a&e features
Coronavirus wreaks havoc on D.C. queer nightlife
Promoters, drag queens, performers all brace for extreme income loss
As coronavirus continues its surge across the U.S., little will remain unaffected. Millions will likely manage to remain uninfected but few will not feel the economic impact in some fashion, especially those whose economic lives were tenuous before. With practically all performances and concerts canceled indefinitely, Washingtonians in the gay nightlife world are reeling.
Dougie Meyer presents weekly Avalon Saturdays at Soundcheck, which bills itself as āD.C.ās No. 1 weekly LGBTQ+ dance party.ā The parties have been canceled at least through the end of March and Meyer, whoās gay, says between this and other events he runs (some in New York), he expects a severe loss.
āThis is so serious,ā he says. āI will not only lose thousands and thousands of dollars personally, but this is coming into what would normally be my busy season. As is fairly common in nightlife, January and February are always your slowest months and we pretty much keep things going in the red. People are maxed out from the holidays, itās bitter cold out and not only are we not making any money, weāre actually losing money because we still have to pay employees, still have to pay lighting cost, decor, drag queens, the expenses keep adding up. Things usually start to rebound in March and April and people are finally going out again, the weather has warmed up and people are in a better mood but now, even that has been completely stripped away from us.ā
Actress/comedian Beverly āMiss Chocolateā White works by day as an executive assistant at a local non-profit but says her nightlife gigs help her pay bills and give her some financial cushion in the pricey District (Investopedia places it as the fifth most expensive U.S. city). All 10 bookings she had coming up have been canceled, she says. Her day job, too, is uncertain because of the virus.
āI probably wonāt starve or be put out from that income, but it does help,ā White, a lesbian, says. āItās enabled me to be a sponsor, to have a little bit of disposable income, to sponsor with āAsk Rayceen,ā to donate to Casa Ruby and Wanda Alston House ā¦ but I do pretty much live paycheck to paycheck, so I donāt know what will happen next month, next week. I was finally to a point where it wasnāt costing me to do a show, they were paying me, so I donāt know where this will all lead.ā
Losses across the wider financial sector are expected to be staggering. The 30-day U.S. travel ban for most of Europe is expected to result in 2 million unsold airline seats, the Wall Street Journal estimates. Ticket sales in the $100 million ballpark will be lost while Broadway stays dark for four weeks. The suspended NBA season could result in $972 million in TV ad revenue based on last yearās figures, the Journal reports.
In the arts world, even industry leaders one thinks of as robust will also feel the sting. The Kennedy Center, of course, is closed at least through monthās end. In New York, where the Metropolitan Opera usually runs on a $308 million annual budget, the effect of the virus could be catastrophic. That sounds like a huge figure but with the high cost of mounting opera, box office tenuousness even under normal circumstances and a heavy reliance on donations, impact is likely to be āsevere,ā as Peter Gelb, general manager, told the New York Times.
That kind of impact has a ātrickle downā effect on nightlife performers, White says.
āItās impacting everybody,ā she says. I had a show that would have been this Saturday in Anacostia, I was going to be going back to New York. I know these are just small things, I have to count my blessings, but itās really impacting everyone and everything.ā
Chris Smith/Kristina Kelly, one of the cityās most well-known drag performers, is also facing a suddenly free schedule. Smith, who has been doing drag in the region full time for 10 years, says under normal circumstances, itās a solid, realistic income, though that often involves working six or sometimes even seven nights per week. Smithās mother lives on Social Security income in Lexington, Va., (where heās from) so he sends her money as well.
āIt could be weeks before we go back to work and even if we do, people still have to be able to afford to come see us,ā he says. āPeople with regular jobs, if theyāre not getting paid, theyāre not going to be able to come see a drag show. You canāt come and laugh and enjoy yourself if you donāt have the money to do so.ā
Meyer says he knows of one New York bartender who moved back home with his parents to Pennsylvania this week. There was no way to continue New York rent with income suspended indefinitely. He says his drag queens, bartenders, barbacks, DJs, go go dancers ā all are feeling the pinch. He guesses there are about 50 people impacted by the closure of his various events.
āItās crippling the entire industry,ā he says. āEveryone is depressed in capital letters. Very depressed and upset. Itās just really bad.ā
Meyer was managing a bar in New York during the 2008 financial meltdown. He remembers many slow months then but says this is shaping up to be worse.
