washingtonblade.com, volume 47, issue 16, april 15, 2016

8/18/2019 Washingtonblade.com, Volume 47, Issue 16, April 15, 2016

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Candidates running forChris Van Hollen,Donna Edwards seats

By MICHAEL K. [email protected]

The Democrats who are seeking tosucceed U.S. Reps. Chris Van Hollen andDonna Edwards continue to highlighttheir efforts in support of LGBT rightsahead of the April 26 primary.

An ad for state Sen. Jamie Raskin(D-Montgomery County), who is runningfor Van Hollen’s seat in Maryland’s 8thCongressional District, notes his effortsto spur passage of the state’s same-sexmarriage bill in 2012. The Montgomery

Alleged incident happened afterPhil Bryant took offi ce in 2012

By Michael K. [email protected]

The Washington Blade has learned that the sonof Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant was once attackedbecause he is gay.

A source who claims to know Patrick Bryantfrom when they were students at the Universityof Southern Mississippi told the WashingtonBlade last week during a telephone interview from

Jackson, the state capital, that the incident tookplace at a bar in Hattiesburg after the governortook offi ce in 2012.

The source said that Patrick Bryant — who was

CONTINUES ON PAGE 14

PAGE 4

TOO LITTLE,TOO LATE?

N.C. governor issuesHB 2 executive order

PAGE 6

LEGACY OFSERVICE

LGBT, D.C. statehoodactivist Jerry Clark dies

PAGE 10

BLIND SEE?

Pope affi rms Catholic

Church’s marriage

opposition

A P R I L 1 5 , 2 0 1 6 V O L U M E 4 7 I S S U E 1 6 • A M E R I C A ’ S G A Y N E W S S O U R C E • W A S H I N G T O N B L A D E . C O M

State Sen. JAMIE RASKIN and former Marriott International executive KATHLEEN MATTHEWS are running for MarylandCongressman’s Rep. Chris Van Hollen’s seat in Congress.WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTOS BY MICHAEL KEY CONTINUES ON PAGE 12

PATRICK BRYANT with Mississippi First Lady DEBORAH BRYANTPUBLIC DOMAIN

Son of Miss. governor reportedly victim of anti-gay attack


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Pressure over House Bill 2mounting since it took effect

By Chris [email protected]

Faced with continued pressure toundo the North Carolina’s newly enacted

anti-LGBT law, North Carolina Gov. PatMcCrory on Tuesday signed an executiveorder to mitigate the opposition, althoughLGBT advocates say it’s not enough.

The directive, known as Executive Order93, as noted in a news statement on onehand “maintains common sense gender-specific restroom and locker roomfacilities in government buildings andschools,” which indicates transgenderpeople will still be barred from usingpublic restrooms in those placesconsistent with their gender identity.

On the other hand, the order prohibitsanti-LGBT discrimination among stateemployees, affi rms the private sector’sright to establish its own restroom andlocker room policies, affi rms businesses’right to establish non-discriminationpolicies in employment and seekslegislation to reinstate the right to sue instate court for discrimination.

“After listening to people’s feedbackfor the past several weeks on this issue,I have come to the conclusion thatthere is a great deal of misinformation,misinterpretation, confusion, a lot of

passion and frankly, selective outrage andhypocrisy, especially against the greatstate of North Carolina,” McCrory said ina statement. “Based upon this feedback,I am taking action to affi rm and improvethe state’s commitment to privacy andequality.”

McCrory signs the executive order amidcontinued consternation over House Bill2, which bars cities from enacting pro-LGBT non-discrimination ordinances andtransgender people from using publicrestrooms in schools and government

buildings consistent with their genderidentity.

LGBT advocates criticized the executiveorder as an insuffi cient way to make upfor the damage HB 2 has done in termsof enabling discrimination and economiccost to the state.

Sarah Preston, acting executive directorof the American Civil Liberties Union ofNorth Carolina, said the executive orderis “poor effort to save face” after signingHB 2 into law.

“With this executive order, LGBT

individuals still lack legal protections fromdiscrimination, and transgender peopleare still explicitly targeted by being forcedto use the wrong restroom,” Preston said.

Preston added the only real solutionfor McCrory is guiding the legislature to

repeal HB 2 and put in its place a statelaw prohibiting anti-LGBT discrimination.

“Efforts to divide the LGBT communityby extending limited protections butleaving in place the rules mandatingdiscrimination against the transgendercommunity will only strengthen ourresolve to fight back against thisdiscriminatory and misguided legislativeaction,” Preston said. “We call on

Gov. McCrory and the North Carolinalegislature to repeal House Bill 2 andreplace it with full non-discriminationprotections for all LGBT people.”

Lambda Legal, the ACLU and theACLU of North Carolina last month fileda lawsuit challenging House Bill 2 on thebasis it violates equal protection underthe U.S. Constitution and the prohibitionon gender discrimination under Title IX ofthe Education Amendments of 1972.

Kate Kendell, executive director ofthe National Center for Lesbian Rights,

condemned the executive order via aTwitter post from her organization.

Candis Cox-Daniels, a Raleigh-basedtrans advocate, said the executive order“does not seem to address the problems”presented by the anti-LGBT law.

“The governor has still rejected theopportunity to say that House Bill 2 andall of its components are discriminatoryand do not align with the United Statesconstitution nor the overwhelmingopposition expressed by North Carolinacitizens and business,” Cox-Daniels said.

“I see this order as nothing more than yetanother ambiguous statement that is notfounded in facts and only seeks to saveface of an elected offi cial as he preparesfor reelection.”

Tyler Deaton, senior adviser for the

Republican pro-LGBT American UnityFund, was more forgiving and thanked thegovernor for signing the directive, althoughhe acknowledged it should only be the startof the process to repeal the law.

“This is a major milestone for NorthCarolina and it represents the start ofa reconciliation process that needs totake place in the aftermath of HB2,”Deaton said. “The executive order itself

references current anti-transgender lawimposed by HB2, which is just anotherreminder of how sweeping and harmfulHB2 is. All eyes now turn to the GeneralAssembly as it reconvenes later thismonth. They must continue the processof reconciliation and the only way to dothat is to repeal HB2.”

UNC may be violatingObama executive order

Two seemingly unrelated events on

LGBT rights happened last week thatupon closer look had significant bearingon each other.

First, the University of North Carolinasystem declared it would comply withHB2. University of North CarolinaPresident Margaret Spellings, known forexpressing anti-LGBT views as a formeroffi cial in the Bush administration’sDepartment of Education, announced thechange in a Q&A guidance to chancellors.

Second, the one-year anniversary ofthe effect date of President Obama’s

Executive Order 13672, which bars federalcontractors from engaging in anti-LGBTworkplace discrimination, passed. Anycontractor who entered new agreementsto do at least $10,000 a year in businesswith the U.S. government since April 8,

2015, is subject to the anti-bias rulesunder the order.

The events are related because,as a Washington Blade investigationdiscovered, the University of NorthCarolina is a federal contractor. Therefore,the school system could be subject topenalties if it discriminates against LGBTworkers, such as by complying with HB 2and prohibiting trans workers from using

restrooms consistent with their genderidentity.

According to USASpending.gov, theUniversity of North Carolina won morethan $2 million in federal contractsbetween 2008 and 2016. For each fiscalyear from fiscal years 2010 through 2016,the university won more than $10,000 infederal contracts, which surpasses thefinancial threshold of having to meetrequirements under Executive Order13672.

