Arts & Entertainment
Before Stonewall, newspapers complicit with police in gay bar raids
Fifty years ago, members of the LGBT community tired of continuous police raids on gay bars were driven to riot in the streets of New York City after the latest incursion at the Stonewall Inn on the evening of June 26, 1969.
But police raids on gay bars in the days before the Stonewall riots went hand-in-hand with the subsequent reports in newspapers the next day outing individuals caught in the raids, which would have potentially blacklisted them for the remainder of their lives.
In terms of Washington news coverage, the authority on newspapers outing gay men caught in police raids is Edward Alwood, a former CNN correspondent and now adjunct lecturer at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at University of Maryland, College Park.
Alwood wrote about the practice in his 1996 book āStraight News: Gays, Lesbians, and the News Media,ā and spoke about it in an interview with the Washington Blade.
āWashington was very different from New York,ā Alwood said, āin that so much of the gay community here was connected with the federal government, and for that reasonā¦gay men were much more closeted here and much less likely to protest as they did in New York.ā
That perspective within D.C.ās gay community started to change, Alwood said, when gay rights pioneer Frank Kameny was outed, lost his job in the federal government as an astronomer and formed the Mattachine Society. Nonetheless, Alwood said during that time there would be newspaper articles reporting on gay raids that named individuals who were caught.
Reading from his book, Alwood said the D.C. press after World War II made vague references to homosexuals in describing street crimes, āparticularly police campaigns to clean up public parks, including Lafayette Park across from the White House.ā (Lafayette Park had been a place where gay men would meet to have sex discreetly.)
The Washington Post in the 1940s, Alwood said, described how officers shuttled groups of men from the park to the city jail throughout one night in July 1947 as 41 were arrested in the park.
The Washington Star reported that the metropolitan police staged a raid just to see who the men were. Similarly, the Post celebrated a crackdown a year later, when a headline read, āOne-Man Vice Squad Arrests Eight More.ā
āThe article lavished praise on a handsome undercover officer who was deemed the the cityās most successful weapon in combating vice,ā Alwood said. āNeither newspaper explained why the police felt compelled to target law-abiding citizens because they were considered unwelcome in public parks.ā
Alwood quoted Benjamin Bradlee, the Post editor during its Pentagon Papers and Watergate coverage in the 1970s, as dismissive of the coverage in reflections of the time when he started at the newspaper covering vice on the crime beat.
āThe police sent these guys into menās rooms where they sort of lollygag around to see if anybody would make a pass at them,ā Alwood quoted Bradlee as saying. āThey would make sure the press heard about it. The Post never made a big deal out of it. We had little one paragraph that had that no news value, of course, but thatās what it was.ā
For lesbians, Alwood said, the situation was different. For starters, sodomy was an offense perceived as something only men could commit, he said, so homosexual acts werenāt considered against the law. There were no lesbian bars, he said, so women met instead at womenās homes.
āThey had these social clubs, so thatās part of the difference that happened, which is why so many more men wound up having their names and their ages and their street addresses listed in the newspapers,ā Alwood said.
Nonetheless, Alwood said there was coverage of lesbians. One piece in the Washington Times-Herald, drew on the Red Scare of a Russian threat during the Cold War for a sensational article.
Under the headline, āReds entice women here in sex orgies,ā the article described an alleged plot by Russian agents to entice women employees of the State Department into homosexuality,ā Alwood said.
āRussian agents were waging a systematic campaign to bring women employees of the State Department under their control by enticing them into a life of lesbianism,ā Alwood said. āAs many as 65 or 70 persons attended a single one of these lavish get-togethers, according to a congressional committee. Many were garbed in rich Oriental costumes to help them get into the spirit of things.ā
Such coverage isnāt found today in Washington-area newspapers, which have been accepting of the D.C. LGBT community and seek to capitalize on LGBT events, such as Capital Pride. The Post, however, didnāt respond to the Washington Bladeās request for comment on past coverage outing gay men and whether any formal decision was made to change it.
