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QUEERY: Jeremy LaMaster

The LGBTQ Life volunteer at Johns Hopkins University answers 20 gay questions

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Jeremy LeMaster, gay news, Washington Blade

Jeremy LaMaster (Photo courtesy LaMaster)

When Jeremy LaMaster moved to Baltimore a year and a half ago, he sought out gay life on day one. His husband, Santiago Alvarez, was starting a post-doc fellowship in allergy and immunology at Johns Hopkins and LaMaster was able to find work soon thereafter.

He works as a research program manager for an HIV cohort study at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and volunteers with LGBTQ Life at JHU, headed by Demere Woolway.

On Saturday, the student group will hold a ā€œQueer Takeoverā€ at the John Waters exhibit ā€œIndecent Exposureā€ at the Baltimore Museum of Art (10 Art Museum Dr., Baltimore) from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Tickets for Johns Hopkins students will be distributed on a first-come-first-served basis in the lobby at 10:45 a.m. Look up the event on Facebook for full details or visit studentaffairs.jhu/edu/lgbtq.

At one of the groupā€™s recent events, there was discussion of the limits of meeting other queer folks and networking outside the bar scene. The idea for a museum trip was brought up.

ā€œSince the BMA is currently running a John Waters exhibit, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to create an event that allows LGBTQ youth to socialize ā€¦ while also engaging with a bit of local Baltimore queer history,ā€ the 30-year-old Louisville, Ky., native says.

LaMaster says the event has ā€œtaken on a life of its ownā€ and more queer takeover events will be planned.

LaMaster is full-time on staff but is also enrolled in a part-time MBA program at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. Heā€™s studying organizational leadership and wants to explore different opportunities after seven years in academia. He would like to eventually do management and consulting work in the public and non-profit sectors.

LaMaster and Alvarez live in Baltimoreā€™s Canton neighborhood. LeMaster enjoys video games, spending time with friends and napping in his free time.

 

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

Nine years and the hardest person to tell was myself. I grew up very devoted to Catholicism and it was very challenging to get to the place I am now.

 

Who’s your LGBT hero?

Audre Lorde. As someone who identified as capital ā€œBā€ black and capital ā€œLā€ lesbian, her book ā€œSister Outsiderā€ was my first introduction to LGBTQ identity as an intersectional and socio-political identity.

 

What’s Baltimoreā€™s best nightspot, past or present?Ā 

When I first moved here, the Baltimore Eagle was one of my favorite spots; it sort of was a sampling of different styles of gay bars rolled into one. Unfortunately it has since closed.

 

Describe your dream wedding.

Just five people: me, my partner, two witnesses and an officiator on some seaside cliffs somewhere.

 

What non-LGBT issue are you most passionate about?

Anti-black racism, even though I would argue it is an LGBT issue.

 

What historical outcome would you change?

The genocide of Native Americans ā€” such a devastating loss of culture due to white settler colonialism.

 

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

Beyonceā€™s first surprise visual album.

 

On what do you insist?

A seat at the table for all stakeholders.

 

What was your last Facebook post or Tweet?

A meme about Tumblrā€™s new anti-nudity policy.

 

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

ā€œScrew(ed): an Odysseyā€

 

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

Encourage and advocate for straight people to be LGBTQ.

 

What do you believe in beyond the physical world?Ā 

Pantheism ā€” that everything is somehow connected.

 

What’s your advice for LGBT movement leaders?

Focus on inter-generational work; educate and learn from our LGBTQ youth.

 

What would you walk across hot coals for?

I am a very food-motivated person.

 

What LGBT stereotype annoys you most?

That weā€™re immature.

 

What’s your favorite LGBT movie?

ā€œMa Vie En Roseā€

 

What’s the most overrated social custom?

Asking ā€œwhat do you do?ā€ when you first meet someone.

 

What trophy or prize do you most covet?

A Pulitzer Prize in writing (even though I donā€™t write).

