KAY HALLE Provincetown, Massachusetts, As an Owner of 1947 – February 21, 2014 Concerts at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall
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ANO INDEPENDENTU VOICE FOR THE TLESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER COMMUNITIES March 21, 2014 | Volume XI, Issue 22 BY STEVE CHARING Iron Crow to Present The Baltimore-based Iron Crow Theatre Company will be pre- The Homo Poe Show senting The Homo Poe Show from March 22 to April 5, way towards this definition of ‘queer.’ His which will feature short pieces in- take on the world is so idiosyncratic and spired by or adapted from the leg- unexpected (twisted, in some cases) that endary Baltimore writer Edgar Al- he created his own genre of literature. He lan Poe and seen through a queer deals often with obsession and lost love, lens. which, while it is not explicitly sexual in his “Iron Crow has always had a stories, is an easy path into the territories very big definition of ‘queer’ – to of gender and sexual desire.” Satta, along include expression that skews with Ryan M. Clark, directs this theatrical or re-invents things in a dramatic event. way that connects to gender or “I think the audience will get a lot of Alec Weinberg and sexual themes,” Steven J. Satta, bang for their buck,” says Satta. “It is an Nick Horan in Iron Crow Theatre’s artistic direc- evening of short pieces by a range of art- ‘Grieving and Sequins’ tor, told Baltimore OUTloud. “I think ists in a range of media and styles. There credit: Zachary Handler that Poe is already more than half- —continued on page 22 Southern Baptists Sissies Comes to Baltimore BY CHUCK DUNCAN Baptist Sissies, which is actually a filmed You may not know the name Del Shores, presentation of the stage play. but you are probably more than familiar The story focuses on Mark (Emerson with one of his most recognized projects, Collins) and his three friends, TJ (Luke Sordid Lives, which was a movie in 2000 Stratte-McClure), Andrew (Matthew Scott and a TV series prequel in 2008. Shores Montgomery) and Benny (Willam Belli, best has written several plays and has written known from RuPaul’s Drag Race). Mark and produced for a variety of television is the narrator of his and the boys’ sto- shows from Touched by An Angel to Dhar- ries as each of them grapple with leading ma & Greg and Queer as Folk. good Southern Baptist lives while knowing But it’s Sordid Lives that really brought they’re different… sissies. Mark has a seri- Shores and his patented brand of “South- ous crush on TJ, TJ enjoys fooling around ern Tragic Humor” his largest audience (as with Mark until he… finishes, Benny has well as a huge following on Facebook), fully embraced himself and performs in and now he’s finally returned to those drag at the local gay bar, and Andrew is a Southern roots with his new film Southern lost soul searching for himself, by himself. Most of the story takes place in the church setting, with asides to Mark’s or Andrew’s bedrooms, and the bar. Two of the bars patrons are also on hand to quip Del Shores (left) and with each other, but Odette (Dale Dickey) Emerson Collinsn —continued on page 23 credit: Zachary Handler —continued on page 10 NEWS // viewpoint St. Patrick’s Day: Beer Firms and Mayors Take a Stand for LGBT Rights BY RodNEY BURGER ties were unable displayed. When Mayor On Sunday, March 16, I stood on Charles to come to an de Blasio dropped out Street in Baltimore and sipped a Guinness understanding of the parade in pro- as I enjoyed our city’s annual St. Patrick’s that would have test, Guinness quickly Day parade. Baltimore Mayor Stephanie made that possi- dropped sponsorship. Rawlings-Blake waved to the cheering ble.” When local Heineken followed suit. crowd as she joined other politicians in bars and restau- Prior to their announce- Baltimore’s popular parade, which has en- rants threatened ment, the Stonewall Inn tertained locals for over 50 years. I would to stop serving and other New York not usually buy a Guinness – my beer of Samuel Adams gay bars had planned choice is another brand – but drinking that beer because of to boycott sales of popular Irish dry stout has become a big their sponsorship Guinness. St. Patrick’s Day tradition. on the parade, “Today, Guinness Miles away in Boston, another St. Pat- the beer compa- sent a strong message rick’s Day Parade was taking place. Bos- ny dropped its sponsorship. Boston’s St. to its customers and employees; discrimi- ton Mayor Marty Walsh, an Irish-American, Patrick’s Day Parade dates from 1901 and nation should never be celebrated,” stated refused to appear in his city’s parade when in the second largest St. Patrick’s Day Pa- GLAAD president Sarah Kate Ellis. he was unable to convince the parade’s rade