Why the Jason Collins Signing is Big News

By the time you read this, NBA player Jason Collins will have nearly completed his 10-day contract he signed with the Brooklyn Nets on February 23.  But his impact on organized sports, society as a whole and perhaps most importantly, on gay kids in the U.S. will live on, even if Collins’ contract is not renewed.

Jason Collins becomes first openly gay pro male in big 4 sports

When Collins stepped onto the Staples Center court in Los Angeles that evening, he became the first ever openly gay pro male athlete in North America’s big four sports leagues, which include the NFL, MLB, NHL and the NBA to play in a game. 

“Today Jason Collins tore open the last remaining closet in America,” Brian Ellner, a founding member of Athlete Ally, a nonprofit organization that raises awareness about homophobia in sports. “This is a piece of history, an important point on the continuum toward justice and a moment to celebrate.”

Others disagree.  For some reason, they don’t recognize the significance of this landmark that frequently draws analogies to Jackie Robinson’s breaking the color barrier in 1947 with another Brooklyn team. 

When I posted a complaint on Facebook that the local TV sports reports failed to mention this breakthrough that night, I received this perplexing response: “Why is someone’s sexuality an issue anymore?”  That individual, who is a straight, supportive friend of mine, was probably thinking of what SHOULD be rather that what reality is.

Another opined that the signing was merely a “publicity stunt” in an effort for the NBA to beat the NFL for bragging rights of being the first league to have an openly gay player.  In addition, TV time was too “precious” to include the story especially since Baltimore doesn’t have a NBA team.

These are bogus arguments.  The Nets stated unequivocally they needed a defensive back-up center and Collins was available.  The sports report on WBAL-TV included the Olympics (of course), a NASCAR race, a golf tournament and a Calvert Hall-Loyola high school basketball game footage.  All well and good, but to sidestep this historic event is dubious at best.  It should be noted that WJZ also failed to mention it.

I hope the reason for not reporting the story was based on “it’s no big deal” even if that decision means blindness towards history rather than a conscious effort to exclude it because of any discomfort about the subject in the station’s sports department.  We’ll never know and I will give them the benefit of the doubt.

Yet, I won’t forget how one of the Baltimore Sun’s beat writers for the Ravens tweeted (and quickly deleted) a response to a story on LGBT advocate Brendon Ayanbadejo’s work:  “Hopefully, we have seen the end of the Brendon Ayanbedejo [sic] stories and his crusade.  Enough already.  Actually, way too much.” 

With gains for LGBT Americans happening almost routinely, one can see how folks could be suffering “gay fatigue” or shrug off an openly gay player entering the macho-centric culture of organized sports.  But that would be misguided. 

Yes, there have been some victories on the marriage front, but we’re on a treadmill on other matters.  Pressure had to be applied to Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (the one who once disrespectfully poked her finger at President Obama) to veto an atrocious bill that would have codified discrimination against gays and lesbians based on nebulous religious reasons.  As obnoxious as that is a D.C. lobbyist who is seeking Congressional legislation to ban gay players from the NFL.

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives continues to hold up a Senate-approved bill to end discrimination against LGBT folks in employment. Bullying against gay youth in schools and in cyberspace persists.  Globally, we’re witnessing the horrific laws enacted in Russia and Uganda.  And gays in several Middle Eastern countries face death sentences if caught.

I point these out to counter the erroneous thinking that gays are doing so well that playing a professional sport as an openly gay man is no big deal.  Barriers still remain, and for a player to overcome them, it would require courage, an even-keeled temperament, thick skin and likability.  Both Michael Sam, the heralded Mizzou pass rusher who came out prior to the upcoming NFL draft, and Jason Collins clearly possess these attributes.  And it doesn’t hurt that these two men are blessed with camera-loving good looks.

There will be more opportunities in the other sports for gay athletes to come out.  The suspected “media frenzy” following Collins’ first game did not materialize.  Sure, Michael Sam drew substantial media attention recently at the NFL Combine.  But a frenzy?  Not so much.  And as more enter the scene, less attention will follow; the novelty will have worn off.

Players throughout the Big Four leagues have publicly expressed support for a gay teammate—not all, but enough—to quell any feared backlash.  The locker room issue is a red herring; gay players are not going to do something stupid especially when their actions will be under a microscope.  Such unfounded fears surfaced during the process in repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.  Again, no barracks or showers-related incidents have surfaced, to my knowledge.

While the circumstances were far different nearly 70 years ago, Jackie Robinson had to endure vitriol and death threats to succeed, which opened the door to other African-American kids to realize their dreams.   Collins and Sam will be role models for gay kids.  They won’t feel alienated and will have the knowledge that the hard part had been accomplished by these two trailblazing athletes.   

That may be reason enough that this is indeed a big story.

UPDATE: Collins to be offered a second 10-day contract, which would sign him through the season.

A Rainbow Appears Over Harford

No one will ever describe conservative Harford County as the hub of LGBT life in Maryland.  Voters have sent homophobic legislators, such as Sen. Nancy Jacobs and Del. Richard Impallaria to Annapolis to represent them.  The county’s public school system had once tried to block LGBT-themed websites from the school’s computers.  The voters in the county opposed the marriage equality referendum in 2012 by a 56 to 44 percent margin.

Photo: Randy Billings

 

Despite this history, LGBT folks in Harford County are seeing progress, albeit slowly, as some have been taking matters into their own hands.  There is a welcoming church, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Harford County led by the Rev. Lisa Ward.  A PFLAG chapter has existed as well the Rainbow Youth Alliance support group.  And openly gay Havre de Grace Councilman Joseph C. Smith will be seeking election to the Harford County Council this year.