Alwood said heās unaware of any one instance that indicated āany flipping of the switch, so to speak,ā but said the arrest of Walter Jenkins, a close aide to former President Lyndon Johnson, in 1964 on āmoral chargesā at the YMCA was a turning point.
āI think it was a wake-up call for journalists in this city because now it wasnāt just anonymous low-ranking people in menās rooms and parks getting arrested, it was a high-level front page story of a presidential aide,ā Alwood said. āAnd I think as a result of that, Iām just guessing, more journalists, such as those at the Post, realized they knew gay people and they didnāt fit the stereotype.ā
Also at that time, Alwood said, more and more D.C. gay groups were protesting police actions, which led to a re-examination of the strict laws.
One period that marked a change, Alwood said, was when Albert Finney became managing editor of the Post. During his tenure, Alwood said Finney assigned a reporter to write an in-depth series about gay people in D.C.
“The series was stunning for its time,” Alwood said. “It was in-depth, bold, insightful. Though its premise rested on old stereotypes and clinical language, like homosexual, it pushed the boundaries of ignorance and denial to a new level of openness.”
Movies
Nick Kroll and Andrew Rannells want to adopt baby in ‘I Don’t Understand You’
Film premiered at SXSW in Austin
Editor’s note: Jack Morningstar attended SXSW in Austin, Texas.
“I Don’t Understand You” focuses on a couple whose romantic Italian getaway devolves into bloody chaos while they prepare to adopt their first child.Ā
The film, while veering into hilariously gruesome hijinks, tells the story of a gay couple who is willing to kill for a chance at fatherhood. It sheds light on the hurdles that same-sex couples often go through in the adoption process: Financial burdens, time constraints, fraud, and in this case, a rural Italian family.
The film premiered last weekend at SXSW in Austin and stars Nick Kroll and Andrew Rannells along with Nunzia Schiano, Morgan Spector and Eleonora Romandini. It was written and directed by Brian Crano and David Craig, who are married. They sourced inspiration from their own adoption struggles and an Italian vacay gone wrong.
āWe were about to leave for Italy when we found out that we had matched with a birth mother and our son would be born in about six weeks,ā said Crano.
According to Craig, the trip was tense and it culminated in their car getting stuck in a ditch on their way to an anniversary dinner.
āWe ended up at an old ladyās house after she rescued us in her Fiat. Her family cooked us a meal and we stayed up drinking with them until 3 a.m., not understanding a word they were saying,ā he said.
Without spoiling anything, the couple in the movie go to absurd lengths to ensure that their adoption goes through. Craig explained that the theme of the movie was “what would you do for your kid.”Ā
“We were three years into our own journey at the time and realized we would literally do anything to make that dream a reality. Itās really a love letter to our son,ā he said.
The film is hard to relegate to a single genre.
āWhen conceiving the story, we saw it as different parts ā romantic comedy, horror movie, murder play ā but I think by bringing in Nick and Andrew that blend actually became much more of an organic mix where the comedy sustained throughout. They elevated it in a more elegant fashion,ā said Craig.
“I Donāt Understand You”was produced by Pinky Promise, a women-led production company with the mission to elevate diverse voices in their storytelling. Kara Durrett, Pinky Promiseās current president was a champion of this script from the beginning. Founder Jessamine Burgum recounts that when Durrett was onboarding, she said āIf you donāt get [“I Donāt Understand You”] I donāt know if this is going to work.ā
It ultimately became one of the first projects Burgum and Durrett collaborated on.Ā
Kroll and Rannellsā chemistry carried the film.
āThere was a desire to work with each of them because they had both separately been in such amazing comedian teams ā like Andrew with Josh Gad and Nick with John Mulaney. Nick and Andrewās characters are in almost every scene of the movie together, so they needed to be adept to basically doing a shared performance. There was no one more well-positioned to do this as naturally as possible,ā said Crano.
