I S S U E #527
MOVING FORWARD
CE LE B RATI NG LG BTQ+ H ISTORY MONTH BY HONORING OUR PAST AND FOCUSING ON OUR FUTURE.
NEW LGBTQ+COMMUNITY CENTER #GETOUTTHEVOTE P OLICE ACCOU NTAB I LITY LGBTQ HISTORIC WALKING TOUR GIRLS RESIST! AND MORE.
OCT_ 2018
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is a proud member of:
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FEATURES 7
ROWAN COLLINS Editor rowanc@outalliance.org T_ 585-244-8640 x12 DAVE KYLE Advertising davek@outalliance.org T_585-244-9030
A MUTHA UNLIKE ANY OTHER
Marie-Adélina de la Ferrière brings us an intimate portrait of local legend Bernadine “Kiki” Casseus and discusses the impact of ballroom, houses, and authentic love on LGBTQ+ communities of color.
Issue printed by:
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GET OUT THE VOTE Braden
Rochester LGBTQ+ Community Center opened September 8 with a celebration that lasted well into the night.
Reese brings us a guide to the offices up for grabs this November that you’ll see on your ballot, including candidates who support our community.
THE OUT ALLIANCE 100 College Avenue Rochester New York 14607 Monday & Friday 9am–5pm Tuesday–Thursday 9am–8pm T_
585. 244. 8640 585. 244. 8246 E_ info@outalliance.org www.outalliance.org F_
GIRLS RESIST!
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A Guide to Activism, Leadership, and Starting a Revolution
AIGA’s civic engagement initiative, part of Design for Democracy. Learn more: aiga.org/vote
Poster design by Derek Koch, New York, New York
REGULARS
The Out Alliance works to be champions for LGBTQ+ life and culture. We strive to ensure that all members of the LGBTQ+ communities, at all stages of their lives, are free to be fully participating citizens, living lives in which they are safe, stable and fully respected.
COMMUNITY CENTER OPENING The Out Alliance
TE ICE TE 22 ICE 25 TE 4 10 16 17 25 25 20 34 36 39
Increase the odds of your voice being heard. Vote.
ALAN ALTMAN Graphic Design www.A3-Design.com
POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD A proposal to trans-
form the police accountability system. Learn more about the proposed Board and it’s review system from the P.A.B. Alliance.
In partnership with the League of Women Voters
TO THE COM M UNITY ALLIANCE NEWS SAGE NEWS HISTORY CORNER GNAW ROCS OUT AND ABOUT CALENDAR OUTLOOK THE SCENE KYLES B&B
A LETTER FROM THE INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Happy fall, y’all! It’s October here and the Alliance is bustling with activity already. We’ve officially opened our new LGBTQ+ Community Center and we have some incredible events booked there, with more to come. October is a special time for the Out Alliance, and the LGBTQ+ communities of Rochester. Not only is it LGBTQ+ History Month, but it marks National Coming Out Day, the ImageOut Film Festival, and the anniversary of our name change. On October 11, 2017, we changed our name from the Gay Alliance – which we had been known by for decades – to the Out Alliance. Along with this new name came a new logo, tagline, and mentality. All Ways Authentic became our new slogan, a calling card that welcomes people at all stages of their lives and identity development to join us in our LGBTQ+ Resource Center (and now our LGBTQ+ Community Center) and bring their full, authentic selves. From public protests and rallies, building and repairing relationships between the LGBTQ community and others, empowering youth and elders, to fighting tirelessly against HIV/AIDs, and advocating for legal recognition of our community members in all stages of life, the Alliance has been a cornerstone of our community. Over the years, we have continued to avoid standards
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and push for change and progress. We pride ourselves in the innovative work we have done in the Rochester community and across the country. As our community has grown and changed, we have grown and changed with it. To meet the changing needs of our community, we have opened the Rochester LGBTQ+ Community Center on the heels of our biggest ROC Pride to date. We welcome you to come explore the space, think of its potential, and enjoy the incredible community events we have planned for you. There will be cabarets, youth hangout days, piano bars, drag queen tea parties, drag shows, movie nights, coffee hours and game nights, monthly youth dances, new clubs focused on social justice and art, monthly dinners for the transgender community, health education forums, community workshops, SAGE lunches and gatherings, educational sessions and trainings, and so much more. More than anything, we want the LGBTQ+ Community Center to be a place where everyone feels welcome. A space for folks to drop in and be in community. To sit up on a couch and read and feel the world fall away. To find familiar faces and new friends. I am so proud of the work our organization does with our community and find it right that LGBTQ+ History Month is when we celebrate our name change as well as our incredible new LGBTQ+ Community Center’s real beginning. As we pause to reflect on our history this month, let’s also look toward the future.
JEFF MYERS Interim Executive Director
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CONTRIBUTORS
LOUIS J MASON (aka Javi) is a self-published author, blogger, storyteller, teacher, and lightworker. In 2016, they published the political science-fiction novel The One Taken from the Sea of Stars under the pen name Octavia Davis. They are the creator of the blog, The Chuck Taylor Scribe.
DANNY PALMER is a skating enthusiast, photographer at Manic Photography, nerd, and blogger. A Rochester transplant, his background includes work with creative outreach and grassroots advocacy.
MARIE-ADÉLINA DE LA FERRIÈRE is an artist, performer, academic, manager of Flower City Queens, and royal. She holds a Bachelor’s in History and a Master’s in World History from the College at Brockport. She holds two Master’s Certificates in Nonprofit and Arts Administration.
is the mother of three beautiful and relatively happy children and a high school English teacher attempting to impart a love for media literacy, gender studies, and Shakespeare to hundreds of high school seniors.
ERIN MORRISON-FORTUNATO
BRADEN REESE has a BA in Political Science from SUNY Oswego and is a proud Rochester transplant. He’s an amateur photog, movie buff, drag fan, foodie, wino, and Trekkie. He currently runs InQueery programming, including Movie Night Out and Drag Queen Bingo.
MATT DELAUS is a member of the City Roots Community Land Trust, Our Land Roc, the Flying Squirrel Community Space, Police Accountability Board Alliance, and president of the Pearl-Meigs-Monroe Neighborhood Association. He currently works for Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc.
TO READ THE DIGITAL VERSION AND SO MUCH MORE, VISIT WWW.OUTALLIANCE.ORG/EMPTYCLOSET
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
COLLEEN RAIMOND President CHLOE CORCORAN Vice President JEFF LAMBERT Secretary MARTIN MURPHY Treasurer JASON BARNECUT-KEARNS SADY FISCHER MILO PRIMEAUX LUIS ROSARIO-MCCABE DAVID ZONA
JEFFREY MYERS Interim Executive Director JOSHUA STAPF Development Director JEANNIE GAINSBURG Education Director ROWAN COLLINS Communications Director KAYDEN MILLER Education Coordinator ERIDAN MAEDER SAGE Program Coordinator ANNE TISCHER Outreach Coordinator EVELYN BAILEY Historian KAT WIGGALL Database Administrator
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A
MUTHA E K I L U N ANY
OTH E R
B E R NAD IN E By: MAR IE-ADÉ
LI NA DE LA FE RR
IÈRE
US E S S A C ’ I ‘KIK
Images by: BERNADINE ‘KIKI’ CASSEUS FACEBOOK & MYSPACE
A FRIEND. A MENTOR. A LEADER. A MOTHER.
. D N E G E L A
The marginalization of the LGBTQ+ community of color is nothing new. Despite major strides and gains made by our communityat-large, few steps have been offered to persons of color. There’s prevalent stigmatization on dating apps, animosity against queer persons within black and brown communities, and a silent response to the high levels of crime against black and brown transwomen. These and more are painful reminders of how race and identity issues remain prevalent even as perspective shifts among the mainstream. In response, leaders within queer communities of color are born. The call to duty to speak out loud and proud is a lifelong vocation. They not only take care of their community, but provide a steady path for future generations to walk on. Kiki, a trans community leader, was one of them. Bernadine ‘Kiki’ Casseus was born on February 2, 1984 in Brooklyn. Her parents, Claude and Elisabeth (nee, Benjamin), were Haitian immigrants who arrived in the country twenty years earlier. The youngest of Elisabeth’s seven children, the bond between mother and child was instant. While her siblings were sent to boarding school back in Haiti, Kiki grew up with her parents and, later, her mother. By the 1990s, Kiki and her mother were back in Rochester. Elisabeth bought two properties on Alphonse Street – 352 and 309 – to ensure her children and grandchildren were nearby. Kiki was closest to her youngest sibling, Dorothie. Although her eldest sister, Dominique, didn’t grow up in the same house, she came to rely upon Kiki to watch her two children. As aunt, her close age, personality, motherly charm, and love for cooking made her the ‘fun’ relative. But she also had a mischievous streak. Chasing them around the house as Papa Shango, a WWE wrestler from the ‘90s, she would roll her eyes back and walk around like a zombie. Chasmar D. Wells had the pleasure of getting to know Kiki growing up. Wells was seven when first encountering his uncle’s next-door neighbor. “Kiki was the very first gay boy I’d ever seen. Flaunting herself the way she did, with no care in the world.” Light banter may have gone between uncle and neighbor, but a budding friendship blossomed between her and Chasmar’s cousin, Andrea.