āI donāt even think that is even close to what weāre dealing with today,ā he says.
Smith says he feels āoverwhelmed.ā He was already somewhat in rebound mode having had gastric bypass surgery in early December (heās lost about 190 pounds total, pre- and post-surgery, he says).
āItās a lot coming at once and when youāre that person who feels you can fix everything and then youāre at a point where you just canāt, I feel helpless,ā he says.
Could some of this move online? Smith says thatās unrealistic.
āWeāre in an emergency situation ā you think people are gonna pay money to watch some damn drag queen in her basement? I just donāt see any scenario where that would work at all.ā
What about Pride? Nobody has a crystal ball, but what are people feeling? Will things be back to normal by then?
āI could see this affecting Pride all over the country,ā White says. āWe may have to take this down time to go back to the drawing board and think about what plan B looks like, not just keep our fingers crossed that things will be back to normal by then. Now is the time to think about that.
Meyer says LGBT folks may even be disproportionately impacted. Sure, there are straight DJs and bartenders but drag and gay nightlife, to some degree, are their own things without as many straight-world counterparts.
āTo some degree, yeah, itās across the board, but when you think about drag queens and the time and expense they put into pulling off a look ā¦ itās gonna affect them at a much higher rate,ā he says.
Smith says heās working hard to stay positive.
āI always say, the next 30 seconds is not guaranteed,ā he says. āIf I wake up today, Iām blessed and Iām already winning. A lot of people donāt have that option. If youāre able to wake up and start your day, youāre already in a winning situation.ā
a&e features
Eastern Shore chef named James Beard Finalist
Harley Peet creates inventive food in an inclusive space
In a small Eastern Shore town filled with boutiques, galleries, and the occasional cry of waterfowl from the Chesapeake, Chef Harley Peet is most at home. In his Viennese-inflected, Maryland-sourced fine-dining destination Bas Rouge, Peet draws from his Northern Michigan upbringing, Culinary Institute of America education, and identity as a gay man, for inspiration.
And recently, Peet was named a James Beard Finalist for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic – the first “Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic” finalist representing the Eastern Shore.
Peet, after graduation from the Culinary Institute of America, took a position as sous chef at Tilghman Island Inn, not far from Bas Rouge. Falling in love with the Eastern Shore, he continued his passion for racing sailboats, boating, gardening, and fishing, and living his somewhat pastoral life as he opened Bas Rouge in 2016 as head chef, a restaurant part of the Bluepoint Hospitality group, which runs more than a dozen concepts in and around Easton, Md.
Coming from a rural area and being gay, Peet knew he had his work cut out for him. He was always aware that the service and hospitality industry ācan be down and dirty and rough.ā
Now as a leader in the kitchen, he aims to āset a good example, and treat people how I want to be treated. I also want to make sure if youāre at our establishment, Iām the first to stand up and say something.ā
The Bas Rouge cuisine, he says, is Contemporary European. āIām inspired by old-world techniques of countries like Austria, Germany, and France, but I love putting a new spin on classic dishes and finding innovative ways to incorporate the bounty of local Chesapeake ingredients.ā
His proudest dish: the humble-yet-elevated Wiener Schnitzel. āIt is authentic to what one would expect to find in Vienna, down to the Lingonberries.ā From his in-house bakery, Peet dries and grinds the housemade Kaiser-Semmel bread to use as the breadcrumbs.
Peet works to support the LGBTQ community inside and outside of the kitchen. āI love that our Bluepoint Hospitality team has created welcoming spaces where our patrons feel comfortable dining at each of our establishments. Our staff have a genuine respect for one another and work together free of judgment.ā
Representing Bluepoint, Peet has participated in events like Chefs for Equality with the Human Rights Campaign, advocating for LGBTQ rights.
At Bas Rouge, Peet brings together his passion for inclusion steeped in a sustainability ethic. He sees environmental stewardship as a way of life. Peet and his husband have lived and worked on their own organic farm for several years. Through research in Europe, he learned about international marine sourcing. Witnessing the impacts of overfishing, Peet considers his own role in promoting eco-friendly practices at Bas Rouge. To that end, he ensures responsible sourcing commitments through his purveyors, relationships that have helped create significant change in how people dine in Easton.
