dcagenda

a time district
the lgbtq community’s news source

nightlife
of change agenda agenda
Judy Shepard An update on efforts Join Mike Manning
helped make a hate by anti-gay activists from ‘Real World D.C.’
crimes bill law during to undo marriage as Halo marks its
a year to remember. rights in the city. name change to MOVA.
PAGE 12 PAGE 5 PAGE 20

dcagenda.com • vol. 1, issue 7 • january 1, 2010

2009 Year in Review

More celebration and heartbreak in fight for marriage rights, page 10
2 dcagenda.com • january 1, 2010

INDICATIONS
ISENTRESS is an anti-HIV medicine used for the treatment of HIV. ISENTRESS must be used with other
anti-HIV medicines, which may increase the likelihood of response to treatment.
The safety and effectiveness of ISENTRESS in children has not been studied.
It is important that you remain under your doctor’s care.
ISENTRESS will NOT cure HIV infection or reduce your chance of passing HIV to others through sexual
contact, sharing needles, or being exposed to your blood.

IMPORTANT RISK INFORMATION

A condition called Immune Reconstitution Syndrome can happen in some patients with advanced HIV
infection (AIDS) when anti-HIV treatment is started. Signs and symptoms of inflammation from opportunistic
infections may occur as the medicines work to treat the HIV infection and strengthen the immune system.
Call your doctor right away if you notice any signs or symptoms of an infection after starting ISENTRESS.
Contact your doctor immediately if you experience unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness while
taking ISENTRESS. This is because on rare occasions muscle problems can be serious and can lead to
kidney damage.
When ISENTRESS has been given with other anti-HIV drugs, the most common side effects included nausea,
headache, tiredness, weakness, and trouble sleeping.
 T
january 1, 2010 • dcagenda.com 3

You are special, unique, and different from anyone else. And so is your
path to managing HIV. When you’re ready to start HIV therapy, talk to
your doctor about a medication that may fit your needs and lifestyle.
In clinical studies lasting 48 weeks, patients being treated with HIV medication for the first time who took
ISENTRESS plus Truvada:
Had a low rate of side effects
— In 4% of patients taking ISENTRESS plus Truvada versus 3% taking Sustiva plus Truvada, the
most commonly reported side effect of moderate to severe intensity (that interfered with or kept
patients from performing daily activities) was trouble sleeping
Experienced less effect on LDL cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol)
— Cholesterol increased an average of 6 mg/dL with ISENTRESS plus Truvada versus 16 mg/dL
with Sustiva plus Truvada

Ask your doctor about ISENTRESS.

isentress.com

People taking ISENTRESS may still develop infections, including opportunistic infections or other conditions
that occur with HIV infection.
Tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you have any allergies, are pregnant
or plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding or plan to breast-feed. ISENTRESS is not recommended
for use during pregnancy. Women with HIV should not breast-feed because their babies could be infected
with HIV through their breast milk.
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription medicines like rifampin (a medicine
used to treat infections such as tuberculosis), non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of
prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch,
or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
For more information about ISENTRESS, please
read the Patient Information on the following page.
ISENTRESS is a registered trademark of Merck & Co., Inc.
Copyright © 2009 Merck & Co., Inc. All rights reserved.
20953087(10)(106)-ISN-CON
Sustiva is a registered trademark of Bristol-Myers Squibb
Need help paying for ISENTRESS? Call 1-866-350-9232 Truvada is a registered trademark of Gilead Sciences, Inc.
4 dcagenda.com • january 1, 2010
Patient Information
ISENTRESS ® (eye sen tris)
(raltegravir) Tablets
Read the patient information that comes with ISENTRESS1 before you start taking
it and each time you get a refill. There may be new information. This leaflet is a
summary of the information for patients. Your doctor or pharmacist can give you
additional information. This leaflet does not take the place of talking with your
doctor about your medical condition or your treatment.
What is ISENTRESS?
s ISENTRESS is an anti-HIV (antiretroviral) medicine used for the treatment
of HIV. The term HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It is the
virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). ISENTRESS
IMPORTANT: Take ISENTRESS exactly as your doctor prescribed and at the
right times of day because if you don’t
s 4HEAMOUNTOFVIRUS()6 INYOURBLOODMAYINCREASEIFTHEMEDICINEIS
stopped for even a short period of time.
s 4HEVIRUSMAYDEVELOPRESISTANCETO)3%.42%33ANDBECOMEHARDERTO
treat.
s 9OURMEDICINESMAYSTOPWORKINGTOlGHT()6
s 4HEACTIVITYOF)3%.42%33MAYBEREDUCEDDUETORESISTANCE 
If you fail to take ISENTRESS the way you should, here’s what to do:
is used along with other anti-HIV medicines. ISENTRESS will NOT cure HIV s )FYOUMISSADOSETAKEITASSOONASYOUREMEMBER)FYOUDONOT
infection. REMEMBERUNTILITISTIMEFORYOURNEXTDOSESKIPTHEMISSEDDOSEANDGO
s 0EOPLETAKING)3%.42%33MAYSTILLDEVELOPINFECTIONSINCLUDING back to your regular schedule. Do NOT take two tablets of ISENTRESS at the
opportunistic infections or other conditions that happen with HIV infection. SAMETIME)NOTHERWORDSDO./4TAKEADOUBLEDOSE
s 3TAYUNDERTHECAREOFYOURDOCTORDURINGTREATMENTWITH)3%.42%33 s )FYOUTAKETOOMUCH)3%.42%33CALLYOURDOCTORORLOCAL0OISON#ONTROL
s The safety and effectiveness of ISENTRESS in children has not been studied. Center.
ISENTRESS must be used with other anti-HIV medicines. Be sure to keep a supply of your anti-HIV medicines.
How does ISENTRESS work? s 7HENYOUR)3%.42%33SUPPLYSTARTSTORUNLOWGETMOREFROMYOURDOCTOR
s )3%.42%33BLOCKSANENZYMEWHICHTHEVIRUS()6 NEEDSINORDERTOMAKE or pharmacy.
MOREVIRUS4HEENZYMETHAT)3%.42%33BLOCKSISCALLED()6INTEGRASE s $ONOTWAITUNTILYOURMEDICINERUNSOUTTOGETMORE
s 7HENUSEDWITHOTHERANTI
()6MEDICINES)3%.42%33MAYDOTWOTHINGS What are the possible side effects of ISENTRESS?
1. Reduce the amount of HIV in your blood. This is called your “viral load”. When ISENTRESS has been given with other anti-HIV drugs, the most
2. Increase the number of white blood cells called CD4 (T) cells. common side effects included:
s )3%.42%33MAYNOTHAVETHESEEFFECTSINALLPATIENTS s NAUSEA
Does ISENTRESS lower the chance of passing HIV to other people? s HEADACHE
No. ISENTRESS does not reduce the chance of passing HIV to others through sexual s TIREDNESS
CONTACTSHARINGNEEDLESORBEINGEXPOSEDTOYOURBLOOD s WEAKNESS
s #ONTINUETOPRACTICESAFERSEX s TROUBLESLEEPING
s 5SELATEXORPOLYURETHANECONDOMSOROTHERBARRIERMETHODSTOLOWERTHE Other side effects INCLUDERASHSEVERESKINREACTIONSFEELINGANXIOUS
chance of sexual contact with any body fluids. This includes semen from a DEPRESSIONSUICIDALTHOUGHTSANDACTIONSPARANOIALOWBLOODPLATELETCOUNT
MANVAGINALSECRETIONSFROMAWOMANORBLOOD
s .EVERRE
USEORSHARENEEDLES A condition called Immune Reconstitution Syndrome can happen in some
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about safer sex or how to prevent patients with advanced HIV infection (AIDS) when combination antiretroviral
passing HIV to other people. treatment is started. Signs and symptoms of inflammation from opportunistic
infections that a person has or had may occur as the medicines work to treat
What should I tell my doctor before and during treatment with ISENTRESS? the HIV infection and help to strengthen the immune system. Call your doctor
Tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Include any of the following right away if you notice any signs or symptoms of an infection after starting
THATAPPLIESTOYOU ISENTRESS with other anti-HIV medicines.
s 9OUHAVEANYALLERGIES
s 9OUAREPREGNANTORPLANTOBECOMEPREGNANT #ONTACTYOURDOCTORPROMPTLYIFYOUEXPERIENCEUNEXPLAINEDMUSCLEPAIN
- ISENTRESS is not recommended for use during pregnancy. TENDERNESSORWEAKNESSWHILETAKING)3%.42%334HISISBECAUSEONRARE
ISENTRESS has not been studied in pregnant women. If you take OCCASIONSMUSCLEPROBLEMSCANBESERIOUSANDCANLEADTOKIDNEYDAMAGE
)3%.42%33WHILEYOUAREPREGNANTTALKTOYOURDOCTORABOUTHOW Tell your doctor if you have any side effects that bother you.
YOUCANBEINCLUDEDINTHE!NTIRETROVIRAL0REGNANCY2EGISTRY
s 9OUAREBREAST
FEEDINGORPLANTOBREAST
FEED 4HESEARENOTALLTHESIDEEFFECTSOF)3%.42%33&ORMOREINFORMATIONASK
- It is recommended that HIV-infected women should not breast-feed your doctor or pharmacist.
their infants. This is because their babies could be infected with HIV How should I store ISENTRESS?
through their breast milk. s 3TORE)3%.42%33ATROOMTEMPERATURETOª& 
- Talk with your doctor about the best way to feed your baby. s Keep ISENTRESS and all medicines out of the reach of children.
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take. Include the following: General information about the use of ISENTRESS
s PRESCRIPTIONMEDICINESINCLUDINGRIFAMPINAMEDICINEUSEDTOTREATSOME
infections such as tuberculosis) Medicines are sometimes prescribed for conditions that are not mentioned in
s NON
PRESCRIPTIONMEDICINES patient information leaflets.
s VITAMINS s $ONOTUSE)3%.42%33FORACONDITIONFORWHICHITWASNOTPRESCRIBED
s HERBALSUPPLEMENTS s $ONOTGIVE)3%.42%33TOOTHERPEOPLEEVENIFTHEYHAVETHESAME
symptoms you have. It may harm them.
Know the medicines you take.
s +EEPALISTOFYOURMEDICINES3HOWTHELISTTOYOURDOCTORANDPHARMACIST This leaflet gives you the most important information about ISENTRESS.
when you get a new medicine. s )FYOUWOULDLIKETOKNOWMORETALKWITHYOURDOCTOR
s 9OUCANASKYOURDOCTORORPHARMACISTFORADDITIONALINFORMATIONABOUT
How should I take ISENTRESS? ISENTRESS that is written for health professionals.
Take ISENTRESS exactly as your doctor has prescribed. The recommended s &ORMOREINFORMATIONGOTOWWW)3%.42%33COMORCALL



dose is as follows: What are the ingredients in ISENTRESS?
s 4AKEONLYONE
MGTABLETATATIME Active ingredient:%ACHlLM
COATEDTABLETCONTAINSMGOFRALTEGRAVIR
s 4AKEITTWICEADAY
s 4AKEITBYMOUTH Inactive ingredients:-ICROCRYSTALLINECELLULOSELACTOSEMONOHYDRATECALCIUM
s 4AKEITWITHORWITHOUTFOOD PHOSPHATEDIBASICANHYDROUSHYPROMELLOSEPOLOXAMERCONTAINS
BUTYLATEDHYDROXYTOLUENEASANTIOXIDANT SODIUMSTEARYLFUMARATEMAGNESIUM
Do not change your dose or stop taking ISENTRESS or your other anti-HIV STEARATE)NADDITIONTHElLMCOATINGCONTAINSTHEFOLLOWINGINACTIVEINGREDIENTS
medicines without first talking with your doctor. POLYVINYLALCOHOLTITANIUMDIOXIDEPOLYETHYLENEGLYCOLTALCREDIRONOXIDE
and black iron oxide.
$ISTRIBUTEDBY
-%2#+#/)NC
7HITEHOUSE3TATION.*53!
1
2EGISTEREDTRADEMARKOF-%2#+#/)NC 2EVISED/CTOBER
#/092)'(4¥-%2#+#/)NC 
All rights reserved 530ATENT.OS53 308710 
)3.
#/.
 january 1, 2010 • dcagenda.com 5
districtagenda

directoryservices
DAVE LLOYD & ASSOCIATES
Top 1% Nationwide
NVAR Life Member Top Producer

703-593-3204
WWW.DAVELLOYD.NET
ENTHUSIASTICALLY
SERVING DC & VIRGINIA

DC Agenda photo by Michael Key

D.C. gay bar Halo is changing its name to MOVA, the first four letters of owner Babak Movahedi’s last name.
Becky Carroll, Ph.D.
Joel C. Ang, M.D.
Licensed Psychologist Family Medicine, HIV Diagnosis & Treatment

