Cruise on the Oasis Had Baltimore Feel

When Cruise Planners and Baltimore OUTloud assembled a group of a couple of dozen to sail on Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas—the largest cruise ship in the world—we all thought we'd be leaving Charm City behind for a week beginning September 18. And there were reasons to believe that. The ship had over 6,000 passengers representing 80 different countries plus an international cadre of over 3,000 crew and staff. The ship visited the ports-of-call in the Western Caribbean Labadee, a Royal Caribbean International-owned peninsula on Haiti; Costa Maya and Cozumel—both in Mexico. None of these resembled Baltimore.

And yet, it did not take too long to find out that Baltimore was a recurring theme. First off, the event was arranged by Glen Burnie-based Cruise Planners (www.BelleCruises.com, 410-760-1589) who brought together gay and straight passengers including OUTloud's Leather columnist Rodney and his partner Steve. Cruise Planners booked our rooms and dining preferences, held a tour of the ship and hosted a couple of cocktail parties for the group.

There was the fabulous production of Hairspray—a theatrical marvel that is set in Baltimore and is based on Baltimore's own John Waters original movie. As an aside, the talented cast, staging and costuming were Broadway caliber. Special kudos go to the leads Tara Siesaner as Tracy, who possesses an amazing voice and hot looking Tommaso Antico, who played the male lead, Link Larkin. Link, if you remember, is a character that the girls drooled over (and so did some of the boys).

Not only did Antico offer a solid dose of eye candy, but he also is an extraordinary dancer and vocalist in his own right. Moreover, he played in the touring production of Hairspray when it visited Baltimore's Hippodrome Theatre a couple of years ago.

Also, the vocal performances of Tim Singleton (Edna), Joel Walker (Seaweed), April Monte (Penny), Robin Myles (Motor Mouth) and Mark Petit (Corny Collins) were outstanding.

Another theatrical extravaganza, Come Fly With Me, was simply breath-taking.

Then there was one of the two stand-up comics on board, Baltimore's own Rodney Johnson. He was hilarious as he focused his act on the inadvertent comedic behavior of the passengers. Trust me, there was enough material to cover a 4-hour set. The other comic, Al Romas, who was a little raunchier but quite effective as he parodied relationships, particularly married couples.

And if that wasn't enough Baltimore, the headliner act was native Baltimorean and veteran performer Tony Tillman. Tillman in a musical and comedy show kept the mood upbeat with his sparkling personality and singing talent. The climax occurred at the end when he paid tribute to his old hero and friend, Sammy Davis, Jr. with a moving rendition of the classic Mr. Bojangles.

Although this is classified as a "straight cruise," (which is different from the Atlantis or RSVP all gay, all-the-time adventures), there are a lot of opportunities for our LGBT friends. For one thing, Royal Caribbean is extremely gay-friendly, and a good portion of the crew is over the rainbow.

That leads me to the "Friends of Dorothy" get togethers. That code phrase is used, as it was pre-Stonewall, to identify as gay without explicitly saying so. A Community Bulletin Board, not unlike OUTloud's, is posted in the Guest Relations area where events, meetings and socials are announced. Someone arranged for "Friends of Dorothy" to meet every midnight at the Champagne Bar.

From there our group doubled in size as folks from Boston to Wichita and from New Orleans to Michigan as well as the U.K. gathered to make new friends and hang out and even dance together on the ship's Disco floor. I am assuming the moniker "Friends of Dorothy" is still being used to prevent would-be "critics" of the LGBT community from disrupting the pleasantries.

Being on a cruise ship this size seemed like living in a gigantic shopping mall/hotel and restaurant complex/playground on water. This mega-ship had its own Central Park, an ice-skating rink, a carousel, rock climbing wall, basketball courts, miniature golf, several swimming pools and spas, a complete gym, a two-story theatre, an Aquatheater where an amazing diving and acrobatic show took place, an entertainment area, a promenade, a Zip Line, Flow Rider surf simulators, numerous specialty restaurants plus its lavish dining rooms, night clubs and, of course, a casino with slots and table games. There is always something going on and you can choose to do whatever you want or simply do nothing.

The Oasis of the Seas is in its inaugural season. A twin ship, Allure of the Seas, will be ready to set sail in December.

A good time was had by all if one can judge by the smiles on people's faces. With all that distance traveled we still felt Baltimore in our presence. You can't get homesick that way.

www.SteveCharing.blogspot.com

30 Years and it Seems Like Yesterday

This issue marks my 30^th anniversary writing for the gay press in Baltimore. I know, "how can that be? You look 29!" Yeah, I get that all the time. But the fact is, it's true. I've been writing longer than some of our writers have been on Earth.

My first article (pictured) was about New Hope, PA in September 1980. To prove how long ago it was I predicted this locale would be a potential hot spot for the gay and lesbian community, and explained I left early on a Sunday to return home to visit the Baltimore City Fair. Ancient history here.

Writing was not a new endeavor for me as I had previously written for my college newspaper and in the military. I wanted to pen for the gay press, however.

I typed the New Hope review on an electric typewriter (remember what that was?). I handed in a hard copy to the then chair of the newspaper committee, Jeff McCrae, who ran The Gay Paper. I was in the closet then and didn't include my full name—just my first name and initial of my last name, as others writers typically did at the time.

It was during the pre-computer era that The Gay Paper was put together manually by using cardboard panels, X-Acto knives and hot wax. Text was produced on galleys from typesetting machines. Oh, how the process has transformed!