While the political winds have been swirling, if not completely shifting in Harford, and not many gay happenings going on, a group of LGBT county residents had formed a social group six years ago this month.  “Four friends (two couples) decided that we were tired of having to drive to Baltimore to do anything ‘gay,’” says Calvin Wheatley, an Edgewood resident and one of the group’s founders.  “We wanted some local fun and decided to form what we called ‘Harford Rainbow Society.’ Members have since dubbed it HRS and we more or less use that name more frequently that the full name.”

Assuming this project would take off on its own, the guys designed a logo and flyers even though there were no other members.  They didn’t know how to go about reaching out to the LGBT community.

“We ended up posting ads in Craigslist in the Groups section but that was a flop,” Wheatley admitted.   “With not a single response we went to the Personals (M4M and W4W) and that worked for us… our first meeting pulled in about 12 people.”

Every meeting after that the membership increased as they scheduled dinners, happy hours, parties, bowling events, cookouts, movies,  and visits to theme parks.  Word of mouth took over and soon they could boast nearly 500 members.   “They were mostly inactive but they were getting our emails and notices and a single event would pull in between 20 to 60 people,” Wheatley recalls. 

Along the way, two of the original founders decided that they did not want to continue to participate and have moved on, leaving Wheatley and his partner to do all the work.  “Our group was becoming a huge success but after several years I started tiring of running everything especially during those frustrating times when events would fail,” he said.  “However, after giving up the group it began to implode under a weakened less committed leadership as well as ‘drama’ that the group had never known prior.  Membership fell to under 100 members on Facebook and even those had little interest in attended events.” 

Undaunted, Wheatley decided to return to the leadership of the group last July that had now gone nearly a year with no active events and began posting dinners and happy hours.  Membership has grown again and with those who are on their Gmail list and Facebook, which has about 155 members, there are nearly 400 people on the HRS mailing/notification list.

However, Wheatley senses a loss of confidence by the group members who think the “drama” may return as individual events typically attract 15-20 people.  In an effort to change the course, Wheatley has published two upbeat newsletters called the Harford Gay-zette since the last quarter of 2013 with the hope that it will bolster confidence once again.

In the first issue, Wheatley wrote: “We enjoyed many good times and made so many friends. It cannot be denied that many of our members have developed incredible friendships and relationships that they may not have experienced without HRS bringing them together so let’s hope that we can once again return to that valuable aspect of the group, as friendship and local experiences had always been the original intent of the group and still remains the goal.”

He went on to reminisce about all the successful events and candidly pointed out the “fails”.   Wheatley highlighted individual members and listed upcoming birthdays and events to boost camaraderie.

The next issue, a 10-pager, Wheatley highlighted several couples who tied the knot following the legalization of same-sex marriage in Maryland. He also used the opportunity to welcome the new members by first name and first initial of last name, spread the word about the Harford chapter of PFLAG as well as other articles including the Affordable Care Act.

The Harford Gay-zette is a professional quality newsletter with abundant information to keep the membership informed and in good spirits.  Now if the members show up to the local events in greater numbers, it would be a big shot in the arm to the LGBT folks living in Harford County.

They’re off to a good start.  Despite the snowy night on February 12, HRS had a successful Happy Hour at MaGerks Pub and Grill in Bel Air.  Further opportunities will soon take place as there will be Bingo Night on February 25 at Pulaski Bingo in Joppa and the monthly dinner will be held on February 27 at the Bayou Restaurant in Havre de Grace.

For more information about the Harford Rainbow Society, visit the group's Facebook page or email HarfordRainbow@gmail.com.

It's Time to Walk the Walk, NFL

When one looks at two photographs of the sky with one taken at sunset and the other at sunrise, it’s hard to distinguish them with the same combination of oranges, reds and blues swirled together amidst wispy clouds.  But the difference in time—sunset or sunrise—makes it significant.

Michael Sam

The same can be said when comparing the latest coming out announcements from the world of pro male sports.  Last spring, NBA player Jason Collins announced he was gay, and in doing so became the first active male professional athlete in a major North American team sport to come out. 

At no point in his career was his average point total over 6.4 per game. Since the 2006-2007 season, he never played more than in half the game. And now at age 35 and having been a marginal producer, it is questionable if another NBA team would be willing to take a chance on this free agent.  He is still waiting for that phone call.

Some simply conclude that his age and his lack of production are the reasons no team has taken the chance.  Others surmise that his sexual orientation would be too much for a team’s front office, coaching staff, players and fans to cope with.  He is still “active” in that he had not retired, but Collins is unemployed in the NBA nonetheless. 

Being in the “sunset” of his career probably had a lot to do with the reluctance by the NBA’s teams to deal with the media frenzy that would surely follow.  Worse, they would fear a backlash, and for what?

When collegiate football star Michael Sam announced he was gay to the New York Times and ESPN, he did so in the “sunrise” of his career.  A star defensive lineman for the University of Missouri with a penchant for sacking opposing quarterbacks, he is an All-American and named the top defensive player in the Southeastern Conference, considered the nation’s best league. Teammates named him the Mizzou’s most valuable player.  And his teammates not only knew he is gay, they supported him wholeheartedly. 

While this was kept under the lid for the most part, there were still rumors floating around.  Sam wanted to come out on his terms.  “I came to tell the world I'm an openly proud gay man,” he said in the ESPN interview.  His announcement was met with encouragement and praise from the President of the United States and the First lady among many others.

