Metro Weekly - 11-17-16 - Schuyler Bailar

CONTENTS
NOVEMBER 17/24, 2016
29
Volume 23 Issue 28
CALAMITOUS CABINET?
Donald Trump promised to support the LGBT community.

His possible cabinet members send an entirely
different message.
By John Riley
ADULT SWIM
Schuyler Bailar made history as the first out transgender

male NCAA Division I athlete. Now he hopes
to inspire other trans youth.
52
Exclusive Interview by John Riley

Photography by Todd Franson
40
WHITE-GEIST
Straight White Men is a timely, accessible examination

of expectation and privilege
By Andr Hereford
SPOTLIGHT: PWR BTTM p.7 OUT ON THE TOWN p.15 BRIDGE WORK: THOMAS JAY RYAN p.16
IMPACTFUL: MILK LIKE SUGAR p.20 SCENE: WHITMAN WALKERS WALK & 5K p.27
THE FEED: CALAMITOUS CABINET? p.29 COMMUNITY: DESSERTS FOR A CAUSE p.31
BIDDING WARS p.33 SCENE: SMYALS FALL BRUNCH p.37 COVER STORY: FINDING SCHUYLER p.40
GALLERY: MICHAEL LADO p.47 FILM: NOCTURNAL ANIMALS/ARRIVAL p.48
STAGE: CAROUSEL p.50 STAGE: STRAIGHT WHITE MEN p.52
OPERA: THE DAUGHTER OF THE REGIMENT p.54 GAMES: DISHONORED 2/CALL OF DUTY p.56
NIGHTLIFE p.59 COVERBOY: BRIAN p.59 LISTINGS p.61 SCENE: DIK BAR p.67 LAST WORD p.70
So that Metro Weeklys staff can recover from this horrific election season and enjoy Thanksgiving, we will not be publishing
on 11/24. Well return on 12/1. Visit MetroWeekly.com for updates.
Editorial Editor-in-Chief Randy Shulman Art Director Todd Franson Managing Editor Rhuaridh Marr Senior Editor John Riley Contributing Editor Doug Rule
Senior Photographers Ward Morrison, Julian Vankim Contributing Illustrator Scott G. Brooks Contributing Writers Gordon Ashenhurst,
Sean Bugg, Frank Carber, Fallon Forbush, Sean Maunier, Troy Petenbrink, Kate Wingfield Webmaster David Uy Production Assistant Julian Vankim
Sales & Marketing Publisher Randy Shulman National Advertising Representative Rivendell Media Co. 212-242-6863 Distribution Manager Dennis Havrilla
Patron Saint Johnny Weissmuller Cover Photography Todd Franson
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NOVEMBER 17/24, 2016 METROWEEKLY
EBRU YILDIZ
Spotlight
PWR BTTM
Y FAVORITE THING IS TELLING THE

band name to people who dont know what
a power bottom is, says Liv Bruce, one of
the co-founders of the ragingly flamboyant queer punk
duo. They just kind of nod and go okay, cool. Whereas,
anyone who knows what the term power bottom means
are like, Oh, my God! You have a band called PWR
BTTM?! Yeah, thats fun for me.
Bruce and Ben Hopkins, both 24, met while at Bard,
a noted liberal arts university, where they forged the
band. We never anticipated our band being anything,
says Hopkins, who seems as surprised as Bruce by PWR
BTTMs surging popularity. Part of that may be their
gift for creating melodic punk rock, but they also push
imagery to the extreme, evidenced by their over-thetop videos for Ugly Cherries (also the name of their
most recent album) and the alluring I Wanna Boi.
Liv is gender-fluid and both prefer the they/their
pronoun over the binary he/she. Sexuality is compli-
cated, says Liv. Generally, I know nine times out of

ten, the people Im attracted to identify as men. Ben is
more direct. Im just sort of attracted to people, they
say, preferring not to be pigeonholed as either gay or
straight. Its all so oppressive, isnt it? Like, to be told
that youre not gay enough to be part of a gay community, but youre not straight enough to be part of a straight
community.
The band is known for refusing to perform in venues
that dont offer a gender neutral restroom for its audience. Many of our fans are gender nonconforming,
says Liv. And public restrooms are frequently a site of
micro and macro aggression towards gender nonconforming people.
Water is such an important thing to humans, and
so many battlegrounds for civil rights of various kinds
are access to water in various ways pools, drinking
fountains, they continue. Bathrooms make sense as a
battleground for social issues. Randy Shulman
PWR BTTM appears at the Rock & Roll Hotel, 1353 H St. NE, on Monday, Nov. 21 at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $12 to $14. Call 202-388-7625 or visit rockandrollhoteldc.com.
Spotlight
ONCE
One of those quiet, understated shows that will sneak

up and surprise you, Once claimed a whopping eight
Tony Awards after its 2012 debut. Yet its a quietly audacious production compared to other recent Tony-winning
shows, from The Book of Mormon to Hamilton. An adaptation of John Carneys small indie film from 2007 about a
struggling Irish street musician and the woman who rekindles his passion, the musicals national touring production
returns for a short run over Thanksgiving weekend. If you
need something to boost your spirits and be thankful for
this year, let it be the return of this enchanting show, featuring a book by celebrated Irish playwright Enda Walsh
and music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova.
Their stirring folk-rock score will renew your faith in the
power of music. Friday, Nov. 25, at 8 p.m., Saturday, Nov.
26, at 2 and 8 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 27, at 2 and 7:30 p.m.
National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Tickets are
$48 to $98. Call 202-628-6161 or visit thenationaldc.org.
THE SOUNDS
Led by bisexual, striking, sweet-voiced singer Maja Ivarsson,

the Swedish quintet the Sounds may not be mainstream or
get radio play in the U.S., but you wouldnt know it to listen
to their music hooky, punky pop/rock in the new-wave
mold of Blondie, No Doubt, even older Tegan & Sara. The
band returns to the U.S. for a tour in support of the 10th
anniversary of second album Something to Die For, which
theyll play in its entirety including great singles Tony The
Beat and Painted By Numbers. But they also promise
a few new songs and favorites across four other albums,
including 2013s Weekend. Its doubtful theyll play the
album track Great Day, but in a dawning Trump era it
sure might register with the crowd as a kind of sonic salve.
I cant believe its happening here, Ivarsson sings in a song
expressing despair yet nonetheless resolving to stay strong
and keep your head up. It even ends in a kind of folktronica
hoedown: Well, its a great day to be alive. Monday, Nov.
28. Doors at 7 p.m. Nightclub 9:30, 815 V St. NW. Tickets are
$25. Call 202-265-0930 or visit 930.com.
CONGRESSIONAL CHORUS
Duke Ellingtons rarely performed Sacred Concert is the

featured work at the first concert of this organizations
30th season, titled Fascinatin Rhythms: Celebrating
Washington, D.C., in Song, Poetry and Dance. In addition to the main 80-member chorus, the 24-member
Congressional Chamber Ensemble and a 17-piece jazz
big band, the collaborative event features a cappella
from Howard Universitys Afro Blue and the Capital
Hearings, plus swing and tap dancers from Joy of
Motion Dance Center and Capitol Movement. There
will also be a solo from Boardwalk Empire tapper DeWitt
Fleming Jr. The wide-ranging program also includes
musical compositions by other hometown heroes
including Marvin Gaye and John Philip Sousa, and
poetry from former N.E.A. chair Michael Dana Joya.
Saturday, Nov. 19, at 7:30 p.m. Church of the Epiphany,
1317 G St. NW. Tickets are $35. Call 202-347-2635 or
visit congressionalchorus.org.
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Spotlight
PETER HOOK & THE LIGHT
The British bassist responsible for the signature floor-rattling sound of

dance music pioneers New Order and before that, post-punk legends Joy
Division continues to play through his back catalog with new band The
Light, featuring his son Jack. On its return to the U.S., Hook and band will
play through the hit compilation sets from Joy Division and New Order,
both named Substance and released nearly 30 years ago. In other words,
every essential song from both groups, such as Bizarre Love Triangle,
Temptation and True Faith by New Order and Transmission, Love
Will Tear Us Apart and Atmosphere by Joy Division. Wednesday, Nov.
23. Doors at 6 p.m. The Howard Theatre, 620 T St. NW. Tickets are $35. Call
202-588-5595 or visit thehowardtheatre.com.
KATE BORNSTEIN
Originally published in 1994, Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women

and the Rest of Us was the first book of gender theory written by
a trans person, documenting Bornsteins personal journey from
heterosexual IBM salesperson to lesbian playwright and performance artist yet one who still often struggles to identity in a
restrictive gender binary system. Kate Bornstein discusses and
signs a revised and updated copy of a book that has stood the test
of time and serves as an indispensable guide on one of todays
most-debated topics. Wednesday, Nov. 30, at 7 p.m. Sixth & I
Historic Synagogue. 600 I St. NW. Tickets are $14, $20 with one
book, or $30 for two tickets and one book. Call 202-408-3100 or
visit sixthandi.org.
WOMEN WHO KILL
Next up in Reel Affirmations monthly international film series Xtra is Ingrid Jungermanns
comedy about two women, played by
Jungermann and Ann Carr, who are former
lovers co-hosting a semi-famous true crime
podcast. Their partnership is threatened after
Jungermann starts dating a mysterious character
played by Sheila Vand (A Girl Walks Home Alone
at Night). The film is set in Brooklyns LGBTpopular Park Slope neighborhood. Friday, Nov.
18, at 7 p.m. HRC Equality Center, 1640 Rhode
Island Ave. NW. Tickets are $12 and come with
a complimentary glass of champagne, or $25 to
include another complimentary alcoholic beverage and VIP seating. Call 800-777-4723 or visit
reelaffirmations.org.
Out On The Town
AMY RAY BAND, CHELY WRIGHT
A departure from her work with Emily Saliers in the Indigo Girls, Amy Ray and her band perform a collection of countrified songs exploring her Southern musical roots, many drawn from solo set Goodnight Tender, which includes collaborations with Bon Ivers Justin Vernon, Susan Tedeschi, Heather McEntire of Mt. Moriah, and Kelly Hogan from Neko
Cases band. She shares the stage with out country singer-songwriter and former Capital Pride Headliner Chely Wright,
touring in support of new album I Am The Rain. Monday, Nov. 28, at 7:30 p.m. The Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave.,
Alexandria. Tickets are $29.50. Call 703-549-7500 or visit birchmere.com.
Compiled by Doug Rule
FILM
CATVIDEOFEST 2016
Filmmaker
Will
Bradens
CatVideoFest is a social benefit
corporation to raise money for cat
charities and animal welfare organizations. The 80-minute program is a
fancy feast for cat lovers. Thursday,
Nov. 17, at 7 p.m., Saturday, Nov.
19, and Sunday, Nov. 20, at 11 a.m.
and 5:15 p.m. AFI Silver Theatre,
8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring.
Tickets are $13 general admission.
Call 301-495-6720 or visit afi.com/
Silver.
FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE

TO FIND THEM
Though J.K. Rowling penned all

seven Harry Potter novels, she
has yet to write any of the films
based in her wizarding universe.
That changes with Fantastic Beasts,
a prequel to the Potter timeline,
which follows Newt Scamander
(Eddie Redmayne), author of a
novel on dangerous creatures, who
unwittingly unleashes a number of
beasts on Americas wizarding and

muggle community in the 1920s.
Warner Bros. is hoping to create a
new franchise of films and, given
continued demand for all things
Potter, theyll likely succeed. Opens
Friday, Nov. 18. Area theaters. Visit
fandango.com. (Rhuaridh Marr)
MOANA
Disneys latest animated feature

is set in the ancient South Pacific.
Moana (Aulii Cravalho) sets sail in
search of a fabled island and ends
up teaming with Maui (Dwayne
Johnson), a legendary demi-god. Its
a full-fledged musical, which puts
great expectations on Disney after
the success of Frozen and megahit Let It Go. Need a little reassurance? Hamiltons Lin-Manuel
Miranda co-wrote the songs. Opens
Wednesday, Nov. 23. Area theaters.
Visit fandango.com. (RM)
MOONLIGHT
HHHHH
One of those rare and extraordinary
cinematic experiences that pulls you
deeply into its narrative, Moonlight
artfully guides viewers towards an
emotional payoff without once feel-
ing manipulative or artificial. It is an

extraordinary achievement in this
cut-and-paste era of cinema, a time
when movies fail to ignite so much
as a spark of genuine, earned emotion. The 80s-set story of a young
boy who comes to terms with his
identity and sexuality in a harsh
South Florida neighborhood refuses
to lazily cleave to its genre. There
isnt an off performance in the film,
which employs a solely AfricanAmerican cast come Oscar time,
Moonlight could be the one film to
give Hollywood a credible reason to
break its too-white image without
resorting to tokenism. Now playing.
Area theaters. Visit fandango.com.
(Randy Shulman)
RULES DONT APPLY
Warren Beatty writes, directs,

produces and stars as Howard
Hughes, the eccentric entrepreneur, who prevents two employees young actress Marla (Lily
Collins) and businessman Frank
(Alden Ehrenreich) from starting
a romantic relationship. Set in late
50s Hollywood, the film is dripping
with both style and stars: Annette
Bening, Matthew Broderick, Alec
Baldwin, Candice Bergen and

Martin Sheen, to name just a few.
Opens Wednesday, Nov. 23. Area
theaters. Visit fandango.com. (RM)
STAGE
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
Craig Wallace takes over from

Edward Gero as the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge in Fords
Theatres 35th anniversary production of Dickens Yuletide classic. The music-infused adaptation was originally conceived by
Michael Baron. Opens in previews
Thursday, Nov. 17, at 7:30 p.m. Runs
to Dec. 31. Fords Theatre, 511 10th
St. NW. Call 800-982-2787 or visit
fordstheatre.org.
AMERICAN HERO
Three unlikely allies try to keep

a sandwich shop afloat when its
owner mysteriously disappears in
Bess Wohls dark comedy about
life, liberty and the pursuit of sandwiches. Columbias Rep Stage presents the regional premiere, directed
by Suzanne Beal. A post-recession
look at class issues in todays economy presents what New York Times
15
calls a wry, compassionate attitude

toward American workers barely
clinging to the bottom runs of the
economic ladder. To Dec. 3. The
Horowitz Centers Studio Theatre
at Howard Community College,
10901 Little Patuxent Parkway,
Columbia, Md. Tickets are $35 to
$40. Call 443-518-1500 or visit repstage.org.
JAN VERSWEYVELD
GIRL IN THE RED CORNER
BRIDGE WORK
Thomas Jay Ryan feels Arthur Millers immigration A View From the
Bridge speaks to the fear of the other
URING ONE SCENE IN A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE, PROTAGONIST EDDIE

Carbone kisses a boy. Im telling you, the audience gasps when that happens, says
Thomas Jay Ryan. In fact, I hate to say it, but sometimes they go, Ugh.
Before the kiss, Carbone tries to turn everybody against this immigrant boy, says Ryan,
who plays narrator Alfieri in the Kennedy Centers production. He mocks the boy for being
able to cook, for singing, for sort of effeminate qualities as he observes them. While the kiss
is more of a bullying tactic than a sign of latent sexuality, that Carbone is also revealed to be
having sexual problems with his wife compounds the mystery.
Back in the day it was seen as an act of aggression, Ryan says. But now all my friends
who see the play, it opens up all these questions.... I think we look at something like that
slightly differently now than we would have in the 50s or 60s.
The 2016 Tony-winning revival of A View from the Bridge is the second Arthur Miller
play Ryan has starred in this year. His first was The Crucible, with avant-garde Belgian director Ivo van Hove directing both productions. I really would crawl through broken glass to
work with him on pretty much anything he wants, Ryan says. A View from the Bridge marks
the first time van Hoves work has been staged in Washington, and Ryan isnt understating
the significance of the work he has created. I think its one of the most important productions of a Miller play in the last 25 years.
The plays relevance is further enhanced by van Hoves outsider view of a small
American community, particularly focusing on immigration and a threat of the other. He
really sees the play through the eyes of the immigrant boys, he says.
When hes not focused on narrating Carbones life, Ryans attention turns to the audience
in the Eisenhower Theater. Part of my excitement of working in Washington has always
been because Im always wondering if somebody from the political world is going to come
to see my play, he says. We just finished in L.A. I didnt care about any of those people
coming to see my play. I dont care if Ariana Grande comes to see it. Who gives a shit? I care
if we get Nancy Pelosi. Doug Rule
D.C.
playwright
Stephen
Spotswoods play focuses on a
woman who takes up mixed martial
arts as a hobby. But the tough sport
becomes an all-consuming passion
that teaches her the only way to
survive is to fight in her life, and
with her family, not just in the ring.
Directed by Amber Paige McGinnis,
Girl in the Red Corner stars Niklas
Aliff, Audrey Bertaux, Maggie
Donnelly, Lisa Hodsoll and Jennifer
J Hopkins. The show launches the
second generation of the Welders
Playwrights Collective, winner of
the 2016 Helen Hayes Award for
Outstanding Emerging Theatre
Company. Through the collective,
a team of emerging playwrights
collaborates to produce one original show from each member over
the course of three years. Closes
Sunday, Nov. 20. Atlas Performing
Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets
are $15 to $30. Call 202-399-7993 or
visit atlasarts.org.
MOBY DICK
Featuring innovative staging

fused with bold trapeze and acrobatic work, the Melville classic is
revamped in the famed Lookingglass
Theatre Companys adaptation by
David Catlin. Christopher Donahue
is Captain Ahab leading the search
for the great white whale at Arena
Stage, in a co-production with
Alliance Theatre and South Coast
Repertory. Opens in previews
Friday, Nov. 18, at 8 p.m. To Dec.
24. Kreeger Theater in the Mead
Center for American Theater, 1101
6th St. SW. Call 202-488-3300 or
visit arenastage.org.
OLIVER TWIST
As told through the lens of a contemporary graphic novel, the

Learning Theater Ensemble revisits
an adaptation of the Dickens classic by Laura Connors Hull, with
original music by Matt Conner,
first staged by Creative Cauldron
in 2012. Hull directs the production
and its new twists on the tale of a
young orphan who gets swept up
into the underworld on his search
for a better life. Closes Sunday,
Nov. 20. ArtSpace Falls Church,
410 South Maple Ave. Falls Church.
Tickets are $14 to $16. Call 703-4369948 or visit creativecauldron.org.
PULLMAN, WA
A View From The Bridge opens Friday, Nov. 18 and runs to Dec. 3 at the Kennedy Center
Eisenhower Theater. Tickets are $45 to $149. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
16
Tia Shearer, Jenna Rossman and

Drew Kopas star in an hourlong satire, directed by Michael
Second City ensemble consists of

Angela Alise, Sonia Denis, Dave
Helem, Torian Miller, Felonious
Munk and Dewayne Perkins. To Jan.
1. At Woolly Mammoth, 641 D St.
NW. Tickets range from $20 to $59.
Call 202-393-3939 or visit woollymammoth.net.
MUSIC
ANDRA DAY
A likely superstar in the making,