āI have built great relationships in the community and thereās nothing better than one of our long-standing purveyors stopping in with a cooler of fresh fish from the Chesapeake Bay. This goes especially for catching and plating the invasive blue catfish species, which helps control the speciesā threat to the local ecosystem.
Through his kitchen exploits, Peet expressed a unique connection to another gay icon in a rural fine-dining restaurant: Patrick OāConnell, of three Michelin starred Inn at Little Washington. In fact, Peetās husband helped design some of OāConnellās kitchen spaces. Theyāve both been able to navigate treacherous restaurant-industry waters, and have come out triumphant and celebrated. Of OāConnell, Peet says that he āsees [his restaurants] as canvas, all artistry, he sees this as every night is a show.ā But at the same time, his ājudgment-free space makes him a role model.ā
Being in Easton itself is not without challenges. Sourcing is a challenge, having to either fly or ship in ingredients, whereas urban restaurants have the benefit of trucking, he says. The small town āis romantic and charming,ā but logistics are difficult ā one of the reasons that Peet ensures his team is diverse, building in different viewpoints, and also āmaking things a hell of a lot more fun.ā
Reflecting on challenges and finding (and creating) space on the Eastern Shore, Peet confirmed how important it was to surround himself with people who set a good example, and āif you donāt like the way something is going … move on.ā
a&e features
What to expect at the 2024 National Cannabis Festival
Wu-Tang Clan to perform; policy discussions also planned
(Editor’s note: Tickets are still available for the National Cannabis Festival, with prices starting at $55 for one-day general admission on Friday through $190 for a two-day pass with early-entry access. The Washington Blade, one of the event’s sponsors, will host a LGBTQIA+ Lounge and moderate a panel discussion on Saturday with the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs.)
With two full days of events and programs along with performances by Wu-Tang Clan, Redman, and Thundercat, the 2024 National Cannabis Festival will be bigger than ever this year.
Leading up to the festivities on Friday and Saturday at Washington, D.C.’s RFK Stadium are plenty of can’t-miss experiences planned for 420 Week, including the National Cannabis Policy Summit and an LGBTQ happy hour hosted by the District’s Black-owned queer bar, Thurst Lounge (both happening on Wednesday).
On Tuesday, the Blade caught up with NCF Founder and Executive Producer Caroline Phillips, principal at The High Street PR & Events, for a discussion about the event’s history and the pivotal political moment for cannabis legalization and drug policy reform both locally and nationally. Phillips also shared her thoughts about the role of LGBTQ activists in these movements and the through-line connecting issues of freedom and bodily autonomy.
After D.C. residents voted to approve Initiative 71 in the fall of 2014, she said, adults were permitted to share cannabis and grow the plant at home, while possession was decriminalized with the hope and expectation that fewer people would be incarcerated.
“When that happened, there was also an influx of really high-priced conferences that promised to connect people to big business opportunities so they could make millions in what they were calling the ‘green rush,'” Phillips said.
“At the time, I was working for Human Rights First,” a nonprofit that was, and is, engaged in “a lot of issues to do with world refugees and immigration in the United States” ā so, “it was really interesting to me to see the overlap between drug policy reform and some of these other issues that I was working on,” Phillips said.
“And then it rubbed me a little bit the wrong way to hear about the ‘green rush’ before we’d heard about criminal justice reform around cannabis and before we’d heard about people being let out of jail for cannabis offenses.”
“As my interests grew, I realized that there was really a need for this conversation to happen in a larger way that allowed the larger community, the broader community, to learn about not just cannabis legalization, but to understand how it connects to our criminal justice system, to understand how it can really stimulate and benefit our economy, and to understand how it can become a wellness tool for so many people,” Phillips said.
“On top of all of that, as a minority in the cannabis space, it was important to me that this event and my work in the cannabis industry really amplified how we could create space for Black and Brown people to be stakeholders in this economy in a meaningful way.”
“Since I was already working in event production, I decided to use those skills and apply them to creating a cannabis event,” she said. “And in order to create an event that I thought could really give back to our community with ticket prices low enough for people to actually be able to attend, I thought a large-scale event would be good ā and thus was born the cannabis festival.”
