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Night out for the cause

Region’s advocacy groups have spring galas planned

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Mautner Project gala, gay news, Washington Blade
Mautner Project gala, gay news, Washington Blade

2012 Mautner Project Gala (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Several local LGBT groups have their biggest events of the year in the coming weeks. Some of the galas planned include:

Mautner Project’s Gala and Dance takes place on Saturday at 5:45 p.m. at the Omni Shoreham Hotel (2500 Calvert St., NW). The Gala is to celebrate 23 years of support and community. The evening will include both a live and silent auction, a reception and a dinner by the Electric Rainbow Dance Party. Lesbian comedian Suzanne Westenhoefer will emcee. Tickets are $225. Attendees can sponsor the event by donating $600-$20,000. Attendees who would like to start the party early can purchase VIP reception tickets for $50. The reception begins at 5 p.m. For more information, visit gala.mautnerproject.org. Maryland Del. Maggie McIntosh is slated to receive an award. Look for an appearance from Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley as well.

McIntosh told the Blade’s Michael Lavers in an interview last week that she’s optimistic about Senate Bill 449, a transgender rights bill before the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee. “The House has passed it before, I think it’s a fairly easy pass in the House,” she said. “Wherever Equality Maryland and Sen. [Rich] Madaleno point us, we go.”

Outserve-SLDN hosts its 2013 national dinner to honor the nation’s LGBT service members, veterans and their families also on Saturday evening at 6:30 p.m. at the National Building Museum (401 F St., NW). The evening starts with a cocktail reception with the dinner beginning at 7:30 p.m. This is a black tie, military or semi-formal event and valet parking will be available. Tickets are $100-$2,500. For more information, visit sldn.org.

Equality Virginia has its 10th annual Commonwealth Dinner at the Greater Richmond Convention Center (403 North Third St., Richmond) on April 6 at 6 p.m. The dinner is the largest black-tie gala gathering for Virginia’s LGBT community. The evening will be full of live entertainment from noted invitees, a silent auction and a chance to win prizes while bidding on weekend getaways, dinners out and other prizes. The evening’s special guest is Newark Mayor Cory Booker, a rising political star who is known for his longtime support of LGBT equality. Tickets are $125 and VIP tickets are $250. For more information, visit equlityvirginia.org.

Team D.C. hosts SportsFest on April 11 at Room & Board (1840 14th St., N.W.). The evening provides attendees with the opportunity to learn about all the opportunities the Washington region has to offer in terms of LGBT sports and recreational activities. A $10 donation gets three drink tickets plus other great surprises. One of the new clubs that will be featured at the event is the D.C. Triathlon Club, a new club from the area. The event is free. For more information, visit teamdcsports.com.

Whitman-Walker Health holds its fundraising event “Be the Care” cocktail reception and awards presentation to benefit the organization on April 18 at 6:30 p.m. at the National Museum of Women in the Arts (1250 New York Ave., NW). The dinner helps Whitman-Walker provide heath services to the community. Attendees are expected to dress in business attire. Individual tickets are $150 and emerging leader event tickets are $75. For more information, visit whitman-walker.org.

Capital Area Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce holds its 2013 annual awards dinner on April 19 at 6:30 p.m. at the historic Mayflower Renaissance (1127 Connecticut Ave., NW). The dinner will honor exceptional business leaders and showcase the achievement and impact of LGBT business in the Washington region. Attendees are asked to buy their tickets before March 22. Tickets are $175- $465. For more information, visit caglcc.org.

Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance of Washington hosts its 42nd anniversary reception at the Washington Plaza Hotel (10 Thomas Circle, NW) on April 25 from 6:30-9 p.m. The evening will feature a presentation of the 2013 Distinguished Service Awards to Diana Bruce, Clarence Fluker, Brent Minor, Peter Rosenstein and Jason Terry. Tickets are $55 and a range of donor levels are available. For more information, visit glaa.org. Go here to order tickets online. A flyer is here.

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington presents its “Disco Inferno: Spring Affair Gala Fundraiser,” on April 27 at the Grand Hyatt (1000 H St., NW). The night will be filled with cocktails, huge live and silent auctions, dinner, Chorus entertainment and an after party. Tickets are $175-$300. For more information, visit gmcw.org.

Staff writer Michael K. Lavers contributed to this article.

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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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