Halo bar to change Interactive Counseling,

Psychotherapy and
Somatic Experiencing
202-667-5041
Adult Primary Care

name, go green
www.LGBTC.com 1759 Q Street NW, Washington, DC
202.332.8477
Red Line Metro • Dupont Circle
B.Carroll@mac.com
free Wi-Fi • Limited Parking
3000 Connecticut Ave., NW www.qstreetmds.com
The D.C. gay bar Halo is changing its name to MOVA and will evolve over the next year into
an environmentally friendly “green” business with an expanded program to support both LGBT Same Day Appointments
and broader community causes and projects. Insurance Accepted
Gay attorney and businessman Babak Movahedi, owner of Logan Circle Spectrum, LLC, the
Sidney W. Binks III, Ph.D. Copies of records at each visit
company that owns Halo bars in D.C. and Miami Beach, said the name change and plans for the Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Instant HIV/Syphilis/Herpes Testing
business’s community-related projects would be formally announced during a Jan. 1 celebration CLIA Certified Laboratory
at the club in D.C. at 7 p.m. Halo is located at 1435 P St., N.W. Individual & Couples Therapy
“The event is the beginning of a year-long process for Logan Circle Spectrum to institute a for the LGBT Community
philosophical shift in corporate culture and set the foundation for national expansion of a new 18 years experience!! Sylvia R. Medley, M.D., M.P.H.
Internal Medicine, HIV, Women’s Health
entertainment concept,” Movahedi said in a statement announcing the changes.
Weight Management
“The LGBT community today has evolved and we want to create a place where people can have
fun while having the opportunity to make a more direct impact in our local communities,” he said. SidBinks@aol.com 202.255.5187 202-667-5041
www.LGBTC.com/staff/sidney_binks 3000 Conn. Ave.
In an interview with DC Agenda, Movahedi said some of his environmental or “green” plans
include using furnishings and products in his bars in D.C., Miami Beach and other locations yet
to open that are produced by manufacturers that use processes to minimize environmental harm.
He said the newly named MOVA bar in D.C. will soon institute other changes to support LGBT and D.C.- Psychiatrist / Psychoanalyst in Foggy Bottom, Individual & Couples Therapy
area community causes and projects. He noted that some will involve sponsorship nights for a particular Joseph M. Jeral, M.D., sees individu- Helping People
community organization in which the club will publicize the group and ask patrons to make a donation.
According to Movahedi, Halo in Miami, for example, offers a free drink to customers for every
als and couples for treatment of depres- Grow Stronger
$15 they donate to a community group during nights in which the group is highlighted at the club. sion, anxiety, relationship problems, etc. in Rough Times
“That’s just one idea,” he said. “We will launch different things for different cities depending on Call office at (202) 457-8899.
what the needs of that location are.” Michael Radkowsky, Psy.D.
He said his staff will get more involved, too, with efforts such as “having a cleaning the park Joseph M. Jeral, M.D. Licensed Psychologist u 15 years experience

day [in D.C.] or cleaning the beach day in Miami — things that give back to the community.” 2112 F Street, NW Near Woodley & Cleveland Park metro
Movahedi said he decided to change the name of his two bars after discovering that a bar in Washington, D.C. 20037 ( 202) 234-3278
www.personalgrowthzone.com
Minnesota owns the trademark for the Halo name and that other bars and clubs have been open-
ing recently in a number of cities using that name. He noted that the name and concept for other
bars he’s planning to open, including a soon-to-be-opened bar in Fort Lauderdale, would result in
confusion among customers if he retained the Halo name.
The new name, MOVA, was taken from the first four letters of Movahedi’s last name.
Want a subscription to Cognitive-Behavioral
“So for us, it’s a good time to include everything that we’re trying to do into a new brand and
dcagenda? Therapy
a new name and go forward with this in a new decade,” he said. Results-Oriented ▼ Affordable
LOU CHIBBARO JR.
Contact Larry Cohen, LICSW
20 years serving the glbt community
City argues against voter initiative in marriage case Robbie Barnett at 202-244-0903
D.C. Attorney General Peter Nickles argues in a court brief that the city’s congressionally socialanxietyhelp.com
approved Home Rule charter gives it full legal authority to prohibit a voter initiative calling for ban- rbarnett@dcagenda.com See website for NPR story on my work
ning same-sex marriage in the District.
Nickles filed the 46-page legal brief Dec. 18 in D.C. Superior Court for the city in opposition to a lawsuit
filed by same-sex marriage opponents, including Bishop Harry Jackson, pastor of a church in Beltsville, Md.
The lawsuit calls for overturning a ruling by the D.C. Board of Elections & Ethics that a voter
initiative seeking to ban same-sex marriage cannot be held because it would violate the city’s
Human Rights Act. The board held that the city’s election law governing initiatives and referenda
bars such ballot measures if they would take away rights from minorities, including gays.
“[I]n exalting the people’s supposedly fundamental right of initiative above all else (except
apparently the prohibition on popular appropriation of funds), petitioners disregard the basic
republican principles that have governed the nation since its founding,” Nickles says in the brief.
“While petitioners treat the right of initiative as fundamental, the Founding Fathers recognized
the threat that an unchecked majority posed to the liberty of disfavored minorities and thus cre-
ated a republican form of government, even requiring the newly created Congress to ‘guarantee’
that form of government to ‘every state in the Union,’” Nickles says.
In their opposition to a ballot initiative on the marriage issue, LGBT activists have made simi-
lar arguments — that the city’s republican form of government empowers a City Council elected
by the voters to pass laws, such as a same-sex marriage bill, and that laws providing civil rights
for minorities should not be subjected to a popular vote.
Nickles called on the court to dismiss the lawsuit on other grounds, including a claim that it would
be counter to the Supreme Court decision of Lawrence v. Texas, in which the high court overturned
state sodomy laws. According to Nickles, the Lawrence decision, among other things, held that “moral
objections are not a sufficient basis for infringing on the fundamental rights of homosexuals.”
LOU CHIBBARO JR.
6 dcagenda.com • january 1, 2010
localagenda: year in review
Top 10 local news stories of 2009
Marriage in D.C.
wasn’t the only big
development of the year
By LOU CHIBBARO JR.
lchibbaro@dcagenda.com
Among last year’s biggest sto-
ries locally were tales of great vic-
tories and heartbreaking losses.
ten
ZIEGFELD’S/SECRETS REOPENS:
Ziegfeld’s/Secrets, the popular gay
nightclub that offers drag entertain-
ment and nude male dancers,
reopened in March in a warehouse
building in the city’s Buzzard’s Point
section at 1824 Half St., S.W. It
became the first of two of the eight
LGBT clubs displaced by the
Washington Nationals baseball stadi-
um to reopen. The Glorious Health
Club, which bills itself as a men’s spa
and art gallery, reopened in the sum-
mer at 2120 West Virginia Ave., N.E.
Gay activists have complained that
city zoning laws and restrictions
against nude dance entertainment in
most parts of the city have made it
difficult for the other gay adult-orient-
ed clubs displaced by the stadium to
find a new location. Most of the clubs
had been located on the unit block of
O St., S.E., which operated as an
adult gay entertainment enclave for
more than 25 years.
nine
EVIDENCE CHALLENGED IN
ROBERT WONE CASE: Aug. 2
marked the third anniversary of the
murder of prominent Washington
attorney Robert Wone, who was
stabbed to death in the Dupont Circle
home of three gay friends. The friends
— attorney Joseph Price, public rela-
tions executive Victor Zaborsky and
massage therapist Dylan Ward —
have been charged with obstruction of
justice, conspiracy to obstruct justice
and evidence tampering in connection
with Wone’s murder. But authorities
The Lambda Rising bookstore will close this month after a 35-year run.
have yet to charge anyone with the
murder itself. The case continued to
capture the attention of local gays as
prosecutors and defense attorneys
sparred over evidence expected to be
presented at trial, which is scheduled
to begin May 10.
eight
CLEVELAND BEATS D.C. IN BID
TO HOST GAY GAMES: Leaders of
the Gay Games, the world’s largest
international LGBT sporting event,
voted in September to select
Cleveland over D.C. and Boston as
the host city for the 2014 Gay Games.
The quadrennial event draws 12,000
athletes and about 80,000 spectators
for more than a week of Olympic style
athletic competition, bringing millions
of dollars in revenue to the host city.
Stunned officials with Metropolitan
Washington Gaymes, Inc. and Team
D.C., the two groups that spent nearly
six years promoting D.C. as a candi-
date to host the 2014 games, were
present in Cologne, Germany, when
the Federation of Gay Games
announced its decision. A Gay
Games official told the Washington
Blade that Cleveland won because
Ohio and surrounding states are less
advanced in LGBT rights than D.C.
and Boston, and holding the Gay
Games there would provide a boost to
efforts in the region to promote LGBT
equality through the universal appeal
of sporting events.
seven
LGBT GROUPS LOSE D.C.
COUNCIL EARMARK GRANTS:
The City Council in July eliminated
$1 million in city grants for four LGBT
organizations, forcing the organiza-
tions to cut their budgets and, in
some cases, lay off staff members.
Council Chair Vincent Gray (D-At
Large) said the elimination of the
grants was part of a decision to end
all earmarked, or non-competitive,
grants for more than 100 non-profit
organizations in the city. The four
LGBT groups that lost the grants
included the D.C. Center, which was
DC Agenda photo by Aram Vartian
set to receive a $500,000 grant to
help it purchase a building; the
Center’s Crystal Meth Project, which
expected to receive a $150,000 ear-
marked grant; the Mautner Project
for lesbian health, which expected to
receive separate grants of $150,000
and $60,000; and Transgender
Health Empowerment, which was
slated to receive a grant of $150,000.
six
TRANS WOMAN’S STABBING
DEATH ALARMS ACTIVISTS: An
unidentified man fatally stabbed a
transgender woman as she and a
friend were walking to a transgender
services center near Second and Q
streets, N.W., on Aug. 26. D.C. police
investigated the murder as a possible
hate crime targeting Tyli’a ‘NaNa Boo’
Mack, 21, because she was trans-
gender. The incident prompted trans-
gender activists associated with the
D.C. group Transgender Health
Empowerment to organize a rally at
the site of Mack’s murder to raise the
visibility of what they called a growing
number of local hate crimes targeting
transgender people. Police said the
assailant stabbed another transgen-
der woman who was walking with
Mack at the time of the incident. The
second victim suffered non-life-
threatening wounds, police said.
five
PANIC DEFENSE DUPED
PROSECUTORS, ACTIVISTS SAY:
Police and prosecutors’ handling of
the September 2008 beating death of
gay bar patron Tony Randolph
Hunter became a rallying cry for
LGBT activists in July 2009, when a
grand jury lowered charges against
an 18-year-old man arrested in the
case from manslaughter to misde-
meanor assault. Activists accused
D.C. police and prosecutors of being
unduly influenced by defendant
Robert Hannah’s claim that he
punched Hunter several times in self-
defense after Hunter allegedly
grabbed Hannah’s crotch and butt in
a sexually suggestive way. Hunter fell
onto the street as a result of the
assault and sustained a fatal brain
injury when his head hit the pave-
ment. The activists called Hannah’s
crotch-grabbing claim an attempt to
use the so-called “gay panic
defense” as an alibi for anti-gay vio-
lence. A friend of Hunter’s, who was
present during the assault near a
Northwest D.C. gay bar, said Hunter
never touched Hannah and that the
assault was unprovoked. But prose-
cutors have said the friend gave con-
flicting accounts of what happened
and was an unreliable witness. To the
dismay of activists, a D.C. Superior
Court grand jury lowered charges
against Hannah from a single count
of felony manslaughter to a misde-
meanor assault, to which he pleaded
guilty. A judge sentenced him to the
maximum penalty of 180 days in jail,
a sentence that some activists called
a miscarriage of justice in an incident
that led to a gay man’s death.
A bill legalizing same-sex marriage that was sponsored by D.C. City Council mem-
ber David Catania passed 11-2; Mayor Adrian Fenty signed it last month.
four
PARSON LEAVES GLLU, POLICE
CHIEF FACES CRITICISM: Gay D.C.
Police Sgt. Brett Parson, who served as
commander of the department’s Gay &
Lesbian Liaison Unit, transferred to a
new position in October as a supervi-
sory patrol officer in the Sixth Police
District. Parson’s departure from the
GLLU came at a time when LGBT
activists charged that Police Chief
Cathy Lanier was dismantling the unit.
Lanier said she is enacting a plan to
decentralize and expand the GLLU and
other special police units by recruiting
more officers to become affiliated with
the units while continuing to work as
regular patrol officers in one of the
seven police districts. But LGBT organ-
izations, including Gays & Lesbians
Opposing Violence and the D.C. Trans
Coalition, have said Lanier effectively
dismantled the GLLU before launching
her decentralization plan.
three
LOCAL HIV/AIDS CASES RISE 22
PERCENT: A report released in March
by the city’s HIV/AIDS administration
showed the number of reported HIV or
AIDS cases in the city increased 22 per-
cent between 2006 and 2007. Similar to
previous reports on HIV prevalence in
the city, the report found that men who
have sex with men account for the
largest number of people living with the
disease: 36.9 percent. People who con-
tracted HIV/AIDS through heterosexual
contact comprised 28.1 percent of the
living HIV/AIDS cases, the report found.
The report found that about 3 percent of
the city’s population over age 12 had HIV
or AIDS as of Dec. 31, 2007, making the
District’s AIDS numbers the highest in
the nation based on the number of
cases per 100,000 people. HIV/AIDS
Administration Director Dr. Shannon
Hader said the figures placed the city
alongside African countries like Uganda
in terms of HIV/AIDS prevalence.
two
WASHINGTON BLADE, LAMBDA
RISING CLOSE: Just weeks after cel-
ebrating the paper’s 40th anniversary,
DC Agenda photo by Michael Key
the Washington Blade was shuttered
by parent company Window Media on
Nov. 16 following a Chapter 7 bank-
ruptcy filing. Former Blade employees
regrouped and founded the DC
Agenda, publishing the first issue four
days after the Blade’s closure. A
month later, the owners of Lambda
Rising bookstore announced in
December that the store would close
its doors for good in January, ending
more than 35 years of service as the
city’s preeminent LGBT bookstore.
The store’s co-owner and founder,
Deacon Maccubbin, 66, said he plans
to retire and that he and his domestic
partner of 32 years, Jim Bennett,
decided they’d rather close the store
than sell it to a new owner who might
change its focus and mission.
Maccubbin said he and Bennett were
also closing the Lambda Rising store
in Rehoboth Beach, Del.
one
D.C. COUNCIL, MAYOR APPROVE
SAME-SEX MARRIAGE: D.C. Mayor
Adrian Fenty on Dec. 18 signed a bill
allowing same-sex marriages to be
performed in the nation’s capital in an
action hailed by activists as an historic
milestone in the city’s LGBT rights
movement. The bill signing came
three days after the City Council voted
11-2 to give its final approval of the
legislation, the Religious Freedom &
Civil Marriage Equality Amendment
Act of 2009. Most political observers
believe the Democratic-controlled
Congress will allow the measure to
become law following a required con-
gressional review of 30 legislative
days, which is expected to be com-
pleted in March. Noting that Congress
has authority to overturn D.C. laws at
any time, not just during the 30 leg-
islative day review, same-sex mar-
riage opponents have vowed to con-
tinue urging Congress to kill the law.
They also have vowed to continue to
seek to overturn the law through a
D.C. voter initiative or referendum. The
opponents have challenged an elec-
tion board ruling that an initiative or
referendum cannot be held on the
marriage bill because it would violate
the D.C. Human Rights Act.
 january 1, 2010 • dcagenda.com 7

UNLEASH YOUR INNER

PET LOVER!
Adopt! Donate! Volunteer! Foster!

Adoption events every

weekend. Same day adoptions.
All pets spayed and neutered
prior to adoption.