One contract in particular awarded

on June 22, 2015, after the effect date ofthe executive order, is valued at $13,090,which is enough to trigger penaltiesunder the executive order. The NationalInstitutes of Health awarded the contractto the University of North Carolina, ChapelHill, for medical and laboratory testing.

The U.S. Department of Labor is amongthe agencies conducting a review of HB2, which may result of a loss of federalfunds for the state. Critics say the lawcontravenes Title VII of the Civil RightsAct of 1964 and Title IX of the Education

Amendments of 1972, but the review atthe Labor Department could also takeinto account whether the University ofNorth Carolina is in violation of ExecutiveOrder 13672.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

04 • APRIL 15, 2016 NATIONAL NEWS

North Carolina Gov. PAT MCCRORY

PHOTO BY HAL GOODTREE; COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA

McCrory signs executive order over anti-LGBT law


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National LGBTQ Task Forceboard member backedD.C. statehood

By LOU CHIBBARO [email protected]

Jerry N. Clark, an attorney, union healthand pension fund director, and healthcare benefits consultant in Washingtonwho for years served as an advocatefor the cause of LGBT rights and D.C.statehood, died April 9 at Virginia HospitalCenter in Arlington. He was 74.

His sister, Melinda Rider, said the causeof death was complications associatedwith a severe head injury sustained froma fall in January at his home of 40 years inD.C.’s Adams Morgan neighborhood.

“Jerry was a progressive with anunwavering vision of equality for allpeople,” said Rea Carey, executive directorof the National LGBTQ Task Force, forwhich Clark has served as a member andco-chair of its board of directors.

“He will be remembered for his

leadership, but also for his kindness andcompassion,” Carey said in a statement.“Surely the world is a better place havinghad his talents, and we are beholden to allthat Jerry contributed to the movement.”

Among his numerous involvements inprogressive political causes, Clark servedas chair of the D.C. Statehood Coalition,political director of D.C. For Democracy

and a board member of the local groupStop Gun Violence.

He has served as co-chair of D.C.’sWhitman-Walker Health’s spring gala,a trustee for the Law and SocietyAssociation and a member of theDemocratic National Committee’s Gayand Lesbian Leadership Council.

Former D.C. Mayor Vincent Grayappointed Clark to the Mayor’s Committeeon the 50th anniversary of the 1963March on Washington. In recent yearsClark was one of the lead organizers ofan LGBT contingent in the city’s annualMartin Luther King Day parade.

In 2014, the D.C. Gay and LesbianActivists Alliance presented Clark with itsDistinguished Service Award for what itcalled his exemplary and dedicated work

on behalf of LGBT equality.“Time and again on issue after issue,

Jerry can be found lending his expertiseand offer a hand,” said then-GLAA VicePresident for Administration Kevin Davis.“His energy and commitment are anexample to others.”

Clark was born and raised in Muncie,Ind. He graduated in 1959 from Muncie’s

Burris School, which he attended fromkindergarten through 12th grade,according to Rider. Rider said he receivedhis bachelor’s degree from PrincetonUniversity, a law degree from theUniversity of Chicago and completed hisdoctoral studies in political science at theUniversity of Minnesota.

He came to Washington in 1973 to workas a legal assistant at the Department of

Justice under then-U.S. Attorney GeneralElliot Richardson. A short time laterClark began work at the Washington-based United Mine Workers Health andRetirement Funds, Rider said, where hespent the major part of his career as itsexecutive director.

In recent years, Rider said, he didconsulting work in the area of health care

benefits and health care cost containment.“He was so committed to making things

better and never needed the spotlight,”said gay activist and former White Houseaide Dave Noble. “A real loss but … what abeautiful legacy.”

Clark is survived by his sisters AlmaMarie Osborn of Boise, Idaho; Betty Huntof Summerfield, Fla.; and Melinda Rider of

Greensboro, Ga.; and his brother ParnellDavid Clark of Battle Creek, Mich. He waspredeceased by his parents Parnell DavidClark, Sr., and Alma Clark.

Earl Fowlkes, president of the GertrudeStein Democratic Club, D.C.’s largest localLGBT political organization, said Clark wasa longtime active member of the club.

“I have known Jerry for almost 20 yearsand in that time I’ve seen him work in allcommunities, especially Gertrude Stein,to push for D.C. statehood,” said Fowlkes.“He was a man for all seasons and will bemissed by all who knew him.”

Rider said plans for a memorialcelebration of Clark’s life will beannounced shortly. She said contributionsin remembrance of Clark can be made asa gift to Whitman-Walker Health.

Police offi cials belatedlycomplied with offi cer’sFOIA request

By LOU CHIBBARO [email protected]

A D.C. Superior Court judge on April8 dismissed a lawsuit filed last Octoberby gay Metropolitan Police Offi cer JustinMarkiewicz seeking to force police offi cialsto turn over email and phone recordshe had sought through a Freedom ofInformation Act request.

But Markiewicz’s attorney disclosedfollowing the ruling by Judge JohnCampbell that police offi cials belatedlycomplied with Markiewicz’s FOIA requestin late February and provided him with theemails and phone records he requested.

The attorney, Matthew LeFande, saidMarkiewicz decided to continue the lawsuit

after police turned over the requesteddocuments because a ruling by the courtthat police initially failed to comply withthe request until a lawsuit was filed wouldrequire the D.C. government to pay hislegal expenses related to the lawsuit.

Campbell’s ruling was the latest in aseries of developments surroundingclaims by Markiewicz that he has beentargeted for anti-gay discrimination andretaliation by police offi cials after filing an

internal discrimination complaint againsta captain who served as his supervisor.

David Mariner, executive director ofthe D.C. Center for the LGBT Community,provided an account of Markiewicz’sinternal police complaint in a message on aGoFundMe site he created in early March.In that message, Mariner said Markiewiczwas in the midst of a “costly legal battlewith the Police Department” over

retaliation he encountered after he fileda complaint charging he was subjected to“repeated homophobic remarks.”

Sources familiar with the complainthave said it accuses a captain whoheaded the department’s then-Gay andLesbian Liaison Unit, of which Markiewiczwas a member, of repeatedly referringto Markiewicz as “Justine” in face-to-faceconversations and in email messages.Some of the emails reportedly were sentto D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier.

Lanier i s among the police offi cialswhose emails were sought in Markiewicz’sFOIA request.

Meanwhile, sources familiar withMarkiewicz’s role on the GLLU, beforehe requested to be transferred out ofthe unit, say he has also filed a sexualorientation discrimination complaintagainst the department with the D.C.Offi ce of Human Rights. The policeemails and phone records associated

with text messages he has requestedreportedly are needed to substantiate hisdiscrimination complaint.

The DCOHR has a policy of not publiclydisclosing whether a complaint hasbeen filed until the offi ce completes aninvestigation of the complaint and makesa determination that probable cause existsthe alleged discrimination occurred. Ifprobable cause is found, the offi ce has theoption of arranging for a public evidentiary

hearing similar to a trial before the city’sCommission on Human Rights.

In announcing his decision to dismissthe FOIA lawsuit at an April 8 statushearing, Campbell said he was requiredby law to grant a motion by D.C. AttorneyGeneral Karl Racine, who represents thepolice department, to dismiss the caseon grounds that LeFande missed thedeadline for offi cially serving legal papersnotifying the city about the suit.

