincoln,'' he says. ''I think that creating a dialogue in this Lincoln Legacy Project, which is to deal with issues of tolerance, equality…. Lincoln said, 'With malice toward none, charity for all.' That's what this is. That's what the Matthew Shepard Foundation is about. Lincoln said, 'for all.' And that is what we're doing. To me, this Lincoln Legacy Project, which is slowly becoming a sort of cornerstone for who we are and what we are, I think, is exactly what we should be doing, because it is, at its core, the essence of who Lincoln was.''

''I think Abraham Lincoln would want to see this play," Tetreault concludes. "I think he would like to hear this story. And that is my guide. It's always my guide. I think, 'Where would Abraham Lincoln stand on issues of anti-Semitism?' We know where Abraham Lincoln stood on issues of race. 'Where would Abraham Lincoln stand on GLBT issues today?' I have no question. If anyone does question that, then they just don't know Abraham Lincoln.''

The Laramie Project as part of the Lincoln Legacy Project runs from Sept. 27 to Oct. 27 at Ford's Theatre, 511 10th St. NW. The exhibit, Not Alone: The Power of Response, runs to Nov. 3 at Ford's Center for Education and Leadership, 514 10th St. NW. For more information about either, or to purchase tickets, call 202-347-4844 or visit fordstheatre.org.

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Spotlight on Spinella: One of the first out actors has enjoyed impressive career longevity

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Stephen Spinella boldly thanked his male lover in 1993 when he won a Tony Award for Best Actor. ''There was a little squeaky-squeaky about that, but Harvey Fierstein had broken that [taboo] much earlier,'' Spinella demures, adding: ''By '93, the AIDS crisis was happening, and people were starting to behave.''

Velocity of Autumn: Stephen Spinella and Estelle Parsons

Velocity of Autumn: Stephen Spinella and Estelle Parsons

(Photo by Tony Powell)

Even so, it took another couple decades before more than a handful of gay actors would also risk image and career by being so public. At least the 56-year-old Spinella has managed to achieve impressive career longevity. After his Tony-winning work originating the role of Prior Walter in Tony Kushner's Angels in America plays, he took on prominent roles on Broadway in James Joyce's The Dead and Spring Awakening. He was also part of both the off-Broadway and film casts of Love! Valour! Compassion! And he can point to relatively recent parts in the movies Milk and Lincoln.

Right now Spinella can be seen at D.C.'s Arena Stage starring opposite Estelle Parsons (Bonnie and Clyde, Roseanne) in Eric Coble's The Velocity of Autumn. Spinella plays Chris, the estranged gay son of Parsons's Alexandra, returning home to reconnect with her before she dies. ''The title of the play is about how fast the end comes,'' Spinella explains.

Before arriving in D.C. Spinella wrapped up work as part of the cast of HBO's The Normal Heart, the film adaptation of Larry Kramer's fiery play about the rise of HIV/AIDS, directed by Glee creator Ryan Murphy. Spinella also plays a recurring character on the USA Network series Royal Pains. And he's in talks with a New York theater to star in a production of Shakespeare's Richard II.

In other words, the longtime openly gay actor is hardly at a loss for prestigious work on account of homophobia.

''I think there still is a degree of homophobia -- not so much in the theater, but through Hollywood and television,'' he says, adding, nevertheless, that even in Hollywood anti-gay attitudes are harder to get away with. ''Now people are more like, 'Fuck you! That's disgusting!' I think people have the courage to say that now.'' -- Doug Rule

The Velocity of Autumn runs to Oct. 20 at Arena Stage's Mead Center for American Theater, 1101 6th St. SW. 'Call 202-488-3300 or visit arenastage.org.'

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A View of Rome: Theater J actor Susan Rome is most often a mother -- except when she's a ''splosher''

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Stage:

Remember John Waters's A Dirty Shame?

"I was the 'splosher,'" says Susan Rome, who played Messy Melinda. "I was the person who derived sexual satisfaction by splashing myself with messy stuff." It wasn't so sexy to her new husband, at least not when Rome would get home after a late-night shoot and have macaroni and cheese stuck in her ear. "My husband said, 'You look like Alice Cooper and you smell like a garbage dumpster," Rome laughs.

Among other film and TV roles, the Baltimore-based Rome repeatedly played DA Ilene Nathan on HBO's The Wire. But Rome is more often seen on area stages, and is currently appearing in a supporting role in Theater J's After The Revolution. Amy Herzog's play focuses on a political family struggling with the revelation that its patriarch wasn't the progressive hero he was mythologized to be. "I think it's really about disappointment," says Rome, who plays stepmother Mel Joseph, "and how families … deal with their disappointment with each other."