Fridays, 7-9 p.m., Fair Lakes PetSmart

Saturdays, 12-3 p.m., Falls Church PetSmart
Saturdays, 1-4 p.m., Fair Lakes PetSmart
Sundays, 12-3 p.m., Reston PetSmart
lostdogrescue.org 703-295-DOGS (3647)
8 dcagenda.com • january 1, 2010
january 1, 2010 • dcagenda.com 9
10 dcagenda.com • january 1, 2010
nationalagenda: story of the year
After a stinging defeat in Maine, LGBT rights supporters closed the year with a victory in D.C., as the city legalized same-
sex marriage.
Marriage was the story
of the year in 2009
Celebrations in D.C.
followed heartbreaks
in Maine, New York
By CHRIS JOHNSON
cjohnson@dcagenda.com
Supporters of LGBT rights faced
many ups and downs in 2009, but no
issue proved as tumultuous or
gained as much attention as the
ongoing fight over marriage rights.
Alternating between legislative
defeats in Maine and New York and vic-
tories in four states and Washington,
D.C., the issue figured prominently into
the national discourse. The momentum
behind efforts to extend marriage
rights to same-sex couples last year
was unprecedented and often gave
gay rights activists reason to celebrate.
Evan Wolfson, executive director
of Freedom to Marry, called the
advancement of same-sex marriage
in 2009 a “capstone to a decade of
extraordinary progress.”
“At the end of the decade,” he
said, “[we have] five states plus the
District of Columbia having the free-
dom to marry, others shimmering
within reach and well more than a
third of Americans living in a place
where same-sex couples have at
least some measure of statewide
recognition and protection.”
M.V. Lee Badgett, a lesbian eco-
nomics professor at the University of
Massachusetts, Amherst, said the
advancement of same-sex marriage is
striking particularly in states that already
allowed relationship recognition.
“I think the main thing that we
learned is that states are ready to
legalize same-sex marriage and it
happened in several places that have
civil unions or domestic partnerships,”
she said. “Legislators realized, [at] the
request of their constituents, that
those statuses were not the same.”
Joining Massachusetts and
Connecticut this year in legalizing
same-sex marriage were four states
— Iowa, Vermont, Maine and New
Hampshire — as well as D.C. The
victory in Maine was short-lived,
though, as voters there overturned
the decision in November through a
“people’s veto” at the ballot box.
Social conservatives highlighted
the loss of same-sex marriage in
Maine — in addition to the failure of
the New York State Senate to pass
marriage legislation in December —
as evidence of resistance to granting
marriage rights to gay and lesbian
couples throughout the country.
Jenny Tyree, marriage analyst for
Focus on the Family Action, said the
repeal of the marriage law in Maine
“further clarified” that “the majority of
Americans support the ‘one-man,
one-woman’ definition of marriage.”
“There were judicial and legislative
decisions that redefined marriage in a
handful of states and in the District,”
she said. “That was disheartening, but
ultimately, we’re pleased that Maine
affirmed the decision of voters in 30
other states who say they did not want
marriage to be redefined.”
But Wolfson cautioned against read-
ing too much into Maine voters’ decision
to overturn the marriage law, arguing
that “we’ve been there before and when
we stuck with it, we went on to win.”
“Let’s remember that in 1998, the
Maine Legislature passed a non-dis-
crimination law, and that was over-
turned by the voters, too,” he said.
“And then we passed it again in the
legislature in 2000, and it was over-
turned again. And then we passed it a
third time in 2005, and only then were
we able to sustain it at the ballot.”
Wolfson said continuing the con-
versations about why marriage rights
are important for same-sex couples
will protect those rights in the future
when they’re challenged.
DC Agenda photo by Michael Key
“Maine also showed that we have to
push forward just a notch beyond where
we are and bring over another small
slice of people who have not yet seen
the visibility of gay families,” he said. “If
we had had those conversations, and
that greater bit of visibility with just
16,000 more people, we would have
held the freedom to marry in Maine.”
In addition to the advancement of
same-sex marriage rights, 2009 also
saw greater support for gay nuptials
among the electorate, according to
recent polls.
One noteworthy poll from April
published by Washington Post-ABC
News found, for the first time, a plural-
ity of Americans in favor of same-sex
marriage. Among those polled, 49 per-
cent said they favored marriage rights
for same-sex couples, while 46 per-
cent said they should be illegal.
Badgett said recent polling shows
that while same-sex marriage still
doesn’t enjoy support from a majority
of Americans, attitudes are changing.
“There’s not yet a majority, but there
is increasing support,” she said. “And I
think it’s quite possible that people that
will change their minds over time.”
But Tyree discounted the recent
polling data, and said the numbers
don’t reflect what happens when
same-sex marriage is brought to the
voters in individual states.
“It seems like when they really have
a chance to think about it, they decided
to continue to define it between one
man and one woman,” she said. “Yes,
the national polling has some merit, but
it doesn’t seem to have been any real
predictive factor at the state level.”
Polls also continue to show strong
support for same-sex marriage among
young people. The Washington Post-
ABC News poll, for example, found
that among responders under the
age of 35, two-thirds supported
same-sex marriage.
But despite that level of support,
Tyree said the position of young
A precarious walk
down the aisle
Developments in the battle for same-sex marriage rights took place in
numerous places throughout the country last year.
• The State Supreme Court in IOWA in April unanimously overturned a
statutory ban on same-sex marriage, granting marriage rights to same-sex
couples there. It was the first unanimous decision from a court in support of
same-sex marriage, and the first win for gay nuptials in America’s heartland.
• Shortly after, the VERMONT Legislature overturned a veto from Gov.
Jim Douglas (R) to pass a bill legalizing same-sex marriage. April’s vote
in the Vermont State House was 100-49 and had exactly the number of
affirmative votes needed to overturn the governor’s veto.
• In April, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty signed into law a bill allowing gay
nuptials performed elsewhere to be recognized in the District. The victo-
ry gave way to more jubilation in December when Fenty signed into law
a bill allowing same-sex marriages to be performed in D.C. The law is
subject to a 30-day congressional review, but opponents are expected to
find overturning the law difficult in a Democratic-controlled Congress.
Still, Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), ranking Republican of a House sub-
committee with jurisdiction over D.C., has sworn to fight to repeal the law.
• In CALIFORNIA, the State Supreme Court in May made a disheart-
ening decision for supporters of gay nuptials when it upheld the constitu-
tionality of Proposition 8, which bans same-sex marriage in the Golden
State. The court noted, however, that same-sex marriages performed in
California before the ban went into effect remain valid. Also in California,
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) signed into law in October legislation
clarifying that same-sex marriages performed elsewhere before Prop 8
passed would be considered valid marriages in the Golden State. For
same-sex couples that married elsewhere after Prop 8 was passed, the
law also grants the legal benefits of marriage without the nomenclature.
• MAINE Gov. John Baldacci (D) signed into law in May legalization
that provided marriage rights for same-sex couples there, making him the
first governor in the country to sign same-sex marriage legislation into
law. The victory was short-lived, however, as the Maine electorate in
November approved by 53 percent a “people’s veto” repealing the law.
• In NEW HAMPSHIRE, Gov. John Lynch (D) in June signed into law a bill
granting marriage rights for same-sex couples within the Granite State. The gov-
ernor would only sign the legislation after lawmakers added language clarifying
that religious organizations wouldn’t be forced to recognize the marriages.
• The NEW YORK Assembly twice this year passed legalization that
would have allowed same-sex marriage in the Empire State, making it the
largest in the country to have gay nuptials, but the State Senate rejected
the bill in December, 24-38.
• In NEW JERSEY, the legislature could this month vote on same-sex
marriage, but the results are uncertain. The Senate Judiciary Committee
in December reported out the bill, 7-6, but it’s questionable whether there
are sufficient votes to pass the legislation on the Senate floor.
• Movement to expand rights for married same-sex couples also took
place in CONGRESS. In September, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) introduced
the Respect for Marriage Act, which would repeal the Defense of Marriage
Act and allow the federal government to recognize same-sex marriages. But
key supporters on Capitol Hill have said other pro-LGBT bills would take pri-
ority, and Nadler recently said the DOMA repeal won’t happen next year.
• The advancement of same-sex marriage occurred abroad as far away as
SWEDEN and MEXICO. In April, the Swedish parliament legalized gay nup-
tials, making the country the fifth in Europe to pass a law allowing same-sex
marriage. And in December, Mexico City also made history when city law-
makers passed a bill legalizing same-sex marriage within the municipality.
CHRIS JOHNSON
people on same-sex marriage is same-sex marriage among young
“really still in play.” people shows the battle can be won,
“I think that the jury is still out on what but at the same time “doesn’t make
they will decide as they start families and the battle self-winning.”
become more aware of what’s at stake “We have to mobilize those
with the push for redefining marriage,” young people; we have to engage
she said. “Nothing is inevitable, and I them,” he said. “There is no mar-
think that that is true of how they cur- riage without engagement, and
rently feel about redefining marriage.” there is no way to secure social jus-
Wolfson said the support for tice without doing the work.”
 january 1, 2010 • dcagenda.com 11

Steve Weinberg ATTORNEY AT LAW

SERVING OUR COMMUNITY FOR OVER 28 YEARS
• PERSONAL INJURY • PROBATE/WILLS
• PARK ARRESTS • CIVIL LITIGATION
• CONSERVATORSHIPS/GUARDIANSHIPS

202-861-0077
2141 P Street, NW Suite 103 • Washington, DC 20037
E-mail: steveweinbergdc@aol.com
Licensed in DC, MD and VA

Protect your partner with the right documents.

Wills & Trusts

Powers of Attorney • Living Wills
Partnership Agreements
(301) 738-8220 • (703) 536-0220
www.PartnerPlanning.com
Serving the GLBT Community in DC/MD/VA since 1983

Lawrence S. Jacobs & Associates, P.C.

12 dcagenda.com • january 1, 2010
nationalagenda: year in review
Obama, Kennedy and a year of change
Washington was center
stage for much of 2009
By JOSHUA LYNSEN
jlynsen@dcagenda.com
From President Obama’s inau-
guration to the National Equality
March, the last 12 months brought
a variety of real and symbolic
change for LGBT Americans.
Marriage was the top story of the
year, but here are the 10 other
biggest stories of 2009.
ten
BARACK OBAMA BECOMES
44TH PRESIDENT: Telling a mas-
sive National Mall crowd that, “all are
equal, all are free,” Barack Obama
became the nation’s 44th president
Jan. 20. Gays from across the coun-
try joined the estimated 1.8 million
people on Capitol Hill who watched
Obama take the oath of office.
Seconds after Obama took the oath,
a detailed narrative describing
Obama’s support for gay rights legis-
lation was published to the White
House web site. The page noted
Obama’s support for a gay and trans-
gender inclusive hate crimes bill, an
employment non-discrimination bill
covering gays and transgender peo-
ple, and overturning “Don’t Ask,
Don’t Tell,” among other issues. The
section also mentioned Obama’s call
to repeal the anti-gay Defense of
Marriage Act and his support for new
legislation that would provide full
marriage-related rights and benefits
for same-sex couples joined in civil
unions or domestic partnerships.
nine
NATION MOURNS KENNEDY:
Sen. Edward Kennedy was remem-
bered as the LGBT community’s
“strongest advocate in the United
States Senate” when he died in
Rich Murry turns his back on Rick Warren, the Saddleback Church pastor who
opposes same-sex marriage, during President Barack Obama's Inauguration in
January. Many gays were upset that Obama chose Warren to give the inaugu-
ral invocation.
August at age 77. Human Rights
Campaign President Joe Solmonese
noted that Kennedy championed
LGBT issues in Congress before
doing so was politically acceptable
and offered a strong voice of support
in the 1980s when the HIV/AIDS epi-
demic began taking the lives of gay
men. Kennedy went on to become a
staunch supporter of same-sex mar-
riage and in 1996 was among 14
senators to vote on the Senate floor
against the Defense of Marriage
Act. He also spoke on the Senate
floor against the anti-gay Federal
Marriage Amendment in 2004.
“Make no mistake,” he said, “a vote
for the federal marriage constitution-
al amendment is a vote against civil
unions, domestic partnerships and
other efforts by states to treat gays
and lesbians fairly under the law.”
eight
GAY FEDERAL WORKERS GET
LIMITED BENEFITS: President
Obama took what activists described
as his “first step” on gay civil rights in
June when he signed a presidential
memorandum granting a limited
number of federal employee benefits
to the same-sex partners of federal
workers. Among the new benefits
were long-term care insurance and
the use of sick time to care for a
domestic partner and non-biological,
non-adopted child. Additionally, the
same-sex partners of U.S. Foreign
Service workers were granted
access to the use of medical facilities
at overseas posts, medical evacua-
tion privileges from such posts and
inclusion of same-sex families in
overseas housing allocations.
Notably absent from the list was
health insurance and retirement ben-
efits. White House officials said the
administration is prohibited from pro-
viding the perks to the same-sex
partners of federal workers without a
change in the civil service personnel
statute and the Defense of Marriage
Photo by Joe Tresh
seven
Act.
GAY MAN LEADS U.S. OFFICE
OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT:
John Berry became the Obama
administration’s highest-ranking open-
ly gay official in May when he was
sworn in as director of the U.S. Office
of Personnel Management. The cere-
mony notably occurred at OPM head-
quarters in Northwest Washington —
the same building where officials once
carried out a policy that allowed them
to deny employment to gays seeking
federal jobs. On hand for the event
was longtime gay civil rights activist
Frank Kameny, who was fired by the
federal government in 1957 because
of his sexual orientation. Berry lauded
Kameny, noting that Kameny’s work
made Berry’s appointment possible.
“For that, Frank, I personally thank you
for your leadership, your passion, and
your persistence and express our
nation’s appreciation for your courage
in teaching America to live up to our
promise and our potential,” Berry said.
six
OBAMA CHEERED AT PRIDE
EVENT: President Obama and his
wife won cheers and shouts of “I love
you!” from lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender activists during a White
House celebration in June commem-
orating Pride and marking the 40th
anniversary of the Stonewall
Rebellion. The gathering came as
many activists urged the president to
take greater action on LGBT issues,
including the repeal of the anti-gay
Defense of Marriage Act and “Don’t
Ask, Don’t Tell.” Obama told the
crowd that the nation “cannot — and
will not — put aside issues of basic
equality” and that he seeks “an
America in which no one feels the
pain of discrimination based on who
you are or who you love.”
five
LESBIAN ELECTED MAYOR OF
HOUSTON: Gay rights advocates her-
alded the victory of lesbian Annise
Parker in her bid to become Houston’s
next mayor as a triumph for LGBT
Americans. Parker, a Democrat and
city controller for Houston, won the
December election after taking 53 per-
cent of the vote. Her win marked the
seventh time she’d won a citywide
election in Houston and made the city
the most populous in the country to
elect an openly LGBT mayor. Paul
Scott, executive director for Equality
Texas, said Parker’s victory was signif-
icant on many levels. “I think in some
ways, we’ve seen the ceiling being
broken, not only within the Houston
area and Texas, but also nationally in
terms of an open lesbian being elect-
ed into the highest-level office in the
metropolitan area for the fourth largest
city in the country,” he said.
four
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT CRITI-
CIZED FOR DOMA DEFENSE: Gay
activists were outraged in June when the
Tens of thousands of LGBT rights supporters descended on Washington in
October for the National Equality March.
U.S. Justice Department defended the
anti-gay Defense of Marriage Act by cit-
ing child rearing and procreation as rea-
sons why a court should dismiss a legal
challenge of it. Some gay Democratic
activists who supported Obama in the
2008 presidential election said adminis-
tration insiders told them the president
was not directly consulted on the brief’s
wording, but he nonetheless drew signif-
icant criticism. When the Justice
Department acted again in August to
defend DOMA against a separate chal-
lenge, the language was toned down
and included a note that “this administra-
tion does not support DOMA as a mat-
ter of policy, believes that it is discrimina-
tory, and supports its repeal.”
three
WASHINGTON BLADE ENDS 40-
YEAR RUN: After chronicling the LGBT
community for 40 years, the Washington
Blade published its final issue Friday,
Nov. 13. Abruptly forced to close as its
parent company, Window Media, went
into Chapter 7 bankruptcy, the Blade
was widely acknowledged as the LGBT
community’s newspaper of record. It
covered a range of issues — from the
outbreak of the HIV/AIDS epidemic to
the advent of same-sex marriage —
with a depth unmatched by mainstream
media outlets. But coverage of local and
national LGBT issues did not end when
the Blade locked its doors. Strongly sup-
ported by Blade advertisers and read-
ers, the newspaper’s staff quickly found-
ed a new publication and distributed the
first issue Nov. 20. The DC Agenda, a
local, employee-owned business, is
now in its seventh week.
two
OBAMA SIGNS HATE CRIMES
BILL: Despite several efforts to derail
DC Agenda photo by Michael Key
the bill, President Obama signed the
Matthew Shepard & James Byrd Jr.
Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law
in October as part of the Fiscal Year
2010 Defense Authorization Act. The
act allows the Justice Department to
assist in the prosecution of hate
crimes based on actual or perceived
sexual orientation and gender iden-
tity, among other categories. “After
more than a decade of opposition
and delay, we passed inclusive hate
crimes legislation to help protect
our citizens form violence based on
what they look like, who they love,
how they pray or who they are,”
Obama said. Opponents had
argued the law was tantamount to
creating thought crimes and could
limit free speech rights.
one
NATIONAL EQUALITY MARCH
HITS WASHINGTON: Tens of thou-
sands of protesters descended on
the nation’s capital in October to urge
Congress and President Obama to
extend full legal equality to LGBT
people. Featuring a mix of veteran
speakers and young faces, the week-
end event included a march past the
White House that ended outside the
U.S. Capitol. Participants carried rain-
bow-colored flags and held signs call-
ing for immediate action to enact
equality. The bright, nearly cloudless
sky and unseasonably warm weather
welcomed crowds as several high-
profile speakers called the partici-
pants to action. “If you believe we are
equal, then it is time to act like it,” said
Cleve Jones, a longtime gay activist
and one of the chief organizers of the
march. “A free and equal people do
not tolerate prioritization of their
rights. They do not accept compro-
mises. They do not accept delays.”
 january 1, 2010 • dcagenda.com 13

