May 29, 2009   | COMMENTS     

Roi Barnard, a gay 71-year-old entrepreneur, celebrated the 40th anniversary of his eponymous business, Salon Roi, last weekend. If you don’t know it, it’s easy to place — its side wall features an iconic mural of Marilyn Monroe, painted by artist John Bailey in 1981 and is visible from Connecticut Avenue. It was a gift to Roi from Charles Stinson, his former domestic and business partner who died in 1987 (they were together 14 years).

They’d opened the business together in 1969, when it was known as Charles the First. Roi has cut and styled hair the entire time, though he sometimes kept it on the side, most notably from 1965 to 1975 when he enjoyed a thriving local modeling career. The salon has won many awards over the years and has become a local landmark. There have been rough years. Roi lost several of his gay stylists and Stinson to AIDS in the ’80s. Funerals became so frequent that he couldn’t get to all of them because most were on Saturdays, his busiest day at the salon.

Roi sold the business two years ago to Diva Kasteckaite but still works there three days a week. The Poplar Branch, N.C., native splits his time between D.C., where he has an apartment, and Milton, Del., and Asheville, N.C., where he and his current partner recently bought a house. And life continues to take unexpected twists and turns. An indie rock band called earthlings? used a ’70s nude photo of Roi and Charles for the cover of its new EP “Humalien.” He’s thankful to have survived the ’80s when many gay men of his generation didn’t. He’s finding new joy in helping care for a newborn his two gay roommates in D.C. just adopted. “Feeding a 10-week-old child is how I’ve been starting my day,” he says. “It’s so calming and peaceful.”

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

Who’s your gay hero?
Oscar Wilde and Tchaikovsky

What is Washington’s best nightspot, past or present?
The Chicken Hut and Pier Nine

If gay marriage were legal, would you tie the knot?
Why knot?

What non-gay issue are you most passionate about?
Being kind to one another.

What historical outcome would you change?
The fear, pain and destruction of the ’60s riots.

What has been the most memorable pop culture moment of your lifetime?
Meeting Andy Warhol and seeing the Factory.

On what reality TV show would you fare best?
“Queer Eye for the Straight Guy”

What item of clothing has been in your closet since high school?
My cheerleading sweater

If your life were a book, what would the title be?
“Mister, Are You a Lady.” A child asked me this once and I’ve never forgotten it.

If science discovered a way to change sexual orientation, what would you do?
Be happy for those who need it.

What do you believe in beyond the physical world?
Eternal peace and joy.

What would you order for your last meal?
A Manhattan and crab imperial.

What would you walk across hot coals for?
All those I truly love.

What gay stereotype annoys you most?
The ones who believe they are the only one.

What is the best gay film ever made?
“Maurice”

What is the most overrated social custom?
“Have a nice day.”

What trophy or prize do you most covet?
Memories

What’s your advice for gay teens?
Honor the truth about yourself.

Why Washington?
I fell in love with D.C. on my high school class trip in 1956.