D.C. to see more regulated cannabis businesses ‘very soon’
Phillips said she believes decriminalization in D.C. has decreased the number of cannabis-related arrests in the city, but she noted arrests have, nevertheless, continued to disproportionately impact Black and Brown people.
“We’re at a really interesting crossroads for our city and for our cannabis community,” she said. In the eight years since Initiative 71 was passed, “We’ve had our licensed regulated cannabis dispensaries and cultivators who’ve been existing in a very red tape-heavy environment, a very tax heavy environment, and then we have the unregulated cannabis cultivators and cannabis dispensaries in the city” who operate via a “loophole” in the law “that allows the sharing of cannabis between adults who are over the age of 21.”
Many of the purveyors in the latter group, Phillips said, “are looking at trying to get into the legal space; so they’re trying to become regulated businesses in Washington, D.C.”
She noted the city will be “releasing 30 or so licenses in the next couple of weeks, and those stores should be coming online very soon” which will mean “you’ll be seeing a lot more of the regulated stores popping up in neighborhoods and hopefully a lot more opportunity for folks that are interested in leaving the unregulated space to be able to join the regulated marketplace.”
National push for de-scheduling cannabis
Signaling the political momentum for reforming cannabis and criminal justice laws, Wednesday’s Policy Summit will feature U.S. Sens. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), the Senate majority leader.
Also representing Capitol Hill at the Summit will be U.S. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) and U.S. Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) and Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) — who will be receiving the Supernova Women Cannabis Champion Lifetime Achievement Award — along with an aide to U.S. Rep. David Joyce (R-Ohio).
Nationally, Phillips said much of the conversation around cannabis concerns de-scheduling. Even though 40 states and D.C. have legalized the drug for recreational and/or medical use, marijuana has been classified as a Schedule I substance since the Controlled Substances Act was passed in 1971, which means it carries the heftiest restrictions on, and penalties for, its possession, sale, distribution, and cultivation.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services formally requested the drug be reclassified as a Schedule III substance in August, which inaugurated an ongoing review, and in January a group of 12 Senate Democrats sent a letter to the Biden-Harris administration’s Drug Enforcement Administration urging the agency to de-schedule cannabis altogether.
Along with the Summit, Phillips noted that “a large contingent of advocates will be coming to Washington, D.C. this week to host a vigil at the White House and to be at the festival educating people” about these issues. She said NCF is working with the 420 Unity Coalition to push Congress and the Biden-Harris administration to “move straight to de-scheduling cannabis.”
“This would allow folks who have been locked up for cannabis offenses the chance to be released,” she said. “It would also allow medical patients greater access. It would also allow business owners the chance to exist without the specter of the federal government coming in and telling them what they’re doing is wrong and that they’re criminals.”
Phillips added, however, that de-scheduling cannabis will not “suddenly erase” the “generations and generations of systemic racism” in America’s financial institutions, business marketplace, and criminal justice system, nor the consequences that has wrought on Black and Brown communities.
An example of the work that remains, she said, is making sure “that all people are treated fairly by financial institutions so that they can get the funding for their businesses” to, hopefully, create not just another industry, but “really a better industry” that from the outset is focused on “equity” and “access.”
Policy wonks should be sure to visit the festival, too. “We have a really terrific lineup in our policy pavilion,” Phillips said. “A lot of our heavy hitters from our advocacy committee will be presenting programming.”
“On Saturday there is a really strong federal marijuana reform panel that is being led by Maritza Perez Medina from the Drug Policy Alliance,” she said. “So that’s going to be a terrific discussion” that will also feature “representation from the Veterans Cannabis Coalition.”
“We also have a really interesting talk being led by the Law Enforcement Action Partnership about conservatives, cops, and cannabis,” Phillips added.
Cannabis and the LGBTQ community
“I think what’s so interesting about LGBTQIA+ culture and the cannabis community are the parallels that we’ve seen in the movements towards legalization,” Phillips said.
The fight for LGBTQ rights over the years has often involved centering personal stories and personal experiences, she said. “And that really, I think, began to resonate, the more that we talked about it openly in society; the more it was something that we started to see on television; the more it became a topic in youth development and making sure that we’re raising healthy children.”