LeFande disputes the claim that hisoffi ce missed the deadline. He argued atthe hearing that he arranged for the legalpapers to be served to the mayor’s offi cein accordance with rules he says wereestablished by a previous decision by theD.C. Court of Appeals.

Campbell said the D.C. attorneygeneral’s offi ce acted appropriately bydeclar ing that the mayor’s offi ce hadestablished that it no longer acceptsservice for lawsuits against the city and

that such service must be delivered to theoffi ce, which represents the mayor and allcity agencies in court.

Racine argues in his motion to dismissthe case that by the time LeFandearranged for the legal papers to beserved to the D.C. attorney general’soffi ce on Jan. 4 they were seven days pastthe deadline of Dec. 28.

� CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

06 • APRIL 15, 2016 LOCAL NEWS

JUSTIN MARKIEWICZ

WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY

Judge dismisses gay D.C. cop’s lawsuit

Veteran LGBT activist Jerry Clark dies at 74


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LGBT Jewish group holds D.C. events

WASHINGTON — More than 60 people from around the world attended a seriesof events that the World Congress of GLBT Jews organized in D.C. this past weekend.

The World Congress of GLBT Jews events took place at the Washington D.C. JewishCommunity Center in Dupont Circle from April 8-10. Congregation Bet Mishpachahand the Kurlander Program for GLBTQ Outreach and Engagement (GLOE) co-hostedthe organization.

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commissioner Chai Feldblum and RabbiLaurie Green of Congregation Bet Mishpachah spoke at on April 8. Harry Samuels ofthe American Jewish World Service and Gender Rights Maryland Executive DirectorDana Beyer discussed LGBT rights in the U.S. and around the world on April 10.

The World Congress of GLBT Jews also held its annual board meeting on April 10.World Congress of GLBT Jews President Frank Giaoui told the Washington Blade

on April 10 that members of his organization from New York, Israel, France andother countries attended the events.

“Obviously there is some more to do in civil rights in the U.S.,” said Giaoui,referring to efforts in support of equal access to employment and housing. “Insome countries like Latin America and Central Europe and in Africa obviously thecivil rights are not there at all. So we also have to work for them.”

The World Congress of GLBT Jews events took place less than three months afterprotesters forced the cancellation of a reception at the National LGBTQ Task Force’sannual Creating Change Conference at which two Israeli activists were scheduledto speak.

MCC moderator travels to Miss.

HATTIESBURG, Miss. — The global moderator of the Metropolitan CommunityChurches traveled to Mississippi on April 10 to criticize the state’s controversialreligious freedom law.

Rev. Nancy Wilson spoke at a press conference in Hattiesburg after attendingservices at Joshua Generation MCC. Rev. Brandiilyne Mangum-Dear, who foundedthe Dandelion Project, an LGBT support and advocacy group in Mississippi’s PineBelt, heads the congregation.

“When they do this in the name of Christianity, they are perverting the gospel orthey haven’t read the gospels and have no idea who Jesus is,” said Wilson.

The press conference took place five days after Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant signedthe religious freedom bill — House Bill 1523 — into law.

Comedian Ellen DeGeneres and Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts,who grew up on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and came out in 2013, are among thosewho have publicly spoken out against HB 1523. Bryan Adams announced earlier thisweek that he had cancelled an April 14 concert in Biloxi over the religious freedomlaw.

Puerto Rico marriage ban again struck down

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A federal judge on April 7 struck down Puerto Rico’ssame-sex marriage ban.

U.S. District Court Judge Gustavo A. Gelpí issued his ruling hours after the 1st U.S.Circuit Court of Appeals reaffi rmed the U.S. commonwealth’s same-sex marriageban is unconstitutional.

The 1st Circuit ruled last July in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision thatextended marriage rights to same-sex couples throughout the country that PuertoRico’s gay nuptials ban is unconstitutional. U.S. District Court Judge Juan Pérez-Giménez last month said the Obergefell ruling did not apply to Puerto Rico becauseit is not a state.

“In ruling that the ban is not unconstitutional because the applicable constitutionalright does not apply to Puerto Rico, the district court both misconstrued that rightand directly contradicted our mandate,” said the 1st Circuit in its latest ruling.

Five same-sex couples; Lambda Legal and Puerto Rico Para Tod@s, a PuertoRican LGBT advocacy group, filed a lawsuit against the U.S. commonwealth’s same-sex marriage ban in 2014.

Pérez-Giménez dismissed the lawsuit, but the plaintiffs appealed the ruling tothe 1st Circuit. Puerto Rico Gov. Alejandro García Padilla’s administration in 2015announced it would no longer defend the same-sex marriage ban.

The 1st Circuit on April 7 ordered another judge to consider the case.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM


Clinton rallies in Baltimoreahead of Md. primaryMaryland voters to castballots on April 26

By CHRIS [email protected]

BALTIMORE — Hillary Clinton rallied anestimated 1,500 supporters in Baltimoreon April 10 with an LGBT-inclusivespeech urging them to head to the pollsin Maryland’s Democratic presidentialprimary.

Standing before an image of a U.S. flagbearing the message “Made in America,”the candidate made the remarks at theCity Garage days before the New Yorkprimary on Tuesday and roughly twoweeks before the “Acela Primary,” which

includes Maryland, on April 26.“Are we going to go forward with unity,

confidence, optimism, roll up our sleeves,get things done together, renew thepromise of America, deliver it everyonewilling to work hard for it, make sure thatour children — each and every one ofthem — has a chance to live up to his orher God-given potential? Or are we goingto be divided, set against one another, godown false trails that lead nowhere, seeour country’s progress eroded?” Clintonsaid. “That’s the choice in this election.

There is no other way to put it.”Clinton cautioned a Republican in theWhite House would seek to “turn back theclock on all our rights,” including humanrights, civil rights, gay rights, voting rightsand women’s rights. Among other things,Clinton said she’d “defend marriageequality and work to end discriminationagainst the LGBT community.”

But Clinton went into more detailon the issue of voting rights, saying “itis outrageous that in 2016 somebodyrunning for president” has to talk abouttheir importance. Clinton recounted thestory of a 102-year-old woman she met inSouth Carolina who wanted to vote, butwas unable to register because she hadno photo ID or birth certificate.

“She said, ‘I’ve been living here all my

life. Isn’t that enough?’” Clinton said. “Yes,it is enough, and we’re going to make itenough once again.”

Clinton also made the case Ted Cruzand Donald Trump are “dangerous”because of their anti-Muslim attacks,

drawing particular attention to Cruz’splan to give police offi cers authority toinvestigate to Muslim neighborhoods.

“How that would ever work, I wouldhave no idea,” Clinton said. “They’re reallynot held to any standard of reality. It’s analternative universe.”

A major focus of her remarks was theeconomic prosperity under her spouse,President Bill Clinton, and the recoveryunder President Obama after the 2008economic collapse. Laying out heragenda, Clinton identified among other

things her desire for greater access totransportation in places like Baltimoreso “people in cities can get to the jobs”created during the recovery.

At times, Clinton seemed to be takinga page from her rival for the Democraticnomination Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). The former secretary of state saideconomic inequality should be a priorityand she’d go after “bad actors” in thefinancial sector who caused the 2008economic downfall.

But Clinton was also openly critical of

Sanders, saying his plan for tuition-freecollege is unfair because it would allowchildren of wealthy families, like Trump’schildren, to attend college for free. Theplan is also unrealistic, Clinton said,because while the federal governmentwould be required to pay two-thirds ofthe cost, the states would have to pay theremaining third.

