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Year in review: Getting in on the action

D.C. LGBT sports leagues boast bounty of 2012 activities, triumphs

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The CAPS in action. (Photo courtesy Billy Richardson)

The CAPS in action. (Photo courtesy Billy Richardson)

This year was another incredible one for the LGBT sports community of Washington. There was an abundance of tournament play, leagues and national recognition.

Also, the continuing support of straight sports allies was bolstered by the creation of the You Can Play Project. The project was founded within the National Hockey League by Patrick Burke of the Philadelphia Flyers and has crossed over into other sports. They seek to challenge the culture of locker rooms and spectator areas by focusing only on an athlete’s skills and not his or her sexual identity. More info is at youcanplayproject.org.

Team D.C., the local LGBT sports connection, continued to set the standards for all LGBT sports communities. In 2012, its members awarded college scholarships to six local LGBT student athletes. Their popular United Night OUT series now includes events with seven Washington professional sports franchises.

Their efforts were also recognized nationally this year by the Compete Sports Network.  The organization is at teamdc.org.

The Federal Triangles Soccer Club hosted the Women’s Winter Wrap-Up Indoor Cup in March and the Rehoboth Beach Classic in August. Along with play in various local leagues, members also hosted the Summer of Freedom League. They can be found at federaltriangles.org.

The District of Columbia Aquatics Club traveled to Reykjavik, Iceland in May where members captured second place in the large team category at the International Gay and Lesbian Aquatics Championships. In July they hosted the 21st annual Swim for Life, a fundraiser for HIV/AIDS as well as local watershed organizations. They are on the web at swimdcac.org.

Puck Buddys, the D.C.-based nationally recognized ice hockey blog, continues to entertain with their banter throughout the mess of the National Hockey League lockout. The blog is located at puckbuddys.com.

The Stonewall Kickball league maxed out on their league cap of 480 players in both of their seasons in 2012. Look for continued success in 2013. They can be found at stonewallsports.org.

The D.C. Sentinels basketball team traveled to three national tournaments in 2012 winning the Upper B-Division at the Hurricane Classic in Fort Lauderdale.

In January, they will launch the first season of the Washington D.C. Gay Basketball LeagueMore information on the group is at teamdcbasketball.org.

The D.C. Gay Flag Football League had another stellar year hosting their spring season and growing to 270 players in their fall season. All the league action including videos is at dcgffl.org.

Charm City Volleyball hosted the Charm City Invitational 28 in April with one of their squads winning the BB Division. Their information is at volleybaltimore.org.

The Capital Area Rainbowlers Association continues to offer multiple bowling leagues and in October hosted the annual Capital Halloween Invitational Tournament.

On Monday they will be hosting New Year’s Bowling Eve from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. at Bowl America Shirley in Alexandria. More info is at carabowling.org.

The D.C. Strokes Rowing Club hosted Stonewall Regatta XIX in June. At the end of August, their Men’s Heavyweight B 8+ team brought home the gold at the US Rowing Master National Championships in Worcester, Mass. The Strokes are at dcstrokes.org.

The Chesapeake and Potomac Softball League (CAPS) completed a successful 2012 softball season. In October they hosted their annual tournament, the Mid-Atlantic Gay Invitational Classic.

In August of 2013, the CAPS will be hosting the 37th annual North American Gay Amateur Athlete Alliance Gay Softball World Series in Washington. The CAPS can be found at capssoftball.org.

The Washington Renegades Rugby Football Club wrapped up two successful seasons of league play this year with both squads having winning records. The Renegades compete in Division III of the Potomac Rugby Union and their Reds squad and won Hellfest in Dallas for the second year in a row. More info is at dcrugby.com.

The Adventuring outdoors group continues their summer bike series and weekly year round hikes. This is the “go to” group for anyone wanting to get outside and learn about the rich history of D.C. area. Their schedule is at adventuring.org.

All the local LGBT sports teams and clubs can be found at teamdc.org. Thanks to all of them for a great year.

 

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Books

Celebrate Pride month by reading these books

History, pop culture, and more

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(Photo courtesy of Terri Schlichenmeyer)

You’ve done your share of marching.

You’re determined to wring every rainbow-hued thing out of this month. The last of the parties hasn’t arrived yet, neither have the biggest celebrations and you’re primed but – OK, you need a minute. So pull up a chair, take a deep breath, and read these great books on gay history, movies, and more.

You probably don’t need to be told that harassment and discrimination was a daily occurrence for gay people in the past (as now!), but “American Scare: Florida’s Hidden Cold War on Black and Queer Lives” by Robert W. Fieseler (Dutton, $34) tells a story that runs deeper than you may know. Here, you’ll read a historical expose with documented, newly released evidence of a systemic effort to ruin the lives of two groups of people that were perceived as a threat to a legislature full of white men.

Prepared to be shocked, that’s all you need to know.

You’ll also want to read the story inside “The Many Passions of Michael Hardwick: Sex and the Supreme Court in the Age of AIDS” by Martin Padgett (W.W. Norton & Company, $31.99), which sounds like a novel, but it’s not. It’s the story of one man’s fight for a basic right as the AIDS crisis swirls in and out of American gay life and law. Hint: this book isn’t just old history, and it’s not just for gay men.