Given his shining record, Sam would have been a near certain draft pick in the NFL’s draft in May.  Experts projected him to be a third to perhaps seventh round selection.   Now there are questions.

Some anonymous coaches, players or team officials have stated that the NFL is not quite ready for a gay player.  Others said his stock had dropped even with the talent the 6-2, 260 pounder possesses. 

Any breakthrough in professional sports of this magnitude immediately conjures up the history of Jackie Robinson’s breaking baseball’s color barrier in 1947 when Brooklyn Dodgers executive Branch Rickey took a chance and signed the talented, multi-sports athlete.

Robinson was told to turn the other cheek amidst taunts, attempts to injure and death threats from fans, opponents and even his own teammates.  He endured and demonstrated his superior inner strength and athletic prowess during a Hall of Fame career.  Robinson’s courage cannot be overstated.

Though we are in the 21^st century, society still has its bigots and homophobes.  If a team drafts him, the locker room will take care of itself.  Though there will be some exceptions for sure, the players are warriors and want to win and will accept Michael Sam sooner or later.  Management, on the other hand, is concerned about “distractions” that could include negative fan reactions. 

Here are examples of such vitriol already posted on a FOX Sports comment thread:

From Toyhunt: “Now if he fails to get a job, he can play the gay card. See how this scam works gang. Just like the d party, run a half black man, object to anything, play the race card. This is getting old fast. The right seems to fail to use the same tactic.”

From BigMark1954: “I am so fed up with the LGBT community cramming their propaganda down our throats. The media is sensationalizing Sam's perversion, or should I say affliction. Will it ever end! And what about the players that have to be in the locker room with Sam, how comfortable will they be.....knowing full well they are ‘eyecandy’ for his perversion. Let alone his team mates that have a moral code, and some human decency?”

Sam will see and hear this and worse, but his character, strengthened by what he has suffered already with his family in his young life, will keep him focused on winning and will eventually earn the respect of his teammates, coaches and fans. 

The NFL had instituted a non-discrimination policy that states in part: “Coaches, General Managers and others responsible for interviewing and hiring draft-eligible players and free agents must not seek information concerning or make personnel decisions based on a player's sexual orientation. This includes asking questions during an interview that suggest that the player’s sexual orientation will be a factor in the decision to draft or sign him.”

Baltimore Ravens President Dick Cass offered support.  “I don’t think his being gay would be an issue at all for the Ravens,” Cass told baltimoreravens.com. “We’re all about winning. If he’s a good football player who can help us win games, he will be welcomed here. I was impressed by the report he received from his teammates and coaches at the University of Missouri. He obviously knows how to be a good teammate.”

It will certainly be a most interesting draft in a few months.  Michael Sam could be another Jackie Robinson-type trail blazer.  What we need, though, is another Branch Rickey.

Moving Forward

The GLCCB’s relocation signals renewed hope for the organization.



Waxter Center: New home for GLCCB  Daniel McGarrity Photography

The long anticipated move of GLCCB’s headquarters will have finally taken place by the time you read this.  The GLCCB sold the venerable off-white, brick, four-story edifice at 241 W. Chase Street just weeks before Pride after serving as its home since 1980.  Its new digs, effective February 5, are located on the 4,700 square-foot third floor of the familiar red-brick Waxter Center on Cathedral Street—a mere couple of blocks away—where it’s being leased by the Center.

The older building outlived its usefulness and required tons of money to make it ADA-compliant as well as other needed repairs and upgrades.  The best option, despite protests from some old-line traditionalists, was to find a new place rather than sinking scarce resources into a deteriorating structure, which had once been converted from a warehouse to the current office building.

To be sure, these traditionalists recalled the joyous days when Harvey Schwartz, then the executive director of the Center, led the effort to raise money in a grass roots appeal to the community and purchased the building.  Baltimore then became one the first cities in the country with a gay center—a place the community could call its own—with unlimited potential.  So when news of the building’s sale broke last June, there was a mix of sadness, anger and resignation among those who, over three decades ago, helped coax Baltimore’s gay community out of the closet and into its own space.

Sadly, for reasons discussed in earlier commentaries, that potential was never realized at 241 W. Chase Street.  The Center had a rocky history with some bad apples running the place and with some good apples making bad decisions.  But the thing about history is that it is just that, history.  The future is a separate matter but a successful future depends on learning from the past and building on it.

That’s what the new leadership of the GLCCB plans to do: not ignore history but learn from earlier miscues and start anew.  It’s patently unfair to blame past mistakes on the current leadership when the original building was purchased before most of the leadership were born.  Trust me; they have a very good notion as to what went wrong over the years and are dedicated to not repeating the same errors.

The move, of course, does not automatically wipe the slate clean.  But if the community gives the GLCCB a chance, that earlier vision of a center that fully embraces our diverse community can not only be realized but exceeded.  There’s a lot of work yet to be done, and the Center can and should play a major role.

To be successful, the GLCCB needs to gain the confidence of the community and the community needs to get involved.  The way the Center’s leadership can accomplish this is to follow through on its stated pledge for more transparency and accountability.  Nothing says you’re welcome more than complete openness and encouraging the community’s input on everything from planning to programs and how best to utilize its new space.  If the various components of the community feel that it is respected, it will invest in the Center with volunteer work and hopefully, much needed donations. 

Another way to succeed is for the Center to do what it can to encourage women and minorities to be included.  This has been a difficult challenge over the years because a wide swath of the community believed they had not been welcome. That certainly had been the case for much of the Center’s history.  On the other hand, efforts to attract more women and minorities have been thwarted by a feeling of “why bother?” by these very groups.  To fix a problem, one needs to be part of a solution and not just grouse from the sidelines.