Their characters are easy to root for, yet also deeply flawed.
āA big thing we wanted to do with this movie, and with all of our work in telling stories, is avoid telling a cliched gay trauma film. Weāve never ascribed to the idea that there is a subcategory to film that is LGBTQ, rather ā movies are for everyone. We want to make a movie where gay characters are flawed, not for being gay, but because of who they are. They can be villains, but they are our protagonists,ā said Craig.
Out & About
Celebrate spring with these D.C.-area events
Galas, Cherry Weekend, Pride, and more on tap
Temperatures outside are starting to rise and the sun is shining again. Hereās a list of upcoming D.C. events that can make enjoying the good weather even that much more thrilling.
Cherry Weekend Washington begins on Thursday, April 4. The Cherry weekend is a spectacular and joyous event held over four days featuring 16 world renowned DJs, nine different events and four fun daytime parties.
3rd Friday Night Open Mic will take place on Thursday, March 15 at 9 p.m. at the Bus Boys and Poets location in Brookland. This event will be hosted by Mariah Barber (they/she), a queer storyteller, consultant, spoken word artist, and activist who has been creating social justice-oriented art for the last 15 years. Tickets start at $5 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.Ā
RuPaulās Drag Race Season 15 winner Sasha Colby will bring her Sasha Colby: Stripped Tour to the Howard Theatre on Wednesday, March 27 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased on the Howard Theatreās website.Ā
Decades DC returns with Throwback Thursdays on Thursday, March 14 at 10 p.m. This event will have an open air rooftop and the first drink is on the house. Entry is free until midnight and more details are available on Eventbrite.Ā
Skin and Wellness Center will host Equinox Celebration on Tuesday, March 19 at 7 p.m. at 929 W. Broad St. This event will involve movement, breath work, meditation and community connection to celebrate the spring equinox and embrace energies of rebirth, fertility, creativity, balance, and expansive growth for mind, body, and spirit. Tickets cost $28.52 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.Ā
Models Inc. will host The Front Row! Fashion Show on Saturday, March 30 at 7 p.m. at the Silver Spring Black Box Theatre. This is the ultimate destination for designers seeking to showcase their talent and brand. This exclusive event provides a platform to promote artistry and visions, featuring various artists, creatives, fashion enthusiasts, models, stylists, and visionaries. Tickets start at $35 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.Ā
Spring Bling Adult Prom will be on Friday, April 26 at 8 p.m. at Graces Event Center. Guests are encouraged to wear their favorite spring colors and show up for a night of dancing, food and fun.Tickets cost $92.55 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
TSR Productions will host Spring Salsa Bash on Saturday, March 23 at 8 p.m. at The Salsa Room Tysons. This event will feature Hermanos Galvan and Orquesta live in concert playing the best salsa, bachata, and merengue. There will also be top DJs playing the best in Latin trap, urbana, reggaetton. Tickets start at $25 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.Ā
We Will Survive Cancer will host Spring Fling Cocktail & Dance Party on Saturday, April 20 at 7:30 p.m. at Whino. This event will be hosted by DJ Steve. Tickets cost $25 and all proceeds are donated to cancer patients. More details are on Eventbrite.
Chase Brexton Health Care hosts its 2024 Gala at the Baltimore Museum of Art, with the theme centered around the NEW Roaring ā20s on Saturday, March 30. Details at chasebrexton.org.Ā
CAMP Rehobothās annual Womenās FEST is scheduled for April 25-28. Lea DeLaria will headline with Crys Matthews opening. Visit camprehoboth.org for details.
Trans Pride Washington, D.C. is scheduled for Saturday, May 18. The full day of conference activities will take place at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. Visit transpridewashingtondc.org for details.
The Bladeās 17th annual Summer Kickoff Party in Rehoboth Beach is scheduled for Friday, May 17; details to be announced soon.