Susan Rome and Megan Anderson

Susan Rome and Megan Anderson

(Photo by Stan Barouh)

Rome will appear in back-to-back plays at Theater J this season as the company's associate artist in residence. Next up she plays the lead role in Alexandra Gersten-Vassilaros's The Argument. "I'm playing a woman who just does not want to be a mother," says Rome, who calls the character Sophie "an anti-mom," but one who happens to find herself pregnant. The role is a bit of a departure for Rome, who plays a stepmother in After The Revolution.

"I realized I've been a Jewish mother in every single play," Rome says about her 13 years of regular work with Theater J. "And I became a mother within that time, and becoming a mother definitely changed me as a person for sure, but it also had an impact on my acting."

"I don't know how I pretended to be a mother before I was one," she continues. "That love is terrifying. I think I had just scratched the surface in any previous portrayal I had done. What you're willing to do for your child is pretty serious." -- Doug Rule

After The Revolution runs to Oct. 6 at The Aaron & Cecile Goldman Theater, Washington, D.C.'s Jewish Community Center, 1529 16th St. NW. Tickets are $30 to $55. Call 202-518-9400 or visit washingtondcjcc.org.

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Pop Art: Artisphere presents Andy Warhol's inflatables installation ''Silver Clouds''

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Jose Ortiz never forgot an experience he had over a decade ago at New York's Queens Museum of Art.

"You follow all the rules and you don't touch and you don't do this and that," Ortiz explains. "And then to go into a room where you actually were encouraged to touch the works of art, and to play with it and move around. It's like we were outlaws with the art."

Warhol Silver Cloud

Warhol's Silver Clouds

(Photo by Artisphere)

So Ortiz decided to recreate the experience, essentially an Andy Warhol inflatables installation, at Artisphere. As the Arlington arts complex's executive director, Ortiz has arranged with Pittsburgh's Andy Warhol Museum to host in its Terrace Gallery a free, temporary installation of Warhol's Silver Clouds. "We have about 150 of these very large, rectangular Mylar pillows inflated with helium and air," Ortiz says. "They're floating at different heights in the room. And certainly as people go in there, they set them in motion by touching them and pushing them."

Developed with researchers at Bell Labs, Warhol first installed Silver Clouds at a New York art gallery in 1966. "At the time it was a really groundbreaking intersection between art and technology," Ortiz says. It also stands out from the more common work by the late Warhol. "We've had our share of retrospectives and exhibitions in this area of his really familiar work -- portraits or silkscreens or Brillo boxes," he says. "Silver Clouds introduces another side of Andy Warhol to our audiences."

It also offers Artisphere a chance to show contemporary artists using new technology in their work. "We have a series of installations throughout the building that are inspired by or nod to Andy Warhol," Ortiz says, including three "generative video portraits" by Sergio Albiac. Other related activities include a performance by Dance Exchange on Friday, Oct. 11, among the "clouds," in a nod to the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, which did that at the first installation back in the 1960s. On other Fridays during the run Artisphere will play "Vapor Forms," a 28-minute electronica "soundscape" that Jakub Alexander created specifically for the installation.

And then a week before the installation ends, on Saturday, Oct. 12, Artisphere throws a Warhol-inspired affair, "Night of 1,000 Andys Dance Party," featuring comedian Andrew Bucket and eclectic music from DJ Baby Alcatraz, MarchFourth Marching Band and Javelin.

Says Ortiz, "We're encouraging people to wear turtlenecks and wigs."

Silver Clouds runs through Oct. 20. Artisphere, 1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington. Call 703-875-1100 or visit artisphere.com.

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Fast Track: With ''Rush,'' Ron Howard has made a fun, exciting action movie that also has a few smart things to say about its subject

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There's no such thing as an unpredictable sports movie. Once in a while, a surprising one might pop up, but the rhythms of the story largely remain the same. An athlete pushes himself to succeed, stumbles, pushes himself beyond every conceivable limit, and then -- you guessed it -- succeeds. That success need not be a victory or championship. It could be a lesson learned, a promise kept, or a love rekindled. The point is: Any great sports movie is great in spite of this pattern. It can't change. It's a permanent formula for the genre. Any great sports movie, in other words, is great because it's not just about a sport.

Rush is one of these movies. A fully torqued biopic based on the '70s rivalry between Formula One drivers James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl), it marks an exciting turn for Ron Howard, a director known for cranking out faux-falutin dramas like Cinderella Man and Apollo 13. With Rush, however, Howard has accomplished something rare and unexpected — he's made a fun, exciting action movie that also has quite a few smart things to say about its subject.

Hemsworth in Rush

Hemsworth in Rush

(Photo by Jaap Buitendijk)

It certainly helps that the story behind Rush does most of the heavy lifting — with a bit of Hollywood embellishment, of course. Hemsworth's Hunt is a rakish skirt-chaser, who wins races because he's irresponsible enough to risk life and limb in his "little coffin" of a racecar. "The closer you are to death," he explains, "the more alive you feel." Brühl's Lauda is the polar opposite: a careful, cautious driver who relies on his knowledge and dedication to win. There's a 20 percent chance he'll die every time he gets onto the track, he says. He refuses to let that risk jump even a percentage point higher. As the two men work their way up the racing circuits, eventually reaching the echelon of Formula One, their rivalry festers from personal distaste into an aggressive sort of motivation. Hunt wants to beat Lauda. Lauda wants to be Hunt. They're the two best drivers in the world. Predictable story, right?