Cassandra Batie, better known as
Andra Day, is the kind of artist
you fall for as soon as you hear
her certainly when listening to
her phenomenal retro-pop-soul
debut album Cheers for the Fall. A
31-year-old singer-songwriter who
was partially discovered by Stevie
Wonder, Day is an undeniable talent, displaying a range vocally as
well as musically that is simply
astounding. She reminds of Amy
Winehouse on multiple occasions,
Adele at other times, even a little Erykah Badu, as well veering
from Billie Holiday to Eartha Kitt to
Nina Simone. You may have caught
Day on TV already this year she
performed her incredibly moving anthem Rise Up during the
Democratic National Convention
as well as on NBCs The Voice.
But there are plenty more gems
to be found on Cheers for the Fall,
including the empowering title
track, Gold and Red Flags. She
comes to D.C. on Black Friday and
you wont want to miss it. Friday,
Nov. 25. Doors at 6:30 p.m. Lincoln
Theatre, 1215 U St. NW. Tickets are
$35 to $110. Call 202-328-6000 or
visit lincolndc.com.
TENNESSEE LOVELESS: ART OUTSIDERS BORDERLINE
The Chicago-based drag and contemporary artist returns to Virginias ArtInsights

to display and discuss new works in his portrait series of influential outsiders who
changed the world with their genius a growing list that includes Divine, Coco
Chanel, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, David Bowie, and Judy Garland. The two-day
event kicks off on Black Friday, when the surrounding Reston Town Center gets in the
holiday spirit with a tree-lighting ceremony, carolers and Santa. ArtInsights, however,
is celebrating the day as Drag Friday, with a DJ spinning non-seasonal electronica,
cold-weather libations, and Tennessee Loveless sitting in for Santa. A portion of proceeds will be donated to SMYAL. Friday, Nov. 25, from 4 to 7 p.m., and Saturday, Nov.
26, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. ArtInsights Animation and Film Art Gallery, 11921 Freedom
Drive. Reston, Va. Call 703-478-0778 or visit ArtInsights.com.
Chamberlin, focused on three

helpers with very different
belief systems who viciously battle one another and have psychological meltdowns right on stage.
Playwright Young Jean Lee has
been heralded by the New York
Times as the most adventurous
downtown playwright of her generation. Remaining performances
Saturday, Nov. 19, at 8 p.m., and
Sunday, Nov. 20, at 7 p.m. Melton
Rehearsal Hall at Woolly Mammoth
Theatre Company, 641 D St. NW.
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Tickets are $10. Call 202-355-6330

or visit universeplayers2.org.
SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION
John Guares funny, often unsettling exploration of the way we

define ourselves has been called one
of the greatest American plays of
modern times. Twenty-three years
after winning the Olivier Award for
Best Play, Keegan Theatre offers
a production helmed by Brandon
McCoy and featuring a large
16-member cast including Susan
Marie Rhea, Ray Ficca, Ryan Swain,

Kevin Adams, Ava Knox, Christian
Montgomery and Josh Sticklin.
To Dec. 3. Keegan Theatre, 1742
Church St. NW. Tickets are $35 to
$45. Call 202-265-3768 or visitkeegantheatre.com.
THE SECOND CITYS

BLACK SIDE OF THE MOON
An all-African American troupe of

sketch and stand-up artists satirize
what it means to be black in our soonto-be post-Obama era. The shows
ASCAPS BROADWAY
TOMORROW SERIES
Michael Kerker and the American

Society of Composers, Authors and
Publishers showcase a new generation of talent through a free series
at the Kennedy Center, with select
composers or performers highlighting their work cabaret-style. The
lineup includes Zack Zadek, songwriter and performer whose musicals include 6, The Crazy Ones and
The Role of a Lifetime, on Friday,
Nov. 18; Sean Hartley, a producer
and music theater educator known
for the award-winning musical
Little Women, on Saturday, Nov.
19; Scott Evan Davis, a former actor
who has gained attention for original songs focused on Alzheimers
and autism and is currently collaborating on works for childrens
theater, on Sunday, Nov. 20; Alan
Schmuckler, who has directed and
composed for podcasts, including
Wait Wait Dont Kill Me, a musical adaptation of a book about the
popular Serial podcast, on Monday,
Nov. 21; and Ashleigh Rubenach
and Stephen Ross Madsen, who
will perform from the various touring theatrical productions theyve
appeared in, on Tuesday, Nov. 22.
All performances at 6 p.m. on the

Kennedy Center Millennium Stage.
Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
BALTIMORE SYMPHONY
ORCHESTRA
RYAN MAXWELL
Marin Alsop leads the BSO in a finale to a centennial celebration with

Beethovens most breathtaking
work, Symphony No. 9, with soloists and the Baltimore Choral Arts
Society joining to sing the Choral
and its famous Ode to Joy. The St.
Lawrence String Quartet also joins
for a program that includes a commissioned work by TJ Cole and John
Adams Absolute Jest. Friday, Nov.
18, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 20, at
3 p.m. Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony
Hall, 1212 Cathedral St., Baltimore.
Also Saturday, Nov. 19, at 8 p.m.
Music Center at Strathmore, 5301
Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda.
Tickets are $35 to $99. Call 410-7838000 or visit bsomusic.org.
ELLE KING
IMPACTFUL
Milk Like Sugar continues Mosaic Theaters mission of exploring

contemporary issues
ASHINGTON HAS DEVELOPED A NATIONAL REPUTATION FOR

the diversity and the quantity of work that is done here, says Jennifer L.
Nelson, resident director of the Mosaic Theater Company, now in its sophomore season. A lot of young people out of MFA programs...are choosing to come to
Washington to start their careers instead of going directly to New York.
The wealth of talent has allowed Nelson to cast actors capable of portraying
complicated characters in a sensitive, convincing light like those found in Kirsten
Greenidges Milk Like Sugar. We had to find a group of young female actors that you
could believe as 15 and 16 year olds, says Nelson. The roles are actually very complex
and would be difficult to have teenagers...play those parts.
Loosely based on a real-life situation, Milk Like Sugar focuses on four high school
girls and a pact that three take, each vowing to have a baby before the end of the
school year. They dont see much in their possible futures as something other than
becoming mothers, Nelson says. They realize this is a choice that they can make....
Theyre not looking for anybodys permission, they dont need a degree or a diploma
or anything. Part of the tragedy of the story is that the girls arent old enough and
experienced enough...to foresee the consequences of the choice. Theyre thinking of it
as being kind of liberating and fun, because they have very little understanding of all
of the challenges that parenting itself would bring about, and how this would affect
other relationships in their lives.
Through upcoming discussions with community leaders, Mosaic hopes to explore
some of the specific issues and questions raised in Milk Like Sugar. In particular,
Nelson singles out the need to better educate young people about the impact their
decisions can have.
Is there anything a school system can offer that would help young people who are
struggling with some of these decisions about what to do with their lives...and what
are realistic possibilities for their futures? Doug Rule
Milk Like Sugar runs to Nov. 27 in the Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE.
Tickets are $40 to $60. Call 202-399-7993 or visit mosaictheater.org.
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As an 11-year-old, Elle King made

her acting debut in father Rob
Schneiders movie Deuce Bigalow:
Male Gigolo. But Kings career has
taken a much different track of late,
fueled by her intriguing, blues-fired
rock music and lyrics portraying
her as a sassy, hard-drinking, loveem-and-leave-em hellion with
bad tattoos, as Jon Pareles of the
New York Times put it. Having
toured earlier this year with the
Dixie Chicks, King returns for a solo
headline tour. Shell no doubt sing
Exs & Ohs, the Billboard Top
10 hit from this summer about her
many exes. On another quirky, playfully gritty delight from her debut
album Love Stuff, she addresses her
slightly off-center appeal: Im not
Americas sweetheart, she sings,
but you love me anyway. Friday,
Nov. 18, and Saturday, Nov. 19.
Doors at 8 p.m. 9:30 Club, 815 V St.
NW. Tickets are $35. Call 202-2650930 or visit 930.com.
LALAH HATHAWAY
Hip-hop soul singer-songwriter

Taalib Johnson, better known as
Musiq Soulchild, joins for a sureto-be soul-stirring concert on
Black Friday. The daughter of soul
singer Donny Hathaway and classically trained vocalist Eulaulah
Hathaway, Lalah has proven herself beyond her musical pedigree,
earning three Grammy awards for
her blend of contemporary R&B
and jazz. Friday, Nov. 25, at 8 p.m.
Warner Theatre, 513 13th St. NW.
Remaining tickets are balcony seats
for $67.50. Call 202-783-4000 or
visit warnertheatredc.com.
NATIONAL SYMPHONY
ORCHESTRA
Krzysztof Urbanski conducts

Dvoraks epic Symphony No. 9 in
E minor, From The New World,
based on the composers extended
sojourn to America and embracing

themes from his Czech homeland
as well as African- and NativeAmerican cultures. Also on the NSO
program is Tchaikovskys Rococo
Variations featuring young virtuoso
cellist Johannes Moser. Thursday,
Nov. 17, at 7 p.m., and Saturday,
Nov. 19, at 8 p.m. Kennedy Center
Concert Hall. Tickets are $15 to $89.
Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
NSO POPS: E.T.

THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL
Steven Reineke leads the National

Symphony Orchestra in a performance of John Williams soaring
score to Steven Spielbergs classic sci-fi film, which plays on the
big screen. The highest-grossing
film of its time when it opened in
1983, E.T. is offered as the NSOs
Thanksgiving treat. Friday, Nov. 25,
at 8 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 26, at 2
and 8 p.m. Kennedy Center Concert
Hall. Tickets are $29 to $99. Call
202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
NO BS! BRASS BAND
A horn-driven 10-piece band from

Richmond performs original, instrumental epic party music, blending
New Orleans funk and jazz with rock
and blues. Reggie Pace and Lance
Koehler perform in Washington for
a 10th anniversary concert with New
York-based global grooves collective
Big Mean Sound Machine opening.
Saturday, Nov. 19. Doors at 7 p.m.
Gypsy Sallys, 3401 K St. NW. Tickets
are $15 in advance, or $19 day of.
Call 202-333-7700 or visit gypsysallys.com.
OLETA ADAMS
A few years ago in Metro Weekly,

Maurice Hines sang Adams praises, calling her one of todays great
voices. She returns for annual
shows at two great area venues.
Friday, Nov. 18, at 7:30 p.m. The
Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon
Ave., Alexandria. Tickets are $45.
Call 703-549-7500 or visit birchmere.com. Also Saturday, Nov. 19,
at 8:30 p.m. Rams Head On Stage,
33 West St., Annapolis. Tickets are
$45. Call 410-268-4545 or visit ramsheadonstage.com.
OPERA LAFAYETTE
CABARET WITH JEAN-PAUL
FOUCHECOURT
A leading interpreter of the

French repertoire, tenor Jean-Paul
Fouchecourt performs a staged
cabaret of songs and arias hes performed on stages around the world,
including with Opera Lafayette. A
U.S. premiere from Thtre de la
Croix-Rousse in Lyon. Friday, Nov.
18, and Saturday, Nov. 19, at 7:30
p.m. La Maison Francaise, Embassy
of France, 4101 Reservoir Rd. NW.
Tickets are $25 to $100. Call 202944-6000 or visit operalafayette.org.
PATTY LARKIN WITH

LUCY & SUZZY
Cape Cod-based folk veteran Larkin

is joined by friend Suzzy Roche, the
youngest of the harmonizing folk
trio The Roches. In recent years,
Roche has taken to performing with
her daughter Lucy Wainwright
Roche, half-sister to Rufus and
Martha. Larkin tours in support
of 2013s Still Green, a collection
of songs reflecting on the loss of
her parents and an ill sister. Lucy
& Suzzy will sing from their new
album Mud & Apples as well as
their debut together, Fairytale and
Myth, which won an Independent
Music Award in 2014. Sunday,
Nov. 20. Doors at 6:30 p.m. The
Hamilton, 600 14th St. NW. Tickets
are $15 to $20. Call 202-787-1000 or
visit thehamiltondc.com.
ROOMFUL OF TEETH
Grammy-winning, globally minded vocal ensemble performs a

Wonder of Will concert celebrating Shakespeare, including the
premiere of a Folger-commissioned
piece by Pulitzer Prize-winning
composer and Baroque violinist
Caroline Shaw, inspired by The
Tempest for the work that captures
the sound of Prospero and Calibans
island using human voices. The
one-night-only concert in the
Elizabethan Theatre also includes
contemporary works by Anna Clyne
and another Roomful of Teeth
21
member, Eric Dudley. Formed

by Brad Wells in 2009, additional Roomful of Teeth members are
Esteli Gomez, Martha Cluver, Elisa
Sutherland, Thann Scoggin, Dashon
Burton, Cameron Beauchamp,
Trevor Litsey and Damon Lange.
Sunday, Nov. 20, at 7 p.m. Folger
Theatre, 201 East Capitol St. SE.
Tickets are $25 to $75. Call 202544-7077 or visit folger.edu.
THE SELDOM SCENE
Formed over 40 years ago in

Bethesda, progressive bluegrass
band Seldom Scene remains
especially popular in its hometown region. They return to
Alexandrias seated show palace
over Thanksgiving Weekend with
special guests Dry Branch Fire
Squad. Friday, Nov. 25, at 7:30
p.m. The Birchmere, 3701 Mount
Vernon Ave., Alexandria. Tickets
are $39.50. Call 703-549-7500 or
visit birchmere.com or seldomscene.com.
DANCE
CINCINNATI BALLET
The Kennedy Center kicks off

Nutcracker season with the D.C.
debut of a production featuring elaborate scenery, whimsical
stage effects, awe-inspiring acrobatics and entrancing choreography from Victoria Morgan, the
artistic director of the Cincinnati
Ballet. The Kennedy Center Opera
House Orchestra and the Arlington
Childrens Chorus join to perform
a take on Tchaikovskys classic,
deemed magical and whimsical
and a Nutcracker to cherish by
the Cincinnati Enquirer. Wednesday,
Nov. 23, at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Nov.
25, through Sunday, Nov. 27, at 1:30
and 7:30 p.m. Kennedy Center Opera
House. $59 to $250. Call 202-4674600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
WHATS GOING ON
Whats Going On is Dance Places

first full-length production, a reflection of the world today as viewed
through the lens of Marvin Gayes
music, specifically the 1971 classic
about life, love and social justice
that gives the show its title. Vincent
E. Thomas, Ralph Glenmore and
Sylvia Soumah offer eclectic choreography in the work. Remaining
performances are Saturday, Nov. 19,
at 8 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 20, at 4
p.m. Dance Place, 3225 8th St. NE.
Tickets are $25 in advance, or $30 at
the door. Call 202-269-1600 or visit
danceplace.org.
OKWUI OKPOKWASILI
The
Bessie
Award-winning
Brooklyn-based artist uses an interdisciplinary, intensely visual lens to
look at issues of gender, culture and
identity as expressed in American
and global contexts. Developed
with director/designer Peter Born,
Poor Peoples TV Room is a world
premiere rooted in Nigerias kinetic
22
history of collective action offering an immersive, dystopian environment with movement, song and
text, where characters slip through
time, wandering in a bush of ghosts.
Okpokwasili performs with a cast of
three women from different generations, with choreography and music
inspired by traditional Nigerian
songs and dances performed by
women as acts of resistance. Friday,
Nov. 18, and Saturday, Nov. 19, at 8
p.m. American Dance Institute, 1501
East Jefferson St. Rockville. Tickets
are $30. Call 301-984-3003 or visit
americandance.org.
COMEDY
SUZANNE WESTENHOEFER
As the first female comic to be

openly gay years before Rosie
ODonnell and Ellen DeGeneres
Westenhoefer paved the way for a
new generation to flourish. When
I started in the early 90s, it was
hard for me to get on stage because I
wasnt a big name, but also because
I was a lesbian. It was a different time then, Westenhoefer told
Metro Weekly last year before her
annual appearance. Saturday, Nov.
19, at 7:30 p.m. The Birchmere, 3701
Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria.
Tickets are $45. Call 703-549-7500
or visit birchmere.com.
READINGS AND
LECTURES
LAURA JANE GRACE
Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rocks

Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout is
the latest offering from an outspoken advocate for gender awareness
who also happens to be the lead
singer, songwriter and guitarist of
punk band Against Me! Building
on her TV documentary series
True Trans, Laura Jane Graces
vivid memoir documents her early
gender dysphoria, struggles with
identity and addiction, her work
and relationships. Friday, Nov. 18,
at 7 p.m. Politics and Prose, 5015
Connecticut Ave. NW. Call 202364-1919 or visit politics-prose.com.
MICHAEL DAYS
AND JULIANNE MALVEAUX
Politics & Prose co-presents a joint

discussion about two new books
offering reflections on Obamas
presidency. Philadelphia Daily
News editor and political commentator Michael I. Days argues that
Obama presided over the longest
streak of job growth in U.S. history, a two-thirds reduction in the
federal deficit and the rebounding of the stock market to record
highs all this, and more, despite
dogged, often racially tinged efforts
by conservatives and Congressional
Republicans to thwart him at
every turn. A more critical look at
Obamas time in office comes from
commentator and activist Julianne

Malveaux, president emerita of
Bennett College for Women. Are
We Better Off? Race, Obama and
Public Policy reviews the presidents specific achievements and
shortfalls, particularly in the context of the countrys most urgent
concerns. Tuesday, Nov. 22, at 6:30
p.m. Busboys & Poets, 2021 14th St.
NW. Call 202-387-POET or visit
busboysandpoets.com.
Thank You for Being Late: An
Optimists Guide to Thriving in
the Age of Accelerations is the latest offering from a Pulitzer Prizewinning New York Times columnist
trying to make sense of a mad and
rapidly changing world. Intended as
a field manual to understand and
adapt for the simultaneous changes
being wrought by technology, globalization and climate change. Thomas
L. Friedman argues for being late,
or pausing to appreciate our amazing
historical epoch and reflect on its
possibilities and dangers. Perhaps
the futurist and self-described optimist can help make sense of or at
least give us positive things to think
about the forthcoming Trump era.
Sixth & I Historic Synagogue. 600
I St. NW. Tickets are $18, or $30
with a book, $45 for two tickets and
one book. Call 202-408-3100 or visit
sixthandi.org.
WESLEY LOWERY
For They Cant Kill Us All,

Washington Post reporter Wesley
Lowery traveled to several notorious yet neglected corners of
America that have become hotspots
of police violence including
Ferguson, Cleveland and Baltimore.
His book brings alive the quest for
justice in the deaths of Michael
Brown, Tamir Rice and Freddie
Gray, offering insight into the reality of police violence and the effects
of racially biased policing as well as
a portrait of those working to end
it. Monday, Nov. 21, at 6:30 p.m.
Kramerbooks, 1517 Connecticut
Ave. NW. Call 202-387-1400 or visit
kramers.com.
EXHIBITS
DECO JAPAN
Tokyo is probably not the first place

that pops to mind when one thinks
of Art Deco, a style of architecture
and design that flourished in the
Jazz Age, yet this exhibit shines a
rare light on Japanese expressions
of Art Deco style, boasting objects
drawn from the collections of private citizens in Japan. The traveling
exhibit, organized by Art Services
International, also offers a glimpse
at the changing roles for women,
particularly in Hillwood founder
Marjorie Merriweather Posts time.
To Dec. 31. Hillwood Estate, 4155
Linnean Ave. NW. Suggested dona-
THE CLARICE
THOMAS FRIEDMAN
KEKUHI & KAUMAKAIWA
A mother and transgender daughter duo are accompanied by guitarist Shawn

Pimental in a toast to Hawaiian culture and music featuring chants, songs and stories.
Touted as the voice of Hawaiis new generation by the Honolulu Weekly, Kekuhi
Kealiikanakaoleohaililani and Kaumakaiwa Kanakaole have rangy, chameleonic vocals
that they put to good use in a presentation that channels seven generations of ancestral
memory and hula practice. Friday, Nov. 18, and Saturday, Nov. 19, at 8 p.m. The Clarices
Kogod Theatre at the University of Maryland, University Boulevard and Stadium Drive.
College Park. Tickets are $25. Call 301-405-ARTS or visit theclarice.umd.edu.
tion is $12. Call 202-686-5807 or

visit HillwoodMuseum.org.
ABOVE & BEYOND

PRETTY BOI DRAG
Striving to revive the art of drag

kings in D.C., Pretty Boi Drag,
co-founded by former DC King
Pretty Rik E, gears up for its latest production with church theme.
Sunday Service will transform the
Bier Baron into a church, led by
Pastor Reverend Chris Jay as
host of an uplifting service featuring song and dance celebrating the
kings. And the audience is encouraged to dress up, with the bestdressed parishioner winning prizes
including tickets to future shows
and t-shirts. Sunday, Nov. 20, at 2
p.m. Bier Baron Tavern, 1523 22nd
St. NW. Tickets are $20 in advance,
or $25 day-of show. Call 202-2931887 or visit prettyboidrag.com.
METROCOOKING DC
FOOD SHOW
More of a holiday treat and shopping preserve now that it has been
moved back a month, The Ultimate
Food Lovers Weekend is the areas
biggest specialty food and culinary event. And the lineup of star
chefs who will cook and chat at the