Maybe you’re ready for some fun and who doesn’t like a movie? You know you do, so you’ll want “Sick and Dirty: Hollywood’s Gay Golden Age and the Making of Modern Queerness” by Michael Koresky (Bloomsbury, $29.99). It’s a great look at the Hays Code and what it allowed audiences to see, but it’s also about the classics that sneaked beneath the code. There are actors, of course, in here, but also directors, writers, and other Hollywood characters you may recognize. Grab the popcorn and settle in.

If you have kids in your life, they’ll want to know more about Pride and you’ll want to look for “Pride: Celebrations & Festivals” by Eric Huang, illustrated by Amy Phelps (Quarto, $14.99), a story of inclusion that ends in a nice fat section of history and explanation, great for kids ages seven-to-fourteen. Also find “Are You a Friend of Dorothy? The True Story of an Imaginary Woman and the Real People She Helped Shape” by Kyle Lukoff, illustrated by Levi Hastings (Simon & Schuster, $19.99), a lively book about a not-often-told secret for kids ages six-to-ten; and “Papa’s Coming Home” by Chasten Buttigieg, illustrated by Dan Taylor (Philomel, $19.99), a sweet family tale for kids ages three-to-five.

Finally, here’s a tween book that you can enjoy, too: “Queer Heroes” by Arabelle Sicardi, illustrated by Sarah Tanat-Jones (Wide Eyed, $14.99), a series of quick-to-read biographies of people you should know about.

Want more Pride books? Then ask your favorite bookseller or librarian for more, because there are so many more things to read. Really, the possibilities are almost endless, so march on in.

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Music & Concerts

Indigo Girls coming to Capital One Hall

Stars take center stage alongside Fairfax Symphony

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The Indigo Girls are back in the area next week. (Photo courtesy of Vanguard Records)

Capital One Center will host “The Indigo Girls with the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra” on Thursday, June 19 and Friday, June 20 at 8 p.m. at Capital One Hall. 

The Grammy Award-winning folk and pop stars will take center stage alongside the Fairfax Symphony, conducted by Jason Seber. The concerts feature orchestrations of iconic hits such as “Power of Two,” “Get Out The Map,” “Least Complicated,” “Ghost,” “Kid Fears,” “Galileo,” “Closer to Fine,” and many more.

Tickets are available on Ticketmaster or in person at Capital One Hall the nights of the concerts. 

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Calendar

Calendar: June 13-19

LGBTQ events in the days to come

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Friday, June 13

“Center Aging Friday Tea Time” will be at 2 p.m. in person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community’s new location at 1827 Wiltberger St., N.W. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected]

Women in Their Twenties and Thirties will be at 8 p.m. at Wundergarten. An update will be posted the night of the event on where to find WiTT’s table. There’ll be a Pride flag to help people find the group. For more details, join WiTT’s closed Facebook group

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Pride Month Happy Hour” at 7 p.m. at Freddie’s Beach bar and Restaurant. This event is ideal for making new friends, professional networking, idea-sharing, and community building. This event is free and more details are available on Eventbrite

Saturday, June 14

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Pride Month Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including Allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Rainbow History Project will host “Behind the Scenes With the Senior Curator of ‘Pickets, Protests and Parades’” at 7:30p.m. at Freedom Plaza. This behind-the-scenes experience offers a rare glimpse into the creative process behind this groundbreaking showcase of DC’s LGBTQ+ history. Learn about the bold design decisions that shaped the Quote Wall and Hero Cubes and the powerful stories that almost made the cut. Tickets cost $82 and can be purchased on Eventbrite

Monday, June 16

“Center Aging Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more details, email [email protected]

Genderqueer DC will be at 7 p.m. in person at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a support group for people who identify outside of the gender binary. Whether you’re bigender, agender, genderfluid, or just know that you’re not 100% cis. For more information, visit their website at www.genderqueerdc.org or check us out on Facebook

Tuesday, June 17

Bi+ Roundtable and Discussion will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is an opportunity for people to gather in order to discuss issues related to bisexuality or as Bi individuals in a private setting. Check out Facebook or Meetup for more information.

Wednesday, June 18

Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.

“Legends Live Loud: A Queer Karaoke Experience” will be at 7 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This will be a dynamic, Center-wide karaoke event celebrating the brilliance and cultural impact of some of our most colorful queer icons. The Center will honor legends through music, pop culture, dance, and inextinguishable liberation. For more details and to sign up, visit the DC Center’s website

Thursday, June 19

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Book Club” at 7:30 p.m. at Federico Ristorante Italiano. This book club is co-hosted by EQUALITY NoVa and is another opportunity to engage in a fun and rewarding activity. The group doesn’t discriminate when it comes to genres it reads – from classic literature to best selling novels to biographies to histories to gay fiction. For more details, visit Eventbrite

Cultivating Change Foundation will host “Cultivating Pride Happy Hour” at 5:30 p.m. at Dacha Beer Garden. This Pride month, the organization is inviting LGBTQ+ people and allies in food and agriculture to come together in communities nationwide. These informal gatherings are a chance to connect, celebrate, and build community, whether it’s over coffee, a cocktail, or a conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite

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