“I don’t know about you, but a lot ofRepublican governors don’t look openlyenthusiastic about funding higher ed,”Clinton said. “So when someone tells yousomething is free, ask for the fine printbecause I what I have proposed will beachievable and create results almostimmediately.”

� CONTINUES AT WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

HILLARY CLINTON rallies supporters in Baltimore ahead of the April 26 primary.

WASHINGTON BLADE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY


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LGBT rights advocatessharply criticize document

By MICHAEL K. [email protected]

Pope Francis on April 8 reaffi rmed theCatholic Church’s opposition to marriagerights to same-sex couples.

“We need to acknowledge the great varietyof family situations that can offer a certainstability, but de facto or same-sex unions, forexample, may not simply be equated withmarriage,” said Francis. “No union that istemporarily or closed to the transmission oflife can ensure the future of society.”

Francis made the statement in “The Joy of Love,” a 256-page document hereleased in the wake of last fall’s gathering

of Catholic bishops in Rome that focusedon the family.The document notes the bishops

“discussed the situation of families whosemembers include persons who experiencesame-sex attraction, a situation not easyeither for parents or for children.”

“We would like before all else toreaffi rm that every person, regardless ofsexual orientation, ought to be respectedin his or her dignity and treated withconsideration, while ‘every sign of unjustdiscrimination’ is to be carefully avoided,particularly any form of aggression andviolence,” said Francis. “Such familiesshould be given respectful pastoralguidance, so that those who manifest ahomosexual orientation can receive theassistance they need to understand and

fully carry out God’s will in their lives.”Francis in the document describes

the allocation of foreign aid to countriesbased upon whether they extendmarriage rights to same-sex couples as“unacceptable.” The pontiff also writesan “ideology of gender” that “denies the

difference and reciprocity in nature ofa man and a woman and envisages asociety without sexual differences” posesan additional challenge to the family.

“This ideology leads to educationalprograms and legislative enactmentsthat promote a personal identity andemotional intimacy, radically separatedfrom the biological difference betweenmale and female,” said Francis.

LGBT rights advocates were quick tocriticize the document.

“I don’t think anybody was expecting

a celebration of same-sex marriage inthis document,” Marianne Duddy-Burke,executive director of DignityUSA, a group forLGBT Catholics, told the Washington Bladeduring a telephone interview. “But there’s justa tremendous disconnect in how LGBT peopleand others are seen by church offi cials, up toand including the pope himself.”

Francis DeBernardo, executive directorof New Ways Ministry, a Maryland-basedgroup that ministers to LGBT Catholics,expressed a similar sentiment.

“The disappointment comes from thefact that the only times he was specific onLGBT issues were negative comments,”he told the Blade.

Kieran Rose, chair of the Gay andLesbian Equality Network, an Irish LGBTadvocacy group, in a statement described

the document as “a missed opportunityto reflect and embrace the very positivechanges in attitudes towards lesbian and gaypeople that have come about over the last20 years in Ireland and across many partsof the world.” LGBT Federation of ArgentinaVice President Esteban Paulón described the

document as “a new lost opportunity.”Paulón told the Blade from the Argentinian

city of Mendoza the Vatican released thedocument a day after Colombia’s highestcourt issued a landmark ruling that extendedmarriage rights to gays and lesbians. Thefirst same-sex wedding at an Argentiniansynagogue took place earlier this week.

“Pope Francis ratified the Vatican’sline that is contrary to the expansion ofrights,” Paulón told the Blade.

Cardinal Donald Wuerl of theArchdiocese of Washington also

responded to Francis’ document.“Pope Francis affi rms that the commonlife of husband, wife and children can besteeped in and strengthened by sacramentalgrace,” wrote Wuerl in a blog post. “For thosein irregular situations, continues the pope,Christ inspires the church to turn to themwith love and affection to assist them inovercoming the trials they face.”

Vatican silent on anti-gayDominican cardinal

Francis was the then-archbishop of BuenosAires before he became pope in 2013.

The Vatican’s tone towardshomosexuality, marriage rights for same-sex couples and other social issues has

become more moderate under Francis’papacy. LGBT Catholic organizations andtheir allies are nevertheless quick to notethat church doctrine has not changed.

Francis and Russian Orthodox ChurchPatriarch Kirill in February expressed theiropposition to marriage rights for same-sex

couples in a joint declaration they signedduring their historic meeting in Cuba.

A number of LGBT people have claimedthey have been fired from Catholicinstitutions because of their marital statusin the wake of last June’s U.S. SupremeCourt ruling that extended marriage rightsto same-sex couples across the country.The Vatican has yet to publicly respond toCardinal Nicolás de Jesús López Rodríguezof the Archdiocese of Santo Domingo’srepeated use of homophobic slurs todescribe gay U.S. Ambassador to the

Dominican Republic James “Wally” Brewster.Duddy-Burke told the Blade that shehad hoped Francis’ document would have“gone further in clearly renouncing any kindof anti-gay rhetoric or public opposition toequality measures.” DeBernardo notedthe pontiff did not make any “specific”statements about laws that criminalizeconsensual same-sex sexual relations.

Special U.S. Envoy for the Human Rights ofLGBTI Persons Randy Berry last Novemberduring a visit to the Vatican dismissedclaims that foreign aid to African countriesdepends upon whether they allow gays andlesbians to legally marry.

DeBernardo pointed out to the Bladethat Francis “repeated” this claim in thedocument he released on April 8.

“That’s just not true,” DeBernardo said.

Four South Americancountries now allowgay nuptials

By MICHAEL K. LAVERS [email protected]

Colombia’s highest court on April 7ruled that same-sex couples have theright to marry.

Colombia’s constitutional court issuedits landmark 6-3 ruling nearly ninemonths after it held a hearing on whetherto extend nuptials to gays and lesbians.

Colombia Diversa, a Colombian LGBTadvocacy group, in a press release saidthe ruling “established that marriage is theonly legal institution that addresses thelack of protection for same-sex couples andthere is no basis to deny it.” The landmarkdecision also says that judges and notariesmust perform civil marriages for same-sex

couples who request them.

“Same-sex couples can access theinstitution of civil marriage with the samerights, benefits and the same responsibilitiesthat this institution affords to heterosexualcouples thanks to the Constitutional Courtof Colombia,” said Colombia Diversa.

Angélica Lozano, a lesbian who waselected to the Colombian Congress in2014, also celebrated the ruling. “Equalityis unstoppable,” she said in a tweet sheposted to her Twitter page.

The New York City Bar Association andthe Impact Litigation Project at AmericanUniversity Washington College of Law inD.C. filed briefs in support of marriagerights for same-sex couples. EvanWolfson, founder of Freedom to Marry,also submitted testimony ahead of the

July 30, 2015 hearing on the issue.“I’m gratified that the court carefully

studied the issue,” Hunter T. Carter ofthe New York City Bar Association toldthe Washington Blade during a telephone

interview shortly after he learned about

the ruling.The court in 2011 ruled that same-sex

couples could register their relationshipswithin two years if Colombian lawmakersdid not pass a bill that would extend tothe same benefits heterosexuals receivethrough marriage.

Legislators in the South Americancountry subsequently defeated a same-sex marriage bill.

A handful of gay and lesbian couplesin Bogotá and other Colombian citieshave exchanged vows since the court’sdeadline passed in 2013. InspectorGeneral Alejandro Ordóñez Maldonadohas challenged the rulings that allowedthem to marry.