My next article was about the new volleyball league that formed in Baltimore. Then I proceeded to write about a wide range of other subjects to gain experience in other areas. I covered everything from ballet to murders. I reported on the crackdown on hustling in Patterson Park and critiqued books, theatre and television. I wrote about antiques, sports as it related to our issues, travel and politics at all levels of government.

Three years after my first article I became the editor or principal co-chair of the publication and re-named it Baltimore Gay Paper. We continued to toil with the crude tools at our disposal. But the horror for us as volunteers was that we were obliged to work in the dank, window-less firetrap known as the basement of the GLCCB—a situation that I couldn't tolerate anymore; therefore, I left but continued as a journalist for the paper.

The topics for stories covered over the past 30 years have varied, of course, but we are still dealing with HIV/AIDS, harassment towards LGBT people, police and government relations, health, entertainment, violence, hatred, and the ongoing struggle for equal rights and acceptance. Alas, some of these battles never seem to terminate.

While at Baltimore OUTloud, I launched my "OUTspoken" column and blog with the same name to offer commentary on politics as well as other topics affecting our community.

What has changed the most is how people obtain their news. Newspapers all over the country not only have to compete with TV and radio, but also have to lock horns with arguably the most amazing modern-day revolution in the media: the Internet. In our fast-paced, ever-busy world, the Internet has been like an extra room in our home or office. Many of us are so transfixed to this boundless source of information and depend on it to such a degree it has become a way of life. And there are as many reasons for using the Internet as there are websites. Not the least of which is obtaining news—in a hurry.

Thirty years ago, The Gay Paper was a monthly publication, so news was essentially stale by the end of a month. Today, Baltimore OUTloud is published bi-weekly which makes the news more current, but it's still not as up-to-date as one would like. Production and editorial costs for these free newspapers render a weekly publication impractical at this time.

There was a sense of apathy among the gay community early on which remains today, perhaps more so. Not only does this prevent members of the community from being informed about current issues, it hurts our cause since there is a great need for grass-roots advocacy to realize our goals.

People will casually pick up the gay newspapers at gay bars, bookstores, cafes, markets and other distribution points, as they did 30 years ago. But gone are the days when gay activist and GLCCB founder Harvey Schwartz would stand outside bars at closing and personally hand out copies of The Gay Paper to those exiting.

I am concerned that young LGBT individuals who have been raised on the Internet see no value in LGBT newspapers. If in fact they do have some interest in LGBT news, they probably get it from blogs, or some other web-based news service.

When I was asked to be Managing Editor of Baltimore OUTloud in the spring of 2009, I understood these challenges. I have made every effort to assemble a staff of dedicated writers who are diverse and talented and could appeal to every demographic. My goal has always been to offer our community excellence in local news coverage and to ensure there will be something for everybody within our pages.

For centuries, newspapers have provided an invaluable opportunity to read what one is interested in and skip those articles that do not appeal. But to be able to have news; advertisements of events, products and services; commentary; humor; features; reviews, etc. all in one location where individuals can peruse at their own pace, there is nothing better than enjoying the paper in a comfortable setting without having to move a mouse.

What hasn't changed throughout this 30-year journey is that my husband Bob has been with me every step of the way.

www.SteveCharing.blogspot.com.

When Coming Out, Timing Could Be Everything

Former Chairman of the Republican National Committee Ken Mehlman finally decided it was convenient for him to come out. He did so last month to Marc Ambinder, a blogger for The Atlantic. This was a Clay Aiken or Ricky Martin moment in that it was not a shocker that Ken Mehlman was gay. The difference is that these two singers never actively harmed LGBT individuals or families by overseeing policies and campaign strategies that demeaned gays. Mehlman did.

Besides his role at the RNC, Mehlman served in the first Bush Administration as White House Political Director. In 2004 he was the general chairman of the Bush reelection campaign. In this capacity, Mehlman oversaw the placement of anti-gay marriage amendments on the ballots of 11 states in 2004 to stoke fears among conservatives about same-sex marriage in an effort to drive up voter turnout and donations.

Many have credited (or blamed) this effort for the higher-than-normal turnout in Ohio that swung the state in Bush's favor, which was the tipping point of the 2004 election. He also orchestrated the failed strategy to pass the Federal Marriage Amendment—a cynical attempt to permanently enshrine bigotry against gays and lesbians—into the U.S. Constitution.

Despite Mehlman's occasional denials through the years that he was gay or his unwillingness to answer directly if he was straight, his being gay was an "open secret" in Washington, D.C. circles. Rumors were running rampant as far back as several years ago, and his unwillingness to address the issue fanned the flames, so to speak. Still, he continued as one of the most influential GOP operatives until the party lost badly in 2006 when he left.

His recent revelation was an attempt to conceal his past, closeted as it may be. “At least for me, it wasn’t like there was a light-bulb moment,” said Mehlman, a former Pikesville resident and who is now a partner and head of global public affairs for Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, a private equity firm. “The reality is, it’s taken me 43 years to come to terms with this part of my life.”

Even more disingenuous was his comment that if he were out, he could have held back the attacks on gays. Truth be told, had been out then, he wouldn't have been chair of the Republican National Committee.

Well the damage has been done, and now he wants to make amends by helping a group, the American Foundation for Equal Rights, which was formed last year to support a legal challenge to Proposition 8.