This pattern needs to stop.  I know the new leadership is earnest in their desire to have a flourishing Center that is sensitive to the needs of the entire rainbow and truly wants diversity. 

A number of years ago, the Center’s leadership had a conflict with those running Black Pride.  It wasn’t pretty as the ensuing dispute divided the community.  Last year, the new leadership at the Center reconciled their differences to the extent that both components became partners in their respective endeavors.  That accomplishment cannot be overstated as it led to a better relationship between LGBT African-Americans and the GLCCB and serves as a template for future unity.

The Center should continue this path in forging relationships with the community.  Many LGBT folks who regularly attend Pride aren’t aware that the annual celebration is run by the GLCCB and many weren’t even born when the Center was formed or even knowledgeable of its troubled past. 

The best way to attract this new pool of energy is to hold a series of well-publicized community meetings at the Waxter Center.  There should be a different subject or theme at each.  For example, a meeting on community activities, or one on issues of concern to youth, or transgender issues, or seniors could attract folks interested in solving problems.  Yes, these community meetings often lead to shouting matches, and individuals like to promote their own agendas.  But the Center needs to prove that it is worthy of being the focal point for the LGBTQ community and may have to undergo some painful moments to demonstrate the leadership is sincere.  No pain, no gain.

And the community should step up and get involved.  Attend these meetings. Serve as a volunteer.  Be a board member.  Donate to the cause.  Make the original vision a reality. 

As the Center leaves the ghosts of West Chase Street behind, the new headquarters will afford an opportunity for the Center—hopefully with a new name—to make a fresh start and move forward.  We need it to.

Olney Theatre Finds Success in 'How to Succeed...'

I don’t think anyone wants to return to the time when the workplace was rife with sexism and sexual harassment was a normal occurrence.  Nor does anyone want to see a business setting where the only upward mobility for a woman is limited to being a secretary to the highest male executive in the corporate hierarchy. 

#HoCoArts

Photo by Stan Barough

But the hilarious musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying currently playing at the Olney Theatre Center takes us to that place in the early 1960’s, and for nearly three hours, we can laugh aloud and appreciate the fact the era is relegated to the dustbin of history. 

While those sexist days may be gone in most places, the office in-fighting, politics, back-biting and ruthlessness cloaked in ambition, as exhibited in the show’s fictional New York City-based Worldwide Wicket Company, alas, remains in the real world even today.  

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is a musical by Frank Loesser with a superb book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert that is based on Shepherd Meade’s bestselling book with the same title.  The show opened on Broadway in 1961 and the next year captured seven Tony Awards including Best Musical.  The success of the show spawned winning revivals in 1995 and 2011 and a film adaptation in 1967.

For full review, visit MD Theatre Guide.

An Energetic 'Romeo and Juliet' at Spotlighters

“Two households, both alike in dignity/In fair Verona, where we lay our scene/From ancient grudge break to new mutiny/Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean./ From forth the fatal loins of these two foes/A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life/Whose misadventured piteous overthrows/Do with their death bury their parents' strife.”

Photo by Chris Aldridge

Arguably the world’s most famous love story, William Shakespeare’s classic, Romeo and Juliet, has been performed for centuries and along with Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays.  Written sometime between 1591 and 1595 during the Elizabethan era, it had been adapted numerous times for stage, film, musical theatre and opera.

Over the years, producers and directors have taken some liberties by modifying the original play, and in one case, Georg Benda in the 18^th century, removed much of the action and gave it a happy ending.  The Spotlighters energetic production, directed by Lance Bankerd, did not veer from the original to the extent that Benda’s version did, but Mr. Bankerd, who is making his Spotlighters directorial debut, took a chance and inserted a wrinkle that will be discussed later.

For full review, visit MD Theatre Guide.

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Find Your Grail at Toby's 'Spamalot'

We’ll never know if King Arthur, his subjects and rivals actually behaved as they did on the stage of Toby’s, the Dinner Theatre of Columbia, but if they had, it would have been one uproarious era.  In the musical theatre’s version of the 1975 film Monty Python’s Spamalot     (with a number of differences from the film), director Mark Minnick and his cast and crew offers up one hilarious, laugh-a-second production to the delight of the audience.


Photo by Kirstine Christiansen

The book and lyrics were by Eric Idle who also composed the music with John Du Prez.  Mike Nichols directed the original Broadway production of Spamalot in 2005 garnering three Tony Awards including Best Musical among 14 nominations.   It ran for over 1,500 performances, and the show has been seen in over a dozen countries.

Exquisitely costumed and staged, the performers at Toby’s have as much fun as the patrons, as the zaniness of Monty Python is executed to near perfection. Spamalot’s goofy irreverent plot, eschewing any semblance of political correctness, centers on King Arthur’s quest for the Holy Grail.    But that merely serves as a vehicle to string together a series of oddball encounters and shtick augmented by a deliciously funny and clever score.

Ross Scott Rawlings, who earned a well-deserved ovation at show’s end on the night it was reviewed, led the excellent six-piece orchestra that supported the talented vocalists as they conquer each number with aplomb.  First and foremost in that regard is Helen Hayes Award winner Priscilla Cuellar who plays the role The Lady of the Lake. 

As the only female lead in the cast, Ms. Cuellar demonstrates her sensational vocal talents with clarity and strength.  She hits the right notes in such group numbers as “Come With Me,” “Find Your Grail,” and “The Song That Goes Like This.”  But her magnificent solo, “The Diva’s Lament,” is a show stopper.