 

What do you wish you’d known at 18?

That I was queer. I feel like I missed a lot by trying to be straight.

 

Why Baltimore?Ā 

Work! Johns Hopkins is what brought us.

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ā€˜Tigerā€™ burning bright: an interview with Mary Timony

Todayā€™s female-driven music scene wouldnā€™t be the same without her

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Mary Timony is back with a new album. (Photo by Chris Grady)

Itā€™s hard to imagine what the current female-driven music scene would be like without Mary Timony. From Sleater-Kinney to Haim, from Angel Olsen to Mitski, the influence of Mary Timony is in every note being played, every word being sung. On her new solo album, ā€œUntame The Tigerā€ (Merge), with its sly nod to Joni Mitchell, Timony has brought her many years of musical experience to the fore, resulting in what is easily her most accessible release. Beginning with the incredible six-plus minute opener ā€œNo Thirdsā€ and continuing through the first single, ā€œDominoes,ā€ and gorgeous numbers including ā€œThe Guest,ā€ ā€œThe Dream,ā€ and ā€œNot The Only One,ā€ Timony is assured to keep listeners purring along. Timony made time for an interview shortly before the album was released.

BLADE: Mary, Iā€™d like to begin by talking to you about your musical lives in D.C. and Boston. I went to college in Boston in the early 1980s and was constantly amazed by the bands of the era such as Mission of Burma, Human Sexual Response, and ā€˜Til Tuesday. I moved to D.C. in the mid-1980s to go to grad school, and at the time, the music scene there was dominated by go-go music, and a smaller indie music featuring BETTY and the late Tommy Keene, among others. What do you remember about the music in D.C. as someone who grew up there?

MARY TIMONY: Thatā€™s interesting. We kind of did a switcheroo. Iā€™m from D.C. and I moved to Boston. (In D.C.) I learned, as a teenager, about rock shows and rock music from being involved in the punk scene, the post-hardcore scene of kids here. Those are the shows I went to in high school. Basically, the Dischord (Records) bands and stuff. I saw every single Fugazi show from when they started in ā€™87. Before that, whatever was happening in 1985, hardcore shows by Swiz and Soulside and Kingface and I loved Ignition. Other than that, I would go see bluegrass out in Virginia and I loved go-go. I would go to see (go-go bands) Rare Essence and Trouble Funk. I was very into that stuff; that was really exciting. I think I liked go-go the most out of all of it, actually [laughs]. I would go to DC Space and 9:30 (Club), mostly for local (acts). I don’t think I ever saw BETTY, but I was a teenager then.

BLADE: Was the active music scene in Boston in the early 1990s part of the appeal for you when it came to relocating to Boston to attend Boston University?

TIMONY: The reason why I went there was because I wanted to go to a music program that was in a big university, in case I didn’t wanna study music the whole time, which is exactly what happened. I studied classical guitar for a year and then I didn’t really like the program much, so I transferred to study English. I found out about the (Boston) music scene from friends. We went to The Middle East (nightclub) and TTā€™s (T.T. The Bearā€™s nightclub). Then after college, I ended up living right down the street from The Middle East and I was there constantly.

BLADE: Good old Central Square! As a performer playing in bands including Autoclave, Helium, and Ex Hex, and as a solo artist with her own band, itā€™s not unreasonable to say that Mary, you are someone who plays well with others. 

TIMONY: [Big laugh.]

BLADE: What makes you such a good team player?

TIMONY: I didn’t know I was [laughs]. I’ve gone back and forth between doing solo stuff and being in bands. Mostly, I’ve done projects where I’ve written a bunch of songs and I’m trying toā€¦I haven’t done a ton of collaborative stuff really. Ex Hex was fun because it was more collaborative. Wild Flag, the same thing, totally 100% collaborative in every way. But Helium was really my thing, but I got some great people that totally influenced it. I’ve always been doing my own thing but tried to find really good people. Music really is about connection. Itā€™s never as good if it’s only one person’s vision. Usually, if it’s good it’s good because of the connection between the musicians. Music is a social art form, I think.