2016 MetroCooking DC is certainly
impressive: Tom Colicchio, Jacques
Pepin, Carla Hall, Duff Goldman,
David Guas, Richard Sandoval,
Peter Chang, Scott Drewno, Tim
Ma, Erik Bruner-Yang and Victor
Albisu. In addition to hundreds
of specialty food vendors exhibiting their wares, theres a whole
smorgasbord of activities on tap,
including a RAMW Grand Tasting
Pavilion with samples from local
restaurants, a separate area offering
beer, wine and spirits samplings, a
BBQ Bash culinary classes by chefs
from LAcademie de Cuisine, entertaining workshops and book signings. Saturday, Dec. 3, and Sunday,
Dec. 4, starting at 10 a.m. Walter
E. Washington Convention Center,
801 Mt. Vernon Place NW. Tickets
are $21.50 to $200. Call 202-2493000 or visit metrocookingdc.com.
THE BIG GAY DRAG

AND VARIETY SHOW
A display of drag, derriere and

delight, featuring drag queens and
kings, burlesquers, comics and performers of the night are on tap for
this all-in-one LGBT extravaganza. Thursday, Dec. 1, at 9:45 p.m.
Drafthouse Comedy, 1100 13th St.
NW. Tickets are $15. Call 202-750-
6411 or visit drafthousecomedy.

com.
THE MIGRATION PROJECT
A multimedia art event series set

within a temporary art installation
and featuring dancers and performers exploring human flight
through stories of relocation.
Torpedo Factory Art Center member Rosemary Feit Coveys largescale sculptural art, printed on
Dupont Tyvek banner media, lines
the interior walls for the project,
which also includes brief videos
combining drawings and documents reflecting aspects of relocation by Dawn Whitmore, resident
artist of Arlington Arts Center. Jane
Franklin Dance members Emily
Crews, Carrie Monger, Matthew
Rock, Amy Scaringe, Brynna Shank,
and Rebecca Weiss will perform
throughout the series, while select
remaining dates feature live music
by Luke Chohany and guest artist
Sandra C. Atkinson of Light Switch
Dance Theatre. Remaining performances Friday, Nov. 18, at 7:30
p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 19, at 3 and
7:30 p.m. Theatre on the Run, 3700
South Four Mile Run Dr. Arlington.
Tickets are $22 to $26.50 each performance. Call 703-933-1111 or visit
janefranklin.com. l
23
Scene
Whitman Walker Healths 30th annual Walk & 5K to End HIV
Saturday, November 12 - Photography by Ward Morrison
See and purchase more photos from this event at www.metroweekly.com/scene
27
28
GAGE SKIDMORE
GAGE SKIDMORE
GAGE SKIDMORE
theFeed
Blackwell, Gingrich, Bannon, Palin and Giuliani
CALAMITOUS CABINET?
Donald Trump promised to support the LGBT community. His possible cabinet members send
an entirely different message. By John Riley
OLLOWING DONALD TRUMPS WIN ON NOV. 8,

conservatives were jubilant, basking in their victories
at nearly every level of government as a Republican
wave swept the nation. Conversely, liberals, find themselves
practically powerless in Washington, were despondent, left to
lick their wounds and fight over where the party went wrong.
Trump, for his part, was magnanimous in his victory
speech, calling for America to bind the wounds of division
and come together as one united people. Both President
Obama and Hillary Clinton urged the political left to give the
president-elect a chance to govern. Despite the fact that exit
polls showed LGBT voters heavily favored Clinton, some
expressed hope that the new president would live up to his
campaign promises to be an ally to the LGBT community.
We have, in Donald Trump, someone who is the most
pro-LGBT Republican to ever run for the presidency,
Gregory T. Angelo, president of the Log Cabin Republicans,
said on Election Night. He hoped that Trump would eventually become the most pro-LGBT president in the nations
history.
But the honeymoon period was over by Thursday at
least in the eyes of major LGBT organizations. The Human
Rights Campaign, which had endorsed Clinton, sent out a
press release blasting Trump for considering three candidates for his transition team with anti-LGBT records: former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, former Reagan
Administration Attorney General Ed Meese, and Kay Cole
James, the president and founder of the Gloucester Institute
and former employee of the Family Research Council.
Ken Blackwell is a man who has spent his entire career
going after LGBTQ Americans, JoDee Winterhof, HRCs
senior vice president for policy and political affairs, said in
the release. Blackwells leadership role in President-elect
Trumps transition team should be a major wake up call
for anybody who ever had a doubt that LGBTQ people are
at risk.
According to Right Wing Watch, Blackwell now
employed by the notoriously anti-LGBT Family Research
Council has accrued a long history of homophobic statements during his career. When he ran for governor of Ohio
in 2006, he called homosexuality a sinful lifestyle that can
be changed, and compared gays to criminals and arsonists.
He also compared same-sex couples to farm animals, saying
that homosexuality defies barnyard logic. Since joining
the Family Research Council, Blackwell has frequently
criticized the Obama administration for its tolerant stands
29
theFeed
on LGBT rights, saying support for the LGBT community is
weakening the countrys moral foundation.
When we take a look at some of the personnel, we certainly are surprised to see such notable opponents of equality to be put in such key positions right out of the box, David
Stacy, the government affairs director for HRC, tells Metro
Weekly. Ken Blackwell is in charge of domestic policy for
the transition. Thats a huge swath of issues that dramatically impact the LGBT community, and Ken Blackwell has
a long history of opposing LGBT equality not just as in, Oh,
Im against it, but actively leading the efforts against LGBT
equality.
When it comes to marriage equality, as Secretary of
State of Ohio, he was a leader against us. When he was at the
Family Research Council, hes been a leader against LGBT
equality. He has been one of the leaders of the movement to
try to block both marriage equality [and] additional steps to
protect the LGBT community. The idea that he is charge of
domestic policy on the transition is really quite horrifying
and certainly does not match the rhetoric of the Presidentelect during the campaign, where he said he would be good
for LGBT people.
Initial concerns about anti-LGBT attitudes in Trumps
transition team were compounded when he announced that
Vice President-elect Mike Pence would be leading the team.
The elevation of Pence, who gained notoriety for supporting
Indianas anti-LGBT Religious Freedom Restoration Act
while governor, was interpreted as yet another sign that
a Trump administration would cater to the whims of the
religious right. Not helping matters was the selection of
Trump campaign chairman, Steve Bannon, as chief strategist. Bannon, the executive chairman of Breitbart News,
has his own history with anti-LGBT rhetoric, both on his
own and through the writers that he employs at his media
network, which caters to the alt-right.
Trumps possible cabinet picks read, for the most part,
like a Whos Who of anti-LGBT politicians. Some of the
names for Secretary of State include former House Speaker
Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) and former New York City Mayor
Rudy Giuliani, who is in the running for Secretary of State.
Names that have raised eyebrows among LGBT circles include former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as Interior
Secretary, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback as Secretary of
Agriculture, and Dr. Ben Carson as Secretary of Education
or Secretary of Health and Human Services. More potential
picks include former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, former
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, and Florida Gov. Rick Scott,
all of whom have exhibited animus towards the LGBT community during their terms in office. Rounding out the list is
Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke, Jr., who has previously called for an uprising against the government over
the Obama administrations support for marriage equality.
According to the New York Times, Clarke is under consideration for Homeland Security Secretary.
Its a parade of horribles, Stacy says. I dont necessarily want to tick through each of these horrible people and
their horrible records, because we dont have all day. [But]
were definitely concerned when you talk about long time
opponents of equality who are being considered for the most
important positions in our federal government.
Donald Trump started this trend when he picked Mike
30
Pence as his Vice Presidential nominee, one of the most

anti-LGBT governors in the history of the country, one of
the most anti-LGBT members of the house when he served
in the House of Representatives. Jeff Sessions has never met
a pro-LGBT piece of legislation that he liked, and hes never
met an anti-LGBT piece of legislation he didnt co-sponsor.
We have somebody whos demonstrated hostility to equality
for LGBT people and the idea that he would be Attorney
General or Secretary of Defense is absolutely terrifying.
Stacy acknowledges that not all of Trumps potential
cabinet nominees should be portrayed as anti-gay. He points
to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie who signed an
anti-bullying bill and a ban on conversion therapy as an
example of a possible cabinet member with a more positive
record on LGBT rights.
Obviously, having someone who doesnt have a long history of actively hurting gay people and transgender people is
certainly preferable to somebody who does, but at the end of
the day, the President sets the tone for what the policies are
going to be, Stacy says.
We really dont know what positions President Trump
will take on a number of LGBT issues, because on the campaign trail, he had said many different things, says Jennifer
Pizer, law and policy director for Lambda Legal. And some
of those have not been consistent with each other. So theres
a fair amount of room in which the new administration can
move, given the things hes said.
Pizer notes that under past administrations, the head of
an agency can make a big difference, as they traditionally
have great latitude over staffing decisions, which priorities are emphasized by the department, and how various
laws are interpreted. For instance, the Attorney General
often has great influence over the way that the Justice
Department responds to issues involving LGBT rights.
So, for example, the federal government has played an
important role in enforcement actions when theres been an
anti-gay or anti-transgender hate crime under the Matthew
Shepard and James Byrd Hate Crimes Act, says Pizer. The
new administration might continue the practice of enforcing that law, but we dont know.
Likewise, the Department of Justice, under the leadership of the Attorney General, might make a priority of
enforcing religious liberty rights, including when religious
rights are used as a vehicle for discrimination, and might
bring lawsuits aimed at expanding those rights to discriminate based on religion, as opposed to lawsuits based on equal
treatment of LGBT people.
Its why many of Trumps potential appointees should
give LGBT people cause for concern. Should Ben Carson
become Education Secretary, its highly unlikely given
his public statements during the campaign and from earlier
in his career that he would support the rights of LGBT
students.
The Department of Education has been at the forefront
of ensuring that transgender students are protected, that
theyre able to go to school in a safe environment, that their
gender identity is respected, that theyre treated with the
dignity and care that every student deserves, Stacy says.
The idea that someone like Ben Carson, with his retrograde
views of sexual orientation and gender identity, would be in
charge of that department is horrifying. l
MSPHOTOGRAPHIC
Community
DESSERTS FOR A CAUSE
Food & Friends is hoping for sky-high pie sales to help fund
their meal services
HILE MOST PEOPLE WERE FOCUSED ON THE RACE FOR PRESIDENT

last week, Food & Friends held its own election to decide something
almost as important: which pie was more popular, apple or pumpkin?
On Thursday, Nov. 10, Food & Friends handed out free samples of both pies
and asked passersby to vote for their favorite to generate awareness for Slice of
Life, the organizations annual pie-selling campaign.
Last year, pumpkin won, says Abigail Seiler, a spokesperson for Food &
Friends. This year, apple took the win by a narrow margin. No Electoral College
involved, just a straight up popular vote.
Now in its tenth year, Slice of Life raises money for the organizations client
services, which provide home-delivered meals and nutrition counseling for people living with serious illnesses, including HIV/AIDS and cancer. One pie sale is
enough to purchase up to three meals. Seiler says Food & Friends hopes to sell
9,000 pies this year, which would pay for 27,000 meals.
The pies are made by Baguette Republic, a wholesale bakery in Sterling, Va.,
that specializes in handmade pies using natural ingredients with no preservatives or saturated fats. Flavors include apple, spiced pumpkin, sweet potato,
Southern pecan, and the American Airlines Sky Pie, a chocolate amaretto
brownie pie.
The proceeds also help fund Food & Friends annual Thanksgiving meal services, which provide pre-prepared meals to those in need. Each of our clients
gets a full Thanksgiving meal for five, so they can actually be the host for their
familys Thanksgiving meal if they want, says Seiler. Its a really nice way for
them not to be the person whos needing to be taken care of. John Riley
Pies purchased through Food & Friends Slice of Life can be picked up a Food
& Friends headquarters, 219 Riggs Rd. NE or at one of more than 25 locations
throughout the metro area from noon to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 22. Visit sliceoflifedc.org or call 202-269-2277.
THURSDAY, November 17
The DC Center holds a meeting of its POLY DISCUSSION
GROUP, for people interested
in polyamory, non-monogamy
or other non-traditional relationships. 7-8 p.m. 2000 14th
St. NW, Suite 105. Visit thedccenter.org.
The DC Center hosts SISTAH
TALK, a group for all who identify as a sister, of any race,
culture, or gender identity. The
group will share personal stories, and talk about issues ranging from politics to beauty tips.
The group will also address
PrEP. Light refreshments will
be served. 7-8:30 p.m. 2000
14th St. NW, Suite 105. For
more information, visit thedccenter.org.
Weekly Events
ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURAL
HEALTH offers free HIV testing, 9-5 p.m., and HIV services
(by appointment). Call 202-2914707, or visit andromedatransculturalhealth.org.
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice session at Takoma Aquatic
Center, 300 Van Buren St. NW.
7:30-9 p.m. swimdcac.org.
DC LAMBDA SQUARES gay and
lesbian square-dancing group
features mainstream through
advanced square dancing at the
National City Christian Church,
5 Thomas Circle NW, 7-9:30
p.m. Casual dress. 301-2570517, dclambdasquares.org.
31
The DULLES TRIANGLES Northern

Virginia social group meets for
happy hour at Sheraton in Reston,
11810 Sunrise Valley Drive, second-floor bar, 7-9 p.m. All welcome. dullestriangles.com.
SMYALS REC NIGHT provides a

social atmosphere for GLBT and
questioning youth, featuring dance
parties, vogue nights, movies and
games. More info, catherine.chu@
smyal.org.
HIV TESTING at Whitman-Walker

Health. At the Elizabeth Taylor
Medical Center, 1701 14th St. NW,
9 a.m.-5 p.m. At the Max Robinson
Center, 2301 MLK Jr. Ave. SE, 9
a.m.-4:30 p.m. For an appointment
call 202-745-7000. Visit whitman-walker.org.
SMYAL offers free HIV Testing, 3-6

p.m., by appointment and walk-in,
for youth 21 and younger. Youth
Center, 410 7th St. SE. 202-5673155, testing@smyal.org.
METROHEALTH CENTER offers free,

rapid HIV testing. Appointment
needed. 1012 14th St. NW, Suite
700. 202-638-0750.
for youth 21 and younger. 202-5673155 or testing@smyal.org.
US HELPING US hosts a Narcotics
Anonymous Meeting, 6:30-7:30
p.m., 3636 Georgia Ave. NW. The
group is independent of UHU. 202446-1100.
WOMENS LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
for young LBTQ women, 13-21,
interested in leadership development. 5-6:30 p.m. SMYAL Youth
Center, 410 7th St. SE. 202-5673163, catherine.chu@smyal.org.
FRIDAY, November 18
GAY DISTRICT, a group for
GBTQQI men between the ages of
18-35, meets on the first and third
Fridays of each month. Dinner or
social outing to follow the meeting.
8:30-9:30 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW,
Suite 105. For more information,
visit gaydistrict.org.
The DC Center hosts a
TRANSGENDER DAY OF
REMEMBRANCE CONFERENCE to
talk about and plan the final details
for the services on Nov. 20. 12-6
p.m. 2000 14th St. NW. For more
information, visit thedccenter.org.
Weekly Events
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC)
practice session at Hains Point,
927 Ohio Dr. SW. 6:30-8 p.m. Visit
swimdcac.org.
PROJECT STRIPES hosts LGBTaffirming social group for ages
11-24. 4-6 p.m. 1419 Columbia Road
NW. Contact Tamara, 202-3190422, layc-dc.org.
32
SATURDAY, November 19
CHRYSALIS arts & culture group
holds bi-monthly potluck dinner
near Foggy Bottom Metro. All
welcome. Bring appetizer, salad,
entree, vegetable dish or dessert.
Plans for early winter museum visits and out-of-town excursions will
be discussed. 7 p.m. For location
and more information, call Kevin,
571-338-1433 or email kgiles@
gmail.com.
EMPOWERING THE TRANSGENDER
COMMUNITY, a new non-profit
organization headed by transgender activist Earline Budd, will
hold its launch party at Town
Danceboutique. ETC hopes to provide a safe space for transgender
individuals in D.C. 6-9 p.m. 2009
8th St. NW. For more information,
visit thedccenter.org.
The DC Center hosts a meeting
of KHUSH DC, a support group
for LGBTQ South Asians. 1:303:30 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite
105. For more information, email
board@khushdc.org.
The DC Center hosts a monthly
LGBT ASYLEES SUPPORT MEETING
AND DINNER for LGBT refugees
and asylum seekers. 5-7 p.m. 2000
14th St. NW, Suite 105. For more
The DC Center holds an LGBTQ
ASL CLASS for people who wish
to learn American Sign Language.
12:30-2:30 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW,
visit thedccenter.org.
Weekly Events
BET MISHPACHAH, founded by
members of the LGBT community,
holds Saturday morning Shabbat
services, 10 a.m., followed by
Kiddush luncheon. Services in
DCJCC Community Room, 1529
16th St. NW. betmish.org.
BRAZILIAN GLBT GROUP, including
others interested in Brazilian culture, meets. For location/time, email
braziliangaygroup@yahoo.com.
DC AQUATICS CLUB (DCAC) practice session at Hains Point, 972
Ohio Dr., SW. 8:30-10 a.m. Visit
swimdcac.org.
DC SENTINELS basketball
team meets at Turkey Thicket
Recreation Center, 1100 Michigan
Ave. NE, 2-4 p.m. For players of all
levels, gay or straight. teamdcbasketball.org.
GAY LANGUAGE CLUB discusses
critical languages and foreign languages. 7 p.m. Nellies, 900 U St.
NW. RSVP preferred. brendandarcy@gmail.com.
SUNDAY, November 20
Join members of the transgender
community as they celebrate the
16th annual TRANSGENDER DAY OF
REMEMBRANCE. The annual vigil
honors all those transgender and
gender-nonconforming individuals
who have lost their lives to violence this year. 5:30-8:30 p.m. 474
Ridge St. NW. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
The 6TH ANNUAL MONTGOMERY
COUNTY TRANSGENDER DAY OF
REMEMBRANCE will take place at
the Montgomery County Executive
Office. The event is free, and will
feature speakers, readings, music,
and a candlelight vigil. This years
event will remember Zella Ziona,
Keyonna Blakeney, and other local
transgender women who have lost
their lives this year. Donations to
local transgender resources are
encouraged. 3-8 p.m. 101 Monroe
St., Rockville, Md. For more information, follow @MCMDTDOR on
Twitter.
WILLEECOLE PHOTOGRAPHY
DC FRONT RUNNERS running/

walking/social club welcomes all
levels for exercise in a fun and supportive environment, socializing
afterward. Meet 9:30 a.m., 23rd &
P Streets NW, for a walk; or 10 a.m.
for fun run. dcfrontrunners.org.
BIDDING WARS
Whitman Walker Health is the beneficiary of this years

Eagle Wings Charity Auction
IME TO HAND IN YOUR OLD LEATHER AND LATEX GEAR: THE DC EAGLE
is currently accepting donations for its annual Eagle Wings Charity Auction.
Held annually to raise money for Mr. DC Eagles charity of choice, the
auction coincides with the DC Eagles 45th anniversary. This year, proceeds benefit
Whitman-Walker Healths HIV education and outreach programs. Prior beneficiaries
have included Metro TeenAIDS, Pets-DC and Grandmas House.
Theres generally an extraordinary bargain every year, says Peter Lloyd, co-owner
of the DC Eagle. Like an unbelievable bargain, where a $700 pair of pants will go for
$75.
Lloyd expects auctioneer Jo Arnone to keep the atmosphere upbeat and lively. Jo
has done big auctions in New York, he says. Shes really quite wonderful. Shes very
cajoling. She could make me pay for the pocket lint in my own pocket. John Riley
The Eagle Wings Charity Auction will take place from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 18
at the DC Eagle, 3701 Benning Rd. NE. Visit dceagle.com.
Weekly Events
LGBT-inclusive ALL SOULS
MEMORIAL EPISCOPAL CHURCH
celebrates Low Mass at 8:30
a.m., High Mass at 11 a.m. 2300
Cathedral Ave. NW. 202-232-4244,
allsoulsdc.org.
swimdcac.org.
DIGNITYUSA offers Roman Catholic
Mass for the LGBT community. 6
p.m., St. Margarets Church, 1820
Connecticut Ave. NW. All welcome. Sign interpreted. For more
info, visit dignitynova.org.
FRIENDS MEETING OF
WASHINGTON meets for worship,
10:30 a.m., 2111 Florida Ave. NW,
Quaker House Living Room (next
to Meeting House on Decatur
Place), 2nd floor. Special welcome
to lesbians and gays. Handicapped

accessible from Phelps Place gate.
Hearing assistance. quakersdc.org.
HSV-2 SOCIAL AND SUPPORT
GROUP for gay men living in the
DC metro area. This group will be
meeting once a month. For information on location and time, visit
H2gether.com.
INSTITUTE FOR SPIRITUAL
DEVELOPMENT, God-centered
new age church & learning center.
Sunday Services and Workshops
event. 5419 Sherier Place NW. isddc.org.
LUTHERAN CHURCH OF
REFORMATION invites all to
Sunday worship at 8:30 or 11 a.m.
Childcare is available at both services. Welcoming LGBT people for
25 years. 212 East Capitol St. NE.
reformationdc.org.
METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY
CHURCH OF WASHINGTON, D.C.
services at 9 a.m. (ASL interpreted) and 11 a.m. Childrens Sunday
School at 11 a.m. 474 Ridge St. NW.
202-638-7373, mccdc.com.
RIVERSIDE BAPTIST CHURCH,
a Christ-centered, interracial,
welcoming-and-affirming church,
offers service at 10 a.m. 680 I St.
SW. 202-554-4330, riversidedc.org.
UNITARIAN CHURCH OF
ARLINGTON, an LGBTQ welcoming-and-affirming congregation,
offers services at 10 a.m. Virginia
Rainbow UU Ministry. 4444
Arlington Blvd. uucava.org.
UNIVERSALIST NATIONAL
MEMORIAL CHURCH, a welcoming and inclusive church. GLBT
Interweave social/service group
meets monthly. Services at 11 a.m.,
Romanesque sanctuary. 1810 16th St.

