2012: The Year in Review
Sticking to an LGBT perspective, the year rode a relatively rising trajectory
APRIL
Texts from Hillary: Lambe, Clinton and Smith
The return to spring did nothing to ease the community’s mourning, with Vann Chen, aka Mama Chen, dying at home in his sleep April 1. ”Vann was always extraordinarily thoughtful,” recalled nightlife promoter Mark Lee of Chen, 52, an androgynous fixture of the D.C. scene. ”Everyone had a great affection for her. You would expect to see her out – and you would hope to see her.”
At least some good news followed. On April 2, Maryland’s Bowie State University became the first of the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) to open a dedicated LGBT-student space.
After the good came the hilarious when gay locals Stacy Lambe and Adam Smith turned photos from Reuters and Time of Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton into the ”Texts from Hillary” Tumblr meme. So impressed was the secretary that she invited the duo to her office April 10 for some laughs.
The Capital Area Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (CAGLCC) held its annual awards dinner April 20, honoring D.C. Allen, June Crenshaw, Art Smith, Joe Solmonese, DC Metro Vet and Signal Financial.
That same day, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued an opinion that an employer who discriminates against an employee or applicant on the basis of gender identity is violating a portion of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that deals with sex discrimination. ”Given that transgender people do not have employment protections in the vast majority of states, this creates a whole new fabric of legal support for our community,” Masen Davis, head of the Transgender Law Center, said at the time.
At the close of the month, Youth Pride Day celebrated turning 16 in Dupont Circle.
Support Metro Weekly’s Journalism
These are challenging times for news organizations. And yet it’s crucial we stay active and provide vital resources and information to both our local readers and the world. So won’t you please take a moment and consider supporting Metro Weekly with a membership? For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure Metro Weekly magazine and MetroWeekly.com remain free, viable resources as we provide the best, most diverse, culturally-resonant LGBTQ coverage in both the D.C. region and around the world. Memberships come with exclusive perks and discounts, your own personal digital delivery of each week’s magazine (and an archive), access to our Member's Lounge when it launches this fall, and exclusive members-only items like Metro Weekly Membership Mugs and Tote Bags! Check out all our membership levels here and please join us today!