Kiki’s carefree lifestyle was eye-opening “That was my first experience seeing someone act the way Kiki did.” Admittedly, Kiki’s family never questioned her femininity while cisgender; they found her femininity as natural as the wind. Throughout the years, their paths crossed when Chasmar began attending MOCHA, where she worked. By that time, Kiki was well into her transitioning. Once again, her family never turned their backs on her during the process. Her mother often joked that she knew of Kiki’s destiny then. Elisabeth gave Bernadine her nickname. Living in her truth not only made Kiki a happier person, but a fearless one too. “Regardless of who you were, Kiki was the Mother of MOCHA,” Chasmar smiled. Not only did she perform her professional role as a mentor and counselor, Kiki became a mother to many of the queer youth of color, providing a stern but loving figure in their lives when one could or would not be provided. “She fed the kids; she talked to the kids; she treated the kids the way they should have been treated. She looked out for the kids like a mother would.” Todd Cray, better known as Peachez, is a black queer artist. Now featured on Spotify and iTunes, Peachez started out on the scene as one of Kiki’s many lifestyle children. “Peachez used to do the ballroom stuff,” Chasmar recollects. “Then he went to the commentating [at balls], now he does the rapping thing. Whenever he calls the community comes running.” Now on his third EP, For My People, the role of leaders and activists of the LGBTQ+ community of color is evident in his music. ‘Marchin Like Marsha’ is an anthem to the activist – highlighting her role as the leader of the gay liberation movement along with the passion and desire to continue living up to her name. Flanked by five models holding fan faces on the cover, alongside the famed community activist is Kiki. “In each and every mixtape he pays tribute to Kiki,” Chasmar smiled. “You can’t move forward unless you pay your dues and pay respect to the girls that put you there.” Kiki extended her motherly personality to the greater LGBTQ+ community of color. And she reinforced that she was mother. Wherever she went, all followed. Never blind-sighted by prejudice, she told her children and others to feel comfortable in any
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space they were in – regardless of identity and, most especially, color. That’s not to say her sassiness was limited. “She taught us how to have tough skin, and not to be offended by everything,” said Wells. He referred to her as the mother of ‘reading’, making sure the youth in the community looked presentable. But it was out of love. “If you can’t take that then she would respond with ‘I don’t know what to tell you.’” She opened her doors for those who needed food and shelter. “Kiki was a very inspirational mother, friend, and mentor for me,” wrote Tamika Evans. At 21, Evans was taken in by Kiki. Tamika looked to her as she started her own journey into living in her truth. “She loved me like her own,” she noted. “And her family accepted her lifestyle kids just like family.” Both she and Chasmar highlighted her influential role in the local ballroom scene. Even as late as the 2000s, these events remained one of the few safe spaces for queer youths of color. Wells noted their travels to balls in New York or Philly, as well as bringing outside talent to help in Rochester’s growing scene. Kiki herself was “legendary”, according to Tamika, and would often win categories such as “fem queen realness.” And though Kiki and Chasmar walked in different houses, Wells stated the rivalry was left on the floor. Her influence in the ball scene extended beyond that. For Tamika, Kiki’s guiding hand for trans youth of color was strong. “She made sure if you called her she was always available...whether it was to support or just get them resources they needed,” she wrote. “I would not be who I am if it wasn’t for her.” Before trailblazers like Laverne Cox, before shows like Pose, before Andrea Jenkins deigned for public office, trans role models for black and brown women were limited. Generally, representation of queer people of color is nearly non-existent. Kiki may not have become a household name or a public official, but she nevertheless paved the way for many in our community. Truly, a legend in her own right. Kiki never let her weaknesses subside her strength. A diabetic throughout her life, in 2013 she was hospitalized after yet another amputation. In May of that year, her mother passed away in what was by the far the hardest moment in her life. “We were all shocked by her sudden death,” Dominique responded. “But it was
C L O S E T | October 2018 | 9
especially hard on Kiki. She was [Elizabeth’s] baby. She had come up here from Florida to see Kiki before going to New York. [She] was her rock.” Five months later she died. Her death was equally hard on those whose lives she touched. Chasmar was living with Kiki up until she was hospitalized in her last months. Even in the last stretch of her life, he cannot recount a moment where she was upset. Though she still had dreams she wanted to pursue, and achievements she wanted to achieve, he acknowledges Kiki achieved so much already. “I know that while she was here she played a purpose,” Chasmar responded. “And she definitely served that purpose in my life.” Today, Chasmar is a leader in Rochester’s LGBTQ+ community of color. Whether it’s coordinating events through his business venture, volunteering at the MOCHA Center, or appearing on radio shows, Chasmar values the role Kiki played in his life. Among his wall display is a large picture of her. “We always remind the ones that are coming up that Kiki put us in a really good place,” he affirms. “Kiki played a major part in the community and you cannot forget her.” By being themselves – unapologetically black, queer, and proud – is the best way to keep Kiki’s memory alive. Writing this article also conjured up my own memories of her. The times she terrorized us while acting as Papa Shango. The extremely loud music blasting from her car as if they were trumpets announcing a queen’s arrival. And I will certainly never forget her diri ak pwa (Haitian rice and beans), fried chicken, or her baked macaroni and cheese. I only knew her as my aunt. I rarely knew of the people whose lives she impacted, and never knew of her role as a leader in the local queer community of color. Family politics often played in our familial relationships. Like her lifestyle children, we often came in and out of each other’s lives. But I knew she supported me then – and I know she would be enthusiastic about the woman I have become. I may have lost an aunt, but the community’s loss was even greater. A friend. A mentor. A leader. A mother. A legend.
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ALLIANCE NEWS LGBTQ Academy Corner Being “Called Out” This summer I was a camp counselor for Queer Rock Camp. Towards the end of one of our sessions, I asked the campers in my group to gather around for a “powwow” to discuss the day’s events. Afterwards, one of my campers privately and respectfully informed me that the word “powwow” was culturally insensitive towards Native Americans. I immediately felt ashamed that I had used such a word without realizing its offense. However, the way in which the camper called me out on my language made me open to the feedback, rather than feeling accused and defensive. In a calm and understanding voice she simply let me know the reasons that she personally dislikes the word. She did not publicly chastise me, call me “racist” or accuse me of being insensitive. Therefore, instead of focusing on my embarrassment or feeling like I had to defend myself and my intent, I was able to focus on the impact the word had on her.
GALLERY Q:
At the LGBTQ Academy, we believe that in our on-going work to create more inclusive environments, we can learn something from those moments when we mess up or when we are in the hot seat. Think about a time when you were called out for something you said or did that offended someone. What worked and what didn’t in that situation? When calling others out for language mishaps, misgendering and other mistakes, our approach can make all the difference! Next month we will share our favorite tips for creating spaces where, instead of feeling shut down, people’s ears are open to dialogue that leads to positive change. By: KAYDEN MILLER & THE LGBTQ ACADEMY TEAM
Whose Streets? OUR STREETS!
Whose Streets? Our Streets!”:
New York City, 1980–2000 is a multimedia exhibition featuring the work of 37 independent photographers who documented protests, demonstrations, and conflicts on the streets of New York City from 1980–2000. The exhibition explores the role of social movements and social documentary photography in furthering democracy and focuses on key social justice issues that remain pressing today including race relations and police brutality; housing and gentrification; war and the environment; labor and education; HIV/ AIDS and LGBTQ rights; arts and censorship; and reproductive rights and feminism. Co-curated by RIT Faculty Tamar Carroll and Josh Meltzer along with RIT Alumna Meg Handler. More information about the exhibition is available on the companion website at www.whosestreets.photo
“Whose Streets? Our Streets!” opens First Friday October 5. The opening will be held from 6:00 to 9:00 pm at Gallery Q, located at 100 College Avenue. Photographer Carolina Kroon wil present her work at the opening. The exhibit will be on display through Thursday, October 25.
NOVEMBER PREVIEW
THREE PAINTERS:
Jenna Vannas, Loekie Windig, and Laurie Monahan
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PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT:
H The Out Alliance’s InQueery ooted in October working group was reb er it strives to bring togeth 2017. Since that time, by es alli r ou d an ity un Q+ comm ing. all facets of the LG BT mm gra ial pro entertainment, and soc llness We & providing educational, h alt He a monthly Community unt co dis up These include events like gro a to h rtner Trillium Healt pa ity un mm co h pa wit series community rtner erly in conjunction with art qu t Ou at ht Nig tre ea for Th nthly Drag Queen Bingo rmonic Orchestra) to mo d ilha an Ph ul r ssf ste ce che suc (Ro st O RP e of InQueery’s mo On H y. cit the d vie un mo ht Out. These rotating venues aro programs is Movie Nig t en nm tai ay ter arr en r e ula ers unity for a div well-attended reg ether the entire comm tog ng bri ich to wh k , ce see spa nts e screening eve source Center saf Out Alliance LG BTQ Re ht Out of films, screened in the ike setup. H Movie Nig e-l atr the vie mo a o int ed with the gay classic is temporarily transform film offerings, starting ly nth mo h wit 18 20 per month. Audience premiered in January gram was offered twice pro lar pu po ekly the y, Ma ht Out to become a we The Birdcage. By recently led Movie Nig ve ha er nd wid ma a de e tur lar pu fea po w growth and nings will no g in August. The scree , in nin als gin sic be Mu m, d gra an s, pro rie ery InQue vorites, Documenta Fa & cs ssi Cla : n de ing lud Bra Coordinator array of offerings, inc InQueery Programming H es. titl t ch en ea t rec , ou lar es addition to popu Q+ community and alli members of the LG BT Out at the ht Nig vie Mo h C. Reese welcomes all wit fun tertaining evening of ys week for a relaxing, en Wednesdays, or Thursda lly screen on Tuesdays, ica d typ an , ms Fil ies . ok ce co , ian All orn t pc Ou po refreshments - including and begin at 7pm. Light of two dollars. H n tio na do d ste ge sug a soda - are provided for teen, But I’m ven Se of s include: Edge Upcoming film offering InQueery cus Pocus. Follow the a Cheerleader, and Ho lete nQueeryRO C for a comp page on Facebook @I vie ing our Mo listing of events, includ ms. H gra pro t Ou ht Nig
INQUEE
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igh ovie N
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RISE BRUNCH brings in
$40,000 RISE: ROCHESTER INITIATIVE FOR SCHOLARSHIP AND EDUCATION is a program of the Out Alliance designed to invest in the future of the LGBTQ+ community. Funds raised at the RISE Brunch support leadership programs, scholarships, and youth programs for the LGBTQ+ community in the Rochester area. RISE helps to shape the future of the LGBTQ+ movement by preparing youth to become the leaders of tomorrow. 2018’s RISE Brunch was our most successful to date, raising $40,000 for our scholarship initiatives. Keynote Speaker Shane Ortega, a former U.S. Marine and the first openly trans soldier in the U.S. Military, spoke on the importance of education, knowing where you came from, and intersectionality within the LGBTQ+ community. His remarks were felt deeply throughout the 205 attendees of all backgrounds and identities. Our MC, Mrs. Kasha Davis, kept the brunch flowing beautifully and dazzled the room with her wit and heartfelt commentary. Her commitment to the Rochester LGBTQ+ community continues to have an incredible impact. This year we honored the Greater Rochester Eastern Area Tournament, aka G.R.E.A.T. with the Out Alliance Community Award for the direct impact they have had on our community over the last 31 years through funds raised at their annual tournament. They have raised an incredible $300,000 during their three decades as an organization. Our Silent Auction and Basket Raffle were hits once again, with a huge selection of items generously donated. Items include artwork, gift certificates, resort accommodations, and a dinner held by the Rochester Fire Department, were snapped up quickly by keen participants. Thank you to all of our generous sponsors with special gratitude to our RISE Champions: Constellation Brands, Assemblymember Harry Bronson, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, W. Bruce Gorman, G.R.E.A.T., MassMutual, Trillium Health, and James Moran. And to all of our incredible community members who donated and volunteered: RISE Brunch would not be possible without you. Mark your calendars for 2019’s RISE Brunch: Sunday, September 22 at ArtisanWORKS.
14 |
By: ROWAN COLLINS
Photos by: BESS WATTS
ROCHESTER’S NEW
LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY CENTER O PENS Saturday, September 8, 2018 saw the grand opening of the Out Alliance’s Rochester LGBTQ+ Community Center. The Community Center, located next door to the LGBTQ+ Resource Center (and the Out Alliance’s current space) at 100 College Avenue, adds an extra 1,800 feet of space and possibility.