NW. 202-387-3411, universalist.org.
MONDAY, November 21
CENTER FAITH, a program of The
DC Center, hosts a meeting for the
LGBT community and their religious allies. 7:30-9 p.m. 2000 14th
St. NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
Weekly Events
Ohio Dr. SW. 7-8:30 p.m. Visit
swimdcac.org.
DC SCANDALS RUGBY holds
practice, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Garrison
Elementary, 1200 S St. NW. dcscandals.wordpress.com.
33
GETEQUAL meets 6:30-8 p.m. at

Quaker House, 2111 Florida Ave.
NW. getequal.wdc@gmail.com.
HIV Testing at WHITMAN-WALKER
HEALTH. At the Elizabeth Taylor
NOVASALUD offers free HIV testing. 5-7 p.m. 2049 N. 15th St., Suite
200, Arlington. Appointments: 703789-4467.
The DC Center hosts COFFEE
DROP-IN FOR THE SENIOR LGBT
COMMUNITY. 10 a.m.-noon. 2000
14th St. NW. 202-682-2245, thedccenter.org.
US HELPING US hosts a black gay
mens evening affinity group. 3636
Georgia Ave. NW. 202-446-1100.
WASHINGTON WETSKINS WATER
POLO TEAM practices 7-9 p.m.
Takoma Aquatic Center, 300 Van
Buren St. NW. Newcomers with at
least basic swimming ability always
welcome. Tom, 703-299-0504, secretary@wetskins.org, wetskins.org.
WHITMAN-WALKER HEALTH HIV/
AIDS Support Group for newly
diagnosed individuals, meets 7 p.m.
Registration required. 202-9397671, hivsupport@whitman-walker.
org.
TUESDAY, November 22
The DC Centers GENDERQUEER
DC support and discussion group
for people who identify outside the
gender binary, meets on the fourth
Tuesday of every month. 7-8:30
p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105.
For more information, visit thedccenter.org.
Weekly Events
ASIANS AND FRIENDS weekly dinner in Dupont/Logan Circle area,
6:30 p.m. afwash@aol.com, afwashington.net.
walking/social club serving greater D.C.s LGBT community and
allies hosts an evening run/walk.
dcfrontrunners.org.
THE GAY MENS HEALTH
COLLABORATIVE offers free
HIV testing and STI screening
and treatment every Tuesday.
5-6:30 p.m. Rainbow Tuesday
LGBT Clinic, Alexandria Health
Department, 4480 King St. 703746-4986 or text 571-214-9617.
james.leslie@inova.org.
OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS
LGBT focused meeting every
Tuesday, 7 p.m. St. Georges
34
Episcopal Church, 915 Oakland

Ave., Arlington, just steps from
Virginia Square Metro. For
more info. call Dick, 703-5211999. Handicapped accessible.
Newcomers welcome. liveandletliveoa@gmail.com.
SUPPORT GROUP FOR LGBTQ
YOUTH ages 13-21 meets at SMYAL,
410 7th St. SE, 5-6:30 p.m. Cathy
Chu, 202-567-3163, catherine.chu@
smyal.org.
US HELPING US hosts a support
group for black gay men 40 and
older. 7-9 p.m., 3636 Georgia Ave.
NW. 202-446-1100.
WEDNESDAY, November 23
The DC Center hosts a monthly
meeting of its HIV PREVENTION
WORKING GROUP. 6-8 p.m. 2000
THE LAMBDA BRIDGE CLUB will
meet for Social Bridge. 7:30 p.m.
Dignity Center, 721 8th St., S.E.
(across from Marine Barracks). No
reservation needed. Call 202-8410279 if you need a partner.
Weekly Events
AD LIB, a group for freestyle conversation, meets about 6-6:30 p.m.,
Steam, 17th and R NW. All welcome. For more information, call
Fausto Fernandez, 703-732-5174.
927 Ohio Dr. SW. 7-8:30 p.m. Visit
swimdcac.org.
FREEDOM FROM SMOKING, a
group for LGBT people looking
to quit cigarettes and tobacco use,
holds a weekly support meeting at
The DC Center. 7-8 p.m. 2000 14th
HISTORIC CHRIST CHURCH offers
Wednesday worship 7:15 a.m. and
12:05 p.m. All welcome. 118 N.
Washington St., Alexandria. 703549-1450, historicchristchurch.org.
NOVASALUD offers free HIV
testing. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. 2049 N.
15th St., Suite 200, Arlington.
Appointments: 703-789-4467.
PRIME TIMERS OF DC, social club
for mature gay men, hosts weekly
happy hour/dinner. 6:30 p.m.,
Windows Bar above Dupont Italian
Kitchen, 1637 17th St. NW. Carl,
703-573-8316.
THURSDAY, November 24
Weekly Events
Friends and supporters of The DC

Center are invited to stop by for a
THANKSGIVING MEAL. Bring a dish
to share, your favorite music and
board games. 1-5 p.m. 2000 14th St.
NW, Suite 105. For more information, visit thedccenter.org.

927 Ohio Dr. SW. 6:30-8 p.m. Visit
swimdcac.org.
The DC ANTI-VIOLENCE PROJECT

(DC AVP), the group dedicated to
combating anti-LGBT hate crimes,
holds its monthly meeting at The
DC Center. 7-8:30 p.m. 2000 14th
The LATINO LGBT TASK FORCE
holds its monthly meeting at The
DC Center. 6-7 p.m. 2000 14th St.
NW, Suite 105. For more information, call 202-682-2245 or visit
thedccenter.org.
Weekly Events
DC LAMBDA SQUARES gay and lesbian square-dancing group features
mainstream through advanced
square dancing at the National City
Christian Church, 5 Thomas Circle
NW, 7-9:30 p.m. Casual dress. 301257-0517, dclambdasquares.org.
The DULLES TRIANGLES Northern
Virginia social group meets for
happy hour at Sheraton in Reston,
11810 Sunrise Valley Drive, second-floor bar, 7-9 p.m. All welcome. dullestriangles.com.
US HELPING US hosts a Narcotics
Anonymous Meeting, 6:30-7:30
p.m., 3636 Georgia Ave. NW. The
group is independent of UHU. 202446-1100.
WOMENS LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
for young LBTQ women, 13-21,
interested in leadership development. 5-6:30 p.m. SMYAL Youth
Center, 410 7th St. SE. 202-5673163, catherine.chu@smyal.org.
FRIDAY, November 25
The DC Center holds its CENTER
AGING MONTHLY LUNCH social for
members of D.C.s senior community. 12-2 p.m. 2000 14th St. NW,
visit thedccenter.org or call 202682-2245.
WOMEN IN THEIR TWENTIES (AND
THIRTIES), a social discussion and
activity group for queer women,
meets at The DC Center on the
second and fourth Fridays of each
month. Group social activity to follow the meeting. 8-9:30 p.m. 2000

PROJECT STRIPES hosts LGBTaffirming social group for ages
11-24. 4-6 p.m. 1419 Columbia Road
NW. Contact Tamara, 202-3190422, layc-dc.org.
SATURDAY, November 26
ADVENTURING outdoors group
hikes 9 strenuous miles with 1900
feet of elevation gain in northern
Shenandoah National Park, near
Front Royal, Va. Bring beverages,
lunch, sturdy boots and about $12 for
fees. Carpool at 9 a.m. from East Falls
Church Metro Kiss & Ride lot. Craig,
202-462-0535. adventuring.org.
Weekly Events
BET MISHPACHAH, founded by
members of the LGBT community,
holds Saturday morning Shabbat
services, 10 a.m., followed by
Kiddush luncheon. Services in
DCJCC Community Room, 1529
16th St. NW. betmish.org.
BRAZILIAN GLBT GROUP, including others interested in Brazilian
culture, meets. For location/time,
email braziliangaygroup@yahoo.
com.
swimdcac.org.
walking/social club welcomes all
levels for exercise in a fun and supportive environment, socializing
afterward. Meet 9:30 a.m., 23rd &
P Streets NW, for a walk; or 10 a.m.
for fun run. dcfrontrunners.org.
DC SENTINELS basketball
team meets at Turkey Thicket
Recreation Center, 1100 Michigan
Ave. NE, 2-4 p.m. For players of all
levels, gay or straight. teamdcbasketball.org.
DIGNITYUSA sponsors Mass for
LGBT community, family and
friends. 6:30 p.m., Immanuel
Church-on-the-Hill, 3606 Seminary
Road, Alexandria. All welcome. For
more info, visit dignitynova.org.
35
GAY LANGUAGE CLUB discusses

critical languages and foreign languages. 7 p.m. Nellies, 900 U St.
NW. RSVP preferred. brendandarcy@gmail.com.
SUNDAY, November 27
CHRYSALIS arts & culture group
views exhibits in the recently
reopened East Building of the
National Gallery of Art. Free. All
welcome. Gather at noon in the
lobby past security at entrance on
4th & Pennsylvania Avenue NW.
Lunch follows, hopefully in new
cafe. Craig, 202-462-0535. craighowell1@verizon.net.
ST. STEPHEN AND THE

INCARNATION, an interracial, multi-ethnic Christian
Community offers services in
English, 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., and
in Spanish at 5:15 p.m. 1525 Newton
St. NW. 202-232-0900, saintstephensdc.org.
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST
CHURCH OF SILVER SPRING invites
LGBTQ families and individuals
of all creeds and cultures to join
the church. Services 9:15 and 11:15
a.m. 10309 New Hampshire Ave.
uucss.org.
MONDAY, November 28
Weekly Events
Weekly Events
LGBT-inclusive ALL SOULS

MEMORIAL EPISCOPAL CHURCH
celebrates Low Mass at 8:30
a.m., High Mass at 11 a.m. 2300
Cathedral Ave. NW. 202-232-4244,
allsoulsdc.org.

Ohio Dr. SW. 7-8:30 p.m. Visit
swimdcac.org.
BETHEL CHURCH-DC progressive

and radically inclusive church
holds services at 11:30 a.m. 2217
Minnesota Ave. SE. 202-248-1895,
betheldc.org.
swimdcac.org.
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL UNITED
CHURCH OF CHRIST welcomes all
to 10:30 a.m. service, 945 G St. NW.
firstuccdc.org or 202-628-4317.
HOPE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
welcomes GLBT community for
worship. 10:30 a.m., 6130 Old
Telegraph Road, Alexandria.
hopeucc.org.
HSV-2 SOCIAL AND SUPPORT
GROUP for gay men living in the
DC metro area. This group will be
meeting once a month. For information on location and time, visit
H2gether.com.
Join LINCOLN CONGREGATIONAL
TEMPLE UNITED CHURCH OF
CHRIST for an inclusive, loving and
progressive faith community every
Sunday. 11 a.m. 1701 11th Street
NW, near R in Shaw/Logan neighborhood. lincolntemple.org.
METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY
CHURCH OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA
services at 11 a.m., led by Rev.
Emma Chattin. Childrens Sunday
School, 11 a.m. 10383 Democracy
Lane, Fairfax. 703-691-0930, mccnova.com.
NATIONAL CITY CHRISTIAN
CHURCH, inclusive church with
GLBT fellowship, offers gospel worship, 8:30 a.m., and traditional worship, 11 a.m. 5 Thomas Circle NW.
202-232-0323, nationalcitycc.org.
36

GETEQUAL meets 6:30-8 p.m. at
Quaker House, 2111 Florida Ave.
NW. getequal.wdc@gmail.com.
NOVASALUD offers free HIV testing. 5-7 p.m. 2049 N. 15th St., Suite
200, Arlington. Appointments: 703789-4467.
The DC Center hosts COFFEE
DROP-IN FOR THE SENIOR LGBT
COMMUNITY. 10 a.m.-noon. 2000
14th St. NW. 202-682-2245, thedccenter.org.
US HELPING US hosts a black gay
mens evening affinity group. 3636
Georgia Ave. NW. 202-446-1100.
WASHINGTON WETSKINS WATER
POLO TEAM practices 7-9 p.m.
Takoma Aquatic Center, 300 Van
Buren St. NW. Newcomers with at
least basic swimming ability always
welcome. Tom, 703-299-0504, secretary@wetskins.org, wetskins.org.
TUESDAY, November 29
Weekly Events
ASIANS AND FRIENDS weekly dinner in Dupont/Logan Circle area,
6:30 p.m. afwash@aol.com, afwashington.net.
walking/social club serving greater D.C.s LGBT community and
allies hosts an evening run/walk.
dcfrontrunners.org.
THE GAY MENS HEALTH

COLLABORATIVE offers free
HIV testing and STI screening
and treatment every Tuesday.
5-6:30 p.m. Rainbow Tuesday
LGBT Clinic, Alexandria Health
Department, 4480 King St. 703746-4986 or text 571-214-9617.
james.leslie@inova.org.
KARING WITH INDIVIDUALITY
(K.I.) SERVICES, at 3333 Duke St.,
Alexandria, offers free rapid HIV
testing and counseling, 9 a.m.-4
p.m. 703-823-4401.
METROHEALTH CENTER offers free,
rapid HIV testing. Appointment
needed. 1012 14th St. NW, Suite
700. 202-638-0750.
OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS
LGBT focused meeting every
Tuesday, 7 p.m. St. Georges
Episcopal Church, 915 Oakland
Ave., Arlington, just steps from
Virginia Square Metro. For
more info. call Dick, 703-5211999. Handicapped accessible.
Newcomers welcome. liveandletliveoa@gmail.com.
for youth 21 and younger. Youth
Center, 410 7th St. SE. 202-5673155, testing@smyal.org.
SUPPORT GROUP FOR LGBTQ
YOUTH ages 13-21 meets at SMYAL,
410 7th St. SE, 5-6:30 p.m. Cathy
Chu, 202-567-3163, catherine.chu@
smyal.org.
US HELPING US hosts a support
group for black gay men 40 and
older. 7-9 p.m., 3636 Georgia Ave.
NW. 202-446-1100.
Whitman-Walker Healths GAY
MENS HEALTH AND WELLNESS/
STD CLINIC opens at 6 p.m., 1701
14th St. NW. Patients are seen on
walk-in basis. No-cost screening
for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and
chlamydia. Hepatitis and herpes
testing available for fee. whitman-walker.org.
WEDNESDAY, November 30
Sixth and I hosts a BOOK
DISCUSSION AND SIGNING by Kate
Bornstein about her book Gender
Outlaw: On Men, Women, and the
Rest of Us, the first book on gender
theory written by a transgender
person. Tickets: $14 to attend, $20
to attend and buy a book; $30 for
two tickets and a book. 7-8 p.m.
600 I St. NW. To purchase tickets,
call 1-877-987-6487.
Weekly Events
AD LIB, a group for freestyle conversation, meets about 6-6:30 p.m.,
Steam, 17th and R NW. All welcome. For more information, call
Fausto Fernandez, 703-732-5174.
ANDROMEDA TRANSCULTURAL
HEALTH offers free HIV testing, 9-5
p.m., and HIV services (by appointment). 202-291-4707, andromedatransculturalhealth.org.
927 Ohio Dr. SW. 7-8:30 p.m. Visit
swimdcac.org.
FREEDOM FROM SMOKING, a
group for LGBT people looking
to quit cigarettes and tobacco use,
holds a weekly support meeting at
The DC Center. 7-8 p.m. 2000 14th
HISTORIC CHRIST CHURCH offers
Wednesday worship 7:15 a.m. and
12:05 p.m. All welcome. 118 N.
Washington St., Alexandria. 703549-1450, historicchristchurch.org.
IDENTITY offers free and confidential HIV testing in Gaithersburg,
414 East Diamond Ave. Walk-ins
2-7 p.m. For appointments other
hours, call Gaithersburg at 301300-9978.
JOB CLUB, a weekly support program for job entrants and seekers,
meets at The DC Center. 6-7:30
p.m. 2000 14th St. NW, Suite 105.
For more info, www.centercareers.
org.
METROHEALTH CENTER offers
free, rapid HIV testing. No
appointment needed. 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
1012 14th St. NW, Suite 700. 202638-0750.
NOVASALUD offers free HIV
testing. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. 2049 N.
15th St., Suite 200, Arlington.
Appointments: 703-789-4467.
PRIME TIMERS OF DC, social club
for mature gay men, hosts weekly
happy hour/dinner. 6:30 p.m.,
Windows Bar above Dupont Italian
Kitchen, 1637 17th St. NW. Carl,
703-573-8316.
Submit your community event for
consideration at least 10 days prior
to the Thursday publication you
would like it to appear. Email to calendar@metroweekly.com. l
Scene
SMYALs 2016 Annual Fall Brunch at the Madarin Oriental