BLADE: ā€œUntame The Tigerā€ is the title of your new album. In 1999, Joni Mitchell titled her album ā€œTaming The Tiger.ā€ Are you, in any way, making a nod to Joni?

TIMONY: A little bit because I am a huge fan. I have been since I was 18. But, it sort of came to me because I have a song called that on the record and I’m sure that probably came from ripping off Joni Mitchell. Then I just thought thatā€™s a cool name for a record. Then I thought, ā€œOh, shit!ā€ [Laughs] Itā€™s already been taken! Then I thought about it and then I forgot about it. Then I thought about it again and finally, I was like, ā€œItā€™s OK. It’s a little bit different.ā€ And I love her!

BLADE: Iā€™m currently reading Ann Powersā€™ book ā€œTraveling: On the Path of Joni Mitchell,ā€ which comes out in June.

TIMONY: Oh, I’m definitely going to have to read.

BLADE: Yes, please add that to your reading list. ā€œUntame The Tigerā€ is your first new solo studio album in 15 years. Are there things you write and sing about on your solo records that might be out of place on an album you would record with another one of your musical outfits?

TIMONY: Yes. That’s why this ended up being a solo record. I guess it was because of the tuning of my guitar. They were more or less finished songs. I wanted the songs to sound kind of acoustic. I also wanted to play with a bunch of musicians who I really love. All those things just made it seem like a solo record. If I’m writing for a band, like Ex Hex, which is basically the other band that I do right now, they’re not finished. I bring them in (to the band members) with that band in mind.

BLADE: I love the lush instrumental section on ā€œThirdsā€ and the psychedelic sounds of ā€œLooking For The Sunā€ and ā€œThe Guest.ā€ Were there things you were listening to while writing the songs for ā€œUntame The Tigerā€ that were inspiring to you?

TIMONY: I was listening to a lot of music, a ton of stuff. I don’t ever try to purposely emulate anything very often, but I can’t help it. I’d rather be influenced by stuff without really thinking about it too consciously. I always have loved listening to The Left Bankeā€™s instrumentation and The Moody Bluesā€™ string parts. Most of the string parts come from trying to emulate The Moody Blues [laughs] or The Left Banke. I’m obsessed with The Left Banke.

BLADE: ā€œWalk Away RenĆ©e,ā€ right?

TIMONY: Yes. This guy, Michael Brown, was such a genius. He wrote so much stuff as a teenager. His dad was a string arranger. Anyway, I love those string parts. I was listening to this prog-rock band The Strawbs and this early (Ronnie) Dio band Elf. (The Flying) Burrito Brothers and The Byrds, too. I love Fairport Convention and Steeleye Span. Richard Thompson and I was really obsessed with Gerry Raffertyā€™s early solo record called ā€œCan I Have My Money Back?ā€ I love that record. I was listening to it a ton when I was arranging the songs.

BLADE: Why was the song ā€œDominoesā€ selected as the first single from ā€œUntame The Tiger?ā€

TIMONY: I don’t know. I let other people tell me [laughs]. I really hate sequencing records and I hate choosing singles. Iā€™m just too close to it. I can’t tell what people are going to like or not. A lot of times, the ones that I like are not the ones that other people like. I asked (the people at) the label and they suggested that. I think it’s more poppy sounding. Dave Fridmann mixed that one and ā€œDonā€™t Disappearā€ and heā€™s a genius mixer. and these mixers are always very pleasing and accessible sounding. I think that has something to do with it, too.

BLADE: Earlier, we talked about your long history of playing music with others, which reminded me of your guest spot singing ā€œAll Dressed Up In Dreams,ā€ written by gay singer/songwriter Stephin Merritt for his band The 6thsā€™ ā€œWaspsā€™ Nestā€ album. 