The astoundingly versatile Lawrence B. Munsey, who plays the central character, King Arthur, is the production’s rock.  Never disappointing throughout his professional career, Mr. Munsey plays every part with verve and magnificent attention to detail.  His performance in Spamalot is no exception using his commanding stage presence and muscular voice.

Consistently a fine actor with a penchant for well-timed and delivered comic lines when called upon, Mr. Munsey’s singing voice also shines. “King Arthur’s Song,” “Come With Me” with Ms. Cuellar, “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life,” a glorious dance number with his Knights, and “I’m Alone” were stellar performances.

Demonstrating the true disciplined star that he is, Mr. Munsey manages beyond all odds to keep a straight face throughout the non-stop insanity of the plot and the antics of the other cast members. 

Also performing fabulously is another Toby’s veteran David James.  It’s one thing to commend him for his role in this production as Historian (Narrator).  But he is also tasked with five other roles with my favorite being Prince Herbert.  You see, Prince Herbert, much to the chagrin of his father, played wonderfully by Nick Lehan, does not want to marry the girl his father had arranged for, mainly because he is, well, gay.

The always campy Mr. James played Prince Herbert to the hilt as he did at the beginning of the show when he played Not Dead Fred.  His Prince Herbert’s back-to-back numbers “”Where Are You?” and “Here Are You!” are fun.  The production number that follows, “His Name is Lancelot,” with the ensemble attired in flamboyant garb, is one of the highlights of this show.

Photo by Kirstine Christiansen

Other cast members performed extremely well—most playing multiple roles—making this production so well-rounded.  David Jennings played Sir Lancelot splendidly as well as the hilarious French Taunter during a particularly funny scene.

Darren McDonnell played Sir Robin with flair especially during the side-splitting number “You Won’t Succeed on Broadway” as well as “I’m Not Dead Yet.”  Nick Lehan turned in an excellent performance as Sir Dennis Galahad delivering one funny line after another, and as Prince Herbert’s overbearing father who had to come to grips that his son is gay in a riotous scene. 

Jeffrey Shankle’s primary character, Patsy, dutifully follows King Arthur around as his servant banging two coconuts shells together simulating horse’s hooves as King Arthur “rides” before him.  He excelled in “I’m All Alone” as a counterpoint to Munsey’s King Arthur.  Notables in the production also include Shawn Kettering, Heather Beck, Jay Garrick and Jimmy Mavrikes and the other members of a very energetic and talented ensemble.

Director Mark Minnick, who also serves as choreographer, put his dancers through the paces, and they excelled in several numbers especially “Knights of the Round Table” with much of the cast and ensemble participating.  As precise as the dancers were, the influence of a zany Marx Brothers movie seeped in making it a classic visual experience.

David Hopkins’ simple yet functional set consisted of brick castle walls around the perimeter of the theater.  Stage entrances are used proficiently to keep the action sustained and balconies are in place for various scenes. Props were a key element in this production that included such items as a pull wagon, a oversized wooden rabbit, fake human limbs, barnyard animals, candles that effectively simulated burning and lots more.

The costume team coordinated by Lawrence B. Munsey and Marianne VanStee outfitted the cast in a dazzling array of medieval chain mail costumes originally designed by Tim Hatley and other attire that ranged from French maid costumes to a “very gay” Broadway production number apparel to a sparkling Cher gown (Bob Mackie would approve) to Laker Girl Cheerleading outfits to a woman clad in just underwear.  Yet, the period costumes worn by King Arthur and his Knights as well as the ensemble are simply outstanding with their detail and authenticity.

Lighting designer Colleen M. Foley makes effective use of color lights and sudden illumination to augment the action.  Sound designer Drew Dedrick also does a nice job of creating echoes when authoritative pronouncements are made (such as when God is talking) and clasps of thunder on occasion..  All the performers are effectively mic’d so that the lyrics and dialogue are clearly audible.

Spamalot is classic slapstick comedy with an extraordinary cast and technical crew that is ably directed by Mr. Minnick.  There is no better way to kick the winter doldrums than with this totally enjoyable, fun journey to find that elusive Holy Grail.

Running time: Two hours and 25 minutes with an intermission.

Spamalot runs through March 23 at the Dinner Theatre of Columbia, 5900 Symphony Woods Rd., Columbia, MD 21044.  For more information and to purchase tickets, call 410-730-8311 or online.

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The Graying of the Rainbow

Most of us LGBT folks have learned over time that the sunset years in our community usually begin at age 30 or perhaps 40 depending on the person.  In our youth-obsessed culture that transcends sexual orientation, once you move out of the roaring 20’s, you might as well pack it in.  It is especially true in the gay male world where full heads of (non-gray) hair and sculpted abs are iconic. 

This reality had been ingrained in our minds, and we live our lives accordingly—some better than others.  Not everybody comes to terms with that fate lying down.  We fight it.  We deny it.  We work hard to disprove it.  One thing you cannot do is change it.  No one wants to be looked at as “that old man” or “that old woman.” It’s all about self-esteem.

There is another reality: time marches on and so should we.  If we can benefit from good fortune and not perish in an unexpected non-health related fashion,  the chances are that with improving medical advances and living a healthy lifestyle we should be able make it through the 80’s or even higher.  It means that we leave our youthfulness in the rear view mirror as we continue on that journey, but we should accept ourselves at any age with grace, dignity and, of course, pride.

Nonetheless, many mature folks take to heart the marginalization exhibited by some LGBT youth.  Rejection by the younger generation, however, is not universal as there are instances where young LGBT people find attraction to their elders and establish friendships.  Younger folks tend to look for role models, experience and wisdom as they attempt to navigate through a high-speed, complex and challenging world. 