Sunday November 13 - Photography by Ward Morrison
See and purchase more photos from this event at www.metroweekly.com/scene
37
38
Adult Swim
Schuyler Bailar made history as the first out transgender male NCAA Division I athlete.
Now he hopes to inspire other trans youth.
Exclusive Interview by John Riley Photography by Todd Franson
WIMMING FAST HAS VERY LITTLE TO DO WITH

talent, says Schuyler Bailar. Its about how hard
you work and what you want to do with it, and if
youre committed. Sure, there are people who are
very talented, but they are also incredibly committed. It doesnt really matter how talented I was or I am. Its that
I was committed to doing it and that I worked really hard.
Hard work, drive and dedication are essential parts of Bailars
life story. The 20-year-old sophomore on Harvard Universitys
swim team, is known for his 100- and 200-meter breaststroke.
Hes been swimming since he was a year old, and competing since
the age of eight. By 13, he was practicing twice a day, competing
not only for his school, but as part of a local swimming club.
As a child, Bailar was athletic. He played multiple sports,
including soccer, lacrosse, skateboarding and Taekwondo, but
instead of playing for the girls teams, Bailar played for boys
sports teams at least, until middle school, when sports became
segregated.
I did self-identify as a tomboy, says Bailar. I said that constantly. It was something that I really wanted people to know
about me because I think it was my way of explaining that I
wasnt a girl, like everybody thought I was supposed to be.
As he grew older, Bailar became more aware that his body
didnt match his identity, though he didnt have the words to
explain the way he felt. Following his senior year, he had a
breakdown and deferred attending Harvard for a year to seek
help for an eating disorder. During treatment, he came out as
transgender.
After leaving rehab, Bailar was worried about balancing his
identity as a transgender male with competing for Harvards
womens swim team. The womens head coach approached a
colleague, who suggested Bailar swim for the mens team. The
young swimmer would ultimately make history as the first openly transgender NCAA Division I swimmer and the first publicly
documented NCAA Division I transgender male to compete in
any sport.
The transition between teams was not easy. Bailar not only
had to compete against men, but had to get back into competitive
shape after taking nearly a year-and-a-half off from swimming.
But his dedication and ability to focus served him well he eventually reached and surpassed his previous fitness level. The work
has paid off: he qualified for NCSA Junior Nationals last year.
Its kind of a sports psychology shift, in that Im looking to better myself and just really have fun doing what Im
doing, he says. Instead of thinking of it like, I have to win
everything, or I have to compete to win, Im competing to
compete. Im doing this because I love it and Im constantly
competing against myself.
40
Bailars status as an out transgender athlete has resulted in

a slew of media attention. He was the focus of a segment on 60
Minutes, hes been on Ellen, and hes even started giving talks to
organizations and business groups to help educate them about
what it means to be transgender.
I always say the reason that I chose to be so open about being
transgender is because when I was little I never saw anybody out
in sports at all, he says. I dont remember seeing a single person who was out in sports and definitely not somebody who was
out in swimming. There were no LGBT athletes that I could look
up to and be like, Its okay for me to be queer and be in sports.
I kind of decided that those just didnt exist and therefore I was
going to have to hide myself.
In an interview prior to the election, Bailar was asked about
the prospect of a Donald Trump presidency. He acknowledges
that there is a real fear among members of the LGBT community,
particularly transgender individuals.
Regardless of your political views, people are scared right
now, he says. I think that a lot of my community, in terms of
LGBT people, or people of color, women, other-abled people,
Muslims, Latinos, Latinas I think anybody whos been marginalized by the media, or any of the candidates, are feeling scared
and sort of lost. The biggest thing Ive said about the election is
that you need to find people that love you, find your community, and know that theres a love within those communities. We
havent lost everything until weve lost that love, and were not
going to lose love.
Bailar is alarmed but not surprised at reports that some transgender individuals have attempted suicide in the wake of the
election results, given the higher rates of suicidal ideation among
members of the transgender community. He notes that suicide
stems from depression, which he, in turn, attributes to a sense of
lack of belonging or estrangement from the larger society.
Its those feelings of isolation, particularly among transgender children, that Bailar hopes to combat through sharing his
personal story.
I want to be out so that people know that I exist, especially
little kids. And I dont mean I as in Schuyler Bailar, but me as a
trans person, as a happy trans athlete whos made it, he says. Im
doing fine, Im doing great, and I think thats something I want little kids to see so that they dont have to feel like they have to hide,
and so they dont feel like they dont have a place in this world.
METRO WEEKLY: What was your childhood like?
SCHUYLER BAILAR: I was born in New York City. I grew up in
McLean, Virginia, right outside of D.C. I went to school my

whole life in D.C. I was a very active kid. I played a lot of sports. I
learned how to skateboard when I was really little. I swam from
the age of one. Always moving, always asking questions. I liked

to do art. I was a very curious kid.
I have one younger brother. Hes two years younger than me.
He and I were really close. We were like best friends when we
grew up. We did everything together. He played all the same
sports. I have my mom and dad. I love them to death.
MW: What drew you to swimming?
BAILAR: Ive been swimming my entire life. I love the weightlessness of the water, the feeling of being in the water. I love how
when you go underwater, there is a quiet that is all-encompassing. I guess I have a passion and a love for just being underwater,
which is separate from the sport of swimming.
I think in swimming, you can always get better. Theres
always a piece of technique you do differently. Theres always
half a second you can shave off of your best time. Theres never
a finished goal. You can always get better. I think thats really
important, because I think Im the kind of person that is always
focused on growth and always focused on bettering myself.
Swimming is a great way for me to do that.
MW: What level of commitment does competitive swimming
require?
BAILAR: I was doing double practices practice in the morning
and practice at nigh by the time I was thirteen. Practices in the
morning are at 4:30 a.m. You have to have some sort of commitment to be able to do that. You have to get your homework done
early. You have to get to bed on a good time to get enough sleep,
and you have to wake up in the morning and then jump in a cold
pool. Ive always gone after things that are challenges, because I
give me the chance.
MW: Did you ever tell your parents that you didnt really feel like
a girl?
BAILAR: I didnt tell them. I was never explicit with my words

about my gender. I was very clear that I wanted to look like a
boy. I chose boys haircuts. I only shopped in the boys section in
clothing and I ran away from anything that would characterize
me as girl. I refused to wear pink. I refused to wear anything
with bows. I refused to wear dresses. All of those things. I think
my parents saw that, but they just thought the same thing that I
thought, that I was just a really intense tomboy.
My parents have always been incredibly accepting and lenient
with what I wear. They let me do me and they let me express
myself however I wanted, especially in terms of clothes. I think
that lends itself well to me just being able to just be Schuyler.
MW: How did your social life change when you moved from middle
school to high school?
BAILAR: The biggest change in high school was a very conscious
and very intentional change that I made. I decided to grow my
hair back out to long hair and buy girls clothing. I decided to do
that because in middle school, I used girls bathrooms because
thats what I was supposed to use and I was constantly yelled at.
Get out of the bathroom! This bathroom is for girls. Or, Why
are you in here? Just dirty looks.
It was just very uncomfortable for me and I just needed to go
to the bathroom. I felt so uncomfortable and scared about going
to the bathroom that I would hold it for hours or I would run to
the other side of the school to find the adult-only bathrooms
that were single-stalled.
I figured breaking the
adult only rule was better
than trying to deal with
not belonging in the girls
bathroom. Locker rooms
and bathrooms were
incredibly difficult for
me in middle school and
I was so sick of that pain
that I just was like, You
know what? Im going to
just grow my hair out. I
cant deal with this. Maybe Ill finally find some sort of belonging
in being this woman that everybody says Im supposed to be. I
grew my hair out. I went and bought girls clothing. I had tight
jeans and tank tops and whatever.
I wasnt the girliest of girls either, but I did it enough to be
gendered as female most of the time and nobody stared at me
in the locker rooms anymore. Nobody told me, Get out of the
womens bathroom. I think that was a relief. However, I still
couldnt shake the feeling of not belonging. The feeling of not
belonging in the womens bathrooms, in the womens locker
rooms, just anything that was designated for women.
MW: When you graduated from high school you took a gap year.
What happened during that year?
BAILAR: Yeah. The highlight of my senior year was probably
my Harvard recruiting trip. I committed to Harvard and then
my mental health went to shit after that just went absolutely
downhill. I had been declining with mental health issues probably since the beginning of my junior year. I buried myself in
my work and in swimming during my years in high school. The
summer before junior year, I broke my back. When I broke my
back, I had to for the first time in my life take a step back
from everything and think about things. That was so terrifying
I FELT SO UNCOMFORTABLE AND SCARED ABOUT

GOING TO THE BATHROOM THAT I WOULD HOLD IT
FOR HOURS or I would run to the other side of the
school to find the adult-only bathrooms that were
single-stalled.
wanted to challenge myself. Swimming has been the greatest and
most continuous challenge and I love it.
MW: What was school like for you?
BAILAR: I was always an in-betweener. I was never a popular
kid. I wasnt part of the in crowd. I also wasnt part of the nerdy,
geeky crowd, either. I had friends in all the groups and I think
I enjoyed that. I defined myself as somebody who wasnt really
part of one group.
Middle school is a classic time where you hang out with the
same gender. Thats how most kids socialize at the time. I was
hanging out mostly with boys and I didnt really understand
I was different. I was a tomboy. It was fine, but I was always
in between, if that makes sense. I was never quite girl enough
and I was never quite boy enough. I think I experienced bullying because of it. I think the girls were sometimes mean to me
because they were like, Why are you so not girl? The boys
would I dont know if discriminate is the right word but
they wouldnt pass me the football or the basketball.
It was really difficult for me, because I wanted so badly to be
seen just like all the other boys. I felt like I had to prove myself in
a way that they didnt. Eventually they would pass me the football and I was good enough. It just was getting them to actually
42
to me, that I actually had to stop and be introspective, I guess. I

couldnt lose myself in my swimming anymore.
At that point, everything broke. In April of my senior year, I
deferred from Harvard for a year. I took a gap year and I went
immediately to eating disorder treatment, a rehab center for eating disorder treatment. I spent the summer of 2014 in treatment.
That was an incredible, life-saving, world-altering, life-changing experience, all those things. The biggest thing that happened
during that time is I was finally given and able to use the vocabulary to explain my gender. It was the first place I was able to
say, thanks to an amazing therapist who helped me, Im transgender.
MW: When did you come out
to your parents as transgender?
BAILAR: I came out while
I was in treatment. I came
out sometime in the summer of 2014. My dad, I
came out to in, I want to
say August or September,
and I think my mom I
came out in probably early
August because I think
they visited me at different times.
MW: When you left rehab and finally enrolled in Harvard, did you
worry that youd have to give up swimming?
BAILAR: Gender in sports is very important, especially in swimming. The gap between female competitive athletic abilities and
male athletic abilities is huge. I thought to myself, I basically
am either going to have to quit swimming to transition, or swim
and not transition. I thought that was going to be my decision,
but over time what I realized is that I could do both. I was going
to have top surgery, which was the removal of my breasts, and
then still compete as a woman. And then live as a man outside
of the pool.
The womens swimming coach [Stephanie Morawski] and
I had been talking during my whole gap year. Eventually she
said to me, This is a horrible idea. How are you going to be one
gender in one place and another gender in another place? How
is that going to work? She was right. She actually went and
talked to the mens coach and said, Look, I have this kid, and
hes trans, what do you think I should do? Kevin [Tyrrell], the
mens coach, immediately said, If he identifies as a man, why
doesnt he swim for me? which is an incredible proposition, if
you think about it. I dont think a lot of people would say things
like that. Its incredibly open-minded, [and was] a huge opportunity for me.
MW: How did you react when they offered you the chance to be on
the mens swimming team?
BAILAR: Youd think that Id have been ecstatic, but I actually
burst into tears of complete terror. I had a dream of breaking
records, dreams of potentially going to NCAA championships
and doing well in terms of medals and material successes. You
know? I feel like I had to choose between that, and then on the
other hand I was like, I could take this huge risk to be myself,
to be a male athlete, and to really kind of continue this journey
that I had started in treatment and in therapy to be true to myself
and to be good to myself and to pursue happiness.
It took me a really long time to make that decision. It felt
like a long time. It was about a month that I mulled this over
and really thought about it. It was probably one of the hardest
months of my life because on one hand it was what I worked

for, and then on the other hand it was like being this boy that I
really am.
Obviously, I eventually chose to swim on the mens team.
With that came a lot of release and a lot of excitement and I think
I opened a lot of doors in fact, but it also came with a lot of grieving and I did spend time kind of grieving over the female athlete
and the success that I thought I was going to have.
What I did realize over time is that theres so many other
kinds of success. While Im not winning medals the way that I
used to, Im one hundred percent bettering myself. Im still in
the sport that I love. Im alive. Im happy. I enjoy what I do most
There is a misconception that trans people are

born into the wrong body. I like to challenge that
because I dont think bodies are wrong. MY BODY
DEVELOPED THE WAY THAT MY CHROMOSOMES
AND MY GENES TOLD IT TO, AND THERES
NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.
days. Of course, I have my bad days still, but Im true to myself
in a way that makes my expression of life and authenticity and
my experience of my life so much better. What I always like to
say is while there was glory in my first places, there is so much
more glory now in what may be my 16th place or my 5th place or
whatever. Its so much better now because Im myself.
MW: Youve since transitioned by having top surgery. Did that
make you feel more at ease or more comfortable with yourself?
BAILAR: When I woke up from top surgery I started crying,
because I was so happy that my chest was flat. I was just like,
Wow! This is amazing. This is exactly who Im supposed to be,
exactly where Im supposed to be. It was a release.
I like to make the distinction that my body has always been
my body. Im in the same skin, these are the same hands, these
are the same eyes, nose, mouth. This is my body and its always
been mine but it hasnt always reflected how I feel. I felt disconnected at times. That doesnt make the body wrong, because I
think there is a misconception that trans people are born into
the wrong body. I like to challenge that because I dont think
bodies are wrong. My body developed the way that my chromosomes and my genes told it to, and theres nothing wrong with
that.
I think what has come through my transition is a comfort and
a connection to my body and I feel like Im growing into myself.
I am going through a process. Theres still changes that are happening, as Im on testosterone. But mostly it just feels like Im
growing into myself and I feel like my experience with myself is
becoming more and more aligned.
MW: What do you say to people who argue that allowing trans
athletes to compete in the sport that matches their gender identity
gives them an unfair advantage?
BAILAR: Heres the thing. I think that those are generally valid
concerns, but the policies, especially now, have been written
very carefully on the inclusion of transgender athletes. I think
theyre very fair and they are written and made to preserve competitive athlete standards.
For example, the NCAA one, which is basically the one that
43
most institutions are using right now, is that if you are a trans
man, you can compete for either gender. You can compete as a
woman, as a trans man Im talking about without hormones.
The reason behind that is you have no biological advantage over
anybody if you have not taken testosterone, because testosterone is the thing that changes your athletic ability. If you take
hormones as a trans man, then you are only allowed to compete
as male.
For trans women, the rules are that if you are born male and
you have not taken any sort of hormone suppressant, you must
compete as a male. The only way you can compete as female as
a trans woman is if you have taken estrogen, you can take estrogen and then you can take also testosterone suppressants, and
you must be on the testosterone suppressants for at least one
documented year. I think thats fair because people have done
research on it and what happens in that year is your testoster-
card. My insurance card has been changed. It says male. Okay,

fine, lets check my social security card. That also says male.
Lets check my birth certificate, that also says male. Ive gotten
all those things changed.
Then, okay, whats next? Lets check my clothes. Lets check
my body. Are you going to check my scars? Are you going to
inspect the quality of my surgery, are you going to pull down my
pants? Those are all incredibly invasive,
and Im definitely thinking those are
going to violate the constitution and
peoples personal privacy. Even if you
did, if you pulled down somebodys
pants, theres bottom surgery. They
could have the right genitalia. Then
are you going to inspect the quality of
that surgery? You see what Im saying?
Gender in sports is very important,

especially in swimming. The gap between
female competitive athletic abilities and
male athletic abilities is huge. I THOUGHT,
I AM EITHER GOING TO HAVE TO QUIT
SWIMMING TO TRANSITION, OR SWIM AND
NOT TRANSITION.
44
Theres really no way to enforce that

without it being completely violating
somebodys rights.
MW: From your own experience, what is
the biggest misconception about transgender people in todays society?
BAILAR: People think that I chose to
do this, that it was like a choice to be
trans. The reality is that I didnt choose
who I am, in the same way I dont think
anybody else chooses who they are. The
only choice I made was to allow myself
happiness. And I think thats a really
important distinction because I dont
think anybody really would choose the
discrimination that Ive experienced,
the difficulty that Ive experienced.
I think theres a lot of misconceptions about trans. I think I mentioned
earlier another big misconception is
the idea that its all built on body, its
all about the wrong body, but the reality I think is that, yes,
theres pieces of that about bodies. I mean, I live in my body
and my body is the only thing that is ever truly mine so then its
inherently important, but its more about who I am and who Im
perceived as and the disconnection between that and between
how society sees it and sees me.
MW: Have you ever thought about becoming more involved in
politics?
BAILAR: I think this year, specifically this election, Ive had to be
SYDNEY ALTSCHULER
one levels fall to a normal female level of testosterone levels

and then you dont have that testosterone biological advantage
anymore. I think thats about as fair as you can get.
I think people are worried if trans inclusion is legalized is
that a man is going to say that they are trans and compete as
a woman to win. I think thats one of the biggest fears. But its
not something thats easy to do, to just transition. You have to
do the documentation, suppressants... I think while, yes, people
are afraid of people cheating, I just dont think that its going to
happen. The [NCAA] policy has been in place since 2010, and
theres been no issues with people cheating.
MW: Laws like HB2 in North Carolina and a similar bill expected
to pass in Texas next year require trans people to use the bathroom
or locker room of the gender listed on their birth certificate. What
do you think of these laws and do you ever worry about that affecting you if you go to a swim meet in another state?
BAILAR: The short answer to your question is Im against those
bills. Im totally against HB2. I think its absolutely ridiculous. I
honestly think to enforce it is a violation of the constitution.
Think about this: If youre trying to keep me out of the mens
bathroom, you want me to go into the womens bathroom. How
are you going to enforce that? The first way is you have to either
randomly check everybody at the bathroom, because you cant
profile people, you cant be like, You look trans, Im going to
check you.
The other thing is, lets just say that you are going to check
everybody, or random search, it doesnt really matter. Try and
think about how youre going to enforce that. You ask me, Let
me see your ID, to check that Im male. My ID says male on it.
Lets say they want more than that. Lets check my insurance
a little bit more involved, not only because it affects me deeply,

or it could affect me deeply, but also because people have asked
me about it. Ive spoken on some bills and things to try to affect
policy. I spoke in the Massachusetts state senate at a panel
talking about a bill to protect gender identity.
People ask me often if I would go into politics because they
think that I could potentially make a difference, but who knows?
myself because I know that people are watching, if that makes

sense. Im aware that I have a media platform right now, and
I need to be careful with what I say. I dont use a lot of curse
words, and I keep it pretty PG-rated most of the time.
I get messages daily about people saying, You saved my
life because Ive now sought help, or Youve changed my life
because of this, or Ive come out and Im happy because of you
I really dont know where my life is taking me and what Im

going to do, but I definitely want to effect change and to pursue
kind of bettering the country especially for trans people because
Im passionate about that. Maybe yes, who knows.
MW: Do you feel a responsibility to be a role model, particularly for
younger transgender athletes?
BAILAR: I do feel a responsibility to be open about my experience, but there are days when I feel more responsible and there
are days when I feel less responsible. Im careful in how I portray
showing me that I can, and those things are life-changing to me.

They give me so much hope and so much life for myself and they
make me want to do this on days even when I dont want that
responsibility, if that makes sense.
At the end of the day Im still just a kid. Just a college kid, and
there are definitely days when I just dont want any responsibilities, you know? I dont want to do my homework, I dont want
to go to swim practice, I dont want to do anything. I just want to
chill and watch TV. l
45
Gallery
Michael Lado
Cosmic Lover - 16 x 20, Oil On Canvas
www.facebook.com/TheLacrymatter/
47
Movies
Adams Family
Amy Adams anchors two new films, one in which she encounters aliens,
the other in which her very existence has
turned alien By Randy Shulman
F YOU EVER NEEDED CERTIFIABLE PROOF THAT AMY ADAMS IS A SPECtacularly gifted actress, all you need do is watch her two very distinct, commanding performances in Nocturnal Animals and Arrival. In both films, she plays
vulnerable yet confident, self-driven women, but the nuances offered up are galaxies
apart. Each film is not only a wondrous example of Adams prowess, but also come
from filmmakers who enhance storytelling with visual potency, successfully creating
powerful, emotional depth.
Tom Fords Nocturnal Animals (HHHHH) is the more overtly stylish of the two
films. Pulp collides with realism and surrealism in Fords gripping tale of revenge. Its a
movie that works on a violent and visceral level as well an emotive one. Ford toys with
time and space and his narrative lurches between a harsh, tangible present and wistful
past, while detouring into an overt, harrowing fiction that feels more real than anything
else depicted on screen.
The narrative structure is complex beautifully so and Ford pulls it off with
jaw-dropping skill and finesse, keeping the storys themes of revenge, longing and
regret front and center. In only his second motion picture, and his first since 2009s
stunning A Single Man, Ford exhibits a flair for detail and narrative drive that often
daunts the most accomplished filmmakers.
The movie opens with a jolt gargantuanly obese, naked women, sporting red and
gold shimmering pom poms, enact cheerleading jumps in extreme slow motion. At first
it feels like a gratuitous, shameless move, but it rivets our attention from the start, and
the reason is made clear within the first few minutes, setting the tone for things to come.
Do you ever feel like your life has turned into something you never intended?
says celebrated Los Angeles artist Susan Morrow (Adams) to her bewildered assistant.
48
Indeed, Susans life is edging into shambles

her marriage to the handsome Hutton
(Armie Hammer) is beyond strained and
shes put blinders up to his philandering,
even when confronted with audible evidence. Her world is further shaken by
the arrival of a novel called Nocturnal
Animals, written by her first husband
Edward Sheffield (Jake Gyllenhaal), a man
she abandoned two decades before and
has had no contact with since.
As she reads, we are thrust into the
novels increasingly disturbing scenario,
set in Texas and involving a confrontation
between its protagonist Tony Hastings
(Gyllenhaal again) and a trio of rednecks
lead by an intensely malevolent, disturbed
young man (a gripping Aaron TaylorJohnson). Tonys inability to protect his
wife and daughter from these miscreants,
who slowly, insidiously terrorize them on
a deserted Texas highway is the starting
point for things far worse to come, mostly
at the hands of a local law enforcement
officer played with shuddery, dark resolve
by Michael Shannon.
How Susans present and past intertwine with the action in the novel is what
elevates Fords film to masterful. The
director creates three distinct tones, shifting between them so fluidly we dont have
time to acclimate. We just ride along,
breathless for the next moment. Sure,
we know pretty much where

things are heading but Ford
is shrewd enough to throw in
a curveball or two leading to a
moment of clarity at the films
climax that perfectly crystallizes
everything that came before.
Ford is served well by his talent as a designer, bringing luster
and dread to every shot. Expect
an Oscar nomination for both
Ford and his movie.
Expect one as well for
Adams. But not for Nocturnal
Animals. Rather, shell be heralded for her work as a linguist
called in to decipher a jaw-droppingly complex alien language in
Arrival (HHHHH), a deeply felt movie that uses science fiction
to explore the emotional context of humanity. How she solves
the puzzle is as astonishing as what she learns of the visitors
and herself.
Directed by Denis Villeneuve, Arrival is one of those movies
that seems simple on the surface, but quickly deepens into something more. Its so powerful by the end, as its mystery is revealed,
that it rattles and permeates you on almost every possible level.
Despite its modest trappings yet another sci-fi film about
first contact its an intimate film that evokes a stark, often
nerve-jangling realism.
Arrival approaches its topics with such alacrity and resonance that youd have to be a rock not to be profoundly moved
by it. A lot of this has to do with Adams, who blankets her performance with pure, genuine feeling. Shes so good, she pretty
much blows you out of your seat.