in the U.S., viewed by 600,000 to one It is just unbelievable that in New York organizers, the conservative South Bos- million people, in addition to appearing on and Massachusetts – two states where ton Allied War Veteran’s Council, to allow live television. gay marriage is legal – that this type of dis- LGBT Veteran’s for Equality to march in On Monday, March 17, the world’s larg- crimination is allowed. Thank you Mayor the annual procession. Mayor Walsh stat- est parade celebrating Irish heritage was Marty Walsh, Mayor Bill de Blasio, and the ed, “So much of our Irish history has been held in New York City. New York Mayor Bill good folks at Samuel Adams, Heineken, shaped by the fight against oppression. As de Blasio became the first New York mayor and Guinness for taking a stand for LGBT mayor of the city of Boston, I have to do in two decades to sit out the parade. The rights. I’m glad I spent my money on that my best to ensure that all Bostonians are New York parade dates from 1766 and also Guinness beer. I plan to have another one free to participate fully in the civic life of has a policy under which any symbol regard- soon. We all need to support those compa- our city. Unfortunately, this year the par- ing sexual orientation is not allowed to be nies that support us! t 2 t BALTIMORE OUTLOUD MARCH 21, 2014 • baltIMOREOUTLOUD.COM CRISEAN IS UsING MUSIC TO INSPIRE OTHERS – continued from page 1 NEWS // LOCAL Providing Support in the Face of Stigma BY STEVE CHARING support meetings have occurred at the orga- It’s hard enough, even today, for folks to be nization’s West Chase Street location but that LGBT. Although there has been significant is about to change. Starting April 5 Hearts & progress in gaining rights, there are still many Ears will be holding weekly transgender sup- issues to face from being a sexual minority. port groups on Saturdays from noon to 2 p.m. And if one also has some mental health prob- at their new Wellness and Recovery Center, lems, it could be very distressing, especially if 611 Park Avenue, Suite A, in Baltimore. one is stigmatized as a result. All trans and gender-queer identified indi- Those who are dually stigmatized (i.e. be- viduals are welcome to attend. (The standard ing both LGBT and having mental-health is- operating hours for visits to the Center are sues) can find it difficult to be fully accepted by Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to others. To help those in need there has been 6 p.m.) More information on the weekly sup- a Baltimore-based organization called Hearts port groups can be found at their website at & Ears that for 16 years Heartsandears.org. has extended a welcom- In regards to the trans- ing hand. gender group itself, it is Hearts & Ears – a held once a week and is non-profit organization for open to any trans-iden- LGBT, intersex and ques- tified individual whether tioning individuals with pre- or post-transition, mental health issues and trans male, trans female, concerns – aims to be a gender queer, question- community where people ing, and so forth. Support can feel safe, supported, and welcomed. It is in Transition, (SIT), is a unique, safe space for funded by a grant from Behavioral Health Sys- trans individuals to meet, exchange valuable tem Baltimore. experiences, and gain strong support during “As a matter of course we serve the LG- all phases of transition, including the question- BTQI population who self-identify as consum- ing phase. ers of mental-health services,” says Hearts & “What sets SIT apart from other local Ears director Jessica Blum. “However, we at- groups is that Hearts & Ears specializes in tempt to help any queer individuals who seek peer-to-peer support, and is attuned to indi- our assistance with finding therapists, locat- viduals living with mental health challenges,” ing housing, seeking advice related to gender says group moderator Vann Millhouse. “Par- transition, preventing and/or managing HIV/ ticipants receive an added layer of aid while AIDS and other STDs, and so forth.” they undergo stressors from being trans and The organization was started by Paula Laf- manage a mental health disorder. The friend- ferty in 1998 as primarily a peer-support group ly group freely and openly discuss medica- where members could help each other deal tion management, body image, employment, with the double stigma of having mental-health and general health issues, in conjunction with issues and of being LGBT. Hearts & Ears was mental health, as well as common trans-spe- a grassroots organization made up of individu- cific hurdles.” als who recognized that their needs were not Facilitated by Black Transmen, a national being met at most traditional mental-health non-profit trans advocacy organization, SIT programs and services.