the lgbtq community news source America’s local social bard news agenda Legendary gay playwright Transgender bias Spring’s arrival means Tennessee Williams is bill clears hurdle it’s time for the annual honored with local festival in Maryland House as Cherry Fund parties. marking his 100th birthday. session winds down. The fun kicks off next week. PAGE 21 PAGE 2 PAGE 25 washingtonblade.com • vol. 42, issue 12 • march 25, 2011 • Still sharp after 40 years Liz Taylor hailed for LGBT and AIDS activism Legacy lives on at D.C. medical center bearing her name By LOU CHIBBARO JR. [email protected] The death of Elizabeth Taylor on Wednesday drew expressions of sadness and admiration from AIDS and LGBT activists in D.C., who said they were honored that the city’s Whitman-Walker Clinic build- ing that bears her name would serve as a local legacy to the famous actress. Taylor, a two-time Academy Award-winning actress who starred in more than 50 fi lms over a period of nearly 70 years, died at a hospital in Los Angeles of congestive heart failure. She was 79. “She was an extraordinary personality and it’s a wonderful feeling that we have a little part of her legacy right here on 14th Street, said gay D.C. Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1). Graham served as executive director of the Whitman-Walker Clinic in November 1993, when Taylor came to D.C. for a ceremony to dedi- cate the Clinic’s main building for patient services as the Elizabeth Taylor Medical Center. The building is located at 1701 14th St., N.W. Graham and Cornelius Baker, then executive director of the D.C.- Continues on page 14 Washington Blade fi le photo by Doug Hinckle Visit washingtonblade.com for a photo gallery of Elizabeth Elizabeth Taylor had a long association with Washington, from her marriage to Sen. John Warner to her AIDS activ- Taylor’s visits to D.C. ism and support of the Whitman-Walker Clinic. At last, room at the inn Va. B&B changes policy, will allow gay couples to stay By CHRIS JOHNSON viewpoint [email protected] More reaction to the failure of Maryland marriage bill. PAGES 16 & 17 In an abrupt change of policy, owners of a Virginia bed and breakfast now say they will accept res- ervations from same-sex couples, after an online report in the Blade this week revealed a gay couple’s claims of being denied a room at the inn. Russell Williams, 56, of Hanover, Pa., said his spouse, David Schaefer, 54, tried to make reserva- tions in late February at Stafford House in Fairfax, Va., as part of a trip for the wedding of their nephew. However, they said they were denied a room over the phone on the basis of their relationship. “So they, in that conversation — they ascertained that this was two men,” Williams said. “It’s a hus- band-and-wife operation. The wife was on the phone with David, and she said, ‘Well, we don’t accept non-traditional couples.’” Williams, who married Schaefer fi ve years ago in Boston after being together 35 years, said his spouse tried to “push back a bit” on the Stafford House owner, but she remained fi rm in denying the nationalnews reservation. Williams, a racehorse breeder, said the owner also told Schaefer, a physician, that unmar- ried opposite-sex couples would be unable to obtain a reservation. Advocates push Obama to advance anti-bullying legislation. PAGE 10 Continues on page 12 2 washingtonblade.com • march 25, 2011 LOCALNEWS D.C. LGBT Center to be displaced again The planned construction of a new hotel could force the D.C. LGBT community center out of its Md. trans rights bill current storefront location at 1318 U St., N.W., as soon as June 2012, according to Center executive director David Mariner. Mariner said the Center’s landlord, JBG Properties, just informed him that it could no longer renew clears subcommittee leases of tenants along the 1300 block of U Street beyond June 2012. He said JBG offi cials cited plans to demolish all buildings along more than half of the south side of the block, including the Center’s building, Gender identity Other sources familiar with to make way for the hotel. the legislature, who requested “We don’t know the exact date because we don’t know what the timeline for the construction will measure must pass that they not be identifi ed, were be,” Mariner said. “We could be asked to leave as soon as June 2012, and that will be right before less certain about the bill’s the international AIDS conference,” he said. full House by Monday chances in the full House. They The Center, among other things, will host the National Gay Men’s Health Summit set to coincide