OUT November 16, 2012 | Volume X, Issue 12 HISTORY MADE IN MARRY-LAND BY STEVE CHARING crat from Wisconsin, who became the first Just a few minutes after midnight on Elec- out lesbian to be elected to the Senate. tion Day the Washington Post declared that She defeated a former governor and a the proponents of Question 6 the winner in cabinet member of the Bush administra- a hard-fought struggle for the hearts and tion, Tommy Thompson. minds of Marylanders. Whether the victors When it became clear that Maryland in Maine were confirmed first or whether voters chose marriage equality, jubilation Maryland was the first state is academic. instantly sprung up all over the state. The The bottom line is that Maryland, along epicenter for the celebrations was the Bal- with Maine and Washington were the first timore Soundstage, a club on Market Place states in history to legalize same-sex mar- where officials and supporters gathered to riage at the ballot box. In addition, Minne- watch the results trickle in after the polls sota defeated a constitutional amendment closed at 8 p.m. As balloons descended, that would have prevented such marriages shouts, chants, hugs, kisses, dancing, Mayor Rawlings- to ever occur. Indeed, all four states won tears, a sense of relief and triumph envel- Blake, Delegate their respective battles when the voters – oped the crowd upon learning the eventual Washington, not legislators or judges – made the deci- happy news. Governor O’Malley, sion. Governor O’Malley, who was instru- Delegate Clippinger, Moreover, no less than six openly gay mental in pushing the Civil Marriage Pro- and Levin celebrate at Baltimore tection Act through the 2012 General As- or lesbian people were elected to Con- Soundstage gress including Tammy Baldwin, a Demo- —continued on page 3 AN INTERVIEW WITH DIAMOND RINGS back, look and say, “Oh my god, I’ve got was met, was it daunting to be- like 14, 15 songs, I can put these on an Multi-Faceted gin working on the follow-up, album,” then I start to worry about making Free Dimensional, or did the mo- the album. BY GREGG SHAPIRO mentum help? GS: Were those newer songs from The autumn 2012 release of EDM act Dia- Diamond Rings: I think the latter. From Free Dimensional included in live mond Rings’s second disc Free Dimen- the outside it always appears that artists shows when you were touring for Spe- sional (Astralwerks) capped off what turned make an album and then they go on tour cial Affections? out to be a dazzling year for LGBT music. and they start the next album after that DR: Yeah. When I did a tour with Twin Diamond Rings (aka John O’Regan) deliv- [laughs]. But, I try as best as I can to al- Shadow last summer in America then went ers on the promise of his 2010 full-length ways work and to always write and to al- over to Europe in the wintertime and was debut Special Affections by generously ex- ways have a new song or melody in my performing “Runaway Love” and “All the panding his sound to incorporate raps and head. I had a bunch of this album written Time” every show as a solo artist. I’m with a more concentrated club style and sound. while I was still touring the last album, so a band now. For sure, I always like to try The beats are more deliberate on songs in that sense it’s never quite as intimidat- new stuff on the road and see if it reso- such as “I’m Just Me” and “(I Know) What ing. I never really think about my process nates and connects with the crowd. I’m Made Of,” making them the ideal selec- in terms of albums as much as I do songs GS: “Everything Speaks,” which tions for dancing the night away. or choruses or verses. I’m just always try- opens the disc, retains the spirit of Spe- Gregg Shapiro: After the positive re- ing to make the next great chorus or the cial Affections. Was it your intention to ception with which Special Affections next great song. It’s only when you step —continued on page 16 News // LOCAL Out & Equal Workplace Summit Held in Baltimore BY DENIse R. DUARTE source group. Out and Equal provides re- Benjamin Todd Jealous, president of Co-Publishers The 2012 Out and Equal Workplace Sum- sources for companies to establish these NAACP, was the opening keynote speaker Jim Becker • Jim Williams [email protected] mit (October 29-November 1) opened with a groups as well provides a registry which on October 31. He emphasized NAACP’s Executive Editor hurricane and ended with a gala dinner. Be- lists companies that have them, from 3M commitment to LGBT rights and how this Jim Becker cause of Hurricane Sandy, only some 1,400 to Yahoo. LGBT employee resource groups alliance was not a new one. He referenced [email protected] of the expected 2,100 attendees showed