Adams is well-matched with
Jeremy Renner, who plays a
theoretical physicist aiding her
government-controlled efforts
to determine the intent behind
a visiting alien species. They
aliens have, without warning,
planted a dozen mammoth,
monolith-like vessels around
the globe (a huge visual nod to
Kubricks 2001) and in doing so
have stoked the fires of global mistrust, miscommunication,
and the medias habit of inciting panic. The movie is, in some
ways, about what happens when the spigots of alliance are
turned off when communication and cooperation grinds to a
halt. Its an allegory for our recent times in more ways than you
can imagine.
And yet at the heart of Arrival lies a human tragedy so powerful and resonant that it elevates the film to a different level,
one that you cant possible see coming and one that pays off
in ways that make you feel it, intensely and unapologetically.
Arrival should be required viewing of every living person on the
planet. l
Nocturnal Animals opens Friday, November 18, at the Landmark
E Street Cinema. Arrival is currently playing at the Landmark
Bethesda and Atlantic Plumbing Theatres as well as additional
venues around the region. Visit landmarktheatres.com or fandango.com.
MARIA BARANOVA
Stage
Unmerry-Go-Round
Arena Stage pulls out the stops to keep Carousel turning, but a
complicated tale occasionally slows it down by Doug Rule
ORGET MARIA. HOW DO YOU SOLVE A PROBLEM LIKE BILLY? IN

Rodgers & Hammersteins The Sound of Music, Marias problem is that shes
simply unfit to be a nun, a problem immaterial once she finds her true love. If
only Billy Bigelows problem were as simple. In Carousel, Bigelow proves to be unfit for
life in general. We see him failing at work, in his marriage, in his home life and beyond.
In the Arena Stage revival, Nicholas Rodriguez is as winsome as the character could
ever hope to be. Hunky and charismatic, Rodriguez belts his heart out, putting his all
into the role youll feel for him, even if you dont quite ever fully understand him. But
there are greater complications in the musical than problematic Billy just as there are
greater arguments for seeing Carousel (
) than Rodriguezs fine performance.
In the shows program, Molly Smith refers to Carousel as the Hamlet of American
musicals, one shes wanted to direct for years. Shes certainly pulled out all the stops
to make it work, in many respects modeling it after her successful revival of Oklahoma
almost a decade ago. In addition to Rodriguez, Smith brings back that shows E. Faye
Butler, who is as welcome and scene-stealing a presence as ever as Mrs. Mullin, owner
of the amusement park in the small coastal Maine town where Billy works as a barker.
Though we never actually see the shows namesake ride, it is evoked in Todd
Rosenthals imaginative set, centered in the in-the-round Fichandler Stage, complete
with a rotating platform installed as part of a whitewashed wood floor. The 12-piece
orchestra plays above the action in a gazebo ringed in lights.
Parker Esse, Smiths go-to choreographer since his Helen Hayes Award-winning
work with Oklahoma, once again provides his signature buoyant choreography. He reg-
50
ularly evokes a carousel through turns and

orbiting gestures, but also showcases an
even greater range in his talents through
the ballet that comes late in act two. Billys
daughter Louise poignantly conveys the
shows story through an extended, grand
solo. The sequence, anchored by Skye
Mattoxs capable performance, greatly
enhances the show, giving theatergoers
something well beyond the musical norm.
Carousel goes beyond the norm in other
ways, particularly in scenes from purgatory and heaven, and in its related themes of
forgiveness and redemption. Its a complicated tale, one reviled as much as revered
for that very reason. The complications go
beyond the character of Billy to include his
relationship with Julie Jordan. Julie loses
her job as a millworker because she lingers
past curfew at the carousel, and Billy loses
his job because he defies Mrs. Mullins
orders to ban Julie from the ride Mullin
rightfully identifies Julie as a threat to her
romantic pursuits of Billy. But what does
thoroughly bad boy Billy see in utterly
good girl Julie, and vice versa?
Its never completely clear, especially
with Betsy Morgans stilted portrayal of
Julie, intermittently feisty yet more of
a drama-averse shrinking violet. A bet-
ter match for Billy would be

Julies best friend Carrie, played
by Kate Rockwell as a charming, wannabe adventure-seeker.
Unfortunately, Carrie is already
engaged to Enoch Snow, who is
nearly the opposite of Billy
upstanding and scrupulous. Kurt
Boehm succeeds in the delicate
balancing act of being both alluring and off-putting, gregarious
yet provincial.
Both Billy and Enoch prove
themselves to be stereotypical males domineering to the
point of threatening at the slightest hint of insubordination from
the women. And thats where
the complications really lie in
Carousel, especially when word
gets out that Billy has hit Julie.
Julie, and later daughter Louise,
essentially excuse the behavior
by saying the punch didnt hurt
and felt more like a kiss. She also leads the women in the cast
in Whats The Use of Wondrin, a beautiful ballad with
less-than-beautiful lyrics, instructing women not to question or
argue with their mans interests or motives.
Carousel, dating to 1945, was

written in a different era, a time
when gender equality was far
from the norm. It also wasnt
common to discuss matters as
sensitive or private as domestic
violence. The townspeople in
Carousel are seen as disapproving, and the fact that domestic
violence is included as a theme
at all, one ensuring post-show
discussion of the topic, is an argument in the shows favor.
A far stronger argument is
the superb score. Even hokey
lyrics, such as the act two opener A Real Nice Clambake, can
be overlooked in numbers with
music this rapturous and stirring. And Carousel features two
of the greatest songs in the musical theater canon the cleverly
seductive If I Loved You and
the heart-swelling Youll Never
Walk Alone. If you give in to its power, the latters uplifting
sentiment to keep pushing ahead even when life deals you a
setback just might help you persevere through the problems
in our present-day political reality. l
Carousel runs to Dec. 24 at Arena Stage, 1101 6th St. SW. Tickets are $84 to $99. Call 202-488-3300 or visit arenastage.org.
51
TERESA WOOD
Stage
White-geist
Straight White Men is a timely, accessible examination of expectation

and privilege By Andr Hereford
UCH ADO WAS MADE EARLIER THIS YEAR ABOUT CBS PREMIERING
what could accurately be called its Season of the White Guy. A few months
after the #OscarsSoWhite hubbub, after Hollywood convened emergency
diversity panels and launched corrective initiatives, after all the hand-wringing and
soul-searching about inclusion, Americas most-watched TV network revealed three
new dramas and three new sitcoms all revolving around straight, white men. The
network was apologetic about the lack of diversity, but the message was unmistakable:
Empire can rule the schoolyard if it wants, flaunting its blackness, gayness and female
empowerment, but CBS was swinging hard in the other direction.
Its a shift that might have foretold this election. In the year of Black Lives Matter
and Gold Star families who happen to be Muslim immigrants, the keys of the White
House were handed to two (very) straight, (very) white guys. Given the current nationwide white-geist, Studio Theatre should be applauded for their prescience in bringing
Young Jean Lees ballsy comedy Straight White Men (
) to the capital. And
give credit to Lee for getting there well ahead of CBSs MacGyver reboot, or at least
before somebody turned American Psycho into a musical.
An artist whos fearless in tackling touchy subjects, Lee delivers in one tight 85-minute play a surgical dissection of the rites and rights of the straight white male. Helmed
by director Shana Cooper, this warmly accessible production doesnt disappoint in
eliciting laughs and sparking insight, with its story of three adult sons at home for
what could be a testy Christmas with their widower father. Its the real world, not
a CBS comedy, yet set designer Andrew Boyces cushiony family room, and Ji-Youn
52
Changs well-tuned lighting cleverly suggest the cozy familiarity of a three-camera

sitcom. It helps ease the audience into
the squirming discomfort that lies ahead.
Youngest brother Drew (Avery Clark), a
moderately successful academic and novelist, and middle brother Jake (Bruch
Reed), a prodigiously successful banker,
both arrive home bearing their own disappointments. However, the Butterballsized failure on the familys menu this
year is that eldest brother Matt (Michael
Tisdale), has moved back in with dad Ed
(Michael Winters), and seems not remotely prepared to step up, claim the many gifts
he was born with, and move forward with
his life.
Ed and the boys dearly departed
mother raised their sons to be conscious
of, even critical of, their advantages as
members of a historically unoppressed
race. They were aware enough as parents to repurpose the family Monopoly
board and pieces to play a self-invented
game called Privilege, where instead of
picking a Chance or Community Chest
card, players can draw Excuses or Denial.
No one in the family expected that Matt,
revered by his brothers and father as the
ideal idealist, would sell himself out for an
empty, high-paying corporate job. But to
see him retreat so completely into settling

for nothing shuffling around the house
in moms old apron, volunteering as a
copy boy for some social justice-minded
nonprofit stirs a gnawing unease in all
the men. In true holiday comedy style,
it explodes to the surface right after the
requisite heartwarming, dance-aroundto-a-pop-hit family bonding interlude.
Director Cooper has described the
play as a response to Lees epiphany that,
in our society, we actually despise being
a loser more than we despise being, say, a
misogynistic jerk. In Matt, theyve given
us quite a loser to drive home the point.
Shaggy-haired and shaky-voiced, dutifully baking pies and vacuuming up messes,
Matt appears the soul of misery, bereft
of the limitless potential that drove the
familys expectations of him so sky-high.
Tisdale leans heavily into Matts malaise,
written into a corner by a script that
demands he turn wounded fecklessness
into a trait riveting enough to prompt
closer inspection. While he finds the cringing pain at the center
of poor, melting Matt, he evinces little of the wonder-boy aura
that his family, especially youngest bro Drew, projects on him.
Part of Lees point here is to illustrate the debilitating pres-
sure of being expected to win, but Matt is

so profound a sad-sack, one could easily
lose their patience with him well before
his cheerfully enabling dad does. The
guys not a stalled classic up on blocks
hes a hollowed shell of a car going
nowhere. Trying to get him up and running seems a fools errand, even for his
loving family.
Clark struggles not to overplay baby
brother Drews urgent need to see Matt
become the man hes always looked up to.
Winters and Reed fare better as two versions of the alpha male, one the supportive patriarch, the other a self-described
rich prick, whod rather turn away in
resignation or horror from the sight of
Matt failing. Reed nails the comedy and
pathos of his part, strongly registering
every aspect of privilege he gladly accepts
as a product of the way things work in
this world.
Opening in the same week America
elected Donald Trump, Straight White
Men slots in perfectly to what reasonably could be called the
Year of the Straight White Male. That is, if we could name any
other year in American history that didnt uplift or uphold the
privileged status of hetero white dudes. l
Straight White Men runs to Dec. 18. Studio Theatre, 14th & P Streets NW. Tickets are $20 to $97. Call 202-332-3300
or visit studiotheatre.org.
53
SCOTT SUCHMAN
Opera
Rebellious Daughters
The Daughter of the Regiment offers much-needed respite from
tumultuous times By Kate Wingfield
N SATURDAY NIGHT, THE WASHINGTON NATIONAL OPERA NOT

only breached the fourth wall, they set it on fire. Call it the most unlikely corner
in which to find a defiant comment on what just happened in our national election, but even the most austere artistic genre had something to say about November 8.
Clever, subtle, but in no way ambiguous, it came in the form of a very special (and prolonged) cameo in Donizettis The Daughter of the Regiment: liberal icon and Supreme
Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Initially hidden in an enormous wingback chair, it was quite the moment when
she was turned, slowly, to face the packed opera house. It is no clich to say that the
crowd went wild. But the real fireworks came when in the speaking role of the
demanding Duchess of Krakenthorp Ginsburg began listing the qualities required
in a bride for her son. Adapted by Ginsburg (and this role is often flavored by the
player), it is an unapologetic ode to women as leaders no doubt, one in particular.
The applause and laughter was so clamorous, some of her words were drowned out,
but the intent was clear.
The joyously rebellious dicta of the Notorious RBG aside, there was also something
exceedingly touching in the timing of this special night. In between her piquant lines,
the diminutive, rather fragile-looking justice spent a fair amount of time on stage up
close and personal with the singers and action. It was the best seat in the house and
though it was eclipsed by the political overtones it was nevertheless a beautiful gift
from Artistic Director Francesca Zambello and Director Robert Longbottom to one of
54
the WNOs greatest fans.

But even if Justice Ginsburg will not
be returning for the remainder of the
run, rest assured that there is more than
enough reason to make The Daughter of
the Regiment (HHHHH) your personal evening of escapism from all that ails, political
or otherwise.
First there are the leads. Grabbing
every scene by the short and curlies is
an insuppressible Lisette Oropesa, singing her Marie with technical fabulousness and beautifully-toned buoyancy. If
she veers a tad close to the chronically-cheerful tradition of Julie Andrews, she
offsets it with some great physical comedy. Making a superb vocal match with
Oropesa, Lawrence Brownlee brings the
house down with a gorgeous, rafter-reaching tenor and plenty of crowd-pleasing
bravado. It hardly matters that his Tonio
is more like a brother than lover to tomboy
Marie they are aurally, if not romantically, electric.
Bookending the action are two strong
and seasoned presences. Playing foil
to Oropesas Marie is Kevin Burdette as
Sulpice, the French sergeant who (along
with the entire regiment) adopted her as
an abandoned baby.
Burdette does a
great job clowning with Marie
though not quite
a Dick Van Dyke,
hes got the idea.
At the other end of
the plot, Deborah
Nansteel
makes
for a charismatic Marquise of
Berkenfield, the
local aristocrat with
a secret. If Nansteel
never quite delivers
on the comic potential in the role, she
certainly sings with
pleasing richness
and, when required,
sorrow. Keeping
to the lively feel,
Timothy J. Bruno
delivers an excitable Hortensius, the Marquises right-hand man.
Of course, being a largely comic opera featuring the regiment
that has raised the firebrand Marie, there is no doubt that much
of any production
will hinge on what
and how much
you can get out of
the male chorus.
With the WNO, it
is always 110 percent. Looking like
they are thoroughly enjoying themselves, the chorus
aces the clever
choreography and
wit of director
Longbottom and
are a joy to watch
as they work the
visually-clever
marches and the
mimes. Throw in
the
scampering
antics of Oropesas
Marie and this is
opera that shows
musical theater how its done.
Thus, an evening of entertainment and superb singing, and a
much-needed respite from tumultuous times. l
The Daughter of the Regiment runs to Sunday, Nov. 20. Kennedy Center Opera House.
Tickets are $45 to $315. Call 202-467-4600 or visit kennedy-center.org.
55
Games
Chaos Theory
Dishonored 2 supasses its predecessor, while Call of Duty: Infinite

Warfare is a chaotic mess By Rhuaridh Marr
OUR YEARS AGO, I CALLED DISHONORED A REVELATORY EXPERIENCE.

One of the best games of the last console generation, its blend of stealth, action,
strategy, supernatural abilities and deeply-ingrained karma system made it an
essential experience for every gamer. Faced with the daunting prospect of trying to
match that same level of quality and acclaim, developer Arkane Studios could be forgiven for taking the easy route and simply copying and pasting the events of the first game
into a similarly dystopian place. That they didnt, and have produced something that,
while not as original as it was in 2012, manages to outdo the first game in almost every
way is nothing short of incredible.
From a narrative standpoint, Dishonored 2 (
) treads some very familiar
steps. Corvo Attano, the original protagonist, now protects Empress Emily Kaldwin,
his daughter, after avenging the death of her mother in the first game. In the prologue,
Emily is forced from her throne, with a vengeful, violent ruler taking her place sound
familiar? Yet its here that Dishonored 2 departs from its predecessor. Players are given
the choice of either Corvo or Emily, with both wielding the supernatural powers that
made the first game so enjoyable Corvo favors strength and can manipulate the world
around him, Emily is stealthier and uses darker, more human-focused powers.
Choice is a key theme throughout Dishonored 2. Whichever character you choose
(youre locked in for the entirety of your playthrough), how you proceed through
the game is entirely up to you. The karma-based Chaos system returns, measuring
the relatively morality of your actions at the end of each of the games nine missions,
though its much less black and white than the old game. Kills wont instantly penalize
you ignore innocents and leave hapless guards alive, only take out the main target
or particularly evil side characters, and you wont be rendered an immoral beast after
56
Dishonored 2
all is said and done. The storys conclusion

and certain aspects of the world change
depending on how much Chaos youve
accrued, which enhances the need to give
Dishonored 2 multiple playthroughs, and
its a fairer system in its second outing.
Personally, I favored stealth and minimal kills. First time out, I picked Emily,
and was quickly reminded of just how fluid
Arkanes control scheme is. After escaping
the capital city of Dunwall, players are
taken to the Southern Europe-inspired
Karnaca, where youll try to work your
way back and eventually reclaim Emilys
throne. That requires advancing through
nine massive, sprawling, densely-packed
sandboxes. In each, players are handed a
glut of tools and skills, assigned a number
of targets, and then left to their own devices. Its a freedom that is entirely welcome
and all too rare in a world of hand-holding
and forced-narrative corridor shooters.
With guns, a sword, a bow and arrow
and incredible powers, plus the openness
of Dishonoreds level design, there are
countless variations as to how each mission plays out. Emily, for instance, can use
Far Reach to climb up to higher ledges.
From there, use Doppleganger to conjure
a clone and send it into a gaggle of guards.
As they frantically try to slice the being
to pieces, use Domino which can select
multiple targets and then sneak up behind a guard. Sink your

knife into him (or put him to sleep, low chaos players) and every
targeted guard will suffer the same effect Domino, it transpires, is one of the truly inspired new additions to the games
arsenal.
Dont think that Dishonoreds AI can be easily overcome,
however. Thats a violent mistake many will make early in the
game, particularly on higher difficulty levels (unless youre
exceptionally good, the highest difficulty will repeatedly leave
Emily or Corvo riddled with bullet holes and knife wounds).
The systems at work here are intelligent and require constant
thought and planning. This isnt a game that allows for silly
mistakes leaving an unconscious body out in the open, or a
locked door ajar, for instance nor will it allow for those who
run in gung ho. Yes, Corvo can summon a plague of rats, but that
in no way guarantees that you can take down a room of guards
with ease.
While the gameplay is as exhilarating as ever, Dishonored
is also something of a technical marvel. First time around it
was visually impressive, but the games lighting engine was
the true star of the show. In sun-soaked Karnaca, light gleams
on stonework and glass, while shadows an essential part of
any stealth game are inky black. It highlights the lived-in,
beautifully detailed, nineteenth century steampunk aesthetic of
Dishonoreds dystopian world to an even greater extent than its
first outing, which is no mean feat.
While its far from a perfect game the ending once again
lands with a thud, the story is all-too familiar, and I experienced
a number of glitches and bugs, usually moving into and out of
cutscenes Dishonored 2 is undoubtedly an exceptional one.
Everything that made the first title such an essential purchase
is here, but is compounded by greater choice, more gameplay mechanics, wonderful level design (the constantly shifting
Clockwork Mansion is a particular highlight) and even more
beautiful visuals. The run-up to the holidays always brings a
wealth of new games, but if you can carve out a dozen or so
hours, Dishonored 2 is an absolute must.
WHILE DISHONORED 2 BENEFITS from adding more, Call of
Duty: Infinite Warfare (HHHHH) undoubtedly needs less. A lot
less. The thirteenth installment in Activisions profit-padding
franchise, Infinite Warfare is unfortunately an entirely perfunctory release, a game that crams as many things in as possible but
still somehow feels empty.
Perhaps its just awkward timing, coming alongside strippedback Battlefield 1 and tightly focused Titanfall 2. Infinite Warfare
continues the futuristic, sci-fi setting of the franchise, but its a
place that Call of Duty has never felt particularly comfortable
in. Gone are the days where guns and grenades ruled the roost,
instead we have space battles, arc weapons, rocket boosters
and a general sense that the higher-ups at Infinity Ward are
just checking boxes from other first person shooter franchises.
Right now, Infinite Warfare is less Call of Duty than it is Titanfall
meets Red Faction meets Halo meets Mass Effect meets popcorn
blockbuster.
All of the set pieces are here and they look more beautiful than ever, with a level of polish and sheen not found in
many other shooters. The games opening scene throws you
onto Europa, one of Jupiters moons, and seeing the gas giant
stretched across the sky is certainly a nice change from another partially destroyed, besieged city on Earth. The only reason
youll notice, though, is because the core action just isnt as compelling as it once used to be. Call of Duty has never been the most
plot-driven game, but even here, with the Settlement Defense

