Queery: Trevor Ankeny

Trevor Ankeny (Photo courtesy Ankeny)

Trevor Ankeny is in the midst of his busiest time of year — for the third consecutive year, he’s co-chairing Baltimore Pride. It’s a volunteer job. He takes several days off from his day job in property management to make sure the bevy of events goes off smoothly.

“I think this has been a very good year so far,” he says during a late night break Tuesday. “We have a lot of fresh, new entertainment ideas, so with adding those new components, I feel we’re in a good place and have covered all our bases. Hopefully we haven’t forgotten anything.”

Baltimore Pride (baltimorepride.org) is ramping up to its main events this weekend (details on page 24). It’s a production of the Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Baltimore and serves as a fundraiser for that nonprofit. Ankeny co-chairs with Samantha Flottesmesch.

Ankeny grew up in Baltimore in a conservative Jehovah’s Witness family. He tried to go the straight and narrow way (“I did what I thought was right”) for years, getting married to a woman and starting a family, but after five years of that, he knew it wasn’t the right fit.

Now out and single with a 14-year-old daughter, Rhiannon, Ankeny lives in Bel Air, Md., and enjoys volunteering for Pride.

“I’ve always been a big proponent of the LGBT community working together,” he says. “We have so many resources, it’s really the time we all come together and see each other and you realize, wow, there’s this huge and vast sea of resources right here in our own ranks … it’s the one time of year we can really see our numbers and how important we are as citizens.”

Ankeny enjoys theme parks, skiing, swimming and going to the beach in his free time. (Photos courtesy Ankeny)

How long have you been out and who was the hardest person to tell?   

Since 2001. My wife at the time.

Who’s your LGBT hero?            

I have to say I am very proud of Ellen DeGeneres. Especially in how she handled the JC Penney issue.

What’s Baltimore’s best nightspot, past or present?       

Wednesday night gay bingo at the Hippo. The host, Roger Dimick, is hilarious.

Describe your dream wedding.                 

I am not marrying again.

What non-LGBT issue are you most passionate about?         

Caring for our environment.

What historical outcome would you change?                   

9-11

What’s been the most memorable pop culture moment of your lifetime?       

Death of each of the deceased “Golden Girls.” Wait? Is that pop culture?

On what do you insist?                       

Follow through

What was your last Facebook post or Tweet?                     

“Pre-pride party at Mixers”

If your life were a book, what would the title be?                

“Slow Down Boy!”

If science discovered a way to change sexual orientation, what would you do?                            

Still be gay. It’s more fun than being straight.

What do you believe in beyond the physical world?                     

Space

What’s your advice for LGBT movement leaders?                   

In our quest for rights we should not forget those that suffer every day with the least amount of rights. They are so often left to fend for themselves.

What would you walk across hot coals for?   

A good man

What LGBT stereotype annoys you most?

All of them. I really dislike stereotypes.

What’s your favorite LGBT movie?                     

“Girls Will Be Girls.” I laugh out loud every time.

What’s the most overrated social custom?     

Christmas

What trophy or prize do you most covet?           

Mega Millions

What do you wish you’d known at 18?                       

That I was gay.

Why Baltimore?                       

As quirky as it is, it’s home.