The court last November issued alandmark ruling that extended adoptionrights to same-sex couples.

“The court was patient and gave theCongress a chance to legislate,” Cartertold the Blade. “The failure to legislature

led to this legislation.”

Ruling to have ‘significantimpact’ in Latin America

Same-sex couples can legally marryin Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, PuertoRico, Mexico City and a handful of otherMexican states.

Chile’s civil unions law took effect lastOctober, but LGBT rights advocates inthe South American country continueto lobby lawmakers to extend marriagerights to same-sex couples. Membersof a Peruvian congressional committeein 2015 tabled a bill that would haveallowed gays and lesbians to enter intocivil unions.

Carter told the Blade that the Colombiaruling will have “a significant impact”throughout Latin America.

“It is clear that this decision will have a

major effect,” he said.

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

10 • APRIL 15, 2016 INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Colombia’s high court issues landmark marriage ruling

Pope Francis reaf rms church same-sex marriage opposition


11/48


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County Democrat also played a leadingrole in securing passage of measures twoyears later that added gender identity toMaryland’s nondiscrimination law.

Businessman David Trone notes in acampaign ad that his company beganoffering domestic partner benefits toemployees more than a decade ago.

Kathleen Matthews, a former MarriottInternational executive, notes on hercampaign website that anti-transgenderdiscrimination in employment andhousing is illegal in Maryland. Theformer WJLA reporter who is married toMSNBC’s Chris Matthews said she wouldco-sponsor the Equality Act, which wouldadd LGBT-specific language to federalcivil rights law, if elected.

“I will work to ensure its passage andlook forward to serving as a co-sponsoronce elected,” says Kathleen Matthewson her campaign website.

State Del. Kumar Barve (D-MontgomeryCounty) was the chief sponsor of a 2011same-sex marriage bill that narrowly diedin the Maryland House of Delegates. TheMontgomery County Democrat appeared

on “The Kojo Nnamdi Show” and in otherlocal media outlets to discuss his support ofthe issue.

Will Jawando last fall donated twocampaign donations he received fromformer Turing Pharmaceuticals CEOMartin Shkreli to the Boys and Girls Clubof Greater Washington.

“There’s no mistaking Will’s strongsupport of anti-price-gouging relationsfor drug companies and Hillary Clinton’s

proposal to allow Medicare to negotiatewith the industry for lower prices forseniors,” a campaign spokesperson toldthe Washington Blade earlier this year.

Joel Rubin, a former State Departmentoffi cial, includes LGBT-specific issues onhis website.

He, like Kathleen Matthews, supportsthe Equality Act. Rubin highlighted hisposition in a tweet in which he criticizedthe passage of a North Carolina lawlast month that bans local LGBT rightsordinances and block trans people from

using public restrooms consistent withtheir gender identity.

State Del. Ana Sol Gutierrez(D-Montgomery County) also voted insupport of the marriage and trans rights

bills. Dan Bolling has also spoken for theaforementioned issues.

“All Americans deserve to live lifefree of discrimination … irrespectiveof race, gender, composition or sexualorientation,” writes Washington CenterSenior Vice President David Anderson onhis campaign website.

Brown, Peña-Melynk among

candidates for Edwards seatFormer Lieutenant Gov. Anthony Brown,

who is among the five Democrats runningto succeed Edwards in Maryland’s 4thCongressional District, supported the state’ssame-sex marriage and trans rights laws.

The Equality Maryland PAC endorsedBrown in the state’s 2014 gubernatorial race.

The former lieutenant governorrejected then-Attorney General DougGansler’s allegations that EqualityMaryland “traded” its endorsementfor his support of the trans rights bill.

Brown has also faced questions about hiscommitment to marriage rights for same-sex couples as lieutenant governor.

State Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk (D-AnneArundel and Prince George’s Counties)

notes on her website that she sponsoredthe 2012 same-sex marriage bill. She alsoled efforts in support of Maryland’s transrights measure that became law in 2014.

“I recognize my debt to America’s civilrights leaders and protesters who won forme the right to an equal place in our societytoday,” writes Peña-Melnyk, who was bornin the Dominican Republic. “Thanks to themwe’ve made progress, but there is still moreto do and more inequality to fight. That’s why

I was proud to sponsor Maryland’s marriageequality law and also fought hard for yearsfor legislation to prevent discriminationagainst transgender Marylanders.”

Former Prince George’s County State’sAttorney Glenn Ivey notes his support ofmarriage rights for same-sex couples onhis campaign website. He also indicates hebacks the Equality Act.

“Discrimination on the basis of race,sex, gender identity, sexual orientation,age or any other classification has noplace in our country,” says Ivey.

Ivey’s wife, state Del. Jolene Ivey (D-PrinceGeorge’s County), was Gansler’s runningmate in his 2014 gubernatorial campaign.

Gay, trans issues enjoy wide support among candidates

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

12 • APRIL 15, 2016 LOCAL NEWS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01

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a student at the University of SouthernMississippi at the time — went to thebar with a group of other gay men. Thesource told the Blade that it is “an opensecret” that the governor’s son is gay.

“He was intoxicated and someoneasked him if he was, ‘Phil Bryant’s faggotgay son,’” said the source who askedthe Blade not to publish their name for

fear of retribution from the governor,recalling the alleged incident. “Obviouslypeople took offense to it.”

The source said the man “keptantagonizing him to try to provoke Patrickinto a fight.”

The source told the Blade that the manpushed Patrick Bryant.

“It wasn’t really a fair fight,” said thesource.

The source told the Blade that PatrickBryant moved to Austin, Texas, shortlyafter the alleged incident took place.

“He (Phil Bryant) knew that ifPatrick stayed, he knew eventuallyeveryone would realize Patrick’s gayand it would come out during anelection and someone would try to use

it against him politically,” said the source.The Blade reached the Hattiesburg

Police Department on Monday. Theoffi cer who answered the phone did notfollow-up with information about thealleged attack.

WLOX, a television station onMississippi’s Gulf Coast, reported thatPatrick Bryant helped decorate theGovernor’s Mansion for the holidaysin 2012. His LinkedIn page says he is

currently an interior designer for a firm inAustin, Texas.

Robin Roberts: HB 1523‘hurts my soul’

The source spoke with the Blade twodays after Phil Bryant signed House Bill1523, a sweeping “religious freedom”bill that critics contend would allow anti-LGBT discrimination in Mississippi.

“Good Morning America” co-anchor

Robin Roberts, who grew up in PassChristian on the Mississippi Gulf Coastand came out as a lesbian in 2013,appears on the cover of the state’s mostrecent tourism guide. She criticized HB

1523 in a statement to WLOX.“My longtime partner, Amber, and I

have always felt welcomed in my homestate, and it hurts my soul to thinkof anyone not feeling welcome,” saidRoberts.

Ellen DeGeneres, who grew up inLouisiana, is among those who havealso criticized Mississippi’s religiousfreedom law. Spokespersons for theDepartments of Transportation, Health

and Human Services and Housingand Urban Development told theBlade last week that their respectiveagencies are reviewing thecontroversial statute.

“No business that serves the publicasks its customers if they are gay,bisexual, transgendered or straightbefore providing services, nor shouldthey,” said Tim Wildmon, president ofthe Mississippi-based American FamilyAssociation, in an April 6 post to hiswebsite. “This is what opponents of our

new state law want you to believe. Thatsimply doesn’t happen.”