D.C.ās 49th annual Pride celebration kicks off May 31-June 9, culminating with the parade and festival. Visit capitalpride.org for details. The annual Pride on the Pier with fireworks celebration is slated for Saturday, June 8, 2-9 p.m. at the Wharf. Visit prideonthepierdc.com for details.
The Tryst Puerto Vallarta begins welcoming discerning gay guests this spring, just in time for the Mexican resort city’s Pride celebrations.
The 55-room resort includes a penthouse suite featuring two terraces, three large suites with expansive living areas and terraces and several junior suites with unique features. A highly anticipated rooftop pool with a bar area and restaurant offering fine Mexican cuisine are just some of the highlights.
āYou can stay here and never leave the resort,ā said Tristan Schukraft, the driving force behind Tryst Hotels, and self-described CEO of “everything gay.”
While he started out in his career working in the early days of electronic ticketing, Schukraft may be more known for his work with MISTR, a popular online source for PrEP. He also recently entered into an agreement to purchase the Abbey in West Hollywood, Calif.
With Tryst he promises “itās a fun, exciting atmosphere.”
“The idea is not just the guests are coming to the resort, but locals,” said Schukraft. “So, when you stay here itās the way to mingle with the local gay community.ā
To welcome and include both guests and locals, the resort will host drag brunches in the hotel restaurant. Weekend parties featuring DJs on the eighth floor pool and bar area also seeks to make this not just a place to stay, but one to celebrate with the community.
Schukraft hopes visitors will get to know guests or locals poolside, or in the restaurant, and make lifelong friendships.
Or perhaps find a bit of romance: After all the hotel is set in the famed Zona RomƔntica.
āTryst Hotels are not merely luxury destinations; they are a celebration of gay culture, where every guest is embraced,” said Schukraft. “Our mission is to create spaces where luxury and identity flourish without compromise.ā
The D.C. Travel and Adventure Show took place last month in D.C., and LGBTQ-specific travel was among the topics the convention highlighted. The Washington Blade in its preview of the expo noted LGBTQ travelers may book a resort or vacation that promises “everyone is welcome,” but upon arrival feel uncomfortable by reactions of staff or other guests due to expressing their identity as queer people.
Schukraft has experienced this.
āI was at a hetero-friendly hotel Miami, but it was also marketed to gay men,” he explained. “So, you have two guys kissing at the pool and you have a straight couple looking over and wondering are they staying at a gay hotel. Itās sort of an awkward occurrence.ā
Everyone, therefore, is welcome at Tryst resorts, but it is not being marketed outside of the community.
āMy boyfriends and I have even experienced side-eye glances for our choice of swimwear,” Schukraft said. “You wonāt find that at Tryst Hotels.ā
Speaking of attire: Many luxury guesthouses, inns and hotels catering to gay men offer clothing-optional zones for guests. Itās an allure for some travelers.
But, not at Tryst.
āDonāt get me wrong, clothing optional resorts are fun, but thatās not our concept. Our concept is a luxurious, inclusive resort,ā Schukraft said with a touch of elan apropos for the “CEO of everything gay.” āOf course wear your thongs [and] Speedos.ā
Tryst Puerto Vallarta and Tryst San Juan in Puerto Rico, which is slated to open in 2025, are being marketed as gay-owned, gay-focused resorts with luxurious offerings and amenities. Many resorts known to epitomize luxury may be seen as slightly conservative or āstuffy.ā
Luxury promises not to come only in the form of superior bedding, bathrobes, slippers and skincare products, but also in the stunning interiors.
The Puerto Vallarta property engaged the same studio known for their acclaimed work at the Four Seasons Tamarindo. Designers from Estudio Esterlina bring a refined mix of minimalism, modernism and Mexican.Ā
āWhy canāt you have fun and luxury in the same space? Here, you let your hair down by the pool, enjoy a pool party, a fine Mexican meal in our full-service restaurant, a drag brunch on weekends and socialize with new friends all while feeling safe,” Schukraft said. “Our goal is to show luxury doesnāt have to mean stuffy.ā