C ARE . C OMFORT.
C ONVENIENCE .
I
n our dental practice, we treat every patient like
a VIP, using only the latest in dental techniques
and procedures. From the moment you walk into
our office to your departure, you’ll feel the difference
703 D St NW 1221 Mass Ave NW that a totally focused staff and doctor can make on
Washington, DC Washington, DC your dentist appointment. From a foot massage to
* coming soon* 202-628-7979 soothing music or DVDs, we make sure all our
patients leave with a movie star smile.
We excel in adult general dentistry, including
Invisalign© orthodontics and cosmetic proce-
dures. Located at West Farragut Metro, our office
is convenient to the Orange, Blue, and Red
Metro lines. Call us today and find out how you
can have the smile you’ve dreamed of having.
Or visit us online at www.doctorjohnhunter.com.

V
E
Now a Preferred Participating Provider for Most Insurance Plans
202-223-5666
818 18th Street, NW, Suite 240 Washington, DC • www.DoctorJohnHunter.com
TDD: 202-223-2413
8 • www.doctorjohnhunter.com
14 dcagenda.com • january 1, 2010
• EPZICOM, in combination with other antiretroviral agents, is indicated
for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in adults.
• EPZICOM is one of 3 medicines containing abacavir. Before starting EPZICOM, your
healthcare provider will review your medical history in order to avoid the use of
abacavir if you have experienced an allergic reaction to abacavir in the past.
• In one study, more patients had a severe hypersensitivity reaction in
the abacavir once-daily group than in the abacavir twice-daily group.
• EPZICOM should not be used as part of a triple-nucleoside regimen.
• EPZICOM does not cure HIV infection/AIDS or prevent passing HIV
to others.
By prescription only.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to
the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see additional important information about EPZICOM, including boxed
warnings, on the adjacent pages.
Save on your medication!
Ask your doctor about the Patient Savings Card
or visit www.mysupportcard.com to learn
how to save on your out-of-pocket expenses.
Subject to eligibility. Restrictions apply.
Important Safety Information ®
EPZICOM contains abacavir, which is also contained in ZIAGEN (abacavir sulfate) and
TRIZIVIR® (abacavir sulfate, lamivudine, and zidovudine). Patients taking abacavir may
have a serious allergic reaction (hypersensitivity reaction) that can cause death.
Your risk of this allergic reaction is much higher if you have a gene variation called
HLA-B*5701 than if you do not. Your healthcare provider can determine with a blood test
if you have this gene variation. If you get a symptom from 2 or more of the following
groups while taking EPZICOM, call your doctor right away to determine if you
should stop taking this medicine.
1. Fever
2. Rash
3. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal (stomach area) pain
4. Generally ill feeling, extreme tiredness, or achiness
5. Shortness of breath, cough, or sore throat
Carefully read the Warning Card that your pharmacist gives you and carry it with you at
all times.
If you stop EPZICOM because of an allergic reaction, NEVER take EPZICOM or any
other abacavir-containing medicine (ZIAGEN, TRIZIVIR) again. If you take EPZICOM
or any other abacavir-containing medicine again after you have had an allergic reaction,
WITHIN HOURS you may get life-threatening symptoms that may include very low
blood pressure or death.
If you stop EPZICOM for any other reason, even for a few days, and you are not
allergic to EPZICOM, talk with your healthcare provider before taking it again.
january 1, 2010 • dcagenda.com 15
EVEN WITH HIV,
“
I AM A “All my life, I’ve powered through any problem that came up. But when I was
diagnosed with HIV, it stopped me in my tracks. It took a while, but now I realize
I have to keep going. And the more I use my mind, my body, and my strength against
HIV, the more I learn how powerful I really am.
“My meds are a big help. When I asked my doctor about my options,
DRIVING
he told me about EPZICOM.
“Turns out that, in combination with other medications, it’s clinically
proven to help keep HIV from making copies and infecting healthy
cells. And, 68% of patients taking a regimen with EPZICOM had
their viral load become undetectable in less than one year. On top of
that, they had a 93% increase in their T-cell counts.*
FORCE.”
“Less than a year later, I’ve reached another milestone—my HIV
is undetectable.” †
Ask your doctor if EPZICOM is right for you.
Learn more at www.EpzicomNews.com
*HEAT study of 688 patients defines undetectable as a viral load less than 50 copies/mL. Baseline median T-cell count for patients receiving EPZICOM was 214 cells/mm3
and at 48 weeks, patients saw a median increase of 201 cells/mm3 in their T-cell count.
†
Not an actual patient testimonial. Based on collection of real patient experiences. Individual results may vary.
Taking EPZICOM again can cause a serious allergic or life-threatening reaction,
even if you never had an allergic reaction to it before. If your healthcare provider tells
also occur. The cause and long-term health effects of these conditions are not known
at this time.
you that you can take EPZICOM again, start taking it when you are around medical
Some HIV medicines, including those containing abacavir (ZIAGEN, EPZICOM, and
help or people who can call a healthcare provider if you need one. TRIZIVIR), may increase your risk of heart attack. If you have heart problems, smoke,
A buildup of lactic acid in the blood and an enlarged liver, including fatal cases, have or suffer from diseases that increase your risk of heart disease, such as high blood
been reported. pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes, tell your healthcare provider.
Do not take EPZICOM if your liver does not function normally. The most common side effects seen with the drugs in EPZICOM dosed once daily were
Some patients infected with both hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HIV have worsening of allergic reaction, trouble sleeping, depression, headache, tiredness, dizziness, nausea,
hepatitis after stopping lamivudine (a component of EPZICOM). Discuss any change in diarrhea, rash, fever, stomach pain, abnormal dreams, and anxiety. Most of the side
treatment with your healthcare provider. If you have both HBV and HIV and stop treatment effects do not cause people to stop taking EPZICOM.
with EPZICOM, you should be closely monitored by your healthcare provider for at least
several months.
Worsening of liver disease (sometimes resulting in death) has occurred in patients
infected with both HIV and hepatitis C virus who are taking anti-HIV medicines and are
also being treated for hepatitis C with interferon with or without ribavirin. If you are taking
EPZICOM as well as interferon with or without ribavirin and you experience side effects,
be sure to tell your healthcare provider.
When you start taking HIV medicines, your immune system may get stronger and could I’ve got the fight in me.
begin to fight infections that have been hidden in your body, such as pneumonia, herpes
virus, or tuberculosis. If you have new symptoms after starting your HIV medicines, be
sure to tell your healthcare provider.
Changes in body fat may occur in some patients taking antiretroviral therapy. These
changes may include an increased amount of fat in the upper back and neck (“buffalo
hump”), breast, and around the trunk. Loss of fat from the legs, arms, and face may
16 dcagenda.com • january 1, 2010
EPZICOM® (abacavir sulfate and lamivudine) Tablets
MEDICATION GUIDE
EPZICOM® (epv zih com) Tablets
Generic name: abacavir (uH-BACK-ah-veer) sulfate and lamivudine (la-MIV-yoo-deen)
Read the Medication Guide that comes with EPZICOM before you start taking it and each time you get a refill because
there may be new information. This information does not take the place of talking to your doctor about your medical
condition or your treatment. Be sure to carry your EPZICOM Warning Card with you at all times.
What is the most important information I should know about EPZICOM?
• Serious Allergic Reaction to Abacavir. EPZICOM contains abacavir (also contained in ZIAGEN® and TRIZIVIR®).
Patients taking EPZICOM may have a serious allergic reaction (hypersensitivity reaction) that can cause death.
Your risk of this allergic reaction is much higher if you have a gene variation called HLA-B*5701 than if
you do not. Your doctor can determine with a blood test if you have this gene variation. If you get a
symptom from 2 or more of the following groups while taking EPZICOM, call your doctor right away to
determine if you should stop taking this medicine.
Symptom(s)
Group 1 Fever
Group 2 Rash
Group 3 Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal (stomach area) pain
Group 4 Generally ill feeling, extreme tiredness, or achiness
Group 5 Shortness of breath, cough, sore throat
A list of these symptoms is on the Warning Card your pharmacist gives you. Carry this Warning Card with you.
If you stop EPZICOM because of an allergic reaction, NEVER take EPZICOM (abacavir sulfate and
lamivudine) or any other abacavir-containing medicine (ZIAGEN and TRIZIVIR) again. If you take
EPZICOM or any other abacavir-containing medicine again after you have had an allergic reaction, WITHIN
HOURS you may get life-threatening symptoms that may include very low blood pressure or death.
If you stop EPZICOM for any other reason, even for a few days, and you are not allergic to EPZICOM,
talk with your doctor before taking it again. Taking EPZICOM again can cause a serious allergic or
life-threatening reaction, even if you never had an allergic reaction to it before. If your doctor tells you
that you can take EPZICOM again, start taking it when you are around medical help or people who can
call a doctor if you need one.
• Lactic Acidosis. Some human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) medicines, including EPZICOM, can cause a rare
but serious condition called lactic acidosis with liver enlargement (hepatomegaly). Nausea and tiredness
that don’t get better may be symptoms of lactic acidosis. In some cases this condition can cause death. Women,
overweight people, and people who have taken HIV medicines like EPZICOM for a long time have a higher chance
of getting lactic acidosis and liver enlargement. Lactic acidosis is a medical emergency and must be treated in the
hospital.
• Worsening of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Patients with HBV infection, who take EPZICOM and then stop it,
may get “flare-ups” of their hepatitis. “Flare-up” is when the disease suddenly returns in a worse way than before.
If you have HBV infection, your doctor should closely monitor your liver function for several months after stopping
EPZICOM. You may need to take anti-HBV medicines.
• Use with interferon- and ribavirin-based regimens. Worsening of liver disease (sometimes resulting in death)
has occurred in patients infected with both HIV and hepatitis C virus who are taking anti-HIV medicines and are also
being treated for hepatitis C with interferon with or without ribavirin. If you are taking EPZICOM as well as interferon
with or without ribavirin and you experience side effects, be sure to tell your doctor.
EPZICOM can have other serious side effects. Be sure to read the section below entitled “What are the possible side
effects of EPZICOM?”
What is EPZICOM?
EPZICOM is a prescription medicine used to treat HIV infection. EPZICOM includes 2 medicines: abacavir (ZIAGEN) and
lamivudine or 3TC (EPIVIR®). See the end of this Medication Guide for a complete list of ingredients in EPZICOM. Both of
these medicines are called nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). When used together, they help
lower the amount of HIV in your blood. This helps to keep your immune system as healthy as possible so that it can help
fight infection.
Different combinations of medicines are used to treat HIV infection. You and your doctor should discuss which
combination of medicines is best for you.
• EPZICOM does not cure HIV infection or AIDS. We do not know if EPZICOM will help you live longer or have fewer
of the medical problems that people get with HIV or AIDS. It is very important that you see your doctor regularly
while you are taking EPZICOM.
• EPZICOM does not lower the risk of passing HIV to other people through sexual contact, sharing needles,
or being exposed to your blood. For your health and the health of others, it is important to always practice safe
sex by using a latex or polyurethane condom or other barrier method to lower the chance of sexual contact with
semen, vaginal secretions, or blood. Never use or share dirty needles.
Who should not take EPZICOM?
Do not take EPZICOM if you:
• have ever had a serious allergic reaction (a hypersensitivity reaction) to EPZICOM or any other medicine
that has abacavir as one of its ingredients (TRIZIVIR and ZIAGEN). See the end of this Medication Guide for
a complete list of ingredients in EPZICOM.
• have a liver that does not function properly.
• are less than 18 years of age.
Before starting EPZICOM tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you:
• have been tested and know whether or not you have a particular gene variation called HLA-B*5701.
• are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. We do not know if EPZICOM will harm your unborn child.
You and your doctor will need to decide if EPZICOM is right for you. If you use EPZICOM while you are pregnant, talk
to your doctor about how you can be on the Antiviral Pregnancy Registry for EPZICOM.
• are breastfeeding. Some of the ingredients in EPZICOM can be passed to your baby in your breast milk. It is not
known if they could harm your baby. Also, mothers with HIV should not breastfeed because HIV can be passed
to the baby in the breast milk.
• have liver problems including hepatitis B virus infection.
• have kidney problems.
• have heart problems, smoke, or suffer from diseases that increase your risk of heart disease such as high
blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes.
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines,
vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take any of the following medicines*:
• methadone
• HIVID® (zalcitabine, ddC)
• EPIVIR or EPIVIR-HBV® (lamivudine, 3TC), ZIAGEN (abacavir sulfate), COMBIVIR® (lamivudine and zidovudine),
or TRIZIVIR (abacavir sulfate, lamivudine, and zidovudine).
How should I take EPZICOM?
• Take EPZICOM by mouth exactly as your doctor prescribes it. The usual dose is 1 tablet once a day. Do not skip doses.
• You can take EPZICOM with or without food.
• If you miss a dose of EPZICOM, take the missed dose right away. Then, take the next dose at the usual time.
• Do not let your EPZICOM run out.
• Starting EPZICOM again can cause a serious allergic or life-threatening reaction, even if you never had an
allergic reaction to it before. If you run out of EPZICOM even for a few days, you must ask your doctor if you can
start EPZICOM again. If your doctor tells you that you can take EPZICOM again, start taking it when you are around
medical help or people who can call a doctor if you need one.
• If you stop your anti-HIV drugs, even for a short time, the amount of virus in your blood may increase and
the virus may become harder to treat.
• If you take too much EPZICOM, call your doctor or poison control center right away.
What should I avoid while taking EPZICOM?
• Do not take EPIVIR (lamivudine, 3TC), COMBIVIR (lamivudine and zidovudine), ZIAGEN (abacavir sulfate), or
TRIZIVIR (abacavir sulfate, lamivudine, and zidovudine) while taking EPZICOM. Some of these medicines are
already in EPZICOM.
• Do not take zalcitabine (HIVID, ddC) while taking EPZICOM.
Avoid doing things that can spread HIV infection, as EPZICOM does not stop you from passing the HIV infection to others.
• Do not share needles or other injection equipment.
• Do not share personal items that can have blood or body fluids on them, like toothbrushes and razor blades.
• Do not have any kind of sex without protection. Always practice safe sex by using a latex or polyurethane condom
or other barrier method to lower the chance of sexual contact with semen, vaginal secretions, or blood.
• Do not breastfeed. EPZICOM can be passed to babies in breast milk and could harm the baby. Also, mothers with
HIV should not breastfeed because HIV can be passed to the baby in the breast milk.
What are the possible side effects of EPZICOM?
EPZICOM can cause the following serious side effects:
• Serious allergic reaction that can cause death. (See “What is the most important information I should know
about EPZICOM?” at the beginning of this Medication Guide.)
• Lactic acidosis with liver enlargement (hepatomegaly) that can cause death. (See “What is the most important
information I should know about EPZICOM?” at the beginning of this Medication Guide.)
• Worsening of HBV infection. (See “What is the most important information I should know about EPZICOM?” at the
beginning of this Medication Guide.)
• Changes in immune system. When you start taking HIV medicines, your immune system may get stronger and
could begin to fight infections that have been hidden in your body, such as pneumonia, herpes virus, or tuberculosis.
If you have new symptoms after starting your HIV medicines, be sure to tell your doctor.
• Changes in body fat. These changes have happened in patients taking antiretroviral medicines like EPZICOM. The
changes may include an increased amount of fat in the upper back and neck (“buffalo hump”), breast, and around
the back, chest, and stomach area. Loss of fat from the legs, arms, and face may also happen. The cause and
long-term health effects of these conditions are not known.
Some HIV medicines including EPZICOM may increase your risk of heart attack. If you have heart problems, smoke, or
suffer from diseases that increase your risk of heart disease such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes,
tell your doctor.
The most common side effects with EPZICOM are trouble sleeping, depression, headache, tiredness, dizziness, nausea,
diarrhea, rash, fever, stomach pain, abnormal dreams, and anxiety. Most of these side effects did not cause people to stop
taking EPZICOM.
This list of side effects is not complete. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects
to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
How should I store EPZICOM?
• Store EPZICOM at room temperature between 59º to 86ºF (15º to 30ºC).
• Keep EPZICOM and all medicines out of the reach of children.
General information for safe and effective use of EPZICOM
Medicines are sometimes prescribed for conditions that are not mentioned in Medication Guides. Do not use EPZICOM
for a condition for which it was not prescribed. Do not give EPZICOM to other people, even if they have the same symptoms
that you have. It may harm them.
This Medication Guide summarizes the most important information about EPZICOM. If you would like more information,
talk with your doctor. You can ask your doctor or pharmacist for the information that is written for healthcare professionals
or call 1-888-825-5249.
What are the ingredients in EPZICOM?
Active ingredients: abacavir sulfate and lamivudine
Inactive ingredients: Each film-coated EPZICOM Tablet contains the inactive ingredients magnesium stearate,
microcrystalline cellulose, and sodium starch glycolate. The tablets are coated with a film (OPADRY® orange
YS-1-13065-A) that is made of FD&C Yellow No. 6, hypromellose, polyethylene glycol 400, polysorbate 80, and titanium
dioxide.
COMBIVIR, EPIVIR, EPZICOM, TRIZIVIR, and ZIAGEN are registered trademarks of GlaxoSmithKline.
*The brands listed are trademarks of their respective owners and are not trademarks of GlaxoSmithKline. The makers
of these brands are not affiliated with and do not endorse GlaxoSmithKline or its products.
This Medication Guide has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.
Lamivudine is manufactured under agreement from Shire Pharmaceuticals Group plc, Basingstoke, UK
©2009, GlaxoSmithKline. All rights reserved.
March 2009 EPZ:2MG
©2009 The GlaxoSmithKline Group of Companies
All rights reserved. Printed in USA. ECM463R0 October 2009