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PRIDE
The grand opening was a spectacular ordeal with events and revelry lasting well into the night. Spectators and guests began arriving at 3:30pm to check-in their furry companions for the Furry and Fabulous Pet Fashion Show. The Show ran from 4:30-6:30 with the always-fab Vivian Darling, Frankie Star and Vanessa LeRoux hosting the festivities. Winners in Best Pride, Best Personality, and Best Formal Outfit were [Dog name, Owner name] [Dog name, Owner name], [Dog name, Owner name] Bob Dietch’s Piano Bar made a triumphant return from its days at Marchellos, with community members gathering round to hear him tinkle the ivories and participating in some serious Broadway singalongs as the evening progressed. DJ Solid Bear’s dance party brought the house down at the end of the night as their set of rock, pop, funk, soul, and some timeless classics thrown in for fun. The dance floor never stopped moving. Raffles, drink specials, and light food fare were available throughout the evening. 6x6 ceramic tiles were also available for painting as a fundraising initiative. Said Josh Stapf, Development Director, “We wanted to give folks an opportunity to make their mark on our new Community Center, as a way to make it truly about community. People can purchase a tile for $10 and design it however they want to express themselves. Then, we’ll be mounting all of these up on the [entrance] wall for everyone to see as they visit the space.”
Program logos, rainbow designs, hopes for the future, and affirmations will fill the wall along with space for future tiles from community members, distinguished guests, and anyone else who wants to leave their mark on this new Community Center. The Rochester LGBTQ+ Community Center will be open 9-5pm Mondays and Fridays and 9am-8:30pm Tuesday-Thursdays. Community members are encouraged to come enjoy new programming, an expanded LGBTQ Library selection, comfortable couch and lounge area, and new décor. Out Alliance Interim Executive Director Jeff Myers says the Alliance is also working to increase and update restroom capacity, install a private shower, and renovate the new Community Center’s kitchen to be a Monroe County designated senior Lunch Club location. “We want all of our community to feel comfortable and at home when they visit the Community Center. This is a space to take a load off, be affirmed and supported, and just be.” New events in the Community Center will include a Youth Open Mic and Coffee House, InQueery’s Starr Revue with The Goodwill Queen of Retro Soul, Frankie Starr, Youth Halloween Dance, InQueery’s Royal Tea Party, Mental Health Association’s fall job fair, and more! Check out our calendar on page 20 for more and keep an eye out for future events in upcoming issues and by following the Out Alliance on Facebook.
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SAGE PROFILE Announcing the 2019 “ 5 0 t h A n n i v e r s a r y o f S T O N E W A L L”
C L O S E T
WEEKLY EVENT REMINDERS TUESDAYS
SENIOR YOGA WITH TOM
R O C H EST E R C O M M U N I T Y CA LE N DA R
10:30–11:30am, $5
The Anthony Mascioli Rainbow Dialogues has included on its website the 50th Anniversary of Stonewall Rochester Community Calendar. This is an interactive calendar where individuals, organizations, theater groups, musical groups, reading groups, school groups, archives, and libraries can submit events celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Stonewall. Once submitted, the event will be reviewed and then posted on the calendar. As our community approaches the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall rebellion, it is crucial that we honor its impact and legacy. As part of the Rainbow Dialogues, the 50th Anniversary of Stonewall Rochester Community Calendar will act as a central location for events committed to sharing the history, knowledge, labor, and record of our community. The Rainbow Dialogues is a series of community building conversations demonstrating how LGBTQ history and archival documents from the past are relevant for people today. The Dialogues reference and contextualize LGBTQ life in Rochester against the backdrop of local and national social justice issues. “The Out Alliance Shoulders to Stand On Program’s 8th Initiative”, the Rainbow Dialogues is presented by the Out Alliance in partnership with the Rochester Public Library Local History and Genealogy Division, the Friends and Foundation of the Rochester Public Library (FFRPL), and ImageOut; Rochester’s globally recognized LGBTQ Film Festival, with support from Humanities New York, the Rochester LGBTQ Giving Circle and with additional input from Brockport faculty as well as community volunteers. Help us fill the calendar with events honoring the 50th Anniversary of Stonewall. Share the information below far and wide:
11:30am–1:30pm, $3, catered lunch & speaker
LUNCH & LEARN
To submit an event for consideration on the calendar, visit www.rainbowdialogues.com/submit-event To view the calendar and keep up with the 2019 community events, visit www.rainbowdialogues.com/stone-wall-calendar
THURSDAYS
SENIOR YOGA WITH TOM 10:30–11:30am, $5
1ST & 3RD THURSDAYS
SENIORS IN SERVICE 11:30am–1:30pm, light lunch and volunteer activities
2 ND & 4 TH WEDNESDAYS
50+ MEN’S GROUP 6:30–8pm, Topical discussions
2 ND THURSDAYS
BREAKFAST CLUB @Jefferson Rd. Denny’s, 9:00–10:30am, RSVP Gerry 585. 730. 8772
3 RD FRIDAYS
PRIDE IN AGING 2:30–4pm, speakers and resources to help you “age in place”
LAST FRIDAYS
FABULOUS FISH FRY! 5:30pm, location varies, RSVP: Audet 585. 287. 2958 or aprice002@aol.com (events at Out Alliance LGBTQ Resource Center unless otherwise noted)
See February’s Calendar on page 28 for this month’s special events!
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HISTORY CORNER:
C L O S E T
By: EVELYN BAILEY
Rochester’s RESISTANCE Movements: Have We Come Full Circle? LGBTQ Historic Walking Tour Wednesday, October 3, 2018 / 5:15pm
The 2nd LGBTQ Historic Walking Tour will begin at the Little Theater. The Little was a part of the Little Cinema Movement of the 1920’s dedicated to showing “art films that appeal to the intelligent and sophisticated”. The Little Theatre was the fifth “little temple of the cinema” to be built RESISTING the big commercial movie houses mass merchandising trends in the entertainment industry. In 1993, expanding on the Little Cinema Movement, the Little became home to “The Lesbian and Gay Film Festival” (today ImageOut) in RESISTANCE to the oppression of LGBTQ art, theater and culture by mainstream media in the ‘90’s by presenting new work, both dramatic and documentary from lesbian and gay media artists. From the Little we walk down the street to 50 East Avenue, the new home of the 4th Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court. In the early ‘90’s both the State District Court and the 4th Appellate Court were housed in the Hall of Justice at Exchange Boulevard which was the actual scene of the Gay Alliance law suit against the City of Rochester for refusing to grant the Gay Alliance property tax exempt status when it bought its first real home at 179 Atlantic Avenue. The Gay Alliance RESISTED the repeated refusal of the city for tax exempt status and RESISTED accepting the city’s rational behind its decision. In January 1991 the GAGV applied for its property tax exemption, to which was entitled under state law, because it was a not for profit agency that provided charitable, educational services to the LGBT community. In March 1991 the City Assessor denied our application for a property tax exemption. Thinking the city made an error, the GAGV filed an administrative appeal, went through the process and was denied tax exempt status. The GAGV then decided that its legal rights were being discriminated against and decided the only path open was to sue the City. Lawsuit was filed in State District Court of Western NY. Judge Charles Siragusa ruled in 1993 that the city
had violated the GAGV’s civil rights and that they were eligible for tax exempt status under the law. The city appealed the decision to the 4th State Appellate Court. The RESISTANCE to the City’s discrimination resulted in the 4th State Appellate Court decision on Feb. 4, 1994, that Siragusa’s ruling had been valid. The GAGV received property tax exempt status. Our next and last stop is Abilene (formerly Tara’s) the first home of AIDS Rochester. Abilene was built in the 1840s in the Greek Revival style which features a symmetrical, formal shape. Abilene –Tara’s was first owned by William Cochrane who worked as an upholsterer on Front St. Cochrane was followed by co-owner of Moseley and Motley, a flour dealership, Jirah B. Moseley. In the 1930’s the building was sold to the Salvation Army and became an emergency home for Destitute Women and Children. After remaining vacant for many years, “Buddy” Wegman revitalized the building, creating Tata’s Cocktail Lounge reminiscent of the Tara homestead in Gone with the Wind with gold wallpaper, green velvet drapes and chandeliers. In 1983, the Rochester community’s RESISTANCE to the AIDS Crisis first began with the AIDS Hotline at the Gay Alliance. The first home used to confront the AIDS crisis began on Tara’s second floor where the original office for AIDS Rochester, Inc. operated free of charge. Jackie Nudd was the first Executive Director, and the Rochester Area Task Force on AIDS served as AIDS Rochester’s Board of Directors. Soon AIDS Rochester outgrew the space and moved to a larger space on Liberty Pole Way next to Varga Printing. In 1990 AIDS Rochester moved to University Avenue. In 2009, AIDS Rochester merged with A Community Health Network to become Trillium Health at Monroe Square.
Come and hear the stories of our early RESISTANCE to oppression.
Come and share in the successes and challenges.
Come and share the PRIDE!
18 | October 2018 | E M P T Y
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2018 - 2019 Season
TICKETS START AT
artscenter.naz.edu or 585-389-2170 SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3
From NPR’s Snap Judgment,
Stand-Up Storytellers James Judd & Jen Kober 1800066_NCAC_2018_EmptyClosetAd(7.5x4.86)_SnapJudgement_prep.indd 1
9/7/18 1:41 PM
Join us the 2nd Thursday of every month. Locations vary. Email HRCSecondThursday@gmail.com or follow us on FB @ HRCSecondThursday for details on upcoming events.
DRAG QUEEN CALENDAR: Flower City Queens
By: ROWAN COLLINS
Marie-Adélina de la Ferrière always wanted to find a way to celebrate the local drag community and the initiation of Flower City Queens has given her the perfect opportunity. Seen across social media over the past few months, Flower City Queens is a celebration of the Rochester drag scene and it’s first project is a 2019 wall calendar, with a local queen adorning each month. The lineup, which is being unveiled queen by queen, are known to local audiences and some even carry international audiences and followings. “Each brings a creative talent and artistry to the stage and beyond. Flower City Queens celebrates the history, artistry, individuality, and diversity of drag in the Rochester and Western New York region.” Ginger KaiKai, Miss Deelicious, Darienne Lake, and Mrs. Kasha Davis have been officially revealed on social media with Wednesday Westwood and Mercedes Sulay making appearances in posts so far with more to come, de la Ferrière says. “I’ve performed drag and I wanted a way to celebrate the drag history and I don’t think I would be where I am today if it wasn’t for the drag community being supportive of my identity. Drag has opened so many doors for me. I wanted to celebrate that richness of history and our diversity.” Getting people who are “always busy” scheduled in for shoots has been tough, she admits, but everyone is supportive and invested in the project. Teaming up with Lush Light Photography, the calendar has been in the works since late July and is available for pre-order now. de la Ferrière is eyeing an early November release. Beyond a way to share and celebrate the history of our local drag scene, it’s always about raising money and finding ways to give back. A portion of each calendar sale will go to local LGBTQ+ organizations and projects. Each queen has chosen a charity that visitors and patrons are encouraged to learn more about and donate. $15 of each calendar sold will go to the Center for Youth’s By Their Side initiative.