Some activists, such as blogger Michael Rogers who writes on blogActive.com, which has the objective to out closeted gay officials who promote anti-gay policies, are not satisfied.

"I want to hear from Ken that he is sorry for being the architect of the 2004 Bush reelection campaign," writes Rogers. "I want to hear from Ken that he is sorry for his role in developing strategy that resulted in George W. Bush threatening to veto ENDA or any bill containing hate crimes laws. I want to hear from Ken that he is sorry for the pressing of two Federal Marriage Amendments as political tools. I want to hear from Ken that he is sorry for developing the 72-hour strategy, using homophobic churches to become political arms of the GOP before Election Day."

Mary Cheney, the lesbian daughter of the former vice-president, is another tool. While her father and Bush were seeking re-election and all those anti-gay marriage amendments were part of the 2004 election landscape, Ms. Cheney was silent. She could have spoken out against these initiatives either publicly or privately because her father's party was relegating her and her partner to second-class citizenship. Who would have blamed her? Fearing such potentially damaging publicity, especially from someone who was actively working on the campaign, the GOP clearly was in prevent-defense mode by making her virtually invisible during the 2004 Republican Convention.

But her silence was deafening until…she emerged on a bookselling tour to make Mary Cheney rich. That was the moment she decided to publicly come out for marriage equality safely after the election. Here is where opportunism, greed and hypocrisy intersect. David Letterman called her out on this while she was a guest on his show. He asked that important question: why wait for the book tour? She was befuddled, and couldn't mumble a coherent answer while the audience cheered at an ear-splitting level.

This wasn't a matter of Mary Cheney's coming out of the closet as Ken Mehlman did; it was more about the timing of her "activism." Regardless, neither of these individuals came forward in time to do us any good, or in Mehlman's situation, to prevent any harm.

The more people that do come out of the closet, the better it is for us as we strive for equality and non-discrimination. Friends, neighbors, co-workers, business contacts, family members—all those touching our lives—are more apt to support us if they know us personally. This widens the circle of those affected by pro- and anti-gay policies so politicians are mistaken if they think it is limited strictly to the LGBT population. That is why we should welcome those who have taken that step.

But sometimes, as in the case of Ken Mehlman, the timing of the decision is more important than the decision itself.

www.SteveCharing.blogspot.com

Luke Clippinger and Mary Washington for House of Delegates

The City of Baltimore, the State of Maryland and the LGBT community would be best served if candidates Luke Clippinger and Mary Washington are elected to the House of Delegates. As progressive Democrats in Baltimore City, winning the primary on September 14 would almost certainly mean election in November.

Luke Clippinger, an assistant state's attorney in Anne Arundel County, is seeking to represent the 46^th District in the House of Delegates. The district encompasses such neighborhoods as Canton, Little Italy, Ridgeley's Delight, Brooklyn, Curtis Bay, Highlandtown, Butchers Hill, Federal Hill, Fells Point, Patterson Park, Otterbein and Locust Point.

Mary Washington, an Associate Director at an urban environmental education organization, is making her 2^nd attempt for Delegate in the 43^rd District. Included in that district are Charles Village, Waverly, Guilford, Morgan Heights, Lauraville, Montebello and Govans.

Both candidates are attractive, personable, engaging, competent and hard working. They have demonstrated to this newspaper their integrity as well as their willingness to roll up their sleeves to meet their constituents at every turn to explain their positions on safety, education, jobs and the environment.

The added bonus, of course, is that both Luke Clippinger and Mary Washington happen to be gay. Drawing from their personal experiences, they would bring to Annapolis first-hand knowledge and understanding of lgbt issues. Both are competing in districts that boast a significant LGBT population, so these constituents would be well represented.

Adding two LGBT legislators to join the ranks of Sen. Rich Madaleno, Del. Anne Kaiser, Del. Heather Mizeur and Del. Maggie McIntosh would bode well for lgbt citizens throughout the state. (Two more members of the lgbt community—Dr. Dana Beyer and Bonnie Cullison—are challenging Delegate seats in Montgomery County.)

The friendships, trust, and working relationships both Clippinger and Washington would generate among their colleagues would enable legislators to see gay individuals on a personal level, which could perhaps move them to be allies and support our initiatives. There remains much work to do in Annapolis with the two highest LGBT legislative priorities being marriage equality and transgender protections. Luke Clippinger and Mary Washington can only help give these initiatives a boost.

Both candidates have received endorsements from the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, Equality Maryland and the Stonewall Democrats of Central Maryland as well as other groups and organizations. They can now count Baltimore OUTloud as among those who strongly urge the citizens of Districts 46 and 43 to vote for Luke Clippinger and Mary Washington, respectively, on September 14.

The Lazy Days of Summer Were Anything But

In 1963 the immortal Nat King Cole sang of "Those Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Summer." You know, the days of "soda and pretzels and beer." It was a simpler, more idyllic time then. We were in the midst of Camelot. Life was so different then; it is unimaginable. No cell phones, much less smart phones, iPods, Internet, or cable TV were around. The Cold War was still cold although a little skirmish in Southeast Asia was beginning to fester. Stonewall was still 6 years away.

We assume the summer months, the dog days of summer —when school is out, people take their annual vacations, the heat suffocates—are a time when things just decelerate or come to a stop. Yet, the 99 or so days between Memorial Day and Labor Day always seem to be the fastest moving portion of any year's calendar.