Front trying to take over the Solar System from the governments
of Earth, eyes will roll to an almost dangerous degree. Theres
five hours of gameplay in the main campaign, but its a sterile,
clinical affair. Youll care not one jot about Shouty McAngry
and Hero Heroeson, or whatever the main characters names
are. That Infinity Ward tried to craft an emotional tear-jerker
of an ending is laughable, if only because theyve done so little
to earn it.
Perhaps, then, its in multiplayer that Infinite Warfare can
redeem itself. Well, perhaps not. If youre one of the (many)
millions of people who picked up last years franchise entry
Black Ops 3, youve played it all before. The class system has been
overhauled, to offer better variations in play style, theres a new,
persistent perk system called Traits, and theres a number of
futuristic weapons and throwables. The multiplayer is as solid
as ever with a couple of friends you can happily lose hours
to it but theres little here to warrant spending $60. Just fire
up Black Ops 3. Oh, and Zombies mode returns, this time set in
an 80s style theme park. Its supposed to be more accessible to
new players, but youll already know if youll make use of it or
not personally, I find it too haphazard to warrant much time,
a criticism I can levy at Black Ops 3 as well.
It also doesnt help that certain bundles of Infinity Warfare
come with Modern Warfare Remastered (HHHHH), an updated
release of the game that pushed the Call of Duty franchise into
blockbuster status. The 2007 title is one of the best first-person
shooters of all time, pulling the franchise out of World War II
and into the modern era, offering tighter gameplay, phenomenal
multiplayer, and a level of polish unmatched at the time.
Its somewhat incredible that, after nine years, little of that
excellence has waned. Sure, its a little slower and clunkier than
the twitchy, fast-paced Call of Dutys weve become accustomed
to, but it holds up remarkably well. It helps that Raven Software
didnt just add higher quality textures and call it a day. Instead,
they reworked the game from the ground up with better weather
effects, lighting, character design, and a bump in resolution.
Even the story a commentary on geopolitics and the implications of a new Middle Eastern conflict largely holds up.
Level design, though heavily more corridor-based than later
games, still feels inventive and cleverly designed. And then
theres multiplayer.
Sinking back into Modern Warfares multiplayer is like sliding
on a pair of old jeans. It just feels right. Theres no gimmickry,
no needless accoutrements, just guns, grenades, and customized
loadouts. Of course, theres been no fiddling with the original
system and that means that a number of balancing issues
largely ironed out in later games return. But as a counterpoint
to Infinity Warfare, with its kitchen sink approach to almost
every aspect of its being, theres something entirely refreshing to
the clunky simplicity of Modern Warfare Remastered.
Given Infinity Warfare is such a cluttered, bloated mess, it
seems all the more appropriate that Modern Warfare should
return and show it how flawed the franchise has become. Its
just a shame that, for now, you have to buy the former to enjoy
the latter. l
Dishonored 2 is available now on PC, PS4 and Xbox One.
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare is available now on PC, PS4 and
Xbox One. Modern Warfare Remastered is available as part of
the Infinite Warfare Legacy Edition bundle (but you might want to
wait for when it inevitably becomes a standalone release).
57
NightLife
Photography by
Julian Vankim
59
CoverboyConfidential
Interview by Randy Shulman Photography by Julian Vankim
native of North Carolina, Brian is vocally ashamed of his home state. It is such a big gay
hate state, the 24-year-old student says in a charming, mild southern drawl. And with
them doing the HB2 bathroom law, Im like, Im so glad I dont live there anymore.
Growing up was a challenge for Brian, who, even as a teen, wore flamboyant outfits like badges
of honor.
In my middle school years, I was bullied, I was beat up. I was literally tripped right in front of
a teacher when I was in sixth grade and literally busted my nose on the floor, and she did nothing
to acknowledge it, he says. Nothing. I literally just picked myself up and ran behind some lockers and cried my eyes out that whole day until I went home. It kept him in the closet for years.
These days, things are considerably better for Brian, who is in school with ambitions of becoming a microbiologist, is fully comfortable in his worldview. Im gay until the day I die, he smiles.
Im going to wear makeup. If I want to run around in stilettos, Im going to run around in stilettos.
Im going to do me.... I just love fashion and I love standing out, I love being that one character
that whenever Im walking down the street, you get that first glimpse and then its like, Oh, no. I
got to take a second glimpse back. I got to figure out what the hell just walked past me.
Whats on your nightstand?

My iPhone, and a holiday picture that I
had taken with my boyfriend and one
of his coworkers and her boyfriend. We
were plastered that night.
DrinksDragDJsEtc...
Thursday,
November 17
9 1/2
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on any
drink, 5-9pm Multiple TVs
showing movies, shows,
sports Expanded craft
beer selection Music videos featuring DJ Wess
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Happy Hour: Tops Down
$6 Top Shelf, Bottoms
Up $3 Rail, $3 Bud Light,
4-9pm $3 Rail Drinks,
10pm-midnight, $5 Red Bull
and Frozen Virgin Drinks
Locker Room Thursday
Nights DJs Sean Morris
and MadScience Best
Package Contest at midnight, hosted by BaNaka &
Kristina Kelly $200 Cash
Prize Doors open 10pm,
21+ $5 Cover or free with

college ID
DC EAGLE
DC Eagle 45th Sapphire
Anniversary Doors open
at 8pm Historic Black
Out Night all night long
Delirious Hour, 8-10pm
21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm Ladies
Drink Free Power Hour,
4-5pm Shirtless Thursday,
10-11pm DJs BacK2bACk
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
Beat the Clock Happy Hour
$2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
$4 (7-8pm) Buckets of
Beer $15 Drag Bingo
Whats in your nightstand drawer?

Fun toys. Lube, because you never
know when you need it. And this amazing strawberry-flavored gel that you can
put on your anus that is just absolutely
NUMBER NINE
drink, 5-9pm No Cover
SHAWS TAVERN
Happy Hour, 4-7pm $3
Miller Lite, $4 Blue Moon,
$5 Rails and House Wines
& Half-Priced Pizzas $4
Corona and $4 Heineken
all night Football Food
Specials, 7-11pm
SOMEPLACE ELSE BAR
& GRILL
1637 R St. NW
PBR, $2 Yuengling, $3 Rail,
$5 Appetizers Extended
Happy Hour, 7-9pm, with
only $1 increase in price
TRADE
1410 14th St. NW
Doors open 5pm Huge
Happy Hour: Any drink
normally served in a cocktail
glass served in a huge glass
for the same price, 5-10pm
Beer and wine only $4
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
All male, nude dancers
Shirtless Thursday DJ
9pm Cover 21+
Friday,
November 18
9 1/2
Open at 5pm Happy Hour:
2 for 1 on any drink, 5-9pm
Friday Night Videos with
resident DJ Shea Van Horn
VJ Expanded craft beer
selection No Cover
COBALT/30 DEGREES
All You Can Drink Happy
Hour $15 Rail and
Domestic, $21 Call &
Imports, 6-9pm Guys
Night Out $6 Grey Goose
all night Two 30-minute
open bars featuring Grey
Goose, 11-11:30pm and
1-1:30am DJ MadScience
upstairs DJ Keenan Orr

downstairs $10 cover
10pm-close 21+
DC EAGLE
at 8pm Traditional Open
Bar, 8-10pm Eagle Wings
Charity Auction in the
Exile, 9pm-midnight 45th
Anniversary Sapphire Pin
Give-Away All Colors
Night at Club Bar, 9pm-2am
Meet the Meat in their
Bar/Cruise Wear Main
Bar, 10pm 21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm
GREEN LANTERN
Smirnoff, all flavors, all
night long Black Dionysus,
9pm-close
NELLIES SPORTS BAR

DJ Matt Bailer Videos,
Dancing Beat the Clock
Happy Hour $2 (5-6pm),
$3 (6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm)
Buckets of Beer $15
NUMBER NINE
Open 5pm Happy Hour:
No Cover Friday Night
Piano with Chris, 7:30pm
Chord, 9:30pm
SHAWS TAVERN
& Half-Priced Pizzas
Magic! 8-10pm The
Harvey Sometimes Band,
Second Floor, 8pm
SOMEPLACE ELSE BAR
& GRILL
1637 R St. NW
61
immaculate. I didnt taste it on somebody, its

been tasted on me, but Ive tasted it. Oh, my
god, I never thought I would love strawberry as
much. I hate the fruit but I love the gel.
And toys, you said. Are they good toys?
They make this fairy get really, really happy
and excited.
Whats the last thing you bought?
Makeup. I love the expensive brands, so I
bought it from Mac, Urban Decay, and Sephora.
Im recently starting to jump on the board with
getting some of Jeffree Stars products.
If you could have any superpower,
what would it be?
The superpower to wish for anything I wanted
and it would come to me.
TOWN
Patio open 6pm DC Bear
Crue Happy Hour, 6-11pm
$3 Rail, $3 Draft, $3 Bud
Bottles Free Pizza, 7pm
No cover before 9:30pm
21+ Drag Show starts at
10:30pm Hosted by Lena
Lett and featuring Miss
Tatianna, Shi-Queeta-Lee,
Riley Knoxx and BaNaka
DJ Wess upstairs, DJs
BacK2bACk downstairs
following the show GoGo
Boys after 11pm Doors
open at 10pm For those
21 and over, $12 For
those 18-20, $15 Club:
18+ Patio: 21+
TRADE
Doors open 5pm Huge
DJ Jeff Prior, 10pm
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
All male, nude dancers,
hosted by LaTroya Nicole,
9pm Dance floors open
9pm Ladies of Ziegfelds
Drag Show, 11:30pm and
1:30am Rotating Hosts
DJ Don T. in Secrets
Cover 21+
Saturday,
November 19
9 1/2
drink, 3-9pm $5 Absolut
& Titos, $3 Miller Lite
after 9pm Expanded craft
beer selection No Cover
Music videos featuring
various DJs
62
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Drag Yourself to Brunch
at Level One, 11am-2pm
and 2-4pm Featuring
Kristina Kelly and the Ladies
of Illusion Bottomless
Mimosas and Bloody Marys
$6 Top Shelf, Bottoms Up
$3 Rail, $3 Bud Light, 4-9pm
LURe DC: Ladies Night,
10pm-close Doors open
10pm $5 Cover 21+
DC EAGLE
Anniversary Doors
open at 8pm Happy
Hour, 8-10pm $2
off everything Mr. DC
Eagle 2017 Contest in the
Exile, 8-9:30pm Darryl
Wilson presents Delta 2.0,
10:30pm-5am Main Bar
and Exile $10 Cover
21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Drag Queen Broadway
Brunch, 10am-3pm
Starring Freddies Broadway
Babes Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Freddies Follies Drag
Show, 8-10pm, hosted by
Miss Destiny B. Childs
No Cover
GREEN LANTERN
Bacardi, all flavors, all night
long 495 Bears presents
Bears Can Dance, 9pm-close
No Cover
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
Guest DJs Zing Zang
Bloody Marys, Nellie Beer,
House Rail Drinks and
Mimosas, $4, 11am-5pm
Buckets of Beer, $15
NUMBER NINE
Doors open 2pm Happy
Hour: 2 for 1 on any drink,
3-9pm $5 Absolut and $5
Bulleit Bourbon Spotlight
Power Hour: Disney!,
9:30pm-2:30am Featuring
VJ Jack Rayburn $ Deep
Eddy and $2 Shot Specials,
11pm-12am
Like a genie.
Except I dont have the limitation of just three
wishes. I have an unlimited supply. I can literally
say, Okay, I want Ricky Martin in my living
room right now. Bam! Get to sodomize him and
everything. Vin Diesel lets make
it a threesome!
What would be your first non-sexual wish?
I would wish for a career of being a very popular
and famous model. Its not a career that I want
to do for the rest of my life, but if it gets me to
fame quickly, Im all game for it.
What did you last binge-watch?
Archer. Its so funny. Malory is my favorite character, because shes just the old drunk that is
like, Im the boss-ass bitch. You guys are going
to do what I say while I sip on my alcohol and
still be able to walk a straight line.
SHAWS TAVERN
Bottomless Mimosas,
10am-3pm Happy Hour,
5-7pm $3 Miller Lite, $4
Blue Moon, $5 Rails and
House Wines & Half-Priced
Pizzas
SOMEPLACE ELSE BAR
& GRILL
1637 R St. NW
TOWN
Patio open 2pm DC
Rawhides host Town &
Country: Two-Step, Line
Dancing, Waltz and West
Coast Swing, $5 Cover to
stay all night Doors open
6:30pm, Lessons 7-8pm,
Open dance 8-10:30pm
DJ Hector Fonseca,
10pm-close Drag Show
starts at 10:30pm Hosted
by Lena Lett and featuring
Miss Tatianna, Shi-QueetaLee, Riley Knoxx and
BaNaka Music and video
by DJ Wess downstairs
GoGo Boys after 11pm
Doors open 10pm $12
Cover 21+
TRADE
Doors open 2pm Huge
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
Men of Secrets, 9pm
Guest dancers Ladies of
Illusion Drag Show with
host Ella Fitzgerald Doors
at 9pm, Shows at 11:30pm
and 1:30am DJ Don T. in
Secrets Cover 21+
Sunday,
November 20
9 1/2
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Happy Hour: Tops Down $6
Top Shelf, Bottoms Up $3
Rail, $3 Bud Light, 4-9pm
Homowood Karaoke, hosted
by Robert Bise, 10pm-close
21+
DC EAGLE
at 12pm Happy Hour,
12-6pm $2 off everything $2 Bud and Bud
Lite Draughts all day and
all night Mr. DC Eagle
Victory Party, hosted by
Highwaymen TNT, 4-8pm
Highwaymen TNT host
Sunday BBQ, 4-8pm, only
$10 No Cover 21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Champagne Brunch Buffet,
10am-3pm Crazy Hour,
4-7pm Karaoke, 8pm-1am
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm
Mamas Trailer Park
Karaoke downstairs,
9:30pm-close
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
Drag Brunch, hosted by
Shi-Queeta-Lee, 11am-3pm
$20 Brunch Buffet
House Rail Drinks, Zing
Zang Bloody Marys, Nellie
Beer and Mimosas, $4,
11am-close Buckets of
Beer, $15
NUMBER NINE
Pop Goes the World with
Wes Della Volla at 9:30pm
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on
any drink, 3-9pm No
Cover
Who was your first celebrity crush?

Adam Lambert.
Name three musical artists youre currently
listening to.
Adam Lambert, I Prevail, and Jeffree Star.
What are your three favorite night spots?
Green Lantern, Black Whiskey, and Trade.
Whats your drink of choice?
I love pina coladas.
Name three people, living or dead,
youd like to have pina coladas with.
Whitney Houston. One of my great, great grandmothers that I never got to meet. And Hillary.
I could see Hillary being a nice person
to go out and drink with.
SHAWS TAVERN
Football Specials, 1pm-close
SOMEPLACE ELSE BAR
& GRILL
1637 R St. NW
TOWN PATIO
Open 2pm Cornhole,
Giant Jenga, and Flip-cup
inside Town
TRADE
Doors open 2pm Huge
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
Decades of Dance DJ
Tim-e in Secrets Doors
9pm Cover 21+
Monday,
November 21
9 1/2
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Monday Nights A Drag,
hosted by Kristina Kelly
Doors open at 10pm
Showtime at 11:30pm $3
Skyy Cocktails, $8 Skyy and
Red Bull $8 Long Islands
No Cover, 18+
DC EAGLE
Doors open at 8pm Happy
Hour, 8-10pm $2 off
everything Endless Happy
Hour prices to anyone in
a DC Eagle T-Shirt Free
Ballin Mondays: Free Pool
All Night and Day $1 Bud
and Bud Light Draughts all
night No Cover 21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm Singles
Night Karaoke, 8pm
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour all night long
Open Mic Night Karaoke,
9:30pm-close
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
$2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
Beer $15 Texas Holdem
Poker, 8pm Dart Boards
NUMBER NINE
SHAWS TAVERN
and Half-Priced Pizzas
Trivia with Jeremy, 7:30pm
SOMEPLACE ELSE BAR
& GRILL
1637 R St. NW
TRADE
Doors open 5pm Huge
Whats your pet peeve?

Oh, my god, I have so many. I hate cheating.
Whats your favorite food?
Spaghetti.
What animal would you be?
Oh, my god. I would want to be a nice little cute
peacock. Theyre such beautiful animals, and Im
just that kind of creature where Im like, Bitch,
Im going to show you how beautiful I can be.
Boxers, briefs, or other?
Jockstrap. Not always, but the majority of the
time, because I never know when somebody
may come by and be like, Can I see your bootylicious booty, and I can be like, Yeah, sure.
Who says to you, I want to see your booty?
Every gay man that comes across my pathway.
Tuesday,
November 22
9 1/2
COBALT/30 DEGREES
DJ Honey Happy Hour:
Tops Down $6 Top Shelf,
Bottoms Up $3 Rail, $3 Bud
Light, 4-9pm SIN Service
Industry Night, 10pm-close
$1 Rail Drinks all night
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour all night long,
4pm-close
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
$2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
Beer $15 Karaoke and
Drag Bingo
NUMBER NINE
After 9pm, $3 Absolut,
Bulleit & Stella
SHAWS TAVERN
Half Priced Burgers &
Pizzas, 5pm-close $5
House Wines & Sam
Adams Drafts, 5pm-close
Thanksgiving Week Bingo
with Kristina Kelly, 8:30pm
SOMEPLACE ELSE BAR
& GRILL
1637 R St. NW
TRADE
Doors open 5pm Huge
Wednesday,
November 23
9 1/2
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Open 4pm till 2am
Thanksgiving Eve 2
DJs on Separate Floors,
10pm-close $4 Stoli and
Stoli Flavors and Miller Lite
all night No Cover 21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm $6
Burgers Drag Bingo Night,
hosted by Ms. Regina Jozet
Adams, 8pm Bingo prizes
Karaoke, 10pm-1am
GREEN LANTERN
4pm-close Give Thanks
with the Boys of HUMP,
9pm-2am
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
Doors open 5pm DJ Tag
Team: DJ Lemz and DJ
Vodkatrina
NUMBER NINE
SHAWS TAVERN
Piano Bar with Jill, Second
Floor, 8pm-close
63
And you just show them?