“It’s a wonderful feeling to give back. I’ve always worked in nonprofits and I love giving back wherever I can. It’s that extra bit now where you have a fun project that you’re also very passionate about that adds that bit of flavor.” Flower City Queens will also start a college initiative that sees $15 of each calendar sold through LGBTQ+ campus groups staying with the group to further their programming and endeavors. If it seems like Rochester drag is experiencing a renaissance as of late, de la Ferrière says it’s because it is. “People are finding new ways and new spaces to promote drag. I think that’s amazing – it shouldn’t be confined or contained. Seeing so many people using the hashtag #supportlocaldrag [following the closure of Tilt Nightclub in August] was incredible and social media has played a huge role in reshaping our community and in the creation of this calendar.” “To me, drag never dies and there is always reinvention and reinvigoration of the concept.” Flower City Queens is funded by the micronation of Royaume de Legialle (a micronation is an entity that claims to be an independent nation or state but is not recognized by world governments or major international organizations) whose ‘royal’ mission is to support creative projects that foster positive relationships in communities. A release party is in the works – keep an eye out for an official date coming soon. de la Ferrière has other projects in the works for Flower City Queens and plans to take the initiative into 2022, the 50th anniversary of the Miss Gay Rochester Pageant. Follow Flower City Queens at flowercityqueens.com, on Facebook @FlowerCityQueens, and on Twitter and Instagram @QueensRoc
20 | October 2018 | E M P T Y
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OCTOBER EVENTS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4
YOUTH MOVIE NIGHT: “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”, 7–9pm, free and open to youth 13-20. Don’t dream it, be it!
2ND LGBTQ HISTORIC WALKING TOUR: 5:15pm–6:15pm. Begins at The Little Theatre and visits the 4th Appellate Division Court and Abilene’s (formerly Tara’s). Hear the stories and marvel at the resistance. Free!
LORA WOMEN’S LUNCH: 12–1:30pm. Susan Jordan and Karen Hagberg share their experiences in the early women’s movement in Rochester. Learn about the Lesbian Resource Center, Top Free Seven, Snake Sisters Cafe, Black Rose Productions, Women’s Peace Camp and more. All ages welcome. Lunch provided, vegan op. available. $3. RSVP to Anne annet@outalliance.org INQUEERY MOVIE NIGHT OUT: “Edge of Seventeen”, 7–9pm, $2 admission, light refreshments available.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5
GALLERY Q: “Whose Streets? Our Streets!” opening reception, 6–9pm, drinks and snacks provided.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10
INQUEERY MOVIE NIGHT OUT: “But I’m A Cheerleader”, 7–9pm, free admission, drinks and snacks available.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12
YOUTH OPEN MIC COFFEE HOUSE: 7–9pm. Bring an instrument, song, poem, or anything to perform…or just enjoy the company of your friends! Open to all youth 13–20.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17
INTERNATIONAL PRONOUNS DAY WORKSHOP: 12–1:30pm (optional lunch at 11:15am). Free lunch-and-learn workshop focusing on understanding the importance of proper pronoun use and tips for creating inclusive spaces. Fun and interactive, this workshop will also include a panel for Q&A! Register at outalliance.org
INQUEERY PRESENTS: How to Talk to Your Queer Kids About Sex, 7–8pm. For many parents, talking to kids about sexual health can be uncomfortable at best. When queer identities come into the mix, things can become even more nuanced. Learn tips and tricks for making the conversation feel comfortable for everyone and how to share practical information to help your kids keep themselves safe.
For weekly, monthly, and ongoing events, see our ongoing calendar!
INQUEERY MOVIE NIGHT OUT: “Summer Storm”, 7–9pm, $2 admission, light refreshments available.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20
VARIETY NIGHT OUT: Starr Revue (18+) – 8-10 pm. Vintage variety in the style of “The Judy Garland Show” and “Cher” show, the Starr Revue show features comedy, music, drag, burlesque, dance, and magic. Hosted by Miss Frankie Starr with house band The Fortunatones, Starr Revue will welcome as its first guests, Vivian Darling and Sin O’Nymph. Doors at 7, show at 8. $5 suggested donation at the door to support the Out Alliance.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24
INQUEERY MOVIE NIGHT OUT: “Stonewall”, 7–9pm, $2 admission, light refreshments available.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26
YOUTH HALLOWEEN DANCE: 7–10pm. Come dance the night away at our annual Halloween dance. Free and open to youth 13–20.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28
HALLOWEEN DANCE: 4–8pm. Lake Riley Lodge @ Cobb’s Hill. Featuring DJ Solidbear, hot appetizers, adult beverages, costume contest, and prizes! 21+ event, tickets $7 pre-order/$10 at the door: bit.ly/OAHalloween
MONDAY, OCTOBER 29
‘BINGO AT THE BREWERY: Halloween Edition’ Drag Queen Bingo with Vivian Darling, Miss Frankie Starr, and Ms. Figgy Pudding - Doors 6pm, games & show 7–9:30pm, Three Heads Brewing 186 Atlantic Ave, 21+ event, $6 donation at the door
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30
INQUEERY MOVIE NIGHT OUT: “Hocus Pocus”, 7–9pm, $2 admission, light refreshments available.
Keep up to date with new events follow us on Facebook @OutAllianceRoc
(all events at LGBTQ Resource Center unless otherwise noted)
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See our online community calendar at: bit.ly/RocLGBTQCal
See page 16 for ongoing SAGE event information
E M P T Y
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
C L O S E T | October 2018 | 21
Got an event next month? Submit it to rowanc@outalliance.org before Oct10th for inclusion in Nov’s calendar.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2
FRIDAY, OCTOBTER 26
NEW GROUND POETRY NIGHT: 7:30pm, Equal Grounds Coffee Shop. Bring a friend or four! Drink coffee and be surrounded by amazing people. The lineup is first come, first on stage. Each poet has five minutes (or three poems, whichever comes first.)
OPENING NIGHT: The Rocky Horror Show at Blackfriar’s – 8pm, Blackfriar’s Theatre, 795 E. Main St. Featuring Mrs. Kasha Davis as Dr Frank ‘N’ Furter. Sharpen your stilettos, freshen up your fishnets and get ready to ROCK! Runs through November 11, see blackfriars.org for full details and ticket information.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3 POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY COMMUNITY FORUM: PAB NOW! -- 7-9 pm, Out Alliance. Wheelchair accessible and ASL interpreted. This forum will provide the community with information about the proposed Police Accountability Board, an update on its status, and next steps to get involved.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 28
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6
THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW SCREENING WITH BARRY BOSTWICK – 7pm, Kodak Center. Celebrate The Rocky Horror Picture Show with the one and only Brad Majors, Barry Bostwick. Costume contest, audience participation and talkback Q&A with Barry. Tickets $42.75-52.75 at http://bit.ly/2NgotCV
BACHELOR FORUM BEAR NIGHT FUNDRAISER – 10pm-2am, Bachelor Forum 670 University Ave. BearBQ, charity auction, drink specials, 50/50 raffle. DDCNO PRESENTS THE NEON PARTY – 10pm-2am, Photo City Improv 543 Atlantic Ave. Featuring V’ta St. James, hosted by DeeDee Dubois, performances by Justin Styles, Ginger KaiKai, Christian Gaye, KiKi BañañaHammøck. $5 for 21+, $12 for 18-20
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12 AMBUSH ROCHESTER (“the hottest event for LGBTQ+ women in Rochester”) Takeover #57 – 6-9pm, LGBTQ Community Center. @AmbushRochester for details and location DDCNO PRESENTS DINNER WITH THE STARS – 6:30-8:30pm, East End Tavern, 37 Charlotte Street. Full, sit-down dinner and two sets of fabulous drag. Tickets: $35 at eastendtavern.com
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16 TRANSPARENT ROCHESTER MEETING – 6:30-8pm, Out Alliance LGBTQ Resource Center. TransParent provides connection and support to parents raising a gender independent or transgender child of any age. Contact rochester.ny@ transparentusa.org with questions.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21 3RD ANNUAL KAITLYN EMILY MEMORIAL FUNDRAISER FOR TRANS YOUTH SERVICES – 2pm, 140 Alex Bar & Grill. Presented by 140 Alex, the Out Alliance, Trillium Health, Federation of Social Workers, and Todd Ranous. Hosted by Miss Deelicious & Destiny Spice, performances by Taylor Mayde, Vivian Darling, Ortensia de Loren, and Chastity Dee. Raffle prizes, 50/50 draw, homemade eggrolls & empanadas for sale. $5 suggested.
DDCNO PRESENTS HALLOWEEN BRUNCH – 11am-3pm, East End Taven, 37 Charlotte Street. Halloween themed buffet brunch and drag show. Tickets $25 at eastendtavern.com
LGBTQ+ AA Meetings SUNDAYS • Rochester Gay Men’s AA – 8pm, St. Luke & St. Simon, 17 Fitzhugh St. Closed, men’s AA meeting with speaker/discussion model. FRIDAYS • Free To Be. 7:30pm, Mack Building, 1587 Jackson Road, Penfield. Open, handicap accessible AA meeting with speaker/discussion model. • Park Ave Gay Men’s AA – 7:30pm, Immanuel Baptist Church, 815 Park Ave. Open, men’s AA meeting with discussion model. SATURDAYS • The Repair Shop – 5:30—6:30pm, Out Alliance LGBTQ Resource Center. An open AA meeting in a safe space for all, meeting has an evolving weekly format. Open to all - LGBTQ and allies. SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL • 6:30pm, Central Office Meeting Room, 1000 Elmwood Ave, Greenhouse. Open, handicap accessible AA meeting with speaker/discussion model.
SERVICES DIGNITY/INTEGRITY Sundays, 5pm, 17 South Fitzhugh Street OCTOBER 7: Episcopal Eucharist with music OCTOBER 14 & 21: Catholic Liturgy – healing rite held on 14th, celebrating 43rd anniversary on 21st OCTOBER 28: Prayers to start the week and potluck supper OPEN ARMS METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH Location change announcement! Open Arms will now reside at 95 Averill Avenue, after many years at 707 E. Main Street. www.openarmsmcc.org/contact-us THIRD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Sundays, 8:30am & 10:45am / 4 Meigs Street
All events listed are provided by groups and organizations outside of the Out Alliance and are accurate to the best of our ability.