As we head to the Labor Day weekend, we can reflect back to the summer of 2010 and characterize how blazing it really has been. Sure, the heat was record-breaking. Everything slows down to a crawl. Dogs are chasing cats while both are walking.

From the BP Oil Spill to the carnage on the streets of Baltimore, this summer has had enough events to fill a highlight—or lowlight—reel. Tempers have been flaring. We witnessed the mosque at Ground Zero controversy, Conservatives begrudging the First Family's taking a vacation, jobs still hemorrhaging, American Idol judges fleeing. And that's before the hotly-contested political season really starts to boil.

For the LGBT community, the summer started off in usual fashion. We experienced a fun-filled Pride weekend that overcame the oppressive heat and humidity. Most folks seemed to be in a good mood as the lgbt community came together for this annual event. Successful Pride celebrations also took place in D.C., Harrisburg, PA and Edgewater, MD throughout the summer.

The dog days took over on cue. As temperatures soared, many flocked to the beach—Rehomo Beach as some call it. Hopefully, they had been enjoying the latest edition of Baltimore OUTloud while sipping a brew or eye-balling those lotioned-up bodies lying under the rainbow umbrellas at Poodle Beach. House parties, dinner parties, block parties, white parties—summer is our time.

Our local lgbt candidates for elected office have braved the heat, humidity and thunderstorms to knock on doors, meet and greet potential voters in a quest to serve their districts. Certainly the lazy days of summer don't apply to them.

But it still seemed like a typical summer around here.

Then the controversy over Target and Best Buy's donations to a group representing Minnesota gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer hit the fan. The group Emmer is associating with is not only anti-gay but very anti-gay.

“When lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender consumers … used to think about Target and Best Buy, we saw two shining examples of corporations that respected the equality and dignity of every American,” the Human Rights Campaign stated in an open letter to the companies. “Now, Americans are questioning their loyalty to your brands with word of significant contributions to the political action committee MN Forward that hopes to install one of the most strident opponents of equality in the Minnesota Governor’s mansion,” HRC added.

They as well as other organizations such as MoveOn.org called for a boycott. Imagine lgbt people boycotting Target (also dubbed Tar-Gay) and Best Buy? That's akin to children boycotting ice cream. This is the summer of 2010 so the unexpected can be expected.

Then a ray of sunlight broke through the hazy skies of summer when federal judge Vaughn Walker struck down the nefarious Proposition 8 as unconstitutional in California. Although same-sex marriages in the Golden State are on hold at least until December thanks to a stay issued by the 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals, the decision was monumental.

Another piece of good news about the lower court's ruling is that it exposed the incredibly weak secular arguments against marriage equality put forth by opponents. Two pathetic witnesses argued for Prop. 8. On the other hand, we had Theodore Olson and David Boies—polar opposites on the political spectrum—presenting an iron-clad case for marriage equality. The decision was a slam dunk.

Failing to muster any kind of legitimate substantive counter-attack concerning the ruling, religious conservative groups reverted to a comfortable place for them: the lowest level. They simply attacked Judge Walker not only for the decision itself but the fact he is gay. By being gay, they concluded he is biased by wanting Prop. 8 nullified. He would not be impartial and should have recused himself from the case.

What they chose not to acknowledge, however, is that a straight judge may also be biased, and therefore, would be prone to uphold the referendum. Ah, those pesky little points! Hopefully, the same compelling arguments against the constitutionality of depriving same-sex couples the right to marry will be eloquently presented to the Supreme Court, which seems inevitable.

As kids begin to buy school supplies or older ones pack up for college, we know that summertime will be transforming rather quickly into fall. While the thermometers may record lower readings, we expect the temperature to rise dramatically during the climax of the 2010 election campaigns—nationally and locally.

Summer of 2010 will soon be in our rear view mirror, but it certainly was not equated with the lazy days of summer of years past nostalgically depicted in song.

www.SteveCharing.blogspot.com.

An Open Letter to Governor Martin O'Malley

Move Maryland forward and support marriage equality.

Dear Governor O'Malley,

The historic ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker that struck down Proposition 8 on constitutional grounds sent a seismic reaction that has spread to Maryland. Aside from the extreme fringes who bemoan the decision because Judge Vaughn is gay and, therefore, biased (a red herring if there ever was one), the decision had been met quite favorably by media, pundits and most importantly, folks across the U.S.A.

The point is, Governor, same-sex civil marriage is inevitable in the Free State, and it would behoove you to be on the right side of history. To heighten the chances for re-election, you should declare your support for marriage equality during this campaign, and I will explain why.

You are embroiled in, what many believe to be, a very tight election battle. Your re-election is no cinch, to say the least. You are facing mounting voter discontent for a variety of reasons, placing incumbents like yourself in a perilous position. Moreover, this is an off-year election, which, as you know, historically brings lower voter participation. There is no exciting candidate like Barack Obama to drive turnout. Because of this, voter enthusiasm, monetary support, and, yes, turnout, particularly among your base supporters, are crucial.

A significant part of your base is the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. But please keep in mind that what impacts the LGBT community also radiates to others: family members, co-workers, friends and neighbors as well as like-minded allies who believe in equality for gays and lesbians. The numbers among these groups are far greater than what you may ordinarily assume if taking into account only the lgbt population.

In this off-year election with its likely reduced voter turnout, enthusiasm within this group will be needed to help achieve your goal. Right now, the LGBT community is not enthusiastic about you primarily for your stance on same-sex marriage.