“But any private small business ownersuch as a baker, a photographer, a florist,etc., should not be forced by the power of

the government to be an active participantin a wedding ceremony or else be putout of business,” he added. “Mississippi’snew law protects these people fromhaving their lives ruined simply becausethey are Christians.”

Family thrown ‘under thebus for politics’ in Miss.

Speculation over Patrick Bryant’s sexualorientation has persisted for years.

Mitchell Moore, owner of Campbell’sBakery in the Fondren neighborhood of

Jackson, told the Blade in 2014 shortlyafter another religious freedom bill thatPhil Bryant signed took effect that thegovernor enacted it because he had yetto accept his son’s homosexuality. Thesource with whom the Blade spoke lastweek said “it’s an open secret” that PatrickBryant is gay.

Neither Patrick Bryant nor his father’s

offi ce returned the Blade’s multiplerequests for comment for this story.

“People will definitely throw their familyunder the bus for politics (in this state,)”said the source.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 01Son of anti-gay governor relocated to Texas after incident

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM


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Gender identity included in equal pay billThe Maryland House of Delegates on April 9 passed the Equal Pay for Equal Work bill

that contains protections based on gender identity by a 133-33 vote margin. The measure,in which the House concurred with Senate amendments, is now headed to Gov. LarryHogan who can either sign it, veto it or allow it to go into law without his signature.

House Bill 1003, whose lead sponsor is state Del. Kriselda Valderrama(D-Prince George’s County,) prohibits discrimination on the basis of genderidentity; prohibits an employer from discriminating between employees in anyoccupation by providing less favorable employment opportunities based onsex or gender identity and provides that specified provisions of the bill do notpreclude an employee from demonstrating that an employer’s reliance on aspecified exception is a pretext for specified discrimination.

Its passage has been applauded by transgender equality advocates.

“Yet again, the Maryland General Assembly affi rms what the overwhelmingmajority of Marylanders believe, that it is common sense to provide Equal Payfor Equal Work, regardless of a worker’s sex or gender identity,” Jen Fischetti,founding steering committee member of the Maryland Coalition for TransEquality, told the Washington Blade. “This is changing Maryland for the betterand we invite Governor Larry Hogan to sign this bill into law.”

PFLAG-Westminster/Carroll County to discuss schools

Robert Rigby, who has been a significant advocate in the Fairfax County,Va., public schools system, will be the main speaker at a meeting of PFLAG-Westminster/Carroll County on Sunday. Rigby has helped bring about significant

changes in the Fairfax County School District with respect to LGBT issues. Thefocus will be on reforming school systems at multiple levels and include aconversation about what needs to be done in Carroll County.

The meeting will be held from 5-7 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall at St. Paul’s UnitedChurch of Christ, 17 Bond St. Westminster, Md., 21157. All PFLAG meetings arefree, confidential and open to the public.

For more information, search for the event on Facebook.

Baltimore’s LGBT history to be discussed

Louise Kelley and Richard Oloiza, author and editor of “LGBT Baltimore,” willdiscuss the development of the Baltimore LGBT community from the 1960s

with photos and documents from university and organizational documents andpersonal collections. The event, themed Baltimore History Evening, will takeplace on April 21 at 7 p.m. at the Baltimore City Historical Society and VillageLearning Center, 2521 St. Paul St., Baltimore.

The University of Baltimore, which hosted a celebration of the recentlypublished “LGBT Baltimore,” indicated in a statement:

“‘LGBT Baltimore’ is the result of an emerging archival effort to preserveand catalog the history of gay culture in the city. … For the nearby Mt. Vernonneighborhood, a Baltimore cultural landmark with deep roots in the city’s lesbian,gay, bisexual and transgender culture, the preservation of these materialssignifies an important contribution to sustaining the heritage of the community.”

LGBT youth prom scheduled

For the second year in a row, high school-aged LGBT students and alliesrepresenting schools across Maryland, D.C. and Virginia will be able to attend afree prom in Baltimore. Last year more than 120 youth participated.

This year’s edition, dubbed Night Circus 2016, will take place on May 6 from7-11 p.m. at the Grand, 225 N. Charles St., Baltimore.

Only those ages 14-19 may attend, and all attendees are required to register for entryinto the prom with a picture ID. All registrations must be received by 3 p.m. on May 6.

The free prom includes dinner, entertainment, dancing, and a communityresource fair. To help pay for the costs, planners from three local youth-focusednon-profits have scheduled a fundraiser on April 28 from 5:30-9 p.m. at Poet’sModern Cocktails and Eats, 24 W. Franklin St., Baltimore. Additionally, individualdonations may be made at gofundme.com/nightcircus2016.

For more information and to register for the prom, search for the event ateventbrite.com.

By STEVE CHARING

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

16 • APRIL 15, 2016 BALTIMORE NEWS

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Two new meningitis cases found in Chicago

CHICAGO — The Chicago Department of Health announced Tuesday that two newcases of meningococcal meningitis have been confirmed in Chicago men, CBS reports.

There are now nine confirmed cases from the Chicago area linked to last summer’soutbreak, all in men who have sex with men including one related death last June, thearticle said.

Offi cials said black men who have sex with men and are living with HIV have beendisproportionately affected. All men who have sex with men are urged to get vaccinated.

Since May of 2015, the Chicago Department of Health has distributed nearly 18,000

vaccinations of which 14,653 have been administered, CBS reports.The disease spreads through the sharing of saliva and spit, such as in kissing or sexual

contact; or by sharing drinks, cigarettes, marijuana or other smoking devices.Meningococcal disease also can lead to an infection of the bloodstream, resulting in

fatigue, vomiting, chills, cold hands and feet, severe aches, rapid breathing, diarrhea andsometimes a dark purple rash, according to the CDC. Left untreated, meningitis can leadto death within a few hours, according to the CDC.

New study finds lesbian-raised kids fare fine

PHILADELPHIA — Children raised by same-sex female parents with a stable family lifeshow no difference in general health, emotional diffi culties, coping and learning behavior

compared to children of opposite-sex parents in similarly stable relationships, a new studypublished in the April issue of Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics finds.

“Our study of households with no divorces or other family transitions finds thatspouse-partner and parent-child relationships are similar regardless of family structure,”researchers wrote. “These strong relationships are important contributors to good childoutcomes — not whether the parents are same-sex or different-sex.”

The researchers identified 95 female same-sex parent households and 95 different-sex parent households, matched for parent and child characteristics. The families weredrawn from a very large, nationally representative study, the National Survey of ChildHealth.

The current study focused on households with no history of family instability,discontinuity or transitions and was limited to parents who were raising their own childrensince birth, without divorce, separation or adoption. Thus, the study minimized the impact

of family disruption on child well-being.The results showed no differences between the two groups in terms of spouse orpartner relationships, parent-child relationships or any of the child outcomes assessed.The only difference between the two groups of households was higher reportedparenting stress among the same-sex couples.

Study: Conversations can decrease transphobia

LOS ANGELES — A roughly 10-minute, face-to-face conversation is enough to changeabout one in 10 voters’ attitudes toward transgender people, according to a new study bytwo California political science researchers, the Los Angeles Times reports.

The findings, published in the journal Science, offer a template for canvassers lookingto more effectively reach out to voters who may have opposing beliefs, the Times reports.

The Miami-Dade County Commission passed an ordinance protecting transgenderpeople against discrimination in December 2014. SAVE, a south Florida LGBT organization,asked the Los Angeles LGBT Center to help them perform canvassing work on transgenderrights, the Times reports.