TIMONY: Heā€™s such a genius!

BLADE: How did that come about?

TIMONY: When I moved to Boston, for a year I lived with Claudia (Gonson of Merrittā€™s band The Magnetic Fields), who is his drummer. I lived in a group house in Cambridge. I was friends with Claudia, and Stephin lived a few blocks away. She told me he was making this record with guest singers they wanted to go over and sing on it. I went over there one day and he taught me the song and I sang on it.  I think he’s one of the best songwriters of the last 50 years or whatever.

BLADE: I completely agree. As someone who has collaborated with Stephin, are you aware of an LGBTQ+ following for your own music?

TIMONY: I don’t know. I think maybe a little bit. Iā€™d love that. I love everybody who can connect with it, because all I’m trying to do is connect with people.

Mary Timony (Photo by Chris Grady)
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Sherry Vine is turning 60 ā€” and sheā€™s not quitting anytime soon

Legendary drag queen coming to D.C. for new show, ā€˜Smoke and Mirrorsā€™

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Sherry Vine performs in D.C. on March 9. (Photo courtesy of Sherry Vine)

There are many things Sherry Vine is proud of. Throughout her 33-year-long career, the drag queen has accomplished so much ā€” sheā€™s released music, launched her own variety show and toured across the United States and Europe. 

But what she loves the most about her career is making people laugh. 

This calling to be a comedy queen started before her formal drag career. In high school, she remembers taking part in the musicals, and Vine would find joy in making people laugh by wittily changing song lyrics. 

ā€œThen it just evolved into doing that as the act,ā€ Vine said in an interview with the Blade. 

From the beginning of her career, sheā€™s made singing live parodies a central part of her performance as a drag queen. And for her 60th birthday, she knew she wanted to put on an extravaganza. 

Vine is coming to the Woolly Mammoth on March 9 while on tour for her new show ā€œSmoke and Mirrors,ā€ performed and written by her. Itā€™ll include new parodies, from Bruce Springsteen to ABBA. The D.C.-based drag queen Tara Hoot will be a special guest at the show.Ā 

Thereā€™s a lot that led up to this milestone year for Vine. It all started with developing her character more than 30 years ago. 

Developing Sherry Vine

Vine describes her persona as a down-on-her-luck showgirl from Las Vegas with a heart of gold. 

She was always obsessed with stars like Joey Heatherton and Stella Stevens. Not to suggest those stars are down-on-their-luck showgirls, Vine said, but she wanted to evoke a sex kitten mentality. Her character eventually morphed into what it is today from these inspirations. 

But at first, Vine said she thought she had to look funny to be funny. 

ā€œI didn’t care about the makeup. I didn’t wear big breasts. I just thought I had to look like a clown,ā€ Vine said. 

When she moved to New York City in 1992, she was surrounded by queens who balanced being funny and gorgeous simultaneously. That was eye-opening for her, she said. 

Now, she relishes surprising people, she said. Sheā€™s been told she looks ā€œtoo prettyā€ to be taken for a comedy queen, but thatā€™s OK with her. 

ā€œI want to walk out on stage, and anyone who’s never seen me, maybe they’re like, ā€˜Oh, she looks good,ā€™ā€ Vine said. ā€œAnd then I started singing about poop and penis and they’re like, ā€˜Oh my gosh, she’s so stupid.ā€™ā€

When she was starting out as a drag queen, Vine reflected that she didnā€™t envision doing drag as a career. She remembers not wanting to commit to it. She wanted to be a movie star, she said. 

ā€œI kind of fought it. I loved it,ā€ Vine said. ā€œBut I was like, I’m not doing this as a career.ā€™ā€

But once she let go of fighting it, her career exploded. She got connected with RuPaul and was on two television specials in the 1990s. That support was crucial, Vine said, and helped her believe in herself more. 