While it is true that our community is not enamored with the record of your opponent Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. concerning LGBT equality, that shouldn't be a signal that the community would automatically vote for you. As I mentioned previously, enthusiasm is key. That translates into donating and raising funds, working on the ground, and voting. Without that passion, your struggle for re-election magnifies. They may not vote for Ehrlich; they may simply stay home.

Deep down, I know you favor equality and non-discrimination for all Marylanders including the lgbt community. You have demonstrated that as Mayor of Baltimore, which was greatly appreciated. Our community supported you in droves in 2006 and is looking for a reason to do so again in 2010. But simply being the anti-Ehrlich will not suffice.

I realize the political calculus is different in a statewide election, but please consider these points:

1. Democrats in Maryland outnumber Republicans 2 to 1. Get the Democratic voters to the polls and you win.

2. Those voters who oppose marriage equality generally would not vote for you anyway. Governor, you'd be best served by concentrating on your base of support and the persuadable center of the political spectrum and not waste time and resources trying to change the minds of the right wing.

3. Your continued support for civil unions satisfies nobody. The folks who oppose marriage equality will not vote for you even if you advocate for civil unions. And progressive supporters are turned off by a separate but equal solution to the issue.

4. Attorney General, Douglas Gansler, in issuing his legal opinion that recognized the valid marriages of same-sex couples conducted in other jurisdictions, has been a forthright and a strong backer of marriage equality. The consequence of his unambiguous support: no one is opposing him for his re-election.

5. A Washington Post poll conducted in May indicated for the first time that more registered voters in the state favor same-sex marriage than oppose.

The default position of being cautious during this particular election campaign has an immense downside, but a courageous stand on marriage equality has a huge upside. You can easily announce that after reading Judge Walker's 193-page opinion that as Governor you do not see a state's interest in discriminating against gays and lesbians here. You want all citizens of Maryland protected under the law, specifically, the Equal Protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. And I am certain you wouldn't want a family member to be treated as a second class citizen any more than you would want to see the rest of the state's population victimized by discrimination.

Governor, you demonstrated a tremendous amount of zeal in your quest to repeal the death penalty. I ask that you show a similar degree of passion in standing up for same-sex marriage. State emphatically that you have seen the light; that the ruling in California provided you with a new perspective. Let Mr. Ehrlich try to fight you on the issue of fairness and equality versus discrimination. Let him keep his extreme conservative votes. That's a battle you should welcome in a state with a huge Democratic margin and a populace trending towards marriage equality.

It is the right thing to do, and with the expected rising enthusiasm among your base as a result, it will likely help you get re-elected.

www.stevecharing.blogspot.com

Gay Bashing Can Happen Anywhere

Vancouver, British Columbia is a million miles from Baltimore in so many respects: three time zones away, totally dissimilar scenery, lower homicide rate, different demographic composition, etc. Yet both share some common characteristics: they have busy ports; both draw multitudes of tourists; and both have vibrant LGBT communities.

Visiting Vancouver for three days seemed like a nice respite from the crime-dominated reports we read in our local newspaper or see on TV. Yet, imagine the surprise I felt when the Vancouver LGBT newspaper Xtra! told of the second gay bashing there in a three-week period.

A July 1 beating of a gay man by two Vancouver 21 year-olds took place on Davie Street, the main drag that runs through the city's "gay village." Police Department spokesperson Const. Jana McGuinness told Xtra!, "Disturbing comments were also allegedly made regarding the victim's sexual orientation." It was the latest such attack in a city that unfortunately is earning a reputation of late for its gay bashings.

This is Vancouver. This is Canada. This isn't supposed to happen there, especially when the country legalized same-sex marriage putting Canada far ahead of the U.S. on the progressive curve. The lesson here is that gay bashing can occur anywhere, anytime.

Just over five years ago, Chris Crain, then editor of the Washington Blade, was severely beaten in Amsterdam, of all places. Amsterdam? It is arguably the most gay-friendly city, and the Netherlands the most gay-friendly country on the planet. Yet this attack took place while Crain and his partner were holding hands walking along the street enroute to their hotel by seven men believed to be of Moroccan descent. This much publicized incident made international headlines and sullied, to some degree, the rainbow reputation of Amsterdam.

Baltimore may not be Vancouver or even Amsterdam, but each city sadly has its share of attacks against lgbt people. No place is safe. Hand-holding, while we all agree should be allowed unfettered in a perfect world, is an invitation to would-be gay bashers. And we know the world is nowhere near perfect.

Walking alone late at night is risky. Parking in dark, secluded areas is risky. Stumbling intoxicated down a street is risky. And yes, hand-holding is risky.

We've come a long way. We can write laws that protect us. We can gain rights that in the past seemed unreachable. We can even live, work and play in a gay village. But these forward steps do not and cannot prevent hatred because that is contained in one's mind. No law is going to change how a bigot or homophobe thinks; it can only codify behavior. And haters, especially if they, themselves, are under the influence, will ignore the law. We know that all too well.

But we can protect ourselves from bashings and attacks. Avoiding the situations mentioned above will help.

Also reporting any hate-based incidents will allow law enforcement to understand the scope of the problem. If hate-based incidents or crimes are not reported, police will not be aware of the situation. Resources will not be directed to areas where incidents occur if no one reports them. Reporting will help prevent future attacks on our community.

By the same token, members of the Baltimore City Police Department must stop discouraging people from reporting crimes in an effort to keep the "numbers" down. Even rape victims have been persuaded not to file reports. This is deplorable.