nationalagenda: a look ahead
Year ahead filled with promise, pitfalls
2010 could see
movement on ENDA,
‘Don’t Ask’ repeal
By HARLEY DENNETT
Special to DC Agenda
U.S. House Speaker Nancy
Pelosi’s recent comment that her
2010 agenda wouldn’t include contro-
versial votes unless the Senate acts
first has disappointed some LGBT
lobbyists on Capitol Hill.
There are several LGBT-related bills
pending at the federal level, including
repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the
enactment of employment non-discrim-
ination and extending benefits to the
same-sex partners of federal workers.
But the closest to a sure thing will
be Congress permitting D.C.’s recently
passed same-sex marriage law to
stand. Lobbyists on both sides of the
issue have said it’s unlikely that the
Democratic-controlled Congress would
move to derail the law.
Meanwhile, action could come on
the Domestic Partnership Benefits &
Obligations Act for federal workers
with same-sex partners, a priority for
Reps. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and
Barney Frank (D-Mass.).
The bill was reported out of a
Senate committee with support from
DC Agenda photo by Michael Key
Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) has a
busy year ahead as LGBT rights sup-
porters expect action on a range of bills.
ranking Republican Sen. Susan Collins
(R-Maine), which lobbyists saw as a
sign it would get the necessary support
to pass in the Senate if allowed a vote.
The bill has 26 Senate co-sponsors.
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Director John Berry is expected to pro-
vide offset savings in his department
early this year, a necessary precursor
to the bill’s Senate floor vote.
The Employment Non-Discrimination
Act, meanwhile, has been subject to sig-
nificant lobbying with high expectations in
2010. Frank previously told the
Washington Blade that he expected a
vote on the issue “no later than February.”
One gay Republican group said
those plans might have hit a snag,
however, after Pelosi told freshmen
members that House-initiated contro-
versial votes wouldn’t happen in 2010.
“This shows the Democratic leader-
ship has no interest in fulfilling the com-
mitments they made to the LGBT com-
munity,” said Charles Moran, a Log
Cabin Republicans spokesperson.
The Republican group’s highest
priority is repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t
Tell,” and Moran said members have
become increasingly frustrated with
President Obama over the issue.
Moran said Log Cabin’s supporters
in 2010 will lobby for the “Don’t Ask,
Don’t Tell” repeal to be included in
the 2011 defense authorization bill.
Separately, Moran said Log Cabin
members are hoping that a lawsuit chal-
lenging the constitutionality of “Don’t
Ask, Don’t Tell” will succeed. The case,
which argues that declaring sexual ori-
entation is a protected form of free
speech, will see its next hearing in April.
Another effort to overturn “Don’t Ask,
Don’t Tell,” the Military Readiness
Enhancement Act, currently has 186 co-
sponsors in the House and has been
referred to the Subcommittee on Military
Personnel. The bill would repeal the ban
on openly gay service members and
a cleaning service, inc.
january 1, 2010 • dcagenda.com 17
replace it with a non-discrimination policy.
Major federal bills making their
way through the legislative process
this year are poised to include some
LGBT-related provisions.
At DC Agenda deadline, a pending
health care reform package was expect-
ed to extend recognition of LGBT health
issues in several areas, such as
research categories. And efforts are
ongoing to make LGBT concerns a part
of immigration reform, despite the lack
of such language in the initial bill.
The Uniting American Families
Act, which would recognize same-sex
partners for immigration purposes,
has 118 co-sponsors in the House
and 23 co-sponsors in the Senate. It
has stalled in a House subcommittee
and Senate committee; it’s unclear
how prominently the bill will figure into
this year’s immigration debate.
Also unclear is how much closer
federal officials will come this year to
recognizing the rights of same-sex
couples. The Respect for Marriage
Act, an effort to repeal the Defense
of Marriage Act that was introduced
by Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), has
107 House co-sponsors. Nadler
recently told DC Agenda he doesn’t
expect the bill to pass this year.
Meanwhile, LGBT advocacy organ-
izations have started looking at the
November elections to advance their
priorities and politicians of choice.
a clean house
a clean mind
satisfaction guaranteed
services provided in DC, VA and MD
commercial and residential
licensed, bonded, insured
free estimates
703.892.8648
www.acleaningserviceinc.com
State and local elections of interest
include the governor’s races in
Maryland, California and New York.
Also, all 62 state Senate seats in New
York will be up for grabs, and last
year’s failed same-sex marriage vote
could figure into some of the races.
“Stonewall Democrats’ hope for
2010 is that the LGBT community now
understands acutely — after stinging
defeats like the one in the New York
Senate and in the governor’s mansions
in New Jersey and Virginia — that
electing pro-equality Democrats is an
essential part of fighting for equal
rights,” said Michael Mitchell, executive
director of Stonewall Democrats.
“We need more people in office
who refuse to engage in the politics of
fear and instead govern from a place
where equality means everyone, and
we hope that in 2010, more LGBT peo-
ple will join the fight to put them there.”
The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund
was upbeat about the role that LGBT
voices would play in the 2010 elec-
tions, noting that more than 100
openly LGBT candidates are slated
for endorsement and assistance.
“The bulk of our candidates will be
at the state level, but we’ve already
endorsed one candidate for Congress:
Steve Pougnet, who is running against
[Republican U.S. Rep.] Mary Bono
Mack,” said Denis Dison, a Victory
Fund vice president.
18 dcagenda.com • january 1, 2010

personalagenda
dcagenda
Looking ahead with optimism Vol. 1, Issue 7
PUBLISHER
LYNNE J. BROWN
lbrown@dcagenda.com

2010 holds much Tell,” which experts also hope will

promise as we turn the
page on another mixed
year for LGBT rights
By KEVIN NAFF
knaff@dcagenda.com
The inauguration of the nation’s
first black president. A national LGBT
march on Washington. A Stonewall
commemoration at the White House.
The federal hate crimes bill is signed
into law. Maine voters reject marriage
rights for gay couples. The Washington
Blade celebrates 40 years, then
weeks later, is shut down. Same-sex
marriage is legalized in D.C.
Covering just a few of those
momentous stories would make for a
memorable year in the LGBT press,
but 2009 brought all of those and
more. Now, as we look ahead to
2010, there are a handful of stories
and upcoming events that have me in
an optimistic mood.
First, we are on the verge of witness-
ing same-sex couples walk the aisle in
Washington, D.C. The city joins a hand-
ful of states — Massachusetts, Iowa,
New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut
— that wed same-sex couples. Mayor
Adrian Fenty signed the bill two weeks
ago and now it must survive the 30-day
congressional review period. Assuming
it does, D.C.’s gay and lesbian couples
could be marrying by March.
The successful fight for marriage
rights proved exhilarating and inspir-
ing to watch unfold and other states
contemplating such a move should
take lessons from the activists here.
Black and white residents joined in a
coalition with gays and straight allies
from all wards of the city; faith leaders
from multiple denominations were
The highlight of 2009 in D.C. came in December when Mayor Adrian Fenty signed
a bill legalizing same-sex marriage. The Council passed the measure 11-2.
engaged early; politicians spoke out
and stood up to our bigoted critics,
unbowed by their angry threats. The
mainstream media played a vocal,
aggressive role pushing for our
equality. And on a personal note, I
was proud of the Blade’s work, partic-
ularly Lou Chibbaro Jr.’s exposé of
Harry Jackson’s dubious claims of
D.C. residency as he worked over-
time to thwart marriage rights. No one
should be allowed to come into the
city, bully its residents and politicians
and dictate its policies.
Of course, nothing in D.C. politics is
ever really settled thanks to the Home
Rule charter that gives Congress ulti-
mate authority over the city’s budget
and affairs. Rest assured that if the
Republicans retake the House in
2010, local activists will have their
work cut out for them as conservatives
take aim at the marriage law during
the annual budgeting approval
process. We’ve seen it before, as
Congress meddled with the city’s nee-
dle exchange program and progres-
sive domestic partner registry.
Despite the inevitable fights
ahead to preserve marriage rights, it
will be a joy to witness the legal wed-
DC Agenda photo by Michael Key
ding ceremonies that will begin tak-
ing place this spring.
Meanwhile, in nearby Maryland, a
move to recognize those legal mar-
riages being conducted just across
the border should be resolved soon.
Maryland Attorney General Doug
Gansler, a vocal LGBT rights support-
er, has dragged his feet on issuing a
legal opinion, which was requested
eight months ago. Such opinions nor-
mally take eight to 12 weeks, but
Gansler spent the better part of 2009
dithering over whether state law
allows for legal recognition of same-
sex marriages. Legal experts have
insisted Maryland should recognize
the unions. Gansler can’t duck and
hide forever; 2010 should bring
answers and soon the state’s same-
sex couples could be marrying in D.C.
and driving home to have those mar-
riages recognized by the Free State.
On the national agenda for 2010,
there’s hope that Congress will final-
ly pass the Employment Non-
Discrimination Act and the Domestic
Partnership Benefits & Obligations
Act. Sources tell us to expect move-
ment on both in early 2010. Also on
deck: a repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t
come this year.
EDITORIAL
Editor
All of this action on LGBT-related KEVIN NAFF
knaff@dcagenda.com
legislation comes during an election
year, as the mid-terms arrive in
News & Multimedia Editor
JOSHUA LYNSEN
November. Will conservative Democrats
get cold feet on our issues with the
jlynsen@dcagenda.com
Features Editor
midterms looming? It’s a fair question, JOEY DiGUGLIELMO
but there is so much momentum now jdiguglielmo@dcagenda.com
that I’m confident in more legislative Sr. News Reporter
wins in the near term. LOU CHIBBARO JR.
Rep. Jerry Nadler recently told the lchibbaro@dcagenda.com
Agenda not to expect any movement News Reporter
on repeal of the Defense of Marriage CHRIS JOHNSON
cjohnson@dcagenda.com
Act this year. It’s a disappointment, Staff Photographer
especially since President Obama MICHAEL KEY
supports DOMA repeal, but there are mkey@dcagenda.com
enough other priorities to keep our
congressional allies busy in 2010. PRODUCTION
With more states marrying same-sex Creative Director
ROB BOEGER
couples or recognizing such mar- rboeger@dcagenda.com
riages, the federal government will
not be able to avoid the subject of WEB
DOMA for much longer. Online Creative and DCATV
Another key event to watch in 2010 Exec. Producer ARAM VARTIAN
is the lawsuit challenging California’s avartian@dcagenda.com
Proposition 8 filed by Ted Olson and SALES & ADMINISTRATION
David Boies, two nationally prominent Ad Operations Manager
lawyers with Supreme Court experi- JEANNI CENTOFANTI
ence who make for strange bedfel- jcentofanti@dcagenda.com
lows. The trial is scheduled to begin Sr. Acct. Executive
Jan. 11 and may be televised. BRIAN PITTS
bpitts@dcagenda.com
And closer to home, 2010 also Sr. Acct. Executive
holds much promise for the new DC ANDREW HARTSFIELD
Agenda. The now employee-owned ahartsfield@dcagenda.com
business is free from out-of-town cor- Acct. Executive
porate control, allowing us more free- JERYL PARADE
dom to innovate and reconnect with our jparade@dcagenda.com
local audience while expanding our Classifieds Manager
coverage that a large national reader- DANIELLE KING
ship has come to expect. Look for major dking@dcagenda.com
changes ahead as we re-launch our Acct. Executive
PHILLIP G. ROCKSTROH
web site with more breaking news and
prockstroh@dcagenda.com
analysis and introduce new print fea- Distribution Coordinator
tures, including local business and ROBBIE BARNETT
nightlife coverage. Happy New Year. rbarnett@dcagenda.com
Kevin Naff is editor of DC Agenda. Accounting services provided
Reach him at knaff@dcagenda.com. by Martin & Wall, P.C. C.P.A.
Distributed by MediaPoint, LLC