RUSH starstarstarstar Starring Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Brühl, Olivia Wilde Rated R 123 minutes Opens Friday Area theaters

Yes — and it's very well done. Rush sticks to a simple distillation of Hunt and Lauda's rivalry, mining it for worthwhile questions about the risks and rewards of such a dangerous sport. (Howard never shies away from showing the carnage of the era's auto racing, so the weak-stomached should be prepared to look away at a moment's notice.) What does Hunt want to accomplish? Why does Lauda even race? A lesser movie would skirt these ideas, and it's a small miracle that Rush spends enough time off the racetrack to consider them. That's the happy accident of a director like Ron Howard making a movie like this one. His workmanlike approach to filmmaking doesn't lend itself to racing scenes — he never seems to settle on a place for his camera, burying it inside an engine as often as it's drifting toward the stands — yet his style works wonders on the dueling philosophies of each man.

With Howard at his back, screenwriter Peter Morgan fills out scene after scene of high-adrenaline, heart-racing… conversations. The races are almost an afterthought to Morgan, who focuses on Hunt and Lauda's dueling philosophies as the movie's beating heart. That's the surprise of Rush — after a grisly turn of events that throws the entire rivalry into sharp relief, it's clear that this is not a movie about auto racing. It's a movie about the men who are crazy enough to race them.

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Is the Pope Catholic?: Pope Francis appears to turn Vatican tide

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Opinion:

I am grateful to have a pope who does not remind me of Emperor Palpatine. This does not exhaust my hopes for the papacy, but we're off to a good start.

The former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, now Pope Francis, has been a ray of sunshine since his elevation in March. His charm, humility, generosity and respect even for gays and atheists, have made him far more appealing than the authoritarian medievalist he replaced. Let's remember that his organization used to burn heretics at the stake. What kind of Catholic leader says, "Who am I to judge?" This one, it turns out.

On the other hand, LGBT people and others have reason to be skeptical. The new pope's considerable pastoral gifts do not erase the Catholic Church's long history of obscurantism, its assaults on intellectual freedom and science, its subordination of women, its anti-gay slanders, its facilitation and cover-up of child rape, its attacks on the use of condoms to prevent AIDS, or its dogma that "outside the church there is no salvation," which fueled great oppression and bloodshed. Redemption requires more than smiles and soothing words.

But let us not be as peremptory as the Grand Inquisitor. Francis is new on the job, and deserves a chance to make his mark. Last week he gave an extraordinary interview to Antonio Spadaro S.J., editor of Italy's La Civiltà Cattolica, for America magazine. Consider several illustrative quotes:

"All the faithful, considered as a whole, are infallible in matters of belief. … When the dialogue among the people and the bishops and the pope goes down this road and is genuine, then it is assisted by the Holy Spirit."

"God in creation has set us free: It is not possible to interfere spiritually in the life of a person."

"God is always a surprise, so you never know where and how you will find him."

"Tradition and memory of the past must help us to have the courage to open up new areas to God. Those who today always look for disciplinarian solutions, those who long for an exaggerated doctrinal 'security,' those who stubbornly try to recover a past that no longer exists – they have a static and inward-directed view of things. In this way, faith becomes an ideology among other ideologies."

"The great leaders of the people of God, like Moses, have always left room for doubt. You must leave room for the Lord, not for our certainties; we must be humble. Uncertainty is in every true discernment that is open to finding confirmation in spiritual consolation."

That the Bishop of Rome should embrace this "conservatism of doubt," as Andrew Sullivan describes it, is a stark departure from his immediate predecessors, John Paul II and Benedict XVI. They fought to dismantle the legacy of Vatican II, which represented an opening of the church to the modern world.

The first Jesuit pope is making a good deal of trouble for the bullies in his midst, saying of abortion, gay marriage and contraception, "It is not necessary to talk about these issues all the time." It is revealing that some of the anti-gay obsessives he implicitly skewers, like Maggie Gallagher and Cardinal Timothy Dolan, gamely applaud as if that were just what they wanted to hear.

This pope's less imperial and more community-driven approach could bear fruit down the road. Some liberals are dismissive because he covers his right flank and did not instantly issue five revolutionary encyclicals. But past wrongs should not blind us to new opportunities. Francis talks about a collective journey. We should offer our blessings to those prepared to walk with this pontiff who has exchanged the so-called Prada loafers for the shoes of the fisherman.

Richard J. Rosendall is a writer and activist. He can be reached at rrosendall@starpower.net.

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