As stated in our front page story, activist organization Trans-United held an historical meeting with the city's State's Attorney as well as a U.S. Attorney in an effort to do something about hate crimes committed against lgbt citizens. Agreements were reached that hate crimes statistics will be maintained on a database, which had not been done before. This is an important step in gathering information for law enforcement so that we can minimize the dangers still lurking out there.

Thank you to Sandy Rawls and her Trans-United colleagues and supporters for their efforts in this campaign to stamp out hate crimes in Baltimore. We must help them achieve their goals.

In Vancouver, lesbian city councillor, Ellen Woodsworth condemned the attacks along Davie Street, which she said have been going on for years. She is calling for a meeting between the city's mayor and business and religious leaders to denounce homophobia and call for zero tolerance of gay bashings. Woodsworth is also pushing for more education on tolerance.

Vancouver and Baltimore may seem a world apart, but gay bashings and hate crimes are, unfortunately, a common denominator that must be eradicated to the extent possible. This is a community-wide problem that requires a community-wide solution.

The Importance of LGBT Candidates

By Steve Charing

The Maryland primary election on September 14 will be upon us in short order. Then the general election on November 2 will follow almost immediately. Right now, we are on the cusp of an anticipated flurry of activity from all those seeking office this year. The big one locally—the race for governor—will be heating up real soon, and all the other contests will elicit similar energy.

As successful candidates know all too well, it is better that they get the early jump, especially if they are challenging better-known incumbents for seats. Organization-building, fighting for scarce dollars, and campaigning for name recognition are essential.

That's what gay candidates Luke Clippinger and Mary Washington (pictured) of Baltimore have been doing. Both are vying for vacant seats in the Maryland House of Delegates—Clippinger in District 46 and Washington in District 43. We profiled these two attractive and well-qualified candidates two months ago in OUTloud immediately after they publicly announced their candidacies.

But their campaigns did not begin then. Both diligently had done the hard and necessary work to establish solid organizations, drawing good people into their campaigns and designing strategies to raise cash and establish message delivery mechanisms. They hit the ground running, and they have no intentions of stopping. Candidates for elected office must set the right tone by working hard. Voters see that and remember that at the polls. They want to be represented by hard workers who are competent and speak to their values and interests.

Both are proving just that. Clippinger has been knocking on doors in his district even several months before his announced candidacy to deliver his message. The campaign announced that a milestone of 10,000 knocked doors has been reached.

Washington is also out in and around the district vigorously meeting voters. She had run unsuccessfully 4 years prior, so name recognition may not be as crucial for her. Both have been using innovative methods to raise funds that are critical to any campaign. Mary Washington, for example, just held a fundraiser at Gertrude's Restaurant at the BMA that featured Mississippi hill-country bluesman Terry Harmonica Bean with his band The Cornlickers. This is something you don't ordinarily see at Baltimore campaign events.

These candidates did a great job working the Pride festival. The bonus of electing Luke Clippinger and Mary Washington to serve in Annapolis is that as gay individuals, they clearly see the issues facing the lgbt community from a first-hand perspective. They are not running as gay candidates, however; they are running as candidates who happen to be gay. That is the correct approach because both candidates know they cannot win solely by their sexual orientation. They must appeal to the broader electorate's interests and address the other myriad issues concerning the voters.

Nonetheless, Washington and Clippinger are committed to the need to end discrimination and promote equality. If elected, over time, they will establish working relationships with colleagues that should help advance our goals. This has been the case with Senator Rich Madaleno (Montgomery County) and the three out delegates—Heather Mizeur (Montgomery), Anne Kaiser (Montgomery) and Maggie McIntosh (Baltimore)—who have earned trust and respect from their colleagues to attract more support to key lgbt legislative initiatives.

Two other candidates, Dr. Dana Beyer a transgender activist from Montgomery County and Bonnie Cullison, a lesbian, also from Montgomery are seeking office. Both are challengers.

Adding to that roster of LGBT elected officials will only help advance equality.

Another benefit of electing LGBT candidates is that it motivates our community to become more involved. Baltimore has a reputation (as opposed to D.C.) of not being politically active or interested. Of course, there are exceptions, but overall politics—particularly at the local level—does not stoke or excite lgbt people here.

Organizations, such as the Stonewall Democrats of Central Maryland, Young Democrats of Maryland and Equality Maryland are making the effort to get people more involved.

And candidates, such as Luke Clippinger and Mary Washington are doing the same. They are taking advantage of the new technology that was not available in the 2006 election cycle. Using social-networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, they can raise awareness of their candidacy to a broad audience. In doing so, they contact friends who otherwise do not have an interest in politics, and it may draw them into the process.

And yes, we need to do just that.

Don't Ask, Don't Stare?

While recently watching the most excellent documentary Ask Not on MPT, which presented a terrific overview of the origin of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) policy and its impact, a clip by a soldier made me think back to when I served. During one of the interviews following President Clinton's attempt to ban the discrimination of gays and lesbians in the Armed Forces, the young soldier said, and I'm paraphrasing: "In the military we live in close quarters with no privacy. I would feel real uncomfortable if a homosexual was staring because he was attracted to me."

His rejoinder brought back memories to my days of service. It was while I was in the Army many moons ago that I experienced my first gay sexual encounter, which took place off the post and with another gay soldier. Following that, I knew I had to remain in the closet, and any further trysts would have to again occur off the post, off-duty and discreet beyond comprehension.