Likewise, Phillips said, “we’ve seen cannabis become more of a conversation in mainstream culture. We’ve heard the stories of people who’ve had veterans in their families that have used cannabis instead of pharmaceuticals, the friends or family members who’ve had cancer that have turned to CBD or THC so they could sleep, so they could eat so they could get some level of relief.”
Stories about cannabis have also included accounts of folks who were “arrested when they were young” or “the family member who’s still locked up,” she said, just as stories about LGBTQ people have often involved unjust and unnecessary suffering.
Not only are there similarities in the socio-political struggles, Phillips said, but LGBTQ people have played a central role pushing for cannabis legalization and, in fact, in ushering in the movement by “advocating for HIV patients in California to be able to access cannabis’s medicine.”
As a result of the queer community’s involvement, she said, “the foundation of cannabis legalization is truly patient access and criminal justice reform.”
“LGBTQIA+ advocates and cannabis advocates have managed to rein in support of the majority of Americans for the issues that they find important,” Phillips said, even if, unfortunately, other movements for bodily autonomy like those concerning issues of reproductive justice “don’t see that same support.”
a&e features
Juliet Hawkinsās music defies conventional categorization
āKeep an open mind, an open heart, and a willingness to evolveā
LONG BEACH, Calif. ā Emerging from the dynamic music scene of Los Angeles, Juliet Hawkins seamlessly integrates deeply soulful vocals with contemporary production techniques, crafting a distinctive sound that defies conventional categorization.
Drawing inspiration from the emotive depth of Amy Winehouse and weaving together elements of country, blues, and pop, Hawkinsā music can best be described as a fusionāperhaps best termed as soulful electronica. Yet, even this characterization falls short, as Hawkins defines herself as āa blend of a million different inspirations.ā
Hawkinsās musical palette mirrors her personae: versatile and eclectic. Any conversation with Hawkins makes this point abundantly clear. She exhibits the archetype of a wild, musical genius while remaining true to her nature-loving, creative spirit. Whether recording in the studio for an album release, performing live in a studio setting, or playing in front of a live audience, Hawkins delivers her music with natural grace.
However, Hawkinsās musical journey is far from effortless. Amid personal challenges and adversity, she weaves her personal odyssey of pain and pleasure, transforming these experiences into empowering anthems.
In a candid interview with the Blade, Hawkins spoke with profound openness and vulnerability about her past struggles with opiate and heroin addiction: āThat was 10 years ago that I struggled with opiates,ā she shared. Yet, instead of letting her previous addiction define her, Hawkins expressed to the Blade that she harbors no shame about her past. āMy newer music is much more about empowerment than recovery,ā she explained, emphasizing that āwriting was the best way to process trauma.ā
Despite her struggles with addiction, Hawkins managed to recover. However, she emphasizes that this recovery is deeply intertwined with her spiritual connection to nature. An illustrative instance of Hawkinsā engagement with nature occurred during the COVID pandemic.
Following an impulse that many of us have entertained, she bought a van and chose to live amidst the trees. It was during this period that Hawkins composed the music for her second EP, titled āLead with Love.ā
In many ways, Hawkins deep spiritual connection to nature has been profoundly shaped by her extensive travels. Born in San Diego, spending her formative years in Massachusetts, and later moving to Tennessee before returning to Southern California, she has broadened her interests and exposed herself to the diverse musical landscapes across America.
āMusic is the only thing I have left,ā Hawkins confides to the Blade, highlighting the integral role that music has in her life. This intimate relationship with music is evident in her sultry and dynamic compositions. Rather than imitating or copying other artists, Hawkins effortlessly integrates sounds from some of her favorite musical influences to create something new. Some of these influences include LP, Lucinda Williams, Lana Del Rey, and, of course, Amy Winehouse, among others.