22 | October 2018 | E M P T Y
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ELECTION 2018: YOUR VOTE, YOUR VOICE FEDERAL This election will determine, among other things, crucial control of the United States Senate and House of Representatives, both of which are currently under Republican leadership. Passage of President Trump’s agenda depends upon retaining control of both legislative bodies. The Midterms,” as they’re often called, refer to elections held in the middle of a president’s term in office. They often serve as a check on the chief executive, giving the voting public an opportunity to react – either positively or negatively – to that individual’s tenure in office thus far. Congressional responsibilities include: confirmation of federal judges and Supreme Court Justices, passage of legislation, and beginning of impeachment proceedings.
AIGA’s civic engagement initiative, part of Design for Democracy. Learn more: aiga.org/vote
Poster design by Derek Koch, New York, New York
In partnership with the League of Women Voters
U.S. SENATE Thirty-five out of one hundred U.S. Senate seats are “in cycle” (up for election), including the seat of Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, the incumbent junior senator from New York. NY’s senior Senator, Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, is not up for re-election until 2022. Of these Senate seats up for grabs, twenty-six are currently held by Democrats and nine are currently held by Republicans. Democrats would need to regain two Senate seats to control the upper chamber. According to the Cook Political Report, eight of these seats are toss-ups, meaning the election forecast could go either way. U.S. Senators serve six-year terms.
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Increase the odds of your voice being heard. Vote.
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President Dwight D. Eisenhower said, “The future of the republic is in the hand of the American voter,” and he couldn’t have been more accurate. There is no right more sacred than the vote or role more vital to democracy than that of the voter. By the time you read this article, the New York State Primary Election on Thursday, September 13 will be over, and we will be sailing toward the 2018 General Election on November 6, 2018.
All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are also up for election. The Cook Political Report shows sixty-seven of these races as competitive. New York’s 19th (Hudson Valley and Catskills regions) and 22nd (Central NY: Utica, Rome, Cortland, Binghamton) congressional districts – with incumbent Republicans John Faso and Claudia Tenney, respectively- are currently toss-ups. The Cook Political Report has also moved the NY-27 (Buffalo-area) congressional district from “solid” to “leaning” Republican after the indictment of GOP Representative Chris Collins for insider trading. Collins is one of New York’s most conservative members of Congress and the first to endorse President Trump’s 2016 campaign. Democrats believe this western NY seat is now in play during the midterms. Additionally, the NY-25 (Monroe County, City of Rochester) congressional district will be voting to fill the currently vacant seat of late Democratic Representative Louise Slaughter. Democrats would need twenty-three more congressional seats to win back the House. Members of Congress serve two-year terms.
E M P T Y
By: BRADEN C. REESE
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are also up for election. The Cook Political Report shows sixty-seven of these races as competitive. New York’s 19th (Hudson Valley and Catskills regions) and 22nd (Central NY: Utica, Rome, Cortland, Binghamton) congressional districts – with incumbent Republicans John Faso and Claudia Tenney, respectively- are currently toss-ups. The Cook Political Report has also moved the NY-27 (Buffalo-area) congressional district from “solid” to “leaning” Republican after the indictment of GOP Representative Chris Collins for insider trading. Collins is one of New York’s most conservative members of Congress and the first to endorse President Trump’s 2016 campaign. Democrats believe this western NY seat is now in play during the midterms. Additionally, the NY-25 (Monroe County, City of Rochester) congressional district will be voting to fill the currently vacant seat of late Democratic Representative Louise Slaughter. Democrats would need twenty-three more congressional seats to win back the House. Members of Congress serve two-year terms.
C L O S E T | October 2018 | 23
Image courtesy DEREK KOCH AND AIGA GET OUT THE VOTE
MONROE COUNTY / CITY OF ROCHESTER Local elections will occur for: Family Court (two seats), County Legislator 1st District (one-year term), Rochester City Court Judge, and Rochester School Commissioner (two seats, one-year term). Additional local elections will occur for: Clarkson Town Justice, Parma Town Justice, Parma Town Council (three-year term), Parma Town Council (one-year term), Riga Town Justice, Rush Town Justice, Sweden Town Justice, East Rochester Town Justice (two seats), Fairport Village Mayor, Fairport Village Justice, and Fairport Village Trustee (two seats).
VOTING While the Out Alliance and Empty Closet cannot endorse any specific candidates, we do encourage our community members and readers to keep informed about the candidates, their platforms, and their voting records, especially on issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community. Most importantly, no matter your political views or party affiliation, get registered and be sure to always exercise your right to vote!
STATE & LOCAL / New York State Nationally, there are thirty-six gubernatorial races on the ballot in November. In New York State, elections will occur for: governor, lieutenant governor, state comptroller, attorney general, state senate, and state assembly. These elections will determine executive and legislative control of New York State for years to come, as well as investigative and prosecutorial priorities of the state. Should he defeat his primary challengers, actress and activist Cynthia Nixon, incumbent Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo will seek re-election in November. In New York’s LGBTQ+ community, Cuomo is generally lauded for his support and signing of the Marriage Equality Act in June 2011. The bipartisan bill amended New York’s Domestic Relations Law to include marriage rights, benefits, and legal protections to NY’s same-sex couples. Should she prevail in her primary, Democratic Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul, will also seek re-election in this fall’s general election. Hochul, a Buffalo native, previously served as Erie County Clerk and as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives (NY-26). In New York, governor and lieutenant governor run separately in the primaries, but are elected by a single joint vote during the general election. The offices of governor, lieutenant governor, comptroller, and attorney general are each elected to four year terms. Elections will also occur for New York State legislature. Sixtythree seats are up for election in the NYS Senate and one hundred fifty seats are up election in the NYS Assembly. Locally, elections will occur for: NYS Senate districts 54, 55, 56, 59, 61, 62 and NYS Assembly districts 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139. In the Rochester area, Assemblyman Harry Bronson of the 138th is notably the first openly gay LGBTQ+ member of the New York State legislature from upstate New York. All NYS Senate and Assembly seats are up every two years. NYS Senators and members of the Assembly serve two-year terms.
GENERAL ELECTION: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2018
VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINES: Mail Registration: Postmarked by October 12, 2018; Received by October 17, 2018 In Person Registration: Received by October 12, 2018 Change of Address Deadline: Received by October 17, 2018
ABSENTEE BALLOT DEADLINES: Mail Absentee Ballot Request: Postmarked by October 30, 2018 In Person Absentee Ballot Request: November 5, 2018 Mail Absentee Ballot: November 5, 2018 In Person Absentee Ballot: November 5, 2018
For more information on elections and voting, visit the New York State Board of Elections at www.elections.ny.gov or the Monroe County Board of Elections at www.monroecounty.gov/elections. If you are unsure if you’re a registered voter, check: https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/.
Oct 2018
The girls and I still have coffee every Friday!
We offer a full spectrum of senior services from independent living to skilled nursing. Most importantly, we have designed communities to help you embrace living your way. Call 585-760-1300 to schedule a tour or go to stjohnsliving.org/tec.
Our life. Our way. SJ TEC 2018 - All.indd 7
3/16/18 10:35 AM
E M P T Y
GNAW ROCS:
C L O S E T | October 2018 | 25
OUT AND ABOUT:
THE RAW AND THE COOKED
FARGO THE CITY NOT THE MOVIE By: REILLY HIRST Alright, I confess I am completely a farm to table snob masquerading as an everyday eater. Except of course, I really do find pretention not only annoying but against my politics. McCann’s Local Meats is and is not an answer to this problem. It’s totally the rich person’s butcher, but it is my kind of café. I go less for the shopping and more for the in-house eating. It smells like raw meat. If that puts you off, don’t come. If you are a vegetarian or vegan with bumper stickers about friends don’t kill friends who are animals, don’t come. If you care about local sourced meats and other ingredients, well then it’s completely different. I forget about breakfast here routinely. Then I remember and my heart goes pitter pat. What’s good about Swan’s is part of what is good about here: really delicious solid food in a butcher/market environment. Steak & Eggs breakfast sandwich for 9.50. Yes, just yes. I haven’t had the Kimchi omelet, I will. Someday. When I can say no to the steak. The lunch menu is traditional American with Vietnamese and Korean inspired dishes peppered through it. Bulgogi, oh, my little west coast heart. A Korean barbecue dish of thin sliced beef, it is cooked quickly and the flavors of beef and sauce melt into the accompanying rice. Tuesdays they have bibimbob (which I know as bi bim bap), “mixed rice.” I have craved that dish since I first had it in Berkeley. It is rice covered with a variety of vegetables, meat and sometimes a fried egg in little sections. In that same vein, they have an Israeli egg dish called shakshuka (eggs poached in a tomato peppers and onion sauce). There are specials you would want from an excellent butcher for lunch: BBQ brisket, Reubens; Cheesesteaks. The sides live up to the meats and the main courses: $1 for sides from the case for lunch (seasonal, things like grilled asparagus, mac salad, roasted potatoes jopchae). They do not dilute the excellence of their meat with questionable sources, the take out menu has their partners listed, a virtual who’s who of WNY best, or nearly best producers for produce, cheese, baking, and drinks. The downsides… well, eating at a butcher is a little weird. Also, it can be busy and noisy. Also, I don’t remember that it is a restaurant. Also, in a very minor way, what I alluded to above, I love Flour City Bread and think it is the best bakery in Rochester; same for First Light Creamery-a limited range but the best cheese. However, while I love Swiftwater, I think Fifth Frame is the better brewery. There are a few others substitutions I would make. Also, the beers in the fridge are pricey as are some other things in the cases. But hey they have shochu shots for $3. Everything is fine, just fine.