During the south Florida effort, David Broockman and Joshua Kalla, graduate studentsat University of California Berkeley set up an experiment in which 56 canvassers wentdoor to door visiting 501 voters. About 255 of them were asked to think of a time whenthey had felt mistreated for being different, an exercise in analogic perspective taking, theTimes reports. The rest were part of a control group that the canvassers spoke to aboutrecycling. The researchers followed up with online surveys at three days, three weeks, sixweeks and three months, the article said.

The scientists found that those who were asked to do analogic perspective-taking weresignificantly more likely to exhibit a higher tolerance toward transgender people than

those who were in the control group. The effect, the researchers said, represented aneven greater attitude change than the shift in American attitudes between 1998 and 2012toward gays and lesbians, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Canvassers did not have to be trans themselves to be effective, researchers reported.

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Strategic conditioning

Hills, lunges rowing and more good techniques

By DAVID MAGIDA

It’s race season once again, but this isn’t going to be like previous years. This is the yearyou’re going to hit your PRs (personal records.) You’re going to become the runner you’vealways wanted to be: faster, stronger and healthier. But what are you going to add to yourtraining to help you take that next step forward?

Old school training philosophies have always promoted high mileage as the pathtoward running success. But there are other ways to prepare your body for the rigors ofa race. Here are a few training tips to improve your running and help you become a more

well-rounded athlete without piling on the mileage.

Head for the hillsRunning hills is a great way to develop your leg power, speed and endurance. If you can

become comfortable running uphill, flat running will feel like a breeze.Try incorporating hill intervals at least once per week, running six to 10 climbs of 90

seconds to two minutes. Keep your pace relatively aggressive on the way up and recoverwith a jog back down.

Tip: If you don’t have a quality hill to train on, take it to the treadmill. There are classesthat incorporate treadmill intervals as part of their daily routine.

Lunge for late-race strengthThere’s nothing worse than your legs turning to jelly at the end of a race. Strength

training is key for holding it together at the end of races and lunges are a runner’s bestfriend.

Once per week after your run, try adding five to 10 sets of 50-100, gradually increasing innumber. You’ll be pretty sore the first few times, but you’ll improve your strength rapidly.

Tip: When lunging, focus on long strides, bending both the front and back knees as youlower yourself down. Stand by driving through your lead foot.

Row your boatRowing is one of the best ways to develop strength in the glutes, hamstrings, quads and

lower back. Plus, it’s low-impact cardio, so a day spent on the rower is a day you don’t need

to pound the pavement.Try a adding a rowing double tabata once per week: eight rounds of 40-second sprintswith 20-seconds of rest in between.

Tip: Make sure you take a class somewhere to learn appropriate technique before jumping into sprints.

Low plank for core strengthBuilding core strength is another great way to elevate your running. The low plank

utilizes muscle tension to improve strength and endurance and builds muscles that willstabilize your entire body.

Start out with three rounds of 60-second low planks after every other run. Once thatbecomes comfortable, extend it to two minutes.

Tip: Keep your forearms on the ground with your elbows directly beneath yourshoulders. Keep your feet, hips and shoulders in one straight line.

StridersStriders are an obvious, yet often neglected, tool for runners. They’re designed to

improve technique, build lactate threshold and boost your ability to kick fast at the end ofraces. Yet so often we finish a run and just head on home. Not anymore.

After your easy runs, take a few minutes to run six-10 of these short bursts. Each stridershould be about 80-100 yards long, starting easy, accelerating close to a sprint with longstrides for about 15 seconds, then decelerating for the last few seconds.

Tip: Strides are about getting comfortable with leg turnover and improving form, sofocus on quick feet, long strides, high knees and running tall.

Utilize these five training tools consistently and you will find your running changed

forever. Gone are the days when runners merely ran. The best runners in the worldare finding added benefits from diversifying their training and you will too. Strength,endurance, lactate threshold and late race speed can all be enhanced by adding theseelements to your training. And the greatest perk of all? Goodbye boredom, hello fun!

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

FITNESS APRIL 15, 2016 • 19

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Please join us at a reception celebrating the 45th

anniversary of the Gay and Lebian Activists Alliance

Minimum Donation: $55 (1 ticket)

Sponsors: $80 (1 ticket)

Patrons: $125 (2 tickets)

Benefactors: $250 (3 tickets)Distinguished Sponsors: $500 (5 tickets)

Underwriters: $1,000 (8 tickets)

R.S.V.P.

Mail your donation to: GLAA

P.O. Box 75265, Washington, DC 20013

Online: [email protected] or via PayPal

http://glaa.org/anniversary/

Sponsors, Patrons, Benefactors,

Distinguished Sponsors and Underwriters

will be listed in the program book unlessotherwise requested. All tickets will be

held at the door.

Founded in 1971, the Gay and Lesbian Activists

Alliance of Washington, DC (GLAA) is an all-volunteer,non-partisan, non-profit political organization thatdefends the civil rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and

transgender people in the Nation’s Capital. GLAAlobbies the D.C. Council; monitors governmentagencies; educates and rates local candidates; and

works in coalitions to defend the safety, health andequal rights of LGBT families. GLAA remains thenation’s oldest continuously active gay and lesbian civilrights organization.


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PayPal, Bank of Americaamong companies tocriticize N.C. law

North Carolina’s anti-gay legislationHouse Bill 2 is having strong repercus-sions on the economy in the state. Individ-uals, big business and the entertainmentcommunity are speaking out against this

bill that legalizes discrimination.Last June some in the LGBT community

were critical of the business communityhaving too large a role in some of ourPride parades. Today we see again as wedid when anti-gay legislation was passedand signed into law by Gov. Pence (R-Ind.)why it is important for us to welcome al-lies in the business community who arewilling to stand with us.

According to the New York Times,

“PayPal said it had dropped plans to putin global operations center in Charlotte,N.C., because of the state’s recent pas-sage of a law banning anti-discriminationprotections based on sexual orientationand requiring transgender people in gov-ernment buildings and public schools touse bathrooms that match the genderon their birth certificates. PayPal had

pledged to bring 400 jobs and invest $3.6million in the area by the end of 2017.PayPal had already joined more than 120other business leaders in signing a letterto Mr. McCrory objecting to the law.”

They went on to report, “Some, likeGoogle Ventures’ chief executive, BillMaris, pledged not to make any new in-vestments in the state until the law wasrepealed. Other signatories includedApple; Facebook and Charlotte-basedBank of America, the largest corporationin North Carolina. Mayors and governors

of other states, including New York, Ver-mont and Washington, D.C, have bannedmost state-sponsored travel there.”

WBTV.com reported the Charlotte Re-gional Visitors Authority (CRVA) says “fourconventions have offi cially canceled theirdates in Charlotte, citing House Bill 2. Of-ficials say that translates to 1,137 roomnights gone for hotels in Charlotte.”

In addition to that, “nine other conven-tions who were looking at Charlotte are

saying they will no longer be looking atthe city to be the host. That’s considereda ‘lost opportunity’ and translates into apotential 12,231 room nights not used.”The CRVA also said “29 other groupshave now said they are “hesitant” aboutbringing their convention to Charlotte. Ifall these groups pulled out, that’s 89,723room nights that will be lost.”

Since the Supreme Court declaredsame-sex marriage constitutional, weare seeing the backlash against the LGBTcommunity from people in states acrossthe nation from Mississippi to Maine. Insome states we and our allies are able tofight back and defeat these bills beforethey pass in others we will need to counton the power of the almighty dollar tohelp us.