But I also remember quite clearly how I lusted after some other soldiers, who were straight, with whom I shared barracks, the workplace, and after-duty recreational venues. I didn't act on these feelings for fear of being beaten up in a "blanket party," snickered at, turned in during witch hunts, arrested, or ultimately discharged from the Army. Nonetheless, the thoughts remained and the fantasies lingered.

When I heard the soldier's comments from 1993 on the TV program and recalled my own personal experiences, I was thinking, hmmm, does he have a point? Let's be totally honest here. No one enjoys being "checked out" or stared at by someone he or she is not attracted to. Undoubtedly, most of us have experienced that. We have done it, and we have been the target. At a minimum it feels awkward or perhaps repulsive at the other end of the spectrum. So I think we can relate, even if we disagree with his generalization.

But this is the overriding argument expressed by opponents of the repeal of DADT, and it's a weak one. They maintain, with total certainty, that a unit's morale, cohesion and readiness would be adversely affected because of the close living arrangements that include openly gay colleagues ready to prey on the straight troops. In their minds, the policy change would lead to "recruiting," unwanted fondling, displaying rainbow flags, sex in the next bunk, etc., etc. etc.

That's what the opposition will continue to spew, and it's bogus for several reasons.

While some gays and lesbians in the military may "check out" colleagues, with few exceptions they smartly do not take any further steps. And it is doubtful that such restraint would change with the repeal of DADT. Therefore, the fear of staring is overblown and exaggerated.

For the record, straight soldiers frequently ogle their opposite sex colleagues. And it's perplexing that the unseemly number of sexual assaults and rapes committed by straight service members hardly surface during the DADT debate, even in the context of discussing unit cohesion and morale.

It's also important to note that of the tens of thousands of discharges from the service that occurred prior to DADT, rarely were they a result of sexual conduct. They stemmed mostly from fellow soldiers or sailors ratting on them or they were asked a question during a security clearance.

Moreover, the military has specific rules governing sexual conduct—gay or straight—so any violation would be dealt with under the auspices of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The worry that openly gay and lesbian service members would turn the barracks into a bathhouse is absurd by its naiveté and homophobic stereotyping.

There are an estimated 66,000 gay men and lesbians in the Armed Forces. No evidence exists that supports the notion that the inclusion of gays in the military would, in fact, negatively impact morale. This was supported by the findings of a 1993 study by the RAND Corporation, and an update is expected in the near future.

Many troops in the new modern military (post-1993), who are decidedly more accepting of gays and lesbians than in previous generations, have come forth saying they are aware of gays or lesbians in their units and it has no effect on them. Most will tell you that when they are in a combat situation, the last thing they are worried about is being hit on or stared at by a gay colleague. And a gay soldier will say the same thing: "We are trying to defeat the enemy and survive, and that is where our focus is and should be."

Still, opponents rant about how gays in the military would be disruptive to combat readiness. To meet recruitment goals, however, the military had no problem admitting an influx of unfit enlistees while at the same time, discharging qualified gay and lesbians—over 13,500 since DADT was implemented—many of whom with key linguistic skills that are paramount to our national security.

According to the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, "Conduct waivers have been given for recruits with records of bomb threats, sex crimes and negligent or vehicular homicide. And yet, qualified, smart, law-abiding and fit youths who want to serve are being excluded merely because of their sexual orientation."

Other countries with tough military forces such as the U.K and Israel had no trouble assimilating gay folks into the ranks. The U.S. military overcame fears as blacks and women were integrated into the Armed Forces.

The retiring General Stanley McChrystal said it's all about competence. "If you're competent, it doesn't matter who you are...If a guy saves my ass, he sure as hell can look at it."

Pride 2010: So On We Go

The road is long
With many a winding turn
That leads us to who knows where
Who knows when
But I'm strong
Strong enough to carry him
He ain't heavy, he's my brother

The Bobby Scott and Bob Russell ballad, "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" was first released by the British group The Hollies just three months after the famous Stonewall uprising in 1969 that most, if not all, historians believe was the birth of the modern gay-rights movement. The pop classic, which attained enormous popularity when Neil Diamond released it a year later, had nothing to do with that iconic weekend in New York's Greenwich Village. But the message applies to all of us as we celebrate four decades of gay-pride parades, festivals and the rest of the traditional hoopla that mark the anniversary of Stonewall.

So much has happened since 1969 in the struggle to achieve tolerance initially, then acceptance, and now equality, we couldn't possibly list all the events, breakthroughs and setbacks that have brought us to this point in 2010.

That road along this 40 year-plus journey had been laden with obstacles, potholes and roadblocks. Yet, as the LGBT community continues this historic expedition by helping one another, it is slowly but surely overcoming the burdens that have challenged us.

Time and time again, members of our community have pulled together to reach a goal or to right a wrong. During the scourge of AIDS in the 80's, for example, lesbians stepped up to help their fallen brothers in the community. Organizations formed to provide critical services to the sick and dying to help maintain dignity for the stricken and their families.

In culture, politics and business, our battles have been fought—sometimes bitterly—and when we have won, it was because we supported each other, donated time and money and even spilled blood on this road to equality over several generations. Of course, there are numerous differences among us; that cannot be changed because we are a slice of the general population.

But we can and should pull together as a community and not allow our differences to prevent us from reaching the goals at the end of the road. As the song says, "While we're on the way to there, why not share?"