Hawkins has always been passionate about musicā-she began with piano at a young age, progressed to guitar, and then to bass, eagerly exploring any instrument she could get her hands on. However, instead of following a traditional path of formalized lessons and structured music theory, Hawkins told the Blade that she āhas a hard time following directions and being told what to do.ā
This independent approach has led her to experiment with various genres and even join unexpected groups, such as a tribute band for Eric Clapton and Cream. While she acknowledges that her eclectic musical interests might be attributed to ADHD, she holds a different belief: āCreative minds like to move around.ā
When discussing her latest musical release ā āStay True (the live album)ā which was recorded in a live studio setting ā Hawkins describes the experience as a form of improvisation with both herself and the band:
ā[The experience] was this divine honey that was flowing through all of us.ā She explains that this live album was uncertain in the musicās direction. āFor a couple of songs,ā Hawkins recalls, āwe intuitively closed them out.ā By embracing creative spontaneity and refusing to be constrained by fear of mistakes, the live album authentically captures raw sound, complete with background chatter, extended outros, and an extremely somber cover of Ozzy Osbourneās āCrazy Trainā coupled with a slow piano and accompanied strings.
While āStay Trueā was a rewarding experience for Hawkins, her favorite live performance took place in an unexpected locationāan unattended piano in the middle of an airport. As she began playing Beethovenās āMoonlight Sonataā, Hawkins shared with the Blade a universal connection we all share with music: āThis little girl was dancing as I was playing.ā
After the performance, tears welled in Hawkinsā eyes as she was touched by the young girlās appreciation of her musicianship. Hawkins tells the Blade, āItās not about playing to an audienceāitās about finding your people.ā
What sets Hawkins apart as an artist is her ability to connect with her audience in diverse settings. She highlights EDC, an electronic dance music festival, as a place where she unabashedly lets her āfreak flagā fly and a place to connect with her people. Her affinity for electronic music not only fuels her original pop music creations, but also inspires her to reinterpret songs with an electronic twist. A prime example of this is with her electronic-style cover of Tal Bachmanās 90ās hit, āSheās So High.ā
As an openly queer woman in the music industry, Hawkins is on a mission to safeguard artistic integrity. In songs like āMy Fatherās Men,ā she bares her vulnerability and highlights the industryās misogyny, which often marginalizes gender minorities in their pursuit of artistic expression.
She confides to the Blade, āThe industry can be so sexist, misogynist, and oppressive,ā and points out that āthere are predators in the industry.ā Yet, rather than succumbing to apathy, Hawkins is committed to advocating for gender minorities within the music industry.
āLuckily, people are rising up against misogyny, but itās still there. āMy Fatherās Menā is a message: Itās time for more people who arenāt just white straight men to have a say.ā
Hawkins is also an activist for other causes, with a fervent belief in the preservation of bodily autonomy. Her self-directed music video āIāll play Daddy,ā showcases the joy of embracing oneās body with Hawkins being sensually touched by a plethora of hands. While the song, according to Hawkins, āfell upon deaf ears in the south,ā it hasnāt stopped Hawkins from continuing to fight for the causes she believes in. In her interview, Hawkins encapsulated her political stance by quoting an artist she admires:
āTo quote Pink, āI donāt care about your politics, I care about your kids.āā
When Hawkins isnāt writing music or being a champion for various causes, you might catch her doing the following: camping, rollerblading, painting, teaching music lessons, relaxing with Bernie (her beloved dog), stripping down for artsy photoshoots, or embarking on a quest to find the worldās best hollandaise sauce.
But at the end of the day, Hawkins sums up her main purpose: āTo come together with like-minded people and create.ā
Part of this ever-evolving, coming-of-age-like journey includes an important element: plant-based medicine. Hawkins tells the Blade that she acknowledges her previous experience with addiction and finds certain plants to be useful in her recovery:
āThe recovery thing is tricky,ā Hawkins explains, āI donāt use opiatesā-no powders and no pillsābut I am a fan of weed, and I think psilocybin can be helpful when used at the right time.ā She emphasizes the role of psychedelics in guiding her towards her purpose. āThanks for psychedelics, I have a reignited sense of purpose ā¦ Music came naturally to me as an outlet to heal.ā
While she views the occasional dabbling of psychedelics as a spiritual practice, Hawkins also embraces other rituals, particularly those she performs before and during live shows. āI always carry two rocks with me: a labradorite and a tigerās eye marble,ā she explains.
-
District of Columbia3 days ago
Catching up with the asexuals and aromantics of D.C.
-
State Department5 days ago
State Department releases annual human rights report
-
South America3 days ago
Argentina government dismisses transgender public sector employees
-
Maine4 days ago
Maine governor signs transgender, abortion sanctuary bill into law