But there are other issues confronting older LGBT folks that go beyond their acceptance by their younger brethren.  The number of seniors in the LGBT population—a microcosm of the general population—is increasing faster than just about any other age group. This has been enhanced by the Baby Boomers—those born between 1946 and 1964.  Currently, there are an estimated 1.4 to 3.8 million LGBT people in the U.S. over the age of 65 with that number expected to double by 2030.

A San Diego Needs Assessment Survey polled some 500 LGBT seniors, ages 50 and up, on topics most important to them as they grow older. Social matters, support, and fear of social isolation were the top issues among those surveyed. That was followed by health and quality of life issues, financial unease, LGBT-affirmative housing and housing affordability, and health insurance/access to quality health care.

As identified in the survey, an important issue facing LGBT seniors is living alone. That’s true for 50 percent of LGBT elders versus 33 percent of the general population, according to Dr. Judy Bradford of The Fenway Institute, a Boston-based researcher of LGBT health issues. She notes that LGBT seniors are more likely to be estranged from their families thereby contributing to loneliness and isolation.

This isolation is compounded by the fact there is a paucity of LGBT retirement communities in the U.S. While the number of such communities is increasing each year, there are still too few to house the burgeoning older LGBT population.

Nursing homes are also a problem for LGBT seniors.  Despite the progress in achieving marriage equality, most states still do not recognize the marriages of same-sex couples, and the existing cultural discrimination results in couples being split up in such facilities.  We hear of too many instances whereby LGBT seniors are forced to return to the closet to remain safe in assisted living facilities or nursing homes.

Yet with all these gray clouds forming above the heads of LGBT seniors, there are solid support networks to help allow the sunshine to peer in. The Prime Timeers of Baltimore offers an outstanding array of social activities and interaction to help their members address some of these concerns, especially the major issue of social isolation.  For lesbians, there is the social group Older and Wiser Lesbians (OWLS) of the Greater Capitol area. Other groups are forming as well.

And there are a number of excellent resources available for LGBT older adults to consult. Among them is The National Research Center of LGBT Aging, SAGE-Metro D.C. and SAGE .  Hopefully, our other local and national LGBT organizations will also recognize that the aging LGBT population is a stark reality and meeting the challenges associated with it should be a high priority. 

No matter how young you are now, with good fortune, you will eventually join the ranks of the gray hue in the rainbow and will need these issues resolved.  It’s time to start now.

On the Retirement of Vic Broccolino

Letter published in the Jan. 16, 2014 Howard County Times/Columbia Flier

Thank you for the well-deserved article on the retirement of Vic Broccolino from Howard County General Hospital (“Hospital’s ‘people person’ steps down,” January 9).  The article points out accurately that Vic has been and will always be a “people person.”   

I had the privilege to be employed by the hospital on a part-time basis for a couple of years during the early 2000’s.  While I did not work directly for Vic, I had opportunities to work under him on projects and found him to be a smart, amiable and often humorous individual for whom I developed a great deal of respect.

I will never forget one of our early encounters when I appropriately addressed the CEO as Mr. Broccolino.  Instantly, he explained,  “Mr. Broccolino is my father’s name; you should call me Vic.”  I also had fun times watching and listening to Vic be the emcee for the annual volunteer awards dinner.  At the time there was no YouTube, but his performances would surely have landed there.

While he earned a solid reputation for being a jocular leader of an important institution, Vic had been a tough, no-nonsense executive constantly striving for excellence.  He sincerely believed and his policies reflected a demand  that the welfare of and service to the patients were the highest priorities.  In that capacity, he as well as the hospital’s administrative and medical staffs who followed his lead have served our community with distinction. 

Vic never lost track of the fact that the people make a hospital run, and his respect for employees from the top surgeon to the hard-working maintenance worker was never lost on us as we proudly served under his leadership.

To Vic, I wish him a long and healthy retirement, and to his family a well-earned reunion with him.

 

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Wyatt Evans: The Man Behind 'RAGE'

One would think Wyatt O’Brian Evans would not have the time to write a novel, much less two.  Besides being an author, the DC-area resident is also a journalist, entrepreneur, instructor, public/motivational speaker, voice-over instructor/talent, actor and comedian.

Communication is a huge part of Wyatt’s DNA as evidenced by his ability to speak in complete sentences when he was just months old.  As an adolescent, he wrote poems and created a series of comic books. 

In college Wyatt received Bachelor of Arts degrees in Journalism and Political Science from George Washington University and went on to become a solid journalist over the next 25 years that included stints with the Huffington Post, Bilerico, Maryland Journal, Washington Post, American Politics, Baltimore OUTloud and a host of other print and online outlets.

Wyatt has written in-depth and influential syndicated series on both LGBTQ intimate partner violence/abuse (IPV/A) and racism—issues that are significant to him as well as the community at large.  He put to use the skill set he has developed over the years and wanted to create a novel that examines these key issues.

Wyatt did just that when he wrote the popular and well-received series of novels, Nothing Can Tear Us Apart  (gay/ethnic), released by Nair’Bo Universal—the publishing and production house he created.   The next installment in the Nothing Can Tear Us Apart series, RAGE!, will be available in mid-January.

RAGE! centers on Wes, a 45 year-old, successful African-American celebrity, and his new-found love, ‘Tonio, his 31 year-old muscular Puerto Rican Chief of Security. One thing they have in common is that they both have had rather unsuccessful relationships in the past.  They eventually fall in love only to have someone attempt to ruin the relationship by making ‘Tonio believe Wes had been unfaithful. 