We have so much work left undone. Transgender protections must be in place. Federal legislation on workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity needs to be passed. Gay and lesbians who volunteer for military service must be allowed to serve openly in defense of our country. Funding to help treat HIV/AIDS must be sufficient. People should be legally permitted to marry the person that they love.

All of these can be accomplished if we pitch in and help. Do not rely on organizations to do the heavy lifting. It is incumbent upon us to share the burden to fight these battles. We live in a democracy and we do have access to lawmakers. Make your voices heard and be proud of who you are. The era of second-class citizenship must end now.

I wish you a happy Pride. We urge everyone in the LGBT community to be strong enough to carry your brother or sister as we navigate this road together.

We Take Pride in Our Allies

By Steve Charing

Our front page feature interview of straight collegiate athlete Hudson Taylor was intended to highlight the importance of having straight allies on our side in the quest for equality. As we celebrate Pride and reflect upon why as members of the LGBTcommunity we should be proud, one of the major reasons is the fact we have many straight friends and allies aiding our cause.

The inconvenient truth is that if we try to go it alone, we will get nowhere. Simply put, the LGBT community by itself does not have the numbers to affect the outcome of policy decision-making or alter elections. With estimates that indicate we comprise anywhere from 2 to 10 percent of the U.S. population, it is clear the math isn't there.

For us to succeed in the myriad unresolved LGBT-related issues, we must attract straight allies to bolster our numbers to influence lawmakers at all levels. Aside from Hudson Taylor who has stuck his neck out to publicly support LGBT rights and advocated for the end of homophobia in sports at the expense of losing some friendships along the way, there are many other straight folks who have also courageously taken a strong stand for equality and continue to do so.

Representative Patrick Murphy of Pennsylvania, an Iraq war veteran, spearheaded the efforts in the House of Representatives to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Being straight and a combat veteran, Mr. Murphy possesses the credibility to persuade his colleagues that the policy as it exists is discriminatory and has hurt national security.

Closer to home, Maryland's Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler has been another true advocate for LGBT equality. In February he issued an opinion against vitriolic opposition from conservatives that allowed Maryland to recognize valid same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions.

The law and precedent were on his side, and Mr. Gansler could have left it at that and continued to carry out his duties. Rather, Mr. Gansler demonstrated the political courage so sorely needed by elected officials—especially Democrats—to not only be on the right side of fairness and equality but to go out and fight for it. Mr. Gansler has not just talked equality, he is trying to do something to achieve it, and he does it in a public way.

Since the opinion was issued, Mr. Gansler spoke before a number of LGBT political groups and religious and civic organizations encouraging those in attendance to keep up the fight for marriage equality. Considered a likely candidate for Governor in 2014, some pundits have speculated that Mr. Gansler is taking a huge political risk in championing this issue. Undaunted, he believes it's the right thing to do. And he could be encouraged by the fact that the recent Washington Post poll indicated that more Marylanders, by a narrow margin, support same-sex marriage than oppose it.

We expect the margin to widen by 2014 as young voters who tend to regard marriage equality as a no-brainer enter the voting pool and replace the older conservative voters. Having an increasing number of Gay-Straight Alliances in schools across the country is a major contributor towards this goal as does the GLSEN-led National Day of Silence that brings awareness to the need for safe schools and other LGBT issues.

The efforts in Maryland have also been bolstered by the Maryland Black Family Alliance—a civil rights advocacy organization consisting of mainly straight African-American individuals. This group has been highly visible and outspoken in their beliefs that marriage equality is indeed a civil right and condemns those preachers who cherry pick biblical passages to oppose LGBT equality.

Then you have the good folks in PFLAG—Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. Although the organization is not just for parents anymore as more and more lgbt people have hopped on board, it is the first group of straight allies to help our cause when it began in 1972. Now there are over 500 chapters in the U.S. What better ally could one hope for other than a parent of an LGBT child?

Furthermore, PFLAG has a program called Straight for Equality, which is a national outreach and education project that empowers straight allies in supporting and advocating on behalf of LGBT people. PFLAG offers the tools and strategies needed to attract more straight allies to the cause.

Added to the mix is the growing number of people in the entertainment industry who are coming out for LGBT rights. The battle over Proposition 8 in California served as a catalyst for this activism, and it hasn't waned. From the world of movies, television and music we are seeing more personalities unabashedly supporting our cause. Allies such as MSNBC's Keith Olbermann have been invaluable in the struggle to repeal DADT and advance other LGBT issues.

And let's not forget the number one ally-in-chief, President Barack Obama. While many activists have criticized him, and I believe unfairly, for not acting swiftly enough on lgbt initiatives, he has proven to be the first and only President who has not only talked the talk but in several significant instances, walked the walk. Read his Proclamation of LGBT Pride Month for a summary of the key actions the President has taken on our behalf.

We can increase our efforts to attract allies by having more LGBT folks coming out when feasible. When family members, co-workers, employers, friends and neighbors know that someone is lgbt, the odds are they will want to help secure rights for that individual. Almost immediately one can increase support exponentially just by coming out.

And education on important LGBT issues by political, religious and social justice groups is needed to garner further support in the straight community.

The wind is at our backs now. We are gaining momentum during this slow-moving battle to achieve full equality. And with more allies to give our movement a crucial boost, we will get there.

As we celebrate Pride, we should not only be proud of ourselves but also those wonderful allies, elected officials or not, who are helping us big time.

www.SteveCharing.blogspot.com.