make a difference within their companies Bayard Rustin and the Matthew Shepard Managing Editor up at the Baltimore Convention Center. according to Out and Equal’s 2010 State of and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Preven- [email protected] This one-third drop was predicted by Teddy LGBT Employee Resource Group’s Report tion Act of 2009 as proof. He stated that we Production Director Witherington, Out and Equal’s marketing of- which states, “Nearly all promote policies stand “shoulder-to-shoulder to move pas- Bob Wellington ficer, who noted the loss would have been (91%) and LGBT visibility (89%) to create sage of the Non-Discrimination Act.” Sales Director Mary Taylor higher under the extraordinary circumstanc- inclusive workplace. That opening plenary also included [email protected] es but for the “commitment of our attendees Nearly three-quarters also provide Beth Brooke, Ernst and Young’s global Leather Columnist and our community.” LGBT leadership development opportuni- vice chair for public policy and a five-time Rodney Burger “It is life and death for us,” said Wither- ties. They support the bottom line as well: Forbes listed “World’s 100 most powerful Contributing Writers ington. “We spend most of our waking life 76% assist in LGBT recruiting and 59% women.” She has previously served in the Joey Amato • Sharon Brackett • Cathy Brennan • Rodney Burger • at work, so it is life. I do not want to work drive LGBT marketing and client opportu- Clinton administration and was on the U.S. Joshua Buchbinder • Steve Charing • Jeffrey Claggett • Jeffrey Clouser • Wayne Curtis • Woody Derricks • Denise R. where I will be miserable. The death is that nities. LGBT ERGs also look beyond their delegation to the 53rd and 54th United Na- Duarte • Chuck Duncan • Michael Farley • Jon Fairbanks • Gerry of the closet, which is a slow terri- tions Commission on the Sta- Fisher • Bruce Garrett • Jeff Hammerberg • Dr. Eva Hersh • Shirli Hughes • Sam Kunz • Michelle Lanchester, Esq. • Dana ble death.” Carri Bridges, Chrysler tus of Women. LaRocca • Jessica Lemmo • Jay Loane • Rev. Meredith Moise • global diversity events manager, Brooke shared her coming- Gregg Shapiro who traveled from Auburn Hills, out story. When the Trevor Michigan, exclaimed, “Hurricane Project awarded Ernst and Graphics Joe Velasquez • Bob Wellington or not, we were going to be here!” Young for their efforts for LGBT Cartoonist The summit had a variety of youth and she was to accept Bruce Garrett (www.brucegarrett.com) LGBT workplace-themed semi- it on behalf of the corpora- Photographers nars and workshops ranging from tion. She wrote her comments Bruce Garrett • Jay W Photos • Justin Nixon how to establish LGBT employee knowing that the next day Web Editor resource groups, advancing an the video, “It Gets Better,” in Anja Saine inclusive federal employment which she appears, would be [email protected] Managed Web Services non-discrimination act, to one released. When she read the The Fusio Group titled “Out Now: The LGBT Global At Out & following words, “As a leader 866-322-7498, www.thefusiogroup.com Workplace Experience.” Equal who is gay...” she states she National Advertising Rep How many people are out at received a five-minute stand- Rivendell Media 908-232-2021 work compared to being out with ing ovation. She had anticipat- Founders their families and friends was the focus of walls and promote a better society through ed a negative reaction. Brooke exclaimed, Jim Becker • Joe Berg • Mike Chase • a workshop conducted by Ian Johnson of LGBT cultural event participation (76%), co- “52 years in the close, the tears started Lee Mooney (1959-2007) • Jim Williams Out Now Global. Johnson shared survey ordinated volunteerism (73%) and financial to pour. I could not stop it.” Everyone sat results regarding the comfort level of being support for LGBT causes (59%).” down after the applause and she repeated Baltimore OUTloud PO Box 4887 Baltimore, MD 21211 out at work. The Netherlands led the way, Some employee resource groups have the words again, this time as a whisper. 410-244-6780 with 66 percent reporting that they were out worked to establish tax parity for the health “Then [there was] this strength – 52 years www.baltimoreoutloud.com at work, the U.S. came in at 44 percent out, insurance benefits provided to lesbian and of silence broken – it was the end of the and India at only 13 percent. gay couples. Google and UBS are compa- beginning for me.” Additional Information Baltimore OUTloud is published every other Friday by Pride Witherington echoed the importance nies that have instituted a “gross up” pay- Selisse Berry, Out and Equal founder, Media, Ltd.