Taking the bait, the frenzied bodyguard physically brutalizes his soul mate.  The final blow comes when the couple learns just who is behind the deception. But that’s not the end of the story because far more occurs that profoundly impacts both men.   

“The characters can’t help but fall deeply, passionately and madly in love,” says Wyatt.  “I created a ‘slow burn,’ if you will—no sex occurs until they pledge their love for one another.  I wanted to show these two guys falling into love, not lust.  Afterwards, they form a monogamous relationship.”

Wyatt fervently believes this novel is thought-provoking and that it would have universal appeal. “Nothing Can Tear Us Apart—RAGE!  addresses and explores topical, relevant and timely themes and issues,” he explains. They include partner violence/abuse, the DL, and ethnic tensions between African-Americans and Latinos.

Wyatt adds, “It is full of rich drama, action, masculine romance, intrigue, provocative sexual situations, and twists and turns.  Men and women—be they gay, straight, bisexual, transgender—can embrace and relate to Wes and ‘Tonio because their story is one of true, deep romantic love between two individuals.” 

RAGE! will be available January 15 and exclusively available for three months on his website. and follow him on Facebook and the Wyatt OBrian Evans Official Fan Club.

Equality Maryland's Endorsement Gamble

‘Twas two nights before Christmas,

When all through the state
Not a person was stirring,
Be it LGBT or straight.

Then Equality Maryland said
That its PAC made some choices,
From governor to delegates,
That led to raised voices.

Many were surprised

That their top pick was Brown,
Bringing Gansler and Mizeur folks
A Christmastime frown.

Choosing the front runner

Is easy to handle,
But is dividing the community
Worth such a gamble?

 

The Equality Maryland Political Action Committee raised some eyebrows with the first round of endorsements for 37 races in Maryland’s 2014 primary elections to take place in June.   Their revelation that the PAC chose the Brown-Ulman ticket caused pre-Christmas stirring from Takoma Park to Baltimore and all around the state, garnering much media attention. 

The announcement, which occurred just days before a scheduled January 4 fundraiser for the Brown-Ulman ticket at the City Café in Baltimore which Carrie Evans, executive director of Equality Maryland is among the hosts, elicited swift and sharp reaction on social media. 

Not to be overlooked by the gubernatorial choice is the mystifying fact that none of the lesbians in the House of Delegates were endorsed in this round.  They include Maggie McIntosh who finished in second place as the Baltimore Sun’s Marylander of the Year in 2012, Mary Washington, Bonnie Cullison and Anne Kaiser.

“Equality Maryland just lost their last shred of credibility,” commented a transgender rights advocate from Baltimore kicking off a spirited discussion on Facebook.

But at the moment, the endorsement for governor is creating the most buzz.   Although Attorney General Doug Gansler has a strong LGBT following given his record on marriage equality—a core factor in the PAC’s evaluation that consisted of questionnaires and interviews—many support Del. Heather Mizeur’s quest to be the first woman and openly gay person to be governor of Maryland. Others see Lt. Governor Anthony Brown as the only viable candidate who could defeat a Republican in November.

“We’ve made great progress over the past seven years, achieving marriage equality and strengthening domestic violence services for LGBT residents, while working to ban discrimination based on gender identity,” Brown said in a statement.

For her part, Mizeur characterized the choice as “puzzling.” She said, “No one in this race has done more for the LGBT community than the Mizeur-Coates ticket. I’m not sure what more we could have done to earn their support.”

Bob Wheelock, a spokesman for Gansler wrote in an email, “We are confident that Doug’s record on fighting for and protecting the rights and safety of the LGBT residents of Maryland will factor into the voters’ decision in the Democratic primary and on Election Day.”

“I suppose any candidate that doesn’t get an endorsement feels snubbed,” said Evans. “Equality Maryland is confident the Brown/Ulman administration will provide the leadership Equality Maryland needs in our next governor and has the relationships we need to move LGBT issues forward in our state.”

All three Democratic candidates and their running mates have solid records on LGBT issues, and to say one is better than the others is questionable.  Gansler was the first statewide official to endorse marriage equality in 2008 and had been an unwavering supporter.  His opinion in 2010 as Attorney General that Maryland can recognize the lawful same-sex marriages from other states helped pave the way for the ultimate victory in 2012.

Heather Mizeur, a lesbian with a wife, has also been a vigorous proponent of marriage equality.  I testified along with her at a House committee hearing for a bill that was aimed at pre-empting Gansler’s eventual opinion.  Mizeur’s testimony was sincere, persuasive and effective, and one could see great potential for her.

While I had met Anthony Brown, I never had the opportunity to speak with him on LGBT issues.  Nonetheless, a very credible source told me that Brown was an early supporter of marriage equality—even before Governor O’Malley—but worked behind the scenes especially in Prince George’s County to help make it happen.  In addition, Brown had been a vocal advocate for the repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy and appeared on national television in that regard.

With all three candidates possessing strong credentials and leadership, Equality Maryland chose to ride the perceived front runner.  Brown has racked up most of the endorsements so far, has a formidable war chest and the backing of the Democratic establishment.  Early polls indicate Brown with a robust lead over the other candidates.

By backing Brown, should he prevail, Equality Maryland could stand to receive at a minimum access to the O’Malley-Brown mammoth donor list to help finance the organization as it evolves to a post-marriage equality mission that will entail a broader scope.

However, the primary is six months away and much can happen in that timeframe.  Brown’s success (or failure) will undoubtedly be linked to O’Malley’s popularity, which is often volatile.  Moreover, should he win the nomination, the actual election is by no means a lock (see above re: O’Malley).