Ringing in the New Year with three resolutions EDITORIAL POSITIONS

These steps will help
preserve marriage rights,
which our opponents
are working to undo
By NICK McCOY
Last year proved to be a year in
which the LGBT community and its
allies would make further strides
toward ensuring the promise of our
nation’s credo that all are created
equal. Here in D.C., with Mayor
Adrian Fenty signing a marriage
equality bill that was passed with the
overwhelming support of the City
Council, we saw another step for-
ward in ensuring equal rights for all
D.C. residents. But we must remain
vigilant to ensure that our newly won
freedoms are preserved.
Opponents of marriage equality are
already working to take away our victo-
ry here in D.C. We are all aware of the
unfounded, untruthful and inflammato-
ry speeches of Harry Jackson and his
colleagues, who are already on Capitol
Hill spreading lies about our families
and asking Congress to take away
from us the same rights and responsi-
bilities enjoyed by our heterosexual
brothers and sisters in marriage.
Extremist groups such as the
National Organization for Marriage
have already begun to make automat-
ed calls to District residents — stirring
up hatred and fear about our fami-
lies. Having seen their anti-marriage
equality campaigns succeed in other
jurisdictions, they believe that they can
again be successful in the District of
Columbia. If we are to be victorious,
we must not become complacent.
We have been successful to date
in laying the groundwork for a diverse
campaign that has the capacity to
reach out to communities across the
District. The record turnout of citizens
testifying for two days in support of
marriage equality before the City
Council is just one of several demon-
strations of our strong support.
We must continue to establish an
open and ongoing dialogue with those
who remain uncomfortable with mar-
riage equality. We need to simply but
consistently speak the truth about mar-
riage equality — that having the govern-
ment extend equal rights to all does not
violate the deeply held convictions of
those who oppose marriage equality.
Unfortunately, the National
Organization for Marriage along with
Harry Jackson and other opponents
are saying the opposite about our
families. It is up to us to make sure
that opponents of marriage equality
are not the only or loudest voice that
is heard. Our community must con-
tinue sharing the fact that marriage
equality strengthens our laws, our
community and our families.
The District’s LGBT community
and its allies have rallied, celebrated
and witnessed justice for our citizens
on the issue of marriage equality.
Now the marriage equality move-
ment needs your help to ensure that
marriage equality will become law in
our nation’s capital. In ringing in the
New Year, I propose that we each
make a resolution to our community.
1. Have a conversation with 10
friends or family members about our
lives and our families and why mar-
riage equality, or whatever issue mat-
ters to you, is important to you and to
our community.
2. Thank the D.C. City Council for
its leadership and the thoughtful
manner in which it went about pass-
ing marriage equality legislation
3. Have conversations in your place
of worship about marriage equality. For
more information about clergy in the
District who support marriage equality,
visit clergyformarriage.com.
Last year brought us to the brink
of making history in the District. What
2010 will bring is largely in our own
hands. After ringing in the New Year,
we all need to get to work so that
there’s plenty more ringing (of wed-
ding bells) next year and beyond.
Nick McCoy is a field organizer
for HRC and a D.C.-based mar-
riage rights activist. Reach him at
nick.mccoy@hrc.org.
of DC Agenda are expressed in
editorials and in editors’ notes
as determined by the paper’s
editors. Other opinions are those of the
writers and do not necessarily represent
the opinion of DC Agenda or its staff.
© 2009, TWB Employee
Acquisition, LLC. All rights reserved.
From the staff
This is the seventh edition of the
new DC Agenda, brought to you
by the same staff responsible for
the Washington Blade, which was
abruptly shuttered by parent com-
pany Window Media last year.
Thank you for your patience as we
navigate this unexpected change.
We are all volunteers who continue
to be awed by the outpouring of local
community support for DC Agenda
and will respond to all offers of assis-
tance as soon as possible.
Please visit savetheblade.com to
make a financial contribution to the
new venture or DCAgenda.com for
updated news and information.
 january 1, 2010 • dcagenda.com 19

#1 Volume Ford Dealership

in the Washington Region.

11165 Fairfax Blvd. Fairfax, VA 22030 • www.tedbritt.com

New 2010 Wheego all electric vehicle

Qualifies for $7,500 federal tax credit over 500 new Fords, over 250 pre-owned, service
loaner for life. Friendly, professional service. Best prices.

ALL NEW 2010 TAURUS NEW 2010 FORD FUSION HYBRID

41 mpg
for the best price call me! Home of the Service Loaner for Life

Eric Suter
Ted Britt Ford Fairfax
Sales Consultant
Direct (703) 218-4650 • Cell (757) 636-1293
Fax (703) 218-4612 • esuter@tedbritt.com
TAX CREDITS STILL AVAILABLE ON FORD HYBRIDS
20 dcagenda.com • january 1, 2010
socialagenda
friday, jan. 1
Halo celebrates its new name and mis-
sion with a party tonight from 7-9 p.m.
featuring “THE REAL WORLD D.C.’S”
MIKE MANNING. The bar will now be
known as MOVA and will embrace green
practices while encouraging philanthropy
and community outreach. MOVA is locat-
ed at 1435 P St., N.W. Visit halodc.com
or call 202-797-9730 for info.
THE ADVENTURING OUTDOORS
GROUP, a local gay hiking group, will
meet at 11 a.m. at the Dupont Circle
Metro Station elevator (or at 11:45 at
Great Falls Tavern) for a hike to Falls
Overlook for lunch. The group will then
hike to Swain’s Lock, with the C&O Canal
on one side and the Potomac on the
other. It’s planned as an easy hike, about
five miles total. Bring beverages, lunch
and a few dollars for admission, trans-
portation and trip fees. E-mail craighow-
BEBE ZAHARA, winner of ‘Rupaul’s Drag Race,’ will perform at Town on Saturday
night at a special drag contest dubbed, ‘So You Think You’re a Drag Queen.’
el1@verizon.net or call 202-462-0535 for
more information or visit the group’s web-
site at adventuring.org.
A new Friday night drag show at
Ziegfeld’s has started with a new host-
ess. THE LADIES OF ILLUSION host-
ed by Kristina Kelly has performances
every Friday at 11 p.m. and 1 a.m.
BET MISHPACHAH, a gay synagogue
located at the D.C. JCC at 16th and Q
streets, N.W., holds Ereve Shabbat
services every Friday at 8:30 p.m. fol-
lowed by an Oneg Shabbat social.
Morning services are held on the second
and fourth Saturdays of each month at
10 a.m. followed by Kiddush luncheon.
Visit betmish.org for more information.
saturday, jan. 2  Mike Manning from MTV’S ‘REAL WORLD D.C.’ will host a party celebrating
DC METRO LGBT IT PROFESSIONALS
meets today at 10 a.m. at SteamCafe at
Photo courtesy of Logo
17th and R streets. RSVP at meetup.com
with the link newtech.meetup.com/51/.
SOCIALITE SATURDAYS, a monthly
ladies-only event, is tonight at 10:30
p.m. at Mezza Luna Lounge, located
at 1140 19th St., N.W. It benefits D.C.
Center, Washington’s gay community
center, and Women in the Life
Association, a black lesbian social jus-
tice organization. Visit thedccenter.org
for more information.
Town has a drag contest tonight called
“So You Think You’re a Drag Queen?”
featuring a performance by celebrity
guest judge, BEBE, winner of reality
show “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” Contestants
can enter the contest online at
towndc.com. Town is located at 2009 8th
St., N.W. Doors open at 10 p.m.
sunday, jan. 3 
DIGNITY WASHINGTON, a local gay
Catholic group, celebrates Mass for the
LGBT community every Sunday at 6
p.m. at St. Margaret’s, located at 1820
Connecticut Ave., N.W. Call 202-546-
2245 for more information or visit digni-
tywashington.org.
monday, jan. 4
D.C. CENTER is having volunteer night
tonight from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Center’s
new location at the corner of 14th and S
streets, N.W. Pizza and soda are provid-
ed. Volunteers will make safe-sex kits for
the HIV Working Group, do data entry for
D.C. for Marriage and other activities. Visit
thedccenter.org for more information.
Nellie’s Sports Bar, 900 U St., N.W.,
holds “POKERFACE,” a Texas hold ‘em
poker night every Monday at 8 p.m. It’s free
to play and prizes are awarded. Visit nel-
liessportsbar.com for more information.
tuesday, jan. 5  interview skills, resume writing and
POZ, a bar night for HIV-positive men
and men open to dating HIV-positive
men regardless of their own HIV sta-
tus, is held every Tuesday night from
7 p.m. to midnight at Motley Bar,
located above EFN Lounge at 1318
19th St., N.W. The event is organized
by HIV-positive party promoter Jacob
Pring. Visit the group’s Facebook
page at facebook.com/pozdc for more
information. Also at Motley Bar that
night, members of the HIV Working
Group will pack safe sex kits for a
“packing party.” These parties take
place every Tuesday at EFN Lounge
unless otherwise noted.
Photo by Rene Cervantes; courtesy of MTV
Halo’s name change to MOVA on Jan. 1.
HOLLABACK, a social club and sup-
port group for trans people, presented
by Alpha Drugs, is tonight at 1638 R
St., N.W., Suite 260. To RSVP, call Dee
Curry at 202-290-0324.
wednesday, jan. 6  discount on their tickets at $30. For
An HIV/AIDS SUPPORT GROUP, pre-
sented by Alpha Drugs, is tonight at
1638 R St., N.W., Suite 260. Dinner will
be served but reservations are
required. To RSVP, call 301-735-2805
or 301-674-8901.
LADIES FIRST NIGHT is tonight and
every Wednesday at Fab Lounge, located
at 1805 Connecticut Ave., N.W. For more
information, visit myspace.com/ladiesfirst.
D.C. CENTER has gay career develop-
ment today from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at the
Center’s new location at the intersec-
tion of 14th and S streets, N.W. Trained
and experienced volunteer counselors
will offer support with job searches,
individual career goal counseling. The
program, also offered at gay communi-
ty centers in other cities, has been
adapted for the D.C. region. Visit thed-
ccenter.org for more information.
thursday, jan. 7
IN THE LYFE, parties for lesbians and
gay men, are held each Thursday at the
Velvet Rope in Baltimore. Cover is $5
before 11 p.m. and $10 thereafter. Open
bar all night deals are available for $20.
This is an Onyx Entertainment event.
For more information, visit onyx-enter-
tainment.com or call 443-220-4671. The
Velvet Rope is located at 200 E.
Redwood St. in Baltimore.
The Capital Area Gay & Lesbian
Chamber of Commerce is attending a
production of “RENT” tonight at the
Keegan Theatre located at 1742
Church St., N.W. Members will get a
more information, visit caglcc.org.
friday, jan. 8
National City Christian Church has
organ recitals every Friday at 12:15
p.m. The series, dubbed “MAGICAL,
MYSTICAL, MUSICAL MACHINE,” is
led by Charles Miller, the church’s min-
ister of music, who’s gay. Several
organists in the series have also been
gay. NCC is located at 5 Thomas
Circle, N.W. For more information, visit
nationalcity.org or call 202-797-0103.
A Broadway touring version of
“HAIRSPRAY” plays Baltimore’s Lyric
Opera House tonight at 8 p.m. and
Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m. Tickets range
from $45 to $65. Visit lyricopera-
house.com for more information.
saturday, jan. 9 
D.C. LAMBDA SQUARES, a local gay
square dancing group, starts a new
Plus class (not the beginner class)
today at 10 a.m. at the Barkley
Condominiums in Arlington, Va. The
class will run until 4 p.m. with an hour
break for lunch. Cost is $75 in advance;
$80 at the door. The class meets on
Saturdays through Feb. 6. Visit dclamb-
dasquares.org for more information.
 january 1, 2010 • dcagenda.com 21

Come Home As
A New Era Begins at MCC-DC!

Welcome back or come visit for the first time

and find your new spiritual home at
DC’s original fully-inclusive church.
Join us in welcoming our new senior pastor,
Rev. Dwayne Johnson, as we enter
a new era of spiritual growth.