No, because I usually play hard to get.
Grindr, Scruff, or in person?
Am I allowed to say all three? Any way to get to
meet somebody. I love my bears. My daddies.
I love men with the salt-and-pepper look. Its
so manly, and Im like, Men these days. They
know how to make a girl smile.
Whats your biggest turn-on?
Having broad shoulders, like a football player
build structure.
Whats your biggest turn-off?
Trashy people.
Define good in bed.
Making me climb the walls like Spider-Man.
Youve got to have a lot of stamina, because Im
the kind of person where Im like, I dont want to
hurry up and finish sex.
SOMEPLACE ELSE BAR

& GRILL
1637 R St. NW
TRADE
Doors open 5pm Huge
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
Shirtless Night, 10-11pm,
12-12:30am Military
Night, no cover with military
ID DJ Don T. in Secrets
9pm Cover 21+
Thursday,
November 24
Happy Thanksgiving
9 1/2
Open at 7pm Multiple TVs
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Open 9pm till 2am $3
Rail Drinks, 10pm-midnight,
$5 Red Bull and Frozen
Virgin Drinks Locker
Room Thursday Nights
DJs Sean Morris and
MadScience Best
college ID
DC EAGLE
Happy Thanksgiving from
the DC Eagle Doors
open at 8pm Strip Down
Thursdays Happy Hour
Shirtless guys drink $2 off
64
all drinks, 8-10pm Jock

or underwear gets $2 off all
drinks, 10pm-midnight No
Cover 21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Traditional Thanksgiving
Buffet with all the trimmings and Champagne for
$21.99, 11am-8pm Crazy
Hour, 4-7pm Karaoke,
8pm
GREEN LANTERN
Open at 9pm Shirtless
Men Drink Free, 9-11pm
DJs BacK2bACk
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
Open at 5pm Beat the
Clock Happy Hour $2
(5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm), $4
(7-8pm) Buckets of Beer
$15 Drag Bingo
NUMBER NINE
Open 7pm No Cover
SHAWS TAVERN
Closed for Thanksgiving
TRADE
1410 14th St. NW
Doors open 5pm Huge
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
9pm Cover 21+
Friday,
November 25
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Hour $15 Rail and
Imports, 6-9pm Guys
Whats the most unusual place

youve ever had sex?
The couch. Because the shower, I dont find
unusual, I find that amazing, as long as the water
doesnt get in the area thats being penetrated.
I want to keep my tightness, I dont want to be
loosey goosey there. Were not going to try to
run a train through an anthill.
Which of these daddies would you want to

get a spanking from: Hugh Jackman, Idris
Elba, or Tom Selleck?
Hugh Jackman.
Thats one way to put it. Whats your

favorite makeout music?
Really dirty, nasty sex music, where its actually
talking about different things you want to do to
the person.
Whats your greatest fear?

Centipedes. Im terrified of bugs.
Whats your dream vacation?

To visit Paris. That Eiffel Tower, I just love it. I
eventually want to get the Eiffel Tower tattooed
on my body.

10pm-close 21+
DC EAGLE
Hour, 8-10pm $2 off
everything Darryl Wilson
presents Black Friday, 10p5am Main Bar and Exile
$10 Cover 21+
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
Black Friday Drag Brunch,
10:30am and 1pm First
Mimosa or Bloody Mary
is free DJ Matt Bailer
Videos, Dancing Beat
the Clock Happy Hour
$2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
Beer $15
SHAWS TAVERN
Black Friday Brunch,
Pizzas
TOWN
18+ Patio: 21+
TRADE
Doors open 5pm Huge
DJ Jeff Prior, 10pm
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
Men of Secrets, 9pm
Secrets Cover 21+
Saturday,
November 26
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Drag Yourself to Brunch
at Level One, 11am-2pm
and 2-4pm Featuring
Kristina Kelly and the Ladies
of Illusion Bottomless
Mimosas and Bloody Marys
$6 Top Shelf, Bottoms Up
$3 Rail, $3 Bud Light, 4-9pm
AFTERGLOW Dance Party,
10pm-close 2 DJs on
Separate Floors Doors
open 10pm $5 Cover
21+
DC EAGLE
Doors open at 8pm
off everything Twotime Grammy nominated
International DJ Tony
Morans Birthday Bash,
10pm-4am, 3rd Floor
Tickets available online at
eaglenexile.ticketleap.com
Tickets also available at
the door 21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Drag Queen Broadway
Brunch, 10am-3pm
Starring Freddies Broadway
Babes Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Freddies Follies Drag
Show, 8-10pm, hosted by
Miss Destiny B. Childs
No Cover
GREEN LANTERN
Bacardi, all flavors, all
night long JOX: The GL
Underwear Party, 9pm-close
Featuring DJ David
Merrill $5 Cover (includes
clothes check)
Claws in or out?
Out. Let the scratching prevail, because Ill do
my own scratching, too.
If your home were burning, whats the first

thing youd grab while leaving?
My sugar glider. Shes a marsupial, four months
old, and is part of the flying squirrel family.
You have a squirrel for a pet.
Shes really, really little. Her name is Miss
Penny, but I call her Prissy Penny because she
has to be like me prissy, sassy, and knows
that shes everything.
NELLIES SPORTS BAR

Guest DJs Zing Zang
Bloody Marys, Nellie Beer,
House Rail Drinks and
Mimosas, $4, 11am-5pm
Buckets of Beer, $15
SHAWS TAVERN
Bottomless Mimosas,
Pizzas
TOWN
Patio open 2pm CTRL DC
Dance Party, 11pm-close
Featuring DJs Devon
Trotter, Jeff Prior, and Adam
Koussari=Amin Drag
Show starts at 10:30pm
Hosted by Lena Lett and
featuring Miss Tatianna,
Shi-Queeta-Lee, Riley Knoxx
and BaNaka Music and
video by DJ Wess downstairs GoGo Boys after
11pm Doors open 10pm
$12 Cover 21+
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Homowood Karaoke, hosted
by Robert Bise, 10pm-close
21+
DC EAGLE
Doors open at 12pm
off everything $2 Bud
and Bud Lite Draughts all
day and all night The DC
Eagle Pizza Party Free
slice of pizza with each
drink while supplies last
No Cover 21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Champagne Brunch Buffet,
10am-3pm Crazy Hour,
4-7pm Karaoke, 8pm-1am
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm
Mamas Trailer Park
Karaoke downstairs,
9:30pm-close
TRADE
Doors open 2pm Huge
NELLIES SPORTS BAR

Drag Brunch, hosted by
Shi-Queeta-Lee, 11am-3pm
$20 Brunch Buffet
House Rail Drinks, Zing
Zang Bloody Marys, Nellie
Beer and Mimosas, $4,
11am-close Buckets of
Beer, $15
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
Men of Secrets, 9pm
Secrets Cover 21+
NUMBER NINE
Pop Goes the World with
Wes Della Volla at 9:30pm
Happy Hour: 2 for 1 on
any drink, 3-9pm No
Cover
Sunday,
November 27
9 1/2
SHAWS TAVERN
Football Specials, 1pm-close
SOMEPLACE ELSE BAR
& GRILL
1637 R St. NW
Does size really matter?

Im indecisive with that. Im not really hell-bent on
long dick, small dick if you just know how to
work that thing and know how to make me say
your name in syllables, then you got me.
What era do you feel you belong in?
The Renaissance. Primarily because I would try to
be the first gay queen. I would be the most medieval bitch walking down that muddy street except,
of course, I would have a scarlet red carpet rolling
down to the village. If got on my nerves, Id have
to pull out an antibacterial wipe and rub your chest.
That means get away from me.
They didnt have antibacterial wipes back then.
Thats just me being very optimistic and hoping. I
could be the one that actually created that.
Maybe you could come up with the
pop-up canisters as well.
I wouldve been a notorious gay queen known for
two very, very useful items.
TOWN PATIO
Open 2pm Cornhole,
Giant Jenga, and Flip-cup
inside Town
TRADE
Doors open 2pm Huge
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
Decades of Dance DJ
Tim-e in Secrets Doors
9pm Cover 21+
Monday,
November 28
9 1/2
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Monday Nights A Drag,
hosted by Kristina Kelly
Doors open at 10pm
Showtime at 11:30pm $3
Skyy Cocktails, $8 Skyy and
Red Bull $8 Long Islands
No Cover, 18+
DC EAGLE
Hour, 8-10pm $2 off
everything Endless Happy
Hour prices to anyone in
a DC Eagle T-Shirt Free
Ballin Mondays: Free Pool
All Night and Day $1 Bud
and Bud Light Draughts all
night No Cover 21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm Singles
Night Karaoke, 8pm
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour all night long
Open Mic Night Karaoke,
9:30pm-close
JR.S
Happy Hour: 2-for-1, 4-9pm
Showtunes Songs &
Singalongs, 9pm-close
DJ James $3 Draft Pints,
8pm-midnight
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
$2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
Beer $15 Texas Holdem
Poker, 8pm Dart Boards
NUMBER NINE
SHAWS TAVERN
Trivia with Jeremy, 7:30pm
SOMEPLACE ELSE BAR
& GRILL
1637 R St. NW
TRADE
Doors open 5pm Huge
normally served in a cocktail glass served in a huge
glass for the same price,
5-10pm Beer and wine
only $4
Tuesday,
November 29
9 1/2
COBALT/30 DEGREES
DJ Honey Happy Hour:
Tops Down $6 Top Shelf,
Bottoms Up $3 Rail, $3 Bud
Light, 4-9pm SIN Service
Industry Night, 10pm-close
$1 Rail Drinks all night
65
You wouldve saved everyone

from the plague.
See? Im thinking like a microbiologist!
What would you like to be remembered for?
For my bright personality, the
character that I am.
Is Donald Trump your president?
No, sir, he is not. Hes a chump. My president
will forever and always be Hillary. Until Michelle
comes for 2020, and then boss is
going to get the house.
Are you worried for the next four years?
Actually, I am. I am not fearful for my life, but
I definitely think there will be a drastic change,
and some uncomfortable times that us gays are
going to have to undergo. Its inevitable.
Would you rather live longer, or be wealthier?

I want to be a little bit wealthier. Because Im
not scared of death. Its coming for me. In fact,
Im going to have a fuckin party when I die,
because theres a bejeweled crown in Hell, if
thats where Im going, waiting for me to slap on
my head and just sit there looking luxurious.
Whats waiting for you in Heaven?
Ill probably have a gorgeous mansion thats
splattered with the color of Pepto Bismol. My
front lawn would be made of nothing but cake
with sprinklers spraying out rainbow sprinkles
that go on cake.
Wow, that was super gay.
I didnt think it could get any gayer.
Im sure if you threw in a unicorn...
With the pit crew from RuPauls Drag Race
riding them.
GREEN LANTERN
4pm-close
COBALT/30 DEGREES
$4 Stoli and Stoli Flavors
and Miller Lite all night
No Cover 21+
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
Shirtless Night, 10-11pm,
12-12:30am Military
Night, no cover with military
ID DJ Don T. in Secrets
9pm Cover 21+
NELLIES SPORTS BAR

$2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
Beer $15 Karaoke and
Drag Bingo
FREDDIES BEACH BAR

Crazy Hour, 4-7pm $6
Burgers Drag Bingo Night,
hosted by Ms. Regina Jozet
Adams, 8pm Bingo prizes
Karaoke, 10pm-1am
JR.S
All You Can Drink for $15,
5-8pm $3 Rail Vodka
Highballs, $2 JR.s drafts,
8pm-close Flashback:
Music videos from 19752005 with DJ Jason Royce,
8pm-12am
Thursday,
December 1
NELLIES SPORTS BAR

$2 (5-6pm), $3 (6-7pm),
Beer $15 Drag Bingo
NUMBER NINE
After 9pm, $3 Absolut,
Bulleit & Stella
GREEN LANTERN
4pm-close
FREDDIES BEACH BAR

Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm
SHAWS TAVERN
Half Priced Burgers &
Pizzas, 5pm-close $5
House Wines & Sam Adams
Drafts, 5pm-close
SOMEPLACE ELSE BAR
& GRILL
1637 R St. NW
TRADE
Doors open 5pm Huge
Wednesday,
November 30
9 1/2
66
NELLIES SPORTS BAR

SmartAss Trivia Night, 8pm
and 9pm Prizes include
bar tabs and tickets to
shows at the 9:30 Club
$15 Buckets of Beer for
SmartAss Teams only
Bring a new team member
and each get a free $10
Dinner
NUMBER NINE
SHAWS TAVERN
Piano Bar with Jill, Second
Floor, 8pm-close
SOMEPLACE ELSE BAR
& GRILL
1637 R St. NW
TRADE
Doors open 5pm Huge
9 1/2
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Happy Hour: $6 Call Martini,
$3 Miller Lite, $4 Rail,
$5 Call, 4-9pm $3 Rail
Drinks, 10pm-midnight,
$5 Red Bull and Frozen
Virgin Drinks Locker
Room Thursday Nights
DJs Sean Morris and
MadScience Best
college ID
DC EAGLE
Doors open at 8pm Strip
Down Thursdays Happy
Hour Shirtless guys drink
$2 off all drinks, 8-10pm
Jock or underwear gets $2
off all drinks, 10pm-midnight No Cover 21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm
GREEN LANTERN
Happy Hour, 4-9pm Ladies
Drink Free Power Hour,
4-5pm Shirtless Thursday,
10-11pm DJs BacK2bACk
NUMBER NINE
SHAWS TAVERN
& Half-Priced Pizzas $4
Corona and $4 Heineken
all night Football Food
Specials, 7-11pm
SOMEPLACE ELSE BAR
& GRILL
1637 R St. NW
TRADE
1410 14th St. NW
Doors open 5pm Huge
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
9pm Cover 21+
What inspires you to be a better person?

My mom. I love my mom dearly. I am a hardcore
mamas boy, and I just want to get to that point
in life where I can literally say, Mom, I just
bought us two tickets to the
Bahamas. Lets go.
Finally, whats your philosophy of life?
Just have fun, be you. Theres no point in walking in a world as a shadow. Dont linger about.
Life is meant to be lived. I dont know what kind
of party youre going to, but I know what party
Im going to, because Im living life right now.
Im not exactly at my full potential of where I
want to be in life, but Im living it. Thats it, just
be yourself. Fuck what everybody else thinks. l
Coverboy of the Year voting begins Monday,
Nov. 21 at noon at metroweekly.com/coverboy2016. Or have your ballot mailed to you by
signing up at metroweekly.com/join.
Friday,
December 2
9 1/2
Open at 5pm Happy Hour:
resident DJ Shea Van Horn
VJ Expanded craft beer
selection No Cover
COBALT/30 DEGREES
Hour $15 Rail and
Imports, 6-9pm Guys
10pm-close 21+
DC EAGLE
Hour, 8-10pm $2 off
everything First Fridays
Reloaded, 10:30p-4am
Main Bar and Exile $10
Cover 21+
FREDDIES BEACH BAR
Crazy Hour, 4-7pm
Karaoke, 8pm
GREEN LANTERN
Smirnoff, all flavors, all
night long Otter Den DC
presents Otter Crossing,
9pm-close $5 after 10pm
NELLIES SPORTS BAR
DJ Matt Bailer Videos,
Dancing Beat the Clock
Happy Hour $2 (5-6pm),
$3 (6-7pm), $4 (7-8pm)
Buckets of Beer $15
NUMBER NINE
Open 5pm Happy Hour:
No Cover Friday Night
Piano with Chris, 7:30pm
Chord, 9:30pm
SHAWS TAVERN
Magic! 8-10pm
SOMEPLACE ELSE BAR
& GRILL
1637 R St. NW
TOWN
18+ Patio: 21+
TRADE
Doors open 5pm Huge
DJ Jeff Prior, 10pm
ZIEGFELDS/SECRETS
Men of Secrets, 9pm
Secrets Cover 21+ l
LastWord.
People say the queerest things
Its law. It was settled in the Supreme Court.

I mean, its done. And Im fine with that.
President-elect DONALD J. TRUMP, responding to a question from Lesley Stahl on 60 Minutes about his opposition
to gay marriage. Trump said his feelings about the issue were irrelevant.
Donald Trump blew the whistle on Sunday night on the culture wars. Basically said its over. Its done.
So if youre a gay American this morning,
its over. You won.
GOP strategist STEVE SCHMIDT, on MSNBCs Morning Joe. Schmidt said the fact that Trump has said gay marriage
is settled law means theres no more fighting about this issue. He adds that social conservatives within the
Republican Party have essentially acquiesced on same-sex marriage by accepting Trump as their nominee.
I was like, This shocking to me, because

Im strictly dickly.
TV host ANDY COHEN, talking with People Magazine about almost having a threesome with
a couple he met in Boston while on his book tour.
Happy holidays from the very gay, very liberal

table sitting next to you.
Jesus made me this way. P.S. Be accepting of your family.
NATALIE ELLE ELAINE, in a note left on the receipt of a family sitting next to her in a restaurant in Texas. According to
Raw Story, Elaine overheard the family talking about their awful, gay nephew that they need to pray for,
and decided to pay for their meal and leave a message on their receipt.
The future is uncertain, but it always is no

matter who is in office.
All we have is the present moment.
Actress LAVERNE COX, responding to President-elect Trumps election and the fact that some transgender people
are scared at the prospect of a possible Trump presidency.
70

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CONTENTS

NOVEMBER 17/24, 2016

Donald Trump promised to support the LGBT community.

Schuyler Bailar made history as the first out transgender

Exclusive Interview by John Riley

Straight White Men is a timely, accessible examination

2016 Jansi LLC.

NOVEMBER 17/24, 2016 METROWEEKLY

Y FAVORITE THING IS TELLING THE

cated, says Liv. Generally, I know nine times out of

One of those quiet, understated shows that will sneak

Led by bisexual, striking, sweet-voiced singer Maja Ivarsson,

Duke Ellingtons rarely performed Sacred Concert is the

NOVEMBER 17/24, 2016 METROWEEKLY

The British bassist responsible for the signature floor-rattling sound of

Originally published in 1994, Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women

WOMEN WHO KILL

NOVEMBER 17/24, 2016 METROWEEKLY

Out On The Town

AMY RAY BAND, CHELY WRIGHT

FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE

Though J.K. Rowling penned all

beasts on Americas wizarding and

Disneys latest animated feature

ing manipulative or artificial. It is an

RULES DONT APPLY

Warren Beatty writes, directs,

Baldwin, Candice Bergen and

Craig Wallace takes over from

Three unlikely allies try to keep

NOVEMBER 17/24, 2016 METROWEEKLY

calls a wry, compassionate attitude

GIRL IN THE RED CORNER

URING ONE SCENE IN A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE, PROTAGONIST EDDIE

Featuring innovative staging

As told through the lens of a contemporary graphic novel, the

NOVEMBER 17/24, 2016 METROWEEKLY

Tia Shearer, Jenna Rossman and

Second City ensemble consists of

A likely superstar in the making,

TENNESSEE LOVELESS: ART OUTSIDERS BORDERLINE

The Chicago-based drag and contemporary artist returns to Virginias ArtInsights

Chamberlin, focused on three

Tickets are $10. Call 202-355-6330

SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION

John Guares funny, often unsettling exploration of the way we

NOVEMBER 17/24, 2016 METROWEEKLY

Marie Rhea, Ray Ficca, Ryan Swain,

THE SECOND CITYS

An all-African American troupe of

Michael Kerker and the American

All performances at 6 p.m. on the

Marin Alsop leads the BSO in a finale to a centennial celebration with

Milk Like Sugar continues Mosaic Theaters mission of exploring

ASHINGTON HAS DEVELOPED A NATIONAL REPUTATION FOR

NOVEMBER 17/24, 2016 METROWEEKLY

As an 11-year-old, Elle King made

Hip-hop soul singer-songwriter

Krzysztof Urbanski conducts

sojourn to America and embracing

NSO POPS: E.T.

Steven Reineke leads the National

NO BS! BRASS BAND

A horn-driven 10-piece band from