ā€œI was like, ā€˜Oh, OK. If this person thinks that I have something, then maybe I do,ā€™ā€ Vine said. 

Drag has changed ā€” a lot 

(Photo courtesy of Sherry Vine)

The drag scene has changed drastically. Vine credits a lot of this transformation to ā€œRuPaulā€™s Drag Race.ā€ 

ā€œWhen we started doing drag 30 years ago, no one in their right mind would have been like, ā€˜I’m going to do drag so I can make a lot of money and be famous,ā€™ā€ Vine said. 

Before RuPaulā€™s iconic single “Supermodel (You Better Work),ā€ one of the only examples of drag the average consumer saw was ā€œMrs. Doubtfire,ā€ Vine said.  

ā€œYou had to have a passion for it,ā€ Vine said. ā€œYou had to have a calling.ā€

When Vine started, drag was a fringe art form that had an audience of mostly gay men. 

Nowadays, itā€™s mainstream. Drag is enjoyed by a much wider audience, and is more of a way to become famous. When Vine was coming up in the industry, there were few ways to get on TV and in films as a drag queen, short of playing a character that was murdered on ā€œLaw & Order,ā€ she said. 

But even though drag has evolved and grown in popularity, Vineā€™s advice to drag queens has stayed the same over the years. 

ā€œDon’t try to do something because you think someone else is doing it successfully,ā€ Vine said. ā€œFind what you do, and then exploit and explore that.ā€

Looking back, looking ahead 

Out of her multi-decade run as a drag queen, Vine said sheā€™s most proud of the longevity of her career. There are a few people who have been in it as long as she has ā€” Lady Bunny and Miss Coco Peru, for example. Few others have made it as long as Vine, she said.  

She stresses that she canā€™t take credit for creating things, but she takes pride in being one of the first drag queens to go viral on YouTube in the 2000s. Her ā€œBad Romanceā€ parody, released in 2009, racked up more than 6 million views over the years. 

In the next few years, sheā€™s looking into doing more television and film projects. Her latest show, ā€œThe Sherry Vine Variety Show,ā€ just wrapped filming its third season. Creating this show is fulfilling a childhood dream of hers, she said. Itā€™s an homage to ā€œThe Carol Burnett Show,ā€ which Vine grew up watching. 

Whether itā€™s performing on camera or onstage, Vine doesnā€™t see herself quitting anytime soon. 

ā€œI love performing and drag as much now as I did 33 years ago,ā€ Vine said. ā€œSo I don’t see ever stopping.ā€

To get details on how to buy tickets to ā€œSmoke and Mirrors,ā€ visit woollymammoth.net/productions/sherry-vine.

(Image courtesy of Sherry Vine)
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Girls Rock! DC empowers young people through music, social justice education

Organization founded in October 2007

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Youth leaders of Girls Rock DC! (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Girls Rock! DC, an organization operating at the intersection of art and activism, is dedicated to empowering young people through music and social justice education. 

Since its founding in October 2007; Girls Rock! DC has been creating a supportive, inclusive and equitable space that centers around girls and nonbinary youth, with a special emphasis on uplifting Black and Brown youth. At the core of Girls Rock! DC’s mission is a unique approach to music education, viewing it through a social justice and equity lens. 

“It’s a place where people can come explore their interest in music in a safe environment, figure out their own voice, and have a platform to say it,” Board Vice Chair Nicole Savage said.

This approach allows D.C.’s young people to build a sense of community and explore their passion for social change through after-school programs, workshops and camps.

The organization’s roots trace back to the first rock camp for girls in August 2001 in Portland, Ore. Similar camps have emerged worldwide since then, forming the International Girls Rock Camp Alliance. Girls Rock! DC is a member of this alliance, contributing to the larger community’s growth and advocacy for inclusivity in the music industry.

