AN INDEPENDENT VOICE FOR THE LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER COMMUNITIES OUT November 13, 2015 | Volume XIII, Issue 16 our goal is to make sure the trans com- ton, the New Wave Singers of Baltimore, munity is included in that, and to avoid and Positive Voices of Baltimore. The TDoR A Day of Transgender anti-trans violence from becoming swept program will begin at 6:30 p.m. The church under the rug like homelessness and oth- is wheelchair accessible, and ASL interpre- er issues. We need action, we need allies tation will be provided for the event. Resilience and and we need to hold leaders accountable.” When asked about the importance of BY BILL REDMOND-PALMER The TMoR will November 20 is the annual obser- begin at the Ynot vance of the Transgender Day of Re- Lot at North Ave- membrance (TDoR), an opportunity Remembrance nue and Charles to honor and remember those who have by trans people of color. The TMoR seeks Street. The march lost their lives as a result of violence and to raise awareness of the anti-transgender will step off at 4 p.m. bigotry directed at transgender and other violence faced daily by gender variant peo- and travel down St. gender variant people. The day is marked ple, and to provide solidarity with the resil- Paul Street, where in Baltimore with an interfaith service, ience of trans people across the country. they will merge with vigil, and reading of the names of those “TMoR is important because it recog- a second group that lost around the world in the past year, and nizes the resiliency that lives inside of all will be gathered in names of Marylanders lost over the past transgender people to unapologetically front of Penn Sta- 23 years. live in our truths,” said Bryanna Jenkins, tion. It will then con- This year, members of the transgender co-chair of the Baltimore Transgender Alli- tinue to War Memo- community and their allies will also partic- ance, the lead group organizing the march rial Plaza in front of ipate in a march and rally in front of City in Baltimore. “It gives us hope and courage City Hall to participate in a rally from 5 to 6 the day, Phillip J. Lovett, MSW, said that Hall in Baltimore in honor of the lives lost, in a time where the violence against us is p.m. ASL interpretation will be provided for the TDoR “helps inform clients that their as well as their own, as part of the nation- at an all-time high. My goal with this event the rally. At 6 p.m., the group will march to lives matter and that they are not alone. al Trans March of Resilience (TMoR), to is to restore a sense of purpose and pride the First Unitarian Church of Baltimore to This event is critical to give both the trans- be held in numerous cities across the U.S. about who we are as contributing members participate in the TDoR program. gender community and the larger society a The TMoR will make history as the first na- of this city and society. 2015 as really been The doors of First Unitarian at 12 West time to mourn the loss of a friend, non-bi- tionally organized protest demonstration a year of transformation concerning social Franklin Street in Baltimore will open at 6 ological relative, and lover. This event is for justice and equality, led and restorative justice in Baltimore, and p.m. and with music by organist Jim Hous- —continued on page 3 BRY MA K S. KiNG For more than a decade I was an active tentions in the fine crystal meth addict. They were the darkest print. Recovering from Meth, years of my life. And then the clar- I suffered numerous relapses as I ion call became more struggled to get clean, and my woeful jour- explicit as involuntary Rebuilding a Sex Life ney back to crystal meth was always the images of using drugs bombarded me, recognizable to me today. It was a constant same. First, small changes crept into my plaguing my sleep and my daydreams. pursuit of sex partners, naked video chats, behavior; not about crystal meth precisely, The images became ever more seductive, pornography, and increasingly extreme and but vaguely related habits that had once promising euphoria and an escape from my dangerous behaviors that lasted days and accompanied my active drug use would own feelings. weeks at a time. It was an endless loop of begin entering my routine again. But the most formidable thoughts that desire and disappointment, played out over A return to the gym and a shallow fixa- drew me back to active addiction were al- many years. tion on my body. An abandoned cigarette ways about sex. Incredibly, I believed the allure of hot habit that returned in secretive fits and It feels ludicrous to me now. The sex sex was worth the consequences that piled starts. A