to stay alive said many delegates were still with the international AIDS conference, which begins in July 2012. “We’re looking forward to bring- reeling over the tense debate ing a lot of gay, bisexual and transgender men to D.C. to talk about gay men’s health, and hopefully on March 11 over a same-sex we’ll have a place to do it.” By LOU CHIBBARO JR. marriage bill that was withdrawn Mariner said that while the Center continues to grow it is not yet capable of purchasing its own [email protected] from consideration and sent building without help from the city. City offi cials have said the city’s current fi nancial problems, in- back to committee after sup- cluding a large projected budget defi cit, prevents the city from providing the Center with funds to A bill pending before the Mary- porters determined it didn’t have buy a building at this time. land Legislature that would ban the votes to pass. One proposal being discussed, according to Mariner, is for the city to give the Center free space discrimination in employment and Meneses-Sheets said that or space at below market rent in the nearby Reeves Center, a city-owned offi ce building with fi rst- housing for transgender people while opposition to the gender fl oor retail space. The Reeves Center is located at the corner of 14th and U streets, N.W., one block cleared its fi rst hurdle Wednes- identity bill is signifi cant among from the U Street Metro Station. day when a subcommittee of the some of the same groups and — LOU CHIBBARO JR. House of Delegates voted 5-3 to conservative activists who op- approve it. posed the marriage equality bill, The bill was expected to come the intensity of the opposition Rehoboth official cited for ‘conflict’ in patio crackdown up for a vote on Thursday or early isn’t as strong. Friday before the House of Del- “This bill comes during tough The Delaware State Public Integrity Commission has issued an opinion stating that a Rehoboth Beach egates Committee on Health and economic times and is very city commissioner who initiated a city crackdown against the use of outdoor patios by bars and restaurants Government Operations as law- much viewed as a common may have violated a state confl ict of interest law. makers scramble to complete sense anti-discrimination poli- Several establishments that cater to a gay clientele, including the popular restaurant and bar work on dozens of bills. cy,” she said. “It’s about people Aqua Grill, were among the establishments targeted in a Labor Day weekend crackdown against Transgender activist Dana working and earning a living. late night use of outdoor patios. A city ordinance bars use of outdoor patios after 10 p.m. for drinking Beyer, who ran unsuccessfully And I think it resonates with law- and after 11 p.m. for dining in accordance with a separate city noise ordinance. The ordinance had for a seat in the House of Del- makers.” not been widely enforced prior to the crackdown. egates last year, said the sub- Some transgender activists Rehoboth police arrested the Aqua Grill’s co-owner during the crackdown, even though the es- committee approved at least are opposing the bill on grounds tablishment was exempt from the patio ordinance. The ordinance includes a “grandfather clause” two “minor” technical amend- that it doesn’t include protec- exempting establishments in business prior to the enactment of the ordinance. ments that don’t change the tions for public accommoda- The city’s police chief joined other city offi cials and the head of the Rehoboth LGBT community substantive language of the bill. tions, such as hotels, health center, Camp Rehoboth, in saying the crackdown was not aimed at gay establishments. Members of the House of Del- clubs and public bathrooms. The PIC said in an advisory opinion that Rehoboth Commissioner Stan Mills should not have egates, including the bill’s spon- Del. Joseline Pena-Melnyk lobbied city offi cials to take action against establishments thought to be in violation of the patio or- sors, were in session Wednes- (D-Prince George’s County), the dinance because he owns a bed and breakfast business located next to one establishment with a day afternoon at Blade press author and lead sponsor of the patio – the gay bar Blue Moon. time and could not be reached bill, said she removed a public According to Delmarva Now, an online news outlet, Mills walked around the town on Labor Day week- to confi rm the contents of the accommodations provision from end last year to observe which establishments were violating the patio ordinance and reported to city amendments.