By: MERLE
EXIT
North Dakota is a great vacation destination whether you stop in a few cities or go across the state beginning with Fargo. Plains Art Museum, the largest art museum in North Dakota, is set in a renovated turn-of-the-century warehouse and features both national and regional works of art as well as a studio where artists can devise prints. www.plainsart.org World War II buffs will definitely appreciate a tour of the Fargo Air Museum. The aircraft is operative, but not in the museum. Check out the North Dakota area memorabilia and purchase a dog tag ($7 bucks including the chain). www.fargoairmuseum.org Off to Heritage Hjemkomst Interpretative Center in the abutting city of Moorehead, Minnesota. It is here that you learn about the Viking ship Hjemkomst, view a documentary that chronicles the reconstruction of the 76-foot hand-built ship (It’s in the Center) and its 6000-mile voyage across the Atlantic in 1982. Oops, it crashed in New York. I think that I was also privy to the history of each brick of the building, yah? www.hcscconline.org Come and sit by my side if you love me, Do not hasten to bid me adieu, But remember the Red River Valley, And the girl that has loved only you. It may not be a Viking ship, but the pontoon boat will suffice. Just down the hill from the HHIC. Cool and refreshing as we breeze along the Red River on the S.S. Ruby a 45-minute tour with tales of history, geography and wildlife. The pontoon operates only if the river and weather permit it to do so. https://ssruby.com Yankees fans or just baseball yahoos, alert, alert. There is a Roger Maris Museum in the Fargo’s West Acres Shopping Center. It includes major awards, uniforms and some of the home run balls from 1961, the year he broke Babe Ruth’s record with 61 home runs. This is not, however, a stopover on the Lewis and Clark Expedition. http:// www.westacres.com/roger-maris.php Bonanzaville, USA, located in West Fargo (701-282-2822) sports a Red River Valley historic village featuring old (1800s and early 1900s) main street businesses, cabins, and bonanza farm homes, as well as museums of cars, airplanes and dolls. There is a tour in the main building that will take you on a historic journey. William G. Fargo, director of the North Pacific Railroad, a native New Yorker, teamed up with his partner Henry Wells when they worked in the banking and express shipping industry. You guessed it… Wells Fargo Stage Line and later The American Express. The Native Americans called their nation an alliance of friends, Da-co-tail. It included the Dakotas and the land in the West where generations of member tribes roamed (with the buffalo) and hunted. www.bonanzaville.org If you love cute animals there is the Red River Zoo, a relaxing way to spend a few hours. www.redriverzoo.org. I recommend a stay at Hotel Donaldson with it’s art-inspired rooms, artisan cuisine ‘a rooftop hot tub’ and some complimentary tidbits like wine and cheese and a bakery basket. Accommodations at this boutique hotel are just fabulous as well. www.hoteldonaldson.com
THE WAY FORWARD FOR
POLICE ACCOUNTAB Since February 2017, activists have pushed with renewed vigor for the passage of legislation that has been needed for well over a half century in Rochester, New York. Police have evaded responsibility for far too long. Rochester needs and demands a powerful Police Accountability Board (PAB), a mechanism for civilian oversight of law enforcement when complaints of misconduct are made against the Rochester Police Department (RPD). True accountability requires the power to make decisions and enforce them. Thus, the following five pillars are essential, and what we have been clearly advocating to be included in the legislation for the PAB for over a year:
harshest were six suspensions. No officer has been fired as a result of a civilian-generated allegation of excessive force. The PAB report, as well as several high-profile cases of police brutality in the news, prompted City Council to thoroughly investigate the process used by civilians who have experienced police misconduct. City Council used its subpoena power for the first time to review the PSS investigation of the claims made by Rickey Bryant Jr., a minor who was brutalized by over a dozen officers in a case of apparent mistaken identity as he was riding his bike in the summer of 2016. Although Mr. Bryant was never charged with a crime, he sustained severe injuries, for which the police were not held accountable. The Police Accountability Board 1. The PAB will be an independent agency of city government, separate from the RPD; Alliance (PABA or “the Alliance”), 2. The PAB will have independent investigative authority; a collection of community groups in favor of police accountability, 3. The PAB will have subpoena power to compel the production of evidence and witnesses; will select six members from the 4. The PAB will have disciplinary authority using a disciplinary matrix; and community to sit on the proposed PAB, has met with the mayor 5. The PAB will have the power to evaluate systemic patterns, practices, policies, and every member of council, and procedures of the RPD to recommend changes and prevent misconduct. advocating explicitly for the five pillars above. The alliance has submitted a proposed ordinance In addition to the five pillars, sufficient funding is required so to council, which spells out the PAB process in detail. This is available that complaints of misconduct are resolved efficiently and effectively in on our website at www.pabnow.com. Council said they couldn’t move 90 days. To handle the volume of complaints that are filed in Rochester, forward on the proposed ordinance because of legal reasons. We the PAB will require 1% of the RPD budget. This would equal one have shown them how there is nothing preventing them from passing million dollars in funding, a reasonable cost of true accountability, and a PAB with all of these pillars. City Council retained an independent an investment which will result in far fewer costly lawsuits concerning legal opinion from Harris Beach, PLLC, who agreed with our position. excessive force against the city. We have received the draft legislation Harris Beach was specifically asked to address the question, from City Council, and it fails to establish the five pillars. “May the proposed PAB be legally empowered to discipline police In February of 2017, Enough Is Enough (EIE) and the officers of the Rochester Police Department?” The Harris Beach Rochester Coalition for Police Reform jointly released The Case for Opinion, released to the City on May 3, 2018, stated “Based on our an Independent Police Accountability System: Transforming the Civilian legal analysis, as set forth below, of the applicable N.Y. Civil Review Process in Rochester, New York. This report can be found at Service Law provisions, as well as the pertinent provisions of enoughisenough.rocus.org. The report, authored by Barbara Lackerthe Charter and Code of the City of Rochester, relevant statutes Ware and Theodore Forsyth, reviews the current complaint process and case law, we have concluded that the proposed PAB may for civilians regarding police misconduct. The researchers looked at be legally empowered to discipline police officers, provided that annual reports from the Professional Standards Section (PSS), the certain amendments are made to the Charter of the City of Rochester Police Department’s internal affairs division; and the Civilian Rochester that delegate such authority to the PAB.” Review Board (CRB), the current agency responsible for overseeing the Nearly a week later on May 9, Rochester’s city attorney, complaint process, administered by the Center for Dispute Settlement Corporation Counsel Tim Curtin, issued his rebuttal to the Opinion. (CDS) as well as reports of racial profiling and police misconduct by The PABA has thoroughly reviewed both the Opinion as well as the members of the community. According to CRB annual reports of the Rebuttal, and we believe that they both offer clarifying information that 923 civilian-generated allegations of force from 2001 to 2016, the favors the passage of the proposed PAB by City Council with the five Chief of Police sustained only 16 of them (1.7%). According to PSS pillars called for by advocates. annual reports from 2002 to 2015, there were only 13 instances The PABA lauds the independent legal opinion that City of officer discipline stemming from such allegations. Of those, the
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C L O S E T | October 2018 | 27
By: PABA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
ILITY IN ROCHESTER Council obtained insofar as it confirms the Alliance’s interpretation of New York State law. In particular, nothing in New York State law would prevent Rochester from establishing a PAB with disciplinary power. Although Rochester’s Corporation Counsel alleges that the Rochester Police Locust Club, the union for the RPD, collective bargaining agreement and the Taylor Law prevent changes to police disciplinary procedures, Corporation Counsel fails to respond to cases from the Court of Appeals which have allowed other New York State municipalities to change police disciplinary procedures despite conflicting collective bargaining agreement s . C o rpo r a t io n Counsel relied on a lower court opinion in the Schenectady case to support its position. City of Schenectady v. New York State Pub. Employment Relations Bd., 30 N.Y.3d 109 (2017). That case was overturned by the Court of Appeals, the highest court in New York. Therefore, despite Corporation Counsel’s claims to the contrary, according to the Court of Appeals, the Harris Beach Opinion, and the Alliance, nothing in New York State law would prevent Rochester from establishing a PAB with disciplinary power. In late August, multiple members of City Council said that the draft legislation would be shared with both the PABA and the Locust Club the first week of September. We have received the draft legislation and our comments are as follows:
1. There is no disciplinary power for the PAB, only the ability to recommend discipline to the chief of police. As can be seen in the report, one of the main problems with the current system is the fact that the chief of police will not sustain complaints that the CRB has sustained. Without disciplinary power, the PAB has no real power. 2. Investigations are still handled by PSS. This means that if you have a complaint against the RPD, say for excessive use of force, you have to go to the PSS office and be interviewed by another police officer. Many people, including Christopher Pate in recent memory, did not want to be interviewed by PSS. When someone has trauma or PTSD stemming from an interaction with police, sometimes the last thing they want to do is to talk to police about it. According to the City Council draft, once PSS finishes its investigation, only then can the PAB utilize its independent investigatory power and subpoena power to conduct an investigation. The PAB would be dependent on PSS. There is no parallel investigation. This could add time to investigating and adjudicating a complaint and is not acceptable. 3. Another problem with how the draft legislation handles investigations is that the PAB can only investigate a case if they feel that relevant information has been left out of the PSS report. We advocate that civilians should be allowed to have their complaints investigated by the PAB, at the very least concurrently as the PSS investigation, or before the PSS investigation, or in lieu of the PSS investigation. 4. There is not community control for representation to the board. We proposed an 11 member board with one member appointed by the mayor, four by city council, and six by the PABA. The draft legislation gives the mayor two appointees, council the same four, and the PABA appointing three. This means there is not community control of this process and makes it too subject to political forces.
There are other things that are problematic within the draft, but these are the most glaring and obvious problems. You can look at both our proposed ordinance and City Council’s draft at www.pabnow. com. So, what’s next? How can you be part of the change our city needs? City Council has said they will hold public forums to get feedback from the community. If you sign up for email updates at www.pabnow. com we can let you know when they are announced. If you are an advocate of accountability and justice, it is crucial that your voice is heard at these meetings. It is also vitally important that we show up at council meetings and have our voices heard; you can call 311 and say you want to speak to council. Council meetings are the third Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in council chambers at city hall. Even if you don’t want to speak, just showing up to support those who do can have a great impact. To get more involved with the movement, you can sign up at www.pabnow.com or follow us on social media. Given that there is no state law preventing the establishment of a strong PAB, the only thing standing in the way of progress is the allure of the status quo. The Alliance calls on all city officials to resist this allure for the sake of the Rochester community, for the sake of individuals affected by police violence, and for the sake of justice. Pass the proposed Police Accountability Board now.
BY THEIR SIDE
By: ROWAN COLLINS
The Center for Youth announces acquisition of LGBTQ homeless youth house
News broke in the last days of August that The Center for Youth had been given a house in the 19th Ward neighborhood that they have designated as a future house for homeless and trafficked LGBTQ+ youth. 13WHAM’s Matt Molloy first reported the story after Nazareth College students cleared out the shoulder-high grass and weeds in the backyard as part of the Orientation Day of Service. It’s hard to miss a group of 30 18-year-olds in uniform purple t-shirts descending on a house that has been in some level of disrepair for a long while. Elaine Spaull, President & CEO of The Center for Youth and Rochester City Council member, says the house was donated to the organization last year by a donor who wishes to remain anonymous. Center for Youth had been in discussion with the Out Alliance and other organizations for years to advocate for LGBTQ homeless youth and combat its root causes. When the house came into their possession, it seemed like a no-brainer. “We’ve been monitoring a disturbing frequency of LGBTQ youth in housing-unstable and trafficked situations in our area and while we are a SafeZone in our other houses and school sites, we’ve seen from other states that these kids benefit from smaller, focused programs where they feel there is a greater level of safety and they are involved in the planning and execution of the goings-on in the house.” Spaull admits that some of the other houses, especially the 13-bed emergency shelter, can get chaotic and loud and that for many youth coming from homes where they were already overlooked, ignored, or targeted, a smaller, quieter space can be lifechanging. The new house will have capacity for 5-6 beds. “5 to 6 beds doesn’t solve everything but it’s a start. We want this house to serve as a model for these kids…for what a home and family can feel like. We’re looking to have this be a 3-6 month independent living model for our kids, where they feel loved and respected and like they’re invested. It can take about 45 days to get someone settled in with DSS so that 3-month minimum is the sweet spot.” She says as long as she is at The Center for Youth, their individual housing options will never exceed 12 to 13 beds. “Our kids need privacy, they need warmth, they need quiet, and they need sleep. They deserve to have these things. I don’t want them bunked up 50 people to a room every night.”