feeling of entitlement – to do as life of a meth addict is as compulsive as it up. Visits to the emergency room. An ar- I pleased, to eat junk or rejoin the lurid is pathetic. The drug ignited an obsession rest. The company of psychotic and para- party scene – swept over me like a dec- I had never known, taking my authentic noid addicts. Weapons pointed in my direc- laration of freedom that hid its true in- sexuality and twisting it into something un- —continued on page 19 BALTIMORE OUTLOUD NOVEMBER 13, 2015 • BALTIMOREOUTLOUD.COM t 1 2 t BALTIMORE OUTLOUD NOVEMBER 13, 2015 • BALTIMOREOUTLOUD.COM NEWS // LOCAL DA Y OF TRANSGENDER REMEMBRANCE – continued from page 1 to create a space where trans people and our allies can reflect on their roles in end- important because every life is important.” ing transphobic violence throughout the Lovett is a trained behavior intervention year, with a deeper understanding of how specialist with project Tea Time (Trans- transphobia intersects with racism, clas- people Empowerment in Action), a prima- sism, and other forms of oppression.” ry and secondary HIV prevention program To volunteer or for more information of AIDS Action Baltimore funded through about the MoCo TDoR event, please search the Baltimore City Health Department that for “Montgomery County MD Transgen- sees both transgender men and women. der Day of Remembrance 2015” on Face- For more information about the TMoR, book, visit them on Twitter @MCMDTDoR please search for “BTA presents Balti- / #MCMDTDOR or e-mail revmillerjen@ more’s Transgender March of Resilience” gmail.com. on Facebook, or contact Bryanna A. Jen- In November 1998, the murders of kins, Lead Organizer on Facebook or at trans women Chanel Pickett and Rita Hes- [email protected]. ter in Boston, Massachusetts, inspired a For more information on the TDoR, local candlelight vigil and the creation of please visit https://sites.google.com/site/ the international TDoR, now observed in tdorbaltimore/ or contact Jean-Michel dozens of countries and hundreds of cit- Brevelle, Lead Event Coordinator at j_ ies, providing opportunities to share grief [email protected]. and anger, appreciate the lives and gifts On Saturday, November 14th, the fifth of those lost, and commit to work towards annual Montgomery County TDoR event trans-inclusive social justice. Visit Trans- will be held from 7 to 9 pm at the Rockville genderdor.org for more information. United Church, 355 Linthicum Street, in “It breaks my heart that people around Rockville Maryland. The event will include the world and here in Baltimore lose their a service with music, readings, and speak- lives due to anti-transgender violence, ers, quieter spaces attended by listeners and it makes me fear for the lives of my / companions, a candlelight vigil, and a friends and loved ones” said Shanna Bit- simple supper. The event is free, howev- tner-Borell, a member of the 2015 TDoR er they do invite donations to support local planning committee. “TDOR is important trans resources. The church is wheelchair to me, as an ally, because it gives me an accessible. opportunity to join with others to remember “With the murder of Zella Ziona, a trans the people we lost too soon and to build woman of color, in Gaithersburg in Octo- a supportive community in their honor.” t ber, our work has taken on an increased Bill Redmond-Palmer is a long time significance,” said Mycroft Masada, a local community advocate for HIV/AIDS, Inter- faith leader and member of the organizing faith, and Sexual and Gender Minority re- committee. “Now more than ever, we seek lated issues. BALTIMORE OUTLOUD NOVEMBER 13, 2015 • BALTIMOREOUTLOUD.COM t 3 NEWS // LOCAL The first film event will be held on will focus on LGBTQ youth and the pro- terfaith Residential Services (AIRS) to Synagogue to Host Saturday, November 21 and features two cess of coming out. promote and improve access to electronic documentary films: DevOUT, a film that fo- “Beit Tikvah was the first synagogue in HIV/AIDS information using a user-friend- First Annual LGBT cuses on the experiences of lesbian and Baltimore with an official policy welcoming ly model. The community based outreach transgender female Jews, seeking accep- LGBT Jews, and hopes to be a leader on initiative employs an asset-based commu- Jewish Film Festival tance within traditional Orthodox commu- LGBTQ issues in the Jewish Community in nity development strategy that draws upon nities; and Becoming Ayden, a film that the future” said John Redmond-Palmer. existing community strengths to foster chronicles the transition journey of a young The series is co-sponsored by three healthy and sustainable communities.