January 3, 2009 “First Sunday” Service

January 10, 2009 “Welcome Home” Service Want a
Every Sunday 9am: Traditional Worship Celebration
(ASL interpreted)
subscription to
11am: Contemporary Worship Explosion
(Children’s Sunday School on
dcagenda?
the First and Third Sundays of
each month) Contact
The Metropolitan Community Church of Washington
474 Ridge Street NW | Washington, DC 20001 | 202-638-7373
Robbie
churchoffice@mccdc.com | www.mccdc.com Barnett at
Metro: Mt. Vernon Square/Convention Center (Yellow and Green Lines) rbarnett@dcagenda.com
22 dcagenda.com • january 1, 2010
socialagenda: pop culture rewind
from gaga to ‘glee’
Remembering the
gayest moments in
2009 pop culture
By JOEY DiGUGLIELMO
These year-end lists always
break down into two categories:
acts or releases that are ostensi-
bly gay versus those that aren’t
but have strong LGBT appeal.
We’ve focused on the former but
have left plenty of room for the lat-
ter. I mean, for real, in a year
depressingly ripe with celebrity
deaths, was there a sadder day for
gay men than the April 25 death of
Bea Arthur? The “Maude”/”Golden
Girls” actress was straight but had
that queer je ne sais quoi that
can’t be fully explained.
So with no further ado and in
no particular order, here are five
gay pop culture moments to
remember from last year. And one
booby prize for good measure.
1. “GLEE” (Fox; on hiatus but will
return April 13). Under the creative
helm of gay writer/creator Ryan
Murphy, this addictive new series
oozes gay sensibility as it follows the
William McKinley High School’s “New
Directions!” show choir through the
ups and downs of teen life and per-
formance with, as Entertainment
Weekly put it, “happy jazz hands and
melismas.” The cultural impact is
impossible to argue — this year’s run
averaged 8 million fans per week and
more than 1.7 million “Glee” songs
(pop hits and show tune standards re-
imagined by the characters in show-
stopping episode high points) were
downloaded since May. And it’ll prob-
ably get even gayer. Look for a new
episode this spring that will find the
cast tackling Madonna hits. Honorable
mention: “Modern Family” (ABC)
2. ADAM LAMBERT performs at
the AMAs. Adam Lambert is everything
Clay Aiken, his “American Idol” super-
star second-place predecessor, isn’t.
While Aiken, who, yes, has a lovely
voice, plays it uber-safe with bland
ADAM LAMBERT set tongues wagging after his AMA performance, which featured simulated oral sex and a same-sex smooch.
Fox's 'GLEE' became a breakout hit in 2009, featuring a strong gay sensibility and
lots of fabulous musical numbers.
inspirational pablum aimed at the
demographic that keeps the makers of
mom jeans in business, Adam
Lambert, this year’s “Idol” runner-up, is
edgy and in your face. Though he wait-
ed until after his “Idol” fate was sealed
to come out (it took Aiken years),
Lambert is an unabashedly gay celebri-
ty whose openness, even in 2009, was
refreshing. Lambert drew criticism for
his Nov. 22 American Music Awards
performance in which he kissed his
male keyboardist and indulged in some
highly sexualized crotch/face action
with another supporting player. Love
him or hate him, Lambert has to be
applauded for exposing the blatant
homophobia evident in the fallout. Yeah,
Madonna’s 2003 VMA kiss with Britney
caused some commotion but it was
deemed “safe” by the media powers
that be because everybody knows both
Brit and Madge are straight. It was all
for show. Who knows what Lambert
and his bandmates do after the show
but the possibility that they might actu-
ally kiss other boys offstage suddenly
makes it offensive. There’s also the
reverse-sexist fact that the straight
world is less shocked by girl-on-girl
action than male/male. But that’s anoth-
Photo courtesy of foxtv.com
er column. For now, we’ll just applaud
Lambert’s sexy stage moves and
rejoice that finally, for the first time since
Freddie Mercury, we have a gay rock
star who can be equally convincing as
both rock god and gay man. Honorable
mention: Janet Jackson performing
“Scream” at the VMAs in September.
3. LADY GAGA. Though her hit
album “The Fame” dropped in 2008 (it
was re-released this year with bonus
cuts), this year felt like the year Gaga
came into her own as a mega-domi-
nating force both in the mainstream
pop culture zeitgeist and to a legion of
gay fans who embraced her with an
across-the-board enthusiasm that was
reminiscent of, well, every performer
Gaga’s ripped off from Madonna to
Gwen Stefani to Grace Jones. But as
derivative as she is, time, lest the
naysayers fear, will surely test her met-
tle (Madge, of course, was dismissed
as a squeaky-voiced Marilyn Monroe
clone early on). And Gaga deserves
the gay brownie points she’s earned
by acknowledging her bisexuality and
squeezing in appearances at the HRC
dinner and this fall’s National Equality
March. It’s nice to have a dance diva
who actually sleeps with her own sex
Photo courtesy of adamlambert.com
No one dominated 2009 pop culture like bi artist LADY GAGA, who took time out
of her busy schedule to speak at the National Equality March in October.
for a change. Honorable mention:
Rihanna “Rated R”
4. DEATH OF BEA ARTHUR.
Yeah, we knew she was getting up
there, but it didn’t seem possible she
was just a few years shy of 90.
Perhaps it was because Arthur didn’t
become a household name until mid-
dle age (she was already 50 when
“Maude” debuted in 1972). Or per-
haps it was because we kind of had it
in our heads that Estelle Getty, who
died last year, was older because
she’d been so convincing playing
Arthur’s mother on “The Golden Girls”
(Arthur, ironically, was a year older
than Getty). Whatever the reason, it
was still something of a shock when
the news came in April that Arthur had
succumbed to a cancer nobody knew
she had. Not Michael Jackson shock-
ing, of course, but a jolt nonetheless.
Suddenly in the space of barely a
year, half the “Golden Girls” cast is
dead. If there was a silver lining to the
cloud, it was seeing Arthur’s “Girls”
co-star Betty White, with whom she
had a sometimes icy relationship,
remember her so fondly. Honorable
mention: Death of Farrah Fawcett.
5. NEIL PATRICK HARRIS
becomes the go-to guy for award
shows. Yeah, we’ve loved Harris since
his “Doogie” days. And unlike, oh, say
the aforementioned Clay Aiken, Harris
was never a celebrity we just knew was
gay all along. When he came out in
2006, it was just one of those nice turn
of events that felt right. But what had us
cheering this year were his witty and
urbane appearances hosting two big-
time award shows. The double wham-
my of having him host both the Tonys in
June and the Emmys in September
Photo by Joe Tresh
brought nearly the same kind of pride
we felt when Ellen hosted the Oscars in
2007. Yes, there’s room for heightened
gay visibility but having one of our own
so front and center brings the same
kind of pleasure we feel watching
Barney Frank on the Sunday morning
talk shows. Out best and brightest,
regardless of their arenas, are no
longer held back solely because of their
sexual orientation. Honorable mention:
T.R. Knight leaves “Grey’s Anatomy”
after seeing his role drastically reduced.
And just to indulge our inner catti-
ness, one pop culture moment that
showed great promise but bombed:
Return of VH-1 “Divas” in September. It
sounded like a good idea. Who couldn’t
resist the idea of returning to a series
that brought us such unforgettable
moments as Aretha Franklin and Carol
King duetting on “Natural Woman”
(while heavyweights like Celine Dion
and Mariah Carey were reduced to
backup singers), RuPaul performing
“I’m Coming Out” on the Diana Ross
tribute edition in 2000 or Stevie Nicks
joining the Dixie Chicks on their cover of
“Landslide”? But for a show famous for
attracting big names like Whitney
Houston, Cher and Tina Turner, this
year’s return after a five-year hiatus felt
anti-climactic. Sure, former “Idol” con-
testants Jordin Sparks, Kelly Clarkson
and Jennifer Hudson are great singers
but when these newbies are joined by
teenybopper Miley Cyrus as the head-
liners, it’s a sad day in pop culture.
Perhaps guests Melissa Etheridge and
Sheryl Crow, who ended up stealing
the show, are too earthy to be Divas
headliners, but it would have made for a
far more interesting show.
 january 1, 2009 • dcagenda.com 23

audioagenda: year in review

the year in pop music

Michael’s death,
Rihanna’s woes and
divas that won’t rest
By S.E. Flemming Jr.
Special to DC Agenda
This year, pop had the makings of
a Broadway spectacle. Conflict,
death, love woes and randy delight
abounded, with the cast of charac-
ters bringing one of the more inter-
esting blends of music and melodra-
ma in recent years to a fever pitch.
And it was quite a ride.
The death of “King of Pop”
MICHAEL JACKSON eclipsed all
things in the realm of recorded music.
Jackson’s untimely death at 50 spurred
reflection on not only his musical lega-
cy but just how much, for better or
worse, the kingdom he ruled has
changed. While the likes of BEYONCE
and JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE are icons
for today’s listeners, performers these
days just don’t produce events that
burst forth with the vibrancy of an “Off
the Wall” or “Thriller.” And in an era of
24-hour cable news and gossip blogs,
the joy that once made pop music what
it was is no more. But Jackson’s magic
is indeed working: The lavish concert
film “This Is It” and its soundtrack
album both went to No. 1, while the late
MICHAEL JACKSON died at age 50 in June, sparking months of memorable tributes.
singer collected a whopping four tro-
phies at the 2009 American Music
Awards. No matter what you think of
him, he’s still the blueprint.
In a year replete with goodies for
the children to savor, Beyonce was
pegged by many to pick up Jackson’s
mantle. It’s not likely she’ll reach those
heights, but she could come close.
Though “I Am … Sasha Fierce” hit
shelves late last year, the album and
its half dozen hit singles are still going
strong, with “Single Ladies” and its
video remaining staples at radio,
YouTube and beyond. “Video Phone,”
her latest outing, pairs her with aspir-
Photo courtesy of michaeljackson.com
ing gay icon LADY GAGA, whose
blend of hooks and histrionics yielded
four chart-topping singles and made
her the year’s breakout star and a top
concert attraction. Pop princess
BRITNEY SPEARS capped an amaz-
ing comeback with the catchy single
“3,” a surprise No. 1 hit this past
October that proves she can still make
you move. And while not yet stars
Stateside, U.K. duo LA ROUX offered
up one of the best jams of the year
with the synth-happy “Bulletproof,” a
ditty that would make The Human
League and Depeche Mode proud.
WHITNEY HOUSTON proved the
leader among the cornerstone gay
divas, as her solid comeback effort “I
Look to You” topped the charts and
birthed hits in the title track and the
ultra-glam disco throwback “Million
Dollar Bill.” Critics were quick to point
out that her pipes aren’t what they
used to be, but writing her off may be
premature. If time can do for Nippy
what it did for Natalie Cole, we may
get glimmers of the “You Give Good
Love” gold in the future. For now, it’s
just good to have her back.
Elsewhere, MADONNA com-
memorated more than two decades
of divadom with “Celebration,” a
multi-format career retrospective.
The single and video of the same
name were frenzied and fresh, com-
plete with Madonna getting her
dance on like no other chick over 50.
Fellow icon JANET JACKSON, who
issued the outstanding compilation
“Number Ones,” set things ablaze hot
on the heels of her MTV VMA tribute
to her late brother with “Make Me,”
easily her best single in years and a
No. 1 smash on the Billboard dance
chart. As for MARIAH CAREY, her
“Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel”
proved a disappointment in compari-
son to “The Emancipation of Mimi”
and “E=MC2.” However, Carey’s got
another reason to sing: Her minimal-
ist portrayal of a social worker in
“Precious,” based on the novel
“Push” by Sapphire, has earned the
singer the strongest notices of her
low-key acting career.
Pop and controversy go together
like horse and carriage, and this year
was no exception. There was KANYE
WEST’S infamous interruption of
Taylor Swift’s MTV VMAs acceptance
speech, an outburst that’s proved a
boon to the country upstart’s career.
The comical part? West and Swift were
Billboard’s top male and female artists
for 2009. Then we had out power-pop
divo ADAM LAMBERT, who caused a
collective gasp with his oral-sex simu-
lating American Music Awards per-
formance. Still, no two stars proved
more polarizing than CHRIS BROWN
and RIHANNA, whose sordid tale of
domestic abuse still seems surreal.
They’ve both spent plenty of time in the
press opining about the lessons
they’ve learned but their art doesn’t
show it, as Brown’s “Graffiti” and
Rihanna’s “Rated R,” while competent,
are hardly career-defining achieve-
ments. A little time out of the spotlight
would do them both some good.
Without a doubt, 2009 kept us
dancing with feet planted in the past
and the future. Considering that the
start of a decade brings new icons,
trends and good-old fashioned
drama, this year just might have
been a prelude to the best show yet.
It will be tough to top, that’s for sure.

2 0 3 3 M S T R E E T, N W | 2 0 2 5 3 0 3 6 2 1
W W W. M S T R E E T B A R A N D G R I L L . C O M

Restaurant Week Arrives Early

Starting January
DISCOUNT GAY DVD 4th to 16th
& MAGAZINES Three Course Lunch $20.10
Includes Glass of House Wine
Three Course Dinner $35.10
SPECIAL
SAVE 25% Includes Bottle of House Wine Per Couple
OFFER! Select From Our Full Menu - Any Appetizer, Entrée
Use Promo Code BIG25 and Dessert
Featuring 50% Off Any Bottle of Wine From Our Wine List

WWW.PAUL4PORN.COM
Chefs Daily Weekday $9.50 Lunch Entrée Specials

Happy Hour Countdown - $5, $4, $3, $2, $1

Drinks and Food Mon-Fri - 4:00-7:00PM

Sunday Jazz Champagne Brunch

STRAIGHT COLLEGE MEN DIRK YATES Live Entertainment — Three Courses —
8TEENBOY / HELIX HIS/VCA GOLD Unlimited Champagne, Mimosas or Bloody Marys
$29.95 / Children $14.95 under 13
FRATBOY JAKE CRUISE STUD MALL Reservations Suggested
CATALINA TREASURE ISLAND Ranked “Top 10 Brunches” by OpenTable.com

GAY 4 PAY BAREBACK MILITARY

21
W “Available for Private Parties”
WWW.PAUL4PORN.COM
Book On Line www.MStreetBarAndGrill.com
or Thru www.OpenTable.com
24 dcagenda.com • january 1, 2010
literaryagenda
new book celebrates life of bette davis
‘Larger than Life’
captures many sides
of enigmatic star
By ROBBIE BARNETT
rbarnett@dcagenda.com
Academy Award winner. Camp
icon. Bitch. What hasn’t already been
said about Bette Davis? Countless
biographies – many long out of print –
explore the life of the star and all have
one thing in common: They tend to be
heavy on words and light on images.
In “Bette Davis: Larger than Life,” a
coffee table book by George Perry
and Richard Schickel, it’s not the text,
but the bountiful and stunning photo-
graphs that make this a must-own for
fans of the film legend. More than 250
glossy pages bursting with photos in
color and black and white — many
that have rarely been seen — show-
case the life and career of one of
Hollywood’s greatest stars.
After a predictable introduction
written by Richard Schickel, the pho-
tos are displayed in chronological
order, film by film with George Perry
writing the synopsis of each movie
and clever quotes by Davis sprinkled
throughout. From her 1934 breakout
role in “Of Human Bondage” portray-
ing a slovenly amoral waitress, to her
Oscar-winning turn four years later in
“Jezebel” as a beautiful southern
belle, her vast range is chronicled
and amazing to behold.
The added treat of including the
movie poster art is a nice touch. Any
fan of Davis’ will squeal with delight
in seeing a full-page movie poster for
“The Letter,” in which she is famous-
ly holding a smoking gun with a look
of subtle horror on her face, her eyes
doing all the talking.
Alongside glamorous studio por-
traits and film character images are
candid snapshots of Davis. Whether
catching her in a playful mood dur-
ing down time on a movie set, as a
volunteer serving food to GIs during
World War II, painting her nails at
home or reading over the script for
“Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte”
with co-star Olivia de Havilland,
these are especially insightful and a
welcome contrast to all those seri-
ous and dramatic shots Davis is
known for. Although Hollywood
images dominate, photos of her
personal life are included as well.
Several pages are dedicated to her
childhood, early adult life and her
family – Davis had three children
and four husbands.
For aficionados of the legendary
feud between Davis and movie star
contemporary Joan Crawford, a full
page is dedicated in a section on
“Whatever Happened to Baby Jane,”
the only movie the two starred in
together. The photos from this period
are quite a hoot with an aging Davis in
the character of the grotesque Baby
Jane Hudson and Crawford mugging
for the camera as Jane’s crippled
and tormented sister, Blanche.
Unintentional camp at its finest.
After taking the photographic ride
of her entire illustrious career, to reach
the end of the book and come upon
the photos of Davis during the last
years of her life is gasp inducing.
Perhaps the most poignant photo in
the entire bunch is on the very last
page – a simple shot from 1989 of an
unrecognizable Davis holding one of
her trademark cigarettes. She appears
as a shriveled shell of the dominating
presence she once was, a victim of ill-
ness and a life of hard living. Her face
is virtually expressionless, but at the
same it says so much.
Her look seems to say, “I did it the
hard way,” which is one of her signa-
ture quotes and is even engraved on
her tombstone. In the background,
and slightly out of focus, is an enor-
mous portrait of her younger self in
her career-defining role as Margo
Channing from 1950’s “All About
Eve.” The smoke from her extended
cigarette wafts in the air in front of A new coffee table book devoted to the career of BETTE DAVIS captures her life
the portrait as it trails off and evapo- from childhood to 1989.
rates out of sight.