The religious right and the far-right ofthe Republican Party are fighting to theirlast breath to hold back the tide of accep-

tance and trying to get government to le-galize discrimination in any way they can.Today the LGBT community can have nobetter allies then big business and otherorganizations, such as those who bookmeetings and conventions, who standwith us and fight to ensure we can gainour full human and civil rights.

It is just one of the reasons the upcom-ing presidential election is so cruciallyimportant. We cannot afford to go back-wards which would happen faster thananyone realizes if a Republican takes the

White House.While I would have liked an even stron-ger statement than the one made recent-ly by the CRVA, “We are extremely con-cerned about the state legislation in placeas we continue to hear negative feedbackand potential event cancellations fromour customers. Our city has worked in-credibly hard to build a thriving visitoreconomy over the last 20 years, whichhas welcomed major events and conven-tions that greatly give back to the city andthe state of North Carolina’s economyand overall quality of life. This issue is in

danger of setting us back from the prog-ress we’ve made in positioning Charlotteas an attractive, inclusive destination. Ourcity has long had a track record of creat-ing an environment that not only valuesdiversity, but strongly embraces it. Onbehalf of the visitor economy that rep-resents one in nine jobs across the Char-lotte region, we strongly urge that stateand local leaders find a resolution thatrepresents the best interests of our cityand state” it shows us how economics willmake a difference.

While some politicians always demon-ize big banks and big business as the en-emy, it is time to recognize they are notall the devil-incarnate and can also be im-portant allies.

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20 • APRIL 15, 2016 INSIDE LGBT WASHINGTON

WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

V O L U M E 4 7 I S S U E 1 6

EDITORIAL CARTOON

Businesses take a stand for LGBT rights

PETER ROSENSTEIN is a D.C.-based LGBT rightsand Democratic Party activist. He writes regularlyfor the Blade.


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WASHINGTONBLADE.COM

VIEWPOINT APRIL 15, 2016 • 21

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory harkensback to then-Arkansas Gov. Orval Faubus

who sought to block the integration of Little Rock’s Central High School

OUR BUSINESS MATTERS

Orval Faubus sought to blockintegration of Little Rock’sCentral High School

By BROCK THOMPSON

When I was a kid back in Arkan-

sas, I used to prank call Orval Faubus.Yes, that Orval Faubus. The same race-baiting southern governor that blockednine black students from entering LittleRock’s Central High School in 1957. You’veseen the pictures.

I know what you’re thinking, ‘Brock, just how old are you?” Well, let’s do themath. I was 8 or 9 at the time. Orval Fau-bus was long retired — a poor, broken-down, old man not living that far from usin a strange looking sort of gingerbread-type house with a bald front lawn in our

small town just outside of Little Rock. Hewas also our bank teller for a brief while.I was eight, he was approaching 80. So.

And may be also thinking, ‘Brock, do youfeel bad for prank calling an octogenarian

ex-governor of your state?’ No, not really.Again, I was an 8 year old; and it wasn’t ex-actly the heyday of my creative prowess. Iwould mainly let the phone ring, he’d an-swer, I’d something stupid like, “is the gov-ernah there ...” giggle and then hang up.

Lately, there’s been quite a lot of talkabout Faubus and his contemporaries,such as unsavory characters like GeorgeWallace and Lester Maddox. Given recentdevelopments in places like Mississippi,North Carolina, and now Tennessee, andthe signing of these red-herring religious

freedom laws and these idiotic “bathroombills” as they have come to be known, thesecomparisons to the southern boogeymenof our history books are quite appropriate.

William Faulkner said when it comes to

the American South, the past isn’t dead andburied. In fact, it isn’t even past. We are es-sentially reminded of it everyday, like as achild when Faubus was first pointed out tome counting pennies at a drive-thru bankwindow. Faubus was once a good manin many ways — a southern progressive,a New Dealer. It wasn’t until later that hesought to retain power by appealing to thelowest common denominator in the state,much like McCrory and Mississippi’s PhilBryant are doing now. Whatever good thesemen did while in offi ce in many ways won’t

amount to much when it comes to how theyplay out in history not to mention how they’llappear in the minds of their neighbors.

The South can be unkind in that way,and history can a bit of an unforgiving bitch

as well. And while watching these sorts oflaws get enacted across the South may bedepressing and disheartening, take com-fort in the fact that we will win in the longrun. Why are we seeing these sort of lawsnow? These legislative temper tantrumsthrown in places like Mississippi and NorthCarolina are just straight white males real-

izing that very soon, they will no longer bein charge. And these recent attempts aremore or less just the revenge of evangeli-cals having to swallow the gay marriage pilllast summer. Sooner or later the men thatchampioned them will be an afterthought.Like an old Orval Faubus as he appeared toa small boy — broke, broken, and a shell ofman. Sad to see in many ways.

I just hope there’s a little pre-gay kidour there willing to prank call an aged PatMcCrory.

And hopefully that kid will be more cre-

ative.

The curse of the Southern governor

BROCK THOMPSON is a D.C.-based freelancewriter. He writes regularly for the Blade.

MARK LEE is a long-time entrepreneur

and community business advocate. Followon Twitter: @MarkLeeDC. Reach him [email protected].

D.C. leaders are focusing onthe wrong goal for housingthose in need

D.C.’s once trail-blazing requirementthat the city provide emergency overnightshelter during cold weather nights to thoseneeding and requesting it might now bemore an obstacle to helping the homelessfrom a bigger-picture perspective.

You would have to turn over a lot ofrocks to find anyone underneath whothinks that the social service disasterknown as the city government’s family

shelter at the old D.C. General Hospitalwas anything other than a very expen-sive embarrassment — or that offi cialsshouldn’t shut it down after creating abetter alternative.

Mayor Muriel Bowser, to her credit,made that objective a signature activityof her administration immediately aftertaking offi ce a little over a year ago. Theplan was to shutter D.C. General andopen multiple smaller facilities scatteredthroughout the city to provide better ser-vice delivery in a more conducive setting.

Bowser recently unveiled her plan andthe chosen sites nearly two months ago.Each of the eight political wards wouldhost a small facility, with no site providingshelter for more than 50 families, involving

the development of seven new sheltersin addition to one already designated formidtown’s Ward 2. In fact, what is beingproposed is no longer referred to as “shel-ter” but “temporary housing” — as if a pub-lic relations firm thought nomenclaturewould mitigate the inevitable objectionsamong some living in close proximity.

Cue the naysayers and critics.The proposal is now sinking in quick-

sand, threatening implementation — cer-tainly on an expeditious timetable. SlickNIMBY online video campaigns have been

launched, battles are being waged, andpublic debate fills the air.

There are reasons to be wary. If noth-ing else, the jaw-dropping cost of the cur-rent service provision at D.C. General is

now exceeded by the face-palming pricetag for the replacement plan. Rather thanmerely outrageous monthly costs perfamily of approximately $4,600 for dormi-tory accommodations, the price tag hasleapt to an astounding figure of $6,500 ormore per month for nicer dormitory digs.

Rent me an expansive luxury pent-house apartment with accompanyingamenities for that price and I’d be a veryhappy resident.

We’re talking a $660 million taxpayercost over 30 years, to replace the existing

shelter for 270 families, and for leasedproperties in five of the seven wards giv-en that only two of the sites, in Wards 7and 8, utili

washingtonblade.com, volume 47, issue 16, april 15, 2016

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