According to the University of Chicago’s Chapin Hall, LGBTQ youth are at a 120% greater risk for homelessness than their non-LGBTQ peers. The True Colors Fund reports that up to 40% of homeless youth in the United States identify as LGBTQ, a disparity from the proportion of ~7% in the non-homeless population. Homeless LGBTQ youth are at greater risk for victimization, sex trafficking, unsafe sexual practices, mental health issues and more. According to Spaull, somewhere near 15% of The Center for Youth participants are LGBTQ+. “Housing matters, housing is healthcare. If kids are not safe and cared for, they can be forced to make bad choices, especially for those in marginalized groups. That’s why we’re seeing an increased intersection of homelessness and trafficking for our LGBTQ youth,” says Spaull. The Center for Youth was figuring out what to do with the house this winter when they were approached by Scotty Ginnett, who wanted to use his 30th birthday as a fundraiser for the initiative. A family was still living in the house and Spaull and staff knew they would have to wait until the children of the family had finished school in early summer. “We got some great momentum and support from Scotty’s birthday celebration and used that to start making plans for the house. There was a little question of ‘what needs to be done’ and ‘where do we start’ but we were contacted by Nazareth for their Day of Service and it seemed like such an obvious choice. We’re beginning conversations with the neighbors and community and getting the necessary steps started.” The Center for Youth hopes to have the new house open in the spring of 2019 and Spaull says donations are vital to the continued timeline of the project. At this time, no sustainable government funding stream exists to support housing of LGBTQ individuals. The Center for Youth’s By Their Side initiative is entirely privately funded by support from community members. Assemblymember Harry Bronson has worked to secure a grant to kickstart the renovation and repair of the new house. Rochester Fashion Week, which will bring five runway shows Oct. 9-13, continues to bring awareness and financial support to The Center for Youth’s programs, including By Their Side. “It needs some TLC, it needs a little love. We have some amazing community members lending their time, talents, and experience to making this house a reality for our youth. Most of us, y’know, at the end of a long day we go home…somewhere we change into some sweatpants, open the ‘fridge, watch tv, relax. Our kids don’t have that. Housing is the future of our kids. We can make home happen.” Learn more about the By Their Side initiative and how you can support the new house, visit centerforyouth.net/program/ homelesslgbtqyouth Youth in crisis can call 585-271-7670 or 1-888-617-KIDS. Information on Rochester Fashion Week can be found at fashionweekofrochester.org
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C L O S E T | October 2018 | 29
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30 | October 2018 | E M P T Y
IMAGEOUT, the Rochester LGBT Film Festival, opens October 4 ImageOut Film Festival presents LGBT arts and cultural experiences showcasing films and artists to promote awareness, foster dialogue and build community. “This year’s 10-day Festival of movies, art exhibitions, and parties presents a tremendous opportunity for Rochester’s LGBTQ community and our allies to come together. Whether it’s informal conversations in the concession line, post-film discussions with filmmakers, or talking in an art show, the moments spent together is the perfect time to make new friends and deepen existing relationships. Further, movies are meant to be enjoyed on the big screen in the company of others. Comedies are funnier in a theater full of laughter and dramas are at their best when others are there to share in the emotional journey.” – ImageOut Board of Directors Over 26 years, ImageOut has evolved into a year-round celebration of the cultures and stories of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender people. In addition to the 40 film programs, our Festival also includes the release of our annual ImageOutWrite literary journal and ImageOut Art exhibitions at the Visual Studies Workshop and the Out Alliance’s Gallery Q. This year’s festival features films about Australia’s “gay Mardi Gras” riots (Riot), the first film to deal with AIDS (Buddies), transgender servicemembers (TransMilitary), the power of music and coming-of-age (Canary), conversion therapy (The Miseducation of Cameron Post), big gay Italian weddings (My Big Gay Italian Wedding), family and coming out (Lez Bomb), religion and spirituality (Your Will Be Done), gender and identity with a sci-fi twist (Pulse), and so much more. Mapplethorpe, a chronicle of the life iconoclastic queer artist Robert Mapplethorple (played by Matt Smith); Wild Nights with Emily, centered on Emily Dickinson’s supposed love affair with her sister-in-law Susan; and The Miseducation of Cameron Post, the critically-acclaimed film based on Emily Danforth’s novel of conversion therapy, are posed to be big draws for the festival. 17 films from Finland, Germany, France, Israel, Spain, the UK, Switzerland, Brazil, the Philippines, Norway, Peru, Colombia, Chile, the Netherlands, South Africa, Argentina, and Italy bring diverse viewpoints, cultures, and identities to the big screen during the 40-film festival. The Next Generation and ImageOut There! Series return this year.The Next Generation focuses on both representation and education for LGBTQ+ youth, so they can stay informed on issues that affect everyone in the community. The films in the Next Generation Series can hopefully guide, inspire, and empower not just the young but older alike.
C L O S E T
ImageOut There! returns to the basics: fantasy, sci-fi, monsters, graphic sex, violence, and just overall cranked-up quirkiness. This sidebar to the festival highlights films most other festivals won’t even touch. Five “shorts” collections give audiences a chance to immerse themselves in multiple storylines and see the talent and new and established filmmakers and actors alike. Flower City Flicks (Saturday, October 6, 11am, Dryden Theatre) is of special interest to local audiences as all four shorts – The Long Trail Out, Don’t Define Me, My Brother Blake, Beard – showcase local filmmakers and personalities. This year’s full list of program follows: Lez Bomb, Tucked, Flower City Flicks, Transformer, Your Will Be Done (So auf Erden), Pulse, Quick Licks, Kiss Me! (Embrasse-moi!), The CakeMaker, Anchor and Hope (Tierra firme), Mario, Matter and Manner, Love Me 4 Me, Man Made, You Should Meet My Son 2!, Berenice, Chedeng and Apple, Retablo, Eva + Candela, Cola de Mono, Studio 54, A Moment in the Reeds, 1985, Good Manners, Buddies, Riot, Mapplethorpe, Wild Nights with Emily, CrazySexyCool, Boys, Every Act of Life, Funny Sotry, Just Friends, Life in the Doghouse, TransMilitary, The Miseducation of Cameron Post, Canary, Safe Space, My Best Friend, Cherry Grove Stories, and My Big Gay Italian Wedding. Advanced tickets to all films can be purchased online at tickettailor. com/events/imageout/194848/ Young adults (25 and under) and seniors (65 and over) with proper ID will receive a $2 discount on tickets, either in person or online with discount codes ya18 & senior18 All films in the Next Generation Series (The Miseducation of Cameron Post, My Best Friend, TransMilitary, Life in the Doghouse, and Safe Space) are free to anyone under the age of 25 with proper ID. Tickets must be obtained in person for this discount. All films screen at either The Dryden Theatre at The George Eastman Museum our the Little Theatre featuring their newly remodeled Theatre 1. See the full film schedule and fill your itinerary at festival.imageout. org/2018 or pick up the ImageOut 2018 Program Book at locations around town.
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The One Who Resisted: KaeLyn Rich and Girls Resist!
KaeLyn Rich has been an activist since the moment she began helping her parents with their pro-union campaigns. She remembers sitting around the table watching them, slipping information into folders while listening to their campaign strategies. Those moments—along with the experiences from growing up as an Asian adoptee in a predominately White area—will eventually shape Rich’s political and personal ideologies. Everything Rich believes in is reflected in her debut book, Girls Resist! Written by the Queer Intersectional Feminist/local activist/ mother/adjunct professor within three months (at the Equal Grounds Coffee Shop no less), Girls Resists! is a guidebook crafted for radical feminist young girls and female-bodied individuals affected by the current political climate. From the beginning to the very end, she provides readers with the tools necessary to recognize and exert inner strength through direct action. “Direct action is a type of activist strategy that involves using collective action to achieve a goal of disrupting a systemic power structure,” Rich explains. “Examples would be rallies, sit-ins, and hacktivism. It’s not the only way to show grassroots power, but the skills are important even outside of direct action campaigns. I think even when we’re working through more politically-centered campaigns, the tactics and strategies used in direct action organizing can be utilized to build and show power and put pressure on targets.”
C L O S E T | October 2018 | 31
By: JAVI MASON
In addition to introducing various political tactics that budding and veteran activists can utilize, the book also acts as a semi-autobiography. Throughout the guidebook, Rich weaves personal stories about herself and her experiences as an activist, woman, and a person labeled as the Other. In the introduction, she writes how she stuck out an Asian adoptee in a town occupied by mostly White folks, how everything from her body to her queer identity led to internal struggles regarding her personhood. But she also points out that those very struggles helped her find her voice to advocate for herself and others who are deemed as different. But Girls Resist! does not just center political power but highlights the importance of introspection. Rich stresses that in order for activists to fight injustice effectively, female and female-bodied freedom fighters are to realize their own self-worth. This involves understanding, recognizing, and even internalizing the power of one’s voice and how it will be utilized to dismantle oppressive systems. This also means practicing self-care so one will have the energy necessary to do activist work. “The work starts with you,” Rich points out candidly. “I hope that the concrete tools and examples I’ve laid out, as well as the framework of thinking about our work with an intersectional and feminist lens helps people start to do that work on themselves and the work out in the world that needs to be done. I hope queer feminists see themselves in this book because I wrote it as a queer feminist. Our identities are woven into the fabric of the book and I hope people are able to find that and relate to it in new and radical ways.” Long story short, Girls Resist! is not just a book about political strategies, but is an actual blueprint written by a someone who understands intersectionality and the importance of the inner revolution. Rich raises the bar by speaking from a personal perspective, making her work assessible, engaging, and in many cases, legendary.
32 | October 2018 | E M P T Y
OUT IN PRINT: GIRLS Resist! A Guide to Activism, Leadership, and Starting a Revolution
illustrated by
by
C L O S E T
GIULIA SAGRAMOLA
KAELYN RICH
review by
ROWAN COLLINS
“If I had a time machine, I would go back in time and give myself this book.”