dcagendaclassifieds
MASSAGE
PROFESSIONAL BEAR RUBS BY DAVID, Dupont.
(202) 257-9726 www.triadholistichosting.com
TOP QUALITY MASSAGE at an affordable
price. Stressed? Then you need my strong hands to
help you relax. Experience one of the best massages
for less. ONLY $55 per hour. Gift certificates available.
Ron - Adams Morgan 202-641-1078 Hagerstown
301-824-1078 or 202-641-1078.
INDULGE YOURSELF WITH RELAXING, deep tis-
sue massage. Feel the stress leave your body. CMT
with 15 years experience. Located in Logan/Dupont
Circle. . Visa, MC. David (202) 213-9646 Lic#MT410
www.DCMassageTherapist.com
THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE relieve your body
and mind 60 min $75, 90 min $110. visa, mc,
amex. Dupont Circle 202-309-6293
N.ARLINGTON MALE CMT - Relax in serene, in-
home studio. Clean & discreet. mymassageby-
gary.com - 301-704-1158. mymassagebygary.com
GREAT TOUCH! Full sensual body massage by
Latin Male. Swedish, deep tissue. Relieve stress!
Parking available. In/out. 703-401-9093.
ITALIAN JOCK Give full body massage.
Masculine, muscular, VGL masseur, offers, full-
body, Swedish, sports, deep tissue massage on a
table, including stretching. See my photos on .
Located downtown. Brian 312-961-7724.
www.massagem4m.com/jockguy
PAMPER YOURSELF with a 60 or 90 min. mas-
sage. With 11 years experience let me tailor a
session right for you. Ben 202.277.7097
www.benmassagedc.com
COUNSELING
ROSSLYN GAY MEN’S THERAPY GROUP. 12
Wks duration begins Mon, Jan 25 at 7:30pm.
Topics & themes from previous group included
making relationships work, extending friendship
networks, coping with family, coming out, reli-
gion, & building self-confidence. $50/group.
Contact Doug Nelson, LPC (703) 470-2938 for
enrollment information.
escorts
HI! I’M ERIC Nationally Certified, Irish-Italian, Ex-
US Navy, Swimmer, Gymnast offering exceptional
deep tissue / bodywork for IN SHAPE GENTLE-
MEN. Private Studio (Shower, Metro 2.5 blks, Prkg).
Call (202) 544-7905 or (202) 321-8439. In Calls only.
WHEN QUALITY COUNTS Male/TV/TS, (202)
628-0092, www.tops69.com
january 1, 2010 • dcagenda.com 25
LGBTQ Affirming Therapy at Dupont Metro.
Individuals, couples, families, adolescents. Over 15
years serving the community. Mike Giordano, LICSW.
202/460-6384, www.WhatIHearYouSaying.com
LEGAL SERVICES
FULL SERVICE LAW FIRM Representing the GLBT
community for over 25 years. Family adoptions, estate
planning, real estate, immigration, employment. (301)
891-2200. Silber, Perlman, Sigman & Tilev, P.A. &
Kirstin Gulling, Of Counsel. www.SP-Law.com
EMPLOYMENT LAW ATTORNEY - Wrongful
Discharge, Sexual Harrassment, Contract
Review, Whitleblowers. The Law Office of Carl
Roller (202) 531-2777, www.carlroller.com BEN 202.277.7097
www.benmassagedc.com
LIMOUSINES / DRIVERS
KASPERS LIVERY SERVICE Since 1987 Gay
Owned Luxury Sedan or Stretch Limousine 24
HR Reservations (202) 554-2471 or (800) 455-
2471. www.KasperLivery.com
PETS & SUPPLIES
ADOPT AN ADORABLE PUPPY OR DOG All-breed,
non-profit rescue. 100% volunteer run. Donations wel-
come & needed. www.aforeverhome.org
HOME
RENT /VA
FURNISHED APT, 1 BR, 1 BA, $995/month, Walk
To Huntington Metro All utilities included. 703-
485-5239, www.idkent.com/apartment
SHARE / VA
ALEX $700 + 1/3 UTILS Private furnished BR & BA
w/ Shower & Jacuzzi Tub in SFH, near So. Towers.
Near bus & 7 parks, quiet, treed neighborhood, 2
Westies, Wi-Fi, Sat. TV Call Steve 571-228-3033. Looking to advertise in
HOME IMPROVEMENT
JOHNNY HOLSTEIN PAINTING Proudly serving
dcagenda classifieds?
the community for 20 years Experts with color
Interior/Exterior Free Estimates 202-546-5790
Contact Phil Rockstroh
Holsteinj@aol.com at prockstroh@dcagenda.com
THAI-AMERICAN – NUDE BODY MASSAGE, 27
yrs., 5’8”, 150 lbs., friendly, handsome, smooth,
nice body. In (Alexandria VA)/out 10AM - 10PM
Call Robert (703) 655-2130
ALL-AMERICAN BOY
24y/o, 5’9, 138lbs, 29w.
Very cute & clean-cut, w/a smooth lean build.
Affectionate & versatile, loves older guys. BEAR HUNTING Strong sensual paws for your
202-365-9065 willing body. Tom (202) 289-7367.
HotDCkid@gmail.com
MASSAGE SILVER SPRING Spanish/Irish, 160
ENASARIS 5 11” 155lbs 30yo 9X6 Versatile Top lbs, 5’10” great shape, beach tan, strong sooth-
202.271.0440 ing hands. Full-body erotic experience, mascu-
line energy. Stress release. Comfortable studio,
MICHELANGELO BODY private home. $70/hr. Days/evenings, metro.
+ Ivy League Brain BRUNO (301) 580-2716.
at your service 24/7 Hairy handsome masculine endowed bodybuilder
Escort/Model for Men & Couples call (202) 714-3030
Blond/Blue 6’2”, 195#, 46ch 34w,
toned tanned smooth ADULT
(571) 255-0584 BODYWORKS
DIAPERS
BLONDE GI 6’0”, 165LBS Good looking, ath-
SENSUOUS BOD 2 BOD Friendly, creative, erot-
letic, well-endowed. Sensual Massage & More.
For teenagers and adults
ic massage…Your willing body, for a toe curling
experience! Chad (202) 329-7097 Eli (703) 599-2668. www.thediapersuperstore.com
26 dcagenda.com • january 1, 2010

Buying? Selling?
We know what we're doing!
NORTH ARLINGTON $605,000
1818 GEORGE MASON DR N, ARLINGTON, VA 22205
THIS IS A GEM!!!
LD in 6 DAYS Gorgeous All Brick
S O 3-Level Spacious
End-Unit Townhouse
atUnbeatable Price.2
Fireplaces; New
Kitchen-Silestone,
Appliances, Cabinets.
GREAT LOCATION, 1-mi to Ballston Metro.

Gale Storm Team

571.236.9329
info@gayrealtors.us.com

Want a
subscription to
dcagenda?
Call us to buy or
sell your home Contact
2008 Ranked #1 Agents in
Weichert McLean
Old Dominion Office in Combined
Robbie
Revenue Units for VA, DC & MD
Barnett at
rbarnett@dcagenda.com
Licensed in DC, MD & VA

ROOFING CONTRACTOR
REPAIRS • NEW ROOFS • GUTTER CLEANING
Sheet Metal Certified Applications
CT
CONTRA Roofing of General Tire &
ER Slate Tile Firestone Products
UND Gutters EPDM
Skylights Tin
Cedar Shake Copper
Shingles Built In Gutter
Chimney Restoration Roof Inspections

P.J. McTavish & Co., Inc.

Licensed • Bonded • Insured
301-476-8551
EMERGENCY REPAIRS – 24 HOUR SERVICE
Serving the community for over 20 years!
BBB · Washington Checkbook · Angie’s List
NRCA · NSA · Energy Star Rated System
 january 1, 2010 • dcagenda.com 27

Welcome 2010!
Owned and Operated by NRT
Incorporated
Happy New Year from
Coldwell Banker Dupont 202-387-6180
DUPONT OPEN HOUSE NORTH BETHESDA DUPONT
1318 22nd Street, 1-3 PM SUNDAY Offered @ $239,900 1607 S St NW
NW #402 Logan Circle Light-filled one bed- $1,595,000
2BR/1BA Condo 910 M Street, NW #602 room on a second floor, Grand Victorian
$450,000 $399,000 1 Bed/1Ba large closet, balcony Townhome with
EXCEPTIONAL You'll love living at the overlooking trees. modern ameni-
VALUE! Spacious sophisticated "Whitman" Newly painted, new car- ties. This beauti-
4th Floor, sunny, with its rooftop pool, pet, new refrigerator ful home fea-
city views, chic and 24/7 lobby attendant, and a range. Walk to tures 4 bed-
contemporary w/ Metro, Strathmore Hall, rooms, 2 bath-
fitness center & party rooms in the
hardwood floors, room. Unit is cheerful and bright. Oak floors, easy access to 270, 495, Rock Creek Park, Grosvenor
Metro ,White Flint, shopping & rest., DC, Bethesda, at master unit as
large east-facing windows, wood-burning fireplace, washer/dryer. Kit features cherry cabs, stainless well as a 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom in the separate
galley kitchen, generous closet space, PARKING & appliances, granite counters. Luxury bath with end of cul-de-sac. C/C Fee: $327.00 Winning
Bethesda community. Walk to metro suite below. Includes 2 car parking
extra storage. Walk to the office, soaking tub. Pet-friendly bldg. 1 space in the heart of Dupont Circle.
restaurants & shops. or Marc. www.parksidecondo.org
car garage parking! SPECIALIZING in HELPING BUYERS.
J JAMES BRAEU MICHAEL MARRIOTT SVETLANA P. CASEY DWIGHT MORTENSEN 202-361-4400
202-215-2240 801-201-7373 CELL (301) 509-9973 CELL DAVID BEDIZ 202-352-8456
WWW.JAMESBRAEU.COM THE MARRIOTT GROUP WWW.CBMOVE.COM/SVETLANA.CASEY WWW.DWIGHTANDDAVID.COM

NEW LISTING
WOODLEY PARK
$185,000
2854 CONNECTICUT AV
NEW YEAR, NEW PRICING! HUGE REDUCTIONS! Capitol Hill
1139 3rd Street NE
NW #11
Heart of Woodley Park,
2 blocks to Metro and
1830 18TH STREET, NW 2br 1 bath
Located only a block from
red line metro and new
Zoo, close to restau-
rants and shopping.
Luxury Residences – 2 BRs with Den or Loft & 2 or 3 full baths coming Harris Teeter, this
well maintained Federal
Sunny efficiency with
Pergo floors, stainless Now priced from $729,000 to $764,000! offers off street parking,
new carpet, and updated
appliances, high ceilings and huge bathroom. Well kitchen and bath. This
maintained building with lots of historic charm.
Qualified buyers may receive 20% no-interest loan
OPEN SUNDAY 2 - 4 perfect starter home is
move-in ready, and still
from DC HPAP! Fee includes proper- has room
ty taxes at $233 starting 2010 for added value with further
redesign. Offered @ $364,900

DWIGHT MORTENSEN 202-361-4400 JT POWELL

DAVID BEDIZ 202-352-8456 202-465-2357 DIRECT
WWW.DWIGHTANDDAVID.COM WWW.JTPOWELL.COM

16TH PETWORTH
STREET 418
HEIGHTS Jefferson
1416 Street NW:
Montague $143,000
Street NW: G r e a t
$465,000 Po t e n t i a l ! ! !
Corporate Priced well
Owned: Huge below mar-
4 level 5 bed- The stunning Townhomes of 1830 18th Street represent modern design inspired by tra- ket! 3br 1.5
r o o m dition. They feature multi-level, innovative floor plans with inviting private outdoor space. bath town
Bungalow in Each provides the ambiance of a town house with the convenience of a condo. Parking home with
need of full large year
available. Perfect Dupont location!
yard and full basement.
renovation. Fantastic Location!! Presented by Bo Billups 202-431-4052
JT POWELL & Chris Mundy 703-371-0385 JT POWELL
202-465-2357 DIRECT Visit www.1830-18thSt.com 202-465-2357 DIRECT
WWW.JTPOWELL.COM
WWW.JTPOWELL.COM

SHAW U STREET KALORAMA

1415 5th Street CORRIDOR 2029 Connecticut Ave #4-6
NW #101 1424 FLORIDA Offered @ $879,000
$201,000 AVENUE NW Nos. four & six combined into
2br 2bath terrace $529,900 one elegant apartment
level condo in A m a z i n g home. 2029, a "Best
newer building. Potential! Very liv- Addresses" building, was fin-
Granite and stain- able but needs ished in 1917 in the height of
less kitchen, mar- work. Original the Gilded Age and is one of
ble baths, and Period Floor Plan! Many period details largely intact, the finest Beaux-Arts apart-
floor to ceiling wood flrs, high ceilings, marble fpl., mantels & original ment homes in Washington.
windows. molding, Double Lr. Potential Eng.basement Stylishly renovated - very
unit.Steps from Metro, U St Corridor. Beautiful Floor much in the sprit of the original. Walk in and the first
plan for the Purist At Heart! Owner features noticed are the stunning
reserves the right to accept or reject details and soaring ceiling height.
any offers. Sold "AS IS. Must see to take it all in.

JT POWELL COLDWELL BANKER DUPONT COLDWELL BANKER DUPONT

202-465-2357 DIRECT 202-387-6180 202-387-6180
WWW.JTPOWELL.COM

“I take Pride in my Team of Real Estate Professionals. As a group and as individuals they are committed to our clients and community. We have a tremendous track record with
more buyers choosing the CBRB Dupont office than any other office in DC! We are pleased with our record. You will be pleased with our service. We are the local experts –
backed by Global resources. Please take a moment and stop by to introduce yourself. We are your neighbor.”

Kevin McDuffie, GRI, Managing Broker

kmcduffie@cbmove.com • 202.439.2435 (c) • 1606 17th Street NW cbmove com