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AN INDEPENDENT VOICE FOR THE LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER COMMUNITIES OUT December 25, 2015 | Volume XIII, Issue 19 that prohibits discrimination based on sex- from Johns Hopkins University and presi- ual orientation and gender identity. This is- dential candidate Dr. Ben Carson stated on sue also announced that Colette Roberts, CNN, when asked by Chris Cuomo if being the co-founder of the PFLAG-Columbia gay is a choice said, “Absolutely. Because / Howard County chapter who led the or- a lot of people who go into prison go into Looking Back ganization for 15 years would be inducted prison straight and when they come out, CM O PILED BY RODNEY BURGER into the Howard County Women’s Hall of they’re gay.” The year 2015 was filled with memorable Fame held by the Howard County Commis- March 11th – the Baltimore Symphony events for Baltimore’s LGBT community sion for Women. Orchestra announced their 100th season in and those in the surrounding area. Some February 4th – ViiV Healthcare an- Baltimore. The March 20th issue of Balti- events were happy and some were sad. nounced a four-year, $10 million program more OUTLoud included an interview with Some memories will last a lifetime and addressing the HIV epidemic among black Baltimore’s 2015 Pride coordinator who an- others will be quickly forgotten. We at Bal- at 2015 men who have sex with men. The program nounced that Pride would be held on July timore OUTLoud were proud to bring you care system, three organizations co-spon- will focus on men in Baltimore, Maryland 25th and 26th and not in June as in past another year of news and information. sored an information session for potential and Jackson, Mississippi, two cities hit years. He also added that the block party Here is a look back at some of the events foster parents. Hearts & Homes for Youth, hard by HIV/AIDS. would return to Mt. Vernon and the Pride we covered in 2015. PFLAG-Howard County, and Equality March 2nd – Mary- Festival would return to Druid Hill Park after Baltimore Maryland teamed up to co-host the event MARCH land Senator Bar- having been held in Mt. Royal in 2014. JANUARY OUTLoud at the Owen Brown In- bara Mikulski, whose strong efforts on be- March 15th, a group representing Bos- started the year be revisiting the attack of terfaith Center in Co- half of LGBT rights have been evident over ton Pride became the first openly LGBT Kenni Shaw who was assaulted on Decem- lumbia. the years, announced that she will not be group to march in the 114th annual South ber 25th, 2012, as he left a corner store The January 23rd seeking a sixth term. Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade. in the Oliver neighborhood. Shaw asserts issue of Baltimore OUT- On March 4th retired neurosurgeon —continued on page 3 that the attack stemmed from his being per- Loud contained a front ceived as gay. The assault received wide- page article on a new spread coverage in the media and gained equality organization Baltimore Pride: the attention of newly appointed Baltimore launched by former GL- Highlight of the calendar City Police Commissioner Anthony Batts, Kelly Neel CCB executive director credit: Outloud who established an advisory board to meet Kelly Neel. The North regularly with LGBT people. The police Baltimore Equality Cen- and the state’s attorney’s office declined to ter provides needed services and programs to categorize the assault as a hate crime. The residents of Baltimore’s Charles Village and only attacker arrested was released on bail Waverly neighborhoods. and after a number of postponements the January 29th – the Gay, Lesbian, Bi- case was dropped by the prosecutor. This sexual, Transgender Community Center of case only goes to show that the struggles Baltimore (GLCCB), announced that William of the LGBT community are not over. Redmond-Palmer was removed as GLCCB January 9th – Dimitria Blackwell president and will be replaced by Christopher (a.k.a. Paul Liller) was crowned Miss Hip- Adkins, the previous vice president. po 2015. Eva Couture was selected first The Feb- runner-up. FEBRUARY ruary 6th January 18th – author Linda Faus- issue of Baltimore OUTLoud cheered the net discussed her book Queen Henry at a news that Maryland Governor Larry Hogan meeting of PFLAG-Westminster. The nov- had reversed his early missteps related to el tells the fictional story of a homophobic non-discrimination provisions in Medicaid baseball player for the Baltimore Orioles and the removal of the words “gender iden- who takes an asthma treatment that mys- tity” from an executive order. After pres- teriously transforms him into a gay man. sure from FreeState Legal and Equality January 28th – in an effort to consid- Maryland, Governor