It is indeed a gamble for Equality Maryland, but is it a good one?  The front running horse may have the probability of a win but it also yields the smallest payoff.  Preferring one candidate now over two with strong LGBT pedigree, Equality Maryland stands to alienate a significant number of Gansler and Mizeur supporters—many of whom live in cash-rich Montgomery County and have been a major source of contributions to the organization over the years.

Equality Maryland should have taken a safer course and remained neutral through the primary and not risk dividing the LGBT community. It would also be better served if it channeled its energy and whatever resources it possesses towards finding and funding candidates to defeat anti-LGBT Democratic legislators.  Sen. Anthony Muse who has blocked progress for LGBT folks comes to mind.

Equality Maryland’s PAC rolled the dice with Anthony Brown and will reap the benefits of this action or pay a steep price.  Time will tell.  But like all gambling activities, it’s always about money.

Ducking the Real issue

The fact that so much progress has been occurring with marriage equality and how the majority of people in the U.S. now support it must be bugging the crap out of the remaining homophobes.  They’ve witnessed a parade of states undoing existing bans on same-sex marriage or the states’ approving it on their own that these bigots are so irate their blood pressure is probably setting record highs.

It’s perfect timing for the latest media kerfuffle involving the TV reality show “Duck Dynasty” on cable’s A&E network.  As most folks already know, the patriarch of this clan, Phil Robertson, 67, made some unkind comments about blacks and gays in an interview with GQ magazine.  He said that the blacks in his home state of Louisiana were content and happy during the pre-civil rights era and that gays were sinners and worse.

For blacks under Jim Crow laws, “They were godly; they were happy; no one was singing the blues.”

For gays, well here’s what the biblical scholar replied to the question, “What is sin?”: “Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men,” he says. Then he paraphrases Corinthians: “Don’t be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers—they won’t inherit the kingdom of God. Don’t deceive yourself. It’s not right.”

For these quotes and more, Robertson was indefinitely suspended by A&E based on his failure to properly represent the network with his comments.  That raised the ire of the conservative anti-gay crowd who claim his right to free speech was infringed by the liberal media.

Whoa!  Not so fast.  Robertson’s right to free speech was never infringed.    He spoke freely and was never apprehended and incarcerated as would be the case had he not been protected by the First Amendment.  Such actions are commonplace in other countries around the globe, not here.

But with free speech there are responsibilities and consequences.  You can’t falsely shout “fire” in a movie theater, for instance.  Or, if you should curse out your boss, good luck with using the freedom of speech defense if fired.

The backlash from this controversy was not about free speech or espousing biblical beliefs and the teachings of Christ.  His references to Scripture are inaccurate, and Jesus never condemned homosexuality—at all.

Robertson backers, angered by the suspension, rallied on his behalf.  They ranged from GOP politicians to homophobic organizations to those supporters establishing a Twitter account and a Facebook page, “Stand with Phil Robertson” that has over one and a half million “Likes” and counting.

Robertson’s anti-gay beliefs did not just surface during the GQ interview. In 2010, he addressed diners at the Berean Bible Church in Pennsylvania with a similarly homophobic, non-Biblical nonsensical rant.  “They’re full of murder, envy, strife, hatred. They are insolent, arrogant God-haters. They are heartless. They are faithless. They are senseless. They are truthless. They invent ways of doing evil.”  In the Bible?  I think not.

During the anti-gay tirade he added, “They will dishonor their bodies with one another, degrade each other. Is that going on in the United States of America? Look around. ... Boy, is there some immorality going on around here.”

I don’t know which version of the Bible Robertson has been reading (or thumping) but those who condemned his suspension based on religious expression and free speech are blowing smoke.  The real targets of their fury—though they won’t ever admit it in this “PC” world they loathe so much—are the gays themselves.

When MSNBC’s Martin Bashir condemned Sarah Palin for suggesting U.S. foreign debt is comparable to slavery, he was forced to resign. Um, excuse me, but where were those champions of the First Amendment defending Bashir’s right to free speech?  Where were they when the Dixie Chicks were excoriated for speaking out against George W. Bush and the War in Iraq?

Only anti-gay bigots seem to receive that level of support.  Recall in 2012 when it was discovered that the CEO of Chick-fil-A opposed marriage equality and contributed to anti-gay organizations, the pro-equality activists called for a boycott?  Remember how the right wing homophobes responded by staging a “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day” with all those sympathizers stuffing their mouths with greasy chicken to demonstrate that the gays can’t push them around?

As that event was purportedly a huge success, sympathizers have recently launched a new Facebook page.   They are pushing a national “Chick-Phil-a Day” on January 21 to “stand for free speech and sit for good food” and to encourage support of “two of the biggest brands to have, in recent history, come under fire for sharing an opinion on personal faith-based beliefs:” Chick-fil-A and Phil Robertson. The page urges folks to “wear cam/Duck Commander gear to eat at a Chick-fil-a.”  Note that Chick-fil-A denied coming up with the idea though the chain will reap the rewards.

What these folks are up in arms has little to do with Scripture and free speech.  It has more to do with the right to publically condemn gays for their “sinful” behavior with impunity while society continues to recognize and support LGBT folks, much to the chagrin of Phil’s fans. 

****

UPDATE: On December 27, A&E reinstated Robertson.  In a statement, A&E said: “So, after discussions with the Robertson family, as well as consulting with numerous advocacy groups, A&E has decided to resume filming Duck Dynasty later this spring with the entire Robertson family.”