—Jenn Northington, Book Riot
The praise came quick and deep for Rochester activist and organizer Kaelyn Rich’s first book “Girls Resist!”. A practical guide aimed at teen and pre-teen girls, the book is an engrossing read for all ages and identities. The book starts with an inspiring call to action for all young girls and provides a necessary lesson in the meaning, impact, and history of institutional power, implicit bias, and sexism. With chapters devoted to “Creating (and Crushing) Your First Campaign Plan”, “Media, Messaging, and Talking the Talk”, “Group Dynamics and Rallying Your Troops”, “Caring for Yourself and Your Community”, and more, it’s breakneck speed never seems overwhelming or superior. Instead, Rich’s deep history in community organizing and advocacy shines through. Each sidebar, bullet point, and chart accompany the main text thoughtfully and concretely. Rich shares personal memories from her own childhood and introduction into activism and leadership through each “lesson” in the guide and her uncanny ability to relate her experiences without making the story center on her is remarkable. Connecting to an audience through personal stories and vulnerability is a powerful tool but can go awry when focus stays on the individual and not the collective “takeaway,” something Rich easily avoids by using her stories to elevate the large framework and progress of the guide. As I thumbed through my copy of the book, purchased during Rich’s kickoff event at The Avenue Blackbox Theatre, I found myself enthralled by the sheer volume of information it held. Where else will you find sample call sheets for phone banking, language swaps to break the binary, power maps, demonstration tactic guides, press release templates, bridging phrase practice, budget worksheets, general interest meeting checklists, fundraising overviews, terminology glossaries, kickass icebreakers, privilege and microaggression checklists, reading lists, and self-care activities all within a rousing, gorgeously illustrated book? I found myself also wishing I could give this book to my younger self.
$14.99 | $16.99 Canada /
© 2018,
Quirk Books / 239 pages
Each section of the book is broken down into easy-to-digest pieces that support the overarching theme of each chapter, which in turn creates the cohesive guide. If you can think of a topic or kernel of knowledge associated with activism, advocacy, leadership, and organizing…it’s in “Girls Resist!” This will, without a doubt, become a go-to for young activists “Girls Resist!” is an inspiring handbook for anyone young girl looking to be involved in making change. I’d argue we could all benefit from reading it, too.
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C L O S E T | October 2018 | 33
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34 | October 2018 | E M P T Y
C L O S E T
OUTLOOK:
By: ERIN MORRISON-FORTUNATO
“Mommy, sometimes Frankie is a girl, a pretty girl,” my 5-yearold daughter stated matter-of-factly as she stared up at me while I applied my mascara. “He sure is, Boo. A very pretty woman.” My best friend is an open-hearted, quick-witted, intelligent, self-doubting, handsome man and, also, a sultry, salty, outgoing, astoundingly talented, beautiful woman. Miss Frankie Starr and I share a retro sensibility: a love for vintage clothes, music and movies of the 40s, 50s, and 60s, and a feeling that we were born in the wrong era. When I saw Frankie Starr in a local Big Wigs drag show, she attacked her Janis Joplin impersonation with abandon and passion. She was bawdy and hilarious, completely comfortable walking up to my burly husband, throwing him a wink, and addressing him with “Hey there, Handsome.” So, when I got to know Frankie Acito, I was surprised at how very different he was from his character: a sweet, shy, giving, self-deprecating man with a kind soul. I fell in love with him immediately. Likewise, my children fell for Frankie and his husband, Yeison, as they spent time with our family. After dinners together, Yeison enthusiastically engages the kids with puzzles and board games or listens patiently as my son explains minute details about Super Mario World. My girls are obsessed with both Frankies: the man who asks them about their favorite animals and colors during FaceTime calls and gives them princess makeovers complete with ball gowns, and the woman who looks like a glamorous movie star, who lovingly drops to the girls’ height to look into their adoring eyes. Despite the happiness and support they provide our family, there has been pushback. Our community is fortunate to have a Drag Story Hour program sponsored by the Out Alliance and hosted by “Rupaul’s Drag Race” alum, Mrs. Kasha Davis. My daughters were beyond excited to attend. So excited, in fact, that they delivered a full report to some of our older relatives. Almost immediately, I received a concerned phone call, “Erin, aren’t you afraid that by exposing the children to that lifestyle it will influence their choice about being gay or straight?” I was (naively) surprised that people related to me, a liberal, social warrior, still suffered under the illusion that sexuality and gender are choices. This resistance to us incorporating LGBTQ people into our children’s lives came to a head when we gave Frankie and Yeison a key to our home. That same relative, who had never once questioned
the fact that our dog sitter and our cleaning service and our neighbors all have keys to our house, asked, “You don’t leave them alone with the children, right?” The implication was horrible. When it came to Story Hour, I had carefully addressed his concerns, but, now, my gobsmacked shock and offence was clear as I replied, “Wow. I didn’t realize how biased you are. They are gay, not pedophiles.” I would be lying if I said that, while that interaction did not for a minute make me question my trust in Frankie and Yeison, it didn’t make me question whether or not I was asking my children to confront issues of gender and sexuality at too young an age. So, I went to the research. I found an article by Dr. Fred Kaeser, the former director of health for the NYC Department of Education, entitled “Teaching Your Young Children about Homosexuality and Transgenderism” (2011, Psychology Today). He reassured me that, in order to raise my children to be the inclusive, kind, accepting humans I wish them to be, I am absolutely doing what is best. Dr. Kaeser writes, “Unfortunately, the longer we wait to teach kids understanding and tolerance, the greater the chance they will learn the opposite.” Kaeser goes on to encourage parents that it is “far better to start early” when it comes to discussions of sexuality and gender: “I advise parents that the age of 5 is a wonderful time to lay a foundation for what homosexuality is and to instill in your young child a sense of tolerance and acceptance for being gay or lesbian.” Likewise, Dr. Susan Linn, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard, writes in her “How to Talk to Your Children about Bias and Prejudice” (2003, Partnersagainsthate.org), “Both the seeds of respect and the seeds of intolerance are planted when we are very young and nurtured by our experiences and the attitudes of those around us as we grow up. The goal is not just to help prevent hate crimes, but to help in the enabling of children to flourish in a diverse society.” I read this, and screamed, “YAAAAAASSSSSS, Queen!” This is what Frankie and Yeison do for my children, they cherish them and, just by being themselves, they are setting for my children an example of open-mindedness, acceptance, and authenticity. Of course, this reassurance by experts comforted me, but, more importantly, I look to my children to check in on their comfort, their growth, their happiness. The most essential expert I can quote is my 8-year-old daughter who, in her work entitled “Happy Birthday, Frankie!” wrote, “Frankie Starr really looks like a girl. You shine like a star, Frankie Starr. You got the skills, Frankie Starr. I love you, Frankie Starr!”
What a Drag Queen and his Husband Teach My Children
E M P T Y
OUTLOOK: Progress
C L O S E T | October 2018 | 35
By: DANNY PALMER
“I am tired of seeing my children—I call everybody including yous in this room, you are all my children—I am tired of seeing homeless transgender children; young, gay, youth children. I am tired of seeing the lack of interest that this rich community has.” “I remember singing “We Shall Overcome,” many a times, on different demonstrations, on the steps of Albany, when we had our first march, where I spoke to the crowds in Albany. I remember singing but I haven’t over-come a damn thing. I’m not even in the back of the bus. My community is being pulled by a rope around our neck by the bumper of the damn bus that stays in the front. Gay liberation but transgender nothing! Yes, I hold a lot of anger. But I have that right. I have that right to have that anger. I have fought too damn and too hard for this community to put up with the disrespect that I have received, and my community has received for the last thirty-two years.” Sylvia Rivera,
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2001 talk at the Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center, NYC.
ften when discussing history, we hear warnings that history repeats itself, that to not know our history is to be doomed to repeat it. Stonewall is one of the most well-known events in the history of the LGBTQIA+ movement, and Sylvia Rivera one of its most well-known names. I was struck recently though when watching a documentary about Marsha P. Johnson that features interviews and speeches with Ms. Rivera that so often we can lose the trees for the forest. We’ve all seen Facebook posts and signs proclaiming “The first pride was a riot” or “The supreme court didn’t give me rights, Trans women of color throwing bricks at cops did”. For all the focus on that night and the events following though, seeing Sylvia Rivera address Christopher Street Pride in that documentary, tearfully frustrated as she finally made it to the stage made it very clear that the common narrative was not the reality, and still isn’t. Even then, Rivera and Johnson were fighting against the majority of the community to be seen and recognized. Still now, that battle is all too familiar to transgender folks and to black and brown folks in the community. I recall attending the Unity March in DC after 45’s election. As we passed the White House, I remember the hush that fell as folks realized there were two very clearly visible snipers standing on the roof of the building, using hand held scopes to watch the crowds, weapons up and at the ready. The crowd rallied, singing a verse or two of “I Wanna Dance with Somebody”, chanting “lock him up.” But through the entire march, rarely did I hear a voice or chant for the transgender folks or people of color most at risk in those early months, who were actively under attack. The few Spanish language chants or trans focused chants were slow to catch in the crowd and quick to fade out to mutters. We were there in the streets again fighting on the
front lines, and still, in 2017, being shuffled to the back and quieted. I remember speaking with the single transgender employee who was working at HRC’s offices that morning, talking with him about how glad I was that the organization had finally made it to getting a trans focused shirt. His wry expression was plenty of evidence that there was still work to do among HRC’s troubled and complicated history regarding transgender advocacy. At a conference I attended this past year, we sat in a room in Arizona writing letters in slowly and carefully translated Spanish encouraging LGBTQIA+ refugees detained by ICE to hold on. We wrote words of encouragement, “you are not alone here” “your life matters” “you are loved”, “you can get through this.” Those letters were the only companionship or community many of those folks might see for long months spent hoping that the government would eventually allow them to stay, that they wouldn’t be forced to return to difficult and deadly situations in the countries they had escaped. Most workplace protections and civil rights protections still don’t include transgender folks explicitly nationwide or federally. New York State’s own protections still have work to do in protection school children. The proportion of LGBTQIA+ youth who need shelter and services still far outstrips the services available to them. A home was recently bought and is to be used as a shelter for LGBTQIA+ youth in the city here. The Alliance Community Center has opened, offering more space for more programming and resources. These are steps in the right direction, but we still have a long way to go. Knowing our history, knowing how long the refrain of “we’ll come back for you” has echoed, we need to stand together and push forward as one. Progress for only the most palatable of us is not truly progress at all.
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@OUTALLIANCEROC
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A LGBTQ Community Center Construction, August 20 – September 7 B DeeDee’s Club Night Out: The Black Party @ Photo City Improv, September 2 (credit Braden Reese & Jordan Honsinger) C Suffragist City Parade, September 15 (credit Bess Watts)
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D Thots & Prayers @ The Spirit Room, August 25 E Her Voice Carries Wrap Party @ Kaleidoscope Collective, September 15 F She Done Tried It sneak preview @ 140 Alex, September 1 (credit: Manic! Photography)
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