Girls Rock! DC’s annual programs now serve more than 100 young people and 20 adults, offering after-school programs and camps. Participants receive instruction on the electric guitar, the electric bass, keyboards, drum kits and other instruments or on a microphone and form bands to write and perform their own original songs. Beyond music, the program includes workshops on underrepresented histories in the music industry, community injustice issues and empowerment topics that include running for office and body positivity.

“I’ve been playing shows in the D.C. music scene for about six years, and I feel like Girls Rock! DC is the perfect amalgamation of everything that I stand for,ā€ said Outreach Associate Lily MĆ³nico. ā€œSo many music spaces are male dominated and I think there is a need for queer femme youth in music.ā€

Lily MĆ³nico (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

The organization’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is evident not only in its leadership but also in the way it creates a safe space for queer and nonbinary individuals. Language is a crucial component, and Girls Rock! DC ensures that both campers and volunteers embrace inclusivity. 

“It is a very open and creative space, where there’s no judgment,” Zadyn Higgins, one of the youth leaders, emphasized. “It is the first time for a lot of us, to be in a space where we’re truly able to be ourselves.”

In creating a safe environment, Girls Rock! DC implements practices that include name tags with preferred names and pronouns, along with pronoun banners that help kids understand and respect diverse identities. 

“It’s really cool to watch these kids understand and just immediately get it,” said Higgins.Ā 

Zadyn Higgins (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Girls Rock! DC is also more than a music education organization; it’s a community where individuals can embark on a transformative journey that extends beyond their initial participation as campers. Many start their Girls Rock! DC experience as enthusiastic campers, learning to play instruments, forming bands and expressing their creativity in a supportive environment. The organization’s impact, however, doesn’t stop there. This inspiration leads them to volunteer and intern within the organization. 

The unique progression from camper to volunteer or intern, and eventually to a full-fledged role within the organization, exemplifies Girls Rock! DC as a place where growth is not confined to a single week of camp but extends into an ongoing, impactful journey. It’s a testament to the organization’s commitment to nurturing talent, empowering individuals and fostering a lifelong connection with the values for which Girls Rock! DC stands.

One of the highlights of Girls Rock! DC is its summer camp, where kids between 8-18 learn to play instruments, form bands, write songs and perform in just one week. Higgins shared a poignant moment from a showcase,

“To see them go from, like, crying a little bit about how scared they were to going out on the stage and performing their little hearts out was so sweet,” said Higgins.

(Photo courtesy of Frankie Amitrano of Girls Rock! D.C.)

Nzali Mwanza-Shannon, another youth leader, agreed that the camp is the highlight of the program. 

“The summer camp, I’ve met so many friends, and it’s always kind of scary coming up to the end, but after we get to perform and everything, I’m so grateful that I’ve gotten the opportunity to perform and meet new people and be so creative and do it all in a week,” said Mwanza-Shannon.

Forty-three young people who showcased their original songs and DJ sets at D.C.ā€™s legendary 9:30 Club attended the first Girls Rock! DC camp in 2007. They performed to a crowd of 700 enthusiastic fans. The organization since then has grown exponentially, with each passing year bringing more energy, vibrancy and fun to the camp experience.

Since the pandemic, however, the organization has struggled financially, experiencing a funding shortage as well as reduced growth in attracting new members. 

Augusta Smith, who is a youth leader and a member of the band Petrichor, expressed concern about the potential impact on the unique and friendly environment that Girls Rock! DC provides. 

“We’ve kind of been really slow and barely making enough money. And this year, we’re having a funding shortage,ā€ said Smith. 

The impact of Girls Rock! DC extends beyond musical skills, fostering leadership, self-expression and a passion for social change through creative collaboration and community power-building. Mwanza-Shannon hopes to be a part of Girls Rock! DC for a long time, 

“I want to keep on meeting new people,ā€ said Mwanza-Shannon. ā€œI want to keep on being able to perform at these different places and have different experiences.”

(Photo courtesy of Frankie Amitrano of Girls Rock! DC)
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