Hogan re-issued the er the needs of LGBTQ youth in the foster executive order to reflect current state law BALTIMORE OUTLOUD DECEMBER 25, 2015 • BALTIMOREOUTLOUD.COM t 1 2 t BALTIMORE OUTLOUD DECEMBER 25, 2015 • BALTIMOREOUTLOUD.COM NEWS // LOCAL L OOKING BACK Woods Park in Hagerstown, Maryland. AT 2015 Also on May 16 a big crowd at the – continued from page 1 Club Hippo saw 12 contestants compete for the title of Miss Gay Maryland Amer- On March 24th a bill that would allow ica with Sasha Renee from Hagerstown lesbian couples to receive the same health taking home the crown. Aryianna Myst was care benefits for artificial insemination as named first alternate. heterosexual couples do passed in the Washington, D.C., cele- Maryland Senate by a 37 to 10 vote margin. JUNE brated the 40th annual March 28th – the B’More Proud LGB- Pride on June 13th and 14th. The fifth an- TIA Leadership Summit was held at UMBC. nual Gay Pride at River Riders in Harpers The conference consisted of LGBTIA stu- Ferry, West Virginia, was held June 21th, dents from area colleges and universities and heavy rain in Frederick on June 27th and their allies. did not stop the fourth annual Frederick On April 9th the Pride. APRIL three-member Balti- Although Bal- more City Liquor Board unanimously de- timore’s Pride nied the new ownership group of the Bal- celebration was timore Eagle a requested liquor license not scheduled transfer, claiming that the renovations until July, it felt of the building was not completed in the like Pride night required 180 days, deeming the license in Baltimore on dead. the evening of Goodbye, Hippo Over 100 people attended the official June 26th as the re-opening of the GLCCB at the organiza- LGBT community tion’s new headquarters at the city-owner packed the bars to celebrate the Supreme Waxter Center. Court’s ruling on same-sex marriage. The April 25th – peaceful protest in down- decision upheld same-sex marriage across town Baltimore over the death of Freddie the nation and set off rainbow themed cel- Gray while in police custody turned violent. ebrations and light shows from the White On April 27th the violence and destruction House to Disneyland. spread to many parts of the city resulting Also making news during Pride month in Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake call- was Julie Baker, a homeowner in the Over- ing for a week-long curfew. Images of the lea community in Baltimore County who re- fires, looting, and destruction were shown ceived a note from a neighbor complaining all over the world on television and the In- the all the rainbow decorations in her yard ternet. were “relentlessly gay” and that she should On April 28th a Marriage Equality ral- “tone it down because this is a Christian ly was held in Washington at the U.S. Su- area and there are children.” Ms. Baker preme Court. turned to social media and started a Go- May 13th – members FundMe page to buy more rainbow deco- MAY of the LGBTQ commu- rations and rose over $43,000. nity were treated to a town hall conference July 6th saw the contin- hosted by Chase Brexton Health Care on JULY uation of staff turnover the subject of PrEP, a pre-prophylaxis drug at the GLCCB as executive director Joel that is designed to prevent HIV infection Tinsley-Hall resigned and was replaced by among HIV-negative people who engage in Paul Liller, GLCCB deputy director. Tins- high-risk activity. ley-Hall had served as executive director The front page of the May 15th issue since October 2014, succeeding Kelly of Baltimore OUTLoud confirmed the sad Neel, who was intern director following the news that had been circulating in Balti- resignation of Matt Thorn. more’s LGBT community for weeks. After July 8th – Mayor Stephanie Rawl- 43 years the Club Hippo was closing and ings-Blake fired Baltimore Police Com- would be converted into a CVS drug store. missioner Anthony W. Batts. Baltimore This issue also announced that Chesa- OUTLoud noted that Batts had made a peake Pride held in August at Mayo Beach real effort to reach out to Baltimore’s LGBT for the past nine years would not be held in community. 2015 due to financial difficulties. July 25th – Baltimore celebrated 40 On May 15th “A Night under the Stars” years of Pride. Besides the move from the LGBTQ prom was held at the Pier 5 June to July, other changes included mov- Hotel in Baltimore. ing the parade from Charles Street to Ca- On May 16th the 4th annual Hager- thedral Street and the block party from the stown Hopes, a festival in support of the parking lot at Charles and Eager to the LGBTQ community, was held in Doubs —continued on page 4 BALTIMORE OUTLOUD DECEMBER 25, 2015 • BALTIMOREOUTLOUD.COM t 3 NEWS // LOCAL L OOKING BACK renamed Chuck Bowers Way in honor of On No- AT 2015 Mr.